I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 460 The Fear of the Gray Shadow

On the island at night, the air was damp, cold, and sticky. Wearing a gray coat, he stood in the shadows like a homeless ghost, gazing at the end of the street, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper beneath his hood.

The gray shadow could now clearly sense that the person on the throne... was not quite right.

It wasn't just violence or anger; it was a deeper, indescribable distortion.

Charles's mind seemed to be caught in a strange, excited loop, forcibly interpreting every development, good or bad, as a sign that would benefit him.

The fear and death of the nobles were not a crisis in his eyes, but proof of his successful scheme. The uncontrollable chaos and killings caused by suspected Bagnian agents were described by him as a manifestation of loyalty and efficiency.

This is no longer the calculating, ruthless, but at least rational, monarch.

Charles now resembles a gambler who has staked everything, his eyes bloodshot as he stares at the dice, madly convinced that the next hand will bring out the numbers he wants, selectively ignoring any warnings or risks.

"Your Majesty seems to have gone mad."

This thought flashed through Gray Shadow's mind for the first time with such clarity and chilling intensity.

But he couldn't accurately describe his master's madness.

It wasn't a hysterical outburst, nor was it utter confusion. Charles's logical chain was even unusually clear and sharp in some aspects, but the conclusions he drew and the decisions he made revealed a reckless, self-destructive madness.

It was as if he was indulging in the bloody drama he had woven, enjoying the thrill of pushing everyone, including himself, into the abyss, completely ignoring the crumbling foundations of reality.

Gray Shadow felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

He was the king's shadow, a poisoned blade hidden in its sheath. He was used to carrying out orders, analyzing intelligence, and eliminating targets, but he had never been trained on how to deal with a master who was gradually going mad.

Gray Shadow's heart was filled with extremely complex feelings, including deep concern about the direction of the situation, and an indescribable... disgust?
Or perhaps he was simply instinctively repulsed by the out-of-control madness that was dragging the country into an even deeper abyss.

However, all these complex emotions were ultimately suppressed by a colder, more realistic realization... He had no choice.

Are nobles reliable?

No, they are greedy, short-sighted, and prone to infighting. Once they gain power, they will never let go of the king and those like him who are to be eliminated.

The generals of the Imperial Guard?
Their wavering and restraint at crucial moments have proven their unreliability; they are more like merchants waiting for the best price than loyal guardians.

do nothing?

That's even worse.

Doing nothing would be tantamount to watching the nobles completely take control of the island, then calmly storming into the palace and dragging him and the king out like rats to be executed.

At least for now, by using that group of crazy troublemakers, they are still fighting back, still creating chaos, and still... have a sliver of hope.

Although this glimmer of hope is built on the foundation of dancing with the devil.

Gray Shadow sighed silently in his heart, the breath barely audible, not even causing his chest to rise and fall.

He forcefully suppressed all his surging emotions, pushing them back to the deepest recesses of his heart, transforming himself back into a tool devoid of feelings, driven only by a mission.

"Your Majesty..."

He cried out in his heart.

"I hope your judgment is correct."

Just then, a person walking down the street interrupted Gray Shadow's thoughts.

The newcomer was also wearing a gray cloak, which served as camouflage in the chaotic city of Treasure Island. Just like now, when this person walked up to the gray figure, he didn't even notice the latter standing under the wall.

The person in the gray cloak hurried along, and only when he was about to bump into the wall did he suddenly realize that someone was standing in the shadows.

He was so startled that he stumbled and almost cried out, his hand immediately reaching for the short sword at his waist.

"it's me."

The gray shadow's voice was deep and steady, coming from the shadows like a night breeze brushing against a stone wall.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, the person's tense body suddenly relaxed, replaced by a sense of urgency and tension.

He looked around warily, and only after confirming that no one else was around did he quickly approach, lower his voice, and speak urgently.

"Sir, what are you doing here? The situation is very bad!"

His gaze, hidden beneath the gray hood, remained as sharp as ever.

"explain."

"The nobles... they no longer suspect each other, at least not for now!"

The informant's voice trembled slightly, whether from the cold or fear, it was hard to tell.

"The deaths of Duke Lapol and the others have actually united them. They have formed a temporary council, led by the remaining most powerful earls and Baron Mario!"

Gray Shadow listened in silence, which was not entirely unexpected.

Significant external threats can indeed easily spur internal unity.

The informant continued speaking quickly.

"The first thing they did was to jointly pressure the Guards Command, demanding that the Guards immediately and completely seal off the entire city, especially the noble district and the dock area, allowing entry but not exit! They claimed they would find all the Bagnian spies and the masterminds behind it all!"

Gray Shadow's heart sank slightly.

The city-wide lockdown not only severely restricts the activities of troublemakers and makes subsequent assassinations extremely difficult, but also risks exposing even the sardines loyal to the king.

