ARC: Curse of the Royal Tribulation
Chapter 86: To Find a Woman
“Gu? Charleton?” Thales repeated incredulously, trying to make sense of the jumbled memories and thoughts that swirled in his mind as he looked back and forth between Raphael and Gu’s cell.
“Explain,” the Prince demanded, his emotions tightly controlled as he fixed an intense gaze on Raphael. “Right now.”
Raphael lapsed into silence for a moment and nervously clenched his arm before speaking up. “Your Highness,” he began cautiously, “although you are a member of the Royal Family, the Secret Department has yet to disclose your level of clearance…”
Thales, impatient and demanding, interrupted him sharply. “Explain!”
Raphael responded icily, cutting off his words, “I am explaining,” he said. “But I must make it clear, Your Highness, that I can only reveal intelligence up to the ‘Insane’ level, as long as it does not violate any regulations.”
‘Insane’ level…
Thales shook his head, his impatience palpable,
“Skip the Secret Department rules,” he said. “Just give me the explanation I need.”
A humourless laugh escaped from Raphael as he spoke. “I’m not saying it for your benefit anyway.”
The Barren Bone man lifted his arm with excruciating slowness, and as he did so, a black crack revealed itself on his forearm. The muscular texture within it writhed subtly, casting an eerie shadow that seemed all too familiar to Thales—just like six years ago.
Thales felt his body freeze, his mind fixed at the sight. He averted his gaze from the man’s arm, forcing himself to focus on the current topic at hand.
Raphael’s voice was hushed as he gestured towards the door of Gu’s cell. “As you may know,” he whispered. “This man goes by the name of Gu Tang—at least, that’s the name he chooses to use in public.”[1]
“Gu was born into a family of government officials in the Mane et Nox Dynasty, a family that once held great prestige in the East. But as fate would have it, their fortunes took a turn for the worse.”[2]
“In time, Gu found himself recruited into the Raven Robe Guards, the Royal Family’s own intelligence organization.”
Gu Tang
Raven Robe Guards
Thales’ eyes flickered with uncertainty as he spoke. “Let me make sure I understand you correctly. You’re saying that he’s a secret agent of Mane et Nox?”
Raphael gave a curt nod, but then shook his head. “Or rather, he was a secret agent—that’s what our intelligence indicates.”
“Was?” Thales repeated, his gaze darting towards Gu’s cell. Suddenly, he realised just how little he knew about the man who had once given him shelter and a meal six years ago.
As Raphael spoke, his forearm tensed unnaturally. Nevertheless, his expression remained unchanged as he continued his narrative.
“Nineteen years ago, in Kirin City, a member of the younger generation of the Chen royal family launched a coup in an attempt to overthrow the newly crowned ‘Radiant Queen Yao’. The ensuing turmoil caused the Raven Guards, the elite military corps, to split into two factions. Eventually, Lin Du, the ‘Green Lieutenant’ who was loyal to Queen Yao, emerged victorious and assumed command of the Raven Guards, purging the ‘traitors’ within the corps who had supported the coup.”[3]
The Radiant Queen Yao[4]
Green Lieutenant
Despite the Prince’s obvious confusion, Raphael pressed on without pause,
“Gu,” he said, “belongs to the group that ended up on the losing side. After going into hiding, he fled to the Western Peninsula, where he eked out a living doing everything from trading goods to fighting as a mercenary. But it wasn’t until he arrived in Dragon Clouds City that he found his true calling—peddling intelligence. He exploited the aftermath of the brutal battle between Eckstedt and Constellation, moving through the shadows and trading in secrets.”[5]
Thales drew in a deep breath, tearing his gaze away from the iron door of Gu’s cell.
“What does that have to do with you— with us?”
Raphael’s lips curled into a chilling smirk.
“We later discovered that during his time in Dragon Clouds City, Gu engaged in more than just his usual trade of buying and selling information,” he said.
The Barren Bone man’s gaze focused intently on the iron bars of the door.
“Alongside his information trafficking, this Far Easterner’s business also involved serving as a middleman for various major powers to reconcile their conflicts.”
“And for certain conflicts that were beyond reconciliation and could not be ignored…”
Raphael’s gaze turned icy, “He would enlist assassins.”
Assassins
Thales’ nerves coiled tight.
‘Hold on’
Dragon Clouds City, Gu, information trafficking, assassins, six years ago—slowly, the pieces clicked into place, and Thales’ expression shifted gradually as he made the connections.
“That’s right,” The Barren Bone man’s cold smirk deepened as he observed the teenager’s changing expression.
“Six years ago in Dragon Clouds City, the underground forces were scattered across the dark corners under King Nuven’s authority,” he said. “Gleeward controlled the streets, Vlad reigned over the black market, the Camians profited from both sides, and countless other factions stood tall in a web of complicated relationships, entanglements, and chaos.”[6]
“And he,” Raphael raised his chin towards Gu’s cell door and spoke of him. “Your far-eastern friend spent a decade gradually carving out a reputation in Dragon Clouds City’s underbelly. He ascended to become the most prominent and reliable contact for assassins, from street thugs to the elusive Shadow Shield and the deadly Assassin’s Flower.”
Thales’ eyes widened as he absorbed Raphael’s words, “A master of the deadly trade, he expertly manoeuvres through the treacherous and corrupt web of criminality with ease. He buys and sells lives with deft hands, concealing his talents and extending his far-reaching influence.”
Shadow Shield
Assassin’s Flower
Thales held his gaze unflinchingly on Gu’s cell, not once wavering in his focus.
Yet a subtle shift had occurred in his eyes.
If Gu was indeed the preeminent assassin middleman in all of Dragon Clouds City, then that could only mean one thing—six years ago…
Raphael’s voice remained devoid of any emotion as he revealed the very thing that Thales had feared, “Chapman Lampard, who was the Archduke of Black Sand at the time, collaborated with Shadow Shield through Gu to form an alliance with them.”
Thales turned his head rigidly.
‘An alliance between Chapman Lampard and Shadow Shield. And their go-between was…
Gu?’
He couldn’t help but recall his younger self, huddled with Little Rascal, shivering in the carriage while listening with bated breath to the conversation between the Archduke of Black Sand and Stake.
However, Raphael had more to add,
“Ultimately, due to the tricky nature of the target, Gu spared no expense and called upon his most valuable connections to enlist the services of the world’s most powerful and fearsome assassin. With a sinister and cunning killing blade, the assassin was able to break through the layered defences of the White Blade Guards during the chaos of the Calamity and successfully claim the head of the born King.”
Thales stood rooted to the spot, completely motionless.
Raphael squinted slightly and said, “And I believe, Your Highness, that you happen to know who that is, do you not?”
The corridor fell into a deafening silence. Time seemed to stand still as Thales struggled to exhale a breath,
“I do.”
Raphael let out a cold and contemptuous laugh, paying no attention to the Prince’s utterly ghastly expression, “He knows how to contact the Regicide family, who vanished without a trace after the Bloody Year,” he said. “That alone is enough for us to keep him imprisoned until the end of his days—or until he confesses.”
Thales remained silent, but he clenched his left fist and ran his fingertips over the scars on his palm, wounds that had been inflicted countless times by JC’s dagger.
“But this isn’t the first time,”
Raphael went on, “Based on Gu’s records, it appears that you, sir, got involved in previous transactions with regards to the ‘Migratory Locust Blade’.”
Thales’s mind raced as he attempted to process the new information. He looked up, meeting Raphael’s gaze. But in the blink of an eye, the sharpness of Raphael’s expression turned frosty,
“Your Highness,” Raphael began, “six years ago, during your diplomatic mission to the North, you and the Kingdom’s Wrath were ensnared by the Lampard’s Black Sand Region Army at the Broken Dragon Fortress. There, you were relentlessly bombarded by the Mystic Guns troops…”
“Who do you think orchestrated the arrival of those skilled assassins, capable of converting even the Mystic Guns instructors to their cause, at Archduke Conkray Poffret’s doorstep? All so he could achieve his twisted scheme to watch you perish amidst the ranks of Lampard’s army?”
