Long Chen stood just outside the walls of the Royal City. He wasn't anywhere near the main entrance since he didn't plan to enter through official methods. Instead, his plan was different.
He stood calmly, gazing at the object which was in his hand. A normal-looking mask was in his hands, which the Snake Monarch recognized.
"You're going to disguise?" The Snake Monarch asked, surprised as he gazed at the Mask of Mischief.
"Yeah. It has been a long time since I had to. But I guess it's time. As I said, this isn't the time to handle things with strength. I have something to prove, and I'll prove it the way I need to. Which requires this," Long Chen replied as he placed the mask of mischief on his face while changing his looks.
His new looks were much more ordinary, unlike his previous attractive looks. It wasn't something that was supposed to attract much attention.
"Let's get in now," he muttered softly as he disappeared.
....
The Queen of the Esteria Empire was in his room. Mingyu was sitting right beside her, taking care of her.
An old man was also standing near them, gazing at the Queen.
"I can't tell you how glad I am to see that. You're perfectly healthy now. You don't need any more help from this mediocre physician," the old man said, smiling.
"Master Gian, you surely jest. You're the best physician in the Empire. Calling you mediocre is like calling day as night," the Queen replied, laughing.
"That's right. Senior Gian helped mother so much. You have our highest gratitude," Mingyu also chimed in.
"Hahaha, you praise me too much. Anyway, now that you are well, this old man will take his leave," the old man replied as he smiled. Turning back, he left the place.
As soon as the old man left, Mingyu looked towards his mother as he said, "Mother, I-"
Knock! Knock!
She couldn't even finish her sentence as she heard a knock on the door.
She stood up and opened the door, wondering who it might be. Not many people bothered them here.
"Yes?" She asked as she opened the door, finding a guard at the entrance.
"Your Highness, someone told me to give this letter to you. He said to tell you that the Snake Monarch wrote it," the guard told Mingyu as she handed over the letter to Mingyu before he left.
Mingyu gazed at the letter, stunned. She heard the words of the guard. The Snake Monarch wrote it? Wasn't that someone with Long Chen? Was it a clue that it was a letter from Long Chen?
She stepped out of the room to stop the guard to ask for more information about the person that gave him a letter only to stand. No one could be seen in the long corridor. Did that guy disappear somewhere? How else could that guard disappear so fast?
Confusion filled Mingyu stepped inside her room again as she closed the door.
The guard she was looking for was walking in a different corridor of the Palace, smiling.
"Why didn't you tell her what you wanted directly, instead of going through many steps? Just what are you trying to do?"
As the guard was walking, he heard a voice.
"Little Snakey, you don't understand," the Guard opened his lips as he replied, but his voice was entirely different now. His voice was sounding like Long Chen.
That day, Mingyu wasn't the only person who had received a letter. A letter was delivered to many people, including the owner of the Flower Pavillion, where Long Chen was accused of forcing a girl.
A letter was also delivered to the General that had taken the last statement of that girl before she supposedly died. More letters were given to the ministers of the Empire.
All of these letters were delivered by the same person apparently.
....
'What's in that letter?" Mingyu's mother asked her as she gazed at the letter in her hand.
Mingyu was reading that letter in full graveness.
Mingyu didn't say anything and continued reading it. Only after she finished reading it did she give the letter to her mother, frowning.
Her mother also read the letter, stunned.
"I think we should..." She told her daughter, who nodded her head.
"Yeah," Mingyu agreed, wondering how things were going to go.
....
It was the next day. A young man was sitting inside an abandoned building in an isolated corner of the Royal City, drinking wine.
Knock knock!
Hearing a knock on the door, the man answered, "Come in.'
"Huh? That voice?"
A fully armored man was standing outside the door. He seemed confused as he heard the voice. It was as if he recognized that voice.
He pushed the door open as he stepped inside.
Gazing at the man, the armored man laughed happily. "Your Highness! It's actually you! Hearing your voice, I had no doubt that it would be you. I'm so happy that you're safe."
"Yeah. I am safe, but you have no idea how tough it was for me to escape, General," the young man replied as he took another sip.
"Your Highness, why did you call me here? It would be best if you came to the Palace. You'll be much safer," the General told this young man who calmly kept drinking.
"Have a seat and pick up a glass," the young man replied, not answering the question.
The general stepped forward and sat on a chair near the table as he picked up a glass of wine as well.
"You think I would be safer in the Palace? Did you forget that I was kidnapped from the Palace itself? That bastard Long Chen is really annoying. He kidnapped me when I was near my father. I'm sure he's keeping an eye on the Palace, thinking I'm going to return there after escaping from him."
"If I do that, he will catch me. That would be a disaster," the young man answered.
"You're right. That's a possibility," the General said as he sighed. "If that guy caught you a second time, he might even kill you," the General answered.
"That's right. That's why I didn't call my father here. I only called you here since that guy won't follow you," the young man answered.
"The gist of the situation is really simple. I can't come back before he's dead. So after you go back, tell me, father, that he needs to kill that guy if he wants me to come back," he added, sighing.
The two of them kept drinking the wine for quite some time before the General finally spoke again.