Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 759 Raising a Glass in Solidarity (Part 2)

The silence in the study lasted for a long time.

After a long while, Jenn finally snapped out of his heavy emotions and let out a long sigh:

"The assassin, the one named Bolwin, the so-called assassin who killed my father, was deeply indebted to Uncle Sona and voluntarily took the blame for the assassination of the Duke—of course, my uncle made him die a quick death without torture."

Federico jolted back to his senses:
"The real killer..."

Jenn shook his head wearily:

"All we know is that the man's later nickname was 'Reverse Curved Blade,' and that was only found out later from circumstantial evidence that had been passed around several times, so the credibility wasn't high—six guards died in the Empty Palace that night, and Ashford and my mother only caught a fleeting glimpse of him."

Thales' expression shifted slightly.

“Reverse Scimitar…who…who sent him?” Fed asked, stunned.

Jenn remained silent.

He slowly raised his head, revealing a strange look in his eyes and a pale smile.

“But you know, Federer, as smart as you are, you’ve always known,” he looked at Federico with a chilling gaze, “you just don’t want to admit it.”

Federico's eyes widened.

"Or cannot admit it."

Jenn said softly:
"I dare not admit it."

Federico shuddered!
Thales realized something and couldn't hide his shock.

"Just like me, no matter how resentful, unfair, hypocritical, or ruthless I am, even today I have to go against my conscience and order the Blood Bottle Gang to do the dirty work, to clean up all the clues that might lead to the old case, at any cost."

The smile on Jenn's face was divided between desolation and resentment:

"Because I absolutely cannot, cannot reveal to the outside world the real culprit behind my father's assassination—even if it's just for Emerald City."

Federico did not say anything more.

Thales could no longer contain his question:

“Jane, wait, you mean the Duke’s death was because of me…”

This time, Jenn suddenly turned his head, his attitude changed drastically, and roared with a hatred and resentment that Thales had never seen before:
"I told you, Thales! Shut up! Shut up!"

Jenn was thrilled; he jumped to his feet and pointed directly at Thales:
"You're not allowed to say a word while I'm talking to my cousin, or when we at Iris are having our private conversations!"

Thales was startled and stood frozen in place:
"I……"

"Don't insert it!" Jenn roared, his eyes bloodshot.

In the blink of an eye, the Duke of the South Bank's respect and restraint for the prince vanished.

Thales hesitated for a moment, then fell silent in disappointment.

Perhaps they were used to the occasional loud shouts in the study, as long as it wasn't Thales himself who spoke, the Star Lake Guards outside the door remained silent and did not knock on the door to inquire.

“Jane,” Federico said weakly, as if reminding someone, or perhaps pleading.

Jann took a deep breath and slowly sat down.

It was clear he was trying to adjust his emotions, but with little success.

“Because of you, Thales Star, you unlucky, damned, cursed sunset,” the Duke of South Shore struggled to tear his gaze away from Thales, speaking with a mixture of pain and restraint, “yet you are also lucky, unfair, and shameless bastard destined to wear the crown from birth…”

Jenn clenched his fists, trembling all over, and gritted his teeth:

"You have no idea that I would allow you, the son of my enemy, to speak, move, and even breathe freely in Emerald City and Kongming Palace... to allow a fool named Canxing to come and go freely in Emerald City and Kongming Palace, in my father's and uncle's places, and to act as if he were the guest in charge..."

"...I can tolerate your shameless proposal to the daughter of the Kevin Deer family, I can tolerate your flirtatious talk and love between my sister and me...I can tolerate your condescending and disrespectful remarks to me, and even your self-righteous gossip about the misfortunes of my father and uncle, and your instigation of my blood relatives to be my enemies..."

Thales was stunned.

He looked at the uncontrollable Jenn, observing his expression and eyes, his feelings a complex mix.

It was something unprecedented, or rather, something that had been hidden for a long time but could not be expressed...

A deep, naked hatred.

Unforgettable.

Jenn's words trembled, and he struggled to breathe, having to take several breaths to keep his speech coherent.

"Thales, you have no idea how broad-minded, how great your courage, and how profound your magnanimity it took for me to do this."

He finally mustered the courage to look up, glaring venomously at Thales, or at what was behind Thales:
"you do not know."

Jann said, trembling:
"You fucking know nothing."