Mystic Guns
Thales’ forehead creased in a frown, feeling as if he had been transported back to the Fortress six years ago, amidst the tumultuous clamour of swords and blades.
He spoke solemnly, his voice barely above a whisper, “Are you claiming that the attack was orchestrated by Gu as well?”
Raphael let out a derisive hum and nonchalantly swung his arm,
“And you, are you claiming that he aided you in Dragon Clouds City and saved your life?”
Thales’ gaze involuntarily drifted towards Gu’s prison cell.
“Then consider this carefully,” Raphael said with apparent ease, but beneath his words lurked a hint of darkness.
“Your Highness, do you truly believe that ‘Ground-Shaker Kaslan,’ who betrayed King Nuven, revealed to you the means to find Gu at the inn simply because he took a liking to you? Do you genuinely believe that he did so to aid you in finding this seemingly neutral underground figure when you were escaping from the siege of Dragon Clouds City?”
Kaslan
Six-fifty
Thales’ eyes were firmly locked on the gate of the prison cell, his fists tightening with each passing moment into a white-knuckled grip.
“Your Highness, do you truly believe that there were so many well-intentioned Far Easterners in Dragon Clouds City who, during the martial law, would have welcomed a young noble boy of mysterious identity with open arms and showered him with fine food, wine, and lodging simply because he is cute, clever, and good-hearted?”
Far Easterner
Lodging
The Prince gritted his teeth and struggled to recall the scene from that morning when he and the Little Rascal were in Gu’s butcher shop.
“Your Highness, do you truly believe that it was a mere coincidence that amid the chaos that consumed the entire Dragon Clouds City, a shady informant could step out of his house for two minutes and successfully return with a foreign envoy, Marquis Shiles Bamra from Good Flow City, who happened to be alone and stranded there? All just so he could hand you over to Chapman Lampard at a moment’s notice?”
Informant
Shiles
Raphael’s words cut through the air like a sharp blade, striking one blow after another against Thales’ defences.
“Have you, sir, ever stopped to consider all of these questions, these strange coincidences, and these seemingly logical but unexamined details before you cast him as your saviour?”
Thales took a deep breath, calming the boiling Sin of Hell’s River that surged within him.
If, just if, Raphael’s doubts held merit…
That would mean that the things he had once held to be true…
“Yes, Gu,” Raphael’s voice was frigid and inflexible, leaving the Prince no time to collect his wits. “He has never aided you, quite the contrary,” he continued, “it was he who sold you out.”
Thales softly closed his eyes.
Six-fifty
He… never aided you
He… sold you out
For a brief moment, the cell that held Gu captive lost its grip on their attention. The corridor reverted to its previous state of unsettling stillness.
Raphael let out a heavy sigh, his gaze betraying a mixture of emotions as he turned towards the cell door,
“And he, too, has sold us out.”
Thales made a great effort to compose himself, and upon hearing the words, he slowly opened his eyes, striving to keep his tone even, “Did he collaborate with the Kingdom’s Secret Department, with you?”
Raphael nodded in agreement and said, “Yes, that’s correct.”
The Barren Bone man glared at the door of Gu’s cell and let out a contemptuous snort. “Clearly, this self-proclaimed neutral information dealer has grown accustomed to ‘cooperating’ with everyone, whether it’s Eckstedt, the Kingdom of Constellation, the Camus Union, the Shadow Shield, or the Tower of Eradication. He takes money from all sides and plays both ends against the middle. Then, when his clients are busy slaughtering each other, he swoops in to reap the benefits. The only difference is that this time, he really screwed up.”[7]
Thales’ face tightened with tension. “What did he do?” he asked.
There was a brief pause as Raphael gathered his thoughts. “As you said, Kloon Brook was one of the few ‘wise’ officers of the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department. His death was a loss we couldn’t bear.
“And when we made the difficult decision to abandon the headquarters at Dragon Clouds City six years later, it was partly because of this event. We had no other choice.”
Thales breathed out a heavy sigh, trying to relieve the heaviness and unease weighing on his chest. “What happened?”
Raphael shook his head, briefly glancing at Gu’s cell. “That’s exactly what we’re hoping to find out.”
“From him.”
Thales stood quietly, his mind churning with a jumble of emotions that he struggled to express.
Raphael let out a resigned sigh, his features returning to a calm and collected façade.
“Your Highness,” Raphael said, “even in the face of seemingly conclusive evidence from the past, there are still too many unsettling and unknown details lurking beneath the surface.”[8]
“That’s why, six years ago, while you were courageously battling to turn the tide of events at the Heroic Spirit Palace, don’t forget that Secret Intelligence operatives were locked in deadly skirmishes in the shadows, fighting on different fronts to gain even the slightest advantage for you and the Kingdom—whether it was a scrap of paper, a passage of text, or a signal, everything was valuable. Kloon Brook was one of them.”
Thales’ gaze flickered.
“The Prince’s Ass—now that’s a name that’s sure to tickle your funny bone, isn’t it?”
Raphael turned sharply, his gaze piercing into the shadows of the seemingly never-ending corridor.
“Yet each of them is a survivor of the ‘Dragon’s Blood’ operation that changed the course of the world six years ago. The Kingdom’s Secret Department fought tooth and nail against formidable adversaries such as King Nuven, the Secret Room, the White Blade Guards, Chapman Lampard, the Shadow Shield, and the Camians. Amid the chaos, the corpses, and the sacrifices, they were the ones who survived.”[9]
Thales looked up, his expression one of surprise.
“And it’s not that we don’t trust you, Your Highness, but some information cannot be shared. Unlike us, you cannot simply shed your burdens, forget about yourself, and fully immerse yourself in the murky depths of the mission to achieve your goals.”
He gestured toward Gu’s cell, his gaze piercing.
“Even if you believe… you owe your goal your life.”
“In the end, if you’re satisfied with half-truths, the further you travel down this path, the more lost you will become. You’ll lose your ability to distinguish between fact and fiction, and before you know it, you’ll be a puppet, dancing to someone else’s tune.”[10]
Cannot simply shed your burdens
Forget about yourself
Thales frowned slightly.
“You are not of our kind, Thales. You were meant to bask in the warmth of the sun and the blue sky,” Raphael sighed, addressing the Duke without any honorific, which was an unusual occurrence.
“Let us face the unfathomable void.”
His sombre red eyes were brimming with unwavering sincerity. However, what Thales remembered were the different expressions Raphael had displayed during his interrogations with the wine merchant Dagori, blacksmith Jilburn, the noble from Blade Edge Hill, and Felicia.
The corridor fell into a weighty silence. It was only after some time that the Prince’s voice broke the stillness, his words laced with a husky timbre, “How can I trust that those leading me around aren’t all of you?”
Raphael hesitated for a moment.
“When you sit upon that throne, Your Highness,” his smile gradually faded, “and possess the power to decree anything with but a single word, to govern the goals, missions, operations, budgets, development, and future of the Kingdom’s Secret Department…”
He paused for a beat and said, “Then, and only then, will you truly know.”
Thales listened to Raphael’s words with a blank expression, feeling as if he had heard them before. Unlike then, however, he chose not to argue.
With a heavy heart, Thales followed Raphael out of the labyrinthine underground corridor, past multiple checkpoints, until they finally emerged from the main headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Department estate through the very gate where they had disembarked from their carriage.
However, Raphael’s expression soured as he asked, “Did you summon someone to come fetch you?”
Thales, who had been lost in thought, snapped out of his reverie.
“What?” he asked, slightly confused.
The Prince himself was also taken aback when he saw two carriages parked before them—one was the same carriage they had arrived in from the Renaissance Palace, but the other…
“Your Highness!”
