Kingdom’s Bloodline

[Many people have had the same idea—magicians and other races can coexist peacefully and even help each other. 】

At this moment, what flashed through Thales' mind was the conversation from a long time ago.

That was Dragon Clouds City six years ago.

Giza just disappeared under the vanguard of the world.

In the ashes of the sky, when Thales vowed to find a new future for the magician, the scholar-like and refined Ashida said to him lightly, intentionally or unintentionally:

[Whether it is a magician, a human, or even an elf, there are countless similar efforts and attempts...]

[They all failed. 】

That pleasant voice is vivid in my ears, but the cruel truth in front of me shakes my heart.

They all fail.

Thales looked at Sackel seriously in front of him, but he was thinking about another figure.

Ashida.

How many things have you... concealed from me?

Eighteen years ago, you and Giza, and... what the hell did you do?

"Your Majesty, have you reached a covenant with the disaster?" In the extreme silence, Taldin said in disbelief.

"Qi and blood? Oh, I still remember, is the blood bottle gang right..." This is Nai who is thoughtful.

Their voices broke the silence, and everyone who was shocked spoke out one after another.

In the uproar, Little Barney took a step forward and shouted:

"Quiet!"

The noisy dungeon was cleared up immediately.

Little Barney's expression was still stiff, but Thales could tell that his calm appearance concealed surging emotions.

Little Barney said coldly: "That's it?"

"Three Disasters Alliance?"

Opposite him, the penalty knight withdrew his gaze from Thales, as if immersed in his own world, muttered:

"Those disasters... They have no good intentions, and they don't care about the future of the stars. On the contrary, they only want to use the kingdom to achieve their goals, no matter what kind of doom and disaster it will leave us."

"And that's just the beginning."

I only heard Sackel's dry and hoarse voice, as if a dream was disillusioned:

"It seems that overnight, natural disasters continued in the kingdom, crops were cut off, freight was blocked, sea routes were blocked, merchants and farmers throughout the territory were in chaos, all industries were abandoned, and conflicts occurred frequently, until rebellions broke out and the situation deteriorated and became uncontrollable..."

Everyone in the field sank when they heard the words.

"At this moment, when we are busy suppressing the rebellion and appeasing the country, the whole world seems to have received a certain order at the same time..."

The penalty knight looked blankly into the air:

"Our allies and companions are strangely silent: Whether it is the Three Kingdoms of the Lost Sea, the Holy Tree, the Hall of Kings, or even the Taixuan Palace on the other side of the sea, they are all secretive about helping the stars."

"Our enemies and opponents have never been more tacitly united: from the commercial boycott of Comus to the military invasion of the Great Desert, the sea plunder of the Kasai, the blockade of Humble, and the provocation of Exeter in the north. Even the rebels seem to have endless support behind them, as if they agreed to attack together."

He recalled the history of the bloody year inch by inch,

The sadness in the words infected the atmosphere in the field, making the faces of the royal guards more and more ugly.

Thales frowned unknowingly.

"The source of the magic energy guns purchased from the imperial kingdom has been cut off for no reason, and the permanent oil and asphalt mines can't keep up. Conventional weapons and military supplies have become extremely difficult."

Sackel's words continued, his voice became tighter and tighter, as if he was slowly suffocating:

"It's not just the war that we lost... The king and his vassals were alienated, the nobles protested one after another, the relationship between the three major temples and the Fuxing Palace fell to freezing point, and the shameless Tower of the End even sent a letter accusing His Majesty of his rule."

"Everything came together and turned into the most unfavorable situation for us..."

Pain and sorrow came into his eyes:

"And what you can see is that the number of brothers in the guard has decreased one by one. For the sake of duty and honor, they left their wives and children, and followed the bright stars, and went to the battlefield in batches. Or reply a letter in half a month to talk about safety, or never hear from him."

At that moment, none of the royal guards, including Samir, spoke, but they each responded, or bowed their heads deeply, or looked away unnaturally, and Cannon even whimpered softly.

"But do you think that everything that happened back then was really just a coincidence?"

Sackel stared at the flame in Naki's hand in a daze, and as the memory progressed, his words slowly became ferocious:

"I know, I know why, I know why we're being targeted."

"No matter what your majesty's original intentions are, but walking with disasters—this is the origin and beginning of our disasters, putting the stars in an unprecedented predicament, and turning the whole world into our enemy."

"Grass!" Naki slapped his thigh hard and cursed.

I don't know if it's for King Eddie or for Sackel.

The whole world will become our enemy...

Thales' breathing became disordered unconsciously.

"Why?"

Hearing this, Little Barney interrupted Sackel coldly:

"If you think that's the root and the reason..."

"Why didn't you tell us then? Why didn't you ask the old captain, or even my father?"

