Richard’s eyes narrowed as he spoke calmly.
“That duke is probably here to shut some people up. For example, Grand Duke of Frostwolf in Solan City.”
“Not obeying the orders of the Holy Church Empire, and even offending a member of the royal family. Or if something happened to the Royal Family, the Holy Church Empire could use it as an excuse to attack Twilight City.”
Logically speaking, the players had only been in the “Shining Era” for a short year. They could not fight against an empire regardless of their strength.
Perhaps the only thing the arrogant nobles feared was the death of the Greed Lord.
The god he killed in front of billions of people caused a vast commotion in Ell Plane.
They wouldn’t dare to act until they had ascertained his true power, even if people spied on him.
The third prince was cannon fodder that would scout the way and take the blame or even die.
At this point, he already had an idea in his heart.
However, he still had to see what role the Grand Duke of Frostwolf in Solan City would play in this operation.
He needed to confirm whether they were friends or foes.
Vale’s expression turned ugly.
Twilight City was his home, and the Violet Merchant Association Chamber of Commerce was the business he had built with his hands. He would not allow anyone to destroy his hard work!
“According to the spies, the third prince wouldn’t want to participate in this operation.”
“He wouldn’t want to participate?”
Richard narrowed his eyes. Who would be willing to be treated as cannon fodder?
“Lord, can we secretly contact the other party?”
Vale’s suggestion gave Richard a flash of inspiration, and a bold idea suddenly emerged.
An abandoned prince who was not valued did not seem to be worthless.
After all, wasn’t he a Holy Church Royal Family member?
“Can our Dark Group secretly transmit information?”
“It’s not a big problem. Everyone cares about this prince, although the prince has guards around him.”
Vale finished speaking. Everyone could hear the hurried footsteps from outside the hall.
A half-murloc quickly entered the room and reported after he bowed.
“Lord Richard, President Vale, a group of distinguished guests have arrived outside the manor. One claimed to be the Third Prince of the Holy Church Empire.”
Richard immediately perked up. That piqued his interest.
He glanced at Vale.
“It seems that the heavens fated prince with us.
“Bring him in…”
‘Bring him in?’
The half-murloc was stunned. The soldier thought Richard had lied about his identity, but he had not expected Richard to admit it. ‘Wasn’t the prince not allowed to come? Why would he welcome him?’
However, he turned around and left without saying anything when he realized none of the two intended to retract the order.
However, his back was even straighter than usual.
Not long after, the half-murloc entered the hall again. At this time, a young man in his early twenties dressed in black leather armor and warrior attire followed behind him.
The young man’s pure golden short hair was quite eye-catching.
Vicissitudes that didn’t match the young man’s age filled his eyes. That was the most meaningful impression on Richard.
Only after countless hardships, crimes, and an exchange of cold and warmth of life could one have such a gaze.
Richard pondered on the young man’s background and the mission of this trip. There was no need to think about it.
The young man was alone and did not have any guards behind.
The half-murloc retreated out of the hall. The young man took a deep breath and almost stepped forward. Then, under Vale’s surprised gaze, he knelt on one knee before Richard.
“Lord Richard, the Third Prince of the Holy Church Empire, Luce Theresia, salutes you.”
Richard was surprised by the man’s attitude.
A prince knelt on one knee before him. What kind of operation was this?
He stared at the young man.
He spoke slowly.
“Your Majesty Luce, with your noble status, there’s no need to bow before me.”
He asked curiously.
“Your Majesty’s’ surname… Not the Holy Church?”
To prove their orthodoxy, the royal families of the later Holy Church Empires would always use the word ‘Holy Church’ as their surname.
Luce gritted his teeth and sneered.
“Holy Church, such a filthy surname… You don’t have the right to put it behind my name.”
“Theresia is our mother’s surname.”
Richard did not comment.
“Your Majesty Luce, please rise first. I can’t accept the prince’s courtesy. Besides, this is the relationship between Your Majesty and the royal family. I don’t think you need to tell me.”
To say all this to a stranger, was the other party sincere or intentional?
He was so silly that he didn’t even know one buried him.
Luce took a deep breath. His expression returned to normal.
“That’s right, I was rude.”
He spoke with a complicated tone after he got up.
“The Holy Church’s Royal Family has already agreed with most of the nobles, and they are preparing to seize the Ell Plane.”
“Lord Richard, you are their target.
“This time, they sent me here to use me to provoke you and test your true strength.”
Vale’s expression changed when he heard this.
This prince. Had their enmity with the Holy Church Empire reached such a level?
Richard had only come to this conclusion after a few pieces of information. He did not expect the other party to reveal his cards as soon as he opened his mouth.
‘What was the young man trying to do?’
Richard was surprised.
“It seems that Prince Luce came prepared.”
He didn’t say anything more and followed the second half of the sentence.
“Test? How?”
Luce also needed clarification about Richard’s attitude. He calmed down afterward. He said, “The Sun Sect has a church in Solan City.
“The new white-robed archbishop took office three days ago.
“That white-robed archbishop is a legend.
“The other party can even beg the Sun God to send divine punishment.”
