The whole hall was so silent that you could hear a needle drop.
The nobles looked at the confrontation between the Grand Duchess and the envoy from Qiyuan City with various expressions.
Ian stared in shock, as if he couldn't understand what the Grand Duchess said.
Almost everyone in the hall stared at him with unkind expressions.
Ian took a deep breath and raised his head with a puzzled expression: "But... the war of the Freedom Alliance is right around the corner."
Selma in her seat gently twitched the corners of her mouth.
She nodded slowly: "Yes."
Ian raised his hand in confusion and contradiction, as if he wanted to express something, but put it down midway.
The heir of Qiyuan City gritted his teeth and frowned deeply: "You know, this is a war of great significance to you and your family, especially after Longxiao City lost its king."
His words were slightly anxious: "Do you also know that the person sitting on the other side of the chessboard is His Majesty Charmaine who hates you to the core?"
The faces of the vassals became even tighter.
Thelma lowered her head weakly and uttered the next sentence as if sighing: "Yes, I know."
Her voice was weak, like a sob.
Ian seemed to be encouraged, his eyes became active, he looked around a few times as if seeking support, and smiled quite relaxedly: "Very good."
"Then you should know your current situation. You know that your prestige is far from enough to support you, especially..."
Ian paused, looked around the audience, and sighed with regret: "Especially, you are a woman and a female grand duke."
At that moment, the prince felt that all the nobles in the hall adjusted their expressions unnaturally.
On the seats of the six counts, Linna tilted his head and gently grinded his teeth, while Kierkegaard stared at the Grand Duchess intently.
Hester's eyes seemed to be bursting with fire, and Count Curterson's eyebrows were almost tangled together.
Risban and Count Nazaire both looked at the Grand Duchess with complicated expressions, with unfathomable meaning in their eyes.
The Grand Duchess raised her head.
Thales's heart tightened.
The girl breathed a sigh of relief and showed a relieved expression.
Her eyes were calm: "Yes, I know this too."
The tone is normal.
It seems that what the other party said was just small things like "the weather is nice today", "this bowl of soup is good", "read patiently", "don't rush to update".
Ian frowned: "Then you..."
The Grand Duchess interrupted him.
"However, I am a Walton after all."
Her voice is still very small.
But there is an unquestionable determination.
The eyes of the six vassals under her all moved.
Ian was stunned for a moment: "What?"
"Walton."
"Walton, the successor of King Nekaru, Walton of Dragon Spear in the Cloud, Walton of Dragon Sky City," Thelma looked at Ian calmly: "Do you know the meaning of this surname?
"
Ian narrowed his eyes at first, and then showed an expression of disbelief.
"Walton?"
He exhaled impatiently: "Selma! Wake up! Think about the scene just now and the attitude of your vassals."
"Then think about my proposal," Ian waved his hands quite angrily: "This is your only way out of this predicament!"
The Viscount's words echoed in the hall.
The expressions of the vassals became unnatural again.
Thelma smiled.
Her eyes met with Ian's in the air.
"No," the Grand Duchess whispered, "it's not."
"The reason why Walton is Walton," Thelma turned her gaze and looked at each vassal with a different look, "is because the Dragon Spear in the Cloud has never fought alone: Seven hundred years ago, Nika
Ru stood in the sky with a gun, and young Walton followed closely..."
"And under the clouds separated by dragon wings, behind the eight knights on the ground..."
"Risban, Nazer, Kierkegaard, Hester... countless famous and unknown knights from the North did not look back and charged forward without hesitation."
"They stood together and jointly forged a battle to reverse the cold wind, tear away the darkness shrouded in disaster, and win a future for the world."
Under her seat, Earl Hester's expression changed: "Madam..."
The faces of other vassals became more solemn.
Seven hundred years ago.
Thales sighed.
He couldn't help but think of the portrait of Tormund in Mindis Hall: the sad-looking Revival King also charged with a gun, while the six knights with scars beside him raised their reins and attacked without regrets.
He recalled the madness during the duel between Giza and Asheida.
Boom!
At this moment, Thelma slapped the seat and stood up unexpectedly!
