Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 615 Not enough

Chapter 615 Not enough
"You, you can't do this."

Thales's distraught voice echoed in Ballard's room.

But the boy was met with the king's indifferent reply, as if this thrilling confrontation had already ended:

"go out."

Thales' breath hitched as his fingernails dug into his palms, causing pain.

No.

It's not over yet.

It can't end...

Thales took a deep breath, making one last effort:
"That orphan girl, who was supposed to be a bargaining chip to force the Western Wilderness, was actually just an excuse—although the excuse was very shocking."

He leaned forward against the table, gritting his teeth, and said:

"And the real bargaining chip, as you said, is me."

But the king remained unmoved, his expression indifferent:

"Are you going to preserve your dignity and leave on your own, or wait for the royal guards to come in and drag you out?"

Thales deliberately ignored what the other person said and steered the conversation back to the topic:

"Without me, Falkenhausen wouldn't have gone along with you."

"Without me, Amory's orphan, she is worthless in your hands."

But King Kessel had clearly lost interest; he lowered his head in thought again and stopped responding.

Damn, damn, damn.

Seeing that the other party was unmoved by reason, Thales felt anxious.

"The Duke of the Western Wilderness will not let you have your way."

Thales unconsciously raised his voice:

"Since he dared to risk offering up his bargaining chips, he must have been prepared, and might even have provoked a fierce backlash from the Western Wilderness people, leading to a chaotic situation..."

But he was disappointed.

King Kessel remained unresponsive.

“By then…” Thales stopped speaking, looking at the king who was deep in thought with his eyes closed, feeling both tired and annoyed.

How to do.

How to do?
Anxiety and resentment flared up in his chest at the same time, causing the sin of the River of Hell to become inappropriately excited, making Thales even more irritable.

The man before me was stubborn, headstrong, unyielding, unwilling to compromise, and self-willed, refusing to listen to advice.

If you try to force them, they won't submit; if you try to persuade them, they won't take the bait.

Its body is covered in barbs, making it repulsive.

How come someone like that wasn't beaten to death when he was young?
How did he become a king?
Were all the nobles who made him king blind?

"Hey!"

The king's attitude infuriated the boy, who abruptly stood up and slammed his fist on the table: "Hey! Buddy!"

Didn't you hear what I said?

King Kessel seemed to have turned back into a statue, remaining completely still.

"I'm fucking talking to you!"

Thales abandoned all etiquette and shouted rudely:
"Kaiser, fucking Star!"

A snapping sound came from behind me.

The door to Ballard's room opened.

What followed was a chilling wind and a cautious inquiry: "Your Majesty, we are preparing—"

"The king is still alive!"

The prince, enraged, interrupted the visitor.

"If it really comes to regicide and patricide, then for the sake of the Goddess of the Setting Sun."

Without turning his head, he roared angrily:

"I'll give you a heads-up before I make my move, you son of a bitch, Vanguard Commander Maric!"

Thales's roar echoed down the corridor, eliciting whispers from the royal guards outside the door.

A few seconds later, someone must have given a hint, because the air became completely quiet.

Across the long table, King Kessel, upon hearing this, finally opened his eyes and frowned.

“Very well,” Thales said, looking at the king and exhaling, his anger still simmering.

"I thought you had a stroke, Father."

A friendly cough came from behind, but it wasn't Marico.

"Sorry, Your Highness."

The voice of Lord Adrian, the chief commander of the Royal Guard, came along with the sound of his footsteps:
"I'm just here... to deliver dinner."

Thales turned around and saw the chief guard skillfully carrying two trays, steadily walking into the room.

Royal guards remained outside, still on high alert.

Thales was somewhat surprised, but as he slowly regained his senses and calmed his breathing, he felt increasingly disappointed.

ended.

The royal guards entered.

That means...

“I know, dinner is Baron Quentin’s job.”

Lord Adrian approached the King and deftly served him food, easing the tension slightly.

"But after settling accounts with several glass merchants, he developed a severe headache and took sick leave..."

King Kessel interrupted him directly:

"No need, Adrian."

The king gave Thales a cold glance, then looked at the vigilant guards outside the door:
"We've finished our talks."

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

Captain Adrian, who had just set out the king's meal, also paused upon hearing this.

