Grand Duke Ronnie stood behind Grand Duke Lecco, looking across the rectangular table at the boy. He looked at him trying to suppress his nervousness and excitement, and suddenly felt a little sad.
We will all... be in trouble?
He raised his lips slightly: How long has it been since I met a guy like this who spoke nonsense without any hesitation in front of several grand dukes?
The hall fell into an eerie silence for an instant.
All the archduke's expressions were very unnatural, and their breathing rhythms were disordered.
Rumba closed his eyes gently.
Thales tried his best to control his breath, and for a moment there was only the crackling sound of the brazier in his ears.
Three full seconds passed before Grand Duke Lecco slowly turned his head and looked at the others.
"We have given you a chance to speak, Your Highness," the old prince turned around from the exchange of glances and sighed solemnly: "We are not asking you to talk nonsense and make alarmist statements."
"You'd better speak more clearly, kid," Olesiu stared at Thales with an ugly face: "After threatening the Archduke in the Hall of Heroes, not everyone has the chance to walk out intact."
Thales was breathing in a daze, seemingly unaware of the uneasy questioning of the two Grand Dukes.
Calm down, Thales.
The more times like these, the more calm you need to be.
you can.
OK!
"Longxiao City."
"Lumba gave it to you," Thales said softly, and his calm look made several grand dukes slightly startled: "The proposal to annex Longxiao City is not based on any good intentions."
Trudida clicked her tongue.
"First send troops to the stars, and then to Longxiao City," the cunning Grand Duke showed a strange smile: "How on earth do you know these things?"
Thales breathed out.
How did I know that you were going to take over Longxiao City?
He said silently in his heart: Lomba promised Shres preferential tariffs around Longxiao City, it's that simple.
"It's not difficult to guess," but on the surface, Thales still looked as usual: "In order to gather people's hearts, in addition to a common threat, there must also be enough interests. There is no doubt that Longxiao City is a ready-made piece.
Unowned cheese is perfect, especially if it is used to cause contention and conflict."
Trudida frowned and looked at Lumba.
"After all, it is an act of breaking the oath of co-governance," the prince sighed: "The balance of power is no longer in balance. This has set a precedent for illegally seizing territory. In the future, every plant and tree, every inch of territory, will belong to them.
They will all become the trigger for the contradictions and conflicts between you. Soromba will only fan the flames. He hopes that you will conflict with each other and weaken each other..."
Olesiu interrupted him with a cold snort.
Selma, who was listening quietly, looked disgusted and glanced at him dissatisfied.
"Your words are not valid, little brat," Grand Duke Weiland's beard twitched and his tone was bad: "In fact, we have discussed this issue: in the face of a greater threat, Lombard has no reason to do this."
At this point, Archduke Lecco coughed and took over the conversation: "The threat from the stars is imminent and long-lasting. It cannot be solved in one or two big battles. At this moment, his chaotic behavior will only affect Aix
Very unfavorable.”
Thales's heart moved: "War, especially foreign war, is more likely to become the trigger point of conflicts between you..."
But at this moment, Lumba, who had been silent, raised his head and thrust his sword-like eyes at him.
"Don't you understand yet?"
Grand Duke Heisha spoke slowly, with emotions in his voice that were difficult to discern.
"This child is extremely smart. He is trying every means to stop the war and save his country." Lumba slowly walked to a brazier and blocked the fire, leaving only a shadow: "Save the country that will eventually be in his hands."
, a country that may make our descendants bow their heads in the future."
The princes all frowned.
"That's exactly what I want to say next," Thales smiled at him without showing any signs of weakness: "You also want to save your country, Charmaine Lombard."
Lumba frowned slightly.
"If you are so sure, why did our Grand Duke of Black Sand do this?" Seeing Lomba's fate, the silent Grand Duke Ronnie also joined this dangerous conversation: "He has the potential to cause conflicts between the Grand Dukes.
What’s the benefit? An extra piece of cheese?”
Trudida sneered in a dignified manner.
"And why is it that we are in trouble?"
Under the astonishingly oppressive gaze of the Duke of Black Sand, Thales silently adjusted his breathing and thought about his next words.
