When Thales bravely walked through the heavy guards, facing a pair of eyes that were more fierce than usual, especially the warning eyes from Nicolai, he passed through the old and thick arc-top door and stepped into the door he was very familiar with.

While in Nekaru's library, the Prince of the Stars was worrying about what was supposed to be a casual and relaxed meeting.

Does Selma understand the political whirlpool she finds herself in?

Unknowingly, the girl was already in an inescapable chess game. She was facing experienced chess players like Lumba, Ronnie, and all the vassals of Longxiao City.

Thales didn't know how much Lisban had told her, nor what state the Grand Duchess was in now, and he didn't even know what kind of attitude and stance he should use to face Thelma.

Facing the girl she once was and the lady she is now.

The library was still the same as before. The curved corridor filled with rows of tall bookshelves passed through his field of vision in the interweaving of light and shadow: the passage next to the bookshelf was brightly and clearly illuminated by the brazier and the reflective gems on the ceiling.

There is only dimness and haziness between the lighted bookshelves.

Thales walked nervously and anxiously between the light and the shadows, past rows of bookshelves, and came to the place where he and the two girls first met six years ago, where the first treaty between the two countries was stored.

glass cabinet.

"you are late."

The Grand Duchess of Longxiao City sat quietly on a chair, with an open thick book lying flat on her knees.

Thales looked around hesitantly, and not surprisingly saw the figures of Lady Jinx and two maids at the ends of both sides of the corridor. The former looked like a statue, with his hands folded, looking straight ahead elegantly and nobly.

The prince took a deep breath, walked up to Thelma, and lowered his voice.

"Thelma, listen to me"

The Grand Duchess interrupted him without raising her head. Her expression could not be seen clearly, but her voice was very calm: "This batch of books were newly collected by merchants from Longkiss. I heard that many of them are ancient books and manuscripts.

"

Thales raised his eyebrows, a little surprised that Selma interrupted him.

He just hesitated for a moment, then pulled up a wooden seat, turned the back of the chair to Selma, sat down with a heavy face, and laid his arms on the back of the chair.

At that moment, the prince felt a little dry.

"Hey," he said in a rare blunt voice to an old friend of more than six years: "I heard what happened on Tingzheng Day."

The girl didn't answer, but her hand didn't turn the page anymore.

"I want to say, uh," after actually meeting Thelma, Thales felt that he had become clumsy with his tongue. He was full of words and didn't know where to start. He could only say stiffly: "Thank you for protecting me.

.”

The Grand Duchess still didn't raise her head, but she snorted slightly from her nose. If Thales hadn't been a hearing expert, he would have almost thought she was distracted.

"But," Thales sighed: "I heard about it too."

"I just looked through the catalog of these new books," however, the Grand Duchess interrupted him again: "There are many contents in there that you are concerned about, such as the End War."

"And the dragon"

Thelma's face was still drooped, almost parallel to the book.

Thales' face tightened.

Her mood is wrong.

"Selma."

"About the day of hearing," Thales recalled the two conversations Putilai had with him and gritted his teeth: "You and me."

"Well, marriage."

Thales was stunned: "Ah?"

Thelma slowly raised her head and showed a slightly astringent smile.

"This is what you wanted to talk to me about during training today," the Grand Duchess sneered lightly, "Isn't it?"

Thales couldn't help but notice that there were some red threads in the girl's eyes.

He nodded subconsciously:

"Um."

Thelma closed the book on her knees and sighed softly.

"So, what do you want to say?"

She put the books on the table beside her and asked directly: "Recommend a husband to me?"

Thelma raised her eyebrows when she said this, looking quite aggressive.

Thales' words were a little stagnant. His mouth opened and closed, but in the end he could only come out with a few words: "I"

"I want to ask"

Thelma tilted her head slightly, staring at him motionlessly with her green eyes behind her pince-nez.

For the first time, Thales discovered that this little girl's gaze was sometimes so hard to resist.

After a few seconds, the prince, who was still unable to form words, could only exhale and pretended to be relaxed: "So, what did they say about your marriage?"

"Any candidates?"

This time, Thelma stared at him firmly for ten seconds.

This made Thales feel uneasy.

Finally, Thelma exhaled through her nose, shook her head and looked away.

"Those are the earls who are directly subordinate to the vassals, such as Earl Hester." She said calmly.

"Hester?" Thales frowned: "Earl of Iron County? That golden beard?"

"yes."

Thelma added expressionlessly: "Among the direct vassals of Longxiao City, his age is the most comparable to mine."

The prince grabbed the back of the chair and straightened up.

"Same age?"

Thales' eyes widened and he exhaled subconsciously. After the initial surprise, he said disdainfully: "Yeah, I'm only twenty years older than you."

Thelma gave him an intriguing look:

"Perhaps a descendant of a nobleman. Count Nagel has a son in his early twenties who is the heir of the family."

"Little Nagel?" Thales frowned again:

"Ha, I heard that his romantic reputation is known to everyone from the maids in the city to the sows in the suburbs."

The Grand Duchess narrowed her eyes in confusion: "How did you know?"

Thales snorted and shook his head: "Tips from the chef: During the banquet, the maids will forget it. It's not important."

Thelma pursed her lips, seemingly dissatisfied: "If it doesn't work, there's Charles."

This time, Thales interrupted her.

"Earl of Risban? Lord Regent?"

The prince seemed to have seen the most incredible thing: "Oh my god, that old man even has grandchildren!"

"Tiles."

Thelma seemed to have finally had enough of Thales' tone, and she said coldly:

"The candidate I'm talking about is Ciel's grandson."

Thales: ""

Thelma stared at the ground dissatisfied, while the embarrassed Thales put his chin on his arms, speechless for a moment.

Finally, the silence between the two was broken by the Grand Duchess: "Tales."

She asked in a low voice with a tired voice: "Don't you want to see me get married?"

Thales did not speak immediately.

"Selma," Thales said after a few seconds in a low voice, "tell me the truth."

"Do you really want to get married?"

Thelma raised her head suddenly, her face tense.

"Does it matter?"

The girl's words sounded like she was angry to the prince: "You know, I must get married."

Thales frowned slightly, straightened up and moved his chair closer.

"We've known each other for six years, you know"

The prince's expression was serious: "I don't want to see you unhappy, and I don't want to see you being forced to do things you don't want to do."

"because"

Thelma looked at him blankly.

Because I caused you to become like this.

Thales closed his mouth and said to himself sadly.
To be continued...