Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 307 "Annoying" Ian

An hour later, the Star Prince, who had just finished getting ready in the Blood Garden, was walking down the corridor to the Hall of Heroes, accompanied by Rolf and Wyatt.

Thales took a deep breath, passing a group of guards who were staring at him menacingly. He looked at the all-too-familiar layout and furnishings of Valhalla, his mind heavy with thoughts.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" asked Wyatt, sounding slightly worried.

“It couldn’t be better,” Thales replied sternly. “Why do you ask?”

“Because just now outside, Lord Putila said that little Ronnie came to propose... If this bothers you…” Wyatt abruptly stopped, turned his head and saw Rolf with his hands tightly clasped on his shoulders, his eyes stern, shaking his head vigorously.

“See, that’s the problem,” Thales exhaled. “Everyone’s thinking in the same direction, even you guys.”

Wyatt and Rolf looked at each other in bewilderment.

“But the real problem is,” Thales said, his mind racing, unconsciously clenching his fist, “that’s simply impossible.”

Yes.

Proposal.

Are you kidding me?
Just as Wyatt and Rolf were becoming increasingly puzzled, they heard a flurry of footsteps and conversations coming from around the corner ahead.

“Oh, the pattern carved on this animal skull—the five-headed flail? I know, it's a personal emblem passed down from ‘The Smiling One’ Nunn to ‘The Great Hand’ Solon Walton six hundred years ago. Back then, Walton’s symbol wasn’t the Dragon Spear in the Clouds…”

This was a slightly frivolous young male voice, seemingly looking around as he walked:
"Ah, this weapon must be the Black-Patterned Greatsword of 'Army Shatterer' Most Nagil from over three hundred years ago?"

Prince Star stopped in his tracks.

“That is…” Wyman asked, puzzled.

They will soon no longer have any doubts.

“That was just a replica,” came Nikolai’s voice, though he sounded somewhat uncomfortable. “The real one was buried with Most—in the White Blade Guard’s cemetery.”

The flippant male voice sighed, "Is that so? I must say, I'm a little disappointed... but it's alright, we'll soon see the long-awaited, renowned Soul-Slaying Spear..."

Thales narrowed his eyes: Nicolai and a group of Grand Duke's guards, accompanied by another group of strangers, emerged from around the corner.

The moment he saw Thales, the Meteorite frowned almost imperceptibly.

“This is…” Nicolai coughed.

Thales focused his gaze on the young nobleman among the strangers who stood out and stood out, with a knightly insignia embroidered on his shoulder.

“Thank you, Your Excellency, but I know very well who I am speaking to.” In the delegation from Qiyuan City, the young man dressed neatly and simply also turned his head, looking at Thales with bright eyes.

He was very young, no more than twenty years old, with curly hair that reached past his ears. Compared to the long-haired grand duke that Thales had seen, his appearance was much gentler, and his eyes revealed a peculiar smile.

So, it's him.

The guy who claimed he was going to propose to Selma?
The young man turned his hidden smile into a bright one, and he stepped forward decisively, extending his palm from under his robe: "Nice to meet you, Prince Thales, I have long admired your reputation."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the Qiyuan City delegation turned their gazes to the prince before them, their eyes filled with a variety of emotions.

Thales chuckled to himself.

So it turns out I do have a reputation.

“Thank you,” Thales said, suppressing his worries, and smiled as he shook his hand. “Then you must be Grand Duke Ronnie’s son…”

The other person's palm was very strong, and there were thin calluses on the tiger's mouth and four fingers that Thales was very familiar with.

A well-trained noble warrior—perhaps just like his father.

but……

“Ian Ronnie, the Viscount of Wind City under the jurisdiction of Qiyuan City, has come here on a mission to Dragon Sky City,” the young man named Ian interrupted him with a smile, introducing himself: “My father once said that there were many things that impressed him during his trip to Dragon Sky City six years ago.”

"Among them none other than—that young and clever prince."

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

Beyond the pleasantries, he grasped the key point—the Viscount of Wind City.

