Inside the carriage.
Anus's expression was dark beyond words.
Before him lay golden gemstone fragments scattered across the floor.
"What happened? What just happened?"
His gaze fell on Jones, the maid standing bewildered inside the carriage.
"Grand Duke Anus, I don't know what happened either. Grand Duke Golden Mountain's Soulstone suddenly developed countless cracks. Before I could react, it shattered into fragments all over the floor."
Jones hurriedly explained in a panic. As Henry's trusted aide, she was no weakling, having become a first-realm Great Knight of Spiritual Light two years earlier. She had merely kept her strength hidden at Henry's instruction, but she knew very well what a shattered Soulstone meant.
Even now, she struggled to comprehend it, unable to believe that such a thing could happen.
At her words, Anus's expression darkened further as he stared straight at Jones.
"Tell me what Henry went to do. Now."
Her expression stiffened, and she replied hesitantly.
"Grand Duke Henry went into the city to buy supplies..."
Smack!
Before she could finish, a vicious slap struck her face.
The tremendous force knocked her straight to the floor, her cheek swelling high. Had she not been protected by her spiritual light, that single slap would probably have killed her.
"I want the truth. Try fobbing me off with another lie, and you can join your Grand Duke Henry."
Anus spoke coldly, his face now brimming with murderous intent.
Jones finally dared not waste another word and hurriedly revealed Henry's true purpose.
"Grand Duke Henry... he went to capture the remnants of the Silver Luminous Tulip Family. The Tulip family doesn't even have a single Great Knight of Spiritual Light left. I don't know how this could have happened..."
"The Tulip family?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Anus's face.
He had never expected