The whole hall was slightly shocked.
But nothing was more shocking than what the Grand Duchess did next.
"Gentlemen, today, at this time, here, I, the Grand Duchess of Longxiao City, Thelma Walton," the girl's light and clear voice sounded in the Hall of Heroes, echoing between the thick stone bricks.
: "Officially issued a wartime recruitment order for Longxiao City!"
"Longxiao City, declare war on the Freedom Alliance!"
Thales' breathing stagnated.
coming.
Everyone was stunned and shocked before they could react. The Grand Duchess took a step forward with a determined look on her face.
Her voice was cold and harsh, but full of an unprecedented sense of power: "In the near future, the Walton family will take the initiative to send troops westward to assist Qiyuan City and set off for the Freedom Alliance!"
"Use the blood of those who have repeatedly betrayed their trust and the heads of insidious villains to re-prove the honor of Longxiao City!"
The hall suddenly became quiet.
Ian stared blankly at Thelma with his mouth wide open as if he could never close it again.
The vassals were not much better. A pair of shocked eyes were fixed on the Grand Duchess. The performance of the six earls was much more stable, but their body movements were enough to show the abnormality: Hester almost took his seat.
The chair was scratched, Curtson clenched his fist tightly, and Kierkegaard's severed arm was firmly pressed against the arm of the chair.
The most senior Regent of Lisban and Count Nazaire stared at each other closely without saying a word.
No one seemed to be able to respond appropriately to the Grand Duchess's words.
Until Ian took a sharp breath, like a drowning person finally surfacing.
He wiped his chin and spoke anxiously:
"Ms. Thelma, as I said... we don't need you to send troops to assist us. What we value is just a gesture and position..."
He was greeted by Thelma's stern response:
"This has nothing to do with you, Your Majesty the Viscount!"
Ian's words were cut off. He opened his hands in disbelief and stared blankly at the Grand Duchess.
"This is just my decision."
I just heard the Grand Duke say coldly: "This is also something Longxiao City must do."
The whole audience was stunned by the girl's sudden toughness.
Only Thales in the corner gently raised the corners of his mouth and looked at his partner of six years. Only he noticed out of habit: the outline of the girl's fist under her left sleeve was trembling slightly.
Well done, Selma, keep going.
He said silently in his heart.
"And I need the response of the twenty-three noble families here." The Grand Duchess slowly turned her gaze and scanned everyone in the hall: "Just like twenty years ago, just like six hundred years ago, you and your ancestors
, stood beside the two Nun kings countless times without any regrets, and with full loyalty."
Her voice was still clear, with a hint of desperate determination.
But there was no proper response.
No one spoke.
All the vassals looked at her quietly. After the surprise, suspicion and caution gradually appeared on their faces, which gradually deepened as they looked at each other.
The hall is still quiet.
Even Lisbon was silent.
Thelma's face turned pale.
Thales closed his eyes in his seat.
not enough.
Selma.
This is not enough!
The Grand Duchess glanced at the audience with an ugly expression, and every vassal she caught turned their gaze unnaturally.
"Everyone!" Thelma gritted her teeth and said, "The war cry has sounded, Longxiao City needs you!"
But still no one responded.
Thales stretched out his toes and poked Ian invisibly.
Viscount Qiyuancheng moved slightly.
Ian turned around nervously.
After seeing clearly that no one was speaking on the field, he let out a sigh of relief and showed a calm smile.
"Ms. Thelma, I hate to interrupt you..."
Ian clicked his tongue and turned back, shrugging his shoulders.
"But your vassals have just made it very clear. Do you want their response? Then marry and give up your power." His Excellency the Viscount nodded slightly, his eyes clear: "You cannot ask for a deal without reward."
Many of the vassals' faces darkened, and some looked at His Excellency the Viscount coldly.
"And since it's a transaction, you might as well choose the most affordable one..."
Thelma gritted her teeth and raised her head angrily.
The girl spoke again, interrupting Ian: "Everyone!"
"This is not a deal or a compromise, and it has nothing to do with my marriage."
"But only my will!"
