Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 327 Where Did the Prince Go?

"Five? What do you mean by that?"

Earl Hearst glared at the king with hostility.

He was not the only one; the entire hall of nobles was filled with rage because of the king's provocation.

Except for a few.

Thales pressed down on his trembling fist, staring into King Chaman's terrifying eyes.

What on earth does he want to do?
Revealing Selma's true identity at this point... does she not even want to be king anymore?

Thinking of this, Thales glared at King Chaman, his eyes filled with warning.

King Chaman noticed Thales's gaze.

Amidst the angry or puzzled expressions of the nobles filling the hall, the king gave a soft, enigmatic hum.

No.

Upon witnessing this scene, the prince suddenly realized something: it didn't seem like he was planning a fight to the death, a lose-lose situation.

Looking at Selma, who was both puzzled and nervous on the steps, Thales forcibly suppressed his urge to interrupt—his position was already sensitive, and saying too much would only lead to more mistakes and unnecessary suspicion.

“Because the remaining sixth person is not the Grand Duke…” King Chaman said coldly, but his words stopped there inexplicably.

In that instant, the face of everyone in the hall was reflected in the king's eyes.

A few seconds later, King Chaman showed a satisfied expression, and his tone changed at just the right moment:
"...but a Grand Duchess."

Thales finally relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.

At that moment, the young prince swore that, apart from himself, the extraordinary hearing granted to him by the River of Hell contained at least four breaths of varying rates, which were almost imperceptible after the king’s words.

Selma, Risban, Nicolai...

Wait, who's the last one?
Selma frowned, unsure how to react.

It felt like someone who was usually so serious they were practically freezing off suddenly trying to be humorous.

The nobles snorted disdainfully in the hall, revealing their displeasure with the king's ridiculous joke.

The Grand Duchess stared stiffly at the King, her lips trembling slightly, but she ultimately fell silent.

"Grand Duchess and Grand Duchess?"

“This joke is not funny,” Earl Linna said with a gloomy expression. “It only shows our king’s lack of respect for the bloodline of the hero Nekaru.”

“Watch out, Charman,” the Regent of Lisbon, who had been wearing a cold expression, retorted without hesitation, as the most appropriate person to speak at this moment: “If you keep making too many jokes…”

"One day, you will lose your life for one of them."

But the king ignored them.

"Girl, as the first female lord in the history of the North," King Chaman gently stroked the hilt of his sword, speaking to Selma but glancing at Thales with a knowing look:
“You are embarking on an unprecedented path, and every word and action you take will shake the North and Exter.”

Ian, still reeling from his defeat, looked up, and many people frowned.

The king said calmly, "As the Grand Duchess of Dragonstreet, your marriage is no ordinary ducal marriage. It involves the succession of many families and concerns the balance of power in Exter."

Thales looked at the king with a puzzled expression, but within seconds he understood the king's purpose.

The prince desperately tried to hide his worry and looked at the Grand Duchess with a calm expression.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, the king said meaningfully, "For example, this time, the viscount of Qiyuan City traveled a great distance to propose marriage, which makes me very worried..."

“What if you marry someone you shouldn’t… it could shake the foundations of Exter.”

The six earls of Dragon Sky City exchanged worried glances.

“I have already declined Lord Ian’s request,” Selma said slowly, taking a breath, her expression cool. “You can rest assured.”

King Chaman scoffed dismissively.

“I don’t think you understand what I mean, girl.”

"On my way here, I heard many rumors," the king said with a cold laugh, waving his hand in Thales's direction, "such as how you protected this Prince of the Stars for six years, accompanying and helping each other..."

"You lived and grew up under the same roof as him..."

"They even ate together and attended classes together..."

The Grand Duchess looked astonished.

Thales hardened his expression and stared intently at Selma.

Stay calm, Selma, you absolutely must stay calm.

Think about what I said.

The next moment, the king squinted and whispered, "You and him, you all..."

"Could they even be sleeping together?"

After these words were spoken, there was complete silence.

The Grand Duchess's lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word; she could only clench her teeth in shame, anger, and resentment.

until--

"Rumba!"

