Putilai said goodbye to Viscount Cambida in the distance. The latter continued to lead the army of the Black Sand Territory, while the former returned to the prince.
"Ah, this." Marquis Shless nodded slightly towards the returning Putilai and exhaled: "Marquis, hehe."
"Actually, my power status in the country of Comas is roughly equivalent to that of a count who manages a city and a place... Even in Shanliu City, I am not the only one who has the final say," Marquis Shless smiled slightly: "
But as a businessman, he must often visit the dukes and kings to establish good relations, and his status cannot be too shabby... After all, not every country has the confidence to send barons or even lords to each other as envoys like Xingchen and Exeter.
…”
"Oh?" Thales scratched his head and said awkwardly: "So, it turns out that sending barons and lords to each other as envoys is not a common practice in the world? Only Exeter and Xingchen do this?"
"Exactly," Shless shook his head and said, "I can tell you a lot of jokes about the mutual contempt between the Northlanders and the Imperial people."
"The relationship between stars and dragons is a special case." Putilai, who rode in front of the prince, turned back and shook his head gently: "Apart from Suye and Hanbul, you may not find another pair of countries that despise and hate each other like this.
.”
"So, for a small lord like me whose territory is adjacent to many big countries, so I have to visit frequently," Marquis Slys blinked and showed a humble and interesting smile:
"The Joint Council of Camus passed a resolution and was granted the title of so-called 'honorary marquis', which seems to be higher than the count, but not higher than the grand duke and duke - it can not only make the person we are visiting feel valued,
At the same time, there will be no sense of status oppression on him, but in fact we are no different from ordinary earls."
Putilai nodded: "In contrast, both Xingchen and Exeter inherited the empire's aristocratic enfeoffment system - starting from the noble duke or grand duke who guards the four frontiers, followed by the earl who is the lord of a local frontier.
, then to the slightly lower viscount, to the local baron passed down from generation to generation, and finally to the lord who only has property but no title inheritance rights."
Shless smiled bitterly: "Only the Camas Alliance has the weird 'Marquis' level. It is really due to the current situation, so don't pay attention to it."
Thales nodded.
He turned his head and accidentally saw the white cloaked figure in the front left, representing Nikolai the Faller of King Nun.
Nicolai seemed to feel Thales's gaze. He turned back sharply and shot his sharp eyes at Thales like a sword, as if to warn him something.
Thales couldn't help but frown.
"Lord Nicolai... is not easy to deal with, is he?" Slash noticed Thales' gaze and showed an understanding smile: "Northlanders are simple and direct, but stubbornness can also be fatal.
exist."
Thales turned to this strange foreign noble.
Putilai replied calmly to Marquis Shlais: "It seems that you have rich experience. I remember that the jurisdiction of Shanliu City is adjacent to the territory of Qiyuan City in the west of Exeter? You have frequent contacts with the family of Grand Duke Ronny?"
"
"Believe me, I understand the difficulty of being neighbors with the Northlanders," Shless sighed: "I have dealt with them a lot. Sometimes you will love their straightforwardness and honesty to death, and sometimes you will hate them to death.
Their rigidity and inflexibility.”
"Talk about people behind their backs," a cold voice interjected from the distance: "This is not a good way to do business, Your Majesty the Marquis."
Thales was startled.
I saw Nicolai, who was still in front on the left just now, but at some point he had already galloped to his side.
"What are you doing?" Putilai asked politely but solemnly: "Your Excellency, Lord Nicolai?"
Seeing the Fallen Stars of the White Blade Guard approaching, Waiya, who was walking on the left side of Thales, held down the hilt of his sword vigilantly.
"Stand back, Fallen Star," Huaiya pulled out half of the sword blade and said with a bad expression, "I accept your greetings, but His Highness does not need you to escort him."
Nicolai snorted coldly and didn't care.
Rolf quickened his pace and kept up with Thales's mount, his face tense.
Ada, who was following Thales on the right, crossed her arms and moved closer to Nicolai intentionally or unintentionally: "Boy, if you want to fight, I'm always with you."
Thales had to raise his hand to signal the stars to calm down and not worry.
"Do you know each other?" Thales frowned: "The commander of the White Blade Guards, and the Marquis of the First City of Camas?"
Nicolai's eyes were deep and noncommittal, while Shless smiled slightly: "It's just a matter of meeting."
Thales shook his head.
But he immediately raised his head, looked at Nicolai, and then at the smiling Marquis Slais, and couldn't help but be startled.
"Your Excellency, Marquis Slys," Thales asked with a hint of doubt: "When you first came here last night, you said that you were also here as an envoy to Exeter?"
"Yes, the lithium mine contract between Shanliu City and Longxiao City is about to expire, and we need to explore other businesses at the same time." Marquis Shless blinked his eyes meaningfully: "In fact, my and I
The envoys have been staying around Longxiao City for a month, and have negotiated several big business deals with several lords... They heard that the prince of Xingchen was leading the business in Wellan, so they came to visit."
Longxiao City.
Thales' heart moved.
"You came all the way from Longxiao City to Welland to visit me?" Thales drew in his mind the map of Exeter that Putilai had told him in the past few days, and said doubtfully: "You are really thoughtful.
As far as I know, the road in between is not easy."
"That's why I said the Conmas people must have something up their sleeve," Ada snorted disdainfully, "Who would travel such a long distance to see an unlucky little kid with nothing to do?"
Thales rubbed his head awkwardly.
Putilai reacted and thought carefully about the relationship.
"Haha, there is a saying among the elves, 'Love is worth overcoming obstacles, and friendship is worth climbing over mountains and mountains.'" Shless blinked: "And I am here for friendship, and of course for future connections."
"Disgusting." was Ada's reaction.
"Wait a minute," Thales's suspicion grew deeper and deeper: "If you are coming from Longxiao City..."
He raised his head and looked at Nikolai in front of him, only to see the Fallen Star looking at him steadily, expressionless.
"...The White Blade Guards are the personal guards of King Gongju, and you are also from Longxiao City." Thales frowned and looked at Marquis Shles: "Your Majesty the Marquis and the White Blade Guards arrived almost at the same time, but before
Didn’t meet?"
Nicolai and Slys looked at each other.
The latter smiled and said: "Maybe it's because of the wind and snow? So we didn't find each other?"
"No," Thales narrowed his eyes: "They are the best elites in the entire Exeter, there is no way they could not have noticed you."
"Of course it's impossible." Putilai took over his prince's words and nodded suddenly: "That's the White Blade Guards, a famous and powerful army in the North, as famous as the 'Glacier Watch' that guarded the Quegur Glacier in the north in ancient times -
—Although both have experienced many times of destruction and reconstruction... it is easy to find a cavalry so close."
Nicolai snorted softly
Shless laughed.
"Also," Thales said word by word: "You guys appeared one after the other, almost at the same time..."
"It's too suspicious."
Shless raised his eyebrows, shook his head and laughed.
Thales looked at him in surprise and looked at Putilai.
"That's enough, Your Majesty the Marquis," Nicolai said calmly, "It's time to fulfill His Majesty's instructions."
His Majesty's request?
Thales looked at Nikolai and then at Slys, and the suspicion in his mind became clearer and clearer.
"You guys are in the same group."
Thales figured it out.
He looked around and saw that the Black Sand Army in the distance was marching in an orderly manner.
Tulha still led the scouts to reconnoiter the road.
Cambida was discussing the next step with one of his subordinates.
The soldiers of the Black Sand Territory guarded the surroundings dutifully.
Thales took a slow breath.
"Your Highness," Putilai, who understood something, said calmly: "It seems that we have fallen into an incredible situation again."
"Alas," Thales sighed, raised his head, and looked at the Exeter and Camas people in front of him with burning eyes: "This is what King Nunn meant, right?"
"Now that we've come to this point," Shless said with a smile, "Your Highness, why not take another guess?"
Thales looked at him steadily.
A few seconds later, Thales said calmly: "Lord Nicolai... you did not come to the army of the Grand Duke of Black Sand by chance, nor did you accidentally conflict with us."
His eyes fell on Nicolai, who continued to look straight ahead, seemingly paying no attention to what he meant.
But a second later, the Fallen Star Man turned away from his previous coldness and spoke slowly.
"Of course not," Nicolai said coldly: "One of the things I hate most in my life is to step into Lumba's military camp, and..."
The Fallen Starman turned his head, his eyes like daggers: "Why would I have the leisure to kidnap a little kid who doesn't even have all his teeth?"
Thales ignored Nicolai's disrespect, his heart started beating faster and his brain began to work faster.
If it weren't for chance... then last night...
"It seems that you don't often do such things, Your Excellency, Meteor Lord," Thales said with a wry smile: "No wonder I felt something was weird yesterday... Sure enough, the acting was too stiff."
Putilai gently took out his pipe and frowned.
Nicolai and Slys looked at each other.
"I heard that you are a prince who is sharp-tongued and thoughtful?" Marquis Slys blinked thoughtfully: "A genius who can shock everyone at state meetings at the age of seven, Your Highness Thales?"
Thales was slightly startled: "Is this how people talk about me?"
Not good.
Are you already so famous for your words and deeds at national conferences?
"You are much more famous than you think, boy," Nicolai's figure on the horse was calm, but there was an unsettling illusion. He said lightly: "Xingchen has found their only prince and
Heir, and announce your presence to the entire kingdom."
Marquis Slys on the side nodded and smiled.
"So, Marquis Slys from the Camus Alliance," Thales frowned and turned to the middle-aged Marquis with blond ponytail: "You didn't just come to visit me. The reason why you were there at that time
There is only one purpose in coming to Lumba’s military camp!”
Shless smiled and bowed slightly on his horse.
"As an envoy from a third country, come to prevent the conflict between the White Blade Guards and us!" Thales looked at Slys firmly.
"As for you, Lord Nicolai, as an enemy of the Bright Star Royal Family, you were specially sent to provoke us, right?" Thales turned to Nicolai again.
"We should have had a fight," Nicolai said coldly: "The White Blade Guards will beat all of your people to the ground."
"Before things get out of hand, I will show up. Due to the face of envoy Camus, the White Blade Guards will stop and retreat." Marquis Shles showed a mysterious smile and continued what Nicolai said: "But Tai
The bad relationship between His Highness Ers and King Nunn will be seen by everyone in the camp."
Huaiya and Rolf both looked at Thales and then at Nicolai in surprise.
"Continue to maintain your hostility, Waiya, Rolf," Putilai figured something out. He gently lit his pipe, his expression unchanged: "Let the people in the Black Sand Territory see that we and Nicolai
His lordship's relations are very bad—very bad."
Wyatt's eyes widened.
"Lord Nicolai, you originally planned to use provocation and conflict to let others see King Nunn's attitude towards me." Thales lowered his head and said silently: "In the end, I messed around a lot, but you didn't want to."
Good to start, right?"
Nicolai did not answer.
"To be honest, when I arrived as planned, I saw such a peaceful scene between you." Shless nodded, "I also felt very strange. I even wondered if my watch was running fast and I had arrived early.
A moment."
"What happened?" Thales asked calmly: "Why do we have to stage such a show in Lumba's camp? To show who? Lumba?"
"Not just for him to see," Shless said lightly, "but also for the eyes and ears in his army."
"Continue." Thales said solemnly.
"The news that you are coming to Longxiao City has been spread to almost all the lords and nobles of Exeter with the messenger crow." Nicolai took over the words coldly: "The visit of Prince of the Stars is the biggest event in the kingdom at the end of the year.
incident - for this reason, His Majesty has sent invitations to nine Grand Dukes outside Longxiao City, and at least five Grand Dukes have responded to the invitation and have arrived or will soon arrive at Longxiao City, waiting for your arrival."
"You mean...for my arrival," Thales slowly sorted out his chaotic thoughts: "King Nuen specially invited these grand dukes to Longxiao City? Why? This has nothing to do with the eyes and ears in the Lomba army.
what is the relationship?"
"The person who murdered our Highness Prince Morar," Nicolai tightened his white cloak and said calmly: "It's not just the Grand Duke of Black Sand. Charmaine Lombard used his advantage of being adjacent to the stars to fight with Aaron abroad.
Germany worked in collusion, but there were other forces in the country who conspired with Lombard and even took the lead in planning the plan to murder His Highness."
"His Majesty Nunn has lost his last heir," Thales frowned: "...His enemy and Lumba's collaborators are among the grand dukes who are about to come to Longxiao City?"
"Ambitionists can rest easy, but with His Majesty Nunn's character, he will not sit back and let his enemies remain free after committing such a crime." Shless nodded slightly and sighed: "Walton's
The rage of revenge is more intense and simpler than imagined, and someone must take over it."
"Does he want revenge?" Putilai said slowly: "Revenge against the real murderer?"
"I thought that would be me." Thales laughed at himself: "Isn't it too normal for an angry and crazy father to kill the murderer's son to pay for his own son's life..."
"This is exactly what the enemy wants, and it is also the appearance we hope the enemy will see." Shless blinked: "His Majesty Nunn is a wise king. He knows who is responsible for this matter, and who is responsible for this matter."
If a war breaks out between Xingchen and Exterior at this time, it would be playing into the hands of ambitious people and would be extremely unwise."
"But Your Majesty the Marquis, how could you join in?" Putilai looked directly at Shless: "I thought you should be a Conmas person."
"I did a favor to His Majesty Nunn," Marquis Slys smiled heartily, showing his bright white teeth: "He also did a favor to me in terms of trade between the two countries."
Ada snorted coldly.
At this moment, Nicolai sneered.
"In short, this is the message His Majesty asked me to bring...His Royal Highness the Second Prince of the Stars."
"For the common interests of Your Highness and His Majesty Nunn, he invites you to join his revenge," Nicolai's eyes seemed to have flames burning: "The hunter has sharpened his sword, the traps and traps are in place, and the prey is in danger of escaping."
"Can I say no?" Thales frowned and looked at Putilai, who had a complicated expression on his side.
"You know," Nicolai said with deep meaning: "The anger of revenge must be vented somewhere."
Thales lowered his head.
"I think I understand what you mean," a few seconds later, Thales exhaled with sadness: "His Majesty Nunn is a hunter, and the White Blade Guards are his swords. Yesterday's drama and attitude were a trap.
, the meeting in Longxiao City is the final trap, and Lumba’s collaborators are the prey.”
"So who are you? Your Majesty the Marquis?" Thales turned to Slys with an indifferent expression: "A pickaxe for digging traps?"
Slys coughed awkwardly.
"No wonder King Nun came to invite me," Thales said with a grim expression: "After all, he only lacks one thing, right?"
Thales turned his head and looked around at Nikolai and Slys.
But neither said anything.
One of them looked at him with a playful look, and the other looked at him with a stern look.
Thales sighed, closed his eyes and looked up to the sky, sighing, and uttered the last words to himself:
"Bait."
————
Exeter, Longxiao City, westbound.
A man from the Far East saw off the last guest and slowly closed the door to the house.
He turned his head slightly and looked at the new uninvited guest in the store.
"I didn't expect you to come so quickly."
In the butcher shop that had just closed, Gu looked at the young man in white in front of him with a solemn expression.
"I'm on my way faster," the young man said calmly.
"What do you call him?" Gu took off his apron and stared at the young man.
"Raphael," the young man said briskly: "Or, according to the habits of Far Eastern people, you can also call me Raphael."
"That's not what Shan's surname is called in the Far East." Gu said coldly.
snort.
Morat's little cub.
However, no matter how young the snake cub is, as long as it comes from the secret department of the kingdom.
Gu reminded himself secretly.
They are all extremely poisonous.
"Yeah, forget it, it doesn't matter anyway," Raphael slowly sat down on the seat beside him indifferently: "Let's talk about business."
"Boom!"
A dull sound.
Gu slammed the boning knife on the chopping board.
He hates this feeling.
Raphael waited for the other party's reply without caring.
"I have led Black Sword to Longxiao City as you requested," Gu closed his eyes in pain: "Using the information you gave me."
"Oh?" Raphael's eyes lit up: "Where is his whereabouts and condition?"
"I don't know," Gu Qiang endured the unhappiness in his heart: "But Heijian just came here yesterday. He said he wanted to find a doctor, but I don't know how long he will stay in Longxiao City... maybe he will leave after finding one.
"
"He won't," Raphael chuckled, "He will stay long enough until he finds his goal."
"Hmph, how do you know?" Gu tried hard to eliminate the guilt of betraying his old friend. He clenched his fists and remembered the figure from the past: "Heijian is the strongest swordsman I have ever seen. He is not someone you can manipulate easily.
The presence."
"No matter how terrifying the existence is, it still has weaknesses." The young man in white stood up with an elegant posture.
Gu frowned.
Black sword.
"You also know, after all, you are the one who sent the message to him," Raphael chuckled: "The message we used to lure him out of the cage is a heavyweight. As long as there is the slightest possibility, the Black Sword
I won’t give up such an opportunity.”
Raphael's eyes tightened, and a strange light flashed in his pupils: