The Lord Of Blood Hill

Without a doubt, the secrets the Marquess of Nothing reveals are crucial intelligence for Henwell.

After thinking for a moment, Henwell says, “Money and status……I don’t think you need those. Extraordinary treasures might be more valuable to you. I have connections in the Western Federation. You can tell me what extraordinary treasure you want, and I’ll help you find it. Of course, if it’s something especially rare, I can only do my best.”

The Marquess of Nothing chuckles, “Heh heh… Henwell, don’t worry. I won’t ask for anything excessive. What I want, you definitely have, it’s just a matter of whether you’re willing to give it to me. But I believe you’re a man who keeps his promises.”

Henwell jokes back, “You’re not asking for my life, are you?”

The Marquess shakes his head, “Of course not! I just need your help. I need you to kill someone for me.”

Henwell frowns, “That depends on who you want me to kill.”

The Marquess speaks softly, “I want you to kill Ulysses.”

“What?!”

Henwell is stunned for a moment. “You want me to kill who? Ulysses? Your king?”

The Marquess of Nothing asks, “Why? Can’t you do it?”

Henwell scratches his head, “It’s not about whether I can or can’t. It’s just… well, how should I put it? This request really surprises me. You’re royalty, why would you want to kill him? It doesn’t make sense. If he dies now, Billie will plunge straight into civil war. Are you planning to seize the throne?”

The Marquess removes his mask, revealing a face disfigured as if corroded, truly unsettling.

Ruper and the two guards look shocked; they’ve never seen the Marquess’s true face before.

Pointing to his face, the Marquess sneers, “Do you think a face like this can lead a kingdom from the throne? And wearing a mask? Impossible. The kingdom doesn’t need a king who hides behind a mask.”

“I want to kill Ulysses simply because he should be dead already, instead of struggling on like this. A king should rule and lead thousands of subjects, not a puppet controlled by a dark organization.”

“His last stand has failed. He should calmly accept his fate and pass on the throne. Our era is over. There’s no need to live a half-life, neither fully human nor ghost.”

At this, a trace of sorrow flickers in the Marquess’s eyes. “Many know I’m of royal blood, but don’t know who exactly. My name is Lepal Celtic. I’m a member of the Celtic family, and Ulysses’s own brother.”

Henwell recalls what he knows about the Celtic family. There is indeed a royal member named Lepal.

He is Ulysses’s full brother; together, they seized the throne.

But Lepal dislikes power and is instead deeply devoted to cultivation.

Officially, Lepal is the commander of the Billie Kingdom’s Knights, but he rarely interferes in their affairs.

Moreover, Lepal’s talent is exceptional, he’s one of the top experts of his generation.

Rumor has it that Lepal tragically died in that massive mountain flood.

No one expected he was still alive and had transformed into the Marquess of Nothing, secretly protecting the kingdom from the shadows.

The Marquess of Nothing continues, “Henwell, I need your help. I want you to kill Ulysses and free Billie from Veil’s control.”

Henwell frowns. “Sorry, I can’t find any reason to agree to this. What you said makes sense, but it’s not enough for me to take this risk. The title of regicide is something I can’t bear!”

The Marquess shakes his head. “No, you won’t bear that name. Don’t worry, we won’t hold you accountable afterward. It will be the Paladins of the Holy Spirit Church who personally escort the poor king, tormented and controlled by Veil, not the lord of Blood Hill from Peace Haven.”

“You act in the name of the church, not as an individual. That’s church protocol, you can ask them yourself, I won’t lie to you. The church made an agreement with our ancestors: once a kingdom’s royal family falls into corruption, the church will correct that mistake. If Ulysses continues down this path, our Celtic family will lose its legitimate rule over Billie.”

“This is not a trap. Whether it’s for the continuation of the Celtic family or to allow my brother a dignified end, I need you to do this. He is the king and should not die at the hands of an unknown assassin. And you, Henwell, the lord of Blood Hill from Peace Haven, are destined to be a king in the future. A king should be the one to send off a king.”

Henwell thinks it over carefully but still feels uneasy. This matter is too complicated to handle alone.

He dares not make such a decision privately. If he takes action, countless troubles will follow.

No matter whether Ulysses is corrupt or not, the royal families of other nations will only see Henwell executing a king under the church’s name.

That’s a serious issue. No one can guarantee Henwell won’t use the church’s authority to settle personal scores.

When that happens, vigilance toward Henwell, including from Vorry, will reach unprecedented levels.

Seeing Henwell’s refusal, the Marquess of Nothing presses on, “Henwell! If you don’t intervene now, Billie will face a major crisis. Is a Billie kingdom controlled by Veil really good for you? Besides, I have a secret to tell you, once you hear it, you’ll change your mind.”

Then the Marquess orders the guards and Ruper to leave, wanting to speak with Henwell alone.

Left alone with the Marquess, Henwell raises his guard, ready to defend against any sudden attack.

But the Marquess does nothing violent. Instead, he slowly begins, “Henwell, you came to rescue that girl Catherine, didn’t you? Don’t deny it. You don’t really serve the church. I’ve seen that look in your eyes before. Over twenty years ago, my brother Ulysses had the same look, confident and ambitious.”

“People like you never bow to anyone. You spend your life chasing power. So you’re not here because of the church’s mission to strike Veil. You have bigger plans. Like rescuing Catherine, whether she becomes your ally or your wife, either way, it’s better than her being eliminated.”

Henwell replies, “I already have a wife.”

The Marquess chuckles softly. “Heh heh… Henwell, you don’t understand. You’re a strong man, destined to be a king. On this continent, strong men and kings often have many wives. Because your kind live long lives, and in the pursuit of power, you need alliances. Marriage is the best kind of alliance. Whether Catherine becomes the Rose Queen or the War Rose Princess, she will help you achieve your great ambitions.”