"You all know the past of the Grand Duke of Black Sand," Thales raised his voice and looked at the Grand Dukes seriously: "The past incident of killing his brother with his own hands made him become hard-hearted and mentally resolute. His relationship with King Nun
The enmity was forged from then on."
As soon as he said this, Lumba's eyes became sharper, and Thales even felt that the air around him became a lot colder.
The princes looked at each other understandingly.
Thales took a deep breath, stared at Lumba's rough and rough face, and said the next sentence firmly: "But you, Charmaine Lumba, your behavior of killing the king and leading the troops to force the palace was neither for revenge nor for revenge.
Protect yourself.”
"Because the object you really hate and care about is neither King Nun nor Longxiao City," Thales said in the calmest tone, "but the heroic tradition that the people of the North are proud of.
It is the glorious history of Exeter..."
The prince whispered the answer: "Nikaru's oath to rule together."
In Thelma's uncontrollable exclamation, the princes were all startled.
Lecco started rubbing his hands again, Trudida was thoughtful, and Ronnie immediately looked at Lombard with suspicious eyes.
"What on earth are you going to say?" Olesio tapped the table impatiently: "Oath of co-governance?"
Thales had no expression on his face and nodded slowly.
"Lumba's whole life, he has endured torture between his mother's family and his father's family, between Longxiao City and Black Sand Territory, between the power of the monarch and the grand duke." Thales said with great seriousness, word by word: "Of course, everyone here
The Grand Duke is almost the same."
Grand Duke Lecco's hand tightened slightly.
"But what is different from what you are used to is..."
Thales looked at Lumba's deep and complicated eyes, gritted his teeth, and said the following:
"Charmaine Lombard, when your father forced you to challenge your eldest brother, when you thrust your sword into your eldest brother's chest, when your mother committed suicide in depression, when your father died on the battlefield...
You have made up your mind."
Every time he said a word, Lumba's eyes became colder.
Thales took a deep breath, and the image of Lumba stroking his sword coldly on the carriage appeared in front of his eyes.
He rubbed his hands in the cold air and kept his tone calm:
"You are tired of the endless fighting from the bottom of your heart. You think you have seen through the unsolvable and sad cycle behind it. You hate the current situation of the Kingdom of Exeter behind this kind of compromise and tacit understanding. You believe that as long as that paper oath is
It will still exist for one day, and your superstition on it will still exist for one day..."
"You, and the tragedy behind you, will never go away."
Thales said quietly.
"That's right, everyone," under the disbelieving looks of several Grand Dukes, and amid Thelma's uneasy pull, the Prince of Stars still looked straight at the face of the Grand Duke of Black Sand that was about to freeze into ice, without any obstruction or interference.
, spoke with great determination: "As early as twelve years ago, Charmaine Lombard decided to completely destroy the oath of co-governance for more than 600 years and end the constant back and forth between the king and the grand duke..."
"...Smash the peaceful co-governance of the ten princes to pieces!"
After Thales finished speaking, he closed his eyes and lowered his head.
The hall fell into dead silence.
Listening to Thales's words, almost all the Grand Dukes stared and opened their mouths, showing expressions of either extreme surprise or disbelief.
Their eyes were all directed at Lumba.
After several seconds, the silence was broken.
"What on earth are you talking about?" Trudida took a long breath, frowned, and looked at Thales with a confused look: "Dissatisfaction is one thing, but... destroying the oath of co-governance?
This, how is this possible?"
"absurd!"
Enduring the inexplicable looks from others, Lomba coldly rejected Thales's words: "How can I destroy the oath of co-governance against the faith and belief of 10 million Northlanders? Kill all the grand dukes here.
?"
Thales suddenly raised his head and opened his eyes.
"You are already doing it, aren't you!" The prince said solemnly: "When you killed King Nun and forced the grand dukes to ignore your crime and endorse you, the oath of co-ruling was already broken.
Trampled."
Thelma's face darkened and she pursed her lips.
"You have set the worst precedent," Thales said expressionlessly. "For this reason, you have also entangled the archdukes in going south to the stars, using new interests to further tilt the balance and attack the already unstable co-governance.
pledge."
