Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 702 In Danger
"This morning, the body of Guard Officer Caquere was found in an alley next to the Canal District Guard Post, with his head and body lying separately..."

Inside the Kongming Palace, the messenger Toledo led the fully alert Star Lake Guard on a hurried march, reporting to Thales, whose face was grim:
"Well, in short, the scene wasn't very pleasant."

When he received the bad news, Thales was preparing to attend the election.

According to the schedule, Caquere, the guard, was to guide the prince to the venue, but Thales didn't see Caquere; instead, he was met by a large contingent of the Star Lake Guard.
Led by "Ghost" Hugo Fubi and Toledo's herald, Kompotto, Nehi, DD, Golov, Miranda, Wyah, Paul, Rolf... dozens of men (many of whom were injured) were fully armed and menacing. They stormed into his lounge, occupying every corner, guarding every passage, and locking every window without saying a word, completely surrounding the bewildered second prince.

This scene took Morgan and Kusta, who were on duty accompanying the prince, quite by surprise. They almost thought that the prince, who had been sulking all morning with a cold face, had finally lost his temper and decided to retaliate violently, vowing to smash the Kongming Palace, spill blood in the Duke's mansion, set the record straight for the Iris Flower, and restore a bright and clear world to the Emerald City.

“These days, Caquere has been running around us in every aspect of life, from food and clothing to shelter and transportation. He’s been liaising with the guards and dealing with us every day. Everyone’s tired of it, but we can’t shake him off,” Thales said, his face grim, but his steps never stopped, and even quickened. “As a result, he disappeared for a whole night and morning, and all of us were happy to have some peace and quiet, and not one of us noticed anything amiss?”

The entire guard of the prince hurried forward, and no one dared to breathe loudly. The only sounds were the rustling of armor and the rumble of footsteps.

Like the intricately crafted clockwork golems of the dwarves.

For a moment, Thales even had the illusion that he was not in the Empty Palace.

Instead, it's the Fuxing Palace, a thousand miles away.

Toledo took a deep breath, quickened his pace, and pursed his lips tightly:

“Your Highness, this was indeed our oversight, and I bear full responsibility for it, and I am willing to accept punishment…”

Damn it, why is he like this?
I made no threats, intimidation, orders, or even spoke harshly to anyone...

Thales was extremely annoyed:
"Alright, I'm not blaming you..."

He simply asked a question and wanted an answer.

That's it.

But why is he so afraid, wishing he could admit all his mistakes and commit suicide to atone for them?
Thales let out a breath, his mood dejected.

If Marius were here, that would be wonderful.

No, that's not right—he immediately shook his head in denial—if Marius were here, he would probably respond with the most polite and proper but also the most sarcastic and biting rhetoric, leaving him speechless and even more frustrated than he was now.

But he wasn't there.

Thinking of this, Thales felt a tightness in his chest.

That arrogant and terrifying blade was caught off guard during the operation to kill King Lausanne II. As a result, his subordinates returned safely, but he himself was seriously injured and bedridden.

He's not in now.

His most damned captain of the guard, who talked about "honor and revenge" and insisted that the prince go first, ended up...

"Marius is still not awake?"

“The commander’s fever has subsided, Your Highness,” Itarian’s logistics officer replied respectfully and meticulously, “but perhaps due to the aftereffects of that assassin’s ability, his mental state is poor; he’s in and out of consciousness, and his recovery is a little slower than others…”

“He will be alright,” Hugo’s standard-bearer interrupted him, leaving no room for doubt, “it’s only a matter of time.”

time.

Thales frowned.

Unfortunately, the election is imminent, and they are currently short of time.

"So, what's the situation in Emerald City now?" He forced himself to calm down.

Toledo took a deep breath: "With a vigilant officer killed on his own turf, it's no surprise that the whole city is in an uproar. The vigilant bureaus of several districts have been mobilized to search for clues, and even the Emerald Legion has entered the city in large numbers, causing widespread panic and rumors."

"They weren't this enthusiastic when that wine merchant and wool merchant died," Golov scoffed from the other side.

“It’s different when it’s our own people who die,” Kommuto replied with experience.

“Hmph, even human life has its value,” Paul retorted sarcastically.

“Six,” Wyman, who was standing close to Thales, said with a heavy expression, “the sixth life.”

Damn.

Wyah's words greatly annoyed Thales.

And this time—Tails couldn't help but glance up—it seems even someone couldn't keep the news under wraps.

So, what will he do?
A group of servants were cleaning and sweeping in the corridor when they saw the prince and his entourage pass by. Some of them whispered something to each other, and the servants immediately looked frightened and dropped what they were doing, scattering in all directions.

The scene before him made Thales frown.

