The figure he hadn't seen for a long time appeared in Thales' mind involuntarily.
The figure who holds a scepter and wears a crown, named Father, is majestic and hard to approach.
The prince pondered for a few seconds.
"You don't like the current situation of Xihuang, and you don't want to forget the Xihuang of the past, the Xihuang that only belonged to Falkenhauser?"
"So you're expecting me to 'do something'."
The prince raised his head and looked at Cyril, his tone became wary.
"you know."
"Six years ago, when I left Yongxing City, someone told me something similar."
Duke Xihuang stared at Thales closely for several seconds, and then smiled.
"No, Your Highness."
Falkenholz slowly exhaled and turned to face the window.
"Don't think of me as an old-fashioned person who clings to tradition, or a fool who is obsessed with the glory of the past and refuses to open his eyes to the future. Although there are many such people among my peers."
Thales hummed.
"Then what sets you apart from them?"
This time, Cyril was silent for a long time.
He just remained motionless, looking down at the bustling and well-organized camp scene under the window.
"Why, Thales?"
Finally, the Duke of Xihuang sighed with emotion
"Why do we rule this land?"
The vigilant Star Prince frowned.
Just listen to the ruler of the Falkenhaus family say slowly
"Whether I rule the Western Wilderness as a duke now, or you will be crowned king and rule the entire planet in the future?"
"Enjoy this above all else?"
Cyril's topics jump too quickly, and there is hidden edginess, coupled with a hint of vitriol, which makes Thales, who is used to people in the North talking about matters, extremely uncomfortable.
"Is it because we, as rulers, are wise enough and have unparalleled strategies?"
"Or are you as courageous as the people from the North, daring to be the first?"
The Duke stood in front of the window, his emaciated figure silhouetted, firmly planted on the ground.
"Is it because you have a kind heart and care about the people?"
"Or is it the glory of ancestors, passed down from generation to generation?"
Cyril changed the subject and revealed his favorite sarcastic tone.
"Is it possible that it is indeed the destiny of heaven and the hope of the public..."
"And those things running through your veins really sparkle?"
The Duke spoke half-heartedly as always, staring at him with a look that was entertaining, as if he was waiting for something.
The young man was silent for several seconds.
Finally, Thales sighed deeply.
"From the beginning to now...who taught you to talk like this, Duke Falkenhauser? Does he specialize in teaching idiots?"
What?
Cyril's smile faltered.
After sighing, Thales shrugged helplessly.
"You know, I didn't realize until today that I hate rhetorical questions so much."
Rhetorical question?
The Duke's expression became more and more confused.
But the prince no longer followed Cyril's words, but looked at him indifferently.
"A little reminder, the unpopular Duke."
"Whether it's a discussion or a negotiation, weird rhetorical questions may seem to enhance your tone, but in fact they can only make you look like a showboating, sensational entertainment clown. Apart from using your tone to highlight your self-righteousness, it does nothing to convey effective information.
"
Listening to Thales' expressionless answer, Falkenhausz's face slowly stiffened.
"If you have an answer, say it in an affirmative sentence. If you don't agree with it, say it with a 'no' because no one is interested in understanding the bullshit you are saying with rhetorical questions other than to stir up emotions.
."
After Thales finished speaking, he stuck the dagger on the bedside.
The room was quiet for a long time.
For a while, I could only hear the cold wind blowing.
Cyril stared at Thales as if he was meeting him for the first time.
The corners of the Duke's lips raised and lowered several times, he hesitated to speak, feeling quite at a loss.
Thales crossed his arms as if nothing was wrong, with an innocent look on his face, tilted his head and flattened his mouth, waiting for the other party's answer.
Finally, Cyril closed his eyes, lowered his head, and let out a long sigh.
"That's why I don't like Northlanders."
"No," but Thales raised his eyebrows and took over his words.
"That's just why you're not popular."
Cyril paused again and was speechless for a moment.
"Go on, why do we rule?"
Thales, who finally felt comfortable speaking, exhaled. He sat on the bed, leaned against the wall, and spread his hands with satisfaction.
"Don't let me interrupt you."
Cyril sighed slightly in his heart.
Didn't you interrupt earlier?
The Duke was silent for a while, then spoke again
"Actually, I don't think we rule for the above reasons, Thales. Not at all."
Thales's heavy words sounded again
"very good!"
Cyril hesitated again.
"I'm glad we're finally talking."
Thales raised his index finger to him with a relieved look on his face, "It's not difficult to speak well, isn't it?"
"Keep it up."
Cyril, who had just been in a good mood, was choked and felt heartbroken again.
The Duke sighed slowly and began to realize that the young man in front of him was no longer the illegitimate son who clenched his fists and blushed six years ago, pretending to be a prince and showing off his cleverness in front of all the lords.
He is Thales Brightstar.
The stars beyond the sky.
Thinking of this, the Duke turned sideways slightly, a cold glimmer reflected on his ugly face.
"Prince Thales."
"In my opinion, what really rules this land, this kingdom, and even the entire world, and what makes countless people willingly obey us, is custom."
"Habit, habit..." Thales chewed on Cyril's words and suddenly understood something.
After unexpectedly regaining the right to speak, he began to slowly grasp the erratic axis of the other party's seemingly casual conversation.
However, at this time, Cyril was leaning on his crutches and pacing around the room.
"Men are used to going out to support their families, women are used to raising children at home, businessmen are used to selling goods back and forth, farmers are used to paying taxes and serving in the military, nobles are used to governing, and priests are used to talking to gods..."
"The army is used to violence, officials are used to orders, authors are used to delaying updates, lords are used to bossing around, and kings are used to occupying the throne..."
"People are used to paying when buying things, getting punished for doing bad things, bowing their heads when facing death, and nodding when facing life..."
The Duke's words were very fast, just like his steps, like climbing a mountain with no peak in sight.
Cyril seemed to be in a trance, his left hand gently brushed the ancient wall, but the expression on his face became serious.
This made Thales sit up straight without realizing it.
"Habits, that's what they and every living thing we rule have seen with their own eyes since they were born from their mother's womb, what this world looks like;"
"That is what they have repeated and practiced in their limited years and lives, and it is the established way of the world;"
"That's how they subconsciously respect, imitate, and believe in the actions and reactions of countless others after witnessing them again and again."
At this time, Duke Xihuang, who was pressing his hand on the wall, suddenly raised his head!
"Tiles!"
The young man was startled.
Cyril was seen staring at him coldly.
"People obey our rule, respect our status, and are loyal to our identity, not because of how great we are, not because we are born noble, not because of how much kindness and intimidation we give, not because of our governance methods that benefit all people, let alone
Because your blood shines like a gift from God!"
"It's because they're used to it!"
The cold wind that seeped into the room from the window caused the Duke's fur robe and hair to flutter, making Cyril Falkenholz's image at this moment even more bizarre and chilling.
Thales swallowed subconsciously. He had no time to care about the instinctive sarcasm in the Duke's tone.
Cyril narrowed his eyes, but the sharp gaze shot out from the slits of his eyes did not weaken at all.
"Because from the first day they opened their eyes to see the world, their ancestors have done this, their parents have done this, and their peers have done this, so they themselves are also used to doing this, and
We also need to convince their next generation to do the same thing as them."
Thales slowly frowned.
"And this group of people shows their accustomed habits to other people, whether they are children, elders, relatives, neighbors, strangers, masters, servants, peers, superiors and subordinates day after day, year after year
Year."
Cyril stopped where he was, but his tone became heavier and deeper, as if he was telling the most terrifying and chilling ghost story.
"Until everyone, including you and me, is disgusted with the strange, disgusted with the abnormal, and develops inertia, and realizes that anything that violates habits is abnormal and needs to be eliminated."
Thales's expression became more and more tense.
"Thus, these habits spread more and more widely, become deeper and deeper, become more serious and commonplace, until we call them..."
Cyril's tone revealed an unprecedented solemnity and gloominess
"order."
A gust of cold wind blew, causing Thales to flinch, but the light outside the window could not give him any warmth.
Thales suddenly felt that the room at the top of the tower was so cold and cold.
Like...
Fuxing Palace in memory.
"Do you understand what I mean, Your Highness?"
Cyril's words rang out again, bringing him back to the present from other places.
"In my opinion, this is the only thing that is fragile and pitiful, but also eternal, powerful and profound, that maintains our rule."
"And those actions that want to shake these habits and shake these orders..."
Cyril sneered lightly
"It's all very scary."
Actions that want to shake these habits and order...
Thales couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and hummed softly.
"For example, this time, what did Legend Wings do to Blade Tooth Camp?"
The Duke's voice paused for a second.
"No."
"More than this small, more than this close, more than this light."
Just listen to Falkenhauser's voice deepening, as if it contains the sighs of centuries.
"For example, we all know that from a long time ago, a certain superior in the stars, no, maybe several superiors in consecutive generations, spread the bait of royal power and turned thousands of inferiors into
Became the enemy of the lords."
These words tensed Thales' nerves.
The bait of royal power.
At that moment, Thales suddenly had the feeling that Cyril Falkenholz, the unpopular person who behaved strangely and spoke outrageously, was not just here to win over the second prince.
The prince became more and more serious.
"Using the ladder of royal power, they slowly climbed up and fought back and forth with us feudal princes."
Cyril slowly walked back to the window and looked at the desert camp under the window again.
"As a result, hundreds of years of the rise and fall of families, the rotation of nobles, the ups and downs of countless people, and the uncertainty of life and death have finally created the kingdom today."
The Duke's voice was low and vague, but there was no doubt about it.
"For hundreds of years, from the succession of families, the rise and fall of titles, the ruling on tax regulations, the appointment and dismissal of officials, the judgment of laws, and the mobilization of the army, the Fuxing Palace has been gentle and step-by-step but unstoppable.
, slowly but surely, snatched away from the hands of the lords."
Hearing this, Thales couldn't help but think of the scene on the Dragon Blood Night six years ago when he made an impassioned speech in front of five Grand Dukes and a Grand Duke, telling him about the current situation of the stars.
He also thought of the story he heard not long ago, told by the old members of the royal guard.
Over hundreds of years, families have risen and fallen, and nobles have rotated...
The fate of countless people is ups and downs, life and death are uncertain...
Thales thought deeply and said nothing.
"You know, although every move of both sides can be seen clearly," Cyril leaned forward, as if to take a closer look at the scenery under the window, "but what really makes the chess game interesting... is that
Within the number of clearly visible steps, there are countless possibilities.”
It's like looking at his chessboard.
"Take one step and look at each piece you move in ten steps. It is not only related to the chessboard at this moment, but also to the chess game of several steps, dozens of steps, or even hundreds of steps in the future."
"This will make the opponent a hundred steps behind unable to parry. It is much more interesting than a face-to-face, fist-to-fist contest."
For some reason, after hearing this, Thales suddenly thought of the Black Sword.
The young man recalled the man's battle with Giza. The black sword took him and broke into the bloody siege of Kilika, the multi-headed snake.
From the location of the initial breakthrough to the selection of the breakthrough route, Black Sword calculates and considers all factors of the battle from the first step, thereby leading to victory step by step.
He is like a chess player who treats battle as a chess game.
Cyril's voice was calm, and his sparse hair trembled with his robes in the cold wind.
"Being calm but quietly falling, the spring wind turning into rain and autumn harvesting thousands of seeds, this is the wise way of a 'virtuous king', isn't it?"
Xianjun.
Thales was slightly startled.
"Xianjun?" he repeated subconsciously.
Cyril suddenly turned around, showed a frowning "humorous" smile, and his tone returned to his usual "kindness"
"Why, do you think that after so many years, from that ridiculous State Council to the damn Royal Bank, especially those of us who are involved in it, no matter how stupid and stupid we are, no one can really see it?"
Thales' heart sank.
The prince raised his head and narrowed his eyes
"Like me, many of us know it."
"There's just nothing I can do."
Well aware.
Nothing can be done.
Thales took a deep breath.
He couldn't help but think of Lumba's concerned expression when he mentioned Xianjun in the carriage.
Once a move is made, a century-old chess game can be achieved.
Thales' eyebrows wrinkled tighter and tighter.
"Why, why this expression?"
The Duke looked at the scenery under the window with some indifference.
"Old Crow said in the letter that you are quite interested in Xian Jun, aren't you?"
Thales shook his head
"I just……"
The prince's words stopped abruptly.
etc.
Thales realized something, and his eyes suddenly widened!
"Old Crow?"
The prince suddenly raised his head and lost his voice.
"You know him?"
"Know him? Hum, Prince Thales..."
Cyril's laughter followed the sound of the wind.
"When Merry Hickser set out from Dragon's Kiss, passed through the Three Kingdoms of the Lost Sea, entered the Kingdom of Stars, and then went all the way north to Exeter, who do you think sent troops to escort him across the desert?"
Thales was stunned.
Merry Hickser, crossing the desert, heading north to Exeter...
But how did the Duke of Xihuang of the Stars and the elderly bachelor of the Principality of Anrenzo know each other?
Cyril seemed to sense his doubts.
The Duke let out a long breath, and there was a hint of nostalgia in his ugly voice.
"When I was young and naughty, I had a special bachelor teacher from Dragon Kiss."
Thales's ears twitched.
At this point, the Duke shook his head and smiled.
"Until my uncle discovered that his bachelor's degree was forged, he stripped Xixer naked in anger and threw him into the desert. It's such a nostalgic youth."
Thales blinked and took a few seconds to sort out the cause and effect.
That means.
The Guardian Duke of Western Wasteland, and Old Crow Xixer...
The surprise on Thales's face became more and more obvious.
Putilai said that the old man had been a teacher for many big people.
It seems not really...
boast?
"You and I, Your Highness, we are connected to each other in many invisible places."
Duke Xihuang's laughter grew louder and louder until he turned around from the window.
Just listen to Cyril speaking as if casually
"As for your question just now, who taught me to talk like this, and whether he specializes in teaching idiots..."
Duke Falkenhauser slowly narrowed his eyes.
At that moment, Thales suddenly felt that his face was a little stiff.
Boom!
Cyril's crutch thumped heavily on the ground.
"I think Hixer has certainly taught idiots...what do you think?"
The Duke narrowed his eyes and stared straight at Thales, revealing unconcealable malice.
"Your Highness?"
At that moment, the air in the room seemed to be frozen.
Faced with this unanswerable question, it took Thales a long while before he managed to pull back the expression on his face and forced an awkward smile.
What a fuck.
Facing the vengeful gaze of the Duke of Xihuang, Thales changed the subject with difficulty.
"I probably know what you want to do."
Thales raised his head.
He slowly began to get used to the other party's seemingly careless, but actually sharp conversational characteristics.
"Facing the Fuxing Palace, you are powerless, so you are counting on me and a new king to change the kingdom from the throne?"
But to his surprise, Falkenholz shook his head again.
"First of all, it's not 'we', it's just me."
Thales was slightly stunned.
"Secondly, change the kingdom? No," the Duke whispered
"The kingdom keeps changing, with or without you."
Cyril walked around the wall again, pacing step by step, tapping the furnishings in the room with his right hand from time to time, as if he was remembering something.
"To be exact, the whole world is changing, not just at this moment, not just a hundred years ago, not just six hundred years ago."
The eyes of Duke Xihuang are shining
"From the beginning of the forcible mobilization of lords across the country by John the Black Eyed, using the power of the king, to the promulgation of the 'Succession Act' by Sumer II of 'Breakdown', and the title of Tormund IV of the Fallen as the Sunset Priest.
'Creditor' Elam III passed the King's Tax Code."
"Until the unprecedented reforms of the 'Wise Lord' Mindis III, and the move of the 'Poet' Eddie I to summon the nobles to stay in Yongxing City."
The master of the Falkenholtz family put down his right hand, turned around again, and faced Thales with a deep look in his eyes.
"Even today, your father's iron-fisted rule has almost caused outrage."
"The world is changing every minute and every second, not just the generation of virtuous kings."
Thales felt very uncomfortable when he saw him, and involuntarily hugged his arms tighter.
From the second generation king of the stars, Black Eyed John, to Kessel V, he suddenly discovered that the historical span mentioned by Cyril far exceeded what Lumba mentioned in the Palace of Heroes in Longxiao City.
More than just a virtuous king.
More than just...Kessel.
"It's changing every minute... These words sound familiar."
The prince sighed
"You must be Lao Crow's student."
Cyril hummed when he heard this
"Hixer, he opened my eyes, my mind, and my heart."
But his eyes suddenly changed
"But what about you? Your Highness Thales, the heir to the kingdom?"
"Did you open them?"
The two were silent for a while.
"If I opened them too, what would you like me to see?"
Thales lowered his expression and said slowly.
Cyril did not laugh.
He just looked at Thales seriously.
It seems that this is the moment he has been waiting for.
"The state meeting six years ago, Prince," Falkenhausz said softly.
"Tell me, what did you see?"
six years ago.
The country is a conference.
Thales once again thought of the meeting that decided his fate, and he involuntarily lowered his arms.
But the young man didn't explain much, he just answered briefly and carefully.
"My father won."
Cyril snorted coldly.
"Yes, your father won."
"He was victorious, not just in one meeting, but in the whole country, eighteen years after his desperate coronation as king."
Thales clenched his fists.
"but……"
Sure enough, the Duke of Xihuang changed the topic and his words became short and fast, with ups and downs.
"The conspiracy was exposed and the backbone was lost. The North is at rest, but do you think those people in the North who come from the same origin as Exeter are convinced and feel at ease?"
Northern Territory.
Thales thought of Miranda Allender, who was a "fellow prisoner" with him.
"Girls in the Blade Territory may rely on the royal power, but don't forget that it is the Blade Province that has been famous for bandits since the empire, and the rebellion of the Year of Blood originated from it."
Blade collar.
The blurry face of the Duchess of the Blades, Lyanna Turbuck, flashed through Thales' mind.
"And Yadi has been unable to hold back for a long time and is ready to take action. You must know that Coste Nantriest is not a fuel-efficient lamp."
Cliff land.
An aggressive face with only one eye floated before Thales' eyes.
"As for us in the Western Wilderness," Falkenholtz paid attention to Thales's expression, and there was deep fear on his withered and ugly face.
"Look at what the Blade Tooth Camp has gone through in the past few days, prince, and then tell me what the Fuxing Palace will gain from the lords of the West Wasteland below me?"
"Those my nominal vassals, in front of the Wings of Legend, will they tremble and collapse, or will they gnash their teeth and hide deep hatred?"
Thinking of Roman's arrogance and domineering attitude when facing almost everyone, Thales couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"You are talking about these actions of my father," the prince said after a long absence, seriously considering the Duke's words.
"Will it eventually lead to a mess that is difficult to clean up?"
"Even with his skills?"
Cyril shook his head. At this moment, the Duke of Xihuang rarely lost his humorous and ignorant attitude, and his tone was gloomy.
"What will it take for you to understand that the level of your father's skill has nothing to do with the outcome of his determined actions?"
"And it's not just him, there are countless people, whether they are on the side of the king like the royalists, or on the opposite side of him like Costus, their increasingly intense conflicts will bring unforeseen consequences.
"
Thales gritted his teeth.
In his long-term impression, his father, Kessel V, was the one who had the upper hand in the political struggles of the kingdom and firmly suppressed his opponents.
But what Falkenhauser said...
Does it really make sense?
Cyril took a long breath, put down his inconvenient left foot, and put both hands on the crutches.
"Perhaps it is a trend and necessity that the era when the lords dominate one area and the kingdom is full of princes is slowly going away," the Duke said thoughtfully
"Perhaps this is the fierce momentum of the stars, which never stops."
"And any attempt to stop it without overestimating your own capabilities is futile and foolish."
But Falkenhauser finally raised his head and looked at the prince who was also thinking deeply.
"But similarly, anyone who is impatient and wants to take advantage of the general trend to add fuel to the flames, compress time, speed up progress, and see the ending in their minds as early as possible is equally stupid."
Impatient.
Just as stupid.
Thales said nothing.
I don’t know if he listened to Thales’s suggestion, but Cyril maintained his seriousness at the moment.
"Governing a country is never about instant results. Even if you are as wise and wise as a 'virtuous king', you must carefully implement the plan. If you want to see the results in a hundred years, you cannot have the mentality of 'getting all the results in one battle' and make thousands of decisions in a rough, arbitrary, eager and short-sighted manner."
The fate of all people.”
he sighed
"Just like 'King of Blades' Tormund II, 'Eagle Claw' Kessel III and 'Red King' John II, their biographies seem to have great achievements in battle, but in fact their troubles are deeply buried."
"This will only get worse."
Falkenhausz closed his mouth and fell into deep thought. He stood there and let the cold wind blow his leather robe.
It may seem like a great success, but in fact the root of the disaster is deeply buried.
For some reason, Thales suddenly remembered King Nun.
And after the death of this natural king, Longxiao City was surrounded by enemies due to betrayal and alienation, and the Palace of Heroes was unstable and precarious.
There was also the poor girl who was sitting in the Grand Duke's Seat tremblingly and couldn't even put the 'triumph' ring on her thumb.
Thales was silent for a long time before humming softly.
"I'm afraid my father won't like hearing this."
Cyril raised his eyes
"So you don't have to mention it in front of him."
"Unless you get to the day when you can mention it."
Thales tried his best to ignore the hidden meaning in the other party's words, and said
"But you also said that the raging force never ceases, and any attempt to stop it is futile and foolish."
"If, if all this is just an obstacle that must be overcome..."
"Is it just the only way to reach the top?"
After hearing this, Cyril was silent at first, and then sneered in response.
"only?"
The Duke picked up his crutches again and limped closer to Thales.
But Thales felt that the terrifying face of the Duke of Western Wasteland was no longer so difficult to accept.
"Be careful with your words, Thales. I believe the old crow has warned us."
I saw Cyril Falkenholz looking solemn
"Don't let the arrogance of superiority ruin you, whether it comes from the comfort of sitting on the throne or the frivolity and self-confidence of looking down at the history books."
Feeling the determination in the other person's tone, Thales couldn't help but tighten his body.
"As for the obstacles that must be overcome and the only way to reach the top, you need to know..."
In the cold wind, the sharp eyes and sharp voice of the Guardian Duke of the Western Wilderness both pressed towards Thales.
"Darkness is especially terrifying when dawn approaches."
“The damage is only intense before the storm moves away.”
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