Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 714 Name

Chapter 714 Name
As the night passed, many residents of Emerald City, upon waking and stepping out of their homes in the morning, were astonished by the unusual silence and stillness in the streets and alleys. They sensed the indescribable tension and desolation emanating from the patrolling guards and heard the furtive whispers of their neighbors and friends. Only then, amidst shock and panic, did they learn the following:

Emerald City has changed.

It is said that the Duke's cousin, who was guilty of a crime, returned from the election with his life, and fought his way into the quarterfinals with a single sword, just to shout loudly in front of the audience to plead for his father, the long-deceased Viscount Sonner.
It is said that the young master Federico revealed the appalling truth in public: Duke Janne murdered his father to seize the throne years ago and unjustly killed his uncle. Now he is killing people to cover up the truth and even wants to repeat the same trick and frame Prince Thales for these murders.
It is said that His Highness the North Star, who is upright and fair, does not act rashly, but when he does, he unleashes thunderous might. With a word or a gesture, he cast the powerful but defenseless Duke of the South Bank into an abyss of iniquity. The other dukes of the South Bank were silent and dared not utter a word, and the police officers and soldiers throughout the city were also timid and could not stop him in the slightest.

But behind these rumors, only Thales and his men knew how awkward their situation was and how difficult the tasks they faced were.

The first issue is the placement of Janne and Federico.

Although the prince ordered them to be imprisoned pending trial, this was nominally a noble arbitration rather than a real case-handling and law enforcement action, and it was also an unconventional arrest and imprisonment. It would be inappropriate to simply throw them into prison and keep them with lawbreakers or even serious criminals.

Secondly, given Jann's noble status and Federico's status as a descendant of the Iris, Thales could not afford to treat them too badly or harshly in this case that was destined to shock the kingdom and spread throughout the entire territory (which is the norm in every prison in the world), lest they be accused of settling personal scores and incite public anger.

Thirdly, this is still the Emerald City under Kevin Deer's rule. From the guardhouse to the prison, from the Sky Palace to the Emerald Legion, Thales dares to say that there must be officials secretly colluding with Jann. He also cannot guarantee that Federico, who has returned mysteriously and whose true intentions are unknown, does not have any hidden forces in the streets and allies, secretly connecting with each other outside of sight.

Therefore, after discussing with his subordinates (mainly Marius), Thales decided to place Jann ("Truly, I feel right at home.") and Federico ("My son has returned home, my wish has been fulfilled, Your Highness has done me a great favor.") under house arrest in two separate rooms in the Palace of the Sky, not far from Thales's residence. They were treated to good food and wine, and each was guarded by a Star Lake Guard in shifts, day and night, with regular patrols to ensure their safety.

"If, I mean if, one of them dies under our care, what will be the consequences?" DD asked with a curious look.

Glov, who had arranged the guards overnight, snorted angrily and had no choice but to tear up the original plan with a dark face, doubling the number of guards.

“What good is it?” Morgan scoffed after hearing the guard’s instructions, his accent thick. “I’m saying, what are you going to do when that assassin named Losang comes?”

Gritting his teeth, Golov once again tore up the original plan, squeezing out time from the already overworked guard shift schedule to free up manpower and arrange long-range firepower for sentry posts and outer towers.

"Forgive my bluntness, but we are too few in number, and everyone is injured. We can only issue warnings, not stop them," Paul said, squinting at his shift schedule as he wrapped his arm in anti-slip tape. "The key to keeping the prisoners under control lies in politics, not military force."

With a roar, Golov tore the Nth version of the defense plan to shreds, along with the bandages on his arm.

Finally, Marius looked at Glov, who was exhausted and collapsed on the ground, sighed, and made the final decision to arrange for Janne and Federico to be confined to the same room, with their doors even facing each other. In addition to the chosen personal guards, two other groups of people were stationed outside the foyer.

