Kingdom's Bloodline, page 596
“But to the outside forces, regardless of whether they are Reformation Tower or Prestige Orchid Region, when they received the news, they immediately strengthened their defenses while they sent out more soldiers to the borders of Black Sand Region…
“Meanwhile, emotions ran high among the other Archdukes in Eckstedt. They sent armed forces to suppress Black Sand Region. They came from the City of Faraway Prayers, Beacon Illumination City, Elaphure City, and Glacier Sea. Many Northlanders even questioned Chapman publicly on the origin of his throne…”
Gilbert smiled as he spoke, but Thales could sense something off in his laughter.
“Black Sand Region has incited public anger, and King Chapman can do nothing about the situation alone. The economy is also unstable under his administration…”
But the prince interrupted him. “It is too late.”
The teenager straightened his back under the cloak while he remained in the crowd, but he had his head lowered while he remained quiet. “Chapman Lampard… Perhaps a lot of people do not recognize him as the King of Eckstedt.”
Thales pursed his lips tightly. When he imagined himself fighting against Lampard on the spot, he felt as if the heavy pressure while he faced the king had turned physical and pressed against his shoulder.
“But now, he has become the King of Black Sand Region.”
Gilbert froze for a moment, and he had nothing to say.
The second prince looked at the sky and sighed before he closed his eyes.
“I told them this before in the past. I told them about this before in the Hall of Heroes… But in the end, they still do not understand.”
Thales opened his eyes. He did not look at the clear blue sky above him. Instead, he stared at the layers of vague black clouds that were in the distance and seemed to be tumbling toward them.
“They do not know that the tide coming toward them is not something that armies and money can easily stop.”
Gilbert was stunned for a moment.
The prince gritted his teeth and frowned. “And this is only the beginning.
“Chapman Lampard. He will only become stronger, greedier and more…”
Thales stopped for a while to just breathe indignantly through his nose.
Gilbert seemed as if he could not bear watching Thales react this way. “Your Highness, you do not have to worry so much. Regardless of how strong King Chapman becomes, we can still…”
But Thales shook his head.
“No. Not us.”
He stared at the black clouds at the horizon.
“Killing, stealing, appointing new vassals… What King Chapman is doing now… is just like a small spark, but it is unstoppable.”
Gilbert heard the words of the prince, and he fell into contemplative silence.
“And in the end, it will burn the entire Northland.” Thales lowered his head and looked ahead of him. The serious look in his eyes reached its peak.
Right at this moment…
*Dong!*
The sound of the bell could be heard everywhere.
Thales and Gilbert shuddered together.
This sound of the bell rose airily but came in waves. It lasted for a long period of time, and it was grave. It shook everyone’s hearts.
It passed through the ground and the air until it reached the depths of the earth and the top of heaven.
The grave echoes remained in the air for a long time.
The neighs from the horses made many Royal Guards frown, and they looked at each other at a loss.
Only Mallos who was at the forefront remained calm, just like always. He pulled on the reins, stepped on the stirrup, and moved forward steadily.
“That is…”
While he listened to the roars in his ears, Thales turned to Gilbert slowly. He seemed to have sensed something.
Gilbert had overcome his initial surprise, and he slowly nodded at the prince.
“The Bell of Constellation.”
A thought struck Thales’ mind.
Gilbert sighed. “The last time it rang, it was during…”
“I know.”
Thales had his memories flood into his mind. He said in a dumbfounded manner, “Six years ago, during the National Conference.”
But his sentimental reminiscence did not last long as the team turned into another street very quickly to get on another main road.
And it was only at this moment that Thales noticed that at some point of time, they had passed through countless streets. The people around them had also gradually gone further and further away. They were separated one hundred steps from them by the public security team which had gradually increased in number, and they just stayed where they were while they watched with curious faces and gazes.
A countless number of soldiers, guards, police officers, and public security team members stood at the front in an orderly manner. They either teamed up to maintain order or acted like a wall to separate the road from the civilians while they waited for the guest to arrive.
On the other side, the road the Royal Guards treaded had become a wide and smooth road.
Naturally, at the end of the main road, the most attractive thing was…
Thales breathed in a daze as he slowly raised his head.
He saw it.
It.
The classical mottled color, the continuous stairs, the heavy black palace walls, the magnificence it exuded as it rose from the ground, the air of age which it had accumulated over centuries, and the dignity it had as it looked down on everything.
Renaissance Palace.
This was a huge pyramid with a flat top, and it had appeared countless times in his dreams. It appeared before his eyes again abruptly, just like that, even though he had been expecting it, just like a giant that walked silently but could blot out the sky.
It was overwhelming. but silent.
Thales stared at the huge palace in front of his eyes blankly for a long time before he came out of his daze.
Once they passed through the passage guarded by the palace guards, the Royal Guards slowed down and made their horses tread softly.
Then, Mallos raised his hand up high. All twenty-five Royal Guards pulled back their hoods together.
