Lafati, Gossett, and the other powerful figures led the members of the Night Watch back to Altor in secret. The city in the darkness remained as peaceful and serene as when they had left, without the slightest difference.
At that moment, Cardinal Vera Amorton suddenly stopped in midair, turning her head to order the Canon Bearer: "Salvador, take your team of Night Watch members to the Melzer Black Forest to assist Lady Camille in searching for the Princess." She was the actual power behind the Vorlite Tribunal.
Before Salvador could respond, Vice Commander of the Violet Knight Order, Count Hayward, asked with surprise and concern: "What has happened to the Princess?"
Amorton's beautiful but expressionless face showed no emotion as she said: "It is said that Verdi colluded with members of the Continental Magic Parliament to assassinate the Princess. Currently, the Princess has broken through the encirclement and hidden herself in the Black Forest. Lady Camille is searching for her."
Lafati and Hayward asked simultaneously: "Is the intelligence accurate? Has Verdi truly rebelled?"
The other noble powerful figures who had gone to Lake Elsino were equally surprised, though what shocked them didn't seem to be Verdi's assassination attempt on Natasha.
"Cardinal Saer de told me just now." Amorton merely stated the source of the intelligence, which was enough to dispel any doubts from Hayward and the others.
Thus, Hayward said with a grim expression: "I will go as well to help search for the Princess."
Although he had golden hair, blue eyes, was handsome and tall, and exuded an air of masculinity like a man in his twenties, he was actually over one hundred and sixty years old, having experienced countless battles and conspiracies. Now he sensed something unpleasant in the air—his group's trip to Lake Elsino did not seem to be mere coincidence.
Canon Bearer Salvador responded: "Your Eminence, your will is our desire. I will lead my team out immediately. Only Truth Endures."
"Only Truth Endures." Amorton traced a cross over her chest.
…………
In the Melzer Black Forest, relying on Allen's special bloodline abilities, Todd and his companions soon spotted the ravaged patch of hag aloe.
"They used the hag aloe here to stanch blood and mask their scent." Todd had also received orthodox knight training. "Allen, can you tell which direction they fled?"
Allen examined the traces remaining in the nearby shadows, his neatly trimmed mustache twitching slightly: "My Lord Baron, the shadows tell me they haven't left."
"Haven't left..." Todd first gripped his longsword warily, scanning all around, then realized: "They left through the river!"
Hag aloe always grew near water sources, so there was a river here—neither large nor small—winding its way toward the River Masol. According to Todd's deduction, the two they were tracking had simply lain in the water and let the current carry them downstream: "Their ability to shake off pursuit is impressive, and they had the advantage of the Black Forest terrain, yet we're still closing in on them. This may well have made them suspicious, making them doubt that we have some unique tracking method."
Allen's expression turned solemn: "Once they enter the water, I can no longer communicate with the shadows." He was not yet a Great Knight and could not utilize the shadows underwater.
Todd, however, wasn't panicking. Instead, he smiled: "The speed of water flow differs greatly from a knight's running pace. If they keep floating downstream, we'll catch up quickly. And if they come ashore midway, they'll definitely leave wet footprints and other traces. We'll split up and track along both sides of the river—no oversights."
"But that will waste quite a bit of time..." Allen knew that carefully searching for signs of the enemy coming ashore would be tedious, but he and Todd weren't mages. They didn't have all sorts of marvelous magic at their disposal—they could only resort to this crude method.
Todd leapt lightly to the opposite bank: "Don't worry. Our injuries are all minor, and we're much faster than they are. The advantage is ours—losing a little time is nothing." His nose and mouth, which had been split nearly in half by Wayn, had almost fully healed.
The two of them began a careful search along the river.
…………
In the Melzer Black Forest.
After floating in the river for only a short time, Lucian and Natasha quickly left the water and continued rushing deeper into the forest.
"You look absolutely terrible, Lucian." Natasha lay against Lucian's back, laughing and teasing him. Although her knight's attire was severely damaged, it was after all made of high-quality material and didn't suffer the same embarrassing situation as Lucian's—soaking wet and clinging to his body. Only her long purple hair hung down drenched, making Lucian's neck itch a little.