Aldany looked at the departing high priests with a mixture of surprise and frustration.
He couldn’t accept that his plan had failed so completely.
He shouted loudly toward the high priests, “The trial isn’t over yet! Why are you leaving? Are you just going to let this human spy continue to operate in Serpent’s Eye Lake Oasis?”
Not a single high priest turned back.
No matter what Aldany said, the high priests didn’t respond.
In this situation, he had no more options.
On his own, he was absolutely incapable of defeating Charles.
With a vicious glare, he turned to face Charles and Zara.
“This isn’t over! I will never let you two escape punishment so easily!”
After throwing down his threatening words, Aldany stormed out of the room.
Charles simply gave a cold laugh in response to Aldany’s threat.
He didn’t take it seriously at all.
If Aldany had the power to kill him, he would have done it by now.
The only reason Aldany was going through all this trouble to frame him was because Aldany didn’t have the strength to defeat him on his own.
Aldany needed the power of the Serpent Empire to have any hope of killing Charles.
“What should we do next? Aldany will definitely follow through on his threats. He’s the kind of person who will carry out his malice,”
Zara said, finally seeing Aldany for who he truly was.
She no longer planned to trust a single word from Aldany. She was now fully on Charles’s side.
Charles smiled with satisfaction.
“What we need to do next is interrogate Azka. Kent the High Priest just revealed the name of that Serpent Beast Master!”
To Charles, whether or not Azka had participated in Aldany’s conspiracy didn’t matter.
Azka surely held a great deal of information.
If they could get enough intel from him, the next steps would become much easier.
Charles and Zara quickly returned to Zara’s residence.
At the deepest part of the residence, Azka was sealed inside a cage made of shadows.
Upon seeing the two of them arrive, Azka quickly closed his eyes.
His actions indicated that he was not willing to submit easily.
Charles sneered.
“It seems you still haven’t thought this through! Since you’re unwilling to cooperate, don’t blame me for being rude.”
After saying this, Charles released Max and Mousie.
The two mystical beasts immediately began using their abilities to attack Azka.
Their attacks weren’t lethal, but they were enough to make Azka experience intense pain.
Charles believed that it wouldn’t take long before Azka would give in.
However, things went beyond his expectations.
Fifteen minutes passed, and Azka still hadn’t submitted.
Mousie was even getting tired and didn’t want to continue the attacks.
“It seems that you’re really not good at torturing,” Charles remarked, casting a glance at Mousie, who had hidden in the shadows.
At this moment, Zara stepped closer to Charles.
She lowered her voice and said,
“It looks like Azka will never submit! Should we try to find other leads?”
“Never submit?” Charles sneered, “You’re completely wrong! I’ll make him submit right away!”
Charles had already realized that torture alone wouldn’t make Azka yield.
However, while he had just scolded Mousie, he had caught a glimpse of Azka’s changing expression from the corner of his eye.
He was now certain that Azka was a Beast Master who truly cared for his mystical beasts.
Making a Beast Master like that submit was actually quite easy.
Charles immediately pulled Azka’s two mystical beasts over.
“I know your will is strong enough, and you clearly don’t care about your own life. So, I’m not going to do anything more to you. I’m going to find another way to break you.”
With a smile on his face, Charles said this and then drew out the black gold long knife.
“You should know the power of this weapon. I’m going to slowly kill your mystical beasts with it!”
Charles slowly moved the knife toward the mystical beasts.
Just as the blade was about to strike, Azka, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up.
“Wait!”
Charles immediately stopped.
He sneered and asked, “Wait for what? Aren’t you unwilling to cooperate with me? In that case, I’ll kill your mystical beasts first and then send you on your way.”
After saying this, he made as if to continue.
“Don’t hurt my mystical beasts! I’ll cooperate with you! I’ll answer any questions you have!”
Azka seemed to have resigned himself, speaking dejectedly.
Charles smiled and put the black gold long knife away.
“See, this is much simpler for all of us!”
He then resealed the two mystical beasts.
“I’m giving you one last warning. If you try to play tricks, I won’t hesitate to kill your mystical beasts.”
