Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 296 The Game in the Train Car
Never underestimate the courage of the Northlanders.

These were the words Putila told Thales six years ago, after a near-death experience in Valhalla, and the prince at the time deeply agreed with them.

But at this moment, looking at King Chaman sitting calmly in the carriage, Thales realized with horror that he still did not understand the weight of those words.

King Chaman looked at him coldly, his gaze revealing a scrutinizing intent.

Just like when they first met six years ago.

Over the course of six years, Thales imagined countless times: the terrifying new king standing atop the highest point of Black Sand City, his gaze fixed coldly on the direction of Dragon Sky City, slowly issuing the dangerous order to deal with the Star Prince.

But even though Thales racked his brains and exhausted his thoughts, he could never have imagined that their reunion six years later would be like this.

"you……"

Thales stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what he was seeing: "Are you crazy?"

King Chaman did not answer, his gaze cold and unfathomable.

Thales subconsciously looked around, surveying his surroundings.

“No need to worry,” King Chaman’s cold and weathered voice rang out: “It’s just you and me.”

The dark carriage had only one small window, covered with a hazy one-way crystal glass.

The Grand Duke's personal guards, led by Justin, along with the prince's own guards, remained firmly stationed around the Black Sand Territory delegation, which consisted of a dozen or so soldiers.

Thales stopped looking around, took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and started thinking.

What's the situation now?
Rumba, you've come to Dragon City in person?

And, most importantly...

Thales stared intently at King Chaman before him, cold sweat breaking out on his brow.

Unbeknownst to all of Exter, the ruler of the entire kingdom was hiding in anonymity within a small delegation headed by Viscount Cambida.

That is to say...

The prince swallowed hard and gritted his teeth as he spoke: "Do you know what happened to the last King Exte, who was overly confident and arrogant, who left his guards and ventured into dangerous territory on his own?"

After overcoming his initial shock, Thales frowned and adjusted his tone to be as natural as possible:
Here's a hint: His name starts with N.

King Chaman gave a soft hum, his emotions unreadable.

"Of course, I know him. I know him very well—I grew up listening to his stories and looking up to his image, unlike you, who only knew him for a short day."

Thales frowned slightly, recalling the unforgettable old king.

“So I know that if he hadn’t done that back then, the outcome would have been even worse,” the new king said calmly.

Thales took a deep breath, knowing full well the threat he was being threatened, and resolved to cut to the chase without further ado.

“All I have to do now is shout,” Thales leaned back in the carriage and said calmly, “The once-mighty Charman I will vanish from the face of the earth, like the melting snow in early spring, leaving no trace whatsoever—neither Cambida nor Kroesi can save you.”

He squinted, trying to observe the king's expression in the dim light: "And the Regent of Lisbon will probably happily wipe away his tears and tell the whole country: the delegation from the Black Sand Territory has unfortunately encountered bandits on its return journey."

"Longxiao City deeply regrets this."

Snapped!
The king slammed his hand firmly on the scabbard.

Following the instructions given by Nicolai and Wyatt over the past six years, Thales kept his eyes fixed on Rumba's shoulder, while intentionally or unintentionally moving his hand back to his thigh, near the JC dagger at his waist.

In the cramped carriage, a longsword would only be a hindrance, and besides...

Thales glanced at the car door out of the corner of his eye: If I jump out of the car first, I win.

However, the scenario he imagined did not happen.

King Chaman took a step forward, his sharp, cold eyes staring directly at Thales, making the latter feel immense pressure.

“Indeed,” the king nodded slowly, “If I were to die here without knowing why, with no one knowing, no one able to hold anyone accountable, no one able to voice their opinions, and with no unmanageable consequences—there is nothing more desirable for the grand dukes of the country than this.”

King Chaman gently tapped the old scabbard on his lap.

Boom, boom, boom.

"Longxiao City can probably breathe a sigh of relief. The hatred that could not be spoken will be wiped away, and the immediate threat will be eliminated."

“All the grand dukes who participated in that election, Ronnie, Lyco… can also be freed from their heavy shackles and burdens.”

"The struggle between a certain unorthodox king and the grand dukes came to an end, and the turbulent six years of Exte returned to its former state."

Boom, boom, boom.

The king's eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to see Thales more clearly. He slowed his speech, pausing between each word, and said, "And that special Star Prince no longer needs to worry about his most dangerous enemy."

Thales' Adam's apple bobbed slightly as the young prince met his enemy's gaze defiantly.

