"It's information from the west."
Kentvida puffed out his chest and put on a stern expression.
"Three days ago, our 'friends' in the west held a closed-door secret meeting. At least three elders suggested that it was time to renegotiate and adjust the amount of goods and contributions to Eckstedt every year.
"The west …" At that moment, Lisban's pupils contracted. "You mean … the Alliance of Freedom?
The Alliance of Freedom on the Golden Passage, southwest of the City of Faraway Prayers? "
When he heard this term, Nicholas suddenly raised his head. His expression was unpleasant.
Kentvida nodded expressionlessly.
"Even though the Alliance of Freedom has yet to make a final decision, and the elders' positions are still wavering," Kentvida said coldly, and there was a chilling tone in his words that made others fear him. "But without a doubt, when they dared to have this idea pop up in their stupid and cowardly minds and bring up the motion on the round table where Prince Soria tested his blade …"
"Eckstedt's dignity has already been violated."
Once Kentvida finished speaking, he closed his mouth and quietly waited for a response.
Thales noticed that the Northlanders, whether they were personal guards like Nicholas and Justin, or high nobles like Lisban, all held their breaths for a moment.
The air in the hall seemed to have frozen for a moment because of this sentence.
'But …
'The Alliance of Freedom.
Not Constellation. '
Thales exhaled. Fortunately, it was not the part he was most worried about.
He cast a puzzled glance at the female archbishop, but Saroma only shook her head quietly with a slightly worried expression. Obviously, she had some understanding of this term.
A few seconds later.
Count Lisban slowly raised his head. His gaze drifted into the distance as he recalled the extraordinary years of the past. But his words were filled with an unquestionable might. "Twenty years ago, we generously 'taught' these children in the Golden Corridor that they should abide by their duties.
"Under the Great Dragon's wrath, even the White Elves who prided themselves on their nobility could not protect them. Did the children of the Alliance not learn this lesson?"
Kentvida sneered. There was a profound meaning in his gaze.
"Obviously, compared to twenty years ago, the children seem to have an illusion that Eckstedt, which does not have a Born King, is kinder."
A cold glare appeared in Viscount Kentvida's eyes. "It's time to teach them another lesson."
Behind him, Kroesch chuckled.
The hall fell into silence.
What was going on?
Eckstedt and … the Alliance of Freedom?
Without batting an eyelid, Thales recalled the geographical knowledge he learned from the Northland nobles' courses over the past six years. Of course, it was centered around Eckstedt. The prince once jokingly called it 'the world in Eckstedt's eyes'.
After the Battle of Eradication, the western border of the Great Desert of the Western Peninsula became a peaceful and pure land during the early stages of the Calendar of Eradication because it was far away from the conflict between the two new powers of power — Constellation and the Dragon. It became a peaceful and pure land during the early stages of the Calendar of Eradication. Kingdoms and cities of various sizes were built there, forming a long belt that spanned across many forces of power in the Western Peninsula from north to south. In the east was the Desert Interior and the Rocky Valley; in the north was the Northern Sea Kingdom and Northland; in the west was the Devil's Sea and the Sea of Despair with its countless ports; in the south was the Dragon-Kissed Land and Thorn Land on the Long Corridor Coast; in the southeast was the Twin Fog Seas and even Constellation.
Before the gradual rise of the Camus Union in the several continental wars, this corridor was known for having many small countries along the way. The various powers were separated and autonomous, far away from the influence of powerful countries. When a few cities further to the west — later known as the Camians — began to trade in the peninsula, they called this complicated overland corridor that was connected to various countries and filled with trade goods the 'Golden Corridor'.
The Alliance of Freedom that Kentvida and Lisban mentioned was located at the northeastern end of the Golden Corridor. It was adjacent to the City of Faraway Prayers in the west of Eckstedt in the east, and Good Flow City in the west of Camus Union. If one was a little more daring, they could even reach Constellation's Western Desert Hill by going southeast through a stretch of desert.
For a relatively long period of time, this land, which was the end of the Golden Corridor, was in chaos. It was only after the Fourth Peninsular War that the Alliance of Freedom, which was ruled by many powers in a compromise, appeared. In the past one hundred years or so, the Alliance of Freedom had managed to maintain its existence amidst the complicated situation where many internal and external forces intertwined with each other.
It was obvious from Lisban's words that the Alliance of Freedom had sided with Eckstedt in the most recent battle. The Northlanders, who were at the height of their power, had relied on their terrifying achievements in subduing Constellation and Camus Union with violence to seize influence and dominance over the Alliance of Freedom. They had also occupied a large amount of benefits in the northernmost part of the Golden Corridor.
'So, if the Alliance of Freedom is trying to break away from Eckstedt's control …' Thales thought, 'Lampard wants to start a war towards the west?
'But the people led by Archduke Roknee are clearly criticizing his rule. Does the king still expect to use this arduous and unrewarding battle to clear his name?
'Since that scene six years ago, the conflict between the king and the archdukes has long been irreconcilable, hasn't it?'
