Chapter 60: Unilateral Negotiation

The entire council chamber was filled with kneeling figures.

The king soon spoke again. “To what extent have you traced the identities of those involved in the assassination?”

This time, everyone in the hall couldn’t help but turn their eyes to Wien. After all, he was the one who intercepted the survivors and handled the bodies. He should know the most.

Wien said calmly, “The leader immediately took poison and killed himself after recognizing this old man, leaving no further clues.”

“Other than that?” the king looked at him.

“Nothing to report for now.”

Wien’s answer was extremely brief. He had said everything, yet nothing at all. Everyone in the hall could naturally hear the concealment in his words, but no one dared to question this Grand Mage.

The king stared at Wien for a long time, but in the end only nodded faintly. “I understand.”

There was no further pressure. This subtle silence instead made the atmosphere in the hall even more eerie.

In the next half hour, the king used the princess’s attack as a pretext to reclaim several authorities originally held by the nobility in one go, and also demanded that the Association submit a batch of high-level spell scrolls and magical devices for the royal capital’s defense.

Compared to the previous demands, none of these were fatal.

The faces of those on both sides of the long table grew worse and worse, but still no one dared to speak in opposition. Because that Grand Mage sat there the whole time, like a silent wall. Whatever the king said, he would echo.

If the Association had already reached some kind of cooperation with the royal family, his attitude shouldn’t have been like this.

The uncontrollable situation made the nobles completely lose their initiative. All their resentment and anger could only be swallowed back down.

Until the meeting ended and the heavy doors opened again. The night wind outside poured into the hall, and only then did everyone seem to come back to life.

The king rose and left the table without sparing them a glance. Only before leaving, he casually dropped a sentence. “I hope you will quickly investigate and uncover the truth for me, and find out which faction is so audacious. I hope you all will not disappoint me again.”

—

The night grew deeper.

In the princess’s bedchamber, candle flames burned quietly. Pale gold curtains hung down, completely shutting out the noise of the outside world.

Seeing the figure of the king approaching, the maids waiting outside immediately knelt and bowed, their expressions panicked. The king paid them no mind and walked straight in.

The room was filled with a mixture of medicinal herbs and calming incense. Veronica was sitting by the bedside, with the dress she had worn during the day still draped over her knees. That face, which usually carried arrogance and spirit, now seemed exceptionally frail.

Hearing the door open, she looked up.

The king stopped in his tracks, his expression darkening. On Veronica’s left cheek, there was a bright red handprint clearly visible. Her already plump cheek was even more swollen and red. The anger he had suppressed in the council chamber surged up again.

The king hurried over, looking at his daughter with pity. “Who did this?” He knew his daughter was not outstanding, but she was still his only daughter. As the king of Rune, seeing his daughter bullied time and time again, even with his good temper, he couldn’t hold back his inner rage.

But Veronica seemed not to hear the question, just staring at him fixedly, her eyes filled with urgency. “Father.” Her voice was a little hoarse. “You can save him, right?”

The king frowned deeply. He knew who Veronica was talking about. That was an unconscious young man, said to be an innocent caught up in the incident, who had taken a fatal blow for his beloved daughter. He had already sent people to investigate everything. Except for what happened inside the barrier array, he was fully aware of everything. For example, this young man was a slave of the Astarea family. Moreover, according to intelligence from his informants, Veronica had left the palace again in the afternoon to go to this duke’s mansion.

So, this slender handprint—was it that duke’s young lady who hit her?

For a moment, a hint of curiosity appeared in the king’s eyes. Seeing his daughter’s eyes staring intently at him, he softened his tone. “I have already sent people to the Duke’s mansion to treat him. As long as he still has a breath left, your father won’t let him die easily.”

Hearing these words, Veronica’s tense emotions suddenly relaxed. Father never made promises lightly. But since he said it, there would certainly be no problem.

The king’s gaze fell back on the handprint on her face. That bright red mark was too glaring on the girl’s fair face, almost like a slap to the royal family’s dignity. “Now, tell your father. It was that Miss Lavia who hit you, wasn’t it?”

Veronica was silent for a long time. The candlelight flickered in her eyes, reflecting the weariness within. Facing her father’s concerned look, she shook her head. “I deserved this.”

“Deserved?” The king’s expression darkened. “You are the princess of Rune, who has the right—”

“I left the palace without permission.” Veronica interrupted him. “I dragged everyone around me into that attack. If it weren’t for him…” Her voice paused for a moment, and she showed a bitter smile to her father, whom she relied on. “I was supposed to accept punishment, wasn’t I?”

The king looked at his daughter, a hint of surprise in his eyes. The Veronica at this moment felt a little unfamiliar to him. It was as if she had suddenly matured after experiencing something. It brought him comfort. And even more pity.

But these emotions were not what Veronica needed at the moment. She slowly raised her head. Her eyes, still moist, held no trace of retreat, but instead burned with a nearly scorching light. “But, Father.” She said word by word, “One day, I will personally return it to her.”

Even though clear red marks still remained on her face and her lips were pale, the determination in Veronica’s eyes was more vivid than ever.

After a long moment, the king raised his hand and gently placed it on top of her head. “Alright,” he said, “Then you remember. Remember until the day you personally return that slap.”

Veronica bit her lower lip tightly and nodded once.

The room fell silent again. Only the occasional crackle of burning candles and the sound of night wind from far outside the window.

The king stayed in the bedchamber for a while, then prepared to leave. Originally, he had come to comfort this daughter, but unexpectedly, he didn’t even use the gifts he had prepared. He spoke a few more kind words to comfort Veronica, then turned and left with a smile. When the light fell on him again, his expression turned cold and stern once more.

The maids outside the door were all kneeling on the ground, no one daring to look up at the king’s expression.

— Inside the bedchamber

Veronica sat at the head of the bed in the dimness, slowly clenching the robe on her knees. She didn’t cry. She just quietly stared at the thick darkness outside the window. The handprint on her face was still burning. But what came to her mind was not the humiliation of the hand falling. It was the figure that stood in front of her. And that detestable woman, her…

Veronica looked at her chubby palm, her eyes seeming to have made some kind of determination.

…The corridor outside the council chamber had returned to silence. Lamplight extended along the pillars one by one, stretching the shadows of the departing attendees long.

Wien led the Association’s participants as they slowly left. Before they had gone far, a figure approached from the side. The newcomer bowed to Wien, “Master Alvin.”

It was Duke Harry.

Wien stopped walking, still wearing that gentle smile on his face. “It’s so late, aren’t you in a hurry to go home and rest, Duke?”

“Master jests.” Duke Harry said with a bitter face. “With such a big commotion tonight, who can sleep peacefully?” Moreover, he had just had his authority stripped, and as a duke, he still had to undergo investigation by the king’s guards.

The two stood side by side, but there was none of the ease that polite conversation should have.

“The Association seems to have grasped quite a lot of information.” Duke Harry asked cautiously. “Given my current situation, could you perhaps reveal a little? So I can have some mental preparation.”

Wien smiled. “You worry too much, Duke. What I know is nothing more than trivial details. It would be hard to be of any help to you.”

Duke Harry’s smile paused slightly. He didn’t press further, just looked at Wien with resignation. “In that case, I won’t disturb the master’s return to rest.” He bowed again and stepped aside to make way.

Wien nodded and continued forward with his people. Until the group exited the corridor. Only then did the gaze behind them completely disappear.

A high-level mage accompanying them finally couldn’t help but lower his voice and speak. “Master Alvin…” His tone carried some hesitation. “Why cooperate with His Majesty so much tonight? It had nothing to do with us.”

Wien’s steps did not stop, but the smile on his face faded a little. He turned his head and glanced at that person. His usually kind and gentle gaze now held a chilling coldness. “This is Rune.” His voice was very light. “His Majesty is the king of Rune. Is there a problem?”

That mage’s face turned pale, and he lowered his head even deeper. “N-no.”

Wien looked at him, then suddenly sighed, the coldness in his eyes fading away. “Do you really think that His Majesty is completely unaware of what you do behind his back?”

The man was slightly taken aback, and looked up at Wien. But Wien had already shifted his gaze, looking up toward the west of the royal capital.