Kingdom’s Bloodline

This is the first time Thales has seen King Nun with a dark golden crown on his head, wearing a serious and majestic golden-red dress, walking down the steps surrounded by his subjects as a majestic king, walking towards On the central long table of the meeting hall, sit the chair that belongs exclusively to the king.

In his eyes, this nearly seventy-year-old man no longer had the gloom and obscurity he had when he first met, but was replaced by an unprecedented majesty, like a silent and terrifying lion in a pride of lions.

I saw Nunn Walton VII, with a tall and straight body and an upright waist, leaning on the arm of the seat, and shooting into the hall with piercing eyes. Under the unabashed scrutiny and contempt of the king, the four grand dukes turned their heads or looked away unnaturally.

Officer Michael stood behind the king with a serious expression; dozens of capable white-bladed guards guarded every corner of the chamber, vigilantly pressing the white handle; more Thales had never seen With a fresh face, dressed in the clothes that should belong to the nobility, he stood on both sides of the king with different expressions, exchanging eyes unabashedly.

This is also the first time that Thales has completely seen the close ministers around King Nun, belonging to the court of Dragon Clouds City.

Compared with the orderly and self-ruled star palace, the monarchs and ministers of Exeter are full of fierceness and roughness, thickness and wildness from the bones, no matter in their positions, postures, movements, and expressions. , appearing casual and rude, unnerving to anyone who sees this scene for the first time—it feels like standing among a herd of dangerous predators ready to bite you.

Thales couldn't help but glanced at Putillai beside him, who nodded slightly at him.

"wait?"

In the meeting hall, the long-haired Grand Duke Ronnie asked his doubts in his thunderous voice: "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

No one answered him.

"Hey! Your Majesty," Grand Duke Trudida said with a pale face as he glanced at the grey-haired or bright-eyed courtiers standing beside King Nun, "I don't know what you want to do, but, from Your Excellency the chief political officer Sobu, to Earl Silaire who handles foreign affairs, and then...you brought half of the imperial meeting in front of us?"

"Do you want to discuss it with us?" He asked half ironically and half accusingly, "Why was the wine at the banquet just so sour?"

Grand Duke Olsio beside him looked at the king unceremoniously.

Thales looked at the scene worriedly: How will things end?

"It seems that His Majesty's long-term tolerance has spoiled you all."

"Listen well, Your Excellencies, the Grand Dukes who belong to Exeter," a courtier who was over half a century old beside King Nunn responded unceremoniously to the Grand Duke of Reconstruction Tower: "The king you swear allegiance to, the Northlanders swear to follow The co-lord is ordering you..."

"wait!"

The half-hundred old minister's face was cold, and he reprimanded without shame:

Grand Duke Trudida and Grand Duke Olsio turned cold, while Grand Duke Lecco was thoughtful.

Only Grand Duke Ronnie sat on the left side of the long table with his expression unchanged—just like the first time he saw Thales.

"At least tell us what this lame trap is for, Your Majesty?" A few seconds later, Grand Duke Lecco, who was guarding the city, sighed and sat down slowly.

"Collude with the little ghosts of the stars to play tricks on the princes under him." Grand Duke Olesiu also sat down on his seat, and then said coldly: "I feel that my dignity has been greatly insulted."

At this moment, knocking sounds came from the hall.

"Boom...boom...boom..."

The four princes turned their heads together and looked at the main seat at the end of the long table.

There, Nun VII, with a serious expression, was slowly tapping the table with his right hand.

"Boom...boom...boom..."

Thales narrowed his eyes, and he noticed that King Nun was wearing a uniquely shaped ring on the little finger of his right hand, with a black gem inlaid in the center of the silver-white metal ring.

The king was using that gem, tapping the table seemingly nonchalantly.

"Dignity doesn't give you the right to question the king, Rebion," King Nunn said slowly, his gaze fixed on the table, as if he was particularly interested in the part he struck: "What are you going to do? There's only one thing, boys, as it was ten years ago,"

"Obey me."

King Nun slowly raised his head, with undeniable sternness shining from his eyes, and looked at the grand dukes:

"Just like a long time ago, your father obeyed my father, and later obeyed me..."

"At least then, we lived in peace."

"do you understand?"

The princes all gasped for breath.

"According to that child," a few seconds later, Grand Duke Lecco sighed, and was the first to speak: "You use lies to test our loyalty? And we are far away from our guards and followers, which is really frustrating I fear for my safety..."

"If I really want your lives recklessly, old bald man," King Nunn suddenly raised his voice, making Lyco's words stagnate: "You think it's only based on those bastard soldiers around you, and the extremely powerful man behind you?" An axeman who is not in the realm, can walk out of the Palace of Heroes, or even Dragon Clouds City, alive?"

