"Chapman Lampard?"
In the corridor outside Heroic Spirit Palace's banquet hall, Archduke Olsius mulled over the name with a subtle expression. Then, he turned to look at the tiny Thales with disgust on his face.
"The next common-elected king of Eckstedt?"
The archduke sneered.
"I've heard of it, brat," the bearded archduke said coldly, "They say you're a precocious genius … Very well, you're indeed a little smarter than the average child, but that's what I hate the most …"
Thales was stunned.
'Looks like my initial impression of you is terrible.'
"Trying to scare people with sensational gimmicks, is it? Dueling with the king, Lampard, what else? " Olsius' gaze was cold and his tone fierce. "A brat like you who's good at these things since you were young will definitely grow up to be a venomous snake full of conspiracies.
"Perhaps I should grab my sword and stab it into your chest today." Olsius spat harshly. "We have enough trouble for Constellation. We don't need you to add fuel to the fire … brat from the Empire."
'Sh * t.'
Thales' heart clenched. He realized that the conversation was about to fall apart.
"Then why did you come to Dragon Clouds City?" Thales quickly organized his words so that the conversation could continue and not be interrupted by the other party's disgust towards him. "If you're really like what you said, that my arrival is trouble, then why did you come here to provoke this trouble?"
He looked calm on the outside, but he was actually nervous on the inside. He raised his head and stared at the ruler of Prestige Orchid before him.
'Will I succeed?'
"Provoke trouble? You may be trouble, but you're far from being feared, brat. "Olsius sneered." I'm here to see the game between Constellation and the Dragon after twelve years. I want to see what we can gain from a prince, and whether our king is blind from old age. "
"What's your conclusion?" Thales said with a grin. "Has your king disappointed you?"
Olsius put on an ugly smile, but under his beard, he looked a little ferocious.
"You should be thankful … that he's still rational and hasn't been blinded by anger, so you're safe." The archduke sized up the brat before him. "That's why you have the chance to talk nonsense here."
"Safe?" Thales shifted his gaze to Olsius' heavy saber. He laughed mockingly and said, "I think that the sword on your waist might have a different opinion … It almost received the honor of being the prince's nemesis after all." Olsius' gaze fell on Thales.
Archduke Olsius tilted his head and sneered.
"Stop pretending, kid. I know you're actually very clear about it." He turned his head around and a fierce look seeped out of his eyes. "Forcing you to commit suicide … is just a farce."
Thales' heart clenched.
He …
"Don't be fooled by His Majesty's expression today. He won't start a war easily." Olsius's gaze was sharp. "You have your father's oath to protect you. The archdukes won't support him to start a full-scale war."
"As for his attitude towards you, hmph, it's most likely just an act for us to see." The Grand Duke of Prestige Orchid sneered, shook his head, and clicked his tongue. "Testing loyalty? Old tricks."
"As for you and him …" Olsius looked at Thales with a subtle expression. He raised his eyebrows and revealed a strange smile.
"They're actually acting on the same stage."
At this moment, Thales' expression finally changed.
He knows?
'He saw through it?'
Thales was completely stunned.
"He insists on killing you, and then he wants to see our reaction, right?" Archduke Olsius' face was full of disdain. "At a time when his own family is about to be destroyed, he's actually scheming."
From the moment he entered Dragon Clouds City, King Nuven's domineering aura, the archdukes' incessant chatter, Nicholas and Shiles' synergy, and Putray's relaxed attitude of trying his best to make him feel at ease, had more or less bewitched the Prince of Constellation.
And the memories of the transmigrator that kept increasing and surging in his mind made Thales feel elated. He always felt that even in this dangerous world where humans ate each other, he should still be the smarter type.
It gave him the illusion that the five archdukes of Eckstedt were like flat paper dolls that could be folded and kneaded with the slightest bit of force. They were also like lab rats that would react appropriately with a little stimulation.
However, it was only now, after the seemingly violent Archduke Olsius exposed his and King Nuven's self-righteous tricks without hiding anything, that Thales suddenly realized that the person standing in front of him was actually a person.
A real, living person.
Even in the Abandoned House, he could not clearly grasp the behavior and psychology of children who were only a few years old.
Moreover …
The person in front of him was a Northland noble with a long history, a noble status, and a great reputation. He was a powerful person who had ruled for many years, and he was the Archduke of Eckstedt, whose power was comparable to that of a king. He had stood tall in the harsh and cruel cold of Northland for many years.
How could such a person be lacking in skill and scheming?
Thales lowered his head. Under Olsius' slightly mocking gaze, he clenched his teeth lightly.
'No.
'I haven't lost yet.'
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them.
"You know him very well?" This time, the Second Prince of Constellation's voice seemed to lose its previous relaxed tone. Instead, there was a hint of solemnity and steadiness. "King Nuven?"
Olsius looked at Thales, who quickly recovered from his shock. His eyes flashed.
"Yes, I know him. Ever since the first time my father brought me to Dragon Clouds City to meet him.
"But I also understand the feeling of sitting in this position — the feeling of controlling, maintaining, and protecting a family, a city, a territory, and a group of subjects," the archduke said faintly. "After the tragedy of the Walton Family, for the continuation of the family and the future of Dragon Clouds City, Nuven had a lot of things to tidy up, make up for, and make arrangements.
"Starting a war would only benefit Black Sand Region and people like Lampard. The territory, resources, and population neighboring Constellation … would benefit his enemies. This was something he absolutely did not want to see.
"So, the person who also did not want to start a war and whose interests were aligned with his is actually you, the little brat of the Empire." Olsius snorted and shook his head.
"Why does he want to be your enemy?
"No matter what show you're putting on with him … it's nothing more than that.
"You're on the same side, the Walton Family and the Jadestar Family." The archduke snorted through his nose. His expression was cold.
Thales sighed softly.
'Yes, how could a person who became an archduke more than ten years ago and ruled until now be a fool?'
What Thales could think of, these archdukes could naturally think of as well.
At least, they had a subordinate who was as wise as Kentvida was to the Archduke of Black Sand Region.
'Where did he get his confidence from? Did he think that by relying on the memories of a so-called transmigrator, which were incomplete for more than twenty years, did not match the era, did not match the civilized society, and had a vastly different status and social class …
Just like countless transmigrators before him, he relied on his superb interpersonal skills, outstanding memory, and ever-present aura and halo to make these elites from other worlds, who had survived the social competition (which was countless times more intense and cruel than in his previous life), obediently listen to his orders, and manipulate them as he pleased?
'He was even helpless against Quide Roda, who managed the child beggars in the Abandoned Houses, and his assistant, Naer Rick, right?'
Thales lowered his head dejectedly.
'A person's will and actions are always unpredictable and mysterious existences.
Society was composed of millions of unfathomable human hearts.
'Society is definitely not a precise machine that can operate perfectly with a set of parameters.'
He had to be like the purest social science researcher, always maintaining the most humble, modest, and cautious attitude in the face of a world that was completely different from the past, instead of being complacently immersed in his lofty self-awareness of 'progress'.
After all, he did not have a system, a chip, or a technology tree that could be climbed step by step with the click of a button like Civilization VI.
After all, he did not transmigrate into Shuang Wen's world.
Thales stared at the ground, motionless.
"This is the end of your gimmick … Chapman Lampard becoming king?" Olsius seemed to be very happy to see the confident seven-year-old brat at a loss for words. "King Nuven is still rational. Chapman will never gain any benefits by starting a war, and he will never become king."
"Also … don't forget the grudge between them.
"Next time, find a better reason, think of a reasonable stunt, and sow discord."
Olsius was ready to leave after he finished speaking.
Thales slowly clenched his fists behind him.
'Maybe.
'I really am.
'He's not suitable to be a prince, or even a king.
'But …'
Under Wya's astonished gaze, Thales chuckled softly.
'At least, I want to be a survivor.
'Survive.'
The next moment, Thales raised his head abruptly and looked at Archduke Olsius, who had not gone far.
"You are wrong!"
Olsius stopped walking.
"It is precisely because King Nuven is still rational that …" Thales' voice came from behind him.
"Chapman Lampard is destined to become the next king."
"And I myself am not as safe as you claim. That is why we are having this conversation."
"The same old stunt again?" Olsius sighed. "My disgust towards you will only …"
The second prince did not give him a chance to speak.
"The key is not my stunt, but whether this is related to your interests." Thales' eyes were firm and steady again. "Is it related to the interests of Prestige Orchid Region?
"Listen to me."
"Then make your own choice."
Olsius frowned.
"What I'm going to say next is only to you." Thales looked behind Olsius. There were two muscular attendants with sharp eyes, and it was obvious that they had extraordinary skills.
Archduke Olsius narrowed his eyes as if he was deep in thought.
"Why? Are you afraid that a child will assassinate you?" Thales sneered and said, "Or do you want to go back earlier and drink a few more glasses of wine with your four good colleagues?"
As he stared at the foreign prince in front of him, who appeared young but spoke maturely, Archduke Olsius felt a strange sense of absurdity.
A few seconds later, the archduke chuckled and ordered his attendants to walk away.
Thales secretly heaved a sigh of relief. At his signal, Wya, the prince's attendant, nodded and left with a solemn expression.
The brazier in the corridor burned fiercely. Two figures, one big and one small, faced each other quietly in the dark.
"Tell me, according to your theory, how does Lampard become king?" Olsius did not look at Thales. Nonchalantly, he extended his hands to the brazier and warmed his frozen hands.
"I was assassinated in front of Broken Dragon Fortress." With a cold expression, Thales went straight to the point. "The murderer wanted to frame Lampard."
Archduke Olsius pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows. "I've heard of it."
"Unfortunately, he did not succeed," Olsius said disdainfully. "Whether it was to kill you or frame Lampard."
Thales ignored Olsius' hostility and continued, "This made Lampard realize that an enemy was secretly reaching out to him, and that his situation in the country was not good."
"Lampard is a powerful man. This is nothing to him." Archduke Olsius was expressionless.
"Because of this, Lampard proposed to form an alliance with me to fight against our enemies together." Thales still did not care about what the archduke said. Like a robot from his previous life, he stated the truth without any emotion or color.
"He provided me with all the resources I needed in Dragon Clouds City in exchange for the help of a future king of Constellation."
At this moment, the corners of Olsius' lips curled up. He lost his composure and laughed.
"A promise from a seven-year-old brat who has yet to wear the crown … Lampard would be a fool to form an alliance with you. He only changed his stance at the last minute because he saw that attacking Constellation was hopeless." The archduke moved his hand, which was warming the fire, to the back of his hand. "And that won't make him king."
"Of course," Thales said coldly.
"That's all?" Olsius snorted. "How are you going to help him become king? Issue an announcement to support him? "
At this moment, Thales' expression changed. "But this is not Lampard's plan!"
After a dozen or so seconds of indifference, he suddenly raised his voice.
"I am also not the one who can help him become king."
Olsius shifted his gaze from the brazier to Thales.
"Of course he knows that I am not that valuable! Other than being branded with the symbol of 'Constellation', I am nothing! " Thales sighed. "But believe me … I met him once in his military camp. He is not a fool."
"Hmph, I know him better than you do." Olsius clenched his fists above the brazier and said coldly, "Twelve years ago, when he mercilessly nailed his brother to the ground in the duel field, I witnessed it with my own eyes."
Thales took a deep breath and nodded. "He is only pretending to form an alliance with me. In fact, I guess he has other plans.
And he is about to put them into action. "
Olsius locked his thoughts in a frown and carefully sized up Thales before him.
"Say it, brat." Olsius also sighed and said impatiently, "Very well, you have successfully attracted my attention."
Thales was stunned.
'This line … I seem to have heard it somewhere before.
'Forget it, it's not important.'
Thales took a deep breath.
"Nuven," he heard himself say slowly in his calmest and most careful tone, "Chapman Lampard wants to work with King Nuven.
"With the Walton Family, the Dragon Spear Family, and Dragon Clouds City."
A few seconds passed.
"Hahahahaha!" Olsius burst into impudent laughter.
With a nonchalant expression, he turned his head away.
Thales only stared at him quietly.
Olsius put down his hands that were warming the fire and clasped them together. His gaze was cold. "Is this your guess? I thought you were only good at using gimmicks. I didn't expect you to be good at creating gimmicks as well! "
"I saw it with my own eyes. Lampard was trying to contact Dragon Clouds City!" Thales replied coldly.
"Impossible!" Olsius stopped smiling and said firmly, "Lampard is suspected of murdering Prince Moriah. That is a blood feud. King Nuven will not work with him."
"Why should we avenge our blood kin?"
Thales quickly caught up with him and retorted with a cold gaze, "For justice to be upheld? No. "
"It is to ensure that our family will no longer be harmed like this. It is to give our enemies the most severe warning. It is for the ultimate continuation and prosperity of our family."
Olsius frowned.
"For this goal, everything can be abandoned." Thales nodded slowly. "Including vengeance and honor."
"King Nuven has not lost his rationality … You said it yourself." Looking at the archduke's deeply doubtful expression, the second prince said flatly, "The Walton Family has lost its last direct heir, but it has not perished. King Nuven will not let it perish."
"It was Lampard who made the first move. He targeted Dragon Clouds City and even killed its only heir. Trust has disappeared." Olsius still shook his head. "Even if he wanted to find an ally, it would not be King Nuven. Lampard would not go looking for trouble himself."
"You just said that you know Lampard better than I do. You know if he has the courage to take the risk to reconcile with his enemies for the sake of benefits." Thales calmly refuted the archduke's words. "Don't forget, a few years ago, Constellation's Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde, wore a hood and formed an alliance with Lampard … and Arunde and Lampard are mortal enemies."
Archduke Olsius took a deep breath.
"Also, you saw that we were acting, didn't you?" Thales saw the wavering in the archduke's eyes and continued to throw out the bait he had prepared.
"Why do you think Lampard sent an army to escort me to Dragon Clouds City in such a dignified manner? Do you really think that King Nuven ordered his White Blade Guards to depart ahead of schedule and 'kidnap' me to Dragon Clouds City out of anger and fury?! "
Olsius was slightly startled.
"That was indeed an act!" Thales' face tensed up and he spoke faster, making his voice sound more urgent and agitated. "It was an act for all of you to see! To see how His Majesty's anger was ignited.
"So that he could confuse all of you and conceal his deepest intentions.
"But it was not to stop the war between Constellation and the Dragon, nor to stop Black Sand Region or the southern archdukes from benefiting from the war.
"It was for the alliance between Dragon Clouds City and Black Sand Region."
Archduke Olsius closed his mouth and exhaled deeply, as if he was thinking.
"During those few days, God knows what exactly Nicholas of Dragon Clouds City and Kentvida of Black Sand Region talked about in the tent!" Thales sighed and said, "We only saw them drawing their swords outside the tent."
"But I can roughly guess." Thales heard that his tone had become calm again. He also saw Olsius' gaze gradually become deeper.
"The Walton Family is destined to decline." The second prince sighed faintly. "After King Nuven's passing, the Walton Family might even face a calamity after the next king selection.
"So, he must place his bet on a powerful archduke, a future king — even if this person is suspected of murdering his son."
Olsius turned around and looked at the moonlight outside the window.
Thales slowly shut his mouth.
He was waiting for Olsius' response.
'This is the archduke's own battle.'
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