Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 633 Karma is a bitch

Duke Thales has been in a bad mood lately.

According to a well-informed source from the Starry Sky Seven Servants family who wishes to remain anonymous (referred to as BB to protect the person involved), the prince has no appetite during meals, is listless in class, overexerts himself in martial arts lessons, is preoccupied when deep in thought, often isolates himself, daydreams, and occasionally sighs and laments about life.

As for the reason, there are many rumors within Starlake Castle. Some say it's the resentment and grief after being exiled, some say the Duke had another argument with Commander Marius, and others speculate that the logistics wing's bills for the past few months haven't looked good. But our reliable informant BB (pseudonym), who is close to Prince Thales, has given the most direct reason:
On the night that Kusta and Morgan were on duty, Duke Thales was diligently "training" in his room, sweating profusely, experiencing one climax after another, and immersing himself in a state of blissful ecstasy, when he was disturbed by a few rats that broke in.

The prince, his mood ruined, flew into a rage and drew his sword, hacking away. According to those cleaning up the mess afterward, even the poor chair was split in two. Of course, more accurate information awaits further revelations from BB (pseudonym)—

"Danny Doyle!"

The newly arrived Granny Valencia roared, her voice echoing throughout the castle, driving DD, who was chatting and laughing with the maids, to flee the room with his head in his hands: "Your duty is to wield the sword, not to chat!"

"If I catch you again, I'll castrate you!"

As time went on, Starlake Castle became more and more complete in terms of building renovation and personnel configuration. For example, the new head steward, Ashley Valencia, was strict and ruthless. Her most frequently used phrase was "I'll castrate you"—according to BB (pseudonym), a well-informed person, he once even heard the steward threaten Commander Marius with this phrase.

“It’s alright, Madam,” Thales said listlessly at the table, wearing a scarf. “I was the one who encouraged DD to chat with everyone more—so that the castle wouldn’t be too quiet and lifeless.”

Granny Valencia was still furious: "He used your affairs as gossip, talking about all sorts of baseless rumors, some of which would ruin your reputation if they got out."

“Everyone is curious about the secrets of Duke Starlake’s life,” but Thales simply waved his hand, unconcerned. “Whether it’s a rumor or the truth, it needs an outlet. Rather than letting others carve out that outlet and make wild guesses…”

Thales shook his head indifferently.

Granny Valencia turned to look at him, her expression kind and gentle, as if she were looking at her own grandson.

“Oh, my dear, Your Highness, you are good in every way, except that you are too soft-hearted…”

The old lady had managed affairs in more than one high-ranking household. She had an excellent reputation and was highly respected. Although she was over sixty years old, she was still full of energy. She had planned to retire, but Baron Quentin specially invited her to Starlake Castle to take care of the Duke's daily life and also to manage the newly hired servants in the castle.

"Now, my dear, you must be starving."

Granny Valencia skillfully laid out the meal:
"Eat your meal quickly, and remember to make sure there are enough portions and a balanced variety."

“Thank you, Madam,” Thales nodded, then gestured hesitantly to a plate of roasted vegetables, “but I don’t like lettuce as much as people say, so could you please substitute something else—”

Granny Valencia's smile remained unchanged, but with a flick of her wrist, she instantly drew out a pointer!
Holy crap—Tails shuddered and instinctively raised his hand to protect his face!

"Snapped!"

There was a loud bang.

The next second, a black cat that had been sneaking in through the window and peeking into the Duke's dining table made a hasty leap, narrowly avoiding the nanny's whip.

"Meow--"

The black cat jumped off the dining table, darted to the corner, and glared angrily at the old woman with its fur standing on end.

“That’s not something you should eat,” Granny Valencia said, withdrawing her pointer and staring expressionlessly at the bristling black cat. “You ill-mannered little beast.”

Thales, who was awkwardly lowering his arm, shuddered at the words.

"Meow! Meow meow! Meow meow meow meow meow!"

Black Cat uttered a few harsh words, glanced reluctantly at the Duke's dining table, and finally chose to give up.

It darted out the door without looking back, bringing back DD's pitiful screams ("No, no! That's my lunch! Ah, it's you again, you damn cat!").

“This little bastard has clearly never been castrated, yet he dares to eat right under my nose,” Valencia turned around, his demeanor softening again. “Excuse me, darling, what did you just say?”

With the nanny's understanding smile, Thales had a hearty appetite. He picked up the plate of roasted lettuce with great interest and ate it with relish, without any regrets.

Over the course of several months, in addition to hiring servants and workers, the logistics wing, following the inexplicable yet unquestionable orders of Duke Thales (who had been offended by the rats), brought back different breeds of rat-catching cats from the market and estates. Combined with the existing litters of wild cats in the castle, the annoying rat infestation at Starlake Castle was finally greatly reduced. The newly purchased wooden furniture survived, the grain stored in the warehouses was no longer frequently short of weight, and even the number of leafhoppers and other small insects decreased significantly. In fact, piles of rat carcasses were even found in the cracks in the ceiling of the Duke's room. The results were unbelievably good.

However, the increasing number of cats brought new troubles: firstly, the tapestries and upholstered furniture began to suffer; secondly, the cat hair everywhere caused Lord Marius to sneeze repeatedly for a week, forcing the servants to increase the frequency of cleaning; and thirdly, every night, the constant meowing of cats echoed inside and outside the castle, disturbing everyone's sleep. Miss Jenny, who dominated the Starlake Castle stables with her strength and wisdom, was quite annoyed by this, but was helpless against the cats that nimbly darted around on the roof.

Worse still, stray cats from around Starlake Castle began to gather here, and the cane in Granny Valencia's hand soon became not just for DD, but a formal cat-shooing stick—a certain cunning black cat even dared to break into the kitchen and even the Duke's study and dining room time and time again, seemingly innocent and curiously looking around and observing humans, but in reality full of evil intentions, scratching things and stealing food if you were not careful.

José Costa, a second-class guard of the Starlake Guard, hails from the Kingdom of Allenbia. According to him, who is well-versed in cats (cat-keeping culture has long been prevalent in the Thornlands), if things continue like this, Starlake Castle will probably be overrun with kittens in a few months. And once the cats become rampant, everything from the tablecloths and tapestries in the castle, the warehouses and kitchens, to the ravens on the castle roof, and even the birds and lake delicacies around Starlake will suffer.

The situation was critical, and the decisive Lord Marius intended to deal with the cat ruthlessly, but was stopped by the Duke of Thales. Following His Highness's unexpected line of thought, the logistics wing brought back a new answer the following week:

dog.

From majestic and intelligent Rudolphins to fierce and aggressive hunting dogs, from gentle and loyal guard dogs to intimidating but cowardly pets, Xinghubao has transformed into a dog training center and reshaped the ecosystem, successfully preventing the further gathering of feral cats.

(“If there are too many rats, we’ll buy cats; if there are too many cats, we’ll buy dogs; if there are too many dogs… well, by that logic, will we eventually have to buy a king?”—Nesi, the trainee vanguard officer, complained an hour before he was whipped by the executioner.)
This made Miss Jenny very happy, because in just one day she had tamed the most majestic Rudolphin "Petric" and the fiercest Wolfhound "Archberg". Together with the stables that were already subjugated under her (literally) iron hooves, Jenny successfully established her absolute rule on the first floor of Starlake Castle, becoming the true "Queen of the Land".

Add to that the elusive "Wildcat Empire," whose territories are scattered throughout the castle, and the "Bird Alliance," which covets the Duke's table daily; the "Evil Rat Swarm," which occupies the eaves, towers, tree trunks, and ravens' strongholds; and the "Evil Rat Swarm," weakened and forced to retreat to the wild and underground. The four major factions within Starlake Castle stand in stark contrast, each vying for supremacy, second only to the glorious and great Duke Thales and the stern and solemn Granny Valencia. Their leaders are known as the "Dark Four Kings of Starlake Castle"—although, apart from "Land Queen" Jenny, the three kings of the other factions are yet to be confirmed, this dramatic and bloody tale of the struggle for supremacy in Starlake Castle is enough to prove how bored the author must have been to fabricate them and give them nicknames.

Fortunately, just as Duke Thales (who was overwhelmed by the mess of dog urine and feces) was about to send the logistics wing to the market and countryside to purchase more goods and adjust the ecological environment to maintain the cleanliness of the castle, Captain Marius and Granny Valencia decisively intervened, stripping the Duke of his dominant power over the management of the castle and retaining only his formal right to make suggestions.

Thus, with the concerted efforts of the Duke of Starlake Castle and his loyal subordinates, this long-neglected, gloomy and dilapidated castle was brought back to life: the castle gates were repaired, the sentry posts were prepared, and the doorways, moats, steps, and outer walls were repeatedly cleaned and renovated (provided that the back side is ignored). The courtyards and gardens were freed from weeds and dust, and the stables and horse farms were especially clean and bright (Miss Jenny's relentless stomping supervision contributed greatly to this), making it look magnificent at first glance.

Inside the castle, more and more halls, rooms, corridors, warehouses, and cellars were cleared out. Thales finally figured out the five ways to get from the main hall to the Jackal Tower, including the hidden "aerial route" that was discovered by the black cat that came to steal food from time to time ("As long as you're not afraid of falling off the outer wall and becoming a meat pie." - Marius's kind reminder). The kitchen, washrooms, and sewers were also cleared again (DD was very proud of this).

After His Highness the Duke returned from Yongxing City one day, looking pale and clutching his backside as he got off the carriage, even the weeds and rocks by the lake outside the fortress were cleared away and replaced with fine sand and soft soil, creating a clear, stable, and solid road. This relieved the people traveling between Yongxing City and Xinghu Fortress from the discomfort and unspeakable pain of the journey.

Under Duke Thales's name, the nearby estates and fiefs gradually established a clear hierarchy (thanks to Julio's great help). Stewards and village chiefs regularly reported to Starlake Castle, paid taxes, provided labor, and supplied logistics. Servants, cooks, gardeners, grooms, guards—Starlake Castle gradually became more populated, resembling a noble residence (although Golov still felt it looked shabby compared to royal grandeur, DD quickly reminded him that this was called frugality). Under Mother Valencia's instructions, they even cultivated several plots of land in and around the castle, discussing planting crops that would be useful when the season came.

As everything gradually returned to normal, the castle's owner was the only one who couldn't be happy.

After that night, the sky-blue invitation never appeared again, as if Ashida had forgotten Thales.

But that night's conversation left Thales depressed for nearly a month, especially the phrase "The Magic Queen will fight you to the death," which dealt a heavy blow, making Duke Starlake feel depressed and unable to eat or sleep.

The secret of his calamity, the burden of being the Duke of Starlake, and the dangerous oath he made to the king were already enough to overwhelm him. Now, with the addition of the "Perfect Anti-Magic Armament" and the Magic Queen, there were moments when Thales, who was so frustrated he was about to go bald, even considered giving up and running away with Ashida.

No, no, even if he's determined to elope with Little Stupid, judging from her fervent and persistent manner, he still can't escape the matter of the Magic Queen.

Thinking of this, Thales, who felt utterly hopeless, missed his days in Dragon City terribly:

Those northerners who think about tearing him to pieces every day are just so adorable.

One afternoon, the Duke of Starlake welcomed his first guests after moving into Starlake Castle.

An unusual guest.

At the gates of Starlake Castle, the Starlake Guard and a host of servants stood ramrod straight, watching Marius receive Lord Fabio Adrian, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Guard.

"You look surprised?"

Adrian, who stepped down from the stirrups, was upright and gentle, and spoke in a friendly manner, seemingly undisturbed by the gloom of the night the prince forced him to abdicate.

“A little,” Marius said, expertly pulling on the reins and handing them to Toledo behind him, while gesturing for the others to greet the royal guards who had accompanied him. “Given that we only received the raven a quarter of an hour ago.”

Adrian smiled as he looked at the other person's expression.

“I know this trip was indeed a bit presumptuous, and the VIPs we are escorting were just acting on a whim.”

VIP.

Marius frowned upon hearing this.

Seeing this, the captain of the guard smiled and patted Marius on the shoulder.

Adrian knew Marius well; his former herald liked to arrange everything clearly and methodically, and was accustomed to being prepared for any eventuality.

Correspondingly, Marius disliked surprises and hated risks. His dictionary did not contain the concepts of improvisation or improvisation, and he would frown at any situation that was not in the plan or contingency plan.

In that case, it must have been quite a burden for him to serve Prince Thales.

It's a pity that the position of the Royal Guard was originally created to deal with unexpected events and unforeseen circumstances.

Toledo, Golova, Tansing, Piloga, Tsuifanov… The Star Lake Guards greeted their former colleagues at the Palace of Restoration with stern faces. The latter also had solemn expressions. Some of the royal guards were even unwilling to let them touch their mounts. Their armor and weapons remained intact, and they did not say a word.

They had only been separated for a few months, but a rift had already appeared between them.

Only DD was beaming and greeting everyone he knew or didn't know without any restraint ("Hey buddy, you look familiar. Which wing are you from? Wow, you're really strong, and your helmet is so cool! Hey, we're all Imperial Guards, don't be so aloof!"). Many people were in an awkward situation, unsure whether to answer or not.

Captain Adrian saw all of this, but he remained calm and simply walked forward with Marius, taking in the newly renovated Starlake Castle.

"It's clear you've managed this place very well. I haven't seen Xinghu Fort like this in years..."

Swish!
Meow!
Before he could finish speaking, a spotted cat chased after a raven, swooping past them. The dust it kicked up covered Adrian's boot, and the captain choked on his words.

Marius's expression also looked rather unpleasant.

"in this way……"

Hey!
Chasing after the cat and bird from before, a little puppy clumsily pounced over, tripping over itself once along the way, and staggered after the cat and bird.

"So...enthusiastic."

Captain Adrian finally found the right words and coughed softly:
"Yes, there are more small animals."

There were more small animals.

Marius watched the chaotic scene recede into the distance, recalling the brilliant (and foolish) idea of ​​a certain duke to "control mice with cats" and "limit cats with dogs," and couldn't help but rub his slightly itchy nose, calmly replying:

"Please forgive me, Xinghubao has been deserted for many years, which is why it is full of wild charm."

"So, are you implying that the Palace of Restoration and the Royal Guard haven't provided you with enough financial support?"

"I didn't say that."

"Do you usually speak to Duke Thales in this tone?"

“I dare not,” Marius said without a trace of shame. “As the setting sun has shown, I have always been courteous and respectful to His Highness Thales.”

Before Adrian could reply, the Duke of Starlake himself arrived, accompanied by his attendants.

"How honored I am to have the guardian of the Palace of Restoration grace me with his presence?" Thales asked with a broad smile.

Adrian bowed and was about to reply when Thales interrupted him excitedly:

"So, Lord Adrian, my old man finally couldn't hold back any longer and sent you to get rid of me to prevent future troubles?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look, and Wyman behind him was even more shocked.

Adrian's expression stiffened slightly as he looked at Marius.

The watchman politely returned his smile.
"I'm sorry, Duke, you've been suffering from constipation lately and are in a bad mood."

What?
Now it was Thales' turn to frown deeply:
"You know that too? Did you always stand guard outside the toilet door, sniffing around and observing the excrement to gauge the situation?"

“No need for that,” Marius said unmoved. “Just count the amount of clean linen you use each time you go to the toilet—it’s obvious you go a lot, stay for a long time, but use very little. And I don’t want to guess that you’re not clean, so there’s only one answer.”

Thales froze.

Well, he has indeed spent quite a bit of time these past few days isolating himself in the bathroom, deep in thought.

but……

He glared at Marius: Constipation?

Really?

Captain Adrian narrowed his eyes, casting a look at Marius that could only be understood through their mutual understanding:
Extremely respectful?

Marius returned his gaze with a nonchalant look:

Nothing could be better.

"Am I not even allowed the privacy of defecating?" Thales said indignantly.

“But before the autumn harvest, you can’t even afford to hire another laundry maid.” Marius delivered a fatal blow without any mercy.

The prince was momentarily speechless, caught off guard.

Adrian's mind raced. Well, they were indeed expressing dissatisfaction with the financial support from the Palace of Resurgence.

Just before Thales could rack his brains for a retort to Marius, Captain Adrian coughed.

"In short, Your Highness, I am indeed here on a mission," the captain of the guard said with a smile, "but it's not what you think. Your old man—cough cough—His Majesty ordered me to escort the kingdom's meritorious heroes back to their hometowns to rest."

"A decorated hero?"

Thales narrowed his eyes: "Ha, these days there are still people who can become—"

But before he could finish speaking, a distinctive voice came from behind him:

"Wow, you've grown up, kid."

Thales was startled by what he heard.

As the words fell, another group of people followed behind the royal guard and entered the castle gates.

They stood tall and imposing, their every move crisp and decisive, clearly soldiers.

Thales's gaze was fixed on the leader.

A guest dressed in plain clothes stepped off the stirrups, laughing loudly, and walked out of the group towards Thales:

"He looks like an adult."

Wyatt, standing behind the prince, looked delighted, while Rolf had to impatiently remind him to maintain his composure.

Thales controlled his breathing, looked at his old acquaintance whom he hadn't seen for many years, and smiled.

The visitor was not tall, but her demeanor was elegant and composed. She calmly stepped past the Star Lake Guard and the Royal Guard and came to Thales.

"Like an adult... In fact, you are the twenty-first person to say that about me, but I am still very happy and thank you for your recognition."

A few seconds later, the Duke of Starlake stepped forward and, though it was impolite, sincerely bowed to the guest before her—this woman who stood out so much among the men:
"It's been a long time, I've missed you dearly. Welcome to my castle, Your Excellency."

"Sonia Satherley".

Sonia...

DD in the queue was startled upon hearing this and whispered:
"What? So, that's the fortress—"

Golov, who was next to him, bumped into him hard:
"Shut up."

But even the zombie himself was staring intently at the woman.

To the astonishment of everyone at Starlake Fortress, veteran Jenard walked up from behind, excitedly took the reins from Sonia's mount, and embraced his old comrades from the Starlake Legion.

“You said, your castle,” Sonia stretched, ignoring the formidable guards around her, and strode forward, “your castle?”

Thales nodded happily and followed.

The ignored Marius and Captain Adrian exchanged a glance and followed in unison, showing no displeasure at being left out. Most of the others also followed silently without complaint, their eyes fixed on Sonia's back.

That legendary figure who single-handedly suppressed the fortress for nineteen years, causing the enemy to hesitate and dare not advance, and the dragon to lie down and be unable to fly.

Except for Thales.

As Thales gazed at the familiar female warrior before him, what came to mind was her effortless wielding of her greatsword, gracefully and calmly cutting through the blood rain, cutting through the flesh and blood of the Blood Demon Masters, protecting a seven-year-old child behind her, spinning around and raising her shield to slay demons and monsters.

At this very moment, Sonia's laughter remained hearty and cheerful, dispelling the gloom and giving people boundless confidence and hope.

"I observed for quite a while on the way here."

Sonia walked confidently to the outer perimeter, casually picking a canter fruit from a drooping branch, but led a large group of people on an inexplicable detour.

She pointed to the defenses around Starlake Castle: "The location and spacing of the castle sentry posts, including the patrol frequency and movement of the outposts outside the castle, were the responsibility of the Guard Wing, right? — Damn, that's so cheesy, not even close — Which guard officer designed that?"

Guard officer.

Upon hearing this, DD's eyes lit up. He straightened his uniform collar, adopted an arrogant expression that suggested he hadn't achieved anything, and was about to step forward when...

"It is I, Your Excellency."

Vanguard Officer Luo Fu spoke calmly from behind.

Sonia turned around.

Strangely, compared to the notoriously aloof and cold "zombie," Golov was now extremely respectful and polite, even overly so: "Thanks to the trust and request of a certain fellow guard, I have overseen the preparations for the castle's defenses."

A colleague from the Guard Wing...

All eyes turned to the highest-ranking guard.

“Well,” Danny Doyle, First Class Guard Officer of the Starlake Guard, said awkwardly in a low voice, “as the representative of the Guard Wing, I’m very busy…”

For example, the sewers, and the Duke's gossip.

“You, big guy,” Sonia said, pushing through the crowd and ignoring the expectant DD, as she approached Golov with interest: “You?”

Golov nodded seriously, then added:
"In addition, the Command Wing is assisted by Officers Schürrle Toledot and Freddie Donsing, Officer Leo Morgan and Nate Nech, Officer Ade Bastia and Michele Ferri, Officer Leo Piloga and Vincenzo Italia, Officer Leo Piloga and Officer Vincenzo Italia, Officer Leo Italia, Officer Vincenzo ...

Busy with work...

After hearing so many names, everyone's eyes turned to DD again.

“How so?” DD said stiffly in a low voice, “This is called learning from the best of everything, hehe.”

As Doyle was speaking, his arm suddenly bumped into Golover.

The zombie was stunned for several seconds, unable to react.

Until DD hit him a second time
“Of course,” Golov was startled, suddenly becoming stammering, with DD constantly elbowing him, “some key, no, overall, uh, oh! the entire defense plan, in the end, uh, from the very beginning, received the strong support of Commander Marius… oh, the strong support of Duke Thales and Commander Marius… oh, under their correct leadership… uh, under their powerful guidance throughout… in the end, it made positive progress, was successfully completed, and passed the review.”

Guidance—yes, if putting a checkmark on a piece of paper counts as guidance, Thales thought helplessly.

Golov twisted his neck with difficulty, feeling as if a snake was coiled in his throat:
"We, we, we have lived up to our mission and gained much."

DD bumped into him again.

Golov looked indignant, but still reluctantly added the last sentence: "And, it awaits your review and correction, Your Excellency, the Flower of the Fortress."

Everyone looked at Golov with helpless expressions, and finally turned their disdainful gazes to DD.

“What’s wrong?” Doyle looked completely innocent, as if he had been wrongly accused of murder. “I swear on my father’s fortune, he’s telling the truth!”

Sonia snorted, spat out the pit, and casually pointed in two directions:
"Why aren't there any staff members stationed on those platforms, those two curtain walls?"

Where, where?
Thales looked up, completely bewildered, and wandered around in the direction Sonia was pointing, only to see a pile of stones... well, his castle.

"Because it doesn't make sense."

Golov answered in a deep voice, his tone returning to normal, focused and earnest.

"Their positions are poor, and they are not tall enough, so they will only become targets for longbows. Their fortifications are also insufficient, so they cannot serve as effective firing points. If we want to increase the field of vision, taller towers are sufficient to cover the area."

"Hmph!" Sonia picked another fruit, took a bite, and then threw it away in disgust.

"If it's left undefended, what if, during wartime, the enemy uses its siege towers as a springboard to try and breach the outer city?"

Golov was confident and unhurried:

“That would be even better. That place will become our trap, drawing the enemy to gather there and relieving pressure on the other walls. I have made arrangements on higher ground, so that any enemy that rushes onto the wall will be like walking into a trap and will be killed by us to the maximum extent.”

Adrian and Marius nodded in agreement.

"I see, that makes sense," Thales nodded in agreement.

Despite being the "correct leader" and "powerful guide," he couldn't discern a single thing around that complex geometrically shaped city wall.

DD moved his arm.

Golov grunted and said awkwardly, "Of course, this is just my humble opinion, which is unlikely to be of any expert's caliber. You are a master of siege warfare, so please give me your professional advice."

He turned around and glared angrily, but Doyle smiled and gave him a big thumbs up.

“What opinion do I have?” Sonia wiped the juice off her hands and shook her head. “I’m neither an engineer nor an architect. I’ve been guarding the Dragon Fortress for so many years, just relying on my intuition. Whenever I feel I can’t hold it, I just go out and launch a counterattack.”

These down-to-earth words left those who were expecting insightful opinions from the Fortress Flower speechless.

"That's right," Thales nodded in approval. "Say something simple, something everyone can understand. Don't keep bringing up geometry and arithmetic."

But unexpectedly, Golov's eyes flickered:
“You’re right. My grandfather also said: ‘Attack can replace defense, and only attack can break the siege.’ A castle that is closed off and defends itself is just a trapped beast fighting for help. It is at the mercy of others and will not have any other way out. Only by using the castle’s terrain to weaken the enemy and leaving the strength to counterattack and threaten the enemy can we achieve victory through defense. Your statement shows a lot of experience.”

These words made many people frown.

Doyle was both surprised and delighted. He gave two thumbs up, looking gratified that his years of teaching had finally paid off: He's got it! He's on the right track!

But this only brought back the zombies' angry glare once more.

"It's too literary, I can't understand it."

Sonia waved her hand:
"But I know that those two curtain walls were not part of the original design of Starlake Castle. They were added two or three hundred years ago when 'Jackal' was still a duke. The original purpose of their construction was to serve as a barrier and a trap to lure the enemy into attacking and to share the pressure on the front."

Thales looked in the direction Sonia was pointing again, but still couldn't see which wall was different.

"I see."

Golov said what Thales was about to say, but it was clear he really understood.

"No wonder I felt there was something strange about them when they stood there."

"As expected of 'Jackal' Sumer III, who easily defeated the Nightwing King and repelled the Eastern Continental Alliance simply by strategizing," Golov said with heartfelt admiration.

Sonia gave a soft snort, tossed aside the third canter fruit, and gave up on eating the fruit:

"Soldier, what's your name?"

"Jialun—"

But before Golov could finish speaking, Sonia slapped him on the chest!
Snapped!
Damn it! Thales felt the feedback from the River of Sin and estimated the force of the blow. He was relieved that it wasn't him who was hit.

The zombie's expression changed drastically after the heavy blow, and it swayed, but still managed to stand firmly.

Sonia was now quite impressed.

"Wow, nice build, strong enough."

She walked around Golover, sizing him up: "Hard enough?"

"Ha—thank you for your guidance." Several seconds later, Golov finally caught his breath and answered breathlessly.

“Very good, Jia Lun, that’s great,” Sonia raised her eyebrows and gave a meaningful smile. “Tonight, come to my room. We’ll have a private chat, um,?”

Upon hearing this, the entire Star Lake Fort fell silent.

Golov initially nodded, then turned pale with shock.

What, what?
DD stared wide-eyed, looking at Golov and then at the Fortress Flower.

isn't it?
Sonia, observing the reactions around her, understood what was happening and quickly waved her hand towards the curtain wall:

"Don't worry, don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you."

But the next moment, the Fortress Flower grabbed Golov by the collar, pulling him bent over awkwardly, parallel to Sonia:
Sonia blinked, bit her lip, and her smile became increasingly sinister:
"Don't worry, let's chat about something, hehe, something even more interesting."

With that, Sonia laughed and strode forward. Thales glanced back at Golov, then quickly followed Sonia's retreating figure.

The group started moving again, but everyone was looking at Golover with even stranger expressions.

Only Marius and Adrian remained on the other side, oblivious to everything, deep in thought and discussing something.

As for Golov himself, he stood there blankly, rubbing his chest, trying to understand what had just happened.

"Tsk tsk tsk, zombie, you're about to strike it rich."

DD, hands on hips, looked at his partner with astonishment: "The chance to skip twenty years of hard work is tonight! Hey, let's get rich..."

“You said those polite words would come in handy and make the officers happy,” Golov said to Doyle with annoyance, “but when I said them, I felt like an idiot.”

“Eh—” Doyle shook his finger, giving him a look that said, “You just don’t understand.”

"Trust me, you're right. Even if it doesn't make them happy, it certainly won't make them unhappy!"

Golov looked suspicious:
"is it?"

"Don't worry," DD patted his chest, "It's definitely right!"

The zombie shook his head: "Damn it."

DD, having lost his initial excitement, crossed his arms, his smile fading, and gazed at Sonia, who was surrounded by the crowd, from afar.
"So, that's the flower of the fortress?"

"You do not believe?"

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Doyle shook his head.

"I don't know, I can't explain it, it's just, I just have a feeling."

"Feelings?" Golov answered casually, but he was preoccupied with his "private chat" in Sonia's room that evening and hadn't listened to what his partner was saying at all.

“Hmm, I feel it. Sonia Sathere, she’s not very tall, and her voice isn’t loud, but when she stands there…”

DD seemed thoughtful:
"It's like I can't see anyone else anymore."

“Including Marius, including Captain Adrian, and even…His Highness.”

Grover didn't understand what he meant either; he just spat and lamented his bad luck that day.

"Are you going to stay here overnight, sir?"

On the other side, Marius and Adrian walked slowly forward, talking in hushed tones.

"Us? No, the Royal Guard is merely escorting Lady Satherley back to her hometown as a sign of His Majesty's favor and trust."

Lord Adrian glanced at the royal guards who had accompanied him; they were tending to the horses.

"Now that our mission is accomplished, we should immediately return to the capital to report to His Majesty."

“Alright then.” Marius said nothing.

But Adrian hesitated for a moment:

"By the way, your men seem to have become quite distant from the Fuxing Palace?"

Marius's eyes flashed: "Obviously."

"To this, Tormund, don't you have anything to say?"

Marius stopped in his tracks.

“You know, sir,” the Watchman said calmly, “I have no right to speak, and neither do you.”

Adrian stood with his hands behind his back, remaining silent for a long time.

"Well."

Adrian nodded and took a step forward, but stopped halfway through.

He turned around and changed the subject.

"Although our schedule is tight."

Adrian smiled at Marius and gestured to the royal guards who had accompanied him:

"But it's still possible to rest for a while, have dinner, and then go back to the city."

Marius's gaze froze.

Just then, the prince's exclamation came from ahead!
"Hey, hey, hey, that, Sonia, no, no, no, you can't!"

Marius and Adrian were both startled and rushed ahead.

"Everyone calm down!"

"Sonia?"

"Sir?"

Marius frowned: He saw Thales, looking embarrassed, being lifted high above his head by the waist by the Fortress Flower, flailing his limbs desperately in the air.

What are you doing?
On the other side, Wyman held off Golov, who was about to draw his sword and charge forward:
"Calm down, Golov, calm down. I know she means no harm. Just get used to it, you'll get used to it..."

"Sonia!"

"Lady!"

Everyone was terrified and started talking all at once.

Sonia, who had become the focus of Starlake Castle, didn't seem to notice anything amiss. She even held up Thales and happily spun around in a circle.

Just then, a cool and aloof female swordswoman stepped forward from the crowd:

"Commander Sonia!"

The female swordsman said coldly:

"Everyone's been traveling for so long, they must be hungry—will you provide meals?"

Sonia, who was spinning around, suddenly stopped!
Amid the gasps and cries of the crowd, the Lady snorted in annoyance, shifted her weight with her arms, and Thales finally landed safely on his feet.

The group, led by Wyman, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But before Thales could catch his breath, his eyes still glazed over, he felt a weight on his shoulder—Sonia's arm pressed down on his neck from behind, pulling him firmly into a hug.

"such a pity."

The Fortress Flower sighed deeply, embracing the struggling Thales like a close comrade, her other hand expertly ruffling the boy's hair, her tone full of regret:

"Looks like I can't carry you around on my neck and spin you around like I used to."

Who wants to play with you!
“Yes, it is a bit of a pity,” Thales roared inwardly, feeling Sonia’s arm as hard as steel and as heavy as a boulder, making it difficult for him to breathe and lift his head, yet he still had to maintain a smile and dignity in front of his subordinates. “No, no, I mean, people always have to grow up…”

Thales caught a glimpse of the female swordsman wearing black gloves, and his eyes lit up.

"Oh, it's Miranda!" Thales greeted her with delight, trying to distract herself while squeezing and struggling to break free from Sonia's arm lock, but to little avail. "Ah, it's been so long! How have you been—"

"It's Ms. Aaron."

Miranda said coldly as she walked past him, showing no intention of offering any help: "You are a prince and a duke, so you should address me properly."

“We’re not that close yet, Your Highness Thales.”

Thales choked on his words.

“Of course,” the prince said, sounding aggrieved.

For some reason, despite his higher status, he was subconsciously cautious and treading on thin ice in front of Miranda.

But before he could say another word, Sonia tightened her grip on him again, forcefully pulling him up from the ground and dragging him toward the hall in a different direction. A large group of people had no choice but to follow in fear, lest the fortress flower do something shocking again.

But at this moment, they could only watch helplessly as Duke Starlake was "held hostage" in Sonia's strong arms.

"You and Miranda, I thought you were friends, fighting side by side in Dragon City?" Sonia winked at Thales behind everyone's back.

“Of course we’re friends,” Thales said, overwhelmed and bitter. “Sometimes we are.”

Sonia hummed in agreement.

“That’s good,” Fortress Flower suddenly became serious. “Listen to me, child, Miranda is not suitable.”

“Oh,” Thales nodded painfully, then paused, “What?”

Sonia sighed and patted him on the shoulder:

"Wait until you're older and have more hair before you think about those trivial things."

what?
Thales was startled.

What things?
That, no, it's not—

"But you need to exercise more, kid! You're still too skinny."

Sonia finally withdrew her arm, freeing Thales.

"It's obvious they haven't been beaten enough!"

The next second, laughing loudly, she slapped Thales on the back:
"She'll have trouble conceiving!"

Thales staggered, unable to stop in time, and fell forward with his eyes rolled back, meeting the solid, reliable ground of Starlake Castle, and the wailing and screaming of Wyman and the others.

----

Inside the main castle, Thales lay dying in his ducal lounge, struggling to regain his strength.

Oh my god...

"Come on, get me some meat and some wine, bang a gong and beat a drum!"

Sonia's unrestrained laughter echoed from the banquet hall, penetrating the walls, lingering around the stone pillars, and reverberating throughout the main castle.

Thales covered his ears in pain.

How can she be so energetic!

The thought that Duke Starlake was only "temporarily away" and would have to go back to be tortured later filled Thales with despair.

The black cat that often patronized the Duke's dining table came running from the direction of the dining room, screeching as it darted out the window, seemingly unable to bear it any longer.

"Yohohoho! Get hyped! Get hard! Get burning! Get this party going!" Sonia's voice rang out again, even louder than before.

Another wave of cheers came from below; it was the soldiers of her Starshine Guard responding happily.

Damn it, no wonder they're soldiers from the Northern Frontier who came from the Dragon Fortress.

Thales thought to himself.

They were practically talking about eating, drinking, and exercising.

Hopefully, Marius and DD will put in a good job and exhaust that monster flower's energy a bit more, so that...

"Your Highness?"

Thales opened his eyes groggily and saw that it was Marius.

Well, it seems even his favorite captain of the guard couldn't hold on any longer and preferred to come and relieve Golov and Wyatt himself.

“No!”

Thales closed his eyes, deciding to go all in, and said, "Tell that woman..."

"I'm constipated!"

But another voice came from my ear:

"In fact, Your Highness."

Thales opened his eyes and found that the speaker was Lord Adrian, the commander of the Royal Guard.

"His Majesty entrusted me with a decree for you," the captain of the guard said softly.

Imperial decree...

The next second, Thales jolted awake and sat up from his chair.

Fuck it.

In that instant, Thales' mind cleared, and Sonia's laughter and the soldiers' cheers seemed to be shut out.

Marius nodded to Adrian and went outside.

Thales was left alone, frowning as he looked at the smiling Adrian:
“I knew it,” the prince sighed, “he wouldn’t let me get away with this.”

He reached into his front pocket and, unsurprisingly, touched the bone ring.

Gortakssa.

This bone ring has a grotesque and thorny shape, but for some reason, it feels warm and smooth to the touch.

And its deceptive nature.

It almost made one forget... its essence.

“Come on, Lord Adrian.”

Duke Xinghu sat upright and gave a cold snort:
"What is His Majesty's decree?"

Adrian smiled slightly and beckoned a royal guard into the lounge, who was carrying a scroll.

“I have no way of knowing either.” Adrian bowed and left the room.

“Making it so formal,” Thales looked at the scroll and shook his head dismissively. “What is he planning this time?”

“I came to see you,” the guard said softly.

Thales jumped up from his chair.

The next second, the Supreme King of the Stars, Kaiser Star V, removed the standard helmet of the Royal Guard in front of him, his tone indifferent:
"To ensure that this new sword is sharp enough."

Thales's mind went blank.

Sonia's loud laughter drifted from afar, but grew fainter and fainter.

Until the lounge door slammed shut.

What are you doing?
Thales stared incredulously at the king, who was dressed in the guard uniform.

At that moment, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, completely waking him up.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

King Kessel did not speak immediately; he slowly walked to the window to greet the setting sun.

Etc., etc……

Thales took a deep breath and composed himself.

“I’ve said this before,” he forced himself to speak, uttering the first words that came to mind, “do you know what happened to the last king who went on an incognito journey into dangerous territory?”

The king neither turned around nor answered.

Just as Thales was about to ask again, the kingly voice came softly: "Of course."

"He entered Dragonstreet, used the enemy prince to manipulate the situation, and finally seized control of the entire Exter, shocking the world."

Huh? Thales was taken aback.

He held the entire Exter in his hand...

“No, no, no, not Chaman Lumba, not him, I mean another one,” Thales shook his head vigorously, “another king, the one before him, remember? Hint, his name starts with N—”

“We used to go hunting in the hunting forest on horseback,” the king interrupted him, his words plain and ordinary, but his tone leaving no room for doubt. “If it gets too late, we simply don’t go back to the city, but come directly to Starlake Castle and spend the night with Uncle John.”

King Kessel still had his back to him, gazing at the starry lake outside the window.

"But at that time, I never realized that the sunset over Xinghu Lake was so enchanting."

The setting sun casts its rays upon the lake, creating countless golden ripples that shimmer and sparkle.

"John was always kind, warm, generous and hospitable. He would often chat with us at the dinner table and get drunk and unconscious."

John.

Thales nodded, recalling the former owner of Starlake Castle: "Sounds like a fascinating person."

The king gave a soft hum, neither praising nor criticizing:

"He always manages to make people forget the bloodshed and cruelty of the hunt—or other things."

As they were talking, the faint sound of Sonia singing in her drunken state could be heard from outside the door.

Strangely, the song is melancholic, its melody somber, and its tune lingering.

This is a stark contrast to the performance of the Fortress Flower today.

Thales remained silent.

"Funeral Song."

After listening for a while, the king suddenly said, "This is the Star Legion's version. Back then, John and his men weren't strong enough. Fighting the rebels required them to move quickly and couldn't stay in one place for too long, so many soldiers' remains couldn't be properly buried."

“When mourning his comrades, John had to change words like ‘coffin’ and ‘tombstone’ in the funeral song to avoid upsetting the soldiers.”

As the sun set, the colors in the lounge gradually turned cold.

Thales took a deep breath and finally couldn't help but speak:
"What on earth are you——"

"Emerald City".

Before he could finish speaking, King Kessel uttered the word.

Thales frowned.

Emerald City.

"You mean, the capital of the South Shore Territory, the City of Crystal, the Capital of Wealth, the Land of Dreams, the City of Stars, known as the 'Queen of Cities'—Emerald City?"

The king gazed at the serene starry lake:

That's your next destination.

Thales was silent for a moment:

"for what?"

"destroy."

destroy.

Thales raised his eyes.

In that instant, he felt the bone ring in his pocket was heavy.

That was a "covenant," it seemed to be urging, reminding us.

Warning.

At the window, King Kessel slowly turned around, his cold eyes shooting into the room, driving away the warmth of the setting sun.

“My son,” the Supreme King said in a calm, ordinary, and unwavering tone, as if he were recounting something of utmost importance, “you must keep your promise and wield your first sword.”

Thales remained motionless.

"Heading to Emerald City."

The funeral song still echoes in the distance, lonely and desolate.

"Depose the Duke of the South Bank."

The Duke's lounge grew increasingly dark.

"Destruction—Jann Kevin Deer".

Thales was momentarily dazed.

The duke was deposed.

Destroy Jenn.

The tense confrontation at the royal banquet resurfaced in his mind.

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

Thales took a deep breath.

This is a warning… I want you to know, Thales, I want to teach you this: this is my response, as a response to your offense, rejection, and even threats against me six years later.

"Ha ha……"

[If you choose war, Thales, and are determined to be my enemy, then this is just the beginning.]

Thales pressed his hand against the table, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

When things truly come to a head, I will sacrifice everything to make you, and I will make you, pay the most devastating price.

The next second, Duke Starlake could no longer contain himself and burst into unrestrained laughter.

"Hahahahaha..."

Thales laughed loudly and forcefully.

But what was missing was a smile.

The king glanced at him:
"how?"

Jenn.

Kevin Deer.

The Iris Duke?
Deposed.

destroy?

Thales stopped laughing, took a deep breath, and went to the window.

"It's nothing, I just... I just remembered a phrase—oh, the words of the Northerners."

He passed the king: the iron-fisted king gazed into the darkness of the room, while he felt the chill outside the window.

King Kessel remained silent, simply gazing at him wistfully.

“The tides are turning.”

Thales' smile faded, his face becoming expressionless.
"Karma is a bitch."

I don't know when it started, but the sun has already set.

He did not see the spectacular sunset over Xinghu Lake; instead, he saw countless stars reflected in the lake.

Each one radiates a chilling light that captivates the soul.

Back to the table.


(End of this chapter)