Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 648 Handshake
As soon as Thales finished speaking, the Karabyan sisters in front of him burst into laughter.

"Don't call us 'ladies,' don't be so formal!" Kasha instantly pressed her arm against his left arm, her face beaming with smiles.

"So that we can go further more efficiently..." Qina followed up by climbing onto his right shoulder, her bright eyes sparkling.

"Just call me by my name!"

"A nickname would be best!"

"For example, Sasha..."

"And Qiqi..."

Kasha's smile grew even more alluring: "Get closer..."

Qina picked up the conversation, blinking her bright eyes: "There are benefits!"

“But…however…may I…” Thales’ face turned red as he tried to remind them to keep a safe distance, but he was interrupted every time.

"But if it's you, TaeTae..."

"You can have a special nickname!"

Small, small what?
Thales felt his eyebrows were getting a little out of control.

"It's best if it sounds cute and adorable..."

"And a little bit shy and mischievous!"

"It makes people feel that there is something between us..."

"There's an unspeakable, improper relationship involved—"

At this point, both Kasha and Qina gasped in shock.

The two looked at each other in surprise, as if they had accidentally said something wrong.

But the next second, they excitedly and shyly patted Thales's hands and shoulders, as if patting each other, saying in unison:
"Eek—sister, you're so mean!"

"It's broken, absolutely broken!"

No, wait a minute—

Caught in the middle, Thales was in agony: "No, we can't do this, we can't do this—this isn't a joke, right, that..."

Thales, nearly driven to the brink of collapse by their relentless verbal barrage, struggled to fend off their blows. Just then, a sudden idea struck him:
"By the way, I know your brother!"

The sisters stopped what they were doing.

Good heavens, sunset, this trick worked!

"So, hehe, Cohen, I'm his friend, which means I'm your friend too, an ally!"

Thales retreated to the wall, panting heavily, and waved his hand to signal a ceasefire.

Huh?
Thales suddenly felt something was off.

Kasa and Qina stood on either side, one with a tense expression and the other with a worried look, gazing at each other with two different but equally complex expressions.

Why have these two human machine guns suddenly stopped talking?
Is Cohen's name really that useful?

A few seconds later, Kai'Sa finally sighed:

"Sigh, sister, I knew it..."

Qina sadly added, "We can't escape it!"

"I'm so worried..."

"You're really worried about the child!"

Kasha sighed and comforted her sister, "Never mind, sisters, it's probably the same in every family..."

Qina took a deep breath and nodded firmly:
"There are scumbags everywhere!"

Scumbag?

"Uh, is it that exaggerated?" Thales frowned. "Cohen?"

Kasha exaggeratedly clutched her chest: "Oh, sorry, little TaeTae, you mean, that..."

Her sister chimed in, "Um..."

At this point, the two looked at each other and nodded.

Thales raised an eyebrow: "Cohen?"

The next second, the twins, their eyes wide with anger, took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the anger and resentment in the world:
"You mean—Cohen, who wet the bed at twelve, got beaten up by a woman until he cried, was afraid of cockroaches while sleeping, remained single his whole life, and had a sword longer than himself—Kalabyan?"

The scene fell silent.

Thales froze in place.

what?
After recounting this long string of words, the Karabyan sisters hugged each other, sighing and patting each other's shoulders and backs, looking just like a pair of suffering mothers comforting each other.

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve ever heard that he has so many middle names,” Thales clicked his tongue, his understanding of Cohen completely refreshed in a few seconds. “I only knew him as ‘Big Dumb Guy’ before.”

"A big, dumb guy? Ha!"

"Little Tae-tae, you have such a kind heart!"

Kaisa and Qina instantly switched to an angry and complaining mode, alternating back and forth:

"Our silly older brother? Our clumsy playmate? Our idiot buddy?"

"That muscular giant baby whose head is full of stones?"

"Immature boys who run away from home when they reach a certain age?"

"A brainless gorilla who only knows how to make his parents angry and his sister worry!"

The twins exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with disgust:

"Ah~"

Before Thales could even speak, an angry Kasha blurted out:

"For my last birthday, he sent me a set of marionettes!"

"What I got were a pair of plush dolls!"

Thales asked cautiously, "Isn't this good?"

“That’s good…” Kasha said, hands on her hips.

"Pretty good?" Qina sneered.

He even sent us two dresses!

Two sets!

Thales spoke softly, as if walking on thin ice: "Isn't that good too?"

Kasha gave a cold laugh.

