Kingdom’s Bloodline

The hall was silent, and a needle could be heard. novel

The nobles watched the confrontation between the Grand Duchess and the envoy from Qiyuan City with different expressions.

Ian stared in astonishment, as if he couldn't understand what the Grand Duchess said.

Almost everyone in the hall stared at him unkindly.

Ian took a deep breath and raised his head with a puzzled expression: "But... the war of the Freedom Alliance is just around the corner."

Thelma in the seat twitched the corners of her mouth slightly.

She nodded slowly: "Yes."

Ian raised his hand suspiciously and contradictoryly, as if he wanted to express something, but put it down halfway.

The heir of Qiyuan City gritted his teeth and frowned deeply: "You know, this is a war of great significance to you and your family—especially after Dragon Clouds City lost its king."

His words were a little anxious: "Do you also know that the person sitting at the other end of the chessboard is His Majesty Charmain who hates you to the bone?"

The faces of the vassals became tighter.

Selma lowered her head weakly, and said the next sentence as if sighing: "Yes, I know."

Her voice was weak, like a whimper.

Ian seemed to be encouraged, his eyes became active, he looked around a few times as if seeking support, and smiled quite relaxed: "Very good."

"Then you should know your current situation. You know that your prestige is far from enough to support you, especially..."

Ian paused, looked around the audience, and sighed with regret: "Especially, you are still a woman—a female Grand Duke."

At that moment, the prince felt that all the nobles in the hall adjusted their expressions unnaturally.

On the seats of the six earls, Linna tilted his head and gritted his teeth lightly, while Kierkegaard stared at the Grand Duchess intently.

Hearst's eyes seemed to burst into flames, and Earl Curtson's eyebrows were almost tangled together.

Both Lisbane and Count Nazer looked at the Grand Duchess with complicated expressions, and the meaning in their eyes was hard to find.

The Grand Duchess raised her head.

Taylor's heart tightened.

The girl let out a sigh of relief, showing a relieved expression.

Her eyes were calm: "Yes, I know this too."

The tone is normal.

It seems that what the other party said is just such trivial things as "the weather is fine today", "this bowl of soup is good", "read the book patiently", "don't rush to change".

Ian frowned: "Then you..."

The Grand Duchess interrupted him.

"However, I am a Walton after all."

Her voice was still small.

But there is an unquestionable firmness.

The eyes of the six vassals under her moved in unison.

Ian was taken aback for a moment: "What?"

"Walton."

"Walton, the successor of King Nakaru, Walton of Dragon Spear in the Cloud, and Walton of Dragon Cloud City," Selma looked at Ian indifferently: "Do you know the meaning of this surname? "

Ian narrowed his eyes first, and then showed an expression of disbelief.

"Walton?"

He exhaled impatiently: "Selma! Wake up! Think about the scene just now, think about the attitude of your vassals."

"Then think about my proposal," Ian waved his hands angrily, "This is the only way for you to save the situation!"

The viscount's words echoed in the hall.

The expressions of the vassals became unnatural again.

Thelma smiled.

Her and Ian's eyes met in the air.

"No," the Grand Duchess said softly, "It's not."

"The reason why Walton is Walton," Selma turned her gaze to each of the vassals with different expressions, "is because Cloud Dragonlance never fought alone: ​​seven hundred years ago, Nike Ru stood in the sky with a gun, and young Walton followed..."

"And under the cloud separated by the dragon's wings, after the eight knights on the ground..."

"Lisbane, Nazer, Kierkegaard, Hearst... Countless famous and unnamed knights of the Northland charged forward without hesitation."

"Standing together, they jointly forged the battle to reverse the cold wind, tear away the darkness shrouded in disaster, and win the future for the world."

Under her seat, Earl Hearst's expression changed: "Ma'am..."

The expressions of the other vassals became more serious.

Seven hundred years ago.

Thales sighed.

He couldn't help but think of the portrait of Tormund in the Mindis Hall: the mournful King of Restoration also charged with a gun, while the six knights with scars on his side raised their reins and attacked without complaint.

He thought again of the madness of Giza vs. Ashida.