Ian Ronnie has his own title and fiefdom.

Even at such a young age.

Even though he was already the heir to the Duke of Qiyuan City.

This says something, more or less.

Thales released the other person's hand.

"Please thank your father for me," Thales said calmly, suppressing a slight unease in his heart. "I am also deeply impressed by Grand Duke Ronnie—especially his fearless fortitude."

Upon hearing this, Ian's expression suddenly became very strange.

He took a breath, glanced sideways at Thales, and gave him a half-smile.

Thales squinted.

"Hehehehe..." Finally, Lord Ronnie couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He shook his head, his expression amused, and said something.

The sentence was spoken extremely fast, with sharp and grating enunciation, and Thales couldn't understand it at all.

but.

"Excuse me?" Thales asked, puzzled. "I didn't hear what you said."

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Ian said, as if he had just realized what was happening. He spread his hands apologetically. “No, please forgive me.”

“My accent comes from my mother, so sometimes I’m not used to speaking with a northern accent.”

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

Not used to the northern accent...

but……

Ian laughed: "What I just said was: Thank you for your tolerance and generosity, which allowed you to describe my father's stubbornness and foolishness as fearlessness and fortitude."

Thales was slightly taken aback.

Stubborn? Stupid?
Prince Xingchen wasn't the only one to react this way; many nobles in the Qiyuan City delegation behind them had grim expressions, and one senior noble even coughed loudly to remind their viscount.

“Ah, we all know you have a cough, old Bernie,” Ian said loudly and rudely without turning his head, “but now that you’re in Dragon City, could you tone it down a bit?”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking, little Ian,” the old nobleman retorted rudely, “especially in front of the Prince of the Stars.”

Ronnie chuckled dismissively.

Nikolai frowned as he watched the interactions within Qiyuan City, remaining silent.

“That’s quite a… novel assessment,” Prince Star smiled awkwardly, pretending not to notice the infighting within the delegation, “and it comes from his son as well.”

"That's not surprising. Thank you for your quick thinking and righteous act six years ago, which kept his stubborn head on his neck instead of following His Majesty the late King to the River of Prisons to fulfill his loyalty and leave Qiyuan City with a mess," Ian said with a chuckle, waving his hand and revealing a thoughtful expression.

"Of course, if it really happens, maybe I can inherit Qiyuan City sooner."

This statement left Thales speechless once again.

Another undisguised cough came from within the mission, this time exceptionally loud, seemingly indicating great dissatisfaction.

“But that was my father, a typical Northman,” Ian sighed, seemingly with regret, before immediately putting on a smile. “And my mother used to say that Northmen all have a fist-sized indentation on their foreheads, facing the sky—filled with snow in spring and winter, and empty in summer and autumn, hahaha!”

Upon hearing this, both the people from Longxiao City on both sides and the members of the Qiyuan City delegation turned pale.

Only Ian was laughing happily.

Wyatt's eyes widened, and he exchanged a glance with Rolf, who gave him a "yes" gesture.

Thales' face twitched, and he let out a dry laugh.

He had a feeling: this Ian Ronnie was, well, how should I put it...

What a rip-off?

Thales thought of the bold and decisive Grand Duke Ronnie, and then looked at the frivolous and impetuous young man in front of him, and sighed inwardly.

“Hahahaha,” the prince chuckled, “I must say, you really don’t seem like your father’s son.”

"what!"

"Am I really my father's son?" Little Ronnie laughed heartily, once again startling everyone: "Hmm, this is also the suspicion that has troubled my father for many years—no wonder my mother died so young, was it to cover it up..."

Thales' smile froze on his face.

A low, unpolite shout rang out from within the delegation: "Ian!"

Ian lowered his head slightly, the light casting a shadow on his face.

Then, he smiled again.

"Hahahaha!" Little Ronnie laughed and waved his hand behind him, "Just kidding, look at your faces!"

In that instant, Thales knew what that slight sense of unease was.

Ian Ronnie, that guy, the way he speaks and the way he does things...

They don't look like a...

People from the North.

