Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 506 My Sword

On the sunlit road, the carriage continued to slowly advance towards Yongxing City, while the civilians on both sides were kept far away by the regular army, their faces only appearing blurry.

But no one could have imagined that a strange conversation was taking place between this unusual carriage and the dozen or so royal guards around it.

Gilbert watched in surprise as Thales expressionlessly raised his right arm and displayed what he was holding by the car window.

Meanwhile, the guards, including Marius, Doyle, and Golover, frowned, some puzzled, some incredulous.

That is……

"This is a warning sign."

The prince, expressionless, stroked the hilt of his long, narrow sword, his voice deep and profound:

"An ancient imperial sword forged by combining the skills of dwarves and elves, and gathering the essence of the earth and the seven seas."

Warning.

Marius was suddenly startled.

Doyle and Golov were both taken aback.

“Your Highness, I don’t…” The Watcher glanced around, suppressing the strange looks from his subordinates.

Swish!
The sound of metal sliding through leather made Marius pause in his words.

The boy examined the slightly unsheathed longsword, feeling its gleaming cold light:

"Tracing back to the past, it is the heirloom sword of the Falkenhausen family, which accompanied their ancestors in the final war, overcoming obstacles and witnessing the restoration of the kingdom;"

"In recent times, it has also served as the most reliable weapon in the royal guard, braving wind and rain alongside its master to help King Eddie ascend the throne."

In front of everyone, Thales ran his fingers over the blade, sheathed the sword, and exclaimed in a deep voice:
"Significance."

Perhaps unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere, Marius's mount neighed unnaturally and turned its head uneasily.

But Marius, sitting in the saddle, had a burning gaze in his eyes, his emotions unreadable.

The warhorses' unease triggered their neighing, and soon the carriage was struggling to move forward.

Doyle struggled to control his mount while staring in astonishment at the uniquely curved sword, his mouth agape.

That sword...

His companion, Golov, pursed his lips, soothing his horse.

Gilbert stared at the sword, deep in thought.

The next second, under all sorts of gazes, the young Duke of Starlake spoke coldly, his words leaving no room for argument:

"Lord Marius, from this moment on..."

Thales steadily raised his right arm and sent the sword hilt out of the car window:

"It's yours."

It's yours.

The air was still for a moment, with only the sound of the wind whistling through it.

Gilbert snapped out of his daze and stared at the boy in disbelief.

The surrounding guards murmured slightly, and Doyle looked as if he had seen a ghost, as if he were seeing the prince for the first time.

Marius frowned slightly and tightened his grip on the reins.

But Thales didn't give him a chance to speak.

"Of course, I hope for more than that."

The young duke continued gently:

"In fact, with my return, discussions and speculations about this sword will flood the kingdom."

"People will come to you one after another, tirelessly, out of curiosity, incomprehension, or confusion, to inquire about the secrets behind this legendary sword..."

Gilbert's expression was somewhat strange.

"Especially about how it left the Western Wilderness, from Duke Falkenhaus's cane, and then to Everstar City, to the Palace of Restoration, to Prince Thales and Duke Starlake, and finally into your hands."

"Including the reasons and significance of it changing hands many times."

Thales coldly swept his gaze over each member of the royal guard, his tone deep and resonant, as if reciting an ancient bard's poem.

From Doyle to Golover, those whose eyes met his instinctively avoided his gaze.

Finally, Thales' gaze returned to Marius, who remained silent but whose brow was furrowed even more deeply:

"But I believe you can handle it."

"right?"

The young duke casually raised his sword hilt.

Everyone was silent.

They all looked at Marius, awaiting his decision.

The next instant, Marius turned his head sharply!
His gaze was fixed intently on each and every one of them.

As if by unspoken agreement, the royal guards all turned their heads away in unison!
I dare not look at Marius or the warden again.

It seems the former wasn't their superior, and the latter wasn't a famous sword.

The scene fell silent again.

But Marius's face showed no sign of relief.

He stiffly tightened the reins on his mount, forcing it to quiet down.

Time seemed to have become an ancient mural, dim and silent, only peeling away piece by piece with Marius's movements.

“Your Grace,” he said slowly, staring at the warning sign that was half-exposed through the car window:

"What does it mean."

Marius's words were soft and small.

It's like the sound of slowly turning the pages of an old book.

But the guards around them held their breath and dared not utter a sound.

The logistics officer at the very back, Stolt, even subconsciously swallowed.

Gilbert remained silent as well.

"I mean……"

Only the Duke of Starlake himself was different, smiling easily and carefree.

