Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 510 A Quarter of an Hour
King Kessel looked down at Thales silently.

His gaze was calm and serene, and his movements were deliberate and unhurried, completely different from King Nuen's imposing presence and King Chaman's aggressive manner.

However, this did not make the boy feel any more at ease.

The prince swallowed hard, trying to relax his tense muscles and mind.

To date, Thales knows nothing about his father.

What kind of person is he?

Cold?

silence?

majesty?

Maybe.

Aside from the experience in the Starry Chamber, which was more like a one-sided listening session, Thales spoke less than ten sentences to Catherine V in total.

As for the time they spent alone together over those six years... Thales suspects it was less than a quarter of an hour.

However, in the limited life of a young man, Iron Fist King was like a dark cloud hanging high overhead, seemingly unreachable, yet always casting a shadow that firmly enveloped him.

Whether it was the National Conference, the negotiations with Exter, the Night of Dragonblood, or the day of court in Dragonhill City, whether it was Gilbert's earnest advice or the one-eyed dragon Kusder's incisive words... countless experiences constantly reminded Thales of these things:
What kind of person was his father?

But when Thales actually faced that dark cloud, he realized:

I am still not ready.

I still don't know... how to face him.

"You misunderstood."

Thales lowered his head, avoiding the quiet yet unsettling gaze, and took a deep breath.

He tried to dispel the negative emotions that he had vaguely sensed, but which the king had described perfectly, making them even more pronounced:

"I'm not anxious. In fact, leaving Exeter and returning home..."

But the king did not give him time to explain.

"Does it look familiar?"

Kessel stopped staring at Thales; a strange smile played on his lips, a hint of disdain in his expression.

"That tone."

Thales suddenly looked up, his face filled with confusion.

familiar?

On the stone steps, the king, seated on his throne, spoke in a cold voice:
"That old man from the Western Wilderness must be like that, pretending to be profound and trying to fool you with rambling nonsense, right?"

Thales frowned.

That old bone from the Western Wilderness?
Pretending to be profound, rambling on and on?
Intimidate?

Thales understood something.

He remembered that Adrian had just told Gilbert:

The king was still concerned about the messenger crows from the western wilderness yesterday.

The carrier crow from the western wilderness...

Trying to fathom the king's intentions, Thales exhaled and calmly said:
"Yes, Falkenhausen did come to see me, but I..."

Unfortunately, the king gave him no chance to explain.

Or simply don't care.

"Where is the sword?"

King Kessel calmly interrupted him:

"Where is that ancient imperial sword that was sent from the prestigious Four-Eyed Skull family at the Baki camp, causing some to feel uneasy, others to feel elated, and the entire kingdom to speculate endlessly?"

Thales paused in his speech.

Sure enough, he found out too.

That sword is called the Warning Sword.

It should be... Legendary Wings.

With certainty in mind, Thales answered loudly:
"It's in the luggage, guarded by Lord Marius's men, but..."

"Do not."

The third time, King Kessel interrupted the Duke of Starlake.

"It's not there."

On the high platform, the king slowly leaned back, resting against the back of his throne.

"It's in your heart."

Thales was suddenly taken aback.

King Catherine V looked calmly at the Duke of Starlake below the steps.

"And you don't even know where that sword will strike."

Thales remained silent for a long while.

Clearly, the king was very dissatisfied with the situation in the Western Wilderness.

but……

“I’m sorry about what happened in the Western Wilderness,” Thales said, trying to regain his composure and treat the man before him as another northern lord with whom he could negotiate.

"But Falkenhausen came to see me for a reason—"

But he still couldn't finish speaking.

"When I sent you north..."

Unlike the people of the Northlands or even the Western Wilderness, King Kessel spoke in a very soft tone with little variation in pitch.

However, compared to King Chaman's preemptive strike and Falkenhaus's alarmist rhetoric, the Star King's soft-spoken interruption was no less effective.

"I don't have high expectations for you."

Thales fell silent.

King Kessel sat almost reclining on his throne, his posture seemingly relaxed, but his gaze was fixed on Thales:

"At least not high enough to expect you to rebuild the North and install a new king."

Rebuild the North.

They installed a new king.

Thales closed his mouth, feeling the weight behind those two sentences, and the faint disdain and accusation behind them.

That's right.

Rebuild...the new king...

This is indeed what he has been doing for the past six years, but...

The Dragon City was a scene of carnage, with corpses strewn everywhere, while the Hall of Heroes was on the verge of a desperate standoff...

The boy bit his lower lip.

With a slight displeasure, Thales raised his head again.

"I didn't want it to be like this, but—"

When the conversation turned to what happened six years ago, he thought he would recall the injustices and unfairness of that time, but instead, he coldly questioned the king's conspiracy, mocked the secret police's failure, and pressed him on why he had been put in such a dangerous situation...

But at that moment, when he looked into King Kessel's calm, still eyes...

He doesn't care.

Deep inside Thales' heart, a small voice whispered.

He won't care.

Thales pursed his lips.

He suppressed his resentment and turned his head to say:

"That was... an accident."

silence.

Thales was not used to the dimness of the council chamber: six years ago, it was spacious and bright.

The boy suddenly remembered the only day he had stayed at the Palace of Restoration, and his first impression of the palace: the cold room, the hard stone bed, the biting cold, and the deep darkness.

Just like...

Abandoned house.

"Do not."

The king gave a soft hum, pulling Thales back to reality.

That wasn't an accident.

King Kessel stared at his son, his tone strange:

"you."

"That's the real surprise."

Thales' heartbeat became slightly erratic.

"At least, that's what the secret service says."

Secret Service.

Thales's heart sank.

It's the Secret Service again...

The king narrowed his eyes slightly:

"You should know that there are not many things in this world that can catch the Royal Secret Service off guard."

That's not necessarily true.

Thales silently retorted in his heart.

Hearing the secret passage, coupled with being interrupted repeatedly, Thales's displeasure, which he had just suppressed, rose again.

"Ok."

The prince took a deep breath:

"Let me put it this way, if there's any unexpected event, it will definitely be you..."

Telston paused for a moment and promptly changed the form of address:

"It's because they don't trust me."

The lights in the council chamber dimmed slightly, and the shadow on the throne became increasingly blurred.

King Kessel hummed in response, his tone ambiguous:

"They don't trust you?"

Thales hummed in response:
"Yes, whether it was a disaster or Rumba... the Secret Operation blocked all news beforehand, keeping me in the dark at every turn—even if it was harmful to me."

The boy exhaled:

"Several times, I almost died."

Thales stared intently at the king, trying to discern something in the dim light.

The council chamber was silent for a few seconds.

What chilled him somewhat was that Kessel remained seated, his tone unchanged:

"Is it."

The king's indifferent attitude made Thales clench his fists instinctively.

"I do not have any choice."

Thales felt his words growing increasingly firm:
"I must... improvise and find a way out."

The king remains the same:

"Is it."

Thales felt a lump in his throat.

"Yes!"

He raised his voice and said unhappily:
"Whether for oneself or for..."

The boy paused, glanced at the king, and then said:
"Star Kingdom".

Kessel's eyes were unreadable, but this time, his words were different:

"Just like what you did at the State Affairs Conference?"

Thales paused slightly.

State Affairs Conference.

He suddenly remembered that six years ago, at that meeting, he refused to be a puppet and made a shocking rebuke of the various feudal lords.

I can't help but feel a little sad.

But Thales nodded anyway:

"Yes."

The boy's words were somewhat somber:
"I...have to do it."

The king raised his gaze and looked towards the other end of the council chamber.

He seemed to be thinking about something.

A few seconds later, he scoffed and repeated:
"It has to be done."

“They don’t trust you,” the king said, twirling his scepter with amusement.
"And you, you have no choice but to do it?"

Thales didn't know how to answer.

Perhaps it was because he hadn't seen Kessel for too long, or perhaps the rumors he'd heard over the years had distorted his understanding of the king, Thales found that he couldn't read the Supreme King's emotions and actions.

It's like... there's a curtain between us.

This was a situation that had never been encountered before, whether facing Nun, Lumba, the five Grand Dukes of the North, or the three Dukes of the Stars.

The king finally chuckled softly:
"You mean..."

The next moment, King Kessel raised his eyes, which were as calm as ever, yet inexplicably profound:
"It's because they didn't trust you to be able to fraternize with King Nuen, so when he fell, you were caught in the crossfire and ended up in the enemy's hands."