“Gentlemen,” Nicolai, the host, looked warily at the two who were chatting amiably—at least outwardly—“perhaps we shouldn’t keep the Grand Duchess waiting?”

Ian shrugged, looking at Nicolai.

“Come on, Prince,” Lord Ronnie said, ignoring the prince’s embarrassed expression, and put his arm around the latter’s shoulder. “Let’s walk and talk, and I’m sure we’ll become good friends.”

Thales instinctively tried to pull his hand away, but Ian just smiled.

“Believe me, Prince Thales,” he said with a cheerful but meaningful expression, “we have a lot to talk about.”

"For example, the marriage of a grand duchess."

Thales was stunned.

Nikolai didn't say anything, but he frowned and looked unwell.

“And,” Ian pushed Thales forward, laughing gleefully, “it’s more than that.”
"I think we'll get along well with people from the North."

No.

Thales gave up on shaking off Ronnie's overly familiar gesture of putting his arm around him and sighed.

For now.

People you can talk to...

I guess only Ada is left.

Thales gave Wyatt and Rolf, who both looked worried, a reassuring look, and then stepped forward.

"According to what you just said, your mother is a foreigner?" The prince, recalling the scene just now, asked astutely, "From Cornwall?"

“Oh no, she’s definitely an Exter,” Ronnie replied in a light tone, “and from the city of Qiyuan.”

"Local to Qiyuan City?"

Thales frowned slightly: "But you just said her accent wasn't from the North..."

The young Viscount of Wind City raised an eyebrow, revealing an expression of "I knew it."

They followed Nikolai as they slowly approached the Hall of Heroes.

"You haven't been to Qiyuan City, have you, Your Highness?"

"I haven't had that honor yet."

“No wonder.” Ian shook his head meaningfully, clicking his tongue.

He sighed: "Whenever people talk about the Kingdom of Exter, they always say: It's the North, the land of the Northmen—as if the people of Exter are the Northmen themselves."

Thales' interest was piqued by the follow-up question that was implied by that statement: "But?"

“But they all forgot,” Ian turned his head and smiled slightly, “that at least in the western border of the Kingdom of Exter, there is a territory that does not belong to the old Northland, and its people are not just the rugged and fierce Northlanders.”

Thales stirred slightly: "Qiyuan City?"

Ian nodded, his voice firm and resonant: "Qiyuan City."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, they gradually fell behind Nikolai by quite a distance: "Long before the ancient empire, in the Chronicles of the Kings, there was such a barren and desolate land, stretching from the Western Wave Cliff in the west to the Wild Stone Land in the east. The people who lived there struggled to survive and were called 'the suffering people'."

“That land was designated as the Xitao Province by the ancient empire. It was distinctly different from both the Beidi Province to the east and the Toto Province to the west.”

Lord Ronnie raised his head and gently touched the insignia of the Knight's Code on his shoulder.

"After the final battle, Kuricun Ronnie, one of the Nine Knights and a powerful general under the hero Nekaru, came to the land called Xitao with his sword and axe. He conquered and expanded the territory, built castles, and finally announced to the suffering people on the conquered land: From this moment on, they are all Exter people."

“He was the first Grand Duke of Qiyuan City,” Ian said with a light laugh. “Unlike other Grand Dukes, the Seeker of Truth was Lord Exter, a man from the North who ruled over countless suffering people of Xitao by virtue of the North’s ways.”

“I see,” Thales said thoughtfully. “I don’t often hear about that in those ‘Great Unity of the North’ classes.”

Ian shook his head and scoffed, "Of course, outsiders rarely care about such differences, even the Exter people in other places."

He raised his head with interest, looking around at the decorations that were full of northern style: "It's no wonder. Of the ten territories of Exter, Watchtower and Guard City are on guard against the oldest defense line of mankind in the north; Glacier Sea and Deer City have the threat of the east coast to worry about; the three southern territories near the northern border of Starry Sky need not be mentioned; and Dragon Sky City and Beacon City are the center of the north since ancient times, which can be called the heart of the kingdom."

