Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 715 Through fire and water
“Hilai, you…”

Thales sighed deeply: "Do you really know what you're saying?"

"Of course I know!"

Hilaire rubbed her moist eyes, her expression returning to seriousness, her tone leaving no room for argument:

"I'm talking about marriage alliances, power, interests, the situation, politics, the balance of power in the kingdom, the future of Emerald City, and even His Majesty's ambitions!"

Arranged marriages, power, interests, the situation, politics...

Thales felt a sinking feeling in his heart:
"And what about yourself?"

"Myself?"

Hilly paused for a moment.

“I’m the right age, healthy, and not bad looking. Most importantly, I can have children—isn’t that enough? People’s expectations of a woman as a wife… Oh, I get it.”

The girl stared at Thales, whose eyes were gloomy, and suddenly realized.

Her expression froze for a few seconds, then was quickly replaced by a smile:
"What time is it now, Thales? Are we going to talk about that old-fashioned love and affection, mutual understanding and companionship, romantic moments under the moon and vows of eternal love? This isn't some clichéd love story like that of the Comoros Emperor and the Elana Princess who went from enemies to friends and eventually became lovers!"

Thales did not speak.

Hilai waved his hand and chuckled, as if he were talking about the most absurd thing.

"By Deadly Iris, how old are you, Thales? Have you ever taken a political class? Have you memorized the history and general information of the major families of the stars?"

She emphasized her words, like a seasoned politician educating a naive child:
“You are the king’s son, and I am the duke’s sister. We live in reality, and our status should be higher than those terms that only appear in romantic bard poems and adventure novels!”

But Thales just stared at her silently for a long time.

"Really?" The prince's face was calm, his eyes deep. "Does this choice really make us more... 'sophisticated'?"

He looked at Hilly sincerely, his eyes showing little doubt or correction, but rather more confusion and inquiry.

Hilly stared wide-eyed, as if she were seeing the person in front of her for the first time.

A few seconds later, feeling utterly defeated, she sighed and buried her face in her gloves.

Silence fell over the council chamber. Thales looked at her, his feelings equally complicated.

"Is it because of this?"

The young lady kept her head down, but she gently raised her left hand and pulled off her glove.

“No, no, of course not,” Thales stared at the extra little finger on her hand, taking a few seconds to recover from the initial shock. “It has nothing to do with your hand. Your hand is fine, no problem, really, I like it, well, not that kind of liking…”

“Why is that?” Hilly looked up and interrupted him.

"because……"

"Is it because of Jacques?" Hilly gripped her gloves, pressing for more information. "That manipulative, twisted monster, did he really scare you to death?"

Thales paused.

Compared to the most terrifying, evil, and horrifying existence in this world, compared to the magnificent magic it has perfected over thousands of years... I wish you to defeat it, Your Highness, and become—the most evil of evils, the most wicked of all!

Thales recalled Slimani's silly smile, and how this cold-blooded and cunning lawyer might have once been a kind and gentle ordinary person. He thought of fate—or perhaps the soul—that had done such a thing to him, and felt a heavy heart and inexplicable sorrow.

“I do not like your ‘friend’ and I don’t really want to see it again,” Thales said, shaking his head as he put away his memories. “But no, it’s not this one.”

"So you have someone else in your heart? That 'hot-blooded' northern woman from Dragon City? Or that so-called duchess from the Tebak family who always puts on airs and acts like a tough guy? Oh, or do you actually not like women and can't lie in bed with me? It's okay, there are plenty of marriages like that in the kingdom, as long as you don't make it public, it'll be fine..."

"No!" Thales, lost in his terrible memories, vehemently denied it. "No, none of that, it's just, it's just because..."

“Because…” He remembered something, sighed, and hesitated.

The setting sun.

“Because this isn’t you.” The next second, Hilly spoke softly.

Thales was taken aback and looked at her with some surprise.

