When Thales was asked out of Mindis Hall by Gilbert and Jines with serious expressions, he did not know what had happened.
"What is it?" For the first time in over twenty days, Thales stepped out of the cedar wood door of Mindis Hall. He looked puzzled as he looked at the familiar dark-colored carriage.
"Gilbert will explain it to you." Jines' serious look made him nervous. She swung the horsewhip in her hand and leaped onto the driver's seat lightly. She answered briefly, "All you need to do is to get on the carriage immediately."
Thales turned his head in confusion. The middle-aged noble took out a boarding stool out of nowhere and placed it gently on the ground.
"Please, young sir.
Madam Jines does not like to sit in the carriage. I am sorry, but you will have to endure an old man like me sharing the carriage with you. " Gilbert's attempt at humor completely failed. Even the two horses could sense that he was preoccupied and intentionally avoided him.
'What … happened?'
With uneasiness and apprehension, Thales stepped on the boarding stool and the carriage pedal. He turned around to look at the guards of Mindis Hall and saw that they had no intention of leaving with him. As if sensing Thales' gaze, the swordsmen, with Chora in the lead, bowed their heads to show respect.
"They will not leave with us. One carriage, it will be more discreet," Gilbert said flatly.
Thales looked at the extremely serious expressions on the two men's faces and suppressed his desire to get to the bottom of the matter. He only asked, "After we leave this time … will we still return?"
"It depends on His Majesty's will." Gilbert's tone was a little solemn. "Forgive me for being rude, but we must leave as soon as possible."
'Things are actually so serious?'
Thales did not say anything else and simply sat in the carriage. Gilbert, who followed closely behind, gently closed the carriage door.
Inside the dark carriage, there was still the same dark red sofa from twenty days ago. The glass adorned with Crystal Drops, the carriage decorated with the Nine-Pointed Star Emblem, and the slightly glowing paint.
Jines' horsewhip was light and rhythmic, but the speed of the carriage was much faster than the last time Gilbert drove it. Of course, it was also much bumpier.
As the carriage jolted up and down, Gilbert watched Mindis Hall gradually disappear outside the window under the moonlight. He looked at Thales solemnly.
"Time is tight. I will only speak about the main points."
Aside from the conversation in the secret chamber, Thales had never seen Gilbert so serious. This made him anxious.
"Eckstedt's diplomatic group is scheduled to visit Constellation around the new year." The middle-aged noble looked at Thales seriously.
Thales narrowed his eyes and tried hard to recall the history of the continent over the past twenty days.
Eckstedt.
Raikaru Eckstedt, the human hero of the Battle of Eradication, established the country in Northland.
The Great Dragon of the North, the Hero's Nation, the Western Peninsula's Blade, Constellation's powerful northern neighbor.
Gilbert continued solemnly, "An urgent report came from the Northern Territory. Three days ago, the Eckstedt Diplomat Group was on their way south to Central Territory … They were all robbed and killed. No one survived."
Thales widened his eyes in disbelief.
"The victims included six Eckstedtian nobles and … Prince Moriah Walton." Gilbert sighed.
"He is the King of Eckstedt and the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, the only son of Nuven the Seventh, the heir of the Walton Family, and the next Archduke of Dragon Clouds City."
Thales sucked in a cold breath.
He was the only son of the king of the strongest country in the Western Continent, as well as the successor of his territory.
'Robbed and killed in Constellation Realm?'
"Including the Constellatiate nobles who accompanied them, there were no survivors at the scene. There were no clues at all. There was only a line of blood written on the ground using the blood of the victims …"
Gilbert stared straight into Thales' eyes and nodded slightly with a worried expression. "As long as Constellation exists, the Empire will live forever."
'The family motto of the Jadestar Royal Family?'
Thales was stunned.
"This clumsy and childish method is obviously a way to frame and sow discord between the two countries …" Thales carefully thought about the nature of this matter, but he suddenly realized something. He raised his head in disbelief and asked, "Is it really useful?"
"Unfortunately, it is useful, and very bad," Gilbert said in a low voice.
'Very bad?' Thales felt a chill in his heart.
The carriage drove out of Twilight District, entered King's Street, and headed towards the Central Region.
King's Street was one of the largest streets in Eternal Star City. The flow of people was second only to Star Plaza, which served as the transportation hub to the north of the Central Region, where merchants and shops from various countries gathered, as well as the grand bazaar to the side of the Western City Gate where the lower-class citizens gathered.
Unlike the roads in Twilight District and Western District which were still illuminated by torches and animal oil lamps, King's Street was lit with Everlasting Lamps that were second only to those in Eastern City District. Gradually, there were more pedestrians on the road. From minstrels who performed as performers, to merchants who called out softly (some shops that did business at night, such as clothing stores and watch shops, were still open), to nobles' servants who hurried about, and officials who came and went to socialize. There were even real nobles who passed by in carriages or on foot.
Here, their carriages were inconspicuous.
