Chapter 700: Half a Sentence

On Jade City's main avenue, Thales rode on horseback, numb as he followed beside Hilley's carriage.

Around them were the layers of protection of the Star Lake Guard. The knights of the Jade Legion were farther outside. On the very outer perimeter were security officers temporarily drawn in for duty. They were working hard to maintain the cordon, roaring as they swung truncheons, shields, and even blades, forcing back the citizens on both sides of the street who were fighting to glimpse the nobles' faces, or pointing at Thales and discussing him.

All right. Although Kaquere's case had caused a storm, at least no one had thrown eggs at him.

Not for the moment.

Several seconds later, Thales took a deep breath and turned toward the carriage window.

"Why, Hilley? Just now, was that really necessary?"

"Only that way could you properly listen to me."

A pale arm propped itself beside the carriage window, though the silk glove above the wrist looked somewhat excessive.

"And you are welcome, unless you would rather spend the whole day with Captain Cecil, all sweet and loving and miserably tragic."

"But those words you said just now, about us in the room... People will misunderstand!"

"Oh, you mean the contraceptive part?"

A round face appeared above the arm at just the right time, carrying a teasing smile.

"Relax. My brother is too busy to protect himself. He has no time to trouble you."

"That is not what I am worried about. I am worried about how terrifying gossip can be, about your reputation, about the harm you will suffer, about what people will spread you into..."

Thales could not continue. He could only sigh and smooth Jenny's mane.

The Covendier girl leaned against the carriage window. With complete makeup and radiant brightness, she blinked and looked at him meaningfully.

"How strange, Thales. Why are you always so worried for me?"

Thales frowned.

"I am serious, Hilley. This is not some flirtatious joke between men and women..."

"Indeed it is not."

Hilley's expression suddenly changed, her words cold and sharp.

"I am asking why you, Prince Thales, perhaps also my brother and other people, are always so confident, so certain, that you are more qualified to worry about the person involved than she is."

Thales paused, wanting to speak but stopping.

"You should know, you are not the king. Not yet."

Hilley tilted her head and repeated his words:

"Why are you not worried about yourself? Worried about terrifying gossip, about your reputation, about what people will spread you into?"

After a long daze, Thales hesitated, then let out a long sigh.

"Because... because I am male."

Hilley raised her eyebrows and was about to retort, but Thales raised a hand and interrupted her.

"I know this sounds unfair, Hilley. But to many people in this world, romantic affairs are medals on my chest, a warrior's scars. The more accumulated achievements, the better."

Thales worked hard to find a fitting comparison.

"But for you, they are a noose around your neck, a festering sore. Slow and vicious, fatal once it strikes."

Hilley was silent for a while, then laughed coldly.

"A man's medal, is it? Even the aphrodisiac and the part where you 'couldn't do it'?"

Aphrodisiac...

Thales felt pain in his heart.

"Fine. Saying those words may hurt a man's, or certain men's, self-respect."

The prince patiently and earnestly tried to persuade her, healing himself along the way.

"But the price is the other side's, more precisely, your reputation and even life, just to hurt me. Hilley, is that worth it?"

"Were you hurt?"

"No! Because it was not true!"

Thales spread his hands and denied it loudly.

Sensing something wrong with its master, Jenny the warhorse alertly raised her ears and gave an uneasy low whinny, ready at any moment to lift her hooves, charge forward, and escape.

Hilley's lips curled. She narrowed her eyes, revealing a trace of mockery and satisfaction.

Thales immediately realized his voice had been too loud. While soothing Jenny, he anxiously looked back.

Fortunately, everyone in the Star Lake Guard was at least five meters away from him. Moreover, each of them walked steadily, solemn and serious, eyes straight ahead and ears not listening elsewhere.

Especially Doyle. You probably could not find a more dedicated and job-loving moment in that man's entire life.

"Fine. I am also unable to escape convention. More or less, it has some effect."

Thales withdrew his hands gloomily.

"But honestly, this rule that relies on some primitive, narrow, and boring standard to flaunt a man's value and establish self-respect, along with the atmosphere where everyone fears others saying you cannot do it, so no matter what, you have to pretend you can... It is really, really, really stupid."

Hilley clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"Come say that again after you turn forty. Perhaps it will be a little more convincing."

Thales choked on his words and decided to return to the earlier topic.

"In short, what I mean is that your actions just now were quite unwise, unfavorable to you-"

"If I truly were as you said, Your Highness."

