"You came just in time. Everyone went to see the Prince of Constellation. There's no one around, so you don't have to worry about being discovered."
"I like you, bro." Next to a house in Dragon Clouds City, a short, stocky man put his arm around Kohen Karabeyan's shoulder and laughed. "Even without Kaslan's recommendation, I can tell that you're a good man."
"Only those who have served in the military have such a physique!"
Miranda walked behind them in silence, watching Kohen socialize with Kaslan's friend.
Kohen gave full play to his experience of mingling with soldiers at the frontline at the borders for three years. He responded to them without any rudeness.
"You too! Big Leather Belt! Look at those muscles, you don't look like a retired soldier! "Kohen responded with a hearty laugh." Speaking of which, how did you get this nickname? Kaslan didn't tell me about it. "
"About that …"
"It's a story from when I was in the Glacier Sentinels." The man nicknamed Big Leather Belt's expression changed upon hearing that. His face was full of pride. "When I was still a new recruit, I was ambushed at night during the autumn harvest."
"So you're an elite scout from the Glacier Sentinels!" Kohen was surprised. "No wonder … So, you've fought with orcs a lot?"
"More than that!" Big Leather Belt laughed proudly. "I served in the Thirty-Eighth Sentry Ground for ten years. My brothers and I killed a total of fifty-two orcs!"
Kohen was in awe.
'Orcs.
These 'ancient enemies' who had been fighting against humans since the Age of Ignorance.
'They're not easy enemies to deal with.'
"Back to Big Leather Belt's background … It was my first battle. When I was on duty, five or six orcs sneaked into the sentry ground." Big Leather Belt shook his head. "We met one head-on. It was an ugly son of a b * tch. It was about eight feet tall, and its wrists were thicker than my thighs!"
"That son of a b * tch killed three of our brothers and suffered a lot of injuries. I was the last one, and even my weapon was broken," Big Leather Belt said excitedly, thumping his chest from time to time. "At that time, I thought that there was no other way, so I pulled out the sentinel's standard leather belt, jumped on its shoulder, and …"
As he spoke, Big Leather Belt gritted his teeth and grabbed Kohen's neck with all his might. "Just like this … tie a knot and strangle it!"
Cohen pulled his neck and coughed violently, feeling the excessive enthusiasm of the other party.
"I sat on his shoulder, my right hand desperately pulling on the leather belt, and my left hand holding the small broken shield! That son of a b * tch raised his warhammer and hit me crazily, again and again! " Under Miranda's strange gaze, Big Leather Belt shook Cohen's neck with all his might, making him dizzy.
"Until it fell to the ground, and my shield was almost broken."
"Ah!" Cohen recovered from his dizziness and raised his head in surprise. "You didn't let go, did you? The more heavily injured an orc is, the more powerful its counterattack will be! "
"That's right!"
"Bro, I can tell that you're an expert!" Big Leather Belt slapped his thigh and yelled, "Don't let go! This is a lesson I learned later. At that time, I thought it was dead, so I loosened my belt … But that d * mned beast bounced up as if it had come back to life, roaring and clutching my head tightly!
"Fortunately, His Majesty the King was inspecting the North at that time, and the White Blade Guards came as reinforcements. Kaslan arrived in time and split the back of that son of a b * tch's head with his axe!
"At that time, I almost fainted! But from that day onwards, they called me 'Big Leather Belt'! Haha! "
Cohen sighed, remembering his past at the frontline of Western Desert.
"So, you've fought with orcs before?" Big Leather Belt asked curiously with great interest.
"Yes, but not glacial orcs, but desert orcs." Cohen smiled. "We used to be mercenaries there. The way to deal with orcs is to lower our bodies, lower our heads, circle around them, or attack from their crotch."
"Ah, that's how the people from the Empire in the South do it. They go around in circles with the orcs," Big Leather Belt muttered. "We can't do that in the North. In cold weather, our movements are stiffer than usual, and we're not flexible enough. So, in the North, the best way is to attack them head-on, end the battle quickly, and kill them in one blow. "
Cohen nodded approvingly. "It's different in the desert. Orcs have a high resistance to heat, and they're not afraid of the high temperature of metal armor. They have everything from plate armor to chain armor. I've even seen orcs armed up to their crotch. That's when we have to use our agility to find a chance to hit their vitals …"
As they chatted enthusiastically about their experiences on the battlefield, Big Leather Belt finally brought them into the house.
"Oh, look at you, a typical Northland girl. You're big, your breasts are big, and you're pretty." Big Leather Belt invited them into the house. When he saw Miranda beside Cohen, his eyes lit up. "Kaslan introduced you here … Do you want to consider staying? We have a few good men here who are single, and there are even tough guys who retired from the White Blade Guards … "
Miranda's expression changed, and she looked at Cohen awkwardly.
Cohen spread his hands, indicating that he was at his wit's end.