"Then why is His Highness being dragged into this? And why is His Highness being said to be the murderer?" DD couldn't help but speak up as he looked at the group of servants who were retreating.

Kombut, observing the situation, coughed and said, "According to information I got from a friend, Caquere informed his family yesterday evening that he wouldn't be going home that night, but would be staying overnight at the guard post to handle urgent matters..."

"Urgent?"

Wyman couldn't help but ask:

"What kind of overtime? What urgent matter? Is anyone investigating...?"

He realized something halfway through his sentence, and his voice immediately lowered.

“We,” Hugo’s standard-bearer, who was walking ahead, continued with a somber face, “His urgent task is us, to be precise, the chaos that ensued yesterday afternoon after the nobles disappeared in the theater, including our guards’ desperate attempts to delay and cover it up, as well as the subsequent search and perhaps the follow-up.”

The people around immediately fell silent.

"You mean me," the prince said expressionlessly, "who ran away from us yesterday with Miss Kevin Deer?"

No one answered, including the standard-bearer.

Obviously, no answer is needed.

Thales let out a frustrated sigh.

"In short, the security detail didn't wait for him and assumed Caquere had gone home for the night," Toledo said cautiously, "until the next day..."

“So, he was murdered while working overtime on the prince’s affairs, which is how we got implicated,” Miranda said thoughtfully.

“That’s right. The news first spread from the guards who knew the inside story, and then it got down to the streets, becoming more and more absurd as it was told,” Commuto hesitated slightly. “Some people say that His Highness took it upon himself to go on an incognito trip yesterday, and he acted arrogantly and recklessly all the way. Caquere finally couldn’t bear it any longer and had to report it to the Duke. So the prince got angry and wanted to kill someone to silence him…”

“What?” Wyman asked incredulously.

Thales frowned as well.

Traveling incognito is correct, but...

He only pushed and argued with the thugs for a few words, and at most set off a few large fireworks on the North Gate Bridge. Could this be considered "running rampant and acting recklessly"?
"Of course, these are all just folk tales, but there are also better versions," Komto quickly smoothed things over, "For example, it was actually someone who wanted to assassinate the prince, but missed and ran into Caquere, who was responsible for protecting him. The latter was strong and unyielding and sacrificed himself heroically."

Thales frowned and looked at the Star Lake Guards around him. They were in orderly formation and heavily guarded, as if an assassin might jump out of one of the vases at any moment.

Is this version better?

"There's also a rumor that the prince was dissatisfied with Duke Jann, so he took the opportunity to kill the bodyguard and guide the duke had given him, as a warning to others and to show his authority."

Thales' expression worsened, and his glare froze Komuto's smile.

"Where did these rumors come from? And they're so detailed and well-founded!" DD was stunned.

“The case has only been going on for a short time, and there are already rumors of this magnitude. It’s hard to say that no one is pulling the strings behind the scenes,” Miranda said suspiciously. “But as far as I know, the Blood Bottle Gang is the best at this kind of thing in the city, right? But they’ve already…”

She glanced at Golov and Rolf.

“Some people don’t like us and don’t want us to stay in Emerald City,” Golov sneered.

“But why?” Wyatt asked absently, “Who did it? Why frame His Highness?”

Thales tensed up.

He might know who did it.

but……

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Thales concluded, ending the discussion. “At least this time, they didn’t say I killed a king or duke—hopefully not.”

Everyone tensed up.

The second prince descended one level surrounded by guards. Their procession was imposing and intimidating, causing onlookers to hesitate and retreat.

Duke Starlake remained silent, and the entire guard fell silent once more, with only the unsettling sound of them hurrying along.

It's happening again, that feeling.

Thales felt the oppressive atmosphere around him and glanced back at the pavilions and pillars of the Kongming Palace.

The feeling of being trapped in the Palace of Restoration, as if locked in by endless chains, feeling lost and unable to breathe.

He could only relieve this suffocation by clutching his nerve pocket and the bone ring Gurtaksa.

Just then, he vaguely heard a sound behind him, but he couldn't make it out clearly until Thales frowned and entered his hellish senses.

"I'm just saying..."

From the back of the line, DD's barely audible whisper rang out: "Something's not quite right with that little brat."

Thales' eyelids twitched.

What little brat? Which little brat?

"Keep your voice down," Wyman whispered in response, cautiously. "Another person has died. His Highness must be in a bad mood."

"He doesn't know how terrible the atmosphere gets when he's cold-faced and silent. Look how scared everyone is, they don't even dare to breathe..."

Upon hearing this, Thales frowned.

what?
“It’s not just about Caquere,” Golov’s voice cut in. “That lawyer went mad in front of His Highness; he’s uncomfortable.”

