Miranda was silent for a long time, but her gaze never left the Duke of Star Lake, as though she was still getting used to Thales's behavior.
"You said that you have no lack of elites under your command, and that you're even better than me?"
A few seconds later, Miranda said disdainfully,
"But as far as I know, that duel of two against one …"
"Those were the weakest two in the Star Lake Guards."
Thales interrupted her firmly to prevent her from digging up his past. At the same time, he felt sorry for Ness and Bastia.
"Others aside, my personal guard captain, Lord Tormond Mallos, also known as the 'Sharp Blade of Terror', can suppress both of them with one hand."
("Achoo — there's more and more cat hair. Only an idiot would come up with this idea of raising a cat and limiting a mouse …" Mallos, who was inspecting the supplies, said unhappily.)
In the study, Thales sneezed softly and rubbed his nose.
"Terror, Sharp Blade?" Miranda repeated the word, a puzzled look on her face.
Thales' expression was solemn.
"That is Lord Mallos' nickname. All the Northlanders, no, all the Constellatiates. Hmm, what I mean is, all the enemies who have suffered losses in his hands, whether it is the Eckstedtians or the Constellatiates, call him that behind his back."
Miranda furrowed her brows.
Thales sneered.
"A hint: Don't mention it to his face. Mallos doesn't like this nickname, he'd rather die than admit it."
Miranda thought about something, her expression gradually turning solemn.
"The Mallos Family was once part of the Seven Jadestar Attendants, nicknamed 'Razor', I know that. But Sharp Blade of Terror? In that case, Lord Mallos is skilled in swords and sabers? Or short-range daggers? "
Thales had to cough more frequently.
"Well, why don't you spar with him some other day. But let me warn you in advance, as my most trusted guard captain, Lord Mallos' martial arts skills are unfathomable. Even the most powerful and terrifying powerhouse in the world would only have a fifty-fifty chance of winning if they were to go against him. "
"Why do I feel like you're exaggerating?"
"No, I'm just emphasizing that the martial arts skills you're so proud of are not rare here."
Hearing this, Miranda was silent for a while, but she quickly continued.
"Not just martial arts."
"Considering the discord between you and Duke Zayen, Your Highness, no matter what your purpose in going to Jade City is, you will definitely be hindered in all aspects. It will not be as smooth as going to the capital or Dragon Clouds City."
Thales remained silent.
Actually, things did not go very smoothly in the capital and Dragon Clouds City either.
But she was right. His goal in going to Jadeite City was not only dangerous, but it was also very tricky.
He needed more capable people.
"And we worked together in Dragon Clouds City. You know what I'm capable of other than using a sword."
Miranda's gaze became shrewd.
"There are some difficult problems that can be solved by me. It will be more reliable and effective than handing them to Wya, Mute, the boy from the Doyle Family, or that big man with a zombie face."
Wya and Ralf.
Doyle and Glover.
Thales recalled the encounter at Red Street Market and Laurel Club that day. He could not help but frown.
"Accept me, and you will receive my identity and surname."
Miranda saw a slight change in Thales' expression, and she continued to increase the stakes.
"Your Highness, although you are the heir to the supreme throne, ever since the royal banquet and the prince's accident of breaking into the palace, you have affected the interests of many people. You are in a whirlpool, and you will be blamed at every turn. You have also drifted further and further away from Renaissance Palace.
"So far, there has not been a suzerain who has enough power to stand out and declare their allegiance to you, to support you, and to endorse the rights you deserve."
Thales thought about it.
"Perhaps you do not know, but my sword is the ancient sword passed down in the family of the Duke of Western Desert. Kohen's cousin, Count Derek Kroma of Wing Fort escorted me all the way back to the capital. And the legal heir to the Count of Brave Souls Fort, Paul Bozdorf of the Black Lion Family is outside right now, on guard duty for me."
The Duke of Star Lake shrugged nonchalantly.
"And their family even gave me an extra-large Nine-Pointed Star Flag. The workmanship is exquisite, and the materials are great. When it flutters, it shines with silver light. It's very awe-inspiring. I like it very much."
Miranda thought for a while and quickly found the corresponding memory.
"Paul Bozdorf? You mean the guy who was beaten up with a broom on his first day in the capital? "
"It's not as serious as a pig's head. It's just a scratch. Wait, how did you know?"
Miranda sneered.
"But unfortunately, Paul's father, Count Lewis, is still in his prime. He is not in prison, nor has he lost all of his authority. He cannot leave behind a huge power vacuum so that his heir can become the hottest future count who is closest to the throne."
"That's easy. I'll just kill his father later." Thales' expression did not change, and his heart did not beat so violently.
Miranda ignored his terrible sense of humor and said in a serious tone, "As for a sword and an escort, only a fool would think that this is an unbreakable and sincere alliance."
Thales pursed his lips.
Miranda's gaze turned sharp.
"But unlike other families, Arunde is in a special situation. The Duke of the Northern Territory is in prison and has no hope of returning. The throne is empty, and my status as his only daughter and first heir is especially crucial."
She took a step forward.
"Having me in your camp is equivalent to having the entire Northern Territory in the future and the Arunde Family, the head of the Six Great Clans. This is an unprecedentedly obvious signal, and it is also an important bargaining chip for you to gather your people and power again after you were exiled by the king out of jealousy."
'Make a comeback?
You make it sound like I've ever "made a comeback". '
Thales fell into deep thought.
"Based on this alone, my value to you is greater than everyone in this castle. And I have yet to mention the reputation and experience I have accumulated in Broken Dragon Fortress over the years."
Thales was silent for a while.
"I admit that what you said is not without reason."
The Duke of Star Lake curled his lips and shook his head.
"But there are quite a few flaws. For example, you may not be able to inherit your father's position."
Miranda's expression tensed.
Thales smiled.
"A long time ago, there was a little loli — the old witch was the same. We agreed that she would help me ascend to the throne, and I would help her regain her power."
Thales said with a nostalgic expression.
"But the cooperation broke down — she betrayed me."
Miranda's gaze shifted.
"For many years, I resented her for breaking her promise, but it was only after I discussed it with Old Wu — with my teacher that I understood that the cooperation was destined to fail."
Miranda sensed the coldness in Thales' words, and she could not help but shudder.
Thales sneered and placed his hands on the desk.
"You see, I have to ascend to the throne first before I have the strength to help her regain her power, but she has to regain her power first before she has the strength to help me ascend to the throne."
The prince's gaze turned cold.
"With this, aren't we just two empty promises that act as guarantees for each other?
"It all depends on which side can't hold themselves back first, and whose credibility goes bankrupt first."
Miranda tensed up.
At that moment, the prince's gaze seemed to be sharp, and it made the Pegasus' Music in her body start to circulate.
"Martial arts, brains, and your so-called illusory status, I do not lack any of them."
Thales exhaled and narrowed his eyes.
"If you want to convince me to accept you, you need to have a greater bargaining chip."
Miranda did not say anything.
The back and forth negotiations made her frown.
"And if you don't …"
'Then give up.
'Give up.'
Thales stared at her, but he clenched his fists tightly on the desk.
'Miranda.
Please! '
"Star Lake Castle does not keep idle people, or are you willing to offer yourself as my pillow and warm my bed?" Thales' tone was frivolous and exaggerated, full of sarcasm and disdain.
Miranda did not say a word, but she clenched her fists tightly.
'Please, stay away from me.'
Thales looked at her quietly, and there was still a cold smile on his face.
'Stay away from Star Lake Castle.
'Stay away from this quagmire, this whirlpool, and this trap.
'At least, I can avoid the eye of the storm in the future and protect myself.
'I can avoid becoming a victim of the Alliance.
'Please.'
Dark clouds covered the sky, and the study room was very dark.
Under Thales' urging and interrogating gaze, the swordswoman's gaze moved slightly, and she seemed to be thinking about something.
After a while, she raised her head, and there seemed to be a resolute look on her face.
"Northern Territory."
Miranda said firmly,
"If you help me return to Cold Castle in a justifiable manner and ascend to the position of duke, brat, I promise that I will bring you Northern Territory."
'Northern Territory?'
Thales did not have the time to fuss over the way the man addressed him. He was first stunned, then he laughed involuntarily.
"What are you talking about? The Northern Region is the kingdom's territory. "
But Miranda shook her head firmly.
"You don't understand."
The Arunde family's hawk had a sharp gaze.
"I promise, I will bring you a different Northern Region — not geographically, not traditionally, not now, and not in the past."
"It's the future that your father has been dreaming of for many years — the Northern Territory of the Kingdom."
Thales' gaze shifted. He subconsciously withdrew his arm and straightened his body.
What?
Miranda took a step forward and said firmly,
"I promise that it will no longer be a special case in the north that is outside of the kingdom's system. From inheritance to jurisprudence, from land to population, from culture to system, from finance to management, from agriculture to defense, from conscription to tariff, from personnel to logistics, from Pine Forest to Desolate Land, from Bitter Cold Temple to Neverwinter Palace, from Birch Forest to Broken Dragon Fortress, Renaissance Palace will rule over the Northern Region like an extension of its arm, just like how it ruled over the Central Territory."
It was as easy as moving an arm …
Never going back on his word …
Thales' gaze changed completely.
The prince looked at Miranda in disbelief.
"My Lady, what are you talking about?"
Miranda snorted coldly and did not hesitate.
"That's right. There will be no outdated traditions, no annoying customs, no old-fashioned families, no annoying suzerains, and no awkward compromises. The Northern Territory — the kingdom's best source of soldiers and bridgehead — will be completely and utterly integrated into Constellation's system and governance, just as your father had hoped."
Miranda gritted her teeth.
"There will be no echoes under the royal authority."
Completely and utterly …
Completely integrated …
Thales could no longer sit still. He jumped off the desk and did not even bother to maintain his previous cold and utilitarian demeanor.
"Let me clarify. You said that after you become a duke, you will not only give up the Northern Territory, but also the power in your hands …"
Thales gulped with difficulty and asked,
"Even if it means that the Northern Territory will no longer be the territory it used to be, the suzerains will no longer have their former rule, and the dukes will no longer have their former status?"
'How, how can it be …'
Miranda looked at him silently.
A few seconds later, she curled up the corners of her lips and revealed a confident but cold smile. She tilted her head upwards as if she was provoking him.
'Yes, brat.
'Why?'
Thales' expression was still shocked. "I, I don't understand. Why, why do you …"
"You said it yourself. It's better to have no empty promises."
Miranda exhaled and chuckled.
"As long as I am not the Duke of the Northern Territory, or more accurately, a duchess, then the power that this title represents, regardless of whether it is big or small, near or far, is meaningless to me."
Miranda's smile turned cold.
"If that is the case, I can only offer a greater bargaining chip.
"For example, the future tax revenue that the Virtuous King promised when he borrowed money, or the recently popular term from Camus Union: options."
The swordswoman from the Arunde Family raised her head. Her aura was imposing.
"What do you say, Your Highness? Be it Fakenhaz, Kroma, or Bozdorf, will they be willing to give you such a bargaining chip — the future?"
Thales blinked furiously.
"If what you said is true, if you really want to be in the future …"
Thales was in disbelief.
"That will be an unprecedented loss for you, no, for the Arunde Family to your vassals, to the historical legal system, to the dignity of the Northern Territory, and even to yourself —"
"Betrayal?"
Miranda dug her ears. She did not care.
"Why, is it as serious as my father's treason?"
Thales was instantly speechless.
But at that moment, he remembered what he had said in front of the king.
'"If people know that I am the king's spy, I will be regarded as a traitor to the noble camp by thousands of vassals. I will be condemned by all and despised by all."'
Thales stared at Miranda in a daze.
It was as if he was looking at another version of himself.
'But …
'Why, why can she be so carefree, so unruly, so nonchalant?
'This is obviously …'
But he immediately thought of something, and his expression darkened.
"No, this is still an empty promise. It is something that you can only do after you become a duke." He forced himself to shake his head and refuse. "It is based on your empty promises —
"But no one else dares to give it, even if it is just verbal promises."
Miranda interrupted him in an unquestionable manner.
"And this is not something that I can only achieve after I become a duke. In fact, your father has already begun to do it."
Thales stared at her and realized that he could not understand the thoughts of the person before him.
"So, do you dare to accept it?"
Miranda's eyes were like two longswords that pinned him to the point that he could not move.
"Or should I say, Thales Jadestar, are you qualified to accept it?"
Thales' breathing quickened. He had to use the Sin of Hell's River to help him calm down.
As the Power of Eradication surged, hell's senses allowed him to detect the power in her body more clearly. The Pegasus' Music flowed endlessly, and it was flawless.
"But why?"
"I don't understand," Thales said subconsciously. "After I returned to the country, many people from Fakenhaz to Bozdorf came to my vassals and expressed their goodwill to me.
"But I know that they came because they did not want to give up their former lifestyle, did not want to let go of the power they were used to, and did not want to bow down to my father's iron fist. But you, you, you …"
"I am not them."
Miranda answered his question softly.
"Arunde's' Soaring Eagle 'was once a priceless ancient sword of the Empire, but it was broken many times and recast a few times. It no longer has its former glory, and even lost its old name."
She looked at her saber.
"Just as history moves forward and times develop, there will always be people who will grow old."
Thales stared at the longsword that had experienced Dragon's Blood with him seven years ago.
The swordswoman stood in front of him. She was as cold as ever, but also extremely hot.
"But there will always be people who are young.
Just like Soaring Eagle after it was recast, the newer the shape, the sharper the blade. "
There was a moment of silence between the two of them.
Thales exhaled and tried to organize his thoughts.
"But I still can't believe that Madam Arunde, are you really so noble and unquestionable integrity?
"You've paid such a huge price, and you really don't want anything, just for that empty title? For that suzerain who has no real power and is no different from a rich man — the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory? "
"It's the duchess," Miranda corrected him.
Thales sighed and nodded in agreement.
"The duchess."
He continued asking.
"But if you succeed, you will become a duchess in name only. Even when you cultivate and collect taxes on your own land, you have to submit to me. What's the point of that?"
'She's a member of the Arunde Family, isn't she?
They are the descendants of 'Mournful Eagle' Nolanur, the oldest and most conservative family in Constellation. '
The voice in Thales' heart was also asking, 'So, how is it possible?
How can she give up the power that has been passed down since the Age of the Empire, the power that her ancestors were born with?
How can she surpass the greatest limitation and weakness of all the kings and vassals in this era?
'Unless.
Unless … '
Miranda was silent for a long time before she suddenly smiled.
She walked slowly to the window and looked at the vast Lake of Stars under the dark clouds.
"Tell me, Your Highness, have you ever felt this way? From that moment on, everything in your life seems to have stopped."
Thales trembled slightly.
The swordswoman said faintly,
"Everything you see and feel has been set. Everything you do is fate. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you work, you can't break through the limitations in front of you. You can't bring anything new, and you can't see a new way out."
Miranda looked out of the window, lost in thought, at the cloudy sky and the dark, bottomless Lake of Stars.
"As for the seemingly good life, you can actually see the end of it at a glance. All that's left is to repeat yourself day after day, waiting for the final end."
'Can't bring anything new, and I can't see a new way out …'
Thales did not speak.
At that moment, he seemed to have returned to Dragon Clouds City, and in front of him were the heads of the poisoned Alex and King Nuven.
But he also seemed to have returned to the royal banquet, watching Doyle's gloomy face as he prepared to sacrifice himself, or the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department, watching the people walking back and forth in the interrogation room, watching the light in Anker Byrael's eyes gradually disappear.
"As for sitting on that uncomfortable throne, scheming day and night, trying to figure out people's hearts, and forcing yourself to become the coldest and most pathetic tool? That's not power, Thales. It's the chain of power. "
Quick Rope's words made Thales subconsciously clench his nails.
"Seven years ago, when my father was imprisoned as a traitor, I was utterly disheartened. I could only use countless military affairs and work, including the impending war, to numb myself and escape from the outside world.
"In the end, the war didn't break out, so I risked everything and rushed to Dragon Clouds City. That's how everything that happened after that happened."
Miranda snorted softly.
"But from then on, my kind-looking cousins from the same clan and clan began to cause trouble. Gossiping, spreading rumors, being cynical, and even using my blood surname, they began to directly intervene in Cold Castle's affairs. Between the lines, they pointed directly at the title of duke and my right of inheritance. Ridiculous, Arunde is known for being united. They didn't dare to do this when my father was around, and if I were a son, they might not have dared to be so presumptuous."
Thales frowned and could not help but say,
"As far as I know, after Erica the Conqueror of the North, Constellation already had a queen. The inheritance law is no longer restricted by gender, they can't —"
"Yes, compared to the barbaric Eckstedt where you spent a lot of effort to raise an archduchess, Constellation is already civilized and advanced enough to take care of people like me, isn't it?" Miranda interrupted him with a sarcastic tone.
Thales did not speak, but the swordswoman snorted coldly and shook her head.
"But gender is always before the order of teeth. Even if it's the eldest sister and the youngest brother, the inheritance is passed down to the son first, then the daughter. Hence, only the daughter has the right to inherit the father's title, and she still has to face competition from her cousins and future husbands. Of course, you don't have to care about these things, because you have a son, so it's none of your business."
Miranda said indignantly,
"You only need to know that Constellation is very civilized and advanced when it comes to the right of inheritance. If anyone questions this, you can boldly and confidently say, 'Then why don't you go to Eckstedt?'"
Thales wanted to say something, but in the end, he shut his mouth.
Miranda snorted coldly and shook her head.
"So, naturally, you won't care that in the Northern Territory, which is completely different from the main inheritance law of Constellation, there hasn't been an Arunde Duchess in the past seven hundred years."
Thales' expression changed.
"Really?"
Miranda stared out the window in a daze and nodded.
"The closest one was more than a hundred years ago — 'Mathematician' Roshanna Arunde. As the eldest and only daughter of the duke, she almost became the first Duchess of the Northern Territory."
The swordswoman said faintly,
"Until her stepmother gave birth to a young son and pushed Roshanna out of the line of succession."
Thales furrowed his brows.
'Roshanna Arunde.'
He searched for this name in his memory. He seemed to have heard it mentioned in Gilbert's class, but …
"I was my father's second child. I originally had an older brother, but he died young before he could learn how to walk.
"And my mother, when she passed away during the Bloody Year," Miranda's gaze was misty, "she was already pregnant."
Thales was shocked when he heard this.
'The Bloody Year.'
"After that disaster, even the way my father looked at me was different. It was as if he was always asking why, why did my mother play hide-and-seek with you at that time? Why were you the one who escaped from the carriage? Why wasn't it your mother and your unborn brother? Why didn't you disappear with them into the snow and the countless refugees? "
Thales clenched his fists, but he could not say a word.
Miranda shook her head absentmindedly.
"Sometimes, I also think that if my mother did not have an accident, if the child in her womb was born safely, if it was a boy and he was my brother, then today I …"
Miranda's words came to a halt. She raised her head, and her gaze was firm.
"No, then I wouldn't be where I am today.
"Probably not."
She glanced at the letter beside Thales' hand and pursed her lips.
"Even if she did, she would probably be sitting happily in Cold Castle with your greeting letter and portrait pressed against her chest. She would be immersed in it while thinking about what kind of dress she would wear for the artist's portrait. Then, she would reply to your letter while trembling."
Thales listened to her quietly and looked at the ridiculous letter that stated that he did not know whether to laugh or cry, but he found that he could not laugh no matter how hard he tried.
"When I realized this, when I realized that I was able to stand here because enough people died during the Bloody Year, and because I was purely lucky … I felt as if a cage had descended from the sky and enveloped me, blocking my upper limit, and isolating me from the outside world. And no matter where I went, I could only see the walls of the cage, and the world beyond the walls that I could never touch."
Miranda subconsciously gritted her teeth.
"I was able to stand here because enough people died during the Bloody Year, and because I was purely lucky …"
Thales listened to these words quietly, but his thoughts seemed to have traveled through time to see the Jadestar family tomb in Renaissance Palace, and the stone jars and jars.
The room became quiet.
After a long period of silence, Thales continued her sentence. There was also a deep sense of disappointment in his words. "And no matter how you overcome the obstacles, you are trapped in it, unable to free yourself?"
Miranda turned her head and glanced at him. She seemed a little surprised.
But she nodded slowly.
"Teacher Chartier from the Tower of Eradication said that this is probably the feeling of the 'Heart of the Sword' reaching a bottleneck, and being unable to move forward.
"It's not that the world has stopped, or that life has become worse. In fact, the world has always been like this, and so has life. It's that your experiences have changed, your realm has increased, your horizons have been broadened, and you have seen more, broader, higher, and more complicated things. "
Miranda's gaze was absent-minded.
"It's just that some people encounter it early, and some people encounter it late. Some people are very lucky, but also very unlucky. They never encounter it, or when they encounter it, they choose to turn a blind eye to it."
Thales sighed.
"The Heart of the Sword … I heard Cohen say something similar. The Tower of Eradication's theory?"
Speaking of their mutual friend, Miranda chuckled and shook her head.
"So I want to see, I want to try, I want to take a step forward, and see if the world is really as she said."
Thales was puzzled.
"Who?"
Miranda smiled, but did not answer.
But she turned around and faced her back against the shadows outside the window.
"I'm not Cohen, who can only hug a torch tightly in the wind and snow, shivering and sniveling, while muddleheadedly repeating everything he doesn't know is meaningful.
"I'm also not Raphael, who deliberately ignores the doubts in his heart, who convinces himself and brainwashes himself, who believes in the 'when the heavens are about to bestow a great responsibility, they will first f * ck you', and who sees suffering and asceticism as a way out."
Thales frowned when he heard that.
"In the face of the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter, I'm not stupid enough to face the wind and snow head-on, but I'm also unwilling to become a slave of frost."
Miranda narrowed her eyes. The sorrow in her eyes faded and was replaced by determination again.
"I will find my own way out.
"This is me, this is me, this is the f * cking Miranda Arunde."
The swordswoman looked at the Duke of Star Lake with determination, and the latter could not help but respond with a straight face.
"This is the meaning of this." “
"I am my own master, the 'Sword of Neverwinter' of Broken Dragon Fortress."
In the next second, Miranda reached for the saber leaning against the windowsill, and hung it on her belt again.
"Eagle Soaring Fortress."
Miranda's voice was cold, and her eyes were spirited.
"Northern Territory, Neverwinter."
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