Kingdom Bloodline

The moment the old priest finished speaking, the council hall fell into a deathly silence.

Your Majesty... took... what... from Emerald City?
People, including Thales and Federico, stared at Fabul in disbelief as he spoke directly to the King, seemingly unable to process what he was seeing.

Seconds later, the council chamber erupted in chaos!

"How dare he..."

"So, all these misfortunes in Emerald City were really caused by the King?"

"How can I just say that out loud..."

"No, no, no, it's about putting some pressure on these capital cities..."

"Let's see how this Duke of Starlake will handle this..."

"There shouldn't be any axemen lying in ambush outside the hall, right?"

"What are you afraid of? There are plenty of us..."

"The deputy high priest is too brave!"

“The old man is getting on in years, he doesn’t have many years left to live… so we might as well take the lead and expose this matter…”

"Interesting, Emerald City has already thrown all pretense of decorum in this game..."

"Aren't you afraid of offending the prince, or the future king?"

"It's alright, just pretend you didn't hear it, laugh it off... It's a common practice in Emerald City..."

"Don't make any unnecessary expressions. What that old man said has nothing to do with us..."

The commotion inside the council chamber continued, and the Star Lake Guard and order officers tried their best to quell it, but to little avail.

wrong.

Something is very wrong.

Amidst the uproar in the hall, Thales stared intently at High Priest Fibble, whose face was flushed and chest heaving, and a cold voice echoed in his mind:
At the very least, it's heading in the wrong direction.

Especially in Emerald City, this is not the rhythm that the people of the South Bank are used to, and it is certainly not something that this almost retired deputy priest of the temple should be saying.

There are some things that people know in their hearts, but they must never say aloud.

There are some people who are very familiar to everyone, yet their names cannot be mentioned.

This is for a reason.

Behind these unspoken agreements and rules that forbid doing, speaking, or mentioning lies a deep and terrifying undercurrent of power.

For example, many people have guessed or even know about the current turmoil in Emerald City, and that the mastermind behind it is probably that "the king will have something to do on the south bank"...

Even though the struggle inside and outside the Palace of the Void was bloody, everyone maintained a tacit understanding in public, mostly only mentioning the dispute between "His Highness the Prince and the two Kevin Deer", and at most respectfully and cautiously asking "what is the attitude of the Palace of Restoration".

But once this tacit understanding is broken, the underlying undercurrents are brought to the forefront and openly scrutinized...

The voice in Thales' heart was incredibly serious:
That's going to be a big problem.

At this moment, apart from a few important figures who knew the gravity of the situation and were able to maintain their composure and seriousness, the bureaucrats whispered among themselves, the business owners and merchants were pale-faced, and the foreign envoys were quite interested. It was the people in the back rows who were excitedly or indignantly protesting loudly, as if they wanted to cause a scene.

The instigator of the controversy, Vice High Priest Fibourt, remained steadfastly in place, staring intently at Prince Thales on the main throne.

What exactly is this deputy high priest trying to do?
What kind of result do you want to achieve?
Thales thought quickly:
Doesn't he know that once his words and actions escalate the situation, from the Empty Palace to the Restoration Palace, from Janne to Federico, and even from Thales to the millions of people in the Emerald City... when all sides have no room for maneuver and can only compete in violence, will no one be a winner?

"Nonsense!"

Federico's angry shouts drowned out the noise in the hall, drawing everyone's attention:
"Prince Thales's regentship of the Empty Palace is a stopgap measure and emergency measure taken to keep the Emerald City running during the misfortune of the Kevindale family. What does it have to do with His Majesty the King?"

He directly pointed to Fabre:

"As for the so-called usurpation of the throne, you are not afraid to make reckless remarks about the royal family and spread alarmist rumors, but don't drag the whole city down with you! This is not Blade's Edge Territory, and Emerald City has never rebelled in its history!"

Or rather, there has never been a successful rebellion.

The murmurs in the council chamber immediately subsided.

Federico's use of the word "rebellion" calmed many people down, prompting them to weigh the consequences of "speaking ill of the monarchy" and to once again sit up straight and be cautious in their words and actions.

But Thales' brow furrowed even more.

Of course, Federico did a good job.

For her own sake, this rebellious iris will naturally stand on your side without hesitation.

