Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty

Chapter 333: Chapter 320: Plotting

Roland took a deep breath, quickly calming himself.

He reached for the Assassin’s neck. After confirming there were no signs of life, he could only shake his head gently.

His gaze then fell upon the bizarre creature curled up by the Assassin’s ear.

"This is..."

"A Soul-Eating Moth."

As if sensing his confusion, Gloria struggled to her feet. Her voice was slightly weak, but she explained clearly.

"An... unsettling Abyssal Creature, capable of eroding its host’s mind and soul."

As she spoke, she carefully helped up Mel, who was leaning against her.

After carefully examining the lady-in-waiting’s injuries and administering first aid, Gloria confirmed that her life was not in immediate danger and finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

She subtly tensed, her gaze on Roland holding a barely perceptible wariness as she spoke.

"Excuse me... who are you?"

"Roland."

Roland glanced up, signaling for Teresa to approach, then calmly rose to his feet.

"A student from the visiting delegation of the River Domain."

This identity made Mel—pale from blood loss and nearly fainting—suddenly tighten her fingers, clutching Gloria’s tattered sleeve. Her voice was as faint as a thread as she gave a warning.

"Your Highness... you must be careful. News from the Royal Capital says that these very students from the River Domain murdered Earl Auston and Knight Leonard. They even..."

"I believe..."

Roland cut in before Mel could finish.

As a show of good faith, he slowly sheathed his Secret Silver Longsword.

"Surely Her Imperial Highness the Princess would not be so quick to believe such an absurd accusation?"

"Of course not... Mr. Roland."

Gloria raised her head, meeting the gaze of the man who stood nearly a head taller than her.

It was only then that she truly got a clear look at his face.

His exceptionally young face stood in stark contrast to the deadly prowess he had just displayed, and an irrepressible flicker of shock passed through her azure eyes.

But she quickly recovered from her momentary lapse. She coughed lightly, elegantly wiped the blood from her lips, and spoke with forced composure.

"This must be... Duke Anno’s pretext for starting a war, correct?"

Hearing her deduction, Roland swallowed the words he had prepared to say, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, reached into the pouch at his waist, and took out a small Crystal Bottle.

Inside was the very same unsettling liquid he had collected from the remains of the jet-black Armor that had been controlled by Abyssal Energy.

"Your insight is admirable. It aligns perfectly with my own assessment. And this..."

As he spoke, he slowly leaned down and gently slid the Crystal Bottle toward Gloria’s feet.

"Perhaps this can serve as proof of our innocence."

"Princess Gloria!"

Seeing the unidentified liquid roll closer, Mel cried out a weak but urgent warning.

But Gloria simply patted her tense arm reassuringly before carefully stooping to pick up the Crystal Bottle.

"This is..."

She cautiously opened the bottle. The moment she caught a whiff of the contents, the color drained from her face.

The familiar, unsettling scent made her head snap up, a bitter, shocked smile touching her lips.

"I never thought... the one mining the ’Abyss’ and meddling with such power would be a Duke with actual authority. This is truly..."

She shook her head, swallowing the rest of her sentence. Taking a step forward, she handed the Crystal Bottle back to Roland, then looked him directly in the eyes and asked.

"Tell me... is my brother, Lucius, involved in this as well?"

Seeing that the Princess before him had finally lowered her guard somewhat, Roland breathed an inward sigh of relief.

He took the Crystal Bottle, stowed it back in his pouch, and shook his head gently. He then briefly recounted the ambush, the appearance of the Abyssal Creature, and his suspicions about Duke Anno.

"I can only confirm that the Abyssal Creature was the handiwork of Duke Anno. As for Prince Lucius..."

His gaze swept over the three dead Assassins on the ground, the implication clear.

"I understand."

Gloria took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, the last vestiges of her panic had been suppressed, replaced by a cool resolve.

"So, Mr. Roland, you sought me out specifically. Is there something you need my help with?"

"Allow me to make a slight correction, Your Highness."

Roland replied calmly.

"We aren’t seeking one-sided protection, but... mutual aid."

"Since Duke Anno and Prince Lucius have dared to move against the King’s other children, it proves they have abandoned all restraint. This assassination attempt will not be the last. And you..."

Looking at Gloria’s somewhat disheveled state, Roland stated calmly, "As things stand, you don’t seem to have the ability to deal with this kind of assault."

Gloria fell silent, then finally gave a heavy nod, acknowledging his assessment. She then spoke directly.

"In that case... perhaps we can bypass the main roads and head for the northern border. My father... King Morne’s army is stationed there."

"Once we get there, not only will our safety be guaranteed, but you will also be exonerated. At that point..."

"Your Highness, while that plan is sound, Duke Anno and Prince Lucius are no fools."

Roland shook his head, vetoing the proposal.

"The journey from here to the northern border is long and arduous. And now that the Soul-Eating Moth is dead, Duke Anno, the one manipulating Abyssal Power from behind the scenes, has likely already sensed the disturbance here."

"He will certainly dispatch a large force to set up multiple ambushes and strict checkpoints along the roads we must take. If we go, we’ll be walking right into a trap."

Gloria fell into thought for a moment and had to admit Roland’s reasoning was more sound.

"Then..."

She looked up, her azure eyes questioning.

"What do you propose we do?"

"It’s simple..."

Roland paused briefly before speaking decisively.

"Although we don’t yet grasp the full scope of Duke Anno and Prince Lucius’s conspiracy, it’s clear that in their eyes, you, Your Highness, are not yet considered an imminent threat... and that is precisely our advantage."

He continued.

"They’re focused on the bigger picture, which buys us precious time. We should avoid the notice of Duke Anno and Prince Lucius, retreat into the shadows, quietly build our strength, contact trustworthy allies, and wait for the right opportunity."

"I see..."

Gloria nodded lightly, then announced her decision with clarity and resolve, displaying a wisdom and strength of character that belied her age.

"If we’re going into hiding, we need a location that is completely beyond their expectations—one that can provide both sanctuary and resources..."

Her eyes met Roland’s, and she spoke, enunciating every word.

"We’re going to... the Land of the Sun Crown."

"The Land of the Sun Crown?"

Roland frowned slightly at the unfamiliar name, but he didn’t press for details immediately.

Once he confirmed that Gloria had lowered her guard and that they had reached an agreement, he signaled for Teresa to come forward and help the Princess carefully place the injured Mel onto a horse.

The group quickly readied themselves and departed without hesitation, leaving the killing ground in the forest, thick with the stench of blood.

And while they plotted their escape in the depths of the forest, another secret conversation was unfolding in the shadows, far away in the secluded depths of a palace in Golden Ears City.