Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 708 Crimson Iris (Part 2)

The plot of the two chapters has been significantly altered; it is recommended to refresh the page before reading.

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“This is no accident, Your Highness. Even that Lausanne II might be serving the Duke! In any case, you can’t stay any longer…” Wyatt whispered.

“In these few hours, they split up and acted separately,” Captain Seychelles said through gritted teeth, his words causing Jann to frown repeatedly, “incidentally gathering crucial information from a fallen nobleman, a conman, a guard, a town hall clerk, and a casino errand boy.”

"What news?" Jenn asked in a deep voice.

Seychelles hesitated, then leaned close to the Duke's ear and whispered something.

Jenn's gaze sharpened.

He looked at Thales with a cold gaze.

Besides this, what else did this little brat find out?
"Wait! I think I understand now, there must have been some misunderstanding!"

Hilla stood in the middle, waving vigorously:
"But in any case, this is not the way to handle the problem..."

Unfortunately, neither side is paying attention to her right now.

“Unfortunately, we found out too late…” Wyman said in a low voice.

“Fortunately, we discovered it in time…” Seychelles said to Jann.

“The arena is now full of the Emerald Legion and the Watchers, with reinforcements pouring in,” Wyatt sighed softly to Thales. “They have the upper hand, and we're at a disadvantage…”

"The arena is surrounded by a tight net, all for this moment," Seychelles said coldly. "No matter what their plans are, they can't succeed..."

After listening to the report, Jenn took a deep breath and stared intently at Thales:
"Seychelles, are you sure?"

“Absolutely certain, sir,” Captain Seychelles said with unwavering certainty, “before this, they were still searching for exits, spying on and even directly attacking our security weaknesses. At least one team was mistakenly transferred from their posts—they must have something to hide and had planned their escape long ago!”

Thales pondered the key to it and looked at the attendant:
"Wyman, what are you planning to do now?"

“We’re all doing our jobs, Your Highness,” Wyatt said nervously. “Computo and his men are creating chaos, trying to distract the guards, while Kusta is clearing obstacles and planning an escape route. Jenard is waiting outside with Jenny. It’s urgent, and we can’t find Hugo, the standard-bearer, but we can’t worry about that now…”

“Therefore I have reason to believe, Your Grace,” Captain Seychelles waved his hand, “that the chaos in the arena right now, including those two imposters, is just a ruse, a diversionary tactic, all for this moment, so that they may be working against you!”

“Once we arrive, please do not hesitate or look back. Mount your horse and run, preferably out of the city, to find a loyal subject of the royal family…” Wyatt looked resolute, “As long as you escape, the rest of us will be safe…”

Thales and Jenn stared at each other from a distance.

There was suspicion in both of their eyes.

“Your initial order was correct,” the Seychelles captain gritted his teeth. “This prince is dangerous and should be isolated and kept in solitary confinement—awaiting your command, Your Grace.”

Jenn gently raised his hand:

"Wait a minute, Seychelles."

“Wait for my signal, Your Highness,” Wyatt glanced at everyone and handed the warning device to Thales. “We’ll cover the rear in a bit…”

Thales sighed:
"Wyman, wait..."

Seeing the two sides on the verge of exchanging blows, Hillai felt increasingly troubled.

"Cassian, can you stop this conflict?"

“Of course,” Cassandra smiled slightly, “Which side do you want me to attack?”

Hilly sighed deeply.

"Guys, can we calm down? There are so many people watching—you'd better come up with a good excuse, like the Duke and Prince suddenly feeling inspired and starting to drill their men right here in the stands?"

Yeah, that's bad.

Thales looked at the guards rushing from all sides of the arena and felt the gazes from the other stands, and suddenly felt a headache coming on.

There are so many people watching... huh?

The next second, Thales was startled.

So many people are watching...

Yes, what was he just thinking about? If you don't kill and take lives, no one will listen…

Just then, the announcer's voice, which had been silent due to the accident in the Duke's stands, rang out again in the arena.

