Kingdom's Bloodline, page 359
Thales waved his arms and glared angrily at every single Northlander who was gnashing his teeth in anger. The prince raised his head and bellowed in rage, "One day in the future, when I wear the Nine-Pointed Star royal crown and receive the Staff of Constellation, I will settle every debt, and I will deal with all those whom I hold a grudge against!"
These words of his were like a basin of cold water. The people in the hall stopped raging at once.
"I will do so in the name of the Jadestar Family. This is a promise from Constellation, by the heir to the throne."
Taking advantage of the silence, Thales lowered his voice and let his throat relax, since it was almost hoarse from the shouting. He said coldly, "Remember this, every single one of you. Remember this, Eckstedtians."
He swept his gaze coldly over all the vassals in the hall. He noticed that the anger in their eyes, which had risen briefly a moment ago, was slowly dissipating, and in its place was a hatred that would not disappear for a long time.
"Brat." Count Cotterson ground his teeth hard, as though he wanted to chew Thales into pieces. "Do you think that the Northlanders would be afraid of your threat?"
Thales turned and met his gaze like an agitated hedgehog. "Are you not now? When faced with Constellation, look at how afraid all of you are."
The prince could not help but laugh. "The once awe-inspiring and renowned Dragon Clouds City, can only… rely on a hostage to wage war now."
The furious yells that had dwindled just now rose again, one after another.
Apart from the surprised and bewildered Lisban, and Nazaire, whose eyebrows were tightly furrowed, even the four other counts showed their anger.
"I really doubt that you will live until the day you are crowned." Count Karkogel clenched his only fists. His face was expressionless. "If it were not for the fact that the Archduchess' Guards are restraining those people, you would be torn to pieces right now!"
Thales narrowed his eyes. "Really? Then, what are you waiting for? Waiting for King Nuven to climb out of his coffin and give you orders?"
Thales said these words flatly. He was met with another wave of enraged objections, but he ignored them all.
At this moment, when all eyes were on Thales, a servant hurriedly came forward, all while remaining close to the wall. He went behind Lisban and spoke into his ear.
Some people noticed this, but their attention was then captured by Thales and they shifted their gazes back to him.
Lisban's expression changed. He said in a soft voice, "What? Now? He is at…"
The servant nodded. After asking a few more questions, Lisban's face paled more and more.
Count Nazaire noticed his old friend's expression. He immediately cast Lisban a questioning look.
Unexpectedly to him, at that moment, old Lisban, who had always been level-headed, had an abject and panicked expression. He shook his head at the curious Nazaire.
Lisban inhaled deeply and stared incredulously at Thales. He flashed a bitter smile.
'Is that so, Prince Thales? So this is how it is.'
A second later, Lisban waved helplessly, as though he had given up on something. The servant left. The confrontation in the hall continued.
"The archduchess is willing to give all she has to keep her promise and keep you safe. But…" Count Lyner said coldly, "With your stupid actions, brat, you are not only unworthy of the archduchess' trust, you have also decided your fate today."
Thales laughed. "That is why I said that all of you are a bunch of idiots."
The Second Prince of Constellation sighed, as though there was no one beside him.
"The situation had long since been out of your control."
Thales glanced at every single person in the hall, and his gaze was as sharp as a blade. "Do all you idiots really not see it? Where the trump card for this game lies?"
Lyner's face immediately turned livid with rage.
"The outcome is already quite obvious." Count Cotterson gritted his teeth and said impatiently, "There is no point wasting our words. Throw him into the dungeons first and—"
Right then...
*Boom!*
The hall's main doors were boorishly flung open. The sound of metal and wood clashing echoed in the hall. It only faded after a long time.
The argument in the hall came to a stop. Most of the people stared at the door, stunned. They did not understand what was going on.
A deep and sonorous voice came from outside the door, and it traveled into the hall, shocking everyone in it.
"Wow. What a grand spectacle."
Those words were spoken in a relaxed manner, and the speaker sounded pleased. Heavy footsteps echoed in the hall.
