Kingdom Bloodline

In the deep, dark dungeon, Thales silently recalled the experiences recounted by the vampire assassin, while Lord Losang II remained expressionless.

No one responded to Hillena's words, whether they were a joke or sarcasm.

"Then why don't you go back?"

Thales asked quietly.

King Lausanne II raised his eyes blankly.

Thales took a deep breath:

"After Crown Prince Midil returned, regardless of the truth, at least everyone—I mean, most of those involved—was exonerated. But why are you still willing to stay in the Blood Bottle Gang, doing illegal business, taking money to kill and do dirty work, instead of going back to Mindis Hall and getting back up from where you fell..."

"he?"

Lausanne II suddenly raised his voice.

"Midiel?"

He sneered, his tone filled with resentment and disdain.

"Of course, when he found me, handed over the source blood, sincerely apologized, and hoped to ease my resentment and grievances and gain my forgiveness, he looked so kind and compassionate, almost as if he was about to give me his wife... Tsk tsk tsk, he looked so sincere and earnest, so respectful and touching. It was just like how big shots would lower themselves to befriend the common people with a few words of nonsense, moving them to tears. Loyal ministers and filial sons would convince themselves to prostrate themselves before him, to be loyal to him to the death, to find a lot of excuses for him, to frame a whole stack of certificates for him, and to beautify his image. They would even be willing to give him their wives to have children."

Thales frowned, trying his best not to respond to the other party's extreme and indignant language:
"But the tragedy that dragged you down was neither his intention nor his..."

Lobsang II interrupted him, his tone impatient and filled with deep hatred:
"See? What did I tell you? I gave him a whole bunch of excuses. Isn't that it?"

Thales was speechless for a moment.

Why is he so... agitated?
The prince sighed:

"To be honest, I neither know him nor understand him, but I..."

“You will,” Losang II interrupted him again, “when your large group of guards and bodyguards, loyal ministers and filial sons who were guarding outside, admired you, respected you, were loyal to you and worshipped you for various reasons, but were all implicated by you and suffered the destruction of their families and never be reincarnated.”

Thales was taken aback.

"When you can still hold their hands with tears streaming down your face and feel genuinely moved, saying to them with the most heartache, tenderness, and understanding, 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I feel so guilty, I will make it up to you, can you forgive me?', thus moving them to the point of obsession and taking pride in it, in order to get more people to follow in your footsteps and die for you, and you repeat this process sincerely over and over again, until it becomes a habit..."

King Lausanne II raised his eyes, his gaze cold and ruthless:
"You'll get to know him then."

Thales didn't fully understand.

But at that moment, staring into Lausanne II's eyes and listening to the other's inexplicable narration, he felt a chill run through his body.

"It sounds like a cult," came the young lady's muffled voice.

Thales glanced to the side and whispered a reminder:

"Hilai!"

"Ha, you were right, young lady."

King Lausanne II chuckled softly.

"As for Midil, that evil crown prince who perfectly blends cruelty and ruthlessness with compassion and gentleness, always with a smile, full of tenderness, and broad-minded, yet in reality scheming and manipulating people's hearts, not only making everyone unable to escape his grasp, but also making everyone feel his heartache and hesitation, and empathize with his compassion and dilemma..."

King Losang II snorted coldly:
"Cult, there is no more apt description than this."

what?
Hearing these descriptions, Thales frowned.

He had previously thought that even if his circumstances were tragic, even if his personality was extreme, even if he was implicated and harmed by the undercurrents around the royal family, at least King Lausanne II wouldn't treat Crown Prince Midil, who was praised by everyone, pardoned his sins, and left him a cure...

“I understand. Because of him, you were affected and suffered greatly. You have every reason to resent him…” Thales continued, following the other person’s words.

"why?"

Hilly squinted, asking in confusion:
"Why this description? Why not 'hypocritical,' 'insidious,' 'cunning,' or other words that describe a person? Why call him an 'evil crown prince'?"

Thales's eyes flickered.

"Haven't you heard that evil often appears in the guise of innocence?"