"Wait, you guys... why are you... coming this way..."

This time, however, his voice sounded very flustered.

Everyone turned their heads in unison: the black-armored warrior and the white-clad swordsman—the two rule-breakers had somehow broken through the guards' numerous obstacles and were now standing below the platform.

The white-clad swordsman nodded to the black-armored warrior, then walked past him and calmly ascended the platform.

Thales flinched and abruptly pushed away the person in front of him:

"Stop them!"

He pointed to the stage in the distance and yelled at Jenn:
"They're going to take over the podium! That megaphone!"

Everyone froze for a second.
But soon, Jenn also realized something, and his expression changed:
"Seychelles!"

However, distant water is not as good as nearby fire: the white-clad swordsman arrived at the stage and approached step by step.

The host's voice, which had been strong and resonant, suddenly changed tone:

"No, no, no, you can't come up here! I'm still commentating on the election... Don't touch the megaphone... No, ah! Ouch! No, no, no, help!"

On one side, Seychelles was still hurriedly issuing orders, while on the other side, the sounds of entanglement and fighting on the platform were transmitted throughout the entire arena via megaphone.

Soon, a cold, unfamiliar voice replaced the host's and rang out in the arena:

"go away."

The host screamed and tumbled down the steps before fleeing in panic.

The unexpected incident on the stage reverberated throughout the arena through the megaphone, instantly attracting everyone's attention. Even the two sides who were locked in a tense stand in the Duke's stands paused. Apart from the contestants who were still engrossed in their battle in the main arena, the entire arena erupted in an uproar. A dozen seconds later, even louder shouts came from the crowd outside the arena.

What's going on up there?

"Is someone desperate for fame?"

"Trying to steal the limelight from the Duke and Prince?"

"This kind of thing has happened before. Once the guards catch him, he can expect to go to jail..."

"No! I placed my bet on him!"

Vassal lords, nobles, merchants, foreign guests... almost everyone stood up from their seats, looking on in astonishment and uncertainty. Some even tried to cross the fence to see what was going on, but were stopped by the guards and the men in green hats.

"I know……"

Just then, that unfamiliar yet cold voice—the voice of the white-clad swordsman—rang out once more, shaking the arena:
“I know, Emerald City, I know you came to select generals not for this.”

He tightened his voice:
"But now, listen to me."

The audience in all the stands fell silent, and even some of the players who were fighting fiercely on the field stopped.

The white-clad swordsman stood on the platform, his face still hidden behind his helmet, surveying the entire selection process in the arena.

“I understand,” Thales said, his eyes fixed on what was happening on the opposite stage. “He’s doing what you did.”

Jenn turned around in surprise: "What? I did that?"

“The royal banquet, remember? Anker Bailar,” Thales murmured, “He… he was forcing everyone to listen, and then…”

Jann's eyes narrowed.

“Listen to what? Who is Anker Bailar?” Hilla was still confused.

Thales and Jann exchanged a glance, both understanding what was going on.

“Step back, Starlake Guard,” Thales sighed. “Now.”

“Put down your weapons, Seychelles,” Jann ordered in return. “Our enemies aren’t here.”

Both sides were momentarily stunned, but the white-clad swordsman's voice rang out again inside and outside the arena, diverting attention and contributing to the dissipation of hostility between the two sides:
"As you know, this morning, Guard Caquere unfortunately died in Emerald City."

His voice was low and deep, and he spoke slowly, yet it carried a strange sense of grief and indignation:
“A person, a life, a husband, a father, died violently in the street.”

Caquere's death was big news this morning, causing an uproar throughout the arena, with varying reactions from the different stands:

The nobles and vassals were all cautious and kept silent, the officials and bureaucrats looked serious and exchanged glances, the merchants were anxious and whispered among themselves, the foreign dignitaries were curious and waited to see the spectacle, and the stands, a mixed bag of people, were buzzing with excitement as everyone discussed the matter.

Of course, many more people turned their heads, looking at the Duke's stands, whether naturally or unconsciously.