Amidst the dramatic change in everyone's expressions, the first to react was the former commander of the White Blade Guard, who was in charge of protecting the Grand Duchess.

Nicolai, disregarding the title of king, could no longer contain his hatred for Rumba and roared in a fit of rage, "Shameless coward! Enough of your insolence, I'd be happy to..."

But he was firmly stopped by Lisban, whose face was cold.

"Calm down," the Regent said, suppressing his anger. "Any act of anger is pointless."

Not only that, the once quiet hall erupted in noise again.

"What did you say?"

"Kill him, gentlemen!"

"And that prince!"

"Bullshit! Does the king think he can do whatever he wants?!"

Amidst the suspicious gazes of countless people, Thales tried his best to maintain an unchanged expression, but his hands under his sleeves gripped his knees tightly, his knuckles protruding.

Among the lords of Dragon Sky City, Earl Hearst's golden beard trembled violently as he gasped for breath; he could no longer bear it.

“In the name of Lord Brooking Hearst, Earl of Ironshire,” Hearst roared, leaping from his chair in fury, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared at Rumba, “for the honor of the lady, Charman Rumba, I issue you a sacred challenge to a duel!”

He swung his arm, angrily pointing it at the king's nose and shouting, "Let blood wash away the shame you have brought upon us, you kinslayer!"

These words further fueled the anger of everyone in the hall!
Kroesi's expression froze. She dutifully gripped her weapon and stood in front of King Chaman.

Viscount Cambida frowned and tried to step forward, but she pushed him back.

But King Chaman only gave a heavy snort.

It was as if there was nothing in front of him.

The king simply swung his left arm and pointed at the agitated Hearst!
It seems to be a response to the latter's challenge!

The bustling noise in the hall immediately fell silent.

However, the next second, the king gently withdrew his arm, pushed Chloesie aside, and pressed her sword, which was only inches from its sheath, back into place.

“In the name of King Chaman Lumba, co-ruler of Exter and Grand Duke of Black Sands,” the king said coldly, looking at the trembling Hearst, his words steady and unhurried, “I, by the power of the king, reject your meaningless challenge, Hearst.”

He then lowered his arm and looked at the Grand Duchess again without any tension.

"what!"

Still seething with rage, Hearst roared indignantly, "You despicable coward!"

"Take it easy, Hearst."

Count Nazel snorted and patted him on the shoulder, pressing the ashen-faced Hearst back down.

“Because of your insolence and improper conduct, Your Majesty,” but the elderly Nazel looked at the king with hostility, “the following year, the Stone Mausoleum and Hattin County will impose heavy taxes on caravans and farmers traveling to and from Black Sand Territory as a form of protest.”

King Chaman's composed attitude finally changed.

His eyes shifted, and his expression toward Nazel became clearly hostile; his slightly upturned upper lip revealed his current mood.

Thales lowered his head and smiled from an angle unseen by others.

“This so-called king is becoming increasingly unscrupulous. Earl Kierkegaard, your territory is the closest,” Earl Curtson said in a low voice to his colleague, his face frosty.
"I was thinking, what if the king had an accident on his way back from leaving the city..."

“Calm down,” the one-armed count said, shaking his head despite his resentment. “The king died within the territory of Dragon Sky City, regardless of who did it…”

"It's all Longxiao City that's suffering."

Earl Linna next door nodded.

Do you think the other grand dukes will be overjoyed and grateful for our righteous act?

Count Linna stared at King Chaman, his eyes filled with a deep chill: "I dare say they will be lamenting the king's misfortune while plotting how to take advantage of the situation to slaughter Dragonstreet City."

"After Black Sand Territory, it's our turn."

Amid the chaos in the hall, Lisban remained remarkably calm, gently patting Selma's arm: "Madam."

The Grand Duchess took a deep breath and managed to compose herself under the Regent's cold gaze: "Your Majesty, what you just said was extremely inappropriate and could have created a hatred between the Walton and the Rumba families that would last for generations."

King Chaman shrugged.

"Look at the reactions of your vassals; this is what I fear—sometimes, a marriage between two people is enough to destroy two countries," the king said slowly, surveying his surroundings.

