Thank you, I will remember your kindness. Please thank your daughter for her concern on my behalf. Happy eleventh birthday, Baron Bourbon. "
Thales politely raised his glass in his seat and sent away a guest who came up to toast him. He then refocused his attention on the liveliness of the banquet.
As it turned out, the Holy Pursuit Day banquet was more relaxing than Thales had expected after the initial awkwardness.
Amidst the melodious music, not only were the guests enjoying the banquet and chatting enthusiastically, the servants of Mindis Hall were also constantly serving dishes and serving food. Many of the attendants of the guests were shuttling between different long tables, either helping to serve wine or passing messages on behalf of their masters, completing service and social tasks time and time again.
Just like in Eckstedt, there was an empty space in the center of the banquet hall. It served as both a stage and a dance floor. Minstrels, clowns, acrobats, instrumentalists, and dancers took turns to perform their respective skills.
For example, at this moment, a bard was pacing around with his zither in his arms. He had already begun his performance.
"This song is a new piece inspired by my years of visiting the Western Desert. It tells the story of King Kessel leading his army deep into the desert eleven years ago and killing the enemy chieftain in the Battle of the Altar …"
This was familiar to Thales. When he was a child beggar, there were often such bards in Sunset Pub, but their clothes were never so neat, and their singing and zither skills varied.
As the bard sang in a melodious and grand manner, the dishes were constantly refreshed. They were served on the long tables in order.
There were no less than five kinds of cheese soup, vegetables and fruits, roasted bird eggs of strange sizes, sturgeon soup, oatmeal, pig blood sausage that did not look good, smoked beef, roasted chicken with sauce, venison stew, all kinds of unknown poultry and game, raw and cooked seashells, terrifyingly large meatballs, dozens of different styles of bread, pancakes, pies, and all kinds of magical dishes whose original ingredients could not be identified …
Of course, that included all kinds of indispensable alcohol.
'How should I put it? Is his dad really rich?'
Thales sighed.
'Alright, Constellatiates do have a way with food, at least compared to the Northlanders in Dragon Clouds City who only know how to roast, roast, and stew …'
'Dragon Clouds City.'
At the thought of this, Thales' mood became gloomy.
"What's wrong? Not used to it?"
Aunt Elise, who was beside him, noticed him.
"No, it's just that there are too many choices …" Thales stared at a plate of beans absent-mindedly.
"I don't know where to start."
Princess Elise elegantly divided the vegetables on the plate and seemed to sigh with emotion.
"You should go to the Dragonkissed Basin. The nobles in Anlenzo are very strict with their food … Of course, I can't get used to their taste … Once you get used to a place, it's hard to get used to the delicacies of another place …"
Thales forced a smile. In the end, he imitated his aunt and extended his claws to a plate of seemingly fresh lettuce.
Someone poked him.
Thales turned around and saw that it was Doyle, who was sitting on the vice table behind him. His cheeks were puffed up.
"Your Highness, you can …" Doyle swallowed a mouthful of food and ignored Glover's disdainful gaze. He pointed at Thales' table and whispered,
"Can you pass me the seasoning salt? Oh right, and the plate of beef on your left …"
Thales frowned.
"Isn't there any on your desk?"
"Yes, but I always feel that the food served on Your Highness's table is especially delicious …"
Thales sighed.
He looked around and found that no one was paying attention. Then, he quietly leaned forward, pushed the plate of beef behind his armpit, and stuffed it to Doyle.
"You're really not polite …"
Doyle took the food the prince gave him in a well-practiced and tacit manner. He smiled obsequiously.
"Because His Lordship is not here … Ahem, I mean, because you're the most kind and gentle prince in the world …"
Thales rolled his eyes and continued to deal with his lettuce.
Doyle sent the beef in Glover's direction, but the zombie just turned his head away in disdain and continued to drink his beer.
Doyle shrugged indifferently and ate by himself.
"Your loss."
