Chapter 404 - The Tallest Grass Always Stands Out
"Oh, he was dead a long time ago, and please understand when I say that I can't reveal how exactly I killed him."
Yuria nodded slowly while King Krisen said in an understanding tone, "Of course. That's understandable, and we also wouldn't like to know. A cultivator should always safeguard his life-saving secrets, sometimes from his loved ones so that his enemies wouldn't be able to use them as leverage."
Even though King Krisen meant what he said, he still couldn't help but be curious about how Damien did such an unbelievable thing.
Damien wasn't even someone senior or having a sky-high cultivation but to still be capable of such astonishing things made even someone as old as him be very interested in it since uncovering the secrets of the unknown was something that interested powerful cultivators like him since they were already at the top.
But since Damien was someone his daughter cherished and loved, he stifled his curiosity from the start since the wellbeing of his daughter was the most important to him.
Yuria badly wanted to know, just like anyone else, how Damien did it, but then she understood that in this world, not revealing such secrets was the only way to allow someone to live longer while defending their loved ones.
"I am glad you two understand. And as for why I did it...he was trying to come after my woman."
Yuria pursed her lips, seeing how he mentioned another woman, but at the same time, she was happy inwardly that he loved his women so much to the point of even getting rid of a prince from the Gale Empire no less.
This was a very risky deed since the moment the Gale Emperor catches wind of this, there might be hardly any places where Damien could hide.
King Krisen was also impressed to see that Damien was very passionate about protecting his loved ones since that also meant that he would do the same for Yuria. He knew that there were only a rare few people who would prioritize their loved ones more than the tempting dream of achieving absolute power.
Killing someone so important without feeling scared about it was not a feat everyone could do. Usually, even if someone managed to kill someone like that, their minds would be filled with paranoia and unrest.
But Damien was standing here coolly, and the way he said it felt as if he just killed a bug that tried to harass his woman.
"You are bolder and daring, more than I thought. No wonder my daughter chose you. You really have your way with women," King Krisen said in a jesting tone.
"Papa!" Yuria became red-faced hearing his words.
Damien softly chuckled and said after a few moments, "Anyways, I never really planned to control him like this unless the Gale Empire was going to act against me for some reason."
"Wait. The Gale Emperor is after you??" Yuria felt her heart leap out, thinking that Damien was on the run because the Gale Emperor had hostility against him.
Even King Krisen couldn't help but have his expression become serious.
Damien shook his head with a smile, "No, silly. He is not after me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be comfortable staying at the Xeton Empire for all this time."
Yuria let out a loud sigh of relief as if they just dodged a bullet. However, King Krisen's expression didn't relax since with his experience, he already felt that Damien knew about some bigger play.
"But the Gale Emperor has set his eyes on the Krisen Kingdom."
This sentence sent a tremor through Yuria's heart since she had heard various rumors about the Gale Emperor, especially his ruthlessness from her own father.
King Krisen's brows wrinkled as he slowly clenched his fists, "As expected...I always saw this coming...the tallest grass always stands out and the ones that are more prone to getting cut off."
Yuria became even more worried seeing her father's troubled expression and asked Damien, "Damien, you really think he is eyeing our kingdom? Is it because he doesn't like our kingdom getting powerful?"
Yuria could guess why the emperor would get jealous of their growth and try to stifle it before their kingdom grows to a size that could threaten him.
This was why she hated being royalty in this world since it would mean she and her family were always open to the danger of getting devoured by a jealous and bigger tiger.
Damien nodded with a sigh while King Krisen already knew the reason and said, "This is not surprising. I have always known about the subtle tension between me and the Gale Family, especially the emperor, during recent years. He probably thinks I am after his throne or trying to gain the affection of the majority of the people so that I could take the throne without much effort."
He then looked at Damien, "So that's why he sent you...I mean Tristen. He wanted Tristen to win and win the affection of my daughter so that he wouldn't have to worry about my kingdom. Well, not that I didn't see that coming."
Yuria sighed, disliking the politics that existed between families in this world, especially marriage alliances where the girls were considered as nothing but pawns to increase the standing of their own family.
She once again realized how lucky she was to have King Krisen as her father and what her fate would have been if someone like the Gale Emperor was her father.
"But what are we going to do? Do I have to go back with Damien to fool the emperor or something? I mean, since Tristen is really dead, I am okay with accompanying Damien—"
"No! It's too dangerous, and you would be beyond my reach...I can't allow that," King Krisen adamantly said, not daring to think about leaving his daughter all alone in the palace of his enemy.
"Your Majesty...if I may...I have a plan," Damien calmly said as King Krisen looked at him with a narrowed gaze.