Book 2: Chapter 53: Hide and seek (8)

Book 2: Chapter 53: Hide and seek (8)

The residents always gathered at the central plaza when it was time for a festival in the Empire's capital.

That was usually where they announced the start of the festival.

So many people have gathered.

I know, right?

Today, the central plaza as well as the alleys connected to the plaza and the commercial districts and all buildings within it were full of people.

However, the mood was noisy but oddly somber.

There was also a mysteriously heated atmosphere.

Its much better up here on the roof!

Some people had climbed up to the roofs of buildings to look down at the plaza.

Wow. All of them are to be executed?

There was a fountain at the center of the plaza. Starting from there, there was an area that resembled a piece of pie toward the Imperial Palace to the north. Extremely tall separators were placed to distinguish this area from the rest.

I can't really see the faces of the candidates because we are too far!

The candidates of the Imperial heir test were all within that separated area.

Hehe.

Mercenary Zero He was smiling while looking around.

"So many people came to watch people die~

Today was the day to announce the results of the second test, the Hide and Seek.

In other words, it was the day of the public execution.

He was looking at the extremely packed crowd and could not stop laughing as if he found this to be extremely hilarious.

I guess watching people die is quite entertaining. Pfft.

Numerous spectators were whispering while watching the people the candidates had captured.

Zero was quite entertained by this.

However, the gazes of the other candidates as they looked at him were not very nice.

Ha! He's gone crazy!

One of the candidates scowled while looking past Zero's shoulders.

All of them have burlap sacks over their heads.

They do.

One of the candidate's helpers continued to speak.

As expected of someone of mercenary origins, he must have received help from mercenaries.

There were a lot of people dressed as mercenaries standing behind Zero. Based on what they had heard, Zero had spent money to hire these mercenaries as he no longer had any helpers.

Zero apparently said that he was willing to accept points being taken away for doing this and proceeded with the second test.

The candidates who were now seeing the results could not hide the shocked looks on their faces.

There are over ten luggage carts.

Large luggage carts.

They were all stationed around Zero.

Inside them were people whose faces were covered by black burlap sacks kneeling with their hands and feet in shackles.

It looks like there are at least twenty people in each one.

They looked at Zero's luggage carts with envy and jealousy visible in their faces.

Zero had captured over a hundred people. He might end up being the victor of the second test.

The candidate who was chatting with his helper let out a sigh.

He brought them in bulk. It looks like he just grabbed anybody without really looking into their backgrounds.

Seriously.

This is not good.

The candidate looked around.

Do you think everybody did their research before capturing these people?

Although the candidates did not bring back as many captives as Zero did, they had all captured at least ten people.

This candidate knew that such a phenomenon was impossible.

Young master-nim.

He shook his head as his helper called out to him in a low voice.

Haaa, I know. The authenticity of the captives is not important right now.

He barely managed to capture one person.

It was also not someone associated with a group on the list.

They are also separating the groups on the list by tiers and giving points based on that, right? For there to be points on their lives

Young master-nim.

"Well, whatever. I'm already going to be eliminated. I'm done.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

He did not manage to find anybody from a group on the list but had caught a fugitive wanted for murder in the capital. That was the most he was capable of doing.

Young master-nim, there are a lot of people from the Imperial Palace around right now.

But it is weird. This kind of atmosphere It is not like the capital.

I'm sure that there are a lot of people in the Empire who find this to be weird as well. Please look around. Not all of them have the same kind of expressions on their faces.

His helper was right.

There were so many criminals in the capital? No wonder the House of Huayans and the Imperial Palace were attacked! Those rotten bastards! Kill the mall!

Tsk tsk tsk. There was so much trash in the capital. At least our esteemed future Emperor candidates managed to capture them.

There were people reacting like this but also

Honey! Please let me through! My husband, my husband is captured in there!

Mother! My mother is innocent!

This is crazy. They are going to publicly execute them? That many people? Are the academics not going to do anything about it?

This is not right. People are going crazy.