Hilley interrupted him coldly.

"If I cared about terrifying gossip, cared about my 'reputation,' cared about what people would spread me into, cared about what harm I would suffer, then I would have long ago been strangled to death by the noose, with only a walking corpse left behind. That vicious noose woven over the years by dances, parties, banquets, the gazes of my peers, the guidance of noble ladies and famous women, and of course, the vicious whispers and little notes of the Karabeyan sisters."

Thales was silent at this and spoke weakly:

"Hilley..."

"As you said, only when you cater to the value others flaunt for you and acknowledge the self-respect others establish for you will that 'primitive, narrow, and boring' thing become your medal, like the proud feathers of a male peacock."

Hilley snorted softly.

"By the same logic, if I do not care and do not obey such rules, this noose cannot strangle me."

All right.

Thales sighed.

"The reason rules are rules is not only that some people are willing to obey them."

He looked toward the horizon, where clouds gathered and the sky grew darker, with some emotion.

"It is also that through the former, rules will be forced onto those unwilling to obey them, and punishment will be imposed on violators."

And the price is heavy.

Hilley was silent for a while.

"Indeed. So I was once forced to cut away flesh and disinfect it, removing the sore in hopes of becoming clean, white, pure, and flawless. At least before my father died and no one could control me anymore."

She raised her gloved hand with a mocking expression.

"Look what I gained."

Thales sighed helplessly.

"Sometimes I truly doubt whether you are Zayen's sister, whether you are a Covendier."

The prince shook his head.

"Or whether you jumped out of some stone, swinging a big stick, a wild monkey causing havoc in the divine kingdom."

"Female monkeys have big sticks too?"

Thales' expression changed.

"That is not a dirty joke!"

The atmosphere eased a little. Hilley clicked her tongue, shook her head, and pointed into the distance.

"So, if you want neither harm nor punishment, then aside from not caring and not obeying, you must also learn to use it. Use those people who do care and do obey the rules."

"What?"

"One minute ago, Knight Cecil raised the banner of the Duke of Iris and intercepted your team. He thought he could command all under heaven, that even imperial relatives and royal kin would not dare disobey."

Hilley's lips curled.

"But now? As a supreme-class expert, he has respectfully and tremblingly withdrawn a whole street away, afraid that I might say even one more word. Why?"

Thales frowned.

Hilley stared at him for a while and smiled faintly.

"Because people like Cecil, who enjoy dignity and are infatuated with power and position, believe far too much in a certain 'primitive, narrow, and boring' standard. They care far too much about such rules that flaunt people's value and establish self-respect."

Hilley looked sharply into the distance.

"He fears terrifying gossip. He fears that if I say too much, it will not only affect me, but also House Covendier's reputation. He fears that when he returns to Emerald Palace and faces Zayen alone, he will leave his furious master with the terrible impression of 'failing to do the job and damaging my reputation,' affecting his military career in the future."

Hilley looked at Thales and changed the direction of her words.

"Of course, perhaps Cecil, though not much, still fears a little that after he publicly forces out the truth that you 'cannot do it' in bed..."

"Not the truth."

Thales added with a gloomy face.

"...he will leave a bone-deep bad impression on the second prince and future king regarding 'the thing men care about most,' earn your eternal hatred, and suffer suppression and revenge in the future."

Thales frowned at these words and lightly turned his head.

At the front of the Jade Legion's formation, Knight Cecil felt Thales' gaze. He swiftly turned back and sat upright on his horse, solemn and majestic.

As if he had always been like this.

"And do not forget. Between these rules regarding men and women, another set of rules is layered and mixed in, also available for me to use."

Hilley spoke faintly.

"Another set?"

Thales questioned.

At this point, Cecilia smiled mysteriously. She leaned entirely over the carriage window and poked out her head, face to face with Thales on horseback.

"I am the daughter of the former Guardian Duke of the South Coast, Lenst Covendier, and the sister of the current duke, Zayen Covendier. I am the noble Iris bloodline, the one and only princess of Jade City. The property I can inherit and use is enough to buy a city. The family trees I can stir and connect cover the entire kingdom. My value and meaning in political marriage far surpass that of any woman from eight to eighty west of Blood Gate Fortress."

Her gaze was deep and her expression playful, making Thales somewhat awkward.

