OBS Chapter 491 - 488 – The Traitor Viktor
Chapter 491 - 488 – The Traitor Viktor
The night at The Dragon Inn passed in peaceful silence, a sharp contrast to the bloody chaos that had just occurred in the narrow alley near the central market. The cool night air slipped through the gaps in the carved wooden windows, carrying the scent of wet earth after the light afternoon rain. The suite room on the upper floor of the luxurious inn felt warm and comfortable, illuminated by the faint golden light of a deliberately dimmed crystal lantern. The light softly reflected off the polished mahogany-paneled walls, creating long shadows that danced gently across the ceiling.The soft aroma of lavender candles blended harmoniously with the herbal soap scent from the still-damp bathroom. The smell created a soothing atmosphere, like a warm embrace after a day full of tension and bloodshed. Sylvia sat alone on the small balcony overlooking the inn’s back courtyard. The balcony was surrounded by an elegant wrought-iron railing patterned with ivy leaves, with several pots of perfectly blooming night flowers in the corners.
The cold night wind swept across her pale and smooth face, carrying the sweet and fresh scent of night flowers from the garden below. Her long black hair fluttered gently, a few strands sticking to her cold cheeks. Her dark red eyes, like congealed blood, gazed at the starry sky with a deep and unreadable look. The rage that had burned like thick black lava in her chest slowly subsided, replaced by the cold calmness that had always been her trademark as an undead.
Her thoughts turned slowly, meticulously planning her next steps like a general preparing a siege. The Crown Prince might stay silent for a while after last night’s humiliating failure. However, Sylvia knew very well that such threats never truly disappeared. There would always be another snake ready to strike from the shadows, always eyes watching from afar. She remembered the faces of the hired assassins who had vanished into darkness, their bodies burned, their souls destroyed by the dark power she controlled. It wasn’t just a fight; it was a warning.
Occasionally, she glanced into the room through the slightly open balcony door. Alicia and Stacia were already sound asleep in the large, soft bed, thick silk blankets covering them up to their chests. Their breathing was steady and peaceful, their tired faces looking far more relaxed after the long day full of danger. Sol, curled adorably at the foot of the bed, his bushy tail occasionally twitching in his dreams. The small Qilin slept soundly in Alicia’s lap, his holy horn emitting a faint, warm, and gentle light, as if guarding the peace of the two girls with its natural holy power.
Sylvia smiled faintly, an expression of tenderness that rarely appeared on her usually cold and impassive face. The smile was full of deep affection, even though her heart had long been dead as an undead. "You both deserve to rest."
Finally, she stepped back into the room with silent, light steps, gently closing the balcony door so as not to wake the others. She lay down beside her two sisters, her undead body which didn’t truly need sleep still seeking calm in the warmth of the human bodies beside her. That night, sleep came quickly for her, though dark dreams occasionally slipped in: chains of darkness piercing living flesh, blood spurting like fountains, and the shadows of betrayal always lurking behind false smiles.
Meanwhile, in the magnificent residence of the Crown Prince within the imperial palace complex, the atmosphere was far from peaceful. The heir’s private room, usually filled with the luxury of thick silk carpets patterned with golden dragons, beautiful paintings in pure gold frames, marble statues of ancient gods, and intricately carved mahogany furniture, now felt stifling with thick tension. The air was heavy, mixed with the smell of sweat and melting candles.
The bright light from candles and mana crystals could not hide the Crown Prince’s pale face. Cold sweat dampened his forehead and his usually neatly styled black hair, which was oiled with expensive perfume. He paced back and forth in front of a large mahogany desk covered with map scrolls and secret reports, his hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white and ached.
"How could this happen?! Not a single one returned?!" he barked in a hoarse and furious voice at the head guard standing tensely before him. His voice echoed in the spacious room, bouncing off the high walls. "The best hired assassin unit worth thousands of gold coins! They were elites who had completed dozens of missions without failure! They should have been able to eliminate those three ordinary adventurer girls in minutes! What went wrong?! Explain it to me!"
The head guard, a middle-aged man in light armor, bowed deeply until his chin almost touched his chest. His voice trembled with fear, sweat also dampening his temples. "We... we have already sent a second scouting unit, Your Highness. But... their report just came in through the emergency carrier pigeon. There is no trace at all at the alley location. No blood, no bodies, no signs of significant resistance. It was as if... the entire first unit had been swallowed by the earth. Only a faint burnt smell remained, like the aftermath of high-level fire magic. Some of their weapons were found partially melted."
The Crown Prince stopped pacing. His face grew even paler, his eyes widening in disbelief and a hint of fear he tried to hide. "Could it be... that girl is truly a monster? Or is there a great power protecting her? Is she working for the empire’s enemies? Or perhaps she is a spy from a neighboring kingdom?"
Before the head guard could answer, the door to the room burst open with a loud bang. The Emperor entered with heavy, authoritative steps. His grand robe, adorned with gold and jewels, fluttered dramatically behind him. His aged but firm face was now filled with controlled anger, his thick eyebrows furrowed and his jaw clenched like stone. The guards in the room immediately bowed respectfully and quickly retreated to the corners, afraid of becoming targets of the Emperor’s wrath.
"Fool!" the Emperor snapped with a booming voice that made the air in the room seem to tremble. Without preamble, he approached with wide steps and slapped the Crown Prince’s face hard. PLAK! The sound of the slap echoed sharply, leaving a clear red imprint of five fingers on his son’s cheek.
The Crown Prince jerked to the side, nearly losing his balance. His cheek burned and stung, but a greater sense of shame and rage burned in his heart.
"You sent hired assassins after a Rank S adventurer who just killed Mušmaḫḫū?!" the Emperor’s voice was filled with restrained fury, yet every word felt like a lashing whip. "You are not only stupid, you are endangering the entire empire! If that girl gets angry and decides to retaliate openly, we could lose more than just two assassin units! We could lose the stability of the capital, even the already fragile support of the people! Do you think the title of Crown Prince makes you immune to consequences?"
The Crown Prince held his burning cheek, his eyes widening in shock, shame, and suppressed anger. "Father... I only wanted to eliminate a potential threat. That girl is too dangerous, her power is unnatural. If left alone, she could become a thorn in the empire’s side "
"Shut your mouth!" the Emperor cut in coldly, his voice low but deadly like a sword ready to strike. "I already know everything. Don’t think you can hide your foolish actions from me. The palace informants are more loyal to me than to your blind ambition. From now on, you will stay confined to this residence. Do not touch that girl and her group again. If you dare violate this order, I will personally strip you of your right to the throne. Do not test my patience, my son."
The Emperor turned with his grand robe fluttering majestically and left without another word. Only the sound of the door slamming shut broke the oppressive silence in the room. The Crown Prince stood frozen in the middle of the room, his hand still holding his reddened cheek. In his eyes burned a deeper and darker resentment, though for now he was forced to swallow his anger like bitter poison. He vowed in his heart that one day, he would repay all of this.
The next day, the morning sunlight gently slipped through the windows of the inn suite, illuminating the room with warm and refreshing golden light. Sylvia woke up earlier than usual, her body still feeling somewhat stiff after last night’s battle, but her extraordinary undead regeneration had already recovered most of the exhaustion. Her muscles felt lighter, and the small wounds had vanished without a trace.
She glanced at her two sisters who were still sound asleep, then went downstairs alone to the dining hall for breakfast. The morning dining room was still quiet, with only a few servants busy preparing tables with clean tablecloths and gleaming silverware. The aroma of warm toasted bread, richly spiced meat soup, scrambled eggs with fresh herbs, and steaming herbal tea tempted the appetite of anyone nearby.
Sylvia ordered a simple portion of wheat bread with red berry jam, warm chicken soup with carrot and potato chunks, and a glass of fragrant herbal tea, then sat at her favorite corner table overlooking the flower garden. She had just taken a sip of the soothing herbal tea when a sudden telepathy entered her mind, clear and strong.
Your Majesty...
Zark’s voice, firm, respectful, and full of loyalty as always.
Sylvia slowly placed her cup back on the wooden table. "Zark. What is it? Report in detail."
We have finally succeeded in capturing the group that stole pure mithril from Nocture’s mines. After various... intensive and continuous persuasion methods, they confessed everything. Their leader is named Viktor. A former member of Lady Sofia’s forces from the early days of the zombie apocalypse. He betrayed and nearly killed Lady Sofia back then. Now he works for an outside party, possibly one of the human kingdoms or a secret faction targeting our resources, especially high-quality mithril.
Sylvia narrowed her red eyes. The anger that had subsided last night slowly resurfaced, like embers touched by a strong wind. "Viktor... I remember that name. Sofia once mentioned it with a tone full of hatred and deep wounds. The traitor who stabbed her from behind."
Yes, Your Majesty. Lady Sofia herself led the interrogation. She... was quite angry. Even more than we expected. We have secured most of the stolen mithril, but some has already been sold on the black market in the capital and surrounding cities. We are tracking it with the help of our extensive intelligence network. Several important names have already surfaced from their confessions.
"Good. Keep Nocture under tight security. Increase patrols and defenses at all mines and borders. I will return soon after finishing matters in the capital. Tell Sofia to keep Viktor alive. I want... to speak with him myself."
The telepathy ended. Sylvia stared at her teacup with a piercing cold gaze, as if she could freeze the liquid inside it. An old traitor who nearly killed Sofia. This was no ordinary coincidence. There was a larger hand behind this theft possibly connected to the Crown Prince’s ambitions or another faction wanting to weaken Nocture’s power before they grew even stronger.
She continued her breakfast calmly on the surface, but her mind was already spinning rapidly, formulating complex strategies. After breakfast, she would gently wake Alicia and Stacia, then discuss their return journey plans in detail. This capital was already too hot, full of venomous snakes. It was time to return to Nocture and clean up the remnants of betrayal with her merciless cold hands.
Meanwhile, in the Crown Prince’s residence, the atmosphere remained tense and full of shadows. The man sat in his luxurious chair with his cheek still red from his father’s slap. His eyes were filled with restrained resentment, but also cold calculation. He would not stop so easily. But for now, he had to remain silent and wait for a more subtle and lethal opportunity.