The Empror's Trap

"Your Prince?"

Lina's gaze was as cold as a blade.

"And what exactly can he give? I doubt he actually cares about each and every one of you."

The assassin straightened his back confidently. "His Highness has given us an idea—a truly unparalleled vision. If his dream is realized, there will no longer be emperors and commoners."

"So you're saying," Lina's voice dripped with sarcasm, "Your so-called Highness plans to erase all differences between people?"

"Not just between people," the assassin's eyes burned with fervent hope. "Between humans and immortals too! His Highness wants immortals to live like mortals, emperors to stand equal with their subjects. Someone like you, with your talents, could also earn his admiration. He would—"

"I have a question," Lina suddenly interrupted, leaning forward.

The assassin paused, puzzled. "What question?"

"You claim your Highness will erase all differences," Lina said, casually toying with the short blade in her hands. Her tone was light, but her words carried weight. "Does that include himself?"

The assassin faltered. He clearly didn't understand her meaning, his mind sluggishly trying to process her words.

Lina sighed and shook her head, clearly unimpressed. "Doesn't look like your Highness intends to include himself, does it? If all differences are to be erased, what happens to him? How does he plan to deal with himself?"

The so-called vision of erasing all inequalities—at its core—was nothing more than a fantastical delusion. Not because it was impossible to achieve, but because the person proposing such a fantasy never intended to place themselves on equal footing.

They saw themselves as a savior above it all.

Kenji had once warned Lina that those truly committed to their ideals were willing to sacrifice themselves for them, no matter how laughable their dreams seemed. But many people clung to grand ideals not to liberate others but to revel in the intoxicating sense of being a savior.

Lina looked at the assassin again and shook her head.

Even though this man hadn't spilled much valuable information, she had learned something essential: whoever was backing him was referred to as "Prince." And in Camelot, the only ones entitled to such a title were members of the royal family.

"Clearly, you're not planning to tell us what we actually want to know," Lina said flatly.

"You're wavering," the assassin shot back confidently, a smug grin on his face.

Lina suppressed an eye-roll, thinking to herself, Can someone please carry this pretentious idiot out of here, chair and all? But she tamped down her irritation. Extracting information took patience, after all.

"Do you think you're omnipotent?" Lina's tone was suddenly sharp and authoritative. "As of now, under orders from His Majesty and Duke Anos, I am interrogating you. Your only duty is to answer my questions."

"Hah," the assassin sneered. "In the end, you're just spouting empty threats."

"That's fine," Lina said with a faint smile. "You don't have to talk now. We'll see how long your loyalty to your Highness lasts under proper… encouragement."

"Tell me something," the assassin leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a provocative whisper. "How much do you think your master would sell you for?"

"What did you just say?" Lina's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening slightly on her blade.

"Our Highness treats us as equals, as friends. But your master? To him, a guard is just a guard. Sure, you might be stronger, prettier than most, so he wouldn't sell you easily. But if the offer was high enough?"

"You listen here, girl," he said, his tone turning casual as he reclined in his chair. "Your best chance is to work with us. He's probably nearby, isn't he? We could take care of him together, and then you'd join us. With us, you're not just a servant—everyone is treated the same. Unlike Duke Anos. That man only craves control over this empire. One day, he'll—"

Slice.

The sound of a blade cutting through flesh rang out. The assassin gasped, his right shoulder suddenly cold and numb. A second later, pain bloomed, and a blood-curdling scream erupted in the soundproof chamber.

"MY ARM! AAAARGH!"

Lina calmly wiped her bloodied blade and tucked it back into its sheath at her waist. Her lips curved slightly as she studied the clean cut on the man's shoulder, looking almost fascinated by her own handiwork.

She knew the human body well enough to slip her blade cleanly between the bones, severing the arm with minimal effort. Blood pooled on the floor, but she quickly cast a healing spell to stop the bleeding.

"I was going to play with you a little longer. But your words were offensively crude, so I decided you needed a little lesson first."

She stepped closer as she locked her eyes onto his.

"And yes, you're right. To my young master, I'm just a guard. And to me, he's my master. Let's leave it at that."

"So what?" Lina smirked. She reached out, pinching the assassin's fingers one by one until she found the perfect angle, then snapped one cleanly. Another scream tore from his throat. Her smirk deepened.

"As for whether I'm wasting my youth? That's for me to decide. Who are you to judge?"

She gestured towards the door, a faint shimmer flashing as the soundproof barrier dissolved. "Now then, it seems we still have plenty of time to get to know each other better. I'm curious to see how long your loyalty to your Highness really holds up during our little chats."

Without another glance, Lina turned and gestured for the tools to be brought in. The assassin's screams faded as the chamber door shut behind her. Kenji had no idea what Lina and the assassin discussed after the soundproofing spell was cast, but judging from the screaming, she'd been thoroughly provoked.

Eh, let her have her fun, he thought.

Kenji returned to his study, the room lit with the soft glow of daylight streaming through the windows. He scanned the piles of military reports on his desk.

General Balinos had successfully launched a surprise attack on Hanyin City. What little enemy resistance remained had been crushed, and the city was back under Camelot's control. The anti-cavalry spear wagons they'd deployed had proved remarkably effective, though some design flaws still needed addressing.

The casualty report listed 400 losses on their side, while enemy losses were too many to count. Knowing General Balinos, too many to count likely meant an overwhelming victory so decisive that the final tally wasn't even worth calculating yet.

And this, despite Camelot being on the offensive and at a disadvantage.

Their success was largely due to the overwhelming numbers Kenji had sent in. He'd made sure the barbarian forces were encircled so tightly they wouldn't even dream of escaping.

This time, Kenji had also dispatched a squad of cultivators to spearhead the assault. The barbarian cultists of the Sal Kingdom had their own clunky, unorthodox methods—they'd even gone so far as to carve runes directly into their flesh, claiming it helped them communicate with their ancestors.

Idiots, Kenji thought.

In the end, Hanyin City had been swiftly reclaimed.