Hillary stared blankly at her five-finger glove, her expression sorrowful.

“I understand. No matter what I say, you won’t agree to it, right? Because this is not something you would do—just like Jenn wouldn’t selflessly back down.”

Thales was stunned.

"You know what? My brother says you're sentimental, two-faced, fickle, and indecisive..."

Hilly put on her gloves gently, slowly, carefully, and cautiously.

This was the first time Thales had observed her hands up close: the girl took one finger at a time, thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger... Finally, with the help of her other hand, she took a deep breath, pinched her little finger and her slightly trembling, seemingly unwilling pinky together, and struggled to stuff them into the same finger sleeve.

Her voice was filled with emotion, and her left hand reverted to having five fingers:

"But if you ask me, you are simply the most stubborn, obstinate, closed-minded, and rigid fool in the world. You are stubborn, inflexible, and utterly unreasonable."

Thales fell silent.

Yes. Maybe you're all right.

“You won’t live long like this, you know that?” Hilla laughed, staring blankly at the door of the council chamber inscribed with the relief of ‘The Duke of Xhosa consults the people’, “You won’t live long.”

Thales didn't answer immediately, and after a long while, he said quietly:

"Really."

The two were silent for a while.

"You said if..."

Hilly turned around, her smile bleak.

“If none of this happened, none of my brother’s affairs, none of your father’s affairs, none of the Kongming Palace, none of the Fuxing Palace, none of the arbitration, none of the regency, none of all these annoying things, only me and you,” she stared intently at Thales, “then would you say yes to me?”

Thales was taken aback.

A few seconds later, he turned his head with difficulty, avoiding Hilly's gaze, and forced a smile:

"Answer, promise what?"

Hilly didn't reply, but just gave him a deep look.

The girl seemed to have figured something out, and shook her head with a slight sneer, her expression sarcastic.

Thales took a deep breath, feeling the oppressive atmosphere in the hall.

“My father, he told me himself,” he spoke before the other could, whether genuinely wanting to explain or simply to escape the oppressive atmosphere, “that using marriage to exchange for allies and loyalty is outdated, yields limited benefits, and no longer satisfies his appetite.”

The dim light in Ballard's room flashed before Thales' eyes:

"What he wants is absolute rule, do you understand?"

absolute.

The prince was slightly lost in thought when he thought of this.

And Thales, you must carve a path through his absolute dominion, which is filled with relentless karmic fire.

Before he burned the entire kingdom to ashes.

"very good."

Hilly's eyes narrowed upon hearing this:
"You've finally said something sensible."

She propped herself up on her arms and sighed softly:

"Instead of useless nonsense like 'Go your own way and don't follow anyone else's path'..."

“Your brother will be fine,” Thales said confidently, “for the same reason I helped Federico.”

He looked intently at the stunned Hilly.

“If Jenn falls, then my father has won, won big, and won irreversibly.”

Thales took a deep breath, his eyes resolute.

"And believe me, I won't let it come true."

will not.

Hillary looked at his calm yet resolute expression, initially surprised, but she quickly understood.

“You can’t do this alone,” the girl whispered. “You need allies—reliable allies.”

alliance.

alliance?

[But what if you act too well... those who supported you because you deceived them will become a surging tide, using reputation, stance, camp, interests, relationships, and the situation to force you forward, allowing no room for argument, no room for your control, and no room for regret.]

Seeing the girl's attitude, Thales frowned.

“Hilay, to be frank, that idea you just had, getting married or something…”

“I know,” Hilly said, rubbing her forehead wearily, “but come on, it’s not that bad, is it?”

Thales looked at her and smiled slightly.

"In fact, you are not the first person to propose to me."

“Oh, that’s a real shame,” Hilly said, pausing for a moment before turning sarcastic. “I’m too late. I can’t have your pure, innocent…first time?”

Thales smiled too.

“It’s not a pity at all,” the prince recalled, shaking his head absently. “One such experience is enough.”

