Sylvester didn’t expect the King to be like this. But, on another look, he could see that this was all just for the show to save his own neck. He could smell the lies, but there was fear and anxiety as well, clearly showing the King was ready to do anything as long as he could survive this crisis.

“Rise, King Gracia. On your land, an unholy act had transpired. Now it’s up to you to serve us and ensure that the true culprit is found—unless you had something to do with this.” Sylvester spoke in a respectful yet angry tone.

Meanwhile, he was also worried about something else, a realisation that had only hit him just now. He had wondered why the Inquisitor High Lord had come here himself instead of only having Lady Aurora’s support.

From what he could remember, the Gracia Kingdom had 3 Grand Wizards or Wizard-Knights. That would mean if it turns out that the royal family was behind the crime, then these powerful guardians of the kingdom might respond.

In that case, he won’t be able to defend himself with just Lady Aurora beside him. So, this new arrangement by Lord Inquisitor made all the more sense.

“Understood, lord bard. I shall do everything I can to help you. In fact, I have already apprehended the knights involved in the attack and the subsequent unlawful behaviour. I have tried to get the word out of them, but they have yet to respond.” The King fixed his crown and his clothes while slowly bringing back his royal demeanour.

Thud!

Lord Inquisitor tapped his staff on the beautiful light green marble floor with patterns akin to leaves. With that tap, a crack appeared on it, making all hearts in the hall beat profusely. “Speak with actions, King Gracia. Lead us to where you have them imprisoned.”

“O-Of course, Lord Inquisitor!” The King exclaimed in fright. “Second uncle, please come with me.”

Quickly, an old, bald man with a short white beard and a finely built strong body walked forward. The man appeared to be a wizard or a knight as he wore intricate armour and had the eyes of someone who had seen battles. But he wore no rank plates.

“This way, respected clergy.” The man led them with the King. “I am Viscount Tempus Gracia, brother of the previous queen Rexina.”

Sylvester was reminded of the old and pretty blonde woman who once lusted at his body. ‘Last I remember, didn’t she get crippled from some sort of poison? Or was she paralysed? She must be somewhere within these walls’

Soon, they were brought down to the castle’s dungeons and could hear many screams. These were not the men they were looking for, however. Who they were looking for were in a level even below the dungeons, where not even an ounce of light reached, nor did any sound. Whenever the prisoners there are left alone, they just go insane because of the darkness and silence.

“Why didn’t you have a child, your majesty?” Felix asked all of a sudden. “By the way, I didn’t introduce myself. I am God’s Favoured Candidate, Felix Sandwall.”

The heads of the King and Viscount Tempus turned as they recognised his name. But soon, the King’s face turned into a frown. “I… I will soon have a few—I have six wives, after all. I’ve just been waiting for the right moment.”

‘What?… he can’t have babies?’ Sylvester chuckled in silence. This was another case of a royalty being unable to have a child. So he wondered why such a thing was common.

“Your majesty, were your wives someone related to your family before marrying you?” Sylvester asked.

“Of course, my first wife is my uncle’s daughter, and my second wife is my second uncle’s daughter. The others are also distant cousins. Why? Is that a problem?” King Harold Gracia asked.

‘That explains it.’

“No, nothing. I was just curious.” Sylvester didn’t explain anymore and silently followed.

The last floor of the dungeons was more than a dozen metres underneath the ground. At that level, all the walls around them felt wet, as if they were mud, not walls. It was understandable since the entire city existed on a river delta.

“They are locked in here.” Viscount Tempus spoke and opened the metal door with just a little box to see inside.

They found at least six guards standing in light leather armour as they entered. The fire torches kept everything well-lit, and deeper inside that room were a few doors leading to a dark cell.

Sylvester looked around first. They were in a cave-like location. The torches were enough, but he used his right hand to spread light around and see everything. “You better start reinforcing the ceiling. From the looks of it, I believe it will come down soon.”

“What?” King Gracia panicked, for he knew that the entire palace was in danger if this place caved in. “How can you tell, Lord Bard?”

“Look at those cracks and the surface. It’s more caved in and appears wetter than the rest.” Sylvester pointed at the top. “Get it done as soon as possible, your majesty.”

The King took his words seriously. “Uncle, get this done, please.”

‘An immature king is all I see from this. At least his mother had guts and a regal attitude. He seems to lack everything that makes one a king.’ Sylvester thought as he analysed the royal man.

“Enough chatter. Show us the commander of your royal guards.” Lord Inquisitor interjected.

Silence ensued, and they moved seriously. The guards quickly opened one metal door. It was as thick as five inches and ensured that no sound went inside.

The first one to enter was Inquisitor High Lord. But the man was so big that he took up all the space. Still, it was enough as he simply asked him the question while making fire on his other palm. “Speak, knight, for I give you this right. Defend yourself and tell me why I should not kill you?”

“Thu!” The Knight spat on Inquisitor High Lord’s feet. “I am the Lord commander of the royal guards. My mouth will stay close—no matter who asks.” ｂｏ𝚟𝚕.

Woosh!

The Inquisitor High Lord tapped his staff. The metal cuffs that kept the man tied to the wall freed him. “There exists punishments worse than death, knight. Fear the fury of the lord—do not say something whose reply you can’t afford.”

“Hehe… you think I didn’t know this would happen? I’m a dead man already—I failed and got caught. So either you kill me now, or I wait to die later—for that man is a worse freak than you all.”

Inquisitor High Lord didn’t become enraged, for he had done what he had come to do. He turned around and walked out, and let the door close. After that, he faced Sylvester. “I did as you asked, young bard. Now show me what game you have set—we don’t have much time, don’t forget.”

Sylvester bowed his head and let the Lord Inquisitor rest on a seat on the side. Then, he walked over to Viscount Tempus, the King’s serious man and first uncle. “How long will it take?”

“Just ten minutes, lord bard. But we have the prisoner you asked for.”

“Take me to him.” Sylvester took an axe from Felix and followed the noble.

They soon returned to the upper level of the dungeon and were taken to a dark room where only a single man was tied to a stone bed in the middle of the small room.

“P-Please… let me go! Why have you kept me here?”

Sylvester didn’t allow the man to see him as the head was tied too. “What did he do?”

“Murdered five families in the city, including three infants, a newborn, and ten women. One was violated. He’s everything that’s sick in the city, Lord Bard.”

Sylvester proceeded as he didn’t feel any lies. “Step back, lest you get your pretty armour dirty.”

The Viscount had no idea what Sylvester would do, so he watched in silence.

Bam!

“Ghaaa! Noooo… Fuck!”

Bam!

“Aaaa!”

“Shut up, filth!” Sylvester roared at the tied criminal. He used the axe to chop the arm clean and then one finger from the other hand.

Woosh!

Then, Sylvester used elemental fire magic to burn the wounds on the severed arm and finger, and then on the man’s wounds.

“This is a small price you pay for your sins. Let’s go, my lord.”

Sylvester left the room without sparing another glance and proceeded to the lower floor again. This time, as he arrived, he saw a new figure there, a woman in particular. She appeared old but not too old to appear ugly. She had brown hair that was now going white. She had pale skin with a few wrinkles on her scared face. Her blue eyes were darting left and right, looking for answers.

Sylvester looked around and saw Lord Inquisitor and the King sitting on the side. Gabriel, Felix and Bishop Lazark were doing what he asked them meanwhile. They forced the woman to keep her elbow closed, so her hand was touching her chest. Then, they tried her arm with white bloodied cotton.

At the same time, they made one finger on her right-hand fold and then tried it similarly. Then, at last, she was made to wear a dark brown lowborn gown over her body.

Sylvester moved forward. “You are the wife of Sir Winston Lennox, and you have to save your husband now. But only if he tells us who asked him to do what he did. Now, I shall present you in front of him, and if you make a single sound without my permission or speak any word, I will kill him without wasting a moment. Understood?”

The woman’s eyes turned watery in an instant. “Y-Yes… I will do everything.”

Bam!

Sylvester moved closer and firmly rubbed his palm over her eyes. “You’re not going in there for coupling with him—you need to look broken. Smudge your makeup.”

She nodded and quickly did so.

“Cry now—and do not stop.” He ordered. “Do it!”

It took him a little more effort to scare her, however. But once done, he nodded at the guards to open the room.

After that, Sylvester went inside, with his right-hand shining in light and his left hand holding the woman. There was also a bag on his shoulder.

“Sir Winston Lennox? I am Sylvester Maximilian, Lord’s Bard.” He introduced himself as soon as he entered.

The man was freed now and sitting on the ground in darkness. He didn’t even spare a glance at Sylvester. “I won’t say anything.”

“I know—That’s why I brought gifts.”

Thud!

Bam!

Sylvester first threw a severed hand at the knight and then a finger. “Look up, Knight. There is more to where it comes from. I wonder if you’d want to see more—I can surely explore that possibility.”

He looked up and saw her. “M… M-Marin? W-What did they do t…”

The woman just cried uncontrollably.

The Knight saw her severed arm wrapped in a bloodied bandage and the missing finger on her right hand. His face turned red, and his eyes turned bloodshot. “You sun**ing bastards!”

“Move another step and have her other arm chopped. One more step and have her head dropped. These are your options, Knight—Speak… or hear her shriek.”

___________________

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