Chapter 34

The next morning.

Keith stepped out of his room. As he passed the spot where Walker had taken off his armor, his expression suddenly froze. He immediately summoned the butler and asked, "Where are Walker's armor and sword?"

Why were they all gone?!

"Butler: Young Master Keith, Young Master Walker, he..."

Before he could finish, someone entering through the door interrupted him.

Walker seemed to have worked up quite a sweat. His thin shirt clung tightly to his body, revealing his strong muscles.

He held a sword in one hand and used a dry cloth in the other to wipe his hair. Looking thoroughly puzzled, he asked, "Is there something you need, Brother? I was just practicing my sword swings in the courtyard..."

As he spoke, Walker casually set the greatsword on the table and took the water the butler had prepared for him, draining it in one gulp.

Keith glanced at the butler.

The butler nodded. "Yes, Young Master Keith."

"Young Master Walker rose early to practice. He also had the servants move his armor into his bedroom, saying he wanted to clean it himself."

Keith tugged slightly at the corner of his mouth. "It's nothing... I just thought you had left home without saying a word."

Walker smiled. "How could I, Brother?"

Not long afterward.

Harry William came downstairs as well.

He found a suitable excuse to ask Walker to remain at home. After the three-day mourning period ended, Walker could return to the territory with Desinia.

Walker agreed.

Afterward, Harry William left the residence with a satisfied expression, while Keith William remained at home.

Walker said he was returning to his room to wipe down and clean his armor.

The moment he entered and shut the door, his expression immediately darkened.

He strode to the window and looked outside from the side. Using the elevated view to observe in secret, he confirmed the number of guards stationed nearby and formed a rough plan in his mind.

Walker had indeed returned to Xia Zuoyi's lodging in the middle of the night.

Inside the royal capital.

Judith had been worried about Xia Zuoyi sleeping alone, so he had slept on the sofa in the outer room of the young count's chamber. Then Walker, who had climbed in through the window in the middle of the night, shook him awake.

Walker swiftly covered Judith's mouth before he could cry out and whispered almost inaudibly, "Shh. We have to wake the count. Something happened..."

Judith nodded with a frown, wondering why Walker had returned at this time.

The two of them then woke Xia Zuoyi, who was sleeping soundly.

"What is it?"

Xia Zuoyi was still groggy. He sat up, scratched at the marks the pillowcase had left on his face, tilted his head, and yawned.

After traveling for days to reach the royal capital, he had already grown somewhat exhausted and terribly sleepy.

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, his eyes became slightly clearer. He looked at Walker. "Why are you back? It isn't even dawn yet."

Walker told Xia Zuoyi what he had overheard during the first half of the night.

"...That's what happened, my lord. Bass Riches wants to kill the prince, seize control of all the lords, and use the opportunity to claim the throne."

Xia Zuoyi processed the sudden conspiracy and muttered, "That old bastard really was up to no good."

Judith asked, "My lord, what should we do now?"

Xia Zuoyi frowned thoughtfully. "The late king had been healthy before this. He looked like he could have lived for several more years, yet news of his death suddenly arrived without warning..."

"Could the late king's death... have something to do with Bass Riches?"

Walker considered it. "That is very possible."

He said, "If the late king's death really was related to Bass Riches, then the custom of all Gadayat's lords coming to the royal capital to mourn the king... was probably part of his plan as well."

"The duke has authority over the treasury and the deployment of the royal capital's guard knights. Could it be... that the entire royal capital of Kaies is already under Bass Riches's control?"

Xia Zuoyi's expression turned grave as well. "Could Bass Riches have secretly replaced all the knights in the royal capital with his own people long ago?"

"If that is the case, then we may have fallen into his trap the moment we entered the city."

The more they thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Bass Riches was not a foolish man.

Since he intended to catch all the lords in one net and kill the prince... he must have prepared a detailed plan beforehand.

For example, taking control of the royal capital, and perhaps even...

Xia Zuoyi suddenly said, "The lords will mourn the late king in the church for three days."

"During that time, no unrelated people are allowed inside, including the prince's and the lords' knights and servants. Dedicated clergy or attendants inside the church will serve the prince and the lords..."

"Walker, since your father said everything would be over in three days, they will definitely act within those three days."

"The only place they can act is the church."

"Has Bass Riches already colluded with the bishop or the bishop's deputy? Or perhaps both of them... has he secretly bribed them?!"

Looking at it this way, the entire royal capital was probably already under Bass Riches's control.

Judith said, "We have fallen into a wolf's den, but fortunately, my lord, you arranged for a squad of soldiers outside the city to receive us beforehand."

"But how should we respond tomorrow?"

Xia Zuoyi said, "We cannot allow the prince to be killed."

"And those lords who do not know the truth are innocent as well. We cannot escape while they remain under Bass Riches's control..."

Such a situation would also be very disadvantageous to him.

"If Bass Riches truly gains the throne, given how much he hates me and covets the Seawater Solar Salt-Making Method... Visas and Komoy Fort will probably be the first targets. He could casually pin some crime deserving punishment on me and send troops to attack."

Judith and Walker nodded. The count was right.

Xia Zuoyi said, "I have to enter the church and find a way to warn the prince and the other lords. With three days available, Bass Riches should not act on the first day..."

Judith interrupted Xia Zuoyi worriedly.

"But, my lord, even if Bass Riches does not act on the first day, he may imprison you inside the church and prevent you from leaving. Your situation would be very dangerous..."

Xia Zuoyi shook his head.

But he had no choice. There was no other way.

If he notified people in advance, setting aside whether there would be enough time, he would be entering the church early tomorrow morning to mourn the late king.

Moreover, only inside the church would he have a chance to meet the prince.

And he did not know which of the lords were allies and which were enemies.

What if some of the lords inside had already pledged themselves to Bass Riches?

If he carelessly warned everyone, it would be the same as exposing what he knew right in front of Bass Riches. Leaving the royal capital afterward would become even more difficult.

Therefore, he had to enter the church.

"Walker, in order to avoid your father and brother noticing in advance, I need you to go back again. If necessary..."

"I understand, my lord."

After thinking it over, Walker sighed. He then put on his armor, picked up his greatsword, and went to Keith's room, where he found him handling affairs as expected.

Walker quickly stepped forward and placed the greatsword against Keith's neck. "Brother, I need you to cooperate with something."

Keith's body stiffened, then slowly relaxed. "Walker, don't joke with me like this."

"You should understand that I am not joking, Brother."

Walker curled his lips into a smile. "You had better not move carelessly. My hand is unsteady. If I accidentally cut your neck..."

Keith's expression instantly turned cold. He raised his head and asked, "What exactly do you want?"

Walker's expression also became cold. "Tell me about your arrangements inside the church. When do you intend to kill the prince, and when do you intend to seize control of the lords?"

"Is Bishop Bolton one of your people?"

Keith's expression changed, and he blurted out, "How did you know?!"

Walker did not answer. He merely moved the greatsword closer to Keith's neck. "Tell me, Brother."

Keith's expression shifted constantly.

In the end, he sneered. "What, you want to save Desinia?"

"Too late. Not only the church, but the entire royal capital of Kaies is already under the duke's control... The duke has planned for this day for a long time. Failure is not an option."

"Besides, at a time like this... the prince may already be dead."

"What?!"

Walker had not expected them to act the moment the mourning ceremony began...

Did that mean the lords would be controlled very soon as well?!

He could not help feeling anxious and worried, but his expression remained calm as he asked, "Which lords has Bass Riches secretly bribed?"

Keith sneered. "I will not tell you. If you have the ability, kill me, my... dear, little, brother."

He spoke each word slowly, as though certain Walker would not dare act against him.

"Brother, I hope you will not blame me."

After saying that, Walker knocked Keith William unconscious with the sword's hilt.

Inside the Creator God's church.

Xia Zuoyi's expression was somewhat—no, very—ugly.

Because the prince had died right in front of him and Marquis Marco Case.

He was grateful now.

Fortunately, he had not come alone to the mourning chamber at the very back of the church.

This was where the prince mourned alone, far away from the mourning chamber where the lords were gathered. There would have been no time to call for help or request aid.

Otherwise, before Bass Riches's conspiracy had even been exposed, he might already have been murdered here.

Marquis Marco Case was Nat Case's father.

Nat Case was the young noble Xia Zuoyi had met after entering the royal capital to present the Seawater Solar Salt-Making Method—the "seller" who had wanted to beat Ferdinand to death in the street, only for Xia Zuoyi to buy Ferdinand for one gold coin.

Xia Zuoyi and Nat Case had happened to meet outside the church. After recognizing each other, they naturally exchanged a few words.

Later, after entering the church, Nat Case's father came over to speak with Xia Zuoyi.

Marco Case said, "My son has always had a rebellious nature. He was disobedient from a young age, but I noticed that his attitude toward you just now was very good... How did you two meet?"

"Because of a slave."

Marco Case showed a surprised expression. "May I ask what exactly happened?"

Xia Zuoyi wondered why he was asking about such a thing.

Marco Case sighed. "I was busy with all kinds of affairs in the past, and I inevitably neglected Nat somewhat..."

"Now that he has grown up, his temperament has become impossible to correct. He spends all day with a group of disreputable people. I... I now want to guide him properly."

Xia Zuoyi nodded and briefly explained the "transaction" from back then. He added, "I do not think his good attitude toward me was because of that."

"Then what was it because of?" Marco Case asked in confusion.

Probably because of... his face?

Xia Zuoyi was about to speak when he suddenly saw someone heading toward the room where the prince was mourning. The person quickly disappeared from sight.

He frowned. Wanting to warn the prince about Bass Riches's conspiracy as soon as possible, he said that he had something to discuss with the prince.

Marco Case nodded and went with him.

They had arrived at just the right time, yet also at the worst possible time.

The person Xia Zuoyi had seen earlier was actually the assassin sent to deal with the prince.

The prince was now dead, his throat cleanly slit. Blood had sprayed across the floor and walls, turning the sanctified mourning chamber into a murder scene in an instant.

The killer had not had time to flee when they discovered him, leaving them face-to-face.

The killer wore the black robe that only clergy were permitted to wear, and his face was concealed. He was startled upon seeing Xia Zuoyi and Marco Case.

The next moment, he suddenly raised his knife and lunged at Xia Zuoyi.

Fortunately, Marco Case was beside Xia Zuoyi. Having received knightly training in the past, he blocked the weapon with one hand.

The killer did not continue fighting him. He found an opportunity to leap out the window and flee.