Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Cullen Family, aye!”
“Javea, aye!”
“Almond, aye!”
The three agreements were voiced up one after another.
Thales started to shiver as he started to count the number of votes in his mind.
His breathing became involuntarily heavier after the thought.
He looked over to Gilbert and the latter’s eyes were filled with excitement, which he was trying very hard to suppress.
On the other hand, Koshder Nanchester had his mouth wide open. He took an entire twenty seconds before he finally understood what had just happened!
He stared in disbelief at the smiling, old Duke Cullen as his breath started to speed up.
Dagestan and Count Sorel who were standing behind him were also staring at each other in disbelief.
What happened?
What happened?!
Cullen was smiling by the time he began counting the votes while huffing and puffing. “In that case, eight people opposed, ten people agreed and one person forfeited. More than half of the people have agreed.”
Morat the Black Prophet sighed as he watched the scene. “It seems like we do not have to make an appearance anymore. The back-up plan is cancelled.
“The situation was already decided the moment Iris Flowers switched sides.
“After all, it was the child’s strategy that worked.”
Raphael gave out a light-hearted smile as he nodded and pulled up his gloves to his wrists.
Duke Cullen squeezed out a smile on his plump face. “The Higher Parliament has already made the decision that the constitution on illegitimate children is unsuited to be used against this child. This child shall have Jadestar as his last name, and he will have all the privileges of a prince.
“The bloodline of Jadestar is now carried on, and Constellation will have an heir.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”
Finally, Kessel the Fifth stingily gave out a smile and he nodded as a signal towards Gilbert.
The hall once again exploded with the rising commotion.
There were sounds of clapping, hurrahs and shouts. Additionally, there was a crowd, constantly pushing against the royal guards’ line of defense.
Koshder did not listen to what Cullen said. He just stared at Duke Cullen, who was in front of him with his only eye, widened.
‘Bob Cullen.
‘You are the starting point of everything.
‘You are…
‘But you…
‘But…
‘You traitor.’
Koshder glared at Duke Cullen as he clenched his teeth together and spat out his words, “Let him become your future king. You will regret this one day!”
All the dukes had different expressions on their faces. Val was in a stunned state as he stared at Thales whereas Zayen stood with his arms crossed and smiled coldly. Fakenhaz was staring at everyone with a delighted expression on his face. Lyanna’s expression was still cold and callous as she occasionally swept her gaze over Thales.
At this moment, Thales’ brain was blank.
‘Today’s obstacle is over?’
With an excited look on his face, Gilbert waved his arm. He then took over a platter, which held a rolled-up document from an attendant beside him.
“Your Majesty, young sir.
“Even though it is a little crude and hurried, but the necessary ceremony must still be performed.”
Kessel the Fifth nodded without any expression on his face.
Gilbert’s hands were trembling as he passed the sealed scroll with a Nine-Pointed Star symbol on it to the supreme king.
The nobles, who all had different expressions on their faces slowly dispersed. They left the center of the balcony to the father-son pair.
“Kneel down.” Kessel the Fifth still had mixed emotions on his face, but he was staring gravely at Thales.
The boy adjusted his own breathing and kneeled down on his knee.
‘This day’
He said to himself.
‘Has come.’
Even though this was not a future he could choose, he wanted to choose it, or think of choosing it.
However, he was like a small boat, sent drifting by huge waves in this dangerous and unknown world. He had no power in controlling his own destiny.
The fact that he was able to stay alive was already a huge fortune and blessing.
‘But now…’ Thales gazed at what was in front of him.
Kessel the Fifth opened the seal on top of the scroll and slowly unraveled it.
Thousands upon thousands of people in Star Plaza started to cheer, rave, rise to a clamor and applaud in excitement as they saw a small figure kneel down before the king. Some people even started to rush against the city defense Team and police’s line of order.
“Jadestar! Jadestar!”
“In the name of Constellation, Southern Islands and Western Deserts’ Thirty-Ninth Supreme King, Kessel Mindis Aydi Jadestar.”
Kessel the Fifth stared intently at Thales with his sky-blue pupils as he read the contents of the scroll.
“This person before my eyes will be Jadestar’s heir and Constellation’s blood!
“The Sunset Goddess witnessed his bloodline.
“The Jadestar Royal Family vouched for his identity.
“The Higher Parliament recognized his power.”
Gods.
King.
Suzerains.
The three main pillars of Constellation.
Thales grabbed his knees increasingly harder with his hand as he involuntarily thought back to the National Conference, which was full of ups and downs.
“Regardless of everything in your past, you will stand up as…
“As…”
Kessel the Fifth suddenly paused at that point of his speech. Unexpectedly, his hand, which held the scroll trembled slightly.
