Chapter 773: Rift (Revised)

"My appearance is improper. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

In Hilley's sitting room, Miranda sat in a chair, exhausted, and tossed a bloodstained towel into the copper basin on the floor, letting the hot water ripple in dark red rings.

The northern swordswoman wore only a marching underlayer and loosely draped over herself an obviously ill-fitting summer jacket from the Royal Guards. Her abdomen, shoulder, arm, and even the knee and calf exposed by a cut-open trouser leg were almost entirely wrapped in bandages. The smell of medicine was heavy.

The tea table was piled with disordered medicine bottles and bandages. At her feet lay removed armor and weapons.

When two maids tidied the dishes and left, they silently exchanged a hidden and mocking mouth shape:

"Northerner."

Thales saw it. He only frowned and said nothing.

"You are wrapping wounds, changing medicine, eating, drinking, and handling everything here, and they have no objection?"

He picked up a leather bracer from the floor, looked at the crack on it, and glanced toward the inner bedroom:

Beside the large bed behind gauze curtains, a Covendier family reunion was taking place. Zayen and Federico, one seated and one standing, were silent. Butler Ashford, steady-faced, stood nearby and quietly reported the lady's condition.

Through the gauze curtains, Thales faintly saw Hilley lying on the bed, her eyes wrapped in bandages, unconscious.

"Of course they object."

Miranda yawned and jerked her chin toward Hilley's bedroom. "Butler Ashford has already reminded me three times that they actually have spare guest rooms, dressing rooms, rest rooms, and washrooms."

"Then why are you still..."

"I told him that His Highness the Prince's exact words to me were: do not leave her side."

Thales froze.

"Did I say that?"

"Say what?"

"Uh, do not leave her side?"

"Did you not just say it?"

Thales was briefly speechless.

"And none of them have seen that assassin." Miranda's expression sank, her gaze falling on Eagle Soar beside the chair. "None of them have faced that reverse-curved saber."

"So I must stay here and not leave her side."

Thales looked at her expression and frowned.

"Sir Cassian is guarding outside the door. Cecil and the Jade Legion can also..."

"If the enemy could get into the tunnels, that means Jade City's people are no longer reliable," Miranda said coldly. "Here, there must be someone of yours."

Jade City...

No longer reliable...

Thales sighed softly in his heart.

"Right, D.D. woke up. He did not die, and did not become a vampire."

Miranda was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Then Glover would not need to pound the wall in resentment anymore until his knuckles bled.

"That is good. You must know, losing personnel from the Royal Guards is a major matter."

Losing personnel.

Thales did not think about the term. He only shook the bracer he had picked up.

"And you? How is your side?"

"As you can see, she has not awakened."

Miranda lowered her voice and glanced at the bedroom. "The doctors have come several times and are very confused about her illness or injury, but Butler Ashford is not surprised at all. Too calm. As for the Duke of the South Bank, he... I have never seen him like this."

Thales turned toward the bedroom.

Zayen's face was ashen and withered. He only guarded the bedside numbly, like an empty shell supported by will.

Fed stood to one side, staring fixedly at his cousin, countless calculations seemingly in his chest.

"Honestly, if he collapses now because of his health, that would not be a good thing," Miranda added.

But...

"But I was asking about you, Mira." The prince raised the leather bracer, pointed at its wounds, and said seriously, "Are you all right?"

Miranda froze for a moment, then reacted. She instinctively pressed the bandage over her abdomen and forced a smile.

"Of course."

Not dead.

Still breathing.

As for pain, if she forced herself up and swung the sword a few times, it was not impossible.

Thales looked at Mira, covered in wounds and exhausted, and pressed his lips together.

Not everyone could escape death under a Supreme-class assassin and remain completely unaffected.

"I know you blame yourself somewhat over Hilley's matter, but you are human too. You need rest..."

"She is not suitable for you."

The words came too quickly, and Thales froze.

"Hilley is not a good candidate for princess consort, much less queen. Whether personality, experience, preferences, identity, the storms she is caught in, or the secrets hidden on her body," Miranda stared at the bedroom curtain with a complex expression, covered her abdomen, and shook her head to change the subject. "That girl is unsuitable in every way."

Not a good candidate?

"Since when..."

Thales, reacting, raised an eyebrow and snorted helplessly. "Did you become the royal family's marriage adviser?"

"Probably from the moment I received that breeding... no, marriage letter." Miranda's gaze was sharp, and the words she said made Thales extremely awkward. "A terrible marriage destroys two people. A terrible royal marriage destroys countless people."

Destroys two people.

Destroys countless people.

That was not wrong.

But when applied to him...

Thales's expression changed slightly.

"Uh, thank you, Mira. I will remember your professional, effective, experienced, substantial, and not-at-all unnecessary marriage counseling..."

"If you truly pity that girl's situation and want to be worthy of her trust in you," Miranda looked at the black gloves on her hands and interrupted his sharp words without hesitation, "then you will agree: Hilley should not become a bargaining chip and a tool. She should not waste away in the mire like us."

The way she said it made that girl sound so pure and innocent.

Thales was about to retort when he suddenly noticed a detail.

"Wait. What did you call her?"

"Hilley. What of it?"

Hilley.

Hilley, huh.

The prince narrowed his eyes.

"You two... are good friends now?"

"Not to that extent."

The swordswoman looked him up and down meaningfully, rubbed her gloves without caring, and said, "We only shared the same blind-date candidate once, and privately disliked him together."

The smile at the corner of Thales's mouth stiffened.

"Then, cough, in short, Mira, you did well..."

Except for the privately part.

The prince scratched his head and said sheepishly, "I will speak with Tor and have him arrange someone to replace you on watch..."

"Not yet. It is not time."

Miranda's expression turned solemn, and she said in a low voice, "The pair of 'eyes' she gave me in the tunnel failed a few hours ago. I can no longer see the things I 'cannot see.'"

Thales's expression changed.

"Then are you not..."

"But Reverse Blade does not know that yet. If I stay here, at least I still have deterrent effect."

But only deterrence remained.

Thales looked at the pale swordswoman before him. It did not show on his face, but he sighed in his heart.

No, in many cases, perhaps deterrence was enough.

The voice in his heart thought:

After all, in most conflicts in this world, only a minority truly make people tear off the mask and clash with real swords and spears.

More often, problems are solved by using the fear, cowardice, retreat, and compromise brought by deterrence.

"Regarding what you experienced in the tunnels, and Hilley's 'eyes,' you have not told anyone else, have you?" Thales asked cautiously.

"No. Whether Ashford, doctors, servants, or anyone else tried to draw it out of me, I pretended to be in pain, then took apart the bandages and changed medicine, forcing them to leave."

Thales glanced helplessly at her.

Miranda was unaware and only cautiously glanced at the bedroom. "Only Wya. I mean the Wya Caso who has followed you since Dragon Clouds City. He would not let it go. He cared a great deal about Reverse Blade's skills, about how I survived, and even more about what Miss Covendier encountered."

Wya...

Thales could not help frowning.

"I will worry about Wya. Your current job is still..."

"To stay at Lady Covendier's side and protect her."

Thales looked at the bandages covering her and wanted to speak but stopped. In the end, he could only sigh.

"Yes."

"But who will protect you?" Miranda suddenly asked.

Thales froze, then smiled at the words.

"Do not worry. I will be fine. Reverse Blade will not touch me."

And Mallos would certainly make arrangements...

"Relying on the Terrifying Blade's arrangements?"

Miranda gave a soft scoff, interrupting his confidence. "Or relying on your identity? Relying on the fact that you knew that assassin before? Forget it. Do not tell me. I do not want to be silenced by the legendary royal assassin."

Royal assassin.

Thales's heart tightened.

"On power and the situation," the Second Prince said in a low voice. "On my position in this chess game."

In the Jade City of this moment, whether Hilley, Zayen, or Federico, no matter which of the three Covendiers had an accident, this rotten mess would become harder to clean up.

But if Thales had an accident...

The voice in his heart sighed:

Then this mess could not be cleaned up at all.

"Then it is even worse."

Miranda continued.

"That means the threat you face is not merely Reverse Blade," her expression was gloomy, "but something more terrifying and harder to handle than Reverse Blade. Are you prepared?"

Something more terrifying than Reverse Blade...

Thales thought of the deputy chief priest leading a group to force the palace in a little while, and his mood grew heavy. But he said nothing, only shook the battered old bracer in his hand.

"Rest well."

He turned toward the bedroom.

"When my father betrayed the kingdom and rebelled..."

The troubled Thales stopped.

"I mean, when news came that the Guardian Duke of the North had met with trouble, I was very... I was depressed for many days."

The female heir of Arunde sighed. "Tell me, for such a major matter, how could he not inform me beforehand?"

Thales looked at the two Covendiers silently confronting each other in the bedroom opposite, who had still not spoken a word, and unconsciously weighed the bone ring, Kortaksa, in his pocket.

"Perhaps... perhaps Duke Val wanted to protect you," he said carefully.

"Protect, or ignore?"

Miranda scoffed. "You know, if he had failed, I could at least have helped him raise a rebel army in the North, even occupied Cold Castle, or simply defected to Eckstedt..."

Perhaps this was exactly why your father did not tell you?

Thales muttered inwardly.

"Right, and then your father would be beheaded in the royal capital," the prince teased. "Then the whole North would honor you as Queen in the North, called the Young Eagle Lady. You would lead troops out to demand justice, win every battle, until you were stopped beside a great river, fell in love with someone you should not love, and ultimately were betrayed by your own people and died at a lively wedding..."

"He did not trust me."

Miranda interrupted his epic story, her tone icy.

"My father neither believed I could understand him nor believed I would support him," Miranda's words made Thales's heart tighten. "He did not trust his only child."

Or perhaps, long ago, he had already decided that he no longer had an heir.

"In the end, as a father, he did not believe his child had become strong enough to protect herself and stand alone."

Miranda slowly raised her head, looked at the tricolor iris hanging flag on the wall, then at Thales's back.

"That is why I had to leave Cold Castle, and even leave Broken Dragon Fortress, even leave the North."