Thales' inner voice cautiously analyzed:

But Thales, think about what Federico just said, something about "a stopgap measure, a temporary solution"...

These words seem to be defending and supporting you, but following Fabre's logic, they are also reminding the public that this regency is only temporary, accidental, and informal, and that you will eventually leave...

Could this also be advantageous to him, to Federico Kevin-Deer, who is making headlines today, in the future?

Especially now that Jenn is in a state of extreme anger and unable to focus on his duties...

Amid the uproar, Thales clenched his fist.

"Whether it's related or not, only you, Janne, and His Highness know the truth."

Deputy High Priest Fibrill snorted coldly and turned to face the entire hall:

"We, the powerless citizens of Emerald City, including myself, only see our lives crumbling step by step, destroyed inch by inch! How can we know what forces are controlling, manipulating, and dominating our fate, and where it will lead us?"

Powerless and without influence?

Standing below the prince, Wyatt glanced discreetly at the hall.

Those who are qualified to receive an invitation from the Temple of Sunset and attend in this hall are either property owners with some assets or well-respected celebrities. Who among them can be described as "powerless and without influence"?
"Blinded and completely ignorant, what can we do? What should we do? What will we do?"

The old priest continued, his voice booming:
"Isn't it about trembling and looking up amidst devastation, gazing at the highest person we can think of with our limited knowledge and vision, and questioning and petitioning him, hoping for a response with even the slightest bit of compassion, pity, and responsibility?"

His words caused everyone's expressions to change several times.

"Unless, unless this is someone's plan?"

Fabul gave a bitter smile, turned around with an aged air, and looked at Thales, whose expression was stiff:

"Watching Emerald City descend into chaos and decay, and then, then certain individuals, armed with swords and decrees, will rise high above the Palace of Emerald Light, and just as they did with the Northern Territory and the Western Wilderness, will take over completely under the guise of restoring order—"

Thales's breath hitched.

"You are too presumptuous!"

Before the crowd could gasp in surprise, Federico, filled with shock and anger, interrupted the old priest.

"The place where you stand is a celestial land, which was originally granted to your subjects by the kings of past dynasties after the final war. There is a proper order between the rulers and subjects, and the ruler and his subjects are one. How dare you slander and defame it, and try to sow discord among your subjects!"

This scarlet iris was slender, yet she stood alone before Thales's main seat, facing the entire hall, her hair and beard bristling, her voice righteous and stern:
"His Highness accepted your audience, but not your provocation and humiliation—do we really want to become those selfish and arrogant northerners who see their lord as an enemy and slaughter each other in the election of kings?!"

The council chamber erupted in uproar once again.

But Thales, sitting in the main seat, squinted as he observed Federico's back as he shielded him from the wind and rain.

No, Thales, you need to think about it more deeply—his inner voice spoke slowly and solemnly:
Judging from the current situation, Federico is acting as your sword, confronting the priest Febul, who has come with the help of the surging crowd.

But is it possible that, even though Federico is currently on your side, the best outcome for him might not be a resounding victory for you?

Instead, it binds you in the political quagmire of Emerald City, forcing you to rely on and empower him more.

Thales' breathing quickened.

Ideally, he could also escalate the conflict to the point of provoking the prince's fury and decisiveness, prompting you to use your dignified regency to purge the disloyalists in the city—and it would be even better if these "disloyalists" happened to be his political enemies, Jann's former henchmen, and obstacles to his future rule of the Emerald City.

In this way, when you leave, you can leave him, and Federico Kevindir, who is destined to return to the Emerald City through royal power, more room to rule.

Of course, as for what happened after that, after taking control of the Emerald City which had been purged, would he still be wholeheartedly loyal to the monarchy...?

The prince's inner voice took a meaningful turn:
Hmm, that's strange, even though the evidence isn't very conclusive...

But Thales, have you ever thought about this:
Before today's confrontation shaped the current situation, this high-ranking priest, Fiebur, who was known for his fiery words, exacerbated conflicts, and seemed to be at odds with everyone...

He was also Federico's teacher.

Thinking of this, Thales's eyebrows twitched!
"Vice Priest! Ladies and gentlemen!"

