Kingdom’s Bloodline

hell? ’

Suddenly, someone gently tapped his shoulder.
It was Putray who stood behind him.
Thales exhaled with difficulty and refocused his attention on the scene.

King Nuven walked forward with a cold gaze and extended his leg mercilessly to kick Poffret back on the ground.

*Thud!* 　

The young archduke whose hands were handicapped and could not even maintain his balance was swept down onto the floor once more.

Falling heavily on the floor, Poffret continued to bellow, ”Singing the praises of the Joint Ruling Pledge and hypocritically claiming that we have the freedom and right to choose our king, but monopolizing all the power in the dark and pre-determining the king for your benefit! Where else in the world is there such a shameless, crooked, hypocritical, sanctimonious, and disgusting ruler!

”All of you made Eckstedt a hereditary kingdom of the Walton Family a long time ago! The Walton Royal Family! Such irony! Raikaru ’s Joint Ruling Pledge had long since been ruined by this shameless family his nephew left behind! ”

Thales ’ breathing became uneven.
Everything that happened before his eyes was like a mirror to him.

At that moment, hearing Poffret ’s accusations, he did not think of Eckstedt.
Instead, he thought of Constellation.

He thought of Kessel ’s ice-cold expression and the One-Eyed Dragon ’s solemn gaze.
He thought of the doubtful Six Great Clans and Thirteen Distinguished Families who each had their own axe to grind.

Thales sighed internally and involuntarily clenched his fists.

Poffret wriggled his body with all his might and struggled up from the floor once more.

”That ’s not all! Your father married off his daughter to the previous Archduke of Black Sand, and tried to meddle with Black Sand Region ’s affairs by controlling their bloodline!

”Harboring malicious intent, you purchased Crystal Drops Mines from Camus Union and supplied Crystal Drops to Elaphure City in the East at a low price.
Nominally, it is to fend off the threat from the Eastern Peninsula.
In actuality, it is so that you can cut off the supply at a vital time and force the Gaddro Family into submission!

”God knows what tactics you have planned for Roknee, from the City of Faraway Prayers in the west.
I reckon that it has something to do with that Camian whose territory is close to the City of Faraway Prayers, hasn ’t it? What is it this time? A seemingly splendid contract that is actually filled with traps? ”

Upon hearing this, Thales could not help but turn his head back around.

Marquis Shiles from Camus Union felt the crowd ’s gazes on him.
He coughed awkwardly and turned his head away.

Poffret ’s face had long since been drained of all colour.
He did not try to get up anymore, instead he lay face-down on the floor in resignation.
His tone was grim.

”Other than this, you also want to emulate Constellation in stationing tax collectors who report directly to the king, all over the kingdom, to meddle with the suzerains ’ tax collection in their own territories.
You want to dispatch your officials to the entire kingdom starting from Beacon Illumination City!

”This humiliation, oppression, and unfairness is not only for me.
It ’s not something new either. ” Panting, Poffret ’s voice became weaker.
”How can we not rebel? ”

”Rebel? So, this is why you murdered Moriah? To exact revenge on the Walton Family? ” King Nuven ’s gaze flickered a little.
”By betraying your friend? Only a coward like you… ”

Poffret paused for a moment.
His gaze became complicated and indecipherable.

Panting, Poffret ’s voice was low.
”Yes, Moriah… We used to be friends… I also told myself that everything would get better, but… but… ”

”Nuven Walton! ” The young archduke ’s expression changed, as if he had just made a painful decision.
He raised his head and laughed miserably with his eyes closed.
”It ’s all your fault! You ’re the one who forced me to do this! ”

”Me? ” King Nuven ’s voice was low and terrifying, like muffled thunder before a storm.

While trembling, Poffret raised his head, his gaze was sinister, and with a loud voice, he said, ”Five years ago, after I refused your request to have an official of yours be stationed in Beacon Illumination City…

”Strangely enough, some of my vassals immediately came forward with suspicions over my legitimacy, Trentida started provoking me at my borders in a conceited fashion, the people in my territory began talking about my abilities…
Soon, my vassals started rebelling, my people started protesting against taxes, my territory was in chaos…
When I was forced into a corner and was in a disheveled state, you had Moriah come forward to stop all of this with a letter you wrote!

”While reading your hypocritical letter of consolation, I raised my head to look at Moriah.
He was giggling and recalling our past… I only understood then that we were never friends! I am only Dragon Clouds City ’s b*tch!

”And you still don ’t know what kind of trash Moriah is? ” The veins in Poffret ’s face bulged, and his brown hair was plastered to his forehead.
He looked hideous and flustered.

”I have had enough of the silly grin on his face! From his perspective, the whole world was beautiful! ” Poffret ’s eyes were red.
He struggled to get up with all his might and roared hysterically at everyone in the Hall of Heroes.
”He was a naive, weak, hesitant, useless, and short-sighted piece of trash with no ambition at all!

”Hahaha… ” Under King Nuven ’s extremely gloomy expression, Poffret ’s upper body trembled.
He laughed so hard that he was close to tears.

”Did you know that… Moriah, that trash… his biggest dream was to… was to become an adventuring mercenary… to, to travel the world… hahahahaha… mercenary, adventuring… hahahaha…

”Oh, he even fell for a prostitute! A coquettish, hair-stroking tramp! He even said that he wanted to make her his wife! ”

Thales shook his head.
He recalled what King Nuven said about Prince Moriah the first time Thales met the king and the archdukes.

Poffret laughed so hard that he was close to tears.

King Nuven furrowed his brows tightly.

Poffret, on the other hand, laughed morbidly.
Amid his raging emotions and the intense pain from his arms, he rolled on the floor without pause.
His face was covered in tears and snot.
”The esteemed Prince Moriah, the once future Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, wanted to marry a lowly tramp who was f*cked by thousands of people! Hahahahaha…

”He was even the predetermined King of Eckstedt! Think about it, the great Eckstedt having a prostitute for a queen! All the vassals and people would have to bow and salute to a tramp.
Hahaha… ”

Many of the people in the hall who watched him lowered their heads and sighed.

King Nuven did not cut him off.
Instead, he continued glaring at Poffret with his terrifying gaze.

”This sort of man… This sort of trash… This sort of totally oblivious and completely irresponsible creature was actually the Walton Family heir! ” Poffret stopped laughing.
He lifted his gaze which was indignant and filled with hatred.
”And against my will, I had to pledge my loyalty to him, and elect him to become king.
Not because of his abilities, but because of his surname and his father!

”You asked me why I chose Lampard, the Archduke of Black Sand whose heart is as black as the name of his territory? That animal who killed his own brother?

Archduke Poffret ’s gaze was fiery and he roared thunderously, ”I did not choose Lampard! Instead, I chose a future without the Walton Family! A future where the King of Eckstedt is not predetermined!

”I ’m truly happy, because I ’ve finally destroyed the last of your bloodline. ” He glared at King Nuven with clenched teeth.
The next Common-Elected King of Eckstedt will not be a Walton anymore! ”

King Nuven responded with a fierce kick to Poffret ’s face.

King Nuven grabbed his collar and said coldly, ”Before that… I will destroy you first. ”

The young archduke laughed miserably.
He shook his head and looked to his side…

… at Thales Jadestar.

Thales ’ heart immediately tightened.
’What ’s happening? ’

”Hey, you! Little brat from Constellation! ” Poffret shouted, causing everyone to focus their attention on Thales.

”You. ” Covered in wounds, the archduke spoke with difficulty and let out a dreary laugh.
”You are very pleased with yourself, aren ’t you? A Prince of Constellation flaunting his prowess in Eckstedt ’s capital city… making a fool out of all the archdukes. ”

Thales frowned, he could sense the hostility of the gazes from all the people in the hall.
After all, he was in ECKSTEDT.

”Your days are numbered! ” Poffret said venomously.
”Did you think that I only tried to assassinate you to protect myself? ”

What the archduke said after that made Thales freeze.

”You don ’t know how much they—those men—want your life. ” Poffret panted, enduring the immense pain in his arms.
”I saw through their intentions when I hired them… they ’re not just after the money… ”

Thales ’ breaths quickened.
The young archduke continued to speak.

”Even in their dreams they desire to kill every person in the Jadestar Family and take over Renaissance Palace! They couldn ’t do anything in Constellation because they are fugitives hated by everyone there.
But here in Eckstedt…

”They did not give any reaction when they received my money. ” Poffret ’s gaze was fiery.
”However, when those assassins heard that the target was Constellation ’s Jadestar Royal Family heir… they looked so excited… ”

”What? Assassins? ” Thales stared at Poffret in a daze, and only managed to react after a few seconds.
”Who are they? ”

”Who else?! ” Poffret shouted with a satisfied expression.
”Of course they ’re those dishonorable assassins! They were the ones who infiltrated Lampard ’s army and utilized his Mystic Gun Unit to assassinate you beyond the fortress!

”They are your family ’s greatest enemy! ”

Thales stared at him in disbelief.
’Jadestar Family ’s greatest enemy? ’

Then Poffret laughed maniacally and uttered a name that made everyone frown.

”The Shadow Shield! ”