Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 264 You Northerners!
"Ha ha ha ha……"

Grand Duke Ronnie's mocking laughter drifted over.

As if responding to Thales's words.

At that moment, Rumba felt an endless surge of anger rising in his chest.

Trudida blinked, trying to speak with Aurelius, but the latter remained silent, his expression grave.

Archduke Raikkonen remained seated at the square table.

Rumba took a deep breath, forcing himself to look away from Thales.

and so.

This is the end.

His next words sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"I will ask you one last time, my lords," the Black Sand Duke said coldly, "is this your final choice?"

"Are we just going to abandon our alliance and accept that child's nonsense?"

These words immediately created a tense atmosphere in the room.

Trudida frowned: Why hasn't the Prime Minister of Lisbon arrived yet?
Is it...

Looking at Rumba's expression, Thales suddenly felt uneasy.

"The last time?" Grand Duke Ronnie chuckled. "You really dare to say that."

He pulled a hair tie from his pocket, tied his long hair into a ponytail, and tucked it into the back of his collar.

Rumba silently watched his actions and understood his response.

Grand Duke Lecco's expression turned serious.

“Chaman, let’s give each other some leeway,” the eldest brother said, sitting upright and stiffly. “Let’s work together to resolve this—in another way, without making it so ugly.”

Rumba did not respond.

He shook his head, as if he had just given up on something and made a decision: "I knew it, I could never count on you."

“Chaman!” Grand Duke Trudida’s expression changed: “You are still a member of the Grand Dukes, we don’t need to go that far.”

"Hmph," came Rumba's faint sneer in response: "Who was it that just now said that I, as the Kingslayer, am no longer a member of the Covenant of Rule?"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Thales gritted his teeth.

really.

Just as he had expected.

“Rumba, you don’t want to be enemies with the four of us,” Aurelius said worriedly. “Don’t do anything foolish.”

"What a foolish thing to do?" Rumba glanced at him and put his hand on his waist.

next second.

"Qiang!"

In front of all the grand dukes, amidst the scraping sound of metal against leather, Rumba drew his sword!
The dukes' expressions all changed.

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

It was a sharp and gleaming knight's half-sword, completely at odds with its worn and yellowed scabbard.

This shows that its owner had wielded the sword hundreds of times and had taken great care of the blade.

All for the day when I can draw my sword and kill the enemy.

Grand Duke Lombard glared menacingly at the others.

Archduke Aurelius sighed softly.

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

The next moment, Rumba abruptly turned towards the hall entrance and shouted, "At LS!"

The Grand Duke's voice was deafening, resounding both inside and outside.

Viscount Cambida's voice came from outside the hall: "Your Excellency?"

Rumba roared, "All troops, listen up! Prepare for battle!"

Thales was startled, and Selma, who was holding his hand, tensed up immediately.

The next second, the area outside the hall seemed to erupt in chaos!

"Crash..."

A cacophony of metallic clanging sounds erupted simultaneously!

Voices also came one after another:

"Draw the knife!"

"Raise your shields!"

"Hold on!"

It was even more outrageous than the commotion caused by Thales!
Inside the hall, the dukes remained remarkably composed: Ronnie methodically tied his hair, Aurelius slowly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, Trudida silently retreated, and the seated Duke Leco straightened up and began to flex his fists.

They stood silently facing off against Rumba.

“In fact,” Trudida whispered behind everyone, “he has several times more troops than us, and he still controls Valhalla and the city gates, so… it seems we are the ones doing something foolish?”

Thales gritted his teeth, sighed, and gripped Selma's hand tightly.

Really bad.

These guys...

Northerners who resort to violence at the slightest provocation.

A familiar voice called out from outside the hall, reminding the other grand dukes: "Grand Duke Leco?"

Grand Duke Leco calmly looked at the silent Rumba and gave a soft hum.

“Lord Justin,” the Grand Duke responded loudly, “thank you for your and your colleagues’ protection. Do your best. We’ll handle things in the hall ourselves—you are worthy of the reputation of the White Blade Guard, and it is an honor to accompany you.”

There was a moment of silence outside the hall.

Until Lord Justin's voice came again: "It is my honor, Your Excellency the Grand Duke."

“I don’t care who you served before, whether you were a Grand Duke or the court, a melee fighter or a common soldier…” Justin shouted from outside the hall, “but when the fighting starts, you’d better act like Northmen!”

A chorus of shouts and responses came from outside the hall.

It appears to be a force composed of the grand dukes and the remaining personnel of the court.

The eldest duke nodded slightly—though Lord Justin couldn't see it at all.

He turned his attention back to the field.

“You might want to reconsider, child,” Leko said calmly to Rumba.

“We could have worked together to open up a future for Exter,” Rumba said coldly, slowly turning his sword. “But if you had become an obstacle, rather than an aid…”

"What use are you to me?" Upon hearing this, Ronnie sneered, Aurelius sighed heavily, and Trudida rubbed his hands together, making a helpless expression.

Thales sensed that something between the Grand Duke and Rumba had completely shattered.

He knew that layer of understanding was called "tacit agreement" or "rules".

From this point on, the situation and circumstances are spiraling in an unpredictable direction.

Thales involuntarily tightened his breathing.

