A/N:
Yay! Happy 100th chapter!!
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Yes, that damn organization was using human children as experiments to develop Chimera's drugs.
Annelise scoffed wryly and spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"Well, considering how precious you are, it seems we need to develop a new drug for you. A mind-controlling drug, perhaps?"
"..."
Silence.
Adrian didn't answer and just stared coldly at her.
Nevertheless, even after patiently waiting for three minutes straight, he didn't bother to utter a word.
She let out a weary sigh and retrieved her pocket watch, checking the time before returning it to her pocket.
"I've wasted too much time here."
Returning her attention to the boy inside the cage, she began again.
"Well, I have to admit that you have an extraordinary brain to shatter my strategy. But—"
Annelise rose from her seat and continued.
"—Even if the Empire refuses to wage war with the Kearny Kingdom, it doesn't matter. Because I will compel the Kearny Kingdom to wage war against the Empire."
Adrian furrowed his eyebrows.
Was that even possible?
"Well then, Prince, I'll see you around."
Annelise bid him farewell and made her way toward the entrance.
However, she halted midway and turned toward him.
"By the way, how about we have a bet?"
"What bet?"
Adrian sounded uninterested.
"Considering how astute you are, I believe you will be able to get out of here regardless. But if you can spoil my plans a second time, I will compensate you generously."
Annelise said, a sly smile playing at the corners of her lips.
Nevertheless, the boy couldn't help but sneer at her nonsense.
"Why would I trust the enemy's promises?"
Annelise shrugged nonchalantly.
"Well, we'll see if it's a baseless bluff or not."
With that, she turned around to leave, but Adrian's voice stopped her tracks.
"Those kids."
Upon hearing his serious tone, Annelise's smile stretched wide as she turned back to face him.
"What about those kids?"
"If I win, you must free all of the kids who were kidnapped by your organization. Do we have a deal?"
Regardless of the bet, he would still try to prevent the war just like he initially did.
ƥandasnovel.com He couldn't let the plot unfold like in the novel, no matter what.
"Hmmm…"
Annelise hummed thoughtfully and crossed her arms.
After a brief moment, she gave him a sour look.
"Prince? Seriously? Isn't that too much?"
Her ruby eyes pleaded for understanding, but Adrian was resolute.
"I don't care."
Annelise heaved a heavy sigh and conceded.
"Fine. I'll release them."
Shortly after, her expression lit up, and she let out a merry chuckle.
"Of course, that applies only if you manage to escape alive. However, even if you do, I'm afraid it may already be too late."
After conveying those words, Annelise burst into laughter and blew him a goodbye kiss before disappearing behind the door.
Adrian couldn't help but cringe at it.
'Disgusting.'
He had never been so relieved that a flying kiss was invisible; otherwise, he would have surely dodged it.
Leticia, who had remained silent during his conversation with the woman, finally spoke.
"Wait—you know that woman?"
Her voice was laced with surprise.
At first, she thought she caused Adrian to be kidnapped with her, but after listening to their conversation, she realized it was actually the other way around.
Without bothering to answer her question, he faced her and explained his plan.
"Let's escape from here."
"Huh?"
Leticia blinked several times, trying to process what he had just said.
Wasn't it too sudden?
"Give me your hairpin."
His voice filled with urgency.
"Uh, okay."
Without much thought, Leticia pulled out her hairpin and gave it to him.
Adrian slipped it into his jacket and gave her an order.
"Listen, once the guards leave the room, run towards the cage door and start counting. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
Leticia nodded confidently.
"Good."
—Creak!
However, the sound of the door swinging open interrupted them, forcing them to fall silent as three figures in black robes entered the room.
While the other two were guards, Adrian was unfamiliar with the third person's identity.
The individuals appeared to be engaged in a conversation, and the new arrival proceeded to approach one of the cages alongside a guard.
The guard unlocked the door and took ten children out of the cage.
"Let's meet your parents!"
He exclaimed cheerfully and Adrian couldn't help but scoff, knowing it was undoubtedly a lie.
Not long after, he guided the children out of the room.
.
.
.
After waiting for hours, Adrian's patience eventually bore fruit.
The guards rose from their seats and walked towards the entrance.
As soon as their silhouettes vanished behind the door, Adrian and Leticia rushed to the door of the cage.
"Now!"
"One… two… three—"
Based on the data collected by Leticia, the shift change occurred approximately every three minutes, and Adrian had to open the door at the designated time.
The boy retrieved the hairpin and deftly molded it into a makeshift lockpick.
"!"
Leticia gasped when she saw the hairpin being bent, however, Adrian snapped at her heartlessly.
"Keep counting!"
"Y-yes! Twenty—"
Despite being sad that the hairpin was ruined, she heeded his order anyway.
Adrian inserted it into the keyhole of the padlock and began to work on it.
Modern and medieval padlocks were different, especially compared in size.
Adrian expected to open this one without difficulty.
"What is the Prince doing?"
"You can't open it, it's useless."
Adrian could hear unfamiliar sounds coming from the cage next to him, and he knew that they were watching his every move.
Ignoring them, Adrian continued with his business at hand.
"90… 91… 92…"
Adrian's heart skipped a beat upon hearing Leticia's count continue to rise.
"148… 149… 150…"
He continued to manipulate the lockpick, trying to find the right combination of movements to open the lock.
Sweat started to form on his body as he felt the pressure mounting and just when he was about to give up…
—Clank!
A satisfying click resounded across the room.
"Ah, it opened!"
Leticia's voice snapped him out of his amazement
Without delay, Adrian grabbed her hand and they both quickly got out of the cage.
As they ran towards the door, they heard desperate cries for help from the other cages.
"Wait!! Please save me!!"
"Save me please!!"
"Don't leave us!!"
It was not that he didn't want to save them, but they didn't have the skills or the weapons to fight off those black-robed men.
If he were to release them from the cage now, it would only hasten their demise.
It would be safer for them to remain in the cage and wait for reinforcements to arrive.
Leticia peeked at Adrian's face and she could see there was a slight frown on his forehead.
Leticia knew he was considering the other children in the cages, but she fully agreed with his decision to ignore them.
Although it may have appeared as if he was callously disregarding them, the truth was quite the opposite.
As their ears caught approaching footsteps, Adrian and Leticia quickly hid behind the door.
—Bang!
The door burst open and two guards stormed into the room.
Hearing the commotion inside the room, one of the guards bellowed angrily.
"What the hell?!"
"SHUT UP YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!"
The other guard yelled, trying to silence the children's cries.
Adrian's eyes darted around the room, searching for a weapon.
His azure eyes soon landed on a piece of lumber lying in the corner and quickly grabbed it.
As the guards' backs faced them, Adrian tiptoed over to one of them and swung the lumber with all his might, aiming for his nape.
—Whack!
"Argh!"
He groaned and fell on the floor.
The other turned his head but it was too late as the log was now in front of his face.
—Whack!
"Ugh!"
He slumped to the ground beside his partner.
"Yaay!!"
"Yeah! That's the Prince for you!"
The kid's cheered and some were clapping.
Adrian motioned for them to be quiet and was relieved that they listened.
Otherwise, their voices would have attracted more guards to the area.
Wasting no time, Adrian swiftly twisted their necks to ensure they never woke up again.
Next, Adrian rummaged through their bodies in search of something useful.
He found two swords and two daggers, but unfortunately, no potions.
However, he was relieved to have something to defend himself with.
Adrian took one of the swords and placed a dagger into his pocket.
Knowing that a sword would be too heavy for Leticia, he offered her a dagger, which she accepted.
Adrian turned to face the children who were locked up in the cage, their faces filled with fear and desperation.
"Please wait here, when I get out of here, I will send reinforcements to save all of you. I promise."
But the children refused to listen.
They shouted and begged for him to take them with him.
"Your Highness! You can't do this to us!!"
"Please let me escape with you!!"
"Don't leave us here!!"
Their desperate pleas echoed through the room, their voices growing hoarse with each passing moment.
"I'm sorry."
With that, he turned and hastily took Leticia's hand, pulling her towards the door.
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