Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 543 That Gaze
"Thank you, I will remember your kindness, and please also thank your daughter for her concern. Happy eleventh birthday, Baron Bourbon."

Thales politely raised his glass from his seat, saw off a guest who came up to toast him, and then refocused his attention on the lively and noisy banquet.

As it turned out, after successfully overcoming the initial awkwardness, the Holy Day Feast was easier than Thales had anticipated.

Amidst the melodious music, not only were the guests enjoying the feast and engaging in lively conversation, but the servants of the Mindis Hall were also constantly serving food and drinks. Many of the guests' attendants moved between different long tables, helping to serve wine or relaying messages on behalf of their hosts, completing one service and social task after another.

The center of the banquet hall, like that of Exte, was left open, serving as both a stage and a dance floor. Minstrels, clowns, acrobats, musicians, and dancers took turns performing, each showcasing their talents.

For example, at this moment, a bard, carrying his zither, strolled around and began his performance:

"This piece is a new composition inspired by my years of travels to the Western Wilderness. It tells the story of how, eleven years ago, King Kessel led his army deep into the desert and killed the enemy chieftain in the battle of the altar..."

This felt familiar to Thales. When he was still a beggar, there were often bards like this in the Sunset Bar, but their clothes were never so neat, and their singing and playing skills varied greatly.

Amidst the bard's melodious and grand singing, the dishes continued to be replenished, served on the long table in order:

There were at least five kinds of cheese soup, vegetables and fruits, oddly sized roasted quail eggs, sturgeon soup, oatmeal, poorly presented blood sausage, smoked beef, roasted chicken with sauce, stewed venison, various poultry and game that I couldn't name, raw and cooked shellfish, terrifyingly large meatballs, more than a dozen different styles of bread, pancakes and pies, and all sorts of amazing dishes whose ingredients I couldn't even tell the difference...

Of course, this includes all the essential beverages.

How should I put it, his dad is really rich.
Thales sighed.

Well, the Star People definitely know how to cook, at least compared to the Northerners in Dragon Sky City who only know how to roast, roast, roast, stew, stew, stew...

Dragon Sky City.

The thought of this made Thales feel down.

"What, you don't like the food?"

His Aunt Iris, who was standing nearby, noticed him.

"No, it's just that there are too many choices..." Thales stared absentmindedly at a plate of beans.

"We don't know where to begin."

Princess Iris gracefully parted the vegetables on her plate, seemingly lost in thought:
“You should visit the Dragon Kiss Basin. Speaking of the nobility of Anrenzo, they are very particular about the finesse and standards of their cuisine… Of course, I don’t really like their food either… Once you get used to a place, it’s hard to adapt to the flavors of another place…”

Thales forced a smile, but ultimately followed his aunt's example and reached for a plate of lettuce that looked rather delicate.

Someone poked him.

Thales turned around and saw Doyle at the side table behind him, his cheeks bulging out.

“Your Highness, could you…” Doyle swallowed hard, ignoring the disdainful look from Golov beside him, and pointed to Thales’s table, whispering:

"Could you pass me the seasoning salt? Oh, and also the plate of beef on your left..."

Thales frowned:
"Isn't it on your table?"

"Yes, there is, but, well, it just feels like the food served from Your Highness's table tastes especially good..."

Thales sighed again.

He glanced around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he quietly leaned forward, subtly pushing the plate of beef behind his armpit and handing it to Doyle.
"You really don't stand on ceremony..."

Doyle accepted the food the prince offered him with practiced ease and a fawning smile:
"Because the lord isn't here... cough cough, I mean, because you are the best and gentlest prince in the world..."

Thales rolled his eyes and continued working on his lettuce.

DD shoved the beef toward Golov, but the zombie just turned away dismissively and continued drinking his beer.

Doyle shrugged indifferently and started eating:

"Your loss."

As time passed, the music played again and again, and the performers changed one after another. The guests' interest only grew, and the atmosphere at the banquet became more and more lively. More and more guests got up to toast and chat.

