The First Vampire

Chapter 680: Trap Setting (Part 2)_1
 

Time rewinds to one day earlier.

By the time Cardinal Mensai returned to Dragon City, it was already dark.

The streets were already devoid of pedestrians, only occasionally would a patrol guard be met.

Mensai lifted the carriage curtain, instructing the coachman:

“First, go to Phoenix Palace.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The horse-drawn carriage immediately changed direction, heading straight to Phoenix Palace.

Mensai got off the carriage, announced his arrival, and under the lead of an attendant, entered Prince Harrison’s bedchamber.

Upon entering, Mensai noticed that Prince Harrison’s eyes were red-rimmed, which indicated that he had just cried.

Mensai knew this was due to the news of Emperor Reinhardt’s death reaching Dragon City.

“Prince Harrison, have I disturbed your rest?”

“No.” Prince Harrison collected himself, and in a deep voice, asked, “Cardinal Mensai, have you just returned from the frontline?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Then where is my father’s body now? How much longer before it returns to Dragon City?”

“His Majesty’s remains are currently in Eastspring Town, hypothesizing that it should arrive in Dragon City in roughly three to five days.”

Prince Harrison nodded his head, saying:

“Ok, then Cardinal Mensai, why did you come to find me so late?”

A struggle was evident on Mensai’s face. After hesitating for a while, he finally said in a deep voice:

“Your Highness, about a matter…. I struggled for a long time but in the end, I could not escape from the condemnation of my own conscience, so I decided to confess to you…..”

Prince Harrison, looking at Mensai, who was full of shame, instinctively realized something, and immediately said:

“Is it concerning my uncle, Marquis Garcia? Is he really being held by the Church?”

Mensai let out a sigh and silently nodded his head.

Prince Harrison swiftly stepped forward, asking in a hurry:

“How is my uncle now? Why did your church detain him!”

Mensai bowed his body, seemingly not daring to meet Prince Harrison’s eyes, and said with difficulty:

“Your Highness, Marquis Garcia… is already dead….”

“What!” Prince Harrison was taken aback, “Who did it?”

“It was… His Holiness Gregory….”

“Why!” Prince Harrison asked in anger. But he immediately answered his own question, “Is it because once the North Territory played the dominant role in the victory of the Luwal Valley, he started to fear?”

Mensai nodded his head.

Prince Harrison, waving his arms, was like a furious little lion. “Has Gregory gone mad! Killing a Marquis, a national hero, in the Holy Light Cathedral! Is he not worried about the North Territory’s retaliation?”

Mensai lifted his head and said in a gloomy voice:

“Yes, Gregory is very worried, and so he will continue to attack the North Territory, until he completely eliminates this threat….”@@novelbin@@

“What other plot does he have?” Prince Harrison stared wide-eyed, asking.

“Gregory has already allied with Crown Prince Lexie and Governor Fred. They have secretly detained Count Angler in Eastspring Town, preparing to have him tried at Dragon City…..”

“Trial?” Prince Harrison almost jumped up in anger, “The teacher is the hero who commanded and defeated the orcs. On what grounds does Gregory have to try him!”

Mensai sighed and said:

“Your Highness, as the Pope is the spokesperson for the divine being in this world, it’s not difficult for him to trump up charges against anyone if he really wanted to….”

“Absurd! Blasphemous! Shameless!” Prince Harrison was so angry that he paced back and forth in the hall; his blood-red eyes seemed as if he wanted to devour someone. “And Crown Prince Lexie, along with Governor Fred, they actually conspired with Gregory?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Both Crown Prince Lexie and Governor Fred also think that the North Territory’s power is too strong at present, becoming a threat to the Royal Family…..”

“Bullshit!” Prince Harrison cursed, “Count Angler is my mentor, Marquis Garcia is my uncle, how could they possibly pose a threat to me!”

I get it, oh, I get it!

Lexie and Fred are worried that the North Territory will threaten their own power!

No, not just that!

Lexie probably wants to reclaim the power that rightfully belongs to him!

He wants to wipe out the forces supporting me, use me as a puppet, and become the true master of the Empire, right!”

Mensai kept his head down, not uttering a word.

But in his heart, he was secretly smug.

Prince Harrison was easier to deceive than he imagined. There were many things he wasn’t convenient for him to say, yet Prince Harrison actually came up with them himself…

After venting for a while, Prince Harrison forced himself to calm down and asked sternly:

“Cardinal Mensai, tell me, what should I do to save my mentor?”

Mensai sighed, said somewhat helplessly:

“Your Highness, I would advise you to not act impulsively. Prince Lexie and Governor Fred have successfully drawn the South Border and East Border to their side this time, in addition to the Church’s power, you can’t fight them…”

“So, shall I just sit and wait to die?” Prince Harrison roared with rage, “St. Lorenzo will never back down!”

Mensai seemed to be inspired by Prince Harrison’s fighting spirit and finally spoke:

“Your Highness, the most important thing right now is to prevent Gregory from smearing Count Angler’s name under the pretext of our Lord.”

“So, how do we stop Gregory?”

Mensai looked up at Prince Harrison and said in a deep voice:

“Your Highness, Gregory has already killed Marquis Garcia, he has no way out, so to stop him, there is only one way—

Assassination!”

“How to kill him?” Prince Harrison immediately asked as if they were discussing the execution of a criminal, not the assassination of a Pope.

Mensai’s eyes flashed and said:

“Your Highness, it’s actually not difficult to assassinate Gregory. He himself has little combat power. As long as the Holy Temple Knights guarding him can be diverted, killing him when he is unguarded is no different from killing an ordinary old man.

But…”

“But what?”

“But after all he is the Pope, killing him is not difficult, but what is difficult is who will take responsibility for his death afterwards…”

Prince Harrison understood what Mensai meant, his breathing grew heavier, and eventually, he said with determination:

“I will!”

“Your Highness…”

“No need to advise anymore.” Prince Harrison said coldly, “As a member of St. Lorenzo, this is a responsibility I must bear!

I just hope that you, after succeeding to the seat of the Pope, you will, along with my mentor, assist Judy properly.”

Harrison was very clear that he could never accede to the throne after flagrantly killing a Pope, and the next in line for succession would naturally be Princess Judy.

Mensai solemnly saluted and said:

“Prince Harrison, rest assured! I will do my utmost to save your life. And I will crown Princess Judy, allowing her to become the new owner of the Empire!”

…

The time returns to the present.

When Cardinal Mensai and his men rushed into the Phoenix Palace hall, they saw the Pope, who had already stopped breathing, and Prince Harrison covered in blood.

“Your Highness…”

Prince Harrison stared intently at Mensai, then walked out of the hall without saying a word, arms spread wide, as if to embrace the brilliant sunshine.

In the shadow behind him, Mensai took the opportunity while he was bending over to examine Pope Gregory’s corpse to quietly pick up the golden horn.