Mystery Paradise: Wishing Power Demon

Chapter 268: Chapter 267: The Regicide

Chapter 268 -267: The Regicide

“Mr. Zhao, can this airplane really use the ocean as a takeoff and landing site?” Ryan had also come over at this time.

“That’s right, and it’s the fastest way to get you back to the Old Continent. If we take off in the morning, we will be able to arrive at the East Coast of the Old Continent by evening,” Chaoyang nodded.

“Only one day!” Farrelan was also surprised by this efficiency.

It had taken them a full fourteen days to travel from Bloodhand Port to the Magnificent Castle on a warship!

“To avoid detection, the pilot will find a spot off the coast to drop you off. There’s a small speedboat in the cabin for you to reach land,” Chaoyang paused, “By the way, you all plan on going to the Royal City, right?”

“Yes. Whether it has fallen or not, it is the most suitable place to gather information,” Ryan said earnestly.

“Me too,” Shandela agreed, “General Fales Ben’s troops are usually stationed outside of the Royal City. If the royal family is still resisting, it would definitely be under his command.”

“In that case, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Please go ahead,” Ryan agreed without hesitation.

“Help me get two people to the Royal City,” Chaoyang pointed to Dane and Judy at his side, “Under normal circumstances, it’s no matter, but right now, it’s in the midst of a civil war, so it would be safer to have someone to look after them on the road.”

“Is that all? I’ve got it covered,” the colonel promised promptly.

Shandela also clenched her fist over her heart, “I will ensure their safe arrival at the Royal City.” 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Thank you for your troubles,” Chaoyang turned towards the sea, “Go then, I wish you all a smooth journey.”

…

In the upper district of the Royal City, Jinsui Palace.

Duke Longjiu stepped over the bodies of guards and walked into the audience hall. This was not an inner sanctum but a place where the royal family usually met with officials. He followed the pathway of gilded granite slabs, walking down the long corridor, step by step towards the throne where he normally paid his respects to the monarch. The floor-to-ceiling arch windows on both sides of the palace still showed the familiar scenes of the Royal City, but the rolling black smoke had lent the city an added sense of grimness.

The King was seated on the throne.

Beside him were more than a dozen princes and princesses.

The oldest was in their twenties, the youngest barely past seven or eight, but the first and second princes were not among them.

For most of these royal offspring, it was their first time experiencing such events. They looked bewildered at the rebels, some unsure of what to do; those who understood the gravity shielded their father, their eyes showing clear signs of fear.

“… Has General Fales been defeated?”

William Tesser looked at the initiator of the rebellion and spoke in a deep voice.

He was only fifty years old, still in the prime of life. Though he spoke without any sign of disarray, his voice was filled with authority, as it was when he used to question his subjects.

“Yes, he fought valiantly, and his soldiers were equally determined. Unfortunately, their efforts didn’t amount to much in the face of iron bodies,” the Duke replied with his usual ceremonial bow before answering directly.

What were these iron bodies?

King Tesser did not ask, for the personal guards standing next to Duke Longjiu had already provided the answer—they were no longer dressed in military uniforms but in extremely thick armor. Because these armors were so large, the guards appeared almost like giants, nearly three meters tall. The weight of their steel boots on the floor was enough to crack the granite slabs with every step.

Steel armor of this magnitude could not possibly be supported by human strength alone; the steam that occasionally burst from their joints signified that the armor was essentially a man-made marvel. The absence of water tanks meant that these marvels were directly powered by Talents, yet Talents were far from numerous enough to serve as guards.

“Have you come for the affair of a century ago?” Tesser let out a long sigh.

“Speaking of a century ago, the royal family indeed owes my grandfather an answer. Were it not for his merits, perhaps the Tesser family would have taken much longer to swallow the whole Old Continent. Sadly, what reward did he receive? Aside from a ducal title, nothing at all. But…”

Wilson Longjiu shook his head, “I haven’t come for the royal family’s debt. The reasoning that made me do this is simple: it’s because it’s easy.”

“You…”

“Have you forgotten how your family ascended to the throne? At that time, many kingdoms and lords existed across the continent; did they owe your grandfather anything? Of course not; it was simply because the previous king believed he could do it, so why not try?”

The Duke stepped up the staircase until he stood level with the King.

“Don’t come any closer!” the largest prince shouted, his right hand already on his sword.

“Your Highness, the Fourth Prince, I’ve noted your bravery. But if your sword were to leave its sheath now, you would meet an earlier death than your father.”

“Nor! Stand down!”

“But father—” The Fourth Prince looked back at his father, but ultimately stepped aside.

“How long has your family been without the Goddess of Abundance’s favor? Since the death of the previous king, the Divine Envoy’s blessings have been nothing to do with you, right? You control the royal army, you enjoy the taxes from your vassals across the lands, yet you forget that this position was acquired through divine power.”

He stopped in front of the King, and their gaze shifted from level to a downward one, though the one looking down had changed.

“…You’ve won. I will write the abdication edict; don’t harm my children,” Tesser said after a moment of silence.

“I won’t touch them; in fact, I don’t even want the throne,” said Duke Longjiu nonchalantly.

“What?”

“I will support one of your descendants to ascend the throne, so that the kingdom still belongs to the Laurel Family. And this person will shoulder the responsibility of regicide and usurpation, becoming the new king of the Old Continent,” his gaze swept over the princes and princesses, “However, only one will have such an honor—after a bout of strife, the one who remains alive.”

William Tesser turned pale with anger, “Hold your tongue, how dare you—!”

Bang!

Before he finished his words, his head was blown open by a handgun shot, silencing him abruptly.

The King slumped down slowly, blood smearing the back of the throne.

The crowd immediately started shrieking!

Duke Longjiu watched the Fourth Prince who’d earlier stood in his way. Now stripped of any momentum to charge forward in bravery, his complexion turned terrifyingly pale and his legs trembled as his father fell.

Even at such a time… was he still putting on airs, trying to leave a better impression on his father?

The Duke scoffed, the Laurel Family had indeed been on the throne for too long.

Longjiu holstered his gun and walked down the stairs, “You better hurry, those who wish to live should not hesitate. Haven’t any of you ever fantasized, if you were not so far down the line of succession, how could you simply watch the throne pass to the eldest prince? ‘If it were up to competence, I could do better than all of them!’—I’m guessing you’ve all thought this to yourselves.”

He retreated to the bottom of the hall, turned, and spread his arms towards the princes and princesses, “Now, I give you an opportunity to prove it.”