King Kessel looked down at Thales in silence.
His gaze was calm and indifferent, and his movements were slow. It was completely different from King Nuven's awe-inspiring and King Chapman's aggressiveness.
But it did not make the teenager feel relaxed.
The prince gulped and tried to relax his tense muscles and mind.
Up until now, Thales did not understand his father.
What kind of person was he?
Cold?
Silent?
Dignified?
Perhaps.
Aside from the time in the Jadestar family tomb, which was more like a one-sided listening experience, Thales had spoken less than ten sentences to Kessel the Fifth.
As for the time they spent alone together in the past six years … Thales suspected that it was less than fifteen minutes.
However, in the teenager's limited life, the Iron Hand King was like a dark cloud hanging high above his head. It seemed unreachable, but it always cast a shadow over him and enveloped him.
Whether it was the National Conference, the negotiations with Eckstedt, the Night of Dragon's Blood, the day of Dragon Clouds City's state affairs hearing, Gilbert's exhortations to his face, or the One-Eyed Dragon Koshder's harsh words … Many experiences reminded Thales from the side.
What kind of person his father was.
But when he really faced that dark cloud, Thales realized …
He was still not ready.
He still did not know … how to face him.
"You misunderstand."
Thales lowered his head and avoided the quiet but unsettling gaze. He took a deep breath.
He tried to chase away the negative emotions that he had sensed, but the king's words made it even more obvious.
"I am not anxious. In fact, leaving Eckstedt and returning home … "
But the king did not give him time to explain.
"Is it familiar?"
Kessel no longer stared at Thales. The corners of his lips curled up in a strange arc, as if he was disdainful.
"This tone."
Thales raised his head abruptly with a puzzled expression.
'Familiar?'
On the stone steps, the king on the throne spoke in a cold voice.
"That old bag of bones from Western Desert should be like this, pretending to be profound and talking nonsense to scare you, right?"
Thales furrowed his eyebrows.
'That old bag of bones from Western Desert?
Pretending to be profound and talking nonsense?
Scare me? '
Thales understood something.
He remembered what Adrian said to Gilbert just now.
'The king was asking about the messenger crow from Western Desert yesterday.
A messenger crow from the West Wilderness …
As he tried to guess the king's intentions, Thales exhaled and calmly said,
"Yes, Fakenhaz did come to me, but I …"
Unfortunately, the king did not give him a chance to explain.
Perhaps he didn't care at all.
"Where's the sword?"
King Kessel calmly interrupted him.
"What about the Ancient Empire Sword that was given by the prestigious Four-eyed Skull Family in Blade Fangs Camp? It caused some people to feel uneasy, some people to rejoice, and all of the kingdom to make endless guesses?"
Thales' words came to a halt.
As expected, he also knew.
The sword named Sentinel.
It should be … the Legendary Wing.
With a certain thought in mind, Thales raised his voice and answered,
"It is in the luggage, guarded by Lord Mallos' men, but …"
"No."
For the third time, King Kessel interrupted the Duke of Star Lake.
"It's not there."
On the platform, the King slowly leaned back against the back of the throne.
"It's in your heart."
Thales was startled.
Kessel the Fifth calmly looked at the Duke of Star Lake at the foot of the platform.
"And you don't even know where that sword will stab."
Thales was silent for a while.
Obviously, the king was very dissatisfied with what happened in Western Desert.
But …
"I am very sorry about what happened in Western Desert." Thales tried hard to regain his composure, and tried hard to treat the person in front of him as another Northland vassal he could negotiate with.
"But Fakenhaz's purpose in coming to me —"
But he still could not finish.
"When I sent you to the north …"
Unlike the Northlanders and even the Western Desert people, King Kessel's tone was very light, and there was very little fluctuation in his words.
But compared to King Chapman's preemptive words and Fakenhaz's alarmist words, the effect of the King of Constellation's soft words was not inferior to the former two.
"I did not expect that much from you."
Thales was speechless.
King Kessel sat on the throne with his back almost half raised. His posture seemed relaxed, but his eyes were locked on Thales.
"At least I did not expect you to rebuild Northland and appoint a new king."
Rebuild Northland.
Appoint a new king.
Thales closed his mouth, feeling the weight behind these two sentences, feeling the faint contempt and accusation behind them.
'That's right.
Rebuild … new king … '
This was indeed what he had been doing for the past six years, but …
Dragon Clouds City was filled with blood and corpses, Heroic Spirit Palace was in a state of mutual hostility, and everything was hanging by a thread …
The teenager bit his lower lip.
With a little displeasure, Thales raised his head again.
"I did not want it to be like this, but —"
When he talked about what happened six years ago, he thought he would remember the injustice and injustice back then, and then he would sneer and ask about the king's conspiracy, mock the failure of the Secret Intelligence Department, and ask why he was put in danger …
But at that moment, when he looked into King Kessel's eyes, which were as calm as still water.
He did not care.
There was a small voice in Thales' heart.
He would not care.
Thales pursed his lips.
He suppressed the indignation in his heart, turned his head and said,
"That was … an accident."
Silence.
Thales was not used to the darkness in the meeting hall. Six years ago, this place seemed spacious and bright.
The teenager suddenly remembered the only day he stayed in Renaissance Palace, and his first impression of the palace: the cold room, the hard stone bed, the bone-chilling cold, and the deep darkness.
Just like …
The Abandoned House.
"No."
The king snorted and brought Thales back to reality.
"That was not an accident."
King Kessel stared at his son, and his tone was strange.
"You.
"That was an accident."
Thales' heartbeat was a little erratic.
"At least, that is what the Secret Intelligence Department said."
'Secret Intelligence Department.'
Thales' heart sank.
'The Secret Intelligence Department again.'
The king narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You must know, in this world, there are not many things that can catch the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department … unprepared."
'Not necessarily.'
Thales silently retorted in his heart.
When he heard the Secret Intelligence Department, the displeasure that Thales had just suppressed rose again.
"Alright."
The prince took a deep breath.
"Let me put it this way, if there is an accident, it must be you …"
Thales paused, and changed the way he addressed them.
"They are the ones who do not trust me."
The lights in the meeting hall dimmed a little, and the shadow on the throne became even more blurry.
King Kessel hummed in acknowledgment. He seemed to be asking a question, but was not.
"They do not trust you?"
Thales answered with a snort.
"Yes, whether it is the calamities or Lampard … Before the Secret Intelligence Department took action, they blocked all information and kept me in the dark, even if it was harmful to me."
The teenager exhaled.
"There were a few times when I almost died."
Thales stared fixedly at the king, trying to see something in the dim light.
The meeting hall was quiet for a few seconds.
But what made him feel a little disappointed was that Kessel remained seated and did not move. His tone did not change at all.
"Is that so?"
The king's indifferent attitude made Thales subconsciously clench his fists.
"I had no choice."
Thales felt that his words were becoming more and more unyielding.
"I had to … adapt to the situation and find a way out."
The king remained the same.
"Is that so?"
Thales felt a lump in his chest.
"Yes!"
He raised his voice and said unhappily,
"Whether it is for myself, or for …"
The teenager paused for a moment and glanced at the king before he said,
"Constellation."
Kessel's gaze was unreadable, but this time, what he said was different.
"Just like what you did in the National Conference?"
Thales froze for a moment.
'The National Conference.'
He suddenly remembered that six years ago, he was unwilling to be a puppet in that conference, so he said shocking words and angrily rebuked all the suzerains.
He could not help but sigh a little.
But Thales still nodded.
"Yes."
The teenager's voice sounded a little gloomy.
"I … had to do it."
The king raised his gaze and looked at the other end of the meeting hall.
He seemed to be thinking about something.
A few seconds later, he snorted and repeated,
"I had to do it.
"They do not trust you." The king twirled the scepter in his hand and said in a contemplative tone,
"And you had to do it?"
Thales did not know how to answer.
Perhaps it was because he had not seen Kessel for too long, or perhaps it was because the rumors he heard over the years had distorted his understanding of the king. Thales realized that he could not read the supreme king's emotions and actions.
It was like … there was a curtain between them.
This was a situation he had never encountered when he faced Nuven, Lampard, the five Northland archdukes, and the three Great Dukes of Constellation.
In the end, the king chuckled softly.
"You mean …"
The next moment, King Kessel raised his gaze, which was as calm as before, but inexplicably profound.
"They did not trust you to be able to put your arm around King Nuven's shoulder and call him brother. So when he fell, you were caught in a trap of your own making and were dragged into the enemy's hands.