He first kindly invited Knight Cassien ("You are a knight, and according to your code, it is your duty to protect your lord's brother.") to guard Jann's door with the Starlake Guard. Then, he provoked him with words, forcing Knight Seychelles ("If anything happens to him, the Duke will not be able to clear his name.") and his men to guard Federico's door. Usually, they would stand guard outside the hall, looking at each other and keeping watch.

Thales's quarters were right in the middle of theirs, so the guards could watch over three rooms at once, and even the shift change could be done at the same time, saving the trouble of delivering meals to multiple places.

As for this arrangement, will it make His Highness feel like "I'm in jail too"?

“Truly thoughtful and well-arranged,” Jann smiled as he entered his room under the watchful eyes of the guards, not forgetting to turn back and praise the prince, “After all, when it comes to imprisonment—I mean, to confinement and house arrest, who knows more about it than Your Highness?”

Thales generously forgave him.

After dealing with these two troublemakers, the prince still had even more headaches to deal with:

To rule the Emerald City.

That night, Thales returned to the Sky Palace and immediately released a messenger raven to urgently report to the King on the unexpected turn of events at the general selection ("Once again, Father, you have surprised me with your ever-terribly bad sense of humor, but I must point out that if you want a knight to ride up and fight for you, rather than letting him stand by with his arms crossed, you should give him the reins and saddle as well."). As for the next course of action, he asked for the King's instructions.

But distant water cannot quench a nearby fire. The lives of the people on the south bank must continue, and Emerald City must operate as usual the next morning. The Emerald Festival is still going on, at least in name. He needs to stabilize the chaotic situation.

So Thales had to ask his old steward Ashford for help. Before dawn, he lit the lamps and urgently summoned all the vassals, nobles, and officials of all ranks to the palace, including the heads of the major guilds and respected property owners, to discuss the future affairs of the Emerald City. He sacrificed a lot of sleep for this (although these important figures probably had no desire to sleep last night either).

"Why do we need their opinions?" Neshi in the guard asked, puzzled. "They served Kevindir the same way they used to serve you, isn't that enough?"

“No, we don’t need their ‘opinions’,” Thales said wearily, rubbing his forehead. “In fact, what we need is to ‘seek’ their opinions.”

Unfortunately, setting aside the shock and apprehension brought about by the election incident, the meeting itself was not very inspiring, and the brightly lit council chamber was almost turned upside down.

As one of the most important and authoritative vassals of the South Bank, Earl of the Thirteen Noble Families, Acheson Lacia of the Swamp, insisted that although the Duke of Iris was imprisoned awaiting arbitration, as long as the verdict from the King and the Council of High Nobles was not issued, Janne remained the Lord of Emerald City and the Duke of South Bank, his titles still held and his duties unchanged.

Therefore, during the arbitration, all government affairs in Emerald City should continue to operate as usual, and relevant official documents should be submitted to the Duke of South Bank for approval and processing. At most, he should be kept at home and everything should be kept simple.

The proposal was supported by many local vassals, including many Emerald City bureaucrats, with Miss Cecilia being the loudest supporter. However, most people remained silent, occasionally glancing at the prince in the main seat, whose face was gloomy.

The murmurs of agreement continued for several minutes, until an assistant judge from Gonghai City, Moore Ibonin, quietly pointed out:

If Prince Federico accuses his cousin of patricide and usurping the throne, then according to the laws of the kingdom and the inheritance tradition of the South Bank, Janne's inheritance and possession of the title of Duke of the South Bank and Lord of Emerald City may not be legitimate. At least until His Highness the Prince's arbitration is over, the legitimacy of his titles and peerage should be suspended and left in doubt.

If, during this period, Jann Kevin Deer is still considered the legitimate Duke and Lord of the Emerald City, and granted the power to rule, it would be tantamount to deeming him innocent and without any suspicion requiring clarification. In that case, the arbitration itself would lose its meaning, be illegal and unreasonable, and utterly inappropriate. Moreover, the Lord of the Emerald City wields immense power, influencing the city in every way, which would be extremely detrimental to the investigation and evidence gathering during the arbitration process, and would violate fairness.

The judge, Ibonin, was young, but his arguments were well-reasoned and supported by classical texts. His forthright and courageous speech displeased many of the high vassals in the hall and drew accusations and insults from many (especially the lower vassals below the Emerald City) accusing him of being a "traitor" and "opportunist." Thales had to step in to maintain order. However, many more, seeing the prince's expression, chose to remain silent. Throughout this process, the elderly but determined Grand Judge Brennan remained quiet and uttered not a word.

Count Noah Harvia, who came from Saltwall Harbor in the East Sea, stopped the argument. As a neutral guest, he was refined and eloquent. He first agreed with Assistant Judge Ibonin's statement amidst boos, believing that Jann was not suitable to exercise the power of the city lord again. However, he immediately proposed that Emerald City should follow the old precedent and re-establish the position of South Bank Regent (this position was briefly established during the rule of the Northern Expeditionaries). It should be held by a senior minister or official of the Kevindir family, or even a highly respected scholar or head of the guild, to temporarily govern and manage the affairs of the Duke. This would be the best course of action.

Upon hearing this, the council chamber fell silent instantly. The vassals exchanged thoughtful glances, the bureaucrats whispered among themselves, and the heads of the merchant guilds murmured amongst themselves. No one objected, and no one supported it—at least no one dared to support it so openly.

But in Thales' view, everyone in the hall was dressed formally and looked at the prince expectantly, their eyes shining with eager anticipation.

However, this leads to an even bigger problem:
Who will act as regent?

As you can imagine, the council chamber erupted in chaos once again:
A well-dressed middle-aged vassal was the first to volunteer, arguing that his family was the most trusted direct vassals of the Iris, loyal to Kevin Deer for generations, and that his ancestors were from a collateral branch of the Duke, enjoying high prestige and significant business interests on the South Bank, with their fiefdom not far from Emerald City. However, he was quickly countered by another newly appointed nobleman, who said that his family, relying on their ancestral legacy, had long been corrupt and involved in bribery and corruption, and that the Duke had long intended to thoroughly cleanse the wounds. "A corrupt man like you is unfit for such a position!" the Duke retorted. The two vassal colleagues argued increasingly, each accusing the other of corruption and incompetence. One said, "I rely entirely on my parents," the other countered with embezzlement and bribery; the other claimed incompetence and argued that the other was unworthy of his position. Their argument escalated from town affairs to family feuds, reaching a point of no return, yet they remained silent, much to the disappointment of Morgan and his men, who had been eagerly preparing to intervene.
The judges of the court unanimously declared that Grand Judge Brennan was well-versed in legal principles, highly respected, and impartial, making him the perfect candidate for regent. However, before Brennan could speak, the mayors and town heads of the city council voiced their opposition, arguing that administration differs from the judiciary, and that reason is not the same as law. They asserted that while the judiciary could be impartial and incorruptible, administration must be flexible and adaptable to local conditions. Those in power must communicate effectively and coordinate relationships to get things done; otherwise, whether "the policies from above are good, but the problems lie in their implementation" or "the policies from above are harsh and unreasonable, making them impossible to implement," Emerald City would be in serious trouble. The judges, in turn, stood up and shouted, "Isn't this exactly how it is now? Isn't it all your fault? Could Emerald City get any worse?"
The officials of the Finance and Taxation Bureau, pot-bellied yet eloquent, argued that the foundation of governance is money, and the prosperity of Emerald City and the wealth of the South Bank Territory depend on the proper use of official finances, with revenue and expenditure in an orderly manner, allowing market trade to flourish. Therefore, the most suitable candidate to serve as regent of Emerald City was obvious—"What a load of rubbish! Even when the Duke was in power, you lot were incompetent, constantly seeking opportunities to embezzle and exploit others. Look at how you speak in such roundabout ways, yet you go out adorned with gold and silver—you're just waiting to become..." "With a regent in place, how can Emerald City possibly prosper?" The directors of the Guard Hall and the officers of the Emerald Legion roared indignantly. They said that Emerald City was unstable due to the change of leadership, and the most urgent task was naturally to stabilize the overall situation, maintain order, and manage security to ensure everything was in order. Under this overarching goal, the new regent should ideally be knowledgeable in military affairs and proficient in public security. Everything else—market, livelihood, finance, taxation, law enforcement, the judiciary, the common people—should all be sidelined. Don't you see, when the Western Wilderness was under martial law, the people of the kingdom smiled with joy? Don't you see, when the Blade Fang Camp was under military control, peace and stability lasted for ten thousand years?
Everyone was righteous and courageous, one after another, and the officials were wholeheartedly devoted to public service and spoke out for justice. However, no matter how much Marius and Ashford reprimanded and persuaded them, the council chamber only became more and more chaotic.

Thales, sitting in the main seat, felt his head spinning. The noise and chaos were even worse than the royal council. He wondered how Jenn had managed to survive for so many years under the spittle of these troublemakers and still maintain the stable development of Emerald City.

Because at that time the position of city lord was secure—a small voice whispered in Thales's heart—or rather, they thought it was secure.

Everyone focuses on their work, fulfilling their duties and staying in their positions; naturally, there will be peace and prosperity.

However, that was just an illusion, Thales.

You see, once a loophole appears in the system, a power vacuum emerges...

The prince watched the countless people arguing in the hall with great annoyance and sighed helplessly.

But these are not issues you should be concerned about.

What you should be concerned about, Thales, is how to fulfill your father's mission.

Go and take over Emerald City and even the South Bank Territory—to be precise, take all those things that make money—and let them serve as your vanguard, clearing all obstacles for you.
Thinking about this, Thales felt an even bigger headache.

However, the debate was eventually broken by a sudden inspiration from the Earl of Pintor. He stood up amidst the chaos and exclaimed: "The regency of the Emerald City should not be held by a high-ranking official, nor should it be His Highness's position. Instead, it should be held directly by the purest and most orthodox descendant of the Kevindir bloodline."

Thales frowned, and everyone in the hall fell silent, except for the smug Count Pintor, who glanced at Thales with a disgruntled look, then looked at the astonished Miss Hilley with a smug expression.

Surprisingly, this proposal, which initially caused some surprise, received overwhelming support in the council chamber:

Count Lacia emphatically stressed that Miss Cecilia, as the offspring of the late Duke Lenster, possessed an extraordinary status, making it perfectly natural for her to temporarily assume the regency of Emerald City. Count Schockadel, from the Champs-Élysées family of the Sunflowers (unsurprisingly), cited the examples of the Duchess of Blades and even the Grand Duchess of Dragonstreet in the far north ("At this point, Exter is once again categorized as 'civilized'," Thales remarked), expressing his approval. Count Harvia of Saltwall immediately applauded, recounting the glorious history of Emerald City's "prolific output of outstanding women." After some discussion, the local vassals and bureaucrats unanimously agreed that Miss Cecilia was the best candidate for regent.

A few exceptions were the two Miss Karabyans representing the Vora territory. They looked at the pale-faced Miss Hille and discussed the matter hastily, their expressions shifting between light and shadow. In the end, however, they gave a soft hum and indicated that Miss Cecilia's regency was indeed the best arrangement.

The atmosphere of squabbling and back-and-forth attacks that had just filled the hall vanished instantly. The vassals and officials of Emerald City praised and supported each other, as if the inner court of Kongming Palace had always been harmonious and peaceful, without any discord.

Miss Hillay herself was caught off guard during this process; she turned pale and remained silent.

"I never expected that even after all this, they would still be so loyal to Kevin Deer, even though she's just a sheltered little girl who's been out of the public eye for years," said Oscar Erson, the vanguard officer from the area, with a headache.

“Perhaps. But if the person sitting in the main seat today wasn’t His Highness himself, but some random nobody,” Miranda cautioned, “would they still be so loyal to Iris?”

DD, who was standing nearby, raised his voice (to the prince's ears) and pointed out in time: "Other cats and dogs" cannot be so easy to capture the Duke of the South Bank and take over the Emerald City with ease.

“Similarly,” Doyle added with a smug look, “if the Duke’s sister wasn’t this cat—well, a sheltered young lady who stays away from court politics and rarely shows her face, even if she only showed some talent and skill, I don’t think these old parasites would have agreed so readily.”

“They don’t want a master, they just want a doll,” Golov answered most directly.

But Thales, seeing the one-sided situation in the hall, felt uneasy.

He looked at Hilly beside him and suddenly realized that the innocence and surprise on her face seemed somewhat familiar.

It was just like when magician Wyana performed magic tricks on the street—in front of the audience, Wyana reached into the hat she was about to use to perform a magic trick, but found nothing. She was immediately surprised and flustered, and amidst the laughter of the audience, she frantically tried to grab the hat, but then she pulled out countless flowers and scattered them all over the place, eliciting gasps from the audience.

This was followed by thunderous applause.

The surprise and innocence on Huaiyana's face quickly turned into confidence and self-satisfaction.

The flashback ends, and Thales returns to the reality of the Empty Palace. Hilay's innocent panic at this moment is exactly the same as that of Wyana back then.

“This wasn’t an accident, was it?” he realized, moved closer to Hilly, and whispered, “It was you, whether it was feigning weakness or showing favor, or using your brother’s connections, or something else, you deliberately tried to guide these officials to recommend you?”

Hilly froze upon hearing this and remained silent.

"You want to be regent? Why?"

Hilly was silent for a few seconds.

“Someone told me yesterday that only by grasping the situation and taking the initiative can one choose to advance or retreat,” she said, her face still showing innocence and panic, but her tone was resolute, “and only then can one sit at the final negotiating table.”

Thales was taken aback:
“Hilai…”

“Emerald City is mine,” Hilly said calmly, but his voice suddenly turned cold. “If you want it—you know what you have to offer in exchange.”

Thales frowned deeply.

Just then, a palace guard came to report: Prince Federico, who was in custody, sent a message saying that Janne was no longer suitable to continue presiding over the government, but for the sake of his hometown elders, the Emerald City could not be without a ruler for a day. Therefore, he recommended to His Highness—albeit unexpectedly—his cousin, Cecilia Kevindir, to temporarily assume the position of lord of the city during the arbitration.

From Hilay to the other vassals, everyone was puzzled and surprised by the letter, but Thales's brows furrowed more and more.

What exactly does Federico want to do?
Didn't he know that Hilla and Jenn were siblings? Letting her become regent was just asking for trouble.
“Since Your Highness and your colleagues have no objections, then…” Count Lacia was overjoyed, but just as he was about to proceed with the matter, someone came to report that Duke Janne, who was in custody, had written to His Highness.

Thales' face darkened: "Perhaps next time we should tighten the rules and forbid anyone in the prison—in name only—from writing letters outwards, even if they are addressed to the prince himself."

This time, however, Jann's letter was mild and polite, showing none of the gloom, dejection, or impulsive madness of a political loser. Coincidentally, his concerns were exactly the same as Federico's, except that on the matter of recommending candidates, he uttered the words that none of his ministers dared to say:

His Highness Thales is of noble birth, enjoys widespread respect, and is impartial and unbiased. He is perfectly suited to serve as Regent of the Emerald City. We also ask that the court officials understand and wholeheartedly assist the Prince until Janne is cleared of suspicion and power is returned to Kongming Palace.

As for the Duke's sister, although she is of noble birth, she has suffered greatly from this misfortune, and is deeply distressed and exhausted by the situation. As her elder brother, he cannot shirk his responsibility and is also filled with remorse. He earnestly requests that all gentlemen in the court, especially His Highness the Prince, be considerate of her feelings and show compassion for her, and not allow her to be burdened by the mundane affairs of Emerald City and the family, which would only add to her worries and troubles.

what?
Clearly, Duke Jann's authority remained intact, and this statement was quite unique. After Thales explained what the Duke had requested, Hilly's expression was incredulous, and even the prince's side was astonished. The courtiers in the hall all felt a subtle mix of emotions.

“You didn’t tell your brother your plans, did you?” Thales looked at Hilly’s profile and sighed deeply. “But obviously, he guessed in advance—he didn’t want you to get involved.”

Even though he was under house arrest.

Hilly fell silent, biting her lip and remaining silent.

So the theme of the hall changed again, becoming "Prince or Lady".

First, it was that same assistant judge, Ibonin, who stepped forward to contradict the previous arguments:

In terms of qualifications, Cecilia, as a descendant of Kevin Deer, is the most legitimate candidate to serve as regent. However, she happens to be the younger sister of one of the arbitrators. If there are concerns that allowing Janne to continue in power would affect the impartiality of the arbitration, then what difference would there be between having a direct relative serve as regent? Where is the fairness to the other arbitrator?
Secondly, the Earl of Changqing, a guest from abroad, and the head of the Morning Sunflower family laughed, "Since Lady Cecilia's advantage as regent is 'closeness' and 'kinship,' then His Highness the Prince's commendable qualities are undoubtedly 'virtue' and 'distance'."
Since His Highness Thales is in charge of arbitrating the dispute between the two nobles according to the "Contract," then the Emerald City under his rule, without siding with either side or taking any stance, is naturally the most neutral and fair.

Whispers filled the hall again. The local vassals from the South Bank exchanged bewildered glances, caught between the duke's hidden intentions in prison and the prince's regalia, and torn between South Bank tradition and the powerful monarchy. They were filled with anxiety and uncertainty about whether to simply bow down and surrender Emerald City. Finally, an old vassal, encouraged by many of his colleagues, rose shakily and stammered a question:
Is it appropriate for a kingdom to set such a precedent by seizing power from its subjects, with the ruler taking control of the subject?

But the prince's eager subordinates, especially Miranda Arend from the White Eagle family, had a different opinion:
"Eight years ago, Duke Val Arend of the North was imprisoned and unable to rule. His heir was guarding the fortress and could not attend to the situation. Courtiers had to avoid suspicion, and the collateral descendants were all incompetent. As a result, Hammura Castle fell into a state of stagnation. Fortunately, His Majesty Kessel cared for the people of the North and understood Hammura Castle's predicament. Therefore, he sent a wise royal minister north to rule on his behalf until Duke Val was released or a new heir succeeded to the throne!"

Lady Arend was of extraordinary status, and her words carried considerable weight—especially when she, clad in armor and with her hand on her longsword, paced back and forth before the council officials. An eerie silence fell over the entire hall; no one dared to voice their opinions, and many secretly glanced at the silent, calm, and strange-looking prince.

"As the daughter of the Duke who protects the North, I can bear witness that all citizens of my planet should know this law!"

Seeing everyone bowing their heads and not daring to refute, Lady Arend turned to His Highness Thales, who was in the main seat: "Now that Emerald City is also in trouble, as the first heir of the Starry Sky Royal Family, it is my duty and responsibility as Duke Thales to temporarily take charge of the government affairs of Emerald City and relieve the people of the South Bank from their suffering. It is my bounden duty!"

As soon as she finished speaking, no one dared to object, nor did anyone immediately agree.

“Moreover, this was recommended with the approval of Duke Janne,” said Paul, the young master of Heroes' Castle, holding the nine-pointed star banner that he had not yet put away. “I think even if you ask Federico, he won’t have any objections.”

The council chamber fell silent once again.

Just as this eerie silence was making Thales increasingly impatient, the attendees in the hall increasingly nervous and hesitant, and the Star Lake Guards wondering whether they should try to persuade him again in a "gentle" manner...

"We can speak on behalf of our father, Earl Turami Kalabyan of the Vora Territory," Kasa and Qina said in unison, breaking the silence. "All the vassals of the Vora Territory support His Highness Thales to take charge of the Kongming Palace and serve as the supervisor until the truth comes to light."

“If that is the case, the Lacia family has no objection.” Count Lacia’s eldest son spoke on behalf of his father, very respectfully, a stark contrast to his father, whose shoulders were firmly pressed down, suppressing his anger, but ultimately remaining silent.

