Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 153 Let's have a drink

Thales remained frozen for a full ten seconds.

The Shadow Shield.

He had heard Gilbert mention the name.

Its name, along with that of the Surreyton family, appears in the tragedy of the Bloody Year.

The direct perpetrator of the murder of the royal family of Shining Star.

He recalled the small stone urns in the Star Chamber of the Palace of Restoration, from the eldest son Midil to Horace, and then to the twin princes Bancroft and Hyman.

And the youngest princess, Constance Star.

But, Shadow Shield—Tails looked at Pefit in disbelief—assassinate me?
how come……

His thoughts were quickly interrupted.

"enough."

King Nuen's voice rang out in the hall.

“As long as I sit in Valhalla,” the king said grimly, throwing Peffert to the ground, “I will not allow such a despicable thing as assassination to happen on my land.”

“Hmph,” Peffert sneered, spitting out a word through gritted teeth: “Tyrant.”

King Nuen narrowed his eyes, looking at the helpless enemy.

"Let's put an end to this," Peffert said, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "I will watch from the bottom of the River of Hell as your family is destroyed!"

"End it!"

King Nuen clenched his fist gently and remained silent for several seconds.

Complex emotions rose in his eyes.

Finally, King Nuen closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose.

"The duel isn't over yet, but I can give you a chance," the old king said calmly, opening his eyes under everyone's gaze.
“Now admit defeat to me, then fully confess your crimes and admit to your conspiracy with Lumba.”

"You can still earn your own life back."

Pfelt was completely stunned.

what.

what?
“But you will spend the rest of your life in prison… Your brother will inherit Fengzhao City, and Pefit will continue to rule that land.”

“Besides you, Fengzhao City will also escape punishment,” the old king said sharply. “How about that?”

Everyone in the hall was taken aback.

Peffert stared blankly at the king.

“I killed your last son,” he said, somewhat dazed.

“Yes,” King Nuen’s eyes darkened, “you killed my son.”

Peffert's gaze toward the King gradually changed.

Thales saw struggle and pain in it.

The young grand duke lowered his head, his breathing rapid.

As Thales pondered the choice the king had given him, Putila whispered in his ear, "If he agrees, then if Beacon City wants to maintain its rule in the future, it must never become an enemy of Walton."

Thales nodded in realization.

Nicolai, standing nearby, snorted coldly.

A few seconds later, Peffer slowly raised her head, a bitter smile appearing on her desolate face: "Really?"

“Yes,” King Nuen said calmly, “as long as you utter that word, you can continue to breathe the air of the North.”

The hall was silent for a moment.

But soon after, Pfeet, who was lying on the ground, stopped smiling.

His face was as cold as ice, his eyes as sharp as iron, and his expression seemed to be covered by snow that had remained frozen for a thousand years.

The young grand duke looked directly into the king's eyes.

Pfeet gritted her teeth, but uttered another word with unwavering resolve:

"no way."

Thales shook his head.

“This is the North,” Nikolai whispered behind Thales. “To be pardoned by the enemy is a disgrace.”

King Nuen sighed.

But he immediately looked up and gave Peffer a gentle smile:

"Good boy."

The old king smiled with a complicated expression.

Suddenly, Pefit kicked off with his left leg, jerked his body to his feet, and roared as he charged toward King Nunn!

He was met with a gentle stomp from the old king, which struck his shinbone squarely.

"Thump!" Peffer lost her balance again and fell face down heavily to the ground.

Peffert let out a final, desperate scream.

King Nuen slowly shook his head.

He stood up, knelt down on Pefit's back, then reached out with both hands, grabbed Pefit's head tightly, and lifted him up so that all four grand dukes could see him.

The four dukes, Aurelius, Trudida, Ronnie, and Lyco, stared intently at their king with solemn expressions.

The next moment, King Nunn Walton VII, co-ruler of Exter, roared in his aged yet majestic voice:

"Look!"

The roar echoed through the hall.

King Nuen, his face contorted with rage, roared out the next sentence:

"This is Walton's enemy!"

Pfelt's face was filled with sorrow, but she gave a relieved smile.

Amidst the gasps of many, the old king twisted his hands forcefully.

"Click!"

The crisp sound of his neck breaking reached Thales' ears.

"Thump!" Peffert fell to the ground.

But this time, his head was facing upwards, staring blankly at the ceiling.

King Nuen plopped down on the ground, staring expressionlessly at the enemy's corpse.

