CHAPTER 133
Even though he tried to conceal his bewilderment, there was no hiding the confusion in his yellow eyes.
His gaze, which had been fixed on the man holding a sword to his throat, shifted to Arabelle on the bed.
No, it was more accurate to say the person he had believed to be Arabelle.
The figure on the bed wasn’t a woman at all but a man, who was gripping the hilt of a sword at his waist, glaring at Bergen with eyes that promised to draw the blade and slit his throat at any moment.
A deep, resonant voice fell from above.
"Well done, Sir Theo."
"It was thrilling and fun, Your Majesty."
"Didn’t I tell you? More exciting than any stage."
Sir Theo, whose figure in the dress surpassed that of any woman, stood up from the bed. Though he was quite small and slight in build, one look at his eyes was enough to tell that he was an incredibly skilled knight.
"How...?"
The question escaped Bergen’s lips, but he already knew the answer.
The knight before him could easily be mistaken for a woman in the dark forest.
Bergen’s soldiers, who had never seen Arabelle, had mistaken Sir Theo, whose face was completely concealed by a robe, for the Empress and had captured him.
Given the gravity and urgency of the situation, they likely hadn’t thought to verify their prize.
The soldiers of Laicano had long heard of the legendary Emperor Maxwell. They knew that if they were caught kidnapping the Empress in the forest, they would be obliterated without a trace.
Moreover, they had no reason to doubt that they had captured the right person.
After all, how many women would be wandering deep in the forest at midnight, in a location set for a secret meeting? Only Arabelle, who was supposed to meet with Tristiny.
"I heard that the soldiers of Laicano are quite formidable, but they were pathetic. King Bergen should focus more on military training instead of concocting such schemes."
Sir Theo stepped beside Emperor Maxwell, taunting as he spoke.
Bergen’s face twisted into an expression of vile anger as he stared at the Emperor.
Sir Theo, who had been bundled into a sack, had been brought to the lowest deck of the ship.
"Do not be afraid. We are now responsible for Lady Arabelle’s safety. This is Prince Bergen’s order."
The captain, who had been waiting, entered and spoke.
The captain and a few sailors untied the sack, but what awaited them wasn’t the Empress. It was a rapier belonging to the renowned Merke family, known throughout the continent.
While Sir Theo had been wreaking havoc in the cabin, another battle was taking place on the deck.
The Emperor’s shadow force had infiltrated the ship, pursuing Sir Theo after his capture.
"Don’t kill them all. We don’t want the wolves to be suspicious when they come aboard."
The Emperor gave his low command.
"That way, I can deal with them personally."
After the shadow force commander had subdued all the Laicano soldiers on the ship, he informed the captain of the facts, not as a threat but as a reality.
If he didn’t cooperate, they would all be executed on the spot. And their families would meet the same fate.
This was an operation led by the Emperor himself.
Laicano was already finished.
Laicano had expanded its power by absorbing several large and small surrounding islands.
While the captain and the high-ranking soldiers on the ship were Laicanoans, the majority of those aboard were not.
They had little patriotism or pride for Laicano.
None of them were willing to sacrifice their lives or their families for a king who intended to kidnap the Empress of the Empire.
And so, they had all colluded to deceive King Bergen, who had boarded the ship today.
"The Emperor knew everything...!"
Bergen had no idea when the Emperor had found out. His mind was in turmoil, a blank slate.
"Ugh."
A pained groan escaped Bergen’s lips.
The sword pressing against his throat cut in slightly, leaving a long red line.
It felt like the sharp blade could sever his windpipe at any moment, causing Bergen’s eyes to tremble.
His rolling eyes met a pair of crimson ones.
Unlike his own yellow eyes, which were shaking with confusion and shock, the crimson eyes betrayed no emotion.
But it was that calm indifference that sent a shiver down Bergen’s spine, freezing him to the core.
Those eyes weren’t looking for the right moment to strike their prey.
They were deciding how to deal with the prey they had already captured.
The decision wasn’t about whether to kill or spare.
It was about how to kill.
Bergen’s lips twisted with shame and defeat.
Yet, the desire to live made his legs quiver.
"Your Majesty... Emperor..."
He couldn’t die like this.
He couldn’t close his eyes without having swung his sword properly, without setting foot on his homeland, without being reduced to fish food.
Bergen discarded his pride and opened his mouth.
"Your Majesty, there seems to be a... great misunderstanding."
He raised his voice to the Emperor, who continued to watch him with a bored expression.
"This is a plot! Yes, that’s right. It’s a conspiracy by those who are jealous of the relationship between Helterd Empire and Laicano."
It was obvious to Sir Theo, standing beside the Emperor, that Bergen’s mind was racing.
"I received word that Arabelle, no... the Empress, had been captured on my ship and intended to rescue her. I’m certain the ship’s captain orchestrated this heinous act."
Seeing what he thought was a slight softening in the Emperor’s expression, Bergen gained confidence. He shouted boldly.
"If you give me a chance... I will interrogate the captain and soldiers and uncover the true mastermind behind this plot!"
The Emperor remained silent, simply staring at Bergen.
The sword pressed against Bergen’s neck dug a little deeper into his flesh.
The knowledge that a slight twist could pierce a vital point was more torturous than the pain itself.
Growing desperate, Bergen changed his target.
"It’s definitely the work of the Kingdom of Semper. Just like how they released monsters during the puppet show, they tried to abduct the Empress!"
This was a more plausible story.
The Emperor already suspected the Kingdom of Semper to be behind the puppet show incident.
"Torture King Ator, no, the princess. She’ll confess everything."
According to the Emperor, King Ator’s granddaughter had confessed to the puppet show incident.
This time, too, she would likely give a false testimony out of fear.
Bergen’s eyes gleamed with vile intent.
Clang,
The sound of a sword hitting the floor echoed.
The Emperor, who had been listening to Bergen’s words, had thrown his sword down.
Bergen’s deceitful yellow eyes sparkled with hope.
The fact that the Emperor had put down his sword meant he might actually listen to him.
Just as Bergen was about to smear the King of Semper with more lies,
"Urrgh..."
A strangled gasp escaped from Bergen’s lips as his airway was constricted.
His sturdy body was lifted into the air, and his feet flailed helplessly.
The Emperor, who had lifted him by the throat, spoke in a dry voice as if dealing with something utterly insignificant.
"I’m ashamed that I’ve tolerated someone as worthless as you for so long."
***
*At the same time, in the tower where the King of Semper was held captive*
The afternoon sunlight streamed through the small window of the tower.
The King of Semper, his wife, and their granddaughter were sitting together at a shabby table.
"Grandfather, I’m so scared. The maid says the Emperor has brought his elite troops and is heading to Semper."
"They say it’s to investigate the truth behind the incident, but in reality, the Emperor is going there to take out his anger. How can they be searching for the nonexistent Empress Arabelle? If they don’t find her, they’ll devastate our kingdom."
The Queen of Semper and the princess couldn’t hold back their tears and sobbed.
They looked around the room they were confined in.
It was said to be a tower reserved for the most severe criminals to be held in solitary.
Although it wasn’t as filthy or foul-smelling as they had feared, it was still a dreary prison.
Fortunately, the Emperor hadn’t completely lost his mind, as they had not been tortured or mistreated.
The soldiers guarding the tower treated them with respect, and the attendants and maids of Semper were allowed to stay with them.
King Ator remained silent, his eyes closed in deep thought.
A knock on the door was followed by the entrance of Vice Commander Peter.
"Your Majesty, you must come with us."
The Queen of Semper couldn’t hold back her frustration and burst out.
"Again? You’re taking His Majesty again? You can interrogate him a hundred times, but you won’t find anything. Our Semper is... innocent of any wrongdoing!"
King Ator gently took his wife’s hand to calm her.
"Don’t worry. Finish your meal. I’ll be back soon."
King Ator left the room, following Vice Commander Peter.
Through the closing door, the princess’s sobs could still be heard.
With a stern expression, King Ator descended the narrow spiral staircase behind Peter.
After passing through a dark, deserted corridor, they stopped in front of a stone door, which opened from the inside.
The room beyond was dark, with no sunlight penetrating it.
Surrounded by Vice Commander Peter and his close subordinates, King Ator sat in an armchair.
The serious expression on his face as he looked at the Emperor’s loyal knights gradually brightened.
The faces of the three knights, who seemed to command the atmosphere with their very presence, also lit up.
Vice Commander Peter leaned in and whispered as if sharing a secret.
"We just received word. It was a huge success!"
"I knew it. How could it not be, with His Majesty personally planning and leading the operation? Ha ha."
King Ator laughed heartily.
But he quickly glanced at the thick, tightly closed stone door, worried that his laughter might escape.
"You’ve done well. Please endure a little longer."
"What have I to endure? If it hadn’t been for His Majesty’s guidance, I would have lost the kingdom to Kuvulle right under my nose. I’d likely have been deposed as soon as I returned, thrown into a real prison, and left waiting for my execution."
King Ator rubbed his chest with his palm as if the mere thought was horrifying.
"I only feel sorry for Her Majesty the Queen and the princess. How terrified and angry they must be, completely unaware of the situation."
At Sir Peter’s words, King Ator shook his head.
"I regret it, but they’re too loose-lipped. There was no other choice. If I had shared His Majesty’s plan with them, they’d have undoubtedly blabbed to a friendly noblewoman or the queen of another kingdom. Unfortunately, the women of our royal family have never been good at keeping secrets."
Late one night, after the puppet show massacre had occurred and King Ator had been summoned for questioning, he found the Emperor waiting for him.
"It seems that the Southern Union of Island Nations is poised to swallow up Semper."
The Emperor had discovered that the young laborers from Kuvulle who had entered Semper were, in fact, highly trained special forces.
"I recall you once told me that if you hadn’t become a king, you would have become an actor in a troupe. This operation requires your acting skills, King Ator."
He would have followed any order without hesitation, even if the Emperor had asked him to go out into the streets and play the role of a madman.
Thanks to the Emperor, he would retain his throne and his kingdom.
"Until we’ve caught all the rats inside and outside the warehouse, please bear with it a little longer."
"Of course."
At Sir Peter’s humble request, King Ator readily nodded.
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