"In comparison, Qiyuan City, located in the far west, with its vast land and sparse population, and only able to deal with sand bandits and merchants, seems particularly insignificant, doesn't it?"

Nikolai turned around and gave them a cryptic look.

Ian immediately responded with a bright smile.

“But you are still a member of Exster,” Thales shrugged. “You also co-elected the king.”

Ian scoffed softly.

“Three hundred years ago, if it weren’t for the Nightwing King’s devastating blow to the eastern part of the kingdom,” he sighed, “the throne would never have been shared with the Ronnie family, and they would never have seen King LS Ronnie crowned in the City of Faraway.”

“You can tell a lot from the name—Qiyuan City, prayer, far away,” Little Ronnie patted the prince on the shoulder and said with a helpless expression, “For Exter, Qiyuan City is just a distant part of the territory, so far away that no matter what happens on that wasteland, the rest of the kingdom can just pray from afar and that’s considered a great act of mercy.”

Thales remained silent. However, his assessment of the situation and his estimation of Qi Yuancheng's intentions had changed several times.

But the next second, Ian lowered his head, leaned close to Thales' ear, and whispered:
"Most importantly, since it's not the land of the Northerners—why should the Northerners care about it, and whether the suffering people of Xitao on it are alive or dead?"

Thales tensed slightly.

“It’s enough to know that it still belongs to the Kingdom of Exter. When we’re bragging to outsiders, we can still use that vast territory to showcase Exter’s power, isn’t it?” Ian still had his arm around his shoulder, raised a finger, and whispered, “So, many Xitao people can’t help but think: the Northerners, perhaps all they really care about is that Qiyuan City drawn on the map.”

"And this is Qiyuan City, and this is the problem that the Ronnie family, who are people from the North, have faced in the past six hundred years."

The two whispered to each other and then fell silent for a while.

“That sounds like a tricky situation,” the prince said in a low voice. “I suppose your father often has a headache dealing with the questions raised by the people under his rule—what you call the ‘misers of Sitau’?”

Ian smiled slightly: "Just like Dragon City, isn't it?"

Thales remained silent.

But he had already figured it out.

Ronnie raised his head again, raising his voice to a normal level so everyone could hear: "God have mercy, for over six hundred years we have been taking care of ourselves."

Ian turned his head, his smile gentle:

"Therefore, twenty years ago, when the born king unhesitatingly ordered, in the name of the king, the entire city's resources to be mobilized to aid the West..."

"The Ronnie family will forever remember this kindness and gratitude..."

“Therefore, a loyal alliance can be formed.” Little Ronnie blinked gently. “That’s why, as subjects, we are willing to follow such a king until the end of his life.”

Thales raised an eyebrow and said thoughtfully, "I understand."

The prince pondered the other party's intentions.

This Viscount of Wind City seems frivolous and prone to making careless remarks...

but……

From the moment we left until now, literally...

What he was trying to convey was...

Thales raised his head and lowered his voice, "Why did you send word to invite me here, Viscount of Wind City?"

"I am just a prince from a foreign land."

Ian lowered his head, revealing a mysterious smile:

"As I said, I need a reliable witness in order to propose to the Grand Duchess."

Thales' expression remained unchanged, but he glanced at the people around him and deliberately walked a little faster.

He frowned slightly: "How do you know I'm reliable?"

Ian snorted softly.

“Because if you weren’t reliable,” Ian chuckled, “you wouldn’t have come.”

Thales was speechless for a moment.

A few seconds later, the prince spoke up: "What if your estimate is wrong? What if you've contacted the wrong person?"

“I may be wrong,” Ian said with a mysterious smile, “but Black Sand Territory is definitely not wrong.”

Thales fell silent.

"You're serious about proposing to the Grand Duchess?"

Ronnie shrugged: "Of course."

"Otherwise, what will we do if the Grand Duchess marries someone else?"

Thales frowned: "Us?"

Ian gave a soft hum, looked at him meaningfully, and repeated the word softly, drawing out the last syllable: "We."

Thales pondered for a moment.