"And you have no choice but to fight back from the brink of defeat, return to Valhalla, and create a new king?"

Thales shuddered.

King Kessel continued speaking, each word carrying a peculiar charm:
"Or is it that they don't trust you to be so intimate with the young lady from Longxiao City that she abandoned everything to force you to stay, incurring public wrath and openly breaking with all the vassals?"

"And you had no choice but to secretly meet with Rumba and find another way out?"

Thales felt a dryness in his throat.

The king continued to sneer:
"Or perhaps they don't trust that you can remain anonymous in the Western Wilderness, have an ambiguous relationship with a group of sword-trading mercenaries, and then have your identity exposed so they can blackmail Baron Baki?"

"And you have no choice but to..."

The king didn't say anything more, but simply curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

But that's enough.

Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

really.

he knows.

He knows it all.

but……

Thales suddenly realized that all his self-justifications and arguments from the past six years of self-reliance had become pale and powerless in the face of these words from the other party.

He can explain.

But whether it's Ashida and Giza in Dragon's Blood Night, the little rascal's background, or the secrets of Quick Rope and the old royal guard...

He couldn't explain it.

He couldn't explain.

Thales opened his eyes and said with difficulty:

"Is that... what the secret service said?"

This time, the king stared at him for a long time.

long time.

Finally, King Kessel spoke again, but his tone gradually became stern:
"Morat's report says that you, as a prince, are unaware of your own shortcomings, make slow progress, and often act on your own initiative and recklessly, forcing everyone to bear the bitter consequences of your actions."

Kaiser narrowed his eyes:
"Or, in their words: wipe your butt."

The boy paused.

Morat.

Thales let out a heavy sigh, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace:
"I understand."

"I'm... sorry."

But the king chuckled again:
“But Gilbert kept telling me that I was making rapid progress, learning from difficulties and growing through setbacks, gaining wisdom from every fall, and that I was a rare genius.”

Gilbert.

Thales felt a warmth in his heart.

"He...he's overpraising me."

Kessel looked him over, his scepter ceasing to turn.

“But Ada, she has a third opinion.”

Ah...

Upon hearing that name, Thales paused for a moment:
"Who?"

Thales looked up in confusion, only to see the king rise from his seat and lean forward to examine him:
"She wrote in her letter that you were growing too slowly and too fast, which annoyed her."

Wait...wait?
Having clearly heard the gender designation, Thales repeated it incredulously:
"Eh, Edda?"

A short, erratic figure, seemingly crazy and hopping around, appeared before him. Thales stared, his lips moving stiffly.

That guy... can write letters?
Fake, fake, right?
But King Catherine V seemed completely oblivious to the absurdity and comicality of the situation, and His Majesty continued speaking as if nothing had happened:
"She said you were growing too slowly, and she didn't even dare to let you go to the forest outside Longxiao City to hunt rabbits for a snack."

Thales's face darkened.

His father snorted again:
"But you grew up so fast that you always anticipated her every time she wanted to go out poaching and sent people to keep an eye on her."

Thales confirmed that these were the king's words and couldn't help but wonder:
"Okay, Ada hunting rabbits... does it matter?"

The king did not answer.

He simply watched the second prince silently in the dim light.

Thales' emotions calmed slightly because of Ada's name, but the king's gaze made his heart clench again.

“But I can see that you are indeed different after six years.”

The king entered the tunnel in a low voice.

Thales paused for a moment.

He slowly turned his head, avoiding the other person's condescending gaze:
"Six years is a long time."

But Kessel shook his head.

"Do not."

"Whether it's Morat or Gilbert."

The king said softly:
"They are all wrong."

Thales' breathing began to quicken.

The king's eyes grew ever sharper:
"As for Ada, hmph..."

Kessel's words were strange; at that moment, it was unclear whether he was expressing disdain or感慨 (a complex feeling of mixed emotions, often including sighs or reflections).

This suddenly piqued Thales' curiosity:
I wonder if Morat, the Black Prophet who is said to be able to see through lies, can see through the king before him?

"Do not……"

The Star King's words drew Thales's attention back:

"You're not growing fast enough."

Kaiser said slowly and deliberately:
"It's not slow enough either."

It's not fast enough.

It's not slow enough either.

Doubts arose, and Thales frowned slightly.

