Chapter 62: Assassination
At the twilight hour, just moments before the last rays of the setting sun vanished, Arkhan and the group finally arrived in Cramond.
After inquiring with some passersby, it had been approximately a month since they entered Avalon, and the flow of time on both sides remained relatively close. This was likely due to Avalon's connection to the surface world.
Cramond was a small riverside port town, from where one could take a boat to most of the cities to the north of Camelot. Especially during the autumn harvest season, merchants came and went here daily, and the inn's rooms were often fully occupied.
Fortunately, Ector had provided Arkhan with a substantial sum of money before their departure, and with these gleaming coins, they secured the last three top-tier guest rooms.
"So, it's Lancelot and me in one room, Guinevere and Lily in another, and Teacher gets a room all to himself." Kay suggested.
Everyone agreed without any objections.
"Hey! Have you all forgotten there's still one more person here?" Merlin grumbled, tapping his staff impatiently. "I may be an incubus, but I'm also a Great Mage and Sage of Britain. I should at least have my own room."
"What's an incubus like you going to do with a room? Just focus on your actual job and give us all a good dream tonight; that's your duty." Kay retorted, rolling his eyes and returning to his room via the stairs.
The others dispersed to their respective rooms.
"A good dream?" Merlin mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. A sly smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Huhu~ don't you worry, Kay~ I'll make sure to leave you with an unforgettable dream~"
===
That night, with the moon shining brightly and the stars scattered across the sky, a shadow silently approached the alleyway outside the inn.
After checking left and right, the figure of a man in black leaped onto the inn's outer wall, moving like an agile monkey.
Reaching the rooftop, the man in black walked along the protruding railing and cautiously arrived at the rightmost room.
Under the bright moonlight, the man in black peered into the room through the window. All was quiet inside, with only the slight rise of the bedsheet visible.
A glint of sharpness passed through the man in black's hazel eyes.
The man in black retrieved a shimmering silver dagger from his cloak, then gently pushed open the window, and silently landed on the room's floor.
Suddenly, a fiery red light flashed before his eyes, causing him to freeze in place.
Arkhan emerged from the darkness and disarmed the intruder.
"Who sent you?" He asked with an emotionless tone.
"Ahh..." The man in black opened his mouth, but not a word came out because his tongue had been cut out.
"Hmm, quite cautious huh..." Arkhan sneered. "But did you really think this would keep me from finding out who sent you?"
Arkhan activated the power of Fenghuang Down, allowing his thoughts to delve into the man in black's mind, searching for his memory.
Half a minute later, Arkhan opened his eyes once more with his deep black pupils holding a hint of amusement.
"Heh... Hugenberg, the Earl of the Montague family and elder brother of the Minister of Finance, dared to assassinate the new king."
Before leaving Tintagel, Arkhan obtained a list of all the nobles of Camelot from Ector, including their titles, lands, and connections. He knew it all like the back of his hand.
"I wonder how much Camelot has deteriorated over these past few years." Arkhan mused, shaking his head. He stepped over the intruder, walked towards the bed, and casually tossed the dagger aside.
*Hiss!*
A cluster of black flames enveloped the dagger that was still in mid-air, causing it to vanish before it hit the ground. These black flames also ignited throughout the man in black's body, erasing any trace of his existence in a matter of moments.
The moonlight, pure as water, shone through the window, casting its glow onto the oakwood floor. The elegantly decorated guest room remained as tranquil as ever as if nothing had transpired.
"Goodnight."
Arkhan muttered and closed his eyes as if nothing ever happened.
===
Early the next day, Arkhan arrived at the inn's dining room to have breakfast with the group.
"Brother Kay, did you not sleep well last night? Why do you look so pale?" Artoria asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing, just had a bad dream." Kay replied with a forced smile.
"Oh? What kind of dream could frighten you like this?" Arkhan inquired, with curiosity in his voice.
Artoria, Guinevere, and Lancelot all leaned in, intrigued.
Kay's face stiffened slightly, and he averted his gaze.
"I-I'm sorry, I can't quite remember."
"Is that so?" Arkhan expressed some regret, though he understood that dreams could fade from memory upon waking.
In his heart, Kay let out a sigh of relief. He could never tell the others that his dreams from the previous night had been all about his two months in Avalon.
They were nearly identical to his actual experiences, especially that feeling of being utterly exhausted and unable to stop, even if he tried to wake himself up. It was the cruelest thing he had ever experienced, and he even felt the recurring soreness in his lower back.
'Why would I have such dreams?' Kay wondered as he lowered his head to sip his porridge.
Merlin sat in his seat, enjoying his breakfast, and watched Kay's puzzled expression with a faint satisfied smile.
After finishing their breakfast, Arkhan and the group headed to the docks. They found a merchant ship bound for Lucanmont, and with the persuasive power of gold, the ship's owner readily agreed to let them aboard.
However, the following morning, as Arkhan and the group hurried to the harbor, they discovered that the ship they had intended to board had been sabotaged the previous night. A sizable hole had been carved into the hull, rendering the vessel unseaworthy.
"Sorry, the deal is off. Here's your deposit." The ship's owner said while wearing a pained expression as he handed a money pouch to Arkhan.
Instead of taking the pouch, Arkhan asked, "Is the damage severe?"
"Very severe..." The ship's owner sighed. "All the grain we were carrying also fell into the river, and even if we retrieve it, we can't sell it. And then there are the repair costs... hahhh... I might not be able to continue in this business after this."
"Damn bastard!" The ship's owner clenched his fists and seethed. "Whoever did this, they deserve nothing but hell!"
"I agree with you." Arkhan said with a smile, nodding. He took out a bulging money pouch and handed it to the ship's owner. "Consider this my compensation."
The ship's owner stared at the money pouch in bewilderment, then at Arkhan and his group as they walked away. Question marks seemed to hang over his head as he pondered what had just occurred.
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