Raphael spread out a map and carefully studied the route on it.
The insides of his right arm were still aching. As the Black Prophet had said, he had used that power too often.
That insatiable, bloodthirsty monster.
Raphael frowned slightly.
But he immediately cast the matter aside — he had too many things to worry about.
For example, the mess in Northland.
Another example was the little boy behind him.
Raphael sighed and rolled up the map from Dragon Clouds City to the City of Faraway Prayers. Then, he looked at the second prince standing beside him.
But the moment he turned around, he acutely noticed that Thales' expression was not quite right.
Thales frowned and stared at Raphael with a complicated gaze.
"You should rest. Our journey will not be peaceful." Raphael felt a little uncomfortable under his stare. He could not help but say, "You'd better be energetic …"
But Thales only stared at him. His gaze slowly shifted to Raphael's hands.
Just as the young man from the Secret Intelligence Department started to get impatient, the second prince spoke softly.
"The person who crippled your hands was the Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde.
"I guess."
Raphael's breath froze for a moment.
His face twitched a little, but it immediately turned into a relaxed smile. "Just a wild guess isn't —"
Thales interrupted him.
"I recognize the letters on the brand on your hands."
Thales said quietly.
"That's the letter of the Ancient Empire engraved, A.
"The Arunde Family that represents the White Falcon."
Raphael's words were stuck in his mouth. His face stiffened.
A few seconds later, the man from the Secret Intelligence Department exhaled softly and remained silent.
After a long while, Raphael shifted his gaze.
"Looks like the Cunning Fox taught you well," he said flatly, as if he did not care. "Although it's only been a short month."
Thales, who received a tacit answer, took a deep breath and recalled what Little Rascal had just told him.
"I once heard from Val Arunde that his cooperation with Lampard and seizing the throne was just the first step."
Thales stared straight into Raphael's eyes with a sharp gaze.
"More importantly, we must forge a Northern Region without the flames of war."
The second prince said softly, "For example, his daughter will be married to Lampard's son, and the two kings who have been enemies for a thousand years will take the first step towards reconciliation. Constellation and the Dragon will slowly merge into one, and the Northern Territory will enjoy eternal peace."
Raphael did not move.
He just listened to the prince in silence.
Thales stared at his expression and suddenly revealed a complicated smile.
"I'm guessing that when he found out that his daughter already had a lover of low status, he must have been very distressed." Thales sighed. His gaze never left Raphael's face as he said softly, "And it was a Barren Bone man."
Raphael, who had always been expressionless, finally frowned when he heard this.
"So, Duke Arunde crippled your sword-wielding hands as a punishment and a warning." Thales stared at Raphael's hands and shook his head slowly. "He took away the most important thing in you, and destroyed a swordsman's pride and reliance, right?"
Raphael lowered his head.
At that moment, his hands seemed to be burning in pain.
It was the unforgettable burning pain that came from the depths of his bone marrow the moment the hot soldering iron penetrated deep into his muscles, bones, and flesh.
It seemed like it happened yesterday.
'Not just that …
'And the days after that, in the endless dark abyss, in the boundless bloody hell.'
Raphael's gaze froze in midair.
'Took away the most important thing?
'From a promising seed of the Tower of Eradication to a cripple?
'Or crawl out of the most terrible torture?
'No.'
Raphael's unfocused gaze refocused.
"You should put your intelligence to good use," the young man from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department said flatly, his expression returning to normal.
But Thales still did not let it go. "Why did he spare your life?
"He had no reason to spare you … Isn't it good for a Raphael who has disappeared forever?"
Raphael closed his eyes.
"A long time ago, I saved his daughter's life, and he was very grateful to me," the man from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department replied slowly. "But Val is a stubborn and unyielding man. Not taking my life was already the greatest mercy he could muster."
Thales exhaled.
"That explains it," he murmured.
Raphael's gaze shifted. "What?"
The second prince slowly leaned against the wall. His expression was dejected and lonely.
"His Majesty knew a long time ago, didn't he?"
Thales said with a sigh. His voice was so soft that it did not seem like it came from his mouth.
Raphael frowned. "Knew what?"
Thales let out a slow sigh and slowly spoke of what he had just figured out.
"Duke Arunde.
"His conspiracy and his rebellion, his attempt to usurp the throne, and even the plans of the 'New Star' nobles."
Thales said absentmindedly, "King Kessel — I mean, father, he knew a long time ago, didn't he?"
Raphael frowned and looked at Thales solemnly.
'This boy …'
"Do not speculate about your king, even if you are a prince."
The young man from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department warned, "This is a warning from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department."
Thales snorted softly, as if he did not care at all.
The prince took a step forward. His expression was complicated as he looked at Raphael. His gaze gradually became clear.
"So, he did know.
"From the beginning, he knew about Arunde's rebellious intentions and his attempt to usurp the throne." Thales sighed. "And the reason why His Majesty did not take any action and even allowed things to take their own course was because he was waiting, waiting for the other party to truly rebel."
Raphael's frown deepened. "Waiting?"
The man from the Secret Intelligence Department snorted in disdain, as if he had heard the funniest thing in the world.
"You think too much …"
"If His Majesty knew about this from the beginning, why did he allow the situation to worsen and allow the Duke of the Northern Territory to truly embark on the path of rebellion, putting the Northern Territory in danger?" Raphael shook his head. "I said, do not speculate …"
Thales clenched his fists.
He suddenly raised his voice, as if he wanted to roar out all the resentment and grievances he had accumulated over the past few days.
"Because he needed this opportunity! Damn it! "
Raphael's words stopped at the tip of his tongue. He looked at the prince, whose chest was heaving up and down. He was slightly surprised.
"Miranda told me that His Majesty had already sent officials to stabilize the situation in the Northern Territory." Thales panted and could not stop his chest from trembling.
"It's very reassuring, isn't it?
"But this is the key." Thales raised his head and gritted his teeth. Kessel's determined face appeared before his eyes. "Tell me, Raphael."
The prince stared at Raphael and stared into his red eyes.
Thales could not help but think of the Nanchester Family's One-Eyed Dragon, Koshder, and the words he said before he left.
"You underestimate your father, underestimate the Iron Hand King, and underestimate the fear he instilled in the whole of Constellation."
"If Prince Moriah had not been assassinated, if Eckstedt had not been pressured by war, if Arunde had not taken a risk out of desperation and ended up in prison, and if the Northern Territory had not become leaderless and lost," the prince opened and closed his mouth as he fiercely said, "Then His Majesty could still …"
Thales paused for a moment.
Raphael's gaze dimmed slightly.
Thales clenched his teeth and forced himself to finish the rest of his words.
"Then, he could still defend the enemy in the name of war without any hindrance …
"Send his direct officials and nobles to Cold Castle …
"As a matter of course, increase the standing military strength in the fortress, and then take over the important territorial affairs such as taxation, adjudication, land, and so on …
"Until the Jadestar Royal Family completely replaced the Duke of the Northern Territory in prison …
"So that the Northern Territory, which has been ruled by the Arunde Family for generations, would be completely taken into the royal power?!"
Thales, who had forcefully said these words, only felt a pain in his head. He could not help but sway.
He supported himself against the wall with one hand and pressed his other hand hard against his forehead, rubbing it continuously.
Val Arunde, Kessel Jadestar …
The shocking change in the Eckstedt Diplomat Group, everything in the Hall of Stars, his appearance, and what he thought was his ingenious way of breaking through the situation …
Now, from the looks of it, all of it …
All of it …
Thales felt his forehead hurting more and more.
There, a piece of memory fragment surged out uncontrollably and returned to the vast sea of memories.
It was a fragment formed by a few words, but it made people's hearts turn cold.
'Uncle Zheng …
'Zheng Boke, Duan Yuyan.'
"As His Majesty's greatest and most important spy and conspirator, the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department …
"Tell me, is this true?" Thales opened his eyes and tried his best to control his voice. But even so, he still made half the people in the room turn their heads repeatedly.
Raphael did not speak for a long, long time.
But the prince seemed to be very patient. He stared at the person from the Secret Intelligence Department without moving. His eyes surged with extremely complicated emotions.
Finally, Raphael let out a long sigh. His expression was filled with the same complicated and subtle endless emotions. He spat out a few powerless and helpless words, "No comment."
This was an answer that did not seem like an answer.
But the prince had already obtained the information he wanted to know.
At that moment, Thales slowly relaxed like a balloon that had its air released.
He subconsciously leaned against the wall, his expression stiff.
"Why?" Raphael looked at Thales indifferently. There was a hint of solemnity in his words. "Why would you think so?"
Thales subconsciously snorted softly.
"Even though you've told me many times not to believe the Red Witch's words," the prince's voice was very tired, as if he was speaking to another person, "you have to know that lies that are strong enough to sway people's hearts are built on certain facts."
Raphael's expression changed slightly.
"Calshan's words to Miranda." Thales closed his eyes and exhaled fiercely. "'If you don't want this land to be taken away by despicable means', 'Northland only belongs to Northlanders' … Now I understand."
"The Red Witch does not speak without thinking."
He laughed bitterly. His laughter was desolate. "Eckstedt and Lampard are not the only ones who want to seize the Northern Territory from Arunde.
"I didn't think that much at first, until I heard about the history of 'Virtuous King' Mindis the Third from a long time ago," Thales said absentmindedly. "It instantly solved many of my doubts."
Raphael frowned slightly.
'Virtuous King?'
"His Majesty, he …" The corners of Thales' mouth twitched slightly. He tried to recall the Iron Hand King's appearance, but what appeared in his mind was always his cold and solemn voice, and his short but powerful movements.
"Isn't he afraid that the Eckstedtians will really … really invade the South in large numbers?
"Not afraid that they will seize the Northern Territory?"
Thales clenched his fists and clenched the scars on his palms.
Raphael sighed slightly.
"Forgive me for being blunt, Your Highness," Raphael said softly.
The young man from the Secret Intelligence Department shook his head slowly. "If it wasn't for your unexpected actions, including giving the doctor a chance to contact the Secret Room, as well as your inexplicable appearance outside Heroic Spirit Palace, Eckstedt would have become a mess according to our expectations."
For some reason, Thales laughed.
His chest trembled slightly. His laughter was endless, and the meaning behind it was unclear.
"Has he always been this risky?" the prince said weakly. "Or has he only been like this since the Bloody Year?"
Raphael did not speak.
But he did not understand what was so funny about it.
Thales chuckled softly in the end. He lowered his gaze to the ground, and his expression was unclear.
"About the ownership of the Northern Territory … does Miranda know?" He stopped smiling and said softly, "Does she know that you are also in it?"
This time, Raphael froze on the spot.
'Miranda.
That girl. '
"Nothing … to say," Raphael still said the same thing, but this time, there was quite a bit of pause and trembling in his words.
Raphael's red eyes trembled slightly, and his breathing quickened.
'Miranda.
'A girl with such meticulous thoughts and keen senses …
'How could she …'
Raphael closed his eyes.
'How could he not know?'
"If this is what you are here for …" Panting heavily, the man from the Secret Intelligence Department tried to end the conversation.
But he was interrupted by Thales once again.
"Help me."
Two words were spoken softly.
Short.
Forceful.
But not dejected or dejected.
Raphael was slightly startled.
'Hmm?'
"What?" The man from the Secret Intelligence Department opened his eyes slightly and looked at the prince in puzzlement.
In front of him, Thales also slowly raised his head.
"I'll say …" The hesitation and weakness from before had completely disappeared from the prince's voice. It became resolute, firm, and unquestionable.
The prince cast a rare gaze from his gray eyes and stared straight into Raphael's eyes.
"I need your support, Raphael Lindbergh. Help me convince them …
"Help me!"
Raphael stared blankly at him.
"What are you going to do?" the man from the Secret Intelligence Department asked subconsciously. He even forgot to address Raphael respectfully.
Thales chuckled. His hand had long since left the wall. He stood firmly on the ground and looked straight at Raphael.
His face was full of optimism and relief.
Raphael suddenly realized, to his surprise, that Thales was different now.
His eyes were filled with an unprecedented vigor.
It was as if they were burning with a raging flame.
It would never be extinguished.
"Whether it's you or me, whether it's the Secret Intelligence Department or the kingdom," Thales said slowly. His face was as cold as ice, and his tone was like steel, filled with a rare determination, "Whether it's an accident, a failure, my mistake, or your negligence …
"But after we've worked so hard for so long, put in so much effort, and experienced so much …
"You're willing to lose all your chips in Lampard's hands?
"Push the kingdom into the abyss of war?
"You're willing to accept this tragic situation and tacitly accept this terrible ending?
"Things have already come to this, you …" Raphael frowned. Looking at the prince like this, he only felt lost. "What else do you want to do?
What else can I do? "
Thales flashed a mysterious smile at him.
At that moment, Raphael felt like it was the first time he got to know the Prince of Constellation, who had returned from an accident and brought about countless accidents.
He was not the helpless little boy who was pushed along by the waves in Mindis Hall.
He was also not the desperate prince who gritted his teeth and fought hard in the Hall of Stars.
He was also not a marionette who struggled in the game of thrones.
He was Prince Thales.
The one and only Thales Jadestar.
"What do you want to do?"
The Prince of Constellation asked faintly, as if what he was facing was just a small problem. "Of course it's …"
Chapman Lampard's figure suddenly appeared in front of Thales, along with his determined and patient face.
The prince's eyes lit up.
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