Chapter 679: Trap Setting (Part 1)_1

Dragon City, the Holy Light Cathedral.

After morning prayers, the nobles gradually began to depart from the Prayer Hall.

Once the crowd had dispersed, Cardinal Mensai approached Pope Gregory.

“When did you return?” Gregory asked while gesturing for Mensai to follow him outside.

“Your Holiness, I returned yesterday, but as it was late, I did not want to disturb your rest,” Mensai responded reverently.

Gregory nodded, but didn’t say a word until they had left the Prayer Hall and reached the quiet courtyard. He then asked again,

“How goes the situation? I heard a band of Orcs attacked Springs Town?”

“Everything is going smoothly, Your Holiness.” Mensai responded with a smile. “Colin Angler is now under the control of Prince Lexie. As for the Orc raiding party… yes, it was unexpected, but it hasn’t affected our plans.”

“That’s good,” Pope Gregory responded satisfactorily while nodding. But then he asked, “However, how did the Orc attack happen to occur in Springs Town?”

“Perhaps it was mere coincidence?”

“Coincidence?” Gregory clearly wasn’t satisfied with that explanation.

Upon seeing this, Mensai quickly reassured him,

“Your Holiness, there is no need to worry. There were only about four to five hundred Orcs, probably deserters who fled from the frontline at Luwal Valley.

Moreover, Duke St. Rands and Sir Barton have already gone to the Luwal Valley encampment. They are bringing back five thousand troops each to deal with the Orc raiding party.

I am sure we will hear good news soon.”

“Hm.” Although still suspicious, Gregory couldn’t come up with a reason for the Orcs suddenly appearing in Springs Town, so he accepted it as a coincidence.

They walked a bit further before Gregory again asked,

“What is the royal family’s opinion on dealing with Colin Angler?”

Mensai’s eyes flashed briefly before he responded,

“Your Holiness, the royal family is still a bit leery of executing Colin Angler in haste, fearing it could trigger an uproar within the Northern Army and potentially lead to greater upheaval… After all, he just led the triumphant battle at Luwal Valley and his reputation is currently soaring…”

Gregory impatiently interrupted, “So what is their plan?”

Lowering his voice, Mensai continued,

“Your Holiness, Governor Fred wishes to legally strip Colin Angler of his command over the Imperial Allied Army and install Prince Lexie as the commander-in-chief, responsible for retaking Westland.

This will allow Prince Lexie to deliberately assign the most difficult and dangerous tasks to the Northern forces, weakening their strength. Once the Orcs are fully driven back beyond the Sky Breaking Mountain Range and the Empire is free from external threats, we can then proceed with trial against Colin Angler.

By then, even if the Northern Lords are unhappy with the trial, they dare not rebel due to their lack of power.”

After pondering for a while, Gregory responded,

“Fred’s plan does seem more prudent. However, stripping Colin Angler of his command would require the Emperor’s permission… but Emperor Reinhardt is dead and his successor, Prince Harrison, happens to be a student of Colin Angler.

Moreover, as I understand it, Prince Harrison holds Colin in high regard. Persuading him won’t be easy…”

Mensai smiled and replied,

“Your Holiness, Prince Harrison is only a fourteen-year-old boy; how much real influence can he have? We need only to steer him a bit, and his admiration for Colin Angler will turn to resentment.”

There was a brief pause, Mensai’s tone became severe,

“Of course, if the boy proves too stubborn, we can resort to intimidation… After all, we control Dragon City, with the cooperation of Governor Fred and Prince Lexie, I doubt we can’t make a fourteen-year-old boy submit.”

Gregory thoughtfully nodded in agreement and said,

“I see.”

Having spoken, he walked briskly away giving orders to his attendants.

“Prepare the carriage, I am going to Phoenix Palace.”

Mensai silently watched Gregory’s retreating figure, his gaze profound.

…

Pope Gregory made his way to Phoenix Palace.

Before even stepping into the main hall, he saw two royal knights escorting Princess Judy out of the hall.

Princess Judy apparently was extremely unwilling, as she was struggling and yelling:

“Let go of me! Let me go! Brother! You can’t do this! Brother…”

Assuming that the siblings were petty bickering, Gregory didn’t pay it much mind and entered the main hall.

“Your Highness, Harrison.”

“Your Holiness, I apologize for the farce,” Prince Harrison, looking quite tipsy, likely having had too much wine, explained, “Judy wants to avenge our father in the frontline. I had no choice but to lock her up…”

Gregory replied with a slight grin, “The princess is simply showing her filial piety. You would do well to talk to her patiently. As for the late king’s heroic sacrifice, it is my regret as well. Please, accept my condolences.”

Prince Harrison nodded, his eyes reddening again. But he managed to hold back his tears and asked:

“Your Holiness, why have you come to see me?”

Pope Gregory sighed and carefully began:

“Your Highness, Harrison, my visit is indeed about your father’s death…”

“What? Are there some hidden truths about my father’s death?”

“Your Highness, I don’t know if you’ve reviewed the Luwal Valley battle report in detail, but there are indeed many oddities in it. Like, why did the central army suffer the most casualties? How did your father suffer such fatal injuries leading to his death…”

Prince Harrison’s gaze sharpened, he moved closer to Gregory and asked solemnly:

“Your Holiness, what are you trying to say?”

“What I am trying to say is, don’t forget who commanded the Battle of Luwal Valley. And after the king’s death and the decimation of the Central Army, who benefitted the most…”

Prince Harrison’s breathing started to grow heavy, with a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Slowly, he stepped closer to Gregory, seemingly convinced…

Suddenly, he stumbled, as if from too much wine.

Gregory instinctively reached out to steady him:

“Your Highness, be careful…”

Whoosh!

Gregory felt a sharp pain in his abdomen as sudden realization hit him. But before he could escape, Prince Harrison pounced at him like a ravenous wolf.

“You… ah! ah…”

One knife, after another, then another.

Mounted atop Gregory, Prince Harrison was furiously stabbing his chest with a dagger, like a madman.

A few cries of pain managed to escape Gregory, but there was no responding noise from beyond the hall, signalling a planned assassination!

The guards were already absented.

Gregory attempted to reach for the golden horn on his waist, but after being stabbed multiple times, he didn’t have the strength to blow the horn.

The divine spokesman, the leader of the church, the seventeenth Pope of the Glorious Empire, Gregory, ended his life pathetically, at the hands of a fourteen-year-old prince.