Chapter 307

Held hostage, Tara's life hangs in the balance

This chapter is dedicated to FP! Thank you for your encouragement and support!

Disclaimer:

DO NOT publish our edit anywhere else. Especially on social media. Otherwise we may have to stop doing this. Thank you!

Chapter 307 About 1 Month (7)

Having lost more than half of his Aurore, Kyle concentrated it solely on his sword and left his body exposed.

None of what the enemy knights threw at him was enough to inflict a fatal blow, but he was slashed and stabbed all over by the swarm of enemies who charged at him.

It couldn’t be helped.

Before entering the secret passage the Emperor had revealed, he had confirmed that Joseph’s forces far outnumbered his own, but he was used to such numerical disadvantages and had fought countless similar battles, so none of this was a problem for him.

The true problem was the presence of the nobles and citizens who were gathered to witness the Coronation.

Kyle had to plan his strategy with the safety of the nobles and citizens of the Empire as a top priority; this imposed considerable restrictions on his combat plan, which made it inevitably more difficult than his previous battles.

Nevertheless, they had conducted multiple mock battles with this scenario in mind. Their chances of success were high.

When the enemy forces poured into the hall, Kyle and the Phoenix Knights Division—hardened veterans of countless campaigns —roared like warriors charging the enemy in a field skirmish, cutting down the enemy one by one.

Since they were outnumbered, it was crucial to inflict precise, fatal blows, so Kyle swung his sword with simple, economical strokes and unleashed his killing intent to the fullest.

Even in the heat of battle, Kyle instinctively kept checking the area in front of the podium.

No matter how hard he tried to control himself, his body wouldn’t listen, and he found himself helplessly checking to see if she was safe. Kyle cursed himself inwardly.

‘You idiot. Snap out of it!'

A blade slashed his side—the same spot he'd deliberately let an enemy knight stab him just before he fell into Rock Canyon a few short weeks ago. Kyle forced himself to stand with his back to the podium.

From that moment on, he never once looked back, focusing solely on defeating the enemies before him.

Time passed in a blur, and then, suddenly, there were no remaining enemies standing before him; everyone was injured or dead. 

Blood pulsed incessantly from the wound on his side, making it difficult for him to sustain the Aurore flowing through his sword.

Kyle pressed his hand firmly against his side and took a deep breath. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air, surrounding him. He slowly scanned the battlefield.

As he watched the chaos settle, his gaze naturally drifted toward the podium—there she was. 

Then his gaze fell on the blade pressed tightly against her neck.

A bright red trail of blood trickled down her neck as she stood stiffly against a knight, her face pale and bloodless.

His heart began to race.

Logically, he knew better. He had chosen to turn his back on her; his knights were depending on him. But there was no other choice. 

He let go of his sword.

"You madman. Is this truly your last resort?" He managed to force the words out despite the suppressed disappointment and rage simmering inside him.

He hated himself for doing it.

“Let her go.”

“Hahahaha. Just as I expected, hehe, I was right! Yes! This is it! Hehe, hehe, hehe. Now then, tell all of your men stationed at the back of the dais to drop their weapons and come forward.”

The Empress, the Duke of Toulouse, and the Third Prince were already gone. They had immediately fled the Hall using the back exit the moment Kyle stepped forward. Chris had given chase immediately afterward, accompanied by a single knight, and shortly after, the back exit had been locked behind them.

"Walter."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Do as he wishes."

“...Yes, Your Highness.”

“....!”

Tara stared at him, wide-eyed. Her eyes were filled with a confusing mix of emotions that he didn’t dare decipher.

As Walter relayed Kyle’s orders, the knights waiting by the back exit silently lowered their weapons and stepped forward.

“And the ones who are hiding? Hehe. Order all of them to come out!”

“Do you really think we'd sink to your level? There are no Phoenix Knights hiding in the back exit.” 

‘But there is a knight hiding behind the pillar on the second floor.’

Walter's voice brimmed with rage, but he managed to leave the second part unsaid.

Hans chuckled and nodded.