He stopped smiling, turned to Thales, and seemed to be deep in thought:
"Really? So fast?"

King Kessel remained motionless.

Thales took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

His heart gradually grew cold.

"You really don't care, do you?"

Filled with despair and exhaustion, Thales said dejectedly:
“I don’t understand. If the entire kingdom is destroyed, what’s the point of everything you’ve done—going to war, reforming, raising taxes?

"What's the point?"

His mournful question was spoken in a very loud voice, and his words echoed in the corridor.

When confronted with the prince's question, King Kessel ignored him, only offering a disdainful smirk.

Adrian's expression changed, and he quickly turned to the door, signaling his men to close it.

After doing all this, Adrian sighed and carried the tray to Thales' side.

"Don't bother, Adrian, he won't be eating here."

The king said coldly.

"Of course, but..."

Adrian put down his plate, picked up a small flask, filled Thales' glass with wine, and forced a smile:

"As far as I know, Your Highness, you haven't had a proper meal all day. At least have a glass of wine to wake yourself up."

"Northern rye from the North, I hope it suits your taste."

But Thales had no interest in dinner at this moment; he was just staring intently at King Kessel, his eyes bloodshot.
"I do not drink."

“Oh, yes, I’ve heard Marius mention it.”

Upon hearing this, Adrian could only take away the wine jug and sighed:
"It's a pity. From harvesting the raw materials, brewing and aging in cellars, long-distance transportation, to selecting food in the kitchen, countless people have overcome numerous difficulties and gone to great lengths to deliver it to you..."

Countless people overcame countless difficulties, one after another... just to... deliver it to you...

Just like himself, he fought hard just to sit here.

but……

Listening to Adrian's words, Thales looked at the expressionless king and felt a deep sadness.

Snapped!
There was a crisp sound.

Adrian turned his head in surprise: the wine glass in front of Thales had been swept to the ground and shattered.

"Your Highness—"

Before Adrian could finish speaking, he was startled again: Thales' hand appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the wine jug in his hand, and pulled it away without any room for argument.

The prince kept his eyes fixed on the king. He lifted the lid of the pot, aimed it at the spout, tilted his head back, and poured the contents in one gulp!
"puff!"

As soon as the liquor entered his throat, Thales swallowed only one sip before spitting it out in a sorry state.

Damn.

“This wine is definitely not from the North,” the prince said, coughing painfully as he stared at King Kessel with red eyes, savoring the taste he could never get used to.
"It's from further north, damn Exter's stuff!"

“Is that so?” Adrian was slightly surprised.
"Then I admire them even more. How far must they have gone..."

"Adrien."

The king interrupted the captain of the guard with a cold expression:

"Escort Prince Thales back to Mindis Hall."

Panting, Thales clenched his fists.

Adrian's smile vanished, and he turned and bowed.

"Yes?"

The long-serving chief of security, sensing the unresolved tone of his reply, awaited further instructions.

King Kessel paused briefly and gave Thales a deep look.

“My son is young and impetuous, and just beginning to fall in love. He is dissatisfied with the marriage arrangements and hastily stormed into the palace to demand an explanation.”

Thales breathed in a daze.

Seeing a colossal disaster that could have shaken the throne reduced to a trivial romantic affair for casual conversation, Adrian beamed with delight:

"I see."

Until the king's next words:

"I was furious and ordered a severe punishment, with no leniency."

Severely punish them.

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

The head of the guard also frowned:
"His Majesty?"

King Kessel gave a soft hum, then continued:
"Fortunately, the courtiers persuaded us to stop, and we were able to have a face-to-face talk and finally clear up the misunderstanding."

The misunderstanding has been cleared up.

Adrian nodded, letting out a barely perceptible sigh of relief:

"I see."

"Those who witnessed the incident today—the royal guards, the Star Guards, the palace servants, and the visiting officials and nobles," King Kessel's tone was quite amused:

"Make sure they can answer 'accurately' when asked by others."

“Of course,” Adrian’s smile faded slightly, “they have excellent memories and won’t make mistakes.”

As he listened to them making arrangements for their "afterlife," Thales, knowing that all was lost, sneered.

"Correct collective memory?"

Thales looked at the king and said something that made Adrian look at him with a sidelong glance:

"I can't convince you with the power of national interests, can I?"

