Kingdom’s Bloodline

"Tell me, child, among so many orcs in the world...cough cough...cough..."

Uncle's voice was accompanied by a heavy cough, and even the hooves of the guards on both sides couldn't cover it up.

"...Which one is the most dangerous?"

He raised his eyes from the dirt under the horse's hooves:

"The dying kind."

Riding on the horse, he was not in high spirits, and he was a full body behind his uncle's carriage.

"Yes, the dying one." Uncle's weak voice seemed to be injected with new vitality.

Just like my uncle who was once in his prime, he pointed out Jiangshan and reprimanded Fang Qiu.

"It's like the stinger of a sand scorpion hidden behind its tail, like the fangs of a poisonous snake buried deep in its mouth, like dangerous quicksand hidden underground."

At that time, my uncle's back was majestic and tall, his arms were powerful, and his voice was deep and deep.

Thinking of this, he gave a low hum, clamped his horse and urged the whip, hurried a few steps, and came to the carriage.

But my uncle is like a desert after a storm, his boosted voice returns to a decadent and hoarse voice:

"So, which kind of orc is the safest?"

He answered unhurriedly:

"The dead kind."

"That's what the old Maester Mann taught you." Uncle shook his head and said, "A dead orc is a good orc."

"But I want to say, Cyril, the safest orc..."

"It's also the dying kind."

He froze for a moment.

Uncle's weak voice rose and fell as the horse advanced:

"Because they are like the arrows at the end of a crossbow, like the tail of a terrible sandstorm, like the afterglow of burning fuel."

"Massive momentum, but no stamina."

He clamped the horse's belly,

Frowning severely:

"This damned charade... old man, did you come back to power last night and fell in love with a priestess of the Temple of the Dark Night?"

"Or worse... male priest?"

The uncle's voice was quiet for a moment, and only the hooves of the guards could be heard for a moment.

After a few seconds.

"All right."

Uncle smiled helplessly while coughing:

"Maybe that's why I like you."

Hearing his uncle's cough worse than last week, his heart sank, and he pulled himself together:

"'Like me' if that's your last words, old man."

"I have to say, it sucks."

He pretended to be relaxed and whistled:

"Let everyone who hears this think you are an old pervert who likes to play with your nephew."

Uncle was silent again.

The guards on both sides were still dutifully marching side by side, their faces not moving, as if they hadn't heard their conversation at all.

After a long time, my uncle's helpless and weak voice finally resounded:

"... dying orcs are both dangerous and safe, so why did the desolate bone man say that Moshen has neither disaster nor forgiveness? Because disaster and forgiveness are switched back and forth between one thought."

"That's why we have to be more vigilant at all times."

He scratched his ears helplessly.

Uncle's words continued, becoming more and more serious:

"The princes led by the blade seem to have changed their minds and kept themselves safe, but in fact their nature is hard to change. Sooner or later they will make mistakes."

"The fat profiteers in the East China Sea seem to have a lot of friends and are kind and harmless, but they are used to breaking the river and destroying bridges when they see the wind."

"Yadi pretends to be aloof, arrogant, neutral and selfless, but they are just a group of stinky rats relying on the natural dangers of the mountains."

"As for that gutless old bastard on the south bank, hmph, he's more closed and conservative than the priestess who got out of bed."

"None of them can be relied upon."

Uncle's voice dropped.

He was silent for a while while listening silently, and then suddenly said:

"Old man, you..."

"Have you ever been to a female priest?"

There was a heavy pounding sound in the carriage!

"you"

It seemed that my uncle was choked again, and even his breathing became disordered.

A smile curled up from the corner of his lips.

Finally, the uncle suppressed his anger and sighed:

"Hey, forget it... In contrast, the old Dylan in the northern border is tenacious, self-improving..."

"Unfortunately, their position is too bad. Once something changes, they will bear the brunt of it, and it is difficult to help them."

Sure enough, before I changed my uncle... Listen to me making fun of him like this...

Feeling depressed, he no longer thought about it, but raised his head and looked at the growing vegetation on both sides of Enshi Avenue:

"You seem to have missed the most important thing?"

Uncle's breath stopped.

