Chapter 013: Coincidence

The night was pitch dark, and the bright moon in the sky had long been covered by clouds, pressing down on everyone like the oppressive atmosphere in Rui Gen City. By now, the Northern Legion had fully taken control of the city’s defenses. The imperial guards, who had originally refused to leave their barracks, were now forced to maintain order in Rui Gen City. Yet, the people inside were in a state of panic, unsure of what exactly had happened. Rumors were spreading everywhere. If not for the tightly closed city gates and the fully armed cavalry guarding them, someone might have already tried to storm the gates.

Inside the city lord’s mansion in Rui Gen City, the atmosphere remained as gloomy as ever. The hall had been cleaned thoroughly, with several large wooden tables set up, covered with sand tables, maps, and other items—clear signs of preparations for war. On the other side, the men from the Northern Legion had somehow acquired several brand-new sofas. Carol sat in the middle, frowning slightly, lost in thought. Simon, Gabriel, Evan, Oscar, Selina, and even Miss Angelina had all been “invited” by the Northern Legion. As the Northern Legion was known for being thorough, their injuries had mostly been taken care of.

After sitting for a while, a few astute servants brought each of them a cup of hot tea. In such weather, the steaming tea emitted a tempting mist. Carol gently stroked the teacup in front of her for a moment before suddenly saying with a forced smile, “There’s no need to be polite. I suppose your injuries have been taken care of, right? Come on… it’s deep into the night, and there’s nothing much to offer you. Just drink this hot tea to perk up a bit…”

The people present exchanged awkward smiles. Some of the more timid ones even started to tremble, but no one dared to reach for the teacup on the table. Carol glanced at them again and said, “You think you can ignore us? Very well… then we should get down to business. Who can tell me what exactly happened tonight?”

Everyone looked at each other, none daring to speak.

Carol suddenly stood up abruptly, slapping the round table in front of her with a firm hand. A flash of combat energy appeared, and with a crack, the fine camphor wood table split in two. The teacups and desserts on the table all tumbled to the ground with a clatter, and hot tea splashed everywhere, creating a truly eerie scene.

After doing all this, Carol sneered and said in a grave tone, “Everyone, you must already know what happened. I must remind you that we—of course, including me—as those present here have committed a grave mistake. The third son of Duke Green, the commander of the Northern Legion of the Imperial Army, Master Du Fan, was attacked and went missing right here, in this city lord’s mansion. I have already reported this incident to the imperial capital through the Holy Church… Although there’s no reply yet, I want you all to understand the severity of this matter.”

“Master Du Fan is not only the third son of Duke Green but also one of the three designated future commanders of the Northern Legion. Moreover, he is the youngest and most promising priest in the Holy Church. If I’m not mistaken, upon learning of this, not only will Duke Green be furious, but I’m afraid the esteemed Cardinal Anthony will also get involved. As for the consequences, I think you all understand better than I do.”

Saying this, Carol let out a soft sigh. “For example, as for me, Carol, I’ll surely be accused of dereliction of duty. According to the traditions of our Northern Legion, if Master Du Fan disappears on my territory and isn’t found later, I’ll likely lose my life…” With a cold laugh, she added, “But don’t worry. Even if I die, I’ll make sure you all go down with me… Well then… If you know anything, please speak up. Don’t force me to resort to extreme measures. We’re all nobles and gentlemen. If things go that far, it would be embarrassing for all of us, wouldn’t it?”

The others exchanged glances, unsure what to do. Those who knew nothing naturally didn’t dare say anything, but those who knew a little bit had ulterior motives, so no one spoke a word for a while.

Carol slowly sat back down, tapping her fingers repeatedly on the sword at her side. The hollow sound echoed throughout the hall, creating a deeply oppressive atmosphere.

Finally, someone looked up at Carol and whispered, “This… this lady… if I tell you everything I know, will you let me go?”
Carol glanced up at her, frowned for a moment, and said, “Oh, you’re the woman Gabriel gave to Young Master Du Fan, right? You’ve been with him the longest—tell me whatever you know. Don’t worry, out of respect for Young Master Du Fan, as long as you confess honestly, I won’t treat you badly. As for whether you can leave, that depends on finding Young Master Du Fan first. After all, you’re now under his protection, and I have no authority to let you go.”
It was Selina speaking. Her face turned slightly pale, but she still gritted her teeth and said, “But…”
“There are no buts,” Carol snapped. “Woman, I don’t have time to waste with you. Right now, Young Master Du Fan is missing, and every minute you delay could put him in more danger. So, I have no time to negotiate with you. But understand this—killing you is just a matter of minutes. But if the information you provide can ensure Young Master Du Fan’s safety, who would dare treat you badly? There’s no need to repeat this—you should all understand.”
Selina’s expression changed unpredictably. After a while, she gritted her teeth and said, “I’ll tell you…”
Carol waved her hand, and a servant brought her a cup of hot tea.
“Go ahead,” Carol said. Among the dozens of grim-faced cavalrymen, one immediately walked over to a table on the other side of the hall, picked up a quill, and got ready to take notes.
Selina thought for a moment and said, “I… I was taken into a room. About an hour later, Young Master Du Fan arrived. After talking to me, he let me go. Then, he… he…”
“What then?” Carol impatiently waved her hand. “Just say it plainly. What’s there to be hesitant about at a time like this?”
Selina nodded and glanced at Gabriel before saying, “Young Master Du Fan gave me a chance to take revenge, to avenge myself… Then I…”
Hearing these words, the expressions of those present turned somewhat strange. Was this woman saying these things at such a time without some ulterior motive? But with no time to ponder such things, Carol grunted and said, “Get to the point.”

Selina nodded quickly and said, “Yes… Later, I waited for Young Master Du Fan under the clock tower. When he and Lord Oscar came out, I followed them, but I didn’t dare to listen to what they were talking about… But after walking a few steps, someone suddenly attacked us… Young Master Du Fan hid me under the ivy vines and went out with Lord Oscar to confront the attackers. After that, I don’t know how, but I fainted. If you want to know what exactly happened, you’ll have to ask Lord Oscar…”

Carol nodded, gesturing for her to sit down, then glanced at Oscar and said, “Lord Oscar, when you were found, you seemed to be seriously injured and unconscious. What exactly happened before that? Can you tell us?”

Oscar was secretly relieved that the woman was unconscious and hadn’t seen his earlier actions; otherwise… He thought this but forced a pained smile at Carol and said, “Lord Carol, as you must know, I, Oscar, do have some minor skills. But after fighting against those attackers for a while with Young Master Du Fan, I was seriously injured and lost consciousness. I really don’t know what exactly happened. However, those who attacked us were wearing black clothes, with their faces covered. They moved in an orderly manner—probably well-trained soldiers… As for anything else, we really have no idea…”

“Is that so?” Carol touched the hilt of her sword and then looked at Gabriel and Evan. “Dear lords, could you two also tell us what happened?”

Gabriel and Evan exchanged a glance and said, “Let me explain. After Young Master Du Fan and the others left, Gabriel and I were also attacked. If it weren’t for the timely arrival of the Northern Legion, our lives would likely have been lost there. Anyway, we must first thank Lord Carol for saving our lives. As for the rest, I really can’t guess anything. But the weapons those people used seemed strange—could it be those barbarians?”

Carol sneered and said, “Nonsense! If those barbarians came to this city of Ruijen, it’s not to do anything else but to capture our third young master. Even if they knew he was here, it would take them a long time to plan—how could they act so quickly? Is there really such a coincidence?”