Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 741 Big Fish Eats Little Fish (Part 2)
This time, it was Thales' turn to remain silent for a long time.

"Okay, you're right, I really don't have any right to advise you on this point."

The prince seemed to recall something, sighed helplessly, and was filled with emotion:
“Just like me, no matter how well I execute His Majesty’s plan, or whether I yield to you… no matter who wins or loses in Emerald City, I am still in the same cage—and I need this cage to survive.”

Thales said absentmindedly:

"After all, as a human being, it's difficult to distinguish between what you choose and what you are chosen for...including the fact that you only have the right to choose because you were chosen beforehand..."

Looking at the prince, the Karabyan sisters exchanged a puzzled glance.

"That's a bit convoluted," Qina said, frowning.

“But I can understand the general idea.” Kasha squinted.

Thales snapped out of his daze and gave a wry smile.

“So, yes, I’m fed up,” he stretched after sitting for too long, “I really want to change my way of life.”

"But what about you?"

Kasha and Qina were both taken aback.

The next second, they looked at each other and nodded.

"We are Kalabyan."

Kasha gritted her teeth and said.

“Just like you are a shining star.” Qina nodded frantically.

"Born here".

"Die here!"

The two were still young, but they were like soldiers rushing to the battlefield, ready to die.

Upon hearing this, Thales seemed slightly lost in thought.

It was as if I heard another sentence.

Fight for the stars, die for the stars, live for the stars...

"therefore……"

The twins spoke one after the other:
"We won't, and we don't have time to be annoyed!"

"Is there any other way?"

"Will you give us a fortune after your coronation?"

"To promote us to prime minister of the kingdom?"

"Or shall I bestow upon you the title of Queen?"

"Or perhaps go even further and be crowned Queen of the Stars?"

"Having the right to do whatever one wants?"

Thales did not answer immediately.

He remained silent, pondering for a long while, before looking thoughtfully at the two sisters:
"Cohen Karabyan, he's your older brother, isn't he?"

The two young ladies with twin towers and longswords frowned in unison.

"Playing the family card won't work."

"Especially our silly older brother."

"And you can become friends with him?"

"It makes us feel sorry for you."

"Deep sorrow!"

"What a tragedy!"

Thales laughed, raising a finger to stop the other person from speaking:

"But do you know where Cohen is better than you?"

This statement was incoherent and illogical. Kasha and Qina were taken aback at first, then burst into laughter.

"Cohen? Better than us?"

"That giant baby gorilla?"

The two sisters felt both dissatisfaction and disdain:

"What makes you stronger? Are you stronger than us?"

"For five silver coins, I can hire someone twice as strong as him!"

"They're better at fighting than us?"

"Five gold coins can hire someone even better than him!"

"Dumber than us?"

"For five copper coins, I could hire someone better than him—sorry, I really can't."

Are they more irresponsible and more brainless than us?

"Just because she had a fight with her dad, she turned around and ran away from home!"

"Dad was so angry he fell ill, and Mom was so heartbroken she was bedridden!"

"We're not even as tall as a car wheel, yet we have to support the whole family!"

"I was worried about my mentally challenged brother's safety, so I saved up 250 yuan for his living expenses!"

"We must do everything we can to keep it from Dad!"

"We also have to rack our brains to keep it from the gorilla!"

"Otherwise, the gorilla will pretend not to accept it!"

"Even after arriving in the capital, he keeps causing trouble!"

"They even dared to offend an iron-fisted king!"

"They even dare to follow the troublesome prince!"

"We've been forced to come here to clean up his mess!"

"I was bullied terribly by a domineering prince!"

"Let him take advantage of us to the fullest!"

"Waaah, our lives are so miserable..."

When will I finally win the heart of the man of my dreams?

Boom!
Thales slammed his teacup down, interrupting their unconscious resuming duet.

“Indeed, Cohen, he may have done a lot of stupid things, foolish things, things that are not recognized, things that have no future and no results,” Thales said seriously, “but at least, every single thing he did was out of Cohen’s own will and choice.”

He remembered Cohen, the sheriff who was disheartened by the numerous setbacks in his work, and Cohen who cried uncontrollably when he heard that the abandoned building was being dismantled.

And Cohen, who always seemed a bit dazed and confused, whether in Dragon City or Eternal Star City, but never hesitated when faced with a choice that came at a heavy price.

“Unlike us, he can take responsibility for himself,” Thales said quietly, a hint of jealousy lurking in his voice, “and he only takes responsibility for what is rightfully his own.”

To Thales' surprise, the twins' expressions changed drastically upon hearing this.

"Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit!" Kasha exclaimed in exasperation.

“If he can take responsibility…” Qina’s eyes turned cold.

They seemed to be enraged.

Why should we get involved in this mess?

"If he can take responsibility..."

"Then why are we here?"

"So the prince can get something for free!"

Thales sneered.

The two sisters continued, their anger growing stronger:
"If he can take responsibility..."

"I wouldn't have broken into the palace with you..."

"It's been registered with His Majesty..."

"If we hadn't come here..."

Upon hearing this, Thales suddenly interrupted loudly:

"Is it!"

He said coldly:

"I thought that for you, whether your own brother lives or dies is unimportant, at most just an extra."

The Karabyan sisters both choked.

Thales sarcastically remarked:

"As you say, in the face of the family, the individual is utterly insignificant—even the family heir."

“Sister, he…” Qina gritted her teeth.

"He's mimicking us again!" Kasha's eyes blazed with anger.

Thales took a deep breath:

"Now, Kasha, Qina, what exactly are you here for? Is it really just to clean up Cohen's mess and take on the responsibilities that should belong to him?"

Kasha and Qina both gritted their teeth and remained silent.

The prince stared intently at Cohen's two sisters:
"Or is it to take on that responsibility for him—the responsibility that was imposed on him, but which he resented and rejected?"

He went a step further, his gaze fixed on his opponents, as if trying to see through their disguise:
"Or rather, a responsibility imposed on you, one that you have no way to refuse?"

The demon twins of Vora territory were stunned.

They looked at Thales with confusion and hesitation, as if they had never met him before.

“Think about this, and maybe you’ll understand where Cohen is better than you—even better than me,” Thales said quietly.

The two Karabyans did not answer immediately.

One of them seemed lost in thought, while the other looked resentful.

"Hmph! Your Highness is sharp-tongued and particularly adept at sophistry." Kasha realized what was happening and retorted through gritted teeth.

"We've heard about this before!" Qina said indignantly.

Having said that, they snorted angrily, and once again unfurled their black folding fans, revealing the obscene words written on them, which they then pointed directly at the second prince:
[Oh dear little brat.]

Thales had a vague idea of ​​where their unusual anger was coming from.

But he didn't refute it, he just smiled calmly:
"Is it?"

The next second, before the twins' anger could escalate further, Thales preemptively changed the subject:
"Then do you know where Miranda Aarond is better than you?"

Kasha and Qina were taken aback again.

"Miranda?"

"Aarend?"

The two sisters looked at each other as if they had seen the most absurd thing, and burst into laughter several times.

"An armored female warrior?"

"The Northern Madman?"

As if to prove something, their voices grew louder and louder, and their words became increasingly harsh:
"The Cold Castle heir whose right to succession has been usurped?"

"A fortress vanguard disgraced by his father's treason?"

"The Winter's Sword, whose words are ignored even by men in the North?"

"A White Eagle nobleman who does odd jobs for little brats?"

"A muscular tomboy with nothing but brute force?"

"A violent female swordswoman who only knows how to wield a sword?"

"She can't hold up a ship alone; she can't even raise a ten-man army!"

"If they really pull her up, I'm afraid His Majesty will have her head chopped off!"

"She's caught in a whirlpool; wherever she goes, it will put both the host and guests in an awkward and uncomfortable position!"

"The only place that won't be difficult is Xinghubao, which is poorer than Hanbao, farther than Changqing Island, and smaller than my living room!"

"She's stronger than us?"

"Eating rice without doing anything is definitely better than us!"

Kai'Sa barely contained her anger:

"She has nothing!"

Qina's eyes were fierce:

"We have everything!"

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Thales clapped his hands loudly in agreement.

“That’s right, Miranda, she has nothing now.”

He recalled Mira's resolute determination at Starlake Castle, her unwavering resolve:

"At most, he's just a subordinate who runs errands for me—well, not even an official one. He hasn't even received his official appointment letter from the Palace of Restoration yet."

He turned his eyes.

“And you, you have everything,” Thales said, looking at the two Kalabyans. “For example, you were born into the prominent and renowned Kalabyan family on the southern shore of the kingdom…”

Kasha looked smug, while Qina looked proud.

Until Thales' next sentence:

"...a bargaining chip for a marriage alliance."

The twins' expressions changed drastically.

“Sisters…” Kasha gritted her teeth.

"Sisters!" Qina's eyes blazed with anger.

They gripped each other's hands tightly, staring menacingly at Thales's indifferent expression.

"Or perhaps, you are destined to be the family of a high-ranking and prestigious official somewhere in the kingdom..."

Thales paused briefly:

"...the facade decoration?"

“Sister!” Kasha grasped her sister’s hand, her chest heaving.