Thales had his back to her, expressionless.

"Not to make him believe."

Miranda's gaze burned.

"But to become strong enough."

Thales said nothing.

He only tossed Miranda's leather bracer back to her and, without turning his head, walked toward the bedroom.

Only the swordswoman remained seated in the chair, looking at the prince's back as he left, holding the bracer, thoughtful:

Young Eagle Lady...

Was it?

Zayen Covendier sat before Hilley's bed.

He had been keeping watch for a long time. His splendid coat was casually draped over the back of a chair, his hair was messy, his eyes were full of bloodshot veins, and his entire person looked as though he had aged several years overnight.

"You actually did not start fighting again."

Thales glanced at Zayen, then at Fed, trying to sound calm and detached. "Honestly, I am somewhat disappointed."

Neither Zayen nor Federico answered.

The Duke of the South Bank looked motionlessly at his sister on the bed, like a stone carving.

His cousin, the appointed Viscount of Seaward City, folded his arms tightly and stared fixedly at Zayen.

Butler Ashford bowed and stepped back, quietly leaving the bedroom.

"How is she?"

Thales walked to the bedside, glanced at Hilley, and frowned tightly.

The girl of the Covendier family lay under the covers, still blindfolded by bandages, her lips almost bloodless.

Looking at her now, Thales suddenly missed that street magician Wyana, who was flexible and changeable, yet firm of mind, pretending to be mysterious in a way that made one unsure whether to laugh or cry.

According to Mira, Hilley was merely exhausted and weak, and there was also some price paid, probably for her mysterious power, but...

Thales gently clenched his fist.

She would be all right, wouldn't she?

"As you can see," the withered Zayen slowly spoke, his voice hoarse like rusted machinery. "And thanks to you."

Federico seemed to want to say something, but ultimately shook his head and closed his mouth.

The air was so quiet it nearly congealed.

Thales, with nothing to say in response, sighed.

"Regarding Hilley's matter, I have already ordered the news sealed."

How ironic.

He could not help thinking.

Not long ago, Zayen had been sitting in his position like this, issuing the exact same order:

Seal the news.

Clearly at that time, Thales had deeply disdained it.

"Only now, we must face..."

"This should not have happened to her."

Zayen suddenly spoke, interrupting Thales.

His bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the bed.

"All of this. She should not have been dragged in."

If the situation had not deteriorated to this point.

"Should not have."

Zayen spoke faintly, as if drifting outside the conversation.

Thales and Federico looked at each other and frowned.

"You are right," the prince sighed. "This is my fault. At least, thanks to me."

Or thanks to his position.

Zayen gave an unclear hum of laughter.

"I am sorry, cousin."

Federico suddenly spoke.

His voice was somewhat tight, but he tried his utmost to steady it.

"But I swear, at least this time with Hilley... it was not me."

Thales looked toward Federico.

Fed taking the initiative to apologize to Zayen was...

Uncommon.

Only this apology, the voice in his heart raised the question at the right time, how much sincere feeling did it contain, and how much present expedience?

Zayen slowly raised his head, his eyes dead.

"Reason tells me that what you say may be true, Fed"

The duke's words let Federico release a breath, but the second half made him frown again.

"But emotion tells me that I should push you off the balcony right now."

Federico calmly glanced at the balcony opposite.

"Zayen..."

"You too, little brat." Thales had barely begun when Zayen interrupted him. The latter stared at him coldly. "You too."

The prince had nothing to say.

Fortunately, after Zayen spoke, he tiredly lowered his head again.

"But it does not matter. I no longer care."

Looking at Zayen like this, Thales's heart inexplicably tightened.

"I admit, I thought of using her to restrain you and pressure you," Fed looked at Hilley, unconscious on the bed, and clenched his teeth. "But at most that would have been scheme and method, not in... this way."

Zayen laughed coldly.

"What way?"

Fed took a deep breath.

"Listen, if I were the one making the decision, I at least would not..."

"You cannot decide anything."

Zayen coldly interrupted him. "In their eyes, you are only a puppet, a chess piece. Your greatest use and best end is to become a replaceable spare part for the Duke of the South Bank, or perhaps a counterfeit."

He deliberately slowed his words.

In that second, Fed's fingers tightened unconsciously.

His face instantly turned pale, then was quickly pressed back down.

"Zayen."

Seeing the wrong signs, Thales had to intervene in this family conversation. "My people have investigated. Hilley's injuries and coma may not necessarily be my father's intention. It is more likely that people below acted on their own and caused an accident."

"Then go find him!"

Zayen's blunt counterattack choked Thales.

"Why not write to the royal capital and question him? Your dogs actually dare make trouble on my territory?"

Write to question him...

Thales thought of Kessel's reply of "handle it yourself," and his chest tightened.

"But if he does not admit it, what can you do? Write back and tell him not to lie?"

Zayen laughed coldly, then changed direction.

"If he admits it, what can you do? Write another letter telling him to get lost?"

Thales frowned.

Zayen was right.

Whether Kessel admitted this was done by Renaissance Palace or not...

"Will he give up reaching into Jade City because of one accusatory letter from you? Will he let Hilley go? Will he stop sending secret agents?"

Zayen's tone was mocking. Each question was like a sharp knife cutting into Thales's heart.

"Sorry, darling, it is all Father's fault for being too rough. I hurt you this time. Next time I will be gentler?"

"Cousin!"

Federico raised his voice in warning.

Zayen turned and fiercely gouged Federico with his eyes.

"Sorry, forgot you were here too, kingdom's good vanguard, good spy, and spare counterfeit part for the Duke of the South Bank." The Duke of the South Bank sneered.

Federico's face did not change, but his eyes grew colder.

"Zayen," Thales sighed. "Please believe me. We will definitely protect your sister..."

"As for you!"

Zayen abruptly turned back and pointed at Thales.

"I heard from the administrative officers. You once used the Kingdom's Wrath and the royal standing army, used your father, to frighten them and force them to submit?"

Zayen looked at Thales, his tone sarcastic.

"Good. Now it is no longer just frightening people. He has really come! As prince, as Duke of Star Lake, what the hell can you do?"

Zayen opened his arms and gestured toward Thales and Federico, mocking:

"Put a knife to your own neck again and tell him that if he does not back away, you will die for him to see?"

Thales unnaturally curled his lip and coughed.

Federico no longer spoke, only coldly watched his cousin lose composure, occasionally glancing at Thales.

"You cannot do anything. You can do nothing."

Zayen clenched his teeth.

"Because you are clearly a blade, yet you do not have the awareness of being one."

Thales's eyelid jumped.

The Duke of the South Bank looked at Thales faintly.

Perhaps even self-righteously believing himself to be a sheath.

Every time he leaned forward, he believed he was sheathing the blade and stopping war, but every time, it was only the edge striking down, adding more bloodshed.

But Zayen's gaze merely circled Thales before being withdrawn.

"Of course, I am the same. I can do nothing either. Nothing at all. Haha. Hahaha..."

Zayen bent over dispiritedly in the chair, pressing against his knees, head lowered and hands hanging.

The room was quiet for a long while.

Only the girl on the bed slept as before, unaware of everything.

"And I originally could do it. I originally could."

But Zayen took a deep breath, and his words abruptly changed.

"I should have been able to."

Several seconds later, Zayen raised his head, his gaze resentful.

"I should have been able to suppress them, force them back, say no to him. Politics, military affairs, taxes, security, debt, trade. I originally could have used open and proper methods to firmly suppress their ambitions outside this city, leaving them no place to reach in and no achievements to return with, until..."

Zayen gripped his knees tightly and clenched his teeth.

"Until you, Thales. Until you came holding a nine-pointed star flag."

Thales did not speak.

Federico's expression was cold.

"Day by day, step by step, bit by bit, you dismantled my methods and leverage, dissolved Jade City's defenses and vigilance."

Whether officials, merchants, scholars, farmers, black and white paths alike, regardless of rank, office, class, high or low...

Even the duke himself, when facing that nine-pointed star banner...

Zayen slowly clenched his fist.

Thales could not help sighing.

Actually...

It could not be called dissolving.

Facing the copper-wall, iron-bastion that was Jade City, he had attacked from front and back, inside and out, exhausted his brains, used every card he had, begged everyone he could, and only barely chiseled out an opening.

"Just like this, I was forced by you, by you people, to reach..."

Zayen clenched his teeth and looked toward the bed behind the gauze curtain, his tone bitter.

"This step."

Thales and Federico looked toward Hilley on the bed and both frowned.

"And my greatest mistake was listening to your advice at the selection meeting, loosening my grip on authority, and stepping down from the duke's seat."

Zayen looked at his sister. His expression became firm again, as if he had made some decision.

"Had I known, that day I should have hardened my heart, killed Fed at any cost, let the Jade Legion sweep everything clean, and then used his son for negotiation."

Federico did not move, as if he did not care at all.

But looking at Zayen like this, a wave of unease suddenly surged in Thales's heart.

"Wait. You would not be using his sister to threaten him, would you?"

He remembered Dusuan, the lord of Congzhong City from Hanbol, and Lisheng Talar's words:

"Run, Thales, my adorable little Dyeba. Run quickly. Run as far as you can."

"Then you would fall right into his trap," Thales frowned.

Zayen turned back to look at him, his gaze unfriendly.

"Others may not know, but using the current to force you into rebellion, then naturally and logically eliminating you..."

Thales glanced at Miranda outside the door and sighed. "My father is especially good at that."

Zayen stared fixedly at him for a very, very long time.

Only after quite a while did the resentment in the Duke of the South Bank's eyes gradually fade. He gave a miserable laugh and looked away.

"Jade City is no longer safe."

Zayen spoke softly, his eyes full of bloodshot veins.

"I need your Royal Guards, especially people you trust, to guard her room and not leave her side."

In truth, they were now called the Star Lake Guard.

Thales released a breath at these words.

Good.

At least there was still something to discuss.

"As you can see, Miranda is already standing watch here."

The Duke of Star Lake said solemnly:

"Sir Cassian has also been guarding outside the door. In addition, Lieutenant Cecil and the Jade Legion..."

