[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-reborn-king":3,"chapter-the-reborn-king-the-reborn-king-chapter-454":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},1100637,1437,"Chapter 454: Evasion","the-reborn-king-chapter-454",454,"\u003Cp>\"Someone was here.\" Horace picked up the bowl of food, which had gone cold and dropped it on the ground. Pulling a dagger from his belt, he flipped it around and held the blade before going around and tapping against the walls. Charles did the same with his own sword, and when no secret passage could be found behind a wall, they moved to the closet. Within the master bedroom, the echoing sound behind his knocking made Horace look at Charles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pushing the door open, they let themselves into the house next door. The back entrance was open, and multiple footsteps led away. \"Bardas was right,\" Charles said with a deep growl. Walking over to the footprints in the mud, he analysed them, \"It’s not fresh. We missed them by an hour. Maybe longer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace curled his fists and stared at the footsteps. Walking back into the first house, he searched the area. It was impossible for the kidnappers not to realise that taking Astrid onto the open road would have her caught instantly. Any blond-haired child spotted around her age was stopped. Tearing apart cabinets, Horace finally reached the end of the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a steady hand, he grabbed out the makeshift hair dye, corked it, gave a whiff, and then threw it over to Charles. The man made sure to be careful not to drop the glass vial. \"Expand the search to brown haired children. It’s a long shot, but we might get lucky.\" Horace was about to walk off, but a final glance at the glass vial made him stop. Snatching it back, he stared for a few seconds before breaking into a smile, seeing a small logo on the cork. \"That idiot,\" he uttered to himself, and swiftly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his back, Charles sighed and turned to the men with him, \"Spread the order. All brown hair children around the Princess’s age must be searched. The Uneyilding slauted and quickly left the house. Giving it a final look, Charles moved to the door the kidnappers had escaped from and slowly followed the footsteps they had left behind, annoyed when they disappeared into a sea of prints on a main road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>----------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>James, Nathan and Luca finally allowed themselves to relax. With a final peek at the road below, James pulled the curtain closed and fell into his seat. Taking out a piece of paper and grabbing the nearby pen, he quickly began writing a letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’The Princess is in our possession. Will leave Brookhaven when safe.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was short and curt, but James knew that his superiors would know what to do. The entire plan was to distract the Emperor. With his focus completely on the Princess, Severia and the Church can strike. If he could leave with Astrid, all the better, as they would have a hostage in the war, but if not, then it didn’t matter. His mission was completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peeking at Nathan without him realising, a thought ran through James’ mind. Although the mission was over and his superiors likely didn’t expect him to leave alive, he still wanted to live. If he could bring Astrid to Severia with him, wealth wouldn’t be all he got. Praise, honour, promotions and freedom from such a dangerous task would also be within his reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nathan,\" James called out. He would have loved to send Luca, but the man wasn’t his subordinate, but outside help. Grabbing another piece of paper, James wrote down an address and name, \"Deliver this first letter to David, and he will send it to where it needs to go. Then head to this address and get in touch with the man there. He will provide us with the means to leave.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nathan took the paper and stared at the name before looking at James suspiciously, \"Can’t you just...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>James indicated with his finger for Nathan to get closer and pointed with his eyes at Luca on the opposite side of the room, \"I don’t trust him to say this aloud. I can trust you to do this?\" Nathan stared at him for a second and nodded, \"Good. \"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a stretch, Nathan walked to the nearby room. \"I will rest for a while. Then I’ll go.\" With no complaints about his actions, Nathan left the room, allowing James to breathe a sigh of relief. Walking over to Luca, he patted his shoulder and leaned close to his ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Nathan collapse onto the bed, he finally spoke in a hushed voice, \"You may care about children, but do you care if he dies?\" Luca looked at James for a few seconds and shook his head, \"Good. Don’t make it obvious, and don’t think about warning him. This is the only way you and I leave alive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not stupid.\" Luca rolled his eyes. \"Do you have a plan then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. I’ve found a couple of old paths under the city. It must have been for the Royal family to flee in case of a siege, but it has become a place where criminals hide and adulterers use. They will be watched, but if we are lucky, maybe it will die down.\" It was enough for Luca, who gave a deep nod. \"Is she still asleep?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re running out of tranquiliser, but for now, yes.\" James nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t use it anymore until we flee.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>----------------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s been two days,\" Alfred said with an unnaturally calm voice. His eyes scanned the people in the room, \"Two days and we found nothing...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles stepped forward and lowered his head, \"Your Majesty. We know they remain in the city.\" Charles sounded exhausted. For the past two days, he had been on the move nonstop with minimal rest. Everyone, including Alfred himself, had dark bags under their eyes from the lack of sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s all.\" Alfred bitterly scoffed, \"And yet we can’t find her.\" Falling into his chair, Alfred grabbed his head and took a deep breath, \"No, this isn’t your fault. I know you are trying. Do we at least have any clue who orchestrated this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was a purely Severian plot.