Capítulo 52: Chapter 52: Traitor!
Tonight was a sleepless night for many families.
Suddenly, the sounds of gunfire and cannon blasts echoed over the residential areas surrounding the Sacred Square.
Unfamiliar creatures' howls and the screams of people followed soon after, causing terror among the residents.
People locked their doors and windows, trembling and whispering in fear, completely unaware of what was happening.
The Rapp family was no exception.
They gathered in the living room, helplessly waiting.
Every blast of gunfire and every howl made Marti and Lilith's hearts skip a beat.
Marti hugged Lilith, her voice trembling: "By the Emperor, what is happening?"
She was utterly terrified—this was too much like the horrific disaster from five years ago.
Back then, heretic rebels had breached the Sacred Square, capturing residents for blood sacrifices.
Those unfortunate souls were dismembered by the heretics, displayed in bloody inverted crosses, hung above the Emperor's statue! The rebels had even reached the Lapp family's doorstep.
If not for the Governor's timely intervention by sending the Imperial Guards, their family would have become sacrifices as well! After that night, Marti found that nearly every official's family in the area had been slaughtered by the heretics.
Many friends and familiar faces had vanished.
Only the Rapp family had narrowly survived.
It had been a terrible nightmare!
And now, was that nightmare about to repeat itself?
Marti prayed helplessly:
"Have the heretic rebels come again? Oh no, we're doomed! Great God-Emperor, merciful Governor, please protect the Rapp family!"
"Brother, what's happening outside? I'm so scared!" Lilith said anxiously, looking at her brother.
Deville knelt down and patted Lilith's head.
"Don't worry, there's nothing to be afraid of. There are only scattered sounds of gunfire outside—it's not an army attacking.
If it were really the heretic rebels, the King's Court alarms would've already gone off.
Besides, the fighting is still outside; our residential area is safe for now.
So, stay at home, and there will be no danger.
Just go back to sleep and cover your ears—you won't hear anything…"
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Now, go to sleep. You can't let this mess delay your studies tomorrow!"
Lilith was on a noble elite education schedule, where every bit of energy mattered under its intense workload.
Hearing this, she became nervous and quickly nodded: "I'll go to bed right now!"
Deville gently coaxed Lilith, leading her back to her room and tucking her in.
Deville then turned toward the door, putting on a black coat and tucking a laspistol into his belt.
Those reassuring words he said earlier were just to calm Lilith.
The fighting had already reached their residential area, and no matter what, he couldn't sit by and do nothing.
He was preparing to head out and see what was really happening!
"Mother, I'm going out to see what's going on. Lock the door and don't go outside!"
Marti rushed forward, hugging Deville. Out of habit, she adjusted his collar and warned him, "Be careful, you…"
But she hesitated, holding back the rest of her words.
"Mother, I will do my duty and serve the Governor faithfully!"
Deville's face was resolute as he gripped the laspistol at his waist, finishing the words for her.
If the heretic rebels had truly invaded, he would not choose to run away.
He would pick up his weapon and bravely fight those heretics, giving his all for the Governor! Seeing the determined look on Deville's face, Marti felt heartbroken and reluctant, fearing that once her son left, he might never return.
But she supported Deville's decision because that was the Rapp family tradition for centuries.
Loyalty to the Governor was the foundation of everything!
Marti wiped away her tears, speaking firmly:
"Good child! Go serve the Governor, and don't worry about Lilith and me!"
Deville nodded and resolutely turned to leave.
As the door locked behind him, Deville's demeanor shifted to that of a cold, calculating officer of the King's Court.
He tightened his grip on the laspistol and walked toward the direction of the gunfire.
After only a short distance, Deville rounded a corner and suddenly came face to face with a crimson bionic eye.
Startled, he instinctively raised his laspistol.
However, the next moment, his nose was struck hard, and a large hand clamped over his mouth, the stench of burnt flesh faintly emanating from it!
Arye growled in a low voice:
"We're hunting heretics. Don't make a sound. If those damned scum get away, you'll be dead for sure!
Do you understand?"
The pain in his nose made Deville's eyes well up with tears.
He nodded in pain, indicating that he understood.
Soon, Deville felt the large hand covering his mouth loosen, and he took a deep breath.
But before he could fully recover, his nose was struck again by the butt of a shotgun, the intense pain causing him to moan.
Yet, before he could make a sound, his mouth was covered again.
Arye sternly warned:
"I told you to stay quiet, and here you are making noise again!"
Deville felt a wave of grievance and, muffling his voice, barely managed to say:
"I didn't say anything..."
Finally, the hand covering Deville's mouth released him once more, and he instinctively covered his nose and mouth, fearing another strike.
He and Arye stared at each other, both a little disgruntled from their earlier encounter.
Arye kept his voice low, his face slightly awkward as if he had just realized who Deville was.
He took a puff from a cigar he had looted from a noble's house during a heretic purge, blowing the smoke into Deville's face:
"Well, well, if it isn't our quartermaster from logistics. What a misunderstanding earlier. No hard feelings.
You should head home now. This heretic-hunting operation is dangerous—not really suited for a pretty boy like you."
Those words stung Deville's pride.
He tightened his grip on his laspistol, his resolve firm:
"Scum! I am also a combatant of the King's Court, and it is my duty to purge heretics for the Governor!
Besides, I'm a resident of this area, and I know the terrain better than you!"
Seeing Deville's determination, Arye shrugged and agreed:
"Alright, follow along then. Just don't blame me if you die!"
Deville followed Arye for a while, only to realize that he had been played by the rough one-eyed man!
Arye seemed to sense Deville's mood and put his arm around his shoulders, wiping his dirty hands on Deville's black coat.
"Hey, hey, it was just a little misunderstanding earlier—just two light taps.
I apologize, alright?"
Deville swallowed his anger, unwilling to stoop to the same level as this brute!
As they continued walking, Deville grew more and more familiar with the path, and a sense of unease crept into his heart.
"Where are the heretics hiding?"
Arye bit down on his cigar, pointing ahead to a nearby door:
"There. That house was hiding heretics and has killed many people!"
Seeing the familiar logistics department insignia on the door, Deville froze.
He controlled his emotions and lowered his voice:
"You're mistaken. That family is one of the most loyal in the King's Court. There's no way they'd be colluding with heretics, let alone be traitors…"
(End of Chapter)
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