Chapter 413
Ray’s voice carried the sorrow of a man utterly alone. He was not reconciled; he was so unwilling.
He thought, “Why every time at the last critical moment, would Xander come out and interfere? If it weren’t for him, I would have eloped with Athena by now.”
Xander’s eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly. “Ray, it was your own ambition that led you astray. Athena is innocent. She bears such a big crime for your rebellion. It was your ambition that harmed you, and it has nothing to do with others.”
“You’re talking nonsense. That’s not how it is at all.” Ray roared, but his eyes were wandering.
‘No, that’s not how it is. All my ambition is because of Athena,’ he thought.
Xander snorted coldly. “If you really cared about Athena, how could you let her marry into the Xander Manor? Don’t say you didn’t have the ability. If you wanted to, you could have stopped her, but you didn’t. Aren’t you just afraid of losing the power you had in your hands? Speaking of which, you love power more than anyone else. Ray, you are a selfish, pathetic wretch.”
Ray shook his head randomly. “No, that’s not right. That’s not how it is.”
He didn’t think he was such a person. He loved Athena.
Xander took a step forward and looked at him coldly. “I can give up the power in my hands, even the wealth and glory, for Athena. Do you dare?”
Ray choked suddenly. He hesitated for a moment before replying. “I do.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” Xander chuckled softly, “I’m not stealing what isn’t mine. I’ve given you countless opportunities, but every time, you put Athena in danger. I even thought about letting you two be together, but you simply couldn’t protect her. You’ve been blinded by hatred. Athena is just an excuse for you to climb higher. You still dare to say you truly love her? If you truly loved her, you would have taken her far away. How could you just watch her suffer in Pidence City?”
Ray was rendered speechless. He opened his mouth and looked at Athena in anguish, shaking his head slowly. “No, it’s not like that.”
But aside from repeating these words, he had nothing else to refute.
Athena felt a mix of emotions. She took a deep breath and was about to speak when she saw Ray suddenly break free from Xander’s hold and lunge toward the long sword on the ground.
“Be careful!” Athena exclaimed.
Xander was prepared and reacted quickly, kicking the long sword far away. At the same time, he slapped Ray in the chest with a backhand.
Ray flew out, crashing heavily into a tree trunk. A fishy sweetness surged in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He struggled to get up, but his whole body was exhausted. He could only slump on the ground, his eyes filled with despair as he looked at Athena.
“Athena, no, that’s not what I meant,” he said.
Athena turned her face away, no longer looking into his eyes. “Ray, whatever happens next, you brought it on yourself. I’ve already shown you more mercy than you ever deserved.”
She was clearly filled with hatred when she said this. Xander only showed mercy to Ray for her sake, but Athena didn’t allow him to kill Ray.
“Men, take him away,” Xander ordered coldly.
Ray looked at Athena in despair and burst into a desperate cry, “Athena, Athena…”
But Athena no longer looked at him and turned to enter the carriage. Just then, a flare exploded in the sky.
A sound of fighting and killing came from the distance, and a team of well-equipped soldiers rushed towards them. At the same time, countless fireballs exploded on the ground.
Almost simultaneously, Xander lunged at Athena, holding her tightly under the carriage. Explosions rang out incessantly.
Several dark figures suddenly jumped down from the canopies on both sides, moving as fast as ghosts. They were dressed in black outfits, their faces covered with black cloth, and the daggers in their hands gleamed in the moonlight, instantly surrounding Ray.
The leader bent down, hoisted Ray onto his shoulder, gestured, and the whole team quickly retreated as if merging into a drop of ink. By the time the noise subsided, Ray was gone.
“Chase them!” Xander growled and took out a whistle from his arms and blew it. The sharp whistle cut through the night sky. A moment later, several black-clad knights rode out, chasing in the direction where the dark figures disappeared.
However, those black-clad men were truly strange in their movements, and they had come prepared. After leaving the city, they plunged into the dense forest and disappeared completely into the thick shadows of the trees.
The soldiers chased to a fork in the road and, faced with three paths covered by fallen leaves, had no choice but to rein in their horses and stop.
“Your Grace, we’ve lost them,” Ansel dismounted, kneeling on one knee to report.
Xander reined in his horse, and the carriage stopped behind him. He looked in the direction where the dark figure had disappeared, his fingers rubbing heavily on the handle of his riding crop.
These people were by no means ordinary outlaws; their movements were coordinated, and they were clearly well-trained assassins. Ray actually had such a force hidden behind him.
“Withdraw,” Xander’s voice was as cold as the winter wind in the forest. If they continued to chase, there might be an ambush.
“Your Grace, what should we do? Ray must have escaped to Ramberg. How will we explain this to the King if he asks?” Ansel asked with some concern.
Xander sighed softly, his eyes filled with worry. “The world is afraid to be in chaos.”
Xander safely returned to Pidence City with Athena. After settling her down, he hurried into the palace. He didn’t return to the manor until almost dawn.
These days, Alexandra had been with Athena, who had been frightened by this incident. She didn’t relax until the doctor said that Athena was fine and the fetus was safe, but she looked hesitant to speak when she left.
Athena knew what she wanted to ask, so she said, “If you have something to say, just say it directly.”
“Forget it. It’s nothing.” Alexandra didn’t say anything after all; she just told Athena to take good care of herself and then left.
After leaving the courtyard, her face sank. “The rumors outside must not be spread to the Princess Consort. If there are gossiping women, just deal with them.”
Athena was taken away for many days, and rumors spread in Pidence City, saying that she eloped with Ray, and some said that she cuckolded Xander. Nasty words were splashed at Athena.
Alexandra knew Athena’s character and of course believed her, but she couldn’t stand some people deliberately fueling the flames. Everyone wanted to see the joke of the Xander Manor, wishing Athena could step on it a couple of times. She dared not say such nasty things to Athena.
Xander left early and returned late, often out of sight. Every day, he entered the palace before dawn and didn’t return until midnight. Previously, Athena had been waiting for him every night, and Xander didn’t want her to work so hard, so he stayed in the palace. He had someone send a message to Athena, telling her to go to bed early.
Half a month later, an urgent report came from Ramberg. Ray had already established himself as King in Ramberg, with the country name ‘Virelda’. He also widely issued a battle declaration, claiming to overthrow Petanion, saying that Arthur’s throne was not justified.
Arthur smashed the table on the spot out of anger, and he paced back and forth in the hall like a beast. “If I had known this would happen, I should have killed Ray to avoid future troubles.” He fed Ray’s ambition bit by bit.