Second Arc (His Art of War) - 71. Twisted Wish
Artheur kicked Angel's hand, breaking his grip. Angel's dark aura stopped as King Eudon lost his consciousness. Artheur pulled King Eudon away before his body fell onto the floor. While Rose immediately grabbed her uncle and pulled him away from them.
Quickly, Artheur threw his kick again, but Angel retreated to avoid him.
"I'm your opponent!" said Artheur angrily. He had never felt this angry before.
"Prince Artheur, can't you wait for your turn?" said Angel in a cold voice. He swung his sword, but Artheur caught it barehanded. As Angel pushed his sword, from behind, King Esteve suddenly threw a kick towards him. Unable to avoid it, Angel raised his left arm and flowed his dark aura to protect himself.
A cracking sound rang out as King Esteve's kick landed on it. Angel was thrown back and staggered as he grimaced in pain, holding the pain that was piercing him. He glanced at his arm and noticed it could no longer be moved any more. Of course, even though he already protected himself with his dark aura, he just took a direct hit from King Esteve. But from his fighting experience, based on the pain he could judge, his bones weren't broken.
Angel plugged his sword to the floor and glared at them.
"Two against one, what a fair fight," he said as he returned his left arm's bones position with his other hand accompanied by another cracking sound. The pain pierced him once again but soon disappeared as he could move his left hand as before.
He took his sword back and pointed it at them.
"I'll end everything in one strike!" He knew, if he fought them for too long he would be at a disadvantage. While his current power was very limited because the castle was still protected by the Magic Shield so he was planning to exert his dark aura in his next attack.
Artheur and King Esteve exchanged glances a moment before they moved forward and attacked him at the same time. Angel swung his sword, the dark aura from his sword threw them and enveloped them, making them unable to move.
Both of them fell to the floor, struggling, trying to get away but in vain. He smirked evilly. Even though that attack was draining his power, this way he could take care of King Esteve and Artheur at once. But a second later, his smirk faded as he turned his gaze to Rose who was examining King Eudon and trying to wake her uncle up. Angel knew he must kill them immediately since their poison ability was very dangerous but his heart refused, even his legs felt heavy to move.
'No ... I must not let my feelings get in the way. ' He tightened his grip on his sword as he made up his mind. But suddenly Flare approached him and bowed.
"Your Majesty, Scarlet Stone Castle is completely under our control now."
"Very well," he replied without taking his eyes off Rose.
As he was about to move towards Rose, Flare spoke again.
"Your Majesty, there is another important thing I wish to report."
"Say it."
"Our troops have caught two suspicious people. They disguised as Princess Rose's maid and King Eudon's servant. We've checked them and found hiding weapons in their clothes." Flare drew closer and spoke in a lower voice.
"Frost recognizes them as Asteria elite soldiers."
Angel shifted his gaze to Flare.
"Are they trying to kill Queen Thea?" he guessed.
"No. They were trying to escape when Frost brought Queen Thea into the castle," replied Flare.
He frowned in confusion. There was too much oddity in this battle. Zephyrus' troops were fighting each other, Zephyrus' General who had been killed before he arrived and now Asteria elite soldiers in disguise.
'This is weird. If King Gervis or Ilex sent them to protect the Heart Family, why did they have to go undercover? If they are only spies, why do they carry weapons? ' Suddenly a possibility flashed through his head.
' Were they ordered to kill King Eudon and Princess Rose? But why? Didn't they collaborate to take down Euphorion before? ' he thought as he returned his gaze to Rose. But if King Gervis and Ilex wanted them dead, then he would have done the opposite. To be sure, Flare's report made him doubt his previous conclusions, including Rose's relationship with Ilex, because, with Asteria's current status, Ilex should support the Heart family's position instead of getting rid of them like this.
'I have to investigate what happened between Zephyrus and Asteria and why King Gervis and Ilex decided to kill the Heart Family.'