“Damn it, I thought their target wasn’t you, but me,” Jenn said to Thales with a grim face.

Hilly frowned:

"what about me?"

“Therefore, the focus of the defense is on this side, neglecting the host’s platform, but…” Jann ignored his sister and took a deep breath, “But it doesn’t matter, now that they’ve shown up, things will be easier.”

Thales urged everyone to put away their weapons, and pondered deeply upon hearing this.

The sound from the megaphone became even louder:

"But he's not the only one!"

On the stage, the white-clad swordsman raised his arms high:
“These days, too many people have died in Emerald City—wine merchants, wool merchants, the warden, lawyers, accountants, the sons of former mercenaries, and so on… They all died violent deaths, yet they never saw the light of day, and no one knew, all for some absurd reason!”

Thales, Janne, and Hilly exchanged glances, sensing each other's surprise and unease.

Below the stage, the black-armored warriors swung their swords in quick succession, instantly dispatching two groups of guards who tried to approach.

“That is…” Wyman was filled with doubt and surprise as he looked at the black-armored warrior’s skills.

“Yes, it’s him,” DD said solemnly. “He’s not dead.”

But he is no longer the biggest threat.

Thales watched the man in white on the podium from afar.

"However, the real culprit who killed them not only remains hidden and at large, but also slanders and frames the heir to the kingdom!"

The man in white said coldly:

"Trying to drive away His Highness the Prince who brought fairness and justice to Emerald City."

Thales frowned, and Wyatt moved closer to the prince.

"...just to hide his hypocritical and ugly face, and to cover up the heinous crimes he had committed."

The next second, the white-clad swordsman raised his head, his longsword pointing directly at the Duke's stands opposite the arena, and roared:

“That’s right, Janne Kevin Deer!”

"Our wise Duke, you, you are the mastermind behind it all!"

The white-clad swordsman spoke loudly:
"You killed the wine merchant Dagory Moss! You killed the wool merchant Diop! You killed the warden Jeff Rene! You killed the defense attorney Slimani! You killed the unknown boxer Bolwin! You even killed Prince Thales's security officer, Warden Caquere!"

The audience erupted in uproar once again.

The white-clad swordsman's words were like a thunderclap, resounding throughout the entire arena.

"OMG……"

"How is this going……"

"It must be a frame-up, just empty talk, one-sided story, don't believe it..."

"It's a conspiracy by foreign forces!"

"But what if it's true?"

"Keep going! I want to hear more!"

"Seychelles!"

From the Duke's stands, Jenn said coldly, "Why did it take so long!"

Seychelles was drenched in cold sweat, urging his men on repeatedly.

“It’s too late. Most of the legion has been drawn here,” Cassandra sighed. “And it’s too far from here to the stage, with unsuspecting contestants and spectators craning their necks to push their way forward…”

“There’s another expert at the Extreme Realm blocking our way.” Golov stared at the black-armored warrior.

Jann leaned against the railing, his expression unreadable.

"But what does this mean? Why?" Hilly asked, puzzled. "Just to grab the mouthpiece and then smear you?"

“No—it’s misdirection,” Thales suddenly spoke, drawing their attention.

"what?"

“Little Bolwin’s death wasn’t for Emerald City to see,” Thales shook his head, “but for you to see, Janne, and even, just for you alone to see.”

Jenn's eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fist.

"Then, then you will be misled into taking measures, responding, and trying to retaliate as they expect, doing... those things you 'have to do'."

Thales sighed. "That's what they want you to do too."

What they want you to do...

“I didn’t kill them,” Jann said through gritted teeth.

“I know, but what matters now is not whether you killed them or not, but…” Thales’ voice was low as he shook his head.

Upon hearing this, Hillary's expression slowly changed.

“But that’s not all, Jenn, that’s not all…”

The echoes of the white-clad swordsman reverberated in the arena under the night sky, causing the lights to flicker.

