Chapter 149 - 76: Always By Her Side

Chapter 149: Chapter 76: Always By Her Side

"Princess Consort Diana Williams arrived in Ovis from the Lien Kingdom thirty years ago. She became the Princess Consort of King Miles Reinhardt and gave birth to the kingdom’s Sixth Prince.

"She was gentle, loving, and kind to all. Yet, on a winter night over twenty years ago, she and her six-year-old son perished in a fire.

"That was no accident! It was a premeditated murder orchestrated by Duke Dubois! Because the Sixth Prince possessed extraordinary talent that threatened Colin Reinhardt’s position, they drugged the Princess Consort into a deep slumber and bribed a maid to set her bedchamber ablaze, attempting to reduce everything to ashes.

"And my father, the esteemed King of the Ovis Kingdom, knew all along! Yet, intimidated by Duke Dubois’s power, he actively colluded with them to bury the truth!"

At this point, both Colin and his accomplices on the stage, as well as the King who had been forcibly escorted to the platform, turned deathly pale. The crowd below erupted into fervent whispers, their eyes filled with shock and disgust as they glared at the accused.

To lay murderous hands on a fragile Princess Consort and a mere six-year-old Little Prince was an utterly inhumane atrocity. Not to mention, as the Princess Consort’s husband and the Little Prince’s father, the King had not only failed to avenge them but had chosen to shield the true culprits! If he could not even protect his own wife and child, how could the people ever believe such a King would be willing to protect them?

As he met the gazes cast his way and listened to the dense murmurs of discussion, the King’s heart sank uncontrollably. He instinctively tried to struggle and defend himself, but the guards behind him held him firmly in place, even going so far as to forcefully clamp a hand over his nose and mouth. Thus, in a state of utter humiliation, he faced his judgment.

"Unfortunately for them, justice prevails," Leander continued.

"After years of investigation, we have obtained the testimony of the maid, Sera. She confessed from her own mouth that she was ordered by Duke Dubois to betray the Princess Consort and kill her, along with her six-year-old child.

"Today, the evidence is irrefutable." Taking a step forward, Leander addressed the raptly attentive crowd. "I shall now proclaim the final verdict for Prince Colin Reinhardt, Duke Horton Dubois... and King Miles Reinhardt!"

The young man’s voice rang loud and clear, carried by the breeze to every corner of the plaza. As the Crown Prince, this was a crucial step for Leander Reinhardt to establish his authority. Standing on the moral high ground to personally sentence his brother and even his father might draw some criticism, but since ancient times, the act of placing righteousness above family ties had always garnered the support of the people.

As expected, once the proclamation ended, the citizens broke into resounding cheers. They loudly praised the Crown Prince’s wisdom and celebrated the fact that the guilty Colin and his conspirators had finally met their rightful punishment. A few sensitive women lowered their eyes and wept, mourning the tragic deaths of the Princess Consort and the Sixth Prince all those years ago.

Looking at the impassioned crowd, Leander quietly breathed a sigh of relief, doing his utmost to suppress the corners of his mouth from curling upwards.

His performance today was an absolute perfect score! Even his teacher wouldn’t be able to find a single flaw! After this, his position as Crown Prince would undoubtedly be secured, and he owed it all to...

With a quick glance, Leander spotted the two figures hidden among the masses. To avoid drawing attention, they wore the most ordinary cotton and linen garments, yet they still could not conceal their extraordinary auras. Leander’s gaze focused slightly as he gave them a subtle nod.

Lucian removed his hat in a polite salute, then took Lilia by the hand, leading her away against the flow of the crowd.

Colin and the other murderers were thrown into prison, sentenced to life behind bars. The King was sequestered in a remote corner of the Royal Palace, forbidden from ever stepping outside for the rest of his life.

This arrangement was the result of a discussion between Lucian and Leander. Leander had actually asked him if he wanted to make it clean and simple by executing them all.

Colin, Duke Dubois, and the rest were now nothing more than declawed tigers, entirely at Lucian’s mercy. Even the King would be easy to kill. All they had to do was imprison him for a period and then secretly finish him off. As long as it was handled cleanly, no one would ever know.

Lucian had pondered the offer for a long time but ultimately refused. He believed that for power-hungry scums like Colin, living out the rest of their days rotting in a cell would be far more agonizing than a quick death. They deserved to repent for their sins until their souls plunged into the deepest depths of hell.

As for whether leaving them alive might one day allow them to stage a comeback... Leander was no pushover either. After today’s spectacle, Colin and his ilk would hate Lucian the most, but Leander would undoubtedly be a close second. After all, it was he who had subjected them to such immense public humiliation. To secure his throne, Leander would use any means necessary to ruthlessly suppress the remnants of Colin and the King’s factions. Lucian had absolutely no need to worry about that.

With all the citizens gathered in the plaza, the surrounding streets appeared exceedingly empty. Sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling over the early morning city of Adrian. Gusts of a gentle breeze carried the fresh, sweet fragrance of flowers and grass.

Hand in hand, Lucian and Lilia strolled down the deserted cobblestone street. Never before had he felt that life could be so... unburdened. So unburdened that he could finally free his mind and imagine the future.

Lucian tightened his grip on Lilia’s fingers. Lilia instantly noticed the subtle shift and turned to look at him. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing." A smile graced Lucian’s lips, and his eyes were endlessly tender as he looked at her. "By the time we get back, everything should be packed. We didn’t book boat tickets this time. By carriage, traveling from Adrian to the Light Kingdom will take at least five days at the fastest."

And that was only if they used magic items. If they took an ordinary carriage, it would be impossible to arrive in less than a month. Lucian had arranged all these details well in advance, taking Lilia’s opinions fully into consideration.

For instance, skipping the water route had been a strong demand from Lilia. The last time she took a ship from Hillflan, the journey was fast, traversing the distance between the two kingdoms in a mere three days. However, the environment aboard the ship was far too stifling. This was especially true for a complete landlubber like Lilia, who had lived on solid ground her entire life.

Moreover, even the most luxurious cabins were incredibly cramped. Whenever they encountered turbulent currents, the room would violently sway from side to side, even while she was trying to sleep. Although Lilia’s Constitution stat was quite good in this playthrough, she was still tormented relentlessly over those three days. She absolutely refused to ever set foot on a ship again!

With their mode of transportation settled, the next thing to determine was their destination.

"Where do you plan to go first?" Lucian asked. "Should we head straight back to Hillflan, or do you want to explore other places? Like your former territory, for example."

As of today, everything he needed to accomplish was finally done. From now on, he had endless amounts of time... to spend by her side.