As time went by, the music was played round after round, and the performers changed again and again. However, the guests became more and more interested, and the atmosphere in the banquet became more and more enthusiastic. More and more guests left their seats and took the initiative to talk.
But fortunately, Thales' burden was not too heavy, because most of the people were diverted to the highest table — to his father.
It was a rare royal banquet for more than a decade, and there were many guests who wanted to use this informal occasion to pay their respects to the king.
King Kessel still looked calm, but he could not finish his meal for more than a minute. Every time, guests of different backgrounds and classes, either with friends or alone, respectfully and expectantly came to pay their respects to the king, interrupting his pitiful rest time. It also affected Guard Captain Adrian and Chief Quentin, as well as important ministers of the royal family such as Gilbert and Kirkirk Mann, who had to rush over frequently to offer toasts and divert the king's attention.
Although the Iron Hand King had a cold temperament, on this occasion, with a face full of boredom, he had to raise his cup frequently, nod his head in response, and say a few warm words from time to time. Queen Keya, on the other hand, was at ease. It could be seen that she was skilled in this field when she was young.
In just half an hour, there were twenty to thirty groups of guests who came to pay their respects to the king.
Thales clicked his tongue in wonder.
"Don't laugh," Aunt Elise was indifferent and ruined his mood with one sentence.
"You'll be the same in the future."
Thales sighed.
With something on his mind, he could not enjoy his meal in peace, so while abusing his lettuce from time to time, he summoned the Sin of Hell's River to strengthen his senses and pay attention to his surroundings.
Compared to the Northland nobles' banquets, where only male guests were present, and other than eating and drinking, the occasions in Constellation were much more open. Not only were there no restrictions on men and women (and because of this, the banquets appeared much more elegant), when they were drunk, restless and eager men could often be seen leaving their seats to toast the well-dressed and dazzling ladies.
There were even many young, beautiful, lively, and energetic women who would take the initiative to leave their seats, ignoring the supercilious looks and hostility of the men in their families, and leave their surveillance to chat and laugh with the person they liked, exchange drinks, and even enter the dance floor together when the dance music played.
It was joyous, and the host and guests enjoyed themselves.
But was that really the case?
Thales' heart stirred, and the conversations from all directions entered his ears through the filtering and strengthening of hell's senses.
"Oh, is that so? 'Persuade my father to propose marriage'? Hmph, that's what you said last time. Do you think that after you said this, I'll sneak out at night to let you f * ck me for free like before? By the way, I'm getting engaged, and the child in my womb isn't yours! "This was obviously an awkward conversation between a couple who had a grudge against each other.
"A marriage proposal in the Land of Cliffs? That's right, the other party is from a noble family, but I'd be blind to marry my daughter there. Those conservative mountain barbarians still believe in a heretical evil god called the Master of Mountains. I visited him once two years ago, and until now, I still can't forget a small village in the mountains. Their campfire mating custom is comparable to that of primitive people … "This was from a local noble in Central Territory.
Thales maintained his smile. What he heard from hell's senses was mostly all sorts of gossip and social chatter in the capital. However, the guests were talking about different things in different directions and on different long tables. The contents of their conversations were quite different.
"After the Bloody Year, everyone realized that the twenty thousand farmers recruited from the farms with a thousand gold coins were not as useful as two hundred professional soldiers trained with a thousand gold coins. Do you still remember the scene where the Duke of Star Lake — oh, the previous Duke of Star Lake's army of two thousand chased tens of thousands of rebel soldiers all over the mountains and plains …"
This was the long table of honorary military soldiers. Their topic was rather fierce.
"I was thinking, since the prince is back, shouldn't we head north to take revenge? If we fight a war, with your qualifications, you can at least be a deputy general of the guards, right? You must know that after the Horse Slayer Dira retired, he climbed up to a higher position and became the director of the police station … "
"My son is learning grammar, theology, and mathematics." This was from a government bureaucrat at the next table. He was talking to his colleagues about his son's future.
"He's ambitious and wants to stay in Eternal Star City. Maybe he wants to become a civil servant in the government office, maybe he wants to earn a noble title. But I hope he goes back to his hometown to look for a job. After all, South Coast Hill is far away from war. It's well governed, and Jade City is prosperous and comfortable. It's even better than the capital … "
"I'm so envious. My nephew is my heir. He's determined to learn martial arts and join the army. He dreams of becoming a legitimate knight. But you also know that unless you're born with a good family name, the title of a knight is a joke. What legitimacy is there to speak of? Look at the three generals. They're knights in name, but one of them is a Northlander, one is a tomboy, and one is a disgusting gigolo who relies on his face to make a living … "Thales sighed.
He sympathized with the Legendary Wing, who was said to be able to unify the Western Peninsula with his face.
"Yes, Eckstedt has no hostages, and it has increased the risk of war between the two countries. In addition to their endless internal strife, believe me, the northern trade route has come to an end. And the potential business in the future is all concentrated in the west and south. If you're interested, why don't we find a place to talk in detail … "
This was the long table of the head of the line and the merchants. The conversation was more practical and business.
"It's been twenty years. A new round of franchise sales should be put on the agenda. Maybe we should find the next scapegoat …"
"… He has to do this. His family's loan from the Royal Family's Bank is almost due. If he doesn't bet on this long-distance fleet, he can only transfer his fief to make up for the deficit … "
Thales did not really understand this business, so he turned his attention to the table of the central politicians.
"No, the riots at the border of Western Desert a few months ago were just local incidents. It will not affect the kingdom's policies. The local nobles' reaction is just their own private actions. The relationship between the royal family and Western Desert is very good … What? No, no, of course, this is not the official statement of the Foreign Affairs Department. It's just my personal opinion. Although I do work in the Foreign Affairs Department … "This was Gilbert.
"A suzerain has ordered the abolition of military service. He asked his subjects to pay with money, or else they have to give up their land … No, no, no, in fact, His Majesty didn't say anything …" This was Kirkirk Mann, the Minister of Finance.
"Of course, the saying 'Abstinence and purity is the will of God' is already outdated. On the contrary, if your fief's market is prosperous and there is an abundance of goods, it can attract more money, and you can make more beneficial policies. Presumably, it will also be in line with Sunset's edict … "This was Vicar General Stylia Nydis.
"Yes, a baron of Blade Edge Hill died in the plague, but he only had one illegitimate child … That illegitimate child promised a large sum of money so that the duchess would acknowledge his right to inheritance … The baron's subordinates and vassals obviously had different opinions, so they came to Eternal Star City to ask His Majesty to make a decision. At this point, the situation became complicated, and no one dared to take up this case … "
The Sin of Hell's River roared, sending more and more conversations from the table into his ears.
Thales listened absent-mindedly. He tried to figure out the main points of attention of the guests and the circle in the capital city, while trying to figure out the kingdom's current situation from these words. But he suddenly had a strange feeling.
In Dragon Clouds City, be it banquets, state affairs hearings, archdukes or counts, the private conversations of the Eckstedtian nobles were always methodical and sharp.
Fiefs, feuds, power, marriage, the way of Northland …
It was often gloomy and heavy, cold and threatening, like dark clouds pressing down.
But here, in Constellation …
"What era are we in? There are still people who believe that a marriage contract and the unification of two surnames can form a family alliance? Come on, in the past, the union of two families meant greater territory and power. But now? It will only bring about huge maintenance costs, sky-high land assessment fees and title recognition fees, as well as division and strife within the family … "
"Your Grace, are you still thinking of exploiting the peasants and collecting taxes to get rich? Sunset, you should really broaden your horizons and learn from your peers in South Coast and Eastern Sea Hill. From trade guilds to buying shares in the chamber of commerce, from operating franchises to monopolizing the market, we should make good use of our status and power. In this era, we have too many ways to profit and become famous … "
"Don't talk to him … This guy used to be crude and stupid. Even after he became a suzerain, his mind hasn't changed. His way of ruling is the most primitive and uncouth way. I'm telling you, within two generations, he will decline …"
Thales listened quietly and began to understand.
In Eternal Star City, the social interactions and conversations of the Constellatiate nobles were so …
Restless.
Restless.
Fiery.
Constantly changing.
Thales took a deep breath and suddenly had a more direct understanding of Constellation.
Mindis Hall.
Thales looked at the royal manor and sighed.
'Mindis.
Look at the good things you've done. '
But before he could finish sighing, Jorge's voice drilled into his ears.
"F * ck, I'm telling you, at that time, dark clouds covered the sky, lightning flashed, and thunder roared. The dying Born King grabbed your Polaris and our young dragon. He put their little hands together, and before he died, he said, 'Only true love, whose hearts are connected, can summon the True Dragon to come and save this city!'"
Thales' expression darkened, and he looked around.
In the foreign guests' seats, Jorge of Elaphure City was drunk, and his spittle was flying everywhere.
"The King passed away, and the young dragon trembled with anger. She faced the calamity and howled at the sky, 'Dragon Clouds do not perish, the Waltons will avenge this!' Polaris held her hand and stood side by side, unafraid of death, 'If you are determined to fight, Jadestar will follow you to the end!' The next moment, there was a bang. Guess what? Whoa, they summoned a True Dragon! In the blink of an eye, the True Dragon fell from the sky, and killed the calamity on the spot … "
'Damn it.'
Thales listened for a while with a gloomy face, and his mood worsened. He simply turned to listen in another direction.
But he quickly realized that he was the main character in many of the conversations.
"I think we should choose a prince consort who is not of high birth, just like Queen Keya. It's best if she has some affinity with the commoners. After all, things are different now, and Prince Thales is not the Midier of the past …"
"I heard from the merchants in the north that Prince Thales is someone who dares to fight the Northland barbarians, and dare to duel with five archdukes at such a young age …"
"So he personally experienced the calamity attack? And survived? "
"No, it's not a calamity. I have gossip. In fact, back then, it was a conspiracy by a secret cult, trying to control the political situation and subvert Eckstedt …"
"Don't believe these gossip! I have an insider in Dragon Clouds City, and I can be considered to have a better understanding of the situation. First, let me lay out the conclusion: it was a major earthquake. After the disaster, the upper echelons of the Northland barbarians wanted to shift the focus and avoid public criticism, so they made up the excuse of a calamity invasion. "
"What did the Great Dragon say?"
"It was also made up! To boost morale and win over the hearts of the people. Think about it, the timing of the Great Dragon's birth, the timing of the King of Eckstedt's death, the timing of Lampard's proclamation as king, and their act of detaining the prince … Sigh, with this, the truth is about to come out, right? What truth? Hehe, I can't go on. Think about it carefully, and those who understand will naturally understand. In short, we can't look at a problem in isolation. We have to look at the pretentious bullshit. Do you understand? Pretentious bullshit, look at the big picture! In the pretentious bullshit of a national strategy, everything is linked together … "
"I see. Sir, you have great foresight and know how to pretentious bullshit. As expected of a professional …"
"You flatter me … Thank you for the invitation. I was in Eckstedt a while ago, and I just got off the carriage. See, you asked me the moment I arrived …"
Thales could only snort softly in his heart.
"But why do I feel that the prince and Lampard are in cahoots? Look, they sowed discord among the Northlanders, got rid of the Archduke of Beacon Illumination first, and then joined forces to get rid of King Nuven? I can guarantee that our Secret Intelligence Department is definitely involved … "
Thales' expression changed.
"Shh, don't talk about national affairs … Just think about it and you'll know. What kind of existence is Constellation? There are so many things that we can't handle every day. Why would we do this kind of thing? Two words: not worth it. "
"I heard that the prince seduced the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City so much that she would die for him … Ha, come to think of it, that's true. That woman only knows boorish men from the north. When she sees us Constellatiate men who are handsome, elegant, elegant, knowledgeable, and gentlemanly, hehehe, won't she immediately fall in love with him? She won't be able to stop herself from marrying him."
