Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 759: Toasting and Sharing Hatred (Part )

The silence in the study lasted for a long time.

After a long while, Zhan En finally came back to his senses from his heavy emotions and sighed:

"The assassin, the one named Bolwin, the assassin who killed my father, was deeply indebted to Uncle Sona and took the blame for assassinating the Duke voluntarily. Of course, my uncle let him die very quickly without suffering."

  Federico shuddered back to his senses:

"The real killer..."

Zhan En shook his head tiredly:

"We only know that the man's nickname was "Reverse Scimitar", which was barely traced back from circumstantial evidence that passed through who knows how many hands afterwards. The credibility is not high - six guards died in Kongming Palace that night, and Ashford and my mother only had a quick glance at him."

Thales's expression moved slightly.

"Anti-Scimitar...he...who sent him?" Fed said in a daze.

Zhane was silent.

He slowly raised his head, revealing a strange look in his eyes and a pale smile.

"But you know, Feder, as smart as you are, you have always known it," he looked at Federico with a chilling gaze, "you just don't want to admit it."

Federico's eyes widened.

"Or can't admit it."

  Zhan En said softly:

"I dare not admit it."

  Federico trembled all over!

Thales figured something out and couldn't hide his shock.

"Just like me, no matter how resentful, unfair, hypocritical and vicious I am, I still have to go against my conscience and order the Blood Bottle Gang to do the dirty work. I have to clean up all the clues that may lead to the old case, no matter the cost."

The smile on Zhan En's face was divided equally between sadness and resentment:

"Because I absolutely cannot, I cannot reveal the true culprit behind my father's assassination - even for the Emerald City."

Federico said nothing more.

Thales could no longer hold back his doubts:

"Zhan En, wait, you mean to say that the old duke's death was caused by me..."

  This time, Zhan En turned his head suddenly, his attitude changed drastically, and he roared with a kind of resentment and hatred that Thales had never seen before:

"I said, Tails! Shut up! Shut up!"

  Zhan En was so excited that he stood up and pointed at Thales:

"When I'm talking to my cousin, when we're talking about private matters, you don't get to interrupt me!"

  Thales was startled and stood there in a daze:

"I……"

"Don't insert it!" Zhan En roared, his eyes red.

In an instant, the Duke of South Bank's respect and restraint towards the prince disappeared.

Thales hesitated for a while, and finally fell silent.

Perhaps they were used to the occasional loud shouting in the study, so as long as Thales himself did not speak, the Star Lake guards outside the door remained silent and did not knock on the door to inquire.

"Jane." Federico said weakly, as if it was a reminder or a request.

Zhan En took a deep breath and sat down slowly.

You can see that he is trying to adjust his mood, but with little success.

"Because of you, Thales Canxing, you unlucky, damned, sunset-cursed bastard," the Duke of South Shore tried to look away from Thales, and spoke in pain and restraint, "yet you are lucky, unfair, and a shameless bastard who was destined to wear a crown from birth..."

Zhan En clenched his fists, trembling all over, and gnashed his teeth:

"You don't know at all that I am asking you to let the son of my enemy speak, move, and even breathe freely in Emerald City and Kongming Palace... to let an idiot named Canxing come and go freely in Emerald City, Kongming Palace, and my father and uncle's place, and become the host...

"...I endured your shameless proposal to the daughter of the Kevindill family, endured your cheerful conversation and love with my sister...I endured your condescending and rude remarks to me, and even your self-righteous comments on the misfortunes of my father and uncle, inciting my blood relatives to become my enemies..."

Thales was stunned.

He looked at Zhan En, who was unable to control himself, and at his expression and eyes, feeling complicated.

It was something unprecedented, or rather, something that had been hidden for a long time but could not be expressed...

Deep, naked hatred.

Unforgettable.

Zhan En's words were trembling, his breathing was not smooth, and he had to take a breath several times to keep his words smooth:

"Thales, you have no idea how broad-minded, courageous, and magnanimous I am in doing this."

  He finally had the courage to look up and look at Thales with resentment, or at the thing behind Thales:

"you do not know."

  Zhan En trembled and said:

"You don't know a damn thing."

In this atmosphere, Thales could only lower his head and passively and without reaction endure the hatred that perhaps he should not have to bear.

