* Clang! *
The sword and axe clashed.
With a cold expression, Nicholas blocked Thales' path.
"I'm trying my best to be polite, Your Grace, so I'm trying not to think that way." Thales gritted his teeth and tried hard to regulate his breathing while he increased the strength in his hands. "But you know how serious this matter is. To be cautious, please forgive me for asking an unnecessary question. Does the Red Witch know this secret?"
"If she knows … did it leak from you?"
In fact, Thales had eavesdropped on their conversation.
The Red Witch did indeed know this secret. She had confided this to Nicholas.
But Thales still had to ask.
Because …
"No." Nicholas effortlessly blocked Thales' blade. His expression did not change, and he answered resolutely, "Of course she doesn't know, at least not from me. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let go of the chance to take advantage of this."
At that moment, Thales' gaze changed.
He stared into the Star Killer's eyes through the sword and axe, and thoughts surged in his heart.
'He's deliberately hiding it from me, hiding the fact that the Red Witch knows the truth.
'Why?
Is it because he's afraid that after I find out, I'll continue to ask why the Red Witch let us go?
Or is he afraid that there's a secret behind the Red Witch letting us go?
A secret that will lead to 'it doesn't matter if this archduchess is not of Walton's blood'?
For example …
'Is that so?'
At that moment, Thales' heart only grew heavier.
He took a step back and moved the blade away.
"Very good." Thales was beaming when he raised his head. He looked as if he had breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the relaxed prince. "Even though I don't believe it either, I'm much more at ease after hearing you prove it."
Nicholas frowned and looked at him without a hint of a smile.
"Then let's change our direction." Thales took deep breaths and looked as if he was thinking hard. "Anyone, anyone who knows this secret from you, what about them? Is it possible that they came into contact with the Red Witch?"
Nicholas swung his axe. "Anyone?"
Thales' heart sank.
He tacitly agreed.
He tacitly agreed that the Red Witch knew Little Rascal's secret.
So, the meaning behind the question 'how is it possible' was not 'how could the Red Witch know'.
It was' how could the Red Witch reveal the secret '.
Thales sorted out his emotions and nodded without batting an eyelid. "Does Lisban know? The true identity of the Archduchess? "
"You didn't tell him anything in the past six years?"
This time, he could clearly see that Nicholas' expression did not change at all.
It was as if he had been frozen in ice.
Thales let out a long sigh.
"Uncle Nicholas." The prince looked a little anxious, as if he was really worried about something. "We are not talking about some pre-dinner joke to liven up the atmosphere."
Thales narrowed his eyes slightly. "But the survival of Dragon Clouds City."
He turned to the girl who was practicing her dagger. "And Saroma's rule."
"Lampard has our greatest weakness, and your hesitation and hesitation will only add to our troubles."
"Northlanders."
A few seconds later, Nicholas lifted his head expressionlessly and looked at him calmly.
Not a single word was spoken.
Thales stared at the silent Nicholas. He could not help but sigh and raise his sword.
"So you told him."
Nicholas raised his axe and absent-mindedly blocked Thales' light sword strike. It was powerless.
"Impossible." The Star Killer's expression was stiff, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in the world. "He has no reason to betray us. It's impossible for him to reveal the information to the enemy."
Thales snorted softly.
"Who knows? Count Ciel Lisban, the former Prime Minister of the kingdom, is only loyal to the Waltons," Thales said meaningfully. "If he knew the truth about the Archduchess and knew that he was not serving the Waltons, would he feel that he was more suitable …"
Nicholas raised his head abruptly and gritted his teeth. "It's precisely because he is loyal to the Waltons that it's even more impossible!"
Thales did not speak.
He only stared at Nicholas with a complicated gaze.
'Why are you so certain and confident?
Why are you so confident that Lisban will still follow King Nuven's will after his death and serve a girl who has nothing to do with the Waltons without complaint? '
Thales sighed softly.
"Don't forget, the direct bloodline of the Waltons is actually extinct."
Nicholas shuddered slightly.
"Could it be that after the Born King's death, the will of the late king, conveyed by his personal guards, is so supreme?" Thales pushed Nicholas away and sneered. "So much so that a noble and traditional Northland suzerain could put down his dignity and habits and bend his knees to serve a girl who is actually not of his liege's blood?
"Unless King Nuven is still alive, how can a vassal who has almost all the power in Dragon Clouds City remain loyal to a powerless and fragile girl for decades?"
Thales shrugged. "You know, if it's Lisban, then the Waltons' rule in name will probably come to an end. The secret he holds is enough to overthrow the Archduchess …"
"I said it's impossible!" Nicholas' dissatisfaction was extremely obvious. "You don't know anything, and you don't understand Lisban."
Thales looked at the Star Killer and sighed softly in his heart.
'Yes.
Lisban doesn't seem like that kind of person. He wouldn't be stupid enough to trade secrets with Black Sand Region.
'So …'
'There's only one explanation.'
Because Lisban knew that everything he worked hard for was still for the sake of his loyalty to the Waltons.
What he was truly loyal to was still King Nuven's bloodline.
"Your concern ends here, unless Black Sand Region comes into contact with you again," Nicholas said coldly.
"I'll deal with this matter."
