Obviously, as the captain of the Duke of Star Lake's personal guards, Mallos was not happy to see Thales welcome guests on the first day he moved into his new residence.
But under the watchful eyes of countless bureaucrats, servants, and guards, the insistence of the second prince, and the pressure from Young Master Karabeyan's family background, Cohen was politely invited into the freshly prepared guest hall. Of course, before that, the captain of the duke's personal guards, watchman Lord Mallos, did not forget to remind his master:
He was the heir of the Karabeyan Family.
And today was the prince's first day back in the capital.
This must mean something.
Hearing this reminder, Thales could only smile numbly.
Then, as always, he tensed up.
To face the person in the guest hall …
"I knew it. I told them that the prince's memory is not bad, and he would definitely remember me. He would definitely not forget to fight side by side with me … As expected …
"I've been writing to you for the past few years, Your Highness, but I don't know why, but you never replied to me … Until one time, I met Caso, who had just returned to his hometown. He told me that the Star Killer intercepted most of the letters he wrote to you.
Thales sat on the main seat and looked at the chattering Cohen. He glanced at the familiar guest hall and tried hard to suppress the emotions in his heart.
Back then, I was here …
Cohen paused. He looked at the absent-minded Thales and raised his palm to measure from his stomach to his chest.
He said in surprise, "Hey, you've grown taller?"
'Grown taller.'
Thales looked at the chair he was sitting on and remembered six years ago.
'Maybe.
Back then, when I was sitting here, my feet could not even touch the ground. '
Thales was silent for a long time.
It was so long that Cohen was at a loss. He subconsciously sat up straight in the chair.
"Yes."
Thales finally spoke. His smile was faint, but it was meaningful.
"I've grown taller."
But Cohen's smile faded.
He looked at the open door to the hall.
There, Mallos was standing at the door with his arms crossed. He was sizing up his two subordinates with a smile, and occasionally glanced at the meeting in the hall from the corner of his eyes.
The police officer was cautious.
"Did I … come at the wrong time?"
Thales shifted his gaze.
Cohen scratched his head.
"They don't look very happy, especially the leader. Look, the one with the fake smile …"
Outside the open door, a maid was about to serve tea and snacks to the duke and the guest, but she was stopped by Mallos, who smiled and raised his hand. Doyle, who had a bitter expression, and Glover, who was as stiff as ever, went forward together and began to inspect them.
He wasn't "happy" about it.
Of course.
Thales thought indifferently.
Although they hadn't spent much time together, from the moment he walked out of the conference hall …
Obviously, even Cohen had sensed something.
When he thought of this and recalled Mallos' words, Thales forced himself to smile.
"That's Mallos."
"Tormond Mallos."
"Watchman of the Royal Guards."
"So that's how it is." Kohen had a look of realization, and he was filled with respect.
"It's the famous Mallos."
Mallos
Hmm, this name does sound a little familiar …
Cohen struggled desperately with his memories.
Where did I hear it coming from?
Thales adjusted his emotions and smiled.
"Don't mind him, he's just a little stricter. After all, this is my first day back, and Mallos is my personal guard captain."
Kohen quickly put the family name he could not recall to the back of his mind.
"Personal guard captain, wow, Your Highness." Kohen looked pleasantly surprised. He looked back and forth at the layout of the guest hall.
"Compared to Northland, it's a lot more upgraded, right?"
The police officer looked around excitedly and curiously.
"Mindis Hall, I was only brought here once by the old man when I was very young … He said that this is a good place, and that it has an extraordinary meaning."
Kohen happily patted his chair.
"Who knows, this seat of mine has sat on many important people."
"Yes, six years ago," Thales said, not without nostalgia.
"The Black Prophet sat on that chair of yours."
Kohen, who was in high spirits, froze.
Thales smiled faintly as he recalled the intense meeting that year.
'I wonder how I'll react when I face Morat Hansen again six years later?'
The prince unknowingly clenched his fists.
Six years ago, the Black Prophet was mysterious, terrifying, and creepy in his mind.
But six years later, he knew that the Black Prophet was not that terrifying, was he?
At least … the Black Prophet had his legs broken before.
In front of him, Kohen moved parallel to him and changed his seat without batting an eyelid.
"You might not believe it, but the time the old man brought me here …
"He was summoned by the crown prince. I suddenly needed to pee, but my servant disappeared. I couldn't find the place, but I suddenly found a vase in the corridor …"
"Cough, cough!"
Doyle, who was coughing loudly, walked over with tea and snacks, interrupting Kohen's unconscious narration.
"Kohen," Doyle's tone was normal, but he glared at the guest from an angle that Thales could not see.
"This is His Highness's palace, and thanks to His Highness' generosity, you can be the first to visit this place.
"Mind your manners."
Kohen snorted and did not care. He looked like he was very familiar with the prince as he watched Doyle leave. Then, he picked up his teacup and downed it in a show of force.
In the next second, the police officer's expression changed, and he spat the tea back into the teacup.
"Ah, wah, ah … f, f, f * ck … f * ck, f * ck, f * ck …"
Kohen stuck out his scalded tongue and fanned himself in a disheveled manner.
Thales watched the interaction between Kohen and Doyle in surprise. He picked up his own teacup and tested it.
'Hmm, the temperature is just right.'
Under Kohen's indignant gaze, Thales coughed to break the awkwardness.
"So, you've known Doyle for a long time?"
"Ha, ha … Damn it … D-D-Do … Oh, you mean Doyle!"
Kohen finally smoothed out his tongue.
"He's my … Hmm, that …"
Kohen's tone was a little uncertain. "Some great-uncle's brother-in-law's grandson?"
"Hmm, probably."
'Some great-uncle's brother-in-law's grandson.
'To think that he remembered.'
Thales looked at Kohen's bright blonde hair, and then at Doyle's dark blonde hair. He suddenly felt a little better.
At the very least, the oppressive feeling from Renaissance Palace was no longer like a dark cloud pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.
Kohen's expression changed. He moved closer to Thales and whispered to Doyle's back, "But you better not play with him too much, Your Highness. That guy is a …"
"Playboy."
'Alright.'
Thales' expression was strange, but he could not help but curl up the corners of his lips.
'Judging by the fact that he snitched on me …
'You guys are really relatives.'
"So … where's the boy from the Caso Family? The one with the single-edged sword? "
Kohen did not pay attention to this small interlude. He straightened his back and searched for the figure that he remembered.
"And that smoking uncle who is very good at scheming?"
Kohen scratched his chin and recalled.
"Including the mute who fanned himself …"
Kohen paused for a moment and asked suspiciously, "Wait, the mute isn't here, right?"
Wya Caso.
Putray Neiman.
Midira Ralf.
Thales was slightly absent-minded.
"They're still in Northland dealing with the matters I left behind, but they'll be back soon."
The prince quickly snapped out of his daze and answered flawlessly.
Kohen breathed a sigh of relief and touched his throat warily.
'Hmm, it's better if I don't run into that mute.'
Looking at Kohen's expression, and then at the unfamiliar yet familiar environment, Thales realized that he missed his old acquaintances even more.
"It's hard to imagine, Your Highness!"
In just a few seconds, Kohen regained his energy and was full of excitement.
"Six years ago, we were still in Northland, fighting and killing together …"
The police officer's enthusiasm towards the prince made it difficult for the latter to resist.
"But … look at this place again, Your Highness. You're a duke now! The Duke of Star Lake! "
Kohen took a deep breath and his face lit up. He seemed to have thought of something exhilarating and exhilarating.
"Even my old man has to bow to you!"
'But you didn't bow.'
Thales rubbed his forehead in resignation.
"So, why Mindis Hall?"
Kohen patted the chair with undiminished interest.
"You're still underage … Why not Renaissance Palace?"
Thales wanted to answer, but he hesitated.
He glanced at the Royal Guards outside the door.
"My … body is weak, and I'm afraid of the cold." Thales recalled the story of the Fog King who left the palace to recuperate.
He smiled and said, "My father let me stay here."
Thales felt a little stifled.
He suddenly realized that compared to six years ago …
He could no longer treat his friends without any grudges or reservations.
