Chapter 476 263: Rekindling an Old Flame?

Watching Sad's retreating figure, Baron thought to himself, 'So this is what it feels like to throw your weight around. It's pretty damn satisfying.'

Baron finally understood why Freya was so haughty, and why Soron had been so brazen back in the Plains. It all made sense now—this was the atmosphere they lived in every day.

Once Sad had left, Freya crossed her arms and gave Baron a condescending look. Her gaze then lingered for a moment on the sweetly smiling KK before she let out a cold snort and walked away.

KK whispered, "Your luck with women is pretty good, my dear Dragon Knight. She may be haughty, but she seems much better than that ex-fiancée who called off your engagement."

Baron said, "She is my ex-fiancée."

KK blinked. "Rekindling an old flame? I'm rooting for you!"

Baron sighed. Sometimes he felt KK was an insidious and cunning Witch; other times, she just seemed like the girl next door, someone who loved playing pranks and teasing people.

As for Carmen... even though KK had explained that she was Carmen and Carmen was her, Baron always felt Carmen had an air of mystery that KK lacked. She was like a deer glimpsed across a stream in the forest, one whose mood you could only guess at by following her tracks.

"Alright, I'll stop teasing you, my esteemed Mr. Dragon Knight," KK said. "Do you have a good way for us to get out of here? One where we won't be noticed? I really don't want to run into that Wilder fellow."

"I do," Baron said. "But we have to wait. And you have to do exactly as I say."

Baron sensed they were still being secretly watched. He knew whoever it was would likely be back soon.

He figured that until he understood his connection to the Witch's Blood Covenant, it was best to keep her somewhere safe.

But then KK said, "You're so concerned about me. Could it be that you like me?"

Baron was taken aback. "Why would you think that?"

"Oh, I get it now. You don't like me, you're just afraid I'll die." KK wrapped a lock of hair from her temple around her finger and said faintly, "It's because of the Blood Covenant we signed. You're afraid my death will drag you down with me."

Baron said, "Yes."

"Huh? Really? You're so mean." KK sighed. "I thought you'd at least lie and say it wasn't true."

"That way, I could think I was charming enough to attract a Dragon Knight acknowledged by the Red Dragon. It would have made my whole day!"

She sighed again. "But I can't blame you. After all, I'm the culprit who turned you from an Outer Side collections agent into an Inner Side fugitive. It'd be a real problem if you actually fell for me, wouldn't it?"

Then she whispered, "So, I forgive you."

Baron said, "So, can you tell me how the Blood Covenant affects us?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" KK stuck her tongue out. "I'm not going to give up a precious secret like that so easily."

Baron shrugged. He said nonchalantly, "Those Knights are still watching us. I think you should find a place to hide. I'll come get you later and sneak you out."

"I hope you're not just drunk and talking nonsense." KK smiled and put her hand on Baron's shoulder. She was to play the part of a drunken guest being escorted to the women's restroom by Baron.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Isabella silently watched the bar. She had, of course, noticed Sad finding Baron, but since that difficult little princess, Freya, had gone to save the day, there was no need for her to get involved.

After all, the Lancelot Clan was a renowned Knight Clan of the Inner Side with a profound heritage. In the Holy Hall, aside from the directly subordinate Lion Eye Knight Order, other Knight Orders also had members from their clan.

Even the Lion Knight Order, which acted as inspectors of the Outer Side in major cities and served as the reserve for the Lion Eye Knight Order, was composed mostly of members from the Lancelot Clan and its affiliated families.

Naturally, Sad would never choose to pick a fight with a princess from the Lancelot Clan, not with so many members of the Lion Eye Knight Order present.

However... her gaze fell on the woman beside Baron. She frowned slightly; she just couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about her.

Just then, she heard footsteps approaching. Turning, she saw Elder Pence standing beside her, leaning on his cane. "Miss Isabella, you seem to have quite the opinion of me."

"You misunderstand, Elder," Isabella said coolly. "I am simply acting in an official capacity."

"Acting in an official capacity is, of course, for the best," Elder Pence replied.

Isabella asked, "So, what can I do for you, Elder Pence?"

Elder Pence said, "It's nothing urgent. I just wanted to ask, after you were abducted by Baron Constantin in the Dracul Mountain Range, I trust you weren't harmed?"

"After all," he said, "Baron Constantin is a Lawbreaker who assassinated Anthony and colludes with the Dragon Witch. It would be no surprise if he..."

"Thank you for your concern, Elder Pence. I'm perfectly fine. And perhaps Baron Constantin isn't as vile as the rumors claim."

Isabella cut Elder Pence off coldly. "I think we should wait until the investigation reveals the truth before passing judgment on his alleged crimes. Without concrete evidence, this so-called Judgement is nothing but the machinations of a hidden mastermind fanning the flames."

Elder Pence chuckled. "So, Miss Isabella, you believe there may be a mastermind behind Baron Constantin?"

"Not 'may be,'" Isabella stated coolly. "There 'definitely' is."

"I understand." Elder Pence nodded and took his leave.

Once Elder Pence was gone, Isabella looked over to Lucy in the corner, who was still performing her calculations. Perhaps Lucy sensed her sister's gaze, or perhaps Isabella's timing was simply perfect.

Lucy's eyes snapped open, and for the first time, her normally placid gaze was filled with immense shock and fear.

"The Paperman was torn apart by a thunderbolt! The heavens are in turmoil—this is an omen that something catastrophic is about to happen!"

Isabella snapped back to reality, taking an elixir (a Golden Core from the Celestial Master Sect) from her Storage Stone and helping her sister swallow it. The moment Lucy calmed down a little, she immediately asked:

"Did you find my Servant Demon? The one heading toward the Dracul Mountain Range."

"I couldn't find the crow," Lucy said, "but the Paperman... it saw something extraordinary before it was destroyed..."

"What did it see?" Isabella had a bad feeling.

Lucy paused, pressing a hand to her heaving chest as if to calm herself. "A Dragon Tide."

Isabella froze, her pupils constricting.

Before she could press for more details...

Just then, a flash of incandescent lightning tore across the sky outside the window, followed by a clap of thunder like a dragon's roar that exploded in the ears of everyone in the auction hall.

"Stop!"

The main doors were suddenly thrown open, revealing a young Knight at the entrance to the hall. He looked young, his eyes full of valiant spirit yet also pale. His face was caked in so much dried blood it was hard to make out his features, but the emblem on his cuirass showed he belonged to the Holy Hall's Lion Eye Knight Order.

He held a sword in one hand and an auction invitation in the other, but his whole body was trembling as if he had seen something terrible. The guards tried to stop and question him, but he refused to say a word, desperately trying to force his way inside.

The guards didn't dare use force; from his Armor and the invitation, they could tell the young Knight's status was by no means low. They weren't about to offend a young man of power and influence over a job.

Knight Commander Sad saw this from a distance and rushed over with his men.

"Didn't I say that without permission, no one—no matter who they are—is to open the auction hall doors! Anyone who forces their way in is to be killed on sight! Aren't you afraid you just let in a Cultist from the Dragon Eater Association!"

Facing Knight Commander Sad's reprimand, the Knight Guards at the door explained with difficulty:

"He said he has something important to report... and his cuirass bears the emblem of the Lion Eye Knight Order."

"An emblem doesn't prove he's not an imposter! Verify his identity!" Sad ordered coldly. "If he doesn't cooperate, execute him on the spot!"

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