Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 362 The Eye of the Crow
Nicolai stared blankly at Monty, as if meeting him for the first time, and subconsciously said:
"Do not."

“That’s impossible, Monty.”

He frowned and said, "You're... lying."

Monty glanced at him, chuckled dismissively, and shook his head.

"What's impossible?"

The raven sat back on the ground, its emotions unreadable: "Is it that the gentle and weak Adele could not possibly have an affair? Or that honest and lowly Michael could not possibly seduce his mistress?"

With each word he spoke, Monty's brow furrowed more deeply.

Listening to the other person's words, the Meteorite seemed to forget the pain in his shoulder. He took a deep breath and carefully recalled the past, comparing it with the parts that did not match his memory.

“But that’s the truth—that damned homosexual, Byrne Mailer,” Deathrattle gritted his teeth, “that taciturn, simple-minded, rigid country soldier who just follows Suriel around saying ‘yes’ all day long.”

"Can you imagine? Him? And Adele?"

At this point, Monty spat out a mouthful of blood and let out a cold laugh.

But his eyes were filled with unspeakable pain, like a warrior with nowhere to turn.

“So, Suliel possesses her body, and Michael occupies her heart,” Monty’s smile slowly turned sarcastic:

"And the only thing I can touch is her death."

But the Fallen One still stared at him in disbelief.

“Impossible,” Nikolai retorted firmly, suppressing his anger. “Prince Sulir… he couldn’t possibly have given such an order. He had already promised to let Mirk and the others go.”

Hearing Nicolai's words, Monty scoffed dismissively, "Do you believe that Suriel is going to let them go?"

The meteorite stiffened slightly.

Monty's expression changed, and he said coldly, "It was Suriel who was lying, that's all—in order to create an opportunity for me to take care of the two of them without leaving a trace."

Nikolai's expression shifted rapidly between doubt and confusion.

“No,” he gritted his teeth and looked up, denying it again, “We all know him… Sullir, he’s a good soldier. He trained with us, fought with us, drank with us, laughed with us, and got into fights with us. He even dragged us to the countryside to celebrate Byrne’s wedding. He’s not that kind of person! If he’s going to solve a problem, at least… at least he won’t let you assassinate him…”

But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the raven's gnashing curses:

"You know shit!"

“Many people think of him the same way you do, including that damned Michael,” Monty said, his face showing both disgust and fear. “But for countless years, I have served Prince Suliel, running for him in the dark.”

"No one knows him better than me—only the eyes of the Black Crow can see the truth under the moonlight."

“Suriel Walton, who was mentored by the shrewd and calculating Risban and the invincible Kaslan, is like a younger version of King Nunn: equally majestic and dignified, equally unconventional, but even more ruthless and decisive than his father.”

When the deceased prince was mentioned, Monty's expression became solemn: "Most importantly, Sullir was a shrewd and ambitious man who took every step he could for power and profit."

With each word spoken by the other party, the Fallen Star's pupils focused a little more.

“The gentle and graceful Princess Adele, our prince has never paid her any attention,” Monty’s voice continued coldly, sending a chill down Nicole’s spine, as if it concealed decades of accumulated winter snow.

"His initial intention in marrying her was merely to create obstacles for the Commas people and to pave the way for the war twenty years ago when Sulir led his troops on a distant expedition to the Free Alliance, which shook the Golden Corridor and subdued Qiyuan City and Jieshou City."

"And in the future that Suliel planned, even without the mess that was with Michael, Adele was destined to die."

Nikolai looked puzzled: "What?"

Monty leaned back against the rock, his eyes deep: "I was sent to the Star Kingdom for reconnaissance and liaison back then, precisely for this purpose. I even overheard conversations between Suril and King Nunn occasionally, so I know..."

“Eighteen years ago, in the war between Exter and the Stars, Suliel was the originally designated commander-in-chief, and his goal was very clear: he was not trying to conquer the Stars in a war, but to pave the way for the future.”

Monty weakly raised his hand, pointing south: "First of all, Dragon City gathered the power of the whole country and shattered Star City, leaving it riddled with holes and desolate. It will take decades to recover its former glory."

"Secondly, the nine unruly and greedy Dukes of Exeter will suffer huge casualties and costs in this war that King Nunn deliberately promised lightly, leaving only Dragon Sky City with the strength to survive."

