Kingdom’s Bloodline - WuxiaWorld
Author: Masterless Sword
Date: 2021-11-10T13:44:12.958000+00:00

Chapter 1

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Arc 1: Return of the Blood

“That is why Baudrillard considers ‘things’ and ‘requirements’ as false symbols. He criticized Marx’s labor theory of value1, believing he had fallen into the trap of capitalism and political economy. He then even proposed his own idea of political economy.” Wu Qiren finished his presentation. He opened up his last slide and nodded his thanks to the teacher and his classmates. Upon the teacher’s signal, he left the podium and awaited the next classmate’s presentation.

“Thales!”

The next moment, former postgraduate student Wu Qiren woke up from his dream.

He was curled up, lying in a cold hollowed-out hole in the wall. He could feel the cold wind blowing from the gaps.

Wu Qiren sighed. It had been five years but he still dreamt of his past life. His previous life was boring but it was definitely better than his current miserable situation.

“Thales! Thales!” A large hand stretched into the hole in the wall and grabbed Wu Qiren’s ear before roughly pulling him out from that small and damaged place.

It was a dilapidated house. The bright stars in the night could be seen in the sky through the half-collapsed rooftop but the positions of the stars looked unfamiliar.

Wu Qiren could not hold out against that rough hand as he was only seven years old.

He was dragged on the rough brick floor. His knees hurt from the friction against the floor but he did not make a single noise. This was because the cruel Quide was especially intolerant with the wailing of children. It was said that he once broke the legs of a six-year- old girl who had cried for food.

“I’ve already asked Rick. The money you collected was five coppers less than last week! You’ve stashed some away!” Quide was angry and looked as red as the mane of a lion. His protruding nose made him look even more ferocious.

Wu Qiren was flung to the ground. His gray eyes looked at the holes in the walls. The five beggars living with him in the same house, ranging between age four to ten, all shuddered at Quide’s roar.

At the innermost hole was the smallest girl. The short-haired girl bit hard on her left hand, her face turning red. She looked at Wu Qiren who was on the floor in fear. At the hole beside her was Ned, a six-year-old boy who screamed with fright.

The girl was Coria. Wu Qiren understood the reason she was afraid.

In fact, Wu Qiren’s luck that week was good. He, currently known as the beggar Thales, had obtained thirty-seven coppers this week. It was eighteen coppers more than the previous week.

However, he only surrendered fourteen coppers to Quide, the head of the beggar trade in a Black Street Brotherhood. The rest of the money, along with two years of coppers that he had saved, was delivered to Grove Pharmacy. With the help of the kind-hearted worker Yanni, he bought a course of medicine for typhoid fever.

Thales fed the medicine to the four-year-old Coria. Having typhoid fever at her age would be fatal without any medicine.

Over the last five years, Thales relived his past memories from the age of two to his current age of seven. From an ignorant child, he began recalling his past life bit by bit. The memories appeared fragmented and disordered. Even then, during these five years, he began to gain more and more awareness as compared to the initial fuzzy stage. He had a profound feeling when he saw others meet their end.

There were those who died from illness, those who fell to their deaths, those who drowned, those who were hanged, and those who were beaten to death (Thales even saw a crying beggar suffocated to death by a supernatural power from ten meters away once). The human trafficking business of the Black Street Brotherhood had no bottom line or principles. Even if they were gangsters, they needed time to hammer out rules and order. It had only been ten years since they started and expanded.

Additionally, the Blood Bottle Gang, also known as the ‘nobles of the gangsters’, in its ninety years history, had blood debts with its enemy.

Most of the time when witnessing these deaths, Thales felt helpless. Even he himself avoided a fatal end more than once by relying on scattered memories of his previous life.

Just like his current situation.

Quide was itching for a fight and was in high spirits. The look in his eyes was so characteristic of sadistic gangsters: vicious, cruel and sadistic.

“I did not stash any money! It is almost winter. Fewer people are passing by these three districts…” Thales got up from the ground as he quickly thought of and gave an excuse.

*Slap*

What greeted him was a ruthless slap in the face. Thales fell back to the ground.

“Hand over the money before I beat you up! Or I could beat you up first until you hand over the money! Take your pick!”

Obviously, Quide did not want to hear his excuse. The leader of the Brotherhood probably just wanted to extort for some beer money from them. Another possibility was that he simply wanted to beat somebody up.

“You can also be stubborn. I love stubborn children the most,” Quide grinned hideously as he started rubbing his fists.

Looking at the large fists in front of him, Thales knew that Quide would not let him go even if he did not say anything.

Quide had tortured a beggar from the fifth room to death the previous month.

Thales held his red and swollen face as he quickly thought to himself.

Normally, Quide did not care about the accounts. When night fell, he would proceed to the subway’s Sunset Pub to hang around or drink. He would not know how many Midier coppers was one Mindis silver, let alone how much the beggars under his care had turned in. This was all done by his deputy, the steady and dependable Rick. Even the shrewd Rick knew that the beggars earned about eight coppers per person every week.

Somebody had told on them.

That was the only possibility.

Thales looked around at the group of beggars. After getting his money from a rich female noble, he had returned directly to the Abandoned Houses2. The beggars in the house must have seen this. In such a grim environment, a child’s heart could become even more terrifying than what an adult could imagine.

Quide started to kick again. Thales secretly protected his abdomen with his elbow. He used some of his strength and pretended to be in unbearable pain from the kick. He could not make any sound as Quide loved the screams of children.

“I will speak!” Thales said with a fearful expression. “Don’t hit me!”

“That depends on my mood!” Quide looked around and saw the other five beggars cowering in fear. This made him feel satisfied as his authority was respected.

“Wednesday morning, I met a noblewoman. She gave me ten coppers.” Thales spoke as he trembled and hid in a corner.

“I knew it! Begging? It was stolen right? Nobody can hide the truth from me, especially a little thief like you!” Quide rubbed his palms viciously as he prepared for the next round of beatings. “Take out the money!”

Without even waiting for Quide to raise his eyebrows, Thales then added. “But I went to Red Street Market!”

“Red Street Market?” Quide lowered his raised hand a little. “You went to the Blood Bottle Gang’s territory?”

“Yes. We cannot earn much money in our place anymore.” Other than those in the Brotherhood, the brilliant and brave, and those with a specific purpose, there is none that would enter the three districts near the shady street without being cautious. Even the guards from the city defense team with swords and shields were unwilling to enter such a place full of crime.”

“I got so much money the first day but the Blood Bottle Gang did not appear. I thought there would be an opportunity the next day.”

“Idiot!” Quide fiercely kicked Thales. Thales saw Coria tremble at a distance. He then heard Quide shouted, “Think about it. How could the Blood Bottle’s territory be such an easy pick?”

Thales recoiled back and really trembled. “Yes. The next afternoon, the Blood Bottle Gang caught me and hung me up. I said I was lost but they did not believe me. I gave them all my money and they still did not let me go.”

“You good for nothing! How did you escape?” Quide spat ruthlessly.

“After that, I said I was Boss Quide’s subordinate and they laughed loudly.”

“What?” Quide clenched his fist and grabbed Thales’ worn-out burlap collar. He raised Thales from the corner of a wall and asked, “What were they laughing at?”

Thales shook his head and replied, “I did not understand what they said.”

Quide fiercely looked at him. “Speak quickly!”

Thales showed a terrified expression. He trembled and said, “Amongst them was a bald person. He said to ‘spare the child since the child belongs to Quide and that Quide really needs children…”

Before Thales could finish, Quide had flung him against a wall.

He tried his best to protect his head and chest. He used the back of his body to endure the impact from the wall. He then immediately turned his back to Quide and withstood the blows of fury. After taking the blows for a moment, he tilted his back a little to cushion the intensity of the blows.

“Son of a… this bald… Sven… How did he know… I will kill you… Useless… Idiot!”

Mad with rage, Quide yelled repeatedly as he continued kicking Thales, but only a few words were discernible.

The children in the other holes in the wall were horrified to see Thales beaten up. However, they tightly covered their mouths and dared not say anything.

Thales kept enduring Quide’s enraged kicks that vented his anger.

At the very least, now Quide would not ask where the extra money went. Besides that, although he was terrifying, an enraged Quide was much safer than a Quide who was gleefully torturing some kids.

Thales’ words were half-truths. Thales did go to the Red Street Market but he hid at the dark corners of the alleys and watched his surroundings carefully. He did encounter a noblewoman who wore clothes of goose feathers. By her side were twenty Swordsmen of Eradication. This was when he came out to beg. It was the reason the Blood Bottle Gang did not interrupt him. Thales also obtained twelve coppers from the noble. (He was not stupid enough to steal it in front of twenty Swordsmen of Eradication.) Thales did not wait for the noble to leave, he disappeared into the crowd, never returning.

As for the bald Sven, Thales had never actually met him before. He only knew that the man was the head debt collector of the Blood Bottle Gang. Quide himself was once a thug for the Brotherhood. That was until Quide provoked the wrong person and had a lower part of his body broken. This information was a secret. Thales found out about this at the Brotherhood’s large house when he overheard the Assassins, Layork and Felicia, secretly laugh at Quide.

Once Quide finished venting and cursing the bald Sven, he took out a bottle of wine and left grumbling. The back of Thales’ clothes had been torn. His back looked bluish purple. Because Thales avoided getting hit directly and had turned sideways, some parts of his body bled from being scratched. The pain came, throbbing in waves.

Blood flowed to the ground. Thales could feel a burning pain. Perhaps because he had not been beaten in a very long time, his muscles felt as though they were burning.

Ever since transmigrating into this world; getting beaten up, becoming hungry, falling sick and feeling cold were all common experiences. However, ever since Thales gradually recovered his memories as Wu Qiren, by staying cautious and also relying on his previous experience, he had not been viciously beaten like this for a long time.

When Quide’s voice faded away, the other five children crawled out from their holes. They proficiently carried the weak Thales to the yard. The ten-year-old ‘Big Boy’ Sinti scooped out water from a jar with a worn-out bowl. The crippled Ryan and the black-faced Kellet were both eight years old. They struggled to gather dead branches and weeds. They then start a fire with flints. The six-year-old yellow-haired Ned and the youngest Coria gathered a few strange leaves. They chewed the leaves and then rubbed it on Thales’ badly-bruised back.

Thales endured the pain as he tried to find a way to distract himself. He turned to see a crying Coria and a dejected Ned. He then tried to speak in a calm tone.

“It is alright. Ned, I do not blame you.”

Ned suddenly raised his head and looked alarmed. The other four children gazed at him.

“How did you know?” Ned could not help but feel guilty and horrified.

When Thales was being beaten up by Quide, the three older children, though afraid, were gazing at the sight unwaveringly. The remaining two were Coria and Ned. One covered her face and did not dare to raise her head. The other looked at the wall and occasionally glanced in horror.

Coria’s typhoid medicine was the sole purpose of those coppers. Coria would definitely not divulge that. Thales was not sure if it was Ned but now there was no doubt.

He tried to squeeze out a smile. “It is alright. Quide will not pursue this matter anymore.”

“I… I…” Ned blushed in shame. He looked at Thales’ back as his tears ran down. “I did not manage to obtain any money this week. I also did not dare to go and steal.” He sobbed, “Rick did not say anything but Quide was very unhappy. He said if this continued, he would sell me to the desert where the Barren Bone people will eat me. I was so scared that I told him that you came back with a lot of coppers on one of the days… I thought that this way they would not… Quide then sent me back and said that he would come tonight.”

Coria’s face turned red too. The herbal medicine in her hands trembled and a few drops of blood dripped down to the floor from Thales’ back. Thales moaned in silence. The diminishing burning sensation of pain was once again aggravated by Coria’s actions.

Ryan glared angrily at Ned, causing Ned to lower his head even more. Kellet looked at Ned with a surprised expression and then looked at Thales. Only Sinti remained silent and continued to bring the water over.

This kid was only six.

Thales thought to himself.

This child was so innocent. Faced with Quide he was terrified and, in the commotion, he had uttered the wrong words.

“It is alright, Ned, Coria.” Thales felt his injury getting better. He gently held Ned’s hand. “But, you have seen it too, what Quide is capable of…”

Ned sobbed a little in terror.

Thales looked at him solemnly and said, “Next time, if you all cannot find enough money, just tell me. I will think of a way.”

“When compared to Quide, only we are in the same group.”

Ned cried uncontrollably. His words were interrupted by his sobbing. “Th-Thales. S-So-Sorry.”

Thales silently watched Ned crying non-stop.

Finally, he turned his head around and inhaled lightly.

“It is alright now, Ned.” Thales sighed and took the bowl of water from Sinti for a sip. “Don’t worry. I will find a way.”

Even then…

He looked at the other five children. Even the recovering Coria still looked terrified.

Tomorrow I must find a way to get more money. He thought to himself.

…

At the Sunset Temple of the Eternal Star City, after the prayers at sunset, a trainee priest who was cleaning the altar stopped her movements. She looked in surprise at the lamp containing Eternal Oil.

Ever since she started taking care of the altar she had never seen this lamp being used. It was a lamp that had never gained attention. That lamp suddenly lit up with a bright yellow flame.

The flames suddenly turned vigorous and red like the color of blood.

An elder priest noticed the trainee’s unusual demeanor. She shouted resentfully and chided the trainee before shifting her attention to the altar. But when she noticed the unusually lit lamp, she screamed.

“Niah! Quick! Inform the ritual master!”

The elder’s surprise could not be concealed. She trembled and scurried over to that lamp, raised her right palm and then her left palm, as she prepared to pray.

What is going on? This was the first time the trainee Niah saw the respected priest lose her composure. It was to the extent that she herself was influenced.

Did I make a mistake? But I did not touch the lamp.

“But. But what do I tell the ritual master? Someone secretly came by and lit up the lamp by the altar?” Niah asked feeling flustered.

“No.”

The elder kept staring at the lamp. Her praying hands continued changing their positions.

“This light, even if you search across the two continents of Errol and its countless islands, there is only one person who can light it up.”

“That person would determine the future of this kingdom!”

Translator’s Notes: 1. A theory of value usually associated with Marxian economics. Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_theory_of_value

2. Abandoned Houses: The name of a group of abandoned houses in the Lower City District.

Chapter 2

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“How did he end up like this from drinking?”

In the slums of the Lower City Second District, Quide’s deputy, Nayer Rick, looked at the wine bottle in front of him with disgust. Quide was so drunk that he was like a heap of mud. Rick waved his hand and had two members of the Brotherhood carry the man down.

“Lock him in a room for a day. Release him when he is sober.”

For him to drink to this state would mean that he could not do much to the child. Rick gave a mysterious smile.

Nayer Rick was a person who preferred others to address him by his surname. Quide fell in ranking from the thugs’ chief to the beggars’ chief after some setback. In comparison to the sluggish Quide, Rick was an ambitious and capable member of the Brotherhood.

He once studied at an accounting academy at Shocker City, south of the kingdom. If it was not because his scribe father had made a mistake, Rick could be working in the department of a city or even as a treasurer of certain households. He could also go even further and become a merchant of an industry. After some time, he would buy a title and join the upper ranks of the Constellation. Three hundred years ago, a clan with the sunflower symbol, Seucader, had risen just like this and was now a prominent noble clan in the kingdom.

But even though he fell from grace and joined a gang and thus was forever severed from the path of a noble, Rick also believed that his words would have more sway compared to his colleagues whose heads were only filled with muscle and women. When the Brotherhood expanded to the southern coasts of the kingdom, Rick who happened to pass by was recruited. He utilized his talents and successfully sold a few slaves. The higher ranked members of the Brotherhood took notice of him and promoted him. They then dispatched him to Eternal Star City, the capital of the kingdom, the heart of Constellation and the bright pearl of the western part of the continent. They allowed him to manage the Brotherhood and the accounts of the beggars.

Rick knew that although he had been sent as Quide’s deputy and accountant, the beggar’s business had already been entrusted to him by the Brotherhood. He looked at his ‘boss’ Quide who was once a well-known thug in the Third Street for being skilled at using swords and axes. Quide had now become trash that sought dignity from beggars. If Quide was not the son of a high-ranked member of the Brotherhood, he would have long been drowned and left to rot. On top of that, most of the beggar’s losses were caused by Quide. Naturally and fortunately, Quide’s father had given Rick a lot of bribe money every month. This was how Rick could still profit.

With such a son, Quide’s father would have immediately loss influence and power were he not an arms-dealing Powerhouse1.

What would the outcome of an underworld bigshot that lost his influence be? Rick shook his head and watched Quide leave.

The beggar’s business appeared petty and lowly, especially when compared to smuggling weapons and drugs, the trade of Eternal Oil and Crystal Drop Ores, as well as debt collection.

However, Rick believed that this was his opportunity.

The Brotherhood had grown quickly but human trafficking had always been its major source of profits. They dealt with everything including infants, elderly, humans, elves and even intelligent beings from the Magic Empress’ territory. However, the most crucial thing was the origins of the Brotherhood’s member. Among them, ‘Widow Blackheart’ Behrs was responsible for gathering and raising them. She would also sell some of them. The older ones would be sent to Rick to be tempered into beggars. When they grew up, the teenagers would be trained as thugs by ‘Ironsheet’ Locke and prostitutes by Felicia ‘the Unfaithful’. They may also go to the other leaders and be disciplined into becoming members of the Brotherhood.

This was why Rick who ran the beggar business thought he was working at the foundation of the Brotherhood’s business and the future of the Brotherhood’s transportation lifeline. It was also an information network in the capital. Thinking about it, he could identify all the promising and young future prospects for the Brotherhood. He can then obtain favors for the future.

This went to show that Nayer Rick was an ambitious person.

Besides that, Rick was very excited when he thought of something. This was Eternal Star City! It was the capital of Constellation, the second largest kingdom on the western part of the continent. It was also the birthplace of the Black Street Brotherhood. They can surely see that working here was like being a representative for the bigshots. This also meant that there would be opportunities for promotion.

Naturally, the chances for there to be a bad accident was also quite high.

‘I am lucky.’ Rick clasped his hands behind his back as he looked at the drunk Quide from afar with his eyebrows raised. ‘I am lucky that this guy is a walking disaster.’

Under the moonlight, Rick turned and looked at the dozen or so abandoned houses. He knew that there were many beggars in each one. These seedlings were important chips for his future advancement.

One example was the black-haired Thales from the sixth house. Two years ago, the caretaker Behrs sent him here. She had displayed a different attitude towards that child. The child who was eight years old at most was clever and crafty. He managed to act out a play and begged for money. A cute child who was beaten up by other children and had his money and food taken away. When he hid at a corner to weep alone, the ladies passing by could not help but give him compensation. Rick found that he was unlike other beggars who cried hoarsely to the extent that others felt depressed. ‘We need more people who can use their brains in the Brotherhood.’

‘When this child grows up, he would definitely climb higher. I should give him a reward and make him feel grateful. Naturally, without a contrast between the rewards, people will not feel grateful.’

This was also why when the boy from Thales’ house claimed that Thales was secretly in possession of some money, Rick urged Quide to investigate the reason. When Thales was almost beaten to death by Quide, Rick would appear and stop him. He was even willing to antagonize Quide if necessary (that was all Quide was good for). Thales would then treat Rick as a patron.

Rick did not care about whether all the money the beggars earned was handed over. This was what only short-sighted people would care about. Compared to a few coppers, Rick understood that human relationship was a more important property.

But this Thales was too clever. Rick knew that Quide would torture Thales to death regardless of whether he possessed the money (which would only be worse if he did have money). However, the boy found a way to escape disaster. According to common understanding, the spirited Quide would ‘meticulously’ punish the disobedient children to foster talent regardless of whether they were actually disobedient.

‘It does not matter. What must be done had to be done. If the effect was not good and it failed, a reason could be found for Quide to beat him up.’

Rick went to the sixth house and walked across the ruined door. He then saw weeds at the yard and Thales gasping for breath as he lied down on the ground. Next to him were a few children smearing something onto him. My God! Children under the age of ten knew how to grow and use Urth Dragon Leaves? Only experienced gang members and the poor that lived for a very long time possessed the know-how to use this herb as a cheap cure for injuries.

“Ah! Mister Rick!” The crippled Ryan noticed Rick’s arrival. His experience of having one leg broken had made him more sensitive to the surrounding environment.

It had been less than an hour after Quide was gone, the fear in the yard had yet to have subsided. The informant, Ned’s face was covered in tears. Kellet was covering her black face. The eldest, Sinti, flinched.

The youngest, Coria, even screamed from fear.

Behrs had once said that this person had a noble inheritance and was most likely a beautiful woman in the future. She must not be ruined. Profits would come after she was trained by Felicia. It was a pity that the beggars must be handed over at the age of ten, or at latest at the age of twelve. It would be great if I could keep her until fifteen. Thirteen would be fine as well.

“Mister Rick!” Thales interrupted Rick’s subtle thoughts. He turned his head with difficulty. The injury on his back caused him to grimace in pain.

“Ah. Thales. I am sorry,” Rick sighed and showed a compassionate expression. “I could not stop Quide. I am only his deputy. I also cannot offend his backer.”

“I could only come here quietly after that.” While being cautiously watched by the other children, Rick squatted down and carefully examined Thales’ injuries. “Fortunately, he was not so rough today. Otherwise…”

“Mister Rick. I am fine.” Thales struggled genuinely. “I am sorry. The money I earned last week was actually…”

“Forget about the money!” Rick took the worn-out bowl from Sinti’s hands. He threw away the water and placed a few Urth Dragon Leaves in it. He then picked up a stone and started to grind it. “You were sent here the moment you began to be aware of your surroundings. These few years, I watched all of you grow from a mere child trembling from the cold into a rough and thick-haired child. For me, all of you are more important than a few coppers,” Rick said with a pained expression. “At this age, all of you are not even supposed to be begging but these are the rules of the Brotherhood.”

“Mister Rick.” Thales looked as though he felt touched by Rick’s sentiments. He then tightened his fists. “I…”

“Come. Use the stones to grind the leaves. It is better than chewing it.” Rick smeared the contents onto his hand and then smeared it on Thales’ back. Next to him, Kellet bit her lip and whimpered.

“Thank you, Mister Rick,” said Coria in a soft tone. “It would be great if you were in charge of us instead of Quide.”

“Don’t let Quide hear this.” Rick laughed helplessly. “To be honest, I am very afraid of him.”

The other children also laughed. Rick knew that people would accept another person easily when a common ground and a sense of humor was shown.

“Thank you very much, Mister Rick.” Thales earnestly said. He knew that he was very mature in the eyes of many and did not need to show a child-like side.

Rick nodded. “Protect yourself well. You are a smart kid. I believe you can do it!” “Oh right.” Rick seemed to suddenly remember something. He returned the bowl to Ned and took out a purse from his waist. He then handed it over to the bewildered Sinti. “I need to hand over money to the higher ups every month and do not have much. Here are thirty coppers. Go to Grove Pharmacy at the intersection between Twilight District and the Lower City District and buy some medicine. If the price of the medicine has not yet increased, the amount of money here should be enough.”

Naturally, the money would not be enough. Rick thought to himself. He had been to the pharmacy a week ago and the price had just hiked. When the children discover that the money was not enough, they would think it was caused by a temporary price hike.

If they did not have enough money, they would need to beg for more. This way, they would not have enough for next week’s quota. After that…

“Be careful when you leave to buy the medicine. Do not let others, especially Quide, find out.” Rick said as he stood up.

Of course, Quide would find out. Rick thought.

If they do not buy the medicine, that would be even better. Quide would find out that they were hiding money.

The corners of Rick’s mouth raised.

At that moment, I can obtain all of their loyalty.

“Mister Rick.” Coria looked at the purse in Sinti’s hand as tears were about to fall from her eyes. “You are really a good person.”

Ned bit his lips and nodded.

Even the eldest, Sinti, was touched and weighed the purse in his hands.

Rick sighed and waved his hand. “No. I am the one that should apologize. I could only do this for you.”

“Mister Rick,” Thales was lying down on the ground and hesitantly looked at Rick. “I wonder…”

“Eh?” Rick raised his eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”

“I heard that when we grow up, we would be sent elsewhere to be trained.” Thales asked cautiously as though not wanting to offend Rick. “In that case, I wonder if we could work for you once our training is complete.”

Hearing this, Kellet, Ned, and Coria looked at Rick expectantly.

Rick felt as though his heart grew.

Score. Faster than I expected.

“Haha. This?” Rick gave a smile. “Don’t look at me like this now. I am an ideal man in the Brotherhood.”

Rick smiled and bent down to touch Thales’ hair, appearing more intimate. “The people under me are the best and the strongest in the Brotherhood!”

‘This is just my truth.’ Rick added in his heart.

“That is why, if you all want to work for me, you must work hard!”

“Mm!” The children nodded with hope. Thales was no exception.

“I am going now. Thales and the rest of you…” Rick turned his head around, showing the side of his face. “The next time this happens, secretly come over and inform me. Although I cannot stop him directly, I could look for some trouble and prevent him from approaching.”

After Rick was finished, he showed his white teeth that gleamed under the moonlight and left without looking back.

“Mister Rick is such a good person.” Ned’s face was in a mess from the tears. “Not like that Quide.”

“Mm.” Coria nodded and seemed content as though she was eating sweets.

“But,” The crippled and fearful Ryan hesitantly said, “I’ve always felt that Rick is more terrifying than Quide.”

“So, you are a coward!”

“Ryan the coward. How are you going to earn money like this?”

Only Thales looked calm after Rick left.

When he saw Sinti counting the thirty coppers in the purse one by one, Thales breathed out a sigh.

He still felt pain on his back. He knew that medicine would be good for his injury. However, Thales had gone to Grove Pharmacy yesterday morning. When he took the typhoid medicine from Yanni, he had heard her complain about her stingy boss raising the price. The price of medicine for injuries had gone up to thirty-five coppers. It was five coppers more than the amount Rick had given them.

However, he also knew the daughter of the boss of the Sunset Pub. That was how he knew an important point. Rick was in charge of all of Quide’s expenses at the pub.

But…

“I would also need to hand over the money to the higher ups every month and do not have much.”

Rick’s voice resounded in his ears and he could no longer bear to look at the purse filled with coppers.

The other beggars had already forgotten their fears and started being noisy.

Only Thales frowned. With difficulty, he turned to look at his own bruised back. He then sighed heavily.

This damn world.

…

Rick went to the tenth house. There was an eight-year-old named Kalak who was young but ruthless. Rick pressured Karak into joining him when he suddenly felt his neck turn cold.

This was his innate ability.

When he was absolutely calm (a little distraction would cause it to fail), his neck would feel cold when there was a living thing five meters near him.

That was all.

However, he was not a warrior. Even if he was a warrior, his ability was useless compared to those in the military with psionic abilities, the powerful Swordsmen and Knights of Eradication, and even those mysterious Mystics. Even trainees in the temple could push him down.

However, Rick felt that one day, this skill would save his life.

Just like this very moment.

Rick quickly turned and looked around under the moonlight. At the same time, he put his left hand into his pocket and took out a compact but deadly crossbow.

The moonlight was bright. The streets were empty and there was nowhere to hide. Yet, there was nothing.

Rick took a deep breath and kept himself absolutely calm. He could feel the cool feeling behind his neck persist.

‘Was it a rat in the sewers?’

Rick ran quickly to three different locations and the feeling remained. This made him reject his assumption.

What kind of rat would follow me for twenty meters after running towards three different directions?

Rick started to become more frightened.

Rick believed he should not have ventured out alone even though he was merely visiting the Abandoned Houses in the Brotherhood’s territory.

He should have brought along twenty guards, with each of them wielding a Mystic Gun in each hand.

Just like the bigshot of the drug business Lazans Fischer, he always brought thirty people with him whenever he went out.

If I had enough money, I should have hired two Swordsmen of Eradication or a Psionic Warrior. Maybe even a Mystic. Forget it, Mystics were too scary.

Nayer Rick. You must be calm. He told himself. In the future, you would be in charge of Eternal Star City. Even the underground people of Constellation were calm. You must stay calm.

Rick turned around and calmly backtracked as though he was jogging.

‘Did I offend someone? Does someone want my life? Was there something interesting in this neighborhood?’

He jogged away for hundreds of meters under the moonlight. There was nobody around him, yet his neck still felt cold.

Translator’s notes:

1 Powerhouse: One of the three divisions of the Black Street Brotherhood.

Chapter 3

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Pardon my coming here presumptuously. But if the news from the Sunset Temple… If the information is reliable…” The right hand of the grey-haired middle-aged noble trembled slightly. He held his left chest and bowed deeply.

“Please allow me to personally settle this matter for you.”

“You are quite well informed, old friend.”

“It is not yet confirmed but that Lamp in the Sunset Temple has lit. Looks like it is quite close by.”

Beside the blazing fire, a robust figure lowered his right hand near his chin and somberly said, “I have already dispatched Yodel. He is better than Aida at being inconspicuous”

“You know how important this information is. Even Liscia immediately sealed off the altar in the name of the oracle. That is why I cannot risk unnecessary exposure. I would only dispatch you in secret after there is absolute confirmation.”

“Of course, of course.” The gray-haired middle-aged noble concealed his excitement with difficulty. “If that time comes, I will wholeheartedly serve you.”

The robust figure sighed. “I should be more excited than you when I heard this news.

“But I don’t know why. I am feeling very calm.”

…

Rick did not know how he ended up returning to the headquarters of the Brotherhood.

The cold feeling at his neck was still there.

When he saw the Black Street headquarters, the two elite guards were playing knife games at the entrance. When he reached just outside the building, some shadowy figures were on guard, keeping watch. He entered the building and saw Powerhouse Morris behind the large iron table, examining the account books, and Felicia who had a disgusted expression (her proposal to raise the expenses of the brothel was rejected). He finally felt relieved. Even the Assassin Layork who had always been on bad terms with him seemed amiable sitting at the dining table in the candlelight.

Without noticing, the cold feeling at his neck disappeared as though it was never there.

Even Rick wondered if he had been too nervous.

He talked to Morris who was in charge of human trafficking that he suspected someone had been following him. Layork laughed and spat out a mouthful of wine. It extinguished the flames from the candle on the table. Felicia gave a huge yawn and tightened her large bosom. The look in her eyes became even more despicable.

Morris noticed Rick’s cold sweat and weird look. He then patted Rick’s shoulder. He told Rick not to overwork and watch less of Dark Night Temple’s dramas. Rick was also told to wait for Doctor Ramon to give him some calming prescriptions when he returned from his call.

‘Shit!’

Rick knew it was difficult for others to believe in his special ability, let alone an Assassin who had followed him from the Abandoned Houses to Black Street. This person had followed him for an entire kilometer and remained unseen as well as not taking any action. However, Rick subconsciously believed that this person was real.

After he returned to his room and lay down, he recalled the events in the tailing encounter that night. Even though he was usually very paranoid he could not help but think to himself: ‘Was I really too nervous?’

Rick calmed down again and tried to use his ability again. Everything was fine. The back of his neck felt comfortable.

‘Alright. I was probably paranoid.’

But suddenly, the hair-raising chill in the neck struck again!

‘F*ck!’

‘I can’t sleep anymore!’

Rick suddenly jumped out of bed.

He pulled out a box from under the bed. Inside the box was a Siegel 6 Mystic Gun that needed to be carried with both hands. Feeling nervous, he stuck to the walls and carefully walked out to the hallway and listened carefully.

The hallway was full of lamps using Eternal Oil that would never extinguish. The hallway was very brightly lit but there was still nobody around. At a distance, a sentry on duty just came out of the toilet and was walking back. As though scratching at an itch, he pulled the crotch of his leather armor as he walked past Rick.

At the end of the hallways, Layork and Felicia shouted their licentious cries as usual.

“Damn. May this shameless couple break his penis after using too much force.” Rick cursed loudly.

The Brotherhood member from earlier had the same feeling. He turned around and nodded to Rick. Their eyes locked as a sense of understanding appeared between the two.

Rick then saw the member scratch the crotch of his armor painfully. Meanwhile, the other party looked at him trying very hard to carry the Mystic Gun and leaning against the wall.

Both of them turned around awkwardly and went back to their original locations.

Rick rubbed the back of his neck.

‘Shit. This ability must not be working properly.’

If a skilled elite of the enemy could sneak into the Brotherhood HQ undetected, holding the Mystic Gun would be pointless. Powerhouse Morris’ ability would also be useless.

‘Time to sleep!’

…

Thales’ back injuries looked bad but it was not serious. This was because he was able to stand and walk again by the third day.

Yes, a famous person’s attributes would be heavenly gifted. While lining up, Thales sighed as he looked at the Abandoned Houses with broken walls. He then received the rye bread and wild herbs from the thug Pierson and started to eat it.

He had unfortunately been born in such a place.

“By your side is a sharp branch. You must be the one who cut my hand!”

“It is not me! My hand was also hurt last night!”

“All of us had our hands hurt! It must be the people from the eighth house! They envy our gains from yesterday.”

“So, it was them! We from the fourteenth house were also injured at night! They do not want us to go out and pickpocket!”

Thales yawned as he lazily listened to the beggars from the other houses. The argument developed into a fight. Beside these beggars was a crowd cheering. This happened until the thugs stopped them. Thales sighed as he swallowed the last mouthful of the awful food, then clapped his hands as he called out to the beggars from the sixth house.

“Time to work.”

That day was Tuesday. The sixth house’s begging went smoothly. For more business, they went near the sentry post, which was located at Western City Gate.

The recent week seemed to be the celebration of the Sunset God. However, there was a rumor that there was an oracle command to seal off the altar. This led to many believers entering the city from the west that week. They climbed the city walls and prayed to the setting sun as atonement for not being able to pray to the Sunset Goddess’ local representative.

Before the guards’ angry glares graduated to physical obstacles, Thales had successfully stolen a Luminous Moon deity statue made of black wood from a street vendor with the help of Coria and Ryan. The street vendor had paid too much attention to his wallet (“Go away bastards!”). So, when Ryan and Coria were busy haggling with him for some stuff, Thales stretched out his hand and took the package behind him.

The market price of the Luminous Moon deity statue was at least fifty coppers. Naturally, the statue should not see the light of day and could only be sold through the Brotherhood channel. The veterans in the Brotherhood would know that they were just beggars and thieves. They would then push down the buying price, and if it were anything valuable they would even fight over it. Earning five coppers from it was already good.

However, the smallest mosquitos were still food even though tiny.

When Thales and the others returned to the Abandoned Houses, they saw Rick patrol the place. But he was not the usual calm and amiable self. Instead, he hurriedly admonished the guards with a few words and then disappeared.

“Is Mister Rick in trouble?” The hungry Coria bit her fingers, her stomach rumbling away. They had gone far and returned home late. Fortunately, Thales had quite a good relationship with the thug distributing the meals, Pierson. He often bribed him a little and then the other side would agree to keep some rice for them.

“It is probably Quide. That guy really knows how to create problems.” Kellet replied. His stomach also cried out.

Hearing this name, Ryan and Ned trembled.

“Kids. There is no more food tonight.” When the six entered, they could not see a soul in the dining yard. In the distance, Pierson who was in charge of getting food for them, waved his hand.

“Don’t look at me. I also can’t do anything about it.” Pierson shook his head when faced with six angry children with no energy to ask questions and ignored them. “Rick had ordered us to rest earlier and moved our schedules ahead.”

Thales frowned and touched his empty belly. He started thinking about whether to sneak into the thug’s sentry posts and steal some food at night.

He then looked at the other five anxiously waiting for food and sighed. He took out the Luminous Moon statue from his pocket.

Finally, with Thales’ persuasion, the Luminous Moon statue was used to trade with Pierson for the food he had initially prepared for himself: two strips of dog meat, four halves of rye bread and half a bowl of black pine vegetable.

“Recently, Rick and Quide are rather edgy.” While the other children ate, Pierson told Thales a piece of information before he left. “Quide’s temper is getting worse by the day. He kept cursing some ‘damn baldy’ all day but he had always been like that. However, Rick has become weird especially in the last two days. According to those in the headquarters…”

At this moment, Pierson looked around and then whispered to Thales. “…he got tangled up with a ghost.”

Thales watched Pierson leave as he bit into the unpalatable rye bread. However, when one is hungry, the rye bread would be particularly delicious.

Thales silently pondered. ‘I wonder what happened to Rick to end up running into a ghost.’

‘As for what made Quide in a bad mood…’ Thales swallowed the bread. ‘Looks like I need to keep a low profile for now.’

…

Rick became nervous again. Two days ago, he had thought that his special ability made a mistake.

That was until this morning when he opened up the register to prepare for the beggar’s supplies. At that time, he had confirmed that his special ability did not make a mistake.

Rick was an ambitious person. He had believed that to achieve his ambition, he needed to start working on the small details, like the daily habits One example was that he would never write his plans and travel itinerary on paper. Another example was that hairs would be placed at inconspicuous places at all the drawers and containers keeping the important documents in case someone sneaked a look at them. He also did not keep all of his money in one place. He was proud of his own cautiousness and believed that he would be rewarded one day for it.

Like now.

When Rick opened the roster of beggars, there was a hair on each page in the same position.

This should have been a good thing. It would mean that nobody had flipped the pages. However, Rick was the son of a scribe.

His father had taught him that if a person wants it done, it was possible for a good thief or ranger to avoid the hair trick. They can open up the documents they want with the utmost secrecy.

And so, Rick learned a more cautious approach from his father.

The way to read the pages in secret would obviously be to put the hair strands back in their original position after flipping the pages.

The fastest way would be to hold the hair in place, turn the pages, then use the hand to hold the top and bottom layer of the page to keep the hair in place.

How would one counter this method?

For nobles, the fastest and safest would be to use a wax seal.

However, Rick’s father had a special method. They used fry oil1 to create a sticky gel. This oil was used by the poor living near the river bank. One characteristic and also the weakness of this gel was that it was not very sticky. As long as the book was not too heavy, even if the book is closed after being coated, the glued area would not stick. An external force was needed to hold both sides for some time before the page would stick.

When Rick opened the roster, he found the hair at the same place except for something different. The hair was stuck to the page.

Someone had been reading his list of beggars. That person held this hair as that person flipped the pages.

Rick felt his heart turn cold.

‘On top of that, to have all four hairs at inconspicuous positions at their original positions without leaving any traces show that this person is a master.’

‘Fortunately, this secret technique that was passed down by my father enabled me to notice this.’

‘Four days ago, after watching Thales’ begging act, I looked through the roster to find out which house he lived in. At that time, everything was normal.’

‘From then until now. In these four days, somebody had come into my room and looked at the roster of beggars?’

Rick’s scalp felt cold. He suddenly realized that this was not the most important thing.

He frantically opened the secret compartment of the drawers and checked the most important document, the trafficking books and the passbook of his secret deposits at Princely Bank.

His books and passbook were all safe. There were no signs of them being flipped and the hairs also fell naturally.

Rick felt relieved.

‘Fortunately, the things in the secret compartment are still… wait. If it was a master. How did he miss the secret compartment?’

He took out the entire secret compartment and took it apart. He then placed his hand on the top of one part of the secret compartment to look for the hair that was stuck there.

After that, he collapsed back in his chair.

The hair was still stuck to a seam of the secret compartment.

When Rick was still scared out of his wits, he entered the dining hall. He turned a blind eye to the flirting Layork and Felicia. However, the always objectionable Layork loved gloating over other’s misfortune. He shouted out to Rick.

“Accountant. I heard you met a ghost?”

Rick ignored him and sat down but continued to look expressionless. He pulled over a bottle of ink used for bookkeeping and treated it as sauce as he poured it over his beefsteak.

“Don’t mind him.” Felicia smiled as she sat in Layork’s arms. She glanced amorously at the Assassin with her lips pursed and fed red wine to him. “Do you still want to come to my room tonight?”

“Of course. Of course,” Layork hurriedly replied without waiting to swallow the wine, “I just learned today that the boss had removed the sentries outside the rooms a week ago. So, tonight we can… hahaha… we can be even wilder.”

“Aiyo. You are really naughty.”

*Clang*

Rick’s ink bottle fell and spilled ink onto the table. The ink flowed to the front of the couple.

He had a pale expression as he raised his head to see the displeased Layork and Felicia.

“A week ago, there were no sentries at the houses at the headquarters?”

“Nonsense!” Layork wiped away the ink smeared on his body. In a bad mood, he threw a bread at Rick’s face. “Recently, there is a lot of activity at the Blood Bottle Gang. The boss said he wants to keep this confidential and the fewer people around the better. That is why the sentry posts were moved outside the house. They are not even allowed to go into the house to use the toilet. However, you do not have to worry. Don’t you have an inseparable ghost protecting you?”

“Then, in that hallway…” Rick did not realize that his voice started to tremble. “There should be no sentries at that passageway?”

Layork and Felicia had already started kissing each other as though there was nobody else around.

Rick took a deep breath.

‘The day before yesterday, I was followed for some unknown reason at the Abandoned Houses. Then that night there was a non-existent sentry in the walkway. Lastly, someone looked at the beggar’s roster in the room.’

‘Wonderful. Everything is starting to connect.’

Nayer Rick then nervously told himself.

‘You are being watched.’

‘Your opponent could be very powerful. Powerful enough to move freely in the heavily guarded headquarters in Black Street. Not even a terrible Assassin like Layork or an experienced warrior like the boss, Morris, noticed’.

‘I was lucky to receive my late father’s blessings and noticed this.’

‘He could be right behind me!’

‘I must save myself!’

‘I need to find his motive! ‘

Rick’s mind ran wildly.

‘In the past two days, that guy must have already turned my room upside down. However, he had only had a good look at the beggar’s roster. My more important account book was discarded as though it was a worn-out shoe. ‘

‘That guy is looking for something in the beggar’s roster. That’s right. When I was being followed, I was at the Abandoned Houses. Those were the beggar’s residences!

‘He is looking for a beggar!’

However, Rick had a headache thinking. He had more than a hundred beggars under him. The next month, Behrs would send another group of children of unknown origins. (The important and valuable children such as the descendants of some of the elites or children of the wealthy were either already ransomed or killed.) Which beggar was the guy looking for?

‘With such terrifying skill and strength, why did he not just demand openly from the Brotherhood? We would just give him to you!’

‘I would rather be in a harmonious relationship with him. I might as well drag out all the beggars and strip them naked to do a body search. Or maybe I would kill them all. This would be better than being scared out of his wits having a ‘ghost’ hanging around.’

‘Wait. I just noticed something.’

‘Why did he not make a request to the Brotherhood?’

‘Naturally, this is because it is something nobody should know, even if it was the Black Street Brotherhood.’

‘Are they the Brotherhood’s competitors? That is wrong. If the Blood Bottle Gang had such strength, the Black Street Brotherhood would have already been destroyed dozens of times.’

‘That means he does not have any formal channel and also felt that dealing with the Brotherhood of the Lower City District was not worth the time.’

‘Naturally, such terrifying people would not have any dealing with gangs from the slums.’

‘Why is he interested in these long-lost orphans?’

‘If he is looking for missing children then why doesn’t he just go directly to the police? Such people would be very influential. The authorities wouldn’t dare to ignore him. Even the Brotherhood could only comply.’

‘Wait!’ Rick then seemingly noticed an important point.

‘Powerful, sneaky, secretive, interested in the origins of a child and does not want to deal with the Brotherhood.’

‘Strength requires money and resources. He is secretive because it would be bad for him if this is made public. He does not deal with the Brotherhood because he is too highly ranked. As for being interested in the children that the Brotherhood had gathered from different sources and channels…’

‘Wait.’

‘Since his strength is probably above supreme-class, he must be backed by power, wealth and position. Yet he avoided the Brotherhood and the police to secretly search for a certain important child … a child?’

Rick fiercely slapped his thigh as he an idea.

‘This guy is involved in the blood inheritance struggle of a big family!’

‘F*ck!’

Rick glared hard opposite him, at Layork and Felicia who were starting to neck.

However, his thoughts had long separated from this couple.

Perhaps in the entire Constellation, none of the fifteen million people would know of this day. A secret truth that would shake the kingdom and the continent was almost discovered by an insignificant gang leader.

Editor’s Note:

Fry is the term for fish in the infant stage. You could think of them as baby fishes. Please don’t confuse it with cooking oil used for frying.

Chapter 4

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Jala! Bring another dozen glasses of black pine wine!”

Inside the noisy and dim Sunset Pub, Quide was breathing heavily as he leaned down on the bar counter. He raised a glass of wine to his mouth, drinking glass after glass.

“Hey, big guy. If you don’t tip there would be no black pine wine!”

Jala stood behind the bar counter and was in a bad mood as she brought two glasses of black pine wine. She slammed them on the bar counter without a trace of politeness. “I am giving you the last two glasses out of respect for your father! I will give you thirty seconds to finish drinking it. After that, quickly get lost! Every time you sit here for more than an hour, the profits of my bar, no, the entire Underground Street would drop by ten percent!”

Quide was already in a daze. Even in the din of the bar, Jala’s voice still sounded distant. The feeling of being stared at and the possible mockery in their hearts set Quide’s heart aflame.

‘In those years, I was a terrifying presence in the Lower District, the “Blood Axe” Quide. If it was not because of that incident… Now, why is it that a bar girl even dares to bully me? Even the bald-headed Sven who debuted two years later than I dared to ridicule me in front of the beggar children. They laughed at my lower body that…’

‘F*ck!’

“Watch where you are going, girl!” Quide gnashed his teeth. He shook his heavy head as he stood and grabbed Jala’s hand. He pulled her across the bar counter and fiercely roared, “I said, another dozen glasses of black pine wine!”

The whole pub turned quiet.

The Lower District was well known for its chaos in Eternal Star City. Moreover, the Underground Street was famous for its chaos in the Lower District. This was especially so after the Black Street Brotherhood took over ten years ago. This chaotic place revolved around the Sunset Pub. In the Sunset Pub, if a person was not a member of the Brotherhood, he would be here looking for the Brotherhood members.

This was why when Quide grabbed Jala’s hand, all the other people in the pub just watched the scene. They did not say anything nor did they try and stop it.

Quide felt more and more dizzy. However, he still felt that the wrist he seized felt slippery and soft. He could smell the fragrance of Jala’s body. In the dim light from the candles, the nearby Jala’s brown hair appeared tidy and clean. Her smooth face and delicate figure appeared clearer than usual, causing Quide’s imagination to run wild.

Jala was frightened. She was shocked by this once powerful thug who was now a drunkard.

The noise from the guests had vanished making the drunk Quide feeling pleased. He felt that his actions had received the proper attention.

But soon, when he looked at Jala’s body, he started to get sober. His recklessness to be pleased gradually turned into fear.

Jala Charleton. Quide was one of the few who knew her full name.

‘This pretty woman…’ Quide suddenly remembered that his father warned him to ‘stay away from her’ many times.

The captivating and daring ‘bar girl’ was gazing fixedly at him. Quide’s lower jaw began to tremble.

“Jala… I did not…”

Before Quide could react, the hand that seized Jala’s wrist was, in turn, pulled and locked at the back. The next second, Quide’s middle finger and forefinger were bent towards the wrong direction. What followed was a heart wrenching severe pain.

“Argh!”

Quide shouted in pain. Even his face twisted in a grimace.

However, it was not over. She had ruthlessly hooked his hand and then forcefully pulled his elbow joint the other way.

*Crack*

“Argh! No! Jala! Big Sister Jala! I was wrong… I should not have… argh!”

Quide’s scream coincided with the sound of his elbow being dislocated.

Before Quide’s cry for mercy had ended, the nimble woman had already taken advantage of the momentum to flip over. In her extremely short pants, she had already lifted her slender left leg over the bar counter and smashed it onto Quide’s neck.

“Good job Little Jala! You did not make the boss lose face!”

“With this skill, you can apply for the Eradicator swordsmanship training!”

“She is actually wearing safety pants!”

“I swear I saw it! I dare to bet ten coppers that she is wearing black!”

The surrounding guests resumed the partying spirit. All of them cheered for Jala.

“Listen here you big-headed gorilla!”

Jala ruthlessly glared at Quide who was gasping for breath. She stood with one foot behind the counter and her left feet on the countertop while her right arm locked Quide’s extended arm. Jala’s figure was graceful and slender.

She slowly pulled out a weird knife from the holster on her left leg. The blade and the handle of the knife were not in a straight line. From a distance, it looked like the leg of a wolf.

After that, Jala stabbed the palm of Quide’s hand without batting an eyelid. The Wolf Limb Blade nailed him to the bar.

The cheers of the other guests became even louder.

“Wu wu!” Quide’s tears streamed down from the pain. However, with his neck being squeezed, his cries sounded like a pig’s.

Jala slowly lowered her upper body. Her gentle beauty was evident. She approached Quide’s teary face before whistling and laughing.

With a look that was as fierce as a ruthless demon, but an amorous and rhythmic (causing others to feel disappointed) voice, she spoke.

“Quide Roda…”

“I don’t care whose son you are. I don’t care that you are the head of the beggars. I don’t care that you are a thug collecting debts. However, you better f*cking listen up! From now onwards, if you dare to appear in my pub, I will mince your genitalia into minced meat, blend it into wine, and make you drink it! Do you understand me?”

Quide cried as he held his pierced right hand and ran out of the pub. Meanwhile, the other guests laughed loudly while Jala continued to project a despicable look. Jala clapped her hands before she wiped the Wolf Limb Blade clean with a look of disgust as though it was not blood but the mucus of a devil.

Jala turned around unhappily and looked at the other guests who were still looking. Most of them had lascivious looks and ulterior motives.

“What are you looking at? Whoever dares to keep looking will be charged double!”

Her rude words caused the others’ attention to go back to their wine. Jala then ruthlessly threw away the rag and returned to the kitchen.

“Is that enough? I did as you said and even said the word ‘genitalia’.”

Jala grabbed a bottle of white wine. A multipurpose pocket knife appeared in her hand which she used to neatly open the cork.

“Of course, Miss Jala.” In the kitchen, Quide’s deputy and the actual manager of the beggar’s business, Nayer Rick, gently lifted his black hat and nodded with a smile. “I hope he would restrain himself in future by not drinking too much and continue to wantonly tyrannize the beggars. The Brotherhood cannot always clean up his mess.”

“I am sure you mean that you cannot always clean up his mess.” Jala quickly drank a mouthful of wine. Rick suddenly felt that Jala’s rough actions appeared appropriate, fresh and attractive.

“That is also correct. This is because the Brotherhood’s gains are my gains.” Rick laughed and subconsciously touched his neck.

“Do you think this would be effective? I feel like such a person would end up causing more problems such as venting on your beggars.”

“You know him well,” Rick thought to himself.

“Actually, I myself am not too sure if it would be useful. This is because I do not know him that well. However…” Rick shook his head helplessly. This was his signature expression of innocence. “He was aggravated three days ago for a laughable reason. He beat up one of the young ones with good prospects. If the child was not clever, another good prospect would have been killed by Quide.”

“I never knew you were so kind and righteous,” Jala sarcastically said in her heart.

At this point, Rick’s eyes became firm.

“That is why I decided that this cannot continue. He has to be admonished otherwise sooner or later he would destroy the business containing all my hardships.”

“Alright. You do not have to explain to me the reasons you want to kill your boss.”

“I never said I wanted to kill him.”

“Returning to the main topic, give me my agreed remuneration. I only take cash,” Jala interrupted Rick. She lazily drank the white wine. She then stretched out her tongue and tried to lick the last drop of wine from the bottle. It was an action that stirred Rick’s mind.

“Also, you must pay the money he owed today.”

“Especially…” Jala narrowed her eyes at Rick who had taken off his hat and saluted and left.

‘Don’t think I do not know that you substituted Quide’s wine.’

‘Others may not notice but I, Jala, from the Sunset Pub can tell that Quide drank the powerful and highly concentrated Chaca wine.’

‘Unlike the other wine, Chaca is often given to the death convicts in handcuffs in the western battlefield for that last charge. Drunk people have no trouble moving but they are just not as aware.’

‘That is why Rick, did you think you have too much money or did you really want him dead?’

…

Quide was still tipsy and in utter humiliation and pain when he returned to the entrance of the Abandoned Houses. He did not stay at the Blackstreet Headquarters where Quide felt that everybody who knew the news would be looking at his lower body. Sure enough, two thugs happened to pass by behind the walls. The contents of their chat drifted from afar.

“Have you heard? The beggars were passing rumors that Quide is no longer a man.”

“What does that mean? How could he become a woman?”

“Idiot. It means that Quide got castrated! I heard that a few years ago, he collected debts at a haunted house at Carima Street. It was where Earl Norfolk and his family were hanged. Apparently, he encountered a red-clothed female ghost that cut off his lower body part… a clean cut.”

Suddenly, Quide felt as though all the blood in his body rose to his head.

The next moment, he lost control of himself and roared as he rushed out from behind the wall. He then strangled the throat of one of the thugs tightly.

“Who?! Who said that? Which bastard!’

“Which bastard?”

“I am going to kill him!”

The other thug stumbled back from fright.

Quide overpowered the thug on the ground. His grip gradually tightened. However, his impaled palm was unable to apply much strength.

Back in the day, Quide was a well-known head of the thugs in the Brotherhood and also a leader. He was dispirited in the past few years and this caused his stamina and skill to drop. As long as it was not the woman from the Charleton Family, he would still be able to overcome the other common thugs, especially in this given scenario. At that moment, Quide’s anger had become a source of endless strength.

“Boss Quide. These are only rumors. We do not believe… Argh!”

Quide suddenly raised his head like a beast.

The thug offering an excuse stepped back in extreme fear.

He could immediately see that his companion had turned pale. The companion’s breath became weaker and weaker.

The thug that kept retreating saw the ominous glint from Quide’s face and became frightened. “Ah, that’s right. These rumors all came from the beggars. Boss, it is not our fault! Go and ask the beggars!”

*Crack*

It was the sound of a neck being broken. The thug that was being strangled by Quide was now lifeless.

Quide slowly got up from the ground with an ominous glint in his eyes. The strong aftereffects of the wine he drank had caused him to gradually lose his reasoning.

The remaining thug trembled as he looked at the terrible situation. He cried out in distress as he frantically tried to escape.

Quide wanted to chase but he was so drunk and unsteady that he was unable to run.

Quide ruthlessly gasped for breath as he looked at the corpse by his feet. He was still not satisfied so he kicked the corpse a few times. Then he shook his head and walked towards the dozen abandoned houses.

Quide never wondered why the thugs on patrol never showed up as it was necessary to keep a tight watch over the beggars. His only drive was to find the ones that ridiculed him and then torture them to death one by one.

As he had just killed someone, Quide felt as though a shackle in his mind had been released after a long time. He had returned to the days in the past where he made a living with the knife.

“These damned thieves,” He fiercely thought to himself. “Since you dare to start such rumors, you better be ready to pay the price.”

“Damned thieves.”

The fleeing thug scaled the large gate of the Abandoned Houses. He coincidentally met Rick at the tree outside the gate.

“Mister Rick!” The thug looked at Rick as though he had found his savior. “Boss Quide… Boss Quide has gone mad! Didn’t you say that we would be able escape in time? In the end, before we could finish speaking, Quide…” The thug was so terrified that he was breathless and his words were not clear.

“Pierson could not escape? He was killed?” Rick was taken aback.

After the thug sobbed and confirmed it, Rick shook his head sadly. “This is my fault. I had thought that after hearing this news, Quide would have… No other choice. Go and close the large gate. Lock Quide inside the Abandoned Houses District. After that, prepare the carriage. We are leaving immediately.”

“Alright, Mister Rick. Where are we going?” The badly shaken thug quickly nodded repeatedly when he heard that they would leave. He did not stop to think about what would happen to the beggars who would also be locked in.

“Go to our headquarters. Look for Boss Morris.”

Rick watched the thug run to the stone gates. He closed the gates and then locked it. After that, Rick’s expression looked solemn.

“This time, Quide would look for all the beggars. Amongst them is definitely the one that the ‘ghost’ is looking for. I had moved the schedule ahead today. It is not dark yet. Quide would have most of the night to deal with the beggars.

“Whether they would be killed or tyrannized, these would be the problems of the ghost or assassin. Since he is interested in the beggars, what would he do when the beggars suffer a catastrophe?

“First of all, he would have no time to look for me. If he is here to look for the beggars, Quide would be killed by him. The Brotherhood would then take over this place tomorrow and I would not have any more problems.

“If he is here to kill a certain beggar, he may see Quide (this is very likely and nobles should never be underestimated) and allow him to continue killing the beggar. Once the objective is achieved, the problem would also be solved.’

“In other words, the family problem of this big shot and my cold neck would be solved tonight.

“If it doesn’t, the ghost that is unable to find its objective would look for me.” muttered Rick. Rick did not think that the lackeys of a big family would have a good temper. He also did not believe that he would live to see the next day after meeting them.

Rick had also thought of feigning illness for a month or even transferring to some other place. He had wanted to run as far as possible, away from this place, until the ghost found what it wanted.

However, if he were to suddenly fall sick, it may reveal to the ghost that he knew of the ghost’s existence. That would be using his life as stakes to gamble on the ghost’s compassion.

Rick believed that there would be a safer method, a scapegoat to reduce suspicion, to expose the ghost and end his bad luck.

“Boss Quide. This time I will have to trouble you!” Rick thought.

“It is unfortunate for the beggars such as Thales and Karak. It’s certainly possible that certain troubles might have occurred because of my inadequate supervision. But when compared to my life and future…”

At this moment, the lucky thug who escaped returned quickly from a distance with a carriage.

Rick nodded to him and gave him a comforting and encouraging smile. He then went to the carriage and pulled out a mini crossbow that had its arrows soaked in Blue Vine Grass. He proceeded to shoot it into the wide-open mouth of the surprised thug.

…

What Rick did would never be known to the world. However, his actions would influence the fate of the kingdom.

Because their rest period had been shifted earlier, the beggars of the sixth house led by Thales sat next to the fire they had lighted with difficulty as they counted that day’s earnings.

“The black-clothed woman gave us eight coppers. I heard that her youngest son had just died from typhoid. No wonder she was so generous.”

“Droopy-ears Miralla gave us all her remaining coppers after grocery shopping… Oh, there were only two.”

Sinti smiled and counted the coppers one-by-one, placing them in his left hand. Thales nodded and grabbed a sharp rock. He then wrote two ‘正’ characters on the ground1.

“That thin man wearing high boots would not give us any money. So, Ryan and I taught him a lesson.”

Kellet took out a card, looked at it worriedly and said, “However, he only had this card in his hand. I do not know what this is for.”

“This is the pass for the state-run research association, Jade Star Grand Library. That is in the Upper District five blocks away from us,” Thales said after he scrutinized the card, “That thin man must be a foreign scholar. He is probably a philosopher or a scientist. However, with his unconventional appearance, he is most likely a literature and art scholar.”

“Wow, Thales! You can read those words!” Both Coria and Ned looked at Thales in admiration.

“How is that possible?” Thales shrugged as he noticed the admiration of the two children. “Nobody taught us how to read or count. I simply looked at the back of the card and saw that book emblem.”

However, Thales had already taught himself how to read a little. Some of the words he learned were “Sunset Pub”, “Grove Pharmacy”, and “National Research Institute”. These words on the signboards and his previous memories made him value knowledge. He would not pass up any opportunity to gather knowledge.

The freedom to sit at desks and learn from their predecessors was really a blessing. Thales lifted his dust-covered palms that had worked the whole day which were covered prematurely with calluses, then rubbed his stomach that was eternally hungry and sighed.

Thales could not remember his transmigration circumstances. To be precise, he only regained the memories of his past life after the gradual maturity of the young Thales’ cerebrum.

His memory of when he was two to three years old was unclear, just like a regular two-year-old. He only remembered sticky red blood (he did not know why color could be described with the word sticky), a black stone room full of crying infants, a skinny woman who he would later on recognize as the ‘Black-Hearted Widow’ Behrs, the female leader responsible for raising the new children of the Brotherhood.

Thales was sent to the Abandoned Houses at the age of three. It was also about that time when memories of his past life began to surface. Most of the scenes he recalled were of himself sitting in front of a desk looking back and forth between a book and a computer or sitting in a classroom conversing with a dozen or so young people that were dressed differently or together with a middle-aged professor discussing something.

However, that was now an illusion.

In the past four years, Thales managed to maintain the living conditions of the beggars in the sixth house. This was in an environment of crime and death where beggars were beaten up and bullied in the Lower District.

Compared to his past life as a post-graduate student where he was more brain than brawn, Thales had acquired many new skills in his four years of his begging career. For example, putting on an act to win sympathy, pickpocketing, eavesdropping silently and collaborating with someone else to shift the blame.

In the meantime, Thales had made many preparations that exceeded the capabilities of a beggar. For example, creating good relationships with people from the different social strata (in the Lower District presumably they were from the lower strata), secretly exploring the secrets of the Brotherhood, arranging secret locations and stashing some stuff from the bosses. Quide was not wrong at all.

That was right. Thales was not ready to accept the destiny given to him by the world. He will not become a contented beggar nor did he want to become a thug of the Brotherhood, a thief, or involved in any kind of gang-related roles in Eternal Star City.

He wanted to run away, find his own life and become a free man.

At the very least, more freedom than his current life.

“I just need to proceed step-by-step with a good plan…”

Thales looked to a corner of the house where there was an inconspicuous slab stone.

‘Then I can… I can…’

At this moment, screams of fear and panic came from the seventeenth house. “No! Kara!”

Soon, Thales would learn the most important lesson after he transmigrated.

Disaster strikes unexpectedly.

Translator’s Notes: 1. The Chinese character ‘正’ has 5 strokes. It is usually written stroke-by-stroke in tandem with each tallying count. Hence, a complete character would be a group of five counts. Two complete characters would be a total of ten counts.

Chapter 5

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Abandoned Houses were not houses but the name of a location in Eternal Star City. It was located in the Lower City Second District, adjacent to the infamous Black Street. The entire area was also about the size of one street.

Thales once heard the elders of the Brotherhood mention that these Abandoned Houses were once the King of Constellation’s courtyard. A hundred years ago, the buildings had a better name, but nobody remembered it. Only the city hall had records of it. It was once bustling and filled with ordinary city folk of the kingdom’s capital.

At some point in time, it had turned into the meeting grounds of gangs and, occasionally, the battlegrounds of different factions.

As a result, the lively neighborhood was gradually stained with blood and steel. The place became abandoned with only tattered brick buildings remaining.

The Abandoned Houses were also treated as dead-lands for discarding dead bodies and so, to this day, children that grew up happily in the capital would be admonished with “If you are disobedient, I will send you to the Abandoned Houses.” From then on, the notoriety of the Abandoned Houses was second only to the terrifying Black Street.

When the Black Street Brotherhood rose and seized control of supremacy in the underground world at the Lower City District, they turned the Abandoned Houses into the headquarters of the beggars’ business.

In order to manage the beggars and prevent them from running away at night, they arranged thugs to watch every house. The Brotherhood dug trenches—ten feet wide and fifteen feet in depth—around the houses. They then filled the trenches with wood and rusted nails. The only entrance would be the front gate which could be locked up.

There were rumors that many people died trying to get out, but one person eventually managed to find a way to escape. However, in the four years Thales had been at the Abandoned Houses, nobody managed to find this legendary secret tunnel. Instead, the bodies in the trenches increased every year as the Brotherhood’s business expanded. It was said that every year, there were children who did not know better and attempted to escape. This was also why the Brotherhood cleaned up the trenches of corpses once a year.

As its name suggests, the brick houses there were abandoned and there were a total of twenty-three houses. There would have been more but some had collapsed from the gang wars many years ago. There were also some that were demolished to dig trenches.

These houses were irregularly placed behind the gates. Some were close to each other while others were ‘isolated’.

Beggars with good luck would be assigned to houses with wells. The unlucky ones, like Thales from the sixth house, would have to draw water from other houses to fill up their water jars—it was something priceless.

Water and food often caused the beggars to fight. One example was the water jar from the sixth house. In his second year there, Thales had used various methods to reach an agreement with the seventeenth house next door to obtain water once a week.

Before that, Ned and Coria have not arrived yet and there was only Sinti, Ryan, Kellet, and two other beggars who were already dead. At that time, even drinking water was a problem.

Right now, Thales heard the ‘leader’ of the seventeenth house, Diego’s voice. Thales could still remember Diego’s voice from the time that they had fought for water when he used a stone to smash Diego’s head—it sounded very much like this one.

“Kara! Someone! We did not! It wasn’t us!” Diego’s voice sounded agonized and panicky.

As a result, all the beggars in the sixth house, including Thales, were unable to react for a moment. But Thales had memories that did not belong to this world, his first reaction was to take the others into the yard to hide in the hole behind the house.

After some time, Thales felt that it was too late to regret his decision. He glanced at the stone hidden under the wall of the seventeenth house. He stared at the dog tunnel that connected the seventeenth with the sixth house. This was the symbol of alliance between the children during those days.

“What happened to Diego? Did he get into a fight?” Ned asked curiously after hiding himself.

The child beggars did not exactly get along. Among the poor houses, the sixth house was an exception to this rule.

Many of the children’s injuries can lead to death, aside from Quide, their injuries were usually caused by other child beggars—children below the age of ten do not know their own strength. One of Thales’ housemates had also died like this before Ned and Coria arrived.

However, the seventeenth house was also one of the minorities. Diego was a brown-skinned, narrow-eyed blond. He was a carefree and stubborn child. At nine-and-a-half years old, he had more leadership qualities compared to Sinti and Thales. At the very least, the beggars of the seventeenth house listened to him. This also made the battle for water between the seventeenth and sixth houses full of twists.

“It doesn’t seem like a fight. Are the other houses bullying Diego? It’s surely the tenth house’s Karak! He loves bullying others!” Kellet seemed to have thought of something and spoke hurriedly.

“Then we must hurry and go help! We told them we would help each other.” Ryan was about to climb out of the hole and climb into the dog tunnel when he was pulled back by Thales.

“Don’t be impatient. It’s not Karak! It’s something else!” Thales listened solemnly to the horrible screams next door.

“No! Diego!”

After that, there was a blunt sound as though a sandbag was thrown to the wall. However, the voice this time came from a child named Ursula. Thales remembered this eight-year-old child. That time when the fight for water was over, Ursula had pouted tightly as she unwaveringly stood by Diego’s side.

During the fight, it was she who held on to Sinti’s thigh and prevented him from intruding onto Diego’s and Thales’ fight. Had Thales not violently attacked Diego’s knee and quickly picked up a stone, they might not have had water to drink today.

“Something is wrong!”

As the oldest child in the house, Sinti’s expression began to turn somber. This sixth house member was the happiest and most willing to work together with Thales. Sinti rarely spoke, but when he does, it is either an important matter or a critical point.

Soon, the children’s uncertainty turned into panic.

“Beg for mercy! Beg for mercy! Go on! I love to hear you kids beg!”

A vigorous and frenzied voice came from next door.

Every beggar in the Abandoned Houses would never forget this voice, it was more terrifying than the devils of hell. At the very least, a devil would not break a child beggar’s bones inch by inch, or slash open their faces one slice after another. A devil would also not submerge a child beggar’s face underwater and say that he was ‘quenching your thirst’ at the same time (At least, the child beggars did not know whether a devil would actually do it).

It was Quide.

Quide Roda, the leader of the beggars in the Black Street Brotherhood was both their nightmare and doomsday star.

“No! Boss Quide! We are wrong! We… Argh!”

“Let us see if you still dare to speak nonsense! Let us see if you still dare to curse me behind my back! Damn red-haired woman! Damn baldy! Damn Jala Charleton! All of you should die!”

While Quide cursed deliriously, the sounds of beatings and the sounds of fists, rocks, or bodies colliding against the wall was heard.

“Help! Help! Diego! Kara! Marita! Hurry and get up! Hurry and come save me!”

“Run! Run quickly— Argh—!”

“Oh my God! Where are the guards! Where is Mister Rick! Gods! He wants to kill us all!”

“No! Don’t!”

Under the moonlight at the Abandoned Houses, heart-wrenching cries came from many mouths. Thales was shaken to the core!

Thales took three seconds to react. What was Quide doing?

He turned around and looked at the others in the sixth house. Ned and Coria were trembling by the hole. Ryan, who had wanted to rush out, was already petrified.

Kellet and Sinti were not much better. The former’s expression of impatience and fear rolled back and forth as he watched them—he wanted to speak but could not—the latter turned pale and stared back at Thales.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

“All of you damn trash! Even you guys dare to ridicule me! You dare to ridicule ‘Blood Axe’ Quide Roda! Even you guys dare… Haha, scream! Why are you guys not screaming? Scream!”

The frenzied roars were accompanied by agonizing screams. Everyone did not want to think too deeply about the broken voices.

Thales knew that at this moment, panic has spread in the sixth house. He quickly thought of the current situation.

Quide is beating up the beggars in the seventeenth house. No, just by listening to him, and the intensity of his beatings, tonight’s attack is not something as simple as venting. Besides that, Quide may be an asshole, but he wouldn’t attack everyone in the house at the same time…

What about Rick? What about the guards and patrolling thugs? They may not be able to hear from across the stone walls, but the thugs patrolling on the roads should be able to hear it!

Naturally, Thales did not know that the forces guarding the place had been reduced to two for the night. On top of that, these two thugs would never return.

“Thales. What do we do?” Kellet instinctively felt that something was wrong from listening to the tragic events next door. He was pale and sweating as he continued to ask Thales.

“Quiet. Everyone is not allowed to go out! We…” Thales frowned and struggled to think of a countermeasure. Before he could finish, a child beggar’s figure appeared at the dog tunnel connecting the seventeenth and the sixth houses.

Coria cried out quietly in fear.

Thales recognized who it was from a quick glance. Coming from the seventeenth house was Ursula whose head was bleeding and about to collapse. Before Thales could help her up, Ursula fell down, gasping for breath and totally oblivious of her blood-drenched face and hair.

“Run! Run quickly! We must quickly…”

Thales and Sinti nervously helped her up. The tragic screams still continued but Ursula seemed to have lost her sanity. She could no longer answer questions except to simply murmur “run quickly” over and over again.

Until Thales slapped her in the face.

“What is going on? Did Quide come out?”

Ursula’s tears kept streaming down.

“Qu… Quide has gone mad! He wants… not just us! He intends to look for us in each house one-by-one!”

Ursula was already incoherent with her words but it was enough for the children of the sixth house to understand what was going on. All of them turned pale. Even Thales could not help but feel fear in his heart.

“When he sees someone, he hits and beats them until they stop breathing… I heard crying and went to the third house to take a look. I saw him drag Larry out. There was so much blood when he walked out. He then saw me…”

“He caught Kara. Kara was smashed into the ground. Diego wanted to stop him but took a few hundred hits, Diego became motionless… Then there was Marita. Quide threw her into the bonfire… sniffs… bonfire …”

Thales could feel his scalp go numb.

Thales had seen Quide beat people up before, but he would usually be stopped by the other thugs when the child was on the verge of death. The Brotherhood did not care if the abused child received permanent injuries.

“The third house is finished. Our house is, too… He was beating up Midelan just now. I don’t know how many houses are left…”

The weeping and lamenting Ursula had not yet finished speaking but Thales suddenly covered her mouth. At this moment, through Thales’ actions, everyone realized that the crying and the roaring from next door had stopped. The seventeenth house was quiet as though the children were asleep.

Only ragged panting could be heard. Nobody knew what it meant.

In the sixth house, all the children began to tremble. In that instant, Thales quickly turned and lowered his voice as much as he could. “Listen. We must quickly…”

*Bang!*

A loud noise was suddenly heard. The doors to the sixth house were opened.

From the entrance, Quide’s shaky figure slowly approached. He looked at the seven trembling children with a fierce and hideous grin.

“Where… where can you run? Eh? You… you look familiar…”

Everyone in the sixth house, including Thales, were stunned.

Quide rubbed his nose. Thales saw a bright red color on his face—the color of a drunk person. Quide’s hands were dark red—the color of blood.

Quide looked at Thales who was covering Ursula’s mouth.

“I- I remember you!” His expressions shifted constantly between a sinister leer to rage and resentment. “Ah, you’re that kid that was caught by that damn baldy… It’s you! You must be the one ridiculing me and running your mouth behind my back! Am I right? It must be you… It must be you!”

Thales’ heart felt ice-cold.

…..

Rick cautiously drove the carriage while he forced himself to calm down. All the while, he felt the temperature behind his neck. Fortunately, everything was normal and the ghost did not appear.

It would probably be a headache for Quide.

At that time, he approached the headquarters of the Black Street Brotherhood. Rick breathed a sigh of relief.

“Accountant!” Came Layork’s voice, the assassin from the Brotherhood shouted about twenty feet away from Rick. Layork’s face appeared from a distance as if it was under the torchlight. He seemed dissatisfied and asked, “Why did you come here at this time? This here is dangerous business! Even you with your account-balancing hands are thinking of joining the fun?”

Rick froze for a moment. As the carriage continued moving, he saw that the small public square in front of the headquarters was covered with torches.

All of them were standing quietly. All of them wore black cloth around them. The ones wearing these black clothes were members of the Brotherhood and there were at least a few hundred people.

Rick suddenly realized that almost all of the Brotherhood’s manpower were here.

Rick quickly got down from the carriage. He hastily walked a few steps. Under the moonlight, he saw his superior, the fat Morris, who was also the big shot in the trafficking business. He was discussing something with a few figures with strange silhouettes. A two-meters-tall, blond giant; a mysterious figure in dark-red robes; and a fat, simple-looking man.

Rick was shocked; he recognized them.

These were big-shots from other places in the Brotherhood. There were even a few bosses that would normally not stay in Eternal Star City.

Rick moved through the fully equipped fighters that were armed with a variety of weapons from axes to knives, to blades or spiked maces as they sorted their equipment and walked straight to Layork.

“Layork, it is great to see… never mind. I won’t speak of nonsense. What’s going on tonight?”

Rick and Layork did not like each other, they met often simply because of their jobs, and they have a tacit understanding and agreement with each other.

However, the one who knew most about the situation and also the quickest person to ask would be Layork.

“The boss didn’t tell you?” Layork pursed his mouth in disdain and threw him a glance, “As usual, confrontation with the Blood Bottle Gang. Besides the Mystic Gun and the infantry bows, we can use every other weapon…”

The famously efficient and ruthless assassin ran his hand over the scimitar behind his waist, as though feeling the sharpness of the blade.

Rick was startled. Confronting the Blood Bottle Gang…

The assassin took a deep breath. He then laughed and licked his lips, “Tonight, we will capture the Red Street Market.”

…..

“Still no news from Yodel? What about the Sunset Temple?”

The middle-aged noble with gray hair was in front of a fireplace, facing a luxurious chair and asked somberly, “Patience, my friend. We have waited for twelve years, it does not matter if we were to wait a little longer.”

The robust figure rose from the chair and grabbed the handle of a scepter that was inlaid with light blue crystals. Looking closely, the crystals of the scepter seemed to twinkle in a slow and steady rhythm.

“Our pointless conjectures here only casts doubt on Yodel’s ability. Furthermore, is he not carrying the flame of the Lamp? I believe he is close to the target and simply needs to make a final confirmation.” The robust figure said slowly.

The middle-aged noble gave a deep bow.

“I do not doubt Yodel’s ability, nor have I ever underrated his loyalty. It is just…” The man paused and sighed. “He is too calm and callous. Other than his unwavering loyalty, he is not interested in anything else. Just like twelve years ago. I am worried that he…”

The middle-aged man did not continue, the robust figure also did not immediately reply.

The robust figure carried the scepter and went to the floor-to-ceiling window. He looked out the windows at the resplendent lights of the great shrine in the distance.

Even the moonlight could not compete with the brightness of that shrine.

“Then prepare yourself and secretly proceed to the temple… Begin the moment there is news, there is no need to wait for Yodel’s signal.”

After a while, the robust figure slowly added, “I have no reason to doubt Yodel. When he needs to act, he will not hesitate.

“However, it is good to have more than one hand prepared.”

(The next chapter is added here because the chapter was missing from the upload platform)

The First Drop of Blood

By the time Thales recovered, Quide had grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up.

Thales struggled as he held on to the hand strangling his neck. However, he could not seem to gather his strength. He tried desperately to open his mouth but could not breathe. His two legs kept kicking as he began to feel faint.

The hubbub around him sounded muffled, as though they were blocked by a thick cloth. Coria was crying, Ryan had curled himself up at the hole and trembled continuously, Kellet was sitting in front of the wall, terrified and whimpering.

Sinti and Ned screamed as they boldly rushed forward fearlessly. One held on to Quide’s thigh, the other struck Quide’s belly with his small arms.

Sinti was blown away and crashed into the water jar, spilling water all over the yard. Ned was ruthlessly struck by Quide. He screamed as he fell onto the ground, unable to get up.

Thales did not have the time or the mood to be surprised at Ned’s courage, or Kellet’s and Ryan’s cowardice (he was quite certain of Sinti’s actions). Thales firmly used his fingernails to dig into Quide’s hand that held his neck. He wanted to break free so that he could breathe.

Suddenly, Thales’ nail sank into the back of Quide’s right hand, digging into a hollow wound. Thales’ face had already turned red by then, so he did not hesitate and desperately dug into the wound.

“Argh!”

Quide screamed from the pain. His loosened his iron-grip and then threw Thales towards a wall. Thales felt dizzy and his throat felt sore. He leaned against the wall as he coughed uncontrollably.

Quide clutched his palm. On top of it was the wound made by Jala which had started bleeding again.

“Damn Jala Charleton! Damned brat!”

Quide endured the pain as he roared furiously and drunkenly.

*Crack!*

The ferocious Quide suddenly turned around and saw only the child from the seventeenth house, Ursula, frantically trying to escape through the door. The door that had just collapsed earlier from Quide’s trampling could not support her weight and had cracked open.

“Haha. Are you trying to run?”

Quide grinned hideously and strode forward. He then grabbed Ursula’s left leg.

“No! Don’t!”

Ursula cried out as Quide lifted her up by her leg.

“Brat. Have you struck iron before? No? Haha. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you!”

Thales climbed up in pain and was only in time to see Quide swing Ursula’s left leg with both arms and smashed her head against the wall behind him.

Thales had just enough time to reflexively move out of the way.

The crown of the head made a compressed sound. It was the same sound as when he once saw the fruit seller smash open an Ellend melon.

That’s right. We stole the Luminous Moon statue from that very person.

Coria’s wail turned into a shrill scream. Thales was stunned and could not close his eyes in time. Red and white liquid splashed onto his face. It was warm, yet cold.

Ned had witnessed everything when he crawled up from the ground. He screamed as he collapsed. He then headed towards the dog tunnel leading towards the seventeenth house.

Quide opened his mouth and inhaled, looking intoxicated. It was as though he did not inhale air but black pine wine of the highest grade. This demon in human skin turned around and dropped whatever was left of Ursula. He then looked at Ned with a vigorous smile.

At that moment, Thales thought for a moment that Ned was small and nimble, and that Ned would be able to dig into the dog tunnel before Quide could reach him.

Dig into that hole and everything will be fine.

Dig and you will be safe.

Dig in.

Dig in.

Dig.

However, before Ned could dig halfway in, Quide grabbed Ned’s legs.

“Are you the brat that had no money to give? Then what good are you?”

Ned screamed as he was dragged out of the hole by Quide.

“Scream! Your screams are not wretched enough! It is a pity that the water jar is broken. We cannot play fishing anymore.”

Quide shook his head to dispel the dizziness caused by the alcohol. He gazed at Sinti who had just got up from the ground and the water jar beside him.

“That makes things easy.”

Ned wailed and kicked. Quide grabbed his face and slammed him onto the ground. He then lifted the six-year old’s right foot and ruthlessly stepped onto the center of the six-year-old beggar’s back.

“Don’t!”

*Boom! Crack!*

A heart-stopping crack resounded at the same time as Thales’ heart-wrenching cry.

Everything in front of Thales blurred.

*Boom!*

Quide stepped a second time.

*Boom!*

A third time.

Crying out loud with the greatest effort ever, Sinti grabbed a fragmented piece of the water jar and charged towards Quide. Quide simply laughed and kicked away the fragment in Sinti’s hand. He then grabbed Sinti’s hemp collar and lifted him up.

Looks like I can’t do anything.

Thales lowered his head. By the wall, Ursula’s body was still quietly twitching. Ned was sprawled face-down on the ground, motionless.

I thought I was protecting them but I’m unable to do anything. I couldn’t do anything.

Sinti roared as he kicked. Quide’s high-pitched laughter became even more aggravated.

“Brat. Scream! Keep screaming! I love to hear you all scream! Maybe my mood will improve and I would let all of you go!”

Thales’ eyes turned dim as he recalled a familiar scene.

“Deviant behaviour. This is what we define human behavior that opposes social norms. An average person is more accustomed to calling it crime. However, we must know that crimes are only one small part of deviation. What we are concerned about is not the act but the meaning at a social level and its comprehension. Durkheim was one of the earliest scholars to start sociology. He also looked at deviation from the functionalist angle…

“One viewpoint is that the enforcement and punishment of deviant acts is one of the ways the authority shapes and models the basic structure of society…”

This was a fragment of the memories from Thales’ past life. He had recovered some of it just a moment ago.

“Demon! You demon!”

Just then, Sinti’s roar and kicks dispersed Thales’ vision.

“Yes! I am a devil!” Quide laughed. “Tell me, how would a devil cook you?”

Thales took a deep breath.

Damned bastard.

His mind was as clear as ever. He knew what to do. He knew what he should do. Thales clenched his teeth, turned around and rushed to a corner of the house. There, he grabbed a stone, lifted it up, and stretched his hand into the hole hidden underneath.

Quick. Quickly find it.

“Alright. Since you have guts, I’ll leave you for last.”

Quide laughed until his lips went crooked. He fiercely pulled Sinti’s right leg until Sinti’s face turned pale and then…

*Crack!*

It was dislocated.

Quide dropped Sinti and proceeded to stomp on his dislocated leg. Sinti tried to endure the pain but he still ended up howling tragically. Thales heard the screams, driving him to search faster.

Quide then left the yard and walked towards the inner part of the house. The bright moonlight shined through the half-collapsed roof and onto Quide’s smile.

Ryan folded his arms. He stared at the floor as he tried to shrink deeper into the wall with his body.

Kellet trembled as he crawled out of the hole, wanting to pull Coria, who had turned silent from the hoarseness of her voice, to run away together with him.

However, Coria was seemingly paralyzed from fear. She sobbed and would not move. Kellet did not dare look over at Sinti, but just pulled Coria as though he was begging.

But Coria suddenly raised her head and then cried sorrowfully like a lamb. Kellet seemed to realize something and turned around… to see Quide’s smiling face. He peed in his pants.

We’re caught!

Thales found the thing he wanted and then forcefully yanked it out.

After that…

After that his right arm was grabbed by the mad, delighted Quide from behind.

“Did you think I would leave you out, brat? I know that you are the most cunning and most treacherous amongst all you bastards! Haha!” Quide gradually tightened his grip as he smiled proudly.

No.

Thales felt a tightening pain in his right arm. He struggled to turn around and attack Quide with what he found in his left hand.

“Look at that!” Quide said as though he had found a treasure. He turned and avoided Thales’ strike.

Then he grabbed the thing from the child’s left hand.

“It’s a dagger! Haha! Brat. You actually thought of attacking me with a dagger? Hahaha. What were you going to do? Stab my thigh?”

Quide pulled Thales up and laughed wildly.

Don’t! Don’t!

Thales thought desperately. The dagger.

He had stolen the sheathless dagger at the Sunset Pub. It was his last hope.

“Yo!”

Quide was surprised when he looked behind Thales. He saw a coin that had been uncovered when Thales yanked the dagger out out of the hole.

“Look at what I’ve found. Is that a silver coin? It’s a silver coin! Hahaha. You really are a damned brat! You stashed a silver coin away!”

Thales wanted to struggle with his left hand but the strength of a seven-year-old was inadequate. He could only attack futilely at Quide’s abdomen which was as sturdy as an iron sheet.

That silver coin was a gift from a noble woman at the Red Street Market. Thales did not lie.

The goosedown-clothed noble woman had given him twelve coppers, but there was also one silver.

Thales began to lose hope. Everything ends here. I have failed.

“For the price of lying…”

Quide ignored Thales’ perfunctory punching and kicking. He simply grinned and picked up the silver coin with the dagger. He threw the silver into the air and then caught it again with the other side of the dagger.

Even today, the kingdom’s Mindis silver was still valuable and rare.Engraved on its front was King Mindis the Third. This was a historical figure in Constellation and was well-known throughout the continent. There was also a motto inscribed in an ancient font.

‘A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.

The bloodline’s glory rests on the deeds of the King.”

Thales could not understand these words at all. Thales had bravely asked the noble woman for its true meaning and got an answer.

Ah. Thales silently thought. I also wanted to learn words and study. I wanted to learn the knowledge and wisdom of this world.

The result…

Quide held the silver coin with the dagger. He waved the knife around in the air and seemed very satisfied with his skills. Seems like I have not regressed.

He then pulled Thales out to the yard and threw the silver coin into the bonfire near the yard.

“For the price of lying, I shall reward you with this silver coin.”

Thales looked at the silver coin that was gradually turning black in the fire. He suddenly realized what Quide was going to do and kicked even more wildly.

It was at this moment when Thales saw from the corner of his eyes, the crippled Ryan, who had always been timid, approached Quide from behind and raised a stone in his hand.

Don’t do it. Thales thought sadly. Ryan had never fought before. That stone is too small.

“Da!”

Ryan’s strength was insufficient. The stone struck the back of Quide’s neck, but it was enough to attract Quide’s attention.

“Run! Ryan!”

“Run quickly!”

Thales, and Sinti who was holding his right leg in agony, shouted loudly.

Unfortunately, Ryan was a cripple. When he went begging one time, his leg was broken by a bad-tempered thief. After some time, he became crippled due to the lack of medical attention.

Ryan retreated in panic, turning around as he limped hurriedly.

Quide dragged Thales along as he turned around and chased Ryan. Quide quickly caught up with him. He was so angry that he laughed.

“Cripple!” Quide opened his mouth and panted like a wild boar, “That hit earlier was really great!”

*Thump!*

Ryan was kicked to the ground. His eyes were full of fear and regret.

“I… I…”

Without waiting for the frightened Ryan to finish, Quide took the dagger and plunged it into Ryan’s right wrist.

“Argh!”

Ryan’s blood-curdling scream was deafening that even Thales trembled.

“Aren’t you a cripple? Don’t you already have one leg broken?” Quide yelled in a frenzy, “In that case, you must be more balanced top and bottom!”

After that, Quide pulled out the dagger. The smiling expression on his face became more intense. With one hand, he pushed Thales to the ground, and then concentrated on Ryan.

Thales saw Quide knee Ryan in the stomach. Quide then raised the dagger that had been used to stab the wrist and started cutting that hand as though he was sawing wood.

Thales closed his eyes painfully.

“No! No! Argh! Argh! Don’t! Argh!”

Ryan’s tragic screams had turned into a continuous howl. Sinti bellowed angrily from the side.

Thales glanced at the still-weeping Coria or the quiet Kellet.

Please, let this all come to an end. Just let it end.

When Ryan’s uninterrupted wails turned into painful sobs, the numbed Thales found himself lifted up by the collar again by Quide.

He felt something hot near him.

Thales opened his eyes and saw the handle of the dagger in front of him. On top of it was the silver coin.

The boiling hot silver coin that was burnt until it was black. Its scorching heat seemed to assault his face.

“Open your mouth!” Quide said with ruthless indifference.

Nearby, Ryan held his bloody right hand. His eyes no longer showed any emotion. He simply lay down on his side and trembled from time to time. Only a little bit of skin was left of his palm at the right wrist.

Thales coldly glared back at Quide.

“Are you not willing?” Quide shook his head and laughed, “Your eyes would work too.”

After that, Quide grabbed the dagger and moved the blackened coin that was on the dagger towards Thales’ eyes.

The blackened face of King Mindis slowly approached his eyes.

The inscription on it also became clearer.

‘A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.

The bloodline’s glory rests on the deeds of the King.”

In that instant that the coin was about to be stuck into Thales’ eyes.

“Argh!”

Thales roared loudly. He struggled violently and suddenly bit into Quide’s little finger at the handle of the dagger.

Quide cried out hoarsely in pain. His body leaned back and the coin fell from the dagger, towards Thales’ bare chest.

A burning heat struck him!

“Argh… No!”

The severe burning sensation brought sharp pain.

Thales could no longer bear the pain. He then opened his mouth to let go of Quide, then reached for the silver coin.

“B*st*rd!” Quide looked at his bloody little finger and broke out in anger. “I will give you a souvenir!”

Quide punched Thales and then rushed forward to overpower him. He used the dagger to press hard onto the coin on Thales’ chest.

*Hiss!*

It was like the sound of an iron cooling rapidly, except that the material cooling it was flesh.

“Argh!”

Thales howled. His scorched chest emitted a burnt smell. He felt sharp pain as though all of his muscles were burning. Quide pressed the silver coin down for a full five seconds. He then stared at Thales’ painfully distorted face before feeling that he had vented enough and released Thales.

As soon as Thales broke free, he pried off the silver coin that was stuck to his chest despite the fact that it was still burning hot. The charred flesh, blood, and the silver coin fell onto the ground with a thud.

A drop of Thales’ blood fell on the ground and quickly evaporated. Thales simply lied down on the ground. His tears poured endlessly.

Damn. Wasn’t I supposed to be an adult? Why do I still cry?

“What a pity. Swallowing it or pushing it against the eye would have been better.” Quide carefully picked up the silver and threw it into the fire. “Never mind. Let us do it again.”

Thales closed his eyes tightly. The burning pain in his chest had not diminished. Instead, it grew increasingly painful. It was like an onslaught of pain; it was growing.

Let me cut out Quide’s throat. That would be great. He said silently in his heart.

When Thales opened his eyes again, he just stared at Quide indifferently. Quide looked at those lifeless eyes and got bored.

“Hey, brat. Don’t want to play anymore?” Quide kicked Thales. Thales simply looked back at Quide coldly.

“Come,” he thought, “This time, it would be the eyes and nose. Up to you. Either way, ever since I transmigrated, I could not accomplish anything, right?”

Quide looked at Thales’ eyes and confirmed Thales’ indifference. When he was still a debt collector, he hated debtors that had this expression. This meant that no matter how he tortured them, he would not get any money.

Quide spat, feeling bored. He felt as though his delight had been destroyed.

I have wasted too much time.

However, when he turned around and saw the two beggars in the walls, his eyes turned bright again.

Coria was crying and Kellet glanced fearfully. Quide stretched his hand out to one of the six holes in the sixth house, reaching out for the youngest girl.

Thales pupils immediately refocused. Sinti looked at the scene alarmingly. Even Ryan forgot about his broken hand and raised his head.

No. No! That’s Coria. She is the youngest here. That child!

The burning feeling in his chest grew hotter. His muscles seemed to burn.

Coria simply wailed. She was only four.

Bastard! How dare you!

“Coria!”

“Demon! Come to me!”

“You dare! You wouldn’t!”

Thales, Sinti, and even Ryan who was still holding on to his broken hand, all frantically crawled towards Quide. However, with a swing of his leg each, they were swept to the corner of the wall.

“You cannot hurt her!” At this moment, a figure obstinately blocked the hole in the wall.

This was Kellet who had been so frightened he withdrew again into the hole. At this moment, he courageously stood in front to protect Coria.

But Thales shook his head in pain. No. You’re not enough.

Kellet’s fist was easily seized by Quide.

“Don’t interrupt my entertainment” Quide laughed. He then cut Kellet’s neck without any hesitation, interruption or restriction whatsoever. Kellet widened his eyes as though he could not believe what just happened.

Thales fell to the ground paralyzed. Ryan seemed to have a mental breakdown as he laughed and cried. Sinti simply hammered the ground ferociously.

Kellet’s trachea was broken and his blood spurted out of his arteries. Quide then pushed Kellet to the side.

Coria wept more and more uncontrollably.

“Don’t! Don’t catch me! I am a very good child! I do not have typhoid fever! I do not!”

Quide held Coria’s hair and carried the crying girl out of the hole like a pet.

He then picked up the silver coin from the bonfire with the dagger.

“Bastard! Damned bastard!”

Thales closed his eyes and roared with all his strength. He hated himself. He hated this damn world. He then watched Quide helplessly.

While the girl struggled desperately, the man took the silver coin that was heated a second time with the dagger and pressed it onto Coria’s face.

Sobbing sounds of the children could be heard from the side while Coria’s cries were no longer coherent.

Why did this happen?

Thales laid down on the ground as though he had lost all hope. His eyes were filled with despair and he was motionless. Only the burning pain continued to throb in his chest.

Quide worked the dagger and flipped the silver coin off the girl’s face, making her scream sharply.

He breathed heavily and looked around, suddenly feeling bored.

Time to finish this up and go find the other brats. Wait. Wouldn’t doing this be bad for the Brotherhood?

Quide’s drunkenness gradually began to disappear.

Whatever. Since Rick and his thugs did not show up, it means that there’s no problem.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. He then thought of using both hands to break the girl’s neck.

Huh?

When Quide raised his left hand, he suddenly noticed something strange. Wasn’t I just using a dagger to press the silver coin on the girl’s face?

Dagger?

He did not think too much and continued to raise his left hand to place on Coria’s neck.

At that moment, Thales who was lying on his stomach and had given up hope, suddenly touched something with his right hand that made him tremble.

Dagger?

Without any hesitation he got up, concealing his hand behind his back.

Then, everything happened abruptly. In Sinti’s eyes, the terrified Thales who had still been on the ground suddenly attacked.

“Go and die!”

The seven-year-old transmigrator released two lives’ worth of furor at Quide’s neck. He made a stab and a twist.

“Annoying!”

Quide had already noticed his movements and carelessly made a reflexive push with his elbow. Thales was sent flying by Quide.

*Boom!*

Thales’ head hit the edge of a hole and was instantly dazed. However, he tenaciously lifted his head and looked at his hand.

There. The dagger stolen from Sunset Pub. A sharp dagger with blood on it.

At that moment, everything seemed still. Quide froze for a moment. He lowered his head in surprise as he looked at Thales, who was coughing on the ground after he was sent flying.

Quide’s surprised gaze did not last long. He had already realized what happened to himself. He suddenly let go of Coria and touched his neck with trembling hands.

A warm, moist, and sticky feeling flowed down his collarbone and onto his chest and abdomen. In full view of Quide, the damned brat Thales struggled but steadily stood up from the ground. Thales held the dagger with a trembling right hand. Although he was trembling, it was stable.

At that moment, Quide felt somewhat flustered. He absent-mindedly placed both his hands at his neck, terrified. He desperately tried to cover the wound that was squirting blood, but his trembling hands and chin seemed to revolt against his intentions. The blood that was bright red like a dye spurted relentlessly from his artery.

Quide clenched his teeth. He felt his legs turn soft so he took a step back. However, this made him fall softly to the ground and no longer able to get up.

The burning feeling in his chest continued but Thales lifted up his head. In the eyes of Sinti’s and Coria’s fearful gaze, and Ryan’s unfathomable laughter, Thales was watching Quide with staunch indifference.

One word at a time, he spat out, “Go to hell, trash.”

Quide clenched his teeth tighter as he became angry again. However, unlike before, when the flames of fury arrived, Quide’s vision turned darker. Everything seemed further and smaller before turning faint and falling apart.

His eyes protruded out as though it was going to pop out of their sockets as he glared unwaveringly at Thales. He then stretched out his trembling hand that had been stabbed by Jala towards Thales, pausing every now and again.

He opened his mouth and said in a hoarse voice, “Damned… brat…”

He swept his bloody hand past Thales’ cold face.

Those were ‘Blood Axe’ Quide Roda’s last words in Errol.

Chapter 6

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Bite on this piece of wood tightly and you will feel better. Sorry, I… I can only think of this solution.”

Thales furrowed his brows and kneeled in front of Ryan.

The crippled child beggar was half-lying on the floor with his upper body against the wall. Holding up his broken, badly injured, and almost torn off right hand that was steadily bleeding out, he stared blankly at Thales who was sharpening a dagger against a blunt piece of stone. He let Thales insert the piece of wood into his mouth.

Behind Thales, the little girl Coria sat on the stairs between the house and the yard with a blank expression. The area on the left side of her face which was burned by the silver coin was already treated with medicine and covered with a piece of cloth.

She held the charred silver coin tightly in her hand.

The little girl opened her eyes wide and looked at her surroundings, even rising her head to look at the moon after a moment before she let out a nervous chuckle.

Behind her, Quide’s wide-eyed corpse leaned against the broken wall.

Thales felt nauseous.

That sensation… that of thrusting metal into flesh and blood, kept returning. It would occasionally appear in Thales’ sword arm.

Thales sighed, suppressing the strange discomfort that came with killing someone for the first time. The burn on his chest was still aching, taking away a lot of his attention from that matter.

He had to kill Quide—Thales did not regret it at all.

The moment he thrusted the dagger into Quide’s neck and watched him fall with all his unwillingness to admit defeat, Thales had even felt a surge of satisfaction rush into his heart.

That was the pleasure of revenge.

At that moment, it was as though all his grievances and hatred were soothed and released.

Simple yet brutal, effective and straightforward.

“However,” Thales closed his eyes, and said to himself repeatedly, ‘I must not fall in love with this feeling.’

After all, he took away a life.

He might have killed a fellow human because he had no choice. However, no matter the circumstances, it was not something to be proud of.

He definitely did not kill Quide so that he can become scum like him.

‘More importantly…’ Thales turned and looked at Coria. He sped up his sharpening of the dagger.

‘What these children just experienced was most likely the most crucial point in their lives.’

Another vision from his past life bloomed in front of his eyes. The light from the projector and the words on the slides appeared like crashing waves.

“For the thesis I will be talking about in this lecture, its literature review mainly focuses on the field of psychology. From the perspective of developmental psychology, one’s childhood and teenage years are the most vital in shaping his or her mind and personality. According to Bloom’s longitudinal studies, the environment, interactions, and behaviors one experiences at those stages are strongly correlated to their future character and psychological development. Plenty of theoretical studies also suggest that this influence might even last through their whole lives…”

Thales shook his head and kept the newfound memory deep inside his heart.

The psychological health of the child beggars was only secondary—the problem at hand was survival.

Thales suppressed the nausea inside his heart and shifted his focus to the dagger in his hand.

This dagger was shorter than an adult’s forearm. It had a single cutting edge, the tip curving slightly to the side. A black leather belt was wrapped around the wooden handle to prevent slippage while both sides of the blade were smooth…’Hmm?’

Thales suddenly discovered that, after being soaked in fresh blood, two engraved alphabets appeared on one side of the blade.

JC.

‘JC?’

Thales’ gaze shifted slightly and his heart jolted.

‘Haha, no matter how many more tricks I have up my sleeves, how many more plans I concoct, or how much more intelligent I am,’ thought Thales, ‘none are as useful as this dagger called JC.’

Thales’ gaze turned icy. In one moment he was sharpening the knife edge, but in the next he appeared beside Ryan’s broken hand.

*Cha!*

Thales cut without hesitation.

The blade severed what little skin and flesh was left between Ryan’s palm and wrist.

“Hmm! Hmm… hmph hmph!”

Ryan’s whole body started convulsing vigorously like a Mariahilf river prawn that has just been dropped into boiling water.

He bit hard on the piece of wood, letting out a horrifying sound from his throat. His eyes were shut tightly from pain and his face was distorted in an over the top manner.

Tears and snot flowed ceaselessly.

Thales immediately took the piece of cloth that had been applied with medicine, though it was just some Urth Dragon Leaves, and wrapped it around Ryan’s severed wrist. He made a tight knot on it.

‘Hopefully this will help in stopping the bleeding and prevent infection, or else…’ Thales looked towards the fire and shook his head.

Ryan was still convulsing in pain. Thales pressed down on his severed wrist with one hand and embraced him with the other.

“Hang on, Ryan, it will be over soon. Hang on!” Thales shut his eyes and softly comforted Ryan. Ryan’s hair brushed over the burn wound on his chest, causing another fit of unbearable pain.

Thales looked to the other side. Kellet, Ned and Ursula were lying quietly under the moonlight.

It was as if they were asleep.

Ryan’s breath started to calm. However, Coria started crying softly again.

“Thales… *sniffs* I’m so scared. Coria really doesn’t have typhoid, Coria has already recovered…”

Thales let go of Ryan and turned to embrace Coria in his arms, taking care to avoid the burn wound on her face as he patted her gently.

“It’s okay now, Coria. Everything is okay now.”

‘I’m sorry.

‘I couldn’t protect all of you.’

“Thales!”

Thales opened his eyes and saw Sinti, who was gasping as he ran. He calmly asked, “How is the situation outside?”

Sinti sustained the fewest injuries out of all the children in the sixth house. Life as a child beggar allowed them to pick up plenty of first aid skills such as the setting of bones, or even the breaking of bones, and after Thales fixed his dislocated leg, he sent him out to gather information. He also asked him to gather information and spread news to warn the other members of the Brotherhood who might come.

“No one from above is coming. Not Rick, not the thugs either. There’s no one from the Brotherhood. It seems like no one from outside the Abandoned Houses knows about this.”

Sinti was the eldest among them and had worked with Thales for quite some time, he immediately answered Thales’ biggest concern.

“It seems like Quide went to quite a number of houses, some of the children managed to escape. But, excluding our house and the seventeenth house, at least six or seven houses show no movement inside at all.”

Thales’ gaze dimmed. The sixth house was not the nearest Abandoned House to the front gate. He could already sort of guess the fate of the child beggars in those houses.

“Right now, all the child beggars already know what happened. They are spreading rumors among themselves that the Brotherhood is planning to kill us all. Some of them are hiding in the houses, too afraid to come out, but most of them ran out to the streets, and some even want to escape.”

Thales’ eyes lit up, “Wait, you mentioned that all the thugs are not around anymore?”

Sinti knew what Thales was thinking. He shook his head and bitterly spoke, “It’s no use, the front gate is locked from the outside. Karak and the people from his house are shouting in front of the gate, but no one came. There’s no way for us to escape unless we can cross through the moat and the thorns inside.”

“Do we…” Ryan struggled to stand up while hugging his right hand, his face was pale as he asked, “Do we have to escape? We can stay here and wait till the morning, and when Rick and the others come, we can tell them that Quide went crazy himself…”

“No!” Thales firmly cut Ryan off, “Quide died in our house. If they manage to find the culprit, we will surely die. Even if they can’t find the culprit, they will still blame it on us. Moreover, Quide’s father is one of the elders in the Brotherhood, they won’t let this go easily.”

“Plus,” Thales looked at Ryan coldly, “Do you want to wait for them to send the next Quide over? Even if the next ringleader is not someone like Quide, when he knows that his predecessor died under the hands of child beggars, do you expect him to feed and serve you well, then kneel down and beg you not to kill him?”

Ryan, Coria and even Sinti could not quite understand what Thales just said. The three of them blinked in confusion.

Thales looked at them and lowered his head in exasperation. He sighed and said, “Ha… to put it simply: we must escape.”

“Oh.”

The three children nodded their heads in unison.

Thales shook his head helplessly.

Another scene suddenly appeared in front of his eyes.

Snow was falling on the almost empty streets. A graceful figure was skipping in front while he kept talking.

“…Therefore, in his book, based on his observation along with historical data, which is the origination of capitalism in Europe, Weber mocked Marx’s theory that the economic base determines the superstructure…”

“Although I don’t understand what you are talking about, it all sounds very intellectual.”

“Ha… in short, it means that Weber is looking down on Marx.”

“Oh, I see. Let’s go for hotpot then!”

“You were the one who asked me about my class today, can you not change the topic so quickly? And why is it that you can do it so naturally?”

“It’s decided then, Korean barbeque! Strike Freedom, attack!”

“Weren’t you talking about hotpot just now- Hey don’t push me- And what is Strike Freedom- I told you not to push me-”

Thales shut his eyes tight and chased away the illusionary memory that surged back from the void.

Lately, his memories had been surging back towards him more frequently, “past incidents” came back to his mind one by one.

But please let it not be now.

It cannot be now.

There were more important things to do right now.

Thales opened his eyes and realized that the three children were waiting for his decision.

He stood up quietly and pulled Ryan up with him while taking a deep breath.

“First of all, we must remove Quide from the sixth house while there is no one outside. Although he is super heavy, we can’t let anyone know that his death is related to us within the next few hours.”

“After that, Sinti, start spreading word to everyone, discreetly. You must not let anyone know that you are deliberately spreading it. Tell everyone that, at the bottom of the moat on the left side of the fourth house, five of the thorns are lose. Remove them and use a slab of stone or something to press the remaining two thorns down. That way, we can escape from the houses.”

Sinti was surprised. “You… you found the secret passage in the moat?”

“Secret passage?” Ryan and Coria also looked as if they were shocked.

Thales did not reply but tapped Sinti’s shoulder instead and said, “Go.”

The secret passage was not dug by some senior child beggar with great abilities.

This so-called secret passage was dug by Thales twice per week while he went off to beg at the Western City Gate, which always allowed him to return late. Using a dagger, tree vines, linen, and a corrosive agent from the pharmacy, he dug secretly for four years.

It was totally like “The Shawshank Redemption” in Errol.

As for that myth, it was just sheer illusion.

There was never any savior, was there?

Thales patted Sinti’s shoulder again, and the latter nodded his head. As he was about to turn, he scratched his head like he suddenly thought of something, then with a voice filled with doubt, he asked,

“Why do we have to tell everyone? Can’t we just escape by ourselves? If there’s a lot of people, everyone will be fighting to get ahead and that will slow us down.”

‘No,’ Thales thought. ‘The Brotherhood are not stupid. Every single street and corner in all three lower districts are full of their spies. Even the outskirt area outside the Western City Gates is full of their lackeys. For a few child beggars who are not even ten, even if we manage to escape, it’s very difficult to escape the Brotherhood.’

Thales’ original escape plan was due to be carried out in half a year. Within that time, he would have been able to completely gauge the pattern and rhythm of the Brotherhood’s spies that were placed between the third lower district and Red Street Market. He would have also obtained materials from Sunset Pub and Grove Pharmacy, greatly increasing their chances of escape.

As long as they can reach the Red Street Market.

But right now… right now, it was not the best opportunity at all.

However, for survival, they must escape immediately. Disasters always strike unexpectedly, did they not?

That was why he must turn the sixth house’s private escape plan into a collective commotion of all the child beggars.

If the children in the sixth house were the only ones missing, it would be too obvious, and the Brotherhood would swiftly track them down. With more people, although their escape would be slow, it was safer and more discreet.

However, if he were to explain these reasons one by one…

Thales raised his head and looked at Sinti. His piercing gaze made the latter a little uncomfortable.

“Sinti, do you remember the pact that we made four years ago?”

Sinti was momentarily stunned before he lowered his head in thought.

When he looked up again, his gaze spoke of determination.

“Of course.” Sinti looked at Thales, whose height only reached his shoulders, and said slowly, “You do all the thinking, and my job is to carry them out.”

Thales nodded solemnly.

“Let’s escape together!”

…..

Jala Charleton idly watched the last customer exit Sunset Pub, then she rose lazily to clear his glass.

There were few customers today, especially members of the Brotherhood. most of them were dispatched to become part of that “big operation”. Even the cook, Edmund, had left with a chopper. Apparently, he was going to return a debt of gratitude.

The old man had not returned for a long time, either.

‘Boring.’

Jala glanced at the wall clock, it was half-past three in the morning—still a little early.

But then again, the clock was a little slow.

‘That clock is super old,’ thought Jala, ‘even the rear compartment that holds the Eternal Oil is rusty. Carelessly mixing Eternal Oil with rust drastically reduces its efficiency.’

She had to think of a way to convince the old man to spend some money and get a new clock.

Although Sunset Pub had plenty of businesses, no tax officers from the town council ever came to collect any tax.

(“For the sake of the king, I will give the tax collector two of my middle fingers!”–Jala)

There were no clueless idiots who came to collect protection fees either.

(“Each of you pay a hundred coppers, and I will protect your fingers from being chopped off by me. What do you think?”–Jala)

Even their stocks were obtained at a discounted price through Black Street Brotherhood’s internal sources.

(“Nayer Rick, as the person in charge of accounts, quickly tell our brothers lying on the floor and this knife of mine what price you will be offering us for the stock. Hmm?”–Jala)

Surely, they can afford to spend some money on a new clock?

That stingy old man.

Jala shut the front door and finished up work at the bar counter. She then set down her apron and wash cloth, tightened her leather pants, blew out the Everlasting Light on the front counter (such an ironic name) and walked into the kitchen. It was still a little early today. Based on practice, after finishing up her training, there would still be…

The next moment, Jala’s countenance turned cold and harsh.

She immediately lowered her body and bent her knees into a position where she can exert energy easily. The Wolf Limb Blade on her thigh was in her left hand in the blink of an eye.

The tip of the knife flew forward like lightning.

*Tong!*

The Wolf Limb Blade had savagely hit a beer barrel!

Only a small part of the blade stood out of the barrel, the handle still shaking.

“Ah!” A little girl screamed in alarm.

Jala slowly straightened herself, sheathed the other Wolf Limb Blade in her right hand back into her boot, then lit the Everlasting Lamp beside her.

The light flooded the dim kitchen and revealed a few small figures.

“Jala, er…” Thales, who was scared stiff by the thrown Wolf Limb Blade, forced a smile and raised his quivering right hand before he waved unnaturally. “Hi… it’s me.”

Jala glared coldly at him, still silent.

Her gaze was both piercing and frightening. Coria moved her body closer to Thales in fear.

Jala suddenly walked towards them.

Thales could feel the three child beggars behind him take a step back.

“I know,” Jala said coolly, “otherwise, I would have aimed at something else other than the beer barrel.”

Jala went in front of Thales and yanked the Wolf Limb Blade, which was two inches away from Thales’ left ear, out of the beer barrel. As if demonstrating her power, she flourished the blade around before putting it back in her boot.

“And, you brat…”

Thales rolled his eyes inwardly and raised up his hand in reflex to protect his forehead.

But a slim finger was already poking firmly on it.

“Ah! Ouch!”

“You must call me big sister Jala!”

…..

“I didn’t see Edmund when I came in through the back door, so I decided to check out the kitchen…”

They were now at Sunset Pub’s cellar. The three other child beggars were leaning against huge sacks filled with food. Although they seemed restless, they did their best to dig into the pieces of white bread in their hands. It had been a long time since they had good food like this.

Further away from them, Thales sat on a beer barrel that was twice his height. He was on eye level with Jala Charleton, who crossed her arms and had a leg against the wall. She was languid, but still exuded her signature confidence.

If he were still in his past life, Thales would have slowly admired her from top to bottom. He would then raise his head to look at the sky while savoring the memory and marveling at the world’s beauty.

Heh, you were wondering about what Thales would be doing after that? Bullshit. Of course, he would return home alone and do whatever he needed to do.

As for now? Sorry, but his body was still too young for that.

“Get straight to the point. Why did you come to me?” Jala’s countenance was still cold, and she immediately went straight to the point.

Thales was used to that. He first met Jala four years ago at the rubbish heap behind Sunset Pub. This “big sister”, who was only about eighteen or nineteen at that time, was already talking and acting that way.

He knew that this was just who she was.

“Quide went crazy and killed almost half the child beggars in the Abandoned Houses.”

Thales spoke solemnly while clenching his fists.

‘God. Damn. It.’

Ever since Jala saw that these child beggars were covered in wounds, she already had her suspicions regarding what happened earlier.

Without batting an eye, she started cursing Rick inwardly. ‘This accountant, I knew that nothing good would come out of you forcing Chaca Wine into Quide’s mouth.

‘Why did I agree to it, all for ten gold coins?

‘Half the child beggars.

‘Ten gold coins?’

Jala’s expression dimmed.

Besides… this incident will definitely anger the Brotherhood.

“No one came to stop him, nor did anyone rescue us. We had no choice but to escape by ourselves,” Thales said gravely, the incident from a few hours ago replaying in his mind.

Jala said nothing and looked at him glumly.

In the end, Jala closed her eyes and sighed.

“I get it, you guys can hide here for a day. Don’t worry, with me around, that gorilla wouldn’t dare to come here. If he comes, I will cut off his d*ck- I mean, hand.”

Jala glanced at the other three child beggars and frowned. She could tell the new injuries apart from the old ones, especially the child whose right hand was wrapped in a piece of cloth.

“When Edmund returns, I will ask him to find Rick and the others from above. Having done something like this, Quide won’t be able to escape—this bastard, why did he not die earlier?”

Jala suddenly felt dispirited. She lowered her leg to the floor and stood up.

Thales’ gaze darkened. He looked at the three child beggars and took a deep breath, then looked towards Jala.

“There’s some big operation going on in the Brotherhood today. I guess that’s why the defences and patrol systems are lax. To be able to escape, you guys must have… Ah, forget about it. I’ll go get some medicine, and if you guys need a doctor- wait, brat, are you okay?”

While Jala was busy talking to herself, she suddenly realized that Thales, who was standing in front of her, did not look right. His body was also full of injuries. His clothes were torn to pieces, and his right sleeve had fresh blood on it.

Wait.

This brat’s gaze…

Looked a little off.

Jala went in front of Thales and dragged him off the beer barrel. She then kneeled and held Thales’ shoulder while looking straight into his eyes.

Jala’s gaze suddenly turned somber and urgent.

“Brat, you… What happened to you?”

Thales was a little afraid to look at Jala’s eyes. However, in a mere few seconds, he managed to compose himself and firmly raised his head.

Thales could hear his own voice. It was calm as usual—without a tremble.

“Jala, Quide is dead…

“I killed him.”

Chapter 7

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Five hours ago.

Lorbec Deira, forty-three years old, was a Class One director of the city defense team, the Western Police Station, and he was responsible for safeguarding the western side of Eternal Star City.

Twenty public security teams, police officers of various ranks from the entire center, and countless civil servants. These people were all under his subordination.

Over a hundred police officers armed with superior, compact equipment such as riot control sticks, mini crossbows, and anti-force shield. Almost three hundred high-quality soldiers armed with anti-mystic equipment such as anti-mystic swords, arched light shields, Eternally New Armors, and spell-breaking bows and arrows. Finally, he had twenty Swordsmen of Eradication as elite garrisons. All of them answered only to his command.

All of this was seldom heard of for a low-level noble, especially since Lorbec’s father was only a little lord in the western part of the country, Keira County.

If he had not associated himself with the Covendier family, he would not have become Eternal Star City’s Director of Department for Western City Police Station at such a young age. In this splendid relationship, where he pledged fealty to the Covendier family and obtained an official position in return, there was only one tiny imperfection.

He was responsible for six patrol areas in Eternal Star City: the three western districts, and the three lower districts.

Yes, those were the frontlines of the bloody battle between the Blood Bottle Gang and the Black Street Brotherhood.

A tiny imperfection.

Imperfection?

Nonsense!

Goodness gracious, this was a total calamity!

Oh, he was also responsible for the patrolling of the Western City Gate along with the safety of the streets.

As he took over the position, his white-haired predecessor warned him.

“You must remind your followers: even when they lead a team and exit the barracks, pass through the western districts, the lower districts and head towards the Western City Gate…”

That was right, his predecessor believed that the public security teams who were responsible for keeping the western portion of the city safe could only patrol at the Western City Gate, and that police officers could only enforce the law there.

“You must remember-

“For the sake of your money, when you pass by the three western districts, you must be polite and friendly.

“For the sake of your life, when you pass by the three lower districts, you must be careful and pay attention to your steps.

“For the sake of your position, when you reach the Western City Gate, you must be conscientious, energetic and ready for action!”

Lorbec soon understood why.

The Blood Bottle Gang, who were active in the three western districts, had deep roots within the district and a lengthy history. They had a lot of dubious relations with powerful people in the court and regularly pay significant sums as “tribute” to the city defense team. That was why for the sake of their wallets, whenever they passed by the western districts, they had to be friendly and full of joy, turning a blind eye to whatever the gang did.

The Black Street Brotherhood who forcibly occupied the three lower districts was ruthless and violent. Half the unsolved crimes in the kingdom were linked to them. They did not go easy on the officers either. That was why, for the sake of survival, when passing by the lower districts, they had to be alert and observant—they must move fast and not linger without reason.

The Western City Gate was Eternal Star City’s façade, all the important people from foreign countries, various nobles, temple officers, and adventurers would pass through the gate while visiting Eternal Star City. Plenty of foreign affairs disputes, royal power struggles, religious clashes, and civil conflicts took place there. The elders of the monarchy kept a close eye on the Western City Gate too. That was why, for the sake of their positions, when they carried out their duty there, they must be fair, professional, and willing to selflessly serve the people.

Having said that, in the three years since Lorbec took over the position as director of Western City Police Station, half of his hair had turned white, and the wrinkles on his face increased by three lines. And because of his erratic schedule, his wife protested constantly by giving him the silent treatment in bed, and it was understandable why she did so.

Right now, Lorbec was sitting in his office, gazing out the window at the moonlight with a worried expression.

He did not want to work overtime either, but a big shot decided to pay him a visit, and he had no choice but to work overtime.

Also…

It was not the work he was worried about, it was the brainless man working for him in front of him.

Kohen Karabeyan.

The twenty-two-year-old Kohen was promoted to Class Two police officer cum third public security team’s leader two months ago. He had managed to do this due to several factors.

One, his fighting skills were exceptional even when compared to the Swordsmen of Eradication.

(“It would be even better if I can defeat that lunatic Miranda.”–Kohen)

Two, his status was also unbelievably prestigious.

(“Ha… old man, it would be even better if you were the king, then I could be a prince- Ouch, dad! Why are you hitting me?”–Kohen)

Finally, his military experience was hard to come by among young nobles. After he was discharged from the military, he became Western City Police Station’s elite.

(“Damned old man! I didn’t even sign anything, why was I ‘discharged’? You must have shamelessly- Ouch! Why are you hitting me again?!”–Kohen)

(“They all say that it’s because I have a good dad. But, old man, you must be surer than anyone else that I obviously don’t have a good dad- Ouch, ouch! Old man, if you hit me again, I won’t talk to you anymore!”–Also Kohen).

At this moment, Kohen was wearing a neat and stately officer cap. A few strands of beautiful blonde hair could be seen behind his cap. His blue Constellation uniform enveloped him snugly, accentuating his balanced, muscular physique, and he wore non-reflective black army boots. Combined with his determined, handsome, and heroic countenance, he was undoubtedly the “lady killer” of the capital.

‘What a pity, if only I were twenty years younger or dispatched to Eternal Star City earlier, the noblewomen would probably be screaming for me, too.’ These were Lorbec’s thoughts as he daydreamed.

That was because the young and heroic “lady killer” was speaking non-stop with a tone full of honor. He firmly explained his opinions to Director Lorbec while patting on his own chest resolutely, as if trying to convey his determination to his boss.

“Sir, as I said just now, I believe that it is not ideal for us to clear all our defenses at Red Street Market! Especially tonight! A huge riot might erupt between the Blood Bottle Gang and Black Street Brotherhood! Also, I received information from my subordinate that the Black Street Brotherhood will come before our headquarters and…”

“You have spies in Black Street?” Lorbec’s interest was slightly piqued. He yawned, interrupting the police officer.

“Hah, it was indeed a little difficult to place a spy among those lunatics in the Brotherhood,” Kohen shyly scratched his head and grinned, “But thanks to my intelligence and expertise…”

“Idiot! You must be suicidal!”

Director Lorbec’s sudden outburst created quite a commotion. Even Miss Jorah, the beautiful, redheaded secretary who was walking past the door with a stack of documents, stumbled from shock.

“Do you think that just because you got third place in the Class One Swordsmen of Eradication’s final assessment, the Brotherhood won’t be able to touch you? Do you think that just because you are from the Karabeyan family, the Blood Bottle Gang wouldn’t dare to touch you? Most importantly, do you think that-”

Director Lorbec was furious, and his voice became louder and louder. Kohen, who was so chatty a while back, was stunned into silence.

“-just because you are more handsome than me, you can order your direct superior around?”

Outside the door, Miss Jorah’s hands quivered and dropped the documents that she had been picking back up.

“Erm, director, that is a bit out-of-topic. Although I’m handsome, the Black Street Brotherhood…”

“Shut up! Idiot!”

Lorbec’s embarrassment turned to anger. He suddenly felt that it was not unreasonable that his old friend was always hitting his son.

Lorbec paused to catch his breath and spoke slowly, “I know how you feel. I was passionate once, too. Three years ago, when I was first transferred here, I thought of the same thing—to one day eradicate all the crime and darkness from the lower and western districts so that the people can live without fear any longer and walk the streets in peace.

“But do you really think that the Blood Bottle Gang and Black Street Brotherhood are your average street gangs? That I only have to dispatch twenty Swordsmen of Eradication that have the power of a hundred in each, a garrison of four hundred men, and also soldiers from the patrol team to eradicate them? The Blood Bottle Gang has two Mystics, eight Psionic Warriors, and the Strongest Twelve. The Brotherhood has three or four main Assassins, six Powerhouses, and Thirteen Generals. Do you know how many of these people are supra class, or even at supreme class? What if one of these troublesome ones escapes? Also, they are spread all over the kingdom—their influence extends to the thugs, bandits, wanderers, and adventures in the Western Peninsula. They have a flawless web of information, deep-rooted social connections, huge and impressive businesses, circles of benefits that would affect large circles of people if you touch even a single one of them, and dangerous secrets. Do you think that they are harmless herbivores? Do you think that this is a battle between the Barren Bone people and the Orcs on the Western front? Do you think that my police officers and defense soldiers have no family and children, no social connections, no worries, and no burdens? Do you think that they are a suicide squad who would sacrifice their lives for you just because you order them to?

“Even if the two gangs are eradicated, what happens to the nobles who have secret relations with them? Then what about the administrative departments that rely on the ill-gotten profits of the gangs’ ‘protection fees’ from the people for themselves to survive? Or their yearly tributes to the monarchy? What about the impoverished, the mobs, and the unemployed who will lose their source of income without the gang’s restrictions and protection? What if the people stopped praying and donating to the temples when they are no longer threatened by the gangs? Without the violence of the gangs, what will happen to the pharmaceutical, alchemical, and farming industries in our city? What if items that can only be obtained through smugglings such as rare medicine and battle supplies are no longer available? How about the adventurers, mercenaries, and Psionic Warriors who might get restless after losing their income? Without the local gangs working and coordinating with the government, whether in the dark or not, what happens if the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department can’t gauge the underground activities of foreign spies?

“All these miscellaneous and messed up things that cannot be ignored, have they crossed your mind at all?

“Why do you think I’m clearing our defenses in the Red Street Market tonight? You’re right, let me tell you—it’s because some big shot directly told me that the place will become the bloodiest battlefield tonight! No matter who goes near it, it will not end well for them! This is why I’m not only clearing our defenses. I’m also going to set up a notice for curfew and warn everyone not to go near that place. Why do you think we are working overtime tonight? It is so that in the morning, our people can cooperate with the governmental healthcare, fire brigade, and municipal departments to clear the dead bodies from the battlefield and clean up the wreckage brought by the battle!”

Lorbec stopped raging and panted, loosening his collar that was constricting his breath.

Kohen was silent, keeping his clenched fists at his sides.

“Now, team leader Kohen Karabeyan,” Lorbec paused for a moment and spoke with his normal tone, “You can leave, reflect on this and think about why your father decided to send you to the most challenging police station in the entire Constellation, even in the entire Western Peninsula. Also, remember to help Miss Jorah pick up that pile of documents outside the door. That is all your fault.”

The door opened, and Kohen slowly walked out. But at that moment, his gaze was dull with desolation and helplessness.

That made Miss Jorah, who was still picking up documents by the side, feel sorry for him.

‘All this, everything that Director Lorbec said, I’m already aware,’ Kohen thought inwardly.

He extended his hand towards the sword stand outside the director’s office, wanting to retrieve his saber.

‘If even the youngest director of the police station in the kingdom who is so experienced and sly does not even dare face these blood-leeching gangs who hide in the darkness, how can there be any change in the kingdom?’

Kohen slowly lowered his hand.

He stepped before Miss Jorah, who was crouching down and tidying up her documents. The secretary felt Kohen approach and blushed, wondering what tone she should use to thank him for his help.

‘Hot-blooded?’

Kohen laughed bitterly in his heart.

‘When I emerge from the piles of corpses at the Western Battlefield, this term can no longer be used to describe me anymore.

‘This is not hot-bloodedness.

Kohen lowered his head and clenched his fists, there was now anger and determination in his eyes.

‘This is the right thing to do. This is something that has to be done.’

Miss Jorah’s face became even redder. She suddenly realized that from Kohen’s position, he would be able to see what was inside her uniform—a majestic cleavage comparable to the Sighing Mountains. Also, this was very important and must be repeated three times: he is very handsome, he is very handsome, he is really, extremely handsome!

‘Red Street Market, huh?’

Kohen narrowed his eyes.

In the next moment, his features turned icy. Without even looking, he suddenly flipped over his clenched right fist, and it was as though a hurricane swept past the door to the director’s office.

*Whoosh!*

When the hurricane dissipated, Kohen had disappeared.

Disappearing together with him was his saber from the sword stand.

Only the annoyed Miss Jorah was left, furiously tidying her windswept red hair.

The messy pile of documents beside her was tidied by the wind at some unknown point in time and had become a neat stack on the ground.

In the director’s office, Lorbec helplessly shut his eyes and sighed.

Compared to the Red Street Market…

The big shot had requested something even more troublesome from him.

To find out from the Sunset believers as they passed by the Western City Gates the reason behind Sunset Temple locking up their inner altar.

‘Those crazy believers.’ Lorbec shook his head. When it came to religious matters, he did not dare to provoke them.

‘Especially the Sunset Goddess, that shrew!

‘Nope, nope, nope!’

Lorbec shook his head and removed the thought from his mind.

If it was six hundred years ago, the Sunset Goddess’ temple priests would probably have thrown him into the judiciary for harboring such thoughts.

From this perspective, although the two Magic Empresses were also bad-tempered shrews, at least they have done something good.

‘Nope, nope, nope!’

Lorbec shook his head and again, removed the thought from his mind.

No, the consequences for such thoughts would be more dire than the previous one.

…..

Back to the present.

“You said that you… you killed Quide?” Jala stared at Thales in shock, as if it was the first time she truly knew him.

“Yes, and,” Thales calmly spoke to the beautiful but dangerous young woman, making a seemingly outrageous request.

“Please help the four of us to escape from the three lower districts.”

Thales was not just trying his luck.

Despite his four years of begging, his world was not just full of darkness—apart from the few children in the same house, he also had Yanni, the helper in Grove Pharmacy, and this seemingly unapproachable female bartender. Speaking of which, was she really a mere bartender? Anyway, they were the few splashes of warm colors that Thales could find in this world.

Three years ago, if it was not for Jala, he would have been mauled to death by Morris’ Angry Wolfhound while looking for food from the piles of rubbish outside Sunset Pub.

Morris grumbled for a long time after that, about how disloyal the Angry Wolfhound he had kept for six years had run out by itself and disappeared.

“Say that again?” Jala looked as though she just heard the most unbelievable thing ever. Something like “the demons from hell were coming back to earth”, or “the Gods in heaven had descended upon the world.”

“I was saying that I would like you to…”

Jala immediately cut him off.

“You just killed Quide Roda, the firearms leader; ‘Iron Heart’ Shanda Roda’s only son, the head of the child beggar business in Eternal Star City who belongs to the most fearsome faction of power in Constellation, Black Street Brotherhood.”

Having said that in one breath, Jala extended her slim index finger with a furious expression on her face and poked Thales’ forehead hard.

“And having done that, you want me to protect you and betray the ‘scariest force in Constellation’s underworld’, to help you evade the Black Street Brotherhood’s inevitable manhunt, and… escape?”

“Erm, not entirely correct.” Thales massaged the finger mark on his forehead while Jala leveled him a deadly glare. He wryly smiled. “But it’s something like that.”

Jala took a while to digest this information. Although Thales was feeling anxious, he waited quietly.

Jala refocused and sighed. Her expression very quickly became cold and nonchalant again.

“Hmph, to go against the entire Brotherhood for your sake? Do you think that I’m such a good person? No, I should say, do I look like a good person to you?”

“You don’t have to show your face to the people in the Brotherhood!” Thales said hurriedly, “We have our own escape plan. You just need to provide us with some food and materials and help us hide from the Brotherhood’s people on the roads through the three lower districts to the Red Street Market! For you, this is easy!”

“Please!” Thales said earnestly, “You are the only one we can depend on, big sister Jala!”

However, Jala did not seem like she was buying it.

“Hmph, you are just a little child beggar.”

Jala coldly chuckled. “No matter what, I am part of the Brotherhood. What makes you think that I won’t immediately send you, a murderer who killed one of our leaders, along with your accomplices, to the Brotherhood?”

Thales was quiet for a moment.

Jala tilted her head and waited for him to answer with the ghost of a smile.

“Because I believe in you.”

Jala froze. She could not keep up with Thales’ logic.

“What?”

“Because I believe in you, I believe that you are different!”

Jala was stunned.

‘Is he using the wrong script?

‘How did he even manage to utter such a nauseatingly cheesy line?

‘Hasn’t this brat been quite mature all along?’

After all, he was raised by the Brotherhood in the beggars’ nest through beatings. What is with this sudden… has he watched too many stage plays in the Dark Night Temple lately? A story of friendship between the heroine Jala and the prophet Kaplan?

Or was his head damaged by Quide’s beatings?’

But what Thales said next after taking a deep breath stunned her speechless.

“I know that most of the people in the Brotherhood are scum and bullies. They are all lunatics whose hands are bloodied. They are wolves and demons in human skin. Concepts such as empathy and kindness, or a conscience, and sympathy— for them, these are worth lesser than the mud found in drains.

“They sell young ladies who have lost their families to whorehouses and beat desperate children into invalids, they sell drugs to girls in their teens, and extort honest businessmen until they are left with nothing, they drive farmers into starvation after they had to sell their children due to natural disasters, they bring those who can’t pay their debts to the desert and sell them as slaves, and they harbor dark, ugly secrets together with degenerate nobles.

“But I also know that a lot of them are forced to do that for a living—some have no choice, some were influenced since young, some can’t leave—a lot of them are doing it for survival. They all have reasons because they were forced into it. That is how they became the Brotherhood’s most merciless and cruel minions.

“That’s precisely why I believe that to be able to survive in such an environment while still maintaining the capacity for empathy, sympathy, kindness, and a conscience; to persist in doing deeds of kindness, being a good person, and to forgo the thought of earning easy, black money through your skills with the blade. To give the most abject drunkards a free glass of beer, to give those who are beaten and abused a coat, to save the life of a child you don’t know from the rubbish heaps by killing the head of the Brotherhood’s beloved dog in the process, and to go on helping, supporting and caring about that child for the subsequent four years…”

Jala frowned tightly. She did not realize that she had started biting her bottom lip.

Having said all that, Thales raised his head to look at Jala with sincerity and hope.

“Compared to being a pure scoundrel in the Brotherhood, a bad person who has abandoned their conscience and happily commits detestable crimes daily while becoming a person whose cup of sins are full, I believe that it is harder, more dangerous to do all these things…”

“Stop!” Jala raised her head in defiance. Her eyes were red, “Brat, you are not even related to me, how dare, how dare you…”

Thales cut her off without thinking.

“Jala Charleton! I have seen you chop a dog into three parts with a blade and cut off the finger of some troublemaker. I also know that all the customers in Sunset Pub fear you. Even the likes of Quide, Rick, and Morris are courteous towards you. When they knew that you were bringing down the price of their stocks, they could only curse in silence. I don’t know the significance of the Charleton surname in the Brotherhood, but I could guess that your hands were once full of blood, too, and that you must have killed a lot of people. Perhaps, the people in your family and the ones around you are all members of the Brotherhood. Maybe all your family members have committed numerous crimes.”

Jala did not cut him off. Her face became desolate and she sank into a dead silence.

“Actually, I don’t really know whether you are a good person, or whether you can even be considered as one.”

Thales quietly took out a dagger.

“I stole this dagger from your pub, but earlier that day, I said something to you: ‘I don’t even have a knife, how am I going to chop firewood?’ Later that evening, this dagger appeared at the most obvious position in the storeroom. I’ve always known that.”

“Before this, I thought someone else such as Edmund left the dagger there. But today, after the dagger was stained with blood, the initials JC appeared at the side of the blade.”

Thales raised his head and gazed directly at Jala. The sparkle in his eyes made her heart jump.

“This should be the abbreviation of your name, JC. I recently heard your full name from Quide.”

Jala clenched her teeth.

She did not even wonder why a child beggar, who never had the chance to study, would understand the letters on the dagger and could even spell her name.

“Jala Charleton, Miss JC, I want you to know, I must let you know that today, the knife you gave as a gift saved my life and the other three children over there, children who think that even normal white loaves are a king’s meal.”

Jala clenched her fists, and her eyes gradually gained focus.

‘This damned brat.’

“That is why, even though I don’t know who you were before, and neither do I know who you will be in the future, I somehow always thought that, well, I thought that…

“You still want to be a good person! JC!”

Chapter 8

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Half-past four in the morning, Red Street Market.

The fearsome assassin of the Brotherhood, Layork, appeared on top of a residence’s roof like a phantom. The next moment, he appeared at an alley beside the residence. The following moment, he lurched towards a spacious street.

The floor was dyed red in blood and there were dozens of dead bodies on it. There were aces from the Brotherhood with black cloths tied around them, and members of the Blood Bottle Gang with red bandanas on their heads.

Layork growled again and disappeared. When he reappeared, he was on top of the signboard of the shop opposite.

It was as though, as though he was trying with all his might to escape something that was following behind him.

Battle cries can be heard from far away.

Suddenly, Layork’s nervous countenance disappeared and was replaced by a calm but fierce expression.

The next moment, Layork’s curved blade glided past his left armpit at a strange angle. Like a hunting black mamba, the blade stabbed the area to the left behind Layork like a bolt of lightning.

There was no one, but…

*Shuah!*

There was the sound of clothing being torn.

‘A direct hit.’

Layork thought inwardly.

“‘Phantom Wind Follower’, Ralf,” he softly uttered his opponent’s name.

Layork picked up his curved blade and wiped the fresh blood from the tip. The nervous and rage-filled expression was gone from his face and replaced by veiled crazed cold-bloodedness.

“‘The Silent Assassin’, Layork. It’s not a bad nickname.”

“Is your luck really this good, or could you really sense my position?” An unfamiliar and gentle voice drifted over from all directions.

Layork maintained his original posture and kept quiet.

“What a waste it is, for an assassin like you to be in the Brotherhood.”

As the voice settled down, a figure appeared on the street in front of Layork.

It was a man wearing a grey leotard. He had tattoos on his face and had green hair. He touched his left collarbone as he chuckled.

There, a wound was slowly bleeding.

Layork’s pupil immediately constricted. In his attack just now, the blade was supposed to thrust perfectly into his opponent’s heart and was supposed to be pulled back right after the instant it cut through the veins and artery in the heart.

In the end, the knife only grazed past his opponent’s collarbone?

Layork was shocked for a moment, but he immediately recovered his calm form, preparing for the next attack.

An assassin must be perpetually confident that his next attack will be fatal.

If Rick were here, he would surely scoff at Layork’s nickname of “The Silent Assassin”. That annoying assassin… he was the one who always mocked him with the most amount of nonsense.

Even if it were Thales, he would just nod and say, “The Layork who battled with Felicia wasn’t very ‘silent’.”

However, the Layork right now had a dark gaze and did not move at all, standing like a statue on the signboard. Although he did not make a sound, his presence was an unsettling one.

The next moment, Ralf, who was known as “Phantom Wind Follower”, changed his expression.

“Fine,” Ralf muttered. “I can’t believe that Karka was killed by Morris. Or should I say, as expected of the fatty, who is one of the Brotherhood’s six Powerhouses?”

“I’m gonna go hide. But don’t get me wrong, our game is not over yet, ‘Silent Assassin’.”

The next moment, Ralf disappeared.

At the same time, Morris, who was one of the Black Street Brotherhood’s six Powerhouses and the person in charge of the human trafficking business appeared at the corner of the street with a fierce expression on his face. He had a group of elite fighters with him.

“Boss!” Layork flew down from the signboard in an instant and saluted Morris.

“It was ‘Phantom Wind Follower’ Ralf.”

The big-sized Morris nodded and threw a corpse onto the floor.

It was a muscular man who looked like he was in extreme pain before dying. If the Brotherhood’s exclusive doctor, Ramon the Strange Doctor were here, he would be able to discern quickly that the muscular man’s lips are purplish, with blood surging towards the corner of his eyes, and that his nails are pinkish.

This man from the Sele Prairies in the Eastern Peninsula, “Battle Wolf” Karka, who was a Psionic Warrior from the nomadic tribes died of asphyxiation.

“Have you found the other people?” Morris asked with a serious expression devoid of any joy that came with the elimination of a strong opponent, even when the latter was a Psionic Warrior.

Layork solemnly shook his head, “No. But I bumped into transparent air barriers in a few places. According to descriptions I have heard before—” The assassin paused for a moment and spoke with a serious and worried tone, “I suspect that a Psionic Warrior whom we don’t know much about has gotten involved.”

Morris did not say anything.

He only frowned.

“That was not a psionic ability, but an ‘Air Wall’.”

Under Layork’s confused gaze, Morris clenched his teeth with an unpleasant expression.

“The one who got involved was the Air Mystic.”

Layork froze.

‘Mystic?

‘The Air Mystic?

‘The legendary person who is one of the two leaders of Blood Bottle Gang?’

Layork tried to recall any memory related to Mystics, but shockingly realized that in the few years he had been involved in the gang, he had not a single memory directly related to Mystics. All of them were rumors and legends.

The Mystics in Blood Bottle Gang were just like… just like the “Black Sword” in Black Street Brotherhood.

As he thought about the legends related to “Black Sword” in the Brotherhood, Layork shuddered.

For the sake of this ambush, which had no room for failure, the Brotherhood summoned almost all the elite fighters in Eternal Star City and assembled them into groups. The aim was to catch the opponents off guard and finish them off with one hit.

However, at the beginning of the attack, the elite fighters of the Brotherhood were forcibly dispersed by numerous gigantic waves of energy and strong wind. They could not even pass through certain areas of Red Street Market. In the blink of an eye, the originally powerful elite team was divided into a multi-headed snake that could not coordinate its heads to its tail.

According to the poems sung by storytellers, in the end, Kilika the multi-headed snake was killed by Raikaru the hero by having its head chopped off one by one.

Judging from Morris’ reaction, the team was without doubt separated by “the Air Mystic”.

Soon after, Morris, the chubby Powerhouse of the Brotherhood fiercely spat out. His expression was profound but complicated.

‘Such bad luck!’ Morris was far less calm than he seemed. As he was thinking, he listened to the battle cries that kept coming towards his ears and identified their positions.

“This was supposed to be a glorious battle where we gather all our elites and conquer Red Street Market by catching them off guard…

“Even though there was such a huge commotion just now, the police station from Western City made no move at all. They were probably bribed. Even the entire Red Street Market is devoid of their presence…motherf*cker, we were ambushed by Red Bottle Gang.”

‘Moreover…’

Morris clenched his teeth. He was thinking non-stop and his heart rate increased slowly with each passing moment.

‘The Air Mystic.’

No one knew better than him about how scary that person was.

‘It.

‘It came.

‘It had braved that massive risk and came.

‘Tonight, The Air Mystic was not supposed to appear here…it was not supposed to know about all this…’

“There must be a traitor!” Morris spat out fiercely.

“After going back, I will definitely squeeze Lance’s lungs out! This stupid rat, how did he even gather his information!”

Layork lowered his head, making the smart move of now cursing another member of the six Powerhouses along with his boss, who was one of the six Powerhouses himself.

‘But…

‘It’s the legendary Air Mystic.

‘How is the boss going to defeat him?’

However, at that moment, Morris made a completely different decision.

Morris drew a deep breath and suddenly turned.

“Since the enemy is a Mystic…

“Let’s retreat!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Layork and the others raised their heads in shock.

‘Re-retreat?’

Morris said without a single doubt, “Our operation to secretly attack Red Street Market has completely failed.”

‘Completely failed?’

Layork could not believe his ears.

‘Although there are unexpected circumstances…

‘But.

‘The battle had just begun?’

“You guys spread out and order all your subordinates to abandon their targets and return to their original routes with full force!” Morris said fiercely.

“We are going back to Black Street!”

Layork looked at his determined boss with a dumbfounded expression.

‘A few months of preparation…

‘And we paid such a high price…

‘Are we giving up just like this?

‘Is the Air Mystic…’

Layork could not help but raise the question in his heart. ‘Is the Air Mystic really this scary?’

…..

Jala looked at Thales as she slowly hid the expression on her face.

It was as though a long time has passed.

But Thales did not move and continued staring at her.

It remained that way until the latter sighed and gently lowered her head.

“Stupid little brat.”

Jala’s face was expressionless as she gazed at the gloomy cellar floor.

Thales did not even dare to breathe loudly.

But the young female bartender started to quietly speak, “You, you, has anyone ever told you that…”

Thales listened attentively.

“You are very mature for your age?”

It was Thales’ turn to be stunned.

‘Mature for my age?

‘This…

‘I need to quickly come out with something. How did the past transmigrators handle the local’s suspicions?’

The young boy scratched his head and blushed. He spoke, embarrassed.

“Hehe, am I very mature for my age? Haha, about this, Jala, I know what you mean. However, I am enjoying my single life. Right now, I don’t feel like…”

*Ding!*

Jala’s expression immediately became warped. She fiercely jabbed her finger on Thales’ forehead.

“Brat, watch what you say!

“Also, call me big sister Jala!”

Thales rubbed his forehead in pain. A memory appeared in front of his eyes.

It was a warm afternoon.

“Wu Qiren! It’s not like DotA 2 can’t operate without you! Have some self-control!”

“Why are you always saying the same thing lately?”

“Hey, that line’s from an anime, of course I have to… Why are you signing up for the next tournament?”

“Well, my friend is asking me to join his team. It would be rude not to!”

“With your DotA skills? Pfft! You’d better have some self-control!”

“The same line again… Hey, give me my gaming mouse!”

Thales rubbed his head and buried the memory deep inside his head.

‘What’s going on lately? Why are there more and more flashbacks?

‘It’s a good thing that I can recover plenty of knowledge and wisdom that I only have from my past life…

‘But the flashbacks can’t always just happen during vital moments!’

He shook his head and looked at Jala, whose expression had changed.

He stated clearly and simply, “I’m not asking for much. We only need to cross Red Street Market to reach Blood Bottle Gang’s territory. From then onwards, we’ll take care of ourselves. No one will know about your involvement in this. You won’t get into any trouble! It’s before the rise of dawn now; the night is at its darkest. Hiding from the Brotherhood’s informants from the XC District to Red Street Market shouldn’t be a problem for you.

“I wouldn’t dare say that the same would apply to other places. In fact, the moment we appear, we would be noticed by the Brotherhood, but Red Street Market is the border between the Brotherhood and Blood Bottle Gang. It is the only opportunity for us to escape! The Brotherhood will definitely spend time capturing the child beggars who have escaped everywhere. When they manage to react, it would be impossible for them to come for us in Red Street Market.”

At this moment, Thales, who became confident and determined let out a slight smile.

“Ha…”

Jala sighed and closed her eyes.

“To head straight to Red Street Market when the other child beggars are escaping everywhere, it’s not a bad plan. With my skills and experience, diverting the Brotherhood’s informants is not impossible.”

When she opened her eyes, her gaze suddenly became sharp and clear, stern and fearsome. It was as though she suddenly became a female assassin again.

Even Thales rarely saw Jala looking like this.

“But do you think you will be safe when you arrive in the Blood Bottle Gang’s territory? This plan of yours can make Black Street Brotherhood be swathed by troubles, but it is only temporary.

“The Brotherhood is full of capable people and their fighting prowess is strong. Even their opponents, the Blood Bottle Gang, is inferior to them. It will only be a matter of time before they find the real culprit.”

“And where can you go after that? As long as you are still in Eternal Star City, Black Street Brotherhood will eventually find you.

“Even if you leave Eternal Star City, how would you cope if the Brotherhood’s influence out there turns out to be scarier or more rampant than within this city?”

It was as though Jala’s words immediately struck Thales’ weakness.

His face paled and his body swayed slightly.

True, he had not planned that far ahead yet. His capability was limited and his knowledge was lacking. What will come after they have reached Red Street Market, he could not say.

But they had no other choice, did they?

They can only go to Red Street Market.

“That would be our business,” he said stubbornly after his thinking about it.

Jala, the assassin with a clever and fierce countenance, not the Jala who was previously an aloof and cold bartender, shook her head.

“But this is impossible…”

Seeing that Jala was still shaking her head, Thales became anxious.

To obtain Jala’s help, he had used every method at his disposal…

He could not fail.

He glanced at the other children from the corner of his eye and clenched his fists tighter.

‘No!

‘This is not a game of Football Manager!

‘I cannot fail!’

Thales raised his head and spoke with difficulty, “I know that compared to providing us with food and giving me a dagger, this request is outrageous. But please look at those three children, all their hopes are set in this bar! Jala, please help me! Besides…”

Jala raised a brow.

The boy very reluctantly spoke the following words, because to him, that was obvious coercion and torture.

Thales took a deep breath. There was no other way. As a small fry, he could not begrudge the chance to let himself shine during the critical moments in a gang battle due to greed, avarice, and love for money!

“Besides, you owe me a favor, don’t you?”

Thales said with a firm tone.

“Huh?”

Jala’s gaze was full of doubt and shock, but she soon burst out laughing.

The bartender took out a Wolf Limb Blade from her thigh and placed it in front of Thales.

“Favor? Are you referring to the time you suggested that I modify my weapon this way? Alright, maybe I do owe you a favor. But isn’t this a bit of an unfair deal?

Thales looked at the Wolf Limb Blade.

He recalled the memory he shared with Jala.

It happened a long time ago.

“Jala, Jala, I thought of a way to compensate for your lack of strength and speed while attacking with the blade!”

“How many times do I have to remind you to call me big sister Jala? Go away. You’re just a little brat who knows nothing about battles, has no psionic abilities nor divine arts, and knows nothing about mystic craft. Don’t disturb me while I train.”

“Jala, I’m talking about this! Look at this picture!”

“Eh! This design and curvature… Brat, where did you get this from? It looks quite interesting.”

“This is called the khukuri! Whether you believe it or not, this weapon is from another world!”

“Pfft, khukuri? Even if I were to use it, I would need to give it a better, cooler name. Also, call me big sister Jala!”

“Besides, what other world are you talking about? Don’t watch so many Dark Night Temple stage plays. The people there are all out of their minds!”

Having recalled this, Thales shook his head and tried to chase the memory away.

He spoke firmly, slowly enunciating each word.

“No, you don’t owe me a favor for that. You owe it to me for… for agitating Quide to the point of lunacy. For causing widespread injury and death among the child beggars and leaving us no choice but to escape.”

While speaking, Thales’ tone was solemn.

As soon as he finished speaking…

Jala opened her eyes wide and looked at Thales in disbelief. Her beautiful lashes kept trembling.

“You, how did you…”

Thales originally had his doubts, but upon seeing Jala’s expression, he was sure of his hypothesis.

“Yes.”

Thales nodded his head. His heart felt a little heavy.

“You were the one who hurt Quide’s hand earlier, right? He was cursing while calling out your name. Besides, Quide might have gotten furious when his biggest humiliation in life was mentioned; but mostly, he felt shame. How did he get so frenzied that he started killing child beggars? I don’t know what happened, but I am certain that Quide was drinking in Sunset Pub and somehow angered you before this. After that, for some reason, he lost his sanity and came to the Abandoned Houses and slaughtered… slaughtered half the child beggars.

“This was what happened, was it not?

“The death of half the child beggars was actually related to you.”

At that moment, Thales definitely saw the quiver in Jala’s eyes.

‘This twice cursed, damned brat.’

Jala cursed inwardly, but the Wolf Limb Blade in her hand could not stop shaking, betraying her emotions.

‘Way too clever.

‘It was just a couple dozen child beggars…’ Jala’s heart was trembling. ‘It was not like I killed them. It has nothing to do with me.

‘It’s all Rick’s fault, that damn accountant.

‘It has nothing to do with me.

‘Is it really?’

She suddenly saw an image of a baby covered in blood. The baby was wrapped in an expensive woolen blanket.

All at once, her heart felt so heavy that it was as though it could not pump any blood.

“That’s why, please help the four child beggars left in front of you. Because this is- this is a favor you owe us.

Although Thales felt extremely uncomfortable, he finished the sentence while his heart clenched in pain.

Jala tightly shut her eyes and returned the Wolf Limb Blade to her boot.

“Of course, if you think that you owe me a favor because I gave you the prototype for the Wolf Limb Blade, you can always include it on the list. I don’t mind being owed more favors.”

As though he found the atmosphere too stifling, Thales chuckled again.

But it was a very forced chuckle.

After a long while, Jala opened her eyes.

She raised her head gently.

“Thales, you are truly one special child. Always able to hit others right on their weaknesses. Quide probably died this way too, with one direct hit.”

Her tone was quite feeble, making Thales’ heart pound in fear.

But what she said next turned Thales stone cold.

“But it’s useless…”

Jala paused slightly between each word. To Thales, every single pause felt like it would be fatal. “Even if I’m willing to help you and sacrifice my life to protect you guys, it will still impossible for you to cross Red Street Market. Because tonight, the Brotherhood will be launching a surprise attack on Red Street Market.

“It has already begun.

“Red Street Market will become the most horrifying battlefield in Eternal Star City tonight.”

It was as though time had stopped for a while, and took forever to return to the present dimension.

“What did you say…” Thales asked, his trembling lips drained of all color.

“So, please give up. As you already know, Red Street Market has become a battlefield. It doesn’t matter how strong I am, or if I possessed abilities such as ‘The King’s Wrath’, It would be impossible for me to bring along four injured children through the battlefield of the two big gangs,” Jala said faintly.

Thales stared at Jala in shock and looked at the other three children, who had almost finished their bread. Seeing that Thales was looking at them, Coria waved happily. It was easy for a four-year-old girl to forget pain and sadness.

“Don’t worry,” Sinti licked the bread crumbs on his hands and tapped Ryan, who was still fearful. “Thales will lead us in our escape.”

“Yup, Thales is the smartest.” Coria raised up a small piece of bread and happily continued, “He can do anything.”

Ryan nodded with tears in his eyes, holding his severed hand.

On the other side of the cellar, in front of Jala, the boy whom the other child beggars had placed their hope and confidence in, buried his face in his hands in despair.

“Why is this happening… Why is the Brotherhood launching a secret attack on Red Street Market today… Why is it tonight… It shouldn’t be so… An unforeseen circumstance, another unforeseen circumstance… It’s impossible for us to go somewhere else… The Brotherhood has informants in every single place apart from Red Street Market and the western districts that follow… Unless we head straight for the first lower district and go towards the sewers from there. There’s a shortcut there, but it’s the Iron Bat Organization’s territory…

“That won’t work, the Iron Bat Organization has long since submitted themselves to the Brotherhood… Go back to the Abandoned Houses and destroy all evidence of Quide’s corpse? Impossible, the other children already know about it… We’ll eventually be found out… What do I do now… What do I do now?!”

Thales’ face was greenish, and his lips were pale. His forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

Jala could not bear to see that, but she could only shake her head and pat Thales’ shoulder.

“You guys can stay here at my place.” Jala sighed. “I know someone I can trust who can hide you guys for at least a month. But no matter what, since Quide is dead, the Brotherhood will definitely come looking for the culprit.

“I can go and find the old man.” Jala paused for a while and said awkwardly, “The Brotherhood respects the old man a lot. You guys… you guys won’t die at least.”

‘But dying is definitely better than living like that.’ The hopeless Thales added inwardly.

‘Sometimes,’ Jala looked at Thales’ desolate visage and mused about how even the clever boy had reached his wit’s end, ‘we have to submit to fate.’

Thales’ vision blurred again.

“Qiren… Ha… she has already left. You, you have to accept it… sniff…”

“I… I’m okay, don’t worry… Don’t worry, aunty. I’m okay… really okay.”

“I know, Qiren. Haha, sometimes, we have to accept fate. Since she has left, we will have to get over it. No one is spared from it, haha.”

“Aunty… you… she…”

“Must accept fate… sniff … accept fate… sniff…”

‘Accept fate.

‘What is my fate?

‘Reincarnate into this world and get slaughtered?

‘And I have to submit to it?

‘Hilarious.

‘I have read so many books.

‘Done so much research.

‘And written so many papers.

‘Why would I submit to fate?!’

Suddenly, Thales raised his head, greatly surprising Jala.

His gaze was full of resolution and anger.

“Brat, are you, are you okay?” Jala asked.

For some reason, right now, she was afraid of this seven-year-old boy.

“The Brotherhood will definitely search for the culprit, right?” Thales suddenly asked.

Jala narrowed her eyes. “Mm-hmm.”

“They only need one murderer,” Thales said plainly as if it was something insignificant.

Jala frowned.

‘This brat…’

Thales took a deep breath and spoke slowly, “Let them stay with you here.”

Jala was completely stunned.

“Let all three of them stay here. You need to stay, too, to protect them. Tell the Brotherhood that you managed to capture these three child beggars.”

Thales spoke without emotion as if everything in front of him had lost their color.

“What?” Jala was a little surprised, but Thales ignored her.

“I will coordinate with these three children, about how I am- I am the ‘only’ murderer of Quide, and how the three children are only innocent child beggars who had escaped. I believe you will be able to shelter them well,” Thales continued speaking stoically, placing emphasis on the word “only”. “When the Brotherhood gets here, tell them… tell them to go find me.

“To find Quide’s only murderer.”

Silence.

An unbearable silence.

Until Jala raised her head in disbelief and looked at the slovenly child in front of her.

Jala clenched her teeth and frowned. “Then how about you? Do I surrender you to them?”

Thales shook his head.

“I will leave by myself.”

Somehow, Jala had suddenly realized that the child had already made his decision.

And no one would be able to sway or break his resolve.

But she could not just let him walk towards his death like this.

After all…

“You won’t even be able to leave the lower districts, brat,” Jala said with a complicated look on her face, “from beggars to shopkeepers, and from thugs to stall-owners; their informants are everywhere—hidden but widespread.

“When morning comes, the people from the Brotherhood will capture you. At that time, you will only regret the fact that you didn’t beg me to kill you right now.”

Thales turned his head around. His gaze was terrifyingly cold.

“True,” he said icily. Ever since he came to this place, he had stayed in the Brotherhood’s base in the outskirts for a year, and in the lower districts for four years. He understood deeply the extent of the Brotherhood’s powers and capabilities. “I probably won’t be able to escape.

“But they will be able to live and not endure the pain left behind by Quide.”

‘No. Quide had already left them with scars that will be hard to forget for their entire lives.’ He thought inwardly.

Jala extended her hands and placed them on Thales’ shoulders while turning her head away.

Thales could feel the trembling hands that used to always be so steady and precise.

‘No, there’s still one more place that I can go.

‘The only place possible.

‘I knew that all along, didn’t I?’

Thales burst out laughing.

‘Fate is a funny thing.

‘It’s always playing tricks on you.

‘You must try to go against it.’

He looked at the three children who had just finished eating their bread. They were looking at his direction with hope— they were not child beggars anymore.

Thales turned his head back and looked at Jala with a determined but calm gaze.

Looking at Jala, whose expression was gloomy and eyes red, Thales spoke, “It’s already half-past four, and the sun will be out soon. Red Street Market is quite far away. Please tell me about the location of all the informants that I should pay attention to. I have to depart now to Red Street Market.”

Chapter 9

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

It was not difficult setting up a testimony with a few children. In their eyes, Thales was indeed the hero who had defeated Quide. Thales made up some excuse and lied that Jala would arrange everything. He also told them that no matter who was asking, they must insist that “Thales stabbed Quide’s neck from the back”.

That way, once the commotion was over, they would be safe.

“They can’t catch me,” Thales said with a smile.

Coria and Ryan, four and eight years old respectively, rarely had any doubts. In their eyes, Thales was capable of anything.

Only Sinti had slight doubts when Thales was leaving. However, Thales thought of various ways to ensure that he honored the pact where Thales did all the thinking, and Sinti’s duty was only to carry them out.

‘After that, we should head our own way- Ack, no- we should leave.’

As he waved nonchalantly to the children and stepped out of Sunset Pub’s back door, Thales realized that there was a bit of grief and solemnity in his heart.

‘I won’t be able to take care of you guys anymore.

‘Hopefully, my luck is good, and we will meet again in the future.

‘What a solemn farewell.

‘After all, I did volunteer myself as a scapegoat… the wind is rustling a little- eh?’

Thales opened his eyes wide and watched as the expressionless Jala strode with her long legs and overtook him from the back, fully equipped.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be staying in the pub to take care of the three of them? Without you, they-”

“Don’t worry, I hid them in a dark room and left a note for Edmund.”

Jala, who wore a dark grey leotard, pulled a pair of transparent goggles from her forehead and wore them over her eyes. With an annoyed expression, she pressed on Thales’ shoulder and kneeled down beside him.

“But-”

“Not buts, brat!” Jala interrupted, leaving no room for arguments.

“Since you have decided to handle the Roda family’s wrath by yourself, and then go to Red Street Market to seek death while trying your luck, I should at least accompany you for a bit- because of this.”

Jala tapped the Wolf Limb Blade in her boot.

“Also, the hidden sentries the Brotherhood placed in the XC District aren’t what a seven-year-old brat can avoid. Even if I repeat every single detail about it a hundred times, you won’t be able to make it through.”

Thales stared stupidly at Jala and only spoke after a second.

“But there’s a battle in Red Street-”

“Stop wasting time. Get on, we’re leaving!”

Jala did not add any more superfluous words, nor did she bother to explain. Her haughty expression forced all of Thales’ doubts back into the deep recesses of his mind.

But, to “get on”? Get onto what?

Thales looked at Jala, who was kneeling on one knee. Accentuated by her grey leotard, this short-haired big sister’s sexy figure looked even better. Especially her breasts. Ahem. If he sat on her arms and held onto her neck, it will be like- Having thought that, Thales lowered his head in slight embarrassment and scratched his head.

*Dong!*

“Ah! Ouch!”

Jala fiercely jabbed the middle of Thales’ forehead with her finger again, and she did it so hard that even Thales’ view of the world was shaken.

As if she saw through Thales’ thoughts, Jala fiercely pulled out half of her Wolf Limb Blade and shot him a “don’t mess with me” glare through her goggles. She fiercely spoke, “You damn brat! Stop thinking about all that ridiculous stuff. Get onto my back, I will piggyback you!”

…..

The moon began sinking towards the west, but the sky had not brightened yet.

However, for Reidmore, this little bit of light was just as bright as daylight.

“Maintain your positions. Most of the elite fighters have gone to Red Street Market today. That’s why the head is even stricter with us than usual because we are at the last fork before we reach Red Street Market.”

‘It’s also the first corner the Brotherhood will pass by when they retreat,’ Reidmore thought.

As a professional hidden sentry, Reidmore hid behind the corner of a dark alley. From this angle, he can clearly see the crossroad leading towards Red Street Market. However, due to the curfew, there was no one there tonight.

His partner, another member of the Brotherhood’s hidden sentry, was behind him. Like him, he was vigilantly observing every single corner

“No problem, I’m in prime condition. Not a single blackfly would be able to fly over there, nor a single grey centipede would be able to crawl over here,” his partner said with a punctuated tone.

“Very good. My ‘period of alertness’ is almost up. Later, I’ll go handover directly and switch Nasri over. He should have been awake since an hour ago.”

Reidmore nodded at his partner. He maintained his vigilance and observation as he left through the secluded entrance of the alley.

The moment he left, he was suddenly startled for a while.

Just now, he sensed something in that empty alley across the way.

No. Impossible. His ears, eyes, and nose had been trained by Sir Lance himself. He could recognize changes of color, refractions of light, and other psionic abilities. If there were intruders, as long as they did not have some rare fusion of psionic abilities—like those that could affect the mind—then they would definitely be unable to escape his sight and hearing.

But he still decided to go take a look.

Reidmore only eased his mind after a patrol of the area.

Perhaps his ‘period of alertness’ was over, and his mind was beginning to play tricks on him.

He shook his head and returned to work.

A woman with short hair and in a black leotard moved quietly from the area behind Reidmore’s back. There was even a child clinging to her back.

She watched Reidmore’s back, then lowered her body and tapped a toe on the ground before she jumped, quiet and fast, towards the exit of the alley, where it would lead them to Red Street Market.

Naturally, they were the female bartender, Jala, and the fleeing child beggar, Thales, who were heading towards Red Street Market.

“Before dawn breaks, while the night lingers, an ordinary person’s defenses and mental strength would be at its most lax state. This is something that even a normal undergraduate from King’s Establishment Military Academy would know.”

For some unknown reason, Jala could still speak even though she was running.

Thales laid on Jala’s back while the latter moved through the alley with an unprecedented speed. She moved like the wind, but no sound could be heard as her feet stepped on the ground.

The wind blew straight into his face and Thales could only keep his eyes shut tight as he clung to Jala’s neck. He pressed his head into the back of her neck, and Jala’s fragrance wafted into his nose. He had absolutely no idea where he was.

But Jala’s voice was still traveling into his ears clearly.

“That is why one of the six Powerhouses in the Brotherhood, The Sleepless Eye, Kobyrant Lance, who specializes in espionage, has trained a special hidden sentry unit—the ‘Sleepless’.

“It’s not that they don’t sleep, it’s just that their circadian rhythm is different from a normal person’s.

“I don’t know their exact numbers, but all of their circadian rhythms don’t match. There are those who rest during the evening and wake at night. Then there are also those who rest during the morning and wake during sunset, and also those who rest at noon and wake in the morning. They have all sorts of circadian rhythms. That’s why Lance’s hidden sentry unit could work in shifts and he could ensure that all hidden sentries who report to duty would be at their most energized and most alert state. Lance calls this the ‘period of alertness’.

“Lance has trained them to the extent that their senses, experiences, teamwork, and tracking skills are even better than an Alert Center’s purebred Rudo Police Dog.

“They have one unit that is stationed in headquarters. If they encounter any important operations, they would blend into the crowd in the morning by disguising themselves. When it’s nighttime, they would turn into hidden sentries and monitor all the critical entrances and exits in XC District.

“The two people we passed by just now should be the last two Sleepless patrollers before we enter Red Street Market.”

Thales did not speak.

He was already shocked by Jala’s stealth skills.

Reidmore was not the first Sleepless they slipped by.

Every single time Jala jumped to a Sleepless’ patrol spot, she would shift from dashing swiftly to walking slowly. Thales was most awed by what was happening at the moment: Jala moved with an incredibly strange rhythm. She would follow behind a Sleepless’ and hide her body and shadow in the Sleepless’ blind spot. Sometimes even in the blind spots of two Sleepless sentries, and these Sleepless would not even notice them.

What Thales did not know was that Jala was also very surprised by his performance, too.

Right from the start to the end, even if they were trailing behind a Sleepless, even despite the risk of being spotted if the sentry did turn his head around, Thales remained still—his heartbeat was calm, and even his breathing kept to a barely discernible level.

In regards to a seven-year-old boy’s self-control, he was already behaving in a manner that was far too outstanding.

Of course, if Jala had not used her bizarre movements to mask Thales’ breathing perfectly with the rhythm of her footsteps, his so-called ‘indistinct’ breathing would have been heard a long time ago.

But it was already impressive that he could do this.

‘This child is definitely not an ordinary person. Is it a psionic ability or his blood? Or could it be it’s because of both?

‘He can’t possibly be born with this talent, right?’

Thales’ original plan was to have Jala lure away these patrols (It was the first time Thales heard about the Sleepless unit—his regard for the Brotherhood had been too shallow), and also risking herself to exposure. But now, it would seem that he had underestimated this female bartender. She was not just someone who was agile and skilled with the blade.

“We’re here.”

In a corner of the intersection, Thales slid gently down from Jala’s back (reluctantly?).

Right before him was Red Street Market, enveloped with the night. His episode with the female noble in the velvet dress a few days ago still flashed vividly in his mind.

The area and size of Red Street Market was not smaller than Black Street, the name exactly as implied. This was a famous place to find entertainment in the Western District.

In truth, there were quite a few nobles who would come here. They would either come in disguise or waltz in, looking to engage in relationships that surpassed friendships from adorable and dim young girls and boys, who might or might not be willing. These nobles range from first rank dukes to low class lords from villages—lords who were uncouth and whose mannerisms were too inappropriate for them to appear in public lest they make a fool of themselves. Needless to say, there was a tacit agreement that had existed for years between the nobles of Eternal Star City and the Blood Bottle Gang.

On this night, Black Street Brotherhood stretched their hands into this place.

But it was a pity because the hand that received them was a sinister trap.

“This doesn’t look good,” Jala whispered.

Even Thales could see it.

At the entrance to Red Street Market were corpses lying all over the ground. Some of them had their arms broken, heads cracked, bodies twisted, intestines ripped out, or the sternum bent outwards. Their blood dyed Red Street Market a deep red in the dark.

From a distance, there were at least thirty bodies lying on the ground.

Even Thales, who had just killed someone, could not help but suck in a deep breath when he saw the corpses littered all over the ground and in all the various ways they died. He tried as hard as possible not to think about it.

Faint sounds of battle echoed in the distance.

Jala calmly stretched out her hand and pressed down on Thales’ shoulder until he was squatting down.

“The last time I killed someone, I seemed to have run into you as well,” Jala said with a little cheerless tone.

Thales could not see her gaze behind the protective goggles, but he suddenly felt that Jala had become more serious.

“Brat, from now on, you owe me a favor.”

Thales was stunned, then he saw Jala touch the blades on her boots.

Then, the female bartender used an incredibly faint voice, like a mosquito, and left strict orders to Thales.

“Don’t speak, don’t move. There’s a real elite up ahead. He’s not of the Sleepless sentries.”

Thales’ hairs rose, he did not even dare breathe too deeply and felt frustrated. He had wanted to enter Red Street Market alone during all that chaos and escape from the Brotherhood, but this was just the first station, and if there was already… Ah, he was still too naïve.

In the next second, Jala suddenly took out a thick black cloth from the left side of her abdomen and pressed it gently over Thales’ mouth and nose.

“Use this to breathe and muffle your voice.”

Jala did not say more, with those protective goggles on, her expression was indiscernible. She slowly drew the blade from her leg.

Thales pressed the black cloth over his mouth and nose. This was a good item; he had no respiratory difficulties from breathing under the black cloth, and the sound of his breaths was also masked.

If this was in a game, it would definitely be a class-level equipment that gave “Stealth +20”!

Thales automatically ignored Jala’s faint fragrance from the cloth.

But the next moment, he could not allow himself to relax anymore.

“I found him.” He heard Jala say.

Then, she shot up like a bolt of lightning. With one stomp on the wall beside her, she pounced on the corpses at the fork like an arrow fired from a bow!

The only thing that was faster than Jala was the Wolf Limb Blade she threw.

At that moment, as he breathed through the black cloth, Thales noticed one of the thirty-something corpses—with its intestines spilling out of its body, and some of those intestines were even separated from its body—to his shock, the corpse moved.

*Ting!*

A freezing ray of light suddenly shot out from behind the corpse and knocked that Wolf Limb Blade off its trajectory!

But the second Wolf Limb Blade was already in its master’s hand, and it charged forward with Jala as she approached the corpse rapidly.

With her right hand holding onto the blade in a reverse grip, she instantly cut at the corpse!

*Sha! Dang!*

Thales recognized that sound. That was the sound of metal piercing into flesh.

But before he even had time to register what was happening, his vision blurred and he saw a person staggering out from behind the corpse before he lunged forward. Immediately after, a rapier fell to the ground with a clatter.

Jala had already landed on the ground nimbly. She was positioned in a half squat, with her left hand planted on the ground. The blade in her right hand was covered in blood.

That person who lunged out from behind the corpse swayed before he fell to the ground.

He did not move.

The female bartender picked up the Wolf Limb Blade she had thrown with a backhand grip and stood up quietly.

It was just a few short seconds. Thales felt his jaw fall slack as he watched.

He knew that Jala was very strong.

Except for the dog-slaughtering incident all those years ago, he only now truly came to understand just how powerful the female bartender was after seeing how she had swiftly ambushed and killed today.

But Thales still did not make a sound, nor move a muscle.

He had a faint feeling that Jala had just become much more solemn.

“What an eye-opener. Among the ordinary class, you must be considered an outstanding assassin.”

As the sounds rang in the air, a tall, bald, and fierce man walked over from afar, carrying an exaggerated spiked penta-mace over his shoulder. He did not even spare a glance at his deceased comrade—he only glared at the female bartender standing in the middle of the corpses.

“You know that your Brotherhood is over, right? Everyone’s in the trap, all your forces are wiped out. You won’t be able to predict just how terrifying the people we’ve sent tonight are.”

The fierce, bald man let out a snort, “Our task is vigilance or stopping all possible reinforcements from the Brotherhood, but I didn’t expect that the formidable Black Street Brotherhood would send over a little girl playing with knives.”

The large, bald man walked into the light of the setting sun.

Thales could see his face clearly. The man was missing half his nose. His nostrils were flipped outwards in a terrifying manner, and he looked like a skeleton.

Thales suddenly recognized who he was.

He was the bald Sven.

Blood Bottle Gang’s leader in illegal businesses.

One of the famous Strongest Twelve in the Blood Bottle Gang.

Chapter 10

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Twelve years ago, when the kingdom was in chaos and blood covered the lands, that terrifying swordsman, wielding his blade without emotions or principles, sliced out his own territory in Bgenelack Street. The newly born Black Street Brotherhood and the capital’s well-established Blood Bottle Gang were like two evil dragons that would not rest until they died. For the hegemony of Eternal Star City and Constellation’s underworld, they started fighting in a battle to the death.

As time passed, Black Street Brotherhood grew up gradually from an infant dragon into a fierce, gigantic one that had sharp fangs and claws, especially during the recent years. They were on equal footing with the Blood Bottle Gang, who originally had the upper hand.

From thence, during the fight that lasted ten years, the two gangs had gathered together a group of terrifying people outside of the kingdom’s gaze and stirred up a great surge formed by blood in the underworld.

During this battle, a dozen or so powerful fighters from the Black Street Brotherhood and another dozen skilled fighters from the Blood Bottle Gang became the people standing at the frontlines of the battle, representing the group of young men that possessed the greatest hope for their future and the younger generation that possessed the greatest promise.

Compared to their seniors—the three mysterious legendary Assassins along with the six Powerhouses, who rarely attacked from the Brotherhood, the two terrifying Mystics, together with the eight strange Psionic Warriors in the Blood Bottle Gang, the names of these powerful youngsters were much greater, even the child beggars were familiar with them.

The bald Sven was the most mysterious of the Strongest Twelve in Blood Bottle Gang, a name given to them by gossipers to name the twelve young aces since there was only twelve among the new generation now. He was in charge of collecting the illegal accounts in Blood Bottle Gang. He rarely showed his face during large-scale fights, that was why no one talked about how great his fighting prowess and skills were. However, he had not stumbled in the five years of harsh and bloody fights between the gangs. Simultaneously, most of those who had been his enemy are now skeletons, and they were all once elite fighters of outstanding abilities in the Brotherhood.

Jala did not say anything, she merely exercised her wrist slightly.

“Dorno is an idiot. His idea of using corpses to lay an ambush is also despicable, but I still have to be grateful for his death, or else I wouldn’t have known that we would have an important guest who came here quietly, and uninvited.”

Sven gave an ugly smile, brought down that terrifying spiked penta-mace from his shoulders, then started swinging it back and forth with his hands while looking as if he was not exerting any effort in doing so.

Jala suddenly disappeared from her spot.

The bald Sven smiled without a care, then turned around and swung his arm fiercely!

*Cling! Clang!*

The spiked penta-mace, twice the size of a normal person’s arm, crashed into two Wolf Limb Blades causing Jala, who had suddenly laid an ambush by rushing to his lower left side, to lose her balance before she was sent flying backward!

Thales’ heart clenched!

Fortunately, Jala gained her balance mid-air and performed a beautiful backflip before she landed on the ground.

The bald Sven gritted his teeth and swung his weapon as if he was swinging a baseball bat from Thales’ previous world.

‘What terrifying strength.’ Thales was suddenly slightly curious. If he just had enormous strength, then why was it that Sven was rumored to be so mysterious?

“What fearsome speed, but if I knew about your existence, I can just rely on my instincts in battle, and blocking you isn’t really that difficult.”

Sven’s hideous nose looked terrifying as it trembled due to his laughter.

Jala did not speak. She only disappeared from her spot again. In the next moment, she appeared before Sven’s left leg with her body bent.

Both blades were brought out.

But Sven only made a light tap with his foot and moved his body sideways before he acted on habit and brought his mace crashing down again!

*Bang!*

The spiked mace crashed into the stone pavement and debris flew in all directions!

Jala rolled out of the dangerous spot and avoided that fatal strike.

“So there is a blade that’s created in such a curved manner? It’s an uncommon weapon, that’s for sure. Come, lassy. It doesn’t matter whether you are a killer or an assassin, that ambush you are so proud of is useless against an enemy who is prepared.”

Jala crouched down on the ground as if she was thinking of a strategy.

“What would you do? You wouldn’t be thinking of charging forward, right?

“After all, this is the only way for you to enter Red Street Market.”

Sven continued using words to interrupt Jala’s thoughts.

Thales grew even more nervous in his heart. He knew that Jala was currently his only hope in getting through Red Street Market and escaping from the Brotherhood, but he was even more concerned about Jala’s safety.

He was also worried about Sven’s mysterious reputation.

Jala’s expression was hidden behind her protective goggles, but she seemed to have come to some sort of conclusion as she stood up slowly from the ground.

‘It has been many years.’ Jala laughed bitterly at the bottom of her heart. ‘Do I still have to use this skill?’

Thales swallowed nervously. He had borne witness to Jala’s agile, phantom-like movements and her terrifying speed, but would her Wolf Limb Blade be effective against the bald Sven, who had clearly had grown perceptibly in terms of physical strength.

Within the next moment, Jala flipped the Wolf Limb Blades in her hands at the same time and made it so that she was holding the blades in a forehand grip.

And then.

Jala no longer disappeared.

She charged straight towards Sven.

Thales almost cried out.

One of the blades was positioned in front and the other right behind. The one in front went straight for Sven’s throat, and the blade at the back seemed directed to the spiked mace.

“Frontal assault? You’re just asking for death!” Sven shouted in excitement and swung the mace towards Jala!

*Hu!*

The spiked mace carried the sound of wind and went charging towards Jala’s waist as she continued dashing forward!

‘Later, I’m going to enjoy myself with this pretty wench… Hmm?’

Sven noticed to his surprise that this time, Jala did not block nor did she retreat!

At the moment the mace arrived right before her body, she stretched out her flexible body at an impossible angle!

While facing the spiked mace before her, Jala did a forward somersault that made Thales so shocked that his jaw fell slack and marginally avoided that incoming spiked mace!

Even Sven was shocked.

‘This movement… How did she do it?’

Her attack had not ended.

The female bartender pressed the blade positioned behind the other on the spiked mace and, using Sven’s huge strength, jumped onto the bald man’s left shoulder!

Then, she swung the blade positioned in front downwards swiftly!

The modified curved edge of the blade allowed the Wolf Limb Blade to cut towards the left side of Sven’s neck with faster, stronger, and even fatally than a normal blade.

*Rip!*

Sven roared as he retreated. During that critical moment, he managed to avoid getting a mortal blow. However, blood still gushed out from his left shoulder.

‘This woman… has she completely given up on defense and is using risky evasions for frontal assaults?

‘Doesn’t she know that if she makes even a single mistake, she’ll die?’

But Jala did not relent in her attacks. With a single tap of her foot, she continued her assault!

Right before their eyes, she turned her body in the air and dodged the tip of Sven’s mace with just a few millimeters between them.

The Wolf Limb Blades in her hands followed their master and sliced towards Sven as they spun.

Blood light shone in the air once again, and this time, Jala had cut open the right side of the bald man’s ribs!

Then she struck again!

When she attacked head-on, she perfectly displayed her agility and flexibility. As she faced Sven’s terrifying attacks, she would move and dodge every single time the mace almost struck her. There were several times where Thales even saw the tip of her nose almost grazing the rusted spikes on the mace.

At the same time, the rhythm to Jala’s attack and her speed did not slow down even a single bit. In fact, she was even deadlier than when she was trying to ambush Sven.

On the other hand, while Sven roared furiously with an intimidating presence, she continued attacking tirelessly and exposing herself to extreme danger. Even Thales could tell that Sven was continuously injured, and blood continued pouring out of his wounds. He was already having trouble coping with the situation and was struggling.

‘I can’t continue like this!’ Sven thought in panic. ‘How could she not make a mistake while dodging minimally?’

*Clang!*

Sven roared and used all his strength to block the attack. With a disheveled side roll, he dodged it and rapidly widened the distance between them. Now, imagine a big man built like a bear being forced to roll on the ground by a slender girl only two thirds his size.

“This… This is Swift Killing Blade!”

This sentence was like a stone that struck the surface of the water and interrupted Jala’s continuous onslaught, causing her to stop moving.

“The skills you used to kill Dorno previously should be the Assassination Blade and the Instant Kill Blade!”

Sven panted harshly with fear rife on his face as he shouted in disbelief, “I’ve only ever seen the Blood Chant Lordan Charleton use this Swift Killing Blade before! You… You are a member of the Charleton Family, who are known as the Assassin’s Flower!”

Jala was kneeling on one knee, not saying a single word. This seemed to be the posture she favored to gain leverage. At that moment, she was only looking at that big man coldly.

“This is impossible!” Sven seemed to have experienced some sort of blow. His face was pale and his lips were quivering. “The members of the Charleton Family have already fled Constellation and disappeared into another country when Kessel the Fifth inherited the throne! Why would one of them appear here and side with the Brotherhood?!”

In his disbelief, he continued, “The order of arrest and rewards have spread throughout the entire western continent! With the crime of killing a member of the royal family on your backs, how dare you still come to Eternal Star City?! Aren’t you afraid of being surrounded by the army and the Royal Guards?!

“It doesn’t matter how strong the Charleton Family or Black Street Brotherhood are. Did you think they would be able to bear the wrath of ‘Iron Fist King’ and all of Constellation?”

However, the bald Sven’s angry words immediately turned gentle within the next second.

“If I die here, your identity will definitely be exposed! The Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department will receive news about the return of the family that killed our king to Constellation tomorrow morning!

“Kessel the Fifth will definitely not let you go! He will get rid of every single descendant and blood kin of the Charleton Family!

“You can let me go,” he whispered softly, and his voice had gained a pleading edge. “I don’t care about the Blood Bottle Gang’s mission any more. Just go, as long as you spare me, I promise you that tomorrow… No, I will leave Constellation tonight itself!

“I won’t tell anyone your secret either! I know about your capabilities!

“I don’t want to provoke the Charleton Family!”

But in the next instant, Jala once again pressed forward and arrived before him!

*Cling… Ching!*

This time, Sven blocked the first strike, but that sword seemed to possess life and changed its direction in a bizarre fashion. Once it struck his mace, it moved around it without using even a single ounce of strength!

Jala’s head and chest also spun and changed directions, just like a lithe ribbon, and she moved around the spiked mace before her.

‘Like a human body driven by the current,’ Thales thought in his heart.

‘What’s going on?’ Sven thought in shock. ‘Why can’t I block this blade’s trajectory?’

The blade in the female bartender’s right hand did not stop. Once it changed direction, it returned to its original trajectory once again and headed for Sven’s throat with even more lethality!

Until it cut into his throat.

Blood poured onto the ground.

Sven watched Jala wiping off the blood on her blades on his clothes while completely uninjured herself before she quietly tucked away her blades.

The spiked mace from the bald Sven’s hand fell gently on the ground.

“What is this… sword technique..?”

Sven struggled, wanting to finish that sentence before his body fell to the ground.

But Sven had no energy to finish the sentence.

During that instant, Thales seemed to have returned to four years ago. The unconcerned woman before him in the garbage dumps behind Sunset Pub had been swinging the blades in her hands and asking him a question while he stared in shock.

“Using Ceaseless Killing Blade to slaughter a dog is a waste. Hey, brat, do you want to eat dog meat? If you call me big sister, I’ll let you eat dog meat!”

Ceaseless Killing Blade. Thales knew that this was Ceaseless Killing Blade.

The last being to have suffered this sword technique had been a huge Angry Wolfhound that had run into some conflict with Thales (“We were just having an intense debate of whether humans should be added to the Angry Wolfhounds’ list of consumable things. I’m very grateful for you supporting my opinion, big sister. So, dog meat?”–Thales).

Jala’s skills shocked him once again.

However, what sent Thales into an even greater state of shock was the truth about the Assasin’s Flower, the Charleton Family, which the bald Sven had spoken about.

They killed a member of the royal family?

Assassin’s Flower?

The family that killed… killed the king?

“He talks too much.”

Jala stated coldly as looked at Sven’s corpse.

“So much for the so-called Strongest Twelve.”

Once she finished speaking, she called out to Thales, who was hiding in the dark.

“Let’s go, brat.”

Thales moved past the bald Sven’s corpse and looked at his eyes, which were left open in his death. Even up to now, he still did not understand how Sven, who was only physically strong, big, and was missing a nose, could be the most mysterious existence in the Strongest Twelve.

Was it because Jala was too strong?

He shook his head and walked towards Jala.

The two of them continued towards the battlefield between the Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood.

He sneaked a glance at the side of the female bartender’s face, and Thales decided very intelligently not to ask her about the Charleton Family.

‘Well, I also have my secrets,’ The boy thought.

‘And my secret is bigger than yours.’

…..

At the same time, in Sunset Temple’s inner altar.

A middle-aged noble with grayish white hair was waiting while he sat on a stone chair in the lower section of the inner altar. He seemed calm, but was in truth, scared in his heart.

His gaze never left a small offering lamp that was burning continuously on the altar.

It was as if he was afraid that there would be a sudden change to the flames in the lamp.

There was an elderly priest completely devoted to prayer beside him. He was quiet and pious.

This made the middle-aged noble remember Yodel. He was a terrifying man who was as quiet as this priest was. In fact, he was overly quiet.

Even His Majesty was confident of Yodel and believed that he would never hesitate when he made a move.

However, that man, who always hid behind that Purple Drop Crystal mask, had worked with him once when he was younger, and it was not a happy memory.

He should have long since found his target with his efficiency.

That man was someone who had his own creed.

After all, while he had served under His Majesty’s will, that Yodel Cato, that mysterious man, was only serving under His Majesty for the benefit of the king.

It was the difference between the sky and the earth.

Yodel… did he really know or understand when His Majesty hoped he would attack?

…..

Before long.

The bald Sven’s corpse suddenly twitched.

Then, the area around his neck, as well as the wounds around it, started rapidly recovering.

It continued until the man got up on his feet with much difficulty.

“Damn it!”

Sven cursed and touched his spiked mace.

“A member of the Charleton Family has appeared in Eternal Star City. This news alone can get me ten gold coins from the Town Hall, but…”

Sven touched the wound on his neck that just healed.

His life was more important.

Fortunately, that woman was in a hurry and did not bother to turn back and check.

There was naturally no need to go into detail about his battle prowess and skills, it was one of the reasons why Sven was one of the Strongest Twelve in Blood Bottle Gang, but more importantly, he had a self-healing ability that no one knew about. It usually helped him turn the tables against his enemy at the instant they relaxed their guard and allowed him to win.

“As long as your head… well, more accurately speaking, as long as your brain isn’t damaged, then you can return from the dead.” These were the words spoken to Sven by the true Powerhouse within the Blood Bottle Gang—the Blood Mystic.

“Congratulations, Undead Sven.”

‘There’s that boy, too,’ The Undead Sven thought. When he was in that state of fake death, he saw a thin and frail boy appear from the corner of the street and walk away with that woman from the Charleton Family.

This was also something strange. A child that could follow a woman from the Charleton Family was definitely not an ordinary child.

Was he some sort of genius? Did he have an ability that could turn the tides of battle?

Was he some sort of biological weapon? Could he attack and kill in large areas?

Was he some sort of immortal non-human specimen? The boy looked young, but could he actually already be hundreds of years old, and maybe near a thousand years old?

Sven hefted the spiked mace onto his shoulders and frowned.

‘Once I send the news to the Air Mystic, I’ll…’

But his thoughts were interrupted.

By a strange person in a strange mask who suddenly appeared before him.

His apparition before Sven was unexpected.

“You saw that boy,” The strange masked person said. His hoarse voice made it difficult to discern who he was, and the words he said was not a question, but a statement.

‘Who is he?’

He did not even notice.

He hid his tracks, could he also be from the Charleton Family?

That strange mask seemed to be made from a dark purplish hard metal. The edges were clear and there were two holes drilled into the spot where the eyes should be. It was covered by a circular lens made from crystal drops, and there also seemed to be a yellow-bronze machine set up behind the lens.

The reason why Sven could think so much was simply because he had nothing else to do.

That person with the dark purple mask was holding onto a short sword where the part connecting to the hilt was crafted in a criss-cross manner.

Under its master’s control, this short sword reopened the wound that had just healed on Sven’s neck.

The instinct to dodge did not even register in Sven’s head before his throat was slit open.

*Twang!*

Sven fell down once again with his spiked mace.

‘How unfortunate.’ Sven thought, fully prepared to welcome his next death and subsequent resurrection.

However, in his state of pseudo-death, Sven discovered to his shock that the masked person did not leave.

That strange masked person had a barely noticeable crease between his brows behind the mask.

He slowly crouched down and stared at Sven’s wound intently.

After a moment, the strange masked person nodded, as he had understood something.

In Sven’s perceptions, he discovered to his despair that the masked man was brandishing the sword short in his right hand lightly to make a beautiful sword stroke.

No.

No!

Sven roared fearfully in his heart!

Then, Sven “watched” the strange person plunge that short sword lithely through his temple and straight into his brain with one fatal strike.

He pulled the sword out.

There was not even a drop of blood on the smooth surface of the blade.

“Only the head… More accurately speaking, as long as the brain isn’t damaged, you can return from death…”

In his daze, Sven seemed to hear the Blood Mystic’s words again.

From then on, the bald Sven, one of the Strongest Twelve in Blood Bottle Gang, the man who was known as the Undead Sven among the inner circle of the Blood Bottle Gang, did not wake again.

The strange masked person crouched down and swept his right hand through a sword mark on the ground.

It was a mark left behind by Wolf Limb Blade when it stabbed the ground.

He stood up.

And then he vanished.

Just like a ghost.

Chapter 11

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

There was a clear and melodious crash.

The glass on the door was smashed by the figure.

Lilian, dressed in a thin, silk pajamas, lifted the candlestick in surprise as she looked at the figure that fell in from outside. It was a handsome man with short, blonde hair. He was wearing a sky blue color… ‘Is he wearing a police uniform?’

‘The police…’ Lilian looked at the clock. ‘The police came at four fifty in the morning by breaking through the window of the third floor of a private residence?’

It would not be fair to call it a private residence. After all, the Laya Club was one of the very best ‘clubs’ in Red Street Market. It was located between the Red Street Market and popular areas of Linhe Street (a famous business street in the Western District.). Lilian was a famous beauty in the club. Even nobles at the rank of an Earl or a high official of the court would need to pay Lilian twenty gold coins an hour for her to entertain them.

That was why, when the young and promising Captain Kohen Karabeyan crashed the private bedroom in Laya Club from the third floor, Lilian woke up with a fright and came to investigate with a candlestick.

“Young Miss, I apologize for disturbing your sleep.”

Kohen got up awkwardly from the ground. He held his saber behind him and bowed to the astonished Lilian. When he wanted to take off his hat to bow, he found that his officer hat had dropped in the battle earlier.

“Shit,” Kohen mumbled.

‘That queer old man threw away my nightgown. I can’t even go out to buy them in the middle of the night.’

Lilian boldly looked at the polite and handsome (this is very important, otherwise Lilian would have already smashed him with the candlestick) police officer. Her big beautiful eyes lowered. She stretched out her hand to tease her beautiful soft hair, her fingers seemed to slide past her proud chest. She then laughed. “Dear police officer, we are not open tonight.”

Kohen knew what this place was naturally. On regular days, the Laya Club would be lively during these hours. However, Kohen simply smiled at the beauty and was not moved by Lilian’s seductive mien.

“In other words, you have received a prior warning, and hence the shop is closed tonight?”

“Of course. The Blood Bottle Gang had bribed the officers and also promised to make up for the loss of business. Otherwise… do you know our hard-working and stressed bosses would suffer huge losses when Red Street Market has to close for a night. What would happen to the ten million people in Constellation if they were too tired, exhausted, or spiritually spent to contribute to the second largest power in the western part of the continent?”

Lilian blinked and smiled cunningly.

Kohen’ brows tightened as he looked at the mature and seductive beauty.

‘Looks like the intelligence obtained from the informant was not complete. At first, it was thought that the Black Street Brotherhood is launching a surprise attack on the Blood Bottle Gang’s Red Street Market section. Now, it seems like the Blood Bottle Gang has a trap set up in Red Street Market in an earlier countermeasure.

‘I came here tonight to probe the main clashing point of the two big gangs. The Brotherhood had moved out. After all, we are talking about the Blood Bottle Gang which is almost a hundred years old.’

“Hey. That blond officer!” A female voice outside the building interrupted the conversation.

“Come down quickly to meet your death! According to the rules, you are not supposed to enter any houses!”

Lilian curiously walked to the broken window. She saw a woman in leather armor, carrying a whip and covered in blood. She looked up the building angrily.

Kohen bowed to Lilian. “Thank you for your notification, beautiful lady, please excuse me. I must go and attend an appointment with another lady.”

The blond captain of the police turned around and gently leaped to the street below.

“Dearest Miss Vynis, don’t be so impatient.”

Kohen’s smile then suddenly turned cold and killing intent appeared in his eyes.

“By order of the King, in the name of the Holy Constellation Constitution, as a Class Two police officer, I have the authority to immediately kill suspects that may endanger the interest of the kingdom and the life of the citizens. Do not worry, I will send you to reunite with your brother.”

Upstairs, Lilian covered her mouth. She could recognize that this person was one of Blood Bottle Gang’s Strongest Twelve. She was the younger sister of the notorious Leighton Siblings, ‘Scorpion Whip’ Vynis Leighton.

Her brother, ‘Venomous Sting’ Primo Leighton, came to the Laya Club the previous day. He loved peculiar things and had almost used the oil from the Everlasting Lamp to scald a new girl to death.

Based on the officer’s words, he had already killed the Venomous Sting.

“Blue-skinned dog! Even your superior doesn’t dare to not give face to the Blood Bottle Gang! You… How dare you!” Vynis shouted indignantly. As one of the Strongest Twelve’s more unconventional people, she had shaved her hair on the left side and combed down the hair on the right side. This made her look more hale and hearty.

“I will whip you until all the flesh on your body turns into mash!”

After saying that, her whip flicked in a circle and towards Kohen. The barbs on the whip were like living creatures, flying out and attacking in unison!

“So it was like this!”

Kohen’s figure suddenly became indistinguishable. Only a veteran would be able to see him; an ordinary person cannot see the speed of his movements as he rapidly changed positions.

*Ding! Ding ding!*

The unreal image of the saber flashed and cut off the barbs of the whip.

“If your brother was still alive, with his ability to control the whip, the both of you may even cause trouble if you were to work together.”

Vynis’ whip was agile like a snake. The whip barbs and tip formed an all-out attack leaving no quarters uncovered.

“If I was ten seconds earlier, Primo would not have died.” Vynis was full of hatred.

“A blue-skinned dog like you would have been shredded to pieces by us!”

Kohen’s expression did not change. With lightning speed, he cut at the five whiplashes trained on him but they have already reached the front of his eyes.

At this moment, Kohen suddenly gave a solemn look. He rushed forward without bothering to look at the lashes approaching him.

“Suicidal idiot!”

*Rip!*

Vynis grinned hideously as she watched Kohen rush towards her. The whip ruthlessly tore his right shoulder. At the same time, another three more barbs lashed out.

‘The barbs on my whips are laced with a poison that magnifies pain. There are sharp points in the barbs. Once hit, the pain would… Eh?’

Kohen made a move that was beyond Vynis’ expectations. The police figure had rushed forward to meet the three barbs and raised his bare left hand to block the attack. The whip cut deeply into the man’s arm and even pierced his palm. However, his expression did not change as though he had simply been bitten by an ant.

Vynis was shocked as she watched Kohen. Many of her enemies’ faces distorted from the pain that came with the poison. Their movements would become contorted and they would wail mournfully as they rolled at her feet.

‘But why does he not even show any reaction? Does he not have a sense of pain?’

“Let us end the street performance here,” Kohen said coldly.

Vynis was shocked at Kohen who charged at her like a thunderbolt and quickly reacted. She hurriedly flicked her whip to create a defense in front of herself.

But an abundant force instantly broke out from Kohen’s sword!

Vynis’ expression instantly changed.

‘This is… No!’

Suddenly, Kohen’s saber seemed to sharpen unceasingly, twinkling like starlight, and the whip that was coming at him was cut into innumerable pieces.

In Vynis’ eyes, Kohen’s callous face and his sword seemed to grow bigger and bigger.

The next moment, the sharp but simple saber pierced through the left side of her chest. Its sharp end exiting from her back.

At this point, she struggled to speak.

“Power of Eradication. You are an Erad…” But she could not finish.

“The enforcement of the law is completed.”

Kohen gently pushed the astonished looking Vynis away from his sword as though he was doing something insignificant.

“Let me give you a suggestion. Next time, if you have any trump cards on hand to play, use them all from the start.”

He gently took out the barbs from his hand. An abundant force once again filled his hand, forcing out a few drops of blue-green liquid.

“If I was wearing armor, even if it was light armor, you would have already died a thousand times.”

“In the eyes of those who have experienced warfare, even the strongest in the ranks of the supra class are childish like street fights. As for you, it is practically a kid’s game to us.”

Vynis closed her lifeless eyes and laid on the ground forever. Not too far away was her brother, leaning against the wall with a sword stuck in his throat.

Kohen bowed to the astonished Lilian upstairs. He then went deeper into the Red Street Market.

‘This man seems polite.’ Lilian held her mouth as she thought, ‘But he does not show mercy to women.’

…..

At another lane in Red Street Market.

Jala indifferently gripped the Wolf Limb Blade and pulled it out of the abdomen of the last red-scarfed thug. She disgustedly flicked the blade to get rid of the fresh blood.

Thales tried to convince himself not to think of Jala’s slaughtering which reminded him of Quide, who died with his eyes wide open.

‘They were all aware. When they joined the gang, they all had a clear idea of the consequences.’

Thinking like this, his mood improved.

Thales tightly covered his mouth and nose with the black cloth and watched Jala slaughter a small group of about seven or eight thugs. He then tacitly and skillfully came out from the hiding place and climbed onto Jala’s back.

“How did you overcome it?”

“Hm?”

“The nausea and guilt of killing.”

Jala sighed.

“I was taught from an early age,” she replied as her feet moved lightly as she carried Thales on her back. Her tone was cold. “The ones I killed were not of the same kind as me. It was like stepping on an ant.”

Thales no longer spoke and tightly hugged Jala’s neck.

After they passed Sven in Red Street Market, everywhere was covered with the crippled and the dead, and the echoes of clashing swords and blades. The sound of duels heard from a few places even made Jala’s scalp feel numb. Although the two were careful, even with Jala’s skills in concealment, it was quite challenging in the chaos.

There were corpses everywhere, and the sounds of melee combat filled the air. They tried very hard to conceal themselves but inevitably ran into two groups of thugs—one from the Blood Bottle Gang while the other from the Brotherhood.

Jala mercilessly went all out and left no survivors. She then left quickly.

For some reason, Thales got accustomed to this kind of gruesome scene.

‘This is not a good thing,’ he reminded himself. Becoming psychologically insensitive would inevitably lead to deviated behavior.

“This is the fifth intersection and we still cannot get through.” Jala stopped and frowned. She then felt the air in front.

Thales came down and also felt the wind ahead. It seemed empty but to the outstretched hand, there was an invisible and solid barrier.

“Is this a Psionic skill?” Thales asked in surprise.

So far, Thales had seen some but not a lot of Psionic abilities. For example, in the Brotherhood, Morris who was responsible for human trafficking was one of them. He once just looked at a runaway beggar and the beggar choked to death.

“No. Psionics don’t have such powerful abilities. It is powerful enough to simultaneously cover five intersections at this wide street. I suspect the others would be the same. This is something difficult to achieve for a Psionic.”

Jala pushed up her goggles and carefully ‘examined’ the protective barrier.

She recalled the old man and that man. When she thought about it, she could not help but pause for a while, telling herself about those frightening legends.

“As far as I know,” the bartender sounded solemn, “this is very likely done by a Mystic.”

Thales’ eyes grew wide.

‘A Mystic.’

In fact, during the four to five years of his career in the streets, he had heard this word more than once from the drinkers of Sunset Pub, the patrons of the brothel at Red Street Market, gamblers of the Black Gold Casino, and the thugs of the Brotherhood.

Thales initially thought that they were similar to the ‘magicians’ and ‘wizards’ in the fantasy novels in his flashbacks. However, he later found out that this was not the case.

No one would provide complimentary general knowledge to lowly beggars like Thales. Even if there were, what he could obtain would just be some village gossip, or dumb rumors and horror stories.

However, relying on his previous life’s specialized field survey experience, Thales managed to learn some general knowledge through observation, and he had made some related to the Mystics.

1) Those that spoke of the Mystics spoke with negative emotions such as fear, hatred, and curses. At the same time the keywords used were ‘formidable’, ‘terrifying’, ‘hell’, ‘illegal’, ‘condemned’, and so on.

2) In this world, the Mystics were rare (The ‘rare’ here was not as rare as the ones in the YY novels[1] of his past life). Thales had determined that among the countless people that spoke of Mystics in the past five years, only a bar customer and a brothel patron told a probable story. Evidently, they had either direct or indirect contact with information regarding the Mystics.

3) He had never heard of any Mystic organization, powers, or gatherings. Nevertheless, there were rumors on the streets that among the leaders of the Blood Bottle Gang, there were two Mystics.

4) The patrols responsible for the Western City Gate were equipped with ‘anti-Mystic equipment’.

5) Mystics were completely different from the ones people took delight in discussing such as ‘Psionics’, ‘Psionic Warriors’, ‘Swordsmen of Eradication’ and ‘Knights of Eradication’. The latter could be obtained through innate talent, or through training. However, Thales had never heard of how Mystics obtained their terrifying powers.

6) Other than Mystics, there was also a weapon with the suspicious name, ‘Mystic Gun’. This weapon was only allowed to be used in the Royal Army. Anyone caught illegally possessing it would be convicted of a felony.

These were the entirety of Thales’ information on the Mystics.

“Mystics?” Thales probed.

Jala glared at Thales and wore her goggles. “There were rumors that the person behind the Blood Bottle Gang was a Mystic; this person had not appeared for years.”

“The Blood Bottle Gang?”

‘So it is an underworld boss?’ Thales frowned slightly. “What does a Mystic actually do?”

Unexpectedly, Jala shook her head coldly. “Don’t ask.” The female bartender did not hesitate to stop further attempts at questioning. “This is not something you should know.”

Looking at Jala’s expression, Thales awkwardly scratched his head.

‘What is a Mystic? Is it the combat type that can conjure and throw fireballs from afar? Are they particularly powerful people? Do they have a special power like the Psionics?’

Thales had envisaged countless encounters with the Mystics. It was unfortunate that, from the information he received, none of the encounters would be optimistic.

One example would be the current situation.

Thales pushed the black cloth into his pocket and once again leaned down on Jala’s back.

“From now on, we must be even more careful and try to avoid all the fighting so that we would not be exposed.”

The bartender raised her head anxiously.

“I hope our luck isn’t so bad that we would meet with the Mystic.”

…..

A few minutes ago.

At Red Street Market, in an underground warehouse of a chess room.

A handsome man dressed in blue with dark-brown, long, curly hair, sat quietly on the side of an ancient war-game table. On top of it was a map used for the game. There were some game pieces on it, divided into black and red teams; these were the knights, swordsmen, guards, shield-warriors, catapults, prime ministers, and Kings.

This came from the Kingdom of Ayranvia. It involved historical references and the general knowledge of war. Nowadays, it was the most popular board game amongst the nobles—’The Rise and Fall of the Empire’. It simulates Kings of an ancient Empire and their two armies at war. To those living in comfort and have respected positions, this was the most effective way to show off their masculinity to attract women and also a pastime that was not risky.

Naturally, there were also a few great nobles who were peculiar. It is said that they used real people as chess pieces.

Under the light of the Everlasting Lamp, if one were to look closely at the map in the middle of the war-game board, it was a map of the streets of Red Street Market.

The handsome man deftly moved the chess pieces with his right hand, removing the black pieces or the red pieces from the map. There were more scattered black pieces than the gathered red pieces.

The two black prime minister pieces were in the middle, around them were a lot of black guards and swordsmen, a few red knights were pinning them down. At the periphery were many black knights and shield-warriors. They were overwhelmed in numbers by the two red Prime Ministers leading their swordsmen and guards.

In the middle of the map stood a red King, with a red guard by his side.

The handsome blue clothed man cheerfully played his game. Looking closely, there was a light-blue energy sphere in his free left hand. It seemed to breathe, as though it was alive, and seemed to hold, inside it, a violent storm.

The man opened his mouth from time to time and seemed to say something. From his mouth, the waves of vibrations in the air could be seen. It turned into a ripple and vanished.

Strangely, no sound was emitted.

In the dark and lonely silence, the scene looked very abnormal.

At that moment, the man’s brows suddenly furrowed. Without batting an eyelid, he removed a red catapult from the edge of the map.

However, a few minutes later, the man’s brows tightened again. He slowly stretched his hand and removed the only remaining red swordsman from that position. The blue energy sphere in the man’s left hand flashed for a moment. The storm inside seemed to dance.

He took a deep breath and spoke for the first time, “Who is in charge of guarding and intercepting in the Lower City District?” He seemed to ask the empty space.

A queer and firm reply then came from the frightening darkness, “Deformer Dorno and Undying Sven.”

The man closed his eyes and shook his head. He then moved two other red swordsmen from elsewhere to where the two pieces were taken down. He moved one of them deeper as if to catch whatever defeated Dorno and Sven.

His mouth sent ripples into the air again, moving his lips silently for a while. Then, he gradually spoke to the voice from the void, “We have swallowed up Brother Talon and Moria an hour ago… So, is it reinforcements?” he muttered.

He hesitated for a moment. He then moved one of the two red prime ministers over, “This time, it will be fine.”

However, at the next moment, the man seemed to sense something and his expression changed again. He moved his right hand to the edge of the other side of the map and removed two red swordsmen simultaneously.

The man’s expression did not look good.

“Who is the one tasked in guarding the Western District?”

“It is the Leighton Siblings, Venomous Sting and Scorpion Whip.” This time, the voice in the dark sounded cautious.

The blue-clad man did not speak. He perused the map back and forth several times with doubts and dissatisfaction, “Is it a piece from outside? What a headache. Wasn’t there an agreement with the police that it is time for curfew?”

Finally, the man sighed helplessly. ‘Did my level drop because I had not played these human games for a long time? Sigh.’

The man gently looked up with a complicated expression. “Groudon. Did you know? The significance of traps and mazes is to block the gateway and keep the stranded rats in. However, if the trap’s entrance and exit have been opened up, it won’t catch anything.”

The man’s expression turned cold. He resolutely took the guard that was next to the red King in the center of the map and moved it to where the two red swordsmen were.

The wind blew in the dark and there were no more voices.

The storm inside the blue energy sphere in the man’s hand gradually stabilized.

Translation Notes:

1. YY novels are fantasy stories; about things that are not possible in reality.

Chapter 12

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Detestable!”

The night that was filled with the sounds of battle was continuously interrupted by a wild laughter.

In the bloody streets, a Powerhouse of the Brotherhood, Morris, leaned against the door of the grocery store. He gasped and struggled to pull out a hiltless dagger from his shoulder.

Beside him, an elite of the Brotherhood had also collapsed. A similar dagger was stuck at the back of his head.

The Powerhouse of human trafficking, Morris, gasped and waved his hand to stop the Assassin Layork, who was about to rush up onto the roof.

“Do not chase! Kirks is trying to tire us out.”

In the distance, the Blood Bottle Gang’s ‘Flying Blade Clown’ Kirks dashed to the roof, laughing wildly.

“If we go on like this, we would be harassed to death. The clown is a Psionic Warrior. He is much more powerful compared to the usual Psionics.”

Layork jumped down onto the streets and looked at the remaining five injured elites. He then frowned.

Morris took a deep breath and made a level-headed analysis. “Kirks and the Phantom Wind Follower were carefully selected to contain and hinder us from regrouping using their unique abilities. It would make things convenient for their supra class elites to slaughter our elites. Also, even if the clown killed us with his knives, it would be a better fate than meeting the Air Mystic.” Morris stood up and solemnly waved his hand.

‘Mystics. These people are calamity agents that must not be provoked.’

“The order to retreat should have been given. The same order should probably be given to Cenza as well. How many of us survive would depend on our luck.”

Layork frowned. Morris turned to face the elites and waved for them to head out. The Assassin followed behind Morris and cautiously suggested, “We have to make a detour because of these air walls. The others would probably do the same… If we can find the Mystic himself, then—”

“Impossible!” Midway through his sentence, Layork’s words were interrupted by Morris.

“Do not try to find that man!” Layork was puzzled. Morris had undoubtedly, directly, and resolutely rejected his suggestion. “Remember. Unless he directly confronts you, do not go and find trouble with the Mystic!”

Seeing Morris’s cloudy expression, Layork was suddenly speechless and secretly frowned.

‘Are Mystics really so terrifying?’

“This is the capital, Mystics would not easily show themselves, they would rely on their lackeys to kill us—this is our opportunity.” Morris gritted his teeth and revealed a ferocious expression. “Just let these hypocrites who think they are as exalted as nobles see the strength of our Brotherhood, the strength of people from the ‘lower strata’! We, who have killed our way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, are not people those lords from the Blood Blottle Gang could compare to.

“Even if we cannot leave, the Black Sword will avenge us! Even if the enemy is a Mystic!”

…..

Only a single, traditional candle burned inside the dark house.

“Are you saying that all of our men are trapped in Red Street Market? Up until now, no one in authority for this besides a few thugs has appeared?”

Nazri nodded and knelt on one knee, respectfully and fearfully, before his immediate superior, Kobryant Lance, the ‘Sleepless Eye’. He then reported, “It was just after my sentry shift started when the first rush of people arrived. According to them, when Morris ordered the retreat, the first few who wanted to rush out were ambushed and killed by Sven and Dorno.”

“This continued until just now when Dorno and Sven died at the entrance. They then rushed out safely.”

Nobody knew how old the Sleepless Eye, Kobryant Lance, was this year. They only knew that he was the head in charge of gathering intelligence ever since the establishment of the Brotherhood. He was strange, extremely mysterious, and secretive.

He would always hide in a dark, red cloak, revealing only his dry and thin chin. Without exception, anyone he stared at would feel a deep chill.

Lance pondered for a moment and slowly asked.

“Sven and Dorno were both from the Strongest Twelve. Sven is extremely tough, and Dorno is good at sneak attacks. Only people like the Thirteen Generals and above that could kill the both of them. Was it Layork? Moria? Could it be Adrienessa or Talon? Maybe it was Cenza and Morris, the two Powerhouses? Did you find the person responsible?”

Lance’s words were soft and indistinct, as though it came from a different room. Nazri shook his head and tried to curb the fear in his heart.

‘A real blunder. Morris would probably be very upset with me,’ Lance thought to himself quietly but appeared calm on the surface. ‘It is time to catch the rat in the group. The Brotherhood has been around for twelve years and is naturally different from the time when it was formed by some old men.’

Lance laughed strangely. He waved to Nazri and gave his orders, “Awaken and activate all Sleepless in the XC District regardless of whether they are on roster duty or not. Send the second and third patrols to Red Street Market! I want to know everything there in extreme detail from the rooftops to the gutters!”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Have those who escaped carefully recall the events in the streets. Pick the best of the first patrol to sneak into Red Street Market and set up a patrol post, regardless of sacrifice. Pigeons, flares, torches. I do not care what you use, I want to establish contact with Cenza and Morris! I want an unimpeded channel of communication from Black Street to Red Street Market!”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Dispatch the fourth patrol to the other territories, from Black Street to Abandoned Houses, from the ditches to the canals, from the bazaar to the Western City Gate! I want them on full alert! We cannot be lax on precautionary measures at our headquarters, especially now!”

“Yes, Sir!”

“The fifth patrol is to be divided into two teams! One team is to inform the other leaders in the organization, the other will hurry to the Eckstedt Kingdom and bring that old man, Ramon, back! If he is unwilling, say that it is the will of the Black Sword!”

“Yes, Sir!”

Both Cenza and Morris were among the six Powerhouses who were not to be trifled with. The Blood Bottle Gang wanted to capture these two without facing huge losses. This was impossible.

Lance lowered his head and stroked the ruby ring on his hand. ‘That damned fatty is someone who used to stay behind the Black Sword Hall! As for that tall, burly Cenza, hmph! The only thing that is harder than his fist is probably his temperament.

‘Also…’ Lance secretly thought, ‘There is also that damned cook, Edmund… The victor has not yet been determined.’

Lance’s countenance suddenly changed as he noticed a strange expression on his subordinate. “Do you still have something to say?”

“Yes, Sir!” Nazri’s cold sweat dripped as he gritted his teeth and leaned forward. “The brothers on patrol had just discovered that the beggars at the Abandoned Houses had all escaped! We only caught a few of them and had locked them in the water dungeon. We are now preparing to torture and interrogate them.”

Lance’s chin moved slightly. The Sleepless Eye’s tone was calm as he asked, “Interrogate them about?”

Nazri clenched his fist as his head hung and added, with difficulty, even more distressing information. “Quide Roda has died in the Abandoned Houses. His deputy, Nayer Rick, is currently outside requesting to see you.”

…..

“Get down. Hide.” Jala’s tone turned cold again. “We cannot avoid the battle here.”

Thales quickly slid down and hid behind a concealed stone pillar. He then took out the black cloth and covered his nose.

The surroundings were filled with the stench of blood. Thales had only taken two breaths but Jala had already moved swiftly and jumped onto the roof. She executed a backflip with her upper body bent over, both her hands touched the ground as though she was avoiding a hidden weapon.

*Whoosh!*

As soon as Jala stood up, Thales heard a fast wind reverberate throughout the streets.

Immediately after that, Jala dropped down from the roof. Both knives from her legs were already in her hands. The Wolf Limb Blades slashed out in succession, the blades swishing hurriedly.

Thales only heard the whooshing sound of clothes fluttering in the wind, though he could not discern the direction where the wind came from, and he did not know whether Jala had managed to cut anything.

After that, a gray and thin figure appeared on the street.

“Oho! Isn’t this the Sunset Pub’s bartender? You brought goggles along with you. Are you going for a swim? Do not be so surprised. I once disguised myself and had a drink in Black Street.” A strange and feminine voice said in a frivolous and rude tone, “Are you wearing gray today as well? It is truly a pity that the weather is bad. Otherwise, we would have made a fine pair of matching sweethearts .”

Jala had never spoken much during battle. She gently crouched on one knee. Thales knew that this motion would precede her next strike.

The gray-haired man walked a few steps forward. Under the faint moonlight, a tattoo could be seen faintly on his face.

“I should probably introduce myself. I am Midira Ralf. You can also call me the ‘Phantom Wind Follower’.

Thales’ heart tightened. ‘Another one of the Strongest Twelve.’

“By the way, little Miss Bartender. Are you the one that got rid of Dorno and Sven? Do not misunderstand, I actually hate both rascals, but the boss has given the order for—”

Jala accelerated without warning. In the next moment, she had silently and swiftly arrived in front of him.

The strangely angled twin blades struck out and changed directions at the same time.

‘Ceaseless Killing Blade!’ Thales shouted excitedly in his heart.

After watching Jala fight in so many battles and executing lightning strikes, it would be a lie to say that the hope of being powerful and the desire for strength was not ignited in his heart.

However, Ralf vanished and the blade slashed at empty space!

‘It didn’t work?’ Thales’ heart tightened.

Jala did not stop. She whirled around and the Wolf Limb Blade in her right hand immediately swung in midair.

*Ding!* A clear and melodious sound of metal clashing.

Ralf’s figure appeared on Jala’s right and he hurriedly retreated two steps.

“Hey, why are you like Layork?” Ralf lightly flicked the hidden blade in the back of his left hand. He could not help but say, “Could it be that you people from the Brotherhood could tell where I am? Besides that, why do you not like to talk—”

Before he could finish, a Wolf Limb Blade flew at him.

‘Instant Kill Blade.’

*Whoosh!*

The wind rose around Ralf. The Wolf Limb Blade wobbled in mid-flight.

*Clang!*

After that, the blade was knocked away by his sword, but Jala’s figure had appeared in front of the Phantom Wind Follower as quickly as her blade.

Before he had the time to react, Jala’s left hand performed a backhanded horizontal swing at Ralf’s stomach.

‘Did it cut?’ Thales watched excitedly to see the results of the Instant Kill Blade.

However, he was disappointed to see Ralf’s gray clothes move. It flew up at an incredible speed as it defied gravity.

‘It was so dangerous, but he managed to avoid the blade!’

But this time, Thales felt as though Ralf had difficulty dodging it. This was because his figure blurred instead of disappearing without a trace.

Jala wanted to continue her assault but she seemed to have tripped on something invisible and failed to sustain her initially unstoppable offensive.

‘The power of wind?’ Thales lowered his head and recalled his past knowledge.

The female bartender quietly stepped back. She flipped up the other Wolf Limb Blade from the floor and waited for the next opportunity.

“That was close. The Brotherhood’s bartenders have this kind of strength?”

Ralf gently wiped the gash on his abdomen, looking unhappy.

The wound was deeper than expected, and as a result of the blade’s strange angle, its speed had also surpassed expectations. ‘A knife play that could threaten supra class fighters? Looks familiar.’

Jala straightened her goggles. She held her blade and went down on one knee.

“Hey, bartender,” Ralf suddenly spoke gloomily when he saw his opponent preparing to attack. “Before coming to Constellation, I lived in the upper reaches of the continent for a while. Once, I saw an assassination in the Sera Dukedom.

“It was the assassination that was the most straightforward, riskiest, and most difficult to fend against that I’ve seen in my life. The assassins used twin blades and attacked from roofs. They attacked swiftly and continuously, such that it was unstoppable.”

Ralf looked down, his gentle voice sounded solemn and earnest. “‘So, ‘Migratory Locust Blade’ Bannette Charleton, who is he to you?”

Jala did not reply but Thales instinctively felt that this was bad.

‘Bannette Charleton?’

The next moment, the female bartender had sped in front of Ralf and attacked.

Thales was wrong. The mood of the silent bartender changed after hearing that name, she then gave a frenzied roar. “A stranger!” The female bartender then attacked angrily.

Thales had seen Jala’s attacks many times before. So far, her attacks had always been quiet, simple, direct, and fatal, but this time it was different.

It was the first time Thales heard Jala’s blade cause such a thundering sound.

*Boom!*

Ralf’s expression changed rapidly.

…..

*Clang!*

There was a thunderclap as the sword and saber collided.

Glimmering energy broke out from the two figures. One was a star-blue color while the other was reddish.

The promising police nobleman, Kohen Karabeyan, gritted his teeth. He felt the power from the sword of his foe who was no weaker than him and was at least a supra class expert. He could not remember the last time he had encountered such an opponent.

‘Was it since I had the battle with the Orcs or was it since I challenged Miranda?’

The two forces entangled but Kohen knew that he was falling into a disadvantageous position.

The star-blue power in his silver-white saber began to flash. Kohen knew that if this carried on, he would be defeated.

Then, he abruptly shook his body. Using this momentum, he broke out of the sword fight with the other man. The two figures suddenly separated a few steps away from each other as a result of the inertia.

Kohen finally stabilized after about six steps. His opponent managed to balance himself just after two steps.

Kohen had a somber look as he began to feel the need to reconsider Director Lorbec’s words. He then turned to look at the formidable foe he faced and asked in a loud voice, “What you are using is one of the many sword forms of the Tower of Eradication.”

The other person did not reply. “Yet you are willing to lower your pride and be in Blood Bottle Gang, become a hooligan, do evil, and bully the weak? Did the Tower of Eradication teach you the heart of the sword so that you can be someone else’s lapdog and have the mindset of a person who bullies the weak but fears the strong?”

His opponent slowly turned around. His left shoulder was protected by a black half-body armor and his right arm was tied with a bandage. Under his red-and-black dress ornaments, his powerful muscles were vaguely visible.

He was a fair-skinned man, but he did not give an elegant or delicate impression—because his eyes projected a murderous gaze.

The man in the red-and-black clothing quietly sized up the police officer.

‘This is the police rat that destroyed the boss’ traps? This man’s stance and actions… he was from the Tower of Eradication, and underwent military training?’

The red-and-black swordsman twirled the green sword that had a single-loop knuckle bow. Then, without a care in the world, he said, “Hey, cop! Since when did the police force dare to interfere with the affairs of the Blood Bottle Gang?”

Kohen stepped forward to get closer to the swordsman and coldly replied, “Right now, I am not a police officer. I am simply Kohen Karabeyan, a Swordsman of Eradication, asking another swordsman a question. Answer me!”

The scene was quiet for a while. The expression of the red-and-black swordsman gradually turned serious. “My sword’s spirit is that of an unbridled will, freedom towards my own choices, and the pursuit of power.

“As long my wish is fulfilled, the Blood Bottle Gang, the Brotherhood, Shadow Shield, Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence, Royal Guards, and even the Tower of Eradication, do not matter to me. So, your question is meaningless. As for you, cop, you are willing to be the nation’s dog. I suppose the awareness of a dog is all that you obtained from that old Tower.”

Hearing that the other Swordsman of Eradication did not have any respect for the Tower of Eradication and even had a slightly hostile attitude, Kohen’s expression became solemn, mixed with astonishment and shock.

He remembered that when he was undergoing training at the Tower, his teacher had told him a story while having a drink. It was a story of internal dispute, battle, and tragedy.

Kohen had difficulty believing it and gritted his teeth as he said, “You… You are from an external group of Swordsman of Eradication. You are someone from the Disaster Sword group.”

The moment his voice faded away, the red-and-black swordsman acted!

A reddish power of Eradication surged from his body like a flood, forming ferocious waves flowing along his green sword that slashed down with an astonishing momentum!

The sword was ruthless and fierce.

Kohen felt himself falling into a crimson vortex. The power of Eradication in his body was torn to pieces and he was unable to muster his power.

The swordsman’s ruthlessness followed the sword straight towards Kohen’s chest. His fair face was now cold like frost and no longer calm.

The red-and-black swordsman then said in a cold voice, “‘Disaster Sword’? Disaster? Are you comparing us to those monsters? Is this how you address Lord Crassus’ sword?”

Kohen gritted his teeth. The weapons of the two men swiftly clashed in the air.

“That is fine.” While fighting, the swordsman still had the energy to speak. “We are destined to be the nemesis for you outdated, conservative, and sissy academics. One day, we will destroy your Tower of Eradication and prove your absurdity!” It was a cold, murderous tone.

At the next moment, the green sword surged forward. Kohen’s saber blocked the green sword but at that instant, he felt the violent power of Eradication battering him like a raging tidal wave! Kohen was shocked. His opponent’s power of Eradication was unhindered as it entered his body and corroded his strength like a strong acid.

The police’s glimmering star-blue saber was instantly thrown off. Kohen gritted his teeth in astonishment and retreated again. However, the green sword was like a shadow following closely with murderous intentions. No matter which direction he turned to, the sword would not be far behind.

The young police officer tried to use his own power of Eradication to cleanse away the intruder in his body.

‘This is the Glory of the Stars.’ Kohen sighed. ‘That which was supposed to showcase the power of Eradication in battle is currently being applied to me.’

At the next moment, the police officer’s silver-white sword flashed out once more. This time, it headed towards the swordsman’s throat.

However, his opponent was insane and reckless. He did not look at the approaching saber at all and drove the green sword that was like a red tide towards Kohen’s heart. The crimson power of Eradication in the sword broke out and tore Kohen’s clothes at his chest.

Kohen made a great effort to maintain his attack but hopelessly saw that as the saber and sword clashed, amid the strikes of the power of Eradication, the sword and saber both went through!

‘Shit! Is this the style of the Disaster Sword? Embracing a concept of such an insane sword style, unmatched power, disregarding all costs, and with no winners. Also… a never-before-seen violent and frightening power of Eradication that could invade the body… No wonder they were expelled from the Tower!’

Kohen forced a smile as he greeted his death.

Two weapons, one green, one white. One had a red tide that was frenzied and difficult to block. The other glimmered like the light of a faint star.

The outcome of the battle was set.

Chapter 13

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Thales had never seen Jala’s knife attack a person with such wrath and momentum before. He could vaguely feel the suffocating force contained in the two Wolf Limb Blades.

Ralf gathered all his strength and used his two hidden blades to protect his stomach. He then retreated quickly.

The female bartender charged forwards even more fiercely in the blink of an eye, her twin blades slashing down like a thunderbolt.

The two moved in synchronicity as though they were dancing, but inelegantly. Images of Ralf’s knives then appeared and instantly greeted both of Jala’s blades.

*Cling! Clang!*

The sounds of battle continued.

The hidden blades stopped Jala’s twin blades countless times. Her twin blades also deflected Ralf’s hidden blades countless times. Both of them moved extremely quickly. At the street side, the shops’ signboards and shopfronts flashed by. Then, both of them seemed to stop as they concentrated on analyzing the movements of the other party.

Thales watched attentively and even forgot to breathe.

However, the offensive and defensive movements were very obvious. Jala was using her twin blades to attack the vital points while Ralf was only defending with his two hidden blades.

One attacked and one defended, it was a fight of skill and speed.

But in the next attack, the Wolf Limb Blade in Jala’s left hand suddenly burst out with a thunderous sound, creating a sudden jolt and knocking away one of Ralf’s hidden blades that was used in blocking.

Jala’s unexpected trump card maneuver surprised Ralf greatly. He made one mistake and every step thereafter became another mistake. Failing to intercept this blade caused a delay in withdrawing his other knife, his vital stomach area became exposed to Jala’s left blade.

*Slash!*

The Wolf Limb Blade cut into his clothes and his chest.

At the moment of life and death, Ralf did not hesitate to use his Psionic skill.

The name ‘Phantom Wind Follower’ was not an undeserved reputation. The man tucked his lips and the tattoo on his face emitted a white light. With a sudden burst, a violent whirlwind appeared between the two, causing both Jala and himself to move towards different directions.

Ralf stomped his foot and, with unexpected deftness, used the force of the fierce gale to jump up into the air, leaving behind only bloodstained traces.

The female bartender was forced to stop her pace. She withdrew her arms and adjusted herself to adapt to the sudden wind. The thunderous roar of her twin blades had also been cut off.

From a distance, Thales could not feel the gust of wind, but this did not affect his judgment—both of them were simultaneously affected by the wind. Ralf was thrown back while Jala was stopped.

The wind did not stop. Instead, it continued to grow larger. Ralf was like a kite floating in midair. His shining tattoos became even more dazzling. The female bartender had no choice but to bend her knee to resist the increasing wind. At the same time, she took the opportunity to recover her body strength.

Ralf was no longer smiling mischievously. The pain in his chest terrified him. ‘This little girl is a big problem and her strength is probably no lesser than the Thirteen Generals of the Brotherhood.’

Recalling the action of the twin blades, the Phantom Wind Follower decided that he cannot allow her any opportunity to use her twin blades and turn the tables. Fortunately for him, she had expended a lot of energy during that offensive.

The Phantom Wind Follower’s face turned cold. He took out the hidden blades with both hands.

The wind rose.

Under the cover of the wind, Ralf demonstrated once more his phantom-like form. The next moment, Ralf had appeared above Jala’s head.

Jala gritted her teeth and immediately swung her knife upwards.

*Clang!*

However, Ralf retreated after a single blow. His figure was like the wind and had disappeared far away. It gave Jala no chance to counterattack, nor the opportunity to take the offensive.

*Cling!*

Ralf’s hidden blades emerged once again, this time from at Jala’s lower left side. He attacked and missed, immediately retreating once more.

“As long as your sudden and continuous attacks are interrupted, the famous assassination style of the Charleton Family would no longer work.” Ralf’s voice came again from the wind.

Jala struggled to defend against her opponent’s guerrilla tactics. Because of the wind assaulting her, she also had to use a lot of energy to maintain her movements. At the same time, she must predict where Ralf was going to attack next.

Thales watched nervously. ‘What do I do?’

Ralf’s gentle voice came from all directions again.

“Tell me. Why is the Charleton family hiding together with the Brotherhood? Maybe we can sit down and talk about it.”

Jala’s expression turned solemn. She unexpectedly closed her eyes and seemed to have made a decision.

Jala reversed her grip on the twin blades and fiercely inserted them into the earth at her feet. Ralf’s hidden blades once again appeared over her head.

But this time, Jala spun around on the spot. The knives that were stuck to the ground suddenly turned, in tandem with her arms!

*Boom!*

There was a thunderous sound. The rocks from the ground were sent flying several meters up. The flying rocks obstructed Ralf’s line of vision. The blades flashed faintly among the rocks!

Ralf roared as he retreated. The tattoo on his face glowed even brighter. The wind in the sky suddenly sped up. It whirled with a terrifying force, scraping the earth and scattering it everywhere. In the fierce gale, the rocks flew everywhere.

At that moment, an entranced Thales exposed half his head from his hiding place as he watched the battle. He suddenly heard a hoarse voice that was hard to identify.

“Lower your head.”

Thales instinctively lowered his head without any time to daydream.

*Whoosh!*

A rock from the battle flew over Thales’ head, a few of them crashing into the side entrance of a store behind Thales. The wooden door that was hit caved in.

Thales looked behind and patted his chest in cold sweat. ‘If I had not lowered my head…’

Before he could react, a slim but valiant figure appeared beside his hiding place.

“Leave quickly.”

Thales was dumbfounded.

In front of him, Jala was not doing well. At that moment, the once valiant female bartender looked tired. She was gasping for breath and her left arm was trembling.

“He has found my weakness, and as I am unable to continuously attack him, I cannot defeat him.” The female bartender placed her hand on Thales’ shoulder and gave an embarrassed smile. “If things keep going this way you will be discovered eventually. I will lead him away. After that, you must leave alone.

“Go down the left alley. Cover your breath with the black cloth. If you hear any sound, turn around immediately and use a different route. The Brotherhood did not attack very far inside. As long as you cross the center of the Red Street Market, there should be fewer people.

“Brat, even though you’re alone, you must survive!”

Thales stared dumbfoundedly at the female bartender who suddenly bid her farewell. That was until her figure darted back towards the center of the gale wind outside the streets.

Thales subconsciously stretched out his hand to grab her back.

‘Jala.’

The boy listened to the sound of fighting that once again echoed in the distance. He then remembered a scene. It was at night behind the Sunset Pub’s kitchen, and there was dog meat in front of him.

“Eat a little slower, brat! This dog is something I caught. So what if I’m a bartender? I am Jala Cha… I am Jala. I am a well-trained bartender. You can’t take this dog thigh! You won’t be able to bite it.”

‘Goodbye, Sister Jala. Goodbye, JC.’

Thales resolutely turned around and proceeded towards the depths of the Red Street Market, ‘I must live. I owe this to Jala.’

The sound of battle behind him traveled further and further away.

…..

On a messy battlefield.

Kohen leaned against his sword. Holding onto the wall with his left hand, he knelt down and coughed harshly. The police officer’s chest was bleeding.

His left chest had been skewered. His lungs were injured and his heart was almost affected. Besides that, his opponent’s violent power of Eradication was still fluctuating in his wounds.

Even Kohen’s prided power of Eradication, ‘Glory of the Stars’, could not withstand it.

But the enemy… Kohen raised his head to look at the stoic-looking, red-and-black swordsman.

The man’s left pauldron was pierced by Kohen’s ‘blind’ thrust. The shoulder was bleeding, there was a gash on both his left chin and his neck. However, his situation was far better compared to Kohen’s.

At the moment their swords were about to pierce one another, the two men displayed completely different fighting achievements.

Kohen executed a part of the Glory of Stars and condensed that part of the power into a Star Shield to protect his heart. The shield deviated the attack that was aimed at his vitals, and then, Kohen thrust forward with all his might with the saber in hand.

As for the red-black swordsman, he ignored the silvery white saber aimed at his throat. Instead, when the saber was about to hit, he became calmer and his attacks became faster. His sword quickly reached Kohen and pierced his chest. He then took advantage of the moment when Kohen’s saber trembled to lower his head and avoid the attack to his throat, leaving behind only gashes on his neck and chin. He further endured Kohen’s strike at his pauldron to push his sword in deeper.

The relative superiority was evident.

“You are a great swordsman,” The red-black swordsman said suddenly. “Confronting such a move, most people would attempt to dodge before fighting back, but you were determined to pierce through it. The army must have taught you how to condense and form that shield, right?”

Kohen ferociously coughed up blood and laughed. “A veteran of the army told me that on the battlefield, one must have a life-saving skill. That way, a person would live longer than his enemies and have fewer injuries than them.”

The red-black swordsman was silent for a while before chuckling. “He has surely never been a suicide squad member.”

Kohen gasped and his brow wrinkled. “At the Western battlefield, the Barren Bone and Orc assault team suicide squads, have you done that before?”

The red-black swordsman nodded. “Three times.”

“Which squad?” Kohen licked the blood in his mouth and lifted his head.

“The Skull Guards. Seventeenth Suicide Squad.”

“Fakenhaz’s suicide squad, three times?” Kohen gave a knowing smile. “Looks like you have offended an important person.”

“What about you, police officer?” The red-black swordsman quietly asked.

“Crow Guards. Second Shock Brigade.”

“Thunderbolt Crow of the Second Shock Brigade?” The swordsman frowned. “Hmph. I had thought that ‘Karabeyan’ sounded familiar. Looks like it was a nobleman.”

Kohen spat blood out and laughed bitterly. “In fact, I always wanted to ask—Was the Chaca wine given before charging delicious? My father never allowed me to drink it.”

“It is difficult to get to drink it. Damned quartermaster even wanted to embezzle money from the wine of dead people,” the swordsman coldly replied.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

The conversation between the two suddenly stopped.

The red-black swordsman’s ruthlessness and rage had died away. Kohen’s helplessness and gasps had also diminished.

“Groudon Raymer of the Seventeenth Suicide Squad in the Skull Guards. Shield Saber troops.” The red-black swordsman, Groudon, said in a cold voice, “That is my name. It is an honor to fight you, Your Excellency, police officer.”

“Kohen Karabeyan of the Second Shock Brigade in the Crow Guards. Combat Captain.” Kohen gave a sad smile. “The honor is mine. Err, Your Excellency, gang hooligan?”

Kohen stopped smiling in the next second. They both looked at each other seriously. On Kohen’s saber, the Glory of the Stars flickered.

Violent energy surged through Groudon’s right arm, such that the blood vessels seemed to stand out. The sword strike that determined life and death—that is the moment of the Swordsman of Eradication.

It was an honor, sacred and cannot be blasphemed. But at the next moment, both their expressions changed!

They suddenly heard the howling of a gale-force wind from next door. A slim and heroic figure wielding twin blades fell from the air and landed on the street.

‘This distance should be enough.’ The female bartender gasped for breath and saw the two figures, one standing, and one kneeling.

She then saw Kohen’s apparel.

‘I hope the brat can… Eh? The kingdom’s police? This is a war between the underworld gangs. Why is this cop here?’

Kohen and Groudon also stared at her in surprise.

‘Another gang member?’ Kohen thought. ‘I hope she is not from the Blood Bottle Gang.’

‘This woman. I did not hear about her from His Excellency.’ Groudon thought to himself. ‘Is she a chess piece from outside?

“You cannot run anymore, bartender girl!” The wind howled, accompanied by a hoarse, effeminate voice. Ralf appeared at a corner and also saw the two swordsmen.

“Groudon? Shouldn’t you be guarding by His Excellency’s side?” Ralf looked at the swordsman and frowned. “Why are you here with this… cop?”

‘Good.’ Kohen thought. ‘They are partners. So…’

The police turned towards the bartender. ‘Since this woman is my opponent’s enemy, she shouldn’t be part of the Blood Bottle Gang.’

“Focus on cleaning up your rat,” Groudon the red-black swordsman did not seem to want to talk to Ralf. “I will take care of my task.”

After speaking, Groudon lifted his saber grimly at Kohen, the officer also stood up slowly. He gritted his teeth and held his silver saber horizontally at his chest.

Ralf curled his lips. The wind kept rumbling by his side.

Jala took a deep breath and knelt down to adjust her angle.

All four of them understood the situation. There were two from Blood Bottle Gang, one from the Brotherhood, and one a police officer.

The next moment, all four of them moved!

Groudon’s saber flashed red and mercilessly pursued Kohen’s heart!

Kohen’s face turned white as he confronted Groudon. Drawing his saber he made a specialized defensive move.

Ralf’s figure disappeared again but the wind charged towards Jala.

Jala’s body rose suddenly, her twin blades seemed to slash the air as she advanced, but she unexpectedly charged towards…

Kohen!

…..

Thales carefully covered his breath with the black cloth as he ran away. He had already bypassed the deathmatch between the two groups of elite thugs.

Among the crowd was a two-meters-tall figure that stood out. He possessed a powerful, striking force that sent the Blood Bottle Gang members in red bandanas flying wherever he went.

‘This person must be a master from the Brotherhood. He is either one of the thirteen Generals or one of the six Powerhouses. Either way, he could not be one of the three legendary Assassins.’

Thales just quietly bypassed them. This was not his war. He wanted to run away, not just for himself, but also for Jala and the beggars of the Sixth House.

Thales turned a corner and crashed right into an invisible air barrier. At that time, he still did not know that this was a master’s famous Air Wall.

In a bad mood, he hit the barrier once. ‘Damned Mystic. Now I need to make another detour. I hope I don’t meet anyone.’

Thales then remembered that a voice had told him to lower his head. At first, he had thought that the person was Jala. After all, she had immediately appeared in front of him then. But later, he realized that this voice could not belong to Jala. It was a hoarse voice that was difficult to differentiate. Jala, Ralf, and himself were not the only ones there; there was a fourth person.

Thales’ scalp tightened. He suddenly thought, ‘If the voice that suddenly appeared belonged to a fourth person, why did Jala and Ralf not notice it? Jala had obviously stood in front of me after that rock shot behind me.’

Thales had concluded without a doubt that this person’s strength was more frightening than Jala and Ralf’s.

‘If he is not hostile, why did he not come out and help?’

*Bump!* Thales ran into another invisible barrier.

He patted his head in annoyance.

There are more and more of these tricks. Don’t you need money to run these?

Thales turned towards another direction and ran.

*Bump!*

There was another barrier. This time, Thales did not manage to stop himself and fell to the ground. The left side of his forehead knocked on the corner of a house.

Thales grimaced and rubbed his head. He lifted his bleeding head and looked ahead.

‘Something is wrong.’

He was at the intersection. The surroundings were dark but according to his memory, he should be near the center of the Red Street Market. Even the sounds of slaughter were getting further away. Thales then turned towards the other three directions. He moved his foot forward lightly and stretched out his hands. He then felt the barriers at two nearby areas.

‘Three roads were sealed?’ Thales was startled. ‘It’s starting to become dark and mysterious, like a horror movie.’

Thales was silent for a moment. He then turned towards the only direction that did not have any barriers. He silently extended his hand and, sure enough, walked on continuously, unhindered for more than ten meters.

‘It is like an exit that was deliberately left here.’ Thales’ heart sank more and more, ‘Unexpectedly, I ended up coming here. Sigh… Fate is truly a bitch. ‘

Thales suddenly dropped his right hand that was covering his forehead, letting his blood drip continuously on the ground.

The boy resolutely walked another dozen steps along the open street until he was near a building. At the center of the building was an ajar, large wooden door.

Thales looked up at the huge sign on the door. The barely literate boy could just make out the words. It was something he learned when he went begging at the Black Gold Casino.

That word was ‘Chess’.

Thales turned around and looked at the other three blocked roads. He then remembered the bleeding and pain in his head.

‘Nowhere else to go’

“This invitation is really crude,” Thales muttered.

However, he sighed and stopped hesitating. He pushed open the half-opened door and walked into the chess room in the center of the Red Street Market.

It was pitch dark inside. There was only a bit of light in the distance from something that resembled an old-fashioned candle.

‘They really know how to set the atmosphere.’

“Welcome to my amusement park, my little friend.”

While walking past the chess tables (and bumping into a lot of them), Thales heard a delighted and relaxed voice.

“My name is Asda Sakern. My colleagues are accustomed to calling me, the Air Mystic.”

A very long time passed.

Thales exhausted two lives worth of strength to calm himself down.

There was only a single candle light flickering faintly in the darkness ahead. It was the entrance to the cellar of the chess room.

Thales inhaled deeply and descended into the cellar. He then held his breath and suppressed his heart that was beating wildly.

In front was a charming man with long, dark brown hair and blue clothes. The man was seated at a long table. He smiled and nodded at Thales.

“As for the issue of the invitation, I will pay more attention to it the next time.”

…..

At the inner altar of Sunset Temple.

A gray-haired, and middle-aged noble could not suppress the excitement in his heart. In front of him, the flame from the small Lamp carrying the future of the kingdom grew bigger and bigger. The red color of the flame became brighter and brighter.

He lifted the Lamp and strode out of the inner altar of the temple.

Behind him, an elder priest was alarmed. He stretched out his hand, wanting to obstruct the way, but suddenly thought of something and stopped his hand.

The priest breathed a sigh of relief. He watched the figure of the noble walk further away and slowly sat down.

After a long while, the elderly priest called out to the trainee Niah.

“Prepare yourself. From tomorrow onwards, open up the inner altar.”

Chapter 14

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Even in Asda Sakern’s very long life, his first impression of the boy was very interesting and ridiculous.

The black-haired boy seemed to be in a sorry situation under the dim candlelight. Blood dripped from his forehead, his young face was covered in patches of blue and purple, his neck was red with strangulation marks. The boy trembled slightly. He wore tattered clothes made from hemp and a dagger was rigidly tied to the legs.

After hearing Asda’s identity, the boy seemed to be at a loss. The boy’s hand was on his chest and he was slightly nervous. He seemed to vaguely understand the meaning of the word ‘Mystic’. The pressure in different parts of his body changed suddenly, such that even his breath was mistier.

‘However, his eyes are out of the ordinary. Yes. His queer eyes are not filled with panic and vigilance. Instead, they seem to be filled with… curiosity and excitement?’

What Thales thought in his mind at the time surprised even himself.

After being surprised upon hearing that the man was a Mystic, he suddenly felt the impulse to ask what was a Mystic.

‘Do I have an occupational disease?’

It was at this moment when Thales saw something at the corner of his eyes. At a dark corner were three odd spheres placed on the ground. Each sphere was as large as a person, but when Thales faintly made out the hands and feet on the sphere, he suddenly turned pale.

“I believe you have already met Talon and Moria of the Brotherhood.” The Mystic Asda noticed his gaze and answered with a grin, “They were very ambitious. They went straight to the Red Street Market from the start.

“Apologies, I am not accustomed to the choking or crushing style like Morris; I prefer simpler methods.”

‘Molding a person into a spherical shape is simpler?’ Thales heart sank as he silently criticized.

“Come, child,” Asda said with a laugh. His voice was pleasant, graceful and courteous even. “Come here and look at my chessboard.”

Thales gulped a mouthful of saliva and turned around. Chasing the image of the human flesh-spheres out of his head, he then quickly analyzed his situation. After that, Thales saw that Asda’s left hand had a blue energy sphere that looked like it was a 3D projection. (He knew it was not.) He decisively eliminated the idea of putting a dagger through the man’s neck.

Thales calmly took three breaths—according to the method used in his past life for viva examinations—before walking up slowly.

‘If it is a blessing, it is not a curse. If it is a curse, it is unavoidable.’

Asda gave a ghost of a smile towards the boy, whose movements were like an adult, as he waited for the boy to get nearer to the chessboard. Just as he was about to open his mouth he was surprised to see the boy pull out a chair and take a seat. He then frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with the view. He finally got down from the chair and pushed it closer towards Asda before climbing back up to sit.

“Urgh, my legs are sore.” Thales laughed awkwardly at Asda. He accidentally tore open the wound on his forehead and gave a harsh cry from the pain.

“That is my oversight.”

Asda turned around with great interest and tapped his right hand lightly. Something seemingly pressed down on the wound on Thales’ forehead and the blood stopped flowing out.

“This is… Did you raise and regulate the air pressure?” Thales touched his forehead in surprise and found an invisible film isolating his hand from the wound.

Asda stopped smiling and nodded quietly.

“That’s right. Did your teacher teach you Physics?”

“Err… No.” Thales let go of his hands embarrassingly. It seemed Asda had regarded him as a noble or a boy from a rich family.

Asda nodded and then turned to the chessboard on the table. “Can you recognize this?”

Thales looked carefully at the map on the table. “A board game with the Red Street Market as the map… No, this is the map of the current battle outside! The red pieces are the Blood Bottle Gang, the black pieces are the Brotherhood!” Thales answered suddenly.

“Of course.” Asda expressionlessly stretched out his right hand. Two black pieces and a crystal piece flew from afar and he caught them with his hand.

“This should have been a perfect trap. In a short while, I would have Morris and Cenza die here. However, things always have a way of fouling up, don’t they?”

The three chess pieces flew around Thales’ head like birds.

‘Just treat it like a magic trick.’ Thales forced himself to stay calm as he watched Asda’s performance.

“Firstly, the men in my team are all useless. Obviously, they should have attacked Morris and Cenza at the first instance and kill them at all costs. Instead, they timidly went around the enemy and used guerrilla tactics to whittle them down. It’s a typical case of bullying the weak and avoiding the strong.

“Secondly, I am not sure if it was reinforcements from the Brotherhood, but in short, the entrance of an unexpected piece had disrupted my deployment.”

As Asda narrated emotionlessly, one of the pieces above Thales’ head fell onto the board.

“This is the one that followed you. Your comrade that came from the Lower City District had frightening speed and defeated Dorno and Sven in one face-off. Ralf is still chasing behind her right now. Even Rumeno, the Psionic with tracking abilities, could not find a trace of him in the dust. I can only say that it is gratifying for the Brotherhood to have such a master among the younger generation.”

The black swordsman piece landed on the map, standing together with a red swordsman, one in the front and one at the back. Further away was a red prime minister.

Thales knew he was talking about Jala and felt uneasy. But he hoped from the bottom of his heart that she was safe, especially when there was still a red prime minister in the distance.

“The breach is fatal and there were a lot of pieces that escaped. All of them were just underlings, but…” Asda sighed. “Through them, the Black Street Brotherhood’s headquarters found out about the situation here an hour earlier than I expected. I can feel that Lance and his subordinates have already taken control of the entrance.

“The rat trap is broken.”

He lowered his head, looking regretful and sorrowful. At that moment, Thales almost thought that the person in front of him was a compassionate temple priest.

But, Asda immediately raised his head. The sad expression on his face vanished without a trace. He gently waved his fingers and two other pieces that were suspended in the air began to spin around again.

“This one came from the other direction. It is not known which side he is on. He killed the Leighton siblings faster than it would take to slaughter two pigs. This guy cannot be stopped by anyone nearby. I could only send out Groudon who had been by my side. Now, I do not have anyone here that I can speak to.”

Asda seemed dissatisfied and dropped the crystal knight from the air, placing it together with a red guard.

“This piece is probably from a different faction. If it does not belong to a noble, it would be from the government. This was also unforeseen.”

Thales swallowed his saliva again.

“The last one would be you. As nobody was available, I had to personally invite you.” Asda turned his head, his eyes sharpened.

The last, small, black piece fell from the sky and landed in the center of the map, beside a red King. Thales became extremely nervous.

“Tell me. Where are you from?” Asda leaned back. His expression was difficult to discern. “Why did the people of the Brotherhood send you to the center of Red Street Market? Are you a frightening weapon sent here to assassinate me? Perhaps you have important information or a parcel to exchange with another chess piece?

“I hope you can give me a friendly reply voluntarily instead of shouting ‘Go to hell, Mystic’ and then rushing forward. To be honest, that is just suicide.”

Asda quietly looked at him, his eyes sincere. His eyes were unlike Rick’s which were full of ulterior motives. The sincerity in Asda’s eyes was emotionless as though he did not care about the answer to his question.

At that moment, Thales thought that the man in front of him was not human.

‘Stay calm, Thales, stay calm.’

The boy reminded himself, trying to recall his viva presentation and seminar speeches—how to introduce the audience to an unknown domain based on their current understanding.

‘I’m supposed to be good at this right?’

Thales took a deep breath. “Mister Asda Sakern, are you saying that by sitting here, you would be able to know what is going on in the entire Red Street Market?” Thales first needed to gather intelligence.

“Not exactly,” Asda replied indifferently. “I will know even the slightest change of the air in the whole street. From the change in air pressure in the body to the flow of air outside the body. In other words, anything that breathes in the Red Street Market is being monitored by me.”

‘This is his ability. Is it a Psionic skill? Is this why he was called the Air Mystic?’ Thales secretly thought to himself, ‘No wonder the Brotherhood was so badly beaten.’

“Then you should know…” Thales began to comb through his own words and logic to look for a life-preserving opportunity in the exchange of words. “Along the way, my companion and I cautiously tried to avoid confrontation. We only fought when there was no choice, regardless of whether they were from the Blood Bottle Gang or the Brotherhood. I believe this can prove that we are not from the Brotherhood. At the very least, we did not come here for the Brotherhood but had entered the battlefield inadvertently. We have no intention of opposing you.”

“It makes sense.” Asda nodded, still devoid of emotion. However, his tone did not soften. “But you still took my pawns. I don’t care about their lives, but I care that my plans and objectives are being interrupted—it does not matter whether it was intentional or not. Even the most corrupt judge would not turn a blind eye to manslaughter, would he? And you have not answered my question: Who are you and why are you so important?”

Hearing this Thales quickly revised his message. “I am an enemy of the Brotherhood!”

These words made Asda raised his head slightly.

Thales had realized the raison d’etre and decided to reveal part of the truth, “I am just an ordinary beggar who fled after offending a high-ranking person of the Brotherhood. Because the Brotherhood’s eyes and ears are all over the Lower City District, my only chance was the adjacent Red Street Market belonging to the Blood Bottle Gang. However, my companion and I did not expect the gang war to take place tonight and so, inadvertently…

“I apologize for our recklessness. I can issue… I mean, I can provide you compensation once I am able to. I believe my future value will definitely be worth your while in giving me a chance.

“I am already destined to become an enemy of the Brotherhood. Even if I am small and weak, the enemy of an enemy is a friend. I believe the Blood Bottle Gang does not need to help the Brotherhood eliminate a potential enemy, do they?”

Asda narrowed his eyes. ‘Truly an eloquent child.’

“That is all?”

“That is all.”

Asda remained silent for a long time. There was an unexpected, indistinct smile on his face.

“There is no huge change of air pressure in the body. Although the breathing feels nervous, it was also smooth. Sigh. Although you did not say everything, you also did not lie.”

The Mystic gave a wry smile and shook his head. He then sincerely said, “So, your presence and the disruption of the chess game—it is all just a coincidence. In fact, I do not care about those pieces you took. After all, those are just small pieces. The so-called Strongest Twelve, thirteen Generals, Psionic Warriors, six Powerhouses. Apart from Cenza, these people are all merely ordinary class and supra class.

“Even the Blood Bottle Gang is nothing but a relatively large chess piece. Even when you disrupted my plan and dismantled my trap, I didn’t care too much about it.” Asda wore a wry smile and looked at Thales.

“But unexpectedly, my plan was destroyed by accidents and coincidences. This frustrates me. Accidents, accidents. Haha. I am starting to understand Empress Hellen’s source of strength.”

‘What a strange and abnormal person.’ Thales’ nervousness lessened as he observed the Air Mystic.

“The world is truly marvelous.” Asda suddenly burst into laughter. “Child. Did you know that Mystics are born from accidents?”

Thales’ heart began to beat faster. He felt an inexplicable danger from the Mystic who had a strange expression.

“A long time ago, there was only magic and no mystic energy.” Asda showed a complicated, yearnful expression. “Wizards pursued the truths of the world. They used all kinds of ingenious methods and wisdom to take advantage of the natural resources and energies in the world, to create an even more beautiful world.

“That was until one day, a low-ranked wizard apprentice accidentally discovered that his magic was not stable. It was as though the magic had a life of its own and rebelled against its master.”

The next moment, Thales’ whole body quivered. He felt a huge and strong force surge from below into his body.

The boy was shocked to find himself floating up. The flustered boy reached for the table edge in panic, but he found himself floating higher and higher. His arm could no longer reach the table.

He quickly looked towards Asda and realized in horror that the Mystic had an expression filled with agony and mania.

“Yes. Everything began like this! A wizard apprentice accidentally lost control!” Asda nervously said to himself as he gently picked up the black piece that had just fallen on the map.

Thales watched the pawn get taken away and his heart sank. He already knew what the Mystic wanted to do.

“From instability to complete loss of control, and thence until domination. The world you are familiar with begins to collapse, fear and panic strike. Nobody can save you except yourself.”

Thales painfully discovered that the flow of air around his body started to accelerate; the atmospheric pressure began to change.

“Nobody knew what he discovered. But when he came back to the world, people found out that he was no longer a wizard, he was no longer human, he was no longer an ordinary man.”

As the atmospheric pressure and the temperature rose, the terrified Thales felt the air become stuffy and he began to sweat profusely.

“It was just a one-time loss of control. He unintentionally killed the two Gods. It was just like how one trampled on two ants accidentally.”

Asda’s words were extremely grim. He slowly turned and his lips curved upwards.

‘This crazy man!’ Thales stopped clenching his teeth and wanted to speak but found that his voice would not pass his throat.

“That was the first Mystic. He was also the most powerful Mystic throughout history. The wizards were horrified to find that their incantations, spells, and research were like a child’s trickery! The Gods were bewildered to find that even those with supernatural powers and divinity collapsed on the first blow. How ridiculous!

“The colorful era of the naïve and ignorant wizards has ended. The nascent Mystic, with a foothold beyond space, surpassed all the Gods, and prevailed over all living things.”

In the heat, Thales began to feel himself getting crushed from all directions. He felt his limbs pressed into his body. His body slowly shrunk into a ball as he floated in the air. It was truly horrifying. It was like being squeezed into a washing machine in his previous life!

“Fear. Humans definitely have fear! Unfettered power that only a small number of people can enjoy. How could they not fear it?”

In the air, Thales felt his whole body begin to lose his strength. He also could not help but notice that Asda had placed himself outside of mankind.

“And so, the war began.” Asda gently stood up, the energy sphere in his left hand continued to spin, “Perhaps it was a because of chance…

“…that we lost.”

“I could only hide in this lawless place, running the stupid Blood Bottle Gang, waiting for that remote and slim hope. Each step and each breath must be taken with the utmost care.”

Asda lowered his head in desolation. Without looking, he raised his right hand at Thales who still hung in midair. He then grasped firmly.

*Boom!*

The joints in Thales’ body began to make loud, popping noises. His eardrums felt like they were being crushed. The blood in his body surged.

‘Is this what it means to “kill someone while chatting with him”?’ Thales thought hopelessly. His brain was no longer clear.

‘Is it like pinching an ant to death?’

The forehead-wound that had been healed by Asda gushed once more with red blood…

‘Is this a Mystic? It feels no different from psionic abilities.’

As Thales neared Death’s door, he caught Asda’s left hand in the corner of his eye. A blue ball of light constantly whirled between the man’s fingers. It was as though it was churning an infinite storm.

Thales’ chest, scalded by the silver coin, suddenly started to burn with pain. The muscles all over his body were burning up.

It was getting hotter, burning more and more.

“So, the Mystics who still possessed mystic energy had to stay in hiding, to struggle like rats in the sewers.” Asda could not help but frown as he said the last sentence. His last words should have been accompanied by the death of the subject.

‘Did my control decline?’ The Mystic did not think much about it. He was indifferent as he tightened his grip again.

However, at that moment, in the midst of the burning illusion, Thales felt a little happy. The pain from being crushed by the atmospheric pressure seemed to have decreased. He found himself able to speak again. With effort, he opened his mouth and looked at the energy sphere in Asda’s hand.

‘I hate people who hold a ball and pretend to be all bad*ss.’

“Damn you, Mystic energy!” Thales heard himself say, and then heat radiated from his body.

Asda looked surprised. The dark chess room was suddenly basked in a red light from an unknown source. Asda looked around in shock and immediately found the source of the red light. He looked down at his left hand and saw a trace of radiant red light appear inside his blue energy sphere.

A trace.

A dot.

A line.

A section.

The red light spread out slowly until it corroded the entire energy sphere.

“No! This is… This is…” Asda muttered as though he had just seen an inconceivably beautiful scenery.

The translucent blue energy sphere in Asda’s hand suddenly stopped spinning. The energy sphere then turned red and then disappeared from his left hand. The Air Mystic suddenly raised his head to look at Thales who was in the air.

In Thales’ right hand was a red energy sphere that floated quietly. Asda’s eyes then looked excited. “You are—”

*Boom!*

Before the Mystic could finish speaking to Thales, the world seemed to shatter.

The energy sphere suddenly exploded! An invisible energy flashed from inside and transformed into a tremendous and magnificent power.

If the cellar of the chess room was like a balloon, then the balloon had just been blasted into pieces! Doors and windows, glass, chessboards, candles and everything… blown away and smashed up.

The beams and pillars of the house suddenly exploded.

*Boom!*

Asda was hit by a huge force that was like a heavy hammer. He flew back and crashed into the wall.

Thales was also knocked back by the force, causing him to crash heavily into the ceiling. But the ceiling and the walls also exploded. The shackle that seemed to curb his strength had vanished, along with his consciousness.

…..

On the streets.

*Boom!*

Morris had just dropped two Blood Bottle Gang men who were suffocated by his psionic power. He was surprised to hear the explosion.

‘The extent of this explosion… it is at least a battle of ‘supreme class.’ Is it Cenza? Did Cenza meet the Air Mystic?

‘No… No! Then Cenza must be dead.’ Morris thought bitterly. The elites around Morris were also surprised.

“Boss!” The Assassin Layork was covered in blood. He quickly rushed over from afar. His expression showed mixed feelings. He was out of breath as he spoke.

“The air wall… The air wall has disappeared!”

Chapter 15

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Groudon and Jala shot towards Kohen at top speed.

If Kohen was a point, then he would be the point that would form a right angle based on the direction where Jala and Groudon were charging towards him—Groudon from the north, and Jala from the east.

Groudon growled, his blood vessels bulging as he thrust his red sword towards Kohen, not resting until his sword draws the blood of his enemy.

At the start, Kohen was stunned for a moment. However, Jala lightly pointed at his left shoulder and then pointed at his right shoulder. Kohen was already preparing to draw his sword to strike Groudon, but he saw the look behind her goggles.

The police officer immediately understood Jala’s intentions. Looking at his heavy injuries, he did not think too much. He knew that he would not be able to stop Groudon’s sword and so, he would stop defending altogether.

Kohen then thought to himself, ‘Girl, don’t let me down.’

Kohen’s expression was clear as he ignored the sword approaching him. He gave up his defensive style, passed the saber over to his left hand and resolutely held it in a reverse grip. He concentrated as he waited for the woman’s arrival.

Sure enough, in the next moment, Jala threw the Wolf Limb Blade from her right hand at the aggressive Groudon! The flying Wolf Limb Blade shot straight towards the red-black swordsman’s abdomen from the left.

With her right hand free, she rushed towards Kohen without slowing down.

In the next moment, Groudon’s sword tip reached Kohen’s chest area and the green longsword pierced into Kohen’s abdomen! However, Jala’s flying Wolf Limb Blade streaked across the air and slashed the left side of Groudon’s chest.

Groudon roared. Kohen groaned in pain. Thanks to the interference from the Wolf Limb Blade, Groudon’s thrust shifted a little to the side and missed the man’s vitals.

The Glory of the Stars in his body to surged up swiftly in Kohen’s body and accumulated around the flesh near the injury. Looking at the fierce eyes of the red-black swordsman, he then turned to look at the woman to his right while tenaciously enduring the pain.

He decided to believe in her. ‘But what about her? Would she believe in me?’

Groudon snorted coldly and pulled out his sword, he then headed towards the approaching Jala.

In front of him, the police officer endured the pain in his chest and abdomen. The Glory of the Stars glimmered, and the saber in his left hand fell with a loud crash, stabbing into the ground below. It looked like the final struggles of a heavily injured swordsman.

Groudon seemed indifferent. An entirely different power of Eradication compared to Kohen’s Glory of the Stars surged through his body. He readied his stance. With one move, he would be able to strike the young girl between her eyebrows.

‘You cannot save him. As a result of your reckless actions, both of you will die together.’

However, Jala simply glanced at Groudon and she moved past Kohen, even bypassing Groudon to get behind Kohen!

Groudon was stunned for a moment. ‘She did not want to save him?’

Jala did not choose to take advantage of this moment to attack Groudon by surprise; she knew that Groudon was already prepared to counterattack. Behind her, Ralf rapidly approached together with the wind. The woman knew that there was only one chance.

She then calmly extended her right hand—her survival would be in Kohen’s hands. The police officer gritted his teeth.

Suddenly, he swung his right hand that was infused with the Glory of the Stars fiercely behind him.

‘Now!’

He then saw Jala, who had just passed by his right side, grab his right hand in midair, like passing a baton in a relay race.

“AH!” Kohen roared. The remaining Glory of the Stars all over his body converged into blue glowing spots and gathered in his right arm. With that arm, he yanked Jala back!

The police officer’s left hand held on to the saber stuck in the ground—it served as a pivot point. An unpleasant sound of friction could be heard from the tremendous momentum.

At the next moment, following the police using the saber as his support and pulling her back, the graceful Jala became like a flail. She swung in a semicircle in midair and due to Kohen’s swing, landed on Groudon’s other side. She had changed positions in an instant!

Jala held Kohen’s hand as she would to her lover. Her Wolf Limb Blade in her left hand was held high above, with the blade pointed downwards, and the cold blade slashed downwards!

Shock appeared on Groudon’s face.

‘Her goal is… I see. She wanted to obtain the cop’s cooperation, and while coordinating their strength together, they can instantly attack the side where I am undefended.’ He pursed his lips indifferently. ‘A great plan, but in the end, she’s still just at ordinary class. She underestimated the skills of a supra class swordsman too greatly.’

The power of Eradication in his arm was swiftly activated. The green longsword began to move faster than usual as it swung to the right.

‘Before you can strike, my sword wil- Eh?’

Groudon’s expression froze momentarily. He saw Kohen grit his teeth and rush over before he used his body to block Groudon’s saber. Sparks shot up.

*Crack! Slash!*

Groudon’s shoulder bone was sliced off, and his abdomen was cut open. The Wolf Limb Blade slashed Groudon’s right shoulder and tore through the right side of his chest.

*Crack!*

Kohen’s right arm was dislocated and his right rib was lacerated. A large amount of blood from Groudon’s shoulder gushed skywards and sprayed over Jala’s face!

At this moment, Ralf’s wind reached Kohen’s side. Groudon opened his mouth and spat out blood in disbelief. Then, he laughed as though he had freed himself, and collapsed.

‘What a great attack. What great teamwork.’

Groudon gently closed his eyes. Within a short moment, the terrifying red-black swordsman was slain by the unfamiliar, yet tacit, cooperation between Jala and Kohen.

The Phantom Wind Follower saw Groudon’s fate. He could not believe that the Air Mystic’s terrifying supra-class swordsman had the upper hand at one moment, and yet was so easily slain in the next.

However, he did not have time to be shocked, because Kohen roared and stomped with his feet, then he pulled the saber out from the ground with his left hand. Kohen turned to charge at Ralf regardless of his dislocated right hand. The light from the saber flashed.

Ralf laughed softly. ‘How could you intercept the Phantom Wind Follower with this speed? Even while moving at high speeds, I can change directions at any mo- What?’

Ralf was surprised to see that Jala, who was beside Kohen, had knelt down on one knee and then crashed into Kohen’s bosom. The police officer managed to turn around with a painful groan. However, he now shot towards Ralf at more than twice the speed from before!

‘Damn! With this speed, it’s impossible for me to—’

Ralf roared and deployed his Psionic power with all his strength! As the winds whistled, Ralf fished out his hidden blades from his sleeves to forcefully block the police officer’s fatal strike.

However, Kohen’s saber seemed as though it had a life of its own—it twisted and stabbed, suppressing Ralf relentlessly.

Their blades locked. One of the signature styles of the Swordsmen of Eradication was to lock an enemy’s bladed weapon. Ralf then gave up all hope as he saw Jala, who was still with Kohen, pop her head out of his bosom with a grim look.

‘No.’

While he was struggling to break away from Kohen’s saber, the female bartender stretched out her right hand and crushed his throat with ease.

Two people and one corpse fell on the ground at the same time.

The police officer thought to himself, ‘Fortunately, this Psionic had never been on a battlefield before. If he had pushed ahead instead of trying to fall back in the beginning, we would have died.’

Kohen spat blood out in a pathetic manner. His abdomen hurt and his right arm was dislocated. As a result, he was unable to get up.

“You… Who are you?” The police officer weakly asked the girl in his arms.

Jala had exhausted all of her energy and just laid there on his broad chest. She then turned her head and wiped off the blood on her face onto his uniform. The female bartender trembled slightly but still wore a relieved smile.

“None of your business.” The young woman laughed as she replied but her eyes looked distressed.

‘Brat. You should be able to escape.’

*Boom!*

At that moment, a muffled explosion was heard in the distance.

…..

“Qiren, one needs enthusiasm when conducting research. One must not be lazy. Learning is a lifetime of interest and diligence. When you reach my age, you could find yourself alienated. You would become unsociable, indifferent, and you would have difficulty finding enthusiasm.

“You will learn that the things supporting you, in the end, are not vanity, achievements, or contentment, but the speck of pure obsession you had in the beginning.

“So, you must understand Professor Chen’s stubbornness and madness—That’s probably the only obsession he has left in his life.”

Thales shook his head. He kept another recalled piece of memory back into his head, and then pulled himself out of the rubble.

As the boy climbed out of the rubble, covered in blood, he looked up and saw Asda gazing down at him with a complicated expression.

The Air Mystic’s clothes and long hair were still pretty and pristine. It was as though he had never experienced the explosion.

‘Insane and paranoid,’ Thales criticized silently. He was extremely exhausted and unable to continue resisting, so he simply turned to lie down in the rubble. He was a little tired of the lawless world where power was respected.

“You… Mystic, do whatever you like.” Thales gasped and breathed heavily.

‘A lunatic who kills people for a wrong word—no wonder the Mystics lost the war.’

Asda silently watched Thales with a strange expression. After a while, he emitted a peculiar laugh. “Hahaha, is this also a coincidence?”

The strange Mystic gently waved his right hand and lifted Thales up into the air, but did not attempt to kill him again.

He waved again and the atmospheric pressure began to change, instantly staunching all the boy’s bleeding wounds.

Thales was helped up by the Mystic, his two feet touched the ground. However, the boy still looked at the Mystic with enmity; he no longer harbored any hope of holding any sort of rational conversation with Asda.

“Child, you had just used some kind of power to break my mystic barrier—the thing you called an ‘Air Wall’,” Asda softly said with an excited tone. “Only supreme class masters can do this, but you are only… Moreover, the power in your body could interfere and affect my mystic energy. Do you know what this means?”

“I don’t even understand what you meant by supreme class.” Thales replied weakly, “Even if I knew, I wouldn’t want to tell a madman who just tried to kill me!”

Asda stopped smiling and gave him deep look. “Child, looks like you do not know your own nature. But never mind. Everyone will experience a first in losing control over themselves, and we all start from ignorance.”

‘Who would want to… Eh?’

Thales calmed down for a moment and thought about the meaning of Asda’s words. He immediately looked up in surprise at the Mystic who had just tried to kill him.

“Experience a first in losing control over themselves?… We?”

Asda gazed at the child with the eyes of a fanatic. “Yes. We, Mystics.”

Thales began to feel fear, for some unknown reason. Looking at the Mystic’s fervent expression, he subconsciously took a step back and shook his head in terror.

However, the Mystic firmly stepped forward and spoke with a terrifying fervent, and insane tone, “Yes, child. What you said earlier is true. Your value in the future is worth my while to spare your… No, it is worthwhile for me to do my utmost to guide you! Child, what is your name?

“Ever since we were betrayed by those two bitches and lost the Battle of Eradication, our numbers have become fewer! You will become the leading member that will help us turn this situation around. They will not even realize it…” Asda held his shoulders tightly as though afraid Thales would run away the moment he let go.

“I… I don’t even know what you are…” Thales murmured and took a step back, but Asda held on to him tightly. Asda’s smiling expression was rather morbid.

He was like a person who had not smiled for many years and had forgotten how to smile. He suddenly spread his lips wide, enough to reach his cheeks.

“Today is the day your fate turns.” Asda said ecstatically, “Follow me…”

For some reason, Thales remembered the three ‘human spheres’ in the cellar. He also recalled the man trying to kill him in the basement. Seeing Asda’s morbid smile, other than panic, he had a strange feeling.

‘God.’ Thales remembered Asda’s strength and could not help but gulp, ‘Mystic… But this… is a lunatic who kills without batting an eye. Should I go with him?’

Thales opened his mouth with much difficulty. “But…”

He had finally broken away from the Brotherhood; from being a beggar, after so much hardship.

”But…”

In the next moment, as though Errol heard his voice, he no longer needed to decide.

“You can say ‘no’, but you cannot refuse. This is only the first time you lose control. Every- Urgh!” Asda, who was still chattering away nonstop, suddenly had his expression freeze.

A smooth blade of a sword suddenly stabbed through Asda’s chest. Asda lowered his head incredulously, looked at the blade sticking out of his chest, and let go of Thales.

Thales was also shocked. He took a few steps back, tripped on a plank of wood, and then fell to the ground. However, Thales did not see any fear, alarm, or bewildered emotions in the Mystic’s eyes. It was as though the man had not been stabbed but bitten by a mosquito, and with an astounded expression, had asked, ‘Why are there mosquitoes?’.

He looked as though he did not even feel the pain.

‘It obviously pierced his heart,’ Thales thought in horror.

Asda stared at the blade strangely.

“Impossible.” Asda frowned. He looked up and thought carefully before he spoke to the person behind him, “Even if you are a supreme class elite, it is impossible not to breathe; it is impossible not to move the air as you move; it is impossible for there to be no pressure in your body. As long as there is breathing, air flow, or pressure change, it is impossible to escape my detection.

“How long have you been in Red Street Market? How did you hide from my mystic powers? No, you could not break through the air wall either. Otherwise, you would have made your move in this room sooner, correct? Tell me.”

There was no reply.

Asda looked belligerent as he turned around, ignoring the blade stuck in his back. He then coldly said to his attacker, “Tell me.”

This time, Thales saw the person who attacked Asda. The attacker stood quietly. He was dressed in black clothing with a hood over his head, his gloves and boots were also in black.

Stranger still was that the attacker wore a dark purple mask. The mask had two dark lenses in the position of the eyes.

The man was motionless, like a ghost. At that moment, anger passed through Asda’s thought, which was formed with mystic powers. After all, anger was a human emotion that had left him a long time ago. So the mystic power in his body surged. It quickly made him calm and rational again.

“I believe you must be very patient,” Asda softly said. “You waited for my mystic power to become unstable. You perceived the drop in power and ambushed me?

“Wonderful. You did it; you managed to ambush a Mystic.” Asda ignored the blade in his chest and stared unwaveringly at the attacker wearing the strange mask.

“So, who are you? Did you accidentally discover me when you noticed the disturbance at Red Street Market? With this sort of skill… Which family are you from?”

A barrage of questions, but the masked man still remained silent.

Asda frowned. He had asked a lot of questions, but could not feel the air pressure in the strange man’s body change. ‘Could it be that he is neither surprised nor glad, and has no reaction at all to these questions?

‘After hundreds of tests, my mystic air perception in mind reading is no longer effective? I can only use brute force.’

“Did you think this would kill me?”

Asda approached one step closer. He gently raised his left hand, his eyes expressionless. The air began to flow as his fingers moved, squeezing around the strange, masked man.

‘This cannot spread beyond Red Street Market,’ Asda thought to himself, ‘If the Kingdom’s Wrath or the Black Sword noticed this and rushed over, today’s actions would be meaningless. Using a bit of mystic power is enough, I just need to deal with this masked man.’

This time, the masked man spoke, “No, a Mystic cannot be killed.” His faint voice came through the mask.

“So you were neither dumb nor deaf.” Asda gazed at the two lenses on the mask. However, he saw nothing except complicated machinery and gears behind the lenses.

Doubts rose in his heart. “You don’t seem to be completely ignorant about us either…”

Thales almost exclaimed aloud. This was because the masked man’s voice was the same hoarse voice that had been difficult to distinguish—it was the same voice that told him to lower his head during the fight between Jala and Ralf. With this in mind, Thales’ trembling hands slowly began to calm down.

The masked man lightly stepped forward and went past Asda. It was as though the frightening air pressure could not even hinder him!

While the Air Mystic was caught off guard, the masked man stretched his hand out and pulled. The dagger disappeared from Asda’s back and appeared in his hand.

It was a shortsword with a gleaming blade and a dark-hued cross on the cross-guard.

Asda became somber. It was unusual for him to be unable to respond. He glared at the uninvited guest coldly and took the current situation into account.

‘What is he relying on? According to the intelligence updated yesterday, Judgment Spear is on the Western Frontline, the Motionless Bow is at the outskirts, and the Constellation Staff is at the Rejuvenation Palace. All that was left is the mysterious Supreme Sword and Shield. Supposedly, some say it is being kept away but others say it is at the Broken Dragon Fortress. The other anti-mystic equipment in Eternal Star City was also not enough to seal a supreme class Mystic.

‘So why is this masked man still so calm?’

Thales could barely believe what he saw. When the masked man had taken out the dagger from Asda’s back, the wound that should have been bleeding emitted a small blue light.

The light turned into his clothes, appearing like new. It was as though he had never been stabbed in the chest.

‘A Mystic.’ Thales started to believe in Asda’s insane words. ‘What kind of monster is a Mystic?’

Before Thales had time to clearly think about this, he was shrouded by a figure. The strange, masked man walked in front of Thales. Before the boy could react, he had already enclosed him in an embrace.

Thales struggled but the masked man lightly held the back of his neck. The boy felt his strength slowly disappear and became limp in his arms.

In a daze, Thales saw Asda lift both his hands up in the corner of his eyes. “Hey, be careful of his—”

The boy wanted to speak but the masked man had covered his mouth. Asda stood behind them, no longer intending to continue observing.

‘This boy is too important.’

“Since you know Mystics cannot be killed, why did you act?” Asda’s mystic energy started to move, he gathered the air within fifty meters around him. “You cannot be a True Class but you should at the very least be at the peak of Supreme Class. You even have a way of hiding from Mystics.”

With a nasty expression, Asda waved both his hands. Thales then felt the surrounding air pressure change.

The Air Mystic was about to attack.

“But no matter who you are—” Asda’s words were then interrupted by the terror in his eyes. “This! What is this?!”

Following this interruption was also a change in the surrounding air pressure. Thales looked across the shoulder of the masked man and saw that Asda looked frightened. The Mystic trembled and took a few steps back, a purple light shone from where he had been stabbed. This was the first time Thales saw alarm in the Mystic’s eyes.

The masked man lowered his head towards Thales and his hoarse voice echoed, “A Mystic cannot be killed, but they are not invincible.”

For some reason, Thales suddenly felt calm. He felt much safer with the strange person compared to the lunatic behind. The alarmed Asda looked terrified as he covered his chest. It was as though the purple light was about to explode from there.

“No. No…” He then looked back up at the masked man. Fear and hatred were evident on his face. “This is… the Sovereign State’s… legendary, anti-mystic equipment!”

The masked man reached out and covered Thales’ eyes.

“This weapon… I have never seen this before… No… No… Those two bitches…”

Thales could not hear the rest of Asda’s flustered words because as Asda gritted his teeth resentfully, he turned into hundreds of light rays, and then exploded into a burst of unlimited energy. Thales felt as though he had entered another space where all the light and sound had disappeared from his senses.

He knew he was already far away from Red Street Market, and that the night was over.

…..

When Jala awoke, she found herself being carried on solid shoulders. Both sides of the street slowly retreated. She became aware of her situation and impatiently hit the back of this familiar man.

“Hey, Edmund! Let me down! I still need to go back!”

The fat cook snorted impatiently. “Let you go back to that pretty boy? The cop? What if Big Sis knew… hehe…”

Jala’s face turned red. “That cop is not my lover!”

“I clearly saw you lying in his arms. That look of happiness…”

“Did you not pay attention to our surroundings?”

“I did! It was dark and windy, late at night, amidst the flowers in the moonlight, a rendezvous between…”

“Your main point is wrong, fatty!”

“Whether I am wrong or not, we will know in the future.”

“Sigh. I don’t want to talk nonsense with you, I still need to look for someone…”

“Everything is like this now. Don’t expect me to let you go back.”

“Damn fatty! Lousy cook! Let me down! I want to challenge you to a battle!”

“Fight with you? You are only amazing as an ordinary class. Come back to me once you reach supra class.”

“Ha… I really have someone important to find.”

“Don’t tell me it’s a cop. Even if you want to look for a prince, it is useless!”

“Damn fatty! Still harping on this issue? Sheesh! Can you just let me down? Pretty please? Uncle Edmund…”

“You’re already twenty and still acting spoiled? Do you think you are still a little girl? Don’t you feel shame?”

“Why would I? Uncle, you are already forty but don’t you also act like you’re three years old?”

“Hmph. Mentally, I am still a young man… Eh? Something is not right with that sentence.”

…..

At the same time, on the other side of the street in the distance, Kohen was awakened by a slap in the face.

While dazed, he realized that the person in front of him was his immediate superior, the police chief, Lorbec Deira. But this time, the chief looked concerned as he treated Kohen’s serious injuries. When Lorbec noticed that Kohen had regained consciousness, he said angrily, “Has the hero woken up? Did you manage to eliminate the Brotherhood and the Blood Bottle Gang after your stroll?”

“I…”

“How dare you? You openly disobeyed orders and acted on your own! Are you proud of yourself?”

“But…”

“But what? If it was not because I wanted to save your father’s reputation, I would have already shot you! Or do you think we came to look for you when we saw the sword beams?”

“Bu—”

“But what? I really have the world’s worst luck to have a subordinate like you! Do you think you are the protagonist of the Dark Night Temple’s drama? Then that girl just now must be the female lead?”

“She…”

“Do not mention that girl! If your father knew you came to the Red Street Market in the middle of the night to look for women…”

“No…”

“How can you still speak without shame? Even the hot favorite of the Laya Club, Miss Lilian, reported that you visited her in her bedroom in the middle of the night.”

“That…”

“Security Captain, Class Two police officer, openly violated orders to seek pleasure at night! You better be prepared for a suspension when you return!”

“Ha…”

At this moment, another loud noise carried from the center of the Red Street Market.

*Boom!*

The whole city heard the terrible explosion.

*Boom!*

This time, the explosion sent shockwaves reverberating into the sky. Hot dust from the explosions suddenly flew in from afar. Chief Lorbec and the dejected Kohen were astonished as they stared at the center of Red Street Market.

“This is bad.” The chief muttered, “The funds that had just been approved for construction…”

“Chief, what is with that evaluation?”

“Those who don’t manage money or family, just shut up!”

On the other side of the street, the cook Edmund and Jala, who was on his shoulders, were both shocked by the aftermath of the explosion.

“Little Jala,” Edmund muttered, “luckily we ran quickly and are far away.”

“Is that the point?’

“Didn’t Big Sister say ‘safety first’?”

“You… are really my three-year-old uncle!”

“Hey, how can you speak like that?”

…..

When Thales’ feet touched the ground again, he fell onto the floor and coughed. All his wounds began to feel painful at that moment. The strange, masked man stood still by the side as though nothing had happened.

“Asda… Is the Mystic dead?”

“No, the weapon is not perfect and cannot seal him permanently,” The hoarse voice replied. “However, he should not reappear for at least a dozen years.”

Thales’ heart tightened at first, and then calmed down. The Mystic was crazy and extremely abnormal. The impression he had was too profound.

‘Ten years is enough to come up with countermeasures.’

Thales suddenly looked up and remembered something. “I still have a companion. She protected me…”

“She is alright,” The hoarse-voiced person seemed to understand his thoughts and immediately replied. “Right now, she is on her way back to the Lower City District.”

Thales breathed a sigh of relief and then collapsed. However, he immediately remembered an extremely important detail. “You… Sir…” Thales asked with the greatest care after remembering his previous contact with the Mystic, “Who are you?”

Thales did not have high expectations of a secretive, masked man to give him a friendly reply. However, the next scene almost caused his jaw to drop to the ground.

The masked man still had a murderous look the previous moment, but he suddenly took a step back and placed his right hand on the left side of his chest, while his left hand was placed behind his waist as he knelt down on one knee.

The man then respectfully and solemnly replied, “My name is Yodel Cato. I am at your service.”

Chapter 16

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

When a second, larger explosion sounded from the center of Red Street Market, Morris, Layork, and the others had escaped from the Blood Bottle Gang members, who could not coordinate due to a chaotic command. From a distance, they saw Cenza, who was circling around with Kirks the Clown.

Cenza was almost two meters in height, but he did not look skinny and was strong and sturdy. His dark skin tone, yellowing straight hair, and frosty countenance made him look slightly somber, but all the elders in the Brotherhood knew that, apart from the three main Assassins, the ‘Crownless Fist’ Cenza Myron—who was also the head of the six Powerhouses—was the most dependable person in the Brotherhood. No, most of the time, he was even more dependable than the three main Assassins.

“You call this a Psionic Ability?” Cenza said disdainfully as he coldly watched ‘Flying Blade Clown’ Kirks jump around the roofs, continuously shooting flying blades from his bottomless dimensional-pocket.

‘Morris, Adrienessa and Layork, one supra class, two other great fighters in the ordinary class, and an unknown amount of other people.’ One of Blood Bottle Gang’s eight Psionic Warriors, the ‘Flying Blade Clown’ Kirks, thought as he crouched on a roof and watched with a grave expression on his face as more powerful fighters from the Brotherhood gathered together.

The Blood Bottle Gang elites who were his subordinates had been completely massacred.

There was also Cenza, who was almost up to supreme class.

Blood Bottle Gang’s reinforcements were nowhere to be seen. There was no news at all from the two supra class fighters, Song and Roubaix, and neither was there any news from Ralf. He had lost contact with Solo for the past ten minutes, and that coward, Tinker, was probably hiding in the dark and observing the situation. Rumeno should have been the one responsible for Cenza, but since Cenza was completely fine, Rumeno was probably already at hell’s river, waiting to be transported to the other side by the ferryman.

Even worse, after the Air Wall disappeared with the explosion, the Air Mystic’s orders had been absent for a long time.

Kirks’ contemplation did not last too long.

Behind Cenza, one of the Brotherhood’s thirteen Generals—the Northlander, ‘Steel Pricker’ Adrienessa—clenched his teeth. He nonchalantly threw a human head that Cenza had just obtained onto the floor. That head belonged to a supreme class Psionic Warrior and Puppet Master from Mane et Nox Dynasty [1] in the Eastern Peninsula—the ‘Divine Chaos Soldier’, Song.

The Clown contemplated for a while and took out two throwing knives from his dimensional pocket. He then placed an oxygen tube in his mouth in order to defend against Morris’ Psionic Abilities. At the same time, he also made a decision to leave the place immediately.

Under these circumstances, even the Air Mystic cannot blame him for his decision.

But the next moment, Kirks was shocked to see Cenza’s fist speeding towards his face.

‘Since when was Cenza’s speed so fast?!’

However, he immediately saw a plump figure behind Cenza—it was Morris, who was tightly clenching his teeth and activating his Psionic Ability.

‘He did not remove all the air around me. The Clown thought in shock and despair. But… removed all the air around Cenza?’

When the Air Wall disappeared after the first explosion, Morris knew that there would be unexpected changes in the situation on that night. And when the second shocking explosion sounded from far away, Morris managed to react. It was time to strike back.

Without making a single sound, he firmly removed all the air on the path between Cenza and Kirks.

Cenza felt the change in his surroundings. This boxer—who had worked together with Morris for years—immediately held his breath and threw a punch. Without the burden of air resistance, and with a speed that was a few times faster than usual, he hurled his punch forward!

The battle did not continue for long.

Cenza easily caught both of Kirks’ throwing knives. He then used his continuous, relentless, accurate and fearsome iron fist to break apart the Psionic Space that Kirks depended on. The Clown depended on this Psionic Space to fend off long-distance attacks. He also came well-prepared with oxygen supplies and throwing knives, causing Morris to be unable to do anything about him for some time. At that moment, his Psionic Space shattered, Layork was already standing quietly behind Cenza.

Morris, who had just finished using his Psionic Ability, bent and panted while holding his knees. His fat cheeks wobbled. He did not look at the Clown again—whose death was certain—but turned to Cenza and said, “The second… the second explosion came from deep within Red Street Market. An accident unknown to… to us must have happened. But no matter what, as the Air Wall has stopped working, something must… must have happened to the Air Mystic! Besides, we have retreated far enough, and our people have almost… almost fully assembled.” Morris recovered his breath and sized up the situation with his experience. “Both Song and Kirks were defeated here. If this is a bait from them, the scrumptiousness of this bait is enough for us to give this battle our all!”

Layork ignored Kirks’ pleading and coolly sliced opened the latter’s neck—which was covered in greasepaint. He then nodded and said, “After the road was cleared, the front line reported that they have discovered ‘Phantom Wind Follower’ Ralf’s dead body. At the back line, Sir Lance sent news regarding Lassbyn and Dorno’s deaths. Once we add in Kirks’ death to the mix, the enemy’s battle power in Eternal Star City has been reduced by half.”

In response to this, Cenza put down his smoldering fist. His response was short. “Then let’s fight back!”

And so, the dawn in Red Street Market was welcomed with the color of blood.

When Nayer Rick—who was the logistics director Lance assigned—saw Morris and Cenza return, drenched in blood at the intersection between XC District and Red Street Market, the sky was almost bright.

Morris tapped his shoulder and exhaled. He spoke, smiling, “Although there were some ups and downs during the process… Red Street Market is ours now.”

“Of course, just as expected,” Rick answered with a smile. In his heart, he was thinking about ways to repay the child beggars who had escaped from the Abandoned Houses and about Quide’s death.

At least that ghost won’t be coming anymore. Rick thought and gazed across the crowds to look at the mysterious cloaked figure. And, with Sir Lance’s promise, I won’t be demoted too badly.

‘The Silent Assassin’ Layork did not even look at Rick. He walked past Rick and, paying no heed to his blood-covered face, enveloped Felicia—who was walking towards him from behind Rick—in an embrace.

“Wow, you are still alive?” Without looking the slightest bit worried, Felicia chuckled.

“Apart from you, who else is able to kill me?” Layork grinned ferociously and kissed the woman hard on her lips.

“Has anyone seen Edmund?” Cenza’s voice rang from the crowds. “Without him, it wouldn’t have been so easy for me to defeat the ‘Divine Chaos Soldier’!”

“That damn cook.” Seeing that no one answered, he cursed fiercely, “He runs away whenever it’s time to drink!”

On the sixteenth of November in the year 672 of the Calendar of Eradication in Errol, a bloody and cruel ‘overnight battle’ erupted between the two tyrants in the underground world of Constellation—the Western Peninsula’s second-largest kingdom.

It was a disproportionate battle. In the beginning, Black Street Brotherhood stepped into Blood Bottle Gang’s ambush and trap. However, the result of the bloody battle left many in shock.

Indeed, Black Street Brotherhood suffered two hundred and fourteen casualties along with three hundred and sixty-seven injured. Among the thirteen Generals, nine participated in the battle and seven of them died. The other two, Morris and Cenza, who were part of the Powerhouses, battled until the end and survived.

In contrast, Blood Bottle Gang, the ‘Nobility among Gangs’, had suffered the biggest defeat in their history. They suffered four hundred and forty-five casualties, and two hundred and ninety injured. Among the Strongest Twelve, ten of them participated in the battle, and eight of them died. All five of the eight Psionic Warriors who participated in the battle had died. There were even rumors that Air Mystic who appeared openly for the first time in more than ten years had gone missing.

That night, the explosion in the center of Red Street Market almost woke every single resident of the capital, Eternal Star City. Among the innocent civilians in Red Street Market, one thousand two hundred and twenty-nine were affected by the explosion. Among them, two hundred and seventy-five died in the explosion, four hundred and thirty-eight were injured, and five hundred and sixteen of them lost their homes.

Red Street Market, especially its central area, was severely damaged. The incident was even mentioned by the capital city’s Chief Garrison during the following day’s Imperial Conference. Its position in the agenda was only behind the discussion of ‘Tax Exemption for the Opening Up of Border Counties’ and the reception of the Eckstedt Diplomats. In the end, the Imperial Conference instructed the Western City Police station to take quick action towards “subsiding conflicts and preventing private battles among the people.”

Ever since then, Red Street Market changed hands. The Brotherhood’s forces penetrated through the entire Western District. The balance of power in Constellation’s underground world began tilting completely towards Black Street Brotherhood.

…..

However, what many people did not know was, on that night, another huge incident—which would alter the future fate of Constellation—happened at the same time.

Being carried in Yodel’s arms in an embarrassing position—masked weirdo, masked weirdo, masked weirdo! Thales kept consecutively repeating this in his heart three times at once as he was transported across districts completely unknown to him at extreme speed.

Thales felt he could not keep quiet anymore.

“Can you say it again—the reason you were looking for me?” The transmigrator asked in pain as he stared at the breaking dawn in the distant sky.

“To reunite you with your father,” Yodel said respectfully. He lowered his body and placed his finger on the surface of a river, causing a ripple as they passed through a bridge’s archway.

Thales rolled his eyes. “And who are you?”

“Your father’s secret protector,” Yodel said respectfully as they passed a tall watchtower. Although a full-sized adult just shot past with a child, the guard in the watchtower did not even blink his eyes.

Thales heaved a sigh. “Did you get it wrong? I’m only an escaping child beggar!”

“Absolutely not. This is the will of God.” Yodel said respectfully and stepped on a gold store’s signage. The signboard—hung up with iron chains—did not even shake.

Thales was about to go mad. “Who on earth is my father?”

“An important person whom I deeply respect,” Yodel said respectfully and shot past a white eagle that was hunting a swallow. His speed shocked both birds.

Thales lost all hope. ‘What is he trying to do with this rhetoric answer which does not reveal any important information but makes others go “Wow, he’s so polite, it will be embarrassing to press him further?”‘ Thales gave up.

‘When they realize that they got it wrong,’ Thales thought quietly, ‘they won’t kill me to prevent me from divulging their secrets, right?’

The transmigrator tilted his head and waited for the sun to rise. He asked, spiritless, “Yodel?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t tell me that you originally used to engage in diplomacy.”

“No.”

“What a waste. With the way you speak, it’s really quite suitable for you.”

“Thank you for your acknowledgment.”

It was as though Yodel could not sense Thales’ sarcasm and continued speaking respectfully.

He flipped over a tall wall and, like a spider, quietly landed on an avenue with intricate flower beds on both sides.

Then, Yodel stopped, out of Thales’ expectations.

In front of their eyes was a plain but stately carriage.

In front of the carriage, a middle-aged man with grayish-white hair holding a lamp walked slowly towards them.

Yodel put Thales down softly.

As the transmigrator landed on the floor, he suddenly turned and looked at Yodel. He looked slightly… um, unhappy?

The middle-aged man approached. With the help of the light from the man’s lamp, Thales could not help but realize that he was wearing clothes that were plain but stately.

The middle-aged man had a wide lower jaw which made him look kind. The short mustache above his lips was neatly kept. Although he was showing respectfulness, his two tall cheekbones made him look a little stern. Yet, the bridge of his nose looked a little soft, which gave him a very gentle air as well.

‘This is probably a really complicated person,’ Thales thought quietly.

The man raised his black, gloved right hand, and tipped his cylindrical hat, bowing slightly.

“Good morning.” Compared to Yodel’s hoarse and solemn voice, his was steady and reassuring.

‘This person is a noble, a high-ranked noble.’ Thales concluded. ‘Could he be?’

But the words from Yodel from behind him made behind him made him retract the thought.

The masked man spoke in a calm, but impertinent tone, “Why are you here?”

The middle-aged noble nodded softly, smiled, and answered without taking the other’s tone to heart, “To ensure that nothing goes wrong.”

“He does not trust me?” Even Thales could hear the dissatisfaction in Yodel’s voice.

“He trusts you very much, to the point that he is willing to entrust you with the life of his kin.” The middle-aged noble slowly said, “But I do not trust you, and you know why.”

Thales felt as though there was a surge of electricity running between Yodel and the middle-aged noble!

Yodel kept quiet for a moment and, unexpectedly, did not speak any further.

The middle-aged noble did not look at Yodel anymore, but slowly crouched down and flashed an appropriate smile. “Child,” he said to Thales, “I know that your life had been difficult thus far.”

The middle-aged noble looked at the scars and wounds on Thales’ body. He took the glove off his right hand and extended the hand to caress Thales’ wounds. Every time his hand touched a wound, his brows knitted slightly.

“I am very sorry. But child, please trust that after one more procedure, your misfortune will come to an end.”

Thales, who was a little unfamiliar with this, was about to say something when the middle-aged noble put down the lamp in his hand and held the transmigrator’s right hand, then he took out an intricate sheathed dagger from his bosom.

Thales instinctively wanted to inch backward, but his right hand was caught tightly by the middle-aged noble!

“What are you trying to do—” Thales asked anxiously. The middle-aged noble looked at him with a resolute look, and without letting go with his hand, drew out the dagger slowly.

*Snap!*

It was Yodel.

He bent down, extended his hands and pressed hard on the middle-aged noble’s shoulder. Through the mask, Thales could not see Yodel’s face clearly. But somehow, he was very grateful towards “his father’s secret protector”.

There was no other reason. He had seen too much blood and too many blades tonight.

“Yodel!” The middle-aged noble looked as though he was very displeased. He raised his head and knitted his brows while speaking in a low voice that allowed no grounds for refusing. “You know that this is a necessity!”

Thales raised his head and looked at Yodel. He felt quite anxious, although he knew vaguely that the middle-aged noble did not intend to harm him.

“Then use his own dagger!” Yodel said coldly.

The middle-aged noble stared at Yodel. At that moment, his gaze looked as though it was filled with ice.

After a long time, the middle-aged noble compromised. He nodded and returned the dagger to his bosom. Having seen this, Yodel let go of the middle-aged noble’s shoulders.

“Do not be anxious, child.” The middle-aged noble turned his gaze back to Thales. His tone was gentle again. “I am only getting a small blood sample.”

Thales looked at him. The middle-aged noble’s gaze was very gentle but determined.

The transmigrator nodded his head. Awaiting his fate.

The middle-aged noble extended his hand and took JC’s dagger, which was wrapped in a piece of cloth and had no sheath, from Thales’ leg. He warmed it up on the lamp for a while. Then, without causing Thales much pain, the middle-aged noble used JC’s dagger to prick the middle finger of his right hand and removed a drop of blood.

‘What is he trying to do? With this world’s level of technology, can they even run DNA tests? What if the test reveals my true identity?’

Under Thales’ curious and apprehensive gaze, the middle-aged noble gently dropped the drop of blood on the floor.

The next moment, Thales felt the surge of a familiar burning sensation. It poured in from his chest, his blood vessels, his muscles, and then his entire body.

“Ah!” He could not help but shout.

But the middle-aged noble’s gaze was not on him. Thales turned his head and followed the middle-aged noble’s excited gaze—he was looking at the lamp he put down beside him.

*Boom!*

The previously still lamp was now burning rapidly and violently! The flame became bigger and bigger, and the flame’s heart turned from orangey-yellow to bright blood-red!

The flame tilted towards his direction.

Thales suddenly understood something: The fresh blood which dropped onto the floor. The flame’s heart, which was reddening and increasing in size…

A surge of fear suddenly appeared in Thales’ heart. He turned his head to look at Yodel as if he was pleading for help.

He saw that the masked man was putting his hand into his bosom to procure a glass bottle from his chest. There was a small flame inside.

It was a kindle.

At this moment, the flame’s heart within the glass bottle was bright red like blood, and it was skewed slightly to the side.

Thales turned and looked at the lamp on the floor, then at the tinder in Yodel’s hand, then at the blood on the floor. His face paled.

It took a long time for the flame in the lamp to return to normal.

“Impossible…” he muttered.

“It was only when I reached Red Street Market that I was sure that you are the one,” Yodel said hoarsely.

The middle-aged noble seemed to be very excited. He carefully put away JC’s dagger, which was in his hand and spoke respectfully. “Now—”

However, the transmigrator cut him off with his actions. Thales clenched his teeth and aggressively held his right hand’s middle finger with his left hand. He squeezed the tiny wound hard, and a few more drops of blood fell onto the floor!

*Puff!*

The flame of the lamp, which was on the floor became bigger and bright red again.

“This was a divine Art placed by Head Ritual Master Liscia twelve years ago. The moment your blood drops onto the floor of the capital city, the Bloodline Lamp will light up from dormancy,” the middle-aged noble spoke, trembling.

Thales suddenly understood.

On the day he was beaten up by Quide, his blood fell onto the floor.

On the day Quide massacred the child beggars, his blood fell onto the floor.

When he hit the Air Wall, his blood fell onto the floor.

When Asda tried to kill him using mystic energy, his blood, again, fell onto the floor.

Thales helplessly heaved a sigh. He suddenly felt like laughing out loud.

Translator’s Note:

[1] Mane et Nox Dynasty: Is the Latin version for Day and Night Dynasty, except for the word Dynasty. The English version was a little underwhelming, so the Latin version was chosen.

Chapter 17

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

‘An accident…’ Thales lowered his head. A deep, helpless feeling rose in his heart. ‘Disaster strikes unexpectedly.’

During that instant, the Air Mystic’s smile—Thales had never been able to tell whether it was real or fake—appeared in Thales’ head as he spoke to him, “Look, this is what it means to be a ‘coincidence’.”

Yodel quietly put away the kindling.

The middle-aged noble calmed his excitement, then gently patted Thales’ head as he looked at him.

“It will be alright, child, I am Gilbert Caso. You can trust me, just like how your father trusts me. Come, child, I will take you home… to see your father.”

Thales took a full minute to recover from of his daze.

It did not matter whether it was Yodel or Gilbert. Both of them waited patiently while he was in his absent-minded state.

“Let’s go.” When Thales lifted his head, his gaze had already calmed.

Gilbert nodded his head with praise in his eyes. He stood and gestured in the direction of the carriage.

Thales turned his head and looked at Yodel. “Yodel, you’ll come with me as well, right?”

“Of course.” Yodel’s hoarse voice rang in the air, yet it was incredibly soothing when it fell onto Thales’ ears. “Please head on first, I’ll be right beside you.”

Thales sucked in a deep breath and took large strides to the carriage, “Mr. Gilbert.”

“Yes, Young Sir, what is it?

“What did you do previously?”

“I was working in the Foreign Affairs Department, my young Sir Thales.”

‘Foreign Affairs Department?’ Thales turned his head a little and rolled his eyes at Yodel, at an angle Gilbert could not see.

Thales turned his head back forwards. For some unknown reason, he had a vague feeling that Yodel had smiled behind his mask.

Thales moved to stand before the carriage. The carriage was simple but obviously expensive. The glass on the black coach was adorned with Crystal Drops.

The two large horses that were pure black in color were quietly chewing at their bridles. One of them affectionately leaned towards Gilbert.

As he looked at the high footboard, Thales began comparing his seven-year-old body to it and felt a little glum.

Before he turned his head, Gilbert, who was beside him, pulled open the carriage door and carried him inside, placing him on the dark red carriage sofa.

“I deeply apologize, we do not have a boarding stool.” Gilbert smiled apologetically and closed the carriage door. “But I guarantee that this would be the last time.”

Thales sat alone on the wide sofa. He did not know what material it was made of, and although it was very comfortable, he felt a little restless.

The coach’s four corners were illuminated with luminous paint, allowing him to somewhat see the decorations in the coach. At the back of the coach was a picture of a star framed in a circular picture frame, and it was set firmly there.

‘One, two, three, four, five… nine.’ The star has nine points. Thales quietly thought to himself, ‘This is a nine-pointed star.’

Before he recovered from his absent-minded state, the carriage had moved.

Thales crawled to the carriage window. It was daybreak, and the scenery outside the carriage window could not be seen clearly yet.

So, Thales sat back down on the sofa in boredom.

“Yodel, are you there?” He probingly asked.

A reply immediately voiced beside his ears. “Yes.”

Thales was taken aback. He sat up and looked around. However, apart from Gilbert who was driving the carriage, there was no one else both in and outside the coach.

‘Nevermind, I’m used to it anyway.’

Thales sat back down on the sofa and continued asking, “Where are we now?”

“Mindis Hall is straight ahead.” The hoarse voice sounded again.

‘Min- min- mindy- mindisy? Whatever, I wouldn’t know it anyway. Who would’ve thought that a few hours ago, I was still in the Abandoned House, bleeding for the sake of survival, and getting injured for the sake of escape in Red Street Market? And now?’

Thales tapped the sofa beneath him, wondering who his father in this life was.

‘Who cares? I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I’ve even run into that bizarre, immortal existence known as a Mystic, what else can possibly scare me?’

The transmigrator exhaled. He suddenly felt a little warm and tore down the tattered clothes on his chest.

He accidentally tore at the wound on his chest.

Thales hissed and looked at the burn wound on his chest.

On the edge of the wound Quide burned, he could vaguely see a circle of flourished ancient words printed in an inverted manner.

‘This is… A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.’ Thales recalled the words on that silver coin.

He tapped his forehead suddenly.

‘Mindis…Mindis Silver Coin? Isn’t that… isn’t that Constellation’s great king of the generation? Wait, Mindis Hall?’

The carriage stopped suddenly.

Gilbert respectfully invited him to exit the carriage when Thales was still at a loss for what to do due to his head being in a muddled mess.

Outside the carriage, there was an intricate little garden. It was paved with solid bricks made of a material Thales did not recognize. In the middle of the garden, there was an intricate fountain, and water was gushing out of a stone dragon’s mouth, which had its mouth open to roar at the sky.

Thales turned his head in a daze and looked towards the big, black, iron doors in the garden. The black iron doors seemed to be embossed with reliefs. Thales did not recognize any of the depictions on it. However, two large flags were erected on either side of the iron door and fluttered along to the wind.

The flags were blue with white outlines at the edges. There were two silver cross-shaped stars overlapping with each other on both flags. One of the stars was larger than the other, and the smaller star was located at the bottom right of the larger star.

Thales recognized the flag. On the Western City Gate, the flag that fluttered at the highest height had that pattern on it.

Blue with a white outline, two silnver cross-shaped stars—Constellation’s flag.

The two flags in the garden had an additional tiny nine-pointed star that had silver alternating with gold sewn to the bottom left corner of the big silver cross-shaped star. There were four golden points and five silver points in the star. That was the same pattern engraved on the back of the carriage.

Thales snapped out of his daze. Before him stood a magnificent three-story building. Eight intricately carved pillars supported the large balcony on the first floor. Light shone from one of the windows in the middle of the second floor.

The house’s main door was made of cedar wood. Thales once saw a furniture merchant selling a large cedar wood square table for the price of fifty gold coins at the grand bazaar beside the Western City Gate.

Of course, in the end, he “voluntarily” sold the square table at the discounted price of one gold coin to Black Street Brotherhood.

Thales followed Gilbert while his head was still in a mess. Yodel had offered to carry him when he spread his arms wide open, but Thales declined. He persevered and endured the pain from the wounds all over his body along with his fatigue while walking through the large cedar wood door with great difficulty.

The entrance and the hall, including the corridor leading to a spiral stairway, were illuminated by large, gorgeous Everlasting Lamp stands that burned with Eternal Oil. Fully armed guards stood in the corridor while keeping watch with utmost concentration. It was as though every single guard was meticulously chosen because their heights were uniform. They were all fully equipped with swords, shields, and bows, and all their metal shields had the gold-and-silver-colored nine-pointed star on them.

Thales held the rails beside the stairs and slowly walked up to the first floor.

On the first floor, three painted portraits hung on the wall facing the house’s main entrance.

In the middle was a young knight who had a valiant and powerful posture. He held a long spear and was in a charging position. His face was handsome, and his expression was heroic. The silver crown on his head had seven stars on it. Against the backdrop of the horrifying battlefield, he charged forward fearlessly.

The left portrait was of a warrior with a powerful physique wielding a sword and shield—the shield had a silver nine-pointed star. The crown on his head had nine stars on it. His face was determined and extraordinarily valiant. The background was a lush, green tree that towered into the sky.

The right portrait was of a kind and benevolent middle-aged man. He was sitting in the portrait. Behind him was a brightly lit city. His left hand held a valuable scepter that was mounted with bright blue crystals. In his right hand was a thick book, and there were five different pictures showing things such as the sun, stars, and the moon.

The three nobles had different temperaments, but it looked like the artist managed to capture their individual charm. Thales looked at the portraits in a daze. It was as though they were there in person.

It seemed like they were truly a great noble family with an extensive legacy. Unfortunately, Thales did not recognize any of them

‘Wait, why is that handsome middle-aged man so familiar?’

Thales was about to lift his clothes to take a look at the head portrait burned into his chest when the sound of steady footsteps appeared.

“This is Tormond the First, the last prince of the Final Empire, and the founder of Constellation. Known as the ‘King of Renaissance, his bravery in the Battle of Eradication is still being eulogized even now.

“The one on the left is Midier the Fourth, the battle companion of Chara the Hero, and Kaplan the Prophet, the protector of the Sacred Tree. Known as the ‘Oath Keeper’. He married the Elf Queen, and from then onwards, the Jadestar royal family possessed elf blood.

“Last but not least is Mindis the Third. Known as ‘The Wise King’, every single person, from nobles to priests, and even from merchants to beggars, praised him for his wise governance.”

The voice was steady and authoritative. It traveled forward in a low tone, but it sounded like thunder hidden within clouds. That voice shook in the air faintly.

Gilbert and Yodel, who were behind Thales, kneeled down on a single knee in unison. Thales gulped and raised his head gently.

A robust figure walked slowly towards him. His mighty and resolute face reminded the transmigrator of the sword-and-shield warrior on the left portrait on the wall.

He was a muscular noble with black hair, a tall nose, deep-set eyes, a broad face, and was in the prime of his life. The gaze in his sky-blue irises was as piercing as swords. The noble held a scepter in his left hand. He stood before Thales and scrutinized him.

A little dumbfounded, Thales stared back at the noble in front of him. He began feeling uncontrollably anxious.

Even if he had lived twice, no one had ever taught him how to act during these moments.

The robust noble scrutinized him for a long time, so long that Thales started feeling embarrassed. However, to Thales, his gaze did not feel cordial or calming at all. In contrast, it made him feel heavily pressured and slightly out of breath.

To put it unpleasantly, even Asda Sakern’s crazed gaze felt better than this.

However, the transmigrator suddenly noticed that the robust noble in front of him wore a crown that looked similar to the crown with nine stars worn by the sword-and-shield-wielding warrior. Whereas, no matter how Thales looked at it, the scepter in his left hand was the exact replica of the blue crystal-studded scepter held by the middle-aged man in the right-hand portrait.

Beside him, Gilbert reminded in a low voice, “Child, this is your father.”

“Father?” he could not help but mutter. Thales lowered his eyes and looked at the astral blue cloak worn on the man’s back.

His father’s face from his past life slowly appeared in his mind, but it was a little blurry.

Thales sucked in a deep breath and refocused his gaze.

“Who are you?” He heard his own voice ringing in the air in a flat tone.

The robust noble did not speak, he only frowned.

At that moment, Gilbert lifted his head. With a voice that allowed no room for doubt, filled with authority and respect, he spoke with a solemn tone.

“This is Kessel Mindis Aydi Jadestar, King Kessel the Fifth in the family. He is the legitimate descendant of the royal family in the Final Empire, and he is the successor of King Tormund.

“He is the suzerain of the Western Peninsula’s Rudollians and Northlanders, the conqueror of the Dragon Skeleton Throne and the Aloof God’s Altar.

“He is the guardian of the Sacred Tree and Sera Dukedom, the guardian of Steel City and the Alliance of Freedom.

“He is the Iron Hand, the thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constellation, the Southern Islands, and the Western Deserts.”

Thales felt as a chill rise within his heart, and his breathing quickened. A suffocating pressure that seemed to possess corporeal form pressed down on him.

Kessel looked at Thales with a profound gaze. After some time, he turned his head and looked at Gilbert and Yodel, who were beside Thales.

The robust King Kessel the Fifth spoke clearly and slowly with his deep and sonorous voice, “So he is my descendant, the kingdom’s bloodline? The last and only remaining kin of our bloodline in all of Constellation?”

Chapter 18

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Arc 2: Heir of the Kingdom

Dawn had arrived.

In Mindis Hall, the most important and most awkward reunion between father and son in the entire kingdom was unfolding.

Thales blankly stared at the robust noble before him who was his father.

He turned towards Gilbert and Yodel, a little terrified and helpless. However, both of them were quiet and had their heads lowered.

He then looked at the guards around the gallery hall, but the superiorly equipped soldiers had their gazes hidden behind their face-concealing helmets and stood motionless.

Then Kessel the Fifth’s thick and sonorous voice rang beside his ears. “He looks like a skinny mud-monkey.”

Indeed, Thales was not looking his best. His short, jet black hair was cut unevenly (Sinti’s handiwork) and covered in dust. His tiny face was full of muddy prints and handprints. Although Asda the Mystic had used a mysterious method to stop his various large and small wounds from bleeding, the abrasions, cuts, and bruises left by the incidents in the Abandoned House and Red Street Market still riddled his body. On his dust-covered body, the child beggar costume made of sackcloth was also tattered and had a huge tear at his chest, almost revealing the burn there. Before entering Mindis Hall, he was even shivering in the cold wind.

“I believed that you two would not get it wrong.” Kessel’s voice rang in the gallery hall.

Thales raised his head again and looked at Kessel. His king, his father. But Kessel had already turned his head away and was not looking at him anymore.

A slight sense of discomfort surged in Thales’ heart, but he immediately suppressed the uncomfortable feeling.

Kessel’s thick and sonorous voice continued resounding, “Both of you know how important this matter is. Right now, the only people who know about this are the three of us. Of course, I will transfer Jines here, as he requires qualified care. That is why the people in the know would be the four of us. When Morat returns, I will personally talk to him about this.

“From now onwards, Mindis Hall shall be completely sealed off. To the world outside, spread the word that a royal treasure has gone missing and that I am extremely furious. We cannot take the risk of dispatching the royal guards as this would be too obvious. We must not let the enemy know of our next step.

“In the following month, his safety will be overseen by Jadestar family’s private soldiers, consisting of fifty Swordsmen of Eradication. The level of defense might be considerably weaker due to the numbers, but these soldiers excel when it comes to loyalty and privacy. They can keep this secret. As long as they do not attract too much attention, it should be more than enough. Yodel, just to be on the safe side, stay guard here as well. Aida and the royal guards will be responsible for my safety this month.”

Yodel did not say anything. He nodded his masked head slightly.

“Gilbert.” Kessel still did not spare Thales even a single glance. He caressed the crystal on his scepter and spoke as he was immersed in his thoughts, his tone was full of authority. “Have you thought a reason for visiting Mindis Hall at dawn?”

“Of course, Your Majesty. The excuse is a ready-made one—there was a fiery battle between the gangs at the border of the Lower City Districts and the Western Districts. There were countless fatalities and a number of wounded. I hurried overnight to the imperial palace you were temporarily dwelling in to report this matter,” Gilbert answered respectfully.

“This is not enough. I will be returning to the Renaissance Palace tomorrow. However, for the following month, you will need to visit this place frequently. A better reason is needed.” King Kessel shook his head.

“What if I say that the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the royal treasure are too mysterious and that you ordered me to thoroughly investigate this matter?”

“It is a little rough around the edges. But for one month’s time, it is adequate.” King Kessel contemplated for a while and nodded.

And then the King of Constellation finally placed his gaze on Thales, who was at a loss. His gaze was so sharp that Thales unknowingly took a step back, it did not feel at all like a father was looking at his son—the king looked like he did not care about Thales at all.

“One month’s time, Gilbert, one month. Before his status is officially recognized, you are his personal tutor, and will be responsible for all matters concerning his education.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, as you wish, I shall do my best,” Gilbert answered respectfully.

Thales’ heart sank.

Kessel assuredly tapped his scepter on the floor and contemplated for a moment. “You have to get him ready. He cannot appear in front of the entire kingdom, the Six Great Clans, and diplomatic envoys from other countries like this. From etiquette to disposition, and from knowledge to appearance, he needs to look presentable. What we need is a proper heir to the kingdom, not an abject street beggar.”

‘Street beggar?’ Having heard this, Thales clenched his fists slightly.

“We will set Eckstedt Diplomat Group’s welcome banquet as the goal. I hope that he will be able to make an appearance by then. This will not be easy, but I believe that you are able to carry it out well.”

Thales’ heart quivered slightly, but he silently listened to King Kessel’s orders that left no room for doubt as the king planned his future step by step.

However, there seemed to be no space for Thales’ own will in his future. Why was it like this? He had just escaped from that miserable place that he had once gritted his teeth and persevered through when he lived there. He had just escaped from that miserable place that he had once gritted his teeth and persevered through when he lived there. He still had many questions and uncertainties in his heart.

But this King Kessel that was standing in front of him did not seem to care about his thoughts at all. He only announced his orders sentence by sentence and spoke about his own wishes. “No one has to know about his past, but there has to be a story. Gilbert, invent a story regarding his origin. As long as his bloodline can be confirmed—I will discuss with Liscia regarding this, it is not impossible to deal with the Gods—we need not fear gossip.

“Pick some of his peers out from the roster of nobles, along with educators and attendants for the heir. After he is recognized, all this will become the focus. Make sure to put all of these in the records in advance. I want to see the list of names before next week.

“And just to be safe, Gilbert, you have to reconfirm the clauses for royal succession in the ‘Holy Constellation Constitution’, along with precedents for cases like him in the Jade Star family. If there is anything that might be cause for dispute, it would not be too late for us to remedy it now.”

Thales furrowed his brows and continued listening as they plotted his future and his life. He was like a marionette.

“As for his marriage contract, I have an idea. We will discuss it later, Eckstedt—”

At that moment, Gilbert spoke and cut the king off with a respectful expression.

“Your Majesty, there is still some time left as of right now.” The middle-aged noble seemed to sense that something was amiss, but he tried his best to express his opinions. “If you need to spend time alone with this child, we can—”

However, Kessel swiftly waved his hand and stopped Gilbert mid-sentence.

At that moment, Thales saw that the eyelashes on the king’s deep-set eyes fluttered. He felt as if a surge of strange emotions was emerging on Kessel’s expression. Thales wanted to say something, but before the words reached the edge of his mouth, he swallowed it back.

‘What… What should I say? What can I say? What should a seven-year-old child who is meeting his father for the first time say? Hey, father whom I just met, can I say something? Perhaps you should listen to my opinions instead of talking to yourself? Ah, it’s too strange.’

Kessel looked like he intended to turn his head towards Thales, but then he turned back abruptly. He rested both his hands on his scepter and gazed at the three portraits, not speaking for a long time.

Only at this moment did he seem to resemble a human being.

Kessel turned around after a long while. He did not look at anyone. However, the authoritative voice that belonged only to Constellation’s King, Kessel the Fifth, rang once more, “In short, the duty bestowed upon the two of you is a very heavy one. Constellation has been heirless for twelve years. Only last week, whether by intention or not, Koshder mentioned in his letter about the succession system in Eckstedt. Both of you know how the Six Great Clans would react.

“His appearance is a variable, but also an unexpected bargaining chip and advantage for us… It is time to alter our plans, to make sure that we are one step ahead of our enemies. Ensure that his presence is utilized to the utmost.”

Thales was stunned. Was this… his father?

‘Variable. Bargaining chip. Advantage. Utilized to the… utmost? Are these what a father should say in front of a son he has never met?’

Thales heaved a sigh in his heart and lowered his head. ‘So this is what it is… This feeling of not belonging… This doesn’t feel like a reunion between father and son at all… He’s more like a chess player who is naturally and nonchalantly moving a chest piece.’

Thales was obviously not the only one who felt this strangeness. Gilbert’s countenance changed slightly, as though he wanted to say something. But in the end, he only lowered his head and heaved a small sigh at an angle the king could not see.

But there was still someone who cut the king off without regard for the atmosphere. “Your Majesty.”

Thales turned his head around in surprise. It was the silent Yodel who had spoken.

The secret protector’s expression behind the mask could not be seen, but his hoarse voice was extremely firm.

“He is first and foremost your kin—your son! And only then is he your heir. You cannot just ignore that he is your son.”

Thales raised his head and saw that Kessel the Fifth heaved a long sigh before he closed his eyes.

“Yes, he is my son.” With eyes still shut, the king held his scepter tightly and spoke drearily, “That is why I am here today. I entrust him to both of you. Remember—one month.”

Yodel’s gaze behind the mask’s lenses froze for a moment. In the end, he lowered his head and did not speak anymore. A slight feeling of uncertainty and shock crept into Thales’ heart.

The king nodded. He looked at Gilbert and Yodel, who both knelt on one knee. He then took one look at the dazed Thales with an indiscernible and complicated gaze, then walked away without hesitation.

Gilbert and Yodel slowly stood up.

The robust figure slowly walked down the stairs. The footsteps were heavy but authoritative. A king’s authority.

‘What? It ended… just like this?’ Thales was stunned and watched in disbelief as his “father” left.

‘This isn’t right. This so-called father… He sired this body, didn’t he?

‘But why. Why does he seem so… emotionless? Also… the matters related to my future… Have they been decided just like that? I didn’t even have a chance to speak…’

“Wait a moment!” Thales finally could not resist and shouted out loud. He was done being a powerless chess piece.

The robust figure paused for a moment and turned.

Gilbert looked at Thales in shock. Yodel’s expression was still hidden behind the mask.

Watching the slowly turning king and enduring his sharp gaze, Thales suddenly felt as if there was a frog in his throat. But with great effort, he still opened his mouth and spoke.

“I… Although we have never met…” Stumbling on his words, he extended his hands and swung it helplessly in front of his body while weighing his words. “But since you are my… I mean, since we are…”

The king held the stair railing and looked at Thales with an indescribably complicated gaze.

Thales shut his eyes tightly and opened it again, exhaling. “I think…” He pronounced the words with difficulty, his usual eloquence nowhere to be found.

‘D*mn… What sort of attitude and words should I use when facing… this person, who is my father and the king at the same time?

‘Adoration? Indifference? Stupefaction? Surprise? None of them seem right.’

Gilbert, who was beside him, extended his hand towards Thales as though he wanted to say something. But, in the end, he chose to remain silent.

Thales’ breath quickened. He furrowed his brow and said, “I am actually a little perplexed. Perhaps, as my… you can give me some answers. After all, we are… related by blood. And you talked about so many things such as the heir, the kingdom, and the marriage contract, but I don’t know anything. This might not be important for you, and you don’t really care…”

Kessel the Fifth held on to his scepter tightly, not giving a single reply. His brows furrowed slowly.

Thales bit his lip. He felt the burn on his chest start to hurt again.

‘D*mn it. Even my worst thesis report is less awkward than this.’

He swung his hands around lightly as he constructed his sentences. “But this is my future. If you have already made your decision… You should at least help me understand the situation a little. Besides, you said that no one needs to know about my past… But at least I want to, what I mean is… At the very least, I need to know about my own past.

“I really want to know what actually happened. And also, the path I will be walking on.”

Kessel’s gaze when he looked at Thales changed. It was no longer a scrutinizing, judgmental and critical gaze. It was as though, for the first time, he recognized that Thales was a human being—and also his son.

Thales heaved a sigh. Whatever.

He opened his eyes and looked straight at his ‘father’.

“Yes, I want to know everything about myself. I want to know my origins. Like… who my mother is, where I was born, and how I became the way I am now. Along with my identity, my future, and the choices I have… Answers like these… Instead of being an outsider, a chess piece, an object… That is if I really am your…” Thales gritted his teeth as he said that word, “son.”

‘Although your actions… are really unlike a normal father… Even though you are the king…’

Thales felt a little dizzy. The energy he expended tonight was too much for his seven-year-old body to bear.

The king finally looked him in the eye. His sky-blue irises shone brightly inside his deep-set eyes. At that moment, Kessel the Fifth’s gaze was quite complicated and indecipherable. Thales could not interpret anything further from it.

“Child, what is your name?” The highest ruler in Constellation asked with his dignified voice.

Thales stared at Kessel. “Thales.” He heard himself say, “My name is Thales.”

‘Only now does he think of asking for his son’s name? My god.’ Thales mentally shook his head.

“Thales, listen properly.” Kessel narrowed his eyes, his tone cold. “You do not need to know about many things; you need not concern yourself with them either. Your path has already been decided, you just need to follow it.”

‘What?’ At that moment, Thales felt a surge of coldness in his heart.

“If you still have any uncertainties, go ask Gilbert.”

And then, Kessel the Fifth, the thirty-ninth Supreme King of Constellation, the Southern Island, and the Western Desert… left Mindis Hall without looking back. His cloak disappeared from Thales’ sight.

‘Damn it.’ Thales lowered his head and fixed his stare at the expensive black floor tiles with a tight frown.

‘Is this really the sire of this body, and not an enemy?’

“Child, Thales.” Gilbert, who was behind him, could not resist and silently tapped his shoulder. “Do not worry and think too much about it. His Majesty just has too much on his plate. He’s actually—”

Before Gilbert could finish his sentence, Yodel suddenly walked forward and crouched down before Thales. He took out Thales’ JC’s dagger—which had somehow, at some point, gotten into his hands (Gilbert’s expression changed. He touched his waist and knitted his brows)—and softly placed it in Thales’ hands.

Thales snapped out of his thoughts and was slightly stunned.

The head behind the dark purple mask nodded slightly, and a hoarse voice slowly said, “Relax. You are his son, related by blood, bound together by fate. Nothing and no one can change this.”

Thales sucked in a deep breath. ‘They probably misunderstood. Did they think that I’m feeling disappointed because my ‘father’ ignored me?’

He kept his dagger and clenched his fists tightly, forcing out a smile.

“Don’t worry.” He suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart and spoke plainly, “Thank you both.”

Looking at Yodel who had cut his words off with his actions, Gilbert exhaled from his nose in displeasure. He, also, crouched down in front of Thales and spoke gently, “My young Sir Thales, you have experienced too much tonight. What you need now is rest, and perhaps treatment. Thales, please come with me. Yodel, I will look for you later. We need to talk.”

Thales nodded and obediently followed Gilbert.

Yodel, who was left alone, raised his head and looked at a vase that was placed in the corridor some distance away.

Using his sharp and frightening gaze, he observed that thin cracks that were barely noticeable had appeared on the vase.

Yodel furrowed his brows slightly behind his mask. He knew that before Thales had growled angrily… The vase was still in perfect condition.

Was it a coincidence?

Chapter 19

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Wu Qiren was sitting in the classroom, his hands flying across the keyboard, speedily recording the discussion between two other students.

“Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturities such as laziness, and cowardice. When Kant described enlightenment, he emphasized that every single person possesses reason—a universal reason.”

The other student answered with his pleasant voice, “Universal reason, which stems from enlightenment, has been unearthed and utilized to its maximum potential, which is why our current era was formed. Reason is supreme, limitless, eternal. It can give us unprecedented power—”

Having heard this, Wu Qiren removed his hands from the keyboard and furrowed his brows. Although he was usually gentle and polite, he directly cut the student off. He raised his head and spoke, “You, perhaps you have not read Foucault’s view on the relationship between power and truth, and Heidegger’s view on technology—”

However, he did not continue speaking, because when he saw the person sitting in front of him clearly, he was so shocked he could not speak.

Sitting opposite Wu Qiren… Was the Air Mystic Asda Sakern, with his long brown hair, blue shirt, and elegant demeanor.

The other party looked at him gently and spoke with a pleasant voice, “If a limitless power and an all-encompassing form of reasoning exists in this world, Thales, do you not… Do you not desire it?

Thales jolted up from his bed.

In the dark, he held onto JC’s dagger tightly, which was under his pillow. Drenched in cold sweat, he panted.

Thales turned over and jumped down from his bed. He only remembered where he was when his bare feet touched the expensive, heated tiles, and his nasal cavity filled with pleasant, calming perfume.

The wounds on his chest and other body parts were itchy and painful under the bandages and plasters. This made him a lot more alert and calmed his breathing. He placed JC’s dagger under his pillow once more.

Still badly shaken, he laid back down on the huge bed that was enough for twenty Thales-es to sleep in.

Thales was not used to the friction of the silk pajamas against his body. The bed had many springs at the core and its surface was soft and smooth, molding into Thales’ framing submissively as he laid down on it. He was wrapped tightly in a Northland, goose-down blanket that was covered in silk. A smooth, silk pillow, imported from the Southern Coast, propped up his head and shoulders.

At that moment, Thales felt like something was squeezing him from top to bottom. It was as though the Air Mystic had wrapped him in a layer of air and was slowly compressing him.

Thales felt worried thinking about this. He pushed back the extremely light, smooth, and comfortable blanket before he stood on the ground again. Fumbling about, he found a corner, curled himself up, and lied down there. The rigid and hard floor, as well as the thick and solid walls, gave him a familiar sense of safety.

Having done this, Thales slowly exhaled and chuckled in resignation.

‘I can’t believe that this is happening.’ He knocked on the solid floor tiles and let out a self-deprecating laugh. ‘I miss the little guys in the sixth house so much. I hope Jala is taking good care of them.

‘Tomorrow, I have to talk to Gilbert about this. Even if he can’t contact them directly, he could at least be able to keep an eye on them in secret.’

However, because of the fragment of memory he just recovered through his dream, his previously relaxed mood immediately became tense again.

Dreams are reflections of the subconscious. These memories of his past life were probably the most deeply hidden fragments within his subconscious. However, this time, even Asda Sakern appeared in his dreams.

“As expected, I still care a lot about what that lunatic said,” Thales mumbled in the dark.

His short encounter with the Mystic a few hours ago flashed through his mind. The Mystic’s actions, which were sometimes rational and sometimes completely random, his mysterious ability, and immortal body that was almost inhuman made him shiver.

And what he said: “Child. Looks like you do not know your own nature.”

This sentence appeared again in his tired mind. Thales forced himself to get rid of additional and unnecessary emotions of worry and fear, then calmed down to analyze the Mystic’s words.

‘Based on what Asda meant, I am just like him, a Mys- No, just a person who has the potential to become a Mystic.

‘Based on Asda’s behavior, people with this kind of potential are quite rare. For me, this is a positive thing. But from what I can see currently, Mystics don’t seem to be very welcome in this world.

‘Asda’s words were way too subjective, but if part of what Asda said about the so-called battle between Mystics and humans is true, Mystics would be a hated existence who cannot show their faces to the world.

‘Also,’ Thales thought worriedly, ‘Asda’s body. After his heart was pierced through, the wound shone with blue light. Is he really not a human anymore?

‘And Yodel Cato. According to what he said, he must have arrived at the Abandoned House very early on, so he must have heard Asda’s words.’

Thales clenched his fists.

‘Does he also know that I ‘lost control’ in front of the Mystic? If Yodel knows, does it mean that Gilbert and King Kessel would know about it too? How would they look upon me?

‘There are many other riddles. Such as my neurotic, unusually cold and extremely suspicious father, who is also a king; the fact that although I’m only seven years old, the Bloodline Lamp which is blessed with Divine Art, was from twelve years ago; my origin, surname, and significance towards the kingdom; why the news of my return is treated with such secrecy, so much so that Gilbert and Yodel practically smuggled me back like thieves.

‘And what’s up with this world? A medieval way of life? A world where magic is common? Steampunk?’

Thales tapped his head. ‘No, I can’t figure anything out. My basic understanding of this world is still too little. I need a comprehensive course that starts from basic knowledge and would provide a child with rudimentary knowledge!’

Thales exhaled in resignation. His gaze immediately turned solemn.

Things like gaining rudimentary knowledge and learning can be done slowly. But, there was one matter that had to be resolved—the matter related to his life and body.

He recalled the Mystic’s words again: “Child. Looks like you do not know your own nature…

“But never mind. Everyone will experience a first in losing control over themselves, and we all start from ignorance.”

Thales clasped his hands in the dark and recalled the incidents where he ‘lost control’.

‘When Asda compressed me inside a layer of air using Mystic energy and prepared to squeeze me into a ball, my whole body boiled as if it was burning. I saw the energy ball in his hand. It must be the so-called ‘air wall’. The energy ball became red and suddenly appeared in front of me. And then-

‘Wait!’

Thales might have found a crucial point in the matter.

‘Blood, and the burning sensation!’

Thales slowly sat up.

‘Quide.’

The name flashed past his mind. He had experienced this blood-boiling sensation before. It was during the two consecutive times Quide abused him and brutally beat him up. The similarity between those two incidents and his encounter with Asda was the fact that he bled!

Before this, Thales thought that the burning sensation within his body was due to the so-called ‘Divine Art’ that Gilbert mentioned, triggered by his blood falling onto the ground.

Now, it seemed like the incidents where he ‘lost control’ coincided with the occurrence of the burning sensation.

Thales was suddenly aware that he did not ‘lose control’ for the first time in front of Asda. In truth, he lost control for the first time in front of Quide.

‘When Quide tried to kill Coria, that bastard should have been holding onto JC’s dagger!

‘How did that dagger suddenly appear in my hand? It was as strange as that energy ball suddenly appearing in front of me!

‘Quide. Bleeding. Burning sensation. Dagger. Asda. Energy ball. Yodel and Gilbert. Bloodline Lamp.’

Thales shut his eyes. He realized that he could not sort out these disorderly elements.

‘Too messy. Too chaotic.’

However, he was not discouraged. Instead, a surge of excitement that had not appeared within him since a long time ago rose in his heart.

‘Classify the chaotic and complicated phenomena, postulate a hypothetical and theoretical framework, eliminate the irrelevant variables, and then sum up the causal logic. Lastly, verify the completeness of the theory.

‘And then, there are the ‘uncertainties’ that can never be authenticated, the ‘endogeneity’ that can never be eliminated, and the ‘quasi-experimental research’ method as well as the ‘counterfactual analysis’ that will never be able to approach perfection.

‘Isn’t this one of those fascinating social science riddles that can never be explained perfectly? Was that not also once my favorite game?

‘Besides, this time, what I’m facing isn’t a multi-causal, social phenomenon that I can neither do anything about nor test and verify; it’s a single problem happening to me, and I can test and verify it repeatedly!’

When Thales opened his eyes again in the dark, his irises were filled with the desire for a challenge. He tried to calm himself down and sort out the phenomena he was experiencing.

‘There are too few samples, too many variables, and the mechanism is too simple. The overly complicated Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) cannot be used.

‘I can just use the most basic Mill’s Methods of induction. First of all, with ‘bleeding’ and ‘losing control’ as the keywords, select relevant cases and events.’

He slowly shut his eyes. The familiar feeling rushed back into his mind. All the disorderly elements and factors were speedily being configured within his consciousness.

‘According to the purpose of research and the time sequence, establish different ‘conditions’ (not ‘reasons’) for each sample. See if the ‘outcome’ appears.

‘Various incidents appeared past his mind in a flash. Eliminate incident samples with too many missing values, assemble each incident’s condition and outcome and then differentiate them based on their level and type.’

A clear and organized table appeared in his mind. Four incident samples that could be observed and compared were arranged inside.

‘Sample 1:

‘Condition 1.1: Quide beat me up for the first time. Condition 1.2: Bleeding. Outcome 1: There was no anomaly.

‘Sample 2:

‘Condition 2.1: Quide beat me up for the second time and was about to kill Coria. Condition 2.2: Bleeding. Outcome 2: Lost control, and the dagger appeared in my hand out of thin air.

‘Sample 3:

‘Condition 3.1: Asda was about to kill me. Condition 3.2: Bleeding. Outcome 3: Lost control, and his energy ball appeared before me.

‘Sample 4:

‘Condition 4.1: I validated my bloodline in front of Yodel, Gilbert, and the lamp. Condition 4.2: Bleeding. Outcome 4: There was no anomaly.

‘Enumeration over, comparison begins. Seek similarities and differences, categorize and conclude.’

The table was slowly simplified and normalized before they were merged together to form a passage of text.

Thales opened his eyes gently.

‘Conclusion: When incidents that threaten life happen along with bleeding, there is a chance that the so-called “losing of control” would take place, and surrounding items or energy would be displaced to different extents.

‘No, this conclusion is too tentative. Firstly, the sample size is still too small. Next, certain disturbance variables cannot be eliminated. Also, “incidents that threaten life” seem too far-fetched. It might be a false mechanism. Could it be that the incidents that threaten life triggered something else, and thus was the actual trigger to the loss of control?

‘I must also think of a way to factor the lamp in.

‘Lastly, I have only managed to prove that those incidents are correlated. The grounds for causal reasoning are still inadequate.

‘No matter what…’ Thales turned over and laid down. …’When it comes to ‘losing control’, there is at least a tentative conclusion now.

‘As for the next step for the direction of the research-‘

Thales exhaled, suddenly feeling the fatigue in his mind. ‘As expected… He furiously rubbed his temples. It’s still too much of a burden for a seven-year-old brain to think about these things, huh?’

However, he immediately realized with surprise that something was wrong.

‘All those logical inductions and deductions, they should have at least been jotted down on a piece of draft paper with a pen. But, in actuality, the entire process of implementation for this analysis… had only taken a split second in my mind?’

After a long while, Thales tapped the floor, feeling the pain in his head.

‘As expected, from having Mystic abilities and ‘losing control’, to possessing the so-called bloodline, and this monstrous capacity for cognitive processes… This body and this brain… are abnormal.’

As Thales contemplated, he slowly drifted off into dreamland.

…..

When Thales was woken up politely by Gilbert, he realized that he was back on the bed and was wrapped up neatly in the blanket.

“My esteemed young Sir Thales, good day.” Gilbert respectfully drew open the drapes. The afternoon sun shone in through the huge window, brightening up the luxurious and comfortable room.

Magnificent heated tiles with pictures of stars on them, a reclining sofa made of monitor lizard skin, a spacious four-poster bed made of copper, a huge Crystal Drop chandelier hanging from the roof, and a veneer fireplace—all those appeared before Thales’ eyes.

All of which constantly reminded him that his life was different now.

It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago, he was a little child beggar in a gang whose life hung on a thread and who lived in constant danger. And now, he was the blood relative of the highest ruler in all of Constellation.

“It is two in the afternoon right now, I sincerely suggest that you wake up and take your meal now as it will effectively boost your body’s recovery and maintenance.” The middle-aged noble was speaking with a neutral tone, but Thales could sense that he was urging him.

“Also,” Gilbert blinked amicably and spoke with a smile, “due to His Majesty’s wishes, our first lesson shall begin in the afternoon. I believe that you must have many questions, and I am very willing to answer them for you.”

Thales rubbed his eyes and yawned while he stripped the uncomfortable silk pajamas. He fumbled about as he simply put on the informal attire nobles usually wore, which Gilbert had prepared for him.

“Great,” he squinted and said lazily, “I love having lessons.”

‘And…’ Thales shut his eyes and thought silently. ‘I was having a good sleep. Who got me off the floor and placed me on the bed again?’

“Sir Thales, you must like these pants very much.”

“What?”

“Because you are putting them over your head.”

“What? What sort of pants look like these?”

“Sir Thales, you look like you harbor a special affection for this buttoned coat too.”

“Oh, this is a coat to be worn outside?”

“Sir Thales, I think you would need the belt to your left.”

“Ah, thank you. I was wondering why it kept falling down.”

After a long time…

“Sir Gilbert.”

“Yes?”

“Please put these damn clothes on for me.”

“Gladly, my esteemed young Sir Thales.”

Chapter 20

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Conspiracies and tricks. Evil and ugliness. A lot of them are born in the secret chambers lurking in the dark.

However, conspiracies can also be forged under daylight.

Such as now.

As winter approached, on the afternoon of the sixteenth of November. In a spacious stud farm, an old noble who was bulky and fat stood under a parasol wearing a thick mink cape. His head was lowered and he was frowning.

While watching a few horse trainers train the horses, he struggled to listen to what another noble to his left was saying. After a long while, he slowly heaved a sigh and, watching a disobedient horse some distance away, he puckered his lips.

“What sort of royal treasure has disappeared that it warrants our esteemed king to seal off Mindis Hall for an indefinite period? What a pity. I was planning to visit Mindis Hall next week to take a look at Master Kolven’s posthumous work.”

The noble next to him was younger and slimmer with a relaxed expression. He raised up the aloeswood pipe in his hand with effortless ease and took a deep drag.

“Also, Gilbert rushed overnight to Mindis Hall to report to His Majesty regarding the situation for the gang battle in the Lower City Districts,” he said cheerfully while blowing smoke rings.

“Really? Since when does our esteemed Iron Fist King care about the fate of the outcasts in the Lower City Districts? If only His Majesty treated his people with half the benevolence and kindness of our late King Aydi—” The bulky noble touched his thighs with deep hatred and resentment as the incorrigible horse fell on its forehooves.

“—why do we need to meet at a stud farm?”

“The king’s faction is definitely planning something. I can guarantee that it is certainly not a trivial matter—it is perhaps something that can turn the tables over in one stroke.” The pipe-puffing young noble’s gaze was radiating with energy.

“Mindis Hall is such a good place. Having lost a royal treasure—hopefully it is not Master Kolven’s artwork—the security there must have been tightened.” The old noble had suddenly blurted out something that made no sense.

However, the young noble nodded in understanding. “I also have news that Gilbert was ordered to investigate the truth behind the burglary, and as of late, he will be visiting Mindis Hall frequently. With that man around, even the White Eagle can’t do anything. We can probe, but we shouldn’t go too far. We have to use other methods to disrupt their plans.”

The young noble inhaled another mouthful of top-grade Fisola Tobacco, of which only six hundred pounds was produced each year. He reveled in it for a moment and blew a perfect smoke ring.

“Next month, the Eckstedt Diplomat Group will be arriving at our kingdom’s territory.” At that moment, the old noble’s face showed sincere worry. “Ha… it had not been easy for Constellation and Eckstedt to achieve a state of peace.”

“That is true.” Compared to his elder, the young noble could not retain his composure. His aggression, will, and spirit showed. “If any accident happens to the diplomat group within our kingdom’s territory, Our Majesty will probably be forced to act passively when he faces pressure from within and outside the kingdom.”

“If Our Majesty does not handle it appropriately…” The old noble watched as the horse from a distance away got up. He exhaled in relief, drank a mouthful of tea and spoke in resignation, “Ha… as expected, a kingdom like ours where the crown is inherited is a backward one.

The two of them were silent for a while.

The old noble shifted his body and asked distractedly, “What is going on in the Western District?”

“Do not ask me, Sir. You know that I hate Mystics the most.”

“Alright. Then shall we talk about the Black Street Brotherhood?”

“Those people still refuse to reveal anything.” The young noble’s countenance suddenly became displeased. “After being around for only around ten years, they already have such a big ego. Presumably, their confidence in their backer, whoever it is, is higher than their confidence in our ‘New Star’.”

“Do not look down on young people.” The old man cracked a smile in resignation. His eyes shone with sagacity and sharpness. “When children do terrifying things—that is true horror.”

…..

Compared to the quick glances he threw the day before during the previous night and at dawn, Mindis Hall now looked bigger, more magnificent and, of course, emptier in the afternoon in Thales’ eyes.

The ground floor housed a large parlor, a large banquet hall, and an open-air garden. The place was also equipped with a large-scale scullery and basement storehouse. There was even a depository for military equipment.

Apart from the open-air balcony, where a full view of the outdoor garden can be seen (“Due to considerations for your safety, I do not recommend that you appear on the balcony or outdoors within the month.”–Gilbert), the huge first floor had three large-scale rooms with different functions—the noble banquet hall, the assembly hall, and the games room. There were also rooms of various sizes.

The corridors, exits, and entrances of the ground floor and first floor were full of dignified, armored guards, all of them positioned themselves while following the protocol of one sentry every ten steps. Their faces were hidden behind full-face helmets and every single one of them looked as intimidating as large statues (“Although they are Swordsmen of Eradication that belong privately to the Jadestar family, I still do not recommend that you poke their stomachs, young Sir Thales.”–Gilbert). However, from a distance, Mindis Hall still looked eerily quiet and empty.

Thales’ living room, bedroom, dining room, and study room—where lessons were conducted—were on the second floor. The second floor was only accessible from the first floor, through a crowded fleet of stairs. Moreover, eight fully equipped Swordsmen of Eradication were guarding the place at full attention, changing shifts every six hours. As for the area outside the windows and the roof, he heard that there were also guards that were stationed outdoors (“With Yodel around, you do not need to worry about threats from beyond the window.”–Gilbert).

Every single dish, from broccoli and bread, to beef and plain water, was taken from the strictly-guarded scullery and the basement storehouse where they were prepared (“Pardon me, I have no way of ensuring their freshness.”–Gilbert). From cooking to delivery, the dishes had to go through stringent poison treatment, prelibation, and poison-testing procedures.

‘These safety and security measures are really beyond human imagination. It seems that I’m a lot more important than I thought I was. Should I say something like, “As expected of the ruling class”?

‘I wonder if Jala is able to sneak in with her skills. What about a Mystic? Speaking of such…’

“No, this is out of the question. Pardon me for refusing, young Sir.”

Thales raised his head to look at Gilbert, giving him a questioning look.

“So far, everything related to you is kept confidential.” Gilbert shook his head firmly, “Pardon me for speaking bluntly. We have already sealed off Mindis Hall. Our communication with the outside world is limited to a few trusted oath keepers. Under this situation, for the royal family to suddenly dispatch troops to a gang in the Lower City District in search of three child beggars in hiding, whether it is to monitor or to assist them, would be extremely detrimental to both parties.”

“Although the gang is nothing to us, actions that are too flashy would alert our true enemies and provide them with an opportunity to seize our weakness. Do not look down on the capabilities of those with malicious intentions. With the slightest clue, they would be able to reel silk from cocoons and find the source.” He said in a deep voice, “To help your old friends, we have to at least wait for the… right opportunity.”

Thales heaved a sigh and frowned, eating the last mouthful of buttered bread—it was sweet and greasy. He immediately took his cup and drank a mouthful of red tea.

‘At least the food is much better.’

“If you are satisfied with the afternoon tea…” With impeccable etiquette, Gilbert took the teacup from the frantic Thales and bowed slightly. He continued, “…we shall begin our afternoon lessons.”

In truth, while maintaining a smile, Gilbert muttered in his mind, ‘Perhaps we should begin with dining etiquette?’

“How about Yodel? Where is he?”

“As a competent protector, he would naturally be on guard somewhere nearby.”

Thales resisted the instinctive urge to look around. Once he knew that Yodel was nearby, he somehow felt a lot more at ease.

And so Thales tugged the bow tie on his neck that was making him uncomfortable and followed the slightly frowning Gilbert into the study.

“First of all, Thales, I spoke to Yodel yesterday.”

Gilbert watched as Thales positioned himself on a leather chair and curiously looked around at the decorations of the study, especially the three filled bookshelves.

“You are an extraordinary child. I can see that—based on Yodel’s assessment, and the few hours I spent with you since we met each other”

‘Here it is.’ Thales maintained a curious expression, but he raised his guard.

“However, this goes without saying—the heir of Constellation is naturally special.” Gilbert placed his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards the study table, which was carved with the symbol of the nine-pointed star.

At that moment, his grayish-white sideburns made him look especially solemn.

“I believe that since Fate has returned you to Constellation, she must have her own arrangements.”

Thales looked at the middle-aged noble and said nothing.

“I vaguely know about your past. The days on the streets must have been difficult. But please forget about them.”

Gilbert picked up the book that been placed a long time ago on the black, aloeswood study table. He turned around and said gravely, “You will have a new identity, a new life, and even a new name. However, the most important thing would be the future you have to face and the burden that you will have to shoulder from this future.”

Gilbert’s piercing gaze looked into Thales’ gray irises.

‘Forget the past.’ Thales meditated to himself. He looked at Gilbert’s sharp eyes and nodded with a solemn expression.

‘How is that possible…?’ Thales mocked in his heart.

“I understand. So,” Thales weighed his words and spoke slowly, “what does the ‘me’ right now need to know about myself and my past?”

Gilbert’s expression did not change, but in his heart, he nodded slightly. ‘Anxiousness, fear, helplessness, all the emotions that should be felt by a seven-year-old child under this kind of situation, are absent from this child.

‘There is only calmness and caution. Even his excitement is minimal. He is indeed extraordinary.

‘Is it due to the tough trials and tribulations he faced in the Brotherhood? Yodel refused to explain in detail, but the assassin was full of praises for this child. However, does being in a gang in the Lower City District really give someone this kind of experience? Or should I say that the royal bloodline that descended from the ancient empires, with almost three thousand years of history, is indeed extraordinary?

‘Or maybe, his other half…’

Having thought of this, Gilbert furrowed his brows a little, but the competent noble still bowed slightly.

“My esteemed young Sir Thales, please allow me to regard you as such for the moment. You are seven years old this year. On the twenty-fifth of July in the year 665, you were born in Mahn Manor, which is on the outskirts of Constellation’s capital city, Eternal Star city.”

“Your biological mother is a noble lady, whose name shall not be disclosed because it is not convenient for us to do so. She passed away from excessive bleeding while giving birth to you. Before taking her last breath, she named you Thales, after the brightest star in the sky.”

Thales furrowed his brows slightly.

“You grew up under the secret care of the Jadestar family in Mahn Manor. I, and another female official visited you occasionally. During that period, you grew up as a child adopted by Lord Mahn while he was hunting outside and did not know about your true identity.

“Last year in December, Lord Mahn died in battle on the border of the Western Deserts. Due to his lack of an heir, his assets and territories were retrieved by the monarch. At the same time, I brought you back to Mindis Hall, which is in the Twilight District.”

Thales kept quiet and listened to the entire narration.

“And next month,” Gilbert held the book in his hand tightly, “As the King, Kessel the Fifth’s, illegitimate child, a member of the Constellation royal family, and the only surviving blood relative of the Jadestar family, you will be declaring your birthright. Then the royal family, Sunset Temple, and the upper house of Constellation will jointly recognize you as—”

Gilbert’s expression was imposing and solemn. There were also slight hints of worry and sadness. “… the heir of Constellation’s Supreme King.”

After a long time, Thales exhaled lightly. ‘Looks like it’s way more complicated than what I imagined.’

“I get it. There are some parts that I’m still unclear about, but I will remember it firmly. I used to be Thales who grew up in Mahn Manor, and was also Lord Mahn’s adopted child.” Thales’ eyes sparkled, and he propped up his hands before placing his chin on them.

His thoughts were being configured speedily. He grouped the information he already had and what Gilbert said, into various elements and converted them into valid information.

Gilbert nodded and sat on a leather chair opposite Thales. “For the remaining parts, I will provide the details for you to memorize and familiarize yourself with.”

“Right now, this is your only task, and also all that you need to know.”

‘As expected, although he respects me very much… Deep down, he feels that there’s no need to tell a seven-year-old child so much.’ Thales’ eyes sparkled.

“Next, I need to know your basics when it comes to—”

As Gilbert was contemplating the lesson he should provide Thales with next, of whether he should start with basic etiquette or languages, the heir of Constellation suddenly opened his mouth and interrupted him.

“So, we have decided on a common excuse for the people outside.” Thales, who was curling up in the leather chair raised his chin from his hands. His gaze shone with bright light. “It should be time to tell me the truth, along with the predicament the king is in, and our common enemies and allies, whether public or those lying in the dark.”

Gilbert was slightly stunned.

“For example, my birth mother’s identity and why her identity is… not to be divulged; Constellation’s difficult current state of affairs, especially the series of problems brought about by the royal succession;

“Perhaps you should tell me all of the above in detail so that I won’t harbor any uncertainties when it comes to my future lessons. I will also be able to choose and prioritize the knowledge I need to learn. I believe that for the sake of Constellation, and also your king, this is the best choice.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged noble’s jaw dropped slightly. He looked at Thales in surprise.

‘Did Yodel talk to him about all this? No, it’s impossible.’

Thales retracted his hands. With a calm expression, he coolly but determinedly waited for Gilbert’s answer. At that moment, Gilbert felt like he was looking at the young Kessel Aydi Jadestar.

At that time, Prince Kessel’s eyes had been sparkling like stars. The warm rays of light in his eyes had not yet become the bone-chilling northern wind.

Gilbert only remained dazed for a moment before he immediately snapped out of his stupor and heaved a small sigh. ‘An extraordinary child, huh?’

Beginning from that moment, the middle-aged noble answered his young master with true reverence and respect.

“I understand. I will explain them to you immediately. In order to save up whatever limited time we have, if you have any other queries, you may also raise them now.”

Thales frowned slightly. “Very well.” He propped up his body from the comfortable leather chair that he was unaccustomed to. “Then I will be more straightforward.”

Thales activated the extraordinary cognitive capacity of his mind and pulled up all the relevant information. Just like how he used to do when organizing relevant literature for his research, he summed up all the key points.

“You mentioned before that the Bloodline Lamp was blessed with Divine Art twelve years ago, but I am only seven years old. Why did your people prepare the tools to search for blood relatives from twelve years ago? I believe that this is related to my birth mother, whose identity cannot be divulged. Who is she? Why did she leave me with the gang after giving birth to me seven years ago? These questions can be categorized under ‘Where am I from’.

“And, Kessel, my father, is still in the prime of his life. What is the reason for Constellation not having an heir for twelve years? Why has all hope for an heir been placed on an illegitimate child of unknown origin? There is something wrong with my father’s attitude towards me. If it’s not a problem with his personal attitude, then I’ll have to ask. What is his relationship with my mother? Why is my identity such a secret? These questions can be categorized under ‘Who am I’.

“Lastly, what does my existence mean to Constellation? Without an heir, what kind of problems would Constellation face? Who are our enemies, and who are our allies? According to what you said, Sunset Temple plays an important role in the matters related to me. How is this related to them? If I am acknowledged, or even if I just make a public appearance in the kingdom, what would be the state of affairs we would have to face? As an illegitimate son, what are my rights? As an heir, what would I be inheriting? These questions can be categorized under ‘Where am I headed to in my future’.

“Where am I from, who am I, and where am I headed to in my future. Sir Gilbert, please answer these three queries for me.”

It was as though time stopped at that moment. Gilbert stared hard at the boy before him.

From out of nowhere, a rush of surprise and fear appeared in his heart.

‘Late kings from ancient ages, late kings of Constellation.’ He sighed from the bottom of his heart. ‘Is this boy your descendant? What kind of power is hidden within your bloodline?!’

After a long moment, the middle-aged noble uttered a sentence with slight difficulty, “Sir Thales.” He exhaled and organized his words. “You are definitely unlike a seven-year-old child.”

Thales immediately realized that what he had just said was inappropriate, but there was already no way for him to back down.

‘Whatever, being a child prodigy who is familiar with the ways of the world is definitely better than being a clueless puppet.’

“More than one person had said this before; if you want to get into my good books, you will have to word it more creatively, Mr. Gilbert.” To mitigate Gilbert’s expression, Thales answered with a rare show of humor and cracked a smile.

Gilbert did not reply. He just cast Thales a deep look, not averting his gaze for a long time.

Just as Thales wondered whether time had stopped, the middle-aged noble, who was as still as a statue, suddenly opened his mouth and began to answer his queries. “My esteemed Sir Thales, firstly, where you are from… Everything began twelve years ago.”

“In the March of the year 660, although the late King Aydi II was already of old age, he was still king. His reign was long-standing and steady, the people knew him as the ‘King of Eternal Rule’.

“However, due to an increasingly fierce rebellion, the whole of Constellation sunk into an unprecedented turmoil. It even affected the entire Western Peninsula.

“War, disaster, famine—those were the issues of that year. A lot of people referred to that year as ‘Bloody Year’. Amidst the chaos and bloodshed, King Aydi was murdered. Almost the entire Jadestar royal family was slaughtered.

“Among all the legitimate members of the royal family, only his fifth son, Prince Kessel Jadestar survived. At that time, he was thirty-five years old. In the end, he was crowned as king. That was your father, Kessel the Fifth, known as the ‘Iron Hand King’ among the people.”

Chapter 21

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

‘Taurus. Help me.’

[I am incapable.]

‘I know you can do it. You are the strongest amongst all of us. I also know that this seal is not completely…’

[Why?]

‘This is because you must help me. I need to be restored to my body immediately and return to Constellation.’

[I regret I cannot comply.]

‘Taurus. You are not the will of the world nor are you one of those stupid Gods. Why do you want to be stubborn like them?’

[Ignorant.]

‘Please, Taurus! I met a child. He may be the only newborn Mystic in a thousand years.’

[What does that have to do with me?]

‘Why can you not comprehend? We are only fourteen Mystics. With him and we would have fifteen Mystics! We are all one unified entity!’

[Unified entity?]

‘Believe me Taurus. We all coexist and live with one another even if our journeys are different.’

[Do you remember Blood Spike Hellen?]

‘That is different. I will never admit them as one of us. They betrayed us!’

[Everyone has a choice. That’s what it was.]

‘We are not mankind!’

[Choices has nothing to do with race.]

‘Then I have made a choice! I choose to be a Mystic! Don’t you want to see us stand freely on top of the world?’

[I had a choice, that’s all.]

‘Taurus! That child needs guidance! Otherwise, sooner or later he would…’

[That is fate.]

‘Third Grade Apprentice of Soul Tower, Taurus Mill! Do not forget! You are the one that killed the people of the mountains and ocean! You are the one that started the war! You are our first role model! If it was not because of you, everything else would not have happened!’

[…]

‘Taurus. Help me.’

[…]

‘Help me.’

…

“Wait!” Thales raised his hand and interrupted Gilbert’s slightly sorrowful words.

“The Jadestar’s family bloodlines were slaughtered until almost none were left? Who did this?”

Gilbert simply gave him a sad look. Thales narrowed his eyes. There were already some problems in the earlier words.

“You said that my grandfather, Aydi II, had a long and stable rule and was known as King of Eternal Rule? Then what happened during the rebellion in the Bloody Year? Great order brought an armed rebellion? That is totally illogical.”

Thales looked at Gilbert. However, Gilbert simply patted the book once with his hand and frowned slightly.

The gray-haired middle-aged noble calmly said, “There are many reasons for the Bloody Year. It is also very complicated. Some information is even limited only to high-ranking officials. You will know this in future lessons. When you become the official heir, with the right to access all these secrets, It would not be too late to know then.”

“Right now, I can only tell you that His Majesty has already taken revenge on all the enemies that he could. The hidden dangers have already been basically resolved. As for the remaining enemies, revenge either cannot be carried out or is impossible.”

Thales narrowed his eyes. ‘Basically resolved?’

He had a hunch that the incident a dozen years ago was extremely important to him.

Gilbert continued his recounting with compassion and grief.

“During that year, the five central territories encountered a lot of natural disasters and crop failures. Six cities in southwest started an armed rebellion. The army that was supposed to stop the rebellion had a mutiny. The Barren Bone tribe also rebelled and the Eckstedt Empire started an invasion. The north was in a state of emergency. There was also a naval blockade and the supplies from the south was cut off. The rebels even surrounded the Eternal Star City for some time. The nobles in the city even united to force the King to abdicate. Everything happened very suddenly.”

“Bad news was reported in the court every day such as the fall of a territory, the invasion of an enemy, the defeat of the army, allies breaking treaties, a noble was killed or there was a brutal massacre. Everyone is alarmed and prayed for a better tomorrow but received worse news the next day.”

“The people in the city were in rags as they struggled to survive under the pressure of the army. Those not in the army were hardly able to get any food. Nobles below the rank of Earl were like beggars. Their previous power was as good as dung. Those that had gold were also unable to trade for food.”

“Thieves, robbers, and mobs emerged endlessly. Even the army could not suppress them. The number of people in the army that died from battle, illness or starvation also increased as the day goes by. It was to the extent that the city moat was blocked with the pile-up of corpses. The people outside the kingdom had it worse. Many are reduced to refugees or mobs. They drifted with the wind and have nothing to rely on. Robbers roamed and other criminals run rampant.”

“Many lords were hanged in their own fields. Some officials were even flayed in the kingdom offices. It was impossible to make a living without weapons. I heard from a messenger rider that piles of bodies lay every few steps of the road in the wild. It was impossible for a horse to gallop for half a minute. If there were less than five knights, refugees and mobs would swarm to attack.”

“It was a tough year.”

Gilbert looked out the window. His tone was calm but Thales could hear the desolation and resentment in his voice.

“The misfortune of the Jade Star Royal Family is amongst the biggest footnotes.”

Thales did not speak. Gilbert sighed and continued.

“The King touched his white hair, worrying about the city every day. The lights from the candles in the conference room were never put out. Everyone from the Jadestar family such as the princes, the King’s brothers, and others were assigned tasks like supervising the post-war work, winning over the nobles or even fight at the frontlines. That was until they were all mercilessly slaughtered.”

“His Majesty, the former sovereign, was beheaded at the throne. The princesses were strangled in their sleep. The prince’s concubines were burned to death in the castle, his descendants were killed by swaddling clothes. Even Her Highness the previous Empress was…”

“The heroic eldest prince took his sword and did not retreat. He died together with his Protector in front of the palace. The younger prince, Prince John, was the most unfortunate. Just as he was about to obtain victory in the Southwest Battlefield, he was killed by a shameful sneak attack from behind.”

“One of the princes in the frontlines was shoved down from the highest room in the castle. Another was killed by poison during a noble’s treaty banquet. One was forced into a tight siege by Eckstedt and had no support for three full hours. The whole army was annihilated and he perished in battle. It was to the extent that when His Majesty Kessel was hurrying somewhere in the wilds, he was accosted by five hundred professional soldiers. At that time only Yodel was with him.”

“Deaths and bloodshed covered the entire country. The upper levels were the court, the nobles, and the influential families. At the bottom were the knights, the businessmen, the laymen. They suffered heavy casualties. This was the most difficult page in the history of the Constellation.

Thales took a deep breath. ‘This country had experienced such a terrifying unrest before I transmigrated?’

Gilbert calmed down and spoke solemnly.

“This is why, please personally pursue the answer to the Bloody Year in the future. At the same time, please prepare yourself. The Bloody Year is only the tip of the iceberg. There was never any lack of bloodshed in the history of Constellation.”

Thales nodded. He suppressed his curiosity and excitement, and doubts about the Bloody Year were attached with a number and filed into memory.

Gilbert looked at Thales’ cautious expression and lightly nodded. He then turned around and continued speaking.

“Thales. The search for matters related to your bloodline started then. Your father, His Majesty Kessel may have survived but he had lost all of his relatives during that year. He also lost a pair of children, that is your older brother and older sister.”

Among them, the one-year-old Luther Jadestar was swaddled to death. The assassin was spotted and in the chaos, he abducted the four-year-old Lydia Jadestar.

Here, Gilbert glanced at Thales with a complicated expression.

“Thales. Child.” The middle-aged man slowly said, “At the beginning, that Lamp was not used to find you.”

Thales lowered his head, looking at the wound on his hand.

‘So, it was like this.’

“After the coronation of His Majesty, Liscia from the Sunset Temple personally performed a divine art that could find any living creature in the world that had His Majesty’s bloodline. However, when we found Princess Lydia…”

“In short, His Majesty and the Jadestar Family had lost all of the legitimate successors, and the situation stayed that way for twelve years. During this period, no new bloodline was born to His Majesty. In the past twelve years, Constellation only had a supreme King. There were no princes or princesses. Even political marriages were chosen from the children of the six most influential families. This was until one day when that Bloodline Lamp lit up again.”

The study room was silent for a long time.

Thales recalled the scene from the previous night. He needed to confirm one thing.

“During His Majesty’s fifth or sixth year of administration…”

So, when Gilbert continued, Thales did not hesitate to interrupt the middle-aged noble.

“The plan to obliterate the Royal Family,” Thales said softly. “Who was the most likely assailant?”

Gilbert closed his eyes for a moment. He then said, “It is the Charleton family and the Shadow Shield.”

Thales silently sighed in his heart.

“One is a thousand-year-old inherited assassin family of the night. The other is an assassin organization that had rampaged in the darkness for a few hundred years. Together with some hidden hands, they plotted what is known as the Starfall rebellion plan. This was something the Secret Department of the kingdom later found out.”

“Two secret Protectors of the former sovereign, Aydi the Second, were diverted by someone. As a result of the former sovereign’s benevolence, the elite Royal Guards was dispatched along with the eldest prince to suppress the mob that had suddenly gathered in front of the palace. Although the forty guards from the city defense team were elites ranging from ordinary class to supra class masters, and there were enough to line up from the front of the gate to the palace at the back, the legendary assassin managed to kill them all along the way. They could not even hold him off for half a minute. That was how Lordan Charleton cut off the previous king’s head.

‘That’s right,’ Thales silently thought. ‘I have personally seen with my own eyes that knife skill that relentlessly presses forward and is unstoppable.’

“Several of His Highness’ elder brothers, including His Highness the eldest prince, were assassinated by the Shadow Shield using a different strategy.

His Majesty’s had a pair of children remaining in the court. They, together with the princes’ concubine and the eldest princess, were killed by Bannette Charleton.”

‘Bannette. This name is really familiar.’

Thales huffed. ‘This was the man Jala referred to as a stranger.’

He resisted the urge to feel JC’s dagger. He also resisted the urge to immediately go back to the room and inquire from Yodel.

“Please continue.” Thales immediately changed his mood and nodded his head. “Please talk about my part.”

Gilbert spruced up his clothes because of excitement and also because his necktie was mispositioned. He then continued.

“I know a little bit about your biological mother. According to the words of your father, His Majesty Kessel, her name should be TherrenGirana1. As for her family name… His Majesty never talked about her background. She is probably not a noble. From this name, I even suspect that she is a foreigner.”

“But that is all. Nothing more. He did not tell me her age, when she met His Majesty, or even whether she is still alive.”

Thales frowned. “I was sent to the Brotherhood at least seven years ago.” Thales lowered his head and muttered. “That means, in the year 665, my mother met the King. Could you…”

However, at that moment, Gilbert shook his head.

“All this while, His Majesty has had many lovers, whether open or hidden. Some stayed with him for a month or two, some remained for as long as ten years. For more definite information on their situation, only Yodel who always followed His Majesty around would know.”

“However, all of them had nothing?” Thales asked in suspicion. “Only my mother whom I had not seen gave birth to me all of a sudden? And then the Lamp lit up when my blood touched the floor? Isn’t this too suspicious?”

“My father, His Majesty the King, is also neither cold nor warm to his illegitimate child. He also does not seem to want to discuss with me about my mother. Are you sure I am their child?”

Gilbert frowned. “I am unable to and also cannot comment on His Majesty’s actions.”

“As for your mother, I can only say it is fate.” The middle-aged man then looked uncomfortable as he added. “Besides that, I have to warn you that those ideas just now are not favorable to your future identity. I would remind you to not mention it again.”

Gilbert’s gaze was so harsh that Thales, who was sitting on a leather chair, shrank back.

“After all, the Bloodline Lamp from the divine powers of the Sunset Goddess is never wrong. His Majesty also insisted that that Lady TherrenGirana is your biological mother. So, keep this in mind and bury it in your heart. Maybe one day, His Majesty would answer this question for you.”

The frosty expression and unassailable majesty of Kessel V flashed in his mind. Thales turned to another direction and rolled his eyes.

“This above answers the questions about where you came from and who you are.” Gilbert’s face was solemn.

“So, about where you are going …”

At this moment, a person had suddenly appeared in the study. He had silently fallen in right in front of them.

Gilbert’s expression changed quickly. He instantly got up and used his foot to kick up a staff from the side. When the middle-aged noble caught the staff with his hands, he had steadfastly stopped right in front of Thales.

Thales then realized that the seemingly gentle and elegant middle-aged noble had quite good martial skills.

However, the middle-aged noble soon gave a sigh of relief and relaxed again together with Thales.

This was because the person that suddenly appeared was covered in a black hooded leotard and wore a dark purple mask.

“Hide.”

The Supreme King His Majesty’s Protector, Yodel Cato, said briefly in a hoarse voice.

“Some people are approaching here at high speed. Twenty!”

At this moment, Thales recalled Gilbert’s words.

‘There is no lack of bloodshed in the history of Constellation.’

Translator’s Note:

1 TherrenGirana – The name was exactly in this manner, in English letters and without spacing in the RAWs. There was a note stating that this surname is not known by others.

Chapter 22

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

‘Bad luck strikes again so quickly after finally being able to get a good sleep?’

This thought crossed Thales’ mind as he watched Gilbert calmly summon a few of the nearby Swordsmen of Eradication.

Yodel patted Thales’ shoulder and shook his head. The expression behind his mask was not visible but Thales gave the silent Protector a ‘smiley’ in his mind.

The several Swordsmen of Eradication efficiently accepted their orders one by one. The originally empty and quiet Mindis Hall suddenly became lively. Fifty guards were dispatched under a unified command; moving methodically; sounds of commands and reports following one after another.

“Team 3 is going to the main entrance on the second and third floor.”

“The deployment of troops is complete on both sides of the big hall!”

“Minor reinforcement on the roof of the hall is in place!”

Finally, Gilbert calmly gave a few more words to a Swordsman of Eradication that looked like the leader of the group. He then turned back to the study and carried Thales, who was peeping from the entrance of the study, back in.

As always, Yodel had already disappeared into thin air.

The middle-aged noble skillfully used his staff to pry open a plank behind the bookshelf. He then pulled back the bookshelf, revealing a secret chamber inside.

“Who is coming? Are they friends or foes?” Thales struggled to ask as Gilbert carried him in.

Gilbert lit up the Everlasting Lamp in the secret chamber and closed the door before asking in reply, “I suppose you wanted to ask who would choose to break into a well-guarded estate of the Royal Family without warning at five in the evening?”

Gilbert had obviously no longer considered the Young Master an ordinary child. Thales gave a mocking smile. He already knew the answer to the question.

“Sorry. I would need to inconvenience you and have you wait here for a moment. Secrecy is of the utmost priority.” Gilbert carefully drew open a curtain in the dim light revealing a fairly large iron plate with six different kinds of filter holes in it.

Thales curiously approached and saw six different places in the holes. The first floor of the Mindis Hall, the garden, the balcony on the second floor, the corridor at the second floor, the stairs at the third floor and also the patio at the third floor along with the outdoor roof of the hall could be seen.

“This is a surveillance mirror that uses mirror reflections to see all the critical areas in Mindis Hall.” Gilbert smiled.

‘Isn’t… Isn’t this a periscope?’ Thales exclaimed to himself quietly.

“It is time for the first group to fight. The other guys are scattered.”

Yodel’s voice came from the void.

Thales immediately stood in front of one of the surveillance mirrors. This was at the garden on the first floor. There was a group of ten Swordsmen of Eradication from the Jadestar family. They had set up a formation on tacit understanding, swords and shields simultaneously attacking five differently dressed but completely covered intruders!

However, the intruders also seemed to be a team that was well coordinated team. Two of them nimbly held their scimitars, moving among the swords and shields, looking for an opportunity and to rescue a companion that fell into perilous situation. One used an arm shield and a flail. He kept striking out through the dense sword and shield formation, causing one of the guards to back away again and again. Another one used a half-sword and leaned forward to attempt to break through any opening in the formation. The last one also held a sword and shield. He seemed to be looking for an opening while leading the attack.

“Hired mercenaries and adventurers!” Gilbert took a glance at the periscope and said, “It appears to be a team that had cooperated and worked together for a long time. They lived on wars or a lord’s pay, working as hunters, soldiers, scouts, bodyguards or even assassins. There is nothing they would not do.”

“I only arrived at Mindis Hall last night and there are already visitors?” Thales could not help but spat out.

“Is the Royal Family’s majesty so cheap?”

“Mister Thales. I can assure you that the majesty of the Royal Family is by no means cheap. It is the exact opposite. This is what is strange about the Royal Family and is what made our enemies uneasy and afraid,” Gilbert had lightly replied without sounding nervous or solemn. It was as though this was just a game.

“Enemies?” Thales turned his head and looked lost in thought.

“Yes. Do not worry about what is happening outside. The well-trained guards and Yodel would deal with everything. Now is also the best time to explain to you the third issue. Our enemies and our allies.”

The middle-aged noble took a few steps back. He sat down on a dark colored sofa in the secret chamber. He then smiled and said, “Right now, your existence is our greatest secret that we want to keep from the people, especially to the nobles and lords of Constellation.”

“The six big clans guarding the kingdom’s territory and the thirteen distinguished families supporting the kingdom are core members of Constellation’s Higher Parliament. Despite constant elimination and replacement it is contradictory. After all, they represent the ranking and influential nobles who, at the time of establishing the kingdom, vowed to govern Constellation together with the royal family.”

‘So, on the surface, this is a country where the King and the nobles rule together.’ Thales took note of this in his heart. He needed more information.

“Were the nobles conferred territories in the kingdom? Do they have full control of their own respective territories?”

Gilbert nodded. “That is the initial source of power for the nobles since the time of the ancient Empire until now. It then developed into Constellation. Although many nobles had only their names and honor left, the ones that really hold the lifeline of the country are the six big clans and the thirteen distinguished families that still control large territories.”

“In accordance to their vows and the imperial order, they were ordered to defend the territory from all sides, pledge allegiance to the King and also pay taxes. The only territory the Royal Family could directly control is the Jadestar Family’s Central Territory.

‘A country that is not at all inferior to the Middle Ages. Its productive forces are not acceptable compared to the country I saw.’

At this very moment, Yodel’s voice resounded in their ears again.

“An intruder is at the roof of the hall. He is currently being blocked by a guard.”

Looking at the calm and collected Gilbert, Thales held back the desire to look at the scene in the surveillance mirror.

“These suzerains may have their own legal private armies but, most of the time, they would choose to hire outsiders to do odd jobs — especially some jobs that require staying clear of incrimination. This is especially true for the more powerful and dominant lords, such as our guests outside.” Gilbert curved the corners of his mouth.

“Then what is the significance of Higher Parliament formed by the nobles and suzerain, and their authority?” Thales asked in a susceptible voice.

“The Higher Parliament is the product of the Virtuous Monarch Mindis the Third during his rule. After paying a heavy price during the Fourth Peninsular War, the Virtuous Monarch ordered those with influence such as the suzerains and nobles, the officials, the sacrifice priest, the traders and scholars to form the Higher Parliament and the Council of National Affairs. The former was a place to discuss official business exclusively for nobles. The latter was for the wealthy and influential in Constellation. With Mindis the Third’s superb mediating skills, he had eliminated numerous conflicts and obstacles, assigned taxes, allocating resources, borrowing and repaying loans, allowing Constellation to proudly retain its precious resources from the war that devastated both countries..”

‘A leader that utilized the kingdom’s powers to deal with conflict and reach a compromise, crafting a platform for a consensus of the hierarchy’. Thales committed this to memory.

“Ignoring the Council of National Affairs for now. The Higher Parliament of Constellation had been preserved after the Virtuous King rule. Constellation’s national affairs such as the King’s orders and decrees are announced after a consensus had been reached by the nobles and the Supreme King. This gave rise to certain accepted conventions. In fact, after the formation of the Higher Parliament, the disagreements the King had, nobles infighting, pretentious obeisance had all reduced,” Gilbert calmly said.

‘The prototype of the representative system? No. It is impossible for it to be such an advanced thing. It is a bit like a hierarchical nation turning into a nation with absolutism. Feudal lords make up the structure of the system but it is moving towards a situation where local influence compete against central authority.’

“However, with the arrival of the Bloody Year, the conflicts between the six big clans and the thirteen distinguished families became more apparent. For thirteen days after former sovereign King Aydi II was murdered, the Constellation Capital under the jurisdiction of Constellation closed its gates and restrained its troops, until Kessel returned. They then reached an agreement and coronated the new King.”

‘An independent feudalistic parliament — the feudal lords uniting into an organization voicing against the monarch. These are all bad news for me.’ Thales thought apprehensively.

‘The parliamentary process can actually eliminate the Royal Family’s role. This is a frightening power. When the time is right, it could become the storm that would overthrow the Royal Family.’

“But King Kessel did not have any heir in the past twelve years — the six big clans have already observed that.”

Gilbert had a vigilant expression as he replied in a mysterious and complicated way.

“Forgive me for speaking bluntly. Our powerful neighbor in the north, which is the Hero Raikaru and the Hero Chara’s nation, Eckstedt Kingdom, which is also known as ‘Western Peninsula’s Blade’, adopts a system where the suzerains elect a King. The King is selected from among the qualified suzerains.”

As he spoke, Yodel’s hoarse voice appeared again.

“The enemy is attacking on the second floor! Team 3 and Team 4 are dealing with it. There are also five more approaching the third floor.”

This time, Thales did not make any action. Gilbert took a deep breath. He then pointed outside.

“Mister Thales. Right now, do you know where your enemies are?”

Thales remained silent.

‘The Constellation’s hereditary monarchy. A foreign country’s elected monarchy. The six big clans and the thirteen distinguished families. ‘

‘Enemies.’

Gilbert had pretty much given Thales the answer. However, Thales thought that the information was not sufficient. All kinds of possible conjectures flashed through his mind.

With his brain working quickly, he extracted valid elements as he continued to ask.

“If the King’s bloodlines were cut off, the ones guarding the borders, the six big clans, would naturally be the first choices to inherit the crown. But does this also mean that the new King would inherit Jadestar’s territory, assets, vassals and influence?

“If the six big clans were originally on equal footing, what would happen to Constellation when one suddenly becomes the Royal Family, expands rapidly and has orthodox supreme authority?

“The six big clans would become five big clans and one large beast. Would it be the same as during the rule of the previous royal family where everyone lives happily and peacefully together working towards a better tomorrow?”

Gilbert had been accustomed to being interrupted casually by the Young Master’s words. However, this time the middle-aged noble quietly looked at him with a solemn expression.

Thales also looked back, his heart feeling heavier.

Thales’ eyes glinted “In their joint efforts to secure the crown, they, the six big clans and thirteen distinguished families, also probably experienced a complicated and headache-inducing bargaining and splitting of the spoils. At the very least, they would need to discuss about who gets the crown.”

‘In particular, after twelve years without an heir, most people would think that the end of the Jadestar bloodline is inevitable.’

Thales deeply exhaled.

‘Looks like my survival would really affect the peace and unrest of this country.’

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. Thales was stunned for a moment.

“Gilbert.” The boy stood up from the couch and frowned. He then slowly asked, “During the Bloody Year, what roles did the suzerains play? I seemingly heard you say something about forced abdication? Then the disaster of the Royal Family…”

Gilbert breathed in deeply but had a complicated expression. Thales felt a chill in his heart.

‘His Majesty was beheaded at the throne. The princesses were strangled in their sleep. The concubine was burned to death in the castle. The princes’ descendants were swaddled to death. The eldest prince fought at the palace entrance and died. The King’s younger brother met with a surprise attack on the battlefield and perished. Then there were four more princes. ‘

Thales’ mouth hung open as he dumbfoundedly fell back onto the sofa.

This was the first time he felt that life was so complicated after transmigrating. This guy was never discouraged even during the most difficult days in the Brotherhood.

There was silence in the secret chamber for a long time. This was until Yodel’s voice again sent a warning.

“This seems to be the last elite group. They are now fighting on the third floor.”

However, Thales no longer cared. His mind drifted towards the possible employer of the intruders.

‘Why was there such a useless Royal Family? Such that they were massacred by the suzerains under them? In that case, escaping from the Brotherhood would be suicide!’

‘My so-called father can still sit and relax on the throne safely wearing his crown? Who or what gave him such confidence?’

‘Is it a Mystic?’

‘Wait. Is my supposed father still the King now? Why could he still stay as King until now? This clearly means…’

“No!” Thales sat up immediately at the next moment. His looked solemn, but he firmly rejected his own guess.

“First of all, the Bloody Year disaster starts from top to bottom, outside to inside. Assassinating a widely accepted and wise king does not help the conflict between the nobles.”

“Second, Gilbert. You said before that the Higher Parliament held power independently for thirteen days after the assassination of the King. They had no King for thirteen days! Was it because they could not evenly divide the spoils or reach a unified decision that they then established a new King? Or was it because they were terrified? They were even unprepared to deal with the previous King’s death”

“The key point is that my father, His Majesty Kessel, was crowned after an agreement had been reached by the High Parliament. This shows that he has enough support from the big clans. Could it be that someone foresaw that Prince Kessel who was in his prime of life would not have an heir for twelve years so that the suzerains needed to wait for twelve years to take the crown? What kind of Psionic ability would guarantee this?”

“Finally, the last doubtful point. You said that my father had already taken revenge on all those that he could. The hidden dangers were basically resolved. The rest that he did not take revenge on, he could not or it was impossible to do so. Perhaps the six big clans were indeed horrible. But if they were really behind the killings of the Royal Family, then His Majesty, the ‘Iron Hand’ Kessel would have taken action in the past twelve years?”

“And by nature, the Royal Family and the six big clans were alike. They were simply powerful nobles with a long history.”

“If they were really prepared to take the throne, they would know they could not — at least they cannot scheme together and start this precedent. The best of the clans massacring the royal family. What if one day they themselves rule the throne, how would they know history does not repeat itself?”

“The six big clans were not the ones that murdered the Royal Family! Am I right, Gilbert?”

Thales stubbornly stared at the middle-aged noble as though trying to dig something out of his head. He saw Gilbert step forward and give a lamenting smile.

Gilbert cleared his throat and nodded.

“Originally, my intention was to guide your train of thought to act as the enemy to the six big clans and that would be enough. However, it seems that I still underestimated you, my dear little Sir. I believe His Majesty would be proud that you could think of this. However, the suzerains that were at the palace were not completely guiltless. At the very least, during the slaughter of the Royal Family, they chose to sit aside and even happily watched it happen.”

Gilbert’s eyes looked sad. He hesitated for a while and then finally said, “There is definitely someone else behind the disaster of the Jadestar Royal Family but I myself am not clear about the real truth. Only His Majesty knows all the details. This is the tragedy of the Jadestar Family. It would be up to His Majesty to personally tell you about it.”

Thales fixedly looked at Gilbert but then he huffed vigorously. It was as though a huge balloon was suddenly deflated. He threw himself onto the sofa behind him.

“Sheesh…” Thales could not be bothered with his etiquette as he rolled his eyes. “Just say it earlier!”

Gilbert laughed. He then bowed slightly. He tacitly approved the Young Master’s words and thought to himself.

‘Thales. This boy… perhaps Constellation may be different because of him. Although the Jadestar Royal Family’s real enemy is not yet known, you are probably more terrifying than the so-called six big clans and thirteen distinguished families, but that is also unknown to them at the same time.’

Suddenly, a voice interrupted them.

“Everything is settled.” Yodel’s voice came again. “There are no survivors.”

Gilbert’s expression looked serious. He nodded and slowly stood up. “Very good.”

Thales did not react and just stared.

‘Everything is already over in the time needed to cook a meal?

‘The stone had just fallen, but there wasn’t even any noise?’

Gilbert stood beside the door of the secret chamber and gestured towards Thales, asking him to get out of the secret chamber. He said, “Do not worry, Mister Thales. They simply came to probe. These chores are better off being attended to by us. Your battlefield is a hundred times more perilous and vicious.”

Chapter 23

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the afternoon of the 16th of November at the Red Street Market.

The normally bustling and lively red-light streets were filled with the star blue uniforms of the lightly armored police. The dark blue-uniformed police personnel were at the wrecked buildings and by the road. They were coming and going, armed with stretchers, supplies and their notebooks.

“There is another one here!” A police officer waved his hand, telling another inquiring colleague who had just arrived. He dragged out a deformed body from a collapsed beam.

“This one is still breathing!” Another urgent cry came from a distance. The doctors and healers employed by the Town Hall including some temple priest volunteers hurried on ahead.

Lorbec Deira, the Class One Chief of the Western City Police Station, stood on a small hill of collapsed buildings. His feet stepped on the bloodstained building materials.

He had just sent away with a smile a few government officials from the Town Hall who were neatly and brightly dressed like those guys in a backstage. He had politely and even modestly listened to their stupid complains about how everything here was the police’s responsibility and that the Town Hall is too busy serving the people to waste resources here.

Behind Lorbec was a large umbrella installed in an open space. This was a temporary morgue. At that moment, there were nearly a hundred corpses. Some of them were innocent civilians while some belonged to the underworld. There were many officials wearing masks, and walking around the corpses with pencils and papers. From time to time, a family member that had been searching for a long time, or had hurried here upon receiving the news, would recognize a corpse and give a heartbreaking cry.

Some of the family members, recognizing the uniform of the officials, would furiously rush over but were pulled away by the police and the soldiers who had been prepared for it.

Lorbec lowered his head and gave a deep sigh.

Fortunately, it was winter and the flies have not yet gathered.

Lorbec trampled on a signboard that had broken into several pieces. When he saw that this was a chess club building his expression turned stiff and he walked in.

An exquisite swordsman piece fell out from the bloodstained ruins. Lorbec stopped and bent down slowly to pick up the piece before dusting away at it.

However, the blood on the piece had already clotted and could not be wiped away.

‘These bastards.’

Lorbec’s face was pale as he looked at the piece. The swordsman piece was coincidentally missing its sword arm. It was as though it broke from the sudden force.

The Chief turned to look at the side of the ruins. A man in a dark red coat was also looking at everything.

The man in red coat turned around and saw the dissatisfaction on the police’s face.

“I will not approve!” Lorbec said resolutely.

“Are you sure?” The man in red coat showed his face. His bony face was covered with a beard. His tone was filled with ill intentions. “But this is requested by His Excellency and the Blood Bottle Gang.”

“Nikolay! This is not what we originally agreed on! Even His Excellency would not agree to you bombing Red Street Market into ruins, and causing the loss of almost two hundred lives!” The police gritted his teeth to resist his anger as he spat out his words one at a time.

“And then you even want… their bodies?”

Lorbec felt as though his discontent was about to break through the sky.

