Chapter 269: Vincent Elliott
At this moment, Archbishop Royce's sudden suicide caught everyone off-guard.
Be it Casey, Foster Family, Royal faction members, Church representatives, and Nobles' faction members, everyone was shocked by the news!
Due to Charles's name mentioned in the suicidal note, everyone started to feel something was off about Archbishop's suicide.
The Amber Church higher-ups even sent a Rank-4 [Quest Finder] Class Mystic and searched for any clue.
Unfortunately, the mystic's attempt went futile.
On the other hand, Ashley ordered all servants to purchase all materials for the banquet and started rearranging everything in the banquet hall.
For the next few days, the whole mansion appeared alive.
Meanwhile, Jessie also started her mission.
First, she discussed with Rhea regarding the upcoming banquet, prepared one hundred invitation letters, and started inviting Nobles, Royal faction members, mages, and even Churches' representatives to the upcoming banquet.
Then, she also talked privately with those enslaved nobles and ordered them to change factions during the banquet.
Although everyone got startled by the banquet invitation, nobody put too much thought into it.
To others, Rhea's achievement wasn't enough to become the Queen of the Iron Kingdom. She had no high-class noble's support and only had hundreds of mystics under her control.
Even if she was a disciple of an Ancient Mage, none thought she would become the successor.
As for the successor mission, almost everyone forgot about it!
There were a few people who keep eyes on this mission, though.
One such person was Vincent Elliott, father of Daisy Elliott and the Elliott family's head.
He was a man in his sixties, had long grey hair, a rough face, and always had a stern expression on his face.
In these past three years, he was one among the few who firmly supported Rhea Boneflare and also helping her through various means.
He was not helping her out of pity but due to fear.
He also wanted to clear the strange curse hidden in his illegitimate daughter's Inner World and turn her into a noblewoman!
If another successor becomes the next ruler of this kingdom, it would be almost impossible for Daisy to become a lady with official noble status.
But if Rhea did become the next Queen, the chance of removing her lowborn status was very high!
Among the four of his children, he loved Daisy most. The main reason for that was because of his love towards her late mother, Alaia.
In truth, she was his first love!
Because of the difference in status, his father didn't allow him to marry her at all. Instead, he only let her work in the mansion as a servant.
It was usual for nobles to have sexual relationships with commoner women. So, his father didn't put much thought into his relationship and left him with a simple warning not to have children with lowborn.
But one year later, a girl child was born!
Vincent and Alaia tried their best to hide this child's birth, and Vincent even sent both of them to Alaia's hometown.
Unfortunately, someone soon found out about this secret and reported it directly to the Elliott family.
Upon hearing this news, Vincent's dad went berserk, moved to Alaia's hometown, and executed her on the spot!
If not for Vincent arriving at the right time to stop him, he would have killed the newborn child!
From that day onwards, Vincent swore that he would take care of this child and raised her on his own in secret.
While thinking about those incidents, Vincent couldn't help but sigh.
Currently, he sat in his study room and was in the middle of deep thinking about those past incidents.
Opposite of him was a silver-haired woman in her late twenties, and she wore a grave expression on her face.
She had silver eyes, a pretty smooth face, trimmed eyebrows, and wore a long blue robe.
"Is it true? Her Highness sent us an invitation letter to a banquet?" After a long time, he asked.
"Not only us, father. She is inviting all the nobles, mages, and even the churches' representatives to the banquet. I have a vague feeling that Rhea seems to be plotting something big." Daisy said with a solemn tone.
"Hmm, did you find any information about those newly arrived guests?" Vincent tapped his finger on the wooden table and asked.
"Yes. Richie told me that those newly arrived guests might be Rank-4 Mystics. Whether they are mages or other class mystics, we have no clue about them. But he mentioned that they are planning to stay in the mansion for the next few weeks." A gloomy look appeared on Daisy's face as she said those words.
'Destiny Lady… Ancient Mage… Then, two new Rank-4 Mystics… Something is not right… Are they planning something big?' He couldn't help but show a hesitant look on his face.
After some thought, he let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"Send a hundred men squad and increase the security of old mansion. If Rhea really becomes the Queen of Iron Kingdom, we will be the one who benefits most. Also, you should go there and get close with Rhea and the other three kids."
"But-"
Before she could speak, Vincent raised his hand and ordered.
"It's an order, Daisy. Now, did you find anything about the strange explosion that happened a few days ago?"
"I have long sent a squad of assassins to scout the southern part of the kingdom, father. If I'm not wrong, their report should arrive in a day or two." Daisy made a forced smile and spoke.
Just when Vincent was about to ask another question, a knocking sound came from outside.
"Come in," Vincent said in a calm tone.
A moment later, a black-haired young man in his butler's suit walked in and gave a sealed letter to Vincent.
"A letter came from the South, My Lord." He said.
On the other hand, Vincent took the sealed letter and sent him out.
Then, he took out a silver blade from his space ring, opened the seal, and started reading the letter.
"It's from the scout team." A surprise flashed on his face.
But the more he read, the more he became serious.
"One-tenth of the Dreamymaple forest got destroyed in a single night? The strange explosion that occurred a few days ago… Is it due to a magic spell?" He couldn't help but mutter in a shocked tone.
"Dreamymaple forest? Is the Herath Kingdom behind this incident?" Daisy straightened her back in an instant and asked in anxiety.
Dreamymaple Forest was located in the southern end of the Iron Kingdom and acted as a border with the Herath Kingdom.
Due to the long distance, the strange incident that happened on the Dreamymaple Forest hadn't attracted any noble's or mage's attention.
Shaking his head, Vincent shifted his attention towards the letter and spoke.
"This isn't the Herath Kingdom's scheme. A battle between Legends must be the reason for this incident." His voice contains a trace of fear and anxiousness.
"L-Legends? Why would Rank-6 Existences comes to our rural kingdom to fight?" Daisy asked.
At this moment, she suddenly recalled important information about Dreamymaple Forest.
'A few months ago, we received a report from one of our men that a strange tower is located deep in this forest… But when we sent more members to confirm this news, we found no clue about it…'
While she was in muse, Vincent continued to read the letter and soon frowned.
"They also found broken walls, metal doors, and charred bricks? Hmm, something is not right. Send a report to the magic tower and let them take care of these things. I don't want to offend another expert because of my curiousness."
Saying so, he folded the letter, placed it on the table, and waved his hand.
"You can go now."
Meanwhile, Daisy stood up from her seat while she nodded her head, turned around, and soon walked out of the study.
Vincent watched his daughter walked out of the study and soon furrowed his brows.
At that moment, he sensed a strange fluctuation in the surrounding air and gripped the sword hilt on his waist.
"Who is it?" He asked in a cold tone.
A moment later, his right-side area began to distort and soon formed into a figure of a blonde-haired young man.
He had almond blue eyes, a square face, and fair skin and appeared to be around 25-years old.
He wore a single-breasted black overcoat and held a book in his hand.
Upon seeing the young man's arrival, Vincent's eyes squinted.
"Tyler? What are you doing here?" His voice contains a trace of suspicion.
Meanwhile, Tyler bowed his head towards Vincent and spoke with a hint of anger in his tone.
"You are giving too much privilege to that lowborn, father."
"Mind your words, Tyler. He is your elder sister." A heavy sigh leaked out of Vincent's mouth as he said those words.
He knew very well that his other children were dissatisfied with him for showing too much care towards a lowborn child.
'But they will soon accept her once she becomes a noblewoman with Her Highness's help.'
Muttering inwardly, he shook his head and added.
"Go and get ready for the upcoming banquet."
Upon hearing Vincent's words, Tyler gave his father a weird look and sighed in disappointment.
"Are you talking about that fake princess's banquet invitation? Father, His Highness Vance is the one who has most of the nobles' support. Not only that, even Iron Tower and Churches' representatives are showing their full support to him. Instead of supporting such a man, why are you supporting such worthless fake princess?" He muttered in a dissatisfied tone.
"Humph, fake princess? Do you even realize what you are saying now? She is the only true successor of this kingdom, Tyler. Didn't you hear what Daisy told me earlier? Rhea currently has four Rank-4 Mystics' support and her faction has also grown powerful enough to dominate others. If the prophecy is right, she will definitely become the ruler of this kingdom!" An excitement appeared on his face.
Upon seeing his excited face, Tyler's heart tightened.
He then stared at the man for a moment and spoke in a cold tone.
"It's useless to talk to him now, Sir Larry. Please do your job."
As Vincent heard those words, his whole body trembled.
The next instant, a boundless invisible power appeared in the room and seeped into his body!
Before Vincent could mutter a word, a pale hand appeared behind his neck and grabbed his head.
A moment later, Vincent's head exploded like watermelon while spraying blood, flesh, bones, and brain matters in every direction!
Then, a 60-year old man in a brown robe appeared behind the headless body and turned his gaze towards Tyler.
His tangled, long black hair appeared greasy, and his eyes seemed dark as void.
He was none other than Larry Foster!
"Elliott family is yours now, kid. Inform everyone that Daisy killed her father and is actually a spy of Rhea." He paused for a moment and then added in a cold tone.
"Go and chase after her. If an opportunity arises, kill her on the spot. Hehe, Destiny? Prophecy? We have long prepared to face these strange powers." He let out a cold snort and soon disappeared into the darkness.
