Who taught him to restore his country like this?

A deafening explosion rang out.

The lead griffin suddenly tilted and went out of control.

"Enemy attack! Alert!"

The next second, black smoke rose from all directions.

Dozens of winged demons flew from the dense forest below into the sky, surrounding the Griffin Knights.

"Oh no, it's Baal, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Third Legion of the Demon Clan."

"alert!"

"Protect the princess!"

Chapter 26 Karina

As dawn broke, the streets of Kassel were already packed with people.

The morning breeze carried a slight chill, but it did nothing to dampen the residents' enthusiasm. They whispered among themselves, their faces filled with anticipation and excitement. These residents, who had come spontaneously, all hoped to catch a glimpse of Princess Karina.

At the city gate, Lord Lawrence and the surrounding minor lords had been waiting for a long time.

Earl Lawrence, dressed in a magnificent formal suit, the medals on his chest gleaming coldly in the dim light, occasionally adjusted his collar, his gaze fixed on the distance.

When the surrounding minor lords learned that Princess Karina was coming, they all spontaneously came to greet her.

Behind this group of nobles were the city's well-known merchants and adventurers.

Ron, disguised as the merchant Cassius, mingled among them and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe—Princess Kairina's reputation among commoners and nobles was truly high.

People who are capable and willing to give without expecting anything in return are indeed likable, but there's no need to envy them.

While waiting, the merchants and adventurers around them began to chat about the rumors they had heard.

"The Titan Kingdom paid the Rose Mercenary Group a large sum of money to kill the evil dragon, but they failed to defeat it and the princess was kidnapped by it."

"The king who was the ultimate victor in the first war of the divine kingdoms passed away, and his successors fought each other for power."

"The newly appointed saint of the Holy Grace Church is a demi-human."

"The headmaster of the White Magic Academy in the magical city takes on a genius magical girl as his apprentice."

"Have you heard? The former Holy Maiden of the Radiant Church was attacked by the Kingdom of Lach and is still in a coma."

Ron was listening with great interest when he suddenly found himself caught in the middle of the drama.

"The king of the Kingdom of Lach is really bold. Not only did he dare to restore his kingdom in the Emerald Kingdom alone, but he also dared to offend the Holy See."

"He's just a fool. The Kingdom of Lah had such a great advantage at the beginning, yet he led it to its downfall. When the capital fell, he even ran away because he was afraid of dying."

"It's a pity that in Gray Mist Territory, food and property have been squandered, and weapons and armor have been melted down. It's a complete disaster!"

"The Kingdom of Lach is incredibly unlucky to have a king like this."

"I really hope the Emerald Kingdom can catch this heinous criminal soon."

"If this villain had even a fraction of Princess Karina's kindness and wisdom, the Kingdom of Lah wouldn't have been destroyed."

"That's it."

The group burst into laughter.

Laugh, laugh! Soon your wise princess will be utterly defeated by the demons.

Ron stared blankly ahead.

The next second, a roar echoed from the horizon.

While the people in the city were still wondering what the sound was, Count Lawrence at the city gate had already realized that something was wrong.

After the two hundred cavalrymen galloped out of the city gate, the people inside the city realized that something had happened, but they were powerless to do anything and could only wait anxiously in the city.

After half an hour.

Earl Lawrence returned with fewer than a hundred cavalrymen and a group of adventurers.

On the back of the warhorse beside Earl Lawrence, they saw the wounded Princess Karina.

Looking up at the sky, the Griffin Knights who were guarding Princess Karina were nowhere to be seen.

The answer was written on Karina's sad and heavy face.

The previous laughter and chatter on both sides of the street were gone.

In this battle, they encountered the four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Clan's Third Legion. The Griffin Knights sacrificed all their members to protect Princess Karina.

Several nobles glanced at Cassius discreetly.

Ron calmly exchanged a glance with them.

Taking advantage of the information gap surrounding Princess Karina's attack, he established himself as Baal's representative, and now these demons would completely obey his orders.

Preventing the demons from plotting against Princess Karina and rescuing her would be enough to instantly become a Silver-rank adventurer.

As for why he didn't directly report the demons' plan to attack Princess Karina to the Adventurers' Guild, firstly, without evidence, the Adventurers' Guild might not believe him.

