Kingdom's Bloodline, page 649
Mallos furrowed his brows.
Thales shrugged and asked in jest, “So am I still your favorite duke?”
Mallos looked at him for a long while—not any ordinary look, but a hair-raising look. The type of ‘look’ that occurred in the horror films of his past life, where ghosts appeared out of nowhere and ‘looked’ at the protagonist.
Just when Thales could not bear it and wanted to turn away, Mallos spoke.
“Some other time, Your Highness.”
Thales was confused. “Some other time?”
Mallos nodded, and reverted to a carefree tone, “Some other time, I’ll bring you to East Hill Cemetery
in Aven Hills, just outside of Eastern City District,”
“And introduce my family to you.”
“Sounds great…” Thales agreed cheerfully, but immediately noticed something wrong.
“Wait a minute. Did you say, cemetery?”
Mallos nodded and responded with a pleasant smile. “Yup.
“My grandparents, parents, uncles, siblings…”
There was a hidden depth in Mallos’ voice; Coupled with his exuberant gaze, this sent a chill down Thales’ spine.
“All my blood relatives that can be found in the Mallos family genealogy.
“Every one of them.
“Is buried there.”
Mallos’ voice was calm.
Like he was talking about someone else.
Except he kept looking at Thales, unblinking.
“Shall I introduce you?”
Thales chuckled and turned around stiffly.
“Hehe, err, you know…”
Thales pushed his plate slightly and said awkwardly, “This lettuce really is pretty good.”
Thales knew, that was the end of the watchman’s good mood.
Just like his luck tonight.
Because ten minutes later, a man sat down beside Thales uninvited and smiled at him.
“Do you remember when we first met?”
“What a coincidence it was. I happened to meet you when you were chased by an assassin, and I just happened to save your life… Now that I think about it, perhaps it was destiny?”
Thales looked at the guest helplessly. He waved to signal to Mallos that everything was alright, and have him hold back the surrounding Star Lake Guards who had gone on high alert.
Why did it have to be this guy…
At such a time…
“I’m a little busy. I have no time to reminisce with you,” the prince said bluntly as he referred to the guest by name, “Zayen.”
But the master of Iris Flowers, Duke of South Coast, Zayen Covendier raised his wine glass and grinned at Thales. “Really? What a shame.”
“I thought that you, as one who has encountered multiple life-threatening situations, will be more concerned about your old enemy’s current situation—I have received this information only recently.”
Thales was stunned.
“Old enemy?”
Zayen, and the assassination he mentioned…
‘And that enemy that tried to assassinate me…’
Thales looked towards Duke Arunde subconsciously.
“Oh, no, not the Duke of the Northern Territory. What’s more, his current situation is clear as day,” Duke Zayen put down his wine glass, his eyes ablaze, “I’m talking about the cunning, unpredictable, mad, vicious…”
Thales froze.
“The person who has lost everything and gone into exile…”
Zayen pronounced each word softly, “But still capable of catching us off-guard and leaving us dejected and embarrassed with their every gesture…”
The duke scoffed coldly, “Lady Serena Corleone.”
Thales was confused for a split second before slipping into a daze.
Ser…
In that instant, a sudden strangeness and a long-lost familiarity struck him at the same time.
Serena…
Thales’ complexion changed slightly.
He felt a phantom pain in a vein on his neck, like years past.
Zayen twirled the wine glass in his hand deftly, and slipped into a slight daze.
“What about it, Your Highness? This name…”
In that moment, there was trepidation and chilliness in the Duke of Iris Flowers’ gaze. “Do you remember it?”
Chapter 546: To Not Perish as Foes (One) |
Indeed. It had been a long, long time since Thales thought about this name.
Serena Corleone.
He even had to admit that many times he deliberately locked it in the depths of his memory.
Was unwilling to think about it, had detested thinking about it.
But when he did think about it again, he could still feel the uneasiness that originated from the depths of his heart.
‘Betrayal is the true essence of an alliance.’
As the memory became clearer, and just as that face was about to reappear in his mind, Thales looked up abruptly and focused his attention directly in front of him.
“What do you want?” The prince looked at Zayen skeptically. “Why did you mention her?”
In the middle of the hall, the knighting ceremony was still underway. From time to time, a noble would walk up the steps and kneel before the king’s seat.
The Duke of Iris Flowers smiled slightly and raised his glass to the young man. “This, Your Highness, you can take it as a… banquet gift from me.”
Thales kept still, his gaze cold.
Zayen waited for a good while but there was no intent on the part of the youth to raise his glass back in response.
He brushed it off, smiled and put down his glass.
But he suddenly frowned and looked around. “Is it my illusion, or is your security more anxious and tighter than usual?”
“What, do they suspect I will harm the prince?”
Thales tensed up but remained unfazed. “My personal guard captain is diligent and strict with his men.”
Thales smiled towards Mallos and Glover, repeatedly signaling them to take it easy.
The Duke of Star Lake turned around; his eyes lit up.
“As for suspecting you… Well, you can’t really blame them,”
“You know, that gift you gave me six years ago, I have yet to fully digest it.”
Zayen smiled. “Then you need this gift even more—it will help you digest the last one.”
“How?” Thales sneered sarcastically.
With feelings unfathomable to outsiders, they stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.
Finally, Thales asked calmly, “So, Serena, where is she?”
Zayen smiled.
He raised his hand gracefully, called a waiter over and ordered a portion of beef as Thales looked on disgruntledly. Amidst the soft clanking of cutlery against dishware, he started to speak at a leisurely pace, “Since she caused us huge losses six years ago, that ruthless Machiavellian from Night Kingdom has been recuperating in Constellation for some time.”
As if this was an ordinary casual conversation.
Thales contemplated for a while.
“She has guts.
“After causing so much trouble, offending so many people,” Thales recalled her threats and harm caused towards him and scoffed, “she dares stay in Constellation?”
But then Thales paused.
He looked up and stared fixedly at Zayen in disbelief.
Zayen picked up a piece of beef and smiled back at him.
Thales began to comprehend.
“You.”
With slight surprise, Thales frowned and continued, “My guess is, when your relationship with the Corleone family fell apart, that ugly-faced woman—I mean, Serena Corleone who had betrayed and left her family became your natural ally?”
Zayen had two pieces and stopped. He maintained his smile as he wiped the corners of his lips with a tablecloth.
“After Lady Serena was driven away by you, I did, uh, provide her shelter.”
Sure enough.
The astonishment gradually receded from Thales’ face.
“I remember someone telling me that.” The youth looked at him in disdain, “If you share a boat with a jackal and wolf, you will run the risk of having your boat overturned.”
In that moment, Zayen’s expression froze a little.
“Particularly before you get all lovey-dovey and emotionally entangled with Serena Corleone.” Half sincere, half sarcastic, Thales scoffed. “Trust me, I speak from experience.”
Zayen was silent for a while.
But in a fraction of a second, the Duke of Iris Flowers looked up and responded with a decent smile.
“Yes, very true,” he nodded politely, “I discovered that myself later,”
There was a slight chill in Zayen’s eyes. “Especially after she broke free from her shackles, drained a few of my men and left me without saying goodbye.”
Broke free from her shackles…
It dawned on Thales. “Looks like the shelter you provided wasn’t very good.”
But since it was Serena, to have put shackles on her…
Yes, young Zayen.
The prince gave him a thumbs up in his heart:
Well done.
Inside the hall, the knighting ceremony finally came to a close.
Music could again be heard as the performers returned to the stage. Liveliness and noise became the main theme of the banquet again. Perhaps due to the passage of time, the guests started to get drunk and, either gathering their friends or already in small groups, they became less and less inhibited.
Thales even noticed many male and female guests disappear from the same spot one after another, and did not return even after much later.
King Kessel was back in his seat, but the queen had long departed. He seemed a little lonely.
The king glanced over towards Thales for a second before looking away.
The royal guards beside him looked stern as usual, but Thales, who knew what was going on, could clearly feel their extreme relief.
The assassin did not appear.
It was good news.
And bad news.
Zayen raised his glass a little with a subtle look in his eyes, pulling Thales back to the conversation at hand.
“The Eastern Peninsula sea route is lucrative.” The Duke of Iris Flowers lightly sniffed the aroma of his wine. “Ever since the misfortune six years ago, the Covendier family has been looking for an opportunity to restore relations with the Corleone family and get back on good terms with each other,”
“So I’m thinking, the wanted family criminal they are after, could be a breakthrough.”
Thales raised his eyebrows.
“Get back on good terms? After you attempt to have the Night Queen murder the Prince of Constellation on your behalf?”
The prince spoke the truth without any psychological burden, his tone sarcastic. “I’m afraid it won’t be that easy.”
“I’ll still have to try.” Zayen smiled again, perfectly elegant.
“Let us rather die as friends than perish as foes.”
Thales shook his head in disapproval.
But there was a small voice in his heart that said:
No.
If the Covendier family really managed to capture that ugly old witch and send her to her sister as a gift…
Thales retracted his gaze from Zayen and frowned.
They might really have a chance at reconciliation.
Fortunately, Serena broke free from her shackles and was not caught by Zayen.
Yes, ugly-faced woman.
Thales secretly nodded in approval of his rival:
Well done.
The prince put a piece of lettuce into his mouth as he pondered this. “But you mentioned that you have the latest news on her?”
Zayen nodded. “Anyway, after that, we paid special attention to Lady Serena’s whereabouts,”
“For the past six years, the exact whereabouts of this exiled dignitary of Night Kingdom has been unclear. She seems to have been everywhere from Revol City to Sanlast. Until a few days ago, she was seen in the Alliance of Freedom.”
Allian…
Thales froze for a moment before immediately looking up.
“Where?”
Zayen smiled.
“That’s right. The Alliance of Freedom that has fallen on hard times is doing everything possible to survive. Disregarding dignity and price, they are desperately asking those with ambition to join their righteous struggle, irrespective of their origins or past,”
“From criminals to mercenaries, from ruffians to thugs, they take anyone, they want everyone, in order to resist the unjust aggression from Eckstedt,”
“And Lady Serena is one of them. She has also been honored as an important guest.”
The ugly-faced woman is at…the Alliance of Freedom?
Aiding the fight against Eckstedt?
The news that Gilbert delivered, about Eckstedt’s defeat and the uncertain fate of their commander-in-chief, flashed across his mind.
Saroma’s face, brave and persevering, appeared before his eyes as well.
But what came after was an image which became clearer and clearer; which encompassed solemnity and loveliness, glamor and cruelty; two faces, one large, the other small—the image of Serena Corleone.
Thales’ heart sank and he felt chaotic inside.
‘No way?
‘Is it you again, old witch?’
There was an odd sensation on his neck, his wrist, and every part of him that had been bitten by the Blood Clan.
“Of course, this matter involves Eckstedt, so perhaps you have a better understanding of it than me. What do you think?” Zayen took a sip of wine.
Thales stared at Zayen’s wine glass and shook his head in disdain.
“It would be like drinking poison to quench thirst.
“But whatever that old witch is involved in, it won’t be anything good.”
Zayen raised his eyebrows; he did not deny this.
Thales was lost in thought, Zayen did not speak. Both of them sat across from each other in silence for a while.
Until Thales snapped out of it. “That’s it? Nothing else?”
Zayen looked up at him. “That’s it.”
Thales pursed his lips and nodded, intending to send off his guest. “If that’s the case…”
At this moment, Zayen raised an arm and pointed at a noble in the crowd whose nose was red from drinking, but was in high spirits and being congratulated by everyone.
“Look, that’s the Rorchenanter family. After two generations, they have finally become hereditary vassals.”
Zayen’s tone was drawn-out. “But who knows how long that will last?”
Thales furrowed his brows slightly, thinking about what Zayen meant to say.
But in the next moment, the Duke of Iris Flowers’ words took him by surprise.
“Thales,” Zayen was still looking at Lord Rorchenanter in the crowd with a profound gaze, as he said softly, “Do you know how the relationship between the supreme ruler and his vassals came about?”
Thales was startled.
This was the first time tonight that Zayen referred to Thales directly by name, without any titles.
The prince appraised him bemusedly.
The Guardian Duke of the South Coast seemed to be lost in thought as he continued distractedly, “When humans had just stepped out of the Uncivilized Period, before the empire was born and when multiple kings ruled, the world was not peaceful,”
“In an era of war and turmoil, the weak affiliated themselves with and pledged allegiance to kings with power, military, and territory for protection.”
“And in return, the protected had to lead their family and friends to work the king’s land to generate produce, providing labor in exchange for protection.”
Zayen turned his attention to the groups of guests that approached the king.
“The Ancient Chauvinistic Country, Northland, Rock Ridge, Rudoll, Faraway Mountain, Sorenlan…all the ancient kingdoms of humans were established this way, with no exceptions,”
Zayen narrowed his eyes and looked at King Kessel in the distance.
“Security is the obligation of the king, and the right of the vassal.”
Security.
Thales suddenly remembered the vows made by King Chapman in Heroic Spirit Palace when he was crowned.
‘As a Northlander, I will undertake the heavy responsibilities as king to this kingdom, to stand at the forefront of the kingdom with my wisdom and breadth of mind.’
As king to this kingdom.
Stand at the forefront of the kingdom…
Really?
Thales recalled the day Chapman put on the blood-stained crown and looked down at the adoring crowd.
“Labor, conversely, is the obligation of the vassal, and the right of the king.”
Zayen smiled faintly, slightly aloof.
“See, the essence of the ruler-vassal hierarchy is really just a transaction.
“I give you labor, you grant me protection.”
He stared towards the lower tiers of the banquet hall at the drunk and merry guests.
“If a vassal is unable to provide labor, military service, and taxes, then the king has a right to expel the vassal and recover his land,”
He turned around again to look towards the highest tier at Kessel the Fifth, who looked down indifferently.
“If a king can no longer defend against foreign invasions and ensure security, the vassal has the right to abandon the king and seek another master,”
Thales frowned hard.
He finally knew what Zayen was getting at.
Zayen turned around and stared quietly at the prince.
“This right is a prerogative and a convention.”
Thales had an illusion that: the initially friendly and approachable Duke of South Coast seemed to be exhibiting his prowess.
“Vassals and their supreme ruler, suzerains and their subjects, all are such. This is the cornerstone of our rule, a contract, and more so, a covenant.”
Zayen went on softly, “Binary, reciprocal, synergistic, two sides of a balance, two ends of a path.
“But when the balance tilts.
“You need to add weight to one side for it to return to a state of balance.”
Zayen stared fixedly at Thales. His tone and gaze were calm, but for some reason, Thales felt firmly locked in.
