947 Hostility From Princes

"Excuse me," Sapphire Sovereign stepped forward and narrowed his eyes at the smiling Varian, "I died a while ago, but I'm alive now. I really want to know what happened to me. Tell me. If you don't open your mouth, I'll have to force you."

"Oh?" Varian's lips curled into a teasing smile, "You all failed in the trial and died. I rescued you because I didn't want to see unnecessary death."

"Hm?" Emerald Sovereign also took another step forward and stood beside his peer, "Since you can rescue us, can you help us clear the trials? Don't worry, my Duchy will reward you handsomely. Besides, you also need us to clear the trial so you can leave this world, right?"

Varian told them he could only leave this world if the trial was cleared. They thought he was some 'expert' bound by this world to guide the participants. There were too many similar legends and myths with such 'experts'.

"About that," Varian scratched this cheek with an embarrassed expression as if he was really sorry, "You misunderstood something. I'm not bound by this world or anything. I just am a participant just like you."

"W-What?!"

"But you just…"

Sapphire Prince and Emerald Prince opened their mouth in shock while Prince Shak slapped his own cheek.

"So you're the one who sneaked in! You're the reason Diamond Duchy's team couldn't enter!" Sapphire Sovereign growled.

"You liars, cheaters, corrupt filths! How dare you deceive us?" Emerald Sovereign gritted his teeth.

Sovereign Alban also wanted to step forward and confront Varian, but Prince Shak shook his head and stopped him.

"Liars? Excuse me?" Varian put on a wronged expression, "I didn't lie. I just said I can't leave this world without passing this trial, it's factual. None of you can leave. Neither can I. So, when did I lie if it's just your misunderstanding that I'm some weird-ass expert?"

"T-This!" Sapphire Prince's face twisted in shame as he tried to refute the argument.

As a Prince that took his reputation seriously, it'd be a shame if it spread now that he was fooled.

"You said your name was Guide and that's the reason we were deceived!" Sapphire Sovereign clenched his fist.

"Recall carefully," Varian tapped his index finger on his head.

"I will guide you to the trial you seek. You can refer to me as Guide." Prince Shak repeated Varian's words of that time.

"Exactly! I never said my real name was Guide. It's just something you can refer to as and I'll accept it for that time," Varian clapped for his own performance and pointed to the ring on the Emerald Prince, "That thing can detect if I lie. So, I never lied. I just didn't tell the whole truth."

The Princes gritted their teeth while the Sovereigns clenched their fists.

Fooled. They're completely fooled.

Veins popped on their forehead and they wanted to settle scores with Varian.

"Not only did you steal Diamond Duchy's quota, you even deceived us. You should be punished severely." Sapphire Prince declared.

"We won't kill you but you'll have to suffer some sweet torture," Sapphire Sovereign grinned with a menacing smile.

Varian simply shrugged as if he didn't care about it.

"Especially the two girls next to you," Emerald Prince's shone with a lecherous light as he ogled at Sarah and Sia, "They'll have to pay for your mistake. Don't worry, I'll let you go once they 'satisfy' us."

"My prince is usually silent, but when it comes to important things, he's the most decisive," Emerald Sovereign gave off an equally lecherous grin, "While we break your limbs, we'll rape them to near death. Your cries and their moans will be the apology."

Varian's face had the same smile but his eyes were completely cold. Shaking his head lightly, he looked at the only prince that didn't make any remark until now, "How do you want to punish us, chap?"

"P-Punish?" Prince Shak stuttered as he gazed into the scary eyes of this man. Until now, he could at least stare into this guide's eyes. But now, he had a strong urge to run away from that gaze.

That gaze…it felt like the gaze of a bloodthirsty beast that loved violence.

"Gulp," Sovereign Alban shielded Prince Alban and stared at Varian seriously for a moment before he instinctively turned his head away.

'Million, no, ten million, no, even more…just how many did this monster kill?' Sovereign Alban was the strongest Sovereign here. And only after a deep probe was he able to feel the suppressed killing intent in Varian.

It was so vast, so dark and so sharp that he felt his skin sting in pain just by looking at it.

"Oh? Are you seeking more punishment?" Sapphire Prince laughed at Varian's words, "Deceiving a person of my status would warrant your death. But I'm kind-hearted to let you go after some normal torture."

"Not me, I want to see him cry and beg for mercy," Emerald Prince said slowly but his words were more vicious than anyone else, "If this news gets out, my reputation will be gone and I'll lose all support. For intending so much damage to my career, you and your two bitches need to suffer."

Varian narrowed his eyes and slowly raised his hand.

Just then, Prince Shak shoved Sovereign Alban aside and yelled, "I don't have any relation with these two. I am only grateful to you for saving us. If possible, I want to thank you and nothing else."

It was only then that the Princes and the Sovereigns realized something.

In their cognition, they were fighting powerful beasts with the last of their strength but were still killed in the end. When they opened their eyes, they were here.

Their state of mind was still completely violent and they just wanted to fight. So, they neglected the part where Varian said he rescued them after they failed the trial and proceeded to grill and humiliate and warn him.

Could a person who can rescue them from the Palace be a normal guy?

"P-Prince, no one can interfere with the trials other than the ones who clear them! This is common sense! There's just no way this guy or even any living being can clear that trial! It's just insane! What's more, there's a ninth trial after that!

He just said he's a participant like us. So, he had no authority here in the first place. He just reached the palace earlier than us and deceived us.

And just like us who failed the trial, he too appeared here. Just a bit before us. So, he too must've failed the trial. He's just bluffing now that his cover was about to be blown! We've never seen him fight. I think he's just weak and bluffing everything!"

This analysis made almost perfect sense to the two princes and their sudden fear of their rescuer was gone as soon as it appeared.

Prince Shak too felt this was a reasonable explanation but it had its own holes. The guide was at least strong enough to get here. And he got here first before them who could only reach the palace after cooperating with each other.

Of course, there's a possibility he was lucky. But what're the odds, really?

Still, thinking back to the guide's actions back then, it felt like he was indeed bluffing.

But no matter what, Prince Shak didn't want to go against the gut feeling that told him to run away from this dangerous person.

So, he raised his hands and backed off with his team, "I'm out of this conflict."

"You loser!" Sapphire Prince snorted in disdain while Emerald Prince muttered, "Scared little bitch."

"Never mind those idiots, we'll first punish you and then try to get out of this damn world. Maybe you know something and will tell us after some punishment, right?" Sapphire Sovereign clenched his fists and an overwhelming killing intent enveloped Varian's trio.

"Or maybe these two dolls will tell us?" Emerald Sovereign licked his lips and his killing intent specifically enveloped Sarah and Sia.

The two Sovereigns channeled their aura and they shot out at supersonic speed. The land under them ripped into two and the air around them exploded.

They reached Varian in less than a blink of an eye and were about to subdue him. But in the very, very last moment, the man in question snorted, "Hmph!"