NOVPUB
Chapter 296: The Commotion After Their Return
After finishing his conversation with Carol, Aldrian returned to the crowd still waiting for him. Sylphia stood nearby, watching them. When she saw Aldrian coming back with Carol, she smiled at them and turned to Aldrian.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"Good," Aldrian replied. "I have to say, I hit another jackpot. Her past is also connected to the devils, so I decided to help her. I’ll explain everything once we’re back at the inn."
Sylphia nodded as Aldrian glanced at the crowd around them.
"Alright, I will now send you to Flamecrest City. Remember what I told you—spread the word that the Flamecrest family is the one who saved you," Aldrian said to them.
The expressions of the people brightened, but the man from earlier hesitantly asked Aldrian, his confusion evident.
"Savior, how can you send us back when there’s no transportation here?" It was the same question many others had, as they saw no artifacts, formations, or carriages nearby.
Aldrian simply smiled at them and glanced at Carol Duclane, who was also looking at him with curiosity, wondering how he would send them back. However, she suddenly felt disoriented as the scenery around them shifted abruptly. She blinked, unable to even process the shock before finding herself surrounded by the sights of the city.
She looked around, taking in her surroundings as she stood in the vast plaza. Though it had been a long time, she still recognized this place—the city plaza of Flamecrest City.
As the reality of the situation settled in, finally her eyes widened in shock. Did that young man just move them from Boraz to this place? She realized he must have used some kind of space-based technique to accomplish it, but how? To achieve such a feat would require an enormous amount of energy and a level of comprehension that even those at the Emperor stage would struggle to attain.
The reactions of the crowd, whether from the former captives or the nearby onlookers, were the same—they were stunned. The captives were shocked because of their sudden arrival in this place, while the onlookers were equally taken aback by the simultaneous appearance of so many people.
Some of the captives dropped to their knees, tears streaming down their faces as the realization struck—they were finally here, safe and free.
The plaza was still packed with people, as the princess’s announcement had only just concluded not long ago. Many were still discussing the announcement when the sudden appearance of so many people, as if they had popped out of thin air, left them in shock.
"Wait, isn’t that Mister Oh? Didn’t he disappear during his expedition five years ago?"
"Look, that’s Miss Yu—the young miss of the..."
"That’s..."
As the commotion spread, many people began to identify the captives, rushing to approach them and offer help. They could see the torn clothes they wore, and how the women were only covered by a single piece of cloth.
The commotion quickly drew the attention of the Flamecrest family’s guards, who rushed to the scene. Soon after, the news of the captives’ sudden appearance spread throughout the entire city like wildfire.
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Aldrey, who had just returned to the mansion not long ago, now sat in the Grand Duke Flamecrest’s workroom, alongside the Grand Duke himself. They were discussing what just happened. The princess’s announcement had truly satisfied them; with her words, their family’s name would mostly be cleared. They had also announced their own investigation, which further strengthened the princess’s conclusion and eased the people’s suspicions and worries. 𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖕𝔲𝖇.𝖈𝖔𝖒
However, there was still something that felt off. There was something strange about Princess Loraine; Aldrey could see that she seemed quite anxious for reasons unknown. Grand Duke Flamecrest also noticed this, sensing that something was weighing on the princess. However, it was not their place to inquire about her personal matters.
In the midst of their discussion, they suddenly heard a knock at the door. After the Grand Duke allowed the man in, he immediately bowed to both Grand Duke Flamecrest and Aldrey.
"My lord, we have a situation in the city plaza."
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While the city was already in commotion due to the sudden appearance of the captives, Aldrian had returned with Sylphia. They were now walking hand in hand down the road, appearing like an ordinary couple. No one knew that the man had just destroyed a devil’s fortress in the Devil Territory.
Aldrian felt a sense of relief, free from the burden of problems. After today, the name Flamecrest would soar to greater heights. No one would dare tarnish the family’s reputation.
Their position would become stronger, and even if rumors, like the devil-related scandal from a few days ago, resurfaced, the people would no longer be quick to believe them. A family capable of destroying a devil’s fortress—how could anyone believe they were in cahoots with the devils? Only fools would entertain such an idea. It could be said that the troubles surrounding his father’s family were now resolved.
Now, for his next step, Aldrian would focus on uprooting the devils from the Vindas Empire. This task would undoubtedly be more chaotic. However, he was ready for it. If it meant turning the entire empire upside down to rid it of the devils, he would do so without hesitation.
After walking and enjoying the sights and attractions until sunset, they finally returned to the inn. However, as they entered, Aldrian spotted a figure in a black robe sitting at one of the tables on the ground floor, where the inn also functioned as a restaurant. He instantly recognized the person and approached, with Sylphia following him.
After arriving beside the figure in the black robe, Aldrian noticed a woman who seemed lost in thought while staring at her drink. Sensing his presence beside her, she looked up at him. Aldrian then took a seat across from her, with Sylphia following suit and ordering drinks for them.
"How do you feel after getting out of that place, Miss Carol?" Aldrian asked.
Carol sighed, her gaze fixed on her drink.
"It’s good. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. I’m just glad I decided to come back instead of... ending my own life," she replied.
"Good, I’m glad to hear that. Now, Miss Carol, let’s discuss the details of what you’re going to do. As I mentioned earlier, you will serve as bait for the Larson family, and from there, you’ll expose their true colors. You just need to terrorize them with information that only you know—their collaboration with the devils. Use this to make them anxious and force them into making mistakes. Since they believe you’re gone and no longer a threat, you can play this card more effectively."
"The imperial family will also be dragged into this, since Princess Loraine is involved. So, you’d better be careful with your operation. For the future, let’s proceed with this..." They discussed the details of their plan for the next hour before they were done. Carol, now understanding the direction and steps she needed to take, was filled with determination. Aldrian provided her with some wealth to start her operation and help ensure their plan ran smoothly.
After Carol left the inn, Aldrian turned to Sylphia.
"My dear, you can go back to your room first. I need to visit the princess and check on her condition."
Sylphia smiled and nodded, and only after that did Aldrian disappear, like a ghost as he usually did.
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Inside the Flamecrest family mansion, Princess Loraine sat in front of the mirror in her room. She didn’t want to return to the capital just yet, as she was waiting for the young man’s visit. Anxiety gripped her, and she found herself biting her thumbnail, unable to relax for even a moment. After the announcement, the young man hadn’t visited her, leaving her uncertain of what he was thinking or doing. She could only hope that he was satisfied with the results of today.
Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her, and there he was. Without hesitation, she rushed toward Aldrian, intending to grab his collar, but he swiftly caught her hand, preventing her from touching him.
"I’ve done what you asked me to do, so please, release Rodwin," she pleaded.
Aldrian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he flashed her a smile. She froze, stunned by the sudden expression, the first smile he had ever shown her. In that moment, she realized that smile wasn’t a good sign.
"Good job, Your Highness. You really know how to deliver good news to the masses. I’m impressed," Aldrian remarked, his voice laced with a touch of amusement.
Princess Loraine let out a sigh of relief, though she still hadn’t received an answer about Rodwin. Her patience was beginning to thin.
"Ah, by the way, while I was taking a stroll today, I came across some... interesting information about you, Your Highness. To think you, too, have your hands stained in the downfall of the Duclan family."
Princess Loraine’s eyes widened in shock. How could he possibly know about that? There was no way he could have found out unless he had connections with the devils or the higher-ups in the Larson family. As for the imperial family, only her guardian knight knew about it.
Whatever the case, this was bad news for her! From the looks of it, this young man wasn’t finished with her yet.