Seeing that the two prominent families on the south bank were in such a state, and that the Kevin Deer family was deeply mired in the vortex and unable to extricate themselves, the officials in the hall could only nod and agree in succession.

And so it was settled. In the council chamber belonging to the Kelvindil family, amidst an eerily harmonious chorus of approval, Thales Starlight became the first regent in the Emerald City's history who did not bear the Kelvindil name—although His Highness declined the title, refusing to be called "Regent Thales," humbly stating that he was merely acting as regent temporarily, overseeing the transition, and had no intention of seeking credit, fame, power, or making a name for himself in history.

Thales’ first decree in the inner court of the Kongming Palace was quite simple:
From daily administration to the Emerald Festival, from clothing, food, housing, and transportation to the social order of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, everything in the Emerald City remains the same. All subjects, serve Prince Thales in the same way you served Kevin Deer before.

It is said that the vanguard officer Nate Nesh, who was responsible for delivering the order, had a strange expression on his face and frowned for a very long time.

And so, Thales resolved his issue of his title in the Emerald City.

But he soon discovered that for rule, nominal authority was only the simplest part of the process.

After the ministers in the council chamber left, each with their own complex and unspoken thoughts, Thales let out a breath. He deliberately dismissed the guards and servants and turned to Hillay, who was silently lost in thought.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Hilly looked up.

"Thank you for taking a step back just now and not persisting."

Hilaire scoffed lightly and twitched her lips.

"You mean, someone's going to try and take that shitty position of Regent of Emerald City from you?"

Thales remained silent for a moment.

“You know you can do it, after all, you are Kevin Deer.”

Hilla sneered repeatedly.

"Fine, my brother has been accused by my cousin of patricide and usurping the throne, framing my uncle, and is now a prisoner in his own castle," she said coldly. "Now that the pillar of the city, Iris, has fallen, no one in Emerald City dares to defy you. And I am but a woman, what choice do I have?"

"What they dare not defy is not me, but that flag."

"What's the difference? Your flag glows, and so does your blood, at least supposedly."

Thales knew that the other party harbored resentment because of the incident at the arena, and he sighed.

I'm sorry about yesterday.

Hilly didn't speak.

"But I promise you, whether it's arbitration or regency, it's only temporary. I will rectify everything and get it done before my father..."

"Then promise me one thing."

Thales One:
"what's up?"

The next second, Hillay took a deep breath and dropped her mocking tone.

“Yesterday, I thought about it all night and finally came up with a way,” she said seriously, “a way to save Janne without offending His Majesty.”

Thales was taken aback:
"Really?"

"real."

"And that is..."

"I will marry you."

"Yes, but only if your brother cooperates—what?"

Thales realized what he was saying halfway through his sentence and was taken aback.

“You heard me,” Hilly stared at Thales, her eyes changing. She moved her chair closer to Thales, raised her gloved fingers, first pointing to herself, then to Thales, pausing between the movements. “I will marry you.”

Thales was stunned as he stared at the round-faced girl in front of him.

"Hilary?"

"I know this sounds silly, but listen to me!"

Hilaire stopped the prince from speaking, her eyes shining.

“The reason you helped Fed yesterday was because the King wouldn’t allow you to lose, at least not just stand by and watch,” she said hopefully, looking at the incredulous Thales. “Then we just need to give the King a reason, a reason that you won’t lose even if you stand by and watch.”

“You mean…” Thales’ eyes widened.

In the council chamber, Hillary was extremely serious:
“Tell His Majesty that you made a deal.”

"trade?"

She nodded:

“Thales stood by and watched as Federico and Miko failed, and as Janne and the Emerald City escaped disaster.”

"The price is that the Duke's younger sister is engaged to the Prince, Shining Star and Kevin Diehl become related by marriage again, and Emerald City and Everstar City form a blood alliance."

Hilly gently reached out and tenderly took Thales's hand:
"Our descendants, no, even in our generation alone, will be able to connect the stars and the sea, ambition and wealth."

what?
Thales was completely stunned. He stared at the round-faced girl in front of him, who looked anxious, and it took him several seconds to come to his senses.

"Is this all you want me to agree to? No, it's not that simple—"

"It's that simple!"

The next second, Hilly flipped her hands over and gripped his hands tightly.

"After all, His Majesty only needs the benefits to outweigh the drawbacks, right? Besides, you're here for a blind date!"

"But that was just a loan—"

“Really, Thales! If your father has any doubts, tell him—no, if necessary, I can go to the capital to see him and tell him in person,” she said urgently, almost hysterically, “tell him I will love you, I will be obedient, I will cooperate, I will be your wife, your princess, even your queen! The mother of your children!”

Just as Thales was about to speak, Hilly interrupted him:
"Tell him I have limitless political and financial value, not just Iris and Emerald City, far more. I even know those forces hidden behind the Half Tower... As for you personally, listen, I'm very powerful, not just in magic and summoning monsters, not just in throwing tantrums. I also have many skills, know a lot of knowledge, a lot of forbidden knowledge, the kind that the temple doesn't welcome, even more so than the Blood Moon Tebak family. I know the Starry Sky family has always been very interested in these things..."

She spoke faster and faster, like a drowning person grasping at a straw, struggling incessantly.

"Furthermore, my dowry is enormous, beyond your wildest imagination. All the women in the Blades of the Northern Cliffs combined couldn't compare. I can make up for Starlake Keep's annual financial deficit tenfold or a hundredfold, and it's far more than just money... If that's not enough, I can even squeeze some out of Janne. You know, my family owns crystal mines and fishing grounds for the Eternal Whales..."

"Hilai!"

Thales interrupted her incredulously.

But the girl wouldn't listen to him.

"Believe me, your father will be satisfied! After all, you can use this reason and identity to intervene in Emerald City in the future, no, you can do so now, so it doesn't matter whether you get rid of Jann or not... Think about it, if you were my fiancé or even my husband, with such a title, what reason would those old guys have to oppose you becoming the regent of Emerald City?"

Hilly pointed to the empty seats in the hall.

"Besides, I'm not like that bitch from Dragon City. She's in an enemy country, her identity is sensitive, and if she were to marry into another nation, there would be many opponents! But for us, Nine-Pointed Star and Iris Flower, a family marriage within the Star Kingdom would not be opposed by anyone, only blessed and respected... All these benefits are within our grasp, as long as, as long as we let Jann go, his crimes..."

Hilly spoke until her mouth was dry and she was slightly out of breath.

Thales stared at her almost frenzied state, bewildered, until he heard Jann's name and snapped out of his daze.

"Does your brother know about these things, this suggestion?"

Hilly paused, her expression turning slightly cold.

“He will find out,” she forced a smile. “He’s the bride’s brother, and he’ll be the one to hold my hand and escort me to my wedding.”

“No, you know very well that as long as he remains the Duke of South Bank, he will absolutely not agree to this—”

"He won't be like that for long!"

Hilly suddenly interrupted him excitedly, then quickly tried to suppress her emotions:
"Right now, he's just a prisoner waiting to be slaughtered, and he's still waiting for me to save his life."

When Thales saw her like this, he immediately understood what was going on.

"You two are so alike," he murmured.

“What?” Hilla was taken aback.

Thales sighed.

"Have you ever considered that when you insist on saving him—in your own way—Janne neither needs nor wants you to save him?"

Hilly's brow furrowed:
"He had no choice."

“Just like you didn’t have a choice,” Thales replied quickly, with a sigh and a sense of loss, “when he insisted on protecting you—in his own way.”

“Even if you neither need nor want his protection,” Thales said quietly.

Hilly was stunned by what he heard.

Thales sighed:
"Do me a favor, Hillary, go your own way, don't follow his, okay?"

Cecilia stood frozen for several seconds under Thales's earnest gaze.

She released Thales's hand in a daze, her eyes gradually reddening.