101 Ways To Tame The Emperor

Chapter 24: The Prince Of Jibril

“THE TWO of you look so good together, anak.”

Matilde immediately handed me the tumbler when I choke on my food. “Oh, please, Mother. Stop that. The General is not the one I am marrying. You should refrain from saying these things in the future. If someone hears you, you could be punished severely for offending His Majesty.” I said after drinking water.

I subconsciously looked at the gravy. I felt my cheeks tingle while thinking about Malik’s soft lips that just sucked the gravy off my finger. After this, I don’t think I will ever look at the innocent gravy the same way again.

That darn gravy. I should not have tasted it while Malik was around. That was the biggest mistake of my life. And that Malik just ruined the wholesome image of gravy in my head.

“It’s just the two of us here. No one from outside could hear us. This may be wrong but I wish you would end up with the General instead, anak. He seems to care about you a lot. And I saw how he looks at you. It was the same way Count Quentin used to look at Daria when they were young.”

Just like that and the strange heat I felt inside was gone. I know that Matilde meant well but it had the opposite effect on me. Nevertheless, that was a nice wake-up call. “And looked how the two of them ended up.” I said abruptly. “Stop imagining things, Mother. If the General is acting nice, that was only because he was ordered to do so.”

I was sure that Matilde said something more but I did not get to hear her anymore when I saw a teenage boy on the bridge a few meters away from where our carriage was parked. I don’t know why but I suddenly had a bad feeling about it since he appeared to be so dejected. There was a young girl beside him who threw away something in the river and then left. From afar, they looked like a couple or maybe an ex-couple now.

The apple fell from my hands when I saw the teenage boy suddenly jumped off the bridge. What on Earth just happened?

I didn’t think any of the Knights notice since they were busy eating and resting, too. Some of them were even chatting animatedly somewhere. Besides, the bridge was a little far from where we are.

I hurried down the carriage and ran straight to the bridge. I heard everyone call my name but I could not speak. I felt like there was a sudden massive lump on my throat. The sight reminded me of my half-brother, the only one who acknowledged me in the family. He died jumping at the bridge when he was sixteen for reasons we still do not know until now. I was not there when it happened so I didn’t get to save him. I was late.

And I can’t be late again now. My body seemed to have a mind of its own as my feet continued to run.

It was especially cold today that’s why all of us were wearing our winter clothes. The water in the river must be freezing right now. But I did not have the time to assess the situation better. I tossed my heels and followed the teenager and jumped off the bridge, too.

Wait for me, kid.

“Lady Catherine!”

 (Malik)

AS SOON as I got off the carriage, I wanted to go back. Damn. Just imagining Catherine’s face was making me hard again. No woman had this kind of impact on me before. Just her. But if I did not get off, I might do more than just suck her fingers. I want more. I need more.

But I can’t do that. Not yet, at least. Catherine was not like any other women. She was not ready for this. Not to mention, there were still so many things we needed to clarify between us. So maybe this emergency thing had its benefits, too, so I could keep my thoughts and hands off her for a while.

“Prince Benett’s bodyguard is inside this room, General Montebello. We tried to get information out of him but his lips remained sealed. He refused to talk no matter what we say and do.” Leo said, one of the Knights I assigned in this town when we reached the fifth floor of the old complex where he brought me.

I stared at him blankly. “Why? If you were in the Knight’s position, would you spill your secrets to the enemies, too?”

He flinched. “I would not dare, General.”

“I will talk to your superior after this. It looks like he had not been training you properly all these time. You should know by now that threats do not work on Knights, Leo. The very day they went out of their territory to gather intel about Morven, they’ve been prepared to die. They would have preferred to have their throats slit than to speak.”

Leo lowered his head. “Forgive me, General. I was out of line.”

“As long as you know.”

Benett was the eldest son of King Luca from the Kingdom of Jibril, one of the remaining five kingdoms which were yet to swear their allegiance to Morven. It was also the biggest out of the five kingdoms. And recently, there were news about Jibril’s plan to attack Morven with the assistance of the other kingdoms. There were also records found that the rebels in the Empire and the people from Jibril had been having secret meetings. They were strengthening their forces and bought a large number of weapons in the black market.

Now, it looks like they were determined to wage war this time considering that they sent the Prince himself to scout the areas near the border. According to the information I received, Benett was the pride and heart of Jibril. He was adored and loved by his countrymen. He was also their strongest soldier, the brilliant mind behind Jibril’s military tactics and was the first in line to the throne.

And as expected of the so-called mighty Prince, he did not get caught. But it seemed like the bodyguards who were with him in their little excursion were not as careful and as bright as him. He should have brought more capable people with him.

“This better be worth it, Leo, since I had to delay the future Empress’ expedition for this. You know how much I dislike people who waste my time.” I warned him before he opened the door of the apartment. I saw him gulped before he led me to where the spy was.

In the middle of the abandoned room, there was a wounded man sitting on a chair. His hand and feet were tied tightly in a rope. His forehead was bleeding. He was wearing a commoner’s attire. His face was almost unrecognizable now because of the encounter his team had with my Knights. The only proof the Knights had about him was the symbol on his arrow and the markings on the dagger he used.

These guys were not being too careful. They should have brought more diverse weapons with them. It was either they underestimated the security in Morven or they overestimated themselves.

Or was this guy the only minion who thoughtlessly brought those weapons? I doubt if Benett did the same thing. One of the Knights informed me that they saw Benett a few kilometers away downtown but they failed to capture him. He did not kill any of my Knights but he shot their legs with his arrows to stop them from following him. The arrows were the ones he stole from the Morvenians.

I sat in front of the spy who looked at me with so much contempt. There was no need for further interrogation. His expression just betrayed who he was. Only the people outside the Empire would dare to look at me openly like that.

I smiled at the spy. “Just so you know, your Kingdom still exists not because I do not have the capacity to remove it from the map. I’ve just been too lazy to do it before. I don’t have plans of waging war for the meantime but if you and your people will keep on doing these annoying things, who knows? I might be tempted to retaliate soon. Do not test my patience, soldier. You have no idea what I am capable of doing the moment I decide to start becoming diligent again.”