“I understand, Thales.”

 He was careful, like comforting a wounded animal:

“I understand that Prince of Stars is not an easy title. The same goes for Duke of Star Lake and heir to the throne. You not only have to bear the burden of your own life, but also the future of the entire kingdom, but you have done a good job..."

"I also know that our kingdom is very complicated. It is not perfect, but has shortcomings, and sometimes it is even bad. We can only do our best to make up for and correct it to the greatest extent."

"And this requires your wisdom, but before that, you must hold great power and be in a high position, so that you have the qualifications and conditions to negotiate a solution..."

Tales pursed his lips and shook his head.

No.

 He doesn’t understand.

 Just like other people.

Gilbert’s words of hope continued:

"But I swear, on my honor and responsibility, I will do my best so that what happened today will never happen again. I will advise Your Majesty, and he will give you more time, more freedom and leeway, and more

…”

"I've seen it, Gilbert." Thales interrupted with a low voice.

“I saw how carefully you walked on thin ice in the Imperial Council, between the king and the prime minister, between finance and military affairs, between moderation and radicality, and between humanity and interests.”

 Gilbert was startled.

 Thales smiled sarcastically:

“Even as a royalist, you don’t agree with the king, at least you don’t agree that his methods and methods of doing things are radical, domineering, inhumane, and arouse a lot of complaints. You don’t have the ease and ease of Prince Midir back then.”

Gilbert’s face was slightly tense:

"No, Your Highness, you are just making assumptions..."

Thales shook his head, but his eyes were firm:

 “But there’s nothing you can do.”

"Because you, Gilbert Castle, the founder of the "Fortress Peace Treaty", once went north alone to push back the cunning fox of the Western Continent with a force of 100,000 tigers and wolves, because you, like me, are also in this towering net,

Under its control, unable to resist."

 The Foreign Secretary was stunned.

“Just to ensure that you have a seat at the Royal Council, just to protect yourself from falling on the balance of deviation, just to keep yourself from being overwhelmed and assimilated by it, you have used up all your life’s wisdom and all your strength.”

 Thales stared at him, stretched out his hands, and clasped Gilbert's shoulders:

 “There is no more energy left to myself, to my former ideals and ambitions.”

 Gilbert’s eyebrows trembled slightly.

 Thales slowly clenched his palms and gritted his teeth:

"So six years ago, when you discovered me for the first time and discovered that there might be another candidate for King of Stars, you were so excited that you felt like you had found a treasure. You worked so hard to serve as your subordinate, and you have done so many things for me.

."

 “Because you are counting on me that one day...”

 “Take him and replace him.”

At that moment, Gilbert suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock!

Tales smiled:

"Is not it?"

 Silence, suffocating silence, lasted for three full seconds.

 The next moment, Gilbert reacted and instinctively retreated in shock, getting rid of Thales's hand.

Thales stared at him, raising his hands, but there was only emptiness in his palms.

Gilbert looked at the student in front of him in surprise, as if he no longer recognized this young man.

 “You should be happy, teacher.”

"Because I can," Thales put away his disappointment and looked down at his empty palm. The scars on it became more and more obvious:

 “From now on.”

 Gilbert suddenly changed his color.

 “Your Highness, Your Highness?”

He realized something, and quickly stepped forward and put his arm around Thales's shoulder again:

 “What are you talking about and what are you going to do?”

Tales smiled.

“Gilbert, do you know why I was able to come out safe and sound after committing such a heinous act?”

“You know what’s the most interesting thing about this web we’re in?”

Facing Gilbert’s shocked eyes and feeling the weight on his shoulders, Thales looked behind him and towards the dark corridor leading to the Ballard Room.

“That is: in this country, the person who is bound by the net is tighter, deeper and heavier, and is more unable to extricate himself, neither I nor you.”

The young man’s smile remained the same, but his eyes were cold:

 “And there is someone else.”

 “How can I trust you?”

 In the Balad room, King Kessel started eating again, his voice sounded faintly, a little less sharp, but more cold:

 “How do I know what you say is true?”

 Across the discussion table, Thales had an expressionless face, quietly listening to what the other party said step by step:

“How do I know that you really want to be used by me instead of secretly strengthening yourself, accumulating fame, and gathering support?”

 “How do I know that this move is not to breed tigers and make you an unprecedented threat?”

 “How do I know that you won’t take advantage of the situation, take advantage of the situation, and finally fight back...”

The next second, King Kessel’s words became cold, and murderous intent suddenly appeared:

 “Replace me?”

At this moment, the narrow secret room seemed even narrower, with no room for movement.

Thales sneered, feeling extremely ridiculous:

“Having said all that, are you still worried about this?”

 The king picked up a piece of meat with a fork and narrowed his eyes:

“If you can deceive a prince like Falkenhaus, you can also deceive me.”

“And how do you win my trust and guarantee that you will fulfill your duties and become my sharpest sword, my most loyal chess piece, and my most trusted trump card?”

Tales was silent for a while.

 At this moment, he finally found that he was sitting in the same room as King Kessel.

 Just like the words he used to threaten the Black Prophet in the Secret Service.

 He faced the Iron-fisted King alone.

 Face to face.

 King to king.

  The bright star versus the bright star.

How much did he sacrifice for this moment?

How much will be lost?

 Finally, the young man took a deep breath and looked directly at the king:

“First of all, no matter what my intentions are, facts speak louder than words, and the process and reality cannot be deceived. Your power and interests will visibly expand and grow in our cooperation.”

“For example, this time, I will persuade the princes of the Western Wilderness to reduce their troops and pay taxes to support the expansion of the standing army.”

King Kessel did not answer, but Thales, who had had many confrontations with him, gradually figured out that this was the other party's best answer.

“Secondly, if you are worried that I will go all the way to the dark side, collude with those who are disobedient, and turn traitor to the enemy...”

Thales spoke calmly and calmly:

“I believe you know why I gave this proposal and why I set out on this path.”

 “To fight with you in war, to fight with blood, to the point where the kingdom is completely destroyed and countless sacrifices are made. That goes against my original intention and is the situation I least want to see.”

King Kessel snorted, not understanding his emotions.

"Third, as you said, there is a price for me to take this step."
To be continued...