Dragon Clouds City, Westbound Avenue.
"I … I'm here!" A young man ran to a butcher's shop, panting as he pressed against the wall. "The Prince of Constellation entered the city today, so I went …"
"You went to see your future wife again?" The butcher's boss exposed his lie bluntly and snorted. "That's why you're late today?"
"Hey! Don't talk nonsense … I just went to deliver some gifts. "The young man's face flushed red." And Seisia isn't mine yet … my … "
"You're such an idiot, Kevin." The butcher's boss looked as if he had been through this before. He looked at the red-faced Kevin in disdain. "It's not enough to just deliver small gifts every few days. You have to be bold enough to confess. Do you understand?!"
Hearing this, the young man, Kevin, grabbed his hair in frustration. "You don't know this, but she has a ferocious father with a weird nickname, something called Leather Belt … It is said that she used to be in the Glacier Sentinel. I think he'll never allow his daughter to marry a … a … "
"A poor boy who ran errands for the poor?" The butcher's boss cut open a pig's shin.
"Yes." Kevin clapped his hands and nodded with a sad expression. "That's it!"
"Then act like a man and meet him face-to-face. Talk to your sweetheart's father!" The butcher's expression was fierce as he slashed the knife into the chopping board.
Kevin was shocked. He opened his mouth and hesitated for a long time.
In the end, he swallowed the words' I don't dare 'into the bottom of his heart.
"Hmph, coward." The butcher's boss looked at him disdainfully. "It's fine if you don't dare … Speaking of which, where's your job?"
"Here." Kevin was unhappy. He nonchalantly stuffed a ball of paper into the butcher's hands. "I heard it's Chief Gleeward's reply."
The butcher took the paper ball and watched Kevin leave dejectedly.
"What a leisurely life." A light voice rang from behind the butcher's shop. "Butchering, selling meat, and maybe even giving some silly, poor boys advice on love."
The butcher's expression changed slightly.
He turned around and closed the door of the butcher's shop.
"Visiting me at this hour." The butcher shop owner from the Far East, Gu, slowly turned around. Speaking in the lingua franca with a Northland accent, he whispered to the dark corner behind him, "Aren't you afraid of being discovered by Black Sword, who might return?"
"After all, it was your idea to keep him here with fake news."
The young man in white, Raphael Lindbergh, peeked out from a dark corner and smiled.
Gu lowered his eyelids, raising his guard like a wolf on the grassland.
Since he appeared so confidently, it seemed like he really did have a way to avoid being discovered by Black Sword.
Even Black Sword's senses, which were so terrifying that they could be said to be inhuman, could be hidden from him? He could sense everything that was happening within a few hundred meters, and there was nowhere for him to hide?
Gu narrowed his eyes.
Raphael did not answer Gu. Instead, he said sarcastically, "Why? Were you a dating consultant before you betrayed the Raven Guard? Are you experienced in this field? "
Gu heard those three words.
Even with his many years of training and habits, his control over his body's reactions had become extremely precise and perfect, he couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat and his blood flow slightly.
Gu looked up and met Raphael's gaze quietly.
Both men's gazes were as calm as still water.
But only they themselves knew the dangerous undercurrent hidden beneath their words.
'"Never in a hurry to show off and kill. Instead, they search for the enemy's weakness through endless probing. They strike from the side, go with the flow, and add fuel to the fire. This is the usual style of the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department, inherited from the Secret Army.
"Ever since Mane Nox and Constellation formed an alliance, we have fought against the Secret Intelligence Department countless times in the dark. We know their unique style and methods very well.
"But the problem is, how do we defend against them?"
His master's words echoed in Gu's ears, making him even more vigilant.
"It's interesting to see these people's ordinary lives and experiences." Gu turned around and swept his gaze across the empty shop with a relaxed expression. Most of the people had gone to watch the bustle of the Prince of Constellation entering the city. He tidied up the table as if there was no one else around him.
"You know, after staying in despair and darkness for a long time, I always want to breathe in some hope and find some sunlight.
"I thought with your experience, you'd be used to 'interesting' things." The corners of Raphael's lips curled up.
"Used to it?"
"That boy, Kevin, is a real pauper." Gu sneered faintly. With a ruminating expression, he said, "Wealth, family background, power, status, he has nothing.
"But he has his sweetheart. In his heart, he imagines her to be the most beautiful thing in the world.
"He thinks of her with a smile, with joy, and with hope.
"Most importantly, no matter how difficult it is, he has the right to pursue these blessings and approach an infinitely beautiful goal." Gu turned around gently and looked straight at the astonished Raphael. "He is truly alive."
Sunlight fell into the shop and shone on Gu's body.
"Compared to scum like you and me who live in darkness and secrets, he is a complete person." Gu's eyes were calm, and his tone was flat.
"Isn't it interesting?"
Half of Raphael's body was hidden in the darkness in the corner. He quietly listened to Gu finish speaking.
"Those who are used to seeing beauty will also get used to being weak." Raphael's expression did not change. "Just like the things that once made you weak. Think about it, King Yao —"
"I don't need to be tough," Gu suddenly interrupted Raphael. His tone was flat, but there was no room for doubt. "I only need you to fulfill the deal."
"Compared to your senior brother who hides his sword in its sheath, and your senior sister who wields her long sleeves, you are like a dagger in the dark. You never see the light of day, and no one knows about it. Only when you deliver it will you show your power. Therefore, you must avoid any unnecessary battles and confrontations. Focus on nurturing your final, most crucial, and most fatal strike. "
His master's words echoed in his ears again, causing his expression to turn gloomy.
'A dagger in the dark.
Never see the light of day.
Waiting for the moment you deliver it.
'What a pity.'
Gu took a deep breath. His face was expressionless.
Raphael stared at him fixedly. His gaze never left him, but in the end, he smiled softly.
"Don't worry, our information will not be wrong," Raphael said with great interest. "The method of assassinating Prince Thales under the fortress is their usual style … You will definitely find what you want."
Gu nodded silently.
Raphael flashed a perfect smile and lowered his head.
"The prince and his entourage have entered Dragon Clouds City. Right now, they are in Heroic Spirit Palace." The young man in white did not dwell on the topic just now. "What about your information?"
Gu stared at him, then slowly unfolded the ball of paper Kevin gave him and scanned it.
"According to the information from the local gang, we have basically confirmed the monster's resting place." Gu put down the ball of paper and muttered, "Although I don't know what you are planning to do …"
Raphael chuckled and nodded.
"Don't worry," he said righteously in a strange tone. "We are on the side of justice, aren't we?
"As the purgers of calamities, we contribute to the safety of mankind."
Gu snorted coldly and turned to leave.
"Bullsh * t."
Raphael shook his head and chuckled nonchalantly.
He turned his head and looked out of the window at Heroic Spirit Palace on the mountain.
For a moment, he was lost in thought.
Raphael could not help but think of what Gu had said about the young man earlier.
'He has his own sweetheart.
In his heart, he would imagine her to be the most perfect person in the world.
He would think of her with a smile, with pleasure, and with hope. '
The young man's gaze became increasingly gloomy.
Until he gently closed his eyes.
— —
Drenched in cold sweat, Thales stared at the crossguard sword on the ground.
'What's going on?
Slit my own throat? '
Nicholas and Shiles' faces flashed before his eyes. But in Thales' eyes, their expressions were extremely sarcastic.
"For the mutual benefit of Your Highness and King Nuven, he invites you to join him in his revenge. The hunter has sharpened his sword. The trap and the trap are in place. The prey cannot escape. "
The prince raised his head and stared in disbelief at the old man who was supposed to be his' ally '.
King Nuven's cold and threatening gaze was fixed on him.
'Who is the prey, and who is the hunter?'
The scene of him confidently explaining the 'Alliance of Two Kings' to Gilbert in Mindis Hall seemed to be still vivid in his mind.
Now, it seemed so ridiculous.
"Go on," Nuven the Seventh urged him with his old and hollow voice, "Show your courage and courage as a descendant of the Jadestar Family …
"An eye for an eye!"
Thales' gaze was fixated on the sword. His breathing unconsciously quickened, and his brain spun wildly.
He raised his head and glanced at King Nuven, but the coldness and hatred in the other man's eyes did not change.
'What should I do?'
There was no time left for him to be bewildered and make deductions.
Faced with such a predicament, Thales could not help but frown.
'What should I do?
'King Nuven is really trying to kill me.'
Thales shut his eyes tightly and clenched his fists.
'What should I do?'
"What?" An unfamiliar voice came from among the five archdukes. "As a Jadestar, as a descendant of the Oath Keeper, you don't even have the courage to atone for your sins with death?
"Then what are you doing here? To have fun? "
The person who spoke leaned forward, finally allowing Thales to see the face of the first archduke clearly.
The man sitting on Nuven the Seventh's left was a bearded man in his prime. He was in his forties and had a rough appearance. His attire was simple and unadorned, and he wore a triangular and circular brooch on his chest. He stared at Thales with disdain and disgust, revealing his undisguised hostility.
"If you don't dare …
"Then kneel down and beg for mercy.
"Constellation's little bastard," the bearded man said fiercely.
Thales clenched his teeth.
'Damn it.
'Damn Northlanders.'
Another archduke turned his head to the side as well. The firelight illuminated his bowl cut, which was at the same level as his ears.
This was a tall Northlander in his forties. He had a sharp face and a protruding chin. He was slightly younger than the bearded man, and his clothes were embroidered with the pattern of a shining sword blade.
The man with the bowl cut spoke coldly and agreed with the bearded man's words. "Perhaps these noble people of the Empire think that sending a seven-year-old brat to a northern countryside like ours is the greatest charity and grace to us barbaric and backward Northlanders."
"Perhaps that Kessel might even think that it's just killing one of your princes, what's the big deal?" The bowl cut man sneered and organized his words with ulterior motives. "Look, my son is here to give you candy, foolish Northlanders!"
The atmosphere in the hall became even more tense.
Thales' breathing became faster and faster. He raised his head and stared at the archdukes with a sharp and terrifying gaze.
"Oh, are you angry?" The third archduke revealed his face from the firelight. He was a rather old suzerain in his fifties or sixties. He had a bitter look on his face, and his bald head was only left with a circle around his ears. He had a bronze headband around his forehead, and there was a chain embroidered on his robes.
"I say, do you dare to touch that sword?" The bald suzerain's tone was flat, but there was a hidden meaning in his words. "Whether it's to commit suicide with it or to charge at us …
"Both are much more effective than using your gaze, right?"
Thales took a deep breath and swept his gaze across the bearded man, the bowl cut man, and the bald suzerain.
Nuven the Seventh was indifferent.
At that moment, the six men sitting in the stone hall stared coldly at the boy in front of them.
And the sword in front of him.
Enduring their gazes, Thales felt a surge of anger in his heart.
'Is this what they want?'
The shock of being betrayed and plotted against slowly turned into anger and resentment.
'What should I do?
'Think of something, quick.
'Blood debt.
'Revenge.
'The king.
'The archduke.
A vague thought flashed across Thales' mind.
He raised his head abruptly.
"Very well." Thales' breathing became heavier, and his words were filled with indignation, dissatisfaction, and injustice. "Blood for blood … it's quite fair …"
Under everyone's contemplative, contemptuous, or indifferent gazes, Thales slowly bent down.
He grabbed the sword on the ground.
'This scene again.
'This choice again.
'I've had enough of this.
'These rotten people.'
His gaze gradually became determined.
'But I won't die here.
'No.'
Thales exerted force in his hand and lifted the hilt.
'Wait … this sword!' He was startled.
'Why is it so heavy?'
Unprepared, Thales did not pay attention, and the hilt slipped from his hand.
* Clang! *
The crossguard sword fell to the ground again, and the sound lingered.
Looking at this scene, the five archdukes burst into laughter.
It was as if they were watching a monkey show on the street.
"Relax! Child, "the bald suzerain said meaningfully," Take a good look at this. This is the weight of Northland. "
Thales closed his eyes and panted.
'It's really heavy.'
Compared to the heavy wooden sword he used to spar with Jines in Mindis Hall, this Northland suzerain's sword was heavier.
In the next second, ignoring the archdukes' mocking gazes, Thales inhaled and grabbed the sword hilt again with a determined expression.
This time, he used both hands. At least he did not let it slip again.
Thales dragged the sword hilt with great effort.
* Rip … *
The edge of the crossguard sword scraped against the floor tiles, producing an unpleasant sound.
"Come, try harder …" The man with the bowl cut sneered at Thales. "You'll soon reach your neck!"
The archdukes' mocking laughter became louder.
King Nuven's expression was still cold and numb.
He seemed to be waiting for Thales.
The prince gritted his teeth and pulled the sword hilt forcefully with both hands. Only then did he manage to drag the sword in front of him.
Panting, he held the heavy sword in his hand and raised his head to look at the five suzerains.
"Remember this, boy. Never use the situation behind you to threaten a Northlander." The bearded man spat fiercely. "We are fearless. This is the way of Northland.
We are not afraid of your cowardly father and the weak country behind you at all. "
Thales held the sword. His eyebrows furrowed and he gradually tightened his grip.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. Before you slit your own throat," the man with the bowl cut who had been mocking him said in a fuss, "We will definitely stop you. How could our little countryside, Eckstedt, dare to let the descendant of the great Empire, the future ruler of Constellation bleed here? Hahahaha … We are — "
"So annoying!"
Thales interrupted him coldly. "Bowl cut!"
An archduke beside him could not help but laugh out loud.
The man with the bowl cut stopped talking. He shut his mouth and stared at Thales.
"You just want my life to pay for Prince Moriah's, right?" the Prince of Constellation said flatly. "It's too easy."
"Then what are you waiting for?" the bald suzerain said in a low voice. "Are you waiting for us to dissuade you?"
"Die like this?" Thales endured the strange gazes from the crowd and spat. "That's too cowardly and cowardly. There's no dignity to speak of."
"I heard that the knights in ancient times had to swear an oath to their lord to abide by the creed, protect their honor, and defend their dignity." Thales raised his head and looked at the surprised archdukes with the bald duke and the bowl cut. "Even death must be filled with glory."
"And I heard that Eckstedt inherited the glorious tradition of the ancient knights. They must value honor and dignity more than their lives and safety."
"After saying so much, aren't you just afraid of death?" The bearded man snorted disdainfully. "Why? You want us to spare your life to protect your so-called 'honor'?"
"No." Thales sighed. "Since I came to this world, I have never thought of going back alive."
Without waiting for the archdukes to ponder over the logic in his words, Thales gritted his teeth and straightened his body.
"Compared to ending your own life like a coward, there is no honor or pride in it." A strange look appeared in Thales' eyes. He stared straight at the end of the long table and met King Nuven's gaze without showing any sign of weakness.
Staring at Thales, Nuven the Seventh's gaze flickered. His green eyes shone with a different light.
"Please follow the glorious Eckstedt tradition and give me the most dignified death," the Prince of Constellation said slowly, enunciating each word.
"Your Majesty, King Nuven Walton the Seventh, the common-elected king of Eckstedt …"
In the next moment, the Second Prince of Constellation, Thales Jadestar, struggled to hold his heavy sword with one hand. He raised his right hand forward resolutely and pointed at the old king in the distance.
He said resolutely, "Please … come and take my life with your own hands."
'What?'
The five archdukes were stunned at the same time.
Thales shouted with all his might, "I would rather die in the hands of others like a warrior! I would rather stand face to face and watch your sword pierce my heart. "
His voice echoed in the stone hall.
The hall immediately fell silent.
In the frightening silence, Thales confronted the six people in front of him.
The bald man narrowed his eyes at Thales, as if he wanted to carve a hole out of him.
The bearded man's face was gloomy. His gaze moved back and forth between King Nuven and Thales.
The man with the bowl cut rubbed his hands. His thoughts were unclear.
"If slaughtering a child with your own hands makes you uneasy, I might as well put it in another way."
Observing the archdukes' expressions, Thales panted and chuckled. "I heard that in Northland, there is an ancient ritual that has been passed down for generations. It exists everywhere, from the inheritance of titles to the archdukes choosing their king."
Two seconds later, the echoes of Thales' voice in the stone hall gradually disappeared.
'Ancient ritual?
Inheritance of titles?
Archdukes choosing their king? '
The five archdukes frowned one after another.
But the way they looked at Thales had changed.
The suzerains' faces were filled with shock and bewilderment.
However, Nuven the Seventh's expression remained unchanged. It was as cold and numb as ever, as if he had not gotten over the pain of losing his son.
Thales retracted his right hand and pressed it against the hilt of his sword. His gaze was still fixed on King Nuven.
"Your Majesty Nuven, if you really want to take revenge …"
He said flatly,
"Let's settle this problem with a duel."
"Me and you."
The silence lasted for a few seconds.
A few seconds later, the suzerain with the bowl cut was the first to laugh.
The other archdukes followed suit and roared with laughter.
Only King Nuven's expression remained the same.
"Did you hear that?" The man with the bowl cut pointed at Thales. The wrinkles on his face showed as he laughed. "A seven-year-old brat. Hahaha … he said he wanted a duel …"
But their laughter did not last long.
Nuven Walton, the common-elected king of Eckstedt, slowly raised a hand and stopped the archdukes' laughter.
The man with the bowl cut froze.
The old king spoke slowly with an aged and deep voice.
"Oh? You want to duel with me? "
His gaze met Thales' in the air, causing the latter to feel a chill in his heart.
"On what basis?"
The Prince of Constellation took a deep breath.
'Come on.'
Thales dragged his heavy sword, took a step forward, and answered in a loud voice.
He replied loudly, "On hatred and fairness!"
His youthful voice echoed in the stone hall.
The two archdukes who were still in the dark began to whisper to each other.
The other three looked back at Thales with unfriendly expressions.
"Didn't we, the Constellatiates, kill your only son?" Thales gritted his teeth and resisted the trembling of his feet.
"Then, isn't it the most reasonable thing for a father like you to personally take revenge?"
