Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate-Chapter 270: The Silent Messenger

Sir Colin had agreed to the terms set by King Valentin. However, things were slowly changing.

Despite King Valentin’s efforts to disrupt communication among the imperial knights, they had managed to regroup and reestablish an efficient messaging system. To test this, the king devised an experiment.

"Spread word to the knights in the western region that there have been reports of suspicious activity near the western border. Tell those in the east that the suspect has been spotted in their territory. As for the central region, inform them that all these claims are false, and the capital is secure—there’s no need for concern. In fact, tell them to rest easy and get some sleep."

The result was telling—the capital remained undisturbed. No sudden influx of knights at any border, no sign of urgent mobilization.

This confirmed King Valentin’s suspicion: the message intended for the central region—the most critical one—had successfully reached the knights in both the western and eastern regions.

"Has there been any movement on their end?" the king asked Margrave Boris.

The margrave shook his head. He had stationed knights to track the imperial army’s every move, yet they had found nothing.

"No, Your Majesty. Not even a bat has left their lodgings," he replied.

Then how were they communicating?

"We did, however, intercept incoming bats," the margrave added. "It’s as if there’s an omniscient force—one that knows everything and relays it to the knights all at once."

That was certainly troubling, but it wasn’t King Valentin’s greatest concern. Lately, Sir Colin and his troops had been making increasingly suspicious moves. Exploiting a loophole in his agreement with the king, Sir Colin had stationed the rest of his forces just outside the kingdom’s gates.

This naturally unsettled the citizens, especially those living near the entrance. Fear spread among them—many worried for their lives, uncertain of the knights’ true intentions.

A handful, however, welcomed their presence, believing the soldiers would protect them from the infamous vampire hunter.

But Sir Colin’s actions didn’t stop there. He had also begun bringing questionable individuals into the kingdom. Now that he was already within its walls, it was far easier for him to smuggle in whoever he pleased. freewebnøvel.com

To the public, he appeared to be transporting essential personnel—medics, servants, nurses, and other seemingly harmless workers. Yet Margrave Boris had uncovered the truth.

"Three witches and four wizards were hiding among the helpers Sir Colin brought in," the margrave reported.

"Magic users?!" King Valentin exclaimed.

Sorcery was strictly forbidden for vampires. While they possessed some innate magical abilities, they were bound by law never to exceed the limits of what an ordinary vampire could naturally wield.

Bringing in sorcerers meant one thing—they intended to use magic far beyond what was legally permitted. This was a direct violation of international law. Yet as the ruler of a mere kingdom, King Valentin lacked the authority to prosecute the knights outright. His only option was to report the matter to a higher power.

"Send word to Sir Kai," the king ordered. "He should be able to infiltrate the Nightshade Coven by now."

Margrave Boris departed swiftly to carry out his orders, leaving King Valentin alone with a single, unsettling question: "What are you trying to do?"

***

A disturbing surge of magical activity had been detected in several of the knights’ lodgings. King Valentin pondered how to handle the situation with care. He needed to maintain the fragile peace blanketing the kingdom while quietly consolidating his own power for when the time came to strike back.

Before him stood Sir Dusan and Sir Orlo—two of his most trusted advisors in their respective fields. Sir Dusan, an expert in military strategy, and Sir Orlo, a scholar of history and knowledge, had both been instrumental in assisting King Valentin and Margrave Boris in navigating this crisis.

"They’re being extremely cautious," Margrave Boris reported. "The magic signatures are dynamic—constantly shifting. None remain in one place for too long, making it nearly impossible to build a case against them."

Sir Dusan studied the map, tracing the locations of the imperial knights’ lodgings with a sharp gaze. "The most logical explanation is that His Majesty the Emperor is pressuring us to submit to him," he said. "Though I must admit, such a subtle approach is uncharacteristic of Emperor Kaan."

"I agree," Sir Orlo added. "Historically, when a larger force seeks to subjugate a smaller kingdom, the approach is swift and unpredictable. Prolonged pressure is rarely the strategy."

Crossing his arms, he delved into his vast knowledge, searching for anything he might have overlooked.

After a moment, he continued, "What strikes me as odd is their willingness to remain separated. If their goal was forced unification, they would have refused such an arrangement. Perhaps... the emperor’s true objective lies elsewhere."

"Indeed," Sir Dusan agreed, tapping his fingertips on key points on the map. "This is a major flaw in that theory. No army would willingly allow itself to be divided if its goal were to conquer. It’s reckless and inefficient. Which means... that’s not what they were sent here to do."

Margrave Boris nodded. "Exactly. And if their only objective was to force us into submission under Asvaldur, why bring witches and wizards into the equation? Our kingdom is small, and while King Valentin’s strength is well known, violating international law for such a purpose would be completely unnecessary."

The room fell into a pensive silence as they pieced together the puzzle.

Sir Orlo closed his eyes, pressing his lips together in thought. "This strategy is unprecedented. No ruler in history has ever attempted to seize power this way. And witches and wizards? It’s as if they’re preparing to fight a supernatural entity... like demons."

He spoke the last words lightly, not truly believing it himself. But the moment the words left his mouth, something clicked in both King Valentin’s and Margrave Boris’s minds.

That’s right.

If their target was Florian, then everything suddenly made sense.

***

Cielo and Lumi had been waiting outside for hours. With security tighter than ever, inspections and permits for entering and leaving the royal palace had become far more stringent. They had expected their friend—the princess—to come out and fetch them, but she never did.

Even so, they had made the effort to visit, eager to train with Lisbeth as they always had. It wasn’t about needing to grow stronger; the battle was over, or so they believed. With Elder Alfred no longer a threat, they saw no reason to worry.

But Florian’s return had cast a shadow over Lisbeth. More than once, Cielo and Lumi had caught her lost in thought—distracted, distant. It was unlike her, and though she never confided in them, she had voiced concerns about Florian. That alone was enough to make them uneasy.

Eventually, a palace guard recognized them and allowed them inside. They made their way to Lisbeth’s chamber—empty. The training hall—also empty.

Growing anxious, they questioned the servants. Every response was the same.

"The last time I saw Her Highness was last week."

The exact timing differed, but nobody had seen her since last week. Cielo and Lumi exchanged a tense glance.

"Where the hell is she?"