"And you had no choice but to counterattack, return to Heroic Spirit Palace, and create a new king?"
Thales shuddered.
King Kessel continued to speak, each word carrying a peculiar charm.
"Or they did not trust you to be able to get along well with the girl from Dragon Clouds City, so much so that she abandoned everything in order to force you to stay, incurred public anger, and publicly broke off relations with all the vassals?
"And you had no choice but to meet Lampard privately and find another way out?"
Thales only felt that his throat was a little dry.
The king continued to laugh coldly.
"Or they did not trust you to be able to conceal your identity in Western Desert and have an unclear relationship with a group of mercenaries who sell swords. Then, they saw through your identity and used it to threaten the Baron of Blade Fangs Realm?
"And you had no choice but to …"
The king did not continue. He only curled his lips.
But that was enough.
Thales closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
'As expected.'
He knew.
He knew everything.
'But …'
Thales suddenly realized that in the face of the king's words, all the self-defense and reasoning he had developed over the past six years were useless.
He could explain.
But whether it was Asda and Giza during the night of Dragon's Blood, or Little Rascal's background, or the secret between Quick Rope and the old Royal Guards …
He could not explain.
He could not explain.
Thales opened his eyes and said with difficulty,
"Is that … what the Secret Intelligence Department said?"
This time, the king stared at him for a long time.
A long time.
Finally, King Kessel opened his mouth again, but his tone gradually became stern.
"Morat's report said that as a prince, you do not know how to reflect on yourself. Your progress is slow, and you always act on your own. You act recklessly, and everyone has no choice but to bear the consequences of your actions."
Kessel narrowed his eyes.
"Or in their words, wipe your ass."
The teenager was stunned.
'Morat.'
Thales exhaled heavily and revealed a smile that was uglier than crying.
"I understand.
I … am very sorry. "
But the king chuckled again.
"And Gilbert repeatedly told me that you improve very quickly. You learn in difficult situations, grow through setbacks, and gain wisdom after experiencing setbacks. You are a rare genius."
'Gilbert.'
Thales felt warmth in his heart.
"He … He praises me too much."
Kessel sized him up. The scepter in his hand stopped spinning.
"But Aida has a third opinion."
'Er …'
The moment he heard that name, Thales was stunned.
"Who?"
Thales raised his head in puzzlement. The king had left his seat and was leaning forward to size him up.
"She said in her letter that you grow too slowly and too quickly, which annoys her."
'Wait … Wait a minute?'
Thales repeated in disbelief after he heard the way the king addressed him.
"E-Aida?"
A certain crazy, hopping short figure appeared in front of him.
Thales stared and moved his lips stiffly.
'That person … can write letters?
'It's fake, right?'
But Kessel the Fifth did not seem to feel that it was funny and absurd at all. The king continued to speak, minding his own business.
"She said that you grow too slowly. You don't even have the guts to let her go to the forest outside Dragon Clouds City to hunt rabbits for dinner."
Thales' face darkened.
His father snorted coldly again.
"But you grow too quickly. Every time she wants to go out and poach, you predict it and send people to keep an eye on her."
Thales confirmed that this was what the king said and could not help but feel puzzled.
"Alright, Aida hunting rabbits … Is that important?"
The king did not answer.
He just stared at the second prince quietly under the waning light.
Thales calmed down a little because of Aida's name, but the king's gaze made his heart clench again.
"But I can see that you have indeed changed after six years."
The king said faintly.
Thales was stunned.
He turned his head slowly to avoid the king's condescending gaze.
"Six years is a long time."
But Kessel shook his head.
"No.
"Whether it is Morat or Gilbert."
The king said softly,
"They are both wrong."
Thales' breathing began to quicken.
The king's gaze became sharper.
"As for Aida, hmph …"
Kessel's words were very strange. At that moment, Thales did not know if he was disdainful or sentimental.
This made Thales suddenly curious.
'I wonder if Black Prophet Morat, who is said to be able to see through lies, can see through the king before me?'
"No …"
The King of Constellation's words pulled Thales' attention back.
"You do not grow fast enough."
Kessel said unhurriedly,
"Not slow enough."
'Not fast enough.
Not slow enough. '
Doubts surged. Thales frowned slightly.
"I do not … understand?"