With a familiar cry, a short and stout man dressed in the garb of the Royal Guard leaped down from the coachman’s seat of the carriage—it was none other than Kommodore, the guard who had once sparred with Thales in the Mindis Hall.
“Your Highness, Prince Thales, you’re truly here…”
Despite being drenched in sweat, his spirits lifted upon sighting Thales, and he made a deep bow of respect.
“I am here to serve you, sir, at the behest of Captain Mallos,” he declared.
Thales appeared slightly puzzled, and Raphael and the coachman of the other carriage greeted Kommodore’s arrival with cold, hostile expressions.
Yet, sensing the tension, Thales spoke up with calm authority. “It’s alright,” he assured them. “He is with me, a member of the Star Lake Guards.”
Raphael emitted a small grunt and asked,
“Are you sure?”
Thales pursed his lips and approached Kommodore.
“Kommodore?” he called out.
The Prince collected himself, setting aside his turbulent emotions. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the Mindis Hall? What are you doing here?”
Kommodore shifted his guarded gaze away from Raphael.
“Captain Mallos gave me an order before entering the palace, Your Highness,” he explained. “He instructed me to keep watch for any unexpected events and, if anything were to happen, to gather forces and come here to assist you. This was to avoid… any inconvenience for Your Highness.”
‘Mallos?’
Inconvenience
Thales caught on to something and looked back at Raphael behind him. After a moment’s pause, the Barren Bone man stepped back with a subtle show of understanding…
Thales shifted his attention back to Kommodore, his expression intent as he pressed for further explanation.
“What do you mean by… ‘unexpected events’?” he inquired.
“Shortly after Your Highness and Captain entered the palace,” Kommodore revealed, a touch hesitantly but sticking to the facts, “the Flag Bearer Division arrived.”
The Flag Bearer Division
‘So it was the Flag Bearer Division, one of the six divisions of the palace guards, led by Deputy Commander Vogel Talon, as D.D. mentioned?’
‘What did they come for?’
Thales was a little puzzled, “What do you mean?”
Kommodore watched Thales with a sharp eye, carefully gauging his reaction. “For your understanding, Your Highness,” he began slowly, “the leader of the group was the Vice Flag Bearer Jayden. Without any warning, they sealed off Mindis Hall and detained everyone inside, claiming that they would conduct a thorough investigation.”
Thales felt a jolt of shock run through him.
‘What?
Sealing off… Mindis Hall?’
“Why?”
Kommodore forced a tight-lipped smile, “Vice Flag Bearer Jayden said it was because of the incident at yesterday’s banquet,”
Thales let out a tense, anguished breath.
As he had feared, it was that again.
“They claimed that our neglect could mean that there are security vulnerabilities or even a traitor, which could pose a threat to the Prince’s safety. Hence, they deemed it necessary to conduct a thorough investigation from top to bottom.”
He let out a sigh that spoke volumes of his disheartenment. “The investigation conducted by the Flag Bearer Division was quite intense,” he went on. “Jonveled was only released after two hours of interrogation, and he didn’t look well when he came out. Morgan was practically dragged in with his hands tied, and Kostad was even suspected of being a foreign spy.
“Stone told us to comply and not resist, but Ness almost got into a physical fight with them, while Patterson, the penal officer, tried to use his status to plead for leniency. However, Vice Flag Bearer Jayden is known for his ruthlessness and wouldn’t give anyone special treatment, regardless of their status…”
Thales’ forehead creased even deeper.
“Overall, it was a major operation, with Jadestar private soldiers, the Nobility Affairs Center, and the Officers of the Inner City Police Station also present,” Kommodore recounted. “I even suspect that there were people from the Kingdom’s Secret Department among them. The team was massive, and many people probably witnessed what happened.”
Thales felt a sense of disbelief creeping in as he listened to Kommodore’s account.
‘What is the meaning of this?
Mindis Hall,
The residence in the Royal Capital that was bestowed upon the Duke of Star Lake by the King
It’s under blockade and inspection?’
Thales heaved a deep breath, willing his fingers to unclench as he struggled to comprehend the present predicament.
“How did you manage to slip away?” he inquired.
“I used to run around in the Inner City Police Station, Your Highness,” Kommodore responded, his eyes evading Thales’, as though hesitant to revisit certain aspects of his past. “A few officers in charge of perimeter control knew me,” he added.
“Procca could have joined us, but Jayden held a long-standing grudge against him, keeping a watchful eye. It’s highly unlikely he would have let him go so easily.”
Kommodore turned his gaze to the rear of the carriage before saying, “The only person I could find was Glover,” he informed. “He left this morning to tend to his wounds, having been punished. The Flag Bearer Division was none too pleased about it.”
Thales’ eyebrows creased, “Glover?”
Just as he finished speaking, a familiar figure emerged from the other side of the carriage. It was none other than ‘Zombie’ Glover, the brawny first-class vanguard of the Star Lake Guards, fully geared and standing before Thales with a grave expression.
“Your Highness,” he addressed. “We should return to the city immediately. I have an unsettling feeling that something hostile is lurking in the trees.”
As soon as Thales laid eyes on the familiar vanguard officer, he inwardly let out a sigh, finally easing his guard. However, his expression soon turned to one of concern as he gazed at Glover’s back. “But your injury…”
Glover shook his head and revealed the bandages underneath his collar. “It’s not an issue,” he assured Thales. “My Power of Eradication can ease the pain, and besides…” he trailed off, gesturing with his arm as his forehead creased in a slight frown.
“Lord Mallos, during my punishment, showed me some mercy,”
“It’s almost as if… as if he anticipated something like this could happen and that I may still be of some use.”
Thales hesitated momentarily, but then remembered Mallos’ words from earlier that day. It was just before the latter gave him an account of the ‘Temple’ and the ‘Imperial Style’,
“Has no one come over from Renaissance Palace yet?”
“But I assure you, they will come, sooner or later.”[11]
Thales forced down his negative emotions, as if realised something he persisted with his questioning,
“And what about D.D.? Did Mallos intentionally whip him as well, in order to spare him from the calamity at Mindis Hall?”
Glover shook his head in response. “No, I have seen it. Doyle’s injuries appear to be genuine, and he was brutally beaten.”
‘On one hand,’ Glover silently considered, ‘the Doyle family is in the eye of the storm following the events of yesterday.’[12]
‘On the other hand, it was entirely possible that Lord Mallos was nursing a grudge.’ Glover couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still seething after D.D.’s drunken outburst at the banquet, where he had shouted “Tormond Jr.” at him.
“So, Mallos knew this was coming,” Thales’ words cut through Glover’s thoughts. “He entered the Renaissance Palace with me, but where is he now?”
From the side-lines, Kommodore spoke up. “Will, an acquaintance of mine from the Flag Bearer Division, owes me a favour. He just gave me a heads up that Lord Mallos is still in the Renaissance Palace.”
Kommodore hesitated for a moment before continuing. “He’s with… Deputy Commander Talon.”
Thales released a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.
‘I see.’
So Tormond Mallos, his favourite captain guard.
Even if he anticipated the current situation…
He was still in harm’s way at the moment.
“The Flag Bearer Division, Vogel Talon,” the Prince sighed. “They truly have some nerve.”
Kommodore and Glover exchanged a quick glance.
Thales turned around and called out loudly to Raphael in the distance, “Raphael, are you aware of this situation?”
The Barren Bone man approached, and Thales noticed that his eyes had once again been disguised as a different colour.
Under the unwelcoming stare of the two royal guards, Raphael put on a friendly smile and asked, “What situation?”
Thales gave him a quick glance and snorted coldly, “Never mind.”
“If Your Highness is experiencing any inconvenience,” Raphael said, displaying his evident skill in reading people’s expressions. He had picked up on some clues from the three individuals,[13]
“The Secret Intelligence Department would be delighted if you, sir, could extend your stay by a few more hours…”
“Thank you, but it’s not necessary,” Thales declined firmly. “I don’t think you would mind if I returned with my own guards, would you?”
