The stone chamber was very big, so big that it still seemed spacious even when there were more than twenty huge stone pillars in the room.
However, there were no windows. There were only a few large black holes in the ceiling that served as air vents.
It was terrifyingly cold.
Thales stared blankly at the scene in front of him.
A sturdy figure draped in a starry blue cloak stood in front of a stone pillar with his back facing Thales.
The side of the stone pillar that the sturdy figure was facing had a stone cave dug out.
Inside the cave were two large stone jars and six small stone jars.
"Your grandfather, Aydi Jadestar, is buried here," the figure said in a solemn and dignified voice.
"To be honest, I did not like being in the same room with him. The way he looked at me was always full of disappointment and accusation. After my mother passed away, I tried to avoid him even more."
Thales was not too unfamiliar with this voice, but he was not too familiar with it either.
"Come here."
Thales took a deep breath and adjusted his emotions.
He walked towards his father in name, the Supreme King of Constellation, Kessel Jadestar.
The Iron Hand King, Kessel the Fifth wore a crown with nine stars. He held an Everlasting Lamp in his right hand and a scepter inlaid with crystals in his left hand.
He turned his head and glanced at Thales.
This sharp gaze made Thales feel a little breathless.
"Starting from the second king, John the First, every Supreme King and Queen of Constellation will be buried in this stone chamber after they pass away and are cremated." Kessel's voice was very deep.
It was as if he was afraid of waking something up.
Kessel extended his hand and placed it on the large stone jar on the left. There was a name carved on it.
[King of Eternal Rule, King, Aydi L.K. Jadestar, 595-660]
Kessel looked at the second large stone jar on the right. There was another name on it.
"This is my mother. She passed away when I was fifteen."
[Queen, Natalie J.F. Jadestar, 604-642]
He, the Supreme King, touched the small stone jars again. His expression was complicated and difficult to understand.
"And the children of the kings who did not inherit the throne and did not change their surnames are in these small stone jars."
Thales was stunned. He turned his head slightly, and as expected, he saw a grotto on each of the four sides of each stone pillar. There were two large stone jars in each of them, and a few small stone jars would occasionally appear beside them.
This is the royal — burial ground?
Kessel lowered his head and looked at a small stone urn. Thales also looked at it.
[Starlight God of War, Liberator of Zodra, Duke of Star Lake, John L.K. Jadestar, 613-660]
"This is Uncle John, the only one in the family who has traveled the world."
"He was my father's younger brother and was practically raised by my mother, so I insisted on putting him in my father's grotto."
Kessel touched the stone urn. Thales was shocked to see that there was a smile on his face.
"He is knowledgeable, skilled, humorous, and witty. His jokes are unparalleled."
"When we were young, whenever he came back, my twin brothers and I loved to pester him and listen to his love story with Princess Mane Nox, until my mother exposed him with a cold expression. At that time, I thought he was the most powerful person in the world."
"John's marriage almost angered my father to death. My God, he actually married a supreme class female knight! I think John should have completed the hugging and kissing part of the wedding with his feet off the ground. "
"After John was conferred the title of nobility, he would often return to the capital to visit us, and occasionally bring small gifts for Constance. But ever since his wife passed away, I haven't seen John smile much. "
Thales felt the atmosphere in the stone chamber and did not dare to breathe loudly.
Kessel was immersed in the past. He only turned his head around after a minute.
"This is Midier's brother." Kessel looked at another stone jar and frowned slightly. "The one who should have inherited the throne."
Thales heard a familiar name and quickly looked at the stone jar.
[Eldest Son of the King, Crown Prince, Midier T.E. Jadestar, 622-660]
"He had the best relationship with my father. He was the only one who could be on par with my father in a game of chess. He did not usually speak much and always watched us brothers play with a smile. He was very smart and popular. Everyone said that he was the best crown prince, and also my best brother.
"But when I was sixteen, one night when I came back from the maid's room in the middle of the night, I accidentally saw him sitting dispiritedly in the courtyard, drinking alone with a gloomy expression. At that time, I only found it strange that he also had times when he was depressed?
"Now, I finally understand him."
Thales looked at the stone jar and thought about the rumors about Midier Jadestar.
'Is this the person Jines' rescuer, Gilbert's admirer, and Yodel wants me to be 'better than him'? '
The next stone jar.
[Sword of Reversing Light, Second Prince, Horace M.E. Jadestar, 623-660]
"This is Horace. The Tower of Eradication still has the record of his fastest sword speed when he was a student. From what I heard last time, no one has been able to break it."
Kessel flicked the stone jar and snorted. "He was the only supreme class elite in the family. He even had an awe-inspiring nickname. My father often lamented that after the 'Oath Keeper' Midier the Fourth and the 'Enemy of the Wolves' Prince Keira, the Jadestar Royal Family finally had a third supreme class elite.
"His relationship with Brother Midier was very poor. When he played chess with Midier, he always liked to use his Power of Eradication to send his opponent's chess pieces flying in the dark. But even so, he could not win against the smiling Brother Midier. He often told us that if he had not been born a year later than Midier, he would have been the one to become the crown prince.
"A month before his death, he received an invitation from the scions of the Tower of Eradication. If he had passed, he would have become one of the eight scions of the Tower of Eradication.
"This is Bancroft and Herman, my twin elder brothers." Kessel looked at the two stone jars that were placed side by side. His gaze was complicated. "It was said that a careless maid mixed up the order of birth. My father could not stand the two doctors arguing about which baby had a bigger head, so my mother simply tossed a gold coin and used Tormond the First's portrait to decide that Bancroft was the third prince and Herman was the fourth.
"That gold coin is now placed in my mother's stone jar together with Midier's first full marks political homework, Horace's first swordsman trophy, and the baby wrapping cloth that Constance and I wore when we were born."
Thales took a step closer and saw the two small stone jars clearly.
[The Third Prince, Bancroft N.E. Jadestar, 624-660]
[The Fourth Prince, Herman N.E. Jadestar, 624-660]
"When we were young, they argued endlessly and endlessly at the dining table. It was practically a nightmare for our entire family. Midier joked that Herman was probably frightened by the two of them and went to the Tower of Eradication to learn martial arts."
"Bancroft loved painting and sculpture. He donated half of the funds for the Arts and Culture Department of the National Academy of Sciences. But he was also quite vain, probably second only to his love of money. When we were young, we often said that he should marry into the Seucader family. The dowry alone would be enough for him to eat for the rest of his life. In the end, when he went to the Southern Isles, he proposed with a sketch and really married a Lady Seucader. "
"And Herman was the most handsome among the five brothers. He was also good at music and good at writing poems. Both commoners and nobles liked him more. Every time he went out on the streets, he would attract screams and flowers. Because of this, my father appointed him as the first choice to lead Constellation's diplomatic mission to the Sacred Tree Kingdom. It was a pity that he did not marry an elf. Otherwise, my father might have passed the throne to him to strengthen the elven bloodline that has existed since Midier the Fourth. "
Kessel held his scepter and looked at the light in the Everlasting Lamp.
"The five of us used to be so close. I still remember when we were young, we fought with the three princes from the Mane et Nox Dynasty in the palace. Horace was in charge of offense, Midier was in charge of defense, mainly to protect me, and the twins were in charge of flanking.
"But after we grew up, everything changed."
"Midier was still smiling. I had the best relationship with him, but I always felt that he was becoming more and more unhappy. Ever since Horace returned from the Tower of Eradication, he was filled with a murderous aura. He always wanted to show off in front of my father. I still remember him scolding me for five minutes at the Imperial Conference about my visit to Red Street Market. Banker did not care much about the matters between the brothers, but every time he saw the four of us, he would walk away from us. Herman stuck to Horace like a little follower, but that smile really disgusted me. "
But Kessel's smile froze.
"But all that is not important anymore.
Now, they are reunited here. "
Kessel walked towards the last small urn.
Thales lowered his head and gently clenched his fists.
[Eldest Daughter of the King, Constance N.E. Jadestar, 642-660]
"This is Constance, our little sister." Kessel lowered his head. His voice was heavy, as if he did not want to say more. "She is the only consensus among the five of us. We are willing to sacrifice everything to protect her happiness and smile."
Thales sighed. He closed his eyes gently and imagined his aunt, the Princess Royal, who had died at the age of eighteen.
"The Jadestar Family was born to shoulder the fate of Constellation," Kessel said faintly.
Thales opened his eyes and listened to Kessel's heavy breathing. He thought about the purpose of the king's actions today.
The two of them did not speak for a long time in the empty stone chamber.
* Thud! *
The king suddenly slammed his scepter on the ground!
It startled Thales.
"I do not know how much you know about us, nor do I know what kind of imagination you have regarding the title of Jadestar." Kessel the Fifth's voice was low and stern, but there was not a hint of fatherly emotion in it.
"But that is definitely not an easy title.
"It represents glory, history, power, and most importantly, sacrifice."
Thales was speechless. He did not know what to say.
It seemed like whatever he said would not be right.
"Are you ready?" Kessel finally turned his head. His sky-blue pupils were sharp and oppressive as he stared straight at Thales.
"From the moment I am crowned with the title of Jadestar, I will fight for Constellation, die for Constellation, and …"
Kessel stared at the six small stone jars. His gaze dimmed.
"Born for Constellation."
Thales' breathing froze for a moment before it quickened.
'Fight for Constellation.
'Die for Constellation.
'Born for Constellation?
'This sequence …'
Thales thought anxiously, 'So, becoming a Jadestar and living is far more difficult than fighting and dying?'
The king's gaze was fixed on him.
"I am waiting for your answer," the king said slowly, enunciating each word clearly.
It was not to be doubted or disobeyed.
Thales gulped.
He could not stand the current atmosphere. The prince forced a smile and said,
"Shouting about dying for a certain country or something, it really sounds like you are in a war."
But Kessel continued to stare at him with a burning gaze.
'Alright.'
Thales took three deep breaths, opened his eyes and said dejectedly,
"No."
Kessel furrowed his brows slightly.
"Before leaving Red Street Market, everything I did was to struggle, to survive in this damned world," the prince said disappointedly.
"I did not think about everything before my eyes at all. The royal family, conspiracies, heir, everything." He said sincerely, "I was not prepared to play these games at all. People die at the slightest provocation, but I can still talk and laugh as if nothing happened.
"I am more used to a dilapidated house, a hard bed, and curling up in a corner when it is cold and hungry. I work hard for myself and my friends' survival, not to drink and eat in a luxurious room while I concoct conspiracies, deprive lives, and … provoke or deal with wars.
"I am also not prepared to become Thales Jadestar." The prince exhaled and lowered his head. "Everything is a coincidence. I am not prepared for anything."
Asda's figure seemed to appear again before his eyes and smiled at him. 'Yes, this is a coincidence.'
There was a long silence.
Kessel stared at Thales. But the originally dignified and inhuman king suddenly revealed a complicated and profound expression that the prince had never seen before.
"Working hard for myself and my friends' survival … This is probably the entire mission of a Jadestar."
"It is fine."
Emotions seemed to flow in the king's eyes as he slowly said, "I was also not prepared in the past."
Thales raised his head in surprise and saw Kessel the Fifth enunciate each word in a forceful voice, with a mocking and hateful tone.
"And fate will help you prepare."
He flung his cloak and strode away.
Thales followed Kessel to the side of the stone pillar.
It was also a stone cave, but it was empty. There were no large stone jars.
There were only two small stone jars.
"This will be my burial ground." Kessel stooped down expressionlessly and caressed the two stone jars. He said calmly, "This will be my burial ground.
"But there are already two stone jars."
Thales' brain stopped working for a fraction of a second.
He remembered Gilbert's words about the Bloody Year and looked at the two small stone jars.
[King's Eldest Daughter, Lydia G.K. Jadestar, 656-660]
"I still remember when Lydia was just born, I carried her in my arms and was even more bewildered than she was. After she grew up a little, she ran around everywhere and refused to be quiet.
[King's Eldest Son, Luther K.K. Jadestar, 659-660]
Kessel put down the Everlasting Lamp and hid the expression in his eyes in the shadows. Only his lips moved and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. "Luther is very obedient and quiet. He never cries or throws a tantrum. This is bad, because we do not know when he is hungry.
"These two children have always caused Keya and Jines to worry about them. I have always been happy to be free."
The Supreme King of Constellation placed his hand on Thales' shoulder.
Thales was shocked.
"Fortunately," Kessel's words were chilling, "they no longer have to worry about the children."
Thales listened to Kessel's words in horror.
"Because they will always be here.
"They will not cry or run around.
"Always."
The king suddenly tightened his grip and gripped Thales' shoulder tightly.
His injured left shoulder was still in pain, but Thales endured it and did not speak.
"Look, this is what fate has prepared for me."
Looking at the two small stone jars, Thales gritted his teeth and clenched his fists lightly.
'These are … my sister and brother?'
At this moment, outside the stone room where the Kings of Constellation were buried, a long and heavy bell suddenly rang.
"Go." King Kessel Jadestar let go of Thales.
"Gilbert and Jines are waiting for you outside the door." The king stood up and regained his dignified and oppressive aura. With a cold expression, he said, "They will prepare everything for you.
"Just like how fate has already prepared everything for you."
—
'Thank you for the 588 Qidian Coins reward from' My Beloved Minister Don't Go '!
'Thank you for the 100 Qidian Coins reward from' Book Wasteland 1 '!
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