'Never, never, never underestimate the Northlanders' courage. '
This was what Putray told Thales six years ago after the near-death battle in Heroic Spirit Palace. At that time, the prince deeply believed in it.
But at this moment, as he stared at King Chapman, who sat calmly in the carriage, Thales realized to his horror that he still did not understand the weight of these words.
King Chapman stared at him coldly. There was a scrutinizing look in his eyes.
It was just like when they first met six years ago.
Over the past six years, Thales had imagined countless times that the terrifying new king stood at the highest point of Black Sand City and stared coldly in the direction of Dragon Clouds City as he slowly issued a dangerous order to deal with the Prince of Constellation.
But no matter how Thales racked his brains and exhausted his thoughts, he could not imagine that their reunion after six years would be like this.
"You …"
Thales widened his eyes, unable to believe the reality before his eyes. "Are you crazy?"
King Chapman did not answer. His gaze was cold.
Thales subconsciously looked around and surveyed his surroundings.
"Do not worry," King Chapman's cold and aged voice rose. "It's just you and me."
There was only one small window in the dark carriage, and it was made of gray, one-way Crystal Drop glass.
The Archduchess' Guards, led by Justin, and the prince's own guards were still guarding the area. They surrounded the Black Sand Region diplomat group, which consisted of a dozen soldiers.
Thales no longer looked around. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and started to think.
'What's going on now?
Lampard came to Dragon Clouds City personally?
'And most importantly …'
Thales stared at King Chapman in front of him and broke out in a cold sweat.
No one in Eckstedt knew that the ruler of the entire kingdom had concealed his identity and was hiding in this small diplomat group led by Viscount Kanda.
'That means …'
The prince gulped, gritted his teeth, and said, "Do you know what happens to the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt who is overly confident and arrogant, leaves his heavy protection, and personally enters a dangerous place?"
Thales got over his initial shock. He frowned and adjusted his tone to the most natural.
"I'll give you a hint. His name starts with an 'n'."
King Chapman snorted softly, his emotions indecipherable.
"Of course, I know him. I know him too well. I grew up listening to his stories and looking up to his image. Unlike you, you've only known him for a day."
Thales furrowed his eyebrows slightly and remembered the unforgettable old king.
"That's why I know that if he hadn't done what he did back then, his fate would have been even worse," the new king said calmly.
Thales took a deep breath. He knew very well how threatening the other party was, so he decided not to waste his breath and went straight to the point.
Thales leaned back in the carriage and said calmly, "What I need to do now is to shout out loud. The illustrious Chapman the First will vanish from the face of the earth, like snow melting in early spring. Not a single trace will be left. Neither Kanda nor Kroesch will be able to save you."
He narrowed his eyes and tried to observe the king's expression in the dim light. "And Regent Lisban will probably happily wipe away his tears and tell the whole country that the diplomat group from Black Sand Region was unfortunately attacked by bandits on their way back."
"Dragon Clouds City deeply regrets this."
Pa!
The king's hand slapped the scabbard tightly.
Following the advice given by Nicholas, Wya, and the others for the past six years, Thales fixed his gaze on Lampard's shoulder. At the same time, he moved his hand, intentionally or unintentionally, to his thigh and moved closer to J-'s dagger at his waist.
In the narrow carriage, the longsword would only be a burden that would restrict his movements. Besides …
Thales glanced at the carriage door with the corner of his eye. 'I won by jumping out of the carriage at the first possible moment.'
However, the scene he imagined did not happen.
King Chapman took a step forward. His sharp and cold eyes stared straight at Thales, making the latter feel even more pressured.
"Indeed." The king nodded slowly. "If I die here for no reason, no one will know, no one will be able to hold me accountable, and no one will be able to say anything about it. There will be no irreparable consequences. There is nothing more that the archdukes in the country can only dream of."
King Chapman tapped the old scabbard between his knees gently.
* Thud, thud, thud. *
"Dragon Clouds City will probably be able to breathe a sigh of relief. The hatred that cannot be declared will be washed away, and the imminent threat will be removed.
"All the archdukes who participated in the King Selection Congress, Roknee, Lecco … will also be freed from the heavy shackles and burdens.
"The battle between a rebellious king and the archdukes will come to an end. Eckstedt, which has been in turmoil for the past six years, will be restored to its former state."
* Thud, thud, thud. *
The king's eyes narrowed slightly, as though he wanted to see Thales more clearly. He spoke slowly and paused between his words, "And that special Prince of Constellation will no longer have to worry about his most dangerous enemy."
Thales' Adam's apple moved slightly. The teenage prince stared back at his enemy, unwilling to show weakness.
King Chapman's tapping on the scabbard suddenly stopped.
His face suddenly turned cold.
"But …"
'Damn it.
I know there's a 'but'. '
Thales snorted coldly in his heart. He remembered how he often used this word to tease a certain young lady. He would pour cold water on her when she was in high spirits and make her leave in a huff. He could not help but think of the phrase "retribution is not pleasant".
"If you do that, the prince who thinks he's smart might win this move, but in the end, he will lose the entire game," the king said coldly.
His Majesty said coldly, "Even you and your archduchess lost completely."
Thales froze for a moment.
He clenched his fists lightly, puzzled.
'What?
Myself, the archduchess? Cleanly? '
"Do you want to see that archduchess' head pierced by a pike and erected on the city walls of Dragon Clouds City?"
The king said faintly, "Then open your mouth and call for help. Surround me and kill me here. Do not hesitate."
At that moment, the air in the carriage instantly became heavy and stagnant.
Thales bit his lower lip and sucked in a deep breath.
"What do you mean, Lampard?"
The prince gritted his teeth. "What exactly do you want?"
Thales saw the unsmiling King Chapman curl up the corners of his lips, which was a rare sight.
"It looks like you've been living well in Dragon Clouds City for the past six years." King Chapman leaned back again with an indifferent expression. "My men report every year that the archduchess and the prince have a very close relationship, almost like lovers."
Thales furrowed his eyebrows in pain. He could not refute the king.
"But me?"
"For the past six years, as the common-elected king of Eckstedt, I've been acting like a fisherman fishing on the ice. I've been cautious and cautious." King Chapman looked out of the carriage and sighed with emotion. "I've been thinking about how to catch those hateful shoals of fish to fill my stomach while trying my best not to become their food in the water."
"So far, you've been doing pretty well," Thales continued in dissatisfaction. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have the leisure to come to Dragon Clouds City to catch up with me when the whole country is condemning you. By the way, the Alliance of Freedom played a pretty good hand. They used an imminent war to make the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City suffer."
King Chapman chuckled, then snorted coldly.
"That's just what it looks like, Thales. You know it better than anyone else." The king tacitly acknowledged Thales' accusation. He said calmly, "It's been six years, and that ideal Eckstedt is getting further and further away from me."
The Prince of Constellation was slightly startled.
'Saroma.'
Thales acutely grasped the main point. 'Why did he mention Saroma?'
"Thales."
"The 'job' you found for me six years ago …" The king raised his right hand and gestured at his temples. There was a faint scar on his face caused by the crown. "It's not a good job.
"Almost all the archdukes see me as an enemy. Needless to say, the four archdukes from back then, and the three who couldn't attend the King Selection Congress also have a lot of complaints.
"All the decrees I tried to implement were met with many difficulties. Even in Black Sand Region, there was a lot of resistance.
"Roknee and Lecco have been running around, jointly denouncing the king's injustice."
"My vassals were seething with resentment and were ready to take action."
King Chapman sighed softly.
"'Kinslayer'." The king lowered his head slightly and stared at his saber. "This is the nickname they gave me. Even the most vulgar commoners laughed at this nickname. Even if my decrees could increase their harvest by thirty percent, even if my orders could prevent them from being exploited by tax collectors and oppressed by suzerains, even if everything I did was to allow these lowly and insignificant people to obtain their own future, yet …"
The king stopped talking. He stroked his saber gently, and his gaze grew colder.
