Chapter 195: Intention to Leave, Astonishing Result

"What is happening, guards!"

"What is going on? Was the autonomous defensive array just activated? What happened? Go and take a look at once!"

The sudden, explosive surge of magical tide left every noble present, including the guards they had brought, acutely aware that something was terribly wrong.

The blinding pillars of lightning that descended shortly after only deepened their growing panic. What was this? A sudden strike against the Alastair nobility by a hostile nation?

Tensely ordering their guards to protect them, the nobles, feeling a sliver of security, immediately commanded their subordinates to investigate the cause of the chaos.

No further sounds of disturbance followed; the sudden incident seemed to have reached its end.

"Do not act rashly! Stand where you are. The Royal Family will investigate this matter. Do not approach this area, or you will be immediately treated as an accomplice to the culprit and thrown into the dungeon for interrogation."

The voice of the royal representative who had spoken on the stage earlier echoed once more, amplified by magic to resonate through the surrounding space.

Where his tone had been light and slightly deferential on stage, it had now turned cold and murderous.

An attack on nobles occurring right under the Royal Family's nose—and a successful one at that—had thoroughly enraged the crown.

"Damn, what is going on..."

Wang Yu had begun to think the moment the lightning descended. His calm mind quickly grasped the gravity of the situation.

The Royal Family's home turf, an assassination attempt on nobles, and a successful one at that—to be even remotely associated with this would lead to a grim fate.

Unluckily for him, shortly before the incident, he had been demanding favors from Klant, who was now nothing more than a corpse. This was truly troublesome.

Maintaining his posture, Wang Yu deliberately distanced himself from any suspicion.

Glancing at the rotating, materialized magic array above and the countless threads of mana hanging from it, Wang Yu felt a strange sense of relief that this all-encompassing surveillance array existed.

It was enough to prove that he, Wang Yu, had nothing to do with this.

The Royal Guards, including the mages patrolling the skies, arrived at the site of the lightning strike with high efficiency.

After a brief glance at Wang Yu, who remained motionless, and the corpse of Klant on the ground, they did not pause. The mages quickly collaborated to raise a barrier, enclosing the area from the lightning strike point to Klant’s body.

A Grand Knight of the Royal Guard stepped up to Wang Yu, placed his armored right hand on Wang Yu’s shoulder, and spoke in a grim tone.

"Mr. Wang Yu, member of the Night’s Edge special operations team, you will have to come with us."

"Tsk..." Wang Yu clicked his tongue internally. This was a dire situation. If he went, he would lose his freedom; if these nobles couldn't find the culprit, they might just frame him in their madness.

But scanning his surroundings—three Grand Knights and a Grand Mage—he realized he had no leverage to refuse.

"I will handle matters here. You go to the mages and search for traces. Afterward, I will notify the Great Astrologer Serene directly to determine if this man was involved."

"If you take him into custody now, you might just be giving the real culprit time to react. Only the swiftest and most accurate judgment is the correct choice."

Just as Wang Yu was about to resign himself to his fate, a knight in armor, noticeably taller than the other guards, stepped forward and interrupted the guard who had been demanding Wang Yu’s arrest.

Wang Yu didn't know what was happening, but it had to be good. As long as he could face that woman who seemed to draw power from the stars, he should be able to leave.

"Yes, Lord Uller. Your decision is, as always, correct and effective."

The guard saluted the tall Uller and, ignoring Wang Yu, went to join the mages, waiting for the Royal Mage Corps to find clues regarding the culprit.

"You, come with me." Uller glanced at Wang Yu, signaling him to follow. Wang Yu had nothing to say and simply complied.

However, the name Uller sounded familiar to him.

Captain of the Royal Guard, the most talented individual in the history of Alastair knighthood, the youngest Grand Knight—these titles all belonged to Uller, a young man whose life was already the stuff of legend.

"So it was him..." Wang Yu hadn't expected this person to coincidentally clear his path.

In the distance, Edward, who had been on the verge of intervening to stop the Royal Guard from taking Wang Yu, paused as he saw Uller’s intervention. His expression was complex.

Shale nudged Edward with his elbow. This time, Edward didn't bicker; he simply shook his head, signaling that it was over.

Shale felt relieved and stopped sending the communication signal to fetch Captains Zig and Shugin.

"All traces have been erased by the autonomous defensive array. The head of the Hahn family and the culprit who killed his son were both wiped out by this near-seventh-tier lightning execution spell. The clues are gone too. My backtracking spell didn't work. Yours?"

"Same here. It’s useless. There’s too little residual information. The son’s body is the same. The culprit wasn't attacked initially because of the special material on his skin that masked observation. When he killed Klant, he left no traces because of that same material."

"Damn it, he dropped his concealment only after lifting the Hahn family head, intending to be erased along with them by the magic array. He never intended to live. This is infuriating..."

Inside the barrier, the mages discussed their findings. There was no progress; all backtracking spells had failed. The culprit who had killed the Hahn family and vanished into nothingness under the array’s attack had left nothing behind.

Taking down the barrier, the royal mages used a joint spatial spell to excise the area, and together with the Royal Guards, they brought the remnants back to the palace.

As the alert was lifted, the nobles who had been frozen in place by the royal representative’s warning finally began to disperse, eager to avoid further trouble with the crown.

The nobles retreated quickly; no one wanted to remain in a place where a killer might suddenly emerge.

...

At dawn, the news of the incident outside the palace had spread throughout the capital. A noble above the rank of Viscount had been killed in plain sight, along with his son.

"Creak..." The door to Wang Yu’s house on Red Maple Street opened with a faint sound. The door had always been temperamental, and Wang Yu was too lazy to fix such a minor issue.

The magic lamp was still lit, providing light to the room that had yet to fully brighten.

Avia sat at the dining table, tinkering with small alchemy components. Her face showed clear exhaustion; it seemed the girl had waited for Wang Yu all night without sleeping.

"Sorry, I should have listened to your advice and not gone to that damn Council. I ended up running into such a miserable affair."

Wang Yu scratched the back of his head, apologizing. Seeing Avia’s tired face, his heart ached. He didn't want the girl to worry about him; he hated that.

"It’s okay. Who could have foreseen this? These things are always unpredictable. I was just researching these new alchemy parts anyway. Staying up late is normal."

Avia didn't mention the meeting; she simply smiled and picked up an alchemy component to show Wang Yu.

"You, sigh."

Wang Yu looked at Avia’s smiling face and didn't know what to say. The longer they spent together, the more he found her maturity heartbreaking. It wasn't that it was bad, just...

"Wooo..." The girl’s soft cheeks were pinched by Wang Yu’s hands and pulled gently, causing her face to flush rapidly and a muffled protest to escape her lips.

Not letting go of the blushing, warm-faced Avia, Wang Yu pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

"If you have any complaints, just say them. Otherwise, I feel uneasy. Just treat me as if I’m asking for it." Wang’s words reached Avia’s ears, making her body tremble.

Releasing her cheeks, Wang Yu looked earnestly into Avia’s eyes, as if confirming his sincerity.

"Can you please stop getting yourself into such dangerous and troublesome situations? It really worries me, and it also... makes me a little angry."

The girl’s complaint was voiced, but no matter how she tried, she couldn't make her tone harsh. Yet, her meaning was clear.

"Alright, I’ll try, though I might not be able to promise it." Wang Yu replied with a smile.

"Huh? That’s it? That’s too casual."

The girl was stunned. Wang Yu’s answer wasn't exactly dismissive, but it was like coaxing a child. A hint of annoyance crept into her voice, and she punched Wang Yu’s chest.

"Haha, sorry. Isn't this better? Avia, just tell me if you're unhappy. Don't worry about causing me trouble. You are never a trouble to me; only the messy affairs of the capital are."

Wang Yu laughed, letting Avia’s fists land on him. He wasn't trying to provoke her; he just wanted her to express her feelings directly. It was important.

"I promise you, okay? I won't put myself in danger unless it's absolutely necessary." After laughing, Wang Yu gave a truly serious reply.

"Hmm, okay. If you ever really get into danger, then, just like you saved me before, let me save you, okay?" The girl nodded, satisfied, and hugged her own arms as she spoke to Wang Yu.

"Ah, this." Wang Yu glanced at the pile of alchemy components on the table. Could it be...

"Thank you." Giving Avia a hug, Wang Yu sat beside her, and the girl leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Wang Yu."

"Hmm?"

"I said, I don't think there's any need for us to stay in the Royal Capital anymore. When I first arrived, I thought this place was quite decent, but the longer I stay, the more I find it, well, troublesome?"

"It's not that everything here is detestable; the Stevenson Academy of Magic, your friends in the Night's Edge, the Church of the Night in the capital's shadows, and that intriguing, kind-hearted deity, Lady Darkness—they all strike me as wonderful."

"But here, I constantly feel hemmed in. And it’s not just me; it’s you too, Wang Yu. Don't you feel that you've become burdened by too many concerns lately? There is so much to weigh, so many rules to observe. I truly believe the Royal Capital is no place for you, Wang Yu."

"Haha, indeed, I feel the same. While this city offers plenty of opportunities to grow stronger, the sheer volume of messy, trivial affairs is overwhelming. The world is vast, and I think it’s time we found an opportunity to see it. What about you, Avia?"

"Mhm, that’s exactly what I was thinking. Although the capital is convenient for studying magic and rich in alchemical resources, I still yearn to wander and see the world. I suppose that’s one of my passions."

"Well, let me think. Let’s wait until the war with Seventan concludes. Leaving before then would be too chaotic, and those insufferable nobles might seize the chance to frame us for something. Once Alestler and Seventan have finished their business, I think it will be the right time to depart."

"Sounds good. But Wang Yu, do you truly believe Alestler will be victorious?"

The girl's question prompted Wang Yu to stroke his chin, synthesizing the information he had gathered regarding Alestler's situation and the history of Seventan.

Drawing upon the knowledge he had acquired back on Earth, he pondered for a moment before delivering his judgment with absolute certainty.

"I see no reason why Seventan could possibly overcome Alestler. In my view, the outcome of this war was clear from the very beginning."

The disparity in resources, the gap in technology, even the moral standing—Seventan was at a disadvantage in every regard...

"If that is the case, then that is wonderful."

The girl nodded, seemingly understanding yet not quite grasping the full picture. Avia was brilliant and erudite, but when it came to the nature of warfare, Wang Yu, with his two decades of experience from Earth, possessed a deeper insight once he had acclimated to this world.

"Wait, hold on." Wang Yu pulled his magi-tech communication device from his pocket; Shar had sent him a message.

As he read the text, his eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He found the news utterly absurd.

Shar's message appeared in text upon the device's screen:

"The Lade family and many other great houses failed to secure a seat on the Council of Elders. This re-election meeting was truly decided by the vote count. Has the Royal Family gone mad?"