Chapter 707: Choose One

After hearing Miranda's words, the others in the team all froze.

Ahead, Thales stood beside Zayen, staring fixedly at Federico, who looked despairing and self-destructive. He still did not understand.

"Yes, cousin. Well said... everyone must pay the price for what they have done..."

Under the guards' rough restraint, Federico panted.

"So you, you bystanders, you must understand. If you do not stand up, if you truly let him, let Zayen succeed..."

The surrounding vassals and guests looked at one another.

The prisoner raised his head with difficulty and, by coincidence, looked toward Thales.

"Then he wins! Zayen Covendier will win completely in every aspect, without a single omission or flaw! And I, I will die with no burial place, never to rise again, losing everything, everything! Haha, hahahaha..."

Federico's laugh was unpleasant. Whispers arose among the vassals and guests, and many began to suspect his mental state.

Thales met Federico's eyes and could not help frowning.

Strange.

Unlike Anker Byrael at the royal banquet, who had been despairing and gray...

Aside from that same grayness, Federico's smile gave Thales a faint sense of unease.

It was as if behind that deep and despairing smile, one that seemed to have seen through everything, there hid a still more terrible power.

Careful, Thales.

A voice faintly emerged from the bottom of the youth's heart.

This is someone willing, even glad, to become a chess piece.

Careful.

"Then the chess game will be completely over. Irreversible."

Federico stared straight at Thales, his smile eerie.

"Enough. Stop speaking madness. Take him away. The relevant departments will handle the rest," Zayen responded calmly and turned around. "The selection meeting will continue. By the way, do the bets from the previous round still count?"

Cecil snorted lightly and waved. Soldiers immediately stepped forward and roughly dragged Federico up.

"In that case, justice will be trampled, law will be defiled, the kingdom's hopes will fall through, and we will all be finished," Federico roared as he struggled. "All because of certain people's on-the-spot decisions and discretionary judgment!"

At that moment, Thales trembled slightly.

Hilley reacted as well, her expression changing.

What?

What did he say?

Thales instinctively looked toward Federico, but the latter had already been pushed around by the soldiers, leaving only his back.

Wait...

Strange...

"Wait!"

Thales shouted instinctively.

The Second Prince, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke, instantly drawing many gazes.

Zayen's expression moved slightly. His smile did not lessen as he asked in a low voice.

"Thales?"

Hilley also looked at him worriedly.

"Thales..."

"Your Highness..."

Wya hurried over and, before Ralf could, asked, "What are your orders?"

But Thales ignored them all. He only stared blankly at Federico's back.

Boom!

The next second, the Sin of Hell's River burned, striking his eardrums.

In Thales' senses, time seemed to slow.

The whole world fell silent.

Thales quietly watched Federico being dragged away, his mind racing.

Why?

Why did Federico do this?

Why did he go on stage and show himself, accusing Zayen?

Why did he take such risks and then foolishly surrender?

Why was he so confident, yet had no later move?

Why did he let himself be bound, yet speak mad words?

Why would King Kessel and the Secret Intelligence Department count on such a person, a fugitive, a despairing exiled noble, to shake the unbreakable, flawless Jade City?

Why?

Why?

Bang!

The Sin of Hell's River rang softly, burning even more fiercely.

An idea flashed through Thales' mind. He began intermittently recalling the other party's earlier words.

And that eerie smile.

A power system that covers the sky with one hand... endless... methods...

I have delivered myself into the net, with no chance of victory... complete defeat...

As long as Zayen... is city lord... the trial... can never be fair...

You... bystanders... if you do not stand up... if Zayen succeeds... he wins... wins completely...

In that case... the kingdom... falls through... we... are finished... all because of certain people's... on-the-spot decisions and discretionary judgment!

In that instant, Thales shuddered all over.

That means... no, no, no...

Rumble!

The Sin of Hell's River crackled and exploded.

He understood.

At that instant, he suddenly understood.