"I do not understand?"

Fortunately, the king did not interrupt the boy this time, nor did he change the subject.

But Kessel's next words were full of meaning, which silenced him:
"You either have to grow fast enough."

King Kessel looked up at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, as if gazing into the past:

"It's faster than expected, faster than gratifying, faster than in just six years, and it can bear the weight of the entire star."

The king's gaze returned to Thales, its intensity returning to its cold indifference.
"But you didn't."

To bear the weight of the entire star system.

Thales swallowed hard, feeling his body stiffen.

The king looked at him from afar, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

"You either have to grow slowly enough."

Kessel lowered his head, looking at his outstretched left palm, his words tinged with melancholy:
"Slow enough to be law-abiding, slow enough to proceed step by step, slow enough for us to gradually, little by little, unload the burden of the kingdom."

The king clenched his fist, looked at Thales again, and his gaze turned slightly cold:
"But you don't have any either."

Be law-abiding and follow the rules...

Having grasped some of the other person's meaning, Thales was at a loss for words.

"You're growing at a moderate pace, neither fast nor slow."

The king spoke coldly, his tone growing increasingly icy:
"No rush, no delay."

"Neither here nor there."

Kessel snorted softly, with a hint of disdain and bewilderment.

"It exceeded expectations," he shook his head, "but it was also disappointing."

Thales took a few deep breaths, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

This time, the silence between the father and son lasted exceptionally long.

They simply faced each other silently, remaining speechless for a long time.

Until the boy could no longer bear the repression in his heart.

"I……"

I paused for a moment.

Filled with unspeakable repression and frustration, he exhaled a few breaths, trying to laugh, but couldn't manage it.

"I thought that on my first day back in Yongxing City, you would talk about some positive topics about the reunion of father and son."

Thales turned his head, trying to find something to ease the tension:
"Father."

But Kessel clearly didn't mean the same thing:
"And I think that after experiencing so much, you will understand what it means to be 'born for the stars'."

The king's gaze was piercing, his tone chilling:
"prince."

Thales froze.

Kessel looked at Thales, gave a soft snort, seemingly with disdain:

"But fortunately, we still have time to teach you how to make one again..."

"Prince of the Stars".

Starting over...

Prince of the Stars...

Thales did not speak.

He could only feel a strange emotion rising from his chest.

It made him feel uncomfortable all over.

It's hard to get rid of.

But he ultimately said nothing.

"Your welcome banquet upon your return should be arranged as soon as possible."

"It's time for you to make a comeback."

The king turned his head away, seemingly unconcerned by Thales' silence, whether he took it as acquiescence or simply disdain.

"Keep a low profile during this time."

"Let the kingdom slowly digest the return of the heir."

Stop doing things you feel you have to do.

"do you understand?"

Kessel said coldly.

Thales remained silent for several seconds before answering with difficulty:

"Just like six years ago?"

King Catherine V raised his gaze, his voice drawn out:

“Even worse than six years ago.”

Even more so than six years ago.

Thales stood still, motionless.

A few seconds later.

“Yes,” Thales felt his voice was hoarse, like that of an old, worn-out machine:
"His Majesty."

Kessel stared at him for a few seconds before slowly speaking.

“Very good,” the king said, his tone slightly sarcastic.

"son."

Kaiser V leaned back again, lost in the shadows.

The council chamber fell silent once more.

Thales took a few breaths to calm himself down.

"I think you have nothing else to say."

He forced himself to be respectful and said:
"His Majesty."

There was no reply from the throne above.

Thales took this as the default.

Duke Xinghu bowed and walked back with complex and indescribable feelings.

"Stop."

The king's words echoed in the council chamber.

Thales stopped in his tracks:
"Your Majesty, is there anything else?"

But King Kessel merely shook his head in the shadows:

"Gone."

"But you must stay here."

The king said coldly:
"At least fifteen minutes."

Thales was taken aback:
"why?"

Kael'thas maintained his posture, only revealing a pair of eyes reflecting a cold light from the shadows, which complemented the Star Staff in his hand:
"Because from an outsider's perspective, the 'positive topic of father-son reunion' probably takes this long."

Thales's breath hitched.

He swallowed hard.

It turned out to be the case.

It turns out, His Majesty and the Prince were reunited...