Several people were silent for a while.

“But it wasn’t his fault,” DD whispered in the queue. “I mean, it wasn’t some little kid who hired someone to scare him crazy…”

Get someone to scare him crazy...

Thales's breath hitched.

"And there's the terrifying blade."

Miranda joined their secret conversation from the other side:
"Marius was carried back last night with a persistent high fever. His Highness remained silent and expressionless throughout, which frightened everyone into silence..."

"I'm just saying..."

“You guys really need to keep your voices down. The mute guy said His Highness has very sharp hearing…” Wyman advised with a pained expression.

"Don't worry, it's such a long distance..."

Thales let out a long sigh.

Emerald City, Janne, the Palace of Restoration, the King, the masked assassin in black, the Blood Bottle Gang, six murders... He is deeply embroiled in a perplexing situation, facing an intractable predicament, burdened with tasks he cannot refuse, encountering frustrating setbacks, and he has enough to do.

And DD, why is he so happy, even making up gossip about his master?
Does he know he's always been too kind, so much so that he wouldn't even tear up his little teddy bear?
“His Highness looked very frightened when he saw Marius yesterday,” Miranda whispered. “No one could persuade him, and no one dared to. In the end, it was only after the standard-bearer of Forbes whispered a few words in his ear that he agreed to go and rest.”

"No wonder he was in a bad mood. He went to argue with his fiancée and future brother-in-law first thing in the morning. Of course, his mood worsened after the argument," DD realized.

“That’s not all,” Wyatt said absentmindedly, staring at Thales’ retreating figure, “His Highness slept on the floor again yesterday…”

Thales's expression changed.

Whom does he sleep on?

“Oh,” Wyatt realized his mistake and quickly corrected himself, “I meant, Your Highness didn’t sleep well last night.”

"Tch, that scared me to death! I thought the little brat had finally come to his senses and become sensible. By the way, has his relationship with Miss Hilla changed? When he came back yesterday, they were..."

Hearing this, Thales finally lost his temper and turned around to angrily rebuke:

"Are you done?"

Duke Starlake's voice echoed through the empty palace corridors.

Everyone was startled, and the Xinghu Guards stopped in their tracks.

Thales was breathing heavily, staring intently at the queue in front of him.

well.

DD stopped talking and stared straight ahead with a serious expression. Wyman also stopped daydreaming and waited for orders with a focused expression.

From old subordinates Wyatt and Rolfe, to DD and Grover in the Star Lake Guard, and then to newcomers Miranda and Paul... there was no more whispering, no more gossip, and no more self-righteous little tricks.

Wherever his gaze fell, the guards all lowered their heads, none daring to look him directly in the eye.

The next second, Toledo cautiously stepped forward, his heart pounding.

"Your Highness, what are your orders? Speak, what did you say?"

Wait, is he... scared?
[When the mighty Grand Duke stands before you, do you know how you feel...? Ha, he blinks, and your heart nearly leaps out of your chest; he grins, and your legs tremble... Hey, who can say, who dares to say, that this isn't genuine sincerity?]

Looking at the other person's expression and then at the expressions of the others, Thales suddenly felt bored.

Of course, Toledo's messenger was afraid—a voice inside him said.

Don't forget that your words and actions can have unpredictable consequences.

Those in power treat them with indifference, while those in lower positions feel as if they are walking on thin ice.

This is the high wall of power.

Thales remained silent and did not speak.

This made the Xinghu Guard even more nervous.

Seeing that Thales remained silent, Toledo understood something, and he took a deep breath:

"I am very sorry, Your Highness, Commander Marius is not here. It is my fault for not disciplining him properly..."

Who was whispering just now?

Hugo's standard-bearer interrupted him abruptly, turning to the ranks with a playful expression:

"Even though I can't hear clearly, why don't you step forward yourself? It'll save you from suffering."

In that instant, everyone in the Xinghu Guard changed color.

DD in the front row had a flicker of fear in his eyes, while Wyman looked surprised.

Miranda frowned, while Golov remained expressionless.

But Thales didn't say anything.

He simply watched them silently, observing each of their expressions.

But perhaps, just perhaps, fear is a good thing?

This will force them to wind themselves up.

Perhaps I was too weak before, perhaps Marius was too unrestrained, or perhaps this is the normal way they should get along.

Because you know that one day they will face an even crueler test—a small voice in their heart added.

Is that right?

Tyre watched them silently, and suddenly had a strange feeling:
This was not the Empty Palace, but the Balad Chamber. Everyone was on edge, watching the man sitting in the main seat in the shadows.

As Thales gazed into the distance, the feeling of suffocation grew ever more real.

Second only to the bone ring in my pocket.

A few seconds later, he let out a long sigh.

"Wyman".

Wyatt's expression changed, but ultimately, amidst the sympathetic gazes of others, he stepped forward with a death-defying resolve:
"My mistake, Your Highness, I spoke out of turn—"

"Are you still carrying my sword?" Thales interrupted him abruptly.

Wyman paused for a second before reacting. He hurriedly took off the sword belt from his back and respectfully presented a precious sword to Thales.

Thales took the warning sword without a word and drew a section of the blade.

The precious ancient imperial sword still gleamed coldly, making the black gemstone on the hilt appear even more mysterious and solemn.

However, the "F" at the bottom of the hilt is still glaring and out of place.

“Gentlemen, I don’t want to lie to you, nor do I want to hide my concerns,” Thales pushed the blade back into its sheath, but did not return it to Wyatt. “From this moment on, the situation in Emerald City is extremely precarious.”

"On the verge of collapse?" Wyman's eyes widened.

Thales nodded. He tested the weight of the sword and considered what kind of sling to use if he were to wear it normally.

“At this critical moment, I need you to be prepared, especially with Captain Marius out of the picture,” he said in a deep voice. “Make all the necessary preparations.”

The guards stirred slightly, exchanging bewildered glances.

Toledo couldn't help but ask, "But Your Highness, didn't we just deal with... that assassin yesterday?"

“That’s why,” Thales said, his expression unchanged, “we’ve exacerbated the situation and worsened the circumstances.”

It pushed everyone into a corner, forcing them to the brink of defeat.

"What will we face?" Hugo's standard-bearer asked coldly amidst the whispers.

Thales glanced at the "ghost" standard-bearer, whom he rarely dealt with.

But there must have been a reason why Marius chose him and Toledo as his deputies, right?
"What are we facing? Kidnapping? Imprisonment? Assassination? To be honest, I don't know."

With each word Thales uttered, Toledo's expression grew increasingly grim: "Including possible riots, mutinies, civil unrest, even, palace coups?"

His last words surprised everyone.

"That one, was it even worse than... when you stormed the palace?" Neshi asked cautiously, her right hand still bandaged.

Thales glanced at the young vanguard officer, who immediately lowered his head.

"What if it is?"

At that moment, the guards all looked grim.

Thales looked around at everyone: Wyatt looked worried, Rolf looked disdainful, DD blinked frantically, Golover remained expressionless, Miranda had a cold look in her eyes, and Paul kept his head down and remained silent...

As for Marius, who is still bedridden...

If it really comes to that, how many of the people here will follow him through fire and water?
Are they really ready?

The atmosphere plummeted to freezing point.

A few seconds later, Thales chuckled.

"Just kidding!"

Everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief, but Thales' next words froze their smiles:

"No matter what, breaking into Kongming Palace shouldn't be more difficult than breaking into Fuxing Palace, right?"

Just then, Morgan, who was scouting ahead, suddenly shouted a warning:

"Guards on alert! We have company now!"

The next second, the guards all changed color and instinctively took their positions to protect Thales.

only……

"What's wrong? What happened? Aren't we still in the Kongming Palace?" Thales asked anxiously, as Kusta blocked his way.

Could his words have come true, and something even worse than storming the palace really is going to happen?

“The Vanguard Wing’s scouts and sentries have strict rules, Your Highness,” Hugo said coldly, staring intently at the corner leading to Ancestral Rock. “They won’t raise a warning just because a cockroach jumps out on the road.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a considerable tremor came from the ground.

Everyone tensed up: This is...

The next second, behind the famous ancestral rock of Kongming Palace, a whole squad of menacing soldiers appeared in sight, marching in unison towards Thales and his party, their footsteps thundering, their armor gleaming.

“Unless it’s a swarm of cockroaches.” Miranda’s expression was grim.

"Not palace guards, damn it, it's those cuckolds! The Emerald Legion!"

DD stared in disbelief at the enemy's weapons and armor: "This is quite a sight... weren't the guards the ones who came to pick us up before?"

Emerald Legion?

Thales gripped the warning device tightly, his expression deep.

As the Emerald Legion's soldiers drew closer, the Star Lake Guard unconsciously tightened their formation, each soldier placing their hands on their weapons.

Finally, the Emerald Legion stopped a foot away from them, and a familiar figure stepped out from the crowd.

Where is Prince Thales?

Thales let out a breath, patted the tense people around him, and took a few steps forward:
"Captain Seychelles, it's been a long time. What brings you here?"

The leader of the Emerald Legion, the Seychelles Knight, ignored the formation of the Star Lake Guard. He took a step forward, his gaze so intense that it made all the guards instinctively tighten their grip on their weapons.

