Chapter 735: Hidden Killing Intent

Count of the Marsh, Aichison Lassia, and his eldest son sat travel-worn in the study. They wore hunting clothes that were plain and simple yet sturdy and durable, and they had not even had time to undo the bindings on their legs.

"When Your Highness's letter arrived, we were hunting outside the city. The road was long, and we had no time to return to the residence and change into formal dress before seeking audience."

Count Aichison coughed.

"Such rudeness is truly a crime."

The count's eldest son nodded lightly.

Behind the desk, the second prince waved a hand.

"The Lassia family believes in the Joranz branch of the Setting Sun Temple, living simply, enduring hardship, practicing plain austerity. How could I not know this? Where would blame come from?"

Thales did not raise his head. He was flipping with relish through a thick Chronicle of the South Coast Lords, the pages stopped at a family genealogy bearing a four-winged giant lizard.

"It was also because my invitation was sent too hastily and urged too urgently... Ah, I had not noticed before. So the Lassia family's history is glorious and its achievements brilliant, tracing all the way back to the founding of Stars?"

The Lassia father and son glanced at each other.

Thales turned to the next page with great interest and unfolded the Lassia family's history.

Six hundred years ago, when the End Sea had not long since formed, the marsh forests south of Jade City were remote and their terrain complex. In addition, the various marsh tribes that took the lizard as their totem resisted stubbornly from advantageous terrain. Thus, royal transformation did not flow smoothly, and government orders were difficult to pass.

At that time, the martial and warlike John the First, Black Eyes, was leading an army north to campaign against Eckstedt. After receiving news of the marshland's disobedience, he refused his subordinates' angry requests to fight. Instead, Black Eyes unexpectedly sent to the unruly marsh a grain-supervision clerk of no reputation, one with no strength even to bind a chicken.

With almost no reinforcements, that clerk carried the king's command and entered deep into the marsh with his four sons.

In the first year, he went and did not return. There was no news from the marsh.

Two years passed before letters came out of the marsh. Each tribe began sending envoys to the royal capital and submitted one after another.

Within five years, the clerk was ennobled and, in the center of the marsh, built a fortress, opened wasteland, established villages, and set up towns.

After ten years, the four greatest tribes in the marsh all declined one after another due to mutual slaughter.

Thirty years later, the marsh population had greatly increased. The people all obeyed the lord's banner, knew the king's might, and spat upon the barbarity and bloodshed of the past.

Only then did the marsh truly and thoroughly become territory of Stars.

Thus even John the First, proud and harsh as he was, laughed loudly before his mistress on the throne and then sighed:

"The marsh giant lizard has no teeth and no claws, yet hidden within it is killing intent!"

In this way, the former grain-supervision clerk, newly ennobled Count of the Marsh, Bodeman Lassia the Giant Lizard, took the four-winged giant lizard as his family crest and the king's golden words, "The marsh giant lizard hides killing intent," as his family motto, establishing his foundation and family in the marsh.

Although over the centuries they had experienced no few storms, suffering grievous losses in the civil war between the Twin Stars, nearly being wiped out as a clan during the Continental War, once waging war back and forth with the lords of Blade Territory, almost losing position and title during the Red King's era, and even being named and scolded by the Wise King as an example of appointing relatives in the famous General Rules for Selecting Officials of the Kingdom, the Lassia family, noble as one of the Thirteen Great Houses and an empowered countly line by royal decree, had at least passed down to today and held a seat among the nineteen stone seats in the Hall of Stars.

"Tsk tsk. Truly impressive. To maneuver freely among multiple lizard clans, balancing and dividing them, and subdue the marsh without spending a single soldier."

Thales sighed.

"If I were Black Eyes, I would simply have sent the Giant Lizard to Eckstedt. Perhaps today, the Crossed Twin Stars flag would be flying over Dragon Clouds City."

"Thank you, Your Highness, for teaching us the rise of our own family."

Count Aichison impatiently interrupted.

"But I suppose Your Highness invited us here this time because of Covend..."

"Although His Highness is generous, I still must say this."

The count's eldest son suddenly spoke, pressing down on Aichison.

"Father, it is all because you insisted on chasing that wild boar that we did not even have time to prepare and change clothes. It was truly rude."

"Er, I was... Fine, fine. Good son, you are the heir. You are right."

Count Aichison yielded awkwardly.

Only then did the count's eldest son nod.

Thales watched from the side, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"See, Your Highness, this is his foul and stubborn temper."

Count Aichison said helplessly:

"Beating or scolding is useless. Oil and salt cannot enter him. He only makes people angry."

Oil and salt cannot enter. Quite something.

Perhaps he has no teeth and no claws either.

Thales had no choice but to begin the topic himself.

"Very well. Then do you know why I invited you here?"

