This was the first time Thales saw King Nun wearing a dark golden crown on his head, wearing a solemn and majestic golden-red dress, and with the majestic talent of a king, he walked down the steps surrounded by his ministers and walked towards
On the long central table of the meeting hall, the head seat belongs to the co-elected king.
In his eyes, this nearly seventy-year-old man no longer had the gloom and obscurity he had when they first met, replaced by an unprecedented majesty, like the silent and terrifying leader of a pride of lions.
I saw Noon Walton VII with a straight torso and an upright waist, holding on to his seat arms and his eyes shining brightly into the hall. Under the king's unabashed scrutiny and disdain, the four Grand Dukes all looked unnaturally.
Turn your head or look away.
Officer Michael stood behind the king with a serious expression; dozens of capable White Blade Guards guarded every corner of the chamber, vigilantly pressing the white handles of their swords; there were more that Thales had never seen before.
With fresh faces, wearing clothes that should belong to the nobility, they stood on both sides of the king with different expressions, exchanging glances without concealment.
This is also the first time that Thales has completely seen the ministers around King Nuen, who belong to the court of Longxiao City.
Compared with the well-ordered star palace with its own rules, Exeter's monarchs and ministers are full of fierceness and roughness, thickness and wildness emanating from their bones, no matter their positions, postures, movements, or expressions.
, seems casual and rude, making people who see this scene for the first time feel uneasy - it feels like standing in a group of dangerous predators that are ready to bite people at any time.
Thales couldn't help but glance at Putilai beside him, who nodded slightly at him.
"wait?"
In the meeting hall, the long-haired Grand Duke Ronnie used his thunderous voice to ask the doubts in his heart: "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
No one answered him.
"Hey! Your Majesty," Grand Duke Trudida glanced at the few gray-haired or bright-eyed ministers standing next to King Nunn, and said with a pale face: "I don't know what you want to do, but, from now on,
From Lord Sob, the chief political officer, to Earl Silaire, who handles foreign affairs, and then...you brought half of the Royal Council to us?"
"Do you want to discuss it with us," he asked, half sarcastically and half accusingly: "Why was the wine at the banquet so sour just now?"
Next to him, Archduke Olesiu looked at the king unceremoniously.
Thales looked at this scene with worry: How will things end?
"It seems that His Majesty's long-term tolerance has spoiled you all."
"Listen up, your Excellencies, the Grand Dukes of Exeter," a minister who was over fifty years old next to King Nunn responded unceremoniously to the Grand Duke of Rebuilding Tower: "The king you swore allegiance to is the one the people of the North will follow to the death.
The co-owner is ordering you..."
"wait!"
The half-hundred-year-old minister had a cold expression on his face and reprimanded him without any shame:
Grand Duke Trudida and Grand Duke Olesio suddenly turned cold, while Grand Duke Lecco was thoughtful.
Only Archduke Ronnie sat on the left side of the long table with an unchanged expression - just like when he first saw Thales.
"You should at least tell us what this lame trap is for, Your Majesty?" A few seconds later, Archduke Lecco, who was guarding the city, let out a long sigh and sat down slowly.
"Colluding with the little devil from Xingchen to play tricks on the princes under his command," Grand Duke Olesiu also sat down in his seat, and then said coldly: "I feel that my dignity has been greatly insulted."
At this moment, there were knocking sounds in the hall.
"Dong...dong...dong..."
The four princes all turned their heads and looked at the seat of honor at the end of the long table.
There, Nunn VII, with a serious expression, was slowly tapping the table with his right hand.
"Dong...dong...dong..."
Thales squinted his eyes and noticed that King Nunn was wearing a strange-shaped ring on the little finger of his right hand. The silver-white metal ring had a black gemstone inlaid in the center.
The king was tapping the stone on the table seemingly casually.
"Dignity does not give you the right to question the king, Rebien," King Nunn spoke slowly, his eyes fixed on the table, seeming to be particularly interested in the part he was tapping: "What you are going to do
There's only one thing going on, boys, just like it was a dozen years ago,"
"Obey me."
King Nun slowly raised his head, with an undeniable stern light shining from his eyes, and looked at the grand dukes:
"Just like a long time ago, your father obeyed my father, and later he obeyed me..."
"At least then, we'll be in peace."
"do you understand?"
The princes all held their breath together.
"According to what the child said," a few seconds later, Archduke Lecco sighed and spoke first: "You use lies to test our loyalty? And we are far away from our own guards and entourage. This is really disappointing.
I'm worried about my safety..."
"If I really want your lives regardless of the consequences, old bald man," King Nun suddenly raised his voice, causing Leko to stop speaking: "Do you think that just by those bastard soldiers around you and the extremely powerful person behind you?
Can an axehand in this realm survive and walk out of the Palace of Heroes, or even Longxiao City?"
"This is not your guard city."
Several Grand Dukes frowned at the same time.
"At least tell us, what are you waiting for?" Ronnie pushed aside his long hair and snorted coldly.
"Your Excellencies, His Majesty the King has shown great kindness, please be patient, but if you know each other's identities and duties..." On the left side of King Nun, another person had a playful expression.
The subject replied with a smile and deep meaning: "Find your place and sit tight."
No one spoke anymore.
The hall fell into silence for a moment, and there was still a wait for unknown reasons.
A few minutes.
At the end, Thales, who couldn't sit still, rolled his eyes and looked around.
He attracted the attention of the bearded prince.
"After this matter is over, boy," Olesiu turned his eyes to Thales with a fierce expression on his face. For a moment, other people's eyes also turned to him: "I will dig out your heart - as a
Challenging the price of our dignity.”
Ronnie, Lecco, and Trudida also gave him different looks, some wary, some thoughtful, and some suspicious.
Thales closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
Damn it.
I thought it would be simple... to find out the mastermind behind the scenes, King Nun waved his hand, and fired thousands of arrows, repaying injustice with injustice, revenge with hatred, pat the butt, and leave.
But for now, at least judging from Olesio's performance - the side effects and sequelae are very serious.
"Save your energy, Your Majesty the Grand Duke," Thales heard himself saying listlessly: "Don't always talk about things you can't do..."
He no longer wanted to defend himself.
Orasio gritted his teeth, but just when he was about to speak, a new person joined the meeting hall.
Following the sound of chaotic footsteps, a young man with brown hair, wearing a heavy robe embroidered with blood-colored horseshoes, walked into the meeting hall filled with people.
The Grand Duke of Fengzhao City, young Conkley Perfitt, accompanied by his entourage, stood in front of everyone.
Thales took a deep breath, and then sighed heavily.
finally……
"very good!"
Seeing Perfit's arrival, Grand Duke Trudida's eyes lit up. He looked around at the people in the hall and smiled brightly.
Only Grand Duke Ronny frowned tightly, while Grand Duke Lecco showed a surprised expression.
"Now that we are all here, the five Grand Dukes who were invited by Your Majesty have gathered together under the watchful eyes of the White Blade Guards." The Grand Duke of the Rebuilding Tower raised his eyebrows: "Then the question is, what are you going to do? Is it to do something?
Using the ridiculous charge of gathering a crowd to conspire, to put us all in the same position, or..."
Trudida's voice stopped abruptly.
The rest of the words were choked in his own throat.
Like a crossbow arrow whose string breaks instantly when the trigger is pulled.
The Grand Duke of Zai Zaita stared blankly at the approaching Pefit and his entourage.
Their faces were poor, their bodies were in a sorry state, and their hands were empty. A soldier beside Archduke Perfitt, even being supported, looked pale and covered his shoulders, with blood oozing from his fingers.
Around them, there was a whole circle of white-bladed guards with their swords unsheathed, their blades flashing with cold light, staring at them coldly.
"Meteor" Nikolai, with a chill all over his body, walked in last and saluted the king.
Trudida reacted.
Perfit and his men were escorted in by the White Blade Guards after they disarmed themselves.
Grand Duke Perfitt himself stood expressionless, with a chill still on his body and snow water dripping from his brown hair.
"Is that enough?" The young Grand Duke raised his head and looked around at the people in the hall with sullen eyes: "A noble Grand Duke should not be treated like a criminal in the king's palace and castle!"
"You used force to force me to come to the meeting hall. What exactly do you want to do?"
"This is a challenge to our ancient northern tradition and ignores Nekaru's oath of co-governance!"
King Nun narrowed his eyes.
The four princes had different expressions.
Thales raised his eyebrows from an angle that no one could see:
Tonight, it's finally coming to an end.
"Is this what you want us to wait for, Your Majesty? Use all means to gather the five of us here," Grand Duke Lecco looked at the embarrassed Grand Duke Perfit and said in a helpless tone: "Now you can
Tell us, what happened to all this?"
"Is it true that what that brat said," Olesiu said angrily, "are we still waiting for Lumba to come with us?"
Trudida laughed lowly.
Under everyone's gaze, the old king of Exeter paused for three seconds before speaking slowly.
"Very good," King Nun clasped his hands, with a serious expression and sharp eyes.
But his next words made almost everyone look surprised.
"Little Thales, my clever guest."
King Nun slowly turned to the side and looked at the Star Prince standing on the side.
Thales, who was about to watch the show, was stunned for a moment.
What?
Little Thales?
Do I know you well?
"Come, tell me, my loyal princes, why they are here."
After King Nun finished speaking, his eyes flashed.
"Tell them...the so-called truth."
At that moment, everyone's eyes, with hesitation, surprise, gloominess and other different emotions, all turned to the second prince of the stars.
Thales was stunned for a moment.
Damn it.
He reacted very quickly and put on an ugly smile, raised his hands and spread them out to both sides.
"I don't want to get involved in Exeter's internal fighting, your Majesty," Thales said with a smile: "You can handle the internal affairs yourself. This is..."
But he couldn't finish.
"You are already involved, Thales." Nunn's low and old voice, accompanied by the king's profound eyes, interrupted him: "You have been involved in it for a long time and cannot extricate yourself, the future King of the Stars."
"And you promised to do this for me - your promise, wasn't it?"
Thales gritted his teeth.
The doubts in the eyes of the several grand dukes slowly turned into solemnity when they looked at him.
Thales swallowed and frowned.
Nunn, this damn old man.
Is it to show the grand dukes that the heir to the stars stands with him?
Thales' brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
King Nun's eyes became even sharper.
"Go on, what are you waiting for, little prince," Olesiu continued to look at him fiercely, "after you used your ridiculous words to deceive us all - to be honest, I just thought that Lumba would also do the same.
Get up."
Thales ignored him.
Finally, with Putilai's low reminder, he exhaled helplessly.
All right.
Greeting the eyes of almost everyone in the hall, Thales took a step forward.
"I'm sorry, Your Excellencies," Thales faced the unkind looks of almost all the five Grand Dukes and said bravely: "Tonight, most of the words I said to you are false.
Only one thing is true."
"Prince Morar was assassinated in the stars." Thales sighed: "One of the masterminds behind the scenes is among you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the five princes all frowned.
The ministers around the king began to whisper among themselves.
The second prince ignored the noise that began to increase in the hall.
"And Your Majesty Nunn asked me to find the black hand who conspired with Lomba to kill Prince Morar." Thales said expressionlessly.
"Oh, I knew it..." The bald Grand Duke Lecco sighed: "The reason why we are invited here is not just to deal with this Prince of the Stars."
Grand Duke Trudida turned his head and shook his head disapprovingly: "The black hand who conspired with Lombard? Ha, I understand."
"But this is not a good job..." Thales turned to the five grand dukes and nodded: "Almost all of you, the five grand dukes, are suspects."
The five archdukes turned their heads unnaturally, avoiding the double gazes of Thales and King Nunn.
"Facts have also proved that you are indeed restless," Thales chuckled and continued: "To be honest, I really didn't expect that those words could attract all four of you... I thought that at most
two."
"My loyal princes, the co-rulers of Exeter," King Nun said slowly, "seem to have great ambitions."
Immediately, whispers resounded in the hall again.
The faces of Olesiu and Lecco became embarrassed, Ronnie still had a cold expression, Trudida clicked his tongue and laughed loudly, and young Perfitt still had a gloomy face.
King Nun looked at everything in the field quietly, clasping his hands.
"So, it is almost impossible to follow the rules and find the culprits among you people..." Thales sighed.
"I can only find another way out. Instead of starting with the suspect, start with the truth of the matter and how the murderer who knows the truth will react." Thales nodded towards Putilai and smiled: "Since
If you can’t retreat, why not move forward with all your strength?”
"That's it," Grand Duke Roni of Qiyuan City said sternly: "Everything you said is false... There is no secret discussion between Longxiao City and Black Sand Territory, nor is there any secret discussion between Walton and Lumba.
Cooperation, right?"
Thales shook his head: "Of course not, I made it all up - His Majesty will not ally with enemies who kill blood relatives."
On the rectangular table, King Nun's eyes flashed strangely.
"I understand," Archduke Lecco said incoherently: "The key lies with Lomba, right? Because the so-called black hand who murdered Morar was conspiring with Lomba?"
"Humph," Olesio snorted coldly: "What a lame strategy - to convince us and also to convince the black hand that Lombard and His Majesty are cooperating? Make him think that Lomba will betray the black hand's identity to Your Majesty?"
"The trap is so straightforward," Grand Duke Trudida leaned back and said with a smile, "Will anyone really be fooled?"
Thales stared at the three of them, his eyes darting back and forth for several seconds.
Until the second prince smiled softly.
"No," Thales looked solemn and shook his head decisively: "It's not that simple."
"Don't forget what I told you, those words like 'Rumba is not the murderer, but the secret department identified him as the murderer' - maybe the innocent princes will believe it," Thales continued to say seriously:
"But only he, only the black hand, will never believe this - as Lomba's accomplice, only he knows that Lomba is one of the real murderers! Lomba cannot be freed from the suspicion of killing the prince, so
It is impossible for Lumba to cooperate with His Majesty, so it is impossible to betray him."
"Only Black Hand himself knows," Thales turned around, looked around, and inspected the effect of his speech: "The so-called 'covenant between Walton and Lomba' I said is simply alarmist, and Lomba cannot pursue it.
An alliance with His Majesty."
"Then what do you mean by what you said at night?" The bald Archduke Lecco's eyes flashed: "You said a lot of things that His Majesty would abandon hatred and choose interests, but if you can't make the murderer believe it, Lombard and His Majesty will be together.
cooperate……"
"I'm not ready to let him believe this. I just want to tell him," Thales said lightly: "His Majesty suspects that Lomba is not the murderer and is still trying to contact Lomba."
At the head of the long table, King Nuen showed a faint sneer.
"Moreover, if it started when Nikolai picked me up, the communication between the two parties may have started a long time ago."
Archduke Olesiu said impatiently: "You just said that Lomba is the murderer. He dare not and will not cooperate with His Majesty. You can't dig out the name of the black hand from Lomba..."
"I'm not done yet!"
"His Majesty Nunn's investigation also discovered a key point," Thales interrupted him coldly, leaving Orasio stunned: "The black hand did one more thing!"
"He also participated in the murder of me and the murder of Prince of the Stars!"
The whispers in the meeting hall stopped instantly.
"During the game between Broken Dragon Fortress and Lomba, he bribed a group called the 'Sword of Disaster' and used Lomba's magic gun troops to assassinate me in an attempt to frame Lumba." Thales took a deep breath.
, word for word:
"This is what I want him to know!"
"I want that black hand to know: Your Majesty Nunn already knows that the black hand who murdered Prince Morar is also the one who framed Lomba!"
Putilai behind Thales sighed, while Marquis Shles next to him smiled.
"So, in the final analysis, after I talked so much nonsense to you all at night, I actually just want to tell you two things," Thales shrugged: "One, His Majesty is contacting Lombard, and two, His Majesty knows that the person who murdered Prince Morar
The black hand is also plotting against Lumba."
Under everyone's doubtful eyes, Thales nodded slowly:
"In this case, it is no longer relevant whether His Majesty can reach cooperation with Lomba. What is important is - when His Majesty contacted Lomba, in order to confirm the truth about Moral's murder, would he also inform Lomba about this matter?
"
The princes were immediately shocked!
They have figured out the cause and effect of the matter.
"And this is possible! After all, according to me, His Majesty Nunn has been contacting the Black Sands through Nicolai several days ago..."
"The black hand not only murdered His Majesty's son, but also betrayed Lumba. Faced with such a possibility, he must have felt uneasy... In order to gain Lumba's trust, Your Majesty would tell him that in fact, the person who framed Lumba was also the one who plotted to murder Mora.
Your people?"
"And Lomba happens to be the one who knows the truth about the murder of Prince Morar and the identity of the black hand!"
"So the key is not His Majesty, but Lombard himself," Thales looked at everyone's reactions and sighed deeply: "If the answer is 'no', then it is his luck, but this luck will continue forever.
Are you going to go down? Will this matter be mentioned in the next communication between the two parties? "
"If the answer is 'yes', then Grand Duke Charmaine Lombard will know that it turned out to be his long-term collaborator who planted a traitor in the army of Black Sand Territory and framed him under Broken Dragon Fortress!"
"This is betrayal!"
"At that time, if I were Lumba, the first thing I would do is to immediately inform His Majesty of the identity of the Black Hand," Thales said with certainty in his eyes:
"With the help of the Dragon Spear Family, this collaborator who dares to betray, betray, and frame him will pay the heaviest price in Longxiao City!"
Upon hearing this, King Nun suddenly raised his head and laughed in his seat.
The laughter grew louder and louder.
But other people in the meeting hall said nothing and just looked at the king's smile quietly.
Until King Nun stopped laughing and turned his attention to one of the five Grand Dukes.
"Go on," King Nun's eyes were extremely sharp at this time. He looked at the silent Grand Duke, and his old voice was full of murderous intent: "We are all looking forward to him."
Thales turned his head and nodded towards the old king.
He exhaled from his nose and raised his head:
"Once this happens, the identity of the black hand and what he has done will be invisible in the eyes of Lombard and His Majesty!"
"Once you think about it, his identity and crimes will be leaked to His Majesty Nunn by the Grand Duke of Lombard at any time..."
"Once you think about it, every minute he stays in Longxiao City, the more likely he will be exposed..."
"Once you think about it, His Majesty Nunn has nowhere to vent his revengeful anger..."
Thales walked to the center of the field, let out a long sigh, looked at the unique Grand Duke, and said slowly:
"How could you sit still, eat well, and sleep well? How could you not rush back to your territory as soon as possible and stick to the high wall to protect yourself?"
The five grand dukes have different expressions.
But four of them, all knowingly set their sights on the Grand Duke, who had been particularly different since his arrival.
"That's it..."
Thales spoke slowly, and he turned his gaze to look at that person.
The man who was gentle, fair, and enthusiastic when they first met in the council chamber responded silently and silently tonight.
The youngest Grand Duke, the one with the blood shoe pattern embroidered on his clothes.
"Your Majesty, I, and Lomba have a common opponent: the black hand who murdered Prince Morar, the enemy who assassinated me, Lomba's collaborators and betrayers..." Thales showed a friendly smile.
"Can you tell me why at four o'clock in the morning, when it was still dark, the banquet was in full swing, and the palace and city gates were opened for the first time, at a time when I made such shocking news and proposals, and expected
When you came to meet..."
"But you didn't even have time to say goodbye, so you left the Palace of Heroes in a hurry, boarded the carriage, drove to the city gate, and left Longxiao City without any care?"
Thales shook his head and read his name with complicated emotions:
"Dear Grand Duke of Fengzhao City—His Excellency Conkli Perfitt?"
By this time, the place was completely silent.
Until the distinguished brown-haired young man, covered in air-conditioning and snow, slowly raised his head and looked at the prince in the stars.