215 Stall

'This is bad.'

Thales sighed internally. 'I didn't even have time to whip out JC's dagger.'

On the other hand, the stupefied Little Rascal sat on the ground and watched as the tip of a blade was pointed at Thales' neck.

The expression of every single person in the hall was unpleasant.

Only a split second had passed from the moment Tolja broke the ceiling and entered the place to when he defeated five people continuously and took hold of Thales.

The hot-headed Kohen gritted his teeth and was about to charge forward when Miranda held him back.

The police officer recovered his attention and wiped away the blood under his nose. Glancing at the mess around him, and at the enemy who suddenly appeared, he recalled his teacher, Zedi's words in a daze. '"One day, when you realize that you can finish off a fight in the blink of an eye… Then you're probably approaching supreme class."'

'Damn it.

'So this newcomer…'

Kohen dug his nails into his palms and stared at the prince, who was being held at knifepoint. He felt extremely unhappy.

Raphael glanced at the Red Witch who was standing by the door, then at the Fire Knight and Thales. His expression was ambivalent.

"He actually came from above…" Wya stared at the broken ceiling in shock. He then looked at the debris around them.

Kohen gritted his teeth hard and his eyes were bloodshot. "We only needed a little more time…"

"What do we do now?" Sizing up the situation, Miranda sighed.

A round of applause rang from the thick door's direction.

"Fire Knight, you're indeed worthy of your reputation." The Red Witch appeared in front of the thick door again and flashed a friendly smile. "Such splendid moves."

Pouting, Tolja looked at Thales and stared at the blade by Thales' throat.

He seemed to be very dissatisfied with the situation at hand.

Thales smiled awkwardly at Tolja and tried his best to think of a way to free himself. Unfortunately, the chances of that seemed to be slim at the moment. There was the supreme class Tolja, the mysterious Red Witch and the soldiers in the gatehouse.

"It was nothing much… None of them were in their best condition." Tolja shook his head. "They were already injured, and with you disturbing their minds using your words, they couldn't even coordinate with each other properly.

Raphael and Miranda met eyes. Their breaths became hurried.

"An acrobat who only relies on psionic ability." The Fire Knight glanced at the indignant Ralf, and then at Wya, who was supporting himself with his sword. "Impulsive and reckless lad."

Tolja then glanced at the other three. "They are… not that great either."

"You there, lad, nearing the supreme class? Heh," Tolja said to Raphael in disdain, "With those powers that don't belong to you? You must be joking. "

Raphael's expression did not change, but Miranda's gaze flickered.

Tolja then shifted his gazed and stared profoundly at Miranda. "Little girl, you can show those moves of yours off in a one-on-one fight, but when it comes to vigorous battles… Hmph."

Tolja turned to Kohen.

The police officer stared fiercely at him as well.

But Tolja suddenly laughed.

"You're not too bad, tall lad." The Fire Knight nodded slowly and revealed an approving gaze. "Among all these people, you're the only one who knows how to kill efficiently.

Kohen froze.

"Perhaps you'll be the most successful one among them," Tolja said flatly.

Kohen stared at Thales, who was being held at knifepoint by Tolja. He felt a surge of irritation.

On the other hand, Thales glanced anxiously at all of the people on his side. However, they were all covered in wounds. They were fatigued and powerless.

Calshan stepped forward.

"The Red Witch is said to be a good liar, isn't it?" Raising her brows, Calshan's gaze was profound.

"However, a liar needs no tongue." Staring at Raphael, whose expression could not be distinguished, the Red Witch flashed a slight smile. "You're not the only one who's stalling for time, my little friend from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department."

Tolja swept his gaze over the five people around him and furrowed his eyebrows.

"But… it's only these few people. Is it really necessary?"

The Fire Knight shook his head and revealed a disdainful expression. "The soldiers can totally defeat all of them."

Calshan smiled without any hint of impatience.

