Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83 - Cry-Baby And Ugly-Faced Woman
Chapter 84 - The Situation Took A Turn For The Worst
Chapter 85 - The Blood Clan’S True Form (One)
Chapter 86 - Blood Clan'S True Form (Two)
Chapter 87 - Your Blood Is Quite Nutritious
Chapter 88 - Awakening (One)
Chapter 89 - Awakening (Two)
Chapter 90 - Awakening (Three)
Chapter 91 - Return
Chapter 92 - Sin Of Hell’S River
Chapter 93 - Don’T Do It, It’Ll Hurt
Chapter 94 - All The Blood In This World Belongs To Me
Chapter 95 - The Charm Of That Shield
Chapter 96 - I Definitely Will Not Let You Suffer
Chapter 97 - Our Inland Sea
Chapter 98 - Arracca Murkh
Chapter 99 - Uncertain Fate
Chapter 100 - Ramon (One)
Chapter 101 - Ramon (Two)
Chapter 102 - Eckstedt’S Welcoming Ceremony
Chapter 103 - Gamble (One)
Chapter 104 - Gamble (Two)
Chapter 105 - The Kingdom’S Wrath
Chapter 106 - The Failed Bet
Chapter 107 - Mystic Gun
Chapter 108 - Chapman Lampard
Chapter 109 - Remnants Of Magic
Chapter 110 - Paid Homage
Chapter 111 - Kaslan’S Tavern
Chapter 112
Chapter 113 - The Intersection Of Fate
Chapter 114 - The People In Hell (One)
Chapter 115 - The People In Hell (Two)
Chapter 116
Chapter 117 - Star Killer
Chapter 118 - The Unexpected Guests
Chapter 119 - A Marquis From Camus
Chapter 120 - Bait
Chapter 121 - Clue
Chapter 122 - Until Dawn Came (One)
Chapter 123 - Until Dawn Came (Two)
Chapter 124 - Queen Of The Sky
Chapter 125 - The Female Warrior
Chapter 126 - Heroic Spirit Palace
Chapter 127 - The Born King (One)
Chapter 128 - The Born King (Two)
Chapter 129 - A Duel
Chapter 130 - The King And His Archdukes
Chapter 131 - The Strange Swordsman
Chapter 132 - Who Are You?
Chapter 133 - Hunt And Chase
Chapter 134 - Little Rascal And Alex (One)
Chapter 135 - Little Rascal And Alex (Two)
Chapter 136 - Stabs
Chapter 137 - Kidnapping The Archduke?
Chapter 138 - Numb Hands
Chapter 139 - A Unique Welcome Banquet
Chapter 140 - The Red Witch
Chapter 141 - Reunion
Chapter 142 - Who’S There (One)
Chapter 143 - Who’S There (Two)
Chapter 144 - The Sword Of Baptism’S Death
Chapter 145 - The Wait
Chapter 146 - The Culprit
Chapter 147 - The Northland Road
Chapter 148
Chapter 149 - Not Even Worth Half A Penny!
Chapter 150 - The Beloved Former King, Nuven
Chapter 151 - Veteran
Chapter 152 - Shadow
Chapter 153 - Have A Drink
Chapter 154 - The Secret Of ‘Triumph’
Chapter 155 - A Bargaining Chip You Cannot Refuse
Chapter 156 - Horrifying
Chapter 157 - The Death Of Soria
Chapter 158 - Betrayal
Chapter 159 - The Fateful Night
Chapter 160 - The Invitation
Chapter 161 - The First Mystic Declaration
Chapter 162 - Letting Go Of A Suspicion
Chapter 163 - Monster And Monster
Chapter 164 - Chaos Begins
Chapter 165 - Just Speak
Chapter 166 - Surprise
Chapter 167 - Flee
Chapter 168 - The Tragic End Of Weaklings
Chapter 169 - Air And Blood
Chapter 170 - The Desperate Dash
Chapter 171 - The Outcome Of The Civil War
Chapter 172 - Elimination
Chapter 173 - The Blade Of Purification
Chapter 174 - The Truth About Elimination
Chapter 175 - Same Kind (One)
Chapter 176 - Same Kind (Two)
Chapter 177 - Sudden Entrance Into The Battlefield!