Thales steadied himself and looked at Federico's back in disbelief.

The next second, the Sin of Hell's River grew incomparably hot, drowning all of Thales' senses.

"What is it, Your Highness Thales?"

Time resumed its normal flow. The surrounding clamor instantly returned to his ears.

Zayen's voice sounded. He grabbed Thales, who was staggering under the aftereffects of the Power of Eradication.

"If you have no other questions, perhaps we should return to our seats..."

"It is me," Thales said in a daze.

"What?" Zayen froze.

"It is me. It was all me."

"What is you?"

"Me! Zayen, you were right. The one you should have worried about was me. It was always me." Thales grabbed Zayen's shoulder, his expression complicated and his words disordered. "From beginning to end, it was me! Only me!"

Yes. It was him.

Thales thought blankly.

Federico, or rather the Secret Intelligence Department, even King Kessel, their trump card...

Was him.

It was Thales Jadestar.

It had always been him.

His choice.

Or rather, when faced with Federico's defeat, the fact that "he had to make a choice."

Thales stared blankly at Zayen.

Zayen was still confused, but Hilley came forward, worried.

"Thales? Do not rush. I know you discovered something, but calm down. We will find the answer. Just not now..."

Thales took a deep breath and was about to explain, but when he saw Federico's escort moving farther and farther away, he could not help shouting to stop them.

"No... no, do not let him leave! Bring Federico back!"

Zayen's expression changed.

"Thales?"

The surrounding vassals began whispering.

Thales trembled slightly.

Correct. Perhaps it was beyond many people's expectations, but Federico Covendier had no other later moves.

From the suspicious murder cases to his shocking appearance, this was all of Federico's methods.

When this exiled Covendier ascended the host platform, raised his war flag against Zayen Covendier, announced his return to all Jade City, and incidentally exposed his whereabouts and weaknesses to Zayen's eyes, Federico no longer had a path of retreat.

Nor any other later move.

Because he had long ago chosen his later move.

Because everyone must pay the price for what they have done.

Thales breathed in a trance.

"I am sorry, Zayen."

Sorry?

Zayen looked at Federico, then at Thales. He seemed to understand something.

"Thales, please. Not now."

The duke's words carried an uncertain warning.

"No. I understand now," Thales shook his head, his words bitter. "It is now. It can only be now."

"Stop making more trouble!"

Hilley looked at the people around them and whispered to Thales. "Can you not be quiet for a few seconds? Can you not wait until this trouble is solved before throwing a tantrum..."

No.

I cannot.

Thales thought bitterly.

If this trouble is "solved" the way they expect...

"Your Highness?" Wya asked carefully, tentatively showing concern, but he was quickly interrupted by the Duke of South Coast.

"Can you not see?" Zayen frowned. "The overall situation is decided. Fed can no longer stir up a great wave... He misjudged the situation..."

Thales turned back and adjusted his breathing with difficulty.

"Precisely because of that," Thales said, not daring to look into the other's eyes. "Zayen, I am sorry."

Precisely because of that.

Precisely because the overall situation was decided, precisely because Federico had chosen to submit to arrest and suffer complete defeat, precisely because Zayen would soon sweep away his decline and win completely...

Thales had been pushed onto the center of the scales.

At this moment, here and now, he was the only person who could stop Zayen from winning completely, save Federico from defeat and death, and at the same time influence the king's chess game.

And at this moment, he had to make a choice.

"Federico!"

Thales spoke instinctively.

"Bring him back!"

Under countless watching eyes, Thales heard his own voice, extremely difficult and extremely bitter.

"Let me hear... his accusation!"

As his words fell, the surrounding crowd burst into uproar.

Thales closed his eyes and, almost as if throwing everything away, roared the final sentence.

"In the name of the Duke of Star Lake! Now!"

Behind him, Wya and the Star Lake Guard looked at one another, then their expressions changed drastically.

"Wha... Your Highness?" Wya stared at him in surprise.