"You can say whatever you want, anyway, the princes don't care about the time you waste," Lombard said sarcastically, casting a dissatisfied glance at the others.
Ronnie snorted inexplicably.
"For the purpose of gathering your strength," Lombard's face was full of contempt and disdain. He whispered to the grand dukes: "You all know it well and agree that it is for Exeter."
He concluded without hesitation.
Thales looked at Lumba's expression and didn't know where the courage came from. He took a deep breath, jumped off the chair, and took a step forward.
"That's right!"
"This is for Exter!" To everyone's surprise, the prince's eyes widened in anger, his fists clenched, and he spoke decisively: "And so far, what I admire most about you is Cha
Man Lumba…”
"Besides your personal likes and dislikes, you sincerely and without any pretense want to make Exeter stronger!"
"Confront the future threats of the stars!"
Thales almost roared the last words.
As soon as she said this, Thelma said softly "Huh" with doubts.
Just when the Grand Duke was stunned, and even Lumba was slightly confused, Thales took a deep breath, calmed down his expression, and suddenly changed the subject!
"But that's the scariest thing."
I just heard him say coldly: "Mindis III."
The moment the name came out of his mouth, Lumba's face turned livid, and his expression was tense, like a wild beast that had been caught in a vital part.
The faces of the princes became strange.
Trudida sighed: How come this kid knows everything? Is it possible that he was hiding in the fireplace just now and eavesdropping?
Thelma raised her head thoughtfully.
Mindis·Bright Star III.
Xianjun.
Thales said silently in his mind, and the rightmost one of the three king portraits appeared in front of him: the elegant and handsome middle-aged king holding the staff of stars, smiling kindly at him outside the frame.
That was one of his ancestors, one of the Three Kings of the Stars, and...
Thales gently touched his chest, where the scar burned by Quaid with Mindis silver coins still seemed to be aching.
The king is not honored by blood, but the blood is honored by the king.
A momentary victory or defeat, but a fleeting wave, a century-old chess game is the foundation of eternity.
Thales also recalled what the king's father said when he first met King Kessel: "From nobles to priests, from businessmen to beggars, everyone praised his wise rule."
Wise governance?
Thales' heart moved and he clenched his hands on his chest. The words of High Priest Holm came to his mind.
【From the moment you embark on your journey, every inconspicuous detail may be an opportunity to dominate the future.】
The prince thought of the portrait of the wise king on the silver coin, thought of Mindis Hall, and thought of everything he faced today, he couldn't help but smile: Is all this a coincidence?
He raised his head.
“Lumba has told you the story of ‘The Wise King’, right?”
Thales' eyes became firm again: "Rumba said that the current situation of the Star Kingdom started with the virtuous king laying the foundation and developing step by step?"
Grand Duke Trudida narrowed his eyes and resisted the desire to look back at Lumba.
"He probably also told you how the legacy left by the virtuous monarch has gradually become the scaffolding on which the Kingdom of Stars relies for its survival over the past hundred years or so."
Thales gently clenched his fists with a decisive expression.
"But what Rumba didn't tell you is..."
Lumba looked at him from a distance, his expression extremely ugly.
Thales recalled the fear of being in the same carriage with Lumba, and recalled his last words:
I want to save this country.
Thinking of this, Thales took a deep breath, raised his right fist and hit his chest hard!
"From the Kingdom of Stars and from the wise king, Lumba not only sees a threat!"
The prince gritted his teeth and felt his hands trembling:
"He also saw the future of Exeter and the final solution to Northland's centuries-old dilemma!"
After the words fell, the hall was quiet for a moment.
The next second.
Listening to Thales's words, everyone from the calm Archduke Lecco to the impatient Archduke Alessio, even the exaggerated Trudida and the indifferent Ronnie were extremely surprised, and they all said: "What?"
"Boom!" The sound of the scabbard hitting the ground suddenly sounded.
Thales was suddenly startled and felt a chill on his forehead.
He took a hard breath.
The prince raised his head as if aware.
Then, not surprisingly, he met Lumba's eyes in the air.
Ever since Thales met him, Lumba's face had never looked so ugly and terrifying.
