abcnovels
Chapter 76:
Chapter 76:
Chapter 76:
Chapter 76
Helmuts daughter, Elise, set off on her way home from school, trying hard to suppress her nervousness.
At Elises side, a knight was always a constant shadow.
He was her bodyguard, and he was with her 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
A horse escort, but more of a watchdog, monitoring her every move.
On campus, though, things were a little better.
As a rule, only one bodyguard was allowed on the grounds of the Royal Academy.
But the moment she step out of the Academys main gates and into the carriage, its a different story.
Five more people clung to her, so Elise was surrounded and watched by a total of six knights.
Please.
Elise thought back to the note shed been surreptitiously handed earlier.
We will be rescuing the young lady later today.
Please, whatever happens, do not be alarmed, but remain calm.
It is your fathers will.
Elise knew all too well what would happen if she failed to escape and was captured, and she felt very anxious.
She was also worried because the mere fact that a rescue operation was taking place meant that the relationship between the family and the royal family had completely broken down.
To get away from this suffocating life
On the other hand, it was a ray of hope to see the end of this hellish life.
Valdemars life as a hostage was a living hell.
From the moment she became a hostage, her every move was monitored, her attempts to visit her hometown were denied for all sorts of reasons, and she was not allowed to socialize or interact with anyone.
For how long?
Until a new matriarch was found.
The Valdemar matriarchs were forced to live such a pampered life in the name of loyalty to the royal family, and it was the same for Elise.
Miss, the carriage has arrived.
Her knight, ever the shadowy presence, guided her.
Surrounding the carriage were four knights in full plate mail and pressed helmets, mounted on horseback.
The coachman was also a heavily armed knight.
Without a second thought, Elise climbed into the breathtaking carriage, the one shed always ridden in.
Then.
Who, are y- please?
Elise panicked when she saw a handsome blond man in the carriage.
Shhh.
The blond man raised his index finger to the corner of his mouth.
Im carrying out your fathers orders.
Ah!
Please be quiet.
Oh, okay.
Elise was very puzzled, but she had no doubt that the handsome blond man had come to her rescue.
With that, the carriage set off, and suddenly began to gallop along at a terrifying speed.
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo!
The sound of wheels and horses hooves was loud.
Rattle, rattle, rattle!
The carriage shook relentlessly.
Ugh!
Someones scream echoed from outside.
Alas, you neednt have bothered.
A handsome blond man calmed the startled Elise.
Someone dozed off and fell out of the carriage, perhaps?
What?
You know, the one who followed you all the way to school.
A blond, handsome man.
Otto smiled.
* * *
Exactly two hours after Elises disappearance.
Lock the gates!
Search the carriages!
There was an emergency in the capital of the Magritte Kingdom.
When Elise didnt return to the manor long after her academy classes ended, a manhunt was immediately ordered.
Helmut, youre the one!
The king of the Magritte Kingdom was furious as soon as he received the report of Elises disappearance.
The disappearance of the beloved Elise was proof that Helmut had decided to rebel against the royal family.
Helmuts rebellion was the last thing the king feared, so his anger was understandable.
Elise, the damned wench must be captured alive, she must be captured alive! Do you hear me!
Yes, Your Majesty.
Also, immediately raise an army and deploy it to the eastern border. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Helmut has started a rebellion by attempting to take her away.
The response was swift.
The capital was put on lockdown, and troops were mobilized.
Meanwhile, King Magritte wasnt the only one panicking.
The knights who were originally tasked with rescuing Elise were just as baffled.
I cant believe this is happening.
The knight in charge of the rescue realized that they were one step too late.
Who the hell rescued her?
Who and why.
And two days ahead of the scheduled date?
And there was no talk of another unit to run the rescue operation.
What can we do, shouldnt we inform the Lord of this as soon as possible?
How do you mean to inform them?
The knight gave his subordinate an incredulous look.
The capital has been blockaded. Were stranded, too. How are we supposed to report to the lord?
Ha, but.
For now, well stay hidden as best we can and wait for a chance to escape the capital. If we try to force our way out, we will only be annihilated.
I see.
In the end, Helmuts men were stuck in the capital and had to hide like rats.
They were prepared to risk their lives to escape and bring the news to Helmut, if there was any chance at all.
But with the entire capital blockaded and the streets lined with soldiers and knights, there was no way out.
For now, they could only hide themselves.
* * *
Despite the blockade, the carriage carrying Elise had already left the capital.
Whoa!
Heeeeeeeeeee!
As soon as Otto abandoned the carriage, he jumped on the horse he had hidden and galloped off to the east where the Haver Prairie lay.
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo!
The Tatar horses, a specialty of the Haver Prairie, galloped at a terrifying speed, leaving the Magritte Kingdom troops in their wake.
In fact, they were so fast that they couldnt even follow a shadow of Ottos group.