There were people whose hearts were full of fear, chaos, and confusion.

That was why the plaza had a mix of all sorts emotions right now.

Butler.

Yes, young master-nim.

The candidate looked around before addressing his helper.

The Emperor was standing as firm as Mount Tai. His entire body underneath his neck was completely covered by clothes now.

His wrists that were dyed black were not visible either.

Today, the talented individuals who will lead the Empire forward after me have captured those people hiding among us.

The Emperor's clever way of speaking Cale didn't pay any attention to the words that made it sound like the things that had recently happened in the Empire were done by the people on the list.

Human, should we tell them?

Cale slightly nodded his head. His gaze now moved to the Huayans patriarch.

The patriarch was looking at Zero with a stoic look on his face.

It was as if he was investigating something.

The Emperor continued to speak through that until he got to his final line.

The focus of today is not I but the Emperor candidates here, the future of our Empire. That is why I hope that you can sincerely applaud them for their heroics.

The Emperor then stopped talking. The Chief of Staff started to speak instead.

His Majesty has finished his statement. We will immediately commence reporting the results of test two and the judgment of the fugitives as soon as his Majesty sits down.

Waaaaaaah!

A couple cheers spread throughout the plaza like a wave.

The Emperor received the Knight Captains escort and walked over to the northernmost spot on the platform, a spot that was one level higher than the rest, with a stoic look on his face.

.

It was at that moment.

The Emperor stopped walking.

Clang!

The Knight Captain pulled out his sword and turned his head.

And the Huayans patriarch who also had a stoic look on his face Reddock Huayans also stopped walking and moved his gaze.

He was frowning.

"W, what the?!

What, what is that?

The citizens of the Empire had turned to look where the Emperor was looking. They all looked toward the same spot and questions soon fell out of their mouths.

Swoooooooosh-

A breeze blew by.

The white cloth covering Cale's face slightly fluttered.

His smiling lips appeared for a moment before they were covered by the white cloth again.

Human, Mary is here!

Cale lifted his head up. A large Dragon was flying toward the central plaza.

However, it was not a real Dragon.

Numerous white flying skeleton monsters had gathered together to make the form of a large Dragon.

The Dragon moved its white body, almost as if it was flapping its wings, as it flew toward the central plaza.

Clang! Clang!

Oooooong oooooong

The Imperial Palace Knights and black mages pulled out their swords and channeled their dead mana at this sudden situation.

The Chief of Staffs gaze turned toward the Emperor.

Above the Emperors head

A shadow had appeared.

This large shadow covered the entire area of the public execution.

The Chief of Staff started to speak.

Candidate 19-nim. What is going on?

It was at that moment.

Dang- daaaaaang daaaaaaaang

The bell on the spire located to the south of the central plaza started ringing.

It was announcing that it was noon, which also meant that it was time for the second test to finish.

People looked toward the head of the white Dragon made of numerous skeleton monsters.

A person jumped off of it.

However, a black thread that started from the monster stretched out, making that person's descent as smooth as if she was using magic.

Tap.

Heni Wishrop landed at the bottom of the platform.

No, Mary looked up at the Emperor on top of the platform and started to speak.

I have returned with captives.

The Chief of Staff had a rare look of shock on his face and he responded with a slightly angry expression on his face.

"Candidate 19. How dare you act so disrespectfully toward his Majesty?

Mary waved her hand at that moment.

The skeleton monsters. They started to move.

The white Dragon made of skeletons Its stomach split open.

Then people appeared.

It was not just one person but a total of eleven people.

They were all being dangled by flying skeleton monsters.

They looked like sacrifices imprisoned in a spider web.

As nobody could say anything while watching this

Mary looked not at the Chief of Staff who asked the question but at the Emperor and responded.

I have returned with the Pope and all ten bishops of the Church of the Fire of Purification.

The Huayans patriarchs eyes opened wide. His eyes were full of shock.

Cale's eyes curled up like crescent moons as he watched.

Translator's Comments

Mary brought the whole shebang!

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