*Chapter 91: The Revelation!

In the castle, inside the study of Archduke Graz.

King Leon IX was strolling around.

With a touch of gray at his temples, King Leon looked vibrant, with a straight posture and powerful strides—there was no hint of illness about him.

Dressed in lavish attire, King Leon IX, who appeared as if he were on a grand outing, was curiously inspecting the workspace and living quarters of his younger brother.

The archduke's body had already been removed.

The bloodstains had been thoroughly cleaned.

What remained? The decor and furniture?

They couldn’t be called luxurious.

In fact, one could say they were plain.

Even the desk was so worn that the paint had chipped off.

Such a desk wouldn’t be used by a common noble, let alone an archduke, but how long had his brother used it?

Two years?

Three years?

Or even longer?

When Leon IX thought of his brother working at this desk, his previously interested expression turned into a frown, and he said to a close attendant beside him, “Take this desk and the chair, chop them up, and burn them.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The attendant immediately moved the desk out.

Leon IX then turned his gaze to the bed.

No velvet canopy, no soft mattress.

Just a wooden board covered with a thin linen sheet and a similarly thin blanket.

Even his attendants had better beds!

With this realization, Leon IX snorted again.

“Move this out too, and burn it.”

Leon IX ordered again.

The attendant obeyed at once.

But even after the desk and bed were removed, Leon IX didn’t feel any relief.

Because he saw a pile of documents scattered on the floor.

He casually picked up the top document and immediately became excited.

It was a report on local tax revenues.

“Sagu Town?”

“It must be a border town, right?”

“An annual tax revenue of 170 gold crowns?”

Leon IX vaguely remembered this town, thinking it was indeed a border town in the Kingdom of Leon. And for such a town to bring in 170 gold crowns in taxes was quite substantial. Back when he first assumed power, border towns would only bring in 30-40 gold crowns a year. But his brother had approved an investigation.

Clearly, his brother was getting greedy.

Leon IX quickly picked up the document below, eager to see the investigation results.

Then, the king’s brow furrowed again.

“The mayor and tax official embezzled 100 gold crowns?!”

“How did Graz know?”

“How could he know?!”

Leon IX threw the document to the ground, already having the answer in his mind.

Why did Archduke Graz know?

Naturally, because this archduke not only governed Leon meticulously, increasing revenues across the land, but also had comprehensive knowledge of the entire kingdom.

This made Leon IX furious.

Because such achievements should have been his!

“Graz, just wait!”

“I will surpass you!”

“And besides…”

“You’re already dead!”

As Leon IX spoke, his voice grew more pleased.

Yes!

Graz was dead!

The one who made him feel utterly powerless as a king, who made him bow his head for a lifetime, was dead!

Now, Leon was his to command!

He was the undisputed king!

A smile spread across Leon IX’s face, and he raised his hand to clap.

An attendant immediately walked in.

“Where are young Graz and that bastard Andinan?”

Leon IX asked.

“Advisor Witte has already taken care of them.”

“Their followers, Seelick and Mapel Boro, have also been dealt with.”

The attendant replied.

“Excellent!”

The last weight in Leon IX’s heart was instantly lifted, and he excitedly paced around the room, muttering, “I must reward Advisor Witte well! I must reward him well!”

Of course, he would reward this advisor generously!

If not for Witte’s accidental discovery that Andinan’s mother held clues to His Majesty’s laboratory, they wouldn’t have uncovered the ‘elixir of immortality.’

Nor could they have used it as leverage to completely divert Graz’s attention, ultimately leading to their current victory.

“Unfortunately, Witte’s appearance has become unrecognizable due to learning royal techniques from Snake; he’s really unsuitable for court. Otherwise, I would make him my minister.”

“But he can still be my Chief Guard.”

“He just needs to keep wearing that iron mask.”

Leon IX frowned as he thought of his advisor’s appearance, which had lost its former beauty and elegance, but considering Witte’s merits, he still felt the need to give him a proper reward.

The promised chancellor position was out of the question.

But a Chief Guard position was still possible.

No, that might seem stingy!

Let’s add a general’s title as well!

“The benevolent King Leon IX never shortchanges anyone loyal to him!”

Imagining Witte’s grateful expression, the king couldn’t help but laugh.

“Now go announce that Andinan, out of resentment for being an illegitimate child, assassinated Archduke Graz, Old Graz, and Young Graz, and was justly executed.”

“And Mapel Boro, a noble descendant who abandoned honor to become Andinan’s accomplice, has also been executed.”

“Their bodies will be hung outside the walls of Blacksetins tomorrow.”

Leon IX ordered.

As for the bodies of Archduke Graz, Old Graz, and Young Graz?

A state funeral was out of the question.

In fact, Leon IX didn’t want them buried in the royal cemetery.

The wildlands or forests outside the city, with their remains devoured by beasts, would be their final resting place.

*Of course, the newspapers will report it.*

The bodies of the three were severely damaged by Andinan, making it impossible to conduct a proper funeral.

“Let the commoners vent all their anger on Andinan and Mapel Boro!”

“My poor brother and nephews, they didn’t even have whole bodies when they died!”

King Leon IX spoke these words with a smile and then left the room, leaving the pile of documents behind.

The king knew well the importance of these documents, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

The 'Elixir of Immortality'!

After all, the laboratory of His Majesty Modius had only been partially opened, and the final door was yet to be unlocked—though the previous findings had already restored his health, the prospect of immortality was something he wouldn’t pass up.

Compared to his own immortality, what were those documents worth?

Once he achieved immortality, he would have all the time in the world to govern the entire kingdom.

He would surpass his ancestors and become the greatest king!

With this conviction, Leon IX walked out of the castle.

Then, he froze in place.

His attendants and guards were lying on the ground, lifeless.

Even a fool would sense something was wrong at this point. Leon IX immediately reached for the sword at his waist, but before he could fully draw it, a dagger was pressed against his throat.

“Don’t kill me! I am the King of Leon, I can give you anything you want!”

Leon IX shouted loudly.

But the next moment, the dagger slashed across his throat.

Splurt!

Blood sprayed out.

The dagger in Goethe's hand struck Leon IX’s chest and lower back several more times.

Only after confirming that the king was dead beyond any doubt did Goethe stop.

Staring at Leon IX's corpse, Goethe frowned.

Something was off!

Something was very off!

He had seen Leon IX's expression and behavior in the archduke's room just now and had heard the conversation with the attendant.

His first impression was that Leon IX was overconfident, arrogant, and miserly, refusing to face reality.

How could someone like that orchestrate such a grand scheme?

Goethe squinted his eyes instinctively.

“Witte?”

Muttering the unfamiliar name, Goethe grabbed the king’s body and quickly vanished from the castle.

...

At 22 Castle Street, Blacksetins.

Seelick was panting heavily.

Two consecutive teleportations had pushed the limits of his already frail, aging body, but even so, he had chosen to do it—Mapel had convinced him.

The seemingly flawless plan had far too many variables.

Rather than being completely passive, it was better to take the initiative.

Was it risky?

Certainly!

But it was worth it!

Moreover, Mapel was clearly taking on greater risks, while Seelick still had a chance to catch his breath.

Seelick knew exactly what choice to make.

Besides, even if Mapel failed to assassinate Leon IX, it would still completely divert the king’s attention, giving them the perfect opportunity to escape Blacksetins.

Or...

To change their appearance.

For him, that usually wasn’t difficult.

But now?

Even though there was a marker he had left here, it was one set by a crow, not one he had personally placed, so there was nothing for him to use.

The old advisor sat down, trying to recover his strength as quickly as possible while pondering his next move.

Andinan, holding a revolver, stood by on guard.

But Young Graz was restless.

Young Graz had opposed the plan.

Unfortunately, it was a three-to-one vote, so his opposition was futile.

Now, sitting in this quiet house, listening to the soldiers searching outside, Young Graz couldn’t help but ask.

“Is it safe here?”

“Of course!”

“This is the home of a couple who travels for half a year every year. They won’t return to Blacksetins until spring.”

Andinan reassured Young Graz.

“So the soldiers won’t barge in here, right?”

Young Graz still wasn’t convinced.

“They won’t, as long as they don’t want to cause themselves trouble later—the residents of Castle Street aren’t ordinary people. Their wealth gives them connections to the nobility, some even being nobles themselves.”

“So, as long as we don’t make any noise or show any light, we’re safe.”

Andinan said with certainty.

“That’s good, that’s good.”

Young Graz repeated, and then he sat down on the floor.

The archduke’s second son was exhausted.

Not just physically, but mentally as well.

The barrage of unacceptable news had left him utterly drained. The fact that he had held on until now was sheer willpower.

Now, hearing that they were safe, he didn’t care about his image and sat down immediately.

Then...

Young Graz felt a chill on the top of his head.

A dagger struck from the shadows, grazing his hair.

“Seelick!”

Young Graz shouted in terror, his voice tinged with sobs.

Seelick rushed over, but the old advisor, still weak, was kicked to the ground by the attacker, who then thrust the dagger toward Seelick's throat.

Bang!

In the heat of the moment, Andinan, unable to think of anything else, pulled the trigger.

The bullet shot out but missed.

The attacker deftly dodged the bullet and, in a flash, was in front of Andinan, slicing through the revolver in his hand into pieces.

Startled, Andinan raised his fist to strike.

But he was too slow.

Before he could throw a punch, the attacker had grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground.

Not only Andinan, but the attacker also bent down and lifted Young Graz as well.

The attacker's palm tightened in an instant, causing Young Graz’s face to turn a deep purple from lack of oxygen.

Andinan was in even worse shape, waves of suffocation crashing over his mind. But feeling the familiar touch of the hand, the young man’s eyes widened in disbelief as he mustered all his strength to shout—

“Mother?!”

END