“Ah, yes. Even your pathetic knight sees the wisdom in obeying. Hahaha. No wonder you lot get stabbed in the back so easily! This bitch truly has made things especially fun for me, hehe. Aren’t we having fun?” Hans's voice echoed loudly through the hall, every remaining eye in the room now focused on him.

Kyle shook his head slightly. Bernard stood just four paces behind Hans, crouched low as if prepared to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

"Hahaha. Nice try. Come forward and drop your weapon."

At the command, Bernard stepped directly in front of Hans and slowly lowered his axe.

“From now on, one more step and this bitch dies! I’ve made myself clear. The last thing I want to do is kill this fat bitch now after she's made things so interesting for me!”

He quickly forgot that she axed him… >-<!

Hans grabbed Tara by the forearm and dragged her backwards toward the exit. The knight braced behind her started backing up as well, constantly glancing over his shoulder as they inched toward the back door.

The remaining knight stood in front of Tara, keeping watch from the front.

Kyle stretching his hand out and broughit down twice from waist height. The signal for “stand by.”  

Then, when Hans, and his knights started moving, their attention split between their progress and their surroundings, he clenched and unclenched his fist and fixed his gaze on a pillar on the second floor.

‘Second floor pillar, stand by. Bow ready.'

The seasoned Phoenix Knights immediately readied themselves when they saw Kyle's signal.

Hans turned around behind the podium and reached for the back door. 

Everyone remained motionless, watching him intently.

“Heh heh. That’s right, that’s right. Don't move. If any of you move an inch, I'll slash this bitch to pieces. She'll end up like you—covered in blood from head to toe. Heh heh heh.”

The door creaked open, and Hans positioned Tara in front of the doorway before issuing an order to the knight holding a sword to her throat.

“Our allies waiting at the city gate will enter the Palace as soon as they receive the signal. So just hold out until then. I’ll go get His Majesty to issue the signal. If any of those bastards move, cut off a limb!”

“Yes… yes. Um, wouldn’t it be better if you took the hostage with you?”

“Are you suggesting I drag her all the way to His Majesty? Just hold out until I give the signal, and then I’ll return for you.”

“How long do I need to hold out?”

“Thirty minutes. Alright. If you hold out for just thirty minutes, I'll come back personally with more troops.” 

With those final words, Hans ran wildly straight through the back door of the Grand Ceremonial Hall.

The knight who was pressed behind Tara's back with the sword held to her throat pulled her even tighter against his chest. As he shifted, the blade cut even deeper into her neck.

"That bastard won't come back for you."

Kyle's words made the knight grip Tara even tighter, as if he was struggling with the truth of what he'd said.

“If you come any closer, I’ll cut off her arm!” He shouted furiously, but the words trembled.

Kyle watched the knight intently, biding his time. No one moved, and Bernard was no exception. 

The two knights holding Tara hostage stood their ground with an identical posture.

The seconds dragged by, then suddenly, a large bang echoed in the distance.

It was the sound of an iron gate slamming shut. The only iron gate in the Palace led to the sewers. Just as Kyle had expected, the bastard Hans had tried to retreat.

The knight standing behind Tara startled, his head jerking slightly to the left. Kyle didn't let the moment of distraction go to waste.

“Now!”

As soon as Kyle shouted the word, he snatched his sword off the ground and lunged forward. 

At his signal, the archer on the second floor drew and released, the arrow striking the knight holding Tara in the neck with pinpoint precision.

"Aaaargh!"

The knight standing in front was caught off guard at the sight of the arrow piercing his comrade’s neck, but still had the presence of mind to lunge for Tara’s arm, spinning her around and using her as a shield against additional arrowfire.

Just as the second knight was about to bring his sword to her neck, Kyle channeled all his Aurore into his blade and sliced through his back.

“Gaah!”

The blade cut into the man’s flesh so deeply that bone was visible beneath the gaping cut. The knight clutching Tara collapsed with a thud, dead a mere instant after he first grabbed her.

"....."

Tara’s eyes were wide, her eyes dazed and hollow with shock. But within seconds, he watched her expression transform into a deep, searing terror.

In the past, he would have done almost anything to hide the darkest part of his nature from her. He'd at least wanted to spare her this–the sight of him killing.

 But that, too, was a sentiment of the past.

"My Lady!"

Bernard rushed over and embraced her.

Her tear-streaked face made him instinctively reach out to touch her, but he quickly withdrew his hand.

"Assign the 3rd Knight Regiment to secure the area."

“Yes, Your Highness.” The knights standing in the hall replied in unison.

“He won't be able to escape through the sewers.”

He'd deduced that much from the sound of the iron door slamming.

He'd already stationed two Phoenix Knights near the sewer exit. The sound of the iron gate slamming shut meant that Hans must have spotted them, returned to the entrance, and closed the gate to block them.

That meant Hans had gone in and come back out. Of course, it was possible he had fought the knights, defeated them, and escaped through the exit. But that probability was extremely low.

Kyle took command.

“It’s highly likely that not only that rat, but also Joseph and the Duke of Toulouse are still inside the Palace. The 1st Knight Regiment will first confirm His Imperial Majesty’s safety and then proceed to the Third Prince’s Palace. I will proceed to the Empress’s palace with the 2nd Knight Regiment. Conduct a thorough search and capture every last one of them. Not a single person can be allowed to escape.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As soon as the knights in the hall received their orders, they retrieved their fallen weapons and fell into perfect formation. 

Walter approached Kyle, his voice heavy with concern. “Your Highness, you’re bleeding profusely. It's a deep wound, and you need treatment urgently. I suggest you attend the Palace physician before continuing. We’ll handle the rat and the Third Prince.”

“Bring me a bandage.”

Kyle still intended to proceed with his original plans immediately after applying the bandage. Walter clearly wanted to say something, but thought better of it when he saw the menacing look on his Master’s face.

Walter hurried off to find a bandage.

“My lady. I’ll get a carriage ready.”

When Bernard made to wrap his arm around Tara’s shoulders and escort her out of the hall, she stopped him.

“Wait… Wait a moment, Bernard.” Her voice trembled.

A moment later, he felt her approach behind him.

“Your Highness.”

He didn't turn around.

“You’re injured… and bleeding heavily… Wouldn’t it serve you better to get it treated, if only for the sake of your subordinates?”

“... That’s none of your concern. Besides…”

“....”

“Do you insist on violating your promise?”

“I'm not here of my own volition.”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’m not a spy either. Hans Button, that bastard, contrived this entire mess.”

"Well. I can't trust your word, nor can I trust that rat bastard."

"Make sure you capture him! Verify the truth. Or, even better, let me prove it myself."

Already starting here asking him to do what he promised to her during the hunting competition incident. He isn’t listening.

Only then did he slowly turn to face her. 

Her eyes still brimmed with tears, and her face was deathly pale. His gaze immediately snagged on the ugly slice across her slender neck.

‘Damn it.’

A sudden surge of anger washed over him. He felt utterly pathetic. Even after everything she’d done, he still couldn’t escape the instinctive reactions her injuries triggered in him.

"You have a truly awe-inspiring talent."

“Huh?”

“Whenever you're near me, I lose control of my damned emotions. Even today, I couldn’t focus on fighting because all I could think about was you.”

"...!"

"Even after you shattered my trust, I still can't come to my senses! So stop it!"

“I... I...”

She looked stunned, seemingly rendered speechless. When she stepped closer, Kyle immediately raised a hand to stop her.

“Don’t come any closer. I have no self-control left to speak of. I’m afraid that you still have the power to destroy me and everything I have left. Stop. Leave. Now.”

Fresh tears welled in her eyes, and Kyle forced himself to turn away. 

He was terrified. 

Terrified that a single glance would be enough to shatter the walls he’d spent all this time building. The hard shell he’d built to keep her out would collapse, and no force in the world would be able to stop him from pulling her into his arms, traitor or not.

When she finally spoke, the words brimmed with resentment. 

"Then why did you tell me you loved me?"

“....!”

Enjoyed the chapter? Buy us a ko-fi!

Previous Chapter l Table of Contents l Next Chapter