Chapter 258 The Rainy Night Escape, the Dark Prison, Pleading for Mercy
The thunderstorm drowned out the clamor of horses' hooves.
"Auntie! Auntie! Please don't leave me!"
Neil, who hadn't been asleep, heard Annie's shouts and guessed that something big must have happened, so he nimbly crawled out from under the bed.
He put on a dark coat, walked to the door, and carefully turned the handle. Sure enough, the door was locked.
Neil had no choice but to press his ear tightly against the door to see if he could hear any more sounds.
Unfortunately, it was quiet outside, there was no sound at all, and the only sound was the rain hitting the glass.
He went to the window again and strained to see through the blurry rain and mist. After staring for a long time, he finally made a new discovery: he could barely make out the outline of what looked like a carriage outside.
What's going on?
Neil calmed his thoughts, as if he had made up his mind, and pushed open the only small window that was not sealed.
To prevent Neil from escaping, the Duchess arranged for him to stay in a room on the roof.
The windows were nailed shut, and the room door was locked every night.
Perhaps the servants were too lazy to bother, or perhaps they thought Neil couldn't escape through that small, high window. They didn't nail it shut, thus giving Neil an opportunity that very night.
He moved a wooden table to the window and then stacked a chair on it.
It was a bit cold outside, and as soon as he opened the window, the icy raindrops hit Neil's face directly.
He clung to the edge of the small window, just like when he was a child climbing a tree, pushing himself out by bracing his feet against the wall.
The Duke's castle was very tall, and Neil climbed and crouched on the roof, grabbing onto any available spot with his hands.
In no time, my body was completely soaked by the rain.
But they could also see the carriages parked at the back gate of the manor more clearly.
Perhaps to conceal something, the expensive streetlights were not turned on. Even throughout the entire castle, only a few small lights were on.
Neil carefully moved his position, trying not to make a sound.
The roof tiles were too slippery after the rain, and some moss had grown on them. Neil slipped several times as he walked.
But this did not deter him from his determination to find out the truth.
After moving several dozen meters, Neil hid himself behind a decorative stone statue on the rooftop.
This angle is cleverly chosen so that you can see the carriage below from the side, but it's difficult for the people below to spot him.
All the horses had their mouths bound with leather straps, and from Neil's position, he could see the horses wagging their tails in frustration, while the coachman tried his best to calm them down.
It seems the person hasn't boarded the bus yet.
Neil thought to himself, secretly praying that he hadn't wasted too much time.
The raindrops soaked Neil completely, his face and body covered in water that streamed down his hair.
He was too afraid to move, fearing that his men below would discover him.
Around the time he had counted to sixty-two in his mind, there was a new noise coming from the back door.
Several figures hurriedly emerged from the castle, each carrying luggage.
The back door was more than ten meters away from where the carriage stopped, and they had to walk through several small flower beds.
Neil was getting anxious; the person walking in the center had a hat with a brim that was too high, and Neil couldn't see her face. Although he suspected that it was the Duchess.
The light was too dim, so the driver turned on a small lamp to illuminate the small steps for them to board the carriage.
Just as the group was about to get into the car, a pink and white figure rushed out from inside the door.
Neil immediately recognized the person as Anne Toland.
"Auntie, Auntie! Please take me with you, please! I promise I'll listen to you in everything from now on! From this day forward, you are my mother!"
Anne clung tightly to the wide-brimmed skirt, letting herself get covered in mud and water, eagerly expressing her loyalty.
"lady......"
The servant who followed behind had his head down, his tone apologetic, and there was a very obvious bloody tooth mark on his arm.
"Madam, time is running out."
Neil recognized it as the old butler's voice.
As he spoke, he helped drag Anne Toland out.
This only resulted in Annie struggling even more fiercely.
The power of an adult when they really unleash their power should not be underestimated; even two or three people together couldn't drag away this girl who used to seem spoiled and weak.
"No, I don't want to! Auntie, please take me with you! Please, please!"
During this tug-of-war, the Duchess was pulled so hard that she almost fell over.
"Enough!"
Her suppressed anger rang out through the rain.
