Chapter 11: The Mysterious expert

While the drama surrounding Princess Jerusha unfolded elsewhere, Prince Josh Aratat was engrossed in training his subordinates. A sense of unease lingered in his mind, an instinctive warning that something monumental was on the horizon. How right he was—though he wouldn't uncover the truth until later. A storm was indeed brewing, one that would soon shake their world.

Three days had passed since the training began, and the results were remarkable. Both Conrad Stan and Lola had elevated their core percentages to an impressive 90%. This progress was largely due to Josh's unique songs, which enhanced their growth, and the grueling, relentless day-and-night training sessions he conducted.

"Haaah... haaah... haaah..." Josh, Conrad, and Lola gasped for air, their bodies drenched in sweat after the latest intense session.

"Now we just need to push the training into the apex stages," Josh said, his voice tinged with anticipation. His thoughts wandered to the potential rewards awaiting them. Once Conrad reached the rank of lieutenant and Lola officially became an assassin maid, Josh himself would ascend in both rank and ability—a prospect that filled him with quiet excitement.

In comparism with the Ocean Opening Realm, the level of a lieutenant varied based on the percentage of formation achieved. For instance, if Conrad advanced to the lieutenant stage now, he could be said to be at the same level as the 3rd level of the Ocean Opening Realm. At 50% formation of the next rank, he would rise to be at a similar level as the 4th level. At 90%, he would reach the level similar to those at the 5th level, and so on—a steady climb toward greater power.

Josh himself was currently at a level similar to the 5th level of the Ocean Opening Realm, a position of considerable strength but far from the pinnacle he sought.

"Alright, let's go again," Josh said, his voice steady and determined. His eyes gleamed with purpose as he prepared to lead his team into yet another grueling session, intent on pushing their limits even further.

But just as they were about to begin, he spotted a cart driver rushing toward their secluded training ground.

"Hide," Josh whispered sharply, gesturing for Conrad and Lola to follow suit. He quickly ducked into a nearby hiding spot, his sharp eyes fixed on the approaching cart.

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The cart had traveled all the way from Region 22, taking an unusual and isolated route to enter the remote backwater of Region 32. This was no coincidence; it was a deliberate move.

The driver of the cart was no ordinary man—he was an expert at Level 2 of the Ocean Flooding Realm, a force capable of eliminating Princess Jerusha with a single strike.

Unbeknownst to her, Jerusha was currently concealed beneath a layer of black leather in the back of the cart. However, her attempt at hiding was futile; the driver had detected her presence the moment she boarded.

"I hope you've enjoyed yourself back there… because it's time for you to come out. This is where I'll be dropping you off," the man suddenly announced, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.

Jerusha froze, unsure if the words were directed at her or not. Clinging to the hope of remaining unnoticed, she stayed silent, unwilling to betray her position.

"I'm talking to you, Princess Jerusha," the driver continued, his tone now tinged with impatience. "I knew when you entered my cart. Let me make one thing clear—I'm only doing this as a favor so you'll owe me in the future. If I had nothing to gain, I'd have killed you myself."

The sheer bluntness of his words left Jerusha stunned. Slowly, she peeled back the leather covering and crawled out of the cart, her movements hesitant and wary.

As she steadied herself on the ground, she took a closer look at the man. He was unassuming, dressed in plain clothes. His sideburns were neatly trimmed, his beard well-groomed, and his gray eyes carried an unnerving calmness. While not particularly handsome, his features exuded a certain rugged composure.

Before she could muster a response, an invisible force slammed into her. Pain exploded through her head, and the world around her spiraled into darkness as she collapsed to the ground. Blood trickled from the side of her face, staining the dirt beneath her.

The man looked down at her unconscious form with cold indifference. He had spared her life but left her with injuries severe enough to serve as a warning.

"My name is Cain Zuli. Remember it," he said flatly, before turning and climbing back onto his cart. Without another glance, he rode away, leaving Jerusha sprawled on the ground like a discarded rag.

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From their hiding spot, Josh, Conrad, and Lola watched the scene unfold in stunned silence. Once Cain was out of sight, they cautiously emerged and approached Jerusha's prone figure.

Josh knelt beside her, his expression a mixture of shock and recognition. "Jerusha…" he murmured.

Lola's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean the Princess Jerusha? The eighth princess?" As a former palace maid, she was familiar with the royal family, and the sight of Jerusha lying injured before them sent her mind racing.

Josh nodded grimly. "It's her."

"What do we do, no one can know that you're alive..." Conrad Stan said. He didn't know who Jerusha is, like most people outside of the capital region, but knowing from Lola that the unconscious girl is a princess of the empire brings a lot of headache and questions.

Josh's mind raced as he pieced together the possible scenarios leading to this situation. "This confirms it—my siblings have started targeting one another. No one else could've known Jerusha's location unless it was leaked by one of us."

Lola, however, was less charitable. Memories of Jerusha's cruelty flashed through her mind. "Can we even trust her? She's… she's an evil witch!" she burst out, "from my experience with her..." Lola recalled some painful memories as she spoke.

She remembered a time when Jerusha had put a poisonous frog in the bathtub of the maids and had pinned the blame on her, if not for the intervention of Josh, Lola would have lost her head.

Jerusha was still fuming when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "We will treat her, we need to show kindness if we want to change people, although she may not appreciate it, but kindness can yield unexpected results, and as for my identity, I will get a mask from now on. My identity cannot be revealed till I'm strong enough to prevent my other cunning brothers from eliminating me early." Josh said.

"If that's your decision, we will follow," Conrad Stan said passionately. Lola also put aside her unease and devotedly made up her mind to follow Josh Aratat's decision, this made Josh even more impressed by the death level Loyalty.