Starting With an SSS-Rank Swordsmanship Talent

“Lord Grand Commander, you will be punished for your actions, but that can wait.”

She looked around and gestured at the imperial guards. “Clean up at the palace and inform the officials not to worry. Not a word of this must be spoken to the public. Do you understand?”

Sensing her cold gaze, the imperial guards nervously responded. “Yes, Your Majesty!”

The empress turned her head to the Grand Commander and said. “Follow me. We need to talk.”

The Grand Commander picked up his aching body and followed the empress to the garden behind the imperial palace.

The imperial guards wanted to follow them, but the empress sent them away with a signal.

When they arrived at the garden, the fragrant scent of the blooming flowers assailed their nostrils.

The empress walked along the cobbled pathway between the flower fields, while the Grand Commander silently followed her.

In the middle of the garden was a pavilion surrounded by a man-made pond. The empress brought the Grand Commander to this place.

There was no one around so Yskaela could finally put away her aloof attitude. She turned around and looked at the Grand Commander with concern.

“I’m so sorry, Lord Grand Commander. Are you alright?” She looked at him with guilt in her eyes.

She hurt her most loyal subordinate and it filled her with great remorse.

The Grand Commander smiled reassuringly. “I am fine, Your Majesty. I may be old, but I am still a Mythical Knight. This little bit of scratch is nothing to me.”

Yskaela sighed as she took her seat. “J-Just what happened right there? Why did I suddenly attack you?”

She tried to recall what had happened, but she couldn’t remember anything.

The Grand Commander took a deep breath and narrated everything that happened.

After hearing the whole story, the empress furrowed her eyebrows and fell into deep thought.

“If what you’re saying is true, then they must have cast some kind of hypnotic spell on me.”

The Grand Commander nodded, his face looking grim. “For it to work against a Mythical Knight, it must be a high-level integrated monster trait.”

He stared deeply at the empress and said. “Your Majesty, this must be related to the heretic cult. Only those lunatics would dare to target the Empress of Veronica.”

Yskaela agreed with him.

“Samantha…. How dare she deceive me?!” She muttered coldly, her aura rising drastically, causing fluctuations in the air.

“Your Majesty, that woman has approached the Astanian Prince. She might do something to him.” The Grand Commander spoke with concern.

Considering the relationship between Veronica and Astania, there would definitely be war if something were to happen to Alaric.

Yskaela also realized this.

She narrowed her eyes and instructed. “Prepare an ordinary carriage. I would like to visit him privately.”

“Right away, Your Majesty,” Knowing that it was an urgent matter, the Grand Commander didn’t waste any time and left right away.

…

Inside his study, Alaric was reading some old documents sent by the inspection department. These documents were about the cases of disappearances and kidnappings that were never resolved.

“What do you think, Scilla?” He looked at Scilla who was helping him with the task.

Scilla put down the document she was reading and replied. “All of them are consistent. The clues left are almost identical so we can conclude that it was done by the same people.”

“Right. The locations of the crimes also matched the data provided by the inspection department. We should head to these locations once the imperial guards are here.” Alaric rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“But wouldn’t this anger the heretic cult?” Scilla was a bit skeptical of the plan. She thought that it was too hasty to make a move without enough preparation.

Alaric shook his head. “We are only targeting the small hideouts.”

Using a quill, he encircled a few locations on the map of Sorl.

“We will capture these hideouts and strike fear into the members of the heretic cult!” He slammed his palm into the table, giving Scilla quite the shock.

Just as Scilla was about to say something, a series of knocks on the door drifted into their ears.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Alaric cleared his throat and said. “You may come in.”

Creak.

Galanar stepped in and reported.

“Lord Venerable, the Grand Commander will be here soon and it looks like he brought someone important.”

Alaric raised an eyebrow as he mumbled. “I didn’t expect him to return so soon.”

He stood up from his seat. “Let’s go greet our guests. It would be impolite to make them wait in front of the mansion.”

“Yes, Lord Venerable!”

Alaric stepped out of his study while trying to guess who the Grand Commander had brought with him.

It wouldn’t be Her Majesty, right? He laughed at his own thoughts.

As they walked down the stairs, he saw Einar and the others escorting the two guests.

“Your Majesty!” Alaric was stunned when he saw who had come with the Grand Commander.

He rushed down the stairs and did a fist-palm salute.

“We meet again.” Yskaela nodded indifferently.

Alaric was taken aback at the sudden change in her attitude. When he met her in the throne room, she was like a gentle woman with a bubbly personality. However, the woman in front of him exuded an aloof aura that would subconsciously make others feel that she was unreachable.

Is this her true personality?

Alaric thought to himself.

“To what do I owe this pleasure, Your Majesty?” He asked with a smile.

The empress didn’t respond. She looked around, searching for a familiar figure, but she didn’t find the person she was looking for.

She used her spiritual perception to extend her search and finally discovered the familiar aura in the kitchen.

So she’s really here… that snake of a woman…

Her eyes flashed with a cold glint.

She turned her head to Alaric and said in a commanding tone. “Let’s talk somewhere more private.”

“Alright. Please follow me.” Alaric nodded.