Azka nodded silently, not saying a word.
“Why were you monitoring us? Was it an order from Aldany?”
Charles asked the question he was most concerned about.
Azka nodded and answered,
“It was an order from High Priest Aldany. I did follow his instructions. But even if he hadn’t given the order, I would have monitored you because, after all, you’re just a human.”
Azka’s answer was straightforward and clear.
“Do you and Aldany have any other plans? Have you two conspired to frame me?”
Charles asked, his voice sharp and direct.
Upon hearing this question, a look of confusion appeared on Azka’s face.
“Why would High Priest Aldany and I want to frame you?”
“I’m asking you now, not the other way around! Just answer my question, and don’t try to distract me,”
Charles coldly warned him.
Although Azka’s behavior so far hadn’t raised any immediate suspicion, Charles wasn’t about to trust him so easily.
He still believed that every move Azka made was likely to be a deception.
“We didn’t conspire. In fact, I only returned to Serpent’s Eye Lake Oasis a few days ago. It was General Sost who ordered me to come back,”
Azka mentioned General Sost again.
This only deepened Charles’s confusion.
“Why are you bringing General Sost into this? Isn’t he always fighting on the frontlines against the Stellar Empire’s invasion? And he didn’t even know I was coming to Serpent’s Eye Lake Oasis a few days ago.”
Charles frowned as he spoke.
Azka nodded, looking equally puzzled.
“These are the same doubts I have in my mind. At first, I thought General Sost called me back to monitor you, but after thinking about it carefully, I realized the timing doesn’t add up.”
Charles didn’t press any further.
He felt that Azka’s mention of General Sost’s orders was an important clue.
“General Sost must have his own agenda!”
Charles said firmly.
Azka and Zara both nodded.
They both shared the same judgment, but their biggest problem now was that they had no idea what General Sost’s agenda was.
“You’re the only Fifth-Rank Beast Master in the Serpent Empire. There are not many people in Serpent’s Eye Lake Oasis who can stop you from acting,”
Charles said, looking at Azka.
Azka nodded in agreement.
“So, it’s very possible that he wants you to assassinate someone here in Serpent’s Eye Lake Oasis,”
Charles offered his view.
Hearing this, Azka quickly shook his head.
“That’s impossible. General Sost wouldn’t issue such an order. And even if he did, I wouldn’t follow it.”
“Charles, I think your guess is a bit far-fetched. General Sost doesn’t have any enemies. He’s someone everyone trusts completely,”
Zara quickly added.
She felt that Charles already had too many enemies, and there was no need to make General Sost another one.
Faced with the skepticism from both of them, Charles didn’t say much more.
He furrowed his brow and sat down in a nearby spot.
“The situation in Serpent’s Eye Lake Oasis is too complicated. It seems like it’s impossible to figure it out in such a short time,”
Charles muttered to himself.
Azka and Zara didn’t move.
They both waited for Charles to make his next decision.
Several minutes passed before Charles finally made up his mind.
“I’ve decided to release you. Go back to the front lines and assist General Sost in dealing with the Stellar Empire’s invasion.”
His words left both Zara and Azka stunned.
Azka hadn’t expected Charles to release him so easily.
Zara thought Charles’s decision was a bit hasty.
She was about to try to persuade him.
However, before she could speak, Charles spoke directly.
“I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to tell me that my decision is too rushed. But I believe this is the best choice for the Serpent Empire.
The pressure from the Stellar Empire on the front lines is immense. Azka, as a Fifth-Rank Beast Master, is one of the Serpent Empire’s main forces. I can’t keep one of the Empire’s key strengths sealed away.”
His words moved both Zara and Azka deeply.
Zara felt even more admiration for Charles.
Azka, on the other hand, realized that he had judged Charles too harshly before.
“I have to admit, your decision has greatly changed my opinion of you. You are truly thinking about the Serpent Empire’s well-being. It seems not all humans are bad after all.”
“Of course! There are good people and bad people among humans,”
Charles replied. “Now, don’t waste any more time. Hurry up and leave!”
Charles even felt that Azka was taking too long, and began urging him to leave quickly.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter