Starting as a Prince, I Don’t Even Know How I Could Lose Chapter 114 : Chapter 114

Chapter 114. Back at the Royal Capital

Along the way, William kept looking at the two prisoners under heavy guard, and the frown on his face never eased.

If he killed them, he might completely enrage the Radiant Sun Empire and the Blackgold Empire, inviting frenzied retaliation.

If he kept them alive, these two dangerous captives were just as much of a hidden threat.

After turning it over in his mind again and again, he concluded that the only option was still to bring them back to the Royal Capital and leave the decision to his father. The royal family understood the tangled relations among the continent’s various powers far better than he did, and perhaps there was a safer way to deal with them.

The army quickly passed through Mistpine Ridge, and after several more days of swift travel, the outline of the Royal Capital, Krollvia, finally appeared on the horizon.

Its towering walls glead with a blue-gray sheen beneath the sunlight, and faintly visible movent could be seen around the city gates.

Just then, a knight ca galloping from the front. When he drew near, he leapt from his horse, dropped to one knee, and respectfully saluted William, who remained mounted.

“Your Highness, His Majesty is already waiting at the gate of the Royal Capital to welco your triumphant return.”

William’s heart stirred slightly, and he nodded. “Understood.”

The knight saluted once more, mounted again, and raced off toward the Royal Capital, no doubt to report the news.

William tightened his reins and looked at the familiar capital from afar. After gazing at it for a mont, he said to Zoe beside him, “Increase the pace.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The army quickened its march. The outline of the Royal Capital grew clearer and clearer, and the figures at the gate gradually ca into view as well.

William could even make out the familiar figure standing in the very center of the gate, dressed in royal robes and standing tall. It was his father, Kroll II.

The faint unease in his heart, along with the exhaustion of many days, seed to lighten at that mont.

He straightened his back, and even the warhorse beneath him seed to sense its master’s mood and lengthened its stride.

The Royal Capital drew closer and closer, and faint cheers drifted from the gate.

As soon as the army arrived, William swung down from his horse at once, strode through the welcoming crowd, and ca before Kroll II, bowing solemnly. “Father.”

Kroll II looked at his travel-worn son, whose eyes were nonetheless bright, and the satisfaction on his face was impossible to hide. He reached out and patted William on the shoulder.

“It’s good that you’re back. Co, William, my good child. The victory banquet prepared for you is ready. You seized the Eastern Frontier for Kroll. You are a great hero of the kingdom.”

William lowered his head slightly, his tone modest. “None of this would have been possible without your support, Father. Without the Gold Legion from the Secret Realm, I could never have won this war.”

“But you did win, did you not?”

Kroll II interrupted him with a smile, his voice carrying unquestionable certainty.

“The rit is right there before us. There is no need to be overly modest. Co, let’s go inside and talk.”

Father and son rode into the Royal Capital together. The city was decorated with lanterns and bright colors, and the common people lining the streets stopped to cheer. It was a lively and jubilant scene.

The legions outside the city, anwhile, proceeded in orderly fashion to the military camps beyond the outskirts to rest and cast off the dust of war.

Seeing that William’s expression remained grave all the way, as though sothing weighed on his mind, Kroll II could not help teasing him. “What is it? Still worrying about those marriage candidates the orcs sent?”

“Don’t worry. Your father isn’t muddle-headed enough to make you marry a beastwoman. If you really do like foreign races, then half-beast girls with cat ears or rabbit ears wouldn’t be bad. They’re docile and well-behaved.”

William looked at his father’s thoroughly unserious expression and felt a little helpless.

“Father, please stop joking. I have sothing important to say. The situation may be troubleso.”

Seeing how serious he was, Kroll II imdiately put away his smile and nodded. “Fine. We’ll talk in a mont.”

The two entered the royal palace. After briefly giving Vivian a few instructions when she ca forward to greet them, Kroll II led William straight to his Study.

Once the door was shut and the noise of the outside world was cut off, he finally said in a low voice, “Speak. What happened?”

William then recounted what had happened at Mistpine Ridge and truthfully described, one by one, how the two of them had been captured.

At the end, he added, “Neither of these factions is easy to deal with. Whether we kill them or keep them alive, it will be troubleso. I could not decide, so I ca to ask Father for guidance.”

As Kroll II listened, his fingers lightly tapped the desk, and his brows gradually drew together.

The Radiant Sun Empire and the Blackgold Empire had occupied their positions on the continent for many years. Their thods were ruthless, and even those ancient forces of the Secret Realms were unwilling to provoke them lightly.

Kroll had only just won a great victory and was at precisely the mont when it needed stable developnt. Yet it had run into this sort of matter instead.

“Where are they now?” he asked.

“They’re being guarded by Kru and an elite unit at the military camp outside the city. I didn’t dare bring them into the city for the ti being,” William replied.

Kroll II fell silent for a mont, then a trace of decisiveness flashed through his eyes.

“Kill them. But they cannot die by our hands. The two empires have tracking magic. Whoever kills one of their important people can be traced.”

“Send them into the Goblin Secret Realm. It happens to be not far from the Western Frontier.”

He rose to his feet and patted William on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry. The sky won’t fall. You’ve just rendered great service. Don’t wear such a troubled expression at the victory banquet, or outsiders will laugh at you.”

William nodded, and his heart settled sowhat.

With his father in command, at least things would not be allowed to develop toward the worst possible outco.

Kroll II left the Study with William and turned toward the brilliantly lit banquet hall.

The mont the doors opened, the noise washed over them. The nobles filling the hall all turned their eyes toward William at once and swiftly surrounded him.

“His Highness William is young and promising. He truly is Kroll’s good fortune.”

“With the great victory in the Eastern Frontier, Your Highness deserves the greatest share of the credit.”

“Your Highness has tad a giant dragon, established the Gold Legion, and subdued the Eastern Frontier. Truly, a hero rises while still young.”

Praise and admiration rose one after another. The nobles lifted their goblets in greeting, all vying to speak with him.

William handled it all with composure. A proper smile rested on his face as he responded to each of them in turn, and there was already sothing distinctly royal in every gesture he made.

Not far away, Kroll II slowly ascended the throne, raised a glass of red wine, and let his gaze drift casually across the hall. From ti to ti, he exchanged a few words with a minister who ca forward to toast him. His tone was calm, yet his authority was unmistakable.

In the gaps between his conversations, William noticed from the corner of his eye that the place beside his father remained empty the whole ti. No attendant stood there, nor did any minister linger nearby.

Every so often, Kroll II would tilt his head slightly, as though listening to sothing. His lips moved faintly, yet no sound erged.

William’s heart stirred.

His father was most likely speaking with the Shadow Guard.

Those Shadow Guards hidden in the darkness had always answered to the king alone, passing along the most secret intelligence.

His father was likely asking about the latest situation concerning those two prisoners.

William withdrew his gaze and continued dealing with the nobles around him.

The banquet hall remained loud and lively, the crystal lamps casting their brilliance across every face, yet behind each smile lay different thoughts.

William raised his wineglass and offered a distant toast in the direction of the throne.

Kroll II saw it and gave a faint nod, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes.

Father and son needed no words. They already understood each other’s thoughts.

At that very mont, deep within the military camp outside the Royal Capital, the night was as dark as ink.

More than a dozen shadows slipped in soundlessly, moving as swiftly as ghosts. They were the Shadow Guards of the Kroll royal family.

They went straight to Kru, who was in the midst of patrolling the camp. The leader lowered his voice and said, “His Majesty has ordered us to take custody of those two.”

When Kru saw that the token they presented was genuine, he imdiately bowed. “As you command.”

He turned and walked toward a tent guarded by heavily ard soldiers.

Inside the tent, the black-armored female Legend of the Radiant Sun Empire and the gray-robed mage of the Blackgold Empire were still unconscious. The mana shackles on their bodies glimred with a dim light.

Kru stepped forward and lifted one in each hand with brisk efficiency.

The Shadow Guards took the prisoners, reinforced their restraints with specially made mithril chains, and then forced large doses of Slumber Potion down their throats. Only then did they finally relax a little, for both of them were Legendary Combatants.

The leading Shadow Guard gave Kru a nod of thanks, then left with his companions carrying the two prisoners away. Like drops of water lting into darkness, they vanished soundlessly into the night of the military camp.