"So yes. Even if before marriage I have already slept with a hundred men, even if I have miscarried fifty children on the birthing bed, even if every day I dance naked and coquettish on Jade City's highest wall, even if I walk through the market with a sign on my backside that says 'one copper per time,' so long as I remain Cecilia Covendier for one day, then when I marry, I am still destined to be pure and flawless, beautiful and moving, virtuous, gentle, and suited for family life, worthy of historians writing books and biographies for me."

Her wording made Thales frown repeatedly.

"And if I were only a deformed girl born to a poor farming household..."

Hilley looked at her gloves, her gaze distracted.

"Then even if I began reciting the Sunset scripture from my mother's womb, served the Sunset Goddess, and wore a chastity lock my entire life, I would still be destined to be filthy, fallen, lowly, ignored by others, and spat upon."

"So why should I care?"

Thales looked at her like this and felt pity, but ultimately held back his urge to comfort her.

He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a smile.

"All right. My doubt is resolved."

Hilley raised her head and saw Thales click his tongue, shake his head, emotional and helpless.

"You truly are Zayen's sister. No, in some respects, you may be even more 'Covendier' than he is."

"The part where I swing a big stick?"

"No. Can you not pay attention to your wording?"

"This is not a dirty joke. Do not think crooked."

"Do not copy my words!"

After a round of back and forth, the two fell silent together for a while, each thinking within the rhythm of the moving team.

Several minutes later, Hilley glanced tentatively at Thales.

"Then... are we reconciled?"

Did I finally coax him?

"No!"

Thales' expression changed at these words.

"No, uh, wrong. I mean, we never had anything like a 'fight' and 'reconciliation' to begin with. We were only, only..."

"Then you are finally willing to speak properly with me?"

Hilley's eyes shone as she looked at him.

At last, Thales sighed helplessly.

"Fine. I, I, uh... I only..."

"I am sorry."

Hilley's mood changed.

Thales' expression moved, slightly surprised.

She... apologized?

She actually knows how to apologize?

Did I hear wrong? Or is the world's setting wrong?

"I... am very sorry. I know yesterday put you under great pressure. Especially..."

Hilley's voice trembled slightly, but she still worked hard to maintain eye contact with Thales.

"You have every reason to avoid me."

Thales felt the contradiction at the bottom of her heart and instinctively denied it.

"No. I was not avoiding you. I only..."

Thales did not say the next words.

Only needed time to prepare himself to face you.

And that mad "friend" of yours, chaotic and disorderly, who can seize a weakness and begin a cruel assault until a living person is torn apart from the inside out, from soul to bone.

The faces of Saroma and Koria flashed through his mind in succession, making him instinctively tug at his collar so he could breathe more smoothly.

"By contrast, after facing Soulbone Yake, you could still keep a clear mind and speak human words rationally and calmly. That surprised me even more."

Hilley's voice was low.

Hearing that name, Thales once again felt discomfort rise inside him.

"What about you? How long has it been? How did you meet it? And how did you..."

Thales looked at Hilley's expression and understood something.

"You will not answer me, right?"

"I will. I promise."

Hilley took a deep breath and looked seriously into Thales' eyes.

"When the time comes."

Thales looked back at her quietly for a full three seconds.

"Of course."

Thales returned to himself and looked ahead.

When the time comes.

"But it is your last resort when there is no other choice? Because the consequences of summoning it are extremely serious and uncontrollable, like drinking poison to quench thirst?"

"More or less."

Hilley withdrew into the carriage's shadow.

Thales was silent for several seconds.

"I understand."

The youth rubbed the scar in his left palm.

"I know that feeling."

"Is that so? I very much doubt it."

She laughed softly, emotion unclear.

"Does your brother know about this?"

Hilley was silent. Only after a long while did her voice drift from inside the carriage.

"Can you keep it secret?"

Thales looked into the dim carriage and hesitated for a long time.

Hilley's matter... could it be used as a bargaining chip to threaten Zayen?

For example, "The eldest Miss Covendier resorts to evil spirits and colludes with demons"?

Force him to take one step back and accept his conditions?

After all, Zayen treasured his sister most, did he not?

Then perhaps, perhaps before the Secret Intelligence Department truly made its move, he still had one final chance to enter the game and interfere with Jade City's situation.

Thales took a deep breath.

He looked faintly toward Hilley's carriage.

Several seconds later, he still sighed.

No.

Thales shook his head inwardly in denial.

He had already tried such efforts.

A Covendier does not perish by the enemy. His clash with Zayen this morning had already proven that the Duke of the South Coast yielded to softness, not hardness. Such forceful pressure not only would not take effect, it might backfire and lose more than it gained.