"They are still against me.
"Perhaps one day, my authority hidden in the crown will be swept away, the decrees I issue will become waste paper, and I will die alone in a heavily besieged city without food? I don't know. "
Thales sighed.
"That's because you tried to use a new standard to confer nobles, change the status quo of the distribution of power, and change everyone's future.
"You tried to make a group of people who were used to the present and the past believe that the unfamiliar future would be better, and make another group of people give up on everything they were enjoying.
"Even when the wealth was at its most abundant, the food was at its most abundant, and the conditions were at their most mature, it was still difficult for most people to imagine." The prince shook his head.
"And you want to use six years to complete what Mindis the Third could not do in more than a hundred years?"
Thales raised his head and stared seriously at the former Lampard, who was now King Chapman. "This is the price."
The carriage fell into silence.
King Chapman fixed his gaze on him.
Both of them stared at each other for a whole five seconds, until the king slowly laughed.
"See, I knew it was right to come to you. You are one of the few people who can understand me." King Chapman's smile was very cold, and it made people unconsciously nervous. This made Thales realize that because of his new title, the prestige of the Archduke of Black Sand Region was also increasing day by day.
"Not everyone can participate in this kind of conversation, not even a smart person like Lhasa."
Thales sneered and shook his head.
"Lampard.
Before I impatiently call out to the people outside, cut the crap. "The prince's tone became firm.
"Why did you come to me?
What did you mean by 'losing the entire game'? " King Chapman did not answer immediately. His increasingly aged face showed an expression of ridicule and mockery.
"Take a guess, Thales," the king said flatly. "Just like before, aren't you the best at this?"
King Chapman did not answer immediately. His increasingly aged face showed an expression of ridicule and mockery.
"Take a guess, Thales," the king said flatly. "Just like before, aren't you the best at this?"
'Damn it.
'What makes him so bold? 'What gives him such confidence?
'No.
'No matter what he wants …'
"It's obvious that the Alliance of Freedom is not enough to drag the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City down." Thales leaned against the leather backrest and seemed to be deep in thought. "In order to save yourself from the predicament of being condemned by the masses, you have to add fuel to the fire. So, you want to start with Dragon Clouds City.
"I'm guessing the archduchess' marriage? You want to use her to plunge Dragon Clouds City, which poses the greatest threat, into internal strife? "
Thales raised his head coldly. "Once you lose external support, the king can easily extinguish the resentment and dissatisfaction of the vassals in Black Sand Region, allowing your decrees to be carried out unimpeded."
King Chapman's expression did not change. He did not comment.
"Speaking of Archduchess Walton, I have a question." Unexpectedly, the king pushed the saber on his knees to the side, freeing his hands.
Chapman Lampard placed his elbows on his knees. With a relaxed expression, he asked in a defenseless manner, "Back then, how did Nuven turn you into his ally and make you willingly stand on Dragon Clouds City's side?"
Thales shook his head rudely. "He didn't turn me into his ally. You forced me to stand on Dragon Clouds City's side, remember? Someone wanted to frame the Prince of Constellation and help him build his country, but in the end, he suffered the consequences of his actions? "
When he said this, Thales was satisfied to see that King Chapman's originally calm and composed expression had become much more unpleasant.
"I guess he gave you a promise."
The king ignored his sarcasm, but Thales could feel that Lampard's tone had become colder.
"A marriage contract, is it?"
Thales sucked in a breath.
"I know that when his bloodline was cut off, Nuven must have promised to marry his granddaughter to you in exchange for the protection of the future King of Constellation."
Thales subconsciously clenched his fists again.
"So, that's why you care so much about the archduchess' marriage?"
King Chapman's speech became more rapid, and the pressure he gave off gradually increased. "You think she's your fiancée, something you have in your pocket, and an important chess piece for Constellation to control Eckstedt from afar?
"But now, she's facing …"
Thales clenched his fists so tightly that he chuckled.
"I admire your imagination, Lampard." The prince sneered and shook his head. "Do you really think that an heir to the throne of Constellation can marry the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City of Eckstedt?"
The king's lips curled up. "If King Nuven was still alive, perhaps."
Chapman the First said softly, "But my uncle still made a good deal. Even after his accidental death, the gift from the late king was exchanged for an unexpected gift in return: under the illumination of the starlight, the Dragon Spear survived the unpredictable torrents and storms.
"You did your best, broke convention, and supported her to sit on the archduchess' throne. In these six years, you, together with Lisban and the others, did everything you could to help her gain a foothold. You did your best to maintain the stability of Dragon Clouds City during the earth-shattering disaster of Nuven's death."
In the carriage, the king slowly leaned forward and stared intently at the heir of Constellation.
"Even if you know that the girl sitting on the archduchess' throne …" He enunciated each word with a shocking emphasis.
"She is not the true Walton bloodline."
At that moment, all the muscles in Thales' body tensed up!
He knew.
He knew!
Thales, who had always been good at thinking and handling matters calmly, had never wanted to immediately turn hostile and solve the problem with violence as much as he did now.
The image of the helpless and sobbing Little Rascal appeared in Thales' mind.
He instinctively felt for his dagger.
'Chapman Lampard.
'Kill him.
'Kill him!
'Now.
'Keep this secret forever …'
The prince took a deep breath. The Sin of Hell's River surged out of his body, but it did not surge to his limbs. Instead, it surged to his brain.
Under the effect of the Sin of Hell's River, the last remaining shred of rationality returned to Thales' mind. Like a traveler clinging to a cliff, it told him at the top of his voice, "Calm down.
'The enemy came prepared.'
King Chapman sighed.
"You know, Madam Calshan told me a lot of things." The king shook his head. "For example, the true direct bloodline of the Walton Family is extinct.
"Once her identity is exposed," he said flatly, "what will happen to her?"
"Think about it." Chapman's words were like a dose of fatal poison that spread in Thales' heart. "In front of the Bright Moon God's spokesperson, she impersonated the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City and deceived all of Eckstedt …"
Thales raised his head slowly.
The prince gently swallowed his saliva.
But he was far from being as calm as he appeared.
'This is Saroma's greatest weakness …
'Also …
'So, this is Chapman Lampard's goal.
'Bringing this secret to me?
'Damn it.
'Damn it!
'What should I do?
'What should I do?'
Thales' heart beat faster and faster, almost to the point that he could not suppress it.
King Chapman observed the Prince of Constellation's reaction with interest.
But he was disappointed. Even though the prince was usually more taciturn, his expression remained the same.
It was as if what the king just said was not a major event that could shock all of Eckstedt.
In the next second, Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"You have been complaining about your current situation just now, but it reminded me of something very interesting, Your Majesty."
The king narrowed his eyes and watched strangely as the second prince opened his eyes. With the calmest and most composed tone, he said as if nothing had happened,
"That year, you were chosen as the next king in the six-person King Selection Congress."
Thales shrugged in a relaxed manner and said, "So, if one of the archdukes' votes is proven to be invalid …"
King Chapman's expression changed.
"Then you obtained the throne by relying on the difference of one vote," the prince said flatly and launched his counterattack.
"Is it still legal and reasonable?
"King Chapman?"
In the next second, King Chapman clenched his fists, as if he had been struck in his weak spot.
His gaze returned to the cold and fierce look that Thales was familiar with.
Just like Archduke Lampard in the past.
The carriage fell into a suffocating silence again.
Until one side broke it.
"Hahahaha …"
The corners of the king's mouth curled up, and he laughed out loud.
King Chapman tapped his knee lightly. He stared at Thales as if he was looking at a bird that could not escape from its prey. "So, are you sure that this is true?"
Lampard said coldly, "She is indeed not the real Walton.
"Is that right?"
At that moment, Thales' expression changed drastically.
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