Kingdom’s Bloodline

The next morning, on the flat and wide Avenue of Gifts, the prince's escort team more than doubled because of the addition of soldiers from the Bozdov family.

"Don't pay attention to Earl Bozdorf's attitude," Dele rode beside Thales

"He is one of the leaders who took back the Saber Camp. He was very unhappy with what happened in the past few days, so he showed his dissatisfaction on his face."

unhappy?

Thales thought silently.

Show it on your face?

Brother, you probably haven't gotten along with the Northlanders—when they are unhappy, they usually show it on their swords.

He could only tease himself like that.

"Please don't anger Paul." The Earl of Wingburg turned his head and looked at the silent Paul Bozdorf who was a few feet behind them. "With such a strong and aggressive father, he has had a hard time."

Thales nodded with a smile, but sighed inwardly.

Speaking of which, such a strong and aggressive father...

Well, he was deeply touched by this.

"At least," Dele turned his head, looked at a certain horse behind him, and sighed that the nine-pointed star flag was rolled up and tightly packed as soon as the Earl of the Black Lion disappeared.

"At least Paul is easier to talk to than his father."

The two were silent for a while.

But in the next second, Thales suddenly spoke

"So, what Earl Bozdorf said, about the Duke of Xihuang's 'doing this to everyone'..."

"is that true?"

As if someone had blown out the lamp, the color between the prince and the earl suddenly darkened.

Amidst the sound of horseshoes and orders, Dele was silent for a long time before opening his mouth slowly.

"Let me put it this way, Your Highness."

"In the country of Xingchen, compared with the northern border, the monolithic cliff land, and the blade leader who shared weal and woe, the local politics of Xihuang... is a bit complicated."

complex.

Thales groaned silently.

A few seconds later, the prince who thought of something said quietly

"Number of votes."

Dele, who was about to explain, was taken aback.

"What?"

I saw Thales bewitched

"Although it was just a joke yesterday, I remember it now."

The prince speaks slowly

"At the National Conference six years ago, when the six wealthy families and the thirteen prominent families voted to decide whether to recognize my identity, whether it was the Northern Territory, the Cliff Land or the Blade Territory, every earl's vote in these territories was theirs alone. The duke is leading the charge."

"But only Xihuang, only your three votes..."

"You and Count Bozdorf both voted no."

"The Duke of Falkenhaus, however, voted for it."

After hearing his words, Dele Cromar's expression changed.

The young Earl of Wingburg coughed in embarrassment.

"It was forced by the situation back then, I hope you don't hold grudges."

Thales looked at his expression and smiled

"of course not."

"I just... understood something."

The Prince stared straight at the Earl of Wingburg.

"At the High Noble Council back then, on the Nineteenth Stone Seat, the decisions of the three Xihuang families... were inconsistent."

Dele's face became more and more ugly.

Their team turned a corner, Thales' thoughts went back to the past.

At the national meeting that year, whether Thales could become the official second prince, the final number of votes was ten in favor, eight against, and one abstention.

With a narrow advantage of one vote, the royal party turned the tide of the battle.

The three major families of the Eastern Sea Territory, headed by the chubby Duke Cullen, all voted in favor at the last moment.

But looking back now...

Yadi, Northern Territory, South Bank, Western Wilderness, Daofeng, East China Sea...Thales recalled the voting situation of the nineteen nobles back then, and suddenly understood many things.

The prince frowned.

According to the order of voting, and the results of the paper...

Back then, the person who really held the key vote, turned the situation around with every move, and finally made Thales the second prince...

Not Duke Cullen.

After passing an intersection with different slopes, they started to speed up gradually on the driveway.

"Don't misunderstand," Dele adjusted his sitting posture and took a deep breath before the oncoming wind increased

"The lords of Xihuang still respect the four-eyed skull emblem."

His expression is a little heavy

"It's just that in recent years, among my noble peers, especially those like Earl Bozdorf, I feel that the Duke is more or less... content with the status quo."

Dele's eyes change

"Especially when the royal family is involved - especially after the Desert War."

"For example, the Saber camp this time."

Count Cromer chooses his words carefully

"The vassals complained a lot about his passive decision of not caring about it beforehand, and his conservative attitude of cleaning up the mess afterwards."

Thales was silent.

Be content with the status quo.

Negative decision.

Conservative attitude.

what the prince remembers

[You must know that when your vassals and subordinates are excited and everyone is in high spirits, standing in front of the tide, you don't have much choice but to follow the tide. 】

Did he say these words to others?

"No."

As the Mercedes accelerated, Thales clamped the horse's belly.

He stared intently at the smooth and solid road surface of Enshi Avenue, watching them gallop backward foot by foot, firmly said:

"Perhaps, this is the Duke's unique way of defending the West Wilderness."

After saying this, Dele beside him was silent for a while.

The two thoughtfully followed the team tacitly, letting the horses gallop without making a sound.

It wasn't until a minute later that the mount started to slow down along with the team, and Dele sighed with emotion, looking towards the distant field

"It appears that Cohen is not bragging."

"If I don't come to see you, I will definitely regret it."

Thales smiled, but he didn't react right away as he was about to thank him.

But after a few seconds...

"Cohen?"

Thales raised his head subconsciously, slightly surprised

"You, do you know Cohen?"

"Korn Big Stupid Karabyan?"

Count Cromar looked back at the prince, his face warming up.

"I'm not sure when Cohen got such a fancy middle name."

Dele rolled his eyes, showing nostalgia and a smile in his eyes

"But yes, Cohn is my cousin, and I grew up with him in Wallaland."

"His mother was my father's sister, my own aunt."

Thales summed it up.

Cohen's mother was Dele's aunt...

"Karabyan and Chroma."

Twin Towers Sword and One-Winged Crow.

Wallaland and Wingfort.

The prince suddenly said

"So it turns out that your two families are related by marriage."

The Earl of Wing Castle smiled slightly and nodded

"Six years ago, Cohen first mentioned you to me in a correspondence."

Dele's tone reveals a strange

"He said, uh, he, he was broken in love, and then he took a leave of absence to go sightseeing in the north, and overnight, he happened to encounter a great and glorious adventure, following a prince who was extremely intelligent, brave Breaking into the Palace of Heroes, fighting against Dragon Cloud City at night, guarding the Hall of Heroes to the death, battling the northerners, fighting against legends, confronting enemies in the extreme realm, feeling the horror of disasters, witnessing the coming of giant dragons, and surviving the mutiny of rebels and thieves. Betrayed unforgettable by his companions, mixed into the ranks of the White Blade Guard, encountered the assassination and change of the king, watched the grand duchess ascend to the throne, bravely marched forward in the north where there are many powerful enemies, saved the stars on the verge of the kingdom's peril, and finally protected Saved tens of millions of lives and health..."

The more he talked, the more helpless he became.

Even Thales could feel it, because of the excitement and eagerness between the lines, the other party rambled incoherently, almost revealing the embarrassment of confusion on paper.

"In the end, Cohen complained that although the Secret Service came to his door at night to warn him not to leak state secrets, his superior just didn't believe him and refused to reimburse him for vacation and travel expenses...so I hope I can understand him..."

Dele pondered for a while

"When I got the letter, I was still thinking, maybe he has been single for too long, you know, fantasies and hallucinations..."

"I mean, that's right, your Highness is indeed young and smart, but... Beidi? Exeter? So many things... I doubt..."

Dele stopped talking and looked straight at Thales

"Until now."

Thales hesitated for a second, then pulled out a polite and embarrassing smile.

Cohen.

you……

Awesome.

After a while, Thales squeezed his smirk back deep into his muscles and coughed

"Well, Cohen, is he okay?"

Dele smiled

"I suppose so."

"He is still in the security hall of the royal capital, doing a job that most nobles can't understand, including my aunt and uncle."

Dale shrugged helplessly.

"You must know that they have been worrying about his marriage—for more than ten years, my aunt was afraid that he would marry his classmate, the warrior lady from the Arend family."

Thales frowned.

"Miranda?"

prince snorted

"Oh no, that's impossible."

Dele exhaled

"Yeah, I know, Miss Arend is probably the person Cohen fears the most."

"The kid said that he always had the illusion that he would suddenly become stupid in front of Miss Arend."

Thales smacked his mouth, recalling how Miranda and Cohen got along.

Well, that is indeed an illusion.

Because he definitely didn't become stupid "suddenly".

"But more than ten years have passed, and my aunt no longer cares so much," Dele shook his head, with amused and helpless at the same time

"Now, as long as Cohen is willing to marry, she doesn't care if the other party is a soldier, as long as it's a woman."

Thales and Dele looked at each other and laughed knowingly at the same time.

After a while, Dele's voice became low.

"So is that true?"

"Cohen said that he, um, he fought back and forth with the Flaming Knight in the Palace of Heroes, wearing the legendary anti-magic weapon, and fought bloody and bloody battles for 300 rounds?"

Flame Knight...

Three hundred rounds of battle...

the prince has a headache

"Uh, my attendant can testify that the fight should have been fought, but three hundred rounds..."

Thales didn't go on, just smiled sarcastically.

Dele's eyes moved, and he nodded understandingly.

"So, he said that he faced the Scarlet Witch who is as famous as Lord Hansen, faced her persuasion to surrender, and would rather die than surrender in a desperate situation?"

Facing the Scarlet Witch...

Be neither humble nor overbearing, rather die than surrender...

The prince was stunned and blinked.

"Ah, about this, how should I say it, basically it's not the Scarlet Witch's turn to persuade him to surrender, he just..."

This time, without waiting for Thales to say anything, the understanding earl raised his eyebrows thoughtfully

"I understand."

"Then he said, facing the legendary warrior who never grows old, the invincible 'Earth Shaker' Kaslan, he fought to the death with his fists to the flesh, at the cost of sacrificing an arm..."

Desperate against...

Thales twitched the corner of his mouth in embarrassment

"He, hehe, that..."

Once again, at the moment when Thales was still hesitating what words to use, Dele raised his eyebrows in a very understanding manner.

"oh--"

Seeing the Earl's suddenly enlightened expression, Thales suddenly felt a sense of guilt for betraying Cohen.

its not right.

Obviously what I said is the truth!

But Dele's next words made Taylor's heart sink.

"Then... the dragon?"

Thales was silent for a while, and the old scene reappeared in his mind

"real."

Dale's eyebrows trembled.

"Oh," Earl Cromer narrowed his eyes, quite serious

"This explains why all the crows passing through the north were late in that month six years ago—the legend is that a real dragon spreads its wings and the sky is forbidden for thousands of miles."

Dele said softly

"So... a disaster?"

This time, Thales' face sank like water, and he lowered his head.

He didn't speak, just gritted his teeth and remained silent for a long time.

Dele looked at the prince's appearance and didn't ask any more questions.

"Hmph," the Count shook his head and sighed.

"You know, the first Earl of Wing Castle left a record, describing the disasters he saw. But in my family, there are several generations who think that it's just the old man's dying ramblings."

Dele was silent for a while.

"So, King Nuen was killed by a disaster?"

Thales raised his head, and he seemed to see the dawn that was full of arrows again.

And the crowned, bloody head rolling to his feet.

"Assassin's Flower, Little Surreyton, Locust Blade."

The prince is sure

"And Charmain Rumba."

Dele took a light breath.

The air became quiet, so quiet that only the sound of horseshoes could be heard.

The Count looked up slowly.

"You are tired, Your Highness."

"Perhaps many people don't believe it, and more people don't know," Dele sighed quietly, his eyes were heavy but he was extremely serious.

"But I want to say..."

"The whole kingdom..."

"All thanks to your kindness."

Thales gritted his teeth and forced a smile.

"Thank you," the prince nodded stiffly

"Count Cromer."

But Dele shook his head.

"Dele," the Earl of Wingburg first showed a warm and friendly smile to the young man, and then stretched out his right hand, as if this was his first official self-introduction

"this is my name."

Thales paused for a moment.

He took a deep look at Dele, and then smiled.

"Of course, Dele."

