Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 712 The Covenant
The arrest warrant for the second prince was issued, and gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd. Even the most seasoned and composed vassals and nobles, the most knowledgeable foreign envoys, and the most valiant and fearless guards all paled upon hearing the news.
Count Noah Harvia of Saltwall could not hide his shock, but he still tried his best to maintain his composure and not disgrace his family’s reputation as the “Sun-Shooting Bow.” However, his eldest daughter, who was only sixteen years old, looked at Jann and covered her mouth with her hands, her face pale.
Count Bruce Schukardel, from the Evergreen Peninsula, looked at the Duke and the Prince with a complicated expression, while summoning his attendant to ask them something.
Count Achison Lacia of the Swamp was ashen-faced, trembling all over, and muttering to himself. If his eldest son hadn't stopped him, he probably would have said something that was unbecoming of a nobleman.

The Karabyan twins folded their fans and huddled together anxiously, but every time Kasha spoke, Qina shook her head seriously.

The captain of the Seawolf fleet had a ferocious look on his face. He roughly pushed his mistress aside, grabbed his first mate, and discussed something in a fit of rage, with every sentence containing words like "exit," "departure," and "sailing."

Hassa, the special envoy of the Tyrene Trade State, shifted his gaze, rubbed his eyebrow bone where he had no eyebrows, looked at the determined Tyrese, and his smile became even more intriguing.

Among the vampire guests of Feast Territory, Councilor Yannick Hollier waved for his anxious servants to leave. He raised his head thoughtfully, his sharp gaze fixed on the other end of the crowd—where, from the Kingdom of Night, Leon Corleone remained silent, gazing at the desolate moon in the sky.

Amidst the chaotic flickering lights, only the seasoned butler Ashford remained calm. He gripped Hilla's arm tightly and stepped back, whispering something to prevent the emotionally charged young lady from doing anything she might regret. The poorly dressed Knight Cassien stood in front of them, helping the butler protect his young lady.

The people in and around the stands relayed the message, and soon the entire arena descended into chaos, including the Emerald Legion.

"Calm down! Calm down! Regroup!"

The Seychelles knight roared, berating his men, whose ranks were in disarray and whose formation was crumbling.

“But sir,” an officer carrying the eternal lamp spoke up, mustering his courage, “he said it belonged to the king…”

Seychelles turned around and roared:
"You didn't hear anything!"

The officer was a little dizzy from his shouting, and tightened his green helmet: "Yes, of course, sir... but what should we do?"

"Hold your posts!" Seychelles shouted hoarsely.

"Captain, should we make the first move?" the second officer asked warily, glancing at the Star Lake Guards surrounding the prince, "just in case..."

“But they are all important figures from the capital…” another officer said worriedly, “If we make a move…”

"What if they attack us? Should we not fight back?"

"No one is to move without my orders!" Seychelles tried his best to restrain his nervous and impulsive subordinates, casting a pleading look at Janine. "Don't forget where you are and who pays your salaries!"

But the tense and chaotic atmosphere affected more than just the locals of Emerald City.

Miranda, who was at the forefront, looked at Thales with a surprised and puzzled expression. Rolf stared at the rows of green-hatted soldiers in front of him with a fierce look on his face and his knees slightly bent. Fortunately, Golov had anticipated this and grabbed his shoulder to stop the mute from doing anything impulsive.

“Strange, look at the reaction of these green-hatted guys,” DD, from the Star Lake Guard, felt the surging waves all around him and was uneasy. “It feels like we’ve surrounded them.”

“Your feeling is right,” Paul said in a deep voice, gazing thoughtfully at the prince’s quiet back.

"Your Highness."

Wyatt Castle came up behind Thales and repeated the prince's command incredulously:
“I’m sorry, I need to confirm again, but… you want us to arrest Duke Jann? Here? Now?”

He looked ahead:
Behind Janne stood at least two squads of well-equipped Emerald Soldiers. They were highly trained, and although there was some confusion and fear, they remained closely positioned, ready to rush forward and protect the Duke at any moment.

Wyatt then turned to his surroundings:

Unbeknownst to them, the Emerald Soldiers, clad in green armor, had already surrounded them at the urging of their officers, separating them from the rest of the crowd. They stood in rows, ready for battle, while Thales and the Star Lake Guard behind him were like an isolated island in the sea, enduring waves from all directions.

Further out, the green-hatted crowd filled almost every corner from the stands to the passageway. There were archers equipped with crossbows on higher ground, and even more imposing cavalrymen on tall horses patrolled the outer perimeter, shouting at the onlookers while casting unfamiliar and wary glances at the Xinghu Guard.

At the head of the procession, Thales neither answered Wyatt nor expressed his dissatisfaction with the sergeant's delay in issuing orders.

He was only focused on Jenn across from him.

The Duke of the South Bank also gave him a cold look.

"Everyone stay calm and stay composed," Golov whispered, keeping a close eye on the chaotic crowd around him, gritting his teeth and keeping his nerves on edge. "From now on, I'm taking command."

“But His Highness said we must arrest the suspect,” Neshi said, glancing eagerly at the Duke of the South Bank across the way, drawing his sword. “Or perhaps we should…”

DD's expression changed, and she grabbed his hand: "No!"

Across from them, a sharp-eyed officer noticed Neshi's movement and shouted in alarm:
"They're going to take action!"

His reaction alarmed his colleagues, and panic and hostility spread instantly, causing the Emerald Legion's formation to ripple like waves.
"defense!"

"Legion, protect the Duke!"

"Are we really going to take action?"

"Hold your ground! Hold the line!"

"That's the king's son..."

"Self-defense doesn't count as treason, does it?"

"Drive them back!"

For a moment, shouts, arguments, screams, shouts of killing, and even the sound of weapons being drawn were heard incessantly, and the audience in the distance also screamed in surprise.

The Star Lake Guards were all startled. They formed a formation back to back and, facing the restless soldiers around them, followed Wyatt and slowly approached the prince.

Thales frowned.

"I said stay calm!"

Golov gritted his teeth, but he had no time to investigate Neshi's actions, even though the latter was already terrified by the surging waves from all sides.

“Damn it, everyone’s clutching their weapons, fear and tension are running high,” Miranda said in a low voice. “There’s never been a time when things could break out like this.”

“Sunset, I’d rather storm the Palace of Restoration one more time…” DD held Neshi down, looking at the throngs of Emerald Legion, feeling a headache coming on.

"Really?"

"Well, you can talk about it, right?"

“Sunset, we shouldn’t have split up,” Neshi realized, her hand on the hilt of her sword trembling slightly as she faced the dark mass of enemies in her field of vision. “We should have…”

"They have over a thousand men, not counting the outermost troops. What good is it if we all come together?" Morgan said dismissively.

"It's not just a matter of the number of people."

Paul's gaze was fixed on the prince and the duke in the group.

"His Highness said, in 'the King's name'..."

The guards all stiffened.

“If we were to clash with the Emerald Legion at this moment, and even suffer bloodshed and casualties, it would be far more than just a feud between His Highness and the Duke…” Paul said solemnly, “The sparks that fly when we swing our swords could ignite the entire kingdom.”

Upon hearing this, everyone felt their steps become incredibly heavy. Nie looked at the hilt of his sword, his face deathly pale.

"So, who will wield this first sword to go down in history?" Paul turned around, looking at everyone in the team. "How are you, DD?"

Doyle swallowed hard, loosened his grip on the sword hilt, and revealed a gentle and modest smile.

“But the good news is,” Miranda nodded, staring at the Seychelles knights shouting orders across from her, “they don’t dare.”

"Quiet!"

Just then, Jenn's voice rang out from the crowd, loud and clear.

"Hold your ground! Retreat!"

"Put your weapons away!"

"Are you in such a hurry to die?!"

"Stand in position!"

Led by Seychelles, the nearby officers quickly realized what was happening. The Duke's orders were relayed through the ranks, and a few seconds later, the restless crowd retreated under reprimands and restraints, and the noisy scene finally quieted down.

No one dared to come within three meters of the prince and duke, but the Starlake Guard and Emerald Legion behind them naturally faced each other, searching for potential threats and possible adversaries.

The two sides stood facing each other, their differences becoming increasingly clear, and everyone's hearts were in their throats.

Jenn took a deep breath and looked at Thales.

"You're not going to pretend anymore, are you?"

There was a long-lost sense of relief in Jenn's words:

"So you finally couldn't hold back and revealed your true intentions, and now you want to kill me?"

“You are only a suspect, Jenn,” Thales interrupted him. “You have not yet been convicted on the charges against you.”

He glanced at Federico, who was being pinned to the ground by the guards.

“Yes,” Jann sneered repeatedly, “not for now.”

Sensing the other party's attitude, Thales frowned.

"Why, Thales, why?"

Hilly forcefully broke free from the butler's grasp: "You promised me! You clearly had a better way! Remember, make a decision on the spot!"

Upon seeing Hillay, Thales couldn't help but feel saddened.

"Don't you understand, Hillary?"

Jann gave a cold snort.

"He came here to destroy us, but he is too cowardly to admit it, and he is too weak to do it himself, so he makes excuses to deceive himself."

Thales's breath hitched.

"I don't want to destroy anything, Jenn, as long as you—"

“This is it!” Jenn interrupted him loudly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “'Not wanting to destroy anything'—you’ve been indulging in your fantasies of being a good person for far too long, Thales!”

Thales trembled upon hearing this.

Hilly's gaze darted back and forth between her brother and Thales, her expression blank.

“When will you take off your mask, wake up, and admit that you’re not a saint,” Janne sneered, “but just a hypocritical mortal who hates blood, unwilling to get his hands dirty or face the stain of blood?”

The fantasy of being a good person...

I don't want to get my hands dirty...

Hearing the conversation, Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

You wander atop cliffs, yet dream of the heavens.

He took a deep breath, trying to banish the king's words from his mind.

It seems that statement was true—but a voice in his heart quietly spoke—the one who understands you best is your enemy, Thales.

But the problem is...

You are truly as fragile and hypocritical as he said...

Or are you saying you can do more? And dare to do more?
Thales clenched his fist and instinctively covered Gortaksa through his pocket.

You must do this, Thales.

You know you have to.

"Surrender, Janne, cooperate willingly, and I guarantee you will receive the treatment a duke deserves," the prince said decisively, raising his head and speaking loudly, "before and after."

Jenn's gaze grew cold.

“After that,” Hilly’s expression changed, “What after that?”

“What else could it be?” Jann said sarcastically, “after I raised my hands in surrender, and he mercifully let the executioner do the work.”

Thales frowned slightly.

“I tried, Hilla, I really tried.”

Tyles turned to Jenn:
"But some people, some people just can't learn to step back and leave room for maneuver."

Bathed in the lights of the surrounding stands, Thales stared at Jenn as if trying to rip something out of his eyes:

“Unless someone forces him,” he said coldly.

Use a sword.

“Looks like we’ve finally reached a consensus,” Jenn said sarcastically.

Having said that, the two paused.

Hilly understood something. She looked this way and then that way, utterly disappointed.

Butler Ashford sighed, and Knight Cassien beside him said "Excuse me" and stopped the distraught young lady from leaving.

The prince and duke's sudden silence caused the surrounding crowd to stir again, and people began to talk about it.

Wyman stood among the guards, his gaze on Thales's retreating figure, his expression complex.

“Jane Kevin Deer, the choice is yours,” Thales said softly, “to retreat voluntarily, or to resist arrest…”

"To be an enemy of the kingdom?"

Jann's eyes flickered, and he turned his head to look at the tense and anxious soldiers and the crowd, and chuckled softly.

“On the contrary,” he said, his gaze turning slightly cold, nodding and speaking in a low voice, “it is you who are at odds with the kingdom.”

