Masked Knight
chapter-158

Chapter 158: Great Wind Rises

Translator: Evie / Zenobys Editor:

As a carriage left the northern gate of the Imperial Capital, Master Autumn was watching the sleeping Empress.

Seth had suddenly disappeared.

Rody thought bitterly to himself. Seth is still alive. He had expected this outcome. He used a flashy way to leave but left behind a big mess!

Rody suddenly realized something ridiculous. Seth had already left, but it seemed like he still won.

Seth had left, but he left behind the Empress and the child in the her womb.

How could that problem be solved? The Empress was absolutely not willing to leave with Master Autumn. She would refuse even if she had to die.

A woman deeply in love would lose all sense of logic. Rody was sure that the Empress would not leave even if she has to die. Now, she must still be thinking of the playboy, that he would one day return.

Master Autumn would also not force her to leave. If he wanted to do that, he would have done so many years ago.

As a result, the situation became complicated.

Although Seth had left, the situation still developed according to his plans.

What is going to happen to the Empress? What is going to happen to her unborn child?

Rody could already see how things would develop in the future. He had no choice but to take over and solve this mess. It also seemed that the only way to settle this problem was to go according to Seth’s plan.

It was a big joke. It was as if he had just swung his hand in a full circle to slap himself in the face. Rody felt depressed when he remembered Seth’s mocking smile before he disappeared.

When the Empress woke up, she coldly looked at Master Autumn. Her eyes undoubtedly showed deep hatred and seemed to say ‘You forced him to leave!’.

Master Autumn was very powerful, but at the same time, he was very weak.

Finally, the Empress called Rody to her side and whispered something. Her words made Rody smile wryly.

The Empress said, "Seth told me that the Emperor is dying."

After leaving the Imperial Palace, Rody suddenly remembered someone. This person might be able to help him solve all these problems.

Some of the things that Seth said was right. Rody was not good at all those crafty plots. His mind just did not work that way.

As a result, Rody explained a little to Master Autumn. He then quietly left the Imperial Palace and went towards the Tulip Family’s mansion.

There were many people outside the Duke’s mansion as compared to the past. Since the Prince’s mansion was attacked, all the other noble families had stepped up the defenses. Security soldiers patrol all over the place and even some streets were blocked from being used by the public.

However, at that moment, Rody’s strength was different. Even though there were many guards on patrol, he was still able to easily sneak into the mansion.

He did not go and find Nicole. He was anxious. He directly went into the small and quiet courtyard in the mansion.

He avoided the guards inside the mansion and went to the small courtyard, which was usually quiet. After that, he opened the door to the laboratory and impatiently whispered, "Andy! Come out!"

He took one glance at the corner where the skeleton used to be and found that the place was empty.

Andy was gone, and even the skeleton was gone.

Rody was extremely alarmed. All this time, he had relied on Andy’s advice whenever he could not solve a problem. In a sense, Andy could be considered his teacher. Unfortunately, he could not contact Andy after converting the dragon. At the moment, he had come back in high hopes only to find that Andy had gone missing.

Nicole was feeling uneasy the past few days. There were a lot of things happening in the Imperial Capital. There was an uproar in the Imperial Capital. News had continued to come in. The Prince’s mansion had been destroyed and a vampire had appeared in the Imperial Capital. The guards at home had stepped up the defenses, but Nicole continued to stay in her room.

When the news of the Emperor proposing to her first arrived, many people visited the mansion to congratulate her. However, soon none of them dared to say the word ‘congratulations’ to her. They all knew that Miss Nicole disliked the proposal. In fact, she was absolutely disgusted.

"Sigh…" Nicole looked at her slightly haggard face in the mirror and shook her head. "Nicole, aren’t you trying to revive the family? Why did you refuse the Emperor’s proposal? Are you a smart person or a fool?"

Just as soon as she said that, she heard a voice reply, "You are a fool. However, you are the most beautiful fool in the world."

Nicole jumped when she heard the familiar voice. She then turned around to see the figure with the familiar voice standing at the window. The window that was originally closed was now half open. That person was standing next to a curtain and showed a wry smile. He looked at her with tender eyes.

Nicole took a deep breath and was panic stricken. She looked again at the familiar face for a while before she exclaimed, "You are Rody!"

Rody smiled and replied, "It is me. I am back."

Nicole dropped the comb in her hand and stood up. She was stunned as she looked at Rody and murmured, "Your face… You took off the mask! How did you take off the mask? Also… how did you come back? You…"

Before she could finish, Rody had already taken a large step forward and clung to Nicole. He hugged her tightly in his arms and whispered, "Whatever the case, I have returned. Nobody else would be allowed to take you away."

Nicole looked like she had no energy to resist. She tightly clung on to Rody.

As they tightly embraced each other, Rody felt excited. He lowered his head and tried to kiss Nicole. However, Nicole suddenly pushed him away. Nicole had finally reacted as she looked at Rody and asked, "Are you crazy? How can you remove the mask? How did you manage to remove the mask? And... You... How did you suddenly come back? Do you know the consequences of doing so?"

Rody wanted to reply, but Nicole did not give him the chance to speak. "I know you are worried about me. However, I have already rejected the Emperor’s proposal! I will be fine! The Emperor cannot force me to enter the Imperial Palace! However, do you know how much trouble there would be because you desperately returned like this?"

Rody’s eyes looked helpless. He gently sighed and whispered, "Trouble? Nicole… I am afraid there is a really big trouble! I… I met Seth…"

After about two hours, all the patrolling guards suddenly heard Miss Nicole shouted loudly from upstairs.

"What!"

Nicole stared at Rody with wide eyes. Fortunately, she instinctively covered her mouth the moment she shouted. Her expression then turned gloomy and angry. She trembled as she said, "That bastard! Is he… Is he crazy?"

The was a knock on the door from outside, and a guard loudly asked, "Miss, are you alright?"

Nicole was still angry and immediately shouted, "Why are you shouting? All of you go back down! I am alright. Without my permission, no one is to come up here!"

After the guards outside the room left, Nicole could not help but walk back and forth twice in the room. She frowned and suddenly became angry and sad. Finally, she sighed and whispered, "Rody, this is really going to be trouble."

"I know."

Nicole thought for a moment before she sighed. "But it looks like the only way is to go according to Seth’s plans. He also said the Emperor would die! What does he mean?"

Rody shook his head. "I don’t know."

"You do not know what he meant?"

Nicole frowned. However, the moment she finished speaking, a guard called from outside. "Miss Nicole, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Gordon has arrived. He requested to see you immediately!"

Nicole looked at Rody and thought for a moment. She then replied, "Alright, tell Commander Gordon to wait for me in the hall…"

Before she could finish, Gordon’s anxious voice was heard, "Miss Nicole, I am already here. May I enter? This is urgent!"

Nicole froze for a moment and then gave Rody a meaningful glance. Rody immediately went behind the screen used for changing clothes.

Nicole then took a deep breath and said, "Commander Gordon, please come in!"

The door opened, and the heavily armed Gordon walked in. First, he turned around to close the door. He then knelt on one knee. He looked serious and whispered anxiously, "Miss Nicole, sorry for barging into your room. However, the situation is urgent. I also came here secretly… That is why, I cannot…"

"Please speak, Commander Gordon." Nicole replied calmly.

Gordon’s voice was not loud but it was very clear.

"Just about two hours ago, His Majesty the Emperor had suddenly fainted… The chief magician and the medical officer, after checking, said…"

"What did they say?"

"They said that His Majesty only has a few days left to live!"

"What!" Nicole jumped as she looked at Gordon.

Gordon whispered, "I had only just learned of this and immediately came here to tell you! Miss…" Gordon hesitated for a moment and then said, "His Majesty is in such a state… but he did not leave behind a Crown Prince! Now, the Imperial Capital is in a complicated situation… The Tulip Family should start making some preparations! Every time the one holding the Imperial Power is replaced, the situation becomes like crossing a ravine on a thin wire! At this moment, the Duke of the Tulip Family is not in the Imperial Capital, so I can only report this to you!"

Nicole’s eyes flashed as she thought to herself for a moment. She then whispered, "Thank you, Commander Gordon…" She then loudly said, "Come, prepare the carriage! I am going to the Imperial Palace!"

Gordon was surprised and loudly asked, "Miss, you are going to the palace right now? Now…"

Nicole shook her head. Her eyes looked strange as she lightly said, "I want to meet Her Highness the Empress!" She paused for a moment and then suddenly said, "Commander Gordon, please go out, first… I wish to change my clothes!"

In an Imperial manor on the outskirts of the city, Prince Barond was gloomily cleaning a dagger. His face was reflected on the cold blade of the dagger.

A trace of grief could be seen in the eyes of the serious looking middle-aged man. Suddenly, a flutter could be heard from the windows, and a pigeon flew in from outside. Prince Barond caught the pigeon and then untied the thread tying a slip of paper to the pigeon’s legs. After that, he took a look at the message.

His expression changed and his eyes turned complicated. After that, his eyes turned bright, and he sneered.

"He is going to die… He is actually going to die now…" Prince Barond smiled bitterly. "He is actually going to die now!"

He suddenly threw the paper in his hand, onto the ground and hatefully shouted, "Why? Why did my entire plan go smoothly but my son is dead?"

After taking in a few breaths, he gradually calmed down. He picked up the paper from the ground and read it again. He then laughed madly. "Hahaha… He is dying soon… Then I will become Emperor! I am the Emperor!"

He laughed so hard that tears started to flow out.

After he calmed down, he took a deep breath and shouted. "Come!"

Prince Barond looked at his subordinates that came in and said, "Dispatch people to the Central Cavalry! Summon Regiment Commander Barry to come and see me!"

Prince Barond sneered, and his eyes were fierce. His subordinates could not help but feel surprised when they look at him.

Prince Barond’s expression sank and was about to say something when another pigeon flew in through the window. Prince Barond quickly walked to the pigeon and took the paper containing the message from the pigeon’s leg. He frowned and said, "What other news could there be…"

The moment he glanced at the paper, his eyes turned wide and he suddenly shouted, "What happened? How could this be? She… She is actually pregnant!"

Inside the mansion of the Military Minister, Marquis Garoline of the Lionheart Family.

The old Marquis stood in front of the door. He had just learned of the news that His Majesty was dying and was currently unconscious. When he learned of this, his eyes trembled slightly, and he immediately gave an order to his trusted subordinate.

"Go to the Northern Legion immediately and tell Milo this news! Tell him to organize the soldiers and then wait for my message! Tell him to be prepared… but he must wait for my message. He is not allowed to act rashly without any instruction from me! Now that His Majesty the Emperor is about to die, the person to inherit throne would be Prince Barond… We were on bad terms as I was His Majesty’s trusted confidante. When he succeeds the throne, that is going to be very bad for me! Tell Milo to be prepared for any unexpected circumstances!"

After giving the order, the old Marquis sighed and murmured. "It is time for the person with the Imperial Power to change again… This really makes people become jumpy… If that Barond wants to make a move against the Lionheart Family… Hmph, he better not forget that we still have control of the Northern Legion of the Empire!"

Marquis Garoline was then escorted by the guards out of the mansion and was about to get on the carriage. Suddenly, a horse rushed through the streets and stopped in front of the Marquis’ mansion. The attendant wearing the uniform of the Imperial Palace then immediately jumped off the horse.

Marquis Garoline realized that something was strange and told the guards not to stop the man. He whispered, "Why did you come here personally? I have already received your message."

The man quickly walked to Marquis Garoline’s side and whispered something into his ear.

The sly, old fox had managed to keep calm when he had heard the news that the Emperor was dying. However, the moment he heard those words, his facial muscles trembled before he shouted, "We are not going to the Imperial Palace anymore!"

Marquis Garoline looked at the guard’s stunned expression. He gloomily and faintly said, "We are leaving the city! We are going to Prince Barond’s mansion!"

After Garoline said that, he boarded the carriage and gloomily sat in there. He thought of those words spoken by the planted agent from the Imperial Palace.

"Her Highness the Empress is pregnant! The chief medical officer confirmed it! Now, Miss Nicole of the Tulip Family is together with Her Highness the Empress. In view of the current situation, Her Highness the Empress had given the order in the name of His Majesty the Emperor to recall the Duke of the Tulip Family! This order had been approved by His Majesty’s two uncles!"

The old Marquis gloomily gritted his teeth. "Tulip Family…"

A horse quickly rushed in through the East gate of the Imperial Capital. However, it was not stopped by the defenders of the city as the person on the horse held the command token of the Imperial Family. The horse rode quickly towards where the Central Cavalry was stationed.

A horse also left the Imperial Capital using the North gate. He headed North using the main road. The knight riding the horse looked serious, because he was acting on an order from Marquis Garoline.

In the South, about ten miles away from the Imperial Capital, a dark horse was also riding quickly.

If Sieg or Gordon had seen that horse, they would be very surprised. That was because that was the black horse, ‘Garrus’, which the late Duke of the Tulip Family had ridden for many years.

The horse was taller and more majestic compared to ordinary horses. Its limbs were strong and its muscles powerful. The blue hair of the cavalryman fluttered in the wind and he had a resolute expression. He assumed the standard posture for a cavalry charge to reduce the consumption of physical strength as much as possible.

That was because he knew that the journey would be very long.

Rody was heading South. His destination was the Purple Leaf City. He could clearly remember Nicole’s words.

"Rody, the situation now is really dangerous. You have to return to the South immediately and recall the Wolf Fang as quickly as possible! At the same time, please get Regiment Commander Camus to gather his Southern Army Corps and return to the Imperial Capital! I have the written order here signed personally by Her Highness the Empress! Although Her Highness does not actually have the authority to do this, the situation now is urgent. If you tell Commander Camus the situation in the Imperial Capital, he should understand! If he does not understand, you must persuade him! Master Autumn is here in the Imperial Capital. You do not have to worry about our safety!"

Rody, originally, did not want to leave the Imperial Capital, but Nicole’s words helped him come to a decision.

Nicole said, "Rody… Seth can be considered to have betrayed the Empire and the Tulip Family… I… You are the only one left that I can depend on! If the Emperor dies and Prince Barond learns that the Empress is pregnant, he would start a coup! During a coup, military power is needed! The Tulip Family has deep connection with the military. When the Emperor is dead, who do you think the army would follow? They would know the moment they see the banners!"

Is it a coup? Rody sneered. I am not good at crafty plots. However, if you were to ask me to take the Wolf Fang Army to kill, then this is simple!

...

As the major powers started to move inside the Imperial Capital, something else happened on a remote and desolate hill far away from the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

It was a cemetery located outside of the city. There were large and small tombs erected there. It could easily be seen that it was a cemetery for civilians. Gloomy clouds covered the cemetery, causing it to be shrouded in fog. It was quiet except for two crows occasional crowing on the branches.

A strange silhouette was creeping around inside the cemetery.

The silhouette was piecing something together on the ground. After that, a light surrounded his body.

After piecing the ‘last piece’ together, the figure stretched his lazy waist. His wood-like face showed a relaxed smile and he lightly said, "I am finally done… I thought it was something simple, but it was actually quite complicated."

He looked down at his body carefully, then his eyes showed a hint of satisfaction. "Good, good. It finally has a more human-like appearance. However, I do not know how much spiritual power is consumed and how long it can be supported… It would be better if there were a fresh corpse."

After that, he sighed. "Let’s use this first…" He walked two steps awkwardly, and then he laughed bitterly. "What the hell! I am really not used to how a person walks."

He then continued to walk strangely out of the cemetery and finally smiled proudly.

"Rody, boy, I am sure you will be surprised when you see me! Haha haha … This old me is really a genius!"