The second prince sincerely extended his right hand and shook hands with Dele

"Thales."

Their eyes met in the air, and they nodded at each other.

Dele let go of the prince's right hand, but his conversation suddenly changed.

"From the perspective of the nobles of the Western Wilderness, Thales, I know how the Fuxing Palace sees us, I also know what we are facing, and I know your sensitive and embarrassing situation."

Dele looked at Thales seriously.

Thales also looked back at him seriously.

"In normal times, I might say something on the scene, something like 'Xihuang will not be your enemy, let alone the people of Xihuang'."

Dele sighed

"But, you're a friend of Cohen's."

Dele's expression was a little sad and helpless

"But from the position of his cousin, from the perspective of a friend, I must remind you, Thales."

The next moment, Dele lowered his head slightly, and popped out a few words that seemed to be more precious than gold and weaker than mosquitoes and flies between his teeth.

"Be careful, Lord Cyril."

What?

Thales thought about the name for a while, then frowned.

"You mean Duke Falkenhaus?"

"What's the meaning?"

Dele was silent for a few seconds before speaking in a low voice

"The Duke is good at manipulating people's hearts - even those who don't like him."

Manipulating people?

Thales was stunned for a second.

The first thing he thought of was the Scarlet Witch in the Northland.

But……

Cyril Falkenhauser?

persona non grata?

"Count Bozdorf said that the Duke is equally ambiguous to everyone, he remains neutral and never takes sides," Dele's expression at this moment was unprecedentedly serious, as if he was facing an enemy

"That may be because Lord Cyril, who is the Lord of the Western Wilderness, wants him to think so."

The Duke of the West Wilderness...

Want him to think so?

Thales was stunned.

It must be admitted that from the first minute of the meeting, Dele gave him the impression of being cautious, thoughtful, decent, and never overstepping the rules.

But now...

"And if Count Bozdorf doesn't like Lord Cyril," Dele said to him coldly

"That's probably because the Duke wants him not to like himself."

Thales took a breath in a trance

"Then, the reason why the Duke is 'unpopular'..."

Dele nodded, lowered his voice, and took the second half of the sentence

"Because he doesn't want to be popular."

Thales looked at Dele blankly.

He suddenly felt that the person in front of him was different.

Wait, if this is true.

The impression that the Duke of Falkenhaus gave him is also...

"Thales, you may know that due to historical reasons, my family has a lot of experience in domesticating crows."

Delore spoke again.

Thales tried to turn his attention to the present

"Um, yes?"

I saw that the Earl of Wing Castle was vigilant and authentic.

"A few months ago, His Majesty reached an agreement with the lords of Xihuang. We sent troops to the Freedom Alliance to force Exeter, so as to rescue you and return home."

"Yes." Thales replied subconsciously.

Dele's eyes became sharper

"On the week when we reached an agreement with His Majesty, my crow whistle detected several long-distance crows flying north across the border."

The week the deal was struck...

Fly north over the border...

Distant ravens...

Thales frowned

"What's the meaning?"

Dele was silent for a few seconds, and then said quietly

"Those crows fly very high in the sky, they are extremely alert, and they are also good at hiding. Even with the ability of crow whistle and light riding, they almost missed it."

"That's not a post office crow with a fixed route, a dull mind, and simple training."

"Instead, we prefer the military crows that are strict in breeding, smart and flexible, know the way and argue the way, and obey orders and recognize the master. It is not easy to domesticate but expensive, and only the big lords with strong financial resources can afford it."

Military letter crow...

Expensive...

Great Lord...

Thales' face changed slightly.

"Thales, from escape to return, there is someone," Dele said in a heavy tone

"Someone leaked your information from the side of the stars to the northerners."

"I guess that's why your return journey was full of surprises."

Leaked my information...

The journey home is full of surprises...

Thales' breathing stopped for a moment.

At that moment, King Charman suddenly appeared in front of his eyes.

And the risky move of the other party's sudden visit to Dragon Clouds City just to see him.

No way……

The prince raised his eyes warily

"You mean, Duke Falkenhauser?"

Dele shook his head

"Can not be sure."

"But Thales, not everyone."

Dele narrowed his eyes, and his tone was cold, which made Thales clench his fists

"In this country, not everyone welcomes your return."

At this moment, on the galloping road ahead, a few crow whistle Qingqi galloped back at high speed, bringing a nervous message amidst the endless dust.

"alert!"

"Sentinel contact! Multiple cavalry!"

What?

Dele and Thales looked at each other and frowned.

The whole team of "Headed Crow" immediately stopped advancing. Hundreds of cavalry rode their horses together.

Everyone acted, and many crow whistles caught up and surrounded the two important figures.

"Count Dreux!"

Paul also rode his horse and came from behind, the heir of Heroes of Soul had a solemn expression on his face

But the Earl of Wingburg looked calm

"Don't be nervous, Crow Whistle is an elite cavalry scout, and this is just the first summons, which proves that the other party is at least a few miles away."

"Soon they will be identifying."

Their well-thought-out questions and answers were mixed with the sound of countless horseshoes, which made Thales feel at ease.

Soon, the second and third summons came, and the new news made the three nobles feel even more burdened.

"Twenty-five rides! No flags! Unidentified! Declined to respond!"

"Between light cavalry and heavy cavalry, well-equipped and skilled!"

"Report from the high-altitude crows. More troops behind them! More cavalry and infantry! Hundreds and thousands!"

More?

Hundreds or thousands?

Thales was taken aback.

Dele and Paul looked at each other with increasingly serious expressions.

"Who will lead the army to approach the prince at this time?" Paul said coldly

"Do we need to gather the main force?"

"Steady," Dele responded steadily.

"This number does not rule out that it is our Xingchen's own troops."

"Let go of the twenty or so riders first, and everything will be clear."

our troops.

Thales pursed his lips tightly.

But he couldn't help but think of Dele's words just now

[In this country, not everyone welcomes your return. 】

not everyone...

The prince's heart sank.

No way.

Please, he has already entered the Inland of the Stars and embarked on the Avenue of Gifts, so don't have any more accidents!

As usual, Thales always came to whatever he was worried about.

This time, damn fate seemed to hear his worry again.

A few minutes later, there was the sound of horseshoes, and the uninvited guests came to them under the half-surrounded surveillance of the crow whistles.

Dele's crow whistle is right.

This is a group of twenty-five cavalrymen. The signs and emblems on their bodies are covered by the dust cloaks that are common in Xihuang, but it can be vaguely seen that these people have strong muscles and sharp eyes. They are all riding tall horses with pure and bright coats that are rare in Xihuang , bulging under the cloak, obviously with weapons.

The arrival of these cavalry made the atmosphere in the prince's team extremely tense

The other party stopped silently and neatly in front of Chidao, looking coldly at the Crow Whistles on this side.

"Who are they? Our own people?" Thales asked puzzled.

Dele stared at the uninvited guests, nodded

"We'll find out."

"Dele," Paul frowned as he looked at the group of cavalrymen who didn't seem easy to mess with.

"Do you need me to summon the Black Lion infantry in the rear?"

But the Earl of Wingburg just shook his head.

In the next second, Dele urged the horse forward, and raised his voice

"Come by name!"

In a few tenths of a second, a knight led the crowd out in silence and came to the front of the Raven Guard.

During this journey, the team of twenty-five riders did not make any dissonant noises,

This standout knight has chestnut hair and a soft face. Despite the stubble on his chin, he looks only in his thirties, not much older than Dele.

And his pair of calm brown eyes seemed to be always calm and peaceful.

"I'm still thinking that maybe you recognize me, Earl of Chromar, it seems that I'm still wishing for it now," the chestnut-haired knight stopped his mount, he sighed slightly, and seemed to be somewhat regretful

"We, um, we met in the palace six years ago."

Dele frowned slightly.

"I don't remember seeing you."

In the palace six years ago? Thales thought of something.

The chestnut-haired knight smiled nonchalantly, and waved to a blond knight beside him, his every move was elegant and natural

"At least recognize Doyle, his family is related to you..."

As soon as these words came out, Thales didn't react at all, but Paul's expression changed

"Doyle? Dele, that's one of the seven servant families..."

Dele shook his head coldly

"That's just what he said, who knows if it's a disguise."

After finishing speaking, the Earl of Wingburg turned his head and asked

"Knight, why are you here?"

The chestnut-haired knight exchanged glances with his companions, and then replied

"We came here under orders to meet and escort His Royal Highness Thales."

"I appreciate your help, Earl, but your mission is over."

"From now on, His Royal Highness will be solely in charge of us."

He still has that calm and breezy appearance.

Escort me?

Or kidnap me?

The prince's eyes rolled, he suppressed the uneasiness in his heart, and began to look carefully at the chestnut-haired knight.

The chestnut-haired knight walks forward gracefully with the rein on his horse, with a calm expression, as if strolling in a courtyard.

strangeness……

Why does this riding posture and equipment look familiar?

Thales wanted to call Yodel in secret, but there were crow whistles all around him, and Dele and Paul were both nearby, making it difficult for him to find an opportunity.

hateful!

what is happening?

In the next second, Earl Dele decisively waved his right hand

"Turn on!"

In the next second, nearly a hundred Crow Whistle elites of the Croma family moved at the same time!

They all raised their crossbows and aimed at the chestnut-haired knight in front of them!

Strict and uniform, powerful and powerful.

The eyes of the knights in front of the formation changed.

Thales, who was still thinking, saw such a change, and hurriedly said:

"Dole?"

But before he had time to say more, the chestnut-haired knight in the formation quickly raised his hands and spoke hastily

"Oh, peace, peace!"

The chestnut-haired knight who was exposed to hundreds of arrow points quickened his tone and looked a little more serious, but his eyes remained indifferent.

"Relax, Count, will you, relax—so that you may know that I have come in peace."

Although it was a show of weakness, the knight's posture was respectful and decent, and his words were carefully chosen, appearing neither humble nor overbearing.

And as the chestnut-haired knight raised his hand, his cloak lifted a little.

Thales looked at the silver-white armor exposed under the other's cloak, and still felt a little familiar.

But the sharp-eyed Thales also noticed that facing hundreds of bows and crossbows, not only the chestnut-haired knight looked indifferent, but even the cloaked cavalry around him were all expressionless, watching the crow whistle light cavalry on the opposite side with cold eyes .

It seems commonplace.

"Come for peace?"

Dele snorted coldly and didn't buy it

"What about the hundreds of troops hanging behind you? They also came for peace?"

"That's not 'robbing', and behind us—" the chestnut-haired knight paused, then understood something,

The knight was stunned and nodded in recognition

"Oh, yes, the Chromar family, you raise crows, the sky has eyes."

Dele snorted coldly.

"so."

"Who the hell are you guys!"

The chestnut-haired knight let out a heavy breath.

"Well, well, you won the count, and I am a peaceful man."

The knight smiled slightly, flicked his cloak, his quiet eyes suddenly became shrewd and sharp.

Like the strange peaks and valleys shrouded in confusion, the fog dissipated in an instant.

"Under Tormund Mallos."

The chestnut-haired knight has a nice voice, elegant intonation, and quite rhythmic

"The imperial knight of the kingdom, the honorary lord of the stars, and the faithful servant of His Majesty."

Mallos raised his eyes, his eyes passed through the crowd like a charm, and accurately fell on the fourteen-year-old boy among the crowd of crow whistles and light horses.

At the moment when he exchanged eyes with the other party, Thales' mind was aroused!

He remembered.

He had indeed seen the equipment on the other party!

But it was six years ago...

exist--

Mindis Hall!

Looking at the frowning Thales, Mallos grinned.

"Thanks to His Majesty's grace, and my colleagues' trust..."

The knight nodded slightly on the horse, resting his right palm on his chest to signal himself, his etiquette is impeccable

"For the star royal guard..."

Mallos revealed the specially made silver armor under the cloak, iron armor and steel sword, bowed lightly on the mount, and spit out a title that was unfamiliar and familiar to Thales

"Inheritance watchman."

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