Viscount Kentvida raised his head and looked at Saroma, who seemed to be deep in thought. "My Lady, this is King Chapman. His Majesty asked me to bring you important information.
"The dignity of Northlanders … can only be protected with blood."
Kentvida's gaze focused, and there was a faint sense of oppression in him. "What is Dragon Clouds City's attitude towards this?"
In the face of Kentvida's seemingly polite but aggressive question, Saroma furrowed her brows.
At that moment, Thales saw a flash of helplessness and hesitation in her eyes.
But the young girl quickly coughed softly and looked at Regent Lisban out of habit.
Count Lisban was silent for a long while.
"It must have been difficult for you to obtain information." Finally, the regent raised his profound gaze, which seemed to carry a weight of a thousand pounds. "Black Sand Region is clearly far away from the desert and the Golden Corridor …
"But you actually reacted to such a major matter earlier than the City of Faraway Prayers, which is right next to the Alliance of Freedom, and even sent someone to inform us earlier.
"Is it Archduke Roknee's oversight, or are you being too considerate?"
Lisban especially emphasized the word "considerate".
The moment he said this, Thales could not help but raise his eyebrows slightly.
Viscount Kentvida's expression also changed slightly. He sized up Count Lisban again.
'I see.' The Prince of Constellation figured out the suspicions of the envoys from Black Sand Region. They should not be the ones to inform us about this matter, and they should not be so enthusiastic.
Behind Kentvida, Kroesch snorted softly and said coldly, "Of course, we have to live up to his ambitions and grand plans when we serve a king who aspires to travel far and wide."
Kentvida curled up the corners of his lips and nodded slightly at Kroesch. However, the female warrior did not even look at him. She only stared at the archduchess.
Lisban snorted indifferently.
"Let's not talk about Eckstedt's influence on the Golden Corridor for now …" Count Lisban straightened his back slightly, and his tone was solemn. "The Alliance of Freedom is connected to abundant commercial goods and huge profits. It is also adjacent to the City of Faraway Prayers. Once it breaks away from our control, the one who will suffer the most and worry the most should be Archduke Roknee, am I right?
"You are really generous to trouble yourselves for his sake."
In the increasingly depressing atmosphere of the meeting, the count directly pointed out the doubtful point.
Kentvida smiled faintly. "The Roknee Family and the City of Faraway Prayers' losses are Eckstedt's losses —"
However, Lisban interrupted him loudly. "Even if Archduke Roknee is tirelessly and clearly denouncing King Chapman's rule? Even if he calls for us to refuse to pay taxes to the king and that traitor who does not respect tradition? "
Kentvida seemed to be angered as well. His originally smiling expression turned cold. "Eckstedtians are inseparable. We are bound together for good or ill!
"This is the future that His Majesty the King hopes for and works hard for. Of course, we hope that Archduke Roknee can understand his painstaking efforts, and we hope that you can understand as well."
"Ha! This is indeed an interesting piece of news. " Count Lisban looked like he was prepared to shoulder all the pressure from the archduchess so that the overwhelmed archduchess could relax. "The kinslayer is actually a patriot!"
The moment Count Lisban uttered that nickname without hesitation, Kentvida and Kroesch's expressions turned cold at the same time.
Thales sighed inwardly. 'Kinslayer. This is probably a stain and shadow that Lampard will never be able to get rid of for the rest of his life.'
Thales recalled Chapman Lampard's expression in the firelight. 'Compared to other people's opinions, the bigger shadow should be in his own heart.'
This could be said to be the brand that King Nuven left for Lampard, a brand that would accompany him for the rest of his life.
"Believe me, King Chapman has always placed Eckstedt's dignity and interests in his heart." Kentvida's expression was ice-cold.
"I cannot tell you how much His Majesty wanted to gather all of Eckstedt's military forces and tear down the Alliance of Freedom's city walls to serve as their tombstones the moment he received the news …"
But Lisban snorted angrily without holding back.
"Put those pretty words away." The old regent's tone was very calm, but it seemed to contain a pressure that made it hard for people to breathe. "When Archduke Roknee of the City of Faraway Prayers leads the heroes of the city and appeals to the entire country to get ready to revolt against the king's unjust actions …"
"The Alliance of Freedom to the west of the City of Faraway Prayers inexplicably became internally unstable and caused trouble for Roknee?"
Thales could not help but furrow his eyebrows at Lisban's straightforward attitude.
But the prince could not figure out Kentvida's intentions. 'This is a fight between the king and Roknee, but why did he deliberately inform Dragon Clouds City?
Does King Chapman still expect Dragon Clouds City to stand on his side? '
"Roknee has to choose, right?" Lisban removed his hands from his back and crossed them in front of his chest. He took a step forward and stared at Kentvida, who was at the foot of the stairs.
"In the name of justice, if he wants to solve his immediate worries and protect his prestige as the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers, he must give up on protesting and opposing Chapman. He must even work with the king. Only then will he be free to deal with the internal strife of the Alliance of Freedom and seize back the interests that belong to the City of Faraway Prayers."
Kentvida was silent for a few seconds. "I do not understand what you mean, Your Grace."
Lisban snorted coldly. "We are all Northlanders. Let's not play the Constellatiates' politics of the Empire."
'Constellatiates?
Politics of the Empire? '
Thales could not help but raise his eyebrows. The prince swore that he saw the corners of Saroma's lips curl upwards.
"Tell me," Lisban said sternly, "if Roknee does not make a choice that meets your expectations, how will King Chapman react?"
Kentvida stared at Lisban for a few seconds.
In the end, the envoy of Black Sand Region laughed.
"I believe that His Majesty still has to respect the Joint Ruling Pledge. After all, the Alliance of Freedom is the closest to the City of Faraway Prayers. So, when it comes to handling matters related to the alliance, he respects Archduke Roknee's attitude. He also respects the interests and autonomy of the City of Faraway Prayers even more. Condemning those children is one thing, but recklessly meddling in the archdukes' internal affairs is undoubtedly unwise."
"Hey!" Lisban shouted sarcastically. "At this moment, our king actually remembered the Joint Ruling Pledge and remembered that this is the 'internal affairs of the archdukes'."
Kentvida did not answer. He only bowed slightly, and the regent shut his mouth.
The hall regained its strange silence. Thales saw Nicholas furrowing his eyebrows tightly, while Saroma seemed to be deep in thought.
'Strange.'
In this strange audience, Thales quickly found a few suspicious points that he could not figure out.
Black Sand Region mentioned the Alliance of Freedom, but according to Lisban, this was just one part of the game between King Chapman, Archduke Roknee, and the other opposers.
'But what does this have to do with Dragon Clouds City? Why did Lampard send someone to inform Saroma about this?
'More importantly, what does this have to do with me and Thales Jadestar?
'If what Gilbert said about' there are no meaningless words in diplomacy 'and' testing our footsteps and strength 'is true …'
Thales frowned. He had too little information.
A few seconds later, Count Lisban's expression changed. He raised his gaze.
"I know why you came to Dragon Clouds City." The count became solemn. "And what happened yesterday …"
Lisban narrowed his eyes. "You … sent Dragon Clouds City into the eye of the storm."
'What?
Sent Dragon Clouds City … into the eye of the storm? '
Thales was slightly stunned. He could not keep up with their train of thought.
Obviously, he was not the only one who did not understand Lisban's words. Saroma widened her eyes. This was the usual behavior of a young girl when she was confused.
The young girl and the teenager looked at each other. They saw the doubt and puzzlement in each other's eyes.
"'Eye of the Dragon' Ciel Lisban." Kentvida's expression became completely serious. He looked at his opponent again. "As expected, you live up to your reputation."
At that moment, Thales had a feeling that today's meeting was a confrontation between Lisban and Kentvida. It was a game of chess that only they could understand.
"Let's end the audience here, My Lady," Lisban said coldly.
Saroma stared at Lisban in a daze, but she still nodded obediently.
"Are you sure?" Kentvida sneered. "This concerns the Great Dragon's honor and disgrace, and His Majesty is waiting for the archduchess' reply."
The viscount added meaningfully, "And not the regent's reply."
Thales sighed in his heart.
"That's enough.
You know better than anyone else how this will proceed. "
Lisban stared at Kentvida with a cold expression. He did not even bother to maintain a friendly façade. "The archduchess will give you an answer, but not now."
The count said coldly, "At least, not before the City of Faraway Prayers sends an envoy to visit."
Kentvida inhaled and regained his calm expression. He bowed slightly.
"Then we shall take our leave, Your Grace," the viscount of Black Sand Region said softly, "By the way …"
Kentvida cast a meaningful glance at the slightly puzzled Saroma.
He said, "The new spectacles are very beautiful."
Saroma could not help but change her expression.
Thales felt a chill run down his spine. The regent's gaze on him was very oppressive.
Count Lisban snorted coldly. "Enough said, Your Grace."
Kentvida smiled, bowed slightly to the Prince of Constellation intentionally, and turned to leave.
At that moment …
"Star Killer, my superior sent his regards." Kroesch, who had been silent all this while, suddenly raised her head and looked at the warrior on the other side of Lisban. "'That knife is really difficult to use.' Those were his exact words."
On the stairs, Nicholas sneered.
"This knife is quite useful." The Star Killer shook his head. "What a pity."
Kroesch nodded and turned towards the archduchess' seat.
"Your Grace, please take care."
She stared at Saroma with a gentle and hopeful gaze, causing Thales to be slightly startled.
"Ah, thank you for your kindness," Saroma answered subconsciously.
"Please believe that your weight and value are far greater than you imagine." The female warrior seemed to only want to finish what she wanted to say. Kroesch said softly, "No matter what, your existence is a miracle that has not been seen in Northland for a thousand years. You are the flag that allows us to move forward.
"Please seize the power that belongs to you, be independent, and become a true Archduke of Eckstedt.
"Because you are not inferior to anyone else."
After saying this, Kroesch bowed deeply. Then, ignoring Saroma, who had yet to react, she turned and left resolutely, following Kentvida's footsteps.
The hall was filled with astonishment and solemnity.
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