"Because you are Thales, the fucking Great Sage of the Kingdom, the Brilliant Star."

  Zhan En hissed:

"You belong to the group that will never be tarnished, will always have an excellent image, will always be praised by everyone, will never be hated, and deserves to be cursed..."

Zhan En gritted his teeth and spoke word by word, obviously full of hatred:

"Dirty, blood, veins."

The study became quiet again.

The only sound left was the intermittent clinking of Federico's teacup and Zhan's rapid breathing which gradually subsided.

Thales closed his eyes deeply.

He suddenly recalled his experiences of the past few days.

He thought of the Emerald City officials who pretended to be ignorant and cooperated in the show in front of him.

And what Zhan En just said:

[If I were you, Feder, I would use the wisdom of the officials of the Emerald City. Even if I found something strange, I would pretend to be ignorant, cooperate with us, and accept the conditions with tears of gratitude.]

[Why do you have to expose it and embarrass everyone? ]

Seeing Zhan En's unapproachable look, Thales felt mixed emotions and was quite uncomfortable.

"why."

  Finally, Federico spoke with difficulty, breaking the silence, and he looked at his cousin lifelessly:

"Why my father? Why Sona Kelvindill?"

Zhan En sneered and spat harshly.

"Who can the Emerald City rely on? The other useless uncles in the family who have assimilated with the old nobles and only know how to eat, drink, play and bully? Or the ungrateful Twin Towers Sword and the Four-winged Giant Lizard?"

Federico said nothing.

After several seconds, Zhan En took a deep breath and lowered his head to rub his forehead.

  As if realizing that he had not answered the question correctly, he calmly added:

"Because, because my uncle doesn't want to become a pawn of the enemy and make a fatal move against our family."

Federico's eyes were filled with grief.

"Because if he doesn't die, before the royal envoy arrives to hold him accountable, before the Kingdom's Secret Department takes him to the capital for a thorough interrogation and labels him the real murderer, before the supreme king's decree is issued, then the civil strife in Emerald City will not only be limited to internal strife, but will completely turn into a fighting arena for the entire Star Kingdom and a betting ticket for Renaissance Palace."

  Zhan En snorted coldly:

"Just like the one-winged crow in the Western Wasteland—Do you know what happened to the previous Earl of Wing Castle?"

Thales's mind moved.

"You know the tragic incident involving the Kroma family. If it weren't for my father's mediation and the previous Duke of Xihuang's tough attitude, and if it weren't for the Karabiyan family's guarantee..."

  Zhan En said coldly:

"Once his case is made public, based on the fact that he committed the crime of murdering his wife—who is also the sister of the old Earl of Stone City and the cousin of Archbishop Sunset—and attempted murder of his son, the Chromer family may even be excommunicated by the Temple of Sunset, and they may even lose their title and fiefdom in Wing Castle?"

  Zhan En turned his head and took a big sip of tea, showing no reaction to the bitterness in it:

"Not to mention a younger brother who dared to kill the duke and his own brother..."

Federico closed his eyes.

"And Uncle Sona knows this very well," Zhan En clenched his teacup, "so does my mother."

Federico is still distraught:

"why why……"

"Because my uncle is the best Kevin Dill - this is what my father said in the last letter he wrote to me before he died." Jane said sadly.

"But he didn't tell me."

Federico's eyes were red, and he clenched his fists and trembled:

"He didn't."

"He left you a suicide note, asking you not to seek revenge," Zhan En shook his head, "but you just don't believe it."

“He didn’t write it clearly…”

"He can't write it clearly!"

  Zhan En said impatiently:

"He can't make sure that your paranoid idiot doesn't give the enemy yet another excuse to invade the Emerald City!"

Federico stared at the tea crumbs in the cup.

"I don't believe it! That, that can only be written by him under your coercion! If you think I will let you go just like that—"

Zhan En sneered and shook his head.

"Please, no one can coerce Sona Kelvindill, not even his most respected brother," he seemed to gradually return to his previous harshness, "Why do you think people think that the Iris family is fighting among themselves? Why do they think your uncle is qualified to be the old duke's political enemy? Is it because your father is too easy to talk to, and anyone can force him to write a suicide note?"

Federico did not answer.

"In this way, this 'family strife' that was enough to cause a storm and attract the intervention of powerful forces ended before I returned home: everything was caused by Iris's internal strife, and it was just Kevin Dill's self-clearing of the family."