They revealed their silver helmets, and they reflected the sun.
Flag Bearer Hugo even lifted the Nine-pointed Star Flag high so that the flag fluttered in the wind.
In the distance, the crowds that were separated behind the line started to cause a ruckus.
Countless eyes shot to the twenty or so riders, and they started to discuss among themselves.
Thales turned his head around with complex feelings. He looked at the normal residents that were separated on both sides of the road, looked at the soldiers and guards who stood straight around them, and in the end, to the heart of the kingdom before him, which was separated from him by palace walls.
Renaissance Palace.
Nobody knew the state of his mind right now. Nobody could describe how he felt now. Nobody could describe his current mood.
He could only remain quiet while he was lost in his thoughts.
He seemed to be deep in thought while he felt that there was something missing.
When Thales’ team arrived at the walls of Renaissance Palace, the dark gigantic city defense crossbows and Mystic Guns changed direction under manual force working on the hinges. The sentries stood on standby, and their killing intent was awe-inspiring.
A noble who wore similar attire like Mallos was surrounded by a team of soldiers while he walked over from the palace. He raised his right arm high to Thales’ team and showed his palm.
In a moment, the twenty-five Royal Guards pulled on the reins together as Mallos made a hand gesture. Glover and Doyle took a step forward and stretched out their hands to stop Thales and Gilbert’s horses.
At this time, they showed stern faces, and their attitude was very awe-inspiring.
“We, twenty-five Royal Guards, obeyed the king’s order in escorting an important person.”
Mallos’ voice could be heard on the road before the palace gate. It bounced back from the wall of Renaissance Palace and resounded at the spacious road.
“The Duke of Star Lake, the Prince of Constellation, the first in line to the supreme throne and Nine-Pointed Star royal crown, the noble Prince Thales Jadestar has now returned.”
Once the words were spoken, everything fell silent.
Regardless of whether they were the guards in front of the palace gate, sentries on top of the palace gate, or the public security team members on the road, all of them fell silent.
Only Mallos’s clear and calm voice could be heard everywhere for a period of time.
The noble who had blocked Mallos in front of the palace gate straightened his body and moved forward.
“Passcode.”
The noble who was dressed in the attire of a Royal Guard looked at Mallos and said coldly, “Crown?”
Mallos slowly struck his horse to move forward. He then faced the ferocious city defense crossbows in an unperturbed manner.
He narrowed his eyes and spoke softly. His voice was very faint.
“Darkness.”
Thales was slightly stunned.
Time seemed to have stopped for a moment.
Then, the noble who guarded the palace gate nodded. He turned around and waved.
*Rumble sound…*
Under the loud and deafening rumbles, the steel chains started to move.
The dark palace gate in front of Thales quivered violently, and it started to move slowly under the great force, as though the gate wanted to clear the thick dust that had accumulated on the gate.
It tore through itself and showed the real appearance of Renaissance Palace.
It turned gold under the setting sun.
It was just like six years ago. During the moment Thales became the prince, the light of the setting sun which shone the Renaissance Palace also turned it into a bright red color.
But this time around, Thales only raised his head dazedly under the shining sun.
He watched the dazzling gold light shine brightly on the outer wall of Renaissance Palace.
Yet, only total darkness was reflected.
The darkness seemed to be bottomless.
Chapter 509: Anxious |
‘Renaissance Palace…’ Thales’ memories toward the palace were very blurry.
A long time ago, to the child beggars who earned a living on the streets, the palace was the “house of the king”, and it sat at the end of the avenue in the city, and it was a few districts away from them. It was like a legend that they could not touch. It was mysterious, majestic, could not be seen clearly, and dignified.
They could only learn about this legendary palace who shared its title with the King of Renaissance from Dark Night Temple’s ludicrous plays, which deviated largely from reality. They learned about how it had an extraordinary background, how it went through numerous trials and hardships, but still remained tall under Dark Night’s protection.
They also learned bits and pieces about the palace from drunkards who were absolutely smashed, and they would say things like, “I’m telling you, I know this person, and he has a friend who works in Renaissance Palace. That place is like this…” Those accounts were very diverse, and they could only infer from particular facts.
They could even sneak a peek at the huge silhouette of the palace through the gaps between the passersby as they rushed down the unfamiliar and clean streets when the child beggars went out to beg for money and craned their heads into those clean streets in a terrified manner. They would suck in sharp breaths because of how shocked they were by the palace, and they would not be able to look away because of how envious they were of it.
This feeling lasted until six years ago, until Thales’ fate changed.
The Duke of Star Lake shut his eyes slowly.
However, even after he had become the prince and the heir to the palace in name, Thales found that he still did not understand Renaissance Palace.
Six years ago, when he first entered Renaissance Palace, he ran into an assassination, and while he was unconscious, he was brought into the palace.
Six years ago, when he left Renaissance Palace, he was to head north in a very short while, and while he was dazed, he left the palace in a carriage.
As for now…
As the guards beside him flanked him while they kept their gazes forward and the guards behind him escorted him with orderly footsteps, Thales opened his eyes, and he snapped out of his daze. Then, he noticed that his group had long since passed the heavily guarded palace gate. In fact, they had passed by the vast meadow between the palace wall and the inner palace, and they were now headed straight to the inner door of the mottled ancient palace.
Then, when they entered a narrow and dark passage without stopping and locked away the broad sky and the endless horizon beyond the stately and old palace gate, Thales came to a realization.
Six years later, when he personally stepped into this place, he still did not manage to see Renaissance Palace clearly, even though he did not run into any unexpected assassinations and was not to be sent away from the country as a hostage.
When he left the streets and carpets, the sensation under his boots became hard, and the sounds his footsteps made were clear.
*Thud, thud, thud.*
The footsteps Thales made echoed in the quiet air. Those echoes traveled into his ears.
Under the light that suddenly became much darker, the young Duke of Star Lake sucked in a deep breath. All he smelled was cold and humidity.
Stones, the cold, the coarse surroundings, darkness… and silence.
This made the duke, who had gradually became used to the dryness in Northland and the heat in the desert, to instinctively become uncomfortable to this.
In the nearly silent and dark stone corridor, they moved into the inner part of Renaissance Palace. They moved past hall after hall and moved up flights of stone steps.
The few windows and candle lights provided the source of light for them to lead their way.
Thales suppressed all unnecessary thoughts and looked up in this silent and solemn palace which had a long history. While he walked in this traditional and humble stone corridor that did not lose its charm, he looked at Mallos’ back as the man walked in front of him.
The watchman was expressionless. He stared ahead and led the way forward in a manner befitting of his position.
Gilbert was one step behind Thales. The sound of his footsteps was rather light, but his steps were steady.
Farther behind him was Glover, Doyle, and the others, they did not say a word, and they seemed to have disappeared into the air.
It was as if they had already become used to the simple palace with its somber colors and suffocating air, and they found nothing strange about it.
And Thales could only follow them quietly.
The group was not alone. On their way, they passed by many guards who were on duty in their stations, servants who moved in a hurry, government officials who acted cautiously, and nobles whose actions showed great discipline.
These people did not speak in the quiet air, as if they had known all along. They would all stop moving forward respectfully and politely before they moved to the side. Then, they would soundlessly but accurately bow to the teenager in the group.
The new Duke of Star Lake instinctively cleared his throat and wanted to respond to their greeting, but Gilbert pressed down on his arm from behind him and shook his head.
The king preferred silence in Renaissance Palace.
Thales was momentarily taken aback.
But he came to understand something. Hence, the Duke of Star Lake only gave a slight nod at these people and smiled as his response.
When he was in Heroic Spirit Palace in Dragon Clouds City, no matter where the Prince of Constellation was, the Northlander palace guards–especially the former White Blade Guards–and Eckstedtian nobles would all stare at him in hostility and wariness. Even after they faced each other every day for six years, those gazes only turned from “so enraged they would gnash their teeth in his face” to “scornful”.
But it was different in Renaissance Palace.
Regardless of the servants, guards, nobles, or government officials, Thales could sense that they held extraordinary interest and curiosity toward the Duke who had just arrived in this place. However, when they passed by the teenager, their gazes on him were filled with respect, caution, politeness, and restraint.
And when the Duke met their gazes, they would usually immediately look down or shift their gazes at somewhere else.
The moment their gazes met, they would look away, and it looked rather deliberate. They looked as if they were sneaking peeks at him from a corner and were afraid of alarming something.
And along with the creation of this timid and cautious atmosphere, they maintained this still and grim feeling.
The Duke of Star Lake could not help but suck in a breath before he exhaled slowly.
For some reason, Thales constantly felt that the cautious, polite, and restrained gazes in Renaissance Palace made him feel uncomfortable. It was as uncomfortable as the completely unhidden, hostile, and estranged gazes from the Northlanders in Heroic Spirit Palace.
Agitation rose in him.
In fact, at some point in time, the teenager really wanted to have the Royal Guards beside him move closer to him and surround him even better so that they could block off those gazes.
It would be best if they could block off everything, until nothing could seep through, just like how the thick wall blocked off Renaissance Palace from the city.
The quiet and nearly dead silent journey soon came to an end.
When they went up another flight of stairs and arrived in front of a rather large hallway, a few figures suddenly in front of the stone door ahead of them.
Mallos was the first to stop.
Thales was on the verge of taking one more step while he followed behind him. Then, he instinctively pulled his foot back.
But very soon, he noticed that besides Gilbert, who remained smiling, the guards behind him, including Doyle and Glover, all puffed out their chests and raised their heads. They appeared even more solemn, and they were like lutes with their strings strung tightly.
