Chapter 86: The Tribute of the Tormond People

The assassins threw back their hoods, drawing daggers from their cloaks and lunging at John. Defenseless, John could only retreat, grabbing a nearby candlestick and hurling it at the closest assailant to disrupt their advance. As chaos erupted, John scrambled for cover.

Before the stunned assassin could react, Valkeilin thrust his sword through the man's body and kicked him aside, swiftly retrieving his blade. "Your Highness, come to me!" Pierre shouted, motioning another knight to join him.

They formed a defensive wedge, shielding John from the encroaching attackers. Though outnumbered, the assassins lacked armor and professional gear like the knights. If not for protecting John, Pierre felt he could have taken down ten of them himself.

Pierre dispatched one assassin with a swipe of his sword, absorbing a knife blow on his chainmail and retaliating with a counterstrike. "Pierre, my daughter!" John suddenly yelled.

At John's cry, Pierre's attention snapped to Juliana. The elderly Archbishop of Dublin clutched Juliana tightly, refusing to let the assassins take her. But clearly, the aged archbishop couldn't match the strength of these younger assailants.

Seeing Juliana almost snatched away, Pierre lunged forward in a swift stride. Despite his lean appearance, Pierre's impact was forceful, knocking the assassin to the ground.

Quickly, the Archbishop of Dublin reached out, handing Juliana over to Pierre. Sword in one hand, Juliana in the other, Pierre deflected another assassin's attack with his blade, then swiftly countered, ending the assassin's life with a throat strike. He followed up with a deft swing, using the hilt to strike down an attacker approaching from the side.

Valkeilin, producing a short sword from somewhere, tossed it to John before rushing out to support Pierre. After mutual cover and a tumultuous start, the knights steadied their ground.

They formed a protective ring around John, cutting through the chaos. When they burst onto the street, the bystanders were stunned.

A group of knights, bloodied but resolute, emerged from the cathedral!

Church is the most sacred place in the hearts of all Christians. In the face of war, the vast majority of Christians would seek refuge inside the church because they believe it is a place where bloodshed should never occur.

John, still shaken, was catching his breath and surveying his surroundings.

Outside the church, the waiting knights also realized something was amiss and quickly gathered at the church doors.

"Seal off this place, there are assassins inside!" Valkeilin shouted loudly. "Do not let anyone out, not even the Archbishop of Dublin!"

Indeed, moments ago, the Archbishop of Dublin had protected Juliana, but Valkeilin remained cautious. At such times, no one could be trusted.

"Your Highness, allow me to escort you back to the palace," Pierre said, leading over two warhorses tethered outside the church. After gently stroking their manes, he assisted John onto one of the horses. Only then did John begin to regain his composure.

"And what about those assassins? Keep them alive, we need to find out where they came from!" John ordered, not forgetting to issue instructions.

However, to ensure John's safety, Pierre spurred his horse into action, galloping alongside John's mount. They passed through construction sites, muddy markets, and the hard stone streets, eventually arriving at the gates of the Duke of Luenster's palace.

The royal guards at the palace gates were stunned to see Pierre covered in blood.

"What happened, Pierre?" Guillaume approached. "Why are you covered in blood, and where are the other knights?"

Pierre quickly replied, "There were assassins at the Cathedral. We protected His Highness and escaped. The rest of the knights are dealing with the assassins."

Listening intently, Guillaume glanced at John. In his memory, John had never seemed so disheveled, his appearance and demeanor betraying fear.

Looking at Pierre's blood-stained attire and the signs of battle, Guillaume felt a chill run down his spine.

Dublin was clearly John's territory. How could assassins have appeared there?

"We must root out those assassins," John suddenly declared, "They initially sought to kill me, then tried to snatch my daughter... These bastards cannot be allowed to escape." 

Even a fool could see how deeply John had been shaken. Normally composed, John now displayed fear almost visibly. His words and demeanor betrayed the terror he had just experienced. 

Knights clustered around John, escorting him back to his chambers for safety. 

"Rochester, gather all the people in the ducal palace, find out who wasn't here earlier," John's mind raced, "I suspect there's a traitor among us."

People exchanged uneasy glances and quickly set about summoning the servants within the ducal palace. 

These blunt men handled the task roughly, causing the terrified servants to wail, yet their efficiency was undeniable. In just over ten minutes, the knights completed John's task. 

The servants were herded into the grand hall of the ducal palace, jostling nervously, fearing John's scrutiny. These individuals had taken up servitude to escape poverty. Becoming a noble's attendant not only improved their living conditions but also offered the possibility of noble recognition.

But now, John wished to strip them all bare and scrutinize each one. 

"Your steward is not in the ducal palace, Your Highness," remarked Guillaume.

John felt anger like never before. Yet, unlike King Henry II's loss of control, his demeanor merely silenced everyone around him. 

"Find him," John ordered, "Who else here has a close relationship with the steward?"

Guillaume shook his head, "We don't know yet."

"Then interrogate each one," John's tone gradually regained its calm, "Use whatever means necessary. I want all the information."

This declaration of "whatever means necessary" was almost a cruel judgment for these servants.

Upon hearing John's words, they instantly began to wail and cry. Some collapsed to the ground in despair, shouting that they knew nothing at all.

John knew, of course, that not everyone was involved. But what did that matter to him?

Once Guillaume had assigned tasks, these servants were locked in a dark cell for interrogation. By the time Guillaume left, Valkylin had already returned to the ducal palace with three prisoners.

"Your Highness, we've caught a big fish," Valkylin said, kicking one of the captives to the ground.

John looked at the prisoner and had a feeling he resembled someone familiar from his past. Fiery red hair, a broad forehead, and large nostrils — from several facial details, John seemed to catch a glimpse of someone he had once known.

Yet, John couldn't quite place whose face it was.

Ultimately, it was Valkylin who unveiled the mystery, a revelation that shocked everyone.

"He's Count Tormond's son, Konhobar."