Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 618 Behind the Door
Night had fallen, and the temperature was getting colder.

In the corridors outside Ballard, the Royal Guard deployed as few as possible (for secrecy) and as many as possible (for sufficiency), forming the most efficient and rigorous defensive and siege formation, filling every corner within sight.

The innermost guards maintained absolute silence and focus, standing ready for battle.

They were all elites drawn from the Six Wings, possessing both experience and ability, and while their hands were on their weapons, they kept a close watch on the door of the Imperial Conference Room.

It was as if what was locked behind that door was not something else, but the most mysterious, cruel, and terrifying beast in the Fuxing Palace, grinding its teeth and licking its claws, hissing and growling, ready to break through the door at any moment and devour someone.

But they cannot be cowardly, let alone retreat.

They are the Emperor's Imperial Guards, a lineage passed down through the ages, bound by an oath to protect this gate until the Emperor's decree is rescinded.

Or perhaps the throne is about to be closed.

The lights flickered, and the corridor was desolate.

Time ticked by, and anxiety spread through the air as the fingers pressed harder and harder against the sword hilt.

But the heavy stone gate remained unmoved and silent.

Faced with countless increasingly sharp gazes, it remained calm and composed, dutifully keeping all the ferocious beasts firmly behind it.

Just like the past six hundred years.

Six doctors specializing in trauma first aid, toxicology, pharmacology, and other related fields were urgently summoned by the court baron and ordered to wait on the outskirts. Confused and anxious, they dared not ask too many questions and could only brace themselves in the suffocating atmosphere, trembling with fear amidst endless speculation and prayer.

While they were also waiting, behind the third row of guards, several high-ranking officials and nobles remained calm and composed, even strolling leisurely and chatting in hushed tones.

But as time went by, their expressions remained the same, only their pace quickened and the intervals between their conversations became shorter.

The air was deathly still, the palace was deep and silent.

The messengers and trusted servants bowed their heads, appearing constantly from the corners, seeping into the crowd and disappearing in a hurry, their presence unpredictable and fleeting, leaving only ghostly whispers and fleeting shadows in the ears of a few and on the dimly lit walls.

Time may still be moving forward, but it seems to be slowing down, pausing, and appreciating the changes it has brought to its surroundings:

In the silence, the guards had never felt their breathing so heavy, enough to raise two inches of dust in front of their noses.

They never realized that their hearing was so sensitive that even the cracking sound of bones and joints could make soldiers two feet away tense up.

Their eyelids are so afraid of loneliness that every now and then they touch each other up and down as if to greet one another, for fear of being left alone.

As for their hearts, they are so strong and powerful.

So much so that when the heartbeats of hundreds of people in the palace merged together, growing faster and heavier, it felt as if a colossal monster called the Palace of Restoration had just emerged from a long slumber and was slowly awakening.

And that stone door—which everyone was staring intently at—was like its menacing eyes about to open.

This terrified everyone.

what happened?

What will happen?
What should they do if...?
Should I draw my sword?
Should we back down?
The political acumen gained from years of guarding the palace made the royal guards, while trying to remain calm, also uneasy.

They wanted to turn their heads, look at each other, and exchange emotions.

At least we find some solace in the same doubts, and in the company of others who are there to guide us, we can eliminate confusion and loneliness.

The guards' orders were clear and unambiguous.

This sword is wielded only by the Emperor's command, and broken only by the Emperor's decree; it has no other use.

Deeply ingrained habits, honed through countless repetitions of training, enable them to restrain themselves and remain vigilant.

This forced them to clear their minds of distractions and refocus their gaze, which had become slightly scattered due to the long wait, on the heavy stone door that they had guarded countless times, but had never made them so anxious and tense...

"boom!"

Everyone was startled!
Suddenly, a crack appeared in the center of the dark stone door that seemed like it would never open again.

"boom……"

The behemoth opened its eyes.

That was everyone's first thought.

With a mechanical and unpleasant grinding sound, the stone door, like dark eyelids, slowly parted to the sides.

A golden-red light radiated from the crack in the door, resembling both the glow of lamplight and the crimson hue of blood.

The stone gate stopped after only a few seconds.

It opened only a narrow gap, just wide enough for one person to pass through, and shone with a golden-red light, just like the half-open eyes of a beast.

In a state between sleep and wakefulness, neither fully awake nor fully asleep.

It seems this behemoth is trapped in a nightmare.

A cold wind swept in from behind the door, and the royal guards in the first row became extremely vigilant, taking a step back in unison!
"This door to the Fuxing Palace... well, it's quite heavy."

Before them stood a colossal, dark beast that opened its deep, ominous maw, its expression both mocking and sinister:

"But it's not completely still either."

Peeking out from the narrow, beastly eyes, was an even darker, more imposing figure. He pressed against the stone doors on either side, panting and chuckling softly.
"What do you think?"

The royal guards instinctively reached out and moved, drawing their weapons and forming ranks!

Seeing this scene, the dark figure in the center of the door remained silent for a while, then sighed.

“Fine,” the shadowy figure turned sideways and squeezed through the narrow crack in the door, “If you’re not going to help, then forget it.”

"I...I'll do it myself."

The dark figure gritted his teeth, his face contorted, and forced his way through the crack in the door of Ballard's Chamber, finally letting the light illuminate his face—Prince Thales, pale-faced, stepped into the corridor and looked at the surging crowd before him, everyone staring at him as if facing a formidable enemy.

Wow.

I'd believe you if you told me they were there to hunt dragons.

The weary boy looked back at Ballard Chamber, then at the royal guards blocking the way, and felt somewhat helpless.

Emerging from the eerie and treacherous hall...

Walk into the heavily guarded encirclement...

Does this scene seem familiar?

After scrutinizing the prince, the guards in the first row remained silent for only a moment before simultaneously drawing their swords and advancing!

"Hold on!"

Lord Adrian, the captain of the guard, spoke as he pushed through the crowd, occasionally patting his overly tense subordinates to help them relax.

"It's okay, relax, relax, it's over."

Adrian's voice seemed to have a calming magic; wherever he went, the swords would lower.

"Your Highness, it's only been a quarter of an hour!"

The captain greeted Thales with ease, glancing at Ballard's room through the crack in the door as he spoke: "I was just about to go in and serve dessert..."

"No need, Lord Adrian, dinner time is over."

Thales exhaled, casually put his arm around Adrian's shoulder, and leaned forward, squeezing through the stiff postures of those around him into the royal guard's blockade formation.

Adrian saw what was happening through the crack in the door, frowned, and turned around:
"That you……"

“Don’t worry,” Thales waved his hand dismissively.
"To prevent you from being curious..."

Faced with the guards, who remained wary and suspicious, he took a deep breath, cupped his hands to his mouth, and roared at the ceiling:

"The king is not dead yet!"

Thales used the Sin of the River of Hell, and his voice boomed like thunder, making it clear to everyone in the corridor.

The lights flashed rapidly, and the crowd erupted in uproar.

Thales patted the two astonished royal guards in front of him, wearily pushed them aside, and added a remark that made everyone around him change color again:
"He's not dead yet."

Adrian frowned, glanced at Thales' retreating figure, then turned back and gestured for his men to open the stone door and enter the Ballard Chamber to consult the king:
"His Majesty……"

On the other side, Thales pushed his way through a crowd of people, some surprised, some nervous, and regardless of whether they were servants, doctors, guards, or soldiers, he spoke loudly without any restraint:

"If you're waiting for the king to give the order to arrest or release me, forget it!"

"He doesn't dare arrest me because I have something on him!"

The crowd's astonishment and commotion grew.

"He can't let me go either, because he's the king, after all."

Thales squeezed past the third row of guards and was pleased to see them beginning to consciously make way for each other:

"So please, everyone, have some compassion and understand the King's predicament!"

"Just pretend...you didn't see me?"

The guards were incredulous, exchanging glances or seeking help from their superiors, but the chief guard was still in Ballard's Chamber, so their efforts were naturally in vain.

"Excuse me, excuse me!"

Thales strode forward amidst the astonished yet wary gazes of countless onlookers, parting the clouds to reveal the sun, yet appearing listless:
"The event is over, time to catch the subway home, I have to go to school or work tomorrow..."

But just as he was wondering why this group of sweaty, burly men didn't know to give way, Adrian emerged from Ballard's Chamber and solemnly gave the order:

"Royal Guard, everyone present today, report to your immediate superiors and return to your posts. You will be working overtime tonight!"

The guards were all taken aback, and then another commotion broke out.

Adrian glanced at Thales from afar, his expression complex, and said:

"We also have... paperwork."

Thales was pleased to see that the guards who had filled the corridor finally dispersed, and many people couldn't help but look at Thales before leaving, their eyes filled with astonishment, fear and suspicion as if they were looking at a monster.

"Your Highness, I am so glad that you are safe and sound."

Thales stopped and looked at the several elegantly dressed noblemen in front of him.

"Lord Cullen, Prime Minister," the prince sighed, looking at the portly, smiling old duke before him, and the assembled courtiers around him, their expressions complex and hesitant to speak.
"And you too, Advisor Sodor, Steward Juke, Viscount Connie..."

"Have you been guarding this place the whole time?"

"of course not!"

Prime Minister Cullen looked delighted, patting his bulging belly happily:

"I arrived after I had finished eating!"

("I wanted to slip away, but these...won't let me leave..." - Qiu Ke muttered in frustration)

"after all……"

The Prime Minister's eyes darted around, and he gestured towards Ballard's office:
"The meeting isn't over yet."

Thales nodded, his gaze sweeping past the Prime Minister and landing on the other ministers behind him.

He noticed that Gilbert was not among them.

"Well then, that's all for now," the young man said calmly.

But the advisor, Sodor, who had been watching him closely, had a misconception:
The prince's words carried an air of unquestionable authority.

“Your Highness,” after much hesitation, the Minister of Trade, Connie, who had been watching the Ballard Chamber closely, finally spoke up: “You and His Majesty…”

“It’s nothing, I was just bored, so I picked a fight with him,” Thales said nonchalantly, a broad smile on his face.
"That's all."

Feeling bored, I picked a fight with him...

The ministers exchanged glances, seeing the doubt in each other's eyes.

"about what?"

Trade Minister Viscount Connie pressed further:
"Your wedding?"

Thales gave a soft hum.

"Yeah, I guess he won't force me to marry someone I don't like anymore."

Upon hearing this, the military advisor Sodor became even more puzzled. Compared to the morning, the young man who had just come out of Ballard's room seemed like a stranger to him.

Apart from those who remained on duty, the royal guards gradually dispersed, occasionally casting glances at the group of high-ranking officials.

“I see,” Viscount Connie persisted.
"If I may be so bold as to ask, which family's young lady was the one you rejected?"

Thales let out a breath, feeling inexplicably irritated.

“Who cares whose it is,” but fortunately, the smiling Duke Cullen stepped in just in time, taking over this topic that Thales, who was already exhausted, found extremely annoying:

"Then you certainly wouldn't mind considering my granddaughters?"

Thales gave a perfunctory smile, and seeing that most of the people around him had left, he decided not to linger any longer.
"His Majesty has said that today's imperial meeting is over, so let's all leave now."

Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished.

"Great!"

Suddenly, Qiu Ke, who was half asleep, opened his eyes. He snapped his fingers happily, tears of gratitude streaming down his face: "I knew it!"

Sordor, the consultant, frowned:

"But we still have other things to do..."

“I know,” Thales interrupted him impatiently, waving his hand.
"There are still things we haven't finished discussing, right?"

Thales looked toward Ballard's room, staring at the barely visible figure, and sneered:
"Regarding things like replacement soldiers, tax payments, the Western Wilderness, expanding the standing army, reducing conscripts, and so on..."

He spoke loudly and without any attempt to conceal his voice, which caused a great change in the expressions of the courtiers, including Sodor!

"Your Highness, be careful what you say!"

The military advisor interrupted Thales, glancing nervously left and right:
"This is...this is..."

Thales slapped his forehead, as if he had suddenly realized something.

"Oh, right, this is a royal secret," the prince said lazily, turning his head to the few royal guards still present.
"Um, this is a kingdom secret, everyone! You didn't hear anything! You didn't hear anything! Did you hear anything? You didn't hear anything!"

The guards turned around, completely bewildered.

The courtiers, aware of the gravity of the situation, turned pale and exchanged bewildered glances. Sodolf was even more astonished.

“Oh dear, you might not believe it,” Prime Minister Kulun interrupted the conversation at just the right moment, his enthusiasm evident:

"The chef at Fuxing Palace has surprised everyone by creating a new dish!"

Exhausted from his long journey, Thales, who just wanted to find a flat spot to lie down, didn't want to continue the pretense and forced a smile:

"Very good, good night."

He ignored the Duke of Donghai's expression and turned to leave.

“No, the meeting is not over,” he said, as Sodor’s advisors struggled to stop several ministers from leaving.
"Gentlemen, if I may be so bold, today's royal meeting is of paramount importance. The kingdom is at a critical juncture; the enemy has made their move, and we must respond..."

Thales paused in his steps.

"Oh, he also wants me to pass on a message to you, gentlemen."

Thales turned around, pointed his thumb toward Ballard's room, and smiled broadly:
"The Kingdom's secret service acted promptly."

"That letter... is safe."

Upon hearing this, the adults were all taken aback.

"A letter?" Viscount Connie recalled, then asked suspiciously:

"Oh, you mean that letter that just arrived today—"

Consultant Sodor asked in surprise, "Is it...safe?"

"What do you mean?"

Chief Financial Officer Qiu Ke rolled his eyes, showing no restraint:

"You mean, the person who deliberately leaked Kevin Deer's letters has been caught?"

The courtiers before the emperor all stiffened in alarm:
"Qiu Ke!"

"Sorry, I spoke too quickly," Qiu Ke said nonchalantly, turning around, "but this secret department member just said they couldn't..."

The steward's expression changed, and he turned to look around:

"That's strange, where's that scarred guy? I remember he was just here! Where did he go?"

"The letter has been recovered, which means," Viscount Connie said solemnly:

"We still have room to maneuver, as long as we pretend that letter doesn't exist?"

Thales watched the ministers come and go with a cold eye.

Very strange.

This morning, when he was listening to a briefing in the Imperial Conference Room, he had never felt this way before.

This strange, indifferent, detached, and uninteresting feeling, as if veiled by a thick curtain...

The feeling of playing chess.

Yes, the feeling of playing chess.

It's like... the feeling of him using magical energy.

Thales felt a weight lift from his heart.

Amidst the clamor of the courtiers' arguments, only the Duke of Cullen remained aloof, merely smiling with narrowed eyes:
"Ah, that's good."

"With the capabilities of the Kingdom's secret police, it's natural that they wouldn't tolerate any petty scoundrels causing trouble."

The advisor, Sodor, gritted his teeth in disbelief and took a step toward Ballard's room:
"No, that's impossible, I need to see His Majesty..."

But Thales gently raised his arm, blocking his way.

"Please do not do this, Lord Sodor."

"I tore up that letter in front of him just ten minutes ago," the prince said casually.

"His Majesty is currently in a fit of anger."

Thales's words, spoken so softly they were barely audible, silenced the ministers.

They looked at the boy in surprise.

"what?"

Sodor turned back in astonishment, unable to believe it:
"Trust, you, you?"

Thales lowered his arm and nodded expressionlessly:

"Believe me, you don't want to see him now, and you certainly don't want to bring this up with him."

Sodor was breathing rapidly, his face flushed. He paused for a second, then rushed toward Thales:
"you--"

"Soldier! Take it easy! Take it easy!" Qiu Ke, who had a premonition, grabbed Sodor's waist from the side and used all her strength to prevent him from moving forward: "Calm down, that's a prince, a prince! Oh well, the letter is gone, so what? We weren't planning to use it anyway, and besides, it wasn't leaked, so we don't need to worry. What are you so anxious about..."

The other ministers realized what was happening and quickly surrounded Sodor to dissuade him.

Thales watched this scene with a cold eye.

The Prime Minister hummed a little tune with a smile.

But the advisor Sodor continued to struggle, extremely angry:

"No, you don't understand, you don't understand! Do you know that is, that is—"

“Yes,” Thales replied calmly.
“That was obtained at the cost of my life—Kevin Deer’s letter of surrender.”

Sodor paused, startled.

“Oh, by the way, next time you need to deploy your standing army, or audit someone else’s accounts, or do something like that,” Thales slowly turned around, smiling as he looked at the military advisor and financial manager embracing each other:

"Tell me first, okay?"

He helplessly spread his hands:

"Otherwise, I'll have to do it all over again."

The military advisor choked, then closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

All the ministers looked at each other.

"Oh dear, be careful, be careful. Look at you, at your age, you're prone to getting an upset stomach after eating new food," the Duke of Donghai said, reaching out to comfort him.

“Duke Thales, His Highness Thales,” Sodor finally calmed down, his face filled with confusion and heartache:

"what happens?"

Thales shrugged:

"It's nothing, His Majesty has changed his mind, that's all."

“But things shouldn’t be like this,” Sodor gritted his teeth:
"What exactly did you do in the middle of all this?"

What have you done?
Thales's gaze froze.

"I just saved your lives."

He looked at each of the court ministers before him, his expression calm and unwavering:
"You're welcome, sirs."

Sodor stared at him in disbelief, while Juke frowned deeply. Some were confused, while others seemed thoughtful.

Prime Minister Cullen, however, laughed heartily, his large belly twitching downwards, and bowed.

"I am deeply grateful for your life-saving grace."

Thales ignored him.

“The correct question, however, is, Lord Sodor,” the prince said indifferently, looking at the trembling military advisor.
"You and His Majesty, and perhaps that scarred-face man."

"What did you do?"

Upon hearing this, Thales left without lingering any longer.

Behind him, Sodor stared intently at Thales's retreating figure, his gaze growing increasingly serious.

But as Thales walked down the brightly lit corridor, his thoughts drifted back to what he had just experienced.

----

"I know what you want to do."

The king's voice echoed in Ballard's Chamber, lacking its previous sharpness but possessing a deeper, more muted tone.

"You want to be the reins of the kingdom."

King Kessel said calmly:
"They both reined in the galloping warhorse and tightened the reins of the heavy chariot."

Warhorses, chariots.

Standing before the council table, Thales was momentarily lost in thought.

A spirited horse will not yield to an iron whip, nor will its rider cease the whipping.

"You think you're protecting the carriage?" The king shook his head.

"But by doing this, you are slowing down the warhorses and interfering with the chariot driving."

Therefore, he knew.

Thales told himself.

Of course, he knew.

He always knew.

He just... doesn't care.

“As you said, Your Majesty,” Thales composed himself and slowly sat down.
"I wander atop the cliffs, yet I yearn for the view of the heavens."

Iron Fist King snorted, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"This road is extremely treacherous; if one makes a wrong turn..."

"I see."

Thales responded to him very quickly:
"If people find out that I am the king's spy, I will be regarded as a great traitor to the noble camp by thousands of vassals, and will be condemned by thousands and despised by ten thousand people."

The king nodded, his expression grave.

"They will hate you more than they hate me."

Thales rubbed the spoon together, then paused for a moment:
"Then we'd better not mess it up."

The king slowly shook his head.

"A bad performance is the best possible outcome."

"But what if you act too well, remaining hidden and convincing to everyone, successfully transforming yourself into the savior of the feudal lords and the hope of the vassals..."

King Kessel sized up Thales, his tone cold:

"Those who support you after being deceived by you will form a surging tide, using reputation, stance, camp, interests, relationships, and situation to drag you forward, beyond your control, without allowing you to argue, and without permitting you to go back on your word."

"They will love you more than they hate me."

Thales' smile slowly faded.

The king's words faded into silence:

"By then, you will be powerless to control your own destiny, and even if you want to get off halfway, it will be too late."

Falkenhausen's words echoed in my ears once again.

[You must understand that when your vassals and subordinates are filled with righteous indignation and their will is unwavering, you, standing before this tide, have little choice but to go with the flow.]

Thales hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"In contrast to this..."

King Kessel looked toward the gate, his expression complex:
“When you raise the banner of rebellion against the monarchy, you will unite far more than just the regional governors and nobles.”

"Beneath the Palace of Restoration, the rising royalists, the ambitious new aristocracy, the opportunistic speculators, and those who once showed you favor and kindness will all treat you as a political enemy, as a rebellious son, and even go so far as to make things difficult for you in order to advance their own careers."

Thales gritted his teeth.

Gilbert, Putila, Sodor, Juke, Viscount Connie… many faces flashed before Thales’ eyes.

For a few seconds, the purple mask even flashed by.

"From that moment on, the title of heir will no longer protect you. On the contrary, it will amplify the fear and scrutiny you face, and increase the price and pain you pay. In the eyes of many, the day a new monarch is crowned is the day disaster strikes."

King Kessel squinted his eyes:

"They will hate you more than they love me."

Thales did not speak.

He looked around and let out a heavy sigh.

The evening breeze caressed the windowsill, and the shadows of the two intertwined in the lamplight.

The Ballard Room was quiet and still at night. On the wall were portraits of several former famous ministers—"The Wise Minister" Halva, "The Oracle" Rondon, "The Hyena" Amber Tebak, and "The Lumberjack" Parramatta—who silently observed the conversation between father and son, their images flickering in the lamplight.

This made Thales wonder: In history, were the ancestors who pointed out the direction of the country in this conference room, and the decisions they made, as cold and ruthless as this heavy palace?

“Then I’ll just have to pray,” Thales said absentmindedly.

King Kessel remained silent, only staring intently at the prince.

A few seconds later, Thales looked back at the king, a serene smile on his face: "Pray that they will treat us..."

"None of them are true love?"

I didn't want to stop here, but... it's the last day of the month after all.

By the way, some readers may sense from this chapter (actually, it was already there in the previous chapter) that Thales' happy and carefree days are coming to an end.

The tone and colors of this book are about to sink and gradually darken.

(End of this chapter)