Chapter 487: Assassination

Chapter 487 Assassination
The militia watched the visitor on the far side of the merchant road.

Just as he was considering whether or not to light the wolf smoke immediately, the uninvited guests became clearer in his sight.

It wasn’t the army!

If not an army, could it be a business caravan?
Which guy was bold enough to strut across the border at this hour?

Even if they were smuggling, they’d be looking for trails that people aren’t familiar with.

He watched carefully and finally saw the banner that the team was wearing.

It was the flag of the church, yes, on top of the flag was a flame pattern embroidered with gold thread, that was the holy emblem of the Heavenly Father.

After a moment’s consideration, the militiaman opened the dovecote hanging from the watchtower and pulled out a gray and white dove inside.

Reluctantly, the dove, disturbed from its meal, fluttered its wings and staggered up into the sky, heading south.

If it was an invasion, wolf smoke was lit, if it was an envoy, the dove was released.

A delicately shaped and elegantly decorated four-wheeled carriage gradually approached the barrier pulled by two steeds, and the carriage was surrounded by ten heavily-armed knights, all of them tall, robust, and wearing gorgeous armor covered by helmets.

The militia ran down to the watchtower and moved the barricades at the pass.

The party stopped and two knights drove their horses forward to watch the militiaman.

“My lords!” The militiaman saluted them respectfully.

Even though he had more than a few grievances against the church, he felt that it was better to be polite in the face of ten church knights with excellent battle skills.

“We are emissaries sent by the Church to have your superiors come over for a meeting.”

One of the knights addressed him, speaking in a somewhat jarred voice because of his hooded helmet.

“My lord, unfortunately, my captain has led the others on patrol.”

“The Order” did not attract the attention of the militia, there was little difference between the Order and the Church in the minds of the general public.

“In that case, we’ll move on.”

The knight threw his horse whip and prepared to cross the barrier.

“Oh! No way!”

The militiaman tried to suppress his inner fear and mustered up the courage to say.

“We were told to tell you to wait here, an honorable lord of the Convocation is in the nearest town, and he will be here soon after he receives the message. At most ……”

Two fingers deep he said, “Wait two hours at the most.”

In fact, the militia’s mind was drumming, what if the stupid bird that reported the message had flown halfway somewhere else looking for food? It didn’t seem to be full when it was released.

The captain should have left someone else behind – the militia grumbled inwardly.

“Bold!”

Sure enough, the expected thunder descended quickly.

The knight who had just spoken, swung his whip so hard that the militiaman felt like he could whip himself in the next second.

“You lowly commoner, how dare you make Lord Envoy wait in your doghouse, do you want to taste the whip?”

The frightened militiaman immediately closed his eyes, then hunched his body and tensed his muscles in preparation for the whip.

This was already an instinct that most commoners would have in the presence of nobles.

“Stop!”

A voice from the carriage saved the militiaman from a beating.

The militiaman looked towards the carriage with some gratitude as the door above opened with a creak and a tall young man stepped down first, followed by an old man who was a head shorter than the young man.

Judging from the young man’s respectful attitude, this old man was the envoy, right?
The old man opened his mouth and said, “I happen to be tired of sitting here, so I’ll rest here for a while.”

He looked at the militia kindly, “Oh, it’s a bit windy out there, so if you allow it, let’s sit in your house.”

The militia immediately replied, “My lord, of course, if you don’t mind, and of course, I’ll make sure it’s clean inside.”

The old man said to the knights, “I am going to be quiet for a while, so you should not come in and disturb. Oh, Anthony, come in, perhaps I have some questions to discuss with you.”

Then he and the young man, together, followed the militia toward the house.

—-

Anthony entered the hut, which was for the rest of the guards, first, and, not finding anything unusual, dashed off to let Liberte in. After Liberte sat down on a chair, he said, “My lord, I’ll go out and give an explanation to our knights, so that they won’t be too raw when the allies come over later, you know, the situation now ……”

Liberte nodded, “You’re right, they should be reminded, go.”

Anthony turned to the militia still standing in the doorway, “Go fetch a bucket of water, so that Lord Envoy can clean the dust from his journey.”

The militia pointed to the barrel in the corner, “My lord, there’s a ready-made one here.”

Antony grimaced and raised his tone, “Watch your attitude, guard! Do you mean to let the messenger from the Holy See wash his hands and face with the same water you used?”

Scared, the militiaman gave a jolt, “I’ll go at once.”

“Hurry up, and don’t forget to brush the bucket.”

The militiaman carried the bucket out and Anthony followed.

Liberte closed his eyes as his thoughts drifted to the upcoming negotiations.

How should the Horned Bay alliance be persuaded? The alliance was the most powerful of the coastal nations, and as long as the alliance could drop their hostility, the other nations would not be a problem.

What concessions should I make? And on which issues should I never back down?

One by one, Liberte scrutinized the issues he might encounter in the negotiations and thought about strategies.

He was thinking so hard that he didn’t even realize that someone had entered the house.

By the time the touch on his neck and the choking sensation that immediately followed hit his brain, it was already too late for anything.

By the time Libert realized that someone had attacked him, a strong hand had tightened around his throat and another covered his mouth, so tightly and forcefully that not a sound could come out of it.

The instinct for survival still made him struggle, but the more he struggled, the less strength he had in his body, for he could not breathe now.

Upon recognizing his assailant, the shock both saddened and pitied him, and he wasn’t sure if it was himself or the other who was pitied.

Just as he thought he might die of asphyxiation, a sharp pain struck him from behind and Liberte lost all his strength at once.

Blood flowed out of the wound in his back, and the consciousness of his brain, which was already deprived of oxygen, became even more blurred.

“Is there another one?”

Liberte, who was still covered over his mouth, nose and throat, thought so.

“Ugh, forget it, that’s it ……”

This was the last thought that crossed Libert’s mind before his body completely lost its life.

—-

The knights of the church stood guard outside in boredom.

Priest Anthony came out and gathered them together.

Be polite when the allied officials come over later! Lord Liberte has high hopes for this negotiation.

The Priest admonishes them.

Negotiation, negotiation! Negotiate my ass!

That’s what many knights think.

But they dare not disobey their superiors’ instructions.

The militiaman came out with a bucket, went to the small lake in the distance, fetched a bucket of water and came back, and dug into the hut again.

That one had already been searched by them, and there was a Lord Priest looking after the house, so the knights weren’t worried.

Then a loud roar full of grief and pain came out of the hut.

“Sinner! Do you know what you are doing?”

The power even scared the birds around them into taking to the air.

The same thought popped into everyone’s head.

It’s over, something big has happened.

Requesting tickets!

(End of chapter)