The Deathrattle gritted his teeth: "At the end of the war, Nunn will propose peace talks to the Star People: as an alliance between the two countries, King Eddy II will marry his youngest daughter to Prince Suril, and Exter will withdraw his troops."

Nikolai was stunned.

He suddenly recalled the fierce battle eighteen years ago that made him famous, the thick smoke and corpses above and below the fortress, the death and bloodshed on the land of stars, and the roars and cries of his soldiers.

I even recalled the look of relief in the eyes of the "Star Butcher" before he died.

“Thus, in the years to come, especially after Suliel’s coronation, he will inherit a desolate Exter, and face a wounded and weakened Star Kingdom,” Monty said with a sorrowful expression. He took a small bag from his person, poured out strong liquor, and, despite the excruciating pain, poured it over his wounds before beginning to bandage them again.
"The future King of Suril will not only be able to suppress the Grand Dukes and turn the entire Exter into the private property of the Walton family... but will also go further, using his queen, who comes from the Starry Sky royal family, to rightfully reach out to the still-recovering Starry Sky."

Monty gasped for breath, enduring the excruciating pain of the liquor seeping into his wounds: "Even his descendants, the heirs who flow with half the blood of the Brilliant Star and half the blood of Walton, will be able to follow in the footsteps of their father and grandfather, fusing the Dragon Scale Crown and the Nine Star Crown into one, accomplishing a feat that no one has achieved since the ancient empire."

Nikolai's breath hitched, and his whole body stiffened.

At this point, the Deathrattle slammed against the rock and laughed sarcastically: "Do you understand now? In Suliel's grand plan, Adele cannot bring him more benefits, so she is not worthy to be Queen Exeter. Therefore, she is destined to die, sooner or later."

Nicolai stared blankly at his former colleague.

It was only at this moment that the Meteorite suddenly realized that he and his Blade Oath brother, whom he once thought were inseparable, had always lived on opposite sides of the same mirror, seeing completely different worlds.

This discovery left him exhausted, and he clenched his fists involuntarily.

They, him and Monty, stepped into the guard's camp at the same time, but since when did their directions diverge and drift further and further apart?

Kaslan... has two sides?

Nicolai weakly repeated Monty's words in his mind. His weak body slumped slightly, but the excruciating pain of being nailed to his shoulder brought him back to his senses in a cold sweat.

“Hahaha, can you imagine that this should have been a husband’s angry, painful questioning and revenge,” Monty laughed until tears streamed down his face, “but in Suriel’s eyes, all that was left was scheming and bargaining chips.”

He slowly shook his head, his tone indignant: "Nobles, nobles, ha, these scum, what a bunch of piece of trash they are."

Nikolai did not speak.

King Nunn, Suriel, Kaslan, Monti...

At this moment, many living and dead people he thought he knew seemed to break free from the shackles of his memory and become unfamiliar figures to him.

This rendered him powerless to question the Death Crow any further.

Monty's laughter gradually subsided.

The heat on his face slowly disappeared.

"But……"

“But when I sneaked into the Blood Garden with poison and saw Adele tending to the flowers and playing happily with the children, and saw the smile on her face,” Monty’s eyes froze, “I knew I had no right to blame her.”

Monty sighed slowly. “She was just a delicate flower, and it was I who brought her into this hell,” Deathrattle said, his face grim, his shadow merging with his own in the sunlight. “I left her in Valhalla to suffer torment and contempt, to be tormented on the chessboard of these scumbags.”

The Meteorite slowly raised his eyes.

"So you just took it upon yourself to do it?"

Nicolai said slowly, "You want to save her? Even if it means betrayal?"

Monty's expression changed.

He gave Nikolai a cold, sharp look.

"You really don't know, you troublemaker?"

The Raven Crow gritted its teeth slightly: "Adele has been married to Dragonscream City for so long, and you, as the King's personal guard, the acting captain of the White Blade Guard, and the guardian of the Hall of Heroes, are you really completely unaware of the misfortunes and suffering she has endured?"

Nikolai frowned.

For the first time, Monty's eyes revealed undisguised, pure resentment, his chest heaving: "It's unimaginable how Adele suffered torment, abuse, and contempt every single day and night..."

