A GROUP OF PRISONERS IN

Just a matter of minutes, the bodies of the bandits were burnt to ashes.

"I have to get out of here immediately." Emmanuel said. 

After standing for a while, Emmanuel then clasped his hands together. The fire that was still burning was now gone. Emmanuel stepped back. He left the forest for the bandits' hideout.

Inside the room, Karol walked around the place. Then he saw a ladder leading down. Like there's room there. Karol went downstairs alone. The room looks dark. Even the air in it feels very tight. Karol then lit the fire from the torch. When it comes to the most important place. Karol's eyes seemed to pop out. He saw many prisons in the room. Many people are also in prison. Karol had heard while on the battlefield that young girls and minors often kidnapped the Mist area. So the bandits had done it.

"Help us sir?"

A girl begged Karol. Inside the prison, the girl and the child are in different places. Immediately Karol broke the chains that bound the prison door with his sharp sword. The chain broke, and the door opened. Some of the girls who were at the place came out.

"Thank you sir." Said the girl who had asked for help.

"Master help us?"

People still in prison begged him for help. Karol then sighed once. Karol wanted to find the empress quickly, but he couldn't just let them go. Finally, Karol helps them out of prison. Smiles of happiness graced their faces. How long have they been here? They didn't even know if it was morning or night. The moment Karol let them go. He did not see the figure of the empress. The empress should be in the same room with them.

"Have you seen a young man in white?" Karol asked the woman and the child. 

They all shook their heads. That meant the empress was in a different place. I have to find him soon.

"All of you come with me!"

Karol left the room. The captives followed behind him.

"Sir."

A soldier salutes Karol.

"How. Have you guys cleaned it up?"

"We've killed all of them but we still haven't found Her Highness the Empress."

The soldiers then saw a group of prisoners.

"All of you come with them. No need to worry. My troops can be relied on."

They then nodded their heads.

"Then what about master?" Ask the soldier to Karol.

"I will return to look for Her Majesty the empress."

The soldiers then took a group of prisoners to hide in a safe place. Meanwhile, Karol walked down to a business he had not yet come to.

Duke Magnus, Fred, and the empress bodyguards exited the room. They then split into three to scatter. Duke Magnus went to the front, the empress bodyguards went around the hiding room, and Fred returned. After they went away. Duke then stood in a room. Without thinking, he went inside. The room turned out to be a library. Many books are there. Duke Magnus reached for a book.

"Northern kingdom history book."

After reading it, Duke then took some books that were on the shelf. Duke then saw there was a table and chairs. All the books are then placed on the table. When picking up a book, Duke takes it and doesn't read it. He then read the title of the cover of the book. One by one, the books are held. All of these books turned out to be about the Northern Kingdom. That meant they had been studying the Northern Kingdom and looking for its weaknesses. It's perfect preparation. Even though the Duke already knew that Fred and Alphonse wanted revenge for the destruction of Swift's kingdom. But the Duke still didn't understand why they had made the Mist region their base. This area is tiny. Will not be able to threaten the economy of the Northern kingdom. Then what do they want? The duke sensed that something was missing from his sight. What is that? The Duke sat in silence. He then supported his forehead with both palms. So far, the Duke has been crazy about mysteries. He tries to put the puzzle together and find out the truth. Emmanuel has arrived. He was now in front of the bandits' hideout. It looks like Karol has done his job. Emmanuel then walked inside. There are only corpses along the way. The title of tyrant for Karol is not wrong.

"Have Karol and lord Duke already found the empress?" Emmanuel said as he walked over and saw the room filled with blood.

In the backyard where the bandits hide. The Empress tried to escape. He walked with an exhausted body. His breathing is irregular. His leg was also injured from not wearing footwear.

"Empress?"

The Lion crown prince called out to the empress in a loud voice. I immediately looked at the person who had called my name. From a distance, you can see the figure of a young man wearing a mask and riding the horse towards me. Isn't that man the crown prince of Lion? His figure became more apparent. I was delighted after seeing it. There is someone who will help me. Without realising it, tears just came out. The crown prince is getting closer. He rode the horse fast. At the time, the empress noticed the crown prince. The Empress did not see that someone was looking at her with a smile. He is Alphonse. Fred's younger brother.

"Finally I found the woman."

Alphonse then pulled the sword from its place. Fred walked out the back door. He accidentally saw the woman he had been looking for. Fred's face then became sad when he saw the woman walking and staring at the man in front of her. Fred knew that the man in the lion mask was the crown prince of Lion. Fred and the crown prince Lion's relationship are friends. They used to spend a lot of time together. But Fred begins to shy away from his best friend after Swift's empire crumbles. Now only revenge was on his mind. Memories of being together Fred and the beautiful crown prince Lion again filled his heart. Fred promises if his plan to destroy the Northern kingdom is successful. He was eager to talk and resume friendship with the Lion crown prince. Fred walked over to the empress. When he wanted to meet him suddenly, Alphonse ran with a sword. Fred then realised that Alphonse wished to kill the woman. The crown prince also saw Alphonse, then immediately jumped down from his horse and ran as fast as possible. The empress's life is in danger. The Lion crown prince must immediately stop Alphonse. The Empress felt someone coming towards her. He then looked to the side. The youth who raised the sword was now getting closer to him. The Empress belatedly noticed the man's arrival.

"Watch out for the empress!" The crown prince shouted for the Empress to dodge immediately.