However, the man named Nikolay replied with a cold face, as though he did not care.

“That is not correct. Aren’t the destroyed buildings all only near the center? I also never knew that the Chief of Western City Police Station that had distanced himself while observing all evening also possessed a sense of justice and compassion. Besides that, didn’t we also lose quite a lot of people?”

‘Scum. You gangs fight your wars and you expect me to send my men to help you?’ Lorbec thought angrily.

“These are the losses of the Blood Bottle Gang. It is also His Excellency’s losses. Naturally, it also means your losses,” Nikolay said.

‘This scum. Why did the Western front banish him? They should have just cut off his head!’ Lorbec cursed in his heart.

Nikolay then said in a bad tone, “So, this is for the benefit of His Excellency. It’s just a few bodies, I am sure you would allow it?”

However, Lorbec did not give in to his persuasions. He marched towards Nikolay and quickly arrived right at Nikolay’s nose. Lorbec’s eyes were full of anger.

“I do not care how many of your Blood Bottle Gang members have died. I can accept His Excellency’s orders but he did not mention that you would cause such a huge mess! This morning, everyone in the Kingdom has learned that you all played with explosives at Red Street! We even had meetings discussing the gang fights at the Western District!”

Nikolay’s expression changed. He stepped forward, leaned towards Lorbec’s forehead without flinching and stared at the Chief’s eyes. With hate and fury, he said, “Then you must know that our anger is no less than yours! The Blood Bottle Gang would not be resigned to circumstances. We repay our blood debts!”

Lorbec who was provoked by Nikolay also responded angrily. “Stop talking about your trivial matters especially your gang of useless losers!” He then shouted, “The Blood Bottle Gang would not resign to circumstances? Do you believe that if I remove the police and the patrol teams, you scums would not even be able to leave the Red Street Market?!”

Nikolay frowned indignantly. The anger in his eyes became more and more vigorous. Lorbec glared back at him without backing off.

The surrounding patrolling members noticed what was going on and quietly approached.

Two Swordsmen of Termination captains had a cold expression as they held the hilt of the sword on their waists. Nikolay saw these soldiers from the corner of his eyes and his heart turned cold.

‘This cop really has guts.’

At the same time, he noticed a few residents watching the excitement from the police cordon lines. A few of those who kept watch seemed to have ulterior motives. From time to time, they would disappear and then a few new guys would appear.

‘Damn Brotherhood.’

The Red Street Market no longer belonged to the Blood Bottle Gang. He considered the police’s strength and the Brotherhood’s menace. Nikolay suppressed the resentment in his heart and took a step back.

‘The Air Mystic has disappeared. At the very least, we must admit defeat until the Blood Mystic returns. Damn the chief cop and damn the chief noble.’

“I apologize for my statement, Lord Lorbec Deira.” Nikolay stressed the word ‘Lord’ with a smile on his thin face. He then bowed down as though the anger before was artificial.

This was not the standard bow. “We really should not have bothered you. I will take my leave from this place and apologize to the Duke.”

Nikolay laughed, turned away, and left… until the expected response came from behind him.

“Wait!”

Lorbec then clenched his fist tightly as he reminded himself that he should not have been impulsive.

‘Shit. Damn. Sure enough, once I had stepped out, I could not turn back.’

Lorbec waved his hand weakly, signaling for his men to step back.

The corners of Nikolay’s mouth curved upwards. He saw Lorbec close his eyes agonizingly. After a while, Lorbec whispered in a trembling voice.

“Shit. Fine. You can take the corpses but no more than twenty. On top of that, they must be unclaimed!”

The smile on Nikolay’s face finally looked genuine. “This one will obey, my Lord.” He once again passionately addressed Lorbec by his title.

‘Unclaimed corpses?’ Nikolay laughed in disdain. ‘Since the Blood Bottle Gang wants these corpses, naturally they would be ‘unclaimed’ corpses.’

‘Right?’

He was really happy with the police and community’s cooperation.

Nikolay bowed unconventionally and turned away.

Lorbec looked at the man’s back and shook his head. He then asked weakly, “Why do you all want those bodies?”

“It is for that important person to entertain a few old friends,” Nikolay spoke in a frightened tone without turning his head. “Be prepared for the banquet.”

When Nikolay disappeared, a few people that were observing also disappeared.

Lorbec looked at the pool of blood at his feet and saw his reflection. It was an image of a helpless middle-aged man with grizzled hair and wrinkles.

Lorbec felt disgusted in his heart. He took a deep breath and looked at the piece in his hand. He saw the one-armed swordsman smiling at him. The police chief sadly lets go and turned away. The swordsman without a saber then fell into the bloody puddle, replacing Lorbec’s reflection.

…

At six in the afternoon, at Mindis Hall.

“Four five-men group with a clear-cut division of work, tacit cooperation, a supra class leading ordinary class elites —they were experienced and had extraordinary skill but judging from their equipment and identity, they were hired men.”

Gilbert stood up from the side of a dead body. He waved his hand and had a guard carry the body down.

“Mercenaries and adventurers that dared to attack the Royal Family — if the employers don’t have ample rewards promised to them, it would mean that they were confident that they could avoid the danger.”

The middle-aged noble stood on the first floor of the hall, his hands clasped at his back. He suppressed his disgust towards the collaborators. He faced an empty corner and asked, “As a previous adventurer what do you think?”

A hoarse voice came from the void, “Both, but it is mostly the latter — the employer did not tell them the truth, such as ‘You would not encounter a supra-class person or you would not encounter more than twenty guards.’”

“Maybe the employer never imagined that our guards would be extraordinary. On top of that, you were also there,” the middle-aged noble replied.

The corpses were then carried down from the stairs, the roof, and the corridor. Gilbert watched the guards carry away the invaders and clean up the bloodstains. He then lowered his head and was lost in thought.

“But this is still too simple,” he muttered.

“Although we had doubled the guards at Mindis Hall, even though they were all well-trained ordinary class and supra class Swordsmen of Termination, and even though they were simply hired-hands to test things out, we had still managed this too easily and casually.”

The guards that carried the corpses ignored Gilbert who was talking to himself. It looked as though Gilbert was talking to an empty space until Yodel appeared out of thin air beside him.

“They were not aware of death nor were they planning to kill the guards,” the secret masked bodyguard whispered.

“If I had acted a little later, they would have probably retreated.”

Gilbert frowned deeply. “This is not right. Even if they are here just to test things out, they were too hasty in their approach. It is almost as though they…”

Yodel continued, “It was as though they wanted to die.”

The gray hair middle-aged noble nodded. “If their employers are really the people we suspect, then they must know that if we have an important secret this kind of deployment would be useless. So what are the reasons for their actions? Were they covering for someone else?”

Yodel shook his head and replied, “No. I did not detect any other person.”

“If there was nobody else…”

At this moment, Gilbert and Yodel both looked up and out of the door. In the sunset, a simple carriage was driven on the road towards Mindis Hall.

Gilbert listened to the report of the guard and nodded. “Jines has arrived.”

“That woman.” Gilbert frowned. “She usually hates to sit in narrow places like carriages but it looks like she endured her likes and dislikes to create a deception.”

After listening to those words, Yodel suddenly looked up!

Gilbert felt strange. Initially, he wondered why the secret guard whose expression was not visible had so much of a reaction. However, immediately his face also turned pale and looked back at Yodel in shock.

‘Deception. Could it be?’

“Didn’t you say that you did not detect any other person?” Gilbert asked, looking pale.

Yodel turned to look upstairs. His body flashed.

“I left eight of the Swordsmen of Termination upstairs…” However, before Gilbert could finish, Yodel had already disappeared.

‘Wait. He did not detect any other ‘person…’

Gilbert ferociously beat his head.

“Everyone! Gather at the third floor fast! Protect your objective!”

…

Thales had cold sweat as he looked at the man in front of him. He was a pale-faced adult man wearing a gorgeous pleated sleeved jacket and branded leather boots. The man had suddenly appeared between him and the eight Swordsman of Termination.

No wind, no sound, no qi, no trace.

After that, out of the corner of his eyes, Thales saw the eight Swordsmen of Termination spurting blood from their necks.

When Thales turned his head, they had all already fallen to the ground. They simply twitched and groaned meaninglessly.

Thales had met powerful enemies before such as the Mystic Asda. However, Thales had never encountered enemies that appeared so suddenly.

Even with Thales’ outstanding observation, he could not react in time. He completely did not see how the man moved.

Thales subconsciously wanted to shout but suddenly a right hand appeared in front! This well-dressed man suddenly covered his mouth.

Thales still could not see the man’s movements.

Even when a master like Ralf, the Phantom Wind Follower, moved swiftly, his shadows and the trajectories of his movement could still be seen.

However, this was totally absent with the movement the man made with his right hand. It was like animated frames.

Thales who struggled fruitlessly gave up wasting his energy. He calmed down, did his utmost to normalize his heartbeat, and looked at the man in front of him.

The man who was slightly taller than Yodel had tidy blonde hair and behind it, his blue pupils were clear. Although his face was morbidly pale, he was — Thales could only say it this way — very handsome.

Compared to Asda’s gentle charm this man had a more ‘bright and easygoing’ type of face. Along with his simple but elegant taste of clothes, he would definitely attract girls when he goes out. Unfortunately, Thales could not feel any warmth from his body.

A sweet-smelling perfume wafted from his body. Even a country bumpkin like Thales could recognize that this was not the cheap perfume used by the citizens at the bazaar.

Right now, the handsome man gave him a pale smile.

“It was just a simple workout for me but look at what I found.

“A mortal creature.”

‘A mortal creature?’

Thales took note of this special term.

“The smell on your body… *slurp* really delicious. Sure enough, food can be found at unexpected places!”

However, at the next moment, the easy-going blonde man’s expression suddenly changed.

He held Thales’ hand and glimmered again. The next moment, Thales was held in the man’s arms with his mouth covered.

“He realized so quickly. That masked guy. I cannot deal with him.” The handsome blonde man muttered, “I might as well take this home to eat. Fortunately, the sun is setting.”

That was the last thing Thales heard. The next moment, his eyes were surrounded by a boiling hot and blood-red package. He felt the sky spin.

The scene at Mindis Hall seemed to spin and getting smaller.

Before his consciousness vanished, he vaguely saw Yodel’s mask appearing amidst the eight fallen Swordsmen of Termination.

Chapter 24

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Lorbec cautiously sat on a club visitor’s chair. He looked reserved instead of having the conduct and dignity of a Class One Police Chief.

At the corner of his eyes, he could see the Tricolor Iris Flowers symbol on the study and the portrait of an amiable old man.

Lorbec knew that even if he had the city under control and was the suzerain who had the real power over the city, he could not comfortably sit there and talk to the extremely graceful but threatening young noble opposite him.

On top of that, the man was only a small police chief.

“Thank you for meeting me despite your busy schedule,” Lorbec said as he bowed respectfully.

“Please do not say that! According to your experience and status, you are more than qualified to be my teacher. These were my late father’s words.” The young man had curly iron-colored hair, round face and thick lips. The man had a friendly smile. He jokingly said, “Although my father and I are different when it comes to the taste of wine, both of us agree when it concerns getting your respect.”.

Lorbec promptly nodded, feeling warm in his heart. “The late Duke is a virtuous person and also magnanimous and benevolent. On this point, you are not inferior in any respect.”

After these words, the young man looked at the portrait in the study. The late Duke’s smile was kind and amiable.

After a few seconds, the young man recovered from his thoughts.

“I am sorry. It has been two years but I still… I hope I have not disgraced him.” The young man shook his head with a wry smile. He then stood up, looked faintly at the distance with a fleeting sad smile and sighed leisurely. “I sometimes think. If my father was still here… I would rather listen to him scold me.”

Lorbec felt somewhat awkward. On one hand, he also missed the late kindhearted Duke. On the other, he felt that the young Duke showing his true feelings this way was a very private thing and that he himself must not interrupt indiscriminately.

Fortunately, the young Duke promptly turned around. He shelved his memories and joked to relieve the awkwardness.

“Well, as long as he does not raise the subject of wine.”

Listening to this remark, Lorbec and the young man laughed silently.

It was common knowledge that the late Duke loved to drink Eckstedt rye wine while the young Duke preferred the exquisite wine from Sera Duchy fine grape brew. Because of this, both of them argued on more than one occasion in front of the Tricolor Iris Flowers family emblem. It got to the point where they almost pulled out their swords to duel. Only the late Duchess and the lovely Miss Hille could, with a murderous glare or a coquettish look, get them both to stop at the table.

With just a few words from the young man, the awkwardness and embarrassment in the house vanished.

While laughing, the young man put down an agarwood wooden pipe in his hand. He then walked to the bar and picked up a bottle of unlabeled wine.

“I am sorry. I do not actually smoke. However, just now I went to the horse market I talked to the elderly there for a bit,” the young man explained with a wry smile. “So, I hoped that holding a pipe would make me look a bit older. They would rather pay attention to a horse that lost a hoof as opposed to a young man selling his ideas to suppress bandits.”

The sharp-eyed Lorbec noticed that among the various bottles of grape wine on the bar was a conspicuously placed bottle of strong black rye wine. Although it was never opened it was kept spotlessly clean.

Lorbec could not help but feel touched by the thought of the late Duke.

It had been two years since the death of the late Duke Covendier. This was the first time Lorbec had met the new Duke privately. However, in a matter of minutes, the police chief was already impressed by the amiable and approachable young Duke.

He was worthy of being passed down as one of the Six Big Clans. He deserved the ‘Rather die for friends than foes’ Tricolor Iris. He was truly the son of the late Duke. It seems the Covendiers have a successor.

The police chief bowed a little and then confirmed the young man’s opinion. “Only those that lack talent would rely on seniority to speak. I believe that Your Excellency’s character and abilities would be enough for this.”

“I cannot thank you enough.” The young Duke forced a smile and brought two glasses of wine. He offered Lorbec a glass. “These words coming from the mouth of the youngest chief of the Police Department. They really make me feel at ease. Did you know how Duke Cullen encouraged me?”

Lorbec happily took the red wine. His restraint had vanished at some point in time. He found it ridiculous as he watched the young Duke imitate the posture and the manner of speaking of the pot-bellied East Coast Duke.

“Do not worry. Little Zayen! You know, both your father and I were raised by the former king with a liberal smacking of the buttocks.” The young Duke’s expression twisted as he imitated Duke Cullen. His face was red as he said in a thick voice, “So if anyone questions our qualifications, we are going to show them our backsides!”

Lorbec and the young Duke burst into laughter again and they knocked their glasses together and emptied their wine.

A person with a high position but humble stance would always maximize goodwill from his subordinate.

After the cordial and friendly exchange, they finally talked about the main topic.

The young Duke finally frowned.

“I need a lot of bodies? Old friends? Banquet?” The young Duke Covendier voiced his doubts. “That person really said that?”

Lorbec nodded solemnly. “He said that he was following your order but as far as I know…”

“Even if I was crazy, I would not give such an order!” Duke Covendier solemnly put the glass down and resolutely waved his hand.

Lorbec finally calmed down after seeing the young Duke’s actions.

“I am new to government affairs. I also have not paid attention to the Blood Bottle Gang contact details. However, you have ample experience and are a police officer that knows about worldly affairs. What do you think of this?” the young Duke raised his head and earnestly asked.

The young Duke’s humble and respectful attitude made Lorbec feel comfortable. So, he wholeheartedly provided his opinion.

“As far as I know, there are not many situations that require the use of corpses. The mysterious Mystics have died off long ago. The heretical god or demon sacrifices have not appeared for a long time. It is also not possible for the Blood Bottle Gang to expand to medical and therapeutic areas. So, what is left are races that live on dead bodies or blood.” Lorbec analyzed in detail.

Zayen Covendier nodded slowly and closed his eyes as though he was thinking about something. After about a dozen seconds, he suddenly opened his eyes to stare at Lorbec. He incredulously said, “Immortal species?”

Lorbec nodded in affirmation.

The duke gave a long sigh.

The police chief no longer spoke. He knew that the next step was to wait for the promising young and high ranked noble to give the final decision.

“Through bribery or persuasion, progressively and in an orderly manner, bring the underworld into the kingdom’s structure and legal system…” The young Duke’s complexion looked bad. He put his hands behind his back and slowly strolled around the room. This reminded Lorbec of the late Duke.

“This is the governing policy my great grandfather was ordered to use during the reign of Kessel IV. The Blood Bottle Gang was a fruitful example for decades.”

“However, it looks like they have now fallen into conflict. They cannot avoid revealing their lawless nature.” The young Duke furrowed and cautiously chose his words. “Although there is a rising gang that is pressing down on their territory, blindly permitting it is not a long-term solution.”

“The use of Red Street Market to lay an ambush has endangered the lives and properties of the Kingdom’s residents. It even alarmed the Imperial Council and caused His Majesty to question furiously. It was extremely excessive and even overly atrocious…”

The young Duke’s face was solemn and majestic. His words were firm and cold. Each word sank into Lorbec’s heart, making him respect the other even more.

“On top of that, after losing the internal strife, he did not restrain his bad temper and licked his own wounds. Unexpectedly, he was like a cornered beast and wanted to use an outsider to help him prevail. He even used my name to threaten the police and demand for the corpses.”

“Simply preposterous!”

Lorbec lowered his head and waited for the final verdict of the Tricolor Iris Flower.

“Ashford!”

The young duke shouted loudly and a white-haired butler in formal wear answered as he came in. Lorbec recognized the man and hurriedly greeted him. The man was the late Duke’s most trusted butler.

The old butler meticulously greeted in return. He then respectfully listened to the commands of the Young Master.

“Who is the person maintaining contact with the Blood Bottle Gang? Forget it. No matter who it is, tell him to come to my study to explain himself!”

“Send in a group of people bearing our Tricolor Iris flag. Go and get some answers from any Blood Bottle Gang member who has authority. They must give me an explanation for threatening my father’s trusted lieutenant and a police officer of the kingdom!”

“In addition, send another small squad, with a supra-class Knight of Eradication. Go and find their new guests and flush out those that desecrate corpses like vampires and werewolves! If you find any that violate the Pact of Humans and Immortal Species, you do not need to ask any more questions and immediately bring their heads to me — never mind, that would be too messy —just give their heads to the dogs!”

“Prepare the carriage and my clothes. I will move my trip to Renaissance palace next week ahead of time. Sigh. These matters about gangs and the common people. I hope His Majesty would listen to me…”

“Notify the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department, His Excellency Morat, that they should pay more attention to the Grand Banquet Hall and Wild Vast Mountain. Immortal species enjoying corpses in the kingdom? Hmph! When did they last gather at the kingdom? The Bloody Year? If I had found out that the vampires and werewolves interfered in our internal affairs again to subvert Constellation…”

When Lorbec heard this, he knew he must not listen anymore. He quickly bowed. With the friendly and encouraging gaze from the Duke, Lorbec left the study.

Behind him, the young Duke was still unhappily exhorting the butler.

The police chief stepped out of the main door of the Covendier’s family estate and exhaled with relief. That evening, after the discussions with the Duke, he knew he would not suffer any serious consequences due to disagreements with the Blood Bottle Gang.

Most importantly, he had seen Zayen Covendier in person and sincerely felt that…

‘There is still hope in this deteriorating kingdom.’

…

After confirming that Lorbec had left the estate, the butler Ashford quietly closed the door to the study.

Duke Zayen closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and sat down on his chair.

“I really admire him. He is already forty and yet he still has so much ardor.” Zayen rubbed the bridge of his nose gracefully in relief. His face looked tired. “It was as though he could change anything. It is a pity that taking care of the self-esteem of an official, especially one that has a high position, is compulsory.”

“His Late Excellency thought highly of his talent. Besides that, he is likely worried about how the Blood Bottle Gang’s discord would affect your perception, Your Excellency.” Ashford quietly poured a glass of wine for his master. He then walked back to the wine counter and began to clean the many bottles, especially that bottle of rye wine.

“Speaking of the Blood Bottle Gang…” Zayen lifted the glass, gently sipped, and enjoyed the sweet wine.

He then shook his head and showed a helpless expression. “They openly went to the police to request for corpses. I really do not know whether to laugh or cry. Mystics originate from magicians. I believe they would have the appropriate wisdom.”

“Their leader, the Air Mystic, had disappeared after last night’s battle,” Ashford quietly reminded his master. “On top of that, after the crushing defeat of the Blood Bottle Gang, their manpower became stretched thin. They presumably could no longer supply the Corleone family’s blood food. This resulted in this stupid action.” Ashford did not bother to glance at Zayen. Instead, he concentrated on wiping the bottle of rye wine that the Old Duke was never willing to drink.

“Losing a battle that is necessary to win must cost a lot.” Zayen pondered as he shook his glass of wine lightly.

“However, I must make up for my own mistakes.”

“The Eckstedt’s diplomatic group would arrive in the nation next month. The scheduled transfer of manpower from the Blood Bottle Gang may not be sufficient.” Zayen looked down at his wine. He looked worried as he smelled its fragrance.

He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. He then slowly unbuttoned his collar and sipped his wine again.

As the wine flowed into his throat, Zayen looked up at his father’s portrait. The man’s kind smile made him feel even more burdened.

“At least the Corleone family had quickly responded to your invitation. Letters have also been secretly sent out to the others. Based on their relationship with the Tricolor Iris Flower, I believe there would be a reply soon,” Ashford lightly replied.

“Hmph. The Corleone family is simply the leader of the ‘Lower Seven Pillars’ of the Night Kingdom but barely three people and some blood slaves came.” Zayen frowned and poured out the wine at the bottom of the glass. He closed his eyes and gently rubbed his temple. “This is not their usual style.”

Ashford lowered his head, signaling that he was listening.

“A Duke who has lots of descendants rich in blood, like the powerful Blood Clan, ended up in the same situation as the beggars of the Lower City District. The blood of the dead should have been enough but they still impatiently wanted more and reached out to the living. On top of that, they even asked for ordinary class and supra class fighters.” Zayen slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes seemingly turned darker. He received more wine from Ashford as he faintly said, “What a pity.”

“After all, you are the one that ‘invited’ them here and provided them with ‘food and lodging’,” Ashford silently said to remind his master.

“They hid the truth — about the current situation of the Corleone family,” Zayen said expressionlessly. He closed his eyes and exhaled to calm his mind. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was ice cold. “Any accidents may destroy our plan.”

He then heavily said, “Let Seychelles and Cassain bring a group of four knights to the Vine Manor.”

“First, discuss this with Nikolay. Pressure the Blood Bottle Gang. As long as they do not make trouble, the Iris would ensure their survival.”

“Since they were already defeated, why do they want to make a fuss? After that, there is also the three vampires that came from the Eastern Peninsula.”

Zayen Covendier’s tone was resolute and without doubt. His round face was calm yet terrifying for some reason.

“Find out the secret that they are hiding. If they do not cooperate…”

“Draft a formal letter to the Sunset Temple. The Covendier family has always been loyal to the Sunset Monarch. With this letter, attach three vampire skulls to say hello.”

“Summon an interrogation for the East Continent’s intelligence. I want to know all the recent events of the Night Kingdom.”

“The three Blood Clan cannot be used anymore. Let us find someone else for this matter.”

Duke Zayen lightly put down the glass in his hand.

‘King Kessel would be forty-eight the following year. All the kings chose their successors at this age. (When Luo Er Xing transmigrates four times at the starry sky.) This is the crucial moment for the succession of the throne. But the contest with the other five powerful clans is the real crucial point.

‘If Jadestar was destined to be without an offspring, then the equally remarkable descendent of Leinster Covendier, who had fought together from the start with King Tormond I, with his Tricolor Iris Flag, would take the oath of King.

‘That way, I would have enough authority to…’

Thinking of this, Zayen felt his shoulders turn heavier but stronger.

He remembered about the fat Duke Cullen. Zayen’s pupils moved slightly as he laughed. There were no traces of warmth in his eyes.

Ashford put the bottle in his hands down, made a perfect bow and left.

“That’s right. Although it is just a trifling matter, have Seychelles ask Nikolay.”

Zayen looked up. Duke Covendier of the Tricolor Iris’ eyes were abstruse as he asked, “How is the probing of the Mindis Hall?”

Chapter 25

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Red. The color of blood.

He shook his head feeling dizzy.

‘Where am I?’

Sharp pain assaulted his chest and abdomen.

He groaned in bewilderment. He opened his eyes in a daze only to see bloodiness in front of him.

At this moment, a familiar and gentle voice said, “Qiren. Do not move! Hold on a little more! The ambulance is coming.”

He was calm for a moment but at the next moment, the pain in his chest and the dizziness in his head became more intense.

“Wu Qiren!” The voice became more and more alarmed. “You cannot die here! You… Right. You still have not changed the world! How could you die here? You still have not changed the world. What qualification do you have to have a baby with me then?”

‘Change the world? Have a baby?’

His sobered up a little and breathed heavily. He felt much better.

In a bloodied state he endured the acute pain and put on a forced smile.

“Is the Second Year Syndrome treatable…ahh1”

The familiar voice was seemingly crying tears of joy. However, the weeping laughter seemed to get softer and weaker like a candle about to die out.

He suddenly panicked.

‘No. It will not happen.’

He smiled painfully and wanted to call out to that voice. He wanted to joke around with her as usual. However, when he opened his mouth, he found that he could not call out her name.

It was still red and bloody in front of him but his whole body felt hotter.

*Poof*

Thales fell into a thicket of grass. He opened his eyes and became fully aware.

“Damn it! What happened?” By Thales’ side was the pale-skinned blond-haired man cursing angrily.

“How did it use up so much blood?” His voice was filled with suspicion and dissatisfaction.

Thales realized that the blond-haired man turned into watery blood and took him flying at high speeds. Thales had another flashback. In that fragment of dreamland, it seemed he ‘lost control’ again,

‘This time the displacement is effected by the blond-haired man through watery blood?’

Thales felt as though he had just got off a roller coaster, crashing on the ground and coughing dryly.

‘Fortunately, I have experienced carsickness… Er, ‘man-sickness with Yodel before this.’

Thales thought to himself as he shook his head, trying to get rid of the disturbing red blood color from his mind.

“It is obviously almost time to go. Could it be that the injury has not yet healed? The Blood Image Dance is no longer proficient…” The handsome blonde murmured and rudely grabbed Thales.

‘It looks as though it is already dusk. Has the sun set behind the hill? It is also a bit cold. Are we outdoors?’

Thales could clearly see that they had fallen on a dusky trail by a thicket of grass. In front of him was an expansive manor with a large garden.

A flag flapped at the iron gate located between the garden and the dusky trail. Weeds grew thick at the manor as though its owner never took care of it.

If not for the fact that it was less refined, it could have been comparable to Mindis Hall.

‘That flag.’ Thales narrowed his eyes and saw three strange petals. It was red, blue and green in color.

Thales recognized the flower. It was the favorite flower of Wu Qiren’s first girlfriend.

‘Is this an Iris? Is this a noble’s coat of arms? This is probably one of the ‘enemies’ that Gilbert mentioned. What terrible luck. I fell right into an enemy’s nest.’

“Go quickly! Little whelp of the mortal species!” The blonde impatiently pushed him towards the manor.

Thales’ thoughts furiously churned and reasoned.

‘Looks like this handsome young man knows how to speak and is not just a brute that is difficult to tame. On top of that, he had also left behind other words such as how this was just an exercise and how it was fortunate that the sun was about to set.’

Thales thought it was fortunate that the guy seemed rational and then tried to find a countermeasure. The JC dagger was at his waist but it was evident he could not hope to ‘put this dagger to the man’s neck’ or anything like that. He also could not suddenly injure himself to inform Gilbert and Yodel as it was too meticulous and obvious.

He could only gather intelligence first.

“Hey!” Thales turned around and shook off the blonde’s hand. “I see you have the demeanor and temperament of a noble. Your actions must match your appearance. Pay attention to your manners!”

The blond-haired man was stopped by this remark.

“Manners? Demeanor?” The man grinned and deliberately revealed his two ferocious fangs. “I need to show manners to food fated to be eaten?”

The man purposely ground his sharp fangs.

‘It is really similar to that creature from my memories.’

Thales leaned ahead and glanced at the two fangs. He contemptuously curled his lips and said, “Your attitude towards food is terrible. You do not have the talent of a gourmet. The mental and physical conditions of the food could affect its quality. What are you going to do if your rudeness affects its taste?”

The handsome blonde was stunned for about three seconds and his malevolent expression had half relaxed. He then replied, “Nonsense. Little whelp, you certainly have guts.” The man then laughed and added, “However, you are not the first food that was courageous. No need to try your luck. You cannot escape.”

“So that my flesh and blood would become tastier?” Thales showed an expression as if he finally understood. He then unexpectedly walked towards the manor.

The man had gotten ready to carry him to the manor ahead when the man saw him walk to the front by himself.

The blond-haired man stretched his hand to scratch his head, puzzled at the food (he felt disdain in calling them ‘prey’) that did not seem to have any intention to escape. Half-way through the man felt that this was inappropriate and could only put down his hand. He then quickly kept up with Thales with a speed visible to humans.

“Not your flesh and blood. Just your blood. I believe you should have been injured recently? The smell of blood is drifting everywhere. Tsk. It is so fragrant I feel like having a mouthful first.”

The two continued to move forward.

“Then how do you prepare to eat me? Do you nibble or just suck the blood? From where do you start? Do you use seasonings?’

“The Tuvalus like to eat their meat raw. They enjoy the howling of their prey. We generally suck the blood directly and it is divided into neck food and wrist food. As for seasonings… Wait. Why am I talking about these to a short-lived whelp like you?

The blonde stopped and looked at Thales who evidently did not behave like a seven-year-old.

“I am destined to be food right? Shouldn’t it be a virtue to be polite to food that willingly gets sacrificed? Isn’t that a virtue? Food that was in a good mental state may even taste better.”

“You… are weird as food. Do you think your actions would make me release you?”

“It is hard to come by good food. Of course, it must be rare. Come. There is no need to stop. Let us continue walking. What is your name sir?”

“Young whelp? Why do you ask? Do you want revenge?” The blonde stopped again. His suspicion and vigilance of the boy increasing.

“With your skill, it would not be easy to take revenge on you. Since I am already about to be eaten by you, you should at least tell me your name, right? Besides that, isn’t shouting hey inconsiderately too boorish? Mm…You are not an illegitimate child without a surname right? You should at least have a name.”

The blonde seemingly felt his pride stabbed by the last few words. He then proudly replied, “My name is Istrone van Leica Liszt Corleone from the Night Kingdom. The Leader of Seven Pillars, the Corleone Family’s first-class Blood Knight.”

“Come. Come. Let us keep moving. So why do you call me a mortal?”

“What else could humans who have lifespans of less than one hundred and twenty years old be other than mortals? Even young whelps like you would live another ninety years at most.” Istrone showed disdain.

“So you guys are ‘immortals’ that have longer lifespans compared to us?”

“Of course. A vampire’s lifespan is endless, more than what the inferior mortals could imagine.”

Thales quietly filed away the information in his mind.

‘Istrone Corleone. Mortals. Immortals. Night Kingdom. Corleone Family. The superior vampires. The most important point was that he did not seem interested as to why I appeared at Mindis Hall. This may be my only way out… Oh. I had forgotten that he wanted to ‘eat’ me’.

Thales and Istrone walked into the manor. The transmigrator’s eyes narrowed. At the entrance, two fierce-looking men wearing red scarves headed towards them.

‘The Blood Bottle Gang? Why are they here?’

“Tell me. Why did you we stop here? Is it better to simply fly in?”

“If it was not because of the Blood Image Dance… Sigh…”

The handsome Istrone suddenly realized that the mortal whelp could understand his words. So, he gracefully cleared his throat and indifferently continued.

“Hmph. I would have flown in if this was my territory. However, we are only guests and need to maintain respect and courtesy towards the host.”

‘An immortal that pays attention to elegance.’ Thales thought to himself.

The two helpers from the Blood Bottle Gang walked up. They looked at the two with bad expressions and said, “Who is it?”

However, Istrone furrowed his eyebrows. With a cool expression, he interrupted them with disdain.

“Get lost! Inferior mortals!”

Thales’ expression twitched as he took back his earlier words.

…

A few minutes ago,

After the fiasco from the ‘One Night War’, one of the few Blood Bottle Gang members who were in power rushed back to the capital. One full day after the battle the head of the Psionic Warriors, ‘Red Viper’ Nikolay, still looked hard pressed.

In the very least, together with the other three Psionic Warriors, he had to preserve the current status before the Blood Mystic, who had stayed hidden for a very long time, rushed back.

First, he had to deal with the aftermath of the One Night War. Other than the explosion, there was also the issue of the Air Mystic disappearing without any trace. His personal bodyguard, that lunatic with the sword, was lying there with Ralf. Their upper bodies were almost cut open. One could only guess that Asda had also been killed. So, Nikolay had to make certain that the Brotherhood’s three Assassins, especially the Black Sword himself, was in the capital before he could leave in peace. (In fact, Tinker, who had just come back from the Red Street Market, thought that he was oversensitive. Even if the Black Sword was at the capital, the man would not bother looking at him.)

Tinker and Noumea were amongst the few Twelve Strongest of the Blood Bottle Gang to return. (“Shit. So it was the cowards who would live to the end.”- Nikolay) They would not say what happened at the Red Street Market except that there was fear and panic. Nikolay had given up looking for the truth. As for revenge for the Air Mystic, he would discuss this with the Blood Mystic once that person returns.

The Blood Bottle Gang’s morale took a huge blow after losing the highly profitable Red Street Market that they had occupied for a long time. Most of the common helpers had begun to waver. Their customers, regardless of whether they were nobles, merchants or people from the same trade, expressed deep unswerving friendship to the Blood Bottle Gang, but at the same time reduced all their dealings and withdraw their funds. Some even broke their contracts. (Shit! Calm down. Stay calm. The debt of blood must be repaid! – Nikolay)

The Blood Bottle Gang members whose morale had fallen at the other districts in the capital retreated when confronted with the irresistible ‘inferior’ Brotherhood. It could be imagined that when the news spread nationwide, the fight at every branch would likely end up the same way.

Second, the major supporter behind the Blood Bottle Gang, the Covendier Family with the crest of the Tricolor Iris was indifferent even after finding out about their crushing defeat. He did not appease them nor did he reinforce them. He also did not even spend a single copper to comfort them.

What Nikolay resented the most was that they had previously done a lot of dirty work for them all over the kingdom. At this crucial moment, Seychelles, the Knight of Termination did not even let him in through the front gate of the Duke’s manor. That afternoon, he was even ordered to ‘thoroughly investigate the theft at Mindis Hall’.

‘Theft? Shit. Which part of me looks like a police investigator? Can I cut that part off?’

Thinking of police officers, Nikolay became even more furious. ‘Damn. That cop of the West District. That Lorbec or Lockerbie is usually smiling. I am not sure if he has dispatched people at the crucial moments of the One Night War to reinforce, did we not agree to have police-community cooperation? Forget it.’ Nikolay suppressed his unhappiness.

‘Lorbec had used all sorts of excuses when he wanted a few corpses. The funny part was that he acted like a righteous envoy. After receiving so many inducements you act like a righteous envoy? What are you doing talking about righteousness in front of me, Nikolay? Which part of me looks like a good person? Can I cut that part off? Damn. In the old times, I would have gone to his house, strip his wife naked and hang her at the doorbell of the Western City Gate.’

Besides that, Nikolay wanted to settle a matter involving Covendier’s three vampires. The vampires were unexpectedly sent to the Blood Bottle Gang’s branch in the Eastern City District. (The Vine Manor was actually also Covendier’s property.) ‘Take good care of them? Did you think we are entertaining lost puppies? They want the blood of ten people every day! They even asked for supra class masters! Good. Now we might as well find the Black Sword, knock him out and then tie him up before giving him to them! I already sent them all the Blood Bottle Gang members that I disliked and it is still insufficient! I even had to softly persuade that cop for corpses! Which part of me looks like an animal breeder? Can I cut that part off? The most annoying part was that the number of vampires were not many, but were short-tempered and bossy. They looked at me as though I am a dog!’

Thus, with a bad mood, Nikolay took his entourage to the Vine Manor in the night. He lightly waved his hand as a greeting to the other Blood Bottle Gang members whose expressions were equally bad.

When he walked into the main building of the manor, to the stone staircase, he heard faint sobbings and wretched cries from below. This made Nikolay who was already in a terrible mood even more distraught.

He resisted the urge to think about the ‘blood food’ in the dungeon (many of whom were his former colleagues and subordinates). His face was ashen as he went up to the second floor. He pushed open the wooden door of the main hall and looked displeased at the few people in front of him. To be precise, there were two people and their food in front of him.

One was pretty, fair-skinned, had a red ponytail, sexy and was attractive. The woman that looked like she was about thirty years of age wore a noble’s horse riding clothes. She gently pushed away a man whose eyes were in a daze.

The seductive woman licked the bloodstain on her lips. She gave a captivating smile to Nikolay and extended her finger to wipe away the blood at her chin.

The man that was pushed away seemed like a plundered civilian. He looked absent-minded and his skin was deathly pale. He fell to the ground and twitched. His breathing became weaker and weaker as he soon perished.

There were at least seven to eight of these that had died from excessive blood loss in the hall. The corpses were dried up with bloodstains everywhere.

Fresh blood dripped slowly onto the ground and the table, the sound utterly terrifying.

At the full-wall window in the hall was a similarly luxuriously dressed old man with white hair. He stood with both his hands on his back and seemed to be waiting for the moon to rise.

“Oops.” A gentle voice came out from the woman’s mouth. Her eyes lit up. “Have you sent us something nice to eat? Are there twenty people? Was there any supra class? Any virgins? Any young children?”

‘These damn vampires! Did they go out hunting for living people again?’

“Miss Rolana! Mister Chris! I just wanted to tell you something.” Nikolay suppressed the unhappiness and disgust as he said unhappily to the two vampires, “The twenty corpses sent here in the afternoon is the limit. Our blood bank reserves are not that high.”

When Nikolay said the words ‘blood bank’, he remembered the anguished cries in the prison cell and felt nauseated.

“Oh?” The attractive Rolana laughed. Her lips curled upwards and her eyes gradually showed a dangerous gaze. “Can the blood of those dead people be eaten? What we want is the blood of the living.”

“Otherwise, if and when I see you Blood Bottle Gang members come and go, I might not be able to resist…” Rolana revealed her sharp fangs and adopted a charming posture. She placed her forefinger on her sharp fang. With the light from the Everlasting Lamp along with the bloody backdrop, Rolana had a strange malevolent beauty.

“Three distinguished guests. Please understand. The Eternal Star City is the capital. Our capabilities are limited…” Nikolay suppressed his anger and quietly replied.

“Aiya. But didn’t that young and cute Iris Duke said that he could give as many people and as much blood as we wanted? If he found out how his loyal dog is entertaining the guests, he may not give you bones to eat. Haha.”

‘Loyal dog? Bones? Fuck!’

As he listened to the peculiar humiliation and mocking words from the arrogant vampire and then thought of the Iris Duke’s attitude after the defeat at the Red Street Market, also all the irritation he went through the entire day, Nikolay felt a huge fire burn in his heart.

“Fucking bitch! There are no living people!”

Nikolay roared as he ruthlessly slammed the table with his palm, disregarding all the bloodstains on it.

“Do not think I do not know that you vampires only need the blood of the dead to keep living! You do not need the blood of the living at all! This is no longer like hundreds of years ago!”

“I worked so hard to bring all these living and dead here. There was even one supra class and you complain that it is still not fucking enough?”

“If you want to eat, eat! Otherwise, get lost! I am not easily frightened! Worst comes to worst, we will just part ways! We will just pull back our troops and fight!”

“We are from Blood Bottle Gang of Constellation, we repay blood debts! We are not like Covendier who dies for his friends!”

There was a moment of silence, except for the heavy breathing of the Red Viper in the hall. Even Nikolay’s entourage retreated back a little from fear.

After that, Rolana’s expression changed. She extended her fangs and her expression turned malevolent. Her originally alluring voice like a spoiled child became sharp and wild.

“Inferior mortals! I will be polite and give your master some face! Blood of corpses? You yourself could live on water, vegetables and rotting flesh. Why do you need to drink wine and eat meat? You worked hard? That half dead supra class was just used by you to avenge private wrongs. You just want us to help you settle your internal affairs. You want to talk about repaying blood debts to the Corleone Family? I can have you experience your paying of ‘blood debts’ right now!”

The anger in Nikolay’s eyes became more intense. He gritted his teeth and pulled open his scarlet jacket. The sinister Rolana gave a delicate cry and jumped onto to the top of the chandelier. She brandished her fangs and claws like a cat.

Just at the moment both sides had their daggers drawn, the old man at the window turned around.

“Rolana. Be mindful of your manners.”

“Mister Nikolay. There is no need for this. If we fall out, the one embarrassed would be Duke Zayen.”

His voice was not loud but clearly resounded in the ears of everyone in the hall.

Chris Corleone, the white-haired old man suddenly appeared in front of Nikolay.

Before the boss of the Blood Bottle Gang could react, Chris stretched out his hand and patted the Red Viper’s shoulder.

The old man’s act restrained Red Viper’s anger.

Rolana descended back to the ground and returned to her captivating appearance. She laughed but her eyes still looked fierce.

“Apologies. They are still young and cannot control their temper.” Chris gave a cryptic glance. His wrinkled face was dark and silent.

‘Young?’ Nikolay cursed in his heart. ‘You have the nerve to call a monster that is several hundred years old, young?’

However, Nikolay still suppressed the anger in his heart. The circumstances do not favor him.

‘This old monster looked sickly but the skill he showed with his hand just now… With my own capabilities, I would not be able to deal with him.’

“How about this? The past few days have been exhausting for you. From now on we will deal with the matters of food by ourselves.”

Chris’ eyes remained fixed like his lifeless tone.

‘You will solve it yourself? Based on the characteristics of the vampires, hunting for prey outside would eventually turn into a disaster! But doesn’t that concur with my wishes?’

“Let’s go!” Nikolay waved indignantly. “Take all our brothers away.”

“Oh? Are you not even leaving one behind? There are people who still want to apologize here…” Rolana alluringly lay down on the bloody table and returned to her coquettish self.

“There is no need!” Nikolay turned his head back and replied. “It is best to avoid making Miss Rolana unable to resist.”

The thugs of the Blood Bottle Gang followed behind Nikolay and went downstairs. No one felt regret leaving the nauseating manor.

After a while, only the sound of Rolana’s weird laughter and the dripping of blood remained in the hall.

Nikolay soon went far away.

Rolana suddenly got down from the table. Her face was cold and stern.

“Did he notice something?”

Chris shook his death-like head. He looked like a white chess piece from afar. “This guy did not but Covendier had certainly noticed something strange. After all, so much blood is enough to feed a squad of Blood Knights.”

Rolana lowered her head. “However, this is still not enough. I just wasted another one just to put on an act. I will go hunting again.”

“Fortunately, we have chased away the Blood Bottle Gang as planned. This will give us some time before we get exposed.”

Chris suddenly turned his head back about a hundred degrees and looked out the window. His nose twitched a little.

“Istrone has returned. He also brought back… this fragrance… It is high-class blood.”

His figure reappeared at the window. The moon came out.

…

Nikolay took the Blood Bottle Gang group and angrily stepped out of the manor.

‘These damn vampires… hm? That white-faced vampire has returned. Didn’t he follow those mercenaries to Mindis Hall to find treasure in the afternoon? So, he also knows how to use his legs to walk, using the main gate?’

Nikolay had thought that when the vampire was in a hurry, like what he had once seen, he would transform into watery blood and flow around.

‘That white-faced vampire even brought back a boy? Damn. He also went out hunting for food? Looking at the way he is dressed, he must be from a noble family. However, he is covered in injuries… That is not right. That child does not look like he is being held hostage. Their footsteps look as though they are walking as a group.’

‘That’s right. I need to ask about the theft at Mindis Hall.’

While Nikolay was thinking, Istrone and Thales entered the manor.

From afar, Thales already saw the Blood Bottle Gang that was walking out.

When he thought of the flag with the Iris flower, he gloomily cried out in his heart. He knew that the had to remain calm so that he could find a way to survive the dangers ahead.

Istrone gazed fixedly ahead as though he did not pay attention to those from the Blood Bottle Gang.

Nikolay waved his hand and the Blood Bottle Gang stopped and waited for Istrone to come over.

However, the handsome blond-haired vampire simply snorted through his nose. His head looked towards the side as he impolitely walked past the Red Viper. It was as though he had no words to say.

However, the vampire immediately noticed that the human that was not even as tall as his waist strode forward with his head held high. The kid huffed and synchronized his pace as he walked past Nikolay with his nose held high.

‘What kind of situation is this? Is he using his master to bully others?’

Istrone resolved himself to punish the child that loved to play dumb.

Only Thales knew that he himself was pretending to be calm by strongly suppressing the beating of his heart.

Nikolay’s anger rose again.

“Hey! Pretty boy!” The Red Viper blocked Istrone’s path. “Have you completed the task His Excellency the Duke has asked you to do?” Nikolay asked in a bad mood as he looked at the handsome vampire.

‘His Excellency the Duke?’ Thales secretly questioned.

Istrone looked up at the human who stopped him with disgust.

“The stolen treasure at Mindis Hall! Did you remember? You even took four groups of mercenaries with you!” Istrone’s gaze towards him made Nikolay full of anger. Nikolay walked up to the vampire’s nose and loudly shouted, “Pretty boy. Shouldn’t you have obtained something?”

‘Pretty boy?’

‘Repulsive mortals!’ Anger welled up in Istrone’s heart. He originally wanted to deceive the mercenaries by sending them out and then hunt them one by one, treating them as an excellent source of blood to bring back to the manor.

He never expected the weird masked man to finish them off at Mindis Hall.

‘As for the theft at the Mindis Hall, this was something requested by the Duke of the Iris Flower.’

‘I still need to say something.’

Istrone turned to look at Thales. Nobody knew his state of mind that had already turned ice cold.

‘What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?’

‘Calm down!’ The boy told himself. ‘I must save myself!’

His brain spun wildly as each report and element flashed through his mind and regrouped.

Istrone lowered his head and looked at the boy. He wondered what to say to Nikolay so as to not lose face in front of the mortals.

Nikolay looked at the arrogant Istrone. He followed Istrone’s gaze and then turned to the little boy beside him.

“Hey, kid…” Istrone said without paying attention.

Everyone looked at Thales. At this moment, Thales took a deep breath.

‘According to the Second Year Syndrome, I am the man that is to change the world. How can I die here?’

After that, the others saw the seven-year-old boy’s expression turn cold. He shouted before Istrone could say his next words.

“Yes. Your Excellency!”

Istrone froze for a moment. ‘This brat. Why is he suddenly so respectful?’

However, before he could react, the situation changed.

Thales stepped forward without hesitation. He was like a loyal guard standing in between Istrone and Nikolay.

And then, under the bright moonlight…

Everyone heard the voice of the young boy with an annoying expression looking at the man currently in charge of the Blood Bottle Gang, the head of the Psionic Warriors, Red Viper Nikolay. The childish voice had an arrogant tone as he shouted,

“Get lost! Mortals! His Excellency, the noble Istrone Corleone does not need a lowly and talkative dog meddling in his affairs!”

Translator’s Note: Middle School / Second Year Syndrome. Those with it act like mature know-it-alls or think they have special powers, being obnoxious, arrogant, etc. Some may also recognize this as Chuunibyou.

Chapter 26

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Everybody did not manage to react and were collectively stunned.

“You—” Although Nikolay was still in shock, he realized that Thales was shouting at him.

‘Stray- stray dog?’

The Red Viper’s expression changed from bewilderment to shock, then from shame to anger.

“What did you say… you damn little b*st*rd!”

A member of Blood Bottle Gang poked his fellow gang member beside him, making an expression, signaling that “things were not going well”.

The handsome Istrone reacted, a large variety of expressions appeared on his face—it was a combination of spasms and tremors, tinged with embarrassment and awkwardness.

‘This little brat is too good in acting… Is he a character from a play in Dark Night Temple?’

Nikolay clenched his fists tightly. He could feel the followers beside him exchanging glances. Their boss had just been insulted by a child right in his face. A child! Who had just been acting based on instructions by the vampire!

‘This bastard!

‘How dare… how dare he… Even the Blood Mystic—known for being cruel and violent—had never insulted me to my face like this!’

A surge of anger spread through Nikolay’s mind. He stared fiercely at Istrone as if wanting to cut out a piece of his face.

In Nikolay’s point of view, he had performed his duty and enquired about the mission’s progress on behalf of the Duke. However, what did that pretty boy do?

That damned vampire turned and made a sound, signaling to his little follower. Then, that little bastard in front of the vampire took a step forward, as if he had read his mind.

With that infuriating expression on his face, he called Nikolay a lowly stray dog and told him to get lost.

But upon hearing what the little bastard said, the vampire’s expression morphed into a hideous grin—It was clear that he was snickering at him in delight!

That vampire was reveling in the joy of humiliating him!

‘Threatened by high-ranked police, rejected by Tricolor Iris Flowers, persecuted by that damned vampire, and then this little bastard—’

Thales watched as the Blood Bottle Gang boss’ expression progressively changed, and as he contemplated whether to insult him further, his vision suddenly blurred!

The Red Viper had used his thunder-like speed and skills to grab Thales by the neck with one hand and raised him up.

Thales immediately felt his breathing become obstructed. This was not the first time he was strangled!

With his face scrunched up, just like the previous time, Thales extended his hand to grab onto his strangler’s right hand. But this time, he only felt as if he had grabbed onto skin that was as hard as steel.

Nikolay’s stubble that made him look ancient was magnified right in front of his eyes. His hideous expression trembled along with his mouth that opened and closed repeatedly.

The Red Viper gave a death stare to the vampire in front of him.

“Pretty boy! Your little pet—”

Before he could finish, a straight, open palm suddenly appeared before his eyes, the side with the little finger rushing downwards.

Nikolay had no choice but to let go. He immediately backed away.

*Boom!*

Both of them stood still.

With a dark face, Nikolay grabbed onto Istrone’s swift knife-hand strike that was aimed to attack his head from the side.

“Since you know that he is my pet, don’t mess with him,” the blond Istrone spoke with a disgusted expression, “mortal creature!”

Thales fell onto the floor. Unable to help it, he started coughing dryly. He mentally swore that he would never let anyone strangle his throat again. That feeling was too painful.

The Blood Bottle Gang members around them became anxious. A lot of them put their hands on the weapons at their waists.

“Pretty boy,” At this moment, Nikolay was already expressionless. However, Thales could feel that his gloominess was slowly rising. The Red Viper let go of the Blood Clansman’s hand and slowly enunciated each word. “Why don’t you try calling me that again?”

‘Although this mortal creature wasn’t fast, his battle instincts and experience aren’t bad—he even managed to grab my right hand.

‘When dealing with someone like this, even though I’m able to overpower him in terms of speed, I still need to be careful. I didn’t expect that he would be an elite near supreme class.’ Istrone’s heart sank as he contemplated his next move.

“What’s with the annoyed expression?” Istrone’s gaze became grim. “Am I wrong? You—”

The next moment, the blond noble let out a sudden, angry shout.

“—mortal creature!”

Before he even finished shouting, Nikolay’s fist and Istrone’s palm met in the air.

To Thales, the moment the fist and palm collided, it was as though the world had stopped. But in the next moment, it was as though all sound and wind swept past in a visible ripple.

*Bang!*

When it felt like time was moving again, the strong wind brought about by their fight suddenly charged towards Thales and swept past his face, forcing him to close his eyes.

*Boom! Bang!*

Two more gusts of wind swept past, Thales rolled around with his eyes shut. He only managed to avoid the strong wind surrounding Istrone and Nikolay after moving a few meters back.

“Is this all the speed you can muster?” The blond noble smiled strangely, then moved in a flash once again!

Nikolay, who knew that he was not fast enough, clenched his teeth and threw his next punch. Like a phantom, Istrone’s silhouette would appear for one second, then disappear in the next.

In contrast, Nikolay was attacking relentlessly at high speed, like a mechanical gear, and his strikes were becoming increasingly fierce.

Both parties sported maniacal expressions and exchanged punches six times in the blink of an eye.

The strong wind brought about by the meeting of fists and palms left the Blood Bottle Gang members around them with no choice but to shield themselves with their arms. There was no way for them to interrupt the fight.

Thales recalled the duel between Jala and Ralf as they fought at their maximum speed. But for that case, it was a fight between speed and agility. For the pair in front of him, it was more like a battle between explosive power and speed.

Istrone took a step back in a flash while Nikolay dragged his left leg a step backward. They glared fiercely at each other.

‘Something is wrong! Why is this mortal from a gang getting faster and faster? He even caught up with my speed in the end!’ Istrone frowned.

‘Hmph! This vampire is indeed extremely agile. I will make you fall with my next attack!’ Nikolay sported a ferocious expression.

Both of them bore somber expressions. They could sense their opponent’s toughness and endurance.

Without warning, they exchanged fists again.

“Vampire!” Nikolay shouted furiously as his red coat fell onto the floor. He spun his body around while still maintaining balance, and the blood vessels in his right arm bulged. Then, he threw his right fist on the Blood Clansman’s chest. The punch was equally astonishing in terms of spirit and speed.

“Mortal creature.”

Istrone spat scornfully and immediately bared his fangs in fury. A bloody mist covered his whole body while his silhouette flickered between being an illusion and having a corporeal form. Claws grew on the fingers of his right hand. He spread out his palm and grazed past the air, grabbing onto Nikolay’s throat.

Thales shuddered. He immediately imitated the Blood Bottle Gang members around him and raised both of his arms to protect himself in anticipation of the next, probably most brutal gust of strong wind.

Both parties struck after accumulating strength in their attacks and interlocked in the air.

Thales shut his eyes tight. But the anticipated blast of strong wind and deafening thump did not come.

“As you people have already greeted each other,” a raspy voice spoke languidly, “it’s time to disperse.”

Thales slowly opened his eyes. Istrone’s sharp claws and Nikolay’s heavy punch were held tightly by both hands of an old noble who suddenly appeared on the scene. His face was as pale and gloomy as a corpse.

It was as if all the strength and vigor in their attacks from before had disappeared without a trace in the old man’s palms.

‘It can’t be? Even if he managed to block the impact between those two, there had to be at least shock mitigation and inertia. How can an exchange of force at that level show no signs at all?’ Thales thought in fear.

The old man turned from left to right, looking at both of them. Istrone’s expression was indignant while Nikolay’s was filled with wariness along with a tinge of surprise.

‘Supreme class,’ the Red Viper muttered to himself. ‘Not only that, he is an elite within the supreme class! Only Blood Clan dukes, or even marquises, possess this strength. Even within the ‘Six Great Pillars’ in the Blood Clan’s Grand Banquet Hill, there aren’t many people like this!’

The old man flashed a hideous smile and released his hands in the blink of an eye. Without having to be reminded, the two who were fighting took a step back.

“Sir Nikolay, you do not have to lock horns with a young person. Please leave right now.” His dry lips opened and closed like a puppet.

Nikolay looked at the followers around him. Their faces were full of fear and anxiety.

‘God damn it, such an unlucky day.’

He began to understand that if the Blood Mystic did not return, nothing would go right for Blood Bottle Gang.

‘Looks like I’ll have to personally head to Steel City and invite her back no matter what price had to be paid.’

“Hmph!”

Nikolay angrily snorted. He looked at the old man, and then at Istrone, who was provoking him with his glare. Clenching his teeth, he spoke, “Okay, okay, fine. Hopefully, the duke and all the Knights of Eradication under him are as good-tempered as I am.”

The red flush had not disappeared from Nikolay’s face, but he did not speak any further. He waved his hand and left with the others.

“Little bastard, when they suck your blood dry—” As Nikolay was leaving the manor, he turned and glared fiercely at Thales. His tone was venomous. “Don’t scream too miserably.”

He took his coat from his follower. After he put it on, all Blood Bottle Gang members left the manor.

Thales sighed in his heart. He had managed to live through this; had even managed to live through the incident in Mindis Hall.

He was safe for now. However, the strange old man’s next sentence made Thales’ heart beat with fear once again.

“So, my little friend… I am guessing that you are probably related to their mission in Mindis Hall… am I right?”

Istrone Corleone turned his head around like a puppet, cracked a smile with his wrinkle-filled lips and said, “It seems that both Tricolor Iris Flowers and Blood Bottle Gang… are very interested in you?”

…..

“So, you were saying that, on the second day of his arrival, you, being His Majesty’s most trusted attendant, the former Foreign Affairs Minister, the head and signatory of the ‘Fortress Treaty’—Count Gilbert Caso; and you, His Majesty’s most reliable secret protector, the ‘Nameless Person’, Yodel Cato, whose background is unknown to me—”

It was a mature female voice. As the sun set, it rang on Mindis Hall’s roof.

“—lost His Majesty’s only child and heir, just like that?”

The woman was mature and dignified. She was a charming forty-year-old woman donned in the standard green and blue uniform of first-grade female officials. In the face of this alluring black-haired woman, both Gilbert and Yodel bowed their heads slightly.

‘Although we are prepared for this woman’s arrival,’ Gilbert thought, ‘I never thought that we would be meeting her under these circumstances.’ Every time he thought of the woman’s special and awkward status, Gilbert felt his head ache.

Presumably, Yodel, who was beside him, felt the same.

“Yes, Lady Jines,” Gilbert said quietly. His tone was full of angst and regret.

Yodel did not say anything, but he was slowly clenching his left fist.

“You people searched the area for an hour but could not find any clues?”

“Yes, Lady Jines,” Gilbert spoke with shame.

The gears on Yodel’s mask turned a little.

“And then, the only thing we can depend on—” Lady Jines pointed at the lamp in her hand and spoke unhurriedly with a mocking and angry tone, “—is this worn-out lamp and the little kindling Yodel is holding?”

“Yes, Lady Jines,” the pitiful Gilbert continued to answer.

Jines did not speak any further. She stared at them for an extremely long time with a displeased expression.

Gilberts’ heart sank further and further.

After a long while, Jines made a nasal huff.

She shut her eyes and slowly said, “His Majesty’s forty-eighth birthday is approaching. I can guarantee you that the Six Great Clans’ plans are in full operation. They want to coerce His Majesty into selecting a crown prince from among the nobles, whether in the form of adoption or having a child from one of the noble families take the royal surname.

“And that child was our only hope in the darkness.” Jines took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She spoke slowly and clearly, “And then, you people… lost… him!”

Gilbert and Yodel lowered their heads further.

“Men are indeed unreliable.”

Jines put the Bloodline Lamp on the roof and exhaled in disdain. “Alright. Let’s dispatch all our people. We will begin searching from where that child disappeared! Even if that child is indeed as intelligent as you say… we cannot just sit around and wait for that lamp. This will only prove that we are incapable and cowardly!”

Under the night sky, the mature, charming woman suddenly turned her head towards them and growled furiously at them in the kind of tone used to reprimand subordinates, “Why are you people still standing here?”

As if suddenly roused from sleep, Gilbert and Yodel came out of their petrified modes and walked forward.

“You useless men. You better put… in… some… effort!”

…

Thales was pressed onto a chair by Istrone inside the manor’s inner hall.

He swallowed hard and moved his buttocks slightly to the side to avoid a patch of sticky, red substance.

‘Without the dried dead bodies that can be seen everywhere in the hall, the wet and dry patches of blood stains on the dining table and the floor, and these three obviously abnormal people before me—this place would actually be quite decent.’

The boy looked at the man, woman, and old man in front of him, and flashed an awkward, friendly, and toothy smile.

“Such an excellent source of blood! This fragrance, oh my, Istrone, as your cousin sister, it seems that I have looked down on you in the past. I thought that you were only out taking a walk with that group of humans!”

It was a sexy woman with a red ponytail. She was so excited that her eyes shone. She bent down and carefully scrutinized Thales.

Thales only flashed a silly smile.

His instincts told him that at the moment, apart from showing friendliness and cooperation, other actions would be inappropriate.

He thought about cutting open his hand in secret, but he was sure that the sensitivity towards the smell of blood for these three was definitely higher than Morris’ Angry Wolfhound.

Having heard his cousin sister’s words, Istrone’s heart missed a beat. Luckily, as a member of the Blood Clan, he did not have the capability to blush. However, he still extended his hands with hesitation and pulled Rolana—who was almost salivating over Thales— backward slightly.

In his heart, he had already raised the little brat’s level of suspicion and level of danger to the same level as the merfolk in Crystal Wall City and the Priests in Sunrise Temple.

“Rolana, be careful, there’s something off about this young brat. It’s better not to talk to him too much. In my opinion, we should just connect the phlebotomy device and nutrient canal right away, and then put him in the coffin,” the blond Blood Clan member said awkwardly.

“He is a target that Duke Iris Flower is especially looking for, stays in a heavily-guarded royal property and ordered a first grade Blood Clan knight of Corleone Family about. That knight did not even notice it,” the old man with the deathly-still countenance spoke quietly. Istrone, who was beside him turned away in embarrassment. “Of course there is something wrong with this young brat! We have to at least dig out all the secrets he has from his mouth—this is my expertise.”

On the dining table to Thales’ left, Rolana lied on her stomach and licked her lips while watching him. “Make a small opening on his wrist and hang him upside down. As we interrogate him, we can satisfy our appetites. Not a single drop will be wasted. I heard from my mother that the Lauriloria Family always did this.”

Istrone hesitated for a bit. As he grew up, Chris, the butler, had traumatized Istrone. Additionally, the old man’s merciless reprimand just now severely scarred his self-confidence.

However, Istrone still spoke in a low murmur, “I feel that we should get rid of him right away. With our situation right now, it feels like this brat will bring us trouble—”

“Shut up, fool!” Chris, the old man, crudely cut Istrone off.

‘This young man. If it was not for his attitude, he would not be a mere Blood Clan Knight in the Corleone family after three hundred years with his skills. Intelligent ones like Rolana have long since become Blood Clan Baronesses.’

Because of the old man’s awe-inspiring presence, the blond noble took a step back in fear.

But it was too late.

Thales’ heart jolted. He keenly caught onto this piece of information—

“With our situation right now.”

‘Does that mean that they’re not in a favorable situation?

‘Firstly, if they were mercenaries or allies of that big noble ‘duke’, having completed their task, they would at least be commissioned and rewarded by their employers. Why would their situation be unfavorable?

‘Secondly, they did not hand me over to Blood Bottle Gang at the first opportunity. This might be explained by the fact that they are fighting against Blood Bottle Gang for that “duke’s” favor.

‘However, based on Istrone’s words, they don’t even plan on handing me over to the ‘duke’. Therefore, are they planning to obtain the secret from me and use it for their own benefit? Then there wouldn’t be many other possible explanations.

‘They’re not the “duke’s” mercenaries or allies, but another independent force!’

Perhaps this was where his chance of survival lay.

Upon reprimanding Istrone, the old man did not say anything else. Instead, he stared long and hard at Thales, giving him immense psychological pressure.

The boy knew that he could not remain silent anymore.

‘In that case, let me give it a go based on the inference just now.’

“I think,” Thales chuckled, “that maybe we can sit down and talk, and exchange information among ourselves? Perhaps we will realize that we are actually allies.”

Chris’ countenance became darker. His eyes flickered like those frame skips in movies, and all of a sudden, he stood before Thales, just an inch away! He did not even ruffle the wind with his movements. Thales’ heart pounded hard.

‘I’ll just pretend that I’m watching a ghost movie… in 4D.’

“This is a good idea, young sir. Let us exchange information, then.” Chris flashed a hideous smile again.

The way the old man addressed Thales reminded him of Gilbert, and what he said made Thales loosen up. However, his next sentence changed that.

“And the information we have is that your meager life is in our hands.”

Thales heaved a long sigh in his heart.

Such bad luck, encountering people who don’t play by the rules.

Chris slowly raised his malicious, deathly-still gaze.

“And may I know about the information you have?”

As Thales frantically contemplated his next step, something unexpected happened.

*Boom! Boom!*

Suddenly, dull sounds produced by the banging of something heavy rang from the top part of the hall.

The three Blood Clan members collectively changed! Even the old Chris was not exempted from this!

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Another dull banging sound was heard. It came from the ceiling.

The three Blood Clan members exchanged glances. They were surprised and excited. It was as if something they had looked forward to for a long time was finally happening.

Thales saw all of this.

Chapter 27

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“The dead bodies of the eight swordsmen who were guarding Sir Thales, when the incident happened, were left here. This is not only out of respect but also because things were urgent. We did not touch them at all, and they are in the same state as they were when the incident happened.”

Gilbert spoke to Jines, who was sporting a solemn expression in the corridor on Mindis Hall’s second floor, in front of the eight dead bodies.

Whereas, Yodel stood quietly beside them.

“Six of them are highly skilled ordinary class swordsmen, with plenty of battle experience and had the potential to reach supra class. The other two were genuine supra class elites. All of them had their carotid arteries cut open by an irregular, sharp weapon.”

Gilbert walked towards one of the dead bodies and squatted down, pressing on the dead bodies’ neck. A hideous and horrifying wound was seen. The wound had changed color and the blood had hardened.

“Based on our tentative estimation, the person might be a supreme class elite. To be able to strike these eight people to death in a split second, that person has to possess ingenious skills and immeasurable strength. Even Yodel could not catch up to his speed.

“And the person also has a fearsome capability when it comes to hiding. As the intrusion happened, we guarded all the entrances and exits. However, he still managed to sneak in, and Yodel never noticed anyone there.”

Gilbert speculated with a gloomy expression. He took out a mechanical watch from his bosom and looked at the time on it. It was six-thirty in the evening.

Even the moon was rising.

Jines’ brows were tightly furrowed and her considerably charming lips were also tightly pursed, accentuating the beauty mole beside her mouth. She held her arms in both hands and was deep in contemplation for a while. She then suddenly raised her hands and made a clicking sound with her fingers.

“Take off their helmets.”

Gilbert motioned the guards to do so with one glance, and the few guards beside them went forward at the same time and took off the helmets from the dead bodies.

Jines walked forward with her elegant high-heeled, female official boots and kneeled down on a single knee. She carefully observed each of their faces.

“Their carotid arteries were bleeding heavily. They wouldn’t have had much time before they died, only enough for them to struggle for a while on the floor—This would be when they see the murderer.

“The expressions of every single one of them,” Jines spoke carefully while bending herself down to observe, “are slightly different. These four are lying on their backs, and their expressions before dying were identical—rage, hatred, indignation, and vexation. It is possible that they did not have the chance to react at all before being dealt a heavy blow which killed them. Only those who did not know the truth up until they died would feel this sort of indignation and resentment.

“In contrast, these two are lying on their sides. Their expressions are shock, disbelief, and bewilderment. They probably knew that the murderer’s deadly blow was coming and tried their best to strike back but to no avail. This made them shocked and confused. As they struggled on the floor, this expression was fixated on their faces.

“The last two were probably the ones with the highest capabilities. One is lying on his back and another is sitting against the wall. Their expressions are a lot subtler compared to the previous six people. For the one lying down, it is one of regret and pain. For the one sitting down, it was one of relief and resignation. They tried their best to strike back too but still failed. However, they are probably the last ones to die and were able to see the murderer while struggling on the floor. That was why before they died, they experienced regret and a sudden revelation. In other words, the two of them would have been able to effectively reiterate if they knew the enemies’ identity beforehand.”

Jines stood up wearing a cold expression and crossed her arms. While she looked at Gilbert who was appearing a little helpless beside her, she spoke with certainty, “The murderer is not a supreme class elite! If the murderer was someone from supreme class who is strong, to the point of being undefeatable, the last two people’s expressions would be that of despair and terror. The murderer probably used a special skill, psionic ability, or device. He strategically attacked the strongest ones first before moving on to the six weaker ones. Hence, after the strongest two dropped down, they had the chance to see the murderer and his killing method.

“Even though the murderer had not yet reached supreme class, he is very fast. He is probably almost as fast as, or even faster than half the supreme class elites. But, as he is not yet in supreme class, when it comes to killing people, he still has to do it in sequence.”

Yodel walked forwards and squatted in front of the dead bodies as though to verify Jines’ words.

On the other hand, Gilbert looked at the woman in front of him in a daze. It was as though he was looking at the young, enthusiastic girl in the courtroom from twenty years ago… And the inexperienced, cheerful, young man who always stood behind her.

He sighed from the bottom of his heart and went in front of her.

“Lady Jines, I know that you used to be the most distinguished police officer in the capital city, had participated in the investigation of the royal family massacre during the ‘Bloody Year’, and also tracked the Air Mystic. Even the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department often commissioned your assistance. Your inference is extremely brilliant and as sharp as it used to be years ago. However, our urgent task at hand is to get that child back,” said Gilbert calmly while placing his hands behind his back.

Jines contemplated and shot him a glance.

‘The most distinguished police officer? She unknowingly clenched her fists. Police officer? Rubbish.’

However, the charming lady did not show any emotion. Instead, out of habit, she stroked the beauty mole on the right side of her lips with her left hand which was propped up on her right hand. She chuckled lightly. “Men are indeed the epitome of carelessness and recklessness.”

Gilbert narrowed his eyes and tipped his hat slightly to show his puzzlement.

“Have I not made it clear enough?” Jines lowered her hands and took huge, bold strides forward. She pointed at the dead body before her and spoke with confidence, “These two supra class guards were the strongest. They stood together and were the first ones attacked, these two were next, and the other four were the last ones in the assault. However, the order of their deaths was the opposite. The strongest two struggled until the end and saw the murderer. I only need to know the positions they were at before they were assaulted. Then, I can trace the pathway and identify the murderer’s point of entry.

“The heavy amount of bleeding has mixed together all the bloodstains, making it hard to find the trail where the guards struggled on before they died. But based on the time the arteries started bleeding, and the time it took for them to fall and struggle on the floor, two circles can be drawn with the two strongest guards as the center. The two circles would be the range of movement of all the guards from before they were ambushed, up until their deaths.

“Do not forget that the two strongest guards were assaulted by the same type of weaponry at almost the same time. Which meant that they were standing together before they were attacked.

“Hence, the intersection point between these two circles would be the position where they were ambushed. But there are two circles, and thus, two intersection points. Only one of the intersection points is the answer—the true position where these two were assaulted, and the position from where the murderer intruded.” With a focused look, Jines traced the shapes with her footsteps as she walked. What she had said made Gilbert and Yodel watch her solemnly.

“Based on the gaze of the two strongest guards before they died, after killing everyone, the murderer went to this position. I believe that this was also where the child stood.

“Based on the murderer’s final spot where he revealed himself…” Jines walked towards the position and began taking steps back before continuing, “…and based on the order to which they were ambushed, we can find the path the murderer took.” Jines slowly moved past those corpses before she returned to the two corpses who were formerly the most powerful of their group. “The end of the path connects the region between these two circles. The closest one among them is this intersection point!”

Jines moved past these corpses that were scattered all over the place and eventually stood on one spot of the murder scene with a fierce look in her eyes. “This is where the two strongest were initially attacked. In other words, it was the spot where the murderer infiltrated, and also the spot where he first attacked from!”

Gilbert took a few quick steps forward before he looked around.

“Are you saying that the murderer appeared here suddenly?” He spoke slowly, “The mercenaries have indeed attacked up to this point, but that is impossible—this place is still very far from the stairs. The murderer had no place to hide when we were cleaning up the mess.”

Jines let out another light chuckle that was filled with scorn. Only Yodel walked forwards quietly and pointed to a small decorative vase to the side.

This type of vase was commonly used in the corridors, but only this vase was closest to Jines.

Under Gilbert’s puzzled gaze, Jines moved briskly forward and seized the vase before she smashed it without hesitation!

*Clang!*

She crouched down quietly and picked up a shattered piece of the vase. Once she had scrutinized it, she swept her finger across the inner side of the shattered piece lightly, then showed it to the two “useless men”.

To his shock, Gilbert discovered that there was red blood on Jines’ finger! Yodel crouched down as well and picked up a few of the shattered pieces—there were also tiny bloodstains on the inner side of the other vase pieces.

“He had nowhere to hide?” Jines let out a mocking laugh, causing Gilbert some embarrassment.

“So…” Gilbert received the shattered piece of the vase, and his expression changed. “This is…”

Jines stood up and with the voice of experience, said, “Number of victims: eight. Cause of death: bleeding of the carotid artery. Culprit: a supra class Blood Clan member, also known as a vampire. Murder weapon: the claws of a Blood Clan member…”

Just as Jines’ was speaking excitedly, she was suddenly startled as she became aware of her current situation. So she gritted her teeth and swallowed the rest of her words.

‘After all, I am no longer a police officer.’

Jines shook her head and cleared away all the emotions irrelevant to the situation. “So he infiltrated the manor and hid himself with his inborn ability to morph into blood, then with his gift of reaching maximum speed in an instant, he killed these people and kidnapped- Of course he didn’t do it with his own abilities.” Jines lifted her head and rolled her eyes at Gilbert. “This is the supreme class elite you spoke of?”

Gilbert was feeling incredibly embarrassed, but he knew that this was not the time for him to try and defend himself, which was why he decided to ask politely and amiably, “What an eye-opener. So, where is the child?”

‘This is an eye-opener?’ Jines thought scornfully.

‘I knew it, you’re one of those high-ranking nobles with a really narrow outlook on life. If you’ve seen Constellation’s “Secret Intelligence Department”, saw Eckstedt’s “Dark Room”, saw the Raven Robe Guards in Mane et Nox Dynasty, as well as Hanbol’s “Kuntana”, and when you’ve seen the methods they use, you will know just how many terrifying people there are lurking in the dark corners under the stage you stand on. Just a slight twitch of their fingers and they will know all your secrets.’

Then, with a sharp gaze, she said with certainty, “The crime- When the incident occurred, the sun had yet to set! He could only use Blood Guise to hide among the mercenaries!

“He is a Blood Clansman that hasn’t reached supreme class yet. That is why he can only transform into liquid while using his Blood Guise, and he can last no more than half an hour in this state. This can only mean that the mercenaries had rushed here within a half-hour!

“A group of mercenaries is pressing onward at full speed. Only the Eastern City District where the nobles’ manors are, the Town Hall, Merchants’ Gathering, and the Central Region where the Renaissance Palace lies is half an hour away from Twilight District!”

Jines exhaled a sigh. This mature woman ended her deduction and moved an exploratory hand behind her waist out of pure habit, but found nothing there.

She was momentarily stunned before she started laughing bitterly in her heart. ‘That’s right, I’m no longer a police officer. I’ve even stopped smoking a long time ago.’

The trainee who always followed behind her to provide her a lighter had also long since changed into another person, had he not?

She heaved a sigh.

The sagacious lady stopped reminiscing and looked at Gilbert.

“Make your decision, Count.”

Gilbert inhaled deeply and said, “The ones who will send someone to investigate will definitely be the nobles. The area in Eastern City District is not small, and the manors are the most suitable places to hide members of the Blood Clan! Even though there are quite a number of manors there…”

With one move, Yodel disappeared.

Gilbert choked back his words upon seeing his colleague’s rude action. He could only heave a sigh. “Oh well, at least the search area is reduced.”

Gilbert looked towards Jines and softly nodded to her. Jines only sneered at him.

Gilbert did not take that to heart, and instead, began ordering his people again. “Open the backup armory and reorganize the troops. Equip them with Silver Exorcism Swords! Pick thirty of the best fighters to follow me. Our destination is the Eastern City District!

“Bring the lamp along!”

…..

*Boom boom! Boom boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The muffled sounds on the ceiling continued, and it was getting more and more vigorous.

Chris whipped his head around, wearing a slightly anxious expression for the first time. He looked at Thales with a hostile gaze and said to Istrone, “Send him to the dungeon and lock him up well!”

Then, without waiting for Istrone and Thales’ reaction, the old man and Rolana disappeared together!

Istrone also wore a surprised expression. He lifted Thales up and, ignoring the other’s struggles and screams, (“Hey, hey, what’s going on! Aren’t we about to exchange information, oh honorable Istrone?”–Thales) flung him towards the stone stairs.

In the following second, while he still felt dizzy, Thales fell head-first onto the wet stone floor.

*Bang!*

He grimaced in pain.

“Little brat! Stay here and be good! We will be able to hear whatever you are doing!” After an audible click from the key and Istrone’s anxious words, the surroundings became silent.

Thales got up, feeling troubled but relieved. Istrone had disappeared.

So he quietly extended his hand to his lap and, while pretending to scratch an itch, cut his hand on JC’s dagger which was tied there.

A surge of pain followed. His blood dripped onto the floor.

‘It’s here.’

Thales inhaled deeply, welcoming the burning sensation throughout his body.

‘This way, I guess Gilbert and Yodel would be able to identify my position?’

He exhaled lightly and completely relaxed his body, but a sense of fatigue suddenly hit him.

The boy trembled as he crawled to a wall and propped his body against it.

‘Today’s experience will definitely not lose out to yesterday’s trip to Red Street Market!’

It was only now that Thales had the time to observe the conditions around him. The lightning was dull, and it came from two minuscule torches. The floor was made of stone and was wet, cold, and hard. The mottled walls were full of scratches and marks, with a narrow, metal railing with huge locks as thick as an arm.

His feet kicked on some rusty shackles nearby and they made a ringing sound. Thales heaved a sigh and lied on the ice-cold floor.

‘No doubt, this is a prison cell. It is wet, muddy, and filled with a bloody stench.

‘A bloody stench?’

Thales could smell the foul and salty stench in the air.

It was similar to what he smelled in Red Street Market yesterday, but this was even stronger.

His heart tightened as frightening screams and moans echoed from outside his prison cell.

“Ah!”

Thales was so frightened that he stood up!

From what he remembered, he never had much tolerance for horror movies. It was always some person (whose name he could not remember) with terminal adolescent delusion syndrome who forcefully dragged him along to watch them together.

In what that person called ‘training his bravery’.

From the horrifying stimulation, Thales’ mind began operating at an insane speed again.

‘Prison cell.’ Bloody smell. Blood Clan. Screams and moans.

Thales suddenly knew what place this was: It was the ‘food cabinet’ of the Blood Clan.

A wave of nausea hit him. Thales heaved another sigh. The number of sighs he had made these past few days were probably more than the water he drank.

As he was about to sit down, faint and ragged panting sounds suddenly came from beside him.

“Huh! Huh! Ah!”

He was so scared that he crawled a few steps in the opposite direction.

Please stop scaring me.

On tenterhooks, Thales patted his chest, then he realized that his prison cell was not a luxurious single room.

Thales slowly inched towards the source of the panting sound. Under the dim light, he could see a human form, lying on the floor wearing heavy shackles, panting painfully.

“Ugh…”

In the dark, it was as though the prisoner could not speak. He only panted continuously, his voice full of pain and suffering.

His wrists were tightly secured by the shackles, and there seemed to be a tube that ran from inside the wrist to outside the cell.

Thales knew what that was.

Istrone had once said this, “In my opinion, we should just connect the phlebotomy device and nutrient canal right away, and then put him in the coffin.”

Seeing this, there was no doubt it was phlebotomy device.

“Ha…” Thales lowered his head and helplessly heaved a sigh yet again.

It’s probably some poor soul who was kidnapped here by the Blood Clan and became their food source.

“Ugh… Ugh…” As though sensing that someone had arrived, the prisoner struggled and moaned.

Thales felt another wave of nausea. Due to nausea, he decided that he had to do something.

“I’m sorry, this might hurt a little, please bear with it for a while.” He softly said to the poor prisoner.

The boy extended his hand and held the prisoner’s waist. Grabbing onto the thick phlebotomy device, he pulled off a needle with all his might, forcing out the needle that had been buried a few inches deep inside the prisoner’s blood vessel.

“Ah! Ugh…” The prisoner’s struggling and moaning intensified. He kept making indecipherable noises, like a mute.

Thales pressed onto the wound on the prisoner’s wrist. Fortunately, there was not much bleeding.

‘Of course, it’s possible that he didn’t have much blood left to begin with,’ Thales thought dejectedly.

When dealing with the three Blood Clansmen just now, although Thales felt anxious and terrified, he had never felt weighed down by sadness.

But instead, seeing this chained up “source of blood” had, for some reason, made him start to have a heavy heart.

‘Perhaps it’s out of pity,’ he thought self-deprecatingly.

Thales touched the shackles, and only then did he notice that it was a mechanical shackle made of dull black stone. It was covered with carvings of complicated patterns and words, heavy but intricate. It secured the prisoner’s arms over his chest in such a manner that he was forced to cross his arms. Two clamp locks extended upwards and tightly clamped the prisoner’s two cheeks, making him unable to turn his head. Pushing it with all his might, Thales realized that this heavy mechanical shackle was either secured to the floor or was so heavy that it was as if it has been secured to the floor.

It seemed like a heavy shackle specially prepared for elites.

Thales felt for the hasp and found it. It was made of some kind of special metal.

At that moment, the metal suddenly increased in temperature. A burst of searing heat went through the lock.

“Ah!” Thales involuntarily cried out in pain and let go of the hasp.

The boy frowned and tried touching the hasp again… Upon contact, the hasp would flare up with high temperature. It looked as if he had no way of unlocking the shackles. The prisoner’s struggling slowly decreased.

Looking at his painful struggling and suffering, Thales felt extremely uncomfortable. However, he could only quietly retreat to the side and sit against the wall.

As Thales moved, the light from the torch outside the prison cell was no longer shielded and shone directly on the prisoner’s face. Thales saw the pitiable person clearly. His body was covered in wounds. The grey clothing on his body was torn and filthy.

He was also handicapped. His legs were gone from the knees down. His neck was even scarier, the flesh and blood there had all meshed up and was a terrifying purplish-black color. It was as though his throat suffered a grave injury. That was probably the reason he could not talk.

Thales touched his own neck. Recalling his two experiences of being strangled and the pain that came with it, he could not help but shiver.

Looking at the prisoner, he thought quietly. ‘What a pitiful person. To be able to live up until now with all those injuries, it is quite a miracle.’

The prisoner’s expression was exaggerated. As he panted, his facial features twisted, as if enduring a great pain, but he could only make rough moans.

His short green hair covered half his face.

A weird tattoo covered the other half of his face.

“Unh…” He continued moaning in pain.

‘Wait.’

Thales was suddenly stunned. He recognized the tattoo on the person’s face.

Thales was suddenly aware that this person sharing the prison cell with him, panting and unable to talk, was an ‘old friend’ of his.

It was an ‘old friend’ whom he and Jala had just bumped into at Red Street Market the day before…

Midira Ralf.

One of the best in Blood Bottle Gang’s Strongest Twelve. The Psionic who was an expert in manipulating the wind.

Supra class elite…

“Phantom Wind Follower”—Ralf.

Chapter 28

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

What does despair feel like?

Ralf felt that he knew the answer to this question.

That immense pain when his larynx was shattered and torn apart by that female bartender from the Brotherhood (he did not know Jala’s name yet) made him feel as if it happened just five minutes ago.

And ever since then, it was as though he endured that pain every single second. Blood flowed in reverse from his throat into his lungs. The immense pain was transmitted to his brain from his throat. Even his airways were blocked.

He was unable to speak.

He was unable to breathe.

He was unable to move.

It was as though he was a heavily injured and dying stray dog that had simply been abandoned on Red Street Market.

Whether he eventually dies from pain, suffocation or choking, his hours are numbered.

The only thing that urged him to stay alive was his desire for life, which was born within him when he was roaming the streets of Camus Union during his childhood.

As a Psionic who controls the wind, he repeatedly used his psionic ability to push mouthful after mouthful of air full of dust, blood, and filth into his torn throat towards his lungs, as if he was squeezing a sponge.

He then squeezed out the exhaled breath from another wound on the back of his neck.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Every single ‘breath’ was accompanied by an immense, inhuman pain. It was like the sort of suffering one goes through when going back and forth between hell and earth.

‘I’m probably the first person to ever extend life using one’s psionic ability,’ Ralf thought with sorrow.

Ralf felt that his current condition was very similar to the stray dogs that lived by gathering rubbish in sewers.

The female bartender left.

The cop left.

A few groups of thugs walked past his heavily injured and dying body.

A scout turned him over and felt his mouth and nose for any breath.

An earth-shattering explosion traveled into his ears.

Ralf did not care.

He could only instinctively ‘breathe’ in mouthful after mouthful of air using his psionic ability under the immense pain.

He did that until daybreak, when Noumea, who was retreating in panic, hoisted up his ‘dead body’.

Noumea used to be a village hunter and was regarded as the coward among the Strongest Twelve. Ralf had always looked down on him, and the Phantom Wind Follower’s favorite pastime was to ridicule, insult, and bully him in the Brotherhood.

The most ironic fact was that in his last moments, this coward whom he had always scorned was the one who took care of his ‘dead body’.

Ralf was jolted awake by the immense pain that came from his legs.

His hands were tightly bound. When he opened his eyes, he was at the mortuary of the police station.

Then he saw Nikolay.

The head of Blood Bottle Gang’s Eight Cadres (Ralf did not know that five of them died during the battle on Red Street Market), Nikolay the ‘Red Viper’.

However, Nikolay only stared at him with a complicated gaze and shook his head disdainfully and with a fierce expression on his face.

“You are one of the few people from Blood Bottle Gang who survived,” the Red Viper said airily.

Ralf struggled, wanting to speak while enduring the pain in his throat, but he could only make nonsensical “Huh, huh” sounds.

He felt a flare of immense pain on his knee.

However, he could not feel anything below his knees.

“Look at you, Ralf. The best one and the only supra class elite among the Strongest Twelve.”

“The young man with endless glory, who was proudly recommended by Lady Catherine to the Air Mystic.”

The Red Viper softly tapped his face, gaze still complicated and full of hatred. He said mockingly, “Now, you are lying here like a dead body, unable to speak, unable to breathe, unable to move, and unable to eat. Why are you still alive?”

The Red Viper arched his brow and his countenance became hideous and frenzied, “Why did you survive instead of Kirks, Song, Sven, or Dorno? Why was it you? Why was it Catherine’s follower who survived instead of mine?”

Ralf widened his eyes, struggling with anger and pain. However, the immense pain and injury that came from two spots of his body prevented him from moving.

The Red Viper quelled his anger and instead started laughing loudly. He laughed jubilantly, happily, and insanely.

“Blood Bottle Gang suffered huge losses, and my forces were also considerably damaged,” he said softly. “If all of Catherine’s personnel were still around, she might be able to be promoted while using me as a stepping stone. This is a possibility.”

Nikolay’s expression became hideous.

“However, how would a Phantom Wind Follower who can’t talk, has no legs, is injured and on death’s door, be of her service? That’s why…” Nikolay extended his hands, and with a twisted face, squeezed the wounds on Ralf’s knees that had been cauterized to stop the bleeding. “Why don’t you just die in battle and disappear?”

“Unh…” Ralf shut his eyes tight in the midst of the immense pain and struggled with all his might, although his body could not move due to the heavy injuries. He did not do so to break free but to alleviate the pain in his knees.

Even the psionic ability to control the air that he relied on to ‘breathe’ was almost halted.

“My mood is really bad today. While cleaning up the mess, I faced obstacles everywhere.” Nikolay heaved a sigh and continued speaking, “But after getting rid of you, a genius well-regarded by Catherine, I’ll feel very happy.”

Seeing the hatred, pain, and anger in Ralf’s eyes, Nikolay sported an apologetic and resigned expression, he smilingly said, “There was no choice; they especially requested for a supra class elite and even emphasized that the wrists must be intact for them to obtain blood. Otherwise, I would really have liked to chop off your hands instead of your legs.”

In the end, he tapped Ralf’s face and spoke beside his ear in a deep voice, “I hope that you get along joyfully with the vampires.”

As Nikolay’s footsteps faded, two Blood Bottle Gang thugs walked up to him. One of them held a three-inch-long needle attached to a tube. The other grabbed Ralf’s lethargic wrist.

At that moment, Ralf felt great despair.

…..

Thales watched Ralf in a daze.

He had the urge to ask him about what happened to Jala after that, and about the result of their battle. Did Jala escape? Why was Ralf in this state? Was he not part of Blood Bottle Gang?

However, Thales hesitated, because he saw Ralf’s current state.

The legless man’s gaze was unfocused, and he could only convey his emotions through meaningless groans. His gaze was a mixture of despair, pain, regret, and sadness.

Thales still remember the Ralf he saw the night before.

Ralf was frivolous, confident, arrogant, and possessed extraordinary skills.

He moved about freely in the unending gusts of violent wind, leaving behind his trademark laughter.

But now…

“Ha… Ha… unh…” Ralf shut his eyes tight and started moaning in pain again.

The Phantom Wind Follower who was once wilful, mean, and fearless, did not exist anymore.

His lips were greenish-black and dry, a clear sign of severe dehydration. However, Thales could not find any water. He was also not sure if Ralf could still swallow in his current condition. Thales did not know how Ralf was even able to breathe.

The boy could only sit by the side in a daze and watch Ralf suffering in pain while struggling to live.

The second year after he transmigrated, a female child beggar had both her legs broken by Quide. Before dying, the poor girl wailed all night.

At that time, Thales was still in a state of ignorance and had only found very few memory fragments. He was panic-stricken, frightened by the horror of reality, and could only hide and shiver in a hole in the wall.

Then he had slept and listened to the girl wail through the entire night with a muddled mind.

It was similar to what was happening right now.

Afterward, he sometimes wondered why he did not have more courage at that moment to end the girl’s suffering.

Looking at Ralf’s disfigured state, Thales’ heart felt heavy.

‘No matter how many wrongdoings one has committed, no one deserves this kind of torture,’ he told himself.

In the end, Thales heaved a sigh and climbed towards Ralf’s side. He softly said, “Ralf… Midira Ralf.”

Although his consciousness was already slowly fading, at that moment, Ralf’s pupils instinctively became focused.

‘Who is this? Who still remembers me, a maimed person who is waiting to die?’

Thales softly drew out JC’s dagger and slowly held it against Ralf’s neck.

“I know that you are in a lot of pain right now, enduring torture and suffering that cannot be imagined by normal people. I can end your life and help free you from all of this.”

Ralf’s breathing, which was completed using his throat and his psionic ability, immediately became chaotic.

‘Torture. Suffering.

‘Escape?’

“However, I have to ask you seriously and carefully. Midira Ralf, are you willing to let me relieve you of your suffering like this? If you are willing, blink once. If you are not willing… I am only asking this once.”

With a solemn expression, Thales waited for Ralf’s reaction.

In the darkness, Ralf stared hard at the boy’s hazy profile before him.

Escape.

Ralf felt immense pain from his throat to his knees. Every single ‘breath’ tore open the wound on his throat. Every struggle affected the part where he was amputated on his knees.

He was thirsty, hungry, cold, in pain, and in despair, which was to him, the most terrifying emotion.

He recalled the sensation of wind fluttering past his body, the first time he killed a person with his psionic ability, the first time he entered Blood Bottle Gang, the first time he received a reward from his superior, the first time he made himself a man on top of a frail girl’s body, and the first time he saw the Air Mystic, as if he was on a pilgrimage.

He thought of the fear in his enemy’s gaze, the submissive gaze of his compatriots, ‘her’ expression, full of praise, and the proud and satisfied upwards curve of his lips whenever he heard gossip about the ‘Strongest Twelve’.

Those were past glories. And he has already lost all of those forever…

Had he not?

The next moment, Ralf’s gaze became determined. He used all his might to activate his greatly reduced psionic ability and drew a ‘breath’ into his half-crippled body.

And then, the Phantom Wind Follower trembled. With all his might while enduring the pain from the friction of his cheeks against the clamp lock, he raised his head with every ounce of his strength and earnestly gazed at Thales.

He prepared to blink. He just needed to blink once.

Once.

And then, Thales saw Ralf’s top and bottom lids move. They trembled and began moving towards the center.

Thales heaved a sad sigh in his heart and slowly clenched the dagger in his hand.

However, Ralf’s eyelids only trembled and stopped in the middle of his eyes.

There was one sliver of space left, but his eyelids did not close together.

It remained that way for a long, long time.

The man who was once the Phantom Wind Follower saw a flash of a scene that was either familiar or unfamiliar to him in front of his eyes. There were barren fields and dirty mud roads full of stray dogs and flies—that was the countryside of Camus Union, where he fought to survive when he was young.

During that incident, he was fighting for a black piece of bread against a gang of stray dogs, even though that bread had almost been completely devoured by a swarm of flies.

‘Those stray dogs were really fierce.’ Ralf thought quietly in the dungeon. ‘Their deafening growls, desperate bites, insane strength, however…’ Ralf subconsciously licked his upper teeth. ‘That bread tasted really horrible.’

Thales saw that Ralf’s expression was becoming distorted as it trembled.

His eyelids slowly relaxed, widened, and returned to their original positions.

*Boom!*

Like a leaking balloon, Ralf’s head, which was between the two clamp locks and which he had raised with great difficulty, suddenly fell backward. The back of his head hit the floor.

In the end, he did not blink.

Thales silently exhaled and slowly lowered the dagger in his hand.

However, it was as if Ralf did not feel the pain on the back of his head and the cuts on his cheeks.

His distorted face began trembling, along with his head.

“Ung… Unh—”

These were not moans.

Thales could not help but be stunned.

He saw Ralf shut his eyes in pain, his countenance trembled as he allowed the colorless liquid to slide down from his eyes ceaselessly.

“Unh, unh…”

His voice was very depressing and sorrowful.

He was crying.

The Phantom Wind Follower. Once, he was a powerful and endlessly praised Psionic, man, and warrior.

Now, he was shedding tears and crying.

Was he crying because of his weakness, or was it because of the pain he was feeling?

Right now, he was just like a common person, a normal person, or even a slightly weak citizen.

He cried as if he could no longer bear with the burden of his pain. Thales could only watch in a daze.

He watched as the man who could not talk nor breath normally fell on the floor and cried violently after passing up the chance to be freed.

Thales turned away gloomily. However, he tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand.

Ursula, Ned, and Kellet.

The child beggars who died in the sixth house, who did not even possess a surname, appeared one by one before his eyes.

He thought of his plight and then thought of Gilbert and Yodel.

The boy furrowed his brows and lowered his head to look at his hands. The new cut felt familiar, just like the burning heat just now.

At that moment, it was as if something settled within his heart.

Thales drew himself close to Ralf’s ear for the second time. “I understand,” he said softly.

Ralf was still crying in a manner as if he was crushed by his burdens.

“Then, are you willing to free yourself from these shackles?”

Ralf’s crying paused for a moment. It did not stop but slowly became softer.

The little girl with the broken legs, and almost every single child who died in the Abandoned Houses in the past four years, flashed in front of Thales’ eyes.

Shrill cries and despaired wails rang from outside the prison cell again.

‘This f*ck*ng world.’

Thales did not know what was inside the dungeon. However, his gaze when looking at Ralf became simpler and clearer.

And then, Thales looked earnestly at the Phantom Wind Follower who could not fly anymore and spoke with determination, “Free yourself from these shackles. And then, with this battered body, continue struggling in this world and strive to stay alive. See how much crueler the world can be. Are you willing?”

Ralf stopped crying.

He was unable to move his head. He could only move his gaze to look at the boy beside him in a daze.

He heard the boy speak slowly and clearly, “This might not be freedom. There may be a huge price to pay. You could even die immediately. As for me, I am only doing this for myself.”

Thales then lowered his head and said slowly, “However, I can try and give you a chance, let you leave these shackles behind and struggle to live one more time. Are you willing?”

Ralf stared hard into the boy’s eyes.

Although there were tears lingering in his eyes, at that moment, Ralf suddenly felt like laughing. He felt as if the pain in his throat and knees was slowly numbing.

‘Those stray dogs.

‘Those stray dogs that fought for the bread with him.

‘Those stray dogs, in the end…’

Ralf managed to take a ‘breath’. A strange burst of joy bloomed in his heart.

‘In the end.

‘They faced a tragic end.’

Ralf, who was lying on the floor, raised his gaze again while trembling and stared straight at Thales.

The next moment, the Phantom Wind Follower slowly blinked, clearly, in a manner that there was no mistaking his action.

Everyone has blinked their eyes countless times in their lives. These blinks were extremely insignificant.

However, Ralf had perhaps performed the most important blink in his life.

Ralf slowly lowered his head.

Thales smiled, a lot of the gloominess in his heart dispersed. He nodded curtly. “Alright, I understand.”

…..

“At first, I thought Her Highness woke up ahead of schedule. But now, it seems like that is not the case.”

Chris frowned tightly in a dim room on the second floor of Vine Manor.

Before him sat a network of countless blood vessels in a complicated pattern connected to a massive, brownish-black coffin that was as tall as a person—three meters wide and six meters tall.

At that moment, an unbroken tremor shook the coffin from within. “I tried to connect to Her Highness’ consciousness, but it still remains muddled and unclear. There was only hunger and killing instinct. No matter how I tried to communicate with and comfort her, it was still the same!” Chris put a tube of blood down, his countenance became more and more solemn. “If this continues, Her Highness will only use up her remaining strength and blood supply ahead of schedule!”

Rolana looked shocked. The red-headed Blood Clanswoman said anxiously, “There must be something that stimulated Her Highness, but we did not do anything!”

Chris’ eyes were shining with a bright light. The previous still and lifeless expression in his eyes had now disappeared without a trace. The old man spoke resolutely, “Not us! Her Highness only began having this reaction five minutes ago. At that time—”

Chris’ expression changed drastically. As if he suddenly thought of something, he turned his head and shouted to Istrone who stood behind him with a solemn expression.

“That young child! Even we can smell the fragrance of his blood from two floors away. With Her Highness’ sense of smell, it would have been… Where is the young child?”

Istrone was anxious and agitated. Looking at the excited Chris, he answered instinctively, “Just now, it seemed he accidentally cut himself. Then he pulled off the half-disabled supra class’ phlebotomy device and said some weird things. I didn’t listen closely. And then he—”

The expressionless Chris did not continue to listen to Istrone’s explanation. The vibrations and dull tapping sounds continued to resound from the suspicious coffin. The old man rudely and directly cut Istrone off. “Bring the child up. No, Isa, you stay here; let Rolana go.” Looking at the gigantic coffin that was vibrating more and more vigorously, Chris’ eyes shone with a strange light, as if there were sparks in them. “What Her Highness craves for… is his blood.”

…..

“This plan is very risky.” Thales calmly explained to Ralf who was on the floor. It was as if he had returned to the sixth house and was using everything at his disposal to protect those good, naive and innocent child beggars who had been suffering in hell since they were born.

“However, it is more unwise to sit here and be vulnerable to capture while waiting for some miracle to happen.”

Ralf only quietly watched the boy whose gaze was so very different from the average person. With effort, he took a ‘breath’.

‘That serious face of his,’ Ralf smiled in his heart and thought, ‘definitely isn’t inferior to Big Sister.’

The Phantom Wind Follower was not aware that, after facing a choice between life and death, he felt a lot more at ease.

Thales continued to explain detachedly as if he was not the one who was speaking. “I don’t know how much strength you have left, but I estimate that it wouldn’t be a lot. And the capability of that old man… So, neither both of us taking a reckless risk nor passively waiting would be ideal for the situation now. Our best, and most opportune moment would be when my rescue army arrives. At the moment they break in—”

“You won’t be able to wait for your rescue army, little mortal brat.”

A cold female voice interrupted Thales.

Ralf’s face immediately tensed up.

Thales was momentarily stunned. Then, he turned his head in disbelief and looked towards the door of the prison cell.

Rolana Corleone stood outside the door, wearing a good-looking equestrian suit. She seductively grazed her lips with the index finger of her slim and beautiful right hand. At the same time, she yanked the lock of the cell door open with her now turned fearsome, sharp, clawed right hand.

“Istrone told you before, right? That no matter what you do, we will be able to hear it, Young Sir who played a trick on Istrone.”

As if mocking him, Rolana laughed lightly and, with her attractively slim body, took elegant and sexy steps from the open cell door into the prison cell. “Too bad. Perhaps, after you grow a few years older, even I will be seduced by you. But right now, you are about to become Her Highness’ fragrant and condensed energy drink. Perhaps the adorable Rolana would be able to take a sip too?”

Looking at Rolana, who appeared suddenly, Thales understood that she could subdue him at any time.

The boy heaved a deep sigh that seemed sincere and regretful.

“Ralf,” he said mildly, without a trace of anxiety in his voice, “I need ten seconds.”

‘Ten seconds?’

Suddenly, Rolana felt uneasy.

She thought of Istrone who had been duped.

‘What other cards could he have in his hands? The half-disabled supra class mortal creature who is trapped in the Night Wing Stone Lock?’

However, the cunning Rolana did not want to take risks. Her expression immediately became fierce and determined.

‘This little devil, he’s trying to make himself sound mysterious!’

In an instant, her attractive figure appeared before Thales’ eyes.

‘Wait till Her Highness sucks you dry into a mummy. See if you can still—’

But at that moment, a gust of strange, violent wind stirred up in the tiny prison cell.

*Whoosh!*

The fire on the torches swayed, and there were even a few times where they were almost extinguished.

The violent wind made Rolana stagger three steps backward. In deep shock, she immediately grabbed onto the bars beside her and stood her ground with all her might.

‘Is this… psionic ability?

‘Impossible, it is impossible that this child is a Psionic.

‘Then, it has to be…’ With effort, Rolana looked towards the supra class elite who was locked onto the floor beside Thales by the Night Wind Stone Lock. ‘It has to be him!

‘Surprisingly, he still retained some strength, even in this state.

‘It’s useless.’ Rolana relaxed and thought cheerily, ‘You are all locked up and heavily injured. Even if you have a psionic ability, how long can it last?

‘On the other hand, that young trickster… Later, even if I have to risk being reprimanded by Chris, I still want to drink a mouthful of your blood first.

‘I will definitely make sure I leave a deep impression of it on you!’ Rolana thought furiously.

“Then, let’s begin.”

Thales looked in front of him, at Rolana who was impeded by the violent winds. With a serene expression, he turned his dagger over.

Ten.

Under Ralf’s puzzled gaze, he grabbed the dagger’s blade with his unblemished right hand.

Nine.

“Good luck to both of us,” he said.

Eight.

‘My first mystic ability trial.’

Seven.

‘It starts now.’

Six.

Thales stared at the black, stone shackles that held Ralf, but Ralf’s face was red. He stared fixedly at Rolana, and the violent billows continued to buffet.

With a cold façade, Rolana grabbed tightly onto the bars beside her. Her left hand began transforming into fearsome, bright red claws.

Five.

‘I want to break his shackles,’ Thales thought quietly.

‘And save this man who has nothing left.’

Four.

‘If it is just as I predict it to be…’ Thales recalled various life-and-death situations in his mind.

Such as when Quide’s hand strangled his neck.

When Asda’s hand slowly tightened.

And the bloody scene in his distant memory, as well as the gentle person who still harbored all those adolescent delusions who existed in his memory, and whose name he could not remember.

Three.

Thales grit his teeth and closed his eyes. His right hand abruptly grabbed onto the metal hasp.

A wave of burning heat appeared from the metal.

But he clenched his teeth and endured it.

Rolana felt something. She turned her head in shock as she realized that the grill she had grabbed onto was vibrating.

‘What’s going on?’ the Blood Clanswoman thought anxiously.

‘That half-crippled man, how strong is his psionic ability?’

Two.

*Bang!*

The bar, along with Rolana’s hand, shattered into countless tiny pieces.

As Rolana, who could no longer stand steadily, pressed onto the severed wound on her arm and screamed shrilly, she was blown out of the dungeon by the violent wind summoned by the psionic ability in an instant.

One.

Rolana’s shrill and crazed growl resounded beside his ears.

The burning sensation attacked her.

Zero.

‘Light.’ Thales thought with his now hazy consciousness, ‘So much light.’

…..

In the room on the second floor with the huge coffin, Chris’ countenance suddenly turned strange.

“What is Rolana trying to do?” he said coldly, looking at the gigantic coffin that kept emitting dull tapping sounds.

“Perhaps she’s getting a taste of the food,” Istrone answered carefully, he could feel the elder’s anxiousness. He continued speaking, “Towards delicacies, she had always… No! They are—”

Istrone’s words were cut off by something from the outside world as their expressions turned into that of shock.

*Boom!*

A loud bang that sounded like an explosion echoed from underground.

A cloud of dust burst in violently from outside the door.

The two Blood Clansmen, both young and old, changed expressions at the same time. Then, they exchanged glances.

‘Something happened in the dungeon.’

The next moment, they appeared outside the manor!

When Istrone saw the scene in front of his eyes clearly, he opened his mouth wide in shock, in a manner that was completely uncharacteristic of him.

Under the moonlight, the supra class mortal creature without legs and who had a tattoo on his face, the man who was once the Phantom Wind Follower, Midira Ralf, was seen to have escaped from all his shackles.

He was flying in the sky by riding on the violent winds while holding the little mortal child tightly under his armpit with a determined expression on his face.

…..

Not far away, while Gilbert was riding a horse and leading thirty Swordsmen of Eradication who charged at full throttle, his expression changed.

“Bloodline Lamp.” Amidst the whirling sound of the wind, he spoke in a low voice to the female official beside him.

Jines, who was galloping along with her horse, looked at the Bloodline Lamp in Gilbert’s arms with a solemn expression.

The flame of the lamp became red.

It was slanted.

“That direction—” Gilbert recalled. His expression was solemn.

“It’s Covendier Family’s Vine Manor!”

The female official growled angrily and whipped her mount.

“Who cares about which family it belongs to? Even if we are facing the Eckstedt’s Walton family…

“…we still have to break in!”

Gilbert nodded, a determined and fierce expression appearing on his face.

“All teams, change direction and follow me! No need to preserve horsepower! Charge forward with increased speed! Prepare for battle!”

Chapter 29

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ever since Asda disappeared, Thales had not truly tried out that power of his, which he had apparently ‘lost control’ over.

He did not know how Mystics control their powers. He did not even understand how mystic energy worked. He was only modeling the scene to be as similar as possible to his last experiences of ‘losing control’, based on his earlier induction and inference, and tried to put his power to use.

Originally, in Thales’ plans, this power was supposed to be probed and investigated step-by-step in secret and when he was safe. It was also supposed to be done in his calm and safe living environment after he gained a rough understanding of the origins of ‘Mystic Abilities’ and ‘Mystics’ from Gilbert’s lesson; and after he considered the reaction of the people around him regarding him ‘losing control’ over his power.

However, due to the impending doom and Ralf’s utterly miserable condition, he decided to start this ‘mystic ability test’ which might bring about danger in advance.

Blood had acted as a medium with the previous two times he ‘lost control’ by bringing the dagger, which was a material object, and the mysterious sphere, which was an energy, before him in a mysterious manner. Hence, he made a tentative guess that the power might be related to dimensional teleportation.

As long as I can shift the stone shackles’ hasp to the side of my hand. Thales silently uttered in his heart…

The process of the experiment was easier than he expected.

The burning sensation inside his body became stronger and stronger. The stone shackles became even larger right before his eyes. More and more scenes appeared in his mind.

Then Thales lost consciousness.

When he opened his eyes, he felt the moonlight, heard the sound of the wind, felt the cold, and saw the extremely shocked Blood Clansmen on the ground.

Whereas he was already held in Ralf’s bosom, and beneath his feet, the ground became further and further away.

Even though the process was a little strange, Thales thought tiredly, looks like the experiment was successful.

Although Ralf cut a sorry figure and was in pain, he had already escaped the burden of the heavy shackles. He forcefully manipulated the wind and drifted upwards.

No one was more shocked than Chris at that moment.

“How was that possible?” the old Blood Clansman muttered with a dull gaze.

Istrone and Rolana were still young, so he was the only one who knew that the ‘Night Wing Stone Lock’ used to lock the supra class elite in the dungeon, was an heirloom of the Corleone family that had been passed down for almost a thousand years. It was an instrument of torture that belonged exclusively to Blood Clan Dukes. Only the fresh blood of the person who closed the lock could open it.

That lock was used to restrain supreme class elites! It was originally used to prevent the deranged Highness from going into a frenzy. After Her Highness’ condition stabilized, it was used on the supra class blood source. Even the most advanced Mystic Gun could not destroy those shackles! How did they open it?

Before attaining such grave injuries, Ralf was favored by the wind. He could even lie on his back with his limbs facing up for five minutes while he was ten meters high in the air with the flow of the wind.

But now, after having a considerable amount of blood drawn out, he was extremely weak. He was also tired and parched. The fact that he suddenly lost both his legs also affected his balance. The immense pain in his throat distracted him. The psionic ability he was so proud of was mostly used to maintain his ‘breathing’ where the air was transferred from his throat to his lungs.

He knew that he had no chance of victory against the three Blood Clansmen and that what Thales had just initiated was only a temporary measure, which was supposed to be a backup plan. Hence, after Ralf escaped the shackles, the only thing he thought of doing was to continue rising with the help of the wind to a height that the Blood Clansmen cannot reach. If they managed to catch up, he would use all his might to whip them off with violent gusts.

However, he still underestimated Chris who had been a supreme class elite since hundreds of years ago.

Chris did not let his shock slow down his movements. His age of a thousand years made him even stronger. His dried-up façade grew dark and in an instant, he jumped and instantly reached a height of ten something meters away from the ground before he pounced on the people in the air!

For Her Highness, I must snatch that young child back!

In an instant, he had drawn close to Ralf. He could see a gust of strong wind rushing towards him.

With shock, Thales saw Chris whose clothes and hair were ruffled by the strong winds, and with an indifferent face, he transformed into a blood-colored mist.

It was not liquid blood like what Istrone became, but a blood mist.

Thales saw the blood mist scatter as Ralf blew on it. However, it continued spreading upwards and passed through the protective screen of strong wind built by Ralf without any obstacles.

The blood mist seeped through the wind and arrived in front of Ralf. Under Ralf and Thales’ solemn gazes, it slowly transformed back into the pale-faced, old man, who had an expression on his face that was difficult to read. The old man began falling again.

“Ah—” Ralf could not speak, and could only growl furiously. He raised his left hand and strengthened his psionic ability, trying to blow the old man from the sky.

But before he finished growling, Chris Corleone’s hand had already grabbed Ralf’s left wrist.

“Those born without wings should not dream of flying.” Chris’ tone was a lot colder than the high-altitude temperature as he spoke eerily.

*Snap!*

“Unh—”

The sound of Ralf’s bone snapping and his painful howl rose into the air twenty-something meters above the ground together.

And then, Istrone, who was on the ground, and Rolana, who held her half-regenerated arm as she rushed out of the dungeon with a dirt-covered face, saw Chris seizing Ralf—who held Thales to his bosom—by the left hand and then dragging Ralf and Thales towards the ground with fearsome strength.

“Ah—”

Ralf looked as if he had gone crazy. With all his might, he drove the wind upwards, almost forgetting to ‘breathe’. But he still could not shrug off Chris’ sharp claws which had pierced through his carpal bones and tightly restrained his wrist.

Thales was buffeted by the strong winds to the point that he could not open his eyes. His whole body was devoid of energy and he had used up all available cards at his disposal.

The boy had long-since become incapacitated.

Finally, Ralf who fought adamantly was inevitably dragged down from the sky by Chris.

Ralf lost his balance. Having exhausted almost all his strength, he tried his best to manipulate the wind, but Chris’ great strength made it impossible for him to rise into the air again.

“For Her Highness, the young child must be kept alive!” Chris said coldly as he descended from the sky, holding on tightly to Ralf.

With a face full of hatred, Rolana licked her teeth. She extended her newly regenerated arm and smiled, preparing to catch the child.

Istrone had a stronger perception compared to her. As he stood beside her, his expression changed, and he abruptly looked outside the main door of the manor.

There, an intense vibration was approaching.

“Rolana—” Istrone spoke with slight anxiety, but Rolana kept her full concentration on the two people in the air.

Thales did not dare open his eyes, but the increasingly swift sound of wind and the heightening sense of weightlessness indicated that things were going badly.

Did he still end up making this move too early due to the sudden, unforeseen circumstance?

Ralf had already given up trying to shake off Chris’ hand.

Looking at the moon that was getting further and further, and at the approaching ground, Ralf’s gaze slowly became filled with clarity, brightness, and relief.

At that moment, Ralf suddenly realized that after experiencing so much suffering, the fracture in his wrist was not really painful at all. The corners of the Phantom Wind Follower’s lips curled into a smile that had been absent on him for a long time.

What a pity, child. Thank you for the chance you gave me. At least I did struggle. As for those vampires, they won’t have the chance to touch you.

It was as if time slowed down.

And then, Rolana, who was preparing to catch Thales on the ground, saw in shock that the half-crippled Ralf began howling and growling the instant he was about to hit the ground.

With one hand, he threw Thales using all his strength towards the direction of the Manor house.

“No!” Chris growled furiously and gracelessly. Ralf, who now had a free hand, grabbed onto Chris’ waist tightly and hurled him towards the ground.

Thales could only feel his downward momentum changing as his body involuntarily flew towards another direction.

In an instant, the stone wall of the house appeared before him, becoming closer and closer. His head was about to crash into it.

Thales could only shut his eyes tight.

Is it going to end just like this?

However, to the boy’s surprise, the miserable scenario where his skull would shatter into pieces did not happen.

His momentum was suddenly halted and his head felt dizzy. He then dropped into a steady and safe embrace.

*Boom!*

Ralf and Chris fell hard on the ground. The huge impact even smashed and broke the ground. Dust swirled in the air of the open space outside the manor.

Rolana’s expression changed drastically. She went for Thales, who was flying in the direction of the house. Her figure flickered and reached him in an instant whereas Istrone looked at the manor’s main door with a grim gaze. As his eyes sparkled, his voice rang through the entire manor in the quiet night.

“Enemy attack!”

Thales dizzily and slowly opened his eyes in the arms of a person which felt familiar and strange at the same time.

In front of him were two dark-colored lenses on a dark-purple mask. They looked towards him under the moonlight.

“Do not worry, Thales,” Standing on the second-floor balcony of the manor house, the royal secret protector, Yodel Cato, spoke hoarsely with a slight tremble in his voice, “you are safe now.”

Thales smiled tiredly with relief. He closed his eyes and became completely at ease.

Waves of vibrations densely packed with one another rang clearly from outside.

*Boom!*

The main door of Vine Manor was crashed open.

Countless hoof beats rushed in.

“In the name of Constellation’s Supreme King, Kessel Jadestar!” Count Gilbert Caso’s steady and sonorous voice rang above the dust and hoof beats. “All present personnel in Vine Manor are suspected of being involved in the theft and subsequent hiding of a royal treasure!

“Surrender now and do not resist! Whoever disobeys will be killed where they stand!”

…..

In a dark chamber with only boundless darkness and not even a single torch, two breathing sounds that seemed faint and indistinct could be heard.

“What a pity, this is probably the closest we have been to the Air Mystic in the past twelve years,” an aged and acrid voice spoke.

“However, all information showed that someone has gotten rid of Asda,” a light and clear male voice echoed.

“Then let me guess, you, who think someone has ‘gotten rid of him’, has probably also read about how Mystics are immortal?” the old and acrid voice mocked.

“Don’t be so stern, teacher.” The light and clear voice continued speaking, “At the very least, he has been sealed.”

“The problem is, who, in Eternal Star City right now, has the capability or weapon to seal Asda?” the hoarse, drawling voice continued the question.

“It must be none other than those few,” the light and clear voice spoke playfully.

“True. Ha…” The hoarse and acrid voice seemed to have a hint of disappointment as it echoed in the air, “It’s none other than them, only those few.”

“You do not have to continue investigating the truth regarding the Red Street Market incident anymore. All records—including those regarding the massive explosion in the central area, and the witness report of that woman who was piggybacking a child—shall be sealed permanently.

“As for Asda Sakern… Make full preparations. The Paramount Sword is not complete. Whether it takes ten or twenty years, the Air Mystic will eventually return,” the hoarse and acrid voice ordered sullenly.

There was a long silence.

“Don’t make that face, teacher. To think of it positively—we have lost one arch enemy. To think of it even more positively—we might be able to draw out the Blood Mystic,” the light male voice spoke languidly.

“Don’t pretend that you can see my expression,” the hoarse and acrid voice said with dissatisfaction. He then heaved a sigh. “The Blood Mystic. Ha… this accursed fate. The capital city will probably be in chaos again soon. Twelve years ago, at least I had Lance, Jines, Thysen and Lanzar Nov beside me. Now, the only manpower I have is you.” The hoarse voice’s sigh was filled with solitude and loneliness.

“However, twelve years ago, even though you were all there, the late king still died, didn’t he?”

“Obviously, strength is not the key—luck is.” The light voice seemed to talk about the tragedy twelve years ago without any qualms.

In the dark, both voices were silent for a long time.

“Yes, even with what we had twelve years ago the late king still died.” The hoarse voice finally answered. This time, his tone seemed to be full of grief and indignation.

“By the way, ‘Secret Room’ sent someone to pass us an anonymous letter. The letter said that yesterday, a member of the gang was spotted leaving Eckstedt and departing for Constellation, towards Eternal Star City. The old woman who delivered the letter also said that the letter was to pay a debt of gratitude towards you.” The light voice seemed to finally realize the odd atmosphere and stiffly changed the topic.

“Ah, the long-anticipated collaboration between the Secret Intelligence Department and the Secret Room.” It seemed that the interest of the hoarse and acrid voice was piqued. “Coming to the capital city at this time? The Blood Mystic?”

“No. I’ve sent some people to investigate it. It appears to be a doctor from Black Street Brotherhood, Ramon.”

“He’s problematic?”

“Somebody saw him perform a ‘little trick’ while on a village path.”

“Little trick?” The hoarse voice finally became solemn.

“Yes, a ‘little trick’,” the light male voice replied with cynicism.

“After I read through everything contained in the deep knowledge reserve in all twenty floors of the Jadestar Library, my conclusion is that, for this ‘little trick’ that can heal wounds in an instant, a thousand years ago, it was known as—”

His light voice immediately became deep. “Magic.”

His voice slowly faded away. Only then did the darkness in the chamber truly sink into a deathly-still silence, like a cemetery at midnight.

After a long time, the old voice said, “That old woman.” The hoarse voice chuckled lightly. “I can’t believe she gave me this information as a debt of gratitude. She is indeed as cunning as she always was.”

Gilbert led the guards—consisting of Swordsmen of Eradication—and they all rode on horses as they barged into the manor.

They surrounded the three members of the Blood Clan!

“Unsheathe the silver swords, prepare to fight the enemy!” Gilbert said nothing more. He knew that his declaration of “sparing those who surrender” earlier was merely a formality.

Often, the only effective methods are strength and weapons. Just like diplomacy.

“Rolana!” Istrone avoided two sword blades that had immediately attempted to take his head in a flash. He shouted anxiously and furiously, “Summon the Shadow Guards!”

Rolana landed on a window on the second floor. She was extremely furious; neither her unparalleled body nor devastating sharp claws could do anything to Yodel, who kept appearing and disappearing from view while he held Thales in his arms. She was also aware of the situation at hand, which was why she decided to spread her arms wide open and emitted voiceless howls with a strange rhythm towards the direction of the dungeons.

*Boom, boom!*

Suddenly, quaking sounds that were packed so closely to each other that they sounded like thunderstorms boomed from the dungeon.

Gilbert’s expression changed. He decisively waved the long sword in his hand. The swordsmen beside him shouted loudly in unison.

But it was too late. A black swamp suddenly burst out the entrance of the dungeon. It dashed towards the horse formation formed by the thirty Swordsmen of Eradication.

“Form a ring!” Gilbert saw the thing dashing towards them clearly, and shouted loudly with a ghastly expression, “They are blood slaves!”

The thirty Swordsmen of Eradication who were all at least above ordinary class also saw the things dashing out. The black swamp was made up of creatures with frenzied faces and blood-red eyes.

Almost all the swordsmen present were guards with plenty of experience on the battlefield. They knew what the creatures before them were.

They were Blood Clansmen that belonged to the lowest and most inferior class in the clan. They were originally humans or other races who had then received the blood essence of Blood Clansmen and transformed into hungry, frenzied, and loyal blood slaves who are unafraid of death.

More than ten blood slaves swarmed towards the horse formation like a flood.

Gilbert assessed the situation clearly. He knew that Thales was already safe, but relying blindly on horsepower and dashing towards these fearless creatures would only increase their casualties.

“Stand still!” he ordered loudly.

“Whoa!”

The thirty Swordsmen of Eradication yelled angrily. They dismounted and formed a round formation quickly. All the guards stepped out with their left foot and slanted the swords on their right, protecting the person beside them.

This was the defense formation Constellation was famous for, the Returning Light Formation!

At that moment, a figure slowly stood up from the hole smashed by Ralf and Chris.

And then, in the blink of an eye, the figure disappeared in a flash.

“Please wait here for a moment and take a short rest.” Yodel put Thales down on the second-floor balcony lightly. He saw Chris, whose figure showed up in the dust, and also his subsequent disappearance. “We will take care of the rest.” Then Yodel disappeared in front of Thales, too.

The next moment, Yodel’s dark-colored short sword with that crisscrossing cross-guard appeared in the air. It clashed fleetingly with Chris’ sharp pair of claws as he dashed towards the second floor, producing a spark.

*Clang!*

The jarring sound pounded on everyone’s eardrums. But there were strangely no collisions of air were formed due to the clash of their weapons.

Yodel and Chris can be considered as the two best supreme class elites in the Western Peninsula. Having dueled once, they had roughly understood each other’s capabilities. They moved away from each other.

“This is the ability to move through shadows!” Chris’ countenance was cold. He dug his right claws into a wall of the first floor and secured himself onto it.

“As someone who is at the peak of supreme class even if it’s in Constellation, you shouldn’t have been a nobody. Is it because you are shielded by the overly brilliant rays of The Kingdom’s Wrath?” the old man said coldly. He was totally unconcerned with the battle between the blood slaves and the guards. It seemed that all his energy was focused on Thales, who was on the second floor.

Yodel did not say anything, nor show any emotions as usual. His mysterious figure was lightly perched on the panel of a window on the first floor, projecting an illusory quality. He looked unsteady, but he never fell.

In the courtyard, the blood slaves and the circular formation of guards were finally engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

*Bam!*

The first dull thud came from an intense clash between a blood slave and a guard.

The guard used the double-edged short sword beside his body to angrily slash open the blood slave’s body. But the blood slave slashed open the guard’s armor, completely indifferent of what would happen to its claws and nails.

The same scenario quickly happened at every part of the circular formation. The situation immediately became chaotic.

Amid the chaos, Thales noticed Rolana Corleone leaping towards him while growling furiously, but she was stopped halfway by a long, silver-colored metal chain that sliced through the air in a zigzagging manner and was forced to take two steps back.

“Your battlefield is here, blood-sucking whore!”

Following the furious words, Thales saw a black-haired woman around forty years old, wearing a suspicious, light-blue, female official uniform (he did not know her at that time). She angrily whipped the chain in front of Rolana.

Rolana chuckled coldly, and as she moved in a flash, tried to leap away from the area that can be reached by the chainsword. However, as she moved, the chain fell on her and wrapped around her neck tightly. The part of her neck that was entangled by the chain was even emitting a hissing, green smoke.

“This chainsword is made of silver, whore!” The female official, Jines, growled with an unpleasant expression. “I really threw in a lot of my savings to prepare a nice treat for you people!”

At that moment, with blood-red eyes, Istrone transformed into liquid blood and rose into the air, dashing towards Thales.

*Clang!*

Istrone growled angrily and, crossing his hands, which were in the shape of claws, deflected a silver sword that shot straight towards his chest.

“Sir!” Gilbert had dismounted and moved through the blood slaves while working with three Swordsmen of Eradication before he arrived at the door to the ground floor and stood firmly there. He looked at Istrone with a displeased expression and raised the silver sword in his hand, striking a standard pose one makes when inviting someone for a duel. “Please stay away from that child.”

The skirmish between the blood slaves and the swordsmen was still ongoing.

However, in the midst of his fatigue, as Thales watched the three Blood Clansmen, who repeatedly charged towards him but were continuously stopped by their troublesome opponents, the boy suddenly understood something.

What they want isn’t me… but something on the second floor. He thought silently. They must have an Achilles’ heel there.

The sounds of battle between the blood slaves and swordsman continued. The three Blood Clansmen and the three warriors were also engaged in fierce battle.

Having thought of this, with an uncertain and fearful gaze, but still full of determination, Thales abruptly pushed open the balcony door.

After pushing open the door, his weak body immediately collapsed inside the room.

*Thud!*

However, a dull and strange tapping sound attracted the boy’s attention.

While panting lightly, Thales raised his head. Borrowing the moonlight from outside the balcony, he gradually saw the dim room clearly.

Especially the thing in the middle which was connected to countless blood tubes and covered with complicated patterns and obscure words…

It was a gigantic, black coffin.

*Thud! Thud!*

As if roused by something, the dull tapping sound within the black coffin grew more and more violent, and also increasingly fierce.

*Thud! Thud! Bang! Bang!*

Thales suddenly realized that his act of pushing open the door and entering was more or less a little careless. Until…

*Boom!*

An incredibly loud sound shot into the air.

Thales fell backward from the vibration and his eardrum rang.

As if there were some horrifying internal explosion, the cover of the black coffin abruptly shot upwards and fell onto the floor.

Holding his aching ears, Thales clenched his teeth and got up.

He saw that at some point, something had extended out from the edge of the black coffin which had lost its cover.

It was dried-up, charred black, and ominous…

…hand.

Chapter 30

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Yodel instinctively felt that things were not right.

This was because after confronting and probing him for a short time, the Blood Clansman who attacked fiercely despite being old and gray-haired suddenly became passive along with his juniors!

They were no longer attacking, advancing, and disappearing in a frenzied manner anymore, neither were they manipulating the blood slaves with undetectable voices.

That was until Gilbert’s voice spoke anxiously, “Yodel!”

Even though they did not usually get along well, Yodel immediately understood what Gilbert meant.

The masked secret protector raised his head. He saw Thales pushing open the door on the balcony that led indoors and disappearing into the darkness of the house.

Thales, why?

As the mechanical gears behind his Crystal Drop glass lenses started spinning, Yodel’s field of vision rapidly zoomed into the second floor. However, the room was so dark that he could not see the situation inside at all.

Yodel’s heart became restless. His figure disappeared in an instant.

In an obscure gray world, a gray moon slowly emerged. Next, a gray metal door appeared out of thin air, followed by a gray garden connected to it with gray walls, gray windows, gray houses, and other gray things.

In an instant, a gray Vine Manor that looked exactly like the Vine Manor in reality, apart from the strange coloring, appeared out of thin air in this world.

After an unknown amount of time passed, layers of ripples visible to the naked eye appeared and propagated from a point in the sky like the water’s surface when skimmed by a dragonfly, in a manner as if the sky was pulled away.

Finally, a normal-colored Yodel softly emerged into the gray world from the center of the ripple and trod the similarly gray Vine Manor.

He stepped onto the world that was almost the same as the real world in terms of the shape and structure of objects except that it was void of any signs of life, and began his gray, deathly silent journey. The masked protector expertly jumped from window to window and rapidly rose towards Vine Manor’s second floor in the shadowy world.

He needed to hurry and reach the room on the second floor through this shadow-world.

However, when he was a few meters away from stepping on the second-floor balcony’s stone handle, Yodel suddenly paused for a moment…

…because a moment ago, he felt as if someone had dropped a heavy punch on every corner of the gray Path of Shadows.

Resonance.

These two words appeared in Yodel’s mind.

Such a familiar feeling.

He furrowed his brows slightly and aborted the climb.

In the next moment, like swift thunder, Yodel kicked the gray walls of the gray house hard with his left foot and soared into the sky like a swallow, then somersaulted towards the back.

Strangely, ripples in space [1] appeared a few meters below the gray balcony where Yodel had stepped on. It spread with the vibrations, collapsing all the gray house’s walls around it. The ripples took on a horrifying blood-red color.

In an instant, the blood-red color swept over the thoroughly gray Path of Shadows. Yodel who was somersaulting in the air sighed in a barely noticeable manner. Transparent ripples in space appeared throughout his whole being.

These ripples on Yodel offset the blood-colored ripples that tried to attack him.

In a few seconds, he disappeared into space and reappeared in the real world.

Below the observation deck on Vine Manor’s second floor, a large space in the air was shrouded in blood mist. The blood mist contracted periodically as if vibrating with order.

Yodel suddenly emerged amid this strange vibration!

After emerging, Yodel somersaulted, looked at the blood mist around him and frowned while he was in the air. It has been twelve years since someone managed to artificially force him out of the Path of Shadows again.

And it was through the same method used twelve years ago.

An ambush prepared a long time ago was waiting for him.

The blood mist stopped vibrating. A suffocating burst of air rapidly invaded, bringing with it countless droplets of blood.

The blood mist conglomerated into an aged, blood-colored right hand in the air, throwing a seemingly light palm strike at Yodel, who was airborne and had no strength. The strike was aimed straight at his chest and abdomen.

But before the strike approached, the clothing on Yodel’s chest and abdomen emitted a mysterious hissing sound and fragmented into pieces one by one in the air.

Upon careful observation, it can be seen that the blood-colored palm was surrounded by tiny droplets of blood in the blood mist that corroded everything that blocked it.

For example, Yodel’s heart. Since he was stuck in the air, he was unable to evade it. Neither could the Path of Shadows protect him anymore.

In the air, Yodel, who was faced with imminent disaster, could only calmly hide his chest and abdomen, curling his body into a weird shape to delay the palm’s direct impact on it.

A little more than barely a second passed.

A lot of things happened in this period of a little more than one second.

The dark-colored short sword suddenly appeared in Yodel’s right hand.

In the blink of an eye, Yodel waved the sword in his hand and made three continuous chopping motions.

None of the three attempts hit the dangerous blood-colored palm.

However, the gears behind Yodel’s Crystal Drop glass lenses were spinning rapidly. The tiny droplets of blood in that blood mist that scattered all over the air manifested in his sight with nowhere to hide. Yodel’s waving of the short sword had delivered a blow that caused a tremor in that terrifying blood fog, causing them to shiver so much that three ripples that could not be seen by the average human eye appeared!

The blood palm attacked without obstruction. One more second and it would hit.

The gears behind Yodel’s lenses started spinning in another direction. The color of the Crystal Drop lenses changed together with his field of vision. The three ripples caused the blood mist around them to vibrate. Behind the blood-colored palm, a special blood droplet spun without order amid the vibrations.

The next moment, Yodel thrust his short sword at the disorderly blood droplets with an unbelievable speed.

*Clang!*

The tip of the sword gently touched the palm that was made of blood mist, and then quickly retracted. Not an ounce of strength was wasted, but not an ounce of energy was held back either due to his being miserly.

On the palm of blood mist, a medium-sized blood droplet vibrated and shattered.

Next, the blood-colored palm which had originally been fierce and threatening (and which would have hit Yodel’s chest in zero point something seconds) collapsed into nothingness in an instant.

Yodel landed lightly on the ground. On the left side of his chest and abdomen, a piece of clothing that had been badly corroded and torn by the blood mist became fluttering ash. A concealed stretch of muscle was revealed, the skin on the surface was totally corroded and fresh blood was oozing out of it.

On the other hand, the blood mist that filled the air conglomerated towards the back along with the bloody palm that fragmented. Chris Corleone’s deadly-still figure conglomerated in front of Yodel once again. However, the conglomeration did not include his right palm.

Yodel ignored the wound on his chest, letting the blood flow uncaringly and soak the hem of his shirt until his muscles contracted on its own to prevent the corroded wound from bleeding any longer.

Chris furrowed his brows. With a flick of his right arm, a reddish, new, skeletal hand regenerated from his severed wrist, which was covered with blood mist. Then, sinew and skin regenerated on the skeletal hand at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Yodel’s chest wound looked more severe, but Chris’ newly regenerated right hand looked as good as new.

But a depressing cloud of emotions seemed to have filled Chris’ heart. He knows. In the fierce battle between supreme class elites which would have decided their lives and deaths in an instant, the prideful immortal already lost to this mortal behind the mask.

Initially, Yodel disappeared into his Path of Shadows and vanished from this world, but he was continuing onward on the other side of the world.

But after that, Chris turned the omnipresent blood mist into millions of blood droplets that created a sudden burst in uniform resonance, forcefully blasting away the masked elite from the shadow that only he could use.

Yodel, whose path was suddenly cut off, fell into Chris’ trap in mid-air. With the origin blood bringing it together, the blood mist, which had weak corrosion power fused into it, conglomerated into a more concentrated palm and attacked Yodel.

Yodel had nowhere to draw strength from, no way to evade, and no way of entering the shadows. He fell into an absolutely disadvantageous position.

However, in an instant, Yodel managed to win over a little more than a second by rapidly changing his position.

In this short amount of time, Yodel identified the position of the origin blood among the thousands of tiny blood droplets and destroyed it, at the same time-shattering Chris’ right hand.

The victorious and defeated parties in this battle of the supreme class were hence decided.

Yodel only lost a palm-sized piece of skin and some venous walls.

However, under Yodel’s sword, Chris lost a drop of origin blood that signified the Blood Clan’s exuberant vitality, and which would take over a hundred years for a single drop to be formed.

Chris heaved a sigh. What an exceptional young man. He’s a fearsome member of the younger generation.

“Such beautiful skills and astonishing instincts. I was ignorant to have compared you with ‘The Kingdom’s Wrath’ earlier.”

As he spoke, Chris’ figure again flashed around and evaded Yodel’s phantom-like thrust.

“Even ‘The Kingdom’s Wrath’ would not have done better than you.”

Yodel paid Chris no heed. Instead, he stepped hard on the floor and rushed towards a window on the first floor. However, Chris was, again, blocking the path in front of him.

“But you are powerless to turn the tables now.” Chris moved and dodged Yodel’s attack. At the same time, he held him back from moving to the second floor.

The immortal old man did not stop speaking, and his words were filled with the chilling observations that could only be possible from a person who had lived for a long time. “Based on that boy’s age, he is probably the most intelligent and calm mortal I’ve ever seen in my six hundred something years of living.”

Chris, who had lost a drop of origin blood, no longer hoped to kill or even defeat this opponent. All supreme class elites were dangerous people with great strength and high levels of skill but could control their power at will. With just an exchange of a few blows, these two already knew the direction of the fight and how it would end.

However, he could not let this person bother Her Highness while she feasted, especially when the mortal child could be the key to Her Highness’ awakening.

“It’s a pity that his curiosity and his sense of danger is too great. Even if he knew that there were reinforcements, he still could not resist taking the initiative and attack in an attempt to save and defend himself. He probably can’t resist the feeling of his fate being in someone else’s hands.

“We’ve only made a few feints before he keenly noticed that the second floor might be where our weaknesses lie. His curiosity and his sense of danger made him push open the door, unable to resist. What he did not know was, that place was precisely where we hoped he would go.

“Her Highness needs his blood and his power. Young man, you are already too late. That mortal boy has already become Her Highness’ strength at this point.” A brilliant light shone in Chris’ eyes, and for the first time, he referred to Thales with respect and admiration.

Yodel’s short sword trembled lightly.

…..

As Thales looked closely at the charred black hand that reached out from the strange black coffin, he froze for a whole five seconds.

He had an intense flashback that, again, invaded his every brain cells, summoning a scene from nowhere that felt like deja vu.

He heard a voice, it was still that soft and feminine sound. This time, it was stern as it spoke, “Wu Qiren, your grip is hurting me! We’re just revisiting the classics, is there a need for you to be so scared?!”

In Thales’ ear, his past life’s quivering voice during that time was filled with fear, “I thought it was something like ‘The Godfather’… who knew you actually wanted to watch ‘The Grudge’ at midnight?!”

“These are classics worth passing on to the next generation, okay?! Look at Kayako, she’s so adorable! Ack! Loosen your grip! My skin is tender!”

“God damn it, she- she- she appeared! You have larger breasts, cover me!”

“You only noticed my breasts are big now? What about usually- Argh! If you’re afraid then close your eyes!”

“I can’t help it! By the way, can we please turn on the lights now- Ah! She- she- she climbed down!”

“Wu Qiren! Be good and sit on the chair for me!”

“Damn it! Madam! Don’t stop the movie at this moment! I need to go up and down these stairs every day, alright—”

The moonlight was blocked by the black clouds. In the darkness, the flashback of his past life that happened for no reason was interrupted by a terrifying roar.

“Roar!”

This voice was like a person who had been dreaming about drowning suddenly jolting awake from their suspended animation states. But to Thales, who had been severely tormented by the memories of his past life, no matter how he heard that sound, it was like a shrill howl of a thousand-year-old malicious spirit that had just resuscitated overnight!

Thales suddenly recovered from his absent-minded state when he realized in a daze that the ghostly hand that held on to the edge of the coffin was climbing out swiftly along with that terrifying roar.

A hand and wrist that looked like it belonged to a mummy. The small, charred black arm looked as if it was burned in hellfire; the badly damaged shoulder that looked as if it had been attacked by countless ants. All these things were revealed one after another outside the black coffin!

This ghostly hand and the “main body” attached to it, which was now practically no longer in human shape, were slowly climbing out of the black coffin!

That thing continued climbing out until a hair-raising skull appeared slowly out of the coffin under the dim moonlight.

This emaciated “skull” had dry, withered, long, white hair, and a rotten, charcoal-black face. It had a disproportionate, large, black mouth, and the spot where the nose was supposed to be was a layer of darkness where the bottom could not be seen!

Thales felt his goosebumps rise from his scalp before they traveled downwards and covered every inch of his skin right up to his fingertips.

Hidden by the white hair, “it” opened it’s black, hollow “mouth”, which was dark and gaping until the edge of the mouth reached right below its ears.

“Roar!”

Its shrill cry traveled into Thales’ ears from the direction right before him. Thales felt his skin crawl, and he almost collapsed onto the floor like jelly.

This strange creature did not stop. It slowly but steadily crawled out of the black coffin as it fumbled about its surroundings.

From the head to middle of the body, from the left arm to the right arm; the “skull” finally crossed the edge of the coffin and fell face-down onto the ground. At last, that dry, ghoulish left hand lightly touched the ground.

Thales’ mind became blank. He trembled, slowly sucking in a mouthful of cold air. At this time, the skull that was touching the ground seemed the sense something. It paused for a moment, turned towards Thales’ direction and slowly raised its head.

The withered, white hair parted to the sides of its head, gently revealing its “face” directly to Thales.

Where there was supposed to be eyes, Thales instead saw—

Two irregularly large black holes.

The boy almost fainted from fright.

It looked like a mummy that was not completely burned. But it seemed like after the transmigration, his bountiful experience from the streets allowed him to be a lot more daring. Although Thales was afraid, he still managed to muster what remained of his rationale in his mind while shivering.

No matter what that thing is… Thales trembled as he quietly thought to himself, I must run! Even though it looks scary, it isn’t fast. I just have to—

Thales tried his hardest not to think about the plots in the horror movies he watched in his past life. Spinning on the balls of his feet, twisting the comfortable child-sized shoes that Gilbert specially prepared for him (even though it was largely worn out after all the running about he did), he prepared to depend on his speed to escape this dangerous place.

As long as I can last till Yodel’s rescue… Thales thought, but the moment he moved his leather shoe, the ghoulish creature unexpectedly leaped out of the coffin!

It was as if a headless ghost that had been moving about without purpose suddenly regained consciousness!

“Uh- Ah!” The shrill cry resounded.

Thales, who was now utterly terrified, turned tail and ran!

*Tap, tap!*

The pale-stricken Thales took two steps towards the balcony!

Translator’s Notes:

1. Ripples in space: Otherwise known as gravitational waves.

Chapter 31

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

A question.

If a person saw Kayako[1] crawling down the stairs at a swift pace, how would he or she feel?

If anyone asked Thales that question at that moment, he would definitely answer in rage while crying, “He would definitely feel like how I do now!”

Because the ghost/mummy/monster (“Who cares what it is?! Is it important?!”–Thales, after he recovered from his fear) was dragging its incomplete and roasted body on all fours while crawling on the ground bizarrely at lightning speed!

‘God damn it!’

Thales could practically feel his soul leaving his body in fear. He did not even think about whether this creature had any form of intelligence, whether it could talk, and whether they could talk it out, and not fight.

At that moment, as Thales ran around desperately in the small room, he could even feel his tears escaping uncontrollably from his eyes!

However, Thales soon came to regret his decision.

There was no other reason; the speed of the monster that looked like a mummy had already surpassed Thales’!

It emitted a roar and hopped, pouncing on Thales’ back, causing him to fall!

*Bang!*

Thales rolled on the ground with the mummy before landing on his back.

The experiences he gained during the past two (seriously unfortunate) extraordinary days seemed to have come into effect. Thales instinctively pulled out JC’s dagger with a reverse grip and stabbed the mummy with trembling hands!

He ruthlessly stabbed the mummy right in the heart… if it even has one!

However, Thales discovered, to his terror, that even though the dagger had stabbed right through the mummy, it was still lying unaffected on his body. It opened its large, black, and terrifying mouth towards his throat while revealing blackened, jagged teeth!

‘Could it be that I’m too scared and my hands are trembling too much, that’s why I didn’t manage to stab its heart?’ Thales thought in trepidation as he felt the weight pressing on his body. ‘That’s strange, it’s not heavy?’

But he did not have time to regret his decision.

*Rip!*

As the dull sound of something being ripped apart rang in the air, Thales despaired as the mummy bit through the skin on his neck.

Intense pain wracked his body. Thales opened his mouth in agony, but being as exhausted as he was, he could only emit hoarse cries.

Due to the pressure on his body, all the blood in Thales’ body gushed towards the artery that had been torn through.

‘It’s over.’ Thales thought in despair.

“If a person kills, then he must also be prepared to be killed.”

He remembered these words, then remembered Quide, who had died unwillingly as he clutched onto his neck.

Thales laughed bitterly in his heart.

‘Karma is a b*tch.’

Yet strangely, the blood that should originally be gushing out everywhere from his wound was…

… flowing into the mummy’s mouth silently and in an orderly manner?

Thales, whose throat was still in between the mummy’s teeth, found, to his shock and terror when he saw from the corners of his eyes, that the mummy’s body acted like a water pipe that had uneven amounts of water charging through its tunnels. Its ‘mouth’ to its throat, chest, abdomen, torso, and other parts of its body were swelling up, contracting, and squirming continuously.

It was like a thirsty traveler that drank madly from a spring, and the water tasted like rain that fell after a long drought.

That mummy seemed to be… sucking his blood?

Within a few seconds, as he lost more blood, Thales’ physical consciousness began to fade away, but the consciousness in his soul became more alert!

It became so alert that everything in his mind appeared once again before his eyes like a movie!

“Wu Qiren, what would happen if people like you who are afraid of ghosts really ran into ghosts?”

“Could you please not talk about that? We just finished watching ‘The Grudge’ two nights ago. I still don’t dare walk up the stairs at night alone, okay?!”

“Don’t be scared! If you really ran into a ghost, bite it! Bite its throat! If it doesn’t have a neck or a head…”

“Are you insane?! Stop it! Stop!!”

“When you’re feeling tired from writing your thesis and you lift up your head to stretch your neck, suddenly—”

Wu Qiren took a step forward in anger born from embarrassment, then used the method he was most accustomed with to seal that person’s mouth.

Then, as he tasted the sweet taste of her mouth, he saw her eyes, filled with laughter.

The eyelashes were very long, and her eyes were bright.

‘Really… What a sly and crafty girl…’ Wu Qiren closed his eyes, frustrated, and continued tasting his prize.

Or perhaps should he say that he was actually offering tribute to the true victor?

Another memory returned and was included with all Thales’ other memories. However, this memory seemed to differ from the rest. Once it returned to his mind, it did not fall asleep like the others of its kind. Instead, it expanded instantly and grew in size before it trembled in his mind, causing Thales, who had been immersed in the memories from his past life, to be forced out of this illusory consciousness!

Thales’ eyes flew open!

During that instant, he seemed to have suddenly gained strength.

That mummy was still sucking his blood without a care for anything else as if it would not stop until it drained him completely dry.

And it continued sucking until a seven-year-old boy’s hands seized the spot connecting its shoulders and neck firmly and forcefully!

“If you really ran into a ghost…”

Thales gritted his teeth, seized the mummy’s body, and with his remaining strength, he lifted his head desperately…

“Bite it!”

He opened his mouth, revealing his small, baby teeth.

“…Bite its throat!”

Then, like a creature without intelligence…

…he bit down on the mummy’s throat fiercely!

They looked like a pair of lovers that were necking each other.

Time seemed to have frozen until a loud crack resounded in the air out of nowhere!

The burnt, dried mummy’s neck was not as tough as he imagined it to be, and a piece of flesh crumbled as Thales bit down on its neck!

That piece mystery meat was chewed on indignantly by Thales before he swallowed it!

A sentence that did not suit the atmosphere suddenly flashed in Thales’ mind.

‘Tastes like chicken. Crispy, too.’

Then, he continued to passionately and frantically bite down on the mummy’s ‘wound’ in large bites.

Just like the vampires in the Cullen Family.

A foul and salty liquid suddenly gushed into Thales’ mouth.

This crimson liquid flowed into his throat as he sucked it in large mouthfuls desperately.

It was like how his blood was flowing into the mummy’s body swiftly as if there was a pump installed. Similarly, the foul and salty liquid from the mummy’s body was being rapidly sucked into his mouth!

However, the mummy did not seem to possess any intelligence, and neither did it feel anything, just like how Thales had descended into a state of madness and how his mind had gone blank.

However, just a few seconds later…

He shuddered together with the burnt, dried, and rotting mummy!

“Ah—”

Immediately afterward, while drinking his blood, the mummy seemed to shiver and it loosened its bite around Thales’ neck. It let out a piercing roar and swiftly pushed Thales away!

Once Thales was shoved away, he became stunned for two seconds, as he was overwhelmed by a feeling of relief that he had just survived through a disaster before he instantly lifted his hand and touched the wound on the artery of his neck!

Strangely, even though blood should be spilling all over the place from his neck, not a single drop of blood was dripping out. There were only two warm puncture marks that gave off a numbing sting where his wound should be, and they felt sticky.

The mummy seemed to have rediscovered the thing called ‘fear’ in that dark room.

Once it pushed Thales away, it covered the spot on its neck where it had also been bitten. Thales’ dagger was still in its chest, and it limped towards the black coffin where it had crawled out from!

Thales did not fall into a daze. He stood up, shivering, and found that his physical strength which had almost been depleted just now had recovered slightly.

It was just that the taste in his mouth—’Ack, ew… it’s a little disgusting. Hang on. What’s going on with that mummy?’

There might be a countless number of questions rising in his head, but he still pounced without any hesitation on the mummy that was fleeing in its pathetic state!

‘There’s no way you’ll always be lucky. Now, we have a score to settle.’

As Thales let out an enraged roar, he extended his hands and pulled the mummy down.

The mummy did not stop moving as it fell and rolled on the ground. As Thales was just about to ‘get to know’ it with his teeth again, it jumped up in a shocking manner, reaching an exaggerated height, seized the edge of the black coffin, and, with an unsightly posture, flipped back into the coffin.

As for Thales, who had seized one of its legs, he plunged into the gigantic black stone coffin along with it.

*Thump!*

It was as if Thales had fallen into a puddle of water. A warm and wet liquid submerged his entire body.

‘This taste..? It’s foul and salty. It’s blood?’

Thales wrapped his arms tightly around the struggling and squirming mummy from its back.

Before he completely lost consciousness—because he was drowning in blood—a smile appeared on Thales’ lips as he was submerged in blood.

‘Thank goodness.’ He thought with his muddled mind, ‘Thank goodness this guy still has a neck, and its head… is still intact.’

Sometime later, Thales woke up in the mysteriously dry, black coffin. He had no idea how much time had passed.

When he opened his eyes, Thales dragged himself up into a seated position. The first thing he did after that was to cough violently and cough up all the blood and water in his body.

“Cough, cough- Cough, cough-”

Thales licked a foreign object in his mouth and instantly registered what it was. As a wave of nausea rose in him, he spat it out.

He panted again and took about a few dozen seconds to recover.

Right at the next moment, Thales’s right hand touched the spot by his side and he sensed something cold from a dried-up thing.

‘The mummy?’

Thales continued touching it until he was certain that the mummy that had chased him around and had forced him to flee like a bird to the mountains had shattered into a good dozen something pieces, and had scattered everywhere in the gigantic coffin.

He exhaled a breath and chased away the disgusting taste in his mouth.

It was dark in the black coffin.

Thales continued groping his way about in the cold coffin. Once he touched something that felt like a step, he stood on tiptoes and climbed out of the black coffin—that was as tall as an average man’s height—with great difficulty.

‘This thing isn’t like a coffin but more like… a children’s pool?’ As Thales thought about this, he came to understand how that small mummy had been able to climb out of such a tall coffin.

By using both his hands and feet, he finally climbed out of the black coffin and crashed onto the ground with a thud.

The familiar sounds of battle traveled to his ears. The sounds of a woman rebuking someone and the Count’s shouts as he yelled his commands did not go unnoticed either.

Thales’ face was down on the ground. As he massaged his shoulder, which was aching due to the fall, he painstakingly pushed up his upper body. ‘I wonder what is the situation of the battle outside.’

Only then did Thales lift his head.

And he was then stunned.

Right before his eyes stood a single person.

It was a small person.

More accurately speaking, it was a small figure with long, silver hair falling down her shoulders. She looked a pitiable sight as she stood under the moonlight, and she was trotting forward with unstable footsteps.

With great effort, she took one step.

With great strength, she took another step.

With each step the small figure took, she would stop, and swayed as she walked towards Thales, who had just crawled out of the black coffin.

She continued walking until, with much difficulty, she stood before him.

She had red irises, a pale face, tender skin, delicate limbs, and an adorable face that still had some baby fat on it.

However, at that moment, this ‘small person’ was staring at Thales on the ground coldly and even arrogantly while looking down on him.

Thales remained stunned for a time and also pondered for a long while before he struggled to his feet with a lot of questions floating in his mind.

Then, he saw the girl’s entire body clearly.

She still did not say a single word, only continued looking at him with a cold and stern gaze.

After a long while…

Thales seemed to have come to a sudden realization of something. The abnormal seven-year-old boy blushed, a sight that was rarely found on him, and he scratched his head before he let out an awkward laugh.

“Little- Little girl.”

He lowered his voice with slight embarrassment, and while faltering over his words, he hesitantly asked in a weak voice, “Um… Why aren’t you, you know…

“… wearing clothes?”

The little girl who was not wearing clothes was standing all by her lonesome on the ground, and she was a full head shorter than this frail, seven-year-old boy.

She regarded the boy with hostility.

When Thales received no answer, he felt even more awkward.

Thankfully, this awkward atmosphere only lasted for several seconds. Because Thales suddenly realized a spot in the ‘little girl’s’ chest.

The was a dagger stuck in there.

The blood on the dagger had yet to dry up.

There were two letters carved on the blade.

JC.

Thales’ hand that was scratching his head froze up in an instant.

The boy no fool. Besides, even the retarded antagonists in those simplistic novels who had plot armor protecting them would have their IQ rising at this point.

Of course he would remember how he had stabbed the mummy’s heart with the dagger just now.

However, the naked ‘little girl’, who did not seem to think that being naked was abnormal, was staring at him coldly.

She did not speak. The expression on her round face was calm. Thales’ figure was reflected upside-down on her blood-red irises.

Thales put his hand down gently and regulated his breathing. His eyes were trained on the adorable but strange little girl in front of him, and as he looked at her, his mind began switching her figure back and forth with the terrifying phantom/mummy in his memories.

‘This is seriously… abnormal.’

Thales exhaled deeply.

The naked red-eyed (mummy) girl was still staring at him with the gaze of a statue.

Anyone else in his place would begin to feel their skin crawl once they were stared at in such a bizarre fashion by this thing for such a long time.

Thales forcefully gulped, then put on a relaxed look and smiled. Once he mulled over it, he forcefully bit back on asking her which sunscreen brand she used.

‘This is not a good time to test her. She might look cute, but if she’s the mummy from just now, then most probably, she won’t have any intelligence-‘

“Who are you?”

A young voice rose into the air before him.

‘Yup, even though the little girl’s gaze still hasn’t changed, but the words she said are quite clear, understandable, and rational.

‘Compared to the mummy’s roars that sounded as if it was coming back to life, her voice is so sweet, cute, and-

‘Hold it!’

Thales widened his eyes in shock and scrutinized the extremely strange girl with silver hair and red irises.

‘She can speak. She possessed intelligence. She’s not wearing clothes- Ack, no!

‘She can communicate!’

Then, Thales’ mind—which seemed to have disappeared from his life for ages due to his shock—started working smoothly in that familiar manner he was accustomed to.

Translator’s Notes:

1. Kayako: From The Grudge.

Chapter 32

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

A long time ago, Eastern City District was just the suburbs of Eternal Star City’s northeast region. That was the time before Prince Tormund brought the survivors from the Final Empire and pointed at the stars above his head as he swore to build Constellation where Eternal Star City was located.

As Constellation’s power rose and its territory expanded, the structure of authority for the upper class in the kingdom began to grow. The number of feudal lords, nobles, and officials increased. The important people in the capital were unwilling to live in the same area as the vulgar merchants, the commoners, the filthy prostitutes, the thieves, and the hoodlums. That was why they built their homes in the suburbs in the northwest region.

Gradually, this area became the spot where the nobles built their manors. It was soon included under Eternal Star City’s rule by the Town Hall and became the most important area in the city, aside from the central region and Morning Star Region. The feudal lords who defend the entire country, the popular and influential people in the court, and even the foreign dignitaries who were exiled from their homeland, all loved to build their mansions and manors in this place.

This place was filled with properties belonging to large and small nobles as well as officials. There were practically no apartments for commoners or any sort of bazaars. Even the people who walked on the streets were mostly the servants and subordinates who belonged to each clan. Besides the stupidly exorbitant land prices, there was also an unspoken rule in Eastern City District: The people who buy a piece of land here must have an equally matching status as the land they chose. No one should want to know the consequences of the people who violated this rule. Even the six Great Clans and the thirteen Distinguished Families had built their own estates in Eastern City District, despite having their own manors in other parts of the capital. Naturally, they were all located in the best parts of the region… no matter whether the nobles in these families came to these manors often or not.

It was precisely because of this that the manors and mansions were located far apart from each other, and this was only possible because the area in Eastern City District was already enormous, to begin with. The grass and trees between the manors had been kept in stellar condition by the Town Hall, which was why they were all lush and strong. The main street had also been built wild. It was a stable road, and there were large Everlasting Lamps—provided by the Town Hall—placed one in every twenty meters on that street.

The police and city defense team that patrolled this street would have to be cautious. If they offended these big-shots, not even their superiors would be able to bear the consequences. Yet at the same time, their jobs were also very relaxing. Usually, when they ran into a matter that required the police and city defense team to intervene, the nobles would have their own ways of solving the matter most of the time; outsiders did not need to trouble themselves with it.

Genard had practically never used the sword and bow on his person during his ten years as the leader of the city defense team that patrolled the main street in Eastern City District all year long. His helmet and armor shone as if new. When he ran into the noble’s carriages on the street, he would, on habit, straighten his armor, then take a step back and take off his helmet to salute these people. (In the words of the director of the police department in the Eastern City District, the city defense team should have changed their heavy helmets into hats. Taking off their helmets as a salute was simply too hilarious.)

Genard valued his job very much. He knew that his comrades had spent a great deal of effort and transferred him to the capital’s city defense team when he was originally supposed to look for his own means of survival after the army was disbanded. Besides, he had even transferred to the Eastern City District, the safe and quiet Eastern City District where the residents there would even occasionally give him tips.

As a farmer born in Doron County, which was located to the south of Constellation, Genard’s exciting experiences would definitely be worthy of a bardic song.

About a decade ago, when he was around nineteen-years-old—Genard never bothered remembering his own birthday after his father died—a disaster fell upon his entire village. Bandits who had gathered together had invaded their village and robbed them. Genard, who had no means to survive, responded to the call from a duke in the south and enlisted himself in Duke John’s Starlight Brigade.

Genard, who fought valiantly and had a bright head over his shoulders, had gone through the perilous battle to defend Jade City and fortunately managed to survive.

He once took the risk of carrying two sacks of flour and managed to catch up to the brigade who had been retreating into Walla Passage. He followed the duke valiantly and charged into the barricades around the Land of Ivory. (“Before we unite with the other troops, we owe you money for the two sacks of flour.”–Duke John)

Under the orders of his superiors, he had also charged into Count Dilbert’s welcoming banquet, which was held in the count’s house, and had watched Duke John, who had been a guest, deal with their private army without so much as batting an eyelid.

He had even rushed out from under the wave of the impact caused by Mystic spears in Spark Prairie and crushed a battle ax.

He had also led a small troop of soldiers under the duke’s nine-pointed star banner and fended against their last, desperate charge at Blade’s Gap.

made a final charge when the blades of the rebel army were pointed at their throats—and managed to turn the tables and won.

On the day of his final battle—the Battle of Zodra—Genard let out a deep sigh and cursed the day where victory and sadness existed together. He waved at his team members and had them clear a path for the knights under the Iris Flower Flag

There were thirty-four knights under the Covendier Family. No carriages were moving with them, so they should only be subordinates who were running some errand for their master.

The two men leading the team seemed to possess abilities above supra class. As for the others, based on their movements and the spots they placed their weapons, they were just there for show. Genard discreetly pursed his lips and retreated to one side of the street.

Within just a short year and a few months, he had been promoted from a Transport Corps Officer to a recruit, then to an axeman, an infantry unit leader, and finally, the most honorable title of them all—the Duke’s Personal Guard. Genard had transformed from a farmer who did not even know how to hold a sword, to a splendid commander who had fought in many battles. His rare experiences in battle had also made him a rare sight within those in the ordinary class. As long as he had three to five companions setting up a formation with him, then even if they ran into supra class warriors, Genard would be a great fighter who would not retreat. Even after the Starlight Brigade was disbanded, Genard still remembered the teachings from the respected leader of the Duke’s Personal Guards, and he never once missed his training.

He had once seen many knights during those days which he dubbed as the most dangerous days in his life. Some of these warriors, who were famous for their charging power on horseback, were heroic, skilled, and brave men. But there were also those who were cowardly, useless good-for-nothings who only knew how to bully the weak and cower before the strong. Of course, those in the former numbered far more than the latter when he was still in the brigade under Duke John’s command

That was why Genard could tell with just one glance that the two knights in the lead were elites who had some experience in battle before, based on their smooth movements despite the calm expression on their faces, their slightly bent backs that would allow them to gain leverage while they were on horseback at any moment, and how the swords on their waists and saddles were close to their dominant hands. These elites who were above supra class were definitely high-ranked officers in an offense unit, be it vanguards, assault teams, defense teams, reserve squads, or even personal guards for commanders. These people were the essential backbones and cores of an army, like the famous Baron Arracca Murkh in the kingdom.

Right then, these two, leading twenty-something knights, should have passed them by, but one of the two elites tugged on his reins to make his horse stop before he rode towards Genard.

“City defense team!” This was a balding knight in his thirties. His green, patterned, light armor was clearly a beautifully handcrafted piece of treasure that was a family heirloom. He had a stoic look on his face as he looked down on Genard from his horse and demanded from the leader of the city defense team. “We saw horse hoofprints from a large group on the way. During this hour, there should not be this many cavaliers appearing in Eastern City District. Have you seen them?”

‘And you should be here?’ Genard looked at the noble knights under the Tricolor Iris Flower and whispered in his heart with derision.

However, after working in the city defense team for ten years, his temper was already gone. The former personal guard of Duke John bowed his head respectfully and submissively before he answered, “My esteemed lord, only feudal lords are able to dispatch large batches of private soldiers in Eastern City District. We do not dare pry into their matters.”

Seychelles, who was Duke Zayen’s trusted knight, frowned. “Did you run into these cavaliers? Which clan do they belong to? What flag did they ride under?”

Genard fell into momentary silence.

Around ten minutes ago, the thirty-two knights that had passed this place by, were composed of those from ordinary class up to supra class. The leader was a noble and moved dexterously, but was clearly not a soldier. There was even a woman trailing behind him, but Genard did not see any flags over them.

However, how could he not recognize the soldiers’ movements, equipment, and their shield models after he had served so many years under Duke John’s banner? When he had been in the duke’s team of personal guards, there was quite a large number of private soldiers the duke had brought out of his own clan to go with him to the south as his personal guards.

Some of those people had saved his life before, and he had also saved them. They were almost all good men—oh, and a woman—who he could entrust his back to, and all of them did not put their title as warriors under the nine-pointed star flag to shame.

‘That’s right.’ Genard told himself once again, ‘Those thirty-something cavaliers are members of the Jadestar Family, and the private soldiers of the royal family.’

More importantly, they were members of Duke John’s family, whom Genard had sworn to serve until the end of his life.

“Indeed, my esteemed lord,” Genard answered firmly, “we ran into them just now. They did not put up any flag, and neither do I know where they have gone to.”

Duke John’s former personal guard bowed. Such irony. When he was serving under Duke John, who had been the king’s younger brother, no one had taught him how to bow to a noble. Yet on the second day he arrived in the capital, a low-ranking officer from the Town Hall had taught him the standard way to bow while seething with anger. (“They are nobles, understand?”–Genard’s former superior in the city defense team.)

However, this ordinary city defense team captain might not know just how great of an effect he would bring to Constellation’s future by keeping the information to himself.

Seychelles frowned, then reached into his gold pouch and grabbed a handful of coins. Once he threw a silver coin, and another gold coin which he grabbed accidentally, back into the pouch, he scattered the remaining copper coins to the soldiers in the city defense team.

“Your tip,” he said, then made his horse turn around and gallop forward so that he could catch up to his companions.

“Don’t think too much into it, and don’t bother about the clans as well. We just have to do what the duke asked us to do. With the both of us here, as long as it isn’t about infiltrating Renaissance Palace, there isn’t anything in the capital that we can’t solve. If the vampires don’t work with us, they will only end up dead.” Seychelles returned to the head of the ground and listened to the calm Cassain speak softly by his side.

“If they are from the other clans, then why didn’t they put up their flags? A cavalier unit of about thirty to forty people with unknown identities charged into Eastern City District late at night… How long has it been since this sort of thing happened?” Seychelles said with a cautious tone. He had journeyed to the chaotic battlefield in Mane et Nox Regnum and had learned how to be cautious as well as meticulous from the sagely citizens to the east.

“His Majesty’s forty-eighth birthday is around the corner. This birthday is too crucial. All the messengers from the nobles around the country, the ambassadors from the suzerains’ territories, as well as the forces of power that lurk in the dark corners of the country, be they big or small, will gather in the capital. You can even say that all the eyes from the entire world will be gathered here.

“The great clans in the country are also taking action on many fronts. Their plans may be in plain sight or in the dark, and this is completely normal. Are we not doing the same thing? We’re even working hard towards it.” Cassain turned his head around and stated flatly, “If you’re really that worried, then once you have finished your task, go back and make a report. This has nothing to do with our mission.”

“Let us hope it is…” Seychelles touched the sword by his waist. When he remembered the city defense team leader with the sharp gaze just now, he said absent-mindedly, “Let’s hope it isn’t something by the other clans.”

“Do not worry, Lord Seychelles,” Cassain said languidly. “At this point in time, besides the forces of power that serve the royal family, all actions taken that support the nineteen noble families will be seen as acts of betrayal.

“And how could a traitor of the nobles succeed in the ‘king selection’?”

…..

A brilliant light shone in Jines’ eyes as she avoided the two blood slaves that had charged towards her in a crazed dash. With a flick of her wrist, the silver chainsword in her hand jerked upwards and bound them together. The other two Jadestar Family Swordsmen of Eradication moved forwards in a show of great teamwork and plunged the silver swords in their hands straight into the two blood slaves’ hearts.

However, the female official seemed to have sensed something during that instant. She crouched down and rolled to the side, avoiding the sharp claw that had suddenly appeared.

When the Blood Clanswoman, Rolana, saw that she was unable to hit Jines with one single move, she turned around swiftly and warded off two silver swords. Then, with one piercing scream, she retreated swiftly. Hissing sounds followed in her wake.

‘I’m still not used to using this new right arm. It’s limiting my actual abilities,’ thought Rolana in anger. ‘That damned, thrice cursed, half-crippled Psionic.’

“Hey, you bloodsucking whore! Next time, be more accurate! I’ve seen plenty of you vampires committing crimes in the city! I’ve even personally captured a Blood Clan Count from Olas Family before!” Jines sat up fiercely. She swung her long, slender arms and the chainsword instantly bound itself around Rolana’s left leg.

Then, she wrapped the chainsword around her own right arm, and a bizarre, powerful strength surged from her arm as she yanked the chain ruthlessly!

Rolana, who had just avoided a sword flash, staggered before she fell to the ground! She screamed as she was continuously dragged across the floor.

‘This female mortal’s strength… Is she a monster?’

Rolana roared and seized the ground to resist Jines’ monstrous strength, but before she could gain her footing, another silver sword tried to stab her.

‘This damned sword formation!’ Rolana cursed in her heart. She absolutely could not make full use of her superhuman speed and unique abilities when she faced this sort of enemy.

The Starlight Formation was a circular, defensive formation. The main parts of the formation were the small teams formed by a handful of people jutting out from the edges. They were the antennas and the explorers of the entire formation. They also allowed the entire formation to agilely press forward and retreat during a scuffle.

Rolana carefully avoided the silver swords while resisting Jines’ monstrous strength and kicking away the swordsmen that were ambushing her. The blood slaves were dwindling in numbers as they were trapped in the sword formation’s encirclement. After all, how could monsters without intelligence hope to fight against swordsmen who had fought in hundreds of battles?

“Gilbert!” As Jines let out an enraged shout, she tightened her grip on the chain in her hands. “Where is the child? We’ve been held back by these two and a bunch of lunatics for so long, you better have a justifiable plan!”

On the other side of the formation was the entrance to the house. Over there was Gilbert, with one hand wielding a sword and the other a staff. He was working together with a few Swordsmen of Eradication and attacking the blond Istrone after surrounding him.

“Yodel is held back by the other person. That man is also in supreme class!” Gilbert said with a frown. “But since we’re all held back here, we can only trust him!”

“You… are all a bunch of incompetent men!”

Gilbert did not bother himself with Jines’ verbal abuse. He turned his attention back to Istrone. It was precisely this clansman who had kidnapped Thales from under the eight guards’ noses with his extraordinary speed and had even taken away the guards’ lives.

Istrone’s unique, inborn talent was that he had the speed that surpassed the average member of a Blood Clan. Even though he was still in supra class, his speed had already surpassed most of his peers of the same level. However, just tonight alone, he had already met two mortal enemies who were both also in supra class, and both were completely unafraid of his extraordinary speed.

One of them was Blood Bottle Gang’s Nikolay. Istrone had seen that person’s first few moves clearly. Nikolay had completely been unable to catch up to Istrone’s speed, but for some unknown reason, after they exchanged a few blows, Nikolay’s speed and reflexes became increasingly faster, and during the most crucial moment of the battle, Nikolay’s punching speed and bodily reflexes were equal to Istrone’s. If Chris had not suddenly intervened, Istrone had a feeling that Nikolay’s speed would surpass his in the end!

The second one made Istrone’s skin crawl, and he was the elegant and dignified middle-aged man standing before him, who made fear rise in Istrone’s heart! Gilbert was the same as Nikolay. He, too, could not catch up to Istrone’s speed, but this noble had used his own method to suppress the high speed which Istrone prided himself with.

The silver sword in Gilbert’s right hand was very stable. His footsteps were filled with the elegance possessed by nobles as they fought, but what Istrone was worried about was not his sword. The blond Blood Clansman could easily handle the speed of the sword, and could even flip over two swordsmen as he dodged it.

What he was worried about was the staff in Gilbert’s left hand!

Compared to the orthodox sword style he used, the staff looked as if it was wielded by someone else! Every single time Istrone dodged or blocked a silver sword and was just about to counterattack, that strange staff would strike him out of nowhere, and it would always hit him in the direction where he was just about to counter without ever missing, or it would hit the crucial joint which he used to gain leverage. He would force Istrone to back down while he nursed grievances in his heart. Then, he would be surrounded by the other swordsmen and be attacked again.

It was precisely because of that strange staff that Istrone even had a feeling that he was not holding back Gilbert, but Gilbert was the one holding him back!

However, Istrone did not know that he had fallen into Gilbert’s trap since the beginning. The key to the martial arts in Gilbert’s family, which had been handed down generation to generation, did not lie in the staff, but by the sword in his right hand that moved in an orthodox, ordinary manner!

“Sir Chris.” Istrone’s ears twitched. He had heard Rolana’s low mummers during the scuffle.

“It’s very difficult for us to continue holding on. Has Her Highness not woken up yet? If we can’t make it here, then let’s take the ancestral coffin and retreat.”

They did not know that Chris, who was holding onto Yodel’s short sword in a tight grip, had a face full of shock and disbelief at that moment.

This emotion had even affected his opponent, Yodel, who was right before him, his face hidden behind the mask.

Chris murmured a few words under his breath. Only Yodel and the members of the Blood Clan with superhuman hearing could hear them.

The two supreme class elites stopped fighting and let go of each other before they pulled back in different directions.

Rolana and Istrone heard Chris’ murmurs, and their jaws fell slack simultaneously. However, they immediately retreated swiftly, only dodging, never retaliating.

Soon, the people who were engaged in a scuffle on the lawns discovered to their shock that the blood slaves had also retreated to one side as they hissed and roared. Even if they had their heads cut off by the swordsmen beside them, they still did not care.

Jines looked at Gilbert in shock from her place inside the sword formation. The latter was frowning as he thought about the situation before his eyes.

They were not puzzled for long.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

The sound of footsteps belonging to children traveled swiftly from within the house.

Along with those footsteps came a young boy’s voice.

“Everyone!”

All the people on the lawns saw the same thing. They saw a half-naked Thales, dragging a girl with silver hair dressed in his shirt behind him while panting harshly. They ran out of the door to the ground floor and arrived at the lawn in the manor.

Before he could see the situation before him clearly, Thales used all his strength as a seven-year-old and all the methods of conveyance he already knew to shout at the sky with his muddled mind.

“Stop! We’re allies! Friendly fire! Knock it off!”

Right at the moment he finished shouting, the silver-haired girl who had not been able to stop herself in time, since she had been rushing behind Thales, knocked into the boy’s back and crashed onto the ground with him.

Chapter 33

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The moonlight shone on the lawn of Vine Manor. Everyone stared in shock at the two children lying on the ground. For a while, there was only silence.

Thales lied on the floor, breathing heavily. His half-naked body was covered with nothing other than the bandage over his wound. The only thing he could feel was the cold and pain.

On the other hand, the silver-haired loli on his bosom propped up her body by pressing on his shoulder without any expressions on her face. She saw the bandage on his chest, which covered the silver coin-sized burn wound. She smelled the scent of blood on it and revealed an expression of anticipation and mesmerization.

This expression frightened Thales and he immediately sat up, before the dangerous Blood Clan girl (Thales had long since thought of her as a boss monster who would become a blood-sucking mummy at any time) could reveal her fangs, he pushed her off his bosom.

Yodel and Chris immediately appeared in front of the two children.

“I’m okay, Yodel, don’t worry.” Thales saw the wound on the secret protector’s chest and flashed a tired smile. The latter took off the cape around his leotard and put it over Thales.

Thales nodded. “Before this, there is something urgent that must be dealt with.”

He turned to face another direction. There was a large pit with a legless and half-dead person lying inside.

The Phantom Wind Follower, Midira Ralf. The person who struggled and broke free of his shackles. A survivor who did not want to escape pain through death.

“Sir Gilbert, please be sure to save that person.” Speaking to Gilbert, who was some distance away, Thales’ gaze became dim but determined. “If it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have been able to last until all of you arrived.”

‘And also,’ Thales muttered inwardly, ‘he is the first person I have truly saved in this damned world.’

Gilbert nodded and commanded the Swordsman of Eradication beside him to rescue Ralf.

“Your Highness!” Chris’ still face was full of excitement. He kneeled in front of the silver-haired loli on one knee. Trembling, he put the woolen blanket in his hands over her body.

Thales shirt was not big enough and was torn in many places, it only covered the little girl up to her knees. Her two fair calves were exposed. Having thought of this, Chris glared fiercely at Thales.

Her Highness was of noble status and she completely paid no heed to these ants’ stares, but as the loyal butler of the Corleone family for more than six hundred years, Chris naturally had to take everything into account on behalf of his mistress.

“Your Highness, you are finally awake!”

The adorable, red-eyed, little girl nodded without any emotion on her face. She habitually held on to Chris’ extended hand and spoke word by word in a tone exclusive to those in power. “Chwis, all of you did well.”

Her face, which still had some baby fat, and looked like a steamed bun, was kept straight and unsmiling as she babbled with a childish, adorable, and unclear voice. “Woyalty will definitewy be wewarded.”

Thales, who was beside her, took two seconds to understand the sentence, ‘Loyalty will definitely be rewarded.’

And then he laughed out loud.

It was truly an appalling sight for a lisping, young, little loli to speak such solemn words. Chris, who was nodding in gratitude beside him, shot him an angry glare.

“You are… Your Highness?” Rolana and Istrone appeared in front of the little loli with surprised and bewildered expressions. The former looked at her short stature and asked carefully, “Why did your appearance become like this?”

The little loli raised her crimson pupils and looked at Thales with a complicated expression. She then spoke nonchalantly, “As wong as I wecover my stwength, I will go back to my former appeawance.”

Upon speaking, the little loli looked at Thales, who was holding back his laughter. She did not look like she was aware of her pronunciation problems. And so, with an ice-cold expression, she asked, slightly puzzled, “What is so fwunny?”

Thales could no longer hold it back and laughed out loud.

At this, the three Blood Clansmen looked at him with hostile gazes. Istrone’s eyes were even tinged with a layer of caution and reverence as he watched Thales.

“Nothing, haha… cough, cough.” Thales immediately masked his laughter with unprofessional coughing sounds. “There’s nothing fwunny… haha… cough, cough… I’m sorry.”

Gilbert and Jines, who had rounded up the Swordsmen of Eradication, walked up to them at the same time. Holding his staff, the former respectfully took off his hat as a salute and said, “My esteemed Sir Thales, and this adorable Blood Clanswoman, would you mind explaining the situation to us?”

Thales put away his amused expression and looked at Gilbert with gratitude, “Sir Gilbert, I thank all of you for rescuing me, and for your sacrifice.”

However, he suddenly felt that the charming forty-something-year-old lady behind Gilbert was looking at him with a complicated expression. The look in her eyes was profound and indecipherable.

‘Is this the boy? The son he had with… that person.’ Jines’ gaze darkened immediately.

Thales did not think too much about it. He turned his head and continued speaking. “Let’s postpone the self-introductions. Too much blood has been shed tonight. Therefore, along with this…” Having said this, he glanced at the little loli—who actually looked very innocent and adorable but chose to keep a straight and unsmiling face—and paused.

Looking at the red-eyed loli’s hostile expression, he immediately corrected himself. “… little girl… erm, Lady… Serena Corleone… After a friendly and pleasant discussion…”

The little loli, Serena, suddenly felt her neck itching slightly. She pouted in a way so that no one would notice she had done just that.

“We have decided to let go of our hatred, end our hostility, and establish an alliance. I will provide Lady Serena periodically with my blood, whereas Lady Serena and her subordinates will serve me until…”

Before Thales could finish his sentence, he felt Yodel’s hand, which was holding him, tighten abruptly. His sentence was then cut off anxiously by two others.

“Why should we serve you? We can provide you with other benefits in exchange. If worse comes to worst, we can just walk away,” Rolana, the red-haired Blood Clanswoman said with a hostile countenance.

“Sir Thales! Your blood? This is too dangerous, how can this…” This was said by Gilbert, who was anxious to protect his master.

However, Thales only abruptly raised his right hand and then clenched his fist tightly.

This was a gesture he often made in his past life while leading tutorial classes of undergraduate students, to calm down discussions that were getting more and more heated and irrelevant.

The two of them stopped speaking at the same time. The boy sucked in a deep breath.

Thales left Yodel, who had been supporting him by the arm, and slowly walked towards the Blood Clansmen—despite Gilbert trying to stop him. He spoke softly, “You may serve me in exchange for my protection.

“As for myself, for you people—a group of homeless political refugees who can only deceive their way around for food and drink by relying on the Corleone banner and the Iris Flower stamp—I will provide you asylum in Constellation. It is a protection better than what this manor’s owner can offer.

Chris, Istrone, and Rolana’s expression changed at the same time. They looked at Serena. However, the silver-haired loli with red eyes only snorted coldly. “I did nwot tell him anything. He guessed it bwy himself.”

‘Guessed? Being on bad terms with Blood Bottle Gang, not being of one mind with the manor’s owner, Istrone saying “with our situation right now”, and the coffin on the second floor that looks like a swimming pool but is actually a large sickroom.’ The boy thought quietly in his heart, ‘Summing up all these elements and indications, is it not extremely obvious?’

He knew that the Blood Clansmen were extremely wary of him, but he did not mind because the problem at hand had, at least, been solved.

Thales turned his head and looked at Gilbert and Yodel earnestly. “Gilbert, Yodel, please believe in me. I will provide blood under a situation that does not harm my health to aid Lady Serena’s, wecovewy… cough, cough… recovery. I made this promise in exchange for my safety just now, along with Her Highness’ friendship.”

Gilbert stared at Thales for a long time.

However, Jines, who was behind Gilbert, took a step forward with a complicated expression and said softly, “Gilbert, this is a promise he made, and also a promise his family made.”

‘Just like what he did years ago,’ she added quietly in her heart.

Gilbert sighed deeply and nodded at Thales. “Of course, we believe in you. However, I will report this to…”

Thales smiled lightly. He turned around so that all the Blood Clansmen were within his sight, then said softly, “Then allow me to make a formal introduction…”

However, before he could finish his sentence, Chris, who was beside him, took a solemn step forward and spoke with a serious tone.

“Please, do not trouble yourself. Standing before you…” He softly supported the little loli by the arm as the latter walked forward unsteadily and continued, “Is the Archduchess, Lady Serena L.A. Corleone. The true heir to the Corleone family—the family that heads the Seven Great Clans in Eastern Peninsula’s Night Kingdom. She is also the legal and legitimate ruler of the Hill of Pain.”

Chris looked at the mortals with an arrogant gaze. Behind him, Rolana and Istrone displayed proud expressions.

With her appearance of a little loli around five or six years old, Serena lowered her round face and, holding her non-existent dress, curtsied. She then raised her head, still showing no expression on her face.

Thales pouted in his heart. ‘Sure makes her sound powerful.’

Gilbert and Jines looked at one another. They could see the shock in each other’s eyes.

After the earth-shattering Battle of Eradication over six hundred years ago, like many other races with a long history, the thirteen most noble clans in the Blood Clan were divided into two factions—the East and the West—in the two directions facing the Sea of Eradication.

The five clans in the Western Peninsula formed a Clan Union and the Dark Night Assembly. They occupied the Grand Banquet Hill (to be more precise, they occupied a piece of land and called it the Grand Banquet Hill). On the other hand, the eight clans in the Eastern Peninsula established a monarchy system and made their home on the Eastern bank of the Sea of Eradication with the name of ‘Night Kingdom’.

Throughout these six hundred over years, compared to their relatives in the Western Peninsula’s Grand Banquet Hill who were scattered, not united, and were even forced to sign the ‘Treaty of Subordination between Human Countries and Immortals’; under the mighty rule of the infamously ferocious ‘Night Wing King’ Laurie Corleone, the Blood Clansmen in Night Kingdom became more united and powerful. They even participated extensively in the peninsula’s affairs. In the second and third Peninsula War, they dispatched the ‘Sacred Blood Army’ which was formed by elite Blood Clan warriors to participate in the battle. In the third Peninsula War, the Night Wing King had even once personally led his army in attacking Dragon Clouds City, the capital of ‘Western Peninsula’s Blade’, Eckstedt Kingdom.

However, two hundred years ago, there was an abrupt change to Night Kingdom’s political climate. The Night Wing King mysteriously disappeared. The Eight Great Clans’ foundations were badly shaken. The Hollier family even had the entire clan betray the Night Kingdom by going across the ocean and allying themselves to the Dark Night Assembly in Grand Banquet Hill.

Ever since then, Night Kingdom only had seven ruling clans left. They also lost the only elite who had hope of breaking into the ‘true class’. When they were attacked by Sunrise Church, their strength slowly went into decline.

While one party fell, the other rose. For the Dark Night Assembly in Western Peninsula’s Grand Banquet Hill, the Six Great Clans made great efforts to build a strong state. They reformed their rotten and outdated system and extensively developed their diplomatic skills. They even became one of the confederates for the ‘Fortress Treaty’ and called themselves ‘The Blood Clan’s Six Big Pillars’.

And the little girl in front of them was claiming to be the master of Night Kingdom’s Hill of Pain—the Corleone family lair where the Night Wing King was born.

Gilbert raised his head and said respectfully, “Pardon me for being presumptuous, but based on my knowledge, the Night Queen is the master of the Corleone family right now and also happens to be the Hill of Pain’s actual ruler. She is also Night Kingdom’s current suzerain—’The Weeper’, Her Majesty Katerina L.A. Corleone.”

Gilbert deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the titles ‘Night Queen’ and ‘Her Majesty’, highlighting its difference with Serena’s ‘Her Highness’.

Thales yawned, causing the already annoyed Chris to stare angrily at him again.

Serena’s red pupils constricted slightly. She pouted and took a step forward. “My cwybaby wittle sister, Katerina, ilwegally seized the wight I inhewited from my father, the Night Wing King. She wusurped the Bwood Ocean Thwone. However, one day, I will wegain my thwone.

With her cheeks that were filled with baby fat tilted slightly and her little hand clenched in front of her chest, she closed her eyes and uttered Corleone family’s motto, “Long reign the blood.”

Istrone and Rolana’s expression immediately became solemn. They humbly lowered their chest and clenched their fists at the position over their hearts. Together with Chris, they took a step back, lowered their heads, and chanted, “Long reign the blood.”

‘This, this, this…’ Thales felt his mind whirling over the ridiculousness of it all, ‘Why don’t you shout “unify all lands” as well?’

“I will definitewy weward you all for your help and suppwort.” Serena opened her eyes and looked fixedly at Thales. She unconsciously licked her lips.

‘Like biting my neck open?’ Thales rolled his eyes and avoided the little loli’s fervent gaze. He spoke perfunctorily, “Wow, this is something I wouldn’t be able to obtain even if I wished for it. I am extremely honored.”

Serena puffed her little cheeks as if slightly dissatisfied with Thales’ attitude.

Looking at Thales’ strange demeanor, Istrone recalled that this was probably the same approach Thales had used to order him around. He got annoyed all of a sudden.

Looking at Her Highness’ expression, he flashed a cold smile and said to Thales, “Little brat, you probably don’t know much about the Night Kingdom, which is on the opposite bank of the ocean. Let me put it this way: Even if your enemy is Constellation’s supreme king, with the support and protection of our ‘Sacred Blood Army’, he definitely would not dare to make things difficult for you.”

Just as Istrone finished talking, Rolana, who was beside him felt that something was not right.

The countenances of the few people opposite them were very weird, especially the middle-aged noble (who had a strange expression) and the black-haired woman (who looked annoyed).

Chris furrowed his brows. However, he did not manage in time to stop the blond Blood Clansman from speaking. After all, he had dueled against them and knew that the masked person is an elite at the peak of supreme class.

Thales’ face twitched a little. ‘Egotism is a disease, and you should be treated for it!’

“Then, it’s my turn to introduce myself.” Thales scratched his head and said to the little loli, “Um, my name is Thales, and I am around seven years old this year. In the past…”

At this moment, Jines briskly walked forward with an annoyed expression, but Gilbert stopped her just as she was about to begin speaking.

The gray-haired noble heaved a sigh. “I believe that the alliance between us would not be too short, and Lady Serena also needs time to prepare to regain her throne. Therefore, we will be honest with you.”

Count Gilbert Caso raised his head and with a solemn expression, said a few brief words, “This is Thales, Constellation’s… next supreme king.”

A long moment passed.

A very, very long moment passed.

Just as Thales felt that even the air was turning into stone, a gust of wind finally blew past.

“Hehe, um.” He giggled awkwardly and waved his hand at the four petrified Blood Clansmen opposite him. “Thank you for your… Sacred Blood Army’s support and protection.”

Jines, who was behind him, snickered.

Chapter 34

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“A troop of at least thirty cavaliers have broken through the main entrance. Signs of intense battle are everywhere from the lawn of the manor to the dungeon.”

At Vine Manor, a knight under the Tricolor Iris Flower flag, Lord Seychelles, who wore a green striped armor, frowned while stroking the manor’s iron-made main door that was warped from the impact.

The knights around him went searching for clues in the manor that has long since been empty of people for what little evidence they could find among the scattered corpses.

At that moment, they heard the thin-haired Lord Seychelles say gravely, “Both parties launched a massive battle. Up until at least half an hour ago, this Place was probably in chaos. Obviously, the Blood Clan lost the battle as all the dead bodies on the floor belong to the blood slaves. The number of dead bodies also matches the one reported by the fleet that transported them.

“Based on the wounds on the dead bodies, the other party used high-purity silver weapons. They came prepared.

“All the members of the Blood Clan’s Corleone family have gone missing; either they were killed and their corpses carried away, were captured alive, or have escaped; maybe even all three. Whatever it is, we don’t have to worry about the secret they harbor anymore; it has either fallen into the enemy’s hands or disappeared without a trace.”

However, both situations are far from good. Seychelles’ heart sank and stroked his sparse hair with his right, iron-gloved hand.

Another voice came from behind him. “The only good news is that the duke wasn’t planning to mobilize them anyway. That’s why they don’t know anything about our plans and movements.”

The neat-looking Lord Cassain was another knight with a lordship. He stood up from beside the corpse of a blood slave and looked at Seychelles. “This is my fault, I will apologize to the duke later.” The knight’s expression was horrifyingly dark, but this noble knight did not shirk his responsibility. He spoke with solemnity and with misery, “I neglected the fact that I saw a large number of cavaliers during our journey; it seems clear now that they were the ones who attacked Vine Manor. If we had advanced at full speed then, we might have been able to stop them.”

However, Seychelles did not think so. His intuition told him that these cavaliers that attacked Vine Manor were extremely suspicious. Even if they were able to stop the troops, it might not necessarily have ended well.

Even though both he and Cassain were supreme class Knights of Eradication.

However, Seychelles knew that it was not the time to make his good friend even more miserable. The neglect due to his carelessness had brought about this mistake, and this had caused him to be full of self-blame.

“There are two questions that are in urgent need to be solved.” Seychelles glanced at the mottled manor wall and entered the house. “First, who were those people? Second, why were they here?”

Cassain entered the hall with his best friend. Although he could already smell the overwhelming stench of blood, when he saw the gruesome scene in the hall, he could not help but turn away.

Compared to Seychelles, who was once a mercenary in the Eastern Peninsula and lived every day by the tip of a knife, Cassain’s origin was much better than his compatriot’s. When the old duke conferred the title of a knight to him years ago, he was a first-rate Swordsman of Eradication who had just completed his training at the Tower of Eradication and was a young, ignorant brat who had a bright future ahead of him.

Ever since he became a Knight of Eradication, Cassain had not experienced a bloodbath greater than the tourneys in a very long time.

“If we immediately dispatch a unit to conduct a thorough investigation, we might be able to find some clues about these cavaliers.” Cassain looked at the body on the table in disgust—it had been drained off all its blood—and spoke with a frown, “If they are members of a certain family, then the best camouflage would be to enter the manors of various nobles in the eastern town districts.”

However, his compatriot, Seychelles, shook his head. He thought of the rabbits that roamed and scrambled around the prairies in the Eastern Peninsula. No matter how many clever traps the nomads of the Sele Tribe set up, the rabbits always found a way to survive.

The rabbits’ only mortal enemies were the falcons who roamed the sky and could see everything happening on the ground at once.

Seychelles followed the trail of blood and walked towards the dungeon. He opened his mouth to argue. “We are already operating in a very flashy manner, and now you want to dispatch troops to search through all manors in the eastern town districts? Yeah, sure, we might be able to get some clues about those people, but that’s only after we manage to offend all the people in the upper-class society in the entire Constellation because we searched their manors. Since we can’t uncover their identities, we can only identify their motives.”

Cassain picked up an Everlasting Lamp and covered his mouth and nose while inwardly cursing at these insatiable vampires. As he walked along the stone steps leading to the bloody dungeon, his voice became muffled and echoed between the dark walls.

“This Place was lent to Blood Bottle Gang as a temporary encampment to receive and hide the elites of the Corleone family. However, both Nikolay and Corleone are nowhere to be seen.”

“We and the Corleone family are behind the Blood Bottle Gang. This is an open secret among us. However, the aiders in the Corleone family have always been our secret contacts. That’s why, if they are discovered, it is highly likely that whoever discovers them would trace their connections and discover our plan too.”

“All the families who are participating in “New Star” know about the plan to an extent, so it’s not something to be worried about.” Lord Seychelles did not feel any difference at all as he walked through the blood-saturated air. He calmly analyzed, “I have already sent someone to report this to the duke. Blood Bottle Gang’s contact will also arrive soon. However, what secret is the Corleone family harboring, to the extent of provoking these people?”

Cassain held an Everlasting Lamp and tried hard to maintain his composure. He stopped at a pile of ruins in the dungeon and sized up the place, his gaze full of puzzlement.

It was obvious that these ruins used to be a prison cell. But right now, it was completely disfigured.

It was as though it went through terrifying destruction; the iron fences, chains and stone walls had been smashed into tiny pieces, debris scattered everywhere in the cramped prison cell.