"First of all, we want to capture them alive. Accidents happen easily during chaotic battles," the Red Witch said amiably.

"Second of all, forget about the others." Calshan turned to face Raphael. Her gaze was indecipherable. "But this person...

"He is after all, approaching supreme class. You may not be able to hold back, and end up killing him accidentally." In the face of Raphael's unfriendly gaze, the Red Witch bluntly said, "Besides, he's from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department and he may have other tricks up his sleeve. For example, Alchemy Balls, or committing suicide before he's captured.

"After all, I took great lengths to force him to show himself."

Raphael said nothing.

"So"—Calshan flashed a smile once again—"my dear Raphael, can you hand over the Staff of Constellation to me now?"

Raphael seemed a little tired. He staggered.

Kohen wanted to reach out to him, but Raphael acted first and placed his hand on Ralf's shoulder to support himself.

Raphael leaned against Ralf's shoulder and panted a few times. He then steadied himself and fixated his gaze on the Red Witch.

There was a subtle change in his expression.

"The Staff of Constellation is not with me," the young man from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department slowly said.

"You don't have the Staff of Constellation?" The Red Witch flashed a smile. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were slightly visible. "Without that equipment, why would Morat let you be responsible for the Blood Calamity?"

"We don't rely on any legendary anti-mystic equipment to control the calamity's movements," Raphael said coldly.

Madam Calshan said nothing. Instead, she stared quietly at Raphael.

"Your prince is right before your eyes," the Red Witch said softly. "You do know that your choice will affect his safety, don't you?"

Everyone turned to Thales.

Thales froze.

'What?

'My safety?'

But Thales furrowed his brows at this moment. He saw that Ralf was moving his shoulder and shaking Raphael's hand off while his back turned to the Red Witch.

The Phantom Wind Follower gestured subtly at Thales.

"Stall."

Thales thought of something.

'Stall?'

Thales furrowed his brows. 'What is Raphael… waiting for?'

Raphael raised his head.

"I don't have it." Focusing his gaze, Raphael still refused to budge. "Even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you."

"Oh, is that so?" the Red Witch's tone was calm and natural. She sounded nonchalant.

But the next moment, her words made everyone frown.

"Alright, Lord Tolja," the old woman in the red robe said softly, "please cut off… one of the prince's fingers on my behalf."

Thales gasped and widened his eyes.

'What?'

Raphael shut his eyes.

"Hey!" Kohen could not take it anymore and said in dissatisfaction, "He's just a child!"

Calshan curled up the corners of her lips, raised her arms to her stomach, and revealed her wrinkly hands. "He's a Jadestar, and a descendant of the Imperial Family.

"That's enough reason."

Tolja furrowed his brows too. He swept his gaze past Thales' hand and turned to look at the Red Witch. He seemed dissatisfied. "Seriously? A little boy's finger?"

Staring at the Fire Knight, Calshan suddenly burst out in laughter.

"Of course it was a joke."

Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Staff of Constellation can be used to suppress most Mystics." Calshan shook her head in resignation. She then revealed an amused gaze. "Of course it's worth more than a finger!

"How about an eyeball?"

Thales trembled violently again and almost cut himself on the blade.

"Umm, wait!"

Thales instantly raised his hands. However, Tolja immediately rotated his blade and instead pressed the face of the blade against Thales' skin. Thales felt a surge of chilliness.

"The-The Staff of Constellation, correct?"

This time, he successfully garnered everyone's attention.

Calshan looked at Thales.

"It's said that you're renowned for your precocity, Your Highness." The Red Witch flashed a kind smile once again.

But at that moment, Thales wanted to stay as far away as possible from her smile.

Calshan spoke amiably, "Perhaps you would be able to convince him to work with us for the sake of keeping your body parts intact?"

Thales swallowed a mouthful of saliva and turned to look at Tolja, who was staring coldly at him. He then smiled awkwardly.

The second prince then looked at Raphael, but the latter only stared at his own feet.

Kohen nudged Raphael, but Raphael still did not reply.

Thales took a deep breath and looked at the Red Witch with a 'cooperative' expression.

'Stall for time...

'Right?'

"The Staff of Constellation..." Drenched in sweat, the second prince stared at the blade before his eyes. "That… Actually, Raphael indeed doesn't-doesn't have it with him."　

Calshan stared at him without moving. She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

Thales felt his blood run cold from her stare, but he tried his best to keep the smile on his face.

"Is that so?" Finally, the Red Witch sighed. "Then one of your eyes will be gone.

Thales was shocked.

Calshan looked at Tolja and nodded slightly.

"Really?" Miranda said in dissatisfaction.

Kohen clenched his fists and coalesced his Power of Eradication.

Calshan narrowed her eyes and smiled. She shook her head at them.

"Hey, Madam Calshan." Nonetheless, Tolja, who held Thales' life in his hands sighed and looked at Calshan. "He's only a child."

Thales heaved a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at the Fire Knight.

"Is he?" Calshan raised her eyebrows. She then smiled. "Then, forget about it…"

Staring at the interaction between the Red Witch and the Fire Knight, Thales did not dare move at all.

"But Lord Tolja, I've heard that your artistry of wielding the knife is so refined and subtle that you can hit a flying fly?" The old woman smiled slightly.

Tolja narrowed his eyes.

The Red Witch gently said, "Why don't you show us…

"By cutting off his right eyelashes?"

Thales' heart clenched again!

'Right-right eyelashes?'

Tolja let out a snort of laughter and looked at Thales. He slowly moved the knife in his hand. "This, I can actually do…"

The golden blade grazed past Thales' eyelashes and stopped right in front of his forehead.

The tip of the blade was placed gently in front of Thales' right eye. Tolja seemed to be measuring the distance.

Tolja snorted softly, and the blade trembled a little. "Lad, don't blink… You'll regret it."

Thales felt the cold blade grazing past his cheek. His heart beat rapidly.

'This…

'F*ck it... '

"Wait… I know!"

He could not take it anymore. He shouted before Tolja could cut off his eyelashes. "I know… I know where the Staff of Constellation is!"

This time, it was not only Calshan and Tolja who stared at him, even the Constellatiates looked at him.

Tolja pointed the tip of the blade at Thales' neck once again.

"The person from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department doesn't know, but you do?" the Red Witch asked flatly. Her tone was filled with doubt.

Thales exhaled and blinked his right eye vigorously.

"It is after all, owned by the Jadestar Royal Family." Recovering from the shock, Thales smiled awkwardly. "Besides, the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department did bring it here… because of the Blood Calamity."

Calshan narrowed her eyes. "Oh?"

His gaze flickering, Thales tried his best to think about the situation at hand.

'I must find an excuse that's believable to her, to stall for time…'

"The Blood Calamity was sealed last night." Panting slightly, Thales smiled in resignation. "But I'm certain that it was not the doing of the Soul Slayer Pike, or that knife owned by the Star Killer."

The Red Witch furrowed her brows.

'It's true.

'When the Soul Slayer Pike, Severing Souls Blade, and their respective owners were found, the Blood Calamity had been sealed for a long time.

'So…'

"How do you know this?" Calshan said slowly.

Meanwhile, Raphael's gaze had changed. His expression was indecipherable.

"I just do." Thinking hard, Thales licked his lips. "Another-Another person obtained the Staff of Constellation!

"He was the one who sealed that calamity." 

Calshan's expression finally froze momentarily.

Anxious as well as doubtful, Kohen and Miranda met eyes.

"Who?" Calshan said softly, "Who sealed the calamity?"

Taking a deep breath, Thales slowly uttered the answer he had thought of.

"A man… He was alone.

"He was a strange swordsman," he gritted his teeth and said, "and he was wielding a… strange, black longsword.

"The Staff of Constellation… was with him."