Chapter 406: Meeting an Old Friend Again
Early morning.
Alina met her brother Alers in the study.
Ales was brought here by Cassian, but Cassian left after taking him to the study. As the chief of spies, Cassian deeply understood that there were some things that he must not know, because once he knew them, his life might be in danger.
There seemed to be no one else in the study except the two siblings.
"Luciana, we haven't seen each other for several years..."
Als was a very handsome young man with stubble on his upper lip, looking a little decadent.
The voice was gentle and low, but with a slight rustling sound like metallic friction.
"Yes... dear brother, you look different than before... is sister-in-law okay?"
Alina kept looking at Alers. She was sure that this man was indeed her biological brother, but for some reason, she always felt a sense of strangeness.
This wasn't the alienation caused by not seeing each other for a few years, but the subconscious reaction that one would have when seeing a complete stranger.
"She's not well... She's sick, very sick."
Hearing Alina mention her lover, Alers' mood suddenly became extremely low: "I came here to save her."
"My sister-in-law is sick. You should go to Boshi City to find the Knights of the Radiant Cross, right? What's wrong with her? Is there anyone in Dilingang who can save her?"
Alina asked, somewhat confused.
"Ordinary doctors can't cure her illness... It's a curse. To lift the curse, I must get your help..."
Ales looked around, then took two steps closer to Alinda, and his voice became lighter: "Luciana, I heard that His Majesty Marius asked you to succeed him as the emperor of the empire before his death, but why didn't you wear the crown?"
"His Majesty Marius's funeral has not yet been held, and the people from the Senate have not yet arrived. I am only one of the candidates that the Senate will publicly nominate, and I am not yet qualified to wear the laurel wreath...Ales, we are family, you should just tell me directly, what kind of help do you want?"
Alina took a step back, an uneasy smile on her face.
"...Then I'll just say it directly. I need the blood of the emperor..."
Ales looked at Alina quietly for a while, then nodded and said, "But I'm not sure if your blood will work..."
Alina's face turned pale all of a sudden.
She didn't expect that what happened to Kairos' family would also happen to her own family!
"...Ales, did you encounter the Snake Cult? You have information about the Vipers, you should know what Kairos and Antonius did... The blood of the king and the blood of the elves, it's all a scam! You should know that!!"
Alina looked at Ales sadly, but found that no matter what she said, Ales had no expression and still looked at her quietly.
"Luciana, I know this is a scam."
Ares nodded, with a helpless smile on his face: "I also know what the consequences will be... I know that Kairos and Antonius have become vampires. I also know that this is a conspiracy of the Snake Cult to provoke a war... But this is indeed the only way to save her. Even if she has to suck blood to survive in the future, even if she must eat the blood of the Noldor elves every day to survive in the future - but I must at least save her first before we can talk about the future!"
Indeed, whether or not the lover will become a vampire, it is better than death...
"So, you planted spies around me just to get my blood?! But I'm your sister, your biological sister! We are family! How dare you..."
Alina looked at Alers, her eyes becoming more and more sad.
In order to save his son and family, Kairos took a basin of Emperor Marius' blood and triggered a war between humans and elves. This is understandable because most fathers would probably make such a choice when faced with the same situation.
But now, the deeds of Kairos and Antonius have been made public, and the heads of them are still hanging outside the Shieldwind Fortress. Many people have learned about the Snake Cult's tactics.
And Alles himself is an insider. He has been distributing intelligence within the Viper organization and he knows that this is a scam .
Besides, Marius and Kairos had different political views and there was no emotional relationship between them. It was normal for Kairos to take Marius' blood to make medicine to save his son.
But Alina and Alers are siblings...
"Sister, I did plant someone next to you, but it wasn't to take your blood... I'm not crazy enough to hurt my own sister."
Ales shook his head gently: "There is only one king in Dilin Port now. I just want to arrange people to be with Leon..."
"So what are you going to do?"
The sadness in Alina's eyes deepened. She looked at Alers and asked weakly.
