Kingdom’s Bloodline

Indeed, Thales hadn't thought of this name for a long, long time.

Serena Corleone.

He even had to admit that most of the time, he deliberately sealed it in the depths of his memory.

I don't want to think about it, and I hate thinking about it.

But when it sounded again, he still felt the discomfort from the bottom of his heart.

[Betrayal is the true meaning of alliance. 】

As the memory became clearer, just when that face was about to reappear in his mind, Thales raised his head suddenly and focused his attention on his eyes.

"what you up to?"

The prince looked at Jann suspiciously:

"Why did you mention her?"

In the center of the hall, the canonization ceremony was still going on, and from time to time nobles walked up the steps and knelt before the king's seat.

Duke Iris smiled slightly, raised his wine glass and signaled to the young man:

"This, Your Highness, you might as well treat it as one of my... banquet gifts."

Thales remained motionless, his eyes cold.

Zhan En waited for a while, but the boy didn't intend to raise his glass to respond at all.

He didn't think it was disobedient, so he put down his wine glass with a smile.

But Jen frowned immediately and looked around:

"Is this my illusion, or are your guards really more nervous than usual?"

"Why, do you suspect that I will murder His Highness the Prince?"

Thales' heart tightened, but his expression did not change:

"My personal guard captain is serious and strict."

Thales smiled at Mallos and Glover, and repeatedly signaled their people not to be nervous:

The Duke of Xinghu turned his head, his eyes burning:

"As for doubting you... Well, I really can't blame them."

"You know, I haven't digested the farewell gift you gave me six years ago."

Jen raised the corner of his mouth:

"Then you need this gift even more—to help you digest the last one."

"How about it?"

Thales snorted sarcastically.

With unspeakable feelings for outsiders, they stared at each other silently for a few seconds.

Finally, Thales said lightly:

"So, Serena, where is she?"

Jen smiled.

He raised his hand gracefully, summoned a waiter, and ordered a piece of beef under Thales' displeased eyes, and then he spoke unhurriedly amidst the soft sound of cutlery and plates:

"Since six years ago, after causing a huge loss to you and me, that ruthless careerist from the Kingdom of the Night has recuperated in the Star Territory for a period of time."

As if this was just an ordinary chat.

Thales thought for a while.

"It's really kind."

"It caused so many troubles and provoked so many people," Thales said with a cold snort, remembering the threats and harm she had brought to him:

"How dare she stay in Xingchen?"

But Thales immediately gave a meal.

He raised his head and stared at Jen, in disbelief.

Jenn picks up a piece of beef,

Looking back at him with a smile.

Thales understood something.

"you."

With a slight surprise, Thales frowned and said:

"I guess, after you broke with the Corleone family completely, the ugly face-I mean, Selina Corleone, who came from the family, became your natural ally?"

Jen only tasted two pieces and stopped. He maintained a smile and wiped the corners of his lips with a tablecloth.

"After you chased Ms. Serena away, I did, um, offer her some shelter."

really.

The surprise on Thales' face slowly receded.

"I still remember someone told me," the teenager looked at him disdainfully:

"If you are in a boat with wolves, you will be in danger of capsizing."

At that moment, Zhan En's expression stagnated for a moment.

"Especially before you and Serena Corleone fell in love with each other."

Half sincere, half ironic, Thales snorted softly:

"Trust me, this speaks from experience."

Jen was silent for a moment.

But in just a few tenths of a second, Duke Iris raised his head and returned a decent smile.

"Well, it's absolutely true," he nodded politely, "later I discovered this myself."

There was a slight chill in Jen's eyes:

"Especially after she broke free from the shackles, drained a few of my men, and left without saying goodbye."

Break free from the shackles...

Thales has a clear face:

"It seems that the shelter you gave her is also limited."

But, since it's Serena, put her in shackles...

Well, little Jane.

The prince silently gave him a thumbs up in his heart:

Well done.

