Saroma's eyes widened slightly. She took the exquisite box in surprise.
She first looked at the smiling Thales in confusion, then gently opened it.
"This is …"
Saroma saw what was in the box and raised her head in surprise.
"When I wrote a letter to my country last year, I asked Gilbert and the others to get someone to make it. Today, Putray brought it over." Thales blinked proudly and grabbed the item in the box.
"You know, the craftsmen in Constellation are of a better standard … I measured the curvature and thickness of the lenses according to their requirements. I hope there won't be any major mistakes, and I even prepared a few spare lenses …
"If there is a mistake, I'll have to polish the lenses again. Speaking of which, manual polishing is very expensive …"
Saroma inhaled and looked at the item in Thales' hands, which was obviously the product of meticulous craftsmanship.
"Let me introduce … the pince-nez!"
Thales smiled and picked up the new pair of glasses in his hands, which was completely different from the one on the girl's face.
This pair of glasses was very strange. It did not have ear frames at all, and only one side of the frame was connected to a chain. The frame was very thin, and the nosecone was also slightly peculiar.
Thales skillfully extended his left hand, stroked one side of Saroma's forehead, and removed the large and heavy pair of black-rimmed glasses from her face.
It was as if he had practiced this thousands of times.
But Saroma only stared at him blankly and let the prince take off her glasses without any resistance. She did not even care that her vision was greatly affected.
It was as if she had experienced this thousands of times.
Thales excitedly fiddled with the new glasses in his hands. He pressed it on the bridge of the girl's nose and touched the soft skin on her face with his fingers. "Like this, I used a bit of the principle of air pressure to clamp it on my nose, and I can stabilize the glasses. There's no need for ear frames at all!
"Then put this chain in …" Thales grabbed the thin chain at one end of the glasses and lowered his head, trying to find a pocket on Saroma's body to put it in.
But he was embarrassed to find that the girl did not have any pockets on her body. The only gap was in front of her chest, which was tightly bound by her coat and corset at the same time …
"It's fine if you don't put it in." The second prince awkwardly averted his gaze and stuffed the chain into her hand.
It was the first time Saroma wore a pair of glasses without ear frames. She opened her mouth in surprise.
She carefully held the delicate new frames, shook her head as if afraid they would fall, and then looked around.
Thales observed the archduchess' new appearance. The almost transparent pince-nez freed Saroma's face from the torture of the black-framed spectacles. At that moment, the young girl blinked with a puzzled gaze. She no longer looked as inflexible and stern as before. She looked rather charming and cute.
Thales exhaled in satisfaction. He picked up Saroma's old glasses, which had been worn out a lot, and chuckled.
After a few seconds, the girl finally got used to her new glasses.
"Thank you." Saroma lowered her head, seemingly a little embarrassed.
"You're welcome, I've been wanting to say this for a long time." The prince laughed and said, "As the leader of this land, wearing those black-rimmed glasses doesn't make me look too serious. I look just like a frog, haha."
To his surprise, Saroma was very calm. She was not agitated, excited, curious, or puzzled.
Instead …
"Hey, Thales." The girl propped up her glasses in a daze and stared into the distance.
Thales raised his eyebrows. "Hmm?"
Selma lifted her head gently.
Thales noticed that there was some redness around her eyes.
It couldn't be.
'It's just a gift, and she's so touched?'
Thales, who was most afraid of seeing people cry, felt his heart skip a beat.
"Thales," Saroma said softly, "do you remember that day six years ago?"
Thales narrowed his eyes in puzzlement.
"The day we first met.
"That night, that early morning, that morning."
Her voice was illusory and indistinct, as if it came from afar.
Thales frowned and remembered the past.
'That night.
Nuven, Lampard, the blood-stained crown, the newborn archduchess. '
"Of course." His tone became unconsciously solemn as he stared at the young girl in front of him. "How could I forget that kind of experience?
Because of you, Thales. "Saroma looked at him seriously." I became an archduchess.
Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today. "
Thales was slightly startled. He was about to speak, but Saroma just shook her head. Her red eyes made Thales speechless.
He felt a heavy weight on his chest.
'But …
'Why did you mention this?'
"You said …" Saroma sniffled. With a faint nasal voice, she shot a faint, sorrowful gaze at Thales from behind her new glasses. "You said that you would always be by my side, that you would face it with me, that you would …"
The corners of Thales' lips parted slightly.
