Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 270 The Bloodstained Crown
Many people frowned.

The breathing of the guards and palace guards gradually became heavier, and they even clenched their fists.

In response, the warriors of Black Sand Territory drew their weapons, their eyes flashing coldly as a warning.

The two groups were once again on the verge of conflict, their nerves taut, and the atmosphere in the arena was extremely tense.

As for the parties involved, both Rumba and the other dukes remained calm and composed, as if they had not witnessed this terrifying scene at all.

Only people like Nikolai and Tuleha constantly warned their subordinates with their eyes.

"It's truly full of northern characteristics."

“In the corridor outside the hall, there weren’t enough nobles to witness the ceremony, no foreign dignitaries invited, only two groups of soldiers who wanted nothing more than to kill each other, and scheming conspirators,” Putila sighed in a secluded corner, whispering in Thales’ ear, “This is probably the most I’ve ever seen in my life…”

"The simplest and most unadorned, the most urgent and time-saving, yet also the most thrilling coronation ceremony."

Thales's brow twitched.

"You can't say that."

"There were six grand dukes present, as well as us 'foreign guests'."

"As for the simplest and most unpretentious, the most urgent and time-saving, and the most thrilling?" The prince repeated the deputy envoy's words, recalling everything that had happened today, and couldn't help but shake his head: "Well, I doubt that anyone will ever be able to break this record."

Fortunately, the conflict that many people feared did not occur.

Rumba stood before High Priest Holm and nodded slightly to him.

The high priest’s emotionless voice rang in everyone’s ears once more: “I, Jewel Holm of the Temple of the Bright Moon, hereby inquire on behalf of the gods, on behalf of the Dragon Queen, and on behalf of all the former kings!”

Everyone immediately became serious.

Even Thales was no exception—because of his several strange encounters with divine messengers, he was even more uneasy than others.

"As the lord of the Black Sand Territory, one of the ten grand dukes of the glorious and majestic Exter, and the chosen one at the election of kings," the high priest's voice came through, ethereal yet clear: "Chaman Solon Holt Lumba."

His voice was solemn, and his eyes were dignified.

Rumba looked seriously into her eyes behind her veil.

High Priest Holm calmly said, "Are you willing to swear an oath of honor and life..."

All the northerners instinctively pressed their hands to their hearts, their expressions respectful and solemn.

As Thales looked around, wondering whether he should follow suit, Putila shook his head, dissuading him from the idea.

The high priest's words were solemn and steady, yet they seemed to be filled with an indescribable power, striking the hearts of everyone present: "As a northerner, bear this heavy responsibility; as the king of the entire realm, rely on your wisdom and magnanimity to stand at the forefront of the kingdom."

"We swear to defend Exter and the Northland to the death."

"Uphold the glorious and noble spirit of the kingdom, so that it will not be buried."

"To ensure that the legitimate and natural rights of the vassals are not violated."

"To protect the lives and property of the people of the North from harm."

"From this moment until the end of your life?"

The priest finished speaking.

All the people of the North held their breath, their eyes turning to the stern-faced Grand Duke in full military attire.

Rumba took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

I don't know what he was thinking about.

At that moment, as Thales listened to the oath, he suddenly remembered the ideals and aspirations of the Black Sand Grand Duke.

He didn't give up—looking at the Grand Duke's expression, Thales told himself with certainty.

No matter how many constraints, obstacles, or difficulties lie ahead, he will persevere without ever regretting it.

For his Exter.

The next second, Rumba suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze as hard as iron!
The Grand Duke suddenly clenched his fist against his heart, pressing it against his chest.

“I,” the Black Sands Grand Duke’s voice was powerful and his expression resolute, “am Chaman Solon Holt Lumba from the Lumba family.”

"I swear on my honor and my life."

He spoke with unwavering resolve, each word resonating deeply:

“As a northerner, I will shoulder this heavy responsibility. As the king of the entire land, I will rely on my wisdom and magnanimity to stand at the forefront of the kingdom.”

Thales listened quietly to his vow, his brows furrowing slightly, while Selma watched Rumba intently, motionless.

"I will defend Exter and the Northland to the death."

Archduke Aurelius clenched his fists instinctively.

"I will uphold the glorious and noble spirit of the kingdom and not let it be buried."

Grand Duke Ronnie gritted his teeth.

"I will ensure that the legitimate and natural rights of the vassals are not violated."

Grand Duke Lecce sighed.

"I will protect the lives and property of the people of the North from harm."

Grand Duke Trudida rolled his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

"From this moment until the end of my life."

After saying his last word, Rumba resolutely looked up and surveyed the entire audience.

Like the alpha lion in a pride of lions.

Everyone he looked at looked away, avoiding eye contact.

When his gaze fell on Thales, the prince felt, perhaps it was just his imagination, that the Grand Duke's eyes slightly opened.

High Priestess Holm nodded slightly, then turned around to face the dukes.

"As one of the ten Grand Dukes of Exeter, a member of the Electoral Council..."

Following alphabetical order, the high priest read out each person's name, causing all the dukes to become serious:
"Grand Duke of Weyland, Rebien Aurelius..."

"Grand Duke of the Guardian City, Rogers Lyco..."

"Grand Duke of Qiyuan City, Kulikun Ronnie..."

"Grand Duke of the Reconstruction Tower, Perseus Trudida..."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, High Priest Holm turned to the final candidate.

The little girl with glasses wanted to pout and look aggrieved, but she clenched her fists, straightened her small chest, and stiffly but resolutely endured everyone's gaze.

Rumba watched the girl from afar, his eyes narrowing involuntarily.

The next second, the high priest softly uttered a title that had never appeared in over six hundred years:
"Grand Duchess of Dragon Sky City".

"Selma Walton".

There was still a slight commotion in the crowd.

But the Meteorite and the Fire Knight walked into the crowd together, forcefully suppressing their objections with murderous glares.

"Are you willing to swear an oath of honor and your lives...?"

"As people of the North, accept this oath; as vassals of the King, offer your swords and shields, and stand by the King's side..."

"We swear to defend Exter and the Northland to the death."

"Uphold the glorious and noble spirit of the kingdom, so that it will not be buried."

"To ensure that the legitimate and natural rights of the vassals are not violated."

"To protect the lives and property of the people of the North from harm."

"From this moment until the end of your lives?"

Thales pondered the oaths of the grand dukes in his mind and suddenly realized that, except for the first sentence, they were almost identical to the oath of the king.

This made him realize suddenly that the co-governance oath—at least the one that initially drafted it valued—was not a contractual relationship between the king and his vassals.

Rather, it was a sacred pact between the rulers and this land.

“I swear, with my honor and my life,” Aurelius paused slightly, frowning, before finally uttering, “I swear.”

“I swear on my honor and my life.” Grand Duke Leco’s expression was calm, as if this was nothing more than a small ripple in the long river of his life.

“I swear on my honor and my life.” Grand Duke Ronnie clenched his words, his face displeased, but he still managed to finish speaking while suppressing his anger.

“I swear on my honor and,” Trudida seemed much more relaxed, glancing at his colleagues before speaking calmly, “and on my life.”

“I swear, I swear on my honor and my life.” Selma, who was imitating her, stammered at first, which made Thales worry for her, but the girl still finished the oath fluently.

Thinking about what he had said to the girl and the promise he had made, Thales sighed silently in his heart.

"As a northerner, I accept this oath, and as a vassal of the king, I offer my sword and shield, and stand by the king's side..." The four dukes and one duchess placed their right hands on their chests, and although their expressions differed, they still respectfully repeated the oath they had just sworn.

Everyone waited with a mixture of tension and anticipation for the high priest's reaction.

A few seconds later, the high priest nodded slightly. She turned around and stood beside Rumba, facing the crowd.

Tuleha's tall figure passed over the crowd and came to the priest's side.

He was extremely respectful, holding something in his hands at chest level.

All eyes were focused on that object, and everyone froze in shock!
Thales stared intently at Tuleha's hand.

He recognized it.

It was a hollow iron crown, dark gold in color, looking unremarkable and even plain and shabby, with only a dark red gemstone inlaid on the forehead.

That was the crown that King Nuen wore before he died.

and many more.

Thales was slightly startled, his gaze focusing on the dark red gemstone, which looked strangely familiar.

Nikolai snorted softly from the crowd. Under Viscount Cambida's piercing gaze, he slowly stepped forward, took the Soulbreaker Blade from his back, and stood side by side with the Fire Knight.

The two of the five generals turned their heads and looked at each other at the same time, as if lightning flashed in the air.

High Priest Holm nodded slightly, took the crown from Tuleha's hand, and turned to look at Lumba.

The dukes all looked at him with varying expressions.

Rumba took a deep breath, faced the outside of Valhalla, and knelt on one knee.

A resolute gaze.

Thales took a deep breath and couldn't help but notice that there was a trace of irregular black marks on one side of the crown in the high priest's hand.

Thales felt a weight lift from his heart.

Those were bloodstains splattered when King Nuen was assassinated; they had dried after several hours and could not be wiped away.

Under the breathless gaze of everyone, the high priest raised the crown high:

"Therefore, in the name of the bright moon, bearing the light of Saint-Sun Errol, and also taking advantage of the co-governance oath of Nekaru..."

High Priest Holm moved slowly to stand before Lombar, presenting him with the blood-stained crown: "You are crowned Grand Duke of the Black Sands, descendant of the rebel king Queso Lombar, Chaman Lombar..."

"To jointly establish Chaman as the first king in the royal lineage..."

"The successor to the King of Dragon Riders and the hero Nekaru."

"The common leader of the people of the northern lands of the western continent."

"Guardians of the glacier defense line".

"Defenders of the people of the North."

With each title uttered, the expressions of the northerners present grew more solemn.

"The Kingdom of Exter and the Quegur Glacier," finally, the High Priest finished reciting the four titles as was customary, gently placing the crown on Rumba's head, and uttering the last, and most important, title:
"The forty-sixth co-elected king."

Everyone stared intently at the scene.

The man under the crown slowly raised his head.

High Priest Holm took the Blade of Souls from Nikolai and handed it to him: "As a symbol of the king's authority and status, may the Dragonscale Crown remind you of your identity, and the Blade of Souls remind you of your duties."

"May the bright moon bear witness, and may Errol's light forever bless Exter."

High Priest Holm performed a ritual in honor of the goddess of the moon and stepped back gently: "Your Majesty Chaman."

And so, in the most oppressive yet solemn atmosphere, the new King of Exter, His Majesty Chaman I, with a blood-stained crown on his head and the Blade of Destruction in his hand, slowly rose to his feet.

His sharp, piercing gaze swept across the entire room once more, his imposing presence amplified beneath his crown.

Like a dragon slowly awakening from a long-dormant cave, opening its eyes.

The thought flashed through Thales' mind, startling him.

King Chaman turned his eyes and looked at the four dukes and one duchess.

With varying expressions, starting with Grand Duke Lecco, the grand dukes bowed one after another, showing their respect.

At the same time, Viscount Cambida looked around and spoke at the opportune moment.

"The old king is dead..."

He slowly bent down, knelt on one knee, and solemnly proclaimed in a loud voice, "Long live the King!"

Long live the King of Chaman!

The sound echoed through the palace.

The next second, led by Tuleha, the Black Sand Territory warriors in the corridor all knelt down on one knee, placed their right hands on their chests, and bowed deeply!
Within Valhalla, countless warriors erupted in a fierce and unified roar:

"Long live my king!"

Long live the King of Chaman!

Amidst repeated calls, others, whether willing or unwilling, such as Nicolai, Justin, Myrk, the White Blade Guard, and the Grand Duke's personal guard, were also forced to kneel on one knee and pay their respects to the new king.

King Chaman simply stood coldly in the center of the crowd, his expression unchanged, listening to their cries.

"Long live my king!"

Long live the King of Chaman!

Among the people bowing, the four grand dukes stood out the most—they simply placed their hands on their chests and bowed slightly.

“No, my lady,” the Earl of Lisbon pulled back the Grand Duchess of Walton, who was about to kneel, his face serious and his tone sharp: “Remember: you are not us, you only need to bow.”

"As a grand duke who also rules the north, you will never have to kneel before the king."

Selma stared at him blankly, nodded, and then, imitating the dukes, bowed to King Chaman.

They were not the only special people—in a corner of the corridor, the Stars stood pressed against the wall, watching the Northerners kneeling on one knee around them with mixed feelings, observing this special coronation ceremony with a sense of unease.

“Tell me, my prince,” Putila said, looking at the imposing King Chaman, with a slight sigh, “did you imagine this scene when you first met him?”

"No," the prince answered without hesitation.

“But, the second time I was captured by him,” Thales said, his gaze fixed on King Chaman amidst the deafening shouts, his brow furrowing slightly, “it suddenly occurred to me…”

"Perhaps this man."

Thales recalled the scene of King Chaman, then Grand Duke, standing outside the carriage, speaking to the "sharp" of the Shadow Shield with anger and majesty.

"This man has a calm, expressionless face, but his eyes burn with a fierce flame."

The prince said absentmindedly, "He is the most suitable king for Exter."

Putila squinted.

"What a pity," the deputy envoy said indifferently.

“Yes,” Thales nodded with mixed feelings, “I’m starting to regret it.”

Just then, amidst the bows and shouts of the crowd, King Chaman's gaze suddenly swept towards him!

This startled Thales.

King Chaman slowly raised his left hand.

Some people noticed the new king's gesture, gradually stopped shouting and bowing, and stood up one after another.

A dozen seconds later, the corridor fell silent again.

Chaman I surveyed the entire hall and said coldly, "As your new king, I hereby issue my first decree."

Thales was startled: No way.

What did he want to do the first second after becoming king?
But the other dukes looked very calm and composed, as if they had expected this.

Only Selma looked at Thales with concern—which made the prince uneasy.

The entire room fell silent, awaiting the king's words.

The newly elected King of Exter, Chaman I, slowly turned towards the corner of the Star People and said in a cold voice, "In the name of the King of Exter, I hereby invite you..."

"The esteemed second prince of the Star Kingdom, Thales Star, as a witness to the friendship and relations between the two nations, shall henceforth reside permanently in Dragon Sky City."

At that moment, Thales felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his heart!
The people of the stars stared in shock at King Chaman, then at the prince.

Long-term stay...

Dragon Sky City?
“And he will accept this well-intentioned offer,” King Chaman said decisively just as Thales was about to speak, “to live with the people of Exter in the North and share the snow and ice.”

“Until this noble prince…”

In that instant, Charman Lomba's gaze turned cold as he looked at Thales:
"To be crowned king."

Thales stared blankly at the indifferent King Chaman.

My mind is in turmoil.

A few seconds later, the prince unconsciously lowered his head and let out a soft sigh.

(End of this chapter)