Josk and four guards escorted the second prince inside, carrying a large crate.
The second prince had a black hood over his head, and the prison wagon that brought him was draped in black curtains. The royal guards were all speculating about the identity of this mysterious prisoner. Now the mystery was revealed—once the black hood was removed, several elderly nobles gasped aloud. "It's the second prince..." "It's the King of Iblia!"
"Your Highness, I believe this man needs no introduction—the notorious second prince, King of Iblia. Our family forces stormed Windbury City and captured him. However, I believe the question of how to deal with him is a matter for the Krisen royal family, so I've brought him to the imperial capital and left him in Your Highness's hands." Lorist gestured toward the second prince as he spoke.
"And these..." Lorist kicked the crate on the ground. "The King of Iblia's complete set of lavish regalia. This is the loyalty and devotion the
But the
Lorist shook his head. "No. We destroyed the second prince's hundred-thousand-strong army, but our losses were devastating. We captured Windbury City through a surprise attack, and after seizing the second prince, we were driven out by Grand Duke Fisablen's forces. Currently, we can only hold the Northland in a stalemate. The Kingdom of Iblia is now governed by the queen..."
Lying through his teeth—Lorist did it to avoid being used as a pawn by the Second Prince. In any case, the southern provinces and Winston Province, which the Kingdom of Iblia still nominally controlled, were scenes of utter chaos. For the Norton Family forces, they'd be as easy to traverse as flat ground. The southern provinces were already in ruins, and the territorial lords of Winston Province and the southern nobles hiding in the royal capital were fighting each other in a frenzy. The queen only knew how to hole up in the Rose Palace, indulging in drink and pleasure. Even Grand Duke Fisablen had given up his rescue efforts. The Kingdom of Iblia was merely clinging to its last breath...
Sure enough, upon hearing Lorist's answer, the Second Prince's expression showed a mixture of relief and frustration. He was relieved because Lorist had claimed the family forces suffered enormous losses—which made sense. First they fought a massive battle against the second prince's hundred-thousand-strong army, and even in victory there would surely be casualties. Then they launched a surprise attack on the royal capital Windbury and captured the second prince. The reinforcements from Grand Duke Fisablen, who rushed over upon hearing the news, would surely have pursued them relentlessly. To carry off their royal prisoner, the Norton Family forces must have paid a heavy price.
The Second Prince realized he could no longer use the Norton Family forces to achieve his strategic plans. With the great merit of capturing the second prince and delivering him, Lorist would certainly claim the Norton Family had done everything in their power—that the family forces were too badly damaged and urgently needed rest and rebuilding, and that in his planned war to unify the empire, they'd be pulling up chairs to watch the show. This frustrated the Second Prince deeply—like throwing a punch with all his might only to hit empty air, leaving him with nothing to grasp...
But at this moment, the Second Prince couldn't afford to scheme against Lorist any further, because the second prince, once his black hood was removed, had realized where he was. After his expression shifted through several emotions, the second prince finally regained his composure and adopted a refined, elegant manner, loudly greeting every noble he recognized—regardless of whether they wanted to respond—as if trying to steal the spotlight.
"Aha! Isn't this my dear second nephew? It's been so many years—your second uncle has missed you dearly! Where is my third brother?" The second prince turned his gaze to the Second Prince and began making casual conversation.
The Second Prince stared fiercely at the second prince, who was chatting and laughing so casually, murderous intent radiating from him. If one were to name the three people the Second Prince hated most, they would be the First Prince, the second prince, and Grand Duke Madras. The First Prince had been the first to raise the banner of rebellion, but the empire's response was swift—mobilizing armies and pursuing from all directions, they quickly cornered the First Prince in a dead end.
Just as the rebellion seemed about to be crushed, the second prince dealt the empire a vicious blow. He raised the banner of rebellion in Winston Province, forcing Grand Duke Merlein to turn his army around and giving the First Prince a chance to escape through a sliver of hope. From that point on, the three-prince succession struggle and the imperial civil war officially erupted, with fires of war engulfing a once-mighty empire on all sides.
After much struggle, leveraging the centuries-old foundation of the empire, they had gained the advantage on the battlefield. Just as victory seemed within reach, Grand Duke Madras established his own duchy and seceded from the empire, causing the favorable situation to be completely lost. The civil war continued for another three years before the empire finally fell apart.
Now, one of the chief culprits had finally fallen into his hands. The Second Prince looked coldly at the second prince, his eyes icy, as if gazing upon cattle or sheep awaiting slaughter.
