I finally had a good sleep, are I going to be in trouble again so soon?

This thought flashed through the traveler's mind instantly, and he watched as Gilbert calmly summoned several nearby Terminator Swordsman guards.

Yoder patted Thales on the shoulder and shook his head at him. The expression behind the mask was unknown, but Thales made up a "smiley face" in his mind and gave it to the silent guard.

Several terminator swordsmen took orders and left one by one with great efficiency.

The originally empty and silent Mindis Hall seemed to suddenly come to life. Fifty guards moved in an orderly manner under unified command and dispatch, and commands and reports came and went.

"The third team is heading to the main entrances and exits on the second and third floors."

"Both sides of the hall, deployment completed!"

"Reinforcements at the sentry post on the top of the hall are in place!"

After Gilbert calmly left a few final words to a terminator swordsman who looked like the leader of the guards, he turned back to the study and took Thales in, who was peeking out from the door of the study.

And Yodel has long since disappeared into thin air, just like always.

The middle-aged nobleman skillfully used his cane to pry open the baffle behind a bookshelf, and pulled open one side of the bookshelf, revealing the secret room inside.

"Who is here? Is it an enemy or a friend?" Thales struggled to ask as he was carried into the secret room by Gilbert.

Gilbert lit the eternal lamp in the secret room, closed the secret door at the same time, and asked thoughtfully:

"I guess you are asking, who would choose to break into the heavily guarded royal estate at 5 p.m. without warning?"

Obviously, he no longer regards the little master behind him as an ordinary child.

Thales smiled sarcastically, already knowing the answer to the question.

"I'm sorry that I have to wait here for a while, but confidentiality is still the first principle." In the dim light, Gilbert carefully opened a curtain, revealing a large square iron plate with six

Different filter holes.

Thales moved forward curiously and saw six different places in the small hole - Mindis' first-floor hall, garden, second-floor balcony, second-floor corridor, third-floor stairs, third-floor porch and outdoor hall roof.

"This is a surveillance mirror made of mirror reflection. It can capture different key areas in the Mindis Hall." Gilbert said with a smile.

This - isn't this a periscope? Thales rolled his eyes in his heart.

"Here we go, the first team is fighting."

"The rest of the guys dispersed."

Yodel's voice came from the void.

Thales immediately put his face in front of one of the surveillance mirrors.

In the garden outside the first floor, a team of ten bright star family terminator swordsmen were forming a tacit formation, with swords and shields drawn out, besieging five intruders dressed in different styles, but all with their heads covered!

It's just that the five intruders seemed to be a well-coordinated team. The two of them held flexible scimitars and wandered between swords and shields, looking for opportunities and helping their companions in danger to rescue them. One of them used an arm shield and a chain hammer.

Every time, among the dense swords and shields, one of the guards was knocked back continuously, while the other one stepped forward with a half-long sword in hand, trying to rush through the gap in the formation. The last one also had a sword and shield in his hand, and seemed to be in the command room.

Filling in the gaps!

"They are hired rangers and adventurers!" Gilbert took a look in front of the surveillance mirror, and then said: "It seems that they are a team that has been cooperating for a long time and has a long-standing tacit understanding, living a life between war and the violent request of the lord.

, hunters, soldiers, bodyguards, scouts and even killers, they do it all."

"I just arrived at Mindis Hall last night, and there are visitors so soon?" Thales exhaled helplessly.

"Is the majesty of the royal family so cheap?"

"I assure you, Mr. Thales - the majesty of the royal family is by no means cheap. On the contrary, it is the abnormality of the royal family that makes our enemies feel uneasy and frightened." Gilbert said softly, without any trace of emotion in his tone.

A little nervous and solemn, as if this is just a game.

"Enemy?" Thales turned his head, his face thoughtful.

"Yes, please don't worry outside, the well-trained guards and Yodel will take care of everything."

"And now is the perfect time to explain to you the third issue - our enemies and our allies."

The middle-aged noble took a few steps back, sat down on the dark sofa in the secret room, and said with a smile:

"For now, your existence is the top secret we want to keep."

"Especially to the lords and nobles of the stars."

"The six wealthy families who guard the country's borders and the thirteen noble families who support the kingdom are the backbone members of the High Council of the Stars. Although there are constant replacements and conflicts, they still represent the nobles who swore to rule with the Bright Star royal family at the beginning of the founding of the country.

power."

So, at least on the surface, this is a country where kings and nobles rule together. Thales made a mental note.

He needs more information.

"Aristocrats - are they the lords who are enfeoffed in various parts of the country? Fully rule over their respective territories?"