King Lausanne II lay on the ground, staring at the darkness above, and spoke coldly.

“And it wasn’t me; all these comments and descriptions above,” the vampire assassin said coldly, “were said by Joaquin.”

"Great Knight Handro Joaquin?"

"Your knight master?"

Thales and Hilly were both startled.

Thales glanced at Hilly and pressed for an answer:
"Why? When?"

King Lausanne II gave a cold laugh.

"Just after Joaquin, after he had a hopeful audience with the 'recovered' Crown Prince Midil."

He squinted:
"Joaquin went mad—or rather, he was close to madness, talking nonsense and acting crazy."

crazy.

crazy?

What do you mean?
Thales seemed to remember something and couldn't help but exchange a glance with Hilly, seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

“And in his ravings, Joaquin said he felt it.”

King Losang II said quietly:
"He's different now."

The vampire assassin's gaze was deep and unfathomable:
“After returning from his disappearance that no one knew about, the wise, gentle, kind and compassionate Crown Prince Midil was nowhere to be found.”

Thales looked puzzled.

“He seems to be as gentle as ever to everyone, even more so than before,” the assassin said coldly. “But Joaquin said that within that gentleness lies an unknown, eerie poison.”

gentle.

Highly poisonous.

What do you mean?
Thales was stunned.

"And an unspeakable evil was gathering behind him, hovering above his head, lurking in his shadow, like a chess player moving pieces, tempting him to uphold the noblest humanity and make the most wrong choice for the most righteous purpose."

Hilly frowned.

"'They caught him,' that's what Joaquin said, or maybe he was just drunk and talking nonsense, God knows what he meant."

King Losang II abruptly changed the subject, sneering:
"But who knows? Maybe the Crown Prince has always been like this, he just hid it better before, hahahahahaha..."

Those who are captivated by his gentle demeanor cannot see through his true nature.

Thales was filled with mixed feelings and didn't know what to say.

Having experienced countless things, he knows that everyone is complex and multifaceted, and will reflect different aspects in the eyes of different people.

But only Midil Star, his deceased uncle, seems to be the only one who, over the years, has maintained a radiant and perfect image in the mouths of countless people—from the Iron-Fisted King to the Black Prophet, from Ginny to Sakel, from old ministers like Gilbert who were almost worshipping him, to opponents like King Nunn who were full of respect and amazement.

Everyone remembers him fondly and praises him.

generous.

kindness.

gentle.

bright.

Fascinating.

But this was the first time, the first time someone had described him in such an almost obsessive way.

Or rather, accuse him.

evil?

why?
“But I’m not surprised.”

King Lobsang II composed himself, perhaps recalling his own experiences; he no longer spoke sarcastically, but his tone was somber:
"No matter who has experienced such a dramatic change, especially with physical defects, it is difficult to maintain the original appearance."

Hilaire nodded to herself:

"Yes, having both legs broken is indeed a huge setback."

King Lausanne II paused for a moment, looking at Thales' expression, and suddenly understood something.

"You don't know, do you? Even if you are a star?"

A cold smile appeared in the assassin's eyes.

"Don't know what?" Thales raised his eyes.

King Lausanne II smiled.

"Although Joaquin was vague and stammering, and although no one in the entire palace dared to mention it and perhaps even tried to keep quiet, I guess people have eyes and ears. The fact that the stunningly beautiful Princess Saoirse forced a smile every day already says it all."

Thales and Hilly both frowned:

What does that mean? What does it signify?

“During those years of disappearance, Midil lost more than just both legs.”

The vampire assassin's gaze was cold and aloof.
"He has completely lost the ability to reproduce."

Thales was startled by what he heard.

"what?"

Hilly was also taken aback; she glanced at Thales:

"You mean Midil can't...do that anymore?"

“Hilay!” Thales turned his head involuntarily.

Hilly shrugged:

"what happened?"

Thales had mixed feelings.

Even though the person is deceased, he still doesn't want to gossip too much, especially about the person's private affairs and misfortunes.

