114 Ch. 114: The Bet [6]
"Roooaarr!!"
With a final, guttural roar, the monstrous creature collapsed onto the icy ground, its massive body convulsing in its death throes.
Thick, green blood oozed from the gaping wound in its chest, staining the white ice below.
Sensing a presence, Adrian glanced over his shoulder and noticed a black-haired teen running towards him.
"So, it's over, huh?"
Nathaniel muttered as he placed himself beside his brother and Adrian shook his head.
"No, we need to escort the Princess to the Sun Palace."
"Ah, you're right."
Nathaniel nodded his head in agreement.
—Ring —Ring —Ring
However, before they could delve deeper into their conversation, their attention was abruptly diverted by the shrill sound of Adrian's Telesphere ringing.
The device, strapped to his wrist, illuminated with a soft glow, indicating an incoming call.
Adrian raised his arm, bringing the Telesphere closer to his line of sight.
As the screen flickered to life, an unfamiliar Tele-code appeared, causing Adrian to furrow his eyebrows.
He recalled that he had not given his Tele-sphere to anyone in the past few months.
Who could it have been?
Observing his little brother's gaze fixed on the Telesphere without receiving it, Nathaniel inquired.
"Is something bothering you?"
Brushing it off, Adrian shook his head dismissively and replied.
"It's nothing."
With that, he proceeded to answer the call.
"Hello?"
// Hello, Your Highness. //
Upon hearing the familiar voice on the other end, their expression turned grim.
It was none other than Annelise.
// I watched your battle. It was amazing! //
Her voice filled with a mix of admiration and amusement.
Adrian and Nathaniel exchanged a quick glance, their eyes scanning the surroundings, searching for any sign of her presence.
'Where is she?'
However, their efforts proved futile, as the only thing they could see was the vast expanse of the sea.
Soon, Annelise's chuckle resonated through the Telesphere.
// Pfftt, please don't bother looking for me. //
She taunted mischievously and without beating around the bush, Adrian asked curtly.
"What do you want?"
Yet, instead of providing a direct response, the sound of clapping filled the air, followed by Annelise's voice.
// First things first, congratulations on winning the bet! //
She exclaimed, her tone filled with a hint of joy, before continuing.
// As I promised, I will return all of the children we've kidnapped. However, due to the large number of children involved, we still require some time to gather them. //
"And why should I trust you?"
An exasperated sigh escaped Annelise's lips.
// Haa... I understand that Your Highness has trust issues, but, still— //
"If you don't have anything important to say, I will end the call."
He didn't need her useless opinion.
// Haa… //
Another sigh escaped Annelise, and she reluctantly resumed.
// I'll contact you again regarding the reward. //
"Whatever."
Adrian responded curtly and abruptly ended the call.
Nathaniel, who couldn't contain his curiosity any longer, immediately chimed in.
"So the bet is true?'
Adrian shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's still too early to believe her. Besides, we don't know if it was just a bluff or if she has something on her sleeve."
"You're right."
Nathaniel nodded in agreement.
"Boss!"
A voice shouted, causing Adrian and Nathaniel to snap their heads in the direction of the urgent call.
There, they saw their ship swiftly approaching them.
Shortly thereafter, Adrian began chanting a spell to manipulate water, causing the ice to glide swiftly toward the ship.
The moment the ship drew nearer, the crew skillfully dropped the anchor, bringing the vessel to a steady halt.
One by one, the weary and battle-worn soldiers solemnly boarded the ship, their faces etched with a mixture of relief and gratitude for their safe return.
The Physicians wasted no time in springing into action.
With their remarkable blood-controlling abilities, they moved among the injured members, their hands emitting a soft, healing glow.
The wounds began to close, and vitality returned to those who had suffered in the recent skirmish.
As a familiar presence approached, Nathaniel and Adrian turned around, their attention immediately captured by the woman with striking, dark blue hair.
Behind her stood two knights, and a middle-aged woman with a determined expression.
Arriving before them, the woman got straight to the point.
"May I have a word?"
Adrian and Nathaniel exchanged glances before eventually nodding in agreement.
Since the situation on the deck had been dealt with, it was time to sort things out.
"Follow me."
Nathaniel took the lead, guiding the group toward the meeting room where they could have a more private and secure conversation.
Once they were seated, without wasting any more time, Charlotte immediately spat her mind.
"Could you please enlighten me about the current situation? Why did the Imperial patrol ship assault us?"
"I understand that you may be feeling confused at the moment, but all I can assure you is that the vessel in question is not ours."
Nathaniel calmly explained, and Charlotte scoffed.
"How can I believe it?"
She questioned.
"If it was our ship and we truly intended to harm you, why would we bother to save you?"
Nathaniel's voice was filled with sincerity.
"Well, that's true."
Charlotte admitted, her tone slightly skeptical, before continuing.
"But who would have known that it was the Empire's intention to make us feel indebted to them?"
Nathaniel's mouth opened, but before he could utter a word, Adrian interjected.
"Why would we, as the Empire, want to make you feel indebted to us?"
All eyes were fixed on Adrian.
Somehow, he was fed off by this woman's arrogance and disrespect.
While Nathaniel attempted to be amicable, Adrian was unable to do so.
Being well-versed in interrogations back in his previous world, he couldn't simply remain passive and allow her to control the conversation.
Undeterred by the attention, he continued.
"As a member of the Royal Family, it is expected that you were well-informed about the events that unfolded between our countries, were you not?"
Adrian's piercing cerulean eyes remained fixed on her deep blue gaze.
Charlotte hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.
Adrian seized the opportunity to push further.
21:01
"What is it? Tell me what you know."
"...yes."
Adrian seized the opportunity to push further.
"What is it? Tell me what you know."
Charlotte took a deep breath before responding.
"There was a third party that attempted to ignite a war between our countries."
Adrian nodded in agreement.
"That's correct, and that is precisely what you have just witnessed."
Charlotte opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find the right words to express herself.
Unbothered to wait for her answer, Adrian continued.
"Given that it was your kingdom that requested the peace treaty, the decision is yours to make. You can either come with us or return to your country."
Adrian declared, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Charlotte lowered her head and gazed down at her hands.
With that, Adrian stood up and began again.
"I will give you an hour to think. If you choose to come with us, you must adjust your attitude when speaking to us. Remember your place."
Adrian stated firmly.
Soon, Adrian walked out of the room and Nathaniel followed closely behind.
—Slam.
As the door closed behind them, Nathaniel matched his steps with Adrian and asked.
"Is it okay to just leave her like that?"
His concern was evident in his voice and Adrian shrugged indifferently.
"After witnessing her disrespectful behavior, I must admit that I regret my choice to save her. As for whether the Empire declares war on the Kearny Kingdom, it holds no importance to me."
Adrian retorted, his voice laced with irritation.
Instead of expressing gratitude, she acted like a bitch.
'Tsk. What a waste of time.'
As an adult, she should fully grasp the weight of her actions and words.
"Hmm… I see."
Nathaniel nodded, comprehending his brother's frustration, but he opted to stay quiet, not wishing to worsen the already tense atmosphere.
Just as he was about to speak and alleviate the tension, his Telesphere began to ring, its sound shattering the silence.
—Ring! —Ring! —Ring!
Nevertheless, Nathaniel couldn't help but furrow his brow upon receiving a call from an unknown Tele-code.
"Why not answer it?"
"It's from an unknown Tele-code."
"Could it be from that woman?"
Without much thought, Nathaniel answered the call, but before he could say a word, a familiar male voice could be heard.
// "So, how is your escapade going, my sons? Are you having fun?" //
Nathaniel and Adrian abruptly stopped in their tracks, stunned upon hearing it.
It was none other than Arthur's voice—their father's!
A sense of chill ran through their bones, as they realized that they were fucked up.
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