Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 603 Unresolved Feelings
Yongxing City, Muxing District.

"Your Highness—Huya, please wait!"

Golov dodged an oncoming mule wagon and hurried to catch up with Thales, who was walking nonstop ahead.

"Please forgive me, but have you decided what you want to do?"

Cohen followed closely behind him, and perhaps knowing that his work was meaningful, the guard was in a good mood at this moment:
"Don't worry, that's Ty Wyah. Just like in Exter, he has his own ideas, and we just need to do as he says—"

“I haven’t decided yet,” Thales suddenly said.

Cohen was speechless.

Thales didn't look back, he just kept going forward:
"By the way, I hadn't made up my mind when I was in Exeter either."

Cohen blinked, staring blankly at the prince's retreating figure.

Golov sighed.

“Your Highness, forgive my bluntness,” he said, catching up with the boy.
"Whatever we're going to do, let's follow Lord Marius's advice and inform Lady Ginny first..."

Marius.

Thales seemed to remember something and paused in his steps.

Grover and Cohen stopped abruptly, thankfully avoiding bumping into the boy's back.

They then realized that they were standing at a street corner, facing the bustling Fuxing Avenue that runs north to south through the kingdom.

Turning right leads back to the Mindis Hall, as for turning left...

“Zombies,” Thales said.
"Kumto said before that Marius had arranged for you to be sent out of the Mindis Hall and picked up outside the palace before you entered the palace?"

Cohen looked up, bewildered:

“Marius—oh, that big brother I saw in Mindis Hall last time?”

Golov ignored him and nodded without hesitation:

"The lord said that what happened at the banquet was no small matter, and anything could happen after you enter the palace."

"He must consider the worst-case scenario and leave you with available manpower so that you are not isolated and helpless while we are leaderless and at a loss."

Thales was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

"That guy, even though he's always going against me, he still has some redeeming qualities, right?"

Golov nodded cautiously.

"Before becoming a Watchman, the Lord was the messenger of the Command Wing. He was responsible for delivering Captain Adrian's orders to each wing, and often, what he said meant what the Captain said."

Thales gave a soft hum.

"Yeah, that guy seems to know a little bit about everything, but he also hides a little bit about everything."

They truly deserve to be called guardians.

Thales sighed inwardly.

"Zombie, how long have you been with the Royal Guard?"

Golov was taken aback, but instinctively replied:
“I am still inexperienced, Your Highness, I have not been here for six years.”

With mixed feelings, Thales' gaze passed through the passing cars and pedestrians, casting his eyes across the gaps between their figures towards the end of the avenue.

Under the setting sun, the majestic and heavy dark pyramid stood silently, like a giant lock descended from the sky, firmly pressing down on the heart of Yongxing City and even the entire Star Kingdom.

"And what about Marius?"

Glov's expression turned serious:
"Lord Marius was among the first guards to be reorganized after His Majesty Kessel's coronation. Over the past decade, countless guards have come and gone, but the Lord has remained with them."

Thales nodded thoughtfully:
"So, eighteen years."

"So he has served around the Palace of Restoration, beside the throne, for eighteen years, which is why he is so skilled, so calm, so serene, and so far-sighted."

Beneath his hood, Thales gazed intently at the dark and ancient palace:
"Whether it was preventing me from showing my face when I entered the city, or handling the situation at the royal banquet, or making arrangements before disaster struck."

"It seems that this is his instinct, his normal way of life—he has seen through it all, adapted to it, gotten used to it, dealt with it as it came, and accepted it all."

Just like a seasoned actor who is used to a stage and a play, repeating similar lines countless times.

Completely oblivious, Cohen stared listlessly at the Palace of Resurgence at the end of the avenue, and yawned without any attempt to hide it.
"Well, it's already evening..."

Thales suddenly spoke, interrupting him:

Do you know what we're facing right now?

Golov frowned.

Thales pondered:

"Wire."

Grover and Cohen were both stunned:

"Wire?"

Thales nodded:

"Yes, just like in a puppet show, the strings holding the idol together have two ends."

"One end is over there, and the other end is over here."

"It involves me, Marius, and even everyone's every move."

Thales stared intently at the massive pyramid in the distance.

When I was little, that palace was like a layer of clouds floating in the sky. Although it was untouchable, it always made people look up and gaze at it.

Now, the moment has finally arrived when I can truly touch it...

Thales slowly extended his left hand, bent his thumb and forefinger, and gently enveloped the Palace of Renewal in the distance between his fingers.

At that moment, it appeared exquisite and perfectly under control.

However, no matter how tightly he tightened his fingers, Thales could only feel the chilling autumn wind brushing past his palm, leaving no trace but only a coldness.

“Just like in Dragonrise City, and in Blade Fang Camp and the Prison of Bones,” the boy frowned.
"In everything that happens, there is always an invisible thread pulling everything together, eventually converging into a torrent that rolls forward."

Cohen was completely confused, but he managed to grasp one term he understood:

"What? You've been to the Prison of Bones? That place where you can only go in and never come out?"

Following Thales's movements, Golov looked towards the Palace of Renewal in the distance and became alert:
"Pulling strings—you mean, whether it was the unexpected incident at the banquet or today's turmoil, you were manipulated and used by others through their manipulation?"

Cohen glanced at the zombie and became equally alert:

"What banquet? What accident? What incident?"

Thales gently shook his head:
"Do not."

"Based on past experience, every time, as long as I understand where the thread is, see through it, grasp it, and cut it, I can see the exit of the maze—even if the exit leads to another maze."

But Thales' expression grew even more somber.

“However, this time,” the boy said solemnly:
"This time it's a bit more special."

He gazed at the small Fuxing Palace resting between his fingers, feeling it growing increasingly illusory and distant.

Golov listened attentively without saying a word.

The next second, the golden sunset shone through Thales' fingers, illuminating the scars on his palms that were difficult to erase due to repeated cuts.

Thinking of this, a dull pain came from my palm, replacing the vague chill.

"It's not that clear, not that specific, and not that direct—the other end of the thread isn't even a specific person."

"Sometimes, I even feel that it might all be just my imagination, and there might not be any thread at all."

Thales lowered his hand and exhaled.

But that's not actually the case.

"The thread is still there, but because it is too numerous, too complicated, too thick and too dense, and tangled together, I can't even begin to work on it, and I can hardly even detect it."

Cohen was in great pain as he listened, but when he saw that Golov was equally confused, he felt much more at ease.

“Because a long time ago, all I had to solve was a single thread,” Thales said, his eyes burning: “The second prince’s right to succession, King Nunn’s wrath, Lumba’s ambition, the Grand Duchess’s rule…”

"Simple, convenient, and efficient."

As evening approached, more and more people began to gather on Fuxing Avenue: those leaving work, those finishing their shifts, those strolling, and those hurrying along. The flow of people and vehicles was constant, and the distant Fuxing Palace was sometimes visible and sometimes hidden by the light.

But Thales stared intently at its outline, his gaze never wavering as the palace occasionally disappeared from view.

"but now……"

“The ownership of the Blade Fang Camp, the struggle in the Western Wilderness, the undercurrents of the Mindis Hall, the shadow of the Restoration Palace, the actions of the Kingdom's Secret Service, the stance of the Seven Star Servants, the significance of the Star Lake Guard,” Thales’s expression grew more solemn with each term he uttered.
"Since I returned to my homeland and stepped into the Star Kingdom, I have been entangled, constrained, and oppressed by more than just one thing, one hand, and one person."

"I need to untangle far more than just one thread."

The chaos in the Western Wilderness, Marius of the Guard, the gaze from the throne, the hostility of the Iris, the unexpected incident at the royal banquet, the war in Exter, the agenda of the Royal Council, the encounter with Mikori...

Countless figures flashed before Thales' eyes, like countless images flashing through his mind:

"Even with each thread I untangle, I find myself entangled in more, deeper, more tangled, and more complex knots of threads—kingdoms, fiefdoms, history, power, and so on."

He took a deep breath.

"I don't know when it started, but what I have to face is no longer a line."

"It is not a net, but a web of countless intertwined threads."

As soon as he finished speaking, Thales suddenly felt that the distant Palace of Renewal began to change from its illusory silhouette, as if it had stepped out of a painting, its sharp edges and corners making it seem real.

Golov tried hard to understand the prince's words.

Cohen was getting sleepy and simply let his mind wander.

"Therefore, it is ethereal and mysterious, empty and without form, hidden in the clouds and mist."

"But it is also more oppressive and suffocating."

"The worst part is that it keeps a close watch on my every move, every word, and every thought."

Thales stared at the Palace of Renewal before him, feeling its heavy, substantial weight growing ever more pronounced and clear, as if it possessed a sharp edge, making him feel extremely uneasy.

"Under its shadow, I am no longer the person I know, no longer the Thales Star who survived in the North."

“Every move I make is tightly bound by it, and I can no longer make choices freely and without any hindrance.”

Thales touched his heart.

"But when I drew my sword and looked around, I was completely bewildered and confused, not knowing where to strike."

Thales exhaled, but his eyes grew even more determined.

“The Net—forgive my dullness, Your Highness,” Golov shook his head:

"I didn't understand some of it."

"Ha, you didn't understand?" Cohen snapped out of his daze and burst into laughter.

"I just—"

Thales glanced at him sideways:
"You understand?"

Cohen's tone immediately turned awkward after receiving that glance:

"I, um, uh..."

“Very good,” Thales raised an eyebrow:
"I knew you'd understand."

Cohen's expression froze on his face.

“What a pity,” Thales sighed.
Nobody else understands.

Golov looked at this and that, completely bewildered.

“It’s okay, we understand, that’s enough.” Thales patted Cohen on the shoulder, looking relieved.

In response, Cohen could only manage an awkward but polite smile.

A few seconds later, Thales burst into laughter.

"Stop joking - actually everyone has experienced that feeling, it's just that most of the time we don't realize it."

Thales' tone turned serious.

"For example, you, a zombie, you are now of noble birth and serve on the throne, but in the past you have experienced many hardships and are covered in mud. The two are intertwined. Every time you try to reach out to one of them, the other wave surges back, suffocating you."

Golov's expression changed slightly.
"Just like you, Cohen, you roamed the battlefield alone with your sword, overcoming all obstacles and difficulties, but in the end you found that you had to face far more than just crime and order, but everything in the lower city."

Cohen paused, lost in thought, and remained silent.

"Like me, you are all facing an entire snare."

Thales sighed, turned around again, facing the seemingly endless Avenue of Rejuvenation and the Palace of Rejuvenation hidden in the crowd.

They remained silent for a long while.

“Then,” Golov’s voice was hoarse and hesitant, as if he had encountered some great difficulty, “what should we do?”

Thales' pupils slowly contracted, but the reflection within them locked the Palace of Restoration firmly in place.

"According to that Black Street Brotherhood leader..."

“First,” Thales recalled the madness of Dragonblood's night, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips:
"We need to change our mindset."

Golov's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes flickered.

Cohen asked, puzzled:
"Brain—how do we replace it?"

Thales lowered his head and looked again at the scar on his palm.

"The net we face can never be severed, escaped, let alone untied."

As Thales spoke, he slowly reached out towards the Palace of Renewal, his five fingers outstretched, covering every corner of the ancient palace.

“But that’s precisely why,” the prince said softly, almost imperceptibly, “you, me, him, them—everyone is involved.”

The boy's tone was cold and his eyes were indifferent, and Golov felt a chill run down his spine.

"Long-term control under its rule."

Thales clenched his fist tightly, completely grasping the Palace of Restoration in his grasp.

"Unable to escape."

The next moment, Thales decisively stepped out of the street corner and onto Fuxing Avenue.

Grover and Cohen exchanged a glance, both puzzled, but Thales had already gone far away, so they had no choice but to chase after him.

Just now.

"Your Highness... Wyman!"

The three of them turned their heads at the same time, and saw another figure in a cloak hurriedly catching up from across the road.

As the other person approached, Thales saw his face clearly and exclaimed in surprise:
"Kumto, you're awake?"

Gianluca Commuto—the second-class royal guard officer who had been taken down by Cohen and Golov at the Leia Club—was panting heavily and trembling with excitement, looking as if he had narrowly escaped death.
"I was terrified! When I woke up, you were all gone, and all I saw was a man pulling down his pants..."

Cohen frowned at Golov, who remained expressionless.

Kommuto's eyes were brimming with tears:
“I went back to the Mindis Hall, but you weren’t there. I went to the Palace of Rejuvenation, but the guards there said you weren’t there either. So I had to run to the DC district to call for help…”

Koumto suddenly spotted Cohen and immediately gritted his teeth:

"Hey, you're that bastard..."

Cohen was startled and quickly pulled his hood down:

"Ahem, Robick, I am Robick Dira..."

“Lobik Dillah…”

As Kongmutuo muttered the name, his expression suddenly changed drastically.

"What a courage!"

He grabbed Cohen by the collar:

"How dare you impersonate Director Robick of the West City Police Department!"