Secondly, even if the Adventurers' Guild believed it, they wouldn't take it seriously. In their view, Princess Karina was protected by the Griffin Knights, so she could escape unscathed even if attacked by demons.

After all, who would have thought that a demon at the king level could sneak behind the front line silently.

If Ron were to directly state that Baal was the one who attacked Karina, then it wouldn't just be the Adventurers' Guild that would be paying attention to him, but also Baal, the Great Demon of the Third Legion of the Demon Race.

Both would want to know where his information came from.

His identity, however, could not withstand scrutiny from those high-ranking officials.

Once his identity as the King of the Kingdom of Lach is exposed, the Kingdom of Orantia will likely be more concerned with how to extract his secrets than with gratitude.

Ron doesn't consider himself a selfless saint; his actions will always prioritize his own interests and safety.

Of course, he wouldn't do anything immoral or unethical.

……

After Karina followed Earl Lawrence into the city, she did not choose to rest and recuperate, nor did she dwell excessively on the grief of the Griffin Knights' deaths.

She knew that only by fulfilling her own mission could she ensure that the sacrifices of these people were not in vain.

At her request, Earl Lawrence led her to a pre-prepared location to set up a defensive formation.

Dozens of knights stood ready in the surrounding area.

This prevented Ron and his demon foes from having an opportunity to make a move.

Ron wasn't in a hurry. The Griffin Knights were wiped out, and Baal the Demon was nowhere to be found. Before new guards arrived, Karina wouldn't leave Cassel, giving him ample time to assassinate her.

Ron was waiting outside.

Time passed slowly.

Before we knew it, night had fallen.

Finally, Karina came out.

Ron quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, Princess Karina, Cassius of the Moonlit Merchant Guild sends his greetings. May the glory of the kingdom be with you."

Kylena looked at Ron and nodded slightly with a tired look on her face.

Then he was about to walk past Ron.

"Your Highness, thank you for your contributions to Cassel. We have prepared a simple yet sincere dinner for you at the Moonlit Merchant Guild and cordially invite you to attend," Ron hurriedly invited.

"Feel sorry."

Karina's face showed apology.

The deaths of the Griffin Knights and the exhaustion of the day left her with no heart for the banquet.

Just as he was about to decline, Ron said, "What happened this morning has unsettled the residents of Kassel. They are all worried about your health. The nobles, merchants, and adventurers in the city are all hoping to rest with you for a while and share a moment of peace."

The implication is: Because of your attack by the demons, Kassel is in a state of panic, and everyone will be uneasy if you don't show up at the banquet.

Upon hearing this, Karina paused in her tracks.

A moment later, a tired smile appeared on her lips: "Please tell everyone that I will be there shortly."

"Thank you for your permission, Your Highness. I will go back and prepare, and await your arrival." Ron bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Moral kidnapping always works.

Chapter 27 Cassius is a real genius

The second-floor lobby of the Moonlight Merchant Guild has been decorated as a banquet hall according to Ron's requirements.

As Ron entered the hall, he was immediately stopped by several nobles who asked, "Cassius, has Princess Karina agreed to attend the banquet?"

Everyone in the banquet hall turned to look this way.

Ron smiled knowingly and said, "Princess Karina will be arriving shortly. Please make preparations to receive her."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the banquet hall showed happy expressions.

"Don't worry, everything is ready. We're just waiting for Princess Karina to arrive." The young viscount gave Ron a reassuring look.

"Then I'll leave this place to you." Ron turned and was about to leave.

"Wait," a portly baron called out to him, his expression displeased. "Where are you going?"

Ron stopped and said respectfully, "I still have work to prepare a report for. Does Baron Henry have any questions?"

His tone was soft, but Baron Henry sensed a threat in it—you've delayed my work, and you'll be going to Lord Barr with your head.

"Hmph." Baron Henry snorted and turned away in defeat.

Enjoy your meal.

Ron bowed, then turned around, a smile playing on his lips, and walked away briskly.

……

Shortly after Ron left, Karina arrived at the banquet hall escorted by Earl Lawrence's guards.

Karina was elegant, her gorgeous evening gown swaying gently with her steps, the gemstones on the hem shimmering with a cool and captivating luster.