"The Imperial Guard agreed?"

The gray figure asked, its voice still devoid of emotion.

"He agreed...at least on the surface."

The informant's tone became somewhat complicated.

"The generals have agreed to the mobilization plan, and the soldiers have begun setting up roadblocks and checkpoints, but sir, I feel something is amiss. The mobilization of the Imperial Guard seems to be very cooperative, but their deployment does not appear to be focused on the search."

"What do you mean?"

"Their manpower is concentrated along the main roads leading to the palace and at the various city gates!"

"That's what the informant said urgently."

"The search inside the noble district was just for show. The people sent were mostly new recruits and handymen. They didn't seem to be there to help the nobles arrest people. It was more like they were preventing something from coming out of the palace or preventing outsiders from forcibly breaking in."

The gray shadow's eyes instantly turned icy cold.

The generals of the Royal Guard were indeed unreliable. While they appeared to be cooperating with the nobles, they were actually using this opportunity to further isolate and blockade the palace.

They are observing and waiting for the final victor to emerge before deciding who to pledge allegiance to.

What they're doing now is ensuring that no matter whether the nobles win or the king... well, or the ghost of the king wins, the palace remains firmly in their hands, so they can sell it for a higher price!

"anything else?"

The gray shadow's voice remained steady, but the surrounding air seemed to grow even colder.

"There's still an investigation."

The informant swallowed hard.

"The nobles have dispatched their most elite spies and interrogators, working together to frantically investigate every lead."

They were focusing their investigation on two things: first, the source of the Tiger Crouching Cannon—everyone who might have access to the armory and the black market was being watched; second,…it was…”

"What is it?"

The informant seemed somewhat embarrassed to speak, but he still said it anyway.

"They're making deals with the Royal Guard, trying to get the generals to hand over the little prince. They're also reopening the investigation into His Majesty's death...or rather, whether His Majesty really..."

Even though he was mentally prepared, Gray Shadow's heart still clenched when he heard the news.

The worst is happening.

These nobles, who were trying to control the successors of the country, no longer blindly believed that Charles was dead; the seeds of doubt had been sown.

Given the power of those nobles, once they start investigating seriously, the secrets within the palace probably won't last long.

"I understand." The gray figure interrupted him, his voice cold and hard.

"Continue to monitor, paying close attention to the actual deployment positions of the Guards units and the movements of their commanders, especially those who may still harbor old grievances. If there are any unusual movements, contact them using the old method."

"Yes, my lord!"

The informant nodded emphatically, not daring to ask any more questions. He glanced around warily once more, pulled his cloak tighter, and quickly disappeared into the shadows at the other end of the street.

Gray Shadow stood alone in place, the damp, cold night air seeming even thicker, pressing heavily on his shoulders.

The nobles exerted pressure, while the Royal Guard outwardly complied but inwardly tightened the blockade, with the investigation pointing directly to the king's life or death and royal secrets...

Your Majesty, the signs of victory you see are pushing us toward a true dead end.

The gray shadow silently chanted in his heart, and that chilling sense of despair spread once again.

But he remained unmoved. He took a deep breath of the cold air, turned around, and disappeared into the boundless darkness.

The intelligence has been obtained; whatever the future holds, he must face it. He must carry out the next unavoidable mission on that mad road.

……

In the candlelight, King Charles's face was shrouded in flickering shadows.

Gray Shadow knelt on one knee and, in a tone as straightforward as possible, without any subjective judgment, reported all the bad news brought by the informant.

The alliance of nobles, the Janissaries' feigned compliance and de facto blockade, and the crucial investigation that threatened the king's life and death.

He expected to see the king's anger, anxiety, or even deeper paranoia.

However, what he received was a low, deep laugh, as if he had seen through all the secrets.

"Hehe...haha...hahaha!"

Charles's laughter came from deep in his throat, starting softly and then becoming loud and sarcastic.

"Unity? A temporary council? That idiot Mario can lead one? What a joke!"

The gray figure suddenly raised its head, its face beneath the hood filled with incomprehensible astonishment.

Your Majesty, didn't you hear what he said?

Charles seemed to read his mind, stopped laughing, and stared at the gray figure with his eyes burning with an eerie flame.

"My shadow, you only saw the surface crisis, but you didn't see the cracks beneath this fragile alliance, which have grown large enough to devour them!"

He stood up and paced excitedly, like an artist showing his masterpiece to his students.

"Why are they only uniting now? It's because of fear, because the gift I gave them frightened them. But this kind of unity born of fear is like a castle built of sand; it will collapse with a single wave!"

"As for the Imperial Guard..."

Charles scoffed, his tone full of disdain.

