The Prince in Question Is Not Stable-Chapter 40: Price of Mercy [Part - 1]

Warning: The following few Chapters contain raw graphic violence and disturbing gore. Proceed at your own risk.

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In the castle of symphony, the most secure tower, isolated from any sound that resonates through the walls of the castle, Violet of Lunar was walking towards the room of Marcus or Ymir, as she knew him.

She never hated him. What she hated was the fact of falling in love with a man whom the whole world despises.

For everyone, he was a cruel prince, but only a few knew that he cared for his people more than anything. To her, he’s not cruel, just selfish.

As she reached the golden door guarded by two high-ranking knights under her command, they bowed and opened the doors for her.

Ignoring their greetings, she walked in, still draping the long coat of Ymir over her shoulders. She was worried since the moment he has met that strange man.

What was the order he was mentioning again and again? Is Ymir a part of a cult, or something devious? Then again, even if he was, she wouldn’t be surprised.

’Huh?’ She couldn’t find him there.

She walked towards the bed to check twice, and looked around, but he was nowhere.

Then she noticed a small note on the table in front of the sofa.

Narrowing her gaze with half-lidded eyes, she picked up the note and read it.

’Your death threat got me so scared that I had no choice but to make a run for it. I’ll be back and meet you at the banquet. Yours truly, Ymir~.’

"..." Her grip on the paper crushed its sides and tore the note as she turned furious.

"I’ll kill that fu-"

.-.-.-.-.-.

"Oh, I feel the chills already. Don’t you have an extra coat?" I asked, sitting opposite Janus.

We were inside a steam locomotive. Cerevesia has a route to Rile County.

We were in the second cabin of the first compartment. A luxury compartment, and of course, Janus was paying for it.

Janus was generous.

A comfortable-looking seat divided from left to right, luggage storage space, and a signal bell installed to call the clerk if I needed anything.

I was only wearing a pair of shirt and pants, and a bathrobe over them because I couldn’t find my coat.

"I don’t have a habit of keeping extra clothing as I travel," Janus replied. "Needless to say, your current attire looks fancy."

"It’ll get warmer as we travel to Rile Estate. Circulate your aura in the meanwhile," he added.

’I don’t have a core to circulate my aura...’ I thought.

"What’s the update on Krells?" I asked.

"They’re at war with Vahn County since yesterday." He replied.

"Vahns will lose," I muttered.

"That’s evident," he replied.

"Let’s find Elowen first. We need to know what exactly happened," I said.

My plan was simple. I needed Mordrak Krell to doubt Nicholas. Making him vulnerable so that he can be dependent on me.

That way, I would’ve had the most important asset of Rebellion under my command. And make Cymbal the enemy of his own rebellion.

To create those doubts, I assigned simple tasks to Elowen.

He’ll leak a disposable piece of information about the assets being smuggled to court officials. And those assets will be the ones Nicholas was stealing from.

So, Nicholas would prove his innocence to Mordrak. And Mordrak wouldn’t straight up kill someone just for doubtful information.

Basically, I planned to place seeds of doubt within the inner circle of Mordrak and make him reconsider his plans of rebellion against the crown.

But someone had turned my seed into a full-grown weed. Someone had given Mordrak information. An information so sure that he believed it without thinking twice, and waged a war against one of his own counties.

As they say, ’Stir up waters to catch the fish,’ ... Someone had used this same tactic. Here, the waters were the rebellion. And I am the ’Fish’.

The magic-engineered locomotive spurted out white steam.

Click! Choo! Choo!

The sound of compressed steam spewing resounded out refreshingly as irons were interlocked with each other, and the journey began.

[A/N: Law 39 of the 48 Laws of Power – Stir up waters to catch the fish.]

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After our journey throughout the night, a carriage of the Rile Estate drove us to the castle of Rile.

Massive golden gates of the castle opened up as it sped through the pathway, crossing a series of fountains and gardens.

Not a single maid and gardener was in sight.

Arriving near the entrance, we were greeted by the carriages of the court officials, with an emblem of Goddess Luna, weighing justice against a feather.

Their carriages were dark red, and white intricate magic circuits to enforce them.

Still wearing a white, furry bathrobe over a formal shirt and pants, I stepped out of the carriage and strode through the gates, ignoring the officials in black coats with white linings.

All of them had a small cane in their hands. They were clearance three magicians.

Janus also followed me, observing the environment with the best of his abilities.

"My Lord!" Bart stormed out of the main hall as he spotted me at the entrance.

Behind him were three court officials. One of them was a woman, but her clothes were different.

White long coat, and a golden badge of Luna, short black hair and light blue eyes. Unlike all the magicians, she was a warrior.

"What’s going on, Bart?" I asked, before glancing at the officials, and looked at Bart.

Janus, however, picked up a bunch of blueberries and started savouring them, staring at the lady official.

"They’re saying, E-Elowen fled because of charges of corruption!" Bart was furious, but even then, he was trying his best not to raise his voice.

"You don’t know when Elowen left?" I asked, raising my brows.

Bart didn’t look like someone who was acting. He was genuinely worried.

"No, my lord, I haven’t seen him for the last two days!" Bart replied.

"What was he doing the last time you saw him?" I asked.

"He...He was in his library. My lord, something is not right. I know Elowen, and no matter how grave a situation is, he never hides anything from me." Bart’s voice grew even softer.

My brows dropped in suspicion as I looked at Janus. He, too, was listening to Bart now.

I looked at the officials as the woman gestured for the officials to stay and walked towards us.

"Let me talk to them first, stay here, and ask every maid, gardener, servant...anything you can find about his whereabouts," I looked back at Bart and patted his back, sending him on his way.

Janus walked close behind my back and whispered, "Careful, she’s a ferocious one."

"I have a habit of dealing with this type..." I mumbled back.