Kingdom’s Bloodline

Thales woke up when the first ray of sunlight from the east climbed onto the window sill and sprinkled into the room.

Like so many times over the past six years, he took a deep breath, got up from the ground, stretched his aching back, and threw the pillow and comforter back on the bed.

In the courtyard outside the window, the old tree was still thick—Thales learned from the chatter of the servants that this tree might have existed long before Exeter was established—the soldiers of Xingchen yawned, People in the outer Northland are changing shifts.

Still the same: one-third of the Grand Duke's personal guards, two-thirds of the palace guards.

Guard him tightly.

After washing, Thales sighed, raised his head from the washbasin, rubbed his face, and looked at everything around him again.

His gaze flicked over the classics on the desk, the sword and shield on the weapon rack, and everything in the room. He took a breath and shook his head in relief.

Thales strapped on his boots and belt as usual.

His movements were very slow and delicate, as if he was doing the most solemn thing, and even took more time than usual to adjust his collar and tighten his cuffs.

He rearranged some important belongings:

The jc dagger on the waist is as sharp as ever.

Always in his arms, a piece of black cloth that can cover his breathing.

Six years ago, the unlucky bracelet of blood fangs that she got from the Queen of the Night.

\u003ccenter\u003e\u003c/center\u003e King Nun gave him a handy palace map that hides a terrible secret.

There is also a piece of paper obtained from Mindis Hall, which is rough in drawing but has a very unusual authorship, on which is a sketch of a girl.

Thales silently folded the drawing paper into the map, rolled it into a scroll, wrapped it together with the bracelet with a black cloth, and stuffed it into his pocket.

Today is today.

There was a knock on the door.

The prince took a deep breath: "Come in."

The door opened, and Putilei walked into the room biting his pipe, and said with a smile, "It's so early."

The prince glanced at him, didn't speak, just walked to the window and looked at the scenery outside the window.

"I believe you already know that the last direct earl arrived in Dragon Clouds City last night," Puttilai snorted softly, "So, according to..."

Thales nodded, without any tension in his tone: "I know that since the vassals of Dragon Clouds City have gathered, the hearing day will be held today."

Yes, just today.

Looking at the familiar and unfamiliar scenery in the courtyard, he had mixed feelings: "How is the Qiyuan City Mission going?"

"Silence and silence."

"Where is Heisha collar?"

"No movement."

"In the Palace of Heroes?"

"Same as usual."

Thales nodded.

Before the storm, there is always calm.

Thales glanced across the entire Blood Garden.

He lived in a secluded place for more than two years—from the time when the young girl became an adult, he was driven to this forgotten place.

According to Joseph, the child in the back kitchen, this place used to be the convalescent place of a certain Grand Duke of Dragon Clouds—when the Grand Duke was terminally ill and the medicine was useless, he resolutely gave up the seat to the heir, while he himself Walking into this remote courtyard, I waited alone on the bed for that day, waiting for the bell of the prison river ferryman.

Starting from the unknown Grand Duke, the Blood Garden has become an ominous place next to the Palace of Heroes.

Thales silently looked at the dilapidated scene in the courtyard, but he had never felt such a sense of intimacy for this place as he did now.

The prince chuckled.

"What do you think of her?" Thales suddenly said, "Dragon Clouds City."

Puttilai behind raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was a little surprised by the prince's question.

"Dragon Clouds City?"

"A city," the thin old man exhaled a puff of smoke, and said calmly, "No more, no less."

No more and no less?

"She has stood here for thousands of years,

Thales looked at the faintly visible city gate in the distance, and shook his head: "In the past thousand years, countless people have come and gone, life and death. "

Kings, Grand Dukes, soldiers, nobles, commoners... even dragons.

or prince.

"But she still stands here, no matter who lives on it, no matter who rules, no matter who is buried here," Thales sighed: "She has witnessed everything for thousands of years."

Six years ago, the prince of Xingchen set foot on this land and almost ignited the flames of war that spread between the two countries.

Six years ago, the plague of blood came along with the night, destroying the city and killing people amidst the terrifying sound waves.

It was also six years ago that the Queen of the Sky descended from the sky, and in the deafening roar of the dragon, burned away the hustle and bustle of that night.

It was still six years ago, the blood of the dragon was spilled all over the place, the great born king died unexpectedly, the kingslayer stepped on his bones, and put on the blood-stained crown.

But she, Dragon Clouds City is still here, and continues to witness countless histories.

As in the past millennium.

The man behind him didn't reply, just exhaled a perfect smoke ring.

"two thousand."

Thales came back to his senses, his face moved slightly: "What?"

Puttilai snorted lightly, rather casually: "If you go back to Fort Arund in the ancient empire era, then Dragon Clouds City has a history of two thousand years."

Thales turned around and looked at him inexplicably.

"Three thousand years," the man smoking a pipe said with a joking smile on his face, "If you also count the ruins of the Northern King City in the Chronicles of the Kings,"

"And if we start from the ruins of the savage era, and even the animal skin tents of the orcs," Puttilai pouted at a mottled and faded Cloud Dragon Spear logo on the wall: "Four thousand years should not be a problem... Going up, I can count tens of thousands of years for you."

Thales raised his eyebrows.

"But this piece of land in Dragon Clouds City is still here," Puttilai shook his head, with a hint of disapproval in his words: "And you have to do it for hundreds of thousands and tens of millions of years from ancient times to the present. Do the ants in the soil under your feet pray once, lamenting the history of Dragon Clouds City?"

"Take it easy, because you are nothing to Dragon Clouds City."

The prince was at a loss for words.

Thales turned his gaze and exhaled helplessly.

"Puttilai."

The prince shook his head mockingly: "When it comes to spoiling the fun, you are really unmatched."

Thales let go of the emotion in his heart, turned and walked towards the door.

Puttilai laughed lightly, looking at the prince's back, he let out a light breath.

"Forty-three years ago, I came to Dragon Clouds City for the first time."

Thales paused.

Puttilai's voice continued to sound, with an inexplicable long meaning: "That was 635, the year before the death of King Kahn and the year before King Nun's coronation."

It's been so long.

Puttilai stared at the floor under his feet, unconsciously rubbing the pipe in his hand.

all the past.

He shook his head with a smile and said, "I was fifteen years old at the time, and as the newly appointed prince's attendant, I was an out-and-out fool."

Thales turned around, frowning.

"Aide?" The prince asked tentatively, "So you followed..."

"yes."

"The eldest son of the former king, Your Highness Midil," Putilei said without looking at him, and snorted softly, "At that time he was a little younger than you now, and he was also unlucky enough to get involved in trouble."

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

Midil Canxing.

is that story.

The story that King Nuln told him after that duel six years ago.

The story about the young Canxing who went to the Kingdom of the Dragon and faced the King and the Grand Duke resolutely and fearlessly.

The thin man stroked his old pipe.

"With the mission of His Majesty Eddie, our young mission stepped into Dragon Clouds City...excited, excited, curious, nervous, apprehensive, trembling—all the silly things you can imagine."

"Glorver's eyes are wide open, as if he thinks that as long as this is the case, the Northlanders will respect him; the old smoker Albert has never put down his pipe, and he didn't even touch it for a few days; Big Barney is the deputy captain of the royal guard. Suspicious, he probably felt that there might be enemies hidden in His Highness's ear holes; Sakeel was a rookie in the guard, and it was his first expedition with His Highness, he tried his best to put on a serious look, even now Wyatt's Not as good."

Puttilai stopped smoking his pipe.

His gaze froze in mid-air, looking towards the distance that only existed in memory.

"But the eldest son of the king, young Midil just smiled."

Thales didn't speak. He thought about the day when he first arrived in Dragon Clouds City, and then pictured in his mind the day when another Canxing arrived in Dragon Clouds City 43 years ago.

"He seems to want to bury all emotions in his laugh lines, no matter sadness or pain, no matter nervousness or apprehension."

The room fell silent.

Puttilai sucked the pipe into his mouth again and took a sharp puff.

It's like wanting to leave a memory of the past.

"Decades have passed, when I returned to Dragon Clouds City," Puttilai's face was blurred in the smoke, but his voice could be heard vaguely, and Thales couldn't read. Understandable feelings: "I thought I would feel relieved, or sigh, or, as an experiencer, smile at this original city?"

"Just like you are now, facing this city with sorrow and sorrow."

The smoke dissipated, and the thin old man raised his head.

"But no." He said indifferently.

Thales frowned.

Putilei looked straight at him, with cold eyes: "There is nothing."

Thales held his breath unconsciously.

"Because the only memory that comes back to my eyes is not the bricks, tiles, plants and trees of Dragon Clouds City."

Puttilai shook his head, he raised his footsteps and walked towards the prince.

Thales stared at him blankly, not knowing how to reply.

"After many years, I figured it out," Putilei stood in front of Thales, looking straight into his eyes: "What I really remember is not Dragon Clouds City."

"It's just the smiles of my companions in Dragon Clouds City and His Highness Midil."

It is the old people who walked together ignorantly that year.

"It's not this land that is worth remembering," the old man said softly, "it's the people on this land and the stories you shared with them."

silence.

After a long while, Thales, who was in a complicated mood, could barely speak: "What about them?"

Putilai's eyes moved.

"The missions back then," the prince added silently, "those people who went through the story with you?"

But Putillai didn't answer.

He walked forward without hesitation, passed Thales' side, and walked out of the room.

"You should go."

Thales raised his head and stared at the window for a long time.

"Yes," Thales sighed softly, and straightened his already neat collar: "It's time to go."

The prince turned and stepped out of the room.

————

"Although this is an order from Your Majesty the Grand Duchess, I still suggest that you keep a low profile at the hearing," Lord Justin, who was in charge of guarding the corridor leading from the Blood Garden to the Palace of Heroes, said coldly, "In your capacity, It is very unwise to appear too high-profile in front of the Earls of Dragon Clouds City."

"Of course," Thales' expression remained unchanged: "Thank you for your reminder, Lord."

He automatically ignored the guards of Dragon Clouds City around him, and accompanied by Huai Ya and Rolf, he walked forward with serious thoughts.

Justin nodded before returning to his ranks.

Wyah pouted, obviously dissatisfied with the attitude of the former White Blade Guard deputy commander.

The attendant's face was gloomy, his eyes were serious, and he clearly sensed the stormy atmosphere. Beside him, Rolf's face was still hidden under the silver mask, and he couldn't tell his mood.

"Why didn't you bring Miss Ada?" Huai Ya said worriedly, "On such a big day, your safety..."

"You heard what the Lord said." Thales shook his head and sighed: "In the serious Hall of Heroes, she can probably only cause trouble—especially when facing the Northlanders."

Rolf turned his head, glanced at Wyah contemptuously, and made a gesture that Wyah couldn't understand.

"But as you said, Your Highness, the vassals of Dragon Clouds City are not the Grand Duchess, their attitude towards you," Huai Ya suppressed his dissatisfaction with his companion, took two steps forward, and said softly: "You know, This is a dispute between the Northlanders, and you can stay out of it."

Thales raised his eyebrows.

"Wyah, do you miss the past?"

Huai Ya was stunned for a moment by the irrelevant answer: "Your Highness?"

Thales shook his head, and smiled lightly as if he had just realized it: "I'm sorry...you know, Puttilai is very sad today, it feels like the old man's advice before leaving, mother-in-law and mother--I was also influenced by him .”

Wyatt looked at the prince suspiciously, he kept on stepping, and the worry in his eyes became even more serious: "Of course I miss the past, Your Highness, but I am more concerned about the future... your future."

Thales pursed his lips.

Rolf on the side let out a mocking hum, which made Wyah feel uneasy again.

"Rolf," the prince shifted his focus: "Will you miss the past?"

Thales turned his head to look at the ghost with the wind, and recalled the distant past in his heart: "You know, those blood bottle gangs, the days when there was blood on the streets."

Rolf's eyes showed confusion.

But after a few seconds, the Wind Follower quickly raised his head and made a gesture.

【No. 】

"No?" Thales sighed: "At least you were free then."

The eyes on Rolf's mask moved slightly.

free?

Blood Bottle Gang...

Boss Catherine... Nekla...

Rolf clenched his fists and felt a dull pain in his throat and knees in a trance.

He raised his hands again, signed in sign language, and continued his private conversation with the prince.

Huai Ya, who was watching from the side, felt quite uncomfortable.

[Body, freedom. 】

Rolf's eyes were indifferent, he patted his heart:

[But here, it's not. 】

Thales sneered.

"So you would rather continue your current life?" The prince shook his head: "This is not an easy way to go."

Rolf let out a heavy "ho" from his mouth, as if he sneered at the employer's words.

The former Wind Follower shrugged and tapped his knee.

There was a clang of metal from under the clothes.

[So I changed my legs. 】

Thales laughed lightly, causing the guards on both sides to turn their heads frequently.

"Very good," the prince seemed to be in a happy mood: "You go to the hall with me today, Midilla."

Rolf nodded.

But Wyatt immediately realized something was wrong:

"Your Highness?"

Thales glanced back at his attendant: "And you stay outside the hall, Wyah."

Wyatt's face changed.

"but……"

Before he finished speaking, Thales turned around and grabbed Wyatt's shoulder, pulling him towards him.

"listen."

"I need you outside and I need to do something for me. It may sound absurd." Thales, who was a head taller than the prince, was pulled close to the latter, listening to him whisper: "Actually, I Hope it doesn't work..."

"Your Highness," Wyatt lowered his expression and said anxiously, "If you feel something is wrong, please..."

But Thales interrupted him.

"Remember what I told you a few days ago," the prince's expression was normal, but his eyes were extremely serious: "Wyah, no matter what happened..."

Huai Ya was stunned. Looking at Thales' appearance, the scene of their first meeting emerged in his mind.

prince……

you……

"I know, 'Don't panic'," the attendant's voice was a bit bitter, repeating Thales' words: "There is also 'believe you'."

Thales nodded and smiled: "Then do you believe me?"

Huai Ya didn't speak, he tensed his face, pressed his fist to his heart, and bowed slightly.

Thales patted him on the shoulder, smiled and nodded.

They continued to walk forward, past the increasing number of palace guards and the Grand Duke's personal guard, until they stood in front of the familiar Hall of Heroes.

Hearing Day.

Thales chewed the word with a serious heart, and walked into the hall.

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