In this atmosphere, Thales could only lower his head and passively, without any reaction, endure the hatred that perhaps shouldn't have been his responsibility.

"Because you are Thales, the fucking Great Sage of the Kingdom, Shining Star."

Jenn hissed:
"You belong to that group that will never be stigmatized, will always have an excellent image, will always be praised by everyone, will never be hated, and deserves to be cursed..."

Jenn gritted his teeth, speaking slowly and deliberately, clearly filled with extreme hatred:

"Dirty, filthy, blood, veins".

The study fell silent again.

Only the faint clinking of Federico's teacup and Jenn's gradually calming, rapid breathing remained.

Thales closed his eyes tightly.

He suddenly recalled his experiences over the past few days.

He recalled those Emerald City officials who pretended not to know anything in front of him and played along.

And what Jenn just said:

If I were you, Fede, I would have employed the bureaucratic wisdom of Emerald City: even if I discovered something amiss, I would have pretended ignorance, cooperated with our act, and gratefully accepted the terms.

Why insist on exposing it and embarrassing everyone?

Seeing Jenn's unapproachable demeanor, Thales felt conflicted and quite distressed.

"why."

Finally, Federico broke the silence with difficulty, looking lifelessly at his cousin:
"Why my father of all people? Why Sonna Kevindeer?"

Jann sneered and spat out a mouthful of filth.

"Who else can Emerald City rely on? The other good-for-nothing uncles in the family, who have assimilated with the old nobles and only know how to eat, drink, be merry, and bully others? Or the ungrateful Twin Towers Longsword and the Four-Winged Giant Lizard?"

Federico remained silent.

Several seconds later, Jenn took a deep breath and looked down to rub his forehead.

Seemingly realizing he hadn't answered the question correctly, he calmly added:
"Because, because my uncle didn't want to become a pawn of the enemy, to make a fatal move against our family."

Grief welled up in Federico's eyes.

"Because if he doesn't die, if he doesn't die before the royal messenger arrives to hold him accountable, if he doesn't die before the royal secret service takes him to the capital for a thorough interrogation and makes him the real culprit, if he doesn't die before the supreme king's decree is issued, then the turmoil in Emerald City will not only be limited to internal strife, but will completely turn into a gladiatorial arena for the entire Star Kingdom, and into a betting pool for the Palace of Restoration."

Jenn snorted coldly:
"Just like back then, the one-winged raven of the Western Wilderness—do you know what became of the previous Earl of Winged Castle?"

Thales had an idea.

"You know about the tragic family tragedy of the Cloma family back then. If it weren't for my father's efforts to mediate and the tough stance of the previous Duke of the Western Wilderness, including the Kalabyan family acting as guarantors..."

Jenn said coldly:
"Once the case is made public, given that he committed the heinous crime of murdering his wife—who was the younger sister of the old Earl of Fortified City and the cousin of the Archbishop of Sunset—as well as the attempted murder of his son, the Clomar family might even be excommunicated by the Temple of Sunset, and they might not even be able to keep their title and fiefdom in Winged Castle?"

Jenn turned his head, took a big gulp of tea, and showed no reaction to its bitterness:
"Not to mention a younger brother who dared to murder the duke and his own brother..."

Federico closed his eyes.

“And Uncle Sonna knew this well,” Jann gripped his teacup tightly. “So did my mother.”

Federico remained dejected.

"why why……"

“Because my uncle was the best Kevin Deer—that’s what my father said in his last letter to me before he died,” Jann said sadly.

"But he didn't tell me."

Federico's eyes reddened, and he clenched his fist with trembling hands:

"He didn't."

“He left you a will, telling you not to seek revenge,” Jann shook his head, “but you just don’t believe it.”

"He didn't write it clearly..."

"He can't write clearly at all!"

Jenn said impatiently:
"He can't guarantee that you, you paranoid idiot, won't give the enemy yet another excuse to invade Emerald City!"

Federico stared wide-eyed at the tea crumbs in his teacup.

"I don't believe it! That could only be something he wrote under duress! If you think I'll let this go—"

Jann shook his head with a cold laugh.

"Please, no one can coerce Sonna Kevindir, not even his most respected older brother," he seemed to be regaining his previous sarcasm. "Why do you think people think the Iris are fighting amongst themselves? Why do they think your uncle is qualified to be the Duke's political enemy? Is it because your father is too easy to talk to, and anyone can force him to write a will?"