No one speaks.

The only sounds in the hall were the howling wind and snow outside the window and the crackling of the brazier inside, mixed with the uneven breathing of the crowd.

The silence lasted for several seconds.

Until a light and moving vibrato drifted softly from the other side of the hall:
"die……"

"It's just a long-awaited return home."

"High Priest Holm of the Temple of Bright Moon said calmly."

She crossed her arms again, lowered her body, and slowly closed her eyes behind the veil:
"The victory has been decided."

"A sacred duel."

"And so it ended."

As soon as he finished speaking, the high priest of the Bright Moon Temple turned and left.

The Scarlet Witch smiled, turned, and followed her.

In the hall, many people finally let out a slow breath.

ended.

Lord Mehrke waved his hand, and servants and guards rushed forward. Doctors and healers, who had been waiting for a long time, hurried to King Nunn's side to bandage the wounds on his chest and face.

The king's ministers and the four dukes left the area where they had been watching, each with their own thoughts and feelings.

“I was wrong. This duel is not something I can brag about for a year,” Marquis Slays sighed. “It’s enough for me to brag about for a lifetime.”

Nicolai gave him a cold glance, stepped off the field, and began directing the White Blade Guards to clean up the mess.

“A complicated day, Your Highness,” Slay adjusted his hat and bowed politely to Thales. “Excuse me, I must return immediately to assess the potential business losses we may suffer in Beacon City—hopefully not exceeding the rewards His Majesty Nunn has offered.”

Thales shrugged and watched the Commas man leave.

“What a fruitful day,” Thales turned around and said sarcastically in a low voice, “We need to talk about Putilai—about the Shadow Shield.”

Not only that, he had many other things to ask this knowledgeable deputy envoy, including many questions. "I agree," Putila nodded cautiously and solemnly.

Just now.

"You four!" The old king's aged voice echoed from afar: "Do you have any objections to this duel?"

King Nuen raised his head, his gaze piercing through the crowd and settling on the four grand dukes.

The hall fell silent again, and everyone looked at the four dukes.

The dukes had different expressions, but Thales could sense the solemnity and vigilance beneath their faces.

After all, a colleague had just died here.

“No,” answered the king, Grand Duke Ronnie in a cold tone. He said softly, “It was a sacred duel, a just revenge, fair and just—Pefit also confessed to his crimes.”

Trudida still had a smile on his face, Aurelius remained silent, and Lyco looked away, his expression unreadable.

King Nuen stared at the long-haired Grand Duke for a few seconds, then suddenly sneered.

“Of course there is,” King Nuen scoffed. “Your discontent has been brewing for a long time, hasn’t it?”

Thales suddenly felt that the atmosphere in the hall was becoming tense again.

Until King Nuen's next words.

“No need to worry anymore.” King Nuen sighed slowly. “I will send out a message tomorrow that the Duke of Fengzhao City has died a glorious death in the duel, and Fengzhao City will be inherited by his brother—he must have been waiting for this for a long time.”

The dukes were slightly taken aback.

“The Walton family has no hope for the next election,” the old king said dejectedly, his head bowed. “We do not have a candidate who is both prestigious and legitimate enough.”

Archduke Aurelius frowned: "Your Majesty..."

“But at least,” King Nunn interrupted Olech, “before I die, I can do one last thing for my family and for Dragonstreet.”

He raised his head, his gaze filled with a chilling coldness.

The dukes all stiffened.

"For example?" Archduke Aurelius asked softly, with his utmost caution.

King Nuen smiled.

"War," the old king said softly, "The New Year is fast approaching, and next spring I will conscript the army of Dragon Sky City."

Upon hearing this, Thales felt a chill run down his spine!
No way?
The four dukes also caught their breath.

"Stars?" Archduke Aurelius glanced at Thales with an unfriendly expression, making Thales' heart skip a beat.

Fortunately, King Nuen's next words made the Prince of Stars breathe a sigh of relief.

"Do not."

“I’d like to visit the Black Sand Territory,” King Nuen said casually, patting his thigh as he sat in the center of the hall, being cared for by a physician.

“Go see my dear nephew—Chaman Lumba.”

The dukes frowned.

This includes Thales.

“I miss him,” the old king said, his eyes gleaming. “I miss him terribly.”

Grand Dukes Aurelius and Trudida, whose territories bordered the Black Sand Territory, frowned in unison.