Not to mention that what he would use to threaten him was the treasured sister Zayen could not bear to have touched.

Yes. It had been like this several years ago. Zayen was even willing to destroy his alliance with the Corleone Family and the Night Kingdom, just to remove him, because...

Nonsense.

A voice appeared in his heart, mercilessly mocking him.

You are only finding excuses for your weakness, Thales Jadestar.

Truly self-deception.

Thales trembled slightly.

Why make so many forward-and-back calculations? There is only one reason you do not want to do this, do not want to treat her as a bargaining chip.

You cannot bear it.

You cannot bear to see that girl's life shatter once more.

Even less can you bear to see the shocked look in her eyes when someone betrays her.

Thales closed his eyes.

Just like those people whose lives were shattered countless times because of your every move.

The voice in his heart was naked and cold, leaving him powerless to refute.

Koria, Saroma, Naki and Nai in the Prison of Bones... the figures of countless people flashed before his eyes in that instant.

And because of this weakness of yours, because of this inability to bear it, perhaps more people's lives will shatter because of it.

Have you forgotten your purpose in coming here?

Remember? Karma turns, karma is a bitch. You came to depose the duke, destroy Zayen...

Thoughts flashed like lightning. Thales abruptly opened his eyes.

"Of course. I will keep it secret."

He forced out a difficult smile toward the dark carriage.

"We all have our own secrets."

Only after several seconds did Hilley's voice come from the carriage, filled with complicated emotion.

"Thank you."

An awkward silence fell between them.

Thales took a deep breath and turned back.

Cassian, dressed sloppily and looking wretched, walked along the road with his sword in his arms and his head lowered, completely inconspicuous.

"Then what about this uncle with a sword? What is his story?"

"After what happened yesterday, I decided to find a bodyguard."

Hilley raised her voice, slowly adjusting her mood.

"The kind that keeps me from being chased and killed all over the street."

"He can make Cecil wary, so he should not be a nobody. I guess he is also an Jade City man, Zayen's subordinate?"

Thales unconsciously estimated Zayen's strength in Jade City, estimating how he should protect himself if Zayen decided to remove him.

"He once was. He was even a famous knight in Jade City."

Hilley said:

"But he resigned and retired several years ago. Do not be fooled by his current appearance. He still has a hereditary title and land, and does not lack food or clothing."

"If he does not lack food or clothing, then there is no need for him to serve as a mercenary for some eldest daughter who does not often return home, right?"

"Unfortunately, Cassian owes me a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"Are you planning to marry me?"

"Oh, so that is- What?"

Thales, immersed in complicated emotions, was startled.

He raised his head and suddenly discovered that the eldest daughter's face had reappeared beside the carriage window, smiling.

"Since you are not planning to marry me."

Hilley's smile carried traces of mockery. She should have noticed his distraction.

"Then why ask about my assets and debts?"

"You... Pretend I did not ask."

Thales said unhappily.

Damn it.

He had even been calculating how to use her and betray her, yet why was this girl so...

"Relax. Before my mother died, she left Zayen a will. As a daughter of Covendier, what I can inherit, even if it is only my mother's dowry... Mm. In any case, I have more money than you."

When Hilley said this, she rested her chin in her hand and looked up at the horizon, shaking her head.

"Do you want to marry me?"

"What? You little-"

Hilley froze, then her expression turned angry.

But within one second, she reacted and gave a cold laugh.

"Oh, I understand. Not bad, Thales Jadestar. Not bad. Good counterattack."

"Exactly. If you are not going to marry me," Thales curled his lips, his tone sarcastic, "why flaunt your dowry in front of me?"

The two old opponents looked at each other, one coldly smiling and the other disdainful, like swords crossing through empty air, neither yielding.

But only Thales knew that his heart was incomparably heavy.

The carriage moved forward. The crowd grew larger and larger.

"You know about this morning's news, right? That local guide of yours..."

Hilley wanted to speak but stopped.

"Of course. Security Officer Kaquere was beheaded and displayed publicly. Another life died because of politics."

Thales sighed long, his thoughts heavy.

"And there are even rumors saying I did it."

"Exactly. I have a bad feeling. We should get nervous and start moving."

Hilley was rarely worried.

"Great waves are coming to Jade City. The tide is about to rise. No one can remain untouched."

"Yes, I thought the same and even tried to turn back the tide."

Thales shook his head, feeling irritable and wanting only to blame others.

