Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 533 Iron Thorn Calm
Just as Thales was marveling at Viscount Paterson's exaggerated actions and hadn't yet figured out the deeper meaning behind those words, Gilbert's voice came from behind him.

"Your Excellency Viscount Paterson!"

"A reserved seat has been prepared in the banquet hall, if you..."

Gilbert had been receiving the next level of guests on the other side—from important industry leaders to invited officials from the capital—clearly aware of the sudden situation here and had come in haste.

“No need, kid Cassel, I came for him,” Patterson clearly hadn’t heard Gilbert’s words, but that didn’t stop him from giving the other a cold look when he saw him.
"Just for him."

Viscount Paterson bowed again to the prince with such a large gesture that everyone present held their breath in suspense, before being helped to the banquet hall.

Thales, Doyle, and Glov all breathed a sigh of relief.

Gilbert watched the Viscount's departing figure and sighed softly:

"Paterson is one of the more individualistic of the Seven Stars. He disdains to attend many occasions, partly because he is old and has no scruples."

"But clearly, it's time for him to think about future generations."

Seeing Thales's puzzled look, Gilbert added:

“One of his sons is in your guard, Second Chief Executioner Gray Paterson.”

Thales understood.

Guests arrived one after another. Although most of them were low-ranking officials and nobles who did not need Thales to greet them, the Mindis Hall was already bustling with activity.

Marius and Gilbert were already overwhelmed just by hosting them, and even Viscount Connie and Earl Godwin, who were invited to help and act as half-hosts, were too busy to rest.

But unexpectedly, Patterson wasn't the only one who arrived early.

"May your holy day be blessed, my Your Highness!"

The VIPs who arrived right after Patterson didn't give Thales another chance to return to the lounge.

The arrival of Viscount Adrian and his wife forced Thales to abandon his plans to rest and get back into a cheerful mood.

"You've grown up, you look very energetic, and your appearance is quite handsome, reminiscent of His Majesty Kessel in his prime."

Adrian himself was only in his early thirties, and he looked young, promising, and full of energy.

But during his intensive study over the past few days, Thales learned that the viscount's family ruled over the fertile and scenic Swan County region within the Central Territory, making them arguably the most important member of the Seven Stars.

Thales did not dare to be negligent in the slightest, and greeted and exchanged pleasantries with them in a friendly manner.

“Clearly, no matter how fierce the northern winds, how heavy the blizzards, how fierce the western desert sands, or how scorching the temperature,” Viscount Adrian looked directly into Thales’s eyes, while his wife smiled silently, serene and beautiful, “it could not obscure the brilliance of the stars in the sky.”

Thales could only respond—following Gilbert's teachings—with gentleness, neither servile nor overbearing, neither too prominent nor too muted.

Like a proper Prince Charming.

It wasn't until Adrian bowed low, gently grasped Thales's hand, and lightly touched the back of Thales's hand with his lips that the gesture came to an end.

“I am not their lord or feudal lord, am I?”

Thales saw Viscount Adrian off, rubbed the back of his hand that had been kissed twice, and asked in confusion:
"I mean... not for now?"

“No,” Doyle replied absentmindedly.

Thales realized something was wrong after his guards' unusual response.

DD bowed and scraped, almost fawning, as he saw Viscount Adrian off. Even Golov was extremely respectful, greeting him all the way.

Their attitude was completely different from when the old viscount was there.

"What's wrong?" The young duke frowned.

"Are they special?"

Doyle then came to his senses and scratched his head:

"Oh, excuse me, Your Highness, do you remember Lord Adrian? Our Supreme Commander, Captain of the Guard?"

Thales frowned, recalling Lord Adrian, who commanded the royal guard, when he entered the Palace of Restoration to meet the King, and the scene of him personally delivering the award warrant to the Mindis Hall.

The prince seemed to understand something:
"So, Viscount Adrian, who just spoke, is not only one of the Seven Servants of the Stars, but also..."

“Yes,” Doyle said, only letting out a sigh of relief after watching the other person disappear from sight.

“Our boss’s nephew.”

It turned out to be the case.

Thales paused for a moment, but his thoughts were not on the workplace drama that even Doyle and Golover were not immune to.

