Kingdom’s Bloodline

es took a deep breath as he spoke, and felt as if he was listening to a stranger narrating an unfamiliar tale.

”The White Blade Guards suffered tremendous loss, Nicholas brought the last of his men to fight to the death. ” Thales ’ tone became more urgent.
”Lampard occupied Heroic Spirit Palace.
The five archdukes in the Hall of Heroes fought over their futures and lives against one another.
They had their hands placed on their sword hilts, engaged in a tug-of-war that would decide their lives and deaths.
Archduke Roknee and Archduke Olsius had even drawn their weapons, intending to fight Lampard to the death.
Kaslan, Mirk… many people died in that damn tug-of-war. ”

Each time he said a word, Quick Rope would shudder.

”At last, Saroma—I ’m talking about Alex Walton—took over your father ’s position under immense pressure, and under their malicious gazes. ”

Finally, Thales glared at the figure on the bed.

”Under the countless hateful gazes, Chapman Lampard wore the blood-stained crown while people fought all around him.
He stepped on the bones of hundreds and was coronated to become Chapman the First. ”

Quick Rope exhaled heavily.

”During the past six years, Dragon Clouds City was politically unstable.
The city was in turmoil.
The archduchess ’ qualifications to rule the city was heavily doubted, the vassals were engaged in all sorts of conflicts with each other, the king bore no goodwill, and most of the suzerains lurked around, waiting for a chance to strike.
As for me, I was trapped there as a hostage and a chess piece, until now.

”This is the answer you seek.
Are you satisfied? ” Thales said coldly, ”This is everything that you ’ve caused after you ran from your responsibilities, Moriah Walton. ”

Quick Rope did not speak for a long time.
Ten seconds had then passed.

”So this is the answer.
Thank you, ” Quick Rope answered weakly.
”I am deeply regretful. ”

Thales ’ eyebrows were furrowed together tightly.

”You are deeply regretful? ” The Prince of Constellation laughed coldly.
”That is your kingdom, your city, your home.
And you are ’deeply regretful ’? ”

Quick Rope shook his head.
His tone was a little gloomy.
”Thales… When you said to Dean that you wouldn ’t ask too many questions and that you only wanted me to disappear forever, I thought you understood me a little. ”

Quick Rope looked as if he had lost something.
His voice was dejected, but there was an unspoken sadness hidden in his words.

Thales sucked in a deep breath.
”If you had been around six years ago… Alright, I ’m just saying that if you had chosen to go back to Dragon Clouds City after you avoided being assassinated— ”

Quick Rope suddenly raised his head.
”That would not change anything, ” he said coldly.

Thales was stunned.

”It will still be the same.
Plots, conspiracies, politics, and battles for profits. ” Quick Rope was practically hissing through clenched teeth.
”Regardless of whether it ’s Dragon Clouds City or Eckstedt, whether it ’s Lampard or the Waltons, nothing will change. ”

Thales stared at him, dazed.

”Of course I know that there were many deaths and the price all of you paid was high, ” Quick Rope said sadly, ”but this is what the fight for power means.

”You are blaming me for the calamities who arrived due to my escape…
but how would you know that I would cause fewer deaths if I was the Archduke of Dragon Clouds City, or even the King of Eckstedt? Would I cause less trouble than what I ’m causing now? Would I be committing crimes lighter than what I am committing now? Will Dragon Clouds City be more fortunate and stable than it is now? ”

Thales gritted his teeth tightly.

”You don ’t know, Thales. ” Quick Rope said coldly, ”You thought that the disasters and calamities Dragon Clouds City suffered, Eckstedt ’s turmoil and change, were really the effects of Lampard ’s plot, or my willfulness, or my father ’s mistake? ”

Quick Rope ’s back moved away from the wall.

”My father… when he was alive, the Born King ’s reputation intimidated the entire Western Peninsula.
He subjugated all his suzerains, suppressed the nobles, and exhausted all his resources to build his army.
He pushed Dragon Clouds City ’s might to its greatest over the past three generations.
He sowed the seeds of fear and obedience over the entire kingdom.
The only thing he did not manage to do was conquer all of Eckstedt . ” Quick Rope ’s tone was cold.

”However, this meant that he was fated to become someone ’s enemy.
He was the enemy to all the archdukes, the suzerains, many countries in Western Peninsula, and even an enemy to the lowliest commoner under his rule.
Even if there was no Lampard, no Secret Room, no Bloody Year, even if the accident with Soria did not happen, and even if… even if I didn ’t run away, sooner or later, these enemies would appear before him, and even if they weren ’t Lampard or the Secret Room, his enemy would be someone else, like Roknee, Lecco, Trentida, and even his most trusted subordinates.
The role of his enemy will be replaced by another group who was displeased with him.
They will fight back until the throne of Dragon Clouds City is overthrown. ”

’King Nuven ’ enemies… ’ Thales thought deeply.
The night when Dragon ’s Blood was launched six years ago appeared before his eyes.
The faces of those who were responsible for the plan also showed up in his mind: The Archduke of Black Sand Region who was forced to a corner; the capricious marquis from Camus Union; the Secret Room who hid themselves perfectly in the dark; the forces of power in the underground black market; and even the Supreme King of Constellation.

Even a commoner like Gleeward, who fussed over every single coin he spent over his daily necessities, also sneered at his king and regarded him with contempt.

King Nuven… only had half of Dragon Clouds City at his side.

”My father did not die because of some failed plan, some accident, or by someone ’s stupid actions.
He died because he rose to a position of power that was too high in this era, and too many people wanted him dead. ” There was grief in Quick Rope ’s voice.

Thales was stunned.

There were countless days where he would recall the execution of Dragon ’s Blood six years ago, and when he did, what came to mind was Nuven ’s miscalculation, Lampard ’s viciousness, the sinister Secret Room, the secrets of the Secret Intelligence Department, and all the schemes the suzerains and archdukes concocted after racking their brains, just to set each other up.

’But… ’

”There is only one line dividing success and failure; this is what it means to be in power, Thales. ” Quick Rope ’s tone grew frantic.
”After returning from the sea and experiencing life and death, I understood this: History is not as we think it is.
It isn ’t controlled by the people who seem to have great status and incredible power, but is decided by the countless waves in the world you cannot hope to hold off, by the unfathomable whirlpools, by the tides that shake thousands of miles of land, and the trade winds.

”If you try to block the tide, then no matter how strong your warship is, it will still be crushed.
But if you sail with the wind, even the most fragile ship can travel millions of miles.
Even if there was a person as mighty as a hero, before it, he has no power to turn the tables; the most insignificant commoner can rise to the top if he just sailed with the wind.

”Too many people only see schemes, plots, open strife, hidden conflicts, the heroes, and the villains.
However, before the fierce tide, we are just too insignificant alone.
There is far too little that we can do.
No one can move against the tide, what we can do is actually very little, no one can move against the tide or turn it, that is just our misconception towards those who rose to the water ’s surface when the tide receded.

”Forget my father, even if the King of Renaissance and the Dragon Knight were resurrected, it ’ll be the same for them as well.
Even if my father successfully handed the throne into my hands, it ’ll be the same. ” His tone quivered slightly.

”I see very clearly that, regardless of who is sitting on that throne, Dragon Clouds City is destined to reach its peak, and fall.
Regardless of who is leading the Kingdom of the Great Dragon, Eckstedt, too, will rise and fall. ”

Quick Rope stared at Thales silently.

”Just like how that bloodline flowing through your veins fell after it reached its peak, just like how the once proud Empire fell after it rose. ”

Thales subconsciously tightened his fists.
Then, he spoke, sounding incredibly tired, ”If you were still in Dragon Clouds City when all those things happened, at least Dragon Clouds City could have been more politically stable, at least Lampard would be kept on his toes, and many people would not need to bear— ”

Quick Rope lowered his head.
”Do you think truly that Dragon Clouds City is in a bad state right now—unstable and in turmoil—because of its archduchess? ”

He snorted with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

”How then, would you know for sure that the new king, the former suzerains of the late king, and the late king ’s enemies—be they hidden or well-known—would not deliver terrifying pressure that is a hundred times heavier than it is now, or use methods that are much more frightening than what they ’re doing right now to the current Dragon Clouds City if it lost King Nuven but was then taken over by a legitimate male descendent of the Walton Family whom are still a powerful force regarded warily by all these people? How can you guarantee that they won ’t attack us like ants eating away at animal carcasses, gnawing on us until there is nothing left?

”How can you be certain that Dragon Clouds City won ’t be suffering even worse damages and casualties than what it is suffering right now? ”

Thales was slightly stunned.

”Besides, I am not them, Thales.
I am not my father, I am not Soria, and I am most definitely not my cousin, Chapman Lampard, who killed his own brother. ”

Quick Rope sighed slowly.

”As for sitting on that not-at-all comfortable throne, plotting day and night, figuring out the people ’s thoughts, and forcing myself to be the cruelest and most pathetic tool? ”

In the dark room, he stared at Thales with eyes brimming with sadness.

”That is not power, Thales, it is a pair of shackles called ’power ’. ”