After a brief silence, the Hall of Heroes burst into an uproar!
"What?"
"That means …"
"But that boy clearly …"
But no one's emotions could compare to what Thales Jadestar felt at that moment.
At that moment, the prince almost lost control of his body.
Then, the Sin of Hell's River surged into his body uninvited.
To him, the whole world seemed to have stopped at that moment.
Only his thoughts spun quickly.
'Constellation.
'The Alliance of Freedom's supporter?'
With the help of the mysterious Power of Eradication, Thales, who was drenched in cold sweat, tried his best to control his breathing to make sure that he did not lose his composure.
Countless questions rose in his mind.
'What's going on?
What's going on?!
"In other words …"
At the head of the hall, the golden-bearded Count Hearst furrowed his eyebrows and looked angrily at Monty, who brought the news. "The cowards of the Alliance of Freedom …
"The reason why they have the confidence to tear up the agreement is because they have the support of the Empire?"
The Raven of Death shrugged and said in a gloomy tone, "It's obvious."
The indignant discussions in the hall rose to another level.
"What's going on?"
"F * ck the Empire!"
"Are they crazy?"
"Their only heir is still …"
"Is it an all-out war?"
"Then what's our next step? Are we still going to the City of Faraway Prayers? "
Thales took a deep breath with a dazed expression.
Constellation, the Alliance of Freedom, Eckstedt …
Regardless of whether it was the information he obtained under Heroic Spirit Palace's strict surveillance, the news Putray, whom he had not seen for years, or the news he obtained from Dragon Clouds City, there was not a single clue that pointed to this answer.
He did not receive any hints.
Just like the Dragon's Blood six years ago.
To him, this was truly an "accident".
"How interesting." Count Lyner, who had always been expressionless, did not hide his terrible emotions this time. His face was contorted as he stared at Thales.
"On the surface, you sent your son to Dragon Clouds City, but behind the scenes, you are still tirelessly making moves?"
Lyner sneered maliciously and said, "As expected of the heir of the Empire.
"As for us, we thought that we had the safest bargaining chip. We thought that the Constellatiates would behave themselves, but in the end, we were played like fools.
"Just like the previous war.
"Isn't that so, little prince?"
The atmosphere in the hall became more and more solemn.
With a stiff expression, Thales raised his head with great difficulty and responded to the various surprised or angry expressions in the hall. Lisban's doubts, Nicholas' gritted teeth, Nazaire's contemplative look, and even Monty's unsettling hunter's gaze seemed to be much gentler compared to them …
And …
And the archduchess' disbelieving and helpless gaze.
No.
Thelma.
"Hey, you, Jadestar!"
Count Cotterson stood up abruptly and glared angrily at the stiffened prince in the corner.
"What the f * ck do you know about the Alliance of Freedom and your crazy father's army?"
"Did you guys plan this?"
Thales clenched his fists.
The beads of sweat on his forehead became denser and denser.
No.
I don't know anything.
Everything …
But before the words left his mouth, the prince clenched his teeth.
No.
Now was not the time to panic, nor was it the time to cry injustice.
Just as I thought, the accident happened.
What I needed to do was to deal with it and minimize the damage.
'Calm down, Thales.
Calm down! '
"Hey!"
Cotterson said angrily, "Are you mute?"
His voice represented the rage in the Northlanders' hearts at that moment, and it echoed in the hall.
The prince raised his head abruptly, but he saw a panicked and helpless gaze in Saroma's eyes.
The archduchess subconsciously looked at Thales, then at the equally solemn Lisban. She looked helpless.
"Seeing how fearless he is, perhaps Dragon Clouds City is too kind to him." Count Lyner clenched his fists, and terrifying cracking sounds came from his knuckles. He said softly, "Perhaps we should return to the Northlander's tradition.
Do something a little more forceful? "
Thales did not answer.
The Northlanders' gazes on the Prince of Constellation became fiercer and fiercer, including the Archduchess' Guards who protected him. In this atmosphere, even the equally shocked Ralf subconsciously pressed down on his arm.
Under everyone's gazes, the second prince could only try his best to remain calm and maintain the most basic of thoughts. He did not even have time to care about Ian, who was also sweating profusely and constantly tugging at his sleeves.
'If that's the case …
'Something is wrong.
'Very wrong.'
'The Alliance of Freedom's rebellion, the City of Faraway Prayers' war problem, Dragon Clouds City's power storm, Black Sand Region's respite …
'All of them actually originate from, originate from …
'These different targets, different motives, different actions, but they all converged in the same place …
'Where is the connection? Where is the truth that the clues point to? Where is the key to the matter?'
In the face of the prince's silence, Count Cotterson seemed to become more and more impatient. He suddenly took a step forward!
"Not cooperating?"
Cotterson revealed a ferocious expression that had never been seen before. He gestured at Thales with his lips, gritted his teeth, and said word by word, "Very well, then tear him apart — until he opens his mouth."
This sentence seemed to ignite the already explosive atmosphere.
"That's right!"
Many of the vassals of Dragon Clouds City also gritted their teeth in anger. One after another, they stood up and let out a tidal wave of agreement.
"F * ck him!
"How dare he toy with us, then he will pay the price!
"Show the Northlanders' attitude!"
Nicholas wanted to maintain order, but he was powerless.
Ralf stood nervously behind Thales. In the face of the Northlanders' anger, he seemed ready to stake everything on one throw at any moment.
"What should we do?" This was his sign language.
But the main character of the matter, Thales, did not move.
He seemed to have restrained all his emotions and held back all his reactions. Like a stone statue, he sat stiffly on the spot, ignoring the curses and insults that came like a raging wave.
Like a stone statue.
"Son of a b * tch from the Empire!"
"Nail him to the city gate!"
"Let the Constellatiates have a taste of torture, hypocritical cowards!"
The waves of voices continued.
Like a never-ending torrent, they slammed against the reef again and again. They were merciless, cruel, shocking, and terrifying.
Thales, who was at the center of the waves, only remained silent.
It was as if the world had nothing to do with him.
The chaotic hall was filled with anger and hatred.
Then, a sharp and out of control female voice tore through the noisy curses and malicious words like a rainbow that cut through the dark clouds …
It resounded fiercely in the Hall of Heroes.
"Enough —"
Thales shuddered!
Everyone was shocked. They subconsciously turned their heads to look at the highest seat.
There, the young archduchess had left her seat at some point in time!
She clenched her fists and waved them by her side. She gritted her teeth, and her face was contorted.
At that moment, Saroma Walton was like a desperate lioness guarding a pride of lions. She roared rather hysterically, "This is the Hall of Heroes!
All of you, shut the f * ck up!
Shut up! "
The archduchess' voice echoed among the pillars.
The vassals' curses instantly subsided.
The hall returned to silence.
Only the young lady's rapid and trembling breathing could be heard in front of the highest seat.
Everyone stared blankly at the archduchess, who had lost control of her emotions. They watched as she clenched her fists tightly, her eyes red, and her gaze swept across the hall angrily.
It was as if they had gotten to know their suzerain again.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Monty, the Raven of Death, stared at Saroma, whose mouth opened and closed, unable to calm down for a long time. He sighed with emotion in a soft voice, "Hmm … even if she's a lady, she's still a Walton."
Thales, on the other hand, had his mouth slightly agape. He stared at the agitated young lady from afar. His emotions were complicated.
'Saroma.
'No.
'At this moment, you should be …'
"What the f * ck is this?" Ian whispered in exasperation behind Thales, "About the Alliance of Freedom, you said —"
"Didn't you hear what the archduchess said?" However, this time, Thales only shook his head coldly.
"Shut up."
Ian was stunned.
Finally, a steady cough broke the silence.
"Sit back down, Cotterson, and everyone else."
The regent's stern voice rang out.
"Whether it is temperamental or bullying the weak, they are all acts of cowards. The Northlanders are not despicable to that extent." Count Lisban stood in front of Cotterson and said flatly, "We will decide how to deal with this matter after discussing it with the lady.
"Since it has already happened, no matter how we punish him, it will be useless.
"Before that, Prince Thales is still our guest."
The regent's words made Cotterson frown.
"He's right," the old Count Nazaire agreed coldly. "It's just a piece of military intelligence. Look at how anxious all of you are. If King Nuven was still here …"
The words of the two powerful vassals calmed the irritation and anger in the hall.
The vassals returned to their seats one after another, but the gazes directed at Thales did not decrease in the slightest.
Thales closed his eyes, but his brain spun faster and faster.
'Unexpected.
'If it comes to that …'
"My Lady," Lisban turned around and gently hinted at Saroma.
Saroma took a deep breath and restrained herself from losing her composure just now. With an unpleasant expression, she sat down with Nicholas' help.
She glanced at Thales. The expression in her eyes was hard to read.
"Lord Monty."
After Count Lisban restored order in the hall, he turned to the indifferent Raven of Death.
"Are you sure that the City of Faraway Prayers is Constellation's army?"
The regent asked steadily, "Is there a possibility that someone else is in disguise? Like Camus Union? "
"You know what I used to do, right?" Monty scratched the back of his head and gestured at Nicholas, who was on the stairs. "What do you think is the possibility that we got the wrong target?"
The vassals frowned together.
"Five thousand light cavaliers. It's impossible for them to be local nobles. It can only be …" Count Lyner looked at Monty with scrutiny and suspicion. "Did you fight?"
Monty shook his head.
"Over the past few days, that group of Constellatiates did not even get close to Fort Liberté. They only watched from afar and continuously sent out roaming cavaliers to investigate." The Raven of Death looked at the letter in his hand and clicked his tongue. "The distance between Blade Fangs Camp and Fort Liberté … God knows how they replenished their supplies in the desert."
When they heard this, many of the nobles were slightly stunned.
"Roaming, roaming, patrolling, avoiding battle, and stabbing the enemy in the back at the critical moment." The one who spoke was Count Nazaire. The old man rubbed his chin and his gaze moved slightly. "Doesn't this tactic sound familiar?
"For example, eighteen years ago?"
The hall was silent again. Many people lowered their heads.
Count Cotterson closed his eyes and sighed. "F * ck."
Thales thought of something.
"Are Sonia Sasere and her guards still in Broken Dragon Fortress? Where did they get five thousand cavaliers — even if they're all light cavaliers — to stuff them into the desert? "The youngest Count Hearst furrowed his brows and subconsciously turned his head to look for that figure.
"It's impossible for there to be no news of such a large-scale mobilization of soldiers. What about the Secret Room? Madam Calshan, your — "
Hearst realized that he had said the wrong thing, and he stopped himself in time.
A few seconds later, Monty snorted softly. "Whether it's the fortress or the Secret Room, you should ask the king. Black Sand Region knows best."
The vassals in the hall fell silent again.
'That's right.
The throne is no longer in Heroic Spirit Palace and Dragon Clouds City.
The Secret Room, which only serves Eckstedt, is naturally the same. '
Everyone felt dejected.
'This is … Dragon Clouds City after King Nuven passed away.'
When he heard this, Count Lisban heaved a long sigh.
"This is no longer important.
"What's important is that if Constellation is involved …" The regent stared at the bleak archduchess with a solemn expression. "Then our next expedition to the west …"
The vassals' discussions rose in the hall again.
Count Lyner sneered. "Think about it. When we are attacking the city, there are five thousand people in the desert in the south watching us calmly, waiting to attack us at any time. And behind them, there might be the entire Constellation …" Count Lyner sneered.
"Twenty years ago, even if we had three archdukes working together, because of the intervention of the White Elves and Camus Union, the war still dragged on for nearly a year." He narrowed his eyes, as if he was remembering that year. "Guess how long Constellation can drag on for? Two years? Three years?
"The king must be very happy to see this."
The diplomat group from the City of Faraway Prayers looked at each other. Their expressions were unpleasant.
The atmosphere in the hall became more and more oppressive.
Thales ignored the hostile gazes that swept at him from time to time and quickly rearranged the information he knew.
'Things will not be that simple, nor will they be that complicated.
It's just that the chessboard needs to be elevated a little. I originally thought that this was a storm between Eckstedt and the Alliance of Freedom, or even within Eckstedt.
The Alliance of Freedom fought for independence, Black Sand Region fought for survival, the City of Faraway Prayers fought for their own interests, Dragon Clouds City fought for the balance of power, and the other archdukes longed to watch the king weaken and Dragon Clouds City split.
'And now …
'Constellation has to be added to the mix.
'Then, in this storm, where is Constellation's greatest interest?'
"This is just an optimistic situation." Count Cotterson counted with his fingers, as if he was talking to himself as he calculated the numbers. "If the other side … the other side is really Constellation, which has turned out in full force after the Bloody Year …
"Worse still, if we include the White Elves, who suffered losses in the previous war, and the Four Northern Cities of Camus Union, who made bets based on the situation …
"And we, we only have Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers …"
Count Nazaire watched him calculate the chips and let out a long sigh. He said the words that made many Northlanders feel indignant.
"When was the last time Eckstedt lost a war?"
No one spoke.
* Thud! *
The one-armed Count Karkogel punched the arm of his chair, causing a dull thud.
His ghastly pale face told of his current mood.
The vassals clenched their fists.
"The situation has become complicated," Count Lisban's expression did not change as he said flatly.
Nazaire nodded.
It was rare for two old friends and old rivals to agree on the same thing.
Thales was still thinking quickly.
One after another, guesses surfaced in his mind.
"If the plan to dispatch troops remains unchanged, we will need to readjust the deployment of our military forces, including the quality of the soldiers we recruit," the old count's tone was solemn. "Our enemies are the Alliance of Freedom and Constellation. The difference between these two is not insignificant."
"You mean, retreat?" Lisban's words traveled into his ears steadily.
"I did not say that. After all, the Lady has already made a promise, and this concerns the honor of Dragon Clouds City and the Walton Family," Count Nazaire said solemnly. "But if we still want to dispatch troops to fight, we cannot deal with it carelessly like we did before.
"After all, the opponent we are facing is our old enemy of nearly seven hundred years.
"The Shield of the Western Peninsula, the descendant of the Empire."
No one spoke again.
Only the Raven of Death shook his head and exhaled.
The heir of the City of Faraway Prayers, Ian Roknee, widened his eyes in disbelief. He looked at Thales, then at Saroma on the stairs.
'How can this be …'
On the archduchess' seat, Saroma looked stunned.
At this moment …
"No."
Count Lyner raised his head and attracted the attention of the entire hall.
"The problem is actually very simple." The count, whose expression was cold and whose words were as sharp as knives, looked at Thales again and said profoundly, "We do not need to send more troops, nor do we need to hesitate."
Thales' scalp tensed.
'It's here.'
'This is what I'm most worried about after everything happened.'
Many people moved slightly.
"Constellation has an army that is here to stir up trouble.
"And we have their heir."
Count Lyner said coldly, "Prince Thales Jadestar, right?
"A name that has never appeared in the Jadestar family tree."
At that moment, Thales felt the gazes on him become even colder.
Count Hearst was stunned. "You mean …"
Count Lyner sighed. "Chop off one of his hands and send it to Eternal Star City.
"Tell his crazy father to retreat immediately."
"Problem solved."
At that moment, the archduchess turned her head abruptly and stared at Thales in disbelief.
But Thales was still unmoved.
So, the archduchess anxiously looked at her regent, but Count Lisban only shook his head slightly, signaling for her to calm down.
The Northlanders quietened down and looked at Thales with increasingly strange gazes.
Among them, Monty, the Raven of Death flashed him a strange smile.
He still looked like a hunter looking at his prey.
Thales sighed.
"Hey, enough is enough." Finally, Count Hearst could not help but say, "This is not in line with the Northlanders' way of doing things.
The ignorant era where the Iron Blood King dug out his heart and drank wine has passed for more than three thousand years! "
Count Lyner shook his head. "This is his use. Thank the Gods, after wasting six years of food, this precious hostage is finally put to use."
Thales clenched his fists.
"Wait a minute, that's the Iron Hand King who executed three hundred nobles in one night. It is said that the lunatic watched the entire execution without blinking." Count Cotterson snorted coldly and disrespectfully. "If he really has a heart of stone like the rumors, and refuses to retreat even after this …"
Count Lyner laughed.
"Enough, all of you." Count Hearst snorted impatiently. "Release him in exchange for a retreat, or just kill him to show our attitude. We are dissatisfied with the Constellatiates, so we torture a child to vent our anger? What is this all about? "
Count Lyner sneered.
"This is not venting our anger. Besides, we are releasing him." There was a cold glare in his eyes. "It's just that we are releasing him in installments."
Count Hearst furrowed his brows.
'Installments?'
"If one letter is not convincing enough, then two, three, four …
"Anyway, aside from his palms, he also has arms, legs, feet, eyes, nose, ears …" Count Lyner's cold words echoed in Thales' ears. "Every time he writes a letter, we will release a part of the prince in 'installments'."
"Until King Kessel retreats.
"Or he dies."
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