Duke Thales had been in a bad mood recently.
According to a well-informed insider from the Seven Jadestar Attendants Family, who did not want to reveal his name (to protect the person involved, we will use the pseudonym B.B. here), the prince did not enjoy his meals. He was listless in class, overworked himself in martial arts class, had a lot on his mind when he was deep in thought, and would sometimes shut himself off and be in a daze. Occasionally, he would sigh and lament about life.
As for the reason, there were different opinions in the Star Lake Fort. Some said that it was the resentment after being exiled, some said that the duke had quarreled with Officer Mallos again, and some guessed that it was because the Logistics Division's bill for the past few months was not good. But our reliable informant B.B. (pseudonym) gave the most direct reason.
On the night that Kosta and Morgan were on duty, Duke Thales was training hard in his own room. He was sweating profusely and had climaxes one after another. He was intoxicated and was on the verge of death when a few rats barged in and disturbed him.
The prince, whose mood was ruined, was furious. He pulled out his sword and slashed at them. According to the person who cleaned up the mess, even the poor chair was cut in half. Of course, the exact news still needed to be further revealed by B.B. (pseudonym).
"Danny Doyle!"
Mammy Valencia, who had just arrived at the castle, roared. Her voice reverberated throughout the castle and chased D.D, who was chatting happily with the maids, out of the room. "Your duty is to hold the sword, not to chat!"
"If I catch you again, I'll beat you up!"
As time went by, Star Lake Fort became more and more perfect from the construction to the staffing. For example, the new Supervisor Nanny, Ashley Valencia, was strict in her manner and her methods were strict. The most common phrase that came out of her mouth was "I'll f * ck you." According to the well-informed B.B. (a pseudonym), he even heard Nanny Nanny threaten Officer Mallos once.
"It's okay, Mammy." At the dining table, Thales, who was wearing a scarf, was listless. "I was the one who encouraged D.D to chat more with everyone, so that the castle would not be too quiet and lifeless."
Mammy Valencia's anger had not yet subsided. "He used your affairs as a topic to talk about. What he talked about were all baseless rumors, some of which would ruin your reputation if spread out."
"Everyone is curious about the secrets of the Duke of Star Lake's life." But Thales just waved his hand and did not care about it. "Be it rumors or the truth, there has to be an exit. Instead of letting others find this exit and make wild guesses …"
Thales shook his head nonchalantly.
Mammy Valencia turned around and looked at him kindly, as if she was looking at her own grandson.
"Oh, my dear, Your Highness, everything about you is good, but your heart is too soft …"
The granny had been in charge of more than one large family. She had a good reputation and was respected. Even though she was over sixty years old, she was still full of energy. She, who was planning to retire, was specially invited by Baron Quentin to come to Star Lake Castle. She was in charge of taking care of the Duke's meals and lodging, as well as managing the newly hired servants in the castle.
'Now, my dear, you must be very hungry. '
Mammy Valencia skillfully served the dishes.
"Eat quickly. Remember, the quantity must be sufficient, and the variety must be balanced."
"Thank you, Mammy." Thales nodded and pointed at a plate of roasted vegetables awkwardly. "But, I don't like lettuce as much as the rumors say, so can I change it to something else —"
Mammy Valencia's smile did not diminish, but she raised her wrist and instantly pulled out a pointer!
'F * ck.' Thales shuddered and subconsciously raised his hand to protect his face!
* Slap! *
There was an explosion.
In the next second, a certain black cat that had climbed in through the window and was sneaking its head towards the duke's dining table jumped pathetically, dodging the mammy's pointer in the nick of time.
"Meow —"
The black cat jumped off the dining table and leaped to the corner. It glared at the mammy angrily with its fur puffed up.
"That is not something you should eat." Mammy Valencia withdrew her pointer and stared expressionlessly at the furious black cat. "You uncultured brute."
Thales put down his arms awkwardly, but when he heard that, he shuddered.
"Meow! Meow meow! Meow meow meow meow meow! "
The black cat said a few harsh words and looked at the duke's dining table unwillingly. In the end, it chose to give up.
It leaped out of the door without looking back, bringing back Doyle's screams along the way ("No, no! That was my lunch! Ah, it's you again, you stupid cat! ").
"This little brute is obviously inexperienced. How dare you eat under my nose." Valencia turned around and became kind and gentle again. "Sorry, dear, what did you say just now?"
Under the mammy's understanding smile, Thales' appetite increased. He picked up the plate of roasted lettuce excitedly and ate it with relish. He had no complaints or regrets.
In the past few months, besides hiring servants and workers, the Logistics Division had also brought back different breeds of rat-catching cats from the market and the fields according to Duke Thales' inexplicable but unquestionable orders. Together with the original nests of stray cats in the castle, the annoying rat infestation in Star Lake Castle was finally greatly reduced. The newly purchased wooden furniture survived, and the stored food in the warehouse was no longer short of weight. Even the number of planthoppers was reduced by a lot. Piles of rat corpses were even found in the cracks of the ceiling of the duke's room. The effect was unbelievably good.
However, the increase in the number of cats brought new troubles. Firstly, the tapestries and cloth furniture started to suffer. Secondly, the environment full of cat fur made Lord Mallos sneeze continuously for a week. The servants had to increase the frequency of cleaning. Thirdly, at night, there would be cat meowing outside and outside the castle, disturbing people's sleep. Regarding this, Miss Jenny, who relied on her strength and wisdom to dominate the Star Lake Castle's stable, but was helpless against the nimble cats scurrying around on the roof, had a lot of complaints.
To make matters worse, the stray cats around Star Lake Castle also began to gather here. The teaching whip in Mammy Valencia's hands was no longer limited to D.D, but became an official cat-chasing stick. A cunning black cat even dared to break into the kitchen and even the duke's study and dining room time and time again. It looked around innocently and curiously, observing the humans, but it was actually full of evil tricks. If it was not careful, it would scratch and break things and steal the food.
The second-class protector of the Star Lake Guards, Jose Costa, was born in the Alumbia Kingdom. According to him, who was very familiar with cats (the cat culture in Thornland had been prevalent for a long time), if this continued, Star Lake Castle would be full of kittens in a few months' time. Once the cat species overflowed, everything from the castle's tablecloths and tapestries, to the warehouse's kitchen, to the crow's nest at the top of the castle, and even the Bird's Nest Lake around Star Lake would be affected.
The situation was critical. The decisive Lord Mallos planned to destroy the cats, but was stopped by Duke Thales. Following His Highness' unexpected train of thought, the Logistics Division brought back a new answer the next week.
Dogs.
From the majestic and humane Ludo Dog to the ferocious and aggressive Raging Wolf Dog that specialized in hunting, from the pure and loyal watchdog to the cowardly Pet Dog, the Star Lake Fort had turned into a dog training ground. It had also reconstructed the ecological chain and successfully prevented the wild cats from gathering further.
("When there are more rats, we will buy cats. When there are more cats, we will buy dogs. When there are more dogs, we will … Heh, according to this logic, will we have to buy a king one day?" — Apprentice Vanguard Ness's complaint, an hour before he was whipped by the penal officer.)
This made Miss Jenny very happy, because she only spent a day to subdue the most majestic Ludo, Petrick, and the most ferocious Raging Wolfhound, Archiberg. In addition to the stable horses that were originally under her iron hooves (in a literal sense), Jenny successfully established her absolute rule on the first floor of the Star Lake Fort, becoming the "Queen of the Land" in name and in reality in the fort.
In addition, there were also the "Wild Cat Empire" that coveted the Duke's dining table every day, the "Flying Bird Alliance" that occupied the tree trunks and messenger crows, and the "Evil Rat Swarm" that was heavily injured and was forced to retreat to the wild and underground. The four major clans in Star Lake Fort were in a standoff with each other. They were second only to the glorious and great Duke Thales and the strict and solemn Valencia Nanny. Their leaders were known as the "Four Dark Kings of Star Lake Fort." Even though other than the "Queen of the Land" Jenny, the other three Kings of the other clans had yet to be confirmed, but this bloody and cruel story of the struggle for hegemony in Star Lake Fort was enough to prove how boring it was for D.D. to make them up and give them nicknames one by one.
Fortunately, just as Duke Thales, who was badly battered by dog urine and dog feces, was preparing to let the Logistics Division go to the market and the village to restock, adjust the ecological environment, and maintain the castle's tidiness, Captain Mallos and Mammy Valencia decisively intervened and stripped the Duke of his leadership over the castle's governance, only retaining his formal right to make suggestions.
So, with the concerted efforts of the Duke of Star Lake Castle and his loyal subordinates, the gloomy and dilapidated castle, which had been in disrepair for a long time, welcomed new life. The castle gate was repaired, the sentry posts were readied, the doorways, moats, stairs, and outer walls were cleaned and renovated (provided that the back was ignored), the courtyard and garden were free of weeds and dust, and the stable and racecourse were especially clean and beautiful (Miss Jenny's pedalling supervisor contributed a lot to this). At first glance, it looked grand and majestic.
In the castle, more and more halls, rooms, corridors, warehouses, and cellars were cleaned up. Thales finally recognized the five ways to get from the main hall to the Wolf's Tower, including the hidden "Aerial Walk" that was discovered by the black cat that came to steal food from time to time ("As long as you are not afraid of falling from the outer walls and becoming a meat patty …" — Mallos' kind reminder), the kitchen, washroom, and sewer were also unobstructed again (D.D was very proud of this).
And when His Highness the Duke came back from Eternal Star City one time and got off the carriage with his hands covering his butt with an unpleasant expression, even the weeds and rocks by the lake outside the castle were cleaned up and replaced with fine sand and soft soil. A clear, stable, and solid road was combed out, so that the people who went to and from Eternal Star City and Star Lake Castle would no longer have to suffer the pain of bumps and unspeakable pain.
Under Duke Thales' name, the nearby fields and fiefs were also gradually straightened out their subordinate relationships (thanks to Teacher Julio's great help). The stewards and village chiefs regularly reported the recent situation to Star Lake Castle according to the rules, paid taxes, provided labor, and provided logistics. Servants, cooks, gardeners, coachmen, guards … Star Lake Castle gradually became more popular, and it looked quite like a noble's residence (Although Glover still felt that this was shabby compared to the royal style, D.D quickly reminded him that this was called simplicity). Under Grandma Valencia's instructions, they even cultivated a few fields in the abandoned open space outside the castle. They were discussing about planting crops, and when the season came, they would come in handy.
Seeing that everything was gradually on the right track, only the owner of the castle was not happy.
After that night, the sky-blue invitation card did not appear again, as if Asda had forgotten about Thales.
But that night conversation made Thales depressed for nearly a month, especially the sentence "the Magic Empress will not rest until you are dead". It was a heavy blow, and it made the Duke of Star Lake feel depressed, and he could not eat or sleep in peace.
The secret of the body of calamities, the heavy burden of the Duke of Star Lake, the dangerous oath with the king, these things were already enough to make him breathless. Now, there was also the "perfect anti-mystic equipment" and the Magic Empress. For a few moments, Thales, who was almost going bald from scratching his head, even wanted to put down his sword and run away with Asda.
'No, no, even if I am determined to elope with Little Benny, looking at the latter's fervent persistence, I still can't escape from the Magic Empress.'
Thinking of this, Thales, who had nothing to live for, missed the days in Dragon Clouds City very much.
Those Northland barbarians who wanted to cut him into pieces every day, the more he thought about it, the cuter they became.
Until one afternoon, the Duke of Star Lake welcomed the first batch of guests after he moved into Star Lake Castle.
Unusual guests.
In front of the gate of Star Lake Castle, the Star Lake Guards and servants stood upright, watching Mallos receive the visiting commander-in-chief of the Royal Guards, Lord Fabio Adrian.
"You look surprised?"
Adrian, who stepped off the stirrup, was proper and gentle. He spoke cordially, not at all disturbed by the haze of the night when the prince forced him to abdicate.
"A little," Mallos pulled the reins skillfully, turned around, and passed it to Toledo behind him. At the same time, he motioned for the others to receive the few Royal Guards who accompanied him. "Considering that we just received a messenger crow fifteen minutes ago."
Adrian looked at the other party's expression and smiled.
"I know, this trip is indeed a little presumptuous, and the guest we are escorting is also on a whim."
'Guest of honor.'
Mallos frowned when he heard this.
Seeing this, the captain of the Royal Guards patted Mallos' shoulder with a smile.
Adrian understood Mallos. This former herald liked to arrange everything clearly and methodically. He was even more used to preparing for a rainy day and being prepared for any eventuality.
Correspondingly, Mallos did not like accidents, and hated taking risks. There was no improvisation or improvisation in his dictionary. Any situation that was not in his plans and plans would make him frown.
In that case, it was really difficult for him to serve Prince Thales.
What a pity. The original intention of the Watchman of the Royal Guards was to deal with accidents and accidents.
Toledo, Glover, Tang Xin, Procca, Trefanov … The Star Lake Guards greeted their former colleagues from Renaissance Palace with stern faces. The latter also had solemn expressions, and a few of the Royal Guards were even unwilling to let them touch their mounts. Their armor and helmets were not removed, their weapons were not used, and they were not even willing to say much.
They had only been separated for a few months, but there was already a gap between them.
Only Doyle was beaming with joy, waving and greeting everyone he was familiar with, whether they were familiar with him or not. ("Yo bro, you look very familiar, which wing transferred you from? Wow, you are so strong, and your helmet is so cool! Eh, we are all the Emperor's Praetorian Guards, don't be so cold! "). Many people did not know whether to answer or not, and it was extremely awkward.
Captain Adrian saw all this, but he did not bat an eyelid. He just walked forward with Mallos and sized up the brand new Star Lake Fort.
"I can see that you have run this place well, I haven't seen Star Lake Fort like this for many years …"
Swoosh!
"Meow!"
Before he finished speaking, a yellow-spotted cat chased after a messenger crow, and both of them flew past in front of them, kicking up dust that landed on Adrian's boots. The captain could not help but choke on his words.
Mallos' expression was also a little unpleasant.
"In that case …"
* Ow! *
Chasing after the cat and bird, a small puppy clumsily pounced over, tripping over itself once, and staggered as it chased after the cat and bird.
"So … enthusiastic."
Captain Adrian finally found an adjective with great difficulty, and he coughed softly.
"That's right, there are more small animals."
'More small animals.'
Mallos looked at the chaotic scene in the distance, and thought of a certain duke's genius idea of "using a cat to control a mouse" and "using a dog to control a cat". He could not help but rub his slightly itchy nose, and calmly replied, "Please excuse me.
Star Lake Fort has been empty for many years, so it's full of wild interest. "
"So, are you implying that Renaissance Palace and the Royal Guards did not give you enough financial support?"
"I did not say that."
"Do you usually speak to Duke Thales in this manner as well?"
"I dare not." Mallos did not look ashamed at all. "The setting sun is my witness, I have always been courteous and respectful to Prince Thales."
Before Adrian could reply, the Duke of Star Lake himself had already arrived, accompanied by his attendant.
"How can I have the honor of being honored by the guardian of Renaissance Palace?" Thales was full of smiles.
Adrian bowed and was about to reply when Thales cheerfully interrupted him.
"So, Lord Adrian, my old man finally could not hold back and sent you to get rid of me to prevent future trouble?"
When he said this, everyone looked at him sideways, and Wya, who was behind him, turned pale with fright.
Adrian's expression stiffened a little, and he looked at Mallos.
The watchman politely returned him a smile.
"Sorry, the duke has been suffering from constipation recently, and he's not in a good mood."
'What?'
This time, it was Thales' turn to frown.
"You know about this too? Don't tell me that you always stand guard outside the toilet, move based on the smell, and observe feces? "
"That's not necessary." Mallos was unmoved. "You only need to count the amount of clean silk you use every time you go to the toilet. It's obvious that you go a lot and stay in the toilet for a long time, but you use very little. I don't want to guess that you don't like cleanliness, so there's only one answer."
Thales froze.
'Alright, I did shut myself in the toilet and think for a long time over the past few days.
'But …'
He glared at Mallos. 'Constipation?
'Really?'
Captain Adrian narrowed his eyes and cast Mallos a gaze that could only be understood by the tacit understanding between them.
'Respectful?'
Mallos returned him an indifferent gaze.
'Absolutely.'
"I'm a prince, don't I even have the privacy to poop?" Thales was indignant.
"But before the autumn harvest, you can't even afford to hire an extra laundry maid." Mallos was merciless and delivered a fatal blow.
The prince felt short of breath and had nothing to say.
Adrian thought about it. 'Alright, they are indeed expressing their dissatisfaction with Renaissance Palace's financial support.'
Just as Thales was racking his brains to think of words to reply to Mallos, Captain Adrian coughed.
"Anyway, Your Highness, I am indeed here with a mission," the captain said with a smile. "But it's not what you think. Your old — ahem, His Majesty ordered me to escort the kingdom's meritorious hero back to his hometown to rest."
"Meritorious hero?"
Thales narrowed his eyes. "Ha, nowadays, there are still people who can become —"
But before he could finish speaking, a unique voice came from behind him.
"Wow, you've grown up, child."
Thales was shocked when he heard that.
As the voice faded away, another group of people followed behind the Royal Guards and stepped into the castle's gate.
They stood tall, had awe-inspiring auras, and moved swiftly. It was obvious that they were soldiers.
Thales' gaze was fixed on the leader.
A guest in casual clothes stepped down from the stirrups and walked out of the group with a laugh. He walked towards Thales.
"You look like an adult now."
Behind the prince, Wya was pleasantly surprised. Ralf could only impatiently remind him to maintain his composure.
Thales controlled his breathing and smiled as he stared at his old acquaintance whom he had not seen for many years.
The guest was not tall, but her posture was confident and at ease. She calmly walked past the Star Lake Guards and Royal Guards and arrived in front of Thales.
"You look like an adult … In fact, you are the twenty-first person to say this about me, but I am still very happy. Thank you for acknowledging me."
A few seconds later, the Duke of Star Lake took a step forward. Although it was not polite, he sincerely bowed to the guest in front of him — the woman who stood out among the men.
"It has been a long time since we last met. I missed you. Welcome to my castle, honorable lady."
"Sonia Sasere."
'Sonia …'
Doyle, who was in the queue, was shocked when he heard this.
He whispered, "What? So, that's the fortress' — "
Glover, who was beside him, bumped into him.
"Shut up."
But even the zombie himself stared at the woman.
While the people of Star Lake Fort were shocked, the veteran Genard walked over from behind. He excitedly took the reins of Sonia's steed and hugged his old colleagues from the Star Lake Army.
"You said that your castle is …" Sonia stretched and strode forward, ignoring the guards who had powerful backgrounds around her. "Your castle?"
Thales nodded cheerfully and followed her.
Mallos and Captain Adrian, who were ignored, looked at each other and followed her. They were not unhappy that they were left out. Most of the people did not complain either. They just followed quietly and stared at Sonia's back.
The legendary figure who suppressed the fortress for nineteen years by herself, made the enemy hesitate and not dare to advance, and made the Great Dragon's Wings unable to fly.
Except for Thales.
Thales stared at the familiar female warrior in front of him. What appeared in his mind was her valiant and heroic figure of wielding a broadsword as if it was light. She cut through the Blood Mystic's heavy encirclement in a graceful and calm manner in the blood rain that filled the sky. She protected a seven-year-old child behind her, spun around and raised her shield to slay demons.
At this moment, Sonia's laughter was still cheerful and bright. It dispelled the haze and gave people endless confidence and hope.
"I observed for a while on the way here."
Sonia walked to the periphery with familiar ease. She casually plucked a cattail fruit from a drooping tree branch, but she led a large group of people to take a strange turn with her.
She pointed at the defense around Star Lake Fort. "The positions and spacing of the sentries in the castle, including the patrol frequency and movement lines of the sentries outside the fort, are all the responsibility of the Defense Division. F * ck, I'm dying of jealousy. I'm not familiar with this yet. Which protector designed this?"
'Protector.'
Doyle's eyes lit up when he heard this. He adjusted the collar of his uniform and put on an aloof expression. Just as he was about to step forward …
"It's me, Your Excellency."
Vanguard Glover spoke calmly behind her.
Sonia turned around.
It was very strange. Compared to the aloof and indifferent Zombie's reputation, the current Glover was very respectful and polite. It could even be said that he was overly polite. "Thanks to the trust and request of a fellow member of the Defense Division, I took charge of the preparation work for the defense of the castle."
'A fellow member of the Defense Division …'
Everyone's gazes turned in unison and stared at the protector with the highest rank.
"About that," the first-class protector of the Star Lake Guards, Danny Doyle whispered awkwardly, "As the representative of the Defense Division, I have a lot of work to do …"
'Such as the sewers and the gossip about the duke.'
"You, big guy." Sonia walked through the crowd and ignored the expectant Doyle. She walked up to Glover with interest. "You?"
Glover nodded solemnly and then added.
"Apart from that, First Officer Xu Erle Toledo and First Officer Freddy Tonsin of the Command Division, Second Officer Leo Morgan and Novice Officer Nate Ness of the Vanguard Division, Second Officer Ad Bastia and Novice Officer Michele Ferry of the Defense Division, and Second Officer Leo Piloga and Novice Officer Vincenzo Italiano of the Logistics Division all have help."
'Busy …'
After hearing so many names, everyone's gazes turned to Doyle again.
"How do you say this?" Doyle's face stiffened and he whispered, "This is called learning from others' strengths, hehe."
As Doyle spoke, he suddenly bumped Glover with his arm.
The zombie was stunned for a few seconds and did not react.
Until Doyle bumped him a second time.
"Of, of course," Glover was shocked and suddenly stuttered. Doyle was still elbowing him in the middle. "Some of the key, no, overall, uh, oh! In the end, all of the defensive plans were … uh, from the very beginning, it was supported by Chief Mallos … Oh, it was supported by Duke Thales and Chief Mallos … Oh, it was under their correct leadership … uh, it was under their strong guidance throughout the entire process … In the end, it was the one that made positive progress, was successfully produced, and passed the review.
'Guidance … That's right, if a check mark on a piece of paper counts as guidance,' Thales thought helplessly.
Glover twisted his neck with difficulty. It felt as if there was a snake coiled in his throat.
"We, we, we did not disgrace our mission and gained, gained, gained a lot."
Doyle bumped him again.
Glover's face was full of grief and indignation, but he still added the last sentence reluctantly, "And await your review and correction, Your Excellency, the Fortress Flower."
Everyone looked at Glover helplessly. In the end, they all turned their disdainful gazes to Doyle.
"What's wrong?" Doyle looked innocent, as if he had been wrongly accused of murder. "I swear on my father's property that he is telling the truth!"
Sonia snorted and spat out the core of the fruit. She pointed in two directions casually.
"There, and there, on the platform between the two walls of the curtain wall, why didn't you arrange for manpower?"
'Where, where?'
Thales looked up in confusion. He walked around blindly in the direction where Sonia was pointing, only to see a pile of stones … Yes, his castle.
"Because it is meaningless," Glover said in a low voice.
Glover replied in a deep voice. His tone returned to normal, focused and serious.
"Their positions are not good, and they are not high enough. They will only become targets for longbows. The defensive structures are not enough to be effective shooting points. If you want to increase your field of vision, a taller tower will be enough to cover it."
"Heh!" Sonia plucked another fruit, took a bite, and threw it away in disdain.
"If we don't set up defenses, what if the enemy's siege towers use it as a springboard to attack the outer city during wartime?"
Glover had a well-thought-out plan, so he did not panic.
"That's even better. That place will become our trap to lure the enemy. We will mobilize the enemy to gather there and reduce the pressure on the other walls. I have also made arrangements on higher ground. The enemy who rushes up the curtain wall will be considered to have entered our pocket, and we will kill them to the greatest extent possible. "
Adrian and Mallos nodded at his words.
'So that's how it is. That makes sense.' Thales nodded in agreement as well.
Even though he was the "correct leader" and "strong guide", he could not see anything around the complex geometric shape of the walls.
Doyle moved his arm.
Glover snorted and said in an unnatural manner, "Of, of course, this is just some of this, this is just some of this, this humble one's humble opinion. It is, it is difficult to enter the eyes of an expert. But you are the master of defending the city, please give, give me your professional opinion."
He turned around and glared, but Doyle beamed and gave him a big thumbs up.
"What kind of opinion do I have?" Sonia wiped the fruit juice off her hands and shook her head. "I am neither an engineer nor a builder. I have been in Broken Dragon Fortress for so many years, but I have only defended blindly based on my intuition. Whenever I feel that I cannot defend anymore, I will go out and fight back."
These words, which were quite down to earth, made the people who were looking forward to the Fortress Flower's brilliant opinion immediately fall silent.
'That's right.' Thales nodded in agreement. 'Say something that everyone can understand. Don't keep talking about geometry and arithmetic.'
But unexpectedly, Glover's eyes moved.
"That's right. My grandfather also said that offense can replace defense, and only offense can break the siege. A fortress that secludes itself and defends itself is just the fight of a caged beast. Asking for help and waiting for help, begging for mercy, fighting to fulfill the enemy's wishes, and leaving one's life in the hands of others, there will be no other way out. Only by using the fortress's geographical advantage to weaken the enemy, and leaving the power to counterattack to threaten the enemy, this is the meaning of winning by defending the fortress. Your words are very experienced. "
Many people frowned when they heard these words.
Doyle was surprised and delighted. He flashed two thumbs up, and looked like a gratified person who had taught his son for many years finally got his reward. 'Enlightened! Smart! '
But he was met with another glare from the zombie.
"You're so scholarly, I don't understand."
Sonia waved her hand.
"But I know that those two walls were not originally designed by Star Lake Fortress. They were added two or three hundred years ago when Jackal was still a duke. The original intention of the construction was to serve as a barrier and a trap to lure the enemy to attack and share the pressure from the front."
Thales looked in the direction Sonia pointed at again, but he still could not see which wall was different.
"I see."
Glover said what Thales was about to say, but it was obvious that he really understood.
"No wonder I felt that there was something strange about them when they stood there."
"As expected of 'Jackal' Sumer the Third, who could easily defeat the Night Wing King and repel the Eastern Peninsula's Allied Forces with just a plan," Glover said, full of admiration.
Sonia snorted softly and threw away the third Cantego. She gave up on eating the fruit.
"Soldier, what's your name?"
"Jia Lun —"
But before Glover could finish, Sonia slapped him in the chest!
* Slap! *
'F * ck.' Thales felt the feedback from the Sin of Hell's River and estimated the strength of the slap. He was glad that the person she slapped was not him.
The zombie's expression changed drastically when he was hit by such a heavy blow. His body swayed, but he still stood firmly.
Sonia had a whole new level of respect for him.
"Yo, you have a good body. You're strong enough."
She walked around Glover and looked at his body. "Is it hard enough?"
"Ha … Thank you for your guidance." A few seconds later, Glover caught his breath and answered while panting.
"Very good, Jia Lun. You're great." Sonia raised her eyebrows and put on a meaningful smile. "Come to my room tonight. Let's, hmm, have a private chat?"
When she said this, the entire Star Lake Fortress fell silent.
Glover nodded at first, but then his face turned pale with fright.
'What? What?'
Doyle widened his eyes and looked at Glover, then at the Fortress Flower.
'No way?'
Sonia looked at the reactions around her and understood something. She quickly waved her hand in the direction of the curtain wall.
"Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you."
But in the next moment, the Fortress Flower grabbed Glover's collar and pulled him until he bent over pathetically so that he was parallel to Sonia.
Sonia blinked and bit her lip. Her smile became even more perverted.
"Don't worry, we'll talk about some, hehe, more interesting things."
Once she finished speaking, Sonia laughed and strode forward. Thales turned around and glanced at Glover before he quickly caught up with Sonia's back.
The group started moving again, but everyone looked at Glover with even more strange gazes.
Only Mallos and Adrian were on the other side. They did not care and lowered their heads to discuss something.
As for Glover himself, he stood on the spot and rubbed his chest, trying to understand what had just happened.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Zombie, you're going to be rich."
Doyle put his hands on his waist and sized up his partner with a surprised expression.
"The chance to fight for twenty years less is tonight! Erm, Glover Riches … "
"You said that the words you said just now would come in handy and make the officers happy," Glover remembered something and said to Doyle in annoyance, "But when you said it, I felt like a fool."
"Eh …" Doyle shook his finger with a 'you don't understand' expression.
"Trust me, you're right. Even if you didn't make them happy, they definitely won't be unhappy!"
Glover had a doubtful expression.
"Is that so?"
"Don't worry," Doyle patted his chest, "It's definitely right!"
Zombie shook his head, "F * ck."
Doyle, on the other hand, crossed his arms and put away his smile after his excitement died down. He looked at Sonia who was surrounded by people from afar.
"So, that's the Fortress Flower?"
"You don't believe me?"
"No, that's not what I mean," Doyle shook his head.
"I don't know. I can't put my finger on it. It's just, it's just a feeling."
"Feeling?" Glover answered casually, but he was troubled by the 'private chat' in Sonia's room that night and did not hear what his partner said.
"Yes, it's a feeling. Sonia Sasere. She's not tall and her voice isn't loud, but when she stands there … "
Doyle seemed to be deep in thought.
"I can't seem to see anyone else.
"Including Mallos, Captain Adrian, and even … His Highness."
Glover did not understand this sentence either. He only spat and lamented his bad luck today.
"Are you going to spend the night here, Sir?"
On the other side, Mallos and Adrian walked forward slowly and spoke softly.
"We? No, the Royal Guards are only escorting Lady Sasere back to her hometown to show His Majesty's favor and trust. "
Lord Adrian looked at the few Royal Guards who came with him. They were taking care of the horses.
"Since we have completed our mission, we will immediately return to the capital city and report to His Majesty."
"That's good." Mallos did not say anything.
But Adrian pondered for a while.
"By the way, your subordinates, they seem to have … distanced themselves from Renaissance Palace?"
Mallos' eyes flashed. "Obviously."
"Tormond, don't you have anything to say about this?"
Mallos stopped in his tracks.
"You know, Sir," the watchman said faintly, "I don't have the right to speak, and neither do you."
Adrian put his hands behind his back and was silent for a long time.
"That's good."
Adrian nodded and took a step forward, but stopped midway.
He turned around and changed the topic.
"Even though we have a tight schedule."
Adrian looked at Mallos with a smile and pointed at the Royal Guards who came with him.
"But, it's still okay to rest for a while and have dinner before returning to the city."
Mallos' gaze froze.
At this moment, the prince's cry of surprise came from the front.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, that … Sonia, no, no, you can't!"
Both Mallos and Adrian were shocked, and they quickly caught up with him.
"Everyone, calm down!"
"Sonia?"
"Sir?"
Mallos frowned. The embarrassed Thales was lifted above his head by the Fortress Flower by the waist. He flailed his limbs in the air.
'What's going on?'
On the other side, Wya held back Glover, who was about to draw his sword and move forward.
"Calm down, Glover. Calm down, I know. She means no harm. Just get used to it, get used to it …"
"Sonia!"
"My Lady!"
Everyone panicked and started talking at once.
However, Sonia, who had become the center of attention in Star Lake Castle, did not feel anything amiss. She even lifted Thales and spun in circles happily.
At this moment, a cold swordswoman walked out from the crowd.
"Sir Sonia!"
The swordswoman said coldly.
"Everyone has been running around for so long, you must be hungry. Do you provide food?"
Sonia, who was spinning in circles, froze.
Amidst the crowd's cries of surprise and attempts to stop her, the swordswoman snorted in displeasure. She used her arms to release the force, and Thales landed safely on the ground.
The crowd, led by Wya, breathed a sigh of relief.
But before the dizzy Thales could catch his breath, he felt a weight on his shoulders. Sonia's arms were pressed against his neck from behind, and she hugged him firmly.
"What a pity."
The Fortress Flower heaved a long sigh. Like a good comrade, she hugged the struggling Thales while her other hand pulled the teenager's hair skillfully. Her tone was full of regret.
"Looks like I can't carry you around my neck and play with you like before."
'Who wants to play with you!'
"Yes, it is a pity." Thales, who was roaring in his heart, felt that Sonia's arms were as hard as steel and as heavy as a boulder. He struggled to catch his breath, but could not raise his head. Yet, he had to maintain a smile and look decent in front of his subordinates. "No, no, I mean, people have to grow up …"
Thales saw the swordswoman wearing black gloves, and his eyes lit up.
"Oh, it's Miranda!" Thales greeted her in surprise to divert his attention while he twisted and struggled to squeeze out of Sonia's armlock. Unfortunately, he had little effect. "Ah, long time no see. How have you been —"
"It's Lady Arunde," Miranda said coldly.
Miranda said coldly. She walked past him without any intention of helping him. "You are a prince, a duke, and a prince. You should address me appropriately."
"We are not that close, Your Highness Thales."
Thales choked.
"O-of course," the prince said, feeling wronged.
For some reason, even though his status was higher, he was subconsciously cautious in front of Miranda, as if he was walking on thin ice.
But before he could say a second sentence, Sonia's arms locked around him again, and she "pulled" him up from the ground. She changed direction and dragged him towards the hall. A large group of people had no choice but to follow in fear, afraid that the Fortress Flower would do something shocking again.
But at that moment, they could only watch as the Duke of Star Lake was "held hostage" by Sonia in her strong arms.
"You and Miranda … I thought you were friends who fought side by side in Dragon Clouds City?" Sonia, with her back facing everyone, winked at Thales.
"Of course we are friends." Thales could not bear the burden. He was in anguish. "Sometimes."
Sonia hummed in acknowledgment.
"That's good." The Fortress Flower suddenly became serious. "Listen to me, child. Miranda is not suitable."
"Oh." Thales nodded in pain. Then, he was stunned. "What?"
Sonia sighed and patted his shoulder.
"Wait until you are a little older and have more hair, then you can think about those stupid things."
'Huh?'
Thales was shocked.
'What stupid things?
That, no, not — '
"But you need to train more, child! You are still skinny. "
Sonia finally retracted her arms, freeing Thales.
"It's obvious that you are not beaten enough!"
In the next second, she laughed out loud and slapped Thales' back with her palm.
"You are not good at giving birth!"
Thales' body swayed. He did not manage to stop himself. His eyes rolled back as he fell forward, welcoming the sturdy and reliable ground of Star Lake Fortress, as well as the cries of Wya and the others.
— —
In the main castle, Thales lay on his stomach in the duke's lounge, barely breathing. He tried his best to recover his vitality.
'Oh my god …'
"Come, get me some meat, some wine, a gong, and a drum!"
Sonia's unrestrained laughter came from the banquet hall. It penetrated the walls, lingered around the stone pillars, and echoed throughout the main castle.
Thales covered his ears in pain.
'Why is she so energetic?!'
When he thought about how the Duke of Star Lake was only "temporarily absent", and that he would have to go back later to be ravaged, Thales was disheartened.
The black cat that often visited the duke's dining table ran from the direction of the dining hall. It screamed and jumped out of the window. It looked like it could not bear it either.
"Yooooooo! Get worked up! Get hard! Burn! Get the banquet going for me! "Sonia's voice came again, louder than before.
Another wave of voices came. This time, it was her subordinates, the soldiers of the Starlight Guards, responding happily.
'Damn it, as expected of the Northern Territory soldiers from Broken Dragon Fortress.'
Thales cursed in his heart.
They were just short of talking about eating, drinking, and exercising.
'Hopefully, Mallos and Doyle will put in more effort and exhaust the energy of that Monster Flower, so that …'
"Your Highness?"
Thales opened his eyes in a daze and realized that it was Mallos.
'Alright, looks like my favorite personal guard captain can't take it anymore. He would rather switch shifts with Glover and Wya.'
"No!"
Thales closed his eyes and decided to go with the flow. "Tell that woman …"
"I am constipated!"
But another voice came from beside his ear.
"Actually, Your Highness."
Thales opened his eyes and realized that the person who spoke was the commander of the Royal Guards, Lord Adrian.
"His Majesty asked me to bring you a decree," the guard captain said softly.
'A decree …'
In the next second, Thales shuddered and sat up from the chair.
'F * ck.'
At that moment, Thales' mind cleared. Sonia's laughter and the soldiers' cheers seemed to have been cut off.
Mallos nodded at Adrian and walked out of the door.
Thales was left alone. He frowned and looked at the smiling Adrian.
"I knew it." The prince sighed. "He won't let me have an easy time."
He put his hand into his front pocket. As expected, he touched the bone ring.
'Gurtaksa.'
The shape of the bone ring was hideous and full of thorns, but for some reason, it felt warm and smooth to the touch.
It was very deceptive.
'I almost forgot … its essence.'
"Come, Lord Aydrian."
The Duke of Star Lake sat upright and snorted coldly.
"What is His Majesty's decree?"
Adrian smiled faintly. He summoned a Royal Guard into the waiting room. The Royal Guard held a scroll.
"I don't know either." Adrian bowed and left the room.
"He made it so formal." Thales looked at the scroll and shook his head in disdain. "What is he going to do this time?"
"I want to see you," the guard said softly.
Thales jumped up from the chair.
In the next second, the Supreme King of Constellation, Kessel Jadestar the Fifth, took off the Royal Guards' standard helmet in front of him.
He said indifferently, "To make sure that this new sword is sharp enough."
Thales' mind stopped working.
Sonia's laughter came from afar, but it became fainter and fainter.
Then, the door to the waiting room closed with a bang.
'What is going on?'
Thales looked at the king in the Royal Guards' uniform in disbelief.
At that moment, he felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. He was completely awake.
One second, two seconds, three seconds …
King Kessel was not in a hurry to speak. He walked slowly to the window and welcomed the setting sun.
'Wait, wait, wait …'
Thales took a deep breath and adjusted himself.
"I have said this once before, but …" He forced himself to speak and said the first thing that came to his mind, "Do you know what happened to the last king who traveled incognito and entered a dangerous place?"
The king did not turn around, nor did he answer.
Just as Thales was about to ask again, the king's voice rang faintly, "Of course.
He walked into Dragon Clouds City and used the enemy's prince to maneuver around. In the end, he held all of Eckstedt in his hands and shocked the world. "
'Huh?' Thales was stunned.
'Held all of Eckstedt in his hands …'
"No, no, no, not Chapman Lampard, not him, I mean the other one." Thales snapped out of his daze and shook his head vigorously. "The other king, the one before him, do you remember him? Little hint, his name starts with N — "
"We used to go hunting in Hunting Forest," the king interrupted him. His words were normal, but his tone was unquestionable. "If it was too late, we would not return to the city. We would come straight to Star Lake Fort and spend the night with Uncle John."
King Kessel still had his back to him as he stared at Star Lake outside the window.
"But at that time, I never realized that the sunset over Star Lake was so enchanting."
The setting sun shone on the lake, creating countless golden ripples that shone brightly.
"And John was always kind, warm, generous, and hospitable. He often talked with us at the dining table, until he was drunk and unconscious."
'John.'
Thales remembered the former master of Star Lake Fort and nodded. "He sounds like a wonderful person."
The king snorted softly and did not distinguish between praise and criticism.
"Him, he could always make people forget the bloody cruelty of hunting, or other things."
As they spoke, Sonia's singing when she was drunk could be faintly heard outside the door.
But the strange thing was that the song was sad, the tune was gloomy, and the tune was long.
In contrast to the Fortress Flower's performance today.
Thales was silent.
"Burial song."
The king listened for a while and suddenly said, "This is the Starlight Brigade's version. During those years, John and the others were not strong enough. When they fought against the rebel army, they needed to move quickly and could not stay in one place for too long. Hence, many of the soldiers' bodies could not be placed in coffins.
"When they mourned for their comrades, John had to change the words' coffin 'and' tombstone 'in the burial song to prevent the soldiers from feeling sad."
The setting sun gradually dimmed, and the colors in the waiting room slowly turned cold.
Thales took a deep breath and finally could not help but speak.
"What exactly are you —"
"Jade City."
Without waiting for him to finish speaking, King Kessel spat out this word.
Thales frowned.
'Jade City.'
"You mean Jade City, the capital of South Coast Hill, Crystal Drop City, the Capital of Wealth, the Land of Dreams, and the one with the reputation of Constellation's' Queen of Cities'?"
The king stared at the dark Star Lake.
"That is your next destination."
Thales was silent for a while.
"For what?"
"Destruction."
'Destruction.'
Thales looked up.
At that moment, he felt the Bone Ring in his lapel pocket become heavy.
It was the 'Oath of Alliance'. It seemed to be urging and reminding him.
A warning.
In front of the window, King Kessel slowly turned around. A pair of cold eyes shot into the room, driving away the warmth of the setting sun.
"My son," the supreme king's tone was very flat, very normal, and did not fluctuate, as if he was talking about something that could not be more insignificant, "You have to fulfill your promise and wield your first sword."
Thales did not move.
"Go to Jade City."
The burial song in the distance continued, cold and bleak.
"Depose the Guardian Duke of South Coast."
The duke's waiting room became darker.
"Destruction — Zayen Covendier."
Thales was dazed for a moment.
'Depose the Duke.
Destroy Zayen. '
The tit-for-tat confrontation at the royal banquet reappeared before his eyes.
"Rather die as a friend, than as an enemy."
Thales took a deep breath.
"This is a warning … I want you to know, Thales, I want you to know: This is my response to you offending me, rejecting me, and even threatening me six years later."
"Haha …"
"If you choose war, Thales, if you are determined to be my enemy, then this move is just the beginning."
Thales pressed on the table, his shoulders trembling.
"When it is time to shed all pretense of cordiality, even if I have to sacrifice everything, I can and will make you pay the heaviest price."
In the next second, the Duke of Star Lake could no longer hold it in. He laughed out loud without restraint.
"Hahahahaha …"
Thales laughed very hard and loudly.
But the only thing missing was laughter.
The king glanced at him.
"What?"
'Zayen.
'Covendier.
'Iris Flowers Duke?
'Depose.
'Destruction?'
Thales stopped laughing. He took a deep breath and went to the window.
"Nothing, I just, I just remembered a saying … Oh, a Northlander saying."
He passed by the king. The Iron Hand King looked at the darkness in the room, and he felt the bleakness outside the window.
King Kessel did not comment. He just looked at him faintly.
"Every dog has his day."
Thales stopped smiling. He was expressionless.
"Karma is a bitch."
At some point in time, the sun had already set.
He did not see the wonders of the Sunset Star Lake. Instead, he saw countless stars reflected in the Star Lake.
Every star exuded a soul-stirring cold light.
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