Tale of The Substitute Princess

Chapter XIII

13: SUDDEN SPY MISSION

"Update?" Aiden asked nang salubungin siya ni Kio. He's currently on his way to the dungeon where the caught attackers were imprisoned.

Kio sighed and shook his head. "I tried to ask them pero ayaw nilang sumagot."

'It's been a while since I last saw Sir Aiden mad,' Kio thought.

Aiden's eyes were dark and he was wearing a blank expression. Whenever Aiden has that look, Kio knows that Aiden is serious and he would do anything to make them talk, even if it means torturing or killing them.

"Alright."

Naiwan si Kio sa labas ng dungeon habang si Aiden naman ang pumasok. Yumuko rin ang ilan sa mga nagbabantay nang dumaan siya. Aiden is one of the knights that has a high position, and that's because he is a royalty's escort knight.

Nakatingin si Kio sa likod ni Aiden hanggang sa mawala siya sa paningin niya. Iniisip niya na mas mabuti sana kung umamin na agad sila nung siya pa ang nagtatanong. Kio took one last glance inside the prison cell where the captives are held before leaving. He knew that Aiden could handle it by himself.

Aiden entered the dungeon alone. Maliban sa mga nahuli nung gabing inatake sila ay wala na masyadong nakakulong. It's because those people are already dead. And soon, the new prisoners would be too.

Tahimik lang sila nang pumasok si Aiden. Tanging paghinga at mahinang yapak lang ni Aiden ang naririnig. The prisoners felt that one sound is all it takes for them to die. Ayon ang nararamdaman nila ngayon. They were intimidated with Aiden's presence and the aura he's oozing.

Aiden wanted to accompany Haera to go see her father but he needed to find first who was the mastermind of the attempted assassination. He left the princess to his brother and he knew that even though the both of them bicker a lot, Arrius wouldn't put her in danger.

Aiden observed them inside the prison cell with sharp eyes. "Who's the leader?" he asked coldly.

No one answered but their gazes turned to one person. That man gritted his teeth as if he felt betrayed with his fellow mates exposing him. Sinundan ni Aiden ng tingin ang tinignan nilang lahat. Isang lalaki na na nakaupo sa dulo, parang umaasa na kapag nando'n siya nakapuwesto ay hindi siya mapapansin.

Aiden immediately recognized that face. That was the face of the person who dared to throw a dagger in the princess' direction.

Umigting ang panga niya. If he was only a minute or a second late, Haera could've been hurt. He wanted to keep his promise. He wanted to keep her safe. Kung pwede lang niyang sugurin 'yung lalaking 'yun ngayon ay ginawa na niya. But he knew that he shouldn't act hastily.

Aiden entered the prison with no fear. Even though the prisoners' numbers are a lot more than Aiden who was all alone, they all knew that they can't take him down even with their combined forces.

Aiden dragged the leader outside the prison cell. The leader's back—facing the other prisoners—hit the metal bar of the prison cell. Aiden crouched to match the level of his eyes.

"Answer my questions if you don't want to be hurt. First, did you know that the person you were aiming for was the princess?"

He had a hunch that they didn't know that their target was a princess. Considering the combat skills they showed, they weren't experienced assassins nor anywhere near skillful. They weren't stupid enough to try and target a princess because that act will be considered as treason.

Tinitigan lang ng lalaki si Aiden, walang balak sumagot. Aiden unsheathed his sword and that's when the leader opened his mouth, "N-no. H-hindi namin alam."