Kingdom Bloodline

"Please forgive my disheveled appearance, Your Highness."

In Hilla's living room, Miranda sat in a chair, looking exhausted, and threw the blood-stained towel into the copper basin on the floor, letting the hot water create a dark red ripple.

The Northern swordswoman wore only a marching tunic, loosely draped with an obviously ill-fitting royal guard summer coat. Her abdomen, shoulders, arms, and even the knees and calves exposed by the cut-open trousers were almost entirely wrapped in bandages, reeking of medicine.

The coffee table was piled with medicine bottles and bandages, and the armor and weapons that had been removed were at his feet.

As the two maids cleared away the dishes and left, they silently exchanged a veiled, sarcastic lip movement: "Yankees."

Thales saw this, but only frowned and didn't say anything.

"You just stay here getting your wounds bandaged, your dressings changed, and you eat, drink, and relieve yourself, and they don't have any objections?"

He picked up a leather arm guard from the floor, looked at the cracks on it, and then glanced into the inner room of the bedroom:
Beside the large bed with its sheer curtains hanging, a family reunion was taking place in Kevin Deer: Janne and Federico sat and stood silently, while the composed butler Ashford stood by, quietly reporting on the young lady's condition.

Through the gauze curtain, Thales could vaguely see Hilly lying on the bed, her eyes wrapped in bandages, unconscious.

"Of course I have opinions."

Miranda yawned and gestured towards Hilly's bedroom:

"The Ashford butler has reminded me for the third time that they actually have extra guest rooms, dressing rooms, lounges, and bathrooms."

"Then you still..."

“I told him that His Highness’s exact words to me were ‘never leave my side.’”

Thales was taken aback:
"Did I say that?"

"What did you say?"

"Um, 'never leaving your side'?"

"Didn't I just say that?"

Thales was speechless for a moment.

“And none of them have ever seen the assassin,” Miranda said, her expression darkening as she looked at the sword “Eagle Soaring” beside her chair. “They’ve never faced that curved blade.”

"Therefore, I must stay here—never leave."

Thales frowned as he looked at her expression.

"The Knights of Cassandra are guarding outside the gate, as are the Seychelles and the Emerald Legion..."

“The fact that the enemy was able to infiltrate the tunnels means that the people of Emerald City are no longer reliable,” Miranda said coldly. “Your people must be here.”

Emerald City...unreliable...

Thales sighed softly to himself.

"By the way, DD woke up. He didn't die, and he didn't turn into a vampire."

Miranda paused for a moment, then nodded.

In this way, Golov wouldn't have to angrily pound the wall—pounding it until his joints bled.

"That's good. You should know that a reduction in the Royal Guard is a serious matter."

Staff reductions...

Thales ignored the word, simply shaking the arm guard he had picked up:

"And you? How's it going over there?"

"As you can see, she is still not awake."

Miranda lowered her voice and glanced into the bedroom:

"The doctors came several times, puzzled by her condition or injuries, but Butler Ashford was not surprised at all—too calm… As for the Duke of Southbank, he… I've never seen him like this before…"

Thales turned to look at the bedroom.

Jann looked ashen-faced, haggard and withered, and just sat numbly by the bedside, like an empty shell sustained only by willpower.

Fede stood to one side, staring intently at his cousin, seemingly harboring a thousand thoughts.

“To be honest, it wouldn’t be a good thing if he were to collapse now due to health problems,” Miranda added.

but……

“But I’m asking about you, Mira,” the prince said, holding up his leather arm guard and pointing to the wounds on it. “Are you alright?”

Miranda paused for a moment, then reacted, instinctively pressing her hand to the bandage on her abdomen and managing a weak smile:

"of course."

not dead.

He can still breathe.

As for the pain... it's not impossible to struggle up and swing the sword a few times.

Thales looked at Mira, who was covered in wounds and looked exhausted, and pursed his lips.

Not everyone can escape death from an assassin and remain completely unaffected.

“I know you feel guilty about what happened to Hilly, but you're human too, and you need rest—”

"She's not right for you."

These words came so quickly that Thales was taken aback.

“Hilda is not a good candidate for a princess or even a queen, whether it is her personality, experience, preferences, status, the troubles she has been involved in, or the secrets hidden in her body,” Miranda stared at the curtains in the bedroom with a complicated expression, clutching her stomach, and shook her head to change the subject, “That girl is not suitable.”

Not a good candidate?
"Since when..."

Thales, realizing what was happening, raised an eyebrow and scoffed helplessly:
"You've become a marriage advisor for the royal family?"

“It probably started when I received that ‘no breeding’ letter,” Miranda said sharply, but her words embarrassed Thales. “A bad marriage ruins two people, and a bad royal marriage… ruins countless people.”

Destroying two people...destroying countless people...

That's true...

But if I were to actually use it on myself...

Thales's expression changed slightly:
"Um, thank you, Mira. I'll remember your professional, effective, experienced, and comprehensive marriage counseling advice, which was completely free of any unnecessary information..."

“If you truly care about that girl’s situation and want to live up to her trust in you,” Miranda interrupted his sarcastic words without hesitation, looking at the black gloves on her hands, “then you will agree that Hillary should not be reduced to a bargaining chip or a tool, and should not be wasting her time in the quagmire like us.”

That's made it sound like the girl was completely innocent...

Just as Thales was about to retort, he suddenly realized a detail:
"Wait, what did you call her?"

"Hilaire—what's wrong?"

Hilaire...

Hilaire...

The prince squinted his eyes:

"You two... are best friends now?"

"It hasn't come to that."

The female swordsman gave him a meaningful look, then casually rubbed her gloves together from head to toe.
"We just went on the same blind date and secretly complained about him together."

Thales' smile froze.

"Well, cough cough, anyway, Mira, you did very well..."

Except for the parts that are done behind the scenes.

The prince scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and said:
"I...I'll talk to Thor and have him arrange for someone to take your place..."

"Not yet, it's not the right time."

Miranda's expression turned serious, and she said in a low voice:
"The 'eyes' she gave me in the tunnel stopped working a few hours ago, and I can no longer see things that are 'invisible'."

Thales' expression changed: "Then you wouldn't be..."

"But the reverse blade doesn't know that yet—my presence here at least serves as a deterrent."

But all that's left is the deterrent effect.

Thales looked at the pale-faced female swordsman in front of him, his expression unchanged, but he sighed inwardly.

No, in many cases, deterrence may be enough.

A voice inside him pondered:

After all, most conflicts and contradictions in this world that actually lead to a complete breakdown in relations and a head-on confrontation are few and far between.

More often than not, problems are solved by exploiting the fear, cowardice, retreat, and compromise brought about by intimidation.

"You haven't told anyone about your experiences in the tunnels, or about Hilly's 'eyes,' have you?"

Thales said cautiously.

“No. Whether it’s Ashford or the doctor’s servants, whoever tries to get information out of me, I pretend to be in pain, then remove the bandages and change the dressing, forcing them to leave.”

Thales glanced at her helplessly.

Miranda was completely unaware, only glancing cautiously at the bedroom:
“Only Wyman… I mean Wyman Caso, who has been with you since Dragonstreet. He’s relentless, very concerned about the skill with the reverse scimitar, how I survived, and even more concerned about what happened to Miss Kevin Deer.”

Wyman...

Thales frowned:
"I'll take care of Huaiya. Your job is still..."

"Stay close to Miss Kevin Deer and protect her."

Thales looked at her body covered in bandages, hesitated, and finally could only sigh:
"Correct."

“But who will protect you?” Miranda suddenly asked.

Thales was taken aback at first, then smiled upon hearing this.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. The reverse scimitar won't touch me."

And Marius will definitely make the arrangements...

"Based on the arrangements made by Terrorblade?"

Miranda scoffed lightly, interrupting his confidence:

"Or is it because of your identity? Because you knew that assassin before... Forget it, don't tell me I don't want to be silenced by the legendary Wang family assassins."

Wang family assassins...

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

“By power and by the situation,” the second prince said in a deep voice, “by my position in this game.”

At this very moment in Emerald City, if anything happens to any of the three Kevin Deer—Hilary, Janne, or Federico—this mess will become even more difficult to clean up.

But what if something happens to Thales...

A voice deep within his heart sighed:
Then there's no way to clean up this mess.

"That would be even worse."

Miranda continued.

“This means the threat you face isn’t just the Reverse Curve,” she said grimly, “but something far more terrifying and difficult to deal with… Are you ready?”

Something even more terrifying than a reverse scimitar...

Thales felt heavy-hearted thinking about the upcoming coup led by a deputy high priest, but he said nothing, only shaking the old, scarred arm guard on his hand.

"Get some rest."

He turned and walked toward the bedroom.

"When my father betrayed the country and rebelled..."

Thales paused, deep in thought.

“I mean, when the news of the Duke of the North’s death came, I was very… I was depressed for several days.”

The heiress of Arend sighed:

"Tell me, how come he didn't inform me beforehand about something so important?"

Thales looked at the two Kevindirs who were silently facing each other in the opposite bedroom and had not spoken a word yet, but unconsciously weighed the bone ring "Gurtaksa" in his pocket.

“Perhaps, perhaps Duke Val wants to protect you…” he began cautiously.

"To protect, or to ignore?"

Miranda scoffed, "You know, if he fails, I can at least help him raise a rebel army in the North, or even carve out a territory for Coldhold, or I could simply go and join Exter..."

Perhaps... that's why your father didn't tell you?

Thales muttered to himself.

"Yes, and then your father will be beheaded in the capital," the prince quipped. "Then the entire North will crown you 'King of the North,' known as 'Young Eagle Lord.' You'll lead your troops to seek justice, winning every battle, until you're stopped by a great river, fall in love with someone you shouldn't, and ultimately be betrayed by your own people, dying in a boisterous wedding..."

"He doesn't trust me."

Miranda interrupted his epic tale with a cold tone.

“My father neither believes I can understand him nor that I will support him,” Miranda’s words made Thales’ heart tighten. “He doesn’t believe in his only child.”

Or perhaps, long ago, he had already decided that he no longer had an heir.

Ultimately, it was because he, as a father, did not believe that his child was strong enough to protect himself and stand on his own.

Miranda slowly raised her head, looking at the tricolor iris banner hanging on the wall, then at Thales's back:

"That's why I had to leave Coldhold, Dragonslayer Fortress, and even the North."

Thales had his back to her, his face expressionless.

"It's not to make him believe it."

Miranda's eyes were burning:
"It's not about becoming powerful enough."

Thales said nothing.

He simply tossed the leather arm guards that belonged to Miranda back to her and walked towards the bedroom without looking back.

The female swordsman was left sitting in her chair, watching the prince's retreating figure, clutching her arm guard, lost in thought.
Young Eagle Lord... is that right?
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Jann Kevin Deer sat by Hilly's bedside.

He had been waiting for a long time. His gorgeous coat was casually draped over the back of the chair, his hair was messy, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked as if he had aged several years overnight.

“You guys didn’t fight again,” Thales glanced at Jenn, then at Fed, and said calmly, “To be honest, I’m quite disappointed.”

Ashford bowed and stepped back, then quietly left the bedroom.

Neither Jann nor Federico spoke. Jann stared motionlessly at his sister on the bed, while Federico hugged his arms tightly and stared intently at Jann.

Thales walked to the bedside, glanced at Hilly, and frowned.

"How is she?"

Janne remained silent, as if he hadn't heard a word. Federico looked at the unconscious Hilla, wanting to say something, but still kept quiet.

The air was so quiet it was almost still.

Thales sighed:
"I have already ordered a news blackout regarding Hilly's matter."

How ironic.

He couldn't help but think.

Not long ago, it was Jenn sitting in his seat, issuing the exact same orders:

Block messages.

At that time, he was quite dismissive of it.

Jenn still did not respond.

"But the assassination attempt on Chadwi has become increasingly serious."

Thales continued in a low voice:
“I guess you already know that a deputy high priest named Fabre will be leading all the ‘good people’ of the city into the palace. He will definitely be asking about Chadwi’s case.”

Jan remained silent, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the bed.

“Fibre was our teacher, and we all know his indignant nature.”

Just as Thales frowned, Federico took over the conversation, his tone calm and restrained, perfectly easing the heaviness:
"I suspect he's not here to investigate the case, but to demand justice from the Sky Palace: Are the Royal Family and the Kevin Deer family, the Nine-Pointed Star and the Iris, destined to make Emerald City their battlefield?"

Until a winner is determined.

Even leading to the destruction of families and the death of people?

Thales paused for a moment.

Jann remained silent, as if he no longer cared about anything around him except for his sister in bed.

This made Thales frown even more deeply.

“Of course, it’s also possible that I misjudged the situation,” Federico reflected on his judgment at the opportune moment. “Perhaps this matter is not something that Fibble can decide at all. Perhaps the Temple of the Setting Sun is determined to take advantage of the chaos to gain something. Perhaps—”

“It’s also possible they were instructed to do so,” Jann suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse, startling Thales and Federico. “They deliberately chose the moment when the priest was assassinated, so as to naturally gather public anger, force the court, and compel us to make a choice.”

“Forcing us to distrust each other, forcing our alliance to break down,” Thales said at the opportune moment, steering the conversation in the right direction, “forcing us to abandon the compromises we have worked so hard to reach.”

And peace.

"To get the prestigious Sunset Temple to act, risking the taboo of 'priests interfering in politics,' and question the lord..."

Federico glanced at his haggard and exhausted cousin, then at the solemn-faced prince, and said, seemingly casually:

“Fibre may not have received a typical ‘instruction’ or an instruction from an ‘ordinary person’.”

Without looking up, Jenn gave a sneer for no apparent reason.

Thales gave Federico a deep look, while the latter simply leaned against the wall, arms crossed, deep in thought.

“Now that things have come to this, if we want to stabilize Emerald City, we must confront them and give them an answer,” Thales glanced at Federico, then at Jann, trying to set the tone for the conversation. “The most important thing now is for the three of us to unite, reach a consensus, and deal with their questioning and even coercion—”

"This shouldn't have happened to her."

Jenn suddenly spoke, interrupting Thales.

His gaze never left the bed.

"She shouldn't have gotten involved."

If the situation hadn't deteriorated to this point.

"It shouldn't be."

Jan said quietly, seemingly detached from the conversation.

Thales and Federico exchanged a glance and frowned.

“Jane, we…” the prince said tentatively.

"I'm so sorry, cousin."

Federico suddenly spoke.

His voice was a little strained, but he tried his best to remain calm:

"But at least this time, Hilla... is not what I wanted."

Thales looked at Federico with some surprise.

Did Federer apologize to Jenn?
That's...not common.

But how much of that apology—as his inner voice prompts a timely question—was genuine, and how much was merely a temporary expedient?
Jan slowly raised his head, his eyes lifeless.

"Reason tells me that you may be telling the truth, Fed."

The Duke's words relieved Federico, but the second half of his sentence made him frown again:
“But my feelings tell me: I should push you off the balcony right now.” Federico glanced at the opposite balcony without changing his expression.

Fortunately, after speaking, Jenn wearily lowered his head again:
"But it doesn't matter anymore, I don't care."

When Thales looked at Jann like this, he felt a sudden tightness in his chest.

“I admit, I did think about using her to control you, to threaten you,” Fede said through gritted teeth, looking at the unconscious Hillary on the bed. “But that was at most a scheme, not in this way…”

“Is that so?” Jann sneered.

Federer took a deep breath:

“Listen, if I were making the decision, I would at least not…”

"You can't decide anything."

Jenn interrupted him coldly:
"In their eyes, you're nothing more than a puppet, a pawn that happened to be there at the right time. Your greatest use, and your best destiny, is to become a piece of their game—"

He deliberately slowed down his speech:
"Replacement parts for the Duke of South Bank".

In that instant, Federer's fingers tightened unconsciously.

His face turned pale instantly, but he quickly suppressed it.

“Jane.”

Things weren't going well, and Thales had to intervene in the family conversation:
“My men have investigated. Hilly’s injury and coma may not have been my father’s intention; it’s more likely that his subordinates acted on their own, causing an accident—”

"Then go find him."

Jenn retorted without hesitation, leaving Thales speechless:
"Write a letter to the capital and confront him! 'Your son of a bitch dares to cause trouble on my turf?'"

Write a letter to question...

Thales felt a tightness in his chest as he recalled King Kessel's reply, "You decide."

"But what can you do if he doesn't admit it?"

Jenn changed the subject:
"Even if he admits it, what can you do?"

Jenn's tone was sarcastic, and each of his rhetorical questions was like a sharp knife, cutting into Thales's heart:
"Would he give up his ambitions for Emerald City just because of your letter of accusation? Would he let Hilai go? 'I'm sorry, sweetheart, it's all Daddy's fault for being too rough this time. I'll be gentler next time.'"

Thales frowned.

"Cousin!"

Federico raised his voice, his tone carrying a warning.

Jann turned his head and glared at Federico.

"Sorry, I forgot you were here too. The King's good vanguard, good spy, and the Duke of South Bank's replacement spare," the Duke of South Bank sneered.

Federico remained unfazed, only his eyes grew colder.

“Jane,” Thales sighed, “please believe me, we will protect your sister…”

"Protect her? Is this how you protect her? With your royal family protecting her?"

Jenn turned his head sharply, his eyes bloodshot:
"The last daughter of Kelvin Deer who married into the royal family was cursed by the world as the 'Witch Queen.' Do you know where she died in the end?"
Do you know what happened to her king husband?
"And you, even if you're some damn prince, can you protect her?"

Thales looked at the unconscious girl on the bed and was speechless for a moment.

"Or is this just your usual line of dialogue?"

Jenn forced a laugh out loud:

"Is this how you instigate the people around you to die for you? Is this how you bewitched Anke Bailar, tricking him into willingly spending his life in prison?"

Thales took a deep breath.

[You will, when your large group of bodyguards, loyal ministers, and filial sons who stood guard outside... admired you, respected you, were loyal to you, and worshipped you, yet were all implicated by you, their families destroyed, and never to be reincarnated...]

[And yet you can still hold their hands, tears streaming down your face, with the most heartache, tenderness, and understanding... moving them to the point of fascination and obsession, taking pride in it, so that more people will follow in your footsteps and die for you...]

[And if you repeat this process sincerely and repeatedly, until it becomes second nature... then you will get to know him.]

The words of King Lausanne II echoed in the prince's mind, and the latter tried his best not to think about them:
"I understand. You're in a bad mood today because of what happened with Hilly, so I won't hold it against you..."

“And I heard from the officials that you used the Wrath of the Kingdom and the Royal Guard, and your father, to intimidate them and force them to comply?” Jann looked at Thales, his tone sarcastic. “Well, now that he’s really here, what can you do?”

Janne spread his arms, gesturing to Thales and Federico, and said sarcastically:

"Hold a knife to his neck and tell him that if he doesn't back down, you'll die in front of him?"

Thales grimaced awkwardly and coughed.

Federico stopped talking, merely observing his distraught cousin with cold eyes, occasionally glancing at Thales.

At this moment, Jenn, his neck stiff, veins bulging, eyes bloodshot and face covered in stubble, questioned the situation. He didn't resemble the high-ranking Duke of the South Bank; he was more like one of the countless desperate parents outside the North Gate Bridge, toiling away with no way out.
"If the three of us stick together, relying on our faith and love, and combine our strength to summon a cataclysmic disaster or an ancient dragon, then we'll have the confidence to say no to him and scare his clutches back to Eternal Star City?"

"That's precisely why we're here, isn't it?"

Thales suddenly raised his voice, interrupting Jenn.

The prince stepped forward, standing between Jan and Federico, his eyes serious.

"That's why I went to great lengths to get you two to sit at the same table—to say 'no' to him."

Thales looked around but couldn't find a table, so he could only pretend to pat the gauze curtain next to Hilly's bed.

The room remained quiet for a while.

Only the girl on the bed remained fast asleep, completely unaware.

"I could have."

A few seconds later, Jenn lowered his head and said quietly.

“I could have suppressed them, forced them to retreat, and said no to them… politics, military, finance, security, debt, trade… I could have used grand methods to suppress their ambitions and schemes outside this city, leaving them with no way to make a move and forcing them to return empty-handed.”

Jenn clenched his knees:
“Until you, Thales, until you arrive carrying a flag bearing a nine-pointed star…”

Thales remained silent.

"Day by day, step by step, bit by bit, you dismantle my methods and bargaining chips, crumbling Emerald City's defenses and vigilance..."

Regardless of whether they were officials, merchants, scholars, farmers, or people from the underworld or the legitimate world, regardless of their rank, social class, or social status, even the Duke himself, when faced with that nine-pointed star banner...

Jenn slowly clenched his fist.

“Actually… it can’t really be called a collapse,” Thales sighed.

Faced with the impregnable Emerald City, he attacked from both sides, racking his brains, revealing all his trump cards, and begging and pleading before he could barely carve out a gap...

"That's why you forced me to this point..."

Jann gritted his teeth, looking at the bed behind the gauze curtain, his tone bitter:
"This step."

Thales and Federico looked at Hilly on the bed, both frowning.

"My biggest mistake was listening to your advice during the election, relinquishing my authority, and stepping down from the duke's throne."

Jenn looked at his sister, his expression hardening again, as if he had made up his mind:
"If I had known this would happen, I should have been ruthless that day and killed Fede at any cost, let the Emerald Legion wipe everything out, and then used his son to negotiate."

Federico remained motionless, seemingly unconcerned.

But looking at Jenn like this, Thales suddenly felt uneasy.

Wait, you're not going to use his sister to threaten him, are you?

He recalled the words of Dusuan—the lord of Congzhong City from Hampur, Lishengtalar:

[Run, Thales, my lovely little Dieba…run…run as far as you can…before Jenn finally makes his move…before he can kill you completely.]

“Then you’ve played right into his hands,” Thales said, frowning.

Jann turned to look at him.

"I don't know about others, but it's about taking advantage of the situation to force you into rebellion, and then logically eliminating you..."

Thales glanced at Miranda outside the door and sighed:
“My father is particularly good at this.”

"So now we can only go along with him for the time being? Just like what you advised me at the election," Jann said dismissively, "and probably what you advised Anker Bailar at the royal banquet: 'Just bear with it for a while, it won't hurt in a bit'?"

Thales sighed deeply and lowered his head to rub his forehead.

Just then, Federico, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly took a step and walked to the other side of the bedroom.

He pushed open the door, stepped out onto the balcony, leaned against the protruding observation deck that only reached his waist, and gazed at the magnificent cityscape below.

"Push me."

Thales and Jann were both taken aback.

"Didn't you just say that your feelings are telling you that you should push me down now?"

Federico stood with his back to them, arms outstretched, feeling the chilling wind howling high above the Kongming Palace:

“Come on, I’m right here, Jenn. Give me a push, and you’ll be satisfied—emotionally speaking.”

what?
Thales was stunned.

Even Jann stared at his cousin in shock.

“Come on, as you said, push me down and the trouble will be over. You’ll have nothing to worry about, and you’ll be rid of those annoying ‘spare parts.’ Then you can focus on being the Duke of the South Bank and continue your anti-kingdom cause.”

Seeing that Jann remained motionless, Federico on the balcony sneered, then simply flipped over and leaped onto the observation deck, stepping onto the stone railing that was only a hand's width wide!
He stood up, facing the bustling street below, its surface as fine as leaf veins, closed his eyes, and spoke decisively:
"come!"

Janne stared incredulously at Federico's back as he stood on the stone railing:

"you you……"

Thales realized what was happening and was horrified:

"Feder?"

"This also benefits Prince Thales, saving him the trouble of mediating between us: as long as one of us dies, the problem will be solved, it's just a matter of how to clean up the mess."

Federico coldly interrupted them.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the trembling in his legs and fingers, trying his best not to look at the scenery below the stage, and gritted his teeth as he roared:

"Come on! Push me down!"

Thales instinctively wanted to pull Federico back, but after looking at the height of the balcony and the width of the stone railing, he feared he might make things worse, so he raised his hands and pleaded earnestly:
"Calm down, Fed, come back first... Trust me, falling will hurt a lot, what if you don't die from the fall..."

A few seconds passed.

Thales would swear that for at least a moment—no, more than that, certainly longer—Jann was somewhat tempted.

You could tell from the trembling back of his hand, which was bent and then lowered on his knee.

But he ultimately did not get up from the chair and rush to the balcony.

Thales suddenly realized that this wasn't madness.

This is negotiation.

“Bastard,” Jenn gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling as he stared intently at Federico’s retreating figure, his eyes brimming with a mixture of rage and resentment, “you put on this pathetic show for… no, you knew he was there… you knew I wouldn’t… you pretentious bastard, you son of a bitch…”

Federico opened his eyes, regulated his rapid breathing, and lowered his arms.

“Wrong,” Federico slowly turned his head and stared intently at Jann, “it was you, cousin, who knew perfectly well that you couldn’t do this.”

At least not now.

Upon hearing this, Jenn's gaze sharpened even more.

"Now, you can vent your anger here, curse me, His Highness Thales, His Majesty the King, and even our ancestors, belittle them to nothing, and vent all your pent-up anger."

Federico stared intently at the rapidly breathing Jenn, then slowly crouched down:

"Or calm down and join us."

He calmly climbed down from the observation deck and went back inside:
"Preserve Emerald City."

Federico, panting and trying to catch his breath, pointed to the view outside the balcony, then to the girl behind the gauze curtain:

"Protect her."

Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

If one of these two brothers really dies here today, then this mess will have to be cleaned up...

Hmm—Tales thought for a moment—and it really was simple.

Jann didn't speak; he just stared intently back at Federico, his chest heaving.

But a few seconds later, Jenn suddenly stood up.

He brushed past Federico, and under the latter's surprised gaze, walked straight out onto the balcony, climbed up the observation deck, and stepped onto the narrow stone railing!
Thales was once again terrified:
"No... what are you doing..."

Imagine (though he had considered it before): one death is one thing, but what if both Kevin Deer brothers died here today, and he was the only one to walk out of the room, along with Miss Kevin Deer, who was unconscious and unable to testify...

He'll probably have to beg King Kessel to send 100,000 troops to suppress the south bank.

“So that’s what it feels like to leave your back, your vital points exposed to the enemy,” Jan said, his breath quickening and trembling as he felt the cold wind high in the sky, completely ignoring his cousin behind him.

A few steps away, Federico stared intently at his cousin's back, at the distance between the latter's toes and the stone railing, at that breathtaking and awe-inspiring height. His fingers trembled, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes were sometimes fiery and sometimes icy.

Jan took a deep breath and laughed.

He turned around very slowly, and under Federico's complicated gaze, he climbed off the observation deck, calmly returned to his room, and reached out to close a balcony door.

Federico stood on the other side, staring coldly at Jenn, and closed the other door.

Keep the cold wind and chill out of the house.

Thales then plopped down in the chair and let out a long sigh of relief.

Can we please stop with these melodramatic scenes of threatening to jump off buildings...?

“I need your guards, especially those you trust.”

Having calmed down, Jenn sat down and spoke to Thales:
"Guard her room, never leave her side."

Okay.

Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

That means there's still room for negotiation.

"As you can see, Miranda is already here on duty."

Duke Xinghu said solemnly:
"And Sir Cassandra has been guarding outside the door the whole time. Then there's Captain Seychelles and the Emerald Legion..."

"When you went to rescue Hillary, didn't those people run away as soon as they saw you, not daring to lay a finger on you?" Jann said coldly.

Those people?
Thales paused, scratching his palm:
Actually... there was only one person.

"Can't you tell?"

Jann glanced back at Thales and let out a cold laugh.

“Only you, Thales. At this point, only you, at least one of your men, can still command their slightest respect. As for the local forces of Emerald City, hmph…”

Jann glanced at the magnificent cityscape outside the window and shook his head.

“We still have hope,” Thales said in a deep voice, returning to the main point. “They—whether it’s the Secret Service or anyone else—have not launched a direct attack; it can only be considered a warning. This shows that they still have reservations, or at least it’s inconvenient for them to come forward directly.”

“They still need us, they need us to step forward and clean up the mess,” Federico added.

After all, even the most powerful spies and secret agents in the Kingdom's Secret Service couldn't directly stand atop the Kongming Palace, command the entire city, and subdue the South Bank.

Thales nodded: "If the three of us work together, we can at least stop the situation from escalating and prevent further harm and loss..."

"How do we do it?" Jann asked coldly.

"Let's begin with the audience of Deputy High Priest Fibour."

Federico raised his head, his expression resolute:

"To convince them that, through the mediation of the three of us, Emerald City is currently on the right track and meets their expectations, and that their blind and arbitrary intervention will only ruin His Majesty and His Highness..."

"Is this the right direction?"

Jenn sneered:

"What direction is wrong? Why should I live?"

He stared at Fed, his voice low and dangerous:
“Tell me, Fede, did you contact the Kingdom’s Secret Service? Did they teach you to say those words?”

Federico snorted and turned to the prince, giving him a helpless yet angry look.

Thales shook his head: "Jane..."

The Duke of the South Bank's lips twitched slightly as he turned to Thales:

"Oh, did my cousin tell you with such righteous indignation that although he didn't assassinate the priest, although the situation is in his favor to rise to power, and although he is truly loyal and has no selfish motives, but..."

Jenn then changed the subject, saying sarcastically:
"...But Fede still regretfully and reluctantly suggested to you that since someone has to take the blame, why not find a few scapegoats in Emerald City for the assassination of the priests—who happen to be Jann's partners and old friends—to satisfy your father's people, and then make up for those 'necessary sacrifices' later?"

Thales frowned deeply, while Federico's face was as cold as ice.

“Don’t be surprised,” Jenn said dismissively. “I would have done the same.”

"I don't know if this is belittling the enemy or praising myself," Thales sighed inwardly.

“I have already explained this to His Highness,” Fede took a deep breath, “The most important thing is that Emerald City is in a state of panic and is on the verge of collapse. We need to stabilize the situation immediately, even if it means sacrifice…”

"How else can we stabilize things?"

Jann coldly interrupted him.

"The key to this matter is not who is stronger or weaker, who is right or wrong, it's not about me and the prince, it's not about you and Hillay, it's not even about whether the direction is right or wrong, or whether it can satisfy anyone..."

Jenn turned to Tyles:
"Instead, we all once thought that you, Thales, we thought you could be the one to take control of this turmoil and ultimately bring balance and stability back to Emerald City."

Thales frowned.

But it turns out: you are not.

"Jane said coldly."

“Jayne, His Highness has already done enough…” Federico began in a deep voice, “In fact, my suggestion—”

Jenn turns to Federer:

"You are no less so."

Jenn looked up and scanned Federer and Tyler:

“But I am.”

His gaze was as cold as a knife, especially frightening on his haggard and withered face.
"I am."

Thales and Federico were both taken aback.

"What do you mean?" Thales asked in a deep voice. "You already have a plan?"

Jann gave a cold laugh, his voice suddenly dropping.

"The temple assassination case, wasn't it all written in the suicide note? It was aimed at me."

Jenn looked at Hilly on the bed, his gaze heavy with sorrow, his voice barely audible:

"There has never been only one solution to this problem."

only one.

Thales and Federico exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing doubt and wariness.

“The question is, Thales, Fede,” Jenn turned to the prince and his cousin, his smile chilling, “are you ready?”

Thales frowned.

"Are you ready...?"

The Duke of the South Bank gazed at the two of them with a deep, unfathomable look in his eyes:
"Did you face the test and pay the price?" (End of Chapter)