The fist and palm collided.
Arracca and Sonia trembled slightly.
* Thud. *
It was a low thud, like the sound of a sandbag falling to the ground.
But Thales' heart trembled, as if a blunt and heavy hammer had struck his heart!
'This is … a battle between supreme class elites?'
It was quiet and simple.
There was no waste of energy, no unnecessary movements.
Thales saw the crowd whispering.
Many soldiers pointed at the two of them.
"Oh, no … how many times has it been?"
"Must they tear each other apart before the attack from the north?"
The two commanders faced each other with equal harshness. They stood where they were and blocked each other's fists and palms without backing down.
Sonia's eyes were cold, while Arracca's face was fierce.
The soldiers behind the two of them finally reacted.
* Clang! *
The old soldiers behind Sonia drew their swords in unison and surrounded the commander in an orderly manner.
* Thud! *
The sword-and-shield soldiers around Arracca had solemn expressions. They took a step forward in unison and formed a wall with their swords and shields to protect Arracca's flanks.
The two groups of people were murderous as they glared at each other angrily with swords drawn.
The chaos in the crowd deepened.
"My God, the Starlight Guards and the Fury Guards are here at the same time …"
"Didn't the officers who arranged the shifts deliberately stagger their duty times?"
"Are people going to die this time?"
"I have a bad feeling."
However, when almost everyone was watching the conflict between the two commanders with complicated emotions, the atmosphere became even more tense.
"Stop!"
Thales frowned and took a step forward.
Everyone turned their heads in unison to look at the prince, who had an unpleasant expression on his face.
Thales looked around him.
'What on earth is going on?
'Sonia and Arracca …'
He sighed.
"This is what I wanted to say," Putray whispered behind him, "You are the only one who can show up, young prince."
Thales shook his head.
"Stand back, soldiers," he shouted at the two groups of people who were in a tense atmosphere.
"Put away your weapons, considering that we are all Constellatiates."
But no one paid attention to him.
Sonia and Arracca heard him, but the two of them, who had unpleasant expressions on their faces, seemed more interested in each other.
The subordinates behind them — according to the crowd, they seemed to be the Starlight Guards and the Fury Guards — did not look sideways either. They only stood loyally and attentively behind their commanding officers.
His Royal Highness was ignored in the middle of the field.
Putray closed his eyes and shook his head helplessly.
The whispers of the onlookers became louder, and they pointed at Thales.
Many people's eyes were filled with mockery and contempt.
This child was their new prince?
Thales only felt very awkward.
It was extremely awkward!
Eh, what should I do?
Rush up and pull them apart?
However …
Sonia was in a state of extreme annoyance, and that Arracca did not seem to care about him at all.
I have to find something that they care about.
His brain worked quickly.
The conversation between the two of them surfaced in his mind.
Thales was struck by a thought. He took a deep breath.
The prince heard his own childish voice rise. "I am Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constellation."
Thales raised his right hand and pointed to the north.
"Perhaps some of you know, for the peace of Constellation, and for the lives of everyone in the fortress."
"I will soon head north to Eckstedt to pay for their prince's death with my life."
The onlookers burst into an uproar.
Broken Dragon Fortress was not alone. The news of the National Conference had long since spread here.
Many people looked at Thales with different emotions in their eyes. There was pity, indignation, anger, and sighing.
But Sonia and Arracca's gazes were still locked on each other.
Thales adjusted his breathing and tried to appear as casual as possible. He walked closer to their confrontation.
"As for the two commanding officers and your subordinates, before you dig out each other's hearts, towards a Jadestar Prince who is about to die …" Thales spread his hands and revealed a helpless smile.
"At least give him the respect he deserves, right?
"For example, starting the fight after I go to my death?"
The whispers of the onlookers became louder.
Putray nodded slightly.
Sonia and Arracca realized that they furrowed their eyebrows in a barely noticeable manner.
But Thales immediately changed the topic and snorted softly as if he was mocking them.
"Oh, of course. Perhaps you are already used to it." Thales turned around and looked at the soldiers around him. He put his hand into his pocket in a relaxed manner.
