Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 647 Kasha and Qina

My heart is filled with turmoil, unlike the tranquility of this palace.

Legend has it that these were the words spoken by the wise King Mindis III when he visited the South Bank Territory and stayed at the Emerald City in the early 6th century. Many years later, after the wise king passed away, out of respect (or flattery), the then Duke Federico Kevindil, known as the "Parrot Duke," renamed the family's ancestral Emerald Palace to the Empty Palace, in order to forever commemorate the late king.

Thales lived in the room where the wise king had stayed. From the balcony, one could see the southern view of Emerald City and even the faintly visible Arch City in the distance. When falling asleep at night, the entire palace was ethereal and tranquil, accompanied by the faint sound of waves in the distance, which was truly refreshing.

Thales has been staying at Kongming Palace for two days.

Just as he had predicted, the past two days had been peaceful and uneventful, with nothing bad happening. He was comfortable and at ease, and his subordinates were relaxed and at ease.

In the past few days, Jenn has kept a low profile. Apart from the occasional appearances he had to make out of courtesy to dine with the local nobles who came to pay their respects, which required him to invite Thales along, he had almost no interaction with the prince, let alone any intention of sitting down and getting to know him properly. Whenever asked, he would say, "My lord is busy with official business." Thales could understand this, as everyone would probably become very busy when they learned that their superior was planning to take action against them.

From their lodgings to their meals, the Skylight Palace—or more precisely, the Ashford stewards—provided them with meticulous care, perfection, and impeccable hospitality. One day they had a lavish feast in the style of Anrenzo, and the next day they had a special roasted dish in the style of Thornfield. As a result, the Starlake Guards, who were used to hardship, became much more spirited and stood up straighter when reporting to the Prince and Marius.

"We can't go on like this."

In the restaurant, Thales forked a piece of delicious roast meat, took a satisfying bite, and then seriously shook the fork:

"These... things are softening our will."

Oh my god, this is so delicious.

“I agree, Your Highness,” the DD on duty said, sipping a delicious sweet and sour drink imported from Tarlun, and sighing to the heavens. “Fortunately, we are strong-willed and can withstand the test—one more cup, please.”

“Your Highness is right. We are here representing the royal family and Starlake Castle, not for sightseeing and entertainment—why are you looking at me like that, mute? I haven’t offended you today… Oh, you want this dish? Sorry, here you go. What? It tastes better mixed like this?” This was Wyatt, who was drinking a thick soup.

“It’s not just that,” Miranda said calmly, raising her fork with a sharp look in her eyes, as she was the only one not eating. “It’s far more than that.”

Thales wiped his mouth and pulled the dessert over:
"Oh, Mira, what's your opinion?"

Miranda stared intently at a piece of roast meat on her fork:
"It's not just salt and pepper; they must have added other seasonings to make it taste like this."

The setting sun.

Thales sighed upon hearing this.

Why are you like this too...?

"You think so too, right!" He slapped the table excitedly, feeling an instant connection with a kindred spirit.

“A moment of materialism leads to a lifetime of wasted time,” said Grover, sitting at the end of the table. “We will pay the price for this.”

"Then what's that in your hand?" Doyle tore into a piece of meat that he didn't recognize.

Clang.

Without batting an eye, the zombie tossed the empty oyster shells into a bowl filled with empty oyster shells next to it and wiped its mouth.

"Preparing for the evening shift."

“Yesterday afternoon was even better,” Thales said, forking a piece of cake and leaning back gracefully in his chair. “Oscarson and Paul were on duty and got a free meal from Anrenzo…”

The door was pushed open, and Marius strode in.

A chaotic commotion erupted around the dining table, with cutlery hitting the floor and chairs being moved.

“Um,” Thales hurriedly straightened up, struggling to swallow his food, his words slurred, “the current political situation in Emerald City—”

But it's too late.

“Your Highness,” the Watchman said, scrutinizing each of the people scrambling to tidy themselves up. Behind him stood Komuto, who looked utterly dejected, as if to say, “He came so fast I didn’t have time to warn him.” “I thought you summoned them here because—Officer Doyle, do you really like that dish that much?”

DD calmly put down his fork.

“Uh, yes, sorry,” Thales finally managed to swallow his food, “Thor, so we’re going to…”

What were we supposed to do again?

“Yet you’ve been eating and drinking at His Highness’s table,” Marius said, his tone sending a chill down everyone’s spine, “while I’m not here.”

No one spoke; the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

As the leader, Thales was forced to awkwardly offer a bowl of soup:
"Feel sorry?"

Marius glanced at him sideways.

Thales swallowed hard, then retreated awkwardly, saying, "Sorry."

But his bowl was only halfway shrunk when Marius took it away, gave a snort, sat down next to Thales, and picked up a spoon as well.

Grass.

Just say you want to eat it.

"So, um, let's have a meeting."

Thales was about to say something, but seeing everyone's hurried and distraught expressions, he felt that something was missing.

He looked around and then suddenly realized he had pulled out a familiar teddy bear and placed it on the table.

Perhaps it was the increasingly common teddy bear that had an effect, perhaps it was DD's sudden change in expression that was too vivid, perhaps it was Marius's effort to pick the beans out of the soup that was truly intimidating, or perhaps it was just a completely wrong illusion. In any case, Thales felt that everyone was taking things much more seriously.

Perhaps the Xinghu Guard isn't some elite force capable of taking on ten men single-handedly, but having weathered so many storms, there are always some people worth trusting.

"We can't go on like this."

Thales pointed seriously to the soup in front of Marius beside him:

"These things are softening our will."

Marius, who was about to drink his soup, tensed up upon hearing this and patiently put down his spoon.

“I agree, Your Highness,” DD stared at the soup in Marius’s hand, his expression righteous. “Fortunately, we are strong-willed and can withstand the test.”

“Um,” Wyatt hesitated for a moment, still unable to come up with anything, “Your Highness is right. We are here representing the royal family and Starlake Castle, not for sightseeing, eating, drinking, and having fun—well, what do you say, Rolf?”

Rolf had just put on his mask, hiding his expression behind it, and nodded.

“It’s not just that,” Miranda said seriously, “it’s far more than that.”

“Yes, just like my grandfather said,” Golov said expressionlessly, kicking the bowl of oyster shells on the ground a little further away, “indulging in momentary material desires will only lead to a lifetime of wasted time.”

Thales looked around, exchanged glances with the others, and nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, you all."

Marius didn't speak; he slowly narrowed his eyes.

But behind him, Komuto wore an expression of utter despair.

Old Kong let out a long sigh, looking like he was ready to take the plunge.
"In fact, Your Highness, gentlemen, Lord Marius listened outside the door for a while, a good two or three minutes, before he came in."

The next second, everyone at the table, including Thales, froze.

Only the little teddy bear, with its innocent big eyes, remained as adorable as ever.

“Gian,” Marius called his subordinate’s name calmly, without turning his head, “you’ll be on the outdoor shift tomorrow, for three days straight.”

Kongmut nodded listlessly:
"Yes, sir."

The restaurant fell into a deathly silence.

No one speaks.

It was as if even the tablecloth had been dyed gray.

Only the sound of Marius leisurely sipping his soup rang out, long and grating, echoing in everyone's ears.

After a long while, Thales finally snapped out of his reverie about his extravagant lifestyle and awkwardly began to speak:
"In short, we are new here and need information about Emerald City."

Everyone then came to their senses and, under Marius's silent but powerful intimidation, joined the discussion.

"What kind of information?" DD stared at his teddy bear. "Actually, Your Highness, may I ask what we're here for? We said it was a blind date, but I've asked all over the castle and nobody knows where Miss Hilla is."

Miranda's gaze turned cold.

"Okay, I'll tell you the truth."

Thales sighed: "As I told the others yesterday, what His Majesty wants is obvious. Arranged marriages are just a means to an end. He sent me here as a gesture, to... demonstrate his attitude to the entire kingdom and enhance the royal family's political influence over the South Bank Territory."

He looked at everyone.

Well, not entirely wrong, right?

“What a pity,” Wyatt said, his enthusiasm immediately waning. “I thought we were here to make a big splash and get justice from Duke Jenn—whether it was seven years ago or two days ago.”

Thales squinted.

No, not really wrong?
“I thought,” Golov said in a deep voice, “that we were here to fight the Kevin Deer family to the death.”

Thales swallowed hard.

It's not a big deal, is it?
“Of course, my father is not me. He doesn’t know and probably doesn’t care about the relationship and grudges between me and Jann,” the prince took a deep breath. “So for me, in addition to being careful on this journey, I also need to do my best to survey the city and find opportunities or even bargaining chips in case Jann acts hostilely towards me.”

Miranda whispered:

"You mean, find a weakness that will give Jenn a huge headache, enough to make him give in to you?"

Thales snapped his fingers.

That's not entirely wrong.

These words silenced everyone for a moment.

“I couldn’t ask for more,” DD said silently, raising a glass of beverage. “That Duke is a complete bastard, Your Highness. Do you really want to be brothers with such a person?”

The prince scratched his head:
"Well, about this..."

thump.

Marius put down his soup bowl, elegantly wiped his mouth, just in time to interrupt Thales.

“I believe you have all noticed,” he reached out and casually grabbed the teddy bear in front of Thales, wiped off its fur, and placed it in front of himself. “The Emerald City is a town unlike any other, unlike most places we have ever seen.”

Thales stared blankly as the little teddy bear was pulled to the Watcher's side, wanting to say something but speechless.

“DD and Aaron,” Marius said with a serious expression, his words leaving no room for doubt, “starting tomorrow, you will be contacting the prominent families in Emerald City, from noble lords to local officials, from family banquets to hunting parties and horse races. Your target is the important people in this city and their families.”

"Me?" Doyle, who had been paying attention to the little bear, suddenly realized what was happening and was filled with surprise and joy.

“Me?” Miranda frowned.

“Yes, Arend, you are the daughter of the Duke of the North and a favorite of His Highness,” Marius nodded, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. “The people of the South Coast love to hold banquets and balls, so remember to pick out a nice dress; they will flock to you.”

Miranda.

prom.

Formal dress.

Everyone turned their heads in unison to look at the person involved.

Oh no—Tales covered his eyes with his hand, but couldn't help but open a curious gap between his fingers.

At that moment, Miranda Arendt, the heiress of the North, the capable lieutenant of the Fortress Flower, the glorious descendant of the Snow Eagle, the proud chief of the Pegasus, the Winterless Sword of the Coldhold, and the soaring falcon of Dragonslayer Fortress, who was wearing black gloves and holding the Eagle-Slaying Longsword beside her chair, sat aloof in her seat, her mouth agape in horror.

A few seconds later, she suddenly stood up, furious and angry.

"A ball? Why? Should I be happy?"

“No,” Marius sighed, looking troubled. “In fact, it is the most difficult job, and only the best people can do it.”

Miranda, who was about to argue her case, suddenly choked.

The most outstanding person—DD's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he unconsciously straightened his collar.

"But Your Highness truly lacks capable subordinates... Of course, if you cannot go..."

boom.

Miranda plopped down, looking sullen.
"I go."

Thales closed his fingers.

Marius continued, "If possible, I would like to add Paul in. The heir to the Fortress of Heroes sounds good too, but that guy joined us midway, so I'll have to think about it some more."

“I joined halfway through too.” Miranda looked utterly hopeless, as if she were standing on the banks of a river of hell.

“No, Miss Arend, you have been fighting alongside us for seven years,” Wyatt tried to encourage her. “Besides, you are the genius of the Tower of Endings, the chief of the Pegasus lineage.”

On the other side, Rolf and Golov both scoffed disdainfully.

But when they saw each other, they turned their heads away in annoyance.

"me……"

The girl from the Arend family managed to squeeze out a few words awkwardly: "I've been to balls in the North and the capital before, but they didn't like me, and I didn't like them either...maybe..."

“Well, luckily we’re on the south bank,” Marius decisively refused, sending the dying Miranda back to the River Prison. “Use your skills on the battlefield to make them like you.”

"Your Highness needs to know everything from the past to the news, from rumors to gossip, from economics to politics—all the information coming from prestigious families."

“Uh, that’s what I meant.” Thales coughed, trying to get his attention.

"What about me? What about me?" DD popped up from the side and asked expectantly.

“You, um,” Marius frowned, as if he couldn’t find his tongue, “help me pick out a dress.”

After saying this, he left the heartbroken young man and the distressed girl at the table and looked at Wyman.

“Kumto, young master Caso,” Marius said calmly, “based on your experience and background, I want you to enter all walks of life, from the guardhouse to the notary office, from the major guilds to foreign merchants, whether they are mid-level bureaucrats, lower-level officials, farm owners, artisans or propertied knights, Your Highness needs to know the secrets of how this city works.”

Wyatt initially nodded, but then became displeased:

"Could you please stop calling me young master?"

“No, in fact, you have to get used to this title. To many people from ordinary backgrounds who strive to improve themselves, you are the young master,” Marius said dismissively. “And more importantly, you are the young master they can reach.”

"You mean, Count Gilbert Cassel, a role model of hard work, someone within reach?" Wyatt understood, gritting his teeth.

Everyone frowned.

“No,” Marius replied casually, “you can’t just be Wyatt or Caso when you’re with them.”

“You must be Wyatt Castle.”

Wyman's expression changed.

"Yes, Thor is right, that's very..."

Thales cleared his throat, trying to interject, but Marius had already moved on to the next pair:
“Golfo, and the mute—I know your name is Rolf, so don’t blow my soup.”

Thales sullenly shrank back into his seat.

“I want you two to go deep into the streets, down to the bottom, to meet those who live like humans, to see the unofficial stuff. If you understand what I mean,” the Watchman narrowed his eyes, his tone chilling, “if necessary, you’ll have to dig and scrape through the gutters and latrines of this town with your bare hands, to uncover its darkest, filthiest, most disgusting, and most shameful secrets—don’t panic, this is just rhetoric, it doesn’t mean literally.”

Marius's expression was grim: "Most of the time, no."

Golov and Rolf both stood up in anger!
“Me?” Golov gritted his teeth. “Me, and this mute… Rolf?”

"Whoosh!" Rolf's gaze turned cold, and the curtain behind him began to shake wildly, making different gestures.

“Great, I like it, that’s fine,” DD said with a smile, trying hard to decipher the other person’s sign language. “He looks really excited!”

Thales, who understood sign language, hesitated to speak.

Golov and Rolf exchanged a glance, then angrily turned away.

“I, sir, I can’t do it! How am I supposed to talk to him? By giving him meaningful glances?” Golov was unwilling to give up.

“There’s no need to talk,” Marius shook his head. “The rules are more deeply ingrained in places like that, and you’ll only make things worse if you open your mouth.”

Golov paused.

"If we absolutely have to communicate, he is literate."

Rolf snorted in dissatisfaction and made a few more gestures.

"Then how will they gather intelligence?" Thales finally managed to translate the sign language before DD could.

“Then it depends on your creativity, but I have a lot of confidence in you,” Marius said, changing the subject. “Of course, if you’d like to go to the ball and exchange with Aaron…”

Miranda's eyes lit up upon hearing this, her expression turning gloomy.

The next second, Golov and Rolf sat down with lightning speed and pushed the poor girl, who had found a way to survive and crawled out of the River of Hell, back into the river.

They glanced at each other, then turned away for the third time, clearly annoyed.

"The specifics will be discussed with the standard-bearer. His Highness and I will receive your reports regularly. As for the others," Marius nodded, "we have other arrangements for them."

"Yes."

Everyone answered listlessly.

“Yes, uh, that’s it,” Thales felt he needed to say something, and he unconsciously stood up. “Everyone, um, good luck.”

"Yes."

Everyone agreed, feeling utterly hopeless.

Seeing everyone's enthusiasm, Thales scratched his head.

"By the way, what about me?"

Thales looked at the Watchman.

“You, Your Highness, you,” Marius frowned, “um…”

Thales looked at him expectantly.

After much deliberation, Marius sighed and returned the little teddy bear from the table to the prince.

Please continue with your meal.

----

Thales stormed off the main palace and headed for the outer fort.

The main palace of Kongming Palace was built on a rare giant rock as its foundation. The mountain was carved around it, and the stone was stacked layer by layer. After several generations of expansion and improvement, the main palace of Kongming Palace is now the highest point in Emerald City. Surrounded by the outer fortress, it has three towers that extend to four observation decks. It is like a divine messenger with four wings on its back and eyes that can see in all directions, sitting on the high slope in the center of the city, watching over travelers from all directions from the seven seas.

The main palace is predominantly decorated in a soft, simple emerald green, with different functional areas incorporating the three colors of the Kevin Deer family coat of arms, creating a unique character. From the outside in, from the main residences to the guest rooms, from living quarters to banquets, the palace furnishings and amenities showcase a diverse array of exotic items from all corners of the world. These items, though varied in style and form, are remarkably harmoniously integrated, neither jarring nor cluttered, but rather highlighting the Emerald City's abundant resources and thriving commerce.

Overall, compared to the somber and solemn Palace of Renewal, the rugged and imposing Palace of Heroes, and the more tranquil and nature-integrated Starlake Castle, the Palace of Clear Sky is both elegant and refreshing, yet also bright and novel. Even the well-traveled Duke of Thales himself praised it highly.

"Big dog."

Thales stared disapprovingly at the portrait of the South Bank Duke, whose generation was unknown, and its solid gold frame, and left his own assessment.

“Ball, dance steps,” Miranda, who was standing beside her, muttered mysterious words that no one else could understand, her face dark. “Dress, hairstyle, makeup…”

Hopeless.

Thales glanced at her and sighed helplessly.

"Your Highness!" Miranda trembled, her face pleading, "Could you please..."

Thales felt a pang of sympathy for her appearance and couldn't bear to look at her, so he hesitated for a long time:

"No."

The prince was heartbroken. Filled with pity, he strode forward resolutely, creating distance and not giving Miranda, who had returned to her murmuring state, a second chance to plead for him.

Just now.

"Oh my, darling, darling! Look what I've found!" It was a slightly flamboyant voice.
"What? You discovered it—oh, the sunset, hehe..." It was a slightly languid voice.

Thales, who was deep in thought, was startled and looked up.

On the steps in front of him, two girls in dresses appeared, one on the left and one on the right, one in purple and the other in yellow. They were only a little over ten years old. They were beautiful and lovely, but their eyes were piercing and their laughter was sharp.

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk—" The girl in the blue-purple dress on the left clicked her tongue lazily.

"Yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo—" the girl in the pale yellow dress on the right spoke, her tone arrogant. Thales looked at them blankly.

They spoke one after the other, each enunciating each word clearly, their voices harmonizing perfectly, creating a surprisingly harmonious whole—as if they were speaking as a single person.

“A cute, lost noble boy,” the girl in the blue-purple dress smiled charmingly, giving Thales the feeling of a cheetah stalking and eyeing us menacingly. “He stared at us with those pitiful big eyes, looking at us with confusion, bewilderment, and even a little nervousness!”

"It was as if she was thinking to herself, 'Who are those two? Why are they here? Why did we run into each other?' And of course, most importantly, why are they so cute!" The girl in the pale yellow dress smiled sweetly, but the moment she took the lead, she was like a wolf baring its sharp fangs and claws.

He was dressed in fine clothes and had an extraordinary demeanor.

Thales frowned: "They are nobles of high status."

“Um, ladies, I’m sorry to bother you,” Thales suddenly had a bad feeling. “I’m just looking for a way to Ancestral Rock, and then out of the outer fortress…”

But as soon as he finished speaking, two young girls, their dresses fluttering, gracefully walked up to him!

“A boy, living alone in Kongming Palace.”

“A boy, alone in the main palace.”

The two girls walked around Thales, exchanged a glance, and gave each other a mysterious smile.

"Huh? The emblem on the clothes?" The girl in the blue-purple dress squinted.

“Aha! A nine-pointed star!” The girl in the pale yellow dress raised her eyebrows.

The two girls hugged each other in surprise, looked at each other, and simultaneously revealed wicked smiles:

"I've won the lottery!"

Thales felt a chill run down his spine and quickly and quietly turned away.

However, the next second, two girls suddenly appeared on either side of him, one on the left and one on the right, and without caring about their manners, they grabbed his arms!
"Get out of the way, he's mine!" The girl in the blue-purple dress grabbed Thales' left arm and looked at him arrogantly.

"Why? First come, first served!" The girl in the pale yellow dress grabbed the boy's right arm, her gaze defiant, refusing to budge an inch.

"I was born first! I was born first!"

"I'm the younger sister! I get priority!"

"I helped you fool the nanny about your first time!"

"I helped you keep your first love a secret from your father!"

"I know that your seductive ways are secretly inciting three knights to kill each other!"

"I know you're such a hypocrite, you've deceived four families and caused them to turn against each other!"

When their eyes met in mid-air, Thales felt a dangerous unease about the River of Hell.

The girl in the blue-purple dress snorted disdainfully:
"so what?"

The girl in the pale yellow dress raised her chin defiantly:
"so what?"

Seeing that they were ready to fight to the death, it was clear that they wouldn't stop until they had torn Thales apart and eaten him.

No, wait?
Putting aside their inexplicable arguments and "division," however...

Thales instinctively tried to break free, but the two girls were surprisingly strong and skillful, making it difficult for him to escape!

"Hey! I said, could you please give me a break first...?"

But the two girls' expressions changed!
"Since that's the case, it's hard to distinguish between interests and reason..." The girl in the blue-purple dress gritted her teeth, her expression pained.

"Blood ties are hard to sever, and affection is hard to diminish..." The girl in the pale yellow dress sighed.

"Then let's proceed as usual..."

"Following the past..."

The next second, the two girls' expressions changed, and they were both overjoyed:

Share it!!!

Share? Wait, no—

Just as Thales was about to speak, he found himself overwhelmed by a barrage of words.

"Pleasure doing business with you, sister?"

"Love each other, sisters!"

The two girls walked hand in hand, facing each other, all smiles, their teary eyes a far cry from their previous expressions.

"Now, it's time to divide the spoils, sister, what do you want?"

The girl in the purple dress clung to Thales' arm like a shadow, and before he could resist, she touched the prince's face, talking to herself:
"Lips? Eyes? Nose? Face? Collarbone? Fingers? Hmm, I'm so hesitant."

"Hey! You can't do this—" Thales exclaimed in shock.

“Ah, sister, you really don’t know how to pick things out,” the girl in the pale yellow dress pressed closer, but her eyes were burning, and her hand went straight for Thales’ chest. “First look at the core muscles—oh, they’ve been working out! They’re well-defined and strong! Chest, abs, thighs!”

The two girls exchanged a glance, their expressions filled with surprise and delight.

It's like receiving your favorite gift.

“No, why are you talking like that, one after another, and you keep going—” Thales struggled to his senses as he was about to speak, but was interrupted again.

"I found calluses on his fingers, and he's been practicing swordsmanship, and he's really practicing! Not just faking it!" The girl in the blue-purple dress grasped Thales's hand, extremely excited.

"There's a scar on his palm! Wow, a cool cut! He's fought countless battles, all for her!" The girl in the pale yellow dress stroked the prince's other hand, her face full of affection.

Wow! Delicious?

"tasty?"

The two girls released Thales, linked arms with each other in front of him, and excitedly clenched their fists and shook them: "Delicious!!!"

"Hey!"

Thales, whose head was about to go numb from the noise, could no longer tolerate it:

"Can you guys just shut up for once?!"

After these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

But it was only temporary.

"Hmm, a bit temperamental?"

"Yes, it is a bit hard, and it might even be quite firm."

"Tsk tsk, is this a good thing?"

"Of course, what's the point of riding a horse if it's all limp and unsteady?"

Thales couldn't stand it anymore and roared, "Hey!"

The two girls were startled and turned to look at him at the same time.

She looked so pitiful.

One of them was on the verge of tears.

Forehead--

Thales paused, a little embarrassed: "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you..."

But as soon as he said those words, the two girls' expressions changed instantly!
"Huh, she's actually quite soft-hearted! Interesting!"

"So soft, it's easy to be fooled!"

"I really want to bully him!"

"I want to see him looking pitiful and crying!"

"I need someone to coax me!"

"I want to be pampered!"

The two girls smiled and held hands, swaying their hips happily.

Thales was stunned.

What kind of weirdos are these two?
He took a deep breath: "Actually, ladies, I am—"

The next second, as usual, before he could even speak, the two girls' eyes lit up!
"we know!"

"we know!"

"Who are you?"

"who is it!"

Feeling dizzy and disoriented, the two walked around Thales, one on each side, talking as they went, circling him like dancers.
"The hope of the kingdom! The future of the shining star!"

"A hero's hostage, a merciful prince!"

A girl in a light purple dress draped her arm around his shoulder, alluring and seductive: "Some people say you're promiscuous and fickle, taking whoever you fancy!"

The girl in the pale yellow dress took his arm, looking obedient and adorable: "Some people say you're devoted in love, that once you've chosen someone, you're faithful!"

Some say you are sincere and kind, which makes everyone vie to love you!

Some say you are utterly hypocritical, deceiving the entire kingdom into revolving around you!

Thales felt like he was about to faint.

"So you are?"

"You are—"

The two girls separated abruptly, exchanging positions in perfect unison. One smiled confidently, the other had a mischievous glint in her eyes, and they spoke in unison:

"Tales Shining Star!"

call.

calm.

calm.

Who exactly are these two...?

Thales took a deep breath, finally recovering from the pause in the artificial noise.

"Yes, I am... no, I mean I'm just Thales, without all those adjectives—"

Unfortunately, the drama involving the two uninvited guests is clearly not over yet.

They pressed themselves against Thales' sides again, vying with each other in their beauty and charm, as if in a competitive sullen manner, taking turns proclaiming his identity:

"Prince of the Stars!"

"The Duke of Star Lake!"

"Polaris!"

"The Duchess's Little Star!"

"Under the skirt—"

"Stop!!!" Seeing things were about to go wrong, Thales waved his hand violently, activating the Sin of the River of Hell: "That's enough!"

The two girls looked at him in surprise.

The world is quiet.

Perhaps the sin of the River of Hell had finally taken effect, for the girls remained silent.

Thales, who was on the verge of going crazy, finally had the strength to gather his thoughts and ask the question that had been nagging at his mind:

"First question: Who are you in Kongming Palace? Why are you here?"

The two girls gave him a reproachful look, then exchanged an innocent glance.

"Those are two issues."

"Two, yes, sisters."

"So you didn't waste your time learning math?"

"Cheating on arithmetic wasn't for nothing!"

Again.

Thales clutched his head in anguish: Couldn't they just leave one person to speak?
The two girls chuckled and turned around:

“But we are very generous.”

"We are very simple and honest."

The girl in the blue-purple dress squinted her eyes:
"We are kind."

The girl in the pale yellow dress smiled broadly:
"We are willing to meet your needs."

"Whatever you want."

Even if it's a terrible thing.

The two looked at each other, then covered their mouths and laughed simultaneously.

"That's terrible!"

"Especially for you!"

"Especially for you!"

"Enough!" The dying Thales raised his hand, trembling.

"Are you going to answer me or not—"

The next second, the two girls shouted in unison and suddenly separated!

"Among the cliffs of the Vora Corridor..." The girl in the blue-purple dress walked up behind Thales, laughing, and reached out to stroke his hair.

“In the crevice of those twin towers and strange rocks…” The girl in the pale yellow dress came up to him, her eyes captivating, and she touched his chin.

"There is a group of remnants of the empire who live in an era of frequent natural disasters."

"They are loyal!"

"They're stubborn!"

"They fought desperately to survive!"

"They struggled!"

"We await the return of Rudolf's glory!"

"We eagerly await Prince Tormund's return!"

"To end World War I and achieve great things."

"Establish a nation among the stars, and strategize for the world!"

What, what, and what?
Thales, who still can't get used to their speaking style, was completely bewildered.

"For thousands of years, their leaders have been passed down from generation to generation."

The girl in the blue-purple dress exclaimed, "Their glory is even more splendid!"

The girl in the pale yellow dress exuded a captivating charm: "Their language has never changed!"

The next second, they stood together again and said in unison:

"Wisdom lies on the left!"

"Sword to the right!"

"Kasakina!"

They exchanged smiling glances and parted to the left and right:

"One left and one right!"

and many more.

Thales, feeling utterly bewildered as he struggled to find the light of order amidst the chaos and evil, was somewhat puzzled.

Wisdom, longsword...

Does that sound familiar?

"The demonic twins of the Vora territory!"

What demon?
"The terrifying twin sisters with their twin tower swords!"

What's so scary?

The girl in the blue-purple dress had a mysterious and cunning smile.
"Kasha Karabyan!"

The girl in the pale yellow dress stood with an arrogant and unrestrained posture:

"Qina Karabyan!"

The two laughed in unison, looked at Thales, and shouted:

"On the stage of history—we present ourselves to you!"

What, what, what?
Thales narrowed his eyes: "This is... a scene from the Temple of the Night, right? The lines sound familiar!"

The next moment, Kai'Sa and Kina's eyes lit up as they looked at each other:

"Oh, he's watching a play?"

"He's watching a play?"

"He was actually watching the show?"

"He was actually watching the show!"

They exchanged a glance, smiled smugly, and turned to Thales.

"What kind of drama do you like, Your Highness?" Kasha blinked.

"Romance? Palace? History? War? Politics?" Qina licked her lips.

"Don't let it be a religious warning!"

"But it doesn't matter!"

"Married life is still long..."

"We'll nurture it gradually, and it will surely develop—"

The two clung to Thales' arm again, brimming with energy:
"Similar interests!"

Ok?
They just seemed to have said...

It took Thales several seconds to react in shock:
"Ahhhhh, you are—Karabiyan of the Vora territory! You are Sha…"

The two girls—Kasha and Qina—blinked their star-like eyes and nodded in anticipation.

Thales used all his strength to bite the "big, dumb guy" to death in his mouth.

With a strange and complicated feeling, Duke Xinghu forced a smile and straightened his clothes, which were about to be torn open:
"Um, it's an honor to meet you, Ms. Kalabyan and... Ms. Kalabyan?"

(End of this chapter)