Paterson and Adrian, the two families of the Seven Stars, unexpectedly arrived at the Mindis Hall ahead of schedule, and even... did that to me...

Could this be a coincidence?
His suspicions were soon confirmed.

Five minutes later, as Thales was preparing to return to the lounge to await the next group of distinguished guests, a man and a woman, hand in hand, stepped off the carriage and, led by a waiter, walked into the Mindis Hall with different gaits, coming to stand before him.

Upon seeing the newcomers, Golov and Doyle's expressions changed slightly, as if facing a formidable enemy.

“Your Highness,” DD said worriedly.

"Well...we'd better go back...and let Count Cassel handle it..."

Thales asked in confusion:

“But I recognize their emblem; they’re one of the Seven Servants… What? Is there something wrong with them?”

Golov frowned, while Doyle bared his teeth.

"Well, I didn't expect him to come..."

However, the guests were very fast, and before Doyle could finish speaking, they were already in front of Thales.

"Your Highness," urged by the woman beside him, the young nobleman finally spoke, reluctantly, his voice muffled and barely audible, "I am...I am Luther, Luther...I am very, very happy..."

Thales frowned and looked him over.

The man in front of me was very young, only seventeen or eighteen years old, but he was awkward all over, his expression was tense, and his posture was effeminate.

What's even more outrageous is that he kept his head down, staring at the soles of his shoes, not even glancing at Thales, as if the floor tiles of the Mindis Hall were more attractive.

Thales noticed that although the little nobleman named Luther was strange and timid, he was exquisitely made up and dressed in gorgeous clothes, obviously having done a lot of work.

More and more carriages appeared outside the hall, and the sound of their wheels colliding on the stone road grew louder and more chaotic.

The next second, before Luther could finish his hesitant greeting, his features tightened.

Staring at the floor, he suddenly became anxious, struggling to shake the woman's arm, his words childish and strangely rhythmic:
"Mom, I want to go back, I don't want to be here... I want my chess pieces..."

The woman's expression changed.

It was then that Thales noticed the noblewoman next to Luther—she looked to be only in her thirties, with a beautiful face, a slender waist, and a graceful posture, but her expression was slightly tired, and her clothes were conservative and dark in color.

She gave Thales a worried, apologetic smile, then leaned close to her son's ear and whispered:

"Child, you practiced, you did very well, do you remember what I told you..."

Her tone gradually became stern.

But Luther's voice grew impatient, and his movements became more violent:
"No!"

His voice was bitter and tearful, and his arms flared out more and more:

"I want to go back, I want the chess pieces, I want the chessboard..."

Completely disregarding the fact that the Duke of Starlake and his retinue, including the guards and servants throughout the front porch, were watching.

His mother tried anxiously to calm him down, but Luther's struggles became increasingly unreasonable. He then plopped down on the ground in an unseemly manner.
"I want to go back! Go back! Go back, go back, go back, go back, go back..."

Golov and Doyle exchanged a glance, then nervously stepped forward to separate Thales from Luther, whose movements were becoming increasingly erratic, fearing that this clearly abnormal guest might do something detrimental to the Duke.

Thales suddenly understood the hesitation of the two guards earlier.

The beautiful young woman was pale. She tried her best to pull her son up while gently comforting him, but it was obviously not effective.

Until a gentle voice intervened in this little accident:
“It’s alright, Luther.”

Amid Luther's persistent sobbing, the group turned around and saw Thales smilingly push aside Golov and Doyle, ignoring their pleas, and squatting down in front of Luther.

The noblewoman, who was about to ask her servant for help, was slightly startled.

"I also like playing chess, the 'Rise and Fall of Empires' version, right?"

As if the prince's words had some kind of magic, Luther stopped struggling, fell silent, stared intently at the floor, and gasped for breath.

“I’ve never been good at using the ‘Swordsman’ class; I always lose most of them before I can upgrade to the ‘Knight’ class.” Thales shrugged.

Luther remained silent, only continuing to pant heavily.

“I have no pieces in my hand right now,” Thales said, sounding frustrated and seemingly quite annoyed.

