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 579 - Damn The Prince
Chapter 579: Damn the Prince
Zayen Covendier.
In that moment, Dagori froze.
On the other side of the glass, Thales was equally shocked.
“Wh, why?” the wine merchant asked subconsciously.
“You know why.” Raphael’s smile was undiminished.
Dagori sat upright and asked anxiously, “Bud, buddy, did you say you…you serve the kingdom?
“Which department, specifically?”
Raphael nodded with growing interest. “How odd. You are not afraid of the blood-sucking Department of Finance, nor the intimidating police force, nor the preeminent Department of Justice.
“It’s only when you hear the name of a prominent foreign noble that you lose your calm.”
Dagori trembled.
He seemed to realize something and started to look around nervously. “This isn’t just some police station, is it?
“Who do you actually work for?”
Raphael scoffed, “Oh, maybe you’re worried that the Duke of Iris Flowers will find out that Dagori Moss—the competent businessman who benefits from him, receives instructions from him and acts as his agent in the Central Territory wine business—stuffed his own pockets behind his back, enjoyed huge amounts of kickbacks for so long, and operated so many private businesses elsewhere…”
Thales saw Dagori shudder at Raphael’s every word.
Raphael smiled amiably. “And he actually had the audacity to say that the business failed, and moan about hard times to the duke?”
Dagori’s breathing began to accelerate. He took a hard gulp. “Listen buddy, there must be some misunderstanding between us. I don’t understand anything you said…”
Raphael picked up the document and left his seat, as if he was clocking off and leaving. “Don’t worry, we’ll arrange for a carriage in a moment, and send you home with great fanfare to thank you for your cooperation and honesty—right after these evidence are sent to Jade City into the hands of Duke Zayen.”
Dagori froze. The smugness and confidence from before had disappeared from his face.
“You…can’t…” he started, but couldn’t manage to get his words out.
Raphael tilted his head sideways and smiled snidely as he lay down the last straw, “After all, you know, the kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department cannot carry out illegal torture.”
In that instant, Dagori trembled violently!
“What? The king, kingdom’s what department?” the wine merchant asked blankly.
The Barren Bone man smiled and turned to leave.
“Wait a minute!
“I remember now. I remember!”
Perhaps the last sentence was too overwhelming. Dagori fell off his chair, got up from the ground in a panic, and cried, “There will be a huge amount of capital flow coming in today. I guarantee that those who are owed wages and arrears will receive their money soon. There will be a large amount of surplus too. I would like to donate all of that to you personally, buddy. Or your department, to support your work… Could you just…make it seem like I was never here…”
Unmoved, Raphael merely put on a wicked smile. “Don’t worry, you are familiar with Big Boss Catherine, aren’t you? When you are out, the Blood Bottle Gang will surely take good care of you?
“Or I heard that the custom in Jade City is to take people out to sea in a boat, and no matter what happens on the high seas, it has nothing to do with the laws of the kingdom…”
He squinted and grinned. “We have no jurisdiction to deal with it even if we wanted to.”
Everything Raphael said seemed to spur a thought in Dagori.
Dagori ended up crying louder, and terror filled his eyes. “No, no, no, please. This…this is equivalent to killing me… I, I’m also a citizen of this kingdom, you can’t leave me for dead…”
Raphael reacted by smiling apologetically. “Not at all. The Duke of Iris Flowers is magnanimous and amicable, maybe he won’t mind?
“After all, you have such a big family. You had to support them.”
‘Support them.’
Dagori was trembling. He was stupefied as he stared at Raphael blankly.
Raphael was smiling as before. Gleeful, he turned around to look at Dagori and waited patiently for a reply.
After a full ten seconds.
“Damn it.”
Finally, Dagori could not bear the pressure of Raphael’s gaze and collapsed to the ground.
“Alright, alright. Whatever you want, I’ll…I’ll give it to you.”
He had fallen apart completely. Tears and snot came streaming down his face as he sobbed, “Just, just don’t tell the duke… I, I… I just wanted to earn a decent sum before retiring… My family…”
Raphael chuckled. He was delighted.
“Welcome to the kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department, Mr Moss.”
Satisfied, he leaned over and helped the shaking Dagori up.
“Don’t worry, under our protection, you won’t retire so soon.”
Dagori stared blankly at the young man in front of him. His face had become thoroughly numb.
At the other end of the room, Thales turned to Morat in disgust. “This is how you recruit people and win them over?”
The Black Prophet chuckled softly in his wheelchair. “I know you despise such methods.
“I don’t despise it. It’s just that…” The prince shook his head and said uncomfortably, “This reminds me of Shadow Shield.”
“We’re doing it right, then,” Morat sneered, “Because this is how our division of labor works: we stay in the dark and do the dirty work. You stand under the sun and condemn the dirty work.
“Here’s to a happy collaboration.”
Thales glanced at the Black Prophet and furrowed his brows.
On the other side of the glass, Raphael finally managed to pacify Dagori—who had collapsed and surrendered—and helped him back into his chair.
“Now, can you answer my question?”
Dagori’s eyes were red. Wiping the blood off his nose with a handkerchief, he looked up in a daze. “What, what question?”
Raphael repeated patiently. “Why, why is the future of the wine industry in the kingdom dim?”
Perhaps traumatized by his experience in the past ten minutes, Dagori was stunned for a while before he came to himself.
“Yes, yes,” the wine merchant replied bitterly, “Although it was only a rumor before, it was confirmed last night…
“Now, it should have been spread to all wine merchants across the kingdom.”
Raphael’s gaze flickered. “What happened?”
Dagori, who had just experienced a life-changing moment, pursed his lips and replied reluctantly, “That prince.”
Hearing about himself, Thales was taken aback.
Dagori continued sullenly, “Our wise Prince Thales, the Duke of Star Lake does not like wine.
“At the banquet last night, the wine produced from my winery was served to his table, and he didn’t touch any of it.
“Not a single drop.”
He said resentfully, “Even when he was toasting, he just pretended to drink it, then deliberately poured it away.”
Raphael responded with an “Uh huh” then asked, “Perhaps the wine you produce isn’t to his taste?”
“Hah, the prince doesn’t like to drink, or the wine doesn’t suit his taste, what’s the difference?”
After having his psychological defense mechanism demolished by Raphael, Dagori, opening up, started gabbing incessantly. There was despair and resignation in his voice.
“And not only does he not drink,” the wine merchant said bitterly, “He doesn’t like other people drinking.”
Thales looked up, bewildered.
Raphael frowned too. “Really?”
Dagori chuckled sardonically. “Yesterday, at the royal banquet, although I didn’t go, I had a friend who went. He saw with his own eyes, before the hostage-taking incident, a noble young lady who was very beautiful and had a good family background, asked the prince for a dance.
“In the end, because she drank two glasses of wine before talking to the prince, she was chided by His Highness in public, and came back crying.”
Raphael continued to doubt, “Are you sure?”
“It’s spread throughout the debutante circle!”
Dagori spat and went on in contempt, “His Highness rejected every girl who had drunk wine. Even when his aunt had a few drinks, he did not show any mercy and drove her out of the banquet hastily!
“There was another servant who testified: After the banquet ended, when His Highness was talking to Duke Zayen in private, all he drank was water!”
Raphael pondered for a while. “That’s it? All based on the trivial happenings at the banquet last night?
“Perhaps this is just an excuse you found to disguise your behavior for running off without paying your debts after your business failed, implicating hundreds of families…”
Dagori interjected indignantly, “I told you. I’m just going abroad for a vacation… Listen, rumors that the prince hates drinking have been around for a while, it’s not just last night.”
“How do you mean?”
Dagori snorted, “First, it came from Northland merchants from the Black Sand Region. They spread the word that Prince Thales and the current King of Eckstedt fell out over a glass of wine and now hate each other.
“I don’t know how the prince lived in the north, but the way he has presented himself since his return to Constellation is obvious: he leads a simple life and touches neither wine nor women.”
Dagori raised his finger and continued in all seriousness, “In Blade Fangs Camp, my colleagues in Western Desert prepared a pot of fine liquor. They bribed Legendary Wing’s soldiers and prepared to dedicate it to him, at the same time taking the opportunity to advertise the liquor. In the end, the prince did not give them any face. He smashed the pot without taking a second look at it!
“He’s the heir to the kingdom, you know.
“That’s how the rumors started.”
Dagori exhaled disgruntledly, “And I just heard about what happened this morning: Prince Thales’ two personal guards—royal guards, from the esteemed families of the Seven Jadestar Attendants—had a little too much to drink last night, which inadvertently fueled the hostage-taking incident.
“So the prince ordered for them to be whipped, right at Mindis Hall. They were whipped half to death. Rumor has it that he counted off the number of whips himself.”
Raphael listened attentively while he cast a sideways glance towards the one-way glass.
Dagori tilted his head backward in despair. “That’s just great. Soon the whole of Constellation will know that the future king does not like to drink, and dislikes people who drink.
“Damn the prince.”
Raphael coughed. “Maybe you have overreacted, and the prince’s dislike of drinking doesn’t have that big of an impact…”
“Oh! He’s the prince! The future king!”
In a bad mood, Dagori interrupted the Barren Bone man impatiently, “Everything he does, every detail of it, has an extremely huge impact, alright?!”
Raphael did not speak.
The other side of the one-way glass sank into dead silence.
“Listen buddy. You’re still young, but I have seen it, I know…”
Dagori wiped his nose with the handkerchief. “The impact may not be that instant, but over time…
“It will gradually become a common practice in the upper-class circles of the capital: In order to please the prince and get close to the duke, at first, a small proportion of people will start to drink less. Then everyone will follow the trend of drinking less. Then some influential people will advocate abstinence, which will extend to a general attitude against drinking in Eternal Star City, and finally the kingdom will enact laws to restrict or ban alcohol…”
Raphael was doubtful. “Aren’t you exaggerating?”
Dagori shook his head. “Okay, maybe I’m embellishing a little. But buddy, you work in public office.
“Whatever the genteel favors, the lower classes will be even more fervent about.
“Haven’t you heard of that? When a glass drops in Renaissance Palace, a skull drops in the borders of the kingdom.”
The wine merchant glanced at Raphael and chuckled sarcastically, “And do you know how many glasses Prince Thales broke at the banquet? Hahahaha…”
His laughter was discontented and bleak, and gradually faded off.
“If the king turns their nose at a group of people, when they reached the bottom, people will drive them towards a dead end.
“If the duke gives something a second look, when it reaches the general public, it will cost a small fortune or even be priceless.
“People have taken the ramblings of bigshots as words of wisdom and attempted to interpret them, and even studied them in academia…
“Or if some noble from a prominent family forgets to wear his long trousers when going out for a walk, this will be regarded as a new style, a fashion trend, and attract the worship of the masses, where everyone scrambles to imitate it…”
Dagori continued resentfully, “Haven’t we seen enough of such occurrences?”
The wine merchant sighed. “Power is a fishing hook, attracting everyone to draw close to it, all for a measly bit of bait.
“How do you think I earned my fortune otherwise?”
The interrogation room was silent for a while.
“So you closed down the winery after deliberate consideration,” Raphael said plainly.
Dagori nodded.
“Do you think I wanted to close it down? Believe me, if I don’t cut my losses and exit now, a few months later when the rumor that the prince does not like drinking becomes common knowledge, my ledger will only look worse, and my backer in Jade City will be even more unhappy.
“And I am not the first person to find out: the nose of the market is more perceptive than mine, and the gold coins only follow power.”
He pouted. “Just last night, after the banquet, six of my buyers who are nobles withdrew their orders for next month. They said that their own wine production was sufficient.
“There were ten more this morning…”
Dagori’s eyes glazed over. “I had initially thought that, after the prince’s return, after the royal banquet was held, the capital that had been in hibernation for years would see many dinner parties and there would be a sharp increase in demand for luxury alcohol such as ours.
“So I expanded my scope of partners, bought several more wineries in anticipation of increased production, and borrowed a lot of money for this…”
He scoffed and wiped the last bit of blood off his nose, then threw the handkerchief on the table.
“Now, now I can only cut my losses.
“At least in the foreseeable future, I will no longer receive a sizeable order for banquets big and small throughout the capital.”
Raphael was silent for a while before responding, “From what you’re telling me, you are only the first person to act according to rumors. There will be more people who will be hit by this and lose their jobs in your industry?”
Dagori groaned, half-crying.
“What can I do?
“I’m in despair too!”
He was downcast. “But who is the one who made wine merchants lose confidence, tanked the prospects of the wine industry, and made all my workers lose their livelihoods?
“If you’re launching an inquest, don’t find me. Go find our beloved Prince Thales who has declared to the world that he hates drinking!”
Moss slumped into his chair and muttered for the second time, “Damn nobles.
“Damn the prince.”
The interrogation room fell silent again.
Raphael sighed. “Very well. Thank you for your opinion. I will make sure he knows.”
“Make sure he knows…”
Immediately, Moss, who was indulging in his slump, realized something.
“No no no, I #&%¥&…”
The wine merchant’s expression changed upon his newfound realization. “Don’t record that sentence please… Sunset knows that my entire family is loyal to and wholeheartedly supportive of the Jadestar Royal Family!”
He waved his hands fervently as he tried to explain himself to Raphael.
But Raphael just glanced at the one-way glass before gesturing to have Moss taken away.
“It’s true. My mother can testify! I have been a loyal supporter of His Highness since birth…
“Aren’t we on the same side? You can’t set me up like this!”
The wine merchant’s words slowly faded off, but could still be heard saying, “What was that again, uh, may the Duke of Star Lake be in good health and be crowned king as soon as possible…”
“Oh no, don’t get me wrong, I support His Majesty King Kessel too! I sincerely wish the Iron Hand King a long life and an eternal rule over Constellation…”
The door to the interrogation room closed. Dagori’s voice disappeared completely. Raphael exhaled and looked towards the one-way glass.
On this side of the glass, the Black Prophet looked at the prince with subtle interest.
For a good few minutes, Thales slipped into a silent daze.
And was left speechless.
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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