"Please instruct us clearly, Your Highness," the count's eldest son said respectfully.

Fine.

It seemed he had to be the one to waste words.

Thales sighed.

"Some days ago, Zayen was accused at the general selection tournament. Count Aichison, you stepped out from the crowd to support the duke with all your strength and loudly condemned Federico..."

Count Aichison first frowned, but when he heard this, he straightened his chest.

"In the council hall afterward, you first insisted on letting Zayen return power to Emerald Palace, and later supported Hilley as acting ruler..."

The count's eldest son did not change expression.

"I hear that recently, you have also been contacting certain lords who remember their old friendship with Zayen, intending to gather voices and reclaim the South Coast for South Coasters?"

Thales set down the book, frowned, and shook his head.

"This string of actions truly, ah, gives me very little face."

The Lassia father and son looked at each other, their expressions sinking.

But as one of the Thirteen Great Houses, they were not so easily subdued.

"I know what Your Highness intends to do."

Count Aichison's face flushed as he snorted.

"Hmph. I know. Now the whole of Jade City is saying that you and Duke Zayen and his sister have completely fallen out, and were even beaten by the siblings together... It is easy to imagine. Now you either have to put them to death, or slink away in disgrace..."

"But the Lassia family also has our dignity and position."

The count's eldest son spoke in a deep voice, cutting off his father's loose tongue.

Count Aichison snorted and nodded.

"Yes. If Your Highness wants to force us to change allegiance and betray Duke Zayen, that is absolutely impos..."

Thales resisted the urge to touch the wound on his face and interrupted.

"Iris Flower suffers disaster and has fallen so low, yet my lord count remains as loyal as before. It is truly moving."

Count Aichison pouted.

"Of course. The four-winged giant lizard and Iris Flower have had deep friendship for centuries, advancing and retreating together..."

"I am not asking you to change allegiance."

Thales calmly closed the Chronicle of the South Coast Lords.

"I only find certain things strange."

The count and his son both froze.

"Dear Count Aichison, at the general selection venue, you were filled with righteous indignation and lost control in anger."

Thales spoke softly.

"But when I think back, if you had not shouted so loudly as a count by royal decree, perhaps Federico would not have found the opening to continue, and the audience's reaction would not have become so excited."

Count Aichison felt his eyelid jump.

"Later, in the council hall where the city lord was being discussed, you made yourself the first bird to stick its head out and loudly supported Zayen while opposing my rule."

Thales continued.

"Yet because your attitude in opposing the royal family was too clear and too radical, sympathizers hesitated and did not dare speak, while instead it stirred up protests from many opponents..."

Sitting below, the count's eldest son grew even more serious.

"As for now, at this time when I have just been dealt with by Zayen and his sister and am still angry, you are linking together the powers of the South Coast who remain loyal to Zayen and declaring you will take back the South Coast for South Coasters..."

Thales's words grew more aggressive.

"Is this not producing the opposite effect, dragging them out and gathering them into targets for me to strike?"

The prince raised his head, his eyes like sword light.

"Looking at it this way, Lord Aichison..."

He clicked his tongue.

"You are truly only helping Zayen in ways that backfire."

"You..."

Count Aichison's expression changed. Anger surged, but his eldest son pressed him down with one hand.

"The marsh is remote, receiving little of civilization's grace. Father is also dull and blunt, impulsive in conduct, often ruining matters with good intentions and making cleverness clumsy."

The count's eldest son explained in a deep voice.

"In fact, our family has discussed internally, Father, close your mouth, whether to strip him of external speaking authority."

Count Aichison was both shocked and angry. He pointed at his eldest son in disbelief, but his words were shorter in momentum.

"Hey, how can you... how can this sort of thing be said outside..."

"But Father remembers the old duke's grace. Every word and action comes from loyalty to Jade City. I believe Your Highness can understand."

The count's eldest son ended his explanation.

Thales turned and carefully examined this eldest Lassia son, who was usually silent but seemed to be the true holder of the family's power.

"Sorry, I forgot. What is your name?"

The count's eldest son frowned slightly.

"Eddie. Eddie Lassia."

The one who spoke was Count Aichison. He said it unhappily.

"His grandfather named him while alive, out of respect, of course. But afterward, for certain reasons..."

"After the Bloody Year, people rarely called me by my name directly anymore," the count's eldest son explained.

Thales raised an eyebrow in understanding.

"Very well, Eddie."

Aichison and Eddie both frowned.

"Indeed, everything you have done recently, whether expressing your position, speaking for Zayen, condemning Federico, or forming factions to oppose my monopoly on power, appears seamless. It matches your status as important local ministers of the South Coast, is natural and proper, direct and loyal, and does not seem false."

Thales smiled faintly.

"As for every time, every action you take, adding fuel to the fire in outcome and shifting the situation in a direction unfavorable to Zayen, perhaps that is merely coincidence."

At this point, Thales's words shifted.

"But if it is not coincidence, then it becomes very interesting."

The count's eldest son frowned and was about to reply, but Thales did not give him the chance, continuing:

"For example, when I had just arrived in Jade City, a case came to the Judgment Hall involving a dispute over grain tax between a local baron and the farmers of his land. Thanks to Zayen personally appearing, speaking with clever eloquence, and thanks also to the late Judge Brennan handling the matter properly and impartially, more disputes were calmed, and the situation did not expand."

At these words, Count Aichison's expression changed slightly.

"But the matter did not end. My people followed the trail persistently and discovered that someone had secretly set a trap. They did not appear themselves, but had the greedy Grain Merchants' Guild come forward, hire Blood Bottle Gang street thugs, provoke that baron and his farmers, and intensify their conflict until matters grew worse and worse, rising to Emerald Palace and tearing open, bloodily, the contradiction between the new system and old nobles on the land of South Coast Territory."

Thales sneered.

"No matter who arranged the trap, they must understand very well how the finances, taxes, grain, and money between local lords and farmers operate, and even have experienced it personally and felt it deeply, to intensify the contradiction so precisely. But the most impressive part is that they hid behind the scenes and left all connection to the involved parties, even the profit-seeking Grain Merchants' Guild. Not even Zayen and Judge Brennan noticed anything wrong."

If Glover and Ralf had not stumbled into the Blood Bottle Gang's gathering and happened to hear a little internal information, and if the dear prince's attendant officer had not been a compulsive detail maniac who liked chasing people down to take word-by-word notes, then carefully organizing and investigating them, Thales might not have found it either.

Thinking of this, Thales clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"It truly has quite the style of no teeth, no claws, yet hidden killing intent."

Hearing this, Count Aichison could no longer restrain himself. He clenched his teeth.

"If Your Highness continues speaking in such a strange tone..."

"Father!" Eddie interrupted the count at the proper time.

He slowly raised his head and looked straight at Thales.

"Your Highness's accusation is very dangerous."

"There is more."

Thales gently shook his head.

"In order to arbitrate between Zayen and Federico, I had no choice but to read the old case. Back then, during Iris Flower's internal strife, the Lassia family in the marsh found itself caught between sides and could only remain neutral. Only after the old Duke Lenster was unfortunately assassinated and died did the Lassia family choose a side, submit to Zayen as he returned to rule, and insist Sonar Covendier was the mastermind."

In that instant, Count Lassia's expression visibly stiffened.

Thales shook his head, his tone light as if discussing some trivial family matter.

"What came afterward was much simpler. Sonar Covendier, deep in political struggle and pointed at by thousands as the greatest suspect, was sent to the defendant's seat and accused of the grave crime of murdering his elder brother. But before the case could be judged, Sonar left a letter in prison and committed suicide out of fear of guilt."

"That was the actual situation at the time, and the evidence was conclusive."

Compared with his father, Eddie answered in a deep voice, cleverly avoiding the trap in Thales's words.

"The Lassia family only made the most realistic, wisest choice, and the one most beneficial to the stability of the South Coast situation and peace on one side of the kingdom."

Thales nodded.

"So later, when the young Federico sought justice for his father, tried to seize power and rise up in Archsea City, and resisted the new duke, it was also you who first learned of it and notified Emerald Palace, allowing Zayen to send the legion into Archsea City, destroy Viscount Sonar's remnants, and capture Federico..."

"Thus the matter ended there. Jade City and South Coast Territory passed through the chaos of the transition of rule and returned to their former tranquility and peace."

Thales looked sharply toward the father and son.

"Tsk tsk. The Lassia family always stands on the right side at crucial moments, plays its role, and turns the tide. Truly, you are arms and thighs of the kingdom and pillars of the South Coast."

Faced with increasingly obvious sarcasm, Count Aichison was so angry he clenched both fists, but his son firmly pressed his wrist, so he said nothing.

"Only, perhaps you did not expect that over these years, apart from Federico, who fled outside, there was one other person in Jade City who remained brooding over the old events and could not dispel his doubts."

Thales's expression dimmed.

"Yes. The judge of the old duke's murder case, Grand Judge Brennan, who unfortunately passed away some days ago."

At these words, the count and his son both changed expression.

Thales pulled open a drawer and unhurriedly took out letter after letter, notebook after notebook, spreading them in order across the table.

"That unfinished case became a knot in Brennan's heart that he could not put down for many years, written in his letters and diaries. Even though the victim was the old duke, with whom he had a deep friendship; even though the defendant who killed himself was Sonar, the political enemy he hated most; even though closing the case like this was the most realistic and wisest choice, the choice most beneficial to the stability of the South Coast situation."