Even if you bring out the Bloodstained Years to wield as a sword, you remain unmoved.

Thales' smile vanished, and he said coldly:
When will you finally understand that the stars don't belong to you alone?

"tyrant?"

Adrian's expression changed drastically.

Iron Fist King finally raised his head and looked Thales in the eye.

"Adrien."

This time, the king's answer was completely unwavering:
"Those followers who instigated the prince to break the law and escorted him into the palace today..."

Thales' heart tightened.
"Whether they are guards, servants, attendants, or lovers, commoners or nobles, descendants of the Seven Attendants or members of a conferred family, make a list and submit it to the Noble Affairs Bureau, the Guard Bureau, the Discipline Bureau, the Flag Wing, and the Secret Service."

The king looked at Thales and narrowed his eyes:

"They know what to do."

Thales trembled slightly.

Wyatt, Rolf, Grover, DD, Cohen...

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Adrian replied without hesitation.
"I'll do it right away."

The prince stared at King Kessel, his breathing erratic.

But it's not over yet.

"As for the negligence of the Mindis Hall that allowed the assassin to infiltrate the royal banquet," the king raised his chin, glancing down at Thales:
"Tell the flag bearer, Vogel: This concerns the prince's safety and the royal family's reputation..."

"We must conduct a thorough investigation and strict review."

The king paused, his eyes turning cold:

"punish severely."

punish severely.

Thales' senses began to fade.

"Also, let Marius go back to his post. Perhaps you're right, he's not suited for the position."

King Kessel withdrew his gaze and gave a soft hum:
"We will choose another captain of the prince's guard: Vogel or Maric would be good choices."

Adrian did not speak upon hearing this, but simply bowed again.

At that moment, Thales' nails dug tighter and tighter into his palm, almost tearing flesh apart.

"You're not going to make it."

The prince's voice rang out coldly in the room, filled with resentment and anger.

"You'll only drag the entire star down to hell."

"Just like the former king."

Upon hearing this, the indoor temperature seemed to drop even further.

The king remained silent for a moment, and Adrian also lowered his head and said nothing.

"That's it, Adrian."

King Kessel said calmly but with an undeniable authority:

"Now, take him and get out of here."

Thales chuckled and lowered his head.

"As ordered."

Adrian bowed, but then suddenly paused, startled:
“Oh, Your Majesty, I’ve remembered something…”

The captain of the guard looked up, while the king glanced back at him indifferently.

Adrian hesitated and said:

"Everyone saw me bring dinner in along the way."

King Kessel frowned:

"So?" "So, if the misunderstanding about the palace intrusion is truly cleared up, and we can reconcile..."

Adrian tentatively said:
"At that moment, His Highness Thales should be feeling ashamed and embarrassed, while you are extending a tolerant and loving invitation to him to have dinner together?"

have dinner together.

King Kessel frowned.

Thales looked up in confusion.

what.

Adrian smiled kindly and waved his hand toward the door:

"So that everyone can remember 'accurately'?"

precise.

The king remained silent for a moment, while Thales looked at Adrian with surprise.

"The royal council is not over," King Kessel said coldly.

“I didn’t spend the whole night with him either.”

Adrian's eyes lit up.

"Oh, speaking of this, Your Majesty, please do not worry."

"Half an hour ago, Baron Quentin had already arranged for the guests of the Imperial Council to stay and eat at the palace tonight, so that you may summon him at any time if needed for your official duties."

King Kessel's expression changed slightly.

Lord Adrian nodded with a smile, gesturing towards the food on the table:
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, you do indeed have a whole night."

King Kessel paused for a few seconds, then frowned and questioned:
“You just said that Quentin felt unwell after paying the glass bill and took the day off.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow:
"Is it?"

Faced with the king's cold gaze, the captain of the guard chuckled, his face showing a mixture of embarrassment and helplessness, as if he had been exposed.
"Alright, then I'll take Your Highness out now and see if we can keep a low profile and avoid attracting too much attention..."

Adrian sighed, walked towards Thales, and smiled apologetically.

Just now.

"okay."

The king coldly interrupted him.

King Kessel glanced at Thales and said disdainfully:
"He stayed."

"Take your time carefully, and then take him away later."

