When Beauty Destroys The BL World

Chapter 133~The Enemy of His Enemy~

Far from Loistava's borders, night lay heavy over an enemy camp. Rows of soldiers' tents stretched across the trampled earth.

Campfires crackled, throwing crooked light over men who drank and laughed too loudly.

Women moved among them-hired for the night, painted smiles fixed in place-serving wine, warming laps, disappearing into canvas when coins changed hands.

At the heart of the camp stood a larger tent, lit from within by oil lamps. Smoke curled from its peak.

Inside, Marquis Xander knelt with Lady Alma at his side and a handful of surviving followers behind them.

Before them sat the man who had ordered their rescue from the executioner's block: King Varos of the eastern reaches.

He was a bearded man-thick-necked, heavy-bellied, skin pitted and ruddy from excess. Cruelty sat easily on his mouth.

His true identity was the late King of Loistava's illegitimate brother, born of a concubine the of their father.

When his mother concubine tried to poison the queen due to her jealousy, she and her unborn child had been cast out.

Hatred had nursed the boy ever since.

His mother married into another throne; she poured revenge into him until the day she died.

Now he wore a crown of his own, yet it was never enough. He wanted Loistava. To fulfilled his mother revenge.

With his half-brother dead and the young Crown Prince only recently become king, the moment had come.

Xander and his men were his inside people.

They had been secretly poison the late king's drink and food.

Now, with Xander's rebellion exposed and his execution interrupted, their plans had entered a new stage.

Marquis Xander bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, we owe you our lives."

Several of his followers followed suit.

"We are deeply grateful that you rescued us from execution."

Roderic stared at them without warmth.

"You should be."

His voice was deep and unpleasant.

"I did not send my men into Loistava merely to save a group of incompetent men."

Everyone stiffened.

Tonight they were refugees begging for a second chance.

At Varos's right hand stood a masked man in dark armor, his trusted guard and his aide, Roderick.

Varos's eyes moved over the kneeling figures without warmth.

"Your plan had failed."

Marquis Xander lowered his head.

"We apologize, Your Majesty."

"Apologies will not put Loistava in my hands."

Silence filled the tent.

"Nickolai will undoubtedly strengthen the border after what happened today. He will be watching every road, every village, and every passage into his kingdom."

His eyes narrowed.

"So tell me."

He looked directly at Xander.