Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 711 In the Name of the King
Federico—or, as his family used to call him, Federico—was laughing.

Even though he was kneeling on the ground in front of the stands in a disheveled and humiliating state, his hands were bound, his forehead was touching the ground, and every organ in his body was groaning.

Half of his face was numb, his left eye was swollen from being punched during the arrest, making it difficult to see, his chin had been dragged out with a large gash that was bleeding, his ribs had been kicked and were throbbing, and his left wrist, which was tied behind his back, was severely twisted and in excruciating pain.

This is only the upper body.

But Federer was still smiling.

He laughed with extraordinary joy, relief, and sincerity, even bordering on madness, no matter how the guards escorting him tried to reprimand him for being stern but inwardly weak.

He used to huddle in a narrow, cold, dark room, sustained by hatred and shame, trembling amidst the endless screams and groans around him, keeping warm through pain and anger.

The thought of the countless days and nights spent in that cramped room made Fed unconsciously tighten his body and slow his breathing.

His mouth was filled with the taste of dirt and blood, and blood and saliva kept seeping from his lips, but he was too weak and too busy to wipe them away.

Now, these wounds and pains, this humiliation and embarrassment, seem like a reward from fate compared to what I've experienced before.

They remind them of their location.

It foreshadows the coming revenge and pleasure.

It also foreshadows the reward he is willing to give everything for.

Fede's smile widened even further.

The lights around him were as bright as day, while his shadow was as black as ink.

That swordsman, that bastard who claimed to have killed the royal guards, just left like that? Without any mercy?

Whatever.

Anyway, it'll be finished soon.

Federer raised his head with difficulty but pleasure, and the familiar yet strange, chaotic yet orderly selection of players appeared before him:

The guards escorting him were filled with panic and at a loss. Further away, the crowds of spectators clamored with noise. The vassals discussed the matter heatedly, the foreign guests whispered among themselves, the guards were on high alert, and the soldiers gripped their weapons tightly...

"Everything's fine here! They just need to talk. Everyone step back, back away, don't come any closer! And tell the others to stay away too!"

Hilly shouted, stopping the guards and servants around him from getting closer, gesturing for them to all step back.

Lady Kevin Deer held a special position and had close relationships with her respective masters. Both the Starlake Guard and the Emerald Legion were wary of her, so they had to slowly retreat, clearing the crowd to create a fairly large open space for Thales and Jann, while keeping a watchful eye on each other.

Soon, everyone in the room, whether local or outsider, whether vassal or honored guest or ordinary guard, whether anxious or calm, angry or relieved, was waiting for the two people of the highest status in Emerald City, or rather, for the outcome of their negotiations.

"Testing?"

Ignoring the stares of those around him, Jenn stared at Thales and lowered his voice:

"Are you saying that all the things your father did and all the schemes he laid out weren't to deal with me and Emerald City, but rather to test your stance at this moment?"

“It should be both,” Thales said, coming back to his senses. The emptiness after the Sin of the River of Hell had faded made him dizzy. “Killing two birds with one stone is his usual preference. That way, no matter whether he wins or loses, he can at least gain one thing.”

Jenn frowned.

“Listen, I know Federico is a great threat to you,” Thales turned to look at Federico, who was kneeling in the formation of guards, his smile sinister, “but I can’t stand idly by. I need him alive for now, or my father will find out…”

"Then let him know!"

Jenn suddenly raised his voice, took two anxious steps back, took a deep breath, and then turned back around:
"Let him know that it was Federer's stupidity and recklessness that led to the failure, and that you were powerless to remedy the situation, not us..."

“If I hadn’t been there when it happened, he might have been able to understand…” Thales sighed.

lie.

A less-than-pleasantly sarcastic voice inside him said:

You know perfectly well, Thales.

Given King Kessel's suspicious and vigilant nature, he would never have been so understanding.

If Federico fails, and if you don't make a "last-minute decision" at the crucial moment, he will doubt your position.