"Heh, heh, heh. My dear little Ogsero, what's wrong? Aren't you happy to see your second uncle?" The second prince found the Second Prince's gaze deeply uncomfortable and forced a smile.
"I don't see a second uncle. I only see an imperial traitor. Right now, I'm thinking about what method to use to execute you—to give the rest of the empire's criminals a sobering lesson." The Second Prince finally spoke, but his words turned the second prince's face deathly pale.
"I... I'm your second uncle! Are you willing to bear the stigma of murdering an elder?" The second prince struggled in desperation.
"For traitors of the Krisen imperial bloodline, I don't mind following the example of the late Fourth Krisen Emperor." The Second Prince's reply was cold and merciless.
The second prince collapsed to the ground.
It was indeed regicide. At the time, over a hundred noble families were implicated.
This was one of the most famous events in the history of the Galentea Continent. The Fourth Krisen Emperor was known as the "Iron-Hearted Emperor" because of it. The root cause was simple: the Fourth Krisen Emperor had reigned for far too long—eighty-four years in total. He was also the longest-lived emperor, ascending the throne at sixteen and living another seventeen years after abdicating at one hundred. Three successive sons were named Crown Prince, but none outlived their father. In the end, those sons wanted the throne so badly that they decided to hasten their father's journey. When the plot was exposed, all of them were finished.
The Second Prince's declaration that he would learn from the Fourth Krisen Emperor made it clear he would show no familial mercy. The second prince finally broke down. It was perfectly legitimate for the Andinak royal family to deal with him, and as a traitor, hoping for a quick death was nothing but a fantasy.
"Drag him away. Lock him up for now." The Second Prince gave the order. One of the three great traitors was now in his hands—were the other two far behind? Once his father died, he would become Ogsero the First, leading three hundred thousand troops to sweep across the land and rebuild a mighty empire.
"Ah, Count Norton, your display just now defeating Great Swordmaster Clemento was truly magnificent! Your swordsmanship is truly remarkable. Might I have the honor of having you instruct me in swordsmanship? I have an estate outside the capital—the scenery is beautiful, the views are lovely, and it's wonderfully secluded. No one would disturb us..."
The one speaking in this coquettish, cutesy voice was none other than Princess Carrie. Gone was the cold, hostile posture she had maintained toward Lorist. Instead, her face was flushed with warmth and her eyes glistened like water as she extended her invitation.
Uh... Princess Carrie, not to mention that you're already twenty-five, but while that body of yours might be perfect for pole dancing, sword practice is another matter entirely. As for instruction, forget it—I have no intention of instructing my way into bed. Unprompted hospitality is the hallmark of thieves and schemers. Combined with the rumors about the First Prince vomiting blood and dying in the middle of the night, Lorist had absolutely no desire to get entangled in the Andinak royal family's love-hate drama. He wanted to get as far away from the imperial capital as possible. Handing over the second prince to the Andinak royal family was already an undeniable, once-in-a-generation achievement. As for the Second Prince's great enterprise of unifying the empire, let others have their chance to earn merit.
"My sincerest apologies, Your Highness." Lorist took two steps back, putting distance between himself and Princess Carrie, then gave a slight bow. "As it happens, as a lord, I'm terribly busy with affairs. Shilovas Island is still far from peaceful, with everything needing to be rebuilt. I truly cannot spare the time to instruct Your Highness in swordsmanship. In truth, there's little I could teach anyway. For me, sword practice comes down to two principles: diligence and recklessness. If Your Highness can master both, your swordsmanship will surely be outstanding."
Princess Carrie stamped her feet twice in frustration, vexed by Lorist's complete lack of romantic awareness. Yet her face still wore a blossoming smile, tinged with bashfulness. "Then, Count Norton, I've heard the scenery at Wanghai Estate on Shilovas Island is quite lovely. Might I have the pleasure of visiting?"
No, no, no—has this little thing latched onto me? Whatever you see in me, I'll change it, okay?... Lorist grumbled incessantly in his mind, but outwardly he smiled and nodded. "Of course, Your Highness. A visit from you to Wanghai Estate at any time would be an honor for the Norton Family. I'll instruct my servants to prepare for your reception. However, I'll be traveling between the two locations frequently. If Your Highness arrives when I'm not on the island, please forgive my inability to accompany you."
At this point, the Second Prince turned to them and said with evident satisfaction, "It seems you two are getting along splendidly! Locke, my niece here is a woman of extraordinary beauty who has always had sky-high standards and kept people at arm's length. She rarely socializes with anyone. To think she's getting along so well with you, Locke—this is truly a rare fate. You must seize this opportunity, Locke..."
Over there, Princess Carrie adopted a bashful pose. "Second Uncle..."
Lorist rolled his eyes hard. On what planet did you see us chatting happily and getting along splendidly? You're all such accomplished liars, spouting nonsense with your eyes wide open. "Extraordinary beauty" might be a stretch, but "cold as ice" is definitely wrong. I've already seen Your Highness put on a scorching-hot, R-rated bedroom performance in full public view while completely bare. Not only did you put on a great show yourself, you managed to get the entire audience caught up in the fierce battle of the sexes...
"Your Highness, now that the second prince has been delivered into your hands, we shall take our leave." Lorist cut through the tangle decisively, deciding it was best to leave the imperial capital as soon as possible.
"Oh?" The Second Prince was taken aback. "What's this? Surely you're not dissatisfied with our hospitality? Locke, we're old acquaintances. To be honest, I hope you can achieve even greater merit in the war to unify the empire. As for what happened before—that was my oversight. I neglected the honor and dignity of the Norton Family, and for that, I offer you my sincere apology."
Lorist waved his hand dismissively. "Your Highness, there's no need for such words. I believe in Your Highness's sincerity and know of Your Highness's dedication to restoring the empire. It's perfectly understandable that some small matters were overlooked—after all, no one can attend to everything. However, Your Highness, defeating a hundred-thousand-strong army and launching a surprise attack on Windbury to capture the second prince has already cost the Norton Family forces enormous casualties. Whether we can even protect ourselves now is uncertain. The reason I brought the second prince here was precisely as a precaution. Grand Duke Fisablen is no easy opponent—even in my own territory, I have to sleep with one eye open..."
In any case, Grand Duke Fisablen was currently scrambling to gather money and livestock to trade for standardized equipment from Lorist in an effort to protect himself. Lorist might as well throw the blame on him first, without worrying about the consequences. As the second prince's father-in-law, Grand Duke Fisablen was already the Second Prince's enemy—and he held the title of "Divine General of the Grasslands." The more formidable Lorist made him sound, the more the Second Prince would believe the Norton Family was in a difficult position...
...[I had hoped to] gather some resources and provide relief to the old Norton territories in the Northland, but I never expected Shilovas Island to have been ravaged so badly. Your Highness, please forgive me for being unable to contribute any further to the cause of imperial unification. I truly lack both the will and the strength. I can only wish Your Highness that all your ambitions come to fruition, that your grand plans flourish, and wherever your armies advance, all shall bow before you. When the empire is restored, I hope to return to offer my congratulations."
Since Lorist was so insistent on leaving, the Second Prince couldn't very well force him to stay. He had just delivered the second prince and rendered such an immense service—pressuring him further would be unreasonable. If the Norton Family's territories suffered because of his insistence, Lorist would surely resent him deeply. Better to let him go back and fight Grand Duke Fisablen to his heart's content. In the Second Prince's plans, the Norton Family was meant to be the main force in wearing down Grand Duke Fisablen's armies anyway.
Having finally obtained permission, Lorist turned and left immediately, without a backward glance.
Once they were outside the royal city,
Lorist smiled bitterly. "Joss, that woman is no ordinary person. If it were any other woman and you said that, I'd happily encourage you to pursue her. It's rare for even you to praise a woman's beauty. But this princess—I have a gut feeling she's plotting something. The term 'femme fatale' was made for someone like her. And when I think about her father the First Prince's mysterious death, I feel that getting involved with this Princess Carrie will lead to nothing but serious trouble. Better to steer well clear. I don't want to get wrapped up in any more inexplicable drama..."
Faraya approached as well. "My lord, how shall we arrange the rest of our journey?"
"We return to camp after leaving the city and immediately form up to depart. I'm afraid the Second Prince might come to his senses and try to keep us in the capital. I didn't think things through—I brought the entire Personal Guard Battalion along. The Second Prince hasn't seen their standardized equipment yet. If he notices, he'll realize I was deceiving him. These five hundred men look far more disciplined and elite than those guards standing outside the palace." Lorist said with a furrowed brow.
Jossk nodded in agreement. "You're right, my lord. While I was waiting outside to bring the second prince in, I overheard the guards outside the palace discussing how impressive our family guards looked in their equipment. Several officers even came over to inspect our armor closely, clucking their tongues in admiration. They looked like they wanted to strip us bare right then and there. Once the Second Prince has a free moment, these guards will certainly report to him—and then I imagine he'll set his sights on our standardized equipment."
"Alas, these are troubled times. The sooner we leave, the better," Lorist sighed.
...(To be continued.)