Chapter 100. The Mad Second Prince, Arrival at Blackstone Fortress
Seeing that Madelai remained silent the entire time, the anger Odyssey V had been suppressing finally erupted in full.
He strode forward and struck the Second Prince across the face with a resounding slap. The blow was so fierce that it sent Madelai crashing to the ground.
“Puh...”
Madelai coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet a bizarre smile curled at the corner of his lips. He lifted his head, and his eyes shone with manic delight.
“Hahahaha... You want to know that badly? Fine. I’ll tell you.”
Struggling, he pushed himself upright, his voice hoarse, yet every word came out clearly.
“It was I who secretly passed information to the dwarves during the war between my elder brother and them. I was the one who gave them his retreat route and his defensive deployment map.”
His voice grew shrill with excitement, each word striking Odyssey V’s heart like a hammer.
“As long as my elder brother died, the position of Crown Prince could only be mine. None of you could stop it, hahaha... You thought he was defeated and captured? No. He deserved to die from the very beginning.”
“Why should my elder brother steal my right of succession? So after the dwarves released him, I sent assassins after him directly. You never even had the chance to save him, hahaha...”
“You’re insane.”
Odyssey V trembled with rage. He pointed at him, his lips shaking so badly that he could barely speak.
“You killed your own elder brother for the throne... You... you...”
Before he could finish, a mouthful of blood suddenly burst from his lips, staining the royal robe on his chest red.
“I’m insane?”
Madelai laughed even more hysterically, obsession blazing in his eyes.
“No, no, no. I’m perfectly clear-headed, Royal Father. This kingdom should have been mine from the start.”
“As long as Kroll and the other kingdoms went to war, Silver Oakleaf could profit from the chaos. And then... I would become the new Crown Prince. Who told you not to name me heir all this time?”
The expressions of the old men from the Secret Realm in the council hall were as grim as iron. One of them gave a heavy snort.
“Foolish. Do you really think Kroll is a pack of idiots for you to manipulate?”
“Now that the allied armies of three kingdoms are pressing in, your so-called ‘profit from the chaos’ is nothing more than bringing disaster upon yourself and dragging the entire Silver Oakleaf Kingdom to the brink of destruction.”
Yet Madelai seemed not to hear him at all. He only stared fixedly at the pale-faced Odyssey V and roared, “I did nothing wrong. The ones at fault are you, all of you. You always favored my elder brother. You never once truly looked at me.”
“You beast.” Odyssey V’s vision went black, and his body swayed violently. Had the guards at his side not caught him in time, he would already have collapsed to the floor.
“Seize him.”
The leading old man from the Secret Realm gave the order in a deep voice, his tone carrying unquestionable authority.
Two guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the nearly deranged Madelai outside.
His maniacal laughter echoed through the empty hall, shrill and desolate, like the final howl of a trapped beast.
Odyssey V stared in the direction Madelai had vanished, all color drained from his face, his eyes horrifyingly hollow.
In the space of a few brief moments, his eldest son had been murdered, his second son had gone mad, and the kingdom now stood on the verge of being besieged by three nations. It was as though all the strength had been torn from the old king in an instant.
“Make your preparations.”
The leading old man slowly closed his eyes, his tone weary, yet unshakably firm.
“If it truly comes to that, then we will ask the Domain-level Ancestor to step in and mediate.”
Everyone present nodded with grave expressions. Each left the council hall burdened with heavy thoughts.
Half a month later, after a long march, the great army led by William finally arrived at Blackstone Fortress on the border of the Western Frontier.
Built of black stone, this fortress stood over a vital strategic pass. Its walls bore the scars of wind, frost, and war. From afar, it looked like a silent beast guarding the western borders of the Kroll Kingdom.
Before the fortress gates, a crowd had long since gathered in wait: more than a dozen legion commanders and noble lords of every rank from across the Western Frontier.
All of them wore solemn expressions, their eyes repeatedly turning toward the distant road.
Suddenly, a sharp horn call rang out from the watchtower, followed immediately by a soldier’s shout.
“We see it! It’s the banner of the Royal Ninth Legion!”
Everyone’s spirits lifted at once as they all looked toward the direction of the horn.
On the horizon, clouds of dust billowed into the air. A banner embroidered with the royal crest of Kroll snapped loudly in the wind as it slowly drew nearer with the advancing army.
Beneath the banner came a silver tide of armored soldiers, surging forward in perfect order. The clash of iron armor and the pounding of hooves intertwined into a force that shook the heart.
“His Highness has arrived,” one lord said softly, awe flashing in his eyes.
William rode on Darwin’s back at the very front of the army.
After half a month of marching, a layer of dust had settled upon his armor, yet it only added a sharper edge of battlefield severity to him.
When he spotted the outline of Blackstone Fortress in the distance, he raised a hand and signaled for the army to slow.
Darwin let out a low dragon’s roar and slowly descended before the fortress gates. William jumped down from the dragon’s back, his gaze sweeping across the waiting crowd.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting.”
“Greetings, Commander-in-Chief.”
Everyone bowed in salute at once, their voices resounding before the fortress gates.
A gray-haired deputy legion commander stepped forward and presented him with a dossier.
“Your Highness, this contains the latest defensive deployment map of the Western Frontier and the current situation of the allied army’s assembly. Please review it.”
William took the dossier, his fingertips brushing over the markings on the map. He went straight to the point.
“What movements has Silver Oakleaf made?”
“According to reports from the forward outposts, Silver Oakleaf has already mobilized forces from the Secret Realm. Their border defenses are several times tighter than usual.”
“Reinforcements from the Reinhardt Kingdom have also already reached eastern Silver Oakleaf. It appears they intend to make a last stand.”
William nodded, then handed the dossier to Zoe behind him, his tone decisive.
“Pass down the order. The army will rest for one day. Tomorrow, all legion commanders and Marquis Disra will accompany me to coordinate with the allied camp and make full preparations for the next offensive.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Everyone answered in unison, then turned at once to relay the command.
Inside and outside the fortress, activity immediately surged to life. Soldiers set up camp in orderly fashion, the cooks lit their fires, and patrol units strengthened the perimeter guard along the outer walls. It was a scene of tension, yet everything remained disciplined and orderly.
William stood atop the fortress watchtower, gazing at the lines of encampments stretching into the distance.
Zoe walked over to him.
“Your Highness, Marquis Disra is waiting outside the command tent. He wishes to report to you on the movements of the nobles in the Western Frontier.”
“Let him in.” William took the cup of water, his gaze still fixed on the direction of the camp.
A moment later, a middle-aged man in dark green noble attire entered the watchtower and bowed.
“Your Highness.”
“What is it?” William asked.
“Reporting to Your Highness, most of the nobles have assembled their forces in accordance with your order. It is only...”
Marquis Disra paused.
“A few lords have old ties with Silver Oakleaf and have taken a rather ambiguous stance. They require closer scrutiny.”
A trace of coldness flashed through William’s eyes.
“I need evidence, Marquis Disra. Bring me real evidence.”
“Yes.”
After the marquis withdrew, William looked toward the setting sun on the horizon, his fingertips lightly tapping against the stone railing.
Although the legions at Blackstone Fortress were already in position, their hearts were not united, and the nobles of the Western Frontier were far from a solid bloc.
“I’m afraid tomorrow’s coordination meeting won’t be easy either,” he murmured.