"They must have a way!"

"Why do you make claims?"

Saker's eyes moved.

The knight slowly swept across the royal guards present.

Thales noticed that many people subconsciously avoided his sharp gaze.

A few seconds later, Sackel chuckled mockingly and lowered his head:

"You do not understand."

"By the time I really wanted to do something, it was too late."

He shook slightly:

"The situation is getting worse and worse. Even the most elite guard brothers who guard the princes have bad news from time to time."

"In less than a year, the momentum of the rebel army has grown stronger and stronger. Our army's morale is low and we are retreating steadily. The flames of war in the West Wilderness and the Southwest have spread to the interior and spread across the country. People in the kingdom are panicking all day long..."

Every time Sakeel said a word, the brows of the guards tightened.

"Until Exeter—the terrifying dragon that had just overwhelmed the Golden Corridor and the Commas people—showed its fangs and joined the ranks of those who fell into trouble, and spared no expense in raising the nation's soldiers. Hundreds of thousands of elites were unstoppable. The iron hooves are rolling and coming fiercely."

"I think that is the final blow that our enemy has prepared for the kingdom, the final chapter in this epic of destroying the kingdom."

Thales couldn't help but think of Nun VII.

The king who is old but still powerful.

That cunning, shrewd, fierce and powerful lion.

He also recalled the purpose of Exeter's southward army that was narrated through the dictation of the Death Crow.

Thinking of this, Thales couldn't help wondering: Was it really just for political purposes that King Nun was able to send troops so decisively?

"And we're exhausted, we're at the end of our ropes, and we can't even form a decent army..."

Sackel's words became more and more painful:

"Just like that, the Kingdom of Stars, which bears the splendor of the empire and has existed for seven hundred years, came to the brink of destruction. It was only one step away from falling into the abyss, and it ended completely."

"But even so, even if the disaster has brought the kingdom to Hell River step by step, you can hardly imagine His Majesty's willful, paranoid and stubborn..."

Having said that, the punishment knight suddenly raised his head, his eyes looked forward angrily:

"It's hard to imagine his unwavering trust in the woman next to his pillow... in that monster."

"And it all started that night."

Sackel slowly stopped speaking.

Little Barney closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"So you betrayed and plotted rebellion? You turned to His Majesty's enemies?"

Her Excellency Pioneer Officer seemed to be trying his best to suppress his shock, trying to shift the focus to the present.

Saker was silent for a long time.

seems to be hesitating.

"Your Majesty is deluded."

Finally, the penalty knight said lightly:

"He doesn't see that disaster is the root of everything."

"He has to be sober."

The penalty knight's eyes gradually became clearer:

"Just stay away from those monsters with ulterior motives, cast aside their sinister plots, no longer place hope in taboos, but return to the right track of the kingdom..."

He is like a traveler struggling under the abyss, seeing hope at the last moment:

"The strange alliance that the enemy has thrown into trouble will lose its foundation and will be self-defeating. Even the legendary existence of the two high taboos will remove their eyes..."

"The supply of magic guns and eternal oil will be restored, the attitude of allies will be restored, the hostility that has nothing to do with interests will be eliminated, the backstage support of the rebels will stop, the plight of our enemies will be alleviated, the divided hearts will gather, and the frontline is in jeopardy The situation will improve, and the only thing we need to worry about is the old rivals."

"The Kingdom of Stars will survive this catastrophe."

Sackel's expression became more and more excited, but it became dark after a moment.

"But before that happens, someone has to step up and take responsibility and turn the tide, even if it means the most unforgivable betrayal, the most unforgivable stigma."

There was deep pain in his eyes, and he looked at his fist with ecstasy:

"Someone must save us - before His Majesty turns the whole world into an enemy and brings the whole kingdom into the abyss."

"Someone has to put an end to this hopeless and unnecessary confrontation."

No one spoke, and even Samir, who had a mocking face, closed his lips tightly. Little Barney in the front closed his eyes deeply, as if he was thinking.

Beside Thales, Naki sighed deeply, not only him, but other people also looked worried and preoccupied.

The prince was distraught.

He remembered the private encouragement he had given when Yodel and himself had a showdown on the magician in Mindis Hall.

【I have seen those disasters more than once... Your family, from the moment of birth, was destined to be entangled with those disasters...】

More than once.

That must not only include Ashida, maybe Fleurand, or even Giza?

Speaking of Yordle, he thought of the Secret Science and the Black Prophet. What roles did they play in that catastrophe?

Thales recalled the hysterical questioning and accusations against King Kessel in the Fuxing Palace six years ago after the Duke of Arend's conspiracy in the northern border failed.

【Just like your damn father, you and he both know what your choice will bring, but you never care... If you didn't bring that monster back...】

They were probably talking about the new queen, Fleurand.

He has seen Kessel's appearance, especially the scene where the Iron Fist King coldly asked him to go to Dragon Clouds City, he still vividly remembers it.

His grandfather, Eddie II, was also like this?

Thales also remembered that in the Hall of Heroes of the Palace of Heroes, Grand Duke Puffett, who had failed in the duel, inadvertently leaked his evaluation of Eddie II.

[Sooner or later, there will be a lunatic like Eddie II of the stars, dragging his entire country to hell! 】

Thales stared blankly at Sackel in front of him.

As a trusted watchman in the royal guard, he should be the most loyal guard.

but……

"No."

In the dungeon, a faint, low-pitched voice sounded in everyone's ears:

"Even if it has to be someone..."

"That shouldn't be you, it shouldn't be you."

Thales turned his head in surprise, and saw little Barney slowly raised his head, with a sharp cold light in his eyes, pointing directly at the punishment knight.

"Imanu Sackel."

Saker was silent.

"You are not Your Majesty."

"You are not Crown Prince Midil, you are not Prince Horace, you are not the Prime Minister, you are not a political officer, and you are not His Majesty's military and diplomatic advisor."

Barney Jr. seems to have weathered the betrayal of his colleagues and the shock of the truth.

He seems to have figured something out, his voice is not high at the moment, but his sentence is powerful and decisive:

"You're not even the captain of the royal guard, but just a servant of His Majesty, the second son of Viscount Sackel!"

Little Barney took a deep breath, gritted his teeth and asked:

"What right do you have to arrogantly assert the future for the entire kingdom?"

Sackel didn't speak, but deep pain welled up in his eyes.

The vanguard officer's voice is getting louder and more determined:

"What qualifications do you have, standing in the depths of the filthy darkness, pretending to 'save the world'!"

All the guards froze for a moment, looked at each other for a few times, their scattered eyes gradually became unified, and shot at the penalty knight at the same time.

Facing Sack El, who was frowning and struggling, Little Barney snorted coldly:

"Do you remember the oath of guard?"

The penalty knight was slightly taken aback.

Forbidden oath.

But before he could react, Little Barney opened his mouth and said:

"I swear, I will dedicate my entire life to the throne and serve the imperial power forever. There is no other master."

"I swear, this sword is only wielded for the emperor's order, and it is only broken for the emperor's order, and has no other use."

"I swear, this body will either be buried in the resting place of the throne, or buried halfway through the emperor's life, and there will be no end."

There were only three sentences, but Little Barney's voice was very loud, echoing between the walls, sweeping away the previous hatred.

It seems that he has changed back to the heavy, calm, steady and dignified vanguard officer.

Hearing this familiar sentence, Sackel slowly became in a trance.

"They did."

"Old Captain, Tony, and even my father," Little Barney suppressed the astringency in his throat and kept his voice steady: "And all the guard brothers who died inside and outside the Fuxing Palace, and even died on the frontline battlefield."

"No matter where His Majesty is going, they will follow him to the death. They don't ask where he is going, and they don't doubt him."

Sackel's body trembled.

Old Captain Cullen...

Chief Security Officer Tony...

Deputy Captain, Big Quill Barney...

In Thales' eyes, not only Sackel, but also the guards are in different situations:

Samir lowered his head, falling into deep bewilderment and struggle.

Cannon was leaning against the wall, covering his face and trembling slightly, the big man Bree was clutching his chest tightly, and Nucky looked at his torch expressionlessly, as if there was a good trick in it.

Tardin, Belletti, and Nai were in a daze.

"I believe, even on the way to Prison River."

Little Barney's voice also began to tremble:

"They will also try their best to grab a ferry boat for His Majesty."

"what about you?"

The punishment knight's chest rose and fell.

But Barney Jr.'s words were like a sharp sword, berating his vitals:

"What you say, Sackel, does not absolve you of your guilt."

"It's just your selfishness, convincing yourself in your sleep."

Little Barney ended his words, leaving only disgust and contempt in his eyes.

His words were obviously very powerful, and the members of the royal guard also figured out something.

They cast away their hesitation and intolerance towards their former siblings, and their eyes were replaced with the same disgust and rejection.

This time, Sackel was silent for a long time.

Until he opened his lips with difficulty:

"I don't want to excuse or shirk responsibility, let alone ask for forgiveness."

"You said you wanted an answer," the punishment knight said softly, "this is my answer."

"Everything that happened back then, all the guilt..."

"It's all on my shoulders."

Little Barney stared at him for a long, long time.

Until Barney's expression returned to normal, he seemed to have figured out something, and shook his head with a wry smile: "No."

"You can't afford anything."