"Killing them wasn't enough. You also used every connection and means you had, from top to bottom, from the black to the white, from the Blood Bottle Gang to the Police Department, to bend the law for personal gain, fabricate facts, bury secrets, and falsify the truth... Why? Why! Ask Emerald City, what has made you so heartless that you're willing to go to such lengths to bury them and never let anyone know?"

Jann stared intently at the man in white on the stage, his eyes bloodshot.

"But I know, Emerald City, I know why."

The noise in the arena grew louder and louder, making it increasingly difficult for the guards to maintain order at the various stands and entrances.

Two more teams of guards finally broke through the crowd and rushed to the platform with torches, but the black-armored warriors stood firm at the bottom of the steps, one man guarding the pass, ten thousand men could not break through.

"Because, because eleven years ago..."

At that moment, Thales keenly noticed that Janne beside him trembled slightly.

“At the time, Dagory Moss, who was still an unknown figure, received a sum of money from an unknown source,” the white-clad swordsman recounted, his voice heavy with sorrow. “He took the money and found a middleman between the underworld and the legitimate world. Diop, who was just starting out, hired a professional assassin—the bloodthirsty Paulwin.”

"And so, in that year, the Duke of Leinster was tragically assassinated."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire arena erupted with a tremendous roar, like waves crashing against the shore.

Morse, Diop, Bollwyn...

Wyman exchanged glances with the others, then quickly pulled out his notebook and began flipping through it hastily.

"Seychelles!"

From the stands, Jenn suddenly roared:

"Stop the fight! Charge into the arena, destroy that damn megaphone, and arrest them! Now! Now!"

Thales had never seen Jann so out of control. He and Hilly exchanged a glance, sensing the surprise and doubt in each other's hearts.

Seychelles was taken aback.

“Call for a halt? But sir, according to the rules for electing generals, before a winner is decided… if we let the army storm in…”

"To hell with the rules!"

Jenn roared without regard for decorum, leaning half his body out of the stands:

"I'm the one who elects the generals, and I set the rules!"

The Duke's appearance drew the attention of many, sparking much discussion. Hilly reacted quickly, immediately pulling her brother back to reality.

"It's alright, Seychelles Knight. Just treat this as a violation of public order: the ravings of a madman are not worth sending the Emerald Legion to. Besides, there are so many foreign guests watching."

"No! I want you to do it now—"

“Jan!”

Hilly gripped her brother's hand tightly and interrupted him sharply:
"This will make us even more embarrassed and leave us even more unable to defend ourselves!"

The Duke of the South Bank stared blankly at his sister, seemingly unable to process what was happening.

Hilaire took a deep breath, leaned forward, pressed his forehead against his brother's, and looked into his eyes.

“Don’t forget, brother, we are Kevin Deer, we are the Tricolor Iris—we cannot fall into the enemy’s trap!” Jann trembled slightly upon hearing his family name.

A few seconds later, he took a deep breath, gripped his sister's hand tightly, and nodded absently.

“Yes, yes, Hilla, you are, you are right…”

Thales watched all of this and frowned.

Seychelles looked somewhat bewildered, but Cassandra patted him on the shoulder. After a moment's hesitation, the former nodded and turned to leave.

"And after that..."

Unfortunately, the man in white wasn't finished speaking.

"Governor Jeff Rene, carrying the hopes and anger of the entire Emerald City, traced the case back to its source and discovered it was a case of fratricide, leading to the arrest of the alleged culprit,"

"The case handling process and case closing report were personally recorded and written by the expert detective, First Class Sergeant Srimani. The entire case, from evidence to motive, is complete and can be described as flawless and irrefutable."

The man in white gave a faint, cold laugh:
"Thus, the 'real culprit' found by the Guard Bureau, the just and upright, highly respected honorary viscount of Gonghai City—Sonna Kevindir, was imprisoned."

"However, no matter what torture and intimidation he received, he still refused to confess his guilt and refused to submit... until one day, Captain Caquere, the jailer guarding his cell, came to report: Viscount Sona had 'committed suicide out of fear of punishment' in prison, leaving behind only a poorly worded and illegible 'suicide note' in which he confessed his crime—fratricide and treason."

The white-clad swordsman chuckled as he finished speaking.

The noise in the arena grew louder, with everyone discussing the matter intensely amidst shock, excitement, and fear.

René, Slimani, Caquere...

Thales was stunned.

As Wyman listened to these names and flipped through his notes, his expression grew increasingly grim.

“That’s right, Moss, Diop, Paulin, Rene, Slimani, and Caquere…”

"Because of this past event, they were rewarded in the following eleven years: some rose to high positions, some became wealthy, some achieved great success, and some, even though their fathers committed the heinous crime of assassination, were still able to live a life free from worry about food and clothing."

The man in white spoke with deep resentment:

"But because of this past event, eleven years later, when someone began to investigate the past, when the central royal family began to doubt the truth, when Prince Thales began to investigate the old case, and when the mastermind behind the scenes tried to cover up the past to protect himself, they were all murdered and died a violent death! Even the manner of their deaths was fabricated, unknown to anyone, and never seen the light of day!"

“Really, Your Highness?” Wyatt looked at Thales in surprise. “You really came for this?”

Thales sighed.

Well, even Wyman thinks so.

The noise in the arena grew louder and louder. The messengers responsible for announcing the outcome dared not let these things out of the arena, but others had already spread the word.

"That's right, Emerald City!"

The next second, the man in white suddenly grabbed his longsword!
"Your beloved Duke Janne is a heartless beast!"

As if to complement him, the roar in the arena grew louder and louder.

Even many of those maintaining order—from the Emerald Legion and the Guard Hall—looked terrified.

"Eleven years ago, he hired someone to murder his own father—the revered Duke Renster Kevindir—and then framed his uncle, deceiving the entire kingdom. Only then did he finally sit on the blood-stained throne and become the Duke of the South Bank!"

The man in white roared, his voice filled with heart-wrenching fury:
"The patricide and fratricide, the heinous Duke of Injustice!"

At that moment, Thales was stunned.

Hilly was also stunned. She subconsciously let go of Jenn and took a step back.

The Duke of the South Bank trembled slightly as he watched his sister's actions, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

But he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned his head and stared intently at the man in white on the stage, his face stiff and silent.

In the stands, the tension between the Duke and the Prince had vanished, replaced by a shared shock on both sides.

“I knew it! We were right! Patricide, framing, silencing witnesses, suppression!” DD cried out in terror. “Um… should we… take His Highness and run away…?”

“It doesn’t matter. Look at this scene,” Golov said, listening to the deafening roar around him. “I don’t believe he can kill everyone in the Emerald City to silence them.”

“That’s not necessarily true. Those nobles…you never know what they’re willing to do for fame and power,” Morgan said in a low voice, his eyes darting around. “Whether the price is a person, a village, or a city.”

“Wait, you know that His Highness is also a nobleman, right?” DD turned around.

“They, these people, Moss, Diop, Slimani…the dead,” Wyatt flipped through his notes incredulously, “the dead, they really did…those things? The change of dukes?”

"No, I don't believe it."

“Really?” Wyman turned to look at Paul.

Paul nodded, his tone cold: "If it were true, they wouldn't be alive now."

Everyone couldn't help but turn their heads.

“Oh, they certainly didn’t survive,” DD interjected.

Paul took a deep breath, glared at Doyle, and forcefully suppressed the urge to retaliate.

“The important thing is not whether they did it or not,” Miranda said quietly, drawing everyone’s attention, “but that they are dead, and all of this can never be verified.”

She raised her gaze to the Duke of the South Bank's stiff back:

"Up to now, the only thing we can verify, or rather, the only thing they want us to verify, is..."

On the other side, Cassandra, standing beside Hilla, let out a long sigh, lost in thought, while Seychelles, her face contorted with rage, trembled as she gripped her sword hilt.

The man in white spoke again:
"And now, all those who died violent deaths were victims of his attempts to silence them, to cover up this heinous crime, because they knew that most shameful and ugly secret, because they knew what an outrageous thing Jann Kevin Deer did back then."

