Kingdom's Bloodline, page 72
"Zayen is not dead, he is still on your side. The effect of forcing you to name the heir was not good. There was no life and death struggle among the suzerains of New Star as far as the issue of succession was concerned. Instead, they got into a conflict with the royal family in terms of the appointment of the new prince. The diplomat from Eckstedt was caught in your trap by his ignorance of the National Conference and the appointment of a new prince.
"Nevertheless, I will have to go on walking, until…"
Val sighed, smiled in a mocking manner, and shook his head indifferently.
"Just like that, I failed."
At this point, the hall fell into total silence.
Chapter 71: Iron Hand King (One) |
"Is that so?"
Having listened to Val's declaration, Kessel's expression turned unusually complicated.
"But why was it you? You were supposed to be a noble person, a pure warrior. You have your beliefs."
"Haha." Val started laughing for no reason. "Why can't it be me?"
Kessel paused and looked sadly at Val's scar which extended from his chest to his chin. "You were once my most trusted friend and brother. We grew up in the capital city together, and were the best partners and the closest of brothers. I was closer to you than to my blood brothers like Midier. We even promised to marry each other's sisters."
"Enough!" Val abruptly raised his head. His eyes were filled with fury. "You are not allowed to mention Liscia and Constance. You do not deserve to."
Thales' heart jolted. The image of Liscia Arunde and Constance Jadestar flashed before his eyes—the lonely figure of the Head Ritual Master and the little stone jar.
The king's expression dimmed. "I knew that you hated me, but I thought it was only because of Liscia, and that as a suzerain, you were still loyal to me and Constellation. I thought that the belief in your heart was still noble and unshakable."
The Duke of the Northern Territory who betrayed the Northern Territory spoke resentfully, "Isn't that so? I hate you indeed, but everything I do is for the sake of Constellation!"
The king narrowed his eyes. "What?"
Val Arunde stepped away from the formation of vassals. His gaze was firm.
"If I succeed just by paying some price and enduring momentary bloodshed, Constellation and the Dragon—the shield and the blade of the Western Peninsula—will turn a new page in history.
"In the era of the Ancient Empire, Arunde was a supreme family that ruled the Northland Province. On the other hand, Lampard was a blood descendant of the Revolutionary King, Quiso Lampard, who revolted against the tyrant. The two families' enmity and antagonism have lasted since over a thousand years ago, and this hatred has taken root in our blood, but if even archenemies like us can reconcile. What else is impossible?"
Thales sighed.
'No, you did not reconcile with each other. This is an exchange of benefits.'
Val took a step forward and looked around at everyone with a rabid expression. "The disagreements and enmity between the two kingdoms will be cast aside thanks to the heroic friendship and loyal cooperation between Lampard and me. The blood descendants of both kingdoms—our children—will enter an engagement. Their son will inherit Constellation and Eckstedt at the same time. The two mighty kingdoms, Constellation and the Dragon, will become one. Think about it. The warm, heroic blood of the Great Dragon of the North, infused into the body of the descendant of the mighty Empire!"
Val continued excitedly, "We might not be able to bring back the glory of the Empire, but we can definitely put an end to the flames of war in the Northern Territory. The flames of war will never reignite, and disasters like the Bloody Year will never happen again! The Northern Territory will always be peaceful!"
"To hell with your peacefulness!" Count Zemunto spat angrily.
Val did not care, he clenched his right first tightly. "It can even be taken one step further—a newborn power will rise in the Western Peninsula. With the shield in one hand and the blade in another, we will point our swords towards Camus Union, carve up the land of those tradesmen and profit from them. After the power equilibrium between the three strongest forces in the Western Peninsula is destroyed, the others will not pose a problem. Very soon, the Western Peninsula will be reunified."
The Duke of the Northern Territory gritted his teeth and surveyed the nobles and officials. "Therefore, this is all for the sake of Constellation so that it will not have to endure anymore disasters, for its eventual greatness so that there will forever be peace between Constellation and the Dragon."