Ian released his shoulder and looked around with interest.

“I understand,” Thales pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, “Is there anything important that will take up a lot of time during the audience later?”

“Let me think,” Little Ronnie scratched his forehead, “besides the insincere greetings, there was the handwritten letter from my father, written in the flowery, ancient knightly style, and the wailing pleas for Dragon City to mercifully send troops to save us from our dire straits, followed by the gritting teeth as they listed the king’s crimes and invited Dragon City to join the side of justice…”

"Gone."

Thales nodded, barely suppressing his sarcasm at his choice of words: "Then let's finish this quickly."

"Tonight, I will invite the Grand Duchess to the dining room for a small gathering to discuss some truly important matters."

"It's just the three of us—maybe with the Lisbon regent, if he insists as always."

At that moment, Ian's eyes lit up.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Ronnie said with a smirk. “I promise it will be over as soon as possible.”

The next second, they finally arrived at the entrance to the Hall of Heroes.

The members of the delegation stopped in unison, straightened their clothes, and then looked sternly at Ian.

It seems to be warning something.

Their gazes made Thales quite uncomfortable.

Ian could only exhale, flick the knightly insignia on his shoulder, and raise his hands in surrender.

"Are you ready?" Nikolai squinted and observed the crowd.

Then he waved his hand.

With a heavy rumble, two guards steadily pushed open the gate.

The rows of Grand Duke's personal guards were revealed inside, as well as the Grand Duke's throne at the far end of the hall.

Including the menacing, pitch-black Soul-Slaying Spear behind the throne.

Everyone in the hall turned their gaze to the entrance and to the guests from Qiyuan City.

Ian squinted at the ancient hall that represented Dragon Sky City.

Under the sunlight and lamplight, the dragon spear relief in the clouds on the ceiling of the hall is extremely eye-catching, making the usually dark and heavy Hall of Heroes appear even more majestic and dignified.

“Relax,” Thales patted his shoulder and snorted, “You’re much luckier than I was the first time I came here.”

The prince looked at the Hall of Heroes, recalling his unfortunate first visit, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Is that so?" Ian scoffed, stepped forward, and entered the hall.

Boom, boom, boom.

Footsteps sounded.

"Guests from Qiyuan City..." the messenger began.

But the next moment, he was immediately interrupted by an even louder voice.

"Your Excellency Grand Duchess Selma Walton!"

As Ian walked steadily on the stone ground, he raised his voice above the messenger's and called out, "I am Ian Ronnie."

"On behalf of my father, Grand Duke of Qiyuan City, Kulikun Ronnie, I extend my sincerest greetings to you!"

what?
Everyone in the hall craned their necks in surprise to look at Lord Ian Ronnie, who was walking slowly towards them, acting as if he were no outsider.

Thales sighed, recalling his previous audience with Kroesi, and wondered why there were so many strange people around lately.

And they all like to introduce themselves?
The prince instinctively took a step back, distancing himself from Ian.

Under the strange gazes of the Grand Duchess's guards on both sides, the Earl of Risbane, the Viscount of Lesdon and other nobles of Dragonsky City, and even Ned Monty, who also came from Qiyuan City, Ian Ronnie continued walking, looking at the Grand Duchess on the throne with great interest, sizing up her appearance: "It is my first time in Dragonsky City, please forgive my overwhelming excitement!"

Seated in her seat, Selma, dressed in her finest attire, seemed somewhat reserved, her lips pursed and her expression tense.

Thales unconsciously clenched his fist.

The Grand Duchess took a deep breath, nodded to Count Lisbon beside her, cleared her throat, and said, "Thank you for your concern, Qiyuan City..."

However, once again, Ian Ronnie from Qiyuan City surprised everyone.

Under the astonished gaze of everyone present, Ian Ronnie laughed and interrupted Selma without hesitation:
“On behalf of Qiyuan City, I sincerely request Longxiao City to decisively send troops to join our war against the Freedom Alliance, in order to uphold the honor of your grandfather and father… Also, we truly despise that King Gongju who doesn’t follow the rules—I believe you all feel the same way,” Lord Ronnie raised his hands, his words flowing like a torrent:

"Therefore, we sincerely invite you, Grand Duchess Selma Walton, to co-sign the joint proclamation that will soon be plastered throughout the country, condemning the King's atrocities..."

Without pausing, Ian, his expression calm, pulled out a slightly deformed roll of letter from his pocket, blew on the obviously damaged sealing wax, and handed it to the Meteorite who was staring at him in confusion.

"...All the details are written in my father's letter—but I sincerely suggest you remove all the adjectives before reading it; it will be much smoother."

Ian let out a breath, seemingly pleased with himself for having said such a long string of words.

A few seconds later, he shook his head and gave a bright smile: "And I guess that concludes our audience?"

The words fell.

The entire Hall of Heroes was completely silent.

For a full few seconds.

End?

What do you mean?
It seemed that no one had reacted yet, and Thales stared dumbfounded at Ian in the arena.

Soon, from the Qiyuan City delegation behind Ian, sighs rose and fell in unison.

Thales also heard the old nobleman from Qiyuan City suppressing his anger and saying, "I knew it would turn out like this."

Selma snapped out of her shock.

She seemed a little lost, glancing pleadingly at Risban, whose brow was furrowing more and more, then at Thales, who was clutching his forehead: "Um, I think..."

"Just now!"

Ian raised his index finger, once again seizing the initiative in the hall, his cheerful tone leaving everyone speechless once more:
"Prince Thales from the stars has invited me to enjoy the delicacies he brought from the stars tonight. To be honest, I can't wait any longer—so why don't we call it a night?"

Now, everyone's eyes turned to Thales.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire audience, Prince Star scratched his forehead in anguish.

He could only twitch his face and force an ugly, awkward smile.

Ian Ronnie.

This guy……

I promise it will be over as soon as possible.

This guy……

Ian maintained his smile and bowed deeply: "Thank you again for your warm hospitality, Ms. Selma!"

After saying that, he turned around without hesitation.

He strode out of the Hall of Heroes.

Along the way, he didn't forget to give Thales a thumbs up, showing off his neat, white teeth.

Boom, boom, boom.

Just as he had arrived, Ian's footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Until it could no longer be heard.

The city's nobles and guards, dressed in finery, were left looking around in astonishment.

In the ensuing silence, a clear cough broke the stillness.

“This is truly…” The Regent of Lisbon’s expression turned grim, and he said cryptically, “It’s quite unexpected.”

"that……"

“You know,” Ned Monty, “The Raven” who had met Thales before, stood at the lower end of the table, seemingly a little embarrassed, and chuckled as he spread his hands to the crowd:
"That is why His Excellency the Grand Duke sent me as the advance officer of the mission."

The Meteorite, holding the letter Ian had given him, stared at Monty with a grim expression.

It turned out to be the case.

Monty—so that's what you meant by telling me to "treat" Lord Ian well.

"Also, let me introduce you to..."

"What you just saw was Ian Ronnie, the Grand Duke's son and Viscount of Wind City," Monty laughed, seemingly to lighten the mood, and pointed in the direction Ian had left. "The nobles have given him a nickname..."

Monty shook his head, seemingly wanting to laugh:
“'Naughty guy' Ian.”

The hall fell silent again, so quiet that Thales wanted to sneak away.

In the awkward atmosphere, a call suddenly rang out:
"Um, sorry to bother you again."

Everyone turned their heads in unison.

Ian Ronnie's face reappeared beside the door.

He still had a smile on his face, and addressed the group of people in the hall with their varied expressions:
"Excuse me, where is my room?"

Explanation of recent slow updates:

1. My writing hasn't been going well lately; I've been feeling both tired and lazy.

2. The first major plot point of this volume is about to arrive. The foreshadowing and setup, as well as the climax, all need to be carefully reviewed and corrected in the outline.

The combination of these two factors has resulted in the recent writing progress of this volume being as slow as a snail's pace.

That's it. Let me explain.

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(End of this chapter)