Thales tried to clear his mind of distractions:
"But now, I stand here, under the watchful eyes of everyone, and Federico is right there, waiting, or rather, anticipating my intervention..."

Jann scoffed softly.

“I should have had the Seychelles send you to the farthest stands today, or even locked you up in the palace and not let you out…” he said sarcastically. “I shouldn’t have let you get close to Hillay at all.”

Thales let out a long sigh.

“Guys, I’ve got them in check, but not for long,” Hilly turned around, his voice urgent. “Tell me, you’ve figured out a solution to this situation, haven’t you?”

Jenn looked grim and remained silent.

“That’s right, we have a way,” the prince said, glancing around to shield himself from the various stares of the crowd. His voice was so soft that only the Kevin Deer siblings could hear him. “Listen, Janne, you asked me what price I would pay to help you. This is it.”

Thales looked at Federico in the distance.

“You mean you’re going to openly protect the rebels,” Jann said in a low voice, his tone harsh, “support his accusations, frame me, and portray me as a suspect in patricide and murder—and then you can ‘help’ me?”

“What?” Hilly exclaimed incredulously.

“No, those charges won’t be used. I just want to slow things down,” Thales tried to explain. “So, Jenn, you can’t win yet, Federico can’t die…”

“We’ve talked,” Jenn interrupted him coldly, “In Emerald City, we’ll temporarily cease hostilities and not be enemies with each other…”

"I am not your enemy."

"Then what's this?"

Jenn's tone became urgent.

Hilly quickly pulled her brother back, but the Duke's expression made the people of Emerald City even more anxious.

Thales was having a terrible headache.

“If you win today, Janne, if you let Federico just disappear like that—do you think my father will let it go? Then perhaps next time it won’t be me coming to the Emerald City, not Federico, not the Royal Secret Service, but the Wrath of the Kingdom and his army!”

Jann stared intently at him, and after a few seconds, the Duke smiled.

"You're really scared of him, aren't you?"

Thales paused.

"So you want me to let go and let his knife pierce my heart?"

Jenn lowered his voice, trying his best to maintain basic decorum:

"The reason is that if I don't do this, the king will bring an even longer sword next time—do you see how absurd this is?"

Thales hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

“What’s even more absurd is that even if I win this round, you’ll still be a noble prince, at most your wallet will be a little thinner and your fatherly love a little less,” Jann said coldly.

No.

Thales took a breath, and the Gurtaksa in his pocket grew heavier and heavier.

"But if I let go, I've lost..."

The Duke of the South Bank glanced at the crowd of people who were eagerly waiting around him, his eyes growing colder.

Hilly's face turned pale.

Thales swallowed hard.

"You won't lose."

Jenn chuckled and looked at Federico:
"You have no idea what I'm facing, Your Highness."

Thales frowned slightly.

“Duke Falkenhausen faced the same problem, but he chose to trust me,” Thales said earnestly, taking the 'Warning Sword' from his waist. “He gave me a sword, and the Western Wilderness was ultimately preserved.”

Jann's expression changed.

Thales stepped forward, looking sincerely into the other person's cold and resolute eyes:
"For the sake of Emerald City, for the sake of your sister, Jenn, please."

Jenn's eyes flickered.

At that moment, it was as if everything in the arena had come to a standstill.

Only Thales and Jann remain, and in this crucial conversation, they will decide the fate of Emerald City.

"You think you've got her wrapped around your little finger, don't you?" Jann said softly.

"What?" Thales and Hilly were both taken aback.

"You think that by playing the 'good guy' card and deceiving yourself into becoming friends with her, you can soften my attitude and obscure the true nature of this struggle?"

Jenn glanced at his sister, then looked at Thales, and sneered:

"Do you think I can't see your attitude and stance here, that you'd rather resort to tricks and wishful thinking than face the facts, and that you just want to bow your head and run away?"

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

Preferring to resort to trickery and wishful thinking...

Unwilling to face the facts...

I just want to lower my head and run away...

What is Jenn saying?
He instinctively clenched his fist, but touched the Gortakssa—the bone ring—through his pocket.

“Um, brother,” Hilly sensed something was wrong, “I think we’d better stick to the facts and not take things too far off the top of our head…”

"Lieutenant Cherki, continue escorting the suspect!"

The next second, Jenn's cold command jolted everyone present back to reality.

"No one is allowed to obstruct him along the way, until he is sent to prison!!"

Thales's heart sank as he returned to reality.

“Jan!” he warned loudly.

The change in attitude of the two dignitaries made the onlookers nervous.

“Hypocrisy, pretense, hesitation, weakness,” Jann turned around and sneered repeatedly. “I’m so fed up with your pretentious act of pretending to be selfless while you’re just looking out for your own convenience and satisfaction. It’s disgusting.”

Thales felt a jolt in his heart.

Hilly understood her brother's attitude and was greatly surprised:
“Jan, wait, don’t make a decision yet…”

But the Duke ignored the prince's warnings and his sister's pleas, and proceeded to issue the order:
"Security Department, what are you all standing there for?"

The guards around Federico, who had been hesitating and stunned, suddenly stiffened. They roughly dragged Federico, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet.

"Yes—yes!"

The crowd stirred again, people began to discuss what had happened in this round of negotiations and dialogue, and how the Duke and Prince were maneuvering around the suspect...

But Thales just stared intently at Jenn, whose expression was resolute.

hateful.

He has clearly explained the causes, consequences, and stakes, but why...?

They'd rather resort to tricks and wishful thinking than face the truth... they just want to bow their heads and run away...

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

You wander atop cliffs, yet yearn for the view of the heavens...

The king's voice faintly rang out, causing Thales to tremble violently!
Is it?

A few seconds later, when Thales returned to reality and the present moment, when he looked with difficulty at the bustling crowd before him, at the faces of Jenn and Hilly…

He knew he had made his choice.

"Duke Janne!"

Thales shouted, his voice amplified by the Sin of the River of Hell, so that everyone around could hear him clearly:
"The allegations made by suspect Federico Kevindeer are of great importance and full of doubts. For the sake of fairness and justice, and even more so for your reputation, I think we should not rush to conclusions. Instead, we should set up a special task force, send people to conduct a thorough investigation, and interrogate people carefully until the truth comes to light. What do you think?"

As soon as the prince finished speaking, the previously noisy crowd fell silent. The guards escorting Federico also slowed down, and the leader occasionally glanced anxiously in their direction.

Jann slowly looked at him, his face ashen.

“What?” Hilla was equally surprised and incredulous.

But Thales just stared intently at Jenn, whose gaze returned his with a profound and complex look.

“Your Highness Thales,” Jann began, his words clear but slow, “you must be tired and your mind is not clear.”

Jenn's response made Thales sigh softly.

But soon, he took a deep breath and stepped forward.

He got it.

The atmosphere was tense, and the people from both sides—the Star Lake Guard and the Emerald Legion—stood on, instinctively moving closer to their masters.

"Star Lake Guard!"

Thales's decisive shout caused Jann's expression to change.

He understood that this confrontation had nothing to do with promises, justice, character, or their personal grudges.

It's all about interests and winning or losing.

Jenn wanted to win, so of course he wasn't going to back down.

As for Thales, he couldn't afford to lose, so he could only move forward.

"In the King's name, apprehend suspect Federico Kevindir immediately!"

Jann frowned at Thales's unyielding response.

Thales turned to look at the Star Lake Guards, whose faces were ashen:

"Take him back and keep him under strict guard—our guard!"

The words had barely left his lips when Wyman, still hesitant, froze in place, until Miranda kicked him hard. "Yes—yes, Your Highness!"

Wyatt tried his best to avoid looking at the eyes of those around him, and turned to look at his equally astonished colleagues:

"So, the vanguard wing, or the guard wing? In any case, His Highness has ordered that I need two..."

“One is enough.” Before Wyatt could finish speaking, Miranda decisively stepped forward and walked towards Federico.

Perhaps it was the king's prestige that made the guards hesitate, exchanging uneasy glances and not daring to stop her. But Miranda hadn't even taken a few steps forward—

"Seychelles!"

As soon as Jenn gave the order, another figure moved in response!
Boom!
With a dull thud, Miranda raised Eagle Soar and parried an unsheathed sword.

“Step back, madam, those are Emerald City’s own prisoners.”

The Seychelles knight stood with his sword held high, coldly blocking between Federico and Miranda, his eyes icy.

The two warriors faced off, making everyone tense. Whether it was the Star Lake Guard or the Emerald Soldiers, they all looked at their respective masters, secretly rubbing their hands together, ready to make their move.

“Sir Seychelles, did you hear His Highness Thales’s command?” Miranda tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword inside her glove.

Seychelles glanced at Janne—whose eyebrows twitched and face turned ashen.

The knight turned around: "Sorry, I'm hard of hearing."

"Then retire sooner?" The female swordsman's expression changed.

“You are no match for me. Marius would be a better match for you,” Seychelles said dismissively.

"Terrorblade has other important matters to attend to and has no time for anything else." Miranda felt the immense pressure emanating from the other party, but she gritted her teeth and refused to show any weakness.

The men behind Miranda, including Glov, exchanged glances, wanting to step forward and share the burden, but the soldiers behind Seychelles were also watching them intently.

The onlookers around them had varying expressions. Most of the foreign visitors looked calm, but the local nobles and vassals looked grim. Count Lacia clenched his fists in anger, while the two Miss Calabian whispered to each other.

"Wait a moment!"

Just then, Hilly yelled and rushed between Jenn and Thales, pointing at one of them with a furious expression:

"Tell your men to step back and put away their weapons! We don't need to do that! At least not now!"

The next second, Miranda and Seychelles, who were at the forefront of the standoff, frowned simultaneously:
Knight Cassandra appeared silently to their side.

“I’m not confident I can break you up,” Cassandra sighed, “but I can assure you, Ms. Arendt, Seychelles, that I will attack the one who strikes first.”

Miranda and Seychelles both frowned and exchanged a glance.

Seychelles snorted and took a step back first. Miranda breathed a sigh of relief and followed suit.

The two groups then stepped back slightly, making room for the Duke and his two companions.

“Get out of the way, Hilla,” Jenn scolded his sister, his eyes never leaving Thales. “This isn’t your turn to speak…”

“Shut up, brother,” Hilly turned around, pointing a finger viciously at Jenn. “This is all the mess you made because of your own arrogance! A trap, huh? More chips, huh? The game is already decided? Ha, ha, ha!”

Jann's face darkened.

Seeing this, Thales sighed and said, "Hilay, this really has nothing to do with you..."

Hilly whirled around, pointing directly at Thales's forehead:
"Don't tell me this has nothing to do with me, you little brat! If you hadn't come to this blind date, I wouldn't be doing anything!"

Thales frowned.

After Hillay's abrupt and forceful retort, the two sides exchanged glances, and the atmosphere eased slightly.

Hilly tried to calm herself down and whispered to the two of them:

"Okay, I know, I know you don't like each other, but I won't force you to like each other..."

“No, Hilla, this is no longer just about my relationship with him…”

"I think he's just like his father; he really likes Emerald City..."

"Shut up!"

Hilly angrily interrupted them, causing both of them to pause.

She took a deep breath and first tried her best to persuade the prince:

“Listen, Thales, I know my brother is blinded by self-interest; he doesn’t want to give up his current advantage, he doesn’t want to relinquish the meat he’s already eaten, but…”

Halfway through her sentence, Hilly sighed softly:

“But Thales, you have to understand, if you stand up now to support Federico’s accusations: patricide, silencing him… you’re not only preventing Jenn from winning, you’re pushing him to his death.”

Thales paused.

“I know, I understand, but please believe me, Hillary, this is only temporary. Only in this way can I control the situation, take the initiative, and choose whether to advance or retreat…”

“I bet that’s what you told Anker Bairal too, right?” Jann sneered.

Thales' eyelids twitched.

"Use your usual hypocritical and deceptive sweet talk—'Please believe me,' to lie to him that you will help him and save him. That's the best way to trick him into laying down his weapons, obediently surrendering and going to prison, so that you, who are kind-hearted and can't stand seeing others suffer, can't see it and won't have to worry about it?"

Thales shuddered and slowly raised his head.

“Jan!”

Hilly turned around, her expression instantly turning fierce:

"I told you to shut up!"

But she was too late; the prince's gaze darkened completely.

“I told you, don’t mention his name again.” Thales stared expressionlessly at Jenn, who was sneering.

"Who?" Jann asked sarcastically. "Oh, you mean Anke, Anke Bailar? That unfortunate fellow from the Western Wilderness who you kindly sent to the Prison of Bones, where he'll never see the light of day again?"

Hilly felt a splitting headache:

"Ah, I don't know what old grudges you have or how they started, but I know it must be very foolish, so could you..."

Thales smiled.

“That letter, Janne.”

Thales chuckled and spoke:
“That letter you wrote to my father, so humble, obsequious, and fawning, was torn up by my own hands.”

Jann's eyes narrowed.

“Right in the royal court, in front of him, tear it to pieces.”

Thales scoffed lightly:

"That's why I was able to get his permission to come here, so that you could see with your own eyes how I..."

"Thales!"

Hilly turned around and interrupted, incredulous.

But she was too late. Jann looked at Thales with a complex yet relieved expression.

In the end, he even revealed a sinister smile.

“Very good, very good.” Jann clapped lightly and nodded toward Seychelles.

Seychelles understood the Duke of the South Bank's meaning. He gave Cassie, who was trying to break up the fight, a sarcastic glance, and then gave the order:

"Emerald Legion, assist the Guard Bureau in clearing obstacles and escorting prisoners!"

Swish!
The next second, the Emerald Soldiers at the front drew their weapons and pointed them at Miranda!

Swish!
On the Star Lake Guard's side, Glov roared and drew his sword, stepping forward. Rolf and Morgan followed closely behind with fierce expressions. The three stood beside Miranda, facing Seychelles and his soldiers without fear.

Despite the vast disparity in numbers, the standoff between the Star Lake Guard and the Emerald Legion was of extraordinary significance. Starting with those nearby, many spectators were terrified, and the crowd was in turmoil.

"what happens?"

"Did the deal break down?"

"Oh no, I thought they were on good terms..."

"We have to squeeze through, even if it means pushing our way out!"

Rumors spread, and panic gradually engulfed the entire arena, making it increasingly difficult for the guards and sentries to maintain order.

At the heart of the conflict, Thales and Jann were face to face, one resolute, the other ruthless.

"Um, shall we go up?" DD asked cautiously from the Star Lake Guard team.

“Of course I will—” Neshi drew her sword and stepped forward, but was pulled back by someone.

"Protect His Highness!" Huaiya released him, his face darkening.

“Jane, please, don’t force me.” Thales looked at the Duke of the South Bank, who was so close to him, and slowly shook his head.

But Jann had a cold face:
"Who is forcing whom?"

Thales squinted.

“And when you flipped the table, you realized,” Jenn whispered, “that you didn’t have as many chips as I did?”

Thales frowned.

"Your Highness, I know it's a downer to say this at this time, but..."

Wyman took two steps forward and came behind Thales. He looked around with some concern and saw the Emerald Legion lined up in rows, looking menacing.

"We are outnumbered, at a disadvantage, and can't win."

Thales' eyes darted around.

“Cheers,” he chuckled, his gaze fixed on Jann across from him. “Your Grace, you just said, ‘chickens’?”

Jann remained expressionless and silent.

The next second, Thales stepped forward, approaching Jenn step by step under everyone's tense gaze:

“You’re right, Janne! Federico misjudged the situation, and his accusations went unanswered because they lacked a leader.”

Thales approached him, his expression stern:
"A leader of sufficient stature."

Jann's expression changed slightly.

The next moment, Thales roared:
“Tell me, Jann Kevin Deer!”

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Thales spoke sharply:
“In recent days, wine merchants have died in vendettas, wool merchants have died from lending money, René died in an accident, young Borwin died in a brawl, and the guard officer Caquere died in a robbery. The lawyer has simply disappeared—six citizens of the kingdom have died unnatural deaths. Is this a coincidence? Is there something fishy going on behind the scenes? Is there some hidden story? Or is the security situation in Emerald City so worrying that it is urgent to address it?”

Upon hearing this, the distinguished guests and vassals all paled!
Jann remained expressionless, but his gaze toward Thales was icy cold.

Wyman was taken aback: "Your Highness..."

Thales snorted and raised his voice further, making sure more people could hear him:
"Or to put it bluntly, are the deaths of these citizens of the kingdom related to you, to the Star Kingdom's governor, the Emerald City Lord appointed by His Majesty, and the Duke of the South Bank Territory, Jann Kevindir!"

Prince Thales directly accused the Duke of the South Bank, a matter of great importance. The vassals and guests nearby were in an uproar.

Only Federico laughed heartily, his laughter growing ever more joyful.

But at this moment, no one cared about the prisoner's actions anymore.

"No, Thales, what are you doing!"

Hilly stood between the prince and the duke, bewildered, terrified, and incredulous, but Cassandra sighed, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back. Ashford then draped a cloak over her shoulders.

Looking at the people around him.

Jann took a deep breath, but he didn't say anything in the end; his expression just grew colder.

On the other side, the Seychelles knight looked extremely grim. He had to shout loudly to stop the soldiers in the legion from whispering and gossiping among themselves in their astonishment.

“If these murders weren’t committed by you, Jann Kevin Deer,” Thales said calmly, his voice steady and his words harsh, “then why did you go to such lengths, using all your connections and influence, to cover up the cause of death of these victims? Why did you go to such lengths to obstruct my investigation and questioning? And why are you now preventing me from interrogating the suspect in this case—Federalo Kevin Deer?”

"Why, Jenn?"

Thales stepped forward and raised his arms:

"Could you explain this to me, to His Majesty, and to the entire kingdom?"

The prince's gaze sharpened, and he changed the subject again:

"Or, do you need me to go further and find evidence and witnesses to prove that you interfered with law enforcement and covered up a murder?"

The murmurs from the surrounding crowd grew louder and louder.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the vassals and guests around the Duke's platform were frightened and scattered, leaving an open space for the Emerald Legion and the Star Lake Guard to confront each other. Many nobles also subconsciously called their bodyguards for protection.

Amid the chaos, Jenn stared intently at Thales, ignoring the deafening roar of the arena and the wavering of fear in the hearts of the people.

“You knew the truth before, Thales,” the Duke of South Bank said, emphasizing each word, “but I guess right now, in front of so many people, you suddenly don’t know anymore, do you?”

Thales did not answer; instead, he turned to the surging crowd, his face expressionless.

“Very well, then whether Jann Kevin Deer is suspected of hiring a hitman, bending the law for personal gain, or obstructing justice…”

"Star Lake Guard!" Thales roared, startling Wyman and the others.

But the next second, he turned in Jenn's direction and shouted to the unexpected person:

"And the Emerald Legion!"

Seychelles frowned deeply, and his subordinates behind him erupted in an uproar.

"Immediately enforce the law and arrest the major suspect—Jann Kevin Deer—and detain him pending trial!"

In the moonlit arena, Thales, righteous and awe-inspiring, roared his orders:

"In the name of His Majesty the Supreme King of the Star Kingdom, King Kessel V!"

(End of this chapter)