Throne of Magical Arcana - Chapter 537
Chapter 537: Cooperation
In order to trick everyone, David did not seem to have prepared any items against the poisons or curses. He did not carry any drugs that could relieve ‘Helpless Kiss’, either. At this moment, under Duke James’ roar, he could do nothing except to look back at him in desperation and craziness.
To be honest, even an archmage of the Congress might not have equipment or drugs that could nullify the level-nine ‘Helpless Kiss’. It was needless to mention the nobles.
Gold dragon scales surfaced on Duke James’ skin as he released his supreme dominance. Stomping on David’s abdomen, he slightly suppressed his ‘Helpless Kiss’ and restored David’s language ability. “Tell me! Why did you do this?”
David understood that his scheme had been exposed when the special bottle of ‘honey’ rolled out of his belt. Assassinating one’s liege was an unpardonable crime for the nobles. He burst into laughter crazily and hopelessly. “Why did I do this? You should ask yourselves!”
“Did we ask you to assassinate Her Majesty?” Duke James roared angrily like a dragon.
David took a few deep breaths. “What sweet fragrance, just like the intoxicating hope. Ever since I was born, you had been telling me that Prince Patrick might not live a long time and would certainly have no children, and that I would be the one who acceded to the throne.”
“Therefore, I built myself up all the time. I improved my chivalry. I held myself with noble character. I approached you and the Congress of Magic, not letting any flaw from my future ascendancy. I hoped to control Holm and even echo with ‘Sword of Truth’, touching the mysteries of the legendary knights.”
“My whole life was for the throne, but you abandoned me all of a sudden and chose this uncanny queen instead! How long did she live in Holm? Did she ever strive for the throne? I don’t buy it! I want to take back what is mine!”
James was rather embarrassed as David talked crazily. David was a backup candidate that they groomed because of his identity and his tendencies towards the Congress of Magic. But naturally, when Natasha, who was more suitable, appeared, they abandoned him without any hesitation. They did not expect that he was so covetous about the throne that he would bite the people who raised him.
However, as a senior noble, James did not let his embarrassment last for long. He said angrily, “That’s why you conspired with the Dark Congress to kill Her Majesty and us? I get it. He would’ve left you unkilled for some reason, and you would’ve worked with him, blaming this murder on ‘Cursed Angel’ Grunwell. The Church, to appease the nobles who favor the Congress and the neural nobles, and not to divide the kingdom, would’ve chosen you as the king.”
David was dazed. Then he burst into such crazy laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke. Duke James and Lucien both frowned.
He looked at Duke James, almost unable to catch his breath. “You really bought it?”
“You believe everything he said? How naive!”
“Who do you think would be convinced by my story, if you, a gold knight, were killed but I, a mere gold knight, survived?”
“He is not ‘Poisonous Devil’?” Recalling the fake clues that ‘Primous’ made, Lucien observed calmly.
In the meantime, Lucien took out the crystal ball, testing Alferris’ whereabouts.
Because of ‘Helpless Kiss’, David was out of strength as he laughed. He said both weakly and cockily, “If he were really as hysterical and maniac as ‘Poisonous Devil’, how could he have been sent for this mission, and how could he have trapped rational experts like you? ‘Poisonous Devil’ is a lunatic, but I am not one!”
“He intentionally mimicked ‘Poisonous Devil’ and confessed his scheme in order to mislead you into thinking about the Dark Congress.”
“Duke, you’re not wrong about one thing. After he killed Natasha and Lucien, he would’ve broken the divine power defense, pretending that it was an accident, so that the other nobles would notice it. Then, in order not to be killed by the legendary experts, he could only flee in panic after killing a few random nobles who were inclined to the Congress. Therefore, only one of you would’ve died, and the rest would’ve survived with me and revealed the scheme of the Dark Congress. That way, the kingdom would be kept intact.”
The crystal ball became dark, and the Host Stars of Destiny showed up. Lucien was too occupied to ask anything, but Duke James inquired earnestly, “Who is he exactly?”
David snorted. “You still haven’t got it? It is so obvious now!”
It was truly impossible to communicate with a lunatic. Duke James stomped and pressed back David’s voice.
“Who is he?”
David cackled crazily, “Didn’t he mention that he would blame it on ‘Cursed Angel’ Grunwell? You think it was just a random talk? It was just a trick. He was exactly ‘Cursed Angel’ Grunwell, a level-nine gold knight of the same Demon Lord bloodline as ‘Poisonous Devil’!”
“Grunwell, the night watchers!” Duke James looked at Grunwell who was standing like a statue in fury. It was a night watcher!
After murdering a baron radically, they were even thinking of killing the bigger nobles!
For a moment, Duke James was full of disgust against the night watchers and the Church. If he did not need them to balance the Congress of Magic, he would’ve advocated banishing the Church from Holm!
Natasha, Russell and Camil looked more or less the same after hearing David’s reply. The only difference was that the latter two did not even have the strength to frown.
Noticing Duke James’ awful face, David smiled even more delightedly. “Very angry and very desperate about the Church? Then, let me tell you something even more infuriating.”
“What is it?” Duke James demanded.
David laughed very happily, “Think about it. Is it easy for me, a noble who was close to the Congress of Magic, to get in touch and conspire with someone who ranked top ten among the night watchers? Could my fury have burst out so soon? Let me tell you. It was all because of the nobles who were inclined to the Church. They triggered the devil in my heart. Hehe. They did not want the kingdom to fall into a civil war. Therefore, they asked Grunwell to pretend to be ‘Poisonous Devil’ of the Dark Congress. After everything was over and you elected me as the king, you would find that the most conservative nobles also supported your opinion!”
“By then, you would’ve thought that they were doing it to appease you and to maintain ‘solidarity’ in order to live through the difficulties!”
Duke James said gloomily, “Who was it? Any noble who attempts to kill their liege must be hanged!”
It would matter if such a thing was done in secret, but if it was revealed, it would be the most severe crime that challenged the entire noble class.
“Count Barady, Duke York, and perhaps President Rex.” David replied with a smile, selling them out without any hesitation, and even adding more.
Now that I’m about to die, what’s the point of keeping Holm complete and prosperous? You should die. Let a civil war reduce Holm into ruins. That will be the best offering for me!
Duke James couldn’t have looked more awful. He declared, one word after another, “I’ll ask sorcerers, knights who are adept at interrogation, and the members of the inquisition to question you in turns. I hope you’re not lying.”
If it was only Count Barady, it would’ve been easier. However, behind Duke York had Kritonia, a legendary knight, and Rex was the leader of the conservatives. If they were involved in the matter, it would have to be handled with caution. Also, David was not necessarily speaking the truth.
“You won’t be disappointed, Duke. Did you ever wonder why the prince died so coincidentally? Haha!” David burst into laughter, not bothering that they saw through his exaggeration in the end. After all, the seed of suspicion had been planted!
Hearing him pointing out the problems about Prince Patrick’s death, Duke James looked so awful that his face seemed to be dripping water. Natasha, however, continued focusing her willpower as if she did not hear anything, but coldness did beam out of her silver eyes.
Lucien was less puzzled after learning that it was done by night watchers. They were ‘professionals’ to eliminate sorcerers and evil forces. Naturally, they had their ways to avoid the detection of the Host Star of Destiny. Also, he was levels lower than the criminal.
At this moment, the Host Star of Destiny of ‘Alferris’ glittered on the crystal ball, implying that it was unhurt and not far away.
What surprised Lucien, however, was that two clusters of powerful projections of fate lay next to the Host Star of Destiny of the Little Crystal. They were very fuzzy but they did not cover themselves, allowing Lucien to identify them very easily.
“Master? Your Excellency Hathaway?”
What exactly is going on?
……
In midair, Fernando, the Lord of Storm, stared at the void before him with his red eyes wide open. On his left side was the indifferent Hathaway, and behind him squatted the clever Alferris.
It informed his master the moment it noticed that something was wrong.
“Sard, why did you ask us to watch this? To let me see how my student makes a comeback?” Asked Fernando solemnly.
The air not far away seemed to have been gathered into the shadow of a person, who smiled peacefully, “How would the liberals seek another way of balance, and how would they abandon the Church at the critical moment without any hesitation, if they had not been through life-and-death dangers that made them desperate about the Church first?”
“What do you want exactly?” Fernando squinted.
“Cooperation. I want to cooperate with you.”
Sard’s projection spoke concisely.
