HBWnovel Chapter 272: The King’s Decree
Chapter 272: The King’s Decree
In the grandeur of the throne room, surrounded the luxurious furnishings and the hushed whispers of those present, the atmosphere was filled with tension. King Leonheart, his face was etched with visible anger, fixed his piercing gaze upon Hestria. His voice, though controlled, carried a weight of authority as he addressed her.
"Is what you say true, Hestria?" His words echoed off the throne room’s walls, demanding an answer that could sway the course of nations. "That your comrades were wiped out, while you alone survived? And now, you dare to claim that the king of those... monsters demands my presence in their land?"
Hestria stood before the throne, her expression calm despite the storm brewing in the king’s eyes. "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied, her voice steady though her heart raced with uncertainty. Inwardly, she mused, "I omitted the fact that I also met my end as well, and was resurrected. But I dare not speak of it now; I doubt he king would entertain such an absurd notion."
As she awaited the king’s response, a sense of fear and uncertainty gnawed at her. Would he dismiss her words as folly, as the delusions of a lone survivor? Or would he heed her warning, recognizing the gravity of the situation that loomed over their kingdom?
King Leonheart’s brow furrowed with suspicion as he listened to Hestria’s audacious proposal. Around him, nobles of esteemed lineage nodded in agreement, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and disdain.
"The absurdity of your suggestion knows no bounds, Hestria," the king said, his voice cutting through the slience of the chamber like a blade. "To entertain the notion of venturing into the realm of monsters, to parley with their king as equals... It is madness!"
The nobles murmured their thoughts, their disapproval could be felt in the air. They exchanged knowing glances, their suspicion of Hestria’s intentions could be seen in their guarded expressions. To them, her sudden return, unscathed while her comrades perished, seemed nothing short of treachery.
But Hestria stood firm, her gaze unflinching as she met the accusing stares of everyone present. "You misunderstand, Your Majesty," she interjected, her voice filled with urgency. "If we do not act swiftly, if we do not secure the your cooperation, there will be carnage on a scale we cannot comprehend."
Her words hung in the air like a storm cloud, casting a shadow over the assembled gathering. For a moment, the chamber fell slient, broken only by the faint rustle of their accessories and the soft murmurs of disbelief.
But the king remained unmoved, his jaw set in a firm line as he surveyed the scene before him. "I will not entertain such reckless notions," he said, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "If the knights exist for a purpose, it is to defend our realm, not to consort with our enemies."
With a wave of his hand, he signaled for the guards to take Hestria away, his expression a mask of steeled resolve. As they moved to obey his command, Hestria’s voice rang out one last time, a desperate to get rlyrough to the king.
"Mark my words, Your Majesty," she cried, her voice tinged with desperation. "Without your cooperation, the bloodshed will be unimaginable!"
Turning to Oliver, she placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice firm yet pleading. "We need to hold back our strength," she urged, her eyes reflecting the gravity of their situation. "Our goal is to bring the king back with us, not unleash mindless chaos upon innocent lives."
But Oliver’s brow furrowed in frustration, his reluctance could be seen as he frowned at Leona’s words. "We need to show them the extent of our power," he argued, his voice tinged with defiance. "They won’t take us seriously otherwise."
Feeling a surge of frustration, Leona met Oliver’s gaze with her piercing gaze. "Listen to me," she said, her tone turning serious as she issued her warning. "If you dare to take another innocent life, I’ll give you a thrashing you won’t forget."
For a moment, tension hung thick between them, the weight of their words matching the gravity of their predicament. But as Oliver met Leona’s piercing gaze, a flicker of understanding passed between them, a silent acknowledgment of the stakes they faced.
Oliver, finally agreeing with Leona’s words, let out a sigh as he could feel the weight of her warning hanging in the air. Together, they both started to make their way towards the castle, putting down every knight who stood in their way.
"But honestly, Leona, you’ve gone soft," Oliver mumbled, his voice filled with frustration, as he turned around to face the massive structure of the castle.
Leona’s jaw tensed at the remark, but she chose to brush it off. "Enough of that," she replied, her tone firm yet controlled. "We should begin to make our way towards the castle." Her eyes scanned the advancing knights, their shields raised in a defensive formation.
"So you’re saying we should take out all these knights without destroying the city in the process, right?" Oliver muttered, a hint of skepticism in his voice, as he momentarily glanced at Leona.
"Preferably, yes," Leona murmured, as she shifted into a battle stance. With a deep breath, she prepared herself for the imminent clash, her mind already calculating the best course of action to minimize collateral damage.
"Everything suddenly feels so boring," Oliver mumbled as he pulled his bow and a mana arrow materialized.
Leona, catching Oliver’s discontent, countered with a serious tone. "If you’re so bored, then let’s put an end to this swiftly," she suggested, her voice cutting through the tension of the moment.
As the knights began to chant their incantations, Oliver’s keen eyes tracked their movements. Without hesitation, he unleashed his mana arrow. The arrow split into multiple parts mid-flight, each fragment tearing through the shields and piercing the chest plates of the knights’ armor with a huge thud.