Chapter 178 - True Form
Chapter 179 - Silence And Darkness
Chapter 180 - Knocking On The Door
Chapter 181 - Phantom
Chapter 182 - A Gentle Kiss
Chapter 183 - The Cost Of Victory
Chapter 184 - The Paradoxical Assassin
Chapter 185 - Thunder Rumbles In Winter
Chapter 186 - End Of Arc: A Good Name
Chapter 187 - The Night Ends, The Day Breaks
Chapter 188 - It Is You
Chapter 189 - Symphony Of Blood (One)
Chapter 190 - Symphony Of Blood (Part Two)
Chapter 191 - Stop Meddling Into The Matters Of Elders
Chapter 192 - Six-Fifty
Chapter 193 - Choose Who You Want To Become
Chapter 194 - Ice-Cold
Chapter 195 - Spirit Of The Contract
Chapter 196 - The Manipulator (One)
Chapter 197 - The Manipulator (Two)
Chapter 198 - Price
Chapter 199
Chapter 200 - Encounter
Chapter 201 - The Prince’S End
Chapter 202 - Really Bad Luck (One)
Chapter 203 - Really Bad Luck (Two)
Chapter 204 - Understanding
Chapter 205 - Execute On The Spot
Chapter 206 - Guest From Barren Bone
Chapter 207 - The Prince’S Doubts
Chapter 208 - The Black Prophet From The Other Side
Chapter 209 - Code Name: Dragon’S Blood
Chapter 210 - The Importance Of Dragon’S Blood
Chapter 211 - A Gamble In The Dark (One)
Chapter 212 - A Gamble In The Dark (Two)
Chapter 213 - The Curse Of The Witch
Chapter 214 - The Scorching Blade
Chapter 215 - Stall
Chapter 216 - The Latecomer
Chapter 217 - A Very Big Problem
Chapter 218 - The Blade And The Wing
Chapter 219 - Trust And Loyalty
Chapter 220 - Nicholas’ Bargaining Chip
Chapter 221 - Shelter
Chapter 222 - A Critical Decision
Chapter 223 - Failure
Chapter 224 - Little Rascal’S ‘Consolation’
Chapter 225 - Save This Country
Chapter 226 - King Slayer
Chapter 227 - Creating Trouble For Ourselves
Chapter 228 - The Strongest Chess Piece (One)
Chapter 229 - The Strongest Chess Piece (Two)
Chapter 230 - The Strongest Chess Piece. (Three)
Chapter 231 - Lampard’S Plan
Chapter 232 - The Archduke’S Fight
Chapter 233 - It Has Been A Long Time
Chapter 234 - A Great Threat
Chapter 235 - Contention
Chapter 236 - The Inextinguishable Starlight
Chapter 237 - The Virtuous King
Chapter 238 - Centuries Of Strategic Planning (One)
Chapter 239 - Centuries Of Strategic Planning (Two)
Chapter 240 - Centuries Of Strategic Planning (Three)
Chapter 241 - Genuine Patrols
Chapter 242
Chapter 243 - Seize Control
Chapter 244 - Chad Vlad
Chapter 245 - Severing Souls With A Slash!
Chapter 246 - A Game Of Chess
Chapter 247 - A Chance Encounter
Chapter 248 - I Am Very Honored
Chapter 249 - When Swords Cross (One)
Chapter 250 - When Swords Cross (Two)
Chapter 251 - Arduous
Chapter 252 - I Am So Relieved
Chapter 253 - I Can Help You
Chapter 254 - The Black Knight’S Death
Chapter 255 - Changing Hands
Chapter 256 - Counter-Attack
Chapter 257 - Check
Chapter 258 - Checkmate
Chapter 259 - A Speculation
Chapter 260 - The Reason For Battle (One)
Chapter 261 - The Reason For Battle (Two)
Chapter 262 - Twist Of Fate
Chapter 263 - A Child Who’S Not Able To Drink Alcohol
Chapter 264 - You Northland Barbarians!
Chapter 265 - Two Minutes
Chapter 266 - What A Shame (One)
Chapter 267 - What A Shame (Two)
Chapter 268 - We Won
Chapter 269 - The Archduchess
Chapter 270 - The Blood-Stained Crown
Chapter 271 - The Day Before The Bitter Cold Winter
Chapter 272 - Yc
Chapter 273 - End Of Arc: The Destiny They Missed
Chapter 274 - The Quiet Prince
Chapter 275 - A Game Of Chess (One)
Chapter 276 - A Game Of Chess (Two)
Chapter 277 - First Lesson
Chapter 278 - The Truth Brothers
Chapter 279 - Traitors
Chapter 280 - Target
Chapter 281 - An Awkward Dinner
Chapter 282 - Upset
Chapter 283 - Riot
Chapter 284 - The Familiar Guest
Chapter 285 - The Honor And Humiliation Of The Great Dragon (One)
Chapter 286
Chapter 287 - The Mystery About Putray
Chapter 288 - The Dragon’S Blood Has Yet To Dry
Chapter 289 - Dragon Breaker (One)
Chapter 290 - Dragon Breaker (Two)
Chapter 291 - Meryl Hicks
Chapter 292 - The Boundaries Of Governance (One)
Chapter 293 - The Boundaries Of Governance (Two)
Chapter 294 - What Is Magic?
Chapter 295 - An Unforeseen Invitation
Chapter 296 - The Game In The Carriage
Chapter 297 - The Former King’S “Present”
Chapter 298 - The Prince’S Shackles
Chapter 299 - Friend And Foe
Chapter 300 - Victory And Defeat
Chapter 301 - A Duel
Chapter 302 - Not Too Bad?
Chapter 303 - Leave
Chapter 304 - A Storm Is Coming
Chapter 305 - The Creation Of The Two Empresses
Chapter 306 - Raven Of Death
Chapter 307 - Ian The Nuisance
Chapter 308 - Collusion
Chapter 309 - The Writers Of Legend (One)
Chapter 310 - The Writers Of Legend (Two)
Chapter 311 - The Day Of The State Affairs Hearing
Chapter 312 - The Hatred For Stealing His Sister
Chapter 313 - The Beginning
Chapter 314 - For Dragon Clouds City
Chapter 315 - The Archduchess And Her Vassals
Chapter 316 - Plan
Chapter 317 - A Romantic Story
Chapter 318 - Are All Of You Coming?