But there was still no answer on both sides of the huge Hall of Heroes, the oval stone hall.
It was as if someone had blocked out the sound.
Ian, who was observing his words, frowned.
On the steps, Thelma seemed to be bearing the weight of a thousand pounds, struggling to look at the silent hall.
A pair of eyes that were mixed with confusion, suspicion, calculation, and dissatisfaction shot towards her.
But there was no response.
As if this is just her one-man show.
Selma suddenly felt her legs shaking slightly.
No.
She clenched her teeth unconsciously and her heart beat faster.
No……
A feeling of panic came over me.
this……
what to do……
At this moment, Thelma suddenly noticed: Among those eyes, only one pair of eyes remained unruffled and calm as before.
Just looking at her quietly from a distance, as always.
Just like the past six years.
The owner of the eyes smiled slightly at her, raised his left hand and nodded his thumb.
Thelma trembled slightly: her thumb folded under her left sleeve suddenly felt a weight in her nervous trance.
That's a ring.
The ring that that guy put on for her six years ago.
Those eyes blinked slightly and then turned away.
But just this blink of an eye seemed to give the girl strength.
Thelma's cheeks trembled slightly, and she took a deep breath.
The girl did not look aimlessly at the audience, but turned to the most senior count below.
"Dear Count Nazaire, thank you for your speech just now."
Count Nazaire had been staring closely at Lisban. After hearing these words, he slowly turned his gaze: "Madam..."
Thelma's face became solemn, and she spoke the following words with difficulty: "You showed me what kind of predicament Longxiao City is in now: we can no longer dwell on the regrets and misfortunes of the past."
"But this also makes me firmly believe that the future of Longxiao City cannot be protected by suspicions and calculations between monarchs and ministers, or among vassals."
At that moment, Count Nazaire's eyes moved.
"So I will not trade my marriage for your compromise. Longxiao City has not been divided and weakened to the point where it requires internal marriage to free up its hands and unite with the outside world."
Nazer slowly leaned on the seat behind him, remaining silent.
"The honor and victory left behind by our grandfather and father can only be maintained and won by us ourselves!"
The six earls at the top had different reactions and expressions.
The Grand Duchess glanced at Ian, and then looked at her vassals again: "Only in this way can we truly prevent external forces from interfering with Longxiao City in any way."
Ian was slightly embarrassed: "This is a little too much, Thelma..."
But Selma didn't give him another chance to speak.
"So, no matter what," the girl took a deep breath: "The Walton family will go to the west, with the remaining power of King Nun, follow the footsteps of Prince Suril, and take back what belongs to us with our own hands!"
Thelma stood in front of her seat, in front of the soul-killing gun, looking around the audience, clenching her fists and looking pale.
"Even if..."
The Grand Duchess gritted her teeth: "Even if no family responds to me."
The sound of breathing at different speeds sounded in the quiet hall.
"Even if it's just us marching under a single flag."
Facing the ups and downs of the Grand Duchess's tone, many of the vassals' expressions became strange.
Even the guards who had no right to speak couldn't help but look at it frequently.
Ian sighed.
"You know, Thelma, you don't have to do this."
"This will be very ugly," the Viscount's eyes began to show solemnity and vigilance: "Whether it is now or when we go to war."
"Forcing troops to send out troops will only push everyone to the edge of betrayal, further damage your already unstable prestige, and only result in greater humiliation."
"Leaving you with no way out."
The stagnant atmosphere seemed to be pierced by these words.
The expressions of the vassals changed more and more rapidly, and they became increasingly difficult to read.
"Yeah," Thelma said with a wry smile, "I know."
The Grand Duchess then looked at her vassals with complicated expressions, her eyes misty.
"I know that I am far inferior to the former His Majesty Nuen. Maybe I will never be able to do so in my whole life. In case you all, you may look down on me and this little girl sitting on the throne, and you may feel resentful.
, maybe everyone has their own plans."
Earl Curterson twisted his mouth, seeming to be deep in thought.
The Grand Duke sighed: "But I still hope that at this moment, you can bring your warriors and glory to stand with me and stand with Longxiao City."
