Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 524 Self-reliance
Thales stood awkwardly by the desk on the third floor, scooping a towel soaked in hot water from a wooden basin.

He was still wearing his sweat-stained and smelly training clothes. His skin was sticky and greasy, and his abrasions and bruises were still burning. His body aches and pains persisted, making him very uncomfortable.

It felt like we had returned to the era of beggars.

But Thales did not speak.

He quietly wiped his face and neck, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness in his eyes, occasionally glancing at the dashing figure gazing into the distance with arms crossed by the window.

Ginny silently gazed at the approaching sunset on the horizon, watching the servants in the courtyard busily lighting lamps. Her profile was calm and profound, as if she were lost in thought or reminiscing.

You shouldn't have let them do that.

Ginny's voice was clear and powerful, carrying a hint of determination born of experience.

Thales' arm, which was wringing the towel, suddenly froze.

“You shouldn’t have let the guards act so recklessly just now.”

The palace lady slowly turned around, as upright and resilient as she had been six years ago, like a pine tree in winter.

"Boy."

Her eyes were as sharp as ever, and her tone as stern as ever, reminding Thales of their first meeting six years ago.

At that time, she also crossed her arms and quietly observed him with a profound and incomprehensible expression.

Six years later, Thales instinctively turned his head away to avoid the scrutiny of his mentor.

"Maybe."

He spoke softly, with a hint of helplessness and a faint unease.

Thales quickly grabbed a towel, covered his eyes, and pressed his dirty face and uncontrollable expression into the warm, soft fabric.

Ginny didn't say anything.

He put down the towel, tried to calmly meet Ginny's gaze, and strained to give her his most natural and warm smile:
"Madam, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Six years later.

Ginny didn't answer immediately. She continued to gaze silently at Thales, her originally cold and stern eyes now holding a hint of something indescribable.

"very good."

A few seconds later, the first-class palace lady looked away, took a deep breath, and seemed to be trying to restrain herself.

"Then, your etiquette lesson will begin now."

Ginny's tone returned to calm and stern as she walked away from the window.

Thales snapped out of his daze, his usual nervousness in front of his mentor palpable. He forced himself to stay awake despite his exhaustion and quickly threw down the towel.

“No need,” Ginny stopped him from taking the wooden basin.

"Today, we will not practice table manners."

Table manners.

Memories flooded Thales' mind, but he forcibly suppressed them.

The lady-in-waiting sat down in the reception chair, ignoring the tea and snacks beside her. Her gaze swept briefly and gently over Thales, who looked slightly disheveled after training.

"The first lesson won't be very long either."

"And right now, you obviously need more rest."

Thales paused for a few seconds, then nodded gratefully:

Thank you, ma'am.

But Ginny's expression immediately turned serious:
"Don't be too quick to feel relieved; we'll make up for the lost time in the next class."

In that instant, Thales seemed to return to six years ago, seeing the strict and cold Lady Ginny, who was both on the training ground and at the dinner table, coldly ordering him to raise his shield and grip his knife and fork.

A familiar feeling welled up in my heart again, and I couldn't suppress it.

That scene feels like it happened yesterday.

It's as if he never left the country to go north, and never returned for years.

It's as if the past six years were just a dream last night, and none of it ever happened.

When he woke up this morning, he was still sitting upright under Ginny's command, listening attentively to her teachings.

Thales suppressed the pounding in his eyes and chest, nodded, and, recalling the etiquette unique to the Star Kingdom, sat down upright and solemnly.

Ginny kept her eyes on him until Thales regained his composure.

“A thousand years ago, during the imperial era, the supreme emperor dispatched his personal guards to the princes, who were entrusted with the duty of knights serving their lord.”

As always, Ginny got straight to the point, but her gaze was still sizing up Thales.

"After the final war, although the old chivalric traditions nearly disappeared, this practice was inherited by successive Star Kings: to station the royal guards beside adult princes—as their bodyguards, attendants, subordinates, assistants, and even future vassals."

Thales hadn't expected Ginny to start by talking about history, but the boy quickly realized what was going on:
She was not satisfied with her performance just now.

"And how to manage and utilize these subordinates with extraordinary significance and complex backgrounds, and how to get along well with the Royal Guard, so that they can achieve mutual benefit."

"This is a compulsory course for every prince throughout history."

A subordinate with extraordinary significance and a complex background...

Thales gently clenched his fist.

He recalled Marius's indifference, Doyle's frivolity, and Golover's coldness in the Mindis Hall.

But the next second, he recalled Sacel's silence, Barney's persistence, and Samir's extremism beneath the prison of bones.

“Without a doubt,” Ginny’s words grew increasingly solemn:
"This is also part of royal etiquette."

Thales listened silently.

The court lady's gaze was like a knife, piercing straight into Thales's heart:

“I remember, you are the Duke of Star Lake, the master of Mindis Hall.”

"And moreover, they are their masters."

Duke of Starlake.

The Mindis Hall...

Their...

Owner.

The boy's eyes flickered slightly.

“You are no longer an illegitimate child who needs to hide from the world and conceal your identity, but the official second prince and the heir to the kingdom.”

Ginny's words were harsh.

illegitimate child.

Second prince.

The heir to the kingdom.

"Is it?"

Thales spoke as if by accident, leaving Ginny speechless.

"Yes."

A few seconds later, Ginny's voice became much harsher, sounding somewhat displeased with his reaction:

"As a duke, you must take the initiative and show them your authority, strength, and severity."

"Make your subordinates aware of the consequences of belittling the prince."

Take the initiative...

Show your majesty...

"Majestic, tough, and stern?"

Thales repeated to himself, managing a weak smile.

The Duke slowly exhaled, only to be met with the dark and profound Revival Palace.

And in the council chamber, at the end of the deep corridor, there was the high throne.

His shoulders relaxed.

"Maybe."

Thales forced a smile, his expression somewhat subdued.

"but……"

But that's really not my style.

No.

He didn't say it aloud, but said it in his heart.

Ginny frowned.

It seems they didn't expect their students, whom they hadn't seen for many years, to react this way.

The silence in the study lasted for a few seconds.

"The letter from the North says that you have been tempered and have an extraordinary temperament. You are fearless and dignified in the face of even the fiercest and toughest enemies."

"Just like you at the State Affairs Conference."

Ginny said coldly:
"Why are you so weak here, facing your own guards?"

Thales remained silent for a long while.

"Because it's different."

The boy seemed to sense something and sighed softly:

"At the National Conference, in the North, I will only be facing my opponents."

"And all I need to do is raise my shield as instructed."

Raise the shield.

As if remembering something, Ginny was slightly lost in thought.

"But here..."

Thales pursed his lips, lost in thought, his face slightly grave.

"I need to face more than just my guards."

Thales stared blankly into the distance.

Ginny didn't speak; she just frowned and looked Thales up and down.

A few seconds later, she slowly spoke:
“Your guards, Marius and his men…”

But Thales interrupted her.

"Madam, please."

Thales closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Throughout this journey, Gilbert only said the good things, Yodl remained silent, while the others..."

Ginny was taken aback.

Thales looked up, giving a somewhat unnatural smile:
"But you, madam, you are the one who introduced me to swordsmanship and etiquette, and even more so to him..."

Thales didn't finish speaking, but Ginny vaguely sensed something.

Duke of Starlake lowered his head:
“I think you should be more honest than them.”

Ginny repeated in a daze:

"Candid?"

Thales nodded and looked at Ginny:

"He doesn't like me."

Ginny was stunned.

Thales stated the facts plainly, as if they were the most mundane truth:
"He didn't like me from the first glance."

"It's no secret."

The Duke chuckled lightly, devoid of emotion.

Even my guards know it.

"That's the reason."

At this moment, Thales's eyes were calm and unwavering as he met Genie's gaze, who was slightly surprised.

The latter wanted to say something, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to speak.

The study remained silent for a long time.

The court lady's expression was profound, her eyes flashing with an unknown light as she scanned Thales.

Finally, Ginny took a deep breath and slowly spoke:
"The raging sea is filled with turbulent waves."

Thales didn't react immediately and was puzzled.

Jini composed herself, her expression shifting several times, lowered her eyes, and said in a deep voice:

"What about the power of termination that Marius mentioned that you awakened?"

Oh.

The sea is raging and the waves are crashing.

Still caught up in the inexplicable emotions he had just experienced, Thales exhaled and composed himself.

"I don't know," the Duke shook his head reluctantly, answering honestly.
"This is the first time I've heard of it either."

But Ginny laughed.

"The finishing power of most knights in the kingdom is inherited from their personal experience, especially from the teachers who taught them, and is similar to them."

The palace lady-in-waiting said calmly:
"There is another small group of people who are completely the opposite: master and disciple are mutually antagonistic."

Thales had a sudden thought, realizing that this did have something in common with what Ricky had said.

"Is it."

and so.

raging seas and towering waves...

"So, the people of the North, they taught you a lot?"

Ginny looked at him and said, seemingly casually.

People from the North.

Thales recalled his life in Exeter, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his face.

"That's it."

But when Thales looked up again, he suddenly realized something was wrong.

It's Ginny.

At some point, Ginny's stern gaze softened.

She looked at Thales quietly, her eyes filled with an indescribable emotion.

This left Thales at a loss.

His first teacher's lips trembled, and he hesitated several times before speaking. "Boy."

Finally, Ginny spoke up.

This time, her voice was no longer cold and harsh, but soft and hoarse:

"You've lost weight up north."

Telston was taken aback.

Ginny gazed at him, a smile Thales rarely showed.

"right."

Her smile was serene and elegant, yet it carried a hint of indescribable sadness.

This caused Thales's mind to pause.

During his time back home, Yodl, Cohen, Gilbert, and many other old acquaintances expressed their excitement and emotion upon seeing him.

You've grown taller.

grown up.

It's matured.

It has become... more like someone.

but……

You've lost weight.

This was the first time Thales had heard such a comment.

The boy stared blankly at Ginny.

Ginny simply looked back at him quietly, a sorrowful smile playing on her lips in the wrinkles around her eyes.

In that instant, it was as if some force filled his chest completely.

Thales had no choice but to turn his head away, blinking frantically from where Ginny couldn't see, while forcing a smile and trying to distract her with words:

"Well, um, these past few months have been pretty tough..."

But Ginny didn't listen to what he said, nor did she notice Thales' slightly distorted voice.

For the first time ever, a lady-in-waiting in the palace picked up the teacup beside her with an elegant and dignified posture.

"you know."

Ginny's voice remained soft and melancholic:
“A long time ago, your grandfather didn’t like him very much either.”

Thales froze.

grandfather?

He mechanically turned his head and looked at Ginny.

The court lady sat calmly in her chair, stroking the teacup in her hand, but a trace of sadness, which Thales had never seen before, appeared on her brow and lips.

"It is said that after the late queen passed away and the eldest son of the king left the palace, he was unpopular throughout the entire Restoration Palace for a long time."

Ginny stared intently at the reflection in the teacup in her hand:

“His servants were so ‘careless’ that they forgot his meals and cooking oil, and the royal guards often neglected his whereabouts and safety.”

Thales was stunned.

He suddenly recalled that scene from many years ago:
Inside the tomb, the figure holding the scepter whispered something to him.

"He said that during those years, as a teenager, he stole things in the palace and lived like a mouse."

Ginny said softly:
"Self-reliance".

Thales was jolted awake.

Stealing here and there...

Self-reliance...

Living like... a mouse...

The boy instinctively gripped the chair arm tightly.

It's like clutching a hole in the wall of an abandoned house.

Ginny looked up:
"But that didn't stop him from growing up with a wicked grin, full of energy, amidst the discrimination, neglect, contempt, and insults of the entire kingdom."

"Until now."

Ginny gazed quietly at Thales.

Thales stared blankly at the floor.

A few seconds later, Thales came to his senses and took a deep breath.

Thank you, ma'am.

The boy smiled again:

"I understand."

Gini forced a smile, trying to force one that she wasn't usually good at, but after a moment, realizing something, she put down her teacup and put on an unnatural, stern face.

"So kid, I mean, you're too skinny. Look how badly they beat you up..."

Ginny noticed her voice trembling slightly, so she took a few deep breaths and paused briefly, out of Thales's sight.

"Remember to eat more."

After a moment's hesitation, Ginny added:
"Also, go to bed early."

But this time, Thales wasn't drawn into the same atmosphere by her serious tone; the Duke smiled.

"Of course, ma'am."

"of course."

A few seconds later, Ginny turned her head back, her expression and tone slowly returning to their cold and stern state, sounding completely indifferent:

"Speaking of which, kid, how well do you know your guards?"

Thales raised his eyes and composed himself.

"not much?"

Ginny twitched her lips and remained silent for a while.

"listen."

"After the bloody year, your father went too far in his purge to eliminate the threat, and the impact was too wide."

Thales's expression changed.

In the dungeon, Marina's resentful expression flashed before his eyes.

Ginny said seriously:
"Therefore, along with the threat, trust has also disappeared in and around Yongxing City."

Thales frowned.

"And don't forget, for twelve long years, your father had no heir."

"This not only weakened his prestige and fueled the ambitions of the dukes, but also undermined the confidence of the traditional supporters of the monarchy—the Central Territory, and the vassals of the Starry Family, led by the Seven Starry Attendants, in the king."

Thales subconsciously added:
"And loyalty?"

Ginny glanced at him, neither confirming nor denying.

"During those twelve years, your father had to promote and give important positions to many new people—such as the three marshals, such as Gilbert, whom you are familiar with, and Earl Goldwin, Viscount Connie, Baron Garth, Joker Mann, and Sodor Red... They became the main force of the current Royalists and consolidated his rule."

"However, under his rule, and with the discontent of the other guardian dukes, traditional royal vassals like the Seven Stars of Brilliance fell into a slump and silence, gradually drifting away from the Palace of Restoration."

The Seven Stars...

Thales recalled Gilbert's explanation and fell into deep thought.

Ginny said solemnly:
"until……"

Thales looked up, frowning, and said:

"I?"

Ginny was silent for a moment, then nodded:
"Thanks to you, and thanks to the restoration of the royal family's lineage, the seven servants of the Starry Sky, who had been disloyal and silent for the past six years, have gradually begun to show goodwill to the Nine-Pointed Star again."

But Ginny's expression immediately turned serious:
"But they are still observing."

“And you can’t win their approval just by having a title and lineage.”

"Your father cannot erase their resentment after the bloodshed and win back their trust simply by having an heir."

Thales thought of Doyle and Glov.

"Is it."

Ginny sighed:

“Your Star Lake Guard is just one example.”

Thales did not speak.

Ginny gazed at him silently and whispered:
"Soon, it will be the day you make your official debut at the banquet in front of all the nobles of the capital."

The woman's gaze suddenly sharpened:
"Be careful, kid."

Ginny's tone made Thales tense up:

"You are like me, inferior to them."

"Yet, like your father, he is superior to them."

“And you have returned from the north, so you are different from them.”

These three consecutive sentences made Thales think deeply and also aroused his vigilance:
"And that means that, inside and out, ultimately..."

Ginny said firmly:

"Not them."

Not them.

Thales opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately kept it shut.

"It took me nearly thirty years to figure this out."

A rare look of weariness appeared in Ginny's eyes:

"I hope you can make it even shorter."

Thales let out a breath.

"A banquet, please."

"so?"

The boy scratched his chin, looking troubled.
"They can eat me?"

Ginny closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Do not."

But when the lady-in-waiting opened her eyes, a sharper edge was revealed within them:

"But they will tear you apart."

Upon hearing this metaphorical description, Thales was momentarily stunned.

"But...I am the king's son, the heir to the kingdom?"

"Yes."

Ginny appeared alert and serious:
"So they will be gentle and polite—to tear you apart."

Thales nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Then what should I do?"

Ginny remained silent for a while.

“You know, kid, you’ve known for six years.”

Thales' expression changed.

"Raise your shield."

Ginny stared intently at him, just as she had done years ago when she taught him swordsmanship: "Never let go."

"Until you die."

"Until the enemy is defeated."

Thales fell silent again.

This time, he thought of more things.

"What about my father?"

The boy said quietly:

"Is he one too?"

Ginny's arm trembled slightly.

The way she looked at Thales changed.

It's as if she's transformed back into the Ginny Barkley who would ask him, "You've lost weight."

A few seconds later, Ginny sighed softly.

"Kid, do you know where you are?"

Thales knew his question was a bit pointed, so he smiled helplessly to deflect the criticism:
"Uh, the study?"

Ginny looked at him again.

Thales had no choice but to suppress his self-deprecating smile and said awkwardly:
"Mindis Hall".

"A royal treasure, a royal retreat, a magnificent art estate."

And one of the childhood memories he knew so well.

"Oh, and also, three hundred years ago, its first owner was the unfortunate 'King of the Mist,' Mindis I, who died young."

Thales wanted to make his tone sound more humorous, but for some reason, he always failed.

Ginny looked at him quietly.

"That's right, but it's more than that."

more than?

Thales raised an eyebrow.

"Eighteen years ago."

Ginny's expression changed.

The female official's eyes were slightly unfocused, as if she were viewing a scene through fog:
"This is the residence chosen by Crown Prince Midil Star, your uncle, the First Prince, after he came of age."

Thales' expression changed slightly.

"You mean that..."

"Correct."

Ginny looked at him:
"The one destined to sit on the throne."

(End of this chapter)