Kingdom's Bloodline, page 51
Yodel seemed like he had not spoken this much in a long time. However, the awkward manner of him trying hard to find the right words, and the sincerity behind his actions made Thales' feelings complicated.
At that moment, the transmigrator did not know what type of facial expression and mentality he should use to face the secret protector.
Thales inhaled deeply for a few seconds and asked again, "But why me? Just because I have the Jadestar blood in me?"
Yodel slowly shook his head. "I am not Gilbert, and what I believe in is not the alleged bloodline. I believe that a seven-year-old boy, who protected his friends with all his might under a hopeless situation, is a different existence from those ugly people.
"I am also willing to believe that you, a Jadestar with humble beginnings… will become an extraordinary king in this decadent kingdom."
'An extraordinary king?'
Thales instinctively spoke, "Just like crown prince Midier, my eldest uncle?"
Yodel was silent for a few seconds.
"No," the masked protector answered. His voice was deep and filled with grief. He spoke firmly with his raspy voice, "You will be better than him. I know that you have within yourself something he does not."
Thales trembled slightly. His breathing quickened.
Looking at Yodel, whose expression could not be read, he found that he could not speak for a long time.
After a long while.
"Thank you." Thales, who finally calmed his state of mind, could only utter these two words. The usually articulate Thales was promptly at a loss for words.
The kneeling Masked Protector nodded heavily with force.
Yodel spoke again. This time, his words seemed even more sincere.
"Yodel Cato, at your service."
Thales sucked in a deep breath. He did not speak for quite a while.
Then, he heard himself asking with difficulty, "One more thing. If you were there all along that night… Since when were you… there?"
Yodel's hands pushed down on Thales' shoulders slightly.
The sounds of Thales' light pants could be heard before he spoke slowly.
"Did you see, see Quide in..." Thales clenched his teeth and asked in a trembling voice, "... the Abandoned Houses?"
The Masked Protector relaxed his grip slightly. He did not speak.
He simply did not speak.
At that moment, Thales only felt that Yodel's mask and the pair of lenses on it were ice-cold. It was as though a deluge of coldness suddenly coursed through his heart.
Trembling, Thales asked, "You didn't stop him. Even when he entered our house… you didn't stop him… Why? The prince… might have been among the child beggars, right?
"And… those children…"
In truth, Thales already made his guess a long time ago. But he was unsure…
He had to ask.
Yodel slowly stood up and cut him off.
He said plainly, "We should go. They will be suspicious of us."
At that moment, the Masked Protector was like an emotionless robot. This made Thales recall Asda's smile.
It had no warmth.
…..
Although Serena's room was not one hundred meters away as what Jines had said, it was not as near as he imagined it would be.
The Blood Clansmen' guest rooms were situated in Mindis Hall's spacious storage cellar, away from the sunlight, the people, and Thales.
"Good evening, Sir Thales." The pale-faced Blood Clan member, Chris Corleone—who had lived for an unknown amount of years and months—bowed slightly at the 'entrance' of the room. He flashed a smile at Yodel, a smile that seemed to belong to the dead.
"Welcome back, Masked Esquire. Your sudden appearance just now really scared all of us."
Yodel did not respond.
Chris was not bothered by it. He turned towards Thales and nodded softly. "Her Highness is waiting for your arrival."
Thales, whose emotions were perturbed and complicated, raised his head and looked at Yodel standing beside him.
The latter nodded almost imperceptibly behind his mask and walked out of the door. He stood at the entrance together with Chris, like doormen.
The transmigator also nodded slightly. After inhaling deeply, he pushed open the room door and walked towards Serena, who was already waiting inside.
The one who saved his life just now...
And was the next trouble to be handled after Morat.
"Ah, my long-awaited allwy."
The red-eyed loli's expression was profound. She lifted the hem of her black dress and curtsied at him.
"It seems that under my ASSISTANCE," the lisping Serena emphasized the word 'assistance' and continued talking with an unsettling smile, "You have aweady gotten out of twouble.
"Isn't it now time to discuss our issue of remuneration and repayment?"
Chapter 50: Donate a Bag of Blood and Save a Life |
Serena had been waiting in her so-called 'room'.
Apart from two Eternal Lamps, the place was dark. Thales suspected that even those two lamps were lit for him.
Rolana and Istrone were nowhere to be seen.
The extremely huge, black coffin was still behind the red-eyed little loli. If Thales had not seen the Blood Clansmen fiddle with a switch and fold it into the size of a normal coffin, he would have suspected that the Blood Clansmen had an alleged 'magician' transport it.
However, at the moment, looking at the black coffin, Thales furrowed his brows.
"What's wong?" Serena asked, bewildered.
"Not much," Thales said plainly and put on his usual facial expression. He wanted to ask why she put a toilet bowl in the middle of the room but swallowed it back.
"I am here to thank my ally for her assistance, Serene… can I call you that?"
Serena raised her brows imperceptibly and pouted.
'Just providing assistance, just my obligation as an ally and not help given in expectation for your repayment? Such a cunning and eloquent boy,' Serena thought resentfully.
Serena tilted her head and flashed a cute loli smile, "I only transmitted a few perpwexing sentences—I would pwefer that you call me Madam Serena—and got hold of some dirty wittle secret at the same time. In the words of those in Mane et Nox, why wouldn't I be glwad to do it? Especially with the fact that my dear ally is shadiwy welated to Mystics?"
The two of them were silent for a moment.
Thales thought, 'She is indeed an old witch. She won't let this opportunity slide.'
"No, your help was very important to me, and I am very grateful towards you." Thales smiled shyly with a sincere gaze like a grateful little boy.
"Otherwise, in front of the Black Prophet, I might even make confessions regarding Corleone family's internal rift and the truth of all of you seeking asylum in Constellation. He is the Black Prophet. Who knows what terrifying things he would do after knowing these secrets?
"I definitely don't want to see bad things happening to my ally, I hope you are thinking the same way, Serene."
Serena's gaze immediately became cold.
She put on a deliberate smile and revealed her little fangs at the same time. "You are not willing to be at a disadvantage at all, are you, my ally? And do not call me Sewene."
'This tactic can't scare me anymore now.' Amused, Thales looked at Serena, who looked like she was five or six and was curving her mouth.
Thales' smile became even brighter. He took a step forward and said, "I thought that allies should trust each other instead of threaten each other. Our interests align, my dear Serene."
"Since our interwests are aligned, please call me Madam Sewena and please show more sincerity. For example, my followers and I need more bwood. Fresh bwood." Serena's red pupils gained focus. She also took one step forward and gazed at Thales.
'As expected, dogs can't change their… Ahem.'
Thales inhaled deeply and took a step forward, staring straight into the pair of red eyes and tried to erase his previous impression of Serena as a mummy from his mind. He smiled and said, "For living people's fresh blood, it's a little hard. But this time, I came to fulfil my part in our alliance to further strengthen our common interests, Serene."
'Serene? What a rude mortal!' Serena thought a little angrily. 'Wait till I snatch back the crown from that b*tch…'
She glared at Thales' carefree smile.
Serena chuckled softly and curled up the corner of her tiny lips slightly. Then, she said, "Hmph, so, you finally decided to ask for my hand in marwiage?"
'Wha—'
Thales' worldview shook slightly.
With an expression akin to someone who just ate shit, he looked at the smugly smiling four-hundred-year-old witch in resignation.
'You win'.
Thales heaved a sigh. Under Serena's sparkling gaze, he rolled up his left sleeve and extended his bare wrist towards the red-eyed loli.
"My fresh blood… this was what I promised as part of our alliance," he said plainly.
Serena immediately flashed a smile and said, "I now believe in your sincerwity, my dear ally."
The Archduchess shut her eyes and exhaled deeply. The curve of her lips became increasingly wider. 'I thought he would keep going back on his word. This boy isn't that detestable after all.'
Thales' gaze was solemn. His breathing quickened and he said, "Remember, one-eighth of a pint, Serene. No more than that."
Serena opened her eyes, ignoring what Thales had called her. She then flashed a strange smile. "No lesser than that either. I will control the blood volume."
Serena put on a fascinated and passionate expression. At that moment, the fearful Thales finally felt that he was facing a four or five-hundred-year old Blood Clan Archduchess.
'Blood volume? Can she use another term?'
Looking at Serena, who had transformed herself into a gastronomist, Thales gulped with much difficulty. He could not shake off his 'mummy-related' trauma from before.
"Eh, can your gaze be a little bit gentler… Your expression is making me a little scared, my heart feels weird… Ah- Give me a signal, big sister. Don't just suddenly bite me with your big, bloody mouth!
"Ack! Ouch- Ouch- Ouch!"
Thales' flurried voice rang within the room.
Yodel's mask trembled. He was about to move when the old Blood Clan Butler stopped him.
"This is an alliance between them," Chris said coldly, looking at the Masked Protector without any impression of weakness.
'In the face of the Blood Clansmen' fangs, humans would always be at a disadvantage. Even if that little brat- that child is the future heir of the second strongest Kingdom in the Western Peninsula.'
However, as she continued drinking his blood...
Something did not… seem right?'
Thales' voice rang from within the black coffin again.
"Your mouth… it looks pretty small. Why does it have so much strength… Eh, don't be too vigorous at the start. There must be a transition… Ouch, teeth! It's hurting me! Ah… slower, mouthful by mouthful… Softer… yes, you must be gentle…
"Tongue… ah… don't put your tongue everywhere… I won't be able to take it…"
Chris' face became more and more unpleasant.
"Alright, keep it at this pace. Little mouthful by little mouthful… I know that you have trouble holding it in… But you must resist it, and remain rational. Serene, be good. For the sake of my health, you cannot be so fast…"
Chris' face started to turn from white to green.
'That damned mortal. That little brat. Is he deliberately doing this?'
He glared fiercely at Yodel standing across him. Yodel's hands stilled for a moment in midair.
As Chris' face twitched, he saw Yodel extend his hands outwards and make a gesture as if he was saying that there was nothing he could about it.
The Masked Protector said helplessly in a rasp, "True. This is an alliance between them."
Relaxed, Yodel went back to the entrance and put his hands behind his back again.
Before Chris went crazy and dashed into the room, Serena finally had enough blood. She let go of the nervous looking Thales in satisfaction and licked her blood-red lips.
"Thank you for your hospitality," the red-eyed loli said sweetly.
"You're welcome," the extremely pale-faced Thales said. He sat on the floor in annoyance and massaged the two little holes on his wrist. His mouth opened and closed before he continued speaking, "Donate a bag of blood and save a life."
He kept feeling that she sneakily drank a lot more than she was supposed to.
…..
"Do not worry. That child is stronger that what we have imagined." Gilbert went into the hall on the second floor and stared at Jines, who was deep in thought.
At this moment, the sounds of horses galloping echoed from outside Mindis Hall.
Gilbert's expression changed. 'That is a messenger on horseback.'
"Seems like an eventful night indeed." Jines snapped back to attention and watched with a complicated gaze as the messenger respectfully handed her a sealed scroll bearing a nine-pointed star stamp.
Gilbert broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. His face became increasingly grimer.
Gilbert put the scroll down and frowned deeply, then said, "Something major has happened. His Majesty urgently calls for us to head to the palace."
"Of course. After all, you are his most trusted attendant and former Foreign Affairs Minister." Jines heaved a sigh and turned nonchalantly, walking upstairs.
"As for me, forget about it. I would rather stay here and look after the child."
"No." Gilbert turned towards Jines. His countenance was more solemn than any other time before. Looking at Jines, then held up the top part of the scroll and shook it slightly.
At the end of the paper was Kessel Jadestar's signature and the nine-pointed-star signet.
"His Majesty urgently calls for all of us to head to the Renaissance Palace immediately…
"…With the child."
Chapter 51: Thales and Zayen (One) |
When Thales was invited out of Mindis Hall by Gilbert and Jines, both had solemn expressions on their faces, he had no idea what was occurring.
"What happened?" For the first time in over twenty days, Thales stepped out of Mindis Hall's cedar wood door. Looking at the familiar dark-colored carriage, his face was filled with bewilderment.
"Gilbert will explain it to you." Jines' unsmiling face made him nervous. She swung the whip in her hand and gracefully leaped onto the driver's seat. Her answer was short and simple. "What you need to do now is to get on the carriage immediately."
With his mind in a muddled state, Thales turned his head back. The middle-aged noble produced a boarding stool out of nowhere and softly put it on the ground.
"Please get in, young Sir. Madam Jines does not like sitting in the carriage. My apologies, you will have to bear sitting with an old man like me." Gilbert's effort in attempting to be humorous was a complete failure. Even the two horses could tell that he was gloomy with worry and deliberately avoided them.
'What… is happening?'
Filled with anxiety and fear, Thales stepped onto the boarding stool and then the carriage pedal. He turned his head back and glanced at Mindis Hall's guards, only to see that they showed no signs of leaving with him. As if they had sensed Thales' gaze, the swordsmen lowered their heads respectfully, with Chora in the lead.
"They won't come with us… One carriage will give us more of a low profile," Gilbert stated flatly.
Thales looked at the two people's incredibly grave faces and quelled the desire to get to the bottom of it. He only asked one question, "Will we… come back after we go to the palace?"
Gilbert's voice was slightly grim. "It depends on His Majesty's will. Please pardon my rudeness, but we must hurry."
'Matters are that serious?'
Thales no longer said anything else. He sat in the carriage, and Gilbert, who entered right after him, closed the door lightly.
The dark coach was still the same as around twenty days ago. The interior was still filled with those dark red couches, the glass adorned with Crystal Drops, the crest of the nine-pointed star decorating the walls of the carriage, and that faintly glimmering fluorescent paint.
Jines' whip struck the horses lightly and rhythmically, but the speed of the carriage was much faster compared to the previous time Gilbert drove it. Of course, it was also a much bumpier ride.
As the carriage jerked around, Gilbert looked at Mindis Hall, under the moonlight, and slowly disappearing from the window, then he looked at Thales solemnly.
"We are in a hurry, so I will choose what is important to tell you."
Aside from the time when they spoke in the secret chamber, Thales had never seen Gilbert so serious before. This made him apprehensive.
"Eckstedt Diplomat Group is scheduled to visit Constellation after New Year." The middle-aged noble looked at Thales seriously.
Thales narrowed his eyes and tried his hardest to remember the history of the continents from twenty something days ago.
'Eckstedt, the country that was built in the north by the humans' hero during the Battle of Eradication, Raikaru Eckstedt. Great Dragon of the North, the Heroes' Country, Western Peninsula's Blade, Constellations powerful neighbor to the north.'
Gilbert continued speaking seriously, "The Northern Territory has sent urgent news: Three days ago, Eckstedt Diplomat Group… has been completely wiped off when they were on the road in Central Hill, located to the south. There were no survivors."
Thales widened his eyes in disbelief.
Gilbert sighed. "The victims include six Eckstedt nobles… and Prince Moriah Walton. He is the only son of Nuven the Seventh, who is the King of Eckstedt and also the archduke of Dragon Clouds City. Prince Moriah is the Walton Family heir and the next Archduke of Dragon Clouds City."
The transmigrator sucked in a cold breath.
The king's only son in the strongest country in the Western Peninsula and the heir of their neighboring land…
...was killed within Constellation's territory?
"No one survived, including the nobles of Constellation who accompanied them. There are no clues. The only thing they found were a string of words formed when the victims' blood was poured on the ground…"
