"Your Highness." One of the Royal Lycan Hunters knelt to the crown prince once the battle subsided and the lycans flooded out of the city in a hasty retreat. "Shall we give chase to the fleeing lycans? We can take advantage of their defeat and hit them in the back."
Nicholas wanted to say yes.
He had every urge to nod his head and let the Royal Lycan Hunters pursue their greatest enemies and put an end to them. However, the crown prince took one look and assessed the damage of the city.
The street was filled with the stench of both the dead lycans and humans. He saw that a lot of people were injured and even the elite group of Royal Lycan Hunters were taken down by a number.
Nicholas shook his head and smiled wearily.
"No. Let us focus on securing the capital instead. There is much to do here than chasing the losing enemy," Nicholas said. His head was not completely wrapped up in revenge like his father. He actually cared about his people.
"But Your Highness!"
Nicholas spoke with authority in his voice and met the eye of the leader of the Royal Lycan Hunter. He understood how the elite task force thought. The members were raised by the royal kingdom to be their elite anti-lycan warriors.
However, Nicholas thought it was better to rest after the fierce battle.
"It is better to stay here and recover our strengths and then pursue for another day. The lycans have great regenerative abilities. They will recover faster than us and it will be a strategic disaster if we chase them now while we're exhausted."
"Your will be done, Your Highness." The chief of Royal Lycan Hunter soon went off to work. He ordered his men to gather their casualties and help in any way they could.
Meanwhile, Nicholas sank down on the streets of the city center for a moment, weariness finally overtaking him. He looked around to see the disaster that filled the place and he felt burdened by the sight.
Royal guards, soldiers, and hunters all worked together to clear the streets of the dead bodies, evacuate injured residents, and overall heighten the security of the place.
Nicholas doubted the lycans would return for a second attack, so soon after they had been vanquished. However, a sudden thought came to his mind that filled him with worry and concern.
The future king quickly stood up and made his way back to the castle, unaware of the proud looks that his citizens and men were throwing at him. His sheer act of bravery cemented him as a proper king in the hearts of the commoners and his men.
"Your Highness!" several servants exclaimed as Nicholas entered the royal palace. "Shall we call for the royal doctor to treat your injuries? You must stay in your room and be treated."
The young man was garbed in regal attire fit for the coronation, but after Nicholas' encounter with the lycans, his clothes were already torn. It exposed his upper body filled, with dirt and scratches.
Upon closer inspection, however, those scratches were already disappearing if any of the servants had paid attention. Luckily, the crown prince was moving ahead of them as Nicholas shook his head.
"No, I am feeling fine. Where is my mother?"
"Her Majesty is currently in her private chamber, Your Highness," one of the servants answered. "She fell ill out of shock and is currently with Lady Karenina. The royal physician is with Her Majesty now.."
Nicholas sighed and rubbed his face at the thought of the viscount's daughter quickly finding her way back to his mother. After the attack and the chaos ensued, why didn't Karenina get scared and leave the capital for good?
For now, Nicholas couldn't care less what she was doing because his mind was distracted by something else.
"Summon my informant to my office," Nicholas ordered one of the staff. "Since the doctor has come, I am sure my mother is in good hands."
"What about the coronation, Your Highness?" The royal butler asked. "We shouldn't let the lycans feel victorious because they managed to stop this important event."
"We're still securing the entire perimeter of Livstad. Now is not the time for coronations." Nicholas snapped and rushed ahead. "Tell me the latest update about outside, in my study, NOW."
He headed to his study and hoped to find his informant already there and still alive. There was something that nudged his mind and he wanted an answer as soon as possible. What if Duke Romanov and his wife encountered the lycan pack that attacked Livstad? What if they were in danger??
If Nicholas' suspicions of Duke Romanov being a black market noble dealer had any proof, and among them was trafficking lycan puppies for depraved nobility, then perhaps the reason why they couldn't come was because of that?
Were the Romanovs attacked by the lycan pack?
Nicholas' heart ached at the thought of Sophia Romanov getting hurt, He could hope that Duke Romanov was capable of dealing with threats. Didn't the duke have his own garrison to secure his property when Nicholas came to sneak into his castle in Hastings?
Surely he could protect himself and his family when lycans attack them, couldn't he?
"Your Highness!" one of the nobles came out of a room to meet him.
Nicholas saw that all of the nobilities were intact and safe. The royal castle was secure and well-guarded against possible attacks in the city. If anything terrible were to happen, this place was a good siege fortress.
"What is it?" Nicholas slowed down to meet the gaze of the nobleman. He didn't want to waste time with useless and trifling conversations, but he still needed to maintain a good relationship with the stewards of his kingdom.
"May I have a word in private with, Your Highness?" the nobleman smiled at him. "I have something interesting to tell Your Highness. I will walk with you until you reach your chamber, perhaps?"
The nobleman was starting to look at Nicholas and realized that he was currently in a terrible state. The crown prince did look unkempt because of his fight with the lycans whereas all of his nobles were spotless and not a hair looked out of place.
Nicholas sighed and wordlessly walked forward.
The nobleman decided that was an invitation and followed after the crown prince. Once they left the hallway with the rest of the nobility, Nicholas finally glanced at the nobleman.
"Who are you?" Nicholas narrowed his eyes.
"My name is Lord Siegfred Bettencourt, Your Highness. My father was a friend of His Majesty," the nobleman added with a grim expression before looking ahead. "They both died during that night where they were attacked by those pack of lycans, Your Highness."
Great.
This was exactly what Nicholas wanted. Someone to try and snake their way to his side just like Lady Karenina. Why wasn't Nicholas particularly surprised at all? Nobility moved quickly when it came to amassing power.
"I suggest you stop looking into Duke Romanov and his wife, Your Highness." Lord Bettencourt suddenly said.
Nicholas stopped in his tracks.
He turned to look at the man and tried to gauge what he wanted.
"Why is that?" Nicholas crossed his arms on glared at Lord Bettencourt, challenging him. "Who is going to stop me?"
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