Boom!

At this moment, Thelma slapped the seat and stood up unexpectedly!

The whole hall was slightly startled.

But nothing was more shocking than what the Grand Duchess did next.

"Gentlemen, today, at this time, here, I, the Grand Duchess of Dragon Clouds City, Selma Walton," the girl's light and clear voice sounded in the Hall of Heroes, echoing between the thick stone bricks : "The wartime call-up order for Dragon Clouds City is officially issued!"

"Dragon Clouds City, declare war on the Freedom Alliance!"

Thales' breathing stagnated.

coming.

Under the numbness and shock that everyone had no time to react, the Grand Duchess took a step forward with a resolute expression.

Her voice was indifferent and harsh, but full of unprecedented power: "In a few days, the Walton family will take the initiative to send troops to the west to aid Qiyuan City and march to the Freedom Alliance!"

"Use the blood of repeated betrayals and the heads of sinister villains to re-prove the honor of Dragon Clouds City!"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Ian stared blankly at Selma with his big mouth that seemed to never close again.

The vassals were not much better either. Pairs of shock-filled eyes were fixed on the Grand Duchess. The performance of the six earls was much more stable, but their body movements were enough to show the anomaly: Hester almost threw the seat The chair was scratched, Kotsen clenched his fist tightly, and Kierkegaard's broken arm firmly pressed against the arm of the chair.

The most senior Regent of Lisbane and Count Nazer stared at each other closely without saying a word.

No one seemed to be able to respond appropriately to the Grand Duchess's words.

Until Ian took a deep breath, like a drowning person finally surfacing.

He wiped his chin, and said anxiously:

"Ms. Selma, as I said...we don't need you to send troops to help us, what we value is just a gesture and position..."

He was greeted by Thelma's snapped response:

"This has nothing to do with you, Your Excellency the Viscount!"

Ian's words were cut off on his lips, he opened his hands in disbelief, and stared blankly at the Grand Duchess.

"It's just my decision."

Only the Grand Duchess said coldly: "It is also something that Longxiao City must do."

The audience was stunned by the girl's sudden toughness.

Only Thales in the corner raised the corner of his mouth slightly, looking at his partner of six years, and only he habitually noticed that the outline of the girl's fist under the left sleeve was trembling slightly.

Well done Thelma, keep going.

He said silently in his heart.

"And I need the response from all of you—the twenty-three noble families present here," the Grand Duchess slowly turned her eyes and glanced at everyone in the hall: "Just like twenty years ago, just like six hundred years ago, you and your His ancestors stood by the side of the two Kings of Nun with full loyalty without complaint or regret countless times."

Her voice was still clear, with a hint of desperate determination.

But there was no proper response.

No one spoke.

All the vassals looked at her quietly, and after the astonishment, suspicion and prudence gradually appeared on their faces, and gradually deepened as they looked at each other.

The hall remained silent.

Even Lisbane was silent.

Thelma turned pale.

Thales on the seat closed his eyes.

not enough.

selma.

This is not enough!

The Grand Duchess scanned the audience with an ugly expression—every vassal she caught turned her eyes unnaturally.

"Everyone!" Selma gritted her teeth and said, "The battle horn has sounded, and Dragon Clouds City needs you!"

But still no one responded.

Thales stuck out his toe and poked Ian unknowingly.

The Viscount Qi Yuancheng moved slightly.

Ian turned around apprehensively.

After seeing clearly that no one spoke on the field, he let out a sigh of relief and showed a calm smile.

"Ms. Selma, I hate to interrupt you..."

Ian clicked his tongue and turned his head, shrugging.

"But your vassals have made it very clear just now, do you want their response? Then marry and give up the power," His Excellency the Viscount nodded slightly, his eyes cleared: "You can't ask for a deal without return."

Many vassals' faces darkened, and some looked at His Excellency the Viscount coldly.

"And since it's a deal, you might as well choose the most affordable one..."

Thelma gritted her teeth and raised her head angrily.

The girl spoke again, interrupting Ian: "Everyone!"

"This will not be a deal, nor a compromise, and it has nothing to do with my marriage."

"It's just my will!"

But in the huge Hall of Heroes, on both sides of the oval stone hall, no one answered.

It was as if someone had silenced the sound.

Ian, who was watching the situation, frowned.

On the steps, Thelma seemed to be under a heavy weight, looking at the silent hall with difficulty.

A pair of eyes mixed with confusion, suspicion, calculation, and dissatisfaction shot at her.

But no response.

As if this was just her one-man show.

Selma suddenly felt her legs tremble slightly.

No.

She clenched her teeth unconsciously, her heart beating faster.

No……

A sense of panic hit my heart.

this……

what to do……

At this moment, Selma suddenly noticed: Among those eyes, only one pair of eyes remained calm and calm as before.

Just looking at her quietly from a distance, as always.

Like the past six years.

The owner of the eyes smiled at her, raised his left hand, and nodded his thumb.

Thelma shuddered slightly: her thumb, which was tucked under her left sleeve, suddenly felt heavy in her nervous trance.

It was a ring.

Six years ago, that guy personally put on the ring for her.

Those eyes blinked slightly, then turned away.

But just this blink seemed to give the girl strength.

Thelma's cheeks trembled slightly, and she took a deep breath.

The girl did not look at the audience aimlessly, but turned to the most senior earl next.

"Dear Earl Nazer, thank you for your speech just now."

Count Nazer had been staring at Lisbane closely, and he slowly turned his gaze when he heard this: "Ma'am..."

Selma's face turned serious, and she said the following words with difficulty: "You let me see what kind of predicament Dragon Clouds City is in now: we can no longer dwell on the regrets and misfortunes of the past."

"But this also makes me more convinced: the future of Dragon Clouds City cannot be guarded by suspicion and calculation between the monarch and his ministers, and among the vassals."

At that moment, Earl Nazer's eyes moved.

"That's why I won't exchange my marriage for your compromise—Dragon Clouds City hasn't been divided and weakened enough to rely on internal marriages to free up hands and unify to the outside world."

Nazel slowly leaned back on the seat behind him, still silent.

"The honor and victory behind my grandfather and father can only be maintained and won by us!"

The top six earls reacted differently, with different expressions.

The Grand Duchess glanced at Ian, and then looked at her vassals again: "Only in this way can we truly prevent external forces from meddling in Dragon Clouds City—no matter what kind of method it is."

Ian was a little embarrassed: "This is a little too much, Selma..."

But Thelma didn't give him another chance to speak.

"So, no matter what," the girl took a deep breath: "The Walton family will go to the west, with King Nunn's legacy, follow in the footsteps of Prince Suriel, and take back what belongs to us!"

Thelma stood in front of her seat, in front of the soul-killing gun, looked around the audience, clenched her fists, her face was pale.

"Even if..."

The Grand Duchess gritted her teeth: "Even if no family responds to me."

Inhaling sounds at different speeds sounded in the quiet hall.

"Even if it's just us going out with one flag."

Facing the fluctuating tone of the Grand Duchess, many of the vassals' expressions became strange.

Even the guards who had no right to speak couldn't help but look at it frequently.

Ian sighed.

"You know, Thelma, you don't have to."

"It's going to be ugly," the Viscount's eyes began to look solemn and vigilant: "Whether it's now or when we go out."

"Forcing troops will only push everyone to the brink of tearing their skin apart, and will further damage your already unstable prestige, and what you will receive will only be greater humiliation."

"Let you have no way back."

A hole seemed to be pierced by this sentence in the stagnant atmosphere.

The faces of the vassals changed more and more quickly, and it became more and more difficult to read.

"Yeah," Thelma smiled wryly, "I know."

The Grand Duchess then looked at her vassals with complicated expressions, her eyes were misty.

"I know that I am far inferior to the former His Majesty Nuen. Maybe I won't be able to do it all my life—everyone, you may not look down on me or the little girl in the Grand Duke's seat. If there is resentment, maybe everyone has their own plans."

Earl Curtson seemed to be in deep thought with his mouth crooked.

The Grand Duchess sighed: "But I still hope that at this moment, you can bring your own warriors and glory and stand with me and Longxiao City."

Earl Hearst's beard trembled slightly.

"Prove to the outside world, prove to this guest of Qiyuan City who claims that a single marriage can save me from my predicament: Dragon Clouds City is still strong and united, and I don't need to bow to outsiders to protect myself."

Count Linna clenched his fist unnaturally, twisting his knuckles back and forth.

The next second, Thelma raised her left hand with a solemn expression, letting the sleeve slide off her forearm, revealing her white wrist.

The ring on the thumb is even more exposed.

"Everyone, I believe that no one in this world is more qualified and capable than you and my vassals to fight for me and win for me."

"Because I am Dragon Clouds City."

Seeing that ring, everyone in the hall frowned!

As if remembering something.

"But Longxiao City is not only me, but also everyone here."

In front of everyone's eyes, the Grand Duchess gently took off the large ring inlaid with black stones, and held it up high.

"Everyone, in Walton's name, I'm going to war!"

The Grand Duchess's eyes turned cold, and she shouted:

"Are you coming?"

Thales was slightly shocked!

Are you... coming?

The girl's voice echoed in the hall again, but this time, all the vassals were staring at the black ring.

Looking at the people and things represented behind it.

Lisbon looked complicated.

The one-armed count closed his eyes.

Earl Nazer's expression tensed up rarely.

The vassals looked around in surprise and whispered to each other.

"Everyone, I still believe," Selma stepped forward and said coldly: "As vassals, you will not allow a foreign guest to take away your responsibilities and obligations with pleasure, and then treat you in front of you." Show off your power."

Ian was taken aback.

The girl raised the ring on her hand horizontally, facing the stone carving of the Dragon Spear in the Cloud above the hall.

"The most loyal vassals of the Walton family, His Majesty Nunn's siblings!"

The girl's voice sounded again: "Are you coming?"

Listening to the Grand Duchess' words, Thales was a little dazed.

He seemed to have returned to six years ago, back to the days when he ran away in despair. In the refuge of the Haoyue Temple, he did the same, desperately yelling similar words at Nicolai who was about to flee.

[But this is my decision...]

[Northern people? 】

【Are you coming? 】

The hum of vassals began to grow louder.

Thales' eyes met Nicolai's on the steps, and the prince saw similar surprise in the meteorite's eyes.

she……

selma...

you……

Little slick...

Unexplainable emotions welled up from his heart, which was hard to suppress.

He could only recall six years ago over and over again.

[Yes, we are going to commit suicide. 】

[Northern people, are you coming? 】

【Are you coming...】

"Dragon Clouds City!"

In the hall, Thelma's voice mentioned the limit that can be achieved, and the young girl's high voice floated in the ancient palace: "Are you coming?"

The hall gradually fell silent.

Quite a few vassals had finished their restless conversations, and their eyes were all raised, looking at the most important people.

waiting for their decision.

The Grand Duchess gritted her teeth, her arm holding the ring trembled slightly, her eyes were reddish.

"Northern people!"

She was yelling at almost everyone in the hall: "Are you coming?"

clang!

A guard who suppressed his emotions accidentally pressed the hilt of the sword, and the sword body collided with the wall, making a piercing sound.

The sharp sound made everyone's mood more tense and the atmosphere more depressing.

But there was still no response from the hall.

Only the Grand Duchess gritted her teeth, her eyes trembling, holding the ring of triumph that symbolized the Grand Duke of Dragon Clouds City, standing alone in front of the Soul Slayer Spear, facing the restless men in the entire hall.

Among the six earls, the anomalies of Curtson, Hester, and Linna could hardly be concealed. They exchanged anxious glances with each other, as if they could not reach an agreement for a long time.

one second.

The one-armed count remained silent with his eyes closed.

two seconds.

Ian narrowed his eyes and let out a rather gloomy breath.

three seconds.

The silent confrontation between Lisbane and Nazer seemed to have come to an end, but they remained silent and waited.

Time is getting longer and longer.

The atmosphere in the hall was getting more and more uncomfortable.

until……

Until a suppressed laughter, low but piercing, sounded from the crowd and spread to the entire hall.