Chapter Eighty-Eight: No War in the Imperial Capital (1)

Chu Tian’s health had improved, though he still appeared frail. Yet, Ludii III had no intention of letting him continue recuperating.

Early that morning, Chu Tian was secretly brought into the imperial palace and led to Ludii III’s study. “Your Majesty!” Chu Tian outwardly bowed respectfully to Ludii III, but inwardly cursed: Damn it, I’m still weak in all my limbs, barely able to walk, and you’re making me come to the palace? Trying to kill me, huh!?

“Hmm, get up.” Ludii III personally helped Chu Tian to his feet, which quelled much of the young master’s anger.

As the office of the empire’s supreme command, Ludii III’s study was usually packed with people. But today, it was unusually quiet, with only the intelligence chief Barry accompanying the emperor. The war minister Makori and the magic minister Damar had led their troops into battle and were now fighting in Quarry Fort, while the beast minister Best was said to be on a secret mission.

The right chancellor Andor was still on sick leave, and the left chancellor Greyming, who managed war logistics, was so busy that he was nowhere to be seen. Thus, at this moment, Chu Tian, as the chief court priest, was the highest-ranking official in the empire’s government. Of course, intelligence chief Barry was not officially part of the imperial bureaucracy.

“Your Majesty, what did you summon me for? *Cough, cough,*” Chu Tian coughed twice, signaling to Ludii III that he was still ill and hoping not to be burdened with any heavy tasks.

“Barry, talk to Duke Vladino,” Ludii III said, turning to the stern-faced intelligence chief.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Barry replied, then produced a short arrow from his pocket and handed it to Chu Tian. “Prince Vladino, do you remember this arrow?”

“Of course! I almost died because of this arrow last time!” Chu Tian recognized it immediately—it was the very same short arrow used in the assassination attempt against him. Yet he was puzzled why Barry still kept it. After seeing a similar arrow from the elf elder Hershi on Mount Agula, Chu Tian had investigated for some time. But the result was disappointing—Anna had told him that this kind of emerald-green short arrow was standard equipment among elves, common to nearly every elite archer!

Seeing Chu Tian’s indifferent expression, Barry smiled darkly. “Your Highness, according to my investigation, Deck’s wife is an elf!”

Praise be to the Goddess of Life! Chu Tian frowned silently. Deck’s wife being an elf didn’t prove much; it only meant Deck could easily obtain an elven short arrow. So what? Chu Tian could also easily get such arrows—Anna had plenty! Even if Deck’s timing was suspicious, it didn’t conclusively prove he was the culprit.

“Director Barry, how did you find out that Deck’s wife is an elf?” Chu Tian asked directly, trusting that Barry wouldn’t present the arrow without good reason.

“Heh, I owe thanks to you, Your Highness,” Barry grinned with a face uglier than Barbosa’s. “If it weren’t for you forging the alliance between our empire and the elves, we wouldn’t have uncovered this massive conspiracy!”

A massive conspiracy? Chu Tian narrowed his eyes with a smile. Could it be that he had earned another merit? “So what’s the story? Please, Director, do tell!”

“After the empire allied with the elves, Your Majesty ordered us to investigate the elven population dossiers to better understand their strength. My subordinates unexpectedly found Deck’s magical image in the files!” Barry glanced at Chu Tian with keen interest. “Since Deck displayed the prowess of a Sword Saint in the duel, he became a key surveillance target for the intelligence bureau…”

At this point, Chu Tian understood why Barry had suddenly glanced at him. It was likely that not only Deck but also Chu Tian’s own subordinates—Barbosa, Anna, and the dark magicians—were all under close watch.

Barry continued, “According to the elven files, thirty years ago, Deck suddenly abandoned his wife and disappeared. Not long after, his wife betrayed the Elven King and left the elven settlement. We couldn’t trace Deck’s whereabouts, but his wife was last seen in Quarry Fort!”

“Quarry Fort? Thirty years ago?” Since arriving on the Phantom Beast Continent, Chu Tian had heard these terms countless times. “Could Deck be connected to the battle of Quarry Fort thirty years ago?”

“Exactly. That was my initial thought. Later, I carefully examined the battle’s course. Deck did participate in that war!” Barry snorted darkly, his expression shadowed. “But I personally saw him on the side of Res!”

“Director, you saw this with your own eyes?” Chu Tian was stunned. The battle of Quarry Fort was three decades ago, and Barry was barely in his forties—did he really fight on the battlefield as a teenager? And if he saw Deck then, why reveal it only now?

Barry suddenly realized his slip-up—such mistakes were absolutely forbidden for an intelligence officer. He quickly looked toward Ludii III. “Your Majesty…”

Ludii III understood Barry’s error. When Barry had first reported the investigation results, the emperor himself had been furious—not because of Deck, but over something else. “Vladino, Barry is a mind mage!”

A cold drop of sweat trickled down Chu Tian’s forehead. No wonder Barry was Ludii III’s most trusted intelligence chief—mind magic was a genius’s tool for espionage! Chu Tian had heard from his teacher Anthony that beyond light, dark, and draconic magics, the continent still had some obscure legacy magics, with mind magic being the most bizarre.

Hypnosis, charm, fear—these were the mind mage’s specialties. Barry, as a master mind mage, could easily probe memories. When he said he had seen the war with his own eyes, it was probably from reading the memories of veterans who fought there.

“I understand. I won’t reveal Director Barry’s true identity to anyone,” Chu Tian said instinctively, avoiding Barry’s gaze.

Besides Morfit, Barry was the person Chu Tian feared most. The ability to probe memories was a chilling threat. What if he uncovered Chu Tian’s true identity as an outsider from another world? If Ludii III learned his chief court priest was an alien, who knew what consequences might follow? Moreover, the Caesar people were fiercely nationalistic, barring foreigners even from military service. Yet here was Chu Tian, a man from another world, who had risen to a duke’s rank in such a nation...

“Ha ha, Your Highness, rest assured, I cannot probe your memories,” Barry laughed heartily. “I can only read the minds of those with less magical power than myself. Your vast draconic magic renders me powerless!”

Praise be to the Goddess of Life! Chu Tian inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he rarely met Barry before, and now, strengthened by the Dragon Emperor’s blood, he was beyond Barry’s mental reach. Ha! Let’s see how you try to check me now!

Having dispelled Chu Tian’s concerns, Barry continued, “Near Deck, I also found another person…”

“Who else?” Chu Tian squinted.

“Andor!” Ludii III’s face darkened as he took up the thread. “The empire’s right chancellor, Andor!”

The empire’s right chancellor was a Res agent? Ludii III could hardly believe it. He had unknowingly allowed a spy to become one of the empire’s five highest ministers. It was like being slapped hard by Emperor Tyren of Res!

So that was it. Suddenly, everything made sense to Chu Tian. Both Andor and Deck were Res agents. That explained why Chi Yan was weak before the battle, why his warhorse was injured twice, and why someone had tried to assassinate him. Chi Yan was the empire’s supreme martial force, the unicorn was the empire’s cornerstone, and Chu Tian had healed both. Naturally, Chu Tian had become a thorn in Andor’s side, giving motive for the assassination attempt.

Now only one question remained: Chi Yan was a ninth-rank great dragon, and the unicorn was guarded by the royal guards. How had Andor managed to poison them? Deck alone, as an eighth-rank Sword Saint, couldn’t have done it! Could it be...? Chu Tian shuddered, thinking of the terrifying Morfit once more.

Barry continued, “After uncovering this, I investigated Andor’s movements over the past thirty years. His first appearance was during the post-battle cleanup of Quarry Fort, wearing imperial uniform and severely wounded. The priests mistook him for a war hero injured for the empire and saved him.”

What followed was simple: Andor’s exceptional ability, popularity, and his siding with Ludii III during the princes’ struggles allowed him to rise to right chancellor.

“Your Majesty, how do you plan to handle this?” Chu Tian probed cautiously. Given Ludii III’s temper, he might order Andor’s immediate elimination, but was Andor so easy to remove?

Both Chu Tian and Ludii III had the same thought. “Vladino, since Andor dared to spy on the empire for thirty years, his strength must surpass what he shows. That’s why I summoned you today…”

“Ready to serve, Your Majesty!” Chu Tian accepted the mission decisively. To support the frontlines, the capital was not only militarily depleted but also short on high-level magical beasts. Apart from Chi Yan, Chu Tian’s magical pets were the highest-ranked beasts in Pompeii City. He knew there was no escaping the task of eliminating Andor.

Another reason for his readiness was not to be forgotten: on Earth, Chu Tian had the nickname “Butcher.” Damn it! If Andor wanted to kill him, he would cripple Andor first.

“Your Majesty, I hope Chi Yan can assist me,” Chu Tian said cautiously. Andor surely had more than just Sword Saint Deck’s strength, so he needed Chi Yan’s protection.

“Agreed,” Ludii III nodded firmly. “Where do you intend to start?”

“Praise be to the Goddess of Life!” Chu Tian smiled with narrowed eyes. “Lord Andor seems to have only one son…”

[Chapter 88: The Imperial Capital Without War – Part 1]