Thales was taken aback.

The next second, Jenn's expression turned serious, and he spoke loudly:
"Your Highness Thales!"

He made his voice heard by everyone:
"I know you harbor resentment towards me, simply because I rejected your impolite marriage proposal!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Thales' expression changed drastically.

A commotion erupted in the crowd, followed by a constant buzz of discussion, with many people turning their gaze toward Hilly.

“Jane, you bastard.” Hilly’s face was also ashen. She stared at her brother in astonishment and muttered to herself.

“However, this is Emerald City, the capital of the South Shore Territory, one of the most important fiefdoms in the kingdom. It has always had its own laws and regulations, and there is no need for an outsider to overstep his bounds and disregard the traditions of the fiefdom and the laws of Emerald City,” Jann said righteously. “We are enforcing the law and judging cases on our own land!”

worse.

Thales frowned:
"However, as the city lord, you are a suspect. Can the laws of Emerald City truly be just—"

"So what?" Jann shouted.

The Duke of the South Bank spoke in a cold voice, drawing everyone's attention:
“Your Highness Thales, you are neither crowned, nor have any authority, nor have you issued any decrees. It is truly inappropriate for you to overstep your bounds and seek personal revenge on the territory of a foreign subject!”

He changed the subject:
"As for the laws and regulations of Emerald City, what business is it of outsiders?"

The murmurs of the surrounding crowd, especially the vassals, grew louder and louder, and Thales sensed something was wrong.

“Indeed, Your Highness, if you have already condemned me, then you may as well follow the proper procedures and request His Majesty to convene a council of high-ranking nobles, so that the esteemed officials on the nineteen stone thrones may determine the merits and demerits of the Duke of the South Bank!”

The discussions among the crowd grew increasingly chaotic, with many pointing and whispering about the Duke and his companion, their excitement palpable.

"Otherwise, even if His Majesty himself wanted to interfere in the internal affairs of the Iris family on the land of Emerald City, he would have to think twice and be extremely cautious!"

Thales' eyelids twitched.

"Of course, if you insist on overstepping your authority to punish me..."

Jann stepped forward, raising his hands high so that everyone could see him. "Please remember, Your Highness, your words are the voice of the royal family, your actions are the deeds of the royal family, and they will reach the entire kingdom, far beyond just Yongxing City."

Jenn stopped in front of Thales, his eyes flashing coldly:
"Though Emerald City is remote, it is accessible from all directions; though the iris is small, it will not perish against the enemy!"

He flicked his sleeve, exuding solemnity and authority:

"Though the daughters of the South Bank may be gentle and weak, their dignity is supreme, their freedom is priceless, and even the weight of the royal family cannot be broken!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the vassals were the first to cheer and applaud, and many others echoed their sentiments. This outrage then spread to the spectators on the outskirts and in the stands. Among them were those who, in their anger, uttered harsh words and shouted threats, especially the young Earl Pintoll. Even the previously demoralized Emerald Legion was stirred up with protective instincts and tempers, and many of them banged on their weapons to cheer and provoke the bewildered Starlake Guard.

But at that moment, DD chuckled softly in the team chat:
"Guys, do you know what's most important in this situation?"

"My life?" Neshi replied hesitantly.

"It's all about the momentum!"

DD answered decisively, and the others couldn't help but look at him.

Doyle stepped forward, head held high, and grinned at one of the Emerald soldiers who was provoking him: "Don't be cowardly, raise your sword, put on a stern face, don't lose your spirit."

Morgan scoffed.

“I told you, they have at least a thousand men, while we only have a handful,” Morgan said with a sneer, looking at the overwhelming disparity in strength. “What good is mere bravado?”

“That’s why momentum is so useful,” DD exhaled, relaxing his aching facial muscles, and continued to maintain his fierce expression, “because that’s all we have left.”

Everyone was startled when they heard this.

Paul glanced at DD with surprise in his eyes.

“Indeed,” the Western Wilderness man said, stroking his bow and taking a deep step, striking an exaggerated pose that was frightening but utterly impractical, making the soldiers facing him wary. “Indeed.”

Faced with the overwhelming public sentiment, Thales felt a heavy weight on his shoulders.

“I remember you said that our business is our business and we will never involve Hilly,” he said in a low voice to Jenn, his expression grim.

The powerful Duke of Iris paused upon hearing this.

He slowly turned his head: Hillary ignored the countless eyes cast at her, staring intently at the ground, clutching her gloves tightly.

Jenn's eyes dimmed.

“But she’s right, Hillary was involved a long time ago,” Jann took a deep breath, “thanks to you and your father.”

“I understand how Hilly feels now,” Thales suddenly said, his voice cold. “Indeed, she deserves a better brother.”

Jann's expression suddenly changed.

His gaze toward Thales grew increasingly cold.

“You know nothing,” Jann’s speech suddenly quickened, “a bastard child whose last name was added later.”

Thales sneered.

After speaking, Jenn's expression turned serious again.

He took a step back and raised his voice:

"I believe you must be tired, Your Highness. Why don't you return to the palace to rest under my escort?"

Jenn's smile vanished, and he lowered his voice to say the next sentence:

"Or are you still determined to arrest me and wield a sword that is an enemy of me and the kingdom?"

The Duke sneered:
“Now, it’s your turn to choose, Thales.”

To be an enemy of the kingdom...

Thales remained silent for a long time.

He failed to force Jenn to comply.

Especially when he doesn't even care about his sister and can still decisively use her.

What will he use to force Jenn to back down?
For example, Jenn's own life?

A few seconds later, Thales took a deep breath, stepped back to the side, and gripped the hilt of the Warning Sword!

Jann's expression changed. He snorted coldly and stepped back as well, pressing down on a dagger tucked into his waistband!
The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and many people gasped in surprise!

The Seychelles knight roared, drawing his longsword, its tip not pointing directly at Thales, but rather at the Star Lake Guard behind him:

Who dares to step forward?

As Seychelles made his move, the soldiers in the first rank around him drew their weapons, their fierce demeanor suggesting an impending encirclement.

The atmosphere became tense again, and the onlookers discussed among themselves, unable to hide their fear.

Facing so many enemies for the first time, Neshi, a member of the Star Lake Guard, turned pale.

"We didn't move forward, did we?"

“His Highness is going forward,” Golov, who only had one arm to use, gripped the hilt of his sword and decisively ordered, “Guards, weapons!”

At a command, the members of the Star Lake Guard also drew their swords in unison (Neshi was a beat slow to react, but still drew his sword after being reminded by DD), and confronted the Emerald Legion head-on!

"Damn it, I thought we weren't going to have to fight anymore..." Neshi's sword tip darted left and right, but there were more than one group of enemies in each direction. "But how did it suddenly start again?"

"Started?" Miranda stared warily at several officers in the legion. "No, it never ended at all."

“Hahaha, not bad,” Morgan laughed at this point, stroking the hilt of his sword and looking at the group of burly soldiers before him with ill intent. “I do miss this scene…”

"In that case, come on, guys, put on your ugliest faces," DD gritted his teeth, his chest heaving, his expression exaggerated, "Imagine Kingdom Wrath standing behind you, fierce yet reliable..."

"Then he'll definitely chop you up with an axe first, so he can have some peace and quiet," Morgan scoffed dismissively.

"No, are we really going to fight? According to what Young Master Paul just said," Neshi said nervously, "if I strike with my sword, I might accidentally cut down some important figure, set the kingdom ablaze, and start a war."

Everyone's mood sank, and their thoughts became chaotic.

In the tense atmosphere, the Star Lake Guard was worried because of the disparity in strength between them and the enemy, but when faced with the prince, the Emerald Legion on the other side was also nervous, hesitant and uncertain.

Both sides have their own concerns, making the situation delicate.

"Can we finish this quickly and capture only the Duke?" DD probed.

"From thousands of green-hat soldiers?" Morgan asked skeptically.

“And that Seychelles knight, and his slovenly friend,” Neshi added uneasily.

DD looked unhappy.

“Try to hold back,” Paul said, leaning against his back, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Try to avoid deaths, especially the Duke, or a civil war will be inevitable…”

“If you start fighting with that mindset, young master Bozdorf,” Miranda said sternly, “believe me, we’re definitely going to lose people.”

Paul was taken aback.

"If, and I mean if, war breaks out, even if it's just the Emerald City that gets attacked, how many people will die?"

DD spoke softly, causing everyone's gaze to freeze.

“You wouldn’t know,” Morgan said coldly, with a Razorback accent, “if a war really broke out, we’d be dead today, without ever seeing the war break out.”

Morgan's words sent a chill down everyone's spines.

"Hmph," Rolf thought disdainfully, "a bunch of cowards."

“You haven’t seen the Wrath of the Kingdom, have you?” Wyatt, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up. “I mean, apart from Lady Arend and the mute?”

The topic was diverted, and everyone was taken aback.

"Uh, does a portrait count?" Neshi's face turned pale, and her hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

“I’ve seen him a few times when I was guarding Ballard’s room. To be honest, he’s short…” DD’s eyes darted around.

“I glanced at it from afar, and it looked quite sturdy.” Golov cautiously moved the tip of his sword, aiming it back and forth at the enemies at his angle.

“I’ve heard my father say that they’re easier to deal with than the legendary Winged Ones,” Paul said, turning left and right, his body constantly shifting, causing many of the Emerald Soldiers who were aiming at him to instinctively step back. “Why do you ask that?”

Wyman smiled.

"Because of Arakka Mu, the Wrath of the Kingdom, the most fearsome Predator in the entire planet..."

He took a deep breath, and facing the hordes of enemies, he was no longer nervous and trembling, but instead showed a relieved smile.

"He will never, ever, ever stand behind his comrades."

Everyone was taken aback, but Wyman had already strode forward to the front of the group, facing Jenn directly.

"Don't worry, if His Highness gives the order, if we really do come to that point..."

Wyatt raised his single-edged sword, facing the layers of enemies, his gaze resolute:
"I will wield the first sword."

Everyone was immediately taken aback and looked at each other in surprise.

Until DD sighed:
"Damn it, he's the one who's got all the cool stuff."

A few seconds later, everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

Only Rolf scoffed at this, curling his lip in disdain.

Will you wield the first sword?

Damn, it's like you're the only one who can handle things by swinging your sword.

So damn hypocritical.

“Focus!”

Golov, pressing against Rolf's back, gritted his teeth and interrupted their conversation:
"Prioritize protecting His Highness in the future. Stand in formation and don't reveal any weaknesses!"

But they had already revealed their weaknesses everywhere.

Rolf snorted inwardly.

From the moment they arrived in Emerald City.

But at that moment, Thales, who was standing in front of them, loosened his grip on his sword hilt and smiled.

“You’re right, Jan, I can’t overstep my bounds and interfere with the law enforcement of the Emerald City!” the prince shouted.

This statement surprised many people, and the noise at the scene subsided. Even the Starlake Guard, who had been prepared to fight desperately to capture Jann, looked at each other in bewilderment.

Jann frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled by Thales's concession.

“Very good,” but the Duke reacted quickly, his face immediately lighting up with a beaming smile, “I have already ordered a banquet to be prepared in the palace. Now that the selection of generals is over, why don’t we…”

“Arbitration,” Thales said, smiling and spreading his hands.

"what?"

“I say, arbitration!” Thales shouted.

Jann's expression changed.

“As far as I know, someone has accused you, Jann,” Thales turned to face everyone, “of Federico Kevindir, a nobleman of the kingdom, son of the late Viscount Sona Kevindir of Archsea, who shares your surname, of murdering to cover up a crime and seizing the throne!”