Amidst the uproar, Count Schaucader of Changqing Island, one of the thirteen conferred earls who had traveled from afar, could no longer contain himself and spoke out sharply:
“We may express our opinions, even voice our opposition, but we must never speak ill of His Majesty, let alone sow discord between the monarch and his ministers! Otherwise, we, his vassals, have all sworn to be loyal to the king, how can we tolerate this…”

"Gentlemen, let's stick to the facts and not make baseless accusations, nor should we drag things out too far..." This was the chief steward, Myrahovic, coughing as he stepped in to smooth things over.

Trade Commissioner McMann was furious and disregarded any decorum in his words:
“Deputy High Priest, why bother! You’re not planning to stay after today, but we’re still struggling to make a living in Emerald City! I bet the temple collects a lot of confession and atonement fees every year…”

City Hall Chief Briotti wiped the sweat from his brow:

"Well, let's talk about the follow-up arrangements for the Jade Celebration. Several parts have been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. What are we going to do? When will the celebration banquet be held again...?"

Even among the dignitaries in the front row, a pair of chattering voices reached Thales' ears through his hellish senses:
"Sisters, let's play a game!"

"Okay, sis, what game do we play? How do we play?"

"You clap once, I clap once!"

"The king smiled at me!"

"Okay, that's it!"

"Hey, sis, how did it end so quickly?"

"You misspoke, and now you're finished?"

The discussions in the hall grew louder and more chaotic, surging like a tidal wave and drowning out everything else.

Not good.

Amidst the noise, Thales closed his eyes.

At least for now, the focus of the debate in the council chamber has suddenly shifted from the gains and losses of the prince's regency to the "usurpation of power by the monarch" at the Palace of Restoration.

Not good.

With the former facade in place, he could still use various means to deflect the public outcry and various excuses to delay the inevitable. At worst, he could only claim that "the prince is incompetent" or "the prince is entangled in a feud with Kevin Deer"...

But if the latter's true nature is brutally exposed...

Damn.

Thales let out a long sigh.

Regardless of who is behind it, what their intentions are, or whose interests they serve...

We need to solve the immediate problem first.

To maintain the last shred of dignity that was already crumbling.

Thinking of this, Thales suddenly opened his eyes.

"Vice Priest!"

The prince's clear voice pierced through the cacophony.

The hall gradually quieted down.

More and more eyes were focused on Thales.

This time, they carry a lot of unseen implications.

"First of all, please believe me, the royal family has no conspiracy to take over Emerald City..."

The prince said solemnly:

"I have no reason to go against the prosperity and stability of Emerald City, to watch it rot away before taking over..."

lie.

As he spoke, a sarcastic voice echoed in his heart:
You know, Thales.

Your father is planning to do just that.

Furthermore, the reason why Emerald City lost its former prosperity and stability...

Isn't this also a result of your presence here?

"Your Highness did not answer my question," Vice High Priest Fiebel said blankly. "What will happen to Emerald City afterward?"

He squinted:
"Your Highness, with the sun setting, is it inevitable that Emerald City will face an unavoidable, immeasurable, and irreversible historical upheaval, no matter what?" Countless whispers rose in the hall, filled with anxiety and tension.

Thales opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated for a moment.

How should he answer?

Thales scanned the guests sitting in the hall, noticing their uneasy or surprised expressions.

What is the most dignified, appropriate, stable, and reassuring response to this group of people?
"Completely incomprehensible."

Federico issued a stern warning, then immediately turned to Thales:
“Your Highness, you don’t need to answer him—we have all seen how much you have devoted yourself to Emerald City and how you have worked so hard to negotiate with those at all levels!”

"I understand that Your Highness is unable to answer due to his status."

Seeing the prince's hesitation, Fiebel was not surprised, but sighed softly:

"But are you really ready?"

The deputy high priest suddenly turned around and raised his voice.

“If you continue like this, whatever the future Emerald City may become—whether it be desolation, chaos, submission, subservience, or even worse, unpredictable consequences…”

Fabre glanced around at everyone in the hall before slowly turning to look at Thales:
"Your Highness, are you, and those behind you, truly prepared?"

His eyes were sharp, yet they carried a hint of melancholy and loss.

This left Thales silent for a long time.

“Vice High Priest,” Thales sighed helplessly, surveying the people in the hall representing different identities, factions, classes, and professions, “this should have been just a minor disturbance confined to the Kongming Palace, causing limited damage…”

Amidst whispers, the prince was utterly exhausted:
Why did it come to this?

Old Fabre gazed wistfully at Thales.

"Believe me, Your Highness, I didn't want this to happen either, really."

For some reason, Thales detected the same, or even greater, weariness and annoyance in the other person's voice.

“But I’ve seen it.”

The old priest opened the scripture, stroked the pages that were clearly burned away, and sighed:

"Whether it was the chaos of the Bloody Year or the infighting among the Kevin Deer brothers, I have seen the Emerald City in its worst state when it lost order—war was imminent, the whole city was in panic, countless refugees were left without a livelihood, and people's hearts were in turmoil... You don't know how much price and sacrifice the people of the past, starting with the Duke, paid to bring the Emerald City back to order time and time again."

Whether it's material or spiritual.

He spoke slowly, but his words made everyone in the hall tense up and lower their heads in deep thought.

Deputy High Priest Fabre's eyes were slightly unfocused.

Lenster is gone, Solner is gone, several government officials have passed away one after another, even Brennan, who was in charge of law enforcement and adjudication, is gone...

Even the Ilshaga sisters, who were devout, compassionate, and like-minded, and who had worked with him, have left.

Those who once worked so hard to maintain peace and prosperity in this region have all left.

Only he remained, the lowly priest who should have been protecting the conscience and morality of the city, barely clinging to life.

But in the end, they could not escape the calamities of the past.

"I believe that no one who has experienced that tragedy would want to go through it again."

Thinking of this, Fabre took a deep breath:

"That is why today's disaster and the upheaval at Kongming Palace have forced people to...be wary and fearful."

The council chamber remained quiet for a while.

“I swear on my honor and my life, Mr. Fabul, that the calamity of the past will not be repeated.” After a long while, Thales finally spoke slowly.

"But it has happened again."

The old priest looked at him and gently shook his head.

“Look at him, look at you,” Fabre turned to face the hall, and everyone who met his gaze couldn’t help but look away, including Federico. “Then look at everyone in this hall.”

Of course, let's also look at myself.

I am guilty.

"The calamity of the young child is now raging again."

Fabre lowered his head in disappointment and closed the book, "The Doctrine of the Mean".

Federico seemed reluctant:

"gentlemen……"

But Fabre immediately raised his head, reached out to stop his former student, and looked resolute.

"But precisely because of this, I shall speak what others cannot speak!"

The deputy high priest shifted his legs, which ached from standing for so long, and looked at everyone:

"Whether it's Your Highness, Kevin Deer, or even His Majesty the King... whatever the future holds, whatever changes occur, whatever people's interests are at stake..."

Faber gritted his teeth and said:

"...None of these can be paid for at the cost of the peace and well-being of the millions of people on the south bank."

After he finished speaking, the council hall fell silent for a moment, and many people lowered their heads in deep thought.

Thales stared intently at Fabul, his heart heavy with complex emotions.

Who is this old priest?
Was he really just a stepping stone for the Kingdom's secret police to push him up, making it easier for Thales and Federico to consolidate power and promote change in the Emerald City?

Or is it a planned variable, a pawn that suddenly enters the game?
He was speaking out for himself, for the temple, or even for the true interests of Emerald City.
The prince pondered with a hint of wariness.

but……

A few seconds later, Thales, having come up with no conclusion, finally let out a long sigh.

"Gentlemen, I know the source of your fear, and I understand why you have gathered here... If this can put your minds at ease..."

Thales slowly loosened his fist and stood up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby declare that the dispute between Janne and Federico, namely the old case of the Duke of Lenster's murder, will soon... to be precise, be settled by arbitration at the traditional celebratory banquet. It will not be delayed indefinitely—it is neither an excuse for me to cling to power nor a trap for the Emerald City to slide into the abyss."

Federico's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated to speak under Thales's gaze.

“And regardless of the arbitration outcome, I will relinquish the regency and return power to Kongming Palace,” Thales said in a deep voice. “Yes, I will leave Emerald City and return to my Starlake Castle to live comfortably as my duke.”

Thales could sense that many people in the council chamber breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

This made him feel and confirm something more and more.