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
A large and tall figure stepped into the Hall of Heroes while accompanied by two attendants, as if there was no one else present in the hall. A few of the Archduchess' Guards walked behind them with angry looks.
The newcomer stopped and stood beside the Prince of Constellation in a relaxed manner. He looked around calmly at the indignant Northland nobles who were held back by the Archduchess' Guards.
Even though he spoke in a soft voice, it was like there was a chill contained in it, one that could seep into another person's bones and freeze them. "It is obvious that you are QUITE welcome here, Thales."
The newcomer turned to the teenager who held an indifferent look.
In a split second, the hall became utterly quiet.
Saroma, Lisban, Nazaire, Nicholas, Karkogel, Hearst, Lyner, Cotterson, Lord Justin, and even Ian and many of the vassals… The archduchess, her vassals, the Archduchess' Guards, and the envoys from the City of Faraway Prayers froze all of a sudden. Lisban even had a weary and sorrowful expression on his face.
It was as though time had stopped at that moment inside the hall, no longer moving forward.
Thales was the only one who gazed calmly at the middle-aged man, neither shocked nor agitated.
The prince sighed and gave a flat sneer.
Thales spoke in a relaxed and apathetic manner. "What took you so long... old friend?"
The moment Thales finished speaking, everyone in the hall had the same expression—dumbstricken. They pinned their gazes on the person who had just walked in. He was a middle-aged noble filled with a majestic demeanor...
It was as if he was someone deceased who crawled out of his grave... and should not have appeared in this place.
The middle-aged noble turned around, calm and composed, and replied with a chuckle, "You know, it's quite hard to find my way through Heroic Spirit Palace."
While countless pairs of eyes stared at him, either curiously or in shock, the middle-aged noble raised his head. The dark gold crown on his head shone, a dark red gemstone was affixed to the center.
Once they saw the gemstone clearly, many people felt a chill run down their spines.
Then, the 46th Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and the Archduke of Black Sand Region, King Chapman the First swept his gaze over every single person in the hall impassively. His powerful voice rose in the hall.
"Good morning… Dragon Clouds City."
Chapter 324: Returning the Favor |
Thales had never thought that a king would get such an interesting response when appearing in front of his vassals. At that moment, all eyes were on the king.
Chapman Lampard stood impassively with his hands behind him while surrounded by the silence. However, it was as if he was exuding an invisible, solemn and pressuring aura that was exclusive to kings.
Viscount Kentvida and Kroesch stood, flanking the king from behind with apathetic expressions.
Not everyone recognized King Chapman. Therefore, other than Thales' expression, there were only two types of expressions on the faces of the people in the hall: either solemn, or confused.
There were also people who exhibited both expressions at the same time, like Lisban, Nazaire, and the archduchess.
"Eckstedtians..." Viscount Kentvida walked forward solemnly. He announced sternly to everyone in the hall with his sonorous voice, speaking in the boorish and staccato tones exclusive to Northlanders, "Salute your king!"
Kentvida's voice echoed in the hall.
In the next moment, it was as though a rainstorm suddenly fell. The puzzled nobles immediately erupted into a noisy discussion that was difficult to contain.
"What's going on?"
"The king slayer is in Dragon Clouds City?"
"How did he get in?"
"Could it be that it was planned?"
"No, that prince…"
Some were suspicious, some were shocked, some were solemn, some were frightened, and some ground their teeth in hatred...
However, the archduchess and the six counts sank into a strange silence. Saroma's face was pale. Lisban closed his eyes and said nothing.
Nazaire found it hard to conceal his surprised reaction while staring at the king. He then looked at the apathetic Thales with furrowed brow. Karkogel's gaze was ferocious, and his breathing grew more rapid. It seemed to be the first time Hearst saw King Chapman. He fixed his solemn and scrutinizing gaze on the king.
On the other hand, Count Lyner and Count Cotterson were so shocked that they did not even have the strength to exchange looks anymore.
Ian from the City of Faraway Prayers was utterly shocked. He blinked continuously and stared in disbelief at the common-elected king who stood in the middle of the hall. Every now and then, he shot Thales a curious glance.
'Is that the… wildly ambitious Archduke of Black Sand Region who uses frightening tactics? The one my father spoke off? The one who started the disaster in Dragon Clouds City six years ago?
'How? Thales, you... and him…' Ian's face became paler and paler.
King Chapman maintained a calm expression. His movements were relaxed as he stood in the heart of the storm. He rested his left hand and placed it gently on the sword at his waist, paying no attention at all to the atmosphere around him.
The sound of discussion among the nobles grew louder with each passing second, and lasted until the king raised his head slowly and looked around.
King Chapman's eyes were extremely cold and grave. Everywhere he looked, the people who met his gaze could not help but shudder. The nobles could not help but hold their breaths in unison.
The king only smiled a few seconds later. He stared at the nobles of Dragon Clouds City and chuckled as if he was ridiculing them.
"Hmph."
Thales inhaled deeply and looked calmly at Wya and Ralf. Behind Kentvida and Kroesch, the Prince of Constellation's two attendants had their heads lowered. They walked close to the wall and went beside the prince while maintaining a low profile.
'In the end, things still progressed to this stage,' the prince thought calmly. 'The worst case scenario. The final card in my hand... My trump card.'
He nodded at the two men who had just returned.
Right then, Thales felt a chill crawl down his back. Someone was glaring maliciously at him.
...It was the Star Killer.
Nicholas had his gaze fixed on Lampard, as though he was staring at an enemy he would never forget. His eyes burned with pain and hatred.
He then looked at Thales, his gaze filled with anger and displeasure. At that moment, the Star Killer himself probably could not tell whether he hated King Chapman or Thales more.
Thales sighed softly. He turned, as though he did not see the Star Killer's frightening expression.
"Dragon Clouds City, are all of you deaf?"
In the hall, Viscount Kentvida was very dissatisfied with the nobles' attitudes. He waved his arm and shouted in fury, "In the name of the Joint Ruling Pledge, salute the overlord of the Northlanders in the Western Peninsula, the 46th Common-Elected King of Eckstedt and Glacier Quiquer… King Chapman Lampard!"
He glared furiously around the hall.
The place became quiet again. The vassals frowned and many of them looked at the archduchess.
Saroma inhaled deeply. She turned with difficulty and looked at King Chapman. Coincidentally, the king also turned and stared at Saroma with a sharp gaze. The young lady recalled what happened in the past and her face paled.
Count Lisban watched the archduchess with a somber expression. He then glanced at the king, sighed, and nodded.
"He is the king, and it is our duty to salute him in the name of the Joint Ruling Pledge," the regent said softly to the girl.
Prompted by Lisban, Saroma swallowed hard and took a few deep breaths. She lifted the hem of her dress, left her seat and slowly went down the stairs... towards the highest ruler of Eckstedt.
"King Chapman." She went in front of King Chapman and placed a hand on her chest. She bowed slightly and lowered her head in respect. "Welcome to Dragon Clouds City. I am quite surprised by your visit."
As the archduchess did this, numerous sighs rose in the hall.
King Chapman stared at Saroma as he towered over her, then at the Cloud Dragon Spear emblem on her clothes. There was a hint of disappointment in his eyes that was not easy to spot.
He snorted softly and said in a rather profound tone, "Yes, I did not expect it as well. But life is often full of surprises, ruler of Dragon Clouds City."
The king shifted his gaze to look around.
Then, rustling sounds echoed in the hall. All the Eckstedtians including the powerful counts, and Viscount Ian from the City of Faraway Prayers, rose from their seats, regardless of it being in fear or indignation. Then, they knelt on one knee to salute the King of Eckstedt, who stood in the center of the hall.
Thales watched everything quietly. It was as though he had returned to the day King Chapman was crowned six years ago. When he saw the vassals' actions, Kentvida met with Kroesch's eyes. They nodded in satisfaction and knelt down as well.
However, Kentvida then frowned, not everyone had knelt.
"Mute, stand back a little." Wya pulled Ralf together with him as he stepped back. He spoke, softly and with dissatisfaction, "We're the only ones standing, it's a little too obvious…"
Ralf shrugged and pointed at another person in the hall. With his brows furrowed, he gestured, "It's not just us."
Before Wya could react, Kentvida's dissatisfied voice rose once more.
"Count Cotterson... Why are you still standing and not saluting the king?"
Everyone stared in unison at one of the six most powerful counts of Dragon Clouds City, Phalen Castle's Shawlon Cotterson, who stood with an indignant expression. He stood out like a sore thumb while surrounded by the vassals around him who were kneeling on one knee.
"I still remember the time all of us were young. We fooled around together in Dragon Clouds City… At that time, you respected and feared King Nuven." Count Cotterson said coldly, "And now, you return to Dragon Clouds City and show off, Chapman?"
King Chapman's eyebrows moved slightly. He snorted through his nose, as though he found this very interesting.
Cotterson braved the king's gaze without showing any signs of weakness and said in a gruff voice, "Listen up, Chapman. We are the Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City's vassals. And only hers. She's the only one we salute."
Saroma stared in shock at Cotterson, whom she had difficulty dealing with just now, as though this was the first time she truly got to know this harsh count.
Everyone in the hall stared silently at the confrontation between Cotterson and King Chapman. But the king paid no attention to Cotterson. He only shifted his gaze, as though he did not care at all.
"The Prince of Constellation is the only one who does not need to salute the king in this hall, Count Cotterson," Kentvida said flatly.
The Viscount of the City of Halting Light revealed a malicious gaze.
"Are you a Constellatiate as well?"
The moment he said that, Count Cotterson's face immediately turned livid with rage. Many people frowned simultaneously.
"Kneel down and show your loyalty to the king," Kentvida said coldly.
Count Cotterson inhaled deeply and glared at the king in contempt. He then looked at Kentvida and was about to retort, but someone grabbed his shoulder.
Cotterson turned in surprise. Count Lyner was holding on to his shoulder with an unpleasant look.
"Kneel down. No matter what, he is the king. Etiquette is secondary in importance. But if you do not want to be known as a 'disloyal person' tomorrow for going against the Joint Ruling Pledge, and become a wedge between Dragon Clouds City and the king from now on…"
There was a warning edge in Count Lyner's voice. "Kneel down. Do not cause trouble."
Cotterson raised his head in outrage and glared at the king. He remembered something and revealed a conflicted expression. On the other hand, King Chapman stared back at him with an extremely calm expression.
A few seconds later, Cotterson clenched his teeth hard. In the end, he closed his eyes and knelt on one knee.
Cotterson's hands, which were clutching onto his knees tightly, trembled slightly as though doing such a thing was an extremely huge disgrace to him.
The king's cold chuckles echoed in the hall.
"If you do not want to kneel down, then you do not have to." Like a person in a portrait who suddenly came alive, King Chapman's expression became animated.
"A true Northlander would not think one way and behave in another." He cast Cotterson a disdainful glance. "What do you say, Cotterson, my former acquaintance?"
Count Cotterson, who was already kneeling, had his face immediately turn extremely unpleasant.
"Rise and get back to your seats, everyone. Especially you, girl." King Chapman shot a cold glance at Saroma. The latter could not help but grit her teeth. The king then took one look around him. "Please, do not let me ruin the mood."
The vassals in the hall slowly stood up. It was followed by the sound of many people clenching their fists.
Below the archduchess' seat, Count Nazaire said softly in a serious tone, "When did he come to Dragon Clouds City? You didn't know beforehand?"
Opposite him, Lisban sighed. "At this point of time, is that still important?"
Nazaire shot a glance at the king, who acted as though there was no one else present, and snorted softly. "I thought that all of you would stop him, be it outside the city or outside the palace… instead of letting him enter without putting up a resistance, Your Grace."
