Chapter 89: No War in the Imperial Capital (II)

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At the most luxurious hotel in the Imperial Capital, the Zieg Grand Hotel, Chu Tian, Red Flame, Selena, and Rednor, head of the Earth Dragon Mercenary Corps, sat together.

“Vladino, will Anderson come?” Red Flame was the one who spoke. Ever since Chu Tian had openly declared his support for the relationship between the two lovers—one human and one beast—Red Flame’s attitude toward him had improved considerably.

“Hehe, Sister Red Flame, don’t worry. Vladino invited Anderson in my name,” Selena said with a smile.

To capture Anderson, Chu Tian had brought his fiancée along as well. With Selena’s allure, he was certain Anderson would take the bait.

There was another reason Chu Tian had brought Selena. Most of the Imperial Capital’s magicians had gone to war with the army, while the few who remained had to guard the palace. As a water-element grand magus, Selena was therefore one of the few powerful individuals Chu Tian could call upon.

Rudy III wanted Andor eliminated, but the matter could not be made public. With war currently raging along the empire’s southern frontier, if the civilians and soldiers learned that the empire’s right chancellor was actually a spy for Reis, the resulting upheaval would be enormous.

Discretion, efficiency, and swift action—that was Rudy III’s demand of Chu Tian. To fulfill it, Chu Tian had gone to extraordinary lengths, nearly mobilizing every resource at his disposal.

“Praise the Goddess of Life!” Chu Tian said confidently. “Anderson won’t be getting away! Rednor, how are things on your end?”

Rednor had seen countless great figures in his life, yet he was nervous now. Though seated beside Chu Tian, he could not relax for even a moment. Anyone present could crush a minor mercenary commander like him with a casual gesture.

“Your Highness, everything has been arranged,” Rednor replied cautiously.

That very morning, Rednor had suddenly received Chu Tian’s order to seal off the entire mercenary headquarters and await further instructions. He had not known what Chu Tian intended, but after seeing Red Flame and Princess Selena appear, he realized that something momentous was afoot. Otherwise, neither the empire’s greatest warrior nor the princess would have become involved.

Rednor was no fool. He understood that today’s affair was beyond his station, so he obediently carried out Chu Tian’s orders. First, he secured the mercenary headquarters. Then he found a sharp-witted mercenary and sent him to invite Anderson, carrying a token belonging to Selena.

“Excellent!” Chu Tian said approvingly, nodding. “Rednor, if today’s operation succeeds, the empire and His Majesty will remember your service.”

“It is my honor to serve the empire!” Rednor replied humbly, though his scalp tingled with unease. Now that the matter involved both the empire and Rudy III, it was clearly beyond what his small mercenary corps could handle.

“However, Your Highness, there aren’t many experts in my corps. You see…”

Since even Red Flame had been dispatched, their opponent could hardly be ordinary. With the few fighters in his mercenary corps, surviving would be victory enough.

“You needn’t concern yourself with the details.” Chu Tian lifted his wineglass and took a sip. “All you have to do is seal off the headquarters and make sure no one escapes.”

“Your Highness, Anderson has arrived!”

While they were still speaking, Chu Tian’s chief guard, Pei Qi, entered the private room.

“How many men did he bring?”

“Only himself.”

Pei Qi looked extremely excited. As a member of Caesar’s Iron Riders, he had long dreamed of following the Ancient Sacred Priest into battle. But Chu Tian had fallen ill at the crucial moment, and as the duke’s chief guard, Pei Qi had naturally been left behind to protect him. Being unable to join the war had become his greatest regret.

But now everything was different. Chu Tian had ordered him to prepare for battle. That single command was enough to awaken the fiery blood of Caesar’s Iron Riders within him.

“Let him in.” Chu Tian narrowed his eyes and smiled.

Anderson was delighted. Ever since Princess Selena had become engaged to Chu Tian, he had never been as happy as he was today—for Selena had actually invited him to dinner.

That morning, Anderson had gone out as usual with several disreputable friends to indulge in idle pleasures. But the moment he left his residence, someone told him that Princess Selena was waiting for him at the Zieg Grand Hotel and had an important matter to discuss.

Anderson had cultivated his battle aura to the level of a Bronze Knight, so he was not stupid. At first, he did not believe that Selena had truly invited him. Although she was usually gracious toward him, that was merely basic aristocratic courtesy. As a princess, Selena treated every nobleman in much the same way.

But when the messenger produced one of Selena’s hairpins, Anderson began to waver. The mercenary Rednor had sent was clever as well. Seeing Anderson hesitate, he deliberately fanned the flames, hinting that there seemed to be some trouble between Princess Selena and Duke Vladino, and that she wished to consult someone she could trust.

The moment Anderson heard this, his eyes lit up. If a rift had appeared between Selena and Chu Tian, did that mean he had another chance? The idea of stealing another man’s beloved immediately filled his mind, and he hurried over without the slightest hesitation.

As for the disreputable companions who had been with him, after Anderson abandoned them, the mercenaries took proper “care” of them.

With a crash, the moment Anderson entered, Rednor shut and bolted the doors and windows of the private room.

“Vladino! How could you…”

Anderson stared in astonishment. Chu Tian and Selena—who, according to the rumors, had already fallen out—were sitting together in intimate proximity. Apart from the unfamiliar man dressed as a mercenary by the door, Red Flame, the empire’s foremost warrior, was also present.

“Praise the Goddess of Life!” Chu Tian said with a faint smile. “Sir Anderson, I summoned you here today because I would like to discuss a business arrangement.”

“Hmph! I have nothing to say to you!”

Anderson was furious. From the scene before him, he knew he had been deceived. Yet the strength of the people in the room made it impossible for him to lose his temper openly, so he chose to leave.

“Get out of my way!”

As he spoke, Anderson reached for Rednor, intending to shove him aside.

As one of the empire’s three great mercenary commanders, Rednor possessed the strength of an eighth-level wyvern knight. His magical companion was merely an earth wyvern, inferior to a true dragon, but Rednor himself was unquestionably an eighth-level professional.

How could an eighth-level professional be pushed aside by a mere Bronze Knight?

“Young Master Anderson, you’re not going anywhere,” Rednor said.

He seized Anderson by the shoulder, twisted his arm behind his back, stripped him of his sword, and forced him before Chu Tian.

“Vladino, what are you trying to do?” All of Anderson’s arrogance vanished. He stared at Chu Tian in terror. “My… my father is the right chancellor!”

“I know your father is the right chancellor.” Chu Tian shrugged indifferently. “That is precisely why I want to discuss a business arrangement with you.”

“Princess Selena! Why did you deceive me?”

Anderson was certain that whatever business Chu Tian wanted to discuss could not be anything good.

“I’m sorry, Anderson.” Selena’s expression was cold. “Your father has threatened the interests of the empire. That is why Vladino invited you here in my name. Don’t worry. As long as you cooperate with the empire, we will guarantee your safety.”

“My father has threatened the empire?”

Anderson was stunned. He knew perfectly well what crime treason represented. It meant the confiscation of one’s property and the extermination of one’s entire family.

“Impossible… Impossible…”

He had grown accustomed to living as a pleasure-seeking young nobleman in the Imperial Capital. There was no way he could accept the reality of becoming the son of a traitor. Andor and Deck had kept their secret extremely well—even Andor’s own son, Anderson, had never been told the truth.

“Vladino, why are you wasting time?” Red Flame said impatiently. “Just kill him, then go after Andor.”

“Don’t kill me!”

The moment he heard Red Flame call for his death, Anderson panicked and shouted at Chu Tian.

“Your Highness Vladino, if you let me live, I’ll do business with you!”

“Praise the Goddess of Life!”

Still smiling, Chu Tian took a crystal vial from his ring and handed it to Anderson.

“You know that my butler, Barbosa, was once a Death Mage God. This potion was prepared by him. To demonstrate your sincerity, drink it first.”

Anderson glanced at the menacing look in Red Flame’s eyes. Gritting his teeth, he accepted the vial and drained it in one gulp.

“What else do you want me to do?”

“It’s very simple. You know where the Earth Dragon Mercenary Corps is headquartered, don’t you? Have the right chancellor and Deck appear there together tonight. Naturally, do not let anyone else know.”

“All right! No problem!”

Anderson agreed so readily that Chu Tian felt a chill run down his spine.

There was nothing unusual about Chu Tian and Andor fighting desperately for the interests of their respective nations and themselves; that was simply the nature of politics. But Anderson had betrayed his own father without the slightest hesitation. That was something Chu Tian could never tolerate.

Chu Tian’s intention was obvious. He clearly meant to eliminate Andor. Even a fool should have understood what Chu Tian intended, yet Anderson had agreed without hesitation.

After this is over, Anderson must die.

Chu Tian had originally intended to spare him, but now he had changed his mind.

“Hehe, Rednor, release him.”

Chu Tian raised two cups of wine, keeping one for himself and handing the other to Anderson.

“Here’s to a successful partnership.”

“To a successful partnership!”

Anderson downed his wine in one gulp, then asked, “Your Highness, after tonight…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll give you the antidote, along with a sufficient sum of gold.” Chu Tian shook his head. “Do you need any further assurance from me?”

“Hehe, no, that won’t be necessary.”

How could Anderson dare ask for guarantees? His life was no longer in his own hands. Aside from cooperating with Chu Tian, what choice did he have?

After Anderson left, Chu Tian turned to Selena.

“Do you think Anderson was merely placating us?”

He had agreed far too quickly—and what he had agreed to was the betrayal of his own father. Chu Tian could not help suspecting that Anderson had only pretended to cooperate.

“Disgusting!” Selena spat contemptuously. “I’ve known Anderson for more than ten years. He has always been this kind of despicable coward. To preserve his own life, he would sell out anyone and anything.”

“Praise the Goddess of Life! Then I’m relieved.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the solemn expression of a holy preacher vanished from Chu Tian’s face, replaced by a shameless grin. He took Selena’s hand and said, “Hehe, Selena, you look beautiful when you’re angry!”

Selena blushed. Rednor tactfully turned his back, while Red Flame said coldly, “Vladino…”

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