"Afraid of the cold?"
Kohen looked at him in surprise.
"But you stayed in Northland for six years!"
Tyrevan forced a smile.
"Maybe that's why they sent me back."
To prevent me from freezing and dying in Northland. "
Kohen was stunned.
With a face full of suspicion, he sized up the prince in front of him again.
A second later.
"Ah!"
Kohen reacted as if he had a sudden realization. His smile reappeared.
"Your Highness, you're really good at joking!
"Afraid of the cold? You're the hero who charged into Heroic Spirit Palace and saved Dragon Clouds City! "
Thales could only continue to smile.
"But you can't fool me."
At this point, the police officer's eyes lit up.
"So, how did you come back from Northland?"
Thales' smile froze.
It was another difficult question to answer.
"Although the announcement said that Eckstedt sent you back as a gift, and at the same time, their king sent his regards to His Majesty …"
Kohen seemed to be deep in thought. His eyes shone with a shrewd light.
"But I'm a man who fought in Northland and Western Desert. I know that place very well, so I know that things …"
Kohen smiled mysteriously.
"It's definitely not that simple."
Thales was shocked.
But unexpectedly, Kohen looked confident and did not intend to question him further.
"I know." The police officer snapped his fingers as if he knew what was going on.
"This year, whether it's the war in the Alliance of Freedom, the civil strife in Black Sand Region, or other things, it's just the surface of things."
Looking at Kohen in front of him, Thales was a little surprised.
'He means …'
"And the truth is, someone with ulterior motives has already planned everything in secret …"
Kohen waved his hand. His face was filled with an expression that said, "I know, stop pretending."
"Only for your safe return!"
At that moment, Thales was shocked.
'What?
Kohen?
When did he …
'Is it the Secret Intelligence Department? Did Raphael tell him? '
"Hehe, not only that, I also know that the person with ulterior motives …"
The police officer had a shrewd look on his face.
"And the person who planned all of this …"
Thales looked at him, a little nervous.
He had to admit that the Kohen in front of him gave him an unfathomable feeling that made him look at him in a different light.
Kohen stood up abruptly and said in an imposing manner,
"… It's you, Your Highness!"
The entire guest hall fell silent.
Only Kohen's voice floated in the guest hall, lingering.
The police officer maintained a handsome posture of pointing out the culprit, looking valiant and confident.
At the tip of his finger, Thales froze on the spot.
Doyle, who was outside the door, looked in curiously but was forced back by a smile from Mallos.
After a few seconds, Thales, who had recovered, tried to open his mouth.
"Huh?"
But Kohen seemed to have practiced it beforehand. He changed his footsteps, retracted his right hand, and swung his right arm. He said confidently, "I know you too well, Your Highness!
"I know that someone as quick-witted as you is the one who started all the schemes!"
Kohen was excited.
"Just like six years ago …
"This time, you were also the one who came up with the strategy. You used the Alliance of Freedom and the vassals of Black Sand Region to successfully instigate the internal strife between Dragon Clouds City and Black Sand Region …"
Thales' eyebrows began to twitch.
"When the two great forces were fighting against each other and had no time to care about each other, you successfully escaped and returned to the country safely!
"And you severely weakened Eckstedt's strength!"
Kohen's posture did not diminish.
He knew that at that moment, his eyes were shining with wisdom.
He waited for the person in front of him to respond.
Before Kohen's expectant gaze, Thales squeezed his eyebrows as hard as he could.
"Uh, not bad, more or less."
Kohen's eyes brightened when he received confirmation!
"Those Northland barbarians." The police officer was very happy.
"You must have taught them a lesson, didn't you?"
Thales took a deep breath.
"Uh, not bad … more or less."
Kohen became even more excited.
"That's why you, who contributed to the country, were conferred the title of duke the moment you came back!"
When he heard this, Thales answered numbly,
"Not bad, not bad, more or less."
When he heard the prince admit it, Kohen retracted his arms and clenched his fists!
'Yeah!'
He was completely unaware of Thales' complicated expression at that moment.
"Hehe, how was it? Ever since I learned my lesson six years ago, I've been cramming in politics for the past few years." The police officer narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, looking very knowledgeable.
"My resourcefulness has also improved, hasn't it?"
Thales quietly looked at Kohen, who was beaming with joy.
"Yes." A few seconds later, Thales broke into an awkward smile.
"Yes, yes."
Kohen instantly beamed like a squirrel that had found a pine cone.
"So, how have the Northlanders treated you over the years?"
Thales had yet to recover from the shock of Kohen's "intelligence". He sighed.
"Uh, how should I say this …"
But Kohen, who was brimming with confidence, waved his hand and interrupted him.
"Oh, I get it."
Kohen looked up and empathized.
"When I was in the Tower of Eradication, my teacher was a Northlander. Strictly speaking, Miranda is also a Northlander … They, oh my …"
Kohen seemed to have remembered something and shuddered.
The police officer was halfway through his disgusted expression when he suddenly turned around and narrowed his eyes at Thales.
"You get it?"
Thales stared at him blankly.
"Uh, I … that …"
Facing Kohen's expectant and longing gaze, the prince could only try his best to smile.
"Yes, I get it, I get it.
"See!"
Kohen slapped his thigh excitedly.
"I knew you would get it!"
Thales tried hard to suppress the twitching of his lips.
Kohen sighed.
"Unfortunately, no one else gets it."
But he immediately perked up. He looked at the confused prince eagerly, as if he was looking at his own younger brother.
"But it's okay, it's enough that we get it!"
Thales could only follow Kohen's lead. He smiled foolishly and nodded, suppressing that terrifying question.
'What do I get?'
For the first time in this fruitful conversation, the Duke of Star Lake felt that his intelligence level was slightly lacking.
Just as Thales was immersed in the sadness of his damaged intelligence, Kohen suddenly stood up and slapped his thigh.
"Alright, I should go."
Thales was instantly stunned.
"Go? Now? "
The police officer said with a smile,
"Your Highness, take care!"
Thales looked at the happy Kohen and asked doubtfully,
"That … That's it?"
Kohen blinked, as if he did not quite understand.
"Yes."
Thales was stunned for a few seconds before he said,
"You … Don't you have anything else to do?"
"Yes." Kohen's eyes darted around, and his mood became dejected.
"I have to go to the office in the afternoon to sign in, or else the director will deduct …"
'Wait.
That's it? '
'As the heir of one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families …
'On the first day the second prince returned to the capital …
'No probing, no roping, no ulterior motives, no flattery, no threats, no temptations, no conspiracies?
'There's nothing Mallos reminded me of … everything?'
The duke stared blankly at the dejected Kohen before him.
For the first time since returning to Constellation, Thales felt a little out of sorts.
Thales snapped out of his daze and shook his head.
"No, I mean …"
The prince hesitated for a moment. He looked at Kohen with a somewhat solemn gaze.
"How is your father?"
Thales still spoke, with a hint of discomfort and guilt.
"Walla Hill's … Count Karabeyan?"
Kohen was also stunned.
"Him?"
"I don't know. He should be quite well … It's been a long time since I wrote to him."
The young duke was a little surprised.
"But … You came all the way here today just to spend a few minutes … chatting with me?"
Kohen paused for a moment and sank into deep thought.
A few seconds later, he shrugged after thinking hard but to no avail.
"Yes, I just came to see you."
The police officer scratched his head. He looked confused.
"What else?"
This time, it was Thales' turn to be stunned.
At that moment, the Legendary Wing, Norb from the Secret Intelligence Department, the Duke of Western Desert, Derek Kroma, the Count of Black Lion, Watchman Mallos, Gilbert, Guard Captain Adrian … The faces of many people he had met since he returned to the kingdom flashed in Thales' mind.
'But …
'Compared to the person before me …'
Thales looked at the silly Cohen in front of him with mixed feelings.
The large police officer also stared at him in puzzlement and blinked.
After a long while, the duke, who had a lot of emotions, snapped out of his daze and took a deep breath.
"Kohen.
"You are the eldest son, right?