Toledo and Hugo were at the forefront, but under the pressure of the knight before them, one was sweating profusely, and the other looked grave. Seychelles merely glanced at them, unconcerned, and looked back at Thales:

"For well-known reasons, Your Highness, from now until the end of the Emerald Festival, your security arrangements will be fully handled by me and the Emerald Legion, who will accompany you throughout..."

Seychelles paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping back and forth across the Star Lake Guard's line of wounded soldiers, his tone laced with contempt:

"Personal bodyguards."

Upon hearing this, the Star Lake Guardians all changed color, and many of them looked indignant.

“Damn it,” Doyle, standing in the ranks, faced a menacing Emerald Sergeant and turned back to speak, “Didn’t you say this guy was an Extreme…?”

“Shut up, DD!” Wyman gritted his teeth, but couldn’t stop his arms from trembling.

"The Emerald Legion will be in charge of my security?"

Before everyone could erupt in anger, Thales spoke up, surveying the legion, whose origins were mercenaries, lost in thought:
"Is this Jenn's intention?"

Seychelles gave a soft hum.

"The Duke said that the selection of generals is one of the essences of the celebration, which aims to promote martial spirit and strengthen the army, so of course it must have a different style."

The legion's knights narrowed their eyes:

"And I believe he will warmly welcome you at the venue."

Thales frowned, deep in thought.

Oops.

What does Jenn mean?
“I appreciate Janine’s kindness, but I’d better…”

But Seychelles had clearly learned from his previous mistake; he waved his hand, signaling his men to act, and had no intention of giving Thales any chance.

"Everyone, protect the prince! Don't let His Highness lose his dignity!"

The Emerald Legion may not be as fierce and reckless as the royal army under the Wrath of the Kingdom, but they are still disciplined and immediately press forward upon receiving orders, and they are about to break into the Starlake Guard's formation!
Just as Thales instinctively tightened his grip on the warning device, he heard Toledo roar, "Star Lake Guard! Star Array!"

The Star Lake Guards responded with a chorus of angry shouts, forming groups of two or three, their weapons half-drawn, forcing the Emerald Soldiers in the first rank to hesitate.

“No need for you to worry, Green Hat. You just need to take care of clearing the way around the perimeter,” Hugo’s standard-bearer said to Seychelles, his eyes sharp despite the pressure. “The rest will be handled by the Royal Guard.”

This is the only way from the main palace to the outer courtyard and the ancestral rock. Many servants and runners who passed by saw the two armies facing each other, swords drawn and crossbows ready, and all turned pale and retreated, spreading the news to each other.

Upon being rejected, Seychelles revealed a malicious smile.

"And who are you? Where is your leader from last time, the one named Marius?"

The knight intentionally or unintentionally revealed the hilt of his sword:
"My weapon misses him."

“He’s off today,” Miranda said coldly from the other side, stroking the Eagle in her hand.

Seychelles didn't care at all: "Then I guess, sick leave?"

The next second, he strode forward!
The Extreme Knight's unbridled aura startled the Star Lake Guardians, who all turned pale and looked at Thales:
How to do?
Want to fight?
What to do if you can’t win?
Just then, another voice broke the silence:
"Thales, why are you so late?"

Everyone turned their heads at the same time:

At the other end of the corridor, Cecilia Kevindir, dressed in her finest attire and accompanied by a retinue of servants, walked gracefully in, her gaze intense.

Thales was stunned.

The Star Lake Guardians around him exchanged bewildered glances, and DD even wore a strange smile.

The Seychelles knight paused, incredulous:

"Ms. Hillay?"

“What a coincidence to run into you, Seychelles,” Hilla said with unbelievable grace as she approached Thales, causing the soldiers and guards around her to instinctively step back. “What a boring day!”

Hilly's gaze was deep, but it brightened the moment he looked at Thales.

But as Thales looked at the elegant-looking Hilly, he couldn't help but think of the eerie and terrifying shadow behind her, and Slimani, who had been tormented and driven to madness by it.

No.

He wasn't ready.

“Ms. Kevin Deer…” Thales instinctively avoided her gaze.

Hilly's eyes sharpened.

But before she could speak, the Seychelles knight snorted coldly:
“You shouldn’t be here, madam. His Majesty the Duke has ordered—”

But Hillary ignored him, instead extending her hand to Thales with a perfect smile and a natural demeanor, the intricately embroidered iris pattern on her glove clearly visible.

“Come on, Your Highness,” she said in an overly gentle tone that made Thales very uncomfortable. “The selection process will be very exciting, and I don’t want you to miss it.”

Seychelles was taken aback, and her expression darkened.

Thales was stunned. He looked at the murderous knight and the beautiful and gentle lady, and for a moment he couldn't tell who was more terrifying.

Until Hillary smiled:
"You're still upset about what happened yesterday, aren't you?"

What happened yesterday?
What's the matter?
Upon hearing this, all of them, including Glov, Rolf, and Miranda, wore strange expressions.

Only Wyman and DD exchanged a glance; the former was puzzled, while the latter had a mysterious smile.

Thales' expression changed slightly. He immediately saw through the illusion of weapons and clothing and identified who the top predator in the Sky Palace was.

“Seychelles Knight, please have your men escort me,” the prince smiled slightly at Hilay, then walked toward the Seychelles and gestured, “It’s time for me to go to the venue.”

Be compliant and courteous.

“Uh, of course, Your Highness, this way please…” This made Seychelles and his men feel a little uncomfortable.

But before he could even marvel at how easily today's task had been completed compared to his expectations, he saw Hilly raise an eyebrow beside him:
"Oh, Your Highness, your coldness truly hurts me. Is this revenge? Do you think it's my fault that we didn't succeed yesterday?"

It didn't work out?

thing?

This time, everyone, including the Emerald Legion, the Starlake Guard, and the servants behind Hilla, turned to look at Thales.

The second prince's expression changed again.

“Yesterday was…an accident,” he said nervously, glancing around at those around him to clear up any misunderstandings, even if they were confused (or surprised). “Besides, there were so many people there yesterday, no one should be blamed. Well, I have to go to my appointment…”

Hilly let out a cold laugh:
"Really, Your Highness? We've been through so much together, and the things we've been through are unforgettable. And you really think you're so heartless?"

Unforgettable...

Oops.

The suspicious looks from the crowd gave Thales a real headache.

"Um, does His Highness need our help...?" Huaiya hesitated.

“Don’t be silly,” DD grabbed him, speaking with the air of someone who’d been there, her tone mysterious, “It’s a family matter.”

Fortunately, at this awkward moment, the Seychelles knight spoke up:
“Madam, I have orders from His Majesty the Duke to protect the Prince on his way to the election venue. If you continue to delay and obstruct me, it will be very difficult for me to do so.”

His tone was firm and resolute, and his demeanor was unyielding.

This made Thales find the knight much more agreeable.

“Is that so?” Hilly’s smile remained unchanged. “It’s difficult? Then why don’t you resign?”

Seychelles' expression froze.

The next second, his face showed anger:

"Madam, if you continue to be so willful, I will have no choice."

"For example?"

Seychelles' eyes sharpened, and he strode towards Hilla!
Thales was startled and instinctively stepped in front of Hilly, saying, "Hey, let's talk this out..."

Seeing their master move, the Star Lake Guard and the Emerald Legion instinctively sprang into action, pushing towards the center in an attempt to stop the other side, and the situation became chaotic again!
But right now.

"Stop." It was an unfamiliar voice that rang out in the crowd, causing everyone to pause instinctively.

The next second, a weathered and gaunt figure emerged from Hilaire's retinue. Though seemingly unhurried, he miraculously squeezed past everyone and instantly stood in front of Seychelles, blocking his path.

Everyone was stunned: the unexpected guest was a middle-aged man with a sword. His hair was disheveled, his face was covered in stubble, his clothes were old and worn, and even the sword at his waist was covered in rust.

"You are……"

Seychelles frowned, scrutinizing the slovenly dressed man who stood out from his surroundings.

A few seconds later, surprise appeared in his eyes:
"Cassian?"

The disheveled man named Casian, who looked sickly, smiled slightly and performed a perfectly proper knightly salute:

"Seychelles."

ah? who?
The Xinghu Guards were puzzled.

"Who's this? He looks... a bit dirty." DD squinted.

“Indeed,” Miranda said, looking intently at the new man, “but notice: Seychelles’s eyes are different now; he’s serious.”

“Strange,” Golov gritted his teeth, “I can’t sense any killing intent from him, but…”

“I know who he is,” Hugo, the standard-bearer, said expressionlessly. “Be careful. He is an expert at the highest level. He is from the Iris Flower. He fought against Chief Steli when he was in the capital and was only slightly inferior.”

Everyone tensed up.

In contrast, the soldiers of the Emerald Legion stirred up a commotion upon hearing Cassandra's name, with many exchanging bewildered glances and whispering amongst themselves.

Seychelles gripped the hilt of his sword, filled with apprehension:

"I thought you had resigned, old friend, and were no longer serving Emerald City."

“Yes, Seychelles Knight,” Cassandra said wearily, glancing at Hilla and sighing, “but like you, Iris’s affection is too much to refuse.”

Seychelles and Cassiën faced each other in silence, one well-equipped and imposing, the other disheveled and exhausted.

But for some reason, Thales had a vague feeling that they were evenly matched.

The prince cast a questioning glance at Hilla, but Miss Kevindale merely snorted, ignoring the two locked in a standoff, and casually took the prince's arm.
"Let's go."

Thales was startled, and under countless gazes that were initially astonished but later became indifferent, he struggled desperately:
"and many more!"

Thales took a deep breath, trying hard not to think about the multifaceted soul bone Jacques behind Hillay:

"Listen, maybe we shouldn't have..."

But Hilly's smile remained unchanged, yet she pulled Thales closer to her without allowing any resistance, then whispered in his ear:

"If you dare give me that look again, kid, I swear, no matter how many people are watching, I'll beat the shit out of you!"

Such a threat sent a chill down Thales' spine.

The prince swallowed hard, his eyelids twitched, and he had no choice but to turn back and whisper:

“Hilay, well, to be honest, the current situation is quite complicated. Our best course of action is to act independently, so that neither of us gets caught up in the chaos…”

Hilly's eyes flashed sharply!
"Tales Shining Star!"

The next second, Miss Kevin Deer shoved Thales away!
She raised her voice, first speaking sharply and sternly, then with heart-wrenching intensity:
"So heartless of you, have you really forgotten what I did for you yesterday?!"

Perhaps it was the awkward atmosphere, perhaps it was the superb acting, or perhaps it was the sensational topic, but for a moment, everyone, whether it was the Star Lake Guard or the Emerald Legion, whether it was Cassandra or Seychelles, was drawn to the ancestral rock of the Sky Palace, and all looked toward the two most noble people in the room.

Thales was startled: "I—"

"Do you remember? You're trying to renege on your debt now?"

With tears streaming down her face, Hillary looked heartbreaking: "For you, I even drank that kind of medicine!"

Huh?
Including the servants and runners craning their necks to watch from a distance, everyone looked at Hilaire with a mixture of surprise, doubt, and immense curiosity:
What medicine?

Hillary lived up to expectations, her sobbing reaching its climax:
"Yes, birth control pills!"

In that instant, Thales froze.

The entire Kongming Palace fell silent.

Ah!
A few seconds later, everyone looked at Thales with a mixture of horror and disgust:
That kind of medicine!
"I……"

Thales endured the terrifying gazes of those around him, including his own, and felt utterly speechless:

"No! That wasn't a birth control pill! It was just for restoring strength... and we all drank it..."

“That’s right!” Hilly interrupted him.

The tearful girl lowered her head to wipe her face, accidentally smearing two streaks of water onto her perfectly made-up face, which startled the maid behind her.

"But I don't mind!"

Thales stared in disbelief at the vicious woman before him, a mixture of resentment and pity in his eyes.
"No, please stop talking, okay? Let's come down and talk things out..."

But Hilly didn't care: "I don't mind! I don't even mind that you have to take that kind of drug to get it done!"

Huh?
Everyone looked at Thales with a mixture of suspicion and thoughtfulness:
What medicine?

Hilly sniffed and said in a trembling voice:
"Yes, do you remember that bottle of aphrodisiac that restored physical strength?"

The surroundings fell silent again.

Ah!
A few seconds later, everyone suddenly realized what was happening and looked at Thales with a mixture of amusement and schadenfreude:
That kind of medicine!
Thales was stunned. He stood there blankly beside Hilly, his feet numbly stuck in his shoes, barely supporting his empty body.

"You...no...I...she...no...don't..."

Only his lips twitched.

As the autumn wind blew, the Kongming Palace was now completely empty and bright.

"So, for this reason," Hillary said, her voice trembling with suppressed sobs, her eyes filled with hope, "can't you just give in to me a little?"

Several seconds passed, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Of the two who had been locked in a tense standoff, Seychelles, too, recovered from her inexplicable shock and instinctively spoke:
"Madam, Your Highness, but..."

Miss Kevin Deer raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and put one hand on her hip:

"What, are you curious too? Do you want to know what happened between him and me yesterday?"

Seychelles was taken aback:
"Of course not, it's just..."

The highly skilled Seychelles knight was extremely embarrassed. He had already been retreating steadily and was completely powerless to resist, let alone fight back.

But Hilly's offensive continued relentlessly. She dragged the numb Thales along, relentlessly pursuing and killing everyone until the entire battlefield was a river of blood.
"Okay, let me describe the details to you: Yesterday, we sneaked out and were struggling in a small room, sweating profusely... Ah! He suddenly couldn't take it anymore! So I, I had to give him medicine, and then he got up again, but, ah, then, then I couldn't take it anymore! So we had to..."

"Miss Hillay!"

Cassandra suddenly shouted, interrupting Hilla.

It also saved the battlefield from imminent collapse.

