Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 406: Chapter 273: Destiny? I Never Believed in Fate_1

Under Lance’s guidance, the battle plan was quickly completed. Given the urgency, there was no time for prolonged disputes.

”Barton, remain in Hamlet. Reynard, you’re in charge of the northern region. Both of you maintain order in the surrounding area and prioritize stability if any incidents occur.”

”Dismas and Balistan, you two will lead a reconnaissance unit. Your tasks are to monitor the town in advance, scout the surrounding area, intercept potential messengers, and block any information. Be careful not to alert them.”

”Paracelsus, prepare yourself. The battlefield is the best classroom, and your skills in emergency aid and surgery will be needed.”

”William, you get ready as well. The team will need your and Fergus’s help with searches and pursuits.”

”I will lead the main force to destroy those two camps. Then, I’ll follow their route to meet up with you, and we will raid the town,” Lance directed.

”’Boss, what about me!’ Boudica stepped forward, her tone urgent.

”’You are my guard. Where else would you go if not with me?’ Lance waved his hand and commanded in a deep voice, ’Gather the troops immediately.’”

”Yes!” Everyone quickly dispersed, each to their assigned duties. Lance, meanwhile, headed toward the sanatorium.

It was simple: it was time to release Junia.

The door was still unlocked, and she was still silently praying for something.

”’Time’s up. Come out,’ Lance announced.

Junia slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lance. Her gaze no longer carried that inexplicable cynicism but had become much gentler.

Finding answers from Lance didn’t mean she had forsaken her faith. She had merely freed herself from the Church’s shackles, and as a person, she no longer seemed as rigid as before.

Was she truly foolish? After being tricked last time, Lance didn’t think so.

”I need to eradicate an evil cult entrenched near Hamlet, and I won’t have time to look after you. Leave as soon as you can.”

”’An evil cult!’” Junia exclaimed.

”Yes, the wizard you encountered was so powerful because he had the support of an evil cult. I have been leading the residents of Hamlet against this evil cult for a long time. They are powerful and dangerous. You foreigners should leave and not get involved.”

Lance acted as if he didn’t want to involve her. But Junia felt indebted to Hamlet and to him; how could she possibly leave after hearing this?

”’How can I stand by and do nothing in the face of this!’ Junia’s words rang with conviction, her expression showing no hesitation, only resolve.

”’I want to join you.’”

”’Go and get your equipment. The operation is about to start.’”

Lance didn’t refuse. Everything he’d said was calculated to stir Junia’s emotions.

Convincing her to join was even easier than when he’d tricked Dismas and the others. All he needed to do was give her a target.

After drawing Junia in, Lance did not leave but instead moved to Amanda’s cell door.

The cell door opened, revealing her lying on the bed, listless as usual. Life in confinement was clearly taking its toll on her spirited nature.

”’Oh, are you letting me out early~?’ Amanda turned and glanced back, her seductive gaze and smile exceptionally enticing.

”’No, I have a mission that requires me to leave for a few days.’”

”’So, you came to warn me?’ Amanda flipped over, twisting her body. It was hard to believe she was so flexible. She rolled over on the narrow bed, playfully kicking her legs up.

”’Not exactly. I’m just curious whether you’re truly proficient in divination. I want you to help me see if my upcoming actions will be successful.’”

”’Well, it’s not impossible, but what’s in it for me? You should know that the price for my services isn’t small.’”

”’There are no benefits. I’ve just heard that you Romani are skilled at divination, so I’m curious if it’s really that accurate.’”

He’d always been one for getting things for free; why would he pay now?

Amanda seemed to realize Lance wanted something for free and, naturally, her expression soured. She rolled her eyes at him and deflected, ”Why don’t you ask Tamara?”

”’You can chase her down, so you must be stronger than her. If your divination isn’t accurate, hers probably isn’t either.’”

Initially indifferent, Amanda suddenly showed a trace of excitement at his words.

”’It’s not out of the question. I need my tools, that set of...’ Amanda trailed a hand down her cheek, her eyes hinting at a tease, ’...the cards you took from me.’”

”’First, I want to clarify that I wasn’t the one who searched you. If you’re looking to engage with Paracelsus on a deeper level, I can still arrange that for you.’”

Lance’s words made Amanda recall the peculiar woman, and she frowned. Paracelsus’s gaze had been very unsettling, like she was looking at a corpse.

”’Hand them over.’ Amanda, no longer in the mood to tease Lance, extended her hand.

Lance casually drew out a deck of cards and handed them to her. The cards were primarily black, with gilded illustrations of various patterns shimmering on their surfaces.

”’What do you want to divine?’”

”’Whether the upcoming operation will be successful.’”

Once the cards were in Amanda’s hands, they began to move rapidly. Her fingers danced with astonishing dexterity, shuffling the cards with a flourish akin to juggling. After she finished mixing them and gathered them into a stack, she presented them to Lance.

”’Draw one.’”

Lance wasn’t in a hurry. He followed her instructions through a series of elaborate steps and finally drew several cards from the deck.

While Amanda had been nonchalant earlier, her expression turned serious, even uneasy, as she prepared to reveal and interpret the cards.