Who are you?
Elise, running in Ottos arms, finally spoke up.
You say you follow my fathers orders, but. I have never seen you before; you are not my fathers knight.
Thats right, Im not your fathers subordinate.
Then youre a mercenary?
Honestly, Elise didnt think of Otto as a mercenary.
He doesnt have the rough aura of a mercenary, and that face Shed never seen anyone so noble and handsome. He cant be a mercenary.
The current Otto was handsome enough to rival the most handsome men on the continent, so it was hard to imagine him as a mercenary.
Mercenary?
Otto grinned behind Elises back.
No, Im not. Im not a mercenary.
Then what the hell are you? You said you were following my fathers orders. You said youre not my fathers knight and youre not a mercenary, so what are you.
Im a kidnapper.
Yes?
Elise de Valdemar. You have been kidnapped by me.
!
As your kidnapper, I intend to demand a reasonable ransom from your father, Marquis Helmut. However, I promise you that if things go wrong, I will not inflict any harm on you.
Oh.
Elises expression darkened sharply.
Just when she thought she was about to be the free woman she so desperately wanted to be, this handsome blond man who had helped her escape was her kidnapper?
Elise cant believe her escape wasnt really an escape, but another prison.
Elise shuddered at the overwhelming sense of despair, but tried to speak calmly.
Do you realize what would happen if you kidnapped me?
Things are going to get extremely ugly between King Magritte and Marquis Helmut no, ugly is not the right word for a civil war.
How many because of your irresponsible behavior? .
Your father, Marquis Helmut the Margrave, has already made preparations for a rebellion: he has joined forces with the Kerrates tribe, the largest force in the Haver Prairie.
!
In other words, regardless of your kidnapping, there was going to be a war anyway.
You mean my father was going to rebel?
Thats right.
That cant be right! My family has been loyal to the House of Magritte for generations, and we have nothing in common with the nomads of the Haver Prairie.
Is that slavery or loyalty?
That, thats.
If youre a loyalist twice, youll be buried alive with the king when he dies.
Ottos sarcasm turned Elise into a honeyed mute, unable to say anything.
Whatever happened, it happened, and whether or not you were kidnapped has nothing to do with the war being fought.
Then why did you kidnap me? If my father is really determined to start a rebellion, threatening him with my life wont work, because he wont stop.
No.
Otto shook his head.
Im willing to blackmail Marquis Helmut, but I dont want him to give up the rebellion.
Then what is your intention?
I want Marquis Helmut to break his alliance with the Kerrates, and to ally himself with the Kongurat instead of the Kerrates.
* * *
Same time.
Lets go, brave Kongurat warriors!
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Amukhan immediately led his cavalry into battle.
Hed had a little too much to drink the night before, but he had no problem fighting a battle.
Given the circumstances, Kairos, Amukhan did not challenge him to a drinking contest.
If they had had a drinking contest last night either Amukhan or Kairos would have been sick for at least three days, regardless of the outcome.
Neither of them were stupid enough to have a drinking contest in a war chest.
Enemy! Wipe them out!
Amukhan spotted the cavalry of the Kerrates tribe in the distance and began to gallop at a terrifying pace.
A battle ensued.
Im here! You worm-like Kereit tribe!
Amukhan showed off his combat prowess as he swept through the Kerrates cavalry like fish through water.
Hahahahahaha!
Now that our chieftain has returned, you are all nothing but wolf food!
With their morale soaring, the warriors of the Kongurat tribe also showed off their combat prowess, which was incomparable to that of a few days ago.
Roar!
Kung, kung, kung!
The wolf spirits summoned by Amukhan also revealed their ferocious beastly appearance, biting down on the Kerrates cavalry without acknowledgment.
But it was neither Amukhan nor the Kongurat warriors who were the heroes of the battle.
My, my.
Amukhan completely lost the will to fight when he saw Kairos fighting.
Chills!
A chill ran down his spine.
It had been hundreds of years since hed fought a proper battle, and Kairos fighting prowess was too terrifying to believe with his own eyes.
Boom!
A single blow from Kairos mace shattered the head of the horse that the Kerrates warrior was riding.
Omph!!
The Kerrates tribe warrior fell from his horse.
*smack*
Kaiross kick slammed into the face of the fallen Kerrates warrior.
Horrifyingly, not only was the Kerrates warriors face crushed, but his skull was crushed as well, killing him instantly.
Such was the fate of most of the enemies who fell prey to Kairos.
Not one of them shall return alive.
With that declaration, Kairos began to pummel the Kerrates warriors and their horses to death.
Kaiross mace cut down men and horses alike with a single blow, as if he had the will to live.
He had fought thousands of battles in his previous life, perhaps ten thousand, and the experience of an absolute warrior was pouring out of him.
War God.
After hundreds of years, the God of War descended again.