The bearded archduke snorted in dissatisfaction.
"You, a seven-year-old brat?" His face was livid. "You want to challenge the common ruler of Eckstedt? Don't you think the difference is too great? "
King Nuven gently put down his elbows, clasped his hands, and looked at Thales quietly.
For some reason, in that instant, Thales felt that his hostility had dissipated a lot.
'Is it an illusion?
'But I still have to do what I have to do …'
"No!"
Thales Jadestar raised his head and imagined Morris' posture when he patrolled the streets in the Brotherhood. He tried hard to show his arrogance.
"I am the future king of Constellation, and he is the current king of Eckstedt. Our statuses are equal.
"I have the blood of Tormond and Midier in me. He inherited the blood of Raikaru and Chara. Our statuses are equal."
King Nuven suddenly sneered faintly.
"And …" Thales did not show any weakness. He returned the five archdukes' different gazes one by one.
"I am seven years old this year. I am young and weak. My limbs are small and my legs are short." Thales gritted his words angrily. "And you, King Nuven …
"You are almost seventy years old. You are old and weak, and your vision is blurry."
Thales took a deep breath and flashed a scornful smile. "We are evenly matched, and our chances are close!
"I think this will be a thrilling duel. The excitement will not be any less than that of the King Selection Congress.
"What do you say?
"The Born King of Eckstedt?"
As soon as he said that, some of the five archdukes frowned, while others clicked their tongues. Their expressions were all different.
King Nuven's gaze became increasingly strange, and his smile gradually faded.
At this moment, a burst of laughter broke the strange atmosphere.
"Hahahaha." The fourth archduke laughed out loud. He turned around and exposed himself to the light. "You really have the guts to say that, kid? Old and weak? Evenly matched? Haha, Your Majesty … this is so interesting! "
Thales was startled and looked at the archduke.
This was an archduke with long hair that fell over his shoulders. He was in his forties, and the emblem on his body was an ancient book. His resolute face and bold laughter always reminded Thales of the Duke of Constellation's Northern Territory, who was also a Northlander.
He laughed heartily, ignoring the others' expressions. He even pounded the table. "You really have guts, kid!"
"Alright, I think …" The voice of the last archduke — a calm and pleasant one — came from the opposite side. "Maybe we can have a good talk … There is no need to be so hostile …"
The light from the fire illuminated the owner of the voice.
"Your Majesty." The last archduke who spoke was the youngest. He was about thirty years old, and he was a clean-looking, brown-haired young man. There was a blood-stained horseshoe embroidered on his shoulder. He continued to speak in his gentle voice. "I advise you to reconsider …"
"Conkray Poffret." But King Nuven's expression did not change. He only turned his head slowly and shot his gaze at the young archduke. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
The brown-haired young man, Archduke Conkray Poffret, suddenly stopped talking.
The remaining four archdukes exchanged glances as they adjusted their sitting positions.
They were a little surprised by the current situation and waited for the king's decision.
Only Nuven the Seventh, who was sitting in the main seat, turned his gaze again and stared at Thales for a full five to six seconds.
Thales' feet finally stopped trembling.
At that moment, old Kaslan's final evaluation of Nuven the Seventh emerged in his mind.
'"Nuven is also human. He will grow old, and there will come a day when he will be bewitched by flattery and beauty, and be controlled by desires and impulses."
Thales chuckled in his heart.
"Of course, Your Majesty," Thales said softly, attracting the attention of the six archdukes again. "I respect that you are about the same age as my grandfather.
"It does seem a little inappropriate to ask you to duel with me."
The archdukes were puzzled at the same time.
"After all this time, is it just a bluff?" The bearded man said scornfully, "So you still don't dare —"
"No!" Thales interrupted him.
"The duel still has to go on!
But if today really ends like this … "Thales turned his gaze and swept his gaze over the five archdukes one by one. The bearded man, the bowl cut man, the bald man, the long-haired man, and the brown-haired young man.
He then said in an unquestionable tone, "I believe that the five archdukes present are all loyal people. One of them will definitely fight on Your Majesty's behalf!"
The moment he said this, the long-haired man was the first to clench his fists!
The other archdukes immediately held their breaths.
"How about it? Do you dare to fight for your king? Archdukes?
"I don't know which one of you wants to duel with me and obtain that glory!" Thales gritted his teeth and raised his voice to the maximum.
"The glory of personally stabbing my heart with the blade of revenge!
"As an archduke, I will personally kill the Prince of Constellation and avenge Eckstedt!"
After Thales said this, he could not stop panting.
A second later, the second prince raised his head.
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