He was about to take out the Jadestar Royal Family's Nine-Pointed Star Pin and show it to everyone.
Thales' next sentence relied on his family name.
But he did not touch the Nine-Pointed Star Pin.
There was only the fanged bracelet in his pocket. It was given to him by the Night Queen when they parted. It was the Corleone Family's keepsake.
Thales' smile froze for a fraction of a second.
'Damn Katerina …
'She didn't return the Nine-Pointed Star Pin to me!'
However, the prince immediately flashed a smile at the speed of lightning.
He turned his "empty pocket" helplessness into a "taking a picture with his hands in his pockets" pose and turned around.
Thales turned back to the two people who were confronting each other and laughed mockingly.
"After all, it is not the first time the two of you have seen a Jadestar …
"Die in front of you …"
The moment he finished speaking …
The two people who were confronting each other breathed a lot faster.
Sonia's entire body trembled.
Arracca looked like he was struggling.
The past surged into their minds.
The surrounding soldiers' voices grew louder.
"So?"
"Yes, you heard about it too, right? Both of them were … "
"Haih, they had that kind of experience, why bother …"
'One, two, three …' Thales counted the seconds in his heart.
'Please, give me some face!'
His awkwardness rose again.
Finally, the two commanders snorted coldly and abruptly let go of each other.
The guards on both sides sheathed their swords one after another, but their expressions were still unpleasant as they looked at each other.
Thales breathed a sigh of relief.
Putray, who was standing beside him, flashed a hateful smile and winked at him.
Gilbert had never been so disrespectful.
Thales returned an angry glare.
But he knew that the matter was not resolved.
"Very well, shall we … settle the matter at hand first?" Thales grinned and rubbed his hands, pointing at Willow Ken, who was stunned on the spot.
Arracca snorted impatiently, "Do you want to judge him personally, young prince?"
"Why, do you have a problem with that?" Sonia snorted, "With His Highness' status, he is the most suitable person here."
Thales sighed.
'No.
'This is not just a trial.
It might also be the friction and discord between the two commanders.
'And …' He looked at Willow, who had a pleading look on his face. 'This concerns a person's life and death.'
He raised his head and looked at the officer in charge of the hanging.
"Can anyone prove what he said? The person he saved? "
The officer in charge seemed to have never spoken to anyone from the royal family before. He took a step back in a flattered manner, then shook his head, "None … so we all suspect that he is lying."
Thales furrowed his brows.
'This is bad.'
"If you want to confirm whether he is a deserter … please bring him his weapon."
The officer nodded nervously.
Soon, under everyone's gaze, a wooden stick that was much shorter than a longspear was brought up. This pair of damaged wooden sticks still had dried blood stains on them. Only the iron-wrapped tip could barely be seen on one side.
On the surface, it did indeed look like a broken longspear.
However … Thales looked at the black-haired young man.
"You can use … dual spears?"
Willow nodded vigorously, "I-I can!"
"Another lie." The officer shook his head and said, "No soldier has ever received such training, much less a fisherman!"
Thales exhaled deeply.
He looked at the soldiers around him with burning gazes. He looked at Sonia's hopeful gaze, Arracca's aggressive gaze, and Putray's complicated expression.
Thales pondered and said, "If he can use dual spears proficiently …"
But Arracca snorted softly at this moment and interrupted him.
"Whether he is a deserter or not, he disobeyed orders and ran back on the battlefield. There is no doubt about that," the valiant man said to the prince in a mocking tone.
"Why? If he can use dual spears, are you going to use your Jadestar privilege to declare him innocent?
"Honorable, Second Prince?"
Thales was stunned.
'Disobeyed orders?
'Sh * t.'
"Then, are you going to execute him directly?" Sonia spoke harshly. She said coldly, "If he is innocent —"
"No one cares if you are innocent on the battlefield!" Arracca cut her off stiffly.
"Regardless of whether it is to escape or to save someone, you disobeyed orders, so you have to pay the price."
Sonia's words immediately froze.
She could only turn her head and look at Thales hesitantly. "I respect your decision, Your Highness."
"Continue." Arracca looked at Thales and said in disdain, "Pardon him, and see if he will still disobey orders next time. Perhaps by then, he will not only cause his own death."
Willow's face immediately turned ashen. Drenched in sweat, his gaze kept moving back and forth between Arracca and Thales.
Thales furrowed his brows.
'This is troublesome.'
Arracca, Sonia, Putray, and the soldiers around them, including Willow, all fixed their gazes on him.
'What should I do?
'Hang him.
'What will Sonia and the soldiers around them think?
'Forgive him.
'What about Arracca, military orders, and military rules?
'Or should I just change to another punishment?
'No, it's not appropriate … Damn it.
'Gilbert never taught me this …'
'Wait.
'Gilbert?'
Thales muttered to himself.
He made a decision.
"Willow Ken.
"I cannot be sure if you are a deserter." The prince walked in front of Willow and said to him, "Hence, I cannot convict you and hang you."
Willow breathed a sigh of relief.
"See, this is where you start losing the war …" As expected, Arracca snorted softly. Unsurprisingly, he also received Sonia's angry glare.
Some of the soldiers who agreed with Arracca started to shake their heads.
However, Thales' next sentence made Willow nervous again.
Thales shook his head and said, "But if you really disobeyed orders, then I cannot convict you.
I cannot pass a sentence. "
Everyone was silent for a moment.
Then, there was an uproar.
Sonia furrowed her brows tightly. 'What does this mean?'
"Hah, guilty and not guilty?" Arracca sneered.
"So, what are you going to do, my prince? Why don't you shorten the rope by half? "
Thales was expressionless.
He raised his hand gently and clenched his fist.
Everyone fell silent.
"But you said it, Willow," Thales said softly, "You retreated to save your comrades."
Willow lifted his gaze and looked at the second prince with trembling eyes.
"Whether you really did it or not, this spirit is very noble."
Thales' voice echoed in the narrow crowd.
"So, I can't hang you."
Willow shuddered and looked at the prince in disbelief.
Thales continued to say, "Yes.
"It's not because of whether your actions are innocent or not.
"It's because I cannot let others hesitate to save their comrades just because they are afraid of what will happen to you. This is not something that they should hesitate about."
Thales said faintly.
The way everyone looked at Thales changed.
Sonia's face lit up, while Arracca frowned deeply.
Only Putray's gaze was complicated and profound.
"But!"
Thales' expression turned solemn and he said sternly,
He said sternly, "This does not mean that you are not guilty, and you do not have to pay the price for disobeying orders.
"Willow Ken!"
Willow's breathing started to quicken.
"In the future battles, you must save the lives of more than ten comrades," Thales said sternly.
"As the price for not being hanged today, this is the only way you can be absolved of your crime of disobeying orders and wash away the suspicion of you being a deserter.
"Ten!"
Under everyone's gaze, Thales pulled out JC's dagger and walked behind Willow expressionlessly. He aimed the blade at the rope that bound Willow's hands.
Thales took a deep breath and used force to cut.
One …
Two …
Three …
'Huh?'
Thales awkwardly realized that his strength was a little weak.
Based on this speed, it might take more than ten seconds to cut the rope.
He felt the gazes of the people around him.
'This, this, this …'
'This is ruining the atmosphere!'
At this moment, a familiar fluctuation surged into Thales' hands.
It was as if his blood had instantly sped up. The muscles on his right hand trembled, and a force that was much stronger than usual erupted!
* Rip! *
The rope on Willow's hands was instantly cut.
Thales withdrew his dagger and forced himself not to look at the bloody wound on the back of Willow's hand that he had accidentally made. Ahem.
"So, I used your future actions in exchange for your life and freedom at this moment.
"Do you understand? Willow Ken? "
He looked solemnly at Willow, who had regained his freedom.
Willow panted as he knelt on the ground and looked at Thales.
He parted his trembling lips.
"Yes …
"Yes … Your Highness!" he said excitedly.
"Save ten people! I will remember this! "
"I have another request," Thales said calmly.
Willow was stunned.
Thales suddenly flashed a smile that he had not shown for a long time and said, "Go and change your dual pistols. They are so worn out that they can't even kill fish in the river."
Willow Ken took three breaths.
Then, he flashed a smile as if he had escaped a disaster. He nodded vigorously, "Yes, I will obey your orders!"
Thales turned his head and looked around.
Sonia laughed and looked at him with a gratified expression.
"Very appropriate, Your Highness."
The Fortress Flower walked over unceremoniously and carried Thales while he had an unpleasant expression on his face!
No one knew who started it, but the soldiers around them started applauding!
* Clap clap clap … *
Some even started cheering.
There were even people shouting, "Our prince!"
Sonia laughed and put the ashen-faced Thales on her shoulder. She rubbed his head hard, "A qualified Jadestar!"
"Cunning brat." Arracca looked at Thales coldly. He mumbled and waved his hand. Amidst the applause from the crowd, he left with his subordinates.
Only Aida asked Putray, who was deep in thought, with a puzzled expression, "What did he do just now?"
When the already weak Thales was put down after Sonia swung him around twice and making him even more dizzy, he could only pull at Putray's robe weakly and retch.
Under the guidance of a few soldiers, Putray followed him to the barracks that had been prepared for the prince. Behind him was Aida, whose face was once again pale from the cold weather.
Thales sighed, "I thought that the trouble would only come after we reach Eckstedt."
But Putray did not reply to him.
"Your Highness," Putray said quietly, not noticing that he used honorifics.
"How did you think of that method?"
Thales was stunned. 'Huh?'
"Not killing that soldier for now, but letting him contribute himself in the future?" Putray said as he walked.
"Erm, this idea …" Thales rubbed his frozen red hands and exhaled a breath of hot air. "In fact, Gilbert told me about it. It has something to do with my uncle, Midier Jadestar."
Putray's expression changed and he furrowed his brows.
"Gilbert said that he once messed up a diplomatic mission because he did not cooperate well with his colleagues." Thales recalled and did not notice Putray's expression. "But Prince Midier did not punish him. Instead, he made him owe a 'debt' to Constellation, and in the future, he had to make up for it with several times the merit."
Putray furrowed his brows tightly, while Thales raised his eyebrows.
"The Far Easterners also have the saying of 'using merits to make up for sins', but that is only limited to important people. Low-ranking soldiers like Willow cannot say this directly, so they have to use the reason of saving their comrades to convince others.
"But this is still not a good idea." Thales spread his hands. "Think about it, if all the deserters came back and said that they did it to save their comrades …"
"So, you are imitating Prince Midier?" Putray did not listen to him. Instead, he said slowly, "Gilbert probably hopes that you will become the next Midier."
Thales was stunned.
"Uh …" He scratched his head. "This incident probably affected Gilbert deeply."
"Ah, yes." Putray heaved a long sigh as if he was deep in thought. "Gilbert did save all of Constellation during the negotiation of the Fortress Treaty and made up for his sin of becoming enemies with Steel City. Otherwise, according to the law at that time, this incident would have been enough to land him in prison."
Thales turned his head curiously. "Oh, Putray … you know about this as well?"
"Of course, Your Highness." Putray seemed to be used to addressing Thales as' Your Highness'. He said flatly, "Gilbert did not mess up that incident because he did not cooperate well with his colleagues."
Thales widened his eyes.
"At that time, Gilbert was just a descendant of a declining noble family. As the prince's attendant, he was ostracized and even deliberately framed by his colleagues when he first came to the Foreign Affairs Department. That was why he ended up in such a state." Putray sighed.
"Huh?" Thales said in surprise. "Is that so?"
Putray nodded slowly. "That was why he worked so hard for Constellation … He thought that this was a debt he owed to Midier and Constellation."
"Everyone has their own life journey, and their encounters are unpredictable." Thales sighed and shrugged casually. "Did he tell you about this?"
"No, he did not." Putray's gaze was profound, and there was a hint of sorrow and regret in his words.
"But I know more than he does."
Thales raised his head.
Putray took a deep breath and slowly enunciated his words.
"Because …
"I was the person who ostracized and framed him in the Foreign Affairs Department back then."
Thales was stunned.
'So awkward.'
"Uh, about this," he said awkwardly, "Perhaps, if you had not done what you did back then, Gilbert would not have become such an outstanding diplomat and administrative officer."
