Chapter 146

"What did you say?" Rudolph couldn’t hold his astonishment.

"Nortze Calajhan." Nortze closed his eyes.

Minister and Hand of the King watched King Lacroix. But the king's eyes were immovable from the old man calling himself the Calajhan. The King's response added nothing other than confusion to the other people in the room. Even Nortze felt it.

The vessel trembled in Maester Rudolph's clutch. He could hold it just because the movement was not fierce as it used to be. Only Nortze could understand the reason behind Wernh'An not being impatient in the vessel.

Wernh'An wasn’t attempting to escape. He was dancing.

Dancing to the tune created by Calajhan himself.

"Wernh'An? Here?" Rudolph asked.

Maester Rudolph's lips dried, "I made Nortze Calajhan reveal his identity."

His body started to tremble in fear, "I shouldn’t have."

"King Lacroix." Maester Rudolph wheezed, "Give them the word and liberate them."

"Should I?" King played with the empty cup of wine.

"Father Calajhan revealing their identity to people outside the house brings a genocide." Rudolph beat his own head, "Why didn’t I guess he could be Calajhan."

The King stared at him.

"Free them, Your Majesty. Only they may avoid what may come next."

"Calajhans conspired against me to get this realm." King grinded his teeth, "I will never free you."

"You are delusional." Nortze thundered, "Your kingdom means nothing to me. I only wanted this marriage to happen because I love my daughter."

"Conspiracy." King clenched his fists, causing dent on the gold chalice.

Rudolph roared, "Listen you drunk shit, how will they fight Wutke if you don’t pass the word?"

"YOU INSULTED THE KING!" King Lacroix sent his chalice flying to Rudolph's feet, "Minister, I want his tongue."

"Your Highness." Minsiter said, "He is a Calajhan –"

"Your family will not be allowed to leave this castle." King Lacroix screamed at Calajhan.

Saer rose, clutching his bleeding mouth.

King Lacroix stomped in rage but it possessed no strength like it had before. He tightened his facial muscles shrunk to cheek bones. Green fluid came out from corner of his mouth while he opened his mouth to speak. Words did not come. They appeared to have vanished within his throat.

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King looked away and further. When his eyes looked to have found something, they turned yellow. The men seated beside him attempted to distance themselves from their ruler.

They lost their wits before coming down from the steps. Then the pigmentation. The shortest among three was the minister whose height started to increase. He screamed until he no longer could feel pain.

Jehaule heard clamors.

The guards with him were trembling as well. Their cowardice had no contribution in it. Instead, yellow eyes glanced at him through helms. They did not possesses fear or respect.

Jehaule walked backwards, not letting his sight shift away from the guards who were losing their original shapes. He stopped when his back collided with Saer.

"What is happening?"Jehaule said.

The men surrounding them were going through a painful change. Their arms and legs stretched to the point where he could hear their bones crack and tendons break. Animal like feet tore their way through legs of the armors. However, they still remained upright.

They scuffed away their chest plates by their massive nails like they were made of parchment. When some of them threw off their helms, their snouts became visible.

"Rudolph!" Nortze roared, "Get the vessel and come here."

Rudolph leaped to him like a child, dodging those transforming beasts. Nortze did not miss out on touching him as he came closer to him although the monster's claws nearly got him on his arm.

In the time of a single blink, they were under the open afternoon sky with the yellow tint showering them. Sky looked to be in grief. Even the sun had been obscured by yellow clouds.

Nortze saw his bleeding hand. Their nails had grazed his flesh to his bones.

But his wound did not recover itself. He rather felt pain travelling up to his shoulder from the cut. He found Saer looking at his wound with equal interest and double the scare.

"Wutke has arrived." Nortze whispered.