Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 232 The Battle of the Grand Dukes
The four dukes looked at Rumba with different expressions: Aurelius frowned, his face full of surprise and doubt; Trudida turned his head to look at him, full of suspicion; Duke Leco's gaze was unmoving, as if frozen in place; and Ronnie clenched his fists, his eyes full of disdain.

After a long pause, Archduke Aurelius softly asked what everyone was thinking: "Are you insane?"

crackle.

The six large braziers, filled with a mixture of eternal oil, firewood, and other fuels, burned ever brighter.

At this moment, the Black Sand Grand Duke's half-body was hidden in the darkness, while the other half was illuminated by the firelight in the hall.

Rumba turned around and looked at the empty seat at the end of the rectangular table, his thoughts stirring slightly.

The scenes of playing here with Harold when I was a child seem to reappear before my eyes.

He unconsciously reached for the sword at his waist.

“Who knows,” Rumba said calmly, his eyes cold. “Probably.”

Aurelius's expression grew increasingly confused, and his brows began to twitch slightly.

Just then, Trudida, who had been squinting at Rumba, burst out laughing.

The other dukes all looked at him.

“Dragon City, hahaha…Dragon City,” Trudida’s right hand rested on his left arm, which was draped across his chest, supporting his chin. His shoulders trembled with laughter, and the gleaming sword embroidered on his chest swayed up and down. “To be divided up?”

The Grand Duke who was rebuilding the tower chuckled a few more times, as if he had just heard a good joke.

Clearly, his humor did not affect the other four: they all stared at Trudida in silence, their expressions indifferent.

"Sorry... haha..."

"Forgive my lapse in composure, gentlemen." Grand Duke Trudida grinned and shook his head, his right hand still resting on his left arm, casually gesturing to the grand dukes.

But there was not a trace of apology in his words.

“Sit in the Grand Duke’s seat, one rarely hears such astonishing words,” Grand Duke Trudida’s smile slowly faded, but the smile remained on his face, his eyes holding a deep meaning:
“Especially from another Grand Duke.”

Rumba looked at him, gave a soft hum, and her expression was inscrutable.

“Very good,” Grand Duke Olesh of the Wilan Territory interjected coldly, “We have taken the vast lands and countless people of Dragonsky City, and we’ve eaten and drunk our fill…”

"And then, you'll just let your matter drop, won't you?" He seemed thoughtful, but his eyes grew increasingly hostile.
"Like a good business?"

"The king's territory in exchange for the king's life?"

Rumba didn't even glance at him, but stared at the sky and muttered, "Don't overinterpret what I mean, Rabian—you've been prejudiced against me since you were young."

Aurelius scoffed, his face turning ugly.

Grand Duke Lecco, who was the only one sitting, let out a long sigh.

"Ignore His Majesty Nunn's assassination, ignore someone's arrogance and betrayal?" The oldest Grand Duke shook his head, his expression unusually serious: "That's hardly a good suggestion."

Rumba looked at Leko, his eyes sharpening.

“I am convinced that this is a good proposal, Rogers, esteemed elder,” he said respectfully and solemnly. “Dragon Sky City is located in the heart of Exster, with numerous strategic passes, abundant resources, vast territory, fertile land, and a large population.”

Rumba's eyes flickered slightly: "It has a natural advantage in suppressing other territories."

“During Nunn’s rule, you all suffered greatly – the army crossed the border, set up checkpoints, cut off supplies, hoarded food, forced emigration, opened up wasteland... He had many ways to deal with us.”

Grand Duke Lecce sighed, his eyes glazed over.

“So, to resolve the issue of Dragon City,” Rumba extended his right hand, looked around at the dukes, and slowly clenched his fist, “this is to make that shackle called Walton no longer exist, and to liberate all of you here…”

He glanced at the other four people.

But the other dukes remained unmoved.

Only Grand Duke Ronnie slightly raised his chin, first revealing a half-smile, then his eyes turned cold.

“How interesting…” he said in a deep voice.

