"Hahahaha …"
Archduke Roknee's mocking laughter could be heard faintly.
As if responding to Thales' words.
At that moment, Lampard felt an endless rage surge in his chest.
Trentida blinked, wanting to communicate with Olsius, but the latter's expression remained solemn and he did not say a word.
Archduke Lecco remained seated at the square table.
Lampard sucked in a deep breath and forced himself to shift his gaze away from Thales' body.
'So.
'This is the end.'
What he said next sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"I'll ask you one last time, archdukes," the Archduke of Black Sand Region said coldly, "Is this your final choice?
"Are you going to give up on our alliance and choose that child's nonsense?"
As soon as he said that, the atmosphere in the hall became tense.
Trentida frowned. 'Why isn't Prime Minister Lisban here yet?
'Could it be …'
Thales looked at Lampard's expression and suddenly felt uneasy.
"Last time?" Archduke Roknee chuckled. "You're really daring to say that."
He pulled out a hair tie from his bosom, tied his long hair into a ponytail, and tucked it into the back of his collar.
Lampard silently watched his movements and read his response.
Archduke Lecco's expression became serious.
"Chapman, let's leave each other some leeway." The eldest sat upright and said in a stiff tone, "Let's solve this together — in another way that doesn't have to be so ugly."
Lampard did not respond.
He shook his head, as if he had just given up on something and decided on something. "I knew it. I can never count on you."
"Chapman!" Archduke Trentida's expression changed. "You're still an archduke. We don't have to go that far."
"Hmph." Lampard responded with a faint sneer. "Who was the one who said that as a kingslayer, I'm no longer a member of the Joint Ruling Pledge?"
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Thales clenched his teeth.
'As expected.
'Just as I thought.'
"Lampard, you don't want to be enemies with the four of us," Olsius said worriedly. "Don't do anything stupid."
"Stupid?" Lampard glanced at him and placed his hand on his waist.
In the next second …
* Clang! *
In front of all the archdukes, Lampard drew his sword amidst the sound of metal rubbing against leather.
The archdukes' expressions changed.
Thales' heart skipped a beat.
It was a sharp and shiny knight's hand-and-a-half sword, completely inconsistent with its worn and yellowed scabbard.
This meant that its owner had wielded this sword hundreds and thousands of times, and at the same time, maintained the blade with great care.
Just so that one day, he could unsheathe it and kill his enemies.
Archduke Lampard glared at the others with a murderous look.
Grand Duke Olsius sighed softly.
Thales felt his skin crawl.
At the next moment, Lampard suddenly turned in the direction of the hall's entrance and shouted, "Lhasa!"
The Grand Duke's voice was deafening, reverberating inside and outside.
Viscount Kentvida's voice rang from outside the hall. "Your Grace?"
Lampard roared, "All troops, prepare for battle!"
Thales' heart trembled. Saroma's hand, which was holding him, immediately tensed up.
In the next second, the crowd outside the hall seemed to boil over!
"Hualala …"
Countless metallic sounds rang out in unison!
People's voices came one after another.
"Unsheathe!"
"Raise your shields!"
"Steady!"
It was even more exaggerated than the uproar caused by Thales!
In the hall, the archdukes were very calm. Roknee methodically tied his hair, Olsius slowly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, Trentida quietly retreated, and the seated Archduke Lecco straightened his back and started exercising his fists.
They quietly faced off against Lampard.
Behind everyone, Trentida said in a low voice, "In fact, his military strength is several times more than ours, and he still controls Heroic Spirit Palace and the gatehouse. So … it seems like we're the ones doing stupid things?"
Thales gritted his teeth. He sighed and held Saroma's hand tightly.
'This is terrible.
'This bunch of …
'The Northlanders who would attack at the slightest disagreement.'
A familiar shout came from outside the hall, reminding the other archdukes, "Archduke Lecco?"
Archduke Lecco looked calmly at the silent Lampard and snorted softly.
"Lord Justin," the old archduke replied loudly, "thank you and your colleagues for your protection. Please do your best. You live up to the reputation of the White Blade Guards. It is my honor to travel with you."
There was a second of silence outside the hall.
Then, Lord Justin's voice came again, "It is also my honor, Your Grace."
"I don't care who you served before, archdukes or the palace, White Blade Guards or miscellaneous soldiers …" Justin shouted from outside the hall, "But when we fight later, you must act like Northlanders!"
Shouts rose and fell in response from outside the hall.
It seemed to be a troop formed by the archdukes and the remaining manpower in the palace.
The old archduke nodded slightly, even though Lord Justin could not see it.
He returned his attention to the scene.
"You might as well reconsider, child," Lecco said flatly to Lampard.
"We could have worked together to open up a future for Eckstedt," Lampard said coldly. At the same time, he slowly turned his saber. "But if you become a hindrance instead of a help …
"What's the point of keeping you alive?"
Once he said that, Roknee sneered, Olsius sighed heavily, and Trentida rubbed his hands together with a helpless expression.
Thales felt as if something between the archduke and Lampard had completely shattered.
He knew that something was called 'tacit understanding', or 'rules'.
From now on, the situation and situation were sliding in an unpredictable direction.
Thales could not help but hold his breath.
"Chapman, think carefully about the consequences. Putting aside the fact that both sides are injured, even if you kill all of us here, how are you going to face Prime Minister Lisban, the current Dragon Clouds City, and all of Eckstedt?" Archduke Lecco was calm and composed, as though the scene before him was just a training exercise.
Lampard shook his head. "This is not the outcome I want the most, but you have forced me into a situation where I have no choice."
* Clang! * Olsius unsheathed the two-handed heavy sword from his waist.
He sighed. "Not only will you become everyone's target, but Eckstedt will also be in chaos after we die. Is this the outcome you want?"
Thales stared at the heavy sword that had almost slit his neck. His eyebrows arched slightly.
Lampard said coldly, "Whether it's regicide or disrespect, once you walk out of here alive, no matter what reason you find, you will not let me go, whether it's because I broke the Joint Ruling Pledge or because of that brat's nonsense.
"Even if I lose everything in the ruins … I will not be worse off than I am now!"
"Coward." Archduke Roknee, who had tied up his hair, gave a simple answer. At the same time, he drew his weapon — a sharp longsword that shone with a cold light. It was obviously not an ordinary weapon.
He stood side by side with Olsius and faced Lampard with a solemn expression.
Lampard turned to Thales, swung his saber, and narrowed his eyes.
"As for you, I will give you the ending that is most fitting for your status, Prince Thales Jadestar."
'Truly … a good move.'
Thales exhaled in resignation.
"Stand behind me, Prince Thales, Lady Saroma." Archduke Lecco looked at Lampard's expression and chuckled. "I may be old, but I am still a Northlander.
"Before I fall."
No one can hurt you. "
The old archduke stood up slowly. There was an unquestionable might in his words.
He drew a short knife, like a huge beast that had just woken up.
Thales responded with a smile.
Trentida sighed. Holding the short sword at his waist, he stood a little further away. "I hate today."
In the field, Roknee, Olsius, and Lampard were already at each other's throats.
"I heard that your brother stood still and let you stab him three times before you killed him?" Roknee swung the saber in his hand disdainfully, provoking Lampard without the slightest scruple.
"But we will not wait to be captured." Roknee snorted. "One against two … Are you prepared to die here, Chapman?"
Olsius held his sword with both hands. His expression was solemn and he did not say a word.
"Are you joking?" Lampard did not seem to be affected by the words at all. He was abnormally calm when he entered battle mode.
"Since that day twelve years ago, I have been prepared for every second."
The tips of their swords were pointed at each other. Like the most sincere Northlanders, they showed no mercy.
At that moment, Thales subconsciously glanced at Saroma. The girl's face was pale, but she was no longer as timid and panicky as before. She only looked at him calmly with a questioning gaze.
It was as if the words she said in front of the archdukes had given her a lot of courage.
Looking at her expression, Thales suddenly felt a lot less nervous.
At this moment, Asda's voice rang in Thales' ears, "Do you need me now?
I will only ask one last time. The Soul Slayer Pike has discovered me. I must leave immediately. "
With a heart full of frustration, Thales also let out a long sigh.
Beside him, Saroma gave him a strange look.
Thales gently closed his eyes.
*****。
He clenched his fists.
'That's enough.
'You …
'You …'
The next second.
Olsius and Roknee got into their battle stances and were ready for battle.
Lampard slowly opened his mouth with a ferocious glint in his eyes.
The Archduke of Black Sand Region roared.
"Kill them all …"
At this moment, a young male voice suddenly rang in the hall.
"Is that enough?!"
The voice was so loud and piercing that it even cut off Lampard's words.
The archdukes were stunned and turned their heads.
Under everyone's dumbfounded gazes, the Second Prince of Constellation, Prince Thales Jadestar had climbed onto the long table at some point in time.
At this moment, with a head full of charcoal dust, the prince stomped his feet and waved his small fists. His face was contorted, and he yelled at the people in the hall through gritted teeth.
"Listen up, all of you!"
At that moment, the archdukes, who had been scolded in an unprecedented manner, could not seem to react. They all looked at Thales in shock.
The prince yelled out the words in one breath. He bent down and pressed his hands on his knees. He panted in pain. The Sin of Hell's River faded from his vocal cords.
Under the table, Saroma stared at him in a daze.
"I …" Thales took a deep breath and straightened his back again. He pained his chest, which was aching from yelling too much. "I have an idea …
"Compared to the ending where both sides get hurt … it's much better."
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? The title of the chapter is a tribute to "You Resurrected Corpses".
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PS: How can a diligent person like me stop updating? I'm updating every day for 48 hours a day! (Hmph)
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