Chapter 98 – Kraiden’s Gathering

Elizabeth, who was the very first one to arrive in the front of the audience chamber, raised her eyebrows when she saw Lidan walking from afar. Walking up with his back to the sunrays, he saw her face and leisurely waved a hand.

“Elizabeth, good morning.”

“What’s good about seeing your face so early in the morning like this?” Elizabeth scoffed and turned away from him.

“Whoa, it’s so good you don’t know what to do? I knew it.” Lidan slung an arm over Elizabeth’s shoulders and laughed.

“You’re pushing your own orders again today. If you really don’t want to live, fine; I’ll end you right here.” Elizabeth shrugged Lidan off of her and spun round to face him, lightning dancing around her fingertips.

“Hold on, hold on. You do realise that His Majesty is right past this door, right?” Lidan stepped back, his hands held by his head. “You’re really going to make him witness a murder as soon as the door opens? I’m not here to bother you this early in the morning.” Lidan shook his head as if he didn’t know what to do, but she knew that he wasn’t nervous about her at all. He knew what kind of behavior incited anger in her, and he chose to do it whenever he could, with little care for the consequences. That’s why she was always disgusted by him.

“I’m talking about the thieves.” Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest. “The bastards who stole Levy’s necklace. I found out who they are, and where they came from. It’s not what I was expecting, but at least we’ve got them in our sights.”

“What’s the need for knowing where those savages are from? I told you to detain all of them.” Lidan scoffed and raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it weird? Elizabeth, I ordered you to catch them, but I have not heard a thing these past few days.” From what I heard, they’re not just any regular old thieves, and even I have limited access to their information. So, what would this mean?”

“It reveals your incompetence, you fool.”

At Elizabeth’s words, Lidan fell silent. Of course, it wasn’t that Elizabeth didn’t know what he was trying to say. She just didn’t want to hear him say it.

Even Lidan seemed to realize this fact, and burst out laughing. Though, it was one devoid of any humour.

“Well, I guess you can say that.” He clasped his hands behind his neck and smiled. “If I’m the incompetent fool, what does that make you, Elizabeth?”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Lidan?”

Elizabeth groaned inwardly at the arrival of Siaphyl. She watched him approach, trying to hide the contempt in her face.

“Siaphyl. I didn’t know you were summoned to the audience chamber, as well.” She greeted him coldly.

“Good morning to you sister Elizabeth. And brother Lidan, of course.” Siaphyl gave a mock bow, to which both Elizabeth and Lidan rolled their eyes at.

“What do you want, Siaphyl? Can’t you see Liz and I were in the middle of a private conversation?” Lidan sauntered up to Elizabeth, and obnoxiously leant against her.

“I know, and I want to hear what you were talking about just now.” Siaphyl said, shifting his eyes back and forth between his two siblings. Elizabeth knew that his curiosity wouldn’t be satisfied with vague answers alone.

Lidan glanced up at Elizabeth and smirked at her. She snorted, not having any intention of revealing what was happening to Siaphyl. There was no need to share the details of what had happened at Chess Black Market.

“Does it have something to do with Levisia?” Siaphyl asked. Elizabeth and Lidan were unable to hide their shocked gasps, resulting in him smirking. “I knew it! What happened on that day you two went out and came back with her?”

“There is for us to know and for you to never find out, Siaphyl.” Elizabeth scoffed. She knew that he would repeatedly pester her for information, so she wanted to let him know that it wouldn’t work on her.

“Yeah, you don’t need to know, little man.” Lidan flashed a grin at Siaphyl. “Now, run along now. Let your beloved elder siblings have a conversation in peace, yes?”

Elizabeth did not miss the heavy sarcasm in his voice. Nor did she miss the way both Lidan’s and Siaphyl’s faces completely drained of colour at the arrival of Merril and Cassian.

“You’ve been called here, as well?” Elizabeth called out to them, shrugging Lidan off her shoulder. “What could the Emperor want with us all?”

Cassian folded his arms and lurked in the shadows, deliberately avoiding everyone’s eye contact. Merril, on the other hand, launched straight into a conversation. She seemed blissfully unaware of the tension in the air.

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