Fortunately, Thales' burden was not too heavy, because most of the people were diverted to the highest table—to his father.

This royal banquet, a rare event in over a decade, attracted many guests who wanted to pay homage to the king on this informal occasion.

King Kessel remained calm, but his continuous mealtimes rarely exceeded a minute. Guests from different backgrounds and social classes, some with friends and others alone, would come forward with respect and anticipation to pay their respects to the king, interrupting his precious rest time. This also affected his attendants, including Captain Adrian and Steward Quentin, as well as royal officials such as Gilbert and Joker Mann, who had to frequently come over to offer toasts and help him.

Although the Iron-Fisted King is cold-blooded, in this setting, even he, whose face was full of boredom, had to frequently raise his glass, nod in response, and occasionally offer a few kind words. Queen Koya, on the other hand, was quite at ease, showing that she was skilled and adept at this when she was young.

In just half an hour, there were as many as twenty or thirty groups of guests who came to pay homage to the king.

Thales was amazed.

"Don't laugh," Aunt Iris said calmly, her words ruining his mood.

"You'll be the same way from now on."

Thales curled his lips into a smirk.

The young duke, preoccupied with his own thoughts, found it difficult to enjoy his meal. He half-heartedly tormented his lettuce while invoking the sins of the River of Hell to enhance his senses and draw attention to his surroundings.

Compared to the banquets of northern nobles where only male guests were present and all they did was eat, drink, and exercise, the occasions at Starry Night were much more open. Not only were there no restrictions on gender (which made it seem much more refined), but when the wine was flowing freely, one could often see restless and eager men leaving their seats to toast and offer their congratulations to the elegantly dressed and radiant young women.

Many young, beautiful, lively, and active women would even leave their seats, ignoring the disdain and hostility from the men in their families, escaping their surveillance, chatting and laughing with their crushes, exchanging drinks, and even joining the dance floor when the music started.

The atmosphere was joyful and harmonious, and both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

But is it really so?

Thales' heart skipped a beat, and the sounds of conversation from all directions, filtered and amplified by his hellish senses, entered his ears.

"Oh, really? 'Convince my father to propose marriage'? Humph, you said the same thing last time, and you think that after you said that, I would sneak out at night to let you sleep with me for free, just like before? By the way, I'm getting engaged, and the baby in my belly isn't yours! It isn't!"

This is clearly an awkward conversation between a couple—well, ex-couples.

"A marriage proposal from the cliffs? Yes, the family is of noble birth, but I would have to be blind to marry my daughter off there. Those conservative mountain barbarians still believe in a heretical god called the Lord of the Mountains. I visited them once two years ago, and I still can't forget their little village in the mountains, with their campfire mating customs that are comparable to those of primitive people..."

This is a local nobleman from the Central Territory.

Thales maintained his smile. His hellish senses relayed to him mostly all sorts of gossip and social conversations from the capital, but the content of the guests' conversations varied considerably depending on the direction and the long table.

"After the bloody years, everyone discovered that 20,000 farmers brought from the fields for 1,000 gold coins were less effective than 200 professional soldiers raised for 1,000 gold coins. Do you remember the scene where Duke Starlake's—oh, the last Duke Starlake—chaseed tens of thousands of rebels across the mountains with his 2,000-strong legion?"

This is the long table for veterans, and their theme is quite striking:

“I was thinking, now that the prince is back, shouldn’t we head north to get revenge? If a war breaks out, with your qualifications, you could easily become a deputy commander of the guard, right? You know, after ‘Horse Slayer’ Dila retired, he climbed the social ladder and became the head of the guard…”

“My son is studying grammar, theology, and mathematics,” said a government official at the next table, anxiously discussing his children’s future with his colleagues.
"He's ambitious and wants to stay in Yongxing City, perhaps to take the civil service exam and maybe even earn a title. But I'd prefer him to return to his hometown to seek employment. After all, the South Bank Territory is far from war and well-governed, and Emerald City is even more prosperous and peaceful than the capital..."

"I'm so envious. My nephew is my heir. He's determined to learn martial arts and join the army, dreaming of becoming a true knight. But you know, unless you're born with a good surname, the title of knight is a joke these days. What's the point of legitimacy? Look at these three handsome men. They're all knights in name, but one's a northerner, one's a tomboy, and the other's a disgusting male prostitute who makes a living off his looks..."

Thales let out a long sigh, feeling genuine sympathy for the legendary Winged One who was said to be able to unify the Western Continent with his face.

"Yes, without hostages in their hands, Exter has actually increased the risk of war between the two countries. Coupled with their ongoing internal strife, believe me, the northern trade routes are doomed. All future potential business is concentrated in the west and south. If you're interested, we could find a place to discuss this in detail..."

This is a long table for the guild leaders and merchants, where conversations tend to focus on practical matters and business:
"Twenty years have passed. It's time to put a new round of franchise sales on the agenda. Maybe we should find another scapegoat..."

"...He had to do it; his family's loan from the Royal Bank was nearing its due date. If they didn't gamble on this voyage, they would have to transfer their fiefdoms to cover the deficit..."

Thales didn't quite understand these business principles, so he turned his attention to the tables of the central government officials:

"No, the unrest on the western border a few months ago was just a localized incident and will not affect the kingdom's policies. The local nobles' reactions were merely their own private actions. The royal family and the western wilderness have a very good relationship... What? No, no, this is certainly not an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, just my personal opinion, although I do work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs..."

This is Gilbert.

“A lord ordered the abolition of corvée labor, demanding that his subjects pay in cash or cede their land… No, no, in fact, His Majesty said nothing…”

This is Chancellor of the Exchequer Joko Mann.

"Of course, the idea that 'pure asceticism is the will of God' is outdated. On the contrary, if your fiefdom has a prosperous market and abundant goods, it can attract more wealth and thus enable you to implement more benevolent policies, which would surely align with the will of the setting sun..."

This is Vicar General Stilliardes.

"Yes, a baron in Blade's Edge Territory died of the plague, but he only had one illegitimate son... That bastard promised a large sum of money to have the duchess recognize his right to succession... However, the baron's vassals clearly disagreed, so they came to Everstar City seeking His Majesty's decision. At this point, things have become complicated, and no one dares to take on the case..."

The River of Sin roared, sending more and more of the dinner table conversations into his ears.

Thales listened absentmindedly, trying to figure out what the guests and the royal circle were focusing on, while trying to glean information about the kingdom's current situation from their conversations, but suddenly he had a strange feeling.

In Dragonhill City, whether it was a banquet, a day of court proceedings, or a meeting of dukes and earls, the private conversations of the Extell nobles were always formal and measured:

fiefdoms, blood feuds, power, marriage, the road to the North...

It is often somber and heavy, with a chilling aura, like dark clouds pressing down overhead.

But here, among the stars...

"What era are we living in? Do people really believe that a marriage contract, merging two families, can build a family alliance? Come on! In the past, the union of two families meant greater territory and power. Now? It only brings enormous maintenance costs, exorbitant land acquisition fees and title recognition fees, and internal family divisions and struggles..."

"Your Excellency Baron, are you still thinking about exploiting peasants and getting rich through taxes? Sunset, you really should open your eyes and learn from your peers in the South Bank and East Sea Territory. From guilds to chambers of commerce, from operating franchises to market monopolies, they make good use of our status and power. In this era, we have too many ways to both profit and gain fame..."

"Don't talk to him... This guy was always rough and stupid, and even after becoming a lord, his brain hasn't changed. His way of ruling is still the most primitive and outdated. I'm telling you, he'll decline in less than two generations..."

Thales listened silently and began to understand.

In Everstar City, the social interactions and conversations of the Star Nobles are like this...

restless.

disturbed.

fiery.

Constantly changing.

Thales took a deep breath and suddenly gained a more intuitive understanding of the Star Kingdom.

Mindis Hall.

Looking at this royal estate, Thales sighed inwardly:
Mindis.

Look at the mess you've made!

But before he could finish his reflection, Jorge's voice entered his ears:
"Holy crap, let me tell you, back then, dark clouds filled the sky, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and there you saw the dying Heavenly King, grasping your North Star with one hand and our little dragon cub with the other, clasping their little hands together, entrusting them with his dying wish: 'Only true love, where hearts are intertwined, can summon a true dragon to descend and save this city!'"

Thales's expression darkened as he looked around.

In a secluded table for foreign guests, Jorge from Elk City was drinking heavily and speaking with great enthusiasm, his spittle flying everywhere:

"The king suddenly passed away, and the young dragon trembled with rage, her fury uncontrollable. Facing the calamity, she roared to the heavens: 'As long as the Dragon Sky endures, Walton will avenge this!' Polaris stood beside her, hand in hand, ready to die: 'If you are determined to fight, Brilliant Star will follow you to the death!' The next moment, there was a loud bang, and guess what? Wow, they summoned a real dragon! In the blink of an eye, the dragon crashed down from the sky, instantly killing the calamity..."

Damn.

Thales listened for a while with a gloomy face, only to feel even worse, so he simply turned to listen from another direction.

But he quickly realized that he himself was the protagonist in many of the conversations.

“I think we should choose a princess consort from a less privileged background, like Queen Koya. Ideally, she should be approachable to commoners. After all, things are different now than before, and Prince Thales is not the same as Midil was back then…”

"I heard from merchants in the north that Prince Thales is someone who dares to go toe-to-toe with the Yankees, and at such a young age, he dared to duel with five Grand Dukes..."

"So he experienced the disaster firsthand and survived?"

"No, it wasn't a disaster. I have inside information. Actually, back then, it was a secret cult's conspiracy to manipulate the political situation and overthrow Exter..."

"Don't believe these rumors! I have an inside source in Dragon City who knows the situation quite well. Let me state the conclusion first: it was a major earthquake. After the disaster, the upper echelons of the Northerners wanted to shift the focus and avoid public criticism, so they fabricated an excuse of a disaster invasion."

"What did the dragon say?"

"It's all made up! To boost morale and win people's hearts. Think about it: the timing of the dragon's descent, the timing of King Exter's death, the timing of Rumba's coronation, and their detention of the prince—hey, once you think about it, the truth is pretty obvious, isn't it? What truth? Hehe, I can't say any more. Think about it yourself; those who understand will understand. In short, we can't look at problems in isolation or one-sidedly. We need to look at the big picture, you know? Big picture, big picture, a holistic view! In the big picture of national strategy, everything is interconnected..."

"I see, sir. You are truly insightful and know how to spout sophisticated nonsense. You are indeed a professional..."

"Oh, no, no... Thank you for the invitation. I was in Exter before, and I just got off the carriage. That's why you asked me as soon as I arrived..."

Thales could only hum softly to himself.

“But why do I feel like the prince and Lumba are in cahoots? Look, they're sowing discord among the northerners, first taking down Duke Fengzhao, then joining forces to eliminate King Nuen? I bet our secret service is definitely involved…”

Thales's expression changed.

"Shh, don't talk about state affairs... Just think about it, what kind of existence is our Star Kingdom? We're too busy with so many things every day, would we do something like this? Two words: not worth it."

"I've heard that the prince has the Duchess of Longxiao City completely bewitched, to the point of wanting to die for him... Ha, thinking about it, that woman only knows rough, uncouth men from the north. When she sees us handsome, dashing, charming, learned, and elegant men from the Starry Sky, hehehe, wouldn't she immediately be captivated, unable to extricate herself, and determined to marry no one but him?"

Ok.

Upon hearing this, Thales's cheek twitched.

Perhaps the Star Kingdom and Exter have something in common...

More than I expected.

But Selma...

Thales clenched his fist.

"You don't drink?"

Thales snapped out of his daze and saw Princess Iris beside him. His beautiful aunt was swirling her wine glass, tilting her head, and looking at him with amusement.

He drank. Looking at the new wine glass beside him, he thought of a certain grand duke who had once invited him to drink, and a lump formed in his throat.

Duke of Starlake was slightly distracted:

"Children don't... I mean, I don't like drinking."

Iris looked enlightened.

"Just a little bit, even just a few sips, is fine."

The princess had a slight blush on her face, clearly enjoying her drink.
"According to the rules, members of the royal family should try to avoid giving others any discernible pattern to their eating habits..."

"Yes, I've heard about it."

Thales sighed, glancing around the lively banquet hall:

"Fortunately, we were sitting high up, so no one was watching me."

Iris chuckled softly, gazing at the wine in her glass.

“Yes, nobody’s watching,” the princess said, swirling her glass, her voice slightly trembling, her gaze deep and thoughtful.

"But I bet by tomorrow, you'll feel like everyone's watching you."

Thales noticed his aunt was slightly drunk, smiled, and didn't answer.

"Are you still used to it?"

Iris looked him over:
"Your first banquet after returning home, well, it's probably the first one the royal family has officially hosted in over a decade. Everyone should thank you."

I paused for a moment.

He looked at the increasingly lively banquet scene and curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

"I feel very good."

"Peace and tranquility prevail."

Thales let out a slow sigh of relief.

"There are no dozens of nobles who unanimously accuse you of being an illegitimate child."

"And no damned king is forcing you to find the murderer of his son."

"Or a group of vicious northern men would be making a racket, saying they'd tear you to pieces."

Thales was slightly lost in thought:
"If we skip the initial meeting and pleasantries..."

"I haven't had such a peaceful and joyous gathering of nobles in a long time."

Thales fell silent.

He suddenly felt a heat in his wrist.

“It’s alright, Thales,” Thales said softly, coming to his senses and realizing that it was Aunt Iris holding his wrist under the table.
"It's fine."

The princess gazed at him quietly, and the tenderness and pity in her eyes were almost too much for Thales to bear.

Just then, Marius appeared beside them.

“Your Highness,” the Watchman leaned down and whispered:

"You should go now."

Iris released Thales's hand and frowned.
"Your Excellency?"

Marius lowered his voice:
"The Queen needs to return to the palace now."

“She…” Iris turned towards the Queen, then realized:

"Oh."

Thales narrowed his eyes: Beside the king, Queen Koya was pale and muttering to herself. Ginny was holding one of her wrists tightly, while the maids beside her were preparing to go in an orderly manner.

Thales then heard the voice from the other side through his Hell Senses: "Where are my children? Luther is still young, he needs a diaper change..."

A chill ran through him.

Some guests noticed the Queen, but most turned their eyes away and ignored her.

Marius nodded:

"The Queen needs your help."

Princess Iris sighed softly, gave Thales a helpless smile, and then stood up.

Marius kindly draped a cloak over her shoulders.

Thales could only say goodbye to her.

But just as he turned to leave, the princess suddenly spoke.

"Tormond."

Upon hearing his name, Marius paused for a moment.

Iris looked at the Queen, tightened her cloak, and said softly:

"Have you ever regretted it?"

Upon hearing this, Thales frowned, and his hand, which was peeling the lettuce, froze.

Marius frowned, paused, and repeated:
"The Queen needs you, Your Highness."

"I know."

Iris smiled, glanced at the Watcher, her eyes hazy and forlorn:
"I have regretted it."

Marius was taken aback.

The next second, Iris drifted away and joined the Queen's party.

one second.

two seconds.

In the midst of an incredibly awkward silence, Thales cleared his throat, looked at the stiff-standing captain of the guard's back, and tentatively asked, "Um, you and your aunt..."

"Do not ask."

Without turning his head, Marius gently sat down beside the prince:

"You are still my favorite Duke."

He spoke respectfully, without revealing any expression.

But Thales felt a chill in his heart for no reason.

Fortunately, someone appeared in time.

"What bad luck."

Behind him, Doyle, who had just returned from the restroom, patted Golov on the shoulder and sat down casually:
"As the prince's personal guards, we have to eat beforehand, we can't go to the banquet, we can't dance with the girls, we can't... God, how boring, I really miss the old days."

Doyle yawned.

“You can do it,” the Watcher turned around from his seat, glancing at DD with a nonchalant air.

“You can be exactly the same as before.”

"Go down and join your father's table, join the banquet, and dance and flirt with the girls."

Doyle jerked violently!
Under the sympathetic gazes of Glov and Thales, he stiffly realized that the person sitting in Princess Iris's seat was—his superior.

"Lord... Lord?"

Doyle realized he was in deep trouble and forced an awkward smile.

Marius snorted coldly:
“You know, I can get Vladimir Putin to take your place so you can go and enjoy the banquet.”

Doyle said tremblingly:

"Substitute...substitute?"

“Yes, didn’t you know?” Marius looked at him expressionlessly. “In the Mindis Hall, no matter when or where, I can always find someone to cover for you.”

"Whether it's today or not."

"It's still the rest of your life."

Marius said ominously:

"Always."

"Do you still want to go to the banquet?"

Doyle looked at Golov and Thales in horror, but they both shook their heads at him with pity:
This is not your fault, child.

DD swallowed hard, then realized what he was doing. He shook his head, putting on a serious expression:

"No, no, no, sir, you're wrong about that."

Marius raised his eyebrows:
"what?"

Doyle stood tall with his arms crossed, exuding a dignified and generous air:

"This body may be buried where the throne rests, or its bones may be buried halfway through the imperial mission; there is no other end."

Doyle said with a righteous expression:

"Banquets and such... As members of the royal guard, we should be dutiful and loyal to our duties. How can we be selfish?"

Golov looked at him with disdain.

Thales chuckled:
"Really? But tonight there are quite a few socialites and noble ladies, and many lovely unmarried girls..."

“Alas, let’s not mention that again,” Doyle waved his hand, his expression resolute and unmoved: “Since Prince Thales is by my side…”

"...What other girls do I need?"

Thales had just elegantly picked a piece of lettuce from his plate when he involuntarily shuddered.

Marius curled the corners of his lips into a smile. He was about to say something when he suddenly trembled slightly.

The next second, Marius suddenly turned his head and looked into the hall!

At that moment, Thales shivered.

He suddenly had a strange feeling: the watchman in front of him had turned into a sharp blade.

Marius stared intently at the entire banquet hall and said coldly:
"Doyle, go to the banquet immediately, blend in with the guests, and pay close attention, especially to those who look reserved and move stiffly..."

Doyle still had a stern face:
"No! I must stay here and protect His Highness..."

But Marius turned around, his expression turning serious:
"I was serious!"

His appearance startled all three of them:
"Go and inform Captain Adrian to quietly escort His Majesty away, and then gather the men."

“Sir,” Golov looked at the other man with a puzzled expression:

"what happened?"

As the melodious and light music played, Marius looked down again at the bustling banquet below, his eyes wary.

"Just now, someone looked up from below."

Did you glance at it?
Thales was somewhat puzzled:
"Who? So what?"

“I don’t know,” Marius shook his head.

"But I recognized that look in his eyes; it was a look of resentment and despair that showed he was ready to die..."

Thales was taken aback.

Treat death as home.

Resentment and...despair?
What do you mean?
"At tonight's banquet."

Under the astonished gazes of the three, Marius slowly pressed his hand to the longsword at his waist and stated his conclusion expressionlessly:

"There are assassins."

No matter how I write it, it just doesn't feel right. It's making me feel so hopeless. By the way, Happy New Year to everyone. Sigh, another year less of my life is left.

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(End of this chapter)