Chapter 278. The Aftermath (2)

Chapter 278: 278. The Aftermath (2)

"5th Circle powerhouses?!"

Under the dim moonlight, it was hard to make out the exact appearance of Jake and Yvonne. However, a corrupted servant could obviously recognise his mana signature.

"Mast- Ahem, everyone stay your hands." Jones Oliver trotted forward as he announced, "It’s Sir Jacquavious!"

As the knights holding magical beacons came forward, the rest of the nobles could finally see who had stopped them.

"Lord Jones indeed has sharp eyes." Jake laughed while openly groping the dragon girl in front of the nobles.

"That doesn’t look like Lady Pristina..."

"She has horns and wings... Could she be that pet dragon we saw earlier?!"

"What a beauty..."

Just as they were mesmerized by her appearance, they also remembered the terror they felt earlier. This cute girl could eat all of them alive at once.

Plap!

So when they saw Jake slap her ass while she submissively wagged her tail and even whimpered a little, a newfound fear arose in their hearts.

Audible gulps could be heard on the wide street. To think that such a large group of people would make a lot of noise, yet the whole place was silent like a library.

"There is no need to be so tense." Jake amplified his voice before adding,

"Thanks to the arrival of you brave warriors, the royal forces panicked and hastily sought to remove my pet monsters. They may have succeeded but at the cost of their own downfall!"

This immediately caused a commotion in the noble army which was only loosely united.

"Wait, so haven’t we already won?"

"I knew it. This city is completely deserted. We came too late!"

"Are you complaining about a victory? Do you want to die that much?"

Unlike the royal soldiers who’d been trained for years, the quality of the noble forces was much lower. They were quick to be swayed by big words.

Some were already in a mood to celebrate, while others were even more terrified of Jake. Only the elite squads felt suspicious. However, in front of two powerhouses, they didn’t have the balls to question anything.

Their noble masters were the same. Even if they felt that something wasn’t right, at this point, they had no choice but to cooperate.

"What happened to Averon II?" Still, one of the nobles couldn’t help but ask.

"Yes and what about the princes? Has the castle been stormed already?"

More questions came, to which Jake replied in a friendly manner, "We have already restored order at the palace and would like to formally invite our comrades from Ardin to join for a victory celebration."

Of course, he was still indecently playing with Yvonne while saying that. It made for a ridiculous scene.

The noblemen and women looked at each other and some even began whispering before placing their attention on Jake again.

"Of course, an army this big will cause a lot of panic again. So I hope our friends will be reasonable." He said before taking flight. However, he didn’t leave immediately and simply hovered above the nobles.

"This..."

No matter how dumb they seemed, this outcome was too unexpected and left them speechless. Since the war was already won, why were they even needed? Also, where were the nobles from the other provinces? Where did the strong royal army go?

Tens of questions popped up in the minds of these aristocrats.

"Should we return?" Count Renly softly said as he cast a quick glance at the brightly lit-up palace in the distance.

"It smells like a trap, indeed." A viscount beside him added.

"But if it’s really a trap, do you think we’ll be able to leave at all?" Another noble joined in, causing those nearby to draw worried gasps.

The ship had already sailed. If they ditched now, they were guaranteed to drown. Better keep sailing and reach the island instead. Once ashore, there might be a lifeline.

It didn’t take long for the nobles to start giving out orders.

"First, scout the perimeters for any monsters. Also, find out where the citizens went. If there are any nearby, ignore them. Only engage if necessary."

"You may camp in the city and consume half the supply. That includes meat and alcohol. We need the rest for the return trip."

"Keep an eye out for any ambushes. Remember, we are a coalition. Do not start fights with one of our own, even if they serve a different lord or lady."

Such orders were given out to the high-ranking soldiers who chose to stay with the army. As for the rest, such as the head knights and the private bodyguards, they chose to follow the nobles to the royal palace.

By then, Jake had already returned and ordered the Isenwing clean heads to welcome the incoming guests.

Meanwhile, their ancestor knelt in front of Jake and reported, "Master, I’ve found Thaddeus’s tracks. He has left the city and is heading northeast."

"Did he take any detours?"

"Yes, several. He even tried masking his scent and only used low-altitude flight to hide his footprints..."

"Hmm," Jake stroked his chin before clicking his tongue. "Cunning fellow, he knows too much. Try to find out his purpose before silencing him."

"Understood." Zevik turned into a smoky aftermirage in his kneeling pose, as if he was being erased from existence.

’This guy... What a flashy move.’ Jake speechlessly turned his attention to another one of his subordinates.

"Ivan."

"The second prince and his entourage have been brought back. They’re locked up in the east wing basement." The court mage bowed and replied like a butler.

"Good. Go activate the external magic array with the other two and light up a sanctuary flare. It should be clearly visible for the nearby villages and towns." Jake waved his hand in dismissal and quickly teleported to the east wing basement.

There, he corrupted Prince Roland and some important ministers and told them to come to the grand hall, where the celebratory banquet was being held.

Reaching the main wing again, he found Yvonne and Pristina chatting with each other. The pirate woman was asking about the dragon girl’s provocative clothing.

As for Bors, he was busy ordering the Royal Guardians who had made quite a scene after Jake appeared publicly in the form of Averon II. Of course, they were already corrupted by now.

The King himself had disappeared earlier today in the time of crisis, going underground instead. This had left the whole chain of command in a panic. Now that Bors and Averon both returned, the rest of the palace defense forces were regrouping.

However, Jake didn’t care much for those below the 4th Circle. So he left their management to Bors. He finally had time for some ’recreational activities.’

Before he went to meet and greet the royals, Jake had a sudden thought and teleported back to the east wing.

Meanwhile, inside the throne room.

"My King, what has happened to you? Why are you talking about a deal? I’m safe and sound, the hooligans haven’t done anything!" Sophia’s sharp voice was tinged with sorrow.

"Haven’t we won, father? I can hear them celebrating. The monsters are gone, aren’t they?" Shirley nudged Averon and lovingly hugged him. Daphne and Cecil also did the same.

But there was no joy to be found in Averon’s expression. Instead, he anxiously urged his daughters, "Listen to me! You must never be charmed by him!"

"Who are you talking about?" The three girls asked, confusion apparent on their faces.

The queen also seemed visibly concerned. "Shall I-"

"No, you don’t understand!" Averon cut her off and huffed, "This is a conniving demon. Don’t even look at his eyes, don’t believe a word he says!"

But just as that voice echoed across the room, an identical voice replied from the other end.

"That’s right, do not believe a word HE says." A familiar silhouette appeared near the entrance!

He quickly strode forward with a bunch of royal guards following behind him and shouted, "Sophia, my daughters, get away from that man! He is the demon."

"Darling!"

’’P-Papa?"