"When you went to save Hilley, did those people run the moment they saw you?" Zayen coldly interrupted him. "Did they not even dare say much, much less touch a single finger of yours?"

Those people?

Thales paused and thought of that mysterious, strange reverse-curved saber.

Actually...

There was only one person.

"Can you not see it?"

Zayen did not turn back and laughed coldly.

"Only you, Thales. At this point, only you, or at least your people, can make them somewhat wary. As for Jade City's local strength, hm..."

Zayen glanced at the magnificent cityscape outside the window, shook his head tiredly, and closed his eyes again.

"But we still have hope."

Federico finally found a chance to speak. He looked at the prince and returned to the main issue.

"Whether the assassinated priest or Hilley, the opponent, whether the kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department or some other people with intentions, did not openly press the attack. It can only be considered a warning and reminder. This shows that they still have reservations. At least, it is inconvenient for them to appear directly."

"They still need us. Need us to stand on the stage and clean up the situation," Thales nodded and added.

After all, even spies and secret agents as all-reaching as the kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department could not directly stand in Emerald Palace, command the whole city, and subdue the South Bank.

Zayen did not speak.

"For example, this time, Chadwi's assassination is growing larger and larger, and public sentiment is surging beyond control."

Thales continued in a low voice, pulling the conversation back to the subject.

"I imagine you already know: Chadwi's teacher, Deputy Chief Priest Fable of Sunset Temple, will bring the whole city's 'good citizens' into the palace to seek justice for his student and deliberate with me on the current situation."

Zayen remained silent, his emotions unreadable.

"Fable once taught both Zayen and me. He likes acting as a teacher and has a strong desire to perform. Looking at this posture, he will not let the matter rest."

Federico took over, his tone calm and restrained, dissolving the heaviness in the air at exactly the right point.

"Whether his student's assassination, the temple's dignity, the current panic in Jade City, or even the old duke's case over which you presided in arbitration, all may become his reasons and pretexts to attack publicly and 'deliberate on politics.'"

Zayen still did not answer, as if aside from his sister on the bed, he no longer cared about anything around him.

This made Thales's frown deepen.

"Of course, perhaps this matter is not decided by Fable at all," Federico's eyes turned. "Perhaps Sunset Temple is exerting force from behind, wanting to take advantage of muddy waters."

"Deeper."

Zayen, who had not spoken for a long time, suddenly spoke.

"In Jade City, Sunset Temple's priests are addicted to pleasure, corrupt and decadent. They lost the ability and will to influence politics long ago. If they are involved, then there is absolutely someone deeper behind them instructing them, using them, or at least inciting them."

Someone deeper.

Thales's gaze grew grave.

Fable was already the deputy chief priest of the South Bank diocese. In the Kingdom of Star, what person or force could be deeper than him? More terrifying?

What person was qualified to "instruct" and "use" the dignified Sunset Temple, to provoke the politics of Jade City, or even a level higher, the entire kingdom?

The more he thought, the heavier his mood became.

"Or perhaps exactly the opposite."

Federico glanced at the prince and offered a view different from Zayen's.

"Precisely because in Jade City, the temple priests are deeply entangled with high officials, nobles, wealthy merchants, and great traders, have no worries over food or clothing, get along harmoniously with the Sunset Church's clerics, and are content with the status quo..."

Fed did not deny it, but cleverly turned his words, one meaning hidden inside another.

"Like many local vested interests, these servants of the goddess do not welcome the change you are bringing to Jade City, whether great change or small change."

He said in a low voice:

"And what they need now is only to be taught a lesson: sacred and secular matters each have their place, church and politics are separate, priests and clerics only need to comfort the spirit. Secular matters should be, and can only be, handled by Emerald Palace."

Zayen did not raise his head and only scoffed at those words, meaning unclear.

Thales pressed his lips together.

Of course, from this angle, the contradiction they faced would be limited within Jade City and defined as a "church and politics dispute."

Then they would not need, at least for now, to worry about the "deeper person" behind it.

Standing on a cliff, as long as one did not lower one's head to gaze into the abyss, one could avoid fear, panic, and madness.

At least, it was very clever.

Only...

If one did not look directly at the abyss, did the abyss cease to exist?

Thales sighed.

"No matter what, regardless of whether this audience initiated by the temple is strange, we must respond publicly.

"The three of us must appear together, to let everyone see: the grudges inside Emerald Palace have been resolved, we are united, and there is neither conflict nor discord."

Zayen still stared at his sister behind the gauze curtain, while Federico looked at himself in the mirror across the room. Both of them had frozen gazes and did not move.

Thales did not care whether they were united in appearance but divided in heart. He had never expected them to be intimate. He straightened his face solemnly.

"More importantly, we need to eliminate the harmful influence of the priest's assassination, and we need to give Jade City enough confidence and explanation. This way, when I end the noble arbitration at the Praise Banquet and announce that the two of you have set aside past grudges and will govern Jade City together, it will be more convincing."

Thales took a deep breath.

He swore that when he said "set aside past grudges," both Covendiers could not help giving soft scoffs.

"So, I came to find you before the audience meeting precisely to confirm this."

The Duke of Star Lake and regent of Jade City raised his head, swept his gaze left and right, and his eyes pressed sharply.

"Before a great enemy, the situation is dangerous. Is our agreement still effective? Are the two of you still on my side, standing with me? Will you attend the audience meeting and face their pressure together?"

A slight wind blew in from the balcony, and the gauze curtains around the bed swayed uneasily.

"Naturally."

Federico's face was calm, his pace unhurried.

"The more dangerous the situation, the more we need sincere unity to cross the difficulty."

Thales nodded slightly to him.

Zayen, however, scoffed disdainfully.

"Easy to say. Then what explanation are you prepared to give them?"

Zayen's gaze pressed hard.

"When Fable brings a large group of uneasy and scheming Emerald citizens to question us about the temple priest's assassination, who exactly is the mastermind? What did they intend? How should we answer?"

He slowly raised his bloodshot eyes, glared at Federico, then slowly looked toward Thales.

"Was it me? Or him? Or you, the dignified prince? Or some other..."

Zayen laughed coldly again and again.

"...person whose name cannot even be mentioned?"

At these words, Thales and Federico frowned together.

The entire room quieted, and for a moment, only the even breathing of the patient on the bed could be heard.

Yes.

Thales was somewhat dazed. He heard the sigh from the depths of his heart:

In truth, not only they, but many clever people in Jade City all knew and understood:

The root of all disasters was that person far away in the royal capital, the person whose name could not even be mentioned.

But they, even in Jade City, simply could not mention his name. At least not publicly.

Because once they mentioned it, disaster would come.

Thales's heart gave a faint cold laugh:

But you, Thales, and that bone ring of yours, do you not exist precisely for this?

Carrying, borrowing, relying on the power of that name that cannot be mentioned, using a method that does not mention his name, to complete the expectations of the person whose name cannot be mentioned, in order to avoid the consequences of mentioning that name?

Thales sighed.

So convoluted.

But convoluted was right.

His heart released a helpless and powerless feeling:

The meaning was the same as countless complex, redundant, roundabout, seemingly unnecessary rituals and rules.

It was precisely within these winding paths and hidden ways that truly terrifying power lay concealed.

Just as that admirable chief judge had said:

Laws and rules are only dead words. What flows outside the words is the true power.

In that instant, Thales seemed to feel a vast net firmly covering this room, even Emerald Palace and Jade City.

It made breathing difficult for him, and he even unconsciously tugged at his collar.

"I strongly advise you, cousin, especially in public," Federico said faintly, "not to climb upward toward His Majesty."

Zayen abruptly turned his head.

"Then how will they know that I must be talking about His Majesty the King?"

Federico closed his mouth.

"And even if we temporarily find some rotten excuse to stabilize Jade City and keep them from abandoning their homes and fleeing the city..."

Zayen pressed forward, step by step.

"What if there is a next time?"

The Duke of the South Bank questioned sharply:

"What if after this, Jade City has another assassination, another murder, another bloodshed? What if after we come forward to explain and reassure them, it still does not stop? What if no matter what we do, 'they' simply will not be satisfied?"

Thales frowned slightly.

"Even if today we fool the whole city with united positions and unified words, and then the next day, an accountant or an Emerald officer is killed in public again, what then?"

Zayen looked at Thales and gnashed his teeth.

"If that truly happens, will our so-called compromise, so-called promises, so-called confident reassurance today not all become jokes? In the future, even if the three of us bathe in the same tub every day to display intimacy and harmony, the whole of Jade City will not believe us again. This time the consequence is the temple forcing the palace. What about next time? A military mutiny?"

This time, before Federico could refute, Thales spoke first.

"You are right."

The Second Prince sighed.

"No matter how much we do, how much we reassure, how much we promise, perhaps none of it can withstand another assassination, another bloodshed, another disaster that throws Jade City into chaos."

Federico watched Thales's reaction and could not help frowning.

"But what should be done still must be done."

Federico took a deep breath.

"Forgive my bluntness. As for after we finish, whether Jade City will have more bloodshed, more disasters, more misfortunes like Hilley's..."

The abandoned son of the Covendier family glanced at the bed, then looked coldly at his cousin.

"That depends on where the three of us want to lead the Queen's City."

Hearing his sister's name, Zayen's expression chilled.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that when Deputy Chief Priest Fable's audience begins, to avoid more disasters, we cannot merely give Jade City an explanation."

Federico raised his head, allowing no doubt:

"We also need to let the 'people with intentions' who planned the temple assassination see this: under the mediation of the three of us, Jade City's current direction is correct and meets their expectations, while their blind and arbitrary interference will only damage His Majesty and Your Highness's interests..."

"The direction is correct?"

Zayen laughed coldly.

"Then what direction is wrong? Letting me live? Or letting Hilley live?"

He stared at Fed, his voice low and dangerous.

"Tell me, Fed, did you contact the kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department? Did they teach you to say this? What else did they promise you? The counterfeit replacing the real thing? The duke's spare part becoming the true duke? Did they tell you what result they would be satisfied to see in Jade City?"