  Zhan En said faintly:

"Except for the change of the Duke, everything in the Emerald City remains the same. The interests of each family remain unchanged and the balance is maintained. Apart from a few reprimands, the enemy has no way to start and returns in disgrace."

He finally sighed and spoke in his tribe's language:

"It is better to die because of a friend than to die because of an enemy."

Federico's expression was extremely struggling.

Thales didn't say anything - not only because Zhan En didn't welcome him to interrupt, but also because he shouldn't speak at this time.

But he felt that at this moment, the chair under his butt was particularly prickly.

  After a while, Federico slapped the seat as if to vent his anger and looked up angrily!

"No, no, no, no... I don't believe it! I know you, Zhan En, I know these are just tricks you use to achieve your goals..."

"I've said everything I need to say, without holding back, even in front of this little brat."

Zhane interrupted him with a sneer.

"As for why you don't believe it, why do you prefer to believe the slander of outsiders with ulterior motives rather than the bond of blood? Why do you prefer to believe that your father was wrongly killed by a conspiracy and unclear reasons rather than believe the solemn words we can write on the notice? In other words, once you believe it, what will be the consequences..."

  Zhan En glanced at Federico with ulterior motives:

"Then only you know."

  Federico's breath stopped!

"No, you..." He gritted his teeth and started, but couldn't continue.

"As for you, Fed, what do you miss, your father or the Viscount of Gonghai City? Is it Uncle Sona's innocence and justice, or the benefits that he can bring to you if he is alive - or even if he dies inexplicably?" Zhan En said coldly.

Federico was stunned at first, then shook his head fiercely:

"No, you are just acting and talking nonsense to shake my..."

"For Sunset's sake, Feder, use your brain and think about it," Zhan En said loudly, "When you failed in the rebellion in Gonghai City, if it weren't for your father, how could I or the Lashia family let you escape? For so many years, with the cooperative relationship between Iris and the Kingdom of Darkness, how could we let you live?"

Federico paused.

"If there hadn't been an accident, our alliance with Corleone had broken down, and the Blood Fang had sided with them..." Zhan En couldn't help but glared at Thales, who smiled politely, "How could you have been released?"

Zhan En thought of something again.

"And you, many years later, Feder, surrendered to them, to our enemies, so easily," he said sarcastically, "and the methods you used to divide the family and discredit Iris are even exactly the same as they did back then."

Federico gritted his teeth.

"Arbitration? Noble arbitration? The Rodriguez Ordinance? Hahahahahaha!"

  Zhan En looked at Thales and laughed:

"Iris can become the strongest link in the city chain because of the ruling principles since the Renaissance King era, the great reputation of our ancestors, and Kevin Dill's birthright. So whether it was the Emerald City back then or me now, we can't avoid or escape the sudden attacks they launched against us using the same supreme ruling principles."

  He said gloomily:

"Not to mention, we have a mole inside."

"No!"

  Federico couldn't help interrupting him, holding up a teacup with the tea in it trembling:

"I don't believe it. You're lying, my father—"

"Yes, my uncle is a stubborn diehard. He is both my father's right-hand man and his political enemy in the later period. He is the spokesperson and protector of the conservative forces in Emerald City."

Zhan En said impatiently:

"But don't forget, he is also a true descendant of Iris, with the blood of Kevin Dill! When a greater crisis came, he endured the humiliation and refused to become a pawn or tool of the enemy, even at the cost of his life."

  Federico was silent for a while, and when he spoke again, he was even more angry:

"No, this doesn't absolve you from the crime!"

He raised his head angrily and looked at Zhan En:

"You forced him to death."

"All of you!"

Zhane was silent.

"I won't hide it from you. I didn't have time to come back that year," the Duke sighed without looking back at Fede. "It was my mother who went to persuade your father."

Federico's eyebrows twitched.

"I don't know what Uncle Sona thinks, nor do I know if your father regrets it, let alone that I am proud of her actions," Zhan En whispered, "but the house was about to collapse, and mother made the most difficult and painful decision she could make at that critical moment."

"She died of depression a year later. I guess it was because she always felt guilty about her uncle."

  Zhan En paused for a second and couldn't help saying:

"Although...even though my uncle has no complaints."

