Leon walked into the front courtyard, then suddenly stopped and turned around.
“Did anyone go after the half-orcs that escaped last night?”
Airigo nodded. “This morning I already sent twenty soldiers on horseback out of the city. They’re heading south to pursue them.”
Leon felt surprised. The direction Airigo had sent the pursuit team was exactly the same direction he had given the half-orcs. He asked curiously, “How can you be so sure they went south?”
Airigo explained, “If they want to leave the North as quickly as possible, going east or west would take too long. Only the south makes sense. Of course, the half-orcs aren’t stupid enough to head north. That area is filled with Ice Demons.”
Leon looked at the knight in front of him with new eyes.
He had heard of Airigo’s reputation before coming to North City, but now he understood it more deeply.
“Sir Airigo, from now on, I order you to protect me at all times. Never leave my side.”
Tanna knew that impersonating Leon would eventually raise suspicions from certain people. She needed to create safety for herself.
With Leon’s identity, this was simple. As long as Airigo stayed by her side as a knight, she could even sleep peacefully at night.
Airigo bowed. “As you command, my lord.”
“Mm.” Leon smiled and helped Airigo stand up, then patted the snow off his shoulders.
“Send another thirty soldiers to chase the half-orcs. And bring them back alive.”
Airigo answered and immediately ran to the gate to give the order. He soon returned to Leon’s side.
“My lord, the half-orcs won’t escape tonight. You’ll see them in the castle tomorrow.”
Leon was satisfied with Airigo’s efficiency. He took out a gold coin from his bag — something he had saved while planning his escape.
Since he needed this man’s protection, it was better to be generous. It would make Airigo more loyal.
Airigo tried to refuse, but eventually accepted the gold coin under Leon’s insistence.
Watching Leon’s back as he walked into the castle, Airigo became even more certain.
The person in front of him was not Leon. He was someone else entirely.
But Airigo didn’t expose him.
Compared to the original Leon — who only cared about women and did nothing — this version was much more likable. He was also far more suitable to rule the North.
He didn’t need to know what had happened to the real Leon. He only needed to make sure this one didn’t die in front of him.
Leon walked up to the second floor.
The princess’s royal guards were stationed here. It was obvious whose room was on this floor.
Just as he was about to step forward, Griet appeared and blocked his path.
“Lord Leon, please stop. The princess is resting.”
“Resting?”
Leon looked out the window. The sky was bright. It was already noon.
“I’m only worried that something might happen to the princess here in the North. I just want to see her once. That’s all.”
Griet didn’t move an inch. “The princess is fine. She’s sleeping right now. Please come back after she wakes up.”
Leon took one step forward to test the guards’ reaction.
To his surprise, Griet immediately drew his sword and pointed it at Leon’s heart.
If Leon took even one more step, this man would likely stab him without hesitation — completely unafraid of his identity as the eldest son of the King of the North.
Even though Airigo quickly stepped in front of him, Leon knew that charging through so many royal guards would leave him seriously injured, if not dead.
“As expected of the kingdom’s princess. Even her guards are this domineering.”
Griet explained, “Even in the royal capital, the King himself wouldn’t disturb Princess Osha’s sleep. You’re not even the King of the North yet.”
Leon signaled for Airigo to put away his sword. He took a step back on his own, showing he wouldn’t force his way in.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Sir Knight. Once the princess wakes up, please inform her that I’ll prepare a grand dinner as compensation.”
“I will,” Griet replied, keeping his longsword in hand. He occasionally exchanged glances with Airigo.
Seeing this, Leon didn’t say anything more and walked straight upstairs.
On the third floor, he stood in front of the door and knocked twice.
There was no answer from inside.
Just as he was about to enter, he realized the door was locked.
“I am Gares Leon. I’ve come to pray for my father.”
The voice reached inside the room.
Ailia suddenly opened her eyes. She could confirm that this was indeed Leon’s voice.
But last night, Leon had clearly died at Zhe Zilin’s hands. She had seen the corpse with her own eyes.
Ailia turned her head and looked directly at the door. She chanted a spell under her breath. Her eyes glowed as she looked through the door and clearly saw Leon standing outside.
No… this was impossible.
She chanted a second spell, trying to see the true appearance of the person outside. But she couldn’t see through the disguise at all.
Could Leon have been resurrected?
Ailia quickly dismissed the thought.
If Leon had truly come back to life, he wouldn’t be standing at the door talking about praying for the King of the North. He would be madly seeking revenge and trying to kill Zhe Zilin immediately.
So this Leon was fake.
But she couldn’t see through his real appearance.
Leon continued shouting from outside the door.
“I am the eldest son of the King of the North. According to tradition, I have the right to enter the room and pray.”
“Witch, aren’t you going to open the door?”
After waiting a while longer with no response, Leon took a step back. He was about to order Airigo to break in.
Before Airigo could even draw his sword, the door opened slightly.
Ailia opened the door but didn’t acknowledge the two men. She walked back to the coffin of the King of the North, closed her eyes, and continued chanting the soul-calming spell.
Leon’s gaze stayed fixed on Ailia as he questioned her.
“Why did you only open the door now?”
Ailia remained silent.
Leon walked into the room and asked again, “I remember Lady Snow was also praying here. Where is she?”
Ailia stayed calm and expressionless.
“Lady Snow returned to her room to rest last night.”
Leon stood across from Ailia and studied her face, trying to see if she was lying.
After a long moment, he smiled and said, “She kept saying she wanted to pray for the King of the North, but she couldn’t even last one day before going back to sleep. Hmph. All talk and no action. She built up that iron lady image, but she’s full of schemes.”
From the fake Leon’s words, Ailia could clearly hear deep resentment toward Snow — even hatred.
She didn’t understand why, but she made a mental note of it.
Leon walked around the room once, then returned to the coffin. He pretended to be concerned.
“You must be hungry, Lady Witch. I’ll have someone prepare some food for you.”
He strode out of the room with Airigo. A short while later, he returned alone to the third floor.
At the door, Leon took out a small bottle of blood. This was the heart blood given to him by the Ice Demon.
Even one of the Four Great Witches would be poisoned if she drank it.
It wouldn’t kill her, but for an entire month, she wouldn’t be able to use any magic.
Without magic, Ailia would just be a delicate little girl. She wouldn’t pose any real threat.
Leon mixed the blood into the food and smiled as he opened the door and walked in.
“Lady Witch, I specially prepared this food for you.”
Ailia didn’t even turn her head. “I’m not hungry.”
Leon walked up to her and said with a fake smile, “I’ll watch you finish it.”
Seeing that Ailia still wasn’t reacting, he revealed his true intention.
“Oh right, your servant is still here in North City, isn’t he?”