Federico did not answer.

"Thus, this 'family feud' that was enough to cause a storm and attract the intervention of powerful forces ended before I returned home: it was all just an internal strife caused by Iris, and it was just Kevin Deer's self-cleaning."

Jenn said quietly:
"Apart from changing the duke, everything in Emerald City remains the same. The interests of each party remain unchanged, maintaining a balance. Apart from a few reprimands, the enemy had no way to attack and left disappointed."

He finally sighed and spoke in his tribal language:

"I would rather die for a friend than for an enemy."

Federico's expression was one of utter struggle.

Thales didn't speak—not only because Jann didn't welcome his interruption, but also because he shouldn't speak at this time.

But at this moment, he felt that the chair beneath him was particularly prickly.

After a long while, Federico slammed his hand on the seat in frustration and looked up angrily!
"No, no, no, no... I don't believe it! I know you, Jan, I know this is all just a trick you use to achieve your goals..."

“I’ve said everything I needed to say, without any reservations, even in front of this little brat.”

Jan interrupted him with a cold laugh.

"As for why you don't believe it, why you'd rather believe the malicious slander of outsiders than the bond of blood ties, why you'd rather believe your father was unjustly murdered by a conspiracy than believe the solemn words we can write on the proclamation, or rather, what the consequences would be if you believed it..."

Jenn gave Federico a meaningful look:
"Only you know the answer to that."

Federico's breath hitched!
“No, you…” he began through gritted teeth, but could not continue.

"As for you, Fede, what do you miss most—your father, or the Viscount of Gonghai City? Is it Uncle Sona's innocence and justice, or the benefits he could bring you by living—or even dying under mysterious circumstances?" Jann said coldly.

Federico was taken aback at first, then shook his head vigorously:

"No, you're just using the same old tricks, acting, talking nonsense, trying to sway me..."

"For the sake of Sunset, Fede, use your brain," Jann shouted. "Back then, when you failed in your rebellion in Arch City, if it weren't for your father, would either I or the Lasia family have let you escape? Over the years, given the cooperative relationship between the Iris and the Night Kingdom, how could we have let you live?"

Federicoton stayed.

“If it weren’t for the unexpected turn of events, the breakdown of our alliance with Corleone, and Bloodfang’s allegiance to them…” Jann couldn’t help but glare at Thales, who smiled politely, “how could you possibly have been released?”

Then something else occurred to Jenn.

“And you, Fede, so many years later, so easily surrender to them, to our enemies,” he said sarcastically. “And the methods you use to divide the family and smear Iris are exactly the same as theirs back then.”

Federico gritted his teeth.

"Arbitration? Aristocratic arbitration? The Rodriguez Ordinance? Hahahaha!"

Jenn looked at Thales and laughed loudly:
"The reason why the Iris can become the most important link in the city chain is because of the ruling law since the time of the Restoration King, the illustrious reputation of the ancestors, and the inherent rights of Kevin Deer. Therefore, whether it was the Emerald City back then or me now, we cannot avoid or escape the sudden attacks they launch on us by using the same supreme ruling law."

He said in a somber tone:
"Not to mention, we have a mole among us."

"No!"

Federico couldn't help but interrupt him, the former holding up his teacup, the tea inside trembling:
“I don’t believe you. You’re lying, my father—”

“That’s right. My uncle was a stubborn die-hard. He was both my father’s right-hand man and his later political enemy. He was the spokesperson and protector of the conservative forces in Emerald City.”

Jenn said impatiently:

"But don't forget, he was also a true descendant of the Iris, with the blood of Kevin Deer flowing through his veins! When a greater crisis came, he endured humiliation and refused to become a pawn or tool of the enemy, even at the cost of his life."

Federico remained silent for a moment, but when he spoke again, his anger was even greater:
"No, this cannot absolve you of your guilt!"

He looked up angrily at Jenn:

"You drove him to his death."

"All of you!"

Jenn remained silent.

“I won’t lie to you, I didn’t have time to come back back then,” the Duke sighed, without looking back at Fede, “It was my mother who went to persuade your father.”

Federico's brow twitched.

“I don’t know what Uncle Sona was thinking, or whether your father regretted it or not, and I certainly wouldn’t say I was proud of her actions,” Jan said in a low voice. “But with the building on the brink of collapse, Mother made the most difficult and painful decision she could make in that critical moment.”