"And so many people in Valhalla, including you, treated it as the prince's private family matter, turning a blind eye to the misfortune and suffering she had suffered, standing idly by, and pretending to be deaf and dumb."

"This left Adele with no choice but to seek solace in that silly Michael."

Monty trembled all over: "And even so, the useless Michael she had been hoping for could give her nothing: he had neither the courage to stand up for her, nor the responsibility to take her away, nor the ability to protect Adele!"

Nicolai stared at him expressionlessly.

“Troublemaker, Myrk, everyone in the White Blade Guard, you’re all cowards,” Monty spat, “watching a poor, pathetic woman suffer and doing nothing to stand up for her.”

"All of them."

Monty lowered his head.

That night, I looked at the flowers and plants in the courtyard, let go of the poison in my hand, and weakly told myself: No.

He said forlornly, "I have sunk into darkness and cannot extricate myself, but at least, at least I cannot let Adele become my victim, another soul in my blood-stained hands."

"Perhaps I am not worthy to wield a sword, but I will never be a coward!"

A glint flashed in Monty's eyes, and the muscles in his arms tightened again, as if a sailor in a shipwreck had grabbed a lifeline.

“Even if the person she falls for is that silly Michael—if only then can Adele be happy, can she be content, can she regain the smile on her face,” Monty gritted his teeth, “then it’s worth it.”

“As for the remaining darkness, let me bear it,” the Death Raven stared blankly at his right hand, his eyes unfocused, his expression a mixture of crying and laughing. “I will guard her hope alone in the boundless darkness.”

Nicolai took a deep breath, feeling a surge of emotions welling up inside him:

"So you found the Starry Sky Secret Academy?"

Monty forced a weak smile.

“They found me,” Deathrattle said calmly. “At the hotel in the Spear District, when I was drinking there… the hotel owner from Commas, he was a great drinker and very good at persuading people.”

"He told me his love story with his wife, and that in this short life, there must be a time when you're reckless and never look back—of course, I later learned that he was the head of the Secret Service in Longxiao City."

At this point, Monty chuckled, it was unclear whether he was laughing at the other person or at himself:

"You know everything that followed."

The meteorite closed his eyes.

The two fell silent.

A gentle breeze swept by, and the mournful howling from the crevices in the rocks grew even more poignant.

"so……"

"Just for a woman? Monty, who's always been lazy and good-for-nothing, has turned into this?" Nicolai asked wearily.

"A woman I can never have?"

Monty was slightly taken aback.

But he immediately chuckled.

"Come on, Serene Nikolai, the so-called Meteorite, haven't you also been suffering and conflicted all this time because of some woman you can never have?"

The meteorite froze.

“Yes, I’ve known for a long time, just as you know me, I also know who you miss—the Meteorite isn’t as cold as the rumors say.” Monty leaned against the rock, revealing his usual laziness and unruliness.

Nicolai looked at the Death Raven in disbelief, his thoughts pausing.

Monty, with a mocking expression, clicked his tongue as if remarking with a sigh, "When she came to the guard training camp to visit Kaslan, a whole bunch of us bastards packed up to watch, hundreds of eyes practically glued to that girl..."

“Only you, you troublemaker, only you keep your head turned away, pretending to be disdainful, but in fact you don’t dare to look at her at all—believe me, I know what that feels like.”

Nikolai didn't speak; he simply closed his eyes tightly and gripped a stone in his pocket.

"Once when we sneaked out together to find women, you got drunk, hugged a woman, and even blurted out her name..."

The meteorite suddenly opened its eyes!

"Monty!"

Nikolai stared at a pair of bloodshot eyes, somewhat angered, and coldly interrupted Deathrattle.

Monty paused.

“You know, I suddenly realized that I,” Nicolai took a deep breath and then said hoarsely, “I…I almost don’t recognize you.”

Monty was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

“It’s not just you,” he said, his smile initially cheerful but gradually becoming strained, even melancholic. “Many times, I look at this man in the mirror…”

"I almost don't recognize him anymore... who he is."

Holidays can be taken off, but updates must not stop.

Yes, that's how diligent I am.

(It's not for the double monthly tickets!)
By Wujian, who looked completely serious.

P.S. To celebrate the New Year, let's have a long-awaited anti-piracy feature in the next chapter!
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(End of this chapter)