“Sister.” Qina squeezed her hand tightly, her words difficult to utter.

But Thales' journey is not over yet.

Even if you find a husband who is wealthy, refined, and destined to die young, people will still call you...

Thales scoffed:

"...the widow of so-and-so, the widow of a deceased person."

His expression was playful:
"And did you know that one of my ancestors, a king, had a penchant for marrying wealthy widows to amass wealth?"

At this moment, the anger in Kassadin and Qina's eyes was beyond measure.

But Thales laughed.

He took a deep breath and looked out at the blue sky.

“But compared to all of this, compared to you, Ms. Miranda Aarond,” Thales’s tone grew increasingly forceful, “Mira, she is mine…”

Thales paused, turned around, and smiled as he corrected him:
"No, she chose to be mine..."

At that moment, the prince's eyes shone brightly, brimming with confidence:
"knight."

The study fell silent.

knight.

One word.

The pronunciation is simple, without any embellishment or description.

But the moment the word was uttered, Kasha and Qina gritted their teeth.

"What does it mean?"

"What difference does it make?"

They remained defiant, stubbornly refusing to admit their disdain.

But Thales noticed that they were all trembling slightly without realizing it.

"Working is just working!"

"Losing power is losing power!"

"No matter how nicely you put it, it's still the same!"

"So what if you're a knight?"

"What good is it!"

"When the master is in a terrible predicament..."

Did she fart anything useful?

But Thales remained calm and simply shook his head slightly:

“I think you understand the difference better than I do—not to mention, she may be the first duchess in the northern border of the kingdom.”

The two sisters' expressions changed. Kasha bit her lip in protest, while Qina gripped her sister's hand tightly.

"Your Highness is so generous, making promises before even being crowned..."

The two sisters had ill intentions:

"Has His Majesty been informed?"

“No,” Thales said frankly and sincerely, “because I’m different from you—I’m fed up!”

The Karabyan sisters exchanged a glance, incredulous.

"Even that Kevin Deer you all hate the most, that Miss Cecilia who has ruined me and left me with nowhere to turn..."

The twins reacted as if their feet had been stepped on when they heard the name.

"Ugh! That pervert, that lunatic!"

"You damned woman, Miss Monster!"

"A calamity!"

"Pretend to be a ghost!"

"You've dragged us all into the temple to be punished!"

"I lost my most beautiful childhood!"

“Yes, Hilaire is frail and sickly, has been away from Emerald City for a long time, and has a bad relationship with her brother. She is not as capable as you in governing and making decisions in the Vora Territory.”

Thales hesitated for a moment, then finally sighed:
"But at that moment, at the moment she snatched food from my mouth and humiliated me, she chose to become my opponent, my enemy."

Thales looked at the two female guests with indignant expressions.

“And you, Kasha, Qina, as you said,” Thales shook his head slightly, with a hint of regret, “Karabian is destined to be an ally of Kevindir, destined to be entangled with the Iris family, unable to break free.”

As Thales spoke, the two sisters' breathing gradually became erratic.

"Because it's not that you can't, or that you don't have time, but that you're 'not qualified' to be annoyed, let alone struggle and find a way out."

Kassa and Qina's angry gazes gradually froze.

"Because from the time you were born until now, and perhaps until the time you die..."

Thales' eyes dimmed:
"There is no other choice."

As soon as the words were spoken, Kasha and Qina swayed slightly, their faces turning pale.

The study remained quiet for a long time.

Until Kaisa, her expression grim, composed herself and forced a response:

"I know, Your Highness wants to persuade us to abandon our family's stance and make our own choice?"

"Impossible!" Qina looked up angrily, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

“And no matter how much you ramble on,” Kasha tried to remain rational, “in the end, it won’t change one fact.”

She took a deep breath:

"Whether it's our will or not, we are with Karabyan..."

"Everyone will be prosperous, and everyone will suffer a loss!"

"Just like you and the Star Family."

"We are protected by them, but also subject to their constraints!"

"Leaving the family's influence is like a fish leaving water."

"You will only lose more than you gain!"

"Without Karabyan, we can't even help you if we want to."

"It's even less likely that they would turn against us and bring harm upon themselves!"

The twins stared intently at him, trembling as they finished speaking.

Thales calmly looked back at them.

"Is it impossible for you, or impossible for Kalabyan?"

"That's impossible!" Qina retorted.

“You cannot, and are unable to, separate us from Karabyan,” Kasha added slowly.

Thales smiled and shook his head:

"Don't worry, I have no such expectations."

Kaisa took a deep breath and nodded:

"Since you know that, that's for the best."

Qina forced back her tears:

"You'd better know!"

