RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

146. A Hidden Enemy

The first item on the agenda was to report all small and large damages caused by the battle. The main points of discussion were the numbers of casualties and what the reaction of the neighboring countries would be. Jungkook, who solved the realistic problems, looked at the nobles with a subdued gaze.

"Why has no one brought news about the Empress and Mingyu?"

"..."

Everyone in the large hall simultaneously fell silent.

"I had ordered the capture of the Empress and the Second Prince, but no one has brought them to me."

Jungkook no longer spoke of Ophelia with any tone of respect. She not only tried to assassinate him, but also tried to install her son onto the throne over the rightfully named successor. Following these events, they were no longer worthy of any respect.

A heavy silence followed. The nobles kept their mouths rmly closed for fear of retribution from Jungkook. His eyebrows furrowed deeply, and nally Smith from the Casey family stepped forward and fell to his knees.

"I beg for your mercy, Your Majesty. I searched the whole palace, but I

could not nd the whereabouts of the Empress and the Second Prince."

"Are you admitting to your incompetence?"

His voice was emotionless and at, but the nobles were familiar with Jungkook's violent tendencies and they broke into a nervous sweat.

Everyone else in the room dropped to their knees after Smith.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty!"

Jungkook stared at the crowd with a cold expression. As long as Ophelia and Mingyu were breathing, they should not have been allowed to escape under any circumstances. Jungkook opened his mouth to speak again, when the door to the meeting hall opened, and a messenger rushed in with harried look.

"I beg to inform His Majesty that the body of the Second Prince was found in the lake."

"Mingyu's body was found?"

Jungkook's blue eyes ashed with surprise. He hadn't ordered Mingyu's death, only his capture. He wasn't the only one that was taken aback by the news. Everyone in the hall glanced at each other confusedly, and Jungkook quickly regained his composure and spoke again.

"What's the state of the body? What is the cause of death?"

"That is...the body was so disgured that it was almost impossible to identify the Second Prince at first. Not only did he lose his eyes, nose, and tongue...but his limbs were cut o as well."

Following the messenger's report, the meeting hall was lled with the stunned murmuring of voices. Mingyu was not simply killed; he was deliberately and cruelly murdered by someone. It was clear he suered terrible torture before his death.

'Who the hell...'

There was one gure that came to mind. It was the one he had put on the back burner for the moment; once he had taken control of the Imperial Palace and neutralized Redeld and Ophelia, then he would deal with the hidden enemy.

Namgil.

Jungkook turned towards Taehyung below him.

"Where is Grand Duke Lunen now?"

Last Jungkook heard, Namgil was staying somewhere in the palace. Taehyung answered.

"I was about to report it...but Grand Duke Lunen is nowhere to be seen inside the palace. Why do you ask?"

Taehyung had no knowledge of Namgil's plans yet, and he was puzzled to be asked about him so suddenly. Jungkook had no intention to explain in it detail, and he simply knitted his eyebrows and mumbled to himself.