"Is this the end? So... Your Highness, have you succeeded?"
Huaiya glanced at King Charman from a distance in disbelief: "Also, are we...really going to the Black Sand Territory?"
Only this time, Rolf, with whom he disliked each other, did not retort with any movement or grunt.
The prince raised his head and forced a smile.
But his work is not over yet.
"You surprised me again, Your Highness."
Risban walked straight up to the prince, his face serious.
Thales breathed a sigh of relief, closed his eyes and said, "Me too."
Lisban snorted softly.
"You already knew: the king is in Longxiao City."
The regent said with certainty: "You will know when you get on the black sand carriage."
Thales said nothing.
Lisban stared at him sharply: "But you didn't tell us, you didn't tell Longxiao City."
"You just waited quietly for today."
Lisban glanced at King Charmaine, who was still standing leisurely in the field, receiving all kinds of looks, as if he wanted to stop after visiting the hall: "You, and him."
Thales remained silent.
Lisban sighed: "As the lady said, Longxiao City will remember everything today, Your Highness."
Thales finally spoke.
"Yes, me too," the prince whispered, "I will be thinking about you and watching you, Lord Regent."
Lisban looked at him deeply.
In the end, the count turned and left without saying anything.
He's not the only one.
The bitter Earl Curterson said nothing, but gave him a warning gesture of wiping his neck and a look of hatred when he left.
Thales responded with a faint smile.
"You are so talented that you connected with the Black Sand Territory and betrayed the entire Longxiao City?" This was the cold Kierkegaard: "You know, people with talent usually die quickly."
"Congratulations, Your Highness," Count Linna left a message softly as he passed by: "Do you think Lumba is a good guy?"
"Bah, ungrateful and repeated breach of trust," Earl Hester said disdainfully as he left: "Cowards of the Empire."
Facing these looks and words, Thales could only smile in response.
As if he didn't care.
But the other person's words were particularly different.
"Is she worth it?"
Thales was slightly startled.
It's Count Nazaire.
The old count stood one step away from him and sighed: "Is it worth your sacrifice?"
Thales frowned slightly.
"I don't understand you, Count."
"Humph, I'm old, but I'm not blind yet," Nazer smiled and shook his head: "Maybe what others saw was that you and Lumba were in cahoots, betrayed Longxiao City, and fled to the Black Sand Territory, but I think
Arrived..."
With an unknown meaning, he took a deep look at Thales: "You cooperated with Qi Yuancheng in advance so that she would not be forced to marry. During the meeting, you interrupted us three times, but you saved the girl every time.
Get out of trouble.”
Thales's face stiffened.
"As for your cooperation with the Black Sand Leader..."
"That girl," Nazer paused and said softly, "Is she really worth it?"
Thales looked livid and said nothing.
When Nazer saw this, he just sighed silently. He gently patted Thales on the shoulder and left slowly.
Thales looked at the old count's footsteps with mixed emotions.
Is she worth it?
At this moment.
Snapped!
Thales was shocked. His shoulders had been grabbed unceremoniously!
"you……"
It's Ian.
"Lumba is the back-up man you mentioned, right?" At this moment, Viscount Fengcheng was looking at him with red eyes, gritted teeth, and angrily.
Thales looked at the person in front of him blankly.
He had never seen Ian like this before, as if the little Ronnie who talked and laughed with him before was dead.
Thales sighed and waved away Rolf and Wyatt who were about to step forward.
"From the beginning to the end, are you just like watching a good show?" Ian breathed quickly and looked with hatred in his eyes: "You cooperated with me on the surface, but betrayed me as a clown secretly?"
"Very interesting isn't it!"
Thales was silent.
After a long while, he held back a sentence: "I'm sorry."
"sorry?"
Ian seemed to be aroused by these words. He trembled his lips and tongue: "Qiyuan City, Qiyuan City was betrayed like this... we... you... you... the betrayer!"
Ian's eyes became more and more terrifying, and the hand holding his shoulder became stronger and stronger.
"You think this is smart? You have the king's blessing, and the Grand Duchess has the support of her vassals?"
Thales said nothing.
He turned his head unnaturally, not looking into Ian's eyes.
sorry.
I do not have any choice.
His attitude seemed to irritate Ian, who growled bitterly: "No, no, no!"
"You can't escape!"