“After all that you’ve done, after your shameless murder of your monarch, after you’ve led your troops to Valhalla,” Ronnie’s voice gradually revealed suppressed anger, “you actually want to use the interests and territories of the late King to gain our forgiveness, to gain our accomplices?”

"And they put it so grandly..."

"It's as if you're on our side, and you have to do this for our sake."

Grand Duke Ronnie spat coldly in front of Rumba: "Go to hell, Rumba."

Rumba stared back at him expressionlessly.

Kulikun Ronnie of Qiyuan City—although he is as bold, upright, and uncompromising as rumored, this is the first time I've seen him like this.

It might be a problem.

Grand Duke Lombard closed his eyes, then slowly opened them.

“I must reiterate that although I have an intractable misunderstanding, even animosity, with His Majesty Nunn,” he began slowly, “but what about the whole tragedy of last night?”

"It was all the Star People's scheme—you've all heard of the Secret Department's methods, and some of you may have even witnessed them."

"I am here to save ourselves before the wounds they left on the Dragon Kingdom worsen."

Aurelius interrupted him without any politeness.

"So what is this?" The Grand Duke of Wilan glanced at Rumba, his expression grim. "Find a good enough price and then bribe us to endorse you?"

"So, you've turned this hall of glory..." Aurelius's voice suddenly rose, his face contorted with anger, "into a marketplace where lowly people order others around and haggle over prices?"

"Do not tarnish our dignity, Your Excellency."

Leko watched their conversation with a cold eye, without saying a word.

Rumba's face darkened, and he lowered his head slightly, exhaling slowly.

"So, you don't accept this price?" His voice was somewhat low: "The same thing happened once before—three hundred years ago, if it weren't for Sarah's regency, Walton would have lost its rule over Dragonsreach City long ago due to the death of its lord."

"That is to say."

"This is an opportunity you only see once every three hundred years..."

Upon hearing this, Ronnie could no longer contain himself. He slammed his fist on the table and roared:
"This is impossible!"

With an offended expression, he angrily shouted, "You want us to degenerate and conspire with the regicide to cover up and tolerate the crimes you committed and the evil consequences you left behind?"

"You are insulting us, and you are insulting Exter!"

Trudida laughed.

"To divide up Dragon Sky City? Good heavens, I can't believe I've heard that in my lifetime—on the very day Old Wang died." He said grimly, his small eyes darting back and forth.

“But that doesn’t justify us cleaning up your mess,” Grand Duke Trudida said with a smile, turning his gaze away from Rumba. “It’s not a good way to bargain either.”

Lumba looked back at the Grand Duke who had rebuilt the tower, and his expression changed:
"Is it?"

“Trudida, no matter how much you expand into the Sighing Mountains, the barren Reconstruction Tower will always lack a new arable land,” Rumba turned around to face Trudida directly, and his words made the latter pause slightly: “But if you have two or even three counties southeast of Dragonsreach, you will no longer have to feign friendship with those mountain barbarians, and you will no longer have to worry about food shortages during every bitterly cold winter.”

Trudida squinted.

"You mean two enclaves that don't border my lands?" The cunning Grand Duke chuckled coldly. "Who would benefit more from this?"

Rumba curled the corners of his mouth.

“Since you put it that way,” the Black Sand Duke said in a deep voice, “Pefit of Beacon City has just passed away—and his territory is far too close to Dragon Sky City.”

The eyes of the four dukes flickered slightly again.

“I think his younger brother is not up to the task,” Lumba concluded coldly. “It will also solve the predicament of rebuilding the tower—of course, in that case, the ownership of Dragon Sky City will have to be reassured, with Qiyuan City and Weilan Territory receiving more.”

Trudida was stunned. He stared blankly at Rumba, as if he were seeing him for the first time.

Upon hearing this, Grand Duke Ronnie's expression turned terrifying as he cursed, "Damn it!"

Boom, boom, boom.

Grand Duke Lecce tapped his fingers on the table, his eyes subtly conveying his emotions.

“From the little Chaman who used to follow his brother around in a daze, to the infamous Grand Duke of Black Sands today…” His voice was long and steady: “I really underestimated you before—it seems there’s a reason why the old man chose you over the popular Harold.”

Rumba's pupils constricted slightly.

The scene from twelve years ago reappeared before his eyes.

Harold.

His elder brother.

He was destined to be a lord.

He seemed to see the other person lying on the ground, coughing up blood in agony, and giving him a final smile as he cried and wailed with tears streaming down his face.

Chaman.

remember.

We will never give in.

Rumba's gaze froze in mid-air.

The bald-headed Grand Duke sighed, "What ambition! To annex the two most central duchies in the country in one fell swoop?"

My ambition?

No.

Rumba said quietly.

My ambition is beyond your reach.

Trudida's eyes darted around.

"It's as if the nobles and other grand dukes in these fiefdoms are all dead," Grand Duke Rebuilding Tower seemed to be mocking. "Deer City must be very unhappy—Beacon City is closer to that goatee, isn't it?" Rumba brought his attention back to reality.

“It’s Grand Duke Gadro’s loss that he didn’t come,” Chaman Lumba said seriously, as if he were discussing something. “But if you’re worried, we can negotiate with him—we can both reach a good outcome.”

Trudida chuckled, his intentions unclear.

Snap, snap.

Aurelius clapped his hands twice.

"You've really gone too far," the bearded man said coldly. "Do you even remember who you are?"

Rumba's eyes flickered.

“I know that the territory of Wilan is not lacking in land, and the reputation of the Olesh family in the hearts of the northern people is also extraordinary,” the Grand Duke of Black Sand nodded and said to Olesh, “but if you accept this condition, you will no longer have to be caught between the king’s urging order and the scouts of Starwatch City because of the border defense of the Great Needle Forest.”

“And you, Ronnie, the upright and incorruptible one.” Rumba looked at the long-haired visitor from Qiyuan City.

"With these new citizens—the best conscripts in the world—80% of Qiyuan City can be fully armed. This way, when you face the turmoil in the desert and the Golden Corridor again, you will be fully prepared and at least you won't be so nervous or on high alert."

Ronnie remained silent, simply staring coldly at him.

"As for the city of Jie Shou," Lumba turned to Leko, whose face was deeply wrinkled, "the rich mines north of Dragon Sky City... it would be a good idea to add a large area of ​​territory with abundant crystal deposits for nothing?"

“Next time, if the Duke of Hustel—or the new king—forces you to mobilize the entire territory and reinforce the glacier defenses, you can just throw a bunch of gold coins at them to shut them up.”

Grand Duke Raikkonen remained noncommittal.

“Enough,” Archduke Aurelius interrupted Rumba’s monologue, shaking his head. “Don’t test our patience. We’re not here to chat and brag with you.”

“You should be glad we’re still here listening to your nonsense,” Ronnie added bluntly.

“But you don’t seem to understand the situation you’re facing,” the long-haired Grand Duke said angrily.

"You, you are our biggest problem!"

"Chaman, who murdered the king... or at least Chaman, who is suspected of murdering the king?"

Rumba frowned slightly as he glanced at the expressions of the other three dukes.

Not one of them objected to Ronnie's words—not even the stingiest and most calculating Trudida.

Rumba sighed inwardly.

"You just can't understand, can you?" He closed his eyes, raised his right hand, and rubbed his temples. He seemed very tired.

"Even if I'm offering my proposal so sincerely and earnestly?" Rumba opened his eyes, raised an eyebrow, and suddenly raised his voice: "Even if these conditions are actually in your favor?"

"Come on!" Aurelius interrupted him loudly.

“On the morning of the day after the king’s death,” the bearded duke snorted, “the five dukes just happened to appear all at once and tell them: Sorry, Dragonstreet is no longer Walton’s territory, and you now belong to us. From now on, pay taxes to us and accept our summons.”

Beside him, Trudida gave a sarcastic "hmm," while Ronnie crossed his arms, seemingly suppressing his anger.

“If you don’t think of the four of us as fools…” Aurelius’s gaze sharpened as he continued:

"They must be treating the nobles under Dragon Sky City as blind and the people of Dragon Sky City as idiots!"

Rumba watched him silently.

“Even if you look down on those ignorant and rude commoners, the counts of Dragonsky City are no pushovers.” Grand Duke Trudida, who was observing from the sidelines, sighed.

“They are Northlanders, and they are loyal only to Walton.”

"To divide up Dragon Sky City? That's just a joke."

The Grand Duke of Rebuilding the Tower shook his head and spread his hands: "Without that surname, we can never rule this land."

"You're trying to bribe us with a piece of sweet cheese that we can't even get our hands on, just to cover up your dirty deeds?"

Trudida's eyes darted around, and a smile appeared on his face: "On this point, you can't convince us."

Rumba frowned.

Grand Duke Ronnie, who was standing in front of him, let out a heavy snort.

"And what do you think the whole of Exeter will think of us?" Grand Duke Lyco spoke slowly, a glint of shrewdness occasionally flashing in his eyes: "Five grand dukes conspired to assassinate the monarch and then divided his territory among themselves?"

Leko shook his head and didn't say anything more.

Ronnie stepped forward, narrowed his eyes, and spoke almost rudely to Rumba's face: "Perhaps you can be shameless, committing both patricide and regicide."

Rumba's expression changed.

"They were even complacent and proud of it..."

“But please remember, we are Northerners, we are Exter,” the Grand Duke of Qiyuan City said coldly. “We have our own dignity and pride. If you are truly ‘for the future of Exter’…”

Ronnie frowned, as if he were utterly disgusted: "Stop talking like a Commas guy, it makes me sick."

Rumba closed his eyes, turned around and took a few steps, his chest heaving.

He was suppressing his emotions.

Suppress your growing impatience and anger.

Even though he had rehearsed it a thousand times and anticipated the dukes' reactions.

but……

enough.

Rumba suddenly opened his eyes.

Grand Duke?

Behind them are these short-sighted, foolish parasites.

They considered themselves noble and proud.

Completely unaware of the impending crisis.

They turned a blind eye to the most terrible threats.

They never realized where the terrifying force that truly determined their life and death was located.

One day...

Rumba suddenly turned around, his expression firm and resolute.

It's as if they've made some kind of decision.

The four dukes couldn't help but tense up slightly.

But Rumba didn't do anything to overturn the chessboard.

“I understand,” he said, taking a deep breath and regaining his composure after a few seconds. “What you mean.”

The four dukes exchanged a few glances.

"First of all, do you think we can't take Dragon Sky City smoothly without any hidden dangers?"

Trudida snorted, while the others remained noncommittal.

“Secondly,” Rumba continued, “according to Ronnie, as Exterians—you have your own creed?”

Ronnie had a fierce look on his face. He made a biting motion at him, his eyes filled with disdain.

Rumba took a deep breath, his gaze sharp and resolute as he swept it over each of the Dukes of Exeter.

In that instant, Rumba remembered twelve years ago.

That was me back then.

That young self, already heartbroken and weathered by life's hardships, that little count who didn't know where the future lay.

The heir to the Black Sand Territory—that nightmarish title.

At that time, he was just like that, with great determination and resolve, standing in the Restoration Palace of the Star Kingdom, in the Hall of Stars, facing the Star People with hostile gazes.

Facing the elderly, yet unsettlingly profound King of the Stars, Eddie Star.

Facing the murderous sword of light, the bloodthirsty Star Butcher, Horace Starlight.

Facing the eldest son of the king, who sat below the king.

Midil Shinsei, who always had a smile on her face and spoke in a humble tone, making people feel calm and at ease without even realizing it.

and also.

Rumba clenched his fist.

And the woman sitting next to King Eddie.

That woman.

Rumba couldn't quite remember what she looked like.

For some reason, when Rumba thought of that woman with her composed demeanor and serene expression, he felt the same way he did back then—his heart still pounded with fear.

He knew: it was a deep-seated nervousness.

And fear.

Rumba exhaled, his gaze returning to focus.

“If this is what you are worried about,” he said calmly to the four dukes, “I can solve it.”

“Longxiao City, and even Fengzhao City,” Lunba’s voice was heavy with nasal tone, “we can take them all without any future troubles, peacefully and steadily.”

(End of this chapter)