Chapter 152: Inside the Prison (2)

Raion savored the aroma rising from the teacup before taking a sip.

“Hmm… good.”

“This tea is made from a flower called Sunflodelom, which only grows in the western valley of the Kerom Territory in the Edina Kingdom. Its fragrance is as warm as sunlight.”

“When did you get something like this?”

“When we were still in the territory. Sir Caldein Flavan brought it back after visiting Archia Port in Edina.”

“I like it.”

While they were chatting, Luteo Candir hurriedly approached from beyond the iron bars.

Clang—!

“How are they drinking tea inside a prison cell!”

Raion merely wore a disinterested look and continued to drink his tea.

Then he turned to Turklan sitting beside him.

“Would you like some?”

“I’m fine, Master. But, uh… over there…”

Who in their right mind would drink tea in a dark, damp prison?

Patrick didn’t seem to care. He accepted the kettle from Raion, steeped the tea leaves, and poured another cup.

That only made the atmosphere heavier.

Soon after, the agitated Luteo Candir stormed to the cell door, jammed the key into the lock, and pulled.

Clang—!

The door that should have swung open didn’t budge.

“What’s going on?”

He tugged again and again, but it was useless.

Raion only smiled faintly as he took another sip.

Turklan, beside him, looked a little worried.

“Is this really all right?”

They were in the heart of the Mineta Kingdom — and not just anywhere, but inside its prison.

Under normal circumstances, even torture wouldn’t have been surprising.

Yet Raion seemed more at ease than ever.

“If they’ve got business, they’ll come to me themselves.”

“Urghhhh!”

Ignoring Raion’s calm tone, Luteo Candir kept pulling at the door.

Clang! Clang!

For some reason, the door only made loud noises.

Of course, those inside knew why.

The joints between the iron bars and the metal door had melted and fused together.

Naturally, it wasn’t going to open.

“What the hell! Why! Won’t! It!”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Despite his repeated shouts, the bars merely trembled slightly.

Finally losing his patience, Luteo Candir drew his sword.

A faint blue aura rippled along the blade as he slashed through the gap between the bars.

Shwaaa!

The tightly sealed metal door came undone.

Luteo strode in, pointing his sword at Raion, who was still calmly drinking tea.

“Do you have a death wish!”

He was so enraged that the veins in his neck and near his eyes bulged visibly.

Raion, of course, didn’t so much as flinch.

Instead, he lightly pinched the tip of Luteo’s raised blade between his thumb and forefinger.

“Are you asking me to cut off your fingers? You—!”

The blade should have sliced him immediately.

But Luteo’s sword didn’t move an inch.

“W-What…! What is this!”

“If you can’t even move your own sword, whose neck do you think you can cut?”

“You really do want to die, huh! Ghhk!”

Overcome by fury, Luteo released a surge of blue aura throughout his entire body.

The power flowed from his arms into the sword, making it hum with energy.

Bam—!

Yet nothing changed.

“Ghhk! Wh-what the…!”

“If you’re done struggling, I’ll let go.”

“T-this is impossible…!”

It was like trying to uproot a tree with roots sunk deep into the ground.

Luteo’s face turned bright red.

Raion looked at him quietly and spoke.

“If you want this to end, just nod. Keep making noise, and things will only get worse for you.”

“Ghh…!”

His strained groans continued for a moment but soon subsided.

In the end, Luteo Candir’s head dipped ever so slightly.

Thud—. Clang!

As soon as Raion released the blade, Luteo, unable to withstand his own force, stumbled and hit the bars.

His already flushed face grew even redder. Scowling, he quickly stormed out of the cell.

The soldiers watching from outside couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

After all, Luteo Candir was a Sword Master — and the commander of the Royal Knights.

“A-are you all right, Commander?”

“Silence!”

He barked the order and marched off.

Silence fell over the prison.

Turklan, still anxious, asked,

“Master, that man is the Royal Knight Commander. Are you sure this is all right?”

Their reason for coming to the Mineta Kingdom had been Raion’s wife.

Even rushing straight to find her wouldn’t have been enough — yet here they were, locked in a cell.

It was only natural to worry.

“I’m thinking about something. Just wait a little.”

“You have a plan, then?”

“I always do. But this time, it’s because of the one we met earlier.”

He was talking about Decarsen Falkahn, the demon noble.

Raion had once prided himself on having transcended human limits.

But the being he’d faced this time had gone beyond his expectations.

Though he’d managed to turn the situation around thanks to their opposing attributes, he couldn’t be sure of victory if someone stronger appeared.

“Have I grown complacent?”

Perhaps it began the moment he believed he had surpassed his limits.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

* * *

King Harlan Mineta had moved from the Great Hall to his office and was now seated behind his desk.

Across from him sat Charoen, who accepted the glass of liquor the king had offered.

“You must have gone through a lot, Your Majesty.”

“I thought the kingdom I’d finally secured was about to fall apart. Still, we were fortunate, weren’t we?”

The horde of monsters had suddenly changed direction.

Neither of them knew why, but thanks to that, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“I heard that at the spot where the monsters turned, Princess Deborah Mineta and her people were captured.”

Charoen knew exactly where that information had first leaked from.

At this, Harlan Mineta’s lips twitched.

“They say the Blue Sun lost its eyes and ears. Apparently, that wasn’t true.”

“There are still some of them left, it seems.”

“But if they dare to steal information from the Royal Capital, they may end up in quite an unpleasant state.”

Shrrrng…

The king’s beloved sword, standing beside him, was slightly drawn from its scabbard.

It was a calm yet chilling threat.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Charoen’s temple.

“M-my apologies. I’ve overstepped.”

“Perhaps my jest went too far.”

“It would seem so.”

That sharp, cold gaze of the king’s had flashed like a drawn blade moments before.

It was hard to dismiss it as mere jest.

“But, are you interested in them?”

“I heard they were with Princess Deborah. According to our sources, her route from the Bachenan Holy Kingdom to the Mineta Kingdom has been confirmed.”

“The Holy Kingdom?”

Marianne, the High Priestess of the Holy Kingdom, had come to the Mineta Kingdom with her priests and paladins.

It was too coincidental to be a coincidence.

“We’ve been waiting for a certain mercenary. We discovered this while tracking him.”

“A mercenary? Out of nowhere?”

“The one known as the Blade that Splits the Earth from the Black Crescent Moon.”

“The Blade that Splits the Earth? Wasn’t he the man under your command?”

A master who had reached the level of a High Sword Master.

A mercenary known for wielding a massive greatsword that could split the ground.

Even before becoming king, Harlan Mineta had lived as a swordsman and had often heard of that name.

“That’s right. But we were told by higher authorities that he had died during an assignment.”

“Oh ho… such a powerful man, dead? By whose hand?”

A High Sword Master’s white aura could slice through anything.

Even if an imperial knight division attacked, it was uncertain whether they could handle one such man.

Harlan Mineta couldn’t help but wonder — who could possibly kill someone like that, and how?

Charoen hesitated to speak.

“Hm…”

“Will you keep me waiting all day?”

“…It’s not verified, but there were rumors of a Master Emperor appearing in the southern continent.”

“Master Emperor? Is that true?”

“Not certain, Your Majesty. But the rumor claimed that Turklan, the one known as the Blade that Splits the Earth, was killed by that being. However, we’ve confirmed he’s alive, so I suppose it was nonsense.”

The pinnacle of Sword Masters — the Master Emperor.

That legendary realm was said to be impossible to block, no matter the sword or shield.

If one had truly fought such a being, death would have been the only outcome.

“Well… that does make sense.”

“Anyway, I only brought it up because his movements overlapped with the princess’s.”

“They’ve been sent to the prison by the Knight Commander. We’ll summon them once the interrogation is over.”

“I’d appreciate that, Your Majesty.”

Harlan Mineta gave the order to his attendant.

After some time, Luteo Candir entered the office.

“Y-you summoned me, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. But, did something happen to you?”

Luteo Candir’s face was pale as chalk.

Naturally, it seemed strange.

“It’s nothing. Why have you called for me, sire?”

“Charoen here has some questions about the prisoners you locked up.”

The two were already acquainted.

So, Charoen spoke to Luteo without formality.

“I may be mistaken, but is there a man named Turklan among those captured today?”

He hadn’t expected someone of High Sword Master level to be captured so easily.

He thought perhaps the man was part of the princess’s group.

“You’re looking for a man named Turklan?”

“That’s right.”

“My apologies, but I haven’t heard any of their names yet. Would you prefer to confirm it yourself?”

Harlan Mineta frowned slightly — Luteo had gone to interrogate them, and yet didn’t even know their names?

“If their information hasn’t been recorded yet, it may indeed be best to check directly. May I visit the prison myself?”

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Charoen left the office.

Led by Luteo Candir, he soon arrived at the prison.

However, Luteo hesitated before descending.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing.”

The memory of what had just happened in that cell flashed through his mind.

But he couldn’t let Charoen see him falter again.

He hurriedly descended the stairs.

When Charoen reached the cell, he immediately spotted Turklan sitting inside.

At the same time, Turklan noticed him as well.

“…Charoen.”

He had often taken assignments from the Black Crescent Moon related to the Mineta Kingdom.

It was only natural the two knew each other.

“It’s been a while, Turklan. You really are alive.”

“How’s my wife?”

Greetings weren’t what mattered.

Turklan asked, certain that Charoen had his wife.

“Don’t worry about her. More importantly, were you traveling with Princess Deborah Mineta?”

“…”

“To think you failed the assassination of Regina Foster, and now you’re with another target. What kind of situation is this supposed to be?”

Even Princess Deborah Mineta had been marked for assassination by the Black Crescent Moon under Harlan Mineta’s order.

But communication with the assassins had been cut off in the Canel Kingdom.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep