"Control?"
Gilbert's gaze changed several times, but his rich experience allowed him to maintain his gentle and calm tone.
"Forgive me for being dull, but I do not understand what you mean."
Thales gave him a profound look.
"No, Gilbert." Thales smiled.
"You are the smartest person in the palace. You are so smart that you know when to be dull."
The dim light in the corridor made Gilbert's expression turn as dark as still water.
"You know very well that from the moment you brought me into Mindis Hall, everything I have and have achieved, be it using the name of the prince to make the Archduke of Northland listen to me patiently, using the interests of the city to make Dragon Clouds City hesitate in taking action, using my status to make a small group of people willingly obey my orders, and also my painstaking efforts to prevent conflicts, avert war, and help my friends …"
Thales' smile gradually froze.
"At the end of the day, all of these originate from him."
Gilbert was stunned. He wanted to say something, but stopped himself.
Thales continued.
"It also originates from what he represents: the kingdom, the system, the tradition … everything.
"This is why I am not afraid of Nuven, Chapman, and Shadow Shield, but I am wary of him. I am afraid of him."
Thales sucked in a deep breath.
"Because without him, without the things he gave me …
"I could only return to my original form, and become that lonely and weak child beggar in the Abandoned House in Lower City District."
Thales clenched his fists.
He remembered that night in Heroic Spirit Palace, Asda's direct question to him in the room of Heroic Spirit Palace.
"I …" the prince said laboriously.
"Am nothing."
'Am nothing.'
"I know that King Kessel has always been domineering." Gilbert tried his best to find a way to interject and comfort Thales. "His demands on you are too strict, which caused you to distance yourself from him and even fear him …"
"Strict?" Thales repeated the word, snorted coldly, and shook his head.
"King Nuven forced me, King Chapman used me, and Shadow Shield hurt me. But they had to first raise their swords and resort to the most direct and brutal methods.
"But he is the only one. He is the only one. What he controls me with is not a certain saber, not a certain order, not a certain threat, and not even a clear hierarchy, interest relationship, or power chain.
Thales slowly turned around and faced the shadows in the corridor where the light could not reach. His words were bitter.
"Instead, it's a towering net."
"It's called 'Constellation' or 'this damned world'."
Gilbert shuddered and blurted out,
"Your Highness!"
But Thales raised his hand abruptly and stopped his teacher from speaking.
"And he is right at the top of the net. He doesn't need to say anything, do anything, or even show up. The existence and weight of the net itself, and the impenetrable structure of the net, are enough to make me lower my head and stagger."
Thales was in a daze.
"Until I was bound by the countless threads in the net and became him, or whatever it wanted me to be."
"I understand!"
Gilbert could no longer hold back and anxiously rushed to speak.
"I understand, Your Highness! However, you are father and son after all. You are his heir, and you stand on the same side. As long as you resolve the conflict and misunderstanding — "
"Untie?"
Thales raised his voice and turned around.
He stared at the Foreign Affairs Minister, and a cold smile appeared at the corners of his lips.
"Gilbert, you are a diplomat. You can untie a knot and a misunderstanding. You can untie the grudge between two people and the conflict between two groups. You can even untie the predicament of war between two countries.
"But how are you going to untie a … net?"
Gilbert's gaze froze.
"If the owner of the pharmacy had a good relationship with the gang, he might have been able to pay less protection fees." Thales took a step towards Gilbert, and he was rather aggressive.
"But Gilbert, answer me. How is he going to get out of that net? That cruel net that he is so used to that he has become numb to, that one-sidedly emphasizes that a person cannot seek freedom and security at the same time, and that he must give up on one of them, thereby justifying violence, exploitation, and oppression. "
Cold wind seeped in through the cracks, and it was bone-chilling.
Gilbert did not react. He stared at Thales in disbelief.
"That good girl might be able to find a so-called good man like me and live happily ever after." Thales glared at his teacher. He had to get the answer no matter the cost.
"But Count Caso, answer me. How is she going to get out of this net? That unjust net that she has long seen through but can do nothing about, that women are designed and trained to rely on and submit to another person, and that they can only exchange their skirts for bread, or else they will be punished and unable to move an inch? "
The lights in the corridor flickered, and ghostly shadows moved about.
As he stared at the prince in front of him, Gilbert's right hand trembled. He subconsciously leaned against his cane, and his breathing quickened.
"As for that crippled, ruthless character, perhaps his old friends in the gang can help to provide for his living expenses." Thales gritted his teeth, and his tone was indignant.
"But Foreign Affairs Minister, please answer me. How is he going to get out of this net? That twisted net that he has lived in for a long time without smelling its stench, that keeps repeating that the strong and the weak determine their gains, that those who fall behind will be beaten, and that logic is full of loopholes, but it is rarely questioned? "
The stone wall in the palace quietly listened to Thales' questioning. As usual, it was silent and did not speak.
Gilbert's chest rose and fell. He looked back at Thales in a daze.
"Answer me, respected teacher. Answer me." Thales raised his voice.
"Use all your knowledge and attainments in history, politics, grammar, and philosophy to answer me. How are you going to get out of this net?"
The echo spread out in the dark and empty corridor, like a tiny pebble thrown into a bottomless, pitch-black abyss.
"Your Highness." Gilbert was worried and anxious.
"I do not understand. What you are talking about and us —"
But Thales interrupted him.
"Last night."
The prince stared at the Foreign Affairs Minister.
"I, the Duke of Star Lake, Prince Thales, stood at the highest point of Mindis Hall, but I still felt helpless and helpless. I swayed, but I was not even allowed to take a step back, turn around, and give up. Because the net that belonged to me had already bound me tightly, and it was airtight. "
When he heard these words, Gilbert's expression became gloomy.
"In that net, I could only watch two living people fight to the death for a ridiculous reason in front of me. I could do nothing but watch my subordinates die because this was in line with 'my' standpoint, in line with the interests of the kingdom, and in line with the best ending."
The scene from the banquet flashed before Thales' eyes.
"And if I put up even the slightest resistance and tried to tear it apart, just like what I did last night, when I appealed to my humanity instead of my own interests and tested the boundaries of betrayal, I would immediately attract this net's merciless punishment and counterattack. It would either force me to lower my head and become an obedient prince again, or it would completely eliminate me and turn me into a legend in history."
Legend and throne.
Legend, or throne.
Those were all his choices.
"Gilbert, can you feel it?"
Thales felt anguish in his heart.
"Can you feel this net that is untraceable but everywhere in our lives, and yet it is filled with so much despair that it makes it hard for us to breathe?
"It is so unstoppable and difficult to detect that even the strongest, smartest, and cleverest person I have ever met would unknowingly become its most loyal and obedient slave."
Gilbert did not say a word and sank into bitter contemplation.
"This, Gilbert, is the thing that has always terrified me."
Thales took a deep breath and took two steps back. He rubbed the side of his forehead forcefully.
"Just as Zayen said, when I returned to Constellation, what I received was not just the protection of the kingdom.
It was also the shadow of the throne. "
Both of them sank into silence.
After what felt like a century, Gilbert heaved a long sigh. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes became obvious.
"I understand, Thales."
He spoke carefully, as though he was comforting an injured little beast.
"I understand that the title of Prince of Constellation is not an easy one. It is the same for the Duke of Star Lake and the heir to the throne. You do not only have to bear the burden of your own life, you also have to bear the future of the entire kingdom, but you have already done very well …
"I also know that our kingdom is very complicated. It is not perfect, but flawed. Sometimes, it is even vile. We can only try our best to make up for and correct it as much as possible.
"And this requires your wisdom. But before that, you must have great power and a high position. Only then will you have the right and the conditions to discuss a solution …"
Thales pursed his lips tightly and shook his head.
'No.'
'He does not understand.
'Just like the others.'
Gilbert's words were filled with hope as he continued to speak.
"But I swear, I swear on my reputation and responsibility that I will try my best. What happened today will not happen again. I will advise His Majesty, and he will give you more time, more freedom, more leeway, more —"
"I have seen it, Gilbert," Thales' voice was deep as he interrupted Gilbert.
"I saw how you walked on thin ice carefully during the Imperial Conference. You tried to strike a balance between the king and the prime minister, between finance and military affairs, between gentleness and radicalism, and between humanity and interests."
Gilbert was stunned.
Thales smiled mockingly.
"Even as a member of the king's party, you do not agree with the king. At the very least, you do not approve of his methods and methods of doing things. He is radical, domineering, and unreasonable. He incites resentment everywhere. He is completely unlike Prince Midier from the past."
Gilbert's expression was slightly tense.
"No, Your Highness, you are making a forceful assumption …"
Thales shook his head, but his gaze was firm.
"But there is nothing you can do."
"Because of you, Gilbert Caso, the creator of the Fortress Treaty, the cunning fox of the Western Peninsula who once went north alone and forced back an army of one hundred thousand tigers and wolves, because you are the same as me. You are also trapped in this net that reaches the sky. You are controlled by it, and you are powerless to fight back."
The Foreign Affairs Minister was stunned.
"You have already used up all your wisdom and all your strength just to ensure that you have a seat in the Imperial Conference, just to protect yourself from falling off the scales that are biased against you, and just to ensure that you are not assimilated by it."
Thales stared at him, extended his hands, and grasped Gilbert's shoulders tightly.
"You do not have a single ounce of strength left for yourself, for the ideals and ambitions you once had."
Gilbert's eyebrows trembled slightly.
Thales clenched his fists slowly and said through gritted teeth,
"That is why when you first discovered me six years ago and discovered that there might be another candidate for the King of Constellation, you were extremely excited, as if you had found a treasure. You worked hard and were willing to be my subordinate, and you did so many things for me.
"Because you were counting on me to one day …
"Replace him."
At that moment, Gilbert raised his head swiftly. The shock in his eyes could not be any greater!
Thales revealed a smile.
"Am I not?"
Silence, a suffocating silence, lasted for a whole three seconds.
In the next moment, Gilbert reacted. In his shock, he instinctively retreated and broke free from Thales' grip.
Thales stared at him. He raised his hands horizontally, but there was only emptiness in his palms.
Gilbert stared at the student in front of him in shock, as if he did not know this teenager anymore.
"You should be happy, teacher.
Because I will be. "Thales put away the disappointment in his heart and lowered his head to look at his empty palms. The scar on them became even more obvious.
"From now on."
Gilbert's expression changed abruptly.
"Your … Your Highness?"
He seemed to have realized something. He quickly went forward and wrapped his arm around Thales' shoulder again.
"What are you talking about? What do you want to do?"
Thales smiled.
"Gilbert, do you know why I was able to walk out unscathed after committing such a treacherous act?
"Do you know what's the most interesting thing about this snare we're in?"
Thales faced Gilbert's shocked gaze and felt the heaviness on his shoulders. He looked behind him at the dark corridor that led to Ballard Room.
"That is, in this kingdom, the one who is bound even tighter, deeper, heavier, and more powerless to free himself is neither me nor you."
The teenager's smile remained, and his gaze was cold.
"There is someone else."
— — —
"How can I trust you?"
In Ballard Room, King Kessel began to eat again. His voice rose faintly. It was not as sharp as before, but there was a hint of coldness in it.
"How do I know that what you said is true?"
Across the discussion table, Thales was expressionless as he quietly listened to Gilbert's words.
"How do I know that you really want to be used by me, and not secretly strengthen yourself, accumulate fame, and gather support?
"How do I know that I am not nurturing a tiger and making you a threat that has never been there before?
"How do I know that you will not benefit from the chaos, take advantage of the situation, and turn against me in the end …"
In the next second, King Kessel's words were cold and murderous.
"Replace me?"
At that moment, the narrow secret room seemed to have become even narrower. There was no more space for him to move about.
Thales sneered. He found it extremely absurd.
"I have already said it, and you are still worried about this?"
The king picked up a piece of meat with his fork and narrowed his eyes.
"If you can deceive a duke like Fakenhaz, you can naturally deceive me.
"And how are you going to win my trust and ensure that you will fulfill your duty and become my sharpest longsword, my most loyal pawn, and my most trusted trump card?"
Thales was silent for a while.
At that moment, he finally realized that he was sitting in the same room as King Kessel.
It was just like what he had used to threaten the Black Prophet in the Secret Intelligence Department.
He faced the Iron Hand King alone.
Face to face.
King against King.
Jadestar against Jadestar.
How much had he sacrificed for this moment?
How much would he lose?
Finally, the teenager took a deep breath and stared at the king.
"First of all, no matter what my intentions are, facts speak louder than words. The process and reality cannot be deceived. Your power and interests will visibly expand and grow through our cooperation.
"For example, this time, I will persuade the dukes of Western Desert to reduce their soldiers and pay taxes to support the expansion of the regular army."
King Kessel did not answer. But Thales, who had crossed swords with him many times, gradually understood that this was the best answer.
"Second, if you are worried that I will go down this path until the end, that I am really in cahoots with the disobedient, and that I will defect to the enemy …"
Thales' tone was calm as he spoke slowly.
"I believe that you know why I made this proposal and embarked on this path."
"To fight with you on the battlefield, to fight with blood, to the extent that the kingdom is destroyed and countless sacrifices are contrary to my original intentions. This is the situation I do not want to see the most."
King Kessel snorted, his emotions indecipherable.
"Third, as you said, there is a price for me to take this step."
Thales' gaze did not waver.
"If I still want to return to Renaissance Palace, walk into the base camp of the king's partisans who regard me as their enemy, wear the crown and inherit the throne safely, peacefully, gracefully, and without bloodshed, and ensure that my head is on my shoulder, then I will have to count on your endorsement and acknowledgement at the last moment. Only by bowing down with the king can I not be pelted with eggs by the audience below the stage."
This time, King Kessel frowned slightly and was silent for a long time.
The Iron Hand King's gaze shifted. "But if you do not openly betray us and slaughter the people …
"Instead, imitate your dearest friend in the north, plot in secret, and strike a sudden blow?"
His friend in the north.
Thales frowned when he thought of Lampard's old sword and King Nuven's head that rolled on the ground.
"Someone as experienced as you is also afraid of assassins?" Thales said sarcastically.
King Kessel's knife and fork froze in the air.
"You know, Yodel is no longer here." The king resumed eating. His voice was as usual, as if he did not care, "Now you want to take my head …
"There is still time."
'Yodel is no longer here.'
Thales' heart sank.
"Another day."
The prince looked at the food in front of him that had long since turned cold.
He said flatly, "This spoon … doesn't fit me."
King Kessel sneered as well.
"Even if you are really blinded by lard right now and sincerely want to do so …"
The king said slowly,
"But how can you guarantee that once the situation changes in the future and things change with the passage of time, you will still abide by your promise, remember the agreement, overcome all obstacles for me, and punish the evil?"
'Overcome all obstacles for me, punish the evil.'
Thales sneered in his heart.
"I don't know."
The teenager did not show any weakness and retorted decisively.
"I can't guarantee things that haven't happened yet, and I don't want to say some pretty words about not changing my original intentions."
King Kessel frowned.
Until Thales' tone changed.
"But it depends on you."
The king's gaze shifted, "What?"
"Just like me, there is a price for taking this step."
Thales leaned forward and said threateningly,
"If you don't want to be detested and betrayed by me one day, if you don't want to be forced to launch a civil war against my unfilial son one day, if you don't want me to do everything I can to mobilize the heroes of the kingdom to fight against you.
"Then you'd better go on stage with me, cooperate with the performance, and take a curtain call together."
King Kessel listened quietly.
"Don't be a stage bully, don't cut corners, don't tamper with the script, and don't even have ulterior motives to frame each other.
"As long as you don't get out of the car first, I will behave myself and overcome all obstacles for you. Just like how I don't go back on my word halfway, you will abide by the rules and give me the throne at the end. "
The king's eyebrows twitched, "What you want to say is …"
"The essence of politics is the binding of interests."
Thales said coldly,
"I think we both admit that this cooperation is just taking what we need, and it is destined not to be smooth sailing, my dear sincerity."
In the next second, Thales' gaze turned cold and his tone was stern, "But we understand each other's nature better: no matter who goes back on their word and betrays first, no matter who turns hostile first …
"The other party can make him pay an unimaginable price."
Studying Thales' expression, the corners of the king's mouth slowly curled up.
"On this chariot, we are tied together."
Thales said with certainty,
"We are each other's guarantors."
This time, Ballard Room was quiet for a long time.
Just when Thales thought the Everlasting Lamp was about to be extinguished, the king's deep voice finally rang.
"Not enough."
Thales' eyebrows twitched.
Across the long table, the Iron Hand King pushed away the plates and cutlery.
"You want to become the king's enemy?"
For the first time, Kessel Jadestar, who had always been cold and stern, raised his head and showed the teenager a bright, indifferent, and even somewhat mocking smile that the latter had never seen before.
"Words alone are no proof."
(End of this chapter)
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.