"She died a year later, I guess, I guess it was because she always felt guilty towards her uncle."

Jenn paused for a second, then said with a hint of reluctance:
"Although...although my uncle had no complaints."

Federico shuddered and instinctively rebuked:
"lie!"

Federico took a sip of the little bitter tea left and forced himself to calm down.

"You're saying this just to sow discord between me and His Highness the Prince, to make me resent him, and to make him doubt me."

He looked at Thales, but his gaze darted away.

Thales also felt quite uncomfortable.

“Then think it through, cousin,” Jann sneered. “How far are you willing to go for your power?”

He stared intently at Feder:

"Can you tolerate your father's killer ordering you around, sitting in front of you laughing and talking, while you still have to bow to him, raise a glass with him, and even become his ally to make deals with him?"

Federico trembled slightly.

"For the peace of Emerald City and the future of the Iris, can one pretend not to know the truth and act as if one does not know, not only not to expose it but also to try one's best to keep it a secret, and to force a smile while enduring pain and anger?"

Thales frowned deeply.

The next second, Jenn roared:
Can you do it?!

Federico suddenly realized.

After a while, Jenn finally calmed down and looked down at the tea that had already been drunk.

"I can."

The Duke of the South Bank said quietly.

"I can do it."

Jenn remained expressionless.

"A full eleven years."

Thales closed his eyes.

"So long that even I myself thought..."

Jenn gave a bitter laugh:
"I have already forgotten the hatred of my father's murder and the grudge of losing my family."

Hearing this, Thales finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Is there anything I can say?" the prince asked in a low voice.

Jann glanced at him.

"No—but are you just not going to say it?"

The Duke of the South Bank suppressed his resentment.

Thales smiled slightly.

Federico sniffed and gritted his teeth.

“I still don’t trust you, cousin,” he said, trying to regain his composure. “I suggest you don’t trust him either, Your Highness.”

Thales frowned.

Really impressive.

A low voice in Thales' heart sighed with admiration:
Even after all that had been said, the exiled nobleman remained calm, refusing to believe and insisting on denying it.

Is he too calm, or too emotional?

Was he too impulsive, or too clever?

Was it being too persistent, or...?

Too realistic?

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

Jann smiled sarcastically upon hearing this.

"Of course, cousin, because from your perspective, you probably can't believe it at all, and you don't dare to believe it."

But the next second, Jenn turned to Thales:

“He won’t cooperate with you, Thales. He knows very well who his real backer is—that’s the only redeeming quality of a power-hungry person.”

This time, he was no longer filled with hostility and hatred, but returned to normal, calm and rational.

It was as if the boundless hatred I had felt for Thales had vanished.

This once again left Thales with mixed feelings.

"Are you challenging me?" Federer calmly replied to Jenn.

“And he won’t give up. Even if we coexist in Emerald City, he will do everything in his power to remove me from the road, no matter the cost, no matter if he has to pay it himself…” Jann ignored his cousin and continued coldly, “or someone else will pay it.”

Federico scoffed.

“The problem is, cousin,” Jenn said, squinting, “can you really make decisions for yourself? Can you pay the stakes for yourself?”

Federico's eyes flickered:
"What do you mean?"

Thales raised his eyes:
He suddenly noticed that the two irises in front of him had resumed their rational game of chess.

It was as if the family secret that had just shocked them was nothing more than a faded historical backdrop to them.

It cannot influence their current decisions.

No, you've already processed the truth that just came out?

That turn...so fast?
All I heard Jan said was:
"That vampire assassin from the extreme realm, Federico, if it weren't for the Iris's enemies vouching for him, would the Night Kingdom have let him leave so easily to serve you?" "I personally persuaded him," Federico snorted. "Those who are owed money by the Emerald City must find a way to come back and collect their debts."

Jenn shook his head:
"And those helpers, allies, and subordinates who are still active outside—or those you think are your subordinates—will they really act according to your wishes?"

Federico remained silent.

Even if you actually sit in this... or that chair.

Jann subconsciously patted his chair, then, realizing it was a guest seat, he gritted his teeth and pointed to Thales' chair:

Do you think you'll have everything you dream of? Freedom? Dignity? Rights? Independence? The freedom of no longer being dependent on others? Or the ease of no longer having to be at the mercy of others?

Federico curled the corners of his lips, but did not refute.

“You can’t do it, Fede, cousin,” Jenn sneered. “The kind of boots you wear determines the kind of path you can take.”

"And you think you can do it? With the way you are now?" Fed retorted.

“That’s right, cousin,”

Jenn spoke coldly:
"I compromised, I'm so pathetic, I hope you'll forgive me."

Janne stared directly at Federico, his gaze cold and resolute.

"For a higher goal."

He stared defiantly at Federico, his expression righteous and assertive:
“I wish you were dead right now, but I compromised and allowed you to live—but this is the sacrifice I could make for Emerald City, for the greater good, the price I paid. And you, Federico Kevindir?”

Federico's eyes flickered slightly.

"When the pressure from higher levels descends, when an unimaginable enemy looms, when the shadows of the past return," Jann said coldly, "what do you know, and what can you do, compared to the sacrifices of our fathers?"

Federico remained silent.

For quite a while.

It went on for so long that Thales even painfully suppressed a yawn.

"Then you're wrong, cousin."

Finally, Federico made up his mind. He raised his head, chuckled softly, and said:
"Although I still don't believe you..."

“You’d better not believe it,” Jenn said coldly. “Your life is more important.”

Federico glanced at his cousin, then turned respectfully to Thales:

“But I accept your offer, Your Highness.”

Thales, still reeling from the shock of the old case's truth and racking his brains about how to end things today, looked up in surprise upon hearing this:
"Huh? What?"

Jann scoffed dismissively.

“I will be honored to become the Viscount-designate of Archsea City.” Federico said without a hint of joking, only becoming more serious and respectful, “as well as your eyes and ears in Emerald City.”

Thales was stunned.

why?
Why were they so calm and recovered so quickly when it involved a blood feud over the murder of their father?
How can he remain calm and collected, maneuvering his chips as if nothing happened?
He's sitting right here, isn't he?

Thales asked himself, stunned.

"You know," the voice inside sighed, "you've always known, Thales."

You know why they have to stay calm and downplay it.

Or rather, power.

“You should become the king’s eyes and ears, Fede; that suits you better,” Jann sneered.

“And I accept your challenge, cousin,” Federico turned to the Duke of the South Bank, his eyes flashing with a sharp look, “Let us confront the threats from each other.”

His eyes were blazing:
"For the rest of my life, I will not stop fighting, and I will watch you slink off your throne in disgrace."

Thales' expression changed.

“You can try,” Jan said calmly and without fear, “or die on the way to trying.”

Federico ignored Jann's threat and simply said in a low voice:
"I will do everything in my power, in my own way, to restore the iris to its former glory."

"So that we become hothouse flowers in the present, or roadside weeds a hundred years from now?" Jann said sarcastically.

“You’ll see,” Federico squinted, “or you won’t.”

The two Kevin Deer exchanged a glance, the atmosphere a delicate mix of hostility and tacit understanding.

“Alright,” Jenn suddenly turned around and looked at Thales, “I convinced him.”

Thales was startled:
"Ah, ah?"

"What, isn't this what you wanted?"

Jenn seemed displeased with the Duke of Starlake's surprised expression, and he said grimly:

"Or would you like to hear another tragic story from our family?"

Thales realized what was happening and quickly smiled:

"No, no, no, that's enough, that's enough. I mean... that's good, so what... what did we promise again?"

“Ignore him, Your Highness,” Federico said with a slight bow, a stark contrast to Jann’s arrogance. “He’s just showing off now that he’s achieved his goal, while also trying to increase his influence.”

Thales raised an eyebrow and looked at the two Kevin Deer.

Uh...we were just fighting to the death a moment ago, and a compromise has been reached so quickly?
Is this how people from the South Bank negotiate?
Or is it only Kevin Deer who would do this?

But the voice from outside the door brought Thales back to his senses, and he quickly said seriously:
"Very well, Your Grace, Your Grace, then I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

He leaned forward and stretched out one hand.

Federico squinted, stepped forward first, and also extended his hand:

"The overall situation is paramount."

Jann paused for a moment, looked at his two collaborators, and then hummed and reached out his hand:

"Just placing a bet."

Three hands came together in the air—though none of them were particularly friendly or willing.

Thales finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"No rush, the final decision will be announced at the celebration banquet—including the explanation of the old case from back then."