Federico snorted coldly.

He did not refute his cousin. Instead, he turned toward the prince and bowed lightly.

"I told you, Your Highness, Hilley's accident has struck him heavily."

Federico spoke unconcernedly, answering only Thales, as if Zayen had vanished from the room at this moment.

"I believe the Guardian Duke of the South Bank is currently unsuited to appear in public, unsuited even to rationally discuss problems, much less to join us in working for Emerald..."

"Fuck you!"

Zayen's angry curse rang through the room.

"Do you hear me? Fuck you, Federico! This is what you deserve! Fuck you..."

Thales frowned.

Federico did not take offense. He listened, let it pass, closed his mouth, then turned to Thales again, waiting for the latter's reaction.

"Zayen!"

Thales had no choice but to interrupt Zayen's curses. He raised both hands, trying to ease the other's emotions.

"I understand. Because of Hilley's matter, you are in a bad mood today. I understand all of it..."

Zayen clenched his teeth and still stared fixedly at Federico.

Thales took a deep breath.

"But now Emerald Palace has a more urgent problem. I need the two of you to attend the audience meeting with me. The Covendier family..."

"Get out of the way."

Zayen spoke softly, but his gaze never left Fed

Thales froze.

"Zayen?"

Zayen snorted coldly and repeated:

"I said, get out of the way."

At this moment, Zayen's hair was messy, his face covered in stubble, and with his fierce expression, if not for his clothes, he would look like a standard street vagrant.

"Zayen, I think you did not understand me..."

"I know exactly what you are here to do. I also understand what he is advising you to do: Thales, you cannot do anything about your old man, cannot do anything about those kingdom Secret Intelligence bastards, so you can only follow their path first and persuade me to swallow the bitter fruit, just like what you said to me at the selection meeting."

Zayen said disdainfully:

"Probably also like what you said to Anker Bilar at the royal banquet: endure it for now, it will not hurt in a moment?"

Thales let out a long sigh and lowered his head, pressing his forehead.

"But can you still not see it? Facing your father's methods, facing his will, his tyranny and lack of restraint, this childish and laughable compromise alliance formed by the three of us is useless. He does not care!"

Zayen said viciously.

Federico snorted coldly and turned away with his arms folded in disdain.

"What a waste of time."

"Get out!"

Facing his cousin, Zayen had neither a good expression nor a good tone. He was like a cold poisonous snake, his gaze full of chill.

"As for you, Thales, go by yourself. Or take this counterfeit spare part with you to face Fable's pressure and difficulties."

He spat.

"Because this is what you deserve. What was destined. You deserved it from the moment you came to Jade City."

Thales sighed and tried to explain:

"Zayen, something this major has happened. If you do not attend such an occasion, it will cause many guesses and suspicions..."

"Is that not convenient for you?"

Zayen laughed loudly, uncaring.

"If I do not appear, you can just push the filthy matter of the priest's assassination onto my head and say that I, or my subordinates, were dissatisfied with the current state, to the point of being arrogant and bold enough to send a killer into the temple. In any case, the murderer's suicide note also says he wanted revenge against me, does it not? Just say you have already thrown me in prison!"

Thales's face sank.

"Of course, you can even tell them about Hilley. Say that I hired a killer to murder my own sister, causing her to be seriously injured and unconscious. What is strange about a duke who can kill his own father harming his younger sister?"

Zayen pointed at his unconscious sister on the bed, hatred overflowing in his eyes.

"Yes, simply solve your noble arbitration as well. It was I who killed my father back then, all to inherit the dukedom early. Haha, hahahahaha..."

As Zayen spoke, he kept laughing coldly.

And Thales gradually felt chilled watching him.

Federico let out a long sigh and said earnestly:

"Cousin, if possible, we still hope to handle things as satisfactorily as we can. We do not want matters to become this ugly and extreme..."

Zayen abruptly turned back, beard and hair bristling in rage.

"Get out!"

Zayen stood and came before his cousin.

Federico showed no fear, did not retreat or avoid him, only coldly looked at the haggard, withered, fallen Duke of the South Bank before him.

"I know your tricks. Things like, 'My cousin must be innocent, Your Highness, please do not blame him,' and, 'But there must be treacherous ministers in Jade City, coincidentally my cousin's subordinates,' or, 'Let us drag out a few of Zayen's supporters to kill the chicken and warn the monkeys. This way there will be an explanation, and Zayen can be protected, making people think he was only deceived.'"

Zayen sneered without end.

"Zayen..."

Thales closed his eyes and spoke weakly.

"Oh, did my cousin also tell you with a face full of righteousness that although he did not assassinate the priest and gravely wound Hilley, although the situation currently benefits him taking power, although he is truly loyal with not a single selfish thought, but..."

Zayen pointed at Fed's face and looked mockingly at Thales.

"But Fed still recommends, full of regret and unwillingness, that since someone needs to take the blame, why not find a few scapegoats in Jade City for the priest's assassination who just happen to be Zayen's partners and old friends? That way, your father's people will be satisfied, and you can make up for those 'necessary sacrifices' afterward?"

