'The Crown Prince of Constellation.
'Midier Jadestar.
'The former owner … of Mindis Manor?'
Thales' heart stirred slightly. He felt uneasy, as if he was sitting on pins and needles.
Jines' tone became gentler.
"When Kessel was young, he often came here to hide … to relieve his boredom."
'Until …'
Jines sized up the decorations in the study room in a daze. It was as if she could see through time and see the past.
"This place has a different meaning to him."
Thales focused his gaze.
Jines looked at the air and smiled faintly.
"Actually, when it comes to the layout, compared to Renaissance Palace, Mindis Hall is more like a place to relax and not a royal temporary residence with tight security. More than one person suggested him to change to a temporary residence for safety. Even the late king asked him about it.
"But do you know how Midier answered?"
Thales pricked up his ears.
Jines stared at the spot where Thales sat in a daze. She spoke in a slightly archaic manner.
She said in a slightly archaic tone, "If everyone hates and fears …
"Even if the palace walls are a thousand feet long, or if the pass is ten thousand feet long, how can my life be preserved?
'If everyone hates and fears …'
Thales mulled over her words and frowned slightly.
"Are these his original words?"
Jines shook her head.
"No, these are what the Virtuous King engraved on the silver coin said.
"Midier made some changes when he quoted it, but …"
Jines rubbed her wrist gently. Her gaze was gentle.
"A long time ago, I don't remember what the Virtuous King's original words were.
I only remember how Midier handled government affairs here. "
Thales did not speak.
He thought carefully about what his uncle would look like if he could say these words in such a magnanimous manner.
As if she knew what he was thinking, Jines said, "Yes.
She said, "When he ran into a difficult problem, he would sit behind your study table and press down on the spot between his eyebrows. His lips would be slightly furrowed, and he would not say a word as he slowly sank into deep thought."
Jines stared at the study table absentmindedly. There was endless nostalgia in her eyes.
"After a few minutes, the corners of his lips and the spot between his eyebrows would relax at the same time.
"At that time, he would put down his fingers and smile."
As if to echo her words, Jines also revealed a smile. She was beautiful and quiet.
"Then, the problem would no longer be a problem."
Thales felt a little guilty.
However, Jines continued speaking. Her tone was ethereal and dreamy, as if she was narrating a fairy tale.
"He always finds a way out of trouble."
"Settle the conflict to everyone's satisfaction."
"Arrange things neatly."
"For everyone … to dispel disappointment."
Jines' voice faded away.
Thales remained silent.
The two of them sat in silence. One was reminiscing, the other was imagining, leaving the quiet emptiness in the study.
After a while, Jines took a deep breath. The expression on her face returned to being helpless and sad.
"Kid, it's not that he doesn't like you."
Thales was shocked. It was only then that he realized that the subject of the man's words had changed.
"He's just …"
"But …"
Jines stared fixedly at the study table in front of Thales. She did not continue speaking.
However, Thales stared at the chair he was sitting on and thought about Renaissance Palace a few days ago in a daze.
"… You will never become the Duke of Star Lake …"
[Because of you …]
"Unworthy."
Thales was stunned.
He stared blankly at the desk in front of him and recalled the identity and deeds of its previous owner. He could not help but feel puzzled.
He, the master of Renaissance Palace, thought that Thales was not worthy of her …
What could it be?
After a while, Thales finally snapped out of his daze.
He looked at Jines gratefully.
"Madam, it's nice to see you again."
Thales nodded and held back his unnecessary emotions.
"Really."
Jines smiled.
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she closed it.
A few seconds later, Jines said airily,
"Kid, eat more and sleep early.
Also, even though I am no longer in charge of teaching you martial arts and sword skills, but … "
Jines looked at him quietly.
"Remember to practice your sword."
A thought appeared in Thales' mind, and he smiled softly.
"I have seen you fight."
Jines said softly,
"It's alright."
But in the next moment, the female official's tone became stern.
"But I did not teach you the sword skills used by the Northland Army to turn you into a madman who will sacrifice his life to fight."
Thales, who was originally immersed in the gentle atmosphere, could not help but shudder.
"Remember, you are a prince."
Jines said sternly,
"No matter what you experienced in the north …
"When battle comes, you must raise your shield and protect yourself first!"
Jines looked at him sternly.
"Defense is the most important thing. Don't always think about taking the risk to attack."
