Thales was walking alone in the corridor of the Fuxing Palace, and the everlasting lamps passed by him, making his face appear bright and dark.
Along the way, the guards and servants all had complicated expressions when they saw him and stayed away.
But Thales doesn’t care.
He simply takes a step, presses a tile under his feet, drags it behind him, steps again, and repeats.
The front is dark, cold and narrow.
Where is he going?
Where to go?
where?
“Your Highness?”
A familiar voice came, and Thales paused.
He turned around, looked back from the darkness and cold, showed a gentle smile, and nodded gently.
“Gilbert, I thought you left first.”
The Foreign Minister came to Thales with his cane and bowed to the prince respectfully and meticulously.
It was like the first time they met.
“You know, I won’t leave.”
Gilbert looked at him with a mixture of relief and confusion in his words:
“Before you and your Majesty...”
Thales did not speak, but smiled slightly.
The eyes of Gilbert and Thales met in the air. One side had complicated emotions and the other had subtle feelings.
They faced each other in silence for three full seconds.
The person accompanying Gilbert, the Archdeacon of the Church of the Sunset, Guy Stylianides, smiled upon seeing this and stepped back a few steps to leave space for them.
Gilbert showed an apologetic smile to his friend, then turned back and hesitated:
“So, Your Majesty, he...”
Thales nodded without any ripples in his voice: "He let me go."
"that's all?"
Gilbert showed a moment of surprise: "With all due respect, Your Majesty, he didn't, no, the royal guard didn't..."
"No."
Thales tried his best to make the sarcasm in his words less obvious:
“I guess your Majesty is tolerant and kind, and loves his children as much as the people.”
The two were quiet for a while, both lost in thought.
"Really?" Gilbert didn't pay attention to the small flaws in his words. The Foreign Minister exhaled and murmured in a daze:
“That’s good, that’s good…”
Taylors remained silent.
At that moment, he suddenly felt that Xingchen Cunning Fox was much older.
However, the scene when Gilbert calmly drove the car with a lantern and brought the dirty and embarrassed beggar into Mindis Hall seemed like only yesterday.
“That’s right, that’s a coincidence.”
Gilbert came back to his senses and smiled again:
“While you were having a serious talk with His Majesty, I felt bored, so I went out of the palace for a walk. I happened to wander near the Mindis Hall, so I took a casual look and asked casually..."
Mindis Hall.
Thales’ mind moved and he spoke in surprise:
…」
The smile on Gilbert's face grew bigger and bigger, just like his wrinkles:
"The Gaitan Flag Officer in charge of the investigation assured me: After a thorough investigation, the unhappiness at the banquet was just an accident. The guard servants around you are all fine and should be released immediately. The Mindis Hall was also immediately unsealed. Of course, some necessary measures were strengthened.
'Security work', I hope you don't mind."
Thales looked at him in surprise.
“You can’t get there from here to Mindis Hall just by walking.”
“Oh,” Xingchen’s cunning fox expression did not change:
“Then it seems that I am not old yet and my feet are fast enough.”
Tales did not speak.
Gilbert suddenly remembered something and his eyes lit up:
"By the way, I just met Mariko Vanguard in the corridor. He and your subordinates are the ones who followed you into the palace, including Waiya. I also asked him and them
, Well, we got along well, and we had a lot of fun talking."
Having a great time chatting.
Tales was silent for a long time, with complicated emotions.
"thank you."
Gilbert shook his head, smiling as usual, and looked back:
“Thank you Guy, I didn’t want to say this, but thank you for people still believing in the sacredness and majesty of the sunset, and giving the Archdeacon extra face.”
At that moment, Thales felt tight in his chest:
board
The Foreign Secretary turned around and sighed:
“And I hope this puts your mind at ease a little bit.”
Thales took a deep breath and felt his voice trembling:
"me……"
But Gilbert, who was always good at observing people's emotions, seemed not to notice the prince's embarrassment and hesitation. He just clapped his hands and said apologetically:
"Oh, my fault, Your Highness, you must be tired. I just happened to call a carriage, why don't we go back together..."
