189. The cost of Freedom III
Six men wearing leather jackets are currently walking on a pavement as they walked past a restaurant. While they look like regular men, if observed closely, one guy is a few steps ahead and two maintaining a close distance from behind they look like protecting a guy at the center.
The man at the center is currently the first prince of Ludonia Kingdom. His name is Firtius and to avoid attracting unwanted attention, he purposely dirtied his appearance to prevent unnecessary delays while travelling. And their destination is a pub set up by one of his trusted spies.
Around six hours ago, he received a message that his younger brother had been gifted a Beast Spirit Essence which is equivalent to him giving up the throne. Initially, it should have been him assigned to lead the subjugation mission but he cannot cancel an important banquet forcing him to pass the order to his brother. But who would have thought that one of the children nurtured by the military came back with an unused Spirit Essence.
As the eldest and the first born son, he must secure his position as the successor no matter the cost so he immediately called his best retainers to assist him. With the spy he planted on the second prince, their plan on making the second prince hand over the Spirit Essence should succeed.
After a few minutes of walking, the group of men arrived in front of an ordinary pub but before they could get any closer, Firtius’ guards smelled the scent of blood.
“Something’s wrong.”
“Wait!”
“Let me survey the area.” The man leading in front warned and stopped.
“Wait!” Another man exclaimed. He had already released his mana and probed inside. “We’re too late.”
“What do you mean?” Firtius eyes squinted and ran towards the entrance.
“Be careful my prince.”
“There might be traps.”
*Cling!
*Clang!
Despite the sign that says “closed” on the door, Firtius turned the knob and opened the door creating bell sounds.
“My god!” Firtius involuntarily gasped for air by the sight of his most trusted retainer is actually lying in a pool of blood.
“Don’t be rash, Firtius. There might be hidden traps.” One of them entered as well and released his mana to scan for any threats however, just as everyone was startled, they heard a soft wooden sound like a tick caused when an object being is carelessly placed on a table.
The group of men all looked towards a corner where a boy is currently seated on a table while wiping his lips with his hand.
*Swish!
“Stop!” Firtius immediately shouted upon seeing two of his men rushed towards the boy.
“Let me at least search him.” The two stopped but had not lowered their guard weapons.
“I said don’t. Let me talk to him.” Firtius composed himself. Judging from the warm blood oozing out from the dead bodies, he estimates that they have been killed in the past hour and he knew this as he just spoke to Terrence a while back. As to who his opponents are, they probably had escaped long ago and left this boy to relay a message.
“My name is Firtius. Is there something you want to say, boy?” Firtius spoke calmly. Looking at the boy’s clothes, he is positive it a quality worn by nobles.
The boy raised his head and looked at Firtius and said, “It was I who killed them all.”
“You bastar..”
“I said stop.” Firtius shouted again seeing that one of his men wanted hit the boy.
*Sigh
Firtius loudly exhaled and took out a golden dagger out from his spatial ring purposely unsheathed it in front of the boy.
“Look closely boy. This blade can easily cut off your fingers so, is there something you wanted to tell me or do you want me to ask you why you killed them and cut off your fingers?” A cold and threatening voice came out of Firtius’ mouth.
“The guy named Terrence wanted to kill me and his friends were talking about torturing me and making me a slave. I heard it was an order by some first prince. So tell me,…” The boy paused then continued, “ Are you the first prince, Mr. Firtius?” The boy had yet to develop an Adam’s apple so his voice did not particularly sound convincing.
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“Ha ha ha ha” Firtius almost cried in laughter. If this boy was meant to relay such message, then he guessed it was the second prince playing with him.
“I am indeed the first prince.” Firtius smiled and his eyebrows squinted. “You don’t seem to understand…”
“Good.” The boy interrupted. His eyes gleamed then gave a cold smile and in the next second, a terrifying and murderous energy surrounded the area and in a blink of an eye, a multiple white transparent tentacles made of mana burst forth from the boy’s body and pierced everyone’s heads.
Zzzzk!
Zzzzk!
Zzzzk!
Blood splattered everywhere and except for the boy who erected a shield around him.
The boy is none other than Clay.
For the past thirty minutes, he had almost consumed the bottle of wine making him inebriated. He had been waiting patiently and while he could have had killed everyone when they arrived, he still was hoping he could negotiate with the first prince. It turns out Firtius is no different from Greyfus so he decided to finish off everyone without giving them a chance to retaliate.
Just like Terrence, three of them are 2ND Circle Mages with Spirit Essences. However, when it come to instant casting Level 4 Mana Projections supported by a two hundred thousandth year Beast Spirit Essence, killing them was as easy as flicking his fingers.
Clay looked at Firtius whose face is still in front of him before finally retracting his mana allowing everyone’s body to fell to the ground.
*Thud
*Thud
*Thud
*Exhale
It was Clay’s turn to sigh. If what Terrence said is true that he could have had just asked him freedom and had been granted, then everything that transpired next is his fault.
“Mhehhhhe” Clay laughed through his nose.
The reason he had always wanted to avoid killing is because he fears the day when he kills on a whim. And looking at the dead bodies around him, their lifeless bodies could not even illicit the slightest remorse.
Clay grabbed the bottle of wine then drank the remaining contents while thinking on his next move. Escaping and hiding is easy but as someone who added oil into the volatile princes’ quests to kinghood, there is no telling how far they would go his home might be implicated.
“So much for a normal life, huh?” Clay muttered to himself then got to his feet and walked towards the entrance.
As he opened the door and stepped outside, cold breeze greeted him complementing the melancholy in his heart. Like an actual man drunk after coming out from a bar, he felt a little groggy.
When he was a few steps away, Clay looked at the pub one more time. He was tempted to incinerate the area and leave no traces but he knew this will further incite investigations. Right now, the best course of action is to leave everything as it is and make it appear they were assassinated by a powerful figure enough to kill 2ND Circle Mages in a single hit.
Clay closed his eyes and concentrated on projecting his mana at his back.
He has yet to fully adapt to using mana however, similar to Spiritual Qi where one can begin flying at Late Qi Condensation, Forming wings is like casting a Level 5 Spell and at his current strength, he needs at a few seconds to prepare it.
Slowly, white transparent mana started to form like feathers and after half a quarter of a minute, Clay looked like an angel and started flapping the pair of wings.
Having confirmed full control of the mana on his back, Clay slight bent his knees then jumped and levitated through the air.
His priority now is to retrieve the Beast Spirit Essence he gave to Greyfus before Firtius body is discovered. In that way, if people were to investigate and link his involvement, as long as they cannot prove the existence of the Spirit Essence, they can only conclude it was the princes’ schemes.
As he got closer to the border, his body started to feel the exhaustion caused by maintaining the flight spell. Had he not broken through to 2ND Circle, he reckons his body would have had already collapsed.
After a few more minutes, Clay started to descend as he finally had a view of the military outpost he came from.
Clay could feel he may pass out any minute now so he immediately spread his mana sense to locate the second prince however, when he scanned the building where Greyfus was supposedly resting, he was shocked to find a lifeless man lying on bed and worse, Greyfus’ spatial ring is missing together with the box containing the Spirit Essence.
Clay gritted his teeth to maintain his consciousness and at the same time, he activated his Godly Eyes. He just hopes whoever assassinated the second prince had not yet escaped. Clay concentrated and searched the ground like bird scouting for prey. On his left eye, he can see the circulation circuit and everyone’s flow of mana and on his right eye was the second version of his Godly Eyes reflecting everyone else’s souls.
“Bingo!” It did not even take a breath to spot the Beast Spirit Essence.
Clay immediately descended and walked towards a barracks half a kilometer from where Greyfus was killed.
Since the Spatial Tear has yet to burst, majority of the solider are resting like a normal night but he could still spot a few souls awake either task to guard or practice. Clay hid his aura to avoid getting spotted.
His destination is an isolated area where man is currently practicing Sword atop a bunker.
Clay silently approached the man and when he was a few meters away, he stopped.
“Has the young master taken interest in the military sword techniques?”
Clay came out of the bushes and revealed himself. He would not be surprised if this man would not detect his movements given such distance especially that the man before him now is a Warrior and at the same time, a 2ND Circle Mage probably even stronger than Terrence.
“I have some questions I wish to consult this senior.” Clay lightly smiled.
“I thought you were going home? Where’s Terrence?”
“How many princes are there in total vying for throne?”
The man stopped swinging his sword and wiped the sweat on his face with a towel.
“There are currently five. Three from Queen and two from a concubine. Where’s Terrence?”
Clay felt a relief upon hearing there are three more people who are after the throne. With Greyfus dead, he can only change his plans. As for killing another soul, Clay closed his eyes. He knew that once this man learns Terrence is dead, he will mostly like go after his head as well. Since this guy knew Terrence and has the Spirit Essence, there was no need to ask who this man’s affiliation nor does he need to ask who killed Greyfus.
“Look boy. I’m not gonna ask again. Where’s Terrence?”
“He’s dead together with the first prince.” Clay opened his eyes unaffected the man’s sudden rise of tone.
“You brat. I will..”
Swish!
Zzzzzk!!!!
Clay did not hesitate to puncture the man’s head and immediately stored the man’s body into his spatial ring. After that, he extended another Mana Projection into the bunker and retrieved a small wooden containing the Spirit Essence.
After which, he looked around again to ensure nobody witness the scene before finally leaving the area.