"I promise, one day you will all regret it."
Ian gritted his teeth, looked a little crazy, and vowed: "One day..."
"You will all pay the price," Ian turned to the motionless Grand Duchess on the steps and threatened in a stern tone: "Especially your little girlfriend!"
"You take good care of her, right? Very good, then I will..."
Thales' whole body tensed up!
He suddenly shook off Ian's arm, leaving the latter stunned.
"Before you threaten me with silly things..."
"You'd better take care of yourself first, Ian Ronnie," Thales's face turned cold and he looked at the extremely angry Ian: "You and your sister."
Ian was slightly startled.
"You know, even if your sister gets zero points in Guard City..." Thales said softly: "It's still better than someone getting negative points in Longxiao City?"
Ian's eyes widened and his expression became increasingly ugly: "You..."
"That's right, Ian."
"A long time ago, a scary ugly old witch taught me," Thales' eyes became sharp: "Betrayal is the true meaning of alliance."
Ian stared at him, as if it was the first day he met Thales.
"Today, I will teach you this sentence."
"Free tuition."
Ian's expression changed and he was about to have a seizure, but his shoulder was held firmly by another person!
"If you lose, you lose," Monty the Dead Crow stood behind Ian and said coldly: "Ian, at least act like a man."
Ian gave Monty a look of disbelief.
"This matter is not over yet." Finally, Ian gave up and continued to pester. He approached Thales and looked into his eyes: "Tails Bright Star."
"Now I know...my opponent is not just Rumba..."
"And you."
Thales still looked at him coldly, showing no sign of weakness.
The next second, Ian angrily threw away Monty's hand, passed Thales with a gloomy expression, and turned to leave.
Thales looked at the other person's back and sighed in his heart.
What an honor.
Ian.
Monty snorted softly, glanced at Thales, and showed a somewhat ferocious smile.
His malicious gaze made Thales feel uncomfortable.
The Dead Crow walked past him and left a light word: "You are indeed worthy of your reputation, Your Highness."
Thales swallowed his throat uncomfortably.
But the next complicated look made Thales feel uneasy.
Accompanied by Nicolai, the girl walked silently towards the door.
The Grand Duchess passed by Thales, her steps paused slightly.
Thales closed his eyes.
A voice full of anger came, but it was not hers.
"how did you do it?"
Thales took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
The Meteorite stood in front of Thales, his eyes no longer filled with anger.
Only coldness and hatred remain.
"About Rumba, you have lied to us for so long, but..."
"From the Ax Zone to here, there were at least three layers of guards," Nicolai sneered: "How did Lumba arrive at the entrance of the hall without any hindrance, and then appear at the right time to cooperate with your performance?"
Thales had to wave his hand again, signaling to Wyatt and Rolf that they did not need to step forward.
Thelma stood not far from them and did not look back.
Thales breathed out.
At this moment, he really felt heavy inside.
"The envoy from the Black Sand Territory has been in Longxiao City for a long time," Thales said lightly: "Viscount Cambida came in the name of meeting the Grand Duchess. As long as no one knows the king, they can pass through the first city gate smoothly.
patrols."
"As for the Palace of Heroes... today is very special. The elite Grand Duke's personal guards are guarding the safety of the nobles around the Hall of Heroes, so the palace guards are responsible for guarding the palace gate, and they also have the princes' attendants waiting outside to receive them.
"
Thales said silently: "So, as long as they know their shift schedule in advance, and Rolf's superpowers and Waiya's identity cooperate...Lumba can avoid the palace guards and arrive in front of the hall, with only
Your Grand Duke's bodyguards."
Nicolai narrowed his eyes: "The shift schedule of the palace guards?"
Thales nodded, with a gloomy look on his face: "There is no way to avoid the Grand Duke's personal guards, but Lumba does not need to face them directly. He only needs to ask Cambida to find the herald at the door directly and ask him to inform Lisban in the hall.
Count: The king is here."
Nicolai frowned.
"The Grand Duchess was at the end of her rope at that time," Thales sighed: "All I need to do is intensify the contradiction and push the bad scene in the hall to a point where no one can deal with it. The Earl of Lisban, who knows how to assess the situation, will know what to do.
It’s done.”
"He's very good at making choices."
Not far away, Thelma's shoulders shook slightly.
Thales finished speaking.
Nicolai stared at him coldly.
"The shift arrangement of the palace guards?" Nicolai's voice became more and more terrifying, and every word carried a dangerous meaning: "That is a secret that is rearranged every month."
"Which rat betrayed us?"
"There's no need to disturb other people," Thales shook his head: "That chef's son, Joseph, remember."
Nicolai frowned, as if trying to search for this name in his mind.
"He is very lonely in the palace," Thales showed a bitter smile: "I often practice swordsmanship with him when he comes to the courtyard to deliver meals."
Nicolai thought about something and turned pale: "Cook?"
"Of course I can't get the shift schedule that is rearranged every month," Thales nodded slowly: "But the palace guards also need to eat, and the kitchen's daily cooking schedule is fixed, such as when a small team is needed
The bread, specifically where to send it..."
Nicolai's face became even more ugly.
"Don't embarrass Joseph," Thales shook his head and said calmly: "He is still young and thought it was just a casual chat during sword practice.
"So, some of your actions in the six years in the palace, whether it was skipping classes and running around to read in various corners, or being so bored that you talked to animals, humiliating yourself to join the servants' work, and talking to the servants in an approachable manner.
Chatting with the guards..." The Fallen Starman gave a faint sneer, but it was chilling for no reason:
"Are they all gathering intelligence or testing our defenses?"
"And the six years you've been keeping your peace...were all just acting?"
In the distance, Thelma's back stood still, and the Grand Duke's guards waited respectfully around her.
Thales' breathing stagnated slightly.
There was silence between Nicolai and Thales for a few seconds.
The nobles in the hall have almost left, and only King Charman, who behaves solemnly, is still looking at this place with interest from a distance, accompanied by Cambida and Croache.
"I talk to animals because I'm really bored. As for the rest..."
The second prince took a breath and forced a dark smile: "I have no choice."
"no choice?"
Thales turned around and looked at the soul-killing gun on the ledge, sighing in memory: "Six years ago, in Longxiao City..."
"Every letter of mine must be opened and inspected, every destination of mine must be searched in advance, every person I speak to must be questioned three times, and even the paper used in class must be inspected and touched.
Each book is recorded by a dedicated person. If there is anything wrong with your daily itinerary or actions, you, Lisban or Ms. Jinx will be questioned, and then you will be grounded..."
Thelma's back trembled slightly.
Thales sighed: "Every move I make is under your surveillance. If it weren't for the Grand Duchess's permission, I wouldn't even be able to step out of the Palace of Heroes."
"As for Huaiya and Ada, every time a Starman leaves the palace, not only are they searched, but also scouts are watching. Even if they throw a copper coin to a beggar, you will arrest him and lock him up for two months. Even
The domestic missions that come to visit me are subject to restrictions and surveillance..."
Nicolai still stared at him with terrifying eyes, silently looking at him.
"I know that under the guise of King Charman, you took it upon yourself to lock me up in this deep palace, cut off all contact with the outside world, castrated the normal education that should have been given to me, and expected me to be in vain
The life passed by me was like a canary that could only cry in a cage..."
Nicolai was silent.
Thales lowered his head and said sadly: "Xingchen, Secret Division, and I brought you a lot of trouble and even disaster six years ago, but at least we fought side by side..."
"Is this necessary?"
This time, the silence lasted for a long time.
Nicolai sneered.
"Not only is it necessary..."
"In my opinion, this is not enough," he said resolutely: "Justin is still too lax with you. He should never have let you come into contact with people from the Black Sand Territory."
"That's why you took the opportunity to betray us."
"You betrayed us all and thought everything would be fine if you escaped to the Black Sand Territory?"
Nicolai's eyes showed a cold look: "Please remember this carefully, little prince of the empire."
Thales frowned lightly.
"It's just you? Forget it," the prince shook his head gently: "Don't overestimate yourself just because others call you Fallen Star. You're so shameless."
"You and I... have never been on the same level."
Nicolai's face froze.
"Very good," Meteorite said bitterly: "Be careful, it's best not to fall into my hands."
"When that time comes...you won't even have a chance to regret it."
Nicolai gave him a stern look, followed the Grand Duchess's team, and strode away.
Thank you, dead face.
I will be careful.
as always.
The Grand Duchess didn't stop, and walked straight out of the door.
Never looked back.
