Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 745 Kingdom in Turmoil (4-in-1)

Duke Street, inside the mansion.

Roy soon learned the whole story from the visiting Symako.

He sat in the hall, lost in thought.

The person opposite, Sumako, also fell silent.

Now that things had come to this, he felt a sense of unease, as if he had no choice but to act.

The only way is to come to Roy's side and consult with this high-ranking wizard who can be considered an ally.

But after waiting for a long time, Roy's first words were a refusal.

"We don't need to listen to the eldest prince's side of the story, lest we be used by him."

"Do you think he's lying?"

Syrmac frowned slightly.

"But judging from the frequent exchanges between King Capone and Nobillis, and the fact that they converted to Christianity, it doesn't seem like a lie."

"That's not what I meant."

Roy shook his head.

“What I mean is that converting to another religion is no small matter. Even if the king is determined to do as he pleases, should the other subjects and believers just let him do whatever he wants?”

"If it really comes to that, it won't be too late to launch an operation."

"That's it..."

Symarko understood and sighed helplessly.

"You're being way too cautious!"

"It's not that I'm prudent, it's that your concern makes you confused."

Roy said slowly.

Freya said I was radical, but you actually said I was steady?

What I do in private will scare you!

However, that's precisely why you'd better not cause me any trouble, lest things go wrong.

Roy had this thought in his mind, but said aloud, "Think about it, is this matter really as urgent as the eldest prince said?"
How did he become so certain about this?
Even if we take a step back and let Nobillis and his group gain the upper hand, and manage to get the king to change his faith...

Even if it develops all the way to the second prince ascending the throne, so what?
What was that decisive factor?
No, it is ourselves, the cards we hold in our hands, that are the real deciding factors.

If we refuse to acknowledge the agreement, we can overturn the table, provided we have the capability to do so.

If not, launching an operation prematurely may not be effective and could even be counterproductive.

Sumako reluctantly admitted, "You are right."

After returning home, he managed to meet with the eldest prince and admonished him, "Don't make a fuss about nothing all the time!"
"It's not time to turn against the Temple yet, so stay calm!"

However, neither Roy nor Symako expected that the eldest prince was having an affair with the current queen, and that's where he heard the news.

In addition, he had a guilty conscience and felt that the king might discover his disobedience at any time. He even believed that the king's siding with the temple was due to his complete disappointment in him and his inclination towards the second prince.

He grew increasingly anxious and resentful of his teacher Syrmac's indifferent attitude.

In contrast, the second prince acted steadily and reliably, performing admirably in many matters during this period.

This not only earned him much praise from King Kepong, but also was noticed by his subjects.

……

Another day, in the royal palace.

King Kepong dealt with some state affairs, but felt listless and sat there yawning repeatedly.

He raised his eyelids slightly and said weakly, "Someone, bring me that energy-replenishing potion from before!"

The maidservant quickly came to the side, opened the cabinet, took out a small bottle of exquisite special potion, and began to mix it with honey to brew it.

Not long after, King Cappuccino had a few drinks and dealt with a few more important matters, but he could no longer hold on and decided to go back to rest.

However, perhaps due to the effects of the energy-boosting medication, he suddenly regained some energy halfway through.

"Go to the Queen's side first."

He remembered that there was still a matter concerning palace expenses that had not been settled, so he decided to go and talk to Queen Vasilisa on the spot.

For convenience, they even took a shortcut through the back garden.

As I walked along, I suddenly felt that something was not quite right.

It was quiet here, and looked somewhat secluded; even the lights seemed dim.

But a maid was sitting at the entrance of a rarely used courtyard, yawning with her head down.

"It's Linda, the Queen's maid."

The king became suspicious.

"What is she doing here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

"Your Majesty, I will go and fetch her."

The attendant immediately said.

"Do not."

King Kepong waved his hand, signaling everyone to walk quietly, and slowly walked over.

Soon after, the attendants subdued the startled Linda, covered her mouth, and pulled her aside.

Although Tijjara was not a feudal empire, it was still a legitimate kingdom.

The palace had strict rules, making it difficult for ordinary people to enter, let alone spend the night there.

At that moment, the king entered and faintly heard the queen's panting coming from the room in the courtyard.