After sizing up Thales for a few moments, Raphael gave a nod.
“By all means,” the Barren Bone man grinned from ear to ear, his voice laced with pride as he rattled off the names and pedigrees of the other two. “Caleb Glover of the Glover family, and Jean Luca Kommodore, a scion of a well-known Royal Guard and a former Officer at the Central Police Station. We can certainly vouch for them.”[14]
Glover and Kommodore exchanged a perplexed look as Raphael bowed and walked away.
“That was…” Glover trailed off, watching Raphael’s retreating form, and only then did he slowly release the grip on his sword hilt that he had unconsciously clenched.
“My ass wiper,” grumbled Thales despondently.
Without further delay, the Prince headed towards the carriage. “Let’s go back to Mindis Hall now and attend to the Flag Bearer Division.”
However, Glover shook his head firmly. “No, Your Highness,” he said.
Thales’ expression changed slightly.
“What Captain Mallos meant,” Kommodore took over with a somewhat forced smile, “is that you, sir, shouldn’t rush back to Mindis Hall just yet.”
Thales appeared confused.
Kommodore spoke cautiously, “The people of the Flag Bearer Division, they’re carrying… the King’s edict with them.”
The King’s edict
Thales was momentarily transfixed.
“And people from all the departments are there…” Kommodore squeezed out awkwardly. “If you show up hastily, the situation might turn unsightly…”
He didn’t elaborate further, but Thales had already grasped the situation.
The Prince stood in front of the carriage, his mind reeling.
“So,” Thales muttered absently, “I stepped into the Renaissance Palace on one foot, and on the other, my lair was raided. And now, I find myself with nowhere to turn?”
Kommodore looked contrite.
“I deeply apologize, Your Highness. We failed to provide adequate security at the banquet, which led to this unforeseen incident…”
“No,” Thales interjected. He took a deep breath and attempted to make sense of the chaotic situation. “No, no, no.”
“Believe me,” Thales suddenly felt a hint of amusement once he understood, “this is certainly not your fault.”
Having spent so much time away from the Constellation, Thales had been strictly adhering to the rules, never daring to act recklessly.[15]
But last night, he finally made a bold and daring choice since his return—perhaps even a risky one.
And as a result, he paid a heavy price. Thales chuckled sardonically, leaving the two guards looking at each other in bewilderment.[16]
For his transgression, he had nervously attended an Imperial Conference as punishment, followed by a brutal scolding from the King that left him emotionally gutted. He was then taken to the Secret Department, where he endured the unwavering presence of the Black Prophet. Even his Mindis Hall and Star Lake Guards suffered severe consequences. And then…
Glover spoke up in a hushed tone, “Lord Mallos has suggested that we return to the Renaissance Palace.”
Thales let out a derisive chuckle at the idea, his voice tinged with a subtle hint of sarcasm that he barely noticed himself. “Return to the Renaissance Palace? To search for my father, I assume?”
“No, to find Lady Jines,” Kommodore scrutinized Thales’ expression. “The Captain stated that she alone can…”
‘Protect you,’ Kommodore left the rest of his sentence unsaid.
Thales fell silent.
‘Find Jines.
So it had come to this.’
He felt as if he were back to his first days in Mindis Hall, six years ago. Confronting numerous known and unknown dangers, he was once again left to drift aimlessly, relying on others for protection.
Six years ago
The Prince stood stoically, leaning on the carriage without a hint of expression on his face.
Time ticked by slowly.
Eventually, after Kommodore had signalled to Glover for the third time, the Duke of Star Lake shut his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly.
“No,” he declared. “We will not return to the Renaissance Palace. Nor will we seek out Lady Jines.”
Kommodore and Glover exchanged equally perplexed looks. Thales opened his eyes.
“We’ll go to the Western District, to the Red Street Market,” he announced.
For a moment, the two guards were left stunned.
“What?” they exclaimed in unison.
Thales tightened his grip on the carriage wheel and gritted his teeth.
“There’s a club in the Western District called ‘One Night Stand’,” he said.
Kommodore’s eyes widened, while Glover’s expression grew serious.
“Your Highness, what would you be doing there?” Kommodore asked carefully.
“What else would I be doing? Well…” Thales released the wheel and gave them a calm glance.
“To find a woman, naturally.”
At first to Kommodore it seemed like a logical answer, but was then faced with a dilemma,
“But Your Highness, your status…” he hesitated to say.
Thales sneered.
“Who said I would be going there as a Prince?”
The Prince stepped onto the carriage and pointed at the two men.
“You guide the way, Kommodore. We’ll change into some casual clothes first. Then you’ll lead the way in, Glover. “
Zombie shuddered, “But, Your Highness…”
However, Thales interrupted him without any courtesy, “And remember, Glover, once we’re there…”
“Your name will be…” Thales’ smile vanished, and his voice turned icy cold.
“Raphael Lindbergh.”
[1] táng, the pinyin for 棠 (which I translated as ‘Tang’); sounds awfully alike to the pinyin for the Shadow Master’s name, 腾, téng; translated as ‘Teng’. This might be typo error from the author. Gu Tang, Eastern naming order, family name first, followed by the given name.
[2] ‘fortunes took a turn for the worse’; 家道中落, to come down in the world (idiom); the family fortunes declined. Or the family fortunes were at a low ebb.
[3] ‘Kirin City’ in other chapters as Chapter 80 of the novel has been referred as ‘Kirin Holy Capital’. ‘emerged victorious’; 大获全胜, to seize total victory (idiom); an overwhelming victory. ‘purging the traitors’; 赶尽杀绝, ‘to kill to the last one’ (idiom).
[4] The Empress Dowager, that became a Queen. In raw is 瑶王, the character ‘瑶’ (pinyin yáo) here–commonly used as a female given name and means ‘precious jade’, came from her name 瑶华 (pinyin yáohuá) translated in the official as ‘ Yorwall’ instead of ‘Yaohua’. ‘王’ doesn’t really stand for Queen but for King; that’s why before chapter 327, you’ll find ‘King Yao’ (e.g. Kroesch mention her in chapter 260) instead of ‘Queen Yao’. It would be better reading as ‘The Radiant Jade Queen’, is how she is known as like Lampard ‘King Slayer’ or ‘The Iron Hand King’ for King Kessel.
[5] ‘moving through the shadows’; 东拉西扯, to talk about this and that (idiom); to ramble incoherently.
[6] ‘scattered’; 一盘散沙, fig. unable to cooperate (idiom); sheet of loose sand—state of disunity (formerly said of a country).
[7] ‘playing both ends against the middle’; 八面玲珑, (idiom) smooth and slick (in making social contacts).
[8] ‘conclusive evidence’; 盖棺定论, don’t pass judgment on a person’s life until the lid is on the coffin (idiom).
[9] ‘fought tooth and nail against adversaries’; 短兵相接, lit. short-weaponed soldiery fight one another (idiom); 你死我活, lit. you die, I live (idiom); irreconcilable adversaries.
[10] ‘knowing half the truth’; 一知半解, lit. to know one and understand half (idiom); have scanty (or half-baked) knowledge.
[11] Passage from Chapter 559, official translation.
[12] ‘in the eye of the storm’; 风口浪尖, (idiom) where the wind and the waves are highest—where the struggle is fiercest.
[13] ‘evident skill in reading people’s expressions’; 察言观色, to weigh up sb’s words and observe their facial expression (idiom); to discern what sb thinks from his body language.
[14] ‘grin ear to ear; 笑逐颜开, smile spread across the face (idiom); beaming with pleasure. ‘voice laced with pride as he rattled off’; 如数家珍, lit. as if enumerating one’s family valuables (idiom)—show thorough familiarity with a subject; have sth. At one’s fingertips.
[15] ‘strictly following the rules’; 循规蹈矩, to follow the compass and go with the set square (idiom); to follow the rules inflexibly.
[16] 面面相觑, to look at each other in dismay (idiom).
ARC: Curse of the Royal Tribulation
Chapter 86: To Find a Woman
“Gu? Charleton?” Thales repeated incredulously, trying to make sense of the jumbled memories and thoughts that swirled in his mind as he looked back and forth between Raphael and Gu’s cell.
“Explain,” the Prince demanded, his emotions tightly controlled as he fixed an intense gaze on Raphael. “Right now.”
Raphael lapsed into silence for a moment and nervously clenched his arm before speaking up. “Your Highness,” he began cautiously, “although you are a member of the Royal Family, the Secret Department has yet to disclose your level of clearance…”
Thales, impatient and demanding, interrupted him sharply. “Explain!”
Raphael responded icily, cutting off his words, “I am explaining,” he said. “But I must make it clear, Your Highness, that I can only reveal intelligence up to the ‘Insane’ level, as long as it does not violate any regulations.”
‘Insane’ level…
Thales shook his head, his impatience palpable,
“Skip the Secret Department rules,” he said. “Just give me the explanation I need.”
A humourless laugh escaped from Raphael as he spoke. “I’m not saying it for your benefit anyway.”
The Barren Bone man lifted his arm with excruciating slowness, and as he did so, a black crack revealed itself on his forearm. The muscular texture within it writhed subtly, casting an eerie shadow that seemed all too familiar to Thales—just like six years ago.
Thales felt his body freeze, his mind fixed at the sight. He averted his gaze from the man’s arm, forcing himself to focus on the current topic at hand.
Raphael’s voice was hushed as he gestured towards the door of Gu’s cell. “As you may know,” he whispered. “This man goes by the name of Gu Tang—at least, that’s the name he chooses to use in public.”[1]
“Gu was born into a family of government officials in the Mane et Nox Dynasty, a family that once held great prestige in the East. But as fate would have it, their fortunes took a turn for the worse.”[2]
“In time, Gu found himself recruited into the Raven Robe Guards, the Royal Family’s own intelligence organization.”
Gu Tang
Raven Robe Guards
Thales’ eyes flickered with uncertainty as he spoke. “Let me make sure I understand you correctly. You’re saying that he’s a secret agent of Mane et Nox?”
Raphael gave a curt nod, but then shook his head. “Or rather, he was a secret agent—that’s what our intelligence indicates.”
“Was?” Thales repeated, his gaze darting towards Gu’s cell. Suddenly, he realised just how little he knew about the man who had once given him shelter and a meal six years ago.
As Raphael spoke, his forearm tensed unnaturally. Nevertheless, his expression remained unchanged as he continued his narrative.
“Nineteen years ago, in Kirin City, a member of the younger generation of the Chen royal family launched a coup in an attempt to overthrow the newly crowned ‘Radiant Queen Yao’. The ensuing turmoil caused the Raven Guards, the elite military corps, to split into two factions. Eventually, Lin Du, the ‘Green Lieutenant’ who was loyal to Queen Yao, emerged victorious and assumed command of the Raven Guards, purging the ‘traitors’ within the corps who had supported the coup.”[3]
The Radiant Queen Yao[4]
Green Lieutenant
Despite the Prince’s obvious confusion, Raphael pressed on without pause,
“Gu,” he said, “belongs to the group that ended up on the losing side. After going into hiding, he fled to the Western Peninsula, where he eked out a living doing everything from trading goods to fighting as a mercenary. But it wasn’t until he arrived in Dragon Clouds City that he found his true calling—peddling intelligence. He exploited the aftermath of the brutal battle between Eckstedt and Constellation, moving through the shadows and trading in secrets.”[5]
Thales drew in a deep breath, tearing his gaze away from the iron door of Gu’s cell.
“What does that have to do with you— with us?”
Raphael’s lips curled into a chilling smirk.
“We later discovered that during his time in Dragon Clouds City, Gu engaged in more than just his usual trade of buying and selling information,” he said.
The Barren Bone man’s gaze focused intently on the iron bars of the door.
“Alongside his information trafficking, this Far Easterner’s business also involved serving as a middleman for various major powers to reconcile their conflicts.”
“And for certain conflicts that were beyond reconciliation and could not be ignored…”
Raphael’s gaze turned icy, “He would enlist assassins.”
Assassins
Thales’ nerves coiled tight.
‘Hold on’
Dragon Clouds City, Gu, information trafficking, assassins, six years ago—slowly, the pieces clicked into place, and Thales’ expression shifted gradually as he made the connections.
“That’s right,” The Barren Bone man’s cold smirk deepened as he observed the teenager’s changing expression.
“Six years ago in Dragon Clouds City, the underground forces were scattered across the dark corners under King Nuven’s authority,” he said. “Gleeward controlled the streets, Vlad reigned over the black market, the Camians profited from both sides, and countless other factions stood tall in a web of complicated relationships, entanglements, and chaos.”[6]
“And he,” Raphael raised his chin towards Gu’s cell door and spoke of him. “Your far-eastern friend spent a decade gradually carving out a reputation in Dragon Clouds City’s underbelly. He ascended to become the most prominent and reliable contact for assassins, from street thugs to the elusive Shadow Shield and the deadly Assassin’s Flower.”
Thales’ eyes widened as he absorbed Raphael’s words, “A master of the deadly trade, he expertly manoeuvres through the treacherous and corrupt web of criminality with ease. He buys and sells lives with deft hands, concealing his talents and extending his far-reaching influence.”
Shadow Shield
Assassin’s Flower
Thales held his gaze unflinchingly on Gu’s cell, not once wavering in his focus.
Yet a subtle shift had occurred in his eyes.
If Gu was indeed the preeminent assassin middleman in all of Dragon Clouds City, then that could only mean one thing—six years ago…
Raphael’s voice remained devoid of any emotion as he revealed the very thing that Thales had feared, “Chapman Lampard, who was the Archduke of Black Sand at the time, collaborated with Shadow Shield through Gu to form an alliance with them.”
Thales turned his head rigidly.
‘An alliance between Chapman Lampard and Shadow Shield. And their go-between was…
Gu?’
He couldn’t help but recall his younger self, huddled with Little Rascal, shivering in the carriage while listening with bated breath to the conversation between the Archduke of Black Sand and Stake.
However, Raphael had more to add,
“Ultimately, due to the tricky nature of the target, Gu spared no expense and called upon his most valuable connections to enlist the services of the world’s most powerful and fearsome assassin. With a sinister and cunning killing blade, the assassin was able to break through the layered defences of the White Blade Guards during the chaos of the Calamity and successfully claim the head of the born King.”
Thales stood rooted to the spot, completely motionless.
Raphael squinted slightly and said, “And I believe, Your Highness, that you happen to know who that is, do you not?”
The corridor fell into a deafening silence. Time seemed to stand still as Thales struggled to exhale a breath,
“I do.”
Raphael let out a cold and contemptuous laugh, paying no attention to the Prince’s utterly ghastly expression, “He knows how to contact the Regicide family, who vanished without a trace after the Bloody Year,” he said. “That alone is enough for us to keep him imprisoned until the end of his days—or until he confesses.”
Thales remained silent, but he clenched his left fist and ran his fingertips over the scars on his palm, wounds that had been inflicted countless times by JC’s dagger.
“But this isn’t the first time,”
Raphael went on, “Based on Gu’s records, it appears that you, sir, got involved in previous transactions with regards to the ‘Migratory Locust Blade’.”
Thales’s mind raced as he attempted to process the new information. He looked up, meeting Raphael’s gaze. But in the blink of an eye, the sharpness of Raphael’s expression turned frosty,
“Your Highness,” Raphael began, “six years ago, during your diplomatic mission to the North, you and the Kingdom’s Wrath were ensnared by the Lampard’s Black Sand Region Army at the Broken Dragon Fortress. There, you were relentlessly bombarded by the Mystic Guns troops…”
“Who do you think orchestrated the arrival of those skilled assassins, capable of converting even the Mystic Guns instructors to their cause, at Archduke Conkray Poffret’s doorstep? All so he could achieve his twisted scheme to watch you perish amidst the ranks of Lampard’s army?”
Mystic Guns
Thales’ forehead creased in a frown, feeling as if he had been transported back to the Fortress six years ago, amidst the tumultuous clamour of swords and blades.
He spoke solemnly, his voice barely above a whisper, “Are you claiming that the attack was orchestrated by Gu as well?”
Raphael let out a derisive hum and nonchalantly swung his arm,
“And you, are you claiming that he aided you in Dragon Clouds City and saved your life?”
Thales’ gaze involuntarily drifted towards Gu’s prison cell.
“Then consider this carefully,” Raphael said with apparent ease, but beneath his words lurked a hint of darkness.
“Your Highness, do you truly believe that ‘Ground-Shaker Kaslan,’ who betrayed King Nuven, revealed to you the means to find Gu at the inn simply because he took a liking to you? Do you genuinely believe that he did so to aid you in finding this seemingly neutral underground figure when you were escaping from the siege of Dragon Clouds City?”
Kaslan
Six-fifty
Thales’ eyes were firmly locked on the gate of the prison cell, his fists tightening with each passing moment into a white-knuckled grip.
“Your Highness, do you truly believe that there were so many well-intentioned Far Easterners in Dragon Clouds City who, during the martial law, would have welcomed a young noble boy of mysterious identity with open arms and showered him with fine food, wine, and lodging simply because he is cute, clever, and good-hearted?”
Far Easterner
Lodging
The Prince gritted his teeth and struggled to recall the scene from that morning when he and the Little Rascal were in Gu’s butcher shop.
“Your Highness, do you truly believe that it was a mere coincidence that amid the chaos that consumed the entire Dragon Clouds City, a shady informant could step out of his house for two minutes and successfully return with a foreign envoy, Marquis Shiles Bamra from Good Flow City, who happened to be alone and stranded there? All just so he could hand you over to Chapman Lampard at a moment’s notice?”
Informant
Shiles
Raphael’s words cut through the air like a sharp blade, striking one blow after another against Thales’ defences.
“Have you, sir, ever stopped to consider all of these questions, these strange coincidences, and these seemingly logical but unexamined details before you cast him as your saviour?”
Thales took a deep breath, calming the boiling Sin of Hell’s River that surged within him.
If, just if, Raphael’s doubts held merit…
That would mean that the things he had once held to be true…
“Yes, Gu,” Raphael’s voice was frigid and inflexible, leaving the Prince no time to collect his wits. “He has never aided you, quite the contrary,” he continued, “it was he who sold you out.”
Thales softly closed his eyes.
Six-fifty
He… never aided you
He… sold you out
For a brief moment, the cell that held Gu captive lost its grip on their attention. The corridor reverted to its previous state of unsettling stillness.
Raphael let out a heavy sigh, his gaze betraying a mixture of emotions as he turned towards the cell door,
“And he, too, has sold us out.”
Thales made a great effort to compose himself, and upon hearing the words, he slowly opened his eyes, striving to keep his tone even, “Did he collaborate with the Kingdom’s Secret Department, with you?”
Raphael nodded in agreement and said, “Yes, that’s correct.”
The Barren Bone man glared at the door of Gu’s cell and let out a contemptuous snort. “Clearly, this self-proclaimed neutral information dealer has grown accustomed to ‘cooperating’ with everyone, whether it’s Eckstedt, the Kingdom of Constellation, the Camus Union, the Shadow Shield, or the Tower of Eradication. He takes money from all sides and plays both ends against the middle. Then, when his clients are busy slaughtering each other, he swoops in to reap the benefits. The only difference is that this time, he really screwed up.”[7]
Thales’ face tightened with tension. “What did he do?” he asked.
There was a brief pause as Raphael gathered his thoughts. “As you said, Kloon Brook was one of the few ‘wise’ officers of the Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Department. His death was a loss we couldn’t bear.
“And when we made the difficult decision to abandon the headquarters at Dragon Clouds City six years later, it was partly because of this event. We had no other choice.”
Thales breathed out a heavy sigh, trying to relieve the heaviness and unease weighing on his chest. “What happened?”
Raphael shook his head, briefly glancing at Gu’s cell. “That’s exactly what we’re hoping to find out.”
“From him.”
Thales stood quietly, his mind churning with a jumble of emotions that he struggled to express.
Raphael let out a resigned sigh, his features returning to a calm and collected façade.
“Your Highness,” Raphael said, “even in the face of seemingly conclusive evidence from the past, there are still too many unsettling and unknown details lurking beneath the surface.”[8]
“That’s why, six years ago, while you were courageously battling to turn the tide of events at the Heroic Spirit Palace, don’t forget that Secret Intelligence operatives were locked in deadly skirmishes in the shadows, fighting on different fronts to gain even the slightest advantage for you and the Kingdom—whether it was a scrap of paper, a passage of text, or a signal, everything was valuable. Kloon Brook was one of them.”
Thales’ gaze flickered.
“The Prince’s Ass—now that’s a name that’s sure to tickle your funny bone, isn’t it?”
Raphael turned sharply, his gaze piercing into the shadows of the seemingly never-ending corridor.
“Yet each of them is a survivor of the ‘Dragon’s Blood’ operation that changed the course of the world six years ago. The Kingdom’s Secret Department fought tooth and nail against formidable adversaries such as King Nuven, the Secret Room, the White Blade Guards, Chapman Lampard, the Shadow Shield, and the Camians. Amid the chaos, the corpses, and the sacrifices, they were the ones who survived.”[9]
Thales looked up, his expression one of surprise.
“And it’s not that we don’t trust you, Your Highness, but some information cannot be shared. Unlike us, you cannot simply shed your burdens, forget about yourself, and fully immerse yourself in the murky depths of the mission to achieve your goals.”
He gestured toward Gu’s cell, his gaze piercing.
“Even if you believe… you owe your goal your life.”
“In the end, if you’re satisfied with half-truths, the further you travel down this path, the more lost you will become. You’ll lose your ability to distinguish between fact and fiction, and before you know it, you’ll be a puppet, dancing to someone else’s tune.”[10]
Cannot simply shed your burdens
Forget about yourself
Thales frowned slightly.
“You are not of our kind, Thales. You were meant to bask in the warmth of the sun and the blue sky,” Raphael sighed, addressing the Duke without any honorific, which was an unusual occurrence.
“Let us face the unfathomable void.”
His sombre red eyes were brimming with unwavering sincerity. However, what Thales remembered were the different expressions Raphael had displayed during his interrogations with the wine merchant Dagori, blacksmith Jilburn, the noble from Blade Edge Hill, and Felicia.
The corridor fell into a weighty silence. It was only after some time that the Prince’s voice broke the stillness, his words laced with a husky timbre, “How can I trust that those leading me around aren’t all of you?”
Raphael hesitated for a moment.
“When you sit upon that throne, Your Highness,” his smile gradually faded, “and possess the power to decree anything with but a single word, to govern the goals, missions, operations, budgets, development, and future of the Kingdom’s Secret Department…”
He paused for a beat and said, “Then, and only then, will you truly know.”
Thales listened to Raphael’s words with a blank expression, feeling as if he had heard them before. Unlike then, however, he chose not to argue.
With a heavy heart, Thales followed Raphael out of the labyrinthine underground corridor, past multiple checkpoints, until they finally emerged from the main headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Department estate through the very gate where they had disembarked from their carriage.
However, Raphael’s expression soured as he asked, “Did you summon someone to come fetch you?”
Thales, who had been lost in thought, snapped out of his reverie.
“What?” he asked, slightly confused.
The Prince himself was also taken aback when he saw two carriages parked before them—one was the same carriage they had arrived in from the Renaissance Palace, but the other…
“Your Highness!”