"That bad?"

“It’s even worse than that.”

"Miranda Aarond isn't that bad, is she?"

Thales was startled, frowned, and turned his head.

“Don’t be surprised how I know,” Hilly said with a mysterious and serious expression, but in the end she couldn’t help but sigh and reveal the truth, “Well, Jenn’s current situation is the same as her father’s past experience, so I can understand why she’s asking you for help, even if it’s through a marriage agreement, understand?”

Thales remained silent, lost in thought.

Mira...

"In that case, Miranda Aarond, would you be my knight?"

"I do, Your Highness."

"I have to admit she looked pretty cool wielding her sword; I'd want one too. But as part of her dowry, Coldhold's status and position are far from what they used to be, and besides..."

“It wasn’t her,” Thales interrupted her in a daze. “The first person I was proposed to was an ugly old woman who liked to drink people’s blood.”

Hilly was taken aback.

"Someone who likes to smoke... ugly face... excuse me, who is that?"

Betrayal is the true essence of alliance.

Thales sighed and touched the side of his neck.

"Even now, she still harbors deep hatred and dreams of sucking me dry, tearing me apart, eating me clean, chewing me into pieces, and then swallowing me to digest."

Hilly was startled by this string of words. She rolled her eyes and carefully chose her words:
"Um, is it that she can't accept breaking up with you, or is it that your way of rejecting her is just too harsh and heartless?"

Thales shook his head without answering her question.

“Because of her, I made a terrible choice, a wrong choice, a presumptuous choice. Many people sacrificed themselves for it, dying in the birch forests of the North,” Thales recalled the past, his voice heavy with sadness, “because of my choice.”

If he hadn't rectified the situation in time and hadn't been able to reach Duanlong Fortress in time, even more people would have died on the border and in the subsequent war between the two countries.

Hilly sensed the prince's emotions, and she smiled slightly:
"So from now on, we'll... choose our partners more wisely?"

Hillary kept her word and set an example by not asking for more stories about the ugly old woman.

However, Thales was taken aback when he heard this.

Wisdomier...

“Yes, so I need to make a wiser choice,” Thales stared at Hilly’s face, growing lost in thought, “more careful, more meticulous, more cautious, more responsible, especially when dealing with someone like… my father.”

Hilly blushed slightly, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his gaze.

“Yes, then we’ll work together to deceive him,” Hilly tried to change the subject and return to the previous context. “You and I, we’ll cooperate, contact, communicate, plot, and then keep a low profile, be obedient, maybe create some minor conflicts to dispel suspicions. We’ll hide well, conceal ourselves, confuse him, mislead him, make your father think he has complete control over you, and then one day, we’ll…”

Hilly paused in his speech.

Thales snapped out of his daze and raised an eyebrow.

"At once?"

Miss Kevin Deer took a deep breath and shrugged:

"Let's take action."

action?

Thales listened to her nonchalant reply and remained silent for a long time.

"what happened?"

Thales lowered his head and closed his eyes, not letting the other person see his expression.

You'd better understand, this isn't some game of chess or a game; this is real—war.

The king's voice rang in his ears.

And anyone, regardless of their name, rank, power, wisdom, courage, ambition, or gentleness, who is self-righteous and dares to stand in the center of the battlefield...

"Hilaire, you just said that you and I cooperated to deceive him?" Thales opened his eyes and spoke softly.

They will all be utterly destroyed.

“Yes, deceive him, like we're doing a magic trick together,” Hilly said matter-of-factly, as if a renewed hope of saving her brother had been rekindled. “Listen, I know it sounds childish, and I know His Majesty isn't so easily fooled, just look at how cowardly you and Jann are—”

"Just like you lied to me before?"

Hilly was taken aback by what he heard:
"what?"

Thales stared at her with a sorrowful look in his eyes.

When Hilly met his gaze, she trembled slightly and instinctively looked away.