Chapter 319 - Not According To Plan
Chapter 320 - Releasing In “Installments”
Chapter 321 - The Price Of Saying “No”
Chapter 322 - The Moral Of The Story
Chapter 323 - Good Morning
Chapter 324 - Returning The Favor
Chapter 325 - Send Reinforcements
Chapter 326 - Five Archdukes
Chapter 327 - The Prince’S Whereabouts
Chapter 328 - Just Like Chapman Lampard
Chapter 329 - The Final Journey
Chapter 330 - Assassinating Lampard?
Chapter 331 - Bumping Into A Ghost
Chapter 332 - Headquarters
Chapter 333 - Smooth-Sailing
Chapter 334
Chapter 335 - The Confusion While Going Back Home
Chapter 336 - The Veteran On The Wheelchair
Chapter 337 - Double The Amount?
Chapter 338 - The Point Of Contact
Chapter 339 - His/Her Eyes
Chapter 340 - The Magical Therren
Chapter 341 - You Son Of A *Censored*
Chapter 342 - Which Will You Choose?
Chapter 343 - Exterminate Them All
Chapter 344 - Black Track
Chapter 345 - Join Us
Chapter 346 - Silver Shadow
Chapter 347 - You Will Fail In The End
Chapter 348 - You Fell Into The Trap, Eh?
Chapter 349 - The War Of The Deceased Souls
Chapter 350 - Never Lost
Chapter 351 - The Pulse Of The Ground
Chapter 352 - God Knows
Chapter 353 - The First Rule
Chapter 354 - Pursuers
Chapter 355 - The Hardest Fight
Chapter 356 - Unique Only To One
Chapter 357 - Just Die Here
Chapter 358 - The Three-Second Fight
Chapter 359 - Surpassed Kaslan
Chapter 360 - The Raven And The Snow Blade (One)
Chapter 361 - The Raven And The Snow Blade (Two)
Chapter 362 - The Black Raven’S Eyes
Chapter 363 - Who Does Your Loyalty Belong To?
Chapter 364 - Turning Against One Another
Chapter 365 - Saber Or Crossbow?
Chapter 366 - Prince In The Desert
Chapter 367 - Sellsword
Chapter 368 - Dante’S Greatsword
Chapter 369 - Desert Threat
Chapter 370 - There’S Someone
Chapter 371 - Barren Bone People
Chapter 372 - Bloody Thorn Lizard
Chapter 373 - Young Cub
Chapter 374 - Foreign Blood
Chapter 375 - Coming-Of-Age Ceremony
Chapter 376 - Flag
Chapter 377 - The Destructive Army
Chapter 378 - Freaks
Chapter 379 - Welcome To Constellation (One)
Chapter 380 - Welcome To Constellation (Two)
Chapter 381 - Ghost Prince
Chapter 382 - My Home (One)
Chapter 383 - My Home (Two)
Chapter 384 - Age Of Mercenaries
Chapter 385 - Confrontation And Stalemate
Chapter 386 - Prince Versus Prince
Chapter 387 - So Many Tricks
Chapter 388 - You Have To Laugh
Chapter 389 - Shackles Of Power
Chapter 390 - Perhaps I Have
Chapter 391 - Happily Ever After
Chapter 392 - Technical Skill
Chapter 393 - Intention
Chapter 394 - New Guest
Chapter 395 - Shadows And Swords
Chapter 396 - The Dark Side
Chapter 397 - Emergency Mission
Chapter 398 - Alliance Of Traitors
Chapter 399 - The Mole
Chapter 400 - As Bad As Can Be
Chapter 401 - Affectionate And United
Chapter 402 - F*Ck You
Chapter 403 - H.N. Jadestar
Chapter 404 - Stupid Idea
Chapter 405 - Sinner
Chapter 406 - The Intruders
Chapter 407 - Head Towards Omniscience
Chapter 408 - Black Prison
Chapter 409 - Behind The Iron Curtain
Chapter 410 - Hallucination
Chapter 411 - Seven
Chapter 412 - People Whom History Has Forgotten
Chapter 413 - The Mourning Of The Guards
Chapter 414 - Where Is He?
