Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 632 Assumptions
In the study, Thales stared blankly at the mage.

"After the war."

The boy repeated it subconsciously.

Ashida looked back at him with a half-smile, as if she had seen her prey fall into her trap.

after the war.

Post-war?

Thales' eyes widened.

It was as if a string in his mind had been struck.

"Mr. Sakorn, when did the relationship between the two emperors break down and become hostile to each other?"

The mage answered calmly and deliberately:

"You already said it."

The next moment, the blue light in Ashida's eyes shone again:
"After the war."

"In a knock on the door that could not be ignored, they officially turned against each other and started a major conflict."

after the war.

Thales held his breath.

"Then, that means..."

The boy slowly sorted out his thoughts, his expression growing increasingly astonished.

The two magic queens turned against each other and went their separate ways after the war.

The reason they live behind the scenes.

The reason they banned magical energy.

The reason they were enemies.

The reason they are so in sync.

Having figured out the key to it, Thales' breathing quickened.

No, it is not the Blade of Purification.

What the Qi Mage discovered was not the achievement of his grandfather, the "greatest king," nor was it the so-called perfect anti-magic weapon.

“Sauron and the One Ring,” Thales murmured, cold sweat beading on his skin.

Aishida was puzzled:
"what?"

Thales snapped out of his daze and shook his head.

"It's not important, it's just a folk tale from the North."

But then his eyes widened:

"But importantly, if this inference holds true, and these two points in time coincide, then it means that these legendary anti-magic weapons were only issued to the Catastrophe Hunters after the Final War..."

These legendary anti-magic forces...

Thales said in a daze:

"They were most likely created after the two queens' relationship broke down and they went their separate ways..."

He stared at the guide in disbelief.

Under Thales's incredulous gaze, Ashida smiled slightly, nodded slowly, and continued speaking:
"By one of the empresses, without the other party's presence or even behind their backs..."

"Secretly crafted, cast individually."

The study became quiet.

Only the ever-burning candlelight can dispel the darkness.

Secretly crafted, cast alone—these words echoed in Thales's mind, leaving him stunned.

"Therefore."

The magician's eyes gleamed faintly: "These weapons, secretly forged by only one side, are unknown to the other."

"They are very likely capable of harming or even sealing away—"

The next moment, the blue light in Ashida's eyes became incredibly sharp:

"Another empress."

Upon hearing this, Thales was completely stunned.

He could only go back and forth, trying his best to process the news.

Armaments secretly crafted and individually forged by an empress.

It was issued to the Disaster Hunters after the war.

But it can seal away another one...

"And this means—"

"Wait a minute!"

Thales snapped out of his daze and quickly raised his hand to stop the other person from continuing.

The boy cried out the sins of the River of Hell, struggling to catch his breath and process the shocking news.

He tried his best not to think about the profound significance behind it.

“I understand, Mr. Saxe, this news is of great importance, but we must be cautious before drawing conclusions.”

Thales lowered his voice and subconsciously looked around:
"First, we need to figure out why the legendary anti-magic weapons couldn't seal the two emperors—was it because, as their creators, the two emperors understood the mechanism of the anti-magic weapons? Or did they leave some tricks in the weapons?"

"What if the 'legendary anti-magic forces' cannot seal the Twin Emperors' not because the 'Twin Emperors created them,' but because of their power level or something else? What if the Twin Emperors' level or characteristics determined that they could not be sealed?"

Thales stared intently at the mage, gesturing wildly to express his meaning.

Aishida stared at him intently, her face expressionless.

At this moment, they were like a true teacher and student, having the purest discussion on a certain issue.

Your rebuttal is not without merit.

Shortly after, the guide spoke again, his words rational and clear:
"But this at least shows that one of the two emperors possesses the ability to create a legendary anti-magic weapon on his own."

Thales clenched his fist.

"No, that's not necessarily true."

The boy shook his head and questioned, "Why must the weapons issued after the war be made by a single empress, instead of being made by the two empresses together before they turned against each other?"

"This doesn't prove that the two emperors can be—it doesn't prove your conclusion."

Aishida chuckled softly upon hearing this.

Instead of answering Thales' question directly, he changed the subject.

"Did you know that, taking the Star Kingdom as an example, the earliest information on the origins and manufacture of the legendary anti-magic weapons of various countries can only be traced back to the 14th year of the End Era?"

End of the 14th year?
Thales narrowed his eyes: That was the fourth year since the founding of the Star Kingdom...

"That is, the year the Cleansing Project began," the magic master said casually.

Purification Project.

The word returned to Thales' mind, awakening many memories.

The mage leaned forward slightly, his words filled with suspicion and wariness: "The question is, why? Why is the Cleansing Project hiding this information?"

why?
Thales did not answer.

But a small voice resounded in his heart:

Because this information is crucial and sensitive.

That's really dangerous.

They must be hidden from the world.

Thales took a deep breath, looked up, and said, "But that doesn't necessarily mean..."

Ashida ignored his questions and continued speaking:

"And why, Thales? Why has it been assumed for thousands of years that no legendary anti-magic forces have been able to influence or seal the Magic Queen?"

why.

Telston stayed.

"Did the two emperors tell them themselves?" The mage asked with utmost seriousness. "And if not..."

Thales remembered something.

The tragic facts proved by humanity's post-war heroes that none of the existing legendary anti-magic forces could seal away Bloodthorn and Black Orchid.

Inside the prison of bones, Ricky's eerie smile lingered in his mind.

“There must be someone,” the boy took a deep breath and continued speaking, following his memories and train of thought. “To be precise, there must have been some calamity hunters who tried it. They took legendary anti-magic weapons and attacked the two magic emperors.”

It's crazy.

Ashida nodded, her voice tinged with an unspoken emotion:
"And it is because they failed, and more than once, that they were able to leave the world with such a confident conclusion."

The next second, the mage's tone abruptly changed:
"The question is, which hunters were involved? Which weapons were used? And which empress?"

This question also piqued Thales's curiosity, and he awaited the other person's answer.

There is no answer.

Aishida slowly shook her head:
"Even with the help of Freylan and Giza, and with the support of a vast amount of intelligence from the entire Star Kingdom, I still couldn't find any record of 'the Twin Emperors being assassinated by the legendary anti-magic forces'."

"Only the conclusion that 'the two emperors are fearless against legendary anti-magic weapons' circulates in circles that are as common sense as it is unquestionable, as if it were a self-evident truth."

After hearing this, Thales' expression changed.

There is no sufficiently robust evidence, yet there is an unwavering conclusion.

That can only prove one thing.

In other words, the conclusion is that it was someone...

The mage snorted coldly:
“That’s right. When you first asked why the legendary anti-magic weapons couldn’t seal the two emperors, if we followed the clues, we could easily find that the concept itself was very strange from the beginning.”

Thales' heart tightened.

Ashida continued, "Now, let's assume that those hunters who attempted to assassinate the Twin Emperors using legendary anti-magic weapons..."

"stop!"

Thales forcefully interrupted him, waving his hands wildly in the air:

"No, too many assumptions, too much risk, too many uncertainties..."

Ashida responded coldly:
"Hypotheses are one of the important means of promoting the progress of knowledge."

"As long as we can verify it."

Verification required.

Thales took a deep breath and said seriously:

"But what if even the foundation of your assumptions is invalid? What if no one ever attempted to assassinate the Twin Emperors? What if the story of 'someone using legendary anti-magic weapons to assassinate the Twin Emperors to verify their unsealing ability' is false, nonexistent, and fabricated..."

At this point, Thales was stunned.

It was fabricated...

Seeing the boy's stunned expression, the magic master snorted coldly.

“That’s right, Thales.”

"If the assassination attempt was a hoax, if the claims that 'someone assassinated the Twin Emperors' and 'the anti-magic weapons were found to be ineffective against the Twin Emperors' were fabricated and told to the world long ago, and the Twin Emperors allowed them to circulate for thousands of years..."

Ashida didn't finish his sentence, but his gaze was incredibly sharp.

Thales nodded, absentmindedly taking over the other person's words:
"That further illustrates that there are serious problems behind these circulating claims and the creation of this concept by those with ulterior motives."

Seeing his expression, Ashida smiled.

"Now, let's go back to the previous step: if those assassinations were true."

"If there really is someone who is not afraid of death, if there really is a hunter who has attempted such a crazy act as assassinating the two emperors with legendary anti-magic weapons..."

The mage's words made Thales swallow hard, as if he had been transported back seven hundred years and saw those mad warriors.

"Then these can only have happened before the two emperors went into hiding—at least then, the hunters could still find them and carry out more than one assassination."

Ashida's tone became very soft and gentle, but to Thales it sounded like a ton of bricks:
"But here's the question: first, there was the human assassination attempt, then the two emperors went into seclusion. Is there any logical connection between these events?"

The mage said softly:

"Why? Why is it such a coincidence?"

"If those assassinations completely failed, and the legendary anti-magic weapons were proven ineffective against their creators, then why did the Twin Emperors choose to live in seclusion? Is it really, as you say, because they are 'homebodies'?"

At the end, Ashida made a rare, albeit not-so-small, joke.

But Thales wasn't in the mood for his jokes.

The boy shook his head, gathering his thoughts:

No, it's a bit messy, a bit messy.

Why did the two emperors go into seclusion after being targeted by what the world considered an 'ineffective' assassination attempt?

"Do not."

Thales rubbed his forehead hard: "No, you can't deduce the cause from the effect, that's too hasty..."

Have you ever played Sudoku?

Thales was startled and looked up:
"what?"

Aishida gazed into the void, her fingers tracing a line:
"Sometimes, when we lack sufficient evidence, we need to fill in a guessed number in the blank and then review, examine, and compare it step by step to verify whether the number conforms to the rules of the game."

The mage turned around: "To verify whether it is—the only answer."

"Now, break free from your preconceived notions, unleash your shackles, and let your imagination run wild, Thales."

"Imagine if our guess is true..."

His tone carried a subtle seduction:
"If a legendary anti-magic weapon forged by a single empress could truly seal away another empress..."

"If, after the war, they were mysteriously sent down to the mortal realm and used to equip the hunters of calamities..."

As he listened to what the other person was saying, Thales' eyebrows furrowed more and more.

"Hold."

Okay, let's ignore everything else for now and assume this is true. Following this logic, let's fill in the numbers...

The boy swallowed hard.
“Alright, if, if this is the truth behind the assassination attempt on the two empresses, then that means…”

Thales took a deep breath, forcing himself to enter the other person's mind:

“Long ago, the Magic Queen was not assassinated by a mad mortal.”

"Instead, he was assassinated by another empress—her former collaborator, current rival, and future mortal enemy—by the legendary anti-magic weaponry she had created on her own."

Ashida watched him silently, a slight smile playing on her lips, her eyes gleaming with a steady blue light.

"who is it?"

Thales raised his head, his eyes sharp:
"To secretly forge weapons without informing the enemy and plot an assassination with the help of mortals—was this Black Orchid or Bloodthorn's doing?"

"My guess?"

The mage said calmly, "Both."

He scoffed dismissively:
"The two bitches did the same thing."

Thales frowned.

Ashida continued, “They both betrayed each other, secretly creating secret weapons to seal each other, and at the same time planning to use mortals to deliver a fatal blow to each other.”

"To enjoy the supreme throne of magical power alone after the final battle."

"but……"

Aishida stared at the starry sky outside the window, without saying anything more.

“But they survived,” Thales murmured.

"The two emperors were evenly matched. They saw through each other's schemes and escaped from armed forces that posed a significant threat to them. This is the real reason why they stayed away from the world, hid behind the scenes, and could not be found by anyone."

Thales became increasingly alarmed as he spoke:
"Because from that moment on, they could no longer roam the world with impunity—both emperors possessed the secret to sealing magic masters, and each harbored the greatest malice towards the other. They forged weapons capable of sealing each other and distributed them to hunters, who scattered them across various countries and regions over time..."

"They are hidden within those legendary anti-magic weapons that are said to be 'unable to seal the Magic Queen'."

Thales stood there, stunned.

All weapons can seal away magic users.

However, a few items can seal the Magic Queen.

Ashida raised her head and let out an unusually joyful laugh:
"Therefore, they are fearful, they are wary, they are vigilant: among the legendary anti-magic weapons possessed by ordinary people in various countries and regions, there are a few special weapons that they do not recognize, which are made by their mortal enemies but can endanger them."

The mage's laughter ceased, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
"So, the question left for us is—"

"Which one?" Thales looked up abruptly.

Which ones?

Filled with unspeakable panic, he pressed for an answer:
"Which legendary anti-magic weapons were forged individually, and which magic queen can they seal away?"

But Ashida's mood cooled, and he shook his head.

"As I said, all the creation records of legendary anti-magic weapons have been destroyed, and we have no way of knowing them."

Thales gritted his teeth.

In that instant, countless weapons flashed through his mind:
Supreme Sword, Staff of Stars, Black Coffin of the Night, Supreme Shield, Immovable Bow, Rising Sun Saber, Soul-Severing Blade, Soul-Slaying Spear, Crossbow of Time...

Which are, which are not, which might be...?

"and many more."

Thales seemed to realize something, and he sighed, his face showing disappointment:
"While we may not know, the empresses certainly do: they know which weapons they manufactured and which they did not."

"Moreover, seven hundred years have passed. If such an armed force truly existed, it would have been found by them long ago and would certainly have been completely sealed off or even destroyed to eliminate the threat."

But the magic master had a different opinion:

"They can't do it."

Thales frowned:
"why?"

Aishida, relaxed and at ease, enjoyed the night view of Star Lake Castle:

"Firstly, for them, each other is the most terrifying enemy."

"One of them, if they want to find a weapon that can restrain themselves..."

Thales realized and understood:
"Then the other side will inevitably do everything in its power to protect or hide it, or even use it as bait to set up an ambush."

Ashida nodded:

Secondly, they are just like us.

Just like us.

Thales's mind shifted.

"I understand."

The boy clapped his hands and suddenly realized:
“If those special legendary anti-magic weapons are truly effective against them, then the Twin Emperors will be unable to touch or even approach them—just as you cannot approach Eternal Star City and the Palace of Restoration.”

"Therefore, if they are to deal with these weapons, they must rely on others—those who are not magic users in the secular world—to do it for them."

The mage nodded.

“Therefore, they will never and cannot appear before the world,” Ashida said, her gaze focused, “but behind the scenes, they will use their unimaginable power to extend their tentacles and claws, stirring up the world.”

In the secular world... stirring up storms.

Thales's thinking became clearer and clearer.

“Thirdly,” Ashida continued, “the assumption has been made, and now it is time for us to find evidence to verify it.”

The next second, he looked at Thales and uttered a single word:

"Continental War".

Thales's eyes flickered:
"what?"

Ashida regained her elegant demeanor:
"The Eastern and Western continents experienced four continental wars from the beginning of the second century to the end of the fifth century."

"But why?"

Continental War.

Thales fell into deep thought.

"The two continents are far apart and communication is difficult. Except for a few countries, the profits from war can barely cover the costs of expeditions. So why would the monarchs and subjects of various countries go to war across the ocean? Is it really for hegemony and interests? Or for their stance and politics?"

The magician's tone suddenly changed, making everyone tense:

"Or is it for some inconvenient, or perhaps even more terrifying, existence that we cannot act upon?"

Thales's eyes flickered.

He recalled a memory.

That was seven years ago, before he was sent on a mission to Exter and arrived at Dragonstalker Fortress, in a snow-covered birch forest.

Blood, vampires, death, betrayal...

The words of a certain queen echoed in my ears:

As for the Dark Night Black Coffin, many forces may desire a legendary anti-magic weapon, but rest assured, among those who understand its value and origin, apart from terrifying magic masters, absolutely no one dares to covet the Dark Night Black Coffin.

Upon thinking of this, the boy was immediately alarmed: Damn it.

"It's grass."

Thales took a deep breath:

"You, you give me a moment to calm down, this, this is too much..."

Aishida snorted coldly and said nothing more.

Thales calmed down and shook his head:

"No, the evidence is still insufficient, and the assumptions remain assumptions..."

"But it's worth risking everything to verify," the mage said calmly.

Even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance.

Their eyes met in the candlelight, one deep and solemn, the other light and indifferent.

In that instant, it seemed as if Thales was the patient and persuasive teacher, and Ashida was a bold and reckless student.

A few seconds later.

"Okay, if that's true."

Thales sighed.

"If there truly exists a legendary anti-magic weapon created by an empress, capable of sealing away another empress, why has the world remained unaware of it all this time..."

At this point, Thales paused.

Aishida's laughter rang out:

"Of course, the world doesn't know."

"Because they won't allow it."

Thales stared intently at him.

"This is the most interesting part: two empresses, spear and shield, binary opposition, balance and restraint..."

Ashida smiled faintly:

"After seeing through each other's tricks, the two emperors, who had turned against each other, were furious and hated each other to the bone, and were on guard."

"But for their own safety..."

The mage's words were resolute, like the sharpest blade, slicing through any remaining hope:
"They also had to maintain the most basic tacit understanding: to work together to completely suppress this secret, to seal it away forever, and to prevent anyone in the world, any mortal, especially those who know the history of magic users, and the hunters who control the legendary anti-magic forces, from knowing that most terrifying truth..."

Ashida's tone softened and faded, like a sharpened blade, becoming increasingly razor-sharp and thin:

"In other words, the secret weapon that sealed the two emperors had actually been in their hands since the final battle."

"All people have to do is know and believe, search and verify."

"Thus breaking the unquestionable beliefs in one's own heart."

The surrounding candlelight remained warm as always.

The ceiling was deathly silent.

Only outside the window, a patch of starlight peeked through the darkness: some twinkled in the sky, others rippled on the lake's surface.

A few seconds later, Ashida whispered:

"Thales, you asked me: Did we bring about the Bloody Year?"

Thales did not answer.

But his expression grew increasingly serious.

"But before that..."

Aishida sneered:

"Can you imagine how shocking, crazy, and terrifying this secret must have been for the two emperors?"

And... how exciting is that?
"I don't know who brought about the bloody year."

The mage stared at Thales:
"But I'm certain that once any rumor or sign appears in this world, even if it's just a slight hint at this terrible secret—that a small number of legendary anti-magic forces are the nemesis of the Twin Emperors—..."

Thales clenched his fists instinctively.

"Out of safety concerns and mutual apprehension, the two emperors at the pinnacle might not directly reveal themselves and make a move..."

The magician's words grew increasingly terrifying:
"But they will temporarily set aside their deep-seated hatred, risk everything, use all their madness, mobilize all worldly power, and spare no expense to trace the source, block the news, cut off the spread, and ensure that anyone who already knows the secret..."

Aishida's eyes sharpened:
“No longer exists.”

Thales trembled slightly.

Even if piles of bones lie and rivers of blood flow...

"Life is in ruins."

Thales breathed in a daze.

[It was also during the bloody year that the entire royal family of Shining Star went to the River of Hell...]

Inside the prison of bones, Ricky's voice rang out once more:
[Ferry bell.]

"Can you imagine?"

The blue light in the mage's eyes grew clearer, but his tone became increasingly fanatical.

Just like when he first met Thales in the card room.

"The magic queens, they are so high above, unattainable."

He chuckled softly, as if he had seen through something.

"But because of their mutual hostility, they fell into the mire and became worldly, and had to rely on children's house games like us."

“We are taking up arms in the streets, while they are calling for war across the continent.”

Ashida's tone turned cold, and she regained her composure:
"There is no difference between the two."

After hearing all this, Thales sat blankly at his desk.

driven to distraction.

“Do you know, Ashida Sakun?” he began slowly, his voice hoarse.

It felt like we had just finished the toughest battle.

"You're a fucking genius."

The mage looked at him.

"In the so-called Three Calamities Alliance, in Giza and Freyran, while others racked their brains, trying to increase their power or seeking external aids but to no avail..."

Thales looked up at him in disbelief:
"But by collecting information, organizing intelligence, piecing together fragments, examining logic, reconstructing history, and looking for flaws, you discovered the possible weaknesses of the two emperors—or at least suspicious points."

Ashida remained expressionless, but nodded slightly.

“We have had conversations about this.”

"Magic isn't just about suffocation, squeezing a human ball, or even throwing a chair at you."

"Gather information, filter intelligence, compare truth from falsehood, find key points, connect nodes, and ultimately achieve the discovery..."

The Qi Mage stared at the old, dilapidated bookshelf on the other wall, his words mechanical, his emotions unreadable:

"This is also magic."

"We are all on the path to omniscience, discerning the direction to proceed."

The two were silent for a while.

“So, knowing this, let’s call it a point of doubt,” Thales said cautiously, “what are you going to do?”

Ashida shook her head.

"not me."

"But what about you: What should you do?"

Thales frowned.

what?
Ashida turned around.

At this moment, he was as sharp as a weapon.

"Welcome to the Anti-Royal Club, Thales."

The mage said calmly:

"Because from the moment you learned the secret, you officially became the mortal enemy of Bloodthorn and Black Orchid."

Thales was startled.

"Because of it, the legendary Twin Emperors of Magic will no longer let you go, and there is no possibility of any buffer or reconciliation."

Aishida squinted:
"Think of the bloody years, child."

"They will be with you..."

"A fight to the death."

It took Terston several seconds to realize what the other person meant.

"Damn it," the boy muttered.

"As I said, the burden of truth and secrets..."

Ashida looked at him expressionlessly and uttered the most beautiful and melodious words in the world:
"It is very heavy."

That's right, it's Chinese New Year.

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(End of this chapter)