Grand Duke Heisha's face was almost distorted: his brows were knitted into a knot, the nasolabial folds beside his nose flickered, and the chewing muscles on the side of his jaw were constantly twitching.
The Grand Duke of Lombard's eyes, which were always sharp but cold, were like erupting volcanoes at this moment, radiating anger mixed with coldness and hatred.
Shoot Thales with all his might.
No.
That boy...
It's him again...
It's him again!
Why……
Lumba's heart was filled with endless chill and anger, and he held his sword firmly to prevent his hands from shaking too much with anger:
Why?
Seeing Lumba's face, Thelma trembled slightly and looked at Thales as if asking for help.
The prince did not flinch.
Thales glared back at the other party fiercely, also showing a ferocious expression.
"Think about what Lomba has done," Thales exchanged terrifying glances with Lomba in the air. He said coldly: "Promote low-level nobles and commoners, recruit tax collectors even from foreign countries, borrow money from businessmen, and hire specialized magicians.
Doesn't it look familiar to a gun instructor who has gone through war to cleanse himself and to gather together what he has done?"
Trudida frowned slightly: "You mean..."
"Also, for a long time, from Arlend's conspiracy to the siege of Broken Dragon Fortress, and now the decision to send troops to the stars." Thales took a deep breath with a determined expression, thinking of every fight with Lombard, both overt and covert.
Under the Broken Dragon Fortress, he had a head-on confrontation with this immortal tycoon, and made his own decision to break out of the encirclement in reverse, which ultimately frustrated Lombard's hope of taking the fortress.
The prince bit his lower lip: I defeated him.
And now...
Thales opened his eyes suddenly: "Rumba is the northern territory that wants the stars, right?"
"Why? Want to expand your territory?"
"It's because," Thales said with a cold face, "He wants this land where Mindis III's reforms are not complete, and they are both in the Northland, so it is suitable for merging with the Black Sand Territory to further implement the changes.
?”
The expressions of all the princes changed!
"Don't tell me that the northern tax collector Chail Urad, who was born as a commoner, was only recruited as your subordinate because of his nice braids," Thales said slowly:
"Charmaine Lombard?"
Lumba didn't react, but the terrifying eyes staring at him remained motionless.
It's like looking at a dead person.
"Yes, that's the truth behind 'Threat from the Stars': Rumba wants more than just defense against the stars."
Thales pursed his lips, and under the surprised eyes of the four archdukes, he nodded without a doubt: "He wants to be in Exeter, starting with himself..."
“Imitate the changes of the virtuous king!”
"To 'save' his country."
"Whether it's killing King Nun, entangled with the great dukes, or attacking the stars..."
"They all serve this purpose!"
After Thales finished saying this, he gasped slightly.
The princes looked at him in confusion.
"Charmaine, what do you think?"
Lecco moved his eyes away from the square table and sighed slowly: "We are more willing to choose to believe you than him."
Lumba closed his eyes.
After a moment, he spoke slowly.
"This is a necessary step to resist the threat of the stars."
"You have seen the Star Legion, and you have also seen their iron-clad bureaucracy," the Grand Duke said coldly: "The Star Kingdom is getting stronger day by day, and Exeter cannot sit still and wait for death."
"We must put aside our pride and complacency and learn from the enemy's strengths." Lumba raised the sword in his hand and slowly squeezed it: "Forging our own Star Legion is the only way to capture the Broken Dragon Fortress and interrupt the stars."
After the changes, we will maintain our advantage over them for a long time until we finally defeat them completely."
"At least that's the case in Black Sand Territory."
He ended his words
The Grand Duke listened silently.
"That's no problem." Trudida sighed: "I think we can accept it..."
But the Grand Duke stopped talking.
Because he saw the bald Justice Lecco frowning sadly and tiredly, looking at Lombard from a distance.
It was like seeing the most incredible truth.
This is... Trudida was shocked: What's wrong?
"Well said, I want to applaud you," Thales' voice sounded, which sounded quite dull: "There is only a small accident."
Lumba gritted his teeth.
In front of all the archdukes, Thales took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled it.
The prince's eyes flashed with unprecedented light, and he said slowly but decisively: