Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 557 Shift Change

Chapter 557 Shift Change
In the empty banquet hall, Thales and Jenn faced each other from a distance.

In the distance, the figures were sparse, and the guards and servants were still seeing off the anxious guests, glancing cautiously and respectfully in this direction from time to time.

"Now?"

Jann's surprised expression lasted only a second before his good manners allowed him to regain his composure.

Duke Iris remained silent, ignoring the tense gazes of a few people in the distance. He simply took a slow step, stepped over the mess, and walked towards Thales.

Thales stared coldly at the other person.

Until Jann stopped and stood before the short sword.

"So you just got lucky and made a bluff out of thin air, trying your luck?"

Kevin Deer's master looked at the short sword on the ground, unhurried, with a half-smile.

He remained calm and composed, showing none of the discomposure or self-awareness one would expect from someone whose conspiracy has been exposed or whose scheme has been foiled—just as he had when Thales exposed "New Star's" plot at the national conference six years ago.

This made Thales very uneasy.

“I got it out of him,” Thales said without batting an eye.

"This sword was indeed given to him by a guest, and not through any other unknown channel."

The prince glanced at several exits:

"Unfortunately, security is tight at the banquet tonight."

"There aren't many guests who can enter without being searched."

Jenn spoke calmly and readily:
"Then how can you be sure it was me?"

He seemed quite interested; to an outsider, it would probably seem as if the two dukes were having a casual chat.

Rather than a thrilling political conspiracy.

Thales frowned slightly.

The boy suddenly realized that compared to the young and promising Duke of the South Bank who had recently ascended to the throne six years ago, Jann's aura had become much more subdued, and his physique had become much stronger.

The other person is different now.

Thales silently told himself.

He lost some of his lightheartedness and brightness, and gained more of his melancholy and composure.

A thought flashed through Thales' mind: his experiences in the North might have made him tougher, sharper, and more adept.

Those six years in the stars.

What has this changed about Jenn?

"Our talks broke down."

Thales said calmly, maintaining the composure and dignity of the Duke of Starlake:

"Before the banquet began."

Jenn's eyes flickered.

"But halfway through the banquet, you eagerly came up to chat, and started talking about political gains and losses."

Thales looked directly into the other person's eyes:
"Or to put it more bluntly..."

"Making conversation when there's nothing to say."

There was a brief silence.

Thales looked towards the distant pillars, watching the shadowy figures of servants tidying up the mess left by the banquet:

“I know you’re well-mannered, Jan, and I also know you’re shameless.”

"But it's not that good after all."

Jann nodded slowly, a smile playing on his lips, as if he were savoring a fine wine:
"Couldn't it be that I genuinely want to chat with you..."

Thales coldly interrupted him:

"You noticed."

Jenn's gaze froze.

"You notice that the royal guards are being frequently mobilized and strengthened: you realize that someone has unexpectedly discovered Anker's presence ahead of time."

The boy gazed at the lonely short sword lying on the ground, then took a step forward:
"You can't sit still anymore."

“You need to keep me occupied to ensure the plan goes smoothly and to ensure that Anker’s target remains present even after the king leaves.”

"That's your biggest weakness."

Jenn didn't say anything.

"And in my experience, bad things happen every time you try to be nice to someone in a suspicious and insincere way."

Thales stopped in front of the short sword, looked directly at Duke Iris, and called out his name:

"Jann Kevin Deer".

Old friend.

Thales said quietly.

Jenn laughed, looking completely unconcerned.

"Your Highness is so suspicious."

"Perhaps when you were still in the north, you were plotted against and harmed by all sorts of people?"

To scheme against, to harm.

Thales brushed aside the images of Nunn and Charman from his mind, and even the Black Prophet, and chuckled lightly:

"And perhaps you didn't realize it, Jen, but tonight, the topics you brought up when you were just trying to make conversation..."

"King and vassal? Land and security? Rule and rebellion?"

Thales's words were sarcastic:
What you say reflects what you think.

Jenn's smile faded slightly.

"I imagine that before today, you had probably been troubled for a long time by the matters of Ravencry Town and Mirror River, the feud between Bailar and Doyle, and how to take advantage of the situation to profit from it."

Thales ignored Jann's expression. He glanced around at the countless broken tables, chairs, and dishes from Anke's rampage at the banquet, and scoffed softly.
"And all of this jeopardizes the prestige of the Restoration Palace, sows discord among the Seven Star Attendants, incites conflict among nobles, and exposes contradictions in the ruling system..."

"Just to cause me trouble?"

In the distant hall, Golov and Piloga, having seen off the last group of guests, were about to enter when Marius stopped them.

The Watcher looked at the two men facing off in the hall and shook his head.

The lights were still on, and the Mindis Hall remained as quaint as ever. However, compared to the bustling crowds that had filled the hall before, the banquet hall was now silent, cold, and empty.

Only Thales and Jann stood in the center of the hall, facing each other silently.

The only thing standing between them was the sharp-edged short sword on the ground.

After a long while, Jan walked to the long table to the side, picked up the wine glass the butler had left for him, and poured himself a glass of a famous wine from the Duchy of Sera:
"Like most people in the Western Wilderness, Anke Bailar is both realistic and pragmatic, and not someone who is easily swayed by words."

Thales frowned as he watched his actions.

Jann raised his glass, leaned against the long table, and turned around.

"How can you be so sure that he will definitely give in?"

He scrutinized Thales closely, as if trying to connect the boy before him with the boy from six years ago:
"Would it be so bad as to risk everything in a fit of rage, destroying everything and causing bloodshed on the spot?"

Anker Bailar.

Thales turned his head, a shadow flashing across his face.

“Same method as yours,” he said in a low voice.

Janne swirled the wine in his glass, taking a light sniff of its aroma:
"Oh? What's wrong?"

Looking at the glass in the other person's hand, Thales felt thirsty himself.

"Before becoming a pawn, he was a human being."

"He is a human being, a very complex yet very simple person."

Duke Starlake walked to another long table, swept aside the clutter in his way, and casually picked up a wine glass.

He didn't care who had drunk from it before, and simply tossed it behind him, spilling the remaining liquid.

The wine spilled onto the ground, a few drops splashing onto Janne's boots, causing the owner of the Iris Flower, who was savoring the aroma of the fruit wine, to frown.

Thales picked up a jug of water, leaned against the long table, and turned around.

"No matter who instigates him, who influences him, or what he is involved in, all his thoughts and actions ultimately originate from himself."

Jenn left the spot without making a sound.

"You knew him before?"

“No,” Thales filled his glass, “but the intelligence reports say that Anke has a younger brother and three younger sisters, all of whom are young and live in Ravencry Town.”

Thales's gaze was fixed on the wine glass in his hand.

"At that time, I was thinking, what would happen to them if he died avenging his father?"

Jan looked at him and curled the corners of his mouth.

thump.

Thales slammed the kettle down.

"Alone, he stormed the palace to plead his case, personally killed his enemies, and avenged his father."

"This sounds very heroic and exciting."

Thales said in a deep voice, looking at his reflection in the wine glass:

"But in reality, this solves nothing: the royal family will not tolerate assassination, and his actions will only be regarded as a crime of contempt for order, a bad example of destabilization, and he will be severely punished as a warning to others."

"As Bailar's family, they were already in dire straits, and now they will only face annihilation."

Jann's smile became increasingly subtle.

Thales's gaze gradually froze into ice:
"But when I think about him having to duel with Doyle, I understand."

“Anke doesn’t want to kill anyone, or even seek justice; perhaps revenge is just a pretext.”

Thales suddenly looked up.

"The immense debt of his father, the betrayal of his vassals, Doyle's scheming... Under these three heavy burdens, the inexperienced and helpless man could only hope to secure one last guarantee for his family: to gain public sympathy and force the royal family to step in and ensure that his family could safely weather this calamity and not go bankrupt, lose their land, or be destroyed."

