At the Lords Mansion, more than a dozen carriages loaded with food marched in a grand procession toward the town gates.
“What is going on? Why are so many carriages rushing out from the Lords Mansion?”
“Holy shit, it smells so good! What on earth are those carriages carrying?”
Someone with a keen nose sniffed and said, “It seems to be roasted potatoes!”
Trist, who was driving Levi’s carriage, cleared his throat and shouted loudly,
“Make way, everyone on the road! His Highness the Sixth Prince is showing great mercy and providing disaster relief to the refugees!”
A mature butler knew how to flatter his master.
Whether it worked or not, not flattering him would be your fault.
“?”
Following Trist’s clamor, the onlookers all looked at each other with incredulous expressions.
What kind of damn joke was this?
Was this bastard prince’s lackey making up lies again?
Everyone’s first reaction was disbelief.
Because Levi’s past actions had completely destroyed their trust.
Land tax, fertilizer tax, drinking water tax, housing tax, grain tax…
If he added a few more taxes like breathing tax and eating tax, the collection would be completely complete.
You expected a black-hearted prince like this to be so kind?
Anyway, deeply tormented as they were, they didn’t believe it.
But that didn’t stop them from spectating.
The vassals followed the carriage procession toward the town gate.
They wanted to see what on earth this Highness, who liked to torment people for no reason, was planning to do.
…
Meanwhile.
On the city wall, four sneaky figures crouched slightly, moving toward their destination.
“What are—you trying to do?”
From behind, a dignified maiden’s voice suddenly came.
The bodies of the four sneaky knights stiffened abruptly, and they looked back in disbelief.
The red-haired Female Knight, holding a longsword, looked at them coldly.
“Isabella!?”
How could she have come here!?
Damn it!
Wasn’t someone keeping watch?
Isabella walked out from the shadows, her swordless left hand unexpectedly dragging an unconscious knight.
The moment they saw their companion, these knights revealed ominous expressions.
“Damn it!”
“You trash, you couldn’t even stall her for a single second.”
“How did you discover our plan!?”
Isabella’s expression was icy.
“His Highness had already guessed your existence.”
The knights were stunned.
“How is that possible! How could that trash Sixth Prince be so smart!”
“You must be lying!”
“Don’t waste your breath with her!”
“Quickly toss the flag to notify the people outside the city! The three of us will hold her back!”
“Alright!”
Seeing this, a knight pulled a bright red flag from his embrace, wanting to throw it outside the city gate.
Clearly, this was the signal they had agreed upon with their companions outside the city!
“Dream on!”
Prepared in advance, Isabella struck instantly.
Condensed, substantive red battle aura extended from her sword, severing the flag-holding knight’s hand from a distance.
The speed was so fast that it was completely beyond the reaction time of First-Order Knights.
The other three knights responsible for holding Isabella back were terrified.
What the hell kind of Second-Order Knight’s strength was this?
With battle aura so close to being substantive, Isabella had already stepped half a foot into the Third-Tier Knight realm!
Placed in the royal capital, this level was fully capable of joining the Knights Order!
The intelligence was fake!
Had they known that Isabella actually possessed the combat power of a Third-Tier Knight, these people would never have gone to act as internal agents!
“Ugh ah!! My! My hand!!!”
The flag-holding knight knelt on the ground, emitting painful wails.
Weren’t the three of you supposed to hold Isabella back!
What are you doing!
Like a valkyrie, Isabella walked slowly toward them with her sword:
“Do you still want to continue?”
To her, the four First-Order Knights in front of her were merely four clowns.
Even if they all went up together, it would be impossible to deal with her.
The remaining three knights looked at their companion with a severed hand, and simultaneously dropped the swords in their hands.
Raising their hands, they knelt on both knees.
Such a completely unchivalrous act caused a trace of utter disappointment to flash deep within Isabella’s eyes.
Had Levi not specifically named to keep them for interrogation, the heads of these people would have hit the ground in the next second.
“Lock all these traitors up in the dungeon for me!”
…
Outside the town gate.
The cold and starving refugees curled up in temporarily erected drafty shelters, shivering.
Among them, however, a few people were noticeably different from the sallow and emaciated disaster victims.
Although they were similarly ragged and covered in filth, upon closer inspection, one could discover that their “chill” was put on.
Their falcon-like eyes had already betrayed their true identities.
Assassins.
Assassins from Winterhold.
“Are you all ready?” The Assassin Captain glanced over his team members.
“Rest assured, Captain, once the tragic atmosphere is rendered enough, we will incite these refugees, cooperate with the people inside, open the city gates, and charge into Wintertown in one fell swoop.”
“Afterward, we will disguise ourselves as members of the rioters and assassinate the Sixth Prince.”
The Assassin Captain looked at his team members with a solemn expression:
“Remember, withdraw immediately after killing the Sixth Prince. If you are accidentally left behind, you should know what to do.”
Everyone nodded, indicating they understood.
Their wives and children were all in Winterhold, so they naturally knew what they should do.
But just at this moment, a huge unusual sound came.
“Hmm?”
What is going on?
Not only these assassins, but all the refugees were drawn by this huge commotion.
“It’s the gates! The gates are opening!”