Chapter 87. Kroll II’s Inquiry and Plans, and the Assassination Attempt on William
Before the Legendary Combatants departed, each of them let their gaze rest briefly on William. Some looked pleased, some appraised him, and some studied him with curiosity. In the end, all of those looks turned into silence as they scattered to different corners of the royal palace.
Kroll II summoned several Palace Knights and ordered, “Take these four to Prince William’s palace and see that they are properly settled.” Then he turned to William. “Come with me.”
William nodded to Aila and the other four. After watching them leave with the knights, he quickly followed after Kroll II.
After passing through several quiet corridors, the two of them entered the Royal Study one after the other.
Once they were seated, Kroll II spoke first, his tone somewhat grave. “William, were there many people with Domain Aptitude among those families in the Secret Realm?”
William nodded. “Quite a few. Nearly every family had them. Some had three or four, while even the fewest still had one or two.”
At that, Kroll II lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingertips and fell into thought.
A moment later, he raised his eyes and asked, “Were they recorded by the people the royal family arranged?”
“Yes, Father King.”
After receiving that answer, Kroll II’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and he nodded.
“Good. That puts my mind at ease.”
He paused, his gaze settling on William. “It seems that sending you into the Secret Realm was indeed the right decision.”
The study fell quiet for a time, broken only by the occasional birdsong from outside the window.
William knew that his father’s meaning went far beyond a mere count of numbers.
Those Domain Aptitude holders scattered among the various families were both potential strength and possible threats for the future. And learning the full extent of them was often the first step in laying out a plan.
Kroll II gently set down his cup of black tea, the gold-trimmed rim glinting in the sunlight.
Then he took out a yellowed parchment map from a drawer and slowly spread it across the table. Mountains, rivers, and passes along the border had been outlined in vermilion, with dense markings showing military deployments.
“This is the border map of the Kadiya Kingdom.”
His fingertip pressed against the river valley at the center of the map.
“Look here. No one knows what benefits Kadiya offered, but it actually managed to persuade the Dragon Kingdom to send troops and join forces in resisting the allied armies of the Barbarians and the Orc Kingdom.”
“Right now, both sides are locked in a tug-of-war in this river valley. There will be no clear victor anytime soon.”
William leaned closer for a better look. The vermilion-marked areas interlocked like the teeth of hounds, making it obvious that the battle situation was deadlocked.
“My plan already has a rough shape. Over the next few years, I will refine it step by step.”
“Your second brother cannot be allowed to die for nothing. No matter what, he was still my son. Such a ridiculous death is an insult to me and to the royal family.”
“When the time comes, we will launch a war in your second brother’s name.”
Kroll II’s voice was low and powerful.
“William, over the next few years, temper your Slave Knight Order and the Royal Ninth Legion well.”
“When the time comes, I will appoint you supreme commander. You will earn real military merit on the battlefield, and at the same time avenge your second brother.”
He paused, and a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
“In a few more years, the Gold Legion in the Northern Frontier Secret Realm should more or less all advance to Gold-Rank combat power, not to mention those few slaves with Domain Aptitude... They will all become your support.”
William’s heart shook. He had not expected Father King to begin planning for a war several years in advance from this very moment.
He nodded solemnly. “Yes, Father King. Your son will devote himself to training the Ninth Legion and the people around him well. I will not disappoint you.”
“Good.” Kroll II nodded in satisfaction, then added another reminder. “Remember, you must not neglect your own cultivation either.”
“I understand, Father King.”
“All right, that is enough for today. You have been busy for several days and must be tired. Go and rest. Oh, and go see your mother. She has been talking about you these past few days.”
“Yes, Father King. I will go shortly.”
Kroll II waved a hand, and William bowed before withdrawing.
After leaving the Royal Study, he walked slowly along the palace road paved with blue stone.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves and cast mottled shadows across the ground. A faint floral fragrance lingered in the air, yet it could not dispel the tension hidden in the depths of the royal palace.
As he turned a corner, he unexpectedly ran into Duke Lane.
It was rare enough for the duke to enter the palace alone. Had the Second Prince’s Wife summoned him?
Duke Lane saw him as well, halted, and gave a bow that was respectful without being servile. “Greetings, Fourth Prince.”
“There is no need for ceremony, Duke.”
William’s tone was calm, his gaze sweeping over the other man’s somewhat hurried steps.
“You seem to be in quite a hurry entering the palace. Do you have urgent business with Father King? He is in the Royal Study at the moment.”
A trace of anger flashed through Duke Lane’s eyes, so faint that it was nearly impossible to detect. Little fox, he cursed inwardly, though his face remained composed.
“I am not here to see His Majesty. The Second Prince was only just buried, and the Second Prince’s Wife is overwhelmed with grief. I feared she might be too consumed by sorrow, so I came especially to comfort her.”
“I see.”
William nodded, then stepped aside once he had his answer.
“Then please go quickly, Duke. Do not keep her waiting.”
With that, he walked straight toward Vivian’s Residence without pausing in the slightest.
As Duke Lane watched his upright back recede, a cold killing intent flashed through his eyes for an instant, sharp as a poisoned needle, before he concealed it again.
He let out a cold snort, then turned and strode quickly toward the palace of the Second Prince’s Wife.
William did not look back, yet he could vaguely sense that gaze behind him.
It seemed that the Lane Family and the Second Prince’s Wife were about to make their move.
By the time he arrived before Vivian’s Residence, the personal maid waiting at the entrance hurriedly bowed. “Your Highness, Lady Vivian has been talking about you.”
William pushed the door open and walked in. Familiar incense filled the hall. Vivian was sitting by the window reading a spellbook. The moment she saw him enter, she immediately put the book down, warmth filling her eyes.
“Little William, at least you still have some conscience. You came to see me the moment you returned.”
William gave an embarrassed smile. He walked over, sat beside his mother, and picked out a few lighter moments from his experiences in the Secret Realm to tell her.
Vivian listened with a smile, occasionally interrupting to ask about the scenery in the Secret Realm or to remind him to be careful. The worry between her brows gradually melted away, and her smile spread bit by bit to the corners of her eyes like the warmth of early spring sunlight.
Two hours slipped by quietly. Even when William rose to take his leave, she was still repeatedly reminding him to rest on time and not overwork himself.
By the time he left Vivian’s Residence, the sky was nearly dark. William walked back toward his own palace along a moss-covered palace road.
Palace lanterns lit up one after another, stretching his shadow long, then short. When he reached a secluded corridor, he came upon a squad of patrolling knights. Their iron armor shone with a cold light beneath the lamps.
The knights halted in unison and bowed. “We pay our respects to Your Highness, Fourth Prince.”
William gave a slight nod. Just as he was about to pass them by, the sudden change erupted.
Shing—
Twelve knightly swords left their scabbards almost at the same time. Judging by the fluctuations of Dou Qi, they were actually twelve Sky Knights.
All twelve slashed toward William’s vital points in perfect unison, intent on killing him in a single strike.
William’s back instantly went rigid. He had no time to react at all. He could only watch helplessly as the twelve swords came hacking down at him. Am I going to die?
But in the very next second, a streak of black flashed past. The twelve Palace Knights who had attacked all clutched at their bleeding throats and collapsed stiffly to the ground. After twitching a few times, they stopped moving.