Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 700 Fencing
“When I said ‘keep an eye on her,’ Your Highness,” Duke Jann’s voice rang out in the drawing room, laced with deliberate mockery, suppressed rage, and an ominous undercurrent, “I was absolutely not referring to kidnapping my sister in public…”

However, opposite the Duke, Prince Thales, sitting in an expensive armchair, had a blank expression and seemed distracted.

Kidnapping?

As morning light streamed into the room, Thales stared wearily at a cup of exotic floral tea on a small table.

Yes, kidnapping.

But what is holding them hostage?
Killed by an assassin? By an enemy? By power? By the environment? Kidnapped by a bizarre and indescribable evil?
The defense attorney's face appeared before him, and at one moment he lost control and screamed in agony, and at the other he laughed foolishly and innocently.

Thales' gaze was fixed on the indistinct, illusory reflection in the glass.

Or is it the fate that each person is destined to face throughout their entire life?
Jann's relentless accusations continued: "As a prince of a nation, a duke, you irresponsibly deviated from the planned itinerary, arrogantly ditched your guards, just to have a morbid curiosity trip to the common people and 'enjoy life with them'..."

Deviated from the plan.

Leave the crowd behind.

Thales took a deep breath.

The monster's maniacal laughter amidst the ominous white smoke seemed to echo in his ears, making him even more agitated.

really?
He is Thales Shining Star.

What can he truly detach himself from?
But what can you really get rid of?
"Dress up as a clown and a flower girl, go to places where all sorts of people mingle and have fun, perform on the street, fight in alleys, break into people's homes, leave countless messes along the way, and come back covered in wounds..." Jann continued to ramble on.

Scarred.

Thales lowered his gaze: his neck, arms, and legs were wrapped in thick bandages, most of which were hidden under his sleeves, emitting a faint medicinal smell. They were all various wounds left from yesterday: abrasions, scrubs, cuts, bruises, and the pain was still lingering...

Yes, he was already covered in wounds.

Even before today.

But these are nothing at all.

Compared to Marius, who was carried back last night and was bedridden with a high fever, and far more than he had expected, the numerous subordinates who were injured in the battles to spy on the Blood Bottle Gang and hunt down King Lausanne II: Mira, Zombie, Rolf, Vlaten, Neshi…

Even compared to Slimani's final fate...

Compared to the casualties that occurred in this struggle...

"...They even lit a whole truckload of celebratory fireworks in the north of the city, causing the largest crowd gathering in recent years, almost collapsing the North Gate Bridge..." Jann's words were as powerful and resolute as ever, as if he were sitting in the highest seat in the courtroom.

But to Thales at this moment, no matter how deliberately created the sense of nobility and authority, it had long since dissipated into nothingness in the face of repeated false statements, like a rag that had been squeezed dry, wrinkled and dry, ugly in appearance and smelly in smell.

"The Guard Bureau and the Emerald Legion had to mobilize a large number of people to maintain order because His Excellency Duke of Starlake, who was traveling incognito, felt bored while strolling around and wanted to hear something louder..."

why?
Thales touched the armrest of the luxurious chair, and Jenn's words sounded to him like the buzzing of mosquitoes, irritating him to no end.

Right outside the palace gates, on the street just a wall away, people were dying, people were wounded, people were wielding knives, spears and clubs, hacking each other to death in the poor alleys, blood flowing everywhere, people were going mad, people were grieving, people were tormented by their despicable lives and then made the lives of others despicable, people were poor, people were suffering, people were hiding in the dark, cramped places where the sun never shone, barely surviving by scavenging the scraps that the upper class casually threw away.

why?
Thales felt his knuckles gradually tightening.

"And most importantly, your actions showed no respect for the Iris family, your father's vassals, noble etiquette, or the rules of the kingdom. If I hadn't taken action early to suppress the negative impact..."

But why, why is the person in charge who should be responsible for these things sitting here so calmly and nonchalantly spouting nonsense about "negative social impact," as if as long as they turn a deaf ear, keep quiet, and cover their eyes, those things will not exist?

Just like those murder cases that he covered up one by one as accidents and revenge killings in order to "reduce the impact" and "consider the overall situation"?

Because Jenn is sitting in that spot—a voice echoed in his mind—just as you've known for a long time.

Thales stared blankly at Jenn sitting in his seat, watching his lips move incessantly, his expression solemn and serious.

You know, when he sits there, he's no longer Janne.

He wasn't even Kevin Deer, nor even the Lord of the Emerald City or the Duke of the South Bank.

He's just an empty shell.

One walking corpse.

One wooden puppet.

Like a magnificent crown adorned with jewels yet lifeless, or a family crest on paper vivid yet immovable.

He repeats the same pattern over and over again, conforms to the established norms, and does ridiculous things that he himself is unaware of.

"...It's an insult to the royal family of Shining Star, and it damages my sister's dignity and reputation..."

"How is your sister?" Thales' voice sounded faintly. "I mean, mentally and physically?"

Jann's face turned cold upon hearing this:
"If you really care about this, then you shouldn't have—"

"Slimani is dead."

Thales's sudden words caught the eloquent Jenn off guard.

"Who?"

“That defense attorney,” the boy looked up at the slightly surprised Jann, “is dead.”

"You mean, Slimani's defense attorney is dead?"

"Don't pretend you're deaf and dumb!"

Thales raised his voice, his gaze turning icy: "Yesterday, Slimani came to the theater to see Officer Caquere, and was immediately chased by someone, saying he wanted to help him get a 'long-term leave'—wasn't that at your behest?"

Jann frowned slightly, showing just the right amount of thought and pause:
“I don’t know anything about this. But you then rudely abducted my sister and disappeared with that lawyer…”

Thales raised a hand.

“Listen, Jen, I’m tired.”

Jan smiled politely and pretended to listen.

The boy took a deep breath, his gaze intense, like a swordsman drawing his sword first:

“You don’t know and you don’t want to know what happened to me yesterday, but I’ve had enough, no matter whose trick it is—yours, mine, your sister’s, my father’s, your father’s, the Secret Service’s, the Dark Chamber’s, the Kingdom’s, Exter’s, the living, the dead, the ghouls, or whatever evil being it is—I’ve had enough.”

His last words, spoken slowly and deliberately, caused Jann's smile to gradually fade.

"Therefore, Lord Jann, when you speak again, please be careful with your words and avoid uttering unnecessary nonsense."

A straight sword strike.

But the timing was right.

Jenn remained silent for a moment.

“Well, you do look unwell,” the Duke of Iris said again, his tone much more cautious, like a conservative but safe retreat in fencing. “What happened to you and my sister yesterday? How was Slimani…”

Thales suddenly stood up.

“Too much nonsense,” Thales said, leaving the cup of herbal tea, not wanting to waste a single second. “The conversation is over.”

Jenn frowned: "Tales, please listen to me..."

"Good luck." Thales ignored him and turned to leave.

Until a long sigh came from behind:
"All right!"

The straight sword scores.

Thales stopped and looked at Jann expressionlessly.

“Yesterday morning, the Special Guard Officer Caquere, who was in charge of receiving you, came to report to me,” the Emerald City Lord said, his expression somewhat grim, but his sword sheathing was perfectly timed for defense. “He said that the defense attorney in charge of the wool merchant’s murder case had some doubts and hinted at some unsettling suspicions to him. So, as an old acquaintance, Guard Officer Caquere sent someone to invite Mr. Slimani to the guardhouse for a chat, hoping to clarify some… misunderstandings.”

Thales stared at Jenn for a while before returning to his seat and sitting down again.

“See,” said the prince, “it’s not that hard to stop talking nonsense.”

A shadow crossed Jenn's face for a moment, but he quickly returned to the topic:
“That was Caquere’s own decision. I neither did nor needed to send anyone to kill that defense attorney.”

Thales didn't speak immediately, but stared at Jenn for a long time.

"Yes, he really doesn't need to," the boy's inner voice whispered to him.

Because of him, Jann Kevin Deer, as a duke, could influence the entire Emerald City with just a gesture.

That was enough to create an environment that could crush Slimani—whether he was the cowardly and honest man he once was, or the cold-blooded and snobbish man he became later—forcing him to make unimaginable deals and pay a price heavier than his life.

Let the demons on the other side of this world rejoice.