Jann remained calm and composed, savoring the aroma of the wine with his sense of smell, but did not take a sip.

The prince's tone became tense:
"He took the risk, not for revenge, not even for justice, but simply to fight for a future."

"And in order to avoid any future problems and to achieve this goal perfectly..."

Thales gritted his teeth.

“He must die,” Jann coldly replied.

Thales was momentarily stunned, suddenly remembering DD's resolute expression when he declared his intention to duel.

The Duke of Iris's voice drifted through the hall, ethereal yet mysterious:
"He could only use the most legitimate excuse of revenge and justice to take full responsibility and use his death to take away all the blame and disgust."

"Ideally, one should die honorably, in a way that is admirable, dramatic, and legendary."

"Like a hero."

"To become an uncriticized, perfect victim, leaving only remembrance and sympathy behind."

Jann observed Thales' expression, a playful look on his face:

"Only in this way can we put the hearts of the mean, vicious, selfish and hypocritical onlookers at ease and release their pitiful empathy."

"Only then could the royal family and the kingdom be forced to step in and help his impoverished family after this sad story, so that they would not fall into ruin."

The water in Thales' glass began to swirl slightly.

Like the sea surface before a storm.

"Anke Bailar".

Thales remained expressionless.
"He is not the selfish hero in those legendary stories that everyone loves, who takes his own life in a fit of anger, ignoring the lonely wail of those behind him."

"It's not like some scoundrel or hero who, in a moment of desperation, loses their temper and destroys everything for the sake of some ridiculous idea."

Jann watched him silently, his wine glass calm and still.

The prince slowly raised his head, his eyes lifeless:
"He was just a poor country gentleman from a remote and desolate place, with family, younger brothers and sisters."

"Shouldering responsibilities and enduring humiliation in a life of hardship."

"A person struggling to make ends meet under the rule of a powerful authority, desperately trying to support their family and seeking a glimmer of hope for their loved ones..."

Thales' breathing quickened:

"Ordinary people."

That's why Anker backed down.

Thales thought bitterly.

He had to back down.

Because he is not alone.

Don't just live for yourself.

Thinking of this, Thales couldn't contain his indignation and raised his voice:
“And you, Kevin Deer, you took advantage of that, took advantage of his humanity, took advantage of what he was most fundamental and what he cared about most as a human being.”

"Turn him into your pawn."

Thales' words sent chills down my spine:
"Come and deal with me."

Jan looked at him quietly, and only after a long while did he finally smile.

Like spring breeze and rain.

"do not you?"

Thales trembled slightly.

Jann gently swirled the wine in his glass, watching the liquid inside rotate smoothly and evenly in one direction.

"Didn't you also take advantage of this, seemingly 'persuading' him but actually coercing him?"

Jenn's smile turned sinister.

Thales's glass trembled.

“Not long ago, when Bailar came to me,” Jann said casually:
"What I met was a pitiful man, scarred and desperate, who wanted to seek help from the famously approachable Iris family."

A glint flashed in the eyes of the Duke of Iris:

He needs hope.

"So I gave him hope."

Jenn paused for a moment, then raised his eyebrows:

"Perhaps there is also relief from the heavy pressure."

“I told him that the only way to change the fate of his family was for one person.”

“A ‘newcomer’ who returns with a divinely bestowed halo, completely different from the king on the throne and the courtiers.”

Thales gritted his teeth, staring intently at the water churning and bubbling in his glass.

Jenn left the long table and walked forward, approaching Thales, his tone undeniably smug:
"Until you step down for your duel."

“Until you extinguish that hope with your power: whether the duel is won or lost, whether you live or die, whether you kill the prince or never overturn the verdict, his family will be doomed.”

Thales shuddered and closed his eyes.

Kevin Deer's master snorted coldly:
“You exploited his humanity, forcing him to give up the duel, even forcing him to live on, so stingy that you wouldn’t even grant him the mercy of death.”

"Only more cruel than me."

Thales was speechless.

The Duke of the South Bank strolled leisurely, stepping over the short sword on the ground.

"Do you know what kind of future he will face after he walks out alive tonight?"

Thales's breathing stopped.

Kevin Deer approached Thales with a mysterious smile, gently swirling his glass.

"Now, who is the heartless one, Your Highness?"

Thales remained silent for a very long time.

He just stared at his wine glass.

Watching the water in the cup, from rolling and churning to turbulent waves, and then returning to stillness.

Just as Jenn's smile faded and he was about to turn away.

Aren't you going to drink?

Jann frowned.

Thales looked up, his expression calm, and stared at the wine glass in the other person's hand.

Perhaps somewhat taken aback, the Duke of the South Bank, looking at the wine in his hand, still responded with pleasure:
"Judging from the aroma, it's no worse than what's produced in Emerald City," Jenn shook his head, swirling his glass with a regretful expression, "but if you want to drink it..."

"No, it's not my favorite flavor."

Thales remained silent, only letting out a soft hum.

But the next moment, he suddenly raised his glass and poured the water in it into his mouth.

Drink it all in one gulp.

After drinking the water and relieving his dry mouth, Duke Xinghu, not caring about his poor appearance or uncouth behavior, wiped the water from his mouth and tossed it away casually.

Water droplets splashed, causing Jann to silently step back.

But Thales stood up and left the long table!

"why?"

Thales strode forward and coldly questioned:

"Just because I didn't agree to your conditions? To collude with you and be intimate with you?" Jann stopped in his tracks, but he frowned and noticed that Thales was moving forward, closing in on him.

"Or were you already determined to tear off all ties with me and fight to the death?"

Thales pressed forward until they were no more than a foot apart, leaving only the gleaming short sword on the ground.

Their eyes met, and sparks flew.

Jann stared intently at Thales, his relaxed expression slowly fading.

"This is a warning."

Thales hummed softly:
"warn?"

Jenn curled the corners of his mouth and called him by his name:
"I came to the banquet on purpose to find you."

"Thales".

"To be honest, I'm not afraid of you finding out it's me. No, rather, I want you to find out,"

Thales frowned.

“It’s not just about creating opportunities for Baillar,” Jann sneered.

"Tails, this is your last chance."

Jenn lowered his glass and casually moved closer to the sullen Thales:

“Bailar’s actions were all spontaneous. All I did was point out the way, give a gentle push, and make a casual move.”

"But even that alone is enough to make you feel overwhelmed and miserable."

He leaned close to Thales' ear, whispering like a lover, but his tone was chilling:

"Can you imagine what it's like when a game of chess gets serious?"

Thales didn't answer, he just gripped his glass tighter.

“I want you to know, Thales, I want to teach you: this is my response.”

The Duke of the South Bank said in a rare, harsh voice:

"As a response to your offenses, rejections, and even threats against me six years later."

Thales was stiff all over.

The other person's breath left Thales's ear.

The person before him transformed back into the kind and gentle young Duke of Iris, a man who made people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

But just seconds later, Thales took a deep breath.

He chuckled softly.

"Me? Reject you?"

Thales' expression changed; he scrutinized Jann from head to toe, weighing him down as if he were a weight.

This displeased the latter.

Until the prince said flippantly and sarcastically:
"Sorry, I didn't know you liked men."

“Dear Janine.”

In that instant, Jenn's gaze turned icy.

But Thales didn't care at all. He even raised his left hand, gently placed it on Jenn's right shoulder, and shook his head with a click of his tongue, just as close to the other's ear:
"Otherwise, perhaps I could have been more gentle and gentlemanly when I rejected you just now?"

Jenn stopped laughing.

He didn't move, nor did he look at the hand on his shoulder; he just stared coldly at Thales.

“If you choose war, Thales, and are determined to be my enemy.”

"Then this move is just the beginning."

Jenn looked at Thales as if he were looking at a corpse:
"Prince of Stars? Duke of Star Lake? The protection of royal power? A good reputation? The loyalty of a subject? A background in the North? A lofty stance?"

He asked in a cool, indifferent tone, his voice completely flat.

The next moment, Jenn suddenly raised his left hand and grabbed Thales' left hand!
“I can destroy them,” the Duke of Iris said, each word dripping with malice.

One after another.

Feeling the other person tightening their grip on his wrist, Thales pursed his lips.

“Here, on my familiar chessboard, I can make you suffer terribly.”

At that moment, Jenn's gaze was so sharp it could pierce flesh and go straight for the heart:

"When it really comes down to a complete breakdown in relations, I will sacrifice everything to make you, and I will make you, pay the most terrible price."

The Duke of the South Bank gave a soft hum and removed Thales's hand.

But to his surprise, the silent prince not only did not let go, but swiftly grabbed back and seized Jann's wrist!

Jann's eyes narrowed.

But what made him dissatisfied and even disgusted was not the action itself.

"Is it because of that conversation?"

Thales's voice rang out softly.

"Our farewell conversation six years ago when I was leaving Yongxing City to head north."

six years ago.

Leaving Yongxing City...

conversation.

One second, two seconds.

Jann's gaze was first confused, then turned icy, revealing a hint of anger.

"Because I've inquired about your family, your relatives?"

Thales' words echoed softly, like poison seeping into Jann's veins, reaching his ears:

"And the secret behind their misfortunes?"

Any expression vanished from Jenn's face in an instant.

At that moment, the River of Hell within Thales' body erupted with an inexplicable agitation!
It almost made him lose his composure.

In that instant, Thales knew he had made the right choice.

This is it.

Thales desperately suppressed the urge to unleash his power of termination, looked back at the Duke of the South Bank, and gritted out the words:
"look?"

"In some ways, you and Anke aren't that different."

Thales felt a force resisting his grip, but he held on tightly to Jann's wrist, refusing to let go—at least not allowing the elegant and dignified Jann to break free gracefully.

"And you ask, who is the heartless one?"

Thales stared intently at Jenn, at his expressionless, vampire-like, ashen face:
"It's up to you."

"Jann Kevin Deer".

silence.

A deathly silence spread as the two stared at each other as if nothing had happened.

In the hall, the atmosphere between the two finally reached freezing point.

On the perimeter, the royal guards waiting for the dukes to negotiate seemed to sense something and wanted to step forward, but were all stopped by Marius.

Finally, Jan turned his head away, avoiding Thales's gaze, and stopped trying to break free from the prince.

But he smiled.

"You know what?"

“From ‘Black-Eyed’ John, to ‘Southerner’ Hyman, ‘King of the High’ Elan, ‘Oathkeeper’ Midil, ‘Northern Conqueror’ Erica…” Jann regained his composure and ease, but the unparalleled coldness in his eyes revealed the truth:

"Throughout history, many Star Kings have taught Exter a lesson."

"And do you know what I've learned about how to deal with the Northerners?"

Thales frowned.

Instead of pushing Thales away, Jenn pulled him closer and whispered in his ear:
"Before they're about to fuck you..."

"Just fuck them to death."

Thales's eyes turned cold.

"Don't mimic me."

But Jenn smiled slightly.

"Do you think that just because you survived the reign of the born king, you have the right to be complacent and do whatever you want?"

"Polaris? Hehehehe..."

The owner of the iris said softly:
"Believe me, if you try to emulate King Nunn VII's methods in the Star Kingdom, you'll only die faster, more miserably, and more inexplicably."

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

This version of Jann is often more unsettling than the gloomy and angry Duke of the South Bank.

The next moment, Thales flicked his wrist and was violently thrown off by Jenn!
"Keep your hands to yourself, Your Highness."

The Duke of Iris smiles gently, as if spring were in full bloom, with lush and fragrant grasses:

"As I said, times have changed."

"It's not what it used to be."

Thales remained silent.

His threat...

It didn't work.

or……

It worked so well!