"You won't be stupid enough to confront him directly, Lisban?" The prince said flatly. "Just because of the late king's affection and kindness?"
Nicholas turned to the side in disdain. He ignored him and retreated a certain distance.
Until Thales' next sentence.
"Have you forgotten about that traitor?" Thales sneered in front of him. "Have you forgotten how you refused to believe in his betrayal until he appeared in Heroic Spirit Palace?
"Until you personally killed that traitor, Kaslan Lampard?"
This sentence was like a spark that ignited a straw. Nicholas turned around abruptly and threw a punch at Thales' abdomen!
* Thud! *
But to the Star Killer's surprise, Thales seemed to have changed into a different person. He quickly stretched out his hands and firmly caught the punch, which he habitually changed direction.
"That's right. Keep a low profile. It's best to pretend that nothing happened." Thales struggled to hold the other party's arm tightly. He gritted his teeth and said, "Because most of the time, even I don't know who is my enemy and who is my friend in Dragon Clouds City."
Nicholas stared at him with a frown. A few seconds later, the Star Killer unceremoniously withdrew his arm, causing the prince to stagger.
He looked at Saroma, who was practicing with a dagger with Justin in the distance. He pursed his lips. "Have you told the archduchess about this?
"Black Sand Region's bargaining chip and threat?"
"No." Thales exhaled and swung his numb hands, experiencing the numbness caused by the Sin of Hell's River slowly subsiding. "Not yet."
"Very well, then keep quiet." Nicholas seemed to have calmed down. His gaze was fixed on Saroma. "She doesn't need to know about this.
"As for this matter, the White Blade … the Archduchess' Guards will investigate it."
There was silence.
After a while, Thales sighed dejectedly. He stood up and no longer looked at the Star Killer.
"Is that so?"
"All of you thought that you could use longswords and shields to protect her." Thales watched the archduchess practice and snorted softly with a profound meaning. "That's why you only taught her how to use a dagger."
He shook his head. "Think about it. When the enemy's sword is in front of her, the weak archduchess only has a small dagger, and she only knows how to stab and slash.
"I can't imagine anything crueler than this."
Nicholas glanced at the archduchess, then turned to Thales again. There was disdain on his face. "Don't worry. Before the enemy's sword arrives, I will cut off his head."
"Ha, that's really amazing."
Thales shook his head. There was a hint of melancholy in his tone. "However, Lampard's sword has already stopped at her throat, and Lampard's head is still on his neck. And she's still happily learning how to use a dagger from all of you."
Nicholas did not say anything, but his frown deepened.
Thales narrowed his eyes. "Did you also train Prince Moriah like this? Teach him the secret of using a dagger to defend himself and keep him away from all dangers? "
The prince lowered his head and patted his hands. He sighed and said, "No wonder Moriah didn't return from Constellation —"
"Women don't belong on the battlefield, and Moriah isn't a woman," Nicholas interrupted him coldly. "His training was much harder. He was also a courageous swordsman and axeman. And the reason he didn't return was definitely not because his skills weren't good enough."
Thales crossed his arms and was silent for a moment.
"Of course, Moriah." Thales shook his head. There seemed to be a different meaning in his gaze. "A legal male heir to the archduke's throne. If he were still around, Dragon Clouds City would probably be stabilized. Then, I probably wouldn't need to come to Eckstedt."
Nicholas snorted coldly, as if he did not realize what the prince wanted to say.
"But she …" Thales gestured at the archduchess with his chin, as if this was just a casual conversation. "She's a woman, and she's not even of the Walton bloodline.
"This brings about a lot of problems.
"She can't just know how to defend herself with a dagger. That's far from enough."
"That's not something you should worry about. Just take care of yourself." Nicholas bluntly cut him off. "That's my business."
"You're really confident." Thales snorted softly and shook his head. "It seems that with just one word from you, Dragon Clouds City will instantly become stable, and Lisban and the others' suspicions will be eliminated."
'Is that so?
'Nicholas?'
"That's all for today's lesson," Nicholas said stiffly. "Practice on your own for the rest of the time."
Thales sneered in his heart and shook his head. "What happened to the one hundred times we agreed on?"
But the Star Killer only cast him a cold glance, turned around, and left without hesitation.
Thales stared at his back and slowly furrowed his brows.
It was still early, and the sun was still shining.
"Ending so early?" Wya walked forward and took the sword and shield from Thales' hands. Puzzled, he said, "Today's training seems a little different?"
The second prince took a deep breath and shook his head gently.
"What are you talking about? Isn't it the same as before?"
Thales stared at the Star Killer's retreating figure and could not help but sigh emotionally. "This overwhelming advantage … the two parties fighting each other."
The two parties fighting are not on the same level at all. "
"You don't have to compare yourself to the Star Killer." Wya raised his eyebrows and followed the prince's line of sight. He looked at the terrifying former commander of the White Blade Guards and said tentatively, "But seeing that you've become so optimistic again, I'm relieved.
"It's not too bad, is it?"
Thales turned around and cast his gaze at Saroma, who was practicing her dagger on the other side. She was drenched in sweat. He then looked at the guards and servants, who had vigilant expressions on their faces, in and out of the field.
'It's not too bad?
'No.'
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