"Of course it's good, if it weren't..."

"As for children's clothing!"

The two girls exchanged a glance, then stomped their feet in anger: "Hmph!"

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

"man."

"man!"

"elder brother……"

"He's a man too!"

Kasha twisted her neck, revealing her carefully groomed profile: "Completely unaware that his sisters are no longer six years old."

Qina leans to the side, supporting her hip, revealing her slender waist:
"She's sixteen!"

"She's already captivating enough to charm men..."

"I can already take off my skirt and have some fun..."

"You could marry a powerful and wealthy husband..."

"Let him die under mysterious circumstances..."

what?
They became more and more engrossed in their conversation, and Thales's expression grew increasingly strange.

What can I do?
"You could become rich overnight..."

"Or become a widow with the right to live..."

"Let's find the next target..."

"Wait until he dies again..."

At this point, Kasha and Qina, who were too engrossed in their conversation, suddenly realized what was happening. They glanced at Thales, quickly adjusted their expressions, and huddled together.

"Ahem, sister, that's too much. Remember to be reserved and dignified."

"Yes, you are right, sister, virtuous and wise."

The two sisters coughed loudly, separated again, and the greed on their faces vanished instantly, replaced by a serious expression:
"Anyway, our silly brother..."

"Tacky, outdated, boring,"

"Careless, careless, heartless."

They grew increasingly agitated as they talked, resembling two chattering sparrows:
"He even complained that we were noisy!"

"They find us annoying!"

"Tell us to shut up!"

"Teach us not to obstruct the way!"

"He feels we're hindering his sword brain!"

"Or is it the Heart of the Sword?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter!"

Thales felt dizzy and disoriented listening to this.

"He'd rather kill his sister to prove his enlightenment!"

"Completely unaware that her father wasn't there..."

"Who is supporting this family?"

"Humph……"

"Humph!"

The two sisters, still fuming, linked arms with each other, shook their heads, and sighed softly.

"Our pitiful, hateful, pathetic, yet somehow adorable silly older brother..."

"Silly brother..."

“He deserves to be single,” Kasha leaned closer to Thales. “He deserves to be suspended.”

Qina also came to his side:
"He deserved it if his dad cut off his allowance!"

The two sisters exchanged a glance across Thales:
"Humph!"

"And his only usefulness..."

Kasha and Qina carefully examined Thales' expression before turning to each other.

"Okay, at least our silly brother didn't brag or lie."

"Or he's not smart enough to make up lies."

"Did he really go to the North?"

"Perhaps they were forcibly dragged there."

"And she even managed to hook up with a prince?"

"It certainly wasn't based on reason."

"Maybe he got credit for it?"

"It's more likely just good luck."

"Fortunately, he executed one or two moves of the Tower of Destruction..."

"He wasn't tricked into becoming a Royal Knight!"

"It wouldn't be enough to make Dad die of anger..."

"Go and thank the sunset!"

"Ahem! Um!" Seeing that the conversation was about to fall into another terrifying two-person show-like loop, Thales quickly seized the opportunity to interrupt: "I'd love to chat with you Karabyan folks, but before that, I have important business to attend to..."

Before she could finish speaking, Kasha and Qina both exclaimed "Ah!" and pressed themselves together again, giving Thales a mysterious look.

"Oh, don't be shy, little Tae-tae."

"we know."

“We understand.”

Kai'Sa winked:
“You did not come here voluntarily; you were forced to do so.”

Thales frowned.

Qina proudly added:

"Out of identity, out of politics!"

Thales clenched his fist.

how……

How did they know...?

How did they know my mission to Emerald City was forced upon me...?

Of course they knew—a voice deep within his heart said to him:
Because you really resist this task, and what you say reflects your thoughts.

But you had no choice, Thales.

Think of the "Gurtaksa" in your pocket.

Thales gritted his teeth.

Seeing the change in Thales' expression, Kasha's eyes lit up:
"But we have a better option."

"To get you out of your current predicament?"

"A thoughtful arrangement!"

"Perhaps you can still make a profit, no worse than Emerald City."

Kai'Sa struck a seductive pose:

"To marry a better wife!"

what?
Thales, who was originally on high alert, was taken aback by what he heard.

"They..." Qina nudged her sister and whispered.

"what?"

"You forgot to add the plural, sister!"

"Is this important?"

"Very! Extremely! Absolutely! Especially!" Qina whispered through gritted teeth.

"Okay, I'll add it. We'll advance and retreat as one."

"Swear in the name of your silly brother?"

"I swear on my foolish brother's life and fortune!"

"Well."

After the two finished their private negotiations (in front of Thales), their smiles returned, and they said in unison:
"Come and marry better—wives!"

Wait a minute.

Have you misunderstood something?
“Alright, alright, ladies, I know you’re incredibly resourceful and well-informed,” Thales said, his head throbbing, and could only offer a higher-level political excuse. “Yes, I’m here, ostensibly and partly, to visit Lady Hilley of the Kevin Deer family, but it’s for the sake of the kingdom…”

But as soon as those words were spoken, Kasha and Qina turned pale and trembled, jumping backward!
"what!"

"ah!"

Don't mention that name!

Why did you bring up that name?

Kaisa snapped out of her daze, gritting her teeth:
"That disgusting name!"

Qina pouted, looking awkward.

"That awful name!"

The two looked at him with displeasure, as if they had seen something unbelievable:
"Why……"

"Why!"

Thales was completely bewildered:
"Oh, you mean Miss Hilla?"

The twins shuddered again and hugged each other.
"Oh! He brought it up again!"

"That name!"

"That guy!"

"That aluminum!"

Thales was still confused: "W-what happened? Why?"

Kaisa sneered:
"Huh, why?"

Qina clicked her tongue and snorted:

"He actually asked us why?"

Why did he ask us why?

"Then we'll tell him why!"

The twins, their faces contorted in a ferocious grimace, pointed at the prince in unison, startling him.
Because of her!

"she!"

"Hilary, Dead Woman, Pervert, Playing the Fool, Psychopath, Monster Miss Kevin Deer!"

The two girls took a deep breath and, with a level of resentment and indignation almost matching their earlier muttering of Cohen, shouted, "She's a bitch!"

Thales was taken aback:
"Bitch what? What are you bitch about?"

What's with this long string of middle names again?

"Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness." Qina's face was full of disgust.

"She's a bitch," Kasha said expressionlessly.

"Bitch!"

"The worst of the worst."

"Bitch!"

"A whore above a whore."

"Bitch!"

"A bitch who's even more of a bitch than a bitch!"

"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!"

Thales was dumbfounded by the two indignant sisters.

Hilaire Kevindeer?

“If your target is her, then we offer our condolences, Your Highness.” Kasha covered her mouth and glanced sideways, her tone mysterious.

"My deepest condolences."

“She’s withdrawn, cold, eccentric, ruthless, and cruel,” Kasha shook her head seriously, “and…”

"Self-righteous, pretentious, and hypocritical!"

"It's just that I have a good surname, a good family, a good father, and a good brother..."

"He's a really nice older brother."

"It really is quite good..."

"Just as delicious as you..."

Ok?
Thales felt they had gone off-topic again.

"Just as wealthy..."

"Just as endearing..."

"Just as much to bully as possible..."

Kasha and Qina both shuddered.

"Ah, my whole body feels numb."

"It's so frustrating!"

"Hey sister, wipe your drool!"

"Slurp! You too, cover yourself up with your clothes!"

The twins quickly regained their composure, but couldn't resist turning their heads to whisper in each other's ears:

"Oh dear, you lost your composure, it's all your fault!"

"It's all your fault!"

"But he's so delicious..."

"I understand, then let's go back and..."

"Let's go to bed first..."

"Hehe, sister, you're so naughty!"

"Hehe, sister, you're the bad one!"

Thales coughed.

The two whispering lovers shuddered at the sound, their expressions instantly becoming perfectly composed:

"Remember, your reserve?"

"Okay, dignified."

Kaisa cleared her throat:

"Please don't mind it, Your Highness,"

"We were just expressing our feelings!"

"But this world is not fair."

"It's outrageous." At this point, Qina sighed deeply.

"Why don't we have someone like her—"

"Good brother!"

The two embraced each other, moved back to Thales, blinked, and pouted.

She seemed genuinely wronged.

Thales' face twitched as he listened. He took a step back and narrowed his eyes:

"So, you and Hillary, and her... don't get along?"

Kaisa's expression changed!
"Ha, you can't get along?"

"Can't get along?"

"We can't get along!"

Thales regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth—he had stirred up a hornet's nest.

"She's bullied us since birth!"

"They were born two years earlier than us, but on the same day!"

Kaisa loathed
"She bullied us the very first time we met!"

Qina was extremely indignant:

"They snatched our toys and threw our shoes!"

"You've embarrassed us! You've made us look bad! And you've made it difficult for us to talk!"

“She never attends the dances we host.”

"Never comes!"

"Relying on the fact that she's the eldest daughter of the Kevin Deer family!"

“From the age of four, whether it’s the naming ceremony, the graduation ceremony, the coming-of-age ceremony, or a whole bunch of dances we use to flirt with men.”

"Not even once!"

"We suspect that our wedding will..."

"Ha, he won't even come to the funeral!"

The two sisters, who were still fuming, launched into a long string of accusations before calming down at Thales's prompting. They then helped each other tidy their hair and straighten their clothes.

"Sisters, be dignified."

"Sister, be reserved."

The two regained their composure and nodded with an air of nobility.

Until the next second.

She tore my hair accessory!

She smeared my dress!

Kaisa screamed:
"Pour water into our cosmetic boxes!"

Qina added painfully, "Pee!"

"They even mixed in a sweet and sour drink!"

"They even told us ghost stories about their ancestors appearing at the rock!"

"And the tormented soul of the Deadly Iris!"

"The water ghosts of the canal district!"

"The sharp-toothed eel of Gonghai City!"

"The tide hunter of the deep sea!"

"She even drew funny faces on our bedroom mirror, funny faces!"

"Use special fluorescent paint!"

"It only glows at night!"

"It will become visible when the lights are off!"

"Glowing!"

"A glowing ghost face!"

"grimace!"

The two sisters became increasingly sorrowful as they spoke:

"And my ripped boots!"

"My favorite handkerchief smells like poop!"

"Our comb!"

"My best friend gave me this romance novel! She wrote the ending on the very first page!"

"A dagger and a whip!"

"A collection of needles..."

"Handcuffs and chains!"

"And there's also wire used for strangulation!"

Ok?
Thales sensed something was wrong:
"That's not right, the last few items seem to be for..."

Kai'Sa waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about the details..."

Qina shook her head without revealing her true intentions:

"It's irrelevant..."

"Because we are very dignified."

"Still very reserved."

"But most importantly..."

"She deserves her bad luck!"

"Even the temple thinks she's unqualified and unappreciated when recruiting noble apprentices!"

"Serves her right for failing to get engaged!"

We have to say it three times...

Three times!

The two sisters exchanged a glance, gritting their teeth:

"She's someone no one loves!"

"Disgusting!"

"Annoying!"

"How hateful!"

“Three times,” the two Kalabyan sisters took a deep breath in unison and shouted viciously, “Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!”

The lengthy and detailed attack left Thales speechless.

"Okay, but—"

However, before Thales could finish speaking, a strange strand of black hair suddenly hung down from the dark ceiling, dangling in front of Thales and Kasakina!
The three of them were stunned.

what?
The next second, a withered human head emerged from the black hair, its pale eyes opening upside down!
"what……"

As the head slowly opened its mouth, a hollow, terrifying bubble-like sound echoed eerily in the corridor.

Thielston's hair stood on end!

What...is this?
Is Kongming Palace haunted?
He blinked, looking at the hair hanging from the ceiling to the floor, and the human head inside, and couldn't help but recall his experience in the Black Path.

That looks a bit like it.

But the Karabyan sisters, pale-faced and standing beside him, instantly embraced each other!
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"

Amidst their pitiful screams, the twin sisters turned and fled in a flash, disappearing without a trace.

"Hey, wait a minute..." Thales had just reached out his hand in his haste, but it was too late.

you……

Is he really that disloyal?

What happened to the promised better wives?
and many more.

Thales, regaining his senses, turned around shakily.

Within the endless black hair, the withered head turned around and faced him.

His eyes were deathly white.

"you you you……"

Despite his fear, Thales greeted him with a long face, "Hi?"

The withered, white-eyed human head remained motionless.

Meanwhile, a considerable commotion arose from the direction the twins had fled.

"I knew it was you two!" A familiar voice rang out from the end of the corridor—Miranda Aarond's voice echoed throughout the room, righteous and awe-inspiring, "Kasha! Qina! The demon twins! Who are you talking to? Who are you planning to trick this time? Did you run into His Highness?"

"Yeah!"

Kasha and Qina screamed again, their fear and panic no less intense than when they had just encountered a ghost.

"is her……"

"is her!"

"It's her!"

"Our savior..."

"Vicious bitch!"

"A woman who can fight!"

"A woman of steel!"

"A woman battered by snow!"

"That woman from Cohen Karabyan, who got beaten up by a woman and cried!"

"It's saved!"

"what?"

A hint of doubt crept into Miranda's voice:
"What do you mean there's hope? What do you mean you didn't do anything to His Highness? What do you mean there's a ghost in the castle? Hey, no, no, no, you can't fool me! Come, let me see if you're still as cute as you were when you were little..."

"No! Ironclad Warrior!"

"No way! That madman from the North!"

"Aaaaaah!" Heart-wrenching screams echoed from the depths of the corridor from the two sisters.

Taking advantage of the fact that everyone's attention was drawn to that side, Thales tiptoed around.

"Where are you going?"

An unfamiliar voice rang in his ears, and Thales paused in his steps.

He dared not turn around, and could only force a smile at the withered head behind him:
"I... I have important business to attend to..."

"Isn't your priority to be here on this blind date?"

Ok?
Thales was taken aback.

He turned around abruptly, facing the long, black hair that seemed to be falling from the ceiling:
"Ah! You are..."

But just then, Miranda's voice called out from behind Thales:

"Your Highness!"

"Mira!" Thales turned around and saw Miranda rushing up. Her eyes were now confident and determined, showing no trace of her earlier dejection.

"I'm so sorry for spacing out!" she bowed deeply. "But it's alright, I just found two suckers who can get me into the local dance..."

Thales wasn't interested in listening to her story about bullying the twins; instead, she turned to the uninvited guest from the ceiling and asked, "By the way, this is..."

But Thales was stunned when he turned around.

The corridor was empty.

Where is even half a ghost?
strangeness.

What about people?

"Mira, just now...did you see that?"

Miranda, still basking in the confidence of having conquered the demonic twins, frowned upon hearing this:

"See what?"

Thales' eyes widened.

Despite still being shaken, he turned and ran two steps forward, trying to find the guy who was pretending to be a ghost.

impossible!

Footsteps came from the front of the corridor.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the person he was looking for.

“Ah, Duke Thales, Your Highness,” Duke Jann, who rarely appeared, walked towards us with a cold expression. “You’re here, so it seems you really consider Skylight Palace your home. And you, Lady Aaron of Coldhold.”

Miranda bowed respectfully.

Normally, Thales would have been quick to retort with a few sarcastic remarks, but at this moment, the prince couldn't care less about his arch-enemy.

He looked around frantically, searching high and low, but found nothing. Then, frustrated, he exclaimed, "Ah, Jen, it's you!"

Jenn's tone was unpleasant:

"This is my castle, why isn't it me?"

"No, no, no, I mean... why is it you again?"

“I am the Duke of South Bank, the Lord of Emerald City, so of course I’m here every day, and of course it’s me.”

"No, I meant you didn't... never mind."

"Is something wrong? What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost?"

because……

"Because I saw you?" Thales replied irritably.

Jann gave a cold laugh, but wasn't angry.

"Regarding what we discussed last time, Your Highness, I have recently come up with some ideas."

The Duke of the South Bank had a sharp eye:
"Shall we talk?"

Let's chat? What about... Oh, that matter.

Thales realized what was happening.

Both the demon twins and the castle ghost lady had terrified him, but Thales managed to regain his composure and enter his most familiar "against Jann" mode:
"Oh, so you finally figured out where I should stay after several days?"

“In fact,” Jann retorted, “I don’t know if you live there.”

Thales frowned.

"Alright, then shall we... have a chat?"

Jenn smiled slightly and waved Ashford away from the shadows. Thales also gestured for Miranda to step down.

The two walked side by side, heading towards the outer fortress.

"By the way," Thales finally couldn't help but ask, "your sister hasn't returned to Emerald City yet?"

Jenn's expression turned cold:
"I thought we had finally reached some consensus."

Thales chuckled: "Just kidding."

"So," the prince said, as they passed by the massive foundation of the Skylight Palace—the Ancestral Rock engraved with the names of all the Dukes of Kelvindil—he immediately changed the subject, "Is the Skylight Palace haunted, like... the legends of the Ancestral Rock?"

“Of course,” Jann said expressionlessly, “if you have something to hide.”

Thales chuckled awkwardly and shut his mouth.

“So, your father?” Jann walked down the steps, his shadow stretching long behind him.

Thales's emotions are heavy:
"Yes."

"What would he do?"

"I don't know, but I have reason to believe that his influence has infiltrated this town, and the Kingdom's secret police's spies are everywhere."

Thales said with a deep sense of sympathy.

Jenn remained silent for a moment.

How did you know your father had this plan?

“I don’t know either,” Thales shook his head. “I just felt it from experience.”

"experience?"

“You know he’s a father. But whenever he shows even a little bit of the warmth of an ordinary father-son relationship—acknowledging my identity, sending people to the Western Wilderness to rescue me, and now arranging my marriage, you should know: something is wrong, because he must be plotting something else.”

Other things.

This time, Thales' words came from the bottom of his heart and were sincere.

But there is another kind of bitterness.

"Then why are you telling me all this?" Jann's expression grew even more indifferent. "You and His Majesty, even if you are not the same person, at least share the same surname. His throne will be yours sooner or later, and you should not stand in his way."

Thales gave a sarcastic smile.

“Believe it or not, I had this conversation with him, and he said the same thing,” the prince shook his head. “We each have our own principles, and the conversation didn’t go very well.”

"You will help me propel the kingdom forward, removing obstacles and breaking chains." Thales's gaze froze.

"Then why not? What are you insisting on?" Jann asked. "Do you think being a king is too beneath you, and you have no interest in it?"

Thales laughed heartily.

But his face quickly darkened.

"Then, Jan, what are you still holding on to?" the prince countered. "Is it because you think being king is too valuable, and you still won't let go?"

Jann stopped and looked out from a lookout point.

Thales followed his gaze—the entire Emerald City was bustling before him, day and night.

"How badly has your conversation with him gone?" The Duke of South Bank didn't answer him; his face was backlit, making his expression unreadable.

"Haven't you heard the news in the capital? My father has exiled me."

"Just because you forced your way into Fuxing Palace with a sword?"

"You know quite a lot."

Jann sneered, "Should I care? You and His Majesty have a falling out? Maybe you'll be back to normal by tomorrow?"

"If you don't care, why did you ask so many questions before?"

Jenn remained silent for a long time.

"But how do I know you're not acting, that you're misleading me, just to lure me into a trap you and he have set together?"

Thales' heart sank.

This guy.

That's really troublesome.

“When you think that way, you’ve already been misled,” the prince said calmly. “My father knows about our old and new grudges, and I suspect he sent me here to confuse you, lure you in, and incite you to attack me—just like the wine merchant you persuaded to do the other day.”

Jann hummed in agreement, remaining noncommittal.

"Given our grudge, you should be happy to see me suffer. Why don't you just stand by and watch me make a fool of myself?"

Thales sighed. "To be honest, I'd love to see you suffer. I'd even like to shove you headfirst into my toilet and flush you down the moat."

Jann gave a soft snort.

“But compared to the needs and benefits of cooperation,” the boy blinked, “the grudge from back then was just you trying to use someone else to kill me… what’s this little thing?”

Jann stared at him without saying a word.

Thales turned around.

"So now, you, you shouldn't want to die on an unknown blade, and I, I don't want to be used as a sword by my father, ending up with nothing."

The boy spread his arms wide:

"So, can you put aside our grudges and compromise and cooperate just once for the sake of interests and reality?"

Jann remained silent for a while, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, or perhaps carefully observing him.

"I have to say, this is beyond my expectations."

“But I also know that you are quick-witted and eloquent,” the Duke of South Bank said softly, his tone steady. “This could very well be another of your schemes—exaggerating the threat of a third party and then demanding undue benefits, or lulling me into a false sense of security, which is common in diplomacy.”

“But my father wasn’t a third party, he wasn’t a third party anywhere,” Thales said solemnly. “You or me, we are.”

This time, Jenn stared at him for a very long time.

“I’d rather be friends,” he suddenly said.

“We will not perish with the enemy,” Thales replied quickly.

“I heard Ashford arranged accommodations for you,” Jann said with a smile. “Finally, do you know where you’re staying?”

Thales laughed upon hearing this.

Smile a lot.

I almost forgot about the bone ring in my pocket.

“Yes, I heard it’s the former residence of a wise ruler, and I’ve been living here for a while now,” the prince shrugged. “To be honest, it’s quite comfortable.”

As he spoke, the boy extended his palm to the leader of the iris flower group.

It was that hand that was often cut.

The scar on the palm is long, narrow, and ugly, like a crack.

Jenn's gaze sharpened.

But a few seconds later, he also extended his palm.

And so, before the ancestral rock of the Kevin Deer family, two young men from the two families were about to shake hands.

Just then, a considerable commotion arose from the lower level of Kongming Palace.

The first half of this chapter was written on the high-speed train, so the quality may vary.

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(End of this chapter)