"Brennan? That old fellow, hmph."

Count Aichison looked at the table full of letters and snorted coldly.

"What normal person writes a damned diary?"

Thales shook his head.

"And so Brennan investigated tirelessly for many years. The Iris Flower internal strife of that year involved many parties and different powers. Only one family claimed neutrality, but it was merely putting on a posture."

Count Aichison was about to speak again, but his eldest son slowly shook his head.

So Thales laughed softly and continued:

"In fact, they had long ago formed an alliance with Viscount Sonar, helping him stand against old Duke Lenster. They encouraged old nobles to squeeze out new nobles, oppressed merchants and handicraft workers, opposed the new systems and businesses, incited farmers to become dissatisfied and resist superiors, and even secretly spread rumors that the old duke was muddled and had lost his mind, superstitious toward witchcraft and unable to govern."

"Your Highness..."

This time, even without the son's calming, Thales himself did not allow the count to interrupt. Determined to finish in one breath, he continued:

"But the old duke's death was unexpected. That family felt things were bad and feared being stained by suspicion, so they immediately took a public position and turned toward Zayen.

"In the Judgment Hall that year, before everyone's eyes, it was the head of that family who first stood out and accused Viscount Sonar of murdering his own elder brother, forcing hot-tempered Sonar into fury and causing him to lose control and knock out two of the other party's teeth. This made the trial impossible to continue and also made people feel that Sonar, furious from guilt, had confirmed his suspicion, while that count was righteous, innocent, and blameless.

"Brennan later guessed that this was only a play. That count had likely made a deal with Viscount Sonar. The latter would create a disturbance in court and delay the trial, buying time to shoulder the guilt and commit suicide, while the former would fulfill his promise and deal with Sonar's affairs after death. Federico later fortunately stealing a life on the open sea and taking refuge in the Nation of Night probably came from this."

At this point, Thales did not look at the two men's faces. He only closed his eyes and sighed.

"That's right. These days, I have been guessing all along: Federico dared return after many years to take revenge and overthrow power in Jade City, which Zayen had managed until not a drop could leak. He was definitely not isolated and without aid. He must have an inside helper here."

Thales opened his eyes and looked at the count, who was trembling with gritted teeth, and the count's eldest son, whose expression was cold.

"But I kept guessing the wrong candidate."

Not Hilley.

Nor the kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department.

"Because his ally hid too deeply in all of this, too tightly, too innocently, too unrelated, too harmless to man or beast. And the things they did were not eye-catching in the slightest."

Thales lifted the thick Chronicle of the South Coast Lords and carefully wiped its old cover.

"Just like the historical subduing of the marsh, the role, attitude, and position of the four-winged giant lizard absolutely cannot be judged by appearances alone."

He looked at the two of them with interest.

"No claws, no teeth, yet hidden killing intent."

The descendants of the four-winged giant lizard, Count Lassia and Eddie, did not speak. The latter firmly pressed his father's shoulder.

"Wait."

Thales seemed to think of something and blurted it out jokingly.

"You would not, by coincidence, be the killers who murdered the old duke back then, would you?"

Still feeling it was not enough, he smiled and continued asking:

"No way, right? Surely not?"

The study was very quiet.

No one answered him.

At this moment, compared with Count Aichison's burning anger and near loss of control, Eddie himself was silent and calm.

Only the eyes staring at Thales were deep and complicated.

"Heh heh. Don't be angry."

Several seconds later, having tested enough, Thales finally burst into a dry laugh and awkwardly took the book back.

"I was joking."

"Kasha Karabeyan of Walla Territory."

"Qina Karabeyan of the Twin-Tower Longsword family."

The two young ladies, hair coiled, makeup applied, and dressed in solemn formal attire, one in purple and one in yellow, came to Thales's, or more precisely, Zayen's, study.

"Paying respects to the new acting city lord of Jade City..."

"And chief regent of the South Coast..."

Kasha and Qina wore serious expressions and deeply bent their knees, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if carved from the same mold.

"The honored and wise His Highness Thales!"

Their formal etiquette and posture made Thales rather unused to it.

It seemed a change in status could make even the demon twins act contrary to their nature.

Thinking this, the young man frowned lightly and waved for the attendants to leave.

"Enough. No need for excessive ceremony. Sit."

Only then did the two count's daughters respectfully rise and sit with dignified bearing.

But it was not only this. They simultaneously opened two luxurious and exquisite folding fans. On the fan faces were neat, solemn ancient imperial characters. One read, "The Prince Governs, His Name Passed Through the Ages," while the other read, "The Heir Rules the Age, Grace Upon All People."

Thales's expression darkened.

Fine. Some things would not change.

"Well, actually, I called you here today..."

