Kingdom's Bloodline, page 486
Thales lowered his sword, and silently watched the Masked Protector stand up. Yodel flicked the tip of his sword gently and the trail of blood that stained the Supreme Sword was gone. The sword was shiny and new again.
Yodel patted his shoulder.
"You shouldn't like it," the Masked Protector said faintly. Thales suppressed the discomfort in his heart and smiled at Yodel.
The prince looked up, and picked up the torch. He looked at the path which led to the surface. "I don't know if you've heard it, but the Disaster Swords most probably know another way that will lead them outside..."
Yodel shook his head. He took out the rod-shaped, dark green stone from his bosom, and handed it to Thales.
"As long as the key is in your hand, we can capture all of them." There was a hint of certainty in the Masked Protector's hoarse voice. "Now, we only need to reach the surface safely."
'But what happens after this?' Thales stared at the key of Black Prison in his hand. More questions rose in his heart. 'What about Quick Rope? Dean? The Secret Intelligence Department?'
Thales knew that this was not the time to think about all these things, even though his thoughts were a mess. He tried to eliminate the distracting thoughts, threw away the torch, held Yodel's hand which had reached out to him, and followed him again into the Path of Shadows.
But luck did not always stand on their side.
When they went a floor up and came to another corridor, Yodel suddenly shuddered slightly.
"Be careful. There is something strange ahead."
The Masked Protector quickly let go of Thales' arm even before the prince was able to register his words.
Thales was still enduring the discomfort caused by the Path of Shadows when he felt a tremor around him. Ripples appeared again in the grayish-white world in front of him, and like a tide, the world returned to its original color—dim darkness.
Thales groaned in agony and used his sword to support himself while he was wracked by the dizziness caused by the worlds changing. He shivered and gagged.
'What?'
While he was still puzzled, Yodel had already disappeared from his sight. But almost simultaneously, the moment Thales became visible, a familiar male voice that brought chills down his spine echoed from the darkness in front of him,
"I knew you would have a way to get out of trouble, Your Highness."
As the torch was lit, a pale and clean man with a torch appeared before Thales with a friendly smile. "It seems I did not wait in vain and anxiety here for very long."
When Thales looked at this person, he felt so troubled that he placed his hand against his forehead.
"What a coincidence." The prince's mouth twitched. He called out the person's name in vexation, "Stake."
Stake swung the torch in his hand and grinned from ear to ear. Thales suddenly missed the Ricky's group of mercenaries.
'Disaster Swords, shouldn't you work hard in killing all these people? Why are you all so useless?'
There was no point in thinking too deeply about this, Thales tried to clear his unnecessary emotions. While on guard, he used hell's senses and observed his surroundings.
Stake watched his wary expression and shrugged, seemingly resigned. He looked rather silly doing so.
However, Thales knew that 'silly' was definitely not one of the adjectives that could be used to describe this man.
"Do not bother, Your Highness." Stake raised both his hands with a face full of sincerity. "I am a businessman. If I can solve something through negotiation, then I will prefer not to use violence."
'Oh, really now?' Thales stared at him, still feeling troubled. He deciphered the information hell's senses delivered to him.
'Don't like violence? Then why are there at least over a dozen sets of breathing in the darkness behind you?'
Thales put on a false smile and said, "That's really reassuring," He began to search for Yodel.
However, Yodel still did not show up, nor did he use the Path of Shadows to take him away just now. This meant that the enemy was very difficult to avoid, and very difficult to handle.
'What would you do, Yodel?'
"Fortunately, our savvy Baron Lasalle is not here, so I will be frank and honest with you." Stake seemed very happy. "Rest assured, Your Highness, we have no intention of handing you over to the Northlanders. Our cooperation with them is only because we wanted help from King Chapman's intelligence channels. You know, our people in Constellation are not very competent."
'Don't plan to hand me over to the Northlanders? Heh heh...' This was the expression Thales wanted to use to reply Stake... but he could not.
"So, are you saying that you want to have me for yourself?" Thales maintained his expression. The corners of his mouth twitched.
Stake shook his head. "No, the reason why we came to Blade Fangs Camp was just to meet with you alone." Stake narrowed his eyes into slits. His expression became serious. "We wanted to see whether the intelligent prince spoken in legends could truly become our savior."
Thales was stunned. "Savior?"
In the next second, Stake's words and actions gave the initially vigilant Thales a shock.
The prince watched Stake pull back his hood. He then went down on one knee before the prince, and looked incredibly respectful. He could be said to be even more earnest than Yodel.
"The first heir to the honorable Constellation, Prince Thales Jadestar." Stake sounded obedient. His tone was respectful, his posture was humble, and he appeared to harbor absolutely no malicious intent. "I, 'Stake' Coase, represent Shadow Shield here to declare that we are willing to pledge our allegiance to you. We will be your forerunners, to repent for the great sins we have committed, and to reverse our steadily declining fate.
"Please accept our sincerity and our loyalty."
Chapter 425: Peer |
'What.'
At that instant, Thales' entire brain became blank.
Several silly phrases flashed in his mind when he saw Stake kneeling on the ground respectfully.
'This is the aura of a son of a b*tch.
'He's prostrating himself before me, huh?
'What a Gary Stu… Ahem.
'It's the twentieth of May, Valentine's Day on the internet, but the only person who confesses to you is a man…'
Thales shook his head and chased away these silly thoughts.
'Don't forget, Yodel is still there.'
"Damn."
The Prince of Constellation had a cryptic expression. He looked at Stake with a complex gaze. He ruffled the mess he called his hair.
"I wish I was so popular when I was in Dragon Clouds City."
Stake laughed again. He slowly raised his head and stood up.
"As I said, Your Highness, Shadow Shield cannot survive alone. It needs the support of power. It needs power relying on it, and it needs rulers to have gaps in power between them."
Stake looked left and right, as if he was really worried about something. "I had to be polite and say some formal but insincere words because Lasalle and those sellswords were around. But when I am alone with you, I can say what I really want to say."
Thales quirked his eyebrows. He wanted to see what else this person had to say.
Stake pursed his lips. His expression darkened. It was only a few seconds before he spoke slowly, "I do not like Chapman Lampard, Your Highness.
"I had not liked him even at the very first moment I saw him."
The torch in Stake's hands crackled. The darkness in this corner swayed slightly as well.
Thales subconsciously clutched on the longsword when he heard that name.
He remembered Chapman meeting Stake outside the carriage he and Little Rascal were in six years ago.
Thales sighed and lamented sincerely, "Good, then we still have something in common."
Stake nodded in understanding.
"Your Highness, you have been a hostage in Northland for six years. I believe you know more than I do just how horrifying that man's ambitions and his means to achieve his goals are. If Shadow Shield wants to be able to survive and be independent, then we absolutely cannot rely on and work under him."
Thales narrowed his eyes. "So?"
Stake shrugged. "So, we don't have much choice."
'Don't have much choice…'
When Thales frowned and felt that he had heard this sentence somewhere before, Stake continued to speak eloquently, "In my opinion, Your Highness, as the representative of Constellation, you are the only person who can turn the tide in the future and fight against the Kinslayer King in the West."
He looked at Thales sincerely. His tone was firm.
At that moment, Thales pursed his lips. His expression was very interesting.
But Stake did not seem to notice Thales' expression. He shook his head, absorbed in his own speech. "Shadow Shield cannot hide all the time. We cannot live with Constellation constantly chasing after our lives."
Thales blinked and stiffly shook his head.
"So, what you mean is that this time, your so-called goal for coming into Blade Fangs Camp is fake. You don't actually want to capture me, but came here purely… to find a master?"
Thales said awkwardly. In his mind, he felt that even Aida would not believe in Stake's words.
But Stake did not feel embarrassed by this. He just smiled and nodded slightly.
Stake acted in an abnormal fashion at this point. He looked around warily.
Thales was struck by a thought. He was afraid that the man would notice something.
Fortunately, Yodel was still silent. He did not show a single trace of his whereabouts.
Strange.
The Masked Protector might be accustomed to silently guarding him and acting in secret, but if he had to suppress himself and not take action for so long…
Thales felt chills in his heart. 'Then it means that the opponent is really difficult to handle.
'For example... to the extent of the Star Killer and the Raven of Death.'
Stake turned around.
"It's not safe here, Your Highness. The Disasters Sword and Lasalle's Northlanders are detrimental to your safety. So, let's go and find a safe place after we go out…"
'As expected.'
Thales blinked. He wondered when Yodel was going to take action. He was forced to continue talking.
"So are you saying that it is safe for me to go with you, and I should not worry at all? Because you came here to catch me and become my vassals and subordinates? Because you will not kill me like how you did to Herman Jadestar eighteen years ago?" Thales' lips twitched. He spoke in a mocking tone.
Stake was silent for a while. He seemed to be deep in thought.
"I do not deny that I killed your uncle, Your Highness.""
This time, Stake looked like an old man who had experienced many things in life. He looked at the prince solemnly.
Stake frowned. He mentioned that strange monosyllabic name again. "But as I have mentioned, the blood debt eighteen years ago is all in Teng's hands. That is a dark in our history that we do not wish to mention the most."
He stared at Thales calmly.
"I was instructed and was compelled to do so. You are destined to become a king, and you must have a magnanimous heart befitting a king. You should hate the real instigator, not the mindless knife and the sword without any will of its own."
Thales rolled his eyes. He did not speak for a few seconds.
The letter he tucked against his chest seemed to have become slightly heavier.
"Was instructed and compelled to do so?
"So you don't have to take the blame."
Thales chuckled and shook his head. He then said in a somewhat sentimental tone, "You are an obedient soldier of the country, so you kill the unarmed civilians, because you were forced to do so, and there is no need for you to take the blame. You are an official who represents the ruler, so you are forced to execute evil policies that will leave a legacy of trouble for the civilians, and there is no need for you to take the blame either. You are a lowly official employed by a person, so you are forced to obey orders and extort your subordinates, and you do not have to take the blame as well.
"It's as if you always locate the person on top of an organization, be it a country, a king, an employer or even an organization system, and then you throw all the crimes you did on that person or thing. You sound as if you can resolve all of your crimes by just looking for the source of it all."
Thales snorted disdainfully,
"This is one of the excuses I look down upon the most."
Stake was rendered speechless.
"Unfortunately, there has never been a 'mindless knife' or a 'sword without any will of its own' in human society."
Thales said coldly, "Regardless of whether a person has is conscious of it or not, admits to it or not, accepts what he did or not, he has to pay the price for what he has done, and there is no escape from it. There is no Jesus in this world who will bear our sins."
Stake frowned slightly. He looked a little puzzled.
Yet he still let go of his doubts and sighed.
"Of course I am guilty, and I am not prepared to run from it. On the contrary, I am now trying to make up to it, either by swearing allegiance to you or by reversing Shadow Shield's fate." His voice became somewhat solemn.
Thales laughed coldly.
"Make up? Allegiance? How are you going to do it?"
Stake bowed and said respectfully, "Come with me, Your Highness. We can talk about a lot of things and share a lot of information."
There was a shrewd glimmer in his eyes. "That includes the secret that year that Teng concealed from all the people for eighteen years. The secret that brought about the Jadestar Royal Family's misfortune."
Thales frowned.
"Similarly, we will show you our value."
Stake looked up. A firm look rarely seen on his icy cold face appeared on him.
"Since eighteen years ago, the conflict between the Constellation Royal Family and the great nobles had intensified. The Iron Hand King's ruthless and violent means had further exacerbated this conflict. I believe that your path to the crown will not be smooth. In this situation, as the heir, you will need a sharp blade whose existence no one knows."
"If there is no masterless sword in the world, let us become a sword who is willing to serve their master. Let us become your knife in the darkness who will protect you and your crown.", Stake slowly put his hand on his chest. His words seemed to be burning in endless passion.
"Future Supreme King of Constellation, Thales the First."
He said loudly and clearly.
Thales felt his eyelids twitch.
After a few seconds, the teenager exhaled and let out a laugh as he shook his head.
"未来的星辰至高国王,泰尔斯一世陛下."
他掷地有声地道.
泰尔斯只觉眼皮一跳.
几秒后,少年吐出一口气,似笑非笑地摇摇头.
"Unbelievable. Just six years ago, you assassinated me under the fortress."
Thales rubbed his sword hilt and could not help but laugh.
But Stake just shook his head.
"难以置信,仅仅六年前,你们才在要塞下刺杀过我."
泰尔斯搓了搓剑柄,忍不住笑出声来.
但钎子却摇摇头.
"First of all, that's what Archduke Poffret hired us to do so." Stake still seemed indifferent and did not even flinched. He only felt that he raised his right hand, "Secondly, can you not steel yourself?"
"We really have a deep hatred for the sea and facing the enemy, Your Highness."
"首先,那是佩菲特大公雇佣我们做的,"钎子依旧淡然,似乎毫不为所动,只觉他举起右手:"其次,身为王者,岂能不经磨砺?"
"我们确实仇深似海,对面为敌,殿下."
Stake pointed to himself and said to Thales respectfully, 'But the best rulers not only destroy the enemy, but also turn their enemies into friends and take it as their own use."
Thales looked at him, stunned.
Unbelievable.
钎子指了指自己,又向泰尔斯恭谨示意:"但最高明的统治者不仅仅消灭敌人,更会化敌为友,收为己用."
泰尔斯怔怔地看着他.
难以想象.
This fellow… is giving him political lessons?
Stake curved his mouth and revealed a casual but not so contemptuous smile. "Besides, if you had not encountered that dangerous assassination, how were we to know what kind of king you would be? How would we know that you were worthy of us breaking free of Teng's nightmare so that we can put our lives in your hands and show our loyalty through our swords?"
At the next moment, Stake stopped smiling. He bowed again solemnly and cautiously.
"The fate of Shadow Shield is in your hands, Your Highness.
"Hold it, so that you can prevent us from becoming a factor of instability again, or you can let us go, and let this long-standing but scattered organization of assassins continue to degenerate and continue harming the world. It is all up to you.
"Please show us your magnanimous attitude befitting of a king, and your demeanor of a ruler. Please make a wise decision and think twice before you act."
'Magnanimous attitude… befitting of a king?'
Thales stared at Stake. He was struck dumb. His mouth hung open.
'Fortunately, he hasn't mentioned a king's glory.'
But Thales still stared at the other person blankly. He felt that his impression towards this man had been refreshed.
"My God. Quick Rope should really hire you to do business for him." Thales shook his head and clicked his tongue.
"It's a waste of talent for people like you to be an assassin."
'He could even run for president.'
Stake just smiled in a humble manner.
"And what are you thoughts? Would you like to come with us? We have too many things to report to you in regards to your future and the future of Shadow Shield."
Thales let out a sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Alright, fine. Um... thank you for your kindness, you can go now."
Stake narrowed his eyes slightly.
