Chapter 12 Strange Letter

A few moments later, Berthold walked down the stairs and immediately rushing towards the meeting hall. However, when he reached there, he saw no one and frowned. The guard near the door noticed him and walked near.

"Sir, the other knights right now going to the gate. Commander Natasha gave me an order to let you know that they would rush to greet them there. A report comes that refugees from some town arrived here just a moment ago."

"Refugees?" Berthold pondering over something. 'Strange…' he thought, then turned toward the guard. "Which town which they belong to?"

The guard stopped for a moment to think. "Erm… I believe when the scout comes here he said they come from…" The guard face turned red because he forgets about it.

Berthold that cannot rush him to remember cannot help but take him out of the meeting hall. "Don't get so hasty, try to remember it."

The guard silently giving Berthold thanks while keeps pondering, not long he stopped while his face showed a realization. "Oh, that's right! The refugee, they are the people of Knight Northon domain. EH, my lord?"

Berthold smile froze. He then not listening to the guard word to the end as he dashed as fast as he can when he heard 'Northon' and leaving the surprised guard behind. He arrived at the stables and snatched a horse and with a smooth movement, sitting straight above. He kicked its butt to let it run. Fortunately, the workers already noticed him and prepared to open the stable gate wide, and he rushed out. 'It's definitely something strange!' Berthold prayed that something bad would not happen.

When he almost arrived at the gate, from afar, he noticed a group of fifteen haggard people which right now was surrounded by a dozen of soldiers and he noticed Natasha helped an old woman to rest, Paul that commanded the soldiers, and Mary treating the injured person. Their face showed worried looks, but also a trace of relief that not all of the people were dead.

His eyes then swimming around and found Princess Karin helping an older woman to walk with her shoulder while also chatting about something. Even from afar, Berthold instinct told him that the smile of the woman are forced and she is faking her tiredness. He then waved his hand to let them notice him. Hearing a horse steps, Natasha saw Berthold approaching while waving a hand and she smiled while also waving at him.

Berthold surprised that Natasha only waved at him. He gritted his teeth while keep kicking the horse butt to make it accelerate. Before long, Paul and Mary also noticed Berthold and they raised their eyebrows. 'Aren't Berthold approached too fast?' both of them thought.

When he was five meters away, Berthold shouted: "Princess Karin, get away from that woman!"

"Eh?" Princess Karin smile froze and she turned toward Berthold with confusion.

The woman gritted her teeth then pulled a long pointed knife hidden in her back. When Princess Karin noticed that knife she feels a pain in her chest with her eyes opened wide. She then hears a small 'sorry' and a tear dropped at her cheeks. Princess Karin looked up at the woman face before she coughed out blood.

"Princess Karin!" Natasha shouted in horror then rushed at her with red eyes.

The woman pushed down the knife in her hand deeper with tears before her body was blown away by Natasha. Her body raised to the sky before crashed to the ground, she twitched for a moment before her body stopped moving. Natasha then hugged the injured Princess. She saw that the injury started to close but she then noticed a green substance near the injury, before she checks it, Princess Karin coughed more blood with her face turned pale as she writhing in pains. Natasha paled. "Poison!"

Natasha shout surprised the others and Mary rushed first to treat her. With her hand above Princess Karin chest, she invoked a magic before she shook her head. "We need to have a strong antidote! Bring her to my room."

Natasha nodded at her then shouted at the soldiers to help Mary to carry the Princess while Mary keeps using magic to ease the pains. Natasha then turned toward the other refugees with anger. "Kill them all, they dare to use dirty tricks to injure our beloved princess! They are all guilty."

The refugees then paled and they loudly crying. The soldiers nearby don't dare to acts because all the refuges just the old and groups of a woman, and above all are they were also their own people, this made them hesitate. Natasha anger reached the peak and she loses all her reason to think, her mind remembered the painful expression of the Princess and her body trembled.

Pulling out the sword on her waist, Natasha walked to the refuges. Before long, Berthold appeared with his horse in front of Natasha, blocking her path. She angrily looked up.

"Stop it, Natasha. They are innocent, you cannot kill them just like that." Berthold stared at Natasha.

When Natasha hears that Berthold called her by her name, a glimmer of happiness appear in her heart, but it's just a glimmer as the anger replaced all her emotion. He then glared at the knight in front of her. "Do you want to stop me? My mission was to protect our Princess, I have the right to eliminate the threat."

Berthold's shocked to see the bloodlust of Natasha, but he gripped the rein to calm his fear down. "That's right! I don't want to see you to dirty your hand with innocent blood, open your eyes, Natasha! They are tired and weak!" He should calm her to not kill them because he worried about Helminna, he could know the situation if he asked them.

Natasha keeps glaring at him before she then turned around. "I will leave them to you then." She then stared over her shoulder. "But, all of them should go to prison! That's an order!"

Leaving that behind, Natasha rides a horse to chase after the Princess. After sure that Natasha was away, Berthold wiped the sweat on his forehead, then stepped down from his horse. He looked around the crying refuges then signaled Paul to reassure them. Paul nodded and gathered the refuges then do as his best to calm them.

Berthold then walked to the fallen knife and noticed that this is actually a small dagger. He picked it up then approached the woman corpse and squatted near her. Looking at the dagger on his hand, Berthold assumed that there is no way this normal woman has this good dagger or dare to attack the princess. It must be a ploy. His eyes then noticed a piece of paper hidden near the handle of the dagger.

Opened it up he can read. "You see that, knight Berthold." He frowned from which b*stard dare to use his name inside this letter on the bloodied dagger? What if Natasha noticed it? He then continued to read. "This is just the beginning. In a week, our forces would come to take the Princess and also all of your life. Also, all the domain of this kingdom shall not remain."

'Is this a threat!?' Berthold frowned.

"What is that?" A sudden voice surprised him and he turned around to see Paul standing behind him.

"S-since when did you stand here?" Berthold stuttering.

Paul stared at him. "Just now to see you holding a small paper."

Berthold showed a troubled smile. "What paper? Looks, let escort them. I bet Natasha would get angry again if we late to report to her!"

Paul keeps silent then stepped aside. "Then lead us the way."

"R-right!" He walked pass Paul then commanded the soldier to take the refugees to the castle prison. Paul decide to stand for a little longer, his eyes observed the woman corpse in silent. He can see that her expression showed fear and regret with tears. He ordered some soldiers to bury her. He then walked up to catch the group of escorting soldier while his eyes fall on Berthold's back.