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Chapter 78: Assassination
🕑 Added 2024-06-28 21:35:39 +0000 UTCA soldier flew past me as I looked for the source of the commotion. Samuel was defending Dregorn, blowing one soldier after another away. All the soldiers battling him were still alive.
"Gyah!" I grabbed one soldier with my tentacle and threw him away from Dregorn. He was my prey; I needed to interrogate him. Seeing me arrive on the scene, the assassins fled. They knew they couldn't win anymore, not that they ever had any chance of defeating Samuel.
"Heh… so you could hold back after all." I tried mocking him, but Samuel ignored me.
"Lord Dregorn, we should flee right now."
"Dregorn! The banquet has started. Do you want to attend?" Ludwin came to me after hearing the commotion.
My eyes grew red. He is leaving, and I can't do anything about it.
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Ludwin POV
Eli is amazing. With such a calm face, she threw a chair at the assassin when all of us could barely react against the rogue knight. As expected of nobles in the frontier, even their daughters were sharp against malice. She then criticized our empire. It was honestly embarrassing because what she said was the truth. We have no control over these knights, for they answer to their factions led by their respective dukes. However, I couldn't say that out loud. Father told me to be calm and act as if everything is under control. No matter what happens, the empire will pull through, he said.
I am glad Eli shared my worry about Dregorn. I said that it was fine, it was okay. But killing an ambassador was a treacherous act. Moreover, it happened after the peace treaty. Such an act could not be easily forgiven, even by our ally, the theocracy. If Dregorn were to perish, our standing prestige would hit rock bottom.
After knowing imperial knights barely listened to the king, my father gave me full reign to handle the banquet. Heracles was supposed to be the one handling it, but the mistake on the peace treaty assignment was pinned on him. He and Claire were the ones who assigned the guards. The fact the guard he chose let the assassin through was a severe oversight. Nobles who didn't like Claire kept blaming them.
Doubt began to haunt me. It was a good thing Claire knew that the knight was not part of the guards she assigned. However, I don't have that kind of ability. So, I called upon Elidranthia again. She surely would have trustworthy knights.
She wasn't wearing her heels, which made her look shorter. Was she being considerate? Nevertheless, she gave some advice about the food arrangements. I thought she was being nonchalant, but I received reports about her butler and merchant. Then, I realized she must have planned something. She sometimes looked like an airheaded girl, but that was unquestionably an act. She has proven herself in decisive moments. Even Father praised her. So, I just let her do as she pleased.
Then, another assassination attempt occurred. I almost panicked and jogged toward Dregorn. As expected of Elidranthia, she was already on the scene and apprehended some of the culprits herself.
"Dregorn! The banquet has started. Do you want to attend?" I ran to him. However, he declined. I guess it was to be expected. Someone was clearly after his life. It would be ridiculous to attend the banquet now.
"Very well, Mr. Dregorn. Let me escort you to your carriage." I politely offered my escort. The rogue knights wouldn't be able to do their silly tricks with me around. We can't do anything about our tarnished reputation, but we won't be seen as treacherous—merely as rude and unstable. I brought Thor, Gladius, and two other knights with me.
As I walked down the pathway, I sensed dread. My feelings were clouded with fear as if a predator bared its fangs beside me. It was so unnatural that I looked around me and found out the sense of unease came from her. I sighed with relief at Eli's petite body. We all knew about her magical impression.
"Eli, tone down your magical impression. You're making us nervous." I spoke to her casually. When she looked at me, her red eyes seemed to pierce my soul. I am a mage, but her magical impression seemed to affect me too.
"Hieek!" Two of my knights drew their swords immediately. If it was Gladius or Thor, they wouldn't be this rash. But I could see Thor and Gladius reflexively grabbed their swords as well. They didn't draw them, though.
"Calm down, you two. This is just her magical impression. Her impression scares others."
"WATCH OUT!" Gladius immediately pulled me away as Eli summoned her tentacles. A clank resounded as Eli's dagger met Samuel's. I only sensed her tentacles, but apparently, her hand also held a karambit. The karambit met Samuel's attack head on.
"Oi, I thought we were on the same side," Samuel said. His usual frivolous attitude was nowhere to be seen as he glared at Eli.
"I will never be on the same side as a monster tamer! Die!" Eli yelled.
"Guard His Highness. Prince Ludwin, step aside for a bit." Gladius and Thor drew their weapons.
"Wait. Who attacked first? Was Samuel attacked first?" I was confused. Was Eli saving me? I immediately shouted toward my guards, "Guards, apprehend him."
"Stop! If you value your life. Their skills are outside of our capabilities," Gladius said.
"Gladius! Are you disobeying me?"
"Sorry, Prince, but my job is to defend your life. While Lady Elidranthia buys us some time, we shall retreat and call more guards. Ones with guns."
"Wait! You would use a woman as bait? Aren't you ashamed?"
"Yes, it is embarrassing. But I know my own skills. Thor! Run and call for help. I will drag Prince Ludwin away."
"I am also a mage! I will help her!"
"No," Gladius answered decisively. He then forcefully picked me up like a sack of wheat and carried me further. He turned at the intersection in the hallway and put me down.
"Damn it, Gladius!"
"Relax, Prince Ludwin. It seems like Lady Elidranthia is winning. It's crazy how she could cast magic, move around, and even display such monstrous strength and speed." Gladius said as we took a peek from a safe distance. A gunshot then resounded, and Samuel lay there on a pool of blood.
"Ah! Lady Eli used your gun. She won," Gladius said.
"She is incredible." I sighed, but Gladius still held my arm.
"Wait. It's not safe yet."
"What are you talking about? Dregorn is not a fighter, is he?"
"We are not sure who attacked first. Samuel might have been coerced to attack Eli due to her magical impression. She might be guilty too."
"Prince Ludwin, I brought some guards! Prince Heracles and Princess Claire also joined," Thor said. As he promised, he brought some guards. Abel, grandson of Duke Bron, a skill holder who beat Heracles, was also there together with Heracles and Claire.
“Heracles, help Eli.”
"Wait! Lady Eli!" Gladius screamed. I looked in his direction as Eli, with her bloodshot eyes, stabbed Dregorn in the neck with her dagger that she picked from Samuel. The dagger slit through Dregorn's throat, and a fountain of blood spewed out from his neck.
"Damn it! I knew that bitch couldn't be trusted. Fucking Reaper!" Heracles spat out.
"Eli! What have you done? Why did you kill him?" We ran toward the scene. Eli, with her dark tentacles, held Dregorn's corpse aloft. It's over. Dregorn is dead. If Elderan learns of this news, we will go to war again.
"Claire! We should kill her now!" Heracles Tried to engage with Eli and asked Claire for help.
"Wait! There must be a reason for this!" I tried to stop him, but he merely pushed me aside.
Heracles drew his sword, but since Claire didn't reply, he turned back and saw Claire merely looking at Eli. He widened his eyes and stood closer to her. I didn't know what they were thinking, but it seemed like he didn't plan on engaging her without Claire.
As I looked back toward Eli, Black ichor trickled out from her dark tentacles. Each one of them then slithered inside Dregorn's every orifice.
"What is she doing?" Heracles muttered.
"I think it's necromancy. It is a very advanced dark magic. I have never seen it myself, though. Heracles, let's go. I want to check Dregorn's carriage. Thor, I want to know what she got out of that corpse later." Claire walked away, seemingly uninterested. I was confused. Wasn't she the one who supported the peace treaty? How could she stay so nonchalant about the death of an ambassador? What if we were embroiled in another war?
"Help me…." A ghastly voice chilled my spine. Dregorn groaned helplessly.
"Four years ago, there was a monster tamer who attacked Shadowstep County. Do you know who he was?" Elidranthia asked, her red eyes staring at him with hatred. "He should be among the founders of your monster tamer guild."
“Droner Gustav, Tione Alex, Seles... order from... Gustav...”
"I see."
"Release me... it huurts....."
"Very well... You may go." Dregorn's corpse dropped at once on Eli's command. Our eyes met, and she then hung her head and ran away.
"Wait! Eli!" I tried to stop her, but she only spared me a glance and ran. A hint of sadness escaped her eyes. I chased her, but she disappeared after using a smoke bomb on us. Her behavior was like that of a trained assassin. I refused to believe it, but... was what Heracles said true? Is she really a reaper?
"Prince Ludwin?" Gladius came to me.
"I have to see Claire."
"Fucking traitorous scum!! After all I have done!" Claire spoke some obscene words when I arrived at Dregorn's carriage. She rummaged through Dregorn's belongings without permission. Her hateful words were directed at a glass bottle that looked like it was filled with water. She threw the glass with all her strength, and it broke, spilling its contents on the floor. A sweet aroma wafted from the bottle.
"Claire, are you okay?"
"Dammit! I never thought that bitch was right. Find an alchemist. Research that water, but don't touch it. That water might be poison." She said. But her expression was enough to tell me that she was 100% sure it was poison.
"Claire?"
"What?" She was visibly annoyed and forgot even basic courtesy when addressing me.
"What happened?"
"Hah... wait a minute... I think Dregorn was trying to poison us. Or me. I have no idea. But since he brought poison here, he must have wanted to kill someone." She then sighed again. After she gained her calmness, she pleaded to Heracles, "Heracles..."
"Alright. I shall handle it. Hey, you. Pick up some glass and a spoon and secure some of that water on the floor." He directed our guard to collect the poison.
"I am sorry. I don't know what has gotten into me..."
"Well, betrayal certainly hurts. I am glad you are not completely indifferent about it." Heracles hugged Claire sweetly.
I was jealous. I wondered if I could ever be as close to Eli as they were. But now, we had to fix this mess. How did Eli even know Dregorn was trying to poison someone to begin with? Why did she have to kill him? Why not just subdue and question him later?
"Claire… did you know Eli was going to kill Dregorn?" I questioned Claire. She looked at me and nodded, confirming it.
"Elidranthia is a member of the Reapers. So, she knew something that we did not. Either she received a request to kill Dregorn, or she did it on her own. I can't... I don't know."
"...Impossible. She was almost killed by Reapers two years ago. Do the Reapers allow their members to kill each other?"
"Elidranthia had two identities. There is no way for the Reapers to stop people from aiming at her as Elidranthia." Claire shrugged, seemingly uncaring. I wanted to reproach her for being so indifferent, but my mouth stopped. I was ashamed. I had been with Eli longer than she had, but she seemed to know her better.
"So, she knew Dregorn was here to kill someone."
"Well, we shall see whether what she said was true or not," Claire sighed.
The following day, an emergency meeting was held by my father and uncle. All the dukes were also in attendance. The topic was, of course, the assassination of Dregorn. I tried to find Eli in her house, her dorm, everywhere. But she left everything behind and didn't even return to her dorm after that fateful night. She didn't even tell Alicia and Safira about it.
"I knew there was a rat in our country. It was that conniving bitch who seduced our prince Ludwin. These new nobles are cunning without a speck of loyalty!"
"But Eli has saved us. Maybe even your son or anyone who attended the banquet. Our alchemist has proven that Dregorn carried a powerful poison!" I defended her. The result from the alchemist was in. It was a slow-acting poison without a cure. It would kill the victim in seven days or a month if the patient were treated by doctors.
"But she is a Reaper," Duke Luca insisted firmly.
"Be silent. Right now, what I want to ask you is simple. Should we announce the truth, or should we hide Dregorn and Samuel's bodies?" My father spoke, and the room fell silent. "The only ones who witnessed Elidranthia's actions were Ludwin and a small number of knights. We could hide his body."
"There are letters asking when Dregorn and Samuel will be back. I don't think we could hide this much longer," Duke Luca said.
"I see. In that case, we shall say that Dregorn was assassinated, but we shall feign ignorance that it was Elidranthia," the king nodded. "Duke Luca, we need to take the peace treaty to Elderan. Is your daughter ready?"
"Um… Your Highness, we can't possibly go to Elderan like this. Are you planning to kill Margareth?" As the leader of the Merchant faction, Duke Luca was the closest to Elderan. So, he volunteered to be our diplomat, but with recent events, he was too scared to go there. What a coward.
"Hm… then, I shall appoint Count Shadowstep to be our diplomat to Elderan. Will there be any objections?"
"Good. He should take responsibility for his daughter's mistake!" Duke Luca agreed.
"Wait a minute, Your Highness." Claire stopped him. "I propose to go there with Prince Ludwin. I could calm some of their hatred, and Ludwin would show that we are sincere."
"What?" I looked at her. She glanced at me and whispered. Her voice was too soft to be heard, but her mouth was apparent.
"Eli will be there," she said.
She read me like a book. Now that I knew where to look, I had to go there.
