Western Buried Gold City.
The city was probably only two or three hundred years old. Because of its proximity to the Forest of the Beast, no one dared to build a city here before the Court of God descended.
However, after discovering the underground of this area was rich with ores, the Empire dispatched countless knights to level the area.
That was how the Buried Gold City was established.
A commercial city with high city walls. The walls weren’t built with boring grey bricks and tiles. Instead, it was built with a strange white stone.
A strange azure glow emanated from the city walls from time to time. As if the walls were alive.
A small bat crouched nearby. Gazing at the gears of the gate turning as it opened. The young girl dressed in black clothing under the protections of a large number of white knights.
“The human technology in this world is really… monstrous.”
Lucius gazed at the city gate. It opened without human power required. To build such a thing, the human-technology in this world was not far below humans on Earth. As for why Lucius said monstrous, it’s probably the architecture style.
It’s impossible to leap over the tall city wall with his bat form.
When the gate opened, Lucius quickly spread his wings, flew inside, and stood on top of a building—looking down on the city scenery.
The technology advancement was almost as advanced as the current Earth. But the humans in this world were still living in the Western Europe Middle Ages style. Both the clothes and the building architectural style reflected it.
But this world had guns…
Lucius scanned the knight guards on patrol duty below. They carried weapons other than swords.
It would be best to call them cannons, but these cannons’ power was many times more powerful than those on Earth.
On top of the silvery metal shell, there was a faint azure glow gleaming on the shell.
It was a strange energy that Lucius didn’t know. This was how the humans fueled their engines, not with oil.
And some gifted humans in this world had the power to directly manipulate the energy.
But still… they were too reckless…
Lucius looked down at the city’s inhabitants, leisurely chatting below. Obviously, they lived at the edge of the Beast Forest.
But they dared to chat when they should be closely observing the gate. Especially now that it’s open.
Maybe because the Beasts in the forest were peaceful and they didn’t disturb humans. Too peaceful that the humans forgot about the fierceness of the beasts. They thought those Beasts were domestic animals they could control.
Lucius stopped thinking about it and continued to observe. Naiya was taken by Kensel to the heart of the city, where the City Major used to live.
Such a shame now that the City Major was dead. Probably right now, his body was being torn apart and eaten by those Mineral Spirits.
No one noticed Lucius turning as a bat. He flew all the way to the City Mayor’s residence.
He was circling around before he finally found a secluded window and stopped. The bat’s scarlet eyes silently watch the human activities below.
There was a council table in the City Major’s Hall. It looked like it was used earlier this morning.
“This is the brief situation, Your Highness. Now, your father is really just trying to make up for all the years of guilt he did to you… there’s really no ill will.”
Kensel told her everything about the recent changes in the Empire and her identity. He thought the girl would be very surprised to hear that she was the Emperor’s daughter.
But the girl wore the same cold expression she always had. She just listened to Kensel’s words in silence.
But he wasn’t worried that she wouldn’t agree to return to the Capital with him.
To ascend the throne of the Empire.
Became an Empress!
Even in this organized world, man’s most primitive rule still exists.
There’s a lot of Archdukes and nobles who secretly do bad things. But under the Court of Gods’ watch, they had no guts to start a rebellion.
Although the long peace made him anxious, Kensel still wanted peace to last forever.
Life is always a priority.
After Kensel stepped into the hall with Naiya, he found a man who seemed to have been waiting here for a while.
“Duke Lissner, why are you here?”
After seeing the man’s figure, Kensel’s word became cold. This man was one of the aristocrats that were craving power.
They wanted to be the Emperor. The head of the Crowell Family, the largest business holder in Capital City. Lissner, Duke of Crowell!
“I’ve heard the Buried Gold City’s specialty metallurgical wine was the best one among the red wines in the west.” The brown-haired man turned around, holding a goblet in his hand—the pale golden liquid sloshing slightly inside the goblet.
“Only by coming to this city, you can taste the most authentic taste of the wine. I had nothing else to do, so I’ve come to test it out.”
Lissner’s temperament was his identity. Years of socializing among the noble circles, and as the Family’s head had nurtured him to maintain a graceful demeanor in every situation.
“But…” Lissner raised his goblet.
Behind his goblet, Naiya was standing there, expressionless, “Such a shame that the so-called ‘authentic taste’ was far from the best wine sold at the Capital. I wonder why?”
“Enough, Lissner!” Of course, Kensel understood the man’s intention. He was openly mocking Naiya’s identity.
“Surely, the taste of the wine had nothing to do with authenticity.” Lissner shook his goblet and stared at Naiya.
“It’s all about the brewing location. As the most prosperous city in the world, the wine brewed in the Capital is far more superior than a wine brewed in this small city that makes its living by emptying mines.”
“Are you saying that I’m not qualified to inherit the throne?” Naiya spoke; her words didn’t carry much emotion.
Before humans, she couldn’t act natural as she was in front of Lucius because she couldn’t judge the authenticity of those humans’ words.
Only Lucius alone could make her feel relaxed because her life was his. Even if he tried to deceive him, in the end, she would be dead just like he said.
“Some things are better left untouched without power, beautiful lady.” Lissner put down his wine goblet and smiled at Naiya.
“Or you’ll wake up and find you lost everything before you can even play the game.”
“Lissner! You’re threatening Her Highness the Empress! Listen, she’s the one the Emperor is looking for! Don’t you dare question his judgment?”
Kensel knew Lissner was a sly man. Naiya’s young appearance worried him. If she felt intimidated by Lissner’s words, he can’t forgive himself!
“I’m not threatening her. Nor did I question the royal blood flowing within her veins.” Lissner lightly replied.
“I’m just telling an innocent young lady how dangerous the world could be. How dangerous the situation you’re going to put her through. Do you think it’s fair for her?”
Lissner didn’t wait for Kensel’s reply and continued to speak to Naiya.
“They only told you about the beauty of royalty. But the world is cruel. The life of royalty isn’t for everyone.”
“She will be the Empress. The Emperor himself ordered, so she will inherit the throne.” Kensel glared at Lissner.
“His Royal Highness is old. So old that even his memory is now foggy. He would have this young lady, whose name the country doesn’t even know, became the Empress. It would be a disaster. I would prefer to support the Emperor’s children from his wife and concubines over someone of unknown origin.”
“The women you’ve bought with your money?” Kensel mocked Lissner too.
But he just ignored the knight and looked at Naiya, who stood still, quietly. “If you want money, our Crowell Family will provide you inexhaustible money for the rest of your life. If you don’t mind, you can join our Family. The treatment you will receive is no much worse than becoming the Empress. And you don’t have to be burdened by worldly matters.”
Who would accept a person of unknown origin who suddenly becomes their Empress? Of course, everyone would think the same way.
In Lissner’s opinion, the young lady was no different than the noble ladies he met at the ball.
With enough money to live a comfortable life, having servants, and a handsome prince charming on a white horse, it was definitely every woman’s dream life.
But, he chose the wrong person.
The young lady in front of him was not the kind of lady who spent their days sitting in a room with hand embroidery. But an avenger who had crawled out of hell with a bloodsoaked blade. Naiya had lost everything she had and was no longer entitled to anything. From that night, she belonged only to Lucius.
Now, Lucius wanted her to become the Empress, so she must be…
As a pawn, a puppet that unconditionally obeys its masters’ order.
“I refuse. I’m sorry, Lord Lissner. There’s no way I can disobey the order of a father I haven’t even met.”
There was a mocking tone in her voice.
After hearing Naiya’s declining Lissner’s invitation, Kensel laughed out loud. Although the young lady didn’t seem to be as powerful in battle as her royal bloodline, her boldness was enough to make the Dodran family proud.
“Really? It’s a shame. The young moth looked at the dazzling fire and tried desperately to embrace it, with tragic results.”
Lissner drank the wine in one gulp… and placed the empty goblet on the table.
It was a signal that would bring death.
But nothing happened.
Death didn’t come…
Not even a killing intent.
What happened? Lissner looked up with a slightly surprised expression at the most secluded window in the hall.
Isn’t the assassin there?
So… where did he go?
………..
“Let’s see…”
Right now, Lucius was doing a very unscrupulous deed. That was, looting a corpse.
His hand was soaked in blood. A corpse lay in front of him in a tattered trench coat with a metal mask on its face.
He was the assassin that observed the situation from a secluded window. With Lucius’ bat appearance, the assassin didn’t care much about a small critter.
After observing the things happening in the hall from behind his mechanical mask, he quietly drew out a small but sharp blade with his hand. There were hundreds of engravings on the hilt.
At this moment, Lucius understood. He was going to kill the Emperor’s heir after the negotiation failed.
It was killing her in front of a Knight Commander!
Certainly, his combat power was countable.
As Lissner drank his wine, the assassin used the steel embedded in his fingers to make an additional nick on the hilt. The meaning of it was clear.
This knife was going to claim another life.
And so it did.
But the life it claimed was its master’s life.
Naiya was the most important pawn in Lucius’ plan. How could he let someone kill her?
Human and vampires’ assassination?
His race was gifted for assassination!
Lucius sneaked behind the assassin, covered his mouth, and slit his throat with his own knife. Before slitting his throat, Lucius slowed down the blood flow in his body.
Making it difficult for him to breathe or to fight back. Otherwise, Lucius won’t win against a top assassin.
But he was already dead.
Lucius flipped through the corpse’s belongings. All of them were alchemical items fitted for assassination, such as a few bottles of high concentrated poisons. There were no antidotes, which of course, the assassin never needed it.
But for Lucius, it was all junks. There’s not even a money pouch!
A money pouch rattled as the carrier moved around. As an assassin who requires absolute silence, it was impossible to carry them.
Lucius stopped searching the corpse and looked at the metal mask covered face. He reached out his hand to remove it. But after a few tries, it wouldn’t pull off at all!
It’s clearly not linked anywhere…is that what it is?
Lucius laughed lightly as he managed to pull it off.
Blood dripped from it…
The mask was indeed removed, along with the skin covering this man’s face. Now, what’s left on his ‘face’ was a clump of bloody flesh.
The metal mask was this man’s face. Tearing it off would cause his death.
“Dedicating your life to the assassination? You might be this world’s best assassin. But it’s such a shame.”
Lucius threw the mask over his body. The blood in his hand formed a blade with his mind control, piercing through the man’s brain.
Compensation is more important than anything else.
After confirming that this strange being was truly dead, Lucius continued to watch the scenery below. It was almost time.
To change the world’s opinion of Naiya.
From a girl of unknown origin who got lucky being chosen as the Emperor’s heir to someone who actually qualified to inherit the throne!