The convoy turned a big bend, and a few farmers driving on the side of the road shrank back tremblingly, waiting for the four-eyed skull flag to pass.

After a long while, the uncle's weak voice sounded again, with the lingering resentment and resentment:

"The stars beyond the sky...high above."

"You can only look from a distance, not delusional."

"Even less trustworthy."

He felt a deep chill from his uncle's tone.

"Remember."

Uncle's words turned into a thick and ominous cough.

He didn't speak.

After several seconds, he let go of the palm that was about to break the rein.

Amidst his uncle's uncomfortable coughing, he took a deep breath and forced himself to laugh:

"Listen to you, we should be independent and lonely."

"Everywhere doesn't fit together, people hate it?"

Uncle's cough stopped, but he didn't speak immediately, only the sound of horseshoes and wheels.

Finally, a long sigh came from the carriage:

"Isn't that... the meaning of our existence?"

There is helplessness, but also relief.

Duke Falkenhauser opened his eyes.

In front of his eyes, the prince was staring at him nervously.

Thales' arm was stiff behind him, holding down the dagger under the quilt.

He penetrated the half-smiling eyes of the Duke of Xihuang, and seemed to see another bloody and hideous dead man's head with hollow eye sockets.

Brazing child.

etc.

If Falkenhauser was behind the assassination of Heyman...

Why did he tell me this time?

What are his interests if he directly admits this matter in front of another Canxing?

Is it a head start, a harbinger of a turnaround, or another purpose?

As usual, Thales took a deep breath, and while deliberately showing a surprised gaffe that satisfied the other party, he began to think frantically about the key.

From the beggar era to the life of a prince, this trick is quite effective for guys like Quaid and Nicolai who are not smart and self-righteous, and even for guys like ghosts like Ian, the annoying ghost, and Monty, the death croak. Miraculous effect: They can always gain a sense of superiority and wisdom in their hands from Thales' flustered performance, thus exposing the biggest flaw in contempt and satisfaction.

After experiencing many ups and downs, this is Thales' most skilled instinct.

He was so proficient that he couldn't even tell when the gaffe was real and when it was deliberately acted out.

But this trick occasionally fails.

For example, facing King Charman in the carriage.

for example……

Now.

"Why, living too comfortably in the Northland? Is this scary?"

The playful words of the Duke of Xihuang sounded again. He stared at Thales who seemed to be stunned, and seemed a little dissatisfied:

"How about this one?"

which?

Before Thales had time to think about it, he saw Cyril stretch out his hand and hold the crutch on his...

That long sword.

The prince was shocked.

"Shua!"

With the sound of metal rubbing against leather, the blade was unsheathed, and a piece of silver light was drawn in the air!

Oops!

The sin of Hell River was so nerve-wracking that Thales instinctively fell off the bed and rolled on the spot!

What are you kidding?

At a safe distance away from the silver light, he stood up and bent his knees, holding his dagger horizontally, posing in an iron body pose.

Thales looked in shock at Cyril Falkenhauser who was still sitting comfortably on the chair.

The long-handled sword that had just been unsheathed was held in the palm of the Duke, and as the Duke's wrist turned slightly, it slowly drew an arc.

It was full of chill and full of momentum.

There is a faint sense of coercion.

"Very well, at least you're not as mean as you seem."

Cyril smiled grimly, regardless of the prince's pale face.

What are you doing?

Thales looked at Cyril in disbelief.

This is... a turnaround?

But Thales is more concerned about another thing:

Yordle, who was hiding in the dark, remained silent, and did not respond when he saw him fall into danger.

what happened?

That guy won't be really angry because of what happened just now, will he?

The kind that can't be coaxed well?

But when Thales was thinking about the way out with a headache, the familiar hoarse voice still rang softly in his ears.

"calm."

The masked guard's voice was ethereal, almost like a mosquito, but Thales's tight breathing was relaxed:

"not him."

not him.

The familiar voice made Taylor's heart fall back into his chest.

not him.

But at that moment, looking at Cyril's malicious smile, Thales seemed to have caught something.

This is the Saber Camp, a territory directly under the royal family, where a considerable number of standing troops are stationed.

The legendary wing is on the side, and King Kessel is behind.

Accepting the blame and threatening the prince no matter what, Falkenhauser should not have done so.

The prince whose thoughts were interrupted by the fighting stance took several deep breaths and forced himself to think again.

Then why...

Why……

not him.

After Jodl's reminder, Thales, who seemed to have figured something out, asked, but he didn't dare to relax his fighting posture for a moment:

"Are you the murderer?"

Cyril stared at him fixedly, the long sword in his hand was extremely stable, and his eyes were full of splendor.

Finally, in the tense confrontation, Duke Xihuang chuckled and shook his head:

"It seems you don't know."

Under Thales' solemn expression, Cyril's cold smile slowly faded away.

The Duke put the long-handled sword to his knees, played with it slowly, and stopped looking at Thales.

I have no idea?

Thales, who didn't understand, took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You said, you put the assassin in front of Prince Hayman..."

The prince gritted his teeth and asked:

"but why……"

Falkenhauser didn't turn his head, but just looked at the exquisite long sword on his knee.

"Because it was his will."

Thales' questioning stopped abruptly.

His wishes?

This time, before Thales started to ask questions, Duke Cyril replied softly, with a erratic voice and complicated emotions:

"It was he who took the initiative to find them."

"Find those assassin shadow shields."

Thales was stunned.

But.

But……

Hyman?

And the Shadow Shield?

Thales understood the Duke's words, and immediately widened his eyes.

"Eighteen years ago," Cyril said lightly:

"Heyman found me and asked me to help him as much as possible, to help him avoid those personal guards who came from the royal guards and Canxing soldiers, and to complete his private meeting with some strange 'guests'."

"More than once."

Avoid the guards.

strange guests.

The cold wind blew into the room, shaking Duke Xihuang's leather robe slightly, his gray hair fluttering.

The wind also brought up endless flying dust, and in the sunlight, countless particles that people didn't often notice were flying back and forth in the real body, rolling in the air strangely.

Cyril's eyes are still spinning, seeming to be shining:

"Until...the last time."

the last time.

For some reason, Thales suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

"Shadow Shield, avoid the eyes and ears of the royal family, meet, so..."

The unbelievable Thales put down the dagger and straightened his waist.

He moved his lips with difficulty:

"The Year of Blood...he did it?"

"Hyman?"

On the top floor of the Ghost Prince Tower, the narrow room fell silent.

Only the faint noise under the window could be heard.

And the fierce cold wind that is unbearably cold at high places.

But the prince only felt that he had fallen into a deep and thick fog.

And he is getting closer and closer to the truth behind the fog.

In the dungeon, Samir's hateful words came to his mind:

[Is it the 'beauty' Heyman who has a good skin and good literary talent, but is narrow-minded and vicious? 】

[Son kills father, or brother kills brother? 】

The fourth prince, Haiman Canxing?

Cyril did not answer.

But Thales shook his head immediately after only being in a trance for a few seconds, and countless mysteries rushed forward:

"But why...why?"

"If he is the shining star behind the scenes..."

"Then why did the Shadow Shield kill him?"

It doesn't make sense.

He stared at Falkenhauser as if in a daze.

The Duke gently closed his eyes, then opened them again, with his arms on his knees, leaning forward.

He restrained his expression, looked sideways at Thales, and showed a faint but human laugh again:

"I also want to know."

Thales was taken aback:

"you do not know?"

Cyril chuckled lightly, as if he didn't care:

"No."

"Maybe he's just too stupid to be blacked out."

"Perhaps he was a victim in the first place, destined to be betrayed."

"Maybe he is just an insider, but he is doomed in the end."

"Maybe even he just got involved unintentionally, trying to turn the tide."

Cyril lowered his head, the corners of his lips were slightly raised, he didn't know whether it was sarcasm or sneer:

"But...he doesn't want me to know."

he does not know.

Thales was not satisfied with this answer.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward slowly, and sat on the end of the bed again, facing the Duke.

"Really?"

"He asked you to do a favor without letting you know the truth, and you agreed? Not even asking?"

Thales said coldly:

"You are being too generous."

Cyril turned his head slowly.

It might be an illusion, but Thales suddenly felt that Duke Falkenhauser's hideous face eased a lot.

"Believe it or not, kid."

Cyril's eyes suddenly became serious, and his sunken lips opened and closed under the sun:

"Heyman is one of the few friends I have, at least compared to his brothers who only think about conspiracy, killing, money and women."

"He spoke up, so I helped, it was as simple as that."

Thales frowned deeply.

Brothers full of conspiracy, killing, money and women...

Cyril observed Thales' expression, shook his head and chuckled.

But the Prince's next words changed his expression.

"Does this have anything to do with Prince Horace?"

Thales stretched his brows, but the solemnity in his eyes couldn't be added:

"The reason why Heyman went to find the Shadow Shield, but ended up dying in his hands?"

At that moment, Falkenhauser's expression froze.

Horace.

He stared at Thales, still ugly and hideous, but he no longer had that sense of laughter.

"Why do you ask?"

Thales exhaled and answered him with another question:

"And you, why did you tell me this eighteen years later, where Heyman died?"

Cyril stared at Thales for a long, long time.

Finally, the Duke's elbows left his knees, and he straightened up on the chair.

Contrary to Thales' expectations, Cyril, who seemed to be serious, did not respond to his question, but raised the long sword on his knee again, and looked up and down.

"Have you ever seen such a sword, Your Highness?"

Cyril seemed to have walked out of the memories of that year, and returned to a scary and comfortable smile.

Thales couldn't help but startled.

Only then did he notice that the duke's long sword had a unique shape. The bronze-colored gauntlet and hilt were extraordinarily slender. It didn't seem to meet the most ideal force-bearing structure, but it was exquisite and neat enough. Both sides of the sword extended out of the sand dunes. The smooth arc gives people a sense of aesthetic comfort.

And the center of the sword grid is inlaid with a pure black gemstone, I don't know what kind it is.

I saw that Cyril did not raise his head, but just admired the exquisite sword by himself:

"The ancient imperial sword, or the ancient knight's sword, has a special style and curvature, and an amazing sense of balance. It is easier to swing and slash, and the dance is more smooth and powerful."

"It requires good raw materials and superb forging skills, and of course a high cost price I guess, which is why they are destined not to be mass-produced, and eventually disappear on the battlefield, leaving only a few treasures that can become family heirlooms .”

Cyril turned the sword upside down so Thales could see the bottom of the hilt.

It was a strange ancient empire inscribed letter that Thales almost didn't recognize:

f.

The engraving of this letter looks rough, and it is not in harmony with other delicate parts of the sword.

Ancient Empire Sword? Ancient knight sword?

etc.

Thales frowned.

Such an arc...

It's a bit familiar.

"I've seen one." Ricky's silver-handled long sword with the same graceful curvature, Eternal Truth, appeared in Thales' mind.

"But what does it have to do with Hyman, with Horace, what it asked me?"

Thales asked alertly, and at the same time sat a little further away calmly, ensuring that his legs touched the ground.

Cyril continued to admire the heirloom sword that might be the Falkenhauser family, and said with a tusk:

"It is said that the first batch of ancient imperial swords were supplied by dwarves and cast by elves. They used the flames of the earth as the fire, gathered the essence of the seven seas, and dedicated them to the first emperor in this world, the 'Great Emperor' Komora, who created a world of boundless prosperity for mankind. Carolther."

Thales' thoughts froze slightly.

Cyril raised his head and sneered:

"That's right, I'm talking about your ancestor, the one who is said to be shining with blood and gold."

Thales subconsciously said:

"but you"

But Cyril seemed determined not to allow him to interrupt himself, and returned to the long-handled sword in his hand:

"The name of this sword is 'Warning', and he participated in the final battle with Tiberia Falkenhauser six hundred years ago. He was Tormund I's swordsmanship teacher when he was young, and he is also the oldest under the King of Restoration. Followers, until he was conferred in the wasteland, becoming the first guardian duke of the west wasteland and my ancestor."

Alerter.

Tormund I.

Endgame.

Thales was a little impatient:

"I'll have time to hear your family history, but for now let's go first"

"And the Vigilante served the last time!" Cyril's volume suddenly increased, overshadowing Thales' voice.

The Duke of Xihuang narrowed his eyes slightly, looking sideways at the frowning Thales:

"In the hands of another Cyril Falkenhauser."

"He is my great-uncle, who served in the Royal Guard of Sumerian IV the 'Silent One'. In the crisis of King Kai's sudden collapse, he held this sword and led the guards to kill the blood to protect the young Eddie II has successfully ascended to the throne and reigned in the stars."

As Cyril said, the long-handled sword in his hand swayed like a sword flower. His skillful skill and smooth holding of the sword made Thales, who had always thought that Duke Falkenhauser was inconvenient to move, look at him with admiration.

etc.

Thales' complexion changed!

From what he just said, what did he catch.

Another Cyril Falkenhauser.

Royal Guard?

"The Silent" Sumerian IV.

Wang Jia collapsed suddenly.

And... Eddie II?

Thales stared at the "Warner".

Before he could figure it out, Cyril sighed:

"Falkenhauser, this surname is as old as Arend. It has been passed down since the empire era, and it has followed the Canxing family until now."

The Duke stared at his ancient imperial sword:

"From the end battle to the bloody year, just like this vigilante, we have seen too much and know too much."

There was a strange light in the eyes of Duke Xihuang:

"Whether it's the ups and downs of the Star Kingdom..."

"Or is it from the Canxing royal family..."

Falkenhauser took off the scabbard on the crutches, squinted at Thales, and seemed to have deep meaning:

"It's bloody."

Cyril exhaled slowly, and retracted the "Warner" into its scabbard.

"In comparison, is the answer you want important?"

Thales raised his eyebrows.

Thinking of what he had seen and heard in the past few days, the prince suddenly had a guess.

"Eddie II, my grandfather."

"I heard that he had the longest serial teeth among the children of Sumerian IV who did not die in infancy, and he was also a male."

Thales spoke slowly:

"I think his succession and coronation should be smooth and unimpeded?"

He narrowed his eyes:

"Where did the 'reign of blood' you mentioned come from?"

The Duke of Xihuang put away his nostalgic expression and smiled slowly.

He turned his head and stared at Thales intently:

"Then maybe, your history teacher didn't mention your grandfather's stepmother, Bella the Witch Queen who came from the Iris family, and her sister-in-law who was the Duchess of Blades, your grandfather's aunt, the former Princess Helena .”

Iris family, "Witch Queen" Bella.

Duchess Blade, Princess Helena.

Hearing these strange names, Thales' mind started to spin.

"Not to mention how they conspired after the death of Sumerian IV to send your underage grandfather to the Sunset Temple as a lifelong sacrifice, so that Queen Bella's own son, the infant John Canxing Young generation elder, usurp the throne as king."

Thales' eye sockets suddenly dilated!

John Canstar.

Conspiracy and coercion.

Thales couldn't help but clenched the dagger tightly.

Queen Bella's own son.

From young to long.

Cyril put down his sword, sighing deeply:

"Of course, if Queen Bella had succeeded more than sixty years ago, you and I wouldn't have to worry about it here."

If Queen Bella succeeds...

You don't have to worry about it here...

Damn old guy.

Thales took a deep breath to calm down the surprise in his heart.

"Enough, Duke Falkenhauser."

"From just now to now..."

Thales' face darkened.

"What the hell are you implying?"

This time, the second prince stared firmly at the Duke of Xihuang, with a bad attitude:

"Is it the younger brother of the late king, the Duke of Xinghu, John, who has the opportunity to surpass my grandfather and ascend to the highest throne of the stars?"

Falkenhauser raised the corner of his mouth.

"Or the Kevin Dill family of Iris, who tried to intervene in the succession of the throne?"

Cyril's smile remained undiminished.

"And the Duke of Blades, Princess Helena's husband's family, whose family died out eighteen years ago, is also involved?"

Seeing Cyril's unhurried and tidy expression, Thales gritted his teeth:

"Or is it implying that in the bloody year, it was indeed a certain prince of my grandfather who also wanted to grow up as a child..."

"A usurped king?"