Fortunately, the king did not interrupt the teenager this time, nor did he change the topic.
But Kessel's next words were full of profound meaning, causing him to fall silent.
"You either grow fast enough."
King Kessel raised his head to look at the ceiling. His gaze was unfocused, as if he was looking into the past.
"So fast that it is unexpected, so fast that it is gratifying. So fast that in just six years, you can bear the weight of the entire planet."
The king's gaze focused on Thales, and it returned to its cold and indifferent state.
"But you did not."
'Bear … the weight of the entire planet.'
Thales gulped. He felt his body stiffen.
The king looked at him from afar, and there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
"You either grow slow enough."
Kessel lowered his head and looked at his opened left palm. His words were a little desolate.
"Slow enough to know your place, slow enough to do things step by step, slow enough for us to unload the burden of the kingdom bit by bit."
The king clenched his fist and looked at Thales again. His gaze was slightly cold.
"But you did not."
Know your place, do things step by step …
He understood some of the king's meaning. At that moment, Thales did not know how to answer.
"Right now, you are neither growing fast nor slow," the king said coldly.
Said the king coldly. His tone became even colder.
"Neither too fast nor too slow.
"Neither too fast nor too slow."
Kessel snorted softly. There was a hint of disdain and frustration in his tone.
He shook his head. "You exceed my expectations, but you also disappoint me."
Thales took a few deep breaths. He wanted to say something, but he did not.
This time, the silence between the father and son was exceptionally long.
They just looked at each other quietly, and they did not speak for a long time.
Then, the teenager could no longer endure the depression in his heart.
"I …"
Thales paused for a moment.
With indescribable depression and gloom, he exhaled a few times. He tried his best to smile, but he could not.
"I thought that on the first day I returned to Eternal Star City, you would talk about something positive about your reunion with your father."
Thales turned his head around, trying to find something to ease the tension.
"Father."
But Kessel obviously did not have the same intention.
"And I thought that after experiencing so much, you would understand what it means to 'live for Constellation'."
The king's gaze burned, and his tone was cold.
"Prince."
Thales froze.
Kessel looked at Thales and snorted softly. He seemed to be disdainful.
"But fortunately, we still have time to teach you how to be a …
"Prince of Constellation."
'Be …
'Prince of Constellation …'
Thales did not speak.
He could only feel an indescribable emotion rising in his chest.
It made him uncomfortable.
It was difficult to get rid of it.
But in the end, he did not say anything.
"Your homecoming banquet will be held a week later.
It will be the time for you to show your face again. "
The king turned his head around. He was not bothered by Thales' silence. No one knew whether he saw it as a tacit agreement, or whether he did not care about it.
"During this period of time, you will keep a low profile.
Let the kingdom slowly digest the return of the heir.
"Do you understand?"
Kessel said coldly.
Thales was silent. After a few seconds, he answered with great difficulty.
"Just like six years ago?"
Kessel the Fifth looked up and spoke in a drawn-out tone.
"Even more than six years ago."
'Even more than six years ago.'
Thales stood where he was and did not move.
A few seconds later …
"Yes." Thales felt his voice was hoarse, like an old machine.
"Your Majesty."
Kessel stared at him for a few seconds before he spoke slowly.
"Very good." The king's tone was slightly sarcastic.
"Son."
Kessel the Fifth leaned back again and sank into the shadows.
The meeting hall returned to dead silence.
Thales panted a few times and calmed himself down.
"I believe you have nothing else to say."
He forced himself to speak respectfully.
"Your Majesty."
There was no reply from the throne above him.
Thales took this as a tacit agreement.
The Duke of Star Lake bowed and walked back with complicated and indescribable feelings.
"Stop."
The king's words echoed in the meeting hall.
Thales stopped.
"Your Majesty, is there anything else?"
But King Kessel only shook his head in the shadows.
"No.
"But you must stay here."
The king said coldly,
"At least fifteen minutes."
Thales was stunned.
"Why?"
Kessel maintained his posture. Only a pair of eyes that reflected a cold light could be seen in the shadows. They contrasted with the Staff of Constellation in his hand.
"Because in the eyes of outsiders, a 'positive topic of reunion between father and son' would probably take this long."
Thales held his breath.
He swallowed hard.
'I see.
'The reunion between His Majesty and the prince …'
'Is only worth fifteen minutes.'
The second prince turned around and looked at his father on the throne. The emotions in his heart were indescribable, and his tone was slightly resentful.
"But we don't need it."
Kessel snorted, "We don't need it.
"But the kingdom needs it."
The unhappiness in Thales' heart surged again.
'I see.'
He did not have to be anxious.
Because it was destined six years ago. Six years later …
It was still the same.
Thales adjusted his breathing and sneered.
"So I have to stay here for fifteen minutes. Only then will the kingdom not know about the rumors of 'conflict between the royal family and the discord between father and son', right?"
In the face of the prince's slightly provocative words, the shadow on the throne froze slightly.
A few seconds later, King Kessel also snorted coldly.
"They didn't know."
There was a deep chill in the king's words.
"Until you accepted that sword."
'That sword?'
Thales suddenly paused.
He did not understand.
"That sword is just …"
But Kessel raised his voice and interrupted him.
"But they still won't know."
At some point in time, the king had left his seat again. He stared at Thales coldly under the firelight, as if he was staring at his enemy.
"Because I had no choice but to stop all the decrees regarding Western Desert this year, from taxes to land quotas and even conscription to show the greatest kindness to your new friends."
'New friends.'
Thales' thoughts froze.
Kessel snorted angrily.
"Just for that damn sword of yours."
In the face of the king, whose expression remained the same, but whose emotions seemed to have turned cold for more than one winter, Thales frowned to show that he could not understand.
"If you are dissatisfied because of this, I can return that sword at any time. You don't have to think about me. You can continue with your great plan to conquer Western Desert …"
But the king suddenly asked,
"Did it change you?"
Thales stopped talking.
"Changed … what?" the prince asked, puzzled.
Kessel narrowed his eyes on the throne on the dais.
"You said that this journey of 'almost dying a few times' …
"Did you learn anything?"
'A journey of almost dying a few times …'
Thales' mood turned cold.
"Yes."
A few seconds later, he said faintly, "I learned a lot."
"No."
But Kessel firmly denied his words.
The King of Constellation stared at the Duke of Star Lake from afar. "If you really learned something, then you should know."
The king's eyes shone with unexplainable anger.
The king's eyes flashed with unexplainable anger.
"Then you wouldn't have become the Duke of Star Lake."
"Then you would never have become … the Duke of Star Lake."
"Why?" he asked instinctively.
"Why?" he asked subconsciously.
The light in the Council Chamber seemed to darken a little more.
"Why?" Kessel was so angry that he laughed.
The king sneered and tapped his scepter. The dull sound spread through the hall.
"Because you …
"Do not deserve it."
'Do not deserve it.'
The moment he heard the last word clearly, Thales froze.
But he did not have the chance to think, much less answer.
"Gilbert! Adrian! "
Kessel the Fifth no longer looked at Thales. Instead, he shouted loudly and coldly.
The door to the stone hall opened. Two footsteps rose calmly.
Gilbert's slightly puzzled voice came from behind him.
"Your Majesty, why —"
But the king immediately interrupted him. His tone was resolute and brooked no room for doubt.
"Let the imperial edict officer draft … No, Gilbert, personally draft my order, the kind that everyone can see."
Gilbert had a surprised look on his face.
"Prince Thales has returned from afar. To commend his glorious achievements and display his noble status …"
The king of Constellation paused and snorted through his nose.
"And my trust and love."
When he heard this, Thales gritted his teeth.
King Kessel sized up his son. Under Gilbert's strange gaze, he said faintly,
"From today onwards, Mindis Hall in Twilight District, one of the properties of the royal family, will be given to the Duke of Star Lake as his …
"Specially granted residence."
Gilbert glanced at Thales. There was surprise and puzzlement in the Foreign Affairs Minister's eyes.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Gilbert quickly nodded and obeyed the order.
Thales slowly raised his head, but realized that King Kessel did not even look at him.
But the king's resolute order had not ended.
"Adrian, accompany the duke out. Let your men send him directly to Mindis Hall. He should be very familiar with that place."
Gilbert wanted to say something, but he hesitated.
Adrian bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Thales, on the other hand, stood at the side and did not say a word.
"Of course, that will have to be in …"
The king snorted coldly and sank into the shadows again.
"In fifteen minutes."
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