"But as for some great figure, I do not know. Perhaps he still wants to meet difficulty head-on and surf the waves."

"You mean my brother?"

Hilley rolled her eyes.

"Fine. What happened between you and Zayen this morning?"

"Go ask him. You are his good little sister."

"I did. And he told me to ask you."

Hilley mocked:

"His wording was even more poisonous than yours. 'Ask him. After all, you are his little girlfriend.'"

"What? Wow, Zayen is actually so, cough..."

Thales could not help wanting to laugh. Halfway through making the expression, he quickly restrained himself and said solemnly:

"Uh, so poisonous."

Hilley's eyes sharpened.

"I saw you laughing."

"I, I did not."

"Very pleased?"

"Truly no!"

Bang!

Hilley slapped the carriage, making Thales outside the window shudder on his horse.

"What exactly did you and he say this morning?"

Hilley spoke one word at a time, her gaze dark.

"I-"

"If you play dumb with me again, I swear, no matter how many people are watching, I will fucking-"

The familiar sentence structure made Thales abruptly shudder with a bad premonition.

"Because of what happened yesterday, Zayen saw through my identity."

Without waiting for the threat to finish, Thales confessed directly, concise and clear, striking the key point.

"We could not reach an agreement and fell out. So from now on, each of us walks our own path and relies on our own ability. That is all."

Hilley froze.

Whew.

Thales breathed out.

All right. At least she did not "aphrodisiac" him again.

But he magically discovered that after this interruption, his mood had improved quite a bit.

"Nonsense."

Hilley looked at the dark corner inside the carriage, distracted.

"It was not because of yesterday at all."

"I am not lying to you. If you do not believe-"

"It was because of everything!"

Thales froze.

Hilley turned her head, her expression serious.

"You and he, from the moment you came to Jade City, no, perhaps from the moment you were born, have never trusted each other on anything. You entered the chessboard as opponents, so naturally you can only decide a winner before walking out."

She punched the carriage resentfully.

"Damn it. I should have understood long ago. It was only a matter of time before your talks collapsed. I overestimated both of you. Zayen's foresight, and your capacity."

Uh...

Thales' expression was strange. For a moment, he did not know whether he should echo the former or solemnly protest the latter.

"That makes a lot of sense."

The prince decided to skip over this topic.

"So now, Jade City is precarious, and we are powerless to..."

"Enough. Turn the page!"

Hilley shook her head and resolutely interrupted him.

"Now, tell me, Thales Jadestar. Do you still want to complete your mission in Jade City?"

Turn the page?

Thales looked at her suspiciously.

The other party's eyes burned, half expectation and half... threat.

"Not in His Majesty's way. Not through rivers of blood and corpses everywhere."

Hilley was decisive and continued pressing.

"But in your way. Our way."

Our way?

Thales let out a long sigh.

Fortunately, she could not read minds. Otherwise, just now, he had still been thinking about how to use her to threaten his way out of the deadlock...

"Hilley, this is not a question of whether I want to or not."

Thales shook his head in denial.

"Zayen and I have completely laid our cards on the table. He saw through my disguise. So he will not step back, and he will not believe me again."

Ha. As if he ever believed me.

"But I am not asking him. I am asking you."

Hilley's eyes were serious.

"Please, Thales. Little Flower has limited experience and is not sensible, but you are the second prince and Duke of Star Lake. You should understand reason better than him, right?"

Little Flower?

Thales' gaze turned strange, but he immediately reacted.

How was he supposed to answer that?

Terrible.

Why did he feel he had fallen into this girl's trap again?

"Wait. I played this trick a long time ago... You could not have said, or be planning to say, the same thing to Zayen just now, right?"

Thales looked suspicious.

"Such as, 'Please, Zayen. The little brat has narrow capacity and is not sensible, but you are the Lord of Jade City and Duke of the South Coast. You should understand reason better than him, right?'"

Hilley's expression stiffened.

"Of course not!"

She was righteous, her face full of injustice.

"What kind of person do you take me for?"

Right. She had not said "little brat."

Thales felt somewhat uncomfortable under her just gaze and avoided her eyes.

"No. You do not understand. Your brother is the Lord of Jade City. He is the one who holds the initiative. If even he 'does not perish by the enemy' and insists on walking this dark road to the end, then no matter how anxious others are, it is useless. Jade City's calamity is already destined, the trend irreversible. All we can do is find a way to limit losses and clean up the mess."

"But the one who does not understand is you."

Hilley denied him.

"Jade City cannot be saved? Do not forget, His Majesty gave you the power of discretion and acting according to circumstances. Accept it. Use it well. Even if it is destined. Even if the trend is irreversible."

Discretion.

Acting according to circumstances.

Thales thought of Kessel V and increasingly felt the weight on his shoulders.

How should he judge?

How should he decide?

Thales shook his head.

"Do not be naive, Hilley. In my experience, politics is not something that can be reversed with only one or two slogans..."

"Then use only half a sentence."

Thales' words stopped.

Hilley took a deep breath, leaned her face out of the carriage window, and looked at him with incomparable seriousness.

"Do you know that famous family motto of your Jadestar royal family?"

"Yes?"

"Someone told me that what truly matters has never been the second half."

Thales was startled at these words.

The second half? Then that means...

"So, Thales, do not give up. Try once more. 'Discretion' and 'acting according to circumstances.'"

Hilley stared fixedly at him, leaving him nowhere to escape.

"When fate is destined, discretion becomes precious. Only when the trend is irreversible does adapting to the moment have meaning."

Thales frowned as he looked at Hilley.

"Do not forget. You are the famous North Star, the young hero who dueled King Nuven and King Chapman, who maneuvered freely in savage and dangerous Eckstedt and turned back the tide."

Hilley's eyes were very firm.

Please.

Do not only listen to official propaganda.

Thales sighed.

"First, I never dueled either of them. On the contrary, during most of my time in the North, I was beaten, toyed with, and sent running in circles by those two unscrupulous bastards until I cried for father and mother..."

"Like yesterday?"

Thales raised his gaze and found Hilley's lips carrying a smile, her eyes amused.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that the eldest daughter before him was serious.

She would not allow him to say no.

"Yes."

Thales could not help smiling too. He shook his head helplessly.

"Like yesterday."

The two smiled at each other.

The team's speed gradually slowed.

The selection meeting's venue, or rather, the cage-like tournament field, appeared in their view.

"Fine. I will listen to you and try again. I will go speak with Zayen once more."

Thales put away his smile.

"But I state in advance, this is the last time. Once he..."

"Thank you, Thales."

Hilley's eyes brightened. She quickly interrupted him, both full of gratitude and avoiding letting him say any conditions for backing out.

"As for Zayen and Jade City, leave them to me."

For some reason, Thales seemed to have returned to the past, but not because of Lausanne II's ability, nor because of Soulbone Yake's tricks.

"Leave them to you?"

Thales could not help laughing.

"Who do you think you are?"

Hilley smiled too.

"I am Cecilia Covendier."

She spoke, her smile self-aware and incomparably bright.

"The savior of Jade City."

Thales trembled slightly.

In that instant, he did not feel as though he stood in the fog-layered, treacherous Jade City, but more as if he were in Dragon Clouds City, surrounded by crisis with the overall trend already lost.

He looked at Hilley before him, her eyes shining brilliantly, and seemed to see another self.

Thales was silent for a long while.

"No. You are not."

Hilley's gaze moved.

"Cecilia Covendier is only a young lady with political marriage value, even if none west of Blood Gate Fortress can compare."

Thales sighed.

"But you. You are Hilley."

Hilley froze.

Thales looked toward the slanting sun gradually sinking in the sky and spoke with feeling:

"The unexpected great magician, Hilley Wayana."

Hilley's expression changed.

"What kind of name is that?"

"How would I know? You chose it!"

But Thales soon learned that he had rejoiced too early.

Because when they arrived at the venue and saw Duke Zayen, whose face showed anger because Thales and Hilley were together, Miss Cecilia's first sentence made her brother change color in fury.

"Listen, Zayen. I know you have now managed Jade City into a pile of shit. So, what the little brat and I are about to say next, you will listen carefully. You are not allowed to interrupt, not allowed to refute, and not allowed to leave..."

Before everyone, the splendidly dressed Hilley pounced forward brightly and cheerfully, grabbing her brother's arm just like every adorable younger sister in the world's ideal image. With the gentlest voice, she spoke the most moving words:

"And if you dare show me that face again, even a little, I swear that no matter how many people are watching, I will immediately strip off this dress, carry only a tricolor Iris badge, rush into the center of the selection meeting..."

Under Thales' and Zayen's incredulous and terrified gazes, Hilley gave a rare sweet, gentle, and lovely smile.

"And dance naked."