271 Trap
The cave was as bright as day.
Though there was only one luminous ball, the light was still sufficient because the cave was not large.
But the tunnel that Roland had just dug with magic was still dark where rays could not reach. Also, strange dull noises echoed around them, like monsters growling in the dark.
Evelyn, who was sitting on the ground against the wall, subconsciously held her legs and laid her chin on her knees.
On her opposite side, Roland was sitting in silence too. He even closed his eyes.
Men and women have different ways of thinking. To put it more simply, women tend to be sensitive and imaginative, particularly on certain occasions.
For example, Evelyn was entertaining a lot of random thoughts.
We’re alone here. Will he suddenly jump me?
How long are we going to stay here? Is he creating an opportunity for us to be alone?
Veronica will not die just yet, but her pain will be over sooner if I deliver the antidote in time.
He’s silent. Is he thinking about things that he shouldn’t be?
It’s dark and creepy over there.
All of this happened in Evelyn’s head. It was not because she was particularly paranoid, but because most women tended to be troubled by possibilities.
However, Roland’s eyes were closed; he was actually checking the forum.
He guessed that the enemy would leave a couple of people behind, so he was not in a rush to go.
It was midnight, and the battle just now was quite noisy. So, the city guards would definitely come within half an hour.
He did not believe that the enemy had bribed all the city guards.
In that case, the royal family would be truly hopeless.
Roland had fun reading the posts on the forum, and Evelyn was gradually rea.s.sured after he did nothing to her.
Her random thoughts were gone, and she began to worry about her sister Veronica, who was still lying in bed, in pain because of poison.
While she was worried, her eyes became fuzzy, and she fell asleep on her knees.
After all, she was only a weak girl, and she had been exhausted.
On the ground, Morahu and the other two men in black robes waited for ten minutes but n.o.body came up. He looked around, only to see that someone was coming. He made a gesture, and the three of them ran off with heavy footsteps.
Roland was browsing the forum when he heard the footsteps. He raised his head and looked above, before he closed his eyes and focused on the forum again.
Evelyn was still asleep on her legs.
On the ground, four minutes later, eight men in black appeared on the rooftops on the two sides of the street. They stared at where Roland had disappeared for five minutes and then vanished.
About six minutes later, Morahu and his two pals returned. This time, they quickly left after a glimpse.
The city guards arrived about a dozen minutes later.
Antis was the captain. Looking at the wall in the middle of the street, he raised his eyebrow and laid his hands on it, only to discover that the wall was hard.
He waved his hands, and a few city guards immediately left. They returned with a simple battering ram half an hour later.
Working together, they broke the wall. Antis pa.s.sed the collapsed wall and looked around. He saw no enemies, but then it occurred to him that part of the street was colored differently from the rest.
Right when Antis was about to give it a closer look, Roland appeared a few meters away from him.
Antis was so shocked that he drew his sword and leaped back four meters.
After he saw that it was Roland, he took a breath in relief and said, “It’s you. What happened here?”
“Someone tried to kidnap a princess.” Roland shrugged.
Antis looked quite odd. He was slightly surprised but not too much so. “Princess Evelyn?”
This time, it was Roland who was surprised, if not vigilant. “How did you know?”
“I guessed it,” Antis said with a hint of mockery. “I’m a remote relative of the royal family, I can guess what’s on His Majesty’s mind.”
The king was behind this?
Antis took a deep breath and asked, “Where is Princess Evelyn?”
Roland didn’t say anything.
Antis continued, “Rest a.s.sured. I bear the princess no ill will. Although we’re not the closest friends, I’m not her enemy.”
“Then who’s her enemy?”
“Those who intend to make use of her.” Antis smiled.
Roland was silent for a while. The soil around him began to surge and soon revealed a cave.
Antis walked to the edge of the cave and looked down, only to see a person in a black robe sitting in the cave. With a closer look, he found that it was Evelyn, asleep.
“Princess Evelyn!” Antis shouted.
Evelyn woke up and raised her head. She was delighted to see Roland and Antis up above. She looked around to find a way up and then saw a ladder that had just been shaped.
She climbed the ladder and was relieved to see the city guards behind Antis. “Great, I’m finally safe now.”
Looking at Evelyn, Antis asked, “Why are you here, Princess Evelyn?”
Roland was slightly surprised. Didn’t Antis already know that something had happened to Princess Evelyn?
As if he sensed Roland’s surprise, Antis turned around and explained, “I only know the beginning and the end, but I don’t know the process. That’s why I’m asking.”
“Why am I here?” Evelyn seemed puzzled. “Didn’t you send someone to inform me that Veronica was poisoned and that I had to bring the antidote here from Isnas? I was asked to bring it in person because the antidote was extremely precious.”
Antis asked, “Who told you to do that?”
“Medel, the seneschal.”
Antis nodded. “As far as I know, the antidote that Princess Veronica needs can only be produced by the alchemy workshops in Isnas, but it doesn’t have to be brought over by a princess.”
Roland listened for a while and already knew what happened.
Evelyn understood too. Her face dimmed as she said, “Those guys from the Guild of a.s.sa.s.sins were hired by Medel too. Why? He has served the royal family for more than thirty years. He should be reliable.”
“I guess that Medel is probably away from Isnas now.” Antis chuckled.
At this point, Roland received a system notification. The quest had been completed, and the princess was safe. He got 132 EXP, and the royal family’s fondness went from -50 to -35.
He was about to leave, when Antis said, “Roland, why don’t you escort the princess to the royal palace? Also, the king asked me last night to invite you to the palace next time I saw you.”
Roland raised his eyebrow. “Huh? Is he going to punish me?”