Richard’s expression turned serious.
He stared straight at the young man’s face and softly spoke.
“Your Majesty Luce, do you know what you’re saying?”
At this moment, an endless pressure surged from Richard’s body.
Sandstorms covered the hall. The air froze.
Luce’s heart trembled, but he didn’t retreat. He stepped forward and looked at Richard with determination.
He said word by word.
“I know, Lord Richard!”
“I will take responsibility for what I said!”
“Not only do the echelons of the Holy Church Empire wish to control the Ell Plane, but they have also prepared a great gift for you, Wormly Soul.”
“This is a treasure from an evil god. The worms will devour the soul and will become a shell once one has planted it in one soul!
“A new soul will rise inside, and that soul will obey the owner of the Wormly Soul.
“You couldn’t escape even if you’re the Grace Mainland Overlord.”
Richard sensed that the prince couldn’t lie. He narrowed his eyes.
“Have you thought about the consequences of telling me this information?”
A hint of madness appeared on Luce’s face.
“Consequences? At worst, my soul. What other consequences can there be?”
“The meaning of my life is revenge. After those filthy bastards slaughtered my father, mother, and sister!!”
‘Those bastards killed his father, mother, and sister!?’
Richard turned to look at Vale in surprise.
Vale shook his head. That implied he knew nothing about it.
The pale-faced Luce said in a trembling voice when he noticed their gestures.
“I know that you find it hard to trust me, Lord Richard, and I also know that the filthy blood of the Holy Church’s royal family flows in my veins… But that’s not important. I’m willing to do anything for you as long as I can kill all those bastards!!”
Richard’s face was still calm. He got used to the opponent’s madness.
“As far as I know, your mother died of illness when you were ten. And you don’t have a younger sister. As for your father, isn’t he the King of the Holy Church Empire? When did he die?”
Pain and struggle flashed across Luce’s face. He clutched his head and squeezed out a sound through his teeth.
“King? That bastard is worthy of being my father?
“I was that bastard who forced my mother after getting drunk once… It was an accident.
“At that time, my mother was already married.”
“Three years after she gave birth to me, my younger sister followed.
“However, the bastards of the Holy Church Royal Family relied on the Bloodline Identification Spell… He found me!”
“They…”
He could not continue at this point. He clenched his five fingers tightly.
A woman was married to a commoner. She had the king’s children. To outsiders, that commoner had suffered a massive loss.
However, in the eyes of the Royal Family, this woman had given birth to descendants of the Royal Family, yet she dared to have a relationship with a lowly civilian and even had children.
That simply tarnished the Noble Royal Bloodline!
The Noble Royal Family had easily made a move and sent those civilians who had tarnished the Royal Family to meet the Death God.
“What makes me curious is, why are you still alive?”
Richard’s tone was unfriendly.
Luce’s heart turned cold as he slowly lowered his head.
“At that time, that bastard didn’t have many descendants, and they all had physical problems… The Royal Family had a forbidden technique that allowed the bloodline of their descendants to strengthen themselves.”
Good heavens, that was amazing.
The Holy Church Royal Family’s operation amazed Richard.
As expected, humans were the race that was the easiest to sway. Evil, good, orderly, and chaotic. These factions were all choices one could decide with a single thought.
The Holy Church Empire’s Royal Family could do such a thing. There was a strong sense of irony.
“Your Majesty Luce, why are you telling me this information? What do you want?”
Richard’s face grew serious.
Luce’s eyes were already red as he spoke in a low voice.
“Because you are the Slayer God who killed one of the seven sins of evil. You are the most powerful ruler among the twenty billion Grace Mainland Lords!”
“Because you control an entire plane, and at the same time, you rule the influential Grace Mainland Lords!”
“It’s also because you’re the enemy of the Holy Church Empire, the prey of those bastards!”
“The greed of those bastards has already devoured their rationality. They can’t let you off.”
“There are many powerful existences in this world, but the only one who can kill all those bastards and is willing to become enemies with them is you!”
As he spoke, he knelt and pressed his head against the ground.
His tone was crazy and passionate.
“Lord Richard, I’m willing to give up everything I have to serve you!”
Richard looked at the prince in silence for a long time.
Vale didn’t move at all.
Strange atmosphere shrouded the air.
Richard looked at Luce after a long time. The young man had not got up yet and heaved a sigh of relief. Richard was about to speak when a familiar notification sounded in his ear.
[Ding~ The legends you left behind in the Mortal Plane have enormously increased your reputation. Your legend rating reached 15 (Universal).]
[Ding~ You have triggered an S-rank quest–Prince’s Revenge.]
[Luce Theresia, who was born from violence and an accident. He grew up in a peaceful and loving environment.]
[However, because of the bloodline in his body, he suffered the cruel treatment of the Holy Church’s Royal Family. They killed his father, mother, and sister.]
[The human tragedy ignited Prince Luce’s endless flames of revenge.]
[Please help Prince Luce complete his revenge.]
[Mission objective: Kill the King of the Holy Church Empire and eliminate all the sinners involved in this incident.]