"Ah." The prince took a deep breath and remembered what he once said. He subconsciously flashed a reassuring smile. "I will always protect you."
Saroma did not speak.
She only stared at the prince quietly.
The surging emotions in her eyes made Thales rather uneasy.
The two of them stared at each other quietly.
After a long while, the heavy atmosphere was finally broken by the young girl's laughter.
However, this laughter did not sound very happy to Thales.
"Thank you.
"I'm sorry." There was a faint sense of disappointment in the young girl's voice. "It had nothing to do with you … I shouldn't have kicked you today."
'Huh?'
Thales first widened his eyes, then he scratched his head in puzzlement.
Saroma's behavior today was somewhat beyond his expectations.
The prince could only smile awkwardly with a puzzled expression.
"It's okay." Thales sighed softly and shook his head helplessly. "After all, we're friends.
Just like what you said, we live and die together. "
When she said this, Saroma trembled slightly.
The archduchess raised her head abruptly, as if she had made up her mind about something.
"Thales!" Saroma exhaled, and her words came to a halt. "Today's state affairs hearing … that …"
Thales sensed something. "Hmm? What's wrong? "
But at this moment, Saroma's eyes, which were staring straight at Thales, suddenly dimmed.
It was as if she had let go of something.
Thales stared at her in puzzlement.
'What is this …'
In the next second, Saroma's tone and rhythm returned to normal.
"Um … the City of Faraway Prayers sent a messenger crow." She tilted her head and said, seemingly unbothered, "Roknee and his allies, the three archdukes in the north, want to invite me and Dragon Clouds City to sign a declaration against the king's decree and support their protest."
"Oh, that's a good thing." Thales, who was filled with questions, recalled the major events in Eckstedt over the past few months. King Chapman's new decree of nobility in Black Sand Region was met with almost unanimous opposition and condemnation from the entire country. He was probably in a terrible predicament right now.
"Teach Lampard a lesson."
"Yes." Saroma let out a muffled laugh, but her tone was a little gloomy. "It's a good thing."
Thales frowned as he stared at the sullen girl in front of him.
"Speaking of which, do you know that we'll soon have a new teacher?" the prince asked tentatively. "Putray invited him from Anlenzo Dukedom. He said that he's a highly respected —"
But in the next moment, Saroma stood up abruptly.
"I'm full. You can continue." The archduchess regained her tranquil and indifferent expression.
Thales was shocked.
'Huh?
But she's just … '
"Tomorrow, the usual time, in the library." Saroma flashed a pale smile. "A batch of new books has arrived. Don't forget, we'll read them together."
Thales nodded subconsciously.
The girl curled up the corners of her lips at him and nodded faintly. She clenched her fists and quickly walked out of the dining room.
Thales was left alone, staring at the table full of food in a daze, bewildered.
'She.
'What's wrong?'
The prince stared blankly at the girl's back as she left.
There seemed to be a faint scent of her body lingering on her seat.
Thales suddenly realized that when Saroma left, she left the black-rimmed glasses on the dining table. She did not take them with her.
— —
Blood Court. That night.
"You really don't know?"
In the room, Putray crossed his legs on the sofa. He puffed and puffed his pipe in a relaxed manner as he spoke to Thales, who had a solemn expression on his face.
"Of course, the Hall of Heroes on the day of the state affairs hearing does not allow a foreign prince to sneak into it," Thales said a little anxiously. "What happened in Dragon Clouds City's state affairs hearing today? What does it have to do with the archduchess, who usually doesn't speak? "
Putray clicked his tongue with a comfortable expression.
"Alright, even though I can't get in, I still have some channels …"
"Putray, if you know anything, tell me quickly." Thales sighed and urged him repeatedly. "I'm really anxious."
Thales could not help but reach out and gently clench the old glasses in his pocket.
His heart felt a little heavy.
Putray nodded and let out a soft snort.
"Listen to me, Your Highness," the former vice diplomat said faintly. "Today, halfway through the state affairs hearing in Dragon Clouds City, someone suddenly accused you."
Thales raised his eyebrows.
"Accused who?"
The prince was a little surprised. He pointed at himself. "Me?"
"Hmm." While observing Thales' reaction, Putray slowly said, "Someone said that the young Prince of Constellation forcibly occupied a civilian shop in Spear District for a game of chess. He did it once a month."
"Huh?"
Thales' mouth formed an 'O' shape in shock.
'But I went to Spear District to play chess, including that chess room …'
But Putray continued speaking unhurriedly, "During this period, the prince also encouraged his lawless subordinates to go to the forest on the outskirts of the city, which only belongs to the suzerain, to hunt … to hunt wild rabbits."
Thales was bewildered again.
'When the f * ck did I ask my subordinates to hunt wild rabbits …
'Wait … this …'
Thales thought of a certain figure under a cloak. He suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, his vision darkened, and he almost vomited blood.
"Anyway, it caused a huge uproar." Putray took a puff of his cigarette and snorted in satisfaction. He then continued, "After the vassals in the state affairs hearing heard about the enemy kingdom's prince's arrogant and despotic behavior in Dragon Clouds City, they were filled with righteous indignation and demanded from Regent Lisban …
"They demanded that you be punished accordingly for your crime … such as a harsher dungeon detention," Putray said with a chuckle. "Or the whipping unique to Northland."
Thales widened his eyes in disbelief.
"Crime? Then … "The prince suddenly realized something. He cast a suspicious glance at Putray, who was smoking leisurely." Wait, your prince is about to be spanked. How can you still be so calm? "
Putray chuckled and shook his head in front of the slightly dissatisfied Thales.
"Don't be anxious, Your Highness.
"Your luck is as good as always."
"Something unexpected happened," Putray said in a nostalgic tone. "For the first time, for the first time in six years.
"The fifteen-year-old Archduchess Walton, who has always been quiet during the past state affairs hearings …
"She actually stood up from her seat in agitation."
Thales frowned.
'She …
'Stood up?'
"The Archduchess of Walton shocked the four cities. She shouted, in the face of the vehement denunciations of almost all her vassals, that she would vouch for it on her reputation and authority," Putray said it lightly, but to Thales, it was so shocking.
"I guarantee that your actions were all approved by her. If you want to pursue responsibility, you should start with her."
Thales was stunned.
He stared at the empty space in a daze and said subconsciously, "And then?"
Putray's expression darkened.
He put down his crossed leg and sat up straight.
"And then …"
"There was a blind viscount who publicly accused your lady." Putray heaved a long sigh. "He said that she was so protective of a prince who was a hostage. Could there be something between the two of them …"
Thales listened to Putray's narration in a daze. He did not notice the special way His Lordship addressed the girl, intentionally or otherwise.
"Of course, he was beaten black and blue by the angry Northlanders on the spot and chased out of the hall.
"What happened after that was ugly. I heard that the archduchess lost her temper and smashed a stone cup. Regent Lisban almost lost control of the situation.
"For an outsider … I think the vassals of Dragon Clouds City probably have a worse impression of their ruler."
After Putray said this, he exhaled softly and blew out a ring of smoke.
'So …'
Thales subconsciously sat on the bed with a stunned expression.
He touched his knee and remembered the girl's vicious kick.
'Today, she …'
He also remembered her abrupt words at the dining table. Her tearful tone.
'Because of me …'
"But because of this, many of the vassals had unpleasant expressions on their faces. They suggested in unison that for the stability of Dragon Clouds City's rule, and for the continuation of the Walton Family's bloodline …"
Thales sat in a daze. He did not realize that his breathing had begun to quicken.
"The honorable archduchess should choose a husband among the local vassals this year, get married, and have children." When Putray's words reached Thales' ears, he actually felt a sense of isolation, as if they came from another room.
"The reason is too legitimate. Even Lisban could not raise any objections.
"This is what happened at the hearing. I think, at least, it should be the part you want to know."
Thales subconsciously clenched his fists.
Putray looked at the somewhat dispirited Thales thoughtfully and sighed softly. "Your Highness, be prepared.
"Your friend.
"That poor little girl."
Thinking of the past, the thin man clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"She's going to get married."
Putray's voice was very low, as if he was afraid of waking up someone who was sleeping.
On the other side, Thales, who had been silent for a long time, had even forgotten how to react.
Putray quietly blew out a perfect and beautiful ring of smoke and quietly watched it drift away into the air.
It was as if it had never existed.
Only the person who blew out the smoke ring could remember how perfect it was at that moment.
A few seconds later …
Prince Thales Jadestar subconsciously turned his head and looked outside the window.
'"You will always be by my side. You will face it with me. You will …"'
'Little Rascal.'
He called out the name that he had not said for a long time in his heart, but it was as clear as ever. He stared in the direction of Heroic Spirit Palace in a daze.
He felt his hands and feet go cold, and he felt lost.
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