"Yes, perhaps," Putray said bitterly. "Constellation is very lucky to have such an outstanding and selfless —"
"No!"
A familiar voice came from behind them.
He seemed to be suppressing his anger.
Thales and Putray turned their heads in astonishment.
They saw the second prince's attendant, Wya Caso, looking at them with an unhappy expression.
"Wya …" Thales said strangely.
'Is he … angry?'
"Your Highness!" Wya seemed to be trying his best to control his emotions. He took two deep breaths before his expression returned to normal. He said slowly, "Chora … Chora is dying."
Thales' expression changed drastically.
Chora, the leader of the Jadestar Family's private army, was currently lying on the bed in the barracks with a pale face.
"I … I have a younger sister, Lucy." Chora's eyes were out of focus, and he said in a daze, "In the capital, in the capital …"
"Your Highness," Wya Caso, who was wrapped in bandages, said with a regretful expression, "The vampires injured him too badly …"
Thales let out a long sigh. "Is there no other way?"
"We searched for military doctors in the fortress." Wya shook his head with a sorrowful expression. "But they are only military doctors. I am afraid they do not have such good medical skills …"
Thales frowned. "Are there other doctors?"
Putray frowned. "Cold Castle is the closest, and there are doctors. But … I am afraid it is too late.
"Also, the Eckstedtians have cleared the area … In short, the road is very unsafe.
"Accept reality." Aida sighed under the cloak. "At least let him leave with peace of mind, and not have any regrets on his way to Hell's River."
Thales looked at Chora on the bed and remembered the first time he made him laugh in Mindis Hall.
And the time he led the swordsmen to fight against the mercenaries.
Together with his colleagues, they stood between him and Serena.
And … the fight against the Blood Clan in the birch tree forest …
He closed his eyes sadly.
'Damn it.'
"Prince Thales!"
Everyone turned their heads.
They saw a young man with black hair and brown eyes standing at the entrance of the barracks.
It was Willow Ken.
The "deserter" who was almost hanged. "
Willow bowed respectfully to Thales and showed a grateful smile. "I am so happy to see you! I was sent to inform you … "
He glanced into the barracks and glanced at Chora, who was on the verge of death.
Willow immediately put away his smile and said while trembling with fear, "Erm … that … the two commanders ask you and the vice diplomat to go over …"
Thales sighed. He could not bear to look at Chora on the bed.
He nodded and walked out of the room with Putray and Aida.
"That is …" Willow asked carefully, "Your Highness' subordinate?"
"Yes, but we can't save him."
"I hope he can leave in peace," Thales said absent-mindedly, "Willow, how did you become an errand soldier?"
"Heh." Willow shrugged and said helplessly, "After all … many people still think that I am a deserter …"
Thales nodded absent-mindedly, but his feet stopped.
'No.'
"Let the commanders wait for a while. I will send him on his last journey.
"He died because of me …"
Thales turned around sadly and looked at Chora, who was on the verge of death.
Putray shook his head and waved at Willow.
Thales walked back to the bed and looked at Chora, who was mumbling inexplicably. He clenched his fists.
'If Chora and the other Jadestar private soldiers who sacrificed themselves in the birch tree forest did not follow me …
'Sigh.'
At this moment …
"Your Highness … that …"
Willow could not help but speak.
Putray and the others looked at him in dissatisfaction.
"Please do not rush him," Wya said unhappily, "Please give death some dignity, even if you are the ferryman of Hell's River."
"No." Willow waved his hand and said anxiously,
"I was treated as a deserter yesterday and thrown into the dungeon … that dungeon …"
"Now is not the time to thank him, right?" Putray said with a frown.
"Ah, no." Willow shook his head and panted.
"I met someone in the dungeon, a person who was locked up as a suspicious person …"
The young soldier said loudly,
"That person said …
"He is a doctor!"
Thales and the others were shocked and looked at Willow.
"Yes, he also said his name is … Ramon!"
Willow finally said what he wanted to say. He scratched his head and revealed a hearty smile.
"And he is a doctor from the capital.
"According to him … his medical skills are superb."
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