"Bring the letter and also prepare a letter for King Eudon," he ordered. Even though he made this decision based on his rationale, he honestly felt very relieved that he didn't have to kill Rose.
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Flare, then she left.
Angel sheathed his sword and approached her.
Rose noticed him. She quickly grabbed her uncle's remaining poison knives and threw them at him. Once again, Angel caught all of the knives with ease and threw them in front of her without stopping his steps. Cornered, Rose stood up, took King Eudon's sword that lay on the floor and pointed at him furiously.
"Back off or I will kill you!" she shouted in rage. Her heart ached badly. Why would he, the man that she loved, the man she had always hoped to be alive had to reappear before her only to destroy her kingdom?
Only with a glance, Angel knew she was not used to using a sword. He kept walking closer and stopped only an inch before the tip of her sword touched his neck.
"As I remember, a sword isn't your thing or have you changed your weapon after we separated for five years?"
She glared at him.
"Why don't you find out?" Rose swung her sword, trying to pierce his neck but he tilted his head, avoiding it easily. In a second, he turned around behind her, grabbed her hand from behind and swung it to the side. The sword on her hand was thrown and stuck into the wall. Her eyes widened as she froze in shock, her heart pounded violently.
Angel leaned to her back and brought his face closer to the back of her ear.
"I think a whip suits you better than a sword," he whispered.
She wanted to speak but she couldn't, her words were stuck in her throat and her body refused to move. His presence was too overbearing for her.
He released her hand, distanced his face and walked toward King Eudon. When Rose still tried to get herself together, he extended his hand to King Eudon.
She gasped in surprise and approached him as fast as she could.
"What do you want ?!" she said as she brushed his hand away and blocked him.
"Wake him up. Our business is not finished," he answered without glancing at her. With his dark aura was still in King Eudon's body, King Eudon wouldn't be able to open his eyes because he was trapped in his nightmare.
Angel returned to extend his hand toward King Eudon. She tried to brush it off again but Angel caught her hand.
"Princess Rose Ambrosia Heart, don't test my patience!" he snapped.
"I won't let you touch him!" she replied angrily.
Angel gave her a cold stare as his hand gave out another dark aura and covered her body, making her unable to move.
"What are you doing? Let me go!" she screamed.
Angel didn't answer, he released his hand and extended it towards King Eudon. His dark aura slowly came out from King Eudon's body and returned to him. Soon, King Eudon gasped and opened his eyes as if he had just woken up from a nightmare.
"Uncle!" said Rose. a smile formed on her face. Seeing that King Eudon had regained consciousness, several Euphorion troops approached and pointed their swords at them.
He turned and approached King Esteve to release his dark aura before walking towards the throne. Several Euphorion troops also quickly approached King Esteve and aimed their weapons at him.
"Give the letter to King Eudon and King Esteve," he ordered as he sat on the throne.
A tray containing a statement and a pen was placed in front of King Eudon and King Esteve.
"This is a declaration that now Zephyrus and Draconis are part of Euphorion and all of your military forces are given to me. Once you sign it, I will release all of you."
They were silent a moment as they stared towards the letter in front of them. King Esteve turned his gaze to him.
"Where's my wife? I want to see her!"
"Bring Queen Thea in!" he ordered. As expected, Queen Thea was King Esteve's weakness.
Two guards entered the hall and brought Queen Thea, followed by Frost who pointed his sword to her neck from behind, treating her like a death row prisoner or a serious criminal. But as a queen, her face didn't show any fear at all.
Everyone looked surprised. While King Esteve clenched his fists and tried to hold his anger.
"Insolent !!! Release my mother !!!" shouted Artheur as he struggled, trying to escape.
Angel frowned at Frost.
"It's unusual for you to act like that," he said, though he guessed it had something to do with Queen Thea's stubbornness.
Frost distanced his sword from Queen Thea's neck and bowed.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. She tried to escape so many times, so I have no choice."
