V1: Chapter 53: This World Holds Too Many Unknowns

Meanwhile, Liang Lin was unaware that Liang Di had left, because her afternoon class was different from Liang Di's; she was going to a horse riding lesson with those noble young masters.

"We meet again, Miss Liang Lin."

Gael's blond hair flowed freely, his smile warm. He rode a handsome white horse, reins in hand, greeting Liang Lin.

Liang Lin stood on the grass, a black horse beside her. The horse's mane was smooth, shimmering in the sunlight, its tail like a black ribbon.

Upon seeing Gael, Liang Lin's already sour face darkened even more.

It was this brat who deliberately gave her the poison, trying to frame her and get her thrown into the Imperial Prison.

His intentions were sinister! Even more despicable than Liang Di.

But outwardly, she couldn't openly break off relations.

Liang Lin forced a cold smile and nodded to Gael, "Yes, Your Highness."

With that, she flipped over, mounted her horse, and rode leisurely away from Gael, wanting no further contact with him.

The thought that her future ruler might be Gael filled Liang Lin with a deep-seated nausea, as if a plate of rotten leftovers was placed before her, and she had no choice but to eat it, or she would starve.

A feeling of both hunger and nausea.

“Miss Liang Lin,” Gael persisted, “Miss Liang Lin, how is Duke Auston? I heard… he was poisoned by someone with ill intentions. Alas, I’m really worried about him.”

Gael sighed insincerely, “It’s all our Royal Knights’ fault. Those good-for-nothings! They’ve investigated for so long and haven’t found a single clue. It’s their dereliction of duty that they couldn’t bring the murderer of Duke Auston to the Imperial Prison. Miss Liang Lin, please don’t be too sad.”

Not sad, not at all!

Liang Lin nodded perfunctorily.

“My father is still breathing. He’s alright, you don’t need to worry too much. He won’t die for now.”

Gael: “…..”

Silence.

“Haha~ Miss Liang Lin is as humorous as ever.”

Actually, he was being sarcastic, implying that Liang Lin was bad at talking and a filial daughter.

“Your Highness Gael, my horsemanship is quite good; I don’t need your instruction.”

Basically, this was a clear indication that he shouldn’t bother her.

“Haha~ Alright, but…” Gael drew out his words, tightening the reins. His horse quickened its pace, stopping directly in front of Liang Lin.

Gael asked meaningfully, “Miss Liang Lin… has the medicine I gave you come in handy?”

Liang Lin, however, feigned ignorance.

“Ah? Your Highness Gael, what are you talking about? What medicine? Oh… is it that little pink bottle? Haha~”

Liang Lin’s acting had improved; her laughter was surprisingly natural.

“Didn’t you say it was a medicine for dealing with magicians? There are no magicians in this world~ It’s just a little trick adults use to make children obey.”

“Your Highness Gael, you’re older than me… you don’t still believe in these fairy tales, do you?”

Tsk.

This woman was unexpectedly sharp-tongued.

“Ah, haha~”

Gael chuckled dryly, about to say something more.

“Your Highness, I grew up in this city and have attended many court balls and banquets.”

Liang Lin elegantly tossed her long hair, trying to appear as a noble lady.

“I remember His Majesty the King said that magic doesn’t exist in this world, nor do magicians. So… which is real? Does magician exist in this world…? Your Highness, Gael.”

Liang Lin’s eyes widened, she tilted her head slightly, and grinned.

This eerie smile instilled a strong sense of unease, as if one had fallen into a meticulously designed trap.

“…..”

Gael fell silent, gripping the reins tightly, his face tense.

Liang Lin deliberately brought up the King. How could anyone refute the King’s words? Even as the King’s son, he couldn’t question his father’s words. Because the Soteland Empire was a country where the King was supreme.

There were many classmates around; surely some of them had heard what he said. If Gael were to contradict his father today, and this were overheard by a malicious nobleman within the family who supported the other princes, and the story spread to a duke or marquis, eventually reaching the ears of the current king…

The king's impression of him would certainly be severely damaged.

Gael knew exactly how arrogant and domineering his father was, what a tyrannical monarch. To deny his father's past statements was tantamount to challenging his authority.

“…Haha, of course I was joking,” Gael tried to keep his expression from looking too bad. “How could there be such a thing as a magician in this world? I was just being playful and wanted to tease you, I didn’t expect you to take it seriously.”

“How could I take it seriously? Of course I always knew you were joking, Your Highness.”

Liang Lin smiled insincerely.

“Being with you is truly a pleasant experience, giving me a genuine sense of joy. However, today I still have a lot of equestrian knowledge to digest and need to figure out on my own, so I won’t discuss those jokes with you.”

“Your Highness Gael, it’s almost the weekend, I wish you a pleasant weekend.”

After saying that, Liang Lin pulled on the reins and walked away.

Gael watched Liang Lin’s retreating figure, a barely perceptible hint of malice rising in his eyes.

If his previous impression of Liang Lin was that she was both stupid and wicked, now, Gael was going to change his mind.

Liang Lin wasn't stupid; in fact, he could say she was quite intelligent. She was just too young and impulsive, prone to acting rashly and easily misled. However, her ability to think things through was still very strong.

Gael still couldn't understand Auston's paralysis.

That potion was only effective on magicians with abnormalities, so why did Auston become paralyzed and nearly die after drinking it?

If it wasn't poison he gave her, then what was it? Why couldn't the Knights detect it? Why couldn't the palace doctors detect it either?

Only the potion for magicians was undetectable; other poisons should definitely be detectable, unless… Liang Di had invented a new poison.

He attempted to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead.

Liang Di was a real threat because the prince she supported wasn't him, but the most inconspicuous and unknown third prince.

Doris had told him about the curse on the Langwendi family and the magicians.

He had asked Doris why she knew so much about these things, but Doris wouldn't say anything. It was then that Gael realized he knew nothing about his mother's past. He only knew from his mother's wet nurse that she had found his mother on the southernmost beach.

He was somewhat lost.

Could he, with his mortal body, really fight against magicians who were like gods? If magicians were so powerful, why didn't they rule the Soteland Empire, but all the empires in the world?

Finally, on the southernmost edge of the Soteland Empire, there was a sea, a misty sea that was forbidden to approach. On the shore, there stood a solitary tower, seemingly guarding that sea. What lay beyond that sea?