Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 645 The Emerald Legion
"I am so, so, so sorry, Your Highness Thales."

Caquere, the Emerald City's top security officer and the Duke of Starlake's security chief for this trip, was sweating profusely and followed Thales closely by his side.

"Please understand, with the Queen's Day celebrations approaching, the security and defense of Emerald City are under immense pressure. However, given such an unexpected incident, we still bear the responsibility without hesitation. And I cannot tell you how sorry, ashamed, and embarrassed my colleagues and I are at this moment..."

At this moment, Thales, dressed in casual clothes and without his insignia, walked through the bustling streets of the Queen's City, brushing past countless ordinary people busy with their livelihoods. The members of the Star Lake Guard lay in a protective formation all around, while the Emerald City's guards and soldiers followed further away, moving slowly forward with the entire group, ready to provide support at any moment.

"You should really be ashamed!"

Wyatt walked beside Thales, furious.

"Someone actually dared to charge at His Highness's troops with a weapon in broad daylight, in full view of everyone, and even clamored for a duel? This is unacceptable from both a safety and public relations standpoint. Such a thing is unprecedented—cough—the last time something like this happened was, or rather…"

It was the same as last time.

While Thales took in the sights and sounds of Emerald City with great interest, he silently finished the words of the attendant.

According to Caquere, Emerald City had already arranged for people to be on duty and the streets to be cleared, preparing for a "grand and magnificent" welcoming ceremony for the prince to demonstrate the Kevin Deer family's high regard and enthusiasm for the prince's southern tour, until that inexplicable farce just now:

The young count's impulsive actions exposed Thales's identity, and news of the prince's appearance spread like wildfire. Crowds of onlookers poured in from all over the city until the security forces were overwhelmed.

For safety reasons, Thales and his group had to change their itinerary, change locations, and even disguise themselves and hide their identities ("like thieves," DD said) to enter the Emerald City discreetly.

Clearly, the cobblestone streets of Queen's City are not wide, and the streets lack the grandeur and squareness of Yongxing City. However, it is clean and tidy, with a reasonable layout. The buildings and squares are well-arranged, and pedestrians come and go, carriages hurry by, workshops are busy, and the sounds of bargaining rise and fall in the shops.

"This is the price, only two copper coins higher than last week. It's Midil copper from StarCraft, not alloy copper coins from Tyrell! Remember to remind the ship's escort when loading the cargo, lest you get ripped off at the Tyrell Trade Port..."

"Be more meticulous with your work. This order is from Changyin City. The Anlunzo people have the most demanding standards, but what can we do when they offer so much..."

"Great, the temperature is right. Now try melting some asphalt crystals in...just a little! Do you want me to go bankrupt if you put in too much!"

"Urgent! Urgent! The ironwork for eight boxes is finished. Deliver it to the old cemetery in the new suburbs today! The workers need it to build the scaffolding for the jade festival. Priority delivery!"

"The celebration is here, so let's stop work and have a holiday tomorrow. Today, you two come with me to the Gold Rush area to deposit the remaining profits into vouchers..."

Everyone is busy making a living and has no extra energy to pay attention to other things, such as whether a new Prince of Stars has appeared on this street full of workshops and factories.

“Your street…” Officer Caquere tried to say something to ease the awkwardness, but he was interrupted as soon as he opened his mouth.

"This is the Craftsmen's District, Your Highness. Although the Jade City is a thriving commercial center, as you can see, it's not enough for raw materials to just arrive. They must be transformed into usable goods before they can be sold. That's why all sorts of workshops and factories are clustered here, operating day and night without rest."

Dagori followed behind the prince, introducing the Emerald City with great enthusiasm and eloquence, as if he were the local resident:

"That direction leads to the canal district, lined with docks. It's the main transportation route to various places, including Gonghai City, and is full of sailors, boatmen, and laborers, as well as numerous warehouses and trading posts. Next door is the Gold District, where many merchant guilds and associations rent land, including private vaults and pawnshops. Many wealthy people live there."

"Knight District, where the city management office and military camp are located, so don't mess with the soldiers if you don't have anything to do; Goddess District, where the Sunset Temple of Emerald City is located, hence the name, but it is most famous for having various skill schools, and studios for performers, painters and sculptors, so you can unleash your artistic imagination."

"Iris District, besides being affluent, a city should also learn to enjoy itself. There you can find everything there: stages, theaters, teahouses, bars, casinos. Oh, and the Temple of the Underworld is also here. Their plays are much better than those in Eternal Star City, and they are very competitive."
"Glory District, this is the old town. A long time ago, people would flock here to set up markets after moving into the city, so this place became a market for all kinds of general merchandise; that's the new suburbs, and as Emerald City has expanded, the surrounding areas have become more complex..."

"Of course, the city center and highest point is still the Sky Palace, the ancestral home of the Kevin Deer family. The government offices, courtrooms, guardhouse, and notary office are all located there; it's quite something..."

“Wait a minute,” Thales suddenly interrupted Dagory, “You mean, all these government offices and workplaces are in the Sky Palace, in Duke Janne’s palace?”

“I know, Your Highness, it’s quite rare, isn’t it?” Dagory said, beaming. “Of all the major cities I’ve visited—Everstar, Ice River, Coldhold, Radiant Harbor, Forest of the Rising Sun, Bladehill, Wasteland, and even further afield, Swordlake, Vinewood, Lywald… Emerald City is the only one like this. In other places, the lord’s castles are all strategically important and must be defended, either strictly separated from other areas or simply located in the suburbs, with their own farmland and manors. How could they possibly share the same roads as the common people?”

Thales seemed to be deep in thought, and pondered for a moment before saying:
“That’s true. You know, Star Lake Fort is located on the shore of Star Lake, and it’s quite a distance from the nearest town.”

“This is all thanks to the grace of the previous Duke,” the true local, Officer Caquere, finally found an opportunity to interject, his face equally animated. “It is said that when he was young, he was considerate of his subordinates. Seeing that the offices of different departments were too far apart, and that officials of varying economic backgrounds had to travel back and forth, becoming exhausted, he overruled objections and opened the palace gates, providing the manor houses outside the main palace to the city’s government offices for their use. In doing so, he even leveled several plots of land that could have been rented out or cultivated by the officials themselves.”

Thales's face darkened upon hearing this.

"Will doing this... work?" Miranda asked, frowning.

“Of course it’s useful! First of all, this is the lord’s fortress, it has its own majesty. You can see the Duke’s room just by looking up, and you can see the Kevindir guards every day. People who come here, whether they are handling business, appealing, or being tried, no matter if they are wealthy or of noble birth, who would dare to disobey them? Secondly, it is such an honor to work in the Kongming Palace. The officials are naturally grateful and more devoted to serving, and the old duke has won the hearts of the people as a result.” Caquere was full of confidence and pride.

"So, in Emerald City, quite a few people come and go from the Empty Palace every day?" Huaiya asked, puzzled.

"Yes, but only the outer perimeter and the first floor are accessible—the main palace is still off-limits to outsiders. Of course, Your Highness is going to the main palace."

"Won't this pose a security risk?" Miranda questioned.

"Miss, please rest assured, especially on important holidays like Queen's Day, not only Kongming Palace, but everyone entering Emerald City, and even every piece of goods, undergoes strict registration procedures to ensure that not even a superfluous kitchen knife can be brought in..."

"Moreover, the laws and regulations of Emerald City are quite strict and detailed, ranging from fines and imprisonment to exile and death penalty," Dagory saw an opening and hurriedly interjected, "Not only within the city, but also the canals, ports, post stations and roads surrounding Emerald City are protected by Emerald City laws. Not to mention serious crimes such as theft, robbery and fraud, as long as they are within the territory of the South Bank, even if the criminals escape to the border, they will be caught and sentenced."

“Looks like we’ll just have to rob it and run, escape the south bank overnight,” DD said casually, then his face stiffened. “What’s wrong? Why are you all looking at me?”

"I can see that the city is well-organized, which shows the dedication of the administrators."

Thales thought of the three lower districts of Everstar City, as well as the Shield District and Bow District of Dragonsky City, and couldn't help but sigh, "Are there always this many people at the Emerald Festival on Queen's Day every year?"

“Of course, Your Highness, of course. This is Emerald City’s most famous event, the most important festival of the year,” Caquere said with mixed feelings. “The seven-day celebration draws guests from all corners of the world, from foreign dignitaries to merchants and ordinary citizens. Every year, it packs the inns and guesthouses of the surrounding towns to capacity. It’s only thanks to Emerald City’s continuous expansion and development that we’ve managed to keep the city under the most security pressure. The festival week is always the time when all sorts of people mingle, and our Security Department and the Emerald Legion have to work overtime. And this year, unfortunately, there are more people than ever before…”

Caquere fell silent immediately, glancing nervously at His Highness.

“I know, because of me?” Thales said calmly.

Caquere nodded awkwardly: "Well, it's an honor for us South Shore people that Your Highness is attending the Jade Festival. You are highly respected, so everyone is eager to come..."

"So, to celebrate a holiday," DD said, puzzled, "Is it really necessary for Emerald City to go through all this trouble?"

"Of course not, my lord, so the significance of the Jade Festival goes beyond that."

Seeing an opportunity, Dagori quickly interjected, "It is also very important for us business people, Your Highness. You might as well think of the Jade Festival as a grand market, where many merchants with big businesses can gather together to find new business opportunities. However, its total amount and categories, as well as the scope involved, far exceed most markets in the world—many transoceanic, large-scale, and regular transactions are concluded during this period, and countless amounts of money and goods determine the future direction within this week."

Thales nodded:

"And this is good for the development of Emerald City, right?"

"That's natural. Their tax revenue from various transactions, especially maritime trade, is substantial, along with the secondary value generated after these transactions, and the subsequent chain of transactions. They can also use this to attract entrepot trade, enhancing the status of their ports. They can even control the price trends of bulk resources, gather similar merchants, and form industry guilds and associations in Emerald City to dominate an industry, seize the right to speak, or even monopolize it... In short, after the Year of the Crimson, the territories directly under Kevin Deer's control, especially the port towns, have become increasingly wealthy: Emerald City, Arched Sea City, Wind Chime Town, Sunburst Town... They have become rich either through fine industries or through transshipment trade, plus their existing crystal mines, tsk tsk tsk..."

Got it, Jenn is rich—he's been reminded of that countless times.

Thales sighed inwardly.

If it weren't for this, the king probably wouldn't have sent him here.

“That’s why the laws and regulations of Emerald City are so strict and detailed, and the scope of enforcement is so broad, even to the point that the lord’s palace serves as a guarantee to increase the authority of law enforcement,” Miranda said. “It is precisely because it can guarantee the safety of the life and property of every merchant here, and ensure the smooth and stable conduct of their transactions, that so many merchants are willing to come here to seek opportunities during the Emerald Festival, and thus regard it as the best trading transit point.”

Caquere and Dagory turned around at the same time, and were somewhat surprised to see that the speaker was this young woman.

Miranda looked at the bustling streets and the thriving businesses, her feelings a mix of emotions.

This place is, after all, not a military fortress.

“But I heard from Priest Megan,” Wyatt hesitated, “that you should be ruthless to merchants and kind to farmers.”

“Hey, if Sunset Church is really so cold to merchants, who will transport farm tools for the farmers? They can't expect them to make all their own pots and pans, can they?” Dagory waved his hand. “Besides, I heard that in this parish of Emerald City, the priests of Sunset Church are in charge, and they have a more profound understanding of the doctrines…”

When they came to a crossroads, as Caquere went to arrange the guidance ahead, Thales beckoned Dagory to his side and asked him in a low voice.

“Dagori, I have a question: Since the security in Emerald City is so good, if I want to do something here that is inconvenient for the authorities to know about, who should I contact?”

Dagori was startled by what he heard.

"Well, Your Highness, the situation in the Southern Territory is different from other parts of the country," the wine merchant chuckled. "Even gangsters have to abide by the law here; they can't do whatever they want..."

Thales squinted:
"Really? So, your role is really just to be my guide?"

The prince's gaze made Dagori's heart tighten.

“...But if you have to say, it’s not like there’s no other option,” Dagory quickly changed his tune. “In Emerald City, doing wrong is also a business. You can only use gray methods within the limits of the rules.”

Dagory glanced around, coughed, and moved closer to Thales.

"In Emerald City, whether it's the Blood Bottle Gang or the Brotherhood, their leaders are all acquainted with the authorities."

"The Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood, here?" Thales frowned.

"Yes, but as I said, the rules here are different from those in the capital. They at least have an unspoken understanding. Although they are hostile to each other, they rarely engage in large-scale battles—at least not within the city. They know what they can and cannot do, what can be done within the city, what can only be done outside the city, what they can do on their own, and what they must inform others before doing. These unspoken understandings are not just about territory, but also about the scope of interests. For example, the Brotherhood's 'alpha wolf,' Razanchi Fisseau, is running his 'energizing health products'..."

You mean drug trafficking?

Dago's expression changed.

"They don't use that word here, Your Highness. It doesn't sound good, and it doesn't comply with the laws of the Kingdom or the Emerald City... Anyway, Fesso is based in the new suburbs and North Gate Bridge, but he is very knowledgeable and understands the rules of the Emerald City very well. He never steals, robs, or cheats—at least not too much, and he doesn't interfere with the official revenue streams. He only does relatively low-key things. As you said, even seemingly 'mutually consenting' businesses like 'energizing health products' are done secretly, with quality control and quantity control. That's why he has integrated into this place over the past ten years."

"In addition, the Blood Bottle Gang has been entrenched here for a long time. They have good relations with several major guilds and commercial associations in the Canal District, and even with the Guard Bureau. Making money here is naturally much easier for them. They basically do things for money, and someone else cleans up their messes. As long as they don't do anything to harm Emerald City, even the Guards have to give them some face. The leader here before was 'Phantom Blade' Catherine. A few years ago, she went to the capital, and the one in charge became 'Wanderer' Ferg. How should I put it? Well, he's not very content with the status quo and doesn't follow the rules. I heard that several major guilds are getting a little annoyed with him."

Alpha Wolf Fesso, Phantom Blade Catherine.

Thales narrowed his eyes: "That's it? That's all?"

"Well, Emerald City has strict security. Apart from them, other petty thieves are basically no match for them and wouldn't dare to do big business..."

Thales sneered and repeated:
"I mean, that's it?"

Dagory understood the prince's meaning in a few seconds, hesitated for a moment, and forced an awkward smile:

"Well, well... yes, I'm not very capable, but I have some influential connections in the new suburbs and the canal district. So, if Your Highness has any inconveniences, you can ask my friends to do it for you... Of course, it's all legal, I mean at least not illegal, um, not entirely illegal, or not seriously illegal."

Thales then nodded.

So the handkerchief wasn't a complete waste.

“Mr. Dagory? I have a question,” Miranda stepped closer to them. “Since the Emerald City wants to ensure its security and order is stable enough, it needs to hire a large number of guards to maintain order within the city. But as you said, what about the main roads outside the city? We can’t just leave the Emerald City and be robbed by bandits or thugs, with no one to complain to, can we?”
"Furthermore, if the borders of Emerald City are expanding every year, rendering the city walls ineffective, how will they defend against external enemies? And given its wealth and the continuous stream of rich merchants and nobles, what if bandits and robbers appear in the territory? If a wave appears, will the Duke simply summon everyone to take up arms and fight them off?"

Miranda's problem drew everyone's attention, and Dagory, sensing the attention, had a sudden inspiration:
"The lady beside Your Highness, you have asked the perfect question."

"After the South Coast Territory became wealthy, its security problems troubled the Duke for a long time. Although he had not directly faced the flames of war in the Bloody Year, after the war, firstly, the Casse pirates took the opportunity to plunder at sea, secondly, sporadic bandits and rebel soldiers rushed into the territory from other places, and thirdly, after the South Coast Territory responded to the Kingdom's conscription order to resist Exter in the north, the territory was severely weakened, and the Duke temporarily exempted many vassals from military service obligations."

He rubbed his hands together and pointed to a group of knights passing by in the distance. They were well-equipped and fully armed.

"Therefore, the old duke, who had no troops at his disposal, had to hire different mercenaries from the Casse Islands, the Great Desert, and even the other side of the End Sea, which is the Eastern Continent. On the one hand, he had them patrol the territory and guard the land, and on the other hand, he had them monitor each other."

mercenary.

Thales frowned as he recalled his experiences in the vast desert.

"But aren't they afraid of a mercenary rebellion?"

The Duke couldn't help but say:

"During wars, foreign mercenaries may be tempted by money or become dissatisfied, or even be bribed by the enemy and turn around to wipe out their employers. There are countless examples of this in history."

Everyone nodded, their faces showing doubt.

But Dagor smiled mysteriously and raised his finger:

"That's where the old duke's brilliance lies."

"First of all, he knew that mercenary leaders were, to put it bluntly, businessmen who were just selling their strength. So when the Duke was negotiating, he summoned all the leaders together for a meeting and told them that he would give them an exorbitant fee to ensure smooth travel around Emerald City and the peace of their territories for a year."

"A sky-high price? How much? Ten thousand tots? Twenty thousand tots? Fifty thousand? Eighty thousand?" DD's eyes lit up.

“None of that,” Dagory shook his head. “The Duke summoned his treasurer and showed the mercenary leaders the financial statements for that year, astonishing them and saying that the mercenary fees they received would be a percentage of the total revenue of the Emerald City and its surrounding territories for the following year.”

The people around suddenly fell silent.

"How much? What percentage?" DD couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know. This number remains a mystery to this day. There are all sorts of rumors, but it is said that the number is so large that many people thought the Duke had gone mad, and his treasurer vehemently opposed it on the spot, even threatening to resign."

“What?” Thales frowned.

“But the Duke still went ahead with the deal, but he had his conditions,” Dagory said. “He wanted the mercenaries who came to carry out the mission to bring their families with them during the mission. He could provide them with houses and even land for them to live in, and even give them discounts on transactions in the city. As long as they completed the road defense mission, they could renew their contracts after the term expired. As for whether they wanted to stay or leave, it was entirely up to them. If there were other bandit suppression missions along the way, the bonuses and spoils would be calculated separately.”

“This, this…” Miranda was somewhat surprised.

"And the Duke wasn't just offering bribes," Dagory raised a finger, his eyes sharpening. "It's said that he also reminded those leaders that Kevin Deer would rather die for a friend than for an enemy. Since Emerald City's annual revenue is so high, he can use as much as he can spend today to hire these people to guard the city, and he can use just as much tomorrow to hire others to hunt them down. No matter where they are, in the Heavenly River, as long as even one member of the Iris Flower family is alive, and as long as the Star Kingdom still has their allies, this statement will stand."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this.

"After careful consideration, many people refused, but in the end three mercenary groups accepted the contract—some say four, and the fourth group was supposedly secretly hired by the Duke to monitor the first three as a backup in case anything went wrong."

"Even so, the three mercenary groups were still quite numerous. They had received a deposit and were promised exorbitant fees, so they patrolled and trained all over the area around Emerald City, fighting bandits and hunting down robbers, for a whole year. In response, the Duke established strict laws to curb the bandits. It was said that even if you found a copper coin on the road, you had to hand it over to the authorities, otherwise you would be suspected of being a thief or robber. So even the fiercest bandits who came to Emerald City had to become citizens of the law."

"The second year, the third year... everyone thought the Duke had gone mad, saying that no matter how rich Kevindale became, the finances would eventually collapse. Of course, some people guessed that the Iris family had a mine and weren't afraid of being exploited," Dagory cleared his throat. "But later on, many mercenaries had earned enough, so they didn't renew their contracts or even retired. But many of their families were still here, so many of those who planned to retire stayed here and became residents of Emerald City. By the sixth and seventh year, the number of mercenaries had dropped to a certain point, and the original mercenary leaders had also retired, so the Duke renegotiated contracts with them."

"He kept the original mercenary officers, reorganized the three mercenary groups into one, and gave them long-term contracts, paying each soldier a fixed amount regularly, so that they would serve the Kevin Deer family and Emerald City for the long term, responsible for maintaining peace in the surrounding area. To replenish their numbers, the Duke also allowed them to recruit soldiers locally—they had houses and land, didn't have to fight big battles, and didn't have to travel far. Wasn't that better than running around in fear? So the Emerald Legion was formed. You see, those mounted patrols on the streets are them. They came into the city to provide support during the Emerald Festival. Aren't they more impressive than the guards?"

Thales's heart skipped a beat: "So, that's why the South Bank Territory almost abolished the conscription system?" Dagor narrowed his eyes, thinking for a moment:
"It can't be said that it has been abolished; there are still some lords who continue to forcibly conscript soldiers and laborers."

So when the king demanded troops from the princes at the national conference, Janne couldn't even muster two thousand conscripted soldiers.

Thales pondered.

"The Emerald Legion may be smaller, but this means the men in the territory won't have to perform labor or military service for the lord, which won't affect farming and production. That's great! If you really want to be a soldier, then join the Emerald Legion. Isn't this better than when we were conscripting soldiers before?"

Miranda couldn't help but speak up:
"Hire troops from other regions, and after all these years, have you really never had a single problem?"

“I heard that everyone had this concern at first, and the merchants didn’t dare to come for a while,” Dagory said. “But it turned out that one meal is still one meal, and even the most uncouth mercenaries can tell the difference.”

Wyman heard this and a sudden idea struck him:
"Wait, isn't this a bit like, like, like that..."

“The Royal Guard.” Thales looked up, gazing at the blue-armored knights in the distance, slightly lost in thought.

"In fact, the predecessor of the standing army was a mercenary force a hundred years ago."

Everyone suddenly realized, but then fell into deep thought.

At that moment, Thales, standing on the streets of Emerald City, suddenly understood why he had come to the South Shore after the North and the West.

This place is far more complicated than the Queen's City he had heard about in the capital.

“That’s still incomparable,” Dagori smiled shyly. “The Emerald Legion, the Emerald Legion, despite its name, is at best a local security force. They can suppress bandits and maintain peace, but fighting across the border is absolutely out of the question! The Royal Army, on the other hand, is a formidable force forged in the bloody years, with elite troops recruited from across the country, well-equipped, highly trained, and led by three commanders. Oh, and of course, there’s the brilliant command of the Shining Star Royal Family…”

“A well-trained soldier,” Thales pondered, “is not as good as a soldier who has fought for a long time.”

Dagory nodded:

"So, a small number of cuckolds are essentially replacing the conscripts in every household..."

Upon hearing this, Thales frowned:

"Wait, what hat?"

Dagori eagerly approached and pointed out the growing number of Emerald Legion knights in the distance to Thales:

"Look, their clothes are all emerald green, and look at their hats, hehe, so their nickname is 'green hat'!"

Thales' face darkened, and he remained silent for a long while.

"So that's how it is. Everyone in this legion has been cuckolded by Jenn?"

“Oh, this isn’t thanks to Duke Jann, though he was quite wise,” Dagory chuckled. “The old duke I’m referring to is the late Lord Lenster.”

“You mean, Duke Jann’s father,” Thales pondered, “Lenster Kevindeer?”

“Of course, Your Highness, the Duke was wise, kind, and benevolent. During his tenure, he governed the South Bank Territory very well, and everyone is grateful for his kindness,” Dagory said, then sighed, “It’s just a pity that good people always attract jealousy…”

Lenster.

Lenster Kevin Deer.

Thales looked at the bright and clean streets and frowned as he thought of the previous Duke of Kevin Deer, who had passed away nearly ten years ago.

Ok?
and many more.

Thales suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Those people from the Emerald Legion...

Why are there more and more of them?

Is it getting closer and closer?
Just now.

"Star Lake, on alert!"

Marius's roar came from ahead!
This time, his tone was serious, far exceeding the level when that young count had tried to force his way in!
Before Thales could even show his surprise, the Starlake Guard, who had trained countless times at Starlake Castle, instinctively sprang into action. The guards hidden in the crowd quickly gathered around Thales, forming a formation that startled the pedestrians on the street. Golov suddenly appeared again, and together with Wyatt, they shielded Thales completely ("Your Highness, be careful... Your Highness, no, don't! Don't struggle anymore, this is a necessary protective measure!").

But Thales will soon be no longer surprised.

Click, click, click…

With the sound of orderly and powerful hooves, the blue-armored knights in the distance gathered in small numbers, formed a formation, and spurred their horses up the main street of the Craftsmen's District, galloping towards them.

“That’s green, a green hat?” Dagory exclaimed.

Click, click...

The sound of hooves continued, and the Emerald Legion did not stop, but instead flanked the Star Lake Guard from both sides, completely surrounding them.

What are you doing?
"Halt!" Marius roared.

Thales pushed Golov's arm away and looked ahead.

"Everyone knows his name!"

At Marius's command, the green-hatted men—the Emerald Legion—sent out a leading blue-armored knight, his expression cold yet his gaze intimidating.

“I am a knight of the kingdom, a captain of the Seychelles in the Emerald Legion.”

Seychelles spoke loudly, attracting the attention of everyone on the street:

"I have been ordered by the esteemed Duke of the South Bank of the Star Kingdom, Lord of Emerald City, Jann Kevindir, to come and support the law enforcement operations of my colleagues in the Canal District Guard Bureau!"

In the ranks of the Star Lake Guardians, Marius pulled back his hood, stepped forward alone, and refused to yield:
"There is no law here for you to grasp—except the law of death."

Marius and Seychelles' eyes met in mid-air.

The latter sneered and reined in his horse.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next second, the instant Seychelles turned around, he drew his sword on horseback, the sword flashing and killing intent overflowing!
In that instant, Thales tensed up. The sin of the River of Hell came uninvited, and he instinctively wanted to raise his arm to block it.

"Sir!"

Toledo, standing behind Marius, roared and drew his sword, but Marius held him firmly in place!

The hearts of everyone at Xinghu Fort tightened.

The tip of Seychelles' sword stopped just between Marius's eyes, a mere hair's breadth away, moving with unexpected steadiness.

The crowd on the street erupted in uproar.

“That knight,” Miranda said through gritted teeth, finding herself unable to resist drawing her sword, “can make us so tense from such a distance, he is… not weak.”

After Thales calmed the burning River of Sin, he turned around and found that Golov, Wyatt, Rolf, and even DD all looked solemn, and everyone subconsciously drew their swords.

"Damn it, I felt that sword was coming at me..." Wyman gritted his teeth and managed to speak.

“But young Tommond—Lord Marius—he’s the first to be targeted…”

DD stared incredulously at Marius, who stood motionless and composed before the sword's edge: "Looks like he's got some skills!"

This is……

Miranda stared intently at Marius:
Is it the power of the Terrorblade?
At this moment.

"Seychelles Captain, Seychelles Knight! Wait! Wait a minute!"

Thies' security chief, Officer Caquere, led a team of guards and scrambled through the crowd, saying, "It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"

His face was deathly pale, and he dared not approach the menacing Seychelles and Marius, only waving his hands to the side:
"This is a distinguished guest of Emerald City and Duke Jann, the esteemed Duke of Starlake, His Highness Thales Starlight!"

These words caused an uproar among the people on the street.

But Seychelles remained unmoved.

He simply stared intently at Marius, his sword not trembling in the slightest.

The royal guards looked back at him indifferently, despite his perilous situation; a single slip could mean the end of a sword piercing his head.

“Seychelles knight, please, please…” Caquerey was almost begging.

A few seconds later, Seychelles finally suppressed the murderous intent in his eyes and instantly sheathed his sword.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and put away their weapons.

Among them, Officer Caquere was the worst; he was panting heavily and almost collapsed from fright.

“You didn’t draw your sword,” Seychelles said coldly. “Why?”

Marius looked at his opponent on horseback, and after several seconds, he closed his eyes and let out a long breath: "Because..."

The watchman raised his head confidently and smiled politely:
"I don't have time."

These words stunned everyone.

What?
Miranda's expression was the most complicated, and even Seychelles froze for a moment.

“I see,” the captain of the Emerald Legion said after a moment of silence, looking precisely in Thales’ direction, and bowed on his horse. “I apologize for not recognizing you, Your Highness.”

Thales looked at Seychelles, frowned, but did not answer.

He seems to have figured out what trick Jenn was playing.

Sure enough, the next second, Seychelles turned its horse around and its expression became serious!
"Dagri Moss!"

As soon as the name was uttered, the Star Lake Guards all turned around, revealing the wine merchant hidden behind them—Dagori—standing there, dumbfounded.

"Following a report from the Wine Merchants Association, the Canal District Police Department discovered that you have multiple charges against you in other areas, including but not limited to withholding wages, defaulting on payments, overdue debts, and breach of contract, including even a murder charge!"

Seychelles spoke coldly, and the content of his words made the onlookers on the street even more excited.

not good.

Thales looked at Dagory with a tense expression.

When the Kingdom's Secret Service recruited him as an informant, didn't they pay attention to his past—Raphael clearly used those things to threaten him, didn't he?
The latter realized what was happening and frantically shook his head in panic:

"Your Highness Thales, I... no..."

The people at Starlake Castle were equally astonished and uncertain, their gazes shifting between the wine merchant and the prince.

But Thales gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Seychelles slowly raised its head and looked at Dagory:
"So, you're that wine merchant... I heard from my colleagues in the Security Bureau that you found a powerful and influential patron to cover up your crimes?"

He changed the subject:
"Or is it that your sins were committed at the behest of others?"

Big spender.

Thales looked at the crowds of onlookers on the street and sighed inwardly.

Damn it, Janne.

I've fallen for your trick again.

Dagory stared at Seychelles in disbelief:
“No, Captain Seychelles, Duke Janne, he…”

But Seychelles' wording was harsh and left no room for argument:
"Listen up! Emerald City and South Shore Territory may be remote and far away, but they are still part of the Star Kingdom! We are still blessed and illuminated by the setting sun, and we respect the rule of His Majesty Kingsel Star. We are by no means lawless places!"

"No matter whose side you're on, or whose protection you've received!"

Dagory understood something, he shuddered violently, and collapsed to the ground.

"In the name of law and justice, the Emerald Legion is here to arrest you."

"Green hat," Seychelles said, his gaze fixed on Thales.

That feeling wasn't much better than having a sword pointed at you.

"Now, is anyone going to stop us?"

(End of this chapter)