1176  An Embodiment of Fear

Oriole peeked from behind the flower-painted curtains that separated the staircase from the main floor. In the dim slit that protected him from being seen, he saw a figure raising a finger at the woman from earlier, wearing nothing but silk robes.

"I was told that I would have Sophia tonight! Why is there a sudden change of plans? What do you mean she is sick?!"

"Most apologies, your highness," said the woman with a heartbroken and sincere expression as she bowed. "But to protect our workers and customers, we cannot allow her to work tonight! Please understand!"

"I call that bulls.h.i.t. In just the span of a few minutes, she is sick with such a disease that I need protection from?!" asked Prince Caleb with rage as he slammed a fist on the table. "Bring her here and I will cure her with my runic cards!"

"It is not a disease of the body, sir, but the soul!" said the woman with a grave expression as she frowned at the prince. "Sophia collapsed while twitching as white foam rose from her mouth! The doctor said that she has been inflicted with a heavenly parasite that devours the givers of life!"

Oriole almost exclaimed in admiration of her well-crafted lie. The prince seemed fearful as he hugged his crotch. After some hesitation, the prince gritted his teeth and raised his hand. A sword appeared out of thin air, which he used to attack the counter.

Boom!

The entire brothel shook as the prince destroyed the counter, while the owner was sent flying with a shriek. His sudden outburst was unusual for Oriole to miss intervening. Without another word, the prince jumped over the demolished counter and aimed for the woman.

"This is for insulting your prince, wh.o.r.e!"

Prince Caleb saw through her lies, and the woman did not know any better than to lie to a seer. The sword swung down toward her face, but it was at that time that Oriole appeared behind the prince. An arrow flew from her sleeve, using his telekinesis, and struck the prince in the neck.

"Guh!" the prince screamed as he touched his neck, losing his balance and falling on the ground like a limp fish. He twitched and turned, but his movements were erratic.

"You are…" muttered the woman with confusion in her disheveled state, looking at Oriole with shock and fear. After seeing him raise a finger to his lips for her to remain silent, the woman did not finish her sentence.

"Caleb, Caleb, Caleb," said Oriole as he took slow and steady steps to crouch beside the prince who lost control over his body. "You cannot attack the hand that feeds you, you insolent dog. Where would you pleasure yourself if you lost one of the few brothels who accept your perversion?"

"…who… are… you…?" asked the prince in a low, confused tone as he glared at Oriole while on the ground. Of course, he would not recognize Oriole who had a lotus mask covering his face.

"I am just a cleaner determined to take out the trash in society," said Oriole before he raised a hand and raised the prince in the air using his telekinesis. After flipping him over, Oriole glanced at his crotch. "The theory is right: every arrogant young master has a micro-p.e.n.i.s."

The insult made the owner choke in laughter, and Caleb was seething with rage. Oriole used his robes to create a burrito out of the prince as his companions rushed from the rooms.

"Who are you?!" shouted one of the guards wearing his heavy armor, his sword drawn. "Release the prince at once, or lose your neck now!"

"And what makes me capture the prince if I just want to release him?" asked Oriole with a smirk as he clenched his fist, and the prince turned blue as he began gagging. "If you don"t lower your weapons, I will crush his b.a.l.l.s!"

As the words echoed in the hall, the guards looked at their prince with ashen faces. He looked like a bluefish with foam leaking from his mouth, making them lower their weapons at the same time. Oriole relaxed his fist, and the prince breathed again.

"Do… as he… says…" said the prince who lost his spirit after experiencing the worst pain known to mankind. "Please… no more…"

"I don"t plan on killing you, Caleb. That is just not my style," said Oriole with a grin as he looked at his guards. "But if that guard of yours uses the runic card behind his back, I swear to G.o.d that I will smash your b.a.l.l.s to nothingness."

"Don"t gamble with my f.u.c.king life, you incompetent b.i.t.c.hes!" roared the prince with rage as he glared at his guards. "I will castrate each and every one of you if something happens to my b.a.l.l.s!"

His fear was genuine as he experienced the feeling earlier. Although the most logical thing was to find a way to save their prince, his outburst made the guards throw away the runic card they planned on using.

"Good boy," said Oriole with a grin as he turned toward the guards. "I know that the king has already seen this, so I will make my demands short. If the Agard Family is not released, the prince loses his manhood and then his life! You have just a week!"

Oriole then took out a runic card from his pocket and activated it. A teleportation circle appeared, alarming the guards as they sprung to motion. Before they could even approach them, Oriole clenched his hand again. The prince screamed, making the guards pause as they remembered the threat. The teleportation then began.

"You have just a week, lads! Tell your king that if he doesn"t release the Agard Family, my torture of his prince will begin!"

As they heard the words, the guards decided to disobey their prince and rush forward. However, Oriole and the prince disappeared from their place, not leaving a single trace behind.

These guards came to this brothel under their prince"s wishes, so none of them calculated getting a chasing runic card to teleport after the two. However, even if they did, their prince was already a hostage!

As for the prince and Oriole, they teleported out of Yalen. Oriole had a cabin in the wilderness that he prepared to avoid the seer guardian. The chamber that he teleported to was filled with s.p.a.ce-locking arrays that prevented anyone from teleporting here except him.

As the prince looked at the calm and collected kidnapper, he realized how screwed he was. This man would do anything to get what he wanted, and that was the utter definition of fear.

16:56

"I thought this would be my escape route," said Oriole with a smile as he adjusted his clothes, the prince sprawled on the ground. "Thank you for being an excellent hostage, Caleb. If you weren"t such a coward, then you might have survived."

"Who are you… b.a.s.t.a.r.d…" muttered the prince as he raised his eyes to look at Oriole. "And what the f.u.c.k did you do to my body?"

"The strongest tranquilizer ever known to mankind, engineered by me, the greatest alchemist to ever live," said Oriole with a grin as he crouched beside the prince. "You can no longer move or use mana, dear prince. I cloned myself before, so creating this tranquilizer was a piece of cake."

"You will never get away with this!" said the prince with gnashed teeth. "Since I can talk now, the tranquilizer is already wearing off! Prepare for death, b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"

"You are really dense, huh?" muttered Oriole with raised brows as he walked toward the wall and pulled the handle. Lights turned on to reveal his workshop, filled to the brim with runes and alchemy. "The arrow struck your jugular vein, releasing the chemicals straight to your heart. It took one beat for your entire body to be paralyzed, but your head has been spared because of that."

"…"

"You will be nothing but a talking head for at least a month, Caleb."

"…"

"How about you start being polite to the man who could do anything to you?" asked Oriole with a grin that sent shivers down the prince"s spine. "Answer me."

The prince looked at him with shaky pupils before gulping down. Then, his spirit was broken once again as he realized that Oriole had total control over his body until he is saved. "Yessir."

"Good boy," said Oriole as he walked toward Caleb and raised him using telekinesis. "I hated you ever since you walked around in Jerano. My friend told me all about your misdeeds and how you treated the poor Miss Emma. Since we have a week until your fate is decided, I will have you spill the beans about her whereabouts."

"...you were a student in Jerano?" asked the prince with a squint as he tried to recognize Oriole, but failed. The mask hid both his face and voice.

"A student, teacher, or just a worker. It doesn"t matter who I am. What matters is what I want, Caleb. I want to save Miss Emma even if it means dissecting every organ in your body. I am quite good at that, you see. Please cooperate so that we wouldn"t reach that stage."

As the prince looked at the calm and collected kidnapper, he realized how screwed he was. This man would do anything to get what he wanted, and that was the utter definition of fear.