"Please rest assured, everyone, I have absolutely no intention of usurping power or seizing control," Thales tapped the seat beneath him and sighed softly. "Believe it or not, before I came here, I never imagined sitting in this seat."

The deputy high priest, Fabul, stood below him, looking at him with a strange gaze that was both gratified and pitying.

"After all, this isn't Dragon Sky City, and I have no intention of staying here long-term—unless..."

Thales looked up and smiled:
"Do you want to emulate the people of the North?"

Unfortunately, no one was willing to laugh at this horrible joke.

The council chamber was quiet, and everyone listened attentively.

Ah, if only the people of the North had listened to him so patiently a long time ago.

Thales stared blankly into space.

He suddenly noticed that the layout of the council hall allowed sunlight to stream in from the skylights on all four sides, converging into numerous beams of light that shone back and forth.

It made the hall exceptionally bright.

"As for what will happen to Emerald City after I leave, what its future holds, and what kind of relationship the future rulers will have with the central government of the kingdom—whether it will be friendly or hostile, cooperative or conflictful..."

Thales shook his head:
"That's beyond my control."

The prince raised his head, facing the countless eyes in the entire hall, illuminated by countless beams of light.

"Is what I've said satisfactory, Vice High Priest?"

He said solemnly:

Are you all satisfied with the audience?

The prince's voice echoed in the council chamber.

A few seconds later, whispers began to fill the hall again.

But no one gave a direct answer.

So Thales slowly turned his head and looked in the other direction.

“Thank you for your frankness, Your Highness,” said Deputy High Priest Fiebel, his expression complex as he saw the prince looking at him. “This distinguishes you from the tyrants and evil rulers we have heard about in rumors.”

He scrutinized Thales again, then shook his head with a sigh.

“What a pity, Your Highness, what a pity that you are a prince,” the old priest sighed, “what a pity that you are still just a prince.”

Thales's brow twitched.

The crowd was buzzing with discussion.

Priest Fiebur coughed once and said slowly and deliberately:

"So, during Your Highness's regency, can you guarantee the stability of Emerald City? If not, at least restore the former order, prevent any trouble, and put the minds of the citizens at ease?"

Thales remained silent for a moment.

"I don't know what the future holds, but I promise, as long as I remain regent in Kongming Palace..."

The prince raised his head, his gaze resolute:
“I will do my utmost to maintain order and stability, and will never allow any absurd disputes—such as the misfortune that befell your students—to harm the citizens of Emerald City and jeopardize its prosperity and wealth.”

Thales took a step forward:
"Otherwise, there would be no need for you all to come to the palace again. I have failed in my governance, and I will resign to take responsibility—"

"Your Highness!"

Federico suddenly spoke, interrupting the prince and drawing everyone's attention.

Thales turned around in confusion:
"Feder?"

“Your Highness, please forgive me,” Federico said solemnly, his chest heaving, as he slowly approached the sub-high priest. “While you are indeed kind, I am worried that you may be deceived by wicked people.”

Thales's eyebrows twitched.

"Ferdi, what do you mean?" The vice-high priest frowned.

“If I were them, Mr. Fabre, if I were one of those conspirators, the masterminds…”

Federico turned his head, his gaze icy:

“Then this is the moment I’ve been waiting for: your coup has finally forced Prince Thales to confess his true intentions and make a promise.”

Many people in the hall began to whisper among themselves, and the old priest frowned.

"Then, at this very moment, right after His Highness has made his promise, I will carry out another assassination attempt in Emerald City, causing another disturbance and another disaster... Wouldn't that give me the excuse to force His Highness to keep his promise and resign?"

Federico raised his voice, his tone becoming increasingly harsh, leaving the audience bewildered and uncertain.

His words were cold and full of sarcasm:

“If it really succeeds, Mr. Fabre, some people will be very grateful to you.”

These words struck at the heart of the matter, and many people's expressions changed.

A chaotic buzzing sound rose again in the council chamber.

“Ferdi…”

Upon hearing these words that struck at the heart, Deputy High Priest Febul's expression changed. He looked at Federico in disbelief, his chest heaving.

"Of course, it's just a coincidence, right?"

Federico sneered:
"Right, everyone here?" (End of Chapter)