Chapter 138

Chapter 138

Translator: Yonnee

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While the peaceful breakfast went on inside, outside, Rosteratu and the others were thinking of all sorts of scenarios in their heads. After agonizing over what to do, Rosteratu eventually nodded towards Adrian.

“Commander.”

Though Adrian had the title of ‘knight commander’, he actually got the post only through connections and nepotism, and so, when he was called, his complexion turned dark. Your Majesty, you already decided not to send me in!

But while he was frantically panicking inside, the tower’s door opened again.

The smell of sujebi flowed through the open door. At the famishing smell, Rosteratu was left perplexed.

“…Food?”

People started talking.

“It’s just a conspiracy to confuse us! Everyone, do not let your guard down!”

When Rosteratu shouted angrily, the soldiers once again focused on the matter at hand. Through the door, they saw a human’s silhouette, and at this, Rosteratu commanded for the bowmen to shoot without even considering that it might have been Mercy.

“Fire!”

Whiiz! Dozens upon dozens of arrows flew through the air. The arrows were just like the rain that was falling a while ago. However, not one single arrow hit anyone.

Because all of the arrows lost their momentum right in front of the door. They all fell to the ground.

“…Magic?”

Rosteratu rose from his seat. Uneasily staring into the door, he soon saw someone coming out of the shadows. It was the silhouette of a man.

Despite the dim, dreary sky, the man shone brilliantly enough—and it was the same man that Rosteratu had thrown into that tower.

“…Albert Grey.”

Rosteratu uttered the name with clenched teeth.

God’s perfect creation. The object of Rosteratu’s envy.

The elegant smile on that man’s lips stunned the soldiers for a moment, making them forget where they were.

They all stared dazedly at Albert.

Albert was certainly smiling. However, this caused cold sweat to trickle down Rosteratu’s back.

Through the fringe of his gray hair, the man’s red eyes looked like the eyes of a demon—one that would devour him.

His and Rosteratu’s gazes met in the air. Then, Albert’s eyes curved gently.

“Your Majesty will not have another heir if I die here, but don’t you think that this kind of welcome is much too grand?”

“…What?”

After hearing the words that were laced entirely with sarcasm, all Rosteratu could do was pause for a long moment. The fact that Albert was obedient to him before entering the tower played a part in this reaction.

“Shoot! Shoot again! Attack all at once!”

Rosteratu pointed urgently at Albert, and it was only then that the soldiers came to their senses and rushed to attack Albert. Their shouts were deafening.

As though they’d been waiting for this opportunity, everyone jumped at the man who was standing in front of the tower. There was only one opponent. Regardless of how strong he was, he couldn’t beat this many people!

But at that moment, Albert spoke with a voice that was as soft as the spring breeze—

“Freeze.”

Everyone’s movements slowly came to a halt.

Cold air flowed through their surroundings. The air froze as though it was snowing.

Then, it was as if time had stopped. People froze in place. The soldiers tried to move their bodies, but the only thing they could move were their eyes.

Some people froze mid-jump, others froze in the middle of slashing their swords.

But not one of them came close to Albert.

The soldiers looked around with their eyes wildly. All the deafening war cries disappeared and only silence remained.

Then, Mercy’s spell seeped out from the tower like a mist, and it began to surround the soldiers around Albert and Rosteratu.

Soon, the mist became apparent to those soldiers’ eyes, and an image of the prince and the king showed itself to them. It was like a screen that unfolded before them.

[ Why did you imprison me in this tower…! ]

[ Because I am afraid. ]

[ Then why did you spread false rumors about me! ]

[ If you can’t overcome something like that, what kind of Prince would you be? ]

The illusion, which was based on real events, had completely filled people’s eyes and ears, making it possible for the revelation of new facts.

People were left in shock.

‘Oh God, then those rumors really were true!’

‘How can any human being do that?!’

They once believed and trusted the king, but it turned out that he was hiding such an ugly truth underneath. They were quickly disillusioned.

“What are you mages doing?! ATTACK!”

Rosteratu shouted at the top of his lungs towards the mages standing beside him. He couldn’t do anything on his own.

However, Albert had frozen them.

“A-Adrian!”

One by one, Rosteratu shouted the names of the people who should help him. However, even the entire knight order had seen the images.

As he stared at Rosteratu, who was struggling desperately, Albert took out his sword from its scabbard. Reflected on the sword, the look in his eyes was unusually dark.

The king was the person who brought him in—the one who once gave Albert hope that his life might turn out different.

And yet, all the king did was use him without any mercy nor remorse. All the king did was to try and cut him down.

Still, Albert endured. He held onto the thought that he would one day be king. For a moment, he was swept away by the memories of that time.

“My anxieties grew as I waited for that long. I thought that you might take your own life—that’s what made me really nervous.”

Albert lowered his sword.

Albert and Rosteratu’s eyes met again—Rosteratu flinched, Albert smiled benevolently.

“If you’re suffering that much from just dreams alone, dreams that aren’t even real, don’t you think that’s too unfair to me?”

Here, in reality, I have a gift just for you.