He glanced at the doorway:

"Although this may sound a bit long-winded, and although I don't expect you two to just shut up now, but..."

Thales probed:

"Before the celebration banquet, surely no one would want to pull any tricks or break the agreement, right? Like... killing someone else?"

The two Kevin Deer exchanged a glance, but neither answered.

Then Thales smiled again, beaming with joy.

"Very well, meeting adjourned! You can leave now, Federer, I still have something to say to Jenn."

Federico frowned immediately:

“I thought you should have something to say to me—we are the ones who are going to overthrow him.”

Jenn gave Fed a cold look.

“Then you are welcome to come to me anytime, Fede,” the prince said with a smile. “From now on, you are both free to come and go as you please—that’s the benefit of cooperation.”

"Please forgive my indiscretion, Your Highness."

Federico looked back at Jann.

"The force that supports your 'discretion'," he said, rising to leave, his words carrying a deeper meaning, "is not in this city."

Federico turned and left the study.

Thales was left deep in thought.

“You heard his threat, Thales.”

Jenn gazed intently at his cousin's departing figure.
"He gained his position with your father's support. Viscount, Duke, whether he likes it or not, he will become your father's puppet."

Thales narrowed his eyes, ignoring Jenn's provocative intent:
“But he didn’t seem that docile, not even toward my father, or rather, especially toward my father.”

"That would be even worse."

Jenn's words made Thales glance at him.

"What do you mean?"

Jenn sneered:
"Did you see how calm and rational he was? Even when faced with a shocking truth? When faced with the real culprit in a cold case from years ago?"

Upon hearing this, Thales couldn't help but sigh:

"Listen, Jen, about the real culprit from back then—"

But Jenn's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't give him a chance to speak:
"Either Fede is heartless and ruthless, and doesn't care how his father died, or..."

Jann stared intently at Thales.

Thales felt uncomfortable under his gaze and had no choice but to nod and say:

“You just said: either he had considered this possibility a long time ago, but... he just didn’t want to admit it.”

Jann gazed at him intently and nodded.

“He is willing to pay any price for power, even if it means becoming a pawn, betraying his conscience, denying the facts and ignoring his own family’s blood feud,” Jenn said coldly. “Then one day, when Feder is no longer willing to be a pawn, he will also be willing to pay any price, even if it means turning against his opponent or overturning the chessboard.”

Jenn paused here, then gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“No, he’s already overturned the chessboard,” the Duke of South Bank said with a helpless sneer. “If it had been some other stubborn royalist instead of you, the great Saint Thales, who was sent to South Bank this time to take command…”

Thales frowned slightly.

“In short, my cousin got a new doghouse by bowing down and accepting the collar. But when he gets tired of the collar and decides to turn around and bite his owner,” Jann said calmly, “he won’t care how good the doghouse is.”

Jen walked to the window and looked down at the bustling city below:

"Regardless of success or failure, Emerald City is bound to face a great calamity."

Thales pondered for a moment.

"But I'm still sitting here. Although things aren't going well in Emerald City, it's far from being in dire straits."

“It’s not just because you’re sitting here,” Jann said softly, “it’s also because I’m sitting here.”

He turned to look at Thales.

“With you and me here, you can persuade me,” Jann said quietly. “But not with Fede. You might not be able to persuade him, or even if you did, it wouldn’t be of any use—you’ve seen what he’s capable of doing to achieve his goals.”

Thales pondered for a moment.

"But you're very calm too."

"What?" Jann was taken aback upon hearing this.

Thales sighed.

"I mean, you buried the painful truth about your family deep in your heart for so many years, yet you were able to suppress your anger and hatred, acting as if nothing had happened for over a decade, your words and actions consistent, until your cousin cornered you and you finally revealed a little bit..."

Thales gazed intently at Jenn:

"Compared to your cousin, you are very calm and rational."

Jann's color changed slightly.

Thales's words were not harsh, nor did he speak quickly.

But for some reason, the atmosphere became somewhat oppressive after he finished speaking.

The Duke of the South Bank pondered the meaning of these words for a long time before slowly speaking:
"You mean, Fede and I are actually the same kind of people?"

Thales gave a soft hum.

“Don’t forget, in this palace,” Thales shook his head, “who isn’t Kevin Deer?”

Jann paused for a moment.

The Duke of the South Bank turned back to the window, and this time, he remained silent for a long time.

