Chapter 206: Settling the Score (Part 2)

  Captain Roland carried Sandro on his shoulder, running with large strides. Grafenhardt XVII was also being dragged along behind him, panting for breath, his hair disheveled and looking utterly wretched, without the slightest hint of an emperor's dignity.

  This place was originally a secluded area far from the town, and a large surrounding area had already been ravaged by the frenzied bombardment of magic and crisscrossing sword qi from the battle with the Necromancers, leaving it as pockmarked as a wilderness. Furthermore, because of the terrifying aura emanating from that giant corpse puppet, all the animals and birds had fled this region. It had become a desert-like dead land. And Roland, carrying one and dragging the other, was running frantically across this dead land.

  "Could you please slow down? Don't you know how to respect your elders... To use such a method to frame me... Needless to say, it must be that little fellow Aiden mentioned... He's doomed, I know he's doomed. He definitely doesn't understand the consequences of angering me, and they are serious, so serious... I said, can you stop jumping? My bones can't take it..." Sandro complained again from Roland's shoulder. Although he himself said he had broken at least fifty or sixty bones, judging from his spirit as he kept muttering to himself, it seemed he could handle breaking another fifty or sixty without much problem.

  According to his own account, it had been at least thirty years since he had last experienced the feeling of taking one step into the gates of hell. Spatial magic had seemingly never been used for attack and destruction before, but once it was used, although the range of destruction was minuscule, the distorted space was unstoppable.

  But in the end, he was not torn into a pile of minced meat by this trap. It wasn't because he was lucky and the teleportation scroll happened to be an inferior product, nor was it because his mastery was high enough to break through that layer of spatial distortion, but because the effects of the Spatial Lock used by the three Necromancers earlier had not yet completely dissipated.

  The scroll for Spatial Lock was extremely precious and rare. Sandro had not expected that Master Aiden and the other two would have used such a thing in the previous battle, nor could he detect the pure power that sealed space. Naturally, Master Aiden had not taken the initiative to remind him.

  The duration of the Spatial Lock was actually not very long. If Sandro had been a few seconds later in using the teleportation scroll, the power of the shattered space at the instant it unfurled could have turned him into mincemeat. But when he unfurled the scroll, it happened to be in the final stage when the magic was being interfered with, so the trap, which should have taken effect instantly, had a slight delay. Unfortunately, he himself didn't notice the abnormality in time. Fortunately, in the end, under the influence of the Spatial Lock, the destructive force that was originally meant to erupt inward was all radiated outward, only cutting the specimen of the great eagle he was sitting on into pieces. He himself was just left dizzy and dazed by the resulting magical oscillation, falling stiffly from the high altitude.

  If Captain Roland hadn't caught him from below, this failed teleportation trap could have still turned him into a pile of rotten tomato-like meat paste. But even with the skills of the Paladin Order's Captain, it was impossible to catch someone falling from a height of nearly a kilometer without any harm. Although Roland had used five methods and eight streams of sword qi in mid-air to continuously deflect and dissipate the force, he still heard the crackling sound of bones breaking and a hysterical strange cry from within the old man's body the moment he caught him. Fortunately, Roland's technique for catching him was exquisite, preventing any broken bones from piercing into a vital spot.

  The spatial oscillation didn't tear Sandro's body apart, but it had shocked his magic power until not a single drop remained. It not only caused the corpse puppet to collapse, but he was also temporarily unable to use healing spells on himself. And although Captain Roland's swordsmanship was outstanding, he couldn't use any magic at all. He could only lie on the ground groaning until he had painstakingly condensed some magic power and then painstakingly set his broken bones back into place, one by one.

  "Ah, I said, can you stop jumping or not?" Sandro let out another muffled groan. Although his bones were basically set back in place, it was impossible for him to immediately be able to run with vigorous strides. Even so, being jolted so violently made his whole body ache.

  Captain Roland didn't answer, still running with large strides, his other hand pulling the exhausted Grafenhardt along. His face was now as grim as frost. After hearing Sandro say that the Cardinal's true identity was a Necromancer and that this ambush on the emperor was entirely his doing, he immediately hoisted the still-immobile Sandro onto his shoulder, grabbed His Majesty the Emperor, and left. With his mind and experience, he understood at once that the situation was dire.

  A Necromancer doing as he pleased in the Royal Capital was not only making Roland worried sick, but it also left Grafenhardt like a headless fly. If he hadn't witnessed with his own eyes the miraculous methods of this strange old man, how he had single-handedly repelled three Necromancers, he would never have believed that the Cardinal who could cure the Empress was actually the notorious Necromancer.

  "Sandro... Old Master, are you really sure? If that's the case... how is the Empress now? Is she truly cured?" Grafenhardt asked intermittently, panting and in a mournful voice. He had asked this question at least ten times, but Sandro seemed unwilling to pay him any attention, yet he kept pursuing the question.

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  Sandro had been ignoring him, but now he seemed to have been pestered into impatience and suddenly answered, "She's fine, she's fine. That little girl is much more spirited than you are... Right now, she's so spirited she could pinch you to death and eat you without a problem, I'm telling you..."

  Hearing this, Roland's figure paused for a moment, and he coughed. He seemed to have vaguely sensed something from Sandro's previous description, and now hearing these words, although he couldn't understand completely, he knew the general gist.

  "If it weren't for that bastard meddling, how could I have the mood to waste my breath on this kid?" Sandro snorted disdainfully, looking at Grafenhardt and saying viciously, "Kid, looking at your useless appearance, I'm afraid you can't even lift a slightly heavy sword, right? If it weren't for the fact that Ronis always supported you, and that this ally of mine must protect you no matter what, I would have turned you into a living zombie to save you from dragging others down everywhere and annoying me to death with all these questions... A man who can't even protect himself, but instead has to implicate others... I originally thought that indecisive, sissy men were the most annoying, who knew there would be someone even more annoying like you..."

  Hearing this, Grafenhardt's face turned green, and he staggered, nearly falling.

  Although he himself didn't put on any imperial airs, and seemed to have long been used to others solving his problems and even completely shouldering the responsibilities of an emperor, having no self-awareness as a ruler of a nation, he was still an emperor, and no one had ever dared to say such things to him.

  "Mr. Sandro, please say a little less. Your Majesty, you don't need to ask about these things. You will know when the time comes," Roland sighed, hoisted Grafenhardt onto his other shoulder, and continued running forward.

  To get back to the Royal Capital as quickly as possible, the only method now was to have Sandro create another flying corpse puppet. But for now, not to mention the problem of his magic power recovery, there weren't even any living creatures in this area, let alone corpses. So now, Roland could only run, and run out of this desolate land first.

  The number one swordsman of the Eastern Continent, the captain of the Paladin Order, whose might shook the continent. Now he was like a coolie, carrying two people and running frantically across a wasteland. And the two on his shoulders were the emperor of the largest empire on the continent and a dreaded Necromancer. This was absolutely the most incredible and ridiculous scene imaginable, but not a single one of them could laugh.

  In the Royal Capital, at the headquarters of the Paladin Order, a priest from the Magic Academy reported the news of the prisoner's escape to the Cardinal, who was discussing matters with Lord Rodhart.

  "Someone broke out of prison?" The Cardinal's expression changed instantly. He immediately asked, "Then where is Lord Marquis? Where is he now?"

  "Lord Marquis suddenly disappeared. Great Priest Ryan said it seemed there was a great mage among those who broke out of prison. But please don't worry, Your Grace. He has already dispatched men to search within the Royal Capital."

  "Understood. You may withdraw for now." Bishop Javi's expression was uncertain. He waved his hand to dismiss the priest.

  "A great mage? Could it be that Sedros, the lord of Oufu?" Rodhart asked.

  "Impossible. Given the current situation in Oufu, Sedros couldn't possibly have the time and energy to follow that fellow all the way here. The teleportation array is disabled now, so he couldn't have teleported here either." Javi thought for only a moment before firmly denying this possibility. "Even if he really needed to come here himself, Gru would surely have come with him. And if Gru had come here... we probably wouldn't still be standing here talking right now."

  "But he didn't mention he had such an accomplice when he was looking for me before. He shouldn't have concealed it. The ones who ambushed you should have been all their manpower."

  "A great mage...? Could that old fellow Ryan have been mistaken?" Bishop Javi frowned.

  "Although Great Priest Ryan has a conservative and cautious personality, his judgment is sound. If he said so, he must have his reasons."

  "There are too many things he doesn't know. It's not surprising that his judgment is wrong. What I find strange is... Marquis... Lord..." Bishop Javi hesitated when he spoke of Marquis, as if unsure what form of address was better. "Why did he leave without a word? He should have at least notified me. But this also shows that he saw some clues, knew what had happened, and knew where he had fled. There are two possibilities left. One is that the matter is very urgent and there was no time to notify me... I don't hope for this possibility..."

  "Neither do I..." Rodhart said flatly. The two of them were now on the same side of a united front of interests.

  Bishop Javi was silent for a moment, then said, "The second possibility is... he is confident he can handle this matter, so there's no need to notify me... I'm not being blindly optimistic. I know his personality; he wouldn't do something he isn't confident about..."

  "Lord Marquis would know where he went?"

  "Not only would he know, but the two of us should also be able to figure it out... Whether he was rescued or escaped on his own, there is only one place he would go first..."

  "The Chancellor's residence..." Rodhart also nodded immediately. "Should we lead our men there immediately?"

  Bishop Javi considered it for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Since he has already rushed there, I don't think we need to... Besides, since he was in such a hurry to get there, and neither the Magic Academy nor the Chancellor's residence is close to here, by the time the messenger arrives, the matter has probably already been settled. Even if we rush over now, it might be useless... Furthermore, making a big scene now and alerting the enemy would be counterproductive. That kid is just one of three people, and three wanted criminals who can't see the light of day. They don't pose an obstacle to our current plan..."

  Rodhart nodded: "Right. Rather than wasting time that might not be effective on the three of them, I think we should get to the Imperial Palace as soon as possible. Even if, by some small chance, Lord Marquis didn't resolve them and the Chancellor is on their side, as long as we handle this matter well, the overall situation will still be under our control."

  "Well said. Then we should be even quicker." Bishop Javi looked at Rodhart and smiled. These words were actually what he was thinking, so the smile held approval, a tacit understanding between two equally intelligent and discerning minds, but also a hint of wariness between two of the same kind, like two snakes.

  But this sense of wariness wasn't too strong, because such smart people would never do anything foolish. Bishop Javi knew clearly that as long as he was still a member of Diya Valley, still representing the identity of His Majesty the Celeste Pope, this ally, who might be as smart as himself, would never betray him. They did things as precisely and methodically as settling accounts; as long as they knew one plus one, the result would definitely be two.

  At this time, in Diya Valley.

  Marquis had just appeared in the teleportation array when he saw Master Aiden and another Necromancer outside, watching him.

  "Acting Guild Master, you've finally returned? May I ask what you have been doing?" Master Aiden looked at him coldly.

  "My apologies, I was just handling some private matters." Marquis was a bit surprised. Although he knew they must have suffered a loss at Sandro's hands, he didn't know why they would come looking for him.

  "Do you know that Norbolin is dead? He died at Sandro's hand." Master Aiden's gaze and voice were as cold and cutting as the icy wind from Mount Sanderfirth.

  "What? Really? This is truly a misfortune for Diya Valley..." Marquis was a bit wary and stopped in his tracks. But he wasn't very worried. He believed that no matter what happened, the Necromancers would not make a move against each other within Diya Valley.

  Master Aiden's gaze and voice grew even colder, even more cutting: "You didn't know? Weren't you spying on us with your Puppet Eagle Eye the whole time? For your actions as Acting Guild Master, it's time for us to settle the score."