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But Ricky raised one finger again.

"But you need to understand, this is just out the consideration of reality. Regardless of which party first achieves their goal, the other party would be in trouble, so our only option is to work together."

He stared at Stake silently, and then at Lasalle.

"Other than that, this does not indicate that we have sided with you, be it me or my brothers. The scions outside the tower all have their own creed and beliefs, they even have their own way of surviving, they also don’t recognize any theories about relying on power or any of the sort. If Lampard or you think that you could use the feud we have with the Constellation to force us to take a side..."

Ricky’s tone turned cold.

"Then you made a mistake."

Masked Man said with a huff, "A grave mistake."

The lights in the tavern swayed again.

They illuminated the extremely stern expression on Ricky’s face.

Stake took a deep breath. His smile was incredibly bright. "I guess we have a happy working relationship now?"

Ricky looked at him for a while, then he curled his lips.

"It is so."

In the next second, the mercenaries all let out a breath, and they became energetic again, as if their leader’s words had enlivened the atmosphere.

Stake said with his face beaming in joy, "Then let’s take action. Let’s start with the prince."

At that moment, Thales began cursing in his heart.

Shadow Shield, Disaster Sword, King Chapman. All three parties formed a union.

’The target is... me.

’This is not good.

’Especially when I am currently right under their noses.

’And I have no one to help me either.’

In the tavern, the three originally conflicted parties sat down together to discuss their plans.

"So, you want to look for a prince who was originally in your hands, but once again escaped from your control," Ricky sighed. "Is it that hard?"

Lasalle let out an angry snort.

"Is it that hard?" the former tavernon of Eckstedt sarcastically repeated his question.

"Over the past three months..."

Lasalle angrily tightened his fists.

"For that stupid prince, the Secret Room and the Secret Intelligence Department fought violently and continuously at the borders. There were deaths everywhere.

"King Chapman suffered heavy casualties within and beyond the country. They are covered in dust, and they look incredibly pathetic.

"Dragon Clouds City, the City of Faraway Prayers, and the Great Desert is in chaos, the troops are in disarray.

"Even the people from Shadow Shield suffered heavy casualties. They even had one of their strongholds in the Great Desert destroyed by orcs who mysteriously appeared."

Upon hearing this, Stake revealed a bitter smile.

Thales, however, felt a chill in his heart.

’Over the past three months...’

Lasalle wrapped his arms over his chest, and retorted maliciously, "Now, do you still think that it’s easy?"

Ricky hummed softly, then he looked at Klein and Masked Man.

"What we want is the Prison of Bones, or shall I say, what we want are the people locked underneath," Masked Man said in a composed manner, "We will execute our plan around the break of dawn. Our people will enter the prison through My Home’s supply caravan."

The tavern owner Tampa pulled a long face in his face, and lied faced down on the table.

"Very good, let us see what we can do..." Stake said while stroking his chin.

"No." Lasalle rejected this plan firmly while he remained seated across Ricky.

"Thales Jadestar has not been found, and once you infiltrate the Prison of Bones, you will alarm the camp."

Thales groaned in his heart, but he had to focus and listen to their discussions attentively while he tried to find a chance to get out of this situation.

"You need to delay the execution of your plan by one day or two days, until we know the whereabouts of the prince. We have to plan this well and work together, then carry out our plan step by step," Lasalle said through gritted teeth.

But Klein shook his head.

"It’s impossible," Klein said in a manner that allowed no refusal, "We are already at a point of no return. We must set off at the break of dawn unless we could force this owner to operate his tavern another day while pretending as if nothing happened."

An idea came to Tampa, he immediately opened his mouth. "Allow me to speak, I have no problem with that, I could definitely play my role well, as long as you release..."

But Lasalle interrupted him.

"Prince Thales must be sent to the Archduke of Black Sand Region, or else we can forget about negotiations." In this regard, he was very persistent.

Klein wanted to speak again, but Stake spoke up at this moment, "Everyone...

"If we want to work together, then we need to show some understanding towards one another," the representative of the Shadow Shield advised both sides amicably, "Especially since there is still some time before the breaking of dawn. I think, we should be getting news about the prince soon."

Ricky’s expression turned cold.

"How should I put this?"

Stake revealed a crafty smile, "We have moles, if Blade Fangs Camp learns the whereabouts of the prince, we should be able to know about it soon as well."

"Mole?" Ricky frowned.

"You better make yourself clear about this, we do not want to risk such a massive operation based on such an unclear promise."

Stake exhaled, then looked around the tavern at the mercenaries.

But Ricky did not have any intention in asking his subordinates to leave.

In the end, Stake could only raise his eyebrows, and lowered his volume with a mysterious gaze, then told them the secret,

"We have a mole in there, in Williams’’freak squad’."

Once this was said, the people in the tavern were all stunned.

Even Thales was horrified.

"The Psionics ’freak squad’ who were released from the Prison of Bones?"

Masked Man’s tone was filled with skepticism, "Those bastards... are they reliable?"

Stake shrugged.

"Of course, it is reliable. Our mole is one of Williams’ most trusted leaders, our source of information is definitely trustworthy."

Ricky raised his eyebrows. "Williams’ men... could you guarantee his loyalty?"

Stake took two steps forward and revealed a cold smile.

"In truth, we do not need his loyalty, because he still relies on us to be able to make a fortune so that he can help treat a genetic disease his daughter and wife share. We only need his loyalty to his family."

"You relied on that to put pressure on him?"

Lasalle frowned and said, "Once he breaks free from our control..."

Stake stretched out a finger, then swung it in the air.

"Of course, it’s not limited to this," Stake said coldly, "You have to know, we need to secretly and consistently poison his wife and daughter, that also exhausts money too."

The meaning in his words brought chills to everyone’s hearts.

"Despicable." Masked Man commented disdainfully.

Stake bowed slightly.

"Thank you," he said without feeling ashamed, "This, to us, is a compliment."

Thales sighed in his heart. ’They completely revealed the details of their planning and their actions...

’This means that...

’They do not plan to release us, even though we’re completely innocent and unrelated to this.’

Thales cast a glance at the innocent looking Quick Rope by his side, and shook his head.

’...Or maybe not that innocent and unrelated.’

Ricky coughed, attracting the attention from the crowd.

"So, you just rely on this to wait for the prince’s news?"

Stake blinked.

Ricky looked at him and laughed.

"We’ll give you another piece of news, then. We have another mole."

Stake’s eyes brightened. "Oh?"

"More reliable than yours." Ricky looked at Masked Man by his side.

"A Constellation noble, he is a new, excellent warrior working under the Count of Wing Fort. He is good at battle, he leads an entire battalion alone, and he is trusted greatly."

Stake’s expression changed.

"Woah, a new noble." He took a deep breath, and it was difficult for him to conceal his excitement, "A mole like that is truly someone we cannot obtain after the Bloody Year."

But Stake immediately pursued the line of questioning cautiously. "Pardon my rudeness, if he is a Constellatiate, then his reliability and his loyalty..."

This time, Marina walked forward from the crowd.

She stared at Stake askance with her usual disdainful gaze.

"There is no need to doubt his loyalty."

"That is hard to say." Stake snorted coldly. "I just revealed my secret. Shouldn’t you also..."

But before he could finish, Marina then interrupted him angrily. "No need!"

The dual sword-wielding lady in red hissed through gritting her teeth, "He is my fiancé... at least he was."

Stake’s eyes suddenly widened.

Even Thales was shocked.

’Wait.’

’Diancé.’

’If Marina was the fiancée of some Constellation noble, then it could be said that...’

But before he could think about this carefully, Masked Man said in a cold voice, "Is that enough?"

"Love and marriage. This is far more reliable that the despicable tactics you use to control a person’s heart."

Stake seemed to have understood something, and he nodded his head.

"May I boldly ask you for your family name?"

Marina was slightly stunned.

She looked at Ricky.

"There is no need for you to hide your past, my good lady," Ricky was nodding at her, and he put on a kind and gentle smile.

"You have been given a new life, which is to live for yourself."

Marina seemed to have received some kind of strength from what Ricky said. She took a deep breath, turned around, lifted her head, and puffed out her chest.

"I am Marina." At that moment, a sternness that others found unfamiliar on her spread out from the lady in red, "Marina Novork."

Thales frowned. He was unfamiliar with this family name.

But it was not the same for everyone.

"Wait, Novork, this family name..." Stake frowned, and he remembered something.

He did not remain in confusion for long.

Marina’s whole figure was shaking. She held both of her swords tightly, then looked at the assassin from Shadow Shield before her while she revealed the truth coldly, "Eighteen years ago, when you assassinated the Duke of Star Lake, John Jadestar, in Zodra in that despicable fashion of yours, you shifted the blame to his personal guard, my uncle, Seiberg Novork."

’John Jadestar!’

Thales shuddered lightly.

’That...

’Starlight God of War.’

The people related to him—the Fortress Flower and the veteran Genard’s images—showed up in his mind.

Stake stared at this lady dressed in red incredulously.

"Because of being accused of treason, my grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother... every single one of the Novork Family received the most severe punishment within a year by the newly crowned Kessel the Fifth."

Marina’s voice quivered.

But she immediately gritted her teeth, and with unimaginable determination, she forced out her remaining words. "Except for me, the last Novork."

The tavern fell silent for an instant.

There was an indescribable expression on Stake’s face. He nodded.

"Now, I know why you are so angry with me."

Shawn patted Marina’s shoulders, and he pulled the trembling lady to the side.

Stake quieted down. Lasalle’s gaze darted back and forth between them. He was rendered speechless as well.

In the tavern, only the sounds of the mercenaries breathing could be heard.

Ricky sighed.

"Very good. So, now we have two moles. I will immediately send my orders." He waved his hand, and Masked Man immediately nodded his head.

"But before this..."

Ricky changed his topic.

His tone and gaze both became different.

"Speaking of which, this is quite the coincidence..."

In the next second, Ricky’s eyes turned slowly.

He shifted everyone’s attention to the two guests who had yet spoken.

"My two friends from Dante’s Greatsword, you’ve listened to this for some time now, don’t you think you should be giving us some reaction?"

At that moment, Thales jolted!

Quick Rope also tensed up.

’Dante’s Greatsword.

’It’s over.

’He still remembers!’

In the tavern, Stake sized them up indiscreetly, Lasalle frowned and scrutinized the both of them without any consideration for their dignity. Klein’s gaze was more detailed and wary as he observed them, Masked Man, however, had dark, cold light shining from his eyes. It caused chills to run down Thales’ spine.

The two princes knew that their luck ran out.

From this moment on, both of them could no longer play dead.

So they stiffly straightened their backs, bit by bit, inches by inches, and slowly turned to Ricky, as if their bodies were installed with rusty, old gears.

"Don’t be nervous. It’s just a simple question, but..."

Ricky raised two of his fingers and pointed at the both of them while he said calmly, "You are not here due to pure coincidence, right?"