Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 505 Protection
He is dreaming.

This time, he knew it clearly.

He felt a void appear in the air beneath his feet.

A growing void.

Until he fell into it.

Inextricable.

He instinctively lifted his leg, trying to escape the terrible void, but was met with a call.

"Your Highness."

Thales suddenly woke up with a start.

He then realized that he was lying sideways on the seat, with his right leg firmly pressed against the inside of the carriage.

There was no hollow beneath his feet.

Let alone falling.

All he could hear was the rumble of horses' hooves, the slow clatter of wheels, the hushed whispers of people, and...

"I'm sorry to disturb your sleep."

In the swaying carriage, Gilbert's gentle voice slowly soothed his panic:

Did you not sleep well last night?

Thales sat up straight, took a deep breath, and rubbed his face.

"No, I just..."

...It's just that I haven't had such a peaceful sleep in a long time.

Thales buried his face in his hands and muttered to himself.

A second later, the prince raised his head from his hands, his smile kind:

"...just taking a short rest."

Gilbert looked at him intently for a long time before a smile appeared on his face:
"Your Highness."

"Eternal Star City is just ahead."

Yongxing City.

In an instant, the phrase seemed to possess extraordinary magic, sweeping away Thales's weariness and drowsiness.

"what?"

Thales turned his head in surprise.

"So fast?"

The boy dragged his somewhat numb body and struggled to move to the side of the carriage, then pushed open the window.

"We've only been in the Central Government for a few days..."

Thales' words came to an abrupt end.

As the carriage went up a hill, he saw the cavalrymen looming past the window.

Under the bright sunshine, the fields are vast, the roads are flat, and the villages are well-organized.

It resembles a colorful ribbon nestled between the blue sky and the black soil.

On both sides of the road, more and more people are coming from the opposite direction:
Busy merchants, farmers on their way, officials rushing by, and all sorts of carriages, some fast and some slow, all orderly, made way for the roadside under the strong orders of the standing army, waiting outside the temporary cordon set up by the soldiers, all looking at the astonishingly large convoy with curious and amazed eyes.

"Probably some high-ranking official or nobleman..."

"Oh ho, with so many bodyguards clearing the way, he must be some great count from out of town."

"Do you think that carriage was carrying people or things? I bet it was carrying some expensive chamber pots..."

The murmurs reached the boy's ears almost imperceptibly.

But all of this pales in comparison to where Thales's gaze is focused.

That was a city.

In the distance, the towering gray brick city wall stands majestically, like a towering tree. The prominent watchtowers and battlements are uneven, creating a unique scene. The star-blue flags on the city wall flutter in the wind, like rolling waves.

It lacks the grandeur of Dragon Sky City, the solidity of Dragon Severing Fortress, and the chaotic freedom of Blade Fang Camp.

but……

For some reason, this orderly, well-organized, and seemingly ordinary city was attracting his attention at this moment.

Yongxing City.

Thales was completely mesmerized by what he saw.

"You don't need to be nervous."

Gilbert seemed to sense the boy's complex emotions, and he calmly said:

"You've gone home, that's all."

Thales' gaze remained fixed on the distant city, and he murmured absently:
"I know."

I know.

Gilbert remained silent, simply watching the prince's lapse in composure with a smile.

"If you wish, Your Highness..."

Gilbert gave him an encouraging look.

"Then let's go out and see for ourselves."

See for yourself...

He was both a stranger and a familiar figure...

home.

Thales slowly regained consciousness, and his gaze gradually hardened.

Gilbert said with a smile:
"I think it's time to let Yongxing City and the entire kingdom see their heir, whom they haven't seen for six years."

Six years later...

Thales's gaze passed through soldiers, through passersby, through fields, and even finally through the distant city walls and the clouds on the horizon.

“Of course, Gilbert.”

Thales turned around, his expression complex and troubled:

"of course."

Under the prince's unusual gaze, the former foreign minister remained silent for a few seconds.

Then, Gilbert gently pushed open the car window, knocked on the carriage, and peeked out slightly.

"Lord Marius, would you please slow down and raise the Star of David? Perhaps it is time for His Highness to make a public appearance."

Count Cassel's shout caused the horses' hooves and wheels outside the carriage to change speed and trajectory simultaneously. The royal guards surrounding the prince's carriage sprang into action, quickly forming a formation to reveal the watchman Marius approaching on horseback.

"Let His Highness also see his Eternal Star City..."

Gilbert continued speaking, however…

"I'm very sorry."

"No."

Marius's voice, like the approaching hooves of a horse, was gentle and polite, yet his refusal was swift and decisive.

There is absolutely no room for negotiation.

Gilbert paused for a moment, seemingly not expecting his suggestion to be rejected.

Thales frowned as well.

Fortunately, the former foreign minister only paused for a few seconds before continuing to lean out of the car, trying to make another effort.

“Very well, Lord Marius, I understand your work, but we need neither to stop nor deviate from the route, it's just that Your Highness needs to…”

But he was met with Marius's polite reply as always:

“I cannot allow it.”

Thales paused.

Gilbert also stiffened slightly:
"My Lord?"

Marius's face appeared outside the car window, and he exchanged a glance with Thales inside the car.

"I believe you understand better than I do the sensation caused by the Prince's Return; those nobles of the Western Wilderness serve as a cautionary tale..."

“I can even imagine the crowds and chaos we would face if the Duke were to make a public appearance, from commoners who would come to watch the spectacle to nobles who would try to find out what was going on… It would be too much trouble for us. For safety’s sake, I don’t think it would be appropriate for His Excellency to make a public appearance. Instead, he should stay in his carriage until he enters the Palace of Restoration.”

The watchman's smile remained unchanged. He looked at the curious civilians lining the road and politely declined their invitation:

"And we don't need to make a big fuss to attract more attention."

For safety reasons.

Upon hearing the other party's polite yet decisive refusal, Thales frowned slightly.

“Lord Marius, if we’re talking about safety, we’ve already reached the capital, and we have you all with us, and even the standing army behind us. I believe you can certainly guarantee His Highness’s safety…” Gilbert began softly, but was interrupted by Marius.

“No, no, no, don’t overestimate us, Earl. We have neither the King’s Wrath nor the Fortress Flower.” Marius’s smile remained unchanged, but Thales didn’t find it appealing.

"If we were to face a massive, overwhelming surge of people, we would at most be... fifty-fifty."

Gilbert was speechless for a moment.

The members of the royal guard looked at each other in bewilderment.

Marius, however, still wore that same smiling expression.

The prince's mood became somewhat depressed.

Gilbert sensed the tension in the atmosphere.

"I appreciate the Royal Guard's caution and consideration, but beyond that, shouldn't we consider something else?"

Count Cassel sat up straight, leaned on his cane, and adopted the demeanor of a professional negotiator:

"Whether as His Highness the Prince or the Duke of Starlake, he should make a public appearance on the first day of his return, at least for a few seconds, so that everyone can see him returning to the city and let the news spread."

The cunning fox of the stars narrowed its eyes:
“And this is for the sake of the monarchy, for His Majesty’s rule and interests.” “Lord Marius?”

Hearing the other party's perfectly legitimate and noble reason, Marius on his mount lowered his head and remained silent for a while.

But just when Thales thought he was about to give in...

"Haha... Maybe I didn't express myself clearly, or maybe you were just joking."

Marius raised his head, his smile appearing even more genuine, yet his gaze remained calm and serene.

“But my task is to safely escort the prince back to the Palace of Restoration, Count Cassel,” Marius said, flexing his muscles, but his eyes held little smile.

"No, otherwise."

The nail, neither too soft nor too hard, made Gilbert frown.

Sensing Marius's lack of cooperation on this matter, Thales glanced at the (relatively speaking) cramped carriage where he had been sitting for a long time, feeling the numbness from the carriage's jolting, and then looked at the vast scenery outside the window and his hometown city. He remained silent, his emotions somewhat suppressed.

“We should have discussed this matter, Lord.”

Gilbert's tone became somewhat harsh:

“We both have our own missions and try not to embarrass each other—we’ve been working together quite well before, haven’t we?”

Marius smiled as he stared into Gilbert's eyes.

He remained silent for only a few seconds.

“I’m sorry, my mission conflicts with yours,” Marius said, his expression remaining gentle and polite.
"But all I can do is apologize."

"Count Cassel".

He nodded respectfully at the end.

Gilbert's expression was rather unpleasant.

Although every sentence began with a polite and humble apology, ...

Thales listened to the same old rejections, glanced at Gilbert who seemed a little unhappy, and out of the corner of his eye, he looked at the royal guards who were surrounding him tightly.

He suddenly remembered Dragon Sky City, Heroes' Palace, and Blood Courtyard.

There, Nicolai's men did the same, blocking every entrance and exit completely.

Thinking this, the prince's unease reached its peak.

“Lord…” Gilbert sighed.

"The Duke is in the carriage, which saves us a lot of trouble," the Watchman interrupted Gilbert with his usual smile.
"This is enough."

Hearing this, Thales, unable to bear it any longer, couldn't help but interject:

"So, because you find this troublesome, you'd rather keep me trapped in the carriage?"

The prince unconsciously raised his voice:
"I thought His Majesty had ordered you to escort me, not to imprison me?"

The sound of hooves from the surrounding mounts changed somewhat.