The sound of King Chaman tapping the scabbard suddenly stopped.

His face suddenly turned cold.

"but……"

Oh shit.

I knew there would be a "but".

Thales scoffed inwardly, recalling how he often used this word to tease a certain girl, pouring cold water on her most excited moments and making her storm off in anger. He couldn't help but think of the phrase "what goes around comes around."

"If you do that, the clever prince may win this one move, but he will ultimately lose the whole game."

His Majesty the King said coldly, "You and your Grand Duchess have lost everything."

Thales paused slightly.

He gently clenched his fist, a question lingering in his mind.

what?
Me, a Grand Duchess? Clean and tidy?

"Do you want to see that Grand Duchess's head pierced by a spear and standing upright on the walls of Dragon Sky City?"

The king said calmly, "Then go ahead and call for help, surround and kill me here—don't hesitate."

In that instant, the air in the carriage became heavy and stagnant.

Thales bit his lower lip and took a deep breath.

"What do you mean, Rumba?"

The prince gritted his teeth: "What exactly do you want?"

Thales saw that King Chaman, who was usually stern and never smiled, had a rare smirk on his lips.

“It seems you’ve had a good six years in Dragon City,” King Chaman leaned back again, his face calm. “My people have been rewarding me every year: the Grand Duchess and the Prince have a very close relationship, almost like lovers.”

Thales frowned in pain, unable to refute.

Selma.

The second prince astutely grasped the key point: why did he bring up Selma?

"But me?"

"For the past six years, I, as the co-ruler of Exter, have been like a fisherman fishing on ice, cautious and prudent," King Chaman said, looking out of the carriage with a sigh. "I was thinking about how to catch those hateful fish to fill my stomach, while trying my best not to become their food in the water."

"So far, you've done a pretty good job," Thales retorted with dissatisfaction. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have had the leisure to come to Dragon City to catch up with me when the whole country was condemning you. By the way, the Free Alliance played a good hand, using an imminent war to really mess up both Qiyuan City and Dragon City."

King Chaman chuckled lightly, then snorted coldly.

“That’s just an appearance, Thales, you know better than anyone.” The king tacitly acknowledged Thales’ accusation, and calmly said, “Six years have passed, and the ideal Exter is getting further and further away from me.”

Prince Xingchen was slightly taken aback.

"Thales".

"This 'job' you found for me six years ago," the king raised his right hand, pointing to a faint ring around his temple created by his crown, "is hardly a good job."

“Almost all the Grand Dukes regard me as an enemy. The four from back then need no introduction, and the three who failed to attend the election also have a lot of complaints.”

“All the laws I have tried to implement have encountered great difficulties, even within the Black Sand Territory.”

"Ronnie and Leco traveled around appealing and jointly condemning the king's injustice."

“My vassals are filled with resentment and are eager to make a move.”

King Chaman sighed softly.

“‘Parricide,’” the king lowered his head slightly, gazing at his sword. “That’s the nickname they give me. Even the most uncouth commoners laugh at it—even though my laws can increase their harvest by thirty percent, even though my orders can save them from the exploitation of tax collectors and the oppression of lords, even though everything I do is to ensure that these lowly and insignificant people can also have their own future, yet…”

The king fell silent, gently stroking his sword, his eyes growing colder.

"They are still against me."

"Perhaps one day, the authority I hold hidden in my crown will be swept away, the decrees I issue will become worthless, and I myself will die of starvation in a besieged, isolated city?"

King Chaman shook his head with a deep look in his eyes: "I don't know."

Thales sighed.

"That's because you're trying to use new standards to bestow titles upon nobles, change the status quo of power distribution, and change everyone's future."

"You're trying to get a group of people who are used to the present and the past to believe that the unfamiliar future will be better, and to get another group of people to give up everything they are enjoying."

“Even in the most prosperous times, with the most abundant food and the most favorable conditions, this is still unimaginable for most people,” the prince shook his head.

"And you want to accomplish in six years what Mindis III couldn't do in over a hundred years?"

“Reality is not fiction,” Thales raised his head and looked earnestly at the former Rumba, now His Majesty Chaman: “This is the price.”

The carriage fell into silence.

King Chaman stared intently at him.

The two men stared at each other for a full five seconds until the king slowly chuckled.

“See, I knew it. Coming to you was the right thing to do. You are one of the few who understand me,” King Chaman’s smile was icy, making people unconsciously nervous. This made Thales realize that, because of his new title, the Grand Duke of the Black Sands was becoming increasingly imposing.
"Not everyone can participate in this kind of conversation, not even someone as smart as LS."

Thales sneered and shook his head.

"Rumba".

"Stop with the nonsense before I impatiently call for someone outside," the prince said firmly.

"Why did you come to me?"

"What did you mean by those words just now? What do you mean by 'losing the whole game'?"

King Chaman did not answer immediately; a mixture of amusement and sarcasm appeared on his increasingly weathered face.

“Guess what, Thales,” the king said calmly, “isn’t this your forte, just like always?”

Seeing the king's well-prepared and unhurried demeanor, Thales grew increasingly agitated and tried to convince himself not to act impulsively.

Damn.

What made him so bold? What gave him such confidence?

No.

Whatever he wants...

“It’s obvious that the Free Alliance isn’t enough to drag Qiyuan City and Longxiao City down,” Thales said thoughtfully, leaning back in his leather armchair. “To save yourself from being condemned by everyone, you need to add fuel to the fire—so you want to start with Longxiao City.”

"I'm guessing—the Grand Duchess's marriage? You want to use her to plunge the most threatening city, Dragon Sky City, into internal strife?"

Thales coldly raised his head: "Once you lose external support, the king can easily quell the resentment and discontent of the vassals within the Black Sand Territory, allowing your decrees to be issued without hindrance."

King Chaman's expression remained unchanged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

“Speaking of Grand Duchess Walton, I have a question.” Unexpectedly, the King pushed the sword off his knee, freeing his hands.

Charman Rumba rested his elbows on his knees, looking relaxed and unguarded, and asked, "Back then, how did Nunn turn you into his ally, making you willingly stand on Dragonstreet's side?"

Thales shook his head bluntly: "He didn't turn me into an ally. You forced me to stand on Dragon Sky City's side. Remember? Someone wanted to frame Prince Star to achieve his goal of founding a kingdom, but ultimately reaped the consequences."

Upon hearing this, Thales was pleased to see that King Chaman's previously composed expression turned much more unpleasant.

I guess: He made you a promise.

The king ignored his sarcasm, but Thales could sense that Rumba's tone was growing increasingly cold:
"A marriage agreement, is that it?"

Thales took a breath.

"I know that, with his bloodline severed, Nuen will surely promise to marry his granddaughter to you in exchange for the protection of the future king of the stars?"

Thales unconsciously clenched his fist again.

"So that's why you care so much about the Grand Duchess's marriage?"

King Charman's speech grew increasingly rapid, and the pressure on the listener gradually increased: "You think she's your fiancée, that she's yours for the taking, that she's a crucial pawn in Starry Sky's strategy to control Exter?"

"However, she is now facing..."

Thales clenched his fist and chuckled softly.

“I admire your imagination, Rumba,” the prince chuckled and shook his head. “Do you really think that an heir to the throne of a Star Kingdom can marry the Duchess of Dragonsky City of Exter?”

The king smiled and said, "If King Nunn were still alive, perhaps..."

Chaman I said softly, “But my uncle still made a good deal, even after his unexpected death—the gift from the late king was returned with an unexpected reward: the dragon spear survived unpredictable torrents and storms under the starlight.”

"You did everything in your power, breaking with convention, to help her ascend to the throne of Grand Duchess. In these six years, you and others worked tirelessly to help her gain a foothold. Even in the face of the devastating tragedy of Nuen's death, you did your utmost to maintain the stability of Dragon City."

Inside the carriage, the king slowly leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the heir to the stars.

“Even if you know about the girl sitting on the grand duke’s throne,” he said, enunciating each word with a powerful emphasis:
"Not a true Walton bloodline at all?"

In that instant, all the muscles in Thales' body tensed up!
He got it.

Does he know?

Never before had Thales, a man known for his thoughtfulness and composure, felt such a strong urge to immediately turn hostile and resort to violence to resolve a problem.

The image of that helpless, sobbing little rascal from years ago flashed through Thales' mind. He had an urge to reach for his dagger and shout for the guards outside the car.

Chaman Lumba.

kill him.

Just kill him.

That way, this secret can be kept forever...

The prince took a deep breath, and the sins of the Hell River surged from his body, but instead of flowing to his limbs, they flowed to his brain.

The last vestige of reason, under the influence of the River of Hell's sin, returned to Thales's mind, like a traveler clinging to a cliff, desperately telling him: Calm down.

The enemy came prepared.

"what?"

Thales looked confused and surprised: "Selma? Not of Walton blood?"

In King Chaman's eyes, the young prince first took two deep breaths, seemingly digesting the news.

A few seconds later, Thales said with a look of disdain, "Ha, you're trying to achieve your goal by using lies to slander the Grand Duchess of Dragonsky City?"

"I thought you hadn't fallen to that level yet."

The prince shook his head dismissively.

King Chaman looked at Thales in this state and sighed.

"Do you really not know? Or are you just pretending to be a victim hearing this terrible truth for the first time?"

King Chaman took a breath, his eyes filled with a terrifying light: "But unfortunately, I don't believe you."

Thales's gaze froze in mid-air.

“You know, I was surprised at first too, but Ms. Cassan always manages to convince people.” The King shook his head, his expression cold. “The secret room gave me a lot of information, such as…”

"The true direct bloodline of the Walton family... has died out."

"The little girl now named Walton is just a substitute."

Thales remained motionless, but his heart had begun to waver.

Oops.

darkroom.

Thales was startled when he recalled the conversation between Nicolai and the Red Witch that he had overheard when he escaped through the secret passage of the city gate.

Yes, the Scarlet Witch.

She knew the little rascal's true identity!
The king gave a soft, cold snort: "There's no point in hiding it anymore. Let's have an open and honest talk."

Thales' heart clenched slowly.

Back then, no matter what method Nikolai used to get Cassan to let us go, it was clear... Thales slowly raised his head and looked at the king.

So, Nikolai's method is no longer effective.

Did Rumba find out?
From the Scarlet Witch's mouth?
Damn.

"If you insist on refusing to speak to me..."

"Then I'll be very curious, once her identity is revealed," the king said calmly, "what fate awaits her?"

“Think about it,” Charman’s words spread like a deadly poison through Thales’s mind: “Before the representative of the Moon God, under the power of the co-governance oath, he impersonated the Grand Duke of Dragonsreach, deceiving the entire Exter…”

Thales slowly clenched his fist and swallowed.

But he was far from being as calm as he appeared.

This is Selma's biggest weakness...

So, this is Chaman Lumba's purpose, to come before me with this secret?
hateful!

Thales' heart was beating faster and faster, almost uncontrollably.

The next second, Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

King Chaman observed the Star Prince's reaction with great interest.

But he was disappointed: the prince, though not as usual, still looked perfectly normal.

It seems that what just came out of the king's mouth was not a terrifying top secret that could shock the entire city of Exter.

Thales opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and said with a mocking expression, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Think, Thales, think.

If the Scarlet Witch had told Lumba about this long ago, why did he suddenly appear before her six years later and throw out this bargaining chip? Why didn't she seize this fatal weakness sooner and force Dragon City to stand with him?
That means……

Thales scoffed, "I really don't understand, what good does it do you to fabricate rumors, question Selma's bloodline, and undermine the Grand Duchess's legitimacy?"

"Or do you think I'll give in to your meaningless threats? Or that I'll bow down and obey you?"

The king raised an eyebrow, and a hint of approval seemed to appear in his eyes.

"Just like six years ago, still so calm, so difficult to deal with, is that it?" King Chaman said intriguingly, "Even at this point, you're still struggling for the last glimmer of hope? Hoping that I'm just bluffing?"

"Then what are you waiting for? If you really don't want to work with me to resolve this matter amicably, if you're really that tough, confident, and worry-free," the king said calmly, as if he had him completely under his thumb, "then just do as you say and let the people outside, let the entire Dragon Sky City, kill me—isn't that what you've always wanted?"

The prince instinctively looked out of the car.

Rumba's words were still slowly drifting over:

"...If you're really not worried, with my death, the Grand Duchess's true identity will become public knowledge, and rumors of her bloodline being fake will spread like wildfire."

King Chaman's cold laugh was utterly chilling: "When she was forced to stand on the altar before all the Exterans, facing the bloodline ritual, and ultimately confronting her tragic end..."

Thales did not speak.

But his heart began to race.

"Perhaps at that time, you will think back to today, and how the confident and persistent Prince of Stars sent your little girlfriend to the gallows, listening to her painful groans as her face turned bruised and purple—oh, or perhaps the burning at the stake, hanging is far too merciful."

At that moment, Thales saw Selma's tearful eyes.

He unconsciously clenched his fist.

"Of course, you can also guess what will happen to those who conspired with her to deceive the people of the North and seize the Star Prince of Dragon Sky City?"

"keep going."

“If you truly believe that this conversation is no longer worth continuing,” the king spoke like an unapproachable statue in the endless cold, his voice filled with oppressive force, “then let me and your Grand Duchess perish together—the choice is in your hands, today, right here, in the blink of an eye.”

Thales closed his eyes again—he didn't want the enemy to read anything from his eyes.

Really bad.

"keep going!"

King Chaman raised his voice, as if questioning or forcing, his eyes burning with a terrifying flame: "Choose!"

choose?

Thales suddenly opened his eyes.

He instinctively wanted to shout!
But he stopped himself from saying it.

King Chaman looked at him coldly, without saying a word.

Several times, Thales' lips moved, but he couldn't utter a word.

His tongue felt as if it were weighed down by a thousand pounds.

Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

Selma.

you……

Several seconds later, Thales sighed deeply in front of King Chaman.

No.

You can't.

With a heavy heart, Thales silently told himself: You can't do it.

You can't make a decision: risking Selma's head being cut off.

Finally, Thales loosened his clenched fist, and the prince's face turned tired and pale.

The king squinted, watching with interest as the second prince raised his head again.

Calm down, Thales.

With his escape route blocked, he now has to face Chaman Lumba head-on.

Confront his greatest enemy.

Just like before.

Thales thought to himself: But the game is not over, the checkmate is not yet complete.

Rumba thought he had the trump card and had made a brilliant move.

however……

"You've been complaining about your current situation, which reminds me of something quite interesting, Your Majesty."

The king's eyebrows furrowed.

"I suspect the reason your opponents are still so 'peaceful' is because they lack a compelling reason to bypass the co-governance oath, tear off the mask of civility, and drag you off the throne with swords?"

Thales, in the calmest and most composed tone, said as if nothing had happened: "Excuse me for reminding you, Your Majesty."

"Back then, at that election meeting of six, you were chosen as the next co-ruling king."

“So,” Thales shrugged casually, “if one of the grand dukes’ votes is proven invalid…”

"If she is not qualified to participate in the election..."

King Chaman's expression changed.

"So you obtained the throne by a single vote back then," the prince said calmly, unleashing his rebuttal:
Is it still legal, reasonable, and qualified?

“What do you think?” The prince’s sharp, chilling gaze pierced the king’s eyes: “Your Majesty Charman, who ascended the throne through that controversial election and ruled Exter for six long years?”

The next second, King Chaman clenched his fist as if he had been struck in a vital spot.

His eyes returned to the cold and fierce look that Thales was familiar with.

Just like the Grand Duke of Lombardy back then.

"Now, do you still intend to use this ridiculous rumor as leverage to force me to do something, Your Majesty Chaman?"

A suffocating silence fell over the carriage once again.

Until one side breaks it.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The king's lips curled into a smile, and he burst into laughter.

King Chaman tapped his knee lightly, his gaze fixed on Thales like that of someone watching a bird caught in a hunting net:

"So, the girl sitting in Valhalla is indeed not a true Walton bloodline."

Rumba said coldly, "Is that so?"

At that moment, Thales took a deep breath, recalling what had just happened.

Damn it.

“So, the Scarlet Witch…” Thales began, utterly exhausted:
"The Scarlet Witch didn't actually tell you anything, did she?"

really.

He's just bluffing...

But Thales, even so, you cannot take the risk.

No.

King Chaman sneered at the prince's reaction.

"Regarding the identity of the new Grand Duchess of Dragonsky City?"

“No,” the king said decisively, taking his sword back to his knees and sending Thales plummeting into the abyss. “Not a single word.”

Rumba's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing an extremely dangerous glint in them: "Until just now, seeing your reaction."

Thales lowered his head deeply and gritted his teeth.

“You don’t dare to take the risk, Thales.”

King Chaman spoke sharply:
"You'd rather use benefits to coerce me into negotiating than take this gamble—gamble that I don't know this secret, gamble that I'm just testing you, is that it?"

The prince did not speak; he buried his gaze deep into the floor of the carriage.

With victory assured, the king placed his hand back on his sword.

"Thank you, Thales."

He curled the corners of his mouth, his words carrying a deeper meaning: "My friend."

In that instant, Thales let out a long sigh.

He lost this round of the game.

(End of this chapter)