King's Street was located at the junction between Twilight District and the Central Region. The proportion of people who were either rich or noble was extremely high. Compared to Star Plaza and the grand bazaar that Thales had seen before, this place appeared more conservative and quiet. It lacked the hustle and bustle of the former and the vulgarity of the latter. However, even here, beggars and tramps dressed in rags could be seen on both sides of the road from time to time, moaning and reaching out to passersby.
Fortunately, the carriage was installed with one-way glass, so there was no need to worry about the people outside discovering the movements in the carriage.
However, Thales' mind was currently focused on Gilbert's words, and he only glanced at the scenery on the street.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister's words continued to ring in his ears.
"The key lies in the 'Fortress Treaty'.
"At the end of the Bloody Year, Eckstedt invaded, and Broken Dragon Fortress fell. From the Northern Territory, the Land of Cliffs, Western Desert to the Eastern Sea, most of Constellation was engulfed in the flames of war. The army was weak, and the kingdom was almost in a hopeless situation. His Majesty, who had just inherited the throne, even considered conscripting children below the age of fourteen into the army. "
Gilbert let out a long sigh. His gaze was absent-minded, as though he was recalling the years of war.
"Due to the fear of the Great Dragon in the North by the various countries in the Western Peninsula, as well as the concern of Mane of Night and Hanbol in the Eastern Peninsula, we tried our best to mediate in foreign affairs and asked for other countries' interference. In the end, we forced Eckstedt's vanguard to retreat and sign the treaty. Eckstedt was even forced to give up a piece of barren land that they occupied in Constellation before the Bloody Year.
"I was one of the signatories of the 'Fortress Treaty' back then. I am very clear about this."
Thales' eyes brightened. "We lost the war, but won the negotiation?"
Gilbert nodded, but his expression did not relax. "This is bad. Rather than saying that this is a treaty, it would be more accurate to say that it is a record of humiliation."
The carriage continued to move forward, and there were many beggars on the road. Some of them even extended their hands to Jines, who was the coachman. However, the cold-faced female official ignored all of them. She whipped the horse even more briskly.
"At the moment when we were winning, and our land and wealth were within our reach, we were forced by other countries to stop fighting and even cede our land. This kind of failure was more shameful than losing the war. Many of Eckstedt's suzerains, especially the archdukes in the south who were bordering Constellation, were extremely angry, so much so that the 'Fortress Treaty' even shook King Nuven's rule. Over the past ten years, the relationship between the Great Dragon and Constellation has always been below freezing point. In addition, a large number of Crystal Drop mineral deposits have been discovered in the Northern Territory, and the Eastern Sea has a deep-sea whale pod that is rich in oil … "
Gilbert sighed.
'Eckstedt, a country and a nation that is still forming,' Thales said in his heart. 'We need war to grind out the unity of the entire country.
"Eckstedt's suzerains, or at least the three archdukes who are bordering us, are all eagerly anticipating the war. They long for the large amount of land, resources, and wealth that they could have easily obtained twelve years ago, but in the end, they missed it."
Gilbert shook his head and looked outside the window. There was sadness in his eyes.
"That is why the Eckstedt Diplomat Group came to visit. They are determined to get their hands on the 'Fortress Treaty', and even more so, they want to redraw the borders between the two countries.
"And now, before the diplomat group could reach Eternal Star City, they were robbed and killed on the way. Can you imagine the scene when the news reaches Eckstedt?"
The carriage bumped over an uneven surface of the road, and the entire carriage trembled.
Thales furrowed his brows. "You think that the suzerains of Eckstedt planned this robbery and murder? Just to start a war and fight for territory and resources? "
Gilbert raised his head. At that moment, his gaze was very frightening.
"It is worse than that." The former Foreign Affairs Minister said coldly, "Eckstedt adopts a king selection system. The suzerains vote and elect a king by consensus. In recent decades, the Walton Family has sat on the throne for two whole generations. And Nuven the Seventh is definitely not a beauty who is loved by everyone."
Thales came to a sudden realization and said, "So, this is the common demand of some of the suzerains of Eckstedt to demand resources from the outside and to fight for a change of king?"
"It is close, young Sir. Just one more step forward, one more step forward." Gilbert carefully guided the kingdom's only Jadestar bloodline.
He said calmly, "During the period of time from the assassination of the diplomat group to the aftermath, the pressure of this matter will be entirely on King Kessel's shoulders. How to decide, how to respond, whether to fight or to make peace, how to use the method, whether to be tough or soft, whether to be honorable or humiliated, all the responsibilities will be borne by His Majesty. From now on, all the nobles of Constellation will have their eyes firmly fixed on Renaissance Palace. "
"What do you mean?" Thales asked, puzzled. No matter how much of a genius he was, he was not in the context of the rules of the nobles. He could not understand the meaning of this matter.
At that moment, Gilbert's gaze suddenly became complicated and profound. Thales could not understand it.
"First of all, although the handling of this matter is complicated, regardless of whether to fight or make peace, His Majesty will not be able to escape the accusations of being cold-blooded, heartless, inconsiderate to the people, weak and easily bullied, and a disgrace to Constellation. This will greatly affect His Majesty and the Jadestar Royal Family's reputation and authority in the kingdom."