\" Horace was the one who answered, \"If any of the nobles or citizens were involved, they hid it too well. However, I have an understanding of who we are dealing with, thanks to the dye I found. It’s two men with accents. I used my own Severian one, and it sounded like the one they had.\" Horace looked deep into Alfred’s eyes, \"If we use the printing press, we could spread the word across the whole Empire. Target Severians. We may not get who we need, but we will stop anyone from helping our two men.\" A click of the tongue echoed from Alfred’s seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do it. Keep it localised to the core territories and the port cities.\" Alfred fell into thought, his finger tapping the table. \"A distraction.\" Alfred’s finger sped up as he thought, \"No, a hostage maybe. Send word to Charles and Catherine. Tell them to be ready to mobilise at any time. Begin moving a fleet into the Tears of Gaia.\" Alfred’s finger finally stopped, \"And...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door swung open, and a messenger ran in, kneeling on the floor, \"Your Grace, we have news.\" Horace was the quickest to react, recognising the man as one of his own people. \"A man has approached our people for an escape out of the city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them froze as Alfred got up. Dashing over to the messenger, he helped him rise, \"When?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"An hour ago, maybe a little longer. I had someone tail the client, and we are waiting on your orders.\" Alfred smiled and looked at the two men. Giving a nod, they both knew what had to be done, bowed and quickly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You did well. Rest.\" With a kind tone, Alfred sat back at his desk and watched as the final man left. Unmoving, he rested on his interlocked fingers, waiting for the next bit of news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-----------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the safe house, a fair distance away, James and Luca watched as Nathan returned. Seeing the bait be placed, they quickly ran through the alleyways, keeping Astrid as hidden as they could, to an escape path James knew existed. It was dangerous before with so many patrols spread out, but he hoped that Nathan would draw them out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We just have to hope it’s enough. If they still have heavy patrols, we will have to live on the streets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was the final safe house?\" Luca’s voice was obviously disappointed. His question got a confused look from James. The cost of one safe house was staggering, let alone the three he had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With Nathan gone, I don’t trust using any of the others.\" Not wishing to make Severia look weak before the church, James threw together a quick lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>--------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s done,\" Nathan said with a tired voice. Walking into the living room, he froze seeing it empty. \"JAMES! LUCA!\" His shout was met with silence. A terrible feeling filled his stomach, and without hesitation, he ran out of the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Fucking James.’Cursing in his mind, Nathan instantly knew what had happened. It was a set-up to let him escape. His hand glided over his pocket, caressing the vial of poison he carried. Looking behind him, he tried to see if he was being followed, but couldn’t see anything. Despite that, he had a feeling he was. James wouldn’t have sent him on the mission if he wasn’t sure that the Empire would discover it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Diving into a nearby alley. Nathan ran out the other end and watched for a second. After a few seconds, he saw another man turn down it and make eye contact with him.’Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.’Crying in his mind, Nathan turned another corner and then another, the pursuer never far behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the poison once again, he pulled the cork. Even if he wanted to screw James over, he had heard the stories of Alfred and didn’t wish to suffer the torture he would inflict upon him. Bringing the bottle to his mouth, Nathan downed it. It wasn’t a fast-acting poison, a product hard to smuggle into the Empire and even harder to buy, but it would have him dead within ten minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pursuer realised what Nathan had done and, increasing his speed, tackled the man to the ground. When he tried and failed to pry Nathan’s mouth open, he pulled a dagger out and stabbed it into Nathan’s shoulder. Despite trying to hold back his cry of pain, his mouth opened enough for the man to stuff the but of his dagger into his mouth and leave it open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nathan tried to fight back, but was easily thwarted by a heavy punch to his nose. In his daze, he felt the man flip him over and pull his head back. Stuffing his fingers down Nathan’s throat, he forced him to throw up. Nathan could tell the man was panicking about what to do next. Being flipped back over, the pursuer pulled his face close to Nathan’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Princess. Where is she?\" Nathan smiled without saying a word. Grinding his teeth, the man pulled his dagger out of Nathan’s mouth and grabbed his hand. Holding his hand up, he plunged the steel under his nail and stabbed, before tearing the nail off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"WHERE IS SHE!\" Nathan cried out in pain but stayed silent. It wasn’t unbearable yet. The pursuer stared at Nathan and smiled. Releasing his hand, he stabbed his knife into his trousers over his groin and tore off the fabric. Holding the cold steel over Nathan’s genitals, he pulled another knife out and held it over his eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"YOUR EYE OR YOUR E WHAT I NEED!\" Nathan could see that the man was serious and rapidly breathing. Opening his mouth, he stopped and shook his head. The man frowned and lowered the dagger over the eye. He could easily castrate Nathan, but whether he survived the next five minutes was another question. Taking the eye was safer and just as painful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout the street, Nathan screamed in pain, trying to break free, failing every time. From the houses surrounding them, people watched the torturer in horror, covering their children’s ears. Some gave small prayers, some sighed and went back to their meals, and a few simply watched with cold gazes. Despite everything, no one dared do anything, terrified of being labelled a traitor and suffering the same fate.\u003C\u002Fp>",2077,"2026-06-03T11:17:51.400Z","2026-06-03T11:17:48.775Z",1,"novelbin.me","24aa11ff2f977bbe311bc9ad3183c7d7f1dacf4e3d9caebdb7f0031077008d9c","the-reborn-king-chapter-455","the-reborn-king-chapter-453",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-reborn-king-cover.jpg"]