“Gilbert!”
Thales had to raise his voice and tried his best to interrupt the other party:
“Aren’t you curious?”
The prince's breathing was rapid, and he stared at his teacher.
“About why I broke into the palace against the law.”
“Why...disobey the king.”
Gilbert paused, the smile on his face slowly faded, and he lowered his head silently, as if to avoid Thales's gaze.
Thales took a deep breath:
“And, what did I just say to His Majesty inside.”
“This is not a joke.”
In the Balad room, Thales listened quietly to King Kessel's words.
"Whether you succeed or fail, if you make a careless move or make the slightest mistake, you may be overturned by the war horse and abandoned by the chariot."
“Not only will he not be able to win the crown forever, but he will also make enemies everywhere, and everyone will hate him. Even his family and life are in danger.”
Everyone looks at him with hatred, and he is in danger...
The king’s warning was eloquent:
“At that time, the price of the shining star will not be able to save you.”
“The stars are too big to contain you.”
“Even as a king,” King Kessel paused for a moment. He looked at the Star Staff leaning against the seat with a complicated expression:
“I can’t protect you either.”
The honor of a king cannot protect you.
Thales’ eyes condensed, and Asheida’s words rang in his mind:
[What I look forward to, Thales, is not your ultimate success...but...that you are caught between your own essence and the eyes of others...eventually torn apart by contradictions, destroyed by conflicts, and swallowed by regrets...
】
“Then just in case, I mean just in case...”
After a few seconds, the young man raised his eyes and smiled a little stiffly:
“You said, will Longxiao City accept political asylum?”
Facing the joke, King Kessel did not respond, only his eyes were deep, not knowing what he was thinking.
"All right."
Finally, the young man sighed and put away the relaxation and joking on his face.
“It seems that you really have no sense of humor.”
The king stared at him closely and said nothing.
At night, the lights are dim.
Two shadows facing each other silently were projected on the stone floor and extended between the walls, dark and cold.
It’s bottomless.
“That’s for me, Your Majesty.”
The prince snorted softly and focused his attention on the spoon in his hand:
“Please, please be in good health and live a long life.”
King Kessel’s eyes twinkled.
“At least once the play is over, don’t give up on me halfway and leave me alone on the stage, unable to argue.”
At that moment, Thales looked at King Kessel, but thought of King Nun.
And his head rolled into a pool of blood.
“Believe me, it’s like taking a final call alone,” Thales sighed with lingering fear:
“Not so pleasant.”
Kessel did not reply.
Perhaps it’s late at night and the lights indoors have become softer.
The light and shadow between the two people are no longer as sharp as sword blades, and they are clearly distinct.
Rather, it is an integrated whole, with light and darkness complementing each other.
"you know."
King Kessel suddenly said: "You could have done otherwise."
Thales’ eyes moved.
“Keep to yourself, walk by the rules, don’t show any gestures, don’t stir up any muddy waters, and don’t act impulsively or behave as horribly as you did at the banquet and today.”
“Then you wear the nine-star crown and rule the entire kingdom...”
The Iron Fist King said softly:
“It’s just a matter of time.”
Nine-star crown.
Tales took a breath.
This word seemed to have magic power, seeping out of the air, seeping into Thales' brain, and turning into an ever-growing thought.
“When that time comes, the whole stars will be ruled by you.”
The whole star is ruled by you...
The king's voice was long and deep, carrying an indescribable meaning.
The young man clenched the spoon in his hand.
“It’s too late,” Thales shook his head and drove away the unwanted thoughts:
“I broke into the palace blatantly, just for everyone to see. Now it’s too late to go back and show family harmony, fatherly kindness and filial piety.”
The king didn’t care:
"that's not important……"
Thales shook his head: "No, besides, what if the kingdom falls into trouble before I am crowned..."
But the voice of the Iron-fisted King overshadowed him:
"that's not important!"