King Kepong immediately guessed what was going on, and his face turned green with anger.

"Ah, no, Your Majesty!"
You cannot go in!

At that moment, Linda bit the attendant hard and shouted with all her might.

The strange noises inside the room stopped abruptly.

The king was furious and kicked the door hard.

The high-level knight power he had accumulated in his youth erupted, and the door shattered in response.

He soon regretted it.

Seeing the scene inside, I couldn't help but feel furious and tremble with rage.

Suddenly, his face turned ashen, his right hand twitched as he clutched his chest, and he fell straight backward.

The attendants hurriedly caught him, only to find that His Majesty's body was already immobile, his mouth was crooked, and he could only utter indistinct whimpers.

The queen's face turned deathly pale, and the eldest prince was also terrified and at a loss. The entire courtyard fell into an eerie silence.

It took me a while to realize what was happening.

"His Majesty has suffered a stroke and is paralyzed on one side!"

Linda exclaimed.

The eldest prince shuddered violently, staggered around, drew his sword from beside the bed, its tip trembling as he pointed it at the crowd, his face contorted with rage, and said, "No one is to utter a single word about what happened today..."

He glanced at the panicked maids and guards, and threatened in a hoarse voice, "Otherwise, I will kill you and your entire family!"

The bodyguards and attendants exchanged glances, none daring to move.

The queen's shoulders trembled violently, and she let out intermittent sobs: "Waaah... Your Majesty..."

The king, who had collapsed in the arms of his attendant, had a contorted face and bloodshot, wide-open eyes.

But due to the excruciating headache, which felt like being cleaved by an axe, he completely lost control of his body.

He was ashamed and angry, but could only manage a hoarse, guttural sound as saliva uncontrollably dripped from the crooked corner of his mouth.

"Mother, please quickly order the palace to be sealed off."

Furthermore, please invite my teacher, His Excellency Syrmako, here!

At the critical moment, the eldest prince displayed the composure befitting a king, deciding to turn the situation around and seize power in one fell swoop.

As long as we can seize power, we can completely reverse all the previous unfavorable situations.

As for other things, I haven't thought about them too much yet; I'll just take it one step at a time.

******
The next morning, Serafina's magical pet, an owl named "Oihe" that could move freely during the day, brought news.

This magical pet, carefully chosen for the secret mission, stood on Roy's windowsill, tilting its head to a 90-degree angle, and relayed Serafina's words in full.

"It's terrible, Your Majesty Kirick! His Majesty the King has suffered a stroke and is paralyzed on one side!"

"What happened? Is the situation serious?"

"It's very serious. Lady Serafina went to check on him and found His Majesty the King in a coma. Even communication magic can't reach his mind!"

"What about Syracuse?"

Roy asked again.

"He has been summoned to the palace and entrusted by the Queen to be the King's personal bodyguard..."

Roy thought for a moment and said to it, "Go back quickly and tell Serafina not to act rashly."

I'll be there soon.

"Yes!"

The owl silently flapped its wings, turned, and flew away.

Roy thought for a moment and then summoned his magical pet.

"Meow? Master, what is it?"

Domi raised its tail high and came over to greet them.

Roy said, "Domi, come with me!"

At this crucial moment, Domi is the surprise weapon; few people would notice a cat.

……

This matter has not yet spread, so only Roy and others know about it privately.

When Roy arrived and met up with Symako, he learned that the king's condition was not optimistic.

But the eldest prince couldn't wait any longer. He pulled Roy and Symako aside and began to discuss the matter of regency.

He wanted to seize power in the kingdom as quickly as possible, and besides the resources he had, the most important thing was to gain the support of these two people.

Roy gave him a deep look, then glanced at Symarko, whose brows were furrowed, and felt that there was something going on.

But it was pointless to delve into the details of the matter; what he was considering now was whether or not to support the eldest prince.

Sumako clearly had the same idea, and privately sent a message saying, "I think we should just go with the flow!"
Although we are certainly not ready yet, at this stage, there's nothing else to say!

Since King Kepong had previously suffered a serious illness, the kingdom had no suspicions.

Even Nobillis and the second prince haven't paid attention to this matter yet.

"In fact, with my alchemy skills, I can easily create medicines that can bring the dead back to life, let alone save the king."

However, this ability has not yet been demonstrated in the secular world here, and we also need to consider whether it is necessary.

If the eldest prince can successfully ascend to the throne, even though he's on the mage's side...

but……

It's still acceptable, after all!

From beginning to end, all he cared about was the will of the world and the power of destiny.

The course of history that influences the world will inevitably affect the fate of many people.

If the influence is positive, it could potentially produce feedback similar to alchemical talent.

If it's a negative impact...

Roy hesitated for a moment, then finally relented.

"OK then……"

If it has a negative impact, then you should run away as soon as possible.

Otherwise, being afflicted with the hatred and curses of the world, coupled with the temple's assistance, would certainly not end well.

……

"What are you doing? I need to go in and see my father!"

"Your Highness, this is the Queen's order. Please do not make things difficult for us..."

"What queen's order? I don't know anything about it."

Not long after, the second prince entered the palace and requested an audience.

He had heard of the upheaval in the palace and that Simak and others were there, so he rushed over.

Nobillis stood to the side, frowning, and said nothing more.

However, as a former nobleman and a loser in the competition for the throne, he always felt a strange sensitivity to this phenomenon, as if he had made a déjà vu.

He whispered to the second prince, "If all else fails, just force your way in..."

At the same time, the Templar Knights following behind him had already quietly placed their hands on the hilts of their swords.

"What are you doing?"

Just then, a mature-looking palace general came over and, seeing Nobilis accompanying the second prince, showed a slightly surprised expression.

"Your Highness."

"Durban, I need to go in."

The second prince looked at him and said.

The palace guards nodded: "The Queen has ordered that His Highness may pass if he arrives."

However, His Majesty is seriously ill and it is not appropriate for him to see outsiders at the moment, so what do you think…”

"What do you mean by outsider? Lord Nobilis is my teacher, my advisor, and my close friend. My father has also summoned him to the palace on many occasions!"

The second prince frowned and immediately expressed his opinion.

At this critical juncture, he couldn't possibly be so careless as to go in alone.

"OK then."

The palace guards hesitated for a moment, but finally allowed them to pass.

However, he requested, "Then Your Highness and Lord Nobillis may travel together."

The second prince and Nobillis exchanged a glance and agreed.

Shortly after.

Next to the king's bedroom, in a small hall.

The second prince, who had just visited his father, looked gloomy. He came here with Nobillis to wait for a while and found that Roy, Symarco and others were already waiting here.

Instead of drawing swords, the two sides sat down to discuss the matter.

"Now that the king is seriously ill and unable to attend to state affairs, what should be done about the kingdom's important matters?"

"In my opinion, we should temporarily appoint Your Highnesses as regents."

Nobillis knew that it was unrealistic to try to get rid of the eldest prince all at once, so he compromised.

But Symarko said, "The eldest prince has been ordered to take charge of the government!"

So tough?

Nobillis was somewhat surprised.

He could have foreseen that Syracuse would help the eldest prince, but he didn't expect it to be in this way.

Nobillis said tactfully, "His Majesty the King had already allowed the two princes to observe the administration, and the eldest prince's performance was lacking..."

"If His Majesty the King were to suffer any misfortune, the eldest prince would have to succeed him."

Does this kind of thing depend on who performs better?

Your Excellency became Prince of Lux not through ability, but through bloodline.

"Sumako said with a slightly sarcastic sneer."

Nobillis's cheeks flushed crimson, as if on fire: "You..."

"Alright." Roy suddenly coughed and said, "Let me say something fair."

Generally speaking, saying something like that means I'm about to take sides. Sure enough, Roy's next sentence was: "I also support the eldest prince's regency; otherwise, if something unfortunate happens in the future, a hasty handover will inevitably lead to chaos."

Nobillis and the second prince froze instantly.

This wizard also supports the mage!
Although it wasn't entirely unexpected, the immense pressure still hit him like a mountain the moment he actually opened his mouth.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Nobillis caught sight of Queen Vasilisa, who sat at the head of the table, her face ashen and who had remained silent the entire time. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

"Now that His Majesty the King is merely ill, to presume to discuss matters of seniority, whether he is the legitimate son or illegitimate son, or the matter of deposing or establishing an emperor, would surely invite criticism from his subjects."
Let's just keep everything as usual, with the Queen acting as regent for now!

******
"He fell for it!"

Shortly afterward, Roy left the palace, and Symako personally escorted him to the gate of his bedchamber.

Before they parted, their eyes met, and they exchanged a knowing smile that only the other could understand.

"Sure enough, to open a window, you have to break down the wall first to satisfy people."

"Letting the Queen rule as regent was his own suggestion, so we can't be blamed."

"He must be using this as a way to buy time."

Keep a close eye on Lux's movements; keep a close eye on the paladins, the divine beings, and the like.

Don't let him successfully mobilize his troops, lest he influence the change of the throne at a crucial moment!

"Don't worry, they're keeping a close eye on things."

I've seen it before; the Temple's involvement was behind the succession of kings in other kingdoms.

King Kepan had been somewhat wary of this in previous years, and the Temple's influence within his territory had never been strong.

They also have to consider the people's livelihood and fight for the greater good, all in order to avoid provoking resistance from the world's will and suffering a backlash.

If it weren't for Tijjah's dire straits, the people would welcome the temple's arrival...

Launching a holy war rashly will only backfire!

When the temple was in a frenzy, it could suppress all dissenting voices. But now that they are united against magic, the moderates and secularists have been brought to the forefront.

Among them were also those who genuinely believed in justice and conscience and opposed aggression.

We can make full use of these points and still play this game well!

If you can still get down, it means you don't have to overturn the table or bleed.

But now is not the time to relax. The two quickly got to work and began to exert their strength.

……

Nobillis and the second prince left the palace, their expressions somewhat solemn.

"How could things have escalated like this out of nowhere? Lord Nobillis, could it be that..."

The second prince was quite suspicious and asked in a low voice.

"Kirik and Sumako are plotting..."

"Probably not."

Nobillis knew what he meant and shook his head slightly.

"His Majesty the King has fallen ill before!"

They lacked the superior perspective of gods and were unaware of many of the events that were unfolding.

Moreover, when Nobilis returned to the local temple and communicated with distant places through divine magic, he did not receive any special instructions.

The Lord of Light is a lawful and good deity, and the messengers of the Holy Light can use His power to distinguish between good and evil.

However you look at it, the oracle's prophecy only showed that the king fell ill due to a moment of excitement, and had nothing to do with magic or curses.

This is purely a worldly matter, in accordance with the characteristics of nature.

If those wizards and sorcerers used any underhanded methods, the temple would certainly be alerted.

Although it may not necessarily produce any evidence, it is at least a direction for investigation.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to actively mobilize party members and confidants to ensure that the power can be exerted when necessary.

He had been here for many years, and the temple had been operating for many years before, and had still managed to develop quite a few believers in this kingdom.

The lower and middle classes are not of much use for the time being, but some nobles can participate in politics and have some say in the matter of the succession to the throne.

The key now is to create public opinion.

Roy quickly learned of Nobillis and his group's movements and chose to make things difficult for them.

Rumors began to circulate in the streets and alleys that the temple was controlling the government and had installed the second prince as emperor.

Foreigners occupy high positions in government.

In addition, there was the rapid expansion of the Secret Order.

The temple was temporarily distracted and couldn't pay attention to much else, so they placed their bets on the eldest prince in a semi-public manner, creating a huge momentum.

Just as they were engaged in open and covert struggles, preparing to stage a "Kingdom Storm" over the struggle for legitimacy.

Luxor Cathedral, its magnificent, spacious inner courtyard bathed in holy light.

In a sacred and magnificent atmosphere, the stained glass windows of the hall reflected a human-shaped figure, enveloped in holy light, with wings spreading out to form a rainbow-like band of light, but in pure white.

Suddenly, the figure in the pillar of light held out his hands as if embracing a crystal ball, with light and shadow intertwining inside, projecting phantoms like clouds and mist.

In the backyard of the palace, the king fainted from anger.

The culprit is...

queen!

Archbishop Hellagh, Krupp, and Divia of the Inquisition were all astonished.

"This is not an ordinary disease."

Archbishop Hellagur stared at the phantoms floating within the pillar of light; the moment their fate was frozen in had already revealed a great deal of information.

In this scene, they cannot clearly see the shadow of another key figure.

The other person's face and figure were blurred, as if they had been concealed by a mysterious force.

However, based on the information we had gathered beforehand and the already clear rules of magic, we were still able to make some guesses.

That's the eldest prince!

"No wonder there were no signs before; it turns out I was really angry!"

"But it was because the Queen and the eldest prince were of immoral character and committed the sin of adultery!"

One temple secret unknown to ordinary people is that their "divine prophecies" are far less miraculous than they are portrayed to be.

What they truly relied on was this mysterious "all-knowing eye" magic.

Its function is similar to the 6th-ring divination spell "Knowledge of Legends".

However, the function of "Knowledge of Legends" is to learn about the legends related to a person, a place, or an object, and when it is used, it requires being on the scene or coming into contact with certain essential elements as a medium.

However, the "All-Seeing Eye" can achieve remote anchoring.

Therefore, the truth about "King Kepong falling ill" was eventually revealed.

This was also because the magical interference from Roy, Symarko, and others did not reach Queen Vasilisa.

After exchanging bewildered glances, everyone suddenly became excited.

This is an opportunity.

A golden opportunity to intervene in Tijjah's political situation!
"Our Templar Knights over there can assemble eight hundred men in a short time..."

"Eight hundred it is! That's more than enough to do a lot of things!"

"That's right, leave everything to the Second Prince. He will wait at the palace gates for a decisive battle!"

"We also need a legitimate reason to launch an attack..."

The people of Tijjara are ignorant and do not understand divine prophecy, which actually causes them some trouble.

"It's alright. It's better to strike first. We'll be able to gather evidence eventually. The maids and guards in the footage are witnesses!"

In addition, we can try to rescue King Magnus XVIII of Caspian and win his support!

"A high-level healing spell should be able to restore him. The only thing to be careful about is timing it right, otherwise the other party might resort to desperate measures and kill you to silence you..."

"And Fides and Pistis, which border Tijala, will also send troops..."

In the worst-case scenario, a holy war will be launched!

In just a few words, these high-ranking figures of the temple had already quickly formulated their next plan against the Kingdom of Tijara.

******
In the palace.

Domi crouched behind the curtain, its tail swishing back and forth with a hint of annoyance, but it remained quiet and made no sound.

Because it is currently hidden in the Queen's bedroom, its presence has been concealed by the special power of a certain aesthetic jewel.

This is a special magical artifact that can reduce charm to "zero" to some extent, achieving a special effect similar to "not having a presence".

On the jewelry table in the room, the pearl necklace shone so brightly in the candlelight that it made the wearer squint.

But more than that, people were shocked by the spiciness of the scene before them.

"Teacher Symarko has arranged everything. The wizard Kiric is completely kept in the dark. Even if he learns the truth in the future, he will have no choice but to support me..."

What are you still worried about?

The queen lowered her head, unsure how to respond.

Vasilisa felt somewhat relieved, but couldn't help feeling resentful.

"I was discovered by your father, the king, when I was in my early twenties and brought into the palace. To outsiders, it seemed glamorous, but as you know, I was never as good as those princesses or noble ladies from foreign lands..."

The eldest prince was completely bewildered.

It's the head at the top.

Why are you saying all this?
"Darling, don't worry, even if I socialize with them to avoid suspicion, my heart is still with you."

Oh, you are so elegant and beautiful, how could I bear to leave you for another woman?

Domi's beard twitched; he couldn't bear to watch any longer. He turned and jumped aside, dodging the guards, leaping over the magic trap, and quietly leaving.

This place is also somewhat magically constructed. Symarko personally took charge of the palace's defenses, making it impossible for ordinary wizards or mages to infiltrate.

If an enemy launches a strong attack, they will soon be killed by Symarko and the lurking mages in the city.

This is also why the eldest prince is so fearless.

However, Roy and Domi are not included in this list.

……

"what?
The eldest prince and the queen are having an affair and are secretly meeting in the palace?

Soon, at 42 Duke Street.

Roy received a report from Domi, whom he had sent out.

In recent days, Domi has been frequently entering and leaving the palace as if it were his own backyard.

As expected, there were some gains.

"Could the king's stroke be related to this?"

Roy thought for a moment, then took out a magic crystal ball and began to cast a divination spell.

He doesn't usually use this kind of magic because he's not good at it.

But not being good at something doesn't mean you can't do it.

After all, he has dabbled in various fields over the past two hundred years, and his basic knowledge of magic in the general domain is quite solid.

Even without any further exploration, after reincarnation as a pure-blooded golden dragon, one would already possess the cheat-like ability of "True Dragon Wisdom".

So after some somewhat clumsy handling, a cloud-like phantom rose from the crystal ball, presenting the scene of the Queen's palace.

Using the clues provided by Domi, and the items from the bedroom that were just collected there, such as curtain scraps and wall dust by the window, as a medium...

He succeeded as if he had seen a scene on an old television.

At this moment, the clouds and mist seemed to have built-in mosaic, obscuring the two people's vital parts.

However, the specific situation was indeed as Domi reported.

"Does Symarko know about this situation?"

Roy, his face dark, preserved what he saw, but it was this thought that led him to this conclusion.

"They might not have known at first, but later, when the king fell ill, they must have found out!"

After sending Domi off to play, Roy gathered Freya, Prandtse, and Nisha, briefly explained the situation, and discussed countermeasures together.

The three women were also shocked when they found out.

"This is not good. If the Temple finds out, they might use this as an excuse to attack us, and we'll be in a disadvantageous position!"

"Yes, life is like a game of chess..."

The "power struggles within the kingdom" here still need to take into account the will of the emperor and the people.

"Forcibly supporting such a prince to the throne is to put oneself in an 'unjust' position!"

In other worlds, talking to a wizard about righteousness, divine will, and popular opinion is utter nonsense.

Because they engage in acts of conquest and wage wars of aggression.

But here, because of the temple, what is sought is the passing down of the torch and the development of one's own power.

Their style of doing things is completely different.

A difficult choice suddenly confronted Roy.

He keenly sensed that the situation here had developed to a critical point.

Over the years, I have kept a low profile, patiently and secretly developed my strength, and have already gained a lot of benefits.

But now it seems that this environment is about to change completely.

“Sumako, the eldest prince…”

He snorted coldly and made a decision immediately without much hesitation.

"Fria, go to the storage room and take out 'Mumiya's remains,' then soak them in some foot bath water or something!"

"Mumiya's remains?"

Freya was slightly taken aback. It was a gift from Professor Cynthia, a pharaoh's corpse preserved with a large amount of spices and precious medicinal herbs.

It possesses the seed of the concept of a "panacea," especially suitable for the fields of life, healing, and resurrection...

Its foot bath water...

Are you preparing a healing potion?

"Logically speaking, it should indeed be helpful for the king's illness. Do you want to wake the king up?"

"That's right, not only that, I'm also going to pull off a complete deception..."

Go back and create a fake body...

"Oh, and in the Kingdom of Lux, mobilize Zaif, Talab, Reta, and others, as well as in China, mobilize Tajer and others as well!"

Under his orders, several secret letters were sent out.

When Zaif, far away in Luxembourg, heard this, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Finally, I have a chance to use my skills!"

He immediately contacted his father-in-law, Malcadan, as well as the group of powerful and wealthy people he knew...

And most importantly, the truth seekers who have re-emerged in recent years!

Five years, even with slow progress, is enough time to train many apprentices, connect with superiors and subordinates, and accomplish many things.

Meanwhile, Tijala was continuously sending in formal-rank talents, along with ten times that number of elite apprentices.

These are their current assets!
……

After some preparation, a little over two weeks passed quickly.

This is an important festival in the world of Eglis, and also a time when the court of the Kingdom of Tijala holds a gathering to discuss state affairs.

At dawn, while it was still barely light, the eldest prince arrived with his entourage.

He now controls both inside and outside the palace. His teacher, Symako, is also guarding his bedchamber. If anything changes, he can send a signal and come immediately.

Therefore, he was relaxed and completely unaware of anything unusual.

It wasn't until we arrived at the palace gates that, as if guided by destiny, I began to feel a vague sense of unease.

(End of this chapter)