It was as though someone had cut them into smithereens.

“The dungeon doubles as the Blood Clan’s blood bank,” Seychelles said coldly. “Looks like somebody didn’t really like this place.”

“Whether it was vampires or people from Blood Bottle Gang, or even intruders; why would they destroy the dungeon like this? To vent their frustrations?” Cassain asked, puzzled.

“The dungeon wasn’t destroyed by them.” Seychelles picked up small, black piece of mysterious material made of a stone that had weird patterns and words engraved on it. His face was somber. “This is a dungeon; I’m afraid that a dangerous person who was locked here had escaped. The cavaliers who barged in had probably ‘cleared’ this bloody manor by working together with this person. They coordinated by having one work from the inside while the other party worked from the outside.”

If Thales were here, he would probably be clapping for and praising this balding knight because his guess was very close to the truth.

“This degree of destruction…” Cassain, who was frowning deeply looked at the degree of demolition in the dungeon and said in awe, “only supreme class elites are able to do it.”

“No.” Seychelles’ gaze suddenly became extremely strange. He held the piece of mysterious, black, stone-like fragment and said, “According to this shape, I’m afraid that this piece of stone was part of a shackle. I suspect that the shackles were used to chain up that mysterious person.”

The next moment, he flung the black stone into the air with his left hand. Seychelles’ gaze sharpened as he drew his Cross Hand Guard Saber from his left waist.

The sharp and clear edge of the saber cut through the mysterious stone.

During that instant, all was silent.

A second later, invisible waves riding on the compression in the air swept through the narrow dungeon.

Huge, deep cracks were etched into the surrounding walls!

Behind him, Cassain nodded in admiration. This perfect swing was a balanced combination of precision, speed, and skill. The “Fortress Flower” was probably something like this.

The sound of the saber cutting through stone finally came.

*Chiang!*

The sound was crisp and sparks flew in all directions.

*Boom!*

The strong wind brought about by the swing of the saber simultaneously blew around their ears.

The momentum of Seychelles’ saber brought down plenty of debris from all four walls. As the strong wind blew, swirling clouds of dust filled the dungeon.

The Everlasting Lamp in Cassain’s hand was extinguished by the strong wind in the blink of an eye.

The strong gusts vanished.

Seychelles did not change his expression as he sheathed his saber.

Cassain covered his mouth and nose. Although he disliked the dust, he reignited his Everlasting Lamp and bent down to search among the debris.

As Cassain brought the mysterious black stone in front of Seychelles, both stared at each other. The two supreme class Knights of Eradication saw shock and fear in each other’s eyes.

The black stone, which had been cut by a supreme slass elite’s saber was resting on Cassain’s hand, was completely intact without a single scratch.

They were silent for a long time until Cassain spoke with difficulty.

“Looks like I was wrong again. This degree of destruction—”

Cassain turned his head, his face greenish and pale. Looking at the shattered dungeon, his face was full of disbelief.

“Even supreme class elites can’t achieve this!”

…..

Eleven o’clock at night.

In a bedroom on the third floor of Mindis Hall, the mysterious person who was the topic of discussion of the two supreme class Knights in Vine Manor—Thales (who had recently escaped great calamity and wore clean, tidy clothes) sat awkwardly on the bed.

He stared absent-mindedly at the female official, who was forty-something years old but still attractive and had a beauty mole beside her mouth. She was reprimanding two other people.

‘Too bad.’ Thales thought, ‘If only she was a little gentler.’

“Is this the kingdom’s heir that you people are looking after?”

“Are you people savages?”

“What His Majesty entrusted to you is his heir! Constellation’s future! Not some gray monitor lizard you can just throw on an island and expect to survive!”

“With your manners, you people probably can’t even take good care of a monitor lizard!”

The stately female official was growling in a dominating manner and reprimanding His Majesty’s two most trusted followers—Count Gilbert Caso, and Protector Yodel Cato. The two of them lowered their heads obediently and accepted the rebuke.

“His everyday diet consists of only bread and beef? Do you people know that he’s growing up right now? Have you people actually given him a bath? Don’t tell me that scrubbing with clear water counts as bathing! Can’t you see that all his wounds need delicate care? Bandages? What is this? Have you people taught him the correct way of putting on clothes? Don’t use the lack of time as an excuse!

“What sort of beddings are you letting him use? These blankets and pillows are practically child killers! You people have the audacity to prohibit him from going outdoors? Do you know how important sunlight is for growth?!

“Safety? Don’t look for an excuse! Didn’t he get kidnapped right under your eyes when he was indoors? Place the vampire girl in a room at least a hundred meters away! What? There’s no such room? Then go and dig one out now!

“From tomorrow onwards, apart from when offering protection and giving lessons, you both stay at least ten meters away from him! You useless men!”

After a while, when Jines finished her angry reprimanding, she chased the two “useless men” out of Thales’ room (“Go and prepare everything on the list immediately!” -Jines). Then, she suddenly turned her head around.

It terrified Thales, who was on the bed drinking a glass of water and watching the whole thing. He scooted a half-meter back.

As he looked at Jines’ stern eyes, the boy was reminded of the high school class teacher in his memories.

However, Jines only looked at Thales hesitantly and with a complicated gaze. In the end, she sighed delicately, then forced a smile and tried her best to speak gently.

“Don’t be scared, Thales. You are safe now and will always be safe.

“In the one month you’re staying in Mindis Hall, I will be wholly responsible for your everyday life.”

Thales swallowed a mouthful of water and nodded. “Thank you, err—”

Jines continued her sentence softly. “I am Jines Bajkovic, a first-grade female official. I am your father’s loyal friend, follower and… Erm, how do I put this…” Having said that, Jines paused, as if contemplating something.

But in the end, she raised her brow as if she had thought of what term to use. She spoke decisively, “… and his lover.”

Thales could not hold it in and spat his mouthful of water onto the bed.

…..

On a road not far away from Mindis Hall, Yodel manifested in the air and kneeled on one leg in front of a muscular figure.

“You should go inside and take a look.” Yodel growled.

However, the muscular figure only remained silent.

It took a while before he spoke, “You’re still the same as twelve years ago,” the figure spoke slowly, “always doing ridiculous things.”

Yodel knew that he was not referring to the incident in Vine Manor.

“But you sent Gilbert here.” Yodel lowered his head slightly. “You are also hesitating.”

The figure did not speak for a long time.

In the end, he raised his head and looked at the lights shining out of the room on the third floor. He then turned and left, flanked by a troop of elite bodyguards clad in silver armor.

Only the Mask Protector’s lone form was left kneeling under the moonlight.

Chapter 35

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Jines did not say anything else; she tended to his new wounds and told Thales to rest. Before she left his room, she also promised that she would let his life ‘return to normal’ by tomorrow.

But when nighttime arrived, Thales’ sleep was restless—the things he had experienced during the past few days were just too bizarre.

The terrors in Red Street Market, Mindis Hall’s sensational secrets, and his strive for survival in Vine Manor, had all made him extremely exhausted after thinking too much.

Worse still, even after Thales had reached this point, he still could not get used to the soft mattress beneath him. It was as if his ability to fall asleep in his past life right when his head hit the pillow had vanished without a trace.

‘Ah…’ Thales rolled his eyes.

After tossing and turning a million times over, he got up from bed as usual, then went to his ‘designated’ corner before he curled up his body and laid down.

‘As expected, hard surfaces suit me more.’ Thales licked his lips.

Two days ago, he had been worried about the survival of the five child beggars in the Abandoned Houses and was plotting his grand escape.

After that, his life had been filled with drastic changes, and he was like a duckweed without roots being blown by a violent gust of wind. He struggled in this world that was filled with evil and misfortune, and he had used every method he had at his disposal for his own survival.

‘I just want to live well.

‘But with this status…’ Thales looked at the wall above the fireplace. In the dim inner chamber, he could vaguely see the pattern of a huge star in the shape of a nonagon.

‘Things such as “living well” and “being a free person”,’ Thales sighed deeply and thought, ‘are probably wild dreams.’

Not to mention…

Thales absent-mindedly raised his right hand. Under the moonlight, he looked at the bandaged abrasion there.

‘What actually was…’ Thales recalled the moment he released Ralf from the shackles and the surge of explosion and light that appeared right afterward. ‘What was that energy?’

Then there was the loli vampire. When Thales recalled her mummified looks and the two, almost invisible, round holes on his neck, he felt a surge of fear.

And now, Thales was sure that his past-life memories that often flashed inside his mind without reason were not just fragments. What sort of memories were able to support him to the point where he could suddenly exude superhuman strength and determination at the most dangerous moments, anyway?

Although it had been five years since he came to this place, Thales realized in disappointment that his uncertainty and lack of understanding regarding this world did not diminish but instead gradually piled up.

…..

Someone still woke up him by screaming into his ears while he was still on his bed and covered by his blankets. When he was sleeping, someone had returned him there.

But today’s atmosphere was significantly different.

First of all, it was Jines who woke him up instead. She patiently explained to the flustered Thales the steps in putting on noble clothing. Next, his breakfast had also been changed to delicious cake and milk instead of bread and beef. The guards in the hall were walking back and forth busily, carrying inside item after item that had obviously just been transported here today.

Gilbert appeared with a stern face and told Thales that his personally tailored classes would begin from nine in the morning and until nine at night.

This made Thales truly feel that his daily life had completely changed. And although it was only the first class in the morning, the content was something he had never been exposed to before.

After breakfast, Thales was led by Jines to a cleared, empty plot filled with soft sand in the backyard of Mindis hall. Gilbert Caso was holding his exquisite staff and standing among a huge array of weapon racks, dummies for sword practice, archery targets, sandbags, horse-hitching posts, and a young foal.

He spoke to him solemnly, “After the incidents that happened these past few days, having gone through deep contemplation and after making careful choices, Young Sir Thales, we believe that you are in urgent need of basic training for fighting and self-defense skills. And as a child who will be growing up alongside Lord Mahn, you should, naturally, be well-versed with horsemanship and basic swordsmanship skills. Do not worry. We, especially Lady Jines, guarantee that the training will not affect your existing wounds.”

‘What?’

Thales let out a deep breath, then to his surprise, he saw Jines taking a step towards him. She spoke coldly.

“Do not be surprised, child, the morning is the best time to train your body. As Constellation’s future heir, you must, of course, have a body that can bear this heavy responsibility—and I will make sure of this.”

Thales stared at the curvy Jines, who stood under the sun wearing the elegant attire of a female official. He looked at the empty space around him and scratched his head.

“Why isn’t Yodel the one teaching me? He looks formidable.” The boy recalled the secret protector who moved about the town area with swift movements.

“Do you expect a supreme class elite, who are hard to come by in the entire kingdom, to teach a newbie about the most basic things?” Gilbert, who stood nearby, put his hands behind his back and continued, “And, please believe me when I say that Yodel’s tactics do not suit your status and traits.”

Thales nodded his head, not fully understanding what Gilbert had just said. “What is a supreme class?”

At this, Jines clapped her hands, walked towards the middle of the field and gestured with her finger for Thales to come over.

“Gilbert will explain all this theoretical knowledge to you during the training. Now, attack me with all your might! I want to appraise your existing basics.”

Thales watched, stupefied, as Jines put her hands behind her back and stood still in the middle of the field, and he continued staring until Jines opened her mouth to urge him again.

‘Alright, practice and level up. Isn’t this what the older generation loved the most?’ Thales finally took a breath. He decided not to take out his dagger after some contemplation.

The next moment, with street-fighting skills that would pass for a child beggar, Thales lunged towards Jines.

Without even moving her supporting foot, Jines easily tripped Thales—who had lunged with too much energy.

*Bang!*

Gilbert slowly began his explanation. “Martial arts is the oldest and most long-standing skill in human history. Human history is one built where they continuously waged war against other races and amongst themselves.

“Thousands of years ago, in the process of fighting for the right to survive in this world, human beings gradually categorized the skills and patterns involved in using weapons or fighting bare-handed.”

Thales was tripped for a second time, tumbling onto the practice ground with his face dusty and dirty.

“Compared to other races, the human physical constitution falls way behind, and thus, they utilized these crafts and skills to win against the strong even if the humans were weaker, to fight against many even if the humans were few, and to wrestle those who are bigger in size compared to the humans.

“After a long time, some of the fighters who have mastered superb skills through such battles awakened powers within themselves that far exceeded human imagination.

“Instead of merely ‘struggling’ and ‘resisting’, these powers granted human beings other choices in the world. Different powers came with different advantages, such as outstanding speed, nimble reaction, superb observation, and extraordinary strength. There are too many to count.”

This time, Thales nimbly dodged Jines’ leg, which was trying to trip him again, and cleverly grasped her thigh-high boots. However, he was immediately kicked down again by Jines’ cunning use of her strength.

“By relying on these powers, these group of superior human beings rode on warhorses, led skilled fighters, and embarked on a journey towards the dangerous world.

“These were the earliest batch of knights…” Gilbert heaved a deep sigh and watched Thales, who was in a pathetic and disheveled state, fall onto the floor for the fourth time. He continued, “and those powers that they have awakened are collectively known as ‘superpowers’.

“Today, after the Battle of Eradication, the humans, especially swordsmen, like to refer to those powers as ‘Powers of Eradication’.

“Due to the emergence of ‘superpowers’, the world established classifications of such abilities for the first time. For those who are agile in using fighting techniques and are refined fighters, we commonly label them as ‘ordinary class’.

“The elites who have mastered superpowers or other such abilities, and are capable of going into extreme detail when it comes to their control over their bodies and spotting the finest detail while observing things, and who are highly proficient when it came to fighting and battling have already surpassed the domain of ordinary human beings. This is why,” having said that, Gilbert’s eyes sparkled brilliantly as he finished his sentence, “we call them ‘supra class’.”

“Enough!”

Jines raised her left hand to stop Thales, who was unwilling to stop and wanted to continue lunging forward. She then pushed him onto the sandy surface.

“Quick-witted and good at dodging, knows how to use the greatest amount of strength possible, it’s just that his body has not matured yet. I already know what to teach him.” Jines exhaled, turned and took two sets of wooden swords and shields from the weapons rack. She threw the smaller set towards Thales, who was all over the place while trying to grab it.

‘It’s so heavy.’

Thales laboriously straightened the shield and imitated Jines in using the leather straps behind the wooden shield to bind and secure it to his left hand. However, he immediately realized that the posture put a huge burden on one side of his shoulders and arms.

Thales held the wooden sword with his right hand. ‘My goodness, compared to JC’s dagger, this wooden sword might as well be those water vats in the Abandoned Houses!’

“Tilt your body with your left leg forward and right leg behind! Place your weight between both of your legs and adjust it accordingly towards the back when defending or receiving impact. When attacking, tip your weight forward.

“Raise your shield and point it directly towards your enemy! Center all your defenses towards your chest on the shield – don’t block your eyes!” Jines’ tone suddenly became cold and stern. “No matter what, always raise the shield in your left hand up high! There are only two situations where you can put it down. When you are dead, or when the enemy dies!”

Thales strenuously raised his left arm. Soon afterward, it began aching.

“Whip your right arm around and treat the sword as if it is your second forearm. Use the weight of your shield and the first-half of your body, then wave it as though you are using a whip!”

Thales—who was so tired that he was panting—raised the sword in his right hand shakily. He swayed it left and right with great effort while Gilbert’s words resounded beside his ears.

“Aha! It’s the Northland Military Swords Style—the sword style that has a long history.” At this moment, Count Caso’s words were full of reminiscence and reverence.

“In the bard’s poems, this sword style is the ordinary people’s final weapon; the knight’s body of fortitude, the Northland’s barrier of ice and snow, and the orc’s nemesis in the battlefields.”

His following sentence made Thales widen his eyes.

“Of course, it was also the sword style where superpowers originated from.”

Chapter 36

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Two hours later.

“Watch your steps! Steady your breath! The key to the ‘Iron Body’ style lies in your feet. The instant you are attacked, adjust the distance between both of your legs and spread out your strength! If you don’t want to die, raise your shield towards the enemy!”

Jines’ crystal-clear voice shot up into the air and a merciless strike followed.

Thales clenched his teeth tightly, swung the sword in his right hand, which spurred his body to whirl along. The blood vessels in his left arm bulged as he used his shoulder-strength to raise up the disproportionately heavy, wooden shield with all his might. He bent his right leg slightly and prepared to slide it further away according to the blow received to reduce the impact.

*Boom!*

Gilbert, who was observing the battle from the sidelines, closed his eyes gently.

After Jines’ sword hit the bottom part of his shield, Thales lost his balance for the twenty-fifth time and fell on the sand again. But this time, he had exhausted all his strength and could not raise the shield in his hand anymore.

‘D-Damn it.’

The boy panted heavily and tried his best to raise his head and chest. However, the heavy shield weighed down on his left breast, making him unable to struggle up to his feet from the floor.

This woman cum his father’s lover had been waving the sword continuously for two hours. But why- why does she show no signs of fatigue at all?

“The Northland Military Sword Style originated from the age of ancient chauvinistic countries over three thousand years ago. It took shape during the age of feudal kings, which was before the age of the ancient empires.” As if able to read Thales’ mind, Gilbert’s voice resounded in the empty plot. “Based on the records, the elves and the dragons were engaged in fierce battle during that time, and the feudal kings who reigned in the north were invaded by ancient orcs…

“This sword style was developed to battle fearsome opponents—whose strength and size far surpass human beings—such as the ancient orcs, or even dragons.” Gilbert looked earnestly at Thales lying on the floor, and spoke softly, “This is the oldest combative sword style recorded in human history. Under such alarmingly huge disadvantages, humanity fought in battles until they almost sank into despair, and as they engaged in almost fatal resistances and suicidal charges, a group of knights became the first to awaken superpowers. Those powers are now known as the ‘Powers of Eradication’, and those knights became the earliest supra class fighters in human history.”

Gilbert’s eyes shone with a brilliant sparkle. “Lady Jines is one of the best among the supra class. Excluding the unique Power of Eradication she possesses, her observation skills, power, balance, and almost all physical attributes are on a different level than yours. The gap between the both of you is comparable to the gap between the tough, bold, and powerful ancient orcs and the weak, small humans in the past.”

Thales looked at Jines in awe and embarrassment. Honestly, even now, he did not know how to get along with his father’s lover. She was exercising her wrist with a relaxed expression, as if paying no attention to Gilbert’s praises.

“As a superpower is further used and the user accumulates more experience towards it, it will become stronger and stronger. The knights began learning how to wield their massive and profound powers, and to control their immeasurable strengths to the extent of having complete control over them. Compared to the supra class, these knights—who are a step above—possess almost immeasurable strength and matchless skills. They began to understand the fundamentals of power and battles. They can transform freely, fight without limitations, and finish a battle with the highest efficiency and the smallest loss possible.” Gilbert took a step forward and nodded his head at a spot in the air with a barely noticeable move.

“They are known as the supreme class, the strongest warriors that have surpassed the limits of their powers.”

Thales looked at the sky absent-mindedly and thought of Asda, who could control the air to her heart’s desire, and Yodel, who moved like a phantom.

“Ordinary class, supra class, and supreme class. This classification of power spread widely to people of all races around the world after humanity prospered.” Gilbert looked at the weather and nodded at Jines. “The ancient orcs, the ancient elves, even the psionics and… began using this system of classification.

“All of these originated from the ancient Northland Military Sword Style—from the courage to fight the orcs and the dragons for the sake of survival.” Gilbert’s words put Thales in an absent-minded state.

“Now, the ancient orcs are no longer a threat, and the dragons are extinct. The Northland Military Sword Style is no longer passed down to the people. Even within the army of Eckstedt Kingdom, the kingdom that prides itself for having Northland blood and occupies the land of the ancient Northland, this swordsmanship has long since been abandoned. Now, the only places that retain the full legacy of the Northland Military Sword Style are Constellation and the Tower of Eradication.

“Miss Jines is one of the few people in the world proficient in this skill. Young Sir Thales, when it comes to this sword style that once saved our ancestors, please harbor respect in your heart and practice relentlessly.”

‘A sword style used to battle orcs and dragons? No wonder.’ Thales thought gloomily after snapping out of his daze, ‘I was thinking about why the sword felt like lead when I swung it.’

Recalling the way he, like an idiot, raised the shield and waved the sword (how it led him around), his footwork (pulled by the inertia of the shield) and his training with Jines (being trained by her), he felt as if he was just being whacked around like a sandbag for two hours. He could not help but heaved a sigh while feeling speechless. and with a face full of regret, he fell backward.

“That will be all for this morning; your wounds from before are showing signs of tearing.” Jines looked at the sun in the sky, threw her sword and shield down, and spoke with her usual, cool expression.

“These three sets of defense tactics of the Northland Military Sword Style will be your homework for the week. As for horse-riding…” Jines looked at the foal happily dancing around a butterfly by the hitching post. She then looked at Thales, who struggled to free his left arm from the wooden shield. She, too, heaved a sigh and shook her head. “Go take a bath and eat your lunch. Gilbert has specially prepared indoor lessons at one in the afternoon for you.”

‘Afternoon lessons? My god, do I have to self-study at night, too?’

Thales, who was used to living the disorderly life of a postgraduate student, heaved another sigh. As he felt his whole body ache, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to fate.

Constellation’s most exalted, illegitimate child resignedly took off the equipment from his body with great difficulty (pulled his left arm out of the shield), and limped into Mindis Hall.

He only had an hour to bathe and eat.

“I have to admit, his comprehension and ability to learn things is good. After only two hours, he had tentatively understood the fundamental spirit of this sword style.” Gilbert watched Thales leave and broke the silence, he nodded his head lightly as he spoke, “When I was his age, I used my body to practice using the sword. This child uses his brain to learn the sword.”

“Compared to this- Do not tell me that your observation skills are so bad that you did not notice the abnormalities of his body!” Watching Thales’ figure disappear, Jines’ face suddenly became grave. As she talked to Gilbert, who was beside her, she sized up the air around them with suspicion. “I still remember that the person with that cursed mask can see even a speck of dust a hundred meters away.”

“Stop looking, Yodel is not nearby.” Watching Jines’ nervous actions, Gilbert put his hands behind his back and spoke in a level-headed manner, “Ever since Thales was unexpectedly kidnapped by the Blood Clan, Yodel has tailed him every single moment without ever leaving his side.

“And we noticed,” Gilbert spoke and frowned slightly, “that child is only around seven years’ old, and has sustained considerable injuries two days ago. However, in two days, he had almost completely recovered… and could practice the sword under the sun for two hours without much difficulty… no wonder the Bloodline Lamp, which is used to detect those with the blood of the royal family—did not react for a whole seven years…”

“With this physical constitution, he cannot be described as a ‘normal human being’ anymore, he’s practically…” He heaved a sigh and tried his best not to think of the other possibility. “Jadestar Family. As expected of the oldest surviving royal bloodline in the world.”

Jines was also silent for a while and tactfully did not say anything else.

The female official bent down and swept the dust off her boots. “Speaking of vampires, why did you reveal Thales’ identity to them and invite them to stay in Mindis Hall? Do you really believe in the agreement between Thales and the distressed Archduchess? After all, he is only seven. And you should be aware that the vampires have killed our people before; we can’t trust them. Besides, to the vampires, we are an unexpected accident; it is impossible for them to trust us, either.

“You have already spoken the answer.” Gilbert’s eyes sparkled as he thought of the old Blood Clansman who had a still and deadly countenance, but was full of wisdom. “It is precisely because both parties lack trust, fear each other, and even threaten each other that I did all these things.

“That is why we have to use the secrets we have and things that will benefit both sides to tie down each other. This is what you would call tacit understanding and cunningness in terms of diplomatic relations. It’s not the same as a clear and straightforward, investigative search.”

“Hmph, you’re just trying to be mysterious and secretive.” It was as if Jines was reminded of unpleasant memories. As she left the training field and walked into the hall, she said with annoyance, “Another Morat.”

“Thank you for your praise, respectable Lady Jines.” Gilbert tilted the hat on his head and laughed tactfully. “I do not deserve such an honor as to be ranked alongside the head of the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department.”

‘And…’

Gilbert did not take Jines’ impolite disregard to heart. He thought internally, ‘Although that child is only seven years old, when it comes to guile, he is definitely not inferior to the Archduchess who is a few hundred years old.’

…..

When Gilbert and Jines arrived at Thales’ study simultaneously half an hour later, Thales, who had bathed hastily and was having his meal, was watching the expressionless, red-eyed, little girl with a frown on his face.

Her followers—Istrone and Rolana—were having an unfriendly stare-down with the Swordsmen of Eradication who had Thales completely surrounded till not even a fly would be able to pass through them.

“Step back, vampire.” A bodyguard who looked like the leader was glaring angrily from behind his helmet and spoke with unpleasantness, “We do not welcome you here.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like you people that much either, you mortal creatures.” Istrone’s nonchalant words further annoyed the bodyguards. “Do you remember that I slaughtered eight people like you just yesterday?” he spoke with a sarcastic and provocative tone.

The frowning Thales bit a mouthful of carefully seasoned beef short ribs from the fork in his hand. He had not eaten this delicacy since he transmigrated here and was so touched that his heart gasped in admiration. At the same time, he carefully avoided the obviously problematic gaze of the baby-faced little girl sitting across from him.

It was just a pity that this taste will probably never compare to the dog meat he once ate together with Jala.

Thales observed the situation before him and heaved a sigh. ‘What a headache.’

“You will never have such a chance again, despicable rat that hides in pots!” The head swordsman’s tone had dropped to freezing point and the silver sword at his waist was one foot out of its sheath. “Why don’t you try and take another step forward? I am very eager to avenge the death of my comrades. Or I can just pull open the curtains and let you all bask in the sunlight.”

The countenance of the handsome blonde Blood Clansman turned sour, and he decided to go one step forward.

“Don’t get riled up, boys.” Rolana pulled her fuming cousin one step backward just in time. Although her lips were curled in a smile, her tone was stern and serious. “Servants, step back. Your master and our master have an agreement.”

Looking at the Swordsmen of Eradication in front of her who could not wait to kill them, Rolana’s playful countenance became even more vibrant. “This was what your master said—we are allies now. Shouldn’t we forget the animosity of the past? After all, it’s just eight lives…”

The emotions of the Swordsmen of Eradication became more unstable. A few of them even clenched their teeth so hard that the sounds of them grating their teeth could be heard behind their helmets.

‘As expected of cousin sister,’ Istrone thought inwardly, especially when he looked at the angered guards who had to restrain themselves. ‘It really makes my heart soar.’

Jines, who was outside the room frowned and was about to walk in when Gilbert grabbed her arm. The gray-haired ex-diplomat shook his head with a mysterious look on his face and pointed at their little master, who was sitting on a chair behind the guards.

Jines made a puzzled face.

Her puzzlement continued until she saw Thales, who had finished his last bite of food and put down the cutlery, burping in satisfaction and sliding down from the chair.

‘What should I do?’ Looking at the meaningful gaze of the three Blood Clansmen, Thales contemplated the problem.

However, he soon had an answer.

“Thank you for your protection, Chora. With you around, I’m very assured of my own safety,” Thales said with a smile and tugged the lower hem of the head swordsman’s armor.

Chora, who had laughed when his stomach was poked by Thales on his first morning here to determine “whether the guards were made of stone”, was the leader of these guards. He was also the one who arranged for the guards to kill the attacking mercenaries one by one.

He knew that when it came to these loyal guards, he should not wave his hand and dismiss them with authority and arrogance—like what the main characters in most simplistic novels do. Moreover, to protect him, they had recently sacrificed eight of their most reliable comrades. To face their arch enemies and not immediately take out their swords to kill was already a rare show of self-restraint. Although they were already allies on paper, but to pretend that nothing happened and to dismiss his own people in front of outsiders would only turn the guards’ hearts cold with disappointment, even though it would feel great to dismiss them with a wave of his hand.

Thales put on a stern expression. “I need all of you to do me a favor.”

“We will follow your orders.”

Although his facial expression could not be seen, the head guard’s respectful tone said it all. The swordsmen who were able to stay guard here were all the most trusted and elite private soldiers of the Jadestar family. They were not informed of the situation, but based on the task received and the interactions of the past few days, the guards have made almost accurate deductions regarding the boy’s identity—who was personally brought in by Gilbert and Yodel.

“Due to past incidents, I do not trust the handsome Sir Istrone Corleone, and his beautiful but equally dangerous cousin sister, Lady Rolana Corleone.

“They have caused me plenty of humiliation. Their existence makes me troubled, worried, and frightened.” Thales frowned and clenched his teeth tightly while he spoke.

As though there was really great enmity between them.

Istrone and Rolana were shocked and looked at the Archduchess behind them at the same time. However, the latter did not bat an eyelid.

“We only need your word, Young Sir…” Chora’s gaze behind his helmet became sharper. The sword on his waist was drawn another foot. “And our swords will leave their sheaths for you.”

Having heard that, the Swordsmen pressed their hands on the hilts of their swords. Bound by a common hatred for the enemy, their gazes became more and more unpleasant.

“Very good, I want their heads so much…” Thales’ countenance was cold, and he glared at Istrone with deadly eyes.

The swordsmen took a step forward together and vaguely surrounded the Blood Clansmen.

Istrone looked at the boy’s expression, his heart jumping a little.

Rolana bared a fierce expression and unfolded her arms.

‘It can’t be.’ Istrone felt an unreasonable fear in his heart and took a step back without noticing it, until the Archduchess’s cryptolalia was heard next to his ears. “Steady, Isa.” This childish voice that only Blood Clansmen could hear put Istrone’s mind at ease. “He does not intend to turn hostile.”

“… But because of the sacred alliance, I cannot hurt them in my own house…

“That is why, apart from this… young lady, chase the other two people out into the corridor, Chora.” Thales pouted and hugged his arms tight as he ordered coldly.

“If they so dare to disturb the private conversation between me and Lady Serena Corleone…” Thales’ eyes shone with a cold glint, making the already traumatized Istrone anxious. The boy turned his head and continued to speak to Chora mercilessly, “Chora, and everyone else… you all will have a valid excuse to take your revenge.

“Especially that one with blond hair.”

Istrone’s heart tightened.

“If our swords leave their sheaths, we definitely will not disappoint you.” Chora nodded with a determined gaze and extended his arms towards the door of the study.

“Vampires, you have heard it.”

“Get out. The corridor is where you people belong.”

Istrone, who had a furious expression wanted to say something else but was stopped beforehand by his cousin sister.

Rolana perfectly hid her shock and smiled mysteriously. She then respectfully bowed towards the little loli, Serena, and dragged Istrone out of the study.

Outside the room, Gilbert flashed a smile, and, along with the astonished Jines, made way for the guards and the Blood Clansmen. The two groups, who were staring at each other with caution left the study and continued their stand-off at a corridor some distance away.

“Good afternoon, Sir Corleone and Lady Corleone.” Gilbert bowed neatly. His elegant mustache curled up slightly. “I know that the members of the Blood Clan have exceptional hearing. It is much too easy to listen to the events in the study from here. I wonder if eavesdropping counts as ‘disturbing’ the private conversation between Sir Thales and Lady Corleone?”

The guard, Chora, who was standing beside them and the rest of the swordsmen immediately walked towards them with an imposing aura. “You want to eavesdrop?”

Rolana’s smile immediately faded while Istrone’s face turned green.

When she saw the angered swordsmen forcing the Blood Clan to the stairs and stopped moving while they were there, Jines became absorbed in her thoughts.

‘If that is the case…’ Jines lowered her head silently. ‘Then what Gilbert said is true—he’s really an intelligent and level-headed boy.

‘But he’s a little too intelligent and level-headed.’

Thales breathed a sigh as the crimson eyed loli watched him strangely. He closed the heavy door to the study and considerately drew the curtains to block the sunlight.

The study on the second floor was perfectly soundproofed. Gilbert had assured him that even the Blood Clan would not be able to pick up a single sound with their hearing.

“Alright, we were in a hurry yesterday, but now…” Thales exhaled and said sternly, “Let us talk in detail about the clauses in the alliance.

“And go especially into the details about my blood and how you would serve me.”

“Wewy well.” Due to the size of her body shrinking to that of a small loli, Miss Serena spoke with a lisp. She too, nodded her head seriously, “Why don’t we add in your status into the clauses that need to be discussed as well?”

Puzzlement appeared on Thales’ face, but his expression changed drastically when the crimson-eyed loli said her next words.

This Archduchess, the woman in the shape of a small girl, the true heir of the Corleone family, the rightful sovereign of the Hill of Pain, Her Highness Serena L.A. Corleone, spoke softly with a lisp.

“And that is the probwem of you nod gettin’ your birthwight as a pwince acknwowledged even aftwer such a long time has passed.”

What they did not know was that when Thales had skillfully dodged the guards and the Blood Clan’s irresolvable grudge and was negotiating with Serena, Chris Corleone was hiding in the shadows of the chimney, which was right above the second floor’s study, all so that he could avoid the sunlight. His posture was bizarre, and his face was expressionless.

“Alright.” The pale Chris Corleone’s ears twitched and turned his head to speak, “Our men didn’t start fighting. I believe that Her Highness should be negotiating with that young friend of ours.

“We’re both supreme class fighters, you know? There’s no need for us to remain in such an awkward position, right?”

Right across the old Blood Clansman was Yodel Cato, the masked, strange man who had remained silent from the beginning until now. Only when he said these words did Yodel put away the short sword he held in his hand back into his shirt, and he gradually faded away.

Chapter 37

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“The next king? Last nwight, your followers exaggewated your status.” The girl with the baby face pouted. She was dressed in clothes fit for a child, which had been prepared for Thales, and she was looking quite a funny and cute sight as she sat down on the carpet beside the fireplace and continued speaking in her lisp, “But we have wealized that wight now, you are not ewen a pwince.”

‘Of course not. In the entire kingdom, people who know that the king has a son can be counted with less than ten fingers,’ Thales thought internally. ‘Should I have told you that Gilbert deliberately said that because he got annoyed looking at that blondie showing off?’ Thales rolled his eyes in his heart.

“I thought…” Thales took a deep breath, looked at the pair of red eyes in front of him and said, “we have already agreed in Vine Manor. Since my blood is delicious, if you forget about draining my blood dry in one go, I will regularly provide you with a small amount of blood. While enjoying my blood, you must serve me, and I will ensure that all of you have a safe place to stay in Constellation.”

“But you do not possess the power,” Serena said slowly but surely, “to pwotect us.”

“Alright, it’s true that I am only an illegitimate child; that is why, it’s not me, but my father who will guarantee your safety…”

Serena stared right at him and broke him off suddenly. “But you are not your fwather—you are nod the king.”

“That is why,” Thales exasperatedly said, “I am really sorry, but you and your people are already at Mindis Hall, and we already know your secret. I guess the Covendier family would not welcome you back either…”

“Hawf a pint.” The red-eyed loli said with an expressionless face.

“What?”

“Your bwood. I want half a pwint of it daily.” She looked somberly at Thales’ eyes.

“Half a… pint, daily?” Thales narrowed his eyes and looked at the Eastern Peninsula’s Archduchess. All this just for my blood?

‘This boys’ blood is unique,’ Serena thought to herself. ‘It was exactly this blood, full of life and energy, which had roused me from my deep, muddled sleep. Of course, to realize that someone was biting my neck the moment I woke up was not very pleasing.’ Serena pouted her lips in annoyance and touched her neck.

‘Thales, don’t forget that yesterday, the mummified version of this “little girl” almost took your life,’ Thales thought in disdain. Recalling that a mummy had sucked on his neck like a suction pump… Thales rotated his neck unnaturally as well with mixed feelings.

Both quietly stared at each other until one of them broke the silence.

“Are you kidding?! Half a pint daily? Why don’t you just suck all my blood straightaway?” Thales stood on tiptoes (he would not be able to reach the table otherwise because he was too short) and smacked the table, staring back at her without showing any sign of weakness. But he still felt apprehensive when he occasionally thought of her mummified appearance.

“I ardently wish that I could devouwer evewy single dwop of bwood in your bwody.” Serena’s red eyes glared at him as she replied in a serious and eerie tone, “But to have you supply bwood to me long-term is a deal that is much more worthwhile.”

“Aren’t you a calculative person?” Thales replied sarcastically.

“A qwarter pint daily; I need to wecover as fwast as pwossible.” Serena’s gaze became cold and her tone was final.

“Do you think I’m a cockroach, that blood is replenished every time I level up?” Thales clenched his teeth tightly as he met her gaze squarely. “To give you blood daily—not a chance!”

“I do not undwerstand what you are talking about.” The aloof loli efficiently ignored the crazed words the boy accidentally let spill out of his mouth. “Once evewy week, two pints.”

“Once every half-year! A-tenth of a pint! And this is only for the sake of our amicable agreement,” Thales said fiercely.

“Once evewy two weeks, one-and-a-half pints. Pwease use your actions to pwove your amity.”

“At most, once a month! I need time to synthesize new blood after losing it okay!”

Serena slowly stood from the floor. Her red irises gazed towards Thales, making the latter shudder. “Brat, do nod chawenge my patience. My interest in your bwood is the only reason you are still standing here and bwething air.”

Serena’s eyes narrowed, and her unchanging facial expression suddenly became cold.

“If we decide to weave without caring for all the sacrifices we have to suffer, your pweople will not be able to stop us. Moreover—” Serena’s eyes moved about mysteriously but she did not look away from Thales’ gaze, making the boy’s hair raise.

“This pwace conceals Constellation’s secret heir. Do you think that the lords and nobwles would be interested in this?”

Thales felt himself shudder in fear. ‘This damned old witch,’ Thales criticized internally. However, experiences with field research from his past life made him aware that as the other party in a negotiation, he must not show any weakness.

“Sure thing.” Thales tried his best to force a pleasant smile. “Your younger sister must miss you very much, too. Especially after you came to Constellation for a vacation, and even transformed into a cute and plump little girl.

“I won’t be able to become the heir at the moment, nor will you be able to return to Night Kingdom. Since we are so compatible—”

Thales smiled even more delightfully. “Why don’t you just marry me?”

The moment he said that, Serena’s expression did not change. She did not move her gaze, and neither did she move her body.

But for some reason, a shudder wracked Thales’ body at that moment, and he felt a chill that seeped right into his bones.

Both parties stared at each other for more than ten seconds.

Amidst the silence, Serena slowly and softly uttered a sentence.

“It seems that you weally intend for our relations to turn sour.” As she spoke, Serena suddenly cracked a smile, revealing her tiny fangs.

Thales was shocked.

His right hand—hidden behind his body—trembled. JC’s dagger was already ready in his hand and could be used to strike at any time.

“Wewy well, then.” Serena curled up the corners of her lips mysteriously and licked her fangs.

‘From this angle and with this distance, I can continue talking by beating around the bush with her for more than ten seconds.’

Thales lowered his head, furrowed his brows, and swallowed hard.

If Yodel had not bumped into Chris, he would have been able to rush here. The guards, Jines, and Gilbert were also at the corridor. But Istrone and Rolana… Damn it!

Since they reached the worst possible outcome, Thales had no choice but to accept it.

He bent his calves slightly and spread his feet apart. He prepared to raise his left arm high and held the dagger steadily with his right hand. He was obviously about to pull off a standard ‘Iron Body’ style.

‘Northland Military Sword Style… although I only practiced it for two hours, I hope that you are well worth the effort.’ Thales laughed wryly in his heart.

For the first time, Serena suddenly flashed an unsettling smile. Her young voice rang in the air. It sounded especially scary to Thales’ ears.

“Then, I have no choice but to compwomise. I will follow what you said. Once a month it is, then. As for the number wof pints, Thales, it is up to you to decide.”

‘Use my left arm as a shield and block her first attack. Based on yesterday’s experience with the mummy, I don’t know if she will… eh?’

Thales then processed what Serena was saying. ‘What? Compromise?’ Thales’ mouth widened in shock to the point that it was big enough to fit two of Serena’s fists. ‘I was about to deal with her ‘gently’, but the enemy… surrendered? Why aren’t things going according to the script?’

Something scarier happened after that. Two faint dimples appeared on Serena’s adorable face. The little loli smiled bashfully. “My dear Thales, since I have compwomised, shouldn’t you do something to show your sincerity too?”

Thales frowned and looked at her with suspicion. He found that he could not react to the expressionless, silent, and emotionless girl suddenly transforming into a loli with a bright smile—akin to a blooming flower.

He could only answer with a hoarse voice by going with the flow, “What…*cough cough*… show you… how?”

The little girl’s smile became even brighter.

At that moment, Thales suddenly thought that those strange red eyes were actually quite beautiful.

“The young and capable Prince Thales.” She smiled amicably. “Let’s form an awiance. I will assist you in gettin’ through this cwisis… so that you will be cwowned successfuwy.

“And you will suppwort me…” Serena’s pupils shone with a strange bright light. “In seizing back my throne.”

Thales was stunned. ‘Seizing back… her throne? The Eastern Peninsula’s… Night Kingdom?’

The cute girl blinked.

“Erm, this goal is too far away.” Thales scratched his head. His dagger had long since been tucked back into his pocket. He spoke with some slight awkwardness and hesitance, “If I really become king one day, then, uh, based on the situation…”

Before he even finished speaking, the loli’s eyes sparkled brilliantly and she slowly inched towards him. Thales stared in befuddlement as the strange girl extended both hands and softly held his right hand. “I know that Thales reawy needs me!”

Before Thales could pull his hand back, he saw the pair of red eyes watching him with a teary gaze.

Blinking her unusually coquettish eyes, she pouted her lips and shook her arm slightly, just like how a normal, playful, little girl would. As he stared into her gaze, a shudder swept through Thales’ entire body.

His mind felt dizzy for some reason…

“For the sake of not revwealing your identitwy, you cannot simply let us go.” Serena bit her bottom lip and curled her lips into a smile that would have enamored other people. “And because of my value and my swensitive identity, you can’t get rid of me easily, either….

“This is why we have no choice but to form a mutuawy beneficial awiance.” The girl used the soft skin on her arms to gently rub the back of his hand. Her eyes shone with an odd but submissive light. “Instead of being fworced by the situation and being dwagged awong by the fwow, just like what happened to us in the manor, isn’t becoming allies and hwelping each other something wewy common? This way, both of us will feel more unrestrained…”

Thales pulled his arm back with a disgusted expression. However, the odd sensation behind his hand lingered.

“If this reduces the animosity between us…” Thales heaved a sigh. “We can work together, temporarily. However, for now, we can only provide you shelter. As you can see, I am in a very awkward situation too. Before my status is acknowledged, I am unable to help you regain your throne.”

“Okay, okay.” Serena’s expression suddenly turned cheerful, like a normal girl who just found her doll. She bit her bottom lip and nodded continuously with a delightful smile. “I undwerstand, I undwerstand! I knew that Thales tweats me the best!” Because of her smile, the girl’s eyes turned into the shape of crescent moons, and she held onto Thales’ arm again.

Thales raised his brow. He was not used to her being like this. Out of reflex, he wanted to pull his arm back, but the girl held onto him with a tight grip.

Serena’s expression changed again. Her smile turned into a hesitant and hurt look.

“It’s just that…” The girl pursed her lips like she was being wronged and poked Thales’ arm.

“‘Just that’ what?” Thales quirked his brow again, feeling as if he could not handle this anymore.

“It’s just that it’s a bit…” Serena shook Thales’ arms and spoke with a pitiful expression, “One-tenth of a pwint per month is a bit too little; I will starve to death…”

Thales’ face turned black. “Why don’t you go and suck someone else’s blood?”

“Becwause I feel that Thales’ blood is the most spwecial one.” The girl looked like she was about to cry. Blinking her eyes as she spoke, “We are good allies, aren’t we..?”

Thales furrowed his brows. His head was beginning to ache.

In the end, the agreement of blood provision was set at one-eighth of a pint per month. Thales had calculated this with his fingers for a while—it was not a lot.

However, he still felt that he was on the losing end of the deal.

“Obtwaining the hwelp of two supweme class elites, and a supwa class ewite, through this,” Serena suddenly reverted into an expressionless loli and spoke with a piercing gaze, “Your jwourney towards becoming the heir will only becwome smoother.”

‘True.’ Thales thought gloomily, ‘With the support of a strong nation in the Western Peninsula, your journey towards seizing back your throne would surely become smoother, too.’

“And, for the sake of my pwomise to Thales, I will work hard to hwelp you become the heir and ascend the thwone!”

‘Promise?’ Thales’ face twitched. ‘I obviously didn’t agree to that just now. Why is she making assumptions? But, eh, what’s up with that face? Why did it suddenly become cold again?’

As he watched the loli sashay out of the room, Thales suddenly realized that his body was drenched in cold sweat—he constantly felt that something was not quite right.

“Oh yeah, I have a question.” As she was just about to leave, the loli turned and spoke with her usual, expressionless face, “What is the secwet of your bwood? How could such a small amount awaken me?”

“What you took yesterday was obviously not ‘a small amount’ of blood!” The baffled boy grumbled in annoyance. “To answer this question, please refer to books, reference materials, or other forms of relevant documents and literature. You can ask my parents directly if you want to!”

Surprisingly, Serena nodded her head seriously. “If the chance awises, I will.” She raised her gaze. “Your bwood and my stwength, your thwone and my thwone, our alliance is actually wewy beneficial for us.”

In the next moment, much to his surprise, Thales saw Serena swaying her young body while taking a step back.

“For this, I apowogize for my and my fowowers’ impwertinence. I earnestwy hope for your towerance and forgiveness.” Serena bowed again, her plump little hand held her imaginary skirt. She spoke softly with her childish voice, “future Pwince Thales Jadestar.”

Thales was stunned. ‘Thales Jadestar.’ This was the first time somebody called him by this name.

It was just as Serena said. As of then, he was not even a prince.

‘The transition from child beggar to a prince. As expected, I’m still not used to it,’ Thales thought with distress.

‘This witch.’ Thales, who was drenched in cold sweat, kept reminding himself. ‘And she was completely expressionless just now, too. Should I be saying, ‘As expected of the ex-Archduchess?”

Having thought that, Thales heaved a deep sigh, feeling a little defeated from the day’s negotiations. He earnestly extended his hand and helped the loli up. Although the two children’s actions looked funny, their expressions had turned extremely serious.

“Your Highness Serena Corleone, I accept your friendship.” Thales extended his right hand in front of Serena with a serious gaze. “Starting from now, we are allies.”

Serena watched him with sparkling red eyes. After a moment, she also extended her plump little hand and placed it in his palm. “Of course. Constellation and Night. May our coopewation be a pweasant one.”

The two little hands held and shook each other lightly.

“And also, in the future, ask your followers to stay away from my guards. The hatred between them is one that cannot be resolved!”

Thales looked at the little girl in front of her—who only reached his shoulders—and spoke meaningfully, “Next time, there’s no harm in you talking to me regarding the issue of your restoration. There’s no need to waste time and effort testing my attitude towards this matter. Istrone’s acting skills were too horrible. When it comes to this, we need to be straightforward and trust one another.”

“Trust?” Serena’s red pupils constricted a little and she nodded. “Of course, future Pwince Thales. If you inhewit the thwone, and we both estabwish a Starlit Night alliance, our relationship will become a special one…”

Serena flashed a strange smile. “For the sake of both our countries’ futures, we might even estabwish a marriage contwact—of course we need to trust one another!”

The dejected Thales felt his face twitch. He was stunned so speechless that he felt like puking. ‘Can someone please come and take this lisp-afflicted person away?!’

Chapter 38

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Three in the afternoon.

“What is it?” In the study, Thales put down the quill he was using to copy the alphabet that was used by the public during the era. He waved his hand impatiently and looked at Gilbert—who had been staring at him for the past hour.

“Excuse me for my rudeness, Sir Thales,” Gilbert spoke with a soft smile, “but you might be a natural-born diplomat—provided that you do not choose to become an astronomically wealthy businessman.”

‘If I knew he would react this way, I wouldn’t have told him what happened—I should have just told him that I played hide and seek with that little girl for half an hour in the room.’ Thales thought gloomily and crossed out the lopsided ‘S’ below his quill.

Thales was very annoyed. There was no other reason for his annoyance. After the negotiation with Serena, whenever Thales thought of the Archduchess’ flexible and versatile expressions, as well as her transition between icy coldness to friendliness, he felt that something was not quite right. So Thales had asked Gilbert to analyze the situation for him just now.

To put it simply—Thales had fallen for Serena’s trap.

It might have seemed like Serena was forced to compromise on the issue of blood provision, but they were in Mindis Hall—everyone, including Gilbert, Yodel, Jines, and even his unreliable father, His Majesty the King, would not watch idly if half a pint of blood was drawn from his body daily. Which was to say that—

One-eighth of a pint of blood monthly was obviously within her estimation! So, without making any real compromise, Serena managed to bargain her way into making an ambivalent promise from Thales!

‘Help her retrieve her throne?’ Thales realized with annoyance that he was the losing party in the negotiation.

“Businessman? Diplomat? Why do I feel as though you are laughing at me in your heart?” Thales lowered his head and opened another page of the ‘Cahill’s Falling Leaves Poetry Collection’ Gilbert gave him. He copied the sentences, identifying the individual words and their usage.

‘The night was about to welcome light, the sky had yet to become bright. The holy sun’s former splendor was hidden in the lands.

‘The land was about to shatter, the sea about to spill over. The evil demons gathered their strength in the dark sky.’

After he copied this duplet containing the style of poetry usually applied when orientals wrote about day and night, Thales pouted his lips and tried to understand the meaning behind it.

In the beginning, Gilbert was especially worried that Thales would have a weak foundation to culture and tailored a massive plan to speedily improve his language and writing especially for Thales. This was because typical street rogues usually could not recognize any letters other than their own names and the numbers written on coins. This was the norm.

However, ever since he transmigrated to this place, Thales had paid close attention to the words around him. Together with his ability to speak the language and his brain—that at some unknown point of time, seemed to run like those computers that had their RAM increased—it only took him a little over an hour to master basic alphabet recognition and learn how to write them. After that, Thales easily entered the stage where he could spell individual words and copy long sentences.

His progress was so fast that even Gilbert was in awe. Again, he could only attribute it to the Jadestar Royal Family’s outstanding blood.

Thales rolled his eyes at Gilbert’s reaction over this.

“No, you handled it considerably well.” Gilbert walked to his side and watched as he copied the entire ancient poem. “I have asked some people to read up on materials and information about Night Kingdom. Serena Corleone may not be as well known as her younger sister, who is exceptionally skilled when it comes to handling matters, but she is indeed related to the Night Wing King. She was already around even before the Third Peninsular War and might be more than four hundred years old.”

“Despite being under our shelter and in an abject situation, she ordered Istrone to coerce you into making a choice between your follower’s loyalty and the benefits that come with forming an alliance. She affected your reputation among your followers and then did all she could to remind you about the fact that you are not the heir yet to destroy your self-confidence and courage. Both instances fully exhibited either the cunningness of a Blood Clan Archduchess who has lived for many years, or the intelligence of that supreme class butler.

“Fortunately, you did not let her have her way when it came to this. Instead, you left her with no choice but to act in a manner that was shameless to obtain what she wants.”

‘I knew it, she’s a witch.’ Thales spat in his mind and continued copying the poem.

‘The Gods fell into the world, hell’s river roared. The land transformed, the color of blood spread. The vast army marched on, the snowy mountains collapsed.

‘The hero raised his flag, the king lifted his spear. The empire has fallen, the world has darkened. The living were frightened, lonely and homeless.’

‘What is this person even writing?’ Thales furrowed his brows and read these descriptive sentences. He asked absent-mindedly, “So you just stood there and watched them bully me?”

Gilbert did not say anything. He only watched Thales quietly.

Wait.

The hand which Thales used to hold the quill suddenly froze. He looked as if he had thought of something. His highly efficient brain began automatically collecting every single element and linking them into a paragraph again.

‘His identity.

‘Serena’s identity.

‘His promise to help her regain her throne.

‘Their treaty of alliance.

‘The indifferent Gilbert.

‘And Serena’s words, “I will work hard to help you become the heir and ascend the throne!”‘

“Gilbert,” Thales quirked his brows and opened his mouth wide, looking at the former Foreign Affairs Minister in disbelief, “it was you?”

The former Foreign Affairs Minister’s mouth curled into a small grin. His mustache curved into elegant arcs.

“Oh yeah, I still remember.” Thales exhaled and uttered in realization, “Last night, you were the one who told them about my identity! You didn’t do it because you were angry at their impudence and arrogance, nor was it because my status was being undermined by those people.” Thales stood up in front of the study table with a dubious gaze. “This was your plan all along!”

Gilbert did not admit nor decline it. He only shrugged his shoulders playfully in a rare show of mischief.

This allowed Thales to confirm his suspicions immediately. ‘It was indeed Gilbert’s plan! F*ck!’

“You deliberately revealed my identity because you guessed that they might seize this opportunity and take the initiative to negotiate with the heir to the throne while he is still in a dire state. That way, they can strengthen or add to the treaty to obtain the promise that I will help them after I ascend the throne. It might take a long time, but since they are the immortal Blood Clan, they can afford to wait!”

‘Damn it!’ Thales cursed Serena inwardly, ‘That witch obviously had a plan, but still acted as though she was super-anxious to recover her abilities and go back to the Eastern Peninsula!

‘Damn old man! Damn witch!’ Thales thought in annoyance.

“I guess you have your own reasons for doing so?” Thales let go of his emotions and furrowed his brows.

Gilbert lifted his hat and bowed in his line of vision. “There is no trust between us and the Corleones. We harbor suspicions towards each other. It is extremely dangerous for us to live under the same roof in the name of cooperation, even though this is our territory.”

“As for your blood? Safety?” Gilbert chuckled and spoke darkly. “I never believed that these unreliable things can guarantee a stable cooperation. We might have a fall-out with the Corleones at any possible time and endanger ourselves.

“However, the situation is different now. Your journey to becoming the heir and her mission to seize back the throne are bound together. To obtain your help, she must first help you.

“Although unexpected, you have used a promise that can only be carried out in the future after becoming king in exchange for immediate and reliable help.” Gilbert smiled mysteriously. “Obtaining allies by binding them to you using benefits is the essence of politics.”

“And helping her regain her throne?” Thales narrowed his eyes.

Gilbert exhaled. His eyes shone with cunning, “If you do not become king, how would you be able to help her regain her throne? As for what you said, regarding me watching idly as they bullied you? It is, of course, part of my duty to share your burdens. However, to develop you into a qualified heir, and to protect you from any sort of harm are both equally important duties to me.” Gilbert smiled and spoke, “Serena Corleone is only an abject foreign dignitary and you will be Constellation’s future. I thought that I would just let this be a small test to you.”

‘Small test?’ Thales lowered his head and rolled his eyes again.

“Since you had this intention, why didn’t you go straight to them and suggest an alliance?” the indignant Thales replied stiffly.

“My young Sir Thales,” Gilbert blinked, “diplomatic negotiations are like sword tournaments. Although whoever attacks first gets the first strike…

“… they will at the same time, expose their steps and trails. There is nothing better for us than for them to suggest an alliance.”

‘I will just quietly watch you act all smart and all that jazz.’ The boy shook his head and thought bitterly.

Thales grumbled in annoyance. “What a bad diplomat and politician—to even manipulate your own people.”

“Alright.” Gilbert only narrowed his eyes and smiled as he lowered his head to look at his pocket watch. “After copying these poems that you do not understand for so long, I am sure you feel tired.”

Thales stopped moving the quill in his hand.

“You can rest for a while. Since we are already on the topic of politics and diplomacy, this is an opportunity for us to conduct a history lesson.” Gilbert said, smiling, “Obtaining obvious benefits is not the only reason alliances are forged.” Gilbert sat on the expensive sofa and tipped his hat. “Imminent crisis also leads to that… As well as shared beliefs.”

Thales put down his quill and began paying earnest attention to Gilbert’s words.

“This tale depicts how the disunited human beings and the other influential forces within the other races became the most loyal allies, even though they were filled with distrust towards each other.” Gilbert’s eyes shone with bright light.

Thales suddenly felt that Gilbert had become slightly serious.

“This is what ‘Cahill’s Falling Leaves Poetry Collection’ depicts—the tale of that battle over six hundred years ago.”

Count Caso’s next sentence made Thales widen his eyes in shock. “That cruel, dark, bloody, horrific and earth-shattering battle depicted in historical poems—The Battle of Eradication.”

…..

In the deep and dark secret chamber, an old and raspy voice drifted into the air. “So, the wealthy families are showing signs of activity?”

“Yes, my dear teacher,” a cynical, lazy voice replied. “Supreme class elites and plenty of supra class elites are departing from various strange places and gathering at the borders of various county towns in the north. They all share one similarity; investigation shows that none of them have anything to do with nobles and suzerains.”

“Can you get the exact date?” the hoarse voice spoke apathetically.

“I’m afraid that it’s difficult.” The same voice replied with a light-hearted tone, “Even people from the Eckstedt Diplomat Group itself have not finalized their exact route. So, should we send people to continue investigating and inform the king about this?”

After some time, the raspy old voice replied with finality.

“No. Your focus is still that doctor in Black Street Brotherhood. I want all resources to be tilted towards that. Don’t look down on Lance. After all, he came from here, and he knows our tactics very well.

“Investigate the whereabouts of all the Black Street higher-ups, especially the three main Assassins—Black Sword, Prison Sickle, and Reversed Machete. It’s too difficult to find them, but we must at least make sure that they’re not nearby! I’m sure Black Sword is not stupid enough to shelter a wizard. And, even if all goes well, don’t let your guard down. After all, we have not waged war with any wizards for over a hundred years. Records and handbooks can only be used as references in the end.”

A long moment passed.

“Okay then.” After a moment, the young voice said noncommittally, “Speaking of which, are we really not sparing his life? After all, it is a living and breathing wizard!”

In the darkness, the sound of a person sitting up from a chair rang.

“There’s no need.” The raspy old voice appeared after it. “They are something that had already vanished long ago. Let it be completely buried, along with the Battle of Eradication.”

Chapter 39

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

‘Battle of Eradication. Such familiar words.’

Thales had watched a number of plays in Dark Night Temple beside the Grand Bazaar, even though his concentration was mostly focused on how to steal money from the pockets of the entranced audiences.

Undeniably, all the priests in Dark Night Temple looked neurotic—they wrapped themselves up to the point that not a single bit of wind would enter through their clothing and touch their skin, and chanted crazy words such as “the Lord will return”, “the world will inevitably collapse for the second time” and “histories are all lies, the only one who saved the world was the True God of Dark Night” every day. (“Fortunately, they didn’t chant something like ‘the long night is approaching, evil is everywhere’… Eh, Ryan, pay some attention. That wealthy person is about to turn away!”–The child beggar, Thales, who had been watching the play)

However, for Thales, who was illiterate after transmigrating, the plays they staged were definitely a good, gratuitous way to understand the world

‘Erm, perhaps it’s not such a good way,’ Thales, who had been walking behind Gilbert, thought of a play called ‘The True God of Dark Night Descended upon the World and Personally Rescued Thirty-Three Princesses’ and could not help but pout.

Among the various plays, which ranged from those that were absolutely absurd, to those that served as a warning to humans, Thales remembered one called ‘The Day Calamity Fell, The Hour the World was Eradicated’ especially well.

That was about the Battle of Eradication.

Even now, Thales still remembered that amidst the backdrop, which had black and red as its main colors, a masked man in black held chains with a sickle and circled the entire stage with heavy footsteps. The background tune often became gloomy and scary at this moment, frequently making the curious children below the stage who were watching cry.

At the positions where the man in black walked by, actors wearing headgears of various colors to symbolize places around the world wailed and cried, falling down one by one on the stage.

He still remembered the frightening words spoken by the narrator, who sounded like a cawing crow.

“Calamity is coming! Calamity is coming! It will not let go of anyone, will not let go of this world, until every single person is seized by calamity!

“Wake up, my friends, wake up, wake up! Calamity will engulf everything, hell’s river will overflow into the world and heaven will collapse onto the earth. The world is on the brink of eradication!

“The Gods will always be with us, and the demons are also beside us. The emperor stands behind us, and the warriors are before us! We can only survive through fighting bravely, and only Dark Night is eternal!

“My friends, calamity is coming! Dark Night has said that the boatman at hell’s river does not have a detestable face, neither is he an inhuman, evil fruit, or a demonic flower, but he can corrode a person’s heart! We must be willing to wield our swords and return home in glory with our heroes so that we will not become the slaves and underlings of this calamity!

“This is the last battle. Make no distinctions between ourselves, make no distinctions between the sacred and the mortals! The Battle of Eradication! With Dark Night enveloping the world, calamity will definitely disappear!”

In Thales’ indistinct memory, in that crazy play, the character who held the chains with a sickle, who was the so-called ‘calamity’, slaughtered countless living beings until it was defeated by the union of the entire world.

However, until the end, none of the priests and actors of Dark Night Temple explained what ‘calamity’ truly was. When children on the streets questioned them, the priests would make them utter, “Dark Night shall return, and I am willing to serve”. The priests would then give them a piece of barley sugar candy and say with a smile that “calamity is the world’s enemy.”

Thales, who was deep in thought, did not notice that Gilbert had led him before the second-floor stairs.

The three giant portraits of Constellation’s kings which he saw when he first arrived hung neatly on the wall.

“Lusark Kolven is a famous portrait artist in the era of Mindis the Third. His portraits strive to portray the spirit and vitality of each person as best as possible by combining history, environment, and movements.”

Gilbert stood still below the portraits of the three late kings of Constellation and spoke with an engrossed tone. “‘The Three Constellation Kings’. Just as His Majesty explained to you before, these are the very few kings and sovereigns among the masterpieces Kolven left behind.”

‘A master’s work?’ Upon hearing this, Thales raised his head and carefully looked at the middle portrait on the wall—the young knight with his seven-pointed-star insignia, held a spear while riding a horse. Judging from his posture, he was probably charging forward.

The last time Thales saw the portrait, it was only a quick, rushed glance. He had the time to observe it carefully today. He noticed that the long spear, held by the young knight with a valiant and heroic bearing, had a chipped blade. His royal crown was also damaged and mottled. His armor was covered in splashes of blood, and his horse looked fatigued. All the knights behind him were injured; some held up their shields and charged forward, some were covered in blood, some of their armors were torn, some of them held each other by the arm while on their horses, some only had one arm left.

The area in the distance under the setting sun was littered with dead bodies and weapons. There were very few people left standing, serving as lonely decorations for the devastating battlefield. Blood and darkness were the other colors that dominated the color scheme.

Apart from the young knight with a seven-pointed-star on his crown, who looked like he was letting out a frenzied roar, the six people behind him had desolate and sorrowful expressions. However, their faces still showed no hesitation in charging forward. They moved forward behind Tormond the First, who was holding up his spear and roaring fiercely.

Having seen this, Thales’ heart stirred. He suddenly remembered what Kessel the Fifth said. “This is Tormond the First, the last prince of the final Empire, and the founder of Constellation. Known as the ‘King of Renaissance’, his bravery in the Battle of Eradication is still being eulogized even now.”

“He is—” Thales’ expression changed slightly. He looked at Gilbert, who was beside him.

“Yes. The ‘King of Renaissance’, Tormond Jadestar.” Gilbert answered with a profound expression. “After the Battle of Eradication over six hundred years ago, among the surviving empire commanders in the Western Battlefield, he held the highest status and position. He is also your ancestor, the man who founded Constellation after the battle.”

‘Western Battlefield, surviving, empire commanders, highest status, and position.’

Thales immediately caught the keywords.

“Empire commanders? Which empire? What was his status? Apart from the Western Battlefield, were there other battlefields? Who were Tormond’s enemies?”

Gilbert was used to Thales’ learning style (cutting Gilbert off at any time and raising questions, or even refutations). He smiled without taking any offense and said, “It was, of course, the one and only empire, ‘the Empire’.

“The only empire?”

“Yes.” Gilbert inhaled and flashed a nostalgic smile. “Did you know, young Sir Thales, that the known world used to be a broad piece of land shaped like an arm? And our kingdom, Constellation’s original land was at the position of the wrist.

Thales raised his head abruptly. “What?” He cut Gilbert off in shock. “A piece… an entire piece of land? What about the Eastern and Western Peninsulas which are separated by the Sea of Eradication—”

However, Gilbert only smiled and raised a hand, gesturing for him to be quiet in front of the late king’s portrait.

“Listen to me until I finish speaking. The answer lies in the Battle of Eradication.”

However, Thales had already thought of an answer in his mind, which was not far from the truth.

‘Battle of Eradication. Wait, the ocean between the two peninsulas is called the… Sea of Eradication?’

‘Two peninsulas?’

Having thought of this, Thales could not help but poke fun at the situation. “Gilbert, erm, are you going to tell me that a strong celestial entity led an army and invaded our world? And then, after a fierce battle, we managed to thwart their efforts? But we accidentally shattered a magical well which exploded and separated the world into two peninsulas?”

Gilbert’s smile froze. “What?”

“And then, the one on the west was called Kalimdor—”

“Shh…” Gilbert could not help but smile and cut him off. “My young Sir, you indeed possess the ability to write novels and create stories. If it was not for your identity, perhaps you could become a splendid bard or poet. However, we are having a history lesson right now.”

Thales shrugged and stopped speaking. He kept another piece of newfound memory in the deep recesses of his mind. It was still one related to the girl with adolescent delusions.

Gilbert continued watching Thales patiently until he stopped speaking, and became solemn in front of the portrait of Thales’ ancestor. He then continued his explanation. “Over 3,000 years ago, after humans realized their superpowers, many supra class and supreme class elites appeared. Their troop’s combat power and equipment were also strengthened ceaselessly. Following many years of friction, war, and union, almost 2,200 years ago, humans finally coalesced into one. For several successive years, they were victorious in battles against other races. They became the rulers of the known world in the continent.”

Gilbert displayed an expression of reverence and longing. His gaze drifted about as he spoke airily. “They built a gigantic nation with a surface area that extended to the whole ocean and the entire continent, almost penetrating every corner of the known land. Apart from a small number of Far Easterners, almost all humans—the Rudollians, Northlanders, Nedanese, Calunsians, and Crimson Earthlings—were under the nation’s protection and rule.

“They did not give their country nor their dynasty any names. The highest ruler regarded himself as ‘The Emperor’. The unprecedented country that did not have and did not need a name was known as ‘The Empire’.”

Thales gasped lightly. He did not feel glory nor pride in his heart, only sadness and sighs.

‘War made the state, and the state made war.’ He quietly added a sentence in his heart. He learned this during his past life from a great author’s book. ‘Coalescence and war. These words can be spoken easily. To forge an unprecedented, gigantic nation, how many battles were needed? How much blood was shed and how many massacres were involved?’

However, Gilbert’s expression immediately became gloomy. “Just when the Empire had ruled for almost a thousand years, a new race, so strong they were almost terrifying, quietly emerged among the humans.

“They are immortal and cannot be destroyed, with unparalleled strength and unmatched power. The strongest among the supreme class were powerless to stand up against them, and even true Gods and demons were no match for them. To make it even scarier, they have different thought processes and rules of conduct compared to other humans, or even other races. They are impervious to reason, stubborn, insane, and hard to communicate with.”

Thales froze slightly.

It was as though the crazy figure in blue robes with brown hair appeared before him again, mouth opening and closing. “The new-born Mystic made a foothold high above the Gods and watched over the other living things…”

Thales recovered his attention. He saw Gilbert heave a sigh.

“They are like calamity. Since they arrived in the world, they continuously brought about chaos and disasters, blood and massacre. Having dealt with these huge blows, the once great empire slowly declined and, in the end, perished.”

‘A new race? Emerged among humans? Impervious to reason? Calamity?’

Thales recalled something and his heart began beating erratically.

“During Tormond the First’s era, which was the century the Empire Calendar was superseded by the Calendar of Eradication, the Empire had already perished for over three hundred years. The world where the humans and other races lived had gone back into a state of chaos and dissension.

“‘The Final Empire’ where Tormond lived in was only a nation built by refugees of the former nation, one which took on the name of the Empire. In terms of structure, territory and its people, it was a completely different nation. Customarily, the historians label the previous great Empire as ‘the Ancient Empire’ and the latter, weak Empire as ‘the Final Empire’.

“In the year 1509 of the Empire Calendar, which was the year the Battle of Eradication occurred, the Final Empire was only a nation of average strength in the world. Instead of bringing them pride and legacy, the spiritual heritage and the name of the Ancient Empire became a source of burden and hatred. They became the target of ambitious, past territories—eager creatures from other races, and a plethora of greedy nations.

“Although the Final Empire inherited the Ancient Empire’s glory, they made enemies everywhere and was constantly engaged in battle. Moreover, their taxes were high and internal disorder occurred for years on end. The imperial family was incompetent and governance was weak. It seemed that the glory of the Empire was about to end in the year 1509 of the Empire Calendar.

“However, on that same year, that race, along with those calamities, had bewitched a considerable amount of people around the world into becoming their believers and followers. With an unprecedented strength, they formally declared war on the all civilizations in the world.”

Thales was slightly stunned. With his clear grasp of logical reasoning, he had already caught a few illogical points within the narration. However, he did not immediately point them out, and instead restrained himself.

‘What exactly are the calamities? What does emerging among humans mean? Since they had such great strength, why didn’t they continue working towards dominating the entire continent after they destroyed the Ancient Empire, but instead waited until the Final Empire emerged before they formally declared war?

‘If they are completely impervious to reason, why did they want to recruit followers and believers like a true God?

‘If their thought processes are completely different to humans, why did they want to declare war? To conquer the world? Is this a joke?

‘This is basically a story full of loopholes!’

However, Thales was aware that this was not because Gilbert deliberately misled him, but because right now, there was a lot of information that Thales could not understand at all.

Just like those secrets about the Bloody Year from before.

“Those calamities,” Thales gulped and asked with slight anxiety, “what are they?”

Gilbert did not find Thales’ question strange. However, he did not notice that Thales’ tone was less confident and steady compared to usual.

He heaved a sigh. “After the Battle of Eradication, all information and sources related to the ‘calamities’ were sealed and banned. This is an unspoken agreement between the Gods, demons, and humans; and also a countermeasure to prevent their numbers from increasing.

“As the years went by, the horrors of the calamities slowly faded away. The names and existences of the people who were regarded as calamities were also slowly forgotten by many people.

“However, as the king’s only heir, you will have to know about all of this sooner or later.”

Gilbert inhaled deeply and spoke with a severe countenance. “All those calamities were either once humans, or a member of other intelligent races. However, desire, greed, and ambition drove them to become a foreign species who had lost their innate character. Even though they are no different from us most of the time and might even be hiding among us, they are truly an entirely foreign species. According to folklore and most people, these calamities had a common name.”

Gilbert cleared his throat and enunciated each syllable clearly and slowly with a severe countenance. “Mystics.”

At that moment, Thales had to use all his willpower and mind to suppress his body from trembling too much.

“In their eyes, Mystics are only another category of Psionics who are seemingly equal to strong warriors like the Knights of Eradication and Psionic Warriors.”

With a freezing gaze, Gilbert continued speaking, “However, only the countries and temples that participated in the Battle of Eradication know that these so-called Mystics are actually the fearsome ‘calamities’ that were a curse to history for thousands of years, had spilled plenty of blood on their hands, had eradicated both dynasties of The Empire, and almost destroyed the whole world.

“They will only notice that something is wrong and get a hint of the person’s identity when they try to kill a Mystic. At that time, it would often be too late… because these calamities known as Mystics are immortal and indestructible.”

“Young Sir,” Gilbert said sternly. “In the future, if you are unfortunate enough to encounter a Mystic, you must first protect yourself. When you are safe, try to seek help… We have a method designed based on the weaknesses of Mystics that can be used to fight them.”

Thales kept a straight face as he touched the wound on his left hand, but his teeth chattered slightly. Unfortunately, he had already encountered these ‘calamities’.

Even though Thales’ heart was filled with questions, for his own safety, he could not question Gilbert too eagerly. Who knew what he might reveal in his anxiety?

‘However, this is still not right… If Mystics are such a fearsome existence, why do they have to go around contending for small gangs? Why does Constellation let their Blood Bottle Gang flourish in the kingdom?

‘Another questionable point. So many questionable points.’

Gilbert paused for a moment, as though wondering why Thales did not speak nor ask any questions. However, he did not suspect much. Instead, he shut his eyes and contemplated about something, only softly speaking after a few minutes.

“There is no need to doubt their dreadfulness. These calamities are truly too strong. Over six hundred years ago, under the leadership of strong warriors, our most powerful and bravest army fought their underlings in a bloody and frenzied battle. After breaking through their outer defense line, the most skilled knights and warriors besieged those calamities, but were killed en masse in battle.”

Thales thought of the play in Dark Night Temple. On stage, along the path ‘calamity’ walked by, the actors fell one by one.

“The Gods descended one by one upon the world and then perished. The demons rose on earth and were then destroyed. Warriors of various races went to the battlefield and were then sacrificed.

“The battle continued for many years. After paying a devastating price, we finally discovered their weaknesses and finally defeated those calamities.”

Thales clenched his fist tightly. It was as though Asda’s desolate words rang beside his ears, “We lost.”

Gilbert’s words interrupted his flashback about Asda.

“However, the strength of those accursed calamities was too outrageously frightening. In the final, decisive pursuit that surpassed the abilities of those in supreme class, those accursed calamities, those mongrels that could almost destroy the world…”

Thales, who had been carefully observing the charging Tormond, shuddered. He suddenly knew what came next in the story.

Gilbert calmly uttered the next sentence. “They sank the weakest peninsula in the center of the large continent, which connected all the peninsulas in all other directions. All the living beings and materials there were completely annihilated.

“After the peninsula sank, the residue of that power spread out, causing the entire continent to be pushed apart from each other in two different directions. Within five short years, the depths of the ocean that was formed could no longer be seen, and it tore apart the land that we knew into the Eastern and Western Peninsulas, along with a countless number of islands.

“This is the famous ‘Great Crack and Sink’ that happened six hundred something years ago.

“The Battle of Eradication ended like that.”

Gilbert emitted a long sigh, and what he said next made Thales momentarily dazed.

“That sunken peninsula contained the entire territory of the Final Empire. And the Final Empire…

“…was put to an end.”

Chapter 40

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“The Empire sank, the skies fell and the earth cracked.

“The Capital of Triumph, the Empire’s capital city, which had over two thousand and three thousand years of history since the era of the feudal kings, and had witnessed the rise and fall of both dynasties of the Empire, was completely buried at the bottom of the Sea of Eradication along with the perishing of the Final Empire.”

Gilbert’s compassionate words even affected the guards standing on both sides of the hall. Thales could feel that their hands, which were pressed on their sword hilts, were trembling slightly.

Gilbert pressed on Thales’ shoulders and looked at the young knight on the wall, who was perpetually roaring while charging forward, but seemed like he could never reach the end. “As for Tormond the First, at that time, he was not yet a king; he was one of the surviving citizens of the Final Empire.”

Thales could feel the powerful grip from Gilbert’s hand. The former Foreign Affairs Minister quietly opened his mouth and recited a few lines from ‘Cahill’s Falling Leaves Poetry Collection’.

“‘The hero raised his flag, the king lifted his spear. The empire has fallen, the world has darkened. The living were frightened, lonely and homeless.’

“After ten years of blood and fire in war, the soldiers returned with shouts of victory but were no longer able to return to their previous lives. In their homeland to which they fought ceaselessly for, no blood remained in their noble families, all of them had lost their lives.”

Upon saying this, Gilbert spoke in a trance.

“Thales, my young sir, can you imagine that feeling?”

Thales stared blankly at Tormond, who was advancing courageously.

‘The young knight looked so brave and fearless. Even in the unbearably devastating battlefield, he looked gorgeous and radiant. At that time, did he know that he would never be able to return to his homeland?’

Gilbert did not wait for Thales to reply. He heaved a sigh. “No, at least not for me.”

Thales did not speak but had a strange feeling in his heart.

‘The living were frightened, lonely and homeless.’

Thales calmly recited the next two lines of the poem.

‘The living were frightened.’

In his imagination, a grand and majestic city appeared. However, it was sinking slowly. All the people were running for their lives, shouting in panic and seized by trepidation. However, they could only watch helplessly as the ocean drowned everything.

At this moment, Thales suddenly raised his head and asked with a melancholic and slightly depressed tone tinged with indignation for the suffering the citizens had gone through.

“What about those people?”

“Hmm?” Gilbert, who was immersed in his recollection of the King of Renaissance, turned his head and looked at Thales in puzzlement.

Thales was also looking at Gilbert. He calmed his emotions, and his gaze was placid.

“The members of the royal family, nobles, knights, and soldiers were not the only ones there. They were participants of the battle anyway. There were also countless people who lived on that piece of land. Farmers, merchants, the elderly, and children.” The boy spoke with a mild tone, “All the people who, regardless of birth, regardless of status, and regardless of race, were involuntarily dragged into this battle.

“During the battle and when the land sank, they were more innocent than the calamities, the emperor, the nobles or any other person. However, they were The Empire’s true purpose of existence. Did none of them manage to escape?”

Gilbert gazed at Thales with slightly narrowed eyes, as if he had just met Thales and was sizing him up all over again.

“You are just like your grandfather who was sympathetic towards the populace, young Sir Thales.” Gilbert heaved a sigh. “You have a sympathetic and kind heart.”

‘Sympathetic towards the populace? Actually using the word “sympathetic”? Gilbert has probably never placed himself in the same dimension as the “populace”.

‘As for being sympathetic and kind?’ Thales quietly shook his head in his heart.

However, Gilbert immediately lowered his head dejectedly. His eyes were full of grief. “No, all the citizens of the Final Empire in the entire world, from nobles to the commoners, sank into the ocean.

“Only Tormond and his army remained as proof that the Final Empire and the Ancient Empire were not a myth. They truly existed.”

Thales lowered his head and shut his eyes, lightly heaving a sigh.

At this moment, Gilbert’s hands, which were on Thales’ shoulders, exerted force slowly and gradually. He uttered the following words slowly and clearly. “And at that time, Prince Tormond was the most unloved, illegitimate child in the royal family of the Final Empire.”

Thales’s whole body trembled. He whipped his head back and looked at Gilbert in disbelief. He now knew why Gilbert wanted to tell him all this.

“Forget about titles, territories, and assets. He did not even have the right to inherit his family name. Even the title of ‘prince’ was only a form of courtesy towards him.” Gilbert looked at Thales with a determined gaze.

“Compared to you right now, he had even fewer things he could call his own. The circumstances he faced was a hundred times more perilous than yours.”

Thales stared blankly at Gilbert. He then looked at the illegitimate child on the wall, who was also a king.

Gilbert shook his head and removed his hands, which were resting on Thales’ shoulders. He then continued to speak. “They won the Battle of Eradication. Humans and the entire civilized world were joyously celebrating the mighty victory. The world’s political climate was also constantly changing.

“In the east, Senjem, the King of Mountains, carried the hopes of the Far Easterners and established the Mane et Nox Dynasty, after overthrowing the previous dynasty.

“Amma Mimeux Hanbol raised a flag and began spreading Hanbol dynasty’s great reputation among countless believers.

“In the west, the hero Raikaru Eckstedt was crowned as king amidst cheers from the crowd. The strong and prideful Eckstedt Kingdom was thence born.

“However, compared to this…” Gilbert looked at Master Kolven’s artwork solemnly and compassionately. “The Final Empire, which inherited the glory of the Empire, lost all its land and people overnight. Only the last of her kin remained.

“Overnight, the originally insignificant illegitimate child became the only remaining supreme leader—of the Empire that ceased to exist.

“Tormond had no land, people, provisions, nor riches. Apart from the six knights with him, he had an army of only two thousand. They advanced into foreign lands with trepidation, severed hopes, and a dim future ahead of them.

“Tormond, who was 24 years old, moved between various forces of powers and feudal lords. He used all possible methods to obtain even the slightest bit of fodder, the tiniest amount of provisions, encampment, or even a batch of weapons—from groveling and begging to arguing strongly on the basis of reason, from pleasing words and flattery to swindling and robbing. He ensured his subordinates’ independent survival and protected the Empire’s last remaining dignity.

“Every day, the lonely Prince Tormond struggled in battles, conspiracies, ambitious dreams, and authority, trying hard to survive amidst other people sneering at him, jeering at him, using him, and harboring ill-will against him. When he was only 26, he had a head full of white hair.”

Gilbert put his hands behind his back. His eyes were filled with reverence. “‘The Final Prince of the Final Empire’.” This was how the people in both peninsulas ridiculed and mocked him.”

Thales gazed fixedly at the bright and valiant prince without saying anything.

“Ten years went by. The group’s headcount became smaller and smaller, along with their hopes. Finally, after a battle laden with casualties and deaths, his despairing subordinates held their comrades’ dead bodies and surrounded the haggard Prince Tormond. They questioned him, crying. ‘What is the purpose of continuing this fight? The Empire has perished without a single inch of its territory left. We are like trees without roots, the ashes of history, and will finally wither away without a trace. Why battle still?! Why don’t we just give up now?’”

Thales trembled slightly and looked towards the prince. The ancestor’s gaze had become different.

‘When you have nothing, and everything has perished, what are you fighting for?’

Gilbert looked at Thales’ expression and sighed compassionately. But he immediately put on a determined gaze and expression.

“Thales!” For the first time, Gilbert addressed Thales sternly and without honorifics. “You must carefully listen to my next words.

“That night, while being called into account by his subordinates and while shedding tears, Tormond took off his worn armor and uttered the most important vow in his life while pointing at the countless stars in the sky!”

At that moment, Thales saw that the guards were standing straight on both sides of the hall in a respectful manner. They had their heads lifted high and their chests puffed out. The sounds of armor clashing against each other instantly rose in the spacious hall.

With a stalwart expression on his face, Gilbert spoke with a solemn and respectful voice, “The Empire shall last, so long as the stars do.”

Thales sucked in a deep breath.

‘The Empire… The Empire shall last? So long as the stars do?’ Thales thought about the meaning of these words.

Just as the middle-aged noble had finished speaking, all the soldiers and guards in the hall began walking slowly and with great force. The sounds of their footsteps echoed in the air.

*Thud!*

Immediately afterward, they placed their fists in position and struck the golden silver shield with the nine-pointed star!

*Bang!*

The spacious hall was instantly filled with a clear echo!

Thales, who was stunned by the history and was still in a daze, was terrified to the point that he took a step backward.

“Thales!”

Before he could react to the situation, Gilbert suddenly crouched down and held the boy’s shoulders. Then, once Gilbert looked into Thales’ eyes at his eye level, he spoke seriously.

“Please do not underestimate yourself, your blood, and the meaning behind your status and your blood.

“Your existence as well as the Jadestar Family’s existence, symbolize humanity’s golden age. It is the strongest proof that the great Ancient Empire, the heroic Final Empire still continues to exist in the world!”

At that moment, Gilbert’s eyes were filled with excitement. His hands trembled violently for some unknown reason, causing Thales to be anxious.

Gilbert continued speaking loudly, “September 27th, Year 10 in the Calendar of Eradication—that is the date Constellation was built.

“Prince Tormond pointed at the stars and pledged his oath that he would change his family name to ‘Jadestar’ and become Constellation’s Founding King, Tormond the First.

“After several decades, Constellation became the most powerful country in the Western Peninsula! It was known as ‘Western Peninsula’s Blade and Shield’ along with Eckstedt.

“The Empire was reborn from ashes. With Constellation as its name, it emerged once again in the world! Its splendor continued once again, and its greatness was revived!

“When people spoke about Tormond Jadestar, no one remembered the former ‘Final Prince’.

“They only knew him as the ‘King of Renaissance’.”

Gilbert’s mustache twitched, and his eyes shone so brilliantly that it looked as if there was a fire burning in his eyes. “The Jadestar Family’s motto was born because of that as well!”

Thales felt a little ill at ease, even though he was also deeply moved by Tormond’s story.

However, when he looked at the zealous Gilbert before him, Thales still found it difficult for him to fuse with these emotions.

‘Does Constellation exist only for the Empire that only existed in the past?

‘There’s something off about this attitude to form a kingdom.

‘There’s definitely something off.’

A feeling of discord and discomfort attacked Thales’ heart. However, when he saw Gilbert’s eyes burning brightly in expectation and heard the sounds of breathing from the guards that had clearly become much heavier, he could only grit his teeth and nod deeply.

Thales frowned and repeated that sentence after them.

“The Empire shall last… so long… as the stars remain.”

At that moment, a lovely yet reprimanding voice filled with anger traveled into the hall!

“Enough!”

Thales and Gilbert turned their heads at the same time, and Jines Bajkovic looked at the teacher-student pair with a displeased expression on her chilly face.

“It is dinner time,” she said coldly.

Chapter 41

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

That night, under Jines’ piercing stare and merciless reproach, Thales finished his dinner (which had quite a lot of rules, and was also a boring but unavoidable etiquette class) with difficulty. After all, etiquette served as a code of conduct and was one of the criteria for the division of social strata. At least, with trembling hands, he was now able to use the table-knife and fork according to the rules.

However, Thales could feel the fury and dissatisfaction hidden behind Jines’ beautiful eyes. He vaguely knew that this was related to the history of Constellation Gilbert was talking about in the afternoon.

‘The Empire shall last, so long as the stars remain.’

This vow carried a huge and heavy weight. Even for someone like Thales, who did not know about the legend of how Tormond the First built the country very well, his heart could not help but begin to race and his blood boil.

Gilbert and the entire hall of guards (Thales only knew later that they were all the descendants of the Final Empire’s last remaining army troop) embodied that spirit in those words. However, Thales, with sharp perception, noticed Jines’ abhorrence towards this sentence, and even the meaning behind the sentence.

But he did not dare to ask.

He did not know what the attitude of this female official (who claimed herself to be his father’s lover) towards him was.

From Jines’ gazes towards him, Thales had seen flashes of hatred. He had also seen her forced forbearance, and her hesitation when going near him. The only thing he had not seen was a sincere smile from her. Therefore, the entire etiquette class was abnormally dreary.

That was until, out of Thales’ expectations, Jines, with brightly burning eyes, broke the silence first. “You don’t like these rules and etiquette, do you?” Looking at Thales who was bending his wrist with great strength so that he would not exceed the standard movement allowed for the arm when eating, Jines suddenly spoke coldly, “Your facial expression is practically uglier than a horse who just had a bridle put on it.”

Thales was shocked by the sudden question. In a flurry, he tried to answer in suitable terms. “Erm, Madam Jines, I know that all these are a must, and I am still trying my best to adapt—”

However, he was cut off by Jines again.

“Of course you must learn these sets of etiquette,” she spoke coldly, but her tone was filled with disdain, which made her sound as if she was mocking him, “But you had better not become their captive… To walk, sit and lie down in a so-called dignified manner does not mean that you are truly very dignified. Similarly, having that glorious and prideful history behind you does not mean that you are truly…”

Jines did not continue speaking. She instinctively stopped herself from saying the rest of the sentence.

A surge of coldness passed through Thales’ heart.

It seemed that this lady held something against Gilbert’s teaching method.

“Madam Jines,” he probed carefully, “Gilbert’s history lesson this afternoon… you… you looked like you didn’t… didn’t…”

“Hmph, what a joke. That there was a mighty and age-old kingdom… Why would I dare to have any complaints?” Jines sneered and denied Thales’ words. However, the latter could obviously read the sarcasm and derision in the female official’s eyes. Thales stared fixedly at Jines, at his father’s lover.

“Madam Jines,” Thales asked carefully and softly. “You were not my father’s female official from the start, were you?”

Jines raised her brow. Her lips trembled slightly, causing the beauty mole beside her lips to quiver as well.

“And you… don’t like these sets of etiquette and rules either, and even dislike—” Thales hesitated for a while, but looking at the fork and spoon in his hands, he still asked, “Dislike this kingdom?”

After Thales finished speaking…

Jines looked at Thales with a dumbfounded expression.

‘This child… He is really sensitive.’

Jines turned her head around and looked at the golden silver nine-pointed star symbol on top of the fireplace in the study room. She did not speak for a long time.

Just as Thales stuck out his tongue, thinking that he had said something wrong and was preparing to lower his head as if nothing happened and continue battling with his knife and spoon, Jines heaved a sigh. She stared at the knife and spoon in Thales’ hands, lost in thought, and softly said, “I was born in Bajkovic Town in Seude County. It is a little town by the ocean on the eastern part of the kingdom. Although it is not a prosperous trading harbor, the people there have a self-sufficient economy through fishing. It is considered a nice place in Constellation.

“My father was the mayor and was quite renowned among the eastern counties. All along, he strictly raised us to obey the rules, conform to etiquette and become ladies. He hoped that one day, our family could also become a noble family with a long legacy.”

Thales’ gaze sharpened. While Jines was not paying attention, he discreetly flexed his already stiff wrist.

“However, I was a stubborn, rebellious daughter. I hated these rules and etiquette since young. Which was why even when I was sixteen and almost an adult, I was still a wild girl who did not even know the social dances used in court, I ate crudely and spoke wantonly.” Under the lamp, Jines smiled bitterly while looking at the moon outside the window. However, her tone was full of nostalgia.

“Of course, my father would not let me fool around. In short, those memories are not very pleasant. Things had sort of reached a stalemate. My family wanted to strip away my status and right of inheritance, and send me to the temple to become a priestess.”

Thales stuck his tongue out where Jines could not see it. He knew that priests in temples usually vow to never get married and serve the Gods all their lives.

‘For things to reach this extent, it was probably more than “sort of reached a stalemate.”‘

Jines lowered her head slightly, and her gazed dimmed, but she then immediately raised her head and flashed a cheerful smile. “However, at that time, a prince became a guest at our palace.”

‘What?’ Upon hearing this, Thales, who had been exercising his wrist stopped. ‘Prince? It wouldn’t go like one of those soap opera plots I’m thinking about, right?’

Jines continued speaking, “He heard my story, but only laughed out loud. He pardoned my crime in public and promised me that I don’t have to abide by the rules and etiquette that normal noble girls have to. However, the condition was that after I reached adulthood, I must be able to find a way to make a living independent of my status as a noble’s daughter.”

‘This… is indeed very much like a soap opera.’ However, there was slight uncertainty in Thales’ heart. ‘Weren’t the prince’s actions and views, a little, how do I put it, erm, too advanced and modern?’

However, Jines looked as if she was talking to herself. The corner of her lips curled up slightly by itself. She did not notice Thales’ reaction at all.

“Then, I left my family castle and followed the prince to the capital city. From reading the court newspaper to the prince daily to having the difficult task of being a bookkeeper, a scribe who gets paid a copper per page, and a police station secretary, to a Class Five Police Officer… my life completely changed because of him.”

Thales was stunned for a while. Based on his impression, Jines was a standard court noble. He never thought that she had such a rich and colorful past.

“However, after moving from profession to profession for years, I still became a female official in the end.” Jines self-deprecatingly shook her head.

“Look at me, I’m a disgrace among nobles who hates rules and decorum. However, I’m here now, teaching the kingdom’s heir… teaching him the customs I used to loathe the most.

Once she finished talking, Jines returned her gaze to the dining table and stared at Thales—his table knife fell again.

Thales laughed awkwardly. He then asked a question which even he felt that it sounded like it was from a soap opera. “That kind-hearted prince. Was he Ke… was he my father?”

‘Your father?’ Jines’ gaze became a little hazy in an instant.

However, Thales did not get his expected answer.

The female official turned her head over slowly. There was an abstract expression on her face, one that was complicated and difficult to decipher.

“No, it’s not him.” Jines spoke softly, “Even now, I still remember the type of smile on that prince’s face as he pardoned me—a dirty, whiny girl with shackles on her wrist.

“That warm, tolerant and sunny smile. It was as though he was relishing in all of the world’s beauty. No manner of ugly or dirty things could make him change his expression.

“As for your father Kessel, at that time, he was still a pompous prince who was famous for being wild and unbridled. The only thing on his face was a devilish grin that made ladies become seized by fear and trepidation. He didn’t have this type of reassuring smile.”

Thales looked at Jines in shock.

‘King Kessel… wild, unbridled; a pompous prince?’

He saw that Jines’ gaze was shining, as if harboring countless emotions and sentiments. She then slowly uttered each of the following words. “That day, the one who came to our palace was the late king’s eldest son.

“His Majesty Kessel’s eldest brother, Midier Jadestar, the former crown prince.”

…..

Duke Zayen frowned and put down a letter that had a symbol of black fangs as a seal. “And so, the three supposed elites that we thought were honoring the Corleone family’s agreement to provide help were merely the losers of their clan’s internal struggle.” He crossed his hands below the Tricolor Iris Flowers.

“Under the guise of the Corleone Family name, they used our invitation card, borrowed our voyage ship, relied on our passports and used us—the Covendier Family—like idiots. They then sailed across the Ocean of Eradication, escaped the Hill of Pain, and went into hiding in Eternal Star City. They stayed for a long time in our manor, and took away a considerable amount of blood…”

“Is that so?”

The two supreme class knights who stood before his study table, Lord Cassain and Lord Seychelles, did not speak. They just looked at the sweat-drenched, bald, middle-aged man who kneeled on the floor between them with a complicated expression.

Cassain remembered that the bald, middle-aged man came under the old Duke’s command at the same time as he did, and was a Tower of Eradication batch mate who served under the Covendier’s Tricolor Iris Flowers.

Unfortunately, the middle-aged man lacked skill and was heavily injured in a battle. Ever since then, he could only deal with civil duties. Even so, the old Duke still pitied his circumstances and with trust, assigned him to handle all affairs related to crossing the ocean.

‘What was his name again?’ Cassain searched through his memory with effort, but could not recall it no matter what.

“Yes… it is so… they showed the Sacred Blood Signet that only Blood Clansmen in the direct line of descent of the Corleone family have. That blond-haired one also threatened us with a terrible attitude…” The head of the kneeling middle-aged man almost touched the floor. He explained, stuttering, “They also had your… your handwritten letter…”

“Enough.” Duke Zayen heaved a sigh and massaged the area between his eyebrows. The butler, Ashford, who was beside him, immediately grasped the situation and poured him a glass of handmade grape wine, which had been made in the Sera Dukedom.

With effort, Zayen smiled in resignation. “You are not at fault in this matter. You can go now. Remember to be more careful next time.”

As though granted an amnesty, the middle-aged bald man kept nodding his head in apology. Only after being urged by Seychelles did he leave the room, trembling.

“He used to be a talented person, but he is useless now,” Zayen said with a face filled with lament and raised his wine glass. “Send him immediately to the Eastern Peninsula again, and get rid of him in the international waters. Don’t do it within the nation’s border or territorial waters. I don’t want to be charged with murder.”

Upon hearing this, a thought appeared in Cassain’s heart.

“My esteemed Duke,” he could not help but speak, “if you let him stay, he would presumably become even more dedicated…”

Cassain did not notice Seychelles signaling beside him.

“I can forget about it if it was a normal affair. However, for this type of crucial secret, I do not want there to be careless mistakes.” Zayen sighed and said, “He already made a mistake, and he will definitely harbor grudges and become gloomy. His doubts towards his future will only increase as time goes by.

“And he knows about our contact with the Corleones. This is related to that plan. And both of you know how important that plan is.”

Cassain finally noticed Seychelles’ signal. He lowered his head and did not speak anymore.

“For the next voyage, get someone new.” Zayen tasted a mouthful of wine with disappointment. “When father was still around, they were much less undisciplined when it came to work.”

Ashford calmly replied, “It takes time for loyalty and prudence to be formed.”

Zayen shook his head and sighed. “Unfortunately, what we lack the most right now is time. That thing will be happening in a month, and our people cannot be a part of it. There had better not be any accidents.”

Seychelles nodded slightly. “Sir, please rest assured that for those mercenaries we paid such a high price to hire, even if they were asked to assassinate the king, there is enough chance that they would succeed.”

Lord Cassain trembled slightly, he did not know why his colleague was so daring in his speech.

Zayen paused for a moment. He only looked at Seychelles after a while.

“Do not speak carelessly,” the young Duke said coldly.

Seychelles lowered his head and apologized. However, he was laughing coldly in his heart. ‘It doesn’t seem like the duke is displeased.’

“You people should be departing. Both the Cullen and the Nanchester family will be sending people over. Be careful about this, do not begin any conflicts with them.”

Zayen’s gaze was ice-cold. He carefully said to Cassain and Seychelles, “When those mercenaries succeed, both of you get rid of them.”

Cassain trembled violently. He raised his head in disbelief. “Sir! Get rid of them? Aren’t we using someone else’s name to hire the mercenaries? Some- some of them are from the Tower of Eradication and are my—”

Zayen suddenly looked towards him, his gaze was as sharp as swords.

Cassain’s throat trembled. The supreme class knight could not finish his words.

“Then, advise your friend to go home,” Zayen said calmly. However, Ashford knew that this was how he showed his dissatisfaction. “And switch someone who is not your friend over.”

Seychelles pulled hard on the back of Cassain’s clothes, stopping the latter from speaking.

“As you wish, sir.” The clever Seychelles nodded and dragged the pale-faced Cassain away.

Zayen slowly heaved a sigh to calm his mood down. He looked at the old duke’s portrait some distance away.

“Cassain is already old,” he said plainly. “After this matter is over, send him back either to Jade City, or his own territory.”

Ashford’s countenance was calm. He nodded slightly.

“As for the issue related to those Corleone refugees, Ashford, handle it personally. Start the investigation from those cavaliers who suddenly broke into Vine Manor that night.” Zayen spilled the red wine from the bottom of his glass onto the floor. His gaze was ice-cold. “Contact the Corleone Family. Write a letter directly to the Night Queen. Tell Katerina what happened over here, and take the opportunity to increase our bargaining power.”

Ashford nodded his head. “As you wish, Sir.”

“I remember that Mindis Hall’s investigation was assigned to Blood Bottle Gang. Is Nikolay not found yet?” Zayen narrowed his eyes and looked at Ashford.

“No, sir.” Ashford bowed slightly. “Blood Bottle Gang is like a host of dragons without a head now. There are rumors that he went overseas in search of the Blood Mystic.”

‘The Blood Mystic?’ Zayen shut his eyes tight and exhaled.

All the education he had ever received compelled him to use his entire body’s strength to swallow the entirely crude words that he really wanted to say.

“There is no other way then. Dispatch our people to directly control Blood Bottle Gang.” Duke Zayen opened his eyes. There were no emotions at all in his pupils. He put down his wine glass and said, “Within these two months, I want to take control of all the rumors and information in Blood Bottle Gang’s territory, from civilians to soldiers, and from nobles to traders.”

Ashford nodded lightly.

“The messenger dispatched to Eckstedt should be on his way back. Let’s see whether the Archduke of Black Sand is willing to seize this opportunity.” Zayen leaned back on his comfortable couch and narrowed his eyes.

‘Wait for it, father. Tricolor Iris Flowers will very soon take a step forward…

‘… If all goes well.’

Chapter 42

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The weather turned cold for the capital during the next twenty days. Winter had arrived.

Under Jines’ fierce tutelage, at the price of him spending two something hours each session during every morning and evening, under the definite condition of him ending the day dead tired and aching all over his body, he learned all three defensive styles, seven offensive styles, and one combination style of the ancient Northland Military Sword Style. When his arms began getting used to the shape and weight of the shield and sword, he finally got himself a larger sword and shield. Based on Jines’ words, he had begun progressing from “passively getting trounced” to “learning how to be beaten up” (was what Jines said).

“Last time, you were the one getting beaten up. Now, you know why you are getting beaten up,” said the extremely stern Jines.

“Then I’m still getting beaten up- Ack, ma’am! You haven’t given the ‘go’ to start yet- Ouch!” From the flailing Thales.

Under Gilbert’s strict tutelage, Thales also learned how to basically use the advanced grammatical structure for the lingua franca, and the national language for the Ancient Empire through his cultural lessons every afternoon and night. He started coming into contact with the manner of speech used by Constellation’s nobles, and some necessary cultural words from foreign languages, such as the proverbs from the countries in the Far East and the words of warning from the elves. Through Gilbert’s history lessons—which he would teach with tireless zeal—Thales also learned some basic knowledge about Errol.

“A noble who does not know how to use the Ancient Empire’s alphabet and its ancient grammar to form his manner of speech is not a qualified noble in Constellation. However, Sir Thales, I believe that you will need some time to become familiar with the complex and ever-changing Ancient Empire alphabet…”

In the next second, Gilbert saw Thales casually writing the complete set of letters from the Ancient Empire’s alphabet, and he emitted a sigh in an incredibly sulky manner and threw his pride as a teacher into the Sea of Eradication.

“… Urk. Fine. Let us go to the next chapter: the Ancient Empire’s basic manner of speech.”

Besides the pony that loved throwing him off its back as well as the very, very strange and bizarre etiquette for nobles, there was really nothing that did not go smoothly for him in Thales’ eyes. Even the Blood Clan trio from the Corleone Family and that Archduchess loli did not come and bother him.

Thales nodded in his heart slightly. ‘That is why… It’s about time that I start investigating the mysteries of myself.’

On an afternoon that was a little warmer, Gilbert, who had been holding on to a staff in one hand and held a book in the other, saw Thales standing on a chair in the study while searching for something on the stately bookshelf. He could not help but ask curiously, “What are you looking for, my young Sir Thales?”

“Ah, Gilbert. Wait for a moment… Based on the sequence in the alphabet, it should be here… Eh? Why is this book so thick?”

Gilbert chuckled softly. He walked towards the shelf and helped Thales extract the thick tome from between two other books, since the boy had just finished practicing the sword that morning and now lacked strength.

“Thank you, Gilbert. Ah, with this, I have the complete set of books.” Thales tiredly flung the book on the cedar wood study table, placing it beside the other books on the table.

“This is…” The middle-aged noble walked closer and browsed the titles on the books placed on top of the other books. ‘Jadestar Family History’, ‘Royal Family Register of Constellation’, ‘Collection of Constellation Laws and the King’s Warrants in October 612’, ‘Collection of Constellation Court Affairs’, along with other books including the book Thales had just obtained, ‘Chronicles of Constellation’s Kings’.

Thales scratched his head and spoke in a slightly awkward manner, “These are books I found which, I think, contain my family’s history after I tried searching using the letters and words I learned over the past few weeks. I intend to read through them slowly and examine them once I am able to read more smoothly. After all, as my father’s only son, it wouldn’t seem too good if I have absolutely no understanding towards the Jadestar Family, the royal family, and to those related to me by blood.”

Gilbert arched his brows slightly, then felt relieved. ‘Now that I think about the conversation we had in the secret chamber, I knew I should not have underestimated young Sir Thales’ adaptability and precociousness.’

“This thought became especially dominant after I heard you talk about the King of Renaissance, Tormund, and Madam Jines spoke to me about Prince Midier, the eldest son of the previous King who is also my uncle,” Thales talked excitedly as he arranged the books on the table. He placed some of the books below the others without batting an eyelid.

The boy continued speaking, “That is why I became even more curious about the Jadestar Family—my family.”

Gilbert looked at Thales and smiled before he nodded his head lightly.

He did notice Thales’ slightly abnormal breathing rate.

“Your studious behavior and your diligence makes me truly pleased… Did Madam Jines tell you the story about the eldest son of the previous King?”

“Yes, but she didn’t say much,” Thales replied with a nod. He pushed the pile of books to the side. “The general idea I got was that Midier Jadestar is a good person with a warm smile, and he seemed to be very well-received by the people.”

Gilbert’s eyes became dark, something that was out of Thales’ expectations. He looked as if some sort of memory had been jogged in his head.

“He wasn’t just well-received…” But he quickly recovered and nodded as if he was absorbed in his thoughts. “I am afraid you will not be able to find any records about him. After all, he was not a King of Constellation, and it had not been long since he passed away.”

A thought appeared in Thales’ mind. He flipped open a book with smooth movements and blocked the back of the pile of books placed by his side. With a curious expression, he asked, “If that’s the case, then did you know him? Based on your impression, how was my uncle, Prince Midier, as a person?”

Gilbert was taken aback for a moment before he sank into deep thought. He no longer paid any attention to the pile of books beside Thales’ hand.

“Prince Midier…” After a few seconds, Gilbert sighed softly. His words were filled with fond remembrance as he spoke, “When the previous king, King Aydi, was sixty years old, Prince Midier had already begun assisting the King in governmental affairs. At that time, no one had any doubt that he would become the next good king after Mindis the Third.

“He had once been the overseer of foreign affairs for a period of time, and I was fortunate enough to work under him.

“At that time, because I did not have good teamwork with my colleagues, I ruined the task to receive Steel City’s diplomat group. I used a Crystal Drop wine goblet with the symbol of the Sacred Tree to serve the dwarf prince from the Hall of King’s Chronicles.

“At that time, Prince Midier used a joking tone to appease the enraged prince. He said, ‘We’re using a wine goblet with the Sacred Tree during our banquet in memory of your ancestor, who once forced back the army of Sacred Tree Kingdom.’ I could only hide myself in shame.

“Of course, Prince Midier did not punish me afterwards… He was as tolerant and kind as the rumors depict him to be. However, he passed the Crystal Drop wine goblet with the Sacred Tree’s symbol personally and said…”

At that part, to Thales’ shock, he saw Gilbert using a tone filled with emotion when he repeated the previous prince’s words, “‘Gil, this Crystal Drop wine goblet has a current value equivalent to the friendship between Renaissance Palace and the Hall of King’s Chronicles. This is the debt you owe to the kingdom. When you have performed enough meritorious deeds to pay for this value, then return the goblet to me to clear your debt.’”

Gilbert looked into the distance and did not speak for a long time. Thales was left alone to try his hardest to draw up the image of this uncle of his in his head based on Jines and Gilbert’s stories: A prince with great skills in dealing with all kinds of matters, and who had a respectable personality.

After a few minutes, Gilbert continued talking in a soft voice, “The people say that he is a kind man and that he was gentle to others. But to us officials, His Highness’s capabilities and intelligence were not in the slightest bit inferior to his personality.

“It’s very difficult to imagine how a person can be kind but awe-inspiring, gentle but decisive at the same time… And yet Prince Midier is this sort of person.” Gilbert placed the book in his hand down on the table before placing his hands behind his back. Admiration rose in his eyes. “It might sound exaggerated, but even now, I still think that the citizens in Constellation are not worthy of such a good prince.”

Gilbert looked as if he had snapped out of his thoughts, and with brightly burning eyes, he said to Thales, “It’s still too early to speak of such things. If it is possible, young Sir Thales, then I wish that you would set Prince Midier as an example. Constellation needs an heir like this.”

Gilbert’s especially stern and serious gaze caused a light shudder to run through Thales’ body.

At that moment, Thales suddenly thought of something.

“Gilbert, just how…” Thales dipped his head down. He hesitated for a moment, but after that, he lifted his head and asked, “Just how did my uncle die? You only mentioned that he wielded a sword and died fighting alongside the guards at the palace gate.”

Silence.

“Ha…” Gilbert closed his eyes and sighed heavily before he spoke, “During the Bloody Year, he ordered the guards and soldiers to withdraw and walked into crowd alone. Without even sacrificing a single soldier, without even injuring a single person or taking a single life, he appeased the mob and resolved the danger of them rushing into the palace gate.

“Alas! Even though his guards had reacted in time, the assassins that had hidden themselves among the mob and had plotted for this for a long time prepared six hidden swords and sharp blades that had venom spread on the blades. At that time, I was terribly busy with my foreign affairs assignments, which were progressing from bad to worse. When I learned that the royal family had been assassinated… Ha…”

Thales looked into Gilbert’s eyes. For a long while, the child did not say a single word.

The boy recalled how Jines had told him about Prince Midier a few weeks ago, in a manner that was completely uncharacteristic of her, and her last few sentences had been especially unlike her.

“Thales, I know what Gilbert told you today, but I don’t know what you think about it. Still… I still remember that Prince Midier had handed me a letter in the past. I only wish to tell you the contents of the letter in its original words.

“‘Madam, I spared you because I admire you, not because I am merciful towards you.

“‘I admire your courage, which allowed you to break free of your shackles and chains.

“‘However, since you have made the decision, please do not hesitate. Do not be weak and return to the cage that once suffocated you. Do not let the cage in your mind chain the wings that will lead you to freedom, much less let those illusory rules make you sacrifice your true self.

“‘I sincerely give you my blessings and wish that your life will now belong to you from now onwards.

“‘I hope that you will pass the police qualification test.’”

Thales was absorbed in his thoughts of thinking about the meaning behind these words. What sort of state of mind would a prince, who was born into this ‘cage’ he spoke of, have when he said these words?

When Gilbert regained Thales’ attention from his memories and his absent-minded state, they began their afternoon lesson.

As Thales listened to Gilbert use ancient proverbs and poems as examples to explain the four different voices in the lingua franca the humans used, he stole a glance at the pile of books by his hand.

He did not tell Gilbert the truth just now. He was not searching for the Jadestar Family history, neither did he want to understand his uncle, who was like a saint.

Thales wanted to search for information regarding the Mystics.

From the first day he arrived in Mindis Hall, Thales had already been planning to research ‘Mystics’. Once he went through the matter in Vine Manor and triggered the unstable but effective explosion, he became even more desperate to examine his secrets.

And once Gilbert was talking about the history of the Battle of Eradication while also showing his attitude towards those ‘calamities’—’Mystics’ like Asda—Thales became even more terrified.

Thales whispered to himself softly, “Even though… Yodel might have heard my conversation with Asda.”

‘Battle of Eradication Chronicles: The World’s Destruction’, ‘From the Final Empire to Constellation’, and ‘Cahill Yarrow’s Travel Notes: Supplementary Information before the Great Crack and Sink’. These three books were his true targets hidden among all the other history books used as a diversion. They were about the Battle of Eradication and the truth behind Mystics—the ‘calamity’.

No matter what, before he could be certain of his own safety, it would be best if he did not reveal the strange ‘mystic ability’ within himself. Once he has learned how to read and write, then he would start searching through the books. That was the safest method.

However, now, Thales had to start copying the different voices used by nobles in their choice of words.

Compared to the relaxed attitude and the carefree air he set up, he was mumbling in his heart, hoping that Gilbert would not personally look through these books, that he would leave right after he finished conducting the class, and that he would not help Thales bring those books back to his room.

If everything went smoothly, then these peaceful and quiet days would continue. Perhaps he would be able to gain some progress in regards to understanding his secrets.

However, Thales soon discovered that a quiet life would forever be just an illusion to people like him.

For example, Thales did not know that there was a meeting about him, regarding the secret he was trying to hide, being held in a spot not too far away from Mindis Hall.

And his secret was in danger of being exposed.

Yodel stood quietly under the shade of a tree, as if he was waiting respectfully for the person in the pitch-black carriage in front of him. However, all those who had fought against Yodel before would know that Yodel was incredibly tense at that instant and was in a state where he would attack at any moment.

“It’s been a while, young Yodel.”

As an old and hoarse voice travelled into the air, an old figure walked with faltering footsteps out of the door to the carriage, which had been pushed open by the king himself.

Although the intuition of those in supreme class already allowed Yodel to know just who the other person in the carriage other than the king was, when Yodel saw him with his own eyes, his brows still furrowed against his will behind his mask.

It was an old man dressed by a plain, black, long robe. He held a wooden black cane in his hand. His hair was thinning and white. There were a lot of wrinkles on his face. He had average looks and did not stand out. In fact, he would not even be able to leave behind an impression to even the sharpest person.

“Aren’t you going to say hello to your father?” An aged and hoarse voice rose from the old man’s throat languidly. It was a voice that seemed to have been born from the nurturing care of darkness, causing it to be emotionless and monotonous.

Yodel chose to remain silent in the face of the old man’s question.

The man grinned, revealing gums that had very few teeth left, “Alright, I almost forgot. Even if you have my blood flowing through your veins, your family name is Cato, not Hansen.”

Yodel still provided him with no reaction.

“I just returned.” The old man seemed to be long-since used to Yodel’s attitude. He was completely unbothered by it and continued speaking, “There is also something interesting in the results of the investigation about Red Street Market brought to me by my children.”

Yodel still did not answer him.

The old man chuckled softly, then said, “The Air Mystic, Asda Sakern, whom the Secret Intelligence Department had been searching for twelve years but to no avail, has been verified to have returned to the capital, and appeared in Red Street Market.”

The gears on Yodel’s mask began turning inconspicuously.

“Blood Bottle Gang may be the gang he built with that homicidal maniac, but the famous Air Mystic had clearly not personally gone to the place to destroy the Brotherhood and cripple their forces.”

Yodel did not speak, but the gears behind his mask were turning even faster.

The old man let out a bark of laughter that was unpleasant to the ears using that hoarse voice of his. “Don’t be nervous, Sir Cato. I only listened to His Majesty’s orders and investigated how you managed to seal a Mystic even though you had the royal family’s kin with you.”

Yodel’s head shot up!

The pair of Crystal Drop glass lenses on the mask instantly turned from a dark color to a bright yellow as Yodel stared at the old man.

“That mask is still as annoying as ever, even though I’ve suggested to His Majesty since a long time ago to make you throw it away…”

The old man leaned against his cane, as if he did not notice the eyes that were staring at him behind the glass lenses. He staggered forward and stood before Yodel before he laughed in a manner that was unpleasant to the ears.

“Now then… Sir Yodel Cato, as one of the bearers of the legendary anti-mystic equipment, the Supreme Sword and Shield, can you explain clearly to me what exactly happened to the Air Mystic on that night?”

Chapter 43

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

8 P.M. at Red Street Market.

The police station and the Town Hall had already been evacuated two days ago.

In contrast to the places that were ruined by the battle and needed rebuilding, Red Street Market had already reopened for business.

The entire street was brightly lit, full of hubbub and people moving about. The lowest-ranking gang members beckoned with their hands from the dark alleys as they waited for people. They would negotiate for a while before hastily entering a single-storey house.

At the front of a premier club, elegant hostesses solicited all kinds of customers from old drunkards to awkward virgins, and those born in influential families to foul smelling merchants. With their dazzling service and eye-catching, naked bodies, they devoured their customers’ wallets.

The best was the numerous, neatly dressed carriage drivers. Their low-profile luxury carriages did not carry any signs or emblems… They would stop at the various clubs. Their servants would then very respectfully invite the ladies, who emerged from the clubs into the carriages before driving off far away. They would only return the next day. These were the truly extravagant and powerful customers. Their hidden identities would have made even the bosses of the big clubs tremble.

Everything was just the same as it was twenty days ago. It was as though Red Street Market had not experienced the bloody and frightening gang fight at all, as though the protectors of the street and tax collectors had not switched from Blood Bottle Gang to Black Street Brotherhood.

Everything, except for Red Street Market Centre.

The ruins of a dozen houses destroyed by an explosion caused by the Air Mystic lay there on the pitch-black site.

At this pitch-black site, dozens of people were busy digging the rubble. The sounds of iron digging into the earth rang non-stop.

Under the moonlight, one of the Six Powerhouses of the Brotherhood, the Chief of Intelligence, Kobryant Lance the Sleepless Eye wore a scarlet cloak. He stood in the middle of the ruins. Looking at the darkness around him and the numerous lights from the distance, he could not help but frown.

‘It’s too near…’ he thought.

‘The area of business for that club is too close to our excavation site.’

At a distance, one of the Sleepless whistled. That was a signal. ‘Two people passed by. Everything is normal.’

Lance nodded at the other Sleepless in the darkness.

However, he saw the lights turn on at the top floor of the club next door. The light reached the road at their location and illuminated it. Lance snorted.

“It’s too near…”

Behind him, a Sleepless immediately departed and chatted with another Brotherhood member for a moment. The latter then walked briskly towards the club.

A little while later, the lights from the club dimmed and the ruins were enveloped in darkness again.

Lance nodded.

‘Should have let Rick extend the prohibition on business hours. This affects our work too much. After all, we can only do this at night.’

However, Lance knew that it was better and faster to just have the nobles slice off a part of their territory to the Brotherhood than to prohibit Red Street Market from doing business, and make the nobles endure another day.

Lance slowly walked forward.

It had been ten days and ten nights. They had dug a full ten meters deep and twenty meters wide hole beneath the chess room. However, they found nothing.

‘Right now, we can still hide behind excuses like “seeking for trails of the Air Mystic” or “finding out the truth behind the deaths of the Talon siblings and Moria”. However, if we still cannot find it, we will risk being discovered by certain people,’ Lance thought solemnly.

‘No secret stuff or dead bodies. Nothing is hidden in the darkness, not even the likes of poisonous snakes. Regardless, Red Street Market already belongs to the Brotherhood now.

‘Fortunately, the Air Mystic destroyed the surroundings with his explosion. Otherwise, we would have had to rack our brains and talk with those somewhat influential house-owners in Red Street Market. Then, we would have to seize their rights to their property before we can begin our excavation work.

‘However, the current situation isn’t that bad. If it had gone as planned, it could have taken more than a year and a half before excavation can even begin. But this time, excavation already started a few days after Red Street Market was captured.

‘Naturally, excavating without a reason makes it harder to keep things a secret.

‘That means I have to dig faster.’ Lance could not help but feel depressed.

It was at this moment when a rough and triumphant voice shouted from a distance, “I found it!”

Lance could not help but move. He waved away one of the Sleepless and walked briskly ahead.

“I found it, Kobryant!” A tall and thin figure held a long object wrapped in a piece of cloth as he came over.

This man had a long and narrow face. He had dark blond, curly hair which draped over his shoulders. He wore black leather straps below his right and left ribs as well as at his waist, which held his three daggers. Thick bandages were wrapped around both of his arms. The man was tall, only slightly shorter than the two-meter tall Cenza. It was a pity that his thin body affected his external look.

The ‘Ripper’ Anton Lewandowski, one of the Six Powerhouses of the Brotherhood, was the leader responsible for smuggling strategic resources such as the Eternal Oil and Crystal Drop Ore. He held the long object covered in soil excitedly in his arms as he approached Lance.

There was another fat figure behind him, also one of the Six Powerhouses. Morris, who was in charge of the human trafficking business walked up towards them, feeling cross.

“This should be it! I opened it a little to take a look… Wow. It looks just like the picture…” Anton’s voice sounded particularly piercing with his boorish accent.

“You’d never expect that after digging for ten days and almost reaching the sewer, you’d find it not buried under the ground but hidden in a partition between the basement floor and the ground. If I had not stepped on it when I was taking a leak… Hahaha. I’ve already said before that we should not complicate things too much for ourselves. You and Morris were like retards digging the ground for ten days… Hahaha…”

Behind him, Moris crossed his arms and gritted his teeth, looking unhappy.

“Look! I only came for five minutes and thought of peeing before I left…”

Lance, who had endured this for more than ten seconds could not take it anymore. For the last ten years, this Eastern Peninsular Nedanese man could never finish rambling.

“Shut up, thin person!” Lance grabbed the long object from Anton forcefully, regardless of the dirt on it. His hand trembled as he opened it up.

Anton wanted to say more, but Morris maliciously knocked into him from behind and caused him to stumble.

“Fatty… Perhaps you are jealous that I am—”

“Shut up, Anton!” Morris shouted fiercely.

Lance gently covered it again with the cloth.

“Right,” Lance said softly. However, he could not hide the excitement in his voice. “This is it!”

Lance held the object as though he was gently caressing his lover. “After so much hard work, to grab Red Street Market without alarming the Mystic or Secret Intelligence—it has finally paid off!”

“Hey.” Anton looked unhappy as he opened up his hands. “Who said we didn’t disturb the Mystic? Who do you think caused this place to be in ruin?”

Morris calmly said, “The appearance of the Air Mystic was just a coincidence. Even the Black Sword could not draw him out. However, the Mystic does not know about this object. However, I was thinking that Asda might realize what this is, which is why he gave up the opportunity to kill the Black Sword and rushed back to the capital. He usually pokes his head into battles for the small territories—He may have knowledge that we are looking for a weapon that can deal with him.”

“However, we have already found it right under the nose of the Air Mystic,” Lance said as he looked at the outlines of the object.

As they spoke of the Air Mystic, the three became silent for a moment.

“When I got the news, I thought that you and Cenza were going to die in Red Street Market.” Lance broke the silence and sighed.

Morris hung his head. His eyes were shrouded in darkness. “We were lucky. You should have seen Moria and the Talon siblings. He still likes to crush people into human balls.”

“What happened to him?” Anton’s eyes showed an astonished expression.

Lance held the package and closed his eyes. “He probably met his nemesis, but he is surely not dead.”

Anton gritted his teeth hard, having mixed feelings of fear and hatred. “Having said that, it has been 12 years… Even now, I still do not dare to believe… I’ve personally seen the Black Sword kill him three times… three times…”

Morris somberly gritted his teeth. “Then he came back to life. He resurrected three times within two hours.”

“Four times.” Lance added silently. “Charleton killed that creature once after that royalty was poisoned outside the doors of the Imperial Palace.”

The atmosphere around the three immediately became depressing.

Anton looked at the long object. With doubt and lingering fear, he asked, “We’ve been looking for this for over a decade, but is this thing really useful? After all, this continent is full of anti-mystic weapons.”

Lance did not hesitate to speak, “Those things can only weaken the influence of the Mystic’s power a little. Only the Sovereign State’s legendary anti-mystic equipment can deal with a Mystic. Morat told me this when he was still a part the Secret Intelligence.”

“I am not too keen on believing in your former boss.” Anton’s expression changed as though he had remembered something and he shuddered. “That old man… even his saliva is poisonous.”

Morris asked, looking worried. “That’s right. The Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence has not interfered with our current operation? After all, according to your argument, this is a legendary anti-mystic weapon that is not found in the records. This is even more serious compared to privately owning a Mystic Gun.”

‘Privately owning a Mystic Gun, hmm?’ Lance gently expressed disdain in his heart.

‘Privately owning a Mystic Gun would only mean the death penalty. As for concealing a legendary anti-mystic weapon that’s not in the records? Hmph.’

However, Lance simply shook his head. “The king is almost 48 years old. The selection of nobles is enough of a problem for them already. Besides, I’ve had dealings with Eckstedt’s Secret Room. With Ramon attracting all of the Secret Intelligent Department’s attention, Morat will not discover our objective. I understand my teacher too well.”

“It is fortunate that both the Blood Bottle Gang’s Mystic and the Secret Intelligence Department do not know the importance of this thing…” Lance pondered as he caressed the object wrapped in cloth.

“That’s right. Do we not tell Cenza, Fischer and Roda about the truth of this matter?” As he spoke of the other three Powerhouses, Anton mimicked the two men and frowned. “In any case, the Air Mystic has vanished.”

Lance solemnly shook his head and handed the package to Morris. “Nikolay and Catherine have gone out to look for the Blood Mystic. Believe me, I have seen the records of the Secret Intelligence. Along with the Blood Mystic, Asda is much more honest and kind compared to His Highness, Midier.”

“Just us, the three Powerhouses and the Black Sword are enough to deal with the Mystics. It would be safer for the others if they know less.” Morris nodded his head and tied up the object properly. He then said with a solemn voice, “For the former Nine Powerhouses.”

Anton and Lance were also somber as they softly said, “For the former Nine Powerhouses.”

Chapter 44

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

There was a long silence, but the old man seemed very patient as he waited for Yodel’s answer.

Finally, the voice of the secret protector came from behind the mask.

“You should not be here,” Yodel said coldly.

Anyone present would have noticed that Yodel’s voice was very similar to the old man in front of him.

The black-clad old man did not speak. Instead, he looked at Yodel with a peculiar smile.

His eyes did not move.

In spite of that, even though he was at the peak of the supreme class, Yodel could feel the old man’s presence gradually pressing on him.

“That night, all three and a half of the legendary anti-mystic weapons that could seal Mystics were at their respective locations.” The old man in black leaned on his walking stick. He grinned and spoke slowly.

“The Constellation Staff is a symbol of monarchy and it is always held by His Majesty. The Ruler’s Spear was wielded by the Legendary Wing, who was guarding the western front… The Kingdom’s Wrath was at a countryside manor, cleaning the Motionless Bow… That leaves the half piece, the Supreme Shield, which along with the Fortress Flower were at the Broken Dragon Fortress in the north.”

Yodel inhaled gently.

“The remaining half is the Supreme Sword, which has just been thawed not too long ago, and followed you to the Lower City District, Yodel Cato.

“It was also that night the Air Mystic disappeared from Red Street Market, which was at the border of the Lower City District and Western District.”

The old man grinned again. His grin was unsightly. “I had originally wanted to praise you. The last time someone was able to perform the magnificent feat of sealing a Mystic by himself can be traced back to the Ancient Empire.”

Yodel’s hand slowly clasped the dark-colored, cross-shaped short sword under his sleeve.

“But…” Morat’s pupils contracted as the topic of discussion suddenly changed.

“You should have laid low when you were tasked to receive the Kingdom’s blood. Why did you risk your life and seal the Air Mystic? Don’t tell me that you wanted to be an angel of justice.”

Yodel did not speak for a long time.

The old man became impatient. The wrinkles on his face trembled as he said, “Or should I report to His Majesty and have him personally ask you?”

After a long time, Yodel took a deep breath. Confronted by one of the five most frightening people in the Constellation, he lightly replied in a hoarse voice.

“That night, I saw Asda Sakern at Red Street Market. He was on Thales’ escape path.”

The old man in black continued to stare at him, as though this was nothing new.

However, no one knew that at this moment, Yodel was carefully considering his choice of words.

“For Thales, I had no choice but to take action.”

“Although the Supreme Sword is only half of the entire piece of the legendary anti-mystic equipment, it was enough to seal the Air Mystic.”

The old man in black gently coughed twice. The eyes on his ordinary looking face suddenly lit up.

“I believe you won’t mind telling me about all the details before he was sealed? From things like his words to his emotions, his attitude to his actions. I am very curious. Why did Asda return to the capital? This is a very dangerous place to him.”

Yodel lightly clenched his fists under his robes.

He had to be careful as he was facing the Black Prophet. He could not lie.

“Asda Sakern is a madman,” Yodel murmured.

The Black Prophet laughed softly. His wrinkles twitched for a while. “Of course, all of them are madmen. So what? Even madmen have their own thoughts and actions. Am I right?”

“He was very excited before he was sealed,” Yodel slowly answered after taking his words into consideration.

The old man stroked his cane. His dry lips parted. “You’ll never be able to understand their emotions… They aren’t human anymore, so how could it even be possible for them to have emotions?”

‘This nonsense will not be able to distract his attention,’ Yodel thought in his heart.

Yodel hesitated for a second before deciding that he had to say it.

He had to.

“He said…” Yodel’s hoarse voice could be heard behind the mask.

“He said that he found a new Mystic.”

…

[As recorded in history, the first time a Mystic appeared was during the era of the Ancient Empire, about a thousand years ago. It was somewhere between the year 825 to 835 in the Imperial Calendar.]

‘The Empire from a thousand years ago? The Imperial Calendar ran for another fifteen hundred years since the Ancient Empire reached the end of its era and became the current Empire. We then switched to the Calendar of Eradication. It is currently the year 672 based on the Calendar of Eradication.’

Thales recalled the basic knowledge he learned during the past few days.

‘In other words, the Mystics had appeared more than one thousand three hundred years ago?’

However, it was not a good time for him to be thinking absentmindedly.

Under the sandy land’s setting sun, Thales gritted his teeth despite the pain in his left shoulder. The seven-year-old held his heavy, wooden shield and charged towards Jines.

[According to the incomplete records of the Ascetic Tower, a caravan heading towards the Alchemy Tower witnessed an unusually huge bolt of lightning. On the same day, thousands of members from one of the tribes a hundred miles outside the God of War Desert turned into corpses.]

‘Lightning? Why is the Air Mystic able to control air? Are they the Fantastic Four? Maybe they’re actually elementalists.’

Jines stepped forward without batting an eyelid. She cleverly positioned her wooden shield and struck Thales’ shield.

*Clank*

Thales was knocked back and he lost his balance. He fell awkwardly towards the side of the shield.

Thales gasped with his sword resting on the ground while his heart beat in anxiety.

Jines saw the state Thales was in and started screaming at the boy, “What the hell were you thinking of? Being absent-minded on the field is the same as committing suicide!”

Thales shook his head. He made a great effort to drive away the contents of ‘The Battle of Eradication Chronicles: The World’s Destruction’ from his head. However, his efforts were fruitless. Thoughts concerning the contents about Mystics constantly emerged in his mind.

[The Alchemist Tower was as mysterious as usual. There were no explanations about it, and it could not even be found in historical records. Existing history books of the Ancient Empire also did not contain information about it. However, it managed to foreshadow the subsequent, tragic war that is the Battle of Eradication.]

‘What are the Ascetic Tower and the Alchemy Tower? Are these organizations or places?’

Thales held the center of the wooden shield and struggled to swing his wooden sword, which was not much lighter than the shield. He twisted his face as he swung his body and sword around.

[The war began in the year 1509 of the Imperial Calendar. However, no historical data could identify why the Battle of Eradication started. It was as though all the hostile parties suddenly stood at the opposite ends of a chessboard and started fighting.]

‘Why? Why are there no proper records of the beginning of a war that changed everything?’

Jines moved effortlessly to dodge the edge of his sword. She then used the hilt of her sword to gently push Thales, who had already lost his balance.

Gilbert shook his head as he watched from the sidelines.

*Bump*

Thales once again fell to the ground. He fell face first like a dog eating sand.

*Ptui.*

Thales spat out the sand in his mouth. Once again, he grabbed the shield and stood up.

“Enough!” Jines shouted unhappily.

“Seven sets of attack patterns and you are only putting on a show. Your efficiency is completely different from the time you learned defensive tactics. If you are not a fool, it means you do not have the heart to practice today!”

Thales gasped. He nodded, full of shame and regret.

“Sorry, Madam Jines.”

[The number of Mystics were less than the legendary dragons. At the very least, there were forty dragons whose names were recorded. However, the number of Mystics who appeared in the Battle of Eradication were only ten.]

‘Ten people? Ten against the world?’

“Boy!”

Seeing that Thales was still in an absent-minded state, Jines angrily threw her shield and wooden sword down. “Get out of class! Tomorrow morning, get up at six and make up for today’s progress!”

Gilbert was also frowning. He did not know what was wrong with Thales.

He then noticed Jines turning her head and shouting to him, “He is yours before dinner. Fix him up.”

Gilbert smiled, lifted his hat and bowed.

Thales threw the wooden sword away, feeling dispirited. He began to deal with his left arm. It had been bruised by the shield again.

[Despite the fact that there were not many of them, the majority of casualties from the United Army were caused by the Mystics. The most famous record was on May 1514 of the Imperial Calendar. The battle in the eastern front of the Sighing Mountains was slowly progressing to victory. However, when the Power Mystic appeared, eight thousand of the Mountain Elves Patrol and fifty thousand black-armored elites of the Dynasty Dawn Army were destroyed.]

‘Power Mystic? Power? A one-man show. Fifty-eight thousand. What kind of power could cause such a massacre? It is almost comparable to an atomic bomb. Can Asda do this too?

Wearing an unhappy expression, Jines rubbed her palms together and was about to leave. However, she saw a guard walking in solemnly and whispering a few words to Gilbert.

The very next moment, Thales was surprised to see Gilbert’s look of shock, worry and fear.

‘The diplomatically experienced and poker-faced Count Cato is actually capable of showing such expressions of worry and fear?’

While Thales was still being puzzled, Gilbert had stopped Jines. Gilbert then said, “His Highness sends a message. Lord Morat Hansen will be coming to the Mindis Hall tonight. He wants to see Mister Thales.”

‘Morat Hansen? Who is that?’

Thales was surprised to see the change in facial expression of the first-grade female official, Kessel the Fifth’s lover.

‘It is shocking, worrying and… upsetting?’

Jines’ eyes grew cold as she spoke, “He would have come sooner or later to meet the Royal Bloodline and successor of the throne.

“He is Chief of the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department, Black Prophet Morat. It would be impossible for him not to get involved…”

…

The old man in black, Morat Hansen, no longer spoke.

For the first time, Yodel noticed the eternally mysterious and weird-looking Morat, appearing alarmed and… afraid.

“A new Mystic?”

After saying that, Morat took a huge step back. Suddenly, he looked up!

‘It is working!’ Yodel thought to himself.

Morat knew too many secrets including the Mystics. However, it was because he knew too much that he was more likely to be distracted by these things. He missed what Yodel really wanted to hide, for instance, the communication between Asda and Thales.

It was just like the current situation.

“Impossible. The birth of a Mystic needs…” Morat looked shocked. He held his walking stick tightly and stared unwaveringly at Yodel’s mask as though he wanted to break the Purple Crystal Drop with that look.

“Who is it?” Morat’s eyes seemed frenzied.

“Who is the new Mystic?”

Morat stared at his son like a poisonous snake with sharp pupils.

“You know how serious this is?!” Morat frowned and focused his gaze. He started breathing faster and held on to the cane even tighter. “The new Mystic. Before that thing… Get rid of it.”

Yodel regulated his breathing. Breathing, an easy thing for supreme class masters, right now, seemed very difficult.

‘Thing. What thing?’

The figure of the boy with black hair and grey pupils gradually appeared in his mind.

“They would stay with you… I will go alone.” The stubborn boy with the determined look at Sunset Pub vaguely appeared before his eyes.

Yodel gently clenched his fist as Morat slowly narrowed his eyes.

“Asda did not mention or know his name.” Yodel carefully selected the true information and organized it into words. “After that, I sealed Asda.”

‘The man really did not know Thales’ name. I am not lying,’ Yodel told himself.

Morat did not speak and only gave Yodel a weird look.

A few seconds later, Morat turned his eyes away.

“Very good. You did not lie,” The man said affirmatively with a solemn expression.

“However, this is very bad. Precisely because you did not lie,” Morat added gloomily.

Yodel relaxed, feeling that he got away.

“Now, let us see that Sir Thales, as according to His Majesty’s command.” Morat hid his gloomy and solemn expression. Once again, he displayed an ugly and terrible smile as he walked towards Mindis Hall.

Yodel’s breathing suddenly stopped.

Morat stroked his cane as he exposed his few remaining teeth. He turned around and laughed. “I am sure you do not mind me asking that boy about what really happened at Red Street Market, and also about the so-called new Mystic.

“Do not misunderstand. This is just a professional habit, just… to see if you are hiding anything.”

Yodel looked up, his eyes were filled with an intense expression as Morat laughed happily.

Chapter 45

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In Mindis Hall, the guards invited the visiting guests to proceed to the second floor of the reception room. Then, they closed the door in an orderly fashion.

“Say what you want to say, and then leave.” In the hall fully illuminated by the Everlasting Lamp, the old man in black looked at Jines, who was standing in front of Thales and was currently speaking to him harshly.

Thales calmly gazed at the old man leaning on the walking stick as though he was about to collapse. The old man was looking at everyone with suspicion.

“Still so cold, Officer Bajkovic?” Morat’s old and hoarse voice passed through Thales’ ears from the other side of the spacious hall. It was very unpleasant and indescribably strained. The man then mockingly said, “After all, we have cooperated more than once.”

Jines sneered. “Cooperated? Who would cooperate with a poisonous snake? It was His Majesty’s command and I had to comply with it at that time.”

Morat shook his head regretfully as though he was really sad. “How disappointing. I had thought that we fought on the same side. You know, I have always imagined you as my daughter.”

In between his words, Morat’s eyes gleamed. “You know, the biological daughter I personally raised up.”

Morat stressed on the word ‘biological’.

Thales was surprised to see the expression of the usually proud Jines suddenly change. It was as though she was being grabbed by the throat.

The proud and imposing female court official immediately turned around so that the others could no longer see her expression.

“With all due respect!”

By the side, Gilbert interrupted the conversation and solemnly bowed. “Lord Hansen, you know all too well the importance of everything here to the Kingdom. Please leave out unnecessary probes and pleasantries.”

Thales was even more surprised to see Gilbert, who always had manners befitting all occasions, appearing to become angry.

Gilbert’s eyes had a dazzling gleam and his words were sharp. “We all know that you are the Chief of Secret Intelligence. You are in charge of the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence and you have contributed greatly for Constellation. That is why you came earlier than planned to meet the future ‘king’. In that case, let us not delay further — This is Sir Thales.”

Gilbert had specifically said the words ‘Chief of Secret Intelligence’ and ‘Lord’.

Thales suddenly realized that the former was for Thales’ ears while the latter was a warning to Morat.

‘The biggest boss in the gathering of intelligence.’ Thales filed this information in his mind.

The atmosphere surrounding the room was not too good.

Gilbert respectfully took a step back, exposing Thales before Morat’s sight.

Morat gazed at the boy, who was now in everyone’s full view.

At that moment, Thales felt as though the man’s pitch-black eyes had some kind of magic. It was like the eyes could penetrate through him.

Thales even had the feeling of not being able to breathe.

Morat slowly walked forward while tapping on the ground with his walking stick, creating an ominous rhythm in the process.

*Tap…Tap…Tap*

Behind him, the Masked Protector Yodel also stepped forward slowly.

“This is far enough,” Gilbert said coldly.

The sounds of Morat’s footsteps and walking stick continued. He gazed unwaveringly at Thales, but he continued to walk forward. His hoarse voice was then heard. “Count Caso truly deserves to be the Royal Family’s most trusted chamberlain. I really admire your loyalty to the Lord, whether it was to the previous king, or to his ‘successor’ now.”

Thales noticed that the word ‘successor’ was heavily stressed.

The moment Morat’s voice ceased, Thales suddenly felt the imposing air on the sharp-tongued Gilbert vanishing.

Gilbert frowned as if he was thinking about something that had gone wrong.

The well-spoken and quick-witted former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Caso ended up gritting his teeth. He no longer spoke, bearing with Morat’s approach.

Thales felt cold sweat flowing down his back as he saw the old man in black closing in on him.

‘What is his role?

‘With just a few words and a heavy tone, the powerful Jines and the shrewd, experienced Gilbert retreated without a sound?’

“So, this little gentleman,” Morat said with a wrinkly smile. He sounded warm before coldly asking, “It must have been difficult, escaping from Red Street Market and the Mystic.”

‘Mystic?’

Jines and Gilbert both lifted their heads. They looked at Thales in surprise when they heard this.

Thales’ heart shook violently. He instinctively looked behind Morat. The secret guard was standing there silently. However, Thales was acutely aware that the guard seemed somewhat stiff and tense.

‘Yodel. Did you tell him everything about my secret?’

Morat laughed again. The eyes on his wrinkled face were sharp. “In fact, there are some minor questions I want to ask you… privately.”

Thales gulped.

“No. Thales cannot be with him alone!” Jines was the first to react. She then glanced grimly at Gilbert, as if asking for help.

Gilbert looked at Morat with a foul expression as well. “Sir Thales has a respected status. He has the right to choose whether he is to be accompanied by his retinue when coming into contact with the Kingdom’s Chief of Intelligence.”

Thales frowned and looked at Morat.

‘What does he want to ask me?’

This time, Morat leaned on his walking stick respectfully and bowed politely. He then said, “Of course, of course. Whether or not he wants to talk to me is also his choice.”

“After all, he will become my king in the future, assuming my old bones could live that long.”

Gilbert glanced strangely at the Black Prophet, seemingly suspicious of why the Chief of Secret Intelligence was being so friendly. Only Jines’ expression changed as she looked at Thales.

Thales felt relieved.

However, just as Thales was about to say that he was not feeling well that day, Morat’s said something which made him pause.

“In fact, I would also like to report some things to you in private.”

Morat again bowed submissively.

When the old man looked up again, he had a smile on his face. “For example, things about three children from the Lower City District and a young bartender… According to the information I gathered, the Brotherhood is dealing with a matter regarding an escape of its members from the Brotherhood…”

At that moment, Thales clenched his right fist.

‘Three children from the Lower City District?

‘Young bartender?’

Thales’ pupils contracted.

‘Sinti, Ryan, Coria and also… Jala.’

“Very well!”

Thales ignored Jines’ anxious expression and Gilbert’s surprised look. He took a step forward and resolutely said, “Let us talk privately.”

Morat, whose face was crowded with his smile and wrinkles, turned to the side and said, “Then let us move to the study.”

At this moment, someone’s voice shot into the air.

“Discuss it here.”

Thales turned around in surprise.

The one who spoke was the man standing behind Morat. It was Yodel, who had been silent throughout the entire night.

The hoarse voice came from the strange, masked man. “We can leave. Only by doing this can I ensure his safety.”

Morat seemed to be stunned for a moment as he turned his head and frowned.

After Gilbert snapped out of his stupor, he exchanged a glance with Jines. The two then nodded with determination. “Just discuss things here.”

*Thump*

Morat leaned on his walking stick and turned around to look at Yodel.

“Why does everyone assume that I, who have served Constellation for decades, would endanger its only heir, the blood of the Kingdom?” Morat’s eyes turned cold, but an unpleasant smile immediately formed across his face.

“Fine. Let us discuss here then.”

Yodel nodded slightly. He then loosened his grip on the Supreme Sword that he had been holding the entire night.

“But you better not play any tricks, shadow attendant.” Morat smiled at the masked guard. He then pointed at his head. “I will know where you are no matter where you hide.”

Thales clenched his fists as he saw Morat’s strange smile.

Chapter 46

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Yodel, Gilbert and the worried Jines—who kept turning her head back—silently left the hall with different paced footsteps.

In the hall filled with Everlasting Lamps, Thales could be seen sitting at the host’s seat. Morat was sitting at a distance behind the banquet table.

The place was silent.

But there was nervousness in the air.

Thales pretended to relax his shoulders, and he gave a smile that he usually carried while he was a beggar.

However, he still felt the biting gaze of the old man in black clothes, which were trained unwaveringly on him.

Thales felt uneasy from the abnormal atmosphere. His mind grappled firmly with the little information available.

‘The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department.

‘Chief of Intelligence.

‘Black Prophet.

‘Poisonous snake.

‘He also knows about my previous identity as a beggar as well as Red Street Market and… the Mystic.’

Morat seemed to have lost his patience. He abandoned his soft demeanor and spoke harshly in an extremely sharp voice, “I will get straight to the point, child. I just want to know about the night you escaped from Red Street Market and what the Mystic said to you when you met him.”

‘How did he know that Asda talked to me? Did Yodel betray me?’

Thales’ brain was spinning quickly, but there were too many variables and too much information to deal with.

‘What did Yodel say to him? How much did he say?

‘How much does Morat know about Asda, about Blood Bottle Gang and about my mystic power running out of control?’

Thales’ apprehensive mind came to a conclusion. ‘Whatever happens… I have to first ensure my own safety.’

Since that night Quide came to the sixth house looking for his hidden copper coins, the beggar and heir, Thales had been accustomed to his involuntary, precarious, and lonely fate. He had always tried his utmost to survive.

Thales expressed doubtful excitement. He then said, “What?” Oh, that Mystic! You are talking about the legendary boss of Blood Bottle Gang?”

Morat gently narrowed his eyes, looking puzzled and hesitant.

Thales then held his head, as though he was recalling the incident. “I remember that there was confusion everywhere that night. The boss of Blood Bottle Gang said—”

However, things did not go as he expected.

“Child!”

He was interrupted.

Morat was expressionless as he leaned against his walking stick. His voice resounded in Thales’ ears.

Morat’s eyes widened and he looked straight into Thales’ eyes, causing Thales to feel a chill run down his spine. “You have an innate talent for lying and acting. However, what I want to ask you is about… your old friend, Asda Sakern.”

Thales was startled.

“I will ask again. What did Asda say to you before Yodel appeared and sealed him?”

Morat’s eyes seemed to burn as he waited for Thales’ answer.

Thales, who had been interrupted, stopped and lowered his head.

‘What does he know? Does he know that I met Asda? Did he see through me?

‘Either way, this is not good.’ He felt apprehensive.

Thales tried his best to calm down. ‘This old man… is probably the most difficult person I have ever dealt with. However, since he is asking me about this, he must not know about what Asda said to me.’

Thales gritted his teeth. ‘In particular, he does not know that I am the same kind as Asda.’

In spite of that, Morat’s following words once again smashed his thoughts into pieces.

“Let me remind you again, boy.” Morat laughed unpleasantly.

“Did Asda not find a newly born Mystic?”

At that moment, Thales felt his heart turn cold in fear.

The boy thought in alarm. ‘Yodel… What did Yodel tell him? Why is he so certain?’

“Hahaha.” Morat broke out in a strange laughter. “People fear me for a reason.”

The old man moved forward step-by-step with his walking stick and approached Thales.

At that point, Thales had the urge to escape.

“I am a Psionic. Although I do not like this ability, it helps me a lot.”

A discouraging thought flashed through Thales’ mind.

“There is no need for you to lie anymore concerning the Air Mystic.

“I can clearly see into your mind. Asda, that handsome, pretty boy clothed in blue. My god, he is still so young!”

Morat’s words were like a hammer hitting Thales’ chest.

However, the engrossed Morat was not done. His words made Thales shiver as he uttered his words one after another.

“What is that in Asda’s hand, a blue ball? I can see three balls of flesh there. He still likes to squash humans into little meatballs, eh?

“Why is it so dark around the both of you? Where exactly are the both of you?”

Morat looked pleased as though he was reading an interesting travel log.

Thales’ mind turned blank and he instinctively trembled.

‘Clothed in blue?

‘Handsome, pretty boy?

‘Blue ball?

‘Squashed human flesh?

‘A dark location?

‘How does he know this? How could he have known this?’

Thales even felt his breathing hitch.

Morat looked very tired. He lowered his head and rubbed his nose. “Ah, it is really strenuous to use this ability. I cannot use it so often.”

He then lifted his head and laughed, revealing an ugly and wrinkled smile. He looked at the now pale Thales and said, “That is why the others call me the ‘Black Prophet’.”

Thales was so shocked he was speechless. Morat then opened his mouth and said the most malignant thing to the boy.

“That is right, child.

“I can read minds.”

This time, Thales truly felt that he was facing an imminent disaster.

…

“What do we do now?” Standing at the corridor on the second floor, the first-class, female official, Jines looked at the two men in front of her with a dreadful expression. “You all know of Morat’s ability and capability. He uses secrets, information, scandals and everything you can think of to control anybody he wants to control.”

Jines took a few steps and added scornfully, “Are you going to just let that child… He is very smart, very mature and he has potential… but that is the Black Prophet in there with him!

“The omniscient Black Prophet!”

Gilbert said in a serious tone, “I am aware of his ability. Without the help of the Secret Intelligence Department, how could we have managed to sign the Fortress Treaty?”

“Yet, you still allowed him… That bastard Kessel. What is he thinking?” Jines angrily slammed down on the railings with her palm. The huge force caused a dent in the railings, which were made out of cedar wood.

At this moment, Gilbert frowned and turned around.

Jines, who had discovered that something was off, also turned around while feeling puzzled.

Except for the motionless guards, only the two of them were in the corridor.

At some point in time, Yodel had disappeared again.

…

Meanwhile, at the Northern City Gate of the Eternal Star City, the guards and the city defense team on sentry duty had completed their day’s shift. They prepared to pull down the huge portcullis, closing the magnificent stone city gate.

‘This has been another calm day.’ The captain of the city defense team thought as he waved his hand and prepared to change shifts.

However, the keen-eyed sentries on the wall saw some figures on horseback in the distance riding quickly towards the capital.

Behind them, was a white flag.

One sentry on the wall shouted to his colleagues by the gate’s locks at the top of his voice, “Wait! Do not shut the gates! There are fast horses! They should be messengers!”

The captain felt uncertain and got up the walls. He saw the cavaliers from the distance.

When the group finally got nearer, the captain was surprised to see a white eagle flag in their hand.

‘White eagle?

‘The outpost five miles away did not stop them, so they should be important messengers, but…’

With a dignified expression, he stepped out to the front and roared.

“The capital is in front! Slow down immediately!”

“City defense team, interception formation!”

Dozens of soldiers from the city defense team immediately shouted below the city wall. They readied their swords and formed a barricade with their shields, shining like the stars and blocking the gates; a battle array formed against the advancing cavalry.

“Knights! Slow down immediately! Reveal your identity and business!” The captain shouted out from the gates.

The knights below then looked up, but continued to ride at the same speed. They raised a scroll and anxiously shouted, “This is an urgent message from the Mayor of Cold Castle, the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde! This is a Level 7 Emergency!

“Please confer the message directly to the King!

“No one shall block the way! The Duke is on his way!

“This is his personal seal of command!”

As the knights spoke, he raised his hand. The scroll, which was tied to a stone, flew towards the gate, and it was caught firmly in the supra class captain’s hand.

‘This man is a master and is truly worthy to be a knight of the Northern Territory,’ the captain thought as he felt the power from the scroll slamming into his hand.

The captain removed the lacquer seal, then looked at the signature and stamp. He nodded his head and scrambled up the battlement to shout to the array below.

“Everyone, disperse the formation! Let them pass immediately!”

“I cannot thank you enough!” Below the city wall, the knights rushed past the soldiers who had given way. They desperately whipped their horses and galloped towards the center of the capital, surprising many passersby.

“Quickly! Faster, faster!” The lead knight had a frenzied expression as he urged his entire team ahead without any regard for the horses’ wellbeing.

The captain looked at the distant knights with a foul expression. “Do not close the gates yet. If what he says is true, we still have the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory to greet.”

‘A Level 7 Emergency?

‘Ever since I assumed office, the most urgent reports or letters I have ever encountered were ones from the United Army led by His Majesty. I believe there was a war report on the decisive victory against the Barren Bone people and the orcs. I remember that was a Level 6 Emergency.

‘So, what just happened?’ He was very puzzled.

The captain hesitated for a moment. He then turned his head and asked one of his colleagues behind him.

“When was the last time we had a report declaring a Level 7 Emergency?”

The city defense team looked at each other, feeling uncertain.

“Do we even have a Level 7 Emergency?” a young soldier scratched his head and asked.

There was a moment of silence.

“There was a Level 7,” a somber voice answered. The soldiers all turned around to see a veteran, who was at the innermost area.

The veteran looked ghastly pale as though he had recalled a frightening memory.

His lips turned pale as he muttered, “The last time… was twelve years ago.”

Chapter 47

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Renaissance Palace was Eternal Star City’s tallest and most important building located at the center of the city.

On the 34th year of the Calendar of Eradication, during the later years of Tormond the First’s reign, he copied the style of the Ancient Empire’s Capital of Triumph and built this palace. It had six walls surrounding a half-pyramid-shaped palace. After that, at least six supreme kings had expanded or renovated it, with countless craftsmen giving the palace and its walls a classical as well as mottled color. After six hundred years, these gave the palace a look like it had undergone great changes.

After its two hundred and twenty-five steps was the Hall of Stars, supported by twenty-four large pillars. It was large and wide, specially meant for convening the meetings of the Council of National Affairs. The alfresco northern side of the hall overlooked the Star Plaza outside the walls — the Central District’s largest business square. At the south, there was a conference room used for the Imperial Conference. In the center was a huge business hall that could cater to large noble assemblies.

At this time, two people were sitting on both sides of the table in that Imperial Conference Room. Under the light of two Everlasting Lamps, the atmosphere was heavy and quiet.

The 39th Supreme King of Constellation, the robust Kessel the Fifth put down the report in his hands. He then lifted his head to look at the weary noble opposite him.

The Suzerain of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of the North, the forty-nine-year-old Val Arunde narrowed his eyes and looked back at the king.

As one of the Six Big Clans of the Kingdom, Val seemed less like a noble. This was mostly because of the scar that stretched from his chest to his chin. He had neat and short, shaved hair, making it almost unable for others to tell that his hair was dark brown.

Val looked different compared to the other Constellatiates. He had black eyes and a sharp gaze. The bridge of his nose was high and his lips stuck out. He had a thick stubble. The man looked craggy. His chain-mail armor still carried the chill of the North. From time to time, water would drip from the melted frost.

On his chest and shoulders were the white Eagle emblems of the Arunde Family, leader of the Six Great Clans, which had been guarding the North since the time of the Ancient Empire. The eagle was lifelike and had a snowflake in its mouth. It looked at Kessel with its talons spread out.

The Iron Eagle, Duke Val Arunde was closer to a soldier fighting at the frontlines as opposed to a pampered aristocratic suzerain.

“This is an impressive present for my forty-eighth birthday, Duke Arunde,” Kessel coldly said.

Val looked up without any signs of weakness. He stared angrily at the king. “So what? Are you going to have me take responsibility by killing me here? The Heirless Kessel?”

…

‘Mind reading?’

Thales had a hard time believing it. He could even hear his own heart beating irregularly.

Looking at Morat’s eyes, he bitterly thought to himself. ‘What can I hide then?’

“Young Sir, there is no need to be overly surprised.” Morat gently stroked his staff which looked as ordinary as his staff. “Did you know that I have already seen a lot of people with your current expression?”

Morat revealed his badly damaged set of teeth and laughed horribly. “From criminals… to even the King.”

“Hahaha…” Morat laughed.

‘I’m against such a man… such a terrifying person…’

Thales’ state of mind was in complete chaos.

‘I might as well just—’

At this moment…

“Calm down.”

A voice whispered in his ear.

“This guy has been lying to you all dis while.”

Thales was shocked.

He slammed the table with his hand. The sudden appearance of the young voice shocked him.

Morat laughed and gazed at him with a strange look in his eyes.

“Do not be wwackwess. Wight now, only you can hear my voice.”

Thales grabbed the corner of the banquet table tightly and stared closely at Morat, timing his surprise at the sudden voice perfectly with his fearful reaction to Morat’s mind reading.

“He does not know how to wwead minds!” A certain loli’s young and tender voice entered his ears.

‘He does not know how to read minds?’

“However, he can spot a wie,” the mysterious voice added.

Thales strongly suppressed the confusion in his mind and closed his eyes tightly.

He then recalled his memories.

“Qiren, the research objective of psychology is focused on the behavior and psychology between individuals. But our research objective is focused on the behavior and psychology of the group. There is a vast difference between the two.” The old professor smoked from a pipe and blew out the smoke. He looked at Wu Qiren, who was flipping through the first draft of his thesis and feeling annoyed.

He then smiled and slowly said, “However, there is one thing that is common. Human behavior and psychology has always been unpredictable. They are miracles that cannot be fathomed, predicted, much less be said to possess certain patterns. Faced with such a miracle, we researchers must be modest.”

“You also know that attempts to encompass all of human social phenomena with one or more macroscopic theories has long been criticized as being riddled with problems. This is because there has never been a way to thoroughly explain human reason.”

The flashbacks from his past life faded like a tide, diffusing into his already huge bank of memories.

Thales suddenly opened his eyes and took a good look at the Black Prophet, who was waiting for his reply.

‘It is time for the crucial moment,’ Morat Hansen thought silently. He narrowed his eyes with interest and looked at the little boy in front of him.

‘However, looking at his appearance, does he really have something critical that Yodel is keeping secret?’

Morat held on tightly to his walking stick. ‘Good. Let us see how many more lies he can tell.’

Morat’s purpose today was not just to verify Yodel’s claims, but to also find clues regarding the newborn Mystic.

Morat breathed in the sweet air. ‘Truly a luxurious and decadent smell.

‘The most important thing is to meet the new king and develop his respect as well as reverence towards the Chief of the Secret Intelligence… and also his dependence and obedience towards us. One “assertive” king like Kessel is enough. That is the only way Constellation can shine brilliantly in the darkness.’

Morat thought to himself with satisfaction.

“Wisten to me, speak carefuwwy,” Loli’s lisping voice softly said in Thales’ ear.

He does not know that the Mystic has spoken to you.’

‘He only knows what he said himselw. I cannot speak anymore o welse he will notice. Take care of yoursewf, awwy.”

The serious revelations from the voice had made him feel a lot more relaxed, but it never returned after that.

Thales sucked in another big breath of air. Although he still looked afraid at that moment, his heart had already regained some confidence.

‘It is just another game,’ he told himself.

His gray eyes continued to refocus and they were finally fixed on Morat, who was in front of him.

His mind, which was frozen in shock and fear started to work again.

‘First, let us sort out the available information.

‘Morat is lying.’ Thales made this judgement after the loli’s reminder.

‘First of all, I met the Mystic.’

‘Second, the Mystic talked to me.’

‘Third, the Mystic found out that I would be the next Mystic.’

The secrets that Thales needed to hide were these three progressive layers of information.

‘The problem is, Yodel knows about all three layers of information. If Yodel had told Morat everything, then Morat would not be here at all. The one awaiting for me would have been what Asda called the legendary anti-mystic weapon.’

‘I should not have doubted Yodel. From Red Street Market to Vine Manor, he did everything he could to ensure my safety,’ Thales told himself while feeling regret in his heart.

‘”He does not know that the Mystic has spoken to you.” The voice said Morat does not know that the Mystic has spoken to me.

‘This means that right from the beginning, Morat only knew the first layer of information and the rest of it were lies to draw me out.

‘I fell for his trap. I was scared out of my wits, and probably got conned into revealing the second layer of information.

‘”He only knows what he said himselw.” The voice also mentioned that Morat only knows what he himself was saying.

‘One confirmed fact is, Morat knows that Asda has found a new Mystic!

‘But, not more than that. Yodel only told him half of the third layer of information. Morat does not know who the new Mystic is.

‘”He does not know how to wwead minds!” Since Morat cannot read minds, it means that the pinching of his nose bridge to deploy his psionic ability was just a lie. He used it to trick me!

‘He was able to see the image of the Air Mystic in my mind… I was really stupid. Asda has not changed his appearance for hundreds of years. How would the Secret Intelligence not know what he looks like?

‘It was the same for the ball of energy in Asda’s hand. The air-wall is Asda’s signature skill.

‘He likes to squash people into balls of flesh. After the battle at Red Street Market, those “meatballs” must have been discovered.

‘As for it being pitch-black at Red Street Market that night, it is simply nonsense! Even a Class Five Police Officer could say this after an investigation!

Thales frowned and bitterly thought, ‘This man’s “mind reading” is just skillful use of available information to allow himself to fake being able to read minds. It is an illusion to scare me, to make me submit.

‘Now, it is time to verify this.’

Thales looked up in fear and trembled slightly. “Lord Hansen. Since- since you know how to read minds, why do you still ask me? You could just go ahead and read my mind directly…”

Morat smiled and held his walking stick. “I would not be so bold. The minds of those who have had their minds read will become more or less injured. In the end, you are still my future master.”

‘Yet, you still dared to do it earlier?’ Thales snarled in his heart.

“But, if you want to save some trouble, I can follow your wishes and enter straight into your mind. I will try not to hurt—” Morat smiled and stretched out his left hand towards Thales.

Thales waved his hand in a panic. “No, no, no! No need! I might as well tell you directly.”

Looking at Thales, Morat shook his head mockingly.

‘After all, he is just a seven-year-old.’

“As you command.” The Black Prophet lowered his head, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

At this point, Thales was certain.

‘He tricked me! He tried to trick me again! I called his bluff! Why did you not go to the Dark Night Temple with such good acting skills? However…’

“However, he can spot a lie.” This statement made Thales especially careful.

‘An incomprehensible, wicked, human lie detector that should only exist in sci-fi novels?

‘In other words, in front of the Black Prophet, I cannot say an outright lie. I can only give partial truths to conceal the critical truths.

‘Partial truths…’ Thales lamented in his heart. ‘Why did I not study in the Department of Journalism?’

Chapter 48

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In his heart, the transmigrator snapped his fingers.

‘Begin.’

“Lord Hansen,” Thales said hesitantly, “That night, I ran to Red Street Market. I bumped into a strange person dressed in blue in a chess room as a result.

Morat nodded and smiled while encouraging him to continue.

‘Part of it must be the truth. There cannot be lies.’ Thales repeated in his heart.

“He said that he didn’t have a single person left beside him that he could talk to and wanted me to look at his ‘chessboard’.”

“After I looked at it, he suddenly started speaking nonsense. Something about how they went to war with humans before but lost.” Thales put on a frightened expression.

‘Connect part of the real incident to the truth Morat knows. That way, I can avoid the “human lie-detector” from detecting my lies.’

“And then he went crazy. He wanted to knead me into a ball!” Thales trembled and shivered.

“Child, it’s okay. You are safe now. And then, what happened?” Morat looked at him comfortingly and encouraged the boy to continue.

“I felt really scared and uncomfortable. I couldn’t breathe.” Thales’ memory returned to that night in Red Street Market. It was as though he was experiencing that suffocating feeling again. It felt extremely real.

Morat felt Thales’ emotions. ‘Up until now, he did not lie. Having gone through something like that and surviving from the hands of that calamity wasn’t easy for this child.’

Thales cowered and hugged his body with his arms.

“In the end, I could faintly hear him say that he found someone who ‘lost control’. And that after the Battle of Eradication, their numbers became smaller and smaller.”

Morat’s expression finally became solemn.

‘Lost control? Looks like that newborn Mystic was still at the first stage and had not…’

The Black Prophet asked grimly, “Who? Child, did he say who that person who ‘lost control’ was?”

Thales shook his head while trembling, “That strange man did not say who it was… He only proudly said that he will guide that person, and that the person won’t be able to reject him! And then Yodel appeared and pierced him with a sword.”

Morat exhaled. The crazy look of a proud and smug lunatic who was talking to himself before killing someone appeared before his eyes.

‘Looks like Yodel wasn’t hiding anything.’ Morat huffed. His ugly, wrinkly face twitched slightly.

On the other hand, Thales exhaled lightly. ‘Part of it was the truth… Looks like I managed to muddle through. No, the acting has to continue.’

Thales added, trembling. “But Yodel said that he wouldn’t die and will come back in ten or more years. Lord Hansen, they say that you are the most knowledgeable. Is this true? Will that strange person come back?”

Morat was burdened by his thoughts. He nodded perfunctorily. “Yes, the Supreme Sword is not perfect and can only seal Mystics for a short amount of time. But please do not worry, the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department will not let him come near you.” The Black Prophet furrowed his brows. His thoughts had already flown outside Mindis Hall.

‘Tonight’s goals have been achieved.

‘One, I confirmed the news regarding the Air Mystic with Yodel, and even got an extra reward—the existence of a newborn Mystic.

‘Two, I saw Constellation’s future heir with my own eyes.

‘Three, I left him a deep impression worth remembering forever at this age.’

Morat bowed deeply. When he raised his head, his gaze was already earnest and serious. “Thank you for your honesty and cooperation. Please be well-prepared.”

‘Be well-prepared?’

Thales was a little confused.

Morat looked profoundly at him and nodded. “The exact time is a little hard to grasp, but I have a premonition that it is near.”

His cold and raspy yet old and solemn voice echoed within the noble banquet hall. “Your Highness.”

The transmigrator opened his mouth wide and his whole body trembled.

‘Your… Your Highness? … This status…’

However, Morat had no intention of explaining his words. He flicked his black robe and turned to leave.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!* the sound of his cane tapping on floor rang rhythmically in the air.

Thales finally snapped out of his daze.

He stood up from the chair and cried loudly at the Black Prophet’s retreating figure, “Wait! Lord Hansen! The information about the three children in XC District and that bartender…”

“They are still alive. It seems like someone in the Brotherhood is sheltering them,” Morat spoke, neither stopping nor turning his head back. He had something else more important to do.

“But, can you tell me—” Thales ran two steps forward and spoke anxiously. He wanted to know more details. “All of them are my friends—”

“Boy!” Morat suddenly raised his voice, shocking Thales so much that he came to a stop. “You are not the king, and are not even the prince yet, heir of Jadestar!

“Wait until you become Constellation’s heir and become powerful enough, then you can talk about protecting them, or else, these past attachments will one day become your weaknesses.” As the Black Prophet approached the door, his raspy voice rang. It seemed to be full of… indignation?

“And my sixty years of experience in the Secret Intelligence Department tells me that the only way to prevent your enemies from detecting your weaknesses…” Morat stopped and turned his head back, flashing a hideous smile. Thales felt a surge of coldness in his heart.

Morat slowly raised his hand and lightly clenched his fist while showing off a smiling face full of wrinkles. “Is to take every single weakness you have and destroy them entirely. Do you understand, the not yet… Prince Thales?”

Thales looked at him in a daze. Morat turned again and tapped the door.

The guards outside opened the door together and revealed Gilbert and Jines’ anxious figures, whereas the Masked Protector stood alone on the other side.

The former two looked over anxiously. Jines even ignored Morat and took brisk, large strides across the antechamber towards Thales.

Morat chuckled as he spoke, tapping his cane on the floor. “Do not worry, the three of you. Constellation has an outstanding heir. One day, the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department will become his backbone and be of his service.”

Gilbert furrowed his brows and watched as the Black Prophet limped past him.

At this moment, Thales suddenly spoke when he entered the hall, “Lord Hansen! How about you? Have you destroyed your weaknesses?”

Morat was stunned. He raised his head and looked at the little boy, who was on the other side of the hall.

At that moment, Thales suddenly felt a surge of strange emotions that he could not decipher passing through the unreasonable Black Prophet.

Under everyone’s gaze, the Black Prophet, Morat Hansen, said with certainty, “Of course. Entirely. Not even one is left.”

And then he left Mindis Hall.

Only Yodel clenched his fists tightly without anyone seeing it as he stood by the side.

“Madan Jines and Sir Gilbert, I am alright!” Thales shook his head while smiling at Jines and Gilbert, who were anxiously enquiring him about his condition. He then turned towards Yodel and spoke seriously, “In fact, there’s something that I need to do first.”

Gilbert furrowed his brows and Jines looked at Thales with a surprised gaze. The little boy extended his hand towards the Masked Protector who was about to leave.

Thales spoke firmly, “Yodel! I need your protection! Please escort me to Madam Serena Corleone’s room.”

…

“No heir? Coming from you, who only has a daughter, these words are quite appropriate.” King Kessel propped both of his arms on the table and exhaled lightly.

Val also spoke with a hostile tone. It was filled with the unique bluntness and crudeness only found in warriors. “I traveled for two days and two nights, and I arrived almost only a few minutes slower than the messenger raven. I did not do so for us to mock each other, Kel. Although I, too, really want to see you fall off that damned throne.”

“If the worst happens, how are your preparations in the North?” Kessel did not take heed of Val’s tone. He lowered his head and ran his finger on the map of the Western Peninsula on the long table.

“Broken Dragon Fortress has entered a critical situation.” Duke Arunde took off his chain glove and threw it on the table. “However, Sonia emphasized many times that the three hundred regular troops of the monarch, and the five hundred militias recruited locally are not enough to deal with that Great Dragon’s fury at all… She needs reinforcements.”

“How many?”

“Based on the military potential of the three archdukes in the southern part of Eckstedt, she needs at least eight thousand more well-equipped and well-trained soldiers to ensure that the fortress will not be lost. If road safety from the Northern Territory to Central Territory is to be ensured, fifteen thousand people are needed. Also, there needs to be one thousand cavaliers who are proficient in riding to guarantee adaptability outside the city’s defenses. Heavy cavalry would be best, but light cavalry is fine too.”

As Val spoke, Kessel furrowed his brows.

“I know that it’s a bit of an exorbitant demand, but you have to admit that she makes quite some sense. Broken Dragon Fortress had already fallen once, and Eckstedt is better than us in fighting during the winter. Over the past few years, the three archdukes of the territories who are right next to the borders of our kingdom have been continuously enlarging their army.”

“The night before I departed, I called together all the vassals under me. Within ten days, they would be leading soldiers to continuously reinforce the borders. If we add the forces directly under me, we have at least five thousand soldiers, including three hundred cavaliers. Of course, I do not guarantee their quality.” Val took off his other glove and warmed his hand on the Everlasting Lamp.

Kessel quietly got up and walked to the window. Looking down from the towering Renaissance Palace, a myriad of twinkling lights under the darkness of the capital city could be seen. “It is not just these three archdukes. Ever since the ‘Fortress Treaty’ was enforced, all the archdukes have been aiming for the things from North Harbor’s Eternal Oil to the Crystal Drop Mines in the three counties in the southern banks, and they have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Moreover… it involves the heir of the Cloud Dragon Spear.”

“That is why this can’t be avoided anymore. Kel, dispatch your messenger and, at the same time, sharpen your long sword.” Val, the Castellan of Cold Castle who acted like a warrior more than a noble, rubbed his cold, red hands together and spoke through clenched teeth.

Kessel the Fifth’s gaze was profound. His sky-blue irises reflected the nightscape of the capital city. “So, was that sentence really left at the scene? ‘The empire shall last, so long as the stars remain’?”

“Yes, that passionate, damned motto of your family. Although I sealed the news, you know how capable the Secret Room is. I imagine that the moment King Nuven receives the news, he will, at least on the surface, start mobilizing his troops and promoting his vassals. Otherwise, he would not be able to pacify his feudal lords. Looking at the military potential of all of Eckstedt…”

Duke Val Arunde snorted coldly and removed his hands from the lamp. He had a displeased expression. “I suggest that you first call together all the direct vassals of Central Hill, and then prepare to summon all the great feudal lords. Even the Seucader Family located far away in the Southern Pacific Islands must be mobilized. Once war breaks out, call all our allies—from Sacred Tree Kingdom and Sera Dukedom, to Steel City and the Alliance of Freedom, and even Mane et Nox in the Eastern Peninsula—into action.”

Kessel looked at the nightscape of the capital city outside the window and clenched his fists lightly. “But we are far from taking our last step. King Nuven is not a hot-headed young man either.”

The Duke of Northern Territory was filled with rage. He slammed his hand on the surface of the table. “Do you think there’s still a chance for the matter to be resolved peacefully? You know that the problem is far more than just that sentence! There are people hoping for it to happen on both sides, that’s why this mother*ck*ng problem happened!”

Both of them were silent for a while.

Kel snorted softly and lowered his head, inhaling a lungful of the winter air. “Hmph. If Midier was still around, what do you suppose he would do?”

The completely unreserved Val stood up furiously. “Why can’t I communicate with you? Or did you become stupid after sitting on that throne? This is not the time to cherish the memory of your saintly brother, Kel! Our kingdom, our land, and our people are facing the threat of war!

“Why do you think I rushed back here? You know how much I despise you! However, there is a pledge to be fulfilled and honor to be upheld. When you and Constellation are in trouble, the whole Northern Territory will stand behind you. This time, we will stand in front of you!”

Kessel stared at Val—the companion who grew up with him—and did not move at all.

“I already came back and am right in front of you! I heard that the Cullen Family’s old Treasured Sword is also recuperating in Eternal Star city. The young fellow from the Covendier Family lives nearby and the Nanchester Family’s One-Eyed Dragon will be able to reach here in a day from Steep Forest City. Only the Fakenhaz and the Tabark Families who stay in the Ruins and Blade City are further away and need to be summoned by urgent order. Once you’re done dealing with the six of us, every single one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families will also come.”

With rounded eyes, Val glared furiously at the supreme king. “It’s time, Kel. Issue the Constellation’s Edict for Assembly. The nineteen noble families will gather once more in the capital city and fight for you and for Constellation.”

Chapter 49

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

That night, the Four Main City Gates of Eternal Star City were not closed.

“Warrant from the king! Make way! Make way!” More than ten knights rode out of the city gates with solemn expressions while holding both the nine-pointed-star flag, and another flag with two cross-shaped stars on it.

“Are these all the messengers?” At the Northern City Gate, the captain of the city defense team watched with a solemn expression as the messengers left.

The city defense officer who had rushed over shook his head. He said, “Not all. There are three other city gates.”

The city defense officer knew what was going as he thought, ‘The messengers were holding warrants from Renaissance Palace and were going to where the various great personage are located respectively. This is nothing, there are a greater amount of messenger ravens who are sent to nobles living even further away.’

“Something major is happening,” the nearly fifty city defense officer tapped his team leader’s shoulder and spoke softly.

‘Hopefully, this won’t be another Bloody Year.’

…

After firmly refusing Gilbert and Jines’ company (“I apologize, Sir Gilbert and Madam Jines, but this is an alliance between her and myself—I must face it alone. I promise to inform you of the content of our conversation.”–Thales, who shook his head firmly) Thales quietly walked beside Yodel.

In the first few minutes, both of them did not speak.

Only after turning past a corner and having the guard nearest to them separate from them behind the wall, Thales stood still silently and looked towards the Masked Protector.

Then Yodel’s footsteps stopped.

“We have to discuss some matters in private.” Thales exhaled deeply.

Yodel went in front of him and quietly kneeled down.

“As you wish,” the masked secret protector said and lightly held Thales’ shoulders.

The next moment, it felt as though an odd ripple spread out. Everything around Thales and Yodel became a strange white color.

It was like another world.

“The Path of Shadows.” Yodel explained briefly.

Thales nodded. However, his expression was still somber and he was not fascinated by the strange, pure white background before him. He had something more important to do.

Both of them were silent for a while.

Thales constructed his words with difficulty and spoke with considerable effort, “Yodel, how… how much do you know about what happened between me… and the Air Mystic?”

Yodel did not say anything as usual. He only lowered his head slightly and looked towards the black-haired, gray-eyed boy.

“When Morat wanted to talk to me privately in the study room, you intentionally stopped him.” Thales shut his eyes and dully recounted the events chronologically.

“You knew that the study room on the second floor has a unique soundproof system and will cut off the Blood Clansmen’ hearing and transmission of messages. That was why you insisted that we stayed on the first floor to talk so that you could seek Serena’s help, have her relay an incredibly important reminder to me without Morat realizing it… so that I can outsmart Morat’s vicious interrogation and conceal…” Thales paused.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the purple mask. In the end, he firmly said, “…Conceal my true identity. Is that right?”

Thales gazed fixedly at the royal family’s secret protector. The mask was turned towards him and remained still.

After another period of silence that could not be defined by words, Yodel lowered his gaze slightly. His low and raspy voice then rang from behind his dark-purple mask.

Under Thales’ complicated gaze, the Masked Protected spoke in a deep voice, “I… am not like Gilbert… I am not good with words. After the Red Street Market incident, I did not know how to speak about the topic either.”

Thales looked at him with a sparkling gaze. “But you knew from the beginning.”

Yodel’s voice was laden with a heavy burden as he said, “Yes. That night, I was there all along… I heard what the Mystic said. I also noticed your… peculiarity—your abnormal state when facing the Mystic, the vase in the corridor that cracked for no reason, and the underground explosion at Vine Manor… So, I know that you are…”

Thales took a deep breath. “Then, my father…”

“Only me, young Sir, I am the only one who knows…”

Yodel did not speak anymore.

Thales stared dazedly at this strange person who had always protected him and always hid his face behind his mysterious mask.

‘Yes, he knew all along, but he chose to keep the secret for me.’

The transmigrator could hear his own voice hitching slightly. It was full of surprised disbelief as he spoke, “Why? You know that I am… those calamities. You know what sort of tabooed existences those calamities are… why do you still…”

Yodel grasped Thales’ shoulders slowly and cut off his thoughts.

“Child,” he said in a rasp, “I have seen… a lot of things. A little more than what you imagine.”

He continued softly, “Ever since the day this Kingdom and your family were born, they were doomed to be… entangled with those calamities. It was that way over six hundred years ago.

“It was the same way twelve years ago.”

Thales heart trembled. ‘Twelve years ago? The Jadestar family that… is entangled with calamities?’

“It is also that way now. I have seen those calamities on more than one occasion. I have a feeling that… the thing that is truly scary and terrifying is not the calamities, but ourselves.

“It is how much normal people like us would degenerate, fall into decadence, and sacrifice our principles because of the existence of those so-called calamities.”

Yodel paused for a while, as if contemplating his next words.

“I know that perhaps, you are a ‘calamity’.” This was the first time the Masked Protector, who was silent all the while, say so much in front of him.

He continued speaking hesitantly, “However, I know that many people in this country… they have already become uglier and scarier than those calamities.

“They have already brought about disaster, but are not aware of it.”

Thales furrowed his brows in a bizarre fashion and asked, “Such as Morat?”

“He is just one of them. The Black Prophet has long since ceased to be a prophet, he only has darkness left.”

Yodel raised his head. His dark-colored glass lenses reflected the pale white color of their surroundings. Thales stood alone in that image reflected on the lenses, and he looked thin and miserable.

“Compared to him, Sir Thales, I am more willing to believe in you.”

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

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

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

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

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…”

Gilbert looked into Thales’ eyes and, with worry on his face, he nodded lightly and said, “‘The Empire shall last, so long as the stars remain’.”

‘Jadestar Family’s motto?’

Thales was momentarily stunned.

“This method is clearly just a bad, childish way of transferring blame and causing strife between two countries…” Thales thought about the nature of this matter, and he suddenly realized something. With disbelief, he lifted his head and asked, “Is it truly effective?”

“Unfortunately… It is effective and very bad,” Gilbert answered in a low tone.

‘Very bad?’ Thales heart was filled with apprehension.

The carriage charged into Twilight District, entered King’s Street, and headed towards the Central Region.

King’s Street was one of the largest streets in Eternal Star City. The population there was only second to Central Region, which used its northern territory as a transport hub. King’s Street had the Star Plaza where merchants from various countries set up shop, and a grand bazaar located to the side of Western City Gate, where the low-class citizens gather.

Compared to XC District and Western District, which still had their streets lit by torches and animal fat, the King’s Street was lit with Everlasting Lamps that were just slightly inferior to the ones used in Eastern City District. More pedestrians gradually appeared, these people ranged from bards performing on the streets, to merchants shouting from their shops (some of the shops that still operated at night, such as boutiques and watch shops, were still open), to servants who were rushing about on errands from their masters, to officials who were engaged in social activities, to even true nobles, riding in carriages or even walking down the streets.

There, their carriage was not in the slightest bit eye-catching.

The King’s Street was located right at the intersection between Twilight District and Central Region. The ratio of the wealthy and the distinguished there was incredibly high. Compared to the Star Plaza and the grand bazaar that Thales had seen before, this place was clearly more reserved and quiet. It lacked the loud noises and bustle of activity, along with the crude and vulgar atmosphere the latter possessed as a local market. However, even in this place, beggars in rags and homeless people were occasionally seen on both sides of the road stretching out their hands to passers-by while moaning.

Fortunately, the carriage had a one-way mirror, and those outside cannot notice the actions within the carriage.

However, Thales’ mind was on Gilbert’s words at that moment. He only cast a quick glance at the sights in the streets. The Foreign Affairs Minister’s words continued travelling into his ears. “The key lies in the ‘Fortress Treaty’.

“At the end of the Bloody Year, Eckstedt invaded our land. Broken Dragon Fortress fell into enemy hands. Then, from the Northern Territory, Land of Cliffs, Western Desert, to the Eastern Sea, most of Constellation was invaded by the flames of war. We had few soldiers, and our generals were weak. The Kingdom was almost losing all hope. His Majesty, who had just succeeded the throne, even thought about enlisting children below fourteen into the army.”

Gilbert exhaled a long breath. There was a dazed look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about the events in the past. “Based on the fear of all the other countries in the Western Peninsula and the attention by the Eastern Peninsula’s Mane et Nox and Hanbol towards the affairs within the Western Peninsula, the Foreign Affairs Department mediated between countries with everything that we had to have other countries interfere in this matter.

“In the end, we forced Eckstedt’s soldiers to retreat the way they came. They signed the contract, and Eckstedt was even forced to relinquish a barren piece of land they occupied before the Bloody Year, which belonged to Constellation in the past.

“I was the signatory for the ‘Fortress Treaty’, I would know this like the back of my hand.”

Thales’ eyes brightened up. “We lost the war, but won the negotiations?”

Gilbert nodded, but there was not a hint of relaxation on his face. “This is the horrible part—instead of saying that this is an agreement, it would be more accurate to say that it is a record of humiliation.”

The carriage moved forward a little more. A number of beggars appeared on the road. Some of them even stretched out their hands towards Jines, who was driving the carriage, but the female official wore a cold expression on her face and ignored all of them. She struck the horses with her whip even faster.

“At the moment when you have won many battles and when you are just a hand’s reach from land and riches, you are forced to withdraw your soldiers and even give up your land due to the cooperation of various countries. This sort of failure is even more humiliating compared to losing a war…

“Many of the suzerains, especially the archdukes in the south and who shared borders with Constellation, were furious, to the point where the ‘Contract’ had even shaken King Nuven’s rule.

“During these ten years, the Great Dragon’s relationship with Constellation had always been chilly. And now, with Northern Territory discovering a large Crystal Drop mine and Eastern Sea having deep sea whales that contain a lot of oil…”

Gilbert sighed.

Thales whispered in his heart, ‘Eckstedt, a country that is still being formed with a nation that is still building their own culture… A country that became unified through the hardships of battle.’

“Eckstedt’s suzerains, or at least the three archdukes that share their borders with us, have always been eager for battle… They long for the large mass of land, resources, and riches that had been within hand’s reach twelve years ago but in the end, were a missed opportunity.”

Gilbert shook his head and looked out the window. Grief appeared in his eyes. “That’s why the Eckstedt Diplomat Group visited our country. They’re determined to restructure the ‘Fortress Treaty’ and rebuild the borders of the two countries.

“Yet now, before the diplomat group reached Eternal Star City, they were killed midway… Can you imagine the situation that will occur in Eckstedt when the news returns to them?”

The carriage ran over a bumpy road, and the entire coach jerked.

Thales frowned. “You think that Eckstedt’s suzerains plotted this disaster? Just so that… they can incite war and snatch our land and our resources?”

Gilbert lifted his head. At that moment, his gaze was incredibly terrifying, and the former Foreign Affairs Minister stated coldly, “It’s worse than that, Eckstedt’s king selection system is where the great suzerains will vote and choose a king… Over the past several decades, the Walton Family has sat on the throne for two full generations… and Nuven the Seventh is definitely not some beauty that everyone loves.”

Thales spoke with sudden realization, “So this is some of Eckstedt’s suzerains’ uniform desire to search for resources beyond their country and change their king?”

Gilbert took special care to guide the kingdom’s only Jadestar Family kin and said lightly, “You’re close, my young Sir. You just need to take one step further in your thoughts. Just one step further. During this period of time where the matter of the diplomat group being assassinated will cause an impact, the pressure of this matter will fall entirely on King Kessel’s shoulders. No matter what decision we make, what sort of answer we give, whether we should fight or form an armistice, what method we would use to approach this matter, whether we should be aggressive or gentle, whether we should preserve our glory and be humiliated, everything will be on His Majesty’s shoulders… Right from the start, all the nobles in Constellation will fix their gazes on Renaissance Palace.”

“Are you saying that…?” Thales asked in a puzzled tone. No matter how much intelligence he possessed, he was not well-versed in the nobles’ rules, he did not understand the significance of this matter.

During that instant, Gilbert’s eyes suddenly turned complicated and profound, causing Thales to be unable to decipher them.

“First of all, conducting this matter might be complicated, but it does not matter whether we fight or choose to form an armistice, His Majesty will not be able to escape from being criticized as a cold-hearted and ruthless king who disregards his people, oppresses the weak, and embarrasses Constellation. This will greatly impact His Majesty and Jadestar Family’s reputation and influence in the kingdom.”

Thales’ pupils contracted. He can finally begin to understand the meaning behind why the situation was worse.

“Next, if he wants to handle this great matter, then His Majesty will need power that surpasses what is possessed in the territories directly under the royal family’s name, be it in terms of military mobilization or national decisions. This means that… His Majesty must obtain the full support of all the suzerains, especially from the Six Great Clans and the thirteen Distinguished Families—this will definitely come at a price!”

Thales’ heart shuddered. ‘A price… Like, the next candidate for the Supreme of Constellation?’

“As such, there are pros and cons to battle. Not only will it bring about danger, it will also cause Constellation’s influence of power to change… Once they go through the baptism of battle, the weak will be cast off, the old will lose their positions, the strong will live, and the living will become even stronger… Some of the suzerains will have death on their heads, and the other half will have new lives.”

Under Gilbert’s brightly burning eyes, Thales sat in the carriage with a dumbfounded expression as he felt the jerks and lurches of the carriage.

“Lastly, there are no children within the royal family. It has been twelve years since Constellation is without an heir.” Gilbert’s voice suddenly rose, “What danger lurking on the country’s doorstep could possibly force His Majesty to select an heir ahead of time so that he could have a backup plan for the country due to possible war? In fact, what if a family with great reputation does an act that complies with public trust and gathers the support from small noble families? Who knows whether they would become the next Jadestar and the next royal family?”

Silence…

Thales looked outside the window with glazed eyes. He understood what Gilbert meant. However, he had been shocked by the frightening truth that had required him exercise his mind vigorously for, he could not get over it even after a long time.

Gilbert saw his expression and shook his head lightly. ‘Let’s hope that this brutal and bloody game that has lasted for thousands of years will not scare off this intelligent and talented young man.’

After some time, Thales hoarsely spoke, “So, this isn’t just Eckstedt’s one-sided desire to fight and change their king. It is also the desire of many people in Constellation—to get rid of the royal family.”

He added his conclusion with much difficulty, “The diplomat group’s assassination… is something that happened because of the various political factors working together like when both ambitious parties in the two countries coordinate together…

“Is that right.” The last few words Thales uttered were a statement.

Gilbert looked at his condition worriedly. In his hesitation, he blinked, but he still said, “With the royal family’s current situation, your existence and subsequent appearance to the public will make you a target whether it is in national or international terms—both represented by the suzerains in the country or Eckstedt, respectively. For the sake of your safety, I will suggest to His Majesty to postpone acknowledging your—”

“Is it worth it?” Thales did not bother with Gilbert’s words. He spoke softly as he interrupted the middle-aged noble.

Gilbert lifted an eyebrow.

Thales asked powerlessly, “Just what sort of person would look forward so eagerly for war to come? This isn’t some game of chess where we take each other’s pieces and count our points by how many pieces we take.”

Thales closed his eyes slowly and clenched his fists. “This is a war. There are living, breathing humans on both sides. They’re standing right before each other, and they’re taking each other’s lives lawfully until one side completely dies… It’s war.

“They’ve gone through the catastrophe that is the Bloody Year, why are people still eager for war? Just for a crown? To enjoy the feeling of having influence and power in your hands in a broken and decaying kingdom, in an infertile land with starving people, and among extremely numbed people? And then they will rule for twenty something years in great difficulty, bleakness, trepidation, and paranoia, before they forcefully pass this misfortune to their descendants?

“Is it worth it?”

Gilbert wanted to answer, but he found himself at a loss for words for a time. Thales shook his head in low spirits as he did not obtain his answer.

However, this might be what history was—the history of human actions.

The coach fell into another round of silence.

The carriage left the bustling King’s Street. More beggars appeared outside the carriage. Jines was forced to use the whip to scare them off.

Gilbert looked at his student with a worried expression and said softly, “This is not war. This is politics. We are all gamblers with ‘winning power’ as the goals in mind. Land and people are simply bargaining chips that we can use in the exchange. Winning and losing is simply the transfer of bargaining chips.

“This is the game between nobles and countries.”

Thales lifted his gaze and giggled helplessly. “Yes, war is the continuation of politics—a Game of Thrones, a feast for the crows.”

‘But I don’t like this.’ Thales thought to himself in a quiet murmur.

The transmigrator shifted his peripheral vision to the view outside the carriage window. There, a beggar with a distressed look extended a hand, feeling the wheel axle.

Seeing this group of beggars in the capital, Thales contemplated, ‘This kingdom is already in tatters- Wait!’

As the carriage passed a brightly burning Everlasting Lamp, Thales’ eyes gained focus, and he instantly saw that beggar’s hand clearly.

The pair of hands were rough and riddled with calluses.

But the calluses were not evenly distributed in the areas that he was used to seeing in the laborers or beggars’ hands—which were at the areas where they usually used their palms to touch or carry heavy items. Instead, they were concentrated on the thumb and index finger, as well as near where the former and latter fingers connected.

The cogwheels in Thales’ brain began turning.

He had seen the same unique calluses on someone else’s hands before.

Jala Charleton.

Thales was stunned. He turned to another beggar, then the third, the fourth…

“Gilbert!”

The middle-aged noble looked over with a puzzled expression…

He could only hear Thales’ quiet voice say, “Something’s wrong, these are not beggars.”

The transmigrator sucked in a deep breath.

“They… They are…”

Yodel’s hoarse voice traveled faintly through the air and completed his sentence. “…Assassins.”

Chapter 52

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“White Eagle Family’s reaction is faster than we have imagined—the Iron Eagle reached Eternal Star City two hours ago. This will give His Majesty a lot of time for prior preparation even before the news spreads.” Zayen elegantly sat in a carriage that bore no crest and was driven by Knight Seychelles. He spoke those words with a cold countenance and looked outside the carriage window.

Another carriage with an equally mysterious identity stopped alongside them. The windows of both carriages were open to make it easier for their owners to converse.

“So what? No matter how fast a fish swims, it will not be able to avoid the current. This is a fated current His Majesty must face.” A shrill voice rang from the other carriage.

“But there is a problem to our information,” Zayen said coldly, “There is an unexpected, important personage in the diplomat group… the consequences are direr than we have imagined.”

“You want to give up?”

Zayen paused for a moment and took a deep breath. “No, not at all. The plan will continue.”

‘There is no way to turn back now, is there?’

The shrill voice said nonchalantly, “Good, then. The general edict has already been issued. The nobles will be arriving one by one soon. During that time, Eckstedt’s official response would probably have arrived—to mobilize the army, claim territory and threaten war. Guess how His Majesty would react? To swallow the humiliation for a greater cause, or to send our kingdom into hell with no regards for anything?

“And to conduct something this major, all of you are really ruthless…”

Zayen lowered his head, sighed and then shook his head lightly. “Just like your family motto—’power from violence’. This is a necessary step. I must confirm your attitude and stance—you kept refusing to participate in ‘New Star’, and this has made us very perplexed.”

The other voice laughed loudly. “It seems like you are very confident in yourself! I cannot blame you for that. Think about this—for the young, elegant and well-mannered Zayen Covendier, the Mayor of Jade City and the Guardian Duke of South Coast, to be made heir by His Majesty! Such a marvelous scene!”