"But fortunately, I have something even more interesting—new pieces."

Thales reached his hand to his chest.

Golov was startled when he saw the Duke's actions clearly:
"Your Highness—"

Thales then removed the nine-pointed star badge from his chest and proudly displayed it in front of Luther:

"Look, it's inlaid with crystals; it sparkles in the sunlight. There's a rotating disc that refracts different colors depending on the angle—count them, how many colors are there?"

Luther stared blankly as he looked up. The noblewoman watched the prince's actions, hesitant to speak.

"And there's a mechanism here where you can hide some letters or something... Place it on the chessboard, and maybe it can replace a king—cough cough, replace a knight."

Thales played with the badge that represented his identity with great interest, and slowly got up.

Luther's gaze followed the prince's badge as it slowly rose, and he instinctively stood up.

Thales suddenly grinned:
"Do you like it? Take it."

Luther stared blankly as he stretched out his palm.

But Thales' hand paused halfway through.

“But today, you must listen to your mother,” the prince said with a smile.
"Otherwise, I'll take it back."

Luther just stared intently at the Stars emblem, his eyes wide and his expression focused.

I don't know how much he understood.

Thales was somewhat helpless, but he still placed the badge in the other person's hand.

The latter received the nine-pointed star badge, lowered his head, and began to study the mechanisms and light refraction inside.

Thales breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the focused Luther with a smile.

Golov and Doyle, who had been on high alert, exchanged glances before returning to their original positions.

The young noblewoman inhaled gently, then exhaled slowly.

She first looked at her son, then turned to Thales, her smile genuine and her words filled with gratitude:

“Your Highness Thales, although I have heard of you before, your kindness and tolerance are even more touching than your intelligence and genius.”

"Truly worthy of being the owner of this hall."

The young woman gracefully lifted her skirt, tilted her head slightly, her demeanor elegant and her figure captivating.
"Eleanor Barney, please say hello."

"The hardships are over, may you overcome all obstacles and soar to new heights."

“Of course, thank you, Mrs. Eleanor.” Thales nodded politely, but his gaze couldn’t help but drift towards Luther on the other side.

Barney of the Central Territory.

A familiar surname, isn't it?

Eleanor noticed the prince's gaze and took a deep breath.

“Luther, he’s not grown up yet,” the young woman pursed her lips, trying to hide the tears welling up in her eyes, whether from embarrassment or shame.
"But even teenagers can create miracles."

Her eyes held a stubbornness.

"I'm sure you know this all too well, Your Highness."

Thales responded with a smile.

Eleanor smiled too, and gracefully extended her right hand.

Thales respectfully and gently grasped the mother's hand, preparing to return the gesture with a light kiss.

“Of course, Mrs. Eleanor.”

"I am clear."

But the next second, Thales felt his hand tighten and his expression changed!
Lady Eleanor smiled apologetically, but unconventionally turned Thales's hand over and knelt down.

"Please don't take it to heart. As a vassal, it is our duty to kiss the hand of our lord."

Thales watched in astonishment as Mrs. Eleanor cupped his hands in her own, gently pulled off his gloves, and kissed the back of his hand lightly.

Her lips were soft, and the pressure was different from the previous two; it was more like a gentle rubbing.

“My son is unable to fulfill his duties,” the mother said, releasing the prince and smiling smugly to ease the awkwardness.
"Naturally, the mother takes care of it."

"The Barney family will always be with you."

Startled by the other party's blatant and uninhibited actions, Thales was speechless and instinctively withdrew his hand.

Mrs. Eleanor didn't take it to heart, just smiled gently, turned and left, pulling her son, who was engrossed in his toys, towards the banquet hall.

Thales stood there stunned for a second before turning around to look at the two guards, who were equally dumbfounded.

After a long while, Doyle finally took a deep breath:

“I believe you have already seen the ‘Little Iron Spikes’.”

DD scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed:
"Well, Your Highness... I know these words don't carry much weight coming from me..."

"I know mature women are very attractive..."

Thales arched his eyebrows.

"But Your Highness, you must not be captivated by good looks..."

Thales gave a helpless snort to ease the awkwardness.

But he paused immediately.

"Little iron spikes? You mean Lady Eleanor?"

Thales pondered for a moment, then found the answer in his recent cramming on stellar history, and immediately understood:
"To have such a nickname, this lady must be extraordinary."

Iron spikes, this is not some strange or wicked sex toy.

Historically, this represents a great-great-great-great-grandmother of Thales in the mid-3rd century, four hundred years ago (even earlier than a certain person who liked to eat chicken legs):

Eleanor the Iron-Spiked Queen.

This legendary woman became the esteemed Queen of the Stars at the age of twenty-six, and in the seventy years that followed, she weathered storms and witnessed the vicissitudes of life.

She lived through twelve wars, four coups, and eight supreme kings, witnessing legendary stories such as "The Coup of the Cutter," "The Return of the Young King," "The Humiliation of the Giant Spirit," "The Ferocious Waves of the East Sea," and "Only Blood Sharpens the Edge," which were adapted into historical dramas. Yet, she still stood at the pinnacle of the era, firmly grasping the helm of the kingdom's destiny in an age when dragons rose and stars dimmed, and when storms raged and wars were frequent.

But Thales immediately wondered:

"But why 'small iron spikes'?"

Doyle beamed, seemingly delighted that the prince had asked him about noble gossip:
“Because ‘Little Ironthorn’ is someone else, who happens to be in the Barney family as well—the great-great-grandmother of this Doll Baron.”

"That little old lady is still alive. I saw her once when I went to Barney Manor. I thought I had encountered the legendary evil tree spirit..."

Golov cleared his throat loudly.

Doyle realized he had misspoke, and the quick-witted man immediately changed the subject:
"In short, when Lady Eleanor, who liked to kiss your hand, was still a child, she married into the powerful Barney family—on the eve of the Bloody Years. The old lady 'Little Ironthorn' was very shrewd, and she made sure that the family had important officials in the court, fiefdoms outside the court, and even two of their relatives in the royal guard, who held important positions."

Doyle was very outspoken and seemed to enjoy the gossip.

The Barney family, at the height of their power...

Thales paused.

"only……"

DD watched Lady Eleanor's retreating figure and clicked his tongue softly, "What a pity."

"what happened?"

"Lady Eleanor's new husband, Viscount Barney at the time, was not only old enough to be her father, but also a sickly man who was bedridden all day. He died a few years after the Bloody Years."

Doyle curled his lip, looking wistful:
"She was widowed at a young age and had a mentally challenged unborn child. Even remarrying would be a hassle."

However, Doyle reconsidered:
No, with "Little Iron Thorn" around, who would dare let her grandniece and granddaughter-in-law remarry?
"You know, many people in the noble circles near the capital are secretly mocking her, saying that the child in her belly isn't actually..."

Doyle's words still echoed in his ears, but the prince's attention had already been drawn back to the mother who had been widowed early and raised her child alone.

Thales gazed at Mrs. Eleanor's figure.

He saw her calmly and deliberately pull her son, who was different from ordinary people, and without saying a word, she held his hand, took a few deep breaths, and then walked into the grand banquet hall of the Duke of Star Lake with her head held high and her steps steady.

He completely ignored the strange looks from the various people around him.

It was then that Thales noticed that Eleanor's makeup was good, but it couldn't hide the fine lines around her eyes.

But her neck was fair and long, and her waist was graceful and charming.

It has never bent.

Thales suddenly remembered that after Eleanor the Queen Mother's tumultuous and magnificent life came to an end, people had mixed opinions about her.

Critics accuse her of being obsessed with power struggles, manipulating the court, poisoning the people and persecuting loyal officials in her conspiracy to seize power.

Supporters praised her for her skillful management, resilience, and courage in supporting the kingdom and turning the tide during those dark years.

However, the most widely remembered comment is that of an anonymous bard, a comment that has become a landmark in history:
"I no longer remember whether Eleanor was beautiful or how graceful she was."

"All I know is that even if there are thousands of iron spikes hidden beneath the carpet..."

"She could remain composed and walk with ease."

I'm done, how about you guys? ...Ahem, I mean, this chapter is done.

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(End of this chapter)