[Translator – Pr?ks]
[Proofreader – Pr?ks]
Chapter 106: The Phantom Thief (3)
5.
The Signus Knights.
The Knights of Signus, led by Empress Signus of the Maple Alliance, had only one role.
To protect Empress Signus!
That was it.
Nothing else mattered to the Signus Knights.
“The Signus Knights don’t usually mobilize.”
Therefore, the Signus Knights rarely took action.
Of course, there were cases of individual movement.
They would carry out various tasks throughout Maple World according to the orders of Empress Signus or the plans of the Maple Alliance.
But as mentioned earlier, those were individual cases.
Just someone from the Signus Knights moving, a very personal matter.
Most people didn’t pay much attention to it.
In other words, the situation was completely different when the Signus Knights moved as a unit.
Their official mobilization meant that something threatening Empress Signus had occurred.
“The Signus Knights have moved.”
That was the case now.
The Signus Knights had mobilized.
“Oz, the Commander of the Blaze Mages, is scheduled to arrive in the Ariant Kingdom.”
Not just any knight, but Oz, one of the Commanders, was moving herself.
It was practically the same as Empress Signus herself taking action.
Naturally, the weight of the situation was on a different level.
“It’s not because of Queen Areda.”
Of course, they weren’t going to investigate Queen Areda right away.
The Ariant Kingdom was a member of the Maple Alliance, and Queen Areda, the de facto ruler of the Ariant Kingdom, was a powerful figure that even the Signus Knights couldn’t easily touch.
If they came under that pretense, the Ariant Kingdom would never stay still.
A war could break out.
“The official reason is to investigate the death of her disciple.”
But the death of a Knight Commander’s disciple was a different story.
There was only one option the Ariant Kingdom could take in this matter.
“The Ariant Kingdom has promised cooperation.”
Full cooperation!
Of course, everyone knew.
If this investigation deepened, it would inevitably lead to Queen Areda’s downfall.
That’s why…
“It won’t be long now.”
Cheryl’s expression was very grim.
And so was Pir, who was listening to the story.
“Chaos will come to the Ariant Kingdom.”
“Yes.”
There was no way Queen Areda, caught red-handed, would simply confess her crimes and repent.
“Queen Areda will cause trouble one way or another.”
Far from repenting, it was more likely that unprecedented chaos would erupt in the Ariant Kingdom.
Especially the Cross Hunters knew.
“She’s not alone.”
The fact that behind Queen Areda was a follower of the Black Mage.
From the Cross Hunters’ perspective, this was a very serious problem.
If the Black Mage’s followers were to make a move?
Then the Cross Hunter members stationed in the Ariant Kingdom would surely be in danger.
“Any orders from above?”
“No specific orders yet. But one thing is for sure. We can’t run away.”
The problem was that the Cross Hunters couldn’t just sit idly by while the Black Mage’s followers were on the move.
That’s why…
“El Pam.”
Pir and Cheryl had brought El Pam into this important conversation.
“We need your opinion.”
El Pam could no longer be considered an outsider.
On the one hand, they acknowledged his abilities.
They had to.
Take the Phantom Thief’s request, for example.
Although they ultimately failed the final test, they wouldn’t have avoided annihilation without El Pam.
Of course, El Pam didn’t mention that he had made a deal with the Phantom Thief.
‘The death of Queen Areda.’
And that was why El Pam’s expression was grim.
‘If cornered, Queen Areda might go into hiding.’
The current situation was unfavorable for El Pam.
“We know it’s not easy to predict the situation. We just need your opinion.”
But Cheryl and Pir, unaware of this fact, simply thought El Pam was troubled by this matter.
El Pam said to them,
“It’s difficult to predict the distant future, but predicting the immediate situation is not difficult.”
“What?”
“What?”
That part wasn’t something to worry about.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. It’s obvious what Queen Areda will do next.”
El Pam knew it would happen.
“She will….”
6.
“The Signus Knights are coming?”
When Oz, one of the Knight Commanders of the Signus Knights, was said to be coming to the Ariant Kingdom, Queen Areda said to Ivok,
“We need to reduce the number of princes.”
Ivok looked surprised at those words.
Reduce the number of princes?
On the other hand, Queen Areda’s expression was calm as she spoke.
It was a sign of her resolve.
“The situation isn’t good, is it?”
Knowing that her fate would be sealed if she couldn’t escape the current situation, she was prepared to do whatever it took.
Indeed, Queen Areda’s position was not good.
The immediate problem she faced was none other than the Prince’s Tomb event.
With evidence of her prior manipulations surfacing, public opinion about the Ariant Kingdom and Queen Areda was turning for the worst.
Of course, the opinions of adventurers didn’t matter to Queen Areda.
She didn’t care if they started a war.
In fact, if a war really did break out, it would be even better for the Ariant Kingdom, as it would give them an excuse to suppress the adventurers.
“Lord Will wouldn’t just stand by and watch any more disgrace, would he?”
What they feared was not the adventurers, but Will, the Black Mage’s Commander, whom they followed.
They had already failed to carry out his orders several times.
“If the Signus Knights catch their tail, they will never let it go.”
In the midst of all this, the appearance of the Signus Knights was practically a death sentence.
The moment they touched them, the Ariant Kingdom would effectively make the Maple Alliance their enemy.
And the Black Mage’s followers would never tolerate such a situation.
If that happened, the solution was simple.
Cut off the tail before it gets stepped on.
Ivok also understood the situation to that extent.
“Still, it’s too dangerous to deal with the princes.”
However, targeting the princes in this situation would only hasten their downfall.
“And the remaining princes are different from the other princes.”
Moreover, the remaining princes, unlike those already dealt with by Queen Areda, had powerful factions.
In fact, that’s why she hadn’t been able to eliminate them.
If they had been easy targets, Queen Areda would have dealt with all the princes long ago.
“Do you think I don’t know that?”
Of course, Queen Areda knew all of this better than anyone.
That’s why…
“There’s one last way.”
She wanted to eliminate the princes here.
“One last way?”
“You could also call it the final method.”
Because she had it.
“What is it?”
“That is….”
7.
“What?”
During their first meal after the adventure, Divo was surprised to hear El Pam’s words and said,
“The Crown Prince?”
Fortunately, this time he didn’t spit out the food in his mouth.
“What’s wrong? No accidents this time?”
Miner looked at him with a curious expression, and Divo frowned at her reaction.
“Do you think I’m a fool who would make the same mistake every time? Huh?”
“No, I mean, don’t you understand what it means?”
Of course, it wasn’t that Divo had really come to his senses.
“Honestly, I don’t know what it means. What does choosing a Crown Prince have to do with the Signus Knights coming? If they’re choosing a Crown Prince, they’re choosing one, right?”
El Pam said.
The Signus Knights had moved, and in response, Queen Areda would choose a Crown Prince.
“What does that have to do with Queen Areda?”
Just listening to it, it was impossible to find the connection between the two.
El Pam explained to Divo,
“Choosing a Crown Prince means choosing the next king, Abdullah IX. And once the Crown Prince is chosen, the other princes become meaningless.”
“Meaningless?”
“Once the Crown Prince is chosen, the other princes must leave the country. If they leave, they can never set foot on the sands of the Nihal Desert again. That’s the law of the Ariant Kingdom.”
“Oh, that’s chilling.”
“That’s why the princes fight tooth and nail for the position.”
“Of course they would. If it were me, I wouldn’t care about my brothers or anything either.”
Despite the explanation, Divo and the others tilted their heads in confusion.
Even after hearing all this, they couldn’t find the connection between the Crown Prince and the Signus Knights.
“And Abdullah VIII will use the Mystic Gates to choose the Crown Prince.”
“Huh?”
But the moment the Mystic Gates were mentioned, the atmosphere changed.
“The Mystic Gates?”
“The Ariant Kingdom is enjoying its greatest wealth in history thanks to the Mystic Gates. So it’s not strange for them to demand the ability to conquer the Mystic Gates from the next Abdullah IX.”
“That’s true, but isn’t it dangerous?”
“It will become the Prince’s Tomb.”
And the moment they heard those words, everyone understood.
“Using all means and methods.”
Why Queen Areda wanted to choose a Crown Prince.
“But if something really goes wrong, the situation will change.”
What if a prince dies in the process of choosing the Crown Prince?
“It would be impossible for the Signus Knights to do anything to the Ariant royal family while the princes are dying.”
Gulp!
At that moment, Divo and the others swallowed their saliva.
If El Pam’s words were true, it wouldn’t be a simple matter.
“The bigger problem is that the princes can’t refuse this offer. It’s actually an opportunity they’ve been waiting for.”
“An opportunity they’ve been waiting for?”
“If they can overcome Queen Areda’s schemes and become the Crown Prince, they’re practically the king. The moment the Crown Prince is born, Queen Areda’s power weakens.”
Moreover, running away from this matter was out of the question.
“That’s why Queen Areda must have kept this method as a last resort.”
It was a double-edged sword for Queen Areda.
In other words, it was clear that Queen Areda was also cornered.
Either way, it was a precarious situation.
“Oh.”
No matter what happened, a huge storm was sure to come.
“It would be better to leave the Nihal Desert as soon as possible.”
Needless to say, no one wanted to get caught up in this storm.
The same went for El Pam.
“We’re staying here.”
“Huh?”
But he couldn’t leave.
“No, you’re staying in this situation? Why?”
“I made a deal.”
“A deal? I don’t know what kind of deal it is, but let’s forget about it! If there’s any loss, I’ll cover it!”
“A deal with the Phantom Thief.”
“Pfft!”
At El Pam’s words, Divo was startled and sprayed the food he had just put in his mouth all over the table.
But this time, no one scolded him.
“Wh-what?”
“Hey, what are you talking about?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
The other three, except for Divo, also couldn’t focus on their meal after hearing El Pam’s words.
It was that shocking.
El Pam said to them,
“While everyone was asleep, I made a deal with the Phantom Thief. And the Phantom Thief’s demand was the death of Queen Areda.”
Everyone gave up on thinking any further after hearing his next words.
It was surprising enough that he made a deal with the Phantom Thief, but the condition of the deal was Queen Areda’s death?
“At first, I thought it was impossible, but the situation has changed.”
Of course, El Pam had also thought it was impossible when he was asked to kill Queen Areda.
But things changed with the appearance of the Signus Knights.
“If one of the princes becomes the Crown Prince, Queen Areda is as good as dead.”
Because there was a way.
“That’s why I can’t leave.”
He had already made a plan.
“We have to make Prince Kashan the Crown Prince.”
[Translator – Pr?ks]
[Proofreader – Pr?ks]
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