Zayen said in earnest sincerity, “We are willing to promise with our family’s honor that your people’s rule in the Western Desert will not be shaken by anyone. All of you might even benefit from the decay of the Northern Territory. And it is not necessarily myself… Constellation might also adopt the king selection system, is that not so?”

He spoke slowly and softly as he leaned forward slightly, “And as one of the six, you are bound to be a candidate.”

A silence of more than ten seconds descended between the two carriages.

The shrill voice said slyly, “Very well, from this moment on, you have my assurance. If Constellation comes to that, without any accident, the Fakenhaz family will definitely become a force to be reckoned with.”

Zayen softly clenched his fists. He suppressed the impatience in his heart. ‘This man… Still unwilling to rashly place his bet.

‘He can’t be thinking that Fakenhaz has a chance, too? Or is he simply swinging to the other few families? Cullen? Nanchester? Or the very impossible Tabark?’

“I will remember it… Fakenhaz’s stance,” the Master of Tricolor Isis Flowers said plainly.

Even though Zayen kept his composure, he dreaded the person in the other carriage very much. In his list, this man’s threat level was only behind the plump Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, and surpassed Nanchester’s One-Eyed Dragon.

The shrill voice laughed loudly again and continued to speak, “I am greatly honored, Zayen, soon to be Your Majesty! I heard that lately, you have been deeply bothered by the matters of Blood Bottle Gang. Are you people not working together to control the gangs? The old man from the Cullen family is just standing idly like this?”

Having heard the words ‘Your Majesty’, Zayen frowned and pouted obscurely. “Thank you for your concern, everything is under control. This will be all for today, I still need to head to Renaissance Palace. As for you, you should be in the Ruins right now to personally receive His Majesty’s edict.”

“Do not concern yourself. Fakenhaz is never absent.” The shrill voice suddenly became cold.

“Very well, Sir Fakenhaz. I look forward to seeing you again,” Zayen uttered one last sentence.

The shrill voice laughed and said, “Yes. I look forward to it too, the reunion of the nineteen Noble Families in the capital city, after twelve years… haha.”

The two carriages began moving respectively and went in opposite directions, going further and further away from each other.

Zayen lowered his head and shut his eyes, massaging his nose bridge gently.

Seychelles’ voice rang from the front window. “Sir, something is wrong up ahead.”

Zayen gently opened his eyes.

A distance away outside the carriage, intense and strange sharp sounds rang.

Seychelles let go of the whip with one hand and held the sword at his waist. He spoke coldly, “It seems like a carriage is being attacked by assassins.”

…..

“Keep calm.” Looking at the beggars on both sides of the street (whether lying down or standing), Gilbert leaned forward with an indifferent countenance and opened a little window in front of the coach. After hesitating for a moment, he softly spoke in a steady tone, “Madam Jines, there is an anomaly around us.”

From the little window, Thales could clearly see that Jines’ figure trembling.

She slowly spoke, “… Assassins? Coming for the child?”

For some reason, Thales could detect some unstable emotions from Jines’ words. He also noticed Gilbert looking worriedly at Jines’ figure.

“…Might not be,” the middle-aged noble said softly.

‘Might not be?’

Thales checked for JC’s dagger at his waist. Having heard this, he could not help but become panic-stricken.

‘But even Yodel confirmed that they are assassins. Why is Gilbert telling Jines that it “might not be”?’

“Prepare to increase the speed and break away at any time. But before they really take action, Jines, you must keep calm! You must! Remember, they might not be assassins,” the middle-aged noble spoke very solemnly. He seemed to realize that what he said to Jines did not sound quite right, and immediately added another sentence. “Yodel, you as well!”

“Are they coming for me?” Thales asked with a somber countenance.

Gilbert sat down, surveyed the carriage with a sharp gaze and softly said, “The situation is unclear for now. Theoretically, it is impossible for your existence and whereabouts to be divulged. But please prepare for the worst.”

Even though he could not be seen, Yodel’s raspy voice echoed strangely beside his ears. “At least seven of them. Skilled in hiding and well-trained, placed along the road leading to Renaissance Palace.”

“I am prepared and will increase the speed anytime. Sit tight.” Jines’ voice rang, sending a chill down Thales’ spine when he heard it.

“Jines, calm down!” Even Gilbert seemed a little off. He said these words to Jines solemnly.

At that moment, even the most inexperienced Thales could feel that something was not right with Jines. The carriage rounded a corner, traversing from mud road to brick road—they would be reaching the Central Region after two more turns.

Then…

An old beggar who was just groaning on the floor to their left suddenly changed his expression. He chased them on all fours and came up beside one of the horses. He extended his hands towards Jines and begged.

*Crack!*

There was a whipping sound and the entire carriage then sped up without warning, rocking vigorously!

Gilbert’s countenance changed greatly. He pounced towards the front part of the carriage and without caring about Thales’ reaction, loudly shouted, “Jines, no! Wait—”

However, it was too late.

Jines shouted furiously from the driving seat. “Come! Shameless people!”

Along with the sharp turn of Jines’ wrist, the whip hit the old beggar’s body and rang furiously.

*Snap!*

The force was great and a trickle of blood flew from the beggar’s body. Along with his blood, the old beggar flew five meters away. A scimitar fell from his sleeve.

When the stunned Thales was still trying to figure out what happened, a beggar behind the carriage suddenly leaped with a dagger in his hands. He cried furiously, “It happened. Attack!”

From among the beggars and squatters, more than ten figures pounced towards the carriage! Thales’ countenance changed drastically. ‘There’re more than seven assassins!’

Unfortunately, when he was able to count the number of assassins clearly, the enemy had already commenced the attack.

The two horses were the first to be assaulted. While rolling past the carriage, two assassins cut through the horses’ stomachs. Blood splattered out together with the sad cries of the black steeds.

Amid Jines’ furious yells and whipping, the carriage continued moving forward from the inertia, but then immediately ran onto the fallen horses. The entire coach began to roll towards its side.

Jines leaped up forcefully and whipped an assassin beside her. The assassin fell back on the ground.

Her countenance was frenzied. Clenching her teeth, she pulled out the long sword from her waist and turned back around, thrusting it into the left chest of an assassin behind her.

*Thump!*

The coach finally fell onto its side on the road. The moment the carriage fell, Thales was hugged tightly by Gilbert and sheltered under his body. Along with the movement of the carriage, they fell beside the window. Three assassins leaped onto the overturned coach!

As Thales dizzily got onto his feet, Gilbert pressed him to the side.

*Crack!*

It was not the assassins, but Gilbert, who began attacking. Calmly, he pulled out his staff, raised his arm and waved it, completely shattering the glass window above them.

Shards of glass flew upwards. The three assassins subconsciously raised their arms to protect their eyes.

Gilbert’s staff extended outwards like a poisonous snake. A sharp blade popped out of the tip of the staff and executed precise strikes. Holding his neck, an assassin fell.

Thales held his head tightly. He could feel tiny shards of glass falling around him.

Two long swords extended into the coach and aimed for Thales. However, they were deflected by the Noble Rapier in Gilbert’s left hand with marvelous skill and strength.

*Slash!* One blade thrust into the sofa on Thales’ left and another swept past his right arm, thrusting into the air. Thales clenched his teeth, feeling the icy-cold sensation on his right arm.

One of the assassins saw the situation inside the coach. He spoke in surprise, “No…”

However, before the assassin could finish, he was cut off.

Yodel appeared behind the two assassins like a ghost and cut through their necks from the back with a dark-colored short sword.

The two shabbily-dressed assassins immediately went limp and plopped down.

“Take him away!” Gilbert growled furiously. Shielding off the falling shards of glass, he pressed on the coach and flung himself out of the carriage.

Yodel grabbed Thales’ belt and fished him out of the coach.

Between Jines’ furious growls, Thales saw the situation around him clearly. Under the illumination of Eternal Lamps, seven or eight assassins who were dressed as beggars dragged their long shadows and pounced towards the overturned carriage!

Passersby ran off in the midst of shrill screams and wails. The street was suddenly in chaos.

Gilbert kicked a piece of carriage debris at the nearest assassin. He then forced back a knife-wielding assassin to his left with two swords.

Yodel moved quickly and slashed open the throat of an assassin who pounced towards him. He then enveloped Thales in his embrace. As he prepared to enter the Path of Shadows, something strange happened!

*Crack-!*

A shrill explosion rang through the air!

Yodel’s hand suddenly released Thales.

*Crack—*

It was an extremely high-pitched, piercing sound!

At that moment, Thales clenched his molars in pain. He felt as though the sound was making his head explode.

‘Damn! What is this sound?’

He subconsciously covered his ears. However, that intense sound was like magic, crawling into his brain regardless of any obstructions.

*Crack—*

The sound was still continuing. Jines and Gilbert seemed to be greatly affected, their faces distorted, and they moved contortedly. Amid the quaking, Jines even cut her left arm on a blade.

*Screech—*

The magic sound became more and more intense.

Yodel trembled, trying to resist the invasion of the sound. His head was lowered and Thales knew that he was speaking. However, the transmigrator could not hear it at all as his mind was filled with the tormenting sound.

Thales narrowed his eyes, enduring the pain in his eardrums and covering his ears with all his might. When he raised his head, he was shocked to see that the assassins could still move freely, although they looked like they were in pain. Five of them extended their hands towards their backs and took out a weapon. They aimed their weapons at Thales and the Masked Protector.

‘Crossbows.’

A surge of coldness passed through Thales’ heart. He did not doubt anymore that this was a carefully planned assassination.

The strings of the crossbows vibrated at the same time.

In the thick of the magic sound, the pull of the bowstrings on the crossbows could not be heard. However, five elongated black shadows appeared in Thales’ sight at the same time.

The next moment, Thales was thrown a few meters away by Yodel.

*Screech—*

Amid the tormenting magic sound and the squall, Thales saw with despair that the black shadows were shooting at the Masked Protector.

As Thales twirled, he saw Yodel’s figure suddenly tremble.

‘No. Yodel… Yodel Cato,’ Thales thought fearfully.

Thales fell on the ground, then tumbled twice.

*Screech—* The magic sound became nearer and nearer.

He covered his ears, and managed to stand up—in pain and trembling. However, there was a shabbily dressed figure in front of him.

It was an unkempt, young beggar who had a delicate and childish appearance. He was not much older than Thales.

His lips were parted and vibrated at a high frequency.

As he approached, the sound also neared. With a cold countenance, the beggar took out a dagger from his waist.

Thales, who was clenching his teeth and enduring the magic sound understood something.

Based on the instinct he had acquired after practicing for almost a month, he subconsciously placed his right foot to the back and raised his left arm. He then shifted his weight backwards and assumed the standard Northland Military Sword Style position.

One of the three defense styles—Iron Body Style.

Amid the magic sound, the dagger quickly thrust towards him and pierced through his left arm.

Pain invaded Thales. He clenched his teeth, knowing he had made the right choice.

The young beggar was a little stunned, but he immediately widened his mouth at Thales. As his lips and tongue vibrated, the magic sound became even higher pitched.

*Screech-*

The sensation at that split second made Thales shut his eyes tightly.

He shouted wildly and futilely, almost feeling like digging his eardrums out!

Amid the intensely vibrating air, it was as though every single cell on Thales’ body began trembling.

He felt himself becoming hot, like food heated up with a microwave.

‘Stop!’

He quickly retracted his arms and instinctively covered his ears.

‘Stop!’

The dagger was pulled out of his left arm with a splattering of blood.

‘Stop!’

Thales pulled his face in pain, kneeling down surrounded by the terrifying magic sound.

‘Stop!’

The dagger was thrust towards his throat again.

‘Quickly stop!’

At the last moment, Thales opened his eyes in despair and saw that the young assassin’s cold-blooded face was slowly distorting into another blurred face.

It was a girl with long eyelashes. She widened her bright eyes and looked at him curiously.

“Eh? Your name is Wu Qiren? What a weird name. My name? Why don’t you guess…?”

The transmigrator trembled and extended his hand towards the bleary face. Excitement and boiling heat simultaneously rushed into his heart.

He suddenly felt pain in his left shoulder, and the magic sound ringing beside his ears became louder, making the girl’s subsequent words inaudible. Her blurred lips opened and closed.

‘Stop.’

He muttered without realizing it.

‘Stop. I can’t hear her anymore! Stop.’

His extended hand suddenly made a grabbing motion, and it was as if he grabbed something out of thin air.

‘Stop.’

He muttered.

And then…

The magic sound really stopped.

His head no longer felt as if in disorder.

His eardrums were not in pain anymore.

And the scene in front of his eyes returned to normal as Thales opened his tremblingly opened his eyes.

The dagger that thrust at his throat was now lodged in his left shoulder.

While the owner of the dagger, the young assassin, held onto the handle and kneeled, devoid of energy.

Facing him, the young assassin collapsed into Thales’ embrace. The corner of his lips convulsed and his whole body trembled.

Thales looked at him in bewilderment.

The young assassin’s face became paler and paler. He stared into Thales’ eyes, his gaze filled with bewilderment and confusion.

‘Why?’

Thales could read this message from his gaze.

Gasping heavily and enduring the pain in his shoulder, Thales stared at him in surprise. The transmigrator also wanted to know why, only a moment ago, the murderous Psionic assassin… wait.

‘Wait. This is…?’

Thales held the young man as he panted and lowered his head. The transmigrator held up his warm right hand in the space between their arms and bodies.

He looked at the warm and wet thing in his hand as he trembled. It was an irregularly-shaped red ball. There were a lot of tubes sticking out of it.

It seemed to be… trembling too?

Thales focused his gaze. He saw it clearly.

His gray pupils immediately contracted!

In Thales’ past life, he did not do very well in his high school biology classes. After entering university and becoming a postgraduate student, his biology knowledge decayed even more rapidly.

But that did not stop him from recognizing the object in his hand.

It was a blazing hot, still beating… blood-red and wet… heart.

The blood vessel between its two atriums, unable to absorb any blood, convulsed abruptly.

Thales subconsciously looked towards his chest, then looked at the young assassin’s chest. However, their chests were both whole and unharmed, without a single drop of blood.

*Ba-bump… Ba… bump…*

The heart beat softer and softer.

Slower and slower.

After being stunned for a few seconds, Thales trembled suddenly. The bloody, fresh heart slid from his hands and dropped between the young assassin’s knees.

The young assassin’s breathing became weaker and weaker. Pale-faced, it was as though he recognized his fate.

“Lucy…” He groaned lethargically beside Thales’ ear.

That was his final word. Until he stopped moving.

Thales could finally hear the sound of fighting beside him again.

His entire body trembling, the transmigrator extended his hand that was drenched in warm blood. He endured the pain and, with great effort, pulled out the dagger from his left shoulder. He threw it aside without looking at it and escaped from the young assassin while rolling and crawling.

The young assassin’s corpse fell face-down powerlessly. He pressed down… on that heart.

His own heart.

‘What… is this? Did I ‘lose control’ again?’

Thales shuddered and remembered Yodel, who was surrounded and attacked by bows and arrows.

He instinctively turned his head around, but aside from the assassins’ corpses beside the carriage, there was nothing else.

Thales was still in pain. His ears twitched from the sound… Another assassin fell beside him.

At the instant the magic sound disappeared, the assassins noticed the bizarre situation in the corner. As Gilbert and Jines’ continued their efforts to hold them back, someone finally freed himself and rushed over to provide assistance.

The assassin that came over as support looked at the boy lying on the ground in shock, then looked at Thales before he flung his right hand without hesitation. A hidden blade under his wrist appeared.

Thales reached out towards JC’s dagger and thought about the possibilities between defending and fleeing.

‘Perhaps…’ He cast a glance at the young assassin’s corpse, ‘I can use that power…’

Right at that moment, intense pain burst forth all over Thales’ body!

“Urk!”

Thales grit his teeth and fell to the side. It was as if someone was ripping his soul apart!

‘No! No!’

However, the assassin did not bother with his condition. He only thrust his hidden blade towards Thales coldly… But at that moment, Thales could not even be bothered worrying about the safety of his own life.

He had never experienced this sort of pain before. It was as if every single part of his body was crying out in protest!

“Ah!”

In the end, Thales could not handle the excruciating pain, which made him feel as if he was being tortured. He screamed, convulsing, and could only watch as the enemy’s hidden blade attacked him.

‘Is this the end? So painful. So… so painful.

‘That strength is truly… not without consequences.’

However…

*Stab!*

Right before the assassin managed to have his attack land, a tall and slender figure appeared behind him.

Before the assassin could even manage to turn around, a long sword that came charging towards him pierced through his brain.

Thales, who collapsed on the floor, lifted his head while on the verge of death.

A young, round-faced noble with elegant movements and who paid great attention to detail with his clothes, walked forth from behind the assassin. The young noble frowned, then wiped off the liquid on his sword on the assassin’s clothes.

The pain receded like a tidal wave.

When he felt that the pain had temporarily faded, Thales sucked in a sharp breath like a drowning man. He looked at the noble’s shoulder, and then a shiver so strong that it caused even his vision to sway wracked his body.

There was an embroidered, complicated, flower-patterned heraldry. Thales recognized it.

Red, blue, green, three petals.

Tricolor Iris Flower.

Chapter 53

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

That extreme pain that began from the inside of the body and extended to the outside had already disappeared from Thales’ body.

Pressing on the wound on his left arm and shoulder, Thales panted with difficulty and looked at the young noble before him.

“Thank… thank you.”

A distance away, Lord Seychelles’ sword sparkled. He nimbly finished off the last assassin.

Near the overturned carriage, Jines shrugged away Seychelles’ supporting hand. With a cold expression, she walked towards an assassin on the floor who was not completely dead yet. Under the knight’s furrowed brows, she exerted great strength and thrust her sword between the assassin’s eyes.

The unrelated passersby had already escaped and dispersed. Amid the chaos and dead bodies on the street, Thales could not find the Masked Protector’s figure. He could only hope that he survived the double-attack of the magic sound and the arrows. After all, Yodel was a supreme class elite.

On the floor, the exhausted Gilbert looked towards their direction anxiously.

However, ever since he saw the Iris Flower emblem, Thales knew that his most urgent task at hand was to deal with the young noble who saved his life, along with his follower—the knight who could defeat the assassins with ease, and was obviously not a simple retinue.

Iris Flower. Gilbert had only started educating Thales on noble heraldry and their emblems. However, this did not prevent him from understanding the meaning behind this emblem.

When he was kidnapped by the Blood Clan, the waving flag in Vine Manor told Thales that whatever family the flower symbolized, it probably did not have very good feelings towards the Jadestar Royal Family.

“… Those people…” Thales’ face was panic-stricken, just like a typical seven-year-old child who had just faced danger and had not calmed down yet. He spoke fearfully, “Those people suddenly just pounced towards us…”

‘This child could travel together with the king’s lover and his closest attendant—who is also the former Foreign Affairs Minister…’ Zayen thought, ‘and was almost assassinated on the way to the Central Region. Who is he? Could he be an unforeseen circumstance who might affect the plan?’

“Child, do not be afraid, it is alright now.” The young, round-faced noble smiled and placed his sword back into its sheath.

Looking at the seven-year old boy, he elegantly said, “Assassins are creatures that live in the dark. Away from the dark, they are completely harmless and are good for nothing.

“I am Zayen Covendier, one of the thousands of nobles in this kingdom. As long as I am around, I will not allow them to hurt you. And child, may I know who you are?” Zayen asked politely and raised his brows.

‘Me…?’

Beneath his shaken appearance, Thales took a deep breath and contemplated the situation at hand, ‘I have not made an official appearance, and am not recognized as a Jadestar yet. However, I am definitely a thorn in the flesh of those nobles who have the potential to be crowned.

‘Before reaching the palace, I must not reveal my identity.’

Thales looked towards Gilbert.

When Gilbert saw Zayen, even his hat fell. The former Foreign Affairs Minister’s body was shaky and covered in injuries. However, he braced himself with his staff and limped from afar.

‘He’s still a distance away, and can’t explain on my behalf,’ Thales thought, ‘But right now…’

He looked towards Zayen. With a skeptical gaze, the latter waited for his answer.

Looking at Thales, who did not utter a single word, Zayen’s suspicions grew.

The young duke glanced around and saw Gilbert, who was some distance away.

‘Is he hesitating? Or does he indeed have a fishy identity and is waiting for Caso to come to his rescue?’

“Are you waiting for Count Caso?” Zayen smiled. “To be personally escorted by the kingdom’s most outstanding Foreign Affairs Minister ever, you seem like you have quite the background, child.”

Having felt Zayen’s suspicions, the boy knew that he could not bluff his way through anymore. Otherwise, even if Gilbert helped conceal his identity, the noble with the Iris Flower emblem would not easily believe it.

“I am- I am Thales.” Thales searched through his memory for his supposed identity and adapted it to his current circumstances. With the kind of fear that can only be found in a seven-year-old child, he slowly said, “They all say that I am… that I am Lord Mahn’s illegitimate child.”

“Mahn?” Zayen’s gaze flickered. “The kingdom’s warrior in the Desert War, Lord Soren Mahn who died in combat at the Western frontline a year ago?”

‘The “Frontline Charger”, Mahn’s illegitimate child? Hasn’t Mahn’s territory and manor already been taken back?’ He frowned slightly.

Thales was slowly sweating from his palms. Gilbert only told him about the basic state of affairs in Mahn Manor. He never told him about what sort of person Lord Mahn was.

“I don’t know, they don’t really tell me about… my father,” Thales said sadly as he lowered his head.

Gilbert finally arrived in front of them. With a shocked and worried expression, the former Foreign Affairs Minister trembled as he bowed towards Zayen. “Thank you for your generous help. I did not expect to see you here, Duke Covendier.”

Zayen immediately took a step forward and held on to Gilbert, whose body was full of injuries and was on the verge of collapsing. This time, his gaze was especially earnest.

“Count Caso, I would prefer to encounter you in another occasion and talk as we drink, rather than this despicable assassination where I lend you a helping hand,” he said earnestly.

Zayen quietly recalled the identity of this man. ‘Count Gilbert Caso… The Cunning Fox of Constellation.

‘This was how other kingdoms, with Eckstedt starting with it, addressed Count Caso after the “Fortress Treaty [1]” was formed. At the time, he was still a viscount who recently inherited his father’s title. This is adequate proof of the man’s wisdom and tactics.

‘Twelve years ago, as Constellation’s negotiator, he skillfully maneuvered the conference table between kingdoms and thwarted the Great Dragon of the North’s intentions to push southwards.

‘He was also the first noble who was promoted from viscount to count purely on the basis of diplomatic achievements.

‘When news spread that the negotiation was successful, almost all of Constellation celebrated wildly. They joyously celebrated the end of the Bloody Year.

‘If it weren’t for political reasons, Gilbert, who was unbeatable in the political scene at the time, would have most certainly become King Kessel’s next Prime Minister. That old Cullen wouldn’t have stood a chance. He is a rare talent in Constellation. If one day, I become… He would be of great help.’ Zayen contemplated.

Zayen quickly put on a stern and serious expression. “I will instruct the police station to not let go of this sordid assassination, no matter the reason! The perpetrator must pay the price!”

Similarly, Gilbert was also surmising the young duke from one of the Six Great Clans—the Covendier Family—and whom was promoted only two years ago.

Two years ago, when the old duke passed away in that regrettable family tragedy, everyone thought that the visibly declining Covendier family, along with the prosperous South Coast Hill, would be scattered and divided due to the endless internal strife.

His Majesty had even written an edict after reaching an agreement with the other families, preparing to intervene in this internal family strife to obtain benefits. That was until this young duke, who at the time was rumored to be at odds with his family, returned from his travels in the faraway Eastern Peninsula.

Facing pressure from three of his powerful cousins and to the surprise of all the nobles, Zayen reunited Tricolor Iris Flowers and the South Coast—making them one of the most honorable families and one of the most affluent powers in Constellation once more.

Gilbert chose his words carefully. “Sir Covendier, I will always remember your kind deed. However, before that, I have to…”

At that moment, Thales, who was beside them, suddenly spoke up and interrupted their respective thoughts.

“Sir Caso,” as the two men looked at him, the seven-year-old Thales sadly lowered his head and said in a reluctant tone, “I… I don’t feel like inheriting Mahn Manor anymore.”

The tired Gilbert’s gaze flickered. ‘Thales, he is reminding me,’ he thought.

“I am only an illegitimate child who has only seen my father’s face a few times. I don’t have many rights anyway. And…” Thales tremblingly raised his head, his eyes were filled with frightened tears. “What happened just now, I don’t want to experience it again. I just want to be the Thales without a family name again!”

Gilbert sighed. With Zayen staring at him, his eyes shone. “Child, I understand what you are feeling. To be caught in the whirlwind of inheritance will never be a pleasant memory—we are truly grateful of your help, Your Grace—however, this is His Majesty’s order.”

“Your Grace, we must rush to Renaissance Palace immediately.” Standing aside, Jines finished bandaging up her wounds and walked towards them with an unpleasant expression, cutting off their conversation. She did not dare to actually look at Thales and Gilbert. Instead, with an overbearing expression, she insisted on leaving.

However, as she was about to grab Thales, Seychelles stopped her arm midair. The latter looked at the young duke without any emotion on his face and waited for his decision.

Zayen narrowed his eyes and spoke with considerable grace, “Forgive me for interrupting, so, this boy… Thales, is going to inherit the Mahn Family assets?”

Gilbert looked at Thales with a complicated gaze. “This is a task from His Majesty, and we were not supposed to disclose it. However, since the master of Tricolor Iris Flowers is enquiring…” Gilbert sighed and nodded. “His Majesty ordered us to bring this child before him, so that his father’s inheritance, including the Mahn Manor can be transferred to him.

“You know Lord Mahn emerged as a power to be reckoned with during the Desert War, and had a deep friendship with His Majesty during his lifetime. After he died in combat, all his territories and assets were committed to the royal family’s care… Until someone discovered his illegitimate child.” Gilbert continued to weave the lie without batting an eyelid.

“Obviously, there is a party that is not very satisfied with Lord Mahn’s heir…” Gilbert looked at the ground that was littered with the assassin corpses and put on a worried face. “You know, the manor is extremely large. And after Lord Mahn rose to power, a lot of relatives appeared out of thin air.”

Zayen stared at Thales, his gaze was frozen on the boy for two seconds.

‘The orphaned illegitimate son of the hero? To enter Renaissance Palace? To receive a title from His Majesty, and inherit his father’s wealth? At this time?’

He glanced at Jines. ‘And… With the company of the Head of Female Officials, who is also His Majesty’s lover?’

A distance away, bustling noises and synchronized, advancing footsteps could be heard.

The City Defense Team and police force had finally arrived.

Jines’ composure was obviously anxious while Gilbert maintained his visage. However, Thales knew that Gilbert definitely did not want him exposed under the public eye. Even if it was with the identity of ‘Lord Mahn’s illegitimate son’.

As the other three were anxiously waiting, Zayen suddenly flashed a smile. “I see, no wonder His Majesty placed so much emphasis on this. Lord Mahn was not only His Majesty’s battle companion, but also Constellation’s hero. His kin most definitely should not be left to deal with ugly conspiracies.”

Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

Zayen then said worriedly, “However, both of you are quite heavily injured. Fortunately, the City Defense Team and police force are here. The two of you can obtain treatment and assistance from them, and must also explain what happened in the assassination clearly from start to finish.

Zayen spoke plainly, “As for this child, since it is His Majesty’s order, you can entrust him to me. I am heading towards Renaissance Palace.”

Gilbert and Jines’ expressions changed.

“Your Grace! That is too much trouble for you!” Gilbert’s looked stern as he spoke decisively, “And this is my duty—”

“This child’s safety should be the top priority! He has already survived an assassination!” Zayen said, his tone filled with emotion. He kneeled on one knee and tore out a piece of cloth from his sleeve, bandaging Thales’ wounds. “And the hero’s orphan deserves this from me.”

Thales’ expression became stiff.

Zayen thought coldly, ‘This excuse is too clumsy. To dispatch his most trusted attendant and his lover to fetch the orphan of a low-level noble at such a pivotal moment? Even though that noble is the king’s battle companion whom had experienced life and death scenarios together! There must be something suspicious about that boy!’

Zayen nodded at them while as he smiled, putting on an expression that told them not to worry. “With Tricolor Iris Flowers’ name and Seychelles ability, he will definitely be safe.”

Sensing Zayen’s gaze, Thales felt a surge of coldness run up his upper back.

“Zayen Covendier!” Jines furiously took a step forward, but was halted by Seychelles and his sword.

“Step back, madam.” The supreme class knight did not budge at all, his gaze was cold. “This is the duke’s will, and also my mission.”

Gilbert’s brows were furrowed very tightly. Facing the duke and the supreme class knight, he anxiously thought of ways to handle the situation.

“Sir Covendier! This is not appropriate!” Gilbert had never spoken with such a stern tone before, “This is His Majesty’s…”

“My respect towards His Majesty cannot be doubted by anyone!” Zayen said loudly, staring intently at Thales, “However, it is obvious that my carriage and guard are more suitable for His Majesty’s duty compared to all of you, who are covered in injuries.”

Zayen turned his head, and his words were foreboding. “Or is it because all of you are hiding something else from me?”

Gilbert was momentarily at a loss for words while Jines threw a cold glare and held the handle of the sword at her waist tightly—she was already prepared to snatch Thales back.

Thales also became anxious. ‘Follow this person? How is that possible! But due to Yodel’s disappearance, using brute force would only be counterproductive. What do I do?’

Thales frantically contemplated all the possible solutions, including the power within himself!

‘What do I do?’

Having seen the three people’s reactions, Zayen was even surer of his own assumptions. He smiled, a little mockingly, “Child, you don’t have to be anxious. His Majesty is known for being righteous and impartial. And since you are Lord Mahn’s heir, is it not perfectly justified for you to inherit your father’s assets?

“You should be proud of your father, his brave assault in that sacrificial battle rescued us from the entire Desert War. Please allow me to escort you as a sign of my respect towards the hero.”

Seeing Zayen’s bright smile, Thales felt his skin crawl, he could not think of a strategy. It seemed that the solemn Gilbert and the anxious Jines could not think of one either.

The corner of Zayen’s lips curled up. He stood up and extended his right hand as a sign of invitation. “Please go ahead… young Sir Thales?”

Thales took a deep breath and glanced at the middle-aged noble and the female official. ‘It seems that there’s no other way.’

At this moment, the people who made those synchronized footsteps finally entered their field of vision.

There were at least a dozen skilled warriors, who were completely silent and moved with precision. They were equipped with iron armors, long swords, silver shields, steel helmets, and even mystic guns and specialized infantry crossbows. Grand and magnificent, they walked into the scene in synchrony and surrounded everyone there.

Everyone’s expressions changed at the same time.

Seychelles was the first one to clearly see the equipment and emblem on those warriors. With an unpleasant expression, he went near the duke and said in a low voice, “They are not from the police force and the city defense team! They are the Royal Guards!”

Zayen’s countenance immediately turned extremely unpleasant. Gilbert and Jines both clearly saw the person who led the murderous, skilled warriors.

Both of their faces relaxed.

That person was a short figure wearing a cloak, the head and face tightly wrapped up. “In the name of Constellation’s…”

Thales then noticed that the voice beneath that cloak belonged to a young woman. The short and small figure took a step forward and scratched her head. “In the name of that supreme king…”

However, the owner of that voice seemed to be unfamiliar with the situation, and was also a little unacquainted with this manner of speech. She continued shouting, “In the name of Ke- Kes- Kessel- what was it- Jade- ah it’s so hard to pronounce! In short, in the name of your king!”

Under Thales’ stunned gaze, the short and small figure placed her hand on her hip, then raised a hand and pointed, one by one, at the people there, speaking furiously, “Take Madam Jines, that gray-faced uncle, and that little brat…

“And send all of them to his palace!”

Translator’s Note:

1. Fortress Treaty, previously known as Garrison Contract: Hello, after some debate with the group, Garrison Contract has been changed to Fortress Treaty. It is due to an inconsistency with one of our other locations: Broken Dragon Fortress, and since it was directly related to the treaty, we thought it was only right for us to change the name. We apologize for the previous error.

Chapter 54

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Thales, who was quite heavily injured, was piggybacked by a member of the Royal Guards. Despite the dizziness from the rocking, he was advancing at the same speed as the battalion.

The pain in his left shoulder and left arm roused him from his unconsciousness.

‘Where am I?’ He shook his head with force.

Thales only realized after a while that he could not think straight. He was escorted by the entire team of skilled Royal Guards, led by the cloaked woman, and advanced steadily amid their marching steps.

On the other hand, Gilbert and Jines were walking alongside the cloaked woman. It seemed like they were conversing in a low voice. Thales inhaled deeply, and with fatigue weighing him down heavily, raised his head and looked around.

They passed by a stately, grayish black palace wall which was continuous, long and seemingly endless. The body of the wall was mottled with different hues and worn at some parts. It seemed to have been here for a long time.

With synchronized steps, the Royal Guards reached a gigantic, steel portcullis that was controlled using complicated brake cables. Under more than ten huge city defense ballistae atop of the palace wall, the Royal Guards were only allowed entry after exchanging secret codes with the sentries who kept a tight watch.

Thales opened his mouth dumbfounded. He stared at the starlit and moon-bathed sky in a daze. The ground beneath his feet went from muddy road, to coarse, stone floor, then to beautiful tiles specially paved by some unknown material. The Everlasting Lamps on both sides became increasingly larger, more intricate, and brighter.

When they arrived, a magnificent, pyramid-shaped building that resembled a gigantic slope appeared abruptly before his eyes. Members of the Royal Guards were posted every few yards apart from each other, teams upon teams of patrol soldiers and busy servants nodded in greeting towards them. Thales suddenly realized that they had arrived…

At Eternal Star City’s tallest, largest, most magnificent, and also most distinguished building.

Thales’ expression relaxed. He lowered his head again.

…..

When he awoke once more, it was the following morning.

Thales realized that he was wearing a set of coarse pajamas and lying on a stone bed with a soft mattress on it.

A little startled, he flexed his already bandaged left hand and left shoulder. Having felt that he was not doing too badly, he lightly leaped down from the stone bed and stepped on the floor that was made of a similar ice-cold stone material.

The icy temperature and crude tactility could be felt from beneath his feet. Thales furrowed his brows. He took a few steps forward and touched the similarly cold stone wall as he sized up the place.

The ceiling was not high, but it was, surprisingly, made of the same stone material as the wall, floor, and bed. It radiated with a faint chillness.

He walked towards the windowsill and opened the wooden window. A cold wind poured in and made him tremble.

Fortunately, the winter sun shone luxuriously from the tall stone windowsill and into the purely stone-made room.

However, compared to the warm Mindis Hall, even the daytime and sunlight could not chase away the uncomfortably cold and wet feeling of this room.

‘Just like… Just like in Abandoned House.’

Thales heart stirred, and he recalled the place he stayed at for four years. He looked out of the window.

The boy immediately gasped.

The moment he stuck his head out, he looked downwards and saw the ant-like crowds, carriages the size of nails, houses as small as chest lattices, and streets that looked like fine striations. Without doubt, this room was situated somewhere extremely high up, overlooking the capital city’s fascinating scenery.

‘Just like my past life,’ he told himself.

At that moment, the only door—made of thick wood—in the room was pushed open.

The first-grade female official, Jines Bajkovic, appeared at the entrance.

“Madam Jines?” Seeing a familiar person, Thales immediately felt a lot more at ease.

“Looks like you are recovering well.” Jines’ face was a little pale and she did not seem to have much energy. However, she was still strong enough to hold herself up.

‘This is far more than well…’ Jines thought, ‘He was just stabbed by a dagger yesterday and today… even orcs don’t possess it this ability to recover.’

She sighed.

“By the way, Jines- Erm, Madam Jines!” Out of anxiousness, Thales forgot to use honorifics. He hastily took a step forward. “Yesterday… Yodel and Gilbert…”

Jines extended a hand and cut Thales off. She quietly said, “Don’t worry. Gilbert is with His Majesty. They have something to take care of. As for Yodel, he is still alive…”

‘Still alive?’ Thales was stunned. ‘Does it mean that…’

Jines seemed to have realized that her words were a little too much. She immediately corrected herself, “He was struck by a few crossbow arrows and is recuperating now. Yesterday, it was also thanks to his timely warning to His Majesty’s other secret protector that the Royal Guards could arrive in time.

With complicated emotions, Thales sighed in relief. ‘Fortunately… That wasn’t the last time… The Masked Protector… lived.’

Thales then recalled his conversation with Yodel last night.

The question that Yodel did not answer, and the myriad of doubts associated with him.

Thales also thought of the innocent children who were killed in Abandoned House and his heart darkened.

‘Why… Why did Yodel just stand by and watch them die? Was it…?’

Thales sighed. No matter what the answer to the question was, after last night’s alarming and dangerous incident, and after Yodel sacrificed his life to save him…

But the matter stuck to Thales’ heart like a thorn, making him unable to forget.

Thales knew that he would be unable to trust Yodel without any doubt or hostility anymore. He would no longer be able to trust him like when he first met him.

Thales shook his head and shifted his attention back to Jines’ words. ‘Wait, the OTHER secret protector?’

Thales thought of the young, cloaked woman. He kept this information in his mind. Before he could digest this, the thoughts in his mind jumped to another matter. “And those assassins, and that Duke Covendier…”

Jines’ gaze became stern, and it reminded Thales of those days where they trained vigorously. She said, “That is not something that you should concern yourself over. Everything is already settled. Those questions will soon no longer be questions anymore… and, you should believe in your father.”

“My… father?’

With difficulty, Thales recalled this unfamiliar term. It was not that he did not care, but from Red Street Market to Mindis Hall, he had only met his supposed ‘father’ only once. Not to mention that he had treated Thales in that strange manner.

Thales clenched his fist lightly. Another question surfaced in his mind. “What about you?”

Jines was slightly stunned. “Me?”

Thales raised his head, took a deep breath, and put on a worried expression. “Yes, what about you, Madam Jines? On the carriage…”

Watching Jines’ increasingly unpleasant expression, Thales clenched his teeth and spoke, “I noticed your anomaly… When facing those assassins, why were you… behaving so strangely?”

Thales saw that the normally calm and confident Jines was trembling slightly after hearing those words, as if she was recalling the most terrifying memory ever.

Thales watched her in a daze. The female official’s face twisted, and she looked as if she was struggling against her shivers while her face turned pale.

Thales furrowed his brows.

A few seconds later, Jines heaved a sigh and loosened all the tension on her face, looking like the usual cold female official once more. It was as though everything just now was an illusion.

Jines stared at the bewildered Thales with a flat stare. ‘This little brat is so sensitive.’

The female official snorted softly and spoke once again in a formal tone. However, her face became tired and bitter. “I asked the servants to prepare hot water and breakfast. Tidy yourself up, we still have something important to do.”

‘As though nothing had happened… She is deliberating avoiding it.’ Thales furrowed his brows.

However, Jines glared sternly at him, as if giving him a warning. Thales could only shrug. “Alright, then… wait.”

“Servants?” Thales was stunned for a moment. He immediately turned his head and looked around the room that resembled a coffin more than a bedroom. “So, we are at…”

Jines nodded tiredly. “Yes, you are at Eternal Star City’s biggest and most important building—the palace of Constellation’s past supreme kings.”

Jines said the following name in a deadpan manner, “Renaissance Palace.”

Thales opened his mouth wide and thought of the gigantic pyramid-shaped building he saw yesterday. ‘No wonder the room is so high up.’

He then furrowed his brows and looked around. The mottled wall, dull color scheme, dim lighting, low heat, hard slab stone, rough floors, and narrow room. Compared to Mindis Hall, this place looked like the slums.

Jines saw Thales’ gaze.

“What? Are you not used to it?” She crossed her arms and observed Thales’ expression with interest.

“No, it’s not that.” Thales immediately waved his hands and shook his head. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he only sighed and lowered his head.

In truth, he wanted to say that he had the soundest sleep ever over the past twenty-something days. The hard and cold bed along with the rough and uneven floor allowed Thales to feel a sense of security the soft bed and blanket in Mindis Hall could not offer him.

‘I see…’ Thales realized sadly. ‘… I slept best throughout my four years as a child beggar in the harsh and vicious Abandoned House.’

However, by speaking the truth, Jines obviously assumed that he was being stubborn. She smiled gloomily. “I know what you are thinking. You are right.

“The supreme king’s palace is not as magnificent, luxurious, intricate, and as stately as you have imagined.”

Jines walked towards the window and fixed her gaze on the countless citizens of the kingdom below the towering Renaissance Palace.

“It is the opposite… Renaissance Palace, which is the alleged center of the kingdom, could not even measure up to a normal citizen’s room…”

The next moment, Thales saw in a daze that the arrogant, domineering and tough female official was speaking in a desolate tone, “Very narrow. Very tall. Very cold.”

Jines turned and looked at Thales with a complicated expression, she said, “And very dark.”

…..

Walking behind Jines Bajkovic, and stepping on the hard and rough stone floor unique to Renaissance Palace, Thales passed by countless rooms that were similarly narrow, cold, and dim.

Along the way, all the guards and servants they met lowered their heads in salutation when they saw Jines.

The lighting in this half, pyramid-shaped palace was so bad that lamps had to be used during the day to illuminate some of the more remote corners. Due to the height, cold air kept seeping in through the cracks. The only redeeming feature of the place was that it was often hard for insects to survive in such places. The narrow walkway and low ceiling made the palace’s atmosphere repressive and unpleasant. Sometimes, it almost seemed lifeless.

‘This place…’ Thales stuck his tongue out and marveled inwardly. ‘Does not look like a palace at all. It looks more like a mausoleum.

‘Weren’t the Egyptian pyramids from my past life a royal mausoleum that had countless years of ancient history buried beneath it?’

“We have arrived.” Jines suddenly stopped, speaking coldly and slowly.

“Arrived… where?” Thales, whose mind had wandered just now, suddenly noticed that they had reached an empty and dim stone corridor. There was a double-hung door in front of them.

Jines did not answer him. She only nodded at Thales with a profound expression. “Go inside, child. Be more polite.”

“What sort of…” Before the stunned Thales could finish speaking, Jines pressed on the stone door and abruptly pushed it open.

*Boom!*

Thales watched the scene behind the stone door in shock. It was a dark room, and only a few corners were illuminated by Everlasting Lamps. The Everlasting Lamp in the center was held in the hands of a… woman who had her back to him?

While Thales was still in shock, he was pushed into the room by Jines.

*Boom!*

The stone door was closed shut.

When Thales was finally able to stand steadily, he realized that he was locked by Jines inside this stone chamber.

“So it’s you, brat?”

Right then, a wholesome, pleasant, gentle and charming voice rang from the center of the room.

Thales turned his head in bewilderment and looked towards the woman, who had her back to him. Holding an Everlasting Lamp, the woman slowly turned. Thales’ eyes brightened.

It was an oval-faced beauty, with bright eyes and white teeth, appearing thirty-something years old. Compared to the charming and mature Jines, she lacked a valiant and disciplined bearing. However, she was lovelier and more captivating.

She had a dark-colored veil on her head and wore a robe adorned with half a red sun.

‘Wait, half a red sun?’

Thales was stunned. “You are… Sunset Temple’s priestess?”

“Sunset Temple? Hahaha…” The beauty chuckled lightly. However, not only did Thales not feel a single ounce of tenderness in the laughter, he even sensed a hint of coldness. “Let me look at you carefully, brat.”

The beauty approached him leisurely, but Thales frowned, as he could not feel a single hint of warmth nor kindness from her.

He could feel some sort of unsettling vibe from this woman.

The lovely thirty-year-old woman lowered her body before him and narrowed her eyes while observing Thales. “As expected, you have a pair of grey irises, too… Just like your mother.”

‘Mother?’ Thales was stunned for a moment.

“Did you know… Sorry, Madam, may I know if you knew my mother?” he asked, bewildered. At the same time, he remembered Jines’ instruction to “be polite” and immediately used honorifics.

The lovely beauty curled her lips, and her gaze was aloof. “Of course. Your mother… hmm… she is a formidable character who is not to be trifled with… Didn’t Kessel tell you?”

Thales’ breath unconsciously became uneven and said a little awkwardly, “No, madam. Apart from her name, my… my father never told me anything else.”

“I see. Alright, you may leave now.” The lovely beauty chuckled coldly and shook the Everlasting Lamp in her hand. Their shadows flickered chaotically in the stone chamber. “Tell Kessel that I’m ready.”

‘Is it over just like that? Jines, or that father of mine, made me come and see her… what does this mean?’ But he had to know.

‘Because…’ Thales sucked in a deep breath. He was almost a hundred percent sure that all the strange things about him were related to that mother of his with her questionable background.

Thales inhaled deeply and bowed respectfully according to the etiquette taught by Jines. “Madam, if you tell me more about my mother, I would be deeply grateful.”

The lovely beauty covered her mouth and chuckled lightly. However, her countenance immediately turned frigid, and she spoke with an icy tone, “Even your father didn’t tell you. Why should I?”

Thales was immediately at a loss for words, but it was impossible for him to give up so easily, “But… but this is my mother. I have the right to know! And I will repay you!”

The beauty only chuckled indifferently and turned around. “But you’re not my son, and I’m not obligated to tell you. And, I don’t need you to repay me.”

Thales choked once again. From all the people he met, apart from his own ‘father’, he had never met such a person before. ‘This- She is even more stubborn than the king.’

However, a string of thoughts suddenly formed in his mind. ‘More stubborn than the king?’

Thales’ brain operated continuously. He had thought of something.

He exhaled deeply and looked at that lovely beauty. “I see. I know who you are now.”

The lovely beauty turned her head in astonishment.

“I heard my father and Gilbert talk about you before.” Thales frowned deeply and recalled in his mind the memory of when he was first rescued by Yodel and brought to Mindis Hall.

He said slowly, “I remember now. You- you are-”

Thales inhaled deeply and raised his left hand, seeing the faint scar on it.

His expression was one of hesitation for a while, but he immediately spoke with resolution, “You are… the Bloodline Lamp… The lamp used to search for my father’s kin… you are the one who cast the divine Art! You are Sunset Temple’s Head Ritual Master… Liscia!”

The lovely beauty Liscia’s face immediately turned ugly and she said slowly, “You are indeed your mother’s son. You even inherited the entirety of her guile and good memory.

“You are right, I am Liscia Arunde. The Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple. The Sunset Goddess’ one and only spokesperson in the world, and also the one who would be validating your status as someone who possesses royal blood.”

Chapter 55

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“It seems that my mother had once made you very troubled.”

Thales’ expression was determined. He had resolved upon finding out the identity of his mysterious mother.

Liscia chuckled lightly and scornfully. Then the lovely ritual master walked towards him with a terrifying gaze. “Troubled? It’s far more than that. She was a nightmare.”

‘Nightmare?’ Thales thought of Kessel the Fifth’s coldness and disregard towards him and could not help but be stunned.

“You should leave, kingdom’s blood.” Liscia coldly glared at Thales from above. “I have met you, and your duty is done.”

Thales regained his attention and, clenching his teeth, took a step forward.

“TherrenGirana.”

Upon hearing this name, Liscia paused suddenly. The emotions in her gaze changed.

Thales took a deep breath and continued speaking, “This is my mother’s name. I don’t know what this name signifies to you, but no matter what kind of person she is, I need to know!”

Liscia lowered her head slightly and narrowed her eyes.

Suddenly, Thales realized in astonishment that all the Everlasting Lamps there were shining brighter and brighter, brightly illuminating the dim stone chamber. The flames inside the lamps, which had been quiet and gentle, started making crackling sounds!

‘Is this… the Divine Arts?’ He clenched his left fist tightly.

Liscia stared at Thales’ gray eyes. Her frown became increasingly deeper. In the end, she waved her arm in disdain.

“You are indeed a continuation of that nightmare. Let me give you a piece of advice: Stop asking anything about your damned mother. I won’t tell you anything.”

Thales stared at Liscia with a dumbfounded gaze.

But he still forced down his displeasure and said in an agitated tone, “But you already told me! You told a son that his mother is a nightmare!”

Thales lifted his head and glared at Liscia’s cold, black eyes, refusing to back down. “I’m curious, just whose nightmare is she? My father’s?” Thales gritted his teeth and asked, “Or is she YOUR nightmare?”

A piercing light suddenly exploded from Liscia’s eyes.

That was not a description, there was literally a golden light bursting out from her eyes!

Thales was unable to open his eyes! He was so shocked that he took a step backwards and lifted his left hand to cover his eyes. His right hand touched JC’s dagger.

He felt horrible under that golden light.

‘So this is the power that came from that so called Sunset Goddess?’

“Be careful of your words, mortal.” As her eyes glowed with a powerful light, and her eyes and gaze became unclear. Liscia said flatly with a dignified expression, “In this mortal world, no one knows more than I do about how despicable and hateful your mother is.”

Thales stared at her blankly.

“She is a cold, cruel, treacherous, deceitful whore who was insane and obsessed over influence and power. Every single one of her actions had an ugly motive that cannot be disclosed to others.

“Remember my words: Forget her completely, or else there will come a day when you will regret this.”

…..

Thales walked down a few steps absentmindedly, trailing behind Jines on a path in Renaissance Palace on whichever floor, he did not know.

He could not let go of what Liscia had said just now, even after a while. ‘Cold, cruel, treacherous, deceitful? Insane and obsessed over influence and power?’

Just who was his mother?

Thales found that the mysteries surrounding his background were becoming greater, especially when it concerned… all the abnormalities of his person.

The boy gritted his teeth.

Jines watched Thales and shook her head lightly.

“Do not take it to heart.” Jines pursed her lips, completely unbothered. “It is normal that Liscia does not like you… That woman has always been stubborn, and she cannot let things go.”

Thales lifted his head in curiosity, only to hear the female official flatly say, “Before she became the ritual master, she was engaged to your father.”

Thales was shocked when he heard it. “Engaged?”

“Yes… Because of various reasons, they did not manage to get married.” Jines scoffed disdainfully. “Liscia… That woman, she can’t survive without a man. Enraged, she ran to Sunset Temple and from then on, decided to serve the Goddess her whole life.

“So she doesn’t like me, either—the king’s lover.”

The boy, who just heard a huge piece of gossip, opened his mouth in shock.

“But why does that matter?” At that moment, Jines recovered her experienced and capable appearance. The first-grade female official curled the corner of her lips up slightly. “Why should you let others’ opinions dictate your fate? Even if it is the Gods’ opinion.”

At this moment, Jines stopped in front of another, bigger stone chamber, and gently pushed the door open.

“We are here. Similarly, you have to go in alone.” Looking at the stone chamber, Jines’ experienced and confident expression from before disappeared. She heaved a sigh in desolation. “Only you and your family can enter this place,” the female official said faintly.

“Us… us?” Thales was bewildered. He finally noticed that there was something off about Jines who stood before the door.

But again, Jines pushed him into the stone chamber without any explanation.

……

Eternal Star City. Western City Gate.

“Wait! Are those in front the Karabeyan Family’s carriage fleet? May I know if Count Karabeyan himself is there? Uncle? Uncle, is that you?”

A troop of knights who held a single-winged crow flag rushed over from the city gate and caught up with a carriage that was escorted by more than ten knights. There was an emblem of two towers and a sword carved on the carriage door.

The knights with the single-winged crow flags were led by a male noble who seemed to be over thirty years old. He sped up his horse and went in front of the carriage. He then looked at the stern and dignified old noble with graying temples who disembarked from it.

“Derek, it’s you? The Kroma family’s young and successful Count of Wing Fort rode a horse here?” the old noble asked gently.

The young Count of Wing Fort, Derek Kroma, smiled. “It takes at least two days and two nights to travel here by carriage, and I wouldn’t have made it in time, so I decided to just ride here.

“On my way here, I bumped into the carriage fleet of the Bozdorf and the Lascia Families. They should be here soon. Then, among the thirteen Distinguished Families, all the ones from the west should be here.

“What about you, uncle? I have not seen you for such a long time… How have my cousin-brother Kohen, aunt, Kasa and Gina been?”

“After returning from the battlefield, Kohen could not sit still… I arranged for him to be a police officer in the capital city… haih.” Recalling the complaint made by his old friend, Count Karabeyan heaved a deep sigh.

“As for your aunt, she is still the same, always worrying about Kohen’s marriage. This has made the two little demons at home very happy. They are always urging their mother to organize balls, in the name of finding their brother a wife,” the old noble said plainly.

“What?” The young Kroma was stunned for a moment. He then smiled. “She has always been like that. When I first reached adulthood, she brought almost half the girls in Walla Hill over.”

Kroma then took a step forward and said in a low voice, “Then, is that matter true, that King Nuven’s only son died in Constellation?”

The Count of Walla Hill, Turami Karabeyan looked at his nephew and sighed softly. “It seems to be true. I just bumped into Count Zemunto of the Arunde Family. I heard that Eckstedt’s messenger is already on the way, and that their army force is being assembled now. Right now, the most anxious ones should be the Duke of Northern Territory himself and the families under him.”

Kroma sighed. He leaned his body forward and said with a solemn expression, “Will there be war?”

Count Karabeyan glanced at his nephew and spoke slowly, “If no miracle happens, you should ask this instead—how bad would the war be?

“Start stocking up food supplies, and prepare for the enlistment of soldiers within the territory.” As he spoke, he got down from the carriage and opened his arms to embrace Western City’s director of the police station, Lord Lorbec Deira, who was welcoming him. “It’s been a long time, old friend!”

“Haha, you have gotten so much plumper!”

“This is the Count of Wing Fort, and also my nephew, Derek Kroma. He is one of the nineteen vassals who are qualified to receive His Majesty’s general edict.”

“You are the One-Winged Savior from within the thirteen Distinguished Families, the legendary Kroma!”

“You must be the ‘Horse Slayer’, Lord Lorbec Deira, who rose to fame during the ‘Fortress Battle’ twelve years ago?”

“Hah, that damned battle…”

After Karabeyan introduced Lorbec and Kroma to each other, a melodious chime suddenly rang from a distance away.

*Dong!*

The chime was heavy and long, and could be heard from far away.

Kroma, who did not visit the capital city often, frowned. “If I am not mistaken, is that not the Bell of Constellation? Did something significant happen?”

Lorbec, who had been in the capital city for many years, nodded. “Yes. When the Bell of Constellation rings, it means that something important would be announced at the center of all main districts. Usually, it would be the wedding of someone from the royal family or some important personage… However, lately there has been no…”

At that moment.

*Dong!*

The long chime rang again.

Lorbec’s expression changed, and he said solemnly, “The bell rang for a second time! This signifies that within a few hours, His Majesty would be convening a National Conference at Renaissance Palace’s Hall of Stars.”

“A National Conference? The conference that is known to be directed towards all citizens, whether they are nobles or the populace?” Kroma’s face had paled. “But the news of the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group is still a secret, and only circulated among the nobles. Even the Higher Parliamentary Meeting of Constellation would only be held tonight, is it not? Why would a National Conference be convened right now?”

‘True. The matters discussed in the National Conference will be announced to the entire Star Plaza, and the entire Constellation. Do you still remember the declaration of the Desert War?’ Director Lorbec thought hard.

Count Derek Kroma watched the citizens of the capital city who gossiped in excitement and rushed towards Star Plaza. His expression was unpleasant. “Could it be that His Majesty is making the news public and declaring war on Eckstedt in advance?”

Chapter 56

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

This stone chamber was extremely huge, so huge that it could still appear spacious even if there were over twenty large stone pillars in it.

However, there was no window. Instead, there were only a few large black holes on the ceiling served as air vents.

It was terrifyingly gloomy and cold. Thales stared dazedly at the scene in front of him.

A robust figure wearing an astral blue cape stood with his back to Thales before a stone pillar. A grotto had been dug on the stone pillar where the robust figure was facing. Inside, two large stone urns were placed side by side, along with six little stone jars.

A deep and authoritative voice rang from the figure. “Here lies your grandfather, Aydi Jadestar. Honestly, I did not like to be in the same room as him. When he looked at me, his gaze was always filled with disappointment and accusation. After my mother passed away, I avoided him even more fervently.”

That voice did not sound too unfamiliar to Thales. However, he was not very acquainted with it either.

“Come here.”

Thales inhaled deeply and adjusted his emotions.

He walked towards his so-called father, the Supreme King of Constellation—King Kessel Jadestar.

The Iron Hand King, Kessel the Fifth was wearing the crown with the nine-pointed star. He had an Everlasting Lamp in his right hand, and tightly held a crystal-studded scepter with a shining tip in his left hand.

He turned and glanced at Thales, his sharp gaze made the boy a little breathless.

“Starting from our second king, John the First, all supreme kings and queens of Constellation were buried in this stone chamber after their death and cremation.” Kessel’s voice sounded extremely low and deep—as if he was afraid that he would rouse something.

Kessel extended his hand and placed it on the large stone urn on the left. A name was engraved on it.

[King of Eternal Rule, King, Aydi L.K. Jadestar, 595-660]

Kessel looked at the other large stone urn on the right. There was another name on it.

“This was my mother. She passed away when I was fifteen.”

[Queen, Natalie J.F. Jadestar, 604-642]

The supreme king ran his hand over the small stone jars with a complicated, indecipherable expression.

“As for the king’s sons and daughters who did not inherit the crown nor change their surname, they rest within these little stone jars.”

Thales was stunned. He slowly turned his head and, as expected, saw that all four sides of each stone pillar had two large stone urns inside. There would sometimes be a few little stone jars beside them.

‘Is this the royal family’s… burial ground?’

Kessel lowered his head and looked towards a small stone jar. Thales followed his gaze.

[Starlight God of War, Liberator of Zodra, Duke of Star Lake, John L.K. Jadestar, 613-660]

“This is Uncle John, the only person in our family who had travelled around the world.

“He is my father’s youngest brother, and was almost completely raised by my mother. This is why I insisted to place him in my father’s grotto.”

Kessel ran his hand over the stone jar and flashed a smile, much to Thales’ surprise.

“He was experienced and knowledgeable and had great fighting skills. He was also funny, and no one’s jokes could surpass his.

“When I was young, every time he came back, my twin brothers and I loved to follow him around and listen to his stories about his romance with Mane et Nox’s princess—until my mother coldly exposed him. At that time, I had thought that he was the greatest person in the world.

“John’s marriage made my father extremely furious. My God, he married a supreme class female knight! That part of their wedding where they hugged and kissed, I think John must have done it with both feet off the ground.

“After being anointed a duke, John often visited us in the capital city. From time to time, he brought young Constance little gifts. However, after his wife passed away, I rarely saw John smile after that.”

Feeling the atmosphere in the stone chamber, Thales did not even dare to exhale. Kessel was lost in his memories, and only turned after a minute.

Kessel looked at another stone jar and frowned slightly. “This is my eldest brother, Midier. He was supposed to inherit the crown.”

Hearing a familiar name, Thales immediately looked towards the stone jar.

[Eldest Son of the King, Crown Prince, Midier T.E. Jadestar, 622-660]

“He had the closest relationship with our father, and was the only one who could match up to him when playing chess. He was a man of few words, and always smiled as he watched us brothers mess around. He was clever, and also very likable. Everyone said that he was the best crown prince. He was also the brother I was closest to.

“One day, when I was sixteen, on the way back from a female servant’s room, I accidentally saw him sitting despondently in the courtyard, drinking wine with a distressed expression. At that time, I was only puzzled—he had moments when he felt dejected, too? Now, I finally understand him.”

Thales looked at the stone jar and thought of the things he had heard about Midier Jadestar.

‘So, this is Jines’ rescuer, someone Gilbert respects, and the person Yodel hopes that I “will be better than”?’

The next stone jar.

[The Sword of Reversing Light, the Second Prince, Horace M.E. Jadestar, 623-660]

“This is Horace. He still holds the record for the highest sword speed in the Tower of Eradication during his student days. The last I heard, it had not been broken yet.”

Kessel tapped the stone jar with his fingernail and snorted. “He is the only supreme class elite in my family, and even had a prestigious nickname. My father always exclaimed about how the Jadestar Royal Family finally had a third person in the supreme class, after the ‘Oath Keeper’, Midier the Fourth and the ‘Enemy of the Wolves’, Prince Keira.

“His relationship with my eldest brother, Midier, was very bad. When playing chess with Midier, he liked to use his Power of Eradication to catapult off the latter’s chess pieces in secret. Even with that, he was never able to defeat the smiling Midier. He always told us that, if he was not born a year later than Midier, he should had been the Crown Prince.

“A month before he passed away, he received an invitation from the Tower of Eradication to become a scion. If he passed, he could have become one of the eight supreme class scions of the Tower of Eradication.

“These are Bancroft and Herman, my twin brothers.” Kessel glanced towards two stone jars, which were placed side by side, with a complicated gaze. “It was said that a careless female servant messed up their birth order. My father could not endure the sight of two doctors arguing about which baby’s head was bigger. That was why my mother simply flipped a gold coin, and with Tormond the First’s head portrait, decided that Bancroft would be the third prince, and Herman the fourth.

“That gold coin is now placed in my mother’s stone urn together with the first sheet of Politics homework Midier got full marks for, Horace’s first Swordsman Trophy, and the baby wrapping cloth used on me and Constance when we were born.”

Thales took a step forward and surveyed the two little stone jars clearly.

[The Third Prince, Bancroft N.E. Jadestar, 624-660]

[The Fourth Prince, Herman N.E. Jadestar, 624-660]

“When we were young, both of them fought endlessly on the dining table. It was virtually our whole family’s nightmare. Midier joked that Horace probably went to study in the Tower of Eradication because he was so horrified by those two.

“Bancroft especially enjoyed drawing and sculpting. Half of the funding for the Arts and Culture Department of the National Research Institute was donated by him. However, he was also quite vain. The degree of his vanity was probably only second to his love for money. When we were young, we always said that he should unite with the Seucader family through marriage. Even the dowry itself would be enough for his entire life’s spending. In the end, when he visited the Southern Islands, he really did manage to marry a girl from the Seucader family by proposing with a sketch.

“As for Herman, he was the most handsome one out of the five brothers. He was also skilled in music and poetry. All the young girls, whether from the populace or noble families, liked him a lot more compared to the other brothers. Every time he walked on the streets, screams and flowers would follow. That was why he was my father’s first choice for the leader of Constellation’s delegation to Sacred Tree Kingdom. Unfortunately, he did not manage to marry an elf. Otherwise, my father might have passed the crown down to him to strengthen our elf blood that had been present since Midier the Fourth…”

Kessel held his scepter and gazed at the flame inside the Everlasting Lamp.

“The five of us used to be so close. I still remember that when we were young, we had a group fight in the palace with three princes who visited from Mane et Nox Dynasty. Horace was responsible for attacking and Midier was the one defending. He was mainly protecting me. The twins were flanking. But after we grew up, everything changed.

“Midier was still full of smiles, and I was the closest to him. But I felt that he was becoming more and more unhappy. After returning from the Tower of Eradication, Horace became murderous, and was always trying to show off in front of our father. I still remember that during an Imperial Conference, he reprimanded me for five minutes for going to Red Street Market. Bancroft did not care much for matters between us siblings. However, he always walked the other way when he saw the four of us. Herman was always following Horace around like a lackey. That smile of his really disgusted me.”

However, Kessel suddenly stopped smiling, “But all that is not important anymore. Now, they are reunited here.”

Kessel walked towards the last little jar. Thales lowered his head and softly clenched his fist.

[Eldest Daughter of the King, Constance N.E. Jadestar, 642-660]

“This is Constance, our little sister,” Kessel lowered his head and spoke with a heavy voice. He seemed like he did not want to say much. “She is the only consensus between the five of us. We would have sacrificed everything to protect her happiness and smiles.”

Thales sighed. He shut his eyes softly and imagined his aunt, the princess who died when she was eighteen.

“The Jadestar family was born to carry the fate of Constellation,” Kessel said plainly.

Thales opened his eyes. Listening to Kessel’s heavy breaths, he contemplated the king’s reasons for doing what he did today.

In the empty stone chamber, both of them did not speak for quite some time.

*Boom!*

The king suddenly knocked his scepter hard on the ground. Thales was so surprised he almost jumped.

“I do not know how much you understand about us, nor do I know what you are imagining in regards to the Jadestar surname.” Kessel the Fifth’s voice was low and stern, not a hint of fatherly emotion was present. “But this is definitely not a relaxing title. It signifies glory, history, and power. More importantly, it signifies sacrifice.”

Thales was at a loss for words. He did not know how to reply. Nothing seemed like a correct response.

“Are you prepared?” Kessel finally turned around. His sharp and oppressing sky-blue irises stared straight at Thales. “After being conferred the Jadestar surname, to battle for Constellation, die for Constellation, and…”

Kessel stared at the six little stone jars. His gaze dimmed. “Live for Constellation.”

Thales’ breathing halted for a moment and then became intensely heavy. ‘To battle for Constellation. To die for Constellation. To live for Constellation? This order…’

Thales thought fearfully, ‘So, as a Jadestar, to live is far more difficult than to battle and to die?’

The king’s gaze was fixed on him. “I am waiting for your answer,” the king enunciated each word slowly.

‘No room for doubt, and no possibility of defiance.’

Thales gulped.

He could not really stand the atmosphere right now. The boy forced a smile and spoke, “To scream about dying for a country or anything like that, it really sounds like I’m about to fight in a war.”

However, Kessel still watched him with a burning gaze.

‘Alright, then.’ Thales took three deep breaths and opened his eyes. He spoke with a downcast tone.

“No.”

Kessel’s brow furrowed slightly.

The boy said with disappointment, “Before leaving Red Street Market, all I did was for the sake of struggling to survive. To survive in this damned world. I never thought about anything like what is happening right now—the royal family, conspiracies, being an heir, everything.”

He spoke sincerely, “I am not ready to play these games at all, these games where everyone is able to talk and laugh as if nothing is happening even though lives could be lost any time.

“I am more used to worn down houses and hard beds. More used to curling up in a corner, cold and hungry. More used to striving for my friends’ survival, as well as my own survival. I am not used to eating and drinking in a luxurious room while plotting conspiracies, taking away lives, and… starting or dealing with wars, all with a straight face.”

The boy exhaled and lowered his head. “I am also not prepared to become Thales Jadestar. Everything happened due to a coincidence, I am not prepared at all.”

It was as though Asda’s figure appeared in front of his eyes again and was smiling while speaking to him, “Yes, this is indeed a coincidence.”

There was a long silence.

Kessel stared at Thales. However, the king who was usually authoritative and unapproachable suddenly put on a complicated and profound expression that the latter had never seen before.

“To strive for the survival of one and one’s friends. This is probably the entirety of Jadestar’s destiny. It is fine.”

There seemed to be emotions running through the king’s eyes. He spoke slowly, “That year, I was not prepared either.”

Thales raised his head in surprise.

With mockery and hatred, Kessel the Fifth spoke firmly, enunciating each word, “And fate will prepare everything for you.”

He swung his cape and took large strides. Thales followed Kessel as he went to the side of the stone pillar.

There was also a grotto there, but it was empty without any large stone urns. There were only two little stone jars in it.

“This shall be my burial ground, even though there are already two jars here,” Kessel said plainly as he bent down and caressed the two stone jars without any facial expression.

Thales’ mind stopped working for a fraction of a second.

He thought of Gilbert’s words about the Bloody Year, and gazed at the jars.

[The Eldest Daughter of the King, Lydia G.K. Jadestar, 656-660]

“I still remember when Lydia was first born, I carried her in my bosom, and was more at a loss than she was. After growing a little, she began running everywhere and was never quiet.”

[Eldest Son of the King, Luther K.K. Jadestar, 659-660]

Kessel put the Everlasting Lamp down, hiding his gaze and expression in the shadows. Only his moving lips could be seen, and the corners were slightly curled up. “Luther, on the other hand, was very well-behaved and quiet. He never cried. This was horrible, because we never knew when he was hungry.

“These two children made Keya and Jines worry a lot. As for myself, I was always happy because I was required to do nothing.”

The Supreme King of Constellation put his hands on Thales’ shoulders. The boy was stunned.

“Fortunately, they do not have to worry about the children anymore.” Kessel’s words were bone-chilling.

Thales listened with his hair standing on end as Kessel finished speaking.

“Because they will always be here. Not crying and screaming, not running around… Always.”

The king suddenly exerted force and grabbed Thales’ shoulder hard. Thales’ left shoulder was still in pain from the injury. However, he endured it and did not say anything.

“Look, this is what fate prepared for me.”

Looking at the two little stone jars, Thales clenched his teeth and his fists lightly. ‘Are these… my older sister and brother?’

At that moment, a long and heavy chime rang from outside the stone chamber that buried all of Constellation’s kings.

“Go.” Kessel Jadestar let go of Thales. “Gilbert and Jines are waiting for you outside the door.”

The king stood up and regained his authoritative and oppressing demeanor. He spoke with an ice cold countenance, “They will prepare everything for you. Just like how fate has also prepared everything for you.”

Chapter 57

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

As Thales walked out of the stone chamber with complicated and indecipherable emotions, he already made his guess regarding the long chime and what would be happening next.

“Is it happening today?” He looked calmly at Gilbert and Jines who had been waiting for quite some time.

‘It’s so sudden.’

Gilbert’s gaze was filled with sighs and sadness. On the other hand, Jines’ cold expression had a hint of hesitance in it.

‘Shouldn’t they be cheering and jumping in joy instead? Why do they look like this?’ Thales thought, devoid of energy. His mind was filled with what just happened in the stone chamber and what would be happening next.

For some reason, although his heart was heavy at the moment, he could conceal it in his expression. ‘Is this the so-called “poker face”?’

Gilbert spoke bitterly, “Please accept my apologies. This was not what I intended… Eckstedt’s emergency envoy will be arriving in Constellation tonight. Regardless of whether they are declaring war or making a compromise, at that time you… His Majesty will…”

Gilbert furrowed his brows extremely tightly. He wanted to say something, but sighed deeply and stopped himself.

“Do not waste any more time. The National Conference would be held at three in the afternoon. His Majesty ordered us to bring him into the waiting room before one.” Jines cut Gilbert off. Her gaze was obscure and indecipherable.

The former Foreign Affairs Minister and the first-grade female official had changed into dark-colored, somber formal clothing. The eight female servants behind them held, with flat expressions, eight full salvers as they stood quietly and neatly on both sides of the corridor.

*Dong!*

The bell chimed for the second time.

Jines walked forward with a complicated expression and led the heavy-hearted Thales into another room. The eight female servants followed them in.

…..

Renaissance Palace, outer palace wall, the first portcullis.

This was where Thales passed by yesterday. The place was barely in order due to the guards’ rude yells and merciless berating. Nobles of various ranks and important figures of various occupations formed a long queue there. With varying facial expressions, they all fought for a place to enter Renaissance Palace.

In front of Renaissance Palace, at the position of the first heavy and mottled portcullis, tense guards conducted strict checks and allowed only those who were qualified to attend the conference.

“Me! I am the deputy chairman of the Iron Smelting Guild, and have the right to enter and observe! What? There are twenty-five deputy chairmen in the Iron Smelting Guild? Haih, you wouldn’t know this, but they’re just there to make up the numbers. I’m the only one who is more special. Let me tell you, look at my black hair and black eyes! Do you understand? Did you know that our family’s craftsmanship originated from the Dawn Dynasty in the Far East? It was before the Battle of Eradication… Fine, fine, fine! A man of honor talks things through and does not resort to force! I won’t go in, is this not enough?!”

“I am Eros Kata, a fabric merchant who was granted special permission by the royal family! I can go in! See! This is a signed certificate from the late King Aydi, and there is even Prince Midier’s signature below it!”

“I also have the invitation Mindis the Third sent to our family years ago here! Although it is a little old, it is still only a hundred and fifty years ago. Hey, don’t be violent. I’ll leave on my own accord! I’ll leave on my own accord!”

“Hey! Punk! Do you still remember me? I am Lazan, a forensic officer at the Central Police Station. We were colleagues for half a year! Are there any seats left in the Hall of Stars?”

“I am on duty here, I don’t know. However, my cousin-brother who is a castle guard told me that the big hall is almost half-filled. If you are not a noble who is above the rank a viscount, you won’t be able to get in at all!”

“Then, is joining the crowds at Star Plaza our only choice? To listen as those guards pass the decisions of the more influential people down, tier by tier?”

“Let it be. For people of our status, even if we manage to get into the Hall of Stars, we would be sitting at the bottommost and outermost tier, quietly listening to the important people at the uppermost and innermost tier talk. It would be impossible for us to chip in!”

“My God… Those are the heraldry for the Single-Winged Crow and the Sword of the Twin Towers! It’s the Kroma and Karabeyan Families’ carriage fleet! Make way, quickly! It wouldn’t end well for you if you offend them!”

“So what if they are nobles? Nobles also have to obey basic rules… Wait, no, they have to obey the Constellation Provisional Constitution!”

“What sort of joke is that?! They are not normal nobles. Those people are high-ranking vassals who were conferred their titles by the royal families. They have more than a thousand private soldiers, possess vast territories, and have countless subjects… As a forensic officer, you should increase your knowledge. Do you know about the Thirteen Distinguished Families? These people, the royal family, and the Six Great Clans can laugh and joke together…”

“Why do you know this so well?”

“My apologies. I used to work in Kisen Family’s manor in the Eastern City District and taught their family’s three sons the basic skills for combat…”

Ignoring the jostling of the crowds around him, Count Derek Kroma’s cavalier unit and Count Turami Karabeyan’s carriage passed through the crowds, managing to reach Renaissance Palace only half an hour after the bell chimed for the second time.

The two counts, Derek Kroma and old Karabeyan, were commonly known as the two highly ranked nobles among the Thirteen Distinguished Families and the thirteen high-ranking vassals, only second to the royal family and the Six Great Clans. With the Single-Winged Crow flag and the Sword of the Twin Towers’ emblem and heraldry, they effortlessly passed through the crowd. They then went past the first outer palace wall and the palace door amid the crowd’s low murmurs, accompanied by the guards and the Palace Officer’s respectful gazes.

Director Lorbec, who was in the carriage, sighed lightly. “There has never been so many people at the National Conference before. In the Desert War’s National Conference, only the leaders of various trades, wealthy businessmen, and those rancid, prestigious scholars attended. Among the Six Great Clans, only two clans attended, and among the thirteen Distinguished Families, only five families were there.

“However, for His Majesty to win over the battle support he needs, the nineteen Noble Families have no choice but to obey the resolution of the National Conference.” Karabeyan looked outside the carriage window solemnly. The crowd became bigger and bigger. “The few noble families who refused to obey the resolution were, at some point, besieged by furious citizens, and even encountered difficulties in various fields. Although they are only vassals of the large families, this is not a good sign.”

The young Count of Wing Fort, Derek Kroma rode his horse near to the carriage window. His expression was unpleasant. “My Lords, we should hurry up. Even though the nineteen noble families have specific seats in the conference and will not be forced to ‘listen’ to the conference at Star Plaza under the palace balcony, soon, we might need to fight our way through the populace and those upstart nobles.”

…..

On the other hand, the Star Plaza, located right below the Hall of Stars to the northwest of Renaissance Palace, was filled with noise and commotion.

A pioneering effort by the Virtuous King, the National Conference was said to be directed to all citizens. It was the only time when the populace and minor nobles can listen to Constellation’s highest powers play their games, and it will be held this evening! Every single topic, discussion and decision would be passed through the entire Star Plaza by specially-assigned people, and all the citizens in the entire capital will be notified!

Genard frowned and looked at the bustling crowd in the entire plaza. He and his city defense squad were temporarily transferred over from the Eastern City District in the morning to maintain the order of Star Plaza together with the police force.

‘God have mercy. How would that be possible?’ It would be impossible for them, with only a force of approximately one thousand men, to maintain the order of Star Plaza which can accommodate tens of thousands of people. It would even be impossible for Duke John’s Starlight Brigade from years ago to maintain any sort of order.

Everybody’s gaze was concentrated on the location of the conference above them, the hall with its outdoor area facing the Star Plaza—the Hall of Stars!

Under the bellows of thousands of guards in the plaza and the gigantic city defense ballistae, which have been positioned on Renaissance Palace’s walls where they would be on standby to attack, the crowds nonchalantly jostled and exchanged information about the king’s sudden decision to hold a National Conference.

“I guess that it will be about the huge explosion in Red Street Market a month ago! Eh, is it because the Blood Bottle Gang was so badly defeated by the Black Street Brotherhood that they became extremely anxious and went insane?”

“Can such a small gang battle alarm the nobility up there?”

“Where did you get this gossip? And a well-presented one at that. What’s a Blood Bottle Gang and Black Street Brotherhood? How can there be gangs in the capital city? We are living in a modern society! Our lives now are so pleasant! Why are you spreading these damaging theories? Ah? Looking at your sneaky face, you must be a spy from a foreign power, right?”

“Believe me because I’m definitely right. It must be the Barren Bone people rebelling again! Those tradesmen from Camus Union who are greedier than vampires are definitely behind it! Last month, they detained my family’s trade caravan! They wanted to impose on us fifty percent tax! Can you believe that? Fifty out of a hundred percent!”

“Those damned Barren Bone mongrels! Why is the Legendary Wing so soft-hearted? He should learn a thing or two from His Majesty—catch all of them and bury them alive at the Aloof God’s Altar like Orcs!”

“You are not allowed to insult the Legendary Wing! He’s extremely handsome. Indeed, he is an existence that could unite the entire Western Peninsula with his looks alone!”

“My aunt is a female servant in the house of a viscount in the Morning Star Region. She told me that Eckstedt had an accident, I think it was at the north. Oh yeah, why is their diplomat group not here yet?”

“How is that possible? The ‘Fortress Treaty’ was signed to take effect for twenty years. Besides that, we have the Fortress Flower that guards the Broken Dragon Fortress well. There are also powerful families in the Northern Territory such as the Arunde family, the Zemunto Family and the Friess Family. It can’t possibly be like twelve years ago…”

“Don’t forget that the Kingdom’s Wrath is still in the capital city! With just him alone, along with that bow of his, he can eradicate twenty thousand people from Eckstedt!”

“Eckstedt probably doesn’t even have twenty thousand soldiers throughout its entire country.”

“In short, that was what I meant!”

“I think it’s most probably northwest’s Sera Dukedom. A relative that came to seek refuge with me from faraway said that lately, there is an evil witch spreading a plague there. Their neighbors, Anlenzo Dukedom and Norton Dukedom have shut their borders. Wait, the plague hasn’t spread to Constellation yet, right? The nobles from the southwest did not come, right? How about the Tabark Family, Karabeyan, and Lascia? Don’t tell me that they are dead from the plague?

“So, does this mean that the price of herbs would rise? I have to restock immediately!”

“You guys are talking rubbish. My secret source told me that His Majesty will be choosing a person out of the Six Great Clans to become the next king!”

“What? Then how about the Jadestar Royal Family? Our family has the royal family’s special permission for furniture trading rights!”

“What else can be done? Can you force His Majesty to give birth to one more son?”

“I think that Duke Covendier is not bad! Last year, when he came to inspect the grand bazaar, he held my hand before! With a count like that, how can our country not prosper?”

“But I think that Tabark Family’s daughter isn’t bad, either! We should learn from Anlenzo Dukedom. Think about it, a beautiful and young queen. Oh God, my heart is about to melt…”

“Stop joking! That’s for rural places like Anlenzo and Alumbia! Our mighty Constellation is the successor of the Empire! How can we let a woman become king? I am not discriminating women, but we have to admit to objective differences!”

“Young man, stop making wild guesses over there!”

“I am just concerned with politics!”

“I think that you are a keyboard- cough, cough, I’m sorry, a mouth cannon warrior!”

“You should believe in the Kingdom, believe in His Majesty and believe in the Imperial Conference! How can they not know something that even you know?”

…..

Thales slowly stood and looked at the young noble in the mirror who wore luxurious clothing and a cold expression.

His hair was no longer messy, but neatly cut and combed into a hairstyle that was simple yet pleasant, making him look alert and handsome.

Jines even clipped on a subtly sparkling crystal stone earring on his left ear without regards for his facial expression.

He had on a long-sleeved jacket that was made thicker and decorated with dark-blue glittering crystals. Coupled with a white undershirt, cuffs that were nicely buttoned up with Crystal Drops, and a specially tailored macramé mantle. His attire made his originally frail body look straight and tall.

He raised his hands. His pure white, leather gloves were well-fitted and shiny. It seemed to give more depth to his every move.

The noble, black slacks, paired with a belt buckle styled in the fashion of stars, along with the expensive leather boots that boosted his height by two inches, allowed him to walk with the gracefulness of nobles.

A nine-pointed star emblem which signified the Jadestar Family was sewn on the back of Thales’ clothes, and a gold-and-silver nine-pointed star brooch was clipped on his chest. They sparkled under the light.

The female servants sprayed a bit of cologne on him. It was almost undetectable, but made his scent closer to that of the upper-class society.

Thales chuckled bitterly and sighed ‘Haih. Fashionable clothing, graceful manners, established etiquette and limited knowledge. These are the best tools to segregate and divide people into different social statuses. This is the circle of nobles. This damned, evil, culture.’

Even Jines and Gilbert, who were observing from the side, could not help but nod.

Jines sighed, her tone was bitter. “It is almost time. Kessel- His Majesty hopes that you would go in earlier.”

Thales knew that their emotions were not quite right. However, since he was already there… He cleared all thoughts from his mind and slowly left with Gilbert and Jines.

“I need to get a final confirmation from you on some things.”

Thales raised his head and looked at Gilbert.

“Your name- I mean, His Majesty originally planned to give you a name that is more suitable for the ‘Jadestar Tradition’, such as John and Midier, or Kessel and Tormond. After all, the name Thales is one used by the populace. It will be appearing in the royal pedigree for the first time… and will allow those who are observant to find out about your past…”

Thales turned his head back and while walking forward, spoke without changing his expression, “Thales.”

“What?”

“I want to be called Thales.”

‘I will not change my name. Those past experiences… I will not forget, nor forsake any of them.’

Staring at the endlessly long corridor, Thales clenched his fists tightly and paid no heed to Gilbert’s hesitant gaze.

“Haih… I shall follow your will.” Under Jines’ murderous gaze, Gilbert sighed.

It was a very long corridor. Thales did not bat an eyelash. He took a few dozen steps forward and stopped. There was a large black door in front of him.

“This is the Hall of Stars. You would be going into the dark, innermost room. You do not have to be nervous. When it is time, I will open the door, and you just have to do as you were told beforehand.” Gilbert lowered his head as he spoke, but he immediately looked at one side of the door. The middle-aged noble put on a puzzled expression.

“Aida? At this time, you should be beside His Majesty and protecting him!”

Thales looked ahead, a petite figure was leaning against one side of the door.

‘It’s her.’ Thales could recognize her as the cloaked woman from yesterday who led the Royal Guards and saved him from Zayen. Her face was still covered by the cloak and could not be seen under the dim lighting.

The cloaked woman had her arms crossed as she got up from the wall she was leaning on. “Hey, kid, that masked guy asked me to give you this gift on his behalf.”

A young, pleasant, and lively voice rang as the cloaked woman passed him something.

Thales was stunned. He took it and did not even pay attention to the cloaked woman’s overly fair, smooth, and supple skin.

It was a black dagger-sheath, and it came with a buckled leather strap. Words were engraved on one side: ‘A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.’

Thales resisted the urge to subconsciously touch his chest. With complicated emotions, he pulled out JC’s dagger from his belt and inserted it into the sheath—the size was just right.

“Thank you- Yodel… is he well?” Thales calmed down his breath and buckled the sheathed dagger onto his belt.

“Don’t worry. That sort of person won’t die for now.” The cloaked woman chuckled lightly. “I understand him very well.”

Thales nodded and walked past her, standing still in front of the door.

Looking at the black stone door in front of him, the boy clenched his teeth.

‘Only one more step.’

Behind him, Gilbert’s frown became deeper and deeper while Jines bit hard on her bottom lip. On the other hand, the cloaked woman exercised her neck nonchalantly.

Thales did not turn. He just gazed at the stone-gray floor before him and faintly said, “Gilbert, will I never be able to turn back after taking this step?”

Gilbert was stunned, but Thales did not plan to let him answer.

The boy raised his head and forced a smile with difficulty. “No… Perhaps, when I first opened my eyes in this world, there was already no turning back. I can only keep walking forward.”

Having heard this, Jines’ gaze became hesitant and hard to understand. She extended her hand, but was pulled back by Gilbert who shook his head beside her.

“Do not worry, be a little happier. This is a good thing, Sir Gilbert, Madam Jines, and… this cloaked lady. A good person once told me to…”

Illuminated by the Everlasting Lamps with sunlight that shone in from the windows on both sides of the corridor, Thales turned around. He stuck out his thumb and cracked a bright smile. “… just take it as another game.”

Before the other three could react, Thales pushed the door open and walked inside.

A gust of cold air rushed past the large stone door. The lighting ahead was dim, and it seemed as if there was endless darkness.

Thales’ figure disappeared amid that darkness.

Gilbert lowered his head as he sighed. Jines turned her head and did not say anything. Only the woman in the cloak happily snapped her fingers. “Aha, I like this kid.”

Jines raised her head and chuckled bitterly and helplessly, her face was filled with sadness and sympathy. “True, this kid… He is only a child. How can he shoulder such a heavy burden and… future?”

There was a period of silence, until a raspy voice suddenly spoke up, “He can.”

The woman in the cloak stuck out her chin. “Such fast recovery.”

Gilbert and Jines looked behind them in surprise. There, the Masked Protector’s silhouette appeared out of thin air.

However, weirdly, Yodel’s figure was floating about and extremely blurry, as if covered by a veil made of air.

The bleary-figured Yodel spoke firmly, “He can shoulder those sorts of responsibilities. I understand him well. He has special qualities that no one else in this world has—not humans, not Gods, not demons. Not even Mystics.”

There was another period of silence.

Gilbert shook his head and snorted lightly. He then tipped his hat in salutation. “I am sorry for excusing myself. The National Conference is only two hours away. Madam Jines, we should be seeing His Majesty.”

Jines nodded and left together with Gilbert.

The two figures disappeared at the corridor some distance away as their footsteps faded away.

There were only the Masked Protector and the cloaked woman left.

“Your chest was pierced by three crossbow arrows laced with highly poisonous Vine Blue Grass. It has only been a night, and it’s impossible that you are able to stand up.” The cloaked woman looked at the bleary-figured Yodel and sighed loudly. “Did you make a deal with that mask again? I have warned you many times! The collapse of the Ancient Elf Kingdom is not unrelated to that mask! And you…

“What price did you pay this time?”

Yodel did not answer, he only stayed silent and caressed the purple mask on his face.

“No matter what price I paid,” Yodel’s figure slowly disappeared, and only his raspy voice remained. “It cannot compare to one ten-thousandth of the price that child will have to pay.”

Chapter 58

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Thales was not concerned with anything else. He walked into the dark room in rapt concentration.

The buzzing sound commonly heard from crowds rang from outside the dark room. It was noisy and disturbing.

This reminded him of the football team he used to support in his past life. This is probably similar to the feeling one got when they first walk into the stadium during a live match.

Amid the buzzing sounds outside the dark room, a young and jovial male voice suddenly said, “Hey, old man! Director Lorbec! I am here, here! Hey, Sir, you look a little familiar.

“Wait- You are Kroma Family’s… cousin Derek! Oh God, I have not seen you for so many years. What happened to your face? Kasa and Gina must be crying!”

Thales suddenly regained his attention and took a few steps forward. He looked outside through the one-way glass in the dark room. Indeed, the entire Hall of Stars was below him.

The Hall of Stars was an oval-shaped, semi open-air hall. It was at least more than ten meters tall and could accommodate at least a thousand people. The side facing Star Plaza had a protruding balcony instead of a wall. This made the hall look like an irregularly shaped cylinder with one lateral side chopped off at a slanted angle, or rather, like a half-covered cylindrical garbage shovel. Having thought of this, Thales could not help but flash a smile.

At that moment, the hall was already half-full. There were at least a few hundred people in it. Some people were sitting, and some were standing.

The nearer it was to the center of the hall, the sparser the crowd. Their clothes seemed luxurious, they were quiet and composed, and most of them had seats. These were the nobles.

There was a large round table in the middle of the hall that was surrounded by seven stone chairs of obviously different specifications.

Among the unique stone chairs was the throne. The six stone chairs surrounding it belonged to the six guardian dukes. There were thirteen other stone chairs on the periphery of the six stone chairs. They formed a large semicircle and belonged to the Thirteen Distinguished Families.

The six stone chairs were still empty, but some of the thirteen stone chairs were already occupied. The occupants were all men ranging from twenty to sixty years old, and bore different emblems and symbols. Their expressions varied too. There were a few nervous looking attendants behind every seat.

The voice he heard just now originated from the stone chairs belonging to the Thirteen Distinguished Families. A blonde, handsome man wearing an astral blue police uniform stood behind one of the stone chairs. He had a nice-looking face with deep set features. Compared to the fairly feminine Asda and the ‘pretty face’ Istrone, he appeared more energetic and strong.

However, the handsome man was being hit hard on the head with a staff by a gray-haired middle-aged noble who looked extremely angry.

The middle-aged noble’s clothing had a symbol of two tall towers and a long sword on it.

“Kohen Karabeyan, what happened to your noble upbringing? Do you know how to talk like a human! Derek is not only your cousin-brother, but also the head of the Kroma Family—one of the thirteen Distinguished Families! He is the Suzerain of Wing Fort and a count of the kingdom! Show some respect!”

With a face filled with shock, Thales stared at the kingdom’s police officer, Kohen Karabeyan, as he massaged his head with clenched teeth and growled at his father, “Old man, the Stage of Eradication is in front of us anyway! Hit me one more time, and we will battle up there!”

A lot of people turned their head towards their direction, but seeing that it was the seat of one of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, they all shook their heads and ignored the commotion.

‘Why is this noble family so… weird?’

“Haha, Kohen and I know each other really well. This shows how close we are…” Derek seemed to know his uncle and cousin-brother’s daily routine. He immediately waved his hand to signal that there was nothing to fear. On the other hand, Lorbec frantically pulled the old Count Karabeyan, preventing him from furiously waving the staff for a second time.

“By the way, Kohen, even though you are the eldest son of the Karabeyan Family… how did you manage to be let in before your father arrived?” The director of the Western City Police Station, Lorbec Deira immediately changed the topic.

“I am not very sure either.” Kohen scratched his head and frowned. “I only recovered from the injury I sustained in Red Street Market a few days ago—old man, put down your staff, we’ll talk about this at home—and received an order to be on duty. As soon as I reached the door of Renaissance Palace, seeing that I’m one of them, the people from the city defense team and the police station let me in. Hearing that I’m a Karabeyan, the guards in the palace immediately led me into the Hall of Stars.”

Having heard this, his father, Count Karabeyan, the Suzerain of Walla, was stunned.

The old count did not enquire further. Both he and Derek Kroma sat on their respective stone chairs. A few attending knights, Kohen, and Lorbec stood behind him.

Listening to their conversation, Thales made a rough guess that those two families were part of the Thirteen Distinguished Families.

At that moment, the noisy crowd suddenly became silent. Thales’ gaze turned towards the other direction.

A distance away, two memorable figures stepped into the Hall of Stars. They were flanked by two teams of attendants as they stepped on the blue star streaked carpet.

The people in front of them automatically moved aside. Some of them bowed in greeting, and others were whispering.

Among the two figures, a plump and rich-looking old man smiled good-naturedly, occasionally responding to those around him. Embroidered on his back was a sword and a shield that were crossed against the background of a red sun.

That was the kingdom’s Prime Minister, the Suzerain of Splendid Port City and the Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, Bob Cullen.

Beside him, another fierce-looking middle-aged noble in uniform took huge strides forward. His expression was cold and he did not look around at all.

The middle-aged noble wore a chain armor as his upper garment. It could be clearly seen that on his chest, there was a sharp-eyed falcon, spreading its wings against a white background.

He was the Suzerain of Cold Castle and the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde.

The Sun Sword and Shield, and the White-Backed Flying Falcon. Their symbols represented the two most powerful families among the Six Great Clans.

“National Conference? This is practically a mockery!”

The Duke of the Northern Territory, Val, had a scar on his chin. His expression was of discontent and he did not bother controlling his volume. He spoke furiously to the plump old man beside him.

“He personally signed and issued a general edict! And then he suddenly… involved the populace in this. This is practically a betrayal! As the Prime Minister, you should stop him!

Around them, all the nobles of minor nobility and intermediate nobility classes who heard the contents of their conversation immediately lowered their heads or turned and left.

Well, excuse them. Who would dare to listen as members of the six Great Guardian Dukes accuse the Supreme King of Constellation?!

The white-haired, jolly and plump Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea puffed his ruddy cheeks. Wearing an expensive mink skin shawl, he tapped his large, swelled up belly. He spoke helplessly, “Although I do not find it appropriate either, I am unable to stop it as it is His Majesty’s will.”

Val snorted in discontent. He was not satisfied with the Prime Minister’s excuse. ‘A fat old man who sits on the fence and has no standing of his own. How did he become known as the “Sword of the Gulf” when he was young?’

As they walked past the thirteen stone chairs, all the seated nobles stood up and bowed respectfully, including the old Karabeyan and young Kroma.

“Even though he is the king we have sworn fealty to, he should not insult us like this!” Val nimbly took off his cape and gave it to an attendant behind him who was obviously a warrior. He then brazenly sat down on his seat.

Val Arunde had experienced many things in life. On the chain armor he wore was the flying falcon on white. It was embroidered on the chest, and it appeared extremely cold. He propped up his left hand in an extravagant manner, and his being exuded the type of sharpness and isolated aura only found in Northlanders.

He did not hide his disdain towards the king at all. “I really feel like knocking out that bastard’s front teeth! Just like I did forty years ago!”

Behind his father’s seat, Kohen spoke in a low voice, “Even if he is the Duke of the northern Territory, how can he speak about His Majesty like this without hiding it at all?”

“If you grew up with His Majesty since you were young, and almost married your sister to him,” Count Karabeyan answered in a whisper, “You can talk about His Majesty like this too.”

The old Duke Cullen sighed lightly as he shakily sat down on one of the six stone chairs with the help of his attendant. “Be careful with your words. Soon, the guards will start relaying the messages downwards. At that time, every single sentence spoken from these twenty stone chairs will be passed down to Star Plaza. He is, after all, our king! We can only hope that our remonstrance is useful.”

‘These Northlanders… it’s been fifty years, but they show no improvement at all.’ In his heart, the old duke shook his head.

Suddenly, there was a surging uproar. The noises composed of the murmurs from the crowd became louder and louder!

Gilbert’s familiar voice rang out, “In the name of the Supreme King of Constellation, Kessel Jadestar…

“Subjects of the kingdom, bow down to your king!”

Thales raised his brows. A group of people entered the Hall of Stars through another side door.

Like roaring waves, the people in the crowds kneeled on a one knee, only standing up after the king was a distance away.

The robust Kessel the Fifth was still holding his scepter in one hand. His expression was cold and authoritative as he stepped into the Hall of Stars. Eight Royal Guards kept a tight watch behind him.

The king immediately became the center of attention. Even though the people were kneeling, the crowd’s murmurs did not reduce. Instead, they became louder.

The Duke of Eastern Sea tapped his plump cheeks and spoke smilingly, “His Majesty is here. Why don’t you raise your suggestion to him personally?”

“Hmph.” The Duke of the Northern Territory snorted in disdain. “As if he will listen to me.”

King Kessel walked towards his stone chair in huge strides. At that moment, he suddenly raised his head, and whether intentionally or not, glanced towards the position of the dark room.

Thales clenched his fist slightly. He regulated his breathing and calmed his mood.

‘Calm down, Thales, the real show has not yet begun.’

A group of people led by Gilbert followed closely behind the Iron Fist King’s cape. Among them was the mature and tall Jines.

It was only then did Thales see that Gilbert’s family emblem was that of an open book.

The large-bellied Duke Cullen said with a smile, “Ah, it’s Constellation’s Cunning Fox, Count Caso. Together with Count Godwin, Viscount Kenney, Baron Gales and Lord Krapen… all of them are the kingdom’s future… Our clever and wise female official, Madam Jines is with us, too.”

Seated on his stone chair, Val shook his head in disdain. “People from the king’s partisan. Hopefully, they will soon understand that the best way to support their king would be to think of ways to stop him from doing crazy things. That is the way to go rather than use every conceivable method to attack the nineteen noble families who are the backbone of the kingdom. As for that bitch, every single second of her being in the palace is an insult to the Arunde Family.”

“Woohoo-”

“The king- the king-”

At that moment, an even louder cheer rang from outside into the Hall of Stars! The hall was immediately filled with a deafening roar that boomed from far away.

On one hand, many of the nobles’ expressions changed. On the other hand, members of the populace who have some status whispered into each other’s ears excitedly. Some even cheered along.

Thales came to a realization. ‘It was the crowd outside on Star Plaza cheering.’

Duke Cullen pouted his lips. “I suppose that the guards have already begun passing down the messages to the plaza?”

Val turned his head, his face was pale. Kessel went in front of the thirteen stone chairs and looked at his vassals. The members of the Thirteen Distinguished Families rose and lined up before him. They all kneeled down on one knee to show their loyalty.

Expressionlessly, Kessel extended his right hand towards a noble—whose emblem was the five-pointed star—for him to kiss the ring on his finger.

The king said plainly, “Bern Talon, you are the first one. You are still the first one. You have always been the first one.”

“Blood is thicker than water, Your Majesty. The Talon Family is a branch of the Jadestar Family, just like how the five-pointed star will always be part of the nine-pointed star.”

Kessel’s brow furrowed slightly, but he nodded and walked towards the next noble. His authoritative voice reverberated, making every gaze focus on him. “Smith Sorel, I heard that you and your territory fervently oppose the ‘Tax Exemption for the Opening Up of Border Counties’?”

“Of course, Your Majesty!” The middle-aged noble, who had a golden sun symbol on his clothing, kissed the king’s ring and shook his head firmly. “How can I allow the nobles’ blood to be tarnished?”

Kessel snorted softly.

The king extended his hand towards a noble who had a black lion—baring its fangs and brandishing its claws—embroidered on his chest. “Lewis Bozdorf, the Skillful Black Lion, would he still fight for the pride?”

The noble kissed the king’s ring and smiled meaningfully. He gave a crafty reply, “I swear I will fight to my death, Your Majesty. If the alpha lion was still smart and brave, he will always care for the pride.”

Kessel nodded and continued walking.

Kessel walked towards Count Karabeyan with a nostalgic expression, “Turami Karabeyan, I remember that you used to be part of the Starlight Brigade, risking your life for John.”

Count Karabeyan spoke seriously, kissing the king’s ring, “I risked my life for my homeland. Everything is for the peace of Constellation.”

Deep in thought, Kessel nodded, then continued walking. “Derek Kroma, you look smarter than your father,” he said to the young Derek in a profound manner, “The crow who wanted to save his master even though he only had one wing. Is he still at Wing Fort?”

Derek Kroma—who had a single-winged crow tattooed on his body—spoke cleverly with a neutral face. He kissed the king’s ring. “That crow owes his life to his master, and was also raised by his master. That is why he risks his life to rescue his master. Of course, the crow forever belongs to Wing Fort.”

Kessel tapped his shoulder and walked towards the next noble—who was half-bald—and extended his right hand. “Hodge Dagestan.”

This noble had two long swords, positioned against each other in the form of a cross, embroidered on his clothing. Kessel coldly said, “I still remember that your clan’s motto is, ‘Forward or backward, survive or fall’. This time, have your people decided on which direction to go?”

The half balding Hodge Dagestan lowered his head to kiss the king’s ring, making his expression unclear. “There has always been only one direction. However, people who stand too tall often cannot see it clearly.”

Kessel snorted furiously and coldly, not bothering to hide his dissatisfaction towards the other person at all.

This time, the king extended both hands towards two resolute and steadfast nobles. One had a white bear as his symbol, and the other a steel-colored wall. “Wilkos Zemunto, Borette Friess, can Overwatch City and Lonely Old Tower endure the cold wind from the north?”

Wilkos Zemunto, who had a full beard, kissed the king’s ring and spoke heroically, “Cold wind? For Constellation, Overwatch City can even block the Great Dragon’s flames of fury!”

The bald Borette Friess refused to seem inferior. He kissed the ring with blazing eyes. “Even though Lonely Old Tower stands in cold and roaring winds, no matter how bitterly cold it gets, the furnace fire in the tower will always burn.”

Under the king’s signal, the two northern nobles slowly stood up.

Kessel walked past all members of the thirteen Distinguished Families who were present, and headed towards the two Dukes.

He waved his hands and stopped Bob Cullen, who was swaying as he tried to stand up. “Forget about it, Prime Minister. Your stomach is practically heavier than my scepter.”

The Duke of Eastern Sea was smiling as though he could not understand the meaning behind Kessel’s words. He only nodded and thanked the king.

Next to him, Jines took off Kessel’s cape so that he could sit comfortably on the highest stone chair.

Kessel glanced at Val, then shook his head, not at all bothered by his attitude. “As for you, I suppose that your knees are afflicted with a strange illness which makes them unable to bend?”

Val Arunde spoke carelessly, his gaze burned with fury. “Yes, when I am facing Eckstedt and the crown of Constellation, I will get this illness!”

Kessel shook his head. “It has been forty years and your sense of humor has not yet improved.”

After the Ceremony of Allegiance, which carried a somewhat profound meaning both publicly and privately, the nobles from the Thirteen Distinguished Families returned to their seats.

Gilbert reported with a solemn expression, “Out of the six Guardian Dukes, two are present. Out of the Thirteen Distinguished Families, eight are present. Your Majesty?”

“Wait for a while longer,” Kessel spoke steadily.

A deafening cheer rang once again from Star Plaza.

Amid the cheering, Val scornfully said, “All of a sudden, you announced that the Higher Parliament Conference has turned into a National Conference, and you even wanted to hold it at an earlier time. How many noble families, who live too far away, do you think would make it in time? At least, it would be impossible for Blade City’s Tabark family!”

Kessel shook his head. His face was expressionless, “This is a chess game between the warlords of Constellation. The players were destined to participate long ago, and the match had also started long ago.”

“It seems that the crown has not only made you king, but also a horrible bard.” Val Arunde spoke indignantly, clenching his teeth so hard that it made grating sounds. Only the Duke of Eastern Sea smoothed things over with a smile.

In the dark room, Thales suddenly felt his heart clench. He saw a black-robed old man who also held a cane, standing at the back of the ‘king’s partisan’. Everyone around tried to avoid the old man, except for a young man who trailed behind him. The young man was dressed in a similarly plain white robe.

‘That’s…’

“Morat Hansen. Why is he here too?” Lord Lorbec, who was beside Kohen, furrowed his brows as he watched the black-robed figure. “My whole body shivers when I see that poisonous snake.”

“He is our kingdom’s Chief of Intelligence, and a non-voting delegate of the Imperial Conference, it’s only natural that he has to come.” Kohen furrowed his brows, too. He obviously did not like that person. “However, director, if we go by what you just said, His Majesty and the Prime Minister, who see him every day, should have frozen to death a long time ago… hmm?

“That’s…?”

Under his father and the director’s surprised gaze, the blond haired police officer, Kohen Karabeyan, took quick steps forward. With a furious and indignant expression, he walked towards…

The ‘Black Prophet’, Morat Hansen!

Chapter 59

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Kohen strode towards the young man behind the Black Prophet.

“Raphael!”

The nobles surrounding the thirteen stone seats turned their gazes towards Kohen. The man held back the emotions that he could hardly contain and shouted at the young man, “Raphael Lindbergh!”

The young man dressed in a white robe also saw Kohen striding towards him. He gave a frivolous smile and murmured into Morat’s ear before walking towards Kohen.

“You went missing for three years!” Even the two dukes and the king who was sitting high on his throne could notice Kohen’s flaming rage.

“Kohen!” The young man’s voice was lively and bright, and it was a voice that could arouse fondness from others, just like his appearance. He opened his arms wide open towards Kohen. “You’re still so energetic!”

Kohen brusquely slapped Raphael’s arm away from him. “Why did you leave without a single notice?”

He glanced at the king’s partisans and also Lord Morat Hansen, who stood by himself at the side with no one approaching him. Kohen’s voice was tinted with disbelief. “You’re following ‘the Black Prophet’ now? Do you know how much his hands are stained with blood and evil deeds..?”

Raphael laughed, “That’s a misconception from the entire world. Sir Hansen contributed greatly for Constellation. He sacrificed a tremendous lot, even more so than any of the other nobles right here with us.”

Kohen was stunned and for a moment, he could not find any phrases to refute, so he said, “We can talk about this later. What on earth did you do during these past three years…?”

“Stayed by Sir Hansen’s side, listened and followed his teachings.” Raphael still looked as nonchalant and relaxed as ever.

“Teachings?” Kohen was momentarily stunned, the surprised look on his face was then taken over by indignation. “This is your reason? You dumped Miranda for three years for no reason! And all of it was because you went running to that venomous snake to listen to his teachings?”

“Miss Miranda?” Raphael suddenly became cold and callous, gently crossing his arms across his chest.

“She was never mine, so how can you claim that I dumped her?”

Kohen stared in utter disbelief at his old friend, as if this was the first time he knew Raphael.

“Are you crazy? Miranda was still waiting for you to find—”

“Please ask her to get rid of all those unrealistic thoughts. It’s for her own good.”

Kohen widened his eyes and sighed, “If you still think you’re not worthy enough for her, I can tell you right now that she doesn’t care…”

Raphael coldly cut Kohen off, “That’s the past. People change. I really liked her in the past, but now, I don’t like her anymore, period.”

The young man in white noticed the gazes from the people on the six stone seats, and he whispered, “This is not the right place to catch up on old times. Pardon me, I must leave.”

But as he was turning to leave, his shoulder was tightly grabbed by Kohen.

Kohen contained his boiling anger. “You have yet finished what you need to say. Damn it! What’s wrong with you! It’s impossible for a person to change so quickly!”

Raphael, his expression still cold and callous, grabbed Kohen’s hand. “That is because you failed to actually see my true colors, the Sword of the Twin Towers’ heir, Officer Karabeyan.”

Kohen held onto Raphael’s shoulder with brute strength, his eyes were burning with flames of anger and bewilderment. He knew the young man in front of him was a genius with eidetic memory in the Tower of Eradication. Among the cohorts in the Tower, he was even the first to awaken his Power of Eradication. He was also the runner-up in the final appraisal before they left the tower. He only came in second to Miranda, and he even scored a place higher than Kohen himself!

He was a Swordsman of Eradication with a promising and boundless future!

But why—

With a determined look, Kohen clenched his teeth and said, “The Raphael I know would never make a choice like this! That day after you left the tower, you… we lost all news about you after that… what happened?”

‘What happened?’

Raphael sneered. “I got a good look at the real world.”

The next second, a freezing, cold, chaotic Power of Eradication engulfed Kohen’s hand, which was seized by Raphael. It immediately evoked the starry blue Power of Eradication within him to put up a violent resistance against it!

The surging waves of the Power of Eradication forced him to let go, but Kohen did not care about this. What he cared about was the other thing.

Kohen glanced at his old friend in complete astonishment as he asked in disbelief, “Raphael, your… your Power of Eradication… I clearly remembered it was ‘Sword of Baptism’s Death’, but why… why did it change to this?”

Raphael raised his eyebrow and flashed a complicated smile, he replied briskly, “Compared to the original me—I have become better.”

Kohen could only stare at Raphael, dumbfounded, watching his old friend from the Tower of Eradication turn his back on him without hesitation or reluctance to part.

With his back towards Kohen, Raphael turned his head sideways slightly to give him a cold look, “A word of advice, Kohen Karabeyan, be careful today.” Raphael coldly walked back towards Morat Hansen’s side.

The police officer furrowed his brows and clenched his fist. His eyes were filled with complex emotions and astonishment.

‘That feeling… could it be…’

The shadow of the sword and the light from the sword at Red Street Market that night emerged before Kohen’s eyes. That swordsman in the red and black attire, with his frenzied sword style that was murderous and indomitable.

And more importantly, his violent and uncontrollable Power of Eradication.

Kohen took in a deep breath. ‘It can’t be.’

After a few seconds, he exhaled and slowly walked back to his father’s side. “Don’t ask.”

With anger and confusion boiling in him, Kohen concluded with the two words when he faced his father and the director’s puzzled stares.

When the thirteen Distinguished Families’ Javea Family, with the symbol of the Sun-Shooting Bow; Almond Family, with their use of deep blue waves as their emblem; and also Lascia Family, with the four-winged monitor lizard, arrived at the scene, the crowd was once again in an uproar.

But it was nothing compared to later when the Covendier Family arrived—there was more enthusiasm for their arrival.

Thales, who was in the dark compartment, spotted the person who caused the uproar from the crowd with his eagle-like vision.

The mild-mannered and amiable Suzerain of Jade City, the Guardian Duke of the South Coast, Zayen Covendier, beside an old man with a dignified posture, smiled and nodded towards the surrounding people as they strolled along the path slowly.

As he was approaching the thirteen stone seats, a number of nobles stood up and bowed to pay their respects. Zayen patiently returned their greetings one by one.

Zayen walked to the utmost centre of the stone seats, kneeled down on one knee in front of the expressionless Kessel the Fifth, and kissed the ring on his hand.

Kessel furrowed his brows slightly. “Covendier, I heard that you had a small misunderstanding with the Royal Guards yesterday.”

Zayen gave a captivating smile. “It was only a small matter, you do not have to trouble yourself over this, Your Majesty.”

Kessel nodded as he glanced meaningfully at Zayen’s smile. “Let us hope that today will be the same.”

Zayen paused slightly. Indeed, there must be something that went wrong. It should be the scene where the nobles forced the appointment of an heir, but His Majesty seemed prepared.

The Royal Guards passed down the message from one tier to the subsequent tier, and so the earth-shaking shouts of cheers could be heard from the bottom upwards.

“Woo! Woo!”

“Coven- Covendier!”

“Iris Flowers- Tricolor Iris Flowers!”

Thales’ heart sank. ‘The Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers was this popular?’

While listening to the thunderous cheers below Renaissance Palace, the young duke maintained his composure as he steadily stood up. The butler silently held his cape from behind him.

Zayen sat on one of the six stone seats and smiled at the other two dukes, who each had a different expression on their faces.

The smiling Duke Bob Cullen raised his hand, and introduced the young man to the cold looking ‘Iron Eagle’, “Val, this is the young Zayen—”

While scrutinizing Zayen with a cold look, the Duke of the Northern Territory nonchalantly cut off the fat duke, “Iris Flowers… You are the youngest Duke of Constellation?”

Duke Cullen, who was interrupted earlier, did not take any offence as he smiled and rubbed his belly.

Zayen was stunned. He felt that the other party’s gaze was too sharp for him to meet his gaze.

‘This is Val the “Iron Eagle”? He seems just as the rumors described him to be… But I wonder what his reaction would be when Eckstedt’s soldiers focus on the Northern Territory…’

Zayen laughed gently and bowed slightly with his hand on his chest. “A pleasure to meet you, the Master of White Eagle, Duke Arunde. Pardon me for not daring to accept the title of the youngest duke. According to what I know, Tabark Family’s master is much younger than I.”

Val’s expression did not change and he spoke in a manner that allowed no disagreement, “It is fine. Since you are already seated in this position, it means that you already have your right to enter this game.”

At this moment, a disharmonious, piercing noise made its way through the crowd and interrupted the conversation of almost half the hall.

Thales heard an unexpected sharp voice come from another side door and pass through the crowd. “What a shame… Every time I step into this city, this alleged Royal Capital…”

The crowd dispersed, the nobles’ gazes were complicated, some with hatred and some with excitement.

“I can smell that particular scent of the people from the city… That stench of luxury and privilege… makes me want to puke…”

The person with the sharp voice limped across the carpet towards the nobles, alongside his entourage.

“… just like the dying old man who sits in office and does nothing but receives his pay, and also the immature pretty-boy who actually made it to the six dukes’ thrones.”

His speech caused a commotion from many of the nobles.

Above the six stone seats, Zayen’s expression froze whereas the plump Duke Cullen laughed. Val Arunde narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly.

Thales discovered to his surprise that the person walking towards the venue was a sparse-haired, middle-aged man with a pale yet haggard complexion. Even a part of his lips had sunk inwards, making him look as if he lost the upper row of his teeth. The only sign that proved that he was a living human being was his eyes, which were incisive and full of life.

One of his legs was clearly crippled. With the help of a crutch, he paced one step at a time onto the starry blue carpet, and walked towards the six stone seats.

Val Arunde’s knuckles cracked as he clenched his fist and looked disdainfully at the approaching man. “It has been years since we last met, you damned old man.”

Kessel the Fifth gave a ruminating smile from his throne. “Cyril! It is good that you are here! Otherwise, the title of ‘the most unpopular person’ in this meeting would be taken by our Duke Arunde.”

The Northern Territory Duke snorted.

“Hahahahaha…”

The haggard middle-aged man, the Suzerain of the Ruins, the Guardian Duke of the Western Desert, Cyril Fakenhaz, emitted a creepily long, piercing laugh as he hobbled his way before the king. With one hand still holding on to his crutch, he kneeled down to kiss the king’s ring. With his sharp and chilly voice, he said, “Fakenhaz would never be absent, Your Majesty.”

All three of the dukes at the scene had different emotions displayed on their faces but had nonetheless kept quiet.

Thales furrowed his brows. The moment Cyril bowed down, a creepy image of a skull could be seen on his blood-red cape, and the skull had four eye sockets.

Fakenhaz, the family who used the Four-Eyed Skull as their emblem, had always been mysterious. The family was located at the Barren Bone Tribe, just opposite the Western Desert, and they were the first in line in the battle against the Orcs.

“It’s already three o’clock. Four out of six dukes and eleven out of thirteen nobles have already arrived. Your Majesty, we can begin.” Gilbert looked around the entire hall and nodded solemnly towards Kessel.

Kessel nodded his head slightly without a word.

He flipped the scepter he was holding in his hand into the air and then hit it hard against the ground.

*Thump!*

For some unknown reason, the rumbling noise travelled through the whole hall from Thales’s perception, as if it struck hard against the people’s hearts.

The sound in the hall slowly faded.

“Everyone, it is time…”

Kessel’s sonorous, dignified voice spread crystal clear throughout the hall due to the special design of the Hall of Stars.

“Constellation’s National Conference of year 672 in the Calender of Eradication… will begin now.”

The commotion within the Hall of Stars immediately fell into silence. Everyone was gazing at the center, where a strange silence had fallen among the King, four dukes and eleven counts.

It lasted until the guard passed the King’s message to the outside of the hall.

And so, beneath Renaissance Palace, the Star Plaza once again exploded with cheers and excitement, but it was completely different from what the capital’s citizens imagined.

The National Conference should have started with one noble questioning the National Conference itself and also by the thirteen Distinguished Families exposing each other’s misdeeds and attacking each other.

“Sorel, what is the meaning of this?” Bern Talon—the noble of the five-pointed star, a noble in his prime years, and the distant relative of the Jadestar Royal Family—angrily questioned.

“Do you doubt His Majesty’s authority in convening the National Conference?”

“I do not doubt His Majesty’s authority. He is the King, of course he can do anything he wants and pleases!”

Smith Sorel—with the Golden Sun as his emblem, was the legitimate doubter of the National Conference, and the objector of the ‘Tax Exemption for the Opening up of Border Counties’—refuted brusquely, “What I am questioning is if he still reserves the minimum respect that all nineteen noble families deserve!”

King Kessel gently stroked his scepter. He remained silent, as if he did not hear a single word.

Count Sorel snorted and continued, “What we received was the General Edict of Constellation! It was supposed to be about brilliant nobles who all come together to Higher Parliament to determine Constellation’s future! It is not supposed to be this unconstrained mess of a conference where anyone can come and go as they wish!”

Voices of protest could be heard from the surrounding people but were immediately subdued by the voices of the nobles in the hall center, and also by the angry glances from the guards.

Count Lewis Bozdorf, who had just hinted a certain thing by saying that “if the alpha lion was still smart and brave” rubbed his stubbly chin while he said in a contemplative tone, “Makes sense. Under this situation, nothing good can be achieved regardless of what will be discussed. Not to mention that big event… The Higher Parliament would be more suitable.

“We should immediately move to the smaller meeting room.”

The Northern Count with the White Bear as his symbol, the Mayor of Overwatch City coldly said, “Bozdorf, what you meant was that we should disband, and then have a small meeting of just nineteen people? We have already come this far, and you are still hooked on this matter? Did your mother forget to give you a brain when she was giving birth to you?”

In the great hall, everyone was noisily rambling about this undisguised insult! Even Duke Cullen and Zayen who were sitting upon the six stone seats furrowed their brows.

Only the Duke of the Northern Territory scoffed. Bozdorf was not enraged by the comment as he chuckled, “My mother has a great memory, so she probably did not forget that. However, Count Zemunto, you—”

His speech was interrupted by another noble from the Northern Territory.

“Shut up, Black Lion, we are not really concerned about your mother, or the presence of your brain.”

Count Friess, the Suzerain of the Lonely Old Tower, who had the iron-colored long wall as his symbol, and who also came from the north, tapped rhythmically against the stone seat. With his face in a steely color, he said indifferently, “The Southern Royal Capital is meant to be used to handle that great event! What we care about is Constellation’s safety. But you Southerners, you sons of b*tches, are still concerned over the accuracy of titles in the invitations you obtained?”

“The safety of Constellation?” Count Hodge Dagestan—who made a sarcastic remark earlier about him not being able to see the king clearly because he was standing too high up—also cut into the conversation. He shook his head. “Do not be arrogant, what you truly care about is your own safety. But I do not wish to criticize you, because I am not really that much more respectable than you.”

With his body leaning forward, his sharp gaze swept past every single noble. “The problem is not about the title of the invitation. The problem is actually about whether His Majesty would obtain the public’s popular opinion and threaten his subordinates and the suzerains through this National Conference. This is about the safety of us all, not just the northern nobles!”

The crowd once again burst into an uproar! Some people were even yelling, “Get lost, selfish nobles!”

However, in the midst of the chaos, Count Dagestan still waved at the suzerains. With his ferocious expression, he yelled at the top of his lungs, “Do not forget the Desert War! Do not forget how you were forced to enlist the people in your territories just to take revenge on behalf of the royal family!”

Only at this moment did Kessel the Fifth furrow his brows. Thales had to admit that the speech was very convincing. Thales also began to ponder about the motives for the current National Conference.

Count Talon put up both hands, his brows deeply furrowed together. “We can discuss the order in the future, but that issue is extremely urgent! We have to come up with the final decision in dealing with that matter today!”

“Decision? What decision?” Count Sorel punched the stone seat, his eyes widened. “Under the watchful eyes of the public! Under such broad daylight! Before all these people, not to mention before our enemies, we cannot even mention what the matter is about! How do we even discuss it?”

“Simple,” Black Lion Bozdorf smiled as he said, “Everyone already knows about the matter, but what price are you willing to pay in order to resolve it?”

Right at this very moment, a sharp laughter could be heard from the six dukes, “Hahaha, that matter? I say, why still cover it up when you have been saying it for such a long while? What are you afraid of? Eckstedt? Are you afraid of the King? Or us dukes? Or afraid of the people both in the hall and out on the plaza below?”

Everyone’s expressions changed and looked towards the haggard Cyril Fakenhaz.

The Guardian Duke of the Western Desert, whose symbol was the Four-Eyed Skull, gave out a terrifying smile.

“Let us just address it directly! Eckstedt’s Diplomat Group, alongside their prince, were murdered in Constellation!”

Everyone was shocked!

Even if the nineteen noble families had known about the incident through the general edict, it was still an undisclosed secret!

How dare he… how dare he?

Duke Cullen furrowed his brows. Duke Arunde slapped against his thigh, sighed and shook his head. Zayen, on the other hand, pressed his lips together tightly as he remained silent.

“Sir Fakenhaz!” Kohen’s cousin, Derek Kroma, the Count of Wing Fort who was located on the western side of the Kingdom with the Western Desert duke, tried to stop him with a ghastly expression. “We do not have to mention this in the National Conference—”

“Be quiet, boy! The adults are talking!” Fakenhaz rudely cut him off, leaving the Count of Wing Fort—who somewhat knew Fakenhaz—to hold his breath for a second.

The old Count Karabeyan, who was close to the Kroma family, could not help but furrow his brows.

With a sullen face, Cyril Fakenhaz grinded his teeth together and continued to expose the supposedly forbidden secret, “You are all well aware of this. It is only the people who do not know! Those savages will not let go of this opportunity!

“That lousy treaty has restricted them, but they’ve been rubbing their fists and wiping their palms as they waited for twelve years. Everyone in Constellation, regardless of the king, nobles, or commoners, listen closely!

“Constellation and Eckstedt… War is coming between Western Peninsula’s Shield and Blade.”

Chapter 60

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The terror caused a commotion among members of the populace and those from the minor nobility classes as well as those from the intermediate nobility classes. The guards had no choice but to shout loudly.

“Cyril, you are very daring in speech.” Val gave Cyril a meaningful glance. “Thanks to you, no one will raise the question of returning to the private and small conference room now.”

The counts who were seated on their stone chairs responded with silence.

Duke Fakenhaz’s gaze was dark. Even when he laughed, his voice was shrill. “This would have happened sooner or later. I only got rid of the relief and terror on your behalves.”

“The banquet’s ‘unwelcome presence’.” Duke Cullen sighed. “Indeed, you deserve this title.”

Like most of the counts from the Thirteen Distinguished Families, Zayen’s face was gloomy and he did not say anything.

After more than ten seconds, disorderly buzzing sounds from the panic-stricken populace in Star Plaza could be heard from the Hall of Stars. The news of the impending clash between Eckstedt and Constellation was completely out in the open.

Count Sorel stared straight at the king with a hostile glare. “Your Majesty, you have achieved your desired effect in announcing this impending disaster to the citizens of our kingdom. The question is, how do we clear up this mess now?”

Kessel’s face was cold as ice and he said nothing. He only gave Sorel a quick glance, the latter was still putting up a stubborn front.

Count Talon stared impolitely at Sorel. “It’s easy. Do we fight or negotiate? If we were to fight, we shall return to our respective territories and mobilize our forces.”

“We still have the chance to negotiate. We have allies. We can invite them to resolve the dispute, just like twelve years ago.” Zayen slowly raised his head and looked at the other suzerains. “War might not break out if we make the necessary sacrifices…”

Fakenhaz cut the young duke off and spoke sarcastically, “The one who died in their diplomat group was a prince. He was King Nuven’s only son and the only heir of the Walton family. Make sacrifices? True, we probably just have to cut off a piece of land from the north and give it to Eckstedt. That will do.”

Count Zemunto said coldly, “The Northern Territory will not hand over a single inch of land. Our family has guarded that land for generations.”

“But it is true that the prince died within your territory, is it not?” Count Dagestan laughed out loud. “This is your responsibility. Of course, you have to pay the price.”

Count Friess raised his head, and there was a fierce glare in his eyes. “If you are not joking, Dagestan, then we can have a duel on the Stage of Eradication right now.”

“Alright, then. Why don’t we hand them twenty percent of the Eternal Oil supply in Eastern Sea?” Duke Fakenhaz pretended to be deep in thought. He first looked at Duke Cullen and then Zayen, flashing a nonchalant smile. “How about the Crystal Drop Ore in the south?”

“Even jokes must have a limit, Cyril,” Duke Cullen replied in a rare show of sternness.

Zayen flashed a friendly smile at him and shook his head slightly. At that moment, Kessel the Fifth knocked his scepter lightly on the floor. All the nobles went silent and looked towards him.

Under the king’s gaze, Gilbert nodded and took a step forward. He spoke with a frown, “According to sources of the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department, Dragon Clouds City already learned of their prince’s demise in Constellation yesterday. The Archduke of Black Sand acted even faster than their king. He began recruiting troops and mobilizing his army two days ago. The two other Archdukes in the southern part of Eckstedt were two days slower than him, but there is not much difference.”

The hall was immediately in an uproar!

“Silence!” Gilbert said, loud and stern.

Amid the complicated emotions of the people in the hall, the supreme king spoke in a low and sincere voice, “If war breaks out between the two kingdoms, the royal family and the Talon Family will give our all in assisting the Northern Territory.”

Count Talon nodded firmly.

The king looked towards the Duke of the Northern Territory with a flat expression. “Val, how many troops and provisions can you supply?”

Val Arunde responded sternly, “How many troops? Are you joking? I have already called together all my vassals. We have fifteen thousand infantrymen, a thousand archers, five hundred heavy cavalier units and even a small amount of Mystic Guns! They will reinforce the Broken Dragon Fortress in the shortest time and receive orders from the commander, Lady Sonia Sasere.

“That is our territory! And if war breaks out, even the women and children will carry weapons! As for provisions, it depends on how much land we are able to defend.”

The two counts, Zemunto and Friess, nodded firmly and added on, “The three thousand and five hundred people in Overwatch City shall pledge their lives and battle!”

“Lonely Old Tower has only two thousand infantrymen. However, we will fight until the end, even if there is only one soldier left.”

“We can handle the pressure from the three Archdukes of Eckstedt. However, if it comes down to the entirety of Eckstedt…” The Duke of Northern Territory straightened his back and surveyed every single noble with a piercing gaze. “We need the strength of all of Constellation.”

Kohen, who stood behind old Count Karabeyan, scratched his head. In a low voice, he asked in bewilderment, “Isn’t this National Conference directed at the entire kingdom? Why are they announcing the disposition of their troops like that?”

Old Count Karabeyan closed his eyes softly and sighed lightly, then lowered his voice and told his son with a tired expression, “Can’t you see it? The nobles from the north are acting in front of Eckstedt.

“Do you believe that Duke Arunde can gather ten thousand men? Constellation never recovered from the Bloody Year. I suspect that those suzerains have at most one third of the troops they just declared.”

Kohen was immediately stunned.

He looked towards the emblem of the two silver cross-shaped stars on the ceiling of the hall. ‘As descendants of the Empire and the Western Peninsula’s Shield, has Constellation weakened to this extent?’

Kessel the Fifth nodded lightly and turned towards the scary-looking Cyril. “How about the suzerains of the Western Desert?”

Cyril Fakenhaz tilted his head backwards and shut his eyes. “The Ruins can only dispatch a thousand infantrymen. Lately, the Barren Bone Tribe has been creating commotion again. As for Mystic Guns, we don’t even have enough for ourselves.”

The young Count Derek Kroma muttered, “Wing Fort is not known for its military force, but we can dispatch a hundred of the best Raven Whistle Light Cavaliers.”

Bozdorf furrowed his brows hard. “Brave Souls Fort has been in a state of unrest lately. An orc was made leader. He is now gathering together the forces of power from various families. Black Lion Family can only dispatch two hundred men.”

The stinginess of the Western Desert nobles caused the nobles present to begin whispering among themselves.

Kohen furrowed his brows. He once served at the Western Desert’s frontline during the Battle of Elimination[1] which came after the Desert War. Based on what he knew, the Western Desert army force was definitely not that weak.

Val looked coldly at Fakenhaz. “You were pretty enthusiastic when revealing the secret just now. When it came to the drafting of troops… hmph.”

Another surge of cheers rang from Star Plaza into the Hall of Stars. This time, it was an excited cheer and there were many passionate voices inside.

Count Talon touched his five-pointed star breastpin and sighed. “Haih. I bet that the guards have only passed down the messages regarding the Northern Territory’s army force, but not the Western Desert’s.”

Kessel the Fifth maintained his composure. He turned and asked Cullen, “How about the Sun Sword and Shield Family, and the entire Eastern Sea?”

The plump duke said with a smile, “Your Majesty, most people on the Eastern Sea earn their living from the sea. We do not have enough troops. However, we can contribute on monetary terms and enlist mercenaries. If an all-out war breaks out, as long as it is not winter and the sea is not frozen, our naval fleet can even attack Eckstedt’s Eastern shore.”

Beside the Duke of Eastern Sea, Count Noah Javea and Count Clark Almond looked at each other and nodded.

Duke Fakenhaz spoke in a shrill voice, “Thank you for reminding us that it happens to be December now. Winter is here.”

Kessel the Fifth tapped his stone chair and asked in a profound manner, “So there are no men, only money? I remember that during the Desert War, you told me that you have no money, but can contribute men. And that it was still a little far to transport the troops from the Eastern Sea to the Western Desert?”

“Five years ago, all the people did not know how to go out and earn money. That is why there was no money, but plenty of men. But now, all the people are out earning money. That is why there are no men, but plenty of money,” Duke Cullen answered with a smile and without batting an eyelid.

The king snorted softly, and the Duke of the Northern Territory’s expression turned extremely unpleasant.

King Kessel turned his head towards the nobles from the south.

Before the king could ask, Zayen answered with a worried tone, “There are no usable cavaliers in the entire South Coast Hill. The Covendier Family can gather two thousand infantrymen from Jade City’s borders. There are also some Mystic Guns. However, they might suffer due to the climate if they were to battle for an extended period of time in the north. My vassals will also definitely be unhappy. I cannot guarantee the quality of the troops.”

The old Count Karabeyan also spoke at the appropriate time with a solemn expression, “It is the same for Walla Hill. Even if the vassals are included, I am not confident that I will be able to gather even three hundred soldiers.”

Kohen, who was behind the count, lowered his head and sighed softly.

He still remembered that when his two sisters went to visit their friends, his father immediately dispatched five hundred troops to escort them.

Count Lascia was even more direct. “The soldiers from the moors are not suited to battle in the north at all.”

Kessel the Fifth did not say anything else. He only exhaled lightly. “The Guardian Dukes of the Land of Cliffs and Blade Edge Hill have not arrived yet. However, I assume that their stance, along with that of the other four families, would be the same.”

As nobles from the Land of Cliffs Region, Count Sorel and Count Dagestan turned their heads and did not say anything.

In contrast, the heads of trades and tradesmen who were observing the conference began whispering among themselves. More than anything, they were worried about the impending war.

“Is this how all of you would repay Constellation?”

The Duke of the Northern Territory looked extremely furious. He stood up abruptly and pointed at the two cross-shaped stars above him, then spoke furiously, “This is the kingdom you swore your loyalty to and is also the greatest kingdom in human history! Even if the Northern Territory is not your territory, the Double Cross-Shaped Stars Flag waves on it! Just like your territories!”

Count Dagestan said coldly, “Your Grace, five years ago, I fought for Constellation, too. In the end, I lost my eldest son forever in the Western Desert. I guess you, who do not have a son, will not be able to understand this…”

“Bullshit!” Val opened his eyes wide in fury and turned his head abruptly. “My only daughter, the heir of White Eagle, is now at Broken Dragon Fortress at the border between the two kingdoms. She is under the command of Lady Sonia Sasere, the Fortress Flower! Her life and death depends on the outcome of the battle between the Great Dragon and Constellation!”

Having heard this, Kohen could not help but lower his head. He sighed and looked towards Raphael, who stood behind the Black Prophet.

“Perhaps we don’t have to wage war. We can choose to negotiate. Even if Eckstedt dispatches their army, it would be for the sake of gaining something.” Duke Cullen shook his head and sighed.

“And then force the Northern Territory to submissively hand over its land?” Like a hunting falcon, Val glared at every single person who replied.

At this moment, Zayen raised his head with a firm gaze and looked at the king. “Now that we know the chips in our hands and the size of our troops, the choice of whether to battle or to negotiate depends on Your Majesty’s will.”

Everyone’s gazes immediately turned towards Kessel.

Val’s gaze was anxious and stern. There was a smile in Cullen’s eyes, though it had a complicated look within it as well. Cyril’s gaze was a ruminating one, and Zayen’s gaze was calm.

“So, this is my kingdom?” Kessel slowly raised his head. His gaze cut into every single suzerain like a knife. “The king only has his regular troops and direct vassals in the face of the entire army force of another kingdom?

“Or I will have to represent Constellation and disgracefully agree to all their possible terms and conditions?”

Cyril Fakenhaz grinned and said, “Hehe, there cannot be a battle without sufficient firepower. However, the royal family’s dignity cannot be something that can be placed on the negotiating table either…”

Kessel the Fifth sighed, “Indeed, it is just as what Mane et Nox says, ‘All kings are lonely people’.”

At that moment, a resounding voice angrily erupted with every single syllable practically roared from the main door of the Hall of Stars!

“Your Majesty, please take back those words! As long as we are around, you will never be lonely! As nobles of Constellation, and descendants of the Empire, how can we back off?”

Amid the commotion in the hall, a noble who seemed to be in the prime of his life entered. His left eye was covered in horrifying scars, and he wore a yellow-and-black cape with an image of deer antlers on it. He walked towards the six stone chairs coolly and arrogantly.

Part of the nobles and members of the populace in the hall started clapping enthusiastically. As for the rest, some sneered with contempt, and the others shook their heads and sighed.

Duke Cullen flashed a resigned smile, while Val and Zayen looked grim.

“Nanchester’s One-Eyed Dragon,” Cyril Fakenhaz laughed loudly and said, “I thought you would only arrive at night!”

The mayor of Steep Forest City and the Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs spoke with a fierce expression.

“Compared to this… look at what all of you have done?”

He kissed Kessel’s ring but did not sit down on his stone chair. Instead, he turned towards Val. “Sir Arunde, do not worry! Steep Forest City shall dispatch all its troops and head north towards Broken Dragon Fortress!”

However, under Val’s surprised and complicated gaze, he immediately switched the topic and turned towards Kessel the Fifth.

“In the face of this war that will affect the whole nation, as long as you can set your followers’ minds at ease, I cannot think of any reason to back down!”

Almost all the nobles in the hall furrowed their brows.

‘Set his followers’ minds at ease?’

Kessel the Fifth slowly said, “Koshder, what do you mean?”

“Your Majesty, do you still not understand?” Koshder asked sternly, “There is an impending all-out war, but the nobles are terrified and confused. They are making all sorts of excuses! Under this situation, to endure the torment of deciding whether to battle or to negotiate all alone, as our king…

“This is unfair to you! But why do you think this is happening?”

Koshder shut his single eye tightly and took a deep breath. He then firmly said, “Iron Fist King, Your Majesty! The suzerains and the nobles do not dare to follow you! All of Constellation is laden with fear… that tragedy was over twelve years ago, and the late king’s remains are already buried! However, we still do not know what you are thinking! We do not know what sort of king we are following!”

All the nobles went completely silent in an instant. Gilbert and Jines furrowed their brows at the same time.

Kessel tightened his grip on his scepter slightly and stared at Koshder with a complicated expression. However, Koshder continued speaking without backing down, “We are all afraid of you. Nobody knows what a solitary king who acts without hesitation—who is the only person left in the Jadestar Family—would do! Moreover, this is a war we are talking about!”

Koshder turned, the sharp gaze of his single eye swept past every single suzerain. He enunciated every single one of his words clearly, “Your Majesty! The blood is gone, but Constellation still remains. Why do you have to endure the suspicion and envy of nobles, even when it comes to such an obvious choice of whether to go to war?”

Kessel the Fifth’s gaze became increasingly dark and cold. On the other hand, the four dukes simultaneously avoided his gaze.

Koshder pointed at the two cross-shaped stars on the ceiling and spoke loudly, “Your Majesty, for the benefit of Constellation and for the dignity of the Jadestar Royal Family, we cannot be hesitant when it comes to this crisis! That is why, Your Majesty, please share the burden of Constellation with us! To battle or to negotiate. Let all of us bear the price of this decision together!

“If Constellation is to have a bright future and a stable society, and if the royal family does not cease to exist… I believe that no one will back down in the face of such an important war for the kingdom!”

At that moment, many people have already sensed something. Morat Hansen lowered his head, soundlessly curling up his lips.

‘It’s coming. That was fast.’ Zayen squeezed his nose bridge and shut his eyes. ‘It’s coming. Hopefully it goes well.’

Cullen smiled as he watched Koshder act. ‘It’s coming… Interesting.’

Val looked at the Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs in a daze and clenched his teeth. ‘Is this their aim? Are both Kel and I their prey?’

The counts were whispering to each other on their stone chairs. Some of them were plagued with worry and the others nodded profusely. Only the members of the populace who were observing the meeting whispered among themselves in confusion.

However, everything in the Hall of Stars was still ongoing.

“Your Majesty, you will soon be forty-eight years old—on the eve of Constellation’s battle with the Dragon!”

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Koshder threw off his cape and, with a stern expression, he waved his arm towards the nobles in the hall.

“Please choose an heir to the kingdom among us nobles! Please use your action to tell the nobles that you still care about this kingdom’s stability and continuity, that you still trust these suzerains, who are your right hands!

“Then, we will battle for Constellation’s dignity and Jadestar’s honor! Without complaints! Without backing down!”

Silence. Absolute silence. A suffocating silence.

No one dared to be the first one to say something after hearing these words.

That was until a shrill and unbridled laughter broke the silence. “Hahaha…”

Under everyone’s bewildered gaze, Duke Fakenhaz opened his mouth and laughed crazily and joyfully. His messy teeth looked especially scary. “What did the Far Easterners say again? Real intentions will be revealed at the end?

“Your Majesty, do you want to fight this war with dignity? Exchange it with your throne! Hahahahaha…”

Editor’s Note:

[1] Not to be confused with the Battle of Eradication.

Chapter 61

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Thales watched with indifference as the nobles argued openly while throwing scathing remarks against each other in the dark. He lowered his head in dismal.

He sighed lightly. ‘Power, procedures, war, army force, the throne, is this the future I have to face?’

He suddenly felt that this unknown and strange world which had originally piqued his curiosity endlessly was becoming a little boring.

Duke Cullen, who was beside Fakenhaz, stared at him in dissatisfaction. “Cyril, do you have to be this straightforward every time?”

An earth-shattering roar rang from Star Plaza. It was noisy, and the noise was filled with both fury and passion. The sounds could not be heard clearly.

On the other hand, in the Hall of Stars, members of the populace and nobles of the minor nobility class immediately erupted into a flood of protests!

“Shameless suzerain! This is a usurping of the throne!”

“But we need an heir! What if something bad happens to the king at the frontlines…”

“Die, traitor! Jadestar is our king, that was our sacred pledge!”

“This is all for Constellation! We must stand together and meet Eckstedt head-on!”

The dukes quietly exchanged glares while the counts whispered among themselves.

“Silence! Silence!” Gilbert tried his best to maintain order, but it was ineffective.

That was until the Supreme King of Constellation, Kessel the Fifth, spotted a brilliant glint in his eyes.

Grasping the mysterious scepter that shone with starlight, he rose from the throne and yelled furiously with his authoritative voice, “An heir?”

The Hall of Stars immediately went silent. Everyone stared at the king’s robust figure.

“What good timing! You just had to do this when Constellation is in trouble, and when all of us need to work together to fight the enemy!”

The king rested his hands on the scepter and watched Koshder Nanchester with a sharp gaze. The One-Eyed Dragon slowly placed his hand in front of his chest and knelt on one knee before the king.

Nanchester spoke steadily and seriously. The sincerity in his words could be felt. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but this is a test. I believe that the weakened and scattered powers of Constellation can once again come together amid this face-off between the Dragon and Constellation.

“Everyone knows that the first person to speak out in forcing Your Majesty to appoint an heir will face the accusations of the masses. However, this is not so that myself—so that Nanchester—can take the throne.”

Koshder raised his head, and the gaze in his one eye was clear. “Your Majesty, you can very well exclude Nanchester from the list of candidates. Everything is for Constellation’s sake. Please appoint an heir, or at least set a method for the selection of the heir. That way, Constellation will definitely return to stand at the top of the Western Peninsula, and might even display the glory of the Empire again.”

Kessel slowly walked towards him and laughed coldly, “Koshder, sometimes even I cannot tell whether your awe-inspiring righteousness is out of sincerity or not.”

The one-eyed duke said calmly, “But if it is beneficial for Constellation, does it matter whether it is sincere or not?”

“I have also imagined this situation before. However, in my imagination, this would have happened during the Higher Parliament Conference. It did not have to be so ugly,” Count Dagestan said as he steadily rose and went behind Koshder. Similarly, he knelt on one knee. “But Your Majesty, due to the National Conference you decided to hold, this proper remonstration became a public conflict. One that appears as though we are publicly forcing you to abdicate your throne.”

Count Sorel walked up from the back and knelt on one knee, speaking solemnly, “However, we all have sufficiently legitimate reasons to resurrect this once mighty kingdom, which is right now in a disastrous state.”

Gilbert was so angry that his face was distorted in fury. “Just by having a new king? Do you think that by wearing the crown, Constellation will become the Empire?”

Count Bozdorf walked forward gloomily and knelt down steadily. “It is not that simple. Instead, we want to make the superior king who acts at his own will part of us. To think as we do and to act as we do. The ruler and the nobles were once united, and had been segregated due to the difference in power… Now, we will become one again.”

Zayen lowered his head and spoke sadly, “The Covendier Family has followed the Jadestar Family since the Battle of Eradication. This vow will always stand. However, I think that Tormond the First would also want to safeguard the safety and future of Constellation—he would understand.”

The Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers rose with resolution and joined the kneeling group.

Fakenhaz’s inappropriate laughter rang at an inappropriate time again. “Do you mean that we should adopt a king selection system? Hah, indeed, it will let all of you ‘share the burden of Constellation’! Just like Eckstedt, is it not?”

“Better than Eckstedt. We have a thousand-year foundation from the Empire.” Count Lascia from South Coast Hill looked at Duke Zayen with a complicated expression. He then went forward and knelt.

Kohen stared in disbelief as his father, the old Count Karabeyan, quietly knelt along with Count Lascia.

Kessel coldly looked down at these dukes and counts as one by one, they knelt down on one knee.

Duke Cullen sighed at that moment. “This is not the Jadestar Royal Family’s fault. It is the fault of that crown, that throne, and that scepter. Since the royal blood is going extinct, for Constellation’s sake, it might not be a bad thing if you appoint an heir.”

After Duke Cullen spoke, the two counts from the Eastern Sea, Javea and Almond, quietly went forward and knelt down.

One of the members of the king’s partisan, Count Godwin, spoke through clenched teeth, “It is obviously a shameful act to force the king to abdicate his throne. How do you even make this sound so justified and righteous?”

“Can you not see it?” Derek Kroma steadily left his seat and knelt down. “This is a representation of the general trend in the country.”

Below Renaissance Palace, the noises from the crowd became louder and louder.

*Bang!*

Val hit the handle of his stone chair with his fist. His gaze was cold. Clenching his fists tightly and lowering his head, he said, “Sometimes, I am really disgusted by all of you. An unbelievably coincidental war, an unbelievably coincidental remonstration, and the Northern Territory which is being sacrificed…”

Kessel the Fifth looked straight at him with a unique gaze that was difficult to comprehend. Under the king’s indecipherable gaze, the Duke of the Northern Territory shut his eyes tightly and inhaled.

His brows moved about, shifting as if they were a reflection of how great his emotions were in conflict with each other.

In the end, as if having made a decision, he opened his eyes and looked at Kessel. However, Val did not look at the king’s eyes. The heroic Duke of the Northern Territory spoke with desolation and disappointment, “But if this can lead to the stability and safety of the Northern Territory and Constellation… Kel, maybe you should consider it.”

The two counts who were his subordinates from the Northern Territory lowered their heads in silence.

Kessel’s gaze dimmed. He turned and did not look at his good childhood friend anymore.

Looking at how hesitant and guilty Val seemed, Duke Cyril Fakenhaz once again emitted a shrill laughter. “Your Majesty, it seems like you only have two choices left—to immediately appoint an heir, or to set a king selection system.”

Kessel the Fifth stood above all his vassals without any facial expression. The only thing he grasped tightly in his hand was his scepter. Thales suddenly felt that his father looked very lonely.

‘If he didn’t find me, how would the situation today be?’

Watching everything by the side, Thales suddenly felt dizzy.

‘It’s coming again.’

A fragment of a past memory flashed before his eyes.

Wu Qiren was sitting in an extremely small classroom, speaking to a lecturer in front of him and two other students.

“Poggi inherited Weber’s Deutsche Academic tradition. With his research topic revolving around power, he investigated the formation of feudal countries…”

‘No! Not now!’

Thales pressed his palms against his temples hard and suppressed the flashback.

When Thales’ attention returned to the Hall of Stars, Kessel the Fifth’s majestic voice rang beside his ears, “It seems that if I do not appoint an heir, we will not even be able to go to war… Very well. Then, I shall appoint an heir.”

Zayen’s brows furrowed slightly. He felt increasingly unsettled.

Kessel the Fifth slowly sat down without even looking at the nobles on the floor. Those words that Thales had been waiting all this while finally resonated in the air. “Let him meet everyone, Gilbert.”

‘It’s time.’ Thales’ mind went blank. He forced himself to gulp and watched as Gilbert waved his hand.

Within the dark room, a secret door suddenly opened in front of Thales. It contained a long flight of stairs leading to an unknown location. The crowd in the Hall of Stars began discussing among themselves.

The dukes and the counts maintained their composure. However, they could see the uncertainty in each other’s gazes.

Thales rearranged his bow tie, then addressed himself with the name that belonged to him in this world. ‘Thales, it’s time.’

Thales resolutely stepped on the stairs. ‘Just take it as another game.’

One step.

Another step.

On the floor, Count Dagestan raised his head and stared straight at Kessel. “I apologize for not understanding what you mean, Your Majesty… Could it be that the heir that you chose is not among the nobles in this hall?”

The supreme king only stared at him coldly without saying anything.

In the narrow passageway, Thales pressed his hands against his forehead hard. The flashback returned, but he clenched his teeth and firmly walked forwards.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the Hall of Stars, but when he closed his eyes, he saw the other version of himself living within the fragments of those memories.

“The bond between the feudal king and his vassals is strongly emotional and personal in nature… Due to the fight for power, the bond slowly deteriorates. There is a breakdown in order, and the rapport becomes unstable. Violence and unrest breaks out periodically… Then the unified feudal system finally falls apart…

“However, the rise of feudalism is still a praiseworthy effort in stabilizing public rule… Poggi also believed that in this process, the legitimacy of power, the boundary of the king’s rule, the country’s responsibilities and traditions, and even the importance of law became a part of history, and received recognition. This is the most valuable legacy left behind by feudalism to the countries that came afterwards…

“But we still have to ask. What is lacking in Poggi’s observation and analysis?”

‘What is lacking?’

“Your Majesty, have you chosen your heir?” The One-Eyed Dragon, Koshder Nanchester, raised his single eye and looked around him with a profound gaze. “But it seems that the Tabark Family and the two Distinguished Families from the southwest have not arrived yet.”

The supreme king still did not pay him any attention. Thales reached a side door and could already see the members of the populace gathered outside the Hall of Stars.

‘No, it’s not a side door.’

He realized that the door in front of him led towards the center of the hall—where the twenty stone chairs were.

‘It’s the main door.’

The guards had a solemn expression on their faces. However, some could not help but look at him and the emblem on his clothes.

The moment they saw it clearly, the breathing quickened for many of them. Some even lost their composure and leaned forward to take a look.

However, a guard who appeared to be the leader sternly reprimanded them to return to their positions. He then respectfully saluted Thales and cleared a path for him to enter the hall, but when Thales was about to start walking—

“Go. You will be better than him.”

Thales raised his head abruptly. The guard had already turned and left.

Only the back of a figure clad in armor and a helmet could be seen.

‘Yodel.’ Thales clenched his fist tightly. ‘Is it you?’

Similarly, some of the members of the populace gathered outside the hall had already noticed the boy standing outside the door. They started whispering among themselves while signaling to each other.

The flashback faded away like a receding tide. The boy felt as though there was a newfound surge of energy in his body that made him more alert.

Thales took three deep breaths. ‘This is just another game… This is just another thesis defense.’

Thales pushed aside all his emotions and cleared all the expressions on his face. He then stepped onto the astral blue, patterned carpet.

He stepped into his future.

He walked onwards, passing by members of the populace who gathered at the outermost layer of the crowd.

A squire from the outskirts dressed in slightly old-fashioned clothing jabbed his friend beside him—who ran errands between the city and the countryside.

“Who is that?”

“Even a child can enter the Hall of Stars now?”

“Maybe he’s a noble.”

“But he’s so young.”

“Eh, can you see it? That child is dressed so beautifully.”

“Almost as beautiful as the young lady from the baron’s family.”

Thales did not avert his gaze. He walked on, passing traders, artisans, farmers and the head of trades who occupied the steps.

A plump carriage trader was a little surprised. He pulled the arms of two other people who were in the same trade as him.

“Look at that child!”

“Is he a noble who came late?”

“With that attire, he is definitely more than a noble of the minor nobility class!”

“Do you recognize the emblem on his clothing?”

“It seems a little familiar. I once fetched some customers, whose scrolls they held had that emblem.”

“Why is he coming at this time?”

Thales did not stop walking. He continued onwards, then walked past the seats occupied by honorary militants and administrative officers.

A judge from a little village nearby saw him. He furrowed his brows and lowered his head, whispering softly at the authorized signatory from another town hall.

“Look at that family emblem.”

“That’s… my God!”

“How is this possible?”

“I also think that it’s impossible. Are you sure you didn’t get it wrong?”

“I have handled almost a hundred warrants from the king! How can I get it wrong?!”

Thales ignored them completely and continued onwards, walking past nobles of minor nobility classes such as lords and barons sitting on stone stools.

The eyes of a baron smoking from a pipe shone with a bright light. He almost bit on the pipe in his mouth. He leaned his body forward and tapped his good friend’s shoulder.

“That cannot be the… Nine-Pointed Star?”

“What? This…”

“Are you thinking the same thing I am?”

“More or less.”

“Then, now…”

“Yes, as expected of the Iron Hand King.”

Thales paid them no attention. He passed by the stone chairs of viscounts, counts, and other nobles of the intermediate nobility class.

An honorary count opened his mouth in disbelief.

He did not have to notify the others as many of the nobles had seen Thales.

“Is that…”

“Heavens above… this, how are they going to put an end to this?”

“It cannot be. All these years, there was no news at all…”

“Perhaps he is an illegitimate son who was wandering about out there…”

“Then the suzerains…”

“Haih, the waters in this matter run too deep…”

“Let us just wait and see.”

The discussion, noise and chatter among the crowds became increasingly louder. In the end, it became a loud commotion.

All the people stood up and leaned forward, eagerly watching the mysterious boy wearing a gold-and-silver nine-pointed star.

Behind the stone chair at the center, Kohen turned his head curiously to look at the source of the commotion.

A boy in noble attire who wore a nine-pointed star breastpin walked forward with a solemn expression.

Seeing the nine-pointed star, the stunned Kohen did not move.

‘That boy… why does he have the Jade… Jadestar Family emblem?’

Without batting an eyelid, Thales stepped between the thirteen stone chairs.

Gilbert winked at him.

The three dukes who were seated saw the approaching boy clearly. They could no longer maintain their composure.

Val stared at the boy in shock and clenched his fists tightly, “This… are you joking?”

Cullen furrowed his brows deeply and leaned his plump body forward. “That boy… his emblem…”

On the other hand, Cyril ground his horrifying teeth and his brows twitched. He uttered a few words, “Ah, ah… this is indeed… beyond my expectations.”

The supreme king slowly raised his head. His gaze was cold but carried the hint of a smile as well.

He chuckled as he said, “Everyone, meet Thales.”

The suzerains who were kneeling on the floor turned their heads.

The moment Zayen Covendier, the Guardian Duke of South Coast, saw the boy’s face clearly, his pupils immediately contracted.

‘It’s him… It’s him? It’s him!’

Kessel gently stroked his scepter once more, and spoke with dignified authority, “He is my son. The only blood descendant of the Jadestar Royal Family.”

Thales extended his right hand forward and placed his left hand on his back. He bowed deeply to the king.

He then turned towards all the suzerains.

“Good day, sirs,” Thales heard himself say.

That was the first time he spoke to the honorable suzerains of Constellation, who had a large number of troops in their hands… and ruled the kingdom.

Chapter 62

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The suppressed commotion in the Hall of Stars officially became a hall-wide uproar.

Everybody, including members of the populace, officials, and nobles of various classes, eagerly drew themselves forward. They all wanted to have a look at the first Jadestar offspring to appear in twelve years.

Under Gilbert’s orders, group after group of well-armed guards rapidly entered the scene and formed human barricades. Holding anti-force shields and riot control sticks borrowed from the police station, they forcibly warded off the crowd and maintained order.

“Move back, or else you will be punished for disrespect towards the royal family!” the guards screamed at the top of their lungs.

However, even these guards sometimes turned their heads back to look at that boy with the special identity but was only six or seven years old.

Thales stood in the hall unperturbed. Facing the gazes of people from the entire hall, he was calm and composed.

‘This is what I have no choice but to face.’

He felt a little spiritless, which was why he felt extremely calm even though he had to endure an endless number of gazes trained on his person.

Especially the gazes of those dukes and counts who numbered, altogether, more than ten people. There was bewilderment, shock, fury, indignation, contemplation, and ambiguity in their gazes. After that, their gazes simultaneously became one of scrutiny and caution, piercing into him like sharp knives.

There was also Zayen Covendier’s complicated gaze. Zayen could only feel the blood in his entire body flow upwards to his brain.

Trembling slightly, he slowly stood up and stared at Thales in disbelief. ‘It’s that boy… How can this be?

‘The supposed illegitimate child of Lord Mahn… Him?

‘The greater irony is the fact that I just saved his life from the hands of assassins yesterday.

‘If I had insisted yesterday… or simply stayed out of it and let him die in the hands of the assassins…’

He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth.

‘No, we have not lost yet. There is still a chance!’

However, a greater, noisier, and more deafening cheer rang from Star Plaza. The news about the Jadestar descendant had finally been announced to the entire kingdom.

Gilbert coldly said, “Go back to your seats, gentlemen. I believe that His Majesty will humbly accept your remonstrations and take your suggestions to appoint an heir.”

“Why does this boy have the nine-pointed star…? It has been twelve years… Your Majesty…” Count Sorel could not hide his shocked expression at all. He returned to his stone chair in a daze.

“We have never heard about Queen Keya having a third child… Who exactly is this unknown child…?” Count Dagestan muttered as he sat back down on his stone chair. He furrowed his brows in deep contemplation.

“Your Majesty, we still need an explanation!” Duke Koshder, the One-Eyed Dragon from Nanchester Family lowered his head. His expression could not be seen clearly in the shadows, but he kept his fists clenched tightly.

He suddenly raised his head and glared furiously and fixedly at Kessel the Fifth with his single eye. “To have a boy wearing the Nine-Pointed Star family emblem appear at this time… are you toying with us?”

Kessel the Fifth did not even glance at him. He stared in another direction.

Val furrowed his brows deeply and sighed softly. He spoke forlornly, “Kel, I understand. So, this was your aim. Just like these disgusting people, you had a plan. You did not hold this National Conference for the purpose of reacting to Eckstedt at all… but for this child.”

The Duke of the Northern Territory leaned back and looked at the expressionless Thales. He then looked at the silent king and continued, “Do all of you think I am a fool? Hah, after all this, apart from the Northern Territory itself, nobody cares about Eckstedt and the war.” He laughed mockingly. “Look, this is the glory of Constellation, the afterglow of the Empire.”

Kessel the Fifth ignored him. The other suzerains also avoided his gaze.

The plump Duke Cullen furrowed his brows, a sight that was rarely seen. He contemplated earnestly in solemnity without saying anything.

“It is not a surprise. We are talking about the Jadestar Royal Family and the nineteen noble families here.” Duke Fakenhaz laughed dryly. Not caring that the people he reprimanded included himself, he mocked, “The pillars of Constellation!”

Having calmed down, Zayen Covendier exchanged a look with Koshder. They tried to communicate with Duke Cullen, who was sitting in another stone chair. However, the latter had his head lowered in thought, as though nothing in the outside world mattered to him.

‘Damned old man.’ The young Duke of the South Coast and the one-eyed Duke of the Land of Cliffs mentally scolded at the same time. ‘He is the pioneer of “New Star” and also the first person to agree to the plan, but he is always the first one to retreat when accidents happen.’

Watching the counts and dukes as they returned to their seats, Gilbert responded coldly, “Everyone, you have heard what His Majesty has said. His Majesty will acknowledge this boy as his kin in today’s National Conference.” The middle-aged noble took a step forward and tried his best to suppress his excitement. “The Jadestar royal bloodline will hence continue…”

“Wait!” The Duke of the Land of Cliffs, Koshder the One-Eyed Dragon, seemed to have just snapped out of the shock that made him lose his composure. He cut Gilbert off in a loud voice, “We all know that two of His Majesty’s children have, unfortunately, passed away twelve years ago, but we do not yet know what exactly this boy’s origin is!”

‘Perhaps the effect would be minimal. However, this has to be stopped no matter what, or else, after planning for so long, they…’

Thales sighed and looked towards Koshder.

‘Are they those people Gilbert spoke about? Those who hope to rely on a sudden crisis to change the situation in the kingdom and, hence, obtain power and benefits?’

He glanced at Koshder, Zayen, and the counts. Thales scrutinized them and shook his head slightly. ‘This conference is practically like a farce in the market, but it determines the war and peace, and also the future of countless people in the kingdom.’

“Who gave you the power to interrogate His Majesty about his son’s identity in front of him during the National Conference?” Count Godwin, who was part of the king’s partisan, demanded loudly in dissatisfaction.

Having met Duke Zayen’s gaze, Count Lascia slowly said, “This is about the person who will inherit the throne, and the future of Constellation. Every noble who had their title conferred by the king has the right to ask. How can we treat this as child’s play?”

Fakenhaz clapped and let out a sinister and shrill laugh. “Great. Just now, the Jadestar Royal Family was still an historical antique about to be swept into the garbage heap. Now, everyone is concerned about the future of the kingdom.”

Koshder and Zayen cast a dissatisfied glance at Fakenhaz at the same time.

Val placed his hand on his forehead and spoke while suppressing his fury, “Let this damn farce end soon. No matter what the result is, the Northern Territory is still facing the threat of war.

“Although I know that all of you do not care, and even this crisis is just… Whatever it is, just end it soon.” By the end of his sentence, the Duke of the Northern Territory whose gaze was full of fury, shook his head slightly. He said mockingly, “Whether it is the king, or the suzerains… the Northern Territory should never have relied on any of you.”

The suzerains looked at each other and was silent for a moment.

The noise in Star Plaza again became louder and resonated in the Hall of Stars. However, the reason is unknown this time.

Kessel lightly tapped his scepter on the floor, garnering everyone’s attention. The Iron Hand King’s expression was calm and nonchalant.

“Thales, let everyone take a look at who you are.” The king’s tone was flat. However, his words made everyone’s expression change all of a sudden. “Sooner or later, they will kneel before you and pledge their loyalty to you. They will become your support, and the kingdom’s pillars.”

A few of the counts turned their heads without batting an eyelid, completely forgoing their intention to speak out.

‘True. If this boy really becomes the Supreme King of Constellation in the future…’

Without batting an eye, Zayen clasped his hands together and rapidly assessed the situation. ‘If the Higher Parliament formed by the nineteen nobles does not acknowledge this child’s status… That way… Even if it would damage our public trust… this damn National conference…’

Footsteps rang.

Everyone sitting on the stone chairs turned their heads and watched as the boy went beside King Kessel.

That seemingly thin, weak, and pitiful boy who had to endure the gazes of everyone in the hall. He maintained a calm expression, and even looked a little preoccupied.

He sighed.

“I am Thales.” Amid the noise, the neatly dressed boy spoke softly.

The people in the hall quickly went silent so that they could hear him clearly.

This was also a skill he learned from his past life while giving speeches. When speaking in a noisy occasion, the key to silencing others was not by speaking even louder than them; it was to leave them with no choice but to shut up so they can hear him clearly.

“I am a descendant of the Jadestar bloodline. My father is this kingdom’s supreme king, King Kessel Jadestar. My grandfather is this kingdom’s late king, the King of Eternal Rule, King Aydi Jadestar.”

His gaze swept across all the suzerains in front of him. He saw the Duke of the Northern Territory, who sat alone at the side with a dreary expression. The duke’s head was lowered and he did not speak—Val Arunde. And the two Counts of the Northern Territory who were sitting behind him.

He then looked at the aggressive One-Eyed Dragon, Nanchester; Zayen, who shook his head slightly while staring at him; Fakenhaz, whose gaze was one of contemplation; and Duke Cullen, who had his head lowered and was smiling.

He looked at the counts, whose expressions differed, but were similarly harboring ulterior motives in their minds.

He even looked at Kessel the Fifth, who had an indifferent expression as he held his scepter.

Thales suddenly awoke to reality. ‘My status, the royal family’s succession, and even the impending war and Constellation’s safety. I’m afraid that those were never in these people’s considerations.

‘As for the casualties from the wars…’

The dispiritedness and boredom in the boy’s heart became greater.

By definition, he should talk about his ‘origins’ in Mahn Manor according to what he had been told to do, and then let the king and the people from the king’s partisan do the rest.

However, Thales felt a little worn out. He did not feel like following the script anymore; he had enough of all this.

The boy’s mind began turning. ‘The formation of feudal kingdoms… the feudal king and his vassals… strongly emotional and personal… the struggle for power… the bond slowly changes…’

He then slowly opened his eyes and looked at the suzerains. The corner of his lips curled up.

Consequently, everyone saw the boy shut his eyes, then opening them after a second and chuckling softly. Seeing Thales’ sardonic grin and how he stopped speaking, Gilbert suddenly felt a chill running up his spine.

‘Surely it could not be…’

Although this young gentleman often gave him plenty of scares, Gilbert would still prefer fewer surprises on such an important occasion.

Thales blinked and slowly began speaking, “I can prove that I am part of the Jadestar bloodline. But…

“Forget about that.” Thales swept his gaze across the nobles, who were watching him with greedy, predatory eyes. He quietly said, “In any case, even if I am able to prove that I am a descendant of the Jadestar Family, all of you will still have reasons to object to my inclusion into the family, right?”

Koshder spoke coldly, “Child, do you know what you are talking about? If you cannot prove that you are—”

“The Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs, Koshder Nanchester,” Thales said coldly, “Are your intense objections for the sake of Constellation and the royal family, or for one of you to wear that crown? Is this not something everyone already knows?

“This is the National Conference, and people from the entire capital city are observing this conference. Who do you think you can deceive with that righteous ‘everything I do is for Constellation’s sake’ air?”

The crowd in the hall immediately burst into uproar.

Gilbert started to feel anxious. This was definitely not in the plan. He was about to speak, when Jines pulled him from behind.

Jines gazed at Thales and spoke in a low voice, “Let him finish. He does not look like he is without a plan.”

Koshder, who was sitting on his stone chair, glared fiercely at Thales with his single eye. However, Thales could feel that the Duke of the Land of Cliffs’ breathing was quickening.

Thales took huge strides towards Koshder and stared fearlessly into his eye. “You stepped into the Hall of Stars, saying that you want to aid the Northern Territory and unite the kingdom. However, as a prerequisite, you demanded for somebody among your own people to be appointed as heir to the kingdom, or else you will refuse to dispatch troops, and would rather see the Northern Territory fall into enemy hands. Of course, perhaps the decline of the Northern Territory is a good thing for all of you.”

Val, whose head was lowered all the while, raised his gaze and looked towards the boy.

Koshder was still staring fixedly at Thales with his single eye, like a mamba snake that was observing its prey before launching an attack.

But Thales was not done speaking. His eyes burned, as if harboring the deepest fury. “However, everyone knows that this is not righteousness but a deal! What you care about is not Constellation, the royal family, nor the people—just yourself! You are not a lone hero who is willing to be subject to disapproval for his kingdom’s benefits! All you want is an heir of the kingdom who is to your liking. But you have to mask your desires and interests with righteousness!”

Thales coldly concluded his speech with the knowledge he had learned from the past twenty days. “In the Far East, they call this ‘masking your desire with excuses’. Translated, it means this: One-Eyed Dragon, you are a hypocrite. And you disgust me.”

There was only coldness left in Koshder’s single eye.

The suzerains stared at each other. They could see shock in the others’ eyes.

‘Although this is an undisclosed story every single intellectual knows, to speak about it in public… is too…’

“Wow.” Fakenhaz clapped, as if he craved nothing short of kingdom-wide chaos. He grinned. “At least you are pretty eloquent, child.”

Kessel the Fifth ran his hand gently over his scepter. His gaze was profound.

After a few seconds, the crowd burst into an uproar. There were even people shouting loudly at the place where members of the populace and members of the minor nobility classes were seated.

“Are you done speaking?!” Gritting his teeth, Koshder suddenly stood up!

He went right in front of Thales and looked down at him. He spoke intimidatingly, “You damned child, do you think that by spouting nonsense, you can shift…”

Thales also raised his head all of a sudden and coldly cut him off, “Shut up, hypocrite. I am not done speaking yet!

“The Jadestar bloodline is standing right in front of you. I am the descendant of Tormond the First, and my bloodline is one that you and your ancestors from every single generation had once kneeled and pledged your life and fealty to!” Thales stared at the Duke of the Land of Cliffs without giving any impression of weakness. He spoke without regards for the duke’s feelings, “Even if you want to usurp the throne, for the sake of your ancestors, show me some respect.”

Koshder widened his one eye. He watched in disbelief as the child in front of him—only six or seven years old—used the Jadestar status that even he himself had not obtained, to insult him. For a moment, he did not even remember to refute.

A loud cheer once again rang from the plaza. Words such as ‘Jadestar’ and ‘prince’ could be vaguely heard.

Thales sneered and repeated mercilessly, “Oh no, it seems like the messages were already passed down, hypocritical duke.”

Without waiting for Koshder’s reaction, he turned abruptly and looked at the suzerains.

Thales spoke steadily and loudly, “All of you have made a deal in private, right? A group of nobles, with determining the next king as their goal, assassinated the Eckstedt Diplomat Group, and incited war. With the fall of the Northern Territory, some people will obtain territories and resources, some will receive promises and gains, and some…” Thales slowly turned and looked towards the young Duke of South Coast. He spoke calmly, one word at a time, “Might get the crown.

“Right? Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers?”

A lot of people turned their heads at the same time and followed Thales’ gaze to look towards Duke Zayen Covendier.

Under the gazes of Thales and the crowd, Zayen felt extremely uncomfortable.

The fact that he unintentionally saved and let go of the boy yesterday, resulting in the boy ruining the plan, also made him very angry. However, his strict upbringing, which had lasted for years, and his training as a noble, allowed him to hide his emotions and maintain the best demeanor.

Zayen flashed a friendly smile and spoke steadily, “Child, making random guesses will not help you get your status confirmed. If you do not plan on explaining your origins and giving us proof, we will have to dispatch an investigation team and spend some time thoroughly investigating your past. Only then—”

Thales suddenly changed the topic and cut him off.

“Yesterday, on my way to Renaissance Palace, I encountered assassins.” Thales watched all the seated suzerains as their gazes changed. He spoke calmly, “It was thanks to you, the Guardian Duke of South Coast, Zayen Covendier, helping me in the middle of your journey, that I was able to escape death.”

Gilbert and Jines looked at each other. They saw worry in each other’s eyes.

Hearing the news about the assassins, the crowds started whispering among themselves again.

Thales nodded at him with a calm expression. “A life was saved, but somebody did not say thank you.”

Zayen tried hard to suppress the anger in his heart. ‘This brat. Is it because you know that I let go of such a large prey, that’s why…

‘That’s why you deliberately came here to anger me?’

On the surface, Zayen smiled and nodded with considerable grace. “You are welcome. Every noble who passed by had the obligation to extend a helping hand. Moreover, you already thanked me yesterday. However, even though you faced assassination, it cannot prove that you—”

But Thales did not let him continue.

“No, Sir Covendier.” Thales coldly raised his head. “You misunderstood me.”

Thales walked, step after step, towards Zayen, and slowly spoke, one single word at a time, according to his steps. That way, the words spoken will bring out the most oppressive and convincing air to others. “I remember the moment when those assassins saw me very clearly. The leader was very shocked. He even shouted ‘No’.”

Thales went in front of Covendier’s stone chair and said slowly, “Gilbert might have been wondering why I faced assassination, although my whereabouts had obviously not been leaked.”

Zayen stared in bewilderment at Thales standing before him. ‘What on earth does he want to do?’

“As the target of their assassination, I was also very astonished. At that time, almost nobody knew who I was. Even if I were promised that crown, if you—who had relevant interests to the crown—met me, you would not thrust your sword at me without giving me a chance to speak.

“Until just now, when I saw you and your accomplices pushing in unison for an heir to be appointed, I finally understood.” Thales lowered his head and sighed deeply. “They were not there to kill me… But to kill someone else.”

Zayen’s expression finally changed. Watching Zayen’s gaze that had turned from skepticism to shock, Thales slowly uttered his remaining words.

“Their target was another person who was also on his way to Renaissance Palace, and was bound to pass by that street. That person was also an important person who was also keeping a low profile and had come on this trip in secret with little protection.”

Zayen was so shocked that he could not speak.

Thales’ gaze was steady and his words were chilling. Looking at Zayen, who was sitting stunned in his chair, Thales cracked a smile. “Yes, Duke Covendier. Yesterday, I startled the assassins by passing through.”

At a corner where no one was paying attention to, Jines lowered her head and shut her eyes tightly.

“Your Grace, it was me. There were more than ten professional assassins who had thorough planning, were well-trained, well-coordinated, and concealed themselves superbly. They had Psionics among them, were equipped with military crossbows, and could accurately assassinate their target who was protected by supreme class elites. It was me…” Thales narrowed his gray eyes. “…who saved your life from their hands.”

He uttered one final sentence, “So, you are the one who owes me a word of thanks, Duke Covendier.”

‘Checkmate.’

Having understood something, Zayen’s face became increasingly pale. He subconsciously rested his back on the stone chair.

The two Counts of South Coast Hill, Karabeyan and Lascia, who were behind him, stared at each other in shock.

Chapter 63

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Thales had yet to finish his speech.

“Since you are the assassin’s target… who could be the one who wants to take your life?”

Thales’ voice pounded on Zayen’s heart like a sledgehammer covered in iron thorns. “Your Grace, let us take a moment to recall. What did you plan to do on that day? Who were you going to meet? Who would have knowledge of your whereabouts?”

Zayen exhaled deeply without giving away any emotion on his face, but the scene from that day kept emerging uncontrollably in his mind.

He saw that Gilbert had been among those that were attacked, and to win Gilbert’s favor, Zayen had lent a helping hand.

Those assassins, that little boy, and also, the people who knew that he would be there.

Thales sounded cold as he slowly replied word by word, “Was it those people whom you thought were your allies? Those people whom you worked hard with to achieve a better future for Constellation? Those people who once promised you a beautiful future?”

Thales turned his head around as he sighed. “This makes sense. Did they also tell you that among those people who were qualified to succeed the throne, you’re the youngest candidate with the best image, has the majority of the people’s support, and is the most possible candidate?”

The silent crowd finally started to rise into a clamor. Everyone at the scene had different reactions towards Thales’ behavior.

Standing behind Count Karabeyan, the young Officer Kohen stared at the boy in astonishment. ‘Is he… really only six or seven years old? When I was seven years old… never mind, just forget it, lest I get upset over the comparison.’

But things did not always turn out how people wished them to be. The old Count Karabeyan turned his head around and glanced at Kohen with a scrutinizing gaze before turning his gaze towards Thales.

Under Kohen’s increasingly bewildered expression, the old count’s gaze flickered numerous times between Kohen and Thales. Finally, the old count sighed in disappointment after looking at Kohen, before turning his head once again to look at Thales.

He left Kohen looking innocent and clueless, but Kohen then realized what the old count’s glances implied, so he lowered his head in misery, ‘Old man, do you have to reach that extent! You can’t just compare people like that!’

Morat, the Black Prophet, gently exhaled as he stared at Thales with eyes filled with mixed emotions. It seemed that he had previously underestimated him.

The infamous Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department whispered to Raphael who stood behind him, “This child… was indeed out of our expectations… If he were the king you have to serve in the future… The advantage is that you will have less to worry about, but the downside is that you cannot possibly be worry-free.”

Raphael nodded gravely at the seemingly paradoxical speech. He understood what the prophet was trying to convey.

Kessel the Fifth stared at his son with sparkling eyes. He turned his head slightly to the side, and murmured to Jines who was by his side, “Did that child learn about eloquence and speech from Gilbert, or learn reasoning and observation skills from you?”

“Neither.” Jines stared at the center of the court, at that boy who was talking and explaining in such a serious manner. A bitter yet gratified smile appeared on her face. “That child is rather unique.”

“Rather unique.” Kessel the Fifth pondered for a moment before he snorted lightly, his features clouded up with gloom and mixed emotions. “You are right. He is just like his mother.”

Jines’ expression froze.

Kessel’s switched his gaze back onto Thales.

“Enough!”

Koshder slammed against the arm of the stone chair furiously and cut off Thales’ speech. He glared indignantly at Kessel’s relishing gaze. “Your Majesty, it is time for this farce to end… Our main point is…”

“Nanchester’s One-Eyed Dragon! Why are you in such a hurry?”

Everyone turned around and, to their surprise, the person who spoke was the Duke of the Northern Territory!

Val coldly raised his head. “Why is it unfavorable for you if he continues his speech?”

Koshder was left with his tongue tied.

Val’s eyes were raging flames. He turned his head around and stared at that haggard, horrible-looking man. Then, with words that contained an underlying meaning and were as sharp as blades, he said, “As for you, Fakenhaz, you old bones, under these circumstances, it was a wonder that you were not gloating over the misfortune, nor giving out sarcastic remarks. This is very uncommon of you.”

“Thank you for reminding me. I was just about to start, ha ha…” Cyril Fakenhaz, who was slower to catch up than others, pointed his finger and guffawed at Zayen who had an incredibly sour look on his face.

But only for those who knew him the best could tell that his laughter was insipid. “Seems that you have been made a fool by others, you immature young duke!”

Val stared at the plump duke across from him and said disdainfully, “As for you, Duke Cullen, our prime minister, you are still as dependable as before.”

Duke Cullen smiled at the comment in an ingenuous manner. Zayen tightened his fist while maintaining what was left of his bearings, trying hard not to look at those people.

Those people.

‘If… if I’m dead… Out of those people, who would benefit?’ He began to consider about the issues as he could not control the growing suspicion in his heart.

Zayen tried his best to smile despite looking slightly pale for his complexion. He spoke weakly, “Enough, child. No matter what you say, there is still no evidence…”

“Your Grace!”

Thales stared at this young duke, his eyes cold and distant as he purposely avoided the ‘evidence’ that was just brought up. He deliberately coaxed the thoughts of both the duke and those who were listening to the direction he wanted. “What position exactly did you have in the group that consists of people who care about the throne?

“Yes, this does not make any sense. You are not the only one in the group. Your group does not consist of just one person. If you were murdered, the rest of the group would feel unsafe and become paranoid. Then, the alliance would break by itself.”

Thales sighed again, “Why would the person behind this have the intention to kill you, to carry out actions that would destroy the plan? Unless, there is a more terrifying possibility.”

Zayen closed his eyes and lowered his head slightly. He was not a fool.

Thales moved around Zayen in a circle. With a sympathetic look on his face, he patted the shoulder of the Iris Flowers’ master. “The possibility is that all the other members of the group knew that you are meant to be the sacrificial lamb. Your death is a part of the plan. You are the one who was betrayed, and the only one who was abandoned.

“This makes sense. You are young and promising. You have excellent skills and approaches towards matters. You came from a rich family and you have high popularity among the people. If you made your way up to the throne, even if it is just a throne you obtained by means of selecting a king, it will only take a few years for Covendier to become another Jadestar Royal Family who will begin to control and regulate the suzerains. Even if age is a factor, for your age, you will still live longer than any one of them.

“If that is the case, what would be the difference of them trying to change the royal family in the first place? If the Tricolor Iris Flowers’ master was murdered in the capital, the nobles would become more terrified, the pressure for the war would increase, the blame that His Majesty has to bear would increase, and the scheme in forcefully deciding an heir would perhaps become easier and smoother. The crown would also be worn by the person whom they favor more.”

Zayen’s expression was indifferent, but everyone else could tell that his gaze had stopped moving for quite some time.

Thales shook his head in a comical manner, as if he was an adult. “Before you have the chance to wear that crown, you have already been betrayed. It all boils down to the fact that you are still far too young and careless in befriending others.”

Thales walked back to Kessel’s side, and coldly continued, “They probably borrowed a great amount from you and the Covendier Family’s power, and have been making preparations for a very long time. But no matter what they promised you, they will not fulfill that promise.

“Please think about it carefully, and then reconsider your stance. You are a wise person, which side are you more likely to choose as your ally? Who would provide the greatest benefit towards Iris Flowers’ growth as the king?”

Zayen kept his glance away from Thales while remaining silent. He stared fixedly at the floor beneath him, as if he was interested in the pattern of the floor tiles.

At this moment, Thales suddenly snapped his head around. He cried in a strange manner at the suzerains on the stone seats, “Do not move.”

Many of the suzerains furrowed their brows. Thales carefully swept his gaze over everyone’s faces, as if he was inspecting them down to their every pore.

He coldly said, “Do not move. Those who betrayed Zayen, do not turn your heads or move away your gaze. Look into my eyes… I can sense your guilt and fear from your expressions.”

Zayen raised his head abruptly and stared at the suzerains. Some of their breaths stopped during that instance!

But the next moment, Thales’ whole frame became loose as he relaxed. He opened his palms and giggled, “You do not have to be nervous. I was only kidding.”

Some of the suzerains released the breath they were holding. They clenched their teeth and balled up their fists tightly as they glared at Thales.

‘Did he do that on purpose?’

Thales looked at the suzerains as his expression became solemn once more. “But after seeing Iris Flowers’ example, you should understand that once Jadestar has no heir, regardless of which other clan or distinguished family succeeds the throne, no matter if it is before or after the ascension, no matter for whether they are weak or strong, the new royal family will eventually become the next target of the suzerains.

“Without any external forces from other enemies, you will begin fighting against each other over the uneven distribution of power until the fall of Constellation itself.

“I do not care who the one that formed the conspiracy plan is, nor do I care about who is the one that wants the throne. Since, for most of you, it is a conclusion set in stone that the royal family has no heir, and naturally, you would want to choose the future that is most beneficial for yourself.

“However, I am already standing here. For the peace and stability of Constellation, and also for your own benefit. The succession of the Jadestar Royal Family is the biggest hope for Constellation’s stability.

“Everyone, for everything, please be like your ancestors and support Jadestar firmly and unwaveringly. Please support me.”

The crowd’s discussion became increasingly louder, and some people began to applaud.

Coincidentally, the hurrah from the plaza also came through tier by tier. It was unknown which sentence exactly the guards had passed from inside the hall.

Thales did not look at the suzerains’ expressions. In fact, he enjoyed it even more to imagine their expressions.

Gilbert finally let out a long exhale and whispered to Thales, who was walking back to him, “That certainly… left a great impression on the people, my young Sir.”

Gilbert lowered his head and whispered his question, “The threat brought on by Iris Flowers has already disappeared amid his own suspicions and doubts. The Great Deer Antler’s power and influence also decreased greatly, but how were you certain that those assassins were targeting Iris Flowers?”

“Of course I am not sure.” Thales flashed him a smile, and with a bright glint in his eyes, he stared at Zayen, who had his head lowered in pensive silence and had yet to speak up. “But he also has no knowledge on that, does he?

“You have to grasp the main point in everything you do. What really matters is not the assassins, but rather, the fact that Zayen saw those assassins with his own eyes.”

Thales could feel Kessel the Fifth’s serious gaze on him. He tried to maintain his normal breathing under the considerable stress, and said with a relaxed tone, “It’s just like what happened just now, what really mattered was not the possible recognition of my identity, but about the people who were unwilling to acknowledge my identity.”

“I still have one more thing to say. Even though it was emotionally satisfying, the behavior you demonstrated just now was not the most brilliant political move,” under Thales’ puzzled gaze, Gilbert released a long sigh and whispered, “You will understand this later.”

“Stop the nonsense right now! This is utterly futile and useless!”

The raging One-Eyed Dragon, Duke Nanchester, slammed against the stone seat hard and swept his gaze over the crowd with a menacing and oppressing glare. “Did everyone forget? Until now, he has yet to prove his own identity!

“His Majesty did not have any sons for a whole twelve years, then all of a sudden, a child of six or seven years of age suddenly jumps out and claims that he is the descendant of the royal family? And he even gave wild statements and speeches at this National Conference…”

Thales sighed and cut him off loudly by saying, “Duke Koshder Nanchester, why are you still dwelling over my identity? Do you still not understand? My father had prepared for this a long time ago.”

Thales tilted his head slightly and gave a pure smile. “I thought hypocrites like you, who worry about the nation and the people on the surface, should be elated over the return of Jadestar’s blood.”

An inauspicious feeling rose in One-Eyed Dragon’s heart.

At this moment, the crowd once again burst into uproar. Someone new was stepping into the Hall of Stars.

Thales turned his head around and his eyes immediately lit up.

A beautiful woman with an elegant demeanor—dressed in a dark, ceremonial robe with an image of half a red sun woven onto it—slowly walked across the lane which was forcefully separated by the royal guards, and accompanied by a nervous young priestess.

Many of the commoners kneeled down devoutly and prayed towards the woman with their heads lowered. Many of the nobles already understood something the moment they noticed that halved red sun.

“Very good.” Fakenhaz narrowed his eyes. “King, nobles, and also Gods; all three main pillars of Constellation are here.”

The pupils of the Duke of the Northern Territory narrowed in response at the very moment he saw the newcomer, and his body moved forward uncontrollably.

“Starting from this very moment, be careful with your words and behaviors.” Count Karabeyan solemnly turned his head towards his wife and nephew.

Count Derek Kroma, who was just as surprised, whispered, “Things have already gotten out of hand for the suzerains. I am afraid that the Gods have also participated in this.”

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the human spokesperson of the Sunset Goddess, the Head Ritual Master of the Sunset Temple, Liscia Arunde, gracefully stepped onto the stone seats’ region.

“Liscia.” Val Arunde was stunned. His originally desolate expression turned complicated when he saw his little sister.

‘It has been so many years…’

But the Head Ritual Master did not spare one glance at her own brother as she kept walking forward slowly.

Koshder looked appalled. He wanted to exchange a glance with Zayen like how they usually would, but he discovered that Zayen was cold and callous, without giving him a single look.

The One-Eyed Dragon’s heart became bitter and astringent.

Kessel the Fifth stood up solemnly. “Head Ritual Master, Liscia. The spokesperson of the Sunset Temple and the Sunset Goddess.

“The authority from the king, the oath from the nobles, and the witness from the gods—these are the three most important testimonials, concurrent to when Constellation was founded.

“After over six hundred years, today, please let the Sunset Goddess witness the continuation of Constellation’s royal bloodline as before.”

The whole hall burst into uproar once more.

The expressionless Liscia bowed down and nodded her head slightly. But she did not immediately reply. Instead, she kneeled down on the ground with her head facing the sky and closed her eyes.

Thales stared curiously at this Head Ritual Master who did not really like him. ‘Is she communicating with the Gods now?’

But suddenly, Thales felt an indescribable feeling in his heart which caused him to feel very awful and unwell.

A noise that was similar to ringing suddenly went off!

*Beep!*

He was horrifically frightened. As he forcefully held back the desire to cover his ears with his hands, he surveyed his surroundings.

Everyone in the hall, regardless of nobles or commoners, did not make a sound, nor did they show any sign of intolerance.

‘Could it be…?’

When that ringing noise disappeared, everyone around him was normal. Could he be the only one who heard the ringing noise?

All this time, the boy did not know what the Gods in this world truly were. But now…

Another question was added to Thales’ heart.

After a while, Liscia gently opened her eyes as she stood up and said, “The Goddess has responded, Your Majesty.”

Duke Cullen sighed. He already knew the conclusion of the matter.

Koshder clenched his fists tightly as his eyes glinted like frost and snow.

Fakenhaz laughed drily.

Zayen, on the other hand, was thoughtfully looking at Thales, who was the focus of the hall.

Kessel the Fifth gently nodded his head. He suddenly grabbed Thales’ hand, and his abrupt move frightened the boy!

“Come with me,” Kessel said firmly and unquestionably, “Every one of Constellation should see your blood.”

Thales let Kessel the Fifth hold him. With his eyes fixed and his mouth wide open in shock, they walked towards the balcony overseeing the Star Plaza from the round stage consisting of the stone seats.

Truthfully, he had yet to become accustomed to this.

Maybe it was because, from the bottom of his heart, he still had not regarded this strong man as his father?

The nineteen noble suzerains stood up from their stone seats and followed the king and his son to the spacious balcony. Many of the surrounding intermediate or minor nobles wanted to follow, but were relentlessly held back by royal guards’ erosion shields.

Thales walked to the edge of the balcony and looked downwards. It was after noon, and the weather was just right. He then held his breath immediately.

People. There were so many people! A thick swarm of them! The entire Star Plaza was full of people! There were at least a few tens upon thousands of them. They took up the entire lower half of his vision like ants covering the entire ground!

It was not the first time Thales had been to the Star Plaza. He had also once stood on the Star Plaza looking up at the magnificent Renaissance Palace.

But he had never before stood in the Hall of Stars’ balcony inside of Renaissance Palace and looked down at the entire Star Plaza!

Even though Thales had two different sets of memories belonging to two different lives, he still could not help but gape at the scene.

Soon, the crowd on the plaza vaguely noticed that there were two more people on the balcony.

Once they confirmed that the two people were the king and his kin, an unprecedented, earth-shattering hurrah was heard from the crowd on the plaza!

“King! King!”

“Long live Jadestar!”

“Constellation! Constellation!”

Kessel was still gripping Thales’ hand as he slowly said, “Do you see? These are our subjects, our burden, and our responsibility.”

The almighty king asked meaningfully, “Are you ready to live for Constellation?”

Without waiting for Thales’ reply, Liscia walked towards them with a cold look on her face. The young priestess with her seemed very nervous. She was trembling as she held out a platter with a rare and precious dagger on it under Liscia’s signal.

“The Bloodline Ceremony?”

Duke Cullen walked towards the balcony with the help of his two attendants and shook his head. “It has been almost two hundred years since the ritual was used. Prince Keira’s Bloodline Recognition Ceremony… when was the last time it was carried out?”

No one answered him.

The Duke of the Northern Territory stared at his little sister, whom he had not seen for many years, in a daze. However, Liscia did not spare him a single glance.

The elegant and graceful Head Ritual Master slowly walked to the spot in between the king and Thales.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire plaza, Kessel gently picked up the dagger and sliced open his left forefinger, then he put the dagger back on the platter.

The priestess held the platter out to Thales. She was only eleven or twelve years old, but it appeared that this was her first time being in such a situation, where she was watched attentively by thousands of people. She trembled nervously.

“You do not have to be nervous, everything is fine.” Thales smiled at her as he picked up the dagger with the symbol of a red sun engraved upon it and sliced open his left palm.

Without any emotions on her face, Liscia extended her hands to hold both the king and Thales. She then lifted her head.

It was totally different from the type of long and tedious praying ceremony which Thales anticipated because at the very next moment, the exact same glaring light, from when Liscia and Thales were in the stone room, exploded out from Liscia’s eyes.

The people from both the balcony and behind the balcony who were fighting to watch the event fell into a sudden silence. Many of the commoners started to kneel down as they prayed with their eyes closed from the bright light from the middle of the balcony.

The brilliant rays became brighter and brighter!

Even the people in the plaza, under broad daylight, could begin to clearly see what was happening on the balcony!

The people in the plaza were mostly commoners who had no right to enter the Hall of Stars.

Almost everyone in the plaza knelt down devoutly and prayed in the direction of Renaissance Palace above their heads.

The kneeling of the believers made the whole Star Plaza appear as if a tidal wave was surging forward from the Hall of Stars’ balcony.

But Thales did not have the energy to focus on this amazing view. The boy discovered, to his surprise, that the blood from both his and Kessel’s palms were floating within the bright ray from the head ritual master’s eyes!

And then it combined into a single red ray of light.

‘This is..?’

Thales stared at that light in puzzlement.

An accident happened in that very moment!

Chapter 64

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

*Beep!*

Thales heard the strange ringing in his ears again!

This time, Thales lowered his head in pain, his face contorted.

Compared to just now, the ringing in his ears this time was especially loud. It was almost as loud at the magic sound from the psionic assassin yesterday!

‘What on earth is this?’

Thales endured the pain as he knew that he could not make any mistakes at this time. All the people from the capital city were witnessing this moment!

Liscia’s glowing eyes looked towards him in puzzlement. The light became increasingly brighter!

It was so jarring that all the people on the balcony raised their hands or turned their heads away. Even the five dukes, who stood the closest, could not see clearly nor hear the things happening at the center.

Under the bright light, Thales was also slowly becoming unable to see the situation outside clearly.

Amid the painful ringing in his ears, Thales could barely see Liscia and Kessel’s silhouette. He was starting to grit his teeth, enduring the torment of this ringing in his ears. The boy’s abnormality was subsequently noticed.

Liscia’s eyes, which were shining with bright light, closed and opened. She then asked in bewilderment, “You? Why are you..?”

‘What is going on?’ Thales felt inexplicably anxious.

At that moment, Thales could clearly see King Kessel’s robust figure. Amid the light, the king suddenly turned his head.

“Liscia…” the king spoke softly. Only Liscia and Thales, who were the nearest to him, could hear it.

For some reason, Kessel the Fifth was not authoritative and cold like usual. This time, his tone was a pleading and helpless one!

The dignified Supreme King of Constellation pleaded in a soft and submissive tone, “Please. This is the future of Constellation, and also Midier’s long-cherished wish.”

For some reason, Liscia’s hands that were holding on to both their hands trembled slightly.

However, she then turned her head and looked towards the king. Liscia asked in disbelief, “Her… it’s her?”

But the king did not answer her.

The next moment, the light disappeared. The ringing in Thales’ ears also disappeared.

Finally free from the ringing in his ears, Thales sighed in relief. He took huge, deep breaths.

‘What on… what on earth is going on? The ringing in my ears, the Head Ritual Master’s suspicion, the king’s pleading…’

He recovered from his stupor and the people on the balcony returned to his vision.

The only thing remaining in the air was a streak of red light which connected Thales and Kessel’s wounds.

After being under everyone’s astonished, delighted, disappointed, and complicated gazes for over ten seconds, that streak of red light finally disappeared too.

Liscia’s expression at the moment was one of extreme fatigue. She raised her head and gave Kessel a profound glance. Kessel the Fifth did not speak. He calmly endured her gaze.

Liscia glanced at Thales again. This time, without mistake, Thales saw surprise, disgust, and… fear in her eyes?

The nobles around them were holding their breaths as they watched everything.

Thales knew that it was not the right occasion. He could only grit his teeth and bury his qualms—along with the pain of that ringing in his ears—in his heart.

Just like what he did to the other countless number of mysteries.

The Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple turned her head and gave Kessel a complicated and pain-filled glance before she feebly announced, “The Goddess has decreed that these two are father and son. Their blood is related, and their fates are interlocked.”

Having said that, the Head Ritual Master left decisively by the side of the hall. Amid the people in the crowd, who were worshipping her on bended knee, she left the balcony. She did not glance at anyone nor at anything in the hall—without any hint of attachment to the people in there.

Only the silent Kessel and the shocked Thales were left there.

The child priestess anxiously glanced at the two of them before hurriedly picking up the salver and leaving, too.

The next moment, a cheer erupted in the Hall of Stars which had been silent because of the Bloodline Ceremony.

Under Gilbert’s prompting, the guards passed the messages to the plaza.

After twelve years, the Jadestar Royal Family finally had a new member.

The commotion on the balcony soon turned into one that affected the entire plaza, a revelry that affected tens upon thousands of people!

“Jadestar- Jadestar-”

The cheers were almost reverberating through the vaults of heaven!

The expressions of Koshder and the few counts became one of defeat.

Gilbert and those from the king’s partisan excitedly exchanged glances. Jines was the only one whose gaze also carried obscure and complicated emotions apart from delight as she watched Liscia’s back.

The plump duke exhaled, his expression was filled with delight. “Alright, since the Sunset Temple has acknowledged this child’s bloodline, I believe that he is indeed, unmistakably, His Majesty’s blood descendant.”

Koshder, who was beside him, stared at Duke Cullen coldly. ‘What a sly old fox; he changed sides so rapidly.’

“According to the ‘Holy Constitution of Constellation’, after the royal family and Sunset Temple both acknowledge his status, the next procedure would be for Constellation’s Higher Parliament, which is comprised of us, the nineteen nobles, to acknowledge his status; to acknowledge that this child is a prince of Constellation,” Duke Cullen said with a smile as he stood on the balcony, with the cheers from the plaza serving as background noise.

“Wait!” Koshder gritted his teeth and said the following words, “I remember that no matter who this child’s mother is, it is not Queen Keya?”

The expressions of many of the nobles present immediately changed. Gilbert’s expression also immediately became unpleasant. Kessel the Fifth turned his head and looked towards Koshder.

The mayor of Steep Forest City and the Duke of the Land of Cliffs, Koshder Nanchester, exhaled. “This child is His Majesty’s illegitimate son!”

Thales clenched his fists tightly. ‘As expected, my status…’

Count Dagestan was the first one to react. “Yes. According to the constitution of Constellation, an illegitimate son does not have the right of succession!”

The conversation on the balcony could not be heard clearly in the hall. However, the nobles sitting at the front who were the closest to the balcony were passing down the conversation. Hence, the entire Hall of Stars still burst into an uproar!

“Tormond the First was also an illegitimate son!” Gilbert’s eyes were blazing. “And he is the King of Renaissance that all your ancestors pledged their loyalty to!”

“Tormond the First’s mightiness is not due to the imperial blood from the Empire flowing in him. He built Constellation through personal struggles, countless conquests, and blood baths. It was the same with our ancestors. Do not forget that six hundred years ago, many of them were their family’s illegitimate sons, sons of extended families, or frustrated knights. They worked for their status with their hands,” Count Sorel, whose territory was within the Land of Cliffs, added to what the Duke of the Land of Cliffs said.

“Is this illegitimate son five or six years old? What has he done to deserve the right to inherit this great kingdom left behind by Tormond the First, like a son born from wedlock, without being constrained by his status as an illegitimate son?”

The One-Eyed Dragon’s gaze was chilling. “Your Majesty, of course we should acknowledge him as your son, and as a blood descendant of Jadestar. This is the Goddess’ will. However, if you want to acknowledge that he is a prince with the right to succession… An illegitimate son as our next king? At least I will not be bending my knees and pledging myself to him!”

The Duke of the Northern Territory watched the One-Eyed Dragon, there was sadness and resignation in his gaze. “You just refuse to give up. Right, Koshder? Even if it is for Constellation, for the impending war?”

Koshder deliberately avoided Val’s gaze. He only stared at Kessel the Fifth.

The shady Duke Fakenhaz gave a hollow laugh and said, “Of course he will not give up. He has become arch enemies with this child, hasn’t he?”

Thales’ heart skipped a beat.

He suddenly understood what Gilbert meant just now by telling him that he did not make a brilliant political move.

He had angrily denounced Nanchester and lured out the secret organization just now. He then targeted Covendier. This act removed the Tricolor Iris Flowers from the list of enemies, and planted the seeds of doubt in him. However, it also thoroughly made the Land of Cliff’s Koshder Nanchester, the Great Deer Antler, his arch enemy.

It can be said that Koshder Nanchester’s initial aim was to strive for the greatest gains on behalf of the organization of nobles, in face of the royal family that was doomed to be heirless. But now, the Great Deer Antler’s aim changed into ‘not letting Thales inherit the kingdom’. This was for the sake of the Great Deer Antler’s future survival.

Had he, after all, been too impulsive just now? Thales discreetly clenched his fist.

“You all saw that. The child has a dark personality and is not of a generous disposition. He is unsettled and disturbed over the fact that he encountered assassination, and harbors doubt towards all of us.” The One-Eyed Dragon took a step forward on the balcony. Although his voice was low, the words he said were bone-chilling, “That is why, out of nowhere, he made up the alleged conspiracy about us planning to usurp the throne. Do you think he will easily let go of you all—the ones he once suspected to be the manipulators of the things he experienced—once he takes the throne?”

The suzerains furrowed their brows simultaneously. A few watching Thales in contemplation.

Koshder continued with his criticisms, “There is only one ‘virtuous king’ in Constellation’s history! And that is Prince Midier, whom all of you have met, and who was kind-hearted, fair of mind, and tolerant!”

Kessel furrowed his brows deeply.

“Whether you participated in his fabricated organization or not, you all are already on his blacklist. Many years later, after he takes the throne, are you certain that he would remember today, and remember you all?

“Hmph, the ruin of Constellation? Only when a day comes when all the nobles feel that they are in danger, then that would be true ruin!”

Gilbert gritted his teeth. Koshder had grasped onto the thing that the nobles were most afraid of.

Kessel the Fifth lowered his head and glanced at the pale-stricken Thales.

“Even if it was for the sake of Constellation’s future and stability, Your Majesty, are you sure that choosing such an heir will not push Constellation towards the abyss of fragmentation and ruin?”

The other counts looked at each other and did not say anything. They contemplated Koshder’s words until one of them broke the silence. Count Dagestan coughed and spoke with his brows furrowed, “Yes. Going back to the main topic, I, too, feel that right now, having an illegitimate son of low status as the Supreme King of Constellations is not very appropriate… Even though the royal family and the temple have already made their decisions, we, the Higher Parliament, should still be more careful…” He looked at Thales, who had not yet recovered from the aftershock of the Bloodline Ceremony. However, his gaze was no longer rude and scrutinizing. Instead, it was prudent and careful.

Kessel the Fifth knocked his scepter on the floor and spoke calmly, “It seems that it is indeed difficult for all suzerains to reach a common outlook, is it not?

“Then, let us take the final step. The members of the Higher Parliament can decide their stance towards this child through voting.”

Thales exhaled deeply. ‘So, in the end, I still could not hold my fate in my own hands?’

The supreme king looked towards the side at Duke Cullen, who was being supported by someone.

Duke Cullen sighed and nodded slightly. “The vassals from Blade Edge Hill are not present, reducing the total number of votes by three. However, the remaining five guardian dukes and eleven counts—amounting sixteen high-level vassals—still have the right to make this decision.”

The plump duke widened his eyes slightly. “Gentlemen, should this child be a Prince of Constellation who has the right to succession?”

Jines, who was standing behind the king, could not hold it in anymore. She furiously bellowed, “Hey! Why does a prince of the royal family have to be acknowledged by the Higher Parliament?”

The dukes and the counts ignored her. Only Koshder snorted softly.

The One-Eyed Dragon said in a derisive tone, “This is men’s business. Ladies, please remain silent.”

“Because this child is involved with the right to succeed the throne, this is a pledge from the day Constellation was founded,” the old Count Karabeyan said at this moment, and relieved Jines’ embarrassment. He sighed softly and continued, “The king and the suzerains ruled the kingdom together in the hopes that dictators such as those in the era of the Empire never appear again.”

Duke Cullen glanced at Thales. “According to the rules Mindis the Third set a hundred and fifty years ago, as long as the votes tally over half, it will be effective. If the votes are less than half or exactly half, this child would be an illegitimate son who only has the right to inherit assets.

“The voting begins.”

Chapter 65

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Nay!” Koshder shouted loudly, “Those who want to see an utterly chaotic Constellation, feel free to vote ‘aye’!”

“Nay!”

“Nay!”

Both Sorel of the Land of Cliffs Region and Count Dagestan followed.

Val Arunde furrowed his brows and said, “I do not know what this will bring to the war ahead…”

Koshder solemnly said, “Sir Val, the entire Land of Cliffs’ military will step forward, and the promise to support the Northern Territory is still in effect. The Land of Cliffs adjoins the Northern Territory, it would never stand by helplessly and let its friends succumb to the flames of war. You know, we are the closest and we are more effective than the royal family in providing military forces to help.

“But I am very worried that the future of Constellation could be ruined in the hands of this illegitimate child whom all of the vassals are wary of, and is also wary of all the vassals himself.”

Koshder’s single eye stared intently at Val, his expression was serious.

Val fell into silence for a very long time before he finally sighed.

This warrior suzerain who seemed to be made out of iron, desolately said, “This is for the Northern Territory and for Arunde.”

Unnoticed by the others, Kessel the Fifth grasped his scepter even tighter than before.

“Nay,” the Duke of the Northern Territory voiced despondently.

Count Zemunto and Count Friess also deeply sighed.

“Nay.”

“Nay.”

“Six people have opposed,” Duke Cullen said expressionlessly.

Jines stared in disbelief at the Duke of the Northern Territory.

Thales, on the other hand, weakly shut his eyes.

“Count Talon!

Koshder faintly said to the Five-Pointed Star’s Count Bern Talon, who was among the sixteen people there. “I know your dominion is just near the Central Territory and you have a good relationship with the royal family, us dukes are indeed unsuited to succeed the throne.

“But you are different! The Five-Pointed Star is the branch of the Nine-Pointed Star.” Koshder raised his hand, his speech was bewitching. “If the king does not have an appointed heir, I believe you would be on the list of candidates.”

Everyone’s gaze turned towards Count Talon.

Bern Talon was drenched in cold sweat. He looked towards Kessel the Fifth, but the latter just stared coldly back at him.

“Of course, as a powerful competitor for the throne, could this child think that you are a part of those evil schemes as well?” Koshder asked with a smile.

Thales started to feel anxious. He was just about to speak up before the king held him back.

Kessel the Fifth closed his eyes and spoke with a dignified voice, “Bern, just follow your heart. After all, the Five-Pointed Star is not a Nine-Pointed Star.”

Bern Talon was hesitant. He took a deep breath before he finally hung his head dispiritedly and said, “The Talon Family… will forfeit!”

Many of the suzerains furrowed their brows again.

Koshder smiled without saying another word.

The Talon of the Five-Pointed Star was the only one out of the Thirteen Distinguished Families who was conferred the title of count, and was not located around the Six Great Clans’ territory. They were neighbors to the Royal Family’s Central Territory, and they had always been Jadestar’s biggest and strongest supporter.

But now, they…

At this very moment, a voice could be heard.

“Aye!”

Everyone turned in astonishment, only to find the person who voiced up to be Zayen Covendier. He had remained silent for a very long time.

He was the first one to endorse Thales.

They found that Zayen, the Duke of Iris Flowers, who governed the South Coast Hill was staring coldly at Koshder, whose expression was initially stunned, but later turned bitter and frosty.

Thales was stunned as he stared at Zayen, but Zayen did not seem like he was about to meet Thales’ gaze.

Count Karabeyan and Count Lascia nodded. They walked forwards at the same time.

“Aye.”

“Aye!”

Gilbert whispered to Thales. “It seems like your strategy is still working. Under this circumstance, we are still able to win over valuable support.”

Duke Fakenhaz of Western Desert Hill suddenly let out a sharp laugh.

“Haha, I vote ‘yes’!”

“Nay!”

“Nay!”

Both Kroma and Bozdorf also voiced up.

Under many people’s puzzlement, Koshder angrily yelled, “Old bones! Why—”

Fakenhaz cut Koshder off and laughed. “Why did I vote differently than Count Kroma and Count Bozdorf? Oh my, my, I am not their conferred ruler. I cannot govern them. Is that not very normal?”

He stared cynically at the other few dukes. “After all, the Thirteen Distinguished Families are not the ‘guard dogs’ for us Six Great Clans!”

Many of the suzerains turned their heads around, their faces red.

However, many of the king’s partisan sighed and lowered their heads after counting the votes.

“Eight people opposed, four people agreed, and one person forfeited.”

With a trembling voice, Duke Cullen said, “Out of the sixteen people here, more than half have already objected. It seems like we do not need to proceed any further.”

Gilbert lightly sighed.

After Thales listened to the results, he could only give a bitter smile.

‘Am I still too naïve?’

For some unknown reason, Kessel the Fifth was able to remain expressionless even at this moment. People could only sigh and think that, after all, he was the supreme king, and this was the reason why he was able to remain this calm.

At a corner some distance away, Morat let loose a faint laugh. The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department whispered, “Even though the child gave a brilliant performance, it still seems like we have to use the back-up plan now. Are you ready for it?”

Raphael tightened his gloves as he replied joyfully, “Despite being a little taken by surprise, we can have nothing go wrong at this stage.”

“Since the results are final, everyone, please not feel guilty anymore!” Koshder smiled as he looked at the suzerains, each one of them wearing a different expression on their faces. He then said, “If you need a personal reason, this is for your own family. If you need an official reason…” Koshder looked scornfully at Jines, who gritted her teeth in anger, and at Thales, who looked defeated.

“Constellation cannot be governed by an ignorant woman and a child!”

Right at this moment, a crisp but rich young, female voice was heard from a distance.

“Ignorant woman and child?”

The crowd burst into a commotion!

All the nobles on the balcony turned their heads and started to exchange whispers with one another after seeing the person who came.

“But I am ignorant too.”

The crisp and cold female voice seemed to have its own magical power, making its way through the crowd.

“I am also young and immature.”

Thales stretched his neck forward in bewilderment.

“Furthermore, I am a woman!”

The crowd was seen to separate under the royal guards’ reprimand.

A teenage girl of fourteen or fifteen years of age walked out from the crowd. Her chestnut-colored hair was draped over her shoulder and her pretty face was still visibly young as well as tender.

However, at that moment, the teenage girl’s expression was icy cold and stern as she stared at everyone standing on the balcony with a fierce gaze.

She was wearing a pitch-black cape and leather boots with spurs on them. Her hunter’s attire, which consisted of purple and black shades weaving between each other, dazzled the people who gazed at her.

She wore a brooch on her left shoulder, and the pattern on the brooch looked like a blood red, new moon.

Without knowing why, Thales felt like this teenage girl with chestnut hair was trying her best to look cold and stern.

The sounds of discussion from the crowd became increasingly louder.

Many of the suzerains exchanged whispers in each other’s ears after seeing the blood red new moon, whilst all the dukes furrowed their brows.

There were two nobles following the teenage girl with chestnut-colored hair. One of them was a smiling, strong man with pale blond hair. He was in his prime years and his clothing had a gold sunflower woven onto it. Another noble was a middle-aged man with long hair and gloomy eyes. A three-tailed big fish was woven onto his sleeve. The mouth of the fish was sinisterly wide, exposing densely packed, sharp teeth on the inside.

“I am precisely the one who is claimed to be an ignorant woman and a child.”

The teenage girl walked towards Koshder. He was astonished. She lifted her head in arrogance, staring menacingly at the one-eyed man, who was a head taller than her.

“I am the one who governs the Blade Edge Hill of Constellation!”

The chestnut-haired girl’s voice became icy cold. “Do you have anything to say, Duke Nanchester, whom I am meeting for the first time today?”

Koshder stared at her in disbelief. his only eye reflected his emotional turmoil. “You are… Blood Moon, the Tabark Family. Duchess of Blade Edge Hill?”

The teenage girl with chestnut hair ignored him. She walked straight towards the king and kneeled down on one knee in front of him.

“Lyanna Tabark.” Kessel sighed as he reached his right hand out with a nostalgic look on his face.

“The last time I saw you should be around twelve years ago. You were only three years old at that time. I remember Sonia bringing John’s body back to Eternal Star. She was holding you in her arms as tears were streaming down her face. She told me that you would be the next Duchess of Tabark.”

Duchess Lyanna Tabark, the serious-looking teenage girl lightly kissed the king’s ring, and solemnly said, “Your Majesty, I would never forget the kindness shown by you, Her Excellency Fortress Flower and the late Duke of Star Lake!”

“Is this the only remaining orphan in Tabark Family who was rescued by the Duke of Star Lake from the rebel army during the Bloody Year?” Duke Val sighed and stared at the strong teenage girl, who was even younger than his own daughter. “The Southwest Territory is a long distance away, and the journey here is extremely difficult. I thought you are not able to make it here.”

‘Is this teenage girl really the remaining orphan of Tabark Family, who was entirely murdered by the rebel army of the Six southwestern cities during the Bloody Year?’

Val glanced at Kessel and sighed. ‘This is similar to the Jadestar Family.’

“It took some time for me to gather the vassals and also recruit soldiers.” Lyanna bowed before the Iron Eagle with great respect. “Please be at ease. Since the kingdom is in trouble, Tabark must give all we can, regardless of any sacrifices, reciprocation, gains, and failures!”

After listening to her speech, some counts snuck a look at Koshder. Meanwhile, the latter snorted and turned his head away.

“The vow is everlasting. Even if we are attacked by knives and swords, even if blood spills all over the ground, the Blood Moon will always stand by the side of the Nine-Pointed Star Family!”

Kessel the Fifth stared at this teenage girl, who looked firm and resolute. He slowly nodded his head, and noticed the two nobles behind her walking forward to kneel down and kiss his ring.

Kessel earnestly said, “Seucader, and also Kisen, I hope both of you are working closely together and helping one another. I hope the tragedy of the Bloody Year will never happen again.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Bruce Seucader, who was in his prime, gave a prudent smile. “Even though the Sunflower is located abroad by itself, it will always be related to Constellation.”

Gunther Kisen swept over the entire place with his cold eyes. “The Piranhas will swallow everything that harms the Blood Moon and those enemies who harm the Nine-Pointed Star, regardless whether the harm is from within or outside the country.”

“Oh my, my, as expected of the General Edict of Constellation!” Fakenhaz guffawed with his horrible and cynical laugh as he applauded. He then spoke again at the perfect moment, “All of the Six Great Clans and the Thirteen Distinguished Families are gathered here in the Royal Capital!

“It is a scene which has not been seen since twelve years ago!”

Cyril kept on laughing sharply while he continued, “If there is no war with Eckstedt, it would be even better… of course, if there is no war, all of us would not need to be here too!”

Nobody paid him any attention. Everyone was speculating how things would be affected with the sudden arrival of the Three Great Clans from Southwest Blade Edge Hill and how their standpoints would also influence the situation.

Koshder’s expression immediately changed. He looked at Duke Cullen. His eyes were filled with urgency.

But the old Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea did not spare him a glance. He spoke with his trembling voice, “Just right, this… Duchess Lyanna—”

However, he was immediately cut off by the cold-looking teenage girl.

“Enough with your nonsense! I am afraid that if you continue, you are going to have an asthma attack, old man whom I am meeting for the first time.”

Duke Cullen choked for a moment as he gaped in shock, not knowing how to react.

The mayor of Blade City, the Duchess of the Blade Edge Hill, Lyanna Tabark agilely turned towards Thales!

‘Eh?’

Thales promptly coughed and gave her an affable smile.

Lyanna’s sharp gaze sized Thales up, and he found that Lyanna had a pair of green eyes.

He involuntarily stuck his chest out and stood a little more upright. As he was prepared to salute…

“Not bad, you do not look too ugly.” Lyanna nodded and snorted coldly.

“Just that you are a little too skinny and short, and your expression is a little too uncultured.”

‘Expression… a little too uncultured?

‘And also… this…’

Thales was stunned as he stood there. He pulled back his hand from the air, in which he was preparing to perform a salute.

He exchanged a glance with Duke Cullen, who was in front of him. Both saw the empathy and understanding in each other’s eyes.

Lyanna turned around and stared firmly at all the nobles. Then, she proclaimed loudly, “With regard to the possibility of him becoming the prince… I, Duchess Tabark, vote ‘yes’!”

Before everyone could react to the statement, both Count Seucader and Count Kisen stepped forward from behind Lyanna, with one of them faintly smiling and the other glaring at the crowd fiercely. Both of them voiced up.

“Aye!”

Gilbert unconsciously tightened the hand he placed on Thales’s shoulder in excitement.

But Thales was too preoccupied to care.

His heart was beating rhythmically once more.

‘She agreed?’

The hall burst into an uproar again.

The earth-shattering noise rose up within Star Plaza once more.

Duke Cullen sighed.

“In that case, eight people objected, seven people agreed and one person forfeited.

“And because Tabark Family, Seucader Family and Kisen Family have arrived, all nineteen people of the Higher Parliament are here. Right now, neither one of the opposition’s or affirmative’s vote is more than half.”

“Therefore, only Javea of the Eastern Sea, Count Almond and I are left.”

Koshder clenched his fist tight as his heart sank.

‘Damn it.

‘That little b*tch who governed Tabark, Seucader the upstart, and Kisen, who behaved like a mad dog.

‘Were they the long-prepared, hidden forces of the king?

‘Impossible, not within such a short amount of time…

‘Luckily, Cullen and the two families of Eastern Sea, who are under Cullen’s influence, are still on New Star’s side… They voted against the boy. The boy will not have the authority to succeed the throne, and we can take our time in making decisions…’

Just as Koshder was being immersed in his own thoughts, Duke Cullen decided to vote.

Chapter 66

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Cullen Family, aye!”

“Javea, aye!”

“Almond, aye!”

The three agreements were voiced up one after another.

Thales started to shiver as he started to count the number of votes in his mind.

His breathing became involuntarily heavier after the thought.

He looked over to Gilbert and the latter’s eyes were filled with excitement, which he was trying very hard to suppress.

On the other hand, Koshder Nanchester had his mouth wide open. He took an entire twenty seconds before he finally understood what had just happened!

He stared in disbelief at the smiling, old Duke Cullen as his breath started to speed up.

Dagestan and Count Sorel who were standing behind him were also staring at each other in disbelief.

What happened?

What happened?!

Cullen was smiling by the time he began counting the votes while huffing and puffing. “In that case, eight people opposed, ten people agreed and one person forfeited. More than half of the people have agreed.”

Morat the Black Prophet sighed as he watched the scene. “It seems like we do not have to make an appearance anymore. The back-up plan is cancelled.

“The situation was already decided the moment Iris Flowers switched sides.

“After all, it was the child’s strategy that worked.”

Raphael gave out a light-hearted smile as he nodded and pulled up his gloves to his wrists.

Duke Cullen squeezed out a smile on his plump face. “The Higher Parliament has already made the decision that the constitution on illegitimate children is unsuited to be used against this child. This child shall have Jadestar as his last name, and he will have all the privileges of a prince.

“The bloodline of Jadestar is now carried on, and Constellation will have an heir.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

Finally, Kessel the Fifth stingily gave out a smile and he nodded as a signal towards Gilbert.

The hall once again exploded with the rising commotion.

There were sounds of clapping, hurrahs and shouts. Additionally, there was a crowd, constantly pushing against the royal guards’ line of defense.

Koshder did not listen to what Cullen said. He just stared at Duke Cullen, who was in front of him with his only eye, widened.

‘Bob Cullen.

‘You are the starting point of everything.

‘You are…

‘But you…

‘But…

‘You traitor.’

Koshder glared at Duke Cullen as he clenched his teeth together and spat out his words, “Let him become your future king. You will regret this one day!”

All the dukes had different expressions on their faces. Val was in a stunned state as he stared at Thales whereas Zayen stood with his arms crossed and smiled coldly. Fakenhaz was staring at everyone with a delighted expression on his face. Lyanna’s expression was still cold and callous as she occasionally swept her gaze over Thales.

At this moment, Thales’ brain was blank.

‘Today’s obstacle is over?’

With an excited look on his face, Gilbert waved his arm. He then took over a platter, which held a rolled-up document from an attendant beside him.

“Your Majesty, young sir.

“Even though it is a little crude and hurried, but the necessary ceremony must still be performed.”

Kessel the Fifth nodded without any expression on his face.

Gilbert’s hands were trembling as he passed the sealed scroll with a Nine-Pointed Star symbol on it to the supreme king.

The nobles, who all had different expressions on their faces slowly dispersed. They left the center of the balcony to the father-son pair.

“Kneel down.” Kessel the Fifth still had mixed emotions on his face, but he was staring gravely at Thales.

The boy adjusted his own breathing and kneeled down on his knee.

‘This day’

He said to himself.

‘Has come.’

Even though this was not a future he could choose, he wanted to choose it, or think of choosing it.

However, he was like a small boat, sent drifting by huge waves in this dangerous and unknown world. He had no power in controlling his own destiny.

The fact that he was able to stay alive was already a huge fortune and blessing.

‘But now…’ Thales gazed at what was in front of him.

Kessel the Fifth opened the seal on top of the scroll and slowly unraveled it.

Thousands upon thousands of people in Star Plaza started to cheer, rave, rise to a clamor and applaud in excitement as they saw a small figure kneel down before the king. Some people even started to rush against the city defense Team and police’s line of order.

“Jadestar! Jadestar!”

“In the name of Constellation, Southern Islands and Western Deserts’ Thirty-Ninth Supreme King, Kessel Mindis Aydi Jadestar.”

Kessel the Fifth stared intently at Thales with his sky-blue pupils as he read the contents of the scroll.

“This person before my eyes will be Jadestar’s heir and Constellation’s blood!

“The Sunset Goddess witnessed his bloodline.

“The Jadestar Royal Family vouched for his identity.

“The Higher Parliament recognized his power.”

Gods.

King.

Suzerains.

The three main pillars of Constellation.

Thales grabbed his knees increasingly harder with his hand as he involuntarily thought back to the National Conference, which was full of ups and downs.

“Regardless of everything in your past, you will stand up as…

“As…”

Kessel the Fifth suddenly paused at that point of his speech. Unexpectedly, his hand, which held the scroll trembled slightly.

Thales furrowed his brows.

He knew why the king stopped at this very moment.

He knew.

Thales’ thoughts traced back to a few hours ago.

…

Gilbert was going over Thales’ last name with him at the final hallway leading to the Hall of Stars.

“According to usual practice, royal family members usually have two middle names, with the second one being the father’s name and the previous one being an important person who has influenced you… They are usually any famous member in the Royal Family’s history, for instance, the Three Constellation Kings whom you previously met, ‘Enemy of the Wolves’ Keira Jadestar of the supreme class, or Sumer Jadestar, the great musician…

“Are you sure you want to do this? You know… this name is even rarer than ‘Thales’. This will…” Gilbert awkwardly followed Thales from behind.

“Yes! Sir Gilbert, I have already decided!”

Thales’s eyes were determined as he walked forward one step at a time. “Just like the brand and memory I have, no matter what the cost is, I still do not want to give up.

“I am about to become a Jadestar.” He was panting slightly while recalling his experience at the royal family cemetery. “But if I cannot hold my own future in my own hands, at least, please let me have control over my own name.”

Thales lifted his head up and walked forward with determination without any sign of turning back.

Gilbert exchanged a glance with Jines, who had mixed emotions on her face. She nodded begrudgingly.

His Majesty would probably not be happy about this.

…

Return to present time.

Just as the nobles were starting to furrow their brows and discuss about His Majesty the King’s peculiar behavior, Kessel the Fifth took a deep breath like he was gathering all of his courage as well as willpower, and he mustered his energy. With his dignified and steady voice, he loudly declared, “You will stand up as…

“Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!

“The second prince of Constellation!”

Kessel the Fifth finished reading out the contents of the scroll. Both of his eyes were staring at Thales, but it seemed like he was immersed in his own thoughts.

The nobles started to discuss among themselves.

‘TherrenGirana?

‘Who is that?’

Thales Jadestar slowly stood up from the ground.

He was a Jadestar now.

The second prince.

And also, the only Prince of Constellation.

The only heir of the supreme king.

The guards hastily passed down the speech one layer after another, until it reached every corner of the Star Plaza.

Deafening roars and cheers could be heard once again like tidal of waves, rising up and down.

But this time, the chaotic but grand cries of the crowd soon became obvious and clear because they had a target to refer to.

“Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!

“The second prince! The second prince!

“Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!

“The second prince! The second prince!”

Under the earth-shattering, loud hurrahs, Thales looked up to the sky in a daze.

The sun was setting in the east, and it gave out unending, brilliant red rays.

The sunrays shone upon the walls of the majestic Renaissance Palace, making the palace glow in shades of red.

The color was just like blood.

The evening had arrived.

“Today must have been hard on you.” Gilbert walked forward in excitement, and lightly bowed before Thales. “Now, please follow me, Your Highness.”

…

Somewhere in Eastern Peninsula.

Two men dressed in white robes, which were embroidered with a gold sun were sitting by the bonfire in a murky, ruined building.

The younger one between the two lifted his head and asked curiously, “Have you heard of it, regulatory affairs officer? Recently there has been a disturbance in the Night Kingdom. I heard that many vampires have left and escaped to the Western Peninsula.”

The older regulatory affairs officer nodded, his expression was cold and callous. “The temple has already sent people to investigate.”

“But considering it is the Western Peninsula, Sunset Temple’s power is stronger than ours, Sunrise Temple’s, right?” The younger man stared at the regulatory affairs officer, who seemed to seal his mouth shut on the matter, and probed. “I heard that people of the Western Peninsula could live in peace with vampires and werewolves. The Sunset Temple also abstained from hunting the creatures of the underworld. Could our people move about freely under Sunset Temple’s power?”

The regulatory affairs officer lifted his head and looked at him coldly.

“Why do you think our world is named ‘Errol’?”

“Hah? I saw that when I was learning our language.” The young Sunrise Temple priest scratched his head. “Errol is the Holy Sun God. He controls the sunrise and sunset, and decides the origin of all creatures. Is it not the reason why our world is named Errol?”

The Sunrise regulatory affairs officer snorted and smiled mysteriously. “You were sent to guard the patterned seal, but you do not have the rights to read our historic records, which is why you only know about these facts.”

The young priest’s face was full of longing and curiosity.

“Originally, our world was not named Errol. It was only after the Battle of Eradication that the name was changed to Errol.”

The regulatory affairs officer said quietly.

“After that horrendous battle, which almost ruined the world, the Holy Sun God, Errol, sacrificed himself. Otherwise, the outcome would not be as simple as the world being split into two peninsulas.

“Since then, the world was named after Errol in order to commemorate the Holy Sun God, his sacrifice, and his heroic move to save the world.”

The young priest widened his eyes in shock. “So, it was those disasters that led the Holy Sun God from the legends to—”

The regulatory affairs officer raised his hand without any emotion on his face and cut off the priest’s rhetorical question before he continued, “Within the ashes of the Holy Sun, two gods succeeded his radiance, and rose up anew.”

The young priest seemed to understand something as his jaw dropped open.

“That’s right, Sunrise Lord and Sunset Goddess once governed the Holy Sun together as a single entity.”

The regulatory affairs officer’s eyes were glinting with ice and frost.

“The Holy Sun shines upon all creatures. How is there any difference?

“Can Sunrise’s priest move around in Sunset’s range? That is the answer.”

But the regulatory affairs officer added one more sentence in his heart while he stared at the elated priest.

‘Of course, at least that was what we thought.

‘As for Sunset…’

At this moment, the ruined and gloomy building suddenly shook!

Dust was falling off the tumbling stone pillars.

Both of their expressions changed at that moment!

‘No way.’

They leapt onto their feet and ran desperately as well as vigilantly towards the center of the building.

“Prepare the message candles and do not be stingy on using them!” The regulatory affairs officer yelled as if he was facing a formidable enemy!

“Prepare yourself for the worst in tackling this sort of evil!”

They had reached their destination.

A weird picture had been drawn using peculiar paint on the stone floor of the uttermost center of the dark and gloomy building.

The picture was a roughly ten-meter wide circle with weird and bizarre formulas and letters on it. The innermost center of the circle was a drawing of a six-fingered black claw.

The shaking was still going on.

The young priest’s eyes were filled with confusion as he put away the white candle with gold patterns that was in his palm.

He furrowed his brows and said, “The sealing rune is still in good condition. It has not struggled loose.”

However, the regulatory affairs officer was still highly vigilant. As he felt the vibration, he turned around with a serious expression and asked, “But what just happened? This type of shaking…”

The young priest seemed to remember something as he pulled out an ancient, black book from his bosom in a flurry. He hastily flipped to a page and read it out with much difficulty.

“Unfathomable shaking… unfathomable shaking… Ah, got it! It is right here!”

But after the priest read for a while, he immediately lifted his head up and stared at the regulatory affairs officer, perplexed.

The regulatory affairs officer asked unpleasantly, “What? You are the only one here who went through the complete training of the Ancient Empire’s language!”

“No… According to what is written in this notebook, the occasional agitation of the seal is very normal.”

The young priest furrowed his brows and continued, “But… the sudden activity of the sun, the tide of the moon, the changes of the flow in hell’s river, or the Seven Kings of Hell picking their noses or yawning, the Kingdom of All Gods deciding to remodel their bedrooms when they are free… God, what are all these disrespectful terms… A number of supreme class experts passing by, could result in the sealed being’s name being called by many people at the same time. These are the possible causes for the fluctuation of energy and the agitation of life… The degree of severity is not the same…”

The priest flipped through the notebook and sighed helplessly under the thundering sound caused by the shaking.

“God, I am so done with these wizards. For a single question, there are six to seven different requirements and more than twenty possible answers. And there is a ‘to be continued’ label at the end of the writing. What is the difference with not finding an answer? No wonder they became extinct.”

“There should be something that has the highest possibility of happening. Are we just going to disregard this matter?” the regulatory affairs officer asked as he forced down his anger.

The young priest fumbled through the pages of the notebook in a hurry, his eyebrows tightly furrowed together.

“I do not know. I am just a third-grade white robe priest of the Sunrise Temple… I am not…”

At this moment, the shaking suddenly halted.

Both of them raised their heads and exchanged a glance. They could see confusion and relief in each other’s eyes.

The shaking did not come back again.

The regulatory affairs officer heaved a sigh of relief then, glared fiercely at the priest before he turned around and left.

The priest looked at the regulatory affairs officer’s back and continued his speech in a tone that indicated that he was wronged.

“…I am not an extinct wizard or witch… who knows about everything and can use a variety of methods to make sense of everything…”

The regulatory affairs officer spoke without turning his head, “You should be glad that they are all dead!”

His voice was full of anger.

The priest, whom the regulatory affairs officer had vented his anger upon, glanced at the six-fingered black claw and rolled his eyes.

“If those wizards are not dead…” The regulatory affairs officer’s figure disappeared behind the stone pillar, but his annoyed voice still made its way over.

“Would a rookie like you have a chance in guarding the sealing rune over here?

‘Of course I would not have the chance to be here if the wizards are not extinct… But…’

The young priest raised his eyebrows and glanced at the circle on the ground with the corner of his eye before he shook his head and held up his palms helplessly.

‘What a joke.’

Chapter 67

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Arc 3: Dancing with the Dragon

[To Zedi, my dear friend and teacher:

It has been half a year since we last corresponded. I cannot wait to share what I have heard and saw in Eternal Star City for the past three months with you.

According to your suggestion and method, I have already overcome what you called the ‘Battlefield Abstinence Syndrome’. I can now sleep on beds, I have stopped subconsciously pulling out my sword whenever I hear footsteps behind me, and the noise of blacksmiths striking steel has ceased to make me go into a paranoid state anymore.

My father arranged for me to join the police station and work under his old classmate from his military academy. Have you ever heard of the name ‘Horse Slayer’ Lord Lorbec Deira?

Relying on the excellent sword skills that you have taught me (do not misunderstand, I am praising you, not boasting about myself), along with the rarely-seen Power of Eradication (I am only boasting about myself in this part), I already became a Class Two Police Officer and the Captain of the Public Security Team when I first started this job. But in my heart, I understand that I was able to get this position mainly because of my last name, Karabeyan.

You would not believe what I went through in a mere three months. There were too many surprises, and I had to straighten them out one by one.

Just as I mentioned before, Constellation is an old but decadent kingdom. Being one of the remnants of the past Empire’s bloodline is no longer a glory, but more like a burden.

You can hardly imagine it. In such a place as the capital there are already many cases of disputes and shady deals regarding the administrative power solely within the police station. Efficiency and efficacy are very low. It is practically unbearable for me, let alone the commoners. This resulted in the street order and some vital operations of a few regions being controlled by gangs. This is because to the people, the gangs’ channels of communication are a lot faster, better, reliable and more convenient than the officials’.

Under a coincidence brought by fate, I got acquainted with an informant from the Black Street Brotherhood. It was right under this situation that I got into the life-and-death fight between the two largest gangs of Constellation in the capital. It once again renewed my understanding towards gangs – these people who are not part of the government.

Regardless of the innumerable ordinary class and supra class experts (there were also a few Psionic Warriors who emerged, each of them qualified to earn a place in Legendary Wing’s Stardust Unit), there is only one thing that I really care about. Do you still remember those swordsmen you told me about before, who abandoned their initial hearts to wield the sword? The mission that was the cause for the Tower of Eradication’s existence?

You mentioned before that their swords had transformed into unadulterated weapons of massacre. Their Power of Eradication had also transformed to the purest form of Death’s Power, just like the calamities whom our seniors swore a deathly vow to deal with.

Even though almost a hundred years has passed by since that matter, I truly believe that I met a Swordsman of Eradication outside the tower, just like the ‘Disastrous Swordsman’ you mentioned.

When facing the violent Power of Eradication that was filled with desire for massacre, the never fading ‘Glory of the Stars’, which I was extremely proud of, was absolutely no match for it. When that power invaded my body, it was practically… I could not help but think: What kind of lunatic could withstand the Power of Eradication, flowing in every direction within his body?

If I had not received unexpected help, what you would probably be receiving right now is the obituary to my funeral.

In short, I already have the knowledge and I have experienced the Power of Eradication where killing intent and violent rage exist together.

That swordsman came from Blood Bottle Gang. That is right, it is the gang that was established by those two calamities at the end of Mindis the Third’s reign over a hundred years ago. Reportedly, one of them is already missing in the capital. I believe that it was the Kingdom’s Wrath himself who did the deed. Other than him and his bow, who else in the capital could have been in close proximity to those calamities?

Curiosity made me read a lot of books when I was recovering. I had also read some forbidden books and police records in my father’s honor. To my surprise, I discovered the following truth: Mysterious supra class swordsmen of different abilities appeared seventeen times during the hundred years of the Blood Bottle Gang’s establishment. The killing and destructive power they showed were not things that could be done by the usual supra class Swordsmen of Eradication. On the contrary, there were similarities with the swordsman I encountered. It seemed like the Disastrous Swordsman I encountered was not the only instance that suddenly appeared.

Here is another inference: When those two calamities secretly established Constellation’s Blood Bottle Gang a hundred years ago, the ‘Disaster Swords’ also committed an act of betrayal and got out of the Tower of Eradication a hundred years ago. They then built a Sword of Eradication beyond our tower as a legacy for future generations. Do these two parties really have no connection at all?

What I am more worried about is, during those hundred years, did the Tower of Eradication really have no knowledge of the relationship between the legacy beyond our tower and Constellation’s Blood Bottle Gang? Why have we turned a blind eye on this matter?

By all possible means, Zedi, my beloved teacher, I feel like the answer lies in the truth of the betrayal towards the Tower of Eradication by Crassus and his followers. I need to go back to the Tower of Eradication as soon as possible. At the same time, I am asking you to give me the reading permit of the books of scions.

That is all about Blood Bottle Gang. However, the other gang was not in any way inferior to them: My informant told me that Black Street Brotherhood had a very strange rise to power. They were established during the Bloody Year. At that point of time, they were just a bunch of mercenaries and adventurers who fought to survive with a blade hanging over their heads (even though they were very powerful); approximately within ten years, they had already infiltrated half of Constellation’s underworld, and extended their hands towards Eckstedt and Camus Union.

Blood Bottle Gang had the Mystic’s glorified name to help them be in charge, and this was also the byproduct of the evil associations between the nobles and bureaucrats. But what was the source for Black Street Brotherhood’s emergence? The informant’s news entails that they had a very secretive but vigorous support in funding and networking.

Speaking of which, I would like to ask: Have you ever heard of the name ‘Black Sword’?

According to urban folklore, he was the leader of Black Street Brotherhood. He was of an elite class and had great skills with the sword. There were some people who claimed that he was very good at hiding, and was the most dangerous king of assassins. There are even some reports from the police station, which say his sword was some sort of cursed antique. It was supposedly equipped with immeasurable ability and power. But one point is certain: He is a supreme class expert. During the past ten years, one supreme class Knight of Eradication and one supreme class Psionic Warrior were suspected to have been murdered by him, as he was there with them when the event happened.

Even though the differences between these supreme class experts were huge, and it was very hard to predict who would win and lose, I still could not help but wonder: Killing two supreme class experts at the same time… is there really a swordsman that powerful outside the Tower of Eradication’s watch? I also suspected that he was the descendant of ‘Disaster Sword’, but he was hostile towards Blood Bottle Gang, and he was under Black Street Brotherhood. This caused me to remain perplexed despite much thought.

An even bigger affair happened during Constellation’s National Conference on the day before. Teacher, you may have already received the news from the messenger crows — Constellation now has a legitimate heir. He is not one of the clans or nobles, nor is he from a branch of the royal family. The prince is a real person, named Thales Jadestar. I know that back in the day, the ‘Sword of Reversing Light’ Prince Horace was your schoolmate. What are your comments on Jadestar? As for me, I witnessed the new, second prince’s elegant demeanor behind my father. Although he is only seven years old, I can only say that Jadestar is indeed a part of the royal family.

But this is not the best moment for him to make his appearance. The Jadestar Royal Family is facing some rarely seen stress — The Eckstedt Diplomat Group was murdered in Constellation.

Yes, Zedi, my dear friend and teacher, I once again smell the stench of war. In my father’s opinion, regardless of how we try to resolve this, the conflict between the Dragon and Constellation is indeed unavoidable.

Sorry, teacher.

The swordsmen and knights that the Tower of Eradication made much fuss to preserve for humans; these warriors, who previously used their superpowers to open and develop the future of humans, and who once used their Power of Eradication to fighting the calamities, have to once again pick up their swords and battle to death on the battlefield for their respective kingdoms.

If war erupts, I can only pray to the Sunset Goddess, to not let me encounter Croftash and Misadun. I cannot help but tremble when I think of my time in the Tower of Eradication and also when I think of piercing the sword into the hearts of others.

Also, Miranda has already spent three years in Broken Dragon Fortress and she is going to serve in the army with honor and glory under the Fortress Flower. But this also means that, if the war erupts, she will be the first one to face the bloodbath.

Other than that, I also met Raphael in the National Conference. He is now working for the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department, and he is also contributing his power to this kingdom.

But please believe me, teacher, your worry will not come to pass. From my enlistment to my service, I have already seen a lot. However, reality will not change me. The ambitions of the other two and mine will never change as well. Especially me, after I went through the cruelest battle. Only then did I begin to realize how precious life is. After I saw the ugliness of this kingdom, the more I long for the arrival of revolution. One day, we will use our own strength to rebuild this gradually outdated and old kingdom.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you, and that you will successfully woo Teacher Chartier as soon as possible!

P.S. It is already winter over here in Constellation, and soon, it will be snowing in Eternal Star City. How is the weather at your place?

— From your faithful friend and student, Kohen Karabeyan

—Calendar of Eradication, year 672, December 16, morning, written at home]

In front of the Everlasting Lamp, Kohen stopped writing and scrutinized his letter for a long time before he sighed.

The blonde policeman hesitated over and over again. Still, he scribbled off the line “He is now working for the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department, and also contributing his power to this kingdom”, and wrote this instead, “I will confirm his current situation before writing to you again”.

He stood up from his desk and glanced outside the window of his family’s manor.

It was just six o’clock in the Eastern City District and dawn had just arrived. The visibility of the street was quite high. Even though it was still early, many servants of the nobles were walking around, especially lately when various major events frequently happened in and out of the kingdom.

Kohen shook his head when he thought of this. ‘The kingdom indeed has its heir now, but it also caused the confrontation between the royal family and suzerains during the National Conference yesterday. How are they going to resolve the conflict with Eckstedt?’

He did not think that Duke Nanchester, after going through such humiliation, would still answer to the king’s call because of his sense of duty. Those petty suzerains of the Western Desert did not seem to be like nobles who worked together during the Kingdom’s crisis. The plump Duke of the Eastern Sea was even more infamous for his stinginess. The only people left were the unpredictable teenager, Duchess of Blade Edge Hill and Iris Flowers of South Coast Hill, who changed his stance at the very last minute. However, they were too far away to serve as immediate help.

‘So, the first battle will be the burden of the Northern Territory and the Royal Family?

‘Constellation is really like a hydra,’ Kohen thought to himself.

He immediately thought of the hydra, Kilika, which was killed by the human hero, Eckstedt’s founding king, Raikaru Eckstedt. His mood then became increasingly gloomier.

The sound of horses galloping could be heard from the street outside the window.

A troop of knights were riding their horses out from buildings that were specifically for attending to nobles from abroad.

However, their rhythm in riding the horses and their strength in whipping them were different from the knights, Constellation usually saw.

Constellation’s knights were particular about harmony and rhythm while they rode on horseback. Their rhythm was stable and constant, and their whipping was just right.

Yet, these knights were ferocious in their rhythm and they practiced an extremely strong force while they whipped their horses. Nonetheless, their collective pace was precisely united and firmed in discipline.

It had some resemblance to the knights of the Northern Territory.

‘Wait a minute.’

Kohen’s pupils shrank abruptly!

He saw the flag that the troop of knights held.

*Squeak!*

Kohen pushed the window open in a rush!

He stuck his head out of the window as he wanted to get a clear look at the flag.

The color of that flag stood out from Constellation’s flag.

It had a black base with red outlines, and on top of the flag, there was a roaring red dragon.

The dragon’s claws appeared to be ferocious. Its wings were wide opened and its eyes were purely black.

It was indeed a straightforward but fierce style.

The blonde police officer was slightly stunned.

‘Did they arrive yesterday after midnight?

‘The city gate blocked their entry and made them rest at the inn outside the city, but now they are letting them come into the city?

‘Is this His Majesty’s idea?’

Suddenly, Kohen felt a chilling sensation on his face. It was freezing enough to make him tremble.

Kohen stretched out his hand to touch his face, and he felt a piece of snowflake on it.

The police officer was stunned.

He stretched his hand out of the window and caught a second and third piece of snowflake.

White, glittering flakes of snow fell down everywhere from the sky above.

It was snowing.

Kohen took a deep breath and glanced upwards to the sky.

Winter had arrived.

…

Early morning.

He woke up from the Renaissance Palace’s unique, rock-hard stone bed.

He slid down from the bed, and unsurprisingly stepped onto the freezing cold, stone ground.

It seemed to be colder than yesterday.

A day had passed since the unforgettable National Conference.

Thales felt like he was living in a dream that day.

It was hard to imagine this. That afternoon, he walked one step at a time with Gilbert leading him from the Hall of Stars to the star blue carpet, ignoring the continuous arguments between the king and suzerains behind him.

The nobles, bureaucrats and people on each side were bowing down to him.

They were calling him, “Your Highness”.

Thales, Your Highness.

“Are you hallucinating because you are too excited?”

Thales was snapped out of his thoughts abruptly. He lifted his head and saw Jines.

The mature and charming female official leaned against the stone doorframe with her arms crossed as she calmly looked at him.

“No, I am not.”

The new Second Prince of Constellation, Thales replied flatly.

“I just feel like the situation is somewhat surreal.

“I am also at a loss.”

Jines stared at him as she snorted. “Of course, previously you were just a nobody, but now you are a prince. Prince Thales, the Second Prince of Constellation.”

“No, it is not that simple.” Thales sighed with a bitter smile on his face. He buttoned up his shirt and grabbed his jacket.

“Previously, I only had to think about how to keep living.

“But from now on… what I need to consider is how to stay alive.”

Thales silently replied as he fastened the last button of his leather belt.

Jines furrowed her brows, and then raised them.

‘Just another Jadestar.’ She silently thought to herself.

‘A pitiful Jadestar.’

Thales fastened his leather boots, but that sentence kept replaying in his mind.

“To fight for Constellation, to die for Constellation… and to live for Constellation.”

‘Am I really ready for this?’

He paused for a short while before fastening the sheathed JC’s dagger onto the belt across his lower back.

“Are you ready, Your Highness?” A familiar voice made its way from beyond the door.

Gilbert’s figure appeared at the entrance, his face was clouded with an unusual, solemn air.

Jines sighed and made way for the former Foreign Affairs Minister.

Gilbert took off his hat and bowed before Jines as he said to Thales, “Please forgive me for disturbing you from your sleep on just the second day, Your Highness. But… please hurry up in getting ready.”

Thales gave him a puzzled look.

Gilbert took a deep breath. “They are coming, Your Highness.

“His Majesty hopes that you will stand by his side and greet those people with him.”

“Those people?” Thales asked in confusion.

But he immediately understood what was being said.

The prince also stared solemnly back at Gilbert.

“Yes, those people.”

Gilbert nodded and pursed his lips tightly together. He was hesitant, but eventually, with his voice firm and steady, he said, “The Eckstedtians.”

Chapter 68

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

To the majority of Constellatiates, their impressions of the Eckstedtians were of this: Hardy people who also had the ability to withstand extremely cold weather.

However, the second impression may have differed.

Most of the civilians would scratch their heads in uncertainty and say that they were ‘barbaric’ and ‘rude’. Whereas the merchants would merrily utter, ‘trustworthy’, and ‘good business’. The mercenaries and the adventurers would laugh mysteriously and tell you that whether it was for assaults or retreats, the Eckstedtians were the best choice.

Old soldiers who had encountered them, would frown, then sigh after a sip of beer and a puff of tobacco. From the memories that were deeply etched within their memories, they would remind you not to trifle with Eckstedtians.

But based on Thales’ knowledge of the Peninsular’s history, at least the aristocrats and feudal lords of Constellation held an absolutely different, complex point of view towards this strong northern neighbour.

Being the most powerful nation in the Western Peninsular, Eckstedt possessed intimidating, formidable military might with amazing records of victories in wars. Even among the three strong and credible allies during the Peninsular War, Eckstedt remained a ferocious and dreadful Dragon to the others when the alliance turned confrontational.

In contrast to the orderly and methodically delicate Constellation, this was an intrepid state, filled with romantic and rebellious moods, coupled with heroic and belligerent spirits. Its long tradition traced back even way earlier than the Ancient Empire.

From the remote, uncivilized era where the Northern King established the ‘Alliance of All Beasts’ with the orcs to the time the Iron Blood King gloriously sacrificed himself during mankind’s last defense against the Orcs, the most frigid gust of cold wind had swept past this Northern Territory, which was occupied by humans, waking them up from their weak, uncivilized age.

During the Age of Feudal Kings, the Final Quiquer War saw two thousand armored human cavaliers charge courageously to the front line in the ‘Holiness Exorcism Campaign’. They had to fence off the twenty thousand heavily armed orc soldiers in the final feud to rid themselves off the offenders. Later on, the northern knights gathered under the emperor’s flag, with swords and flames raging all over the ground, and conquered the land to establish the Ancient Empire. These various events in the Northern Territory manifested how the human race used their knives and swords to become the most powerful weapons in the world.

In the northern province during the Age of the Empire, the ‘Revolutionary King’, Quiso’s attempt to revolt against the tyrannical emperor may have been relatively unknown in this self-proclaimed, authentic imperial state that was Constellation. However, Thales had read before that the Revolutionary King only led three hundred soldiers in assaulting the Three Great Armies of the Empire when he was old, but he was killed in the glorious, revolutionary attempt. This event indeed aroused the awareness that the seemingly strong and powerful Empire, was in actual fact infested with multiple problems and internal strife. This marked the prelude to civil unrests in the Empire.

An event closer to the contemporary Eckstedt, was none other than the Battle of Eradication, which changed the world. During the darkest and most despair filled moment, the heroic Raikaru and his knights descended from the sky and charged into the enemy’s headquarters. This battle was the ‘Reversal Gust’, which rekindled the flame of hope in revolutionary movements not only in the northern provinces, but also the entire world. It also saved the northern and western fronts, which were in imminent danger, not to mention the chaotic and fragmented post war continent. Together with his nine dedicated knights, he founded the legendary Eckstedt.

Even more recently, the legendary adventures of the Eckstedt born hero Chara, the Oath-keeper Midier and Kaplan the Prophet as well as their alliance during the Third Peninsular War against the Eastern Peninsular Alliance, remained as stories Errolians loved to dwell upon with great relish until now… At least that was the case in Western Peninsular.

In comparison, Constellation resembled an aging gentlemen, encumbered with heavy imperialistic, orthodox beliefs. Even the nation’s founding story was filled with bitterness and sorrow. Eckstedt, on the other hand, was more like a robust young warrior that flourished with resistance and heroism, one who would charge without fear, and die without regrets.

With that spirit, an Eckstedtian was now before Thales.

Ignoring the hostile gaze of the officials and aristocrats from Constellation in the hall, Baron Lasalle Wieder, the emergency envoy from Eckstedt, stood upright in Renaissance Palace, which was adjacent to the conference hall in the Hall of Stars.

Standing casually, with both arms folded and his head lowered, he occasionally lifted his head up to sweep his view around the hall, but this was done with grace and not the slightest rudeness. Seemingly, this was his nature, however the inconspicuous smile on his face did make the spectators frown.

Lassalle appeared to only be slightly over forty years old, and as he held a red- colored dragon print scroll in his hand, Lassalle showed no signs of fear instead, he looked somewhat arrogant. When his antagonistic eyes swept through the hall, people in the hall who met his gaze had the false impression that this Eckstedtian was giving them haughty looks instead of them staring and judging his envoy.

Under this circumstance, Thales pursed up his lips tightly, stood by Gilbert’s side at a concealed and inconspicuous location, which was a few stairs up, beside the king of Constellation’s seat.

Those present in the hall, ranged from the six dukes from the Six Great Clans, who had identical expressions, the thirteen counts from the Distinguished Families, to the various officials participating in the conference: Chief of Intelligence Morat Hansen, Minister of Finance Gill Mahn, Military Advisor Shaun Ritter and so on, all stood quietly besides the king’s seat.

The entire center of power within Constellation was waiting for King Kessel the Fifth to speak as he sat on his throne.

Yet, King Kessel the Fifth’s sky blue eyes were carefully observing the emergency envoy dispatched by Eckstedt when Prince Moriah was assassinated.

To be able to cross the borders from Dragon Cloud City nonstop and head straight to Eternal Star City in just six days showed just how urgent the matter was, and what the attitude this envoy possessed.

“What have you brought, envoy of the Northern Dragon?” King Kessel’s voice travelled through the air.

“Me? Hmph. I personally have brought nothing.” Eckstedt’s emergency envoy Lasalle laughed briefly, but all of a sudden, his expression turned cold. “Very soon, all of Eckstedt will bring their griefs, their despairs, and also…

“Their fury!”

The entire conference hall turned dead silent.

Baron Lasalle stared intensely at King Kessel without backing down even the slightest.

During the suffocating silence, just as Thales wondered who would be the first to bring up the main subject, Kessel the Fifth broke the silence.

“I know you.”

The king uttered slowly, his dignified voice spread to the entire conference hall. “Twelve years ago, the current Archduke of Black Sand, who was then Count Chapman Lampard and also the count for a single city, represented Eckstedt to visit Constellation as the son of the Archduke—you held the reigns to his horse in that diplomatic group.”

“Hmm?”

Astounded by Kessel’s good memory, Lasalle frowned a little.

Then, he laughed lightly.

Lasalle’s laughter was filled with an irritating, mocking tone. “What an amazing memory, Your Majesty. I too remember very clearly, you were only the fifth prince then. You stood at a corner, all alone.”

With his hands behind his back, he walked forward and continued, “… Look at Chapman Lampard. He strongly proposed to the old, grey-haired King Aydi, who had suffered a great deal by constant rebellious unrest. As long as they returned the five counties, which originally belonged to the Northlanders back to their rightful masters…

“Eckstedt will generously dispatch an army down south to help quell the intensifying rebellious unrests that have been plaguing our neighbors for six hundred years.”

Many frowned upon hearing this.

Suffering a great deal from the constant rebellious unrest – the Bloody Year. Thales recalled this event.

But Thales also took note that this envoy had placed emphasis on Northlanders before Eckstedt.

‘What was the implication?’

“Well, I remember King Aydi had politely declined Grand Duke Lampard’s so called ‘proposal’.” Duke Fakenhaz sneered. “Yet, you still ‘generously’ sent your army to the south… What a good neighbor you have been!”

Lasalle smiled mysteriously without saying a word.

Count Zemunto said angrily, “Maybe Archduke Lampard was not so literate. Those five counties you mentioned, have been respectively ruled by the Arunde, Zemunto and Friess Families. Our ancestors owned those lands ever since the founding of Constellation—those are indisputably Constellation’s lands!”

Out of Thales’s expectation, Lasalle laughed.

Under the angry eyes of the entire hall, his soft laugh gradually turned into a big hearty laugh.

“All these years, cold winds have been getting stronger and more frigid in Eckstedt. Our shepherds and hunters have to tolerate this bitter cold weather when they are out. When they return, they have to use snow to vigorously rub their nearly frostbitten hands to prevent their hands from freezing.”

Most people could not grasp what he was trying to say. Lasalle laughed grimly. “Year after year, decade after decade, we managed to turn our trembling hands, which were only good for wielding whips and holding bows into steady and strong arms, fit to brandish powerful swords.”

Lasalle paused momentarily and looked around before he laughed unscrupulously. “In comparison, the weather in Constellation is getting warmer and more comfortable, well suited for weaklings, who are only good at gasping for breath on women’s bellies. Such is the descendant of the Oath Keeper Midier!”

This instantly caused an uproar in the hall.

Thales was shocked. How could a visiting envoy choose to abuse and insult the host rather than get into the main subject?

Somehow, he reckoned that so far as the incident of the prince’s assassination was concerned, Constellation was in an absolutely disadvantageous position. Besides, from the parliamentary meeting the day before, one could easily gauge Constellation’s military might and strength.

Henceforth, it looked like Eckstedt held complete reigns over whether they wanted to hold Constellation accountable, when they wanted to hold Constellation accountable, and how they wanted to hold Constellation accountable over the incident.

Thales heaved a sigh.

Count Friess slammed his hand on the sword hanging by his waist, and with rage burning in him, he asked, “What are you getting at?”

But Kessel the Fifth calmly waved his hand, waving off the enraged nobles who were about to rush forth.

“What I am saying is, since when did the lousy excuse of the land belonging to my grandfather valid to set the standard for claiming land ownership?”

Lasalle took a circular stroll in the hall, and met the gazes of Constellation’s aristocrats and feudal lords with his fearless stare.

Lasalle spoke with a hostile expression, “Regardless of Eckstedt or Constellation, the strong and the victor would only leave after claiming his spoils of war, while the weak or loser would have to give up his gambling chips to protect himself. Every inch of land has to be conquered, these are the international laws. Just as Senjem, the King of Mountains of the East Peninsular said: only the able shall dominate.”

Only Gilbert and a few others slightly shut their eyes, pondering what his intentions were. King Kessel looked as if he was in deep thought while he swept his sight across the nobles in the hall.

Gilbert whispered to Thales, “Be careful, Prince Thales. In diplomatic affairs, there should not be any meaningless arguments or exchanges. This is actually a test and a change of steps before the official clash of swords. The opponent is probing our steps and our ability, before finally making his first sword strike.

“The fact that he did not urgently dive into the main subject, implies that he may not have good grounds to put forward conditions, but it is also probable that he has some even better points for negotiation.”

Gilbert continued softly, “Up till now, this is his plot: By infuriating and directing us towards the topics of military strength and the rules of the strong versus the weak, he is planting a seed in our thoughts. At the same time, he is gauging our response to determine his next move. Moreover, when he finally brings up the real topic of discussion, we would lean towards the tendency of thinking about war, unconsciously placing more importance in the value of war and hence, neglecting other equally important alternatives.”

‘Do we have other choices?’ Thales frowned.

Lasalle step forward and stared at King Kessel with a burning gaze. “Does Constellation have the ability to guard and defend your so-called territory?”

The anger and rage among the aristocrats had now reached the limit.

With extreme rage and a swift tap on his northern military uniform, the Northern Count Zemunto shouted, “Bring it on, bring on your army—”

But his words were immediately cut off by an even more firm and stable voice!

“All right…”

Val Arunde had on a composed smile. His firm voice drowned out Zemunto’s and echoed throughout the conference hall. “Very well, as the Duke of the Northern Territory, I was actually worried about my territory not being big enough! Since Grand Duke Lampard desires our five counties in the north, and I have been wanting his Black Sand Region, then how about we dispatch our troops and exchange out territories based on our capabilities?”

Upon the Northern Duke’s rebuttal, Eckstedt’s emergency envoy frowned slightly but soon smiled afterwards.

“The Duke of the Northern Territory has given a very good response, but what Count Zemunto said earlier may have exposed some information to the opponent,” Gilbert solemnly reported to the second prince of Constellation.

Thales nodded. He understood. In the face of provocation, Count Zemunto challenged the opponent to a fight, whereas Val chose to declare his intention to conquer his opponent’s land. The meanings behind their words and their attitudes as well as their resolve towards being invaded instantly showed a big difference.

Right at this moment, a young girl’s gentle voice interrupted the ongoing conversation.

“The able shall dominate? If this is the case, then that Archduke of Black Sand should rise to arms soon, get rid of your King Nuven, and capture the throne.”

Upon hearing this, Lasalle’s facial expression turned drastically.

“Because I do believe that he is actually stronger that King Nuven, is he not? To fight the South, he has to face an entire empire, but to fight the north, he only has a king to deal with. Why not give it a try? Perhaps, he will succeed.”

Under the astounded eyes of the spectators, the fifteen-year-old Duchess of Blade Edge Hill, Lyanna Tabark sat among the male suzerains like a lone flower on the cliff. She continued coldly, “Why don’t you bring these words to the Grand Duke Lampard of Black Sand? Just as Senjem the King of Mountains said, ‘Only the capable shall dominate’.”

Chapter 69

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the hall, the senior ministers and suzerains began to whisper among themselves, even smiles could be seen on some of their faces.

Duke Cullen laughed heartily and whispered to the ‘unpopular’ Duke Fakenhaz, “She’s a good girl. Did she learn to be so biting with her words from you?

“Biting with her words? Not at all,” Cyril Fakenhaz said softly with warped lips, and he giggled with a sinister smile. “To me, this is a woman’s natural ability.”

Back in the hall, Lasalle’s facial expression froze, and then he burst out in anger. “So, is it Constellation’s style to use this sort of method to sow discord between Eckstedt’s king and his subjects? It is just like how you have shamelessly and despicably plotted to murder our Prince Moriah!”

Thales’ heart lurched in his chest. ‘Here comes the “main course”.’

His statement caused most of Constellation’s nobles in the hall to feel indignant and angered.

Yet, there were few who fell into deep thought.

Before Thales could respond, Gilbert spoke with a praising smile, “The duchess’ reaction is commendable. We have unknowingly launched a counter attack. Your Highness, Duchess Tabark’s attack should bring us some positive results.”

Thales turned around and looked at the elegant duchess.

Lyanna also seemed to have sensed Thales’ gaze, and turned around to return it with a fierce stare. It was as sharp as a blade.

Thales hastily delivered a smile, then took a quick glimpse around the hall, pretending like nothing had happened, as if his gaze on the duchess earlier was actually unintentional.

“This is not as simple as merely sowing discord. It helps to probe into whether King Nuven and the Duke of Black Sand have uniform wills as well as objectives. This is very important!”

Thales was dumbfounded.

Gilbert continued patiently, “The fact that Lasalle abruptly reverted back to the main subject is an indication. Obviously, he also knows that he better not get entangled in the subject of who is stronger between King Nuven and the Archduke of Black Sand.

“In the first round, he was the one who was forced to strike first.”

Recalling Gilbert’s inference in the carriage earlier, Thales suddenly realized that the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group could have been a deliberate attempt of certain people in their own country.

‘Looks like… though there is no evidence, but… no matter what…

At least, in the minds of most people, the discord between King Nuven and the Archduke of Black Sand was quite huge.

He returned his gaze to the hall.

The One-Eyed Dragon of Nanchester snorted. “We murdered your prince? Even an idiot would be able to tell that the assassination of your diplomatic group was a plot to stir up warfare between our countries—Is Eckstedt going to be used so easily and willingly? Even my hunting hounds are not as obedient as you are!”

“Constellatiates, do you think we really care whether you are an innocent bystander or the instigator?” Lasalle spoke slowly.

“Since you are not interested in finding out the truth, why are you here? How about you just behead some of the people on the streets and give it back to your King Nuven?” Duke Zayen of South Coast Hill said sarcastically.

These words did not fail to stir up Lasalle’s burning rage and enmity. Under the watchful eyes of the nobles, he strode forward, then held the Crimson Dragon sealed scroll up high in his right hand!

On the throne, King Kessel clenched both his fists and lowered his chin. His gaze turned gloomy and abstruse.

“No matter who despicably murdered the prince—we swear to destroy them! Eckstedt will uphold justice ourselves, we do not need anybody else!

“But our prince, the only son and heir of the Archduke of Dragon Cloud City and the Common-Elected King of Eckstedt, died in Constellation’s territory!”

Lasalle spread his arms, vigorously turned and ruthlessly gazed at each and every suzerain, noble and official in the hall.

“His last drop of blood fell on the land of Constellation, the last breath he took was the air in Constellation, the last scene he saw was the scenery in Constellation. He came to Constellation with good will, yet all of you could not and did not protect him!

“Regardless of whether he was killed intentionally or not, it was your incompetence and your conniving attitude which have caused his death.

“That is good enough!

“Constellation should be responsible for it, and should pay the price!”

Angrily, Lasalle tore open the seal from the Crimson Dragon sealed scroll. Then, he swiftly unfurled it!

“No matter what, King Nuven and Eckstedt must obtain some form of justification from Constellation!”

The six dukes almost frowned simultaneously!

Thales’ pupils contracted, only to see that the fully written scroll had no signature or a seal stamp.

It only had a palm print.

A bright red palm print.

Could it be King Nuven’s bloody palm print?

Commotion returned to the hall!

“I saw it with my own eyes. He did not sign it, he did not put a seal. He just cut his palm and pressed it down to make a palm print!

“This is King Nuven’s anguish and despair! Do you understand now, Constellatiates?!”

The last few words uttered were as if they were spat out through Lasalle’s teeth.

The commotion in the hall began to gradually subside.

Prior to this, Thales did not care much about the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group. The death of the foreign prince, who was a total stranger to him caused no pain to him. Yet now, he finally realized the seriousness of this matter.

The supreme king’s sonorous voice rose up once again.

“I can comprehend King Nuven’s despair and anger. Believe me, I have experienced that sort of feeling, and Constellation will definitely not evade its responsibility.”

Kessel spoked in an indifferent manner.

The One-Eyed Dragon Koshder gnashed his teeth, though in a barely noticeable manner.

‘Is the king about to yield?

‘Is it possible? How would the Northern Ferocious Dragon be fully satisfied unless we pay a hefty price for cutting off a big chunk of ‘meat’ from our Northern Territory?

‘If we give in, King Kessel will end up being labelled incompetent and weak. Moreover, we will be destined to have our relationship with the Northern Territory sour even further. They are not exactly good friends of ours now.’

As he thought about these things, he could not help but look at Val Arunde, who was in full military uniform, frowning but keeping absolute silence.

It seemed as if this was the calm before a storm.

Lasalle put down his hand and continued coldly, “Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty. Oh yes, I remember now. Hoho, if it is you, whatever you say, we can understand.”

Strange looks appeared among those presented in the hall.

“Cut the nonsense. What are King Nuven’s conditions?” Kessel ignored his underlying mocking words and asked him outright.

Under the watchful eyes of the people, Lasalle let out a steely harrumph, pulled out the scroll again and began reciting its contents.

“All subjects of Eckstedt, from His Majesty Nuven to the nine archdukes, upon learning of the tragedy, while bearing horrific sorrow and despair, we used our utmost rationale as well as intellect, and unanimously deem that Constellation must be held accountable for Prince Moriah Charleton’s misfortune.”

Finishing this statement, Lasalle looked up and glanced at the whole hall once over.

“It is fair. It is Constellation’s shame that the dignified Prince Moriah met with such misfortune in this country.”

Lasalle narrowed his cold eyes a little, then lowered his head to continue reciting from the scroll.

“Number One, to appease the deceased, Constellation must arrange to return the remains of our Diplomatic Group, especially that of Prince Moriah, in the most dignified, respectable, and glorious manner.

“Number Two, to uphold justice, Constellation must provide assistance in our investigation and surrender the murderer, including the mastermind behind this.”

Fakenhaz let out a light snort and grumbled to Duke Cullen, who was by his side, “Assist them? My god, this sounds more like a superior giving orders to his subordinate.”

However, being laden with anxiety, the latter only stared at Lasalle with a solemn gaze.

Eckstedt’s Emergency Diplomat’s recital still went on.

“Number Three, to restore honour, we would like King Kessel to personally extend a public apology to the entire Eckstedt.”

Thales lifted his brows.

Gilbert’s statement reappeared in his mind.

“It does not matter whether we fight or choose to form an armistice, His Majesty will not be able to escape from being criticized as a cold-hearted and ruthless king who disregards his people, oppresses the weak, and embarrasses Constellation. This will greatly impact His Majesty and Jadestar Family’s reputation and influence in the kingdom.”

But Lasalle was still delivering his blunt and ruthless speech.

“Number Four, to compensate for damage or loss, whether it be lands or resources, we expect to be reasonably and adequately compensated. Specifically, Eckstedt expects compensations in the forms of: (i) the two northern prefectures, which are adjacent to our kingdom, and land the size of which shall be not less than that of the Pine Nut County, or (ii) a third of the preferential quota of the premium Eternal Oil from the Eastern Sea Coast of the whale hunting industry in Constellation, or (iii) two tenths of the preferential quota of the Crystal Drop Ore Mine at the Southern Coast Territory of Constellation. Any one of the three.

“Number Five, to uphold equality, the ‘Fortress Treaty’ needs to be revised by both Constellation and Eckstedt, especially the nonsensical boundary lines drawn twelve years ago. Pine Nut County, Sharladan County, Levor County, Bear County and Deer Cry County must be unconditionally returned to Eckstedt’s rule. The Duke of Watch City will withdraw his land cultivation team from the Northern Pine Forest, and the number of hunters as well as herdsmen allowed into the Pine Forest annually can only be decided after consultation with the Archduke of Black Sand. The Duke of Lonely Old Tower shall have his patrol guards pulled backwards by three kilometers. They shall not unreasonably deny Eckstedtians from entering the public hunting zone.”

The hall was so quiet that even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.

But Thales knew that this was only on the surface.

Lasalle slowly put the scroll down.

“As mentioned above, these are the conditions stipulated by King Nuven and by Eckstedt.”

Suddenly, the dreadful silence in the hall was broken.

“What crap are you talking about?”

Unable to take it any longer, Count Zemunto shouted, “Watch City will not retreat even one step! What is more, we will definitely not surrender Pine Nut County and Bear County! Go and tell that bastard in the Black Sand Region: if he wants our land, he will have to come and get it with his troops!”

Count Friess also spoke coldly, “Deer Cry County shall also remain the same! Besides, Lonely Old Tower will patrol wherever he wishes!”

Nevertheless, the Duke of the Northern Territory, who had the most authority to speak, chose to maintain silent. He gazed attentively at King Kessel the Fifth.

The people in the hall turned their sights towards the supreme king with varying expressions.

Kessel stared upon the steps under his feet, as if what had happened was rather trivial, and spoke with a calm face, “Nuven, oh Nuven… Eckstedt is definitely too voracious to think that it could make use of the dead prince in exchange for our seven counties.”

Not taking this insult lying down, Lasalle lifted his head and stared straight at Kessel. “The damage to Eckstedt is not the loss of a prince per se, it is also damage done to our honour and dignity!”

“Our diplomatic group came here in good will, but was shoddily treated! Who then will vindicate the humiliation Eckstedt has suffered? Who is going to tame the Great Dragon’s flames of fury?

“What is more, Constellation, what you all took away was the only son to a father!” Lasalle continued with utmost fury. “The sole legitimate and true heir to the throne, who had come with a mission for friendship and peace, but died due to a despicable assassination!

“King Nuven lost his kin, his only son, his sole heir. Eckstedt lost the next Archduke of Dragon Cloud City, the future of the Walton Family!”

In the end, Lasalle roared.

“Even with such a devastating blow, King Nuven did not send an army but only put up some conditions. Is this not the most rational and restrained choice?”

The hall was then filled with inhales of discontentment among the nobles.

Kessel maintained his calm tone, yet with a voice that allowed no argument, he said, “The first three conditions can be fulfilled, but the fourth and fifth…”

The King’s voice rang coldly across the hall. “Constellation will never allow me to cut off our land, or prepare to surrender the quota of our resources. If we say that, what are you going to do?’

Val began to frown.

Duke Cullen sighed deeply, while Fakenhaz let out an unpleasant bark of laughter.

Lyanna and Zayen pursed their lips tight and kept absolutely quiet.

Thales lowered his heart in agony. ‘Can war not be prevented?’

‘Hahahaha, King Kessel.” Lasalle laughed in extreme anger. “When we came to Eternal Star in the past, King Aydi similarly rejected the requests we brought forth on behalf of King Nuven and the nine archdukes.

“What happened after that?” Lasalle spread his arms wide open and again peered around the hall.

Many of the older suzerains, nobles and officials tensed up.

“Yes, we ‘generously’ dispatched our army.”

With accelerated breathing and an even more icy facial expression, Lasalle continued, “Whatever that rightfully belongs to him, the Great Dragon will come and get it himself.”

Everyone in the conference hall began to ponder the consequences of this statement.

Twelve years ago, the chaos and disaster of war involving most of Constellation remained vivid in their minds.

“When righteousness cannot be upheld, and justice turns to dust…”

Lasalle raised his right hand in an oppressive manner and slowly clenched his fist. “Then Eckstedt will have no choice but to use war to safeguard our honour and His Majesty’s dignity.”

He threatened.

“By then, the problem will not be easily resolved with a few counties or some Eternal Oil.”

“Enough!”

Kessel replied in a seemingly profound manner.

“Is there no other method to properly resolve the grievance between Constellation and the Great Dragon in your eyes and King Nuven’s?

“Do you really wish to witness bloodshed between the subjects of the two countries’ borders?”

Lasalle responded quickly. “Your Majesty, war or peace, it is all up to you. To tolerate humiliation for the sake of your subjects, or go to war at all costs?”

He swept his icy gaze across the ministers, particularly Count Zemunto, then laughed sarcastically. “Especially when your Northern Territory does not even have sufficient military strength to defend Broken Dragon Fortress from the Black Sand Archduke’s army?”

The Duke of the Northern Territory clenched his fist tightly.

Gilbert whispered into Thales’ ear with a sigh, “During the Bloody Year, the Northern Territory was dealt a great blow when faced with the powerful vanguards of Eckstedt, second only to the damage suffered by Blade Edge Hill in the southwest. There was a time when widows outnumbered children in the Northern Territory.”

“You are asking me to make a decision when faced with such a difficult choice?” Kessel let out a cold harrumph. “You might as well just get Constellation a new king!”

“Your Majesty, you are the Supreme King of Constellation. You are destined to shoulder this responsibility.” Lasalle raised his head with a smile.

“If you cannot do it, then as you have said, you might as well choose a more capable individual to be the leader of Constellation from this hall full of nobles. Eckstedt will be more than happy to see this done.”

The entire conference hall rose into a commotion within an instance.

Some even cursed aloud.

Nonetheless, Eckstedt’s emergency envoy was not done with his talking!

Lasalle continued sinisterly, “In any case, the next King of Constellation is also destined to not be from Jadestar, is he not?”

Many of the nobles looked at Kessel oddly, but even more looked to Thales.

Was this envoy still ignorant about the National Conference?

Suddenly, Thales understood something!

‘As expected, the assassination of the diplomatic group, the pressure by the suzerains to abdicate the throne, the arrival of the Great Dragon’s Diplomat–all these are intertwined. This would have been a meticulous scheme, if not for my appearance. Just as Gilbert had speculated, there are people from both sides of Constellation and Eckstedt working together, conspiring to wrest the ownership of the throne of Constellation from the Iron Hand King.’

But why did Kessel, his father, lead the subject of conversation to this particular point?

The words that traveled into his ear made Thales’ heart jump in fright.

In the hall filled with astounded individuals, Kessel lifted his head and gazed at Lasalle. “In that case, Eckstedt, or rather the nobles of Eckstedt would be more in favor of a certain Constellation noble to be Constellation’s supreme king?”

“Allow me to speak the truth.” Lasalle laughed contemptuously. “There is none present here that meets our expectation.

“Eckstedtians only admire heroes of war, even if they are our enemies.

“Is there anyone among you who fulfills this requirement?”

Kessel sighed, though no one knew why he did so. “Of course, my vassals are either too far away or unwilling to launch their troops. Then, the only people who would qualify are those who must fight for their own territory, am I right?”

The hall suddenly turned silent upon the king’s peculiar statement.

Lasalle sensed that something was astray. He looked to a person, gradually showing doubts on his face.

‘Something is wrong. King Kessel… He is…’

Just when everyone was puzzled about the present situation, the plump Duke Cullen seemed to have realized something else. He exhaled deeply, and also looked towards the same person. His face showed extreme agony.

From Thales amazed expression, Gilbert suddenly realized what was going on. After a brief sigh, he gritted his teeth and lowered his head to let loose a sigh.

Under the entire hall’s bewilderment and surprise, King Kessel took a deep breath, closed his eyes and said, “So, that is how it is.”

The king whispered, “From collaborating with Eckstedt’s ambitious individuals to provoking conflict through a diplomat assassination plot.

“To personally declare to me the feasibility of war and propose to issue the final general edict.

“Then, to incite the suzerains, who have been eagerly waiting for a chance to pressure me into naming the heir, causing us to be embroiled in internal confrontation while you watch by the sides.

“And finally to this Eckstedt envoy, who forced me into a dilemma, which could cost me dearly.

“In the end, you will successfully instigate war, and you would be able to easily gain recognition in the battlefield after conspiring with Eckstedt, and ultimately abdicate me.

“To achieve your motive, you would not hesitate to sacrifice your land, your people and even your country.

“Is that not so… traitor?”

Each of the supreme king’s words were more startling than the last.

Thales also began breathing more quickly in the process of listening to his speech.

Suddenly, the Iron Hand King, Kessel the Fifth opened his eyes. He looked towards a corner of the hall with a desolate gaze, at an individual who had kept quiet for a long while.

At this juncture, the king eyes were filled with misery and anguish.

“So, it is you.”

He spoke slowly.

“Mastermind of all plots and schemes”

The king’s low and muddled voice uttered a name, which was previously unimaginable by anyone.

“Val Arunde.”

Chapter 70

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The conference hall was in a state of full commotion.

Even Lasalle was frowning.

This time around, other than Duke Cullen and Gilbert, all the nobles cast amazed looks upon the Duke of the Northern Territory, who had been keeping absolutely quiet until now.

What was this about?

“Your Majesty? Duke Arunde?” Being one of the suzerains of the Northern Territory too, Count Zemunto was puzzled and looked at the Duke of the Northern Territory as well as the king with an uncertain gaze.

Whereas the disbelieving Count Friess simply stared blankly at Val.

The commotion and uproar lasted well over ten seconds until the suzerain of Cold Castle, Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory, the firm and resolute looking Val Arunde lifted his head and turned around to look at the king.

He no longer remained silent, but chose to let out a long sigh.

Under the gazes of all the amazed onlookers, including that of Baron Lasalle, Val, the master of the White Eagle Family, the man who was like a determined warrior, lifted his head and smiled.

“You are as sharp as ever, Kel.”

Lowering his head a little, the Duke of the Northern Territory sighed. “Just like your damn elder brother.”

Thales’ eyes were wide with shock.

‘What?’

This prompted immediate reactions from all the people.

‘Judging from the Duke of Northern Territory’s reaction…

‘My God.

‘But how can this be?’

Kessel lowered his head and truly sighed.

“Are you not going to provide some explanations for us, Val?” the king asked blandly.

“What is there to explain? It failed, did it not?” Unperturbed and not in the least concerned about the other suzerains’ gazes on him, Val continued, “And you, when did you actually see through this?

“It was obvious that the slaying of the diplomat group was done by the other suzerains, was it not? I have appeared very innocent, and both the Northern Territory as well as the royal family were clearly victims of this scheme.”

Zayen stared at Val in disbelief.

‘That is right. It is impossible. The assassination of the diplomat group was done by the united efforts of the nobles in New Star!

‘Moreover, the Duke of the Northern Territory was not even in our group!’

With a lowered gaze, Kessel spoke in a soft voice, “During the National Conference yesterday, you were in too much of a hurry to cast your vote against Thales during the voting process of the Higher Parliament Conference.”

The king’s voice was filled with complex emotions. “That was when I became suspicious of you. You should know that even when Koshder offered to provide military support to help you as a bargaining chip for your vote, I would definitely not just sit back and watch the Northern Territory fall to ruin. There should not be any reason for you to object to my son as the successor just based on the One-Eyed Dragon’s promise.”

The One-Eyed Dragon, Duke Koshder, looked at the Duke of the Northern Territory in amazement. At the same time, he remembered the voting held during the afternoon of the previous day.

“Is that so?” Val put on a sad smile. “How do you know that I have no reason? You know I hate you very much, do you not?”

“I should be the person you detest because of Liscia.” King Kessel spoke with an expressionless face, but underneath his sleeves, his fists trembled slightly, though it went unnoticed by all. “You are a noble man, you would not take it out on my son.”

At this point, most people turned to look at Thales, especially Count Lasalle, who had a face as dark as thunderclouds.

“Unless you have a special reason that makes it absolutely necessary for you to stop my son from being the heir.” The king continued in a low voice.

Under all the complicated gazes in the hall, Val sighed. “But this is merely a guess. Perhaps this is only a coincidence.”

The king lifted his head and spoke with a detached voice, “That is why I tested the diplomat of Eckstedt today.”

“Hmm.” Val smiled coldly. “Certainly, after the Bloody Year, you have become very skeptical.”

Ignoring what he said, the king carried on.

“Lyanna was able find out that he was a subordinate of Archduke Lampard with just a couple of words. Only Lampard’s subordinates would be so anxious to change the topic of conversation so as not to expose Archduke Lampard’s evil ambition.”

Without saying a word, the Duchess of Blade Edge Hill looked at the Duke of the Northern Territory coldly.

“When he first got here, he put up an act with you. He looked as if he was a diplomat who did not know much about the Northern Territory’s military strength, and he was trying to gauge the defensive abilities of Constellation’s Northern Territory. You counterattacked without backing down. By the looks of it, he was trying to stir up a confrontational atmosphere, according to what was planned,” Kessel the Fifth continued with a somber voice.

“But when I deliberately refused to make a clear choice between war and conciliation, he was very clear in threatening me by saying that the Northern Territory does not even have sufficient military strength to defend Broken Dragon Fortress… At that instant, he showed that he was well versed about the Northern Territory.

“Do you not think that this is very contradictory?

“It was then that my suspicion intensified.”

Lasalle’s face turned pale in an instant.

The king lowered his head and he went on. “Moreover, he was clearly more interested in agitating me, provoking me, and to some extent, he had more interest in replacing me as the King of Constellation than helping King Nuven strive for better benefits for Eckstedt.

“Is it not sufficient for Lampard to procure lands in the Northern Territory? Why was he still so interested in me and in replacing the Jadestar Royal Family? Evidently, he was collaborating with someone from Constellation, and my crown was the collaborators’ aspiration.

“The question is, who is qualified to work together with Eckstedt’s powerful nobles and the Archduke of Black Sand? Who can he work with to be able to gain mutual benefits and obtain a win-win situation?

“I have pondered over this for a long time. I have considered Nanchester, Covender, Cullen and even Fakenhaz. Originally, the least likely person was you, Val. Because when war erupts, the Northern Territory would be the first to be affected. So, together, you and I will be the pitiful targets of their plot, the sacrifices.”

Fakenhaz’s sharp voice rang in the air. “Heh, heh. Unless, of course, he volunteers to be a sacrifice.”

Kessel the Fifth looked at Val Arunde with a gaze as piercing as blades.

“However, when I looked at it from another angle, what can Archduke Lampard gain? If King Nuven’s only son died in the Northern Territory, then the Walton Family would be ‘out of the race’ in the next King Selection Congress.

“Therefore, Lampard would be able to obtain the land in the Northern Territory and the death of an opponent in the Northern Territory.

“In Constellation, who would have the highest amount of power to ensure the occurrence of these two events simultaneously?”

With grief on his face, Kessel slowly lifted up his head.

“That would be you, Val Arunde, the person who controls the Northern Territory—the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory.

“But I still cannot believe it. I would rather believe that this is just a coincidence.”

The Duke of the Northern Territory replied, “No. In truth, you believed it long before this. You simply used every single method in your disposal to verify your suspicion, did you not?”

The king let out a light snort and cast a profound look at Eckstedt’s emergency envoy.

“Before this, my men intercepted Count Lasalle and sent them directly to East City District with all the other suzerains knowing about this clearly. Up until this morning, the hidden sentries of the Secret Intelligent Department ensured their absolute seclusion from any Constellatiate, and also made sure that they did not know about yesterday’s National Conference as well as the appearance of an heir. They are also ignorant of the fact that their collaborator in Constellation is already in a sorry plight.

“Take a guess, under this situation, how many batches of people have the hidden sentries of the National Secret Intelligent Department intercepted for wanting to liaise with Count Lasalle?”

Morat’s hoarse voice replied, “Three batches, Your Majesty. These people had the skills of a military scout. Their mouths were tightly sealed, and they refused to reveal the true identity of their master.” He laughed aloud. “But what good does it serve? Only a few places in the country have scouts with this characteristic. Discovering the man behind them was as easy as breathing.”

Val sighed and said, “They were my best scouts.”

The supreme king said coldly, “But I did not manage to figure out what exactly the agreement between you and Lampard is and how you would come to realize your plan.

“That was until this Eckstedtian mentioned that Eckstedtians prefer heroes from the battlefield. Yes, once war breaks out, the most dazzling person on the battlefield would be the hero. Eckstedt itself was built on that basis.

“Moreover, in the likelihood of a war, who other than the Duke of the Northern Territory could better use the excuse of ‘fending for the country’ to engage in warfare? If the enemies were actually your collaborator, then it would be very much easier for you to claim your honor and glory from the battlefield.

“When war breaks out, your pledge to defend the Northern Territory will make you a hero who fought against Eckstedt. You will also become the only person who can mediate with them. In the situation where there are no more descendants in the royal family, are you not naturally the best suited to be the next king?”

Val laughed coldly.

Looking at Val with grief, the king continued, “Am I right? Traitor of the Northern Territory, the Guardian Duke of the Northern Territory?

“Is it really so important for you to be a king? So important that a person with an originally noble and pure personality like yours would betray your land, your people, and your country?”

Suddenly, the hall was immersed in absolute silence.

Even Lasalle felt awkward and kept his silence.

Val Arunde stared at the floor blankly for a long time.

Then he shut his eyes tightly.

“Haha.”

As he laughed in a desolate manner, he opened his eyes and spoke calmly, “It was not supposed to be like this.”

With a dazed expression on his face, Val slowly continued, “All of this was supposed to go according to my plan.”

The king narrowed his eyes.

“New Star is a group that was set up right after the Desert War five years ago by Constellation’s suzerains, aiming to fight against your increasingly pretentious power as the king.

“It did not matter whether it was Cullen or Nanchester, all of them came to me, and were all rejected.

“But I reckoned that it was a rare opportunity. I could realize my objective from the confrontation between the both of you.

“That was an unbelievably far away objective.”

Val walked towards the center of the hall, eyes set upon a distant spot, and sighed. “Despite the risk, I went to Eckstedt and met Lampard—You should have seen his face when I took off my hood—That night, we formed our alliance.

“I was responsible in provoking Zemunto and Friess, in provoking them to engage in the frequent conflicts at the borders with Eckstedt. For this purpose, I spared no pains in giving up Pine Nut County to Zemunto.”

Two of the counts from the Thirteen Distinguished Families of the Northern Territory became livid and frowned. Both looked towards the duke, whom they had fought side by side with over the years.

“In Eckstedt, Lampard began his operation. Making use of the border conflicts, he exaggerated the importance of revising the ‘treaty’ pertaining to national boundaries and blew it up until it became a great mission. King Nuven was convinced and decided to secretly dispatch his only son for the diplomatic mission so that he could enhance his experience and qualification to be better prepared for the throne. He was old, and old people always wanted to arrange for all things that would happen after their demise.

“I disclosed this information to New Star. Many of the ambitious ones in the group like Nanchester and Covendier were quick to realize that it was a good opportunity to whittle the power of the king. The only thing I did not tell them was that the only son, whom King Nuven secretly sent, was in that diplomatic group. Thinking of it now, they would have been quite intimidated if they found out about this fact. It is too bad. To quote a Far Eastern proverb, ‘Once you ride on a tiger, you will not be able to get off.’”

Duke Cullen shook his head, Zayen let out a cold harrumph, while Koshder gritted his teeth and glared at Val.

“The suzerains were under the impression that they were using Eckstedt’s indignation and accusation to whittle away the king’s prestige and power. Only Lampard and I knew that they were just beginning to instigate a war between the two countries.

“Lampard was the source of information on Eckstedt providing me with information concerning the diplomatic group’s travel route and personnel. I was tasked to buy over the escorts since I had the advantage of having control over the Northern Territory. I was to monitor and guide them to the ‘ideal’ assassination sites, and the ignorant New Star would finish up the last part of the plot. The three sides unknowingly coordinated together to complete our mission, even the skillful guards beside the prince were not able to escape death.

“Lampard speedily forwarded the news to the ‘Secret Room’, to Dragon Cloud City, and at the same time, recommended Lasalle Weider to the anguished King Nuven. I rushed nonstop to bring the news to Eternal Star, suggesting military mobilization to exaggerate the seriousness of the matter, so as to make Kessel convene a meeting among the nobles to discuss it. This was to obtain majority support, and the more, the better.”

Lasalle looked at Val with a pale face, then turned to Kessel.

No one took notice of him.

“Zayen Covendier, little boy, you should have been dead during yesterday’s assassination. The nobles of New Star were not the only ones who knew about your whereabouts. I, the schemer also knew.”

Immediately, Zayen’s expression changed.

“Yes.” Val Arunde nodded his head powerlessly. “The one who tried to kill you was not one of your fellow New Star. It was me.

“Just look at your alliance, all of you started to harbor suspicions towards each other upon learning the news of the attempted assassination. That shows how fragile your alliance actually is.”

Several of the dukes and counts narrowed their eyes.

Zayen slammed his palm fiercely on the armrest.

The young Covendier spoke in anger, “So yesterday, when that boy… You stood up for him to sow discord among the suzerains! Because you have planned this all along!”

Val had a disarming smile, and as Zayen still remained livid, he continued speaking, “This way, New Star would soon become scattered as a result of doubt and internal instability. The royal family’s pressure will be greatly enhanced, and I too would have one less strong opponent to deal with in the future.

“The original plan of New Star was to force the king to appoint an heir when he most needed their support for war, but in such a chaotic parliament where the members were highly skeptical of each other, this plan would definitely bring about a lot of problems in the future. Meanwhile, my proposal and Kessel’s to fight against Eckstedt’s invasion would surely fail to get the support of the other suzerains. It would have seemed as if the both of us had been schemed against.

“And in a few hours, Lasalle Weider would barge into Eternal Star with Eckstedt’s indignation. He would start to provoke us in a frenzy, and he would propose conditions that Constellation could not accept. There was only one aim—war.”

Thales looked at Val in great disbelief.

“If Kessel had chosen war, as per our plan, we would have made sure that he would not have sufficient military power. Then Lampard would easily succeed in the invasion of the Northern Territory, and my tacit agreement with Lampard could easily render Kessel’s glorious death in the battlefield, just like what had happened to the late Prince Horace. At the very least, I would be able to let him taste the agony of defeat, where he would disheartened and disgraced.

“On the other hand, if Kessel had chosen conciliation, giving up the Northern Territory would make him a criminal in the Kingdom. I would urge the suzerains and the citizens to abdicate him from his throne, but I would still remain in the Northern Territory and be involved in the battle. When Eckstedt, particularly Lampard, comes to claim the territory, the suzerains and the royal family would cower, and only I would call upon the military and pledge to fight against the attackers to my death. It would make me even more noble, like the only beam of light in the dark.”

“Hah! And someone called me a hypocrite before this!” Upon hearing this, the One-Eyed Dragon glared at Thales.

Arunde folded his arms and put on a pained smile.

“Yes, no matter which choice, we would meet a disastrous defeat in the Northern Territory. But then, in the darkest moment of all, I would suddenly ‘defeat’ Lampard in a crucial battle, thereby reversing the situation. After that, Lampard and I would appreciate each other’s abilities, and once we form an alliance, he would retreat with the territory he claimed, feeling satisfied. I would be a hero worthy of becoming the new king. Compared to Kessel, who has suffered tremendous blame and has no support from the suzerains, I would naturally be the best choice to be the next powerful king.”

“Val Arunde!” Count Zemunto shouted angrily, “That is our Northern Territory! The land your ancestors defended and ruled for ages!”

“Stop this nonsense.” Count Friess looked at Val with a dark gaze. “Can you not see? He is no longer the ‘Iron Eagle’ Duke we used to know.”

With a desolate look, Val did not even notice the two counts from Northern Territory. He continued with a dazed expression.

“Among the mutual distrust of the suzerains, I should have been the least suspected person, since I remained neutral. Moreover, even if the king still survived by then, I am his closest friend, brother of the Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple, and the popular hero of Constellation, who will return after fending off an invasion. I am destined to be the next Supreme King of Constellation.”

“Whereas, in Eckstedt, without a rightful heir to the throne, the Walton Family would have to withdraw from the King Selection Congress. At the same time, based on Lampard’s splendid accomplishments in invading Constellation and the occupation of a large chunk of land in the Northern Territory, he would rapidly rise to power. With Constellation and my support, Lampard would be destined to be the next King of Eckstedt.”

With a strange look on his face, Val Arunde gazed at Thales, and an expression that said he was sorry things turned out this way appeared across his eyes. “Everything was supposed to go smoothly without a hitch… Until the sudden appearance of this boy, which messed up the entire plan.

“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

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“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

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

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!”

‘What…?’

Thales stood where he was, stunned. He understood what the king said… But he also did not understand it.

‘What?’

At that moment, everybody in the hall, be they nobles, suzerains, officials, guards, servants, or even the Duke of the Northern Territory, opened their mouths wide in shock!

“Your Ma—” Gilbert’s face was pale. He wanted to object immediately, but somebody was faster than him.

“Your Majesty!”

For the first time in history, Duke Cullen’s expression was solemn. He spoke loudly with an anxious expression, “Do you know what you are saying?”

Thales was trembling, and his ears rang, he could not even feel his own breathing.

Kessel replied coldly, “Quiet, Bob. Your king has already made his decision.”

Cullen stared at the supreme king in shock, unable to say anything. Even Fakenhaz could not laugh anymore.

Behind him, Zayen watched Thales with a complicated expression. On the other hand, the One-Eyed Dragon lowered his head in contemplation.

At that moment, the Nine-Pointed Star Royal Crown on Kessel’s head glistened. Like an emotionless God, he spoke slowly to Lasalle, who was already in total shock.

“On a personal level, we should be able to quench a father’s fury and ease his despair if we exchange a father’s only son with another father’s only son.

“On an official level, exchanging the life of the heir to the King of Constellation for the heir to the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City is fair, is it not?”

The king stepped onto the floor beneath the stairs. His stately and authoritative voice boomed like thunder. “After being tainted by the blood of each other’s only heirs, Constellation will not owe anything to Eckstedt anymore!

“This is fair enough, is it not? At that time, we will not be able to turn back anymore! We will forgo all qualms and burdens, then engage in an all-out war with the determination to completely annihilate the other party!

“This is fair, no?”

Different emotions shone in Lasalle’s eyes. He was so stunned by the king’s sudden, shocking words that his eyes opened wide and his mouth hung open. He raised the scroll in his right hand, and his mouth trembled. He wanted to say something, but was at a loss for words.

‘It is one matter to draw on a horrible, foreign affairs incident and strive for the gains of Eckstedt (and perhaps Archduke Lampard too) to such an extreme extent. However…

‘To sacrifice their only heir… Constellation does not run a king selection system like Eckstedt does. If the prince who will inherit the throne is killed, it will be a blood feud that spans for generations-for tens of generations. This will forever turn the two kingdoms into irreconcilable arch enemies, and they would not stop fighting until the other is destroyed. It will bring war that destroys kingdoms—this is another matter entirely!’

Under King Kessel’s authoritative and aggressive gaze, Lasalle was drenched in cold sweat. His brows moved about, as if they reflected the intense conflict in his mind.

“This… this… with my status, I am unable to reply to this matter right now…” he replied with a stutter.

Kessel yelled furiously, “Then go and ask your king!”

Lasalle was so scared that he took a step backwards.

The supreme king did not even glance at Thales. He continued speaking in a dark tone, “Tell him that I have already dispatched Baron Arracca Murkh, along with two thousand regular soldiers of the royal family, to Broken Dragon Fortress!

“Prince Thales will set out soon afterwards and go before King Nuven. The prince will be at his mercy! This is the price Constellation can pay!”

The people in the entire hall did not even dare to breath.

The king glanced at Lasalle, who was no longer frowning and who was at a loss for what to do. “As for Archduke Lampard from Black Sand Region… I know that he has already dispatched a large army and is preparing to invade the Northern Territory at any time. Will he make way and escort my son to Dragon Clouds City to apologize, or will he wage war on Baron Murkh at all costs? I look forward to seeing what he would choose!”

Lasalle staggered backwards in dejection. He gasped for breath like a drowning man.

“Your Majesty!”

The one who spoke up was the fifteen-year-old Duchess Lyanna. The elegant young woman’s face was pale. “He-His Highness is your only-only heir. If something bad happens to him on the way… your throne…”

“Ha!” The supreme king let out a bark of laughter out of anger. “That is far too simple a problem!”

Thales’ whole body trembled as he looked at everything happening in front of him. Kessel the Fifth turned and faced the suzerains in the hall, “No matter what happens to the second prince, if he so happens to die and the royal bloodline’s existence is completely wiped out…

“The person who totally destroys Constellation’s enemy, who successfully avenges the last Jadestar prince, who takes revenge for the absolutely humiliated Constellation…”

The king abruptly turned and raised his scepter up high.

“Will be the next Supreme King of Constellation!

“If Constellation does not even have a person like this…”

Kessel coldly swept his gaze over the nobles in the hall. He spat out his words, and they were as sharp as knives, “Is there any meaning left to its existence?!”

The whole hall was silent.

Kessel coldly concluded, “The meeting is over. I await King Nuven’s reply.”

Then—

“Kel.”

Duke Val Arunde, whose face was ghastly pale, struggled to speak. He stared at Kessel and at Thales in disbelief. “What… what sort of crazy thing are you about to do again?”

Kessel the Fifth sneered. “Crazy?”

The king snorted coldly, and repeated Val’s words from before in a mocking tone, “Everything I do is for the sake of Constellation.”

Two guards walked forward and took the stunned duke away. The sweat-drenched Lasalle left. The suzerains whispered among themselves and looked at the king and his heir.

Gilbert clenched his fists tightly and stared at the king, who donned an astral blue cape. The king left in large strides and did not spare a glance at anyone.

Thales was absent-minded and still, not moving except breathing. He was unaware of the stares from the entire hall trained on him.

Chapter 73

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Lower City District, Underground Market, Sunset Pub.

“You should have gone to take a look two days ago. There were hordes of people, especially when the second prince appeared. That cheer… I could not help but cheer along- Hey, brat! Watch where you’re going!”

A ten-year-old boy who carried a sack full of potatoes squeezed past the plump and fierce Edmund with an agonized look. Edmund snorted, turned his head back and continued fiddling with the food on the plate.

“Hehe, you didn’t know about this, right? The new prince is called Thales. The exact same name as that black-haired little scoundrel who always came to ask for free stuff… Brat, why are you looking here? What does the prince have to do with you? Continue with your work!

“I heard that Kessel—that playboy—wants to ask for peace from Eckstedt with the prince’s life as an exchange. People were talking about this everywhere in the market today. Everyone was righteously indignant, saying that all the suzerains in Constellation are worthless wretches that are unable to protect the kingdom, and that the royal family had sacrificed too much for Constellation… B*llshit, are we talking about that Jadestar Royal Family that only produces lunatics? You don’t know this, but twelve years ago, I was in front of the palace door…”

In front of Edmund, a young woman wearing tight long pants and a vest played with her short, brown hair in boredom. She leaned over the food delivery window between the counter and the scullery, looking as if she had given up on life.

This brunette was lithe and had a valiant bearing. At that moment, she spoke through gritted teeth as her face twitched, “I’m asking you, are you going to give me that plate of steak before you poke them until they’re shredded to pieces?!”

Edmund raised his head. His expression was filled with fury. He glared indignantly at the bartender of Sunset Pub, Jala Charleton, and angrily pushed the steak in his hand into her hands.

Jala turned and passed the plate to a timid little girl with a scar on her face beyond the counter.

Behind her, Edmund snorted. “What is this attitude?! Your uncle only wanted to have a little chat with you… And to give you some guidance so that you can forget that blond cop who is very obviously a heartbreaker…”

Jala angrily rolled her eyes. Her delicate face became as sour as rotten milk. She turned her head and snapped, “Damned fatty! If you use this to stir up an argument again- I will talk about your dream-lover…”

“Hey, hey, hey!” The plump cook Edmund’s expression immediately changed greatly. He raised his plump hands and tapped the food delivery window a few times.

“Are you going to turn hostile because of a slight disagreement? I was just showing concern for my adorable niece’s love life. It is the most important thing for two people to have a common language. If a bartender from a gang mingles with a police officer…”

Jala could not take it anymore and angrily punched the bar counter!

“Everybody, listen up!” Jala said gruffly and loudly, drawing the stares of all the customers, “My still single, forty-one-year-old uncle, the cook of Sunset Pub, Edmund Skorch, has a woman he loves the most in his life. She is—”

At that moment, like a frightened pet cat, Edmund sucked in a sharp breath!

Before Jala could reveal the name, the plump cook roared furiously with the most energy he had ever used in his life, “Stop—!”

Jala shut her mouth and glared disdainfully at him. She scornfully continued, “You are going to be forever alone, scaredy-cat! Person with an unrequited love!”

Edmund stared dejectedly at his niece and spoke in an embarrassed manner, “Erm… we are out of potatoes. I’ll go and restock…”

Sinti, who was coming in with another bag of potatoes, watched with a bewildered expression as Edmund escaped from the scullery.

‘We are out of… potatoes? Then what am I carrying…?’

At the moment, a boy whose right hand was wrapped in strips of cloth staggered in with a frightened expression.

“Th-They-They’re here!”

Ryan’s face was glum. With haste, he dashed behind the bar counter. There was a bruise on his head. The stunned Sinti hugged the poor child. Jala’s face sank. She put down the rag in her hand. Coria—who had just finished delivering food—raised her head and looked at the main door. She could not help but start to tremble.

She watched with a pale face as more than ten malicious and powerful-looking figures in black rudely pushed aside the customers who blocked their way, then slowly walked into the pub.

The noisy pub immediately fell silent.

“Go to the scullery.”

Jala moved her hand to her thigh and calmly alerted the three child beggars, but two of the thugs walked forward with hostile expressions and forcefully blocked the door between the bar counter and the scullery.

The three child beggars cowered and hid beside Jala again.

Jala asked furiously, “What is the meaning of this?! This is ‘Sunset Pub’, not Black Street! Even Morris does not dare to behave atrociously here.”

However, the group of thugs were not swayed at all. Instead, with calm expressions, they walked to every corner of the pub as if they were on sentry duty.

A brawny-looking thug—obviously a tough one to deal with—took out a single bit axe from behind him.

Under the indignant and terrified gazes of a few customers, he swung the axe with one hand and with a cold expression, then… chopped down a bar table.

*Thud!*

The huge force smashed the table in two, and the pieces flew outwards!

Amid the panic, many of the customers hugged their heads to shield themselves from the flying pieces.

The brawny man with the axe coldly turned his head and shouted loudly to the other people in the pub, “The Brotherhood is handling some affairs here. F*ck off.”

The customers in the pub recognized the identity of these people, and who they worked for—Aoschok the Thunder Axe, one of the Brotherhood’s Thirteen Generals.

They were the group of people who were responsible for the trans-border smuggling of weapons, and were an incredibly difficult bunch to handle.

Footsteps rang in the air. Many of the people did not even hesitate before getting up and escaping from the pub.

Suddenly—

A streak of silver lightning flew towards Aoschok at a rapid speed! It was a throwing knife with its blade curved at a strange angle—the famous Wolf Limb Blade from Sunset Pub!

Aoschok’s expression changed. He flung his axe outwards and knocked away the throwing knife just in time.

*Ting!*

Aoschok’s whole body trembled!

He realized in shock that the throwing knife carried a strange surge of energy, and as the blade shook, the energy was transmitted to his hand. Because of that, he could not help but freeze.

Gritting his teeth, Aoschok fought against the shock. ‘What on earth is this?’

The graceful figure moving faster than him had already grabbed onto another knife. The knife flew rapidly towards him from the bar counter.

‘Assassination Blade! It’s coming straight to my throat!’

Aoschok was still frozen. His pupils shrank. He was already unable to avoid it.

However, the anticipated splattering of blood did not come.

Jala gritted her teeth and stared ahead in disbelief. Her knife, which should have plunged into Aoschok’s throat, was gripped tightly by a hand that was wearing an iron glove.

The owner of the iron glove was a middle-aged man whose face was full of scars.

He stood beside Jala. As simple as that, during such a crucial moment, he seized the Charleton Family’s Assassination Blade!

The scar-faced middle-aged man said coldly, “I still remember that as a Charleton who abandoned her family occupation, you were only a useless person of the ordinary class. If it weren’t for ‘Reversed Machete’, you wouldn’t even have the chance to become a bartender here. The Brotherhood does not take in useless people.”

The middle-aged man let go of the blade in his hand and snorted softly, “However, from the strange shock your knife delivered, you have unexpectedly become a supra class elite. Looks like the massacre and battle in Red Street Market made you improve. As expected, people from the Charleton Family can only improve their skills in bloody situations.”

Face filled with fury, Jala took a step back. She gritted her teeth and stared at the formidable enemy before her.

‘Damn it.’

After the incident at Red Street Market, she had undoubtedly improved a lot.

She reached supra class and also mastered ‘Eerie Shock’, but why was this man able to seize her Assassination Blade?

The few remaining customers whispered among themselves and left dejectedly. One of them looked bewildered. He wanted to speak out, but was immediately pulled away by a person beside him who knew everything about what was going on.

They recognized the middle-aged man whose face was full of scars. He was the head in the weapons smuggling scene, and was only second to Cenza the ‘Crownless Fist’ among the Brotherhood’s Six Powerhouses.

‘The ‘Iron Heart’, Shanda Roda. He is also Quide Roda’s father.’ Jala gritted her teeth in silence.

Without hesitation, all the customers ran off. Not a single one remained.

“You don’t have to wonder why I’m able to catch your knife. There are never any certainties when it comes to battles. The alleged classification of ordinary class, supra class and so on, is just a way of categorizing things.”

Roda, who looked vile and sinister due to the scars, sneered softly. He did not even look at Jala.

Aoschok glared indignantly at Jala and returned the axe to his back. He pulled out a chair for Roda.

“Due to various reasons, there are instances where one party totally dominates the battle between two people of the same class. There are also instances where two people of different classes are equally matched in a battle. All of this is very normal.”

Roda casually sat on the chair and folded his arms. He looked towards the female bartender, who seemed like she was facing a formidable enemy.

“When I was young, I even saw a swordsman of only supra class engage in a battle where there was a huge gap in skill between him and his opponent, and he had almost no possibility of victory. That supra class swordsman…

“Slaughtered two supreme class elites.”

‘What?’ Jala’s pupils contracted.

Looking at the astonished Jala, Roda laughed. “That was the battle that made the person I respect the most famous. Facing such a tight encirclement and such enemies, I thought I would to die there… until he raised his sword. Ever since then, I did not believe in any absolute classification of abilities. Even supreme class elites can be slaughtered like pigs…”

Roda leaned his body forward. Then a contemplative and serious expression appeared on his scarred face. “So why would it be impossible for my good-for-nothing son to be killed by a few child beggars?”

Jala furrowed her brows as shock appeared on her face. She stared at Roda. ‘He… As expected, he is here to…’

The three children behind her cowered even more. Without realizing it, Jala took a step sideways and shielded the three children. She raised the knife in her hand.

“Now then, are you sure that you still want to use the knife on me, little girl?”

Roda exhaled and laughed in satisfaction.

Through the corner of her eyes, the female bartender swept her gaze past Aoschok and the burly men around her, who were more than ten in number. She knew that this was the elite squad that was responsible for the smuggling of weapons in the Brotherhood.

She was no match for them.

Jala gritted her teeth and thrust the Wolf Limb Blade in her right hand into the table beside her.

‘Damn it. What should I do?’

“So this is the prototype of the Reversed Machete’s weapon?”

The scar-faced middle-aged man looked at the strange curvature of the Wolf Limb Blade. He gently stroked the four rings on his left hand with his iron glove-clad right hand and slowly said, “The legendary Assassin of the Brotherhood changed his weapon because of the creativity of a little girl like you. He even had a change of nicknames in a short few years. This is very rare indeed.”

“I call it the ‘Wolf Limb Blade’,” Jala said coldly, looking as if she wanted them to leave.

Roda laughed softly, “Why does it matter? There’s no use in having a flashy weapon name. The key lies in the person using it. In your hands, this knife can only be used to cut flesh. On the other hand, in the hands of the ‘Reversed Machete’, it can be used to break through layers upon layers of defenses and slaughter the former Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers of Constellation.”

Jala furrowed her brows tightly and glared at the scar-faced middle-aged man in front of her.

“Get straight to the point,” Jala said coldly, “The old man doesn’t like people disrupting business.”

Shanda Roda—the terrifying existence within the Six Powerhouses of the Brotherhood—laughed loudly, “Do you think that you can scare me with the ‘Reversed Machete’?”

Jala did not answer, but a cold chill ran down her spine. The other party came prepared.

“You know, I usually don’t really bother about my own son. A b*tch gave birth to him. I don’t even know if he’s mine. Besides, he’s a good-for-nothing.” Roda snorted softly. “So, I don’t really care if he’s alive, either.”

Roda raised his head and exercised the joints in his neck. “But since he took on my family name, and even works in the Brotherhood… I cannot tolerate the fact that someone is challenging my authority with my son’s life.”

Roda’s words were ruthless.

“I also cannot tolerate the fact that a person who owes a debt of blood to the Roda family has not received due punishment.”

Jala furrowed her brows. She looked around once more. ‘What should I do? When will Edmund come back? Where is the old man?’

“I only learned—after killing more than ten child beggars—that the four child beggars who could not be found all this while, and whom are the greatest suspects in the murder of my son, might be hiding in Sunset Pub.”

Roda’s gaze shot towards the three children.

Coria was so scared that she immediately burst into tears.

Jala gritted her teeth. Recalling Thales’ words, she took a step forward and shouted loudly, “The three of them have nothing to do with your son’s death! There is a missing boy. He is the culprit who killed Quide!”

Roda laughed loudly. The scars on his face twitched. “I know- This brat with a severed hand said that too. Thales, right? He has the same name as the new prince… Now, the problem is, where is he?”

Jala exhaled deeply and forced herself to forget that night in Red Street Market. “You shouldn’t ask me that.”

Roda narrowed his eyes. “Then, why are you providing such great protection to these three child beggars who escaped? Does Sunset Pub really need three child beggars who don’t even have the energy to carry plates to operate?”

“This is my business,” Jala said as she pursed her lips.

Surprisingly, Roda raised his brows and nodded. “True.”

Amid Jala’s puzzlement, Shanda Roda nonchalantly leaned backwards and waved at his followers.

“So, I suppose that you wouldn’t mind… handing over these brats who escaped to me?”

Before Jala could react, Roda’s followers went forward without hesitation.

Amid the three children’s wails and kicks, the thugs coldly separated them from her and violently hoisted them onto their shoulders.

“Big sister Jala—” Coria cried. One of the thugs covered her mouth with his hand.

Sinti’s arms were locked behind his back. He grunted from the intense pain.

Ryan just shivered as the thugs subdued him.

Jala’s eyes widened in fury. “You—”

The raging female bartender abruptly pulled out the knife from the table!

As she moved, she firmly executed the Swift Killing Blade—which had made the bald Sven surrender and ask for mercy when they were in Red Street Market.

She aimed for Roda!

But her knife was unable to move more than one feet. Without moving, Roda’s powerful arm shot out arm, and the iron glove-clad hand firmly seized her knife again!

Like a mamba snake who had its vital point seized, Jala’s agile figure immediately froze.

Jala stared in shock at the calm looking Roda. She only felt as though there was a huge stone weighing ten thousand kilograms hanging from the knife in her hand. She had to grip onto it with all her might to keep it from slipping away from her hand. At that moment, the female bartender’s expression turned extremely unpleasant.

‘Impossible, the Swift Killing Blade, which excels in speed, subtlety, and nimbleness, is also…’

Roda said flatly, “Don’t force my hand, little girl. We are both in supra class, but when it comes to combat, I have a hundred methods that I can use to defeat you effortlessly.”

Jala watched in disbelief as the Wolf Limb Blade in her hand was bent by Roda, just like that!

He loosened his grip and let go of the deformed Wolf Limb Blade. However, the blade of an axe was then placed right in front of Jala’s throat.

Aoschok’s gaze was filled with fighting spirit. “This time, you don’t stand a chance.”

Jala bit her lip. Looking at the enemies around her, who showed the faint intention to surround and attack her, she furiously said, “This is Sunset Pub! You all are challenging the old man’s authority!”

Roda stood up coldly. There was fury and hatred in his eyes.

“Listen up, little girl. I respect your family name and the owner of this pub, that is why I did not harm you at all. I have already displayed the highest level of friendship and kindness possible to you, along with respect towards the ‘Reversed Machete’.”

Jala indignantly raised her head. “But you can’t—”

Roda roared and cut her off, “Enough with the nonsense!”

Jala was stunned for a moment.

The savage looking Roda went before her and stared her down from above. “Do you think I do not know that you have something to do with my son’s death? A good few hundred people saw him come to your pub and had a hand maimed by you.”

‘He knew?’ Under the intense tension, Jala’s breathing quickened.

“I don’t give a damn about how he fell into another person’s trap. I am not concerned as to who killed him either, whether his name is Thales or Tyler.” Roda exhaled, grinned hideously, and continued, “I only plan to get rid of all the people related to his death… Let the others see Rodas’ tactics. This should be enough.”

The three children were still struggling and kicking. However, their strength was gradually draining from their bodies.

Roda’s scar-filled face twitched. He grimly said, “So you can see that I am already very lenient with you, little girl. You should go and take a look at Nayer Rick!

“Lance spoke about all the good things he could for him.”

Jala’s heart jolted. ‘Rick?’

Roda straightened his clothes and flashed a hideous grin. “So, on behalf of my old friend, I only dug out one of his eyes, and destroyed one of his hands.”

Roda’s voice then became indifferent once again. “Don’t worry. I’m not a murderous maniac, nor am I a sadist. It’s just that I have to retain some of my authority.”

Jala lowered her head. Her heart was filled with anguish. ‘What should I do? I can’t think of anything I can do at all. Clever brat, if you were here… what would you do?’

“Continue with your business, then. I will compensate for the losses here.”

Roda indifferently turned and strode across the messy floor of the pub. He walked out the main door.

“Send my regards to the ‘Reversed Machete’.”

Looking at the tables and chairs that were scattered all over the floor, Aoschok nonchalantly threw down a bag of coins.

The Thunder Axe said with a cold expression, “You are truly amazing, but I will definitely become stronger than you.”

The group left. Jala stared at their retreating figures in a trance. The only thing left in the air were the wails of the three children as they struggled.

Jala clenched her fists tightly and stared at the Wolf Limb Blade in her hand. Her expression showed that she was struggling. Her hand, which held the knife, began trembling.

The children’s voices slowly became further away, softer, and finally faded away.

Jala lowered her head.

*Cling-clang!*

The Wolf Limb Blade dropped onto the floor powerlessly.

The knees of Sunset Pub’s female bartender buckled under her. Just like that, she dropped to her knees amid the mess on the floor.

The bartender trembled and spoke helplessly to herself, “Jala Charleton, you are so pathetic.”

Jala shut her eyes tight. She gritted her teeth so tightly that her teeth almost shattered from the force.

A few tears slid down her cheeks.

‘Sorry… Sorry, brat.’

The tears dripped down onto the floor.

‘I couldn’t… Couldn’t… Protect them well…’

Chapter 74

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Mindis Hall.

Snow was falling from the sky onto the training field, where a small figure could be seen holding onto a heavy, thick wooden sword and shield. With his alternating footsteps and defensive moves, he parried the royal guard’s wooden sword.

Thales huffed and puffed as he straightened his back once more, leaning his weight against the wooden sword. He then yelled, “Again!”

His practice partner, Chora, the head of Mindis Hall’s Jadestar Private Army, stared at him with a troubled look.

“How long has His Highness been behaving like this?” At the side of the training field was Count Gilbert Caso, and he looked worried as he asked a Jadestar private soldier standing beside him.

The guard replied worriedly too, “The training has been going on continuously for three hours since this morning until now, sir. As for last night, the light in His Highness’ study room was on for the entire night… Sir Chora even made us stay up all night to guard the entrance to his room, so that we could rush in immediately should anything happened inside.”

Gilbert sighed.

After that unusual meeting with the diplomats the day before, the second prince had returned to the Mindis Hall immediately.

Gilbert, on the other hand, received the most urgent command from His Majesty—to thoroughly prepare for the prince’s diplomatic mission to the north.

A healthy and strong messenger crow would not take up more than a few days to travel between Eternal Star City and Dragon Clouds City… They could depart at any time.

For the entirety of the previous day, he busied himself along with many officials as well as nobles and suzerains of different classes on various matters; from His Highness’ attendants and the schedule for his trip, to the wording on his letter of credentials. It was only until now that he finally had time to take a look at Mindis Hall.

However, what Gilbert was really worried about was Thales’ mental condition. After all, not every child could face such a situation peacefully where his father decided to use him as a bargaining chip and send him to appease a war.

Currently, His Highness was probably upset over His Majesty’s seemingly heartless decision…

Gilbert lifted his head up and to his surprise, he saw that Thales was panting and gesturing with his hand before tossing away the sword in his grasp.

“I am going to rest for a while and have lunch. I have been training for such a long time, why did you not remind me of it?” Thales waved his hands and asked tiredly.

Chora, who looked as if a great weight was lifted off his shoulders, immediately nodded in agreement whereas Thales started to unbuckle the shield on his arm.

Gilbert swiftly walked towards him, then the former Foreign Affairs Minister spoke cautiously to Thales.

“Your Highness… pardon me for being straightforward. Your old wounds are not fully recovered yet, so you should not exhaust your body in this manner.”

“Gilbert, you do not have to worry about this. Look, my wounds are almost healed.” Thales skillfully and swiftly took off the shield as he exercised his left arm. He bared his teeth and said, “In a mere three days… Maybe, I really am some sort of monster.”

Gilbert was left speechless before he replied with a solemn expression, “Your Highness, please do not think of such nonsense—”

“Alright, alright… it is my own body after all. And I have already been living in this world for a few years…” Thales cut him off and laughed in a contemptuous manner. “Do you really think that I am not aware of the real reason?

“This peculiar physique I have is mostly due to my mother, who is even more mysterious than a Mystic, am I right?”

Thales laughed as he carefully observed Gilbert’s expression.

He was hoping to see and understand something from Gilbert’s reaction.

Yes.

Not long after he arrived in Mindis Hall, Thales had been skeptical ever since he saw the king’s odd attitude whenever he spoke of his mother.

From his queer and mysterious mystic energy, to his strange cognitive abilities; from the flashbacks that appear without reason, to his ability to recover, which seemed inhuman…

There was something else that was the most questionable… Ever since he was found and retrieved by the Jadestar Royal Family, he could not seem to hide his abnormality as a ‘transmigrator’ even if he tried to. Even Thales was fully aware that his style of conversation, knowledge and experiences, reactions, and even his learning ability to become well-versed with the letters here within a short month were very uncommon.

However, other than the initial surprise, both Gilbert and his father in name had very few reactions to it, as if this was the way he was supposed to be.

It was as if Thales was born to be exactly like this.

The first and the last points, along with Liscia’s and the king’s attitudes especially made him almost a hundred percent certain that the traits he exhibited were indeed related to his mother, who he had yet to meet.

TherrenGirana, whom the king and God’s spokesperson feared to the point where they were not even willing to mention her… who exactly was she?

Of course, Thales already formed a conclusion on this a long time ago.

He thought about what Yodel said in Mindis Hall, and what Arunde said in Renaissance Palace.

The family that was tangled with disaster.

Thales stared at his Nine-Pointed Star symbol and sighed.

His mother was very likely a…

He had always tried his best to not think in this direction before he got a confirmation.

However, he had to investigate and find the answer. Based on the king and Liscia’s odd behavior as well as his middle name, he was unwilling to let go of any possible information.

Even if the outcome would not be good.

Gilbert furrowed his brows deeply.

‘Indeed. His Highness had started becoming suspicious a long time ago.’

“Your Highness…” Gilbert exhaled while he shook his head and said, “I am not in the position to comment on your origins, but you must know, within your body flows the Jadestar blood, which you have inherited from His Majesty. Your bloodline also originated from the Ancient Empire, which continued on to the Final Empire. It is the most honorable lineage in the history of mankind—the Imperial Family’s bloodline, Carlose Family… Maybe there are some unknown secrets that are hidden within this kind of ancient and noble bloodline…”

Thales sighed to himself. ‘As expected of a foreign affairs officer. From his expression to his choices of words, he managed to not give anything away.

‘I can only use another way to look for my own mother.’

“Alright, no need to worry too much about me.” Thales sat down, still sweating and panting. He shook his own boot to get rid of the sand inside. “Anyway, it is not a bad thing for now.”

There was no way there would be such a thing as distinctions of superiority and inferiority in terms of bloodlines and races.

So, the prince replied joyfully, “As for my mother… Anyway, inevitably I will know about her one day. But currently, my top priority is the nation with the dragon flag to the north.”

Gilbert was stunned. He glanced at Chora, who was tidying up the training equipment, then looked towards Thales with a troubled gaze. “Your Highness, I think what His Majesty said when he sent you on a diplomatic mission yesterday was definitely not what he meant literally…”

“I know. The king has his own things to consider.” Thales shook off the last of the sand from his boot and stood up.

Gilbert looked at him worriedly. “Exactly… therefore, you totally do not have to… er… be so dispirited…”

“What?”

Thales furrowed his brows.

Then he immediately understood what Gilbert meant.

“Why?”

The prince turned around and laughed as he said, “Did you assume my sword practice just now was a sign of despair or a way to vent out my anger?”

Gilbert raised his eyebrows.

“Oh my God…”

Thales slapped his forehead and laughed bitterly as he said, “Well, since I am about to visit an unfamiliar nation… I still have to prepare myself no matter what. Although a seven-year-old body can do nothing much, at least, I have to practice and familiarize myself with the Northland Military Sword Style and learn how to ride a horse. So, when I am in a dangerous situation, I will at least know how to protect my own life, correct?

“If I have good luck and I am able to develop the Power of Eradication—”

Gilbert could not help but to cut Thales off. “Your Highness, traditionally, in the Tower of Eradication, the record for the youngest age of those whose Power of Eradication was awakened early due to unique training and extraordinary luck was at least twelve years old. The usual time of awakening is sixteen years old… as for seven years old… er…”

Thales felt awkward and laughed dryly after he heard what Gilbert told him. He scratched his head in embarrassment as he replied in a low voice, “Is that so? I thought it was the same thing as brushing up the degree of proficiency.”

Gilbert was still staring dubiously at him. “But… do you really… have no ill-feelings, and understand His Majesty’s intention?”

“What are you even saying? Anyway, I am also a postgraduate with a great ability to resist stress… ahem… I mean, I am the second prince with great mental fortitude…” Thales patted the dirt off himself indifferently and walked towards the study room, preparing to have lunch then practice writing.

“Alright, when I heard him say that he wanted to kill me in order to make up to Eckstedt, I was indeed frightened.

“But I spent an entire night rummaging through documents—Mindis Hall has too little resources, and the order is not logical too. Nonetheless, at least I understand some of His Majesty’s intentions now.”

Gilbert noticed that Thales either used ‘king’ or ‘His Majesty’ to address Kessel the Fifth whenever Thales talked about him. He silently sighed to himself. ‘As expected, His Highness still harbors a grudge towards His Majesty in terms of how he acknowledged His Highness the last time.’

“Do you want to listen to my own opinions regarding my diplomatic mission to Eckstedt?” Thales asked as he kneaded his sore nape and grimaced.

Gilbert slightly bowed respectfully. “I am all ears.”

…

In the dark.

Morat’s unique but hoarse and old voice echoed deeply. “He managed to run away?”

The person who replied him was Raphael, who had a brisk and bright voice, “Our people also feel strange about this. It was almost like the Strange Doctor had already seen through the trap and returned without any hesitation. The assassination team missed him. These past few days, we had been constantly moving back and forth between Eckstedt and Constellation’s Eastern Border, which is between Friess Family’s Lonely Old Tower and Trentida Family’s Reformation Tower. However, they can no longer find any traces of Ramon.”

Morat placed his chin on his palms as he quietly muttered, “Even if the legacy has already been extinct for more than six hundred years, a wizard will always be a wizard. No matter how greatly we view his power, it will never be enough. But it was obvious that he came prepared…”

The Black Prophet slightly lifted his head up. “It is impossible for our trap to miss him. He must have had a helper… Let us temporarily set aside the Black Sword for now. What about the other two main Assassins of the Brotherhood? Reversed Machete and Prison Lock Sickle? Or Cenza and Roda, who are close to supreme class?”

Raphael shook his head helplessly. “From the beginning till the end, we did not obtain any news of Reversed Machete and Prison Lock Sickle appearing anywhere nearby, or find any other reinforcements from the Brotherhood. However…”

Raphael furrowed his brows a little.

On the other hand, Morat’s gaze became cold and stern.

Raphael continued, “Actually, within this past week, Anton and Roda of the Six Powerhouses have returned to Eternal Star City. Apart from ‘Alpha Wolf’ Lazans Fischer, who is still away in the South, Cenza, Roda, Lance, Anton and Morris, five out of the Six Powerhouses are already gathered in the capital—”

Morat raised his hand abruptly and stopped Raphael’s report.

His expression kept changing. After he paused for a few seconds, the Black Prophet exhaled deeply.

“All five of them are gathered together? Hmph.”

Morat closed his eyes as he shook his head. “I know who Ramon’s helper is, and he is not someone from the Brotherhood.”

Raphael’s eyes showed his confusion.

Morat gently opened his eyes, revealing his penetrating gaze. “The one who first disclosed information to us was Secret Room, but the Secret Intelligence Department’s elite assassination team found nothing at the border of the two countries. Is that not obvious?”

Raphael lifted his head in realization.

Morat stayed silent for a long while.

“Haha,” the Black Prophet laughed briskly and said, “It seems like Ramon is not some sort of wizard after all. That old woman from the north has once again played her tricks on us.

“But it is not without reason that she used fake news to attract our attention… She was helping the Brotherhood. As for the latter… what were they trying to hide?

“Withdraw half of the manpower back from the north, and focus on inspecting the Brotherhood’s activities during the next few days… There must be a reason for the gathering of the five people…” Morat could not help but laugh. “How dare he make a deal with Eckstedt’s Secret Room? Lance, that brat. As expected of my most outstanding disciple apart from Novork…”

Right at this moment, next to Raphael’s hand, a violent, loud noise suddenly came from a cage, which was covered with a piece of black cloth. Raphael opened the cage without any expression on his face.

A skull resembling that of a bird and rat, which was roughly the size of a fist, protruded from the cage. It was stained with a bright red, sticky liquid, and its opened mouth was filled with sharp teeth. A piece of paper was passed out before it immediately retreated back into the cage.

Morat did not look at the sinister, strange and creepy creature. He just focused his gaze on Raphael.

The latter was staring at the small piece of paper as his expression became increasingly sour.

Raphael put down the piece of paper, and his face became unprecedentedly serious.

“We received a report, that the two main leaders of Blood Bottle Gang’s eight Psionic Warriors, ‘Fantasy Blade Edge’ Catherine and ‘Red Viper’ Nikolay, appeared at Revol City one after another.

“And two days ago, our informant at the neighboring Steel City… discovered a trace of the Blood Mystic,” Raphael spoke in a solemn tone.

Morat’s pupils contracted abruptly!

“It seems like we have caught a big fish…” Morat smiled.

Raphael muttered to himself, “But… surprisingly, he is hidden in Steel City… It has been so many years… Did the dwarfs of the Hall of King’s Chronicles not have a clue about this?”

Morat closed his eyes as he shook his head. “Over the past three hundred years, the relationship between the Hall of King’s Chronicles and Empress Hellen worsened because of the Sunset Goddess. Even more so, when the Blazing Wind Cannon oddly fell into cooling mode. They did not have any usable legendary anti-mystic equipment on their hands. Even if they knew, they could only pretend to be ignorant about it.”

Raphael raised his eyebrows and snorted lightly in response.

“Are you certain that it is the Blood Mystic? What is the specific report?” the Black Prophet held onto his staff in his hands a little tighter as he replied gravely.

However, he immediately noticed Raphael’s sorrowful expression as Raphael sighed.

The young man dressed in white lowered his gaze and opened the piece of paper.

“There is no report,” he said solemnly.

Morat lifted his head abruptly and his sharp gaze was directed straight at Raphael, waiting for his explanation.

The young man dressed in white exhaled as he replied faintly, “The reason why we were able to discover the Blood Mystic… was because… all thirty-four informants along the way from Steel City to Revol City…

“Died,” Raphael said quietly.

“Furthermore… their flesh was scattered in all directions… and none of their bodies were fully intact.

“It matches the Blood Mystic’s style in our records…”

He did not continue.

After a while, Morat sighed deeply.

“It is putting up a show to the Secret Intelligence Department, that outside the capital, it can find every single one of us whenever it wants,” he spoke with his hoarse voice.

“Indeed, it is that damned… homicidal maniac.”

Chapter 75

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Renaissance Palace.

*Thud, thud, thud—*

An urgent sound of footsteps came from beyond the door.

It was the noise made by high-heeled leather boots, stepping on stone ground.

*Boom!*

The thick door to the bedroom was abruptly pushed open!

“What exactly is wrong with you?”

An angry, agitated, but crisp female voice could be heard loud and clear.

The maid who was sweeping the floor at the side was so frightened that she immediately lowered her head as she rushed out from the bedroom door. From her peripheral vision, she saw His Majesty’s lover, the first-grade female official, the once influential lady of the capital, the legendary police officer, whose exciting life story, filled with ups and downs could be written into a collection of poems by a bard—Jines Bajkovic.

At this very moment, this formidable-looking female official was in a rage as she walked into the room. She was yelling angrily at Kessel the Fifth, who was standing by the window sill.

“Do you really want to murder your own son?!”

In front of the window, the king was looking down at the mass of people below Renaissance Palace. Kessel the Fifth slowly turned around.

“As a king, I have to do this.

“That is all,” the dignified voice replied.

*Slap!*

A resounding sound of a slap could be heard behind the maid.

The maid did not dare dawdle around any longer and she exited the room, drenched in cold sweat.

“He is not only a prince, but is also your flesh and blood! He is not the one who destroyed the Jadestar Royal Family, or the person behind the scheme to harm Constellation!” Jines was extremely furious, and did not show any sign of being aware that she had just ferociously slapped the Supreme King of Constellation.

In a daze, Kessel the Fifth stroked the cheek where he was struck.

An image of the dashing ‘Timely Police Officer’ with an amazing presence in the past appeared before his eyes.

As well as the first time they met.

She had also greeted him with a slap in the face, did she not?

But the supreme king came back to his senses and said nonchalantly, “Such a coincidence, Yodel also made a similar comment about that boy.”

“That boy?” Jines stared in disbelief at the king. “That is your only son!”

“Yes, my only son.” Kessel’s eyes were flickering with complicated emotions. He took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling. “That is why I have already chosen the best path for him, the trials that a kingdom heir must endure and tolerate.”

Trials?

Jines’ furrowed brows reflected her struggles as she stared at this robust man in front of her.

Kessel the Fifth inhaled deeply, his eyes were cold like frost. “How can he qualify to be a true king if he has not experience real hell?”

Jines’ heart trembled.

Hell?

Hell.

Jines sighed deeply. “Kay, we have to learn to get used to or even… forget some matters…”

The king sneered with an expressionless face. “Is that so?”

He took a step forward and stared directly at Jines. “I have heard the news from Gilbert, that you encountered the assassins on the way to Renaissance Palace.

“Can you truly get used to or even forget those matters?”

Jines’ entire frame trembled as she stared at Kessel with a complicated look. Jines raised her trembling hand and placed it upon Kessel’s shoulder. She caressed his red, swollen face and said painfully as well as miserably, “Kay, you cannot live in the past forever.”

She clenched her teeth lightly and said, “Please.”

Kessel the Fifth trembled from head to toe as he looked into Jines’ watery eyes and pleading gaze. Grief emerged in his heart.

He quietly replied, “The past is already history. What I see now is only the future.”

‘Past.

‘Future.

‘Really?’

Jines gently clenched her teeth as a young and adorable boy appeared before her eyes.

A sting appeared at the back of her eyes, and she almost cried.

The king unconsciously clenched his fist tight when he saw Jines’ reaction.

Then he clenched his teeth tightly and closed his eyes resolutely. “As for that boy… Thales… You do not have to worry about him. I will prepare everything for him, everything that a Jadestar needs.

“He will never… never become the next Lydia or Luther…”

Jines’ hand trembled slightly.

She lowered her head and put on a miserable smile.

“You know, in this past twenty years, I have gone through numerous interrogations and seen countless meaningful gazes.” She gently wrapped her arms around Kessel’s waist and leaned into the king’s wide embrace.

The female official miserably said, “All of the Jadestars, whether it was Midier or Horace, or even King Aydi, their eyes were always filled with vigilance, apathy and struggles, regardless of whether those emotions were directed to this world or to themselves. And now…”

She leaned against the king’s chest and continued with a pained expression on her face. “After that year, your eyes… became the same as theirs.”

Kessel’s eyes were filled with sorrow when he heard the names of his two elder brothers and the former king.

“But his eyes are different. I can feel that he is different from each and every one of you…

“It is also a gaze that is not usually seen on a seven-year-old boy…”

The king sighed. ‘That is because that boy has yet to go through what I have experienced…’

Jines quietly said, “Even if his mother… was that kind of existence.”

In that moment, Jines could feel the strong body she was leaning against become momentarily rigid.

The king suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Jines as he replied with his teeth clenched and his expression full of pain, “You can BE rest assured, Jines, that he will be alright…

“He will be safe. He will survive.

“Since he is a Jadestar and also the descendant of the Royal Family, more so, the son of that woman—he will be able to survive even in hell. Not to mention, this is merely Eckstedt!”

…

“Kill me in order to take revenge on behalf of Prince Moriah and eliminate King Nuven’s hatred. That is what His Majesty said so, right?”

Thales walked into the hall at the ground floor and looked at Gilbert, signalling to the staff in the scullery as he continued. “It seems like Eckstedt is a very dangerous place. After all, we have an old grudge over the ‘Fortress Treaty’ and after that, their diplomatic group was attacked by the assassins, in which their common-elected king’s only son and heir was killed. King Nuven is extremely angry right now, and Eckstedt’s suzerains are also thirsting after our territory. Under such circumstances, the Prince of Constellation is practically a sheep among a pack of wolves.”

Thales let out a long sigh. “But is my current condition any better than going on a diplomatic mission to Eckstedt in the future?”

Gilbert was slightly stunned.

“As the only heir of Jadestar, since birth, I am already standing on the opposite side against all major suzerains. Look at Nanchester, look at Covendier, not to mention the newly imprisoned Arunde. After all, if I ever run into any accidents, they will have a chance to seize the throne.”

Thales walked onto a flight of stairs and walked passed the portrait of the three Kings of Constellation. His eyes reflected his absent-minded state. “Before I appeared, their focus was on His Majesty, but after I appeared, I was destined to be the new target. Even with Renaissance Palace’s strength and power, my safety as well as security can never be ensured. There is a proverb from the Far East that says, ‘A longspear from the front is easy to evade, but a cold arrow from the shadows is hard to fend against’.

“Comparatively, the suzerains of Eckstedt may want to take advantage of Constellation. Perhaps, they are not happy to see me, but it is not a must for them to kill me. On the contrary, no matter who stains his hands with the blood of Constellation’s prince will be destined to become the public’s target for attack. The whole of Constellation will become his enemy. The devoted ones will want to take revenge on behalf of the royal family, and the ambitious ones will want to gain a righteous reputation.

“Eckstedt adopts the king selection system. After the demise of the last elected king, the ten archdukes will choose the next common-elected king during the King Selection Congress to rule for the rest of his life. Every single archduke has a chance and every one of them are competing for it. Eckstedt is even worse than Constellation when it comes to their internal divide.

“Maybe Constellation’s power has not yet fully recovered and it does not have enough strength to overtake Eckstedt. But under the temptation of the crown, working together to crush an Eckstedt suzerain will still be more than possible. Also, the other suzerains of Eckstedt will probably gleefully watch by the side and do nothing to see the downfall of their competitor in the King Selection Congress.

“As people from the Far East will say, I am just like ‘a can of worms’. No matter which Eckstedt suzerain has me in their territory, not only are they unable to harm me, for their own benefits, they even have to do their best in protecting me.”

Gilbert raised his eyebrows.

It seemed like he had been worrying too much. After all, he could tell that His Highness was mature and sensible after many days spent together with him. He was not the type of person who needed other people to worry over him.

“And so, the only person left that I have to worry about in Eckstedt is King Nuven.”

Thales walked into the study room and watched the guards bring in his lunch. He smiled at Gilbert, whose eyebrows had smoothened out in obvious relief. “However, this is something that many people may overlook. When Prince Moriah died in Constellation…

“King Nuven was already destined to be an ally of Jadestar Royal Family and myself.”

Gilbert finally had a smile on his face.

Thales yawned and sat down on the chair in his study room. He pushed away the messy books and notes on his desk, which he spent the last night reading through, and said confidently, “Under a situation where there is no direct male heir, Constellation allows female heirs to inherit the father’s title, territory and assets. Our Duchess of Blade Edge Hill is someone who is like that.

“But in Eckstedt, females have no right of inheritance… Since the old King Nuven has lost his only male heir, it means that the inheritance in Dragon Clouds City will become a problem. The Walton Family already has no chance in the next selection of the king. They are destined to head into decline.

“Under these circumstances, maybe it will relieve King Nuven’s pain and hatred in losing his only son by declaring war towards Constellation, or killing an heir of equivalent importance like me. However, after he calms down, he will realize that this will only lead to the Walton Family’s final destruction.

“The possible territories that can be gained through battle or negotiation with Constellation will all be received by our neighboring three archdukes at Southern Eckstedt: the Archduke of Black Sand, the Archduke of Prestige Orchid, and the Archduke of Reformation Tower. Those three archdukes are the most popular candidates for the next King Selection Congress. Even though the territories gained under these circumstances will belong to the Walton Family as their land, it will be taken by the three archdukes in the near future because the lands are far too close to the three of them.

“It also means that, in the conflict between Constellation and the Dragon, the three archdukes who are the greatest beneficiaries will become stronger. As for the Waltons who have already lost their direct heir, they will only become increasingly weaker under King Nuven, and they will eventually perish.

“Under this situation, King Nuven will only try his best to avoid any conflict between Constellation and the Dragon, regardless if it is war or negotiation. He will not let any one of Constellation’s territories or resources fall into the hands of the three southern archdukes. That is the only way to maintain even power among Eckstedt’s ten archdukes, and to ensure that the weakening Walton Family does not head to its own downfall.

“Also, is there any other huge kingdom other than Constellation, hailed as ‘Western Peninsula’s Shield’, or any other famous, prosperous, and powerful family other than the Jadestar Royal Family, which is a more fitting ally in seizing the attention of the three southern archdukes as well as exerting pressure upon them? In treating Constellation or the Jadestar Royal Family as their natural ally, plus ensuring the recovery of our strength so that we become even stronger and more powerful than before, only the Walton Family can be assured of the continuation of their family and a chance in the next king selection.

“Under such a scenario, them and us, the Walton Family and Jadestar Royal Family’s benefits are unprecedentedly the same.

“Walton and Jadestar are already natural allies.

“Presumably, the act of letting King Nuven ‘kill’ me is only the king’s shocking method to let the other party cool down. After King Nuven’s fury is quenched, mutual understanding will grow and sprout in King Nuven as well as King Kessel’s hearts at the same time. There will be no need for an agreement, no need for an oath and no need for a negotiation; this is the natural treaty.

“A treaty that belongs to Cloud Dragon Spear Flag’s Walton Family and Nine-Pointed Star Flag’s Jadestar Family—’The Union of Two Kings’.”

Thales sighed deeply. “The Battle of Eradication’s two outstanding human heroes, Raikaru and Tormond’s respective descendants. How ironic that the two kingdoms are sincerely working together only when the two kingdoms are unprecedentedly hostile towards each other.”

Thus, it could be seen just how immature the two feudalistic nations, Constellation and the Dragon were. In a world full of many illogical technologies, it was still apparently a feudal society. On the surface, the highest ruler had authority over foreign affairs and military affairs, but in reality, the highest ruler was skating on thin ice and had to be very alert, being in a life or death struggle with territorial suzerains.

‘The state’s autonomy is truly pathetically limited and painfully weak.’

The prince put away his past memory and lifted his head while he continued his speech. “And so, compared to Constellation that is seemingly peaceful but in reality, very dangerous due to the threats lurking in every corner, Eckstedt that is seemingly dangerous and hostile but is actually safe and secure is the best place for me to go. This should be the true intention of His Majesty.”

‘Hopefully.’

Thales added, at the bottom of his heart.

The image of the expressionless king appeared before his eyes. ‘After all… I cannot see affection in the king’s eyes.’

He snapped back to his senses and said with a smile on his face, “And so, I, as a representative of the Jadestar Royal Family, may encounter King Nuven’s test in Dragon Clouds City. Maybe some mean people will deliberately make things difficult for me, maybe I will be ridiculed by the suzerains and become their bargaining chip in confronting Constellation. I may even face conspiracies from different forces with different motives. However, it is still safer for me to be there than to be in Constellation…”

In the next second, Thales’ eyes shone brilliantly with intense confidence and affirmation.

“Therefore, I will survive!”

Gilbert started to chuckle.

However, in the next moment, he immediately lifted his head and said seriously, “Since you think of it that way, Your Highness, I have nothing to worry about anymore. I came here today to discuss the candidates for your diplomatic group, and also the candidates for your attendants.”

Thales nodded.

Gilbert bowed slightly. “But before that… Your Highness, there is someone who would like to meet you.”

“Meet me?” Thales had just picked up his knife and fork. He raised his brows when he heard of Gilbert’s request.

‘To meet me at this very moment?’

Thales nonchalantly picked up a piece of potato and put it into his mouth. “If the person is attracted by my fame and wishes to see the last of Jadestar’s Prince with similar interest as looking at a rare animal, please reject the request on my behalf. Be more polite in your wording, I have already offended way too many people.”

However, Gilbert shook his head.

“No, I think this person is one of the very few people who want to visit you regardless of your identity as a prince. In fact, a little over a month, he has been recuperating from his wounds in the barracks located at the back.”

“Are you saying…?” Thales seemed to recall something as he lifted his head in astonishment.

*Thud, thud*

These sounds came from outside the study room.

Gilbert nodded and lamented. “He suffered such serious injuries, and could only eat with the help of tubes. Even the doctors thought that he would not survive, but his will to live is indeed astonishing, and we never had a shortage of medication as well as drugs.”

Gilbert cleared the path to the entrance of the study as he sighed slightly.

“Come in, this is the person that you insisted to meet.

“The Second Prince of Constellation, Prince Thales Jadestar.”

Thales placed down his cutleries and furrowed his brows tightly together.

The person’s left hand was wrapped in thick bandages and secured with a wooden plank. He was holding onto a pair of crutches, and his actions showed that he was clearly unfamiliar with it. He could be seen limping into Thales’ room with strenuous effort.

There was a horrible scar of knotted flesh on his throat and his legs were only to his knees.

Even though he had stubbles on his face, and his entire figure had become terribly thin, and he had even gotten a haircut and the tattoo on his face had faded a lot, Thales still managed to recognize him immediately. The man who once wept in despair, but had now recovered from his serious injuries.

Phantom Wind Follower.

Midira Ralf.

Chapter 76

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ralf was once the hope of Blood Bottle Gang, the only supra class elite among the Strongest Twelve. After going through hell and despair, he finally met Thales again after a month.

“Congratulations, you struggled through it in the end.” Thales smiled and nodded. “You didn’t lose to this damned world.”

Ralf trembled slightly and opened his mouth abruptly. His throat, which was a mesh of blood and flesh, trembled slightly. However, he could only mutter a bunch of indecipherable grunts.

He also knew that he was unable to say anything now.

In such a situation, Thales did not know how to react for a moment. He scratched his head. “It’s okay, if you have anything to say, just write it down with a pen.”

Ralf’s gaze dimmed.

“We have tried.” Gilbert sighed. “He is illiterate. Apart from numbers, he is not even able to write his own name.”

Hearing this, Ralf closed his eyes in shame. He lowered his head even more. Thales felt a little awkward.

He almost forgot that Ralf earned a living by being in a gang. Thales, who used to be a child beggar, knew that most people who joined gangs had an unfortunate life. They did not have much chance to receive a proper education because they were busy earning a living through illegal activities every day.

But in the next moment, to Thales’ astonishment, Ralf gritted his teeth, supported himself with his crutch with difficulty, and then lowered his disabled body. Before the small and weak Thales…

He made a deep bow.

Thales sighed. “Alright, I have received your thanks.”

Ralf raised his head and his body was trembling. He looked at Thales.

“What are your plans after this? Do you have anywhere else you can go? I don’t really suggest that you return to Blood Bottle Gang…”

Ralf trembled slightly.

‘Back to Blood Bottle Gang? Back under Big Sister… Catherine’s wings?’ Looking at his own legs, a pained expression appeared on his face. ‘And then there’s Nikolay…’

Thinking of his foe who had stabbed him from the back, Ralf’s eyes shone with a brilliant light. A few seconds later, Ralf exhaled with his psionic ability and dejectedly shook his head.

Thales stared intently at him.

“Alright then.” The prince flashed a smile. “Then you can stay at my place for the time being… We can probably afford to keep you.”

Ralf’s eyes brightened up.

This boy… apart from being his lifesaver, he also had a very socially influential status…

Thales turned his head and looked towards Count Caso. “Gilbert, how much time do we have until we depart for Eckstedt?”

Gilbert smiled as he spoke, “It depends on the time the messenger crow takes to reach and contact Dragon Clouds City. It will be at least three days and at most a week, Your Highness.”

“That should be enough.” Thales nodded and looked at Ralf. “During these few days, come to my study room during the day.”

Ralf looked surprised.

The confident and optimistic boy, who let him choose between ‘freedom’ and ‘struggle’ when he was in a hopeless predicament, flashed a smile.

“I will teach you how to read and write, and how to speak with hand gestures.”

…..

The captain of the city defense team who was affiliated to Eastern City District Police Station, the thirty-one-year-old Genard laid in the dungeon of Vine Manor.

He was panting. His body was covered in wounds. He was bound in heavy shackles and could not move.

But a voice inside his heart told him that he must not… must not open his mouth.

No matter how the followers of these great nobles tortured and beat him up, no matter how they threatened and tried to bribe him…

No matter how much they wanted to know about the background of those cavaliers that appeared outside Vine Manor that night at Eastern City District…

He must keep his lips sealed.

After the National Conference ended, Genard was discharged from his duty of maintaining order in Star Plaza. The very next day, his boss came to his site of duty in Eastern City District with a group of police officers. His boss read out Genard’s offences in front of him and all the soldiers under him. Somebody reported him for being engaged in corruption while he was on duty in Eastern City District.

Genard immediately sighed.

It was not because this was a false accusation. Instead, it was because in Eastern City District, the act of receiving gratuities from nobles had long since been a universally acknowledged custom and common practice.

Every single soldier from the city defense team, and even the police officers, would collect this kind of tip. The police station was also well aware of this. Every time, they would receive commissions and reap some profits. This was also the only extra income Genard could obtain for his teammates, whose wages were extremely low.

Why was he the only one who was reported? The faces of the soldiers under him were also filled with shock.

However, Genard, who had been hanging around Eastern City District for almost twelve years now, knew that he must had offended an important personage.

Under the hostile gazes of ten police officers, Genard only had enough time to give his treasured saber—which he had kept in good condition for twelve years, and which he could never bear to be apart from—to the subordinate that showed the most promise in his team. That saber was a present that was casually given to him by the Duke of Star Lake after the Major Retreat from Walla Passage as he saw that Genard did not have any weapons. (“Take this as an exchange for the flour in your hands. Thanks to you, at least we can have a good meal.”–Duke John) There was even the Nine-Pointed Star emblem on it. With his hands and legs chained and head covered, he was then brought to a manor by carriage.

The carriage took many turns, but Genard had patrolled Eastern City District for over ten years. The habit he cultivated from his days as a soldier in the Starlight Brigade to observe and remember the roads was also never abandoned. How could he not recognize that this was the Covendier Family’s Vine Manor, which he passed by three times each day during patrols?

A group of people—who obviously used to be soldiers—tortured Genard for two full days for no other reason than wanting to ask about the group of cavaliers who burst into Eastern City District that night, and had even possibly broken into Covendier Family’s Vine Manor…

They wanted to ask about the origins of those cavaliers.

However, Genard must not tell them. He must not tell them.

There was no other reason than because the group of cavaliers… were under the Nine-Pointed Star… they were from the Jadestar Royal Family.

That was John’s Nine-Pointed Star. The Duke of Star Lake’s Nine-Pointed Star. Starlight Brigade’s Nine-Pointed Star. That was the Nine-Pointed Star the once ignorant Genard fought under tirelessly while burning with righteous ardor.

There were so many of his battle companions under that flag!

Twelve years ago, he had once roamed about the battle-stricken land numbly. He went through cold, hunger, pain, and suffering. Every day, in a daze, he witnessed murder, arson, rape, and robbery.

That was until Genard foolishly entered the city. Just as he was so hungry that his head was dizzy and his eyes blurred, he had ignorantly walked towards the army enlistment office.

Then, he met the witty, confident, optimistic and friendly Duke of Star Lake, and his Starlight Brigade.

He was a nineteen-year-old young man from a peasant family who was often bullied, was foolish ignorant, and lacked the means to survive. In Starlight Brigade, he learned for the first time how to work together with others, he understood how it was like to sacrifice himself selflessly, he was accepted and praised, he was taught to read and write, he raised his sword and cried out in celebration of victory, he sang joyfully around a campfire, he made the decision to act as the rear-guard for his comrades.

He also understood for the first time that in the world, there existed more important things than to be well-fed and to keep living.

There, he felt more like a human instead of a barbaric beast who only cared about looking for food and satisfying his hunger.

The duke’s team of personal guards and the Starlight Brigade was his home, the place he belonged to, and his everything. It was a place where he thought he would fight bravely for the rest of his life.

That was until the tragedy in Zodra, that disgraceful and detestable betrayal, that contemptible and lowly surprise attack, that cowardly stab in the back.

That was until the duke calmly laid among all the members of his team of personal guards. Amid the entire brigade’s regretful and furious wails, the duke earnestly advised them to ‘take care of themselves’. He then smiled with tears in his eyes, closed his eyes, and left forever.

This was… the team of personal guards’ fault. This was their sin.

‘If we had realized sooner at that time… If I reacted a bit sooner… Then, the duke wouldn’t have… Our home wouldn’t have…’

Therefore, when the soldiers from the noble family scornfully insulted him, interrogated him, beat him, and threatened him to have him reveal the identity of those cavaliers who were also under the Nine-Pointed Star…

Genard felt that his refusal to yield, his perseverance, silence, and even the injuries that covered his entire body, to the point where he was barely alive, were all a type of atonement.

At least, this would slightly soothe his soul that had been feeling guilt, regret and self-blame for the past twelve years. It enabled him to, more or less, atone and repent after these twelve years, where he lost all interest in life and felt extremely numb.

It was all for the place he once called ‘home’. For his responsibility as a member of the team of personal guards to the duke who may be gone but will always be remembered by Genard.

“My master just wants to confirm some things.” The white-haired old man was calmly enquiring from outside the jail cell door again.

“He just wants to know about the identity of those cavaliers. That is all. I swear in my master’s honor that he is not planning to harm those cavaliers.”

Genard gritted his teeth and kept quiet.

“Who would see your persistence? Similarly, no one would see your weakness either. You just have to give us some information. Just a little. No one will know.”

Genard continued to keep his lips shut tight.

“We know that you definitely know something. All your soldiers said that they had no flag nor emblem. So, are they people you know? Were they once your comrades, or friends who you would sacrifice your life for?”

Gerald still kept his mouth shut. The white-haired old man sighed and left the dungeon.

Genard relaxed his jaws. Panting, he crumpled down onto the floor. He made it through again.

However, unknown to him, Ashford, the old butler of the Covendier Family headed to the top floor of Vine Manor. He respectfully bowed to his young master, the Guardian Duke of the South Coast, Zayen Covendier. He then said, “I have gotten an answer. Those cavaliers belong to the Jadestar Family.”

Zayen turned from the window which was filled with the smell of blood. His expression was a contemplative one.

“I thought that he kept refusing to say anything no matter what?”

Ashford said expressionlessly, “For some things, we can obtain answers even if the other party does not say anything. Genard used to be in the Starlight Brigade and was even a member of the personal guards belonging to John Jadestar, the Duke of Star Lake and also the Starlight God of War. After Sonia Sasere dismissed the original Starlight Brigade, as one of the people who refused to travel north to the Broken Dragon Fortress, he retired and became a police officer.”

Zayen’s gaze flickered around, as if deep in thought.

Ashford nodded slightly. “It is obvious that he is an outstanding and strong soldier. If there is something about those cavaliers that made him keep quiet no matter what, it is most probably related to the things he experienced when he was serving in the military.

“I believe that with his rich experience as part of the brigade and in expeditions, he saw through the background of those cavaliers with no flag or banner. Due to the camaraderie he formed with those who were also from the Jadestar Family when he was in Starlight Brigade, he insisted on keeping their identities a secret.”

Zayen stared at his old butler for a few seconds.

In the end, he sighed.

“So, the only ones that fit the description is the Jadestar Private Army from Mindis Hall, and after yesterday, the new prince directly returned to Mindis Hall before the public eye. So, he’s the royal treasure missing from Mindis Hall?”

Zayen shook his head and chuckled softly. “Hmph, I’m afraid that the so-called royal treasure that went missing from Mindis Hall before this was that new prince! Nikolay captured that brat and brought him to Vine Manor… That was why they simply broke in and snatched him back in secret.

“Ashford, did you know that we held the kingdom’s fate in our hands twice? Twice!” Zayen raised his head and shut his eyes tight. “In the end, every time, we let him escape.”

Ashford calmly lowered his head and did not speak.

After a long while.

“Treat the injuries of that soldier from Starlight Brigade,” Zayen said coldly.

Ashford raised his gaze. It carried hints of puzzlement.

“You know… No matter what, I owe that brat one…” Zayen clenched his fists tightly as he spoke, his eyes blazing with fury. “And I do not want to hesitate when I take action against him.”

Without hesitation, Zayen turned and left the manor which smelled heavily of blood.

“Did you know, sir?”

Behind him, Ashford flashed a mysterious smile. “You are more and more like the previous duke.”

Without turning his head, Zayen scornfully replied, “And be as foolish as him, with relatives plotting against me behind my back to have my throat cut in my own bedroom without realizing it?”

Ashford shook his head slightly and sighed deeply. He lowered his head and reported another matter, “Sir, there was news from Jade City… Lady Hille…”

Ashford glanced at his master’s expression. He looked as if he wanted to continue, but hesitated.

Zayen stopped walking. The young duke sucked in a breath, as if he was preparing for something.

His tone was ice-cold. “Go ahead and speak. What ridiculous thing has my adorable but foolish twelve-year-old sister done again?”

Hearing this, Ashford bowed deeply and carefully said, “Miss Hille has already departed for Sera Dukedom five days ago, protected by Lord Cassain. None of the followers dared to stop her.”

Zayen turned his head and looked at Ashford.

He put on a bewildered expression, furrowed his brows and said, “Sera? The Sera Dukedom that became scattered and disunited after the archduke was assassinated? Is that place not troubled by a plague recently?”

Ashford bowed slightly. “The reason she gave to the public was that she wanted to aid the people, who are deeply troubled by the plague. However, your humble servant suspects that she found information about that organization.”

‘That organization?’

Zayen’s expression immediately became frost-cold. His face twitched, as if he was thinking of something that he could not tolerate…

Until he suddenly emitted an outburst, “Is it not enough that she has caused her own parents’ deaths?”

The duke’s voice was filled with fury and hatred. “What sort of disaster does she still want to bring back to the Covendiers?”

Ashford did not speak. After more than ten seconds, Zayen sighed heavily.

In the end, he still swung his arm to show that he wanted to make an order. “Dispatch more men and ensure her safety.” Zayen shut his eyes tight and gritted his teeth. He angrily said, “And… ensure that her identity is kept a secret. It absolutely, absolutely, absolutely cannot be revealed…”

His voice trembled, and he repeated ‘absolutely’ three times.

Ashford nodded slightly and considerately left the hall of the manor before the duke.

After the butler was a distance away, Zayen trembled as he held on to a pillar.

*Bang!*

He punched the pillar hard!

After that, the Duke of Tricolor Iris Flowers leaned his head against the pillar. He exhaled in anguish.

‘The oversight and failure before this… there cannot be a second time… I must not fail. Must not fail!

‘I must become king. I must.

‘Only by becoming the supreme king… Only by taking control of all the power in Constellation… Or else… Hille…

‘Who else in the world can protect you? Who else can protect… such a person like you?’

…..

Mindis Hall, the cellar.

“Congwatuwations, my alwy, Prince Thales, the second pwince.”

Serena, the silver-haired, red-eyed loli of over four-hundred years old and a refugee from the Night Kingdom, looked at Thales with a complicated expression.

“We could cwearly hear the cheers in Star Pwaza from here.”

Thales narrowed his eyes as he spoke in resignation, “This is a bit too much… the distance from here to Star Plaza… All in all, our alliance has moved a step closer to its aim.”

Without blushing at all—Thales had his suspicions on whether she even had the ability of blushing—Serena cut him off and continued speaking, “Now, we will wait for the time you are cwowned as king. Then, you can help me regain my thwone. Do not worwy, I will do ewewything in my power to help you.”

Under the Everlasting Lamp, Thales’ face became steely. ‘Do everything in your power to help me?

‘She’s talking as though I am not the only heir to the kingdom, and without her help, I won’t be able to inherit the kingdom.

‘On the contrary, her competitor and opponent, the ‘Weeper’ or something from the Night Kingdom, the Night Queen…’

Thales could only feel a headache coming.

He spat mentally, ‘This calculative, scheming old witch who does everything she can to profit off others…

‘Me being crowned, and you regaining your throne? Old witch, can we change the order?’

But in the end, he did not voice his complaints.

Thales let out a fake cough. “Then, you must have heard that I am heading to Eckstedt soon.”

Serena nodded and flashed a mysterious smile.

‘This mortal brat. Did you think that I don’t know what you are planning?’

“Before I leave, I will entrust you all to… erm, my father…” Thales carefully chose his words.

“I will go with you.”

Thales continued nodding, thinking of what to say next. “… You are after all, an important member of another kingdom’s government, he definitely will not be a poor host…”

“I only fowow you.”

Thales’ voice gradually became softer.

“What?” he furrowed his brows as he spoke in bewilderment.

“I am saying that I want to be togedwer with you.” Serena cracked a smile. This red-eyed girl who looked like she was six or seven (“Eh, didn’t she looked like she was only five or six the last time I saw her? Is it possible that she grew slightly?”–Thales) opened her mouth and said with a lisp, “We still have anodwer cwause which states that you have pwovide bwood to me once evewy month, do we not?”

Thales lamented in his heart.

“Also, allies definitewy should not be too far apwart fwom each other… I still need to guawantee your safety.”

The Prince of Constellation rolled his eyes again.

‘Together with me… it is to guarantee your OWN safety, isn’t it?!’

The thing he was worried about the most had happened, but at that moment, Gilbert’s voice rang from outside the door, “Good day to all three of you… Sir Corleone, Sir Corleone, and Lady Corleone… You are all truly responsible. Chora, relax a little.”

Soon after, there was knocking on the door outside the cellar.

Count Caso’s voice rang from the other side of the door. “I apologize for interrupting your discussion, Prince Thales and Archduchess Corleone. However… Eckstedt’s reply has arrived… faster than we expected.”

Chapter 77

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“In short… below this line are all daily words starting with the letter ‘P’, which I have already explained about just now. If you cannot remember, there are pictures that act as hints on the side. As for why the words starting with the letters ‘Ph’ are not pronounced like this… Do not ask me, it is alright for you to just memorize them…”

Thales’ voice resounded in the study room.

“All of these materials were prepared by Gilbert for me, but now, it seems like my progress has surpassed the level of these materials by a little. However, this is just enough for you to use.”

‘Surpassed by a little?’

Gilbert was looking around at the entrance when he furrowed his brows slightly while he saw Thales passing the word list to Ralf, who was unable to speak.

He did not really agree (it could even be said that he firmly opposed it) that during such a critical moment, Thales still spent time on teaching Ralf (even though indeed, no one could replace His Highness in teaching Ralf with his own mysterious yet meaningful set of sign language), to the extent that it interfered with his own studies. However, when he thought of the prince’s diplomatic mission to Eckstedt approaching soon, what the prince truly needed was a trusted subordinate, not those complicated and tedious information. Gilbert would then sigh at the thought and continue to stand at the entrance, allowing His Highness to treat his subordinate with courtesy as well as carry out his actions in order to win over support. At least, that seemed like what he was doing from Gilbert’s perspective.

Eckstedt’s written reply had arrived the day prior. But when Baron Lasalle, the seemingly on edge emergency envoy, showed the contents of the letter, even old Duke Cullen with the best self-control could not help but to furrow his brows tightly together.

Compared to the bloody handprints on the first sealed letter of credentials, this current letter seemed more concise and composed.

On the letter was King Nuven’s own handwriting.

However, there were only three extremely strong words.

“Let him come.”

No terms and conditions, no declaration, no mention of the two kingdoms’ conflict and no comments on Archduke Lampard’s actions—there was no other supplementary content in the letter.

After Kessel the Fifth finished reading the letter, he also remained stoic. He did not express anything, but only gave an official order: After three days, the second prince and his diplomatic group shall head north towards Eckstedt, towards Dragon Clouds City.

Gilbert could not help but feel nervous.

After Baron Lasalle conveyed King Nuven’s statement, he was covered in his sweat as he bade his farewell, after which he returned to his home country. Gilbert guessed that the process of meeting His Majesty that day and also Lasalle’s performance had probably made their way back to Eckstedt. Lasalle probably would have to make his decision between King Nuven and Archduke Lampard by the time he returned to his country.

While he was thinking, Thales’ voice continued to come through.

“Alright, next, we are going to revise the sign language from just now. How do you express ‘sorry’?”

Ralf furrowed his brows. He was flipping and searching through the papers that were full of pictures beside his hand. He raised his head and lifted his right palm in confusion, then lightly moved it in a circular motion in front of his chest.

“Incorrect. That is ‘please’. You have to clench your palm into a fist… yes, that is ‘sorry’.”

Ralf clumsily clenched his right fist and moved it in a circular motion in front of his chest.

Opposite the Phantom Wind Follower, Thales nodded lightly without even lifting his head.

Half of his attention was on Ralf while the other half was focused on his right hand, which was holding a book titled ‘From the Final Empire to Constellation’ underneath the table.

That is right. While Thales was teaching Ralf sign language, he was also flipping and reading what he needed to under the desk. The book was something that he could not let Gilbert know about, especially since it was about calamities, about Mystics.

Thales was dying to understand these secrets that were related to him. Especially after the last assassination attempt in which he suspected he had used mystic energy. He was constantly deeply concerned about that excruciating pain, which felt like it could almost rip his whole body apart. Would it be his time of death the next time he used mystic energy?

But as if he was pushed by fate, from the National Conference to the meeting of Eckstedt’s diplomats, then being sent onto a diplomatic mission, there was no time for him to stop and investigate the truth about himself and the Mystics.

If Eckstedt’s matter had not been that urgent, and this was added on with Ralf’s arrival, Thales would have had an excuse to shorten his daily classes with Gilbert. Thus, he could use that extra time to teach Raff sign language. It was impossible for him to read these materials that would trigger suspicion during Gilbert’s classes. He also wanted to be open about his curiosity towards Mystics in exchange for a chance to find information about the Mystics without hiding. However, who knew if the books he read would have been recorded down and passed to Kessel, or even passed to Morat?

So, he could only disguise his motives in his daily life. He stole time to investigate his own secret, just like he did today.

As for the excruciating pain after he lost control during the assassination attempt in front of the palace, it made Thales even more worried and alarmed. How many more abnormalities did his body have? When would these abnormalities expose his own secrets?

Thales had a premonition that every secret lay within his origins, including the secrets on his mysterious mother, the Head Ritual Master, Liscia’s deeply confidential and peculiar attitude, the suspicious conversation between the king and the Head Ritual Master during the Bloodline Ceremony, and other things.

‘The Truth About My Mother’ was listed as number two by Thales in his list— The Five Big Unsolved Mysteries About Me. Its ranking was before ‘Bloody Year’, ‘Flashbacks’ and also ‘Abnormal Body’, and only below the most pressing matter, ‘The Mystery of Mystics’.

He had to save himself in this dangerous world.

Thales could not help but sigh when he came to that thought.

“What about ‘thank you’? How do you make that sign?” he simply asked.

Ralf searched for that piece of picture with much difficulty, and clumsily used the tip of his right palm to gently touch his chin. He then flipped his hand with his palm facing outwards.

Thales’ gaze flickered between Ralf and the book. Right at this very moment, his eyesight started to blur again.

Wu Qiren’s voice echoed in his ears.

“Miss, are you going to the special school again to be a volunteer for the disabled?”

“Yes. Ah, do not use such a derogatory term while addressing them. They are not disabled or ill. Every time you address them in this manner, you are isolating them from normal society. You should use terms such as ‘people with physical obstructions’ or ‘people with physical inconveniences’.”

“Haih… I have always thought that you should focus on your degree, instead of spending your time on this matter so that you can be of an influence from the plane of social construct and upgrade special education. After all, you alone are not enough. The inconveniences they face in their daily lives will not become better with your occasional actions. This is not the way to change society.”

“Wu Qiren! It is not their fault that they encounter inconveniences in their lives. In fact, it is because of people in the society like us, who do not fulfill our responsibilities of enabling every single person to live in society without obstacles regardless of his or her condition. If we can be considerate and design individual washrooms for children with heights below 120cm in order for them to live without obstacles in this society, so why can we not let a deaf or mute person communicate with others without any barriers and let them live without obstructions in this society?”

“Eh, when did you become a person with such morals that only those from social sciences would have?”

“This is not morals but fundamental values! Your claims that the ‘right way of promoting society’s improvement stems from a holistic structure’ is problematic! I do not believe that someone who does not even bother to sympathize and help the surrounding community will make genuine contributions towards the society. I am talking about you, Wu Qiren!”

“Stop! This serious conversation ends here, we shall depart now.”

“Eh? Where to?”

“I am sending you to the special school! Didn’t you say wanted to become a volunteer?!”

“Ahhhh! Wu Qiren! Are you going too? You have definitely been influenced by my brimming integrity, am I right? You are going to learn sign language with me, it’s a deal!”

“Eh… I am just sending you over to—”

“I do not care! You have to be with me! Otherwise, you are not allowed to enter my room tonight!”

Thales shook his head with all of his strength to once again hide those few profound, deeply impressionable but untouchable memories of the past at the back of his brain.

He shifted his focus back to the present.

“Not bad, let us increase the degree of difficulty…’Try it again’… No, no, no, what I meant was how do you gesture the sign language of ‘try it again’?”

Thales flipped two pages of ‘From the Final Empire to Constellation’ while Ralf was covered with sweat, searching for the drawing.

The value of this book was lower than the last book. Basically, the book consisted of a compilation of fictional legends and long-winded chronicles of major events. The book failed to describe the ‘calamities’ in the Battle of Eradication clearly. It was just like how ordinary people treated the Battle of Eradication, a boring program in Dark Night Temple. Many people even believed that the world was originally made up of two peninsulas… eh?

Thales furrowed his brows.

A piece of paper fell out from a wedge between two pages of the thick book.

Thales gently picked up the piece of paper.

The color of the old parchment was already faded. That particular paper seemed older than the old ‘From the Final Empire to Constellation’ book he was holding, where turning its pages itself was already being a huge problem for him despite it being remarkably maintained.

The side profile of a teenage girl was drawn onto the parchment with an erasable black pen.

The young girl in the drawing seemed gentle and graceful. She was smiling pleasantly and her plain face was pure like a lotus flower. She had a multi-pointed star earring hanging down from her left ear.

Was this piece of paper which was obviously older than the book randomly used as a bookmark by one of the people from the older generation?

Thales had a puzzled expression on his face. He moved his gaze downwards and discovered a signature.

T.C.K.J

Those four letters were probably the initials of the painter.

Just as Ralf was clumsily gesturing the sign, Thales flipped the parchment over and saw a word scrawled on the back.

[Enemy!]

The word ended with a huge exclamation mark.

Enemy?

Thales shook his head, unable to make sense of its meaning.

Gilbert’s voice suddenly came through. “Your Highness, sorry to interrupt you!”

Thales remained calm and collected as he stuffed the parchment into his bosom. He closed the book and secretly kicked it to an unremarkable corner.

The prince lifted his head and smiled towards Gilbert.

“His Majesty has just sent news.” Gilbert tipped his hat towards Thales as he bowed down slightly. “He hopes that you will make a trip to Renaissance Palace before you depart, so that the family gathering of the royal family members will be whole.”

“Family gathering?” Thales opened his mouth in shock. “What family?”

‘Aren’t the Jadestars already…?’

At this very moment, the figure of the first-grade female official appeared behind Gilbert.

“Just follow me,” Jines said faintly.

Her gaze towards Thales was filled with pity and lament.

…

Renaissance Palace.

Jines was walking in her high-heeled boots while leading Thales, who was already dressed, up the cold stone stairs. “Since you have already been recognized as a prince, you have to meet your mother-in-name. Even though she is not your biological mother… but at least, before you leave for Eckstedt…” Her voice was cold when she said this.

Mother?

Thales asked in astonishment, “What mother?”

“Your father’s only wife, of course.” Jines’s face was clouded with unbearable sorrow. “Queen Keya.”

Thales was stunned for a few seconds.

They stopped outside of a palace room.

“His Majesty is too busy, so he will not come over today,” Jines stared at the closed door and whispered.

Deep doubt crept into Thales’ heart.

‘He could not even attend his own family gathering?

‘Is he just letting his newfound son meet the queen by himself?’

But Jines’ mind was apparently not on this father-son pair.

At the next moment, the female official said towards the puzzled Thales in a serious and solemn tone, “No matter what happens later, do not be surprised or afraid.”

Before Thales could come back to his senses from his absent-minded state, Jines had already pushed the door open and walked into the room.

Jines cautiously said, “Keya, I am here.”

Thales followed behind the female official as he slowly stepped into the room.

The wide room was decorated in a simple manner, but it had its own unique style that gave out an elegant aura.

A lady who was probably in her forties stood before them. Her fresh face was soft and elegant, and she was dressed in a luxurious star blue gown. She turned around to look at Jines and Thales.

“Jines, here you are!” This gorgeous lady, Queen Keya gave out a genuine and delighted smile. “This is wonderful! Recently Kessel has been so busy over the diplomatic relations with Eckstedt, and I thought you would probably be busy too…”

Thales was slightly reserved. After all, he was the king’s illegitimate child.

At the same time, he was also surprised over the current scene. If Jines was the king’s lover, then why would Keya get along so well with her as the queen?

“I mentioned this to you before, this person who would come and meet you today…” Jines paused for a moment, as though she felt like there was no need for her to talk about this too much. Hence, she took a deep breath and pulled Thales forward as she said silently, “This is Thales, Kessel’s second… son.”

“That means, you are the one?” Keya slowly walked towards Thales and crouched down slightly in front of him. “Kessel’s youngest son?”

Her gentle eyes looked straight at Thales.

Thales felt like he could not breathe properly due to his awkwardness.

Her Majesty the Queen stroked his head with an affectionate expression on her face. “Do not be afraid, I am also your family. Look at your eyes and nose… they look exactly the same as your charismatic mother.”

Thales suddenly stopped breathing and widened his eyes.

Mother?

He could only listen to Queen Keya’s gentle and sincere voice as she continued, “… I hope you can also inherit your mother’s wits, erudition and also her smooth eloquence in every endeavor. Hehe… After all, there are very few females who are as outstanding as her and Jines.”

‘Charismatic.

‘Intelligent and an erudite.

‘Eloquent in every endeavor?’

Thales eagerly kept those information in that specific region named ‘Mother’ in his brain.

It was the key for many of the unsolved mysteries about him.

Jines’ expression became sour as she hastily replied, “Alright… Keya, if there is nothing important… I still have to bring him around… You know, soon, he will be heading towards Eckstedt.”

Thales felt strange. Why would Jines be this nervous in front of this gentle and kind queen?

Also, why did she want to end this meeting in such a hurry?

“Oh dear, poor child.” Queen Keya sighed. “I have never been to Eckstedt, but I have heard about it. That place is uncivilized, crude, and advocates violence as well as battle. You are only so young… I am afraid that you will have to suffer hardship.”

“Er, thank you for your concern…” Even Thales, who was smooth and slick when it came to dealing with people, could hardly withstand a harmonious and happy scene that would only appear in a family with a stranger. His voice was stiff when he replied, “No, this is His Majesty’s order… this is also Jadestar’s mission.”

Queen Keya chuckled lightly. “Jadestar’s mission… they always say it that way.”

Jines suddenly voiced up stiffly, “Alright, Keya, he has other tasks to complete. We shall leave now…”

‘Something’s off.’

Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

‘There must be something wrong.

‘But… which part exactly of this is wrong?’

Chapter 78

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Keya rose and put on a pleasantly surprised expression. “No, do not leave so soon. That’s right! He has not met his brother and sister yet!”

Thales’ heart shuddered.

“Keya!” Jines cried loudly. Her tone was filled with… panic?

However, Queen Keya only turned her head back and walked towards the large bed that was a distance away.

“Lydia and Luther will definitely be very happy to have a younger brother…”

Thales finally realized what was wrong with this room.

His pupils shrank rapidly. The gentle and considerate Queen Keya took out…

…two rag dolls from the bed.

On the other hand, Jines’ face was pale.

“Look, Luther, this is your younger brother Thales. Quick, say hello!”

Keya happily played with the rag doll in her left hand. She raised its hand and waved it at Thales, flashing a joyful smile.

Thales furrowed his brows hard.

While speaking happily, Keya raised the rag doll in her right hand and moved its head towards Thales. “And you, Lydia. Sit properly. You cannot be naughty anymore. Quick, greet your younger brother!”

Keya was even laboriously swaying her own right hand, as if the rag doll in her bosom was struggling intensely. It was truly an extremely bizarre scene.

Thales’ breathing was starting to become uneven. ‘Could it be that…’

The prince was in disbelief. This beautiful and elegant queen was playing with the two… rag dolls in her bosom with a happy expression.

‘This… this is…’

“Enough, Keya!”

Jines’ breathing was rapid. She walked forward quickly, and the first thing she did was to pull Thales away.

But Queen Keya’s expression quickly changed.

“Eh? Why?”

Keya looked at the rag dolls in her bosom, and then at Thales. Her expression suddenly became very strange, and her tone became a flustered one. “Why, Luther… Why are you not- not even as tall as your younger brother, Thales?”

Thales gritted his teeth and took a step back.

The next moment, as if she had seen something unbelievable, Keya’s expression became frightened and terrified.

*Plop!*

The rag doll in her right hand fell softly on the ground, but it seemed that Queen Keya did not realize it at all.

She only looked towards the rag doll in her left hand with a pained expression filled with sadness and despair. She cried, “I know. You became shorter because you lack… lack…”

Gritting her teeth, Jines told Thales, “Go! Leave first.”

However, Thales was already so stunned he could not move.

Keya gripped onto that rag doll tightly with her hands.

After a second, Keya began crying in agony. At the same time, she said something that made Thales absolutely terrified.

“Luther! Luther… head… head… you do not have a head! Luther, your head, where is your head? Where did your head go? Ah? Your head… fell?”

Keya raised her tear-filled face and yelled in panic. She laid face-down on the ground, looking around and fumbling about. “Quick! Quick! We have to look for your head!”

Watching this, Thales’ blood froze.

Jines went forward straightaway and hugged Queen Keya, stabilizing the trembling queen with great effort.

Keya abruptly looked towards Jines with her eyes wide open. “You! Have you seen- seen Luther’s head? It is about this big… It is round… and rolls… With two eyes…”

Thales watched the scene in front of his eyes in disbelief.

Keya abruptly began struggling, and waved her arms frantically!

“Do not! Do not stop me! I want to protect him! I want to protect Luther! My son!”

Jines gritted her teeth, desperately pulling her towards the bed. At that moment, a hand softly held Thales’ arm from behind him.

Thales jumped in fright!

He—having yet to calm down from the fear he felt from what he had witnessed—turned his head abruptly around.

The one who held his arm was a stranger—a long-haired woman wearing a black robe and a velvet shawl. This woman in black had a delicate and pretty face, but that face carried a hint of sadness.

Panting, Thales finally calmed his breathing.

The woman—who wore black and had long hair—held his arm. “It is alright, let us leave first.”

Puzzled, Thales turned towards Jines who was trying hard to subdue Queen Keya.

“Thales!” Jines yelled, gritting her teeth. “I will settle the matters here. Leave with the princess first. Quick, get out!”

‘The princess?’

However, before Thales could think much of it, the long-haired woman clad in the velvet dress pulled him out through the door of the room.

Behind him, Keya struggled harder and harder. She was yelling madly, “Guards! Guards! Quick! There are assassins! Assassins!”

Pulling Thales whose face had paled, the velvet-clad woman quickly walked out, leaving only Keya’s desperate voice ringing in the air far away behind them.

On both their sides, from time to time, maids and servants with solemn expressions would rush towards Keya’s room.

It was as though they were used to such a scene.

Keya’s shrill screams were still ringing in his ears, “Sob… My Luther- No, no! Your head… sob… Why can I not put it back? Why can it not be reattached? Why does it keep falling down? Why?!

“Glue it together! It will be alright if I glue it together! Luther, is this not right?”

Thales only walked forward with a pale face. He felt that what was happening behind him was too cruel. He did not dare to face it.

It was only until Keya’s voice disappeared far behind them that the two of them stood still at the corridor.

Still in a state of shock, Thales looked behind him.

The woman said softly, “Sorry. Usually, Keya’s attacks do not happen so soon.”

Thales looked behind him in a daze. Puzzlement slowly began appearing in his heart.

Thales raised his head and looked towards the woman, then said with great effort, “That year, when Luther and Lydia… my brother and sister were assassinated… the queen and the others such as Madam Jines… were they there? Did they witness it with their own eyes?”

After staying silent for a few seconds, sorrow appeared in the eyes of the woman in black and velvet.

She said slowly, “Yes, that day, Prince Luther was… at the spot…”

The woman shut her eyes tightly. As she was immersed in her memories, she spoke with some breathing difficulties, “Jines and I rushed over after hearing the noise, but we were both too late. It was said that his head rolled under the bed…

“Princess Lydia was kidnapped. Jines snatched a horse and chased after her. I ran to notify the guards, leaving the stunned Keya alone in the room.”

Thales exhaled deeply. He suddenly had the answer in his mind. ‘I see. That day, we encountered assassins on the way to Renaissance Palace. Jines’ reaction was so abnormal… She even startled the assassins—who were actually not targeting me—ahead of time.

‘Is this the reason why? They all experienced… such a scene?

‘This is why… Jines lost her composure to that extent, and hated assassins and killers so much.’

The woman gently smiled at him and said with great sentimentality in her voice, “But you do not have to be afraid, Thales… Queen Keya has been like this for many years. When she is sane, she is always hysterical, and full of hatred. In contrast, she is quiet and kind during her attacks. She would only think that Luther and Lydia are still beside her, hopping about and playing…”

The woman’s expression slowly became dreary and grim.

“After the tragedy happened that year, the palace was in chaos. Even King Aydi and Prince Midier were… The guards were so anxious that they drew their swords out whenever they saw someone… So, no one was able to care about this place. All the servants had escaped.

“Only Keya desperately hugged the prince’s dead body and refused to let go… It was said that she locked herself in the room…”

“I was forcefully kept apart in the safe house by the guards… The nobles were extremely frightened. They sealed up Renaissance Palace and locked up Eternal Star City… When King Kessel took control of the kingdom and stabilized the situation, it had already been two weeks later.” The woman sighed and lowered her head.

Thales sighed softly.

“During those two weeks, Keya zealously defended the room, hugging the dead Prince Luther and crying, surviving on the water in the vase… You know, after two weeks, the prince’s dead body had…”

Following the woman’s description, Thales tried to imagine the scene from that time. A chill immediately ran down his back.

“When they broke open the door to the room two weeks later, we saw Keya. She was barely alive and almost unconscious, and in her bosom…” The woman heaved a long sigh. Her face was filled with trepidation. “That scene was practically like a nightmare.”

Thales swallowed, not daring to imagine the scene anymore. ‘For Jadestar Royal Family… The Bloody Year… Was something like this? To live for Constellation… is this the price?’

There was silence… until Thales suddenly registered the situation.

He raised his head and looked in puzzlement at the velvet-clad woman before him.

‘Oh, yeah. Just now, Jines called her— The princess?

‘Going by her age, she is probably not Kessel’s daughter. So princess means that…

‘But didn’t I see the late king’s youngest daughter, Kessel the Fifth’s little sister, the eldest princess, Constance Jadestar in the Jadestar family tomb?’

Questions popped up in Thales’ heart.

“So, may I know who you are..?” Thales carefully asked.

“Oh. The ‘princess’ title must have confused you.” Being considerate, the velvet-clad woman resolved Thales’ awkwardness. She lowered her head shyly.

“My family name is not Jadestar, and I am not a real princess.” This ‘princess’ shook her head lightly.

“I am only the late king’s adopted daughter. You can say that I am your half-aunt.”

Thales opened his mouth in shock.

“I am Elise Sora, and am a little younger than Constance.” Princess Elise smiled slightly. A charming dimple appeared on the side of her cheek. “However, I do not have the right to use the Jadestar family name… Sora, this is my husband’s family name.”

‘Half… aunt?

‘Why did no one mention it before this?’

“May I know who your husband…” Thales spoke in a stiff manner.

Hearing that, Elise sighed and spoke, “Count Sora… an honorary count from the late king’s era. He just passed away a month ago.”

‘A widow?

‘No wonder she’s wearing black… Is she still mourning?’

Thales spoke in puzzlement, “A month ago? The passing of an honorary count? Was it because of illness…?”

However, Thales realized that he was a little rude. He immediately bowed and apologized. “Sorry, aunt Elise. It was presumptuous of me.”

Princess Elise was at first stupefied. She then smiled bitterly and spoke, “No, there is nothing to hide…”

The adopted daughter of the late king, Princess Elise spoke slowly.

“He died in that huge explosion at the center of Red Street Market a month ago.”

‘Red Street Market… Huge explosion?’

Thales immediately froze.

‘Could it be that…?’

“It was the night the gangs were fighting in XC District and Western District,” Elise spoke sadly.

‘Yes. I knew it.

‘It was the explosion me, Yodel and Asda triggered.’

He immediately felt guilty.

Thales exhaled.

He forced down the unhappy feelings in his heart and asked slowly, “He… Your husband… why was he in Red Street Market that night?”

‘Wasn’t there a curfew that night?’

However, Elise obviously did not know much. She heaved a sigh.

“Our relationship is not really good. My husband… likes to seek pleasure in Red Street Market… A few days before he passed away, I went there to look for him and we had a huge argument. He did not come back for three days after that…

“I never thought that it would be the last time I saw him.”

Elise shut her eyes, shook her head, and sighed.

She tugged the velvet shawl on her shoulders, which was used for keeping her warm.

However, at this moment, Thales’ pupils suddenly contracted!

‘That velvet shawl… looks a little familiar.

‘Velvet… Woman… Red Street Market… A few days before the huge explosion… Looked for husband… argument…

‘Could it be that she is…?’

Thales’ entire body trembled greatly!

He looked towards his aunt Elise’s face again.

This time, his aunt’s delicate and pretty face completely overlapped with another face that seemed have come from an event that happened in the distant past.

‘It seems like it had happened so long ago that I almost forgot.

‘Yes. It’s her.

‘That female noble clad in velvet.’

Thales stared blankly at that princess.

‘That day, it was her.’

She was the one who was clad in velvet and brought along twenty Swordsmen of Eradication. She met Thales, who was taking a risk and begging at Blood Bottle Gang’s territory in Red Street Market.

She was the one who donated twelve coppers and… one silver coin on the spot to the unkempt Thales.

However, Thales’ transformation was too great. She probably did not realize that the second prince in front of her was the same child beggar from a month ago.

Thales touched his chest.

The scar burned by Quide using that silver coin was there.

Because of that donation, the seriously ill Coria survived typhoid fever.

Because of that donation, Ned ratted them out to Quide.

Because of that donation… he… the child beggars… Quide… Jala… Red Street Market…

Because of that donation… everything else followed…

Thales heaved a deep sigh.

“What seems to be the matter?” Princess Elise looked curiously towards Thales, who had a complicated expression on his face.

“No, nothing much.”

Thales raised his head and flashed a respectful but cautious smile.

This aunt suddenly seemed a lot friendlier in his eyes.

“I’m just a little emotional after meeting a relative.”

Asda Sakern’s smile flashed in front of his eyes again.

‘Is this the coincidence you spoke of?

‘Or-‘ The desolate figure of the robust Kessel in the royal family’s burial ground appeared in front of Thales’ eyes. ‘Is this the will of fate?’

…..

XC District. Underground market. Sunset Pub.

“Cast it off.

“Just pretend that it is a piece of wood.

“Cast aside useless emotions and principles, and become a true Charleton!

“Cast it off!”

‘No. No!’

Jala Charleton abruptly woke up from her nightmare!

She shot up from the bed gasping.

She remembered that after the three child beggars were taken away, she knelt down at Sunset Pub and did not get up for a long time until she lost consciousness.

And now…

“So disgraceful.”

On the other side of the bed, which was the corner of the room, a hoarse voice that Jala was extremely familiar with rang up.

“Do you have that nightmare every single time you are upset?”

Jala sighed heavily.

“Old man, when did you come back?”

She shut her eyes and laid back down on the bed.

However, that voice did not have the intention to reply her.

“Jala Charleton, if you cannot look back and face your trauma from that year, you can only be a weakling forever.”

Jala opened her eyes. She then pursed her lips and turned to face the wall, turning a deaf ear to the old man’s words.

“Who would have thought that even Roda could render you powerless to fight back..? What a waste of those two good knives for killing…”

Jala thought of the three child beggars, who were taken away, as well as Coria’s heart-wrenching plea.

“Sister Jala…”

She shut her eyes tight and fought back the tears in her eyes.

However, the old man’s words were still travelling into her ears. “One single trauma made you shut yourself to this extent. You are just like that Quide… That year…”

The nightmarish memory came.

Jala could not take it anymore. She flipped out of the bed and yelled furiously at the corner.

“Enough! You don’t have to remind me anymore!”

The old man laughed in a deep voice.

“Hehehe… remind you of what? Hmph, look, you are so traumatized that you don’t even dare to mention it…” the old man continued mocking her.

A clunking sound rang, giving Jala a good scare.

She knew that it was the sound of the old man playing with the blade with his fingers.

Although she felt a little weak, Jala stood up indignantly.

“Hmph, you sound as though you are saying that if I mention it, I will immediately become a supreme class elite.”

The old man continued speaking mysteriously, “Who knows? However, if you continue escaping from it, you will definitely not be able to reach supreme class… and what happened yesterday will still repeat itself.

“The Charleton family name will still imprison you all your life like a curse.

“Do you really want the nightmare of that man to rule you for the rest of your life or do you want to experience your powerlessness and weakness again?”

Jala opened her mouth and took in two deep breaths.

“How is this difficult?” She gritted her teeth. “It’s just that incident.”

“Oh? What incident?” The old man’s voice started to gain a little lilt.

Jala’s face was distorted. The room made of stone appeared before her eyes.

‘It won’t do.’

She started trembling.

‘It won’t do.’

Darkness and blood spread in front of her eyes like current.

‘It won’t do.’

Her teeth started chattering.

‘It won’t do.’

She almost could not breath.

‘It won’t do.

‘I must not recall…’

However, the next moment, a small figure appeared before her eyes.

It was a cocky brat with black hair and gray eyes. Although his body was covered in wounds, he was over-confident and spoke firmly to her.

“I will go by myself.”

Jala opened her eyes and sucked in a mouthful of air.

In her mind, she returned to that room made of stone.

Trembling, she started speaking.

“Twelve years ago, at Renaissance Palace…”

Her forehead broke out in cold sweat.

*Ting!* In the air, the sound of the old man flicking the tip of the blade rang.

The old man spoke coldly, “Continue speaking.”

Jala grit her teeth hard. Her face became paler and paler.

“During my first- first mission…”

Jala’s entire body started trembling uncontrollably.

However, the sight of Roda gripping her knife with a calm expression and taking away the three child beggars appeared before her eyes.

That was… Coria’s pleading gaze.

“I…”

Jala shivered. She felt nauseous.

“I…”

Jala could feel that there was some liquid flowing out of her eyes.

“I…”

Everything in front of her eyes became bright red in color…

‘So… scary…’

Jala stuttered. Her lips could not touch each other.

At that moment.

The old man yelled violently!

“Say it!”

Jala’s whole body trembled greatly.

What followed was a streak of silver light that shot rapidly towards her!

*Clunk!*

A Wolf Limb Blade was embedded into the wall, half an inch away from Jala’s left ear.

Jala shuddered violently!

All the scenery, people, sound, and colors from that day vividly appeared before her eyes again!

“That day, I-”

Her eyes were blank. She could not help but roar loudly.

“I beheaded a baby while he was alive!”

After roaring out those words, Jala panted and took large mouthfuls of air. She felt that the energy in her entire body had left her.

Twelve years had pass.

She managed to shout it out.

She finally managed to shout it out.

*Thump!*

Trembling, Jala directly threw herself on her knees. Covering her mouth and holding back the nausea and queasiness, she wailed.

At the corner, the old man’s voice rang airily.

“Now, pick up your knife, your own knife.

“And not Charleton’s knife.”

Chapter 79

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Three days later.

It was just snowing at Eternal Star City this morning. The roads of the city were stained with mud.

But the road in front of Mindis Hall was swept clean.

A few carriages were already arriving one after another.

“We are in a bit of a rush. People are saying that Archduke Lampard has yet withdraw his troops. He is still deploying his soldiers around the border. It is unknown if King Nuven has chosen to not restrict him or that King Nuven is unable to restrict him anymore.”

Gilbert, along with the well-dressed Thales stood in the study room located on the second floor. They were both looking at the carriages coming through Mindis Hall’s entrance from the window.

Gilbert said with a serious expression on his face, “It seems like conflicts aimed to test your stance cannot be avoided. Even though Baron Murkh and Lady Sasere are going to serve as garrisons in the forts while the Zemunto and Friess Family also promised to give their full support, I heard that after receiving news of the duke’s imprisonment, Cold Castle and Arunde’s vassals are in a state of chaos… It is better for us to arrive earlier in order to eliminate the disaster of war.”

Thales lightly nodded his head as he listened to Gilbert’s report in silence.

“According to usual practice, as Constellation’s prince, Your Highness, you will need three instructors to respectively guide you on military affairs, political affairs and etiquettes. You will also need one attendant, who will usually become your assistant hereafter, and two protectors…

“But since your diplomatic mission will arrive soon… we can only keep everything simple and make up what you lack by the time you return to Constellation.

“Since the place you are heading to is the unfamiliar Eckstedt, and the aim of this trip is to apologize, we have no other choice than to reduce the number of followers you have. Apart from thirty Jadestar private soldiers lead by Chora, there are three special candidates.

“There is one instructor—I will introduce an extremely knowledgeable scholar to you later, as the vice diplomat of this trip; one attendant, which has already been chosen and is currently in the carriage; one protector—since your safety is very important, the protector must be an experienced supreme class expert…”

Thales could not help but to feel stunned when he heard this.

“The candidates for instructor and protector… Gilbert, do you mean that you, Yodel and even Jines… will not accompany me on this trip?”

Gilbert smiled at him helplessly.

He said faintly, “Yes. I am the signatory of the Fortress Treaty, and I have an infamous reputation in Eckstedt as a ‘conspirator’… My appearance in Dragon Clouds City will only bring upon unnecessary troubles to you.

“As for Yodel…”

Gilbert shook his head. “For the past ten years in Northland, there have been five strong, supreme class warriors with outstanding reputation, commonly known as the Five War Generals. Each respectively worked under King Nuven and the few archdukes. Their status is similar to the Three Commanders of Constellation, who wield the legendary anti-mystic equipment. Your Highness, if you happen to meet any one of them, please do not mention the ‘elite who wears a dark purple mask’ and also the fact that he is now the secret protector of the Supreme King of Constellation.”

Thales was momentarily stunned.

After a month of education, he knew about Constellation’s Three Commanders… but as for Eckstedt’s Five War Generals…

The former Foreign Affairs Minister sighed. “Yodel… has offended every single one of them…”

Thales spent a second to understand that sentence, then his face twitched as he replied, “Every… every single one of them? What kind of offense did he commit?”

Gilbert only glanced at him in silence.

Thales took a deep breath and put on a resigned smile. “Alright… I guess it is the kind that is more troublesome…”

Another question was added in the prince’s heart.

Yodel’s past.

What exactly did he do to provoke all of the Five War Generals at the same time?

It was just like a person who set himself against the Three Commanders at the same time… It was totally unimaginable.

Gilbert glanced out of the window and saw a few people walking down one after another from the carriage. “As for Madam Jines… Her identity is rather sensitive… you know, her relationship with the king…”

Thales sighed. “According to what you have told me, besides the ‘allies’ from Corleone Family, I probably will not see any familiar faces around me, am I right?”

Gilbert became reserved. “This is the exact matter I was about to bring up. Are you really going to bring members of the Corleone Family along with you?”

Thales replied with a solemn expression, “I have already made a promise with them. I do not like to go back on my word.”

‘Also, even though that old witch, Serena is annoying, she did use the Blood Clan’s telepathic ability to help me during a crisis. It is not an exaggeration to say that she saved my life.’

Thales furrowed his brows. “After all, they have one supreme class expert and two supra class experts. Serena also hopes to realize the restoration of her position by relying on my status. These are all bargaining chips that I can take advantage of. On the way to Northland, they can hide among the followers by changing their appearance…” He paused slightly and thought of that robust figure. “Also…

“His Majesty has already agreed to this, did he not?”

Gilbert exhaled lightly. “Of course, that is the promise of Constellation’s prince… It is Jadestar’s promise. They will not dare to be too presumptuous when in Constellation as the king and our forces are always by your side, but when you are in Eckstedt… I hope they will not bring about any trouble.

“After all, Yodel and I will not be by your side.” Gilbert furrowed his brows. “You have to be careful of that old butler, Chris… I always feel like I have heard of his name from somewhere.”

Thales rolled his eyes at Gilbert. “Hey, do not forget who was the one who facilitated this alliance.”

Gilbert gave him a perfect smile and tipped his hat.

Thales’ expression became worried. “Also, Gilbert, the matter I mentioned to you yesterday… about Lower City District…”

Gilbert breathed out from his nose. “Yes, Your Highness, since your identity no longer needs to be kept a secret, and Mindis Hall has already resumed its free passage… I have already sent someone to Lower City District yesterday afternoon. We will get a report back, latest by tonight. It is not easy to blend into that place. People from the Secret Intelligence Department are more suitable than us in investigating the matter regarding those beggars and that female bartender.

“I will update you on the latest situation by corresponding with you. I believe you will already be on your way by that time. If possible, I will do my best in taking care of them, even if we almost have no manpower in Lower City District.”

“Thank you.” Thales looked at the former Foreign Affairs Minister gratefully. “This way, I have no need to go to Morat anymore.”

“But you have to understand…”

Gilbert hesitated slightly, but he still lifted his head and said, “What the Black Prophet said was not entirely unreasonable, Your Highness. After all, you are different from them.”

Thales’ gaze became still for a moment.

“Furthermore, it may not be a good thing for them to be too close to you… Your help may be entirely useless to them. Worse, it may even bring upon disaster.”

Thales kept quiet for a while before putting on an ugly smile.

“I know.”

‘I know.’

He nodded and exhaled, then he turned around and adjusted his collar.

“Midira! Are you ready? It is time to go.”

A strange but faint noise of metal chafing against each other sounded through the door from outside.

Midira Ralf was walking on a pair of weird metal prosthetics when he staggered into their field of vision. He bowed slightly towards Thales in a manner that failed to meet the standard requirements.

Gilbert raised his eyebrows a little.

Half of Ralf’s face and his neck were covered with a strange silver mask, and the mask shielded the knotted flesh on his throat as well as the tattoo on his face. However, what was even stranger were the pair of prosthetics underneath his knees.

Constellation had a good relationship with the dwarfs of Steel City, even the skills of Constellation’s smiths had increased greatly thanks to them. It only took two days for the capable royal craftsman to build a pair of simple prosthetics for Ralf. The prosthetics were made of two pieces of durable and flexible steel plates of excellent quality. The steel plates were bent into an L-shape, then moulded into a flexible J-shape with Crystal Drops infused into the curves to strengthen those parts. A fixing plate was made to connect to the knee, and it was fastened onto his belt. This way, Ralf managed to walk without using his crutches.

Of course, his movements during a battle such as dodging and changing directions would have to depend on his own, wind-controlling psionic ability.

Thales raised his eyebrows. “Not bad, but the parts below your knees are very distracting… Next time, do cover them up with your pants.”

Midira Ralf lowered his head and pulled out a stack of papers that were stapled together.

Gilbert suddenly realized that Ralf was not hesitating. Instead, he was flipping through the papers in his hands and searching for the right sign.

Ralf clumsily found the drawing he wanted. He then looked towards Thales and raised his right fist. At the same time, he bent his wrist and swung his hand down lightly twice.

‘Yes.’

Thales smiled slightly. “Very good, what you still lack is proficiency in both your sign language and your prosthetics. As it happens, we can continue your course on the way there.”

Ralf smiled and found another paper before making another sign.

‘Thank you.’

Gilbert sighed. “Since you have already decided to follow His Highness to Northland, to Eckstedt… I hope you will learn about the difficulties of this current trip, and do your best in protecting His Highness.”

Ralf lowered his head slightly. This time, he did not need to flip through his notes, instead, he remembered the right sign and gestured it.

Gilbert furrowed his brows in confusion and finally turned towards Thales, feeling clueless.

Thales laughed as he replied, “He said he will try his best.”

Gilbert exhaled and shook his head in resignation. “Alright, at least, this is a good method to transmit secret messages…”

This Psionic with the background of a gangster who they rescued from Vine Manor… no, he was of supra class. Although he was still very immature in battle, but strictly speaking, he could already be considered as a Psionic Warrior… What exactly had happened that made him to submit to His Highness so compliantly?

Thales waved lightly and snapped his fingers.

“Very good, let us begin our journey.”

….

The main entrance of Mindis Hall.

“How have you been recently, my old friend?”

Before a few carriages, Gilbert extended his hand and tightly shook hands with a thin man, who was the leader.

“Very bad.” The thin man’s expression was sour. “Eternal Star City’s administrative efficiency is far behind Western Desert’s frontline military camp. I came to the capital for the documents of the grand library, but I lost my senior pass one month ago. So, I could only wait in the capital until now… Then, they told me that it would take half a year to replace the pass.”

“I guess you probably used up all of your travel expenses, which is the reason why you came to me…” Gilbert replied with a smile.

“But you have given me such a troublesome assignment…” The thin man sighed and sized Thales up with his gaze.

“You also do not want me to give you the money directly, am I right?” Gilbert moved sideways to reveal Thales’ figure.

“This is Lord Putray Nemain from the Cawing Crow City of Western Desert Hill. We studied under the same home tutor before.” Gilbert introduced the forty-year-old man, who spoke in a blunt manner towards Thales.

“Putray was once a bard who wandered and travelled across more than half of the world. He is very knowledgeable on the geography of peninsulas and also social customs of various countries. He also spent quite some time in Northland. Your Highness, you once complained to me that you did not know much about the world, so I believe Putray is a great candidate. He will be your vice diplomat as well as your instructor, and he will follow you on the way up north.

“Putray, this is the second prince, Prince Thales. His intelligence will surprise you.”

From his expression, the thin man, Putray did not seem like he was happy about this. Nevertheless, he lifted up his right fist and placed it before his chest and bowed before Thales.

“It is a pleasure to have the chance to learn from you… Putray, can I call you by your name?” Thales returned the greeting with a smile on his face.

“Of course, you are the prince. You can call me whatever you want.” Putray shrugged nonchalantly. He did not show any signs of excitement and respect in meeting Constellation’s only prince.

“Sorry, he has quite the odd personality, but I believe you will admire his scholarly knowledge and his rich experiences,” Gilbert laughed as he said to Thales. He was not even the least bit worried that his old friend’s irreverent attitude would bring about the second prince’s aversion.

Thales stared at the thin Putray, and then glanced at the highland boots on his feet. Thales did not show any emotions on his face, but he sighed deeply in his heart.

‘This is fate. It is him.’

That day when Quide went mad, the people of the Sixth House met a thin man wearing highland boots at Western City Gate, whose face was sour. He was unwilling to give them money. Hence, Ryan and Kellet decided to teach him a “lesson” by stealing the only card he had on him.

It was the pass for the Jadestar Grand Library.

At the time, Thales thought he was an abject scholar.

Thales rolled his eyes out of the others’ sight. ‘I am really sorry, Sir Putray. Your library pass is currently in one of the abandoned houses in Lower City District.’

Gilbert led him towards the next person.

This person was a young lad, who was about twenty years old with a sword fastened to his waist. His expression was firm and he had a tall, straight build. His face was normal, but he had a penetrating gaze.

Gilbert stared at the young man in front of him, his eyes were filled with complicated and unreadable emotions. “This is a candidate decided by both His Majesty and me, and he will serve as your attendant, no matter in Northland’s Eckstedt or after your return to Constellation. He just returned from the Tower of Eradication a few months ago—Wya Caso.”

Thales reacted to this immediately. He stared at Gilbert in confusion. “Caso?”

“Yes, I hope this will not bring about aversion. After all, it is nepotism… But, I can vouch that he was the only elite left after going through many levels of screening.” Gilbert sighed. “He is indeed also my son.”

The young man, Wya Caso did not spare a glance at his own father as he bowed respectfully before Thales. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Thales.

“My sword and intelligence will be used for you.

“For the rest of my life, I will serve you wholeheartedly.”

Thales felt slightly awkward. Was it really suitable for someone to use the phrase ‘for the rest of my life’ during their first meeting?

Despite that, he still nodded in response with a joyful expression. “I will rely on you throughout this journey then, Wya.”

Wya lowered his head in respect. “My life and my body are yours to use.”

Thales once again rolled his eyes in his mind.

‘Gilbert was obviously very good at socialising, but why is his son…

‘His son is a little… should I say, too serious, or is he just plain silly?’

Nevertheless, he could also feel that Wya was seemingly not on good terms with Gilbert.

A cold father and son relationship?

Gilbert sighed and continued to move forward with Thales.

This time, Thales did not need any introduction when he saw the figure underneath the cloak. He yelled out in astonishment, “It is you!”

The petite figure underneath the cloak turned around with her hands on her waist.

“Yes,” she replied in a carefree manner. Her response was not respectful or cold and callous, but it made people feel that she was genuine. “It is me!”

With his face devoid of any emotions (it appeared that he became this way after meeting his own son), Gilbert said, “You have probably met her before. Similar to Yodel, originally, she was one of His Majesty’s secret protectors. His Majesty specially transferred her—”

“Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean by transfer! Kessel can never order me around!” The cloaked lady who hid her face cut Gilbert’s speech off. With no trace of politeness, she walked towards Thales and stared at the dumbstruck prince. She patted his shoulder with her left hand as she pointed her right thumb towards herself.

“Brat, my name is Aida!”

“Aida?”

Thales was momentarily stunned. “Ada Wong [1]?”

*Thud!*

Under the sour expressions of Gilbert and the rest, Aida smacked Thales’ head hard!

She blew a whistle as Thales rubbed his head, grimacing in pain. “What ‘Wong’! I am not from the Mane et Nox Dynasty from the Far East… Listen closely, my name is Aida Laura Carter Gisele…”

Aida appeared to be encountering some obstacles. She could be seen desperately scratching her head for a few seconds.

Finally, the cloaked lady put down her hand powerlessly as she said in disappointment, “Haih, never mind, my name is far too long. Sometimes, I cannot even remember it… Just call me Aida, then.”

Thales was flabbergasted as he stared at Aida.

He felt that his serious outlook on life was refurbished.

However, this feeling of being knocked on the head… was very familiar.

A few familiar figures appeared before his eyes. He did not know how Jala and those few children were doing. He had only received some vague news from Morat.

Gilbert’s face became pale with anger. “Madam Aida, please be careful with your actions towards His Highness the next time around…”

Thales rubbed his head, which was gradually starting to ache less. He noticed that even though Gilbert was obviously dissatisfied, it did not seem like he was about to hold her accountable.

‘So, he also silently consents to her hitting a prince’s head?’

Aida said in dissatisfaction, “What is wrong again?! Do not tell me that I cannot knock his head. Back then, when I knocked Mindis’ head, even Keira did not dare to have an opinion…”

Thales froze as he noticed that Gilbert did not refute her statement.

‘Wait a minute.

‘Mindis? Keira?

‘Which Mindis in the royal family?

‘Keira. Was that the Royal Family’s supreme class expert, “Enemy of the Wolves” Keira Jadestar, who was around over two hundred years ago?

‘Her voice seems young, but…’

Thales lifted his eyes and looked at Aida. ‘How old exactly is she?’

Thales smiled with much difficulty.

“Madam Aida… Haha, you are really… you are especially lively.”

“You are right!”

Underneath the cloak, Aida seemed to be very happy as she punched her palm. “My entire family also says the same thing!

“It is because of this that they kicked me out!”

Thales did not even bother hiding it when he rolled his eyes.

Gilbert forcefully coughed to attract the attention of the people around the carriages.

“Everyone, if there are no problems, you can get to know each other and acclimatize yourselves with one another during your journey… I believe everyone knows about the aim and mission of this trip.

“If there are no further questions, we shall proceed into the carriages now. His Majesty and a few dukes are waiting at the Northern City Gate to send the diplomat group off,” he announced loudly.

Chora nodded and the thirty Jadestar private soldiers started busying themselves with their tasks.

Gilbert nodded towards Thales and sent him to his carriage.

The serious-looking prince’s attendant, Wya Caso, was staring at the peculiar looking Ralf with an unpleasant expression. However, under the gaze of Thales’ smiling face, he followed the Phantom Wind Follower and the second prince into the same carriage.

“Putray!”

Gilbert yelled at the thin man, who was boarding the carriage.

Putray turned around without any expression on his face.

The former Foreign Affairs Minister, Count Gilbert Caso, appeared solemn when he said, “I am handing over the prince and the whole of Constellation’s future to you.

“You have traversed more than half of the world, from the battle of Crystal Wall City, the Bloody Year, the Desert War, the Alliance Civil War, the Riot between Steel and Tree, to Eastern Peninsula’s Hanbol Inheritance War as well as the chaotic battlefield in Mane et Nox Regnum. You have seen numerous wars and chaotic battles. You know how brutal they were, and your current trip is to eliminate the threat of war on behalf of Constellation—”

“Enough!” Putray cut his old friend off.

This thin man still had a displeased look on his face, but his eyes were glinting with a bright light.

“I have already accepted it.

“It is just the same as twelve years ago.”

Translator’s Notes:

1. Ada Wong: A character from Resident Evil.

Chapter 80

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

It was early morning on the road towards the Northern City Gate in Eternal Star City. A troop of city defense team’s soldiers tactfully avoided a bunch of people standing in the vacant space ahead. They were also conscious in stopping other people from approaching the space.

“Be rest assured that I am not stupid enough to harm and kill the prince under the public eyes of the capital.”

The Guardian Duke of the Land of Cliffs Region, Koshder Nanchester, was seen standing tall and upright in the middle of the road. He shook off the snow that covered the Great Deer Antler symbol on his cape as he said coldly, “I just want to meet him.”

He stood in front of the continuous fleet of carriages and stared at the Jadestar Private Army, who had vigilant expressions on their faces while waiting for their master’s reply.

Gilbert got down from the carriage and looked over at the Great Deer Antler carriage as well as few protectors of the Nanchester Family, who were close by. He also noticed that there was another carriage with a Tricolor Iris Flowers symbol, stationed at a distant spot. He furrowed his brows.

“Sir Nanchester, if you want to see the diplomat group off, you can wait at the Northern City Gate… Stopping the diplomat group halfway is not the sort of manner the suzerain of a land ought to have.”

Koshder looked unhappy and he pointed towards the carriage a distance away. “I am not the only one. That Tricolor Iris Flowers brat is also here.”

Gilbert immediately pondered over the current situation.

Koshder shook his cape impatiently. “We all know that he is not some normal child even though he is only seven or eight years old. Pass the news to the second prince and let him make the decision.”

The voice of a young child could then be heard from the third carriage.

“It is alright, Gilbert! Let me handle this.”

Thales pushed the carriage door open and with the company of both the anxious Wya Caso and the guarded Midira Ralf, Thales walked towards Koshder with a calm, composed look on his face.

Koshder looked at the child with a perplexed gaze and stuck his chin out towards the direction of the roadside.

Thales inhaled deeply and nodded. He gestured towards his attendant and the Phantom Wind Follower before following Koshder to the side of the road.

“What kind of drama is this again?” The vice diplomat of the group and the prince’s instructor, the thin Lord Putray, got down from his carriage impatiently. It was as though his lovely morning had been disturbed.

Gilbert shook his head. “Internal struggle of the kingdom.”

“Why is it so peaceful?” Putray squinted his eyes and looked over at the two different figures—the Duke of the Land of Cliffs and the second prince—who were standing in the distance.

“Peaceful?” Gilbert glanced at his old friend with furrowed brows.

Putray pursed his lips and sneered. “It is so peaceful that I almost want to cry. You should go to the Eastern Peninsula, to Kirin Holy Capital. See the internal fights of the Chen Royal Family with the eunuchs and officials, who were given honorary titles in the Mane et Nox Dynasty. Of course, you have never been there, so it is normal for you to have such shallow knowledge and experience on this.”

Gilbert snorted resentfully as he could not seem to find a valid argument to refute Putray’s words.

‘Damned bard.’

Thales stared at the Duke of Great Deer Antler, who was wearing a hostile expression on his face while he pondered about the duke’s intention.

‘He must have some sort of motive for coming.

‘But we are already destined to be enemies.

‘I have to be vigilant.’

“I did not expect you to be the first person to come,” Thales said quietly.

Koshder snorted.

“I did not want to meet you before so many people… since Fakenhaz’s ridicules are very annoying.” The One-Eyed Dragon stared coldly at him. “Brat, I know you are very intelligent, so I will cut the nonsense. Listen…

“I do not like you. Never before has anyone dared to call me a hypocrite.”

Thales helplessly spread out his hands. “Then, what do you want me to call you? A liar? Deceiver?”

‘Or… skilled actor? The best actor? The leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Yue Buqun [1]?

Koshder ignored his words. The scar on his blinded left eye was hideous.

“Nonetheless, I can still abandon my prejudice. In the future, the Land of Cliffs Region can fully support you to be the supreme king and suppress those restless nobles as well as suzerains with ulterior motives. The Great Deer Antler will serve you as our master, and Jadestar will continue to be the Royal Family.”

Thales was momentarily stunned.

‘What?’

Thales’ brows wrinkled in confusion. “I thought the Great Deer Antler and I were already absolutely irreconcilable.”

However, Koshder still did not pay any attention to him.

“There is only one condition,” The One-Eyed Dragon said in an irrefutable manner.

Thales, who was frightened by the One-Eyed Dragon’s abnormal behavior, let out a sigh of relief. “As expected, you would never express goodwill to me for no reason.”

“War comes with a price, and victory comes with rewards [2].” Koshder narrowed his only eye. “This is Nanchester Family’s motto, spoken in our native language.”

The second prince lifted his head to meet the One-Eyed Dragon’s gaze.

“So, what ‘price’ do I have to pay in order to get your ‘reward’?” asked the extremely vigilant Thales cautiously.

“It’s very simple,” Koshder said in a strict manner.

“King Kessel has to step down from his throne, and you are to be crowned the king in advance.”

‘Step down… coronation…

‘Wha… What?’

Thales took an entire three seconds to understand what was just said.

Then, his face changed color due to agitation!

Koshder did not show any signs that he was joking, as he kept staring at Thales solemnly.

The two of them stared into each other’s eyes for a full five seconds.

“Ha, how dare you attempt to incite discord between the only father-son pair in Jadestar.” Thales laughed with his mouth wide opened. “Do you not know that the reason why I own everything I have now is all because of His Majesty… my father?”

“This is not an attempt to incite discord. This is a sincere suggestion and invitation.” The One-Eyed Dragon’s expression remained the same and his tone was serious.

“What we fear and hate is not Jadestar, or you. Our grudges are nothing when it comes to the kingdom. What we fear and hate is your father, the Iron Hand King.”

Thales stared intently at the One-Eyed Dragon with bright eyes.

Koshder was unprecedentedly serious when he continued speaking, “Why do you think the New Star was established? Do you think that Arunde’s actions entirely stemmed from his personal hatred and dissatisfaction? The suzerains were doing this out of self-preservation! In order for the families that have existed since the country was founded to this day, to continue existing—”

“Enough!”

Thales cut him off without a sign of hesitation.

‘What a joke, this degree of provocation…’

Thales replied coldly, “I can only see all of you persistently persecuting my father, and the Royal Family that is suffering. Questioning my identity, obstructing me from getting the power and authority I deserve—”

The One-Eyed Dragon’s suddenly appeared to be angry and cut Thales off with a loud yell!

He could be heard yelling, “Brat! If you can only listen to the story of the sorrowful king and the determined Royal Family, fed to you by the king’s partisan, you might as well dig both of your eyes out and only leave your ears to do the job!”

Thales was stupefied for a moment.

The One-Eyed Dragon lightly exhaled a few times before saying to him word by word, “You underestimate your father, the Iron Hand King and underestimate the fear he brings upon the whole of Constellation.”

Koshder slowly said, “Ever since the end of the Bloody Year, Kessel has become increasingly tyrannical. He is almost crazy about seizing power.

“From supporting the Duchess of Blade Edge Hill, who previously could only survive by relying on the Royal Family’s prestigious reputation to indirectly controlling the two great clans of the southwest, then moving up to control Piranha of the Kingdom’s Southwestern Coast and the wealthiest Sunflower.

“Then moving to breaking the rules and enlisting the Three Commanders as well as building the Royal Family’s regular army to an astonishing scale.

“After that, he weakened each suzerains’ Central Tax Bill, set up the Enlistment Bill, and greatly gave rise to the County Development Bill proposed by the new nobles.

“Not to mention his use of the National Conference, which is his favorite. He forced the suzerains to give in and hand over their power to the royal family by utilizing the pressure brought about by thousands upon thousands of public opinion. It was the same for the Desert War, and also the inheritance of the kingship. The combined voices of the suzerains during the Higher Parliament Meeting was useless. Only the king’s voice and the cheers from the plaza could be heard when the final decision was made.

“He even wanted to interfere with the inheritance of the Six Great Clans and Thirteen Distinguished Families.

“There were even traces of his involvement in the internal fight of the Covendier Family two years ago.”

Thales’ heart trembled.

‘What… is this?’

Koshder continued with a dark expression, “Do you really think that we do not care about Constellation’s survival, especially when no one is willing to send out their soldiers for the king even though war is imminent?

“Your father and his methods are too scary.

“If we let him do what he wants for another twenty years, he will completely swallow up the power, fortune, status, people and territories of all nineteen noble families… We can only surrender or be destroyed, or both… Constellation will return to imperialism! With the presence of such a king, how can we not be frightened, how can we not fight back, how can we not do our best to protect ourselves?”

Koshder’s only eye was flaming with rage and he took an oppressive step forward.

“You saw… The Northern Territory was forced to rebel, Blade Edge Hill had several parts of its territory become property of the Royal Family. The strength of South Coast Hill was greatly weakened due to its family feud, Eastern Sea Hill was so terrified they became cowards, Western Desert just barely managed to protect itself due to the importance of the Western Battle Line.” His gaze was stern yet solemn. “As for the Land of Cliffs Region, we do not want to resign to fate.

“New Star taking advantage of Eckstedt’s power in restraining Kessel’s royal power was the last method we could use besides taking up arms when we were forced to a dead end.”

Koshder clenched his teeth tightly together. “It was a small matter that we failed to succeed…

“But if Kessel continues to act willfully…”

Thales stared at the Duke of the Land of Cliffs in shock.

This was another version of Constellation’s current situation that he heard.

It was totally different from the version Gilbert instilled into him.

Koshder’s voice sounded mournful. “The Bloody Year changed him. Kessel became a true Emperor of the Empire. He wants to dominate everything in this nation.

“He treats every suzerain like his enemy and never shows mercy when he suppresses or schemes against them. He treats Constellation as his personal carriage, without controlling his usage of the horsewhip and spurs…

“People whom he can take advantage of will become bargaining chips whereas people whom he cannot take advantage of will be suppressed or eliminated. Those who obey him shall flourish, and those who oppose him shall perish.”

Thales was furrowing his brows tightly, recalling the few counts who questioned the king’s power when the National Conference had just started.

“This is not something good, regardless of it is for us suzerains or Jadestar, or even the whole of Constellation…

“If this continues, it will lead to a disaster sooner or later in this old nation!” Koshder gritted his teeth, his only eye gleamed as if there was lightning inside.

“You are heading to Eckstedt soon. This is not some good errand… But it will make you view Constellation from another perspective. Go and take a look at how the children of the Northern Wind and the Dragon see us.”

Thales lowered his head as he tried to calm his own breathing.

“Why did Tormond decide to rule with the suzerains? Was it not exactly because after two generations of tyranny, the Empire fell to its own final demise?”

Thales opened his mouth, but then, immediately swallowed the word ‘calamity’ back into his stomach.

He had a feeling that the end of the Empire was not as simple as ‘an attack from the calamity’, something which Gilbert claimed.

Koshder turned around coldly and tugged his cape tighter around himself. “If your goal is just to become a tyrant like your father, disregarding the possibility of Constellation’s downfall, just pretend that I did not tell you anything today.”

The One-Eyed Dragon stared at Thales with a complex gaze. Thales was already deep in thought. “But what you said the other day… If you really care about Constellation’s safety and stability, peace and prosperity… If that is your wish instead of only becoming the supreme king…

“Then, my suggestion is always in effect.”

Duke Nanchester spoke his last sentence before he turned around and left.

“Have a safe journey. Do not embarrass Constellation.”

Thales stared at the departing One-Eyed Dragon in a trance.

‘This person…’

This Koshder was totally different than the Duke of the Land of Cliffs at the National Conference, who coerced the king to appoint an heir.

Thales told himself, ‘No. These are all ruses from the other party. Their motive is to ruin Kessel’s image, to drive a wedge between me and my father…’

‘Also…’ A voice from a very long time ago sounded in his mind.

“Moving from a feudalistic country to a country that practices absolutism with centralized state power is a road that almost every European country has to take…”

Nevertheless, Thales still clenched his fist lightly.

He lifted his head to watch Koshder, who was walking farther away, and also at Zayen Covendier, whom Koshder passed by.

“I hope I am not interrupting you.” Zayen bowed gracefully.

Koshder replied coldly, “No. I will be perfectly satisfied if you stop being fooled by others, and stop thinking of me as the person behind the assassination.”

Zayen’s expression stilled as he watched Koshder walk into his carriage.

Thales, who was feeling a little faint due to how troublesome this matter was, sighed deeply. In a bad mood, he looked at Zayen and asked, “And what do you want?”

Translator’s Notes:

Leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Yue Buqun: A character from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. The original version provided by the author in English was “War comes in price as victory comes in trophy”, but it didn’t quite make sense to us, so we tweaked it slight.

Chapter 81

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zayen could be seen with a tranquil and calm expression on his face. “We just found out the truth about Vine Manor.”

Thales’ countenance remained unchanged.

After he went through what he did with Morat, he could also transform into the leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Yue Buqun.

Zayen gave the most perfect smile and continued speaking, “We interrogated the pawns of the gang at Vine Manor. I have no choice but to say…

“You played a good trick that day, Prince Thales.” Zayen cast Thales a ruminating gaze. “Even in a hopeless situation, you were still able to drive a wedge between the Blood Clan and Blood Bottle Gang in order to avoid being killed.”

Thales silently exclaimed in his heart, ‘He finally found out about this.’

But currently, his thoughts were messy and disordered. He did not have the mood and effort to deal with the master of Tricolor Iris Flowers.

Thales spread his hands indifferently. “I do not know what you are talking about.”

“Soon, you are going on a long journey… Be careful, the immortals are not easy to deal with.” Zayen placed his hands behind his back, his smiling eyes occasionally glinting brightly. “Before the Enemy of the Wolves and his Immortal Hunters Group fought their way up to the summit of Wild Vast Mountain, forcing them to sign the ‘Treaty of Subordination between Human Countries and Immortals’, on numerous dark nights, the immortals fed on humans.

“They must have been yearning for the taste of human blood till this day… They will always bring upon problems in the human nation…

“If you share a boat with a jackal and wolf, you will run the risk of having your boat overturned.”

‘This speech sounds so awe-inspiring and righteous… But since this is coming from your mouth…’ Thales scratched his head.

He sighed. “I return what you just said back to you, original employer of the Blood Clan.”

Zayen stopped smiling.

They stared at each other in silence.

Thales felt increasingly uneasy.

Zayen’s gaze changed and suddenly he was smiling again.

“Nonetheless, I indeed owe you a favor.”

Thales furrowed his brows a little.

Zayen laughed. “Thank you for the other day when you ran into that assassination attempt. Even though I know you were not thinking about being targeted in my place at all.”

‘Was he expressing goodwill?

‘What day is today? Why is everyone expressing goodwill to me?

‘Is today Children’s Day?’

“No need.” Thales was dispirited. “You have already repaid the favor by voting ‘yes’ to support me in inheriting the throne, did you not?”

However, Koshder’s words from earlier immediately circulated in his mind.

“The suzerains were doing this out of self-preservation!”

Thales suddenly lifted his head and stared bemusedly at Zayen. “What were you thinking? Why did you cast your vote on me? You do not seem like the type of person who would simply change your stance just because you are angered by betrayal.

“Even if a Jadestar becomes the heir to the throne under that situation, it does not correspond with your benefits as a suzerain, correct?”

Zayen stared at him for three seconds and then, slightly raised his brows.

“Who knows? Since I also did not have a chance under that situation.”

Zayen chuckled. “Maybe I was just thinking, ‘Compared to those cunning people, the prince who is naive and inexperienced, is a better heir for the kingdom’… because no matter what, you were more like a pushover that would be easier to control.”

Thales frowned.

‘Can these dukes speak in a way a normal human can understand?’

“Just kidding!” Zayen laughed out loud.

Thales rolled his eyes.

“But before you leave, Your Highness, I have a gift for you. Please do kindly accept the gift.” Zayen waved his hand lightly. “That day at Vine Manor, an old soldier of Starlight Brigade recognized you. However, it was because he did not utter a word that you managed to leave safely. Otherwise, what waited for you would have been… two supreme class knights.”

Thales’ heart trembled. He looked into the distance, at a man ridden with fatigue being roughly shoved into the Jadestar Private Army’s fleet of carriages.

‘Who… was that?’

Zayen patted his shoulder and gave him a mysterious smile. “You do not have to worry about him being my spy… Genard was once the Duke of Star Lake’s personal guard. He should come in handy.”

Thales had a skeptical look on his face.

But he once again remembered what Koshder said.

“The strength of South Coast Hill was weakened due to family feud…”

Thales muttered, “Duke Zayen, I heard that it has only been two years since you became a duke, right?”

Zayen furrowed his brows as he nodded. “Sadly, my father passed away two years ago. I returned from my travels in the Eastern Peninsula to inherit the title of the duke.”

Thales was careful in his choice of words. “It may be presumptuous for me to ask, but I heard that… it was due to family feud that the old Duke of Iris Flowers…”

Zayen lightly held his breath as he maintained a perfect expression.

“Yes, my few uncles were lusting after my father’s position. They used the excuse that my father was too oppressive to them… In the end, they became insane after they failed. So they made a risky move to pay a huge amount of money to hire an assassin and murder my father.”

Thales sighed. “So, is this the reason why you said ‘Eternal Star City does not welcome murder’ on that day?”

Zayen inhaled lightly and nodded. “This can be considered as one of the reasons.”

Thales fell into silence.

“There were even traces of his involvement in the internal fight of the Covendier Family two years ago…”

The prince recalled Kessel the Fifth’s methods and means while he asked in a puzzled tone, “Your Grace, was your father’s passing really due to internal strife, or is there another story behind it?”

Zayen was secretly astonished!

‘He… This brat…’

“What do you mean?” the young duke could no longer maintain his expression as he retorted with a grim expression on his face.

Thales did not notice Zayen’s expression. He lowered his head and continued to recall the possibilities of the Royal Family interfering with the inheritance fight.

“All nineteen noble families… will be completely swallowed up…”

The prince murmured, “Was there a deeper, more essential truth to the duke’s death?”

“In order for the families that have existed since the country was founded to this day, to continue existing…”

“For example, the unfortunate death of His Grace. Was it needed to protect the continuation of the family, to protect the future of the next generation so that they would not be subjected to external infringements?”

Thales lifted his head, and with a penetrating gaze, he tried to make out something from Zayen’s eyes.

“What do you think?”

In that very moment, it was as if something exploded in Zayen’s heart.

His heart raced and his breath quickened as he stared at the second prince in front of him with his eyes wide opened.

However, there was a storm raging in his mind!

‘Why did he intentionally mention my father’s death?

‘Continuation of the family…

‘The life or death of Iris Flowers. He is a part of the royal family, so he must know that the first Duke Covendier, who was Constellation’s first Chief of the Secret Intelligence Department and Chief of Intelligence, as well as the highest person in charge of “Operation World Cleansing” over six hundred years ago…

‘So…

‘The future of the next generation…

‘Covendier’s next generation… Was he talking about me or… Hille?’

The weather was freezing cold, but Duke Zayen Covendier, who had excellent self-restraint, broke out in cold sweat without even realizing it himself.

‘Damn it…

‘Regarding my father’s death, regarding that matter…’

Zayen clenched his fist tightly. ‘Regarding Hille’s identity… What exactly does he already know?’

The young duke lifted his head and stared at Thales with brilliant, shining eyes.

‘He is… threatening me.

‘Warning the Iris Flowers.

‘Damn it!’

Zayen’s breathing became chaotic without him noticing.

Only then did Thales notice Zayen’s ashen complexion and suddenly realize the truth.

‘Er… Did I step over the line by asking about his father’s death early in the morning?’

“Sorry.” Thales smiled apologetically. “I was being too presumptuous.”

With his eyes, he saw Zayen taking a deep breath and giving out a rare, forceful smile (smiling was normally nothing to him) that seemed submissive and obsequious.

Zayen felt bitterness in his heart, but he immediately closed his eyes and bowed down as he said with much difficulty, “No. Prince Thales, Tricolor Iris Flowers understands… understands your meaning. From this moment onwards, South Coast Hill is willing to serve and follow you without any complaints.”

‘Why did he bow down all of a sudden?’

Thales was shocked as he took a step back.

‘I did not say anything, why did he want to bow down to me… Also, he already understands what I was trying to convey?

‘His reaction… is very fast.’

Thales squinted his eyes in suspicion. “Sir Zayen, do you really… understand what I was saying?”

Zayen clenched his teeth tightly together.

‘Are you forcing me to make a promise?’

“What I said was whether that family feud was not that simple…”

“Yes! I understand!”

Zayen lifted his head abruptly and his eyes shone with resolve. “Covendier Family’s teachings are very clear: It is better to die for friends than foes.”

He stared at Thales in a serious manner. “I just figured out that you are right. If Iris Flowers wants to flourish more and more, we have to be careful in choosing our ally… For example, you, the only qualified Prince of Constellation, the bloodline of the kingdom.”

‘What is he doing?’

Thales furrowed his brows. ‘Did another person take over his body?’

But Gilbert’s voice came from a distance away—they had to leave now.

The second prince’s fleet of carriages rode into the distance.

But Zayen was still standing at the same place in a daze.

Ashford, his butler, walked up from behind him. He was just about to say something before Zayen stopped him by lifting up his hand abruptly.

He only took action when the fleet of carriages disappeared into a remote distance.

Zayen was breathing unevenly when he nodded. “Alright, even a vampire’s hearing is useless against such a distance.”

Ashford furrowed his brows a little.

There was something slightly wrong with his master.

“Did you manage to get anything?” Ashford asked carefully.

Zayen scrunched his brows tightly together as he nodded out of habit. “When I asked about the matter regarding the Blood Clan, he instinctively verified it.

“The vampires are indeed on the journey with them.”

Zayen let out a long sigh before he murmured, “He is indeed bold and fearless.”

Ashford replied respectfully, “Then we will just act according to our original plan, inform Blood Bottle Gang and start destroying his reputation…”

“No!”

Zayen lifted his head with a determined gaze in his eyes.

There was even a hint of resolve in them.

Zayen glanced at the direction of the fleet of carriages carrying Thales as he squinted his eyes and made a decision.

‘No one can harm Hille.

‘No one.

‘Not even the Kingdom’s bloodline.’

Zayen Covendier, the young Jade City mayor, Guardian Duke of South Coast Hill, the master of Constellation’s Six Great Clans’ Tricolor Iris Flowers, whispered to the butler beside him, “Send word.”

Ashford raised his eyebrows.

“Which side?” Ashford asked softly.

Zayen closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he slowly exhaled.

“That side,” Zayen quietly said.

Ashford did not utter another word.

He was waiting for the final confirmation from his master.

Zayen’s voice came through with much difficulty.

“You know which part to send those words to.”

Even though Ashford had doubts in his heart, he immediately understood what his master meant as he was good in observing others’ speech and behavioral patterns.

The old butler nodded and bowed before he left.

After a long while.

Zayen opened his eyes.

He mumbled to himself, “The Prince of Constellation, whom I voted for… You carry the fate of the two kingdoms on your back. You will decide whether we will have war or peace.

“At least, within the kingdom, probably none of Constellation’s suzerains dare to endanger your life, right?

“This is probably… what everyone is thinking.

“Just let it remain that way then.”

…

The carriage of the second prince arrived at the Northern City Gate.

From afar, Thales saw the piece of vacant land that the guards cleared. It was separated from the crowd, who came to watch the event.

The Supreme King of Constellation, Kessel Jadestar, was standing in the middle of the three dukes as he silently looked over at Thales’ side.

“I will send you off here, Your Highness,” Gilbert stood at his original place and said in a sentimental tone. “Be careful on your journey there. I will wait respectfully for your return.”

Thales turned around and looked at Gilbert.

“If you can only listen to the story of the sorrowful king and the determined Royal Family, fed to you by the king’s partisan, you might as well dig both of your eyes out and only leave your ears to do the job!”

Thales exhaled. “Thank you, Gilbert.”

Then Thales took a step back and bowed.

“Thank you, teacher.”

Gilbert was holding onto his staff when he lowered his head and sigh, but eventually he stopped uttering another word.

Thales exhaled. With Putray and Wya as company (it was better for Ralf to stay in the carriage with his appearance, though he did not know why the lively Aida did not leave the carriage), he walked off the carriage towards his father, who seemed to be a ‘tyrant’.

The three dukes bowed before him.

Thales also returned the greeting respectably.

The plump Guardian Duke of the Eastern Sea, Bob Cullen was huffing and puffing when he sighed in admiration. “Your Highness, although this is unfair to you, I still want to let you know that I am extremely gratified at your courage.”

Thales nodded absentmindedly. “It is what I ought to do as the Prince of Constellation.”

“Eastern Sea Hill was so terrified they became cowards.” Koshder’s version of Constellation emerged in his mind.

The Guardian Duke of the Western Desert, the horrible-looking Fakenhaz continued with his ridicule. “Hehehe, I once hoped that my son would be as outstanding as you, Your Highness, but after I took a look at the current situation, I decided to just forget about it… This is far too dangerous.”

Thales rolled his eyes in front of him.

“Thank you for your kind words,” Thales replied powerlessly.

“Western Desert just barely managed to protect itself due to the importance of the Western Battle Line.”

He walked towards the teenage girl.

Lyanna Tabark, the delicate and pretty teenage Duchess of Blade Edge Hill. She was staring at him with an icy expression.

“I think… we all know what kind of heavy burden we have to bear as the last person in the family,” she said softly.

“But it is exactly because of this that we get to become even stronger,” the teenage girl said bluntly.

“Blade Edge Hill had several parts of its territory become property of the royal family.”

Lyanna delicately touched the Blood Moon brooch pinned on her chest and whispered, “Your Highness, since you are leaving soon, I am going to present to you the Tabark Family’s motto.”

Thales was stunned for a while.

The cold, teenage girl bowed gently and enunciated her words clearly, “Only blood can sharpen the blade.”

Thales stared at the teenage girl in front of him, who was about fifteen or sixteen years old. He only came back to his senses after a few seconds and nodded his head solemnly.

“I will remember it with my heart and will never dare to forget it,” he replied.

*Thud!*

The king’s scepter struck the floor.

The three dukes—Cullen, Fakenhaz and Lyanna backed down at the right time.

Thales took a few steps forward and bowed lightly.

‘”You underestimate your father, the Iron Hand King and underestimate the fear he brings upon the whole of Constellation.’”

“You have met Keya,” Kessel the Fifth quietly said.

Thales nodded.

“Very good, then you already know exactly what kind of path that we… you and I, are walking on.” Kessel stared at him coldly.

‘”The Bloody Year changed him…”‘

Kessel sighed before he quietly continued, “We have enemies in every corner of this world. If you are not careful in your every step, disaster will fall on your head.”

‘”He treats every suzerain like his enemy and never shows mercy when he suppresses or schemes against them. He treats Constellation as his personal carriage, without controlling his usage of the horsewhip and spurs…”‘

Thales sucked in a breath. In Kessel’s eyes, he had a very determined gaze.

Kessel said slowly, “Head on your journey, young Jadestar. Bring honor to your kingdom and bring honor to your family.

“Live for Constellation.”

Thales lifted his head and once again nodded lightly.

Jines Bajkovic, who was standing behind the king, could not help but take a step forward.

“Brat.” The female official seemed a little awkward.

Jines eventually drew a deep breath and spoke, filled with complicated emotions.

“Remember to practice your sword skills.”

Thales gave her a smile. “Yes, Madam Jines.”

Putray and Wya bowed and greeted the king, with the latter saying a few words of encouragement. Thales knew that the time of departure had finally arrived.

However, at that very moment, an unexpected person walked to his side, holding onto his walking stick.

“Your Highness, when you reach Eckstedt, please help an old man like me to pass a message to an old woman.” With his hoarse voice and ugly smile, Morat Hansen spoke to Thales, who had a vigilant expression on his face.

With his bad impression of the Black Prophet, Thales asked dubiously, “Which old woman?”

Morat grinned. “You will know when you see her.”

Thales furrowed his eyebrows deeply.

On the city gate, which Thales was not paying any attention to, a masked figure slowly disappeared into the air.

And so, the carriage fleet with the silver Double Cross-Shaped Stars Flag and Nine-Pointed Star Flag erected on them, slowly departed all the way up to the north.

Thales leaned against the wall of the carriage and exhaled. “Wya, do you know why it seemed like everyone was bidding their goodbyes for the very last time when they said their farewells to me?

“Will King Nuven really kill me?”

He was not counting on Wya to reply him.

However, the second prince’s attendant, Wya Caso, who kept staring out of the carriage, gently rose his head. His face was filled with complicated emotions.

“Your Highness…

“During my time at the Tower of Eradication, my teacher once told me…”

The next second, Wya said something that made Thales’ eyes brighten up.

Until a long, long time after, Thales would still occasionally think of these words when he could not sleep at night.

Wya Caso whispered, “Treat every goodbye like the final goodbye, and treat every second of your life as though you managed to survive out of luck…

“That way, we will never waste our life.”

Chapter 82

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Your Highness! You are truly beloved among them! The people did not forget that it was Constellation and the Jadestar Royal Family that guaranteed them such a bountiful life.”

The speaker was Baron Limor. As the suzerain of four local villages, his castle stood at the point of intersection between those four villages. To the south, the Renaissance Avenue—which was situated in the Central Territory and was covered in yellow fallen leaves—could be seen. To the north, a panoramic view of the birch tree forest—unique to the Northern Territory—could be seen.

This was the fourth morning of their journey north to Eckstedt. They stopped a few times on their way to restock. If all went well, they would be able to enter the Northern Territory in the evening and reach Broken Dragon Fortress the following night.

Although Baron Limor was only over thirty years old, he was almost as plump as the old Duke Cullen. The Baron laughed to the point that his eyes could almost not be seen.

He spoke passionately to the second Prince of Constellation, Prince Thales Jadestar, who was surrounded by smiling members of the populace, “The people were looking forward to your arrival very much, and feel extremely honored. The continuation of the Jadestar Royal Family line is indeed a great show of love by the Sunset Goddess.”

Baron Limor stroked his belly and said with a smile, “I believe that in the future, under your rule, Constellation will become even more bountiful and blissful. It will become even more successful than it used to be!

“We are, after all, the descendants of the Empire!”

Thales walked along the clean, spotless village where even the mounds of snow were completely swept away. Maintaining the most standard of smiles, he waved at the people who were clad in bright and dazzling clothing.

Beside him, Wya, Chora and five Jadestar private soldiers anxiously separated him from the crowd. Aida followed behind them, and judging by the way she walked, it was obvious that she was in low spirits.

The head of the Jadestar Private Army, Chora, said with a serious expression, “It is best that we leave immediately, Your Highness. Staying here is really not a good idea.”

“He is right. Your duty is to serve as an envoy, not to conduct inspections. You are merely passing this place by.” Wya stopped a squire in his tracks.

Thales nodded and casually made a few hand gestures towards the distance, which no one could understand except for one person.

‘How is it?’

Looking at the prince’s hand gestures, Wya furrowed his brows.

Displeased, he looked towards the other direction of the village. As expected, Ralf’s figure appeared at a secluded place some distance away right at the perfect moment. Racking his brains, he made two hand gestures at Thales in reply.

‘At the back. Fake. All of them.’

‘Fake. Haih…’

Thales’ heart sank. He looked towards the child who was nearest to him. The child was about seven or eight years old—around the same age as him.

The child had a dark complexion, and was so thin that he was only skin and bones. He was dressed in obviously ill-fitting clothes. His tiny hands could not reach out of the sleeves at all. His eyes were filled with fear, and he was shivering. However, he deliberately forced himself to flash a fake smile.

A man, who was in the prime of his life and had an apathetic gaze, waved his rough and deformed hand with difficulty.

A shy woman with a scarf on her head wore a shirt and a skirt that did not match at all in terms of style. The style of her shirt was obviously closer to the ones that are trending in the capital city.

An old man who seemed almost sixty was wearing a comical-looking cape that looked like the ones used by nobles to shield themselves from the rain. The lower half of his body was dressed in thin, unlined pants. At a corner where others could not see, he shivered violently from the cold.

‘And… The spotless village with everyone lining up on both sides of the street to welcome me.’ Thales heaved a sigh and looked towards Baron Limor with a smile.

Did they think that he was an idiot?

‘So, there is a Potemkin Village [1] in this world too.’

“We should have finished restocking by now.” Again, Thales gesticulated at Ralf, which no one but he and Ralf could understand. He shook his head and said softly to Wya and Chora, “Let’s go.”

Wya even gave Ralf—who was a distance away and had a profound expression on his face—an angry glare. He then caught up with Thales together with Chora. He was the one who was supposed to be the second prince’s attendant!

Despite Baron Limor’s reluctance for them to leave, persuasions for them to stay, and his profusely gratuitous farewell, the carriage fleet of Constellation’s diplomatic group that was heading north towards Eckstedt prepared to set off.

“I thought you enjoyed that feeling of being supported by the multitudes.”

The vice diplomat of the diplomat group, Lord Putray, took out a tobacco pipe from somewhere and lit it. It produced a thick cloud of smoke which made people feel uncomfortable even just by looking at it. He puffed from it, and looked at the second prince mockingly.

“No, I would prefer to enjoy the kind of support that is undeceiving and simple, but is sincere.” Smiling, Thales took the water a guard passed to him. “And I would rather not watch as they are coerced by their suzerains to wear clothes that were prepared beforehand, force the most deliberate smiles, and tell me lies about their happy lives while lining up on both sides of the street for no reason at all in a village that has been swept beforehand, welcoming a prince that they do not actually like.”

Thales sighed softly, “How many people among them do you reckon are smiling, but are actually full of hatred for me, a prince who suddenly appeared?”

“Not even one.” Unexpectedly, Putray denied his words. “If you insist on finding some, it would probably only be that plump baron.”

Thales raised his brows.

Putray scornfully heaved out a mouthful of smoke. “Don’t think of yourself as too important, future king. In many people’s eyes, the Nine-Pointed Star does not even carry as much weight as an ear of wheat. Wheat can fill their bellies. What can the Nine-Pointed Star do? Oh, there are still perks to it.” Putray chuckled. “Take for example, their suzerain fed them a good meal and distributed some unwanted clothes to them so that they can welcome some heir of the Nine-Pointed Star who passed by with some semblance of decency.”

Thales’ expression was grave. Before entering the carriage, he had glanced at this village—which was on the border of the Northern Territory and the Central Territory—for the last time. He could not help but say, “This is the intersection point between Renaissance Avenue and the birch tree forest. The specialties of the Northern Territory and goods from the Central Territory both will pass by here. There is no shortage of land and hunting grounds, too. But the people here are still so poverty-stricken. Is it because too much of their pay is embezzled, or is it a problem with the land, or high taxes?”

Putray exhaled two smoke rings from his nose and said mockingly, “Let’s put it this way. Baron Limor is one of the vassals under Count Talon. He collects taxes and responds to calls for enlistment on the latter’s behalf. At the same time, the Talon Family is a distant relative and supporter of the Jadestar Royal Family. The exact reason why the villagers here are so poor is because the rulers of the territory are too patriotic and loyal to the kingdom.”

Thales was silent for a while until Wya interrupted his ruminations.

“Your Highness, that veteran kept refusing to leave. He is now still following us.” Wya pointed towards a limping figure behind them and sighed. “We have already passed by Talon Family’s Ice River City. I reckon that the food and supplies he has are not enough for him to journey back to Eternal Star City. Moreover, he does not have clothing that can ward off the cold. The further we go northwards—”

“In my opinion, we can hand him over to that baron. This way, we do not have to worry about him starving to death or dropping dead on the streets.” Chora ran his fingers along his red hair.

“You saw how he was like. I reckon that the veteran is not good at dealing with nobles. And the baron will probably send him straight into the dungeons.” Thales shook his head as he watched Genard’s stubborn figure a distance away.

“And he was, after all… the late Duke John’s personal guard. You can say that he is related to the Jadestar Family.”

Thales’ gaze sparkled. He thought of the late king’s younger brother in the burial room.

[Starlight God of War, Liberator of Zodra, Duke of Star Lake, John L.K. Jadestar, 613-660]

“Then let’s bring him along.”

Thales looked towards his vice diplomat in puzzlement. Lord Putray realized in frustration that the fire in his tobacco pipe had gone out due to the cold again. He fumbled around his pocket in a flurry. Wya sighed, took out a piece of flint and walked forward.

“In my opinion, to have the willpower to follow us for three days and three nights on foot—thank you, you are a lifesaver—if he isn’t the most loyal follower, he would be the most dangerous enemy.”

Putray lit his tobacco pipe and looked towards the end of the carriage fleet, which was where the carriage with coffin was. Scornfully, he said, “No matter which one he is, you have a reason to bring him along and place him under your observation and control. There are all sorts of creatures in your disorderly carriage fleet anyway.”

Thales furrowed his brows, pretending not to have heard Putray’s complaints about having the Blood Clansmen as travel companions. “A loyal follower and a dangerous enemy. I don’t feel like risking a bet on any of those two possibilities.”

Putray sucked in a mouthful of smoke with great force and closed his eyes in satisfaction. “It’s hard to tell. Sometimes, it is also possible that both apply.”

Thales rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“Your Highness, how about that veteran?” Wya asked probingly.

Thales contemplated for a while. Suddenly, he walked towards the veteran from the Starlight Brigade. Behind him, Ralf quietly followed.

Wya was stunned for a moment. He then immediately caught up with the second prince. At the same time, he glanced unhappily at the Phantom Wind Follower. After overtaking Ralf, he instinctively took a step forward and became the person closest to the prince.

Wya felt that his position as the prince’s attendant was seriously threatened by this silver-masked man who could only walk with the help of prosthetics.

For example, that sign language that only Ralf and the prince could understand, but not him, even though he was the attendant.

Thales shouted from afar, “Veteran! What is your name?”

Genard, who was hugging himself and shivering in the cold, raised his head. Seeing the Nine-Pointed Star embroidered on Thales’ clothing, his eyes brightened.

He recalled the scene that year, when that lackadaisical, middle-aged duke walked out of the barracks for the first time, and straight towards him.

‘Duke.’

“Ge-Genard,” he said while shivering.

“Still not willing to give up, are you?” Thales narrowed his eyes. “However, you know, it is impossible that I will let you follow us. You were sent here by Zayen Covendier, and I do not trust him.”

Genard was stunned. He immediately explained, “I am not from the same group as they are. I was captured by them… I don’t know why they want to send me here either—”

“But it has been three days. Why are you following me?” Thales cut him off and stared straight at Genard’s face. “Give me a reason to believe in you.”

Genard stared at Thales in a daze. ‘True. He is, after all, not the duke. He won’t believe in me.’

If it was the duke, he would probably have smiled mysteriously and tapped Genard’s shoulder. In an extravagant manner, he would tell Genard to collect a serving of food and leave after saying a few words, “I will be watching you.” He would then leave, reassured.

‘However, it was precisely because of this personality that the duke… that…’

The veteran of over thirty years old gritted his teeth and raised his head, “When I was brought here, along the way I heard those people bringing me here saying that you-you were going to Eckstedt to calm down the fury and hatred of the Northlanders with your own life?”

Thales stared at him and did not say anything

Genard hugged himself and said while trembling, “Please let me follow you. Let me follow the Nine-Pointed Star.”

Thales did not speak.

At the point when Genard was overwhelmed with anxiety, the second prince finally said slowly, “I heard that”—Thales exhaled—”you were once from the Starlight Brigade, and was Duke John’s, my grand uncle’s personal guard?”

Genard’s gaze dimmed. “Yes.”

‘And I let him down.’

Thales coldly said, “If it is out of loyalty for Star Brigade’s comrade-in-arms, you may go back to the capital city and continue serving my father, King Kessel.”

Genard’s face was covered in dust. As he gasped for breath with difficulty, he looked at Thales. “I have served him for twelve years in the capital city, but now, I have nowhere to go.”

‘True.’

That year, when the Starlight Brigade was disbanded, most people followed the captain to Broken Dragon Fortress and had three bloody battles with Eckstedtians. After the ‘Garrison Contract’ was signed, they continued guarding the border of Constellation in the bitter cold.

But he did not go. He wanted to stay and continue serving the Nine-Pointed Star and the Jadestar Family in the capital city. To atone for his sins.

But… Kessel…

Genard thought of his mind-numbing life in the city defense team, which went on for twelve years. He chuckled forlornly.

Seeing his expression, Thales heaved a deep sigh.

“Go and look for Chora, the one with the red hair.” Under Genard’s surprised gaze, Thales pouted. “Since you are a veteran, ask him to assign a position to you. The diplomat group cannot take in useless people.”

Shivering, Genard stared at Thales. The man shuddered violently. Two streams of tears flowed out uncontrollably from his eyes.

Thales was taken aback. This was the type of situation he could not handle the most. He immediately turned and left.

This time, Wya followed closely. He did not forget to glance at Ralf, but Ralf was staring at the veteran whose eyes were brimming with tears.

‘Another lost person… Just like me.’

Thales walked further and further away.

‘If he was John’s personal guard, if he participated in those battles, then he must had lived through the truth of the incidents behind the Bloody Year. Those truths that I want to know.’ Thales thought.

The second prince entered the carriage without saying anything. The carriage fleet continued its journey, exiting Renaissance Avenue and entering the birch tree forest which was unique to the Northern Territory.

The next evening, when the carriage fleet with the Double Cross-Shaped Stars flag hung on it finally reached the border of the birch tree forest, snow began falling ceaselessly. Everything around them was becoming silvery-white.

When they stopped to rest, Wya lit a torch from the bonfire started by the guards. He held it close to Thales, who was so cold that he was rubbing his hands. “Please pay attention to the temperature, Your Highness. From now onwards, unlike the capital city, snow not melting will become the norm.”

“You came here before?” Thales gratefully took the warm torch and emitted a hot puff of air.

Wya chuckled softly. “I didn’t just come here before. The Tower of Eradication is situated in the southwestern direction of the intersection point between Eckstedt and Camus Union, within the mountain range at the northern side of the Great Desert. At that time, the Desert War raged violently. The roads in the Western Desert were obstructed and I could only make a detour through Eckstedt from the Northern Territory to report for duty.”

Thales’ interest and curiosity was piqued. As he was about to enquire further, Putray walked towards them. “This year is a little colder than usual. Broken Dragon Fortress will only be colder than this.” Lord Putray scooped up a handful of the thin layer of snow on the ground. His expression became grim. “It is good and bad news at the same time.”

“How so?” Thales who did not know much about both the Northern Territory and Eckstedt, humbly asked the vice diplomat who was obviously experienced and knowledgeable, but was always blunt towards him.

“The good news is that the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter—which is weather exclusive only to the north—will come earlier than usual. No matter how good Eckstedtians are at battling during winter, it will be impossible for them to mobilize a large number of soldiers and form any sort of battle formations, or lay siege to the fortress in such weather where water freezes as soon as it is poured out. Their supply line would collapse from the bitter cold.”

Putray then said in a contemplative tone, “The bad news is, if Lampard wants to take down Broken Dragon Fortress, these two days would be his last chance.”

A chill ran down Thales’ spine.

Amid Wya and Ralf’s sullen expressions, Putray rudely snatched Thales’ torch and extinguished it in the snow. “Yes, my prince, Broken Dragon Fortress is not far away. If you still intend to prevent the flames of war and not just wander around enjoying the beauty of nature, you’d best hurry up and press onward!”

At that moment, the cloaked woman and secret protector, Aida—who had been in low spirits all the while—suddenly shuddered violently and sat up.

“That-there’s someone—” Aida stuttered while dusting off the snow on her body.

But she was immediately cut off.

“Enemy attack!” A distance away, a voice yelled loudly and furiously! It was the veteran, Genard’s voice.

Thales abruptly stood up. Wya, and Ralf—who was at his side—were even faster than him. One of them drew his sharp blade out of its sheath and the other shielded Thales behind his body.

“Chora!” Putray called calmly.

“Get into formation!”

As soon as Chora had furiously ordered, the thirty Jadestar Family’s private soldiers shouted loudly. Their swords left their sheaths and their shields formed a wall surrounding Thales. They formed the Starlight Formation that was renowned in Constellation.

But Thales, pressed between and protected by his attendant and the Phantom Wind Follower, looked around in bewilderment at the evening landscape of the birch tree forest.

‘Where are the enemies?’

In the next moment, he did not have to wonder anymore.

Indistinct figures suddenly appeared in a bizarre fashion behind almost every tree around them. There were at least twenty. A chill ran down Thales’ spine.

He had seen people abruptly appear in this manner before. It was like… glitching frames in animated movies.

As if they were facing a formidable enemy, the private soldiers of the Jadestar Family lit torches and passed them to a few key points within the round formation, providing a source of light. The flames illuminated their surroundings.

Figures dressed in luxurious clothing and armors (the two unexpectedly appeared at the same time on all their bodies) materialized one by one in the dim forest. There were both men and women, and every single one of them stood with tall, erect postures and were extraordinarily good-looking.

However, all of them were staring at Thales and his entourage coldly with sharp, piercing gazes, as if they were looking at prey that would most certainly die.

“Who are you?” Putray shouted calmly as he also whipped out his sword while holding a torch.

Under the surprised gazes of the Constellatiates, a graceful figure slowly walked forward elegantly and quietly.

It was a woman. It was the first beautiful woman Thales saw since he transmigrated. She was so beautiful she could still a person’s breath.

How do you say it… she was breathtakingly beautiful?

She was wearing a well-tailored, black, formal dress which brought out the shape of her body perfectly. Her face was gentle, she had silvery bright hair, and a pair of endearing purple eyes that seemed as though they were glistening with tears.

If placed in Red Street Market, she would definitely be an existence that only high-ranking individuals of a duke’s status could meet.

This adorable beauty whose age could not be determined, slowly parted her cherry lips. She, undoubtedly, had an endearing face. But at this moment, she spoke coldly like a robot.

“Ladies and gentlemen, good day. I am… Katerina Van Corleone. My enemies like to know me as the Weeper.”

Everyone’s breathing suddenly froze.

Thales immediately looked behind him towards the carriage with the black coffin in it. He was shocked and bewildered.

‘Corleone? Katerina? The Weeper? Isn’t that…’

But everything continued to unfold before him.

This beauty in black with an endearing and innocent appearance blinked her watery eyes, but her tone was bone-chillingly cold.

Her gaze became harsh, and she pressed her hands on her stomach before she slowly said, “Now, I order you all… to hand over my sister. And then all of you will sleep here eternally.”

Translator’s Notes:

1. Potemkin Village: Derived from a Russian, it is any construction built solely to deceive others into thinking that a situation is better than it really is. The term was originated from stories about a phony settlement built by Grigory Potemkin to impress Empress Catherine II during her journey to Crimea in 1787. (Source: Wikipedia)

Chapter 83

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“I reckon that this has something to do with those guests of yours who have unique diets?” Watching the setting sun a distance away, which was almost obstructed by the forest, Putray sighed and looked mockingly towards Thales.

But Thales did not answer him.

The prince forced himself to calm down amid the flurry and confusion of encountering an ambush. He gazed at the silver-haired and purple-eyed Blood Clan beauty opposite him who was dressed decently in black.

Katerina L.A. Van Corleone.

‘If I recall correctly…’ Thales gritted his teeth. ‘She is the current master of the Corleone Family and the Night Kingdom.

‘The Night Queen. Serena Corleone’s younger sister.’

Thales immediately realized. ‘But why would the queen of the strongest kingdom in the Eastern Peninsula, someone of such respectable status, humble herself and personally cross the sea to pursue and attack four political refugees of little power? Even if that person is her sister; someone who covets the Blood Ocean Throne. Something’s not quite right.’

“How do we fight against the Blood Clan?” Wya, the attendant, held a straight blade whetted to a single edge in his hand. He looked around grimly. “I have only heard about this from my teacher and had never put it into practice.”

The young attendant tried hard to maintain his composure, but from the sudden increase in his speech rate, he probably never thought that he would encounter the current situation after only having been by the prince’s side for a few days.

“Congratulations to you, then. Not everyone gets to have such a good opportunity for practice!” Putray, on the other hand, was calm. He carefully observed the Blood Clansmen around them whose gazes sparkled.

“Behead them or pierce their hearts. These are some of the very few effective methods, although some very strong Blood Clansmen can even recover from having their hearts damaged. Silver or sunlight will also weaken or harm them.

“During battle, you have to depend on these things. First, adequately steady footsteps, and second, the prediction of their body positions. Because you can never be faster than them.

“At the same time, be on guard. Just like Powers of Eradication, all Blood Clansmen who are above supra class have their own special power, and it is different for each one of them. When used in battle, they would often bring results that are completely out of the range of expectations.”

Wya nodded, pale-stricken.

A middle-aged Blood Clansman beside Katerina and looked like a commander, took a step forward. He had a staunch appearance, and his expression was aloof. His gaze was filled with coldness. “Mortals from the Western Peninsula, the honorable queen is waiting for your obedience. Hand over the traitors of the Night Kingdom, and we will be slightly more merciful in our attack.”

“Twenty-one of them. All of them are elites above supra class. At least three among them are supreme class.” Aida walked forward from behind Thales. Her voice was no longer lackadaisical like usual. Instead, it was grave and serious. “That uncle who was speaking, the young man to his left, and that queen who is dressed like the star of a ball.

the female secret protector put her hands on her waist and spoke grimly, “If we were to battle, prepare to suffer heavy casualties. If it really goes awfully, I can only prioritize protecting you and escaping this place first, brat.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the ‘young man to the left’ that Aida spoke of flashed a mysterious smile and looked at her. Dressed in luxurious red clothing and silver armor, he was a young Blood Clansman with brown hair.

“The one with the cloak is a supreme class. The others are not worth mentioning, Your Majesty.” The young Blood Clansman had sharp facial features. It was a shame that his pale face ruined that hardy look on him. Smiling, he bowed to his queen beside him. “Please, let me handle her.”

Katerina did not react. She just stared at Thales with a profound gaze, making the latter’s palm sweat despite such cold weather.

The middle-aged Blood Clansman said slowly, “Do not be careless, Simon. These are all soldiers. The might of the battle formation they worked together to form cannot be compared to normal adventurers.”

Simon chuckled softly. “Very funny, Hestad.”

“Soldiers? In this world, are there any soldiers that can compare to our Sacred Blood Army?”

‘Sacred Blood Army?’ Thales clenched his fists discreetly.

The words of the blond Blood Clansman, Istrone, appeared in his mind. “Even if your enemy is the Supreme King of Constellation, with the Sacred Blood Army’s support and protection, he will definitely not dare to make things hard for you.”

Katerina did not move at all, leaving her two commanders to negotiate. She only swept her pretty eyes across the crowd. Her gaze was filled with coldness.

All thirty Swordsmen of Eradication were elite fighters, but even so, many of them could not help but look to their leader, Chora.

“Calm down!” Chora sternly ordered, but he, too, was drenched in cold sweat.

“We never slacked during these four days when it came to patrolling and scouting, ensuring that there are no threats within the few kilometers ahead of and behind us.” Chora looked at the figures that surrounded them in the forest. In a low voice, he said with disbelief, “Vampires can only travel at night. How did they catch up to us?”

The middle-aged Blood Clan commander coldly said, “Watch your words, mortal. I do not want to hear that label anymore.”

Thales furrowed his brows. They came for Serena Corleone who was in the carriage fleet.

‘True. At this point of time, whether it is Constellation or Eckstedt, both have no reason to take my life. Even those ambitious schemers who are eager for war would at least have to wait until I leave the border of Constellation and enter Eckstedt. That way, my death would be able to better stir up the strife between the two kingdoms, forcing them to have no choice but to go to war.’

Thales glanced towards the carriage that held the black coffin in it with the corner of his eyes. ‘And Serena is still staying silent until now.’

“Chora, you do not have to lower your voice anymore.” Thales was contemplating whether to send someone to check on Serena’s carriage under such a tense situation. He could not help but let out a long sigh. “I can assure you that every single one of them can hear what we say.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Katerina’s gaze suddenly swept towards him! It made Thales so scared that his blood froze.

The seemingly middle-aged Blood Clansman, Hestad, exercised his waist and said nonchalantly, “We have waited long enough. Where are the traitors to the Night Kingdom?”

Thales’ breathing quickened, and there was already a storm in his mind.

“My dwear, ruthwess sister, you still came.” A familiar and childish voice rang.

Under everyone’s gaze, Serena Corleone—who looked only six or seven years old—stepped out of the carriage with a cold expression, accompanied by Chris and Istrone.

Katerina’s purple eyes stared fixedly at her sister.

With the appearance of the three Blood Clansmen, the Blood Clan warriors who had stood like statues began moving, as if coming to life. It seemed that many of them were surprised at Serena’s young figure.

Watching Serena’s appearance, both Hestad and Simon furrowed their brows. The former even gave Chris an angry glare.

On the other hand, beside Thales, Ralf glared vigilantly at Chris and Istrone. He had not forgotten the old grudge between them.

The seemingly young Simon smiled and said, “Looks like your injury is quite serious, Your Highness. You cannot even maintain the basic adult figure.”

Serena ignored him. Instead, she walked into the crowd one step at a time, and stood beside Thales.

Hestad coldly said, “Your Highness, I ask you, having committed the most heinous crime, to return to the Blood-Prohibition Prison and finish your remaining sentence.”

Thales’ heart jolted. ‘Committed the most heinous crime? Sentence? What sentence? Isn’t Serena the loser in the battle for the throne?’

He looked at the silver-haired loli.

Serena raised her gaze and cast a deep look towards Hestad. “Oh, my dear Count Hestad Correone, may I know if there are any changes to my sentwence?”

“The original sentence was a life sentence.” Hestad maintained a steely expression, as if he hated the little girl in front of him very much. “Due to your abominable escape from prison and your act of theft, the sentence has increased by ten years… so the sentence now is… A life sentence and ten years,” he said coldly.

‘Escape from prison and… theft?’ The confusion in Thales’ heart became stronger and stronger.

Beside Serena, at this moment, Istrone’s gaze became fiery, and he could not help but say, “Is there a difference?”

Katerina was still glaring at Serena with a ferocious gaze.

“Hestad, Simon, Luke, Dinnie, Bruton, Isaiah and Sarzo…” Serena looked around and pouted. “You have bwought awong almost half of the power of the Corleone Family within the Sacwed Bwood Army. Are you not afraid that the situation within the kingdom will become unbalanced? The archdukes from the other six families who are waiting for a chance to cause trwouble?”

A look of disgust appeared on her alluring face at that moment, and Katerina said slowly, “If I can capture you and bring you back, I will not be scared.”

Thales sighed sadly.

‘Why is my luck always so horrible?

‘At this point in time, we can only negotiate. What they want the most is Serena, and their biggest disadvantage is that they are in a foreign land. Therefore…’

However, as per usual, Thales’ horrible luck took effect before he could react.

Serena scornfully said, “Hmph, crybaby, why don’t you give it a try?”

The expression on Katerina’s lovable face immediately became cold!

‘This is not right!’ Thales furrowed his brows. He turned his head and looked at Serena, ‘Is this old witch… recklessly and blindly provoking the opponent? In this type of situation… Has she gone crazy?’

A fierce look appeared in Katerina’s eyes. Again, her voice became an octave lower, “As you wish, ugly-faced woman.”

This time, it was Serena’s turn to change her expression.

The next moment, Queen Katerina Corleone raised her dainty chin. Her purple eyes shone with bewitching colors as she surveyed the members of the diplomat group.

She gently parted her cherry lips.

“My chevaliers and knights…”

Thales shuddered violently. He immediately raised his hand and loudly cried, “Wait a moment!”

But a fierce look appeared in Katerina’s eyes. That alluring voice called out, harboring the cold intention to kill. “Kill them all!”

Thales’ just opened his mouth wide.

‘No. Wait.’

The three supreme class Blood Clansmen opposite him were still standing in their positions, but the eighteen Blood Clan figures around them disappeared behind the groves in the blink of an eye.

“Starlight Formation, prepare to engage!” This was Chora’s furious roar!

Before Thales could shout his remaining words, he was pushed face down onto the snow by Ralf and Wya with one hand each, their expressions changed drastically.

The next moment, Thales—whose face was buried inside the snow—immediately felt that the once quiet birch tree forest suddenly rang with countless explosions, like oil on a hot pan!

Numerous sounds of weapons slashing and shields colliding rang out.

The sound of flesh being ripped open by sharp claws and the sound of blood spurting out as arteries were ruptured travelled into the air. The heavy sound of bodies falling onto the ground and the dragging sounds of things rubbing against the snow rose into the air. Anxious cries, nervous reminders, indignant roars, and pained cries shot up. The whistling sounds of the Blood Clansmen’ figures going back and forth…

All those sounds reverberated through this sparse forest at the same time.

Thales spat out a mouthful of snow. He was lying face-down on the snow, then raised his head with gritted teeth amid the panic and anxiety.

*Swish!*

Wya’s single-edged blade sliced past like a ray of cold light, shimmering in front of Thales’ eyes and forcing back a Blood Clansman who had broken in through a gap.

Ralf activated his psionic ability in a great show of cooperation. Strong wind billowed ceaselessly and blew the enemy far away.

Aida’s figure leapt through the air, and the Blood Clansman’s head immediately flew off.

However, this was only the scene beside Thales.

Under the protection of the people surrounding him, Thales turned his head and looked around. His pupils immediately dilated.

At other places, the Jadestar Family’s private soldiers were facing the danger of complete annihilation. Blood splashing, severed limbs falling off, heads flying off. The soldiers’ blades were dyed red. Bodies fell on the ground helplessly. Soldiers were dragged out of the defense line by the Blood Clansmen.

‘No.’ Thales opened his eyes wide. It was not that he had never witnessed battle, but this was the fastest he had ever witnessed of one side dominating the battle so quickly in this chaotic fight.

In more than ten seconds after they engaged in battle, among the thirty members of the Jadestar Private Army’s battle formation, eight or nine people had already fallen!

The Blood Clan warriors’ figures continuously appeared and disappeared in the air. Every time they moved, it signified the execution of an extremely dangerous attack.

“Too fast- Careful, calm down!”

*Tear—*

“Ah… my hand!”

*Clang!*

“The top of your head… watch out for the top of your head!”

*Bang!*

“This is… right in front… unh!”

*Ding… Clang!*

“They’re on the left!”

*Clink clank!*

*Swoosh—*

“Damn! Quickly, drag him back!”

*Bang!*

“He can’t be saved already… watch out for your back!”

*Clang!*

“No! Don’t you dare!”

Chora was at the forefront, defending the formation. He formed a rounded formation with the soldiers flanking him. Gritting his teeth, he swung his sword at a Blood Clansman who suddenly appeared. However, the blade of the sword only cut through the air and did nothing.

He roared at the top of his lungs, loud and angry, “Hold your shields properly and stabilize the defense line! Be careful of the attacks aimed at the top of your heads!”

But it was useless. A soldier beside Chora held out his shield and blocked an attack for Chora.

At the same time however, sharp claws appeared from the other side and swiped at him swiftly, scratching the soldier’s throat open.

Blood splattered out. Chora could only roar furiously to no avail, with a heart full of discontent and indignation.

Jadestar Family’s private soldiers tried their best to maintain the Starlight Formation. They originally intended to control the Blood Clan Warriors—whose movements were like those of a phantom and had astonishing speed—through perfect coordination in battle. However, ironically, in this battle, the ones who cooperated the best were the Blood Clansmen.

There were eighteen Blood Clansmen, eighteen figures comprised of both men and women. They were systematically divided into six groups and attacked the Jadestar Private Army’s Starlight Formation from six directions.

One person would feint an attack while another created a disturbance. There the third person who waited patiently for the right moment would deliver the fatal blow, ripping out throats or chopping down heads.

If the first person was accidentally hit by the sword and got injured, that person would immediately switch positions with the second person. The second person also frequently exchanged duties with the third person. They maintained the continuity of their attacks and did not relent at all, putting huge pressure on the defense line at every moment!

Not a single Blood Clansmen hesitated, said too much, backed away, or paused in their movements.

Thales thought fearfully, ‘Compared to the blood slaves we encountered and whom could not reason nor cooperate at all, these are… the true elite warriors in the Blood Clan, the Scared Blood Army? Only supreme class elites like Chris and Aida can hold their ground in this chaotic fight, and even kill some of them.’

The cries of another soldier rose into the air.

‘No. This cannot continue. Why? Why was her order to “kill us all”? Why was it not “hand Serena over” instead?’

Thales turned towards Serena and said angrily, “We could have solved it through negotiations!”

However, Serena only stared back at him coldly. “What she said was to ‘kill us all’.”

The casualties among the soldiers were still increasing. When he saw Jadestar Family’s private soldiers fall one by one, Thales’ blood froze. However, at the moment when more and more casualties appeared, a furious roar blasted from out of nowhere.

Chapter 84

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Abandon your shields!”

Many warriors stared bemusedly at the person who gave the command.

It was Genard, that former soldier of Starlight Brigade.

“Believe me! Starlight Brigade had also once fought against the ‘mercenaries’ of the Grand Banquet Hill!” Genard yelled at the top of his lungs while fighting at close quarters.

The old soldier of Starlight Brigade could be heard using a voice louder than Chora as he roared, “Give up on Starlight Formation and abandon your shields! Stay close to each other!

“Stick your legs to the closest person to you and do not look at it with your eyes!

“Hold your sword with both hands and strike at the direction of the tremors!

“Do not use up all your strength in striking, and also, ensure the flexibility of your attack!”

Chora turned around and looked at Genard in confusion.

While he hesitated, another soldier had his abdomen torn apart.

“Do not hesitate and act according to his instruction!”

The old butler of the Blood Clan, Chris Corleone took down a Blood Clan Warrior in midair. He had a deep wound on his side where his flesh was clawed out by another warrior. Despite that, he still wanted to tear out the other party’s heart, regardless of the warrior’s furious cries. He could be heard saying coldly, “You are facing an army with the least number of people, but the richest experience in this world!

“The Sacred Blood Army!

“Many of them have already fought a few hundred years worth of battles!

“The old, classic battle formation is not useful in this situation!”

“Alright!” Chora was still hesitant, but Putray blocked off a blow with much difficulty as he angrily roared, “We are going to be all dead in a minute anyway, just listen to that fellow for once!”

*Dong! Dong! Dang!*

Jadestar’s private soldiers threw down their shields and placed their legs against each other’s, just as Genard had instructed.

They held their swords with both hands and regrouped once again to form their formation, no longer believing in the sights they saw.

The result was instant.

The casualties were immediately reduced.

The Blood Clan’s Swift Phantom Attack used by groups of three could not exhibit its previous effect after the Jadestar soldiers had a more stable battle formation. The soldiers were also more flexible after they abandoned their shields. In contrast, Jadestar’s private soldiers started to attack more effectively as they struck back, relying on what they sensed through the vibrations instead of relying upon their visions.

Simon furrowed his brows from afar. “They have an experienced soldier with them.”

Hestad stared intently at Chris’ figure. “Also, do not forget about Chris. That fellow was once a part of the Sacred Blood Army.”

“It is time for us to attack.” Simon turned to his queen. “We already have four casualties.”

“No, fighting is one thing, but war is another.” Katerina shook her head while she remained expressionless. “Even a supreme class expert may not be able to remain entirely unharmed in a chaotic battle with over fifty people.

“We still have to deal with those two supreme class fellows.

“I would rather be a little more conservative. Also, there is no need to waste your strength.

“After all, we are stepping on strange land.”

Katerina muttered, “Besides, we have to protect that thing all the way back to the Eastern Peninsula.

“The relatives of Grand Banquet Hill have been drooling over it for a very long time.”

Thales breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that the surrounding battle was not as devastating as before. However, Serena, who was beside him suddenly tugged on the corner of his shirt.

“You want to stop this battwe, wight?” Serena smiled mysteriously.

Serena pointed at Katerina, who was a distance away from them. “It’s simpwe, just give that cwybaby a suwpwise attack.

“Chwis can awso hewp and we have a warge cewtainty of success.

“Then we can just sit down and negotiate.”

Thales was huffing and puffing when he glanced at Serena before switching his gaze onto Katerina.

‘Save our surrounded allies by attacking the home base of the besiegers?’

Even though Thales knew that Serena had fused some of her personal grudges in her scheme, he also knew that this was probably the only possible method.

A soldier collapsed as he panted.

He did not hesitate for another moment longer.

“Aida!” Thales roared furiously and stared at the cloaked figure in front of him, who was still fighting with ease. “Take down the queen!”

Aida understood what Thales meant.

“My job is to protect you!” Aida replied coldly.

Thales roared without a sign of hesitation, “Our people are hurting and dying! Stop them!”

Aida glanced at him as she pursed her lips under her cloak.

“Please!” Thales stared intently at his supreme class protector.

Aida snorted lightly.

Within the next second, the secret protector could be seen pulling out a skillfully crafted machete from underneath her cloak. With the help of a birch tree beside her, she leapt into the air.

Then, she flew towards Katerina!

The exquisite machete drew brilliant patterns with its blade. As though it could tell the future like those fortune tellers and prophets, it struck three of the Blood Clan warriors who came forward to intercept her path.

Aida broke through the obstacles and continued to charge towards Katerina.

However, one strong arm appeared out of nowhere and seized Aida’s right shoulder.

“Madam!” Simon, who suddenly appeared laughed joyfully. “You are my—”

Yet, before he could finish speaking, he felt Aida’s shoulder sinking before she immediately broke away from his grip.

Simon’s expression changed.

‘Such nimbleness…’

Before he could finish his thought, the cloaked secret protector somersaulted in the air and held onto Simon’s arms, while she flipped with agility onto his shoulders!

There was not enough time for Simon to be startled. He turned around at lightning speed and attacked with both of his claws as his body moved in a flash.

However, Aida’s body was twisting and moving like a flexible, boneless snake. Even with all his strength, Simon only managed to grasp air.

Aida stepped onto Simon’s shoulder and borrowed his strength while he was turning to leap into the air effortlessly. Then, as if she was just passing through obstacles, she headed towards Katerina without difficulty.

Simon’s expression turned extremely dark. Someone had passed him by, and he had not been able to stop her even for a second.

Even Katerina furrowed her brows when she saw Aida’s set of movements.

Her nimbleness was definitely out of the ordinary.

‘The second supreme level expert.’ Hestad Corleone had a serious expression on his face when he appeared in front of Aida.

‘That cloak… She may not be an ordinary supreme class fighter,’ he thought.

However, regardless of how nimble the person was, before the Blood Mist projected by the Blood Image Dance…

Hestad let out a grim laugh as her body started to become blurry.

However, his facial expression immediately changed the next moment!

It was because, without his knowledge, the Blood Mist was formed from the Blood Image Dance of another Blood Clan member twisted and twined around his whole body!

Serena’s old butler, Chris Corleone silently appeared behind Hestad and grabbed his throat with a tight grip.

“Chris!” Hestad roared furiously. He immediately turned around and broke away from the other party’s grip. He thrust himself towards Chris’ heart with one of his claws.

It was as if the two supreme class Clansmen were teleporting about. They would suddenly disappear from the ground and reappear on the trees, mid-air and then, on snowy ground. Their every appearance was accompanied by an extremely dangerous clash of fists.

“Hestad, my old friend!” Chris replied with his face devoid of any emotion. “We had such memorable old times.”

The two Blood Clansmen suddenly transformed into mist together, and like two tornados intertwining with each other, they swept towards the horizon.

Aida’s pathway towards Katerina was no longer blocked.

Thales thought in his heart, ‘If Aida can subdue Katerina, or even gain the upper hand in the battle… then… There is a chance.’

However, in the next second, Thales felt Serena, who was beside him, gently embracing his waist like a lover.

“This way, no one can disturb you and me anymore,” she softly said.

Thales had been paying full attention to the situation, and he was just about to impatiently shake off this nonsensical, old witch… when his brain suddenly registered something.

‘Serena. Anymore… shouldn’t it be anymwo?’

‘Why did she stop lisping all of a sudden?’

Thales swiveled his head in astonishment while he stared at Serena in disbelief.

Lady Serena Corleone, who had silver hair and red eyes stared at him with a smile on her face. “You noticed the moment I let the cat out of the bag?

“You indeed are my ally.

“I can finally speak normally. It was extremely exhausting for me to put up this act for the past month.

“You are too smart, little sh*t.”

Thales’ brain blanked out as he stared at the situation before him.

What was going on?

Before he had enough time to make sense or process the situation, he fell and lay upon the snow-covered ground, unconscious.

In the chaotic battle, Ralf used a hidden blade to fight off a Blood Clansman as he continued walking with his sore knees—he was unaccustomed to the pair of prosthetics.

At this very moment, Ralf, who was exceptionally sensitive towards wind, furrowed his brows.

He turned around and saw a single carriage among the fleet of carriages suddenly moving.

The horse that was pulling the carriage started to run like it was startled.

The carriage moved into the distance.

Ralf squeezed his eyebrows tight together. He recognized that it was Serena’s carriage.

‘What is going on?’

He turned his head around, wanting to inform the other people.

But he immediately came to realize that he was mute.

Ralf sighed helplessly.

At this very moment, a strange, round ball suddenly fell out from Istrone Corleone’s sleeve in the midst of the chaotic battle.

The rolling ball was covered with strange patterns and characters.

Putray, who had good eyesight, noticed the ball.

His expression became extremely sour.

“Everyone, get down!”

Everyone was momentarily startled.

Putray angrily roared, “It is a wizard’s Alchemy Ball!”

Only Wya’s expression changed drastically. He subconsciously wanted to throw himself on Thales.

He turned his head around but he could not see Thales’ figure in the chaos.

‘Where is the prince?’

Extreme worry rose from the bottom of his heart.

The next moment, a violent light and explosion spread out from the center of that ball.

…

When Thales woke up, he found himself on a speeding carriage.

He immediately recognized that it was Serena’s carriage. The carriage was loaded with a black coffin. This was due to the fact that he was leaning against that folded black coffin.

Thales struggled to lift his head up, but he found that his hands were tied together behind his back.

The prince stared at the front section of the carriage in bewilderment.

Serena Corleone was holding a horsewhip at the front, and she smiled at Thales creepily.

“What is going on?!” Thales questioned her in surprise and fury.

“Do not worry, my ally.” On the other side of the carriage, Serena, who had ulterior motives, was smiling as she stared at him. “The most wonderful part is just about to start.

“It is time to reverse the situation.”

The young girl, who appeared to be about six or seven years old, grinned. “My road to regain my position.”

Suddenly, her expression changed as she spat unhappily.

“They are so fast in catching up.

“As expected of the grudge-harboring crybaby.”

‘What?’

Thales was still trying to make sense of everything in front of him.

*Thud!*

As if the roof of the carriage was ruthlessly smashed by someone, the whole carriage suddenly shook.

Thales swayed so much due to the vibrations that he toppled over.

However, an even stronger vibration shook the carriage after that!

‘This is?’ Thales stared out of the carriage, shocked and confused.

The horizon became more visible as the sun continued to set.

*Bam!*

The carriage suddenly hit against a birch tree and overturned on the snow-covered ground.

The collision caused the dizzy Thales to be bruised all over the place as he fell inside the carriage.

He shook his head and clenched his teeth while he struggled against the rope, which tied his hands together—he could not reach JC’s dagger at the side of his waist—like a caterpillar in the damaged carriage, he tried to wiggle his way out.

“You have gone too far, what sort of enmity do you have with these two horses?” Serena’s childish voice made its way into his ears not too far away.

Thales flipped himself out of the carriage with strenuous effort and fell onto the snowy ground.

He was immediately lifted up by a strong hand.

Thales raised his head and saw that Rolana was the one who grabbed him. She stood beside Serena and stared into the opposite direction like she was facing a formidable enemy.

There stood Queen Katerina Corleone, the Night Queen, the Weeper. She was staring at the three of them with a frosty expression on her face.

“You can never escape even if you cause chaos.

“With your current injured and unrecovered power, you are simply not my match.

“This farce is over. Hand over the Dark Night Black Coffin and come back with me.” Katerina’s gaze was sharp as she stared at her older sister, who appeared as if she was just six or seven years old. Her face was full of enmity and hatred. “Continue to atone for your horrible and ugly past.”

‘Horrible and ugly past?’ Thales looked at the adorable Serena, who was still blinking as coldness crept upon his heart.

‘What is horrible and ugly?

‘What past?’

“Oh, I do not know what crime I committed.” Serena did not seem worried at all as she giggled. “I only ever do the right thing.”

“The right thing?”

Katerina repeated Serena’s words without any emotions reflected on her face.

However, Thales could feel that the Night Queen’s mood became even worse.

For the first time, the cold Katerina had hatred and burning anger radiating from her eyes.

“Is that so? This is what you think after spending two hundred years sitting locked up in the Blood-Prohibition Prison?

“The patricide, Serena Corleone.”

Chapter 85

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Under the setting sun, a suffocating, dark veil of fog floated around the place in a spot somewhere in the snow-covered land.

Aida performed a cartwheel and somersaulted continuously in the air before she eventually landed on the ground.

“Hey, you saw the explosion just now too. The people from both sides were scattered by the explosion! There’s fog in the area as well!”

Watching the thick black fog that filled the whole sky, she raised her exquisite machete—which was engraved with beautiful patterns—in dissatisfaction and yelled loudly to the direction behind her.

“Can you all not be so annoying? Let’s return to our respective homes, can we?”

A figure appeared in a flash, bringing along the fog around him.

The supreme class Blood Clansman, Simon Corleone, emerged from the air. His face was filled with coldness.

He said in a deep voice, “Sure. But before that, someone among us must fall first.”

The seemingly young Blood Clansman disappeared in the blink of an eye!

Aida stomped her foot in irritation, swinging out her machete in one swift motion, like flowing water. The blade of the machete clashed against sharp claws.

*Cling! Clang! Cling! Clang! Bang!*

Within a second, five sparks shot up into the air.

Aida asked furiously, “Do you not understand human language?! All I did was somersault over your head!”

The secret protector elegantly performed a forward flip, as if she was performing a splendid dance, and dodged the Blood Clansman’s attack.

But the wind roared. Utilizing his absolute advantage when it came to speed, the Blood Clansman caught up with Aida’s dream-like movements.

“Somersaulted over my head? You just insulted a Blood Clansman’s honor. Please wash off this humiliation you have caused with your blood.” Simon’s face was filled with murderous desire as he appeared in front of Aida.

Aida sighed, “So you’re another extremist who is doing things for the sake of honor, dignity, and some other nonsense.” She massaged her neck, exercised the joints in her entire body and spoke in resignation, “Alright, with my experience, I will have to get rid of you first before I can leave.”

Fury burned in Simon’s eyes, “Ah, it seems that it is very hard for you to understand this kind of fixation, woman. Forget about the fixation of a powerful person. You have neither the dignity nor the pride of a powerful person. How exactly did you get to supreme class?”

“Cut the cr*p.” Aida exhaled beneath her cloak and threw her machete towards the sky, nonchalantly catching it with her other hand.

“Reveal your ‘True Form’, you blood-sucking little shit,” Aida laughed softly as she spoke.

Simon’s expression changed, overlooking the fact the Aida called him a ‘little shit’.

The seemingly young Blood Clan count said coldly, “Who would have thought that you would know about the Blood Clan’s ‘True Form’? It seems that you have encountered supreme class Blood Clansmen in the past.”

Aida raised her exquisite machete and her lips curled up into a confident smile. “Hmph, inaccurate. To be specific, I slaughtered supreme class Blood Clansmen before.”

Simon’s pupils contracted.

Aida whistled and kept smiling as she spoke, “They were even in their ‘True Forms’. Two of them.”

The moment she finished talking, Simon roared furiously. In the blink of an eye, his claws produced countless afterimages, sealing off all possible escape routes from all directions around Aida!

“Die!”

Within the fight—which could not be seen clearly with the naked eye—the clash between metal and sharp claws produced loud crashing sounds!

It then merged into one massive sound.

*Boom!*

It occurred together with a blinding light. Aida grunted. As for Simon, he roared in pain. The two figures separated from each other in the air and landed on the ground.

“Who would have thought that this blade was blessed by the Sunset Goddess.” Simon’s expression was cold.

He looked at his claws which sizzled with white smoke, as if they were being burned. He clenched his fists tightly, gathering the blood in his entire body to his hands. Worn skin fell off and new flesh grew. The injury was swiftly healed.

Simon then raised his head and looked in the direction across himself. There, the cloak that covered Aida’s head and face had been torn apart down the middle and fell on both sides of her head, revealing her appearance fully.

Upon seeing her appearance clearly, Simon’s entire body shuddered!

He was slightly stupefied at first, then he threw his head back and laughed loudly, “I was wondering how it was possible that such an elite would be among mortals. It turns out that you are not a human after all.”

The young Blood Clansman stared at Aida. He stared at her intricate face, smooth profile, silver irises, hair that was almost pure white, and the pair of sharp ears that swayed slightly. Aida stared back at him coldly.

Simon’s hands changed form once more into claws, with a degree of sharpness comparable to divine weapons.

“You are not a mortal, and neither are you an immortal.” He flashed a hideous smile. However, there was extreme wariness in his heart. “You are an eternal being —an elf.”

…..

In the forest, shrouded in fog, a voice called out to him. It was his teacher.

“Be careful, Wya… Be careful. Your Power of Eradication is not a Classical Power that has been tested by our predecessors over a long period of time. It is a modern product, and it has not even been a hundred years since its appearance. After an unfortunate rebellion, the Tower of Eradication gained new enemies. The scions were aware that to fight against this type of enemy, we need to reform our powers. We had to reform our Powers of Eradication which had originated from the Northland Military Sword Style. They were then developed from the legacy of knights who had incorporated the fighting techniques of various races like the Nedaneses, the Crimson Earthlings, and the Far Easterners. And finally, the powers became fully-formed during the Battle of Eradication.

“Hence, over the last hundred years, under the unremitting and intensive study of a few generations of scions, this new kind of Power of Eradication was born according to the needs of the times. The power you possess is a product of this reformation…

“Compared to the Powers of Eradication that had circulated for thousands of years and are extremely well-known—the Thawing of Glaciers, the Sword of Baptism’s Death, the Glory of the Stars, and the Pegasus’ Music—it is still far from perfect. What it would bring to those who possess it is still completely unknown.

“However, just like what the Far Easterner Yuniro, ‘Saint among Swords’, said four hundred years ago, ‘Even if there are ten thousand types of changes, it will not stray from the origin of the sword’… It is the same with your power.”

Wya Caso opened his eyes swiftly! He instinctively struggled up from the snowy ground. His forehead was bleeding. Looking at the fog that covered the sky and the forest, where directions could not be determined, he shook his dizzy head vigorously.

Not far from him, a figure got up from the snow and pounced quickly towards him!

Wya subconsciously grappled for the single-edged, straight sword beside his body. He turned around and swung his sword, forcefully deflecting the sharp claws!

*Clang!*

The sword and the claws clashed against each other and sparks flew everywhere. Under the massive impact, Wya staggered a few steps back with gritted teeth. He maintained his balance with all his might.

His opponent from the Blood Clan, whose clothing and armor were torn, cracked a smile. His left hand also began transforming into sharp claws. “As a mortal, you are very strong. However, we are not the cowardly Blood Clansmen from the Western Peninsula.”

The moment he finished talking, he disappeared from sight. Wya’s pupils contracted. Recalling Putray’s warning, he resisted the urge to run and dodge. Instead, he predicted his opponent’s next attack.

‘I must predict where my opponent can deliver the most fatal blow from a position that is hard to dodge based on the opponent’s position. And if he really attacks from this position, how am I going to react to it?’

The Blood Clansman’s determined laughter rang in the air. “Rare, indeed. To possess such skills, and a Power of Eradication at this age… You are one of the ‘seeds’ of the Tower of Eradication, are you not?”

Wya’s heart jolted. The Blood Clansman’s sharp claws appeared on the left side of his throat.

‘I can feel it!’ Wya, prepared for the attack, did not even think and swung his sword at a perfect angle.

It chopped off both of the Blood Clansman’s arms.

‘Success!’

But at the moment, when Wya’s mood became better, he felt a brutal surge of coldness in his left shoulder and the left side of his chest.

*Rip!*

Wya staggered three steps backwards in disbelief. He felt massive pain in the left side of his body!

‘Impossible.’

Gritting his teeth, Wya stared at the large amount of blood on his left shoulder and the left side of his ribs, as well as the scratches that ran so deep his bones could be seen.

‘There was no doubt that I cut his arms off!’

Wya felt a surge of dizziness. Swaying, he took a step back and placed his left hand on a birch tree to support himself. However, the wound on his left side was affected by his movements and he was in so much pain that he was drenched in cold sweat.

“Not a bad reaction. But has the mortal who was with you not taught you?” The Blood Clansman’s figure reappeared before him, licking the dripping blood off his right claw. He chuckled softly. “All Blood Clansmen who are above supra class have their own special ability.”

“Why… as a ‘seed’ from the Tower of Eradication, are you not prepared to face the Blood Clan’s abilities?”

‘Special ability?’

Seeing his opponent’s arms still intact, Wya sighed. ‘This damned vampire. So, he is able to disregard my strike?’

“Do you want to know my ability?” Watching the panting Wya, the Blood Clansman’s lips curled up into a confident smile.

Wya furrowed his brows. ‘What sort of power… is it?’

“Then, I will tell you… hahahaha…” He had only spoken halfway before the Blood Clansman suddenly began laughing joyfully. “… How would I possibly tell you? Do you think that I am an antagonist from those novels about knights? Those who say a whole load of nonsense and even explain to you how I fig—”

Before the Blood Clansman finished uttering the word ‘fight’, his sharp claws appeared before Wya’s eyes again!

‘Damn! He talked so much just to draw my attention?!’

*Riiiiiiip!*

Roaring furiously, Wya swung his sword. But because he was too slow, the Blood Clansman tore a massive wound on his back again!

Wya panted heavily. His sword had swung towards the Blood Clansman’s head, but the only thing he managed to cut was the air.

‘What on earth is his ability? Why is he able to disregard my sword attack?’

The Blood Clansman appeared again and said coldly, “The final blow… The next one will be the final blow.”

Feeling the massive pain in his body, Wya shut his eyes with effort.

…..

“Aren’t you going back there to take a look?”

Chris tore down a piece of ruined clothing from his body and revealed sturdy muscles that did not go with his face—which was as gaunt as a dead person’s. Seeing the fog that covered the sky, he coldly said to Hestad who was in front of him, “No need. This is the Alchemy Ball which is made primarily based on fog, sound, and light.”

Hestad took off his left shoulder armor which had been destroyed in the battle just now. With his full concentration on Chris, he replied, “It is obvious that your mistress is playing some dirty trick again. However, I am very confident in Her Majesty. Comparatively, I am more worried for you, old friend.” Hestad took a step forward and looked at Chris.

“I am greatly honored.” Without giving any impression of weakness, Chris also took a step forward.

Both of them stood facing each other.

A few seconds later…

“Do you still remember the first time we fought against each other?” Hestad asked in a sentimental tone.

“Of course, how can I possibly forget,” Chris answered coldly.

“True, at that time, you were the lieutenant-general of a brigade in the Last Empire, Chris Tammul Linka.” Hestad inhaled deeply. “And I was a small chief of the Sele Tribe, Hestad Chura.

“You stood on that side, and I stood on this side. Due to some incomprehensible reason, we desperately charged at each other, unheedful to our own fates. It is worth remembering indeed,” Hestad said sentimentally.

“Worth remembering?” Chris shook his head and snorted coldly. “I beg to differ. Those nightmarish years… they changed everyone. Including you and me; including our ruler.”

Hestad knew that the ‘ruler’ Chris spoke of was not Serena, neither was it Katerina.

He was referring to that massive and terrifying black shadow under the pair of wings that appeared at night.

He raised his head, and their gazes met.

“But in the end, those years were meaningful.” Hestad sighed. “Those years… during the Battle of Eradication.”

The next moment, both of them simultaneously opened their ferocious mouths filled with fangs and roared furiously!

While expanding, their blood and flesh changed colour, shape and… metamorphosed!

Huge bat-like wings broke through their skin and emerged from their backs, there were sharp bony spurs on them. The wings spread out abruptly!

The skin on their bodies fell off piece by piece. The layer of solid skin-like substance that appeared on the muscles below their skin turned dark.

They rapidly changed shape… No, they started ‘growing’.

Their tragus stood tall, their mouths and noses attained a ferocious appearance, their eyes turned blood red, their fangs became fearsome, their joints became thorns, and the claws on their fingers turned sharp.

The two supreme class Blood Clansmen, who had lived for countless years, transformed into terrifying monsters spoken of in legends. They spread their wings and charged at each other while howling.

Chapter 86

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

To his surprise, the Blood Clansman found Wya shutting his eyes tightly.

‘Is he waiting for his death already?’

‘It seems that there is no way for me to discover his power now.’ The young attendant sighed quietly. He had only one solution left.

“Do not always think about the other party’s weakness, Wya. That is what the army’s commander is supposed to do.” His teacher’s words echoed in his ears.

Wya endured the pain and flipped the single-edged sword in his right hand around to hold it in a reverse grip.

“What is even more important is to be in control of your strongest forte.”

Wya’s breathing became increasingly stable. Thin wisps of sharp power that were like gossamer gathered around his right arm.

His pores were stimulated by this Power of Eradication, and the hairs on his skin immediately stood on end like sharp needles.

“No powerful swordsman in history was selfless. They only had their own swords in their eyes.”

In a split second, the Blood Clansman felt a slight pain in his eyes as he stared at Wya. It was as though his eyes were looking at a sharp sword blade.

‘This is… the Power of Eradication?’

The facial expression of the Blood Clansman changed.

‘Before his aura takes shape…

‘I have to kill him.’

“Deliver your strongest strike with your sword—this is far more important than victory or defeat, far more important than life or death!” His teacher was smiling as she spoke in Wya’s memory.

Wya was breathing heavily, as if he had practiced tens upon thousands of times in the tower. The Power of Eradication scraped through his entire body like a blade.

He saw it.

In the midst of the unbearable pain, he saw the will of the sword being sent forward from his sword. It was delivering a backlash on him.

He saw the enemy’s killing intent. It was like a ball of flames in the dark; it was so dazzling.

He saw it.

The Blood Clansman was yelling, rapidly pouncing on him with his sharp claws, which were growing larger exponentially.

‘Go to hell, sword-wielding mortal creature! You will have no chance to use your Power of Eradication anymore.’

“Wya, understand your Power of Eradication.”

‘No matter how your enemies are like. No matter how strong and powerful your enemy is. Pay no attention to victory or defeat, gains or losses.’

“It is a power that wanders around the cliff of insanity.” Wya still remembered his teacher sighing at that time.

‘I only need to ensure that I deliver my strongest strike. That will be enough.’

“It also has a name that is not very auspicious…” She held up her sword and carved a few words in the air.

The Blood Clansman laughed sinisterly and charged towards his side in a split second.

It was over.

“The Edge of No Return,” the teacher said desolately.

Wya then swiftly opened his eyes.

He had already swung the sword in his hand outwards.

There was no return for a sword that had been swung.

Its sharpness was unmatched.

*Rip!*

Blood gushed out.

Wya knelt down in pain!

The Blood Clansman scratched the clothing on Wya’s right shoulder into smithereens, and the pieces of clothing fell onto the floor.

The Blood Clansman stared in confusion at his own claw.

‘I did not kill him? Why…? did I miss?’

However, he soon knew the answer to that.

The Blood Clansman’s whole body was trembling. He carefully looked at his arms and he saw a line of blood appearing on them.

‘No. This is impossible. With my power… It is impossible for him to be able to cut me!’

*Thump!*

The parts below both of his upper arms fell onto the ground. They were sliced cleanly off.

The Blood Clansman widened his mouth in shock.

‘This… degree of sharpness?’

He lifted his head up and looked at the single-edged sword.

‘It is obviously just a normal sword. Why?’

Then, a line of blood appeared across his chest. It was at the same level where his arms were cut off.

*Thud!*

A blunt noise was heard.

His upper body was separated from his torso and it fell to the ground.

The cut was flat and smooth.

‘Why?’ The Blood Clansman thought in despair. He wanted to exhale and shout.

However, he could never make a sound anymore.

A black heart that distinctively belonged to those of the Blood Clan was separated into two, with one part in the upper body and another in the lower body. The separated heart weakly throbbed twice in both the upper and lower body parts.

Then, both parts of the torso along with the Blood Clansman’s face, which implied that he did not die without regrets became black as they shrunk and shriveled.

Wya Caso, who survived the disaster, was gasping for air as he said this to the corpse, “I am sorry. I am not the Tower of Eradication’s ‘seed’… at least, not a ‘seed’ in the conventional sense.”

It was such a close call.

His power was actually the power to reverse part of the refraction of light.

Wya sighed. ‘No wonder I could not cut him. It was because the parts I aimed for were all parts of the illusion he had created from refraction.

‘It was like a newbie who had located his target, throwing down his spear into the river but still not managing to stab any fishes in it.’

Shortly after, the sound of footsteps could be heard behind him!

Wya clenched his teeth tightly as he vigilantly turned around with his sword in hand.

Putray was seen holding Chora, whose entire body was covered in blood. He was followed by three of Jadestar Family’s private soldiers. They walked out unsteadily from the thicket.

“Have you seen His Highness?” Putray asked with his brows furrowed together.

“I have the same question.” Wya breathed a sigh of relief as he slowly sat back down. He endured the excruciating pain and used the field survival tips he learned from the tower to stop his bleeding. With much difficulty, he said, “We have to find him immediately!”

“You have to prepare yourself for the worst.”

The few private soldiers took Chora over. Putray patted the melted snow off of him and fixed his collar. He muttered to himself for a while and as he was staring at the sunset, he said, “The prince is in a dangerous situation, but we are only left with these people before our eyes.

“It is evening now. The smoke produced by the Alchemy Ball was too strong, so we were not able to locate where the prince headed.”

Chora was struggling when he said, “My Lord, just let me down and find His Highness…

“I have a younger sister who works as a secretary at the Western City Police Station… If I die—”

“You will not die! At least, you will not die here!” Putray cut him off roughly.

The experienced vice diplomat of the group pondered slightly, then made his decision.

“With our current situation, we cannot do anything while facing this sort of enemy!

“But fortunately, Broken Dragon Fortress is not far away from here.

“Our carriages wandered off into different directions due to the explosion, frightening the horses just now.” Putray lifted his head up and looked at the three private soldiers, his gaze was firm and persistent.

“The three of you separate and move in three different directions. Follow the tracks to find each carriage. Do not hesitate after you find the carriage. If there is a messenger crow, send the messenger crow to Broken Dragon Fortress first with the most urgent Class 7 emergency report.

“And then, untie the horse’ reins. With the fastest speed, ride to the fortress and request for help!

“For the prince’s safety, our first and foremost task is to avoid the vampires if we come across any of them!”

…

“Finally ready to reveal all your cards?”

Aida smiled indifferently as she twitched her pointy ears.

Across from her, Simon gritted his teeth while he took off the coat of his fine attire.

He coldly said, “Underestimating the opponent is the first step towards death, let alone an opponent like you, who is an eternal being.

“Look at the color of your skin.” The veins on Simon’s face suddenly popped up, “Are you a Sacred Elf or a White Elf? Or could you be a High Elf of the Eastern Peninsula?”

The veins on his face began to gather together, becoming denser, redder and blacker.

Immediately afterwards, Simon’s whole frame started to swell up and change shape. He grew seven or eight inches taller.

His fair skin fell off and turned into ashes, revealing the solid but greyish-black keratin underneath.

Simon was roaring in pain, as if he was going through torture.

Spurs grew out from both of his shoulders and a pair of dark grey skeletal wings pierced through his back. They then extended into a pair of great wings.

Every strand of his hair became thick, hard, and white.

Compared to Hestad and Chris, Simon’s face did not become too sinister or terrifying. Instead, with an extra pair of bat ears, he looked weirdly beautiful.

Simon, who transformed into his ‘True Form’, coldly extended both of his wings and claws. His greyish-white eyes were fixed on Aida.

“This temporary True Form brought forth by origin blood can greatly alleviate a Blood Clansman’s physical attributes. This includes endurance, the ability to recover, ability to regenerate, nimbleness, senses, strength, and even instinctual comprehension towards battle as well as the special power already held by every Blood Clansman.” Aida sighed.

“I just did not expect that it could even make you become more handsome. It is clear just how ugly you were before.”

Aida finished speaking that moment.

Simon’s wings vibrated while he was in his True Form.

With his extraordinary speed that surpassed the perception of almost every other sense, he immediately appeared before the elf.

*Boom!*

First, there was a loud sound of air being torn apart, which almost had the ability to blow eardrums apart!

*Tang!*

Then, a loud and sharp noise resounded out of nowhere.

A thick, large, but powerful dark grey claw chafed against Aida’s blade and sparkles sprayed out fiercely.

Aida’s figure was sent flying after he struck her with his claw.

Due to Simon’s incredibly fast movements, the loud sounds of the wind that was stirred up by his movements only arrived much later.

The elf flew more than ten meters away and fell onto the snow-covered ground. She rolled a few times before she hit a tree and stopped.

“Speaking nonsense cannot make you stronger.” True Form Simon spoke with a thicker, hoarser voice as he stared coldly at the elf lying on the ground. Her fate was still unknown.

In the next moment, Simon once again moved with extreme speed that triggered sonic booms, and instantly reached the area above Aida to attack her.

He flung his claws downwards and stabbed through Aida’s body!

True Form Simon said expressionlessly, “Speed, speed, and also speed. This is my everything, my only power.”

Before Istrone Corleone rose to supreme class and transformed into his True Form, there was no one who could match up to his speed in the entire Night Kingdom. It surpassed the speed of sound.

Not even the former King Laurie could match his speed.

Looking sullen, he raised up his huge claw to lift up Aida’s…. cloak, and a section of a branch. However, his expression changed.

He realized something. He then immediately turned around and activated his extreme speed, bringing up the loud sounds of the wind in his wake!

But at the exact moment he turned around, an exquisite elf machete stabbed straight into the left side of his chest.

It seemed as if Simon who was the one who moved his chest to the spot in front of the blade.

Simon stared in disbelief at the machete that pierced through his heart in his chest. After that, he stared at the pretty and delicate elf beside him. She was baring quite a large portion of her skin since she was only wearing a set of exquisite Crystal Drop Armor.

“I do not understand.” True Form Simon sighed.

“There is only one thing that can defeat speed.”

Aida coldly drew out her machete and turned around in a dashing manner.

“And that is perfect prediction.”

Simon knelt down on both of his knees.

“No.” Simon’s body returned to normal. He appeared discouraged and defeated. “It is impossible.

“There is no such thing as perfect prediction in this world.”

Simon stared intently at her.

Aida also stared back at him for a really long time.

Finally, the elf sighed, admitting defeat in the staring contest.

“It is very rare that I get a chance to act cool.

“Do not expose me that fast. Yes, I do not know how to predict at all. The previous time I managed to dodge was not because of how nimble I am either…”

Aida pouted and said with dissatisfaction, “It was due to me being a hundred percent sure of your next move.”

Simon was alarmed.

‘Next move… A hundred percent… How does she do it?’

However, he could only fall to the floor weakly with his mouth wide opened.

Aida pulled back her cloak and her expression suddenly changed. She smacked her forehead, as if she just remembered something.

She put on a long face as she furrowed her brows and mumbled, “Am I still supposed to… protect that brat?”

…

‘Patricide?’

Thales’ brain was blank as he stared at Serena.

The second prince recalled what she said during their first encounter.

“My cwybaby wittle sister, Katerina, ilwegally seized the wight I inhewited from my father, the Night Wing King. She wusurped the Bwood Ocean Thwone…”

‘No. If that is the case…’

“Can someone explain to me what happened?” Thales sighed and stared at the pair of Blood Clan sisters in front of him.

He said bitterly, “I knew it. The queen of a kingdom would not personally be involved in a dangerous situation and chase after a few political refugees without any reason.”

‘More importantly… my so-called ally—’

“Yes.” Serena smiled lightly as she cut off his trail of thoughts and waved her hand at Rolana.

Rolana casually flung Thales towards the black coffin.

Thales painfully crashed onto the stone coffin headfirst.

“That is not all, my dear Thales,” Serena gently said.

In front of her, Night Queen Katerina’s expression abruptly changed!

Serena could be heard enunciating her words clearly with a smile on her face.

“Her motive of coming here personally is for this coffin. This is the only weapon that can tackle the Mystics.”

A shudder wrecked through Thales’ body!

Serena could be heard laughing as she said, “The legendary anti-mystic equipment.

“The Dark Night Black Coffin.”

Thales was stunned as he stared at the black coffin beneath him.

This coffin… that he once climbed into was actually… the only weapon that could attack the Mystics?

The legendary anti-mystic equipment?

However, Serena had yet to finish her speech.

She stared at Katerina’s murderous gaze and said her next words with a sigh.

“In this coffin, there is someone imprisoned within its seemingly seamless dark black slab stones… from thousands of years ago…”

Thales’ pupils started to contract as his breathing sped up.

Then, Serena spat out the final words, “A Mystic.”

Chapter 87

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Thales’ brain stopped working for three seconds before he could think again.

‘Inside this is…

‘A Mystic?

‘Are you serious?!’

Thales still had fear lingering in his heart when he recalled the Air Mystic and his ‘human ball’. Then he exhaled, “Fortunately, he is sealed in it…”

Katerina Corleone looked at Thales’ reaction and frowned deeply.

Serena, on the other hand, had a smile on her face as she shook her head and licked her lips. “You have misunderstood me.”

Thales lifted his head in confusion.

“This Mystic was not ‘sealed’, but imprisoned.”

“Sealing lasts forever.

“As for imprisonment,” Serena stared at Thales’ ghastly expression and pointed towards the black coffin beneath him as she chuckled, “that Mystic can be released at any moment.”

The moment she finished her speech, Thales lowered his head in disbelief as he stared at the black coffin beneath him. He felt its cold temperature.

‘Release?’

Soon after, his face was filled with terror. He jumped off as swift as a clap of thunder, like he was sitting on an ejector seat!

If Jines was there, she would have probably felt very gratified that her training finally showed results.

He urgently leapt off the black coffin and fell onto the snowy ground. He just wanted to be as far away as he could from that black coffin!

“Are you crazy?!”

Thales yelled at the giggling Serena in anger and confusion.

“How could you keep something—where a Mystic could get out of anytime… for a whole month!”

Serena laughed nonchalantly.

“This is nothing. The Corleone Family has guarded this secret for more than six hundred years.

“Otherwise, why do you think our Night Queen would be willing to travel thousands of miles across the sea and bring along the elite Sacred Blood Army?

“This was the Corleone Family and my father’s promise to the Blood Spike Empress that year. It concerns the Corleone Family as well as the Night Kingdom’s life and death!”

Thales listened to her speech in a daze.

His brain started to work by itself.

‘More than six hundred years… This is a suspicious number.

‘Blood Spike Empress? Such a familiar title.

‘This is not right.

‘Throughout the Peninsula, almost all of the countries’ leaders have different levels of power from the archdukes to the kings. However, the only people who were known as emperors were those from the Ancient Empire and the Final Empire’s emperors, correct?

‘Why would there be an ’empress’? Could it be one of the Empire’s many emperors from ancient times?

‘It is possible, after all, the Blood Clansmen’ life span…

‘Wait a minute.’

Thales suddenly quivered.

It was not his first time hearing this title.

Thales’ brain revealed a memory from a long time ago.

It was from the scariest enemy he had ever met— the mumblings of the Air Mystic.

“Accidents, accidents. Haha. I am starting to understand Empress Hellen’s source of strength.”

The Blood Spike Empress.

Empress Hellen.

Their titles were both empress.

Also… the life and death of the Corleone Family?

Thales furrowed his brows in deep thought.

Right at that very moment, Katerina cut her off with a cold voice, “Enough.

“These are all the family’s top secrets. They cannot be announced to the public.”

Serena laughed happily as she pouted at Thales. “That is right. But now, he already knows about it. What do we do?”

Thales felt his skin crawl when he looked at Katerina’s purple eyes that had switched to him.

Her eyes were pure, sparkling, enchanting, and also… overflowing with murderous intent.

“It seems like you know what a Mystic is,” the queen said coldly, “How unfortunate.”

Thales shuddered all of a sudden.

“Wait!” Thales was confused and flustered as he glanced at the smiling Serena. Then, he switched his gaze towards the murderous Katerina.

‘This is bad.

‘Wait, no.’

“The secret must be guarded,” Katerina could be heard saying slowly.

Thales’ brain started to operate at a crazy speed that surpassed his usual thinking rate!

The Night Queen stared at him quietly as her right hand started to transform into pure white, sharp claws.

“Wait a minute!” Thales was anxious as he struggled against the ropes that tied his hands.

The next moment, Katerina’s figure disappeared from his sight.

Thales instantly felt the shadow of death looming over his body!

…

Two enormous, pitch-black monsters with huge wings collided face on into each other. They did not slow down even in the slightest bit before the crash in the air.

*Bang!*

It felt as if the air shook in that moment!

The smaller monster shuddered. He let out a muffled groan, and trembled as he flew backwards.

The bigger monster got the upper hand. He utilized his ferocious fist that was covered with spurs and sharp claws. With a ton of force, he struck hard against his opponent’s left chest!

Blood flew and splattered everywhere!

“Do you want to compete with me in terms of strength, citizen of the Empire?” Hestad asked fiercely in his transformed voice.

Chris roared angrily as he held onto the wound on his left chest. He flapped his huge wings to rapidly fly backwards.

But Hestad had no intention of letting him go.

Hestad’s True Form was more inclined towards a dark brown color. Compared to his opponent, he was more violent and bigger in size, his spurs and sharp claws were even sharper, and his pitch-black skin was fully-covered with a hard, external shell. From afar, he looked like a black warrior covered in full armor.

His thick and heavy wings were stirred up strong gusts of wind as he lunged at Chris.

True Form Chris clenched his sharp teeth tightly against each other and lifted up his arms to block the attack.

*Rip!*

Sharp claws tore open Chris’ right arm.

Blood once again gushed out violently.

“We know each other too well, and we both know how this battle is going to end!” Hestad roared and bared his sharp teeth while he continued to attack. “Every battle we had before the throne always ended in my victory!”

His claw pierced through Chris’ right shoulder. Chris cried out in anger and in pain as black blood oozed out, drenching Hestad’s palm.

Hestad flapped his wings and restrained Chris, who was too weak to move. Then both of them fell towards the ground with astonishing momentum!

Immediately afterwards, he clenched his right fist and threw a punch forward without holding back!

*Boom!*

He used his extremely powerful fist and knocked Chris to the ground!

Huge cracks appeared on the snowy ground due to the explosion caused by their scary strength.

Snow and dust dissipated entirely, after which the sinister figures of the two Blood Clansmen’s True Form were revealed. The bigger figure was firmly pinning the smaller figure to the ground.

The strong Hestad used his fist to press against Chris as he coldly said, “See, it’s precisely this kind of ending.

“No one can block my power, and no one can break my armor—it is the perfect balance between attack and defense.

“How can you even stand a chance?”

It seemed like Chris’ injuries were extremely serious. His chest caved in due to Hestad’s brute strength.

But surprisingly, his cheeks were still moving, and he gave out a broken smile even though he was dying. “Yes, I still remember the Night Wing King praising your ability.

“‘Strength, speed, resistance. The simpler the ability, the deadlier it is.’ That was what he said.”

Chris coughed out a mouthful of black blood as he laughed and said, “Battle Wing Hestad Corleone and Flash Wing Simon Corleone respectively led the Sacred Blood Army’s shock troops and reconnaissance soldiers. Under their joint hands, they were almost unbeatable in the frontlines of the war in the peninsula…” The old butler closed his eyes and sneered lightly

Hestad’s expression slowly changed.

“But you were Dark Wing Chris Corleone and His Majesty’s most trusted military counselor as well as assistant. Do you remember that?” Hestad’s expression turned cold as he cut off the old butler.

“Along with the logistics official Red Wing Lee Corleone, we were the Night King’s Fearsome Four Wings. Our name intimidated every country in the Eastern Peninsula!”

Hestad clenched his teeth and trembled as he looked at Chris. His eyes were filled with hatred.

“Three hundred years ago, we were His Majesty’s strongest wings. We followed him over the Sea of Eradication and went on an expedition on the other side of the world!

“During that era, we owned the Sea of Eradication’s east bank and twenty percent of Eternal Oil’s rations, as well as fifteen percent of the Eastern Peninsula’s Crystal Drop Ore!

“Grand Banquet Hill’s Five Clans would send in letters every single month in hopes to maintain their status and join the Night Wing King’s troops! Even Wild Vast Mountain’s Silver Wolves, Sele Prairies’ Red Wolves, Desert, Glacier, and also Black Mountain’s Three Great Orc Tribes, would all send someone to express their sincerity towards His Majesty!”

Chris sighed sadly when he heard these things, whereas Hestad clenched his teeth. His sinister face was filled with an eerie coldness.

“During the Peninsular War, even the two extremes of the Eastern Peninsula, Mane et Nox Dynasty and Hanbol did not recklessly overlook Night Kingdom and how powerful His Majesty was. They looked upon him as the supreme commander of the allied armies while they curried his favor in fear!

“We once worked as one and crushed Eckstedt’s main forces along with their pride into pieces at Arunde Castle! His Majesty personally took the King of Wrath’s head!

“Back in the day, we tore the dwarfs’ armors apart and turned their weapons into scrap metal. We also trapped the Sacred Tree Kingdom’s Elf Army in Beacon Illumination City!

“At Arunde Castle, we killed all of the reinforcements from Constellation and Camus until not a single one of them was left!”

Chris, whose chest had caved in from the strike earlier, was strenuously gasping for air as he closed his eyes tightly.

“At Prestige Orchid Snowland, all of us gathered behind His Majesty’s flag, with Chara, Kaplan and also Midier, the three most outstanding heroes of the Western Peninsula, or even the entire human history. We launched the world’s most magnificent battle, the Final Battle of Historical Poetry after the Battle of Eradication!

“From the Battle of Eradication, the start of that hellish battlefield, until the eve of the Fourth Peninsular War… we had always fought together with His Majesty… for an entire four hundred years!”

Chris lowered his head and sighed.

Hestad’s red pupils were flaming with rage and hatred. “But you, you damned citizen of the Empire, you betrayed the Corleone Family after His Majesty’s death!

“How dare you!

“Chris Corleone!

“Without His Majesty granting you your rebirth, your last name, and your power…

“You would have only been a small lieutenant general of the Final Empire. You would be waiting for your death with your eyes closed in a pile of dead people!

“Chris Tammul Linka!

“Without His Majesty, you are nothing!

“How dare you betray him and surrender to the murderer who killed His Majesty!

“How dare you!”

The two sinister Blood Clansmen in their True Forms were panting harshly as they remained silent for a while.

At this moment, Chris, who was lying on the ground, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and he involuntarily laughed.

“Ah, since you mentioned that tyrant, there is one point that you still do not know.” Chris licked the blood at the corner of his lips and lifted up his pitch-black head. His expression was full of derision. “Do you know why the Night Wing King always yelled ‘stop’ when you got the upper hand every time we fought?”

Hestad brought his opponent closer to his sinister face and laughed. “His Majesty feared that a loser like you would be crushed by my fist?”

“No.” Chris’ expression became solemn.

“He was afraid that if we continued fighting, you would…

“Be killed by me.”

Hestad was momentarily stunned. He then opened his bloody mouth and laughed loudly with his abnormally robust True Form voice. “Kill me? How? With your special Corrosive Power?”

He lifted up his palm that was covered with Chris’ blood. “Your strongly acidic blood… is very effective in dealing with others. But unfortunately, it can never corrode my True Form Armor.

“This is an absolute fool-proof defense!”

Chris was restrained by Hestad. He did not reply and only laughed.

A cold chill suddenly ran down Hestad’s spine

‘What is going on?

‘What cards does he have in his hands exactly?’

Nonetheless, Hestad still clenched his fist and aimed at Chris’ head.

A few hundred years of army life made Hestad Corleone decide not to hesitate over his old affection towards his comrade. He was prepared to completely take Chris’ life.

…

How long was zero point one seconds?

Thales would tell you that it was long enough for him to close his eyes and roar one single word!

And so, the moment when Katerina, whose killing intent was clear and obvious disappeared, the transmigrator closed his eyes and yelled, “Covendier!”

Wind rushed by his face.

Thales squeezed his eyes shut as breathed harshly.

“Ha… Ha…”

He opened his eyes a little.

Katerina’s black and scary sharp claws could be seen an inch away from his face.

“What did you say?” Katerina narrowed her enchanting, beautiful eyes as she slowly spoke.

‘I-I managed to escape from this disaster.’

Thales was panting uncontrollably as he asked in nervousness, “Was it Covendier?! Was it Zayen Covendier who told you the news that Serena was in the fleet of carriages?”

“You know quite a lot.” Katerina snorted lightly as she spread out her sharp claws. “In that case, you should be dead even more.”

Thales saw his own life flash before his eyes and he felt his skin crawl. He could not manage to care about his intonation as he immediately blurted out the words he had just finished thinking about. He did so in one breath, fluently, and without any pauses in between.

“Surely he did not tell you that this fleet is actually an important diplomat group from Constellation this fleet is heading to Eckstedt and within this group there is Constellation’s only heir after you kill me you will get yourself into a huge pile of problems am I right?!”

After Thales finished blurting out these words in one single breath, he continued to pant. He was drenched in sweat as he collapsed and sat down.

Katerina widened her purple eyes, implying that she was shaken!

“Jadestar Royal Family… heir… was it not… twelve years ago…” she mumbled to herself, but immediately figured out something.

The Night Queen slowly retracted her sharp claws.

*Clap!*

*Clap!*

*Clap!*

A round of applause could be heard beside them.

“As expected of my ally.” Serena, who had been watching for a long time was clapping with enthusiasm. She was smiling happily. “However, Prince Thales, how are you so sure that she is not specifically here to kill you?”

Katerina’s eyes once again became solemn as she turned to the young-looking Serena.

“In order to ensure my safety, from the second day of the journey onwards, I no longer wore the Nine-Pointed Star insignia or emblem. Oh, by the way, you can find a Nine-Pointed Star brooch in the left pocket of my shirt.” Thales sighed.

Katerina took out the brooch from his pocket and immediately furrowed her brows together.

“As for this… queen, she never revealed any intention of killing somebody. What she said was, ‘Kill them all’. Even the start of the war was incited by you, Serena.” Thales smiled bitterly as he said, “I just figured it out… All twenty of you, a team of elites with supreme abilities, whose identities are considered sensitive information, travelled across the sea to be here. Without local forces and support, how could you easily get across the border? The only Constellation noble who has connections with the Corleone Family and is able to provide ships that belong in the family…

“Can only be the Covendiers.”

Katerina slowly exhaled when she listened to his words. She looked at the Nine-Pointed Star brooch in her hand with her icy gaze. “Damn you, Covendier.

“The friendship between the Corleone and Covendier Family, Blood Fangs and Tricolor Iris Flowers ends here,” she slowly said.

Thales finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed like his life was temporarily secured before this strong and powerful queen.

Katerina held the brooch tightly in her palm and muttered, “The people from the Covendier Family only told us that the traitor of the Corleone Family was currently in the carriage fleet up north. They only said that it was Constellation’s supply transportation fleet to the Northern Territory, but never mentioned that it was the second prince’s diplomat group… It seemed like they did this on purpose.

“After we got off the ship, we stayed in their encampment the entire time. We do not even know that Constellation has gotten a new heir.”

Thales’ expression changed as he said angrily, “That was such a huge matter that the whole of Constellation knew about it, down to the very last detail! Why did you not check and confirm the matter on your own?!”

However, Katerina did not reply him. She just turned her head sideways and moved her gaze away from him.

‘Eh?’

Thales was confused for a moment. ‘She seems a bit… embarrassed?’

“They have no way to confirm this!” Serena was laughing beside them. “Katerina’s forces and supporters were all in the Sacred Blood Army. She is one hundred percent a Military Queen!

“Chris was in charge of the Corleone Family and Covendier’s interactions, the spies in the Western Peninsula as well as communication channels in the Western Peninsula… But, when he suddenly betrayed her and switched to my side…”

Under Katerina’s grim expression, Serena spread her hands happily.

“Katerina became blind and deaf to every bit of information about Constellation.”

Thales suddenly came to a realization. “That was why you chose to take refuge in Constellation.”

He immediately thought of something as he turned towards Katerina.

“Queen Katerina,” he used honorifics as he spoke, “Zayen… I am referring to Duke Covendier… When did he reveal Serena’s whereabouts to you?”

Katerina stared coldly at him. After a while, she opened her mouth and said, “We just reached the Western Peninsula more than a week ago and went into Eternal Star City six days ago.

“Covendier informed us that he found traces of Corleone’s traitor at noon four days ago.” Katerina’s face was clouded with gloom, but her appearance that would provoke tender affection from people made her look like an adorable beauty who was currently sulking.

“Their proviso was: In order to not leak any information and thereby tarnish Iris Flowers’ reputation…

“We had to kill everyone who travelled alongside Serena.

“We had to ensure that not a single person was kept alive, whether they be children or the elderly.”

Serena’s whole frame shuddered. “Ah, if I had known earlier that you made this promise, I would not have gone through such trouble…” However, she immediately came to a realization. “But then, if that supreme class woman is here, you would probably have no way to kill him either.”

Thales lowered his head and sighed.

When did the Duke of Iris Flowers begin to have a desire to kill him?

Even if he acted at this point and was able to draw a clear line with the Corleone Family after this incident, he would still leave some traces behind. This would cause more troubles in the future, would it not?

‘Zayen… why did he make this clearly stupid decision?

‘After he tried getting answers from me with a few words during the morning we met, his attitude suddenly became extremely odd —now that I think about it, he was trying to find Serena’s whereabouts. Also, he brought along…’

Thales’ eyes lit up.

“It is that old soldier, right?” Thales lifted his head and slowly asked.

“Probably, without his knowledge, some sort of tracking device had been planted on him.

“You do not need to chase after our fleet because Zayen knew that Genard would do his very best to follow me. As for you, you only had to follow this old soldier.

“You were very far away from me, so no matter how many scouts and sentries my soldiers arranged, they still could not sense your presence.

“So long as you kept away from the Central Territory and the suzerain of the fortress, whom you could possibly run into every few days, and enter the desolate birch forest,” Thales sighed as he concluded, “you could start attacking.”

Katerina’s eyes lit up.

“For a mortal creature, you are very intelligent, and you have quick response, especially for a mortal creature your age.”

“Right, I thought so too.” Serena was beaming when she cut into the conversation. However, Katerina and Thales glared at her with an angry gaze at the same time.

Serena shrugged helplessly and revealed her tiny fangs. “Alright, since I did not accomplish my goal, I have to take matters into my own hands.”

The next moment, Serena’s small hands transformed into red sharp claws as she bared her fangs and pounced on Thales swiftly!

Thales shuddered, but both of his hands were tied, so he could only kick the snowy ground with all of his strength to move backwards.

*Dong!*

The snow exploded and scattered into the air!

The frosty cold snow crashed into Thales’ face, and the prickly sensation made him shut his eyes.

Thales opened his eyes and saw that Serena’s tiny red claws were just a few feet away in front of him.

But this time, she was held back tightly by Katerina.

“Since just now, you were making every possible effort to lure me into killing him,” Katerina said coldly, “Do you still have the delusion of seizing the throne in your heart even though you are already in such a situation?”

The tiny Serena grinned. “What, can I not do so?

“I am the number one candidate to inherit the throne compared to you, number two. I am still a place above you!”

“Very well,” Katerina raised her other hand and said dryly, “Since I already do not have any hopes of catching you alive anymore…

“I should directly change my rank into number one!” Katerina shouted furiously, and her sharp claws went straight for Serena’s heart!

As for Rolana, who was standing beside Serena, she was staring coldly at the situation. There was no sign showing that she intended to interfere with things.

Nonetheless, at the very next moment, an incident that made Thales extremely shocked and confused happened.

The torso of the young-looking Serena torso visibly inflated as if she had suddenly grown up and all of her clothing tore apart. She transformed into a curvy and sensual looking, coquettishly beautiful woman. She was almost as tall as Katerina. Her red eyes and silver hair were incomparably enticing.

At this moment, this coquettish beauty had an enchanting smile on her face. She held onto Katerina’s pure white sharp claws effortlessly!

Katerina bared her fangs and roared angrily as she thrust her other set of claws towards Serena!

However, it was as if the coquettish beauty had also predicted her attack, and Serena held onto Katerina’s hand tightly!

“Your strength is still so weak, crybaby.” The coquettish beauty was shaking with laughter like a sprig with trembling blossoms.

Thales was suddenly jolted!

“Ugly-faced woman,” Katerina said with her voice filled with anger and hatred, “you natural born deceiver!”

“You… When did you recover your actual strength?!” Thales looked at the coquettish beauty with red eyes and silver hair as he cried out in surprise.

“This is impossible! You-you only sucked my blood twice!

Under Katerina’s solemn gaze, the grown-up version of Serena, who was naked and showed no signs of embarrassment, blinked her bewitching eyes and gave him an alluring smile. “Oh, about that… your blood is quite nutritious.”

Chapter 88

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Supreme class battles do not have sluggish rhythms and scattered force like supra class and ordinary class battles. More often than not, supra class battles and ordinary class battles would look terrifying, but in reality, they would waste a large amount of their strength and stamina.

In contrast, almost everyone in supreme class were fearsome existences who had full control over their powers and can use them flexibly in any way they wanted. Therefore, battles between them were often timed to perfection, simple, and straightforward. Time and effort were saved, and these battles were also highly efficient and very fatal.

For them, if one party slipped up even slightly in terms of control, it was very common for the other party to reverse the situation and gain the upper hand in the blink of an eye.

Like now…

Hestad expressionlessly pressed Chris onto the ground. His right claws were tightly clenched, and his strength slowly increased along with the contraction of his terrifying True Form muscles. It was aimed towards Chris’ hideous head.

Chris laughed softly.

“Old friend, whether I am fighting by your side, or as your enemy, both of them would be my honor,” Hestad said plainly.

In the next moment, he threw a punch with tremendous force!

Unstoppable.

It only took zero-point-five seconds from the time the punch fell from the air to the time it touched the tip of Chris’ nose.

Within these zero-point-five seconds, Chris’ abruptly revealed his fangs and he roared furiously!

The skeletal wings on his back shot out from the snow-covered ground. The sharp thorns on the tip of the wings went straight for Hestad’s eyes.

It was a futile struggle.

Hestad—having experienced many battles—snorted lightly in his heart. With his most familiar battle instincts, he quickly twisted his strong body, then relaxed his left hand which was restraining Chris, and his right fist continued travelling downwards!

Chris seized the moment when Hestad relaxed his left hand to pound his fists on the ground. His heavily injured body shot up and charged back towards Hestad.

Hestad’s horrifying right fist grazed past Chris’ hideous left cheek and left ear. The strong breeze mercilessly shaved off skin and flesh, shaving off a piece of horrendous, black flesh and blood.

*Boom!*

Hestad’s fist landed on the ground. Snow flew everywhere.

The heavily injured Chris had half his face scraped off. Howling, he used the force provided as he charged backwards, and bent his arm to use his elbows to hit Hestad’s armored chest with all his strength!

Hestad calmly watched his old friend’s counterattack. He blocked Chris’ arms with his chest. The muscles on his waist and legs flexed while his skeletal wings spread open to maintain his balance.

He absorbed part of the impact and shifted another part of the impact to other parts of his body. He managed to negate Chris’ attack after sliding backwards on the snow-covered ground for only two inches.

Chris flapped his bony wings frantically, but he could no longer make Hestad move back at all.

“The struggles of a trapped beast,” the huge Hestad said coldly.

Before Chris could react, Hestad roared furiously. Clenching both his claws, he suddenly exerted force towards the middle of his arms. Chris’ head was planted on Hestad’s chest. Hestad’s powerful fists—which possessed astonishing momentum—went straight towards Chris’ head from both sides.

Chris reacted extremely quickly by immediately extending his elbows upwards and blocking Hestad’s arms. With a burst of strength, he moved his head before Hestad’s fists could touch his head.

Under Chris’ interference, Hestad’s fists missed the latter’s head by a few millimeters.

The pair of fists with spurs on them crashed into each other two inches behind Chris’ head!

*Boom!*

The huge, explosive sound even made Chris—who had just avoided disaster—deaf for a second. Fortunately, he had the powerful regenerative abilities of Blood Clansmen who were in their True Form. In the blink of an eye, his body adjusted its blood flow and concentrated in his brain, healing his damaged ears.

However, the battle had yet to end. Hestad did not care at all that he had missed an opportunity to kill his opponent. He immediately pulled back his arms, restraining Chris to his bosom!

“Do you prefer to die like this?” Hestad asked coldly. In the blink of an eye, the muscles in his arms contracted with great strength! His terrifying arms bound Chris’ upper body tightly, restraining him tighter and tighter. “After I shatter the bones in your entire body, I will mercifully dig your heart out.”

*Snap! Snap!*

The sound of bones snapping inch by inch resounded.

Chris howled in pain, but he could not free himself from Hestad’s deadly embrace. Hestad laughed out loud and hugged Chris tightly, as if he was embracing a battle companion.

Just like how they embraced each other without any ill feelings after achieving victory in an arduous battle when they were younger.

However, the glorious past had disappeared without a trace forever.

*Snap!* Chris’ bones were still fragmenting piece by piece.

“Before you die, beg for forgiveness from His Majesty!” Hestad’s arms drew tighter and tighter!

At this moment, Chris, who was in extreme pain, shot him a smile with great difficulty. “Time is… up…” he said in pain.

Hestad was stunned. ‘What time?’

He did not want to waste time. He prepared to continue exerting force with his arms, intending to squash Chris into pieces in his bosom. But then, Hestad realized in shock that the force of his arms… was becoming weaker and weaker?

‘What’s going on? Why is my energy… disappearing?’

Hestad started to lose feeling in his arms. He furrowed his brows tightly and released Chris without hesitation.

In the next moment, Hestad stared at his arms, his eyes were filled with disbelief and shock. ‘Impossible.’

For some unknown reason, half of his arms had been corroded by Chris’ black blood! There was no other reason to it.

‘My True Form Armor… It is completely impossible for it to be corroded!’

Hestad gritted his teeth hard, wanting to comprehend this impossible scene.

‘Had a few hundred years of battles not proven this point?’

Chris panted on the ground with great difficulty, smiled wanly, and said, “Haha, unstoppable strength, unbreakable defenses? Have you heard of the Far Eastern story about the spear and the shield?”

Hestad took a step back in shock.

‘What? When did he…’

His arms were still corroding continuously!

Swaying, Chris stood up. “Your fists are sharp weapons. They also have hard armor that can withstand impact. They are sharp and hard at the same time. Amplified by your strength which is comparable to that of a great dragon. Your terrifying battle instincts, and incomparable mastery of force, you are indeed…

“However, when they are pitted against each other, what would happen?”

With an unpleasant expression, Hestad hammered Chris back to the ground with his head.

‘No… No!’

However, Chris stood up again, swaying. He smiled and said, “At the moment your fists crashed into each other behind my head… a slight crack that even you did not expect appeared. Maybe, after this battle, they would repair themselves.

“But for my blood, this slight crack is enough for it to seep into that True Form Armor of yours that is supposedly unbreakable, and corrode the completely vulnerable blood and flesh within.”

Arduously, Chris held on to Hestad’s arms. The black blood on half of Hestad’s arms immediately flowed through him at an increased speed. It rapidly seeped from Hestad’s wounds to the insides of his body!

Hestad gritted his teeth and moved his body. The corrosion from the black blood had already reached deep inside him.

“This is the end to our battle, my fellow clansman.” Chris coughed out a mouthful of blood, smiled wanly and said, “To battle with you… it is an honor indeed.”

Hestad could not support his body anymore. Lying on the ground with indignation, he raised his head towards the sky and roared furiously.

…..

“Can you not see it yet?” Katerina said coldly, “There has never been any human blood that is so nourishing. She was probably in good condition since the beginning!

“This woman is a born performer. You were deceived by her from the beginning to the end! Just like how she deceived everyone in the Corleone family!”

Thales looked at the adult version of Serena in a daze.

‘Could it be that… she was never heavily injured? So, her form as a little girl… The so-called ‘alliance’ with me. When did she start…? When she first arrived at Mindis Hall? Morat’s visit? Vine Manor? It cannot be… Then, our alliance…’

However, the fatal battle between the Blood Clan sisters—where they would use all attacks at their disposal—had already begun.

“Do not dream of changing into your True Form,” Serena, whose strength was obviously superior, disregarded her younger sister’s hands that were gripping her wrists. She abruptly seized Katerina’s neck and sank her claws into her flesh. She smiled and said, “Just like in the past, you have no chance!”

“Ugly-faced woman,” Katerina said with disdain.

Serena’s expression changed. She whistled towards the back. The trial of strength between Katerina and Serena finally had a result.

It was because the supra class Blood Clanswoman, Rolana who was watching the battle from the side, appeared behind Katerina in the blink of an eye and thrust her claws outwards!

Shrieking, Katerina moved her head and dodged the attack, but the claws still pierced a hole in her shoulder.

Serena grabbed tightly onto the wounded Katerina. Both of them disappeared from the spot at the same time, and then appeared not far away in the air, crashing hard into two birch trees and breaking them!

*Bang!*

The snow dispersed completely, revealing Serena’s naked figure. She laughed softly and said, “How is the feeling of being continuously attacked and not being able to change into your True Form?”

With a chilly expression, Rolana appeared beside the two sisters and tightly held Katerina in place. Serena laughed maniacally. Facing the obviously restrained Katerina, she thrust her fist out so fast that it stirred up a breeze, and she punched her younger sister’s face!

*Boom!*

Katerina spat out a mouthful of blood and her head was flung powerlessly to the side.

Thales cursed loudly. It was obvious that the attitude of Serena’s party towards him was no longer one of ‘alliance’ like it used to be. Based on the situation right now, the Night Queen was his only hope.

*Boom!* Serena’s second punch landed on the Night Queen’s face.

“Do you miss this, Kat?” Serena smiled happily, and aimed for Katerina’s soft and sweet face. “An older sister’s love!”

Katerina’s gaze brightened. She turned, and with a speed that could not be seen by the naked eye, as well as sharp claws aimed at a sharp angle, she slashed Rolana behind her with ease. She even inflicted a wound that was so deep the bones beneath were visible on Rolana’s chest.

However, she did not have the time to attend to Serena who was in front of her. The patricide threw another punch!

*BOOM!*

This is the third punch with larger force. It pushed Katerina onto the snow-covered ground.

Thales anxiously watched the battle. At the same time, he searched through the carriage’s remnants for something that can be used to cut the rope.

However, with his eyesight, he could not grasp the Blood Clanswomen’s fearsome and extreme speed. He could only see a sight where the three of them looked like as if they were experiencing frame skips.

It was not that he had not contemplated escaping while the chaos went on, but he knew that on the snow-covered ground in the evening, he would not be able to escape the Blood Clanswomen’s pursuit and attack by only relying on his short and tiny legs, no matter which party it was.

Rolana climbed up from the ground and roared. On the other hand, Serena went forward while laughing shrewdly.

But in the next moment, a strange sound rang from where Katerina was!

“Whimper… Ah…”

Serena’s expression changed drastically!

“Whimper… Ah…”

Having heard that sound, Thales suddenly felt his whole body tremble. He could not help but feel that the entire world had been turned upside-down!

“Ah… Whimper…”

He could not even maintain his balance while sitting on the floor. Swaying, he fell down. He could not stand up anymore!

Thales panicked. ‘What is going on?’

*Whimper… whimper…*

Thales moved laboriously, but his consciousness was clouded, as if he had lost all sense of direction. When he extended his hand towards the left, it ended up being extended to the right. When he raised his head up towards the sky, it went even deeper into the snow-covered ground!

After wriggling about randomly, he finally shifted his gaze towards the battlefield. He shifted his eyes towards Katerina.

Her purple eyes had currently become pure black and an unknown black liquid seeped out of her eyes without stopping!

Beside her, Rolana fell onto the ground as if she was drunk, just like Thales. She was cursing out loud with gritted teeth.

Thales’ heart jolted. ‘Is Katerina… Crying?’

He immediately thought of Katerina’s nickname, ‘The Weeper. So, is this her ability?’

With black liquid flowing out of her eyes, Katerina emitted a strange and mysterious sobbing noise. She slowly stood up and looked at her older sister.

“Tears of the Bloody Night!” With her body swaying, Serena spoke resentfully, “Who would have thought that it can be used without the True Form?”

Amid these strange cries, Serena kept herself going with much effort, intending to punch through her younger sister’s chest before collapsing!

*Slap!*

Thales saw in astonishment that Serena’s fist was clamped tightly by sharp white claws that had spurs growing on them.

Serena furrowed her brows. Katerina, who was restrained all along, raised her swiftly transforming head. Her ears became longer, her fangs became sharper, and parts of her bones jutted out of her face. Her entire face gained a strange, pale white color.

Thales watched in a daze as Katerina’s entire body expanded, changed shape, and had white skeletal wings grow out of it. She slowly transformed into a massive, white monster.

The ‘True From’ exclusive to supreme class members of the Blood Clan.

*Bang!*

Amid Serena’s shrill cries, her sister had already punched a hole through her stomach!

“Whimper… yes… whimper… my elder sister… whimper.” Katerina, who was in her white True Form, had her pure black eyes open. She spoke with a hoarse voice, “Your younger sister… ah… loves you very much, too… whimper…”

Serena shrieked and frantically shook her body, but within Katerina’s strange cries, she was powerless.

“Whimper… it seems that you did not recover well, my elder sister… Whimper…” At this moment, Katerina looked like she was sobbing and talking at the same time. It appeared especially terrifying. “In contrast… whimper… I have improved too much! Whimper… Right now, I… whimper… do not even have to change into my ‘True Form’ to use ‘Tears of the Bloody Night’! …Whimper… This forbidden ability is truly one that attacks without differentiation between friend and foe!”

While using her alleged ‘Tears of the Bloody Night’, Katerina raised her fist that had pierced through Serena’s stomach and dragged Serena in front of her. She displayed an expression that looked like she was both crying and smiling.

Thales shut his eyes in relief. ‘Does this count as… executing a major attack in time? This change in this situation… is truly scary.’

Katerina’s skeletal wings slowly extended and unfurled. The skin and flesh on her body began to fall off. Soon, she would completely change into a pure white, ‘True Form’ Blood Clanswoman!

However…

“Now, Rolana,” Serena said, barely alive.

Katerina furrowed her brows. It appeared that Rolana, who was lying on the ground, had adapted to that feeling of having lost her sense of direction and balance. She hugged her arms hard around Katerina, who was still transforming.

Rolana flashed a charming smile that immediately became a bitter, wan smile. “Your Majesty, I’m sorry, but this is for freedom.”

Thales felt an ominous presentiment.

*Boom!*

The next moment, Rolana’s entire body exploded and dispersed into black blood that filled the whole sky, but splashing onto a small area.

It drenched the still transforming Katerina and the heavily injured Serena entirely.

Both of them raised their arms to cover their faces, blocking off the black blood that showered from the sky.

A mere few seconds passed, the strange cries stopped abruptly, and was replaced by Katerina’s shriek!

“Ah… this is….” She raised her trembling hands. Staring at the black blood on them, she roared miserably in disbelief, “Filthy Blood Poison!”

Katerina appeared as though she was splashed with the sulfuric acid which existed in Thales’ past life. Under that black blood, her entire body trembled, and her True Form started shrinking!

Without the effect of ‘Tears of the Bloody Night’, Thales sat up and watched this scene in a daze. ‘What is this?’

At that moment, Serena pressed the wound on her stomach hard and let out a sincere, wild laugh that filled the whole sky!

“Hahahahahahahaha!”

The next moment, the skin and flesh on her body fell off inch by inch. A blood-red layer of keratin grew and took shape!

Her ears became long and her skeletal wings pierced through her back. Spurs and sharp claws eventually took shape.

In the blink of an eye, Serena changed into a massive, blood-red monster. Apart from the color, she looked almost exactly like Katerina.

There was only one small difference.

Unlike Katerina’s facial features, which were still pure after changing into her True Form…

…Serena’s facial features…

Trembling, Thales remembered the scene that he did not want to recall the most.

‘A large, black mouth which extended to the back of her ears. A pitch-dark nose which is completely devoid of anything. Eyes that were like two irregular black holes. This is… Apart from the fact that the skin was no longer scorched-black and withered…’

This was basically the terrifying mummy version of Serena Thales saw that night in the black coffin at Vine Manor!

Drenched in cold sweat, Thales watched the scene. He suddenly understood what Katerina meant when she called Serena an ‘ugly-faced woman’.

‘Truly… She’s really ugly.’

Serena, who had an inelegant True Form, opened her massive mouth and revealed fangs that were equally irregular. As though having her prey in her grasp, she let out a savage snarl at Katerina!

“Roar!”

*Ka-boom!*

Amid the True Form Serena’s hoarse cackles and Katerina’s screech, the Night Queen’s wings were snapped!

*Tear!*

The next moment, Katerina’s left arm was torn to pieces. Blood splattered everywhere.

*Rip!*

This time, her right arm was effortlessly snapped off!

Katerina, who had lost both her arms and both her wings, howled maniacally. However, True Form Serena only flashed a victorious smile and struck her onto the snow-covered ground with a punch!

*BOOM!*

The terrifying True Form Serena raised her sharp, red claws—that were at least double the length of those of a normal Blood Clansman—and fervently swung them downwards!

*Tear!*

She chopped off both of Katerina’s legs!

Katerina’s True Form finally disappeared completely, resuming her form of that endearing-looking queen in black. However, she was already too powerless to turn the tables.

Thales watched this reversal of the situation in a daze.

‘This is bad,’ he thought, ‘Very bad.’

Katerina, whose four limbs were broken and wings shattered, spat a mouthful of blood in indignation. She watched as the True Form Serena slowly changed back into her normal appearance.

“The True Forms of supreme class members of the Blood Clan are terrifying,” Serena said happily and seductively to her younger sister who was lying on the ground in an extremely pitiful state. “However, very few people know that the process of changing from our normal states and into our ‘True Forms’ is a process where we transform our body’s tissues, change our blood, and become reborn.”

Serena picked up the cape Rolana left behind after sacrificing herself, and wrapped it around her own body.

She sat beside her younger sister and made a pretense of sighing. “This is the time when the immunity of Blood Clansmen towards special toxins is at its weakest, especially if there is Blood Clansman from the same family and the same source, who voluntarily dissolves the Filthy Blood Poison into her own body and lets you absorb it while you are changing forms…

“Is this not a brilliant idea? You know, your so-called ‘forbidden ability’ had always given me a headache…”

Thales found a sharp wooden fragment and desperately sliced at the rope that tied his hands behind his back. However, this was totally not as easy as depicted in the television movies from his past life!

He could not see the situation behind his back, nor know what the most effective way to slice through the ropes was. He was also unable to exert force!

‘I must be a little quicker. Or else, after Katerina, it would be my turn! What should I do?!’ Gritting his teeth, Thales contemplated frantically.

Katerina, who was powerless to fight back, resentfully said, “Crazy b*tch! Using your subordinate’s life to… Do you know how painful it is for someone to absorb poisonous blood into their body?!”

“Hahaha, I like to see this adorable manner of yours the most—where you can only retort with foolish words after the situation is reversed at a crucial moment.” Serena clapped happily and laughed loudly, “Seeing how powerful I am, the Night Wing King would probably be very gratified, don’t you think so?”

“Shut up!” The Night Queen, who had lost all advantages, cried hoarsely in indignation and resentment, “You have no right to mention him! You murdered our father! Patricide!”

“Father!” Serena suddenly turned her head, and her face was shrouded in a chilly look that seemed to have no end. “You call him father! Just because he bit your neck?”

On the ground, Katerina was suddenly stunned, as if she was hit on her weak spot. She then immediately retorted in a frenzy, “He rescued us and raised us!”

Katerina, whose four limbs were broken, was filled with hatred. She struggled to raise her head and glare at her sister.

“He gifted us with his most valuable origin blood! Allowing us to possess his bloodline, share his glory, and even inherit his title! He loved us like how a real father would! Otherwise, the two of us mere orphans would have died a violent death during those turbulent days of the Battle of Eradication!”

Thales shuddered violently. ‘Battle of Eradication?’

Serena moved in a flash. She seized the latter’s neck and raised her up!

Filled with disgust and derision, the patricide spoke coldly to her younger sister, “My naive younger sister, you do not know anything. You only remember the human-shaped doll that he gave you, only remember the love he gave you, don’t you, Kat? You will always be nothing but a cry-baby who hides behind me. Did you think that I do not know what you were thinking? Your thoughts towards him?”

Katerina’s gaze seemed as if it was frozen by something. She watched her elder sister with a gaze full of suspicion.

Serena coldly said, “Every time that man returns to the palace, you were that idiot who was the first one to rush to him, and you would act in a pettishly charming manner. If any simple-minded female servant or dame showed slight affection towards him, you would taunt and jeer at them, secretly oppress them, and make the servants isolate them.

“The Weeper? Half of your tears are shed because you are afraid of me, and the other half are shed because you like him!”

Katerina trembled abruptly!

“Yes, I know!” Serena said while smiling mockingly, “Kat, you not only admired and idolized him…”

Struggling, Katerina put on a disbelieving expression.

Under Thales’ astonished gaze, the patricide spoke, enunciating each word, “You also liked him and desired him! You loved him deeply!”

Katerina stared at Serena while trembling. She was lost for words.

At this moment, Serene laughed deeply, mysteriously, and insanely. “…You fell in love with the person who gave you a second chance at life, fell in love with the powerful Night Wing King. Am I right?”

“No!” Katerina’s brows moved to show her struggle, as if she was immersed in disbelief and pain.

“Is that not so?” Serena said coldly, “You wished that you were his wife or his lover, instead of his daughter!”

As Thales watched this scene, he was taken aback, ‘This is… severe… Electra complex?’

Thales lowered his head and sighed. And yet, his fate depended on this queen.

Struggling, he stood up. ‘Damn. Why do I… every time, in the end… have to save the world… by myself?’

The heavily injured Katerina started to roar hysterically.

“And this ugly and shameless feeling of yours,” Serena’s gaze become cold. She extended her blood-red claws and softly grazed it past Katerina’s fair face, “Let it end now!”

Suddenly—

“Wait!”

Serena furrowed her brows slightly and turned her head to look towards Thales.

Thales was leaning against the carriage wreckage. He struggled up from the ground and with brows tightly furrowed, looked at the hideous Serena.

Under Serena’s gaze, he walked towards the black coffin.

The legendary anti-mystic equipment—the Dark Night Black Coffin.

“I heard that there is a Mystic inside here?” Panting, Thales Jade Star flashed a bitter smile. “He is even the type that can be let out.

“Do you want to meet him?”

Chapter 89

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Tower of Eradication. House of Scions. Truth Library.

This was an enormous storeroom. Red rays of sunset pierced through the dome roof made of Crystal Drops, and shone upon rows of large bookshelves, making the record books made of various, colored materials glisten.

“Can you be a little more serious?”

A lean and handsome middle-aged man with short, gray hair held an Everlasting Lamp and stood behind a row of huge bookshelves, staring in dissatisfaction at the other side of the bookshelf.

There was a sickly, blond young man who sat leaning against a bookshelf.

The Class Two Police Officer of Eternal Star City, Kohen Karabeyan, raised his head with a fatigued expression and looked at his teacher, Zedi Taffner.

So tired that he was barely alive, the police officer raised his hand and said, “Hey! I asked someone to help me take a month’s leave and took seven days to travel without pause to the Tower of Eradication! Then you pulled me here before I could even catch up on some sleep!

“I only ate two pieces of bread during all this!” Kohen weakly patted his stomach and protested feebly, “Can you at least show some concern for your student’s welfare?”

His middle-aged teacher, Zedi Taffner, snorted and put down the Everlasting Lamp. He nonchalantly took another book. “It was you who voiced your desire to read records on scions for reference… You know that Shao wouldn’t agree, that old Far Easterner sticks obstinately to the rules. I can only make the best use of the time when he is not around to come here with you.”

Remembering Master Shao’s temper, Kohen leaned against the bookshelf behind him. He felt that he could not arouse any interest to look for books at all.

He spoke in resignation, “Shao… Did he not give up the inheritance right to the greatest sword sect in the Far East to come to the Tower of Eradication? I thought that, having done something like that, he would not be so conservative and rigid…”

“How would I know? All of Shao’s inheritance have all sorts of weird regulations. Anyway, until now, I have not figured out the operation protocols of those ‘sects’ of theirs. If we were members of Far Eastern sword sects, as a student, the moment you walk through the door, you should respectfully kowtow to me.

“If you are disrespectful towards me… like right now…”

Zedi glared angrily at Kohen. “I can cripple your sword hand!”

Kohen rolled his eyes.

“Have you found any connection between the ‘Disaster Sword’ and Blood Bottle Gang?” the police officer asked dispiritedly.

“No. It’s still just things that both of us already know,” Zedi snappishly put back the ancient sheepskin book in his hand to the shelves, “Because I am very inefficient! And there is a student who is refusing to get up to help!”

Kohen pretended not to hear the last sentence. He contemplated and said, “Alright, then why don’t you tell me about the people of the tower’s attitudes towards those ‘Disaster Swords’? How much do the people in the tower understand about them? Perhaps it would be helpful if I combine it with the information I saw in the police station?”

Zedi stopped moving his hands. He looked at his student and was silent for a moment. In the end, he sighed, “Very well, but if you want to know, you will have to join our secret group.”

“Secret group?” Kohen turned his head curiously.

“In short, we are a small group of people in the Tower of Eradication who are entrusted with a special mission. The aim is to fight against the inheritors of the Sword of Eradication outside the tower, who are otherwise known as ‘Disaster Swords’.”

“I’m in!” Kohen’s eyes brightened. He must join them. He must understand more things about the ‘Disaster Swords’, about that violent type of Power of Eradication.

‘Even if… It is for Raphael and Miranda…’ He clenched his fists discreetly.

“So readily?” Zedi asked in surprise. He then flashed a joyful smile. “Alright, this group consists of Chartier and myself. Now, there’s you, too.”

Kohen opened his mouth in disbelief. “There are only three of you… us? A small group of three people… Fighting against the ‘Disaster Swords’?”

Kohen looked as if he had been scammed. He stared at his teacher in disbelief, “It’s a joke, right?”

“What’s wrong with having three people?! We are, after all, a secret group. We do have an official name!” Zedi slapped his thigh and said with an unfathomable countenance, “Shao calls us the ‘Purgers’.”

Kohen’s expression froze. ‘Purge? To purge the traitors? Then Raphael…’

“However, Chartier thinks that based on Crassus’ blood debt, the ‘League of Avengers’ is better…” Zedi leaned his body forward, his expression was serious. “And in my opinion, based on the importance of our mission, we should be called…”

Kohen subconsciously wanted to cover his ears, but Zedi had already uttered the words, “The Supreme Team That Will Get Rid of Crassus and Bring the Tower of Eradication Back to Its Glory and Revive the Extraordinary Sword and THEN Rescue Errol!”

Kohen watched his teacher with derision.

“Haha, I was joking! The atmosphere was too serious!”

Seeing Kohen’s expression, which was akin to someone who had just eaten something disgusting, Zedi laughed loudly and patted his shoulder.

But then, he sighed.

“It’s too bad that, until now, our knowledge about that violent Power of Eradication is limited,” Zedi said disappointedly, “After all, what was felt when battling with them was not the complete picture of their Power of Eradication.”

Kohen also became grim, “Is there no result at all?”

Zedi looked at his student. A few seconds later, he pursed his lips and spoke seriously, “No, there are still some results. At least we are aware that the brutal and insane type of Power of Eradication that originated from the ‘Disaster Sword’, Crassus…

“…Is actually an imitation of a mysterious and terrifying power from ancient times.”

…..

“Look, Serena, why don’t we sit down and discuss this issue properly?” With a smile on his face, Thales looked at Katerina—whose face was full of despair—then at the complacent Serena, “You don’t have to be so violent.”

“Oh, ah…”

Serena raised a brow and hurled Katerina away.

*Bang!*

The latter crashed into a tree nearby. Struggling, Katerina raised her head.

Serena walked towards Thales gracefully. “Let it out?” She glanced at the black coffin and flashed an enticing smile. “How are you going to do it? Kick it with your legs?”

Thales’ heart started beating uncontrollably. ‘Calm down. At least she let go of Katerina. This is the only chance, I must seize it.’

“The Dark Night Black Coffin can only be opened with the key that the ruler carries at all times, along with the blood of direct members of the Corleone Family.” Serena laughed playfully. “Which is to say, Katerina’s blood or my blood.”

Katerina, who was a distance away, raised her head with effort and glared at them indignantly. Her limbs were regenerating, but the speed of her recovery was incredibly slow.

‘Forget about regenerating, there is no more hope for a comeback…’ she thought in despair, ‘In this battle between sisters… Isn’t there?’

Thales inhaled deeply. “Rolana and the rest must had told you about how Ralf and I escaped from the dungeon in Vine Manor.”

Serena narrowed her eyes.

Trembling, Thales tried his best to create his own story, making it sound more believable. “I have a special psionic ability that can be used to break all shackles… Why don’t I give it a try on this coffin?”

Thales touched the sharp fragment of wood in his hands, which were placed behind his back. His heart was racing with anxiety. He did not have the ability to slice open the rope. However…

Cutting himself should not be a problem. Even though the side effect of that power might be a little severe, it was just that, without the help of his hands, could he still successfully ‘lose control’?

Thales laughed bitterly in his heart, ‘Time to test whether I can deceive her with that ‘if gazes could kill’ concept.’

Serena’s steps came closer and closer. “So, this is your psionic ability. But why did you think I tied your hands up?” Lowering her head, Serena laughed coldly and said softly, “I asked Rolana down to the smallest detail. Your psionic ability can only be activated when you cut yourself and blood comes out! This is to drive you towards a dead end, Prince Thales.”

Thales’ heart shuddered. ‘She… had she noticed this from the beginning?’

Serena continued approaching him with her steps.

“That’s far enough!” Thales shouted, “Don’t come any closer!”

He had already made calculations. Even if Serena came over in a flash from that distance, she would need at least a second.

It was enough for him to activate THAT on the coffin.

“I have a piece of wood in my hands.” Thales moved his body sideways and revealed the piece of wood. He then carefully and swiftly turned back. He spoke while panting slightly, “It is enough for me to cut open my own hand! Do you really want to meet that Mystic?” He kicked the black coffin behind him. “Do you want me to knock on the door for you to wake it up first?”

A chilly look appeared in Serena’s eyes.

‘This brat. Is he betting on whether I will dare to take that risk?’

“My dear Thales!” Within Thales’ field of vision, Serena stood still on her spot. She suddenly flashed a bright smile and threw her hands into the air. “You must have misunderstood me! I did not plan to hurt you at all. For me, a living Constellation heir is even more useful than a dead Constellation heir, is it not? We have a promise. With each other’s help, you will one day be crowned king, and I will regain my throne.

“Have you forgotten?” The Blood Clanswoman from the Corleone Family smiled brightly. “Do we not have a marriage contract?”

Thales’ brows furrowed. ‘This old witch. Ugly-faced woman.’

Serena extended her right hand and slowly clenched her fist. “We will join hands! With the navy of your Eastern Sea Hill and South Coast Hill, and our natural geographical advantages at the Sea-Gazing Cliff, we will occupy the east and west coasts respectively. We can make the southern part of the Sea of Eradication which is rich in Eternal Oil into an inland sea belonging to the Starlit Night Alliance.

“Between Constellation and the Night Kingdom, we can share our gains and assist each other, intimidating our opponents from our respective peninsulas and making them hesitate in attacking us. For you, it would be Eckstedt and Camus; for us, it would be Mane et Nox and Hanbol.” Serena looked right at Thales. “These were my initial thoughts.”

“Do not trust her!” Katerina spat out a mouthful of blood. She spoke with hatred, “Only the most insane demons would dare to form an alliance with this poisonous b*tch!”

*Bang!*

Serena laughed coldly. She casually threw a snowball which sailed at a rapid speed. It hit Katerina and incapacitated her.

Thales exhaled deeply.

Serena continued speaking expressionlessly, “I know that you are not a normal seven-year-old child. You have a maturity and wisdom that exceeds those possessed by your age. You would know that my idea is plausible.”

She extended her hand at Thales. “We are allies.”

Thales lowered his head. ‘Allies. Haih…’

“You intended to kill me earlier,” Thales furrowed his brows as he spoke.

“It was to divert my younger sister’s attention and defeat her in the end.” Serena flashed a smile. “It was a pleasure working with you.”

But Thales raised his head gently and shook it slightly, “Serene, this is the last time I call you this.”

Serena’s expression changed.

Thales sighed. “Let this deception end here. You never saw me as an ally at all… ugly-faced woman.”

Serena’s gaze became cold.

“The first time we met, your words were already filled with lies. You said that you were the true heir of the Corleone family as well as the rightful and legitimate ruler of the Hill of Pain.”

“In regards to this, I did not lie.” Serena blinked her large, charming eyes. However, Thales, who had a deep impression of her ‘other side’, was not swayed at all.

“I was indeed the first in line to the Night Kingdom throne and heir apparent to the Night Wing King, Laurie Corleone.” Serena opened her mouth, sticking out her index finger and rubbing off a trace of blood from her cheek. She then placed her finger inside her mouth and sucked on it.

This action made her seem even more attractive and seductive, but Thales was secretly anxious. ‘How long can I drag this on? Where are Aida and the rest? With Serene’s speed, there is only one chance to utilize this “loss of control”. Besides, the effect is inconsistent. Unless it is at the last moment, I mustn’t draw this card.’

“But you did not mention the truth about you murdering the previous king.” Thales shook his head. “In other words, you are not a loser in the fight for the crown among those who have their eyes on the throne. Instead, you are a criminal who is guilty of a serious crime, who murdered your father the king, whose crime cannot be pardoned, and whom everybody has the right to punish.”

Serena’s charmingly smiling gaze froze.

“Even if you become powerful, I’m afraid that no one in the Night Kingdom would support your coronation.” Thales raised his head and stared at Serena. He spoke, enunciating each word clearly, “There is no possibility of you regaining the throne at all.”

The sun was about to set. There was a deadly silence in the snow-covered land.

Serena stared at him. She did not avert her gaze for a long, long time.

“I have had enough of you.” Serena’s smile disappeared. Her voice was extremely cold. “Arrogant mortal, you are right. Even if I kill Katerina right here…

“The Sacred Blood Army is extremely loyal to her. Along with the clans behind those warriors who covet the Blood Ocean Throne—Costigan, Sullivan and Lorilia. It is impossible for them to allow me to be crowned either.”

“So, your true enemies are the opposers who can be found almost everywhere in the entire Night Kingdom.” Thales shut his eyes tightly and exhaled. “So, you need the power of a kingdom to destroy those opponents that you cannot match up to.”

“Originally, I only wanted to borrow all your power to intercept Katerina. However, the assassination of the Eckstedt Diplomat Group gave me a massive revelation,” Serena, whose face was as cold as frost, nodded. “The death of an heir triggers war between kingdoms. Not to mention that the King of Constellation made a sacred pledge in public that if you die, the person who will avenge you… will be the next king.”

Thales heaved a sigh.

Serena shook her head and sighed. “For the heir to Constellation to die under the shameless interception of the Night Queen, and for the latter to disappear without reason… How many ambitious schemers do you reckon would attack the Night Kingdom at all costs, or at least make a relevant pledge just for the throne of Constellation?

“After all, it only takes a week to sail with the ocean currents from Constellation’s South Coast Hill, and across the Sea of Eradication to reach the Night Kingdom.

“War will wipe out the opposers in the Sacred Blood Army, and provide me with a more submissive Night Kingdom.” Serena took a passionate step forward. “And the true heir of Corleone would make vigorous efforts to save the situation at the last moment.”

“So, this is the aim of the alliance. To borrow the power of Constellation to wipe out your opposers.” Watching Serena’s expression, Thales spoke quietly, “The Starlit Night Alliance was a complete scam.”

“You do not understand, childish brat,” Serena laughed coldly and said, “The purpose of an alliance is to fight against your enemies.”

Thales glanced at the unconscious Katerina.

“No,” Serena said in a cold voice, “What I meant was that, to form an alliance with your enemy, and then betray him at a crucial moment… Betrayal is the true essence of an alliance.”

Thales furrowed his brows tightly. ‘I see. This is her logic for survival.’

The Starlit Night Alliance, the first act of diplomacy in Thales’ life, became a complete failure at that moment.

In the future, in the countless times Thales will sit before the negotiating table, he would be unable to help but think of this scene. At the same time, he would recall the “true essence of an alliance” with wariness in his heart, as well as the Starlit Night Alliance between him and a certain Blood Clanswoman that only lasted for about a month before ending in failure.

Thales sighed, “As expected, to have an adorable, capable, loli vampire with red eyes and silver hair, who is a childish brat with a sugar-and-ice personality, and has lived for a few hundred years, to suddenly appear to speak with me that sickeningly sweet voice and call me big brother, and even eagerly wanting to marry me… This tactic… I was the one who thought too much!”

He lowered his head in desolation. “This world is, after all, not like the ones in those novels with simple plotlines.”

Chapter 90

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“The descendants of Disaster Sword want to imitate a type of the Power of Eradication?” Kohen raised his eyebrow. “Imitate? Does that mean, this type of power has a prototype to be imitated?”

“Prototype…” Zedi thought about it seriously and nodded. “Yes, you can say that—there is a type of superpower that can act as a prototype, and one can imitate it.”

Kohen furrowed his eyebrows and muttered, “Superpower?”

The police officer said in a puzzled tone, “This was how we addressed the Power of Eradication a long time ago. So the prototype of the superpower first appeared before the Battle of Eradication… That was at least seven hundred years ago?”

“Longer, it was a lot longer than what you imagined.” Zedi sucked in a breath as he recalled his discussion with the other scions.

He then said faintly, “The ‘prototype’ you mentioned appeared from the Age of Feudal Kings to the Ancient Empire, but the most famous record was during the climax of the Ancient Empire’s first civil strife— there was a person who possessed that ‘prototype’ superpower, who led the army into the Capital of Triumph and cut off the supreme emperor’s head.”

‘Cut off… an emperor’s… Head?’

Kohen widened his mouth in shock.

“Emperor? I would still believe you if you are talking about the small and weak Final Empire, but that was the great Ancient Empire! Why did history class never mention this?”

“There was more than one time where an emperor was attacked by assassins during the two dynasties of the empire, and there were only two successful cases. As to why you did not know about this at all as a noble…” Zedi put on a smug smile.

“First of all, it is because of the reason that is known to everyone, Constellation has very little historic information on the two empire dynasties. If you want to find the most complete historical material and ancient books, you would have to go to Mane et Nox Dynasty’s Flourish and Decay Pavilion or the Tower of Eradication’s Truth Library.

“Secondly, the Jade Star Royal Family is the descendant of the Caros Imperial Family, after all. Even if they know about this, do you think that the supreme king would happily put the phrase ‘the emperor was beheaded by the army’ into the books?

“Let us return to our original topic.” Zedi sat down cross-legged—this was Shao’s way of sitting down. Compared to his other method of sitting on his heels, Zedi felt that this sort of Far Eastern manner of sitting made him feel particularly like an expert—and he patted his saber.

“I heard that the fellow who murdered the emperor relied on this mysterious prototype superpower and defeated almost every one of his opponents in that era. Even the wizards had no choice but to be extremely careful when they met him.”

“Every opponent?” Kohen asked in surprise, “What made this prototype so powerful?”

“I am not clear about that.” Zedi furrowed his eyebrows. “There were records written in Crassus’ own notes that mentioned this: The biggest characteristic of the superpower was that it did not have any special characteristics.

“No special characteristics?”

Zedi spread his hands and said irresponsibly, “Anyway, that was what Crassus had written over a hundred years ago.”

“It does not seem right.” Kohen furrowed his brows and said skeptically, “If this sort of superpower was indeed so powerful, would there be no one who would compete to learn and master it during the past thousand years, making it the most popular Power of Eradication now?”

“Right, why was it not circulated widely? This is the strange part.” Zedi had a mysterious expression on his face, as if he wanted Kohen to ask him about it. “We have clarified this point.”

Kohen raised an eyebrow and crossed his hands in front of his chest, refusing to ask Zedi.

The corners of Zedi’s mouth curled up and he furrowed his brows as he stared resolutely at Kohen.

But the latter was still showing no interest in knowing, as if he came to the library only for a stroll and to listen to a story.

Finally, Zedi rolled his eyes at Kohen. He still could not resist the urge to pour out what was on his mind and said resignedly, “Crassus’ notes were quite vague, but only the information on the awakening and increase of levels for this power were recorded clearly. That was the research done by him and another scion at that time.”

Kohen stared at him, filled with curiosity.

Zedi opened his mouth and quoted a phrase that sounded like a verse from the Far Eastern countries, “Experience life or death to become extraordinary, experience living and dying in order to scale a peak.”

Kohen widened both of his eyes and his mouth, then shook his head twice.

‘I do not understand.’

Zedi sighed. “Our usual Power of Eradication, including the Four Main Original Superpowers, all have to rely on our sword style that never faded away as well as combat practices to be awakened.

“But this type of ‘prototype’ cannot be awakened through practice, and it is also unable to have any sort of increase in power based on our proficiency with it.” Zedi narrowed his eyes in an enigmatic manner.

“As a Power of Eradication, only when its wielder is in grave danger and is about to die…

“Would it have a slight chance of being awakened.”

Kohen widened his eyes.

“Experience life or death to become extraordinary, experience living and dying in order to scale a peak—it can only be awakened in situations where its wielder will most certainly die.”

The wide Truth Library was filled with silence.

Kohen widened his mouth in disbelief only after three seconds had passed. “It cannot be real! So those who had this prototype Power of Eradication are all…”

“Yes.” Zedi furrowed his brows tightly together and spoke a few words in doubt and confusion.

“People who experienced death.”

Kohen touched his abdomen with a ghastly expression on his face. There, on his abdomen, was a wound which had been formed when he was pierced by the Disaster Swordsman of Blood Bottle Gang. It was seemingly throbbing in pain.

Zedi looked perplexed when he said, “The Awakened who had this prototype Power of Eradication were the small handful of lucky ones on the battlefield. They had to suffer fatal injuries to be able to awaken, and I guess that more than half of those Awakened died from their injuries not long after they experienced their awakening.

“Let’s say, for example, your throat has been slashed, but you do not die immediately and such a power is awakened within you. Then, you would have recuperative abilities comparable to a dragon’s. You would be able to stand up, alive and kicking after all of your injuries are healed?” Kohen’s brows were wrinkled together. “It does not sound like something a human can do.”

The police shook his head in disbelief… he could not understand the meaning of this power.

“But at the end of the day, it did appear,” his teacher hung his head and said.

“I still have another guess that Shao very much agrees with.” Under Kohen’s gaze, Zedi held his breath and slowly relayed his inference.

“The stronger the people are, like those in supreme class or supra class, the terms and conditions for them to upgrade this Power of Eradication would be harsher. The ‘deadly situation’ needed would be even more brutal, and the mortality rate would also be higher… That was why Crassus thought of imitation instead of copying it down to the very last detail.”

Kohen sighed. “I guess, that sort of frantic and ruthless vibe was a residual effect of this power, which ‘courts death’?”

Zedi nodded. “That was the reason why even after the lucky ones survived and obtained the power, they still had to go through even more devastating deaths again and again if they wanted to increase their level and become stronger… Very few people survived, the others were…

Zedi sighed. “Thus, it is absolutely impossible for it to circulate in a large-scale.”

“Do you not think that it is very contradicting?!” Kohen raised his hand and objected from the floor. “If you want to awaken that power, you must seek death! If you want to become stronger, you must also seek death! Then, what is the purpose of me practicing this Power of Eradication?”

“Haha, becoming stronger is not necessarily just for surviving.” Zedi Taffner, the Tower of Eradication’s supreme class scion, chuckled. “Do not underestimate a person’s determination in pursuing power and becoming a powerful person.

“Was ‘Disaster Sword’ Crassus not an example? Why do you think he wanted to imitate this highly dangerous Power of Eradication?”

Kohen furrowed his brows.

‘Power?

‘Become stronger?

‘Raphael…

‘What is your purpose anyway…?’

Kohen touched his head and thought of a question.

“Other than that person who murdered the emperor, are there anymore records of the others who Awakened? Who is the first Awakened in history?”

“Did I not tell you?” Zedi scratched his head gracelessly. If Director Lorbec was here, he would recognize that this head-scratching motion was almost exactly the same as Kohen’s. “We flipped through every ancient book, Shao even went to Mane et Nox Dynasty’s Flourish and Decay Pavilion…

“The first suspected record appeared during the Uncivilized Period, during the Iron Blood King’s world famous ‘Mankind’s Final Defensive Line’. A sixteen-year-old soldier who was seriously injured awakened to a type of superpower that could not be upgraded, and he became a laughingstock for a while. The second record appeared during the Age of Feudal Kings, before the Holiness Exorcism Campaign. There was one eighteen-year-old ordinary class infantryman who came back alive from the orcs’ tight encirclement. He then mastered the superpower and became a supra class.”

Kohen scratched his own head. “I guess, apart from ‘experiencing death’ and also the fact that they were all very young, you have not managed to find anything else, right?”

Zedi stared at him for a really long time.

“No, we did find something,” Zedi muttered.

“All of these people shared a common characteristic.”

“What common characteristic?” Kohen’s spirits were immediately lifted as he widened his eyes.

Zedi gave him a mysterious smile. “The two people mentioned just now fought against the orcs. It was before a period of time when mankind and orcs went into battle where they would awaken to this prototype superpower.

“The crucial point is right here.”

“Wait a minute, you!” Kohen looked at his teacher’s evil grin and recalled his teacher’s horrid interests. He became wary and could not help but gulp in difficulty. “I recognize this expression…”

“One person was within the tight encirclement, another was on the defense line.” The police raised both of his hands and crossed them in front of his chest as he made an exaggerated defensive motion. He continued to furrow his brows tightly. “Are you going to say…”

Zedi raised his eyebrow and stared at him.

“It was compulsory to do some indescribable things with the orcs… in order to awaken to that prototype, right?”

After Kohen had finished speaking, a familiar sound of the wind suddenly attacked him, just as he expected!

*Thud!*

Kohen raised his hands proficiently and blocked Zedi’s hand strike.

Kohen snorted and laughed. ‘As expected, the same move used twice would be ineffective against me…’

*Slam!*

Kohen’s face went pale as he placed his hand on his abdomen. He stared at the scabbard in Zedi’s left hand in disbelief.

‘This guy…

‘Actually cheated…’

“What have you been thinking all day long?!” Zedi pulled back the scabbard he thrusted out and said exasperatedly.

“In the West Line Battlefield, the soldiers were all crude and large.” Kohen rubbed his abdomen in pain. “You had to be proficient with some of their nonsense in order to blend in.”

“Back to the topic!” Zedi said, exasperated.

Kohen gave a dispirited smile and sat back up again.

“Remember the fellow who beheaded the emperor? We have records on that person who murdered the emperor.” Zedi sighed. “He was also a knight and a Northlander.”

Kohen looked confused.

Zedi narrowed his eyes. “The knight whom he served as his master already died when he was still a page. All along, no one taught that he was the person who murdered the emperor…”

Kohen shook his head. “So?”

Zedi exhaled. “That person who murdered the emperor only learned a basic sword style.”

Under Kohen’s curious gaze, Zedi’s eyes shone with a bright light.

“The ancient sword style to defeat the orcs.

“The sword style that is the origin of superpowers…”

Kohen came to a realization as he widened his eyes in shock. They could not have been any wider.

Zedi gently held onto the hilt of his sword and said, “The Northland Military Sword Style.”

…

Thales lifted his head.

“If I die here, war between Eckstedt and Constellation would certainly erupt,” he said steadily and calmly. “Constellation would be too busy to care for itself, let alone travel across the ocean to invade your country.”

“Two hundred years of prison life taught me one thing.” The vampire lightly pulled her cape tighter around her body, making her curvy figure even clearer and more alluring. However, her tone was very scary. “The greatest wealth is the power in my own hands.

“Do not underestimate the temptation of power,” Serena said indifferently, “It can turn people crazy.”

“Do you know how many casualties this will cause?” Thales asked calmly.

Serena seemed like she was grieving when she sighed. “Yes, all those precious lives and blood sacrifices… but it is as a Far Eastern saying goes: The great general will achieve outstanding battle achievements on ten thousand dead bodies and skeletons.”

Thales lifted his head and his gaze was filled with determination. “Lives are not toys that you are allowed to simply knead and play around with, ugly-faced woman.”

“Do not call me that, I will get angry,” Serena said quietly.

Thales ignored her. “You do not have the right, no one has that kind of right.”

“Too bad.” Serena’s eyes sparkled with exotic colors. “Since ancient times, many people have had this kind of right.”

Just as Thales was about to continue speaking to delay time, Serena decided not to bother wasting her breath on him again. In the next moment, she only said one sentence slowly, “I finally succeeded.”

In his heart, Thales was puzzled.

But he understood it shortly after!

He suddenly realized to his surprise that he was unable to move a single step.

Thales suddenly broke out in a cold sweat from fear.

‘What is going on?’

Thales wanted to use a wood chip to cut off the rope tying his hands, but even his fingers were stiff!

“Generally speaking, my ‘Halting Gaze’ only requires a few seconds to take effect on weak people.” Serena walked nonchalantly towards Thales and took away the wood chip in his hand under his shocked gaze.

“But you are indeed a real descendant of the Empire. It took me such a long time to freeze you.

“Compared to my younger sister’s power, this is not really a useful power in battle.” Serena sneered.

“Why was I wasting my breath? Did you really think you were the only one who was stalling for time?” Serena said coldly, “Every second that I have to speak with you disgusts me, little sh*t.”

Thales’ face was pale as he stared at Serena, but his neck was extremely stiff.

Serena smiled faintly.

“Are you ready to welcome your death? Second prince?”

‘How-how did it become this way?’

Thales could slowly move now, but he had already lost his trump card.

His heart was filled with incomparable remorse.

‘If only I had…

‘No!’

He suddenly came to a realization.

‘It is still not too late now!’

Thales clenched his teeth and squeezed out a few words from the gaps between his teeth. “Ugly… faced… woman…”

Serena no longer concealed her expression. She blatantly revealed her hatred and disgust.

“Damned little sh*t, I really want to suck you dry…”

Thales suddenly had an idea.

‘Right.

‘Quickly, come and suck my blood.

‘If that is the case…’

Serena’s face got closer to him, and she sniffed him deeply as if she was smelling a delicacy. Her long lashes scraped his eyebrows.

Yet, Serena did not do as he wished.

“No worries, I will not let you bleed and allow you to use that psionic ability… Such a shame, isn’t it?” Serena caressed his face and slowly blew air into his ear. “But still, I have spoken the truth…

“Your blood is really nutritious.”

The next moment, Thales’ neck was forcefully gripped by Serena and he was lifted up into the air!

‘Why is it this again!’ Thales cursed in his heart!

He was not able to breathe once more.

Serena sighed.

“Do you really think that I like to disguise myself as a little girl who cannot speak properly, and that I like holding back my disgust towards acting like a spoiled child in front of you?”

In the blink of an eye, Serena’s gaze became cold. “Or maybe, you thought that I would be really patient and wait for the day you become king. Then, I would wait until you become old and greying to give me a team of mercenaries, which would be of no use in restoring my throne?”

Her grip became even tighter!

“Serena? Little girl?

“How dare you address me like that? I have lived longer than the sum of all your ancestors’ lives!” she said fiercely, almost crushing Thales’ throat.

“For your rudeness,” she said coldly, “I will let you taste the pain of being on the verge of death.”

Thales kicked his legs in pain.

But, his hands were still tied firmly together and they could not even put up an effective struggle!

‘I have gone too far,’ he thought in pain.

“A very long time ago, Hestad told me that there was a Darkhan from a tribe who was proficient in battle, and he once said something like this to his best ally,” Serena stared at Thales’s struggles nonchalantly while she said coldly, “For the sake of our former friendship…

“I grant you a death without bleeding.”

…

“Oh! That silly ‘Get Thrashed Sword Style’, which fell into ruin over the course of a few thousand years?” Kohen placed his fist on his palm in realization.

“I thought no one ever practiced it again ever since the Quiquer’s Holiness Exorcism Campaign over three thousand years ago, which was during the Age of Feudal Kings and after we thoroughly defeated the orcs!”

“Be more respectful!” Zedi said sternly.

“Even though many of its sword moves, which had the initial purpose of resisting the orcs and Great Dragon seemed childish and ridiculous in the subsequent wars,” the Tower of Eradication’s scion stood upright before Kohen’s eyes, then seriously and solemnly said, “It was after all, the ‘origin sword’ for superpowers. Since all Four Main Original Superpowers were born from this, it would not be impossible for it to give birth to a fifth foreign type.”

“Wait a minute!” Kohen came to a realization and furrowed his brows. “According to this, we can already deduce the necessary requirements for such a prototype Power of Eradication to be awakened?”

“Yes.” Zedi nodded seriously.

“Firstly, you must be very young. Maybe above twelve years old and below twenty years old. Also, you cannot have awakened to any form of Power of Eradication before.

“Secondly, you must have completely inherited the foundation of the Northland Military Sword Style.

“Next, and this is the most important part. You must experience death but you cannot die immediately.

“Finally, you must have—what you said, a powerful recovery ability that is comparable to the Great Dragon’s—to come back alive from deadly injuries to ensure that your awakening is not the last scene of your life.

“And then, you have to repeat the entire process again.”

The scion lifted his head and took a look at the sky outside the window.

The sun had almost set.

Zedi recalled the figure who carried his sword in silence, and also the oath he took when he left.

“I will find that power.

“No matter how difficult it is, and what kind of price I have to pay.

“If this is the path that has been set before me…”

Zedi Taffner lowered his head and sighed.

“But this is absolutely impossible.”

After a long period of silence.

Kohen’s expression was serious. He was not impolite this time around, but he used honorifics as he spoke, “Teacher, does this prototype Power of Eradication have a name?”

Zedi paused for a moment before he slowly nodded.

“Yes.

“That person who murdered the emperor gave it a name.”

Kohen’s expression became grave. “What is it called?”

“It is related to the legend that you are very familiar with, having heard it for many times,” Zedi said faintly. “It is about death.

“It is the legend of the Bright God Church during ancient times. After people die, if their souls could not return to the Kingdom of God, they would then go down to hell.

“At the gateway of hell, before the seven kings’ residence, a dangerous and scary river would flow. Above the river was a crafty ferryman who rowed his boat all year long. He was in charge of receiving and guiding these souls of the dead.

“That river is called… Hell’s River.”

Kohen secretly trembled.

That was the story he heard from his mother, teacher, and even servants since he was young.

‘Maybe… that is not just a legend?’

“So, when you see Hell’s River, you also see death.

“However, the person who murdered the emperor believed that, inevitably, there would be some people possessing souls that not even Hell’s River would be willing to receive. The ferryman of Hell’s River would then send those souls back to the human world.

“They had seen Hell’s River, but returned from their deaths.”

Kohen widened his eyes.

Zedi enunciated each word clearly.

“Therefore…

“The Power of Eradication obtained by coming back from death was named by the person who murdered the emperor as…

“The Sin of Hell’s River.”

…

Thales was struggling against the rope binding his hands.

His blue lips were trembling as he resisted powerlessly despite doing everything he could before this unmatched power.

Goosebumps rose on his skin due to the great pressure. His bones were chafing ruthlessly against each other due to his tight joints, and blood flowed to the surface of his skin. His heartbeat became increasingly faster as his heart throbbed under great pressure.

Stars and darkness emerged before his eyes as his vision slowly faded away.

It was as if there was a huge layer of glass between the air and his nose and mouth, which was stopping him from breathing.

His grey eyes trembled as he watched Serena’s grip become tighter and tighter.

Thales was still struggling as hard as he could. His legs would not stop kicking as he wanted to struggle free of this dark and despairing shadow of death.

But things became increasingly darker before his eyes.

Until he lost his vision.

Brain activity became exponentially tougher, harder, and slower because his mind was lacking oxygen.

His thoughts were no longer clear.

His memories started to become jumbled as numerous fragments of memories emerged prominently in his mind and gradually intersected with each other.

His heart was throbbing like crazy as it wanted to deliver more oxygen to the brain.

Yet, it was all futile.

Then, Constellation’s only heir, Thales Jadestar, stopped struggling.

His eyeballs turned upwards and his legs slumped down powerlessly. His shoulders went slack and he became still, like a calm atmosphere that appeared when dead silence filled an area.

Serena put on a satisfied smile.

The sun had set in the east, and the dark night finally arrived.

Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar…

Was dead.

Chapter 91

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Under the rising moon, Ralf ran anxiously and swiftly in the birch tree forest after nightfall.

The Phantom Wind Follower’s J-shaped, flexible steel prosthetics had a huge surface area at the part that was supposed to be his foot to maintain stability. It always gave him a weird feeling when he walked on flat surfaces, but surprisingly, the wide surface area allowed him to hurry on and walk comparatively easier on snowy ground, especially under the circumstance where he was steering the wind. It felt like he was practically walking on flat ground.

However, Ralf did not have any experience in tracking something across snowy ground. He had also never lived in the north, which was filled with snow that never melted. Constellation’s Central Territory only witnessed seasonal sporadic snowfall, while the long and narrow Camus Union as well as the Five City States to the southeast were dry and warm. This posed as an extremely big problem for him to track down anyone despite being the first person who discovered the unusual condition of Serena’s carriage and immediately chased after it.

Ralf’s Wind Control Psionic Power allowed him to be able to move around freely in the narrow and crowded Red Street Market, like a fish in water. His speed in the dense birch forest was not any slower.

Nevertheless, he had to find that boy.

That boy who gave the Phantom Wind Follower a new life.

Ralf passed through the forest and saw the flat snow-covered ground ahead.

His gaze suddenly focused at one spot!

A shudder went through the Phantom Wind Follower’s body as he landed on the snowy ground.

Under the moonlight, a coquettish woman wrapped in a cape gently released her grip.

A young boy about seven or eight years old, whose hands were tied behind his back fell from her grasp without any response and landed on the snowy ground like a murdered prey.

He was not moving at all.

That coquettish and alluring woman turned around slightly. She licked her lips in Ralf’s direction and smiled strangely at him.

‘No.’

Ralf fell to his knees on the snowy ground in disbelief. His trembling hands reached out to the boy, whose eyes were closed.

‘No breathing.

‘No heartbeat.

‘No pulse.

‘No.

‘This boy.

‘This adult-like boy.

‘This boy who gave me a choice.

‘This boy who saved me from the abyss of despair.

‘This mysterious boy who taught me how to read, spell, and use sign language to communicate.

‘He is dead.

‘No.’

Ralf lifted his head. Half of his face was hidden behind the silver mask, so it was difficult to read his expression.

“What is it?” Serena Corleone tilted her head and blinked in an alluring manner. “Oh, are you here to find little Thales?”

Ralf clenched his fists tightly as he slowly stood up. His gaze was filled with anger and rage as he stared at the seductive, charming woman.

“Sorry, he fell asleep.” Serena chuckled.

“You can go and look for him in your next life.”

A fierce wind suddenly blew across the flat ground.

Serena’s expression immediately changed!

The wind became stronger and stronger.

It blew up the snow surrounding Ralf, making all of his clothing bulge up.

The Phantom Wind Follower glared at Serena.

He did not know how strong this woman before his eyes was.

But he would do everything he could to make the other party pay.

This way, he could consider…

…the debt he owed that boy cleared.

But in the next moment, Ralf discovered to his surprise… that his entire body became rigid.

He was unable to move.

‘What is going on?’

He moved his eyes. ‘Is it… this woman?’

Serena laughed in delight. Her vision never left Ralf from the start to maintain the pressure of the ‘Halting Gaze’.

“Children nowadays.” she pouted and shook her head as if she was troubled. Then she pointed at the corner of her eyes as she stared at Ralf, who was frozen in place. She clicked her tongue and said, “Do you not use your brain when you fight?”

…

‘It’s so dark.

‘It’s so black.

‘I cannot feel time.

‘There’s also no space.

‘Why is it suddenly bright?

‘It’s too bright, it’s piercing into my eyes.

‘These are all… memories?

‘So many memories.’

Different scenes which were either familiar or unfamiliar flickered before his eyes one after another swiftly.

It was extremely disorderly.

Eventually, only one chaotic voice was left:

“The center limit theorem provided enough basis for our random sampling… Don’t doze off! Learn and master these things, at least after you graduate, you can work at any company’s Market Research Department…”

‘What was this?’

“Qiren, if you reach a different world that is waiting to be saved, would you try to become stronger, farm, introduce science and technology to them, or strive to conquer the land… would you want to change it?”

“Forget about it. The changes of society can never be fathomed… Unless I am the god of creation…”

“Alright, in conclusion, it is meaningless to ask you this question.”

“What’s with that gaze, it’s filled with scorn!”

‘It’s such a familiar voice…’

“The topic of hierarchy is often combined with inequality. Education, income, capital, these are all frequently seen nouns… Blau and Duncan, remember these two academicians. They will be your nightmare in the next two years… During our time, if you didn’t know about logistic regression, don’t even dream about performing an analysis on social hierarchy…”

‘This is so confusing… Why is there no logic in all these combinations…’

“Why are you so confused! Just one word, are we going to get together…? What are you furrowing your eyebrows for?!”

‘Why does everything seem like deja vu, but look like it’s being separated by a layer of fog…’

“The key to the Logistic Regression Model is on this probability distribution, the Probit Model is actually similar to it… If you only know about the usual linear regression and have no knowledge on logistic regression, then don’t even think about saying that you have learned about linear regression… There’s no other reason to it, I just think that it’ll be incredibly embarrassing if you don’t know about it…”

‘Where am I…’

“Everyone classified him as one of the three great masters, but Weber’s paraphrasing of Eulenberg’s theory and scientific argumentation… Some radical scholars, including myself, believe that his philosophy, which he created as he sat in his chair, was truly an insult to our field…”

‘What are these memories… But, those names are so familiar…’

“Symmetric matrices can be used to express the one-model’s social network, whereas the two-model network is more complicated… Look at all the dumb looks on your faces. Have you never learnt about linear algebra before…? If you have never learnt about advanced mathematics, what makes you think that you have the ability to master this subject? What a load of bull!”

‘Wait a minute, I think I know what these are… I-I learned all these things before, even wrote and taught them before…’

“I don’t know why we worked so hard to pay for your education, but the Wu Family always had this though: Knowledge may not always be useful, but it is always priceless…”

‘Who is talking… just what are these?!’

“For example, teachers, school locations, social classes, parents’ income, and different factors that cause an effect on the student’s results always play a role in different levels of a person’s life. Some will be on a personal level, some on a social level while some on an educational level. If we don’t draw a distinction on the impact of the different levels but simply assume that they have the same effect throughout, the conclusion derived for ‘what has the greatest impact on a student’s results’ will not be persuasive… So, pedagogy commonly uses the Hierarchical Linear Model to overcome this point, and this principle is also applicable to our research…”

‘I know about this… I definitely know about this… Damn it, why can’t I recall it!’

“Marx and Weber had entirely different opinions on the country’s autonomy… The difference between the two various powers of a country as defined by Mann is… Didn’t you read the text? Couldn’t finish reading it? Then, why didn’t you sleep less to finish reading it?”

‘Wait a minute, who am I… Who am I?’

“Those people who treat Skocpol as their head started to rethink Marx’s social schema and Parsons’s Macroeconomic Theory…The society embedded in history may not operate as predicted… Historical analysis based on traditional methods returned before our sight like this…”

‘What am I?’

“Do not assume that the qualitative method does not have to be measured. It is the exact opposite. We do not have the distinct and clear scientific criterions as those present in measurement system analysis, so we need argumentation even more to explain the scientific nature of ‘the reason why this method is used’, and enable the research axis to take root in your field… Otherwise, there is no difference to us conducting scientific research compared to us writing a news article… You may as well change your main field of study to mass communications and become a news reporter. I can assure you that you will earn even more than this…”

‘Ahhhhh…’

However, the following voice was a lot clearer, and it stirred up his memory even more.

“Behrs, no matter what method needs to be carried out, keep him in the capital. He will continue to live… Hold him, this is my flesh and blood! You know how I will react if you fail.”

“This one is named Thales… Allocate him to the sixth house, look at this foolish appearance… Little sh*t, I guarantee you would not live till your second year.”

“No! No! Don’t hit me! Don’t! I am only… only… ah!”

“You really don’t want to drink water? It is obviously just next door!… Listen to me, I will think of the plan!”

“My name is Karak! I heard you are the head of this house? From today onwards, all of you have to give me half of your money!”

“This is the last medication, and you will get no more! You… don’t come here again in the future… Wait! Here are some old clothes, you can take them…”

“Little sh*t, you must call me Big Sister Jala!”

“The newborn Mystic made a foothold high above the gods and watched over the other living things… You can say ‘no’, but you cannot refuse. This is only the first time you lost control.”

“I know that you have within yourself something he does not.”

“King Nuven wants justice, right? Take my son’s life in exchange for his son’s life!”

A mass of unprecedented flashbacks appeared in his mind within one moment.

It crammed his consciousness to the point that it almost exploded.

Suddenly, everything became silent.

Darkness arrived once again.

It felt so much more comfortable.

He was tired.

Maybe he ought to leave now.

Go back to the place he came from.

Or perhaps… just die.

At this very moment, two unfamiliar voices rang in his ears.

One voice sounded old.

“This soul… oh, this is unprecedentedly first-class… hmm, Mother felt it.”

The other voice was flat and sharp.

“Wait a minute, the smell of danger… it is the same as six or seven hundred years ago…”

“Thou art always cautious and prudent… Be rest assured, Mother will surely handle this.”

“No, it is not thoroughly dead… Such powerful vitality. No one is providing help from above, but it is still rising. According to this trend, it does not need long before it will rise back to the surface…”

“Yes, I can feel it. Mother is still hesitating. She is not averse to it, but also does not like it.”

“Oh, oh my god…”

“Why are you panicking so much?”

“Have you seen this type of mixed-blood and mixed-soul… How is it possible?! Unless Alchemy Tower and Soul Tower worked together…”

“Do not lose your composure! Adhere strictly to your duty. Care less about the matters on the ground… Besides, the Three Great Magic Towers have been destroyed for one thousand years…”

“One thousand years, right? My long-term memory has deteriorated again…”

“Mother has made a decision… Let it drift freely. Allow it to rise again… Prepare to open the counter-current gate.”

“Counter-current gate? Seriously? There was one who rose just over thirty years ago… The time is too short. Will Mother allow this type of frequency? We should at least wait until the last one returns here once again…”

“Do not ask, do not speak. This is Mother’s will! Only comply to it!”

Immediately afterwards, he felt everything around him started shaking all of a sudden!

*Boom!*

*Pang!*

A sound, as if something had shattered travelled into his ears. He seemed to have heard a clear sound of something being smashed.

The next moment, he inhaled smoothly amid the invisible pressure and darkness, like he had just floated to the surface of water!

It was not only just one breath of air.

It was a surge of power.

A power that surpassed any mortal.

He, Thales Jadestar, finally remembered who he was.

His senses returned to him at the same time!

The pores on his entire body seemed to have opened in an instant, as they greedily received information from the outside world. His sluggish joints were no longer rubbing against each other, just like they were lubricated by a surge of power.

The blood that gathered on his skin seemed to have received the order to return back to his blood vessels and provide him with the nutrients necessary for him to continue living. The heart that had been beating too fast due to lack of oxygen returned to its slower, rhythmical throbbing. Only, it was stronger and more powerful than before.

Thales felt it.

A surge of power began its journey from an unknown corner of his body and rapidly ascended to fill his entire being in an instant.

The pain in his throat slowly disappeared. He even felt the various internal injuries in him slowly recovering.

Soon, Thales felt the coldness beneath his body, the fierce wind around him, and Serena’s familiar laughter.

Like a drowned person who was brought back to life once again, Thales opened his eyes swiftly!

Immediately afterwards, he stared into the sky, still trembling. He opened his mouth wide and sucked in a breath of air that he had not taken for a long time, as though it had been years before he last breathed!

“Phew…”

Everything was the same as before.

He had come back to life.

Chapter 92

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Atop the snow-covered ground beneath the moonlight, Serena was laughing hysterically as she lifted her transformed, sharp claws. She was staring at Ralf who was struggling with all his might under the ‘Halting Gaze’. She shook her head lightly and said, “Perhaps, if you had never seen this, you would not have to die.

“After all, I need sufficient eye-witnesses from both sides to spread the word about everything that happened here today.”

However, since those of the Blood Clan had an extraordinary sense of hearing, a shudder suddenly went through the complacent Serena’s body!

“Cough… you want to spread word? Word from the person involved may be even more convincing than an eye-witness… Cough…”

Serena Corleone turned around in disbelief.

‘No way.’

Under the lunar light, a voice that was extremely familiar to both people rose up from the vacant snowy ground.

“Is it not? Se— ugly-faced woman?”

With shock filling both Ralf and Serena, the supposedly dead Thales coughed violently. He was panting as he flipped over and climbed up from the ground. His hands were still tied behind his back.

“There is a bardic poem that you do not understand, which has a line that is sung like this,” Thales stood up with much difficulty while he immediately thought about the situation and solution before him, slowly saying, “What does not kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller…”

During the few seconds that Serena averted her gaze, Ralf struggled free from his rigid state. It felt like finally being freed from a bound state.

But, both of them did not do anything else. With their eyes wide opened, they were only staring in shock at Thales, who was speaking.

“How is it possible?”

Serena shook her head with a surprised look on her face.

She dipped her head down and looked at the hand that she had strangled Thales with.

‘Did I spend too much time in the prison, to the extent that my estimation of my own power deteriorated?

‘But, he was truly not breathing anymore.

‘What is going on?

‘There must be a problem.’

Ralf looked at Thales and gave a relieved smile as he made a hand sign.

‘Do not, look, her, eyes’

Thales returned Ralf’s gaze and lightly nodded.

The Blood Clanswoman with silver hair and red eyes clenched her teeth. She turned around and stared furiously at Thales. “Damn it…”

Thales gave her a smile which had been absent on his face for a long time. He purposely avoided Serena’s gaze, not giving her a chance to activate her power.

The second prince clenched the top and bottom row of his teeth together and put the tip of his tongue in between the rows of his teeth.

He was probably too nervous and terrified earlier, which was why he did not think about biting the tip of his tongue.

Thales smiled bitterly from the bottom of his heart. ‘Even though I was forced to watch ‘The Journey’ so many times…

‘The first target, Dark Night Black Coffin.

‘Do I really want to let that Mystic out?’

Aida’s strange expression flashed before his eyes.

But Thales only hesitated for a second before he was ready to start.

However, just as Thales was ready to bite the tip of his tongue to activate the forbidden ability, some strange changes occurred in his body.

Weird fluctuations surged up his heart and bubbled up to his chest, neck, face and finally his eyes.

His blurred vision became clear and bright. He could fully capture everything in an instant, whether they were big or small objects.

Serena became clearer before his eyes.

Thales was momentarily stunned.

‘What is this?’

He could feel Serena as if she was a blood-red beacon, emitting glaring red light in the boundless darkness.

He turned his head around and saw Katerina lying unconscious on the ground beneath a big tree to his left. She was breathing heavily despite being unconscious, and her entire frame was glimmering with a dim, waning white light.

‘Is there a problem with my eyesight?’

Thales blinked his eyes in confusion as he stared at the scene before him. But to his surprise, he discovered that everything in the world seemed to slow down. It had actually taken Serena a full five seconds to complete the act of clenching her teeth.

“Damn… It…” Her voice became incomparably slow and deep, as if it was caused by a tape recorder having its speed adjusted.

That’s not right.

‘This is… a series of plays based on time-stop… I mean… time has become slower?

‘No.’

Thales felt that his own movements had also become slower.

‘It is only my train of thought that has become faster.’

He narrowed his eyes as he wanted to see a little clearer.

The fluctuations rushed up to his brain, and the scene before his eyes changed once again.

That moment, Thales could even see something that resembled radiation clearly with his eyes: The blood in Serena’s body was moving around vigorously. It filled her heart, chest, both of her arms, and also the wings that were furled behind her.

He could see Serena’s muscles contracting and relaxing with great force, but the fluctuations of her aura within her body moved in sections, as if her body was full of empty spaces in between. It gave off a disconnected feeling… like some part of it was damaged.

It seemed as though he had gotten control of Serena’s claws, arms, legs, torso, and every mobile as well as immobile part of her body, her center of gravity, strength, speed, and movements, all in an instant. He could understand everything clearly in his heart.

‘What is going on?’ Thales thought in panic.

Thales turned around and stared at the black coffin. This unique anti-mystic equipment was visibly radiating a deep black energy and black light.

Strange fluctuations of different colors were also surging out continuously.

It made it appear like a very ill-omen.

‘If I use mystic energy to open it, then what is inside…’ His heart skipped a beat.

‘Are there any better methods to settle this predicament before my eyes?’

Thales was just done thinking when the fluctuations disappeared from his field of vision. It was as if they possessed consciousness….

Everything before his eyes went back to normal.

‘This is…’ Thales furrowed his brows together. ‘What kind of power is this?’

“Damned little sh*t.” Serena resumed her normal talking ‘speed’ as she spoke with her teeth tightly clenched together. “Alright, this time I will chop off your head.”

But after a few seconds, the fluctuations appeared again.

This time, it rushed straight up to his brain.

‘Wait a minute.’

A shudder went through Thales’ body.

Some sort of amplification method seemed to have been activated during that instant in his brain, which had been obvious since the start.

‘A better method…’

The distance of the black coffin, Serena’s speed, a True Form transformation, the possible direction of attack, Ralf’s best route to provide him aid and protection, the limits that would be placed on his speed due to the snow-covered ground… everything before his eyes became usable information that was systematically and rapidly stored into his brain.

Possible plans, expected risks, influential factors, estimations of success rate…

This time, the fluctuations seemed to consume more energy than the previous few times. It remained in his mind for a while before it disappeared from his brain.

Thales felt like he had just run a thousand meters in an instant. He was shaking and drenched in cold sweat.

‘Am I… something out of a sci-fi novel or am I an Eradicator?’

However, he just suddenly knew how to settle the situation before him.

He also knew what method would bring him the least side-effects and the least amount of failure.

Maybe, he did not have to use that power after all.

He had a better method.

Thales cautiously avoided meeting Serena’s gaze as he calmed his breathing. Meanwhile, he walked to the spot between Ralf and Serena, and put on a smile.

“You know, I really want to call you a whore,” Thales said insipidly with his hands behind his back.

‘Foolish mortal,’ Serena frowned and thought to herself, ‘Are you really that confident to be this near to me?

‘I shall kill this little brat first. It would be even better if I can behead him. This is nothing to be afraid of…

‘What I need to take note of is that disabled supra class member.’ The Blood Clanswoman glanced at Ralf, who was wearing a silver mask. ‘I have to make sure he stays here so that the truth will not be leaked.

‘I have to be quicker…’ Serena gritted her teeth. ‘Chris and Istrone cannot stall any longer.’

“Oh, then why don’t you?” Serena’s face blossomed into a smile as though she was conjuring tricks. Her swift change made Thales gasp in amazement.

“Dear Thales?”

She calculated the distance between herself and Ralf, as well as the time she would take to transform into her True Form before pouncing on him.

Ralf furrowed his eyebrows.

He saw Thales’ hands, which were tied together behind him. They were rapidly moving.

Even though Thales was not using his head and his chest as well to form his messages, Ralf still recognized what Thales was trying to convey.

‘Push, me, left, tree’

He repeated it twice.

Ralf narrowed his eyes.

It was such a familiar feeling.

It was the same feeling he felt the last time they were in the dungeon.

“Because, if I call you a whore… I am afraid I would have insulted this divine profession,” Thales replied flatly.

Serena chuckled softly and exercised her claws. “So a whore is a divine profession in your mind?”

Thales exhaled and enunciated each word clearly under Serena’s astonished gaze, “But I still have to thank you. At least before you killed me, you told me the truth.

“My blood is indeed very nutritious.”

The next second, Thales gestured with his hands behind his back.

‘Begin.’

Ralf’s pupils trembled before Serena could even react.

His psionic ability was activated in an instant.

A gust of fierce wind rose from nowhere and attacked swiftly!

*Woo—*

But it did not attack Serena, who was completely on guard.

Instead, it swept Thales up and blew him towards the sky!

Thales clenched his teeth tightly and barely managed to support his whole body. He squinted his eyes to resist the impact of the wind. After all, he was not Human Kite Ralf, who had immersed himself in this path for many years.

Time once again seemed to slow down when he was up in the air—but, he knew this was not the case.

Those fluctuations gradually filled all four of his limbs.

Thales immediately felt his limbs turning gently, allowing him to maintain his balance in the wind.

Serena hissed sharply as she transformed into her scary True Form within his peripheral vision!

“Where are you going to run to?” Serena widened her eyes, which resembled the black hole, and unfolded her red skeletal wings. They tore her cape apart. She flapped her wings and flew up in the air as she roared in her hoarse voice, “Mortal brat!”

However, Ralf’s gaze was full of determination as he stepped upon the fierce winds to pounce on the Blood Clanswoman.

He had to hold this monster back.

This was the boy’s plan.

Thales flew down towards the big tree on his left.

It was the birch tree that was broken during the sisters’ fight earlier.

A figure was lying unconsciously on the ground beside the tree.

Serena’s expression immediately changed when she realized what Thales was going to do.

But at the next moment, the sound of the wind howled behind the patricide.

Serena instinctively turned around and attacked with her claws.

*Clang!*

It was a fierce sound of metal clashing against each other!

Ralf was technically not the one who attacked.

It was the piece of steel rope in Ralf’s hand.

Taken by surprise, Serena furrowed her brows. Her arms were tightly bound by the steel rope in the surprise attack.

“Aargh!” Serena yelled frantically as she was dragged backwards by the steel rope, which was controlled by the fierce wind.

She tried to tear the steel rope apart, but her efforts were to no avail as sparks flew in all directions.

On the other end of the rope was Ralf, and he was flying in the air with clenched teeth.

The steel prosthetics made of two coarse metal plates below his knees had already disappeared without a trace.

That piece of steel rope was a tool used by Ralf to fasten his prosthetics in place, so it was incomparably tough and durable.

‘I will never let you go over there.’ the Phantom Wind Follower’s gaze was resolute.

Thales landed on the snowy ground on his bound hands. He then rolled forward twice in a disheveled state.

The fluctuations had dissipated.

A sense of exhaustion came over him.

His entire body was sore, some joints were even aching due to laceration.

Thales vaguely understood that this was because his current physical condition was completely unable to keep up with the act of balancing himself on the wind just now.

However, he was still struggling with his hands behind of his back as he squirmed and crawled towards that person.

She was the critical point of his plan.

Katerina Corleone.

The dying Night Queen.

*Dong!*

Thales knocked his head against Katerina’s beautiful face!

The collision slightly roused the latter up from her coma.

He stared at Katerina’s unfocused gaze and spat out two words.

“Bite me.”

The seriously injured Katerina, whose four limbs were broken, and who only had her torso left, brought her head up in much difficulty. She glanced at him, her gaze revealing her confusion.

The prince could be heard saying coldly, “Suck my blood.”

But the Night Queen, who had lost her confidence only glanced at the situation on the field before she shook her head weakly and in anguish. “It is no use.

“My injuries are too severe.

“You should quickly leave.

“Maybe you can escape from this.”

Katerina lowered her head in resignation and closed her purple eyes.

On the other side, Ralf was still using his steel rope to deal with Serena strenuously while maintaining his distance from her.

Thales furrowed his eyebrows tightly together.

‘This woman.

‘I cannot believe it. She is a queen?’

Right at this moment, Ralf’s painful grunt could be heard from afar.

There was no time to waste anymore.

Thales made a decision.

The prince who had his hands tied behind his back licked his lips with his tongue and furrowed his brows. “Did Serena not say that my blood… is more nutritious?”

At the next moment, Thales closed his eyes, closed his teeth around the tip of his tongue, and forcefully slammed his chin onto the snow-covered ground!

He heard a soft *plop*.

Then, he felt an excruciating pain coming from the tip of his tongue!

It was so painful that Thales had tears flowing out from his eyes!

‘The feeling of biting down onto my own tongue…

‘It’s so painfuuuuuuuuuuuuuuul!’

But Thales still struggled to stand up while tears of pain flowed down his cheeks.

Without a sign of hesitation, he threw himself to Katerina’s side without turning back.

Then, under the master of the Corleone Family, the Weeper, the Night Queen, Katerina Van Corleone’s astonished gaze…

Thales intentionally kissed Katerina on the mouth!

Katerina instinctively wanted to break free.

Thales pushed his bloody tongue into her mouth with his eyes wide opened in anger.

One second passed.

Katerina’s whole frame trembled!

‘This is…

‘The taste of this blood…’

“Woowoo!” Ralf’s unclear grunts travelled into his ears once again!

Thales furrowed his eyebrows and stared straight into Katerina’s disbelieving stare.

‘This woman… why does she not play by the rules?

‘Her older sister, Serena was obviously excited and intoxicated while she savored the taste. She had an excited expression on her face.

‘Could it be that she does not like…’

But he did not finish his thought.

Because the next moment, Katerina was struggling with her disabled body, revealing her scary, blood-thirsty gaze.

The purple-eyed Blood Clanswoman, who only had her torso intact, abruptly flipped over and pinned the seven-year-old child underneath her!

*Thud!*

The Night Queen moved forward in a crazed and wild manner.

She bit down onto Thales’ lips tightly.

And frantically sucked on his blood!

Pain.

Thales felt excruciating pain coming from his tongue.

Thales once again had tears flowing out of his eyes because of the pain.

“Woowoo…”

He shook his head forcefully and desperately, forcing Katerina to release his mouth.

Tears were flowing down Thales’ cheeks as he was panting violently.

‘I was wrong.

‘This… she is absolutely crazier than her older sister!

Thales lifted his head, furrowing his eyebrows as he looked at Katerina, who was pressing onto him. She had a furious expression on her face because she was interrupted during her feasting.

The next second, Thales anxiously stretched out his head to reveal the skin on his neck like he was an anxious lover.

He recklessly said to Katerina, “Quick, neck!

“Be quick!”

A yearning look appeared in Katerina’s eyes.

She lowered her head fiercely and tore apart the collar on Thales’ shoulder with her teeth!

“Hey! You—”

Before Thales could finish speaking, Katerina had already bared her fangs and bit into his throat savagely!

She started to suck on his blood.

The feeling of pain from the sucking, dizziness, numbness, and pleasure all rushed into Thales’ heart in an instant.

Thales had tears of pain flowing down from his eyes. He looked miserably and pitiably at Katerina, who was violently attacking his body. He then finished his sentence weakly and bitterly. “Can you please…

“Be gentler?”

…

Serena grabbed onto a tree and finally regained her footing amid the fierce wind.

‘Damn worm.

‘You have played for long enough.’

The next second, she lifted her head ferociously and firmly held onto the steel rope before suddenly pulling on it!

She activated her great strength that had been reinforced by her True Form.

Ralf, who was already exhausted, was swung around by the great force and his movements became sluggish!

He was slammed forcefully onto a birch tree beside him and fell powerlessly onto the snow-covered ground.

Ralf climbed up with much difficulty, but he could only lean against the birch tree powerlessly without his prosthetics.

Ralf used his psionic ability to suck in a breath of cold air once again. He extended both his hands and brought out two hidden blades.

He soared into the air once again to face Serena.

They were now fighting at close quarters.

But just as Ralf went towards her, Serena swung her claws upwards with agility and had them pierce his first hidden blade in an angle that was incredibly difficult to handle.

The strength in Ralf’s blade vanished entirely.

*Ding!*

The hardness of the blade was no match to the steel rope’s, and it shattered inch by inch into smaller pieces.

Serena’s use of her strength was very ingenious. Ralf suddenly paused midair, and he had no choice but to adjust the wind first in order to whittle her strength down.

However, just then, Serena extended one of her long legs without any expression on her face and she stepped onto his other arm forcefully.

Ralf grunted and flew backwards.

His arm seemed to be fractured!

Serena had a ferocious look on her face as she increased the speed of her flapping skeletal wings in an instant. She closed in on Ralf extremely fast!

She used her sharp claws to attack him rapidly.

*Clang!*

She broke Ralf’s last hidden blade.

‘I miscalculated,’ Ralf thought in disappointment.

‘I can’t hold her back at all.’

He recalled what the Air Mystic said to him a very long time ago.

“I have also seen quite a number of the supreme class… Their battle styles are basically the ability to use their strength at will, being meticulous down to the smallest detail, in a manner that is always just right, and not in the least bit sluggish in their movements…” Asda slowly said.

“The battles between supreme class members seem boring and simple, fast but monotonous. However, this type of detailed and scary control is far from what those supra class brats, who recklessly waste their energy or strength can ever imagine.

“As for your question… If you meet a supreme class…” Asda’s blue shirt was very vibrant, Ralf could still remember his indifferent and expressionless face till this day.

“If you do not get near a supreme class member, you might be able to use your psionic ability to deal with that person for a while.”

But Asda immediately raised his head and had a pensive look on his face.

“There is only one exception.

“If you happen to meet Black Sword…”

Ralf remembered Asda chuckling at the time. “Remember to write your will beforehand.”

Ralf silently sighed in his heart at his memory of the past.

‘Darn it…

‘As expected, supreme class and supra class are simply not on the same level.

‘I cannot even hold her back for a few minutes.’

The Phantom Wind Follower closed his eyes gently.

‘This is going to end here.

‘At least, I have paid my debt.’

However, the next moment, a violent sound of the wind along with the sounds of fighting travelled swiftly towards him!

Then, the final sound came:

*Riiippp!*

Ralf opened his eyes in surprise.

“Damn it…”

Serena could be seen holding her left shoulder and flapping her skeletal wings as she shrieked in pain. She was backing away frantically!

Until she was a few meters away.

A few seconds later, the patricide lifted her head and stared at the person opposite her, filled with hatred.

It was that Blood Clanswoman in her pure white True Form.

“Dear older sister.”

The elegant beauty, Katerina Corleone, was standing coldly across Serena.

All four of her limbs were strong and in perfect condition, her skeletal wings were contracting and expanding with ease.

Her purple eyes were icy and sharp.

It was as if she had never been injured.

The queen held Thales with her left hand, who was moaning and panting in her embrace in a semi-conscious state.

Serena was staring ferociously and angrily at her younger sister as she let out an indignant roar.

The Night Queen took a step forward and she simply threw the bloody left arm she just tore off onto the snow-covered ground. Her face immediately became stern and serious.

“Second round.”

…

Tower of Eradication, Sharp Blade Valley, Underground Chamber.

Shao was stroking his long, white beard as he slowly walked into the room.

He lit up the Everlasting Lamp at the corner of the room.

It was a strange, circular room.

It was completely void of all objects.

It only had thick stone walls.

There were different kinds of scratches, all of different lengths on the stone walls. Some of them were deeper and some of them were shallower.

It seemed like the walls were scratched out frantically.

Shao turned around and stared at the other side of the room.

A curled-up figure was trembling nonstop at the corner.

Shao stared at the person for a while before he slowly sighed. “Is it more serious now?”

The figure kept on trembling. It took the person a long while before he spoke, “It is… swallowing me…”

Shao’s expression was serious. “Swallow? Do you mean it is corroding your body?”

The figure was trembling as he lifted his head and gave Shao a broken smile.

“Not only that.

“This power… It’s as if it is going to… Come alive in my body…”

Shao furrowed his brows. “What is going on?”

The figure continued to tremble, as if he had seen his greatest fear. “It has its own conscious, like a demon at the bottom of my heart. It keeps urging me, threatening me, frightening me…

“To fight as if my life depends on it. To battle. To kill.

“I cannot stop… Cannot stop…

“Until I meet my death… Or death rejects me once again…

“I cannot stop…”

Shao closed his eyes and kept quiet for a long time.

His eyes were surrounded by a red rim when he reopened them.

Shao, a Far Eastern scion of the Tower of Eradication with a virtuous and respectable name, slowly sat down with his legs crossed next to the figure. His eyes were filled with grief.

“Maybe this plan is absolutely wrong.

“Even a genius like Crassus can only… How is it possible for us to…”

Shao’s speech was grave and filled with pain.

“Both of you… I should not have let you go that time.”

But the figure only laughed coldly.

“Impossible.

“Horace and I… Let us not consider the possibility of him surviving…

“He-he fought so many battles after that… and killed so many people…”

“If Horace had been the one to go at that time…

“Can you imagine what he would be like right now?”

That figure curled up even tighter.

Shao held onto his sword tightly, his heart was filled with regret and pain. After a long while, he sighed.

The figure saw Shao’s demeanor and he did his best to give Shao a smile.

“Teacher…

“Do not worry…

“I… can still hold on… Until I finish my mission…

“I can do this…”

Shao’s expression was bitter when he reached his hand out and placed it on the figure’s shoulder. He said with an aching heart, “You have suffered, child.

“For these past thirty years, you have had to bear… The sin that should not exist in the human world…”

Chapter 93

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

When Thales came to from the fatigue of having lost too much blood and the loss of consciousness, he realized that he was leaning against a huge birch tree.

Ralf was guarding him closely. Seeing that he woke up, the Phantom Wind Follower heaved a sigh of relief.

Thales touched the two fang bites on his neck that had magically closed up and stopped bleeding, and asked feebly, “How is the… situation?”

‘Very good.’ Ralf gestured with effort.

With Ralf’s assistance, he tried his best to sit up. He looked towards the two gigantic, terrifying monsters who were basked under the moonlight not far away. One was red and the other was white.

Serena dejectedly furled her skeletal wings behind her back. Covered in wounds, she supported herself with a birch tree and cut a pathetic figure as she spat out a mouthful of blood. She panted vigorously.

She—who at some point had the absolute advantage—raised her head with effort and glared at her prideful and elegant younger sister in front of her. The True Form Katerina only had a few scratches on her body.

“It seems that the winner has already been determined, patricidal criminal,” the Night Queen said coldly and raised the pure-white, sharp claws on her right hand, “Are you going to surrender, or should I finish you off on the spot?”

Serena tried her best to support her body. She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes tight.

In the ‘second round’ of the deathly battle, Serena was badly wounded and she had already played all her cards. She was facing Katerina who recovered in the blink of an eye, was flourishing with vitality, and was even better than before. Apart from having her left arm which had been cruelly torn out from the back, Serena’s right lower thigh was also broken off. As one of the effects of Katerina’s ‘Tears of the Bloody Night’, she could not even maintain her balance to stand on the floor. One of her skeletal wings was torn into three and her body was covered in layers of lacerations. Two of the claws on Serena’s remaining right hand were also broken. A bloody and gruesome wound crept downwards from her ugly face to her chest.

Serena suppressed the dizziness from the heavy injury and watched everything in front of her in a daze. ‘Have I failed? Racking my brains to make this plan, exhausting every bit of my intelligence for this scheme. Borrowing the power of Constellation to clear out the opposers in the Sacred Blood Army. Ambushing and counter-attacking Katerina with Constellation’s power, or at least to get rid of the assistants beside her and be able to hide and protect myself, even in the worst situations.

‘These aims…’ Serena looked in despair at the weakened boy not far away, ‘Who would have thought that not even one was achieved? Why is freedom… so hard?’ Serena lowered her head and sighed.

Her gaze dimmed. Her body was becoming unable to support her True Form, which consumed a large amount of energy. Her blood and tissue automatically withered and changed, and her body shrunk. From the ‘ugly-faced woman’, she changed back into the enchanting Serena.

Katerina narrowed her eyes, lightly scratching a birch tree beside her with her claws, leaving deep marks. “Very well, if you have one virtue left, older sister, it would be that you could always catch the right time to surrender to protect your life.”

The naked Serena—who had changed back into her human form—let out a cold and feeble laugh. She said in an unyielding manner, “Of course, the older sisters always cherishes the younger sister.”

At this moment, both Serena and Katerina’s ears moved simultaneously.

*Swoop!*

From the birch tree forest nearby came the sound of something skittering rapidly.

In the next moment, the old butler Chris Corleone’s figure appeared before Katerina!

*Boom!*

After a scuffle with the surprised Katerina, Chris retreated to Serena’s side in the blink of an eye, took out the cape he had prepared beforehand, and draped it on Serena.

The luxurious clothing on his body was tattered. Part of it burst open when he changed into his True Form. Another part was the outcome of his intense fight with Hestad.

“Your Highness,” It only took a glance for Chris Corleone to understand the current situation. He spoke with a grim expression, “I strongly suggest that we retreat for now.”

Thales furrowed his brows. He recalled Gilbert’s appraisal of this old Blood Clansman.

The Night Queen showed a complicated expression.

“Chris Corleone, your battle achievements were enough for you to be conferred a marquisate. I still remember the surprise in father’s eyes when you said that you wanted to serve us as a butler… Seeing it now, it was he who trusted his old subordinate too much.” Katerina raised her pure-white and strange True Form head, furrowing her brows slightly. “Where is Hestad?”

“His wish was fulfilled, Your Highness.” Chris turned his body. Politely, he bowed slightly to his family’s second young mistress—the true mistress of the Corleone family. “Hestad had proudly and happily died in battle. He left without any regrets and has been freed from the pain of living forever.”

‘Leaving behind only us, his old battle companions… to continue to suffer in this fraudulent world.’ Chris sighed in his heart.

Hearing the news of her subordinate’s death, Katerina roared ferociously and flapped open her skeletal wings again. At this moment, a sound came from a thicket.

*Swoop! Swoop! Swoop!*

One after another, more than ten figures appeared behind Katerina, as if they were caught in a frame skip. The warriors of the Sacred Blood Army finally arrived—belatedly.

Supporting the pale Serena, Chris observed the worsening situation with a grim and serious look. “Your Majesty…”

There were twelve male and female warriors remaining in the Sacred Blood Army. Although all of them bore injuries of varying degrees, their faces were firm and determined. They saluted the Night Queen respectfully.

Katerina did not even look at them. She only nodded slowly. “Besiege the traitors,” she ordered indifferently.

At that moment, she appeared, once more, as the character she was supposed to be—the lonely, arrogant and mysterious Night Queen who gained her awe-inspiring reputation by crusading through the Eastern Peninsula for two hundred years.

The twelve figures scattered in the blink of an eye and surrounded Serena and Chris tightly.

Even though none of them spared even a glance at Thales and Ralf, seeing their appearances, Thales’ heart tightened.

‘This is the Sacred Blood Army. After such an intense battle, they did not suffer many casualties.’

“Be prepared at all times, and act as the occasion demands,” Thales panted feebly as he spoke seriously to Ralf, “Both sides have very deep enmity towards us. Don’t let your guard down.”

Ralf nodded.

Thales began to worry about the other people again. ‘There are so few casualties in the Sacred Blood Army. I wonder how Putray, Wya, Chora and Jade Star Family’s private soldiers are faring.

‘Erm… Have I left someone out? How strange… Who on earth did I leave out?’

Thales strenuously and worriedly scratched his head, wanting to remember the person he forgot. But soon, he did not have to be worried anymore.

“Aha, there you are, brat!” A casual greeting called from behind him!

Thales sighed. ‘Oh, right, her.’

Thales’ female protector on this journey, Aida, dragged Simon Corleone—who was barely alive and was powerless to resist her—with one hand. Like a donkey pulling a mill, she walked laboriously out of the thicket and immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

“I didn’t expect… that you would still be alive…” Aida said excitedly.

Thales rolled his eyes and turned his head. But together with Ralf, he was then stunned.

“What?”

Aida had an elegant and beautiful face, silver eyes, bright hair, and sharp ears that swayed slightly as she casually threw Simon down. As if freed from a burden, she exhaled. She turned and clapped, speaking airily and scornfully to Thales—who had a surprised expression and was at a loss for words.

“Have you never seen an elf? Or is it that you have never seen an elf who is stylishly beautiful and has such a handsome disposition like me?”

…..

“I reckon that with their sense of smell and hearing, those Blood Clansmen had already found His Highness,” Wya Caso chopped off the tree branch above his head and pressed down on his newly-bandaged left rib. Watching the birch tree forest in the dark of night, where nothing could be seen, he laboriously said, “And we are still walking around like headless flies!”

“Rather than spending time grumbling,” Putray lit a torch and carefully observed the footsteps and wheel marks on the snow-covered ground. Indifferently, he said, “Why don’t you save your physical strength? You might need to use your sword later. If you are still able to swing it, that is.”

Behind him was a private soldier from the Jade Star Family whom they had met along the way because he broke off from his group. The soldier was supporting Chora—who had almost lost consciousness.

“Damn it, I lost His Highness on the very first time I escorted him.” Feeling the condition of his injury, Wya sighed in remorse. “I am probably the worst attendant to the prince in Constellation’s history!”

Hearing this, Putray’s hand—which held a torch—suddenly trembled slightly.

“No,” the vice diplomat of the diplomat group, Lord Putray Nemain, said slowly, “You are not.”

Wya turned his head and stared at Putray in surprise. The vice diplomat—who had always hidden his feelings in front of others—showed desolation and grief, which was a strange behavior for him.

“Trust me, you are not the worst attendant. There… was once an attendant to the prince… who was much worse than you. You could say that he was a total failure.”

“Who?” Wya asked in a daze, “Which attendant?”

Putray shut his eyes dejectedly, and only shook his head. At this moment, Wya’s expression changed. He immediately turned his body!

In a flash, the attendant unsheathed the single-edged sword in his hand and swung it in a diagonal angle behind himself!

*Clink!*

Pressing on his right shoulder—which had been heavily wounded—in the blink of an eye, Putray fell onto the ground and could not stop panting. His wound had been inflicted by sharp claws. It was only a few inches away from his throat!

On the other hand, Chora fell powerlessly onto the ground. The Jade Star Family’s private soldier beside Chora fell to his knees in disbelief. Holding his neck, which had been sliced open, he struggled to breathe in his last mouthful of air.

“Damn it!”

Wya’s movements just now affected his wound—which was already quite serious to begin with. Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain, he put one hand on the ground for support and raised his head to look at the enemy who had suddenly appeared.

“Excellent intuition, brat.” The supra class Blood Clansman, the blond and handsome Istrone Corleone—who possessed extraordinary speed—stood before them. He licked his sharp claws that were covered in fresh blood.

Istrone took a step forward. His eyes shone with a cold glare. “Will it be even more delicious if taken straight from the source?”

…..

“No.” Thales shook his head in resignation, letting go of the astonishment and questions in his heart. “It’s just that I had never seen such a… erm, conscientious elf.”

Suddenly, Thales was knocked on his head!

*Knock!*

Under Ralf’s stunned gaze, Thales touched his head with teary eyes and stared pitiably at Aida. ‘What sort of protector is this?!’

“Hey, hey, hey! What is with that expression and reply of yours?!”

Under Thales’ teary gaze, and all the Blood Clansmen’s hostile glares, Aida snorted in dissatisfaction. Without any self-awareness, she kicked the unconscious Simon Corleone who was at her feet.

“I went through countless hardships, used all my might and employed all possible tactics to capture this terrifying supreme class opponent alive… And then, I cleverly brought him here to serve as a hostage so that you have more bargaining chips while negotiating. It’s even harder to capture him alive than to kill him. It took me a long time!”

‘Yup, that’s right… It’s definitely not because I got lost in the thicket.’

Aida raised her head proudly. “And then, I immediately rushed here to help-to rescue you!”

Thales rolled his eyes in exasperation again, then placed his hand on his forehead before he sighed. “Thank you for only-No, for having rushed over now. I only have one question. Were you a police officer?”

“Ah-What?” Aida—who had come to his side—was stunned.

“Ah, I was saying that,” Thales supported his feeble body and sat up properly. Changing his expression, he solemnly said, “You came at the right time! To capture the enemy alive, you did very well!”

Aida lifted the corners of her lips and smiled mischievously.

Katerina turned her head and glanced at the dejected Simon on the floor. She then stared at Thales. ‘You want to use him as a bargaining chip? It seems that you still do not trust us.’

Without a crack in his façade, Thales stared right back at the Night Queen. ‘Of course. You are after all, Serena’s younger sister!’

“Enough.” Katerina turned her head with a chilly expression, deciding to solve the matter within her own family first. She cried out, “Serena Corleone, Chris Corleone, surrender yourselves! I will guarantee both of you a fair trial based on our tradition!”

Looking at the Blood Clan warriors that surrounded them, and at Aida who was a distance away, Chris sighed.

He prepared to change into his True Form and launch a desperate attack. But at that moment, Serena suddenly extended her hand and stopped her subordinate.

“Do you think that this is the end?” Serena smiled wanly and looked at her younger sister who had the odds in her favor.

Katerina furrowed her brows. ‘At this stage… What card does she still have?’

Thales suddenly recalled the words Serena said, “War will wipe out the opposers in the Sacred Blood Army, and provide me with a more submissive Night Kingdom… And the true heir of Corleone would make vigorous efforts to save the situation at the last moment…”

‘Wait. Last moment… Make vigorous efforts to save the situation?’

A chill ran down his spine.

‘There are only three of them. How are they going to make vigorous efforts to save the situation when they are attacked by the suzerains of Constellation?’

Thales furrowed his brows. ‘So, these words meant that she has external assistance?’

In the next moment—

A desolate expression appeared on Serena’s face. She opened her mouth wide and spat a round, blood-red ball from her throat, into her hands. It was a strange, round ball that wriggled ceaselessly by itself.

Beside her, Chris’ expression changed suddenly!

Bewilderment appeared on Katerina’s face; she did not recognize that thing.

Thales heart jolted. That strange fluctuation surged into his eyes.

‘That round ball… is emitting a blood-red light. Why is this light’s texture… somewhat familiar?’

Thales’ heart shuddered. He turned towards the black coffin which was a distance away.

‘Was it the light from the legendary anti-mystic equipment? Could it be that the red ball is also…’

“What is it?” Katerina asked mockingly, “Do you still want to battle until you are down to the last soldier?”

Serena ignored her; she was pale-stricken. Under everyone’s gaze, as if resigned to fate, she crushed the wriggling, red ball in her hand.

Red liquid flowed out of the crushed ball in Serena’s hand—like blood.

In a raspy voice, Serena spoke desolately, “This is because you all forced my hand.”

At first, nothing happened at all, but after a few seconds, a thunderous noise rang from a distance away!

*Boom!*

Like a deluge charging towards the area!

*Swoop!*

The noise was approaching. It came from the eastern direction. Everyone’s expression changed.

“What have you done?!” Katerina’s expression was dark. She looked at Serena, who had a desolate expression.

Serena laughed wanly and bitterly. “I made my last and most necessary choice.”

The thunderous noise became increasingly louder and nearer. Everyone cautiously turned their heads around and observed their surroundings.

However, there was nothing around the birch tree forest that was basked in moonlight.

“Hey, brat, you’re smart… what on earth is this?” Aida asked curiously.

Thales shook his head solemnly. He had a bad hunch.

*BOOM!*

That noise which sounded like a great flood surging towards the skies, became increasingly nearer. It sounded like it was only a few feet away… and it was coming from the eastern direction!

However, even the Blood Clansmen who were known for their acute sense of hearing were staring at each other in astonishment. It was clear that they could not make out anything.

Finally, a few seconds later, that noise became increasingly fainter, weaker. By the end, it finally disappeared completely.

Everyone stared at each other in bewilderment. No one understood what had just happened.

Only Thales looked towards the east in a daze. With the fluctuations in his eyes, he saw something.

‘Behind the birch tree thicket. Very… very bright light… Bright light that is… blood-red in color.’

Then, under everyone’s anxious and skeptical gazes, a rustling sound came from the direction where the strange noise disappeared—in a birch tree thicket in the eastern direction.

*Rustle…*

It was as though someone was walking on the snow-covered ground. The steps were light and flighty, as though the person was not very used to walking on snow.

‘Is that a normal person? A member of the populace?’

Katerina furrowed her brows. Serena flashed a broken smile.

Eventually, a thin and frail figure appeared in everyone’s vision.

The owner of those footsteps… was a maiden. A maiden who was full of smiles. She walked slowly out from behind a birch tree.

Seeing her, the heavily injured Serena Corleone started trembling uncontrollably. Everyone else put on surprised, bewildered expressions, and stared at each other.

‘There is only one person? Who is she?’

The maiden quickly ran her gaze across the scene and said in a gentle voice, “Oh, so it’s here?”

On the other hand, Katerina furrowed her brows tightly. ‘Who is she? Is she Serena’s reinforcement? A delicate and weak girl? No. It’s better to be more careful. After all, she is part of Serena’s last resort.’

Katerina rapidly weighed the situation. The maiden flashed a smile that was enchanting, bright, cute and good-natured.

However, Thales instinctively felt a wave of unprecedented danger!

“Can I have that box? This was a promise made a long time ago.” Smiling, the maiden pointed at something a distance away.

Thales moved his head. His face turned pale. The maiden was pointing at the Dark Night Black Coffin!

Katerina’s expression was solemn. She cautiously took a step forward.

“No matter who you are,” the queen steadily said, “I advise that you do not meddle with the matter here.”

The expressions of the warriors of the Sacred Blood Army were freezing cold as they watched the reckless maiden.

With Katarina’s message delivered to them via telepathy, some of them nodded. Five of the Blood Clan warriors disappeared in the blink of an eye and blocked off the maiden’s path by standing in front of her. They stared at the maiden coldly.

“What? You all want to say ‘no’?” The maiden appeared a little surprised. “Why are there people like this every time? I will be very troubled. Don’t say no…”

Under everyone’s anxious and skeptical gazes and expressions, she then shook her head with a smile, revealing her spotless white teeth. “Don’t. It will be painful.”

Thales watched the strange stalemate between the nameless maiden and the Blood Clansmen in front of him in bewilderment.

‘The way she talked… This manner of talking to herself… I think I have heard it before from somewhere…’

Then, a quaking voice that was mixed with fear rang unsteadily in the air, “Run…”

Everyone turned their gazes.

The supreme class elite, Simon Corleone, who had just regained consciousness, sat up. Currently, he stared at the maiden with his eyes wide open. There was uncontrollable panic on his face, like a rat who saw a cat.

“Run…”

“Simon!” Katerina could not stand the sight. She sternly yelled, “You are losing your composure!”

The Blood Clan warriors stared at each other in disbelief. They found it hard to believe that their commander was in such a state. But that was not all…

Then, the battle-seasoned supreme class elite, the Blood Clan marquis from the Corleone Family, one of the Night King’s Fearsome Four Wings, the well-renowned ‘Flash Wing’ Simon Corleone, unexpectedly shifted his posterior around on the snow-covered ground like a child. He was cowering and shuddering. “No… All of you do not know, all of you do not understand… It… It is…”

The maiden looked at Simon gently and flashed a toothy smile.

Simon immediately shivered. Trembling under everyone’s disbelieving gazes, his handsome face twitched and he vigorously shook his head. Sitting up on the ground, he thrust his legs and moved backwards—as though he saw his darkest nightmare.

Almost in tears and with his face distorted, Simon shrieked in a hoarse voice that was both forlorn and fearful, “Quick! Run!”

…..

The chamber.

“Catch your breath first, then carefully recount the incident.”

In the darkness, the Black Prophet Morat Hansen, held his staff tightly. His expression was unprecedentedly grave.

His capable subordinate, Raphael Lindbergh, held the wall and breathed heavily, as if he had just run all the way here. Gasping for breath, he spoke anxiously, “Because the prince’s diplomat group was heading north… The people we assigned at the border of Constellation and Eckstedt… to search for Ramon… were also prepared to return… But… Both of them did not… did not return…

“A day ago… Somebody discovered… one of their corpses…”

Raphael lowered his body and placed his hands on his knees. Gritting his teeth, he panted, wanting to ease his breathing.

“And then?” Morat asked steadily, “How did that person die?”

The next moment…

“It… It…” Raphael raised his head. Panting, he said through gritted teeth, “It was that…”

Morat’s pupils contracted. He gripped the staff in his hand tightly and listened as Raphael finished saying the phrase.

“… Homicidal maniac.”

Chapter 94

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Behind the dark palace’s gate.

Simon Torre adjusted his heavy chain armor. He gripped onto the pike in his hand tightly—it had been cleaned until it was glossy and shiny. He stood behind his master, his cousin-brother, Enrique Torre, who was seventeen years older than him. Simon regulated his breathing.

There were countless knights and warriors beside and behind him. They stood close to each other behind the palace floodgate. Everyone’s expressions were different. Some were so nervous they were trembling, and some had determined gazes, unflinching in the face of death. There were also some who had numb expressions and lax gazes. Quite a number of people were whispering among themselves. Simon could vaguely hear words such as ‘monster’ and ‘complete annihilation’.

His cousin-brother, Enrique the Knight, nodded at the middle-aged man beside him who wore a purple robe. The latter turned and left. Simon recognized that he was Geri, the Wizard who originated from Soul Tower and was the current wizardry advisor of Sword Lake City.

‘But why is he leaving?’ Simon thought in puzzlement, ‘Soul Tower has already been destroyed. Where else can he go?’

Enrique the Knight bestrode his battle steed and pulled up his vizor. He glanced worriedly at Simon. The latter tried his best to stand even straighter.

‘I am, after all, a knight attendant…’ the nervous Simon thought, ‘I must not be a disgrace in the first battle I serve my cousin-brother.’

Enrique did not look at his cousin-brother anymore. Instead, he raised his head with a resolute expression. He turned the head of his horse and looked towards the dense mass of knights and soldiers before him.

“They are right outside the gate!”

He spoke in a loud voice, “Those disgraceful followers—Rudollians, Nedaneses, Calunsians, Northlanders, Far Easterners. There might also be other damned races of various colors and shapes. Many kinds of them!

“But I do not care!” Enrique’s determined eyes swept past every single person, then unsheathed the longsword on his saddle and roared loudly with every ounce of his strength, “Because they all share one similarity! They will not live for long!”

Almost all the knights and warriors raised their weapons. Some knocked their weapons and shields against each other, and some raised theirs high into the air. Amid the metallic clanking sounds and the sea of pikes and blades, every single person who followed their respective commanders instinctively let out a furious roar, “Woo-ah!!”

Simon was also among them, shouting especially loudly at the top of his lungs. This gave him a lot of confidence to enter the battlefield for the first time.

“The Northlanders’ victory proved that they, those monsters—those calamities—are not invincible!” Enrique exclaimed, “And what we are facing… are only the remnants of their army!”

Many of them gripped their weapons tightly.

“We will squash them to pieces!

“Woo-ah!”

“Open the city gates!” Enrique ordered loudly.

The soldiers on top of the city gates turned the reel. The castle gates began to rise.

The commander of these vanguards, Enrique the Knight, rode to the very front. Simon quickly followed suit with his pike in hand.

“After the gate is opened, no matter what you see, you must remember.” Commander Enrique raised the iron-colored longsword that he inherited from the Temple of Knights, his powerful voice travelled to every single warrior’s ears. “We are the sons and daughters of Sorenlan, the warriors of the Land of Thorns, and the protectors of the Southwestern Land!”

“Woo- ah!”

“Better to bleed for freedom than to submit in fear. The brilliant rays of the Republic once shone on our ancestors’ bodies, and not even the powerful Empire could erase it!”

“Woo- ah!”

“Dragons, elves, orcs or the diabolic Empire, none of them can make us bend our knees. All the Children of Thorns were born to revolt!”

“Woo- ah!”

“The brilliant rays of Errol will forever protect Star Lake City! Children of Thorns, advance!”

“Woo- ah!”

The gate finally rose to the top.

Standing beside his cousin-brother, Simon looked at the shield on his cousin-brother’s saddle—it had the pattern of a rapier wrapped in thorns on it.

‘I am from the Torre family.’ He gripped his pike tightly and looked outside the city gate.

There was a murderous, but obviously fatigued and wounded army outside. The army was also smaller than theirs.

“Is this the supporters and followers of those calamities?’

Simon shook his head and cleared those distracting thoughts from his mind.

‘We, the Torre family have guarded Star Lake City for generations. I am a Child of Thorns. I never give in.’

Enrique the Knight put down his longsword. He took the pike from Simon, which the latter was holding tightly in his hand.

“Stay close to the formation, Simon.” A hesitant expression appeared on Enrique’s face. Simon’s cousin-brother struggled internally for a moment before furrowing his brows and speaking to Simon in a low voice, “If the battle does not go well…”

Simon was stunned.

“There is a secret passage under the Southern City Gate, in the drain to the left.” His cousin-brother finished his last sentence.

‘Huh? Secret passage?’

Before Simon could react, Enrique the Knight raised his pike. His superpower surged into his arm and he spurred the horse into a dash.

‘What did cousin-brother mean?’

Simon unsheathed the sword at his waist. His whole body trembled uncontrollably as he stepped out of the gate with the battalion. He saw that they had moved into their battle formation in a very short time. The knights were in front, the infantrymen at the sides, and the archers at the back.

He saw his cousin-brother roar furiously. Enrique kicked his horse’s belly and its hooves trotted at an increased speed. The knights beside him followed fearlessly.

He saw the commander of the infantrymen draw his longsword and raised his shield as a signal for the infantrymen to advance.

He saw the archers fire two rounds of arrows, bringing down a rain of arrows as they fought against the enemy archers. He raised his shield with all his might, feeling the vibration on it. Many of the people within the infantrymen’s battle formation fell under the rain of arrows.

He saw the knights roar in synchronization, holding their pikes horizontally and charging forwards in a row. Different kinds of superpowers appeared on the knights. He saw the superpower taught in the Temple of Knights also appear in his cousin-brother’s hand. Enrique swung his pike and held it horizontally, pointing it towards the enemy. He saw himself raising his longsword high and furiously roaring while advancing with the infantrymen.

And then… He saw that right in front of his cousin-brother… A person had suddenly appeared. A maiden.

His cousin-brother raised his pike and thrust it at her without hesitation.

…..

Simon Corleone was abruptly jolted out of his thoughts. His head became clear again.

The Blood Clan marquis’ thoughts returned from being that knight attendant more than six hundred years ago, to the reality now; to the birch tree forest that can only be found in the Northern Territory of Constellation.

He stared at the area before him in fear. It was that same maiden.

A battle erupted without warning.

“Attack.” Katerina’s apathetic order rose into the air.

“Die!”

Two Blood Clan warriors from the Sacred Blood Army appeared, one in front of the other as they flanked the strange maiden. Another warrior ferociously appeared mid-air and attacked from above her!

The maiden softly raised her head and smiled. Simon extended his hand towards the solemn looking Night Queen Katerina and shouted in panic, “No!”

Beside him, Thales, the little boy who was around seven or eight years old, spoke to the two people beside him in annoyance.

“Why did they start fighting like this?”

As he spoke, the three warriors from the Sacred Blood Army had already extended their claws—which were comparable to military weapons made of steel—mercilessly.

Katerina furrowed her brows tightly and fixated at the maiden, but the maiden was still smiling, not caring about the danger one bit about she faced. She did not even resist.

The next moment, the pupils of everyone watching the battle, including Katerina and Thales’, narrowed.

‘What is going on?’

*Tear!*

The Blood Clansman in front pierced through the maiden’s chest with his claws and dug out a bloody heart.

*Swoop!*

The Blood Clansman at the back cleaved the maiden in half at her waist, and she still gave no response.

*Tear!*

The Blood Clansman on top grabbed and twisted her head, pulling out the maiden’s head from her thin and frail neck while she was alive and dragging out a segment of her spine. Blood surged out from her arteries like a fountain.

Under the cruel and bloody attack, the maiden’s body was immediately snapped into three! Blood splattered everywhere.

Resisting the urge to vomit, Thales furrowed his brows slightly. He saw that Serena still had a despaired expression, but beside her, Chris Corleone had his brows tightly furrowed.

In the blink of an eye, the three Blood Clan warriors had killed the enemy. It was surprisingly easy, causing them to stare at each other in puzzlement. However, they still respectfully returned to the queen’s side and scrupulously handed over the maiden’s head.

Looking at the maiden’s head and the smile she showed on her face before she died, Katerina let out a low-pitched roar.

‘Just like this? This is way too easy. Is this… Serena’s reinforcement?’

Only the besieged Serena had a dull gaze and was laughing strangely.

Everyone could feel the bizarre undertone in the situation.

At this moment, Aida opened her eyes wide and shouted, “Something’s not right!”

Those who had been skeptical from the start immediately looked towards the maiden’s corpse on the floor. However, there were no changes at all to the two sections of the headless, mutilated corpse.

In the next moment, the situation of the scene changed abruptly.

“Aah!” A few miserable screams of pain cried out suddenly!

The ones who screamed were the three Blood Clan warriors who were involved in the maiden’s slaughter!

All three of them had their hands pressed against their chests and stomachs, and their bodies bent over in pain.

One of them even fell onto the ground.

“Your Majesty!” He scratched at his chest and stomach, and his face was twisted as though he was going through the most dreadful torment in the world.

Katerina watched in shock and fury at the miserable state of her three subordinates.

‘Was it poison?’

Thales lifted his head, and the fluctuation surged into his eyes.

Immediately after that, he opened his mouth wide in surprise.

A blood-red light that was more dazzling than anyone else’s radiated from within the three Blood Clansmen’s body!

Katerina was about to check her subordinate’s condition when a figure, faster than the speed of light, immediately appeared beside her in a flash. Before Katerina could react, the figure dragged her back.

“No, Your Majesty!” Simon, having changed into his True Form, forcefully dragged the furious Katerina away. He shook his head in agitation. “We must retreat!”

“Ah, ah, ah, ah- No—”

“So hot—”

“Something-Something-There’s something!”

The miserable screams of the three Blood Clan warriors became more and more terrifying. Two of their anxious comrade-in-arms appeared beside them and examined them keenly.

Through the peculiar vision brought on by the strange fluctuations, Thales watched the scene in shock.

“No matter what that trick is,” He said anxiously to Aida and Ralf, “I think we should leave first—” But before he could finish speaking—

*BOOM!*

A massive, thunderous boom suddenly surged into the sky! Thales instinctively shut his eyes and covered his ears.

Everyone watched the scene with their eyes wide and mouths agape as the three elite warriors from the Sacred Blood Army exploded like bursting balloons!

They were blasted into countless pieces of severed limbs and flesh. There were also thousands of red, blood droplets splattering in all directions.

The two comrade-in-arms nearby were affected by the blast. They fell on the ground powerlessly. After convulsing for a while, they too, began screaming miserably.

“Damn it!” Katerina shrugged Simon off as she roared furiously. But immediately afterwards, something even more bizarre happened.

The blood and severed limbs that littered the ground were actually moving like they had a life of their own. They gathered towards one place.

The blood that was all over the ground flowed joyfully and coalesced into a blood-red ball!

Thales furrowed his brows. He swore he had just seen the most disgusting scene in his entire life.

A severed hand that belonged to a Blood Clansman crawled nimbly by dragging itself on the ground using its fingers. It crawled nearer towards that blood-red ball, then the five fingers ‘leapt’ with all their might and jumped into that blood-ball.

The severed hand was not the only thing that could move by itself; calves tumbled about, lips opened and closed while advancing towards that ball of blood, livers moved while expanding and contracting, organs moved about with overflowing vitality, eyeballs bounced about, brains rolled forwards ‘strenuously’, and spinal cords wriggled forward like snakes!

They were all like slaves, summoned by their masters, joyfully coalescing into that red blood-ball!

*BOOM!*

The two Blood Clansmen who were screaming miserably while lying on the ground also exploded into bloody limb fragments that scattered in all directions.

Their blood and severed limbs also ‘came alive’ in the blink of an eye and coalesced into that massive ball that had expanded to the height of a person!

Katerina watched everything unfolding before her eyes in shock. This surpassed her understanding of the world.

The Blood Clansmen looked at each other for help in panic. Simon fixated on the ball, recalling the most unbearable and terrifying memory in his mind.

“You disgusting wench! What have you done?!” the queen roared frenziedly at Serena.

However, Serena only laughed drearily. “As long as we all die here, we will be freed from his curse!”

Beside her, Chris sighed.

Thales felt a strong desire to throw up, so he covered his mouth.

“What the hell is that?” Thales pointed at the ball and the severed limbs that were joyfully leaping around the area. He stared at the strange scene before his eyes in disbelief and spoke with a stammer.

“I don’t know.” Aida watched in a daze, as though she was struck dumb with terror. “But I don’t want to die like that…”

On the other hand, Ralf had a terrified expression. He gestured frantically. ‘Terrifying!’

At this moment, the ball finally stopped expanding, and shriveled slowly. At the same time, a hand suddenly reached out from the ball of blood.

It was a person.

Everyone watched, stupefied, as that strange, smiling maiden walked out of the ball, naked. Her hair and body were covered in red blood. The maiden shut her eyes, smiled, and said, “I told you… it will be painful.”

Katerina gritted her teeth hard and shouted furiously, “What in the world are you?!”

The maiden raised her head. She wiped the area around her eyes—which was covered in blood—revealing her skin and eyes. She looked at Katerina. “Aren’t you the queen?” the maiden smiled as she spoke, “What’s wrong? Didn’t they tell you about it when you were coronated?”

A puzzled expression appeared on Katerina’s face.

“Ah, you probably did not succeed the throne the normal way.” The maiden smiled good-naturedly, but she then shook her head and her smile turned strange. “Or… has that b*tch, the Blood Spike, already given up on all of you?”

At that moment, shock and terror appeared in Katerina’s eyes.

Thales furrowed his brows. ‘Blood Spike. This name again. And this maiden… Hopefully she is not who I think she is…’ Thales gritted his teeth hard and decided to ignore the issues here and make his escape first.

At this moment, the maiden stepped forward. Everyone became nervous and instinctively wanted to step back.

Only one person went forward in desolation, one step at a time under everyone’s gazes. It was Serena. Behind her, Chris showed a hesitant and heartbroken gaze.

“According to the promise… I have brought you the Dark Night Black Coffin…” Thales watched, surprised and bewildered, as Serena lowered her head with a pale face and knelt, trembling.

“Esteemed Blood Mystic.”

At that moment, the whole place became silent.

Thales opened his mouth wide and covered his face with his hand. ‘Jinx.’

He turned towards Ralf.

“Is that your previous boss?” Thales furrowed his brows tightly.

However, the latter’s face was also deathly pale. He gestured, ‘Never seen her!’

Thales gestured back with an unpleasant expression, ‘Alright. Quick, run!’

Ralf tightened the steel prostheses below his legs and picked Thales up while he maintained his composure.

“True.” The Blood Mystic flashed a cute smile. “A promise that was fulfilled two hundred years too late.”

“I deeply apologize, Madam,” Serena said bitterly, “When I took action…”

“So.” the Blood Mystic obviously did not intend to listen to Serena’s explanation. She only looked at the black coffin a distance away with a smile. “How do I open it?”

Katerina’s expression changed, but Serena did not look at her younger sister. She shut her eyes and said with a look of no longer having any regrets, “With the ruler’s key, and my blood.”

“Very well.” The Blood Mystic repeated with a pleasant smile. “With your blood.”

The Blood Mystic extended her hand gently towards Serena and touched her face. Then, agony suddenly appeared on Serena’s face.

But at that moment, an unexpected figure charged over without hesitation while growling!

“Ah!” Chris Corleone changed into his True form while roaring furiously. He flapped his skeletal wings.

*Tear!*

He severed the Blood Mystic’s hand with a slap! And then, under the Blood Mystic’s surprised gaze, Chris turned and pulled Serena, who looked dejected, and threw her over ten meters away!

‘This is…?’ Serena was shocked. She looked at the old butler from mid-air.

“Chris…” she muttered.

“Your Highness!” Chris Corleone brutally severed the other hand of the Blood Mystic with his claws, and shouted furiously, “You cannot give up! What was the reason you took this path?!”

Serena trembled and tightly gritted her teeth. Her body fell with a large crash. But then, the Blood Mystic’s severed hand pressed onto Chris’ body. The latter immediately roared in pain, “Ah—!”

He shut his eyes and abruptly knelt down, as if he was being tortured. His skeletal wings convulsed without pause.

Immediately, blood-red smoke rose from Chris’ whole body!

“See, your blood is boiling.” The Blood Mystic whom had lost both her arms stopped moving. She looked at him, smiled as she said, “Your life is on fire!”

*Swoop!*

In the next moment, Simon Corleone charged at the Blood Mystic’s side with a speed so fast that he could not be seen, wearing an expression showing that he did not fear death. With his hand straight, he sliced off the living blood-colored maiden’s head and sent it flying!

He turned his head and said, “You are so disappointing, old man.” Simon gritted his teeth and forced down the terror in his heart.

Chris could only relax then. His face was pale and he panted continuously.

“Heh heh,” he smiled and bitterly said, “Unexpectedly, you were the one who saved me, Simon.”

“Shut up, old man.” Simon’s gaze was a mix of fear and hatred as he moved away from the Blood Mystic’s severed body and shot towards Chris. “Among the three of you, I hate YOU the most.”

Katerina spoke at the same time, “Have five people act as rear guards and cover our retreat!” She flew into the air and shouted the order in a frenzy.

“The rest of you, take the black coffin and retreat immediately!”

The Sacred Blood army did not hesitate at all. Among the seven remaining Blood Clan warriors, two of them shot out from their group and dashed towards the black coffin.

With one in front and the other at the back, they hoisted up the black coffin.

But in the next moment, a head grew out of the chest of the blood-colored maiden’s severed body in a bizarre fashion! The head did not grow out of the neck. Instead, it tore through her chest and popped out from between her breasts.

Chris and Simon stared at each other. ‘What is this monster?’

“None of you can run away, okay?” Amid Chris and Simon’s terrified gazes, the head on the chest looked up and smiled happily. “If those people find out, I will be very troubled. Not a single one of you can run away, okay?”

The Blood Mystic gently took a step forward and raised her only remaining hand. The head on her chest said in a loud voice, “All the blood in this world… Belongs to me.”

In the next moment, a terrifying rumble came from below the ground.

*Rumble…*

Chris and Simon looked at the ground in surprise and bewilderment, they then stared at each other.

‘What is this?’

…..

Ralf carried Thales. Along with Aida, the three of them moved stealthily for more than twenty paces.

Then—

*Boom- Dong!*

A figure fell from the sky, landing with a loud crash in front of Thales’ on the snow-covered ground.

Thales’ expression changed. With great distress on his face, he stared at Serena who fell from the sky. He sighed and said, “Why is it you again?”

The heavily wounded Serena supported herself with one hand on a birch tree and got up laboriously. Then, she looked at them with a fierce expression.

‘Did Chris… deliberately throw me over here? Did he still think that this boy has any solutions?’

Serena’s eyes suddenly brightened. She remembered something. ‘No wonder… No wonder Chris wanted me to follow them and leave.’

“Let us make a deal—take me with you,” she said coldly, “Then I will not stop you from leaving.”

Thales was stunned. Immediately afterwards, anger appeared in his heart. ‘This old witch!’

However, the Blood Mystic’s chuckles rang faintly from the area. “Not a single one of you can run away, okay?”

A quake came from below the ground.

The next moment, Aida roared furiously and pushed Ralf and Thales away, sending them flying. Serena was also thrown off in a flash as shock appeared on her face.

*Clang!*

The elf turned and attacked with her machete, chopping a section of a tree root that emerged from the ground!

“Leave with him first!” Aida shouted furiously and turned again to break another section of a tree root that wanted to chase after Thales.

However, one, two, three more tree roots emerged with a loud sound from the ground and swept towards Aida.

The elf roared furiously, swinging her blade at the tree roots that were coming from all directions!

Ralf and Serena did their best to climb up higher trees.

‘Damn…’ Thales watched these tree roots in astonishment. ‘What on earth is this power?’

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Serena following beside them.

“You brought this rotten mess upon us.” Hugging Ralf’s neck, Thales spoke fiercely, “Why do I have to clean it up?!”

But Serena could not reply him in time… because the birch trees beside then came ‘alive’!

*Boom!*

The birch trees possessed consciousness, and one of them swung its large branch and slammed into them, forcefully sending them back towards their original path!

Having no way to avoid it, Ralf’s expression changed. He could only summon strong gusts, trying his best to ward off the tree branch.

*Boom!*

Behind him, more than ten tree branches whipped towards them!

Ralf’s expression changed again. This time, the Phantom Wind Follower summoned every ounce of his strength and threw Thales towards the empty land outside of the forest!

*Boom!*

Right after that, Ralf was whipped by the tree branches from all sides, falling towards where Aida was.

‘No.’

Watching as the snow-covered ground became nearer and nearer, Thales could only shut his eyes…

Until an arm wrapped around him and brought him to her bosom.

*Dong!*

Hugging Thales with one hand, Serena fell on the snow-covered ground and rolled twice. Panting, Thales was hoisted up by Serena. Both of them stared at each other and snorted respectively.

“Having just saved your life, I can, of course, take it back… For the sake of your life…” Serena said fiercely, “Quickly take me away. I know that you definitely have a solution. Like Morat said, your relationship with Mystics is shady—”

“Bullsh*t!”

Thales’ mood was also extremely bad. He held on to Serena’s neck in a disheveled state, not in the mood to enjoy the softness of her chest at all. He could not help but cut her off with a cuss. “You are the one who has a shady relationship with Mystics. Your whole family and Mystics…”

However, they came face to face with a group of acquaintances.

“Ugly-faced woman, how dare you still come back?!” Katerina, who was in an extremely bad mood, had already changed back into human form. She landed on the ground and spoke furiously, “And you, brat… do you want to die?”

Behind her, two Blood Clansmen who were carrying the black coffin arrived in a flash.

“I don’t want to, either.” Thales gritted his teeth. “It’s all thanks to your good older sister!”

*Boom!*

The next moment, a few sections of tree roots emerged from beneath the ground!

“Careful!” Thales cried out in surprise.

Katerina rapidly flew off in a flash. She watched in shock and fury as the two Blood Clansmen who were carrying the black coffin were tightly entangled by the tree roots.

“AAAHHH!”

The two Blood Clansmen entangled by the tree roots immediately let out earth-shattering howls. But it rapidly turned into painful, miserable wails.

Thales and Serena flew around in a flash to dodge the roots, while watching in terror as countless miniature root hairs grew out of the tree roots that entangled the two Blood Clansmen, piercing into their skin! The two clansmen’s blood and flesh shriveled and withered rapidly, changing into the same color as the tree roots. They were then fused with the tree root before burrowing into the ground with the roots.

Thales furrowed his brows and shouted, “Are you sure she is the Blood Mystic and not the Tree Mystic?!”

Compared to the distinct power belonging to Asda, the Air Mystic whom he had seen before, he did not understand what the Blood Mystic’s ability was at all.

‘Blood, reviving herself, fragments of dead bodies. And now trees, too. My God, what else is she capable of?

Thales sighed. He suddenly and sincerely felt that compared to the Blood Mystic, no matter which aspect he looked at it from…

Asda was a good person.

‘Compared to this way of dying… being molded into a human ball of flesh is truly the VIP treatment.’

Carrying Thales, Serena somersaulted onto the black coffin to dodge the attack from two segments of tree roots.

“I don’t know,” she said through gritted teeth, “It’s not like I am a prophet!”

The tree roots seemed to have a deep fear of the black coffin, not daring to enter its proximity. They only prowled about, as though they were consciously waiting for their prey.

Katerina had also skittered onto the black coffin.

As the sisters met each other’s gazes, hatred and disgust surged into their hearts at the same time. Both of them roared!

“Cry-baby!”

“Ugly-faced woman!”

…..

The five Blood Clan warriors charged forward in a flash.

The strangely shaped Blood Mystic let loose a long string of chuckles.

She raised her severed hand.

Before the five Blood Clansmen could go near her, their entire bodies trembled. They then convulsed and fell onto the ground at the same time beside the Mystic. Then, all of them started groaning in agony.

“Monster!”

Chris pounced forward while roaring furiously. His highly acidic blood with corrosive powers seeped out, corroding half of the Blood Mystic’s body in the blink of an eye!

“Ah, using blood to fight against me?”

As the Blood Mystic smiled, the highly acidic blood that shrouded the air shook, and all the blood then coalesced into her body.

Chris watched in surprise and bewilderment as the Blood Mystic absorbed his blood. As if she just ingested drugs of the highest quality, the later exaggeratingly opened her mouth and gasped in praise. And then… she nonchalantly plucked off her head that had grown at the wrong place—

And put it back on her neck.

“Monster? Don’t say that…” She chuckled. “Aren’t you all becoming monsters soon, too…”

Simon flew towards the Blood Mystic’s back in a flash. He was about to attack when he saw the scene before him and was seized by terror.

The five Blood Clansmen who had been kneeling and groaning suddenly began screaming in pain.

A Blood Clan warrior watched in fear as a cloud of blood-mist burst out of his chest. A blood-red hand then grew out of that hole wriggled ceaselessly! The color of that hand was like that of a newborn baby.

“Ah-no!” This warrior was the toughest soldier. But right now, seeing the strange arm that kept wriggling on his chest, he emitted a scream of pain that was shaky because he was almost in tears, “Help me!”

A strange eye suddenly opened on the back of that hand. Then, as if gaining consciousness, the hand grabbed the warrior’s head, and tore off his head while he was alive.

*Rip!*

Blood splattered everywhere.

Chris and Simon watched the scene in a daze. The lives of the other four warriors also ended in a similar manner.

A peculiar tentacle grew out of one person’s eye and dug her heart out. Hair had suddenly grown rapidly from another’s head and pierced into his body to rip his spin into a dozen something pieces. One clansman actually had another head identical to his existing head grow out of his shoulder and smile mischievously at him. It continued smiling at him until that warrior chopped off the head on his shoulder, then he died in a baffling manner. It was the scariest for the last person. Two mouths filled with fangs actually grew from his palms and dashed towards his body. The mouths ate him up alive.

“Ah, ah! What is this?!”

“No! No! Let me go!

“Monster! Die! Die!

“Don’t! Don’t! Ah—”

*BOOM!*

Simon could not endure looking at what was happening anymore and attacked resolutely. He tore the Blood Mystic’s body in half again! He then turned and ended the suffering of the warrior who was being eaten by his own hand.

However, Simon was not completely unharmed.

His sharp claw that was torn by the Mystic immediately started convulsing without end. It began to expand…

*Tear!*

Simon furrowed his brows and cut off his arm without hesitation!

“I thought you were too scared to attack.” Chris sighed and stood up unsteadily. “You know what she is, don’t you?”

Simon stared, with mixed feelings, at his severed hand on the ground that started moving around. He also looked at his trembling body. ‘Know what she is? Far more than that.’

His cousin-brother’s final expression appeared before his eyes.

Simon clenched his remaining sharp claws tightly, shut his eyes, and spoke through gritted teeth, “Yes, of course I am scared, but there is also hatred.”

‘Cousin-brother… And all of Star Lake City… It was by such a monster that…’

“Haha.” Chris chuckled bitterly. He unfurled his skeletal wings as he watched the blood-red ball rise again. “It appears that my power does not actually work on her.”

“Bullsh*t, she can’t be killed at all…” Simon gritted his teeth and panted twice, exercising his sharp claws. “If you’re scared, then it’s better for you to flee for your life quickly, and leave her to me.”

Chris snorted coldly. “You mean leave YOU to HER?”

Their eyes met and suddenly, both of them laughed at the same time.

“I truly miss those old days,” Simon said softly, he felt his anxiety and trembling reduce significantly.

“Only three of you,” Chris said quietly, getting rid of that massive, dark shadow—that stood before the four of them in the past—from his heart.

“How much time do you reckon we can buy?” Simon clenched his fists tightly.

“Three minutes?” Chris’ brows were tightly furrowed. He watched as the blood-red Blood Mystic’s figure walked out from the ball made of converged blood again.

“No ambition at all.” Simon shook his head disdainfully and watched the maiden solemnly. “It has to be… at least five minutes.”

The blood-red maiden walked slowly towards them. “I have not exercised my muscles for a long time,” she chuckled as she said, “neither have my pets.”

The two Blood Clansmen’s expressions froze.

*Rumble!*

A massive noise boomed.

Amid their terrified gazes, a monster that looked like a massive, blood-red octopus crept out from the snow-covered ground and rose into the air. It was as tall as a few humans and was formed with countless pieces of severed limbs.

It extended a huge tentacle and hoisted the Blood Mystic up.

“Roar!” The blood-red tentacle monsters extended another two of its tentacles and attacked the two supreme class Blood Clansmen.

“Is this that thing?” Simon asked, pale-faced.

“Ah, it appears that it is.” Chris sighed and prepared to dodge early—he did not have fast speed like Simon. “According to legend, Raikaru’s archenemy in the Battle of Eradication… Hydra Kilika…”

The two Blood Clansmen vigorously flapped their skeletal wings to dodge the tentacles’ attack.

“I just didn’t expect…” Chris said slowly, “that it was… the Blood Mystic’s pet.”

Then, the airborne Chris and Simon froze at the same time. Their skeletal wings flapped backwards and they pounced towards the hydra instead!

“Damn it!” Chris glared at his skeletal wings—flapping against his will—and at the increasingly large tentacle before his eyes in fear.

The two tentacles split into a few dozen something other thinner tentacles. With a sudden burst of strength, they bound themselves tightly around the two supreme class Blood Clansmen.

…..

*BOOM!* Thales watched the massive, blood-colored, tentacled octopus that crept out from the floor in a daze. Fortunately, he did not look at it too closely, or else, he would have probably thrown up at seeing the severed limbs wriggling inside it.

However, the two silver-haired Blood Clanswomen only glared at each other fiercely.

“All of this is a disaster you caused!” Katerina flashed out her sharp claws and a murderous glare shone in her eyes.

“I caused? No.” Although Serena was heavily injured, she showed her remaining claws without backing down. “I myself am your disaster, am I not?”

“Selling out our family to a Mystic… are you retarded?!” Katerina bared her sharp fangs.

Serena lowered her body and prepared to launch a sudden attack, “Ah, at least I don’t have to be captured by you idiots—”

“Stop!”

Thales watched the fierce tree roots around them while he was between the sisters. He then looked despondently at the large, blood-red octopus that was a distance away. Stroking his fragile little heart, he raised his hand and said in exasperation, “Time out! After we escape from this danger, you can go on ahead, find a place, and rip each other to pieces. And no one will complain, okay?!”

The sisters snorted coldly and turned their heads away.

*Boom!*

Their expressions immediately changed when they saw that both supreme class Blood Clansmen were entangled by a tentacle each.

“We will have to depend on your solution, brat,” Serena turned her head and said coldly, “After all, you have a shady relationship with the Mystics…”

“Look at the pot calling the kettle black!” Thales said furiously, “You were the one who made a deal with the Mystic, taking the coffin and…”

At this moment, Thales suddenly had an idea. He turned towards the black coffin beneath his feet and looked at the tree roots that wriggled endlessly but did not dare approach.

“Hey.” Thales extended both hands and poked the Blood Clan sisters on either side of himself.

“I heard that… This broken coffin is a legendary anti-mystic equipment?”

Thales recalled Yodel’s gray short sword, and what happened when it pierced through Asda’s chest. The prince turned his head to look at the sisters. “According to all of you, it is the only weapon that can fight against Mystics…”

Katerina glared at Serena opposite her, and shook her head coldly. “It is useless… The Dark Night Black Coffin’s only function is to lock them up.”

Thales was stunned. Scratching his head, he asked, “Lock them up? Isn’t that enough? That disgusting psychopath…”

“Stupid, what she meant was that the Dark Night Black Coffin has already locked one Mystic up.” Under Thales’ puzzled gaze, Serena glared at Katerina in disgust.

Serena said to him, “If we are to lock up the Blood Mystic… we have to release the one inside first.”

Chapter 95

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The dying Chris felt Hydra Kilika’s dozen something tentacles ignoring his corrosive blood and twisting tighter around his body. They even fused together with him during the process as they melted. At the same time, he stared at Simon, who was on the opposite of him as he sighed. “How did you even fail to avoid this with your speed?!”

“I don’t know.” Simon struggled frantically but realized that his limbs were not listening to his orders. “I felt like I lost control of my entire body, it was as if I gave myself up…”

The tentacles brought the two of them to their master. The Blood Mystic could be heard sighing. “Thank you for not jumping up and down anymore… I can finally have a good meal again.”

Chris and Simon were slightly shocked.

“You know,” the Blood Mystic was smiling as she said, “ever since I was hit by that damn cannon by the dwarfs, I have been somewhat weak.”

Under Chris and Simon’s terrified gaze, the Blood Mystic gently finished the last words of her speech. “I need some replenishment.”

The next moment, the Blood Mystic extended her hands and caressed their faces with a smile.

…

“Absolutely not!” Katerina’s expression was solemn. “This black coffin was named after the Dark Night God’s title. What makes you think that a criminal locked away by the gods is safer than the Blood Mystic?”

“Of course, turning more than ten chunks of sticky morsels that can move about is so much safer,” Serena replied sarcastically.

Thales lowered his head as he thought about the pros and cons of the situation. But suddenly, a voice was heard coming from behind him.

“So, who exactly is lying in this matter?” A gentle voice came through.

All three of them shuddered and turned around.

The Blood Mystic was standing atop one of her tentacles, which was made out of broken limbs and blood. She smiled as she stared at them.

Thales tried his best not to look at the wiggling, broken limbs and nausea inducing organs in her tentacle. He then felt the two figures next to him moving in an instant!

“Hey!” Thales stared at the sisters’ departing figures and was only able to say one word.

However, to his surprise, he immediately saw that both Katerina and Serena were shaking at the same time. Both of them had no control over themselves as they leapt off the black coffin and walked towards the tentacle below the Mystic’s feet.

“What is going on?! What did you do to me?”

Katerina trembled as she walked forward one step after another, terrified and angry that she had fallen into the blood hole made by the tentacles. “Where is Simon?”

“Moron, is this not obvious enough for you?”

Serena also trembled as she moved, and she was twitching when the tentacle wrapped around her. She clenched her teeth and said, “She has control over our bodies!”

“I just recovered some strength… It has been a long time since I last used it, so I am still not too proficient with it.” The Blood Mystic was laughing when she encased the two sisters into her tentacle made of broken limbs. “Do not be anxious, I still need your blood later…”

The maiden turned her head around to face Thales.

The second prince felt his skin crawl, but he met the Blood Mystic’s gaze squarely.

His heart started to beat furiously once again.

Last time, something like this… seemed to have happened in a chess room at Red Street Market.

The tentacle moved while the Mystic’s blood-drenched, teenage face slowly leaned closer to him.

“You.”

The maiden was scrutinizing him carefully.

The Blood Mystic took a deep breath. “The blood flowing through your body has an indescribably familiar feeling to it.”

‘Blood?’

A shudder wrecked through Thales’ body during that instant.

‘Right.

‘I still have my last move.’

He cleared his throat.

“Although I am not able to remember it, but for the sake of this blood, I will not let you suffer.” The blood red maiden laughed when she extended her palm to him.

“Wait a minute!” Thales yelled.

“Er… Miss… Blood Mystic?

“I…” Thales squeezed his eyes shut and hesitated for a moment before he spoke with much difficulty.

“I am also a Mystic.”

The Blood Mystic’s expression froze for a moment.

Thales gently opened his eyes and calmly voiced out the truth that he was most worried about, “We are of the same species.”

The Blood Mystic remained unmoved as she spat out one word, “Lies.”

She pressed her hand against Thales’ face.

“Wait a minute!

“I-I know Asda Sakern, the Air Mystic!” Thales immediately opened his mouth to talk again when he felt the warm blood on his face. “According to Asda’s words, I am a new Mystic born after the Battle of Eradication!”

The Blood Mystic caressed his face with her bloody hand.

“Asda? Newborn Mystic?”

The maiden giggled. “How smart of you to choose that fellow who has just been sealed to vouch for you.”

“I speak the truth!” Thales’ spirit almost left his body due to fright as he raised his hand and said, “I can prove it! With that type of ‘losing control’!”

The maiden still had a smile on her face.

However, her tone of voice changed.

“Losing control?” she said softly.

“How did you lose control?”

Thales was momentarily stunned. He still knew too little about mystic energy.

He could only try his best to recall the night at Red Street Market.

“Asda wanted to kill me, but my power appeared to interrupt him… There was an explosion… He said that only mystic energy could intercept each other…” Thales frowned. “He also said that I am the first in the last thousand years… He would guide me…

“If you need me to prove…”

But, he did not continue speaking.

“Enough.” The maiden stared solemnly at him.

“So, it is real. You are a Mystic.”

Thales widened his eyes.

‘Just like that… Does she already believe me?

‘Isn’t this too easy?’

However, the maiden seemed to notice his confusion. “Your blood and life force are telling me… That you are not lying.”

‘Blood? Life force?’

Thales recalled the control Asda had with air.

Curiosity rushed up within him.

“You really… believe me?” he asked once again for confirmation.

But the blood red maiden ignored him.

“So, you are a person who has the potential to become a Mystic… the first in the past one thousand years?”

Thales breathed out a sigh of relief.

It seemed like his life was spared once again.

“Asda said so, he also said—”

The maiden did not let Thales finish his speech. “So, Asda found you.”

Thales could only shut his mouth and nod.

The Blood Mystic only stared at him as she asked warily, “Which faction are you going to choose? The Extremists, the Obscurists, the Moderators or the Magic Empress?”

“Ah?” Thales had a confused expression on his face.

The maiden furrowed her brows.

“Did Asda not tell you about the history of Mystics? The Three Mystics’ Civil Wars and the Three Main Treaties?”

Thales shook his head because he was not clear about these things. His confusion became stronger and greater.

“The Mystics… Civil Wars? Are Mystics not immortal? Why did they still participate in a civil war?”

The teenage Mystic stared at Thales.

“Did he also not explain the ‘Three Deaths, One Prohibition’ rule among Mystics to you?”

Thales widened his eyes and shook his head.

The blood red maiden’s facial expression became increasingly sour.

“Did Asda inform you about the difference between ‘matter’ and ‘concept’ as well as the connection between ‘chaos’ and ‘purity’?”

Thales sighed and shook his head in a resigned manner.

“In that case, which stage are you at in the Four Stages of Mystics? You should know about this, right?”

Thales still shook his head in shame.

The Mystic stared intently at him, as if she was going to dig a piece of his flesh out of his face.

Thales felt the pressure becoming bigger with each passing moment.

“Then, which of the Magic Tower’s knowledge did you inherit?” After a few seconds, the maiden spoke words that Thales had once read from books but he had no idea what they meant.

“Alchemy Tower? Soul Tower? Or Ascetic Tower? Or could you be an independent scion who wandered about in the outside world?”

‘What… what the hell?’

Thales’ face was twitching. He was already numb to all the terms she threw at him.

The second prince only shook his head stiffly.

The maiden stared at him in disbelief.

“So, you do not even know the connection between mystic energy and magic, and the difference between Mystics, wizards and witches? Wait, do you know about wizards?”

Thales stared at her with an innocent expression on his face.

“You know nothing… How did you become the ‘newborn’ Mystic that Asda claimed?” The Mystic let out a long sigh.

Thales lowered his head and spread his hands out discreetly.

‘No teacher, no education… it is not my fault.’

“You are no different from a normal person now,” the Mystic said quietly.

Thales did not know how to respond to that.

There was silence.

Giza suddenly chuckled before she said, “Was it because of you that the idiot, Asda went to the capital?”

Thales scratched his head. “About that. I do not think so. It was a coincidence that we met.”

‘But, it was indeed because of me that he was sealed,’ Thales secretly thought.

‘But of course, I cannot let you know about that.’

The maiden suddenly said softly, “Giza.”

Thales’ mind suddenly went blank for a moment before he lifted his head. “What?”

The Blood Mystic moved her eyes up. “Giza Streelman is my name. If you are also a Mystic, or even a Mystic’s candidate, then you have the right to know my name.”

The two of them fell silent in an instant.

‘Very good. Her enmity has disappeared.’

Thales felt much calmer.

‘Then, the next step…’

“Uh, Miss Giza,” Thales said cautiously, “I have a few friends from earlier—”

“Why?” The blood red maiden, Giza cut him off before she laughed and asked.

“Ah?” Confusion showed up on Thales’ face.

Giza stared at him with a profound expression in her eyes. “If you are determined to become a Mystic. Why do you still want to mix around with humans, elves and those Blood Clansmen?”

‘Darn it, who wants to become a Mystic?

‘A Mystic that is always detested by others?’

But of course, he could not say it out loud.

Thales scratched his head. “About that… After all, I was born there…”

“Ah.” Giza shook her head and laughed silently. “You cannot break away from the past, is that right?”

Just when Thales thought about what to reply… something unexpected suddenly happened.

The next moment, the Blood Mystic, Giza pressed her hand against his face once again!

“Ah!” Thales cried out in surprise, “You…”

“Do not worry, I will be quick,” Giza said indifferently. Her tone was filled with a terrifying coldness.

“You will die silently and motionlessly. Die without any pain and suffering.”

Thales’ pupils immediately contracted until they were mere slits!

“Wait!

“Why?!” he yelled furiously.

“Why do you suddenly want to kill me again!

“Are we not of the same kind?” Thales asked angrily and in shock, “Your motive is to save the Mystic in this coffin, right?

“If you want to save him, then why would you want to kill me?”

Giza stared at his expression, which was twisted in anger and she started to gently caress his cheek as she put on a gentle smile, then glanced at the black coffin and asked softly, “Who told you that I wanted to save the Mystic inside this coffin?”

A shudder ran through Thales’ body!

‘Seriously? She did not come here to rescue that Mystic? Then why did she go through such trouble…’

An idea then blossomed in his heart.

Thales trembled while he asked in disbelief, “Is this part of the Mystics Civil War that you mentioned just now?”

Giza gave him a faint smile but did not reply.

“You… We are already against the world, and we are at a great disadvantage.” Thales did his best to hold back the panic inside of him while he tried to organize his words. “Why do you still want to kill one another!

“If you kill me, the support you will have in this world will grow less!

“At least, take a moment and consider the future of the Mystics!”

Giza laughed. This time, she sounded even happier than before, but the laughter also contained more anguish than before.

“The future of the Mystics?” Giza closed her eyes and slowly shook her head.

“Asda and the Moderators he belonged to may still have the thought that eventually, the Mystics will win back their future…”

Thales discovered to his surprise that the bloody hue on Giza’s face slowly faded away to reveal elegant facial features, which she originally possessed.

But he had no strength to observe her appearance.

“However, I have already given up a long time ago.” Giza trembled as she laughed. It sounded more like crying to Thales. “It would be better… if those like us become fewer!”

‘What?’

“The pain in our bodies and also the pain that we create are already enough… Why do we still need a newbie like you to endure and bear that burden?”

‘This…’ Thales’ eyes moved about as he stared at Giza, and his heart was filled with panic.

Giza gently covered his face with her hand.

The blood in his entire body started to shake restlessly.

“Be reassured, child, you will die peacefully here.” Giza looked at him pitifully and gently caressed his hair.

“You will never become a Mystic… I will never let you bear… the pain as a calamity.

“This is for your own good…”

At that moment, the second prince mustered up all the grief and indignation he could bring up from both his lives. He wanted to shout those three words to his heart’s content, ‘What the f*ck!’

…

*Plop!*

Wya fell to the ground weakly, unable to pick his sword up anymore.

Putray lay limp on the ground as he stared helplessly at Istrone, who effortlessly picked up the immobile Wya.

‘Damn it.’

“You are that little bastard’s attendant? God knows how much I hate him.”

Istrone laughed nastily and bared his fangs at Wya’s neck.

However, his expression suddenly changed. He became very serious, after which he let go of Wya before abruptly disappearing!

*Clang! Clang!*

Sharp claws and a sword beam crashed into each other in the air. Sparks flew in all directions!

“Who are you?!”

Istrone roared angrily as he staggered away from the sword beam and took three steps back.

A young swordswoman with black hair stood before the Blood Clansman and stared coldly at him. Her expression was unwelcoming and her features were heroic but intimidating.

She was wearing a pair of thick, black gloves and holding a cross-shaped sword in her hand. The sword had a thin blade.

Istrone then narrowed his eyes.

‘That sort of strength and angle in which she delivered the attack… Is she another fellow who has mastered the Power of Eradication?’

*Gallop…*

The sound of more than ten horses galloping could be heard coming from behind the thicket!

“They’re just right in front!”

Putray’s spirits were immediately lifted. He recognized that it was the veteran, Genard’s voice!

Istrone’s expression changed.

‘Reinforcements?’

While he was deep in thought, the woman’s sword beam closed in on him.

Istrone executed his moves with such speed that almost no man could match it. He avoided his enemy’s attack in an instant.

An attack at this speed was just child’s play to him.

He moved towards the swordswoman’s side!

‘I’ll dispose of her, and then…’

But Istrone had no chance to think anymore.

To his great surprise, he felt a threatening, metallic chill moving to attack him right in his face!

*Rip!*

Istrone stopped in his tracks.

He lowered his head and looked at his heart.

The swordswoman held her saber backwards and did not spare a glance behind her.

She had thrust her blade out from her underarms.

The blade pierced through Istrone’s heart directly.

Istrone trembled as he reached his hand out to touch the blade.

“When did you thrust your sword?” he asked in disbelief.

“I did not,” the swordswoman said coldly, and she pulled out the saber with her right hand, which clad in a black glove.

“You were the one who came to it.”

Istrone covered his pierced heart and fell down without a sound.

Wya Caso, who was struggling on the ground, clenched his teeth and raised his head. “This Power of Eradication that compels its enemy to follow its rhythm… The Pegasus’ Music!”

The swordswoman turned around and helped Wya up.

Wya stood up strenuously. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a mighty, flying falcon holding a branch in its beak. The falcon was embroidered on the swordswoman’s black gloves.

“White-Backed Flying Falcon? You are…” Wya was momentarily stunned as he said the name.

“You are Miranda Arunde.

“The ‘seed’ from the previous batch in the Tower of Eradication!” he shouted loudly.

However, Miranda ignored him. She coldly pressed him down to sit under the tree.

More than ten cavaliers, who were holding the Double Cross-Shaped Stars Flag and the Peculiar Starlight Flag came out from behind the thicket. They then dismounted before Miranda and Wya.

“Sir!” Genard walked to Putray’s side anxiously.

“Go and find the prince!” Putray stood up with difficulty as Genard assisted him. “Prince Thales, he—”

“Do not worry,” Miranda cut him off coldly.

“Lady Sasere will handle this.”

Wya picked up his saber and got a shock when he heard the name!

‘Lady Sasere?’

He looked at Miranda as emotions of surprise and delight rose in him at the same time. “Do you mean that she came here personally?

“Her Excellency, the Fortress Flower?”

…

The day’s experience affirmed Thales’ belief that the best noun to describe the Mystics was: Lunatics.

‘They are just a bunch of lunatics!’

The prince yelled at the bottom of his heart.

But he could not move his body, and the blood in his entire body seemed to start boiling.

Thales could only shut his eyes and resign himself to fate.

Right then—

“Eh?” Giza paused in her movements and straightened her back to look behind her.

*Whoosh!*

An extreme rushing sound came from the direction she was looking at!

Thales let out a sigh of relief and could not help but open his eyes.

*Rip!*

A tentacle beside Giza suddenly exploded!

“Argh!”

An angry cry rose into the air.

A female warrior, dressed in armor with blood all over was holding a two-handed sword. It was half a human’s height. She advanced courageously through the blood that exploded and splashed everywhere.

Rage burned within Giza’s eyes as her other tentacle immediately intercepted the woman and attacked her.

Silver light shone on the blade.

*Rip!*

The female warrior’s two-handed sword swung in an exaggerated arc and chopped the second tentacle into pieces.

Blood landed on her armor and even on her face, but the female warrior was not bothered by it at all. She kept on attacking with a zealous expression on her face!

She came to Giza’s side.

Giza sneered and lifted both of her hands. Numerous small tentacles appeared on her body and shot towards the female warrior.

“Be careful!” Thales yelled loudly. “She can regenerate!”

Then he saw a scene that he would never forget till the end of his life.

The female warrior threw away her two-handed sword without any hesitation. With lightning speed, she took out a grey, metal shield shaped like a rhombus from her back.

Giza’s small tentacles turned black, withered, and eventually crumbled into ashes the moment they got into close proximity with the grey shield.

Giza’s facial expression changed for the first time.

The female warrior roared furiously when she held onto the handle of the shield and forcefully swung it outwards.

*Bang!*

Giza was struck to the ground!

Then, with much agility, the female warrior held onto both sides of the shield and smashed it down ferociously. She used the shield to suppress Giza, who had a ghastly expression on her face.

Thales was dumbstruck when he stared at the scene before him.

‘This is…

‘Captain Ameri—no…’ Thales saw the pattern of the Double Cross-Shaped Stars on the warrior’s armor. ‘Captain Constellation?’

“I am Sonia Sasere.” The female warrior’s face was filled with a burning fighting spirit.

“I brought a gift for you, Your Excellency.”

The Blood Mystic—Giza’s facial hue became really ghastly under the shield. It was as if the flesh on her face had been scalded by hot steam. Blisters kept appearing on her face and her face continuously withered into ashes.

Giza stared unwaveringly at the shield and spat out a few words in defiance.

“No! This is…”

“Yes!” With her left hand pressing against the shield, the female warrior grinned and said in a heroic manner, “Allow me to introduce you to… The legendary anti-mystic equipment.”

Sonia Sasere raised her right fist, slowly clenching it tight as she laughed.

“Supreme Shield!”

After she finished speaking, she ferociously punched her fist down onto the center of the silver shield, right in front of Giza’s disbelieving gaze.

*Thud!*

Giza screamed furiously. She exploded into countless pieces of flesh and pools of blood, which immediately turned into flying ash and disappeared before the two of them.

Chapter 96

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Thales leapt down from the black coffin and watched everything before him in a daze.

All the flying ashes disappeared, none of the blood and flesh remained. The severed limbs that littered the ground gradually withered, turning into ash and melting into the snow-covered ground under the moonlight.

‘Has it ended? Giza, the Blood Mystic, that maniac… disappeared just like that?’

The hydra’s tentacles loosened their grip and withered. Both Katerina and Serena fell onto the ground and coughed violently.

Supporting the deathly pale Ralf, Aida walked out of the thicket beside Thales.

“There were at least a hundred of those tree branches,” Aida said, still in shock. “Why did all of them suddenly wither away…?” However, Aida was immediately taken aback. She pointed at the female warrior with exaggerated movements and exclaimed, “Ah, strange woman, you came!”

The female warrior placed the shield back on her back and laughed, “I haven’t seen you for years, Forgetful Aida!”

Aida’s expression immediately darkened. The female warrior drew her two-handed sword and waved it a few times, as though it was not heavy at all.

She flung the blood off the sword. Although her expression was calm, her gaze was sharp. She then turned and looked at Thales.

Thales also curiously looked at this person who had suddenly appeared and saved his life. ‘She is undoubtedly a soldier,’ he thought to himself.

Her armor was smeared in the blood left by the Mystic, but she exuded a steady and determined aura, causing her to not look pathetic despite the blood. Instead, she gave the feeling that she was exactly how a seasoned veteran would look like.

She had neat, short, brownish yellow hair. There was no need to overly describe her handsome looks since from the moment she appeared, her aura—one filled with staunch fighting spirit—would cause all who saw her to only pay attention to her status as a warrior and forget to pay any attention to her appearance.

Their eyes met for a few seconds. The female warrior then suddenly grinned. She audaciously stuck her two-handed sword into the ground and knelt on one knee.

“So, child, you are Thales… my prince?”

“Yes. I am Thales Jade Star.” Thales flashed a smile. “Thank you…”

Thales felt strange. While these people had all knelt on one knee to him, Gilbert’s had been filled with courtesy and respect, Yodel’s gave him a feeling of that he trusted Thales, and the female warrior before him exuded a kind of informality and elegance from head to toe.

The warrior’s next move confirmed his guess, because she actually raised her hands—clad in iron gloves and were covered in blood—and ruffled the hair of Constellation’s second prince a few times!

“Good job, kid!” she laughed loudly. Her voice was valiant and sharp. “Many of the new recruits under me might have puked from fear since the beginning if faced with that kind of situation!”

Thales was seeing stars from all the ruffling on his hair. Feeling the oiliness that came from the blood on the female warrior’s hands, he awkwardly said, “Erm, Madam—”

Laughing loudly, the female warrior cut him off. “I am Sonia Sasere, a mere lady of a territory.” Sonia’s words did not make her sound as if she was aware of what being a ‘mere lady’ meant. She—being in an extremely good mood—even punched Thales’ shoulder, making the weakened boy cough hard.

“And I temporarily guard the Broken Dragon Fortress—the border between the two kingdoms!”

Thales snapped out of his daze, “Ah! You- YOU are the ‘Fortress Flower’?”

Even though he was already prepared before he embarked on this diplomatic mission, when he saw Sonia in real life, he was still a little excited.

The Fortress Flower.

In Mindis Hall, Gilbert would sometimes weave in some explanations of Constellation’s current circumstances in between lessons such as the most renowned ‘Constellation’s Three Commanders ‘.

Although Constellation suffered great losses during the disaster of the Bloody Year, it gained many talented people of many specialties from this nightmare. For example, those prodigious in government administration, foreign affairs, military affairs, and war.

This was how many new nobles and people in the king’s partisan became Constellation’s pillars from the nobodies they used to be. The ‘Cunning Fox’, Gilbert, was one such example.

And amid the blood and fire, in the battlefields where they faced off against Eckstedt, the orcs and the Barren Bone people in the Western Desert as well as the rebels from the southwest, many young commoners rose to power and were given titles of nobility.

After the Bloody Year, Kessel increased the number of regular soldiers in the army belonging to the royal family, even including plenty of commoners and young people, to guard the entire kingdom. These people were basically veterans who were baptized by war and had once shown outstanding performances on the battlefield.

Twelve years had gone by, and they have all faced different turns that led to different outcomes in life. However, three of them had their positions unshaken from the start, standing the test of time and growing into military commanders who could take charge on their own. They were ‘Constellation’s Three Commanders’, famous throughout Constellation.

The subjects of the kingdom gave all of them flashy nicknames to the point that their original names were rarely mentioned by anyone.

The Kingdom’s Wrath.

The Legendary Wing.

The Fortress Flower.

Among them, the Fortress Flower, Lady Sonia Sasere, entered Constellation’s history books when she followed Duke John on an expedition against the rebels in the southwest.

Ever since the Bloody Year ended, she had led some of the regular soldiers of the royal family and guarded the bitterly cold Northern Territory, watching the Great Dragon of the North’s every move.

Many Constellatiates believed that as long as the Fortress Flower remained in bloom in Broken Dragon Fortress, Constellation’s Northern Territory would stand tall and never fall.

Of course, many of the ladies in the capital city often gossiped behind her back, “Her every move is like a man. Serves that knife-wielding, war-mongering lady right, not being able to marry even when she is over thirty years old.”

And now, the legendary Fortress Flower stood right in front of Thales.

“Ha! Arracca would definitely regret not leading any forces to come to your aid,” Pleased with herself, Sonia tapped her shield, “I am the first one to seal a Mystic among the three of us…”

However, in the next moment, Thales saw Sonia’s expression change!

“What’s wrong?” Thales asked in surprise and bewilderment.

“Something’s off!” Sonia clenched her fists tightly and raised her shield, looking around her vigilantly. “She was not sealed!”

*Boom!*

Before Thales could react, Sonia abruptly picked him up and leapt from the ground to avoid a blood-tentacle that pierced out from the ground!

Thales stared at the tentacle before his eyes in disbelief. ‘Wasn’t Giza already…’

The tentacle abruptly divided into a dozen something smaller tentacles. Thales felt that the moment it split open, his entire body felt numb, as though it was injected with anesthetics!

‘Is this… the feeling of having your body controlled?’

Trembling, Thales let go of Sonia’s arm, but the latter did not appear to be affected at all. She extended her arm and held him even tighter!

Sonia gritted her teeth. Roaring furiously, she drew the two-handed sword from her back. Light shone on the sword, and when she swung the sword in a circular movement with one arm, the light on the sword emitted a magnificent arc, and as the sword shone, it chopped down countless small tentacles!

A few of them curled towards their original position—from the Dark Night Black Coffin!

Many of the tentacles contracted and withered before becoming flying ashes the moment they touched the black coffin. Just like when they touched the Supreme Shield! However, more tentacles curled onto the black coffin as if they did not fear death. As they withered and joined with one another, they withstood the corrosion of the legendary anti-mystic equipment and hoisted the black coffin up!

“Black coffin!” Seeing this from a distance away, Katerina anxiously shouted loudly, “We cannot let her take it away!”

Sonia was calm as usual and moved swiftly. Carrying Thales in one hand, she threw her two-handed sword with her right hand like a boomerang!

*Chop!*

It chopped off the tentacles that entangled the black coffin.

*Plop!*

The black coffin fell on the ground again. Moving her feet, Sonia rapidly leapt onto the black coffin. She put Thales down and unequipped the shield. She watched vigilantly as two tentacles reached out again from the darkness ahead.

“Impossible!” Having seen the situation in front of him clearly, Thales cried out in surprise.

Under the protection of two tentacles, Giza Streelman appeared before them in the form of a naked maiden covered in blood again with a smile on her face.

Thales shuddered, but Sonia calmly held up her shield and took a step forward, shielding Thales behind her back. She furrowed her brows deeply.

On the other hand, Thales had his eyes wide open and mouth agape. ‘How is it that… She is completely alright?’

Did Serena not tell him that the legendary anti-mystic equipment can be used to fight against Mystics?

He remembered that when Yodel sealed Asda before this, he had only stabbed Asda’s back once while catching him unawares before Asda to burst into white light and disappeared without a trace.

Both Yodel and Morat called that… sealing?

Thales had even thought that he had mastered some knowledge about the weaknesses of Mystics… However, in front of him, Giza…

Why?

“Why? Are you thinking that it’s strange?” Giza chuckled, “Why did the legendary anti-mystic equipment not work on me?”

Sonia abruptly raised her hand and stopped Aida and Katerina who were about to charge over.

“Step back!” she said loudly, as though she had the authority to execute orders and stop all people from taking any action with just one shout.

Aida and the queen abruptly halted in their steps. Sonia stared at Giza in front of her, her gaze was extremely solemn. “I heard two legends about you from the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department.” Sonia watched Giza with a determined expression.

“Firstly, the more enemies the Blood Mystic faces, the stronger her destructive powers and vitality becomes. This is because your enemies will all become your nourishment. The greatest misconception when it comes to fighting against you is ‘the more people, the better’. That will only make you stronger as you fight… The best method is to have a supreme class elite who is agile enough and nimble enough to bring along a legendary anti-mystic equipment to battle with you alone in a wasteland without any living beings.”

Giza’s smile faded a little. ‘The Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department. They are still as annoying as a few hundred years ago.’

“A good choice.” Curling up the corner of her lips, Giza nodded. “It’s no wonder why I can sense a lot of humans a few hundred meters away. You left all your manpower there and came here alone?”

Sonia snorted. “It seems that your recon skills are also very strong.”

Then, the two tentacles abruptly extended towards Sonia! At the same time, more than ten tree roots burst out of the ground and reached for Sonia and Thales!

An attack that covered all sides, where they had nowhere to dodge.

That fluctuation surged to all four of Thales’ limbs again. He was about to dodge, but at that moment, he could only feel another surge of power blooming from Sonia’s body!

She turned and utilized her body’s inertia to the maximum in an inconceivable manner. She slammed the shield in her hand against the tentacles hard!

*Boom!*

It reduced Giza’s tentacles into flying ash.

As the female warrior spun around, she let go of the shield. With great skill, she then quickly caught the edge of the shield in mid-air. Using it like a razor blade, she spun around again with the inertia and swung the shield horizontally, boldly chopping more than ten segments of tree roots that attacked from below her feet into pieces.

*Swoosh! Shing!*

Sonia landed safely on the ground, completely shattering the Blood Mystic’s attack with a flawless counterattack.

Stunned, Thales stared at Sonia. The fluctuations in his body had already surged into his eyes. He could only see an intimidating, colorless energy fill Sonia’s entire body. It was something entirely different compared to the jarring light in the Mystic’s body and the Blood Clansmen’s exuberant flesh and blood.

This was the first time he used this fluctuation in his vision to observe a normal human being who was neither a Mystic nor a Blood Clansman.

“That’s a pretty good reaction. It is rare even among supreme class human beings.” Giza nodded admiringly. “And you also have a familiar superpower. It’s one of the Four Main Original Superpowers, the ‘Thawing of Glaciers’, known for taking advantage of the opponent’s moves and counter-attacking, right?

“It is now known as the Power of Eradication,” Sonia said in derision, “to commemorate the fact that we defeated all of you to the point that you all peed your pants in terror.”

Thales suddenly understood. ‘So, that colorless energy inside Sonia’s body… was the Power of Eradication?’

“I didn’t know that you could also control plants.” Sonia exhaled and vigilantly observed her surroundings. “You are giving me a lot of surprises.”

“Why? Is it because based on your understanding, only the red liquid inside the body of animals can be called blood?” Giza chuckled.

Sonia carefully exercised her wrists. “The second legend about you was a little unbelievable until today.”

As Giza smile, she recounted the legend, enunciating each world, “It is said that the legendary anti-mystic equipment cannot seal the Blood Mystic.”

Thales stared at the Blood Mystic in shock. ‘Cannot be sealed? Then… isn’t she uncontrollable by anyone? How was the Battle of Eradication won?’

“Impossible!” Katerina cried out, “The legendary anti-mystic equipment are the Mystic’s nemeses. All those who learned of it were taught this way!”

There was silence for a while. Giza flashed a smile first. Then, she sighed and said, “‘The legendary anti-mystic’s equipment are the end of Mystics. The nemesis of the calamities. The slightest touch would cause us to be doomed eternally. Is that so?” Giza said with a calm expression, “Lebla, Erik, and even the ‘Truth Brothers’ are extremely terrified of that kind of weapon. Ever since then, they never let anyone go near them. That was how Lebla was sealed.”

Giza then chuckled and said with an incredibly chilling aura, “However, I’m the only exception. I’m a Mystic that relies on a ‘physical body’ to battle.”

Thales’ entire body trembled. He felt that these terms which he could not understand right now were knowledge that he would have to learn in the future. ‘Even if it’s not to become a Mystic and even if it’s only for my own sake.’

Giza continued to talk with a smile, “I am also one of only two Mystics who are unafraid of battling in close-quarters with the legendary anti-mystic equipment. Even when danger comes near my body, I will not reject it… Oftentimes, those who approach me also approach their deaths.”

Thales furrowed his brows slightly. ‘The only two… unafraid to battle close-range? Then who is the other one? So there is… a large difference between Mystics?’ The fear and curiosity towards Mystics tormented Thales and at the same time, made him extremely hesitant.

Giza smiled and said, “Even if legendary anti-mystic equipment hit my physical body, it will only hurt my flesh and blood, which are of no significance. It would be impossible for them to seal me.”

Thales furrowed his brows. ‘No… Something is wrong… somewhere.’

He was puzzled and was not able to figure it out until Sonia raised her brow and confidently let out a light snort. “Is that so?”

She took a step forward and, as though she had found the enemy’s weakness, she raised the Supreme Shield at the Mystic. “Then why were you running just now? Or is it that… you were hiding something during the time you disappeared?”

Giza’s expression changed. Thales also managed to register what had happened.

‘Yes, the shield did work on Giza’s flesh and blood just now. After the first time she turned into flying ash, it took some time for her to reappear. During that period of time, whether she was healing, recuperating, escaping, or hiding, it could only mean that… She is definitely not without any weaknesses!’

“The legendary anti-mystic equipment are so rare and valuable, and are fought over by many kingdoms,” Sonia said steadily, “It is not only because they can seal Mystics. More than that, it is because every single legendary anti-mystic equipment has their own unique and powerful ability, allowing the wielders to be reborn and totally remold themselves during battle.”

Thales gasped, ‘Legendary anti-mystic equipment… Unique and powerful abilities?’

He looked at the Dark Night Black Coffin beneath his feet. Then he remembered Yodel’s gray short sword. ‘What power does that sword have then?’ Thales suddenly registered what went on. ‘That short sword and the gray shield in Sonia’s hand, their colors are so similar!’

Giza pursed her lips. The tentacles under her body started to tremble uneasily.

Sonia tapped the Supreme Shield. “You probably haven’t seen this before. In the later period of the Battle of Eradication, when you all began fleeing desperately, this was made, together with the Supreme Sword. So you wouldn’t understand its ability.”

Giza’s expression changed again.

“When I received the shield, they told me this,” Sonia snorted softly, “The name of the Supreme Shield’s power was the embodiment of Empress Hellen’s character.”

The Blood Mystic’s expression became increasingly solemn. Thales felt that Sonia had already found her weakness.

The female warrior laughed jubilantly. “The name of its power is…’Hunting’.”

Then, as if having thought of the scariest thing ever, the Mystic, with an ice-cold expression, swung her hand furiously!

*BOOM!*

A voice that sounded like a flood exploded in the air!

Under everyone’s vigilant gazes, the large tentacles instantly dissolved into blood and severed limbs… and then they disappeared in the air. Giza hid in the darkness. She cast Thales a deep look.

She left him a sentence, spoken in an airy voice, “We will meet again.”

Thales shuddered violently. Giza’s words carried a coldness that sent a chill into Thales’ heart. “I definitely will not let you suffer.”

Thales’ face was pale and he felt uneasy. ‘Definitely will not let you suffer… Damn. Wait.’ It finally dawned on him. ‘The Blood Mystic… Was scared off?’

“She left,” Sonia said in a faint voice, “What a pity. I really want to chase her down.” She tapped her shield

Thales exhaled deeply.

“Serena!” Thales turned his head. Katerina was gritting her teeth and glaring at an empty corner. “She has escaped!”

The clatter of horse hooves travelled to their ears. Putray, Wya and Genard appeared before them, escorted by a troop of cavaliers.

Seeing them, Thales felt slightly at ease. ‘It’s just that, there doesn’t seem to be many of the Jade Star Family’s private soldiers left.’

The night… had ended again.

The cavaliers marched to the front. They all nodded at Sonia and saluted her. They were led by a female knight with a cold expression. When her eyes swept past Thales, the latter could only feel a chill.

‘Did I offend her?’ Thales scratched his head, baffled.

At this moment, a shout that was filled with complicated emotions rose into the air.

“Captain!”

Sonia’s entire body trembled. She turned and looked at the person who called.

Thales was stunned. ‘Could it be that… Sonia is really “Captain Constellation” since she uses a shield?’

Under everyone’s astonished gaze, the thirty-year-old veteran, Genard, dismounted from his horse. Quivering slightly, he slowly went in front of the female warrior. He looked at Sonia with an excited, but worried and ashamed expression.

“Captain…” His lips trembled, but he could not speak. “I…” Genard lowered his head deeply and gritted his teeth.

“I…”

Sonia looked at this veteran with a complicated expression. “Genard.”

But the female warrior exhaled deeply. She raised her gaze, filled with an imposing look.

“Look at me, soldier!” Sonia yelled.

The veteran shuddered violently. He immediately straightened his back. He took a deep breath and looked right at Sonia. A few seconds later, Genard gulped and inhaled deeply.

“I am back,” the veteran said firmly.

Sonia eyed him carefully. After quite some time, she gave Genard’s shoulder a punch and flashed a weak smile. “Come back to us.”

Genard’s entire body trembled. He gritted his teeth hard and blinked back his tears. The veteran shouted with all his might, “Yes!”

“Pardon me for being frank, Your Highness.” Sonia turned and looked at Thales, who was being meticulously checked for injuries by Wya. She furrowed her brows, but she immediately heaved a deep sigh. “Although you went through a lot today, you still have to go to Broken Dragon Fortress as soon as possible.”

Thales did not really understand what she meant, but still nodded. Only the experienced vice diplomat, Putray, who was behind Thales, changed his expression. He was pressing on his wound.

“Lady Sasere,” he asked solemnly, “What happened?”

Everyone went silent for a second. Sonia furrowed her brows tightly. She then looked straight at Thales.

“Eckstedt’s Archduke of Black Sand, Chapman Lampard… had already dispatched small units that passed through the border of the two kingdoms without hesitation a day ago.”

Sonia was expressionless, but her gaze was solemn. She answered, “They are starting to purge the periphery of Broken Dragon Fortress, especially the lines of communication leading to Cold Castle and the Lonely Old Tower.”

Thales’ pupils narrowed. Sonia nodded and said solemnly, “The Northern Territory is no longer safe.”

Chapter 97

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Broken Dragon Fortress was built in the Northern Plains, at the juncture between Constellation and Eckstedt. The main body of the fortress was located on high ground, and was only a few hundred meters away from the border of the two kingdoms set by the ‘Fortress Treaty’.

The Third Peninsula War more than three hundred years ago created the legend of the three ‘Heroes’ among the Westerners—Chara, Kaplan, and Midier. But after the war ended, the friendship of Eckstedt’s Chara the Hero and Constellation’s Oath Keeper Midier fell apart, and their brotherhood ended. This caused countless historians and bards to put on dejected expressions and sigh, and the end of the brotherhood also led to the fall out between the Great Dragon and Constellation who were allies.

Hence, Broken Dragon Fortress, located at the border between the two kingdoms and has political significance as well as military purposes at the same time, was built. Twelve years ago, the famous ‘Fortress Treaty’ between Constellation and Eckstedt was signed here.

The Northern Plains, which extended for miles, was the only place between the two kingdoms where large numbers of soldiers could be stationed while avoiding the large, snowy forest. However, the defenders of Broken Dragon Fortress could clearly see any groups of more than ten people ascending from Eckstedt. On Constellation’s side, the Arunde Family’s Cold Castle and the Zemunto Family’s Overwatch City was at the fortress’ southwestern side, while the Friess Family’s Lonely Old Tower was at the fortress’ northern side. All three parties could rush to the fortress’ aid at any moment. If any of the castles were in danger of being besieged, Broken Dragon Fortress could also warn them in time.

Broken Dragon Fortress was not a solitary castle. It was made up of the fortress’ star-shaped main body, which was the largest and steadiest building on the highland, and it was surrounded by eight medium-sized forts which guarded the periphery and surveyed each other. There were also twelve simple sentry posts further away. To take down Broken Dragon Fortress meant that countless moats and ‘chevaux de frise’ had to be broken through. The threat of bows from the eight medium-sized forts also had to be eliminated one by one. The fortress’ main body could then only be reached by walking through the only three narrow slopes that can reach it. Lastly, under the limited terrain that allows movements, a siege had to be launched at the fortress wall over ten meters tall, while braving the attack of the Mystic Guns on the star-shaped, convex walls.

If the main forces circumnavigated the fortress and directly headed south to the important cities of Constellation, this fortress which could fit ten thousand people, had plenty of supplies, and had troops in the base that could launch an attack anytime, would then immediately become the main threat, like a thorn in one’s side.

When Eckstedt’s Archduke of Black Sand, the forty-one-year-old Chapman Lampard, looked up at this giant from the fortress’ northern side while basking in moonlight he felt an especially strong threat from Broken Dragon Fortress , since it was easy to defend and hard to attack.

Since he had a fair duel with his own elder brother in front of his father and the entire family twelve years ago, then won the right of inheritance to the Black Sand Region by piercing through his brother’s heart with a sword, Chapman Lampard’s ambition grew uncontrollably. He began to dream of bringing the glory of becoming the common-elected king to the Lampard Family, to turn Black Sand City into Eckstedt’s capital city, and to bring Constellation’s Northern Territory into his governance, reuniting the Ancient Northland Territory—which was now split between the two kingdoms—into one.

The archduke wore a thick robe lined with heavy chain armor. He rode a healthy and strong Northland Horse. The knights behind him held flags that had the pattern of an iron fist that represented the Lampard Family on it. Dense military camps were stationed behind them. From time to time, low-ranked riding sentries or infantry units would leave the military camps and cross the border nonchalantly.

A healthy and strong knight who had a soldierly bearing and wore a gray helmet—one of Eckstedt’s ‘Five War Generals’, Lord Tolja—sped over from the front. He reined in his horse before Lampard and immediately bowed respectfully. Lampard nodded expressionlessly.

“Whether it is caravans, hunters, supplies or the enemies’ patrol teams, we have already cleared them all from the path and placed our mobile sentries there. If Cold Castle’s Arunde and the other two families come to the rescue, we will know at the first moment…” Tolja said in a deep voice, “Are we really attacking?”

“Of course! We have more than thirteen thousand soldiers. We have light cavalry scouts, heavily-equipped knights, handpicked and lightly-equipped executioners, Doppelsöldners, and enough archers. We also prepared Mystic Guns, catapults and other equipment needed to lay siege to a city.” The one who replied him was a knight wearing plate armor and was standing behind Archduke Lampard. He was the archduke’s supporter and number one vassal, Count Levan. “We are at an advantage, whether in terms of quantity or quality. Defeating them is as easy as flipping our hand!”

“That is open warfare, but as long as they are holed up in Broken Dragon Fortress, it would be hard for us to achieve an easy victory.” Tolja shook his head. “Ever since the fortress fell into our hands the last time, they strengthened its fortifications. I suspect that they have equipped half the Mystic Guns and city defense crossbows in their kingdom there… To forcefully lay siege would only lead to a large number of casualties.”

‘And,’ Tolja thought, ‘As long as those two are at Broken Dragon Fortress, even if there is only a disorderly mob against us, we should be extremely vigilant.’

Count Levan, donned in plate armor, had a determined expression on his face. “We mobilized so many soldiers. It is impossible for us to return without accomplishing anything… If we can seize Broken Dragon Fortress, I reckon that we can accept some casualties on our side.”

“Our enemy is not only the fortress, but also the weather…”

They turned their heads. Archduke Lampard’s wise general and advisor, Viscount Kentvida, arrived on horseback behind them. “The Day Before the Bitter Cold Winter will arrive earlier than in previous years. It is not a good time to advance. The situation is not promising for us when it comes to the transportation of supplies. If the siege does not go well, and there is a deadlock in battle… If we wait for the beginning of spring, we have a bigger chance of seizing the fortress.”

“It is precisely because there are not enough supplies that we should do it quickly!” Count Levan was still determined. “It is to our advantage to battle in winter! The Constellatiates will be dealt a bigger blow because of the winter. Twelve years ago, we seized the fortress at this time.”

“That was the warmest winter in a couple dozen years!” Tolja shook his head solemnly. “And at that time, they were busy enough with their own affairs. There were no reinforcements in the Northern Territory. But at the time, we had all seven armies from the seven Archdukes. And we can only restock our supplies on the spot after breaching the fortress and after we headed south.”

Archduke Lampard slowly raised a hand and halted his three subordinates’ arguments.

“How are things at the back?” The archduke’s voice was dreary and dull, carrying some kind of power that made people become instinctively quiet.

“King Nuven’s envoy has already arrived. We have no way of holding him back for too long. After all, we are dispatching troops in the name of revenge for Prince Moriah.” Viscount Kentvida bowed. “Besides, I heard that the Prince of Constellation is already on his way and will arrive soon.”

Lampard contemplated and asked, “Prestige Orchid Region’s Olsius Family and Reformation Tower’s Trentida Family, have they not replied yet? As fellow archdukes of Eckstedt’s southern region, they should have enough reason to dispatch their soldiers.”

“They have definitely received the news of the Prince of Constellation’s diplomatic visit,” Viscount Kentvida answered seriously, “Even though they could probably obtain benefits by seizing the Northern Territory, they will hesitate just as much as the other archdukes.

“We… I am afraid that we will have to depend on ourselves.”

After some time…

Archduke Lampard exhaled. Looking at the Broken Dragon Fortress across from him, he heaved a long sigh and said, “Depend on ourselves?”

“Sasere, that woman only has over eight hundred people. However, at least three hundred of them are elite veterans from the Starlight Brigade. They are not only good riders, but also dauntless soldiers who attack and defend well. Having fought against her before, you should all be very clear about this.

“Murkh just arrived with over two thousand people. Although most of them are garrison soldiers who have never seen blood, that man is too scary. As long as he has five hundred extremely loyal and dauntless sword-and-shield troops, he would be able to create great trouble on the battlefield.

“There are also a few thousand vassal troops that are heading over one after another. Although the fact that Arunde was put behind bars caused the soldiers in the fortress to be disunited with each other, and most of them had already withdrawn, Arunde’s only daughter is still at the fortress. According to the investigation of the scouts, at least five hundred of them stayed.

“Without the military strength of the other archdukes. We will have to battle very hard if we want to seize Broken Dragon Fortress.”

Archduke’s Lampard’s words made the three of them go silent for a while.

“To have three thousand people squeezed into one fortress.” Count Levan furrowed his brows and spoke, “With the Northern Territory’s pitiful supplies, how long can they keep up?”

“That fortress was built to accommodate ten thousand people. It has enough reserves by itself, and can help them last till the Day before the Bitter Cold Winter.” Viscount Kentvida shook his head.

“Forgive me for being frank. As the side who will lay the siege, our pressure is much higher than theirs when it comes to supplies. Twelve years ago, the entire Eckstedt was behind us. And now, because that dead prince is coming to apologize… We are as isolated and helpless as the Northern Territory.”

“The Day before the Bitter Cold Winter will be coming in less than two weeks.” Tolja also nodded in agreement to the wise general’s words. “If we do not get a good opportunity, I do not suggest that we forcefully attack.

“When that prince arrives, it would be even more impossible for us to dispatch troops!” Count Levan said indignantly, “And in another ten years, Constellation will slowly recover from its weakened state, and other kingdoms will also be free of their respective troubles. Besides…”

He paused for a moment.

‘If Nuven the Seventh is not able to live till then… There will possibly be a king selection in Eckstedt.’

“How can we just give this opportunity up?” Count Levan spoke in a hateful tone.

The other three did not speak.

“No.” Chapman Lampard slowly exhaled, creating a mouthful of mist and stared at the fortress in front of him. “We are Northlanders.”

Lampard thought of his elder brother.

Of how he held his sword with hands full of blood, and his gaze when he died with a heroic laugh.

“Northlanders never wait for opportunities, nor do we give up on opportunities.”

Archduke Lampard turned his head around. His stern face had a freezing look that was colder than the weather.

“We create opportunities.”

…..

The moon had already appeared.

Broken Dragon Fortress was just in front. Its magnificent star-shaped contour could already be seen vaguely under the moonlight.

Watching Sonia and Aida, who were looking around vigilantly a distance away, Thales turned towards Katerina, who was surrounded by the elite warriors of Broken Dragon Fortress and the two Blood Clan warriors behind her who were only found after the battle.

“Are you sure that you want to leave now?” Furrowing his brows, Thales looked at Katerina, who was in front of him. “Perhaps the Blood Mystic is lying in wait on the path you will take to return.”

Katerina expression was as indifferent as usual. She shook her head. “This is the best time to leave. At least, the Blood Mystic would not dare to lurk around in places that are too near to this place.”

“This is too risky,” Thales spoke earnestly, “You know that the Blood Mystic came for the black coffin…”

“Trust me, since the Blood Mystic had already showed herself and caused such a big trouble, there will be people keeping an eye on her whereabouts and intentions… For example, your Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department,” Katerina spoke coldly, “Although Mystics are terrifying, there are still forces of power that can restrain them in this world.”

“Are you talking about the legendary anti-mystic equipments?” Thales contemplated and spoke, “But they are after all, so rare. There are only a few…”

“You are still young, and have yet to know many secrets.” Katerina’s words made Thales scratch his head. “The only thing you need to know is that, every single time Mystics appear publicly, they are taking a risk. After that, they would be quiet and go into hiding for a very long time. The legendary anti-mystic equipments are not their only threat.

Their eyes met for a second.

“Alright, since you insist,” Thales sighed, “You have to know that all the supreme classes by your side had died in battle. Serena might still be hiding in the darkness, waiting for a chance to strike, and you are after all, bringing along and protecting a legendary anti-mystic equipment.”

Remembering Hestad and Simon, Katerina’s gaze dimmed. However, she then raised her head.

“I yearn for Serena to appear.” The Night Queen revealed a gaze full of hatred. “As for the Dark Night Black Coffin, perhaps it is a legendary anti-mystic equipment many powerful parties would like to have. But do not worry, as apart from the terrifying Mystics, there would be absolutely no one who would dare try to obtain it.”

‘No.’

Katerina thought, ‘Perhaps with the exception of those relatives of mine in Grand Banquet Hill.

‘After all, it is the entire Blood Clan’s pledge to guard the Dark Night Black Coffin.’

Thales rolled his eyes. ‘Is it a secret that I am not aware of again?’

He nodded.

“Although it can be said that our bad luck today is thanks to each other, with blood debts, enmity and favors involved, I still hope that we do not become enemies. Of course, I hope we don’t meet again,” Thales said with a serious look.

Katerina stared at him intently for a few seconds.

She did it for so long that Thales raised his brows.

“You know,” Katerina said quietly, “Maybe we can really become allies.”

Thales widened his eyes.

“I heard Serena’s words,” the Night Queen said flatly, “The situation in the peninsulas had changed. You all have relations with Mane et Nox Dynasty, and Eckstedt is in good terms with Hanbol. Since Constellation is fated to be enemies with Hanbol, we have a common enemy.”

Thales furrowed his brows.

‘I almost forgot that…

‘She is a queen.’

“After forming an alliance, we can rope in the Misty Islands’ merfolk leader. That way, we can chase away Hanbol and the Trade Federation’s whalers. It would not be impossible for us to make the Southern Sea of Eradication our inland sea.

“Think of all those Eternal Oil that is swallowed up jointly by Hanbol and the Trade Federation…”

“Oh please, it’s thanks to your dear older sister.” Thales exhaled and shook his head, with fear still lingering in his heart. “Right now, I really have an extremely deep fear towards the word ‘ally’.

“For your sake, and also for my sake, let’s discuss this when I’m a little older, okay?”

Katerina, who was cut off in a baffling manner, was stupefied for a moment. Her parted lips could not close in time.

Looking at that pair of lips, for some reason, Thales thought of their taste.

‘Ahem.’

Thales tapped his head, getting rid of those weird thoughts.

He had enough troubles, and he was already busy enough with them.

The Night Queen, who had always maintained a stern face, suddenly curled up the corners of her lips softly.

Thales was a little surprised. It was his first time seeing the stoic Katerina smile.

“Sorry.”

Thales frowned. “What are you saying?”

Katerina spoke slowly, “When you extended your neck towards me… my original plan was to suck all your blood dry.

Thales shuddered violently. “What?”

“After all, there was already hatred between us because of the battle earlier,” Katerina continued speaking with that ice-cold expression again.

“As long as I finish off Serena and wipe out all your other subordinates, then cleared off all traces. Apart from Covendier, no one would know the truth of the Prince of Constellation’s death.” Thales felt a chill running down his spine as he watched the queen talk about sucking him dry.

Thales had a look of disbelief on his face.

‘This… is this the farmer and the viper, the one in Aesop’s fables…’

“However, you have a tenacious vitality, and did not die from the loss of blood like I expected.”

Katerina spoke coldly, “So, my attempt to kill you failed. I reckon that you have the right to know about this.”

Thales’ expression changed many times. He felt the weakness in his body and touched the two holes on his neck that had already healed. He then raised his head and looked at Katerina with a surprised and furious expression.

“You…” With furrowed brows, Thales spoke furiously, “And Serena… You two are indeed a pair of good sisters!”

However, Katerina only looked at him with a distant gaze and with a complicated expression.

“No, please take my honesty as a token of sincerity to form an alliance. I did not hide anything from you, and do not plan to hide anything from you either. This is something Serena, who puts on an act all her life, can never do.”

The queen nodded slightly. “This should be able to remove your wariness and build the foundation of trust for our possible alliance in the future.”

Thales was immediately stunned. He was rendered speechless for a moment.

“You were telling me that you wanted to kill me,” he furrowed his brows and spoke, “And then you are saying that this is how you treat me with sincerity, hoping that I will trust you?

“Don’t you think that something is wrong somewhere?” Thales spoke tauntingly.

“I believe that you are mature enough to differentiate whether I am sincere or not,” Katerina spoke flatly, “You know, I do not treat you as a child.”

Thales was tongue-tied for a moment.

However, recalling his experience of almost being sucked dry, he could not help but be peeved.

“Oh, speaking about that,” Thales snorted and spoke vengefully, “Yo, was that your first kiss?”

Katerina’s pupils suddenly narrowed.

Her expression became cold in the blink of an eye. She spoke chillingly, “What did you say?”

Her purple eyes shot towards Thales.

Under the queen’s murderous gaze, Thales immediately felt a chill running down his spine.

He only felt slightly reassured when he saw the soldiers and the two supreme class elites around them.

Thales scratched his head awkwardly. “I was saying… there are readers who want to know, cough, cough, no… It’s just that a lot of people in the Eastern Peninsula seem to care a lot about this. Therefore, I wanted to know if I offended you anywhere, so that I can apologize…”

“No, of course not,” Katerina spoke coldly, “Did you think that I am some teenage girl who just reached puberty?

“First kiss? How childish!

“I have lived for a much longer period of time than all your ancestors added together!”

‘These words sound a little familiar.’

Thales shrugged and scratched his head, a little embarrassed.

‘Wow, even an ice queen like you had a first love?’

Watching Katerina’s face, which was as cold as an ice cube, he stuck his tongue out.

‘Your first love, haih, I can only say… that man sure had it rough, huh.’

“Okay then.” Thales sighed. He then raised his head and spoke earnestly, “I wish you all the best.”

‘May we never meet again,’ He added another sentence in his heart.

Katerina stared at him in silence. She suddenly extended her hand to him and passed him a bracelet that had two fangs strung on it.

The fangs looked ferocious and primitive, with thin, blood-colored patterns on it.

It looked like a keepsake from his past life.

Thales widened his eyes and looked at her with a puzzled gaze.

“This is Corleone Family’s keepsake, the Blood Fangs…” Queen Katerina spoke with a serious expression, “If you come round to the idea one day… come and see me with it.”

“However, to form an alliance with immortals is not exactly something that would give you a good reputation among humans… Before you make up your mind, please do keep it a secret from others. I suggest that you personally safeguard this keepsake.”

Thales furrowed his brows. In the end, he sighed and simply grabbed that fanged bracelet.

‘I will throw it away when I get back.’

Thales thought.

“Be careful on your way,” he said quietly.

“Take care of yourself, little Prince Thales.” Katerina nodded expressionlessly, turned and walked towards her subordinates and the black coffin.

“Don’t forget our inland sea.”

Thales rolled his eyes behind her.

The next moment, the Night Queen and her subordinates disappeared from his sight along with the black coffin.

Thales sighed with sentimentality welling up in him for a second and turned to leave.

At this moment, the secret telepathic voice exclusive to Blood Clansmen faintly rang inside his ears.

“But that was indeed… My first kiss with someone of the opposite sex.”

Thales shuddered violently.

He then staggered!

It frightened Wya, who was beside him. Wya immediately ran forward to support him.

‘I thought it was agreed that this world is not a novel with a simple plot!’

He sighed and looked at the darkness where Katerina disappeared.

‘Hatred aside, perhaps this queen has more similarities to her elder sister than what she imagined.’

Chapter 98

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Eternal Star City, Black Street Brotherhood’s headquarters at XC Region.

“Are you saying that Roda and the Reversed Machete…?”

One of the Six Powerhouses of Black Street Brotherhood, Anton the ‘Ripper’ took a bite from his bread and spoke in a string of indistinct mumblings, “Because of what?”

“Seems like it is Roda’s son.” On the other end of the long table, the other one of the Six Powerhouses, Morris crossed his arms across his chest. He laid them on his fat tummy and spoke impatiently, “You know, I had to constantly take care of that piece of trash at my place so that he could manage those child-beggars, and it lasted until he died at Red Street Market… It was because of this that Roda’s relationship with Lance and me apparently reached an impasse.”

“In that case, the Reversed Machete is in an extremely bad mood? Has Sunset Pub already shut down?” Anton let out a chuckle and took a sip of ale. “What a shame, I did kind of like that little girl at the pub… Tsk, tsk, that figure.”

“Her last name is Charleton, you won’t be able to touch her.” Morris’ cold words made Anton choke.

“I have not returned for a long time, so I am not clear about this. The Charleton Brothers have not made their appearance even after the matter of Sera Dukedom?” Anton swallowed the bread.

Morris shook his head. “Prison Lock Sickle has been tracing them for a few years, and for that, he did not even hesitate to work with the Secret Intelligence Department. He did fight hand-to-hand with the younger Charleton twice, but he did not benefit from that.”

“What about the older Charleton?” Anton asked immediately, “That person who killed Aydi the Second…”

“It is best not to mention him,” Morris sighed, “You know, that year, he saved Black Sword’s life in front of the palace gate. Regardless of whether it was intentional or otherwise… Black Sword took that to heart during all these years, and you could say that he was agonized by it.

“They would eventually need to fight each other.”

Anton sighed.

At this very moment, a figure wearing a scarlet cloak pushed the door open and entered the room. The figure then sat at the table.

Morris and Anton’s facial expression became solemn and serious.

Shortly after, the figure in the scarlet cloak spoke.

His speech made the other two people’s faces change color due to agitation.

“You better explain this clearly to me!

“What do you mean by ‘lost contact’?” Astonished, Anton slammed his fist onto the table and asked.

He stared in bewilderment at one of the Six Powerhouses—the ‘Sleepless Eye’, Kobryant Lance.

“What I mean is,” Lance held his scarlet cloak as he furrowed his brows and said, “we have stopped receiving any news from Ramon for the past seven days. The last time he sent a message was when he was at the Eastern Border between Constellation and Eckstedt.

“There is only one explanation for this— he ran into enemies.”

Morris hugged his arms tightly around himself and muttered, “His mission was only to use news of the ‘reappearance of wizards’ to avert the attention of the Secret Intelligence Department, so that we can safely acquire that equipment. When the Black Prophet discovered that he was not actually a wizard, he should have naturally given up on pursuing him, right?”

The fat one shook his head and his confusion showed on his face. “An ordinary gang doctor… Neither the Secret Room nor the Secret Intelligence Department have any reason to arrest him.”

“No, of course they do not have a reason. Unless this is the opponents’ move against the Brotherhood and our sponsor… A lot of people have doubts about our patron,” Lance said sinisterly, “Also, you and I both know that Ramon is no ordinary gang doctor!”

“There are people targeting us and also our sponsor?” Anton was shocked. “Are you saying that the Blood Bottle Gang is the one targeting us? Even though the Air Mystic does not usually appear… but after the Red Street Market incident, they have been more silent than before. Catherine and Nikolay are both overseas!”

Lance shook his head. “I have learned something through the grapevine. They have found the Blood Mystic… I am afraid, they will soon launch a counterattack. I am also worried that they may have already discovered the importance of Ramon to us.”

He lightly tapped against the table. “If the Blood Mystic becomes the one who attacks… haih.”

“The key is our sponsor!” Morris considered this seriously. “If Ramon falls into their hands, it will certainly jeopardize the safety of the sponsor… Maybe we should warn the sponsor?”

“We cannot risk being exposed, and contacting the sponsor.” Lance’s eyes were shining brightly. “I suspect that this could be a trap. Morat likes to throw this sort of bait the most. Maybe the area surrounding Black Street is already filled with spies of the Secret Intelligence Department, and they are just waiting for us to make a wrong move.”

‘What’s more terrifying is…

‘If it is not Morat and his Secret Intelligence Department but the conspirators that year…’

Lance did not show his feelings or speak of his worries.

“No, without Ramon, our study on the Mystics’ weakness will come to a standstill… We finally had a little progress after eleven or twelve years.” Anton tightly clenched his fist. “And we still do not know anything about the origin and ability of that equipment. We have yet to explore anything.”

Morris immediately lifted his head and his expression was serious. “Also, he knows too many secrets about us and our sponsor. Are our people at the border between Constellation and Eckstedt usable? For instance, the Crystal Drop Smuggling Team located at the border under your lead, Anton?”

“It will be very hard.” Anton the Ripper clenched his teeth. “The atmosphere there has been quite high strung recently. The merchants are all afraid that Constellation and Eckstedt are going to declare war, so they no longer go to the areas around Broken Dragon Fortress. My people already evacuated the area a long while ago…”

Anton’s face turned ashen “Also, if the Blood Mystic is about the same as the Air Mystic… then, forget about our subordinates, even we would die if we go there.”

“Maybe there is another method,” Lance said quietly.

The other two people looked at him.

Lance the Sleepless Eye, could be heard saying faintly, “With regard to the border between Constellation and Eckstedt… the Black Sword is not far from there, he can go ahead and search for Ramon.

“And I have already handed the equipment over to him.

“If he really ran into the Blood Mystic.

“Let it be a chance to test the equipment’s performance in advance.

…

The sun had just risen.

Thales had a sullen expression on his face as he was protected by Sonia on the horse. The group passed through the sentry and the fort, scaled the narrow slope, then slowly moved into the magnificent Broken Dragon Fortress through the south gate.

The place was so much colder than the birch tree forest.

The snow was also much thicker, as its height almost reached an adult’s ankle.

This was a very big fortress, but the double-layered city walls made the space between the fortress gate and the inner city wall seem relatively narrow.

Thales got off the horse with Sonia’s help, and the soldiers took the seriously injured Wya, Ralf, and Chora to be healed.

He observed this particular corner of the fortress. It was neat and orderly from the building layout itself to the sentries and staff stationed there.

The soldiers on duty were either patrolling the main roads and some of the city walls in the fortress, or they were on guard duty at their respective locations.

The quartermasters who were in charge of logistics and replenishments were walking back and forth to urge the laborers to transport the supplies. In some rather spacious stables, the cavaliers were bathing their steeds with well-practiced movements.

On the other end of the training field, there were a few squads made of new recruits that were obviously enlisted not long ago. They were practicing defensive moves and slashing motions in an orderly manner under the guidance of a few veterans.

A distance away, a few squads who just came back from their duties were queueing up to return their weapons to their original places. After that, they received the rations distributed by the quartermaster.

Genard followed Sonia and she enthusiastically embraced more than ten powerful looking veterans, who seemed to be her old acquaintances.

‘This is the Northern Barrier of Constellation?’

“Those are Baron Murkh’s regular soldiers from the Royal Family, and their numbers have just increased.” Right at that moment, Putray dragged his injured body and walked over to Thales, supporting himself with a branch. Putray stared at the squad of recruits who were training and said, “They do not really have any experience of fighting in a battle.”

Thales nodded.

“I thought you would at least leave her—leave that important queen in Broken Dragon Fortress. You know, our strength is already stronger than hers.”

Putray said quietly, “But, whether she was deceived by others or the other way around, she has already attacked the diplomat group and made countless debts of blood.”

“So what? Did we bring her here to spank her?” Thales shook his head. “She is an important political leader of the Eastern Peninsula. We need a lot of proper reasons to keep her, and there is even more trouble in terms of diplomacy.”

‘Also, a Mystic was involved.

‘And my secret is also involved.

‘It is best to have lesser troubles.’

Putray raised his eyebrow.

Thales let out a sigh. “Believe me, the real culprit is still strutting about in the world outside, freely. Letting Katerina go is also causing him problems.”

Zayen’s face appeared in his mind.

‘Regardless of the reason you wanted to kill me… I will never sit still and let you do so.

‘Also, maybe I have already found the key,’ Thales thought,

‘The key has to be in the conversation we had the day I left on this journey. There must have been something that set Zayen off.

‘He would have never done something so irrational otherwise. Not only does it involve lying to his ally, it involves endangering himself.’

“In addition, she is still carrying that black coffin with her.” Thales continued. What he said made Putray furrow his brows lightly. “With that thing by her side, it equates to allowing the Blood Mystic to find us again.”

‘Although she will certainly come and find me.’

“I will never let you suffer.”

Thales sighed and thought worriedly.

“Do not worry,” Putray seemed to see through Thales’ worry as he slowly said, “Eckstedt also has their own legendary anti-mystic equipment.

“The amount of equipment they have is even greater than Constellation’s. It is the country with the most legendary anti-mystic equipment in the world. After all, the Northland did their utmost in battling the calamities during the Battle of Eradication.”

Thales nodded reluctantly.

“As for the calamities, as long as you are not interested in them, they will not be interested in you,” Putray spoke with an underlying meaning in his words and his gaze was profound.

A violent shudder erupted in Thales’ heart.

‘Putray… What does he mean?’

Right at this very moment, Sonia’s dignified voice could be heard coming from the front.

“What is going on?!”

Thales and Putray both lifted their heads in curiosity and looked towards the front.

There seemed to be a scaffold there, which was jam-packed with soldiers off-duty.

There was a person on the scaffold who was sent to that place by the soldiers behind him.

It seemed like he was about to be executed.

A military officer who appeared to be the person in charge recognized Sonia as he was somewhat awkward when he answered, “Lady Sasere… he… this person is a deserter of the army.”

Sonia furrowed her brows and looked at the person on the scaffold.

It was a tanned, young man with black hair and brown eyes. He struggled to lift his head up before the scaffold and yelled loudly, “I am not an army deserter! I am not!”

He was wearing a torn cotton shirt and his hands were tied together behind his back. He yelled at the surrounding crowd in an indignant manner, “They fell behind, I went back to save them! I did not escape!

“Just look at the blood on my weapon and you will know!”

Thales stared at the situation and whispered to Putray, “Have we already engaged in a war with our enemy?”

“I am afraid that it is a conflict among a small number of squads,” Putray muttered, “It seems like Lampard is still unwilling to give up.”

Thales secretly sighed at the bottom of his heart.

The military officer in charge of the execution looked at the struggling young man and said in disdain, “This fellow is lying!

“There is indeed blood on his pike, but it had already been broken into two earlier on!

“You ran back with a broken weapon in your hand, and then tell me that you were going back to rescue them?”

“I did not!” the young man with his hands tied said anxiously, “It was not broken into two! That is exactly how my pike is! It… There are two of them, one for my left hand and another for my right hand! I can use them both at the same time…”

“Enough! Fisherman! You just spin lie after lie!” The officer in charge dismissed him with a swing of his hand and a sour expression on his face. “Quibbling does not help you at all! Act like a Northlander, just be forthright about this…”

“Wait!”

Sonia turned and looked at the person in charge with a grim expression on her face.

“He is a soldier I recruited from the area. Before you execute him, don’t you need to come and seek instructions from me?”

The military officer was momentarily stunned. “Er… but there is already conclusive evidence on this matter. We have gotten instructions from Baron Murkh—”

Sonia cut him off impatiently.

“Put him down, I will personally investigate this matter, and only then will you carry out the sentence.”

The military officer in charge furrowed his brows. “But, this is on Baron Murkh’s order… He said—”

“Murkh?

“I am the commander of Broken Dragon Fortress,” Sonia said sternly, “and how many days has it been since Murkh arrived in this place? All of you, including him, are only reinforcements, staying here as guests.”

The Fortress Flower’s facial expression became cold.

“Or do you have any opinion on my authority?”

The military officer stopped speaking and stared at his surroundings with a troubled expression.

However, he had no choice but to obey her due to the dignity and prestige of the Fortress Flower.

The man with black on the scaffold sighed in relief. He was immediately brought down from the scaffold and pushed down to the ground before Sonia.

“Soldier, report your name and your unit!” Sonia came before him and said coldly.

The young man quivered.

“Willow, my name is Willow, Your Excellency!”

The young man stared gratefully at Sonia as he panted, “Willow Ken! I am a pikeman recruited from Sharladan County! Also… I am really not an army deserter!”

Right at this moment, a commotion rose from the crowd.

A sonorous, bright but impatient voice belonging to a man came from afar.

“Sasere!”

Sonia’s brows were tightly furrowed together. She lifted her head and turned her gaze towards the direction of the voice.

“I hear that you are publicly causing me troubles again?”

Thales stared curiously at the spot where the commotion came from. He saw the soldiers move to both sides to clear a path.

There was a man with maroon hair. He was of a medium height but a strong and muscular built. He was wearing a simple breastplate and a green-colored wrist protector.

He had a high nose bridge and his facial features were sharp. His light green eyes were fierce, and he was carrying an eye-catching metal bow, which had alternating colors of silver and black as he strode out of the crowd.

More than ten sword-and-shield troops followed behind him. They were all expressionless.

Behind Thales, Aida, who once again covered her face seemed to anticipate something fun as she whispered, “Wow! It’s him! They’re going to fight! They’re going to fight!”

The soldiers on both sides were whispering among themselves. Many people were staring at the man who was walking over with excited and nervous expressions on their faces.

Thales was momentarily stunned. ‘Who is he?’

This man seemed to have his own aura that was brimming with aggressiveness. Wherever his gaze landed, it made people shiver.

It gave Thales a dangerous feeling, just like the silver-black bow across the man’s back. It seemed like it was at that critical state where it was going to strike at any moment.

Sonia stared at the man with a grave expression on her face as she slowly said, “Arracca Murkh. Once again, you interfered with my soldiers’ affairs when I left!”

‘Arracca Murkh?

‘That sounds quite familiar.’

Thales scratched his head.

Putray who was standing behind Thales, sighed deeply as he said with a low voice, “Your Highness, how good is your ability in smoothing out a conflict?”

Thales glanced at Putray with a baffled look.

‘What does he mean?’

“Your unit?” The aggressive Arracca did not show any signs of backing down. He pointed at Willow Ken on the ground and replied to Sonia in a hostile sounding voice, “Do you mean this cowardly deserter that you recruited from the local village?”

“I am not an army deserter! I am only—” the young Willow once again spoke nervously.

But Arracca mercilessly cut him off mid-sentence.

“Shut up, army deserter!” The man who carried the silver-black metal bow on his back erupted in anger.

Arracca glared at Willow with a fierce gaze, which forced the latter to swallow his words.

“Cowards do not deserve to talk to me,” he said coldly.

Willow Ken, who was standing below the scaffold had a bewildered expression on his face. He opened and closed his mouth before he slouched down like he was wronged.

The atmosphere in the area became increasingly worse.

“Hey, Murkh.”

Sonia’s facial expression was dark and gloomy.

“You are in my territory, and you identified my soldier as an army deserter and a coward without any confirmation.” The Fortress Flower, Sonia seemed like she was also boiling with anger. She stared at Arracca with a sharp gaze and enunciated every single word clearly as she said, “Are you provoking me?”

Thales felt the atmosphere before his eyes becoming tenser by the moment. The soldiers around them did not dare make a sound.

Arracca suddenly grinned and burst into laughter.

“If you say so, then yes.”

Under Sonia’s increasingly scary stare, Arracca stopped smiling. He then swept his eyes past Thales with a gaze that would have made others feel uneasy.

“So you brought the prince back?” Arracca laughed as he shook his head.

Thales gave him a smile and nodded.

But Arracca Murkh only sneered at him. It seemed like he did not care about the prince’s goodwill at all. Thales was momentarily stunned by his behavior.

The prince remembered now.

This was the person King Kessel referred to when he said he had already dispatched Baron Arracca Murkh, along with two thousand regular soldiers of the Royal Family to Broken Dragon Fortress upon replying to the Eckstedt diplomat. That was the baron who commanded the troops, Arracca Murkh.

He did not expect Arracca Murkh to confront Sonia Sasere, the Fortress Flower, without showing any signs of backing down.

Baron Murkh could be heard exhaling softly. He stared at Sonia and faintly said, “What? Do you think you have the authority to pamper the army deserter since you are standing on the good side of the king’s little bastard?”

‘King’s little bastard?’

There was once again an uproar from the surrounding soldiers.

Many gazes swept across Thales.

Thales’ expression became increasingly sour.

“He already said he is not an army deserter.” Sonia’s expression was grim. “He should have a chance to defend himself.

“Starlight Brigade never neglects and overlooks any lives.”

Thales was moved.

‘Starlight Brigade.’

Willow had a delighted expression on his face while he was pinned on the ground. He nodded desperately, but when he saw Murkh’s expression, he decided not to start talking.

“Never neglect and overlook any lives? As expected of Starlight Brigade’s captain of the personal guards.” Arracca laughed. “You carry out the beliefs of that duke of yours truly well.”

Thales recalled that Sonia was once a member under John Jadestar’s Starlight Brigade. He was Aydi the Second’s younger brother.

‘Captain of the personal guards… It seemed like her status and rank were quite high.’

“Oh, that’s right, how did the duke die again?” Arracca turned around and stared intently at Sonia.

The color on the Fortress Flower’s face changed in anger!

“The kind duke who cherished lives, was betrayed by those he claimed to ‘never neglect and overlook’,” Arracca mocked her as Sonia trembled. “He died in the hands of those personal guards, whom he trusted the most!

“What was the name of that traitor… Novork?”

Sonia clenched her fists tightly and her expression was unreadable.

“Yes, it was this batch of Starlight Brigade’s personal guards of the duke, who were trained personally by Sonia Sasere!”

Thales’ jaw dropped in shock.

Arracca’s words obviously agitated many people.

Because Thales could feel the temperature around Sonia immediately drop after Arracca finished talking.

The expressions of the dozens of dauntless soldier behind her, including Genard abruptly changed.

The dozen something burly men walked forward and stood behind Sonia fiercely.

The expressionless sword-and-shield troops also looked unhappy behind Arracca. All of them surrounded Baron Murkh. They pressed against their sword hilts and stared coldly at the opposite side.

The two groups of people on both sides were ready to jump at each other’s throats.

Sonia’s pupils narrowed slightly as she slowly walked forward with an icy expression on her face. She directly stared into Arracca’s eyes. He was of the same height as her.

Arracca also stared back at her coldly.

“Pah!” Right before Arracca’s eyes, Sonia spat onto the ground next to his feet in a crude manner. There was no trace of politeness in her actions.

“You are just a feral dog that barks wildly, Arracca.”

Arracca only chuckled without saying another word.

The Fortress Flower lifted her gaze to look at the maroon-haired man as she coldly said, “Of course, I remember the Bloody Year now. Prince Horace lost his life on the battlefield, but you came back alive.”

Thales’ heart lurched.

‘Prince Horace? The Sword of Reversing Light?’

This time, it was Arracca’s expression that changed drastically.

His eyes were filled with hatred and rage.

Sonia could be heard chuckling as she taunted him and said, “Who knows… It might be you who backstabbed him?”

Thales no longer doubted what Putray meant when he talked about the conflict just now.

Because the next moment, Arracca’s fist and Sonia’s palm slammed into each other in the air while both of them seethed in anger!

…

The Eastern Border between Constellation and Eckstedt, the periphery of Lonely Old Tower.

“No, I cannot smell the scent of the Brotherhood’s doctor anymore.

“I cannot go any deeper… The road ahead is the road that leads to Broken Dragon Fortress. I heard that the two countries are in conflict against each other now… I do not want to include myself in the battlefield.”

The head of Blood Bottle Gang’s Eight Psionic Warriors, Nikolay the Red Viper was clenching his fist in frustration as he motioned for his surrounding subordinates to move back. He then looked at the woman beside him. She had blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Besides, can’t you ask Lady Giza for help?”

‘Darn it. This woman. Why is she the one who found the Blood Mystic first?’

One of the Psionic Warriors of Blood Bottle Gang, the other cadre who was just a rank below Nikolay, Catherine the Fantasy Blade Edge turned her head over. She gave him a beautiful but ineffably chilling smile. “Yo, it seems like we’ve lost him once again.”

Catherine laughed mischievously, which caused anger to boil even further within Nikolay. “As for Lady Giza, I’ve mentioned it before, she suddenly had an emergency, so for the time being, she is headed to the west.”

Catherine stared coldly at Nikolay.

‘The Blood Mystic trusts me even more… and she will only trust me.

‘Even if the Air Mystic has disappeared, and even if Song the Divine Chaos Soldier has died, an idiot like you will never take over Blood Bottle Gang.’

However, she was also exceptionally anxious in her heart.

They persuaded the Blood Mystic with great difficulty to follow them all the way here to track the Brotherhood’s Strange Doctor a day ago.

But Giza seemingly felt something. She suddenly disappeared before their eyes after she hurriedly said, “I am going to take a look in the west.”

By the gods, the west was the road to Broken Dragon Fortress. Numerous troops of both countries were gathered there, and the atmosphere was extremely hostile. Even more so, an existence like the Fortress Flower was there!

No matter how powerful the Mystic was, she could not possibly fight with an entire army, right?

“We better settle matters here as soon as we can,” Nikolay said in a tone that indicated he was in a bad mood, “Blood Bottle Gang has lost a lot of business, many of our partners have already… Sera Dukedom’s women are very dissatisfied with the interrupted human supply, the Barren Bone people of the desert have started to get in touch with the Brotherhood, the Forerunner Guild have even directly halted their business deals with us. As for those rude swordsmen, they even questioned us about Groudon’s death…

“We are running out of time.”

“I know.” Catherine shook her head. “They even became aggravated and requested for more orphans from us… We ought to restore our prestige.”

“So, that Doctor Ramon better be as important as you claim he is!” Nikolay stared at his colleague and competitor in displeasure.

“Of course, this is what the Secret Intelligence Department told us through the Cullen Family.” Catherine chopped off a branch in front of her as she continued to move forward. “The source said that if we catch Ramon, we will have control over many secrets of the Brotherhood.”

‘The Cullen Family?’

Nikolay furrowed his eyebrows.

“As for you, stop having delusions about the Covendier Family.” Catherine mocked. “They do not treat us as humans at all.”

“Is the Cullen Family any better?” Nikolay instinctively refuted, “Maybe the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department only wants us to cause some problems to the Brotherhood by giving us this news!”

“Exactly,” Catherine said nonchalantly.

Nikolay was momentarily stunned.

He did not expect that this woman would actually agree with what he said.

“The Brotherhood expanded way too rapidly, especially after that night at Red Street Market. Almost the entire of Constellation’s underground forces had acknowledged their allegiances to Black Street.”

Catherine stopped walking and furrowed her brows in deep thought. “Since someone found them very displeasing and wanted to cause them trouble as well as catch the mastermind behind them… the Secret Intelligence Department and the Cullen Family may both have this motive in mind, hence the most direct method is to support us.”

Nikolay smiled scornfully. “Are you saying that it was actually a good thing for us to lose that fight at Red Street Market?”

“That was a lesson with a heavy price, reminding us that the Mystics are not all-powerful.” Catherine hid the disgust in her eyes and tried her best to speak sincerely.

“Previously, we did things in our own way, and even fought against one another. But during that night, we lost our best and most capable subordinates and people… For the continuation of Blood Bottle Gang, maybe, it is time for us to abandon our previous enmity…”

‘Damned viper.’

She cursed in her heart.

‘Do you still think I am unaware of the fact that you are the one who killed Ralf? Someday…’

Nikolay stayed quiet for a moment. He seemed like he was carefully considering what Catherine said.

Finally, the Red Viper opened his mouth in hesitation.

“Even though I still do not like you… I have to admit that what you said is reasonable.

“We are facing our biggest crisis ever since our inception. We must sincerely cooperate to get through this.”

However, Nikolay was ruthlessly pondering at the bottom of his heart.

‘This damn wh*re. Do you think that I cannot see through your acting?’

Catherine put on a smile. “I am very happy that you are able to think this way.”

Nikolay waved his hand and summoned back members of the Blood Bottle Gang as he shrugged nonchalantly. “After all, we are in the same gang.

“For now… let us find that Brotherhood’s doctor first. That damned Ramon!”

Chapter 99

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Their fist and palm met each other.

Both Arracca and Sonia trembled slightly.

*Thud.*

It was a low, heavy noise, which sounded extremely similar to the sound of a sandbag landing on the ground.

But Thales shuddered, as if a blunt and heavy hammer was struck against his heart!

‘This is… a fight between supreme class elites?’

It was quiet and simple.

Without wasting any energy, without any extra and unnecessary movements.

Thales noticed that the crowd was whispering among themselves.

Many soldiers were also pointing their fingers at the both of them.

“Oh, no… how many times has it been?”

“Must they tear each other apart before those Northlanders make their attack?”

The two commanders were fighting head on. But at the same time, they continued to stand in their original positions as they resisted each other’s attack without backing down even the slightest.

Sonia’s eyes were unfeeling whereas Arracca had a fierce look on his face.

The soldiers behind the two of them came to a realization and reacted to the situation.

*Clang!*

The veterans behind Sonia drew out their swords viciously and they surrounded their commander in an orderly manner.

*Thud!*

On the other hand, the sword-and-shield troops around Arracca had an intense look on their faces. They took precisely one step forward and formed a wall with their shields in order to protect Arracca’s flanks.

The two troops were filled with murderous intent and they glared angrily at each other with mutual hostility.

The crowd became increasingly chaotic.

“My god, Starlight Brigade and the Fury Guards are present at the same time…”

“Didn’t the military officer in charge of arranging the work shift intentionally make sure that their shifts would not overlap?”

“Don’t tell me someone’s going to die this time?

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

Almost everyone was watching the confrontation between the two big commanders, with all kinds of complicated feelings stirring within them…

“Stop!”

Thales furrowed his brows and took a step forward.

Everyone turned around at the same time to look at the prince, who had a sour expression on his face.

Thales took a look at his surroundings.

‘What on earth is going on?

‘Sonia and Arracca…’

He sighed.

Putray whispered to him from his back, “This is exactly what I was talking about. You are the only who can step in, young prince.”

Thales shook his head.

“Back off, soldiers,” He yelled at the two parties enveloped in a tense atmosphere.

“For all our sakes as Constellatiates, put away your weapons.”

But no one paid him any attention.

Sonia and Arracca both heard what Thales said, but the enraged duo seemed to be more interested in each other.

The subordinates behind them—who according to the crowd, seemed to be the Starlight Brigade and Fury Guards—did not avert their gaze. They just stood behind their respective commanding officers with much loyalty and devotion.

The prince was given the cold shoulder as no one acknowledged him.

Putray closed his eyes and shook his head helplessly.

The whispers of the onlookers became louder as they pointed their fingers at Thales.

Many of their gazes revealed their mockery and ridicule.

This child was their new prince?

Thales felt that he was in an awkward situation.

Extremely awkward!

‘Umm, what should I do?

‘Rush forward and pull them apart?

‘But… Even though Sonia is in an extremely angry state, that Arracca does not seem to be placing any importance on her.

‘I must find something that they care about.’

His brain was working rapidly.

The conversation between Sonia and Arracca materialized in his mind.

An idea appeared in Thales’ head as he took a deep breath.

The prince heard his young voice rise into the air, “I am Thales Jadestar, the Second Prince of Constellation.”

Thales raised his right hand at the two parties and pointed north.

“Maybe some people know that, for the sake of Constellation’s peace and for everyone’s lives here in the fortress…

“I will soon head north to Eckstedt and pay for their prince’s death with my life.”

The surrounding soldiers burst into an uproar.

Broken Dragon Fortress was not isolated. The news from the National Conference had already made its way there a long time ago.

Many of the people’s gazes changed in an instant as they looked at Thales. Some turned into sympathy while some into indignation, anger, and even regret.

Yet Sonia and Arracca’s gazes were still firmly locked onto each other.

Thales adjusted his own breathing and tried his best to appear more relaxed as he walked closer to where they were confronting each other.

Then he spread his hands and gave them a resigned smile. “As for the two commanding officers and your subordinates, before you dig out each other’s hearts, you should at least give a Jadestar Prince, who is going to meet his end soon, some proper respect, right?

“For instance, could you fight only after you have sent me off to my death?”

The whispers of the surrounding soldiers became increasingly louder.

Putray nodded slightly.

Sonia and Arracca discovered that a barely noticeable crease appeared between their brows.

But Thales immediately switched the conversation as he snorted in derision.

“Oh, of course. Perhaps you have already gotten used to this since for a long time.” Thales turned around and stared at the surrounding soldiers as he slipped his hand into his pocket in a relaxed manner.

He was prepared to take out the royal family’s Nine-Pointed Star brooch and show it to everyone.

The next sentence Thales was going to say would have him relying on his last name.

However, he could not feel the Nine-Pointed Star brooch.

He only had the fang bracelet in his pocket, which the Night Queen gave him as a keepsake of the Corleone Family before they parted.

Thales’ smile froze for about zero point one seconds.

‘Damn that Katerina… She did not return the Nine-Pointed Star brooch to me!’

Nonetheless, the smile returned to the prince’s face at lightning speed.

He transformed the bewilderment he felt when he stuck his hand into his empty pocket to a relaxed expression, as if he was about to take a picture with his hand in his pocket.

Thales turned back to the two people, who were still up against each other’s throats, and sneered.

“After all, this is not the first time the both of you… have seen a Jadestar dying in front of you…”

Just as he finished speaking, the breathing of those two individuals sped up by quite a large margin.

A tremble traveled through Sonia’s body.

Whereas Arracca looked like he was struggling.

Memories of their past welled up in their hearts.

The voices of the surrounding soldiers got even louder.

“So?”

“You have heard about it as well? Both of them are…”

“Anyway, I do not understand why they find each other so displeasing…”

‘One, two, three…’ Thales was counting the seconds in his heart.

‘Please, give me some respect!’

He felt the awkwardness welling up in him again.

Finally, both of the commanders snorted coldly and abruptly let go of each other.

The guards on both sides sheathed their swords, but they still stared at the opposite party with a dark expression on their faces.

Thales sighed in relief.

By the side, Putray gave him a wicked grin and winked at him.

Gilbert would have never been so disrespectful.

Thales returned an angry glare towards him.

But he knew that the matter was not yet settled.

“Very good, should… we settle the matter ahead of us?” Thales rubbed his palms together as he grinned and pointed at Willow Ken, who was stunned.

Arracca snorted impatiently. “Are you going to judge this yourself, young prince?”

“What now, do you have any objections to that?” Sonia snorted. “He is the most suitable person around here with his status.”

Thales sighed.

‘No. This is not just a trial. This can also be the conflict and disagreement between two commanders.’

He looked at Willow, who had a pleading expression on his face. ‘Also, this is about the life and death of a person.’

He lifted his head and looked at the military officer who was in charge of the execution.

“Is there anyone who can verify his words? What about the person he saved?”

The military officer in charge seemed like he had never spoken to any members of the royal family before. He took a step back as he was overwhelmed by the sudden honor of speaking to royalty. Then he shook his head. “There is no one… which is why we suspect that he is lying.”

Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

‘This is not looking good.’

“To confirm whether he is an army deserter… please bring me his weapon.”

The military officer nodded nervously.

Soon, under everyone’s watchful gaze, a pair of wooden sticks, which were much shorter than a spear, were presented to Thales. The damaged wooden sticks were still stained with dried blood and the metal tip could barely be seen from the side.

From the surface, it indeed seemed like a broken spear.

However… Thales stared at the black-haired young man.

“You can… fight with dual pikes?”

Willow nodded his head forcefully. “I-I can!”

“Another lie,” the military officer shook his head and said, “There is absolutely no soldier who went through this type of training, not to mention, he is only a fisherman!”

Thales exhaled deeply.

He glanced at the surrounding soldiers whose gazes were burning brightly. He then looked at Sonia’s hopeful gaze, Arracca’s intimidating gaze, and Putray’s perplexed expression.

“If he can use the two pikes proficiently—” Thales muttered.

Arracca lighty snorted at that moment and cut Thales off.

“Regardless of whether he is an army deserter, there is no doubt that he disobeyed a command and ran back to the battlefield.” This intrepid man sneered at the prince.

“What? If he can use two pikes, are you going to declare him not guilty by using your Jadestar privilege? Esteemed second prince?”

Thales was stunned.

‘Disobey? This is bad.’

“Then, are you going to directly put him to death?” Sonia went head to head with him as she replied coldly, “What if he is innocent—”

“On the battlefield, no one cares if you are innocent or otherwise!” Arracca cut her off harshly.

“It does not matter whether you intended to run or save someone, you disobeyed the rules and you have to pay for it.”

Sonia was rendered speechless in an instant.

She could only turn her head over and look at Thales hesitantly. “I respect your decision, Your Highness.”

Arracca stared at Thales and said in disdain, “Continue, pardon his crime, and see if he will still disobey the rules next time… Perhaps by then, he would not only cause death to himself.”

Willow’s face went pale in an instant. He was drenched in his own sweat as his gaze kept going back and forth between Arracca and Thales.

Thales furrowed his brows.

‘This is troublesome.’

Arracca, Sonia, Putray and the surrounding soldiers, including Willow all directed their gazes on him.

‘What should I do?

‘Hang him? What would Sonia and the surrounding soldiers think about that?

‘Pardon him? What about Arracca, the military orders and rules?

‘Or simply change it to another punishment.

‘No, it is not appropriate… Darn it.

‘Gilbert never taught me this…’

“Wait… Gilbert?”

Thales muttered to himself and made his decision.

“Willow Ken, I cannot be certain if you are an army deserter,” the second prince walked towards Willow and said to him, “and so, I cannot convict you as guilty and I cannot hang you.”

Willow sighed in relief.

“See, this is the starting point to losing a war…” As expected, Arracca snorted and also as expected, he received an angry glare from Sonia.

Some soldiers who agreed with Arracca started to shake their heads.

But what Thales said afterwards made Willow nervous again.

“However, if you truly disobeyed the rules, I cannot declare you innocent as well,” Thales shook his head and said.

“I cannot pass judgement.”

Everyone at the scene suddenly fell silent.

And then the entire crowd broke into an uproar.

Sonia fiercely furrowed her brows. ‘What does this mean?’

“Ha, guilty and not guilty?” Arracca sneered.

“So what are you going to do, my prince? How about you shorten the garrotte into half?”

Thales remained expressionless.

He raised his hand slightly and clenched his fist to have the crowd quite down.

Thales said softly, “But you did say, Willow, that you retreated to save your comrade.”

Willow lifted his gaze and looked at the second prince, still trembling.

“It does not matter whether you have truly done this or not, such a spirit is very honorable.”

Thales’ voice echoed among the crowd standing in the narrow street.

“So, I cannot hang you.”

A tremble coursed through Willow’s body as he stared at the prince in disbelief.

Thales continued. “It is not because of your conduct, whether it is not guilty or otherwise.

“But it is because I cannot let the others be afraid of what happens to you after what you did and become hesitant in saving their comrades… this is not something that they should hesitate in doing,” Thales replied faintly.

The crowd’s gazes on Thales changed.

Sonia had a happy look on her face whereas Arracca furrowed his brows deeply.

Only Putray had a complicated and deep look in his eyes.

“But!”

Thales’ expression became solemn as he said seriously, “This does not mean that you are not guilty and that you do not have to pay the price for disobeying military orders.”

Willow’s breathing started to speed up.

“Willow Ken, in the subsequent battles, you must save the lives of more than ten comrades,” Thales said resolutely.

“This will be the price you have to pay for not being hanged. Only by doing so will you be able to offset the offense of disobeying the rules and wash away the suspicion of being an army deserter.

“You must save ten of them!”

Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Thales took out JC’s dagger and walked behind Willow without any expression on his face. He placed the sharp blade near the rope that bound Willow’s hands together.

Thales took a deep breath and forcefully cut the rope.

One…

Two…

Three…

‘Eh?’

Abashed, Thales discovered that the strength in his hand was a little too weak.

Perhaps, with his current speed, he would have needed more than ten seconds to cut open the tied rope.

He felt the gazes of the crowd surrounding him.

‘This, this, this…

‘The atmosphere is very much ruined!’

At this very moment, that familiar fluctuation rushed into both of Thales’ hands.

It was as if his blood suddenly sped up. The muscles in his right hand trembled and a strength much stronger than what he could usually muster erupted forth from within him!

*Rip!*

The rope around Willow’s hands was cut off in an instant.

Thales put his dagger back and forced himself not to look at the bloody wound he accidently caused on the back of Willow’s hand. ‘Ahem.’

“Therefore, I will use your future behavior in exchange for your current life and freedom.

“Do you understand, Willow Ken?”

He stared solemnly at Willow, who had just regained his freedom.

Willow was panting as he kneeled on the ground and looked at Thales.

He parted his trembling lips.

“Yes… Yes… Prince Thales!” he shouted in excitement.

“Save ten people! I will remember it!”

“There is another request,” Thales said indifferently.

Willow was momentarily stunned.

All of a sudden, Thales put on a smile, which had disappeared for a long while and said, “Go and change those two pikes of yours. They cannot even stab a fish in the river to death in their worn out condition.”

Willow Ken took three deep breaths.

Then, he put on a smile that showed his relief of being let off the hook. Willow nodded desperately. “Yes, I will sincerely obey your command!”

Thales turned his head around and looked at his surroundings.

Sonia gave him a smile and looked at him with a gratified expression.

“Very appropriate, Your Highness.”

The Fortress Flower walked brusquely over to Thales, and while Thales still had a sour expression on his face, she lifted him from the ground!

It was unknown who was the first who started to clap, but one by one, the surrounding soldiers started to applaud!

*Clap!*

There were even some people who started to cheer.

There was also someone who shouted, “Our prince!”

Sonia laughed heartily and held Thales on her shoulder. His complexion had become utterly pale. She rubbed his head with all her strength. “You are one qualified Jadestar!”

“Sly little brat,” Arracca stared coldly at Thales as he mumbled to himself. He swung his arm as a gesture for his subordinates to leave. Then, he exited the area together with his subordinates while the crowd applauded.

Only Aida had a confused expression on her face as she asked the pensive Putray standing by her side, “What did he just do?”

…

Thales, who had always been originally weak and feeble, became increasingly dizzy when he was placed down after Sonia swung him around in two circles. He could only grab onto Putray’s robe powerlessly and retch.

Under the lead of a few soldiers, Putray and Thales walked towards the barracks, which had been prepared for the prince. Aida followed them and she had a sick complexion, again due to the freezing weather.

Thales sighed, “I thought trouble would only arrive after we reach Eckstedt.”

However, Putray did not reply him.

“Your Highness,” Putray said quietly. He did not notice that he was using honorifics while speaking.

“What did you think of that solution?”

Thales was briefly taken aback. ‘Hmm?’

“You did not kill that soldier, instead you made him commit meritorious deeds in the future,” Putray said as he walked.

Thales rubbed his cold, red hands together and puffed out a breath of warm air against them “Er, about that… Gilbert was actually the one who told me about it. It was related to my uncle, Midier Jadestar.”

Putray’s expression changed and he furrowed his brows.

“Gilbert said that he had once messed up a diplomatic task because he did not cooperate well with his colleagues.” Thales recalled the conversation and did not pay any attention to Putray’s expression. “But Prince Midier did not punish him. Rather, he allowed Gilbert to make up for the ‘debt’ that he owed Constellation with greater meritorious deeds in the future.”

Putray furrowed his brows tightly whereas Thales lifted his eyebrows.

“The Far Easterners also have a saying that goes ‘atone for one’s crimes by performing good deeds’—but that is only limited to important people. I could not directly use this saying to save a low-ranked soldier like Willow, so I had to use the reason of saving his comrades in order to convince other people.

“But in the end, this is not a really good solution.” Thales spread his hands. “Think about it, if all the army deserters come back and say ‘I ran away to save my comrade…’”

“So, you are imitating Prince Midier?” Putray did not listen to Thales speak, but he slowly said, “Gilbert probably hopes that you will be the next Midier.”

Thales was confounded.

He scratched his head. “Umm… this matter probably affected Gilbert very deeply.”

“Ah, yes.” Putray let out a long sigh. He was thinking about something in his heart when he said, “Gilbert indeed saved the entire of Constellation during the negotiation of the ‘Fortress Treaty’ after that. He atoned for his mistake of being hostile towards Steel City… Otherwise, according to the law at the time, this matter was more than enough to send him to jail.”

Thales turned his head around in curiosity. “Oh, Putray… you also know about this incident?”

“Of course, Your Highness.” Putray seemed like he had already gotten used to addressing Thales as ‘Your Highness’. He spoke in a faint manner, “That year, Gilbert did not mess things up because he did not cooperate well with his colleagues.”

Thales widened his eyes.

“At the time, Gilbert was only a descendant of a degraded noble. He was ostracized and deliberately framed by his colleagues when he first arrived at the Foreign Affairs Department as the prince’s attendant, which was why he ended up in that sort of plight.” Putray sighed.

“Ah?” Thales asked in bewilderment, “Is that so?”

Putray slowly nodded. “So, it was only after that incident did he pour his blood, sweat and tears to contribute to Constellation… He believed it was the debt he owed to Midier and Constellation.”

“Everyone has their own life’s journey and their fate is always uncertain.” Thales sighed as he casually shrugged his shoulders. “Did he tell you about this matter?”

“No, he did not.” Putray’s gaze was deep and his words had a faint tint of grief as well as remorse.

“But I know more than him.”

Thales lifted his head.

He saw Putray taking in a deep breath as he slowly enunciated each word.

“Because… Back in the day, I was the person who ostracized and framed him in the Foreign Affairs Department.”

Thales was stupefied.

‘This is so awkward.’

“Er, about that,” he said awkwardly, “Maybe, if you had not carried out those actions before, Gilbert would not become such a remarkable Foreign Affairs Minister and Administrative Minister today.”

“Yes, maybe,” Putray said bitterly, “Constellation is very lucky to have such an outstanding and selfless—”

“No!”

A familiar voice could be heard behind them.

It seemed like the owner was only barely restraining his anger.

Thales and Putray turned around in surprise.

The second prince’s attendant, Wya Caso could be seen staring at them, looking unhappy.

“Wya…” Thales opened his mouth in confusion.

‘He is… angry?’

“Your Highness!” Wya seemed like he was doing his best to control his emotions. He took two deep breaths before he returned to normal and slowly said, “Chora… Chora, he is dying soon.”

The color on Thales’ face changed immediately.

…

Chora, the head of Jadestar Family’s Private Army was currently lying on the bed in the barracks. His face was pale.

“I-I have a younger sister,” Chora’s eyes were without focus as he spoke in a delirious state, “She is in the capital, in the capital…”

Wya Caso, who was wrapped in bandages said with a regretful look on his face, “Your Highness, the vampires have injured him too seriously…”

Thales let out a long sigh. “Is there no other way at all to save him?”

Wya shook his head with a sorrowful expression on his face. “We looked for help from every military doctor in the fortress, but they are only military doctors. I am afraid that they do not have such medical expertise…”

Thales furrowed his brows. “Are there any other doctors?”

Putray wrinkled his forehead. “The Cold Castle is the nearest, and they do have a doctor. But… I am afraid that there is not enough time.

“Also, the Eckstedtians have emptied the… In short, the road is very unsafe.”

“You have to accept reality.” Aida sighed under her cloak. “At least, let him leave without any worries and regrets as he gets on his way to hell’s river.”

Thales looked at Chora, who was lying on the bed. He remembered how he had poked him until the soldier laughed for the first time in Mindis Hall.

And also when he brought the swordsmen and mercenaries to fight against the vampires.

Chora shielded Thales by putting himself between Thales and Serena together with his comrades.

Not to mention… the battle to resist the Blood Clan in the birch tree forest…

He closed his eyes in sadness.

‘Darn it.’

“Prince Thales!”

Everyone turned their heads around.

A young man with black hair and brown eyes could be seen standing at the entrance of the barracks.

It was Willow Ken.

That ‘army deserter’ who was almost hanged.

Willow bowed before Thales respectfully and gave him a grateful smile. “I am really too happy to see you! I was sent to inform you…”

He glanced inside the barrack and swept his glance over the dying Chora.

Willow immediately stopped smiling and he spoke with fear as well as trepidation, “Err… About that… the two commanders have invited you and the vice diplomat over…”

Thales sighed and stared at Chora with a heartbroken gaze.

He nodded and walked out of the room along with Putray and Aida.

“Is that your subordinate, Your Highness?” Willow asked cautiously.

“Yes, but we are unable to save him.

“I hope he passes peacefully,” Thales said absent-mindedly, “Willow, how did you become an orderly officer?”

Willow shrugged and said helplessly, “Well, after all… many people still think that I am an army deserter…”

Thales nodded absent-mindedly but his footsteps came to a stop.

‘No.’

“Let the commanders wait for a while. I am going to send him off to his final destination.

“He is dying because of me…”

Thales turned around sorrowfully and looked at Chora, who was on his deathbed.

Putray shook his head and waved at Willow.

Thales walked back to the bed and stared at Chora, who was still mumbling to himself. Thales clenched his fists tightly.

‘If only Chora and the other Jadestar private soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the birch tree forest had not followed me…

‘Haih.’

Right at this very moment, “Your Highness… that…”

Willow could not help but voice up.

Putray and the others stared at him in displeasure.

“Please do not make him rush,” Wya said unhappily, “Please, give the dying some respect…. even if you are the ferryman of hell’s river.”

“No,” Willow gestured with his hands as he said anxiously.

“Yesterday, when I was treated as an army deserter, I was directly locked into the dungeon… that dungeon…”

“This is not a good time to express your gratitude,” Putray furrowed his brows as he spoke.

“Ah, no.” Willow shook his head.

He panted and said, “I know someone from the dungeon who was locked up because he seemed suspicious…”

The young soldier was speaking loudly.

“That man mentioned that… He’s a doctor!”

Thales and the others were shocked and they stared at Willow.

“That’s right, he also said that his name is… Ramon!”

Willow finally said what he wanted to say. He scratched his head and revealed a bright smile.

“He is a doctor from the capital.

“According to him… he has excellent medical expertise.”

Table of Contents

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99