Adrian's eyes lit up, and he answered fluently:

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Thales stared blankly at Adrian.

What's this?
"But before you leave."

The king then changed the subject at the opportune moment.

King Kessel nodded his chin toward Thales:
"Take this idiot to Maric and tell him that the king disciplines his son strictly and has appointed him to replace the Wing of Punishment to carry out punishments on members of the royal family."

Strict parenting?

Thales gritted his teeth.

He stared at the king, a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind.

Adrian was silent for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, speaking of which, I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, I just remembered..."

The captain of the guard looked up, his face beaming.

“Marico has left for some reason—I have just sent him to Mindis Hall to join the Flag Wing and to offer my condolences to the Starlake Guard brothers who are being held in custody for some reason.”

The king sneered:
"Just now? Left for some reason? Like Quentin taking sick leave?"

“Yes, just like Quentin—” Adrian answered without thinking, but realized his mistake halfway through the sentence, and chuckled:

"Ah, perhaps it's still different."

There was a moment of silence in the room.

The king turned his head and glanced at Thales, whose expression was complicated:
"You take good care of him."

"of course."

Adrian answered without blinking, his words flowing smoothly and without hesitation, as if he couldn't decipher the unspoken meaning:
“Marico is still young, he should run errands and exercise more.”

boom!
The king slammed his hand on the chair.

"Adrien."

King Kessel snorted angrily, his gaze sharp as a sword:

"Are you determined to go against my wishes?"

Adrian's expression turned serious.

"My mistake, Your Majesty."

He took a step back and bowed deeply.

"Perhaps it goes against your wishes."

The captain of the guard said respectfully:
"But it suits your needs."

King Kessel stared coldly at his captain of the guard, his eyes blazing with anger.

Just what you need.

Thales watched silently as Adrian confronted the king.

have dinner together.

He suddenly understood what the other person was doing.

But what's the use of that?

His battle in the Palace of Rejuvenation...

Ten seconds of silence.

King Kessel did not answer, but the anger in his eyes slowly subsided.

"It was Gilbert, he's the one who begged you to intercede?"

Adrian looked up, initially confused, then suddenly realizing:

“What? Oh, Your Majesty, if you wish to summon Count Cassel, I will…”

King Kessel exhaled, a hint of helplessness and annoyance in his expression.

"That's enough, get out."

The king impatiently flung his hand away:
"I'll give you five minutes. Come back and take him away."

Lord Adrian nodded, acquiescing in agreement.

"As you wish."

But the captain of the guard suddenly stopped in his tracks:
"But from an outsider's perspective, for His Highness to have a peaceful meal and conversation here before leaving with me, at the very least..."

Adrian said awkwardly:

"About fifteen minutes?"

A quarter of an hour?

The king and Thales both paused for a second.

Bang!

The next second, King Kessel, unable to bear it any longer, smashed his wine glass and glared at Adrian: "Ed—"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Lord Adrian bowed and replied hastily, before the king could speak:
"Then fifteen minutes!"

After speaking, without waiting for the king's response, Adrian turned and left, but stopped halfway there.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I must take your knife and fork away.”

The captain of the guard walked over to Thales, glanced at the stunned prince, and apologetically took away the cutlery from beside the plate:
"I believe that a spoon is enough—after all, people in the Far East can eat with just two thin sticks."

Thales looked at the captain of the guard with a complicated expression.

“Thank you, Lord,” he said hoarsely.

Thank you and Gilbert for getting this for me...

A quarter of an hour.

But that's the end of it.

What else could he... do?

“You’re welcome, Your Highness,” Adrian said with a smile, weighing the knife and fork in his hand.
"By the way, your sword is quite heavy; it's not easy to hold."

Thales gave a wry smile, completely ignoring the king opposite him whose expression was almost frozen solid.

“That’s not mine, it belongs to Karabyan…”

But Adrian didn't let him continue, and instead spoke on his own:
"But things became much easier once we found its scabbard."

The captain of the royal guard nodded meaningfully.

"After all, swords have been around since ancient times..."

"It is impossible to escape its sheath."

It is impossible to escape its sheath.

The next second, Thales suddenly looked up!

"what?"

He looked at Adrian in surprise.

Lord Adrian smiled slightly, winked, and then turned and left, stepping out of Ballard's Chamber as the door opened and closed.

Thales stared blankly in the direction he had left.

Tormund Marius.

You son of a bitch, Watchman, my most hated captain of the guard.

Isn't he being interrogated by the flag bearer and too busy to take care of himself?

You still have time to meddle in my affairs?

Thales clenched his fist.

The door is closed.

Silence returned to the room.

"It seems you are quite popular." The king gazed thoughtfully at the gate.

"And this makes you uneasy?" Thales took a deep breath, returned to reality, and looked at his father.

The king snorted coldly.

“Eat,” King Kessel said nonchalantly, picking up his knife and fork.
"Unless you want to be whipped while starving, that's not a pleasant experience."

Thales picked up his spoon and looked at his soup bowl.

He was unable to fight against the king.

He cannot become another sword.

Just like the Temple and the Imperial Wind, their origins fundamentally determined that they were bound to fight each other, like fire and water.

Neither side will easily back down to the other.

And he, Thales, gazed at his own reflection in the bowl.

Therefore, he could not use the bargaining chips given to him by Falkenhausen to negotiate with King Kessel.

He could not use the sword given to him by the people of the Western Wilderness to curry favor with the Fuxing Palace.

That won't work.

Thales gripped the spoon in his hand and frowned slightly.

not enough.

He hasn't given enough.

not enough.

Far from enough.

The sins of the River of Hell surged forth, flooding his mind, yet they made his thoughts even clearer.

He has to pay more.

More.

Swords and blades from ancient times have always found their way to their sheaths.

Sealing away a thousand blades, that's what they call evil.

Thales gazed at King Kessel, who was eating silently, and slowly became lost in thought, gradually realizing the truth.

Are you ready?
Deep inside, a voice gently reminded him:
Thales?
The next second, the prince suddenly looked up!

"I know."

Thales stared steadily at King Kessel, his tone calm and unperturbed:

“I know you can’t be kept in the dark about Emory.”

"As long as I'm still thinking of using it as leverage, I can't hide it from you, and I can't convince you."

But Thales changed his tone:
"However, you will not succeed, even if you have that orphan girl in your hands."

"But it's neither because Falkenhausen is unwilling to compromise, nor because you lack the means."

King Catherine V remained silent, simply focusing on his meal.

Thales took a deep breath, and his next words were addressed both to the king and to himself:
"It's because: it was destined."

His response was only a cold snort from the king.

But Thales was neither discouraged nor impatient; he used a spoon to pierce through a section of what looked like a sausage.
"Your Majesty, I have just figured something out."

"That is, whether there is a 'Sand King' or not, whether you want to centralize power, expand the military, reform, or enrich the country, no matter how many years pass, you are destined to lose everything."

Across the long table, King Kessel paused, cutting meat with his knife.

The prince's expression remained unchanged as he continued to focus intently on his plate.
"Just a reminder: how did the 'Sand King' fail?"

"From vision and purpose to conception, from planning and preparation to execution, it was grand, meticulous and logical, but it failed at the last moment and was forced to settle for second best, fold and cut losses, and consider losing as winning."

"What exactly went wrong?"

The king did not answer, but he slowly raised his eyes and looked at Thales.

"Is it the Imperial Council holding everyone back? The Kingdom's Secret Service being more than capable of failure? The Standing Army being too eager for quick success? The Wings of Legends being short-sighted? The Western Wilderness Lords being shrewd and vigilant? Or are the Desert forces being unruly and refusing to cooperate with your performance?"

The prince chuckled and tore off a piece of sausage, but couldn't taste anything at all.

"Or is it that no one here has a problem, or that everyone has a problem?"

King Kessel did not move, his gaze fixed on Thales.

“Wait a minute,” Thales squinted:

"You don't really think it was my fault, do you?"

The king still did not respond.

But Thales didn't expect the other party to answer.

"Do not……"

The boy chuckled:
"The truth is: even if everything goes smoothly for the 'Sand King,' and everyone performs their duties diligently..."

The second prince's eyes flashed sharply:
"It is also destined to fail."

"Because there is one link in the chain that is itself the biggest problem."

Thales completely abandoned table manners, chewing as he pointed at King Kessel with his spoon: