Thales fixed his gaze on Nalgi and began to size up this person whom he had not paid much attention to previously.
Nalgi held the key to the Prison of Bones tightly. He looked panicked and miserable.
In fact, when Ricky and his Disaster Swords found the prison cell, Nalgi was the first one to speak. His voice always had a lazy, leisurely, and indolent tone, as if he had nothing to do with anything.
But Thales did not remember when Nalgi's voice began to lose its lazy tone. It became short, nervous, and uneasy.
Now that he thought about it, it should have been when Zakriel appeared before them.
But what made him react so strongly to the Knight of Judgment's appearance?
Was it pure fear and panic, or was it something else?
"The key, Nalgi."
Barney Junior only wavered for a second before he resolutely pulled his thoughts away from Nalgi's seemingly profound words. He spoke in a commanding tone.
Unfortunately, Nalgi was no longer as obedient as before.
"We have already escaped, the prince is safe, and Zakriel is free …"
Nalgi moved the corners of his lips laboriously. The tip of the sword he pointed at the group trembled nonstop. It was as if he did not hear Barney Junior's orders.
"Then, we just have to hide our identities and live the rest of our lives. Zakriel can do whatever he likes, and this young prince will return to Renaissance Palace to be the heir of the royal family. One day, he will rule the world and become a hero of his generation …
"Isn't this good?"
Nalgi looked at Thales. His voice was pleading, which made the latter even more puzzled.
"Isn't it a happy thing for everyone to bury the past that we cannot bear to look back on?"
Right then, Nalgi looked like a despairing wife questioning her heartless husband.
In the end, he turned to Barney Junior. His eyes were filled with resentment and hatred.
"But why are you so stubborn, Barney?"
Nalgi questioned Barney Junior. His abnormal behavior made many people uneasy.
Beldin's face was so serious that it looked like it was about to crack at the next moment. Tardin was bewildered, as if he was meeting Nalgi for the first time. Naer lowered his head in deep thought. Samel showed an expression that was even more surprised than when he learned that Zakriel was a traitor. Bruley, who could not speak, shook his head while he trembled. Canon started mumbling incomprehensible words again.
Not to mention Barney Junior.
Thales guessed from the vanguard's trembling hand as he held his sword. It took him a lot of willpower to suppress the urge to stab his former comrade.
"Why do you have to return to the capital? Why do you have to dig up the past?"
Nalgi's tone was tired and sorrowful. He sounded like a sinner who was being tortured before his execution.
"Why do you insist on forcing Zakriel to a dead end and making things go out of hand?"
At this moment, Nalgi, who had turned into a pacifist, looked terrified. He turned his head and looked around the group with a pleading gaze.
In the next second, Barney Junior seemed to have run out of patience.
The tip of his sword went straight for Nalgi's left hand. He wanted to seize the key while Nalgi was unprepared.
Until another sword slashed out from the side and pressed against Barney's throat with a cold gleam!
Quick Rope cried out in surprise.
Almost in an instant, several of the Royal Guards subconsciously raised their weapons and faced each other in the wind!
When Thales came back to his senses, he was shocked to find that the situation had become a little abnormal.
The tip of Barney Junior's sword was pointed at Nalgi's left hand, and his throat was pressed against Samel's sword.
Beldin and Tardin responded faithfully. They used their axes and swords to block Samel, who had suddenly turned against them.
Canon seemed to be terrified. He raised his weapon, but he did not know why. Bruley squeaked anxiously. Naer stood by the side and held his dart tightly in his hand.
Thales was dazed by the sudden split of the guards, and he could not quite grasp the situation at that moment. He could only exchange a glance with the equally confused Quick Rope.
"What is the meaning of this, Samel?" Barney Junior stared at the key in Nalgi's hand. He felt the coldness in his throat, and his face was pale.
"Are you finally going to show your true colors?"
Samel's expression was cold. He held his sword against the incredulous Barney Junior, completely disregarding the fact that his vitals were shrouded by three weapons. He glanced at Nalgi, whose eyes were lifeless.
"Let him finish."
Tardin held his sword and saber against Samel's vitals at the back of his waist. He seemed to find it hard to understand.
"Wait, Samel, do you realize that we are running for our lives?"
Samel snorted coldly. He tilted the sword in his hand slightly, forcing Barney Junior to move to the side.
"Do you think I care about running for my life?
"After 18 years on the run?"
His emotionless and disregard for life and death made the other guards look at each other at a loss. The veins on Barney Junior's neck almost popped out of his flesh.
Quick Rope looked at the wall behind him, which was supposed to be the exit, but it was empty. He scratched his hair in pain and whispered to Thales,
"You Constellatiates are so troublesome …"
Thales frowned as he watched the Royal Guards fight amongst themselves again.
'Yes.
'Unless …
'That's not a simple' troublesome matter '.'
Once he finished speaking, Samel did not even look at the angry vanguard. Instead, he turned to the person who seized the only chance of survival in the field.
"Tell us, Nalgi. Aside from that song and what Zakriel said, what else do you know about the Bloody Year?"
Even though the situation was not good, this topic still stirred up many people's interest.
No one put down the weapons in their hands, but Barney Junior, Samel, Beldin, and Tardin all turned their gazes to Nalgi at that moment.
"It's the other way around, Samel."
As he watched the brothers turn against each other, Nalgi chuckled strangely, as if he had been relieved of something.
"What you should ask is, what else do you not know about that year?"
'Things we don't know?'
Questions appeared on Barney Junior and Samel's faces at the same time. This was probably the only thing they could find in common at that moment.
Barney Junior looked at Beldin in puzzlement.
But Beldin shook his head at Barney Junior, indicating that he did not know.
Nalgi noticed their interaction, but he laughed nervously.
"Didn't you notice?"
Thales watched in astonishment as Nalgi's face was dyed with madness and delight, but there was despair and gloom reflected in his eyes.
"Didn't you notice that when Zakriel wantonly exaggerated his dissatisfaction towards the late king and expressed his hatred towards the calamities, his acting was really bad? His explanations were very far-fetched, and his words were pale and powerless?"
'Bad acting …
His words were pale and powerless … '
Barney Junior paused for a moment.
Nalgi laughed again. He pointed at Samel, and there were tears in his laughter. "Haven't you noticed that Samel is still filled with misgivings? He is questioning and doubting every single word that our famous watchman says?"
Thales was filled with doubts. He carefully thought about "every word" Zakriel said.
'What does he mean?
Is Zakriel … lying? '
He was not the only one who was puzzled. Barney Junior and Beldin looked at each other. They were very puzzled.
Then, Samel continued Nalgi's words.
"So, his betrayal was not because of those bullsh * t reasons he said …"
Samel shook his head gently. Surprise flashed in his eyes.
"It was because Zakriel had no choice in that matter. He was in a dilemma, and he could only go with the flow, right?"
Nalgi turned his head and cast a tired glance at Samel. He did not say a word, but his tense face relaxed.
Thales noticed that many people's expressions had changed.
Samel was still holding his sword, but all his attention had been shifted to Nalgi. He asked skeptically, "Nalgi, Nalgi.
He asked tentatively, "And today, when the truth is about to be revealed, he is also in a dilemma. He is in a dilemma, and he would rather bear all of this himself."
When he said this, Samel's expression slowly changed.
"I still remember that when Zakriel gave the main force of the Royal Guards the strange order to lure them away from their base and weaken their defense, most of the people behaved …"
Nalgi laughed again.
This time, he laughed especially happily.
"Samel, you son of a b * tch, you are indeed a member of the Flag Bearer Division."
Samel's expression changed completely.
Barney Junior, who was held in the middle of the field, could no longer stand it.
He said loudly, "What are you talking about?"
The absent-minded Nalgi seemed to have only noticed Barney then. He snorted softly.
"Hahaha, Barney …"
He looked at Barney Junior, who was holding a sword of righteous indignation, and shook his head in disdain.
"I was thinking, just how stupid and bigoted do you have to be to believe that the noble, virtuous, and cautious Knight of Judgment is the source of all evil and the mastermind behind the scenes?
"That you will believe that he is the person who betrayed his loyalty and killed the late king because of righteous indignation, delusion, injustice, and anger? Then, you will deceive yourself and search for your so-called justice on him? "
Nalgi held the key and pounded his chest. He swept his gaze over everyone with a mocking gaze.
"Do you really think that he can make dozens of noble, outstanding, smart, and powerful Royal Guards, including us, obey his orders without hesitation, easily dismantle the defense of Renaissance Palace, and allow the despicable assassination to happen just because he is the watchman?"
Many people frowned even more.
'Wait, he means …'
Thales' expression slowly changed.
Samel wanted to say something, but he stopped. Barney Junior's expression did not change, but the meaning in his eyes slowly changed.
"Do you really think that the betrayal and assassination that shook the Western Peninsula in Eternal Star City all those years ago …" Nalgi panted, and the brand on his face became even more unpleasant.
"With just Zakriel's power and one order, he could complete it?"
Everyone was stunned. They quietly watched Nalgi, who was on the verge of breaking down.
Then, a few seconds later …
"What do you mean?" Barney Junior recovered from his daze with great difficulty.
Nalgi took a few deep breaths and paused for a second, as if he was savoring the complicated feelings in this moment.
Everyone subconsciously held their breaths.
"That's right." Under everyone's gazes, Nalgi still spoke. His voice was low, and his tone was gloomy. There was a hint of relief in his tone, as if he had accepted his fate.
"It's not just Zakriel.
"In the past, the Royal Guards knew about the plot beforehand, but pretended to be deaf and dumb, and cooperated with our brothers who carried out the assassination …"
Nalgi lowered his head and whispered.
"More than half of them."
Obviously, the power of these words was second only to the Alchemy Ball Thales had just thrown.
No one snapped out of their daze for a whole ten seconds.
Everyone just stared at Nalgi with their mouths agape. They were shocked.
Unknowingly, Barney Junior's sword was lowered gently. As its master's heart wavered, the blade of the sword became sheathed. It no longer shone with a cold glare, and its murderous aura filled the air.
Almost at the same time, Samel also lowered his weapon. Beldin and Tardin no longer threatened the back of Samel's waist. But at that moment, no one wanted to care about the unpleasantness that had just occurred.
Thales only blinked furiously and tried hard to sort out the chaotic thoughts in his head at that moment.
'Wait.
'Wait …
'More than half of the Royal Guards …
'They knew about it beforehand, but pretended to be deaf and dumb?
'If that's the case, the plot to assassinate Aydi the Second during the Bloody Year was …'
When he thought of this, Thales suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He felt as if he was suffocating.
"What?"
Barney Junior asked in a quiet voice in the quiet atmosphere.
His tone was light, and his tone was indifferent. He sounded like a little boy hiding under his bed and running away from the monster in his nightmare.
But in the end, he woke up the monster.
Or all the people in the hall.
"Beforehand?" Beldin widened his eyes in disbelief.
"More than … half?" Samel spat out the words laboriously.
Almost everyone was stunned.
As the center of attention in the hall, Nalgi snorted again. He raised his head, and there was a clear look in his dark eyes.
He looked like a prisoner who had calmly accepted his execution.
"Perhaps more." His tone could no longer be distinguished whether he was laughing or crying.
"When Zakriel gave the order, some of the guards might have noticed that something was wrong. But even though they did not participate in it, they did not say anything, and they did not ask about it … But it made no difference."
No one answered him.
But he did not need to.
Nalgi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling incredibly relieved.
"But just now, when Zakriel claimed that he was the one who did all this, I knew that he was putting on a brave front, putting on a strong front, and overestimating himself."
Nalgi said absentmindedly,
"He wanted to bear everyone's sins with his own body under our witness. He wanted to cover up the shame and scandal. He wanted to be the lonely hero who suffered in sorrow and was silent."
'Putting on a strong front? Putting on a strong front?
Bearing the sins?
Lonely hero? '
Thales blinked and tried his best to free himself from the shocking truth just now.
He recalled a certain expressionless man with a long face and tried to understand Nalgi's description of the fierce and murderous Knight of Judgment.
"But I can't let him do that."
Nalgi's voice became softer. His hand, which held the key, fell together with his weapon. He looked like a helpless traveler who had slipped into an abyss.
"I can't … do that …"
"I can't …"
Nalgi opened his eyes again and mumbled with a lifeless gaze.
"I can't anymore …
"I can't anymore."
'If that's the case, Zakriel's act of taking all the blame just now was …
'Was …'
Thales thought in a daze.
On the other side, he could only hear the rising and falling breaths of the guards.
"So, King Kessel was right to throw us into the Prison of Bones."
Everyone turned their heads stiffly.
In the suffocating darkness, Samel's voice traveled into their ears with great difficulty.
"Because through a certain method, he truly knew that the Royal Guards' loopholes and dereliction of duty behind the late king's misfortune were not a coincidence."
Samel looked at everyone helplessly. He saw that they were also unable to accept this fact.
"Because it was a dirty and dirty plot that involved more than a hundred people, both inside and outside …
"A collective rebellion."
Samel stated his conclusion in a daze.
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