When they reacted and turned around in a daze, they discovered that, at some point, the Jade Legion led by Cecil had already surrounded them completely, hostility filling their ranks.

"It seems," only Miranda sighed and drew her sword, "the trump card found itself."

"Wait, Thales, what are you doing?" Hilley grabbed Thales, shocked beyond measure.

Thales had no time to answer before Zayen grabbed him from the other side. The duke looked around, lowered his voice, and warned Thales in furious frustration.

"Do not forget. We talked about this. We had an agreement!"

"Yes. I know. I know. I am sorry."

Thales spoke blankly.

"But he, Federico, was not aiming at you, Zayen. Not only you. He was aiming at me as well."

He.

Zayen's tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

One second later, he understood something. His expression changed from anger and dissatisfaction to shock and astonishment.

"You... you?"

Thales nodded and said with difficulty.

"I only just understood. The reason Federico surrendered so decisively and gave up everything... is because he chose me as his trump card."

Zayen froze.

"He is forcing me. He wagered himself, his life, and the victory or defeat of the entire game to create the most extreme conditions, forcing me to act, forcing me to choose."

Hilley's eyes widened.

"And at this very moment, if I choose not to stand up, not to help Federico, then he will certainly fail, and you will certainly win, irreversibly."

"But you..." Zayen said instinctively.

Yes. But.

Thales subconsciously gripped the ferocious bone ring in his pocket.

But if he made that choice...

At this moment, if the Second Prince followed his agreement with Zayen, chose to help in secret, chose to remain silent, and allowed Federico to be taken away, imprisoned, jailed, forgotten, sent into Zayen's power system, and thrown into Jade City's bottomless abyss...

Then this matter would fade without waves and vanish like smoke.

Then this chess game, which began at Renaissance Palace and would end at Emerald Palace, would be completely won by Zayen.

Winner takes all.

A complete victory.

His rule would remain as stable as before, his authority and position unshaken.

Jade City would remain detached and independent, solid as an iron fortress.

That would also mean the king had completely lost.

And the purpose, process, and effort of Thales' trip here would all become meaningless.

When the celebration ended, aside from slinking out of Jade City and returning to Star Lake Fort, he would have no road left.

Thales' trip to Jade City, his effort to find balance between the king and the South Coast, would fail completely.

There would not even be the slightest chance to recover or salvage anything.

But...

Thales rubbed Kortaksa in his hand, feeling it become heavier and sharper.

But if his first mission as envoy failed like this, if he returned to report empty-handed...

Then how would the king, Kessel V, see him?

How would he treat him?

How can I trust you?

The king's voice rang in his mind.

How do I know your words are true?

How do I know you truly intend to be used by me, rather than secretly growing yourself, accumulating reputation, and gathering support?

How do I know this is not raising a tiger to invite disaster, letting you become an unprecedented threat?

Thales swallowed.

And worse still...

If he returned without merit, allowing Zayen to remain unmoved, Jade City to stand as steady as Mount Sigh, and the South Coast to remain solid as a fortress...

Then next time, the time after that, and the time after that...

What would the king do?

Would the next thing to arrive in Jade City be the Kingdom's Wrath?

Or the Wings of Legend?

Would someone like your father accept reality and give up there, or, after gaining a new understanding of my strength and attitude, and the strength and attitude of the Western Desert...

Falkenhaus' words when Thales returned to the kingdom still rang by his ear.

...go all out and repay it a hundredfold?

"Believe me, Zayen, Hilley." Thales opened his eyes. He had to take several deep breaths to calm himself and give himself the strength to speak. "I must. I have no choice. I have to do this. But believe me, I will turn the situation back. This is only a stopgap measure, only to seize the initiative. Otherwise my father, my father will..."

Hilley stared at him blankly.

"Thales, no, no..."

Zayen reacted. He shook his head and stared at Thales in disbelief, as though staring at a stranger.

