Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 768 Hide and Seek

“You should not have allowed Lord Cassien to go out, Ms. Kevin Deer.”

In the dark ghoul tunnel, Miranda, carrying an inextinguishable lamp, stood firmly on the dry ground at the edge of the drainage ditch, closely following beside another girl dressed in travel attire.

“He is our only Extreme Knight,” Miranda said solemnly, “which leaves the tunnels undefended.”

Startled by them, the mice in front scattered frantically in all directions.

“He is my Extreme Knight,” Cecilia Kevindir, the young lady of Emerald City, coldly corrected her.

“That’s why, Ms. Kevin Deer,” Miranda said calmly, dodging a puddle of sewage under the ever-present light, “protecting you is his top priority.”

Hilla scoffed:
"So you're going to replace him and be my babysitter now?"

“His Highness Thales was concerned for your safety, which is why he sent me here—a female bodyguard is a better choice than soldiers.”

“I don’t need anyone’s protection.” Hilly remained aloof.

“I agree,” Miranda said without any anger. “The problem is, our enemies probably want that too.”

Hilly paused in his steps.

She turned and stared at Miranda with a hostile look.

The female swordsman stopped in her tracks, her expression calm, and nodded politely.

"Miss?"

Hilly glanced at her a few times and scoffed coldly.

The next second, she suddenly leaned against the wall, bent down, and disappeared from Miranda's sight!

"and many more!"

Miranda was taken aback and quickly caught up:

"Where are you going?"

Miranda shone her lantern and discovered that Hilly had disappeared into a hole in the inner wall—the opening was low, hidden, and narrow, making it difficult to see in the dim light.

“Let’s take a shortcut to see King Losang II. Do you want to come?” Hilaire’s voice came from the other side of the cave entrance.

Oops.

Before she could complain, Miranda hurriedly gathered her armor, bent over, and squeezed herself through the hole with great effort.

How did a hole get here? Was it dug out or collapsed? And it's incredibly narrow...

No, I need to hurry, or I'll lose her...

Damn it, this young lady is such a worry.

With the flickering lights, and after her clothes were torn in several places, Miranda finally squeezed through the wall and out of the hole, looking disheveled.

She had just straightened up when she saw Hilly standing coldly in front of her, and she breathed a sigh of relief:

Thankfully, I didn't lose them.

"I remember who you are now."

Hilly spoke coldly:
"Miranda Aarond of Coldburg, a young lady from a distinguished family but with a tragic fate, the daughter of a duke in disgrace, is that right?"

Miranda's expression turned cold, and she slowed down her movements as she adjusted her armor.

“Thank you for taking the time to think of me amidst your busy schedule, Lady Kevindale,” the Northern swordswoman replied calmly and indifferently, “especially now that Duke Janne has lost power and fallen from grace, and is living in fear and trembling.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Hilly's smile vanished.

Hilla looked at the female swordsman's black gloves and scoffed:

"The heir to the Duke of the North, you're here to be my nanny and crawl through latrines. Don't you feel wronged?"

Miranda moved slowly, but still methodically adjusted her armor.

“In fact, when I was serving in the fortress, I helped a tanner’s son stuff his intestines, washed the wounds of convicts serving in the military, emptied the excrement of a severely wounded rogue soldier, and even dug graves for rotting and swollen corpses,” Miranda said without changing his expression, describing these experiences as casually as eating and drinking, “just like now.”

Hilly's expression turned cold:
"Perhaps you should stay in the north, Aaron, where you're used to it."

“The only place I’m comfortable with is the battlefield,” Miranda replied in a deep voice, “whether it’s the north or the south.”

The two women stared at each other coldly in the tunnel, the ever-burning lights reflecting in their eyes, flickering intermittently.

“You just said ‘enemy’,” Hilly scoffed, “but Jenn and Fede have both surrendered. Where did the enemy come from?”

“The unseen enemy,” Miranda said solemnly, “is the most terrifying enemy.”

Is this why Chadwi went wrong?

Miranda was immediately taken aback.

"Please forgive me?" she asked without batting an eye.

“That’s probably why you’re here to be my babysitter,” Hilly exhaled, her gaze sharp. “Is it because something happened to Chadwi, and the little brat’s afraid I’ll go crazy, so he sent you to keep an eye on me?”

Not good.

Miranda's heart sank.

She found out anyway.

Miranda remained unmoved:
I don't understand what you're saying—

But Hilly interrupted her impatiently:

“That’s right. As a temple priest, Chadwijn is mediocre, irresponsible, weak-willed, and cowardly.”

Hilly's eyes were cold and sharp:
"But here, at every sermon, confession, and gathering he held for this tunnel, he was never late—not even once."

She spoke softly, but her voice was as cold as ice:
"Until today."

Miranda frowned.

"And you think that just because you've secured the key passage, I can't get information from the surface?" Hillay scoffed. "Don't forget, this is the Corpse Pit, my territory. Even Jann can't set foot here, let alone you."

Upon hearing this, Miranda calmly surveyed the surrounding dark, complex, and branching sewers, recalling the narrow, low hole in the wall behind her.

The young lady is right, this tunnel is indeed a maze.

If the other party uses the complex and unpredictable terrain to try and shake you off...

With that thought in mind, Miranda casually moved her right hand closer to her sword.

Terror Blade had instructed that the other party's identity was sensitive, and that they should not be forceful but rather persuade them.

So when she tries to "persuade" him later, she has to be presentable.

Strive to take them down in one blow.

Hilla continued speaking:

"And do you know how important Chadwi is to this place, to this ghost town forgotten by all the civilized people in the city?"

“I’m sorry, Ms. Kevin Deer, I don’t know that priest, but I can imagine…”

"no, you can not."

Hilly interrupted her rudely.

“Tell me the truth, Aaron,” the young lady’s voice gradually turned cold and sharp, “Zhadvi, is that guy still alive?”

Sensing the implied meaning in the other person's words, Miranda frowned, remaining silent while secretly calculating the angle of her attack.

Hilly looked disappointed and impatient.

Ms. Kevin Deere took a deep breath and gazed wistfully at the drainage ditch flowing silently at her feet.

When Chadwi was still here, he always spoke of the grace of the goddess and quoted the Sunset Scriptures, which made the monsters in the tunnels grateful, fearful of the gods and spirits, and deeply believe in the doctrines of the Sunset Scriptures.

But Hilly knew.

She knew this from the very first time she entered the temple to be punished, a very, very long time ago...

The light that illuminates this godforsaken place has never been from any deity.

"They shouldn't have touched him."

Hilly clenched her fist, turned to look at the dark tunnel, her gaze cold:
"No matter what their reasons are, no matter who they are, no matter who they think they are."

She turned away; a perfect opportunity.

Miranda sighed softly, and quietly walked to Hilaire's side and slightly behind, adjusting the distance slightly, and discreetly placed her hand on the hilt of her sword:
"Whatever happens, please remain calm and composed..."

"calm?"

Hilly turned sharply to face Miranda, who was about to strike but had to release her grip on the sword hilt:

"Chadwi got into trouble because of me, but I only sent Cassien to gather information, not personally to take someone's head..."

Enraged, Hillary raised her voice and stepped forward, closing in on Miranda until their noses were almost touching.
"Do you know why?"

Hilly stared intently at Miranda, his breathing rapid and his chest heaving.

Oops.

Miranda frowned as she looked at Hilly, who was standing right in front of her.

The distance is too close, making it inconvenient to use weapons—it seems I'll have to switch to "persuasion" by hand.

Hilly took a deep breath to calm herself:
"It's because I'm calm enough."

Miranda's clenched fist suddenly froze.

Hilly let out a long breath, turned her head, and spoke with difficulty:
"I'm angry, but I'm not stupid."

Hilly turned and paced back and forth, looking down at her palms.

Jann thought he was a better strategist, but he was led by the nose and fell into traps one after another. He almost walked into prison himself and lost the Kongming Palace, Hillay thought to himself.

She cannot and will not repeat the mistakes of her brother.

Moreover—Sila was struggling to breathe—whatever Chadwi had gone through, it was too late for her to get there now.

"Don't worry, I will keep my promise to Thales."

Hilly took a deep breath and made a decision:
"I'll stay here and wait for Cassandra's report—and for that brat's explanation to me."

Miranda was somewhat surprised:
"Ms. Kevin Deere..."

"But you need to understand one thing, Aaron, my staying here is my own choice."

Hilly snorted coldly and stepped forward:

“If I don’t want to stay—believe me, you don’t want to play hide-and-seek with me here.”

Miranda silently watched the other person's retreating figure.

After several seconds, the female swordsman finally sighed and released her right fist from an angle where Hilly couldn't see her.

She patted the scabbard, shrugged, and followed Hilaire with her lantern.

On the other side, out of Miranda's sight, Hilly shook her head and decisively tightened her gloves to cover her rough skin covered in burn scars.

At the same time, it also covered the glowing mark of "Soul Bone Jacques" on the palm.

Let it fade into obscurity once more.

“They underestimated you,” Miranda said softly.

"What?" Hilly asked without turning her head.

"I'm thinking, whether it's the Kevin Deer brothers, our enemies, or even the entire Emerald City..."

Perhaps it also includes Marius...

Miranda pondered for a moment and said:

"Perhaps they all underestimated you."

"It's a bit late to try and please me now."

"Perhaps Prince Thales is right."

"What do you mean?"

Miranda curled the corners of her lips into a smile:

“If you were to be the Duchess, Lady Kevin Deer, perhaps things would be much easier for both us and the Emerald City.”

Hilla looked slightly surprised and glanced at Miranda:
"I'll do it—is that what the little brat said?"

But then she immediately remembered something, coughed twice, and maintained her elegant and aloof aristocratic demeanor with graceful steps:
"What a pity, I regard power and influence as dirt and don't care about that damned duke at all."

At least I don't particularly care.

Miranda chuckled softly.

The emotions in her laughter were subtle and complex.

“He’s still alive,” Miranda suddenly said.

Hillary, who still regarded power as dirt, hadn't realized what was happening:

"What?"

Miranda considered for a moment, then said firmly:
"The last news I received was that thugs had committed violence in the temple and the priest of Chadvi had met with misfortune."

Hilly stopped abruptly.

"His Highness then went there and summoned your two brothers."

Hilla looked grim.

"But whatever he went through..."

Miranda whispered:

"That priest is still alive."

Hilly's expression changed slightly. She looked at Miranda, who had also stopped, wanting to ask more, but hesitated to speak.

That's all I know.

Miranda's eyes were clear and firm.

Hilly's expression was complex. A few seconds later, she let out a soft breath, tired yet relieved.
"Thank you, Ms. Aaron."

"Mira."

"what?"

Miranda looked at her and smiled slightly:
"My friends call me Mira, it's simple."

Hilly paused, realizing what was happening, and gave a soft scoff:
"Would you mind making it even simpler? Can I just call you 'Hey, you'?"

"also."

The two looked at each other silently for a few seconds, then smiled at each other.

“Hilay, that’s my nickname,” Hilay shrugged. “It’s easier to say than ‘Cecilia’.”

Miranda reached out, but seeing Hilly's hands tightly clasped together, she lowered her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hilla.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you, you—I mean, Mira.”

The atmosphere between the two eased somewhat.

Illuminated by the ever-burning lamp, they continued their journey, turning several corners, until a faint light appeared ahead—the first guard post outside the dungeon, which, according to emergency arrangements, was currently manned by Golov and Rolf.

“Mira,” Hilla suddenly spoke up, “what are you doing here?”

Miranda was taken aback:
"Come on, let me be your nanny?"

Hilly shook his head:
"No, I mean: you, Miranda Aarond, why are you here, in the Emerald City, working for some brat?"

Odd jobs?

Miranda raised an eyebrow.

"Under Little Pi... under the prince's command, I fought against Extreme Realm Assassins twice and confronted the Emerald Legion with swords drawn..."

And even more terrifying, you have to wear an elaborate gown that's almost suffocating to attend a grand, competitive banquet where you have to greet countless people, exchange polite pleasantries, fake smiles, and engage in enthusiastic socializing for a full six hours...

If I hadn't seized the opportunity to fight halfway through, taking the chance to kick off my high heels, tear off my inner lining strap, and use the excuse of adjusting my clothes to hide in the restroom until the end of the banquet...

Miranda took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unpleasant memories:

"You call this doing odd jobs?"

But Hilly just stared straight at her:
"Mira, do you want to free your father from prison, wash away the shame he left behind, return to Coldhold, and revive the family?"

Miranda's face stiffened.

“I’m working on it,” she said coldly, her hand awkwardly resting on the hilt of her sword.

Hilly scrutinized the other person closely:

“But you know, Mira, only if your father is gone, or at least stripped of his title, will you have any chance of inheriting the dukedom.”

Miranda's hand, which was resting on the hilt of her sword, trembled inexplicably.

“Whether from a legal standpoint, a situational standpoint,” Hilla began quietly, “or from His Majesty’s considerations.”

Miranda clenched her fist almost imperceptibly.

“If the status quo continues, you will be an heir for life,” Hilly shook his head, “until there are no more dukes in the North to inherit.”

status quo.

Upon hearing this, the female heir of the White Eagle family gave her a deep look.

“So, Mira, is this why you’re here?” Hilla said softly.

Miranda pursed her lips but did not answer.

The lights in the distant tunnels flickered on and off, seemingly endless.

“A word of advice, Mira,” Hilla sighed, “don’t expect too much from him—even though his name is Starlight.”

Especially since his surname is Canxing.

Miranda squinted:
"What do you mean?"

“That little brat is indecisive and procrastinates, and he always tries to take on things he can’t handle,” Hilly said with a mix of disdain and resentment. “Have you ever considered that maybe one day… he won’t be able to help you?”

Miranda remained silent.

But just as Hilaire was about to continue, the female swordsman raised her head, her expression resolute:
"But I can."

Miranda looked at Hilly with unwavering determination:

"This is enough."

Hilaire was surprised to hear this and couldn't help but look at the other person again.

Well, as expected of the tough, steely woman the devil twins described her to be.

Hilly sighed and said no more.

"Good luck to you then."

The two, each lost in their own thoughts, fell silent and walked with their heads down, getting closer and closer to the sentry post in front of the dungeon.

“You know, Hilla, I’ve heard my father say…”

This time, it was Miranda who broke the silence:

“When I was a child, my grandfather planned to marry me off to the Kevin Deer family in exchange for their support.”

Hilly's eyes lit up:
"So, you almost became my sister-in-law?"

“There’s a big difference—my uncle strongly objected, his reason being: girls from the north are straightforward and simple, but they’d be in the traps-filled south…”

Miranda nodded, then shook her head, looking at Hilly with a meaningful gaze:

"They'll get ripped off by those cunning and treacherous South Coast people."

Hilly frowned.

A few seconds later, the "cunning and treacherous" girl from the south bank smiled happily:
“Coincidentally, a long time ago, a vassal also proposed to marry me off to Hanbao in the north, to form an alliance with a powerful ally and to bring glory to the family. My father also sternly rejected this proposal.”

"So you almost became my relative?"

"To be precise, she was my stepmother."

Miranda's face darkened.

Hilly shrugged: "Luckily, my father said: The North has always been harsh, cold, and barren, with a barbaric and uncivilized culture, backward and primitive..."

The barbaric, crude, backward, and primitive northern female swordswoman revealed a sneer, which was not unexpected at all.

However, Hilla looked at Miranda and changed the subject:
He said that only the most resilient fighters could survive there.

Miranda's eyes flickered.

"As for me, I'm weak and sickly, and I'm also lazy and gluttonous, so I'd better not."

The two stared at each other silently for a few seconds.

“Believe me, Ms. Kevin Deer, you are by no means ‘sickly’,” Miranda remarked. “If you were to marry into the North, it would be the Northmen who would suffer.”

Hillay scoffed softly.

"You too, Aaron, if you really become my sister-in-law..."

Hilly sighed:

"I can't say for sure about other things, but one day, my brother will definitely be stabbed to death by you."

"So that it will be convenient for you to assume the position of Duchess?"

The two exchanged a glance.

A few seconds later, they all burst out laughing.

“You know, in ordinary times, we might meet in other settings, such as in a magnificent and luxurious reception room,” Hilla said, looking at the faint light at the end of the tunnel, her gaze lingering. “We would elegantly hold our teacups, cover our mouths and smile, and politely discuss jewelry, art, and gossip about young talents, thus becoming close confidantes.”

Miranda snorted:

"Then in the future, they will each marry, have children, and manage their households. One day, they will reunite and sit with the noble ladies according to their husbands' titles, drinking afternoon tea, wisely and shrewdly planning marriages for their children and preparing dowries and betrothal gifts?"

Hilly was silent for a moment, then stroked her gloves and smiled:

"But we didn't."

Miranda nodded, touched the scar on the back of her neck, and smiled:
"we do not have."

Quite the opposite.

Hilly was slightly lost in thought:

They are here now, in a damp, stinking, insect- and rodent-infested abandoned sewer, sleeping on straw mats, eating stew porridge, and taking turns guarding a washed-up old vampire assassin.

Miranda's gaze was focused:
They were also worried and calculating how many people outside wanted to threaten, exploit, or harm them.

“Fortunately,” Hilly nodded slowly, “fortunately we didn’t.”

Miranda nodded in agreement, her expression resolute.

"Luckily we didn't."

Hilaire glanced at the female swordsman before her and sighed:

"Now I know why the Karabyan twins are so afraid of you."

"why?"

“Because although you were born in Coldhold, you belong to Dragonslayer Fortress,” Hilla remarked, “and because you are not just Aarond…”

She looked at the female swordsman with a complicated expression:
"And even more so, Miranda."

Miranda was silent for a moment.

"And what about you? Who are you, that makes the twins both fear and hate you?"

To Miranda's surprise, Hilly remained silent this time.

Instead, she simply shook her head with a complicated expression and tightened her gloves again.

At that moment, Miranda's expression suddenly changed!
She stopped Hilla in her tracks, gazing intently at the light at the end of the tunnel.

Just around the next corner, you'll find the dungeon where King Lausanne II is imprisoned, as well as the innermost outpost of the Star Lake Guard.

The ones on guard now should be... Golov, Rolf, and Doyle?
"What's wrong?" Hilly staggered slightly, puzzled.

“It’s nothing, it’s just…” Miranda lowered her voice, her expression becoming increasingly serious and solemn.

Quiet.

Miranda stared intently at the corner of the tunnel, gently lowered the ever-burning lamp, and slowly reached out her hand towards her sword, "Eagle Soaring."

It's so quiet.

Even though Rolf is mute, and Golov is taciturn.

But there must be some talkative DDs, right?
Hilly's expression changed when she saw her actions:
"Mira?"

Miranda didn't answer; she shook her head, her eyes fixed on Miranda.

Not long ago, after she brought Marius's orders, Golover reacted immediately and adjusted the job assignments:

Losang II was firmly chained and unable to move, so the number of people guarding him was reduced to one: DD, the only one who could withstand the "evil whispers" supernatural power. Miranda was unsure whether this was a cushy job that Doyle had obtained in exchange for improving the guards' food, or whether the zombies thought DD was unreliable based on professional considerations.

The saved manpower was divided into groups of two or three and assigned to key passages around the outer perimeter of this tunnel to set up warnings at each level, ensuring that even if potential intruders found the entrance, they would have nowhere to hide on their way to break into the inner perimeter.

but now……

Miranda stared at the light behind the corner, her brow furrowing more and more.

wrong.

The rhythm is off.

The symphony of the heavenly horse resonated within her, bringing her entire body, from blood pressure to breathing, into a peculiar rhythm, allowing her to perceive the surrounding movements more deeply.

If the Corpse Pit at this moment were a musical score, then all the elements within it—air, smell, sound, temperature, humidity—would be the notes and rhythm.

From the moment they passed by until now, everything they heard and saw in the tunnel, all the sounds and noises, followed a fixed rhythm.

But the closer you get to the corner ahead, the closer you get to the dungeon...

Miranda adjusted her breathing, her complexion growing increasingly worse.

She clashed with Lausanne II twice. In the second encounter, in particular, she went all out under the support of her colleagues, unleashing all her deadly moves. After nearly collapsing from exhaustion, Miranda's understanding, perception, and control of the Pegasus Symphony became even more profound.

It's not just that it's too quiet.

Instead, the rhythm woven from all the signs ahead... is completely wrong.

Incongruous.

“Hilda,” Miranda lowered her voice, “you said that only you and the people here know the location of this tunnel, and not even Duke Jann?”

Hilly realized something and whispered back:

"Yes. But now we also need to add your people—"

Miranda suddenly reached out and grabbed Hilly's shoulder!

The latter instinctively tried to break free, but Miranda's expression was serious:
"Hilay, you just said I didn't want to play hide-and-seek with you here?"

hide and seek?
Hilly was taken aback at first, then was even more surprised after realizing what was happening:
"You mean..."

“Actually,” Miranda nodded, forcing a smile, “I really want to play hide-and-seek.”

Hilly's expression changed: "But..."

“You hide first, and remember to hide well,” Miranda said firmly, brooking no argument. “Don’t let me find you.”

Hide better...

Hilly immediately understood what had happened, her face filled with disbelief.

"Conversely, if you can't wait for me..."

Miranda stared intently at Hille:

"Call the others."

"But how could you—"

Hilla wanted to ask a question, but Miranda tightened her grip, causing her to pause.

“I’m not a handyman, I have my own methods,” Miranda said in a deep voice. “Besides, in Emerald City right now, you are more important than me.”

Hilly glanced at the corner of the tunnel, then stared back at Miranda in a daze.

The latter nodded, his gaze resolute.

A few seconds later, Hillary stopped arguing, nodded emphatically, and turned away decisively.

Miranda watched her walk back a short distance, and then Hilly crouched down in the dim light, bracing herself with her hands on the ground, shrinking into the corner and disappearing from sight.

Damn, is that a tunnel leading to the lower level?

Miranda stared at the spot where the other person had disappeared, her head throbbing with annoyance.

What if she really can't find it afterwards?

However, the next second, Miranda's expression darkened, and she turned to look ahead.

She left the extinguished lamp, drew her Eagle Flight sword, and cautiously approached the corner in front of the dungeon sentry post, leaning against the wall.

Please.

Miranda weighed the hilt of her sword in her hand.

I hope I'm wrong.

Hopefully, it's just a misinterpretation of a fantastical melody...

Before long, Miranda reached the corner, pressed her back against the wall, and peered towards the sentry post.

Upon taking a closer look, Miranda was horrified!
(End of this chapter)