Kasha's expression turned solemn.

"Of course. Jade City is currently trapped in mire. This concerns all South Coast Territory and moves the kingdom's great policy. How could we not know?"

Qina nodded, her gaze sharp.

"His Highness worries over it all day, cannot sleep or eat in peace, and burns with urgency. As subjects, how could we not understand?"

Thales froze for a moment.

Strange...

The Karabeyan sisters looked at each other, seeming to reach some consensus, and nodded hard.

"Although Karabeyan is low in rank and weak in clan strength, a cup of water before a cart of firewood..."

"Although the two of us are young in years, shallow and incompetent..."

The two sisters' tones were firm and resolute.

"We are duty-bound..."

"And will throw ourselves forward without regard for safety..."

"Whether ahead lies a mountain of blades and a sea of fire..."

"Or a thousand armies and ten thousand horses..."

"The boundless Prison River..."

"Or the wedding hall..."

The two young ladies flipped their fans together. One read, "Reverse Heaven and Earth," and the other, "Turn Back the Raging Tide." They spoke in one voice:

"We are willing to brave boiling water and burning fire for His Highness Thales!"

The study quieted.

Wrong.

Thales looked at Kasha and Qina's passionate, resolute posture and frowned hard.

Strange.

He stared fixedly at these two young ladies from great families, so proper that even Madam Valencia could not pick out a fault.

Although the two were still as perfectly coordinated as ever, each saying half a sentence...

He still felt...

Something was missing.

Yet the two Karabeyan ladies had appropriate makeup, dignified posture, eyes straight ahead, and calmly and openly endured the prince's suspicious appraisal.

Hm?

Thales suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

"Don't be nervous. Mira is not here."

Thales coughed.

"She has another important duty."

The moment these words fell, the sisters' eyes brightened.

They looked at each other, exhaled together, and snapped their fans shut.

"Ah, you should have said so earlier. Saves us stuffing in so many protective pads..."

"It made people not even dare eat much for breakfast..."

"This posture is strangling me..."

"Should have changed into boots easier to walk in..."

"Ai, without my little whip, it just feels wrong..."

"And my cute iron-nailed boots..."

The demon twins of Walla Territory, one rubbing her waist and the other pounding her calf, had exaggerated expressions and casual movements, no longer carrying that pretentious feeling from before.

Thales coughed again.

"Well..."

But before he could finish, Kasha immediately raised her head and smiled like a flower.

"Oh, my beloved Highness!"

Qina raised her brows and clicked her tongue again and again.

"Ah, my charming prince!"

Thales narrowed his eyes, nodded, bent his elbow, propped up his head, and waited.

I knew it...

Something had been missing.

"In an age battered by wind and rain, he sits alone on the throne of leadership..."

"Forgetting food and sleep, exhausting his mind, protecting everyone's welfare..."

Kasha and Qina went back and forth, full of feeling.

"Only forgetting his own lifelong matter, his personal happiness..."

"So admirable, and yet so lovable..."

"Making us think of him day and night. How could we forget?"

The two young ladies' eyes were sorrowful, their voices desolate.

"Only silently accompanying him!"

"Following him unto death!"

"Even if yin and yang separate us..."

"I will never forget in this life!"

Seeing this, Thales rubbed his chin and sighed long.

That's right. This is the flavor.

These are the demon twins he knows.

Amid the sisters' prolonged harmony, Thales coughed and forcibly interrupted:

"Very good. I guess you already know what happened... Mm, no need to be strange about the injury on my face..."

Unsurprisingly, he was interrupted again.

"Oh my, my poor darling, this world is too hard and too bad..."

"Before him are strange people and wicked women who steal away his majesty."

"Behind him are rumors upon rumors that leave him deeply harmed."

"His heart's blood and toil earn only wounds across his body."

"The famous city of old has become desolate and broken."

Kasha danced in place, acting heartbroken and on the verge of collapse, while Qina timely took out blood-red petals and scattered them across the air.

"Yet he still wholeheartedly strives upward, struggling with all his might..."

"If this is the price that wise rule must pay..."

"Then may the Setting Sun grant him a virtuous helper, clever as ice and snow..."

"To let the hardworking boy, sorrowful all day, smile once more!"

The two sisters swiftly closed their old fans and opened new fans from who knew where. On them were similarly beautiful cursive imperial characters. The left read, "This Body May Be Given to the State," and the right, "And Also to You," displayed before Thales.

Thales sighed and forced himself to continue.

"Therefore, in the current Jade City, there is a small group of people, led by Zayen's sister, who oppose my rule, cause me trouble, and hold me back..."

But Kasha and Qina seemed still immersed in their two-person little theater, arguing with tearful eyes.

"Wait, sister, which virtuous helper did you just mean?"

"Which do you think?"

