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Join the ServerThe royal dungeon lay beneath the palace itself.
Su Mu followed King Louis through a hidden door, then surveyed his surroundings with a hint of surprise.
The pitch-black passage, the dim stone lamps, and the quiet gloom that stretched endlessly ahead sent a shiver down his spine.
Su Mu surmised that this palace entrance was likely just a secret passage, and the dungeon probably boasted other, more obvious entrances.
The subterranean atmosphere was deeply unsettling. Amidst the profound silence, the occasional wails, like ghosts crying and wolves howling, echoed faintly.
Coupled with the bone-chilling cold, this place was enough to break one’s spirit. Forget about torture; merely spending some time here would shatter anyone’s mental fortitude.
Su Mu couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry for Katusha’s predicament.
When he came, Bai Ji had accompanied him, while Pera remained in the bedchamber to guard the residence.
However, before they entered the dungeon’s maw, Louis had instructed Bai Ji to wait outside.
Bai Ji had initially insisted on following, but at Su Mu’s subtle prompting, she ultimately did not accompany them inside.
Su Mu harbored no fear that the King would attempt anything untoward here.
There was no need. If Louis truly wished him harm, he wouldn’t have waited until now; with his status and power, he could have acted at any moment.
Along the way, silence reigned between the two men.
Suddenly, Louis broke the quietude. “I didn’t expect you to proactively seek me out for an unrelated person. It saves me the trouble of pulling you into this mess.”
“Katusha is my friend.”
Su Mu replied calmly.
“Hmph, do even devils care for such ephemeral, fickle relationships?”
Louis’s tone was laced with derision.
“I am not a devil.”
Su Mu denied it.
Louis turned his head, casting a glance at Su Mu, his face etched with disbelief.
“Believe it or not. Speaking of which, you seem quite knowledgeable about devils. Are you so certain of my identity as one?”
Su Mu countered.
Louis offered no reply. “Cunning devil. My words aren’t so easily extracted.”
Su Mu pouted. ‘This old fox truly won’t reveal a single thing.’
Another period of silence descended.
“I heard you’ve been learning swordsmanship recently?”
Louis inquired once more.
“Bai Ji told you?”
Su Mu raised an eyebrow, surprised by Louis’s information.
“When did you find out?”
“Heh, you guess?”
Su Mu flashed a mischievous grin.
Louis narrowed his eyes, ignoring Su Mu’s words, and continued to question him with curiosity. “Then why do you still allow her to disclose your affairs to me? Didn’t you form a master-subordinate contract with Bai Ji?”
Su Mu cursed inwardly. ‘This old man knows far too much; it feels like he’s seen right through me.’
Yet, outwardly, he remained composed. “You seem quite eager for me to restrict Bai Ji’s intelligence output to you?”
“Eager isn’t the word; merely curious. But returning to the topic, why the sudden urge to practice swordsmanship? Do you intend to become a Sword God within a mere year, and then use your strength to fulfill our agreement?”
Louis’s eyes were filled with mockery.
“Heh, that’s actually a rather good idea. I might just consider it.”
Su Mu nodded, as if finding great wisdom in the suggestion.
Louis snorted, his expression hardening, and he quickened his pace.
‘Truly a cunning devil. After all that probing, he refused to reveal a single genuine thought.’
Yet, Louis wasn’t anxious. Instead, a surge of excitement swelled within him. ‘This is better. If he were a foolish devil, this all-or-nothing contest would be utterly meaningless.’
****
After some time, they finally emerged from the slightly cramped passage, and the space ahead abruptly opened up.
Rows of dense, iron-barred cells stretched before Su Mu’s eyes. In the dim environment, it was difficult to discern if prisoners lurked within, but the occasional pair of crimson eyes appearing in the darkness sent a cold sweat trickling down Su Mu’s back.
A damp, chilling atmosphere permeated this entire underground expanse.
Relishing the shock and fear in Su Mu’s widened pupils, Louis chuckled. “This way. Don’t get lost, or else… heh, these subterranean fiends haven’t tasted fresh meat in a long time.”
“I’m not easily scared.”
Su Mu huffed, his words defiant, though his steps involuntarily hastened.
“This is the deepest part of the dungeon. Prisoners confined here are either heinous murderers or powerful foreign beings. According to historical records, even deities were once imprisoned here.”
Louis, ever so obligingly, began to enlighten Su Mu, acting like a tour guide, familiarizing the curious, gazing Su Mu with the dungeon’s conditions.
Su Mu was unimpressed. “History books are merely words penned by the victors. To highlight their own greatness, what exaggerated tales wouldn’t they write?”
“That’s an intriguing perspective.”
Louis nodded thoughtfully. ‘As expected of a devil; he certainly has a knack for twisted logic.’
He felt he ought to find an obedient historian in the future and instruct them to embellish his deeds. ‘Ahem, not for vanity, of course, but primarily to boost the historical confidence of future generations.’
Louis consoled himself, a smile playing on his lips as he imagined people in the distant future extolling his virtues.
A sudden, violent clang echoed, startling Su Mu.
From a cell they had just passed, a pale-faced man with two goat-like horns sprouting from his head suddenly charged at the door, forcefully ramming the thick iron bars.
As he slammed into it, the man emitted fervent, unintelligible babbling.
Su Mu quickly distanced himself, curiously observing the peculiar-looking fellow. Could this be one of the demonkind Louis spoke of, held captive here?
He appeared ferocious and quite terrifying.
“Ignore him. Those beasts of demonkind, after being confined for so long, always bark like dogs when they see living people.”
Louis spoke with habitual indifference, not even sparing a glance, walking straight ahead.
“What was he saying?”
Su Mu was somewhat intrigued by the demon’s fervent words.
“I don’t know. The demon tongue is rarely understood by anyone except specialized linguists.”
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Louis seemed far more talkative than before.
As they continued onward, the light grew more abundant, and the damp, gloomy conditions within the cells gradually improved.
The further they went, the better the cell conditions became. Eventually, in some cells, Su Mu even spotted clean bedding and wooden tables.
Along their path, they encountered many soldiers clad in armor resembling that of Western knights.
Among them, a single blond soldier in golden armor left a particularly deep impression on Su Mu. He seemed to be the person they were looking for.
“Your Majesty, Second Prince.”
The blond soldier’s voice was rather neutral, making their gender indiscernible.
“Ling Guang, we’re here to find someone.”
“Your Majesty, please state your purpose.”
“Katusha, the merchant’s daughter, is she here?”
“Indeed, she is. May I ask why Your Majesty is looking for her?”
The golden-armored soldier understood the purpose of their visit, yet there was a clear reluctance to release her.
“Susumu Miston will vouch for her. Should anything happen, you can hold him responsible.”
Louis immediately pushed Su Mu forward.
Su Mu felt the golden-armored soldier’s scrutinizing gaze fall upon him.
He tightened his jaw, adopting a regal demeanor befitting a prince.
The golden-armored soldier retracted their gaze, addressing Louis. “I understand, Your Majesty. Is there anything else?”
“He and Sasaki will be assisting in the investigation of the counterfeit holy water case.”
“Your Majesty, we…”
The golden-armored soldier frowned, immediately intending to refuse.
Louis raised a hand, cutting them off. “Don’t be so quick to refuse. This matter is not only an explanation to the Holy Healing Institute but also an assessment for them. I hope to receive your fair evaluation of their performance.”
Perceiving the importance in the King’s words, the golden-armored soldier nodded solemnly. “Understood!”
“Alright, there’s nothing else. From now on, just listen to him.”
Louis patted Su Mu’s shoulder. “Let’s go. I have a pile of documents to deal with.”
“Goodbye, Father.”
Louis, having passed the buck, departed immediately.
Su Mu looked at the golden-armored soldier before him, feeling a bit awkward.
“Your Highness, this way. I’ll lead you to the person you seek.”
“Ahem, thank you for the trouble, soldier.”
Su Mu spoke politely.
The golden-armored soldier looked at him with some displeasure, enunciating each word. “Your Highness, rather than ‘soldier,’ I prefer to be called a knight. Or, you may simply address me as Ling Guang.”
Ling Guang felt Su Mu was deliberately teasing them. Though the prince and they rarely interacted, they had met several times before.
It was impossible for him not to know them. To call them a ‘soldier’ now was surely a deliberate taunt and insult.
Ling Guang recalled some rumors they had heard about the Second Prince’s unruly nature. At this moment, they found themselves believing those rumors a little more.
‘Knight? Ling Guang?’
“Holy crap, Radiant Knight Ling Guang?”
Su Mu blurted out, remembering an extremely famous character from a game in his previous life.
Ling Guang glared at him, their eyes blazing with fury.
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