That afternoon, Thales grabbed his longsword and shield and walked out of the Blood Court. Accompanied by his guards and attendants, he went to the training field.
He stepped on the tiles under his feet, walked over every step, walked past the grass and trees of Heroic Spirit Palace, looked at the palace guards and the Archduchess' Guards, who were sculpture-like or fierce-looking, and watched as they dutifully and responsibly cleared the way for him and defended him.
'These things …
'These people …
'This place …
'And me.'
Thales clenched his teeth lightly.
"What's wrong, Your Highness?"
Thales snapped out of his daze and looked at Wya, puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"Since yesterday," the prince's attendant looked worried. He looked around and said in a low voice, "Especially after talking to the people from Black Sand Region."
Thales' footsteps froze for a moment. He stopped.
As the prince suddenly stopped, the Archduchess' Guards around him seemed to have sensed that something was wrong. They spontaneously got into formation, held their weapons, and guarded any entrance that could break into the prince's side from outside the courtyard.
Of course, it would be the same if the direction was reversed.
"Your Highness?" Lord Justin's question came from among the guards.
Thales frowned.
The omnipresent guards used to make him feel at ease, but now …
After the upheaval six years ago, he had never felt that the current scene was so glaring and out of place.
Thales raised his hand and said loudly, "Just a moment, my lord. Say a few words."
In the distance, Lord Justin waved his hand, and the atmosphere around him relaxed a little.
The prince turned his head and forced a smile at Wya.
"Is it that obvious?"
'Looks like I still need to practice more.'
Beside Wya, Ralf let out an indecipherable snort and made a gesture.
"It's alright."
Thales raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Then I'm relieved."
Wya watched the exchange between the two and sighed. "Others may not be able to see it, but …"
He frowned and looked at the prince worriedly. He did not continue speaking.
Thales smiled helplessly.
"Wya, Midira." The prince called out their names and propped his longsword on the ground. He sighed and said, "Have you experienced this before? You wake up one day and suddenly realize that the allies you have been with for a long time might all be your enemies."
Wya froze for a moment. He then looked around sharply.
On the other hand, Ralf snorted coldly and signed.
[Look at my legs.]
When Thales saw the hatred in the Phantom Wind Follower's eyes, he could not help but frown.
"Relax, Midira." He shook his head. "You've made your choice. You don't have to live for the past."
Ralf did not say anything. He only stared at him.
"Your current state worries me very much, Your Highness." Wya's expression became more and more unpleasant. "If we could share your burdens …"
"Wya," Thales interrupted him.
The prince flashed a bitter but leisurely smile. "I remember you saying that we should treat every farewell as our final farewell so that we won't miss out on our lives, right?"
Wya nodded slightly. "From my teacher. She is a person worthy of respect."
"Yes." Thales mulled over this sentence and snickered. He put on a rather approving expression.
"Life is wonderful. You really shouldn't miss it."
The attendant and the Phantom Wind Follower were stunned.
"And Putray?" the Prince asked calmly.
Wya frowned. "He has his own things to do. He went out early in the morning."
"Is that so …" Thales pondered for a few seconds before he raised his head. "Get ready."
Wya looked puzzled. "Get ready for what?"
Thales shook his head. "Don't ask.
"No matter what is about to happen, don't panic." He sighed. "Trust me. Trust your prince."
As the two of them looked at each other in confusion, the second prince took a deep breath and strode towards the training field again.
The Archduchess' Guards, who had formed into groups, followed him. Their movements were agile and their footsteps were firm.
On the training field, Nicholas, who was dressed in neat military attire, raised the axe in his hand and cast a sidelong glance at Thales, who had just arrived.
"I heard that you caused trouble for Lisban again yesterday. You were in Dragon Clouds City, having a heart-to-heart talk with the people of Black Sand Region?"
Thales adjusted his breathing and exercised his joints while he calmly looked at the pale man before him.
'The Star Killer.
The person who took Horace Jadestar's life.
'What kind of person is he?'