Chapter 415 - Fall Out
Chapter 416 - Disaster Sword’S Battle
Chapter 417 - The Knight Of Judgment
Chapter 418 - A Different World
Chapter 419 - The Queen’S Dowry
Chapter 420 - The Greatest King
Chapter 421 - Knew Clearly
Chapter 422 - Nameless
Chapter 423 - Awaken
Chapter 424 - Loyalty
Chapter 425 - Peer
Chapter 426 - He Was Probably Old
Chapter 427 - A Stalemate
Chapter 428 - Dusk
Chapter 429 - The Man At The Proximal World
Chapter 430 - The Second Declaration Among Mystics
Chapter 431 - The Anchor Point
Chapter 432 - Taurus Mill
Chapter 433 - Decision
Chapter 434 - Correcting The Mistake
Chapter 435 - Malicious Flower, Malicious Fruit
Chapter 436 - Moriah Returns
Chapter 437 - Old Self
Chapter 438 - The Prince Is Not Here
Chapter 439 - Scheme Between The Thief And Bandit
Chapter 440 - Seven To Three
Chapter 441 - Missing One
Chapter 442 - Quick Wit
Chapter 443 - Not Just You
Chapter 444 - Someone Needs An Answer
Chapter 445 - A Forbidden Name
Chapter 446 - Three Calamity Allies
Chapter 447 - Enemy Of The World
Chapter 448 - 1 Vs 8
Chapter 449 - Chaos Of Armies
Chapter 450 - Two Hands
Chapter 451 - Xx Films
Chapter 452 - Fratricide
Chapter 453 - It Was Not A Coincidence
Chapter 454 - More Than Half
Chapter 455 - I Hated Him
Chapter 456 - Nothing At All
Chapter 457 - The Person Who Supported Him
Chapter 458 - Where The Sun Does Not Shine (One)
Chapter 459 - Where The Sun Does Not Shine (Two)
Chapter 460 - Rebirth (One)
Chapter 461 - Rebirth (Two)
Chapter 462 - Rebirth (Three)
Chapter 463 - Rebirth (Four)
Chapter 464 - Rebirth (Five)
Chapter 465 - Truth Swords
Chapter 466 - Beheaded
Chapter 467 - Revealed In Flames
Chapter 468 - The Silent Demon
Chapter 469 - So Naïve That You Are Adorable
Chapter 470 - The Fate Twins
Chapter 471 - The True Essence Of The Power Of Eradication
Chapter 472 - Leaving The Prison
Chapter 473 - I Am Not A Devil, After All
Chapter 474 - Much… Higher
Chapter 475 - The Warden
Chapter 476 - Life, Safety And Freedom
Chapter 477 - Something Lighter
Chapter 478 - Get Me Something To Eat And Drink
Chapter 479 - Exclusive Possession
Chapter 480 - Kill Them
Chapter 481 - A Different Way Of Living
Chapter 482 - Get Yourself A Girlfriend
Chapter 483 - Make Me Even More… Excited
Chapter 484 - You Are Good-Looking
Chapter 485 - Too High
Chapter 486 - You Are Good-Looking
Chapter 487 - Too High
Chapter 488 - That Night
Chapter 489 - Usurp Power
Chapter 490 - Do Something
Chapter 491 - Power Comes From Violence (One)
Chapter 492 - Power Comes From Violence (Two)
Chapter 493 - The Third Party
Chapter 494 - Destiny Is Like A Poem
Chapter 495 - Raven Leader
Chapter 496 - Never
Chapter 497 - His Majesty’S Blessing
Chapter 498 - Black Lion
Chapter 499 - I Have Come In Peace
Chapter 500 - End Of Arc: Duke
Chapter 501 - Everything Will Be Better
Chapter 502 - Six Divisions And Seven Attendants
Chapter 503 - Divided Western Desert
Chapter 504 - Only One Day Left
Chapter 505 - Protection
Chapter 506 - This Is Just The Beginning
Chapter 507 - Hometown
Chapter 508 - A Small Spark
Chapter 509 - Anxious
Chapter 510 - Fifteen Minutes
Chapter 511 - King In The Mist
Chapter 512 - Crazy
Chapter 513 - A Small Favor
Chapter 514 - Like A Fleeting Cloud
Chapter 515 - Timetable
Chapter 516 - Coincidence?
Chapter 517 - Went To High School
Chapter 518 - Discovered?
