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Soldiers swarmed from all sides. Mengdie, sensing danger, immediately leaped away from Edward's chest. She moved among the attacking soldiers, throwing punches and kicks, doing her utmost to reduce their numbers.
"Old King! Your son took my belongings and refuses to return them. Is this how you people in power conduct yourselves?!"
She lifted a soldier's arm and struck his armpit with her elbow, causing him to cry out in pain and hop away, holding his arm.
This question echoed in the hall, a righteous challenge that left the old king speechless. He stared blankly at the beautiful girl in the hall, moving agilely through the soldiers, fighting a dozen men single-handedly, unsure how to vent his anger.
"Who are you!"
After a while, the old king finally regained his composure. He looked at his son Edward, who was being comforted by his wife, and shouted loudly.
"Don't worry about who I am!" As a sword swung towards her, Mengdie leaned back, kicked the soldier's chin with a backflip, and sent him flying. "I'm asking you, should you return what you take from others?"
Regardless of the royal family's corruption or imperfect system, the king, in such a public setting, could not afford to lose face. He stood tall, pointing at Mengdie, and scolded: "Impudent peasant! Are you accusing my son of stealing from you?!"
"Exactly!" Exhausted, Mengdie's movements became stiff. She could escape if she wanted to, but she couldn't flee now. She had to keep moving in the hall, avoiding the soldiers' pursuit.
"The precious thing taken from me by your beloved son is now hidden in your treasury! Don't believe me, ask him!!!"
The old king frowned and turned to look at Edward. If his son really stole something from this young girl and didn't return it, it would be a disgrace to the royal family.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"Edward, did you really take something from this young girl?"
Edward, who was slightly dazed, was jolted awake by his father's voice. Seeing Mengdie being chased by the soldiers and her evident fatigue, he panicked and shouted, "Stop! Stop chasing her! Be careful not to hurt her!"
As Edward made a scene, Dika whispered something to the old man. The old king smiled approvingly and nodded at him. Then, Dika smugly approached the old king and whispered something. The old king's worried expression immediately turned to joy, and he looked at Dika with admiration. He quickly walked down from his throne, pushed Edward aside, and, drawing his sword, pointed at Mengdie, who was dodging around the hall, and declared—
"Impudent peasant…"
"I don't understand what you're saying! Speak clearly!" Mengdie's hair was disheveled, and sweat had formed on the tip of her nose. Her breathing became rapid, and she narrowly escaped the soldiers' grasp several times.
The old king's face showed dissatisfaction, but he cleared his throat and said, "Young lady, regardless of whatever romantic entanglement you have with my son, you should not cause a disturbance at his ball! I understand your feelings, and if you don't mind, we can discuss your issue with my son privately. I will persuade my future daughter-in-law to be lenient with you, so please leave now!"
With these words, he skillfully covered up the concept of "stealing and not returning" and made the audience believe that this was merely a young girl's excuse to become the queen! A crisis of royal dignity was thus effortlessly resolved.
Mengdie was stunned, not quite understanding the king's implication. Distracted, she failed to dodge a soldier's sword, which tore a slit in her dress, fortunately not harming her skin.
"Don't! I warn you not to hurt her!!!" Seeing Mengdie narrowly escape, Edward was probably the most worried person there. He quickly explained to the old king, "Father! She is..."
"Ah, my cousin. She's just a poor girl, enchanted by your looks. As the future king of the Silver Moon Kingdom, how can you lose your composure over mere beauty?" Dika said, not loud enough for everyone but enough for him, Edward, and the old king to hear. His words had the desired effect.
The old king looked at Dika approvingly, then turned to his son Edward with some dissatisfaction: "Look at you, the heir to the throne, yet not as stable as Dika! You should learn from him!"
"Ah? But, but..."
"There are no 'buts'! No matter how much you like this girl, I want you to give up on her right now! The princess of the Luwell Empire is resting in the back, and I can't let this girl cause trouble here! Edward, if you speak out of turn again, I will not only throw this girl into the dungeon but into the male prisoner's cell!"
Edward's face changed, and he dared not speak anymore. Dika, seeing Edward's distressed expression, was very pleased. He stepped forward and gestured—
"Royal Knights, heed my command!"
Upon hearing Dika's order, members of the Royal Knights, including Sisco and Linda, were startled and stepped forward.
"Capture this girl and lock her up in my room... no, in the dungeon!"
The knights looked at each other, unsure of what to do. But in an era where royal power was weak and power lay with royal relatives like Dika, they had no choice but to follow the rules.
Damn, this is so unfair!
Mengdie moved behind a soldier and knocked him down with a palm strike. The soldier crashed to the ground, his armor clanging loudly. However, this did not please her, as the royal knights had already surrounded her, each with a serious look on their faces.
"Mengdie, I'm sorry. I need this salary to buy a necklace for my wife." Sisco clapped his hands, and when they separated, a dozen fiery red orbs appeared around him, and two larger, brighter red flame orbs appeared in his palms.
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