Kingdom's Bloodline, page 129
'"Meanwhile, I am very grateful for your efforts in escorting me." That is the same as him saying, "Before you is a chance to win over the friendship of the Prince of Constellation."
'"You may leave now." That is him saying, "Hurry up and get me out of this mess!"'
"Lord Nicholas!" Viscount Kentvida spoke up while he pondered again whether Putray taught the second prince how to speak, "This is, after all, the campsite of the army of Black Sand Region. The archduke entrusted us with a mission to ensure Prince Thales' safety, and your current behavior… is unquestionably very insensible."
Nicholas shook off Aida's hand. He still ignored the swords at his neck, and coldly said to Kentvida, "I thought all of you are also Eckstedtians."
"Of course we are Eckstedtians. Furthermore, we are Northlanders… and Northlanders value our reputation like how a snow eagle cherishes its wings." Kentvida walked towards Nicholas and stared at both parties who were still about ready to jump at each other's throats. His gaze paused on Thales and Putray for a brief moment. "Your Grace… I believe it is highly likely that King Nuven did not give you a command to tie up the prince until you reach Dragon Clouds City."
Behind him, the soldiers of Black Sand Region slowly closed in towards their direction under Tolja's signal.
Nicholas stared intently at Kentvida…
Then, his lips curled up into a faint, cold sneer.
The man's complexion became even paler. "If I say no, then what are you going to do, Viscount of Black Sand Region? Are you going to let your army annihilate the king's team of personal guards?
"Right? Warriors of Black Sand Region," Nicholas chuckled as he swept his gaze over his surroundings and at the elite regular soldiers who were specially chosen by the Archduke of Black Sand.
Thales' heart sank. 'This is bad. It seems like even the army of Black Sand Region… is still unable to deter Nicholas and his White Blade Guards.'
"You are currently in our campsite, and you have less than one hundred men with you." Tolja walked over from behind Kentvida and stared solemnly at the white weapon on Nicholas' back. "Even with the Severing Souls Blade, you can only last for a few more minutes longer than your other men… You are not Arracca Murkh and you do not have his Motionless Bow."
Thales could clearly see that Nicholas' brows moved slightly in the exact instant he heard of that name.
On the other hand, Kentvida was staring intently at Nicholas' face. "Of course, we absolutely do not want to become enemies with the famous White Blade Guards, especially since we had once fought together twelve years ago.
"Also, regardless of whether it is you or I, both of us are unable to shoulder the responsibility of causing conflict between Dragon Clouds City and Black Sand Region."
Thales had a realization.
White Blade Guards. He recalled what Putray had told him about Kaslan's identity.
'Kaslan retired from the military twelve years ago… so…'
Thales spoke slowly and caught the attention of everyone at the scene, "Lord Nicholas… You know, we had just passed by Kaslan's Hero Tavern a few days ago."
Thales noticed that Nicholas' expression changed suddenly after he had finished speaking.
The gazes of the surrounding White Blade Guards warriors who confronted them started to twinkle.
'Kaslan… it seems that old man means something to them.' Thales nodded secretly to himself.
Thales continued to speak calmly, "Kaslan offered me a pint of rye wine, the type where only a limited supply is available. He is a wise and open-minded old man… but I think you might not know him. Am I right, Lord Nicholas?"
Nicholas' eyes revealed his complicated emotions.
'As if you would not know him.'
Thales sighed. "He left a deep impression on me. I believe the White Blade Guards led by someone like him would be completely different from yours."
Nicholas stared at him in silence.
Then, Thales clenched his teeth tightly like he had just made up his mind.
Under everyone's shocked gazes, the second prince immediately yelled, "Constellatiates, put down your weapons!"
Wya and Ralf stared at Thales in surprise. Even Aida gasped in surprise from under her cloak.
The Constellatiates looked at the surrounding White Blade Guards glaring at them with hostility, then they exchanged doubtful glances with each other. They could not believe the order given by the prince.
Only Putray was in deep thought. Kentvida and Tolja furrowed their brows at the same time, whereas Nicholas stared at Thales with an indiscernible expression.
"This is an order from your second prince, from the heir to Constellation's throne!" Thales had a firm expression on his face as he repeated his order.
Putray was the first one to sheath his sword and took a step back.
Immediately afterwards, Genard also put his sword away without any hesitation.
Wya glanced at the prince in disbelief. Under the latter's unquestionable gaze, he kept his teeth clenched and retracted his sword from Nicholas' neck.
Ralf followed suit. Then the fifth soldier, the sixth… it continued until all the Constellatiates put their weapons away.
Under everyone's watchful gazes, Thales took a step forward and walked past Wya and Ralf's protection until he was in front of Nicholas.
Nicholas lowered his head and stared at Thales with his face devoid of any emotions. "You should have done this sooner. If you had submitted to me earlier, you would have experienced less suffering…"
"Enough, Your Grace," Thales interrupted him coldly. Then continued speaking while forcing down the tremor in his voice, "I do not know why you insist on tying me up to go back to Dragon Clouds City. I do not care whether it is for the new enmity or the old hatred, whether it is for Prince Moriah or for Prince Horace, but before I finish my first mission, I will only answer to King Nuven. Even if King Nuven decides to kill me to avenge his own kin, he still needs to let me die in an honorable manner that befits my status."
Nicholas stared at the Second Prince of Constellation in surprise.
Thales took in a deep breath. "This is the conversation between the future King of Constellation and the current King of Eckstedt, but YOU want to humiliate me in advance when I am about to meet and converse with King Nuven?"
"Without a doubt, you are not only humiliating me, you are also humiliating King Nuven and bringing shame upon his honor…
"But I do not care!" Thales had a solemn expression on his face when he turned to face the surrounding White Blade Guards. "Continue, White Blade Guards, the Dragon's Imperial Guards! Kidnap a seven-year-old child to Dragon Clouds City…
"I do not care at all if you want to tie me up, humiliate me, mock me, ridicule me, or how you are going to bring shame upon someone's honor! I do not care about those things at all!
"The thing I care about is only my mission, the truth of Prince Moriah's death, the justice he should obtain, and the war and peace between the two countries!
"I was already prepared for this since I came to this place… Even if Nuven is a butcher with his hands covered in blood, an incompetent king who listens to slander, a despicable and shameless, vile character, or a coward who cares a lot about his reputation, I am already prepared for it all!"
Nicholas' expression became incomparably complicated.
The White Blade Guards still did not move their unmasked eyes.
"In his tavern, Kaslan was like a true elder. He treated me to his best wine, laughed when he patted my shoulder, and asked me to grow up faster. At the same time, he told me that King Nuven is a good king. He is forthright and generous, lenient and fair. He can shield a nameless soldier by personally putting himself in front of an orc's axe!
"Every Northland warrior believed that dying for the king was the highest glory!"
Eventually, a few White Blade Guards moved slightly.
Thales turned around and spread his hands. He raised his head and stared at Nicholas calmly. "I believe in Kaslan's reputation, so I also believe in King Nuven's reputation. In the past few days, we have eaten the Northlanders' food and drank their wine. According to the customs of Northland, we are now King Nuven's guest and sojourning on the national land under his reign."
Thales said slowly as he stared unwaveringly at Nicholas' pale face, "As for how King Nuven decides to treat his guest, we do not have a say in the matter. Go on, treat me as your prey and tie me up to Dragon Clouds City as a gift to King Nuven.
"Show the world what kind of king he is."
The White Blade Guards exchanged glances with each other rapidly, then turned to look at their commander together.
Kentvida's gaze flickered continuously between Thales and Putray while he seemed like he was in deep thought.
On the other hand, Wya stared worriedly at the Star Killer across from him. As for Nicholas, who would make the most crucial decision, he slowly narrowed his eyes.
After a few seconds…
He looked at Thales and smiled faintly. "Thales Jadestar, you truly are as cunning as the rumors claimed. Truly, you do not seem like a seven-year-old child."
Thales was momentarily stunned.
Nicholas stared at Thales with a complicated look in his face. "Put away your weapons, my brothers. Let the king decide what should be done with our 'guest'...
"Even if the enmity between him and us is as deep as the ocean."
After receiving the order, the White Blade Guards shifted their gazes and uniformly sheathed their swords. Thales finally let out a sigh in relief.
The Constellatiates also breathed relieved sighs. The two Black Sand Region commanders did the same thing.
Right at this moment…
"Alert!" At the perimeter of the campsite, the soldiers of Black Sand Region were heard yelling to bring about vigilance in others.
Everyone's attention was instantly brought towards the exterior of the campsite.
Under the moonlight, new cavaliers appeared in front of them and made their ways towards the campsite.
Kentvida narrowed his eyes and he asked Nicholas, "Are they your comrades?"
Nicholas did not reply him.
The sound of horse hooves galloping from beyond the campsite were heard.
There were a dozen something of cavaliers. They raised a strange flag as they moved slowly towards the campsite.
It was a flag with a white base. A curved golden wheat was drawn on the flag. The golden wheat extended from the upper-right corner of the flag to its bottom-left corner, and intersected with a golden dagger.
A stranger's voice came from a distance away. "Good evening, everyone. Praise the Lady of Harvests and the Maiden Ocean Guardian! Let us hope that they may bless and protect everyone to have a comfortable and plentiful life!"
Kentvida took a few steps forward. He furrowed his brows as he stared at the wheat-and-dagger flag.
"I am Lhasa Kentvida, Viscount of the City of Halting Light, and this is the military camp of the Archduke of Black Sand," Viscount Kentvida yelled, "Who are you?"
Under the protection of dozens of cavaliers, a middle-aged man wearing in a gorgeous cloak slowly rode out from the crowd. He wore a winter bowler hat encrusted with jewels. Under that hat was a blond ponytail.
"I am Shiles Bamra, the honorary Marquis of Good Flow City." The middle-aged man stopped his horse. He took off his hat and placed it on his left chest with a friendly and humble smile on his face. He bowed slightly in Kentvida's direction. "I came from the friendly and generous Sixteen City States of Camus Union, and I am one of the thirty-six members of the Camus Union's Joint Parliament.
"I represent Good Flow City of the Union, and am on a diplomatic trip to Eckstedt. When I heard that the Second Prince of Constellation is here, I came here specifically to greet you."
…..
Early morning, Dragon Clouds City, the road west.
There was a Far Easterner with black hair and black eyes. He was about thirty to forty years old. It was hard to tell a Far Easterner's age from their appearances because their rate of aging was different from Rudollians and Northlanders.
He carried an Everlasting Lamp and walked steadily in the gloomy, cold underground cellar, planning to start a day's work.
But then he furrowed his brows, because he seemed to have felt something.
He stopped in his tracks and carefully swept his eyes over every corner in front of him in the quiet darkness. His ears were listening to every sound of activity in the underground cellar.
There was nothing at all, but he did not let down his guard...
Because he trusted his intuition more.
Most of the time, danger cannot be found with the eyes and ears. Instinct was the last thing life can rely on.
Just like now.
He clenched his teeth tightly, frowned, and put on a ferocious expression in the direction of the darkness beyond the lamp light. Just like a wolf that sharpened its teeth and claws because it sensed danger, he was vigilant about the danger in the darkness.
Immediately after, this Far Easterner moved. With one hand lifting the Everlasting Lamp, he used his other hand to press against his waist as he crouched down.
He turned sideways and faced the wall on his left as well as the darkness behind the corner.
"Who's there?" the Far Easterner asked calmly.
There was no answer.
The Far Easterner used the lingua franca heavy with the Northlanders' accent while he moved slowly but rhythmically. "If you want to steal some money, brother, then you have come to the wrong place."
There was still no answer.
The Far Easterner narrowed his eyes.
In the next moment, his figure moved in a flash! He only used three steps to close the distance worth a dozen something steps!
The Far Easterner moved past the corner and his Everlasting Lamp illuminated everything there.
But the Far Easterner gasped in surprise. There was no one in the corner in front of him.
After a few seconds, the Far Easterner sighed in relief.
'Am I too paranoid?'
The Far Easterner carefully investigated the corner to ensure that there were no traces left by anyone.
He shook his head and shrugged, then he patted his head.
'It seems like I am. Why can I not seem to drop this old, bad habit of mine? Even now, I am still overly paranoid even while I sleep.'
"A wolf does not sleep soundly because of its vigilance." That was the first lesson his master had taught him a very long time ago, when his master abandoned him on the Northern Prairies and left him to live independently for three days.
He sighed.
'I really hope that I can get a good night's sleep one day… To forget everything from my past.'
The Far Easterner laughed in a self-deprecating manner, then he turned around immediately and walked towards the original route from whence he came.
The light also turned around with him...
...and illuminated another person behind him who had suddenly appeared.
The Far Easterner's pupils narrowed!
He lifted the hand from his waist instinctively!
*Thud!*
The Far Easterner was shocked to discover that his dagger-wielding right hand was firmly seized by the unexpected guest!
He was unable to move.
"Long time no see, Gu," the other party said slowly.
The Far Easterner forced down the shock within him and tried to control his body from trembling. He also tried his best to resist his instinct to activate the Power of Eradication so he could free himself.
He stared intently at the man who suddenly appeared.
It was an ordinary-looking man.
"Yes, long time no see," the Far Easterner Gu replied bitterly, "Black Sword."
Black Sword released Gu's wrist.
"Lance asked me to come to you," the man called Black Sword said in a cold and brief manner.
'He's still the same as before.' Gu put his dagger back on his waist and frowned. 'Concise and direct. Chills a person's heart just by speaking.'
Gu sucked in a deep breath and erased every single unnecessary emotion and memory before he said seriously, "Yes. I found that person."
The Black Sword did not utter a single word.
"Are you sure?" the Black Sword only asked slowly after a few seconds.
Gu deeply exhaled. "Even though I have not met him in person, it should be him. It is unlikely that I would be wrong."
The Black Sword stayed silent.
'This is strange,' Gu secretly thought to himself, 'Why is he so calm? Should he not be…'
The Black Sword turned around and said faintly, "I will come find you again at night to ask about the details. I still have something to do. I need to find a doctor."
'Come find me again?'
Gu recalled how this person came and went like a phantom. He could not help but to furrow his brows.
When Gu finished recalling his past memories. He could only feel agitated and rattled. He said helplessly, "Alright. I have a business deal to do as well, anyway."
"Business?" The Black Sword furrowed his brows and recalled Gu's notorious past.
His figure once again disappeared in the darkness away from the light. "What kind of business can you do?"
"What business?" Gu exhaled irritably. He walked to the table at the side and lifted the oilcloth on it to reveal a bone knife and a chopping board. He then said exasperatedly.
"This is my butcher shop! I am selling meat, of course!"
Chapter 119: A Marquis from Camus |
Amid the chilly wind, a troop made up of a complicated and strange combination of people formed a long train and headed towards Dragon Clouds City.
Even though they escaped the horrible fate of being tied up and brought to Dragon Clouds City, the next day, without listening to their protests, the White Blade Guards, under Nicholas' command, 'invited' them—the Constellation diplomat group—out of Black Sand Region's escort range. They were to head to Dragon Clouds City under the tight 'escort' of the White Blade Guards' instead.
