Kingdom's Bloodline, page 155
"Lastly, Reybien Olsius, while you are living in someone else's castle and palace, eating and drinking what's theirs… hehe, and perhaps even f*cking what's theirs"—Archduke Trentida glanced at a plump-bottomed servant girl and flashed an interesting smile—"it's better not to criticize the host's arrangements."
Some of the Northland nobles let out cryptic laughs. Olsius shook his head in contempt and sat back down on his chair.
Thales finally arrived in front King Nuven. He bowed slightly.
King Nuven gazed closely at Thales. His dark green eyes were filled with complicated emotions. It made Thales very anxious.
From the moment he stepped into Eckstedt, every single suzerain he encountered was no simpleton—Archduke Lampard, Viscount Kentvida and even the five archdukes present today. However, having gone through a lot of trials and tribulations, Thales was able to calmly face their hostility, intimidation, oppression, and even murderous intentions...
...because Thales had a clear idea of what they wanted.
The only person he could not understand was this old king who was already at the peak of power in Eckstedt.
Even though they exchanged few words between them, Thales could not help but shudder at the strange emotions that shone through the king's eyes, how he forced Thales to partake in his revenge, and his behavior in the meeting hall.
Unpredictable people were always fearsome.
King Nuven rose slowly and raised his hand, gesturing to the leader of the White Blade Guards, Nicholas.
Nicholas nodded and walked towards Thales. "Please be seated. Your seat is the last one to King Nuven's left."
Thales turned his head and looked at the seat at the end of the long table that nobody cared about.
'Even though it's on the same row as the king, it's… really far away from King Nuven. It's almost in the corner.'
Standing behind him, Putray sighed. Thales shrugged and nonchalantly walked to his seat. Ralf and Wya followed him closely.
However, before he could sit comfortably, a hoary and old voice that sounded strange yet familiar rose in the hall.
"Raise your goblets, everyone!"
Thales turned his head dazedly. Beside him, Putray remained composed. With considerable experience, he handed Thales a metal goblet of black ale.
"A toast," the gaunt vice diplomat said coolly.
Thales turned and watched as King Nuven—who had just lost his son—left his seat. He raised his wine goblet high and spoke to the crowd in a loud voice.
"Let us welcome our guest… the Second Prince of Constellation, Thales Jadestar!"
The hall, where noise had previously rose among them again, fell silent once more.
The king slowly walked away from his seat and went to the front of the hall. Like an old lion that walked from its territory with menacing steps into land that belonged to other prides.
The five archdukes fixed their gazes on him and raised their goblets. Their expressions were varied.
"May the Northern Wind test his courage, and may the snow polish his determination!
"Due to reasons known to all of you, I am unable to welcome him with a joyful heart." Looking around, King Nuven spoke with a firm expression and cold voice. "But, since he is already here…"
All the nobles listened quietly to their king. Many of them were watching Thales.
"We must not let anyone doubt the Northlanders' hospitality and the Eckstedtians' hardiness. Even if that person is our mortal enemy!" King Nuven tapped his goblet. There was a hint of authority on his wrinkled face, and some of the heartiness of his younger days was noticed in his tone.
"Even if we fight to the death tomorrow, we must first honor our tradition!"
All eyes were on him, King Nuven shook his goblet and roared furiously. "For Eckstedt!"
At that moment, every single person in the hall raised their goblets together and bellowed.
"For Eckstedt!"
King Nuven's gaze was sharp. He shouted once more. "For Northland!"
The guests roared and responded with grandiosity. "For Northland!"
Thunderous roars filled the entire hall like a tidal wave. It was deafening. Then, King Nuven finished his drink in one swift movement.
The expressions on all the nobles in the hall became solemn with the king's action. They started drinking and for some time, numerous grunting sounds echoed in the banquet hall.
Thales creased his brows. Holding the heavy metal goblet in his hands, Thales forced himself to take a sip while under the gazes of many of those people behind him.
Upon finishing his drink, King Nuven turned to the table and slammed the goblet on the long table with a furious expression.
*Bang!*
The nobles in the hall also slammed down their goblets in unison.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
King Nuven raised his head and roared under the various gazes of the crowd.
"Bring it on! Eat! Drink! Fight! Copulate! Do whatever you want!"
During that second, Thales was completely stunned.
'Just what the hell… is with this toast?'
Nuven the Seventh had a spirited expression on his face. With his sonorous but old voice filled with a Northlander's accent, he shouted to all his guests in the entire hall in the common language, "Drink until all of you are laying, rolling, sprawling, crawling, or carried out of my palace!
"You bastards!"
A second later, a similarly passionate shout erupted from all the guests in the hall in response, and it was like the sound of a loud tidal wave echoing in the entire banquet hall!
Quite a large number of the Northlanders waved their fists and roared like wild animals to show their support for the king's feast.
The guests returned to toasting with each other and fell into a state of drunken ecstasy.
The entire hall instantly went back to a state of chaos filled with loud noises and bustling activity. The sound of human voices bubbled into a deafening pitch, and it was even louder than before!
Putray whispered softly beside Thales' ear, "A unique toast. This is a specialty in the north."
Thales rolled his eyes and put on an expression as if he could do nothing about the situation. "I do not need you to remind me of that, I can tell."
At that moment, King Nuven suddenly whipped his head around when he returned to his table and cast a profound look at Thales.
Thales' heart froze. He read the message behind the king's gaze. He also knew that King Nuven absolutely did not intend for him to enjoy the feast.
However, before he could turn his head around to discuss with his subordinates, an unexpected guest first arrived in front of his seat to visit the Second Prince of Constellation.
Thales was stunned.
Standing before him was a… kind-looking old woman dressed in a red robe.
"Good evening, esteemed Prince Thales." She squinted to look at him. Her voice was incredibly gentle, and her smile was filled with a warmth that could ease people's hearts. "My name is Calshan."
Thales flashed her an amiable smile, though he was completely lost as to what was going on.
But before he could answer, Putray spoke up first beside him, "Excuse me, madam, but is there anything special you want with us?"
During that instant, Thales noticed that Putray's expression had turned incredibly sour by his side. In fact, his body had become rigid as he glared at the old woman in front of him.
The Attendant Wya's breathing also froze while he stood behind Thales.
A question popped up in Thales' head. 'They seem to know… this old woman—this Calshan.'
Before Putray finished speaking, his face turned pale, as if even breathing was a chore, and he opened his mouth to speak, "Your Excellency… Esteemed Red Witch?"
'Red Witch?' Thales stared at the kindly old woman in front of him, bemused. 'Witch? What the heck?'
"Oh, it's just some emotions of mine acting up. I came specially to ask you a question, Your Highness." The kind-looking Calshan squinted her eyes further and shook her head slightly, as if she was slightly embarrassed. "How is my son faring lately in Constellation?"
'Son?'
Thales was stunned again.
"Err…" The second prince employed the perfect smile he had learned from a certain young duke and answered faintly, "May I know who your son might be?"
The Red Witch Calshan smiled amiably.
"Ah! How forgetful I am, I completely forgot to mention it. My son is known in Constellation as…"
In the next second, under Thales' puzzled gaze, this gentle old lady Calshan started rubbing her hands together nonstop, as if she was afraid of the cold, and then…
She said a name that instantly caused his expression to change.
"Yodel… Yodel Cato."
Chapter 140: The Red Witch |
If Thales was to create a list called the 'People I Trust the Most', from within the Royal Court of Constellation, Yodel who never showed his true face to others would almost undoubtedly rank at the top. From the time he fled from Red Street Market, to the dangerous experience in Vine Manor, and the assassination attempt in front of Renaissance Palace, the Masked Protector had repeatedly risked his life to save Thales. In the most recent incident, he almost lost his life for it.
Moreover, the Masked Protector was also the only one in the Royal Court of Constellation who knew about his identity as a 'calamity', but still kept it a secret for him. Thales especially treasured this.
However, Thales only realized that he knew very little about this mysterious secret protector of the royal family when he heard his name in the kingdom of the Great Dragon. He knew practically nothing about his appearance, age, background, personality, and experiences.
He had to admit with embarrassment that to him, Yodel was more like a familiar stranger. Even though Yodel did a lot for him, he never cared about what went on with Yodel.
'No, I do know some things,' Thales thought. Gilbert once told him that there was deep hatred between Yodel and Eckstedt's Five War Generals.
For example, he stabbed Black Sand Region's 'Fire Knight' Tolja in the back… this was also the reason why he could not come to Eckstedt.
However, there were many more questions than this when it came to the Masked Protector. Thales recalled their last, and most sincere, long conversation in Mindis Hall, and he felt his heart clench.
'Yodel… No.'
Thales shook his head and tried not to think about the Masked Protector's possible dark side. After all, there were many incidents where Yodel saved Thales after that.
'And now…'
Laughter rang from the other side of the hall. More than ten Northland nobles seemed to be playing some game.
Thales refocused his attention on the kind-looking old lady.
'This old woman of Eckstedt claims that she is Yodel's…'
"Madam, you are Yodel's…" While sizing up this old lady called Calshan, Thales tried hard to find any similarities between her and Yodel, other than their 'mysteriousness'. He said hesitantly, "Yodel's mother?"
"Please do not doubt it. At my age, why would I joke about having a son?" Calshan smiled and shook her head.
Thales nodded awkwardly and shot Putray a helpless glance.
'What is going on? Who on earth is this old woman?'
Putray continued to stare cautiously at the old lady, but when he saw Thales' glance, he shook his head slightly.
"I have not seen him in a long time. I miss him very much." Calshan did not seem to care about Thales and Putray's exchange of glances. She wore a nostalgic and loving gaze as she talked to herself. "That child never spoke much since he was young… He's stubborn and horrible at expressing himself. Him being all alone out there is so worrying. He must have brought you a lot of trouble while he served the royal family."
Thales froze.
'Never spoke much. Stubborn. Horrible at expressing himself.'
The Masked Protector's silent figure appeared in his mind.
He also recalled his confrontation with Yodel in Mindis Hall that day, and what Yodel said when he appeared mysteriously in the Hall of Stars.
"You will be better than him."
"Please don't worry. I believe he is doing very well right now…" In his reminiscence, Thales pursed his lips.
Another wave of uproar that sounded like jeering rang suddenly through the noisy hall. Two guests were fighting on a table.
Thales suddenly realized that he was unconsciously continuing Calshan's words.
He immediately stopped talking and stared cautiously at Calshan.
However, the latter was still smiling amicably. "Knowing that he's doing well, I feel at ease. Please bear with his shortcomings. After all, as a mother, I know my child very well." Calshan nodded in a reassured manner and then sighed. "Little Yodel has an extraordinarily kind heart."
Thales forced a smile. He recalled a scene where Yodel raised his sword in the dark and took somebody's life.
'A kind heart?' He could not help feeling puzzled. 'Yodel's mother? Why is she in Eckstedt?
'This old woman… Wait. Old woman?'
A wave of memories flashed past his mind.
"Ah!"
Staring at Calshan, Thales quivered and yelped in surprise. The old lady was still smiling at the Second Prince of Constellation. Her manner was elegant and her expression was kind-looking.
Thales remembered...
The day he left Eternal Star City and departed for Eckstedt, the king and some suzerains came to send him off.
The last person who came forward to talk to him was the fearsome old man in black who held a walking stick...
"When you reach Eckstedt, please help an old man like me pass a message to an old woman...
"... you will know when you see her."
"Could it be that you are…" Thales widened his eyes.
Calshan continued to smile benignly. "Hmm?"
"Erm, sorry… But an… elder seemed to have mentioned something about you." Thales realized that he had forgotten his manners. He said in embarrassment, "You know…"
"Elder?" Calshan's smile became even brighter. "Let me guess, is it a sinister old man who always wears black and likes to stay in the dark? I heard that in these recent few years he has been using a walking stick?"
Thales frowned. "You know Morat?" He suddenly became extremely alert.
Someone who was specially mentioned by the Chief of the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department… Apart from 'dangerous', he could not think of any other word to describe her.
Hearing the Black Prophet's name, Putray looked at his prince with furrowed brows.
"Your Highness, I can imagine what you are feeling right now." Calshan smiled and said, "I reckon that it is not enjoyable to be acquainted with him, is it?"
Thales had his answer.
Perhaps Morat was giving him a warning.
The second prince sighed. "He told me that, if I meet an old woman who comes forward to me of her own accord… I'm sorry. These… these are Morat's original words."
"It's alright. That old man looks polite, but he actually doesn't know anything about courtesy at all." Calshan shook her head nonchalantly. The wrinkles on her face limbered up. "Heartbreakers are the best at swaying people's hearts. I won't buy into that."
'Heartbreakers?'
Thales' mouth fell open slightly in surprise, he then immediately closed it.
'That sentence… carried quite a lot of information.'
He turned his head and awkwardly said, "Actually, the Black Prophet—I'm referring to Lord Morat Hansen—asked me to pass a message to you."
"He asked a prince to pass a message to me?" Calshan raised her eyebrows and gave Thales a smile that reached her eyes. "I really look forward to hearing it, Your Highness."
The old woman's kind smile only made Thales feel rather pressured.
Compared to the overbearing and substantial duress felt when faced with the Black Prophet, the way Calshan uttered such disturbing information in such a gentle and friendly manner that it made Thales feel really awkward and also made him feel that he was absolutely lacking in the ability to handle her.
Thales gave a hollow laugh. "He told you not to cross the line."
Having said that, Thales suddenly realized that the old woman had a strange expression on her face.
'Not to cross the line.'
Calshan shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. She then lowered her head with a sigh. Her expression was complicated and hard to decipher.
She muttered faintly, "So what?"
Before a puzzled Thales could react, Calshan stopped her reminiscing and flashed a smile once more.
"Your Highness, you are in a difficult situation right now. Struggling to survive in the crevices of Constellation and the Dragon, and trying your best to hold your ground amid the vortex created by the king and the archdukes." Calshan sized Thales up with a gentle gaze. "However, please believe me when I say that compared to Morat's situation… all this is nothing."
The next moment, in front of Thales and Putray's bewildered expressions, the old lady nodded elegantly and left. "Thank you for your time."
Thales averted his gaze from the old lady's slowly retreating figure.
He could not help but notice that as the old lady walked, all the nobles of various ranks, slaves, and guards respectfully saluted and made way for her.
Thales furrowed his brows.
He could roughly guess her identity.
"My God." Behind them, Wya exclaimed softly, "Did I just see the Red Witch?"
Thales turned and look at his attendant.
"Sorry, I thought that all of them… you know... do not simply appear in front of other people."
"Them?" Thales exhaled and grabbed a piece of buttered bread in resignation. "So, my guess was correct? That Calshan is…"
"You're right." With a solemn expression, Putray replied in his expertise—a song.
"Constellation sparkled, but the dark areas are still pitch black.
The Great Dragon soared in the sky, but there were endless shadows beneath its wings."
Thales and Wya looked at the bard-cum-vice diplomat in unison.
"That lady is a fearsome character who is on par with the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department's Black Prophet." Putray's gaze was harsh. He said in a soft voice, "She is the top person in charge of Eckstedt's 'Secret Room'... Calshan the 'Red Witch'."
