Intrigue and trickery, crime and ugliness, many are born in chambers of darkness.
But conspiracies can also be created in broad daylight.
For example now.
As winter was approaching, at noon on November 16, in a spacious horse farm, an old nobleman with a broad body and a fat body, wearing a thick mink fur shawl, lowered his head and frowned under a parasol.
While watching the training of several horse trainers in the arena, he tremblingly listened to the words of another nobleman on the left.
After a long while, he sighed leisurely, looking at a disobedient horse in the distance, the corners of his mouth curled up.
"What kind of royal family secret treasure is missing, worthy of our respected Majesty's indefinite blockade of the Mindis Hall? What a pity, I plan to go to the Mindis Hall next week to visit Master Kewen's posthumous work."
The nobleman beside him was relatively young and slender, with a relaxed expression, he naturally and easily grabbed the agarwood pipe in his hand, and took a deep breath.
"Also, Gilbert rushed to Mindis Hall overnight to report to His Majesty the situation of the gang war in the lower city." He said happily while puffing out smoke rings.
"Really? Your Majesty the Iron Fist King, since when have you ever cared about the life and death of the untouchables in the lower city? If your Majesty treats his people with half the kindness and kindness of the former King Eddie—" the fat old noble touched his heart in pain Thigh--The unruly horse kicked its front hooves.
"——Then why do we need to meet at the riding ground?"
"The Royalist Party must be planning something. I can guarantee that it will not be a trivial matter—maybe it is an action that can turn the tables in one fell swoop." The eyes of the young nobleman smoking a pipe were bright.
"Mindis Hall is really a good place. The secret treasure of the royal family is lost—hope it's not the paintings of Master Kelvin—there must be increased vigilance there." The elderly nobleman suddenly said something that didn't start or end.
But the young nobleman nodded knowingly: "And I have news that Gilbert was ordered to find out the truth of the theft, and he will frequently inspect the Mindis Hall recently—with that man around, even the white eagle can't do it." ."
"We can try, but we can't go too far—we have to use other methods to disrupt their position."
The young noble took another puff of the top-quality Fesola tobacco that only produces 600 pounds a year, felt intoxicated for a moment, and then exhaled a perfect smoke ring.
"The Exeter mission will arrive in the country next month." At this time, the old nobleman showed sincere concern. "Ah, the peace between the stars and Exeter is hard-won after all."
"That's right." Compared with his predecessors, the young aristocrat couldn't hold back after all, and his sharpness and vigor were all shown in him: "If the envoys have an accident within the country, facing domestic and foreign pressure, it must be Our Majesty will also be very passive."
"If your majesty doesn't handle it properly," the old nobleman watched the horse get up in the distance, heaved a sigh of relief, took a sip of tea, and said helplessly, "Oh, indeed, a country with a hereditary throne like ours is really backward."
Both of them were silent for a while.
The elderly noble moved his body and asked casually, "What's going on in the West Ring District?"
"Don't ask me, my lord, you know I hate magicians the most."
"Well, let's talk about the Black Street Brotherhood?"
"Those guys still don't let go," the young noble's face suddenly became displeased, "It's only been about ten years, and they have such a big tone. Presumably, their confidence in their backing is more confident than in our 'new star' It's still enough."
"Don't underestimate young people."
The old man grinned helplessly, with shrewdness and sharpness in his eyes:
"Children scare people—that's scary."
——————————————————
Compared with the quick glimpse from last night until dawn, the Mindis Hall that Thales saw in the afternoon seemed larger and more gorgeous.
Of course, it's also more spacious.
The first floor is the conference living room, the grand banquet hall and the open-air garden. It is equipped with a large-scale back kitchen, basement inventory, and even armament storage.
In addition to the open-air balcony with a panoramic view of the outdoor garden ("For your safety, I do not recommend that you appear on the balcony or outside within a month." - Gilbert), the huge second-floor There are three large rooms with different functions, noble banquet hall, meeting hall, game room and large and small rooms.
Although the corridors and entrances and exits from the first floor to the second floor are full of majestic guards in armor according to the rule of ten steps and one sentry, with faces hidden behind helmets, everyone is as scary as a sculpture ("Although they are members of the Canxing family Private swordsman of the end, but I still don't recommend you to stab them in the stomach, Mr. Little."——Gilbert), but from a distance, Mindis Hall is still cold and empty, scary.
But Thales' living room and bedrooms, including the dining room and the study room where he attended classes, were on the third floor. From the second floor to the third floor, there is only one narrow staircase to pass through, and the eight swordsmen of the end are fully armed and concentrate on guarding the place 24 hours a day, with shifts every six hours. As for the outside of the window and the roof of the hall, I heard that there are also guards standing in the open air ("There is a yordle here, please don't worry about threats from outside the window." - Gilbert).
Every dish, from broccoli and bread to beef and fresh water, is taken from the equally tightly guarded back kitchen and underground storage that has been equipped for a long time ("Excuse me, I can't guarantee their freshness." ——Gilbert), from cooking to delivery, has undergone strict detoxification, drug testing and drug testing procedures.
This really is an unimaginable security measure.
It seems that I am much more important than I imagined.
Should it be said that it is indeed the ruling class that holds power?
I don't know if Yala can sneak in with her skill? What if it is a magician?
Thales sighed, frowned, bit the last bite of the sweet and greasy buttered bread, and quickly picked up the cup to take a sip of black tea.
At least the food is much better.
"If you are still satisfied with afternoon tea," Gilbert took his teacup from Thales who was in a hurry with impeccable etiquette, and bowed slightly: "We are about to start the afternoon tea." course."
In fact, Gilbert maintained his unchanged smile and said to himself: Maybe we should start with table manners?
"Where's Yordle? Where is he?"
"He is a competent guard, so naturally he is always nearby."
Thales resisted the idea of subconsciously looking around.
Knowing that Yordle was nearby, he inexplicably felt much more at ease.
So Thales pulled the tie that was so tight on his chest that he was uncomfortable, and followed Gilbert into the study under Gilbert's slightly frowning brows.
"First of all, Thales, I talked to Yodel last night."
Gilbert watched Thales stuff himself into a leather chair, and looked curiously at the decoration around the study, especially the bookshelves full of books on three sides.
"You are a special child. I can see it from Yodel's judgment and the few hours I have been with you since I met you."
coming.
Thales still had a curious look on his face, but he was vigilant in his heart.
"But it should be taken for granted. The heirs of the stars are naturally special." Gilbert turned his hands behind his back and walked slowly towards the desk engraved with the nine-pointed star logo.
His gray temples looked solemn at the moment.
"I believe that since fate sent you back to the stars, she must have made arrangements."
Thales looked at the middle-aged nobleman without saying a word.
"I probably understand your past. Life on the street must be difficult."
"But please forget this past."
Gilbert picked up a book he had prepared a long time ago from the black agarwood desk, turned around and said seriously:
"You will have a new identity, a new life, and even a new name, but what really matters is the future you will face and take on."
Gilbert's piercing eyes shot at Thales' gray pupils.
forget the past.
Thales read silently.
He looked at Gilbert's sharp eyes and nodded solemnly.
How can it be.
Thales said in his heart.
"I understand. So," Thales considered his words, and slowly said:
"Now, what do I need to know about myself and my past?"
Gilbert's expression remained unchanged, but he nodded slightly in his heart: Panic, fear, helplessness, these emotions that a seven-year-old child should have at the moment, did not appear in this child.
Some are just calm and cautious, with little excitement.
He is indeed unusual.
Is it the experience in the fraternity? Jodl refused to go into details, but the assassin admired the kid's performance, but can the gangsters in the lower city really have this kind of experience?
Or is there really something extraordinary about the nearly 3,000-year-old star lineage that has been passed down from the ancient empire?
Or, it's the other half of him...
Thinking of this, Gilbert frowned subtly.
But this competent nobleman still bowed slightly.
"Thales, dear little gentleman, please allow me to call you that for the time being."
"You are 7 years old this year. On the evening of July 25, 665, you were born in the Mann Manor on the outskirts of the Star King's capital, Eternal Star City." Gilbert said without haste:
"Your biological mother was an aristocratic lady who cannot be named. She died of heavy bleeding during childbirth. Before she died, she even named you Thales in the name of a star."
Thales frowned slightly.
"You grew up in Mann Manor under the secret care of the Canxing family. Another court lady and I will visit you from time to time."
"During this period, you have been growing up as the adopted child of Lord Mann when he was hunting, and you didn't know your own identity."
"Last December, Lord Mann died in battle on the border of the western desert. Because he had no heir, his property and territory were taken back by the royal family. At the same time, I will bring you back to Mindis Hall in the Evening Star District."
Thales was silent and finished listening to the narrative.
"And in the next month," Gilbert squeezed the book in his hand, "you will be the illegitimate son of King Kessel V, the only surviving descendant of the orthodox Star Royal Family and the Canxing Family, and claim that you are born The right is jointly recognized by the royal family, the Temple of the Sunset, and the High Council of the Stars as—"
The look in Gilbert's eyes was solemn and serious, as well as slightly worried and sad.
"—the heir of the Star Supreme King."
After a long time, Thales exhaled slightly.
It seems to be much more complicated than imagined.
"I see, some things are still unclear, but I will firmly remember that I used to be Thales of Mann Manor and Lord Mann's adopted son." Thales' eyes flickered and he put his hands together.
His thoughts are rapidly arranging, combining the existing information, combining elements from Gilbert's rhetoric, and turning them into effective information.
Gilbert nodded, and sat down on a leather chair opposite Thales.
"For the rest, I will summarize the details for you to recite and familiarize yourself with."
"Currently your task is this, and you only need to know this is enough."
Sure enough, although he respects me a lot.
But deep down, I still feel that there is no need to talk too much about it to a seven-year-old child.
Thales' eyes flickered.
"Next, I need to understand your relevant foundation—"
Just as Gilbert was thinking about what courses to provide Thales next, whether it was basic etiquette or written language, the future heir of Stars spoke abruptly and interrupted him.
"So, we have decided on a unified speech to the outside world." Thales, who was curled up in the leather chair, raised his chin from his hands, his eyes shining brightly: "Then it should be time, tell me the truth, right?"
Gilbert was slightly taken aback.
"For example, the identity of my biological mother, and why her identity is so——his secret."
"There is also the difficult current situation of the Kingdom of Stars, especially a series of problems caused by the succession of the royal family."
"Plus the predicament the king is in, as well as those overt and covert, our common enemies and allies?"
"Perhaps you should tell me the above in detail, so that I will no longer have doubts in the next course, and I will be able to choose and focus on the knowledge I want to learn. I think this is for the stars and for your king. the best choice."
The voice fell.
The middle-aged noble opened his jaw slightly, looking back at Thales in surprise.
Has Jodl told him this?
No, it's impossible.
Thales put his hands away, with a calm expression, calmly but firmly waiting for Gilbert's answer.
At that moment, Gilbert felt as if he saw the young Kessel Eddie Canxing.
At that time, the stars in Prince Kessel's eyes were still there, and the warm light had not yet turned into the piercing north wind.
Gilbert just lost his mind for a moment, then immediately came back to his senses and sighed slightly.
Extraordinary child?
From the next moment, the middle-aged nobleman began to answer his little master respectfully and respectfully:
"I see."
"I'll answer it for you right away."
"In order to save a little time, if you have any questions, you can ask them together."
Thales frowned slightly.
"Very good." He stood up from the comfortable but unaccustomed leather chair: "Then I'll just order."
The traveler let go of the extraordinary thinking in his brain, pulled out all the intelligence and information, and summarized the key points just like sorting out documents in the past.
"You said that the bloodline lamp was a magical spell cast twelve years ago, but I am obviously only seven years old. Why did you start preparing for the method of finding bloodline descendants twelve years ago? I think this is probably the same as me. Who is she? Why did she leave me in the hands of gangsters after giving birth to me seven years ago? These questions can be boiled down to 'Where did I come from'."
"Also, Kessel—my father is still in his prime, so what is the reason why the Star Kingdom has no heir for twelve years? Why do all the hopes of an heir fall on an illegitimate son of unknown origin? My father told me If it is not a matter of personal character, then I have to ask: What is the relationship between him and my mother? Why is my identity so secret? These questions are probably 'Who am I'?"
"Finally, what does my existence mean to the Kingdom of Stars? What kind of problems will Stars face without an heir? Who are our enemies and who are allies? Listen to what you say, the Sunset Temple is in my business What is their situation? If my identity is recognized, or if I just show up in the kingdom, what will happen? As an illegitimate child, what are my rights? As an heir, what exactly do I have to inherit? These questions , which boils down to 'where am I going'."
"Where did I come from, who am I, and where am I going?"
"Mr. Gilbert, please answer these three questions for me."
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Gilbert stared at the boy in front of him.
For no reason, strangeness and fear emerged in his heart.
The ancestors of the ancient times, the ancestors of the stars.
He sighed in his heart.
Is this boy your descendant?
What kind of power does your bloodline contain!
It took a long time for the middle-aged nobleman to say a word.
"Mr. Thales," he exhaled with difficulty, organizing his words:
"You really don't look like a seven-year-old child."
Thales suddenly realized that he had acted inappropriately just now.
But he was already stuck.
Forget it, a child prodigy who understands the world is better than an ignorant puppet, right?
"More than one person has said this. If you want to please me, you have to put it in a creative way, Mr. Gilbert." In order to ease Gilbert's expression, Thales had a rare humor, with a bruise on his face. smile.
Gilbert didn't reply, but just took a deep look at him, his eyes fixed for a long time.
Just when Thales wondered if time had stopped, the sculptural middle-aged nobleman suddenly spoke and began to answer his doubts.
"Dear Mr. Thales, first of all, where are you from?"
"It all started twelve years ago."
"In March of 660, although the former king Eddie II was old, he was still in power. His rule was long and stable, and he was known as the 'King of Changzhi'."
"But all of a sudden, because of an intensified rebellion, the entire Star Kingdom fell into unprecedented turmoil, even involving the entire Western Continent."
"War, catastrophe, famine, these are the themes of that year."
"Many people called that year the 'Year of Blood'."
"In such chaos and bloodshed, King Eddie was murdered, and the entire Canxing royal family was almost wiped out."
"Of all the orthodox royal family members, only his fifth son, the 35-year-old Prince Kessel Canxing, survived and was finally crowned king."
"That is your father, King Kessel V, known as the 'King of the Iron Fist'."