  Federico shuddered and rebuked subconsciously:

"lie!"

Federico took a sip of the remaining bitter tea and forced himself to calm down.

"You said that just to sow discord between me and His Royal Highness, to make me resent him and make him doubt me."

He looked at Thales, but his eyes were evasive.

Thales also felt quite uncomfortable.

"Then think about it carefully, cousin," Zhan En sneered, "How far are you willing to go for your power?"

He stared at Feder:

"Can you tolerate your father's murderer giving you orders, sitting in front of you and chatting and laughing, and you still have to bow to him, toast with him, and even become allies and trade with him?"

Federico shuddered slightly.

"For the sake of the peace of Emerald City and the future of Iris, can you pretend to be ignorant even if you know the truth? Not only can you not expose it, but you must also try your best to keep it secret, and force a smile despite the pain and anger?"

Thales frowned deeply.

  The next second, Zhan En shouted angrily:

"Can you!!!"

Federico suddenly realized.

After a while, Zhan En finally calmed down. He looked down at the tea that had already been finished.

"I can."

The Duke of South Bank said quietly.

"I can do it."

Zhan En had no expression on his face:

"Eleven years in total."

Thales closed his eyes.

"So long that even I thought..."

  Zhan En laughed bitterly:

"I have forgotten the revenge for my father's murder and the hatred for my family's seizure."

Hearing this, Thales finally let out a sigh.

"Can I say anything?" the prince whispered.

Zhane glanced at him.

"Can't—but you won't tell me?"

The Duke of South Bank suppressed his anger.

Thales curled the corners of his mouth.

Federico sniffed and gritted his teeth.

"I still don't believe you, cousin," he said, trying to regain his composure. "I suggest you don't believe him either, Your Highness."

Thales couldn't help but frown.

Really impressive.

  Thales' inner voice whispered in admiration:

Even after saying this, the exiled nobleman remained calm, refused to believe it, and insisted on denying it.

Should we say that he is too calm or too emotional?

Too impulsive or too smart?

Was it because I was too persistent, or...

Too realistic?

Thales' heart trembled.

Zhan En smiled sarcastically upon hearing this.

"Of course, cousin, because from your position, you probably can't believe it, and you don't dare to believe it."

But the next second, Zhan En turned to Thales:

"He won't cooperate with you, Thales. He knows very well who his real backer is. This is the only advantage of a power-hungry person."

This time, he was no longer full of hostility and hatred, but returned to normal, calm and rational.

It was as if the boundless hatred towards Thales just now no longer existed.

This once again made Thales feel complicated.

"Are you challenging me?" Fed responded to Jan calmly.

"And he won't give up. Even if he and I coexist in the Emerald City, he will do whatever it takes to get me out of the way, no matter how much it costs, no matter if I have to pay for it myself..." Zhan En ignored his cousin and continued coldly, "Or someone else has to pay for it."

Federico scoffed.

"The question is, cousin," Zhan En narrowed his eyes, "can you really make decisions for yourself? Can you pay for your own gambling?"

  Federico's eyes moved:

"What do you mean?"

  Thales raised his eyes:

He suddenly noticed that the two Irises in front of him had resumed their rational game.

It was as if the shocking family secret just now was nothing more than a faded historical background to them.

It cannot influence their current decision.

No, have you digested the truth just now?

  This turn... is so fast?

Just listen to Zhan En:

"That extreme vampire killer, Feder, if it weren't for the guarantee of Iris's enemies, would the Kingdom of Night let him go so easily to work for you?" "I convinced him personally," Federico snorted, "Those who are owed debts by the Emerald City must find a way to come back and collect their debts."

  Zhan En shook his head:

"And those helpers, allies, subordinates of yours who are still active outside - or the ones you think are your subordinates, will they really act according to your wishes?"

Federico said nothing.

"Even if you really sit on this...that chair."

Zhan En subconsciously patted his own chair. After realizing that this was a guest seat, he had to grit his teeth and point at Thales' chair:

"Do you think you will have everything you dream of? Freedom? Dignity? Rights? Independence? The freedom of no longer having to rely on others? Or the ease of no longer having to look at other people's eyes?"

Federico curled the corners of his mouth but did not refute.

"You can't do that, Feder, cousin," Zhane sneered, "What kind of boots you wear determines what kind of path you can take."