"The Karabeyan Family of the Sword of the Twin Towers?"
The moment he heard the word 'eldest son', Kohen looked like a frosted eggplant. He became listless.
"Yes?"
Kohen said listlessly.
Thales quietly stared at the young master of the Karabeyan Family, the legitimate heir of Walla Hill.
"So, after you graduated from the Tower of Eradication, you went straight to Western Desert? You went to Lightning Raven? "
The police officer waved his hand.
"Yes."
"Your father didn't stop you?" Thales gently rubbed the teacup in his hand.
"You know, you are the heir to the family's territory and title …
"Oh, speaking of this …"
Kohen tried hard to pull himself together and face these headache-inducing matters.
"My old man, he … Wait, how did you know that I served in Western Desert and went to Lightning Raven?"
The police officer looked at him suspiciously.
However, Thales' expression did not change.
"Everyone knows."
Kohen thought about it seriously and came to a realization.
"That's right, everyone knows."
"As for my father, of course, he stopped me. He didn't want me to join the army, and he didn't want me to go to Western Desert. What I mean is," Kohen answered thoughtfully, but his tone gradually became gloomy.
"At least he tried to stop me."
Thales stared deeply at Kohen.
For the first time, he felt that he saw something different in this big man.
"But you still went."
The prince said quietly.
Kohen exhaled slowly.
"I still went."
The living room was silent for a while. It seemed that both sides needed time to digest these few words.
"After that, did he not pressure you?"
Thales stared at the reflection in the teacup and asked absentmindedly,
"Forced you to go back and become a … qualified heir?"
Kohen shuddered slightly, as if he had recalled some bad memories.
But he still smiled.
"Of course.
You can't imagine. "
There was a hint of regret at the end of Kohen's words.
"The way he forced me to leave the army …"
He did not continue.
"But you are still here," Thales said faintly, "in the capital?"
"Yes."
The police officer was also slightly absent-minded.
"At least in the capital, the old man does not dare to act recklessly." Kohen sighed and sounded resigned.
"If I leave the capital, I suspect that he will send an army to kidnap me … Ahem …"
Cohen shrugged and flashed his usual grin.
As cheerful as ever.
Thales looked at him quietly.
'He's smiling.'
The prince told himself.
'Kohen.'
At that moment, Thales suddenly felt that …
'I'm not alone.'
There was another period of silence between them.
Mallos knocked on the door softly from afar.
It was time to meet the guest.
"Kohen."
Thales put down the teacup in his hand and slowly raised his head.
"Thank you …"
The prince showed his warmest and most sincere smile that day.
"It's nice to meet you."
Kohen raised his eyebrows.
"Yes, I'm also …"
But the police officer was interrupted.
Thales continued to speak to himself.
"… I can see my old face.
It's nice. "
Thales' expression was indifferent, but his words were profound.
The moment he finished speaking, Kohen's expression changed.
He looked at the prince in a daze, puzzled.
"What's wrong?" Thales smiled.
Kohen narrowed his eyes, as if he wanted to carefully size up the master of Mindis Hall.
"You're different."
Thales could not help but laugh.
"Is that so? You think so too?"
Kohen nodded in all seriousness.
"Yes, you've changed, changed …"
He tried his best to scan the Duke of Star Lake in front of him.
In the end, Kohen, who could not think of an adjective for a long time, could only force out one sentence.
"Changed … Bigger."
Thales snickered.
Looking at the prince's smile, Kohen frowned.
He turned his head and remembered the child he held under his armpit in the tunnel all those years ago.
'Yes, he was cuter when he was young.'
A thought flashed in Thales' mind, and he remembered something.
"Right, do you remember Ralf?"
Kohen's thoughts were in a mess.
He said blankly, "Ralf what?"
"My subordinate, the one with the mask …"
"You mean …" Kohen thought deeply at first, then came to a realization.
"… Mute!"
Looking at Kohen's happy expression, Thales sighed.
'This might be a bad idea.
'But …'
"Kohen."
Thales paused for a moment, but still looked up.
This time, the prince's expression was extremely serious.
"I … want to ask for a small favor.
"In private."
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