The white-clad swordsman raised his voice and swung his longsword:
“Jane Kevin Deer! The patricide!”

"Now, from top to bottom, from princes to ordinary officials, from high-ranking officials to street thugs, from the police station to the Blood Bottle Gang, there are too many people who can testify to this matter, to prove that in order to divert attention and cover up secrets, you did not hesitate to fabricate facts and bury evil, and you did so many illegal things and harmed so many innocent people!"

"From the dead to the living, from the police station to the Blood Bottle Gang, the evidence is irrefutable. Do you still want to deny it!"

The next second, the entire arena erupted in cheers, first inside the arena, then outside, first the spectators, then the bewildered guards and Emerald Soldiers.

“Misguided, misguided,” Jann muttered to himself, looking at Thales with a weary and sarcastic smile. “You’re right, your father, ha, he really is… very powerful.”

Hilly's face was deathly pale, his gaze complex, and his thoughts were unreadable.

Thales watched all this, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"absurd!"

Another voice suddenly rang out.

Many people turned around at once: on the vassal stand, they saw one of the thirteen conferred earls, Earl of Lacia of Zedi, standing up, his hair standing on end in anger.

He pushed aside his eldest son, who was trying to stop him, and drew his weapon:
"The case from back then is crystal clear—this scoundrel dares to spout such nonsense and make baseless accusations!"

Amidst the astonished gazes of many, Count Lacia rushed down from the stands:

"For the honor of the South Bank Territory, regardless of life or death, capture him! Kill him! Bring crossbows and shoot him dead!"

The count's actions caused a minor disturbance, but fortunately, he was quickly stopped by his eldest son and did not rush into the already chaotic arena, which was filled with guards, contestants, and spectators.

Behind the Count, all the vassals wore solemn expressions, while the Kalabian sisters raised their folding fans to conceal their faces.

"Who are you!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, and was immediately met with a large response.

The man in white smiled coldly upon hearing this:
"A coward, a coward, a coward?"

He casually tossed the longsword aside.

"Excuse me for my rudeness, Your Highness Duke of Starlake, Prince Thales."

The white-clad swordsman stretched out his hands and pressed them onto his visor.

Standing before the arena, he removed his helmet, revealing a round face that, though not old, bore a weathered look.

He smiled faintly and said:
"And of course, there's you, Jann Kevin Deer, my dearest and most admired cousin, oh, and you, my most adorable cousin, Cecilia."

My cousin.

Cousin?

Thales was taken aback.

The next second, looking at the white-clad swordsman's round face, he suddenly realized what was happening and quickly turned his head: "He is—"

But Thales stopped himself in his tracks:

In front of him, Jenn and Hilly stood frozen in place, their faces filled with shock.

“Brother, he, he…” Hillay said in disbelief.

“No, that’s impossible.” Jenn sat down, stunned.

“Long time no see, Emerald City,” the round-faced uninvited guest said, throwing off his helmet. His tone was cold, with a rare hint of resentment in his words. “My name is Federico Kevindir.”

"The eldest son of the late Honorary Viscount of Archsea City, Sona Kevindir."

The crowd fell silent.

Federico Kevin-Dill.

what?
Count Lacia, who had been roaring that he was going to kill people, was suddenly stunned.

The next moment, the entire arena erupted in noise again, with many people shouting and clamoring.

Thales took a deep breath and tried his best not to look at the Kevin Deer siblings.

“That’s right, cousin, I’m not dead,” the uninvited guest, who called himself Federico, said softly, his gaze fixed on the incredulous Jann. “In fact, I crawled back from the River Prison, from the ocean liner you sent me to feed the fish in the open sea…”

"I'm coming back to correct all the injustices and grievances buried in Kongming Palace over the past eleven years."

At that moment, Federico's soft murmurs echoed throughout the arena:
"For my father, for myself, and for Emerald City."

"For Kevin Deer, for those already stained with blood..."

"iris."