With a familiar cry, a short and stout man dressed in the garb of the Royal Guard leaped down from the coachman’s seat of the carriage—it was none other than Kommodore, the guard who had once sparred with Thales in the Mindis Hall.
“Your Highness, Prince Thales, you’re truly here…”
Despite being drenched in sweat, his spirits lifted upon sighting Thales, and he made a deep bow of respect.
“I am here to serve you, sir, at the behest of Captain Mallos,” he declared.
Thales appeared slightly puzzled, and Raphael and the coachman of the other carriage greeted Kommodore’s arrival with cold, hostile expressions.
Yet, sensing the tension, Thales spoke up with calm authority. “It’s alright,” he assured them. “He is with me, a member of the Star Lake Guards.”
Raphael emitted a small grunt and asked,
“Are you sure?”
Thales pursed his lips and approached Kommodore.
“Kommodore?” he called out.
The Prince collected himself, setting aside his turbulent emotions. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the Mindis Hall? What are you doing here?”
Kommodore shifted his guarded gaze away from Raphael.
“Captain Mallos gave me an order before entering the palace, Your Highness,” he explained. “He instructed me to keep watch for any unexpected events and, if anything were to happen, to gather forces and come here to assist you. This was to avoid… any inconvenience for Your Highness.”
‘Mallos?’
Inconvenience
Thales caught on to something and looked back at Raphael behind him. After a moment’s pause, the Barren Bone man stepped back with a subtle show of understanding…
Thales shifted his attention back to Kommodore, his expression intent as he pressed for further explanation.
“What do you mean by… ‘unexpected events’?” he inquired.
“Shortly after Your Highness and Captain entered the palace,” Kommodore revealed, a touch hesitantly but sticking to the facts, “the Flag Bearer Division arrived.”
The Flag Bearer Division
‘So it was the Flag Bearer Division, one of the six divisions of the palace guards, led by Deputy Commander Vogel Talon, as D.D. mentioned?’
‘What did they come for?’
Thales was a little puzzled, “What do you mean?”
Kommodore watched Thales with a sharp eye, carefully gauging his reaction. “For your understanding, Your Highness,” he began slowly, “the leader of the group was the Vice Flag Bearer Jayden. Without any warning, they sealed off Mindis Hall and detained everyone inside, claiming that they would conduct a thorough investigation.”
Thales felt a jolt of shock run through him.
‘What?
Sealing off… Mindis Hall?’
“Why?”
Kommodore forced a tight-lipped smile, “Vice Flag Bearer Jayden said it was because of the incident at yesterday’s banquet,”
Thales let out a tense, anguished breath.
As he had feared, it was that again.
“They claimed that our neglect could mean that there are security vulnerabilities or even a traitor, which could pose a threat to the Prince’s safety. Hence, they deemed it necessary to conduct a thorough investigation from top to bottom.”
He let out a sigh that spoke volumes of his disheartenment. “The investigation conducted by the Flag Bearer Division was quite intense,” he went on. “Jonveled was only released after two hours of interrogation, and he didn’t look well when he came out. Morgan was practically dragged in with his hands tied, and Kostad was even suspected of being a foreign spy.
“Stone told us to comply and not resist, but Ness almost got into a physical fight with them, while Patterson, the penal officer, tried to use his status to plead for leniency. However, Vice Flag Bearer Jayden is known for his ruthlessness and wouldn’t give anyone special treatment, regardless of their status…”
Thales’ forehead creased even deeper.
“Overall, it was a major operation, with Jadestar private soldiers, the Nobility Affairs Center, and the Officers of the Inner City Police Station also present,” Kommodore recounted. “I even suspect that there were people from the Kingdom’s Secret Department among them. The team was massive, and many people probably witnessed what happened.”
Thales felt a sense of disbelief creeping in as he listened to Kommodore’s account.
‘What is the meaning of this?
Mindis Hall,
The residence in the Royal Capital that was bestowed upon the Duke of Star Lake by the King
It’s under blockade and inspection?’
Thales heaved a deep breath, willing his fingers to unclench as he struggled to comprehend the present predicament.
“How did you manage to slip away?” he inquired.
“I used to run around in the Inner City Police Station, Your Highness,” Kommodore responded, his eyes evading Thales’, as though hesitant to revisit certain aspects of his past. “A few officers in charge of perimeter control knew me,” he added.
“Procca could have joined us, but Jayden held a long-standing grudge against him, keeping a watchful eye. It’s highly unlikely he would have let him go so easily.”
Kommodore turned his gaze to the rear of the carriage before saying, “The only person I could find was Glover,” he informed. “He left this morning to tend to his wounds, having been punished. The Flag Bearer Division was none too pleased about it.”
Thales’ eyebrows creased, “Glover?”
Just as he finished speaking, a familiar figure emerged from the other side of the carriage. It was none other than ‘Zombie’ Glover, the brawny first-class vanguard of the Star Lake Guards, fully geared and standing before Thales with a grave expression.
“Your Highness,” he addressed. “We should return to the city immediately. I have an unsettling feeling that something hostile is lurking in the trees.”
As soon as Thales laid eyes on the familiar vanguard officer, he inwardly let out a sigh, finally easing his guard. However, his expression soon turned to one of concern as he gazed at Glover’s back. “But your injury…”
Glover shook his head and revealed the bandages underneath his collar. “It’s not an issue,” he assured Thales. “My Power of Eradication can ease the pain, and besides…” he trailed off, gesturing with his arm as his forehead creased in a slight frown.
“Lord Mallos, during my punishment, showed me some mercy,”
“It’s almost as if… as if he anticipated something like this could happen and that I may still be of some use.”
Thales hesitated momentarily, but then remembered Mallos’ words from earlier that day. It was just before the latter gave him an account of the ‘Temple’ and the ‘Imperial Style’,
“Has no one come over from Renaissance Palace yet?”
“But I assure you, they will come, sooner or later.”[11]
Thales forced down his negative emotions, as if realised something he persisted with his questioning,
“And what about D.D.? Did Mallos intentionally whip him as well, in order to spare him from the calamity at Mindis Hall?”
Glover shook his head in response. “No, I have seen it. Doyle’s injuries appear to be genuine, and he was brutally beaten.”
‘On one hand,’ Glover silently considered, ‘the Doyle family is in the eye of the storm following the events of yesterday.’[12]
‘On the other hand, it was entirely possible that Lord Mallos was nursing a grudge.’ Glover couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still seething after D.D.’s drunken outburst at the banquet, where he had shouted “Tormond Jr.” at him.
“So, Mallos knew this was coming,” Thales’ words cut through Glover’s thoughts. “He entered the Renaissance Palace with me, but where is he now?”
From the side-lines, Kommodore spoke up. “Will, an acquaintance of mine from the Flag Bearer Division, owes me a favour. He just gave me a heads up that Lord Mallos is still in the Renaissance Palace.”
Kommodore hesitated for a moment before continuing. “He’s with… Deputy Commander Talon.”
Thales released a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.
‘I see.’
So Tormond Mallos, his favourite captain guard.
Even if he anticipated the current situation…
He was still in harm’s way at the moment.
“The Flag Bearer Division, Vogel Talon,” the Prince sighed. “They truly have some nerve.”
Kommodore and Glover exchanged a quick glance.
Thales turned around and called out loudly to Raphael in the distance, “Raphael, are you aware of this situation?”
The Barren Bone man approached, and Thales noticed that his eyes had once again been disguised as a different colour.
Under the unwelcoming stare of the two royal guards, Raphael put on a friendly smile and asked, “What situation?”
Thales gave him a quick glance and snorted coldly, “Never mind.”
“If Your Highness is experiencing any inconvenience,” Raphael said, displaying his evident skill in reading people’s expressions. He had picked up on some clues from the three individuals,[13]
“The Secret Intelligence Department would be delighted if you, sir, could extend your stay by a few more hours…”
“Thank you, but it’s not necessary,” Thales declined firmly. “I don’t think you would mind if I returned with my own guards, would you?”
After sizing up Thales for a few moments, Raphael gave a nod.
“By all means,” the Barren Bone man grinned from ear to ear, his voice laced with pride as he rattled off the names and pedigrees of the other two. “Caleb Glover of the Glover family, and Jean Luca Kommodore, a scion of a well-known Royal Guard and a former Officer at the Central Police Station. We can certainly vouch for them.”[14]
Glover and Kommodore exchanged a perplexed look as Raphael bowed and walked away.
“That was…” Glover trailed off, watching Raphael’s retreating form, and only then did he slowly release the grip on his sword hilt that he had unconsciously clenched.
“My ass wiper,” grumbled Thales despondently.
Without further delay, the Prince headed towards the carriage. “Let’s go back to Mindis Hall now and attend to the Flag Bearer Division.”
However, Glover shook his head firmly. “No, Your Highness,” he said.
Thales’ expression changed slightly.
“What Captain Mallos meant,” Kommodore took over with a somewhat forced smile, “is that you, sir, shouldn’t rush back to Mindis Hall just yet.”
Thales appeared confused.
Kommodore spoke cautiously, “The people of the Flag Bearer Division, they’re carrying… the King’s edict with them.”
The King’s edict
Thales was momentarily transfixed.
“And people from all the departments are there…” Kommodore squeezed out awkwardly. “If you show up hastily, the situation might turn unsightly…”
He didn’t elaborate further, but Thales had already grasped the situation.
The Prince stood in front of the carriage, his mind reeling.
“So,” Thales muttered absently, “I stepped into the Renaissance Palace on one foot, and on the other, my lair was raided. And now, I find myself with nowhere to turn?”
Kommodore looked contrite.
“I deeply apologize, Your Highness. We failed to provide adequate security at the banquet, which led to this unforeseen incident…”
“No,” Thales interjected. He took a deep breath and attempted to make sense of the chaotic situation. “No, no, no.”
“Believe me,” Thales suddenly felt a hint of amusement once he understood, “this is certainly not your fault.”
Having spent so much time away from the Constellation, Thales had been strictly adhering to the rules, never daring to act recklessly.[15]
But last night, he finally made a bold and daring choice since his return—perhaps even a risky one.
And as a result, he paid a heavy price. Thales chuckled sardonically, leaving the two guards looking at each other in bewilderment.[16]
For his transgression, he had nervously attended an Imperial Conference as punishment, followed by a brutal scolding from the King that left him emotionally gutted. He was then taken to the Secret Department, where he endured the unwavering presence of the Black Prophet. Even his Mindis Hall and Star Lake Guards suffered severe consequences. And then…
Glover spoke up in a hushed tone, “Lord Mallos has suggested that we return to the Renaissance Palace.”
Thales let out a derisive chuckle at the idea, his voice tinged with a subtle hint of sarcasm that he barely noticed himself. “Return to the Renaissance Palace? To search for my father, I assume?”
“No, to find Lady Jines,” Kommodore scrutinized Thales’ expression. “The Captain stated that she alone can…”
‘Protect you,’ Kommodore left the rest of his sentence unsaid.
Thales fell silent.
‘Find Jines.
So it had come to this.’
He felt as if he were back to his first days in Mindis Hall, six years ago. Confronting numerous known and unknown dangers, he was once again left to drift aimlessly, relying on others for protection.
Six years ago
The Prince stood stoically, leaning on the carriage without a hint of expression on his face.
Time ticked by slowly.
Eventually, after Kommodore had signalled to Glover for the third time, the Duke of Star Lake shut his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly.
“No,” he declared. “We will not return to the Renaissance Palace. Nor will we seek out Lady Jines.”
Kommodore and Glover exchanged equally perplexed looks. Thales opened his eyes.
“We’ll go to the Western District, to the Red Street Market,” he announced.
For a moment, the two guards were left stunned.
“What?” they exclaimed in unison.
Thales tightened his grip on the carriage wheel and gritted his teeth.
“There’s a club in the Western District called ‘One Night Stand’,” he said.
Kommodore’s eyes widened, while Glover’s expression grew serious.
“Your Highness, what would you be doing there?” Kommodore asked carefully.
“What else would I be doing? Well…” Thales released the wheel and gave them a calm glance.
“To find a woman, naturally.”
At first to Kommodore it seemed like a logical answer, but was then faced with a dilemma,
“But Your Highness, your status…” he hesitated to say.
Thales sneered.
“Who said I would be going there as a Prince?”
The Prince stepped onto the carriage and pointed at the two men.
“You guide the way, Kommodore. We’ll change into some casual clothes first. Then you’ll lead the way in, Glover. “
Zombie shuddered, “But, Your Highness…”
However, Thales interrupted him without any courtesy, “And remember, Glover, once we’re there…”
“Your name will be…” Thales’ smile vanished, and his voice turned icy cold.
“Raphael Lindbergh.”
[1] táng, the pinyin for 棠 (which I translated as ‘Tang’); sounds awfully alike to the pinyin for the Shadow Master’s name, 腾, téng; translated as ‘Teng’. This might be typo error from the author. Gu Tang, Eastern naming order, family name first, followed by the given name.
[2] ‘fortunes took a turn for the worse’; 家道中落, to come down in the world (idiom); the family fortunes declined. Or the family fortunes were at a low ebb.
[3] ‘Kirin City’ in other chapters as Chapter 80 of the novel has been referred as ‘Kirin Holy Capital’. ‘emerged victorious’; 大获全胜, to seize total victory (idiom); an overwhelming victory. ‘purging the traitors’; 赶尽杀绝, ‘to kill to the last one’ (idiom).
[4] The Empress Dowager, that became a Queen. In raw is 瑶王, the character ‘瑶’ (pinyin yáo) here–commonly used as a female given name and means ‘precious jade’, came from her name 瑶华 (pinyin yáohuá) translated in the official as ‘ Yorwall’ instead of ‘Yaohua’. ‘王’ doesn’t really stand for Queen but for King; that’s why before chapter 327, you’ll find ‘King Yao’ (e.g. Kroesch mention her in chapter 260) instead of ‘Queen Yao’. It would be better reading as ‘The Radiant Jade Queen’, is how she is known as like Lampard ‘King Slayer’ or ‘The Iron Hand King’ for King Kessel.
[5] ‘moving through the shadows’; 东拉西扯, to talk about this and that (idiom); to ramble incoherently.
[6] ‘scattered’; 一盘散沙, fig. unable to cooperate (idiom); sheet of loose sand—state of disunity (formerly said of a country).
[7] ‘playing both ends against the middle’; 八面玲珑, (idiom) smooth and slick (in making social contacts).
[8] ‘conclusive evidence’; 盖棺定论, don’t pass judgment on a person’s life until the lid is on the coffin (idiom).
[9] ‘fought tooth and nail against adversaries’; 短兵相接, lit. short-weaponed soldiery fight one another (idiom); 你死我活, lit. you die, I live (idiom); irreconcilable adversaries.
[10] ‘knowing half the truth’; 一知半解, lit. to know one and understand half (idiom); have scanty (or half-baked) knowledge.
[11] Passage from Chapter 559, official translation.
[12] ‘in the eye of the storm’; 风口浪尖, (idiom) where the wind and the waves are highest—where the struggle is fiercest.
[13] ‘evident skill in reading people’s expressions’; 察言观色, to weigh up sb’s words and observe their facial expression (idiom); to discern what sb thinks from his body language.
[14] ‘grin ear to ear; 笑逐颜开, smile spread across the face (idiom); beaming with pleasure. ‘voice laced with pride as he rattled off’; 如数家珍, lit. as if enumerating one’s family valuables (idiom)—show thorough familiarity with a subject; have sth. At one’s fingertips.
[15] ‘strictly following the rules’; 循规蹈矩, to follow the compass and go with the set square (idiom); to follow the rules inflexibly.
[16] 面面相觑, to look at each other in dismay (idiom).