Cohen, caught off guard by his exposed identity, was pulled forward, his head bowed.
“Let me tell you, I’m the inner city guard officer, and I know the internal personnel of the guard hall very well…”

Thales felt a headache coming on and coughed.
"Karabyan".

“This guy is the heir to the Vora Territory and the Twin Towers Longsword, Cohen Karabyan, and he’s currently a guard in the capital.” Komuto paused, taking a few seconds to consider the meaning of the name.

"Oh, it's young master Kalabyan!"

The guard instantly became incredibly enthusiastic, his face beaming with smiles.

He loosened his grip on Cohen's collar and naturally transitioned to adjusting Cohen's clothes.

"What a coincidence! I used to be a security officer too, we're in the same line of work. Oh, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. If I had known you were conducting a covert investigation..."

Cohen stared at him blankly, unable to react.

However, the next second, another voice, choked with sobs, came from afar:
"Your Highness!"

The group was startled: another man in plain clothes, with a stiff posture, limped towards them, drawing the attention of passersby.

Golov recognized the other person's face and covered his forehead in anguish.

"DD?"

Thales frowned:
"Weren't you recovering from your injury?"

Danny Doyle, the first-class bodyguard beside Thales, rushed to the boy with tears welling in his eyes:
“Yes, Your Highness! But, Komuto came to my house looking for me. I heard about what happened at the Mindis Hall—”

"Silence!"

Without any hesitation, Golov grabbed DD, pulled him to the street corner, and, while cautiously looking left and right, whispered:

“Huaiya. Your Highness’s current alias is Huaiya.”

DD was taken aback, then realized what was happening:

“Oh, okay, Wyman! Komuto was being unclear, saying you went to find a woman, and then you found an androgynous woman, then a strong, hard man came along, and then he fainted from the pain, and you all disappeared—”

"Hey, DD! Long time no see!" Cohen appeared next to Doyle excitedly and slapped him on the back!

"Ouch!" Doyle screamed and threw himself into Golov's arms.

"Huh, what's wrong with you?" Cohen stretched out his hand, looking puzzled.
"Why does it walk like a duck, and why does it explode when you pat it?"

Despite the excruciating pain in his back, DD lay on top of Golov and glanced back.

"What are you doing?"

Doyle's face contorted in anger, he pointed his thumb angrily at Cohen, and whispered to Golov:

"Why this guy?"

Without making a sound, Golov pulled him off his body.

“You know, the idiot next to Dian—Waiya—has taken leave, and we can’t find another idiot, so we have to let him fill in.”

Doyle groaned weakly, then looked puzzled:
"Oh, the idiot's substitute... wait, who's that idiot who asked for leave?"

Golov pursed his lips.

Hey! You two!

Cohen waved his hand indignantly from the side:

"Don't talk behind my back—I can hear you! I can hear you! Did you hear me? I can hear you! Did you hear me?"

Golov shrugged at DD.

DD frowned as he looked at Cohen, then at the now-cool Glov, but finally sighed and lowered his head.

“Okay, fine, I’m an idiot then. Maybe I really am,” Doyle said helplessly, patting Cohen on the shoulder.

"Anyway, thank you for taking my place and serving Your Highness."

Now it was Cohen's turn to be surprised:
"Hey? What's wrong with you today? You're acting different than usual. Why aren't you talking back?"

"It's nothing, it's just that before I do something," Doyle tightened his clothes behind his back and grinned bitterly.
"Everyone has to weigh the scales first."

Upon hearing this, even Golov had to take a fresh look at him.

“Holy crap,” Cohen exclaimed, looking at Doyle in surprise.
"You've grown up, you playboy!"

Doyle gave him a melancholy smile in return.

Feeling pleased, Cohen slapped DD hard on the back again without holding back.

Listening to Doyle's screams and watching their reunion, Thales smiled and suddenly felt that today wasn't so bad after all.

But at that moment, a faint, strange feeling welled up inside him.

Ok?
Thales instinctively turned around and looked at the crowd behind him.

The moment he turned his head, the crowd on the street suddenly stirred.

"It's so noisy in the back."

"what happens?"

"Were you in a car accident?"

The other members of the Star Lake Guard also noticed the commotion and turned around in unison.

But the commotion quickly turned into panic as whispers spread through the crowd.

"Quick, get out of the way!"

"Whose horse has spooked!"

"Why did he suddenly go crazy?"

"Someone stop it!"

Thales's expression changed: the strange feeling was getting stronger.

The next moment, a huge black shadow appeared in the street and rushed out of the crowd!
We are getting closer and closer to them.

Grover, Cohen, DD, and Komuto all witnessed this scene and their expressions changed.

"It's heading this way!"

"Run!"

The panicked whispers turned into terrified screams, and people on the street scattered and fled to avoid the shadowy figure!
The shadowy figure moved so loudly that it stirred up countless gusts of wind.

It loomed over Thales and his group with overwhelming speed, arriving in an instant!

"Be careful--"

Before Thales could react, Golov pounced on him and pinned him to the ground.

"What the hell—" Before DD could finish his surprised words, he was tackled to the ground by Cohen and Komuto.

Thales only felt a huge black shadow sweep over his head, bringing with it a gust of wind as sharp as blades, making their cloaks flutter incessantly!
And that strange feeling reached its peak.

Click, click...

The dark figure landed behind them, leaving a rhythmic thud as it moved further and further away.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Golov struggled to his feet.

"Damn beast!"

Thales, once again receiving VIP service from the royal guards, painfully spat out the dust in his mouth, barely managing to peek his head out from the zombie's embrace.

Doyle pushed away the two burly men on top of him, wincing in pain from both whip marks and falls.
"Where did this beast come from, daring to offend the royal family—holy crap, it's back!"

Clunk clunk clunk—

The rapid sound of horses' hooves rang out again, startling everyone once more.
The huge black shadow in the distance suddenly turned around, then turned back again and charged towards them!
"Whose idiot horse is this, galloping through the middle of the city? I'll teach it a lesson!" Cohen angrily rolled up his sleeves.

“No, an ordinary frightened horse wouldn’t be this persistent. It might have been drugged and is specifically targeting Your Highness!” Kongmutuo analyzed warily.

"Ouch, stop talking! Someone help me up..." This is DD groaning in pain.

Driven to rage, Golov leaped to his feet, gritted his teeth, and drew his sword:
"Kill it!"

"Wait a minute." But Thales suddenly reached out, pressed his hand firmly against his sword, and stood up.

The boy took a deep breath, ran a few steps, and opened his arms to the approaching black shadow!

Golov instinctively reached out to stop the prince, but missed.

Everyone gasped.

The dark figure, moving with lightning speed, swept through the dust and rushed towards Thales!
"No, no, no, no—" DD was horrified.

The next second, the black shadow stomped its hooves on the ground, greatly slowing down and kicking up a cloud of dust!
Before the stunned crowd, the dark figure went from a frantic sprint to a brisk walk, then to a normal gait, and finally, with elegant little steps, it came to Thales and obediently lowered its head.

"Beautiful, didn't hit anything, and your obstacle-crossing technique is much more refined," Thales smiled and reached out to stroke the black horse.
"Good girl."

The black horse had bright eyes and snorted happily.

It leaned forward and clamped Thales tightly between its chin and neck, rubbing it back and forth.

“Yes, I know, I missed you too,” Thales said, feeling a little helpless at its affectionate “hug,” but the initial tremor in his heart turned into a sense of peace. He gently stroked its mane and said softly:
"Jenny."

The Starlake Guardians—and Cohen—stared in disbelief at the scene.

“Hey DD, you've read a lot, tell me, what kind of scene is this?” Cohen nudged Doyle blankly.

“Um, let me—don’t touch my back—let me think,” Doyle said, frowning as he watched Thales so engrossed in his joy that he paid no attention to their situation.

"Have you found someone new?"

Kommuto, observing the situation, waved his hands to disperse the curious crowd that had gathered behind the mess:

"Disperse, disperse, everyone disperse! The guard is here! What's so interesting? Haven't you ever seen a second-generation official speeding—or even riding a horse?"

His sternness had some effect, and the crowd slowly dispersed, but it wasn't as effective as Golov's methods—the zombie walked up with a cold face, took the money pouch from DD's waist without saying a word, tore it open, and scattered coins and vouchers into the distance.

Amid DD's indignant protests and the boisterous scramble of the crowd, Golov and the others escorted Thales and his new mount away from the "crime scene."

But he hadn't gone far when Golov turned around warily: several figures, ignoring the coins scattered on the ground, rushed towards him against the flow of the crowd, panting heavily.

"Uncle, it's just ahead, right ahead!"

"Take it easy, kid. Where did you put the lasso?"

"That thing is useless! Remember last time the mute guy got caught in it? It made him run around and fly a kite all afternoon..."

"Humph."

"We must lure it with the best horse feed!"

"Or perhaps wear His Highness's clothes..."

"Damn it, how many times has this happened? It bullies the weak and fears the strong—when that deadpan guy was around, it never dared to be this arrogant..."

"Nobody stop me! This time, I'm going to chop this mad horse up and feed it to the mute!"

"Humph."

The Xinghu Guards stood in formation alertly, blocking the way of the approaching people.

The chatter abruptly stopped as the newcomers halted and stared warily at the Xinghu Guards.

Golov frowned:
There were four people who arrived. Although they were travel-worn, they were all fully armed. The older one carried a sword and a shield, the younger one had a spear strapped to his back, and the other one was wearing a strange mask that covered his chin and lower half of his face.

Their leader was a handsome young man with a long sword at his waist, staring intently at the black horse that was affectionately cuddling with Thales.

But their positioning—Grover became increasingly vigilant—was extremely professional, spreading out to the left and right, guarding each other's blind spots.

He wasn't a gangster, but a veteran who had been on the battlefield and seen blood.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

Cohen suddenly cried out, his face lighting up with joy, and rushed between the two groups of men.

When strangers saw Cohen, their expressions changed accordingly; some were pleasantly surprised, some were disgusted, and some were surprised and then disgusted.

"Yes, we know each other!"

Cohen's lips moved, his hands and feet gesticulated wildly, and he opened his arms to the young man in the lead:

"Let me introduce this, this is mine—"

But the young man simply walked past Cohen, ignoring his embrace.

Cohen's arms went awry, leaving him awkwardly holding them up.

Until he saw the next person.

Before them, a strange man wearing a silver mask snorted coldly and glared resentfully at the guard.

"mine……"

Cohen's smile turned incredibly ugly, his arms went limp, and his voice trembled:
"--friend?"

On the other side, the handsome young man's breathing quickened, his chest heaving as he walked step by step toward Thales, his face full of disbelief.

"Your Highness... Your Highness?"

Similarly, Thales, holding Jenny's hand, looked back at him and gave him a faint smile:

"Wyman".

The dashing young man—Huaiya, whom he hadn't seen in a long time—took a deep breath, his disbelief turning to ecstatic joy, and he hurried to catch up with him:
"Your Highness, it's you, it really is you!"

But Golov coldly raised his arm, blocking Wyatt and Thales.

Wyatt regained consciousness and came to a sudden stop in front of Thales.

He glanced at Golov, forced himself to recall the Starry Night etiquette he had once practiced, and embarrassedly straightened his disheveled appearance, which had been messy from days of travel, before bowing respectfully and stiffly.

Thales opened his mouth, but could only utter a few words:
"Yes, it's me."

Wyman blinked hard, steadied his breathing, and turned around in surprise:
“I was just talking to the mute person…”

The masked man gave a hoarse snort and turned his head away.

Wyatt ignored him, only staring excitedly at Thales, rambling incoherently:

“You don’t know, when you were kidnapped in Dragon City… Uncle Jenard said it was all your plan, but I can’t believe it…”

The elderly man, carrying a sword and shield, gave a faint smile.

"The Meteorite checked each and every one of us from head to toe... until he returned to Dragon Sky City covered in wounds..."

Wyman was so excited that he became incoherent.

"Until news of your return to the kingdom arrived, we—"

But Thales smiled, a smile of satisfaction.

The next second, he stepped over Golov, and also over the distance between the prince and the attendant, and stretched out his arms wide, giving Wyatt a firm hug to the attendant's astonished gaze.

Everyone's expression changed simultaneously.

"Thank you, Wyman."

Thales rested his chin on Wyman's shoulder, trying to suppress the tremor in his voice:

"Thank you for coming back."

Wyatt was also stunned. He stared at the prince's unseemly yet sincere actions, unsure of what to do with his hands.

"Your Highness, Your Highness?"

Thales took a deep breath and suddenly felt that the web he was in no longer seemed so thick and deep:
"You don't know, you don't know what this means to me."

Wyman hesitated for a few seconds, but he eventually smiled, naturally hugged the boy back, and patted his back gently.

“I know, Your Highness, I know—just like before.”

Yes.

Thales closed his eyes.

just like before.

"Holy crap, I've never seen anything like this before," DD exclaimed, now completely dumbfounded. He stared intently at the newcomer being embraced by the prince.

"what's the situation?"

Cohen sighed, reflecting on his military career, and said with a sigh:

"Old feelings remain."

Next chapter: Anti-theft

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(End of this chapter)