Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 46 Morat Hansen (Part 2)
Inside the banquet hall on the second floor of the Mindis Hall, the guards ushered the visiting guests in and then neatly closed the door.

"Say what you have to say, then leave." Under the ever-burning lights of the hall, looking at the old man in black before her, Ginny blocked Thales's path without a word.

Thales calmly looked at the old man in black robes, leaning on a cane, who seemed frail and on the verge of collapse, and a sense of doubt arose in his heart.

“Still so cold, Officer Bakvi,” Morat’s aged and hoarse voice reached Thales’ ears from the other side of the empty hall. It was extremely unpleasant and made people inexplicably nervous. He said with a hint of mockery, “At least we have cooperated well more than once.”

“Cooperate?” Ginny sneered. “Who would cooperate with a viper? It was His Majesty’s order back then, and we had no choice but to obey.”

“I’m really disappointed,” Morat shook his head with a look of regret, as if he were truly heartbroken. “I thought we were on the same side—you know, I’ve always thought of you as a daughter.”

As he spoke, a glint of shrewdness flashed in Morat's eyes: "You know, she's like my own 'biological' daughter, whom I raised myself."

Morat emphasized the word "biological" slightly.

Thales was surprised to see that the usually arrogant Ginny suddenly froze, as if someone had grabbed her by the throat.

The usually haughty and imposing court lady immediately turned her head away, so that no one could see her expression.

"IMHO!"

Gilbert, standing nearby, interrupted their conversation. He gave a slight bow with a serious expression and said, "Lord Hansen, you know how important everything here is to the kingdom. Please skip the unnecessary probing and small talk."

Thales was even more surprised; Gilbert, who had always been well-mannered, seemed somewhat—angry?
“We all know you are the ‘Chief of Intelligence,’ possessing the Kingdom’s secrets that everyone fears, and the Star Kingdom has also relied on your contributions,” Gilbert said with a cold glint in his eyes and sharp words. “Therefore, it is only right that you pay your respects to the future ‘Lord’ in advance. So please do not delay any longer—this is Mr. Thales.”

He emphasized the words "intelligence agency" and "lord".

Thales suddenly realized that the former was meant for him, while the latter was a warning to Morat.

The top intelligence chief, Thales, kept this information in his mind.

The atmosphere is really not good.

The solemn Gilbert stepped back, completely exposing Thales behind him from Morat's view.

Morat's eyes swept over the crowd and shot towards the boy.

In that instant, Thales felt that there seemed to be some kind of magic in those dark eyes.

It was as if they were trying to see right through him.

Thales even had the illusion that he was "a little out of breath".

Morat slowly walked forward, the sound of his cane hitting the ground carrying an ominous rhythm.

"Thum...thum...thum..."

Behind him, the masked guard Yodl slowly stepped forward.

“This distance is sufficient,” Gilbert said coldly.

“Count Cassel, you truly deserve to be the most trusted aide to the royal family,” Morat said, his gaze still fixed on Thales amidst the footsteps and the sound of his cane, his old, hoarse voice rang out: “I truly admire your loyalty to your lord, both to the late king and to his ‘successors’.”

Thales noticed that he emphasized "the successors" again.

In that instant, Thales suddenly felt that after Morat finished speaking, Gilbert, whose words were as sharp as swords, suddenly lost his composure!
Gilbert frowned deeply, as if he had thought of something bad.

The eloquent and quick-witted former foreign minister, Count Cassel, clenched his teeth and remained silent, letting Morat approach.

As the old man in black slowly approached, Thales felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

What kind of role is this exactly?
With just a few words and a few emphasis, he made the powerful Ginny and the shrewd and capable Gilbert willingly step back and remain silent.

“So, young sir,” Moratra said with a gentle yet inexplicably cold smile, “escaping from Red Street and from the clutches of the magicians must have been quite an ordeal.”

Magician?
Upon hearing this, Ginny and Gilbert both looked up, their expressions showing surprise as they stared at Thales.

Thales was terrified.

He subconsciously looked up and glanced behind Morat.

The masked secret guard, Yordle, stood silently, without uttering a word.

But Thales keenly sensed that the masked guard's posture seemed somewhat stiff and tense. Yodl.

Did you tell him everything?

About my secret?
“Actually, I have a few questions to ask you,” Morat laughed again, his eyes sharp through his wrinkles: “In private.”

Thales swallowed.

“No, Thales can’t be alone with him!” Ginny was the first to react. She looked at Gilbert with a serious expression, as if she were asking the Earl for help.

Gilbert also glared at Morat: "Mr. Thales is of noble status and has the right to choose to contact the Kingdom's Chief Intelligence Officer, accompanied by his entourage."

Thales frowned and looked at Morat.

What exactly is he trying to ask?
“Of course, of course, even,” Morat said, leaning on his cane, bowing seemingly obediently, a smirk playing on his lips, “whether or not he wants to talk to me should be his own choice.”

"After all, in the future, he will be my lord—if this old body of mine can live that long."

Gilbert glanced at the Black Prophet with a puzzled look, seemingly wondering why the head of the Secret Society was so easy to talk to. Only Ginny's expression changed as she looked at Thales.

Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

But just as he was about to say, "I'm not feeling well today," Morat's next words made him pause.

"Actually, there are some things I'd like to report to you—only in private."

Morat bowed obediently once more:
"...For example, the three children in the lower town, and a young bartender..." When the old man looked up again, his face was still full of smiles: "According to my intelligence, the Brotherhood seems to be dealing with an internal defection..."

In that instant, Thales clenched his right fist.

Three children in the downtown area?
A young bartender?
Thales' pupils contracted sharply.

Sinty, Ryan, Coria, and... Yara.

"it is good!"

Ignoring Ginny's anxious gaze and Gilbert's surprise, Thales stepped forward and said decisively, "Let's talk in private."

Morat's face was wrinkled with a smile, and he turned slightly to the side: "Please come to the study."

Just then, a sentence appeared out of nowhere among the crowd.

“Let’s talk right here.”

Thales turned around in surprise.

Surprisingly, it was Yodl, who had been silent all night behind Morat, who spoke up.

“We can retreat,” a hoarse and indistinct voice came from behind the masked figure. “Only in this way can I guarantee his safety.”

Morat seemed to pause for a second, and when he turned his head again, he had already frowned.

After a brief moment of surprise, Gilbert exchanged a glance with Ginny, and the two nodded firmly: "Let's talk here."

"Den."

Morat leaned on his cane, turned his head, and looked at Yodl.

"Why does everyone think that I, who have served the Starry Sky and the Stars for decades, would endanger the safety of the sole heir and the bloodline of the kingdom?" Morat's eyes flashed with coldness, but he quickly transformed it into an unsettling smile:

"Alright, let's talk here then."

Yodel nodded slightly, releasing the Supreme Sword he had been holding in his sleeve all night.

“But don’t try anything funny, Shadow Servant,” Morat smiled at the masked guard, pointing to his head. “No matter where you hide, I can sense your presence.”

Seeing Morat's eerie smile, Thales clenched his fists.

(End of this chapter)