"You don't even care whether Longxiao City sends troops, you don't care about the outcome of the war, and you don't care whether Qiyuan City can win the battle quickly."

"You have made up your mind from the beginning," Ian murmured to himself: "You will use the most direct, crudest, and simplest method to eradicate those disobedient old vassals under you."

"What you lack is just a name, a reason, a grand excuse written in the oath of co-governance that will not arouse public anger and have minimal consequences..." He bit out the next sentence sadly:

"For example... Kingdom of Stars."

Ian looked at Thales desperately, but the prince just shook his head.

His Excellency the Viscount slumped down on his seat and stopped looking at anyone.

Like a defeated fighter in the Colosseum.

We, we pray for the distant city...

We foolishly gathered the princes and prepared to jointly condemn the king.

We naively made promises to the lower-level nobles of the Black Sand Territory, hoping that they would undermine Lombard's prestige and undermine the king's authority.

Turn him into an empty king.

Now it seems that this chess game... we lost from the beginning?

The Death Crow next to Ian sighed softly and glanced at Thales with his dead eyes.

Lisban sighed heavily: "So, if your vassals accept the conscription, it means huge expenses and countless manpower, and an expedition to the west means more population, combat power, heirs, supplies, rear areas, and

The lifeblood of these nobles is in your hands."

"Maybe after they come back, the territory has been transformed. Maybe they will never come back..."

"Don't put it so harshly," Viscount Cambida said as if he had a headache: "In the final analysis, His Majesty is just recruiting troops from his territory to go to the Freedom Alliance to regain his position."

Lisban shook his head: "However, if His Majesty's vassals refuse to be drafted, you have the right and reason to use the combined power and military strength of the Lombard family and the Reconstruction Tower to deprive them of them in a name that no one else can object to.

titles, and even purge their families."

"Make the Black Sand Territory truly yours."

His Excellency the Regent sighed in a low tone: "Yes, Your Majesty."

Thales looked at Ian's absent-minded look, and at Lisban's face that seemed to have aged several years in an instant, feeling sad in his heart.

Yes, he knows this feeling. He has experienced it before and will never forget it.

The previous verbal sparring was just an appetizer for Charmaine Lombard.

But what is truly terrifying about the parricide is his methods.

The bloody siege in front of Broken Dragon Fortress, the terrifying blow in the night of disaster...

As always, quick as thunder, direct, rough, cruel, decisive and effective.

All that is left to the enemy is shock and regret.

King Charman snorted softly.

"It's not like they don't have a choice."

King Charmaine turned his eyes and faced the old Lisban face to face.

"They can choose to be loyal to the king, follow the decree, choose to continue to love Exeter, and then everyone will be happy."

The king said coldly, his sharp eyes seemed to hide an irresistible edge. Wherever he looked, the nobles looked away: "Instead of secretly communicating with forces other than their lord, hoping to escape.

Their fate must come."

"Of course, this also sends a warning to those people who put their hands into my territory and meddle in their own business, and stay safe, or I will come to find you." With these words, King Charman once again glanced at everyone in the hall with cold eyes.

Like a ferocious beast patrolling its territory.

The iron fist emblem representing the Lombard family on his outer robe was so dazzling at this moment.

Except for the vague presence and absence of the nobles breathing at different rates, the hall was silent.

Thales looked at the depressed Ian silently, feeling chilled in his heart.

Regent Lisban first sighed slightly, and then said seriously:

"You have absolutely no intention of holding back, and you don't have the integrity and bottom line of a nobleman, right?"

Risban, the former prime minister of the kingdom, faced the king's eyes that were more powerful than before, and he called him by his name without fear: "Charmaine Lombard?"

"Faced with those traditional families who oppose your expansion of power, you don't just rise to the occasion and fight against them."

"Mende, Devinson, Peruno, Ika, and Black Sand Territory are all familiar northern families to us. These families have been loyal to the bloodline of the rebel king and the Lomba family since the days of Nekaru. They have hundreds of years of history.

"A prominent surname that has lasted for thousands of years," Lisban lamented: "They thought they could force the lord to take back his life by joining forces to force the palace as usual..."

"But times have changed."

"In the face of your cruel methods and your relentless recruitment order, they must either recognize your decree, bow their heads and compromise, and obey your orders..."

"Either it will flow into a river of blood and disappear into ashes."

With a hint of melancholy and regret, Lisban's words also aroused concern among the nobles.

Thales exhaled slowly and fell into deep thought.

In Longxiao City, Thelma was cautious because of her status as the Grand Duchess, struggling to maintain her little prestige in exchange for the cooperation and obedience of her vassals.

In the Black Sand Territory, Lumba bore the reputation of a parricide and a reformer. He was merciless and used blood to cleanse his way, leaving his vassals bowed and obedient.

Which side is better?

King Charmaine pressed his old sword with his left hand and smiled coldly.

"There are so many people who want to serve the country, and a large part of them do not have fiefs or titles." Even in midsummer, the king's voice seemed to be filled with the chill of the cold wind: "My right-hand man, Lord Tuleha

tell me……"

Facing the nobles in the entire hall, he said something that made them shudder: "In this world, there are still too many people who occupy high positions but live in the same position."

"It's not unreasonable."

Lisban closed his eyes and did not answer.

The hall was quiet for a long time.

The earls of Longxiao City showed no signs of solemnity even when faced with the willful behavior of the Grand Duchess.

"My God, what kind of king is standing there," Earl Hester said with a pale face.

"The worst kind of king," Count Linna clenched his fingers tightly: "The terrible kind."

"Humph," Cotson shook his head disdainfully, but his eyes were full of fear: "What a scum."

Count Nazaire watched the king silently, but occasionally he would cast his gaze at Prince Thales in the corner, thoughtfully.

"Longxiao City, now you understand."

King Charman didn't care that everyone in Longxiao City was discussing his words: "If Qiyuan City really prepares an open letter and asks you to sign it, it will encourage some unwise fools in my territory to continue to oppose me.

…”

The king raised his head and looked at the highest seat.

The girl who had been staring at him quietly without saying a word for a long time.

"What a pity," King Charmaine raised the corners of his mouth happily, "because that has no meaning anymore."

Ian lowered his head and looked at his knees, as if he had not seen the eyes around him.

"I even want to advise you: there is no need to get involved in this war," King Charman shook his head: "The Black Sand Territory has taken over, and there is no need for you to send troops."

At that moment, the three people brought by Heisha stood proudly in the hall, as if this was their home court.

The vassals of Longxiao City clenched their fists again, resentment and unwillingness burning in their hearts.

"Because no matter how long this war of the Free Alliance lasts."

The king's expression looked a little ferocious: "The results on the chessboard are already determined."

Thales shook his head.

So, as expected, you took your chance, Rumba.

You got what you wanted.

So……

From this moment on, Thales stared at King Charman steadily.

What about your return?

The next second, King Charmaine seemed to sense Thales's gaze. He turned his head and looked at the prince who had turned from expressionless to gradually cautious, frowning slightly.

Thales still stared at him coldly.

The king's lips pursed upward.

King Charman exhaled a long breath: "As for this prince, don't bother sending him to Qiyuan City. Send him to Black Sand Territory. As a person who truly mediates with the stars, I will entertain Prince Thales. This is logical.

."
To be continued...