The young lady was obviously anxious.
Saroma's breathing became faster and faster. She subconsciously shook her head. "But, Count, no …"
But her hesitation only lasted for a few seconds. The archduchess raised her head again and spoke in a firm tone.
"Count Nazaire, you don't understand." Her words were somewhat incoherent, but the unyielding attitude in them made Lisban frown. "If it weren't for Prince Thales' help, there would be no me, and there would be no Dragon Clouds City today!"
Thales was shocked!
The moment she finished speaking, the entire hall seemed to have turned cold.
Count Lisban heaved a heavy sigh, while Nazaire's expression was extremely unpleasant.
The other counts were not willing to give in.
More and more Northlanders turned to Thales again.
But the gazes that gathered on him became more and more ominous.
"Silly girl." Ian put his hand on his forehead in annoyance. He nudged Thales and whispered, "Yes, perhaps she can protect you from war …
"But if she has to sacrifice her prestige and power for this, and lose the support of all of Dragon Clouds City …
"Then what is the point of everything we do today?"
Thales did not answer. He just chased all the unnecessary emotions out of his mind and quietly looked at the archduchess who refused to back down.
"Madam, Lady Saroma Walton, you said …"
Old Count Nazaire called her by her full name and narrowed his eyes. "Without him, we wouldn't be here today?"
Nazaire softly repeated Saroma's words.
Saroma took a deep breath. Her face was pale. "Yes, all of you may not know, but Ciel knows very well …"
But the next moment, Count Nazaire widened his eyes and suddenly raised his voice.
"Indeed!"
His sonorous voice shook the hall. The old count stood up from his seat!
The vassals' expressions changed simultaneously.
Saroma was stunned by the count's sudden outburst.
Nazaire's expression was tense. His tone was stern, causing people to forget his age. "Do you think we don't know?
"Six years ago, from Archduke Poffret's conspiracy, to the calamities entering the city, to King Nuven's death and King Chapman's coronation …
"Yes, I know what role those despicable Constellatiates played in that tragedy!"
Discussions rose in the Hall of Heroes again.
Saroma stared at him in a daze. "Count Nazaire …"
Count Nazaire stared coldly at Saroma, then at Thales. "Madam Calshan explained it very clearly. What came with the Prince of Constellation was the disaster that caused Dragon Clouds City to collapse and the earth to shatter! It is us who are in such dire straits today! "
Lisban was about to say something to soothe his cheeks, but when he heard this, he could not help but be stunned.
"Calshan …" The regent sighed. "It seems like you are not as contemptuous of Black Sand Region's hand as you said."
"Old friend."
Nazaire snorted coldly.
The old Count cast a sharp gaze that did not match his age, sending a chill through the hearts of those who came into contact with it.
"It's been six years, and the disasters brought about by this ominous prince have never stopped." Nazaire paced around slowly and said to the slightly panicked archduchess, "It's been six years.
"As a so-called hostage, he can't be easily touched, used, or harmed, but he's still in Heroic Spirit Palace, living and eating with you!"
Saroma was speechless.
"But that's not important anymore. I don't care how many pieces that prince will be chopped into.
"Because what I can't stand the most is not those unpleasant rumors, nor is it the prince's misdeeds in Dragon Clouds City." Nazaire stared at the archduchess sharply, then at Thales. His expression was extremely solemn.
"It's what I saw today. You, the dignified Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City, actually allowed him to so easily influence your decision, and allowed him to be so deeply involved in Dragon Clouds City's internal affairs?"
In the hall, the sounds of discussions among the vassals rose again.
Quite a number of people cast their gazes on Thales again.
And the prince only lowered his head gently, ignoring Ian's quiet grumbles beside him.
"This makes me very uncomfortable. Even Lisban's autocracy did not make me so angry."
Lisban stared at his old friend with a steely expression.
"I hate saying this, but …" Nazaire gritted his teeth, and there was a hint of resentment in his words that was not there before. "Dragon Clouds City has had enough.
"Whether it's the disaster that year, or the current predicament.
"Whether it's Black Sand Region or Constellatiates.
"Whether it's by your side, or far away on the battlefield of the Alliance of Freedom."
Saroma stared at him blankly, not knowing how to answer.
Sounds of praise rose in the hall. Pairs of gazes were directed at Thales, and they were filled with hostility.
Cotterson and Count Lyner looked at each other. Hearst and Count Karkogel lowered their heads without saying a word, while Regent Lisban furrowed his brows.
After a long silence, Nazaire coughed loudly a few times.
"I'm sorry, I overstepped my authority."
Nazaire's voice became softer, as though he had returned to the appearance of an old and clumsy count.
"But if you are still so naive …" He shook his head with a sorrowful look in his eyes. "Especially when Constellation is involved, please forgive me for reconsidering my decision to send troops. Perhaps Dragon Clouds City should also stay away from these matters, even if it will damage your reputation."
"Please understand that we did not respond to the enlistment to satisfy the willfulness of a child who wants to protect his childhood playmate."
These merciless words instantly plunged the entire hall into a cold winter.
Count Lisban clenched his fists tightly and stared at the archduchess hesitantly.
Count Hearst wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not say anything.
Count Lyner and Cotterson exchanged glances. Their meaning was unclear.
The breathing of the vassals slowly became disordered.
"Please make a decision — the decision a wise archduke should make," Nazaire said faintly and sat down again.
No one spoke.
Everyone was waiting for the girl who sat at the highest point in the Hall of Heroes, perhaps the highest point in Dragon Clouds City.
Saroma trembled slightly and stared at Nazaire in disbelief.
'No.'
She struggled internally, and her eyes slowly turned red.
"Naive? Willful? "she muttered.
"Protecting my childhood playmate?"
She raised her arms as though she wanted to grab onto something, but in the end, she could only place them weakly on the chair.
The girl stared at Thales with a sorrowful gaze.
But Thales did not respond to her.
A few seconds later, she turned her gaze back to Nazaire and stared at the count's pained and unhappy expression.
"The decision a wise archduke should make?"
Her expression slowly turned into one of anger.
"It's easy for you to say, Count Nazaire." The girl's breathing gradually quickened. "You weren't there, Nazaire."
A puzzled look appeared on Count Nazaire's face.
Saroma took a deep breath.
"Six years ago, when the disaster happened.
You weren't there. "
She said with great difficulty.
Count Nazaire listened to the archduchess' words and frowned.
Beside the prince, the Viscount of the City of Faraway Prayers tugged at his sleeves angrily. "Did you see her expression?
I don't think it's good. "
Thales nodded expressionlessly.
He suddenly had a premonition of what Saroma was going to say.
An inexplicable emotion broke through the seal of the Sin of Hell's River and surged into his heart.
"My Lady," Count Nazaire sighed, "you are now —"
"King Nuven!"
Saroma raised her head and interrupted him loudly, "When King Nuven unfortunately passed away."
This name made many of the vassals' hearts clench.
Many of them thought of His Majesty and lowered their heads.
"That Blood Calamity … when Shield District was … destroyed."
"When the Queen of the Sky descended.
"During those times, all of you weren't there."
With a mournful expression, Saroma slowly curled up the corners of her lips.
'More than that.
Also, when King Nuven … took Alex away from him.
"When he put that ring on my hand.
"When I was captured by that monster.
When Lupa appeared and surrounded us, it was as if he was a child.
The vassals stared at the girl. Doubt and puzzlement slowly crept into their hearts.
"My Lady?"
Lisban coughed and reminded her softly, "Perhaps you should reconsider …"
But Saroma ignored what he was saying.
'How do you know?
How do you know? '
"So, you don't know."
The girl gritted her teeth fiercely. "At that time, at that time …"
'At that time, the one who was truly by my side …
"It's him who saved my life."
'And gave me a different life.'
At this moment, Thales, who was at the center of the storm, slowly curled up the corners of his lips.
The words of the girl and Nazaire made him recall what happened in the past.
Those … things he would never forget.
He watched the archduchess' struggling and hesitant expression from afar and sighed softly.
Saroma puffed out her chest and held onto the arm of the chair. The anger in her eyes slowly turned into relief.
The expression on her face also changed from indignation to indifference.
"Nazaire," she said flatly, "do you think that Dragon Clouds City lacks a true archduchess?"
Nazaire's gaze became solemn. He subconsciously felt that something was wrong.
"Do you think that with an archduchess as your leader, it is inappropriate for us to send troops?"
Lisban's breathing became faster and faster. He stared at the archduchess in surprise.
Saroma exhaled and said coldly, "Alright, I can do as you say …
"Choose a husband from the vassal families and give birth to an heir. Even if you get married tomorrow, it will not be a problem — if this can be exchanged for your expedition and your cooperation."
"Then I will do it."
The archduchess flashed a forlorn smile. She heaved a sigh of relief, as if she had just let go of a burden.
The counts' expressions changed one after another. Count Lisban's expression changed drastically!
'What?'
As if someone had poured boiling water into the hall, the vassals immediately cried out in surprise!
"What's going on?" Ian did not seem to be able to react. He pulled Thales in a daze. "She, she, she …"
However, in the midst of the surprise and shock, Thales' expression remained calm.
He only stared at the girl in silence.
'That Little Rascal.'
It was as if nothing had happened.
"But Thales, he is a friend who has gone through trials and tribulations with me."
Saroma's cold and arrogant voice was like a beacon in the night. It ignored all distractions and spread out clearly in the midst of the clamor.
"As long as he is in Dragon Clouds City, he will not be harmed!
"And I will not treat him as a sacrificial chess piece and send him to the frontlines just because I am wary of Constellation."
She cast a warning glance at Cotterson and Count Lyner. The two counts turned their faces away with unnatural expressions.
Monty, the Raven of Death, who was watching from the side, had a solemn expression. However, there was something else in his gaze as he stared at the archduchess.
"This is my promise, and it is also a favor I owe him." Saroma glanced at Thales. There was an indescribable emotion hidden in her eyes.
"A favor that is worth repaying with a lifetime."
The voices of the vassals became louder and louder. The counts' expressions turned ashen at the same time. Count Hearst even turned his head away with an angry snort.
Thales stared back at her quietly.
A second later, the prince flashed a faint smile.
It was the same smile he had all those years ago.
He completely ignored Nicholas' angry glare from beside the archduchess.
As if she had received encouragement, Saroma's expression became lively.
The archduchess raised her head proudly and looked at the entire hall.
"Everyone, what do you think of this deal?"
Count Nazaire stared at her in a daze. He seemed to be shocked by the girl's determination and was speechless for a long time.
"My Lady!"
Count Lisban could not take it anymore and shouted, "Enough of being willful!
Do you know what you're saying? "
Saroma slowly turned her head and looked at the regent who had accompanied and taken care of her for more than six years.
"She is losing this game, losing her bargaining chip as an archduchess." Below the hall, Ian stared at the prince with a complicated expression. There was no lack of resentment in his voice. "She is making all our efforts for her go to waste.
"Just to protect you?"
'I really don't understand.'
Ian snorted coldly.
Thales shuddered slightly. He slowly turned his head.
"No."
Thales said coldly and interrupted Ian, "She did not lose."
In the face of Ian's puzzled gaze, Thales took a deep breath and tugged at his collar, brushing past the symbol of the Nine-Pointed Star.
'I can't lose either.'
At the same time, everyone was either shocked or furious as they waited for the archduchess's response.
It was an important decision that might decide the future politics of Dragon Clouds City.
The young archduchess' hands trembled more and more violently, but her gaze became more and more resolute.
"Of course I know what I'm talking about, Ciel. Thank you."
Saroma said coldly, "But I am a Northlander, and Northlanders never forget favors.
Even if it comes at the cost of my life. "
At that moment, all the Northlanders fixed their gazes on their ruler, but everyone's expression was solemn.
In the corner, Thales pressed his hand against the pocket on his abdomen.
There was a pair of old black-rimmed glasses hidden there.
The prince stared at the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear at the top of the hall with a determined expression.
"At least, with me around, she won't lose," he said flatly to Ian, who was beside him.
Ian was dumbfounded.
"What do you mean?"
Ian seemed to have figured something out. He became nervous. "Thales, what are you going to do?"
The corners of Thales' lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile.
"As I said," Thales seemed to be a little sentimental, he chuckled and said, "a backup plan."
In the hall, the archduchess stared coldly at Count Nazaire and opened her mouth gently. "Instead of sitting in this position with guilt in your heart in the future, when you think about today —"
However, before Saroma could finish her words —
"Hahahahaha!"
A loud, undisguised laughter rang out in the Hall of Heroes out of nowhere.
It interrupted the archduchess' emotional words.
It also broke the solemn atmosphere.
Saroma, who was about to speak, was instantly stunned.
"Hahahahaha!"
The laughter continued.
Many of the vassals were also stunned. Lisban frowned, Nazaire turned his head in surprise, and more nobles turned their gazes in displeasure, looking for the idiot who had no respect and did not pay attention to the occasion.
"Hahahahaha!"
The laughter went back and forth, echoing without restraint.
It seemed like something really funny had happened.
Saroma and the other vassals frowned together and looked in the direction of the laughter.
The archduchess was stunned.
The others, including Ian, were also stunned.
They stared in disbelief at the person who continued to laugh.
The people of Dragon Clouds City did not react. They let the laughter continue for a while.
But the laughter continued.
"Hahahahaha!"
Then, the captain of the Archduchess' Guards, the Star Killer Nicholas, who was in charge of maintaining order, shouted angrily.
"Shut up!"
The Star Killer's roar drowned out the laughter and echoed in the hall.
Finally, the Second Prince of Constellation, Prince Thales Jadestar, who had been laughing heartily and rocking back and forth, stopped.
Slowly he drew back his upraised head.
Thales did not care about the angry gazes of the others. He leisurely and contentedly straightened his back on the chair.
It was as if this was just an outing.
And in the eyes of the Northlanders in the hall, the teenager was narrowing his eyes. With the most disdainful expression, he glared coldly at everyone who stared at him.
"Young prince," the Star Killer said angrily, "shut up, or I'll have someone 'invite' you out now!"
"Save it, Star Killer. Can't you see?" Thales snorted coldly and glared at Ian, who was trying to pull him back. "In this hall, your roar is the same as the archduchess' prestige. It's useless."
Nicholas was stunned. Then, he showed a resentful expression.
Thales seemed to be amused by himself. He slowly stood up and laughed again. "Hahahaha …"
Although his shoulders kept trembling, there was no smile in his eyes. They were even cold.
Saroma stared blankly at Thales, who was behaving abnormally. She did not know why.
None of the Northlanders seemed to understand the prince's sense of humor.
They stared at the presumptuous prince in unison. Their gazes were malicious, and the sound of their fists cracking and teeth gnashing could be heard incessantly.
"We are discussing how to save — or take away — your life.
And you think it's funny, don't you? "
Count Cotterson looked sideways and stared at Thales coldly. "The Empire?"
When he heard this, Thales did not stop laughing. Instead, he laughed even louder. "Hahahahaha …"
Amidst the prince's laughter, the Northlanders' expressions became increasingly unpleasant.
"Have you heard of that story?"
Thales, who was laughing so hard that he could not straighten his back, waved his hand and finally managed to speak smoothly.
"A fisherman and a woodcutter sat under a tree and had lunch … They were poor and had never tasted beef, so …
"So they thought of a way … They imagined the black bread in their hands as beef … Hahaha …"
Thales laughed so hard that his face was contorted. He clutched his abdomen and said while laughing, "Then … then they discussed, 'Hey, look at the piece of beef in my hands. Should I bite it horizontally or vertically …'"
His words echoed in the hall with his laughter, and it also made the Northlanders increasingly unable to suppress their anger.
"Hahahaha …"
Count Lisban and Count Nazaire looked at each other in surprise. They had a tacit understanding that this was not Thales' doing.
Saroma stared blankly at Thales as he walked out of his seat. She was speechless.
Count Cotterson could not take it anymore. He gritted his teeth and glared at Thales.
"What the f * ck are you talking about?"
Thales stopped laughing, exhaled, and shook his head. "Don't you understand?"
The prince walked to the center of the hall. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he looked at the vassals around him contemptuously. "Looking at a bunch of self-righteous fellows, self-righteously discussing a fantasy that they can't even achieve."
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