Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 540 Never Kneel
Thales was breathing heavily as the king stepped into the Mindis Hall.

His knees rested on the carpet in the Mindis Hall, feeling the cool breeze.

Many footsteps came from ahead, one steadily leading the way, the others rustling in the shadows.

Thales could hear his own breathing clearly and realized for the first time how jarring it was.

"Rise, everyone." A familiar voice rang out, as deep and resonant as ever.

"This is a banquet, not a royal meeting—those old men are annoying enough."

No one dared to speak.

For a fleeting moment, Duke Starlake seemed to return to six years ago, to the time when he first arrived at Mindis Hall, bewildered and clueless.

When King Kessel first met him, the somber atmosphere seemed to crack the floor tiles, making the little beggar feel uncomfortable and speechless.

Thales stared intently at the pattern of the carpet—there should be no barbs underneath—and the Duke bitterly realized that after six years of experience and refinement, when the same scene reappeared, the heaviness he felt was not diminished at all, but rather even greater.

King Nuen, King Chaman, none of his formidable enemies could give him this feeling.

why?
Why is it so.

Thales kept his head down.

Whether guests or attendants, guards or servants, people bowed in hushed tones, and the sounds of greetings were incessant.

But this did nothing to ease Thales's nerves.

Finally, the pair of antique yet expensive boots stopped in front of him.

The base of the Star Staff touches the carpet, and it seems to take root.

About a century later, a hand appeared in front of Thales.

On it, the bronze ring, a symbol of royalty, gleamed faintly.

Thales was momentarily lost in thought, as if he were seeing the State Council meeting of yesteryear, where the Iron-Fisted King stepped into the Hall of Stars, and the kingdom's vassals knelt and kissed the ring on his hand as a sign of their loyalty.

Duke Starlake took a deep breath, removed his glove, grasped the hand, and prepared to kiss the king's ring as a matter of etiquette.

But to Thales' surprise, the king grabbed his hand in the next moment and stopped him.

Startled, Thales looked up and saw only a pair of deep, dark blue eyes staring coldly at him.

“When you were in the North,” King Kessel began slowly, his tone ordinary, yet the weight of his words immense: “facing King Nunn, facing the new king, facing all of Exter…”

Did you kneel down?

Thales was startled.

He met those unfathomable, deep blue eyes for a second, sensing the unwavering resolve and weight within them, and swallowed hard.
"No."

The boy added the title with some difficulty:

"His Majesty."

The next second, Thales felt a weight on his hand and was involuntarily pulled up from the ground!

"Then don't have bad habits."

Kessel said coldly, the imposing air seeming to freeze into ice water that would flow down the wall.

Thales didn't even have time to react or think.

"As a shining star," the king said expressionlessly, looking at his heir, "even though both my legs are crippled."

"And will never kneel down."

A brief murmur rippled through the surrounding crowd before fading into silence.

"Especially in..."

Iron Fist King slowly, very slowly, released his grip. He gazed at the statues of the Three Star Kings atop the spiral staircase, paused for a second, then looked at the chandelier overhead and the interior decor. No one could discern the emotions swirling within him.
"here."

Accustomed to the oppressive atmosphere that always surrounded him, Thales was somewhat surprised.

He didn't make me kneel down, nor did he let me kiss his hand.

The once majestic and imposing supreme king with his heavy steps.

Today this is...

The people who knelt in greeting still kept their heads down, their thoughts unknown.

Thales stared at his father inquisitively, but still answered obediently:
"Yes."

He sensed the change in atmosphere and, as if on cue, added:
"Father."

King Kessel stared intently at him, offering no comment, but simply gripped his scepter once more.

The interaction between the king and the prince seemed to be a command, and the people around them rose and performed their duties in response to the king's arrival.

Lord Adrian, the commander of the royal guard who was attending King Kessel, bowed to Thales with a faint smile, and then whispered something to Marius.

Thales was still deep in thought when King Kessel walked past him without stopping or exchanging pleasantries.

It was as if what had just happened was merely a minor incident within the royal family.

The king stopped again, facing the only person in the hall who refused to kneel or bow, and showed no respect whatsoever.

Val Arend stood like a glaring pillar, firmly planted on the floor of the Mindis Hall, coldly watching his old friend without uttering a sound.