"And that's all you can do? The way you are now?" Feder fired back.

"Yes, cousin,"

  Zhan En said coldly:

"I compromised. I'm so cowardly. I'm sorry to embarrass you."

Zhane looked straight at Federico, his eyes cold and firm.

“For a higher purpose.”

  He stared at Federico without showing any weakness, and said confidently:

"I also wish you were dead right now, but I compromised and allowed you to live. But this is the sacrifice I can make and the price I pay for the Emerald City and the greater good. And what about you, Fede? Federico Kevindier?"

Federico's eyes moved slightly.

"When the pressure from a higher level comes, when an unimaginable enemy approaches, when the shadow of the past comes back," Zhan En said coldly, "Compared to the sacrifices of our fathers, what do you know and what can you do?"

Federico was silent.

For quite a while.

It lasted so long that Thales even had to hold back a yawn in pain.

"Then you are wrong, cousin."

  Finally, Federico made up his mind. He raised his head, chuckled and said:

"Although I still don't believe you..."

"It's better not to believe it," Zhan En said coldly, "Your life is more important."

Federico glanced at his cousin and turned respectfully to Thales:

"But I accept your offer, Your Highness."

  Thales was still immersed in the shock of the truth of the old case, and was still thinking hard about how to end the day. Hearing this, he looked up in surprise:

"Huh? What?"

Zhan En sneered disdainfully.

"I will be honored to be the next Viscount of Arched Sea." Federico said without any joking, but became more serious and respectful, "and your eyes and ears in the Emerald City."

Thales was stunned.

  why?

Why were they so calm and recovered so quickly when it came to revenge for their father's murder?

Can you still keep a normal expression and move the chips?

He is sitting here, isn't he?

Thales asked himself in a daze.

You know - the voice in my heart sighed - you have always known, Thales.

You know why they have to be calm, why they have to play it down.

Or rather, power.

"You'd better become the king's eyes and ears, Fed, it's more suitable for you." Zhan En said sarcastically.

"And I accept your challenge, cousin," Federico turned to the Duke of South Shore, his eyes sharp, "Let us face the threats from each other."

  His eyes were burning:

"For the rest of my life, I will not stop fighting and I will watch you roll down from your throne in disgrace."

Thales's expression changed.

"You can try," Zhan En said calmly, "or die on the way to try."

  Federico ignored Zhan En's threat and just whispered:

"I will do my best to restore the unity of the iris flowers in my own way."

"So that we can become greenhouse flowers now, or roadside weeds a hundred years from now?" Jane said sarcastically.

“You’ll see it,” Federico narrowed his eyes, “or you won’t.”

The two Kevin Dills looked at each other. The atmosphere was a mixture of hostility and vigilance, as well as tacit recognition, which was very subtle.

"Okay," Zhan En suddenly turned around and looked at Thales, "I convinced him."

  Thales was shocked:

"Ah, ah?"

"Why, isn't this what you wanted?"

Zhan En seemed dissatisfied with the Duke of Xinghu's surprised expression. He said gloomily:

"Or do you want to hear another tragic story about our family?"

Thales reacted and smiled quickly:

"No, no, no, that's enough, that's enough, I mean... that's great, then what did we... what did we agree to before?"

"Don't pay attention to him, Your Highness," Federico bowed slightly, in contrast to Zhan En's arrogance, "He just achieved his goal and is showing off while looking for an opportunity to increase his voice."

Thales raised his eyebrows and looked at the two Kevin Dills.

  Uh... we were fighting to the death just now, and the compromise was reached so quickly?

Is this how people on the South Coast negotiate?

Or is it Kevin Deal?

  But the reminder from outside the door brought Thales back to his senses, and he quickly said seriously:

"Very good, Your Excellency the Duke and Your Excellency the Viscount. I wish us a pleasant cooperation then?"

He leaned forward and held out a hand.

Federico narrowed his eyes, stepped forward first, and also stretched out his hand:

“The overall situation is at stake.”

Zhan En paused for a moment, looked at his two collaborators, then snorted and stretched out his hand:

"Just a bet."

Three hands came together in the air - although none of them were friendly or willing.

Thales finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry. The final decision will be announced at the ceremony - including the statement on the old case."

He looked at the door:

"Although this may sound a bit long-winded, and although I don't expect the two of you to just stop, but..."