Thales' pupils shrank abruptly. He began to understand what "worse than this" meant.
"Secondly, to handle this matter, regardless of whether it is military mobilization or national decision-making, it requires power that far exceeds that of the territories directly under the royal family. It requires the cooperation of all of Constellation and the suzerains. This means that His Majesty must obtain the full support of the suzerains, especially the Six Great Clans and the Thirteen Distinguished Families. This is definitely not without a price!"
Thales' heart trembled. 'For example, the next candidate for the Supreme King of Constellation?'
"Thirdly, there are pros and cons to war. Not only does it bring about a crisis, it also brings about a reshuffling of power in Constellation. After the baptism of war, the weak will be eliminated, the old will lose their positions, the strong will be reborn, and the living will become stronger. Some of the suzerains will face their doom, while the others will be reborn."
Under Gilbert's burning gaze, Thales sat in the carriage in a daze, feeling the bumps and tremors.
"Lastly, the royal family has no heirs. Constellation has not had an heir for twelve years." Gilbert's voice suddenly rose. "What else could force His Majesty to choose an heir earlier than the imminent crisis of the kingdom, and leave a way out for a possible war? In fact, if a noble family makes a move to submit to the people's wishes during this crisis and gather the support of the middle and small nobles, who knows whether they will become the next Jadestar Royal Family? "
Silence.
Thales stared outside the window with a blank gaze.
He understood what Gilbert meant.
However, he was shocked by the fact that his brain was burning and he was thinking about it in detail. He could not get over it even after a long time.
Gilbert looked at his expression and shook his head slightly.
'Hopefully, this cruel and bloody game, which has been going on for thousands of years, will not scare this smart and talented young man away.'
After a long while, Thales spoke in a dumbfounded manner.
"So, this is not just the will of Eckstedt: war and a change of king. This is also the wish of many people in Constellation — to fight for the throne of the royal family. "Thales added his final conclusion with great difficulty.
Thales added the final conclusion with great difficulty, "The assassination of the diplomat group is the result of many political factors working together … It is something that will inevitably happen under the tacit agreement of the ambitious people from both countries …"
"I guess so," Thales uttered the last two words, and it was an affirmative sentence.
Gilbert looked at Thales' condition worriedly. He blinked hesitantly, but in the end, he still opened his mouth and said, "In view of the current situation of the royal family, your existence and appearance will make you the target of all the suzerains in the country and Eckstedt internationally. For the sake of your safety, I will suggest to His Majesty to postpone the recognition of you …"
Thales did not mind Gilbert's words. He spoke softly and interrupted the middle-aged noble, "Is it worth it?"
Gilbert raised his eyebrows.
Thales asked weakly, "Just what kind of person would look forward to and look forward to the arrival of war?"
Thales slowly closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "This is not a game of counting chess pieces on a chessboard." Thales slowly closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "This is war. It is two groups of living people standing face to face, taking each other's lives in a reasonable and lawful manner, until one side is completely taken away … War.
They have experienced the disaster of the Bloody Year. Why are there still people who look forward to war?
Just for the sake of a crown? To enjoy authority and power in a broken and decaying kingdom, on a barren and hungry land, and among the numb people? Then, they will rule for more than twenty years in a difficult, miserable, fearful, and paranoid manner, and then impose the same misfortune on their descendants?
Is it worth it? "
Gilbert wanted to answer, but he was momentarily speechless.
Thales, who did not have an answer, shook his head with a dejected expression.
However, this was probably history.
The history of human behavior.
There was another period of silence in the carriage.
The carriage drove away from the bustling King's Street. The number of beggars outside the carriage increased, and Jines had to use her horsewhip to scare them away.
"This is not just war." Gilbert looked at his student with a worried expression and said softly, "This is politics."
We are all gamblers whose goal is power.
"Land and people are just bargaining chips that can be used to exchange.
"Victory and defeat are just a matter of shifting the bargaining chips.
"This is the game between the nobles and the country."
Thales raised his gaze and chuckled softly in resignation. "Yes, war is the continuation of politics — a game of power, a feast for crows."
'But I don't like this.'
A voice in his heart whispered softly.
The prince shifted his gaze outside the carriage window. There, a beggar with a distressed expression extended his hand to touch the carriage axle.
Looking at the beggars in the capital, Thales thought gloomily, 'This is already a broken kingdom —
'Wait!'
The carriage passed by a bright Everlasting Lamp. Thales focused his gaze and instantly saw the beggar's hand clearly.
It was a pair of rough and callused hands.
However, the calluses were not evenly distributed on the areas he usually saw. Instead, they were concentrated on the thumb, index finger, and the area between the thumb and index finger.
His brain immediately began to work.
He had seen such a unique callus on another person's hand before.
Jala Charleton.
Thales was shocked. He turned to another beggar, then the third, the fourth …
"Gilbert!"
The middle-aged noble looked at him in puzzlement.
Thales said without batting an eyelid,
"Something is not right.
These people are not beggars. "
The prince sucked in a deep breath.
"They … They are …"
Yodel's hoarse voice traveled faintly from the air and finished his sentence.
"Assassins."
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