CHAPTER 49: THE GREAT ESCAPE IS ON

Abel immediately approached Edmund, who was being held by two Raven Corps soldiers. He took a syringe from his pocket containing a yellow liquid, then injected it into Edmund’s neck. After that, Abel and the two Raven Corps soldiers stepped back, releasing Edmund.

Edmund’s body instantly emitted smoke like black mist. Slowly, Edmund’s body shrank again; all his clothes were destroyed, and he was once again in a state of unconsciousness. Abel then turned and walked toward Ard, immediately placing his hands on his younger brother’s shoulders.

"Okay, thank you for uncovering everything. Now I need you, Eva, and the others to leave this academy and the Orthus Empire," Abel said.

"Huh?" Of course, Ard, Eva, Alicia, Geoffrey, Milia, Ainsley, Irwin, Patricia, Beatrice, and Rosalind were startled when they heard Abel’s words.

"What do you mean, big brother?" Ard asked.

"Emperor Ellard III can’t be trusted now. I apologize, Princess Eva, but your father is no longer himself," Abel replied.

"W-what?" Eva asked in shock.

Abel then told them everything. When interrogated, Julius briefly transformed into a demon but was defeated. After Julius turned back, he confessed everything. He said that a few days before the outside training, Edmund returned to the capital and gave the Emperor the potion on the table. Abel pointed to the box of potions on the table. Ard looked at the box, then looked back at Abel.

"Is that true, big brother?" Ard asked.

"Yes, it is," Abel replied. "Prince Nikolai, your younger brother has confessed everything. I hope you can discuss this with the king. The crime your brother committed is no longer just a game or a misunderstanding. What he did could threaten the peace of our world," Abel said to Nikolai.

"I understand. I will take action on this matter. Thank you for the information, Prince Abel," Nikolai replied.

Abel turned his attention back to Ard, Eva, and their classmates, then he smiled.

"All of you should also leave. If you intend to go with Ard, please take care of him. He is clumsy and reckless; he needs someone to look after him," Abel said with a smile.

"Consider it done, your Highness Prince Abel," Alicia said, smiling.

"Wait a minute, big brother, does this mean the Orthus Empire is in danger?" Ard asked.

"That’s right. The Emperor’s temperament has completely changed. We don’t know what he will do later, and rather than wait until it’s too late, it’s better if we get out of the way first, right?" Abel replied.

"What about you, big brother?" Ard asked.

"I have to return to Fredonia. I must report all this to father and big brother Alexis. For now, you shouldn’t return to Fredonia because we must also prepare. We don’t know what the Emperor will do, considering the Orthus Empire is the largest kingdom in the world," Abel replied.

"Alright, I understand, big brother. I will leave here with everyone," Ard said.

"How about the Rellios Kingdom, my kingdom?" Beatrice asked.

"That’s a good idea. No problem," Abel replied.

Ard turned to look at Eva, who was looking down and remaining silent. Ard held Eva’s hand, making Eva look up at him.

"Eva, are you okay?" Ard whispered.

"I’m fine. It’s just... as Eva, I’m sad because I have to leave my father, and as Evelina, I’m sad because this Empire is threatened with danger," Eva replied in a whisper.

"Relax, everything will be fine," Ard whispered back.

"I know. I’m okay. Thank you, Ard," Eva replied, smiling.

"Ahem,"

Ard and Eva looked over to see Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, and Rosalind staring sharply at them, while Patricia seemed to smile shyly. Geoffrey, Ainsley, and Irwin just laughed, but when Ard looked at them, they immediately raised their middle fingers, even though they were still smiling.

"I and the Student Council will also leave. Can I join you?" Mirea asked Ard and Eva.

"Huh?" Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, and Rosalind asked simultaneously.

"Me too. Cecilia and Oliver will go back to their families, and Nikolai will go back to his kingdom to deal with his younger brother’s problem. I have nowhere to go, and there’s no way I can go back to my tribe," Claudia said.

"Huh?" Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, and Rosalind asked simultaneously once again.

"Hmm... I don’t mind. What about you, Eva?" Ard asked.

"No problem. Please join us, Mirea and Claudia," Eva replied.

"Hey, don’t just decide!" Alicia yelled.

"Yeah, discuss it first!" Milia added.

"My kingdom is not your kingdom, Princess Eva," Beatrice said.

"Princess Beatrice, please don’t get involved, but I agree. Why don’t we discuss it first?" Rosalind said.

"Um... I don’t care," Patricia replied.

"Quiet!" Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, and Rosalind yelled at Patricia.

"S-sorry," Patricia replied, becoming silent again.

"The more the merrier, right?" Ainsley said, adjusting his glasses.

"I’m easy," Geoffrey replied casually.

"I’m up to Princess Eva... and Prince Ard," Irwin replied, giving a thumbs-up.

"There’s no time for discussion. We must leave immediately. Don’t delay. The other matters can be discussed on the way," Abel interjected.

Everyone immediately looked at Abel, but no one argued because what Abel said made sense. Finally, they resigned themselves to letting Mirea and Claudia join them. After that, they all went out and immediately returned to the dorms to prepare to leave the next day.

As soon as he finished packing his belongings in his room and putting them into his Dimensional Storage, Ard sat on the edge of Geoffrey’s lower bunk bed. He just watched Geoffrey pack his things.

"You’re not going home to Durnhill?" Ard asked.

"No, I don’t intend to go home yet. Besides, I vowed to help you and Eva, right? So there’s no way I’m going home," Geoffrey replied, folding his clothes.

"Alright, thanks, bro," Ard replied.

"No need to thank me. We’re friends, classmates, and I’ve started to consider you my brother. So it’s natural to help a brother," Geoffrey replied.

"True. I’ve also started to consider you a brother, so we’re the same," Ard replied.

"Knock... knock," Ard and Geoffrey looked toward the door. They shouted "come in," and the door opened. Ainsley and Irwin came in carrying their belongings. Ard stood up, then asked Ainsley and Irwin to put down their belongings. After that, he stored his two friends’ items in his Dimensional Storage.

"Thanks, Ard," Ainsley replied, putting his sword at his waist.

"Yeah, your Dimensional Storage is a huge help," Irwin added, tying his sword strap at his waist.

"You’re welcome. I’ll take them out when it’s safe, but is that everything? Nothing left behind?" Ard asked.

"Safe. Nothing left behind. I’m ready to go," Ainsley said, adjusting his glasses.

"You’re from Ateras, right? Why don’t you just go back to your kingdom?" Irwin asked, turning to look at Ainsley.

"I want to help Ard and Eva. I promised, too, right? Besides, if I go home, my parents will just scold me, haha," Ainsley replied.

"That’s right. I’m the same, bro," Geoffrey added.

"We’re leaving very early tomorrow morning. I was just starting to get comfortable at this academy," Ainsley muttered.

"We have to go. It’s too dangerous to stay in the Empire for Princess Eva... and Ard," Irwin replied.

"Yeah, that’s true. Even though Ard is much stronger than all of us, if it’s against the Empire? They’ll definitely lose because of the numbers," Geoffrey replied.

Then Geoffrey tied up his bag and placed it in front of Ard. Ard immediately put Geoffrey’s things into the Dimensional Storage, except for the large sword on his back.

"Okay, let’s go to the inn in town. We promised to meet the others there," Ard invited.

"Let’s go. They’ll be angry if we’re late," Ainsley replied, adjusting his glasses.

They went out of Ard’s room, then walked out of the dorm. They saw many students who still seemed relaxed and were roaming around the dorm, the academy building, and some were even walking toward the dragon stable in the back.

Silently, and without saying anything, Ard, Geoffrey, Irwin, and Ainsley walked to the academy gate, then out into the town. They immediately went to the inn, and when they arrived, they saw Eva, Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, Rosalind, Patricia, Mirea, and Claudia already standing in front of the inn.

They weren’t carrying any luggage because all their belongings were stored in Eva’s Dimensional Storage. They arranged it this way so that it would be easy to travel and fast when they had to fight. After Ard and his friends arrived, they all went into the inn to stay the night there, but before they could even step inside, imperial troops suddenly entered the city gate. Ard, Eva, and the others immediately froze, putting off going into the inn.

"Looks like we have to leave now," Ard muttered.

"Yep, they must be heading to the academy," Mirea added.

"We’ll wait for them to enter the academy area, then we’ll leave," Ard replied.

"Okay, agreed," Eva replied.

They all immediately waited and turned around. They all put on their hoods and watched the troops marching in without end. After the line of troops entered, the gate was closed. The faces of Ard, Eva, Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, Rosalind, Patricia, Mirea, Geoffrey, Ainsley, and Irwin immediately went pale. Their way out of the city had just been tightly shut.

"Looks like we have to find another way to get out of the city," Ard muttered to his friends.