—Fourth update delivered. Two consecutive days of twelve thousand words, still begging for monthly votes.
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"Uncle Joel, Aunt Elisa, and Evan — are they alright? Were they rescued?" Lucian didn't restrain his emotions, asking with urgency and concern.
And this reaction was precisely how an ordinary person would naturally respond upon hearing Natasha's words!
Although Lucian had already killed Jason, the prison guard, and the knight-errant, stripping the Silver White Horn of their ability to execute the hostages, he hadn't dared to rescue them directly — afraid of revealing his true objective. So after leaving the ruins, he had been on edge the entire time, terrified that Joel's family might be caught in someone else's crossfire and killed. Which meant his emotions now were genuine and sincere, perfectly natural, and would arouse no one's suspicion.
Natasha felt slightly awkward. She was the type to charge to the front, and she had given no thought whatsoever to the safety or dignity of a princess and countess — she had followed Camille straight into the Black Forest to hunt down the conspirators, then immediately stormed into the underground ruins alongside her, fighting and pursuing the cultists. Rescuing the hostages had been left to another knight who came along, and mercifully the outcome hadn't been too bad:
"When I returned, I confirmed that all the hostages, including your uncle's family, had been rescued. We caught them off guard. The cultists retreated in such a rush that they didn't have time to harm anyone."
"That puts my mind at ease." Lucian let out a tired but satisfied and relieved smile. This rescue operation had been a tightrope walk — the slightest mistake at any step could have ended with the pyre or having his heart torn out in sacrifice. That it had succeeded owed not only to the advantage created by asymmetric information but also to a fair bit of luck. He only hoped he'd never have to face anything this difficult and dangerous again. "So where is Uncle Joel now?"
Camille answered on Natasha's behalf: "Both their bodies and minds have suffered serious trauma. They're currently receiving treatment from the Church, as well as being questioned."
"Rest easy, Lucian — they're victims. The Church just wants to ask a few questions about the Silver White Horn's guards. Haha, Aunt Camille, that sword strike you used when you ambushed the Silver White Horn's High Priest caused such a tremendous reverberation underground that it nearly knocked all those poor, weakened people unconscious. Who knows when I'll become a Heaven Knight." Natasha added.
Because of Lucian's careful timing, the sound of Camille manifesting as a tidal wave striking the ground and the "Homans Coughing Fit" had been separated by only two or three seconds. In the sealed prison cell, to the hostages' ears, it all sounded like the echo of a single noise.
Lucian asked, confused: "What's the Silver White Horn?"
"That's the bunch of villains who kidnapped your uncle's family and threatened you. They're worshippers of devils — they call themselves the Silver White Horn. You need to be careful of them from now on." Natasha offered a brief explanation. "Their minds have been completely blinded by the devil. During the pursuit, whenever any of them were spotted, they'd immediately shout 'Return to the eternal, unchanging silence' and detonate themselves — they gave us absolutely no chance to take them alive."
Even now, the memory made Natasha shudder slightly. Though she benefited from the mingling of two of the finest bloodlines and her own prodigious talent, placing her just one step from Heaven Knight at barely twenty, and despite having considerable combat experience, she was still a noble princess who had never encountered true danger or anything so cruel and devastating.
It was precisely because of these lingering emotions that she had said so much to Lucian, pouring out the pressure she'd been holding in.
"Did you catch any of those bastards?" Lucian asked with concern and hatred, feeling his acting was rather impressive.
Natasha raised her chin slightly, the suppressed tension dissolving into smugness: "I captured one of the Silver White Horn's priests, and through some means learned part of their objective. Deep inside those underground ruins, they had sealed the right hand of an evil and powerful being — but sadly, it's already been taken."
Among those who had given chase, Camille, Amorton, and Gossett had let the two High Priests "escape." Others hadn't even caught a glimpse of the cultists' backs, while some could only watch helplessly as the priests and deacons detonated themselves. Only Natasha, by virtue of her formidable strength, had captured one alive — and she was quietly rather pleased with herself.
Lucian's heart clenched: "You don't know what the other objectives were? Why were they trying to gather intelligence on Your Highness?"
"That priest didn't know. They were all acting on orders — it seems only the High Priests were privy to the full picture. It really does appear to be part of some grand conspiracy." Natasha rubbed her chin.
Camille added in her usual cool tone: "After the pursuit concluded, the Church notified the remaining bishops, priests, and Night Watch agents to arrest every compromised individual in the intelligence division. I'm confident we'll learn something from their interrogations."
"What about the kidnapper who was following me?" Lucian asked, already knowing the answer.
Natasha gestured toward the outside: "He may have received a warning from the Silver White Horn and fled in advance. Well then, Lucian — I stopped by on my way to thank you. The Silver White Horn's strength exceeded our expectations, and if their scheme hadn't been disrupted in time, the losses could have been irreparable. Haha, when you first reported to me, I'll admit I only half believed it — but after our investigation, I was completely convinced."