Six years ago, Gilbert had brought Thales here when he had just returned to the kingdom to avoid a wave of enemies' probing attacks.
Six years later, Thales became the master of Mindis Hall, and this place was naturally used by him, even though Gilbert believed that as Thales' identity was made public and the Royal Guards were stationed here, this place would no longer be of use.
Thales locked the secret door from the inside and lifted the thick cloth covering the luminous stones. With the dim light, he looked at the small hole that allowed him to monitor all parts of Mindis Hall.
In the antechamber, Mallos was politely sending off the uneasy Scholar Julio. Perhaps he would suspect that the restless prince had done something to tease his teacher again.
In the corridor, Glover and his companions stood at their posts dutifully. Their expressions were as if they were asking for a favor.
In the garden, Kommodore and Procca, who had fought against Thales before, patrolled the area while they chatted. Thales lazily named this gathering as "The Prince's Personal Punching Bag Exchange".
In the scullery, Doyle crouched in a corner, bored and dejected. He bit into a long piece of butter bread and watched the servants bustle about for lunch.
Thales then took a deep breath and collapsed on the couch in the secret room.
After a few deep breaths, he rubbed the center of his brows with his back against the couch in the darkness around him. He felt a sense of peace that he had not felt for a long time.
It was just like … the broken cave in the Abandoned Houses where the child beggars lived.
Even though there were air leaks in all directions, it was sturdy and reliable.
It protected all the weaknesses that he could not take into account.
Thales rested for a while before he sat up again. He lifted the cloth covering the other luminous stones, and the secret room was lit up.
The duke mumbled something and approached a metal plate beside the couch. He touched the few knobs on it.
A few seconds later, with the soft sound of gears, Thales pushed open the metal plate that was divided into two sides and opened his personal storage room. The former master of Mindis Hall should have used this place often, but Thales could imagine that after the Bloody Year, this place was cleared out by King Kessel, who had ascended to the throne.
What entered his sight was a pile of clutter that was disorderly.
Thales was stunned as he stared ahead.
A few seconds later, Thales took a deep breath and walked to the pitifully empty weapon rack. He looked at the main character — the Empire's sword, Sentinel, which was said to be very expensive.
The hilt of the sword was unfamiliar to the touch, but it felt just right. It made people want to draw the sword.
If it were not for the fact that he could see its former owner's face and the trouble it brought him every time he held the sword, Thales would have liked this sword even more.
The prince bent his head gloomily, and snatched up the dagger which he knew so well beside the Sentinel.
The JC's handle was ice-cold, and Thales could not help but recall the hardships he had experienced with it.
But its sheath was warm and comfortable.
Just like the two people behind it.
Ever since he entered Mindis Hall, Thales had fewer opportunities to bring the police with him. He had martial arts lessons every morning and night, so he had to remove and reattach the dagger. But Thales did not want too many people to see it, even if they were the Duke of Star Lake's personal guards, the Royal Guards, whom he should theoretically trust the most.
But when Thales drew out the familiar dagger, the sense of security he felt made him feel extremely gratified.
Thales sighed and reluctantly put it down. He turned to the other side.
The black cloth that Jala gave him to cover his face was folded neatly. Thales still could not figure out its material.
Thales could not help but smile.
But the smile disappeared when he saw the next item.
It was a bone-yellow bracelet, and the long crystal-red fangs at the end were especially ferocious.
It was like … it was forcibly pulled out from somewhere.
Thales suppressed the unpleasant memories behind the bracelet and looked at the next item.
It was a map.
Yes, it was a detailed topographic map of a palace in the capital of a certain second-largest country in this world.
He sighed again.
Thales folded the map again. Julio's words just now made him realize that not only the church, but even if this map was seen by others, he would only be in more trouble.
When the duke folded the map, an ancient drawing fell out of the map, and Thales froze.
It was … a sketch of a young girl.
Thales had found it in a book in Mindis Hall a long time ago.
The artist's sketching skills were probably mediocre. At the very least, it would not have caught Master Uhran's eyes. However, the inscription on the back of the sketch was extraordinary. At least, this was what Thales thought after he finished reading 'Year 11 of the Calendar of Eradication: Raikaru and Tormond, Eckstedt and Constellation'.
Thales stuffed the map and the sketch into the compartment under the cabinet. Then, he raised his head and saw a pair of …
Black-rimmed glasses.
Thales took it down in a daze and was slightly lost in thought.
He subconsciously put on the glasses. As expected, the moment he opened his eyes behind the lenses, a wave of dizziness hit him, and he had no choice but to take them off again.