"Do you really want me to say?"

"Fine, sister. Then two?"

"Two!"

"Hmph!"

"Tch!"

Thump, thump, thump!

"And I have had enough!"

Kasha and Qina both changed color.

Thales impatiently knocked the desk and raised his voice to interrupt their terrifying stacked chanting.

"It is time to strike decisively, solve the problem, and let Jade City return to normal. Do you support me?"

The two young ladies swiftly leaned together, flipped their fans to the reverse sides, "The body follows the prince" and "The heart is given to His Highness," covering their lips as they whispered to each other.

"Tsk tsk, sister, he actually asked whether we support him..."

"Of course we support him!"

"How can vassals not support a prince?"

"How can mistresses not support their lover?"

"Sister, is that word used like this?"

"Cough, cough, the usage is wrong, but the content is right..."

"Ah, sister, he is still secretly looking at us... So shy..."

"Trust me, sister. Do not be shy. This matter depends on who is more shameless..."

Thales had no choice but to cough loudly again, pulling them out of the little air partition of their two-person theater.

Thus the two young ladies turned back solemnly, one with a domineering gaze, the other bashful beyond measure.

"Heavens, Your Highness, you actually still need to ask such a question..."

"Clearly, we are usually not close enough..."

"Then let you know..."

Kasha and Qina, one left and one right, flung out their sleeves, their voices crying blood.

"For love, we have no regrets, and will not change until death!"

"Hmph, let that monster ugly woman Hilley die!"

"Jadestar must win!"

"His Highness is the handsomest!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Thales endured the awkwardness and supported them with all his might, clapping hard.

"Good. Very good, very good."

His Highness the Prince wore an expression that was not only solemnly serious but perhaps also performative and perfunctory, and said half true, half false:

"Then why don't we begin with you Karabeyans?"

The study was quiet for an instant.

But very quickly, Kasha's expression changed greatly. Her face lost color, and she exaggeratedly covered her cheeks.

"What?"

Qina was incomparably coordinated. She likewise pulled back, cupped her hands, and spoke tremblingly.

"What?"

"You want to begin with us?"

"He wants to make a move on us!"

The two sisters looked at each other, excitement mixed with surprise.

"You are finally going to make a move on us sisters?"

"He is finally going to make a move on us sisters!"

"Ai-ya..."

"Ai-yo..."

The two nodded and swayed left and right in unison, crying out excitedly:

"We are so looking forward to it!"

Bang!

"Enough! Enough!"

Thales slammed a fist onto the desk, hurting himself while roaring hoarsely:

"Stop doing this act with me!"

"Yes, yes, stop doing the full set..."

"Less foreplay, start directly..."

"We will certainly make Your Highness feel good and have enough..."

"Who starts first? Top or bottom? Inside or outside? Gentle or rough?"

A deep furrow visibly twisted between Thales's brows.

But the Sin of Hell's River rose, helping him build thick skin and desperately resist the opponents' terrifying and shameless song-and-dance diversion attack.

"It is because of Kohen, right?"

Thales rubbed the side of his forehead and gritted his teeth.

"Because of him, you had no choice but to do this."

The Karabeyan sisters were startled and hurriedly covered their mouths in grievance.

"Of course not!"

"We are willing!"

But the topic again drifted farther and farther.

"It was not because of elder brother's official future that we were forced to cater to his superior and offer ourselves to His Highness!"

"For the family, losing ourselves to an overbearing prince and signing a shameful, intimate, restless unequal contract!"

Kasha blinked.

"Delicately receiving grace, powerless to resist..."

Qina's eyes were full of expectation.

"Yet ultimately melting the icy prince's heart..."

"Then taking over his kingdom after his unfortunate death..."

"And becoming a generation's iron-blooded queen!"

"Shh! He does not need to know that part..."

"Cough, cough, right... Eh, sister, but theaters nowadays do not favor this kind of plot..."

"I know, but doesn't it sound more exciting?"

"The overbearing prince part or the iron-blooded queen part?"

"Both!"

"Eeh, your thoughts are so dirty..."

"But everyone likes it!"

Thales slowly exhaled. Beginning to grow used to their speaking style, he automatically ignored the meaningless banter and went straight to the subject.

"Actually, I can understand."

Amid the two's unstoppable chirping, Thales spoke in a deep voice:

"That fool Kohen, out of righteousness or stupidity, was kept in the dark and charged into Renaissance Palace with me, angering His Majesty."

Or rather, His Majesty needed to be angered by this matter.

The sisters' chirping instantly vanished.

Through the Hell's senses, Thales clearly saw Kasha and Qina's breathing halt together.

But in the next second, the two sisters changed faces again.

"Heavens, he really is using silly elder brother to threaten us!" Kasha looked shocked and panicked.

"Here it comes, here it comes. The tragic heroine, sold out by father and brother, must sell herself to save her family and become entangled with an evil, wild prince..." Qina looked expectant and pleasantly surprised.

Their emotions were full, their changes natural, seamless.

But Thales had long since stopped falling for this act.

"Kohen is, after all, the heir of Twin-Tower Longsword. This puts the Karabeyan family in danger. And with my father's character, he will not let this point go."

Nor will he let go of the chance to use it.

Thales propped up both hands.

"Therefore, as apology and compensation, the king required you to cooperate fully in this Jade City coup. For example, standing by when Zayen lost power, even nodding tacitly and pushing the waves along."

Thales's gaze was like a blade as he glanced at the sisters.

"So you, the two of you, replaced Count Turami Karabeyan and came to Jade City to witness this seizure of power."

Kasha and Qina both froze for one second.

The two put away their exaggerated movements, swiftly leaned together, and acted as though they were huddling and shivering for warmth in winter.

"Ai-yaya!"

"He suddenly became so scary."

"So tasty..."

"And so scary?"

Thales laughed coldly.

"But to be honest, Jade City changing hands under the pressure of royal power is not something you like, and it does not fit Twin-Tower Longsword's interests. So you were dispirited and passive in handling matters. This much is understandable."

In the next second, Thales abruptly raised his head, his gaze pressing straight at the sisters.

"Until I discovered that what you Karabeyans have been doing these days is actually far, far more than this."

The Karabeyan sisters both trembled.

"Eee-yaya!"

"His appearance suddenly became shrewd and capable!"

"Shrewd..."

"And capable?"

"Capable of what?"

"What can he do?"

Bang!

Thales slapped the table with a cold face.

"That hurts to death," the blank-faced little Thales in his mind said.

He stopped their contentless but purposeful conversation.

"You two, from the first day you came to Jade City, seemed utterly incompatible with Hilley Covendier..."

The sisters' chattering defenses sounded at the proper time.

"Because we truly are incompatible!"

"With her, not me..."

"With me, not her!"

"Unless Your Highness speaks first?"

Thales was not disturbed and focused entirely on the topic.

"You seemed focused on food, drink, and amusements, indifferent to politics..."

"Because Jade City truly is delicious and fun!"

"Otherwise, why would we come?"

"Did you think we were iron man-women?"

"What is interesting about men's affairs?"

Thales gritted his teeth, constantly recalling the chaotic Jade City of these days.

"You also seemed to covet and admire me, flattering me in every way..."

"Because we truly admire you..."

"And truly covet you..."

"Wishing to flatter you and then eat you in one bite!"

"Eat you, eat you, eat you clean!"

Thump!

Thales struck Zayen's desk again.

"And after the general selection tournament incident, you stood out to support me, supported me as acting city lord and regent of Emerald Palace..."

"Of course we support you!"

"Should we support that cheap, ugly monster Hilley?"

"The young man will become king in the end!"

"We must be queens!"

"And then inherit the king's legacy. Oops, slipped again..."

Thales took a deep breath.

"Even when seeking audience just now, you behaved loyally and obediently..."

"I don't want to be like this either! Who wants to be so humble before the person she loves..."

"Although we are girls, we also have dignity and must be reserved!"

"But if we do not act like this, how are we supposed to catch you..."

"If we do not act like this... you are unwilling even to look directly at us. What can we do? Wuwu..."

Thales slowly grasped the trick. Amid the two's attention-grabbing exaggerated performance, he cleared his thoughts and spoke calmly.

"But behind the scenes, you have always hinted, tacitly allowed, and indulged your vassals and cooperating partners to secretly resist my various governing affairs after I took over Emerald Palace, obeying in public and defying in private."

Thales's eyes turned cold.

"You formed an alliance with Zayen, acted against me, and defied the royal command."

At that moment, the two young ladies who had been chirping like orioles fell silent together.

But they glanced at each other, then spoke one after another, clever and pitiful.

"Scared! What His Highness says is too complicated..."

"We are only two innocent young girls..."

"We do not understand anything, do not know anything..."

"We only wholeheartedly want to marry a good man, good husband, good gentleman..."

"So we can inherit his estate... pfft, pfft!"

"We mean, take care of his life!"

"Let him focus on great matters, establish achievements, and become a proper man!"

After speaking, the two looked at Thales with faces full of admiration.

But Thales had already found the key point. He discovered that the subject of the sisters' banter had begun to tilt toward his direction.

"Your father, Count Turami, is the ruler of Walla Territory. That is correct."

Thales leaned back.

"But in fact, long ago, he handed many affairs, taxes, legal matters, industry and commerce, production... especially all kinds of businesses that bring money and increase income, businesses incompatible with old-style castles and manors yet closely related to new commerce and trade, over to the two of you, Kasha and Qina Karabeyan, to manage personally."

Thales narrowed his eyes.

"That's right. From some unknown time onward, you, the demon twins of the Karabeyan family, have been the true managers and holders of power in many affairs of Walla Territory."

Kasha and Qina looked at Thales behind the desk, who seemed confident and at ease. The smiles on their faces gradually solidified.

"And as one of the three great pillars of the South Coast, the Karabeyan family is also an indispensable part of Jade City's expansion and development. Your disciples, old officials, capital, and businesses spread throughout the city and even the whole territory. Grain, textiles, building materials... A considerable portion of these industries and businesses, which involve fundamental livelihood and even strategic resources, fall under the Karabeyan family or cooperate with Twin-Tower Longsword."

Even a rebellious son of the family who ran away from home like Kohen could be given at least two hundred fifty gold coins in pocket money.

Thales shook his head.

"Putting aside other things, in the citywide panic after this Jade City coup, the firms and shops responding most happily all have countless ties to you, or at least to the businesses under you."

Kasha closed her fan and once again resumed a dignified and solemn sitting posture.

Qina gave a cold laugh and moved her neck left and right.

Just as expected.

"At the Feast of Battles, the formal clothes your merchants' association custom-made for my guards for free were not an accident, nor were they for publicity."

Thales spoke unhurriedly.

"Through these businesses of food, clothing, and daily needs, and by means of sponsorship, you approached my people early and learned my background clearly, including how much wealth I had, how broad my connections were, what my subordinates were like, how many resources I possessed, how I handled crises and problems, and exactly what support and assistance I could obtain from Eternal Star City."

Thales raised his cold gaze.

"That is why after Zayen was forced down, his countermeasures appeared so smooth, efficient, and beautiful. Finance, taxation, markets, public security, commerce, officials, the army... It seemed someone clearly knew where my weaknesses and insufficiencies lay, so every blow fell precisely on the sore points where I was stretched thin."

Kasha and Qina had not spoken for a long time.

"Because from the general selection tournament onward, the chess player sitting opposite me, gripping Jade City tightly with both hands and not letting me touch even the slightest bit..."

Thales slowly raised his finger, pointing at one person, then the other.

"Changed from Zayen to you."

"Kasha Karabeyan. Qina Karabeyan."

The two people he pointed at did not answer.

They only focused their breathing and calmly looked levelly at Thales.

As though waiting for a painter to paint them.

"Tell me. Since Emerald Palace changed hands, why has maritime trade fallen day by day? Why have markets been in constant disorder? Why has confidence in each resource industry suffered setbacks? Why are the great nobles and powerful people panicked? Why have the offices become dispirited? Why are rumors spreading through the streets? Even..."

The prince leaned forward and narrowed his eyes.

"That strange great fire some days ago, which made countless departments frantic and made me lose all face, what relationship does it have with you?"

"The demon twins of Walla Territory, of the Karabeyan family?"

The study was extremely quiet. A falling needle could be heard.

Until Kasha and Qina slowly turned their heads and looked at each other.

Qina smiled faintly.

"How annoying, sister. He used that nickname for us again."

Kasha covered her mouth and shook her head.

"Though it is not exactly wrong..."

"Ah, sister, how can you say that..."

Thales exhaled and waited for them to finish this act.

Clang!

Kasha coldly struck the chair arm with her fan, startling Thales, who had just closed his eyes, into raising his head hurriedly.

"Because he has already walked before us."

Hearing this, Qina's expression changed as well.

Kasha slowly turned her head and stared fiercely at Thales behind the desk.

"This little brat with a good father, who always thinks he is very handsome..."

Qina took over her sister's words extremely quickly and sneered again and again.

"Who treats our admiration and pursuit as natural and proper..."

"Who seems annoyed, pained, impatient, wishing he could hurry and escape..."

"But in truth is very proud, enjoys it very much, is very happy, and can't wait to show off to everyone that girls want to throw themselves at him."

Kasha and Qina narrowed their eyes, clicked their tongues, and shook their heads together, their language crude.

"He finally damn well understands."

"I waited so damned long my pen was about to dry."

Thales's brow jumped.

Hm?

At this moment, the two Karabeyan ladies' smiles remained as before.

But in those two pairs of crescent-shaped brows and eyes, Thales saw several traces of coldness and dead silence.

Enough to chill the heart.

In the ominous silence, the two girls moved their arms and waists, coldly drawing out two deep black new folding fans.

The fan bones were hard, ringing crisply.

On the opened fan faces, pointed toward Thales, were simple drawn portraits of Kasha and Qina looking fierce, even carrying little fangs, as well as two short phrases full of South Coast slang, one after another:

"Go bite your own tail."

"Eat shit!"