Gilbert nodded: "That was the original source of noble power from the ancient empire to the final empire. In the Star Kingdom, although many nobles have only their names and honors left, those who truly control the country's lifeline still have vast

The six wealthy families and thirteen distinguished families in the territory.”

"In accordance with the oath and the royal edict, they were ordered to guard the four territories, surrender to the king and pay taxes. The territory that the royal family can directly control is the traditional central territory of the Canxing family."

A country that makes as much concessions as the Middle Ages - it is seriously inconsistent with the country's productivity that I have seen.

At this moment, very suddenly, Yoder's voice sounded from their ears again:

"The intruder from the roof of the hall - the people at the sentry post are blocking it."

Looking at the calm Gilberto in front of him, Thales resisted the desire to look at the surveillance mirror.

"Although these lords have their own legal private armies, more often than not, they will choose to hire outsiders to clean up some chores - especially those that require them to separate themselves. This is especially true for lords with higher power and more important status.

For example, our guests outside." Gilbert curled his lips.

"Then what is the meaning of existence and the power that this high council composed of lords and nobles has?" Thales asked sensitively.

"The High Council was a product of the reign of the 'Wise Lord' Mindis III. During the costly Fourth Continental War, the Wise Lord ordered the powerful lords, nobles, officials, priests, merchants and scholars in the country to jointly form the High Council and the National

It is a meeting. The former is an exclusive forum for territorial nobles, while the latter is for people with fame and status in the entire star. Mindis III used superb mediation methods to eliminate numerous conflicts and obstacles, distribute taxes, allocate resources, and borrow money.

The loan allowed Xingchen to retain its precious vitality during the war that severely damaged the countries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait."

A platform where the public power of the country comes forward to handle conflicts between upper and lower levels, reach compromises, and build class consensus. Thales made another note in his heart.

"Ignoring the national meeting for the time being, the High Council of Nobles of the Stars has been retained after the Xianjun. National affairs of the Stars, such as royal decrees and laws involving the entire territory, will be reached by the Supreme King and a group of nobles before they are promulgated. This has formed

This is a common practice. In fact, after the formation of the High Council, the discord between the upper and lower parts of the kingdom, the feuding of the nobles, and the contradictions between the upper and lower parts of the kingdom have improved a lot." Gilbert said calmly.

The prototype of the representative system? No, it cannot be that advanced. It is a bit like the feudal structure composed of lords on the way from a hierarchical country to an absolutist country, but it has already initially become a stage for competition between local forces and central power.

.

"But with the advent of the Year of Blood, the conflicts between the six wealthy families, the thirteen noble families, and the Bright Star royal family have become more and more obvious. In the thirteen days after the murder of the late King Eddie II, despite constant conflicts among the nobles, the high-level

The Star Capital under the rule of the parliament actually decided to lock the city gates and consolidate the troops. It was not until His Majesty Kessel returned that they reached an agreement with him and crowned His Majesty."

The independently operated Feudal Council - an organization where feudal lords unite to speak out to the monarch - is bad news for me - Thales was heartbroken.

The operation of parliament can actually exclude the role of the royal family.

This is a terrifying force, and as long as the time comes, it can become a stormy wave that overthrows the royal family.

"And King Kessel, who has had no heir for twelve years - the six wealthy families are watching."

Gilbert's eyes were full of vigilance, and he answered mysteriously but complicatedly:

"With all due respect, our powerful neighbor to the north, the country of the hero Nekaru and the hero Sara, the Kingdom of Exeter, known as the 'Blade of the Western Continent', adopts the king selection system of lord election - the king

It arises among the major lords who have the right to stand for election."

As he spoke, Yoder's hoarse voice sounded again:

"Enemy attack on the second floor! The third and fourth teams are dealing with it."

"There are five more people. They are approaching the third floor."

Thales made no move this time.

Gilbert took a deep breath and pointed outside:

"Now, Mr. Thales, do you understand where your enemy is?"

Thales remained silent.

Hereditary King of the Stars.

Foreign king-selection systems.

Six wealthy families and thirteen distinguished families.

enemy.

Gilbert almost told him the answer directly.

But Thales felt that this information was far from enough. At this time, all kinds of possible speculations were flashing through his mind.

He extracted effective elements from his high-speed brain and continued to ask:

"If the royal line is cut off - the six wealthy families guarding the country will of course be the first choice to inherit the crown. However, does this also mean that the new king will inherit all the territory, property, vassals and influence of the Canxing family?
To be continued...