Persuasion failed.

But Thales showed no signs of frustration.

Faced with the two sisters, whose breathing was disordered and whose emotions were fluctuating, he felt like he had grasped something.

Something that touches the soul.

“Even if you’re not tired of the status quo,” Thales said softly, “aren’t the Calabyan family tired of it too?”

"What are you annoyed about?"

"What excuse are you going to make now!"

The two sisters were on high alert.

Thales leaned back and looked up at the ceiling.

“Let me put it this way: you sided with Jenn and successfully withstood this wave of royal invasion and the clutches of the Restoration Palace,” he sighed, “but what about the next wave? And the one after that? And the one after that?”

"You mean you're going to come back for another comeback?" Kasha asked coldly.

"That's thinking way too far ahead!" Qina retorted.

"Let's take care of what happens after you return to Yongxing City."

"Someone's going to get a good spanking from Daddy!"

Thales smiled.

"No, I mean, whether it's to protect one's own interests, to represent a certain social class, to maintain the system and institutions, to defend the foundation of rule, or even the more abstract defense of a way of life and values..."

He sat up straight and looked directly at the two girls:

"Regardless of who is right or wrong, what is right and what is wrong, what is just or unjust, for so many years, the South Bank Territory and Emerald City seem to have always been... on the defensive?"

Perhaps because the answer was unexpected, Kasha and Qina were both taken aback.

"And Karabyan's situation is even more difficult and challenging, because he has to do everything he can to help Emerald City defend against the royal central government's external attacks on the South Bank Territory, while also meticulously planning and advancing step by step to weaken Kevindir's internal pressure on you and seize more internal influence. It seems like he's always facing enemies on two fronts..."

Thales sighed to the two young ladies:
"Like you, in pursuit of freedom, you want to find a husband, but also a husband who dies young. It seems you're always... looking for a husband?"

The study fell silent instantly.

The two Miss Karabyans frowned, looking on with suspicion.

“I don’t understand,” Kasha said coldly.

"What do you mean?" Qina asked suspiciously.

They suppressed their anger, their expressions turning cold. Coupled with the two dark lines on their faces caused by smudged makeup, when they looked up at Thales with a cold gaze, they actually looked somewhat eerie and terrifying.

"What I mean is, times are changing, the kingdom is moving forward, and perhaps the South Coast Territory is even a little ahead, which is why it has accumulated so much wealth that the Restoration Palace envies..."

Thales rubbed his nose, feeling like he had found the key.

“But neither Kalabyan nor Kevindir’s eyes are on the South Coast,” he clicked his tongue, “like a cat guarding its food, always thinking, ‘My cat food is better, I have to protect it well, so that other cats don’t steal it.’”

Thales looked at the two girls:
"Isn't it a bit of a waste?"

Kasha fell into deep thought, remaining silent.

"Food guarding? What a pity?" Qina slowly savored these words.

Thales smiled and nodded.

“Because what you actually have that’s better isn’t cat food, not just cat food, at least not those things that can be taken away,” Thales said slowly, “but things that can’t be taken away—like the experience and skills of searching for cat food?”

Kai'Sa's eyes lit up:
"You mean..."

Thales spread his hands:

"Since the South Coast Territory has already taken the lead nationwide, why can't it continue to do so?"

He spoke slowly, using the most seductive tone he could think of:
"Since you're already ahead, why refuse to face the challenge out of fear of falling behind?"
"Since you're already ahead, why adopt a defensive stance and stagnate?"
"Why not open your arms to protect your food, take the offensive, and embrace a wider world?"

"Why not use the losses of today to gain progress in the future?"

The Karabyan sisters were stunned.

"Cohen once told me that if you don't take the initiative in a fight and always go on the defensive, your opponent will counterattack."

Thales' eyes were burning:
“And wasting opportunities will be punished.”

Kasha frowned, lost in thought, but then suddenly spoke:
"If you don't want to find a husband, then why can't you not find a husband?"

Qina snapped back to her senses:
"sisters!"

Thales smiled.

“I can see that Count Turamy Karabyan is a good father. He loves you and trusts you, which is why he entrusts so many affairs and businesses to you for management, operation, and decision-making.” Kasha’s eyes dimmed.
"It's to leave us a dowry."

Qina pouted:
"So that we can hold our heads high in our husbands' families in the future."

Thales shook his head:
“But as you say, even the best dad isn’t the best dad—unless he’s dead.”

Kai'Sa's eyes flickered:
"Be careful, Your Highness, given your status..."

With perfect understanding, Qina picked up the conversation:
"You can't say that."

Then why don't you go and sue the king?

Thales condensed those words into his eyes and glanced at them indifferently.

The Karabyan sisters frowned and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"But compared to this, what's truly regrettable is this: no matter how well you do in the Vora Territory, how much money you make, how many deals you make, how many connections you build, how many political battles you win, how many royal invasions you repel, or how many Emerald City lords you protect, even if you play your part brilliantly in this position, your influence and effect will ultimately be limited. You can only be confined to the South Bank Territory, and can only use one territory to resist the royal central government's—plunder or invasion?"

Thales continued:

"In the South Bank Territory, the best you can do in your life is to be a wealthy widow, managing your own few dozen chests of dowry and your husband's family's hundreds or thousands of acres of land. At most, well, a Countess of Kalabian? That's assuming Cohen dies early or abdicates. Then you'll have to marry a husband, have children, and leave behind descendants."

The demon twins remained silent.

"But imagine if one day you could bring together this determination and wisdom of a widow and orphans to defend their home and fight back, the energy and prestige that the Kalabyan family can draw upon, and your anger and strength that refuse to compromise..."

Thales lowered his voice and slowed his speech:
"What about using it at a royal council meeting?"

At that moment, the Karabyan sisters were both startled and looked up simultaneously:

"What are you talking about?"

"Shrimp?"

Thales blinked.

“I know that the Kalabyan family is worried about the invasion of royal power and the erosion of their foundation on the south bank…”

He opened his palm:

"But guess what? In the Star Kingdom, who is most capable of influencing—not resisting—the invasion of royal power? And who can truly shake the foundations of the South Bank, or even the entire Star Kingdom's rule?"

Kasha and Qina exchanged a glance, unable to hide their surprise.

“Is it the person sitting in the Empty Palace, in this study,” Thales gestured, “or the person sitting in the Restoration Palace, in the Ballard Room—excuse me, the Imperial Council?”

The two sisters looked at him in disbelief.

“I think that what you could protect, fight for, obtain, and change at that time was far more than just the ‘Kongming Palace’s major policies’ and the ‘foundation of governance of the South Bank Territory’.”

Thales said in a deep voice:

"Once someone in the court sets their sights on the South Bank Territory or even Karabyan, you can take the initiative and nip the spark in the bud, right from the Palace of Restoration."

"If a crisis like the one in Emerald City were to strike again, you could easily make a move and create a nationwide chessboard, preventing the South Bank Territory from fighting alone and without support..."

“Even further… if the entire kingdom inherits and promotes the rules and systems of the South Bank Territory…”

But before he could finish speaking, Kasha interrupted him:
"What are you trying to do, Your Highness?"

Qina stared at him intently:
What do you mean by that?

Thales looked at his older sister, then at his younger sister, and smiled slightly.
“It’s simple, I want—more money.”

The two sisters were completely confused.

"Your Highness," Kasha said cautiously, half-believing, "is this a promise of a place for us in the Imperial Council?"

"Words of wisdom?" Qina narrowed her eyes.

In the quiet study, Thales and the two Karabyans gazed at each other silently.

A few seconds later.

"Ha, how is that possible!"

Thales laughed and waved his hand, then shrank back into his chair as if scalded by boiling water: "Watch out, given my status..."

He blinked.

"You can't say that."

Instead of laughing, the two sisters squinted their eyes and observed carefully.

"It should be known that every seat in the Imperial Council is extremely important, as it concerns the major policies of the nation."

“And I am not the king,” Thales said, looking at the two ladies with a meaningful gaze. “What right do I have to appoint or dismiss important officials?”

The words fell.

The two sisters took a small breath.

"Oh my god, sister." Qina's breathing quickened.

“I know,” Kasha said with difficulty.

"Is he tempting us?"

"I know!"

"Tempting us to betray our beliefs and stray?"

"I know!!"

"So he was posing?"

"I know!!!"

"Use every trick in the book!"

"I know!"

Thales listened with a strange expression.

"Fine," he said, tossing his hand. "That's the gist of it. Use whatever analogies you like."

The next second, the two sisters' expressions changed.

The previous anger and anxiety are gone.

He no longer possessed his previous arrogance and composure.

Instead, it became...

"Hmph, what a disgrace to male virtues," Kasha sneered.

"But it's quite impressive," Qina said with a wicked smile.

"Ah, after all this time, I just realized it myself," Thales said, scratching his head helplessly. "So you two like this kind of thing."

The two sisters huddled behind the folding fan with its vulgar language, chattering amongst themselves for a while before finally peeking out again.

"You know what, Your Highness, this is the most charming moment you've had in days."

"Although it's my first time, I'm inevitably a bit awkward and nervous..."

Kaisa squinted:

"But he is far more mature than a brainless brat trying to act like a masculine man."

Qina nodded calmly:

"It's far more refreshing than a hypocritical old hand pretending to be a refined gentleman in this corrupt world."

"As it turns out, if you just want to..."

"She can also strike seductive poses and tempt men to commit crimes!"

Thales sighed and rubbed his forehead, ignoring their hints.

"Alright, so what do you have to say?"

The demon twins smiled and exchanged a glance.

The next second, they all shook their heads and said in unison:
"No!"

Thales let out a sigh of relief and slumped onto the desk in disappointment.

Was all that he said for nothing?
“If we agree to His Highness’s offer and concede, it will mean the fall of Emerald City and a full-scale invasion by the royal power…”

"Once Karabyan's interests are harmed, its glory will fade, and it may even decline..."

The twins chuckled softly:
"We have lost our family support."

"What else can we use to leave the South Bank and win... a place in your so-called 'wider world'?"

Thales pulled his head off the table and let out a long sigh.

"First of all, believe me, based on my understanding of the efficiency of the Imperial Council's infighting, the 'conquest' of Emerald City won't be that quick. The accountants under Steward Joker Mann will need at least a year and a half just to tally the books..."

He stared incredulously at the two confident sisters, his voice urgent, almost as if he wanted to grab them by the shoulders and shake them:

Secondly, do you really have so little confidence in yourselves?

The Karabyan sisters blinked.

"Do you really think that you are where you are today, able to sit before me and speak so eloquently, solely because of Kalabyan's established power and position? Because of Count Turamy's trust and accumulated influence?"

The twins smiled at each other, their expression unreadable.

"Please, you two managed to beat me so badly that I was completely overwhelmed, and you brought Emerald City to the brink of collapse. You even made my father so angry that he was stomping his feet on the throne, but there was nothing he could do," Thales said anxiously. "To bring Karabyan to the point where it can influence the situation in Emerald City and the major policies of the kingdom, you two have considerable power and have made significant contributions. Don't underestimate yourselves."

"Your Highness, you are only saying this to incite and seduce."

"Others could do the same thing in our position."

Thales frowned:

"Others can do it too... um, Cohen?"

The two sisters were both stunned for a moment, then fell silent.

"Speaking of this, do you know..."

Thales seemed to remember something and reminisced:

“The two hundred and fifty gold coins you sent to Cohen, he didn’t touch a single one, he kept them all in a border tavern.”

The two sisters were stunned for a moment, and after realizing what had happened, one gritted her teeth and the other was filled with righteous indignation:
"I knew it!"

"The arrogant gorilla!"

"He deserves to go hungry!"

"I was so frugal back then, I couldn't even bring myself to buy the latest royal vanity case!"

"I also sold a lot of jewelry and shoes, and I only have twelve dresses left!"

"Don't even think about me helping him out again!"

Thales promptly reached out and changed the subject:

"Don't worry, this money has a purpose. It has all been used to repay and support the veterans who had accidents in the desert..."

"Pah! What a fake kindness!"

"Sister Hua's money..."

"Of course I don't feel bad!"

"I want him to pay back the money! And with interest!"

“But that’s precisely why,” Thales interrupted them, with a touch of melancholy, “that in the Blade Fang Dunes camp today, mentioning the name ‘Cohen the Big Fool Karabyan’ carries far more weight than mentioning the names of the noblemen, and being ‘Cohen’s friend’ is far more popular than being ‘Karabiyan’s friend’.”

The two sisters fell silent.

“Those two hundred and fifty gold coins are yours, or more precisely, they belong to the Karabyan family, to the Vora territory,” Thales sighed, “but what they accomplished across mountains and rivers, what they chose, what they signified, I believe…”

He looked at Kasha and Qina, and said seriously:

"Then forever and ever, it can only belong to Cohen."

Kasha and her sisters seemed lost in thought.

"Because this is something that cannot be done simply by virtue of the Karabyan surname."

After he finished speaking, the three of them remained silent for a long time.

"Your Highness has been talking to us for so long, but has he asked our father's opinion?" Kasha said in a deep voice.

"What if he doesn't agree?" Qina frowned.

“Really?” Thales shrugged. “Do I even need to ask him?”

The three of them looked up at each other in the air and then smiled together.

“Those words just now, those ‘concessions at this moment,’ ‘it’s better to take the initiative than to be on the defensive,’ ‘take the offensive and open up a vast world’s possibilities, and so on…” Kasha pondered.

"Have you spoken to Lord Jann about this?" Qina asked.

"Did you try to persuade him with those words?"

Did you ever try your best to tempt him to cheat on you?

Thales laughed dismissively.

"Ha! Don't talk about 'concessions at this moment'..."

Thinking of the injury on his face, he said bitterly:
"The word 'concession' does not exist in the Kevin Deere family dictionary—none of them are willing to concede voluntarily."

"That's because you're just talking nonsense!" Kasha retorted dismissively.

“Including temptations for us!” Qina seemed indignant.

“I know, but you have to give up something to gain something. Sometimes, for a certain purpose,” Thales sighed, “we always have to take some risks and make concessions or back down on some interests.”

"For example, the ownership of Emerald City?"

"Like the unspoken rules of the capital that you hate?"

Thales raised an eyebrow and looked at the two sisters with a meaningful expression.

"what?"

Why do you see us like that!

"Alas! We are proper young ladies!"

"If you use force, we will fight to the death!"

"unless……"

"There is no unless!"

Thales coughed, interrupting them:

“I used to think that the Kalabyan family always played defensively because they were unwilling to take risks.”

His eyes flickered:
"But now I understand that the cause and effect are exactly the opposite: you have been on the defensive for too long, so long that you are even afraid to take risks."

The two sisters were taken aback.

Kaisa sneered and retorted:
"That sounds nice, but why don't you take the initiative to concede and open up Emerald City?"

Qina nodded resentfully:

"Do you really have to force us, the vulnerable, to make concessions? To give you Emerald City?"

Thales sighed deeply.

"Believe me, I've fallen from a carefree duke who used to lie in his castle, petting cats and dogs, and living a life of leisure to this state: burdened with the responsibilities of a monarch, carrying a mountain of debt, ineffective in apprehending criminals, poor in governance, and lax in managing my subordinates, making a mess of Emerald City, and even being humiliated and disgraced by a little girl, becoming the laughingstock of the entire city..."

He slumped back in his chair, his eyes vacant.

"I have already conceded and backed down enough."

Qina chuckled: "Excuse my bluntness, but you've already lost all your power and hit rock bottom. There's no room for you to concede..."

But at that moment, she was suddenly grabbed and held down!
"Sisters!" Qina turned around in surprise.

Kai'Sa stared intently at Thales, who was lost in thought.

"Your Highness, you're saying you've lost face and are being ridiculed?"

"uh-huh."

"And you've already conceded and backed down enough?"

"uh-huh."

Kasha remained silent for a while, lost in thought for a long time.

"I must say, Your Highness, your suggestion just now, while interesting, was nothing but empty talk."

Qina nodded:
"Not credible, much less suitable for trading."

Thales let out a long sigh and stood up:

"Okay, I know I'm just a kid right now, and I don't have any bargaining chips to tempt you into making a deal..."

Qina narrowed her eyes and looked Thales up and down:
"That's not necessarily true..."

Kasha pulled her sister back, frowned, shook her head, and whispered:

"No, he's still a minor..."

But Thales didn't notice their whispers.

"But I believe at least one thing."

Thales sat up straight and said seriously:
"Whether it's a shark or a crocodile, if the outcome is unchangeable, you'd all prefer to stand on the side of the winner, right?"

Kai'Sa's eyes flickered:
"What do you mean?"

Thales calculated his chips and gritted his teeth, saying:

"If I win this round... I'll have at least an 80% chance, no, a 70% chance, maybe a 60% chance... then you can choose sides, right?"

Qina snorted:
"Without our help, are you sure you can win? Save Emerald City?"

Thales smiled.

“I’m not sure, but you’re even more stubborn and inflexible than Cohen, refusing to budge,” he said, annoyed. “Do I have any other options?”

Kasha studied him thoughtfully for a while.

“Your Highness,” she suddenly spoke, “aren’t you really considering getting engaged soon?”

Thales was startled.

Qina was slightly taken aback, but she reacted quickly, cooperating with her sister: "If we're going to consider it, we sisters are both..."

“Thank you for your kind offer,” Thales sneered and waved his hand, “but I don’t want to die young.”

Kaisa smiled slightly:
"Actually, if your husband were you, you wouldn't have died so young!"

"Really?" Thales asked, his face full of doubt.

Qina nodded, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes, yes, even if you become paralyzed or lose your mind, we'll hire the best servants to take care of you..."

"No need."

Thales waved his hand dismissively, refusing decisively.

Kaisa squinted:

"Oh, what a pity."

"Yeah yeah."

But the next second, Kasha Karabyan changed the subject:
"But considering your frank and open words today, Your Highness, we can offer you some hints."

Qina turned around in surprise:
"sisters?"

But her sister grabbed her and whispered a few words in her ear, then her face showed surprise and doubt.

Thales' eyes flickered:
"Oh?"

“Whether it’s the market, public security, public opinion, or prices,” Kasa pressed down on Qina and said in a deep voice, “these are all the methods we’ve used to drag Emerald City down and force you to give up, but they’re just minor details.”

Qina, still somewhat skeptical, replied:

"It may be unsightly, but it is unlikely to affect the overall situation."

"If you wish to bring Emerald City back to life..."

"Then we must strike at the root of the problem that determines the situation."

Thales' eyes flickered:
"fundamental?"

Kasha nodded, her expression profound.

“You’re right. Even when we work with Kevin Deer, he only lets us handle the most peripheral tasks.”

Qina said bitterly:
They even gave it the fancy name of "each has its own strengths".

"The most crucial, most important, and most compelling bargaining chip in Emerald City is entirely in Duke Jan's own hands."

"No one else shall be allowed to interfere."

Thales frowned:
"You mean..."

“Debt,” Kasha said coldly.

"Huge debt!" Qina nodded firmly.

"Nearly 1.3 million Tormond gold coins in the short term."

"Long-term debt of approximately 12.9 million."

"Debt sufficient to cripple the government."

"Debts that bankrupted Emerald City and caused the collapse of South Shore Territory."

Thales felt a wave of dizziness and lightheadedness.

"Long-term...129...13 million?"

What are you doing?
so much?
Stay calm, stay calm, Thales, pull yourself together...

He took several deep breaths, trying to get the air out.

"How do you know so much?"

The Karabyan sisters smiled mysteriously:
"We guessed."

Fuck!
Thales took a deep breath, regained his composure, and exclaimed in shock:

"More than ten million... How did he borrow so much money? From whom did he borrow it?"

Which rich man has so much money? Which creditor would dare lend so much? Why would he need to borrow so much? Where does Jenn get the confidence to repay so much?

Both of them shook their heads in unison:

"we do not know."

Kasha immediately said in a cold voice:
"But the money issue remains unresolved."

"You can forget about doing this without Jenn's cooperation..."

"Preserve Emerald City."

"Without money, not only the Starry Sky Royal Family, but even the Sunset Goddess can't save you."

Thales snapped out of his daze and quickly pressed for an answer:

"Can't you help with this? The Karabyan family is quite well-off, right? For example, you could lend a hand first..."

But Kasha raised a finger, smiling, and pressed it to her lips:

“Take care of it, Your Highness.”

Qina imitated her, blinking her eyes:
"Otherwise, there's nothing we can do to help you."

"We've already revealed enough today."

"Now it's up to you whether you're a shark or a crocodile."

As soon as he finished speaking, the twins stood up together, bowed, and said goodbye.

"and many more!"

Thales was startled and quickly got up as well.

"If I resolve this matter, well, the debt, then you guys will..."

The next second, Kasha and Qina both smiled.

They spun around in unison, and from somewhere produced two brand-new, bright silver folding fans, their nine-pointed star logos gleaming.

Snapped!
The folding fan opens in the air:

[Your Highness, fly with confidence, Kasakina will always be by your side.]

On the day the young king was crowned, his sisters pledged themselves to each other.

amount……

Ok.

Thales looked both helpless and relieved.

Two folding fans intersected, forming another sentence at their junction:

[The creation of the world by the gods brings you into this world!]

The two sisters paused in an exaggerated flying dance pose and winked at Thales.

"Thanks……"

Thales gave an awkward laugh and waved his hand:
"Thank you..."

“By the way, if that day ever comes,” Kasha’s gaze was intense and aggressive, “I want to be the Prime Minister of the Kingdom.”

Thales' eyelids twitched.

“And me! It’s us, us, who will be prime ministers!” Qina added forcefully.

Thales remained silent for a moment.

“You guys really know how to ask for the highest position right from the start,” he said with a helpless smile. “But as I said, I can’t guarantee or promise anything before my coronation…”

Kaisa's eyes turned cold:
"Oh, really? You can't make that promise?"

Qina clicked her tongue:
"Then we'll just have to fight for it ourselves, sister."

"Yes, we must strive to see that day..."

"You'll be begging us to make you your prime minister."

Thales' eyelids twitched:
What if I don't ask?

Kasha and Qina exchanged a glance and smiled.

"Then we'll just have to fight for it ourselves, sister."

"We must strive to see another day..."

Thales frowned:
"What day?"

The girls looked at Thales, their faces beaming with smiles:
"Of course you begged us..."

"The day you are restored to the throne will come!"

Thales shuddered slightly, suppressing the chill that ran down his spine.

"Why...reclaim the throne?"

His response was met with the increasingly radiant, yet unsettling, eerie smiles of the demonic twins.