The next second, Federico laughed and pulled out a wrapped flag from behind his back—and unfurled it in the air.

Thales frowned.

Amid Federico's laughter, under Janne's angry glare, and illuminated by the lights, the flag fluttered in the wind, revealing the irises on its surface.

It stands opposite the tricolor irises on the giant triangular banner below the Duke's stand.

There's only one difference.

The irises on Federico's flag, from top to bottom...

They are all dark red.

The color of blood.

"I'd rather be with my friends..."

Under the night sky, across the entire arena, Federico stared intently at his cousin opposite him, and amidst the myriad lights and endless clamor, he spoke with a voice filled with hatred:
"We will not perish because of the enemy."

Federico's words were followed by another deafening roar from inside and outside the arena.

"Sunset goddess, Federico, Federico Kevindir... Is that really him?"

"Who is that?"

“That’s Viscount Sona’s son. I’ve seen him before in Gonghai City…”

“I remember him, but… isn’t he dead? With Sona’s traitors?”

"Yes, that's what I heard too. They died among the rebels who stubbornly resisted..."

What did he mean by 'the high seas'?

"This can't be true, can it? Duke Jenn, he killed himself..."

"Shh! Shut up!"

"Hurry up, hurry up! Stop watching the spectacle, there's going to be bloodshed soon!"

In the stands, Thales took a deep breath.

In his eyes, the Duke of the South Bank had never looked so frail:

He held onto the railing with one hand, facing the entire arena alone, enduring the judgment and criticism of thousands of eyes, his body swaying precariously.

Beside him, Hilla appeared dazed, her hands trembling.

Thales clenched his fist and stepped out of the Star Lake Guard's protective range without giving any room for argument.

“Jayne, Hilla, listen, I can help in this situation…”

“Oh, of course, you can certainly help, ha, help.” Jenn’s sneer was full of sarcasm, causing Thales to stop in his tracks.

Thales swallowed hard and turned to Hilly for help: "But first, you have to tell me, who is that guy?"

"Hilai!"

Hilly flinched slightly before regaining her senses:

"Oh, he is..."

“It doesn’t matter!” Jenn suddenly interrupted them.

“Before, he was a stubborn traitor,” the Duke’s voice was as cold as ice. “Now, he is a heretic and a rebel.”

Thales sighed and tried to speak gently, "Jane..."

But Jenn interrupted him again:

"He thought he had won."

Jann looked up at Federico on the podium and the blood-red frieze in his hand.

"But he forgot that in a gambling game, only the one with the most chips can win in the end."

Thales's brow twitched.

"Captain Seychelles!"

Jenn suddenly raised his voice, startling everyone.

Seychelles trembled, and knelt on one knee in an unprecedented manner:
"grown ups!"

The Duke of the South Bank slowly turned his head, his gaze dark yet resolute.

"Are you and your Emerald Legion still loyal to me, loyal to the Iris?"

"I will serve you to the death!"

"very good."

Listening to their conversation, Thales suddenly sensed something was amiss.

Cassandra, standing behind Hilla, frowned.

"You will personally lead the team, selecting only trustworthy soldiers, to surround the platform and apprehend the culprits."

The perpetrators...

“Yes, sir!” Seychelles replied without hesitation.

"Furthermore, have the Security Department seal off the entire arena, quell the chaos, maintain order, and search for the bandits' accomplices. If resistance, obstruction, suspicion, or refusal to cooperate is encountered along the way..."

At this point, Jenn paused, then turned around, his eyes icy cold:

"No need to show mercy."

Seychelles' eyes narrowed.

“But, Jen,” ​​Hilly said hastily, regaining his composure, “this is an election, with many guests and everyone watching. If blood is shed in public…”

“You need to know, my sister,” Jan interrupted her, his voice hoarse, “that the election, our election, has been unexpectedly ended prematurely.”

Ending early...

Thales felt a jolt in his heart.

In the distance, the blood-red iris flag fluttered in the firelight.

Bright and vibrant.

But it was gloomy.

(End of this chapter)