"Is that so?"
After listening to Val's statement, Kessel's expression was unusually complicated.
"But why is it you? You are supposed to be a noble person, a pure warrior. You have your own creed."
"Haha." Val laughed inexplicably. "Why can't it be me?"
Kessel paused and looked sadly at the scar on Val's chest that extended to his chin. "You used to be my most trusted friend and brother.
"We grew up together in the capital. We were the best partners, the closest of brothers, even better than biological brothers like Midier.
"We even promised to marry each other's younger sisters."
"Enough." Val raised his head abruptly, his eyes filled with anger. "You are not allowed to mention Liscia and Constance. You are not worthy."
Thales had a thought. Liscia Arunde and Constance Jadestar appeared in his mind — the lonely Head Ritual Master and the small stone urn.
The king's expression was gloomy. "I know you hate me, but I thought it was all because of Liscia. As a suzerain, you are still loyal to me and to Constellation. Your creed is still noble and inviolable."
"Isn't that so? I do hate you, but, "the Duke of the Northern Territory, who had betrayed the Northern Territory, said resentfully," Everything I do is for Constellation! "
The king narrowed his eyes. "What?"
Val Arunde stepped out of the ranks of his vassals. His gaze was firm.
"If I can succeed, with a small price to pay, a short period of bloodshed, Constellation and the Dragon, the shield and blade of the Western Peninsula will turn a new page.
"In the era of the Ancient Empire, Arunde was the supreme family that ruled over the Northland Province, while Lampard was the bloodline descendant of the King of Rebellion, Quiso Lampard, who rebelled against the tyrant. Hatred and opposition have been passed down from a thousand years ago until now, and have long been rooted in the blood. But if even archenemies like us can reconcile, what else is impossible?"
Thales sighed.
'No, you are not reconciling. This is an exchange of benefits.'
Val took a step forward and looked at the crowd with a fanatical expression. "The conflict and hatred between the two countries will be overshadowed by the heroic friendship and loyal cooperation between me and Lampard! The descendants of the two countries, our children will make a marriage contract. Their children will inherit both Constellation and Eckstedt. Constellation and the Dragon, two great countries will become one. Think about it, the heroic blood of the Great Dragon of the North will be poured into the descendants of the great Empire! "
Val said excitedly, "We may not be able to restore the glory of the Empire, but we can definitely put an end to the flames of war in the North. The flames of war will never be reignited, and disasters like the Bloody Year will never happen again! The Northern Territory will enjoy peace forever! "
"To hell with your peace," Count Zemunto spat on the ground.
Eva did not care and clenched her right fist. "We can even take it a step further. A new power will be established in the Western Peninsula. We will hold a shield in one hand and a blade in the other, pointing our swords at Camus Union and dividing the land of the merchants to benefit ourselves. After breaking the balance of power between the three strongest forces in the Western Peninsula, the rest will not be a problem. The Western Peninsula will soon be unified.
"So," the Duke of the Northern Territory gritted his teeth and looked around at the nobles and officials, "this is all for Constellation, so that it will no longer have to suffer disasters, so that it will become stronger in the end, and so that Constellation and the Dragon can have eternal peace.
Thales frowned.
Baron Lasalle coughed and said awkwardly, "About this, I thought …"
Bang!
Kessel the Fifth punched the left armguard!
"Shut up, Eckstedtian. We'll settle our scores later." The supreme king's voice was powerful, and he said in an unquestionable tone, "Right now, this is Constellation's internal affair."
Russell was at a loss for words.
The king stood up slowly and looked down at Val.
"For Constellation?"
Kessel the Fifth's hair and beard stood on end, which was rare for him. His face was filled with anger. "Betraying your own king and vassals, all for the sake of Constellation? Betraying the land and people of the Northern Territory for Constellation? For the sake of the throne, you didn't hesitate to bring death and injury to war. Is this also for Constellation? "
"Kessel Jadestar."
Val Arunde clenched his fists and faced the king.
"Do you think you're nobler than me?" Val trembled, as if he was suppressing his emotions. "You, your Jadestar Family, do not deserve to point fingers at me!"
In the next second, he lost his composure and roared, "Your Jadestar Royal Family is the biggest source of disaster in this country! You were the ones who brought hell, brought the disaster twelve years ago! Until now, we are still atoning for your mistakes! "
Thales could not help but clench his fists. Everyone in the hall looked at the king in unison. Many of them had strange expressions on their faces.
The king shut his eyes tightly. "The Bloody Year?"
"The Bloody Year? Ha! The Bloody Year! "Val laughed bleakly. He raised his hands and clenched them into fists.
The doubt in Thales' heart grew stronger. He looked at Gilbert. 'What secret is there about the Bloody Year that cannot be divulged, but is also of utmost importance?'
Val said angrily, "After that disaster, everyone only remembers that the Jadestar Royal Family was slaughtered, and that the Tabark Family was left with only an orphan girl! Who will remember the Northern Territory's contributions and sacrifices! "
The fifteen-year-old Duchess Lyanna took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"Who will remember how much blood, how many corpses, how many widows and orphans were left behind when Eckstedt's vanguard plowed our land!
"Who will remember that when the Bloody Year ended and the whole country celebrated the 'Fortress Treaty', almost three-quarters of the men and one-half of the women in the Northern Territory died! The remaining old and young had to go out to look for food in the cold winter, or else they would starve to death at home. Half of those who went out to look for food froze to death in the wild!
"When I was crowned with the title of the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, the first thing I did was not to help them find food, but to bury those who starved to death or froze to death. Otherwise, their corpses would be dug out and eaten by the starving people who could not even walk!
"Have you ever seen such a scene, young master of the capital city?
"Who will remember that my father refused to surrender after Cold Castle was breached? His head was hung in front of Cold Castle's city gate for an entire month! When I untied him … And every day when I went in and out of my own castle, I saw that damned city gate! “
"The Sword of Reversing Light, Prince Horace, penetrated deep into Eckstedt's encirclement. He was courageous and unyielding. He fought to the death without retreating. He was wounded eleven times and died a heroic death. How glorious was that! But who would have known that my brothers, Arunde's sons, protected him closely by his side until they died! Rohan, Kuer, and Nolanur!
"The Prince of Constellation's body was solemnly carried back to the capital city. Beside him, my brothers were chopped into meat paste by Eckstedt's axemen! I could only scoop up that pile of sticky meat mixed with mud and flesh and bury it after the deed was done! "
"Who remembers them?!
"My sister and my wife's carriage disappeared in the chaotic wilderness. There was no news of them for twelve years. I had countless nightmares about them. God knows what they encountered!
"You still dare to say that I only have one daughter as my heir? Why do you think I sent my seven-year-old daughter to the Tower of Eradication? Was it to groom her to be my heir? Bullsh * t! I sent my daughter to the Tower of Eradication because I was afraid that when I was not around, Miranda would be eaten alive by starving people who climbed over the ruins of Cold Castle! "
Kessel the Fifth shut his eyes tightly. Many people in the hall recalled those days and could not help but lower their heads.
Val trembled as he said, "After experiencing that kind of hell, the Desert War five years ago, how could you, Kessel Jadestar, still think that we have too few troops? Think that our army is not as strong as it was five years ago! Think that we do not even have enough cavaliers to form five vanguards!
"Do you think that the person I hate is you? Do you think that I hate you for not marrying my sister? Hate that you let her down and made her become a priestess who will never marry?
"No!
"I hate Jadestar! It's your damned family!
"All the disasters are because of your delusional, idiotic father, your uncle, who treats rudeness as humor, your gloomy eldest brother, your conceited, condescending, and good-for-nothing brothers, and you, the supreme king who was born with the blood of a tyrant of the Empire!
"It's this Jadestar Family, who is always associated with the calamities, who brought the Bloody Year to Constellation, who brought this kind of hell!"
'Calamities?
Associated … with the calamities? '
He subconsciously looked at Gilbert, who was beside him.
But the latter only pursed his lips tightly and did not say a word.
"Do you think that you are some kind of tragic king? A Jadestar Royal Family that only has one person left? No! " Eva roared crazily, "You've only ever cared about yourself, your will, and your world! Why do you think that you have come this far? Everything that happened to you in the Bloody Year was brought upon yourselves! "
"Just like that damned father of yours, both of you knew what your choices would bring about, but you never cared!
"You never understood your own vassals, never cared about your subjects, never cared about the people around you — Iron Hand King! Don't you find it ironic when they call you that? You are not an iron hand, you are simply cold-blooded! "
Val, whose emotions had reached the peak, roared in misery and despair.
"Charleton and Shadow Shield, why didn't they kill all of you in one go?!
If you did not bring that monster back — "
The king suddenly opened his eyes and shouted,
"Enough!"
Kessel looked agitated as he rebuked Arunde.
"Val!
You are still as stupid, as stupid, as extreme, and as stubborn as before! "
Kessel stared at Val with a complicated look in his eyes.
"You only believe in what you are willing to believe.
You are like a stupid piece of wood, ridiculously ignorant. "
Val panted and stared at the king in a daze.
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