"Some things have serious consequences and must be prevented before they happen."

He turned around, his eyes turning serious: "Otherwise, given the ages of everyone here... I fear that many years from now, Dragon Sky City, and even the entire Exter, may not be able to prevent a supreme king of the stars from becoming regent of Dragon Sky City."

These words made many of the vassals breathe even more heavily.

Thales gave a cold snort, drawing several unfriendly glances.

These were the conditions that King Nuen had given him back then.

Now, however, Rumba is using it as a means and bargaining chip to incite his ministers.

Ironic.

“Your vassals may be ashamed to speak, but as an elder who witnessed your ascension to the throne, I cannot feign politeness any longer,” King Chaman said disdainfully, looking at Selma, who was too angry to speak.

"As king, I must act while I still have some power and my words still carry some weight..."

Selma took a deep breath: "You mean..."

“Selma Walton,” a sharp glint flashed in the king’s eyes, “in the name of the co-king, I hereby command you—to hand over Thales Star to me.”

"For the peace of Exter, and for the safety of Dragonsky City."

The hall fell silent once more.

Selma stared intently at the king.

“Then,” King Chaman raised his head and said softly, “your answer?”

My reply?

The Grand Duchess sensed that everyone's eyes were fixed on her.

But unlike before, this time, their gazes were... unusually different.

Selma frowned deeply, bit her lower lip, and exchanged a few glances with Risban.

She felt the burning sensation on her face getting worse and worse.

But she didn't dare to meet the boy's eyes.

dare not.

Just then, a long sigh suddenly rang out from the crowd.

"You're really meddling, Charman."

Thales slowly stepped forward under everyone's gaze, shaking his head with weariness and boredom: "When did you become so gossipy and boring?"

He looked at the crowd in the hall with disdain and rudely gestured towards the Grand Duchess.

This immediately drew several warm greetings from the northerners to the splendid star's ancestor from the north to the prince.

The Grand Duchess paused slightly when she saw Thales stand up.

What is he going to do next?
"Aren't things chaotic enough already, little prince!" Nicolai, in a foul mood and exasperated, clenched his fists. "Shut up!"

But Thales only gave him a dismissive glance in return.

This only fueled the meteorite's anger.

“This isn’t just idle talk,” King Chaman said, staring at Thales with amusement, “but if you two really do take a liking to each other…”

Thales raised an eyebrow.

“Thank you for your care and service over the years, Selma, girl,” Prince Star smiled slightly, “I confess, I will miss your beautiful face and figure—they are hard to forget.” Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was stunned!
"Of course, I'll miss your alluring lips too..."

Before anyone could react, Thales' smile remained unchanged, and he even blew a kiss:
"And their warmth and sweetness."

A moment of deathly silence fell over the hall.

Selma stared wide-eyed at Thales, who was looking completely relaxed.

"You, you, no, we, we didn't—" Under the gaze of everyone in the hall, she opened her lips, filled with shame, indignation, shock, and anger, but she didn't know what to say.

“Don’t worry, you’re not pregnant,” Thales said, arms crossed, a kind smile on his face. “Your vassals are broad-minded; they won’t care about this. Even the hero Nekaru was remarried—”

"Hold!"

Before Thales could finish speaking, the Hall of Heroes erupted in chaos!

"That little bastard of the Empire..."

"Fuck you, fuck, fuck—"

"War! War! This time, if we don't destroy the stars, I'll change my name!"

"He dares to tarnish a lady's reputation!"

"No, this is shameless slander; he's trying to ruin the lady's reputation—"

"Kill him now!"

"No, castrate him! Destroy him! According to ancient rites, turn him into a 'silkworm pupa'!"

"A duel! A duel to the death!" This was Earl Hearst, who was so angry that he was incoherent.

The crowd was agitated, and many people stood up to rush toward Thales. Nikolai roared and ordered the guards to block them back, but even the guards themselves were angry and annoyed, and kept looking back at Thales.

Wyatt was terrified and turned pale. He and Rolf stood firmly beside Thales, their faces showing a willingness to die for their prince.

“You’re insane,” Ian said through gritted teeth, looking at Thales with disgust. “Just for her, her?”

