Chapter 277 - A Hidden Enemy (1) (1/2)
The first item on the agenda was to report all small and large damages caused by the battle. The main points of discussion were the numbers of casualties and what the reaction of the neighboring countries would be. Carlisle, who solved the realistic problems, looked at the nobles with a subdued gaze.
”Why has no one brought news about the Empress and Redfield?”
Everyone in the large hall simultaneously fell silent.
”I had ordered the capture of the Empress and the Second Prince, but no one has brought them to me.”
Carlisle no longer spoke of Ophelia with any tone of respect. She not only tried to assassinate him, but also tried to install her son onto the throne over the rightfully named successor. Following these events, they were no longer worthy of any respect.
A heavy silence followed. The nobles kept their mouths firmly closed for fear of retribution from Carlisle. His eyebrows furrowed deeply, and finally Smith from the Casey family stepped forward and fell to his knees.
”I beg for your mercy, Your Majesty. I searched the whole palace, but I could not find the whereabouts of the Empress and the Second Prince.”
”Are you admitting to your incompetence?”
His voice was emotionless and flat, but the nobles were familiar with Carlisle's violent tendencies and they broke into a nervous sweat.
Kuung!
Everyone else in the room dropped to their knees after Smith.
”I'm sorry, Your Majesty!”
Carlisle stared at the crowd with a cold expression. As long as Ophelia and Redfield were breathing, they should not have been allowed to escape under any circumstances. Carlisle opened his mouth to speak again, when
Kiilig
The door to the meeting hall opened, and a messenger rushed in with a harried look.
”I beg to inform His Majesty that the body of the Second Prince was found in the lake.”
om
”Redfield's body was found?”
Carlisle's blue eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn't ordered Redfield's death, only his capture.
He wasn't the only one that was taken aback by the news. Everyone in the hall glanced at each other confusedly, and Carlisle quickly regained his composure and spoke again.
”What's the state of the body? What is the cause of death?”
”That is...the body was so disfigured that it was almost impossible to identify the Second Prince at first. Not only did he lose his eyes, nose, and tongue...but his limbs were cut off as well.”
Following the messenger's report, the meeting hall was filled with the stunned murmuring of voices. Redfield was not simply killed; he was deliberately and cruelly murdered by someone. It was clear he suffered terrible torture before his death.
'Who the hell...'
There was one figure that came to mind. It was the one he had put on the back burner for the moment; once he had taken control of the Imperial Palace and neutralized Redfield and Ophelia, then he would deal with the hidden enemy.
Paveluc.