“But I don’t like being alone, and I don’t want to go alone,” King Nunn said sharply, looking at the four dukes. “What do you say?”

The four dukes remained silent.

Until the king's second sentence.

"After we 'visit' him, shall we discuss the matter of choosing a king?" the old king said meaningfully.

The four dukes exchanged glances, and this time, they made a decision quickly.

“The city of Jieshou will send all its troops to respond; we will always stand with the King,” the bald Grand Duke Lyco sighed first.

Grand Duke Aurelius nodded solemnly: "If the territory of Weyland has no objections, we will also send reinforcements."

“This is just revenge, a warning to those who are plotting in secret,” Grand Duke Ronnie said sternly. “Qiyuan City is willing to send troops to support us.”

“Since you all say so, if we build more towers but don’t send out more troops,” Trudida said in frustration, “won’t I be unable to even leave Dragon Sky City?”

Of course—hearing this, Thales thought to himself: Why not let the king take the lead and help you eliminate a competitor?
King Nuen looked at them and burst into laughter.

Just then, Grand Duke Aurelius couldn't help but ask, "How's the Black Sand Territory?"

"Should Chaman's son inherit the title of Grand Duke?"

King Nuen stopped laughing and shook his head gently.

“I have someone in mind, someone who is absolutely a good candidate for the Grand Duke,” he stretched his right arm, which had just been bandaged. “Kaslan Lumba… Chaman’s uncle, my former captain of the bodyguard.”

Thales paused, recalling the burly old man in the Hero's Tavern.

“I’ve heard he has no interest in power and dislikes his family,” Grand Duke Ronnie said calmly.

“Yes,” King Nunn chuckled softly, “but that’s not up to him.”

The dukes were slightly taken aback.

"Alright!" The old king pushed aside the doctor, stood up magnanimously, and shouted angrily, "Everyone, go up!"

"The banquet is still going on!" King Nuen looked around at everyone and laughed heartily. "Don't spoil the fun!"

The four dukes exchanged glances, and with varying expressions, bowed and departed.

The members of the King's Council also left one after another.

Thales noticed that the old king's smile disappeared after everyone else turned around.

"You may all leave as well!" King Nuen shook his head and said to his guards with melee weapons, "Just keep watch outside the hall..."

King Nunn VII sighed, grabbed the wine barrel, walked to the steps where the battle was to be watched, and sat down with a forlorn expression: "I'll sit here by myself for a while."

Nikolai and Michael exchanged a glance and nodded.

Thales and Putila exchanged a glance, and the two cautiously followed the crowd away.

Tonight has been long enough.

That's fulfilling enough.

Just then, King Nuen's voice rang out again:
"Thales! My dear guest!"

Thales was jolted.

Those who had not yet left the hall all looked at Prince Xingchen.

Especially several grand dukes, such as Grand Duke Lecco, who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Why don't you stay?" King Nuen patted the steps beside him, his expression serene. "I should thank you properly—shall we have a drink together?"

Thales stared at the king, mouth agape, utterly embarrassed.

What a joke.

After I offended a bunch of grand dukes, after you broke one grand duke's neck, after you forced the other grand dukes to join you in sending troops...

Do you want me to "have a drink with you"?
What I need to do now is to disappear quickly, keep a low profile, and go back to China as soon as the time comes!

You can't provoke hatred like this!

He turned around and exchanged a glance with Putila, who shook his head slightly.

“It is an honor to drink with you… however, I am only seven years old,” Thales turned to King Nunn, and said politely but awkwardly, “and I am very tired…”

however.

"Seven years old, bullshit!"

King Nuen interrupted him with a displeased expression, raising his cup to the second prince:
"I was only five years old when my father took me to drink for the first time—how could a future king not know how to drink?"

Thales looked stunned, preparing to find another excuse.

"Or do you intend to refuse King Exter's invitation?" King Nunn's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Even you, like that fellow lying on the ground, look down on a king whose days are numbered?"

The atmosphere in the hall became strange again.

Thales' heart suddenly raced.

He could only lower his head and sigh.

Then he turned around and took a step.

Beneath Putila's worry, Nicolai's frown, Slay's smile, and the peculiar gazes of the four grand dukes.

The second prince of the Stars, with a droopy expression, walked against the crowd toward King Nuen.

The exam is on the 18th. I've been focusing on studying these past few days, and writing in my spare time.

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(End of this chapter)