261 The truth behind the ambush

After Arwen and Kayako crossed the security measures of Ishikara castle, Teru's cousin warned them both. 

Unlike the castle in Agoria, Ishikara castle was in top-notch condition and it resembled the shape of pagodas. Kayako tried her best not to shiver since she had nothing but bad memories about this place as Arwen counted the guards roaming around the castle entrance.

Under the gazes of fifty soldiers and a few groups of mages, Arwen and Kayako followed Teru and his cousin into the throne hall where they saw King Noa leisurely sitting on his throne. He wore a red silk gown and a lot of pink powder on his face as well as blood-red lipstick. Kayako noticed the new golden hair wig he was wearing and except for his flat chest and masculine body frame, he looked exactly like a woman, or at least he tried to.

When he noticed Kayako and Arwen who were wearing a magical mask with scholarly robes, he let out a joyous grin as Arwen and Kayako bent their bodies and curtsied him respectfully. Every fiber in Arwen's body resisted to lower his head towards Noa but he didn't want to mess up the mission because of a simple gesture.

"Welcome! Welcome to Ishikara and sorry for the security measures, it's better to be safe than sorry "

"Your highness, this is Lord Kyle Moore and Lady Nyla Dean, these respected Alchemists are from Elvelon Continent "

Teru introduced them to Noa and went to stand by Noa's side as Noa signaled Teru's cousin to leave them alone with a glance.

"Please take a seat, Lord Kyle, Lady Nyla"

Arwen and Kayako nodded as they seated themselves.

"Queen Noa, can you tell us why did you summon us?"

Arwen's tone was neither too respectful nor arrogant but he had a little smile on his face while he spoke.

"Not a lover of small talks heh, since you came straight to the point, I should too but before that"

His voice faded as he turned his head and waved his hand. Then, a youth came through the adjacent to the throne hall carrying a tray full of various color herbs.

He paused for a moment near Noa and then walked straight towards Kayako and Arwen.

"My alchemists failed to identify these herbs and pills but I assume it'd be a simple task to Lord Kyle and Lady Nyla "

Kayako could see he was lying through his teeth but since she had expected this, she calmly took the herbs from the tray and inspected it. She smelled some herbs while took a little teeny tiny bite of some of the herbs before putting them back on the tray.

"Queen Noa, these are ruby cress, fire pepper, pygmy salt, and dream leaves and these are"

She took a handful of red grass and crushed them as they turned into a green powder

"Just wax grass, useless"

"If you have finished your tests, Queen Noa, we'd like to know why are we here"

Since the Alchemists were known to be arrogant and quick-tempered, Arwen sounded like he was irritated by Noa as Noa acted like he didn't notice the change in his tone.

"I heard you have Weludin pill and I happen to be in need of Weludin, so what say you sell that pill to me?"

"We do have one Weludin in our hands, Queen Noa, but someone else had asked first"

The smile on Noa's face quickly faded away and a deep frown appeared on his face

"May I ask who that might be, Lord Kyle? Or is that confidential?"

Arwen shook his head 

"Not at all, Queen Noa, it's King Don of Everlight, he ordered us to concoct the Weludin with some other rare pills a month ago, we were on our way to Agoria when you summoned us "

The mere mention of the name 'Don' sent a chill running through Noa's spine. He was the most powerful man in the rank four kingdoms and even in the top ten of the rank three kingdoms with his peak Grandmaster level cultivation. And if it wasn't for the freaks in black masks who killed him, Noa knew that he would have reached the Heavenly level and become an unstoppable force.

Arwen noticed the slight change in his eyes when he heard Don's name and confirmed that he had helped those creatures ambush his friend and king, Don.

"Why did he order Weludin?"

"He didn't specifically ask for Weludin but if we have to guess, I'd say he want that pill to his collection, he's a collector of rare things"

"And how do you know that, if I may ask?"

"We sold some items to him previously and his men often visit the auction houses in Elvelon "

"So that's where he got his items huh?"

He remembered the dagger that Don presented to him and he always wondered where he got such an exquisite item but after hearing Kyle, it all made sense to him.

"I'll double whatever price he gives you"

Since the freaks in black masks hadn't given the pill or the ingredients to concoct the Weludin, Noa couldn't let go of the pill in front of him.

"Sorry Queen Noa, it would be very unprofessional of us to sell the pill to you now after we gave our word to King Don "

Arwen shook his head while Kayako's palm started to sweat in fear since she knew very well what Noa would do if he doesn't get what he wants.

While Kayako was fearing what would happen next, Noa was controlling his urge to kill both Alchemists and take the pill. However, he didn't want to mess with an unknown like them because everyone knew that Alchemist was extremely rare and would have major power backing them.

"So if there's nothing, Queen Noa, we like to take our leave"

Arwen said and acted like he was about to stand up as Queen Noa stopped him

"Wait! Name whatever price you want"

Noa pleaded as Arwen and Kayako looked at each other and then shook their heads. Noa's face darkened when he saw them not changing their minds as veins started to burst out in his eyes in anger.

"Can I at least take a look at the pill?"

"He took the bait"

Arwen snickered inside his mind but on the outside, he sighed and took out a small wooden box which had the Weludin pill inside along with a surprise.

"As you wish, Queen Noa"

Arwen slowly walked towards him and handed over the box to Noa as he reached out for the box with shaking hands. The Weludin pill was concocted using the top-quality herbs and best of the best equipment in the Everlight castle lab. So without even opening the box, Noa could smell the fragrance of the pill and sense the Life Energy undulation around the box.

Kayako took a deep breath to strengthen her mind to face what's going to happen next while Arwen took a step back and let Noa open the box. Noa's heart was beating faster and faster as he slowly and gently opened the box to see a shining pearl-like pill reside inside. The pill was round and green in color as it shined like a jewel.

However, just when he was about to touch the pill, a light shot towards him, and before he could react, the light stripe straight into his head as his eyes glowed for a moment before the glowing disappeared.

"Arwen, my divine sense reached his mind, he will be in my control for twenty minutes, start asking the questions, our men are finished setting up the mirrors around Ishikara "

Reghys's voice sounded inside both Kayako's and Arwen's mind. Teru didnt notice the light or the glow in Noa's eyes as he stood there like a good bodyguard.

"Queen Noa, tell me the truth, what's your full name?"

Teru was confused at the sudden weird question but Arwen wanted to check the spell was in effect for sure before start asking questions about the ambush.

"My full name is Katsura Noa"

Noa's tone and face were expressionless as Arwen breathed a deep sigh of relief seeing the spell of Reghys is in effect.

"Now tell me, Queen Noa, did you help a group stage an ambush against King Don?"

Teru's eyes widened in shock as he couldn't believe his ears.No body except Noa and him could have known about this yet, these two Alchemists were asking about the ambush.

"Yes, I funded those freaks in masks to attack Don"

Arwen's killing intent skyrocketed the moment these words escaped Noa's mouth but he controlled his urge to kill him and asked another question.

"Why did you want to kill King Don?"

"He was growing beyond our imagination and we wanted to kill him before he reached the Heavenly level"

"Your Highness!"

Teru shouted and rushed at Noa to stop him from blabbering all out but before he could reach Noa, Arwen waved his hand and blasted Teru with a burst of wind.