The Princess And The Lord-Chapter 1427: They’re Back!

Sylvia could barely compose herself as she watched the two Lucient heirs sitting side by side. She had imagined this scene in her mind a thousand times, dreaming of how wonderful it would be if Princess Lucient were still alive, standing beside the King to support him. Back then, she had thought it was nothing more than a wistful fantasy.

But now... here it was, real and before her eyes. Her long-cherished dream had come true. And because of this, she began to believe there was nothing her kingdom could not overcome.

"Our intel confirms that several healers have gone missing from the S.A.I.N.T. organization, but the official report claims it was a Bael attack on Rockfield in northern Dolza. The incident reportedly claimed many victims, including Paladins," Sylvia said as she handed Lucas a tablet displaying the news.

Lucas took the tablet and pressed play, his eyes narrowing as the report played out. "How many healers were among the victims?" he asked gravely.

"According to the official numbers released by the organization, around thirty," Sylvia replied. "But our informant tipped us off that the real number is likely much higher."

"Where did the tip come from?" Lucas asked, his voice calm but edged with steel.

Leon answered, "For the informant’s safety, they only revealed that it came from within Elysium."

Lucas fell silent, his gaze sharpening as he pondered the implications. Finally, he spoke. "Verify the authenticity of this information, and report back to me as soon as you can."

Leon gave a firm nod. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"And the Paladins?" Lory continues. "How many were killed?"

Sylvia’s brow furrowed as she replied, "Two was presumed to be dead. As for the injured—ranging from mild to severe—there are about twenty."

"Small casualties," Lory muttered under her breath.

Lucas’s expression darkened, his voice low and heavy. "What are the news outlets saying about this whole situation?"

Leon answered with a grim expression. "The news reported that two Behemoths, transformed into Bael, suddenly attacked Rockfield City. At the time, the area was especially crowded because of the school holidays. Rockfield is a popular destination for family vacations, so there were not only locals but also visitors from other cities and even other countries...so," He swallowed his next words, knowing there’s no need to explain further.

Lory pressed her fingers to her temples. "Oh my God..." She exhaled heavily. "How many people died in that incident?"

"The estimation right now, the death toll is around two hundred," Leon replied. "But more bodies are expected to be found once the debris is cleared."

Sylvia added, her voice tense, "It’s said that at the time of the incident, the healers had been granted a special permit for vacation after completing their social duties nearby. They were staying in one of the luxury resorts when the Bael attacked. Witnesses reported that the healers tried to help—but instead, they became victims themselves, and when The Paladins were sent there, it was too late... no one survives."

"So... all the healers died, just like that?" Lory’s voice was low, almost a whisper, as she slowly turned her head to look at Lucas. Her eyes were sharp, edged with unease. "The timing feels too coincidental, don’t you think?"

Lucas’s lips curled into a cold sneer. "You know I don’t believe in coincidences."

Leon’s expression grew heavy with realization. "What do you mean, Your Majesty... Princess?"

Sylvia’s expression tightened.

Lory brushed a strand of hair from her face, swallowing her frustration before speaking. "When my husband removed the parasite from the King’s body, we discovered that the thing called Scion was actually part of the progenitor—Zalcahana. He said disturbing the Scion could trigger a reaction from Zalcahana itself. And don’t forget Maddeline’s confession that day... they were using healers to nourish Zalcahana. So..." Lory’s voice dropped slightly, heavy with unease. "I’m afraid this might just be part of a much larger scheme."

"Your higness, do you suggest that all those casualty at the Rockfield City was just a cover-up to kill the healers?" Sylvia gasped in horror.

"I’m afraid so..." Lory lowered her gaze, honestly, she hoped she was wrong.

Sylvia’s lips tremble ."But...all those people, the family and - and the children"

"I’m afraid Princess Lorient guessed was right..." Leon’s expression was tight with anger, and he shook his head in frustration. "That would explain why none of the healers survive..."

"But that doesn’t make sense. They were killed in the incident at Rockfield... how could they be used as Zalcahana’s sacrifices? I thought they were supposed to be there to... to have their energy drained..." Sylvia’s voice faltered, her words trailing off.

"If the healers were ever there in the first place..." Lucas said suddenly, his voice low and cutting.

Everyone’s eyes snapped toward him in unison.

Lucas tapped the tablet, and a slideshow of the healers who were reported as victims appeared. All of them wore the same white uniforms, had identical hairstyles, and wore minimal makeup. They looked eerily alike.

"Other than providing services to others, healers never interact with outsiders. So who would recognize them?" Lucas asked coldly. "That place was packed with tourists—how many of them would have actually seen a healer firsthand? If I dressed Lory in the same uniform, then gave her the same hairstyle and all, do you think any of those common people could tell the difference?"

"You mean the healers people see at Rockfield might not be actual healers?"Leon widened his eyes.

"The only ones with the authority to confirm the identities of the corpses are the organization itself," Lucas said calmly, though his eyes were cold. "They’re also the ones who decide whether the healers’ bodies can be released to their families. So how could we possibly know the truth?"

He leaned back slightly, his tone turning even heavier. "And if the corpses were burned... or dismembered—no one would be able to recognize them. Not even their own families."

Sylvia’s hands trembled as she clasped them together. "But still... isn’t this a bit overboard?" she murmured, her voice fragile with disbelief. "Would the enemy really go that far?"

"Is it?" Lory interjected softly, her voice laced with a quiet, grim clarity. "This doesn’t just cover up the healers’ sudden disappearance. It also amplifies the people’s fear of Bael and heightens the urgency to align with the Luxemborough, the only one could create the weapon that can kill Bael—and the S.A.I.N.T. organization, who will bless the weapon."

Lucas fell silent for a moment, his fingers resting on the edge of the tablet. Then he asked quietly, "What was the Saintess’s response?"

Sylvia’s eyes widened as if the pieces were finally falling into place. "She condemned the attack and urged all nations to unite in resolving the Bael crisis. Her words earned her widespread sympathy. Public opinion of the organization has surged again."

Leon’s voice was laced with unease as he added, "Not only that... Luxemborough has been chosen to lead the upcoming International Economic Cooperation Summit in Ronfolk next month. I suspect they’ll use the opportunity to promote their new weapons. Once that happens, no one can stop Luxemborough and the S.A.I.N.T. organization."

"No one but... us," Lucas said as he set the tablet down on his lap. His fingers intertwined, hands clasped together, exuding a calm and calculating air.

A confident smile bloomed on Lory’s beautiful face. She turned her head toward Lucas, tilting it ever so slightly, her eyes glinting like stars scattered across a midnight sky.

"This is going to be fun~," she whispered, her voice laced with a mischievous, almost dangerous delight.

_______________________

After Leon and Sylvia left, Lucas leaned back in his chair and asked casually, "Lory, I heard Hugo Hamilton has become Li Xin’s sponsor?"

Lory, already seated with a plate of cookies, nodded as she nibbled. "Uh-huh. Thanks to him, Li Xin became a famous painter under the pseudonym Master Zhao. Since no one has ever seen him in person, he’s become this elusive, genius artist. Naturally, the art society is obsessed with him."

Lucas pinched his chin, eyes wide with admiration. "Oh? So my brother-in-law isn’t just handsome and powerful—he’s also a talented artist?"

Lory grinned and raised her index finger like a teacher making a point. "Not only that! He’s also an armament master and an array master. And in case you don’t know, arrays use spiritual energy to create formations. By combining array symbols, he can craft barriers, offensive attacks, and other things. It requires deep focus and understanding—if they mess up, it can backfire horribly." She waved her hand vaguely. "I don’t really know all the details, but that’s the gist of it."

Lucas’s eyes gleamed with amazement. "Wow... he’s incredible. Wait—are there many people like him in his world?"

Lory nearly choked on her cookie crumbs. She turned to Lucas, incredulous. "Of course not! Someone like him is called a ’peerless talent’—a once-in-a-thousand-years kind of genius. There’s no one like him!" she said proudly, her chest puffing a little.

Lucas’s brows knitted as his expression turned thoughtful, almost confused. "Lory... how on earth did you manage to catch a man like him?"

He couldn’t help but marvel. His sister had no wealth, no noble background, no political power—yet she had somehow won the heart of a man who was, by every standard, a rare gem.

Lory munched another cookie, pondering for a moment. Then she shrugged nonchalantly. "You know what... I’m still wondering about that myself."

_________________________

—At Mystique Realm—

"Achoo—"

The fire spirit stared at Zhao Li Xin incredulously. [Are you catching a cold, Master?]

Zhao Li Xin sniffled, then rubbed his nose with elegant fingers. [No, it’s not a cold,] he said with quiet certainty.

The fire spirit tilted its head, clearly confused. [Oh? Then what is it?]

His thin lips curved into a soft, knowing smile. [My wife must be thinking about me.]

A moment later, He turned his gaze toward the fire spirit, his expression now both proud and smug. [Hmph. You wouldn’t understand...] freewēbnoveℓ.com

[...] The fire spirit felt its fragile little heart crack again. So what if he had been single dog—ahem, a sword—for millennia? It wasn’t like he was lonely!

...Right?

Yet here he was, clinging to his abusive master once again.

’Hiks

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