"Those fence-sitters, they've tightened the blockade of the palace?"
Excellent! This just shows they're guilty, they're afraid, and they want to become the sole gatekeeper, waiting to claim the highest reward from the final victor.

But they forgot that a starving wolf won't care about the watchdog's attitude!

Gray Shadow was completely unable to keep up with the King's train of thought.

How can this be a good thing?

This is clearly a deeper isolation and danger!
"His Majesty!"

Gray Shadow couldn't help but emphasize his words.

"Once the nobles' investigation goes deeper..."

"Let them investigate!"

Charles abruptly waved his hand, interrupting him, his face displaying an almost manic confidence.

"The tighter they investigate, the faster they'll die! Just you wait and see, my shadow won't even need us to lift a finger; they'll tear each other apart on their own!"

trust?

There has never been any trust among nobles.

The deaths of Laporte, Hawke, and Leonard—these blood feuds and the resulting power vacuum were the hottest powder kegs buried among them!

He walked up to the gray figure, leaned down, and his low voice carried a chilling excitement.

"What you need to do now is not to be anxious, but to wait, to wait for the inevitable explosion."

Seeing the king's incredibly certain, even tinged with enjoyment, Gray Shadow felt all his words of advice stuck in his throat.

For the first time, he realized with such clarity that verbal communication was utterly meaningless at this moment. His Majesty was completely immersed in the victory scenario he had envisioned, a scenario destined to be filled with blood and fire.

"...Yes, Your Majesty."

In the end, Gray Shadow could only utter those four words dryly, burying all his worries and despair deep inside once more.

"Go down."

Charles straightened up with satisfaction, waved his hand, as if he could already see the dawn of victory.

"Just watch the show."

The gray figure silently retreated into the shadows and left the secret chamber.

His heart felt frozen; the king's confidence terrified him more than any bad news.

The situation outside the palace seemed to be developing in the direction Charles had "predicted," but the process was more abrupt and bloody.

Just as the intelligence had indicated, the Royal Guard soldiers swiftly and efficiently set up roadblocks, completely blocking all major routes to the palace. Their ranks were impeccable, swords drawn, arrows nocked, a clear warning that anyone attempting to approach would be killed on sight.

This stance is less about protection and more about blatant isolation and imprisonment.

However, just as the Royal Guard had completed the de facto blockade of the palace, and the nobles' joint investigation seemed to be about to begin...

A sudden change occurred!

A sudden and fierce firefight broke out in the heart of the noble district, not far from the royal palace.

The deceased was Baron Mario.

The force that took action was not some mysterious "troublemaker," but rather the private army of the late Duke of Laporte, personally led by Laporte's eldest son, who was known for his volatile temper and vindictiveness.

They attacked the mansion where Baron Mario was temporarily staying, as if they had gone mad.

The battle broke out extremely suddenly and fiercely. The soldiers of the Laporte family were clearly prepared, while Mario's guards, though numerous, were completely unprepared to be betrayed by their "ally"!

It is said that while hacking and slashing, Laporte's eldest son roared madly, accusing Baron Mario of being one of the culprits in his father's death. He claimed to have found evidence that Mario conspired with other nobles to deliberately mislead his father into leaving the city first, making him a target for the assassins.

In the chaos, Baron Mario didn't even have time to escape back to his secret chamber before being hacked to death in the courtyard, his death a gruesome one.

This internal strife at the heart of the noble alliance was like a boulder thrown into a cesspool, instantly creating a stench that filled the air. The brief alliance, built on fear, crumbled in an instant.

Suspicion and resentment erupted with unprecedented ferocity, and the various noble factions instantly became wary of each other, even on the verge of conflict.

Joint investigation?

This immediately became a joke. Everyone began to worry about whether they would become the next target to be purged by their "allies."

Standing in the shadows high above the palace, the gray figure stared at the black smoke rising from the noble district and the faint sounds of battle cries, frozen in place.

Your Majesty... was right again?
No, it's not just about being right.

This is almost as if... His Majesty knew all along that this would happen?
Could it be that those so-called pieces of evidence...? Gray Shadow suddenly recalled the king's manic and confident smile, and a chilling thought uncontrollably surfaced.

Could it be that the evidence that drove Rapol's eldest son mad with revenge was itself provided by His Majesty through some clever means?
If that's the case... then His Majesty is more than just insane...

Gray Shadow felt a bone-chilling cold, a hundred times colder than the damp, cold air of the island at night.

Is he loyal to a gambler driven to madness, or to a devil who uses madness as a mask while still meticulously manipulating everything...?
Looking down at the guards below, whose lines of defense also seemed somewhat bewildered and caught off guard, he felt, for the first time, a completely unpredictable fear about the future.

The situation was clearly in their favor, but Gray Shadow was still afraid.

(End of this chapter)