Amidst the surging tide of fury, only a handful of people managed to maintain their composure, but even King Chaman stared at Thales with a strange look.

Beside him, Chloeshi rubbed her sword, her gaze toward Thales growing increasingly sinister.

As for Thales himself, he maintained his smile, ignoring the angry glares and shouts of the nobles in the hall.

and many more.

Selma stared incredulously at Thales's mocking expression.

He, he...

She had a premonition of what Thales was going to do.

but……

Under the gazes of the nobles filling the hall, the young woman felt a burning sensation on her face.

Selma knew her expression at that moment must not be pleasant.

But none of that matters anymore.

At this moment, as the girl looked at Thales in the crowd, she felt a pang of indescribable heartache.

"quiet!"

"This prince first intervened by sending troops on behalf of Xingchen, and now he's making slanderous remarks, damaging the lady's reputation," Count Nazel's voice echoed through the hall. "It seems he's suffered quite a bit of injustice and hardship here, and harbors considerable resentment, intending to take revenge."

Upon hearing this, the crowd's anger gradually subsided.

“But the more we lose our composure, the more we play into his hands,” Count Lisbon said in a deep voice.

At this point, the two old counts exchanged a glance.

After a brief repression, the hall finally quieted down.

But compared to before, the way the people of the North looked at the prince had become incredibly terrifying.

It's probably hard for anyone to say whether, at this moment, Thales or Rumba, is the least popular in the Hall of Heroes.

“Dragon City and the lady protected you for six years, you so-called 'prince',” Earl Hearst took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with fury, “is this your repayment?”

Thales stopped smiling.

"Protect?"

The prince chewed on the words, his expression slowly changing: "How could you say that? You imprisoned me here for six years, my greatest enemy..."

"Aren't you the northerners who used me as a bargaining chip?"

How could you possibly think I should be grateful to you?

"For that little girl on the grand duke's throne who's good for nothing but her pretty face?"

Selma's breath hitched slightly.

Although everyone in the hall was angry, they all calmed down and looked at Thales with cold expressions.

Only Nicolai was trembling with anger, and the blush on his face would not fade.

The Grand Duchess pursed her lips, her face sorrowful, ignoring the countless gazes that drifted towards her, both overt and covert.

Is this your decision?
Your backup plan?

You're asking me to choose the path most suitable for the Grand Duchess, is that what you mean?
King Chaman, however, found the prince's expression increasingly amusing.

Only Nazel sighed softly, which Risban, who was opposite him, saw but simply frowned and shook his head.

“I understand,” Selma raised her head, her face hardening, and said with difficulty, “Prince Thales, you want to go to Black Sand Territory, is that right?”

Thales stopped smiling.

"What," the prince sighed softly, his tone seemingly helpless, "Don't tell me you can't bear to part with me, that your bed is too lonely and empty without me?"

Selma trembled slightly.

"Pah!" Earl Hearst turned his head away, seemingly no longer even deigning to spit.

King Chaman watched all this with great interest, lost in thought.

The girl closed her eyes, her expression one of struggle.

“Madam,” Kurtson snapped, “if you just say the word, we should still be able to take one of his hands off.”

Kerkegor scoffed, "Interesting."

Count Linna shook his head coldly: "You, little brat, I don't care what you're doing behind the scenes with the murderer of your own kin..."

Just now.

"Enough, everyone!"

The Grand Duchess abruptly spoke, interrupting the conversation.

Selma's voice echoed throughout the hall, spreading far and wide.

The silence lasted for quite a while.

Until the woman's voice rang out again, deep and clear.
"Then, have a safe journey, Prince Thales."

Selma opened her eyes, her expression cold.

At this moment, the Selma in Thales' eyes finally put away her hesitant and sorrowful expression.

Thales' tense nerves slowly relaxed at this moment.

"Very well, Selma," he sighed silently to himself. "Choosing the path most suitable for the Grand Duchess was the right choice."

"He is yours," the Grand Duchess's voice hardened, just as it had been when she faced her vassals' pressure to marry her.

"Your Majesty Chaman."

No one objected.

It seems that the opinions of the lords of Longxiao City are more unified than ever before when faced with this decision.