'Hmm.'
Hearing this, Thales' cheek twitched.
'Perhaps Constellation and Eckstedt have something in common …
More than I imagined.
'But Saroma …'
Thales clenched his fists.
"You don't drink?"
Thales came back to his senses and realized that it was Princess Elise beside him. The beautiful aunt was swirling the wine glass in her hand, tilting her head and looking at him playfully.
'Drink.'
He looked at the new wine glass in his hand and thought of an archduke who had invited him to drink. His heart felt stifled.
The Duke of Star Lake was slightly distracted.
"Children don't … I mean, I don't like to drink."
Elise looked enlightened.
"Drink a little, a few sips is good."
There was a slight blush on the princess' face. She was obviously enjoying the wine in her glass.
"According to the rules, it's best not to let others see the pattern of the royal family's eating habits …"
"Yes, I heard about it."
Thales sighed, feeling a headache coming on. He looked around the lively banquet hall.
"Fortunately, we're sitting high. No one is looking at me."
Elise chuckled and stared at the wine in her glass.
"Yes, no one is looking." The princess swirled the glass. Her voice changed a little, and her gaze was profound.
"But I bet that by tomorrow, you'll feel that everyone is looking at you."
Thales saw that his aunt was a little drunk. He smiled and did not answer.
"Are you used to it?"
Elise looked him up and down.
"This is the first banquet after your return. Hmm, it's probably the first one the royal family has held in more than a decade. Everyone has to thank you."
Thales paused for a moment.
He looked at the increasingly lively banquet and curled the corners of his mouth.
"I think it's pretty good.
"It's safe and peaceful."
Thales exhaled slowly.
"There are no dozens of nobles pointing out in unison that you're an illegitimate bastard.
"And there's no damn king forcing you to find his son's murderer.
"Or a bunch of ferocious northern men yelling that they are going to chop you into pieces."
Thales was a little lost in thought.
"If I omit the part about meeting and exchanging pleasantries …
"It's been a long time since I've seen such a peaceful and festive gathering of nobles."
Thales was silent.
He suddenly felt his wrist heat up.
"It's okay, Thales." Thales snapped out of his daze and realized that Aunt Elise was holding his wrist under the table.
She said gently, "It's okay."
The princess stared at him quietly. The gentleness and pity in her eyes was a little unbearable for Thales.
At this moment, Mallos appeared beside them.
"Your Highness," the watchman bent down and whispered,
"You should go."
Elise let go of Thales' hand and frowned.
"Your Grace?"
Mallos lowered his voice.
"The queen needs to return to the palace, now."
"She …" Elise turned in the direction of the queen and immediately reacted.
"Oh."
Thales narrowed his eyes. Beside the king, Queen Keya's face was pale and she was mumbling. Jines was holding her wrist tightly, and the maids beside her were methodically getting ready to go.
Thales then heard the voice over there through hell's senses, "Where are my children? Luther is still young, he needs to change his diaper … "
His heart dimmed.
Some of the guests noticed the queen, but most of them looked away and ignored her.
Mallos nodded.
"The queen needs your help."
Princess Elise sighed slowly. She gave Thales a helpless smile and got up.
Mallos thoughtfully put a cloak on her.
Thales could only say goodbye to her.
But just as he turned to leave, the princess suddenly spoke.
"Tormond."
Hearing his name, Mallos suddenly froze.
Elise looked at the queen, tightened the cloak on her body, and said faintly,
"Have you ever regretted it?"
Thales frowned when he heard this, and his hand that was picking at the lettuce froze.
Mallos frowned. He paused for a moment before he repeated, "That's right.
"The queen needs you, Your Highness."
"I know."
Elise smiled and glanced at the watchman, her eyes hazy and sad.
"I have regretted it."
Mallos was stunned.
In the next second, Elise floated away and joined the queen's party.
One second.
Two seconds.
In the extremely awkward silence, Thales cleared his throat, looked at the back of the guard captain who stood extremely stiff, and tentatively said, "Um, you and aunt …"
"Don't ask."
Mallos did not turn his head and sat down gently beside the prince.
"You're still my favorite Duke."
His tone was respectful and expressionless.
But Thales felt a chill in his heart for no reason.
Fortunately, someone appeared in time.
"How unlucky."
Behind him, Doyle, who had returned from the toilet, patted Glover's shoulder and sat down casually.
"As the prince's personal guards, we have to fill our stomachs in advance. We can't go down to the banquet, we can't dance with the girls, we can't … God, it's so boring. I really miss the past."
Doyle yawned.
"You can do it." The watchman turned his head from his seat and glanced at Doyle faintly.
"You can do it like before.
"Go down and join your father's table, join the banquet, dance with the girls, and tease."
Doyle shuddered violently!
Under Glover and Thales' sympathetic gazes, he then discovered stiffly that the person who was sitting in Princess Elise's seat was his superior.
"Lord … Lord?"
Doyle realized that a disaster was imminent and forced an ugly smile.
Mallos snorted coldly.
"You know, I can let Vladivostok take your place so that you can enjoy the banquet."
Doyle said shakily,
"Take — take my place?"
"Yes, don't you know?" Mallos looked at him expressionlessly, "In Mindis Hall, no matter when or where, I can always find someone to take your place.
"Be it today.
"Or the rest of your life."
Mallos said gloomily,
"You can.
"Do you still want to go to the banquet?"
Doyle looked at Glover and Thales in horror, but they shook their heads at him sympathetically.
'This is not your fault, child.'
Doyle gulped and immediately reacted. He shook his head and put on a serious expression.
"No, no, no, sir. What you said is wrong."
Mallos raised his eyebrows.
"What?"
Doyle raised his head and crossed his arms. He looked awe-inspiring and generous.
"This body will either be buried in the throne's resting place, or be buried in the middle of the emperor's life. There is no other end."
Doyle said with a righteous expression,
"Banquets and whatnot … As royal guards, we should be loyal to our duty. How can we be selfish?"
Glover looked at him in disdain.
Thales snickered.
"Really? But there are quite a number of socialites and noble ladies here tonight. Many of them are good unmarried girls … "
"Hey, don't mention this again," Doyle waved his hand, his expression was firm and unmoved, "Since I have you by my side, Your Highness …
"… Why would I need any more girls?"
Thales had just elegantly pulled out a piece of lettuce from his plate and could not help but tremble.
Mallos' lips curled up. He was about to say something, but he shuddered slightly.
The next second, Mallos turned his head abruptly and looked at the hall!
At that moment, Thales shuddered.
He suddenly had the illusion that the watchman before him had turned into a sharp blade.
Mallos stared at the entire banquet hall and said coldly, "Doyle, go to the banquet immediately and blend in with the guests.
"Doyle, go to the banquet immediately and blend in with the guests. Pay more attention to them, especially those who have cautious expressions and stiff movements …"
Doyle still had a straight face.
"No! I want to protect His Highness here … "
But Mallos turned his head around and his expression became stern.
"I'm serious!"
His appearance startled the three of them.
"Glover, inform Captain Adrian and ask him to escort His Majesty away quietly. Then, gather the men."
"Sir." Glover looked at him in confusion.
"What's wrong?"
Amidst the melodious and light music, Mallos looked at the lively banquet below again with a vigilant gaze.
"Just now, someone glanced up from below."
'Glanced?'
Thales frowned.
"Who?"
"I don't know." Mallos shook his head.
"But I recognize that gaze. It's the resentment and despair of facing death with equanimity …"
Thales was stunned.
'Facing death with equanimity?
Resentment and … despair?
What does it mean? '
"In the banquet tonight."
Under the trio's surprised and bewildered gazes, Mallos slowly pressed down on the longsword at his waist and expressionlessly came to a conclusion.
"There's an assassin."
No matter how I write it, it doesn't feel right. It makes me feel despair.
(End of this chapter)
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