“He is a disgrace to the Kevin Deer family and should have changed his name long ago,” Jann said, his face displeased. “But the Emerald City has its own laws…”

"And you denied the charges!"

Thales ignored his words:
“You, nobleman of the kingdom, current Duke of the South Bank, Lord of Emerald City, Jann Kevindir of the Iris family, deny the accusations, denounce them as a frame-up and slander, and will pursue the accuser for the crimes he committed back then.”

Everyone was puzzled and looked at each other, but the shadow in Jenn's eyes grew darker.

“Since the two nobles each hold their own version of events and cannot reach an agreement,” Thales said confidently, “then I, the Second Prince and Duke of Starlake, Thales Starlight, as a neutral third party, must conduct a sacred—noble arbitration—for your dispute!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a considerable murmur of discussion immediately broke out among the vassals.

"Arbitration?" Jenn reacted, his voice trembling. "Who said that!"

Thales turned around and pointed into the crowd:
"He said it!"

Everyone turned their gaze: Federico lay on the ground, and the guards watching him looked terrified.

“If you don’t believe me, drag Federico over here now and ask him if he filed a complaint asking me to arbitrate between you two cousins!” Thales shouted.

The murmurs grew louder, and Federico, upon hearing this, burst into hearty laughter:

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha--"

A few seconds later, he was elbowed to the ground by a bold guard, groaning as he fell to the ground, his laughter abruptly cut short.

Thales's eyes narrowed and shot towards Jenn:

"Of course, unless you don't intend to let him speak and just want him to disappear—in front of me and the entire kingdom."

The crowd became agitated again, and the guards and officers maintaining order had to intensify their reprimands and control.

Jenn remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking:
"This is not just a matter for Emerald City, Your Highness, but also an internal affair of the Kevin Deer family, and it is not something that outsiders can arbitrate..."

“This is a law written in the Sacred Star Covenant: no matter what crime he is guilty of, Federico is a nobleman of the kingdom, and he has the right to request arbitration from a higher-ranking nobleman.”

Thales spread his arms wide and spoke clearly:
"Especially when another person involved in the case is in a high position, has great power and wealth, while the appellant is alone and has nowhere to seek justice."

Jann remained expressionless, but couldn't help exchanging a glance with Hilly, whose expression was gloomy.

"This has nothing to do with Emerald City, Janne, nothing to do with Kevin Deer, and nothing to do with any personal grudges between you or Hilly!"

Thales continued speaking, his logic progressing gradually:

"This is a sacred right inherent to all nobles of the Star Kingdom—and in some cases, all its subjects—from the very beginning of the founding of Tormond, witnessed by the setting sun, and following the old laws of the empire. It is a law established to protect the weak from oppression by the strong."

He squinted:

“You should understand the reasons better than I do, Lord Jann. After all, you recently acted as a noble arbitrator for a baron, stopping him from oppressing the farmers in his territory.”

Jenn's expression changed slightly, but he tried his best to maintain his composure and sneered:

"Arbitration? You? By what right?"

“My neutrality demonstrates fairness, and my status is no less than that of a duke.”

“Not inferior to a duke? You really know how to embellish yourself,” Jann’s gaze grew colder. “Grand Duke Thales, who governs Starlake Castle and whose fiefdom is a town and two villages.”

Thales smiled slightly, ignoring the other party's sarcasm.

"However, no matter how high their position or how powerful they are, those involved in the case must accept third-party arbitration and must not, for any reason, act out of favoritism or abuse their power."

Thales stepped forward and met Jann's gaze.

“Unless he is no longer bound by the Sacred Covenant of the Stars,” the prince said in a deep voice, “unless he betrays the Goddess of the Setting Sun, betrays the sacred covenant made by his ancestors as one of the hundreds of vassals with the King of Restoration and the Prophet of the Setting Sun, Saint Mohassa, before the statue.”

As Thales spoke, his gaze slowly shifted to the Duke of the South Bank, his words sharp:
"Unless he... is no longer a citizen of the Star Kingdom."