“He… Midil couldn’t have his own heir, that’s enough for us to know.”

Hilly couldn't help but purse her lips.

King Lausanne II gave Thales a deep look.

"I suspect that from that time onward, all the high-ranking and well-informed people in the Fuxing Palace knew one thing perfectly well..."

King Losang II sneered:
"That means the crown prince's return has not resolved the kingdom's most critical succession problem..."

Thales sighed and took over the conversation:

"It even went further and worsened it."

So, if what Lausanne II said is true...

If Midir, as crown prince, is destined to have no offspring or legitimate heir...

That was significant for the Star Kingdom at that time, and even for the Bloody Year that followed...

Thales fell into deep thought.

Do you remember the State Affairs Conference, Thales?

A voice quietly rose in his heart:

What happened when your father had no heirs?
"So you're not going back to Midil anymore because... he's broken?"

Sensing Thales's gaze, Hilly quickly added:

"I mean, because his personality has gone bad?"

King Lausanne II remained silent for a long time.

"not only that."

Thales ignored his inner voice and tried to return to the present moment.

"Just before Midil returned..."

The vampire assassin spoke again, his emotions complex:

"When I was imprisoned on the frontier, serving my long sentence, in my most desperate and painful moment, when I only wanted to disappear from the world and destroy myself, I met Turnbull."

Thales and Hilly exchanged a glance.

"Your old gang leader?"

The assassin shook his head:

"He wasn't the gang leader back then."

"Until he climbed up to Kevin Deer's coattails?" Hilly asked.

King Lausanne II smiled.

"Him? Trying to climb the social ladder?"

The assassin sneered:
"Turnbull is a very special person, quite special."

King Lausanne II squinted his eyes:

"He mocked everything, ridiculed everything, and looked down on everything... Not to mention those high-ranking but despicable figures, even those renowned upright officials and virtuous ministers, even those wise and benevolent rulers in everyone's eyes, even those perfect men whom even the poor couldn't help but sing praises to..."

"It's not that I 'couldn't help' singing praises, it's just that I had no choice."

Thales was in a daze, and unconsciously repeated the thoughts in his mind.

“What?” Hilly turned her head.

King Lausanne II also frowned and looked at him.

Thales said quietly:

"What I mean is, if people don't try to force themselves to sing praises, or rather, force themselves to conform to the logic of singing praises, force themselves to believe in the 'upright officials, virtuous ministers, wise rulers, and sage kings' narrative, force themselves to believe that those sitting at the pinnacle of power must be saints and perfect people, or at least good people, force themselves to believe that the injustices and suffering they face are accidental and temporary, and that one day, upright officials will descend to earth to make amends, and in the comforting encouragement of those around them, they will find kindred spirits and force themselves to believe that life can get better..."

Thales sighed sadly:

"Then how difficult must life be?"

King Lausanne II remained silent, while Hilaire frowned slightly.

"what happened to you?"

Thales came to his senses:
"It's nothing, it's just... I suddenly felt a bit sentimental."

Perhaps it was Midil's experiences and tragedies that touched him.

King Lausanne II snorted coldly and returned to the topic:

"As for Kevin Deer, or the Starry Sky Royal Family, those so-called 'high branches'? Turnbull might climb them for survival and profit, but he would never think they were anything special, any noble, or any sacred and inviolable thing—in the Red King's era, he might have been a carefree and unrestrained outlaw who despised the court."

Thales sensed that the vampire assassin's tone and expression were quite complex, containing disdain, regret, and perhaps even a hint of... admiration and envy?

“But he wasn’t in that era,” Hilly revealed the key point.

"That's right."

Lausanne II slowly acknowledged:

"He's not in now."

He was not in the era of the Red King, a time of kingdom strife, political infighting, and turbulent, turbulent times that gave birth to countless legendary figures from humble backgrounds.

In his time, the palace was deep and secluded, the kingdom was majestic, and power and rule had long been ingrained in the blood and marrow of every commoner.

They have long since subtly and irresistibly transformed every corner of the kingdom into replicas of palace regulations, granaries, and even septic tanks.

with no exceptions.

So Turnbull has also evolved—or rather, become distorted?

"Regardless of interests, circumstances, or conflicts, in the power struggles, Turnbull always seemed to see through the crucial junctures," Lausanne II said wistfully. "Faced with different opponents, he skillfully navigated between exploitation, dependence, and betrayal, advancing and retreating with perfect justification. His methods were so sophisticated, his actions so practiced, that I could only dream of him. It was as if he was born to navigate the turbulent waters of power. Sometimes I even thought: if he had been in that lowly attendant position, he would surely have risen higher, more steadily, and more smoothly." At least he wouldn't have failed so...?"

"You really think so?" Thales asked skeptically.

King Lausanne II glanced at him with a playful expression.

"At least, Turnbull's attitude and methods helped me understand some things."

The vampire assassin sneered:

"Whether it's hypocrisy, sincerity, kindness, or treachery, my experience has absolutely nothing to do with my boss or what kind of person Midil is."

Even if he really is a great person, a saint, even if he's not the kind of guy who would use an apologetic smile, a gentle and kind tone, and crushing moral principles to force people to their deaths...

"Would my situation be any better? Would I be redeemed and protected? Would my fate be changed?"
"Could it be that those flies buzzing around him and his family, around the throne, both inside and outside the court, are still scheming in the filthy gutter, just waiting for someone like me to get close to him, get hurt and fall down, so they can pounce on me and tear me apart?"

Lausanne II's series of questions made Thales and Hilay both frown.

"Having figured this out, I no longer need that perfect Crown Prince Midil, whom everyone praises and would gladly die for, to pity me or save me."

“And I also remembered that day,” Lausanne II said coldly, “what Horace said to me on the field during the selection process.”

Thales and Hilly were taken aback and looked at each other blankly.

Only the vampire assassin had a gloomy expression, staring intently at the endless darkness on the ceiling.

[With all my might... I will prove myself... I will prove myself worthy to be the sword of our family... the pawn of our kingdom... a knight worthy to serve me, to us, to the kingdom, and die for us...]

"I lost that duel."

King Lausanne II said softly:
"But I don't know when it started, the way of speaking and the manner of Midil, no matter how sincere, respectful, or charming the speaker is, can no longer make me willingly bow down, but can only make me feel nauseous."

Thales remained silent.

"Even... the more saintly, perfect, and good Midil is, the more... the more people he will attract in that position—whether they are moths drawn to a flame or flies feeding on carrion—bringing more and worse tragedies."

He paused for a moment and closed his eyes.

The dungeon fell silent.

“So that’s why you’re not going back,” Thales said slowly. “Not going back to the Crown Prince, or even Joaquin.”

I will never return to the world of knights.

I will never go back to my past life.

“You know, I once admired Turnbull, thinking that his disdain and his flexible approach were the best way to deal with power,” Lausanne II suddenly said.

“One degree?” Hilly raised an eyebrow.

"Until I see his fate—and mine."

"Los Angeles II said quietly."

"So now I understand even more: even if you leave the high places, even if you hide in the lowest corner, even if you are the smartest person, even if you are the most adept at navigating the tides of power," Lausanne II sneered, "you cannot escape the curse of power."

They inevitably get caught up in it and are worn down beyond recognition.

Thales couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

"Or worse."

“The swimmer drowns,” sighed Lady Kevin Deer. “Turburn cannot escape the curse of power, and he is tossed about in the tides of power, perhaps for no other reason than that he is adept at navigating them.”

Perhaps, whether one is successful or suffers a crushing defeat, it is all a curse of power.

A voice silently echoed in Thales's mind:

It's just two sides of the same coin.

"Because it's not just power, not just strings that control puppets or chains that imprison them..."

Thales slowly opened his mouth and spoke the words from the bottom of his heart:
"More than anything, it's a system, a structure, an environment, a context, a field, a domain... whatever you want to call it."

Hilaire and Lausanne II both remained silent.

Thales sighed:

"Because it is everywhere, even if no one knows it."

It doesn't stop whether you're a king or a beggar.

Whether you are wise or foolish, you are not exempt.

"Thales?"

Hilly's call pulled Thales back from his thoughts.

Damn it, I got distracted.

The prince glanced at the listless vampire captive before him and quickly gathered his thoughts.

“So, after leaving Mindis Hall, you were disheartened and joined Turnbull’s forces, but you and Turnbull were defeated long before Emerald City changed hands,” Thales sorted out the timeline. “Then I guess the truth behind Duke Renster’s assassination is unrelated to either you or Turnbull, or at least you know very little about it?”

King Lausanne II's gaze was dull, and he remained motionless.

“Is that even a question?” Hilly crossed her arms, but her tone was no longer as aggressive as before; instead, it carried a hint of helplessness and pity. “Look at him, he knows absolutely nothing…”

"That murderer."

Unexpectedly, King Lausanne II suddenly spoke up, interrupting Hilaire.

“The murderer who was bribed by Viscount Sona to assassinate the Duke, but was caught and confessed, Paulwin,” the vampire assassin said slowly, “I know him—I knew him when he was alive.”

Before his death...

Was it during your lifetime or during his lifetime?

Thales swallowed the untimely remark.

"Is that the gangster you killed on your trip back, the father of little Bolwin?" Thales recalled the clue.

“For the sake of the past, I was willing to spare his son’s life,” Lausanne II admitted, “but it seems Federico doesn’t think so.”

Thales and Hilly exchanged a glance.

"Very well, you know the murderer who killed the Duke, so?"

“Old Bolwin, he was originally a hired assassin that Turnbull contacted from outside,” Lausanne II said, “to share the workload—or, in layman’s terms, to keep me in check.”

“The Blood Bottle Gang was once managed by Uncle Sona… so he had a way to bribe this murderer?” Hilla asked.

"A mercenary assassin who can be used to restrain you must be very capable?" Thales asked.

King Lausanne II looked at the prince, then at the young lady. Faced with two questions that had different focuses, he ultimately answered only the one he knew the answer to:
"It's okay."

Thales and Hilly exchanged a glance.

Before they could even wonder which question the other was answering, the vampire assassin spoke again.

“But given the state of Kongming Palace at that time, especially the seemingly loose but actually very strict security of the Duke’s living quarters…” he snorted, “with old Polwin’s skills, let alone breaking through the defenses, it would be difficult for him to even sneak in and get close.”

"how do you know?"

"I tried."

Thales and Hillay nodded in unison, but then were startled.

"you……"

"Don't worry," Losang II said calmly in the face of Hilaire's surprise, "I didn't go to your house to kill someone."

At least they didn't kill your family.

Hillary's expression softened slightly.

"So you're saying that old Paulin, the officially convicted murderer, didn't kill my father?"

King Lausanne II gave a cold laugh.

“Unless the Duke himself hired him to kill himself, no matter how much money Sona offered him, old Bolwin couldn’t do it,” he said dismissively. “He couldn’t possibly be the murderer.”

Thales and Hilly both fell silent.

Therefore, in the case of the Duke's assassination, at least the conclusion regarding the real culprit was wrong.

So, old Bowen's confession was...

well.

Thales muttered to himself:

That's a gain in itself.

"Do you have anything else to ask?"

Lausanne II looked listless.

"While I still have the energy to speak."

Hilly frowned, deep in thought.

Thales, however, gathered his thoughts and spoke:

"Now that things have come to this, is there anything you still wish for?"

King Lausanne II frowned slightly:

"What? Now that this matter is settled, you're finally sending me on my way?"

The prince shook his head:
"Or to use Hillay's words: Did you achieve your goal on this trip back, find the source, meet the 'sword-making' craftsman, and inquire about the material used to make the sword?"

King Lausanne II remained silent upon hearing this.

Hilly finally snapped out of his reverie and pressed, "So, if Uncle Sona really intends to hire someone through the Blood Bottle Gang, do you remember the actual process...?"