Chapter 519 - Let’S Fight
Chapter 520 - Not Just The Power Of Eradication
Chapter 521 - World Class Battle Worthy Of Being Written In Historical Poems
Chapter 522 - Continuous Fights
Chapter 523 - Mutant
Chapter 524 - Self-Reliant
Chapter 525 - Lustful Woman
Chapter 526 - Knowledge Of People
Chapter 527 - Holiness Exorcism
Chapter 528 - Fight Between The Eldest And Youngest
Chapter 529 - Privacy
Chapter 530 - Alien Star
Chapter 531 - Guest
Chapter 532 - The Young Kingdom
Chapter 533 - Calm On Iron Spikes
Chapter 534 - Sorry To Keep You Waiting
Chapter 535 - Polaris
Chapter 536 - Times Have Changed
Chapter 537 - Pretty Boy
Chapter 538 - Magnificent Scene Of Hell
Chapter 539 - Side Story 7: Joint Council
Chapter 540 - Never Kneel
Chapter 541 - A Piece Of Cake
Chapter 542 - Merciless
Chapter 543 - That Gaze
Chapter 544 - Watchmen’S Code
Chapter 545 - The End Of It
Chapter 546 - To Not Perish As Foes (One)
Chapter 547 - To Not Perish As Foes (Two)
Chapter 548 - To Not Perish As Foes (Three)
Chapter 549 - To Duke Thales
Chapter 550 - What Rationality
Chapter 551 - Better
Chapter 552 - Sacrificing A Pawn (One)
Chapter 553 - Sacrificing A Pawn (Two)
Chapter 554 - Sacrificing A Pawn (Three)
Chapter 555 - Unfulfilled
Chapter 556 - Chess Player
Chapter 557 - Relieved
Chapter 558 - Punishment
Chapter 559 - Eight Arteries
Chapter 560 - Imperial Style
Chapter 561 - Cannot Escape The Sheath
Chapter 562 - Want Everything
Chapter 563 - Cause And Effect
Chapter 564 - Blazing Blood
Chapter 565 - Of Course—Not
Chapter 566 - Crown Jewel Of The Kingdom
Chapter 567 - Head Over Heels
Chapter 568 - As Truthful As Possible
Chapter 569 - Hand In Marriage
Chapter 570 - What Do I Need You For
Chapter 571 - Defects
Chapter 572 - Heart Of The Guards
Chapter 573 - You’Re A Real Dog
Chapter 574 - Antecessors
Chapter 575 - The Years Have Caught On To Me
Chapter 576 - Shooting Yourself In The Foot
Chapter 577 - Lie
Chapter 578 - The Wine Merchant
Chapter 579 - Damn The Prince
Chapter 580 - The Prince Likes Them
Categories Genre: Action, All, Drama, Fantasy, Mature, Ongoing, Psychological, Seinen, Tragedy Status: Ongoing Alternative names: Wang Guo Xue Mai, 王国血脉, ______
Total Chapters in book: 580
Estimated words: 2362673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 11813(@200wpm)___ 9451(@250wpm)___ 7876(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 2362673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 11813(@200wpm)___ 9451(@250wpm)___ 7876(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 580 Page No. 579 Page No. 578 Page No. 577 Page No. 576 Page No. 575 Page No. 574 Page No. 573 Page No. 572 Page No. 571 Page No. 570 Chapter 236 - The Inextinguishable Starlight
Chapter 236: The Inextinguishable Starlight
Translator:
EndlessFantasy Translation
Editor:
EndlessFantasy Translation
Each with a different expression, the other archdukes stared at the Archduke of Black Sand Region. They listened to Lecco’s rejection and did not show any intention of refuting it.
Lampard gawked at the four men.
‘No.’ His fists tightened slowly.
“Why?” Lampard asked with difficulty.
Archduke Roknee gave a cold laugh and slowly stepped forward.
“What do you think?
“We will not tolerate someone who betrayed his ruler… let alone collaborate with him in the name of ‘benefits’.” The eyes of the Archduke of the City of Faraway Prayers shone with a brilliant light.
Lampard did not say a word, but his gaze was terrifying.
Archduke Roknee spoke with a determined look on his face, “Even with swords and blades on us; even if we were to be beheaded… King Slayer.”
Beside him, Trentida rolled his eyes. Olsius snorted coldly.
Archduke Lampard gritted his teeth. An unnamed emotion which he had harbored for years was boiling in his chest.
‘No…’
“My actions may be unfathomable to you.” He suppressed his emotions, clenched his teeth, and said, “But my hand was forced.” Lampard’s gaze turned cold. “Sooner or later, someone has to do it.”
“Forced?” Archduke Olsius shook his head slowly. “A person who has his hand forced would not have so many follow-up plans.”
Lampard flipped his cape aside and raised his voice. “Can’t you see? Yes, Nuven’s death worsens the situation throughout Eckstedt, throwing it off balance…”
Every word the Archduke of Black Sand Region spoke seemed to be filled with years of anger.
“…But what I’m trying to do is take matters into our own hands—to make sure balance is re-established in this horrible situation. I could have done it for Eckstedt. Why can’t you understand?!”
*Bang!*
It was the sound of a palm slamming against the surface of the rectangular table. All the archdukes moved their gazes to Archduke Lecco, who stood up solemnly.
The old, bald archduke who seldom participated in any discussion, stood from his seat, trembling with fury.
The old archduke’s voice was deep, he seemed upset. “It is you who does not understand, Archduke Chapman Lampard!”
Lampard gaped at him.
“We are not worrying about our interests or the territories…” Archduke Lecco huffed. His gaze was no longer lackluster and vacant, but instead emitted a sharp glow. “…Or our reputations, or even the creed of the Northland, or our loyalty to the supreme ruler…”
Archduke Roknee gave a disgruntled snort. Lampard was quaking as he glared at Lecco.
“…It is you.” Archduke Lecco’s face contorted. His utterance echoed in the hall, every word was ironclad, and every line was like steel. “Chapman Lampard: the rule-breaker, the one who broke the statue… You are the one existence causing us the greatest worry in this farce.”
Lampard was slightly taken aback for a second, but in the next instant, his eyes widened with rage.
Archduke Lecco left his seat, and supporting himself by holding on to the backrest of the chair, he walked towards Lampard one step at a time while staring at the latter’s ever-changing facial expression.
“The Joint Ruling Pledge determines the relation between us and the king. It is a sacred oath between the ten supreme powers on this land.” The old archduke’s voice was slow, as though he was reading from a dust-covered, forgotten history book. “The rules that followed has maintained our stability and unity for the past six hundred years.”
