In Blade's City, within the lord's castle, the atmosphere was incredibly oppressive. Santner, a prince of the Valtoria Kingdom, felt like killing someone.
"Tell me, what about that Swiftwind Bandit Group?" Santner toyed with his fingers, his voice cold. "Don't tell me that after all this time, you still haven't found them?"
"Your Highness, it's as if the Swiftwind Bandit Group doesn't exist. We've inquired for a long time and haven't found anyone. Even the Bounty Hunter's Guild has no information on them," Karl said cautiously, kneeling on the floor.
"Not even the Bounty Hunter's Guild has any information?" Santner's eyes narrowed slightly as he fell into thought.
The intelligence of the Bounty Hunter's Guild was the most comprehensive in the world. If even they had no news of this Swiftwind Bandit Group, it meant one of two things: either they were exceptionally well-hidden, or the name of the bandit group was fake.
"Your Highness, despite the large bounty you offered, no one has been able to find that bandit group. This subordinate suspects that the Swiftwind Bandit Group..." Karl trailed off, unable to continue. After all, he was the one who had brought back the initial intelligence.
"Are you trying to say the Swiftwind Bandit Group is fake?" Santner's eyes narrowed, his tone chilling. "After all this time, you're telling me now that it's fake?"
"This subordinate deserves death, deserves death..." Karl said bitterly, knocking his head on the floor with loud thuds until blood started to flow.
Thump, thump, thump... Santner tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair, his eyes filled with killing intent. After months of work, he was now being told they had been going in the wrong direction.
The treasure of the Valtoria Kingdom, left behind by the king, felt farther and farther away. He had only found one piece of the treasure map, with three others still missing. When would he ever obtain the treasure?
"And is there still no news of Perry?" Santner asked coldly.
"N-No." Karl paused, shaking his dizzy head. His face was covered in blood, but the pain cleared his thoughts and he quickly corrected himself, "No, there is a small piece of information about the Grand Princess. She was reportedly seen on the Sahara Great Plains."
"The Great Plains?" Santner's tapping fingers paused. He knew of those plains, and it was precisely because he knew of them that his expression turned ugly. The plains were vast.
"Yes, but it's intelligence from a few years ago," Karl added carefully.
"You..." Santner was infuriated. He opened his mouth, about to order the man to be dragged out and beheaded.
"Your Highness, Your Highness..."
Suddenly, a shout came from outside the hall.
"Let him in," Santner said, changing his mind with a frown as he glanced at the pathetic Karl.
"Yes." The guard knight immediately went out to relay the message.
Thump, thump, thump...
The sound of hurried footsteps approached, and a jackal beastkin ran in. He dropped to one knee, performed a salute, and shouted, "Your Highness, we've found Princess Annie."
"Oh?" Santner's narrowed eyes snapped open, shining with a sharp light. "Where? Where is she?" He urged.
"Sedona City! She is in Sedona City," The jackal shouted. "This subordinate heard someone mention Princess Annie's name, and that she was a fox-kin. This subordinate felt it was too much of a coincidence and requests Your Highness's judgment."
"Hahahaha..." Santner laughed loudly, his voice turning glacial. "A coincidence? No, it's that bitch. I have a feeling it's that bitch."
"Your Highness, Sedona City is not far from here. Please allow this subordinate to atone for my crimes. I will lead men to bring Princess Annie back," Karl shouted.
"Granted. Take two hundred beastkin knights. I want the treasure map," Santner commanded with a grand wave of his hand, his voice booming with authority. "If there's no treasure map, bring that woman back to me anyway. That Perry should be willing to trade a piece of the treasure map for that fox girl."
"Yes!" Karl said respectfully.
"Your Highness, I... I have something to say," The jackal beastkin hurriedly interjected.
"What is it?" Santner frowned, hating to be interrupted.
"Your Highness, this Sedona City is not simple," The jackal said, recalling the intelligence he had gathered. "Sedona City has many knights, and their equipment is excellent. They once killed two or three hundred knights."
"Are you saying that our beastkin warriors can't defeat a minor human noble?" Santner's tone was calm, but the killing intent in his eyes was about to overflow.
"No, that's not it," The jackal waved his hands frantically, shouting in desperation, "This subordinate believes it would expose our position and make the other human lords suspect us, leading them to unite and besiege us."
He didn't dare say that beastkin were inferior to humans. If he did, he would likely be dragged out and executed on the spot.
"Hmm? That's a valid point." Santner paused. He had to admit, the reasoning was sound. They couldn't expose their identities before they found the treasure, or they would be swarmed by the humans.
"Your Highness, this subordinate believes we could use kidnapping," The jackal said fawningly.
"Karl, you arrange it." Santner looked at Karl, his voice cold. "If you fail this time, you will bring me your head."
"Yes." Karl said respectfully. He shuffled backward a few steps on his knees before finally getting up to leave.
The moment he turned, he breathed a sigh of relief. He had survived again. Thanks to that jackal, he would assign him to this mission with him.
Santner watched Karl's retreating figure, making a grasping motion with his hand and sneering, "Annie, you won't escape the palm of my hand."
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