Thales sensed a faint tension.

King Kessel did not speak, but simply stared at the Duke, his gaze lingering on the shackles on the Duke's hands.

Their eyes met in the air.

In that instant, their gazes held so much meaning.

The tacit silence between the two left the surrounding servants feeling anxious and embarrassed.

The silence was broken by a gentle and pleasant female voice.

"Unbelievable—is this little Thales?"

Thales slowly turned to face another lady who had come with the king and was surrounded by many women.

He felt a sudden tightness in his chest.

The lady's dress was magnificent, her posture elegant yet lively, and her eyes were full of surprise as she looked at Thales.

"So many years have passed in the blink of an eye, look how tall you've grown... Do you still remember me?"

Thales glanced behind the woman: Ginny, dressed in a standard lady-in-waiting uniform, gave him a barely perceptible nod with a composed expression.

The boy smiled, his feelings a complex and subtle mix of emotions, and grasped his stepmother's hand, bowing respectfully.

"Your Majesty, the Queen, you are as radiant as ever."

Queen Koya's eyes lit up. She glanced at Thales, then turned happily to one of the women and said:

“Look, Iris, he recognized me at first glance, and you have to remember he was so little back then…”

The queen was radiant, with a sweet smile, fluent speech, and a natural and approachable manner that made a good impression on anyone who met her for the first time.

If Thales hadn't met her six years ago.

“Of course,” another pretty lady among the women who accompanied the Queen looked at Thales in the same direction.
"Prince Thales is known for his intelligence."

The lady, dressed in a dark gown and wearing a velvet shawl, was equally elegant, yet possessed a touch more tranquility.
Even in the North.

Thales stared silently at the velvet.

Koya grabbed Thales's hand, looked him up and down, and sighed. She turned to Ginny, her face showing annoyance:
“Oh, Ginny, you should have let me bring the children. Lydia may be a little naughty, but at least Luther should have been brought along so he could learn from his brother how to be a good prince…”

Upon hearing those two names, the smiles of everyone around them froze.

Lady Ginny looked troubled, gave the velvet lady a look, and urged her on in a slightly impatient tone:

"Ke Ya..."

The servants who had come out of Fuxing Palace already had a tacit understanding, and the two maids stepped forward without making a sound.

But the Queen still held Thales close, scrutinizing him and refusing to let go, showing a clear affection for her stepson.

"You know, they are royal children after all. What will happen to them when they grow up..."

Just now.

"Ke Ya".

A deep, resonant voice rose and fell, like the hinges of a city gate tightening.

The next moment, Queen Koya's enthusiastic words came to an abrupt halt.

She turned her head with a somewhat timid expression and looked at the king's back.

King Kessel silently extended his arm.

The Queen gave Thales an apologetic look, then obediently stepped forward and took her husband's arm.

“Val,” Koya looked at Duke Val standing opposite the king, her eyes lighting up as she spoke as if to an old friend, seemingly oblivious to the shackles on his hands:
"Are you ok?"

The Duke of the North, who had been staring intently at King Kessel, shifted slightly. He looked at the Queen, his brow furrowing and relaxing.

Finally, Val spoke silently, his tone laced with disdain:

"It couldn't be better."

As soon as Duke Arend finished speaking, he turned and headed for the banquet hall without looking back, moving with practiced ease without needing directions.

At Marius's glance, Gray Patterson and several guards, responsible for escorting the vehicle, followed closely, remaining vigilant.

“Let’s go,” King Kessel said, his voice slightly somber as he gazed at the retreating figure of his childhood playmate.

“Someone must be getting impatient.”

The king strode forward, and without Captain Adrian's command, the royal guards attending His Majesty subtly followed from the side. Their expressions remained unchanged, their postures natural, arriving promptly yet without being conspicuous or abrupt.

In comparison, even if they share the same origin, in terms of both demeanor and bearing, his Star Lake Guard...

"It must have been my imagination," DD whispered to Golov, having carefully observed the royal greetings from behind Thales.
"Or has the Mindis Hall really gotten cold?"

Golov glanced at the faint beads of sweat on the other person's forehead and replied softly:
"It's not an illusion."

Thales sighed.

