Fire Mage

Chapter 699: Royal Palace

Charles spent the morning preparing for the mission. He first went to the Central Borough and bought a luxurious dress only royalty and high-class nobles wore. Charles then disguised himself using the Shape-shifting ability by absorbing the blood droplet, taking on the appearance of Cyrus. It was a delicate process, ensuring every detail, from the tone of voice to how he walked, matched the real Cyrus, even though he had never seen him upfront. The art of deception was his greatest ally.

At this moment, he appeared as tall as 175 cm, had a rough face, slightly tanned skin, silvery eyes, straight black hair, and looked around 35 years old. He wore a black hooded robe over his formal black suit and looked shady.

As the afternoon approached, Charles, now disguised as Cyrus, calmly stood at the Central Borough's main roadside and looked at the passerby carriages.

Suddenly, he saw a unique golden-curtained luxurious carriage with the symbol of a bow and arrow flag attached on the top.

'It's carriage of the Royal Family.' He suddenly took a step forward and walked towards the running carriage.

He also saw the coachman's outer appearance and instantly realized the coachman's identity. 'He is Jay.' A veteran soldier of the past but now became a personal carriage driver for the Crown Prince.

As the horses approached, they suddenly got frightened by looking at Charles and stopped while raising their front legs, neighing loudly.

Although Jay tried to control the horses, they kept acting aggressively and even tried to run in panic.

Thankfully, he was a skilled coachman.

He pulled the reigns tightly, tapped on their thighs to calm their fear, and slowly parked the carriage on the roadside.

Then, he recalled the hooded moron who caused this mess and tried to search for him.

But to his surprise, he was nowhere to be seen!

"What happened, Jay?" A voice came from the carriage, causing him to turn around in a hurry.

"It's nothing serious, Sir Cyrus. It's just our horses got frightened by looking at a thief. But now, they are all okay." As he spoke, he suddenly saw a hooded man similar to the one who crossed the road to the other side and shouted.

"There he is, Sir Cyrus!"

"It's getting late, Jay. Forgot about him and drive faster." Jay suddenly heard Cyrus's annoying voice from inside and almost got flustered.

'What happened to Sir Cyrus? Why is he speaking like he is angry at someone?' He furrowed his brows and soon shook his head.

"Okay, Sir Cyrus." He hurriedly whipped the horses and drove the carriage towards the 'Royal Palace.'

Meanwhile, Cyrus, aka Charles, who had replaced the original person, leaned on the seat within the enclosed luxurious carriage and revealed a mischievous smile while removing the hooded cloth.

The carriage rumbled forward, its wheels clattering on the cobbled streets as it approached the Royal Palace. Inside, Charles, disguised as Cyrus, reveled in the success of his impromptu diversion. He glanced out from the confines of the luxurious carriage and saw the bustling streets of Central Borough slowly fading away.

Charles took a moment to inspect the carriage's interior. The opulent upholstery and intricate golden decorations spoke of the Royal Family's wealth and stature.

Charles's mind remained calm and steady as the carriage continued its journey toward the Royal Palace. He knew he had to act quickly before the Legendary Powerhouses or the guards discovered the ruse and raised the alarm.

'From the information Hunt gave me, it's easier for the current me to get near the 'Royal Treasury' and even enter inside with the authority as the Fourth Prince. But I need to fool the two pseudo-Legendary guards and be cautious of the Elder, who has become the guardian of the Royal Treasury.' Charles quietly took out another vial from his space ring, let a drop of blood in his palm, and absorbed it.

A second later, the identity imprint of the fourth prince appeared in his mind, along with his current image and characteristics.

'The Royal Palace is so large that it almost covered more than a street. Each prince has a separate mansion-like room and never shows interest in politics or wealth. They always act like pampered boys and rarely even show interest in mysterious and powerful artifacts. If the Fourth Prince directly goes to the Royal Treasury, it will raise suspicion.' But the earlier accident gave spies the reason to convince even the Elder.

'I'll tell him that I need a defensive artifact to my liking to not end up in an injured situation like before.'

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as the carriage suddenly stopped even before entering the palace's compound gate. Alert to the change, Charles swiftly stored the vial in his space ring.

Outside, the carriage door creaked open, and a royal guard peered inside. His eyes fell on Charles, who looked up with a questioning gaze.

"Why have we stopped?" Charles asked, mimicking the cold tone of the real Cyrus.

The guard hesitated but replied, "There's an inspection at the palace gates, Sir Cyrus. It won't take long."

Charles concealed his expression and nodded. "Make it quick, then. I have urgent matters to attend to."

The guards checked inside the carriage and soon looked at the sword in his waist.

'Hmm? Wasn't Sir Cyrus used a spear as his main weapon? I heard he has been learning swordsmanship from the Crown Prince himself recently. Hmm, he must have brought a new weapon.' The guard didn't put too much thought into it, nodded, and closed the carriage door, signaling for the coachman, Jay, to resume the journey.

As the carriage continued toward the palace gates and entered the beautiful front yard filled with flowers and ornamental trees, Charles quietly opened the curtain. He looked outside at the gigantic palace building, which looked more like it was made of gold.

The sunlight glinted off the golden spires and intricate carvings of the Royal Palace, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

The carriage approached the palace gates, where guards in resplendent armor stood vigilant. Another inspection went through. But nothing happened as Charles kept his face calm.

After a small check, the guards, satisfied with their inspection, allowed the carriage to proceed.

But Charles knew the most challenging part of his mission lay ahead—the labyrinthine corridors leading to the Crown Prince's study and the Royal Treasury.

He chose Cyrus as the target not only because of his position within the royal family but also because the Crown Prince's room was close to the royal treasury.

The carriage rolled through the grand courtyard, adorned with fountains and sculptures, drawing closer to the heart of the palace. Charles couldn't help but marvel at the grandeur, even as he calculated each step precisely.

Upon reaching a majestic entrance, the carriage slowed to a stop. Charles prepared to disembark. The guard at the entrance approached with an air of deference.

"Sir Cyrus, His Highness is currently in the study. He awaits your presence," the guard informed, bowing respectfully.

Charles acknowledged the information with a nod and responded. "I shall be there shortly."

As the carriage door closed, Charles slipped out with a sealed letter with a golden seal on top, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He found himself in a lavishly decorated corridor adorned with tapestries depicting historical events and portraits of esteemed ancestors. The air was tinged with the scent of incense, adding an air of solemnity to the atmosphere.

He deliberately navigated the corridors, avoiding direct eye contact with passing servants and guards.

Before long, he arrived before a tall door made of ancient wood, raised his hand, and knocked on it twice.

The door swung open, revealing the Crown Prince's study—a room adorned with rich tapestries, rare artifacts, and shelves filled with ancient scrolls and books. The Crown Prince, seated behind an intricately carved desk, looked up as Charles entered. He appeared to be around 30 years old with a big mustache, combed black hair, and unique white eyes.

He was the Crown Prince of Sacred Empire, Jason Ver Lockwood!

'Is he a Seer?' A strange peering sensation appeared in his heart.

But he soon realized that the person before him was a Rank-2 Mystic.

With a simple scan, a row of information appeared before his eyes.

'He is a Rank-2 [Instructor] and a Rank-2 [Sword Dancer]. But interestingly, he indeed has the Rank-2 [Disguiser] Class's skill called 'Prevision.'' But prevision would only allow him to see up to 0.5 seconds into the future.

It could greatly help him during battle, but not in the current situation.

"Sir Cyrus, you're here sooner than expected," the Crown Prince remarked, setting aside his quill.

Charles inclined his head respectfully. "Your Highness, I did not wish to delay." Saying so, he placed the sealed letter on the table and bowed his head politely.

"Oh? Did Hallie give a reply, too? So, how is she doing? Is there anything troubling her?" The Crown Prince smiled as he picked up the letter and quickly opened the seal.

'As I thought, he is truly in love with her, huh? Although I read in the report that both exchange letters multiple times weekly, no one knew this secret other than a few close aides of the Crown Prince.' Charles concealed his facial expression and responded.

"She asked a lot about you, Your Highness. Also, she asked you to talk with her father about your love relationship."

"How should I casually talk about these things with the Duke?" Crown Prince Jason showed a troubled look and soon dismissed Charles.

"You can go back and do your work, Cyrus. I need to be alone for a while."

"Yes, Your Highness." Charles nodded solemnly, bowed his head again, and hurriedly left the study.

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