King Chaman raised an eyebrow slightly, took a long breath, and let out a soft scoff.

"very good."

The king's gaze had regained the majesty he had displayed upon first entering the hall.

The Grand Duchess gripped the armrest tightly, her words resolute: "With him in hand, please ensure that the Star Kingdom will not cause unnecessary losses to our western expedition."

“It’s my duty,” King Chaman shook his head dismissively, responding fearlessly to the malicious gazes around him. “Of course.”

Thales stood still, watching the Grand Duchess with a calm expression from afar, and a smirk played on his lips.

At that moment, Thales's gaze met that of the Grand Duchess.

One side is calm and relieved, the other is indifferent and cold.

“Next time, if you have any plans for marriage, please be sure to inform us in advance—the King and the Grand Dukes—so that we can take a look,” King Chaman said with satisfaction. “After all, if your marriage is handled hastily again, as it was this time, I dare not guarantee what kind of chaotic abyss the kingdom will fall into as a result.”

Risban solemnly stated, "Dragon Sky City's own affairs are none of Black Sand Territory's concern."

"The attention of the dukes is not up to you," the king shook his head. "If you still care about Dragonsky City, remember this."

The Grand Duchess raised her head and gave him a cold glance.

This caused King Chaman to frown slightly.

"The council meeting is almost over, and we will discuss the western expedition at a later date," the Grand Duchess said quietly. "Your Majesty, you don't need to stay here any longer."

The vassals exchanged complex emotions as they looked at each other.

King Chaman narrowed his eyes slightly.

“And girl,” the king said meaningfully, “as I said, as an unprecedented person, you are embarking on an unprecedented path.”

"This road is difficult, with obstacles and dangers everywhere. And there are always people who don't like new changes. So I advise you to stay away from those people. Their beliefs run counter to your existence, and they will eventually part ways with you."

These words made many nobles in Dragon Sky City feel uneasy.

Selma's expression turned ugly: "Is that so?"

“But there’s a first time for everything,” the Grand Duchess said after glancing at everyone in the hall and hesitating for a moment.

"Three hundred years ago, when Lessie Anrenzo became the Countess of Longsong City, no one believed that the later 'Beautiful Grand Duchess' could establish the first duchy on Dragon's Kiss Land;"

"Two hundred years ago, when Queen Elijah ascended the throne of the Stars, no one could have imagined that a kingdom ruled by a woman would be able to seize our Coldhold."

"Forty years ago, when Empress Dowager Yaohua was in power day and night, no one could have foreseen that she would one day become the King of Yao."

The people in the hall listened quietly to the Grand Duchess's words.

“Such things have happened in the stars, in the night, and even in the Duchy of Anlenzo…” Selma’s voice was soft, but her words were full of unspeakable strength: “As for the North… I believe that people will eventually get used to it.”

Thales noticed that behind the King, Kroes was staring at the Grand Duchess on the platform with a complicated expression.

King Chaman seemed somewhat surprised.

But a few seconds later, he nodded, a satisfied expression on his face: "I will remember this day."

“Of course,” Selma nodded, avoiding Thales’ gaze, and said in a deep voice, “Just as Dragon City will remember this day.”

The vassals frowned, their hearts filled with indescribable emotions.

The next moment, the Grand Duchess slowly rose to her feet.

"Gentlemen, that's enough for today."

With varying expressions and breaths, the twenty-odd vassals of Dragonspeak City also stood up, looking at the Grand Duchess on the steps with mixed feelings, and then at King Chaman and Thales.

This day...

"Dragon Sky City..."

The Grand Duchess lowered her voice and sighed softly, "Meeting adjourned."

The vassals respectfully raised their right fists and simultaneously pounded them against their chests.

Boom!
But this time, compared to the opening, the muffled thud was unprecedentedly uniform, as if it came from the hand of a single person.

The gates opened, and the vassals bowed and departed one after another.

King Chaman, standing in the center of the hall, seemed oblivious to the gazes cast upon him by his vassals before they departed, while Thales looked down at the ground, seemingly unconcerned.

ended.

At least……

This round...

ended.

Right.

(End of this chapter)