The next second, he suddenly felt a tightness in his left hand.

Would you mind lending me an arm?

Thales turned his head in surprise, and the lady with the velvet shawl smiled and took his arm.

“Iris…Auntie.”

Thales looked at the former king's adopted daughter, whom he had met once six years ago, with mixed feelings. His gaze lingered on her shoulder, and he felt a faint pain in a certain scar on her chest.

He said against his will:
"The shawl is beautiful."

Iris smiled gently and gracefully.
"Thank you, and you've grown up—you're a man now."

With his aunt holding his arm, Thales involuntarily followed in the footsteps of the King and Queen, with the attendants beside them all following suit.

"no need to worry."

Compared to Thales' stiffness, Iris walked with ease and smiled appropriately.
You'll get used to it eventually.

Get used to it slowly.

What are you used to?

Thales sighed inwardly. Was he used to his father's natural ability to create a tense atmosphere, or was he used to the intricate aristocratic circles in the capital?

They lagged a few steps behind the king, and were surrounded by people as they made their way to the banquet hall.

Iris's voice suddenly turned cold:

"laugh."

Thales was taken aback.

"If you're going to fight, be fully armed."

Iris continued to greet those around her with a friendly smile, but her tone suddenly became abrupt:

"And on this battlefield, a smile is the best armor."

Thales' brow twitched.

The name sounds familiar.

But before he could come up with an answer, Iris had already turned her head to look at the person who had unknowingly followed beside them.

“Before I could congratulate you, Tormund,” Iris said gently, looking at Marius.
“I am very pleased that you have become the watchman of the guard and the captain of Thales’ personal guard.”

Lord Marius nodded slightly, his expression unchanged, his tone as calm as ever:
"Your Highness, Iris."

On the contrary, Elise looked at the Watcher for a while and was quite moved.

“Your father will be very proud,” the princess sighed.

"His greatest wish is to see your family return to the ranks of the Seven Servants..."

Marius suddenly raised his voice, interrupting Iris:
"Please follow His Majesty inside, Your Grace."

"This is your welcome banquet; you won't want to miss it."

Marius nodded to Thales and then quickened his pace toward Adrian.

Thales followed the princess at a leisurely pace, lost in thought:
"Are you and my captain of the personal guard old acquaintances?"

Iris watched Marius's retreating figure and slowly nodded.

Before his decline, "Razor" Marius was a pivotal figure among the Seven Stars of the Central Territory, wielding immense power and influence. His family tree alone boasted three royal titles of barony, making him a force to be reckoned with, comparable to the "Wild Horse" Barney family.

Iris seemed to sigh:
"When the late king was alive, Viscount Marius even sought to marry Princess Constance for his eldest son."

"Razor" Marius. A highly influential member of the Seven Stars under the royal court.

When Thales learned the significance of his captain's surname for the first time, he frowned.

"From crying and threatening to hang herself to running away from home, Constance made a huge scene. In short, it was an ugly mess, a complete uproar... The marriage failed, and the late king felt guilty, so he decided to settle for second best and asked me if I was willing to marry him."

Thales moved slightly.

“You mean,” Thales said, glancing at his aunt and then at Marius’s retreating figure, “that is to say…”
"You and...him?"

Iris gave a faint smile, and for a moment she looked somewhat haggard.

It took Thales a while to recover from his surprise.

So, Tormund Marius, his favorite captain of the guard, almost became his uncle-in-law?

Thales kept this in mind, thinking to himself that when he got back he would force DD to spill all the gossip about his boss.

"And then?" Thales pressed.

"Later, I agreed," the princess said calmly.

"But perhaps out of resentment, or perhaps because they felt that a princess without royal blood did not meet their expectations, Viscount Marius rejected the late king and instead sought the hand in marriage with Duke Aaron of the North."

Thales blinked.

Okay.

The adopted daughter, meek and submissive, was to marry in place of her willful biological daughter, but was resolutely rejected by the man.

Putting aside the strong ancient Chinese romance and domestic power struggle elements...

The Marius family was quite powerful back in the day, wasn't it?
Thales cautiously glanced at his aunt's face, but found that she was still smiling kindly, nodding to the guests on both sides from time to time, showing no sadness or worry about the past humiliation.

The boy suddenly remembered that Iris's husband had died on Red Street six years ago, and the culprit was none other than...

Thales looked at his aunt and knew that her subsequent marriage was also unhappy.

Thinking of this, Thales felt a surge of sympathy.

“But Marius is no longer among the Seven, so how did they fall from grace?” Thales cleared his throat, wanting to say something to make his aunt happy.

But Iris shook her head, showing no sign of joy:

"A Bloody Year".

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

At this point, Iris declined to elaborate and changed the subject:

"Speaking of which, Thales, you've been in the North for so many years, have you noticed any good girls?"

Thales paused.

Having lived in the North for many years...

"Good girl?"

“Yes,” Iris nodded with a smile:

"Since you returned from the north, the capital has been talking about this quite a bit."

Thales suddenly remembered the silly little girl who was hiding in the library, all dirty.

And much later, the Grand Duchess, holding the Ring of King Nunn, roared like a young lion in the Hall of Heroes, ordering the troops to march.

But when he thought of her current predicament and uncertain fate, Thales's spirits plummeted.

That girl... she'll pull through, won't she?

He immediately perked up.

“Of course,” Thales said, looking up without changing his expression.

"Miss Jenny is beautiful, lively, cheerful, and funny. She's also very close to me, and I love traveling with her the most."

Princess Iris paused abruptly.

The people around also fell silent.

"Jenny?"

Iris frowned and repeated the name.

Especially close...

Traveling together...

She's a girl from the north...

Doyle gave Golov a wicked look that was first surprised, then knowing.

Unsurprisingly, it was ignored by the latter.

Princess Iris gave the eavesdroppers around her a warning look.

"You shouldn't answer directly; it will have many consequences."

The whispers of servants, guards, and guests rose and fell like the buzzing of bees, carried far and wide by the footsteps of those who came and went.

The seriousness of this news is beyond question.

His aunt tightened her grip on Thales' arm, but still couldn't help but lean closer cautiously, lowering her voice:

"So, which family from the North... Jenny?"

Meanwhile, despite being firmly separated, the surrounding onlookers all turned their ears in this direction, completely ignoring the displeased orders of the royal guards.

But Thales raised his voice, completely unconcerned, showing no intention of hiding his romantic history in the North:
"do not know."

He said it casually, which caused another round of hushed discussion among those around him.

"But judging from her physique, coat color, gait, appetite, bowel movements, and her pickiness regarding feed, stables, and grooms," Thales recalled Nicolai's riding lessons on judging horses and answered honestly:

"He must have come from a noble family."

His aunt paused for a second.

"Coat color, stable..."

Iris squinted, slowly realizing what was happening:

"Jenny...is she a horse?"

Thales turned his head and smiled broadly:
"A fine horse."

The next moment, those who had been paying attention all sighed in disappointment and dispersed.

Thales watched with satisfaction as Iris looked on with a strange expression and the disappointed looks on the faces of those around her.

Yes, Jenny is a good horse...

That's weird.

He knew to break free of his ropes in the middle of the night and sneak out to eat the other mangers' supper, causing a tense and thorough manhunt for the thief throughout Valhalla. The truth was only revealed when Ada, who was returning from stealing chicken legs in the middle of the night, accidentally stumbled upon him...

He was fierce and domineering in front of Wyatt and Rolf, but obedient and innocent in front of Thales and Nicolai. He was grumpy when he saw a groom with a whip and tack, but friendly and approachable when he saw a groom with a hay brush...

Is there anything about Miss Jenny that can be associated with the word "good"?
(In a stable in the north, a graceful mare sneezed. She warily raised her head from the manger and with a swift yet domineering kick, drove another disgruntled warhorse back to a corner, then continued to steal its night fodder.)
A few seconds later, Iris smiled with relief.

"Very good. Even if it touches on a sore spot, take it calmly and deal with it with humor."

She gazed at her nephew, who was not related to her by blood:

"Now……"

"You're the one who's fully armed."

Touching the sore spot...

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

Iris simply smiled slightly, without saying anything, and continued walking with him, holding his arm.

“How I miss it,” Iris said, turning her gaze away from the statue of the Three Kings with deep emotion.
“Your aunt used to often bring me here to play.”

"Little Aunt?" Thales's voice trembled slightly upon hearing this.

"Constance, what kind of girl is she?"

The two were silent for a moment.

Iris's gaze was wistful as she looked towards the past that could never be returned to:

"Constance, she's not a well-behaved girl. Every time she comes here, she either jumps off a building or destroys the house. I can only pretend to be sick to avoid her enthusiasm—so much so that my understanding brother, Prince Midil, specially prepared a private 'ward' for me."

Constance, jumping off a building, destroying her house...

Thales frowned as he thought of the stone urns containing ashes in the Starry Sky's tomb.

“When she refused the marriage proposal,” Iris chuckled.
"She ran away from home four times, and even tried to take me with her. Twice she was caught by Lord Sacel, once by Ginny, and the last time even Prince Midil himself intervened... His Majesty the late King couldn't bear to hit her, nor dared to hit Lady Ada who was secretly helping her, so he could only let Lord Sacel whip Kessel, who was conspiring with her..."

Iris paused here, glanced at the king in front of her, sighed, and continued:

"Looking back now, the years we ran away from home together and starved on the streets together, well, it wasn't so bad after all."

Thales listened, somewhat mesmerized.

“Constance sounds like,” Thales said quietly.
"She is a very lively and lovely girl."

"Lively and adorable?" Iris burst out laughing. "You haven't experienced her pranks..."

"Including painting cute cats on the back of Horace's armor, which the entire camp saw, but no one dared to say anything until a prisoner reminded him..."

"Because she was afraid that her third brother wouldn't be able to find a wife, she used Bancroft's name to send love letters to all the future sisters-in-law she had her eye on and arrange dates with them. However, she was careless and wrote down the same date for all the dates..."

"Thinking Hyman was too vain, she secretly replaced his perfume with dog urine when he had a cold and couldn't smell anything..."

"Interested in adult sex, I secretly followed Kessel to Red Street to eavesdrop on him, and even popped out from under the bed to ask him what he thought..."

Thales couldn't help but laugh heartily upon hearing this.

“The only person who can discipline her is Prince Midil,” Iris shook her head helplessly.

"Even so, Constance once managed to pull off a wicked scheme, successfully applying delayed-acting pepper spray to Midil's wheelchair. As a result, he attended the entire day's royal council meeting without batting an eye..."

Thales was still laughing, but then he realized something and froze.

“Aunt Iris, you just said…”

Thales frowned and said softly, "Midi's... wheelchair?"

The atmosphere between the two became slightly heavy.

A few seconds later, Iris frowned slightly:
"do not you know?"

Thales squinted.

“Indeed,” Iris sighed softly.

"It's an old story, and it involves the deceased, so it's normal that you don't know about it."

Duke Starlake subconsciously turned his head, and belatedly realized that all the steps in the Mindis Hall had been modified with a sizable ramp.

It seems... it's not just decoration?

"and……"

Iris spoke softly, her gaze fixed on the void. At this moment, she seemed to be cut off from the noise of the outside world, immersed in the past.

"Although his smile is always the gentlest, caring for, tolerant of, and concerned for everyone, and his shoulders are always the strongest, supporting, protecting, and shielding everyone."

"But even though he was so understanding, gentle, and considerate, no one could ever truly..."

"I understand his pain."

Thales turned around and looked at her in surprise.

"Yes."

"When my brother Midir was young, he encountered an accident during a trip," Iris said softly.

"From that time on, he suffered from a leg ailment and was unable to walk properly."

"To be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life."

what?
Thales was stunned.

Midil Shining Star.

The former owner of Mindis Hall.

The former heir to the supreme throne, a wise and virtuous prince praised by all.

It was actually someone...

A crown prince in a wheelchair?

Thales suddenly remembered the scene from earlier when Kessel pulled him up from the ground.

And his cold words.

[As a shining star, even though both legs are crippled...]

[And will never kneel.]

Especially in...

【here. 】

The next second, without any pause, they followed the King and Queen into the banquet hall.

A huge crowd surged in, cheering and shouting.

I had no confidence that I could write a satisfactory draft today, but as I kept writing, a whole night passed and I actually managed to write one!

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(End of this chapter)