Hearing the footsteps in his ears moving away, Thales sighed, feeling unspeakably depressed in his heart.
"Aren't we leaving?"
Watching the big shots drop harsh words one after another, Huaiya, who came up to him, didn't even dare to say a word, "Your Highness?"
Thales shook his head.
No.
One more to go.
Finally, the heavy footsteps approached.
Wyatt and Rolf suddenly felt like they were facing a formidable enemy.
"How do you feel?" King Charman's rich and slightly hoarse voice sounded.
Compared to the majestic tone just now, his tone was less domineering and more playful at this moment.
But Thales did not answer directly. He motioned for Wyatt to step back.
"You reacted very quickly," Thales turned to the king and sighed sincerely: "I only briefly mentioned the Stars sending troops to the Freedom Alliance, and you seized the opportunity."
King Charman snorted disdainfully: "To each other."
"But," the prince faced the king and took a deep breath: "You just said that you have already established a victory in the face of the Black Sand Territory and the vassals who oppose you?"
The king's eyes moved slightly: "What?"
Thales narrowed his eyes: "You also said that the Grand Trudida will send troops with you to deal with them?"
King Charmaine raised his eyebrows.
Thales stared at him without moving his eyes for a long time.
After a while, the prince laughed out loud.
"Stop joking," Thales shook his head and said, "We all know Trudida who rebuilt the tower. Will he help you?"
"What's the point?" King Charmaine sneered: "Everyone knows that Perseus Trudida has always been wavering, cunning and cunning."
Thales stroked his hair helplessly and thought back to the Jar-headed Duke with twinkling eyes.
"Yes, but let me put it this way: if you invite Trudida to go deer hunting with you, he will definitely not agree," Thales sighed: "Unless he knows in advance that the deer he wants to hunt has already been
Dead, all that needs to be done is to drag the venison back..."
"Only Trudida would have a heroic, tragic and generous look on his face, like a hero who has never returned, going out with a bow and arrows on his back, a sword and a horse."
The two looked at each other silently.
After a moment, King Charmaine smiled.
"Hahahahaha, 'the hero who will never return'," this time, Lombard laughed particularly happily, contrary to the sneer and ridicule before, as if this moment was when he was truly happy: "I have to say, very happy
The image is also very appropriate!”
Thales also laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly.
But his smile disappeared quickly: "So, although Trudida may sound nice, he will not send troops with you at all."
"If your vassals gather together and fight to the death with the Lombard family," the smile in Thales's eyes was replaced by solemnity and seriousness: "It is not yet known who will win between you and them.
"
King Charmaine's laughter also stopped.
"What you claimed, 'the outcome of the chessboard has been determined'," Thales stared at him coldly, "is just empty words."
"That's why you came here in person."
Just like six years ago.
King Charman did not deny or admit it, he just stared at him with a mysterious face.
Thales looked in the direction of the door and sighed: "Ian is still too young. He still lacks the experience of facing you, so he would be intimidated by you so easily. If it were his father, he would be different.
The courageous, stubborn and ruthless warrior and Grand Duke of Qiyuan City, Kurikun Roni is here..."
King Charman sneered: "You have a pretty high opinion of him."
Thales snorted.
"Look at the expressions of Lisban and Nazer, I'm afraid they are suspicious," the prince said softly, shaking his sore shoulders, "I'm just worried about your relationship with the Kingdom of Stars, and I don't care about Trudida.
Confidence, because he is afraid that you really promised him a bargaining chip that he cannot refuse, so he dare not take this bet against you."
King Charmaine shook his head seemingly casually: "Not everyone has the wisdom to see through the bet and the courage to bet against me."
Thales shook his head and hummed softly.
"But soon, everything that happened in this hall, whether it was Qiyuan City's huge defeat in the confrontation with the king, or the news that Longxiao City did not join the alliance to denounce the king, but finally handed over Prince Xingchen to the king,
It will spread throughout the Exter Kingdom, especially back to the Black Sand Territory."
Thales suddenly felt tired, as if a morning meeting had exhausted his energy.
"The moment the Grand Duchess agreed to hand me over, you truly won," he said in a half-hearted voice, "Before, it was just a bluff."
"Are you satisfied?"
The two looked at each other silently in the center of the hall.
Their delay also made the Grand Duke's guards who were still guarding around the hall frown, but Cambida's smiling face and Chloe's cold face effectively delayed them.
"But it's not like you gained nothing, Thales," King Charman said silently after a while: "First of all, it's you yourself. Not only did you avoid the fate of being involved in the war, but you also escaped the clutches of Longxiao City."
"Really," the prince yawned, as if he didn't care:
"I'm sorry, but I can't see what a good thing this is."
But the king ignored him and said in a cold tone: "And, according to the terms we agreed..."
"I also gave that girl a chance to cultivate her prestige so that her vassals would no longer become her enemies."
These words made Thales' distracted eyes focus instantly.
"Under the pressure of a certain terrifying king, at least in the short term, the Grand Duke of Longxiao City will not lose their support, nor will she be forced to marry. Instead, they will become more sincere and united under external forces."
"Isn't this what you want?"
Thales frowned.
"But she is a girl after all," Thales choked out a few seconds later: "No matter what, her existence will make many people in Longxiao City feel uneasy and unhappy."
King Charman raised his eyebrows: "Then there's nothing I can do unless you turn her into a man?"
Thales raised his eyes.
"So," the prince stared into King Charmaine's profound eyes with certainty and no doubt: "You must help her gain a foothold no matter what method you use."
The king seemed a little amused: "Must?"
Thales nodded.
"As King Exeter," he said calmly: "It is in your interest to let a controversial female grand duchess, a girl who subverts tradition, continue to rule Longxiao City, which has many talented people and a strong foundation.
.”
"You don't want to see a Grand Duke of Longxiao City who is as impeccable as Lisban, as cunning as Nazaire, and as tough and upright as Kierkegaard, right?"
King Charman's expression remained still for a moment.
Thales stared at him firmly, unblinking.
A slight wave appeared on the king's rough face: "Indeed, we don't need a second King Nun."
Thales breathed a sigh of relief.
"For this reason, you even have to help her gain considerable power," the second prince's tone increased and his rhythm quickened: "Don't forget, as a Grand Duchess, the obstacles she faces are the same as the problems you face.
, to a certain extent, it is consistent, such as the thousands of years of tradition in the North..."
When King Charman heard this, his eyes became more and more interested.
"What's more, she is the Grand Duchess recognized by you, and you voted for her..."
Thales suddenly stopped talking.
What's more, you still hold a trump card that can kill her.
Her throne is tied to your crown.
Thales grimaced and said no more.
King Charman let out a slow breath.
"I have a hunch, Thales," the king curled his lips, and his eyes gave people a slightly stinging sharpness: "During the time you come to the Black Sand Territory, we will get along.
Very good."
Thales' face darkened.
"Is it."
The two fell into silence again.
After a long while, King Charmaine spoke with profound meaning: "Old question: How does it feel?"
Thales snorted in response: "How does it feel?"
King Charman took a deep breath and looked happy, as if he felt the beauty of Longxiao City at this moment.
"From Qiyuan City to Longxiao City, from Lisban to the Grand Duchess, you are the traitor who betrayed everyone, or at least that's what they thought."
"Carrying everything alone and walking alone?"
King Charman looked at him with increasingly sharp eyes, and his words were sharp:
"How does it feel?"
Thales was silent.
He lowered his head and said nothing for a long time.
The prince suddenly remembered that six years ago, when he was sitting in the carriage of the Marquis from Camas, when he angrily questioned the then Grand Duke of Black Sands, later King Charmaine, the other party's cold reply.
King Charman looked at him, shook his head with contempt, turned around and left.
The moment he turned around, the voice of Prince of Stars came from behind.
But it was unprecedentedly low, gloomy and indifferent.
"This feeling..."
Thales looked at the ground without raising his head, and said hoarsely: "This feels like... Charmaine Lombard."
The king suddenly froze mid-step.
In the quiet air, Thales snorted lightly.
He called Wyatt and Rolf with a normal expression and walked towards the door.
When the prince walked to the door of the hall, he paused slightly.
He looked at the slightly uneven rough floor tiles in the hall and raised the corners of his mouth.
Six years ago, he met the famous natural king here for the first time in the North.
Six years later...
The next moment, Thales resisted the urge to turn around and took a deep breath.
Oh shit.
Thales raised his feet without hesitation.
What the hell after six years.
In two easy steps, he stepped out of Nekaru's Hall of Heroes.