Earl Hester's beard trembled slightly.
"Prove to the outside world, prove to this guest from Qiyuan City who claims that a marriage can save me from my predicament: Longxiao City is still strong and united, and I don't need to bow to outsiders to protect myself."
Count Linner clenched his fists unnaturally and twisted his knuckles back and forth.
The next second, Thelma raised her left hand with a solemn expression, letting the sleeve slide off her forearm, revealing her white wrist.
He even revealed the ring on his thumb.
"Everyone, I believe that no one in this world is more qualified and capable than you and my vassals to fight for me and win for me."
"Because I am Longxiao City."
Everyone in the hall frowned when they saw the ring!
It seemed like I remembered something.
"But Longxiao City is not just me, but also everyone here."
In front of everyone's eyes, the Grand Duchess gently took off the large ring inlaid with black stone and held it high.
"Everyone, in the name of Walton, I'm going to war!"
The Grand Duchess's eyes turned cold and she shouted:
"Are you coming?"
Thales was slightly shocked!
Are you... coming?
The girl's voice echoed in the hall again, but this time, the vassals were all staring at the black ring.
Look at the people and things represented behind it.
Lisbane looked complicated.
The one-armed count closed his eyes.
Count Nazaire's face tightened rarely.
The vassals looked around in surprise and whispered to each other.
"Everyone, I still believe," Thelma took a step forward and said coldly: "As vassals, you will not let an outside guest happily take away your responsibilities and obligations, and then show up in front of you.
Show off your power."
Ian was startled.
The girl raised the ring on her hand towards the stone carving of Dragon Spear in the Cloud above the hall.
"The most loyal vassals of the Walton family, brothers and sisters of His Majesty Nunn!"
The girl's voice sounded again: "Are you coming?"
Listening to the Grand Duchess's words, Thales was slightly in a trance.
He seemed to have returned to six years ago, to the day of desperate escape. In the sanctuary of the Temple of the Moon, he was also like this, desperately yelling similar words to Nikolai who was preparing to escape.
【But this is my decision...】
【Northlander?】
【Are you coming?】
The buzz among the vassals began to grow louder.
Thales's eyes met with Nicolai's on the steps, and the prince saw similar surprise in the eyes of the fallen star.
she……
Selma…
you……
Little naughty guy...
Unexplainable emotions surged out of his heart and were difficult to suppress.
He could only recall six years ago over and over again.
【Yes, we are going to commit suicide.】
[Northlanders, are you coming? 】
【Are you coming...】
"Longxiao City!"
In the hall, Thelma's voice reached its limit, and the young girl's high-pitched voice floated in the ancient palace: "Are you coming?"
The hall gradually became quiet.
Many vassals have finished their anxious conversations, and their eyes are all looking up at the most important people.
Waiting for their decision.
The Grand Duchess gritted her teeth, her arm holding the ring trembled slightly, and her eyes were slightly red.
"Northlanders!"
She almost yelled at everyone in the entire hall: "Are you coming?"
clang!
A guard suppressing his emotions accidentally pressed the hilt of his sword, and the sword collided with the wall, making a sharp and piercing sound.
This sharp sound made everyone feel more tense and the atmosphere even more depressing.
But there was still no response from the hall.
Only the Grand Duke, gritting her teeth and trembling eyes, held up the triumphal ring symbolizing the Grand Duke of Longxiao City, standing alone in front of the soul-killing gun, facing the restless men in the entire hall.
Among the six earls, Curtson, Hester, and Linna could hardly conceal their anomalies. They exchanged anxious glances with each other, as if they could not reach an agreement for a long time.
One second.
The one-armed earl remained silent with his eyes closed.
Two seconds.
Ian narrowed his eyes and blew out a rather gloomy breath.
Three seconds.
The silent confrontation between Lisban and Nazer seemed to have come to an end, but they still said nothing and waited for the situation to unfold.
The time is getting longer and longer.
The atmosphere in the hall is getting more and more uncomfortable.
until……
Until a suppressed laughter, low but harsh, rang out from the crowd and spread throughout the hall.