CH 53

Grieve had mixed feelings.

Their trip to Abby was oddly successful. The often lectures from various city lords were the only trouble they had along the way. They tried to give advice like, ”The blood was thicker than water,” “Father and son shall not be enemies,” and such, then symbolically stopped their carriage and sent them away with some gifts. Slair put on a cool face and firmly expressed that he wanted to fight with Robert to the end. Of course, those conversations could not avoid the term “Father.” Every time it was mentioned, the temperature in the carriage would be unstable. Although Rhett and Alex knew it was all just an act, they were still irritated. 

「Ugh,」Grieve brushed Choco’s scale and said, 「I can’t shake the feeling of something wrong… I was the one who had grudges against Robert… 」

「I think he hasn’t forgotten about you; there must be something waiting.」Slair joyfully came over with a basket full of fruits. He placed one in Grieve’s hand, then fed one into Choco’s mouth,「Give it a try. It just arrived, and it tastes delightful!」

During the trip, Grieve forced Slair to eat many lotus seeds, and he almost regained all his mana. Grieve was also more familiar with fire magic. After Slair’s reply, Robert was furious and made a few more angry statements, but they did not cause much of a stir. The gossip spread across Abby and Klein, and even the cattle-herding boys could sing a few lyrics about Robert abandoning his wife and son. Slair thought Robert would have new movements. Unexpectedly, they had a smooth sail to Abby’s border and were about to enter Klein.

In fact, Robert was anxious– A maid escaped her execution. During his bath, that damn woman knocked him out, jumped from the window, and escaped without alarming any soldiers. Those useless soldiers still haven’t caught her. It was like she had disappeared from the world, and not even a relative or friend could be found.

After finding out the perfunctory attitude of Abby’s city lords, Robert realized something was wrong. However, it was too late for him to deny everything. Things wouldn’t get better if that woman leaked any part of their conversation; if she only said Robert’s physical defects… It would be worse than Grieve killing him at the doorstep. His peer, subordinates, and the city folks would look at him as a “castrati.” Then people would question his authority- it just so happened that he had a “son,” and everyone would think that son was his rightful heir.

Anxiety overwhelmed him. First, the connection between him and his bronze puppet was forcibly interrupted, then someone hit his head, and now with days of stress and unrestrained drinking, Robert was sick. He laid in the bed, felt the heavy weight on the back of his head as if a boulder was pressing down on him, and every time he opened his eyes, he felt something flying in front of him. He started to have nightmares, and there wasn’t a night he could get a good rest. Observably, his mental state was getting worse day by day.

Facing the situation, Henry was the first to move.

「Robert,」He held the wine bottle and asked「You look awful. Tell me, where is the key to your treasury? Grieve is coming, and we can’t be unprepared.」

Robert slowly turned his head around with his bloodshot eyes and quivering lips. Henry thought he would give up the secret, so he quickly moved his ear next to Robert, but he only got spat on by Robert.

「Greedy Henry! You think I don’t know you? I will never give up the key to my treasury!」

Henry almost wanted to choke him to death. A messenger hawk landed at the window and let out a cry. Henry took the message down and saw a letter from his son.

As he opened the letter, an uncontrollable smile appeared on his face. And then his expression suddenly changed, he picked up Robert by his collar and shouted:「ROBERT! How did you convince my son, Jim, to join you and deceive me? Didn’t you say you had recommended him to His Majesty, and he is training with the Knights of the Capital?! How could you use my son as a shield?!! If my son isn’t an honest man and tells me the truth in the letter, would you still keep me in the dark when he is dead?!」

「That’s your shield, Henry.」 Robert said slowly and tried to catch a breath, 「You can kill me, but then no one would know the location of those dragon artifacts.」

「You’re a lunatic!」

Henry left Robert and took out an object– Jim had used it before, and Robert gave it to him as a means of transportation. After using it, Jim found it to be potent and left it to his father. Actually, it hadn’t been replenished with magic for a long time and showed a warning color. However, Henry didn’t know and couldn’t care less about it. He rode it toward the border of Abby and Klein.

「Jim?」Grieve was surprised. He didn’t expect Jim to be the first familiar face he saw in Klein 「Is Henry here too? Shouldn’t you be with your father?」

「I have thought things through, Your Highness,」Jim raised his sword to Grieve,「As you will fight for your father, I will fight for mine. If I can stop you, my father won’t have to suffer anymore.」

Grieve stared at him for a long time, and he saw the determination of a warrior on Jim’s face.

「If you made up your mind and were not compelled by Robert. I can agree to a death duel with you」Grieve also took out his sword, the fire engraving lit up, and bright flames surrounded the entire blade,「 But Jim, your father was bonded to suffer the pain. It was either the pain of losing his life or his son and his life, because I will not lose.」

Jim’s face turned pale the moment he saw the flame sword. He fought Grieve once, and if their weapons were equal, they might end with a draw. But what chance did he have against a miracle sword?

「Your Highness, I fear death too. However, how can I bear to let my father face an adversary like you?」

Jim struck Grieve first, and Grieve also raised his sword to meet it. As the two swords were about to collide, a loud noise came from above. Henry held his sword up high, his eyes glowing red, staring at Grieve– Faster, a little faster; at this speed, I could pierce Grieve before their swords met.

Slair sat in the carriage with a smile. He flicked his finger and shot a wing arrow at Henry– but the attack missed. The thing Henry rode on started beeping, suddenly stopping and falling from the air.

Henry’s body landed right between Grieve and Jim. Jim was horrified to feel his blade pierce the man in from of him, and at the same time a flame swept in, both Henry and his sword were turned into dust.

Jim took a few steps back helplessly and then fell to the ground: 「I KILLED MY FATHER! I MURDERED MY FATHER! O DRAGON GOD！」

「We hit him at the same time, Jim」 Grieve said,「It was an accident; this is not your sin.」

「Please kill me, Your Highness」Jim cried,「I have committed such a crime; there is nothing left for me to live for! Please kill me and let me join those sprites dead in battles,」

「I don’t hold any grudge against you,」Grieve pat him on the head,「If I remember correctly, you still have a mother and a grandmother, but you have no siblings, wife, or kids. Are you going to end your family bloodline? You said you would guard me until I stand in front of your father, then you will face me with your father. But now you stopped me mid-way– If I guess things correctly, Robert must have said something to you and your grandmother. Now your father has passed away, you are the only one who can protect the women in your family.」

Grieve took back his sword and headed back to the carriage, then he saw that golden pillar Henry rode on. Since it lacked magic energy, the noise it made was getting weaker and weaker.

「Is this a dragon artifact? I think Alex and Rhett said the dragon artifacts need to be recycled…」Grieve picked it up, walked past Jim, hopped on the carriage, and passed that thing to Slair.

Once it came in contact with two men who contained magic energy, it replenished a little, and its alarm sounded off again.

『Magic low! Magic Low! WARNING! WARNING! This vibrator could no longer maintain free speed mode! This vibrator could no longer maintain free speed mode! Please recharge! Please recharge! 』