However, Big Leather Belt immediately frowned and shook his head. "Forget it … They're not good enough for you. They're all bad people who want to make quick money, and don't want to work hard in their hometowns. I bet they can't take care of their families, so what right do they have to have a good wife like you?"
Big Leather Belt sighed. "They have high standards, but they can't even support themselves. Serves them right for being single on Singles' Day."
Miranda did not say a word. She just listened to Big Leather Belt.
"A tall Northland girl like you, with a strong body and fair skin according to the standards of the upper class, must be a hot commodity in your hometown." Big Leather Belt sat down and panted. "I have three younger sisters, so I know that girls at your age are impulsive, passionate, and always look down on the young men around home. You want to go out and find a chance to meet the bravest, most heroic, and most meritorious warrior. Maybe then you'll have the chance to marry him."
"But believe me, the outside world may look exciting, but it's much more complicated and difficult to understand than back home. The men outside may look handsome in armor, but they're not as pure and loyal as the silly boys back home. Listen to me, you should go home, weave the thickest robe, forge the toughest dagger, and wear the most beautiful wreath. Use them to choose the most sincere one among the young men who flock to you, but don't be too eager to sweeten him. Keep him in suspense … Then wait for him to be conscripted and come back from the battlefield. That's the standard for a man to become a successful man. Then, see how he feels about you. If he hasn't changed, hang your wreath around his neck and bring him to meet your parents …"
"Don't care about his family fortune or his background. The most important thing is that he's responsible and loves you sincerely, cares about you, loves you, and cares for you. It's best if he's a little afraid of you … These days, wealth and a noble background can't make up for the lack of sincerity …"
Kohen clutched his stomach tightly, stifling his laughter as he looked at Miranda's darkening face.
"I've always told my daughter that she'll eventually marry into a good family when she grows up, but it must be someone who truly loves her. I'm also looking forward to the day I can hand her over to a good young man …" Big Leather Belt's saliva was flying everywhere when he suddenly frowned.
Kohen looked at Big Leather Belt's darkened expression in surprise.
The latter stood up abruptly and rushed out of the house.
"You guys … I thought you went to see the prince enter the city, but you're actually hiding here!"
Before the two people in the house could react, the next second, a few screams of boys and girls came from outside the house.
"Dad, stop right now! Kevin … he's just here to give me something … "
"Uncle … Take your time … Ah!"
Big Leather Belt bellowed furiously.
"Give him something?"
"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking, you damn brat!"
"Get lost! Get lost! Stay away from my daughter, stay away from Seisia! "
"It's not time for my daughter to get married yet! If you dare to come to Seisia again … "
"I'll break all three of your legs!"
Accompanied by the commotion next door, Kohen gaped at Big Leather Belt, whose words did not match his actions. He exchanged a glance with Miranda, who was sitting opposite him.
Then, both of them burst into laughter.
As she smiled, Miranda raised her head and looked at Heroic Spirit Palace on the hillside in the distance.
Her gaze quickly became unfocused.
'Silly boy from my hometown.
'Pure and single-minded …'
— —
Step by step, Thales walked forward stiffly on the floor tiles of Heroic Spirit Palace.
Unlike Renaissance Palace, which was plain and simple inside and outside, Heroic Spirit Palace's interior decoration was very contradictory.
Some parts appeared rough and imposing, such as the crude carvings on each porch, the staircase handrails made of giant wood, and the beast heads on the walls that were specially made to look like trophies. However, there were many places that were exquisitely carved, such as some special, exquisitely carved floor tiles, the ceiling dome filled with paintings in the corners, the extravagant Everlasting Lamp holders, and so on.
The traces of history and time were also different. The material and color of the wall tiles in some corners seemed to have lasted for hundreds of years, and some places were obviously renovated in just a few years.
If he had to say, the interior of Heroic Spirit Palace was like layers upon layers of murals. New engravings piled up on the marks of the past, and history and the present were intertwined.
But Thales was not in the mood to appreciate these.
He was trying his best to adjust his state of mind. He thought about the political identity of 'King-Archduke', which was unique to Eckstedt, and was ready to deal with the upcoming challenge.
Although Nuven the Seventh had already given him some pointers through Nicholas and Shiles, his experience had made Thales believe that the unknown was the main theme of life, and that accidents would always come suddenly.
He had to be prepared.
Under Mirk's signal, the Second Prince of Constellation walked past the White Blade Guards, who were looking straight ahead. He passed through countless porches and slowly walked towards a stone hall that seemed to be oval.
The lighting here did not seem to be good. It was dim, but there were six burning braziers on the six iron racks in the stone hall. They drove away the cold and brought some flickering illumination.
'Another brazier like Lampard … Do the suzerains of Eckstedt like braziers so much?'
Thales secretly ridiculed in his heart.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward into the stone hall.
Mirk did not follow him. The door slammed shut behind him.
From afar, Thales saw a simple and heavy dark brown square table in the middle of the stone hall.
At the other end of the long table, directly facing Thales, sat a white-haired old man.
He was about sixty to seventy years old, and he wore a thick red and black robe with a dark golden crown on his head. The crown looked very simple, and there was only a dark red gem embedded in front of his forehead.
The old man placed his hands on the table but lowered his head without saying a word. Due to the distance and the light, Thales could not see his appearance clearly.
However, Thales already had an idea of his identity.
Thales walked closer to the simple long table.
On the left and right of the old man, there were five men with different appearances and different clothes. There were two on the left and three on the right.
If there was anything they had in common, it would be that from the moment Thales stepped into the stone hall, the five men of different ages cast unfriendly and even fierce gazes at him, sizing up the seven-year-old boy.
One king, five archdukes.
Thales stood in front of the long table and immediately frowned. The Eckstedtians did not even leave a seat for him.
They did not intend to give him an extra seat either.
'This is bad.'
He gritted his teeth lightly.
Thales was forced to stand on the cold stone floor and face the six most powerful suzerains of Eckstedt. Because he was not tall enough, he had to look up.
This made the atmosphere very unfavorable for him.
'It seems that respecting the old and loving the young is not the theme here. It's like returning to the days when I was a child beggar.'
The prince laughed in his heart when he thought of this.
It eased a lot of tension.
Thales calmed himself down. Ever since he came to Red Street Market, he had been through a lot of trials and tribulations. No matter how dangerous the situation was, he was confident that he could calm down in an instant and find a way out.
'And …'
Thales looked at the five people on both sides of him. But because of the light, the faces of the five people were hidden in the dark and could not be seen clearly. Only their eyes flickered in the firelight, giving the visitor a great deal of pressure.
'And the culprit who joined forces with Archduke Chapman Lampard and Duke Val Arunde in an attempt to take over the throne, assassinated the prince twice, succeeded once, and even caused an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between the two countries …
'The culprit who almost caused war and conflict, disaster and death …
'And the culprit who caused me to end up in this situation today …
'Among these five people …' Thales looked at the five indistinct figures in the dark and clenched his fists secretly.
The only possible ally he had was someone who wasn't exactly friendly with him.
Thales raised his head and looked at the old man furthest from the other side of the table.
He was a supreme ruler who had just lost his beloved son.
He couldn't help but notice that this stone hall was surrounded by cloth flags with the symbol of the Cloud Dragon Spear. Only behind the old man was a huge square fireplace, and the wall above the fireplace was inlaid with a wall shelf made of black wood.
On the wall shelf was a longspear with a peculiar shape and an unknown material.
It was different from the ancient knight's longspear with a handguard and a fixed handle that Thales had seen in the books in Mindis Hall. Although this longspear was two meters long, it did not have a handguard. Its entire body was of the same thickness, and only two-thirds of the spear's body was specially polished. The body of the spear shone with a silver metallic luster, but the spearhead was black and shiny. It was equipped with a square, cone-shaped sharp edge, and looked ferocious and sharp.
"Soul Slayer Pike."
A low and slow voice rang in the stone hall.
"That is the weapon that Raikaru once used. It is also the emblem of the Walton Family, and the reason why we are called the Dragon Spear Family." The old man on the other side of the long table tilted his head slightly. As the firelight flickered, he revealed his face in the dark.
It was a resolute but wrinkled face. His appearance under his silver-white hair had the typical characteristics of a Northlander. His eyes were deep, his nose bridge was high, and his facial features were prominent. Only the curve at the corner of his mouth revealed a hint of coldness.
"It is said that only Constellation's Judgment Pike can compare to its sharpness and danger. Countless souls have died under the pike.
"Over the past few centuries, it has slaughtered and severely injured many famous enemies, including the sinister 'Mourning Archduke', the vicious' Human Slaughterer 'Cyra Darkthunder, the powerful' Enemy of the Wolves', the ferocious' Night Wing King ', and the bizarre' Power Mystic '."
Thales frowned slightly.
Thales suddenly remembered Kaslan's evaluation of the old man in front of him.
"He was a good king when he was young, a typical burly Walton man."
Thales met the old man's gaze. He noticed that the old man had a pair of green eyes. He did not know if it was a hereditary trait of the Walton Family. Anyway, Thales did not inherit Kessel's sky-blue eyes …
Thales was suddenly stunned. He remembered Head Ritual Master Liscia and Queen Keya's evaluation of his gray eyes. It was a characteristic that originated from his mother.
His thoughts returned to the present.
But Thales felt a chill run down his spine.
He could more or less sense that the old man's green eyes were projecting a different kind of emotion at that moment.
It was vicissitudes and gloominess, sorrow and anguish, like a person who had been immersed in despair for many years.
Dangerous and terrifying.
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