The Earl of the Marsh, Achison Lacia and his eldest son were sitting in the study dusty with travel. They were wearing simple but durable hunting clothes, and they had not even untied the straps on their legs.

"When Your Highness wrote the letter, we were hunting outside the city. The journey was far away and we had no time to return home and change into formal attire for the audience," Earl Achison coughed. "It is really a sin to be so rude."

The eldest son of the earl nodded slightly.

The second prince behind the desk waved his hand.

"The Lacia family believes in the Julands branch of the Sunset Temple. They are simple, hardworking, and ascetic. How can I not know that? How can I be blamed?"

Thales didn't raise his head. He was flipping through a thick "Chronicle of Important Events of the Princes of the South Bank" with gusto. The page stopped on a family tree with a four-winged monitor lizard.

"It's because I sent out the invitation in a hurry and pushed it too hard... Ah, I didn't notice it before, but it turns out that the Lassia family has a glorious history and outstanding achievements, and it can be traced all the way back to the founding of the country in the stars?"

Lacia and his son looked at each other.

Thales turned to the next page with relish and unfolded the history of the Lassia family:

Six hundred years ago, not long after the End Sea was first formed, the swamp forest south of the Emerald City was located in a remote area with complex terrain. In addition, the tribes in the swampland who used lizards as their totems resisted stubbornly. Therefore, the transformation of the king was not smooth and the government orders were difficult.

Pass.

At that time, John I, the warlike 'Black Eyed', was leading his army to the northern expedition to Exeter. After receiving the news of the disobedience of the Marshland, he refused the angry request of his subordinates to fight. On the contrary, Black Eyed unexpectedly asked for disobedience.

The swampland dispatched a little-known grain supervisor who had no ability to restrain a chicken.

With little backup, the petty official took the king's orders and went deep into the swamp with his four sons.

In the first year, he never came back and there was no news from the land.

Two years later, letters were sent from the Ze area: each tribe began to send envoys to the royal capital, and one after another they became vassals.

Within five years, the petty officials were awarded titles of nobility, built forts in the center of the swamp, opened up wasteland, and established villages and towns.

In the past ten years, the four most powerful tribes in the Zeland have all declined due to vendetta against each other.

Thirty years later, the population of the Marshland increased greatly. The people all obeyed the banner of the lord, knew the power of the king, and spurned the barbaric and bloody past.

At this point, Zeland has truly and completely become the territory of the stars.

Therefore, as conceited and harsh as John I, he laughed at his mistress on the throne and then sighed: "Although the swamp monitor lizard has no teeth or claws, it has hidden murderous intentions!"

In this way, the former grain superintendent and the newly named Earl of the Swamp, "The Monitor Lizard" Bodman Lacia, used the four-winged monitor lizard as his emblem and the king's golden words ("The monitor lizard, hidden in the Swamp"

"Murder") is a clan slang, creating a foundation and a family in the swampland.

Although he has experienced many ups and downs in the past few hundred years - he suffered heavy losses in the civil war between the two stars, he was almost wiped out in the continental war, he once attacked each other with the Blade Leader princes, and he almost lost his title during the Red King period.

He was also named and reprimanded by the wise king as an example of nepotism in the famous "General Rules for the Selection of Officials in the Kingdom" - but the Lacia family, which was ranked as the thirteenth noble family and was granted the title of powerful earl, has finally been passed down to this day and is present at the Nineteen Stone Seat in the Hall of Stars.

"Tsk, tsk, it's really amazing. I moved around among the many lizard tribes as I wished, and conquered the land without even using a single soldier." Thales sighed with emotion. "If I were Black Eyed, I would simply kill the 'Monitor Lizard'."

'Forget about sending it to Exeter, then maybe the cross and double-star flag flying at the top of Longxiao City today..."

"Thank you, Your Highness, for teaching us the history of our family's fortune," Earl Aitchison interrupted impatiently, "but I guess you invited us here this time because of Kevin Di..."

"Although Your Highness is lenient, I have to say something," the earl's eldest son suddenly said, holding Acheson down, "Father, it's all your fault for chasing that wild boar, and we didn't even have time to prepare to change our clothes. It's really rude.

."

"Well, I was... okay, okay, good son, you are the heir, you are right." Earl Achison backed down.

The eldest son of the earl nodded.

Thales looked on in amazement.

"Look, Your Highness, he has such a bad temper," Earl Achison said helplessly, "Hitting and scolding is useless. If you don't get oil and salt, it will only make people angry."

It's a good thing that oil and salt are not allowed to enter.

Maybe even toothless and clawless.

