[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-reborn-king":3,"chapter-the-reborn-king-the-reborn-king-chapter-453":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Reborn King",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1100636,1437,"Chapter 453: The Search","the-reborn-king-chapter-453",453,"\u003Cp>\"It’s good you made it out, Rob.\" Seeing the archer who he had brought with him walk in, Luca tapped his arm, squeezing as he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The others are either dead or were captured. I only got away because of my position.\" Luca nodded and collapsed onto the nearby seat, his bones aching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They will talk eventually, but for now, it will be fine.\" Reaching the nearby table, Luca opened a small pouch and looked at the gold coins inside. Chucking it in the air and catching it twice, he threw it over to his comrade. \"Get away from me. Don’t show up to the church, pretend to be a normal Ammay citizen. When things have calmed down, leave the city and never return.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rob looked at the pouch of money. Opening his mouth, he paused and hesitated. For a few seconds, he looked ready to speak until his mouth closed into a thin smile. \"Thank you, Luca.\" Rob didn’t stand on ceremony and pocketed the pouch. Walking into another room, he quickly changed out his clothes, dumped his weapons and left. James walked in soon after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you get them? The city is going crazy.\" With a nod in reply, James smile bloomed, following the templar into the next room. Astrid sat with her arm gently tied in front of her, a gag in her mouth and a blindfold on. Everything was done in a way that wouldn’t hurt her, Luca having no desire to cause the girl any further suffering. \"Where’s the boy?\" Looking around the empty room, his eyes landed on Luca.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Escaped. We only managed to get her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Escaped. It’s a child, how could you let him escape?\" Grabbing his hair and rubbing a hand through it, James clicked his tongue and stared at Astrid, \"What good is the girl? I needed the boy\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You still have a hostage.\" Luca’s tone went cold, taking a step closer towards James, \"Or shall I return her, because she is no good?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch.\" Looking and stepping away, James walked over to Astrid and pulled her blindfold off. Unlike Luca, who made sure to be careful, James had no care for Astrid’s well-being, as long as she didn’t die. \"Every building will be searched soon. Hiding her will do no good either.\" James turned to face Luca, \"In the next room, top left cabinet, there is hair dye and a tranquilliser. Bring them for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the old templar walk off, James pulled Astrid’s eyelids apart with two fingers and stared at her bright blue eyes. Although blue wasn’t rare, the sapphire tint Astrid had was. With a missing child, even if he changed his hair, his eyes could still expose him. \"What to do with this?\" Removing his hand, Astrid rubbed her eye in pain, staring hateful eyes at James.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>------------------------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room went silent as Alfred took numerous deep, laboured breaths. His fists were curled so tightly that they had gone pale white and fingers numb. No one dared to even breathe loudly, not even Isra as she stared at her husband. They had all sent their orders to find Astrid, but without any information for Alfred, they could only cower in fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened, but no one turned to see who arrived, keeping their heads to the ground. The cold but calm footsteps walked past them all. \"Your Majesty,\" Horace spoke with his usual tone, but everyone could tell that even he was slightly nervous as well as angry. \"It was the Church. Their interrogation is underway, but one of them had a weapon that only Templars are known to own.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred’s breath got heavier, but he remained silent. \"We are looking into whether they had any internal supp...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has she been found?\" Alfred finally spoke, cutting off Horace. Turning to face his most trusted advisors, he looked as if he could kill any one of them on a moment’s notice. Horace turned away and ground his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unfortunately, not.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unfortunately, not.\" Repeating the words, Alfred took a deep breath and walked forward. Patting Horrace’s shoulder, he leaned close to his ear, \"Do better, or what use do I have for you?\" Horace stiffened at the words, feeling the wind on his face as Alfred walked past, \"Charles mobilise all the Unyielding within the Capital. A complete lockdown. Search every house, every store, every bin, and every barn. I do not care. I want her found and these men dealt with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning, he stared into Isra’s eyes, forcing her to look away, \"Issac, look into the nobles who may have supported such an action.\" Taking a deep breath, Alfred remained calm as he stared at Isra, \"All of you get out. Find her now.\" Everyone scrambled to leave except Isra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Al-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know what you have done?\" Alfred closed the distance between the two in a second. For a second, his eyes flashed with a deep burning anger, one that made Isra think she was about to be hit. Alfred saw the fear in her eyes, his anger vanishing for a second in shock that Isra could think he would do such a thing. But that shock was quickly eclipsed by his rage again. \"You hate them. I know you do. Part of me hates what they do, but you have put this family at risk with your reckless actions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t want this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bullshit. Do not lie to me, Isra.\" Turning away in disappointment, he shook his head, \"What did you think was going to happen when you weakened their protection detail. ’Oh, he obviously doesn’t care about those children. ’ Alfred mocked and dryly scoffed, \"They will see an opening to get at me.\" Alfred took a step closer to Isra and looked down at her, his eyes burning with hate, \"My daughter is gone. When Edward was taken, I couldn’t do anything and had to leave it to you.\" Lowering his head closer to her, Isra could feel his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will rain hell upon everyone involved. You are lucky I love you, Isra, because if I didn’t, you would have been included.\" His voice was like a growl, and his words stunned Isra to her core. The two remain unmoving for nearly a minute. Alfred slowly calmed down, and when he did, he reached out and grabbed her hands, \"I’m sorry. I was angry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isra knocked his hand away and turned her back, covering her mouth, \"Don’t threaten me, Alfred.\" Her voice shook, and Alfred knew he had messed up. \"You do not threaten me.\" Turning around, she slammed her finger into his chest. \"I won’t accept it. I won’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know.\" Alfred grabbed the finger digging into his chest affectionately. \"You must understand, I was angry. Not in my right mind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are lucky I love you, Alfred.\" Pulling her hand away, she took a step back. The venom in her voice slowly changed to a forgiving acceptance, \"Because if I didn’t, I would have left.\" Alfred bitterly smiled and lowered his head. Taking a deep breath, he stepped towards her and grabbed her hair like he always did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry.\" Giving Afred a nod in return, she grabbed his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We both were emotional.\" Kissing the ring on his ring finger, it was enough to convey what she wanted to say, \"She will be found, Alfred. Don’t be scared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closing his eyes, he frowned, \"She’s better.\" Pulling away from Isra, he walked over to the couch and fell into it. Leaning back, he rubbed his eyes, \"Because if she’s not, I will burn the Holy Seat to the ground. No matter what it costs.\" Looking into Isra’s eyes, there was an intense light in them, \"I swear this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smiling in reply, she walked around behind Alfred and crouched down, hugging him from behind. Alfred leaned back, resting his head on her shoulder and the headrest. \"I will be with you. All the way.\" Planting a kiss on his cheek, she slowly stood up and pushed her hair behind her ears. \"At times like this, it is best that I show myself as a dutiful mother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly walking out, she took one final look at Alfred and left. The Royal Guard followed close behind as Isra made her way into the city, with more guards joining her with each passing minute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles sat leaning over the back of a chair. By his side, two unyielding guards loomed, their gaunlets covered in red liquid. He had been searching for an hour and a half when he found Rob running through the streets. Whilst not every citizen would be stopped like children or those personally known, Rob was acting suspiciously to not be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten gold is a lot. Where did it come from?\" Charles asked coldly, staring at Rob\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I earned it,\" Rob spoke through a raspy breath, making Charles sigh. Looking up at the Unyielding to his left, the man didn’t need a direct order. Taking a step forward, he held Rob’s head up and slammed his fist into his stomach. The force made Rob throw up, but even as he did, the Unyielding never stopped. With a backhand, he swung into Rob’s face, knocking him over as he threw up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The money. Where?\" Rob didn’t say anything. Through his blurred, bloody vision, he smiled and spat at Charles. \"Okay.\" Charles looked out the window. Getting up, he stretched and yawned, \"Keep him alive.\" Charles looked down at Rob, \"I am going to get someone more convincing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side of the city, Horace stood alone in front of the criminals who had done the robbery under Luca’s orders. There were four in total, with one lying on the ground killed by Horace as a show of force and warning. \"Who made you do the robbery?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fuck you...\" One of the criminals spat out at Horace’s feet, much to the surprise and horror of his boss. The boss moved quickly and punched the man across the face, knocking him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t have time. Name, places, looks.\" Usually, he would make an example of such disrespectful behaviour, but Horace couldn’t be bothered, not having the time or patience to deal with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know a name. You know we don’t deal in that, nor do I have a place.\" Horace frowned, and the criminal noticed quickly stammering over his words, \"But he ain’t got an accent from round here. It was more.\" Struggling to recreate it, Horace opened his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like this.\" Speaking with a Severian accent from the south of the Empire, the criminal’s eyes lit up and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like that. It’s a bit smoother, but yeah.\" The man moved quickly and handed Horace a pen and paper, \"I’ll give you how he looked.\" Horace nodded and began writing, detailing everything the man provided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>----------------------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well,\" Charles asked Bardas, who carefully cleaned his hands free of blood. All across his body, he had blood, and Charles wondered if he had killed the man multiple times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"East district. William’s Road. House 12. It might be a lie, but it’s too detailed.\" Bardas threw the bloodied rag he had to clean his hand to the side, \" If that will be all, I will take my leave.\" Charles nodded and stared at the man’s back. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the room where Rob had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t freeze or feel disgusted at the sight of having on on the battlefield numerous times. He couldn’t even be surprised by the state of the body, given the amount of blood on Bardas. Clicking his fingers, the two Unyielding guards walked in. \"Clean this up.\" Pointing at the red lump tied to the chair, Charles shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nathan looked at Astrid with a strange gaze. \"What is the plan with her?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hostage. When the Emperor declares war, we will have this up our sleeve to keep Alfred in check.\" Nathan nodded and stared at the girl. \"We need to send proof we have her. Or else it won’t work.\" Luca’s ear perked up, hearing that. \"We already dyed her hair. What else?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do not lay a finger on her or I will kill you both.\" Luca cut in before James could propose his own point. I helped kidnap a child. I won’t let you harm her, however.\" James frowned but shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s fine. We just need to send some clothing.\" Footsteps outside made the men freeze. \"We have to move.\" James seriously, leading the two to a nearby escape passage. Luca carefully picked up Astrid, not trusting the two to be in charge of her.\u003C\u002Fp>",2109,"2026-06-03T11:17:51.400Z","2026-06-03T11:17:48.775Z",1,"novelbin.me","5707a434177f96b3ef78c32399bb2f7058fe1e6f766b01ebb494eec0ef45c61c","the-reborn-king-chapter-454","the-reborn-king-chapter-452",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-reborn-king-cover.jpg"]