Jenn took a step back, casually brushing his shoulder as if it had been defiled:
"You don't want to be fucked to death by me, Your Highness."

"Before you encounter a real enemy."

Thales's expression changed.

He slowly raised his head.

"The only enemy I can see so far is you."

Jann chuckled as if he had heard a joke.

"How to choose between friend and foe is an art, Your Highness."

"The Star Kingdom is in a golden age of peace and prosperity, with a bright future," he said with his smile unchanged, but his words became increasingly subtle: "Those you can see are all friends."

"What you can't see is the enemy."

Jann picked up his wine glass; the wine inside was still there, its color as fresh as new.

"I would rather die for a friend than for an enemy."

He smiled gently and then released his fingers.

Thales' pupils were frozen.

Snapped!
The wine glass fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, sparkling and splashing everywhere.

Each fragment casts a unique light and shadow on the lights in the hall.

Without looking back, Jenn turned and left.

"That's my property."

Thales stood behind him, looking at the rubble on the ground, and spoke coldly.

“That’s right,” Jenn said without turning his head.
"So you feel heartbroken."

Thales frowned.

"Aren't you afraid?"

Watching the other person walk further and further away, Thales couldn't help but call out:

"In Yongxing City, they openly challenged the authority of the royal family, sowed discord between Canxing and its vassals, damaged the relationship between Fuxing Palace and Xihuang, and endangered the heir to the kingdom."

"Or are you still planning to seize the throne and be crowned after the entire Starry Sky royal family is wiped out?"

Thales stared at the other person's back and lowered his voice:

“My father won’t be happy.”

Jenn gave a cold laugh.

"After what happened, you might be very busy tomorrow."

He still didn't turn around, only turning his back to Thales, and answered loudly:
"But if you have time, you might as well visit Bailar in prison."

Thales was taken aback.

"Trust me, His Majesty will be very pleased."

Jenn's voice faded into the distance, echoing:

"You're probably the only one who's unhappy."

Thales' heart skipped a beat:
"why?"

"Because I said, this is just a warning."

Jenn's gait remained as elegant as ever, her posture composed and noble.
"So I've left you with a little surprise."

Thales was puzzled.

"Be smart, Your Highness, behave yourself."

The Duke of the South Bank's voice gradually lost its emotion:
"I said, if there's a next time, it will be a declaration of war."

what?
declare war?

Thales stared at the other man in disbelief, his displeasure, anger, and hatred all converging in one place.

What the hell is this damn, overly superior person up to?

There will be a next time?

Does he still believe that Thales offended him tonight?
Thales was shocked and furious, unsure whether to be angry or laugh.

Jann walked away from the hall and met up with his butler.

"it's over?"

Marius's footsteps came from behind.

Thales sighed.

No.

Just started.

Thinking about the hardships I've endured today, and what I'll face tomorrow...

This is only the first day, the first banquet.

Thales, who had forced himself to act like a human being all night, let out a sigh of relief and slumped wearily into a chair, feeling resentful:

"I still don't understand why he hates me so much."

Thales snorted coldly, looking at the broken glass on the ground, becoming increasingly displeased, and wanted to smash the empty glass in his hand to vent his anger.

But halfway through extending his arm, the wealthy and powerful Duke of Xinghu took a few deep breaths and, with a mixture of resentment and rationality, put the cup back on the table.

“It’s like I ruined his whole family,” Thales said sullenly.

Marius came up behind him and nodded silently:
"So, did you cause any harm?"

The prince turned around and gave him a disdainful look.

“I had Doyle relieved early; he needs to go back and settle his family,” Marius reported indifferently, clearly used to the Duke’s death stare.

"Of course, tomorrow..."

tomorrow.

Oh, no.

Thales covered his face and let out a painful groan, interrupting the captain of the guard.

"By the way, Marius."

The watchman looked like he was listening intently.

“Your makeshift sniper squad,” Thales said, lifting his head listlessly.

"They haven't changed shifts yet, have they?"