To Thales' surprise, Jenn did not refute his words:

"I can't say your judgment is wrong."

Instead, he said meaningfully:

“Fed lost everything, he had nothing left, so he would do anything to get it back—even if it meant going against his conscience and maintaining an unusual calm and rationality.”

"And you?"

Jann did not answer immediately; he rested his arms on the windowsill, his figure lonely.

“I have this city, the Iris family, and my sister,” Jann slowly turned around and pointed directly at Thales, “so I will fight with my life to protect everything.”

Thales frowned:
"Even if this still requires you to go against your conscience?"

Jenn looked at him intently and nodded slowly:

"This is Federer and me, the only thing we have in common."

Thales' expression changed slightly.

Brilliant rhetoric, skillful diversion, and a graceful exit—his inner voice was quietly applauding:
On the one hand, he acknowledges that your questions and doubts are reasonable, and on the other hand, he subtly severs responsibility and draws a line, reiterating the difference between him and Federico—but why is Federico's desperate act a gambler's blind act, while his, the noble Duke of the South Bank's desperate act is a mature and steady one?
Just because one has nothing and the other has everything?
Because one is barefoot and the other is wearing shoes?
Because one is as humble as dust, and the other is high and mighty?
Because one is a rebel seeking benefits, and the other is a power holder who has vested interests.
Because one makes a bigger commotion, while the other stirs up less waves.
Thinking of this, Thales frowned and couldn't help but speak:
"Or is this the only difference between you and Fed?"

Jann sensed the distrust in Thales's tone, but he smiled.

“I thought someone like you would be able to understand, Thales.”

Thales was taken aback:
"What do you mean? Someone like me?"

“Look at what you’ve done all these years,” Jann clicked his tongue. “You haven’t even had a kingdom or sat on the throne yet.”

Thales's brow twitched!
"Tell me, Thales, what is the purpose of all this that you've risked your life for?"

Jenn looked at him intently:
To seize, or to preserve?

Thales's expression changed.

Oh no, oh no.

A voice deep within Thales sighed to him:
Although you, Thales, have imprisoned me in your net for so long.

However, this opponent is still formidable.

Thales clenched his fist.

Still difficult to deal with.

It's still terrifying.

Still...dangerous.

Thales and Jann looked at each other silently for a long time without saying a word.

It was as if they wanted to dig out the deepest thoughts from the other person's eyes.

Until a soft urging came from outside the door.

“Anyway, you’re free,” Thales sighed, looking away. “Hilay will be coming to see you soon. When you see her, tell her: I’ve kept my promise.”

Jann's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

"You should stay away from her."

“You should trust her more,” Thales couldn’t help but say. “If I had really stayed away from her, you would never see her now.”

The Duke of the South Bank remained silent for a moment, then rose and left.

"Hey, Jen!"

Thales watched his retreating figure, hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but call out to him again, forcing himself to speak:
"Regarding your father, all I want to say is, I'm very sorry..."

"what's up?"

Jenn paused, but didn't turn around:

"About what?"

Hearing the other party's indifferent and aloof attitude, Thales was taken aback.

"without……"

He watched the other person's retreating figure, then finally lowered his head listlessly and forced a smile:

"……fine."

Jann paused for a moment before nodding, then decisively left the study, brushing past Marius as he entered.

"It's okay."

Watching him leave, Thales felt a chill run through him.

"Everything went smoothly?" Marius asked, taking away the documents that the Duke of Starlake had hastily approved.

Thales shook his head.

He looked like he had just finished a fierce battle, and was exhausted both physically and mentally, lying on his desk groaning.

"Not smooth?"

Thales sighed:
"Thor, have you ever tried to face your mortal enemy, suppress your disgust, abandon revenge, ignore your hatred, or even cooperate against your will? For... the greater good?"

Marius one night:
"That must have been a terrible feeling."

"yes……"

Please forgive me.

"What? Oh, it wasn't me..."

"Then I'm glad for you."

"Uh, no need... okay, actually I'm on the side of the enemy."

“I see,” Marius said thoughtfully. “Then you must be feeling quite unwell.”

Thales was taken aback.

“Yes,” he said calmly, “sometimes, it’s even worse.”

"Then please forgive me."

"Oh, no need, after all, it's not me."

"Then I'm glad for you."

"Hmm... how did we come full circle again?"