When Thales walked out of the stone room with complicated and indescribable feelings, he already had some guesses about the long chime and what was going to happen next.
"Today?" He calmly looked at Gilbert and Jines, who had been waiting for a long time in front of him.
'How sudden.'
Gilbert's gaze was filled with sighs and sadness, while Jines' cold expression seemed to be a little hesitant.
'Shouldn't they be cheering? Why do they look like this?' Thales thought helplessly. His mind was already filled by the stone room and what was going to happen next.
For some reason, he could still maintain his composure even though his heart was heavy.
'Is this what it means to not show one's emotions on one's face?'
Gilbert said bitterly, "Please forgive me, this was not my intention … Eckstedt's emergency envoy will arrive in Eternal Star tonight. Whether it is a declaration of war or a compromise, at this time, you … His Majesty …"
Gilbert furrowed his brows tightly. He wanted to say something but stopped himself. However, he still sighed deeply and kept his mouth shut.
"Don't waste any more time. The National Conference will start at three in the afternoon. His Majesty wants us to send him to the waiting room before one." Jines interrupted Gilbert with an indecipherable expression.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister and the first-grade female official had already changed into dark and solemn formal attire. Behind them were eight plain-looking female servants holding eight full trays. They were lined up orderly and quietly on both sides of the corridor.
* Dong! *
The bell rang for the second time.
Jines walked forward with a complicated expression and led the troubled Thales into another room.
The eight female servants entered one after another.
—
At the first sluice gate on the outer wall of Renaissance Palace.
The place Thales had just passed through last night was maintaining order despite the guards' rude and merciless reprimanding. The nobles, the people of all walks of life, and those with reputable positions all had different expressions on their faces. The crowd formed a long line and fought for a place to enter Renaissance Palace.
In front of Renaissance Palace, at the first heavy and mottled sluice gate, under the strict inspection of nervous guards, the qualified participants were allowed to enter one by one.
"I! I am the vice president of the Iron Smelting Guild! I am qualified to listen in! What? The Iron Smelting Guild has twenty-five vice presidents? Sigh, you don't understand. They are just there to make up the numbers. I am the only one who is special. Let me tell you, look at my black hair and black eyes! Do you understand? My family's craftsmanship was inherited from the Far East, the Dawn Dynasty. 'Before the Battle of Eradication … Alright, alright, alright! A gentleman uses his mouth, not his fists! I won't go in, okay? "
"I am Eros Kata, a fabric merchant specially licensed by the royal family! I can go in! Look! This is the late King Aydi's signature, and His Highness Midier's signature is also at the bottom! "
"I also have the invitation that Mindis the Third sent to our family back then! Although it had a long history, it was only a hundred and fifty years ago. Hey, don't do anything, I'll walk by myself! Go by yourself! "
"Sigh! Punk! Do you still remember me? I am the coroner of the Central Police Department, Razan. We have been colleagues for half a year! Are there any seats left in the Hall of Stars? "
"I'm on duty here, so I don't know. However, my cousin, who was a palace guard, told me that the hall was already half full! If you're not a viscount or a noble, you won't be able to enter! "
"So, we can only go to the Star Plaza and listen to the guards passing down the decisions of the big shots?" "That's right.
"Forget it. For people of our identity, even if we enter the Hall of Stars, we will only sit at the bottom and the outermost level and listen to the big shots on the top and the innermost level in silence. It is impossible for us to interrupt at all!"
"Oh my god, that's the Single-Winged Crow and the Twin Tower Longsword Flag! Kroma and the Karabeyan Family's carriages! Get out of the way! You won't have a good time if you offend them! "
"So what if they're nobles? Nobles also have to abide by the basic law, ah no, it's the Constellation Treaty! "
"What a joke! They're not ordinary nobles, they're high-ranking vassals who were appointed by the royal family, have over a thousand private soldiers, vast territories, and countless vassals … As a coroner, you need to improve your posture. Do you know about the Thirteen Distinguished Families? They talk and laugh with the royal family and the Six Distinguished Families … "
"How do you know so much?"
"I'm ashamed, I used to teach the family's third son martial arts in the manor of the Kisen Family in Eastern City District …"
Ignoring the pushing and shoving from the crowd around them, Count Derek Kroma's cavalry and Count Turami Karabeyan's carriage weaved through the crowd and arrived at Renaissance Palace half an hour after the bell rang for the second time.
As two of the thirteen high-ranking vassals known as the Thirteen Distinguished Families, who were second only to the royal family and the Six Great Clans in the country, Derek Kroma and the old Karabeyan Count passed through the crowd effortlessly with just the emblems and flags of the single-winged crow and the Sword of the Twin Towers. They passed through the first palace wall and the palace gate under the respectful gazes of the guards and the officials at the palace gate.
"There weren't so many people before the National Conference." Director Lorbec sighed softly in the carriage. "During the National Conference during the Desert War, only the heads of the various industries, rich merchants, and those stinky, prestigious scholars attended. Only two of the Six Great Families were present, and only five of the Thirteen Distinguished Families were present.
"But it was enough for His Majesty to win the war support he wanted. The nineteen nobles had no choice but to obey the National Conference's decision." Karabeyan stared solemnly at the growing crowd outside the carriage window. "The few nobles who refused to carry out the decision were besieged by the angry citizens. They even suffered in various industries. Even though they were just vassals of the great families, this was not a good sign."
The young Count of Wing Fort, Derek Kroma, rode close to the carriage window. His expression was unpleasant. "Sirs, we should hurry up. Even though the nineteen nobles have their own designated seats for the conference and won't be driven to the Star Plaza below the palace to 'listen' to the conference, we might have to fight with those nouveau riche nobles and commoners for a while."
—
Northwest of Renaissance Palace, Star Plaza, diagonally below the Hall of Stars, was currently bustling with noise!
The Virtuous King's initiative, known as the National Conference for all citizens, was the only National Conference where commoners and minor nobles could listen to the supreme power struggle of Constellation. It was about to begin in the afternoon! Every topic, every discussion, and every decision in the conference would be conveyed to the entire Star Plaza by someone specially assigned to inform all the citizens of the capital!
Genard frowned as he looked at the bustling crowd in the plaza. He and his City Defense Team had just been seconded from Eastern City District in the morning to maintain order in Star Plaza together with the people from the police station.
'God have mercy on us. How is this possible?' The Star Plaza could accommodate tens of thousands of people. Even Duke John's Starlight Brigade in the past could not maintain such order with just over a thousand people.
The people's gazes were all focused on the conference venue above their heads. It was the hall that faced the Star Plaza — the Hall of Stars!
The crowd pushed and shoved against each other. Indifferently, under the loud berating of the thousands of guards in the plaza and the giant city-guarding crossbows on the walls of Renaissance Palace that were on standby, the people passed back and forth the news of the king's sudden National Conference.
"I guess it's because of the Red Street Market explosion a month ago! Tsk, could it be that the Blood Bottle Gang was beaten up so badly by the Black Street Brotherhood that they became so anxious that they started to go crazy? "
"How can a small gang fight alarm the big shots up there?"
"Where did you get this news from? What do you mean by orderly? What Blood Bottle Gang? What Black Street Brotherhood? How can there be gangs in the capital? We are a civilized society! Our lives now are so blissful! Why do you want to spread these words that will destroy the environment? Huh? You look shifty-eyed. You must be a spy from a foreign power, right? "
"You can't go wrong if you listen to me. The Barren Bone people must have rebelled again! The ones behind this must be the merchants from Camus Union who are greedier than vampires! They seized my family's merchant group last month! They want to collect tithe! Do you believe it? Fifty percent out of ten! "
"Damn those Barren Bone bastards! Why is the Legendary Wing so soft-hearted? You should learn from His Majesty and capture them all like the Orcs and bury them alive at the Desert God's Altar! "
"Do not insult the Legendary Wing! He is so handsome, but he is an existence who can unify the Western Peninsula with just his face! "
"My aunt is a maid in a viscount's house in Morning Star District. She told me that something happened to Eckstedt in the north. Oh, why hasn't their diplomat group arrived yet?"
"How is that possible? The 'Fortress Treaty' is valid for twenty years! Besides, we have the Fortress Flower guarding Broken Dragon Fortress. We also have Arunde in the Northern Territory, as well as powerful families like Zemunto and Friess. How can it be like twelve years ago … "
"Don't forget that the Kingdom's Wrath is still in the capital! He alone, with that bow, can destroy two hundred thousand Eckstedtians! "
"Eckstedt doesn't even have two hundred thousand soldiers, right?"
"Anyway, that's what I mean!"
"I think it's most likely Sera Dukedom in the southwest. A relative of mine who came to seek refuge with me said that evil witches have been spreading a plague there recently. The neighboring Anlenzo Dukedom and Norton Dukedom have sealed their borders. Wait, did the plague spread to Constellation? Did the nobles in the southwest not come? What about the Tabark Family? What about Karabeyan and Lasia? Did they all die from the plague? "
"So, the price of herbs will rise? I have to hurry and stock up! "
"You're all talking nonsense. My secret source told me that His Majesty wants to choose one of the Six Great Clans to be the next king!"
"What? What about the Jadestar Royal Family? Our family has the royal family's furniture franchise! "
"What else can we do? Can you even force His Majesty to give birth to another son? "
"I think Duke Covendier is a good choice! Last year, he came to the grand bazaar for an inspection and even held my hand! With a duke like this, our country will never have to worry about not doing well! "
"But I think the young lady from the Tabark Family is also not bad! Let's learn from Alumbia Kingdom. Think about it, a beautiful young queen. Oh my god, my heart is about to melt … "
"Stop joking around. That's a countryside like Alumbia! Our great Constellation is the successor of the Empire! How can we let a woman be the king? I'm not discriminating against women, but we have to acknowledge the objective differences! "
"Young man, stop making wild guesses!"
"I'm concerned about politics!"
"I think you're a keyboard — ahem, no, a verbal warrior!"
"You have to believe in the country, believe in His Majesty, believe in the Imperial Conference! How can they not know something that even you know? "
—
Thales stood up slowly and looked at the young noble in the mirror, who was dressed luxuriously and had a cold expression.
His hair was no longer messy. Instead, it was neatly trimmed and combed into a simple but pleasing style, making him look spirited and handsome.
Jines did not even care about his expression and pinned a slightly reflective crystal earring on his left ear.
The thickened, dark-blue, sparkling crystal long-sleeved jacket with a white lining, pleated sleeves buttoned with Crystal Drop buttons, and specially processed tassel shoulder pads made his originally thin and weak figure look tall and straight.
He raised his hands. His pure white leather gloves were tight and shiny. His every move seemed to be more convincing.
The black, tight-fitting aristocratic trousers with a belt buckle in the shape of a star, and the expensive leather boots that made him two inches taller made him look like a noble when he walked.
The nine-pointed star emblem that represented the Jadestar Family was embroidered on Thales' back. There was also a gold and silver nine-pointed star pin on his chest, which shone under the light.
The maids sprayed some men's perfume on him. It was almost undetectable, but it made his aura more similar to that of the upper class.
'Haih.' Thales laughed bitterly and sighed. 'Fashionable adornments, elegant mannerisms, established etiquette, and limited knowledge. These are the best tools to separate and categorize people of different social classes. This is the circle of nobles.
'This damned, evil cultural capital.'
Even Jines and Gilbert, who were watching from the side, could not help but nod slightly.
"It's about time." Jines sighed and said in a bitter tone, "Kessel … His Majesty hopes that you will go in as soon as possible."
Thales knew that their emotions were a little off, but since they had already come to this … He cleared all thoughts in his mind and slowly left with Gilbert and Jines.
"I need to confirm some things with you."
Thales raised his head and looked at Gilbert.
"Your name … I mean, His Majesty originally planned to give you a name that is more in line with the 'Jadestar tradition', such as John and Midier, or Kessel and Tormond. After all, the name Thales is used by the commoners. It is the first time it has appeared in the royal family's genealogy … It will also allow people with intentions to investigate your past …"
Thales turned his head back and walked forward step by step. Without changing his expression, he said, "Thales."
"What?"
"Just call me Thales."
'I will not change my name.
'Those are the past.
I will not forget them at all. I cannot give up on them at all. '
Thales looked at the endless corridor and clenched his fists. He did not care about Gilbert's hesitant gaze.
"Haih … I will obey your will." Under Jines' murderous gaze, Gilbert sighed.
It was a very long corridor.
Thales did not bat an eyelid. He took a few dozen steps forward and stopped.
Before his eyes was a large black door.
"The Hall of Stars is right in front. You will go to a hidden room at the innermost level. Do not be nervous. When the time is right, I will open the door. You just have to follow my instructions, "Gilbert said with his head lowered. However, he immediately looked to the side of the door.
The middle-aged noble looked puzzled.
"Aida? You should be protecting His Majesty at this time! "
Thales looked forward and saw a petite figure leaning against the side of the door.
'It's her.'
Thales recognized her. It was the cloaked woman who led the Royal Guards and saved him from Zayen's hands last night. Her face was still covered by the cloak. Under the gloomy light, her face could not be seen.
The cloaked woman crossed her arms and left the wall that she was leaning against.
"Hey, kid, that masked man asked me to give you a gift."
A young, pleasant, and lively voice traveled into his ears. The cloaked woman handed something over.
Thales was stunned.
He took the item, not even bothering about the overly fair, smooth, and tight skin on her hand.
It was a black dagger sheath with a buckled belt.
A row of words was carved on one side: A king is not respected by his bloodline.
Thales resisted the urge to subconsciously touch his chest. With complicated feelings, he drew JC from his belt and inserted it into the sheath. The size was just right.
"Thank you. Yodel, is he alright?" Thales calmed his breathing and buckled the sheathed dagger at his waist.
"Don't worry, that kind of man will not die for the time being." The cloaked woman chuckled. "I know him very well."
Thales nodded, walked past her, and stood in front of the door.
The prince looked at the black stone door in front of him and gritted his teeth.
'Just one more step.'
Behind him, Gilbert's frown deepened. Jines bit her lower lip, and the cloaked woman twisted her neck without a care.
Thales did not turn around. He only looked at the gray stone floor in front of him.
He said faintly, "Gilbert, once I take this step, can I no longer turn back?"
Gilbert was stunned.
But Thales did not intend to let him answer.
The prince raised his head and forced a smile with difficulty.
"No. Perhaps, when I opened my eyes for the first time in this world, there was no such thing as turning back.
I can only keep moving forward. "
When she heard this, Jines' gaze was obscure and hesitant. She extended her hand, but was held back by Gilbert, who shook his head.
"Don't worry, cheer up. This is a good thing. Mister Gilbert, Madam Jines, and this cloaked woman, a good person told me before."
Under the illumination of the Everlasting Lamps on both sides and the sunlight from the windows on both sides of the corridor, Thales turned his head around.
He gave them a thumbs-up and grinned brightly.
"Just treat it as another game."
Before the three of them could react, Thales pushed the door open and stepped in.
A gust of cold wind gushed into the stone door. There was not enough light in front of him, and it seemed to be endless darkness.
Thales' figure disappeared into the darkness.
Gilbert sighed and lowered his head. Jines turned her head around and did not say a word.
Only the woman in the cloak snapped her fingers happily. "Aha, I like this kid."
Jines raised her head and chuckled bitterly and helplessly. Her face was full of sorrow and pity. "Yes, this boy is just a child.
How can he bear such a heavy burden and … future? "
There was a moment of silence.
Then, a hoarse voice suddenly rose, "He can."
The cloaked woman tilted her chin. "He recovers really quickly."
Gilbert and Jines looked behind them in surprise. There, the Masked Protector's figure appeared in the air.
However, the strange thing was that Yodel's figure was erratic and extremely blurry, as if he was covered by a veil made of air.
"He can bear that kind of responsibility," the blurry Yodel said with determination.
"I understand him.
He has a quality that all the people in this world, all the gods, all the demons, and even all the Mystics do not have. "
There was another moment of silence.
Gilbert shook his head and snorted softly. He raised his hat slightly to show his respect. "Forgive me for taking my leave. There are still two hours left in the National Conference. It is time to see His Majesty, Madam Jines."
Jines nodded and left with Gilbert.
As the sound of footsteps echoed, their figures disappeared into the distance of the corridor.
Only the Masked Protector and the cloaked woman were left.
"Three Blue Vine Grass arrows pierced through your chest. It has only been one night. It is impossible for you to stand up." The cloaked woman looked at the blurry Yodel and sighed deeply. "You made a deal with that mask again?
I have warned you many times! The collapse of the Ancient Elven Kingdom is not unrelated to that mask! As for you …
"What did you pay this time?"
Yodel did not respond. He only remained silent and touched the purple mask on his face.
Yodel's figure gradually disappeared, and only his hoarse voice remained. "No matter what I pay, it cannot be compared to one ten-thousandth of what that child will pay."
To "All the Good Names Are Taken by Others 2": "If I have time, I will update during the day. If not, I will update at night. However, there have been many things recently, but I will try my best to fix my update time! Thank you for your support!
The climax is almost here (Huh?). All kinds of requests for my collection and recommendation! "
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