Thales furrowed his brows.
He knew why the king stopped at this very moment.
He knew.
Thales’ thoughts traced back to a few hours ago.
…
Gilbert was going over Thales’ last name with him at the final hallway leading to the Hall of Stars.
“According to usual practice, royal family members usually have two middle names, with the second one being the father’s name and the previous one being an important person who has influenced you… They are usually any famous member in the Royal Family’s history, for instance, the Three Constellation Kings whom you previously met, ‘Enemy of the Wolves’ Keira Jadestar of the supreme class, or Sumer Jadestar, the great musician…
“Are you sure you want to do this? You know… this name is even rarer than ‘Thales’. This will…” Gilbert awkwardly followed Thales from behind.
“Yes! Sir Gilbert, I have already decided!”
Thales’s eyes were determined as he walked forward one step at a time. “Just like the brand and memory I have, no matter what the cost is, I still do not want to give up.
“I am about to become a Jadestar.” He was panting slightly while recalling his experience at the royal family cemetery. “But if I cannot hold my own future in my own hands, at least, please let me have control over my own name.”
Thales lifted his head up and walked forward with determination without any sign of turning back.
Gilbert exchanged a glance with Jines, who had mixed emotions on her face. She nodded begrudgingly.
His Majesty would probably not be happy about this.
…
Return to present time.
Just as the nobles were starting to furrow their brows and discuss about His Majesty the King’s peculiar behavior, Kessel the Fifth took a deep breath like he was gathering all of his courage as well as willpower, and he mustered his energy. With his dignified and steady voice, he loudly declared, “You will stand up as…
“Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!
“The second prince of Constellation!”
Kessel the Fifth finished reading out the contents of the scroll. Both of his eyes were staring at Thales, but it seemed like he was immersed in his own thoughts.
The nobles started to discuss among themselves.
‘TherrenGirana?
‘Who is that?’
Thales Jadestar slowly stood up from the ground.
He was a Jadestar now.
The second prince.
And also, the only Prince of Constellation.
The only heir of the supreme king.
The guards hastily passed down the speech one layer after another, until it reached every corner of the Star Plaza.
Deafening roars and cheers could be heard once again like tidal of waves, rising up and down.
But this time, the chaotic but grand cries of the crowd soon became obvious and clear because they had a target to refer to.
“Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!
“The second prince! The second prince!
“Thales TherrenGirana Kessel Jadestar!
“The second prince! The second prince!”
Under the earth-shattering, loud hurrahs, Thales looked up to the sky in a daze.
The sun was setting in the east, and it gave out unending, brilliant red rays.
The sunrays shone upon the walls of the majestic Renaissance Palace, making the palace glow in shades of red.
The color was just like blood.
The evening had arrived.
“Today must have been hard on you.” Gilbert walked forward in excitement, and lightly bowed before Thales. “Now, please follow me, Your Highness.”
…
Somewhere in Eastern Peninsula.
Two men dressed in white robes, which were embroidered with a gold sun were sitting by the bonfire in a murky, ruined building.
The younger one between the two lifted his head and asked curiously, “Have you heard of it, regulatory affairs officer? Recently there has been a disturbance in the Night Kingdom. I heard that many vampires have left and escaped to the Western Peninsula.”
The older regulatory affairs officer nodded, his expression was cold and callous. “The temple has already sent people to investigate.”
“But considering it is the Western Peninsula, Sunset Temple’s power is stronger than ours, Sunrise Temple’s, right?” The younger man stared at the regulatory affairs officer, who seemed to seal his mouth shut on the matter, and probed. “I heard that people of the Western Peninsula could live in peace with vampires and werewolves. The Sunset Temple also abstained from hunting the creatures of the underworld. Could our people move about freely under Sunset Temple’s power?”
The regulatory affairs officer lifted his head and looked at him coldly.
“Why do you think our world is named ‘Errol’?”
“Hah? I saw that when I was learning our language.” The young Sunrise Temple priest scratched his head. “Errol is the Holy Sun God. He controls the sunrise and sunset, and decides the origin of all creatures. Is it not the reason why our world is named Errol?”
The Sunrise regulatory affairs officer snorted and smiled mysteriously. “You were sent to guard the patterned seal, but you do not have the rights to read our historic records, which is why you only know about these facts.”
The young priest’s face was full of longing and curiosity.
“Originally, our world was not named Errol. It was only after the Battle of Eradication that the name was changed to Errol.”
The regulatory affairs officer said quietly.
“After that horrendous battle, which almost ruined the world, the Holy Sun God, Errol, sacrificed himself. Otherwise, the outcome would not be as simple as the world being split into two peninsulas.
“Since then, the world was named after Errol in order to commemorate the Holy Sun God, his sacrifice, and his heroic move to save the world.”
The young priest widened his eyes in shock. “So, it was those disasters that led the Holy Sun God from the legends to—”
The regulatory affairs officer raised his hand without any emotion on his face and cut off the priest’s rhetorical question before he continued, “Within the ashes of the Holy Sun, two gods succeeded his radiance, and rose up anew.”
The young priest seemed to understand something as his jaw dropped open.
“That’s right, Sunrise Lord and Sunset Goddess once governed the Holy Sun together as a single entity.”
The regulatory affairs officer’s eyes were glinting with ice and frost.
“The Holy Sun shines upon all creatures. How is there any difference?
“Can Sunrise’s priest move around in Sunset’s range? That is the answer.”
But the regulatory affairs officer added one more sentence in his heart while he stared at the elated priest.
‘Of course, at least that was what we thought.
‘As for Sunset…’
At this moment, the ruined and gloomy building suddenly shook!
Dust was falling off the tumbling stone pillars.
Both of their expressions changed at that moment!
‘No way.’
They leapt onto their feet and ran desperately as well as vigilantly towards the center of the building.
“Prepare the message candles and do not be stingy on using them!” The regulatory affairs officer yelled as if he was facing a formidable enemy!
“Prepare yourself for the worst in tackling this sort of evil!”
They had reached their destination.
A weird picture had been drawn using peculiar paint on the stone floor of the uttermost center of the dark and gloomy building.
The picture was a roughly ten-meter wide circle with weird and bizarre formulas and letters on it. The innermost center of the circle was a drawing of a six-fingered black claw.
The shaking was still going on.
The young priest’s eyes were filled with confusion as he put away the white candle with gold patterns that was in his palm.
He furrowed his brows and said, “The sealing rune is still in good condition. It has not struggled loose.”
However, the regulatory affairs officer was still highly vigilant. As he felt the vibration, he turned around with a serious expression and asked, “But what just happened? This type of shaking…”
The young priest seemed to remember something as he pulled out an ancient, black book from his bosom in a flurry. He hastily flipped to a page and read it out with much difficulty.
“Unfathomable shaking… unfathomable shaking… Ah, got it! It is right here!”
But after the priest read for a while, he immediately lifted his head up and stared at the regulatory affairs officer, perplexed.
The regulatory affairs officer asked unpleasantly, “What? You are the only one here who went through the complete training of the Ancient Empire’s language!”
“No… According to what is written in this notebook, the occasional agitation of the seal is very normal.”
The young priest furrowed his brows and continued, “But… the sudden activity of the sun, the tide of the moon, the changes of the flow in hell’s river, or the Seven Kings of Hell picking their noses or yawning, the Kingdom of All Gods deciding to remodel their bedrooms when they are free… God, what are all these disrespectful terms… A number of supreme class experts passing by, could result in the sealed being’s name being called by many people at the same time. These are the possible causes for the fluctuation of energy and the agitation of life… The degree of severity is not the same…”
The priest flipped through the notebook and sighed helplessly under the thundering sound caused by the shaking.
“God, I am so done with these wizards. For a single question, there are six to seven different requirements and more than twenty possible answers. And there is a ‘to be continued’ label at the end of the writing. What is the difference with not finding an answer? No wonder they became extinct.”
“There should be something that has the highest possibility of happening. Are we just going to disregard this matter?” the regulatory affairs officer asked as he forced down his anger.
The young priest fumbled through the pages of the notebook in a hurry, his eyebrows tightly furrowed together.
“I do not know. I am just a third-grade white robe priest of the Sunrise Temple… I am not…”
At this moment, the shaking suddenly halted.
Both of them raised their heads and exchanged a glance. They could see confusion and relief in each other’s eyes.
The shaking did not come back again.
The regulatory affairs officer heaved a sigh of relief then, glared fiercely at the priest before he turned around and left.
The priest looked at the regulatory affairs officer’s back and continued his speech in a tone that indicated that he was wronged.
“…I am not an extinct wizard or witch… who knows about everything and can use a variety of methods to make sense of everything…”
The regulatory affairs officer spoke without turning his head, “You should be glad that they are all dead!”
His voice was full of anger.
The priest, whom the regulatory affairs officer had vented his anger upon, glanced at the six-fingered black claw and rolled his eyes.
“If those wizards are not dead…” The regulatory affairs officer’s figure disappeared behind the stone pillar, but his annoyed voice still made its way over.
“Would a rookie like you have a chance in guarding the sealing rune over here?
‘Of course I would not have the chance to be here if the wizards are not extinct… But…’
The young priest raised his eyebrows and glanced at the circle on the ground with the corner of his eye before he shook his head and held up his palms helplessly.
‘What a joke.’