"No. Do not. You cannot... As for your father, we will find a way. You and I, Jade City and Star Lake Fort, we can resist him together..."

"At this point, this is the only way..." Thales shook his head weakly.

"We can first give him a little sweetness. After killing Federico, we can deceive him and say that you successfully threatened me... What does he want? Finance? Taxation? Sea trade..." Zayen grabbed Thales' sleeve tightly. His voice was low and hurried.

No. Impossible.

Federico's choice was too decisive.

And the king's mind was too cold.

Thales closed his eyes, shutting out Zayen's protest and pain.

The Sin of Hell's River burned, and time seemed to slow again.

Only like this could he feel a trace of relaxation.

Did the king know?

Thales thought bitterly.

King Kessel, did he know Federico would use this method to force him to act and provoke him into entering the game?

What if his chess game, his grand plan to take Jade City, were buried by Federico's impulsive methods?

Wait.

Thales' mind trembled.

What if the king knew from the start?

A voice quietly sounded from the bottom of Thales' heart, freezing his thoughts.

Thales felt cold inside.

The voice in his heart asked him in return:

What if your father predicted all of this from beginning to end, predicted what Federico would do, predicted what kind of choice you would face?

What if he even deliberately allowed Federico to do this, forcing you to make a choice?

What?

Thales was startled.

Why?

Oh, you know why, Thales.

The voice in his heart answered him.

Because King Kessel guessed it. He guessed you would communicate with Zayen in private, even reach an agreement.

He even knew you would try to play little tricks, operate in the middle, and try to find room to maneuver.

Thales felt the bone ring in his hand grow heavier and colder.

Yes. The king knew from the beginning.

His Majesty understood him too well.

So he set up the game and allowed Federico to force Thales to choose.

Either become completely hostile to Jade City.

Or bury the king's grand plan.

Choose one of the two. He pushed the conditions to the extreme, placing Thales in a dilemma and leaving him not the slightest room to maneuver, no middle option at all. He forced him to make a choice between acting decisively and losing everything.

Thales opened his eyes and stared blankly at the nearly slow-motion scene before him, at every person's expression and movement.

Zayen glared angrily. Hilley was disbelieving, frightened, and at a loss. Wya was anxious. Miranda was alert and on guard. Federico's smile overflowed...

In a trance, Thales seemed to see King Kessel sitting in the Ballard Room of Renaissance Palace, lamplight falling on him, uncertain black and white, alternating light and shadow.

Why?

Thales asked himself weakly.

Because he wants to test you.

The voice in his heart quietly replied.

He wants to test you, to see whether this treasured sword is truly sharp enough to sever hair blown across its edge and cut iron like mud, willing to be the king's vanguard.

Or whether it hides rebellion in its heart, whether the rebellious bone was long since cast, and will finally turn its blade back to wound its master.

Now...

Either you stake everything, submit your pledge, and from now on he can use you with peace of mind.

Or you lose everything and exit the game, and he will decisively abandon you.

So that is how it is.

Thales thought blankly.

On-the-spot decisions and discretionary judgment.

So this was what that phrase meant.

When the moment arrived.

The king would give him freedom.

The freedom to decide.

Either stake everything.

Or fail completely.

No middle road.

No compromise or easing.

Zero, or one.

Left, or right.

Back, or forward.

Retreat, or advance.

Death, or life.

Darkness, or light.

Legend, or throne?

Thinking to this point, Thales suddenly remembered a story from many years ago, one he heard in Kaslan's tavern.

The empire's servants came up with a method: find the most prestigious man in the Northland, the Northland Legion commander Quiso, who happened to be on rotation and resting at home, and have him persuade his own people... But Quiso did not nod...

This is what Quiso said: "I am loyal to the empire, but I am a Northlander."

The emperor eventually learned of this. The emperor sent an edict, and on it were only two words...

"Choose..."

In the nearly stopped time and the chaos outside, Thales blankly repeated the emperor's edict, revealing the final ending of the story.

"...choose one."