Lampard turned his head and looked at the other three archdukes. They stared at him with silent, chilly expressions; none of them intended to speak.
The old archduke’s speech continued. “It bestows supreme prestige and leadership upon the common-elected king, but also draws the boundary between ruler and archduke: ‘I obey the order of the king. My land shall obey my will.'”
Archduke Lecco said painfully, “To Northlanders and Eckstedt, it means more than the Great Dragon on the flag, the esteem of Raikaru, and even the Queen of the Sky herself—it is the foundation of the unbreakable, united lands of Eckstedt.
“When a vassal is trampled on by the royal power, his right of self-governance is violated, so the Joint Ruling Pledge will be his last resort.
“When a courtier disrespects the ruler and harbors wild ambitions, the Joint Ruling Pledge, too, will be his greatest constraint. It is the real flag of Eckstedt!”
The Archduke of Black Sand Region stared at Lecco, startled. In that very second, Lampard felt as though he was not facing an old archduke, but instead the unshakable six-hundred-year-old tradition—power with a robust foundation.
“No matter how oppressive King Nuven was, he had to restrain his power under the Joint Ruling Pledge.” Archduke Lecco’s voice became harsher and sterner. “He did not use violence and bloodshed—as well as other methods that throw all inhibitions out of the window—to wipe out the suzerains and vassals he did not like, along with their territories and fiefdoms, off the history books and maps with brute force!”
Archduke Lecco observed Lampard’s facial expression, then heaved a long sigh. He placed his hands behind his back, lowered his head, turned away from Lampard, and began to pace around.
“Yes, our Eckstedt has also faced the threat of downfall and destruction multiple times in the past.
“Nevertheless, due to the archdukes’ willingness to obey the pledge and maintain the wills of the laws; with their pride in the Northland traditions, the wisdom and talent of many people who loved this land dearly; the fairness of the Joint Ruling Pledge towards the ten archdukes; the trust and respect for Queen Clorysis as a witness of the pledge…” The old archduke raised his head slowly, gazing at the stone carving of the Cloud Dragon Spear.
“The powerful and prideful Kingdom of Eckstedt managed to withstand hardship every single time.”
Archduke Lecco turned around sharply. His bald head reflected the flickering firelight. The temperature in the hall seemed to rise a little.
“Compared to the bloody internal conflicts in the history of Constellation, the weak countries in the Dragon-Kissed Land built upon compromises, the pathetic and inefficient constitutional monarchy of the Alumbia Kingdom; compared to the conflicts between the cities in Camus Union, the scandals of the Sunrise Temple-governed Habol Dynasty that could not be erased; compared to the many powerful but short-lived great tribes on the Sele Prairies, or the unique regime of Mane et Nox Dynasty built upon traditions and etiquettes…”
The old Archduke of Defense City took in a deep breath and, in his sternest, most solemn tone which he had not used in a long while, said,
“The Kingdom of Eckstedt after Raikaru had, to this day, united ten archdukes’ territories, each the size of a smaller nation, ten prestigious ancient families, nearly ten million untamable and dauntless Northlanders, and the forces on this land that had successfully defended the nation against the Empire—all under the Black-based Red Dragon Flag.
“And when the Final Empire was destroyed and the Battle of Eradication ended, Eckstedt stood as the strongest in the Western Peninsula, holding herself pridefully in Northland, making her neighbors bow to her might, and it intimidated the world.”
“Even in the face of Empress Hellen’s forcible order, we managed to stand our ground in the Peninsular War without compromising our pride.”
The fire in the hall’s brazier flared. The shadows of the archdukes were cast fluttering on the stone walls.
Like the other archdukes, Lampard listened quietly to Lecco’s words. Archduke Lecco gazed at him, narrowed his eyes, and let out a deep sigh.
“But you, Chapman Lampard,” the old archduke said, soft but clear, “You terrify us.”
Lampard’s face began to contort. His fists tightened gradually.
Archduke Lecco spoke flatly. “You laid a finger on the man who sat on the common-elected throne, you broke these rules, shattered this foundation, and destroyed the faith to the pledge in your heart.” Archduke Lecco’s face was pale and his voice was grim. His grip on his robe tightened. “And the price we have to pay to fix it is imaginable.
“That is the reality after Nuven’s death. That is your alleged ‘future of Eckstedt’.”
The old archduke’s voice waned. Trentida, who stood beside him, applauded.
“I am not as articulate as the old man.” The Archduke of Reformation Tower chuckled. “But I feel pretty much the same—of course I would like to divide and possess some of Dragon Clouds City’s new territories, but for that, I might have to pay the price. To become neighbors with a fellow who could go mad at any second, and getting my family and descendants into the danger caused by the political turmoil…”
Trentida spread his hands, implying that he was done talking.
Archduke Roknee gazed at Lampard with a frosty expression. “There is a reason why we obey the ostensible creeds and honor of Northland. But you… Do you see it as merely a joke, or meaningless pedantry and hypocrisy?”
Olsius crossed his arms and slowly looked up at the Archduke of Black Sand Region. “Do you understand now?”
Lampard stared at Archduke Lecco in disbelief, then at the other three archdukes.
“Right, blaming Constellation for the crimes, feeding riotous folks like us with profit, maintaining the falsest and most surficial sense of peace and balance; you may deceive the people of this country…” Lecco nodded slowly an anguished look.
“…but you cannot fool yourself. You are no longer one of us—a member of the Joint Ruling Pledge,” the bald archduke said indifferently. “Your existence and your actions are the biggest threats to the stability of Eckstedt… King Slayer, Chapman Lampard.”
Lampard lowered his head. His right hand could not stop trembling.
There was dead silence. The five archdukes stood facing each other in the hall. Their silhouettes were blurred against the brazier’s fire, but one silhouette seemed particularly lonely.
He stood alone before the flames, meeting the death glares of the other four men. His right hand pressed lightly against the old sword at his waist…
It was as if a century had passed…
At last, Lampard’s voice echoed faintly. At this moment, his voice sounded awfully weary. “That is what you fear? … Me?”
The four archdukes gazed at him coldly, as though they were looking at a fatally injured person in the battleground who had no hope for survival.
“Hmph.” Lampard gently snorted in a cold manner. He strode forward and came to the side of the long table. He scanned the eleven seats around it.
With a complex expression, Lampard glanced at the seat of the host on one end of the table. A second later, he laughed coldly and reached to randomly pull out a chair.
Archduke Roknee folded his arms and called Lampard out brusquely, “Watch yourself!”
His eyes narrowed slightly and he warned coldly, “The fourth seat from the right, that is the Cameron Family’s seat.”
Lampard’s hand stopped in mid-air.
“Ten archdukes. Each of us have a seat that has been fixed since six hundred years ago.” Archduke Trentida turned his head away meaningfully. “Do not take the wrong seat.”
Lampard did not move, but in the next second, his hand was on the chair, firmly, allowing no room for disagreement.
*Thump!*
Amid the echoes that filled the hall, Lampard lifted the chair belonging to the Cameron Family without hesitation and pulled it to him. Archduke Roknee’s expression turned grim.
However, that was not the end of it.
Lampard reached out a hand and pulled out another chair beside him. As he met the hostile gazes of the four archdukes, the Archduke of Black Sand Region slumped into the Cameron seat. Then, Lampard leaned back, lifted his legs in a preposterous manner, and put them on another chair.
He rudely faced the four standing archdukes in that position. The archdukes stared at him in disbelief.
“I’ve always wanted to do this for a long time now.” Lampard leaned back in his chair with his leg on top of the other. He looked up at the four archdukes and laughed coldly. “It feels quite good.”
Roknee clenched his fists and his eyes burned with anger. As he was about to lunge at Lampard, his shoulder was held by Olsius.
“Calm down, his soldiers are right outside,” the Archduke of Prestige Orchid reminded his peer. “Besides, Prime Minister Lisban will arrive soon.”
*Bang!*
Lampard brusquely slammed his saber on the table. He leaned back in his chair and let out a laugh.
“So, this is what you are proud of? The Joint Ruling Pledge that protects and maintains the great Eckstedt, is it?”
The four archdukes just stared at him coldly. They seemed to not even want to speak anymore. Lampard gazed at them in silence.
Two seconds passed…
Lampard snickered and took his leg off the chair. He placed his elbows on the table, his palms met, and fingers interlaced. Nevertheless, the archdukes still stared at him with unfriendly looks.
Lampard’s gaze focused on his saber and lingered there. His eyes gradually turned vacant, as though he was gazing into the distance.
“You still do not know.” Lampard’s voice came again, but this time, his tone was laced with sympathy abd the tone of someone free of burdens. “You do not know what our real threat is.”
“In your eyes, there is no difficulty or obstacle the powerful, prideful Eckstedt that ruled the Western Peninsula cannot overcome. From your perspective, our grand expedition south that shocked the Western Peninsula twelve years ago is exemplary, correct?”
Archduke Lecco frowned.
“But your visions are smaller than sand particles,” Lampard said flatly. “You see only the short distances between Dragon Clouds City and each of your own territories.
“Your ears, perhaps, hear only the shouts and whispers in your provincial meetings and the King-Selection Congress. Oh, and perhaps the jingle of coins in the money pouch where you put all the yearly tax collections in.
“And in your minds? Become a noble and obtain a dukedom? Become an heir for the rights to heirship? Become an archduke and obtain power? Become the king…”
Lampard shook his head in disdain. He smirked and said, “And hold Eckstedt in the palm of your hand.”
It sounded just like what happened for the past six hundred years. Lampard’s expression darkened—even the largest ocean wave would have been drowned by the suffocating past.
He gave a chilly laugh and said, “But do you really believe that things will always develop the same way, and history will always repeat itself in the exact same manner?”
Roknee interrupted him coldly, “What are you trying to say?”
But Lampard ignored him.
“Our last actual war that involved the entire country mobilizing its forces was twelve years ago, wasn’t it? The Constellatiates called it ‘The Bloody Year’. Ha! To them, we were one of the people who caused the catastrophe,” Chapman Lampard said impassively, as though he was talking to himself.
Archduke Trentida and Archduke Lecco exchanged glances and saw the hints of doubt in each other’s gazes.
“How about the war before that?” Lampard was still talking to himself. A strange light glimmered in his eyes. No one answered him. Lampard continued to shake his head and mumbled to himself,
“Right. A hundred years ago—the Fourth Peninsular War. It’s so old that I could only read about it in history books.”
Lampard closed his eyes and heaved a long sigh. The Archduke of Black Sand Region looked at Olsius. This time, he no longer spoke to himself.
“Reybien Olsius.” Lampard raised an eyebrow, lifted his right hand and gestured at the man, who remained unmoving. “Do you still remember that captive?”
Archduke Olsius frowned. “Captive?”
“Uh-huh.” Lampard lifted an index finger and made a light tap in the air, as though he was reminiscing.
“Twelve years ago, I had just become an archduke. We took Broken Dragon Fortress…” His eyebrows furrowed slightly. “About more than a month after the first day of spring, ten thousand Eckstedtian soldiers ventured south to Constellation, singing battle songs.”
As Archduke Lampard reminisced about the past, the other archdukes, too, lowered their heads and recalled those days of war.
“When we seized Cold Castle,” Lampard said plainly, “Due to the overly chaotic situation—tens of thousands of people pillaged the place—we had to stay behind to count the loot and manage logistics. I found every literate clerk and official who knew mathematics in Black Sand Region.” The Archduke of Black Sand Region snorted in disdain. “You did pretty much the same.”
Olsius shrugged.
“They spent a day and a night rounding up and counting the number of captives, the amount of rations, and the loot. Then… those morons…” Lampard said with emotion.
Archduke Olsius frowned as he continued Lampard’s words. “…They gave us the wrong number and planned the ration deliveries based on it.”
Lampard snorted, he felt plenty of emotions in him at that moment, but most of it was mockery.
“On the day itself, things went wrong with the rations that were supposed to be delivered to Dragon Clouds City. During the siege of Ice River City, thousands of combatants did not have their lunch. The attack on the city was delayed because they had to collect rations from the city perimeter.” Lampard shook his head. His eyes were filled with nostalgia. “Nuven’s statement of condemnation was delivered on the next day, chastising us as usual: ‘Never mind the war. Can’t you even count?’ His exact words.”
Archduke Olsius sighed. “He kept thinking that we were holding the soldiers back.”
Lampard nodded.
“That was normal. After all, it was an unprecedented expedition—the basic necessities of ten thousand men…” Olsius shrugged. “Half of the recruited soldiers had to carry the supplies. Considering that we were on foreign land, it was hard to not make any mistakes.”
“Indeed.” Lampard’s gaze turned grim. “We punished many men and killed a number of them. But the logistics was still a mess.
“Do you remember? There was a captive named Vlad, a Northland commoner living in the Northern Territory. He claimed to have learned mathematics and literature in some god-knows-what accountancy school, so he volunteered to help us.”
Olsius did not speak; he remembered.
Lampard snickered. “I remember you were furious, attempting to behead this arrogant captive who claimed he could settle the ration supplies for our army that consisted of ten-thousand men.”
Olsius narrowed his eyes. “But you stopped me.”
Lampard sighed, the emotion in his gaze was complicated.
“Yes,” Lampard said faintly, “That captive asked for assistance from his peers: Constellatiates who had learned mathematics, were literate, and had relevant expertise. With pen and paper, they settled the matter within half a day. The numbers were on the dot, everything was neatly done. King Nuven’s condemnations stopped coming in.”
Archduke Roknee frowned impatiently. “Why are you talking about these things?”
Lampard looked up with a sharp, piercing gaze. “It’s because this is not a coincidence—the war twelve years ago. Did you not sense anything?”
The archdukes’ expressions changed somewhat.
“Remember? All of you-Roknee did not make it to the war, the City of Faraway Prayers did not participate in that expedition. But Lecco and Trentida were on the frontlines, by Nuven’s side.” Lampard shook his head.
Archduke Roknee narrowed his eyes. Archduke Lecco did not speak, but simply stared blankly at Lampard.
Archduke Lampard breathed out a long sigh with a hint of hesitance in his eyes. “Afterwards, despite the time spent and the large number of casualties, our invincible army managed to advance smoothly into the Northern Territory. The campaign was a success…”
Lampard narrowed his eyes and changed the focus abruptly. “…Until we encountered those teenaged soldiers from the south.”
“Hm.” Archduke Trentida nodded with a sobering look and picked up where he left off, “The Duke of Star Lake, John Jadestar’s Starlight Brigade.”
Archduke Lecco and Archduke Olsius flinched a little simultaneously.
“No.” Archduke Lampard shook his head in disagreement. “The Starlight God of War was already dead at the time.”
A spark of wariness flashed in his eyes. “In fact, what we were up against… was the head of his personal guards…
“…Sonia Sasere’s Starlight Brigade.”
No one spoke, until Archduke Lecco sighed and, still shaken, uttered a name,
“The Inextinguishable Starlight.”
Total Chapters in book: 580
Estimated words: 2362673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 11813(@200wpm)___ 9451(@250wpm)___ 7876(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 2362673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 11813(@200wpm)___ 9451(@250wpm)___ 7876(@300wpm)
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