Chapter 74

Once everything was taken care of, she had people collect anything useful from the Bloodrobe Tower assassins. Just as she was about to order everyone to leave, several of the "Wei" guards suddenly dropped to one knee and vomited a mouthful of blood.

Before Elara could even react in shock, all the "Wei" guards began coughing blood one after another and collapsed. Even the Qi archers suddenly fell over.

Elara looked around in disbelief. She noticed Uno and Mathias, who had been staying by her side, had both turned pale. Mathias, who was weaker, bent over and vomited blood. He already looked fragile, but now he seemed like he was about to die. Even Uno had blood starting to leak from the corner of his mouth.

Elara widened her eyes slightly and hurried toward them, but then realized her own steps were starting to float.

When she finally reached Uno, just as she opened her mouth to speak, a mouthful of blood poured out from her lips.

Only then did she notice a strange, sweet scent in the air.

Unfortunately, the strong smell of blood from the recent battle had masked it before.

They were poisoned.

Elara's wide eyes shimmered slightly, and before she lost consciousness, the last thing she saw was Uno wiping the blood off his lips without hesitation. Gasping, he walked toward her with determination. His long arms caught her limp body and held her tightly in his arms.

Half an incense stick later—

Everyone, winners and losers of the fierce battle, had collapsed to the ground.

Only a hidden tunnel entrance in the forested mountain remained, where a masked Captain Yang held a small burner that continued to emit a faint fragrance.

Captain Yang carefully carried the burner and walked in a circle around the blood-soaked Royal Temple. Once he confirmed that no one was moving, he set the burner down without removing the cloth over his face.

That cloth had been soaked in medicine. If he hadn't worn it, he would have died long before everyone else when the "Reincarnation Incense" was lit.

The "Reincarnation Incense" was a backup Lord Gregory had prepared besides the Bloodrobe Tower. The scent was extremely light, but the poison was fatal. Unless one wore a specially soaked mask from the start, anyone who inhaled it would die within half an incense stick's time.

Captain Yang had used this incense as a final move to catch them all off guard.

It was thanks to Lord Gregory's foresight. If not for this incense, who could have predicted that the long-crazy princess had ties with the Qi family? And even after she had captured Francis and tortured General Qi, she still managed to gain the support of the Qi army?

Captain Yang couldn't understand it no matter how much he thought. Were the Qi family insane? Or had they been working with the princess for a long time already?

How long had this been going on? Elara had treated them so cruelly. Why would they still stay loyal to her? Or… had the insane princess been acting this whole time?

And these Wei guards… Lord Gregory had clearly tried to keep them at the Royal Ritual. How had this woman managed to bring them all here without raising suspicion?

Was she really hiding her strength all this time?

But thinking of the princess's previous vicious and crazy behavior—how she would torment any man she took a liking to until he wished for death—Captain Yang simply couldn't believe she had been faking it.

Still, no matter what, the fact that the Qi family had now sided with her was real. He had to report this to Lord Gregory immediately. This information would surely be valuable and earn him a big reward.

With that thought, Captain Yang stepped over the bodies and walked quickly toward the place where Elara had collapsed.

When he reached her, lying motionless on the ground, still held tightly by Uno, Captain Yang suddenly remembered the humiliation he had suffered a few days ago on the west tower of the city.

His cloth-covered face twisted with hatred. Seeing how even in death she was still protected by a man's embrace filled him with anger. He raised his foot and aimed a vicious kick at Elara.

But just as his foot came down, a sharp pain exploded from the back of his knee.

Captain Yang let out a scream. The burner in his hand tilted and almost fell.

But the sound of it breaking never came. A pale hand had caught the falling burner.

Then, through the haze of pain, Captain Yang saw Elara—who should have been lifeless—slowly open her eyes and rise to her feet.

Around them, the Wei guards and Qi archers who had all collapsed moments ago began to get up one by one.

Elara pushed herself up from Uno's arms, wiped the blood from her mouth with some disgust, and then used a handkerchief to clean it. Only then did she look toward Captain Yang, whose face was frozen in shock like he had seen a ghost.

"Captain Yang. Long time no see."

She let out a soft laugh. The blood on her lips, combined with her pale skin, gave her the look of a ghost risen from the dead.

Captain Yang instinctively took a step back. Just a moment ago, he had been ready to kick her like a mad dog. Now he was shaking like a leaf.

"You… all of you… how…"

Captain Yang's words were stuck in his throat. The sudden reversal was too much for him to process.

His leg, nearly broken by Uno earlier, gave out. He stumbled back and fell hard to the ground.

Pain shot through his body and legs at once. Even in his dazed state, he forced himself to focus.

Sweat dripped from his forehead as he watched Elara and the Wei guards slowly surround him. He tried to steady his voice, struggling to summon his usual arrogance.

"You… you can't kill me! I serve Lord Gregory! If you kill me, he'll know what you've done! He won't let you go! Never!"

As he was surrounded in silence, Captain Yang gritted his teeth to stay calm. He didn't know how Elara had survived the poison, but now he understood.

She had faked her death to lure him out.

That scene of her collapsing had been nothing but bait.

But regardless, she couldn't kill him. Whether she had been acting or not, if she touched him, Lord Gregory would notice. He would strike back immediately.

Elara narrowed her eyes and cleared the taste of blood from her mouth. She walked to stand in front of him and said with a quiet laugh,

"Captain Yang, you really are clever. But since you already figured out I was setting a trap, then surely you can also guess that I wouldn't make a move unless I already had a plan in place."

As she spoke, she waved her hand.

Captain Yang, who was trying to keep up his posture, suddenly saw another "Captain Yang" walk out from behind her.

His eyes went wide. This new Captain Yang was exactly like him in height, appearance, and even aura. The voice was the same too.

He was even holding the same burner that had just slipped from his own hand. The man looked exactly like Captain Yang had looked half an hour ago.

Captain Yang's heart stopped. The confidence he had forced himself to hold onto shattered completely.

He watched the double turn to Elara and speak in his voice without the slightest difference, "Princess, I've already completed most of the task you assigned me. I hope you'll keep your word."

Elara looked at him and nodded. "Don't worry. I always keep my word."

That double was, of course, Emory in disguise. Once Elara learned he was a member of the Thousand Faces and had the ability to transform completely, she had started making plans. She'd gone to him to propose a deal—all for this very moment.

Lord Gregory had known there was someone from Thousand Faces in her household. But he had underestimated their abilities and failed to investigate thoroughly. To be fair, with the Wei guards present, it wasn't easy to look too deep.

Regardless, from this moment on, the Captain Yang beside Lord Gregory would no longer be real.

He would be Elara's planted piece, working from within.

As for the real Captain Yang...

Elara glanced down at the man who had practically broken down the moment Emory appeared.

She took the dagger from Uno's hand and stepped up to him, the cold blade pressing against Captain Yang's face.

"Now, tell me—where did Lord Gregory move the national treasury funds?"

"If you tell me everything, clearly and completely, I'll let you live. How about that?"