Kingdom's Bloodline, page 152
"If that's so, does that mean he wants you to die at the hands of King Nuven?" Wya raised his head. "Could it be him?"
"The Reformation Tower is situated in the northeastern side of Constellation. Its territory neighbors our Lonely Old Tower." Putray exhaled. "Compared to a regional conflict, the benefits he can reap from an outright war between the two countries are actually limited… Of course, the damages will probably be limited as well."
"The third one was an old, bald man. He's very elderly." Thales took a deep breath, "This person gives me mixed feelings. He did not speak lesser than the first two, but he did not express definite emotions. Most of the time, he just went along with things and instigated strife."
"The bald Rogers Lecco, Archduke of Defense City. They have shackles as their symbol." Putray touched his pipe and his eyes flashed. "He's one of Eckstedt's two northern archdukes. He rarely takes part in Eckstedt's central affairs but this time, he actually came forth by invitation. It's surely suspicious."
"Sounds like an unconcerned neutral party." Wya wiped his sword.
"If I'm the mastermind behind all this," Thales unfolded his hands and did not say much, "I'd be willing to behave neutrally myself."
Putray remained silent.
"The fourth archduke has long hair and an illustration of an ancient book on his clothes." The second prince reached out to grab the armrest and lifted himself off of the chair. "He gives me a feeling similar to that of the Duke of the Northern Territory. Bold, imposing and also seemingly values… at least superficially, his own honor."
'It doesn't seem like it could be this long-haired man, who is reluctant to dishonor his family… But hasn't the Duke of the Northern Territory betrayed King Kessel, his own Northern Territory, and even Constellation?'
"Kulgon Roknee, whose territory borders the Faraway Prayer City of Camus Union. It's in the west of Eckstedt, near the northern end of the Great Desert." The slim vice diplomat of Constellation stopped walking. "He sometimes works together with the Western Desert Hill of Constellation… The orcs and Barren Bone people of the desert are our mutual threats. The start of war between our countries or the weakening of Constellation will only cause additional pressure to them."
"Don't forget, Duke Arunde of the Northern Territory and Lampard of the Black Sand Region have collaborated before. The objective was in fact, Prince Moriah." Thales looked at him with a sharp gaze, "Even if war between the two countries would've brought harm upon the former's Northern Territory.
"Finally, the last one I met was also the youngest, Conkray Poffret. He had a childlike air about him." He jumped off Eckstedt's hardwood chair. "He was soft spoken and also a little hesitant. It seemed like he really respects King Nuven. When he deliberates matters, he puts the overall interests of Eckstedt first… He even put in a good word or two for me."
He was the thirty-year-old youngster who got choked by King Nuven's harsh words.
"A childlike air? Such words coming from you…" Putray chuckled and shook his head. "That is Conkray Poffret of Blood Shoe. As the Archduke of Beacon Illumination City, his territory lies near Dragon Clouds City. The Poffret Family is a newly promoted archducal family. Less than one hundred years of rule in Beacon Illumination City, yet they are one of the most trusted right-hands of the Walton Family. Young people are often impulsive and naturally come into conflict with conspiracy."
"Not necessarily. We have a young duke in our own country." Thales recollected his memories of the Duke of Iris Flowers and the mishaps along the way. He let out another sigh. "I believe you have experienced it—his schemes are never inferior to those of any old men."
"Based on what you've said, every archduke seems suspicious." Wya knitted his brows. "Are we still unable to pinpoint someone?"
Thales and Putray both turned silent.
" Prestige Orchid Region and Reformation Tower are the same as Black Sand Region. They all border Constellation. The bilateral relations impact them the most," Putray said softly. "The City of Faraway Prayer is in the West, Defense City is in the North, whereas Beacon Illumination City is near the center of Dragon Clouds City… In short, if we want to find out who will be the one benefitting from the situation in the end, we will first need to rank the archdukes according to their degree of suspicion."
"Haih, but suspicions will remain as suspicions. It cannot be validated." Thales scratched at his own hair. Dejected, he said, "We urgently need a police officer who knows how to solve a case."
In the Armor District of Dragon Clouds City, Officer Kohen who had been fighting a bitter war sneezed roughly. An inch of his hair got cut off by his opponent's sword.
Wya flipped his sword from his knees as he asked worriedly, "If we fail to aid King Nuven in identifying his son's murderer, will the consequences be severe?"
The Born King's imposing expression and Nicholas' cold glance drifted through Thales' mind. He rolled his eyes. "It's best to not imagine such scenarios… A father with an ardent desire to seek vengeance for his son…"
"He was not merely a son," Putray added. "Moriah was also the heir to the Walton Family and Dragon Clouds City. Such hatred is far beyond our imaginations. Besides, King Nuven is surely doing his utmost best to eliminate dangerous opponents for his family...
"Indeed, judging from his current age, Walton's reign will not last much longer. Furthermore, the Walton Family will be succeeded by someone completely incapable. So much so that… under orders of the new king, a Dragon Clouds City that loses its immediate successor could be granted to another family. The Waltons' successive decline from then on could be a possibility," Putray flatly said,
Thales sighed.
'Of course. I had to use this to threaten Nicholas.'
The frustrated Thales sat on the ground, leaning his head against the edge of the chair. He kneaded his face helplessly.
"Speaking of which..." With eyes wide opened, Thales recalled his encounter in the library. The unkempt little girl wearing glasses and the stubborn girl's shadows flashed before him. "I met the granddaughter of King Nuven in Heroic Spirit Palace. Have you heard of this?"
"Alex Walton?" Listening to Thales' description, Putray knitted his brows, "I have heard about it. Prince Soria who died twelve years ago was King Nuven's eldest son. He left a daughter behind. Probably due to the misfortune of her father, King Nuven has always strictly protected his granddaughter.
"If you had not brought it up, I'm afraid a lot of people would not have even known her name."
"Can she not be the heir to the Walton Family?" Thales exhaled as he thought of the gorgeous little princess. "Just because she's a lady?"
Putray shook his head.
"According to the Northlanders' damn philosophy, a woman is a mere subsidiary and piece of property. Her only value lies in being a mother and giving birth."
The three men looked behind them at once and saw Aida. She sat on a bed that supposedly belonged to Thales without hesitation. While she wiped her exquisite machete clean, she said with a rare, frosty tone, "After centuries, things have not changed."
"Amongst the struggles related to Walton, she is unimportant." Putray shook his head. "Let's go back to solving the current problem at hand…"
Thales closed his eyes and pouted. "Fortunately, we're not in a rush…"
At this moment, a knock came from the room's door.
Scowling, Ralf pulled it open.
The new recruit rescued by Thales, Willow Ken stood at the door. He scratched his head and smiled.
"T-That Marquis of Camus has sent word." Willow seemed to be pleased at the opportunity to meet the prince. He chuckled. "According to his subordinate, it seems to be quite important…"
Thales knitted his brows.
"He said that there are two archdukes. Tomorrow morning…
"They will be leaving Dragon Clouds City to attend to certain matters."
Willow laughed as he finished his message.
But at the next second, he surprisingly found that almost everyone's expression in the room—Thales included—had changed dramatically.
Tomorrow.
Morning.
Ashen-faced, Thales looked as if he had just received the worst news ever.
'Can it be?
'The archdukes… were they just here to take a look at me, and then leave immediately?'
After the departure of Willow, who had an unfathomable expression on his face, Ralf lightly closed the door with the same scowl on his face.
"Tomorrow morning?" Wya looked distressed.
Thales' breath quickened. With a bleak look in his eyes, he said, "That means…"
"Yes," Putray worriedly pinched his pipe, "The time that we have left…"
He did not continue, but everyone silently said in their hearts, 'Only one night left.'
"I'll repeat myself." Wya Caso's face turned pale as he returned his sword to its sheath. "If we fail to aid King Nuven in identifying his son's murderer… will the consequences be severe?"
Putray sighed as he shook his head.
'Stop asking, Wya.'
"This evening's welcoming banquet. It's our last chance." Thales gritted his teeth. "Think of a way to single out that bastard!"
'Damn.
'How can I be so unlucky?'
"Based on King Nuven's probing and observation methods, I'm afraid it will not be fruitful." Putray's grip on his pipe tightened. "Your experience this morning proves my point."
"Then…" Thales muttered.
At this moment.
"Let us go for them!" Aida jumped off the bed fiercely.
Everyone casted their gaze upon the Elf Protector.
"Let Nuven segregate manpower to accommodate us. At night, we shall conceal our faces and secretly kidnap those archdukes!
"One by one, we will punish and interrogate them!
"We shall see how long these so-called archdukes can hold out under the sword."
Everyone was stunned by this side Aida showed.
Two seconds later.
Everyone pretended as though they never heard her. They turned back and acted normally.
"Let us have a change in perspective." Thales rubbed his hands together. He furrowed his brows and said to Putray, "The person we're looking for collaborated with Lampard in the murder of King Nuven's son."
"Hey! Why are you acting like you didn't see me?" Aida gritted her teeth, obviously dissatisfied with being ignored by the others. "At least give me some reaction!"
"However, he interfered with Lampard's army. He attempted to frame Black Sand Region with your murder," Putray answered instinctively.
"Are there any clues inside?" Wya curiously asked.
The Elf Protector behind them protested by waving two machetes in the air, to no avail.
"King Nuven and I only know as much." Thales shook his head. "It seems pretty useless."
"No."
"Perhaps we should not revolve our thoughts around King Nuven's thoughts." Putray put down the unlit pipe in his hand, his eyes shining with confidence.
Aida lowered her head dejectedly and sighed. She retreated to Thales' bed.
Thales froze.
He looked at Putray and furrowed his brows. "You mean…"
"Remember when we were surrounded by Lampard's army at Broken Dragon Fortress?" Putray said softly.
"Of course, it left a deep impression." Blood and light flashed before Thales' eyes, not to mention Arracca Murkh's raging growl. He sighed. "It was an utter mess."
Drowning in boredom, Aida fiddled with her machetes on the bed.
"Then, I reckon you remember what the baron told you before the frontline charge?" Putray smiled mysteriously. "King Nuven is not our only option."
All of a sudden, Thales' body trembled.
'Before the charge…'
The image of Arracca swaying his big sword popped up in his mind.
A few seconds later, he nodded.
Thales took a deep breath, his unswerving determination apparent. "Since there's no turning back, why don't we go charging at full force?"
Thales looked at his vice diplomat with a burning gaze. "He knows?"
Putray smirked affirmatively. "He knows."
Baffled, Wya and Ralf watched as the both of them talked in riddles.
Wya found it difficult to swallow. "So, what should we do?"
Thales and Putray's eyes met, after which they laughed.
"Aida was right." Thales looked at the elf on the bed. Under Putray's gaze, he nodded.
"Ah." When her name was mentioned, she eagerly looked up. Although, she was a little bewildered. "What?"
In the middle of Wya's shock and Putray's laughter, Thales took a deep breath and said, "We…
"... Shall find them!"
Aida's mouth hung open wider than ever.
Putray became serious in an instant and he retired his pipe. "I'll get ready immediately and contact the others… Maybe we will need some help from the inside.
"Also, Wya, Ralf, come with me."
Thales returned to his seat, rapidly weighing out the feasibility of the plan.
"That…"
He raised his head and turned backwards.
Aida's voice could be heard as she faintly asked, "You guys really want to kidnap the archdukes?"
Chapter 138: Numb Hands |
'It's so cold. Where is mother? What about Aunt Fina? They'll come back, right?'
She thought dazedly as she curled up from the cold on the snow-covered ground. The chilly wind blew past her cheeks and neck, causing a pain that was akin to being cut by a knife.
Even her limbs were rapidly losing all sensation.
'What about my younger brother and sister? What about Uncle Enzo?'
She was starting to Miss Talia's hot pies, even though she always hated the garlic on them.
She walked past a person lying on the snow-covered ground. That person was sound asleep, and his curled-up body did not move at all. But he had the happiest smile on his face.
He did not even know that his eyebrows and hair were covered in frost.
'This is a "smiling person",' she told herself.
Yesterday, when she tried to brush the frost on their faces away, Uncle Enzo smiled and told her that those are 'smiling people'. They liked to smile while asleep in the wild during winter, and would only wake up in spring. Good girls must not disturb them, and it was the best not to go near them.
Obediently, she continued walking forward.
Her skirt was a little torn, and she was very dismayed over it. It was a skirt Aunt Liscia gave her before departing for the capital city.
She walked past a second 'smiling person'. This 'smiling person' seemed to be a woman who was around Talia the female slave's age. She wore very few clothes, leaned against a rock with the corner of her lips curled upwards, and had a baby in her bosom.
But the baby was not smiling. Instead, the baby's tiny eyes and lips were shut tight, and did not move at all.
This made her very unhappy.
'Why is the baby not smiling? Shouldn't everyone in the Northern Territory smile?' Uncle Nolanur had said this to her.
Beside the stables of Cold Castle, when Uncle Nolanur was about to leave with her two other uncles, he laughed loudly and embraced her like usual. He then rubbed his stubble on her face despite her aggrieved protests.
'Alright, Nolanur…' Her thoughts were in a jumble, and she could not help but smile as she thought about her youngest uncle.
'If you appear now… I'll… show mercy and forgive you for your beard.'
Continuing on the snow-covered ground, she encountered a third, fourth, fifth and sixth… so many, countless… smiling people.
Then, someone who was not a 'smiling person' finally appeared in front of her.
With dull, glassy eyes, she raised her head and looked at the boy, a stranger to her.
Dressed in ragged clothes, the boy was bent over a 'smiling person' and searching for something. The boy realized that she was approaching and raised his head like an angry beast.
His dark red eyes were extremely horrifying.
"Go away!"
The boy subconsciously and fervently guarded the items in his bosom and glared ferociously at her. His voice was cautious and guarded. "I found this one first! The food, clothes, and everything else are all mine!
"Go away now! Go far away! Go and scavenge from some other corpse!
She inhaled weakly, feeling the pain in her wind-grazed cheeks.
'So fierce.' She pouted. She was a little hungry, though. Her sight was blurry.
The icy coldness surged into her lungs through her mouth, nose, and airway, making her heart convulse.
She walked towards the boy.
"Little b*tch, if you dare take one more step forward..." The boy, who was also trembling from the cold, opened his mouth and flashed his teeth with a ferocious expression. "I will chew you into pieces alive!"
She ignored the boy, but her consciousness was becoming number.
Her sight also grew dimmer.
And yet she still advanced through the snow-covered ground on unsteady steps. She relied on her sight instead of the touch of her feet to be sure that the ground was beneath her feet. She could hardly feel her limbs anymore—they have been numb for quite some time.
The boy crawled on the ground and let out a deep growl that sounded like a wild animal, as if preparing to attack. Watching the hideous-looking boy, she inhaled deeply. Her lungs quivered again from the cold air.
She continued walking forward.
The boy's face went from cautious to hateful and murderous. He extended his right hand that held a long, rust-covered awl from behind his body.
'Mother said before that when meeting a stranger…'
Roaring furiously, the boy pounced onto her weak body and pushed her onto the ground.
'When meeting a stranger…'
She pinched her cheek that had been numbed by the cold.
Glaring at her face, the boy ferociously raised the awl in his hand.
Watching the boy's dark red eyes, she forced the corners of her lips upwards.
'We must smile. Everyone from the Northern Territory should smile, shouldn't we?'