She knew that the reason why Ales didn't attack her was not because of family affection, but because she was not yet an emperor...
If I had worn Emperor Marius's golden crown with laurel and wheat ears, I would probably be bedridden from excessive blood loss.
"Of course, it's to get Leon's blood... You had an argument with him this afternoon, right? I know he made some rude requests to you..."
Alles took out a small bottle from his arms: "I can help you deal with him..."
"You probably don't know the current situation of the empire. If Leon dies here, the empire will not be able to withstand the revenge of the New Pendor Kingdom..."
Alina sighed and subconsciously glanced at the screen on the side of the study.
"My sister, I don't intend to kill Leon, I just need his blood."
Ales took another step closer to the girl and handed the bottle to Alina: "That kind of lecher is actually very easy to deal with... You just need to bring this bottle to him and let him drink it."
"What's in the bottle? Aphrodisiac or snake heart stone? This kind of thing can't deal with Leon's people."
Alina did not reach for the bottle.
"Neither. This is a treasure that all kings seek. Leon will definitely be interested... This is the elixir of life."
Ales shook his head, a strange smile appeared on his face: "Leon is a suspicious person. He never eats other people's food except his guards and his wife... But he should not be on guard against you. Doesn't he want to get you? With your beauty, you just need to wear less, pretend to cater to him, and let him drink a glass of wine with you. This should be easy, right?"
"You'd better tell me the truth, Ales. What is the effect of this so-called elixir of life? If it is really a treasure, why don't you use it to save your sister-in-law?"
Alina looked at the small bottle in Alers' hand and asked.
"...Okay, I'll tell you the truth, sister. This is the water of the Styx (note), not poison. It can wash away the mortal part of a person and make him or her as powerful as a god..."
Ales gently placed the bottle on the table. "But at the same time, it can also make people crazy and violent. You should know the former mad king of Sarleon Kingdom, right? He drank this."
"You want to drive Leon crazy?"
Alina felt something was a little strange: "If the purpose was just to take his blood, there was no need to drive him crazy, right?"
"Of course it's not just to make him crazy... Sister, he is bullying you, I plan to castrate him while he loses his mind! Moreover, if he doesn't go crazy, do you think the current Bacchus Empire can deal with him? He dares to force you like this today, what about the future?"
Alles shook his head and smiled: "You are not really planning to succumb to that lecher Leon, and then use the entire Bacchus Empire as a dowry? Neither His Majesty Marius nor my father would want to see the empire fall..."
Alina pondered and said nothing, but a strange look appeared in her eyes, and she subconsciously glanced at the screen on the side again.
"Bacchus still has its strength. If you can drive Leon crazy, the Bacchus Empire will eventually dominate the entire continent, and you will become the only empress on the entire continent... and you have a good relationship with the Queen of the Noldor. As long as Leon loses control, the Noldor elves will definitely submit to you... Luciana, I don't need power. I just want you to be the ruler of the entire continent - in this way, no matter what your sister-in-law becomes, I can let her live."
Ales took another step closer to Alina, looking quite sincere: "Luciana, don't mention the Senate's nomination. You are indeed just one of the candidates nominated by the Senate, but I know that the five speakers of the Senate will only nominate you..."
"Let me think about it..."
Alina sat down and looked at the bottle on the table in thought for a while.
Alers also sat on the chair, waiting for Alina to make a decision.
"Actually, you want me to be killed by Leon, right?"
Alina suddenly asked faintly.
"Ah? No...you are my sister...how could I..."
This sudden question probably caught Alles off guard. He stood up in a panic, shaking his head.
"I've seen someone who drank this stuff. He did become extremely powerful, but he lost consciousness and killed the person who gave him the drug... You learned from your men that I was trying to form a truce with the New Pendor Kingdom, and you also knew that Leon was taking the opportunity to coerce me. You thought this was a good opportunity, so you planned to let me give Leon the water of the Styx - and then I would be killed by the crazy Leon, and even more terrible things might happen."
Alina stood up, with obvious sarcasm on her face: "...If I die in Leon's hands, who do you plan to make the emperor of the Bacchus Empire? You yourself?"
"No…what are you talking about, Luciana?"
Ales shook his head in panic: "Don't let your imagination run wild. You know, I have no interest in power, and I don't have the ability to arbitrarily designate the emperor of the empire..."
"Yes, my brother really has no interest in power..."
Alina took another step back and leaned against the bookshelf. "But you are not Ales! Tell the truth, who are you?"
Ales was stunned, then shook his head and smiled: "Luciana, what ?"
"Humph... How could a brother let his own sister risk her life to seduce someone else?"
Alina pulled out a sword from the bookshelf behind her and pointed it at Ales: "Who are you?"
"I didn't expect you to be on guard against even your own brother. You are indeed the one who will become the queen... But do you think you can handle me?"
Alles no longer pretended, and sneered, "You know nothing about the power of the gods..."
His voice was completely different now. It had become quite sharp, and just listening to it made one feel a tingling pain.
As soon as she finished speaking, Alina felt dizzy.
She saw herself in a huge library with shelves filled with all kinds of books, all of which she had never seen before.
Then, she walked out of the library, and her clothes turned into a cloud-like wedding dress; she saw a rain of petals falling, and she herself was sitting in an exquisite carriage, slowly moving forward towards the rising sun, with a knight in a gorgeous costume in front of the carriage.
The roads were lined with cheering people, holding all kinds of food and fine wine, and everyone's face was filled with happy smiles.
Alina fell into these dreamlike scenes almost instantly - they were all what she wanted... She was the one who arranged Leon's wedding, and of course she arranged it according to the perfect scene in her mind.
The knight in front of the carriage was wearing an extremely gorgeous crown on his head and turned around and smiled at her.
But unfortunately, before she could see the groom's face clearly, she was awakened from her beautiful dream by a cry of "Die!"
That was Wendy's voice, clear and pleasant, but full of murderous intent.
When Alina opened her eyes again, Wendy had already put the sword on Alers' neck.
"You're such a bullshit god, Kavala? You're actually using soul magic like Aigrim's now?! It looks like you've completely fallen into an evil spirit of the abyss..."
Wendy said sarcastically, then turned to look, "Alina, are you okay?"
"fine……"
Alina was still thinking about the dream she had just had.
What a pity, I was just a little bit away from seeing that person's face...
But once Wendy, the humanoid Forbidden Magic Tower, appeared, all illusions disappeared...
"He is not Kavala... Kavala is no longer able to occupy another person's body. This is an evil spirit that has not entered the abyss. I have a rough idea of who he is..."
The screen on the side of the study was lifted, and Li Ang walked out slowly.
Then, the bookshelf behind Alina was pulled open, and her captain of the guard, Brutus, came out with a group of guards and began to tie up Alers.
"Leon! Luciana! You! You actually…"
Ales looked at Leon in horror, perhaps beginning to doubt his life.
"We are actually working together to deceive people, right? Alina and I have been partners for many years..."
Li Ang sneered: "Actually, I thought you would do something with those two maids, but I didn't expect them to be so obedient, so I had no choice but to come to Alina's place and wait for you..."
"Leon, who is he?"
Wendy put away her sword and handed Ales to Brutus.
"Malbert...it should be you, right? Come on, tell me, how did you hook up with Kavala?"
Li Ang sat on Alina's chair - his injuries had not yet healed and it was not very convenient for him to move. He ran to Alina's side mainly for safety... Unexpectedly, the enemy did not go to him, but came to Alina first.
Alina lowered her head and stopped looking at Alers. Instead, she retreated to the side of the bookshelf and leaned against it weakly.
She is crying.
Only now could she show the sadness of her loss.
Her brother had died at some point, but she and her father never knew...
Wendy sighed, walked forward, hugged Alina, put her head on her shoulder, and let Alina's tears fall onto her chest.
