Chapter 1303: Varian's Hardships
Varian didn't know the tribulations faced by Prince Xoler at the moment. He was facing one of his own.
Given the condition of the Prince, the fortress appeared normal on the surface but all defense formations were raised to the highest.
They had planned to sneak attack but they wouldn't be able to get in without alerting the prince.
After using more than a dozen treasures to covertly scan the entire fortress for any loopholes, this was the conclusion by both Sage Nevar and Varian.
"Shit! How can we solve this? The Prince must be assassinated when he's still injured!" Sage Nevar, a usually calm and collected individual, complained.
Watching his reaction, the corner of Varian's lips curled up just a bit.
'He's totally immersed in this mission now. Good job.'
Sia returned from the space portal and looked into his eyes. Her soft voice rang in his mind.
'I could smell his life force shaking when he stepped out of the portal. He's weak. Very, very weak. If you attacked him when he just escaped the portal, you'd have won. But it's been a few hours since he escaped. I don't know how much he recovered.'
After saying that, she smirked at Sarah and then looked at Varian with puppy eyes.
Varian sighed inwardly. The catfight wasn't ending, eh.
'Good job, Sia.' He communicated directly to her mind.
'Was I more useful in this mission than Sarah?' She asked...and quietly used the soul link to connect Sarah.
Sarah also listened attentively.
Varian knew this was a common game. But after so long, did they really think he'd be played by such games.
Smirking, he answered. 'No, you are both equally useful.'
'B-But—'
'I am the one doing 100% of the work here and you two are here for sightseeing. Your contributions are equal. Now, come on, thank me. Oh and thank me again.'
'...'
'...'
"We need to do something. The few hours that passed were already too much. Prince Rudolph is a peak rank 7. Even if he recovers half of his strength, I can't beat him." Sage Nevar confessed in an urgent tone.
"I know a way to get in." Varian gave a mysterious smile.
Covering the area around them with a stealth treasure—which was actually the power of slivers—he grabbed into the space abruptly and dragged something out.
"E-Eh?" Baldur holding a chocolate bar appeared. Perhaps because he was suddenly pulled out, his lips, chin, and cheeks were stained with chocolate.
"Baldur!" Sage Nevar raged but didn't attack him right away.
'Baldur deserves death!'
'He deserves a lot worse. At least, that's what my orders say.'
He recalled his conversation with Varian and showed a look of realization.
The Prince who once interfered with Princess Eshala's decision was now eating like a child, smearing his face.
'Did he grow retarded? That's wonderful torture instead of just killing him.'
"Ba-Ba?" Baldur wanted to say something but the bar stuck in his throat wouldn't allow it.
'He really went retard!' Sage Nevar's eyes shone brilliantly.
The old man gave Varian a look of appreciation and nodded his head, as if saying, 'Young man, this time, I will admit, you are better than me in this area'.
Varian didn't know what the old fellow was thinking but he could roughly guess. Since he proclaimed himself to be the Jai empire's loyal soldier, he wouldn't treat Baldur nicely.
"Eat! Take that drugged thing and lose your senses! Be even more enslaved!" Varian gave an evil laugh and took out a chocolate bar.
Under Baldur's incredulous eyes, he shoved that down his throat, causing the poor prince to delve into a fit of coughs.
Looking at Baldur, choking with tears at the corner of his eyes, Nevar clenched his fists in excitement.
'Yes, yes! More! Torture that bastard more! He knows he can't eat the enslaving poison but he can't help it! Hahahaha!'
On the other hand, Sarah and Sia stared at each other, the tips of their ears pink.
Baldur, on the other hand, accepted his fate and opened his mouth wide.
The one in the spotlight, Varian, got goosebumps noticing everyone's reactions.
'Damn, I'm surrounded by perverts!'
He quickly distanced himself from Baldur and washed his hands with literal acid, even though he didn't even touch that bastard directly.
'Baldur, now you are going to act like you're controlled by us, okay?' Varian's voice rang in his mind.
'B-Big brother, I'll do anything. Just don't bring me to a perverted old man like him! Look at that old fogey, he's panting! What the hell is he seeing in me?' Baldur pleaded.
Varian observed Nevar once again.
With bloodshot eyes, clenched fist and a hunched back, the man was waving his hand. "Yes, yes, harder, deeper! Plun—"
"Ahem, ahem, ahem," Varian coughed and snapped his finger in front of Baldur.
A foreign power struck Baldur's mind and the next second, his eyes went dull.
"Baldur, you'll now go inside your brother-in-law's fortress. And help us get in. No suspicious allowed, got it?"
'What? But how?' Baldur cried inwardly but replied for everyone to hear. "Yes, My Lord."
His eyes returned to normal and getting into his spaceship, Baldur reached the space fortress.
Maid Daphne received him at the entrance, with a face full of suspicion.
"I heard the Prince returned."
"If there's nothing, leave."
"I want to meet my brother-in-law...I have a piece of news about the other side he might be interested in." Baldur said with a cool and uninterested expression.
It was as if he was ready to turn around and leave if she said no. That's precisely why Daphne hesitated.
Prince hadn't fully recovered yet. Traveling through space crack in that condition took a heavy toll on him and slowed down his recovery.
Meeting others in such a sensitive period was just a no-no.
But when she looked at Baldur and felt his puny rank 4 aura, she let go of the apprehensions in her heart.
Even under his worst injuries, her Prince could just sneeze him to death. This guy wasn't even worth guarding against.
'And Var...Varian, just you wait. Once the prince recovers, you'll see hell. To calm his bad mood, I'll kill your people and bring your wives to his bed. You will regret it badly.'
Opening the entrance, Maid Daphne nodded lightly at Baldur and welcomed him in.