A long time seemed to have passed.
But Thales continued to stare at Putray in a daze, unable to say a word.
Putray also gave him a smile full of wrinkles.
"So, this is all for me," Thales said slowly. There was still a faint hint of surprise and sadness in his eyes. "The entire Constellation, the mobilizing of the army … the provocation of Eckstedt, the chaos in the Alliance of Freedom … the sudden and frequent communications from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department, it's all, all …"
Thales stared at the dusty inner wall around him in a daze.
It was all connected.
Everything was connected again.
King Chapman's centralization of power, Dragon Clouds City's internal strife, the City of Faraway Prayers' instigation, and the Alliance of Freedom's Aborigines were not the only ones who insisted on bringing Thales to Black Sand Region because they wanted to keep the chips in their hands for the war in the west.
Because he might have guessed it. Perhaps he had guessed it the moment he heard that Constellation was marching into the desert …
Aside from the complicated relationship between Dragon Clouds City, Black Sand Region, and the City of Faraway Prayers, the factor that truly led Constellation into this misty chess game and caused the Shield of the Western Peninsula to enter the game …
It was himself — the second prince, Thales Jadestar.
Thales fell silent.
Raphael looked at the prince and snorted softly. "Why, are you overwhelmed by the favor?"
Putray coughed and cast a displeased look at Raphael.
Thales took a deep breath and snapped out of his daze.
"Yeah, a little bit."
Even though it's strange to say this … "
Thales slowly leaned against the wall, as if he wanted to soothe his fluctuating emotions. He forced a smile, as if he was talking to the air that did not exist. "Hehe, it's been six years since I became a certain unlucky prince. I really didn't expect that …
"I would also have such a grand treatment one day."
Thales, who slid to the floor, squeezed his lips absentmindedly. "Hehe."
Hearing Thales' tone, which was filled with complicated emotions, Putray frowned slightly.
"Anyway," Putray continued as if nothing had happened, "after dark, we will start from —"
But Thales suddenly raised his head and interrupted him.
"So," the prince sighed slightly, "the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department sacrificed almost all of their intelligence resources in Dragon Clouds City, and perhaps even lost a lot of lives."
Raphael's frown deepened when he heard this.
"The kingdom even sent out thousands of elite troops to clear the desert like never before, just to pave the way for my return."
Putray found it hard to get used to Thales' rather stiff tone.
Sitting on the ground, Thales slowly raised his head. There was an unreadable light in his eyes.
"Also, you sent your troops to the desert at this time and forced your way to the borders of the City of Faraway Prayers." The prince inhaled slowly. His expression returned to normal, but it made the other two people feel even more uneasy.
"It was no different from helping Lampard. Not only did he escape, he also defeated the City of Faraway Prayers, subdued Black Sand Region, intimidated the Kingdom of the Great Dragon, and obtained power in all of Eckstedt that the other nine archdukes could not hope to attain."
"And as a result …"
Thales' expression tensed up. His gaze was solemn. "The true enemy of Constellation, Chapman Lampard, that ambitious and terrifying king, that common-elected king who aspired to rebuild Eckstedt and destroy Constellation, will become more powerful from today onwards, even more powerful than before.
"Intelligence, military affairs, politics, diplomacy, and even the future … So many sacrifices were made just to get me, an invisible prince who has been silent in a foreign country for six years, out of here?"
At that moment, Thales seemed to be talking to himself.
"Was it worth it?"
The prince turned to his two subjects. His gaze was calm.
Raphael's expression tensed up, while Putray lowered his gaze and did not say a word.
The silence lasted for a long time.
The shadows cast by the Everlasting Lamp swayed back and forth on the wall, showing the atmosphere at that moment.
"Hmph."
The Barren Bone man from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department shook his head in disdain.
"Ever since the accident six years ago …" Raphael stared at the prince, who had not been easy to deal with since six years ago. His tone was cold. "Since the accident six years ago, we have been very clear that it is impossible to exchange you, the only heir who will affect the future of the kingdom, from Eckstedt without paying any price."
He changed the topic of his speech.
"However, after we made so many sacrifices and arrived at this point, you asked us this question in return. 'Was it worth it?'"
Thales' expression darkened slightly.
Raphael crossed his arms. His gaze was sharp as he swept his gaze over Thales from above. "Don't you think that this is too —"
But Putray suddenly spoke and cut off Raphael's words.
"I don't know."
Both of them were attracted by Putray's words, and they looked at him in puzzlement.
Putray's head was still lowered, but he spoke slowly with a serious tone, which was rarely seen on him, "But you need to ask yourself.
"Ask yourself, Thales Jadestar."
Thales froze for a moment.
"You used the six years that you wasted by being alone outside as a hostage in exchange for the well-being of thousands of people at the borders of the two countries. You used them to make a living, and in exchange for the kingdom's long-term stability and recuperation," Putray said with a sigh.
"Was it worth it?"
Thales was stunned. He stared at Putray, trying to read something from his face.
The former deputy of the diplomatic mission slowly raised his head. Under the light of the waning lantern, Putray's face looked stern and sharp.
He did not look like the middle-aged man who used to be arrogant, merciless, and eccentric.
"It's the same. Only you can answer the question you asked just now."
"Yes, in order to save you, we paid a great price. And in the face of these costs that cannot be ignored, if you feel puzzled, if you feel pity, if you feel hesitant, and even if you feel guilty …" Putray stared at him with a piercing gaze.
"Then you should be the one to tell us."
Thales' breathing became slower and slower.
"In the future, you should tell us …" Putray's tone was stern.
"Tell those who died in Dragon Clouds City, tell those who swore to die in the desert, tell the whole of Constellation, and even the whole world …
"Tell us that in the summer of that year, countless people worked hard and spent money, suffered heavy casualties, gave up everything they had, gave up on their own spies, and even did not hesitate to nurture a tiger to become a powerful enemy of Constellation in the future, all for the sake of saving Prince Thales Jadestar from the heavily besieged Dragon Clouds City and Eckstedt …"
Thales subconsciously held his breath and sat up straight. He leaned his back against the cold and rough mud wall and stared intently at Putray.
Putray took a deep breath and said in a resolute tone, "That's right.
"This is the most worthwhile thing we have ever done in our lives."
His tone was solemn and meaningful.
Thales' expression froze at this moment.
On the other side, Raphael lowered his eyelids and pursed his lips. He did not speak again.
The tunnel returned to its familiar silence.
— —
"If you follow the plan and safely leave Dragon Clouds City's territory, our local reinforcement will meet you at the border between the City of Faraway Prayers and Dragon Clouds City. He will protect you all the way to the southeast, pass the Land of Barren Rocks in the City of Faraway Prayers, and send you into the Great Desert …"
In a secret room at the end of the tunnel, Raphael spread a yellowed map on a dusty triangular wooden table. With the help of a faint light, he explained his next step to Thales.
Putray quietly leaned against the doorway and watched the prince listen attentively to their next step in the plan.
Raphael pulled his finger downwards. The tip of his finger was closer to Constellation at the bottom right corner.
Thales' gaze moved accordingly.
"Once you enter the Great Desert, your greatest enemy will no longer be your pursuers, but the weather and geography." A barely noticeable change appeared in Raphael's gaze.
"But don't worry.
"First of all, the northeastern end of the Great Desert has already been largely cleared by Constellation's expeditionary army who went deep into the desert. No Barren Bone Tribe, orcs, or desert bandits with more than twenty people will dare to stay within our clearing line. At most, there will only be a few unlucky ones who did not manage to escape in time. Second, the reinforcement from Constellation will also head north and meet you at the border between the Great Desert and the City of Faraway Prayers. You will then head south to the desert …"
'Meet?'
Thales exhaled in resignation.
'So, am I really some kind of commodity?'
Raphael was still talking and did not notice that Thales was a little unnatural. "We will ensure that you have trustworthy forces and people to protect you from the outside of Dragon Clouds City to the Great Desert. Of course, there won't be too many of them, but they will all be rare elites in the world. We will ensure that any accidents that slip through the net in the desert will not pose a threat to you …
"In the Great Desert, our cavaliers will patrol day and night to clear out threats. At the same time, they will maintain the smooth flow of supply lines between several large oases." Raphael tapped the map lightly and drew a dotted line between a few small green dots. "If you run into them, as long as you reveal your identity, you will be escorted to the nearest military camp or supply point. Even if you don't run into them, you don't have to worry. The people escorting you know the route. As long as you go through the oases one by one according to the plan and stay within our patrol area, you will be safe …
"Until we escort you back to Blade Fangs Dune, the furthest end of Constellation's Western Frontline. It is one of our largest military bases in the desert. That place is already our territory. If you head further east, you will enter Western Desert Hill."
Raphael raised his head, and a faint light flashed in his red eyes. "His Majesty has already negotiated with the Three Great Clans of Western Desert, including Duke Fakenhaz. From Blade Fangs Dune to the Ruins, from Wing Fort to Brave Souls Fort, you can get all the help you need from the Three Great Clans and their vassals. The prince's safe return is their first priority."
When he heard this, Thales' gaze froze for a moment.
'Fakenhaz.
The Guardian Duke of Western Desert, the suzerain of the Ruins, Cyril Fakenhaz. '
His memory returned to the Hall of Stars a long time ago. The middle-aged duke with sparse hair, a haggard face, and a face that resembled that of a ghost limped into the hall with the support of a walking stick. He had a creepy smile, a cold, sharp voice, and merciless sarcasm.
'It's that' unwelcome person '.
"… Head east through the Ruins. The Royal Guards and part of the regular army will receive you on the Avenue of Blessings, which runs from east to west. They will escort you safely back to Eternal Star City. Any more questions? "Raphael finished his sentence.
Thales nodded.
"Are you talking about the most mysterious Four-Eyed Skull Family among the Six Great Clans, Fakenhaz of the Ruins?" Thales pulled his thoughts back to the present.
"Can they be trusted?"
Raphael's moving fingers paused on the map.
Thales twitched the corner of his mouth. "Maybe they don't welcome me as much as I thought they would?"
"I still remember when I left six years ago — Sir Zayen Covendier, who was also one of the Six Grand Dukes, was so friendly. He even specially came to bid me farewell."
The prince raised his eyebrows and said sarcastically, "Putray, do you still remember?"
Putray could not help but laugh.
Raphael paused.
"His Majesty will make sure of this." But the Barren Bone man paused for less than a second. His tone was very firm.
"The suzerains of the Western Desert, be it Fakenhaz, Bozdorf, or the Kroma Family, can all be trusted. Their soldiers are also in the army entering the desert from the west. The regular army of the Royal Family in Blade Fangs Camp alone is not enough to clear the desert."
"All of them can be trusted?" Thales shrugged noncommittally. "I don't hear that often."
Raphael furrowed his eyebrows.
Putray chuckled softly.
"Thales, I know that your six years of unique life has made you quite cautious." Putray interrupted the conversation.
"This is not without reason. After all, the return of the heir will not only affect you, but also the whole of Constellation. This is no less than a political storm, and it will affect all parties."
Thales snorted softly.
The thin lord spoke slowly, "However, please believe me when I say that in order for you to return to Constellation safely, the nobles in Eternal Star City who hide behind the scenes and play games with each other are not any easier or simpler than the rugged men in Dragon Clouds City. Gilbert is one of them."
When he heard the familiar name, Thales moved slightly.
Putray stared at him seriously. "They have already put in a lot of effort and even paid a great price to ensure that Western Desert is completely on our side.
"And what you need to do, what you need to worry about the most right now …"
Putray did not continue.
Thales stared at him from afar and remained silent for a few seconds.
The prince nodded and closed his eyes.
"I understand."
'The desert and the nobles.
'This journey …'
He sighed in his heart.
Raphael and Putray looked at each other. They did not say anything.
"Very good. What's left is how you are going to get out of the city. This is the most urgent matter at hand," Raphael said faintly. "His Grace will tell you in detail. After all, this is his way."
Raphael glanced at Putray. "Should be reliable?"
Putray gently took out his pipe and shook his head in resignation.
The Barren Bone man turned his head back.
"Then, I think we should bid farewell here."
Thales was still thinking with his eyes closed. When he heard that, he was shocked and quickly looked at Raphael.
"Now? You're leaving? "
But Raphael ignored the prince's surprise. He still had that relaxed smile on his face, as if he did not care.
"Your Highness, although I always say that nothing will happen …" Raphael tightened his collar and pulled up his sleeves a little more, "But based on your personality and experiences over the past few years, it would not be surprising if you really ran into an accident in the desert …"
Thales' face immediately darkened.
'Wait a minute.
What do you mean by "running into an accident"? '
He silently criticized.
Raphael was clearly smiling, but it made Thales speechless.
"But …
"Since the Age of the Empire, there has been a saying in the Great Desert."
Thales was stunned for a few seconds.
"A saying in the Great Desert?" Thales looked at the man's red eyes. His limited knowledge and doubts flooded his mind. "Is it a proverb and legend of the Barren Bone people? It's your homeland … "
Putray coughed for no apparent reason.
Raphael seemed to have just come back to his senses. His frozen expression moved again. "No, the Great Desert is no one's homeland. To the Great Desert, everyone is just a passerby.
"If you want to go to the Great Desert, please remember this, Your Highness." Raphael changed the topic. His tone became cold, and his gaze was sharp and fierce.
"The Desert God has no disasters, but the world has disasters. The Desert God has no forgiveness, and the Great Desert will be forgiven."
'What?
Desert God? '
Thales blinked, trying hard to understand.
"It doesn't sound like the lingua franca." Thales searched for this special phrase in his mind, and suddenly found a sense of familiarity that he only had when he was studying in Mindis Hall. "Umm, it sounds like an ancient poem in Cahill's Yellowhammer's Poetry Collection. What does it mean?"
Raphael smiled faintly and put his hand into his pocket. There was a slight sense of melancholy in his eyes. "The Desert God is one of the most primitive beliefs in the Great Desert. It represents a cruel existence that is one with the Great Desert. The residents of the Great Desert love, hate, respect, and fear it."
Putray was coughing again.
The Barren Bone man's dark red eyes slowly focused, but in the next moment, he gently lowered his head and covered his eyes with his hands that were in his pocket.
"The weak fear disaster, and the lucky seek forgiveness.
"Only those who abandon weakness and luck at the same time can find a foothold in the merciless Great Desert."
The moment he finished speaking, Raphael slowly raised his head.
Thales shuddered.
The moment Raphael put his hand down, the Barren Bone man's strange red eyes had already turned into the most ordinary dark brown, calm and unchanging.
"Your Highness, we will meet again in Eternal Star City."
While Thales was slightly stunned, Raphael, with a pair of disguised, brand-new brown eyes, turned around and left without any reluctance. Only a white robe was left behind, and it gradually disappeared into the darkness.
It was silent, as if it was an illusion.
Just like his appearance.
"Young people always like to pretend to be cool and profound …"
Putray shook his head, took out a flint, and muttered to himself, "Don't learn from him, Thales. Otherwise, you deserve to be single on Singles' Day …"
Thales ignored Putray.
He frowned and stared at the darkness that drowned Raphael.
"It's so dark around us, and that guy didn't even carry a lamp. How did he see the road?" the prince complained in a low voice.
Thales originally thought that no one heard his complaints.
Then, in the deep darkness, Raphael's smiling voice traveled, "As long as you eat more liver and fruits … you can also find light in the darkness."
Thales' smile froze on his face.
'Damn it.
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