Thales furrowed his brows.
Behind them, Baron Lasalle coughed and awkwardly said, "Regarding this, I think—"
*Bang!*
Kessel the Fifth punched the armrest to his left!
"Shut up, Eckstedtian. I will get even with you later." The supreme king's voice was loud. He spoke in a tone that allowed no arguments, "We are now discussing the internal affairs of Constellation."
Lasalle was at a loss for words for a moment.
The king slowly rose and looked down at Val from where he stood.
"For the sake of Constellation?" Kessel the Fifth's eyes turned bloodshot, a sight rarely seen on him. His face was filled with fury. "Betraying your own king and vassals, the Northern Territory, and its people, is this for the sake of Constellation? To not mind inciting a casualty-ridden war so that you can take the throne, is this for the sake of Constellation too?"
Val Arunde clenched his fists tightly and turned towards the king. "Kessel Jadestar, do you think that you are nobler than me?" Val trembled, as if he was trying hard to hold back his emotions. "You… someone from the Jadestar Family are not qualified to point fingers at me!"
The next moment, without regards for manners, he roared, "Your family, the Jadestar Royal Family, is the greatest source of disaster in this kingdom! You are the ones who brought about hell—the disaster from twelve years ago! Until now, we are still atoning for the mistakes you have made!"
Thales could not help but clench his fists tightly. On the other hand, all the people in the hall turned simultaneously towards the king. Many of them had strange expressions on their faces.
The king shut his eyes tightly. "The Bloody Year?"
"The Bloody Year? Yes! THE Bloody Year!" Val laughed miserably. He raised his hands and clenched his fists.
The puzzlement in Thales' heart grew. He looked towards Gilbert. 'What hidden, yet extremely important secret, does the Bloody Year actually harbor?'
Val spoke resentfully, "After that disaster ended, everybody only remembered that the Jadestar Royal Family was almost completely massacred. They only remembered that the Tabark Family only had an orphan girl left! Who would remember the contributions and sacrifices of the Northern Territory?"
The fifteen-year-old Duchess Lyanna inhaled deeply and shut her eyes.
"Who would remember all the blood, dead bodies, widows, and orphans left behind when Eckstedt's army plowed through our land? Who would remember that after the Bloody Year ended, when the entire kingdom was joyfully celebrating the 'Fortress Treaty', almost three quarters of the men, and half the women in the Northern Territory were dead! The remaining elderly and children had to look for food outside in the cold winter or else they would had starved to death at home! And those who went out to look for food, half of them froze to death in the wilderness!
"After I was crowned with the title of the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, the first thing I did wasn't to find them food, but to rebury those who starved or froze to death. Otherwise, their corpses would be dug out and eaten by the famished people who were so hungry they couldn't even walk!
"Have you seen such a scene, young master of the capital city?! Who would remember that my father's head was hung on the gate of Cold Castle for a whole month because he refused to surrender after Cold Castle was breached? When I took him down… And I have to see that damned gate every day when I walk in and out of my own castle!
"The Sword of Reversing Light, Prince Horace, entered Eckstedt's tight encirclement heroically and unyieldingly. He fought to death instead of retreating, was wounded eleven times and bravely sacrificed his life… how glorious is that?! However, who would remember that my brothers, the sons of Arunde, stayed close by his side and protected him till their deaths?! Rohan, Kohl, and Nolanur.
"The dead body of the Prince of Constellation was solemnly carried back to the capital city. But beside him, my brothers were chopped alive into minced meat by Eckstedt's executioner! After everything ended, to bury them, I could only scoop up that thick pile of minced meat, mixed in soil and blood! Who would remember them?!
"My sister and wife's carriage went missing in the wilderness that became chaotic from the raging war. There was no more news about them these past twelve years. I had countless nightmares about them… God knows what they went through!
"And you still dare to say that I only have a daughter as an heiress? Why do you think that I sent my seven-year-old daughter to the Tower of Eradication? To train her to become an heiress? Bullshit! I sent my daughter to the Tower of Eradication because I'm afraid that when I'm not around, the famished people, with eyes red with hunger, would climb into the ruins of Cold Castle and eat Miranda alive!"
Kessel shut his eyes tightly. Recalling that time, many people in the hall could not help but lower their heads.
Val spoke, trembling, "After going through the hell of the Desert War five years ago, Kessel Jadestar, how dare you complain about our weak military strength?! How dare you complain that we don't even have enough cavalry units to form five vanguard teams?!
"Do you think you are the person that I hate? Do you think that I hate you for not marrying my sister? Hate you for letting her down, causing her to become a priestess who will remain unmarried all her life?
"No! What I hate is the Jadestar Family! Your damned family!"
"All of you are at fault for those disasters! Your delusional, idiotic father, your uncle who thinks that he is funny by being rude, your pessimistic eldest brother, those arrogant, useless brothers of yours, and you, the supreme king, born with the blood of those tyrants from the Empire!
"It is the Jadestar Family, who always mingled with the calamities that brought upon the Bloody Year in Constellation, who brought upon such hell!"
'Calamities? Mingled with… the calamities?'
Terrified, Thales subconsciously looked at Gilbert who stood beside him. However, the latter only pursed his lips and did not say anything.
"Do you think that you are some sort of tragic king? The only person left in the Jadestar Royal Family? No!" Val roared madly, "The only things that you have ever cared about are yourself, your will, and your world! Why do you think you are where you are today? You all only have yourselves to blame for the things that happened to you during the Bloody Year!
"You are just like your damned father. Both of you knew where your choices would lead, but you both never gave a damn! You never tried to understand your own vassals, show concern for your own subjects nor care about the people beside you, Iron Hand King! When they call you this, do you not feel mocked? You don't rule with an iron hand, you are just cold-blooded!"
Val's emotions had reached a boiling point and he roared in sadness and despair.
"Why didn't Charleton and the Shadow Shield kill all of you in one go? If it were not for you all bringing back that monster—"
The king abruptly opened his eyes and cut him off with a shout.
"Enough!" Kessel was agitated. He furiously rebuked Arunde, "Val! You are still as foolish, stupid, extreme, and as stubborn as you used to be!"
Kessel glared fixedly at Val. His gaze was inexplicably complicated. "You only believe in what you want to believe in. You are like a foolish piece of wood, ridiculously ignorant."
Breathing heavily, Val stared blankly at the king.
The king sat down dejectedly and tiredly said, "Guards, send Duke Arunde to the dungeons."
Chapter 72: Iron Hand King (Two) |
Two members of the Royal Guards clad in Eternally New Armor wordlessly went to stand beside Val.
Duke Cullen shook his head in resignation. "No mercy between friends, a falling out between brothers. Is there anything sadder than this?"
No one answered him.
After a moment, Val Arunde smiled calmly and raised his head. "At least I did one thing." He looked towards Baron Lasalle, who had a strange expression on his face. "I brought about war, didn't I?
"Lampard and I planned everything, but aren't these dissatisfied nobles of Constellation the ones who took action and killed the prince?"
In an instant, the expressions of Zayen, Koshder and some other counts became strange. Duke Cullen was the only one who was still shaking his head and sighing, as though he was still immersed in the falling out between brothers, which had just happened moments ago.
Val spoke mournfully, "Haha… Kel, Constellation hasn't recovered from the blow yet, and is no match to Eckstedt at all. What are you going to do?"
The king said coldly, "Stay here and watch then. Compare my actions with your own cowardice and watch how I, the cold-blooded Iron Hand King, will face the wrath of the Great Dragon."
Val laughed loudly in grief. "What? Are you going to enlist children below twelve into the army again?"
The king no longer paid him any mind. Instead, he turned towards Eckstedt's emergency envoy.
"Baron Lasalle, I have already fulfilled at least the third condition from among all the conditions you have just stated. Unfortunately, I am unable to hand you the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, nor the Archduke of Black Sand. Since there were people from your kingdom involved, it seems unreasonable to still ask us for compensation using our territories or resources."
Lasalle replied with a solemn expression, "Impossible! Just now, I only saw the members of the Royal Court of Constellation argue among themselves. There is no proof that states that the Archduke of Black Sand was involved!
"Eckstedt insists on the conditions for compensation stated earlier. The exact amount can be negotiated, but it cannot be remitted." He raised his head. "Otherwise, let us meet on the battlefield and let our swords and knives do the talking!"
The nobles in the hall began whispering among themselves. Val, who was guarded by the Royal Guards from both sides, even started to laugh scornfully.
"Besides, King Nuven's fury and despair of losing his only heir is not something that can be made even by just finding the culprit!" Lasalle added with a gloomy expression. The king sighed.
"True," Kessel the Fifth spoke drearily, "I felt it."
Lasalle raised his brows.
"I could feel his fury and despair," the king said gloomily, "This is indeed unjust for King Nuven.
"The assassination of the diplomat group and the misfortune of the prince… No matter who did this, they not only insulted Eckstedt, but also Constellation! The shame felt by Constellation from this incident is a hundred- even a thousand times more than the former!"
Many pairs of eyes looked towards Val at the same time. The king raised his head, and his gaze was icy cold.
"Constellation has never thought of evading responsibility. Since it is unjust, we will definitely pay what is due."
The two Counts of the Northern Territory immediately became nervous.
'Is the king really going to sacrifice the Northern Territory?'
'I mean, you know, Duke Arunde…'
Zemunto stole a glance at Val. The latter smiled indifferently.
Baron Lasalle smiled. "Your Majesty, you are indeed an honorable and brave person. Whether it is Pine Nut County, Bear County, or even the peripheral area of Cold Castle, as long as our side is satisfied, the exact land, and even the surface area, are actually negotiable—"
"Your people will definitely be satisfied," the king said coldly.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Supreme King of Constellation grabbed the scepter beside his hand, rose from his throne once more, and slowly walked down the steps.
Kessel the Fifth took heavy steps towards the bewildered Lasalle. "Go and reply to King Nuven and your master at Black Sand Region. Constellation is deeply apologetic and feels great guilt about the assassination of the diplomat group."
Lasalle flashed a smile and nodded slightly. "I will relay your words. As for the compensation… we will need a map to measure the territories—"
"No."
Lasalle was stunned.
The supreme king continued. "Constellation does not have any territories that can be used as compensation to Eckstedt. We are unable to make up for King Nuven's grief and loss either..."
Lasalle's expression changed.
Thales' breathing quickened. 'Is he going to go, "THIS! IS! SPARTA!"?'
"...However, Constellation will not evade its responsibilities," the king said softly. In the next moment, the prince had goosebumps all over his body!
The thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constellation, Kessel Jadestar, slowly raised his scepter—which shone with an unearthly starlight—and pointed it at Thales!
"You have not met him yet, correct?" Kessel the Fifth said slowly, "This is Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constellation, my son, and my only heir."
Everyone looked at Thales.
"I will send him to Dragon Clouds City to apologize to King Nuven and Eckstedt."
Thales was stunned. Lasalle was also stunned.
The king did not look at Thales anymore, but continued speaking coldly, "If this is not enough, if the pain of losing a son cannot be eased with an apology…
"King Nuven wants justice, correct? I will give him justice. Tell King Nuven that he can kill my son, kill the only heir of Constellation to avenge his only son and heir who died in Constellation!
"Let him fill the void with blood and wash off the hatred with murder! Take my son's life in exchange for his son's life! Take the blood of Constellation to make up for the blood of Eckstedt!"