Kessel V leaned forward, imposing:
“The important thing is that you no longer have any constraints and have nothing to worry about.”
"You can overthrow the old system and put things in order, put all the responsibilities on the iron-fisted king, use my mistakes to consolidate your rule, and use my tyranny to set off your kindness, just like the 'Wise King' after the 'Red King'
."
Thales found that his breathing was speeding up.
“Then, piece the kingdom together the way you want it to be.”
The king’s words are seductive:
“Where the stars go, it all depends on your thoughts.”
“Do whatever you want, do whatever you want.”
No more constraints, no worries...
Let Er Shiwei...
Tales swallowed his throat.
In a daze, he once again saw the familiar yet unfamiliar back of the young man wearing a crown, facing the majestic palace wall alone.
But this time, the young man stood behind King Kessel, his robes were luxurious and his bearing was extraordinary.
He looked down at all the living beings in the capital outside the window like he was examining a chessboard, with a calm posture and an indifferent expression.
Tales felt suffocated.
"But, but..." He started to speak, but struggled to speak.
In the dead silence, King Kessel’s voice faintly reached my ears:
“My mother said this when I was a child.”
“Only in two places can the blood of the Emperor’s veins be as brilliant as gold and have endless majesty.”
It is as brilliant as gilded gold, and its majesty is endless.
King Kessel slowly raised his head and looked at the portraits of famous ministers in the Ballard Room:
“Legend.”
The light is dim, but the historical figures in the portraits are still alive, looking at them with burning eyes.
Never fades.
Never move.
Tales pursed his lips.
The Iron Fist King lowered his head and knocked on his seat in a daze:
“Throne.”
The night wind blew past the window sill, and the eternal lamp flames in the room trembled and tilted in the same direction.
neat and uniform.
Without exception.
Taylors held his breath.
“Four hundred and fifty years ago, the ‘alien’ that questioned the church’s scriptures became a legend.”
“The king who ascends high will reign among the stars and dwell on the throne.”
In the cold wind, the king and Thales looked at each other and spoke indifferently:
“Which one do you want to choose?”
“I, I understand, Your Highness.”
Gilbert just closed his eyes gently, but this action seemed to use up all his strength.
Thales frowned:
“Really? Do you understand?”
Gilbert let out a long sigh.
"Yes."
When he opened his eyes again, he seemed to have aged many years:
“Whether it was at the royal banquet or the subsequent raids on the Mindis Hall, you were young and energetic, and you were naturally unhappy when you were wronged.”
Young and energetic, feeling wronged and unhappy.
Thales listened silently, clenching his fists unconsciously.
This is what Gilbert meant by his actions today?
Gilbert tried his best to smile:
"Obviously, during the six years in Longxiao City, you have become accustomed to the way Northlanders get along, so when you entered the palace, you were so... Ha, I know, I met King Nuen for the first time.
, he almost forced me to jump from the top of the fortress...Northlanders, the way they express their opinions is always, um, impressive."
Tales did not speak.
But the Foreign Secretary only looked at him kindly and kindly, seeming to tolerate all his audacity.
"Gilbert," the prince said calmly, "this morning, I was able to attend the royal meeting with dignity despite causing great trouble."
“Listen to my father, is it because of your advice and persistence?”
Gilbert was startled, then smiled with emotion:
“You know, when I woke up this morning, I thought nothing could be worse than a hangover until I heard the news that you had stepped up to the plate at the royal banquet last night.”
He sighed:
“Your Highness, I just think that if there is any misunderstanding between you and His Majesty, there is no better way than to clarify it face to face.”
“And if you want to explain to His Majesty what happened at the banquet, then showing your face in front of all the gentlemen at the Imperial Council first will give you some help.”
Thales was silent for a while, and then uttered a sentence with difficulty:
"Thank you."
"teacher."
“For...all this.”
Gilbert smiled happily and waved his hand:
“Things within one’s duties are not worth mentioning.”
Tales has mixed feelings.
He wanted to end the conversation and leave as soon as possible, but he couldn't help blurting out:
"But you know, Gilbert, what I did today, they have consequences."
Gilbert paused.
“No, listen to me, Your Highness,” the Foreign Secretary took a deep breath and said with a smile:
“Prince Thales wanted to be free, resisted the engagement, and pursued true love, so he broke into the palace and interrupted the royal meeting. This is probably a classic love drama that people like to see. It is romantic and bold, and it echoes your experience in the North.”
He looked at Thales seriously:
“Everyone, everyone will understand.”
Thales frowned: "But that's not what I want to say."
Gilbert chuckled and raised his hand to stop what he was saying:
“But I don’t recommend using the blazing lady as a cover. Well, the impact will be bad, especially after she led the Northlanders to a great victory..."
Tales’ brows became more and more serious:
"Gilbert, you know that my wanton attempt to force the palace is tantamount to conspiracy"
“Your Highness!”
Gilbert, who had always been gentle, suddenly raised his voice and interrupted him.
This surprised Thales.
Gilbert took a few deep breaths and finally softened his distorted face:
“I must admit that I was negligent before.”
Gilbert forced a smile:
“It’s been six years, whether it’s you, me, Yongxing City, or even His Majesty, we all have to go through a process of re-adjustment and mutual adaptation.”
“It’s not advisable to act too hastily.”
“But,” Gilbert looked at him eagerly and expectantly:
“Now that you and His Majesty have cleared up the misunderstanding, the biggest problem has been solved, right?”
Thales stared back at him blankly, not knowing how to answer.
“As for everything else, grinding and so on, we, and the whole kingdom, can take our time.”
"Take it easy."
Unconsciously, Gilbert’s eyes took on a hint of pleading:
“Just like... before.”
just like before.
This made Thales feel strange.
And guilt.
“What if not.”
Thales heard his voice echoing in the palace:
“If I break into the palace, it’s not just because I feel aggrieved.”
He cannot deceive him.
“What if Your Majesty and I hadn’t cleared up the misunderstanding?”
You cannot do what the other person wants and pretend everything is fine.
“What if we can’t go back to the past?”
Gilbert fell silent, and his enthusiasm disappeared with it.
“Your Highness…”
The Foreign Secretary took a deep breath, as if to use this action to summon up courage:
"what happens?"
Thales forced a smile:
“Let’s put it this way, my conversation with him... didn’t go very well.”
Gilbert did not answer immediately. He looked at Thales and hesitated several times.
“No, I mean,” after hesitating for a long time, Gilbert’s voice trembled:
“What’s wrong with you, Your Highness?”
Thales looked back at him, maintaining a smile:
"What?"
“There’s something wrong with you.”
Gilbert shook his head and looked at Thales with extremely complicated eyes:
“Compared with the morning, you are completely different. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would even suspect that you were impersonated.”
perhaps you're right.
Thales said in his heart.
“What happened to you during the period after you left the palace?”
Thales was silent for a while and replied truthfully:
“I went to Xiacheng District.”
Gilbert was startled:
“Xiaocheng District? But that’s not where you are…”
"Yes."
Gilbert was silent for a while and said:
“You are reckless, Your Highness. Please note that you have a distinguished status and every move you make...”
But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Taylor's vague answer.
“I’m afraid of him.”
Gilbert was stunned:
"What?"
Thales looked at him, smiled, and looked back towards the end of the deep corridor.
“When I was abroad, even though my life and property were at my disposal and the dangers were numerous, I was never afraid of the insidious vampire, the powerful natural king, or the ruthless Charmaine Lombard.”
Hmm, most of the time I’m not afraid.
“But not until I returned to the country and saw him.”
he.
Thales looked at the darkness at the end of the corridor and gradually fell into a trance.
Gilbert frowned.
“Whenever I’m in the same room with him, I always feel like an idiot and a coward. I can’t help but speculate on the meaning of his actions, guess the meaning of his words, and feel suspicious and uneasy.”
The prince chuckled and said:
“Yeah, I know it sounds ridiculous, but yeah, I’m scared of him.”
Thales turned back and looked directly at Gilbert, his words were painful and sincere:
“But tell me, Gilbert, why am I afraid of him?”
Gilbert just stared at Thales blankly, at a loss, which was very different from the usual confidence and calmness of the Star Fox.
“Yes, he is the Supreme King of the Stars, but is he more cunning than a vampire, more powerful than King Nunn, and more ruthless than King Charmaine? He is more defenseless than the Shadow Shield who tries to mess with me every day?”
Thales’ eyes were sharp and he spoke faster unknowingly:
“Are they more sinister, vicious, deadly and terrifying than the countless wolves, tigers and leopards that are trying to harm me along the way?”
Gilbert found it difficult to understand such a question. His lips were open in disbelief:
“But he, he is your father, Your Highness!”
Tales smiled.
"do you know."
"In Xiacheng District, I met a boss who was doing a decent business. Facing a tall, powerful, and vicious police officer, he was distracted and resigned," Thales said in a daze, "but when he faced a shady gangster, he was trembling with fear.
Panicked."
"In the same place, there was an ordinary girl. She resolutely refused the fine clothes and food promised by the nobleman. She would rather continue to stay with her mediocre, incompetent, stingy and cowardly husband, and live her mediocre life without highlights.
It’s hard for people to understand.”
Tales’ voice was erratic:
"In my hometown, a former gangster was unfortunately disabled and hid in a small shabby house to survive and give up on himself. However, he refused the help of his gang friends and would rather die than return to the place that once gave him glory.
fraternity."
Hearing these words, Gilbert became confused again.
“Like you, these things puzzle me.”
Thales looked at Gilbert and became firm:
“But I finally figured it out.”
"The authority of the police officer is not small, but the reason why the small boss has been able to do business on the street for so long without incident is not because of the lazy police department, but because of the long-term relationship with the gangsters who bully the market.
and tacit understanding.”
"The fine clothes and fine food given by nobles are very good, but if this does not change the girl's fate of being subordinate to others, then I am not much better than her husband. At least she understands her useless husband and knows how to deal with him."
"As for the ruthless gangster, although he is full of resentment, in fact he knows better than anyone else that his former glory was obtained with a body that can fight and fight hard. If he loses this body, he will only get back to the gang.
Its a disgrace."
Thales took a step forward and looked directly into Gilbert's eyes:
“Between what they can do and what they cannot do, they all understand what it is that truly controls them.”
Gilbert subconsciously took a step back.
“So I think it’s probably time for me to understand.”
Thales stood in the deep and cold corridor of Fuxing Palace and spoke quietly:
“What exactly controls me?”
“What can I control?”
“Perhaps you are right, Your Majesty.”
In the Ballard room, Thales lowered his head slightly.
“Perhaps I can wait quietly until that day comes, and then there will be no constraints or worries.”
Thales unknowingly tightened his tone and sped up his speech.
“At that time, I was sitting on the throne and had great power. Whether I wanted to amnesty the kingdom or ease conflicts, I could do whatever I wanted, do whatever I wanted, implement my will, and achieve everything you have refused me today.”
King Kessel stared at him silently.
Thales looked at the darkness outside the window, his eyes blank:
“As many ‘smart people’ say, if you don’t like the system, join it, influence it, build it, and ultimately, change it from within.”
The next second, Thales' eyes focused again.
“But we all know that is just the most despicable and shameless lie.”
At the end of the long table, the Iron-Fisted King’s eyebrows twitched.
Thales looked directly at the king firmly:
“Just like you are unwilling to compromise even a little bit with the princes and nobles no matter what, even if it actually helps your short-term dominance.”
"The nonsense of 'join it, change it' is originally its way of deceiving you and bewitching you, thereby restricting your freedom, collapsing your resistance, taking away your weapons, softening your will, and ultimately defeating all your efforts.
"
Tales’ tone became more determined and unquestionable:
“If you believe it, you lose.”
“Because once you compromise and go along with the trend, you will be the first to be changed, not it.”
Thales stared at the king and said word by word:
“Because you are just one person, one person.”
King Kessel stared at the prince silently, and with an expressionless face, he suddenly spoke:
"it?"
The king snorted coldly:
“Where is it?”
Thales stared at the king closely, as if the most terrifying beast was hidden in his eyes.
“Then look around, Your Majesty.”
Thales spread his hands and asked with a chuckle:
“Where is it not?”
The lights are flickering and the night breeze is blowing.
The two of them faced each other in silence.
Everything in the Ballard Room seemed to be as usual, nothing had changed.
King Kessel did not look back, but he frowned deeply.
But Thales didn't pay attention to his reaction. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and continued talking to himself.
“Six years ago at Broken Dragon Fortress, that was the first time I saw the Duke of Black Sand.”
Thales gradually fell into a trance, as if he had returned to the winter six years ago:
“He is worthy of being a hero of his generation, with lofty vision and extraordinary magnanimity, worthy of countless heroes dying with loyalty.”
The young man paused and hummed softly:
“To be honest, I’m much more charming than you.”
King Kessel’s expression did not change.
Tales became serious again:
“I met him again, Charmaine Lumba, in Longxiao City half a year ago.”
Thales’s complexion changed:
“But guess what I saw this time?”
King Kessel remained unresponsive as always.
“I saw Charmaine I, the parricide, the co-king of Exeter.”
Thales continued to speak, his eyes becoming more solemn:
“I saw him sitting in the seat that belonged to King Nun, and he started thinking, playing chess, and making plans like King Nun.”
“He began to enjoy the same pleasure as his uncle, entered into the same perspective as him, walked on the same path as him, encountered the same troubles as him, and fell into the same weird circle as him.”
“The chains that once bound King Nun are also slowly tightening on him, and have begun to make him panting and sweating.”
Thales’ eyes widened, as if he was watching the most incredible drama:
“King Charmaine thought that he had succeeded in overthrowing King Nun and completely destroying him by committing regicide to ascend the throne.”
Speaking of this, Thales’s eyes darkened:
“In the flesh, yes.”
“But in spirit, in value, in a larger sense...”
Thales gritted his teeth:
“He didn’t.”
The young man raised his head suddenly and met the eyes of the Iron-fisted King:
"Because he had to be ruled by the values of the born king, imprisoned by his vision, oppressed by his methods and habits, occupied by his way of thinking, and haunted by the ghost of Nunn day and night.
, think about what Nuen thinks, do what Nuen does, and you can’t extricate yourself from it.”
“Until he lives forever, he becomes the slave of Nun, just as Nun was the slave of the kings who came before him during his lifetime.”
At that moment, Thales suddenly remembered the Black Prophet in the Secret of the Kingdom.
He was sitting in a wheelchair made of those demonic vines, relying on them to maintain his life, but he was also tightly bound by them and could not leave.
“Six years, only six years.”
Thales’s eyes were filled with rare sadness and fear:
"I was surprised and sad that the long-dead King Nunn only took six years to eat his nephew, the former Charmaine Lombard, from the inside out, from head to toe.
"
“Not a bit left.”
King Kessel still said nothing, but his eyes were extremely serious.
“Among the people I have ever met, Charmaine is already the best.”
Thales exhaled a breath, full of emotion:
“Ever since the Night of Dragon’s Blood, it has been clear to him: his enemy is not Nunn, but the bigger, taller, and more terrifying enemy that once dragged down and defeated Nunn.”
“He killed King Nun, not for revenge or profit, but to prevent another Nun from appearing again.”
Thales’ eyes darkened, remembering King Charman’s meeting with him in the carriage.
【Tiles, you know better than anyone else that after six years, the ideal Exeter has become further and further away from me. 】
“Until he himself became the successor of Nun, put on the crown, sat on the throne and replaced him, becoming the second natural king.”
“He was aware of it and struggled hard, but with little success and was powerless.”
King Kessel snorted coldly.
Thales reacted and smiled, but his words were sad and helpless:
“Don’t get me wrong, Charmaine Lombard is still dangerous and scary.”
“But as far as I can see, there aren’t many things in this man that truly belong to him.”
Thales stared at his plate with confusion, watching the spoon sink into the soup.
“It started when he had to compromise with reality and rules, and bow to the oath of co-governance.”
“From the time he gave up his great idea ‘temporarily’.”
“He was collared again.”
Thales said quietly:
“Become another Nunn VII.”
King Kessel was deep in thought and did not speak.
On both sides of the long table, the king and the prince faced each other quietly.
At this moment, the Ballard Room was extremely quiet, and even the wind was no longer noisy, as if this scene did not allow any interruption.
Until Thales took a deep breath and looked at the Iron Fist King seriously again.
"In the stars, I can't stand your methods and don't accept your will. Of course I can endure it in dormancy, slowly figure it out, seize the opportunity to seize power, and wait for the top."
“This may be a more recognized and approved approach, a so-called ‘smarter’ approach that will be praised by history books and future generations, just like the previous two months.”
Ke Taylor changed the topic and showed hesitation:
“But after that scene at the banquet, I was scared.”
King Kessel sneered and said:
"Fear?"
Thales took a deep breath, nodded and said:
“I’m afraid that in my repeated acquiescence and concession, in the silence of ‘I actually don’t agree but I don’t speak’, I will gradually get used to it, become numb, and compromise to ‘it’.”
He said in a low voice:
"I'm afraid, I'll get used to your cruelty of quietly destroying countless families. I'll get used to your coldness of being indifferent in the face of desperate calls for help. I'll pay the price for being punished today, and I'll meet the next Anke in the future.
·Bailal, the next injustice happens, you will start to hesitate again and again."
Tales’ voice trembled:
“I’m afraid that one day I will be completely oblivious to everything, live in peace, and finally lose myself and accept the status quo.”
King Kessel’s eyes slowly changed.
"I'm afraid that when I actually sit on the throne and wear the crown, I will sit back and watch others die for me without any burden, without hesitation, and with a clear conscience."
"Not only do I take it for granted, I also think it is natural and even worse. As long as someone is unwilling to sacrifice for me and die for King Thales, I will be dissatisfied and angry. I will think that he does not love me, is not patriotic, and is a betrayal.
, even treason.”
Thales looked directly into King Kessel’s eyes, as if he wanted to see through all the defenses behind him:
“I’m afraid that I won’t even recognize myself.”
“I will no longer be Thales Bright Star, but an empty shell occupied by the ‘King of Stars’.”
Thales’ tone calmed down, leaving only emptiness and exhaustion:
“That scares me more than death, failure, or ruin.”
The voice fell.
The Ballard Room returned to dead silence.
But this time, the lights around seemed a little brighter.
A few seconds later, King Kessel raised his head slightly and his eyes fell on the portrait of the "wise minister" Halwa on the wall.
“It seems that you have made your choice a long time ago.” He said quietly.
Tales snorted lightly.
“I’m not going to play by your rules,” he affirmed, “nor theirs.”
Tales raised his head, his eyes solemn and firm:
“I’m not going to be the next Charmaine Lombard.”
“Or the next Kessel Shining Star.”
Tyle paused.
“Just like my blood has never and will never shine golden.”
Kaiser V lowered his head and looked at the prince seriously and seriously.
“Fuck the legend and the throne.”
Thales gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and knocked on his chest hard:
“My blood, from beginning to end, is bright red.”
“My red.”
King Kessel sneered.
The air in the Ballard room seemed to be flowing again.
“Tiles·Bright Star.”
He called Thales' name softly:
“Are you really ready to become the king’s enemy?”
Tales smiled when he heard this.
“You are old, Your Majesty.”
“This question was asked six years ago.”
Kessel’s eyes moved slightly.
The next second, Thales looked solemn and spoke decisively: