The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 66: Plague be Upon You

Chapter 66: Plague be Upon You

"The Northern Duchy will stand beside Adeline no matter what."

Adeline’s smile widened. She got what she wished for. A powerful backer. One down, two to go...

She would love for the support of all the Dukes but she doubted she had anything to offer to the Southern Duchy. The Eastern Duchy though... She needed to make a plan to get them on her side.

There was a storm brewing and she needed to prepare for it.

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The Northern Duke insisted that they stay. He did it for slightly selfish reasons too, in case something came up with his wife, Adeline would be there to heal her.

Meanwhile, back at the manor...

"How are there so many casualties?! Aren’t there healers at the border?" Alaric exclaimed.

The deal between the Empire and the Holy Temple was a fixed one, the healers had to be stationed at the border and help the soldiers recover. With the monster attacks increasing, their roles become even more crucial.

A message had arrived from the border... Something was terribly wrong. The monster attacks had intensified, but this time, the casualties were far greater than anticipated.

The report detailed a disturbing number of dead and wounded. The soldiers were barely able to hold back the monsters. Alaric gripped the message tighter, his brows furrowed.

The battle report he received was abnormal. The number of deaths shouldn’t be this high... Just what was happening?

The border was in chaos. Alaric straightened himself and called for the Captain of the knights.

He had to deal with the situation immediately, and although he wanted to pursue his suspicion further, he didn’t have the time.

Moments later, the Captain entered, his armour clinking lightly. His stance was stiff, his face stoic, his eyes filled with concern. Though he didn’t know the complete extent of the situation... He could sense something was wrong.

"Captain," Alaric said, folding the letter and placing it on his desk. "The situation at the border has been deteriorating rapidly. The casualties are high, we need to send reinforcements immediately."

The Captain nodded solemnly. "At once, my lord."

Once the Captain left, Alaric took a deep breath and looked at the numbers again.

The messenger who brought the message was fatigued, he collapsed the moment he reached the manor.

Alaric ordered the servants to make sure he was treated. The hardships at the border were visible on his face. Alaric became more determined to become the future Western Marquess.

He wanted to build a better future for his people.

He didn’t expect the messenger to barge in.

"Why are you here? Please, rest."

"My Lord! I need to tell you-" He stumbled while he tried to get closer to Alaric. "There are no healers, the situation at the border is worse than you think..."

"What?!" Alaric’s mind raced with possibilities. Why weren’t the healers there? What had gone wrong? There was no time to investigate... His priority was reinforcing their troops.

But this lingering sense of unease gnawed at him, something big was about to happen, his gut told him.

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At the Holy Temple

Edward sat in his private chamber, his fingers delicately brushing over the hilt of the Holy Sword of Rolfe.

The relic gleamed faintly in the dim light, pulsing with the power bestowed by the Sun Goddess herself.

His hands gleamed with purple light... Just because that voice cut off his connection to her... he wouldn’t stop.

He was going to use this to find her.

A genuine smile crept onto Edward’s face, one of pure satisfaction and anticipation. This was only the beginning.

Two elderly priests walked in, their faces were full of worry and disapproval. They bowed briefly before one of them spoke in a sharp tone. "Edward, we’ve just received news that you recalled the healers from the Western borders!"

Edward raised his head slowly, he was not happy with the intrusion. His eyes gleamed with danger.

The priest’s voice was trembling, "This is a blatant violation of the agreement with the Empire! The consequences... This could jeopardise everything! The Emperor-"

The tension in the room was thick, almost suffocating. Their worry about his reckless decision to withdraw the healers from the border was evident in their expressions, but Edward remained unfazed.

"Since when did you care about the Emperor? I thought our mission was to escape from the influence of the Royal family." Edward stood up slowly and walked towards them.

For a second, they couldn’t believe a child like him was ordering them around. But they have seen his capabilities. They couldn’t underestimate him.

"You- What are you saying? That is treason!" He nervously looked around to see if anyone heard them.

"Heh." Edward chuckled and shook his head. "What would happen if a plague takes over the Empire?"

"What... Are you talking about? A plague?"

Edward looked down at the Holy Sword, its brilliance reflecting in his eyes. The priests could do nothing but stand there, helpless, as Edward tightened his grip on the sword. Soon, he thought. Soon, she would have no choice but to reveal herself.

He was counting on Adeline... She will heal those soldiers and the word will spread about her Holy Power... If she wouldn’t come to the Temple willingly, he would just have to make her.

He looked up slowly, tilting his head slightly as if considering how much to reveal. "I am saying... The Empire will always need our abilities. Sometimes you just have to create the opportunities..."

Edward’s smile widened, and he stepped closer to them. "Yes, a plague. Something terrible. Something that no ordinary doctor could cure. Something that only the Holy Temple could stop. Imagine the chaos, the suffering... The desperation of the people. Imagine how much the Emperor would need us then."

The colour drained from the priests’ faces as they realized what Edward was implying. He wasn’t just talking about a hypothetical situation, he was suggesting that he had the means to unleash such a catastrophe.

The priests were silent, their minds racing with the implications of Edward’s words...

How- How can he unleash a plague?!