* Thud! *
Gu slammed two big bowls of steaming meat soup on the table.
Thales and Little Rascal, who were washing their faces in cold water, raised their heads in a daze and stared at the expressionless Gu.
The hunger that was previously suppressed by panic and fear suddenly returned to the second prince's stomach.
"I used Eternal Oil to heat it up. The smoke will disperse indoors, no one will notice us," Gu said flatly. He sat opposite the two, his thick right eyebrow slightly raised, as if there was a hidden meaning behind it. "Of course, it's not cheap. I'll put it on the tab."
Little Rascal's stomach growled at the perfect time.
The girl glanced at the boy beside her timidly. Thales gulped.
"What's wrong?"
Gu looked at the two dazed children, frowned, and said impatiently, "Are you waiting for me to respectfully offer napkins and wine, my esteemed young master and young lady?"
As soon as he finished speaking …
Thales and Little Rascal exchanged glances and winked at each other.
In the next second, like horses released from their reins, the two of them pounced on the chairs, picked up their respective bowls of meat soup, and gulped it down.
"Don't be hasty." Gu looked at the two of them wolfing down their food and sighed.
"We'll talk business after you've filled your stomachs."
In just a few minutes, the two extremely hungry children finished their bowls of meat soup. They leaned on the chairs, rubbed their bloated bellies, and panted.
Little Rascal even burped and lowered her head timidly.
Thales exhaled contentedly.
"So …" Gu placed his right hand on the back of his left, his fingers tapping slowly like waves.
Before Gu could continue, Thales, who had caught his breath, raised his head and said hurriedly, "We, we need help!"
"Yes, I can see that …" Gu sized him up, his eyes showing disdain. "Tell me something I don't know."
Under Thales' gaze, Gu said nonchalantly,
"For example, on this chaotic night — it's midnight now, why are the two children wandering aimlessly in the Armor District, which should have been evacuated a long time ago?
"More pathetic than stray dogs?"
Thales was slightly startled, and subconsciously said, "We —"
But his words came to an abrupt halt. The prince hesitantly opened his mouth and closed it again.
Ever since he became a prince, his experience and intuition told him that revealing all the information he knew might not necessarily bring him sincerity and understanding. Just look at Serena and Black Sword.
"We are in trouble." Thales took a deep breath and said seriously, "We need to go to Heroic Spirit Palace without attracting attention. Can you help us?"
"We will pay you!"
Gu's fingers did not move. He clenched his fists and stared at Thales without moving.
The man's gaze was very calm, like the surface of a lake without wind or ripples, but it made Thales panic for no reason.
He had no choice but to sit up properly.
This Far Easterner …
Why does it feel so weird?
Just when Thales felt that he could not hold on any longer, Gu finally spoke slowly.
"Heroic Spirit Palace?"
"Another drama of the nobles killing each other for power?"
The corners of Gu's lips curled up into a thought-provoking sneer.
The Far Easterner's black eyes were so deep that Thales could not see his pupils clearly.
"Do you know how difficult it is to secretly go to Heroic Spirit Palace from Armor District? The distance, the slope, the gatehouse, the forbidden roads, and the cordon that has been in place since yesterday … "
Gu stared at Thales in the dim light.
"I can make room for you, but to send you to Heroic Spirit Palace quietly and get involved in the political struggle of the upper nobles?"
The Far Easterner shook his head. The coldness at the corners of his eyes made Thales shudder. "Sorry, Kaslan's favor is not that great."
He refused.
Thales turned his head and glanced worriedly at Little Rascal.
They could not just stay here and wait for death.
Lampard's operation, Nuven's assassination, the accident they encountered, all these things needed to …
"What about contacting them?"
Thales raised his head and said anxiously, "You can't send us there, but can you help us contact someone?"
Under Thales' worried gaze, Gu smiled.
"Although it will not be easy, it is not impossible." Gu narrowed his eyes. "To whom?"
Thales' eyes brightened.
However, just as he opened his mouth to speak, he was interrupted by Gu.
"Choose carefully, child. Don't choose those whom I have to stand at the entrance of Heroic Spirit Palace and shout to reach. Also, "Gu lowered his head slightly. Due to the light, his eyes were shrouded in darkness. He spoke with a profound tone.
He said meaningfully, "If your situation is really dangerous, then it is best to find someone trustworthy and inconspicuous. After all, I don't want to get into trouble."
Hearing Gu's words, Thales was stunned.
The first person he thought of just now was Putray.
Aida said that the vice diplomat mobilized people to look for him, then perhaps he could send someone …
'No.'
The prince shook his head in his heart.
Thales did not know how strict Lampard's control in Dragon Clouds City was, but if the situation was as bad as he expected, then the Constellation Diplomat Group, led by Putray, would definitely become Lampard's main focus.
Especially after the calamity wreaked havoc and now that all districts were under martial law, they would be very conspicuous. Even if they found this place, there was a high chance that they would be intercepted by the enemy halfway.
Similarly, the people loyal to King Nuven, such as Nicholas, were the same.
He needed another candidate.
Thales frowned. 'A person I can trust, a suitable candidate who has a secret agreement with me and King Nuven, but is neutral on the surface, so he will not attract attention.'
It would be best if he had some means and connections, so that he would not be powerless after receiving the news.
Thales' pupils gradually focused.
"In fact," Thales took a deep breath and met Gu's gaze, "I happen to have such a candidate. His information network is also very wide. You definitely have a way to contact him."
Gu's gaze stopped on him.
After a full five seconds, the Far Easterner nodded slowly.
Thales breathed a sigh of relief.
A few minutes later, Gu changed into a cloak and stood at the door.
"I don't know how long I will be gone. After all, it takes time to find a way — maybe tens of minutes, maybe even longer," the Far Easterner said sternly, "Before that, stay here and don't touch anything in my shop."
Thales could only nod to show that he understood.
Gu observed for a few minutes by the wooden window. After confirming the situation, he held the doorknob.
"Mister Gu." Light flooded into the butcher's shop. Just as he was about to leave, Thales suddenly said, "Thank you."
Gu revealed a strange expression and turned to look at him.
The Far Easterner nodded with a faint smile.
But Gu's last words before he left made Thales pale with fright.
"Please wait patiently." Gu turned around and said faintly,
"Your Royal Highness."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu closed the small door, leaving the butcher's shop in darkness again.
Thales was the only one left, stunned on the spot.
The prince turned his head and looked at Little Rascal, who was sitting by the table.
'So, he knew my identity long ago?
'That's why I didn't ask.'
As he watched Gu disappear through the small door, Thales held his forehead and sighed in pain.
'Is it very eye-catching to see an unkempt kid running around the street?
Asda, Black Sword, Gu … Why do I feel like everyone knows me at first sight? '
Thales turned around and looked at the chopping board and boning knife around him. He shrugged helplessly and dejectedly.
He climbed onto the chair by the dining table with difficulty, picked up his wooden cup and drank a mouthful of water.
He caught a glimpse of Little Rascal from the corner of his eye.
The girl was staring blankly at the table, her face expressionless.
Thales sighed silently in his heart.
"Sleep for a while." Thales put down the cup and said, "You should be very tired."
"Huh?"
Little Rascal snapped out of her daze and stared at Thales blankly, as if she had suddenly woken up.
Thales pursed his lips and shook his head helplessly.
"You need to rest. We may have to hurry on with our journey later," Thales tried his best to speak in the most gentle tone when he saw the absent-minded girl.
However, Little Rascal only stared at him blankly.
"Thales," the little girl said dejectedly, "I feel like I'm dreaming."
Little Rascal lowered her head. "A nightmare, a never-ending nightmare."
Thales held his breath for a moment.
Little Rascal's voice was a little shaky. "First it was Lady Alex, then the monster in Dragon Clouds City, and now King Nuven …"
The girl's eyes behind her glasses were suddenly filled with tears.
"All of this … When will it end?"
Thales closed his eyes. There was an indescribable gloominess and sadness in his heart.
She was just a child.
Only a few years older than Coria, Ryan, and Sinti.
She was forced to witness everything.
"Soon."
Thales heard himself say faintly, "Soon, all of this will end … Everything will get better …"
However, in his heart, a dark voice spoke another sentence for him.
'No.
'From the moment you become a Walton, all of this …
'Will never end.'
He heard himself saying against his will, "When we return to the Walton Family and those loyal to the Waltons, we will be safe. Regardless of their motives, they will definitely protect the bloodline of the Dragon Spear Family … "
Little Rascal trembled when she heard that.
Her sobbing became more obvious. "Thales, I-I don't want to become Saroma. I'm not a Walton … I can't do what King Nuven said …"
Thales did not speak. He only clenched his fists and stared at the ground.
"Really." Little Rascal sniffled. Her eyes were red. "I'm just a little servant girl picked up from a pile of orphans. I'm not … not Lady Walton."
Thales still did not say a word.
"Also, I'm a girl.
"This is Northland. Never in history … Neither the nobles nor the commoners will allow me, a girl, to become an archduchess." Little Rascal took off her glasses and shook her head in pain.
"Let me go. I can't do what His Majesty said. With you … I'll mess it up. I don't know anything!"
Watching Little Rascal sob incessantly, Thales slowly raised his head.
"Alright."
Little Rascal's sobs stopped abruptly.
"What?" She raised her head and asked in confusion, her sobbing voice still lingering.
Thales said flatly, "You can go."
Little Rascal was stunned.
"King Nuven has passed away. We don't know if Nicholas is dead or alive. As for Mirk …" Thales looked at her calmly. He jumped off the chair and strode forward. "Now, no one will force you to become Saroma Walton."
Thales approached her slowly.
Little Rascal shrank against the back of the chair in slight surprise.
"You still have a chance to stay away from all of this. Dragon Clouds City is in chaos. A missing maid will not attract attention." Thales continued under Little Rascal's bewildered gaze. "Not to mention, so many things have happened in Heroic Spirit Palace …"
Little Rascal sniffed sharply.
"Really?"
There was a hint of bewilderment in the girl's voice, but this bewilderment soon turned into panic and timidity. "But … why are you …"
Thales stopped and stood a few steps away from her chair.
He unclenched his fists and stared straight into the girl's green eyes. The corners of his lips curled up.
"Because you are you.
"Perhaps there are times when the margin is very small, but everyone can, and should, choose who they are …"
Thales gently closed his eyes and quickly opened them again.
"You will become the person you choose to become."
At that moment, Asda's questioning words, the story Lady Jines told him, Yodel's confession in the Shadow Realm, Gilbert's agitated expression when he stood in front of the portraits of the Three Kings, and Kessel's lonely figure in the Jadestar family tomb flashed past his mind.
With a myriad of thoughts in his mind, he continued, somewhat subconsciously.
"Although we are always forced by life, others, society, and omnipresent power to become … what they want us to become."
Little Rascal stared at Thales in a daze. She stared at the strange boy with a bitter smile.
The girl who had cleaned herself blinked and asked subconsciously, "Such as … becoming a prince?"
Thales' gaze froze.
He stared at Little Rascal quietly and sighed. "Yes.
"Such as a prince.
"So, if you want to escape, give up, and leave, I will not stop you — I will even help you."
Little Rascal seemed to be scared out of her wits. She stared at Thales without moving.
The second prince sighed.
Kessel's words rang in his ears.
'From the moment you were crowned with the Jadestar name, you fought for Constellation, died for Constellation, and … lived for Constellation.'
He refocused his gaze and stared straight into Little Rascal's eyes.
"But before that, have you thought about who you really are and who you want to become?"
Little Rascal's eyes widened slightly. "What?"
Thales shook his head and ignored her puzzlement. He continued to speak, minding himself.
He continued, "Are you Little Rascal? The little maid who does your homework on your behalf? The fan of books in the library? Saroma Walton? The unlucky girl who was innocently dragged into all this? "
Little Rascal froze on the spot. Her breathing slowly became irregular.
"In Alex's eyes, you are her humble maid. In King Nuven's eyes, you are the last descendant of the Walton Family. In the eyes of the Queen of the Sky, you are an interesting girl who wears her glasses without realizing it," Thales said calmly. "But what about in your own eyes?
"Who are you?" he asked the question he had when they first met.
Little Rascal's gaze became more and more confused.
"Choosing to turn back into Little Rascal because of a moment of fear or past habits, choosing to become a noble lady of the Walton Family because of a moment of vanity, or choosing to escape because of a moment of pressure — in my opinion, these are essentially the same. They are not what you really want. You are forced to become someone you are completely unprepared to become."
In an instant, silence enveloped the small butcher shop.
Little Rascal sat on the chair in a daze and stared at Thales, who stood before her.
Her eyes were filled with confusion and fear.
"What about you?" A few seconds later, Little Rascal looked like a person who struggled out of the water. She raised her head blankly, looking for a life-saving straw. "Who do you think I am? Shouldn't I be a little maid?
"You?"
Thales smiled.
He shook his head. "You are unlucky. You are an unlucky girl who was dragged into these troublesome matters with me."
Little Rascal's gaze darkened. She lowered her head and pouted.
Thales looked into her eyes and exhaled softly.
"But you are also a brave and strong girl. You have experienced nightmares and hell with me, and you have persevered until now."
Thales revealed a bitter and gratified smile.
"If you become an archduchess, in my opinion, whether it is King Nuven or Archduke Lampard, you are much better than them."
Little Rascal raised her head again. Her eyes shone with surprise and amazement.
"In my opinion, you are not completely unprepared to become a Walton."
Under Little Rascal's stare, Thales continued to speak.
"You have read in Raikaru's library for many years. You can recite the books inside like the back of your hand. You are very familiar with history and allusions. You completed Alex's homework for her, and perhaps you were even more competent than she was.
Moreover … "Thales recalled yesterday's events in a daze. It was as if it was years ago, and the images in his memory had already turned yellow.
"Faced with such a monster, even in my most desperate moment, when I was in the most dangerous situation, you never abandoned me — even if the final outcome might be a painful death."
The prince looked into Little Rascal's eyes.
Little Rascal pursed her lips and wiped away the tears on her face.
"Let me tell you another secret," Thales said.
Little Rascal blinked.
A strong and muscular figure appeared before Thales' eyes, along with a pair of intimidating sky-blue eyes.
"When I became a prince, my … father asked me a similar question." Thales' gaze was unfocused. His thoughts were no longer in this butcher's shop, but drifted to the faraway Eternal Star City.
"" Are you ready? "--that's what he said."
He chuckled subconsciously.
"How did you answer?" Little Rascal asked expectantly.
Thales turned and looked back at her. "I said, 'No'."
"And then?" The girl's eyes lit up. "What was your father's reaction?"
Thales stared into Little Rascal's eyes quietly and did not move.
Then, the latter turned her head away in embarrassment.
A few seconds later.
Thales sighed.
"He said, 'It's okay.'
"Because, 'Fate will prepare you.'
"That's what he told me."
Little Rascal was stunned.
Thales exhaled through his nose, as if he had just removed the biggest shackle.
The prince flashed what he believed to be his most confident smile.
"So, don't be anxious, don't panic. You have many choices." Thales held Little Rascal's hand gently and said sincerely, "When we escape this place, you can choose wisely who you are and who you want to be. Whether you want to leave or stay, I won't stop you."
Little Rascal stared at him blankly.
"Before that, you don't have to think about anything. You're just a loyal companion who's running for our lives with me." Thales fixed his gaze on her.
"That's enough."
Little Rascal stared at him in surprise.
It was as if she was meeting him for the first time.
Little Rascal sniffled and said, as if she understood something, "Okay."
Thales raised his eyebrows. "Now, sleep for a while. We need strength and spirit."
Little Rascal nodded obediently.
Thales sighed.
'Finally, I've comforted her.'
Thales turned around and climbed into his chair.
Gu's chair was a little soft. He did not know what kind of wood it was made of.
"Thales," Little Rascal said softly behind him, "Thank you."
Thales paused.
"No." He lowered his head, a little disappointed. "I was the one who got you into this."
Otherwise, she would still be a little maid who only had to worry about Alex in the library, reading books.
'Isn't that right?'
The two children lay back in their respective chairs and temporarily closed their eyes in peace.
"Thales." In the darkness with his eyes closed, Little Rascal's timid voice rang again. "Are you really only seven years old?
"Why do you know so much?"
Thales, who was adjusting his lying position, burst into laughter when he heard her.
He opened his eyes and saw Little Rascal lying sideways on the chair with her eyes closed.
This reminded Thales of the time she was sound asleep on his bed in his room.
"Who knows?" He slid down the chair gently and walked to the corner of the wall. "Maybe I'm already thirty-seven years old."
As usual, Thales lay against the wall in the corner with his hands as a pillow. Feeling the double protection of the floor and the wall, he felt much more at ease. "I just don't look old."
Little Rascal's laughter rang beside him.
Thales laughed too.
'Choose yourself. Choose who you want to be,' he repeated to himself in his heart. At the same time, he recalled what he said to the Mystic before Asda left.
'Yes.
'I will get through this disaster.
'I will live.
'And then choose who I want to be.
'No one can force me.
No one can stop me. '
He closed his eyes gently.
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