“The person who killed Slimani was no ordinary nobody,” Thales said. “The assassin’s name was Losang II, and he was a top-tier member of the Blood Bottle Gang. Do you remember him?”

After a moment's thought, Jann's brow furrowed.

"Yes. Lausanne II, old Turnbull's executioner, but I remember he died many years ago—"

"died?"

Thales turned his sword, a cold laugh carrying a hidden meaning:
"But are you sure he's dead, or that he was protected by some big shot behind the scenes in the Blood Bottle Gang, hidden away, chained up, his claws sharpened, his ferocity nurtured, and he's kept to be released at a crucial moment to do some dirty work that the Guard Bureau and the Emerald Legion can't handle?"

Jann's face also turned cold.

"I don't like the implication in your words, Your Highness."

“Speaking of which, aren’t the Blood Bottle Gang your lackeys?” Thales said. “When was the last time you disciplined them?”

"In order to maintain order and stability and minimize the harm of organized crime, Your Highness, Emerald City and even the South Bank Territory do maintain strict and systematic control over the forces of various industries and social groups. However, that does not mean that the relationship between the government and street gangs is as conspiracy theorists believe..."

Thales rudely interrupted his bureaucratic tone:
"By the way, last time, it was you who instructed them to cover up the news, fabricate clues, and alter the murder case—for example, the wine merchant Dagory Moss, who used to be your front man; the wool merchant Diop, who managed the secret accounts for Kongming Palace; and perhaps in the future, the famous great lawyer Slimani..."

Jenn's face darkened.

"We've had similar conversations, and all these measures are for the greater good, for stability, and to prevent the secret service from causing trouble—"

But Thales continued, "And the former head of the Vigilantes, Jeff Rene, was murdered at home, but the Blood Bottle Gang dragged him to their casino and staged his death as an accident?"

Jann paused.

An unexpected sword move.

A few seconds later, he took a deep breath:

“Rene…this is all what that defense attorney told you, right? The report says Rene was his former superior and had been instrumental in his success. What did he tell you?”

Thales's face turned cold.

"Why? Morse, Diop, Slimani, Rene, and maybe others... Jenn, why did you kill them?"

“Since we’re going to cut to the chase, I’ll only say it once,” Jann’s tone also lowered, “I didn’t kill them.”

"Why them? What did they do that they had to die?"

“We’ve discussed this point,” Jann said calmly and clearly. “The Secret Service sent people to commit these murders to get your attention and incite you to turn against me, and we—”

"You know what's interesting?"

Thales interrupted him again:

"I told you this claim, this so-called 'Kingdom Secret Service wants to incite us to fight each other,' on my very first day in Emerald City."

Jann looked at him quietly.

"Yes, and I appreciate your honesty."

"But that was all made up: in fact, I had no idea about any kind of provocation, and I didn't believe it myself. I just said it to make a splash and leave a mark in Emerald City."

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Jann frowned as he looked at Thales, who remained calm and unashamed.

A skillful sword strike.

Finally, the Duke of the South Bank curled the corners of his mouth, and his once perfect and polite smile revealed a hint of eeriness.

“I think, Thales, this is probably the most honest thing you’ve ever said to me since you came to Emerald City.”

“Since I’ve been so frank,” Thales said, ignoring his sarcasm, “you shouldn’t be hiding anything either.”

Their eyes met in mid-air for a few seconds.

“Yes, I knew from the beginning that you were making things up,” Jann’s tone was no longer official, but unsettlingly cold. “Bluster, bullying others, from state meetings to royal banquets, that’s all you ever do.”

"So you've never believed me, never believed that bullshit that 'the king sent me here to incite conflict between us'."

“You said it yourself, that was just a load of nonsense you made up,” Jann retorted.

Thales stopped pressing the issue and changed the subject:
"In that case, when the wine merchant Morse was murdered and we had our showdown in the confessional, you turned around and agreed with my nonsense, telling me that the Morse case was just 'misleading,' just a trick by the Secret Service to sow discord among us... That's quite interesting."

"Ha, you suspect me because of that?"

"Not only that, but you've also acted out of character by being willing to 'entrust' your sister to me and ask me to 'keep an eye on her.' You've even brought up the conditions that 'Rising Star' gave me, as if you want to help me get crowned?"

Jenn's eyes flickered.

“But as far as I know, ever since that failed coup at the National Conference eight years ago,” Thales tightened his tone, “‘New Star’ has become the biggest stain on Duke Iris’s record, a scar that hurts at the slightest touch.”

Jenn remained silent for a long while.

A sword strike aimed precisely at the old wound.

When he spoke again, his voice was soft and slow:
"That's all thanks to you, Your Highness."

Thales gave a cold snort.

“I know you too well, Jenn. Just like when you handed Jennard back to me on your way to the North, just like when you suddenly became talkative and tried to curry favor with me at the royal banquet: when you turn around and agree with my nonsense, or even try to use it to convince me, there must be something very wrong here.”

“Dagori Moss was not merely a pawn to sow discord between us, nor was his death insignificant. On the contrary, he was crucial, so crucial that you want to mislead me and prevent me from paying attention to him, right?”

Thales unsheathed his blade and launched a series of attacks:

Tell me, why did you kill him?

Jann stared at Thales for a long time before taking a deep breath.

"This is the last time: I did not kill him."

He also spoke slowly and deliberately, clearly restraining himself, but Thales persisted:

"Later, when that wool merchant was murdered, you used the same trick again, telling me that Diop was killed by the Kingdom's secret police, but that he himself was unimportant; it was just to expose the Kongming Palace's illegal secret accounts, to lure me into making a move, and to provoke me into attacking your weaknesses..."

"enough!"

Jan interrupted him with a cold snort:
"I don't want to get involved in these things with you—"

But Thales completely ignored him:

"So I brought up the black-clad King Losang II and said it was a pity that my men failed to capture that white-clad assassin from the secret service."

“Black clothes, white clothes, assassin,” Jann paused, then muttered to himself, his expression suddenly realizing, “You’re deliberately testing me, trying to see if that King Losang II was sent by me?”

Thales observed the other person's expression, nodded, and smiled.

"And you replied that your men also failed to capture the white-clad assassin, adding that it was normal that they couldn't catch him, given that he was a secret agent of the kingdom."

“Because that assassin wasn’t one of my men,” Jann said decisively, with utter disdain. “Whether his clothes were black or white, I didn’t know any more about him than you did.”

Thales continued to stare at the Duke's face, while Jann looked back at him without fear.

This sword, devoid of any fancy techniques, somehow managed to jam Thales's blade.

“That’s right, you passed the test. At least from the wording, your answer was natural, fluent, and flawless. You probably really don’t know the color of Lausanne II’s clothes.”

Duke Xinghu changed his tone:
"But the key issue is not the color of his clothes, but your attitude."

Jenn's gaze suddenly sharpened.

Thales' tone grew increasingly cold:

"Whether or not King Lausanne II is one of your men, when I deliberately mentioned 'the assassin in white,' how could someone as cunning and shrewd as you not see that this was a test?"

Jenn stopped looking at Thales and stared at the table, his pupils slowly contracting.

"If that wool merchant really is insignificant, and if that assassin really isn't one of yours, then given your personality and attitude, you should have directly scoffed at my deliberate and clumsy low-level test of 'white clothes or black clothes,' calling me an idiot, boring, and saying 'I can't be bothered with you.' At most, you could have added a dismissive remark like 'That test is too low-level,' or 'Go home and ask your dad,' etc..."

Thales snorted coldly:
"Why do you need to be so prepared, to choose your words carefully, and to give a flawless, direct response? Why do you need to carefully navigate through linguistic traps, making sure that every single word you say is exactly what you think, that you don't know any more than I do?"

Jenn did not answer, but his gaze remained fixed on the table.

"Yes, your response to this question was too concerned and too clever, to the point that your cleverness backfired."

After Thales finished speaking, the reception room fell silent.

“Your cunning, Thales,” Jann finally spoke softly, “is always hidden in your dullness, making it hard to discern.”

The sword strike was delivered at a tricky and unpredictable angle, yet it still scored again.

“Like Dagory Moss, this wool merchant Diop is by no means insignificant,” Thales ignored the other’s sarcasm. “What did he do that you have to kill him to silence him and cover your tracks?”

Jenn suddenly looked up!

“I didn’t kill him,” he said slowly.

"That phrase again?"

Thales scoffed, "I thought the last sentence was the last time."

Jenn's gaze grew colder.

The two dukes' gazes met in mid-air, one sharp and cold, the other sinister and gloomy, clashing silently.

But just as the standoff reached its climax and the atmosphere became increasingly tense, one of the parties suddenly laughed.

"I believe you." Thales sheathed his sword and gave a faint smile.

"I don't care whether you believe me or not—what did you say?"

Jenn abruptly changed the subject, catching him off guard, and looked at Thales in disbelief.

“I said, Jen, I believe you.”

Thales took a deep breath:

“I believe that the King of Lausanne II was not one of your men. I believe that from Moss, Diop to Rene and Slimani, although you were indeed covering up the news, you did not kill them.”

what?
Jann was stunned.

This is not a rule of fencing.

"Why?" he asked instinctively.

Thales leaned back in his chair, his expression growing tense.

"Because just yesterday, while I was busy chasing Slimani, and my people were busy chasing me, and your people were busy chasing my people..."

“A serious internal conflict has broken out within the Blood Bottle Gang. ‘Phantom Blade’ Catherine and her supporters have lost power and fallen from grace,” Thales finally found the enemy’s fatal weakness. “‘Red Viper’ Nekra and ‘Wanderer’ Fogg have seized power.”

Jann's expression remained unchanged, but Thales noticed that the other's gaze gradually tightened.

This relieved him.

“And behind them is none other than the former Blood Bottle Gang assassin, Losang II,” Thales said with ease, delivering the final blow.

The reception room was deathly silent.

The next second, Jenn raised his head and called out to the butler:
"Ashford!" Thales picked up his herbal tea and calmly watched as the Duke, disregarding the presence of the prince, hurriedly instructed his steward to send someone to secretly investigate the Blood Bottle Gang's situation. Ashford gave Thales a strange look before accepting the order and leaving.

The butler left, and the two dukes faced each other indifferently.

“You just asked me when was the last time I disciplined the Blood Bottle Gang,” Jann’s breathing calmed down after a few seconds, “that was a test to see if I knew about it?”

Yes, after the outcome is decided, a thorough review is needed.

Unfortunately, it was just a debriefing.

“It seems you’re just finding out about this. You’re welcome, no need to thank me,” Thales said calmly. “Don’t worry, I took care of Lausanne yesterday. They’ll be in a lot of chaos before they can sort things out.”

Jann took a deep breath.

"You killed that executioner who came back from the dead?"

"You think my guards are pushovers? You think they were all wounded and injured when I returned yesterday? You think I was really on a date with your sister yesterday? You think Slimani died for nothing?"

Thales chuckled softly:
"Why don't you take a look and see if you can still find 'Phantom Blade' Catherine, or any local boss you can order around and run errands for you?"

Jann stared intently at Thales.

"Yesterday, the Dianjin District Police Station received a report of a riot at the dock, but it was later said to be a false alarm and nothing was done. Is this the incident?"

"Maybe."

Telstan said:

"To be honest, because of what I said before, I suspected that Losang was one of your people, and that the internal strife in the Blood Bottle Gang was just him carrying out your will, cleaning up your house, and reshuffling the cards."

"Then why did you suddenly believe me?"

Thales exhaled, recalling the Blood Vial Gang's account that Golov had reported to him:

"The trigger for the Blood Bottle Gang's internal strife was the strange injuries and losses they had suffered in recent days; while Red Viper and the Wanderer used the excuse of blaming the Black Street Brotherhood for this debt and promising to take revenge on them; as for the leaders who were purged in the internal strife, they were the original beneficiaries of the gang."

Jenn's expression grew increasingly serious:

“Every move here is pushing the existing order toward chaos and disorder, severing the connection between the Void Palace and the Blood Bottle Gang, and weakening my control over the lower levels of Emerald City.”

Thales nodded:

"This is not in your interest, nor is it in the interest of Emerald City."

Jenn didn't say anything.

"Do you understand now, Duke of Iris?"

Thales leaned forward one point:
“That’s right. You used the Blood Bottle Gang to cover up the deaths of Morse and the others, stopping their first wave of attacks. So they then turned their attention to the Blood Bottle Gang and your informants and henchmen in the underworld and on the streets. You may still control most of Emerald City, but since yesterday, at least on the streets, you have become blind and deaf, no longer as astute as before.”

Thales coldly concluded his remarks:
“You and Emerald City are under unprecedented attack—if you continue to remain stagnant, you will only be isolated and helpless.”

A long silence fell over the reception room.

Finally, just as Thales was wondering if the herbal tea was getting cold, Jann slowly spoke:
"what do you want?"

Thales smiled.

"I know you weren't the mastermind behind the murders of Morse and the others, and you didn't kill them to silence them, but as I said, even if you weren't the mastermind, you must know the inside story."

“You know who killed them, or rather, you know why they were killed,” Thales tried to sound sincere. “That’s why you take those murders so seriously, those dead people, and go to great lengths to cover them up and prevent them from appearing in the eyes of the world, including me.”

Jenn frowned.

“Tell me, what are these people involved in?” Thales’ tone became urgent. “So much so that the Secret Service can’t let them go?”

Jann remained silent.

“Please, Jen,” ​​the prince urged, “you once asked me what price I would ask for to lend a helping hand in a critical moment?”

He moved closer to Jann:
"Now, I can help you, but you must tell me more: more details, more truth, more inside information."

Thales extends his palm:
"Regardless of the past, this is your last chance—your last chance to offer me a price."

Please.

Jenn's gaze was fixed on his palm.

“If I told you, Thales…”

A few seconds later, the Duke of the South Bank slowly raised his head.

"Then when will you make your move against me?"

Hands-on?

In that instant, Thales suddenly felt something was wrong.

"What do you mean?"

Like an opponent whose defeat seems inevitable, suddenly launching a counterattack, catching everyone off guard.

Jenn chuckled softly:
Have you ever looked in a mirror?

"what?"

“People can’t see themselves clearly. The way they see themselves in the eyes of others and in their own eyes are completely different,” Jann said, silently watching him with eyes as calm as still water. “That’s why people need mirrors.”

Thales frowned: "Jane..."

“Tales Star, you say you believe me, that you believe I’m not the murderer,” Jann interrupted him decisively, “but have you ever considered whether I believe you’re not the murderer?”

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

"You claim that you did not come to Emerald City voluntarily, that you and your father are irreconcilable enemies, and that you want to put aside your past grievances and work together with me. In each confrontation, you have tried to gain my trust—but do you know what the best way to win trust is?"

Jenn spoke softly:
"It's actually very simple, simpler than you can imagine."

In that instant, Thales felt his breath catch in his throat.

It's like a sword blade missing its target.

“When I covered up Morse’s death and told you it was for the greater good,” the Duke said slowly, “what you should do is not to interrogate me or make demands, but to tacitly accept it and turn a blind eye. Then I will know your attitude.”

“When Diop’s murder happened, I subtly and overtly signaled to you not to dig too deep. What you should have done was not to relentlessly pursue the truth until you forced out the identity of the secret accountant, but to smile calmly and quietly retreat. Then I would have understood your position.”

Thales stared at him, his expression blank.

“When yesterday’s events happened, whether it was Slimani, Lausanne II, or the Blood Bottle Gang,” Jann continued, his tone becoming increasingly calm, “what you should have done was not to go all out, hold onto all these chips before coming to me to negotiate and claim credit, but to come to me from the beginning, lay everything out, and let us decide the direction together. Then I would have understood your signal.”

Jann raised his head, his gaze unfocused, just barely meeting Thales's eyes.

"At some point, I might believe that you really want to work with me: at least you have shown your sincerity through your actions."

Thales swallowed hard.

“But the truth is, every action you took after arriving in the Emerald City, every reaction you had to any situation, every confrontation with me, every time you argued that ‘we’re putting on a show for the King,’” Jann shook his head, “was all in an effort to participate in the game, to fully control the game, and to ultimately seize the bargaining chip that would put me to death.”

The blade pierced through layers of defense, aiming straight for the vital point.

“Remember when you suggested that I and Emerald City take a step back?” Jann said absentmindedly. “That’s right, as my father said, as long as someone is willing to back down, there will always be room for maneuver.”

Thales took a deep breath, his voice strained: "My proposal is sincere..."

“But he said it to me,” Jann said calmly. “My uncle said that my father’s words only apply to the strong—because they never have to back down.”

The prince's eyes flickered.

“Thales, you may not realize it, but these days, when you faced me in Emerald City, you were so aggressive and took the initiative, but you never took a single step back. Or rather, only you thought you were backing down—that’s why people need a mirror—this is exactly what those who are confident because they have enough chips, those who consider themselves the strong ones in the game, do, and have the self-awareness to do, because you can no longer see the option of taking the initiative to back down, and you are more used to watching others back down.”

Thales stared blankly at the cup of floral tea.

“Eight years ago at the State Affairs Conference, during Operation Nova, I made the same mistake,” Jann said indifferently, looking at him. “Now, it’s your turn, Your Highness.”

Thales did not speak.

He suddenly realized that his swordplay was weak and powerless.

It has long been seen through layer by layer and cracked step by step.

“Yes, you may indeed have nothing to do with the Kingdom's Secret Service, but that's not because you're not on their side, but because…”

Jenn's eyes sharpened:
"Because even if you are on the same side, you consider yourself the one who plays the game, and you think your position is higher than theirs—second only to His Majesty the King."

Thales's eyes flickered:
what?
"Others may be misled by the contradictions you and the Palace of Resurgence have shown, but I will not, it is impossible, because I know you too well, Thales."

Jenn smiled.

“Look in the mirror. Don’t you think that everything you’ve done since you came to Emerald City—whether it’s cooperating with me, showing me goodwill, participating in politics against your will, or clumsily trying to grab bargaining chips—is incompatible with you, with yourself, and with the consistent inner logic of you, Thales Star?”

Out of place.

Contradictory?

Thales listened to Jann's words in a daze.

why?
"Where has the boy who loudly rebuked the corrupt aristocracy at the national conference gone?"

Jenn closed in step by step.

"Where has the prince who stood up for his subjects at the royal banquet gone?"

The opponent's sword was as cold as ice.

"Where has the North Star, the legendary, whimsical, and heroic star, gone?"

He was helpless.

“From day one, I knew that this was not the real you, the one I knew before,” the Duke of South Bank said calmly, “but just a you who had a blade pressed against his back by the king and had to force a smile.”

In that instant, Thales resisted the urge to reach for the bone ring in his pocket.

No matter how strange or unpredictable your sword moves are, your sword style is a hundred times more ingenious.

But any sword or blade.

It must eventually be returned to its sheath.

“Goodbye, Thales,” Jann said softly. “The King’s ship is not easy to board, and what he wants you to do is even more ill-intentioned.”

The King's Ship...

What he wants you to do...

"Beware—you'll be smashed to pieces." The Duke's words fell.

The reception room was completely silent.

That's really ugly, Thales.

A voice rose in the boy's heart, softly complaining about him.

You think you've acted flawlessly, without a single flaw?

As a result, it was easily exposed by a true expert.

And you can't even fight back.

How embarrassing.

You self-righteous idiot.

It's hard to tell whether it's cunning or stupidity.

Is that all you're going to do?

Have they surrendered?

“You mentioned to me before a ghost story called Soul Bone Jacques,” Thales heard his own voice ring out, accompanied by a cold laugh, “that it’s a legend about cannibals that circulates around the East Sea?”

Jann was slightly taken aback.

“I looked it up last night,” Thales sighed. “They say cannibals can take on the appearance of others, deceive and cheat, then tear off their mask to reveal their true nature, open people’s hearts, and devour their souls.”

Jenn frowned and gave a cold snort:
Whose heart and spleen?

Thales scrutinized the Duke of the South Bank's expression, trying to discern something from it.

"Do you know your sister is special and charming?"

Thales slowly shook his head:
"Absolutely stunning."

Jann glanced back at the prince indifferently.

“I retract my previous statement,” the Duke’s expression vanished. “From this moment on, you are forbidden from seeing her, speaking to her, exchanging letters, let alone going out with her…”

Do you think Hillary will listen to you?

"She has to listen, and so do you."

Jann emphasized, leaving no room for argument: "As long as I sit in this seat and rule the Emerald City for one more day."

Thales gave a soft hum.

“You know, the Blood Bottle Gang’s power grab yesterday wasn’t entirely successful,” the prince said. “The ‘Phantom Blade’ escaped capture, and we didn’t eliminate them completely.”

Jann was taken aback upon hearing this:
"What? Where is Catherine?"

"you do not need to know."

Thales shook his head:

"All you need to know is this: they will be very nervous because they will definitely worry that 'Phantom Blade' will come looking for you, making you alert and thus discovering their actions."

Jann frowned.

Thales's gaze shifted:
"In fact, they are right, because they will notice that you just sent people to contact or probe the Blood Bottle Gang in a hurry."

In that instant, Jenn's expression changed!
“You did it on purpose,” Jenn said, realizing something. “You withheld information, waiting for me to make the first move, and watched me corner myself.”

Thales smiled.

This time, his blade was merciless and cold.

It was also bloody.

“The longer it goes on, the more things can go wrong. They won’t tolerate any changes. So whatever they’re going to do, they won’t wait any longer,” Thales said softly. “They’re coming.”

Janne stared intently at him.

“I dare say this is no longer a minor skirmish or a clipping of wings,” Thales said with a grim look, “but a fatal blow.”

Until he could no longer turn over.

The prince slowly stood up.

"Without my help, Jenn, do you think you can stop us?"

Jenn didn't say anything.

His gaze turned toward the gate, first in a daze, then firm, and finally turning fierce.

“Kevin Deer, do not die for the enemy,” he said with difficulty.

No swordsman was willing to back down.

Therefore, there was no winner in this fencing match.

There were only casualties.

“Then I can only wish you good luck,” Thales said, extending his hand and straightening his collar, as if preparing or paying homage. “May the Empire endure forever.”

Jenn did not answer.

Just then, the door to the reception room was pushed open.

"Great, Ashford is finally not guarding the door."

Wearing a nightgown and with her hair disheveled, Hilly swaggered into the Duke's drawing room. She was still sleepy-eyed and even barefoot.

Jann frowned slightly, while Thales quickly turned his head away, avoiding looking at her disheveled appearance.

"Sorry, I overslept. I was too tired yesterday," Hilly yawned, touching the bruises on her arm from yesterday and rubbing the bandage on her neck. "Oh, you two haven't finished eating each other yet. Looks like I'm too early."

Very strange.

In the past, every time Hilly barged in, it would change the atmosphere between them.

But this time...

“Go back, Hilla,” Jann said calmly, his anger barely contained for a moment. “From now on, you are not allowed to bother His Highness the Prince again.”

Hilly opened her eyes and raised her eyebrows:

"Hey, why aren't you taking care of yourself—"

“Your brother is right, Ms. Cecilia,” Thales said softly. “Your overstepping your bounds will embarrass us.”

Hilly blinked, looking suspicious:

"Hey, how dare you!"

“The celebration is not over yet. We still have elections to attend today,” Jann said in a low and not stern voice, but his calm words made Hilly unconsciously shut up. “Prepare well and don’t be impolite—I am not giving this order as a brother, but as the Duke.”

Hilly finally sensed something was wrong and frowned as she looked at her brother.

Jann and Thales remained silent.

A few seconds later, Miss Kevin Deer took a deep breath, strode over to Thales, and instinctively grabbed the prince's arm:

"Alright, let's ignore him. As for you, come with me, we have something to discuss..."

But the next second, Thales pulled his arm back as if he had been electrocuted, avoiding Hilly's touch.

Hilly was stunned.

She stared blankly at Thales's movements, her gloved hand hovering in the air.

Thales was breathing heavily. He turned his head away, clenched his fists, and refused to look at Hilly.

What exactly is it?!

Evil, it is evil.

“Lord Jann is right, Lady Cecilia, the Emerald Festival is not over yet,” Thales took a deep breath. “We all need to be well prepared and not be impolite.”

Perhaps this is not a bad thing, Thales.

A cold laugh echoed in his heart:
Perhaps the posture is awkward...

But from now on, you are truly ready.

Under Hillary's incredulous gaze and Jenn's icy stare, Thales rose from his seat and left the meeting room without looking back.

(End of this chapter)