The Seychelles knight, who had his eyes tightly shut and wished he had gone deaf on the spot, along with everyone else present, finally breathed a sigh of relief and hastily retreated from the battlefield.

"Please, Your Highness, let's set off now."

The Seychelles captain glanced painfully at his old friend, then waved his hand weakly: "Emerald Legion, we just need to control the outer perimeter. Let them pass..."

As for Thales, well, the wise and powerful North Star has already died a heroic death, his name etched in the annals of martyrs.

Only a numb corpse remained, which the victorious Hilaire, who had won an epic victory and amassed countless spoils, dragged away from the bloody, desolate battlefield strewn with corpses.

The Star Lake Guards, who had also been in a daze for half a day, finally snapped out of their reverie and hurriedly followed the prince's zombie-like steps.

And just like that, the tense situation disappeared, and everyone left the scene in a slow and scattered manner, either bored or still wanting more.

Among the group of figures, only Seychelles and Cassandra remained motionless.

Cassandra looked in the direction Hillay had left, and scoffed lightly, as if mocking himself: "Looks like he's even harder to deal with than before."

But Seychelles' expression darkened.

“Why bother,” Seychelles said in a deep voice to his old friend, “having laid down your sword, why return to the battlefield?”

Cassandra remained silent.

“Why bother?” the disheveled middle-aged swordsman replied with a smile, glancing at the other man’s sword. “Since you have such a distinguished record, why put down your sword?”

The two remained silent for a while.

A few seconds later, Cassandra nodded to Seychelles and left without looking back: "Old friend."

Seychelles watched Cassandra's retreating figure, nodded, and hummed softly:
"Jazz".

After leaving the Kongming Palace, while everyone was still stunned and in shock, Thales snapped out of his daze and swallowed hard.

Looking at the gentle-smiling Hillary beside him, he felt as if everything before him was an illusion.

The prince turned his head blankly, forcing a smile as he faced his guards:
"Um, everyone, what she just said was actually..."

No one answered.

Thales' eyelids twitched, his smile complex: "Anyway, you know me..."

"I didn't hear anything!"

In the silence, DD suddenly shouted, startling everyone!
Thales was taken aback.

what?
DD swept his gaze across his colleagues with an air of authority, his eyes sharp and terrifying.

Starting in Toledo, the Star Lake Guardians hesitated only for a moment before responding in unison:
"Uh, yes!"

"That's right!"

"I didn't hear you!"

"Didn't you hear anything?"

"Didn't you hear anything?"

"Didn't you hear what?"

"I'm deaf!"

"I am both deaf and blind!"

"What do you say?"

"What just happened?"

"I just went to the bathroom!"

"I have diarrhea! I was gone for about fifteen minutes!"

In that instant, Officer Doyle realized that he had gained a formidable prestige within the Starlake Guard that even the Watchman Marius had never possessed, and that he might never possess again.

Wherever his gaze fell, none dared disobey.

Finally, after looking around, DD nodded in satisfaction. He then turned to Thales and winked obsequiously.

how is it?

Thales's expression had long since changed from initial panic and confusion to numb indifference.

Only Hillary beside him, her smile remained radiant and undiminished.

"What a bold girl..."

Wyatt looked on in horror at the prince, who was walking away expressionlessly with a limp.
"Who can withstand this offensive?"

Miranda recovered from the shock and chuckled softly:
"Sometimes, I envy her quite a bit. She's so carefree and unrestrained, so at ease."

“Don’t be like that,” DD turned around and clicked his tongue, “You’re not bad either, are you? Neverwinter Sword? I heard from Cohen that you have quite a few romantic relationships, and you even have a gigolo in the capital… uh!”

Miranda deftly retracted her elbow, the movement appearing practiced and incredibly skillful.

“However, such behavior in public will inevitably lead to speculation and gossip, and public opinion can be very influential,” Paul Bozdorf followed from behind, staring ahead with a complicated look in his eyes. “For the sake of her reputation, she may only be able to marry Prince Thales in the future.”

Of course, this could very well be part of Iris's scheme: to use public opinion to force the royal family to marry a member of Kevin Deer's bloodline, and then use this marriage alliance to manipulate things behind the scenes and gain something from it...

Bang!

Paul frowned and looked down at his feet: there was a pie bag that had just been emptied.

"If that's really what you think, you silly little lion..."

Paul glanced at the owner of the bag with a displeased expression:

What's small?
DD chewed on his almond pie, smiling as he watched Thales and Hilly's retreating figures, a complex emotion rarely seen on his face.
"Then you underestimate her."

Doyle finished speaking and walked away, leaving behind a bewildered Paul and a thoughtful Miranda.

(End of this chapter)