As he thought... Queen Thea was so stubborn that even Frost was having a hard time with her. Angel turned his gaze towards King Esteve.
"You have seen your wife. Now sign the letter."
King Esteve was silent for a moment, he knew this was all his fault if only he had not approved King Gervis' letter and wrote down his request for half of Euphorion's territory maybe none of this would have happened. He turned his gaze to Queen Thea.
'In the end, my decision has brought a disaster to my kingdom and my own family.' King Esteve took the letter and read it.
"I will sign it on one condition. You shouldn't oppress my people."
"No problem, oppressing others is not my style. After all, I planned to let you continue to rule Draconis from the start."
King Esteve sighed, he never thought to give up this easily but for his beloved family and his people, he had no choice. A long term war would only make his people suffer.
"I'll trust your words for now. But if you don't keep it, I, Esteve Godfry Fallensoar will fight you to the death."
"You have my word," replied Angel.
After King Esteve heard his answer, he took the pen and signed it.
"Is this your method to conquer Asteria? How disgusting!" shouted King Eudon out of blue. Although a few months ago Ilex did not tell him why Asteria suddenly decided to wage a war against Euphorion, now he understood. The young king in front of him was indeed strong and dangerous.
Angel turned his gaze to King Eudon.
"Disgusting? My method is more honourable you!" he said angrily. King Eudon's poison had already taken the innocent people's lives, was he still fit to speak like that?
"You are too arrogant!" said King Eudon.
Angel laughed evilly.
"I don't want to know what you think about me, but if I were you, I would immediately sign it. Because I didn't prepare any letters for you from the beginning."
"It's better to die than to give up!" said King Eudon angrily.
"Really? Have you ever thought if you die, the power struggle will occur in Zephyrus?" he warned. If that happened then Zephyrus' people and Rose would suffer the most. He knew Zephyrus' nobles were divided in two and Rose was a woman. Even though she was from a royal family, her family name would change after she got married. With Zephyrus' state, which had just lost a war like this, they would get rid of Rose easily.
King Eudon fell silent and looked at Rose for a few moments, even though Rose was his brother's daughter, in fact, he had considered her as his own daughter. King Eudon took the pen and signed the letter.
"I will consider this as my apology for attacking Euphorion without reason," he admitted. Although at that time he was forced to, he could not deny his involvement in the war between Asteria and Euphorion.
"Uncle…" muttered Rose, her eyes staring at King Eudon in disbelief.
"One more thing ... Princess Rose must come with me to Euphorion," he said again. Even though King Eudon had signed the agreement, his poison was terrifying. So Angel still had to take Rose hostage, to make sure King Eudon kept his promise.
Upon hearing his words, King Eudon immediately stood up.
"AREN'T YOU PROMISED TO RELEASE US IF I SIGNED IT?!" he shouted angrily.
Angel stared at King Eudon sharply.
"I just want to make sure you won't do the same thing in the future. Take it easy, she will be my guest."
"I WILL NEVER ALLOW IT! WE BETTER CANCEL ON THIS AGREEMENT!" shouted King Eudon as he took his letter and almost tore it.
Angel quickly pulled out his sword and pointed it at King Eudon.
"If you tear it I will kill you along with everyone in Ironwall City!" He had no other choice, he needed assurance. His only options were either to kill King Eudon and Rose or to take Rose as his hostage.
King Eudon was silent for a few moments, trying to contain his anger before finally put back his letter.
Angel sheathed his sword.
"Princess Rose will leave for Euphorion tomorrow morning." He turned his eyes to Rose.
"And she's not allowed to bring anything." He had to make sure Rose didn't sneak her poison into her luggage.
She looked at him angrily. Yesterday she had hoped that Angel was still alive and took her away. Now that wish had come true, but in a way that she didn't want, because even though Angel said she brought her as a guest, she knew that she was actually just a hostage.
"Angelus, stay alert from me if you still want to live," she muttered as she glared at him with a challenging look.