The butler and the others stopped pulling Annie away. The girl was sobbing, disheveled and half-lying on the ground.
Soaked to the bone and covered in dirt, he looked utterly pitiful.
"She's a young lady we've pampered since childhood, how could she be like this?"
Anne was still sobbing softly, refusing to let go of the Duchess's clothes.
"Take it with you."
"Thank you, Auntie, thank you! I promise I'll be good from now on!"
Once a decision was made, the farce by the carriage quickly came to an end.
The Duchess and her entourage boarded the carriage first, and Anne followed closely behind the Duchess like a puppy afraid of being abandoned again.
However, she was quickly ushered off the carriage and put on another one, along with a lady carrying a suitcase.
Once everyone was on the carriage and settled in, the driver turned off the lights and cracked the whip.
A group of five carriages departed from the world-renowned "Rose Castle" of the Arcanis family under the cover of the rainy night.
Rumble!
The thunder was deafening. By the light of the lightning, Neil could see the carriage moving further and further away and figured it was heading towards the dock.
It was a turbulent time, and the Duchess abandoned the entire Duchess's mansion, including her blood relative Anne Toland, and secretly left under the cover of night.
You don't even need to think about it to know something's wrong.
Neil decided that he must find a chance to leave the Duke's mansion during the day tomorrow and tell Ray everything that happened tonight.
When he crawled out of the bedroom, he didn't think much. Driven by his determination to find out what was happening outside, he rushed out almost mindlessly.
Now, as he prepared to go back and looked at the path on the rooftop again, he belatedly felt a sense of fear.
Fortunately, Neil managed to get back to his bedroom safely.
I was soaked from being outside in the rain for so long, and as soon as I came inside, I sneezed three times.
He took a quick shower, paying special attention to washing his hair.
Ray once said that if you don't wash your hair promptly after getting caught in the rain, you're more likely to get lice, and Neil kept that in mind.
After changing into dry clothes, he went back to bed.
The rain is still falling outside the window. I wonder if tomorrow will be a good day.
Neil had a cold; his head was foggy and his nose was stuffy. He didn't wake up until the valet knocked on the door for a while.
After getting up and changing his clothes, he ate breakfast in the suite's small living room.
"Where is Madam?"
"Madam has not yet woken up."
The servant replied.
It seems they are unaware that Mrs. Toland has already left.
Neil pondered to himself.
"And what about Miss Anne?"
"The young lady hasn't woken up either."
"Okay, you can go now. Wait, I need to go out for a bit."
"Yes, young master, I'll go ask the butler if it's alright."
"Go."
Neil frowned slightly; he remembered hearing the butler's voice last night as well.
He served the family for decades; didn't Mrs. Toland take him with her when she left?
The servant was quick, and Neil returned shortly afterward.
"The butler asked you to stay at the manor. He heard you were ill and has already called a doctor."
Neil looked very annoyed, clearly dissatisfied with the butler's decision.
"Where is he? I'm going to find him."
"First floor lobby."
"good."
Neil stormed downstairs, looking for the housekeeper to demand an explanation.
Upon reaching the ground floor, they saw many knights in armor standing in the hall. The steward had been subdued, along with the manor's servants.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Neil tried to go back upstairs, but was immediately rebuked by the leading knight commander and kept in place.
"Stand still! If you move again, I'll take action."
Neil was helpless and stood still.
"who is he?"
The knight commander asked the butler a question, and the butler gave Neil a deep look.
"Ronan, the heir apparent to the Arcanis family and the lady's adopted son."
The knight smiled and waved his hand. Immediately, two men stepped forward, grabbed Neil, and fastened heavy shackles to his wrists.
"Take it with you."
Neil, along with his steward and a group of the Duchess's confidants, were taken away by the knights. They searched the entire castle but could not find the Duchess.
Neil only learned during his interrogation that they were agents sent by the Privy Council.
He didn't accept his current identity, so when it was his turn to be interrogated, he didn't struggle and directly confessed what he had seen the night before.
"They seemed to have taken a carriage towards the port last night. We might still be able to catch up if we go now."
Because Neil performed well, he didn't suffer much. And because of his status as the "heir apparent," he was assigned a relatively clean single room.
Neil had no idea what fate awaited him and could only pray that Ray would discover what had happened at the Duke's mansion that morning.
The Arcanis family's castle was completely surrounded by Privy Council knights this morning.
News travels fast in the capital, especially now during such turbulent times.
Upon hearing the news, Vincent closed his shop and went there in person to take a look.
Only after confirming the information was correct did he rush back to the manor and tell Ray what had happened.
"The entire castle is surrounded by soldiers. I heard they didn't find the Duchess, but they took the heir away."
"I understand. I'll dismount first. You don't need to rush back. The vegetable shop doesn't need to be open this afternoon."
"yes."
Cher and Vincent unloaded the carriage and found the saddle that hadn't been used in a long time.
After placing the saddle properly, Ray took a long stride and headed straight for Edmund's house.
They happened to run into Edmund, who was also on his way.
"You've heard about what happened?"
Edmund asked, and Ray nodded.
"I've already heard about it."
Where to?
"Go to your place."
"good."
Edmund turned his horse around, and the two went to Edmund's small apartment in the city. There was hardly anyone home, so they went straight to the living room on the first floor.
"What news have you heard?"
Edmund asked Rye.
"The Duke's mansion was besieged, the Duchess escaped, and Neil was arrested by the Privy Council."
“The information is correct.” Edmund took a deep breath. “We’ve made a mess of things and dragged Neil into this.”
"Can the Duchess still be caught?"
Edmund shook his head.
"Not only her, but the entire Toland family left overnight. According to the information we have so far, they chartered a large ship and had been preparing for last night for a long time."
At this moment, Ray and Edmund looked as if they had swallowed flies.
"Let them go. The Arcanis and Toland families are already ruined. Our most important task now is to rescue Neil."
"That's what Lei said."
"Well, I'll go to the Privy Council to inquire about some information. As for you..."
"Let me try to find some connections and think of a solution."
"good."
They split into two groups, met briefly, and then went their separate ways to deal with Neil's situation.
Ray knew that his connections with the White Tower were basically useless in this matter. The only thing he could rely on, besides Edmund's connections, was His Majesty Willard.
He was the king of the entire country, and the Privy Council was directly under his command. For Neil, even taking risks was acceptable.
That evening, Edmund rode to Victor Manor again, bringing Ray the latest news.
"The Toland family had four children. The eldest son, who inherited the title, died on the battlefield. The second daughter married far away and was not implicated. The third daughter, the Duchess, has already escaped."
But this time when they left, they did not take old Toland's youngest son with them.
"And why is that?"
"Ray asked."
"He doesn't want to leave, and now he's imprisoned in a dark cell."
However, he knew virtually nothing about family affairs, and given the prestige he had built up within the church over the years, the Vatican had decided to step in and protect him.
"Naniel?"
"The Arcanis family's butler is insisting that Neil is the family's heir. The instigator has already fled, and it's hard to guarantee that Neil won't be pushed out as a scapegoat to quell public opinion."
"Damn it."
Ray was furious, but he had to remain calm.
I saw Neil today.
Edmund continued.
How is he now?
“We didn’t get to speak, but Neil seems to be alright. I bribed the soldiers guarding him to give Neil an extra blanket tonight.”
"What's wrong with Neil?"
Tata strained his ears, but after listening for a long time, he still couldn't understand what the two were saying.
Lei sighed deeply.
“Neil was framed by bad guys and is now in a dark cell.”
"ah!"
Tata knew what the Black Prison was. He learned about it from Kama and the others' conversation when Grand Duke Eugene was captured.
"The beast is the Earl, can the beast be of any help?"
The little monster stared at Laiyi with its big blue eyes, looking at him expectantly.
Lei rubbed his little head.
Edmund looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression.
"His Majesty bestowed upon Tata a nominal earldom."
"That's what Lei explained," Rye said.
The matter is so outrageous that almost no one knows about it yet.
Edmund's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Is Tata very close to His Majesty?"
"Well, I guess so."
If it were the younger version of Willard making the decision and having the final say, then this matter would actually be easy to resolve.
The problem is that Tata is just His Majesty the Fat Dragon's playmate and companion. Adults shouldn't interfere with the pure friendship of young children.
Ray wasn't quite sure what Willard's attitude was towards Tata after he reverted to his adult form.
"I'll find an opportunity to visit the palace."
Compared to Edmund, Ray has a closer relationship with the royal court and a better chance.
Lei took the initiative to make this request.
"Okay. Thank you for your help, Ray."
"You don't need to be so polite, Neil is also my brother."
The next day, Tata boarded the royal carriage on time.
The little monster's outfit is very different today; the whole beast looks majestic and imposing.
He went to the palace today on a mission, so he attaches great importance to today's operation.
Lei asked Tata to ask his dragon uncle if he could arrange a meeting with Willard in his adult form, as he had some things he wanted to report in person.
Of course, all of these things are related to Neil.
Based on the Privy Council's past efficiency, Ray and Edmund were extremely worried that Neil would be hanged in the market within a few days.
After a long and anxious afternoon of waiting, Tata finally brought back good news.
"Uncle Dragon said yes, tell Lai to get ready tomorrow morning."
"Okay, Tata, you're such a lucky star."
"hey-hey."
The little monster wagged its tail in delight at the praise.
Of course, Edmund also knew everything at the same time.
Early in the morning, Lai took the travel documents that Tata had brought back to the palace.
The dragon instructed Tata to have Lei arrive earlier, and he arrived half an hour earlier than the agreed time.
Edmund waited outside, hoping to get the news as soon as Rye came out after finishing his business.
With the necessary travel documents, Lei was not stopped, but was searched before entering.
Naturally, one couldn't just wander around the palace grounds at will. After he entered, someone led him to the reception room where he had met the chubby dragon version of Willard last time.
There was no one inside, so a servant brought a chair for Ray and told him to wait in the drawing room.
Lai sat obediently on the bench for more than half an hour before finally hearing some noises coming from outside.
The thought of what would happen to Neil if he failed this time made him a little nervous.
The sound of the door opening made Ray's heart skip a beat, but it was the maid who had brought him the chair who entered.
"The adults have arrived."
Lei nodded.
"Thanks."
Lai took out a small bag containing gold coins that he had prepared beforehand.
"Adults don't need to prepare these."
The maid directly refused Lai.
"Lord Tata is very cute."
After praising Tata, the maid quickly left the reception room with her chair.
A few minutes later, two people pushed the door open and entered.
It is Tata's "Uncle Dragon" and Willard, who has returned to human form.
He was dressed in casual clothes, and his deep-set eyes held a pair of animalistic gazes.
In the palace, the elaborate costumes did not make him look overly glamorous; instead, they added a touch of languid charm to his appearance.
Ray felt that Willard looked somewhat more peaceful than when he first met him in Eaton City.
"I remember you, the keeper of magical beasts, the contractor of elementals, Ray Victor."
"What exactly happened? Even Nestor put in a good word for you."
Willard glanced at the dragon standing beside the throne.
"My time is very precious."
Lei steadied himself, organized his thoughts, and explained the situation concisely.
“Neil was also a victim; he was not involved in those things.”
Willard didn't speak, but waved his hand, and a servant came in and led Ray away from the palace.
Ray had too little time to spend with Willard and was unsure of Willard's true feelings.
I don't know how to face Edmund, and I feel very agitated.
"Nestor, what do you think about this?"
Wira's German tone was playful.
Nestor was much more relaxed when it was just the two of them. He crossed his arms and leaned against a pillar.
To be honest, he still prefers the chubby version of Willard.
He would call them uncles and aunts in his broken dragon language, pleading for less schoolwork.
"The Privy Council arrested Neil Victor, not Ronan Alcanis."
Nestor added another sentence.
“Neil Victor has always lived with his brother.”
Willard chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
"How many gold coins did Ray Victor pay you to bribe him?"
"It wasn't me who was bribed. The new food that the king has been enjoying lately is actually food that people are reluctant to eat."
Willard got up and left the reception room.
"Let's go, those old guys are still waiting outside."
Nestor followed him out.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