It's only worth a quarter of an hour.

The second prince turned to look at his father on the throne, his emotions difficult to express, his tone slightly resentful:
"But we don't need it."

Kessel snorted: "No."

"But the kingdom needs it."

Thales' displeasure surged up again.

It turned out to be the case.

He didn't need to be anxious.

Because something was destined six years ago, six years later...

Still the same.

Thales adjusted his breathing and gave a cold laugh:
"So I have to stay here for a full fifteen minutes, only then will the whole kingdom not know about the rumors and gossip about 'royal conflicts and father-son discord,' right?"

The shadow on the throne tightened slightly in response to the prince's slightly provocative words.

A few seconds later, King Kessel also gave a cold snort.

"They didn't know that."

A deep chill permeated the king's words:
"Until you accept that sword."

That sword?
Thales paused abruptly.

He didn't understand:

"That sword was just..."

But Kessel interrupted him by raising his voice:
"But they still won't know."

Sometime later, the king had once again risen from his seat, staring coldly at Thales in the firelight, as if he were staring at his enemy:

"Because I had to terminate all the decrees of the West Wilderness this year, from taxes to land surveys and even conscription, to show the greatest goodwill to your new friends."

New friends.

Thales paused in thought.

Kessel enunciated each word, using crude language:

"Just because of your damn sword."

Faced with the king, whose expression remained unchanged but whose emotions seemed to have cooled for more than a winter, Thales frowned, indicating his incomprehension.

"If this is what dissatisfaction you have, I can return the sword at any time. You don't need to consider me; you can continue your grand plan to conquer the Western Wilderness..."

But the king suddenly asked:
"Did that change you?"

Thales stopped talking.

"Change...what?" the prince asked, puzzled.

Kaiser, seated on the high throne, narrowed his eyes:
"The journey you described, the one where you 'almost died several times'..."

What did you learn?

A journey that nearly killed me several times...

Thales's mood turned cold.

"Yes."

A few seconds later, he said calmly, "I've learned a lot."

"Do not."

Kessel decisively rejected him.

“If you have truly learned anything,” the Star King gazed at the Duke of Starlake from afar:

"Then you should know."

An inexplicable rage flashed in the king's eyes:

"If it weren't for that sword..."

"Then you will never become the Duke of Starlake."

Thales was stunned.

"Why?" he asked instinctively.

The light in the council chamber seemed to have dimmed even further.

"Why?" Kessel laughed angrily.

The king sneered and tapped his scepter, the dull thud echoing throughout the hall:

"because of you……"

"Not worthy."

Not worthy.

The moment Thales heard the last word clearly, he froze completely.

But he didn't have a chance to think it over, much less a chance to reply.

“Gilbert! Adrian!”

King Catherine V no longer looked at Thales, but instead spoke loudly and coldly.

The doors to the stone hall opened, and two footsteps sounded calmly.

Gilbert's slightly puzzled voice came from behind:

"Your Majesty, how..."

But the king immediately interrupted him, his tone decisive and leaving no room for argument:
"Have the edict officer draft it... no, Gilbert, you draft my own edict, the kind that everyone can see."

Gilbert looked surprised.

"Prince Thales has returned from afar to honor his glorious achievements and demonstrate his noble status..."

The King of the Stars paused, then snorted through his nose:

"And my favor and affection."

Upon hearing this, Thales gritted his teeth.

King Kessel scrutinized his son, and under Gilbert's strange gaze, spoke softly:
"Effective immediately, the Mindis Hall, located in the Twilight Star District, a royal property, will be granted to the Duke of Star Lake as his residence in the capital..."

“Chartered residence”.

Gilbert glanced at Thales, his eyes filled with both surprise and doubt.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Gilbert nodded quickly in agreement.

Thales slowly raised his head, only to find that King Kessel didn't even look at him.

But the king's resolute command was not yet finished:
“Adrian, you go out with the Duke and have your men take him directly to the Mindis Hall—he should be very familiar with the place.”

Gilbert hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Adrian bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."

Thales stood silently to the side.

"Of course, that depends on..."

The king snorted coldly, and his entire being shrouded in shadow once more.

"A quarter of an hour later."

Even I, a daily updater, have my dignity! Even if you don't vote for me, I'll still update! (clenched fist)

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(End of this chapter)