"Smack..."
A loud, sharp slap rang out, accompanied by a roar of abuse. "Damn it! You bunch of useless trash! How could you let Greena escape?"
"Your Highness, the Second Prince suddenly attacked; he never entered the ambush circle," The knight kneeling on the floor stammered in terror.
"Who? Who leaked the intelligence?" Lucia's face turned dark, his eyes flickering with murderous intent.
He had planned everything perfectly. Tonight was supposed to be the night he eliminated his greatest rival. He hadn't expected things to go contrary to his wishes, allowing Greena to slip away.
Lucia was furious. He was just one step away. As long as he got rid of Greena, the throne was his. But now, the man had fled.
He already knew that Greena had moved his family assets to his territory. Now that the man himself had escaped, this was the worst possible outcome. Even if Lucia took the throne, Greena could rally his knights and rebel.
"This... your subordinate does not know," The knight lowered his head, his body trembling with chills.
"You..." Lucia's rage spiked instantly, and he was about to order the knight dragged out and beheaded.
"Your Highness, that is enough. This is not the knights' fault," Spoke Deacon No. 3 of the Luminous Creed.
"What do you mean?" Lucia narrowed his eyes slightly; he was willing to hear the man's reasoning.
Recently, the assistance of the Luminous Creed had made him feel like a fish in water. They delivered many secret pieces of intelligence to him. Even his success in winning over Marquis Ezra was thanks to the Luminous Creed.
But the more he learned about the Luminous Creed, the more alarmed Lucia became. They were terrifying. They had intelligence from everywhere and kept a stable of death-sworn soldiers. It made him wary.
"The Second Prince had the help of the Black Iris Organization. It is entirely possible they received the news in advance. Failure was to be expected," Deacon No. 3 waved his hand dismissively.
"The Black Iris Organization... just what exactly is this group?" Lucia asked with a dark expression. If not for this organization helping Greena, he would have wiped the other side out long ago.
"We do not know much about the Black Iris Organization either. We only know that this organization captures many beautiful women as slaves. They auction off a small portion, but the majority of them simply vanish," Deacon No. 3 said with a grave expression.
This Black Iris Organization was no weaker than the Luminous Creed. They were equally mysterious, but their goals were bizarre, their strength formidable, and their methods cautious.
"Beautiful female slaves?" Lucia's expression shifted slightly, immediately recalling events from a few years ago. There was a period in the capital when many young girls went missing. Even two maids from his own manor had vanished. Could they have been taken by this Black Iris Organization?
"Your Highness, leave this organization to the Luminous Creed," Deacon No. 3 said in an aged voice, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "What is most important for Your Highness right now is to ascend to the throne and digest the benefits you have already secured."
"Fine. Let it be tonight," Lucia stood up abruptly, his face ice-cold as he strode toward the outside.
"Your Highness? Where are you going?" Deacon No. 3 asked, though he already knew the answer.
"The Royal Palace. I'm going to pay a visit to my Father," Lucia's mouth curled into a hideous smile.
*
"Clop, clop, clop..."
Lucia led a squad of knights toward the Royal Palace, completely out in the open. Ever since Greena moved out of the palace, Lucia had taken control of it. Without his approval, no one was allowed in or out.
Before long, Lucia arrived at the bedchamber of the King of Siacan. The knights at the door immediately saluted. "Your Highness."
"Has anyone been here?" Lucia asked routinely.
"No one," The guard knight replied respectfully.
"Good. Do not let anyone in," Lucia nodded in satisfaction and stepped into the bedchamber.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
His footsteps sounded exceptionally loud in the silent chamber. There were many knights inside, all arranged by Lucia specifically to watch over the King.
"Cough, cough, cough..." The weak, aged coughing of the King drifted from inside.
"Creak..."
Lucia pushed open the door and walked in, a look of worry and concern plastered onto his face.
"Father, is your health any better?" Lucia asked with feigned concern, approaching the bedside and looking down at the King, whose face was covered in age spots.
"Cough, cough... Hmph, fucker," The King said, his voice full of weakness.
"..." Lucia's cheek stiffened slightly. Suppressing his impatience, he said with annoyance, "Father, the Kingdom of Siacan cannot go a day without a ruler. Please issue the order to let me govern as Regent."
"Where is Greena?" The King struggled to lift his eyelids, answering the question with a question. "Let him come see me..."
"Him? Greena has already defected and fled," Lucia's face turned cold, his hand clenching into a fist so tight the veins on the back of his hand bulged.
"Hahahaha... Cough, cough, cough..." The King suddenly laughed aloud, before choking into a violent fit of coughing.
Gasping for air, he said, "Have you finally made your move? How truly pathetic."
"Father, what do you mean by that?" A cold glint flashed in the depths of Lucia's eyes.
"You are too much of a failure... huff, huff... Do you know? If I had a choice, I should have sent all of you away to fiefdoms long ago," The King gasped.
"Are you thinking of passing the throne to Lucy?" Lucia lowered his head, his face cast in shadow, as he toyed with his fingers.
"If you dare touch Lucy, you can forget about the throne," The King said coldly.
"Is that so?" Lucia slowly raised his head, revealing a savage expression. He bent down, bringing his face close to the King's, the corners of his mouth hooking upward as he growled low, "I have already sent people to find Lucy. She will be a good bed warmer."
"You..." The King's eyes snapped open, his mouth gaping as he prepared to scream curses.
Lucia snatched a pillow and pressed it forcefully onto the King's face. He ignored the King's struggles and flailing, a sick smile spreading across his face. "You're old. Just obediently give up your seat. Wouldn't that solve everything?"
"Thump, thump, thump..."
The King's arms flailed against the bed, making loud thumping noises, but no one came in from outside. It was as if no one could hear a thing.
After a good while, the King's hands dropped powerlessly. A generation's ruler had suffocated to death.
"Phew..." Lucia released his hands with a savage grin, emitting a beast-like chuckle. "Hehehe..."
"The throne is mine."
"Father, don't blame me."
"You should have just obediently passed the throne to me, shouldn't you?"
"Sob, sob... Hahahaha... Don't blame me, I didn't mean to... If you didn't die, I would be the one to die."
"I am the King. From now on, I am the King."
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