But the prince said nothing in the end, only shaking his head sadly.

“Oh, you mean before,” Hilly looked down at her hands, forcing a smile, “Okay, I apologize, I shouldn’t have treated you like that, but didn’t I say I wouldn’t pretend to be a ghost to trick or scare you again…”

“I already know, Hilla, about the identity you claim to have.”

Thales spoke softly:
"I know you're lying to me."

Hillay trembled at the sound.

"What, what? What lie..." She looked up, her face full of confusion.

Thales gently raised her hand, stopping her from saying anything more.

“I know you’ve been lying to me from the very beginning, from the very first day we met,” he said, looking at Hilla with a hint of sadness. “You impersonated the king’s spy, you impersonated someone from the royal secret service to get close to me, to gain my trust, so that you could work with your brother to get back at me…”

At that moment, Hilly's eyes widened.

She suddenly became anxious and tried to explain herself:

"No, I didn't, I really did..."

“When we met at the banquet, you tried every means to prove to me that you were the king’s man,” Thales shook his head, “but the next day, you knew nothing about the Kingdom’s secret service’s operations. I began to suspect something, and you immediately emphasized that you were only in contact with one person and told me not to contact the secret service or ask for verification…”

“But, but I proved my identity! I really know…” Hilla tried to explain.

“Yes, ‘make decisions on the spot, exercise discretion,’ you know the code the King told me,” Thales looked at her, his tone calm but with deep disappointment. “But since Federico knew it, I guess it’s not a big secret. And you probably found out about it through some loosely guarded channel and took advantage of it to impersonate a spy?”

Hilly opened her eyes wide, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

"As for what you just said, you could tell from how cowardly I and Jann are that the King isn't so easily fooled..."

Hilla's expression changed.

Thales chuckled softly, no longer looking at the girl:

"You can only guess at the King's identity by looking at my and Jan's reactions to say such things... You've never seen the King, have you? At least you've never spoken to him face to face."

Hilla looked incredulous.

“As for deceiving him… believe me, those who have truly faced my father,” Thales stared at the door, lost in thought, “could not possibly have that kind of confidence.”

Hilly finally understood. She stared at Thales, speechless, her face pale.

"I……"

“I don’t blame you. After all, you are Kevin Deer’s daughter,” Thales sighed softly, feeling utterly exhausted. “It’s just a matter of perspective.”

Hillary stared at him blankly.

Thales stared blankly at the door of the council chamber, his face expressionless, letting her gaze upon him.

"sorry."

A few seconds later, Hilly's voice rang out, hollow and lost.

“I’m sorry, Thales, I deceived you,” Hilly took a deep breath, trying to suppress his trembling voice. “I am not truly the King’s man. I did it only to gain your trust and your attention.”

Thales nodded blankly.

"Very good, thank you for your frankness, though it's a bit late."

"but I……"

“You may be the girl with the greatest value and benefit in the entire Star Kingdom through marriage, but please forgive me for not being able to cooperate or form an alliance with a liar who is full of lies, deceitful by nature, intends to manipulate me, mislead me, and will betray me sooner or later,” Thales interrupted her without changing his expression, his tone calm but indifferent, “let alone hold hands and get married, and spend a lifetime together.”

Hillay trembled at the sound.

"I……"

"Good day, Cecilia," Thales turned his head, not even glancing at her, and simply pointed to the door. "You can go now. Give my regards to Jacques the Soulbone."

Hilly didn't speak.

The entire hall fell into a deathly silence, with only Miss Kevin Deer's rapid breathing remaining.

But Thales didn't turn back. Not even a fraction of a second.

Finally, after a long time, Thales heard Hilly suddenly stand up.

He still didn't turn around.

“Believe it or not, kid,” Cecilia’s voice trembled, her breathing unsteady, yet with her usual tenacity and stubbornness, “but I… I didn’t collude with Jenn. He knew nothing about any of this. It had nothing to do with him. I just acted on my own…”

"enough."

Thales interrupted her ruthlessly, indicating that he had no interest in it.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

He shook his head:

"As for your brother, don't worry about him. I have my own plans for him—unless you can persuade him to surrender and give up Emerald City."

His tone was firm and unquestionable, making his intention to dismiss him all too clear.

Hilly's breathing began to quicken, accompanied by faint sobs.

But he still didn't turn back.

"very good."

The young lady's voice rang in my ears, tinged with a hint of resentment and stubbornness.

"so be it."

The next second, Hilly's footsteps sounded hurriedly as she headed towards the door.

Thales never looked back.

Until the door opens and closes.

The footsteps faded into the distance, growing smaller and weaker until they disappeared without a sound.

Thales let out a deep breath, then turned around in the empty hall to look at the closed door:
"very good."

He said quietly.

At least……

At least she's gone.

Thales leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.

At least she wasn't as stubborn as Selma.

At least she wasn't as stubborn as Miranda.

Or like me...

madness.

Thales resisted the urge to touch the "Covenant" and feel the stinging pain.

A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Wyatt stepped into the hall with deference.

"Your Highness, I've come to request permission to use a military intelligence raven to contact the capital..."

“Use it directly, no need to ask for my opinion,” Thales closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “Now go out and let me rest for a while.”

Wyatt's words came to an abrupt end.

"Oh, yes, Your Highness, of course."

But the attendant turned around halfway and then turned back again.

“I’m so sorry, Your Highness, but the raven was just an excuse,” Wyatt said, as if he had finally mustered up his courage. “So, so that I can have a word with you and check on your condition.”

what?
Thales frowned and opened his eyes.

Wyatt stood awkwardly to his left.
"And when I'm out and about, if the messenger Tsuifanov isn't around and Neshi hasn't been punished, then I'm in charge of the ravens. Yes, I'm with Old Pi, so I can use them whenever I want, as many as I want... Of course, that's not the point, sorry."

“Wyatt?” Thales asked, puzzled.

Wyman took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then opened them again:

"Actually, I just ran into Ms. Kevin Deer on the street, and she looked a bit..."

Thales frowned slightly:
"Excited?"

“Tears, Your Highness, she,” Wyatt hesitated, “the lady is crying.”

Thales's heart sank.

“Yes, we just had a fight,” he forced a nonchalant smile, as if discussing a trivial matter. “You know, Hillary, she’s spoiled and willful, and she can’t stop talking about her brother, as if there’s anything I can do about it…”

“Your Highness,” Wyatt raised his voice unusually, “I know that things haven’t gone smoothly since we arrived in Emerald City, and things have been complicated, but I always feel that you, you…”

"Don't worry, it was just a little bickering, I'm fine," Thales waved his hand dismissively. "Besides, nothing's going on between us, it's all just gossip from outsiders, don't join in the nonsense with DD and his gang..."

“What I’m about to say has nothing to do with her!” Wyman’s words were urgent, unusually interrupting the prince.

Thales fell silent, then looked up.

"Wyman, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Wyman gritted his teeth and finally spoke the truth:

“What I want to say is: You have become a stranger, Your Highness.”

"Strange? What's strange about it?"

Thales laughed, as if he had heard the most absurd thing:
"Is my swordsmanship starting to improve? I'm not losing as many martial arts lessons anymore? I'm getting used to riding horses? Oh, if you mean the other day, when Hilla and I ran away from home following clues, making you all worry..."

"It's not these things, Your Highness! It's not swordsmanship, it's not homework, it's not something that happened these past few days, but, Your Highness, it's, it's..."

Wyman spoke hastily, waving his hands awkwardly as if trying to say something, but each time he failed to express himself clearly:
“DD, Golov, even Commander Marius, these men from the guards, they, I mean, they haven’t followed you as long as I have, and the mute, well, you know, he is, he is…”

He racked his brains, but to no avail; he ultimately couldn't find any other words.
"Dumb."