The prince remembered how arrogant and domineering he was when he intercepted him outside Dragon Clouds City, how fierce and fierce he was when he threatened him in Heroic Spirit Palace, how cold and merciless he was when he watched that scene in the Hall of Heroes, and how tenacious and heroic he was when he blocked the enemy single-handedly in front of the gatehouse.
'What kind of existence am I in his eyes?'
'And now …'
"Dragon Clouds City has enough troubles on its own. There's no need for me to cause trouble for them." Thales finished warming up and walked to the training field expressionlessly. About ten steps away from them, Saroma had already started practicing self-defense with a dagger.
The Star Killer narrowed his eyes. "Yes, because you yourself are a big problem."
"Hey." Thales snorted softly, raised his shield, knocked on the surface of the shield, and got into a fighting stance. "I forgive you magnanimously, Your Grace. Perhaps one day, I will still miss that stinky mouth of yours."
Nicholas was slightly stunned, then he curled his lips. "You are exceptionally brave today."
"Come on." Thales' tone was calm, but there was a solemn look in his eyes. He said softly, "This is the moment when you and I fight. Don't be careless."
The next moment, the Star Killer's axe struck like a bolt of lightning!
Thales, who had expected this, calmly observed his opponent's footsteps. He was not fooled by the feint.
He took a step back and did not rush forward. Instead, he steadily withstood the second wave of attack hidden under the axe.
* Thud! *
Thales withstood the blade of his opponent's axe and grinned. "Hah, as long as I understand the pattern, it's not that difficult to dodge your strange movements … Urgh!"
As the prince grunted, Nicholas nonchalantly withdrew his axe handle. "You're dead."
"It's the Power of Eradication again." Soaked in cold sweat, Thales gritted his teeth and held his breath as he spat out two words.
"How cunning."
"Pay attention to your footsteps." Nicholas swung his single-edged axe and answered coldly, "I haven't used the Twist of Fate yet. This is just the appetizer. The Power of Eradication is not only a life-saving straw for a moment, it can also shape a person's fighting style over a long period of time."
Thales covered his abdomen with a pained expression and retreated. "Is this your style? Fluttering around and making unpredictable movements? "
"This is the only one in Northland." There was a hint of arrogance in Nicholas' voice. He swung the axe in his hand, then miraculously changed its direction and turned to the left. It circled around Thales' wrist and was firmly caught by its master. "You should feel honored, because most of the people who have seen it are dead."
Thales exhaled to relieve the pain in his abdomen. He frowned and looked at Nicholas, then forced an unpleasant smile. "So, former captain of King Nuven's personal guards, commander of the White Blade Guards … Even in battle, you're very good at acting and are used to deceiving people, right?"
Nicholas' expression changed slightly.
"You still have the leisure to provoke your opponent. It seems like you're very confident.
"In the past, training would end after you died thirty times. But today, I'm in a good mood." The Star Killer stared at Thales coldly and snorted. "How about relaxing it to a hundred times?"
With a hostile expression, he slowly raised his axe.
At this moment …
"They know."
Thales leaned on his sword and his shield as he said, intentionally or unintentionally.
Nicholas furrowed his brows slightly. "They? Know what? "
The prince inhaled and raised his head to look at the Star Killer before him.
"They already know." Thales solemnly met Nicholas' sharp gaze. "They know that Saroma Alex Soria Walton is not a true descendant of the Walton Family."
At that moment, it was as if time had frozen in the area around them.
Nicholas' gaze paused in the air for a few seconds. His lips parted slightly, and the muscles on his pale face trembled slightly.
Thales patted his shield and stared at him calmly but worriedly.
"You mean …" The Star Killer's expression was unpleasant, but he quickly reacted. "Yesterday, in Black Sand Region?
That's what they told you? "
Thales nodded expressionlessly.
Nicholas widened his eyes and stared at him. He did not move. Even the heavy axe froze in midair.
His expression was like that of a sailor sailing alone in the sea who had just discovered that the bottom of his ship was leaking.
Thales looked at the Star Killer's face and exhaled. "The only thing worth rejoicing about is that he won't easily use this to threaten us."