But Lausanne II interrupted her with a cold laugh.

“Found it, Your Highness, but it’s not a craftsman,” Losang II said quietly, “it’s a cage.”

Thales and Hilly both frowned.

"As for the material of the sword..."

King Losang II's gaze was sharp:

“Tell me, Prince Thales, when you face the entire cage, when whether you break free from it, shatter it, or explore it and understand it, you are only reinforcing it…”

The assassin narrowed his eyes:

What should you do?

Now it was Thales' turn to fall silent.

He raised his gaze to the unparalleled swordsman who had been fooled by fate his entire life, and hesitated to speak.

"I do not believe."

The two looked to one side at the same time: they saw Hilly take a step forward and raise her eyebrows.

"Although you make it sound so tragic and hopeless... I don't believe this cage is so omnipotent and so unsolvable."

Thales remained frowning, while Lausanne II wore a cold smile.

"I also absolutely do not believe that all we can do is reinforce it."

"Hilary said softly, glancing around the dungeon with an air of seriousness."

"Furthermore, if this cage needs reinforcement, or rather, if there's room for reinforcement..."

Miss Kevin Deer squinted her eyes:
"Then it must be vulnerable to being weakened or even damaged."

“Isn’t that right?” Hilly asked rhetorically, nudging Thales, who was deep in thought.

Thales took a deep breath, glanced at the pocket containing the bone ring "Gortaksar," and gave his companion a forced smile:

"Yeah, maybe."

The young lady was not satisfied with Thales' ambiguous answer, but just as she raised her eyebrows, King Lausanne II spoke.

“You are a good person, Your Highness, at least you act like one.”

The vampire assassin's eyes held a complex expression:
"Just like Midil."

Thales sighed.

He had heard similar things before, quite a few times.

Previously, Thales would have considered this a compliment.

But today, here, after hearing this vampire assassin's poignant story described in this way, he felt conflicted.

"Thank you," Thales replied perfunctorily, his mind preoccupied.

King Lausanne II's smile vanished, his face expressionless.

"So you will fall, Your Highness, fall hard."

Thales frowned slightly.

"Then I'll get up again."

He looked at the other person, unwilling to show weakness.

Hilly raised an eyebrow at him.

The vampire assassin scoffed disdainfully.

"Of course, I have no doubt that you can get back up, but look at me now."

Dragging his crippled body and bound by shackles, King Losang II squinted his eyes:

"How will you get up? And what will you do after you get up? Seek revenge? Vent your anger? Prove yourself? Make your enemies regret their actions? Continue the unfinished business? Overcome the obstacles that have tripped you up? Or break this unbreakable cage?"

“Just don’t go to the swordsmith like some people do,” Thales said sarcastically.

King Lobsang II was not angry; he simply gave a cold laugh.

"But one thing is certain."

“When you rise again, Your Highness,” his eyes changed, “you will no longer be the same as before.”

The other person's expression and the implication in their words made Thales feel very uncomfortable, and he suddenly wanted to leave this place.

"Of course it's not like it used to be."

The boy composed himself and answered coldly:
"I will get better."

Stronger.

Be stronger.

"Which one is 'good'? How 'good' is it?" King Losang II asked with a sneer.

“Let’s go,” Hilly suddenly spoke, revealing Thales’s true feelings. “There’s nothing more to ask here.”

Thales nodded gratefully, gave Lausanne II one last look, and turned to leave.

Hilly gave the prisoner a deep look and followed Thales.

"And you, young lady, are you really determined to become his queen?" Losang II sneered.

Both Hilly and Thales were taken aback.

"Hmph," the young lady realized what was happening, turned around, and said with a disdainful look, "This idiot? You think too highly of him..."

"Then be prepared."

King Lausanne II put away his smile.

"Because one day, you may have to turn your back on the person you've become a stranger to."

His words echoed in the dungeon, cold and cruel, causing Hilly and Thales to both frown:
"Or the other way around." (End of Chapter)