But listening to the attendant's words, Thales seemed to understand something.

It's not about appearance, but...

The prince's smile vanished.

Why, Wyman?

why?
Why do you care about this?

Wyatt looked at Thales with concern: "So, forgive my presumption, Your Highness, but there are some things I think can only be said by me, and only by me..."

"What did you say?" Thales asked calmly.

Wyman took a deep breath, wanting to take a step forward, but ultimately retreated.

"Your Highness, how have you been lately?" he asked with concern.

Are you ok?
Thales remained expressionless.

"of course."

of course.

Thales stared intently at Wyman.

Apart from……

He took an extra bone ring.

Wyman looked back at him, his expression somewhat disappointed.

"Oh."

But the attendant quickly raised his head, his voice urgent:
"But this year, you've frowned more often than at any time in the past seven years, and you also tend to space out when you're alone. You often start talking to yourself on the street, saying things and stories that we can't understand, and at night, you've started sleeping in..."

"Sleep where?" Thales looked up sharply, his tone aggressive.

Wyman paused in his speech.

"nothing."

But he spoke anxiously:
"But if there's anything you'd rather not say, Your Highness, or any feelings you find difficult to express, you can trust me—"

“You?” Thales interrupted him, unconsciously raising his voice.

I believe you?
Wyman was stunned, and he quickly lowered his head to apologize:

“I’m sorry, I know I’m mediocre and dull-witted, Your Highness. Not to mention my father, I’m far inferior to others… But Your Highness, I still want to share your burdens.”

"Share the worries?"

How can we share the burden?

Thales gazed at him intently, suddenly recalling the moment he first met Wyman.

This life, this body, is at your disposal.

"What if I ask you to sacrifice yourself, to go and die?"

Wyman paused for a moment, then smiled.

“I would gladly go through fire and water for you,” he said, bowing solemnly. “But I know Your Highness will not do that.”

"How do you know I can't?" Thales shouted, suppressing the inexplicable resentment rising within him.

"Because I have followed you for many years, and have known you for a long time—"

What if you have to die?

Thales shouted, standing up and unconsciously adopting an accusatory tone, startling Wyatt into taking a step back:
"If you, Wyatt Cassel, if you were merely standing beside me, following in my footsteps, or even approaching me, would you be destined to be crushed to pieces and die?"

[...they will all be utterly destroyed.]

Thales was breathing heavily, staring intently at the attendant before him.

Make a wise choice.

Make a wiser choice.

Wyman seemed stunned; he had never seen His Highness look like this before.

But the prince's attendant swallowed hard, raised his hands, and tried his best to speak gently:
"It's alright, Your Highness. I know I don't like my father either. I mean, he's very good to me, but I just can't stand being in front of him..."

Thales frowned.

"Did Gilbert say something to you before we came here?"

“No, no, no, I… I haven’t talked to him much since I moved out on my own,” Wyatt said, sweating profusely. “Although he did hint that I should pay more attention to His Highness’s mental health…”

Gilbert.

[And anyone, regardless of their name, position, or power...]

[...they will all be utterly destroyed.]

Thales felt heavy-hearted and took a deep breath.

“You are my attendant, Wyatt,” he forced himself to calm down, “my trusted and relied-upon right-hand man.”

Wyman's eyes lit up:
"Yes, Your Highness, therefore you—"

“Then figure out your place and focus on your duties,” Thales interrupted him coldly, “instead of being arrogant and overstepping your bounds.”

These words were extremely harsh, cold, and ruthless, which greatly surprised Huaiya.

He instinctively took a step back, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head to apologize.

"I am very sorry, Your Highness, it was I who overstepped my bounds."

The hall fell silent.

Thales stood in the hall, looking at Wyatt Cassel, who was kneeling on the ground with a look of fear on his face, and suddenly realized that he had lost his composure.

The prince slumped back into his chair and covered his face with his hands.

"I...I'm sorry, Wyman..."

He sighed:

"Lately... I've had a lot of worries."

“No, Your Highness, I am the one who should apologize,” Wyatt said tremblingly, glancing furtively at the prince before immediately bowing his head. “I was being paranoid and presumptuous. I shouldn’t have asked such strange questions and caused you trouble…”

Damn it, he should have listened to the advice of the old smoker—no, Putila Niemann—a long time ago.

Each shining star is like a separate secret chamber, containing many hidden treasures. It's enough to only concern yourself with what you should know.

“Get up, Wyman,” Thales said wearily. “Thank you.”

Wyman exhaled and cautiously stood up.

"Really, thank you."

Thales rubbed his temples, his face contorted in pain: "But... not now."

Wyman gazed at him for a long, long time before looking down in disappointment.

“I understand,” the attendant said softly. “Then I’ll go out now.”

Thales closed his eyes and nodded.

Wyatt's footsteps faded into the distance.

"By the way, Your Highness."

Just as he was about to leave, the attendant suddenly turned around.

Thales looked up.

"If I were merely standing beside you, approaching you, I would be instantly pulverized and surely die..."

The next second, Wyman turned to look at Thales and gave a pale smile.

"Then I'll have to choose a good spot."

Thales's fingers trembled.

At that moment, the prince did not answer, but silently looked at his attendant, at his smile, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

【Nice to meet you, Your Highness Thales.】

My sword and my wisdom are both at your disposal.

For the rest of my life, I will serve you with all my heart.

This life, this body, is at your disposal.

but……

The hall was completely silent. Wyman seemed a little embarrassed and forced a smile as he spoke:
"I mean, I can't be ranked lower than the mute, can I?"

Thales continued to stare at him, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Feeling a little embarrassed by the stares, Wyman excused himself and turned to leave.

However, just as Wyatt walked out the door and disappeared into the darkness outside the council chamber, Thales suddenly felt a surge of emotions. He stood up and instinctively spoke:
"Wyman!"

Wyman's hand immediately appeared on the crack in the door that was about to close.

He peered back through the gate, his eyes filled with hope:

"Your Highness?"

"I……"

Thales looked at Wyman, hesitant to speak.

Yes.

What should he say?

Thank you again?
Or should it be "No, don't think like that"?
Those who supported you despite being deceived by you...

They will love you more than they hate me.

By then, you'll be powerless to change your situation; even if you wanted to get off halfway, it would be too late.

“Your Highness?” Wyatt looked at Thales, who was lost in thought, and couldn’t help but call out to remind him.

“His name is Rolf, not Mute,” Thales finally realized his tongue was too clumsy and could only manage to utter this one sentence: “Midira Rolf.”

Wyman's eyes dimmed slightly.

But a few seconds later, his expression brightened up again.

“I know, Your Highness,” Wyatt smiled slightly, “and I believe…”

The attendant gave Thales a meaningful look:
"He knew it too."

Thales shuddered involuntarily.

"Always know."

After speaking, Wyatt bowed slightly and disappeared from Thales' sight.

Thales was left alone in the hall, his mind in turmoil, overwhelmed with mixed feelings.
The council chamber fell silent again.

But Thales' peace did not last long. Soon, Marius, Hugo, and the logistics officer Stolt, with grim faces, pulled several Emerald City officials to Thales to report.

"What did you say?"

Thales was incredulous, while the financial officers before him, clutching their ledgers, were sweating profusely and trembling with fear.

"What do you mean? What do you mean? What does 'extremely distressed' mean? What does 'penniless' mean?"

The prince pressed for an answer.

"What I mean is that Emerald City's assets are far less rich and glamorous than we had imagined."

Logistics officer Stolt sighed, putting down the ledgers he had just finished reporting on, his expression grim:
"In fact, they are on the verge of bankruptcy."

(End of this chapter)