Chapter 63: Chapter 60: Night of the Chimera’s Cry – Masked Monster (Part 1)

Londo, the Knight’s Main Headquarters in Elran City.

A separate building from the Rizar's mansion, two weeks after Aurora received her sigil.

There are two divisions within the Rizar Knights.

The first division, the Black Gold Knights who wears black/gold uniforms, are the swords that protect the Dukedom. They are soldiers who follow their Commander onto the battlefield and have sworn their loyalty directly to the Lucius.

Then there were the guardians of Rizar, known as the Eagle Knights, wears black/red uniforms and handles the internal affairs of the Dukedom. Both uniforms have a strip of fabric fastened to the black coat that goes around to the back, forming a semi-circle. The fabric on the Black Gold Knights coat was gold, and red for the Black Knights.

Their responsibility included investigating corruption, treason, and other misdeeds conducted by the aristocrats and other citizens. The Eagle Knights separate the cases into minor, common and urgent files and finally send their reports to the Duke.

Lucius then decides to either have the Black Gold Knights take care of it or to send the case directly to trial.

When either or both the Captain and Vice Captain were busy with other missions, the person in charge of the Eagle Knights is Earl Nolbeia’s eldest son, Favian Vel Nolbeia, 29 years old. With short black hair combed back and wearing monocle glasses with chains, there was a mature, intelligent air to him. He was a strategist that held the 1st Lieutenant rank in the Imperial Army like Sia. Surprisingly, he was also the Supreme Judge of the court that handled large cases.

A raspy, panting noise filled the courtyard where the Duke of Rizar and a few Knights were.

Besides Favian Vel Nolbeia, a Priest wearing white green robes, the blacksmith Gaius, the Knight Captain Raya, and Lucius’ three shadow Knights, Cain, Lyle, and Fie were also there.

“Ugghhhh…haaahhh…”

The sound of coughing and wheezing came from Raya, who was covered in his own blood as he doubled over in pain. The sweat and blood mixed, making his hair stick to him, as though he just took a shower. His gray hair looked as though it turned red.

Lucius took the dagger in hand and made another deep cut across Raya’s abdomen. He clenched his teeth to keep from screaming and didn't resist or fight back. 

Favian, who was wearing a monocle glass with chains, looked on indifferently. Although his job mostly included doing investigations and writing reports, something like this was normal for him. After all, his informants rarely cooperated to share anything without a little persuasion.

But Lucius’ aura was terrifying. He could barely keep himself standing.

Favion sighed. The person behind the killings and disappearances had him stumped. It was a first for him. Although the Captain and Vice Captain are the leaders of the Rizar Knights, Favion mostly handled everything at the headquarters when they were not here. However, that person was always one step ahead of him, causing him to be unable to do a thing.

Still, Favion thought about how he should warn his parents that they really should stop going after the Duke. Having the Duke of Rizar as his brother-in-law, he didn't want to think about such a future.

Gaius glanced at Lucius.

He should have known better. The Duke has not changed at all.

The blacksmith wondered what Aurora would think if she saw this. Would she still be able to act indifferently around him?

The more blood he spilled, the more the beast came out. And after that, all that was left were just instincts. With the man nowhere to be found.

A monster.

However, was the person he saw laughing by Aurora's side, as he teased her...really just a lie? Or was the monster in front of him the one wearing a mask?

When Lucius punched Raya, making him fall to his knees, Raya spat out a mouthful of blood. Lucius lifted his leg and kicked the Knight Captain. When he intended to continue kicking him, the Priest, although frightened, moved in front of him.

“Your Grace, at this rate, you’ll kill him!! My healing will be useless then! Please, I beg you, have mercy!” The Priest raised both hands, blocking the Duke from continuing. He was trembling as he stood there. It took him his all to move and run before the Duke. It felt as if he just ran for five miles. 

Lucius set his feet back down. He moved the dagger to the side and gave it to Fie, who stood by his side and handed him a handkerchief.

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While cleaning the blood off his hands, he nodded towards the Priest.

Seeing this, the Priest quickly ran to Raya and took out the healing rune on him. “My goodness…” The Priest mumbled underneath his breath. The Knight Captain was barely breathing. Even with his healing rune, he will have to stay in bed for at least a month.

How can the Duke be so cruel to his own man?

Lucius glared at the Captain. “Raya, do you understand what you have done wrong?” The clear and unhurried voice rang out, carrying some chill with it. His voice was so calm, but it contained the domineering aura that made the hearts of others shake in fear.

The Duke of Rizar glanced at him in a calm, yet terrifying manner.

His aura…was too formidable! 

The others there turned pale, unable to handle the cold mana coming from him.

When the Duke asked him this, Raya struggled to move to a kneeling position. The Priest tried to stop him, but Raya slowly pushed him away and continued.

While kneeling on one knee, with his hand on the ground, he lowered his head. “I…understand…”

“You let this person take the Ignis Kingdom's Crown Princess right from under us. She might have lost her life for all we know. Due to your mistake, the Neutral Kingdoms will use this as a pretense to start a war with us.” Lucius motioned for Fie to take the handkerchief and give him the dagger. “Not only that, there were three more murders in just two weeks. And yet, what did you tell me when I asked for your report?"

“I said…that….cough, cough, cough…things were…under control.” Raya covered his mouth to keep his blood from pouring out. He forcefully swallowed it back down.

“Hah. Under control."

The Duke clenched his teeth.

"That Princess went undercover to find the bastard who killed her companion, but you did not even bother telling me. Favion.” Lucius turned to Nolbeia's eldest son. "Repeat to me what happened."

Favion stepped forward and slightly bowed. "Your Excellency, after we gathered the woman with similar appearance under the pretense of an event, that Princess came to us a few days ago with a proposal to act as bait."

Lucius' eyebrows twitched at being called in such a way. While he did warn Favion not to address him as such, his subordinate refused, saying that it's his right to call his Lord in the way he is originally meant to be called.

While Lucius was displeased, he didn't interrupt Favion. 

"The Princess said with all the targets in one place, the perpetrator will less likely make a move. At least not for a while. So, she offered to change her hair and eye color to act as bait. The Captain tried to talk her out of it at first, but she refused to give up. She said her companion's death was our responsibility which is why Captain Raya decided to go along with her."

Lucius looked down at Raya. "Yet, you lost her." He said, with a contemptuous tone.

Raya didn’t say anything and kept his head lowered. This was not the first time he disappointed his master. The previous Duke was similar in the way he punished those who failed him.

He even killed the Knights who swore a direct oath to him.

Sometimes, accidentally.

And sometimes, intentionally.

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