"This is not your guard city."

Several Grand Dukes frowned at the same time.

"At least tell us, what are you waiting for?" Ronnie pushed back his long hair and snorted coldly.

"Your Excellencies, His Majesty the King has shown great kindness, please be patient, but if you have some understanding of each other's identities and responsibilities..." On King Nuen's left, another man with a playful expression The subject replied with a smile and deep meaning: "Find your own seat and sit firmly."

There was a moment of silence in the hall.

And waiting without knowing why.

"After this is over, kid," Olsio cast his eyes on Thales, with a fierce expression on his face, which temporarily attracted the attention of others: "I'm going to dig out your heart—as a challenge to our dignity." cost."

Ronnie, Lecco, and Trudida also cast different looks at him, with vigilance, deep thought, and suspicion.

Thales closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

Damn.

I thought it would be very simple... to find out who was behind the scenes, King Nuen waved his hand and fired ten thousand arrows, revenge for injustice, revenge for revenge, pat his ass, and leave.

But for now, at least judging from Olesiu's performance - the side effects and sequelae are huge.

"Save your energy, Your Excellency the Grand Duke," Thales heard himself say listlessly: "Don't always talk about things you can't do..."

He didn't want to argue anymore.

Olsio gritted his teeth, but just as he was about to speak, a newcomer joined the chamber.

Following the sound of chaotic footsteps, a young man with brown hair, wearing a thick robe embroidered with blood-colored horseshoes, walked into the meeting hall full of people.

The Grand Duke of Fengzhao City, the young Conkley Peifeite, accompanied by his entourage, stood in front of everyone.

Thales took a deep breath, then sighed heavily.

finally……

"very good!"

Grand Duke Trudida's eyes lit up when he saw Peifeite coming. He looked around at the people in the hall and smiled brightly.

Only Grand Duke Ronnie frowned tightly, while Grand Duke Lecco showed a surprised expression.

"Now we are all together. The five Grand Dukes invited by Your Majesty gathered together under the watchful eyes of the White Blade Guard." The Grand Duke who rebuilt the tower raised his eyebrows: "Then the question is, what are you going to do? Use the ridiculous charge of mobbing and plotting to get us all together or..."

Trudida's voice stopped abruptly.

The rest of the words were cut off in his throat by himself.

It was like a crossbow bolt that broke instantly when the trigger was pulled.

The Grand Duke of the Reconstruction Tower stared blankly at the approaching Peifeite and his party.

Their faces were pale, their bodies were in a state of embarrassment, and their hands were empty. A soldier at the side of Grand Duke Peifei even covered his shoulders with a pale face, and blood oozes from his fingers, even under the support.

Around them, there was a whole circle of white-sword guards with their swords out of their sheaths, their blades gleaming coldly, staring at them coldly.

"Meteorite" Nicolai walked in the last one with a chill all over his body, and saluted the king.

Trudida reacted.

Peifite and his men were escorted in by the White Blade Guard after they disarmed.

Grand Duke Peifei himself stood expressionless, his body was still cold, and snow dripped from his brown hair.

"Is it enough?" The young Grand Duke raised his head and looked around the hall with sullen eyes. "A noble Grand Duke should not be treated like a criminal in the king's palace and castle!"

"Using force to force me to come to the meeting hall, what exactly do you want to do?"

"This is challenging our ancient Northland tradition, and disregarding Nakaru's co-government oath!"

King Nun narrowed his eyes.

The four princes have different expressions.

Thales raised his eyebrows at an angle that no one could see:

Tonight is finally coming to an end.

"This is what you want us to wait for, Your Majesty? Gather all five of us here," Grand Duke Lecco looked at the embarrassed Grand Duke Peifit, and said in a helpless tone: "Now you can tell us, the truth of all this Is it all right?"

"Could it be that it's really like what that kid said," Olsio said angrily, "We still have to wait for Luba to come together?"

Trudida laughed lowly.

Under everyone's gaze, the old king of Exeter paused for three seconds before speaking slowly.

"Very good," King Nun clasped his hands, with a serious expression and sharp eyes.

But his next sentence made almost everyone look surprised.

"Little Thales, my clever guest."

King Nun slowly turned to one side, looking at Prince Star standing beside him.

Thales, who was about to watch a good show, was taken aback for a moment.

What?

Little Thales?

Do I know you well?

"Come, tell me, my loyal princes, why they are here."

After King Nuen's words fell, his eyes flashed.

"Tell them...the so-called truth."

Everyone's eyes, with different emotions such as hesitation, surprise, and gloom, all turned to the second prince of the stars at that moment.

Thales froze for a moment.

Damn.

He quickly pulled out an ugly smile, raised his hands, and spread them out to both sides.

"I don't want to get involved in Exter's infighting, Your Majesty," Thales said with a smile, "It's up to you to handle the internal affairs yourself, but..."

But he couldn't finish.

"You've been involved, Thales." Nun's deep and old voice, accompanied by the king's profound gaze, interrupted him: "You've already been in it, unable to extricate yourself, the future Star King."

"And you promised to do it for me—your promise, didn't you?"

Thales gritted his teeth.

In the gazes of the several grand dukes looking at him, doubts slowly turned into solemnity.

Thales swallowed and frowned.

Nunn, the damn old man.

Was it to show the grand dukes that the heir of the stars stood with him?

Thales' brows became tighter and tighter.

King Nun's eyes became sharper.

"Go on, what are you waiting for, little prince," Olsius continued to look at him fiercely, "after you tricked us all here with your ridiculous words—to be honest, I just thought Rumba would also get up."

Thales ignored him.

Finally, under Puttilai's whispered reminder, he let out a helpless breath.

All right.

To meet the eyes of almost everyone in the hall, Thales took a step forward.

"I'm sorry, Your Excellencies," Thales said, facing the unfriendly gazes of almost all the five Grand Dukes, "tonight, most of what I said to you are false, Only one thing is true."

"Prince Moral was assassinated in the stars." Thales sighed: "One of the black hands behind the scenes is among you."

As soon as the words fell, the five princes frowned.

The courtiers around the king began to whisper.

The Second Prince ignored the murmurs that started to grow in the hall.

"And His Majesty Nuen asked me to find the black hand who conspired with Lumbard to kill Prince Moral." Thales said with a blank expression.

"Oh, I knew..." the bald Grand Duke Lecco sighed, "We are not only invited here to deal with this Prince of Stars."

Grand Duke Trudida turned his head, shook his head disapprovingly and said, "The black hand who conspired with Rumba? Ha, I understand."

"But it's not a good job..." Thales turned to the five Grand Dukes and nodded: "Almost all of you, the five Grand Dukes are suspected."

The five grand dukes turned their heads unnaturally, avoiding the double gaze of Thales and King Nun.

"Facts have also proved that you are really restless," Thales chuckled, and continued: "To be honest, I really didn't expect that those words would attract all four of you... I thought at most one two."

"My loyal grand dukes, the co-rulers of Exeter," King Nun said slowly, "it seems that they all have great ambitions."

Suddenly, whispers resounded in the hall.

The faces of Olsio and Lecco became extremely embarrassed, Ronnie still had a cold expression, Trudida laughed loudly, and the young Peifei still had a gloomy expression.

King Nun watched everything in the field quietly, clasping his hands.

"So that's how it is," Grand Duke Ronnie of Qiyuan City said sternly, "What you said is all false... There is no secret discussion between Dragon Clouds City and Heisha Ling, and there is no such thing as Walton and Rumba. Cooperation, yes?"

Thales shook his head: "Of course not, I made up all this nonsense."

"I understand," Grand Duke Lecco said inarticulately, "The key lies in Rumba? Because that black hand is conspiring with Rumba?"

"Hmph," Olsio snorted coldly, "What a crappy strategy—to convince us and the black hand at the same time, that Lunba and His Majesty are cooperating? So, Lunba will betray the identity of the black hand to His Majesty?"

"The trick is so straightforward," Grand Duke Trudida leaned back and said with a smile, "Is anyone really going to be fooled?"

Thales stared at the two of them for several seconds.

Until the second prince smiled softly.

"No." Thales shook his head decisively: "It's not that simple."

"Don't forget, what I told you, those words like 'Lumba is not a murderer, but the secret department identified him as a murderer'-maybe the innocent princes will believe it," Thales continued:

"But only he, the only black hand, will not believe this—as Luba's accomplice, only he knows that Luba is indeed one of the real murderers! It is impossible for Luba to be cleared of the suspicion of killing the prince, so It is impossible for Rumba to cooperate with His Majesty, and it is impossible to betray him."

"Only the black hand knows." Thales turned around, looked around, and inspected the effect of his speech: "What I said about the so-called 'Walton-Rumba Covenant' is simply scaremongering, and it is impossible for Rumba to seek it. Alliance with His Majesty."

"Then what exactly do you mean by what you said at night?" The bald Grand Duke Lecco's eyes lit up: "You said a lot of things that His Majesty would abandon hatred and choose interests, but if you can't convince the murderer at all, Luba and His Majesty are in the same place. cooperate……"

"I'm not going to make him believe this, I just want to tell him," Thales said lightly, "Your Majesty suspects that Lumbard is not the murderer, and is still trying to contact Lumbard."

At the head of the long table, King Nuen showed a faint sneer.

"Also, if Nicolai picked me up, the contact between the two parties has probably started for a long time."

Grand Duke Olsio said impatiently: "You just said that Luba is the murderer. He dare not and will not cooperate with His Majesty. You can't dig out the name of the black hand from Luba..."

"I'm not done yet!"

Thales interrupted him coldly, making Olesiu stunned: "That black hand did one more thing!"

"He also participated in the murder of me, Prince Xingchen!"

The whispers in the meeting hall stopped instantly.

"During the game between Broken Dragon Fortress and Lombard, he bought a group called 'Sword of Disaster' and used Lombard's magic gun troops to assassinate me, trying to frame Lombard with this," Thales took a deep breath , word by word:

"That's what I want him to know!"

"I want that black hand to know: His Majesty Nunn already knows that the black hand who murdered Prince Moral is also the one who framed Rumba!"

Putilai behind Thales sighed, and Marquis Shiles beside him smiled.

"So, in the final analysis, I told you so much nonsense at night, but I just want to tell you two things." Thales shrugged: "One, His Majesty is contacting Lumbard, and two, His Majesty knows that the murderer of Prince Moral The black hand is also plotting against Rumba."

Under everyone's puzzled eyes, Thales nodded slowly:

"In this case, whether His Majesty can reach a cooperation with Lombard is irrelevant. What is important is—when His Majesty contacts Lombard, in order to confirm the truth about Moral's murder, will he also inform Lombard of this matter? "

The Grand Dukes were shocked immediately!

They have already figured out the cause and effect of the matter.

"The key is not His Majesty, but Lombard himself," Thales looked at everyone's reactions and sighed deeply: "If the answer is 'yes', then Grand Duke Charmain Lombard will know that it is his all along Collaborators, planted traitors in the army of Heisha Ling, and betrayed him under the Broken Dragon Fortress!"

"At that time, if I were Rumba, the first thing I would do would be to immediately inform His Majesty of the identity of the black hand," Thales said firmly, with a certain light shining in his eyes:

"With the help of the Dragon Spear family, let this collaborator who dared to betray, betray, and frame him pay the heaviest price in Dragon Clouds City!"

Hearing this, King Nun suddenly sat in his own seat, raised his head and laughed loudly.

The laughter grew louder.

But in the meeting hall, other people didn't say a word, just watched the king's smile quietly.

Until King Nun stopped laughing and turned his attention to the five grand dukes—one of them.

"Go ahead." King Nuen's eyes were extremely sharp at this time. He looked at the silent Grand Duke, and the old man's voice was full of murderous intent: "We are all looking forward to him."

Thales turned his head and nodded to the old king.

He exhaled through his nose and raised his head:

"Once this happens, the identity of the black hand and what he has done will be invisible to Luba and His Majesty!"

"Once I think about it, his identity and crimes will be leaked to His Majesty Nunn by the Grand Duke of Lombard at any time..."

"Once you think about it, every minute he stays in Dragon Clouds City, the possibility of being exposed increases..."

"Once I think about it, His Majesty Nun's vengeance has nowhere to vent..."

Thales paced, walked to the center of the field, sighed, looked at the unusual Grand Duke, and said slowly:

"How can you sit still, eat well, and sleep soundly? How can you not rush back to your own territory as soon as possible, and stick behind the high wall to protect yourself?"

The five princes looked different.

But the four of them all set their sights on the Grand Duke who was very different from the moment he arrived.

"Is that so..."

Thales spoke slowly, and he turned his gaze to look at that person.

The person who was gentle, fair, and enthusiastic when we met for the first time in the chamber, but who responded silently tonight without saying a word.

The youngest, the Grand Duke with bloodshoe patterns embroidered on his clothes.

"Your Majesty, I, and Rumba's common opponent: the black hand who murdered Prince Moral, my enemy who assassinated me, Rumba's collaborator and betrayer..." Thales showed a friendly smile.

"Can you tell me why at four o'clock in the morning, when the sky is still dark, the banquet is in full swing, and the palace and city gates are opened for the first time, at a time when I made such a shocking news and proposal and looked forward to When you came to meet..."

"However, you can't even say goodbye, so you have to leave the Palace of Heroes in a hurry, board the carriage, drive towards the city gate, and leave Dragon Clouds City regardless?"

Thales shook his head and read his name with complicated emotions:

"Honorable Grand Duke of Fengzhao City—His Excellency Conkley Puffett?"

By this time, there was no sound in the field.

Until the brown-haired young man covered in air-conditioning and snow, with a prominent status, slowly raised his head and looked at the prince in the stars.

His eyes were full of numbness.