Thales frowned hard, and Federico's face became cold as ice.

"It is not strange," Zayen said disdainfully. "I would do the same."

Was that belittling the other, or praising himself?

The voice in Thales's heart sighed.

"I have already explained this matter to His Highness," Federico took a deep breath, doing his utmost to keep his tone steady. "Most important of all, Jade City is now panicked and unstable, on the brink of danger. We need to stabilize the situation immediately, even if sacrifices..."

"Stop pretending to be some compassionate hypocrite! You are no saintly Second Prince!"

Zayen interrupted him, roaring angrily. His waving finger came closer and closer to Federico.

"She, Hilley, became like this because of all of you! You!"

"Zayen!"

The prince had no choice but to interrupt them. He stood between the two Covendiers, suppressed all the irritation and displeasure in his heart, and forced himself to speak gently:

"Think of Jade City, Zayen. For this city, for the Jade City your family and your father painstakingly protected through the Bloody Years. You need it. You need the strength of this city to shelter your sister."

Zayen trembled at the words.

His voice lowered.

The Duke of the South Bank took several deep breaths. He turned back toward Hilley on the bed, and his resentful gaze became blank and hollow.

Several seconds later, he dispiritedly sat back in his chair, lowered his head, and gave a miserable laugh.

"It does not matter anymore."

Under Thales and Federico's gazes, Zayen spoke faintly.

"Jade City left me long ago."

Federico's gaze shifted.

"From the moment you swaggered into my territory holding the nine-pointed star banner, putting on an act, while self-deceptively saying all this was for Jade City."

Thales's eyelid jumped.

"But..."

"Now, get out."

Zayen waved his hand and interrupted him, his words exhausted.

"Go clean up the rotten mess someone else threw to you, the mess you clearly do not want to clean up but have no choice but to clean up."

Thales and Federico looked at each other.

"But remember..."

Zayen laughed coldly.

"You will lose."

He raised his head from the chair. It was hard to tell whether he was looking at Thales or Federico. Only the chill in his eyes made one's hair stand on end.

"One day, you will lose even more miserably than I have today."

Thales frowned.

Federico fell into thought.

"What, are you still dissatisfied?"

Several seconds later, Zayen's gaze sharpened and his face turned fierce.

"Or do you want to tie me up and drag me to the audience meeting, make me personally admit that I ordered the priest's assassination and confess that I committed patricide?"

Several minutes later, in Emerald Palace.

Accompanied by guards, Thales and Federico walked along the road toward the audience meeting.

The former's expression was grave, the latter heavy with thought.

The servants and guards along the way withdrew to both sides one after another, bowing respectfully, cautious in word and deed.

The scene looked more like a farewell where everyone had different thoughts.

"At least today," Federico suddenly said, "Zayen can no longer be used."

Thales frowned.

"It is clear that Hilley's accident struck him badly," the prince nodded. "He only needs some time to think things through..."

"But we do not have time. The audience meeting is right before us."

Federico was decisive.

"I originally hoped he could be more rational and cooperate with us to face the whole city's questions, stabilizing the situation temporarily."

Federico took a deep breath.

"But with his condition just now, even if Your Highness handed Jade City back to him..."

He glanced at Thales, worry on his face.

"He would probably part ways with us."

Thales clenched his fist.

Federico's voice lowered as he added:

"Even if it meant both fish dying and the net breaking."

Thales took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Damn it.

How had things reached this point?

The three-way compromise had already been reached, yet at this very moment...

The temple, the assassin, the killer, Chadwi, Hilley...

The prince felt his head splitting.

The next second, Federico's steps stopped.

"But Zayen's words are not necessarily all wrong."

Thales, harried and exhausted, stopped and looked at him.

Federico said seriously:

"This audience meeting is only the appearance. We cannot merely stabilize the situation and soothe people's hearts. We must prevent the next disaster from happening."

He said with deep concern:

"Your Highness, to prevent the situation from worsening, we must start as early as possible and reverse Jade City's direction."

Thales's eyes moved.

"What direction?"

Federico looked at the Star Lake Guards a few steps away from them and took a deep breath.

"Your Highness, just as Zayen said, you are a sharp blade."

Federico's words were cold, his eyes sharp.

"Then you must have the awareness of a sharp blade leaving its sheath."

Not clinging to the sheath, willing to remain silent.

Not covering your own edge.

Thales frowned hard.

A sharp blade...

Federico said with absolute certainty:

"With only the two of us, to save Jade City, we must tell 'them': the situation is fully under control, there are no mistakes, and we will lead Jade City toward a direction that conforms to the kingdom's greater trend and His Majesty's expectations."

Thales first thought, then noticed the wording.

"Them?"

Federico nodded.

"Whether Teacher Fable or the people in Jade City dissatisfied with the current situation, they will surely press aggressively," he said coldly. "And you, Your Highness, if you wish to prevent Jade City from sliding into the abyss, cannot be too gentle or compromise blindly."

"We need to tell the whole city, and even more show those who are stirring the situation in secret."

Under Thales's incredulous gaze, Federico's eyes were like blades.

"If they want peace and prosperity..."

"They must pay the price."