Thales sighed and finished arranging the items.
This was where all his personal collections were placed after he arrived in this world.
Each of them represented a different past.
'Wait, there's one more thing.'
Thales turned his head around, bored. He picked up the Sunset Goddess' Apostles' Acts from the couch and pulled out the sky blue invitation card. He did not open it, and just as nonchalantly stuffed it into the compartment.
A few seconds later, Thales took out a blank piece of draft paper from another page, placed it on the cover of the book, and sat down on the sofa.
He looked at the blank piece of paper and sighed slowly.
When he was still in Northland, the harsh environment gave him a clear goal.
To survive and return to his country.
However, ever since he returned to Constellation, he met the king, met his old friends, prepared for the banquet, crammed lessons, received visitors from the temple, and received the invitation a few days ago. When all the unfamiliar and familiar things came rushing at him like a tidal wave, Thales, who had been beaten up for a long time and had gained experience, could not take it anymore.
And today, Julio's inadvertent words gave him a wake-up call.
This was no longer Northland.
He was no longer the same as before.
Even Thales could not help but admit dejectedly that to him, everything at this moment was a new beginning. Everything was extremely unfamiliar.
He needed to adapt again.
Just like how he adapted to Dragon Clouds City and the Great Desert.
Now, he needed to adapt to Eternal Star City again.
Thales exhaled, took out a pen, and touched the paper with the tip of the pen.
'Wait.'
To prevent this piece of paper from being discovered by others and being able to figure out some clues from it (after all, even an idiot like the Star Killer could find the secret of the Rilan hard paper), he could not write it in a way that was too obvious.
Thales thought of something, and the tip of the pen moved.
[One, two hundred and fifty gold coins]
Thales wrote down the first item.
He originally wanted to write "Blockhead", but he was afraid that the reference would be too obvious, so he changed it to this.
'Hmm, I can't count on him too much.
'But he knows other powerful people …
'For example, the Secret Intelligence Department.'
Thales pondered for a while, then wrote a small sub-item at the bottom in a smaller font.
[1. Red-eyed Young Man]
Thales was silent for a while.
'Something related to this matter …'
At first, Thales wanted to write "Kukri Knife", but he suddenly realized that Jala's weapon was also famous in Sunset Pub back then.
He had to be more careful.
Especially as Gilbert had said, his current status was not the same as before. Every move he made could bring disaster to the past.
So, Thales raised his pen and wrote.
[2. Big Sister]
'This is the first important task.'
However, Thales had to see something else. Even though he was a prince, he was alone and helpless in Constellation.
He needed help.
And where could he find help that could compare to his former subordinates who he had spent six years with in Northland?
So, he wrote down the second main item.
[2. Little Old Man, Mute, and Old Old Man]
'However …'
Thales wrote the sub-item "Little Rascal", but the duke hesitated for a while.
There were people who knew this nickname. One of them even found him an eyesore and swore to teach him a lesson.
So, Thales crossed out "Little Rascal" and wrote again.
[1. Triumph]
Then …
Thales wrote down the unofficial nickname.
[3: Little Dummy]
Thales wanted to laugh.
But when he thought of the heavy meaning behind it, he could not laugh.
Thales did not stop writing under the third item.
He frowned as soon as he wrote one word. In the end, he gave up on writing "Calamity". Instead, he crossed out the previous "3" and wrote again.
[1. Alliance]
Using the same logic, Thales decided not to write "Ricky", "Undying", or "Disaster Sword". Instead, he wrote:
[2. Almost Headless Mercenary]
'No, Ricky has been a mercenary in the desert for a long time. There's no guarantee that no one will recognize him.'
Thales thought for a while. With a mischievous feeling, he changed "Mercenary" to "Nick".
At the same time, considering that Asda might know, he did not write "Taurus". Instead, he wrote:
[3. Boss]
Recalling what he saw in theology class, Thales wrote again:
[4. Young]
Finally, he framed the four words and finished the sentence: --
[5. Poor information]
'Asda Sakern, my dear.'
Thales said faintly in his heart. 'This is for you.'
Then …
[4. Insect Swarm]
Thales dared to guarantee that this should be the strictest code.
After all, it was not easy to find traces of magic in the Sunset Temple.
So, Thales added another sentence at the bottom.
[1. Artanis]
But he could not ignore the clues he told Ramon about many years ago.
[2. The Crippled]
Seeing this code and the organization it represented, Thales wanted to laugh again.
But it was not just magic that troubled him.
[5. The Broken Carriage]
As he wrote this, he thought of Fakenhaz's gloomy face and King Kessel's cold tone in the meeting hall. Thales felt a wave of discomfort.
'But …'
Jines' stern and concerned gaze flashed across his mind.
At that moment, it seemed that the Iron Hand King's cold voice was not so unbearable.
First, it was the old guards.
Thales focused his gaze. Zakriel and Barney's figures were reflected in his eyes.
Their past was closely related to Renaissance Palace during the Bloody Year.
The group of Branded Warriors.
'No,' Branded Warriors' will allow many people to find clues. 'Thales simply crossed it out and wrote:
[1. Gus' men]
Six years ago, the murderer King Nuven pointed out to him could not be ignored. Hmm, and it was related to Black Sword.
[2. Map]
There was also Herman, his unlucky uncle (he said it as if anyone was luckier).
[3. Kitten]
After writing the above five major items, Thales exhaled and rested for a while.
And the rest …
[6. You]
[You]
Thales clenched his fists. Taurus' warning flashed across his mind. 'Who are you?'
He shook his head.
First, it was related to his life: the Sin of Hell's River.
It was related to Black Sword and Disaster Sword.
Thales was a little worried.
There was only one code name for Black Sword. His weapon and his nickname were shared together. However, that man was so inconspicuous that he could not think of a code name that could replace it.
But Thales suddenly remembered that Black Sword was the founder and leader of the Brotherhood. So, he had an idea and wrote:
[1. Big Brother]
[Ricky:
[2. Nick Who Almost Lost his Head]
This was not the only thing that concerned him.
Thales held the pen and hesitated.
But in the end, he still wrote:
[3. Mother]
Thales stared at this word. The doubts and unfamiliarity in his heart did not diminish.
Draconic, Dragon Breaker, Desert, Slave, Mystical … Countless words came together.
In the end, they gathered into a name:
TherrenGirana.
Mother.
'Who are you?'
Thales put down the pen and skimmed through the contents on the paper.
'To be done …'
Thales sighed.
'There's so much.
'Just like when I'm writing a thesis.
'Before I start writing, it's always the smoothest and most convenient to compile a table of contents and a paragraph topic, isn't it?
'At that moment, it's as if you have a thousand ravines in your chest and know everything.
'But when things come to a head, on the eve of finalizing the manuscript …
'How many of these boastful table of contents can be realized, how many can be filled in, how many are true to the story, and how many can not be completely removed from the table of contents?
'Just like … your life that is lost and unknown.'
Thales was in a daze.
Fortunately, he had to take things one bite at a time. Many things could not be rushed.
Thales took a deep breath.
The duke looked up and stuffed the paper into the mezzanine.
There was no time to be sentimental.
There were too many things weighing on him. There were too many gazes that he had to bear. There were too many responsibilities that he had to bear.
First, he had to overcome the most pressing obstacle in front of him.
He was only a few weeks away. The welcome banquet.
There, the newly appointed Duke of Star Lake, the second prince, and the heir of Constellation, Thales Jadestar would face the entire kingdom again six years later.
"Your Grace?"
Thales pushed open the door to the secret room expressionlessly and responded to Mallos' question outside.
He shut the secrets and depression behind him, and brought optimism and strength out of the door.
"Your banquet is almost ready. The agenda for that day, the guest list, and the specific arrangements." He opened the door and saw Mallos handing him a stack of documents.
"I think you need to take a look at it in advance and prepare."
'Come on.'
Thales paced steadily and told himself silently.
He smiled and took the documents from Mallos. The latter was as calm as water, and he was indifferent.
Since six years ago, he had been heading north …
The arrival of the calamity, the assassination of the king, and the rebellion army forcing him to abdicate. He had experienced all these hardships.
The vampire archduchess, the Mystic Giza, and Chapman Lampard. He had fought against terrifying enemies of this level.
As for the banquet in his territory to announce his triumphant return to the kingdom …
Could it be that there was an opponent that could make him feel fearful and have a headache?
Thales lowered his head in a composed manner.
The guest list was shockingly long and densely packed.
However, the few people at the top of the list, right after His Majesty the King, along with their eye-catching titles and family emblems, entered Thales' line of sight at the same time.
[Keya Jadestar — Honorable Queen.]
[Val Arunde — Master of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory]
[Bob Dylan — Governor of Splendid Port City, Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea]
[Koshder Nanchester — City Lord of Steep Forest City, Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs]
[Zayen Covendier — Lord of Jade City, Guardian Duke of South Coast]
Three seconds later.
Thales put down the list and put on a bitter face.
This banquet …
Could he not go?
()
Stealing Fragrance
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