Two-Faced Princess
Two-Faced Princess - Chapter 253

“Okay. Since we made a promise, let’s ask and then leave,” Caelion said, turning around and leaving the room. Evangeline frowned as she watched his retreating figure.

“Don’t go.” Her intuition was not good. She reached out her hand to someone in the empty air. “That was a lie just now, right? About asking.” Evangeline murmured, lost in thought. “Your usual expression is so different.” She sighed, looking back at the empty air. “Please look into the Croadin that was unleashed on that mountain.” She said and a chirping response came from the empty air.

“He went out to battle? Already?” Apollonia asked with a dark expression. Her pupils shone a deeper red than usual. Uriel nodded. “According to the Rajan princess, he left immediately without even having a chance to report to Her Majesty.”

Apollonia held her head in her hands. The problem was that she liked the Red Lake Forest and decided to spend an extra day there. Caelion had urgently attended a convened meeting and immediately headed to Bamel Mountain with some soldiers from the Imperial Guard without any time to prepare. “To eradicate demons, huh.”

It was the method that the Emperor and Petra had used several times. It was a familiar method, and Caelion had deviated from the same technique several times, but demon eradication had never been easy. “With you not by his side and Cael in the capital, this is an opportunity for Father and Aunt to plot,” Apollonia murmured.

Uriel nodded. “They say they are very dangerous beings. It will be a difficult mission and probably a fierce battle.”

“That’s right. Knox surely didn’t go along, right?”

“Deciding which knights to assign to a mission is up to the Order Commander, but this time the Emperor personally selected the participants. Neither the Order Commander nor any knight dear to the Emperor participated in this mission. It seems they only chose individuals whom the Emperor would be okay even if they didn’t come back alive in the worst case.”

Apollonia touched her forehead with her hand. It was truly an overt trap. The Emperor had wagered quite a lot on this operation. “If Knox learns about the situation there, tell him to contact me immediately. And Evangeline too.” Uriel nodded. “The princess seems to have already given some instructions. But we probably won’t get an immediate response.”

Apollonia still couldn’t shake off her worries. She believed in Caelion’s abilities. If Evangeline had helped, she thought there would be even more chances of success. However, the trap created by the Emperor and Petra was not easy enough to be performed without preparation.

“You’re worried about him,” Uriel said as if he understood her heart. Apollonia nodded without denying it.

“After what happened last time, I never expected him to leave without saying a word——-”

“You must have been very anxious.”

“Anxious, indeed——-”

“Since you don’t know how much His Majesty thinks of your younger brother,” Uriel added and Apollonia sighed.

“You know it so well.”

She didn’t lack affection for Caelion. When they first met, she thought of him as a potential rival and a talented boy but as she supported and nurtured him, she truly embraced Caelion as her kin. However, whenever she tried to show even a little affection towards him, he would lower his gaze with a gentle smile, giving her expectations for a romantic relationship. So she drew a line as much as possible. It was necessary to maintain their long-term relationship. They were kin, but they were also gods of war. Supporting them while keeping a slight distance was the best she could do for Caelion. But now, the news of his urgent departure was enough to worry Apollonia.

“Caelion is strong, Your Majesty.” Uriel gently retorted. Uriel had spent years together with Caelion, fighting life and death, and knew him better than anyone in the Empire. However, Apollonia still bit her lip. Seeing this, Uriel lightly brushed her cheek and smiled.

“But…”

“But, just in case, I want to go and see.”

Apollonia’s eyes widened at his words.

“Uriel.”

“If Your Majesty promises not to go anywhere during that time.”

Apollonia said nothing and looked at him. He had a smile that reassured her as if everything was fine.

“In case something goes wrong with that guy, it would make Your Majesty sad.” A corner of Apollonia’s heart ached. Uriel was so willing to risk himself for Caelion. He had always been like that for the past five years for Apollonia’s sake. “I will bring him back safely.” Seeing her worried gaze, Uriel smiled again and spoke.

“If Caelion is really in a dangerous situation, and if you end up saving him—————” Apollonia sighed once again and spoke. It was an ambiguous expression, but it was a kind of permission. Uriel nodded, and she got up and approached him. “Deliver this message.” She wrapped her hands around Uriel’s cheeks, pulled his face close, and whispered something in his ear. “And be careful.”