Chapter 330 105. Elizabeth’s Fury (Combined)
At this moment, in a room on the second floor of the hotel, four golden-haired gentlemen were slowly taking their seats. They each hung their heavy overcoats, which had been dusted with a bit of wind and snow, on the coat rack, revealing their sturdy muscles slightly covered by white shirts. They had tucked away all their weapons and relics into their overcoats to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
Next to the coat rack, a black briefcase sat unobtrusively, but one of the gentlemen was deliberately standing near it, partially obscuring it with his body.
The man at the head was a stern-looking blond man in his thirties with his hair slicked back. He sat on the sofa, with his leg crossed, watching the steaming tea that the supervisor of the Turan Family had just asked the maids to serve him. The steam was hazy, and amidst the vague concealment of weapons, there seemed to be a glimmer of golden light in the man’s eyes.
If Fisher had been present, he would have recognized this as a type of magic that enabled long-distance communication. The gentlemen in the room quieted down, occasionally glancing at the man on the sofa, who appeared to be speaking to himself.
“Your Majesty, we have arrived at the hotel booked by the Turan Family. Yes, we have clarified everything with their person in charge. We are prepared for the worst.”
At this time, deep within the Saint Nali Golden Palace, thousands of miles away from the Northern Region, a beautiful lady dressed in a white uniform was sitting behind her usual office desk. Her expression was cold as she slowly pushed aside several thick stacks of books and reports on the desk, propping her chin up with one hand, her gaze fixed upon the illusory scene forming in front of her.
With the precious long-range communication magic from the Bureau of Hidden Affairs, the Empress of Nali, Elizabeth, was able to clearly see the entire scene of the operatives she dispatched negotiating with the Turan Family. She observed the quiet room in the scene and then commanded,
“Corian, keep the magic open for the entire process so I can see your discussion. Once Fisher’s location is confirmed, regardless of whether the Turan Family agrees or not, seize him and bring him back to Nali. But be careful, Fisher is not someone you can take down through brute force; make proper use of the relics I’ve given you.”
In the hall that seemed to be made of gold, there was no one else besides a few maid guards in the corners who kept silent, allowing her casual yet authoritative voice to echo continuously in this empty space. After hearing her words, the maids lowered their heads a little further.
“Yes, Your Majesty. The Turan Family’s people have arrived.”
Just as the man whom Elizabeth referred to as “Corian” responded, he suddenly heard a few footsteps coming from the corridor outside. After he conveyed this news to Elizabeth, the voices within the magic instantly fell silent, but Corian knew that Her Majesty was still watching the situation on his side.
It was no wonder; Elizabeth had been very attentive to any news regarding the suspect Fisher Benavides. Not to mention, she had directly handed him such a significant relic from Nali’s treasury.
So, Corian quickly straightened up and looked towards the door, as did his colleagues, and the next moment the door opened to reveal Valentina, slowly being pushed into the room by Heidi Lin. She first scanned the gentlemen in the room and then placed her hands on her abdomen.
Corian stood up and immediately greeted Valentina in slightly clumsy Northern Region language, “Honorable Miss Turan, we are members of the special task force from the Saint Nali Golden Palace, specifically responsible for tracing the Nali bounty target, the princess kidnapper Fisher Benavides. It’s a pleasure to meet you here.”
He gently removed his glove and extended his hand to Valentina, but she merely glanced at him indifferently, showing no intention to acknowledge him, and said coolly, “My steward has informed me of your purpose here. I have heard of Mr. Fisher Benavides’s deeds while he was in Nali, so upon learning Mr. Fisher’s identity, we immediately verified him. Unfortunately, we did not find the missing Princess Isabel of Nali, so it seems there is no progress to report to you.”
“As for Fisher himself, my family values him and requires his assistance in executing a secret task that is crucial for the Turan Family. This is a deal we have reached with him, and until the task is completed, we cannot temporarily hand over Mr. Fisher. I apologize for this.”
Corian’s outstretched hand was not taken. He did not feel offended by the lack of courtesy; the Turan Family had held dominion in the Northern Region for so long that they didn’t need to show courtesy to Nali, which was far removed from them. He was here on a mission, and such trivial matters did not bother him.
He awkwardly retracted his hand and resumed his seat on the sofa. A flicker of golden light sparkled in his eyes as he heard the illusory voice of Elizabeth,
“She didn’t lie; Fisher is indeed helping them with certain important matters, and Isabel is indeed not by his side. Ha, he must have entrusted Isabel to someone trustworthy for care. At that time, there were members of the Bureau of Hidden Affairs on Pat Sulshen Island, all of whom were killed by the people of Miya, but Miya only obtained that exquisite ice, while a piece of the Northern Region Six Clan’s seal disappeared without a trace.”
“I know Fisher well; if he wanted to leave Pat Sulshen Island quietly to the Northern Region, he could find countless ways, but he chose the stupidest approach, not only alerting the Bureau of Hidden Affairs but also stealing a ship blatantly. You all fell for his trick. At that time, there were others on Pat Sulshen Island, the Phoenix Knights of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Pirate Captain Alagina, and the Exploration Company.”
Far away in the Golden Palace, Elizabeth’s hollow eyes slightly lifted as she tapped her fingers against her cheek, clearly aware of the answer but also growing cold at the conclusion.
“Fisher entrusted Isabel to Alagina, a tomboy from the Kingdom of Sardinia. Fisher’s ability to reach Pat Sulshen Island must also be related to her. Fisher is also concerned for Isabel’s safety; it indicates their friendship is significant. For now, don’t worry about Isabel; she is safe there. I’ll deal with that cursed woman later. Fisher’s dealings for the Turan Family are related to the Six Clan’s seal; let’s probe into the importance of this matter to the Turan Family.”
Corian’s expression remained unchanged as he sat back on the sofa, looking at Valentina with a slight smile,
“Miss Turan, you’ve misunderstood our intent. We are members of the investigative task force, which means our job is not just to detain the suspect and return him to Nali but also to investigate Mr. Fisher Benavides’s connection to this matter. I believe Miss Turan must know that before leaving Nali, he was a lifelong senior member of the Nali Magic Association and the only student personally taught by the great magician Heilson. His status is clear to our Empress.”
“The Royal Academy, Saint Nali University, the Golden Palace, the Magic Association, the people of Nali, including us, do not wish for him to be a suspect in the princess’s kidnapping. We, more than anyone else, look forward to clearing him of any guilt, restoring his reputation, and allowing him to return to his home to live a normal life. After all, he is a Nali person; everything about him is connected to Nali. Should he live his life in exile, in obscurity, forgetting his past?”
“Miss Turan should understand that his continuous evasion of Nali’s pursuit does him no good. Even if we want to help him, it must be on the premise of his active cooperation. So, I would like to ask Miss Turan, is his assistance to the Turan Family really that important? In this sense, the Golden Palace has pledged to offer help towards what Mr. Fisher Benavides wishes to achieve for the Turan Family, as long as he follows us back to conduct an investigation.”
Having spent so much time with Fisher, Valentina naturally understood that the scholar who enjoyed studying the subhuman race did not seem like someone who would kidnap a princess. Moreover, when she first met him on the island in the Southern Ocean, it seemed she had heard from the pirates that he had companions.
If that person was indeed the missing Princess Isabel of Nali, there was likely a misunderstanding and undisclosed circumstances behind this matter. Valentina hesitated, not having communicated with Fisher beforehand; his quest for the Frost Parasol Tree was of utmost importance to her, and the three seals she held were closely related to him. But if what the Nali person in front of her said was true, this might truly be Fisher’s only opportunity to return to Nali. Could she arbitrarily make a decision for him?
Valentina was a superior who considered others; otherwise, her occasionally casual subordinates would not be so free-spirited. There were still two seals left to find, but both had clear locations; even if Fisher left and returned to Nali, she still should…
Valentina was still too young. Just coming of age, she couldn’t comprehend the profound dangers concealed behind the smiling, seemingly considerate Nali man in front of her. Meanwhile, behind her, Heidi Lin had no decision-making authority in this matter and could only listen with her eyes closed. However, it was evident that everyone present could feel Valentina Turan’s hesitation.
Compared to the Frost Parasol Tree that was so close at hand, she hesitated because of the future of the amicable gentleman, Fisher Benavides.
“I…”
Watching the young girl before her show a hint of hesitation due to Fisher’s plight, Elizabeth, far away in the Golden Palace, felt a keen sense of something. She narrowed her golden eyes dangerously, and the atmosphere in the entire Golden Palace turned dangerous in an instant, as if the air itself carried a faint scent of blood. The maids held their breath, as they knew too well that the Empress of Nali was showing signs of great anger.
Just as Valentina was about to speak, a gentleman outside, leaning against the wall and quietly listening, let out a silent sigh, and then the door was suddenly burst open. Everyone turned to see a cold-faced, black-haired gentleman standing at the entrance—none other than Fisher Benavides, the very man they were pursuing.
“Fisher?”
Valentina spoke in surprise, and in Corian’s eyes, Elizabeth’s hollow gaze brightened slightly. Perhaps it had been too long since she last saw the person she yearned for day and night; this sudden reunion, even separated by thousands of miles, warmed her heart slightly. Elizabeth could hardly suppress her urge to reach out, as if wanting to caress Fisher’s face in the illusory image, but inevitably ended up touching emptiness.
Upon entering the room, Fisher immediately locked his gaze onto Corian, holding his gaze for a second, before moving to Valentina’s side. He suddenly placed his hand excessively on Valentina’s shoulder, causing her face to flush slightly, giving him a glare, but all he received in response was Fisher’s serious face, leaving Valentina, who was about to speak, at a loss for his intentions and unable to stop him at this moment.
“What if I said I’m very happy here in the Northern Region and don’t want to return to Saint Nali at all?”
The next moment, after giving Valentina a slight smile, Fisher showed no intention of releasing her shoulder, instead turning to look at Corian—or rather, at his eyes.
“Bang!”
The next instant, an extremely jarring sound suddenly echoed in Corian’s ears, making him grit his teeth and tilt his head slightly.
Because in the Golden Palace thousands of miles away, Elizabeth suddenly overturned all the books and reports on the table, causing the expensive ceramic decorations and teacups to crash and shatter on the floor under her fury.
The ear-splitting sound of ceramics breaking, accompanied by Elizabeth’s furious voice, echoed ceaselessly in Corian’s ears, causing him to squint his eyes in discomfort.
“Fisher! How dare you! Who is that woman?! I want to kill her! Kill her for me!”
Inside the Golden Palace, Elizabeth suddenly hurled the books on the table far away, making the maids serving in the room tremble and kneel in fear, bowing their heads to the ground, terrified of angering the empress in her state of extreme rage.
In Elizabeth’s golden pupils, the finger Fisher placed on that beautiful girl’s shoulder was so glaringly offensive, along with the girl’s slightly reddened face and seemingly resentful gaze, as if he were stabbing her heart with a knife. Gazing at the illusory image, the trickle of blood seemed to surge continuously from her heart.
“A cripple. A cripple sitting in a wheelchair, and you like her! Why?! Kill her for me!”
A golden sword suddenly appeared in Elizabeth’s hand, and she swung it towards the illusory magical image, violently cleaving the heavy wooden office desk in two. The fierce golden flames spread across the floor, startling the maids along the way, causing them to scream, a sound so loud it almost burst Corian’s eardrums.
“Your Majesty, please calm down.”
Corian had no choice but to offer his advice like this. Although Valentina could not understand Nali language, it was evident that he was still communicating with someone invisible in the room, clearly indicating that what he had just said was a carefully prepared trap, instantly severing any thought Valentina had of trusting him to clear Fisher’s name.
Her expression turned slightly cold as she turned to Heidi Lin behind her and commanded,
“It seems this guest from Nali is not feeling well; please send someone from Nali who is in good health and has clear wits to discuss with us. But I must remind you all that the Turan Family’s position will not change. Fisher Benavides is my people; I will not hand him over to you. Capturing him is obstructing the Turan Family. I hope you will carefully consider the cost of opposing the Turan Family before making your decision. Heidi Lin, see them out.”
“Yes, everyone, please leave.”
The smiling Heidi Lin in her black robe stepped forward toward Corian, gesturing towards the door. Corian, his head pounding, glanced at Heidi Lin, then at his colleagues who were tugging at their overcoat pockets. Finally, he looked at Fisher, who stood in the room, hesitating for a moment before shaking his head slightly at his colleagues.
The actions of the other Nali people came to an abrupt halt, and Corian stood up, glancing at Fisher, who still had his hand on Valentina’s shoulder, and reluctantly stated,
“Well then, Miss Turan, please remember your choice today. We are leaving.”
The Nali gentlemen packed their things and exited the room one by one, leaving only Fisher still in place, lost in thought about something.
“Mr. Fisher, soft, huh?”
“Hmm, what soft are you talking about?”
Snapped back to reality, Fisher instinctively looked up to see Heidi Lin smiling at him, prompting him to ask in confusion. But the next second, he caught on and turned to look at Valentina, who was still being held by him on the shoulder, a vein popping on her forehead. Suddenly she raised her hand and hit Fisher, but the punch merely landed on him lightly, causing no harm whatsoever.
“Let go!?”
“Ouch!”
Fisher staggered back a few steps as if hit by a cannonball. He quickly rubbed the spot where Valentina had hit him and smiled at Heidi Lin, explaining,
“I’m so sorry; the situation was special just now. I had no other choice. If I were to blame someone, it should be Miss Valentina for being fooled by them. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even want to come out.”
“Heh, if I had known, I would have handed you over to let you go back to Nali. But I still don’t understand; why did you suddenly put your hand on my shoulder? I thought you, beast, suddenly became frisky and wanted to do something illicit.”
Valentina laughed dangerously, her words sounding quite unpleasant, clearly angered by Fisher’s earlier actions. However, Fisher did gain something at least; he now knew that his boss also possessed a sharp tongue.
Acknowledging that he had acted inappropriately earlier, Fisher showed an earnest expression of repentance and turned to explain to her,
“That person has someone behind them who knows me very well and is extremely clever; these few you see are merely her puppets. She observes matters closely, and to prevent her from seeing more critical information from you, I had no choice. It was my oversight.”
Heidi Lin crossed her arms, looking at Fisher with distrust; no matter how she saw it, the man seemed to be making use of the chaos. Valentina had some doubts on her face but could only choose to believe Fisher after seeing his seriously apologetic expression. However, the anger in her heart showed no signs of dissipating. She rubbed the ring on her hand and shifted the topic,
“So, who is the person hiding behind him? The earlier person spoke in Nali language; I couldn’t quite understand what he called.”
“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about.”
Fisher smiled as he looked towards the direction where the Nali agents had left, knowing that the lady in the Golden Palace was likely furious again. However, he casually said to Valentina,
“Just an old acquaintance who knows me particularly well.”
As the group of Nali agents left the hotel without lingering, Corian at the forefront merely glanced back at the hotel behind him before striding toward the end of the road in Miya without looking back, all the while listening to the sounds of magic.
In the Golden Palace thousands of miles away, Elizabeth was slightly panting as she sat on a step in her room, looking like a tiger still smoldering with rage, dangerously surveying the mess in her office. The golden flames she controlled directly had not burned any items but scattered many books and ceramic shards on the floor, alongside the heavy wooden desk, which had been cleaved in two by her sword.
The maids in the room silently lowered their heads and began cleaning up the mess for her, allowing Elizabeth’s anger-burned heart to slowly calm down.
She knew that Fisher was intentionally provoking her, aiming to free that inexperienced Miss Turan from the trap set by Corian.
“Your Majesty, what should we do next?”
Elizabeth suddenly looked up, her hollow eyes once again seeing the scene far away in Miya. Corian’s cautious voice rang out again. Clearly, Corian had almost succeeded earlier, but the obvious flaw exposed by Elizabeth’s fury led to the failure of the plan. Yet as a subordinate, how could he dare to mention the Empress’s mistake? Even now, he had to tread carefully in asking for Elizabeth’s opinion, seeking her guidance for the next action.
Elizabeth looked upon the white expanse of the Northern Region and then curled the corners of her mouth into a cold arc. Though she was still furious, she no longer lost her reason. Addressing Corian, she instructed,
“Go, find out what the Turan Family is doing in Miya. That little girl is too young; she cannot possibly be in charge. She is likely in a partnership with Fisher right now, meaning the protection of the Turan Family has its limits; he still needs to move about and do tasks for them. I formally authorize you to use the relic [Cursed Prisoner] to bring Fisher back to Saint Nali; should that Turan girl try to obstruct, kill her without mercy.”
Corian’s steps paused slightly. He finally let out a breath of relief and turned to look at the black briefcase his companion was carrying, responding with a sense of liberation,
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
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(End of Chapter)