Thales probed:

"Before the Praise Feast, no one would want to do something small and break the agreement, right? For example... kill another person?"

The two Kevin Dills looked at each other, but no one answered.

Then Thales smiled again, looking very happy.

"Very good, the meeting is adjourned! You can leave first, Feder, I have something to say to Zhan En."

Federico frowned immediately:

"I thought you had something to say to me—we were the ones who overthrew him together."

Zhane glanced at Fede coldly.

"Then you are welcome to come to me anytime, Feder," the prince said with a smile, "from now on, you can come and go freely - this is the benefit of cooperation."

"Pardon my eloquence, Your Highness."

Federico looked back at Jenn.

"The power that supports your 'discretion'," he said with a hint of meaning as he stood up and left, "is not in this city."

Federico turned and left the study.

Thales was left in deep thought.

"You heard his threats, Tails."

  Zhan En looked deeply at his cousin's departing back:

"He relied on your father's support to gain a position. The Viscount Duke, whether he wants to or not, he will become your father's puppet."

  Thales narrowed his eyes and ignored Zhan En's provocation:

"But he doesn't look so docile, even towards my father, or especially towards my father."

"That's even worse."

Zhan En's words made Thales look at him.

"What do you mean?"

  Zhan En sneered:

"Did you see how calm and rational he was? Even when faced with a subversive truth? When faced with the real murderer of that old case?"

Hearing this, Thales couldn't help but sigh:

"Listen, Zhan En, about the real murderer back then—"

  But Zhan En's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't even give him a chance to speak:

"Either, Feder is heartless and doesn't care how his father died, or..."

Zhane stared at Thales with a burning gaze.

Thales felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by him, so he had to nod and say:

"You just said: Either he had thought about this possibility a long time ago, but just... didn't want to admit it."

Zhan En looked at him dimly and nodded.

"For power, he is willing to pay any price, even if it means becoming a pawn, even if it means betraying his conscience, even if it means denying the facts and ignoring his family's blood feud," Zhan En said coldly, "Then one day, when Feder is no longer willing to be a pawn, he will also be willing to pay any price, even if it means turning against the chess player and even overturning the chessboard."

Zhan En paused here and laughed at himself.

"No, he has already overturned the chessboard," the Duke of South Bank sneered helplessly, "If the person ordered to come to South Bank this time was not your great saint Thales, but another stubborn royalist..."

Thales frowned slightly.

"Anyway, my cousin got a new kennel by bowing his head and accepting the collar. But the moment he got tired of the collar and decided to turn around and bite his owner," Zhane said calmly, "he wouldn't care how good the kennel was."

Zhan En walked to the window and looked at the hustle and bustle of the city below:

"Whether we succeed or fail, the Emerald City is doomed to be in great danger."

Thales thought for a while.

"But I am still sitting here. Although things are not going well in the Emerald City, it is far from being a disaster."

"That's not just because you're sitting here," Zhane whispered, "it's because I'm sitting here too."

He turned back to look at Thales.

"You have me and I have you, so you can convince me," Zhan En said faintly, "but not Feder. You may not be able to convince him, or it will be useless if you convince him - you have seen what he can do to achieve his goal."

Thales pondered for a while.

"But you're also very calm."

"What?" Zhan En was stunned when he heard that.

Thales sighed.

"I mean, you kept the tragic truth of your family deep in your heart for so many years, yet you were able to hold back your anger and hatred. For more than a decade, you acted as if nothing had happened, and your words and actions were consistent. It was not until you were cornered by your cousin that you revealed a little bit..."

Thales looked at Zhane deeply:

"Compared to your cousin, you are very calm and rational."

Zhan En's color changed slightly.

Thales' words were not harsh, and his speech was not fast.

But for some reason, when he finished speaking, the atmosphere became a little depressing.

  The Duke of South Shore pondered over the meaning of these words and considered them for a long time before he slowly spoke:

"You mean, Feder and I, we are actually the same kind of people?"

Thales snorted.

"Don't forget, in this palace," Thales shook his head, "who isn't Kevin Dill?"

Jann paused for a moment.

The Duke of South Bank turned to the window again, and this time, he was silent for a long time.

To Thales's surprise, Zhan En did not refute his words:

"I can't say your judgment is wrong."

