This chapter may contain a small amount of discomfort for the reader. Please follow the doctor's advice and take it at your own discretion.
—
"No, don't leave so quickly." Keya stood up with a surprised expression. "Right, he hasn't met his brother and sister yet!"
Thales felt a chill in his heart.
"Keya!"
Jines shouted loudly. Her tone was filled with … panic?
But Queen Keya only turned around and walked towards the large bed in the distance.
"With a younger brother, Lydia and Luther will definitely be very happy …"
Thales finally realized that something was wrong in this room.
His pupils dilated.
He saw the gentle and considerate Queen Keya carry him out from the bed …
Two rag dolls.
Jines' face was pale.
"Look, Luther, this is your younger brother, Thales. Say hello!"
Keya happily played with the rag doll in her left hand. She raised its hand and waved at Thales with a happy smile.
Thales furrowed his brows tightly.
Keya said excitedly as she lifted the doll on her right and moved its head towards Thales.
"And you, Lydia, sit properly. You can't be naughty anymore. Say hello to your younger brother!"
Keya's own right hand was still swaying strenuously, as if the rag doll in her arms was struggling fiercely.
It was an extremely strange scene.
Thales' breathing became erratic.
'Could it be …'
The prince stared in disbelief at the beautiful and luxurious queen who was happily playing with the two rag dolls in her arms.
'This … This is …'
"Enough, Keya!"
Jines walked forward quickly, her breathing rapid. The first thing she did was to pull Thales away.
But Queen Keya's expression quickly changed.
"Huh?
Why? "
Keya looked at the rag doll in her arms, then at Thales. Her expression suddenly became strange, and her tone became flustered.
"Why, Luther, you … you're not as tall as your younger brother, Thales?"
Thales gritted his teeth and took a step back.
The next moment, Keya looked as if she had seen something unbelievable. Her expression became fearful and panicked.
* Thud! *
The rag doll in her right hand fell gently, but Queen Keya did not seem to notice it.
She only looked at the rag doll in her left hand with a pained expression and was about to cry.
"I know now." Keya looked at the rag doll in sorrow and despair. "The reason you became shorter is because you lost … lost …"
"Go!" Jines gritted her teeth and said to Thales, "You go first."
But Thales was already rooted to the spot.
Keya's hands were tightly wrapped around the doll.
A second later, Keya began to cry in agony. She said something that made Thales' hair stand on end.
"Luther!"
"Luther … head … head … you're missing a head!"
"Luther, your head, where's your head? Where's your head? "
"Ah? Your head, it's … it's off? "
Ke Ya raised her tear-stained face and screamed in panic. She lay down on the ground and looked around. "Quick! Quick! We have to get your head back! "
Thales felt his skin crawl.
Jines immediately went forward and hugged Queen Keya, using all her strength to stabilize the trembling queen.
"You!" Keya abruptly looked at Jines and widened her eyes. "Did you see, did you see my Luther's head?"
"About this big …"
"It's round … and it can roll …"
"It has two eyes …"
Thales looked at the scene before him in disbelief.
Keya struggled fiercely and waved her arms madly!
"No! Don't stop me! I want to protect him! Protect Luther! My son! "
Jines gritted her teeth and dragged her to the bed with all her might.
At this moment, Thales' arm was gently pulled by a hand from behind.
Thales jumped in fright.
Still in a state of shock, he suddenly turned his head!
The person who pulled his arm was a stranger.
It was a long-haired lady wearing a black robe and a goose down shawl.
The lady in black had a delicate face, but there was sadness on her face.
Thales panted and finally calmed his breathing.
The long-haired lady in black pulled his arm and said softly, "It's okay.
Let's go out first. "
Thales was puzzled and turned to look at Jines, who was trying hard to subdue Queen Keya.
Jines gritted her teeth and shouted, "Thales!
I'll be in charge here. You and the princess go out first, quickly! "
Her Highness?
But Thales did not think too much about it before he was dragged out of the room by the long-haired Goose Down Lady.
Behind him, Keya struggled more and more violently, shouting crazily, "Guards! Guards! Quick! "
"Assassin! An assassin! "
Lady Goose Down tugged at the livid Thales and quickly walked out.
Only Keya's hysterical voice could be heard from afar.
From time to time, there were maids and servants with gloomy expressions rushing towards Keya's room.
He seemed to be used to such a scene.
Keya's screams were still ringing in his ears.
"Whimper — my Luther — no! No! "
"Your head … Boohoo … Why can't you put it back! Why can't I put it back together? Why does it keep falling! Why?! "
"Stick it together! It'll be fine once it's glued! Luther? Am I right? "
Thales only walked forward with a pale face.
He felt that what happened behind him was too cruel.
He did not dare to face it.
It was not until Keya's voice disappeared far behind them that the two of them stood still in a corridor.
Thales looked behind him with lingering fear.
"I'm sorry." Lady Goose Down, who was dressed in black and had long hair, said softly, "Usually, Keya does not act up so quickly."
Thales looked behind him in a daze.
Doubts began to slowly rise in his heart.
Thales raised his head and looked at the lady.
"Back then, when Luther and Lydia, my elder brother and sister, were assassinated, the queen and Madam Jines were at the scene. Did they witness it with their own eyes?" Thales said with great difficulty.
After a few seconds of silence, sorrow appeared in the eyes of the lady dressed in black and goose down.
"Yes."
She said slowly,
"That day, Prince Luther was …"
Lady Goose Down shut her eyes tightly. As she reminisced, she spoke with difficulty.
"Jines and I rushed over when we heard the noise, but we were too late.
"It was said that his head rolled under the bed …
"Princess Lydia was kidnapped. Jines snatched a horse and chased after her. I ran to inform the guards and left the terrified Keya alone in the room."
Thales exhaled deeply.
He suddenly had an answer in his mind.
'I see.
That day, I was assassinated on the way to Renaissance Palace.
Jines' abnormal reaction … She even alerted the assassin who was not coming for me in advance.
'Is this the reason?
They experienced … that kind of scene?
'So …'
"But you do not need to be afraid, Thales." Lady Goose Down, who was dressed in black and had long hair, smiled gently at him and said,
"… Queen Keya has been like this for many years.
"When she's awake, she's always hysterical and full of resentment," the velvet lady said with a sigh. "When she's acting up, she's quiet and peaceful. I only feel that Luther and Lydia are still by her side, jumping and playing …"
The lady's expression gradually became desolate and miserable.
"After the tragedy happened that year, the palace was in chaos. Even King Aydi and Prince Midier were … The guards were so nervous that they drew their swords whenever they saw anyone … So no one cared about this place. The servants all fled.
"Only Keya hugged the prince's body tightly and refused to let go … It was said that she locked herself in her room …
"I was forcibly isolated by the guards in a safe house … The panicked nobles sealed Renaissance Palace and locked Eternal Star City … By the time King Kessel took control of the kingdom and stabilized the situation, it was already two weeks later." The lady sighed and lowered her head.
Thales sighed softly.
"During those two weeks, Keya guarded the room tightly. She hugged the dead Prince Luther and cried. She relied on the water in the vase to survive …
"You know, after two weeks, the prince's body had become …"
Following the lady's description, Thales tried to imagine the scene at that time, and he immediately shuddered.
"Two weeks later, when they broke open the door, we saw Keya, who was on the verge of fainting, and in her arms …"
The lady heaved a long sigh. Her face was full of fear.
"That scene was like a nightmare."
Thales gulped. He did not dare to imagine it anymore.
'To the Jadestar Royal Family …
'The Bloody Year …
'Is this what it was like?
'Is this the price of living for Constellation?'
Silence.
Then, Thales suddenly reacted. He raised his head and looked at the velvet lady in front of him, puzzled.
'That's right.
Just now, Jines called her —
'Your Highness?
'Judging by her age, she shouldn't be Kessel's daughter. So, the princess means …
'But, the late king's youngest daughter, Kessel the Fifth's youngest sister, the Eldest Princess Constance Jadestar, I didn't see her in the Jadestar family tomb …'
Questions rose in Thales' mind.
"So, may I ask who you are …?" Thales asked carefully.
"Oh, the title of 'princess' must have confused you." The velvet lady considerately resolved Thales' awkwardness. She lowered her head slightly in embarrassment.
"My surname is not Jadestar. I am not a real princess." The 'princess' shook her head gently.
"I am only the late king's adopted daughter. I can be considered as … half an aunt to you."
Thales opened his mouth wide in shock.
"I am Elise Sola. I am younger than Constance." Princess Elise smiled faintly. A charming dimple appeared on the side of her face. "But I am not qualified to carry the Jadestar surname … Sola is my husband's surname."
'Half … aunt?
Why didn't anyone mention it before? '
"Excuse me, your husband is …" Thales said mechanically.
"Count Sola … an honorary count during the late king's reign." Elise sighed when she heard that, "He just passed away a month ago."
'Widow?
No wonder she's in black … Is she still mourning? '
"A month ago? An honorary count passed away? "Thales was puzzled." Is it an illness … "
But Thales came to his senses. He was a little rude. He quickly bowed and apologized, "I am sorry, Aunt Elise. I have been presumptuous."
Princess Elise was stunned at first. Then, she smiled bitterly and said, "No, there is nothing to hide …"
The late king's adopted daughter, Princess Elise, enunciated each word clearly.
"He died in the big explosion in the center of Red Street Market a month ago."
'Red Street Market …
'Big explosion?'
Thales suddenly froze.
'Could it be …'
"It was the night of the gang fight in Lower City District and Western District," Elise said plaintively.
'Yes.
'That's right.
'It was me, Yodel, and Asda. We caused the explosion.
Guilt immediately surged into his heart.
Thales exhaled.
"He, your husband," Thales suppressed the discomfort in his heart and asked slowly, "Why was he in Red Street Market that night?"
'It was a curfew that night, wasn't it?'
But Elyse obviously didn't know much. She only sighed.
"Our relationship was not very good. My husband … liked to go to Red Street Market to seek pleasure … A few days before he died, I went there to look for him. We had a big fight, and he did not come back for three days …
"I did not expect that to be the last time I saw him."
Elise closed her eyes, shook her head, and sighed.
She pulled the goose down that was used to keep her warm on her shoulders.
But at this moment, Thales' pupils suddenly shrank!
That goose down … was a little familiar.
Goose down …
Lady …
Red Street Market …
A few days before the big explosion …
Looking for a husband … quarreling …
Could it be …
Thales shuddered all over!
He looked at Aunt Elise's face again.
This time, his aunt's delicate face completely overlapped with a face that seemed to be from a long, long time ago in his memory.
It was so long that he almost forgot.
'Yes.
It's her.
It's that noblewoman with goose down. '
Thales stared blankly at his princess aunt.
That day, it was her.
It was her, draped in goose down, and with twenty Swordsmen of Eradication, they met Thales, who risked his life to beg in Blood Bottle Gang's territory in Red Street Market.
It was her, who gave the unkempt Thales twelve coppers and … a silver coin on the street.
However, Thales had changed so much that even she could not recognize that the second prince in front of her and the child beggar Thales from a month ago were actually the same person.
Thales touched his chest.
There was the scar that was burned by Quide with the silver coin.
Because of that charity, Coria, who was seriously ill, was able to survive typhoid.
Because of that charity, Ned told Quide about it.
Because of that charity … himself … the child beggars … Quide … Jala … Red Street Market …
It was precisely because of that charity … that everything that happened after that …
Thales heaved a deep sigh.
"What's wrong?" Princess Elise looked at Thales, who had a complicated expression on his face.
"No, it's nothing."
Thales raised his head and revealed a respectful smile.
In his eyes, this aunt suddenly became much more amiable.
"I'm just a little emotional after seeing my family."
Asda Sakern's smile reappeared in front of his eyes.
'Is this what you meant by coincidence?'
'Or is it the lonely figure of the robust Kessel in the royal graveyard that appeared in front of Thales' eyes — fate? '
—
Lower City District, Underground Street, Sunset Pub.
"Chop it down.
"Just treat it as a piece of wood.
"Abandon useless feelings and principles, and become a real Charleton!
"Chop it down!"
'No.
No! '
Jala Charleton suddenly woke up from a nightmare!
She rolled up from the bed and gasped for breath.
She remembered that after the three child beggars were kidnapped, she knelt in Sunset Pub and did not get up for a long time.
Until she lost consciousness.
And now …
"How ugly."
On the other side of the bed, in the corner of the room, came a voice that Jala was extremely familiar with.
"Do you have that nightmare every time you are agitated?"
Jala exhaled fiercely.
"Old man.
When did you come back? "
She closed her eyes and lay back on the bed.
But the voice did not seem to want to answer her.
"Jala Charleton, if you cannot turn back and face the fear you had in the past, then you will forever be a weakling."
Jala opened her eyes and pursed her lips. She turned around and faced the wall, turning a deaf ear to the old man's words.
"Even Roda could suppress you to the point that you could not fight back … What a waste of those two good killing knives …"
Jala remembered the three child beggars who were kidnapped, and Coria's heart-wrenching pleas.
"Sister Jala …"
She shut her eyes tightly and fought back the tears in her eyes.
But the old man's words still traveled into her ears, "A single fear locked you up like this. You are no different from that Quide … That year …"
Nightmarish memories assaulted her.
Jala could not take it anymore. She rolled over and got up from the bed.
She shouted angrily at the corner, "Enough!
You don't have to remind me anymore! "
The old man laughed grimly.
"Hehehe … Remind you of what?" The old man continued to mock her. "Hmph, look, you are so afraid that you do not even dare to mention it …"
* Ding! * Jala jumped in fright.
She knew that it was the sound of the old man flicking the blade with his fingers.
Even though she was a little weak, Jala still stood up indignantly.
"Hmph, you speak as if I will immediately become a supreme class elite if I mention it."
"Who knows?" The old man continued to speak mysteriously, "But if you keep running away, you will definitely not reach supreme class … What happened yesterday will happen again.
"The surname of Charleton will continue to imprison you like a curse for all eternity."
"Do you really want to let that man's nightmare rule over the rest of your life?
"Or do you want to experience your own powerlessness and weakness again?"
Jala opened her mouth and took two deep breaths.
"What's so difficult about it?" She gritted her teeth. "It's just that."
"Oh?" The old man's voice fluctuated a little. "What is it?"
Jala's face contorted. The stone room appeared before her eyes.
'No.'
She began to tremble.
'No.'
Darkness and blood spread before her eyes like a tide.
'No.'
Her teeth began to chatter.
'No.'
She could barely breathe.
'No.'
'Can't remember …'
But in the next moment, a small back appeared before her eyes.
It was a black-haired, grey-eyed brat with a body full of scars. He looked at her and said resolutely, "I'm not going to let you go.
He said firmly, "I will go alone."
Jala opened her eyes and sucked in a breath of air.
In her mind, she returned to the stone room.
She trembled as she spoke.
"Twelve years ago, in Renaissance Palace …"
Cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
* Ting! * The sound of the old man flicking the blade came from the air.
The old man said coldly, "Continue."
Jala clenched her teeth. Her complexion became paler.
"My first, my first mission …"
Jala's entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.
But the scene of Roda calmly grabbing her blade and taking away the three child beggars flashed before her eyes.
'That was … Coria's pleading gaze.'
"I …"
Jala shuddered and felt nauseous.
"I …"
Jala could feel some liquid flowing out of her eyes.
"I …"
'Everything in front of me turned bright red … So … scary …'
Jala trembled. Her lips could not touch.
At that moment …
It was the old man's violent shout!
"Speak!"
Jala's body trembled violently.
What followed was a ray of silver light that shot towards her!
* Thud! *
A Wolf Limb Blade was nailed to the wall half an inch away from Jala's left ear.
Jala shuddered!
All the scenes, people, sounds, and colors from that day appeared clearly before her eyes!
"That day, I —"
Her eyes were lifeless. She could not help but shout loudly.
"I cut off a baby's head while he was still alive!"
After shouting this, Jala panted heavily. She felt as if all the strength in her body had left her.
'Twelve years.'
She shouted.
She finally shouted.
* Thud! *
Jala trembled and knelt on the ground. She covered her mouth and endured the nausea and nausea. She cried out loud.
The old man's voice traveled faintly from the corner.
"Now, pick up your blade.
"Your own blade."
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