"In other words, Thales Bright Star, are you qualified?"

Thales's breathing accelerated, and he had to mobilize the Sin of Hell River to help him calm down.

And as the power of ending surged, the hell sense allowed him to detect the power in the other party's body more clearly: the Pegasus movement flowed endlessly, wandering endlessly, without any flaws.

"but why?"

"I don't understand," Thales said subconsciously, "After I returned to China, many people from Falkenhaus to Bozdorf came to my flag to show their kindness to me."

"But I know that they came because they didn't want to give up their old way of life, they didn't want to let go of the power they were accustomed to, and they didn't want to bow their heads under my father's iron fist. But you, you, you...

"

"I'm not them."

Miranda answered his question softly.

"The 'Eagle Soaring' passed down by Aaron De was once a priceless ancient imperial sword. However, it was broken many times and recast several times. It has long lost its old appearance and lost its old name."

She looked at her sword:

"Just as history is advancing and times are developing, some people will always grow old."

Thales stared at the long sword that experienced the dragon's blood with him seven years ago.

The female swordsman stood in front of him, as cold as before, but also extremely hot:

"But there are always people who are young."

"Just like an eagle flying after being recast, its shape becomes newer and its blade becomes sharper."

There was silence between the two for a while.

Thales exhaled and tried to adjust his thoughts.

"But I still can't believe it, Ms. Allende, are you really so noble?"

"To pay such a high price, you really don't want anything, just for that superficial title? For the Duke of the North who is called a lord but has no real power, and is no different from a rich man?"

"It's the Duchess," Miranda corrected.

Thales sighed and nodded in agreement:

"Duchess."

He asked:

"But if you succeed, but become a duchess in name only, and you have to look at my face to cultivate land on your own land and collect taxes, then what's the point?"

She is from the Allende family, isn't she?

They are the descendants of Nolan Nur, the 'Desolate Eagle', and are the oldest and most conservative family in the Star Kingdom.

The voice in Thales' heart was also asking: So, how is it possible?

How could she give up the powers that had been passed down from generation to generation since the empire?

How could she possibly surpass the greatest limitations and weaknesses of all lords and vassals of this era?

unless.

unless……

Miranda was silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

She walked slowly to the window and looked at the vast Star Lake under the shadow of dark clouds.

"Tell me, Your Highness, have you ever felt like this: from that moment on, everything in your life seemed to have come to a standstill."

Thales trembled slightly.

Just listen to the female swordsman faintly say:

"Everything you see and feel is already determined, and everything you do is destiny. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, you can't break through the limitations in front of you, you can't bring new things, and you can't see a new way out."

Miranda looked out the window in ecstasy, looking at the dark cloud-covered sky and the bottomless black star lake.

"As for the seemingly good life, in fact, you can see the end at a glance, and all that is left is the same repetitive self-repetition day after day, waiting for the final end."

Can't bring anything new, can't see a new way out...

Thales said nothing.

At that moment, he seemed to have returned to Longxiao City. In front of him were the poisoned Alex and the heads of King Nun.

But it seemed like he was back at the royal banquet, watching D.D's face gloomy, preparing to sacrifice voluntarily, or perhaps he was in the Kingdom's secret department, watching a person coming and going in the interrogation room, and watching the light in Anke Bailar's eyes gradually disappear.

.

[As for sitting on that uncomfortable throne, calculating day and night, figuring out people's hearts, and forcing yourself to become the coldest and most pathetic tool? That's not power, Thales, it's the chain called power. ]

Kuai Rope's words once made Thales dig his nails unconsciously.

"Seven years ago, when my father was imprisoned as a traitor, I was so desperate that I could only use countless military affairs and work, including the upcoming war, to anesthetize myself and escape from the outside world."

"In the end, before the war broke out, I took the risk and rushed to Longxiao City, and everything that happened after that happened."

Miranda snorted softly.

"But from that time on, my kind-hearted cousins ​​of the same clan began to make a fuss: gossiping, spreading rumors, making strange remarks, and even using their surnames by blood, they began to directly interfere in the affairs of Cold Castle, and every word directly pointed to the position of Duke, pointing directly to

My inheritance rights are ridiculous. It is obvious that Arund is known for its unity. It is obvious that they did not dare to act like this when my father was around. It is obvious that if I were a son, they might not dare to act like this."

Thales frowned and couldn't help but said:

"As far as I know, since Eliga the Northern Conqueror, the Kingdom of Stars has already had a queen, and the inheritance law no longer restricts gender. They can't..."

"Yes, compared to the barbaric Ekster, who has spent so much effort to raise the Grand Duchess, the Kingdom of Stars is already civilized and advanced enough to take care of people like me, right?"

Miranda interrupted him with sarcasm.

Thales said nothing, while the female swordsman snorted and shook her head.

"But gender always comes before the teeth. Even the eldest sister and the youngest brother are passed down first to the son and then to the daughter. Therefore, only the only daughter has the right to inherit the father's throne, and she also faces competition from cousins ​​and even future husbands. Of course, these things

You don’t have to worry about it, because you have a handle, so it’s none of your business.”

Miranda said angrily:

"You just need to know that Xingchen is very civilized and advanced when it comes to inheritance. If anyone questions this, you can just say, 'Then why don't you go to Exeter?'"

Thales wanted to say something, but finally kept his mouth shut.

Miranda snorted and shook her head: "So, you naturally don't care anymore. In the North, which is completely different from the mainstream inheritance laws of the stars, there has not been a Duchess of Arend in the past seven hundred years.

"

Thales' expression changed:

"real?"

Miranda looked out the window in ecstasy and nodded:

"The closest one is the 'Arithmetician' Rosanna Alland more than a hundred years ago. As the eldest and only daughter of a duke, she almost became the first duchess of the North."

The female swordsman said quietly:

"Until her stepmother gave birth to a young son, knocking Roseanne out of the line of succession."

Thales frowned.

Roxanne Alland.

He searched for this name in his memory. Gilbert seemed to have mentioned it in his class, but...

"I am my father's second child. I originally had an older brother, but he died before he could walk."

"And my mother, when she died in the Year of Blood," Miranda's eyes were blurred, "she was already pregnant."

Thales was shocked when he heard this.

Year of Blood.

"After that disaster, even the way my father looked at me was different. He always seemed to be asking why. Why did my mother play hide and seek with you at that time? Why was you the one who escaped from the carriage? Why wasn't you?

Mother and your unborn brother? Why didn’t you disappear with them into the vast snow and countless refugees?”

Thales clenched his fists, but couldn't say a word.

Miranda shook her head in a daze:

"I sometimes think, if the mother had not had any accidents, if the fetus in her belly had been born safely, if it had been a boy, my brother, then today I would..."

Miranda's words paused, and she raised her head with firm eyes.

"No, then I wouldn't be here today."

"Probably not."

She glanced at the letter in Thales' hand and curled her lips:

"Even if I did, I would probably be happily sitting in the cold castle, holding your letter of greetings and portrait to my chest, intoxicated, thinking about what kind of dress to wear for the painter's portrait, and then tremblingly giving it to the painter.

Please reply."
To be continued...