The prince's loud voice was clearly unusual, and several members of the royal guard—or rather, the Starlake Guard—rushed up nervously, including Doyle and Golov, whom Thales had gradually become acquainted with.

Gilbert's expression changed slightly.

Marius finally turned his attention to Thales.

Thales frowned, looking like he wanted an explanation.

But Marius paused only for a moment before smiling:

"I apologize for making you feel this way, Your Grace."

“After meeting His Majesty, you may protest to him at any time and suggest that he remove me from my post.”

Thales was taken aback.

Marius looked at Thales gently, shrugged, and said softly:

"But before that, according to tradition and rules, as the Watchman of the Royal Guard, and your head of the Guard..."

"I'm afraid my consideration and judgment of your personal safety takes precedence over your personal preferences."

"It is my duty, and I hope you will understand."

For a moment, the air inside and outside the carriage seemed to freeze.

Thales' expression froze.

Marius remained calm.

Among the royal guards around them, Doyle and Golov exchanged a glance. Their eyes were filled with surprise, but they dared not utter a sound.

For some reason, Thales recalled Roman's "don't tell me how to do my job" attitude when they were still at Baki's camp.

Just as Gilbert was about to say something to smooth things over, Thales closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again.

“You are the royal guard, and you are also my guard.”

Thales spoke slowly:
“You should obey my orders.”

However, Marius simply shrugged his shoulders:

"You are the prince of the stars, and the duke of the kingdom."

The watchman remained respectful, but his words showed no sign of weakness:
"You should also respect His Majesty's appointment."

His eyes reflected a profound light:
"Especially on the first day of your return."

Thales's face darkened.

"You mean..."

The prince stared intently at Marius and said, enunciating each word clearly:
"Is this His Majesty's order?"

At that moment, Gilbert's expression also changed drastically.

“No,” the Watcher said calmly, still on horseback.

"It's just how I execute orders."

The method of executing commands.

Thales's eyes changed.

Doyle, who was listening intently, suddenly felt that the air around him seemed to have become thicker.

Lord Marius.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the prince faced the unyielding Watchman and spoke softly:
"I want you to stop the carriage now."

But Marius merely scoffed:
"I love you..."

"Lord!" Gilbert shouted, interrupting Marius, sensing something was wrong.

The former foreign minister then turned to Thales, whose face was cold, and said gently:
“Your Highness, you have traveled a long way today, and perhaps you do need to rest… I believe Lord Marius is also doing this to protect you…”

But Thales interrupted him.

"Protect me," the prince's words sounded as if they had just been soaked in water:

"Just like six years ago?"

Gilbert was speechless for a moment.

Thales and Marius's eyes met in mid-air, one cold and sharp, the other calm and unperturbed.

Doyle, who was watching from the sidelines, suddenly had a bad feeling.

“Gilbert, tell me,” the prince began softly:
"Were the guards of each Duke of Starlake—such as John's—comprising members directly drawn from the royal guard and stationed close to him by the king?"

Gilbert froze.

Marius also narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Star Lake Guards around them exchanged glances, their expressions varied.

A few seconds later, Gilbert coughed, seemingly quite embarrassed:

"That's because you've been away from home for too long and lack capable people around you, and His Majesty is worried..."

Thales did not hear the rest of his words.

He just stared intently at Marius.

It's like staring at someone else.

“I understand,” the prince said softly.

"continue."

Marius's expression froze:
"What."

Thales stared straight at him:
“Keep smiling, Lord Marius.”

Amidst the puzzled looks from the surrounding royal guards, Thales coldly snorted:
"Because if you don't smile..."

"Then you'll look like a dead man."

Marius was taken aback.

Gilbert looked at Thales with concern:
"Your Highness..."

But Thales ignored Gilbert's words and just stared at the puzzled Marius.

Marius frowned slightly, ignored him, turned his horse around, and gave the order:
"Back to the previous formation..."

But this time, the prince spoke first.

“Then, Lord Tormund Marius, the Watcher of the Royal Guard and the Royal Knight, and my Captain of the Starlake Guard!”

The watchman's gaze froze.

Thales raised his voice so that the surrounding royal guards could hear him clearly:
"To thank you for your tireless and diligent efforts in escorting me back to the capital..."

Upon hearing this, all the guards were filled with doubt.

Thales stared intently at Marius and slowly enunciated:
"I want……"

"As a reward for you."

I'd like to recommend Zhuo Muxian's novel, "Han Si Becomes an Official," which was recently released and requires a subscription.

Lao Zhuo is a master of writing about urban (official) life ("Officer Han" and "Chaoyang Police Affairs"). I met him in a group. His works have a unique perspective, realistic descriptions, vivid writing, and excellent writing style. This time, he is transitioning from urban to historical works. I wish his new book great success!
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(End of this chapter)