Thales had no choice but to start the topic himself:

"Very good. Do you know why I asked you to come?"

"Your Highness, please make it clear." The eldest son of the earl said respectfully.

All right.

Looks like he has to be the one to talk nonsense.

Thales sighed:

"A few days ago, Zhan was accused at the general election. Count Aitchison, you stepped out to support the Duke and loudly condemned Federico..."

Earl Achison frowned at first, then puffed up his chest after hearing this.

"In the subsequent meeting hall, you first insisted that Zhan En should return to power in the Kongming Palace, and then you supported Shi Lai to rule on his behalf..."

The count's eldest son showed no emotion.

"I heard that you have recently been contacting some adults who are thinking about Zhan En's old love, and want to gather momentum to take back the 'Nan'an for Nan'an people'?"

Thales put down his book, frowned and shook his head:

"This series of actions is really, oh, very disrespectful to me."

Lacia and his son looked at each other and their expressions darkened.

But as the thirteenth noble family, they are not so easy to give in.

"I know what you are going to do, Your Highness."

Earl Acheson suppressed the blush on his face and hummed:

"Huh, I know, there are rumors in the entire Emerald City now that you have completely fallen out with Duke Zhan and his sister, and you were even beaten up by the two brothers... It is conceivable that now you either

Put them to death, or they will be in despair——"

"But the Lassia family also has our dignity." The count's eldest son spoke in a deep voice, interrupting his father's unbridled speech.

Earl Acheson nodded with a hum:

"Yes, if you want to force us to change our family and betray Duke Zhan, that is absolutely impossible..."

Thales resisted touching the wound on his face and interrupted with a voice:

"The iris was robbed and fell into such a miserable state, but the earl remained loyal as before. It's really touching."

Earl Acheson pouted and said:

"That is, the four-winged monitor lizard and the iris have had a deep friendship for hundreds of years, and they have been advancing and retreating together..."

"I didn't ask you to change the court," Thales calmly closed the "Chronicle of Important Events of the Princes of the South Bank", "I just think it's a little strange."

The count and his son were both startled.

"Dear Earl Acheson, you were filled with righteous indignation and roared out of control at the election venue," Thales said softly, "But when I think about it, if you hadn't shouted so loudly as an imperial Earl, then what would have happened?

Maybe Federico still couldn't find a way to continue the conversation, and the audience's reaction was far less enthusiastic."

Earl Achison felt his eyelids twitch.

"Later, you took the lead in the meeting hall where the city lord was elected, and you were the first to speak out loudly in support of Zhan En and against my administration," Thales continued, "but because your attitude of confrontation with the royal family was too clear and radical, it made sympathizers

The protesters were hesitant to speak out, which in turn aroused protests from many opponents..."

The count's eldest son, who was sitting at the bottom, heard this and his expression became more serious.

"As for you at this time - I have just been punished by the Zhan brothers and sisters, and I am angry - you have united with all the forces loyal to Zhan in the South Bank Territory and declared that you want to take back the 'South Bank of the South Bank people'..." Thales

His words became more and more aggressive, "Wouldn't it be counterproductive to pull them out and make them into targets for me to hit?"

The prince raised his head, his eyes were as bright as swords.

"Looking at it this way, Lord Acheson," he tutted, "you are really doing Zhan a disservice."

"you--"

Earl Achison's expression changed and he became angry, but was held down by his eldest son.

"The land is in a remote place, and I have been blessed by civilization for a long time. My father is dull and dull, and he acts impulsively. He often has good intentions and bad deeds, which is self-defeating." The eldest son of the earl explained in a deep voice, "In fact, our family has discussed it internally - father, please shut up - whether

We must deprive him of his right to speak to the outside world."

Earl Acheson was shocked and angry. He pointed at his eldest son in disbelief, but his words were a little less powerful:

"Hey...how can you tell this matter outside..."

"But my father is grateful for the old Duke's grace, and everything he says and does is due to his loyalty to the Emerald City. I believe that Your Highness can understand." The eldest son of the earl ended his explanation.

Thales turned his head and looked carefully at the eldest son of Lassia, who was usually taciturn but seemed to be the real leader of the family.

"Sorry I forgot...what's your name?"

The eldest son of the earl frowned slightly.

"Eddie, Eddie Lacia," the speaker was Earl Aitchison, he said bitterly, "This was the name given by his grandfather when he was still alive. Of course it was out of respect, but for some reasons later..."

"After the Year of Blood, people rarely call me by my first name anymore," the Earl's eldest son explained.

Thales raised his eyebrows in understanding.

"Very good—Eddie."
To be continued...