“Chaman, think carefully about the consequences. Even if we all suffer heavy losses, even if you kill us all here,” Grand Duke Lyco said calmly, as if this were nothing more than a training exercise. “What will you have to offer to Prime Minister Risban, to Dragon City at this moment, and to the entire Exeter?”

Rumba shook his head: "This is not the result I wanted, but you have left me with no choice."

Archduke Aurelius stepped forward.

"Clang!" Oleshu drew the two-handed greatsword from his waist.

The bearded duke sighed: "Not only will you become the target of everyone's hatred, but Exter will also be in chaos after our deaths. You will gain nothing and accomplish nothing—is this the result you want?"

Thales looked at the heavy sword that had almost slit his throat, his brows furrowing slightly.

“I think if we can reach a compromise…” Grand Duke Trudida asked tentatively.

"I have abandoned useless fantasies," Rumba said coldly.

"Whether it's regicide or disrespect—once you leave here alive, no matter what reason you find, you will not let me go."

"Whether it's because I broke the co-governance pledge, or because of that brat's nonsense."

Even if I lose everything in the ruins... it won't be worse than it is now!

“Coward.” Grand Duke Ronnie, his hair now tied back, answered simply, drawing his weapon—a gleaming, sharp longsword that was clearly no ordinary weapon.

He stood side by side with Aurelius, facing Rumba with a solemn expression.

Rumba turned to Thales, brandishing his sword and squinting:
"As for you, I will give you the most fitting end for your status, Prince Thales Star."

That's really... quite the move to overturn the chessboard.

Thales sighed in exasperation.

Now... if we're going to wrap this up...

“Come behind me, Prince Thales, Lady Selma,” Grand Duke Leco chuckled, looking at Lumba’s expression. “Though I am old and frail, I am still a man of the North.”

"Before I fall."

"No one can hurt you."

The eldest prince slowly rose to his feet, his words carrying an undeniable authority.

He drew an expensive dagger from his robes, like a giant beast that had just awakened.

Thales responded with a smile.

Trudida sighed, gripping the short sword at his waist, but stood a little further away: "I hate today."

On the field, the tension between Ronnie, Aurelius, and Rumba was palpable.

"I heard that your brother stood still and let you stab him three times before you killed him?" Ronnie sneered, brandishing his sword and taunting Rumba without any restraint.

Rumba raised an eyebrow slightly, the sword in his hand reflecting a cold light.

“But we won’t surrender,” the Grand Duke of Qiyuan City chuckled. “One against two… are you prepared to die here, Chaman?”

Aurelius held his sword with both hands, his face serious, and remained silent.

"Are you kidding me?" Rumba seemed completely unaffected by the words, remaining unusually calm in his battle-ready state.
“From that day twelve years ago, I have been ready every second.”

Their swords were pointed at each other, like the most sincere northerners—without mercy.

At that moment, Thales unconsciously glanced at Selma: the girl's face was pale, but she no longer had the timidity and panic she had shown before; she was simply looking at him calmly with questioning eyes.

It seemed that her words in front of the dukes had given her a lot of courage.

Seeing her expression, Thales's tension suddenly subsided considerably.

Just then, Thales heard Ashida's voice in his ear: "Now, do you need me?"

"I'll only ask one last time—the Soul-Slaying Spear has spotted me, I have to leave immediately."

Filled with frustration, Thales let out a long sigh.

Selma, who was next to him, gave him a strange look.

Thales gently closed his eyes.

damn it.

He clenched his fist.

That's enough.

you……

You guys...

next second.

Aurelius and Ronnie both got into position, ready for battle.

Rumba, his eyes gleaming with ferocity, slowly opened his mouth: "All troops, heed my command—"

The sounds of clashing weapons outside the hall suddenly rose and fell like a sea breeze.

The Black Sand Duke roared:
"Kill them all..."

At that moment, a young male voice suddenly rang out throughout the hall—

"Is that enough?!"

The voice was so loud and piercing that it even cut off Rumba's words.

The dukes were all taken aback and turned around.

Under everyone's stunned gaze, Prince Thales Starlight, the second prince of the stars, had climbed onto the rectangular table without anyone noticing.

At this moment, covered in charcoal ash, the prince stomped his feet, waved his tiny fists, his face contorted, and shouted through gritted teeth at the entire hall:

"You rude, violent, stupid, impulsive, perverted, uncultured, impolite, ill-mannered, pretentious, self-righteous, self-absorbed, and all you know how to do all day long is shoot, fight, kill, and go at it, you Northerners!"

"Listen carefully, everyone!"

At that moment, the dukes, who had been subjected to an unprecedented and harsh scolding, seemed unable to react and stared at Thales in astonishment.

Frustration and impatience crept into the prince's heart.

Thales uttered a long, drawn-out word, bent over, pressed his knees, and gasped for breath—the sin of the River of Hell receded from his vocal cords.

Under the table, Selma stared at him blankly.

“I,” Thales took a deep breath, straightened up, and painfully pounded his chest, which ached from shouting, as he looked at the grand dukes staring intently at him, “have an idea…”

"It's much better than a lose-lose situation..."

The chapter title is a tribute to "You Returning Corpses".

P.S.: How could someone as diligent as me ever stop updating? There are 48 hours in a day, I update every single day! (Hmph)
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(End of this chapter)