"Congratulations, Lord Marius."

“From this moment forward,” Thales’s gaze met Marius’s, as if clashing in the void:
"The 'Warning' is a historically significant and important heirloom belonging to the noble and loyal Marius family, one of the Seven Stars."

He said softly:

"Remember to pass it on to your son..."

"And give it to your grandson."

Marius remained frozen on his horse, his face so somber it seemed as if water was about to drip from it, letting his mount carry him up and down.

Thales simply watched him calmly.

The guards looked at each other, their expressions varied.

They had no idea how to deal with it.

“Ahem… Although the prince admires you, I don’t think now is a good time to accept the reward,” Gilbert said curtly, trying to smooth things over.
"What do you think, Lord Marius?"

No one responded.

After what Doyle felt was about a century, Marius's voice finally drifted over, sounding like the cracking of rock:
"This gift is too precious and too heavy."

"I cannot accept this."

Before Thales could react, the Watchman spurred his horse and sent it hurtling past Thales's carriage window.

Marius, with a stern face, raised his voice and gave the order:
"The prince is tired!"

"Speed up and keep moving forward!"

Caught between the prince and his superior, the royal guards, already feeling extremely uncomfortable, turned around and obeyed orders.

But Thales' voice pierced through the crowd once more, ringing out clearly:
"Then this is no longer a reward!"

Everyone paused instinctively.

The young duke inside the carriage said coldly:
"It's not something you can shirk—it's a responsibility."

Lord Tormund Marius.

Marius's silhouette also slowed down in the air.

responsibility?

"You're the guardian of the royal guard, aren't you?"

"The Watchman..."

Under everyone's gaze, Thales easily sheathed his sword and admired the black gemstone inlaid on it.

"If I remember correctly, at least since the founding of the Star Kingdom, this position has been sacred and important, second only to the captain of the guard."

"One of its duties is to guard the royal treasury and manage the entry and exit of secret treasures."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding royal guards were all taken aback.

Doyle frowned at Executioner Gray Parsons, but the latter could only return his gloomy look.

Even Gilbert fell into deep thought.

Thales stared at Marius's retreating figure, his tone leaving no room for argument:
"Therefore, it is your duty to guard the treasures of the Starry Sky royal family, including the Warning Ones—my family, if I remember correctly."

"We cannot shirk our responsibility."

The warning object jerked in Thales's hand and flipped over.

The Duke's youthful voice rang in everyone's ears:
"Take it and put it in the most conspicuous place. No matter the occasion, I want to see it—with you."

The sun still shines, and the sound of hooves echoes.

But Marius's back turned completely stiffened.

Doyle glanced cautiously at his superior, but the latter showed no reaction.

A few seconds later, the Watcher's voice slowly rang out:

“Abusing the rules and settling personal scores is not the quality of a true champion.”

"Your Majesty the Duke."

His voice was no longer as light and indifferent as before, but rather carried a heavy and gloomy tone.

Thales smiled.

“I’m sorry to make you feel that way, Lord Marius.”

The newly appointed Duke of Starlake's next seemingly familiar remark caused everyone's expression to change:
"After entering the palace, you can take this sword with you at any time to protest to His Majesty and suggest that he remove you from your post—of course, I guess in the end, he will still put this sword into the royal treasury."

Thales narrowed his eyes, his words chilling:

"But before that, according to tradition and rules, as the watchman of the royal guard and the head of my personal guard..."

"I'm afraid your job responsibilities as a member of the guard take precedence over your personal preferences."

At that moment, the muscles in Marius's arm tensed.

Thales gave a soft hum and said finally:

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

Marius remained with his back to the carriage, expressionless, but the guards driving the carriage dared not look at his face.

In the deathly silent and awkward atmosphere, Thales tapped on the car window with the hilt of his sword.

"Your Excellency the Watchman?"

At that moment, Doyle coughed suddenly, interrupting with a laugh:
“Ah, well, as a Watchman, Lord, you hold a high rank and must report any gifts you receive… How about this, our standard-bearer, Hugo Foby, will record everything that happened today, and then His Majesty will make the final decision…”

Perhaps it was his natural talent, but Doyle's words eased the tension considerably.

Thales frowned slightly:
"So troublesome?"

Doyle rushed to the car window and gave the prince an apologetic smile.

The young duke also smiled:
"let it go."

"This sword will not be given to Marius."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

but……

"Little DD?"

The sudden address startled Doyle instinctively:
"what?"

But he immediately realized who was calling him:

"Yes...yes, Your Highness?"

The Duke leaned against the carriage window and sighed.
"Do you know, sixty years ago..."

“Bella, the ‘Witch Queen’ of House Kevindir, widow of Sumer IV the ‘Silent One’, conspired with House Tebak of Blade’s Edge to murder my grandfather in an attempt to crown John Starlight—the previous Duke of Starlake before me.”

Thales’s tone was enigmatic, making every word he uttered all the more sensational.

what?
The royal guards stirred slightly again, and even Gilbert could hardly contain his expression.

Perhaps it was because it was so different from his previous impression, or perhaps it was because this statement contained too many secrets, Doyle was first taken aback, and his reply was extremely unnatural:
"Ah, yes, yes, yes, is that so?"

But Thales didn't care; he just stared blankly at the warning device in his hand.
"Back then, it was thanks to this legendary sword and the man who wielded it that my grandfather was able to retain his throne and be crowned successfully."

Doyle raised an eyebrow, wanting to give his superior a questioning look, but Marius didn't turn around at all.

"But can you feel it?"

The prince's longing expression slowly turned into solemnity:

"Can you sense from this sword the bloody battles that took place sixty years ago between the supreme royal family and the two powerful regional clans?"

Blood rain...

Doyle's eyelids twitched.

“I…” But Thales didn’t give him a chance to answer:

“Today, I have decided to bestow upon you the title of ‘Warning Guard,’ Officer Danny Doyle.”

At that moment, Doyle was completely stunned.

Duke of Starlake turned to Doyle, offering a serious warning:
"As the most reliable of my six guards, do your best."

Thales narrowed his left eye:

"Don't disgrace it."

Like his peers, Doyle stood there, stunned.

"Okay...ah...ah?" Staring at the sword, he nodded subconsciously at first, then realized something and was immediately shocked!

But Doyle reacted swiftly; before his peers could cast sympathetic glances, he straightened his back, his expression hardening, and deftly gripped the weapon at his waist.
"Ahem, no, Your Highness, in fact, the sword I'm currently wielding was left to me by my grandmother..."

Doyle showed a hint of sadness, but quickly hardened, like a loyal young man inspired by something:
“I swore an oath before my grandmother’s grave that I would never waver until it breaks…”

Thales scoffed and shook the warning device:
So you don't want it?

"Even if it's a valuable ancient imperial sword?"

Doyle shook his head vigorously.

"Alright then," Thales sighed regretfully.

Doyle finally breathed a sigh of relief.

but……

"Golover Vanguard!"

At Doyle's sigh of relief and Thales's sudden call to name, Golov, who was almost expressionless, tensed up at first, then looked at the prince warily.

Thales smiled and waved to him.

"I heard that your grandfather also served in the royal guard and held a high position."

"Then I think the most suitable family to inherit this weapon is none other than the Golov family..."

Golov was slightly startled.

But he shook his head instinctively, his voice firm and resolute:
"Do not."

Thales' smile faltered slightly:

"Do not?"

You don't want it either?

Golov remained motionless, shaking his head like a wooden statue.
"Do not."

Thales sighed heavily.

When he looked up again, he suddenly realized that, without him noticing, all the royal guards around the carriage had turned their faces away, some diligently scouting the enemy situation, others earnestly conversing with their companions.

Even Doyle was pulling along the silent Golov, seemingly chatting and laughing.

"Ok."

Thales shook his head helplessly, then turned and exchanged a glance with Gilbert, who had a strange expression on his face.

"Then I had no choice but to tell them that whether it was Marius, Doyle, or the Glovy Varys, they all disdained the 'warning figure' representing the relationship between the powerful families and the Restoration Palace, discarding him like trash..."

Marius's horse trembled slightly, and Doyle's smile froze.

The prince chuckled softly, then regretfully extended his longsword out of the carriage:

"On my first day back, the warnings were abandoned by the roadside..."

"His whereabouts have been unknown ever since."

The next second, Thales let go without hesitation.

pat.

Under the incredulous gazes of the royal guards, the precious ancient imperial sword, the Falkenhausen family heirloom, and the significant warning sword, fell helplessly and alone from the carriage, crashing to the ground.

It kicked up a lot of dust.

what?
Doyle's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and Golov tightened his grip on the reins.

Several guards instinctively reined in their horses and turned to avoid stepping on the legendary sword.

For a moment, the formation of the entire convoy was slightly disrupted.

Marius turned sharply and stared at the nonchalant young duke.

He gave a signal, and Doyle quickly spurred his horse forward, trying to retrieve the warning man before he was covered in dust...

“Very good, DD.”

Thales rested his elbow on the car window, his eyes lighting up.

"Thank you, you finally accepted this weapon that no one else dared to take."

Doyle was already halfway out of the horse's body, frozen in mid-air.

His feet were hooked in the stirrups, while his hands hovered above the warden, only a foot away from the sword hilt.

Doyle's eccentric posture showcases his exceptional equestrian skills.

If you don't look at his expression.

“Remember, it’s very important, treat it well…” Thales looked at Doyle, who seemed frozen above the longsword, with great interest.

"enough!"

Finally, Marius pulled on the reins and turned his horse around, his face full of anger.

"Your Highness, what exactly do you want to do?"

The entire convoy came to a stop.

Gilbert sighed, his gaze toward Thales slightly complicated.

Doyle, frozen in mid-air, seemed to have been granted a pardon. He scrambled back to his saddle, not even glancing at the extraordinary sword.

"What do I want to do?"

Thales slowly repeated the sentence, his tone becoming serious.

He turned to Marius, his previously lighthearted expression turning serious.

"It's very simple."

Thales swept his gaze across each member of the royal guard and spoke in a deep voice:
"I want to tell you: my sword is very heavy."

Marius's eyes flickered slightly.

"From the Central Territory to the Western Wilderness, from the Star Kingdom to Exter, it carries the weight of many, many people."

"It's so heavy that sometimes I don't even know if I can lift it."

Doyle and Golover looked at each other in bewilderment.

“So, when my mission conflicts with yours,” Thales stared at the Watchman’s expression, tightening the rhythm of his words to the limit:

"I hope you can do more than just say 'sorry'."

"My personal guards."

No one answered.

Including Marius.

Thales withdrew his warning gaze and sat up straight.

"And next time, if you insist on placing His Majesty's orders and my wishes on opposite sides of the chessboard..."

He said calmly:

"Then you'd better make sure that you, who are standing in the middle, can lift this damned sword."

The royal guards remained silent.

Even Marius stopped in his tracks, his gaze toward Thales filled with complex emotions.

“Because, no matter how troublesome you find my wishes,” Thales knocked on the carriage, coldly glancing at the warning sign on the ground:
"Don't forget, there are far more troubles in this world than you realize..."

"More troublesome things."

In that instant, with a hint of satisfaction, Thales suddenly understood something.

Falkenhausen gave himself more than just a sword.

It's not a direction, but a direction.

Thinking this, Thales sat back down in his original spot.

"Sorry, I'm not in a good mood today."

"DD, can you get my sword back?"

Doyle jolted, about to bend down to grab his sword, but hesitated again.

"You mean..."

"You, your sword?"

Thales let out a breath.

"Correct."

He gave Doyle a friendly smile through the car window:

"It is 'my' sword."

Thales said meaningfully:
"Because no one but me can lift it."

Marius remained silent.

So, under everyone's gaze and with utmost caution, Doyle swiftly grabbed the warning device and handed it back to the prince as if a moment's delay would mean certain doom.

Thales held the sword, stroking its curves, and sighed softly.

"Now, because of you, this sword is covered in dust, and the carriage is filthy," Thales said, setting down the warning stick and calmly looking at his guards.

"So, before returning to the Palace of Restoration..."

"I need to go outside and get some fresh air."

"Ideally, it should be on a docile, obedient, tall, and strong horse."

His gaze was fixed intently on Marius, who was leading the group:

"Is there a problem?"

Under the tense or uneasy gazes of his colleagues, Marius remained silent, only frowning deeply.

A few minutes later.

Thales rode comfortably on his horse, swaying and bobbing as he strolled forward with the royal guard.

Looking at the scenery of the countryside on the outskirts of Yongxing City, he slowly breathed a sigh of relief.

The royal guards pulled up cloaks to conceal their identities, appearing to be in a scattered formation, but in reality, they meticulously surrounded him completely.

In addition, Marius also refused Gilbert's request to raise the nine-pointed star flag, allowing the carriages to go first, and instead disguised himself as a standing army accompanying the handover of defenses.

but……

This is just the beginning.

Is not it.

Thales murmured to himself.

“You’ve grown up more than just a little,” Gilbert, riding on another horse, sighed softly.

"You're... different now."

Thales lowered his head, his feelings indescribable.

"Is it."

Gilbert nodded, his eyes filled with emotion.

"Just now, I thought I had gone back to when I was thirty-five years old."

Thales looked up:

"why?"