In the face of the puzzled and worried Nicholas, Thales tapped his shield gently. "The archduchess was one of the people who chose the king back then, and she was the most important vote for the new king. She ensured that the King Selection Congress was legal and effective.
"Once she loses her position due to her bloodline, King Chapman's crown will also be on the verge of falling. This is the only reason why we are still safe."
Nicholas did not seem to have recovered from the shock just now. He mumbled, "In that case …"
Thales nodded solemnly. "The current situation is like us — Dragon Clouds City and Black Sand Region both have a sword at our throats. The hilt of the sword is in each other's hands, and we can destroy each other at any time."
The silence lasted for a long time.
Then, without warning, Thales took a step forward, leaned his shield forward, and thrust his longsword forward!
* Clang! *
Even though he was absent-minded, Nicholas still had terrifying instincts and awareness. He swung his axe backhandedly at an astonishing speed and split Thales' longsword. Then, he spun around and pushed against the prince's shield with his elbow!
Thales' hand trembled, and his vision blurred.
* Thud! *
Faint cries of surprise came from the crowd of onlookers.
By the time Thales reacted from the pain and saw what was in front of him clearly, he had already been pushed to the ground by the Star Killer. His sword and shield had fallen from his hands.
And the handle of the axe in Nicholas' hand was pressed against Thales' chest.
"Lampard and Black Sand Region." Nicholas increased the strength of his grip. He gritted his teeth and moved closer to Thales' ear.
"How did they find out?"
Thales' face contorted. He used all his strength to move his throat out of the range of the axe handle.
"Kentvida mentioned the Secret Room," the prince said through his teeth laboriously. "I'm guessing that Madam Calshan hasn't been idle these past few years …"
* Thud! *
Nicholas coldly punched the floor beside Thales' ear and used the momentum to climb up from his body.
"How is this possible?" Nicholas frowned and extended his hand towards Thales, who was panting non-stop on the ground.
Thales panted a few times, but he still stared at the Star Killer's face.
'You know.
Back then, you knew very well that the Red Witch knew this secret.
'But your reaction was' how is this possible '?'
The suspicion in his heart grew stronger. Thales took a deep breath.
"I recognize your expression, and I'm very familiar with it." The prince grabbed Nicholas' hand and used it to stand up. "It's surprise and puzzlement."
Thales patted the dust off his body, turned his head, and said solemnly,
"But it's not worry and nervousness.
You seem to be full of confidence and not worried at all, Lord Nicholas. "
Nicholas' breathing paused for a moment. "What are you talking about?"
"You remind me of six years ago, Lord Nicholas." Thales repeatedly addressed the Star Killer by his official title. Without realizing it, the solemn atmosphere became tense again. "When we, the old king, and the archduchess witnessed that scene together in the Hall of Heroes, there shouldn't have been a fifth person."
Thales sighed. He picked up his sword and said, intentionally or unintentionally, "You remind me of six years ago, Lord Nicholas.
Theoretically, there shouldn't be anyone else who knows about the secret of 'Little Rascal'. "
Nicholas transferred the axe to his left hand. His gaze slowly became terrifying.
"What are you trying to imply?"
Thales snorted, lowered his head, and said softly, "You're right.
"Do you still remember? It was still six years ago, when we met Madam Calshan in the secret passage under the gatehouse … "
The Star Killer's frown grew deeper.
"Soray Nicholas, among so many people, you are the only one who had a secret deal with the Secret Room and the Red Witch, Madam Calshan."
Thales sighed. His gaze was still fixed on the man's face, unwilling to let go of even the slightest detail. "The contents of your deal are still in doubt. And yesterday, Black Sand Region learned the truth about the archduchess through the Secret Room. "
* Shick! *
The blade of Nicholas' axe struck the sand violently.
An abnormal shade of red appeared on the Star Killer's pale face. His gaze became focused, and his tone was filled with danger.
"Are you suspecting me?"
What welcomed him was Thales' merciless slash with both hands.
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