Instead, he said meaningfully:

"Feder has lost everything, so he will fight to the death to get everything - even if it requires him to go against his will and remain abnormally calm and rational."

"And you?"

Zhan En didn't answer immediately. He leaned his arms on the windowsill, standing alone.

"I have this city, the Iris Family, and my sister," Zhan En slowly turned around and pointed directly at Thales, "so I will also fight with my life to protect everything."

  Thales frowned:

"Even if this also requires you to go against your conscience?"

Zhan En looked at him deeply and nodded slowly:

"This is me and Fede, the only thing we have in common."

Thales' expression changed slightly.

  Wonderful rhetoric, clever diversion, and a beautiful escape—the voice in his heart quietly applauded:

On the one hand, he admitted that your questioning and suspicion were justified, but on the other hand, he calmly disclaimed responsibility and drew a clear line between them, reiterating the difference between him and Federico - but why was Federico's desperate move a gambler's red-eyed act, while his, the honorable Duke of South Bank's guardian, was a mature and steady act?

Just because one has nothing and the other has everything?

Because one is barefoot and the other is wearing shoes?

Because one is humble as dust and the other is high above?

Because one is a rebel seeking benefits, and the other is a person in power with vested interests?

Because one makes a bigger noise and the other causes smaller waves?

Thinking of this, Thales frowned and couldn't help but speak:

"Or is this the only difference between you and Fed?"

Zhane heard the distrust in Tails's tone, but he smiled.

"I thought someone like you would understand, Thales."

  Thales was startled:

"What do you mean? Someone like me?"

"Look at what you've done over the years," Zhan En said with a tut, "and you haven't even owned a kingdom or sat on a throne yet."

  Thales's eyebrows jumped!

"Tell me, Thales, why did you do all this at such a risk of your life?"

  Zhan En looked at him deeply:

"Seize, or preserve?"

Thales's eyes changed.

Oops, oops.

  The voice in Thales' heart sighed to him:

Although I have been imprisoned in your web for a long time, Thales.

But this opponent is still of the same quality.

Thales couldn't help but clench his fists.

Still difficult.

Still scary.

Still... dangerous.

Thales and Zhan En stared at each other silently for a long time.

It was as if he wanted to dig out the other person's innermost thoughts from his eye sockets.

Until a soft urging voice came from outside the door.

"Anyway, you are free now." Thales looked away and sighed, "Xilai will come to find you soon. When you see her, tell her: I have fulfilled my promise."

Zhan En's expression changed slightly when he heard this.

"You should stay away from her."

"You should trust her more," Thales couldn't help but say, "If I really stayed away from her, you would definitely not be able to see her now."

The Duke of South Bank was silent for a while, then stood up and left.

"Hey, Jenn!"

  Thales looked at his back and hesitated for a while. He couldn't help but call him again and forced himself to speak:

"Regarding your father, I just want to say that I'm sorry..."

"what's up?"

Zhan En paused, but did not look back:

"About what?"

Thales was stunned when he heard the other party's cold and nonchalant attitude.

"without……"

He looked at the other person's back, and finally lowered his head dejectedly, forcing a smile:

"……fine."

Zhan En paused for a moment, then nodded, and decisively left the study, passing Mallos who came in:

"It's okay."

Watching him leave, Thales felt a chill in his heart.

"Everything goes well?" Mallos asked, taking away the documents that the Duke of Star Lake had haphazardly approved.

Thales shook his head.

He seemed to have just experienced a fierce battle, exhausted both physically and mentally, and lay on the desk groaning.

"Not smooth?"

  Thales sighed:

"Thor, have you ever tried to face your mortal enemy, suppress your disgust, give up revenge, ignore hatred, and even cooperate against your will? For... the greater good?"

  Mallos said:

"That must be a bad feeling."

"yes……"

"Let me be sorry for you."

"What? Oh, it's not me..."

"Then I'm glad for you."

"Uh, that's not necessary... Well, actually I'm on the side of the enemy camp."

"I see," Marius thought thoughtfully, "Then you must feel bad too."

Thales was stunned.

"Yes," he said calmly, "sometimes, it is even more uncomfortable."

"Then let me feel sorry for you."

"Oh, no need. It's not me after all."

"Then I'm glad for you."

"Hmm...why are you back again?"