In the hall, the canonization ceremony finally came to an end.

The music resumed, the performers returned to the stage, and the bustle and noise became the main theme of the banquet again. Perhaps due to the passage of time and the onset of alcohol, the guests either called for friends or came in small groups, and became more and more unrestrained and free.

Thales also saw many male and female guests disappear in the same place one after the other and never return for a long time.

King Kessel returned to his seat, but the queen had already left, and he was a little lonely.

The king glanced at Thales for a moment, then turned away.

The royal guards around him were as serious as before, but Thales, who knew the inside story, could clearly feel that they were relieved.

The assassin didn't show up.

is a good thing.

It's also bad.

Zhan En raised his wine glass, his eyes were subtle, and he brought Thales back to the current conversation.

"The sea routes in the Eastern Continent are very profitable," Duke Iris smelled the wine:

"Since the misfortune six years ago, the Kevin Dill family has been looking for opportunities to repair their relationship with the Corleone family and get back together."

"So I think that the family's most important criminal they are looking for may be a breakthrough."

Thales raised his eyebrows.

"Reconciled? After you tried to kill the Prince of Stars at the hands of the Queen of the Night?"

The prince told the truth without any psychological burden, with sarcasm:

"I'm afraid it's not that easy."

"You have to try," Zhan En smiled again, perfectly elegant:

"It is better to die because of friends than to die because of enemies."

Thales shook his head disapprovingly.

But there was a small voice in his heart:

No.

If the Kevin Dill family really tied up that ugly old hag and gave it to her sister as a gift...

Thales withdrew his gaze from looking at Zhan En and frowned.

Well, they might really reconcile.

Fortunately, Serena broke free from the shackles and was not caught by Jann.

Hmm, ugly face.

Thales secretly nodded for the enemy of life and death:

Well done.

The prince thought as he put a piece of lettuce into his mouth:

"But you said, you have the latest news about her."

Jen nodded:

"In short, after that, we paid special attention to Ms. Serena's whereabouts."

"In the past six years, the whereabouts of this exiled politician of the Kingdom of the Night have been erratic. From Levor City to Sunrast, she has been seen everywhere. Until a few days ago, someone saw her in the Freedom League. "

since……

Thales froze for a moment, then looked up.

"where?"

Jen smiled.

"That's right, the Liberty Alliance, which is in a desperate situation, does everything possible to survive, regardless of dignity and cost, regardless of background or past, and urgently asks people with lofty ideals from all walks of life to join the just struggle."

"From criminals to mercenaries, from gangsters to thugs, they accept and want everyone to resist the unjust aggression from Exeter."

"And Ms. Serena is one of them, and she was honored as the guest of honour."

The ugly face is in the... Liberty League?

Help fend off Exeter?

The news brought by Gilbert, the news that Exeter was defeated, and the whereabouts of the coach was unknown, flashed through his mind.

Selma endured herself, and her resolute and unyielding face appeared before his eyes.

But what followed was the increasingly clear image of Selina Corleone, who was serious and cute, glamorous and vicious, with two faces, one big and one small.

Thales' mood sank, his chest was in turmoil.

No way?

Old hag, is it you again?

His neck, his wrist, and the parts that had been bitten by the vampire felt strange again.

"Of course, it's about Exeter, maybe you know more than I do, what do you think?" Jan En took a sip of the wine.

Thales stared at the other party's wine glass, shaking his head in disdain.

"Drink poison to quench thirst."

"As long as the old hag has participated, no matter what, it will definitely not be a good thing."

Jen raised his eyebrows and did not deny it.

Thales fell into deep thought, while Zhan En remained silent, and the two sat silently facing each other for a while.

Until Thales came back to his senses:

"That's all? Nothing else?"

Jen looked up at him:

"that's it."

Thales pursed his lips and nodded, intending to see off the guests:

"So……"

At this moment, Zhan En raised his arm and pointed at a nobleman in the crowd whose nose was red from drinking, but who was full of spirit and accepted congratulations from everyone:

"Look, that's the Rossinante family. They have been in business for two generations, and they have finally become hereditary vassals."

Jen's tone was a bit long:

"I just don't know how long it will last?"

Thales frowned slightly, thinking about the other party's intentions.

But the next moment, Duke Iris's words were beyond his expectation.

"Thales," Jen En looked at Lord Losinante in the crowd with deep eyes and a faint tone:

"Do you know how the relationship between the lord and the vassal came about?"

Thales was slightly taken aback.

This was the first time the other party called Thales by his name directly tonight, without any title.

The prince looked at each other suspiciously.

The guardian duke of the south bank seemed to be lost in thought, and said to himself:

"When mankind has just come out of the age of ignorance, when all kings stand side by side, and the empire has not yet been born, the world is not peaceful."

"In the age of war and chaos, the weak and weak people attached themselves to and surrendered to the powerful kings who had soldiers and land to seek protection."

"As for the protected people, in exchange, they must go to the land belonging to the king, lead their family and friends to plow and graze, work and produce, and serve him in exchange for safety."

Jann turned his gaze and looked at the groups of guests who came forward to meet the king:

"Chauvin, Northland, Yanling, Ludor, Yuanshan, Thornland...all ancient human kingdoms were established in this way, without exception."

Zhan En narrowed his eyes and looked at King Kessel in the distance:

"Safety is the king's duty and the vassal's right."

Safety.

Thales suddenly remembered the oath he made in the Palace of Heroes when King Charman was crowned:

[As a Northlander, I will take on this heavy responsibility. As the king of the whole land, I will rely on my mind and wisdom to stand at the forefront of the kingdom. 】

as king of all lands.

Standing at the forefront of the kingdom...

Is it.

Thales recalled that day when Charmain put on the bloody crown and looked down at the crowd shouting long live.

"Labour is the duty of the vassals, and the right of the king."

Jen En smiled lightly, seemingly disdainful:

"Look, the essence of the order of monarchs and ministers is actually just transactions."

"I work for you, and you take care of me."

He stared closely at the underside of the banquet hall, those guests who were drinking heavily.

"If the vassals can no longer work, serve, and pay taxes, then the king has the right to drive out the vassals and take back the land."

He turned his head again and looked at Kessel V who was looking down indifferently at the highest point of the banquet.

"If the king can no longer resist foreign enemies and ensure safety, then the vassal has the right to abandon the king and find another master."

Thales frowned fiercely.

He knew what the other party was going to say.

Jen turned back and stared at the prince silently.

"This right and this matter are justified and established by convention."

Thales had an illusion: the Duke of South Bank, who was originally friendly and approachable, showed his sharpness at this moment.

"The vassals and their vassals, the lords and their people, are the same. This is the cornerstone of our rule, the contract, and even more the covenant."

Jen said softly:

"Dual, two-way, two sides, both sides of the balance, both ends of the road."

"But when the scales tip."

"You have to overweight one side and get back to balance."

Jen stared closely at Thales, his tone was calm and his eyes were indifferent, but for some reason, Thales still had a feeling of being firmly locked.

Looking at the lively banquet hall, the prince inhaled slowly while listening to the melodious voice.

"I can't say you're wrong."

Thales looked back at Zhan En, and said seriously:

"At least, not entirely wrong."

Zhan En looked at him for a few seconds, and then chuckled lightly. He didn't know if he was joking about this sentence, or Thales himself.

The rigorous and well-known Duke Kevin Deere turned his head, raised his glass, and his attitude slowly became casual and loose:

"What's interesting is that compared with us, in many places in the East, from Hanpur to Suye, from Ligurban to the Dacheng Khanate, the rulers there are truly monopolistic, saying that there is no difference, and the monarch is supreme."

"Almost divine."

He took a sip of wine and said quietly:

"Better than an empire."

Thales exhaled:

"I remembered, you said that you once traveled to the Eastern Continent."

Well, it's a returnee.

Jen snorted softly and shook the glass.

Thales raised his eyebrows looking at Jen's uncommon casual look:

"so what?"

Jen En's eyes were shining, and he continued:

"From what I've seen and heard, the subjects there are simple and kind, but numb and forbearing. From top to bottom, they are trembling with respect to the supreme power, full of awe, and even worship and appreciation."

"From life to death, they believed that the king who ruled them was extremely holy, and that obedience to the traditions of their ancestors was very important, and as servants, throughout their lives, they had only the obligation to obey—or, honor?"

Jen's fingers were tightly pinched on the wine glass:

"Among them, the morality that is widely respected is to hope that the superior monarch is virtuous and benevolent, and that the bureaucrats who rule all over the world are aware of the subtleties. If the superior is not benevolent, the subordinates will at most remonstrate with death, move the world, and make them change their minds —their books are full of such stories, and they are considered models.”

"I've been told it's their history and tradition, their nature and their habits, which makes sense. Although I think most of the time, it's just helpless self-deception."

Thales didn't speak.

Jen turned his head.

This time, he left from his distant memories and looked seriously at Prince Thales in front of him:

"During the days of traveling, I couldn't help thinking that in that kind of place, once the king's perverted behavior reaches the extreme, and once the government is dark and dirty, the dissatisfaction of the people and servants is caused by tradition, and the reasons are not valid, so it becomes Gentle and weak, without threat?"

His tone became cold:

"Or because of long-term suppression and nowhere to go, it becomes more violent and bloody, leaving no room for it?"

Thales shuddered.

At this moment, he seemed to have returned to the Ghost Prince Tower, and the person in front of him was the hideous Falkenhauser.

【A fierce horse will not yield to the iron whip, nor will the driver give up the whip. 】

"Is it better than us?"

"Or worse?"

Zhan En stared at him closely, as if he must give the prince an answer:

"Us, and them."

"Which is more in line with the future of the world?"

Thales was silent for a long time.

During this period, he even forgot that he was still at the banquet, and the king was still at the table. His loyal subordinates were still trying to find out a possible assassin, and thousands of miles away, the girl he had lived and died with And possibly in jail.

Zhan En just waited for him quietly, with deep eyes and unclear intentions.

Finally, Thales took a deep breath and spoke slowly:

"I think we are neither qualified nor necessary to judge and compare."

"Let alone the future."

Jen frowned, seemingly disappointed.

But Thales raised his head, looked at the shadowy, endlessly coming and going banquet hall in front of him, and said seriously:

"But I believe that everything happens for a reason."

"I also believe that all things change without restraint."

"I also believe that Wanfang has different shapes."

Jen's eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter.

"I believe even more, no matter when and where, whoever it is," Thales looked at him with firm eyes:

"History itself will choose the future that suits you best."

Jen thought for a moment, then smiled.

"history?"

"You speak as if it were a person who could make up his own mind."

Thales raised his eyebrows:

"Isn't it?"

Jen seemed puzzled.

But Thales just gently picked up a piece of lettuce and looked at it carefully:

"The age of ignorance is over, and the records of kings and empires are also a thing of the past."

He said casually:

"When there are more and more vassals attached to it, more and more land to rule, and more and more complicated government affairs, no matter how powerful the king is, it will be beyond his reach, let alone cover everything."

Thales suddenly thought of King Nun.

But it's not the domineering, mature and ruthless born king.

But after the duel, the old man who sat on the steps with him, holding a glass of old wine, his family was ruined, lonely and frustrated.

"As a result, many things on the land require the vassals to put down their hoes and make up their own minds."

Thales said silently:

"And after the vassals died, the king didn't have the energy to take back every piece of land, big and small, and seal it off again."

The prince raised his head and gradually became serious:

"As a result, the land that was originally entrusted to the vassals has gradually become passed down from father to son and passed down from generation to generation. The affairs of the fief are decided by them themselves, and it has gradually become a tradition."

"The fiefdom property becomes the owner's private property and cannot be easily deprived by the monarch or taken away by others."

Thales looked at Duke Iris:

"A vassal and lord like you stepped onto the stage and became the protagonist of history, eager to win and strive for strength, and forge ahead."

"So the kingdom develops, layers of jurisdictions, civilization expands, and rule gains."

Thales said seriously:

"So there are today's stars."

Jen's expression also became serious.

But the Duke of South Bank didn't know that at this moment, Thales was not thinking of the Kingdom of Stars.

He thought of Exeter.

If back then, when the hero Nakaru founded the country, he hadn't entrusted the power to rule the country to the remaining nine knights who are both talented and ambitious Expansion of territory, making the Northland famous...

Will the Kingdom of Exeter still have the vast land it is today, with its great reputation?

Even, will there be a kingdom?

Jen snorted lightly.

"Interesting, so do you think that the self-government and self-reliance of our vassals is natural and reasonable?"

He looked at Thales with interest.

Thales came back to his senses and smiled.

"I'm not done yet."

"When the private ownership of the fief becomes a consensus, the rights of the vassals will reach their peak," Thales said slowly:

"What's more, it's even more worthy of fighting against the king of a country."

Before his eyes appeared the appearance of King Charman when he was crowned again. The kinslayer king stood upright, his eyes were like ice, but the fire was burning inside.

The crown of dragon scales stood firmly on his head.

but……

Thales raised his head and pursed his lips lightly.

In that picture, the one who stood quietly in front of Charman Rumba was not the former King Nunn.

It is the towering Longxiao Mountain, which has survived wind and rain for thousands of years, deep and dark, magnificent...

Palace of Heroes.

Thales only felt slightly stagnant in breathing.

In front of it, the back of the once terrifying King Charman looked lonely, thin, and insignificant.

Thales gritted his teeth:

"But because of this trend becoming stronger, authority is gradually disintegrating, and traditions are gradually becoming easier. The fiefdom is no longer a rigid entrustment in the hands of the king. It is liberated and becomes a piece of land deed, which can be circulated and changed in the hands of different people. , can affect the livelihood of countless people rooted in it, and can arouse endless disputes around power interests."

"So the vassals keep their own selfishness, the people attach themselves to their lords, the lords fight against each other, and it becomes easier to go back and forth between the territory and the border. It all comes from this."

What flashed before his eyes was Grand Duke Pfeiffer whose neck was broken during the duel, and King Nun's head in a pool of blood.

And Charmain Rumba's cold eyes.

"When land disputes in the kingdom intensify, when the boundaries between kings and vassals gradually blur, when the security and labor contracts gradually become invalid, and when the last bit of traditional dignity disappears, the kingdom on the land is on the brink of danger."

He took a deep breath and went on:

"In this way, what you said, the traditions and systems that were originally born for safety, go too far and harm themselves..."

"...an end to security."

In the imagination of his mind, Thales quietly looked at the terrifying king who faced the Palace of Heroes alone.

He walks stoically, never faltering, let alone weak.

But, Charmain Rumba.

you have to face...

But the next moment, Thales was startled!

For a moment, it seemed that the scene in front of him had changed.

The figure standing in front of him was no longer King Charman.

It was another young man whom he had never seen before, but who was extremely familiar to him.

The young man was tall and straight, but he was alone.

Thales was stunned.

He saw that the other party was wearing a shining silver crown on his head, dotted with nine stars.

And the front of the youth...

Thales turned his gaze away with difficulty.

He saw, pressing down in front of the young man like a dome...

It is a black pyramid that rises from the ground, stops at the sky, is quiet but dead, vast but heavy, magnificent but cumbersome.

Thales' breathing stopped for a moment.

It is the one that endures dormancy under the starry sky, takes root in the setting sun, and is tough and firm under the storm...

Renaissance Palace.

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