As if to emphasize her words, Jines raised her voice.
"Did you hear me?"
Thales shuddered and habitually agreed to it.
"Yes … Yes?"
Jines stood up after she landed on the ground. She straightened her attire and returned to being the fierce and valiant first-class female official.
Thales quickly stood up and sent her out of the room.
But when they walked up the corridor, Jines' footsteps suddenly stopped.
The female official turned her head around sharply and looked at the two guards at the porch.
"You, Young D.D."
The guards, who were in a daze out of boredom, were shocked. They snapped out of their daze.
"M-Madam?"
Thales was also shocked. He quickly caught up with her.
"Why are you standing here?"
Jines questioned them sternly.
Doyle was obviously very nervous when he was questioned. He patted his attire and walked forward cautiously with his colleague.
"Madam, we have been assigned duties by our superior. We are to serve His Highness tonight —"
But Jines interrupted him.
"Today, when this boy was being beaten up in the training field, I heard it." Jines glared at him, narrowed her eyes, and said,
"You are also a part-time commentator by the side, right?"
At that moment, Doyle's body trembled.
Thales smiled helplessly.
"I … That … I was just joking …" Doyle looked like he was about to cry.
However, Jines' tone turned cold.
"So, you admit that as the personal guard of the Duke of Star Lake, you made fun of him in public?"
When she said this, everyone in the room frowned. Thales was no exception.
Doyle was obviously panicking. He quickly denied it.
"No, of course not. That was because Lord Mallos was testing His Highness' …"
The atmosphere of the conversation became tense.
Thales looked at Jines in surprise. He felt that this was not good.
Jines snorted softly.
"So, you are accusing your superior, Mallos, of ordering you to belittle and make fun of the prince in the crowd?"
Doyle shuddered again.
"I, Madam, that …"
At that moment, his colleague, who had been silent, spoke.
"Doyle!"
His colleague shouted in a low voice, "Go!
"Shut up."
Doyle, who was having a headache, immediately went along with the advice and kept quiet.
As expected, Jines changed her target. She turned her head elegantly and looked at the person beside Doyle.
"And who are you?"
His colleague in the dark raised his head, and his tall figure was revealed in the light.
"Vanguard Caleb Glover. Madam. "
Jines narrowed her eyes as if she was thinking about something.
"Oh, Glover."
The female official nodded and smiled. "I remember a Glover."
"The most famous one."
Glover did not answer, but he stood straighter.
When Doyle, who was beside him, sighed in his heart that it was indeed easy to become a government official because of his ancestors, Jines suddenly changed the topic.
"You know, many years ago, it was also here." Jines stared at Glover, and there was a chill in her eyes.
"Do you know what your grandfather called me?"
Glover's expression immediately became stern.
"'That shameless and debauched little wench brought over from Eastern Sea.'"
'Little wench …'
Glover's expression instantly became very unpleasant.
Thales also became nervous.
"Your grandfather, that old man from the Glover Family, said this to the crown prince." Jines was not bothered by it at all. She even spoke in slight disdain.
"'She should be thrown into the seventh layer of hell and burned for eternity.'"
Jines said the last few words through clenched teeth.
The smile that Thales had been maintaining started to feel a little sore.
'This is bad.
'Is this … the meeting of enemies?'
"What a pity, the road to hell …"
When Doyle, who was beside him, secretly rejoiced about how unlucky you are, Zombie, "Jines snorted coldly.
"Old bro, Lover is leaving first."
Let's hope he is not too cooked. "
Glover's expression did not change, but he clenched his fists tightly.
Thales did not understand what Jines was doing, but his instincts told him that he could not remain silent.
"Madam, it's late, why don't we …"
But Jines ignored the prince's words. Instead, she spoke to Doyle and Glover on her own.
"Both of you, pack your luggage. You don't have to be on duty in Mindis Hall anymore."
Thales was shocked!
"Alright, Madam, we will immediately —"
Doyle quickly nodded in agreement. He only reacted to what she said when he said it.
"Huh?"
Glover furrowed his eyebrows tightly.
Jines' expression changed, and she said sternly, "Yes, because you have neglected your master and disrespected the royal family.
You have been banished from the duke's personal guards.
Now. "
The air was silent for a moment.
Doyle's expression changed back and forth. No one knew what he was thinking during those few seconds, but he immediately said in panic,
"But, Madam, um, the royal guards, our duty is …"
But at that moment, Glover, who had always been a man of few words, spoke faster than him.
"Madam, our appointment was reviewed by Baron Adrian and Chief Mallos together, and it was signed by His Majesty …"
But Jines suddenly raised her voice, and in an instant, she drowned out both of them.
"So, Danny Doyle, Caleb Glover, you are not willing to leave on your own …"
At that moment, Jines' gaze was sharp and fierce, and there was an unbearable chill in it.
"Do you really want me to ask Female Officer Bajkovic, who is in charge of the second prince's daily life, to formally propose during the Imperial Conference tomorrow morning that His Majesty and the vassals will be alerted so that they will worry about this small matter of changing the guards?"
Doyle and Glover froze at the same time!
One of them was tongue-tied, while the other glared at Jines in disbelief, who was displaying her might like a lioness.
"Madam!"
Thales finally could not take it anymore.
"Please do not be troubled by this matter," the Duke of Star Lake said gently and politely.
"Protector Doyle's actions today were instructed by me, and Vanguard Glover has always been conscientious and competent."
Doyle and Glover turned to Thales at the same time.
Jines also turned her head abruptly and stared at the prince with a murderous gaze.
It was just like the training field six years ago.
But Thales was still smiling, and his expression did not change.
The few torturous seconds were finally over.
Jines snorted, and she seemed to be disdainful.
"Soft-hearted, wishy-washy, and sloppy.
This is why you don't get any dignity or respect. "
Thales smiled bashfully and nodded.
"I know."
The prince shrugged and looked at Jines in resignation.
"It's just that … that's not my style."
Jines glared at Doyle and Glover with a gaze that was as sharp as a knife, and it made the two of them stand even straighter.
"Dinner is in an hour. Madam, do you want to stay for dinner?"
Before Jines could finish her sentence, Thales spoke hastily.
This made Jines snort softly in dissatisfaction.
"Forget it," the female official said coldly.
She cast a final glance at the three tense people before she turned around and left without hesitation.
As the sound of high-heeled boots gradually faded away, Jines' figure disappeared around the corner. Thales and the other two exhaled slowly.
"Madam Jines is a straightforward person, don't mind her."
Thales said apologetically.
Glover remained silent, while Doyle forced a smile with an ashamed look on his face.
"Your Highness, I …"
But Thales spoke first. His tone was curious.
"So, Madam Jines, does she really have the power to bypass Mallos and Adrian and expel all of you?"
Doyle's eyes darted around.
"About that, I'm not too …"
However, Glover spoke this time.
"If she can publicly and officially bring this up to His Majesty and the Imperial Conference, and the reason is valid … yes."
Thales showed an expression that said, "I see."
He then sucked in a breath and looked at the two of them with a smile.
"But first of all, all of you are my guards, aren't you?"
Doyle glanced at the corner. The trauma in his heart had not disappeared yet.
"Yes?"
Thales flashed a smile.
"Then she can't."
Doyle blinked, while Glover's expression changed.
"Thank you, Your Highness," Glover said in a low voice.
Thales smiled and gave them a thumbs-up. Without saying anything, he turned around and went back to his room.
"About that, Your Highness," Doyle said hastily behind him, and there was some hope in his voice.
"Is … is there anything else I can do for you?"
Thales stopped moving.
"Oh, it's already so late." The teenager came to a sudden realization. He turned around and smiled at the two of them. "It's an old habit. I want to go back to the study to read.
But if there are some refreshments to accompany me, that would be even better. "
Doyle sucked in a sharp breath.
"Do it immediately, Your Highness." For the first time, Doyle nodded sincerely.
"Immediately."
Thales nodded encouragingly and walked into the study.
At the corner of the corridor, Jines continued to move forward with steady steps without stopping.
But at that moment, the female official had a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips.
'This brat.
What a waste.
'The refreshments in the study have not been finished yet, have they?'
And so, Thales' first etiquette lesson passed just like that.
But from then on, Doyle and Glover were obviously much more respectful towards him.
Until one day in the next week, Doyle cautiously came to the study to report to Thales.
The two priestesses carefully selected by Sunset Temple had arrived at Mindis Hall.
They were waiting to be taught by the duke. As the ruling tradition of the Empire and Constellation, every King of Constellation must be familiar with …
Theology class.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
