Knight Fantastic Night A14chapter 1 Part2

The 1 month MIA was not intentional at all, I swear. Breath of The Wild is THAT good. I barely sc.r.a.pped 10% of the game. Viva shrine completion + korok seed collecting!

A lightbulb lit up in her head. Everyone who entered this room will be executed. Could the reason be related to this phone? If Qi Wen Yu could ring up this phone, then... Could he have made contact with Duarte? That's right, his friend Lorraine is also acquainted with this game...

Everything lined up. A chill ran up her spine.

If that is the case, then this phone connected two different worlds. Both reality and virtual, past and present...

"Just what does Qi Wen Yu know? What did he tell you?! Tell me!" 

She squeezed her phone hard. 

"Or I'll smash this to pieces!"

Before she could finish her sentence, a shadow flashed in front of her. The phone in her hand was quickly s.n.a.t.c.hed away and she felt a stinging slap on her cheek.

Her cheek was beet red in response to the sudden pain. She instinctively touched her burning cheek while stared in shock at the man who slapped her--- Percival.

"You've gone overboard!" 

While he handed over the phone back to Duarte, Percival condemned Lin Ling. He continued in a softer tone. 

"Sir, Lin Ling is an idiot. Please do not mind her words. If we sentence her to the gallows, it would not benefit us in any way. Plus, we wish for her to be one of us, isn't that so?"

Under the moonlight, it was finally bright enough to see Duarte's captivating face clearly. He wore an inexplicable expression.

After a brief moment of silence, Duarte spoke up. 

"Percival, I could have sworn you are now wearing your evil persona. Why are you uttering such pleading words? This woman's influence is truly terrifying."

Percival seemed uncomfortable at his words. 

"If she lives or die, it has nothing to do with me. I only wish to help grant you your wish. The quicker you get it, the faster I could get my hands on my reward."

"Is that so?" 

Duarte raised his eyebrows doubtfully at his words. His eyes had a cold stare to it. 

"To tell the truth, I think it is a waste to kill her as well. Nevertheless, she must be punished. The knights which was stripped of their t.i.tles was to be whipped one hundred times, so Lin Ling will be whipped half the times they have gotten."

Half of it. So it's 100 - 50 = 50. Just when Lin Ling was doing the maths with her fingers, Percival spoke up in her defence. 

"Sir, she's a girl. Fifty whips is too muc---"

"Both punishments are the same to me." 

Lin Ling quickly cut short his words once she is done with the maths. Her face was pale as she spat those words.

"You won't die that easily." 

Duarte chuckled.

"Men, lock her up. Begin her whipping after three days."

The guards acted as soon as their liege commanded. Lin Ling is still in a shock, but she still nodded towards Percival as grat.i.tude for him speaking up for her. As she tore her gaze away from him, Percival sent a rea.s.suring look her way, something rather unusual for him to do.

She was reminded of Duarte's word all of a sudden. That's right, Xiao Per was supposed to be wearing his evil persona today. It looks like something changed him, and she is not aware of the cause at all.

The sun sets in the Roman sky. The late autumn air is especially chilly on evenings.

Only one day left till they begin her punishment. Lin Ling saw no hope in escaping and resigned to her fate quietly. If she could return to her own world now, she would most certainly drill questions at Xiao San (Third Prince) until she get her answers. Perhaps this strange situation is related to Arthur and the rest's loss of memory?

She heard noises outside, and the tiny window at her door slid open. As usual, Percival pushed in her meal--- a.s.sorted vegetables, pea soup and bread.

"This is my final meal. So why the vegetables... Where's the meat?" 

Lin Ling grumbled about her unappetizing food.

"It's good for your health." Percival replied with a deadpan look.

"I'm going to die soon--- My health is of no consequences now..." 

Lin Ling simply pushed aside the food dejectedly.

"You won't die that easily." 

Percival stared at her for quite some time before repeating his words. 

"Drink more pea soup, it's good for you."

She did not pay attention to his words initially, but something strange perked her ears. Is there something in the pea soup?

As soon as she thought of the possibility, she quickly bent down and furiously scooped the soup again and again. Her hypothesis was right, she found something in the soup.

G.o.d! It is actually something she needed desperately now--- It's half an egg!

It's an egg! AN EGG! To think there is an egg in here! She can't believe her eyes!

"Xiao Per... You... How can this... Could you be... That can't be right, you're evil right now..." 

The shock made her stutter her words.

"Do you wish to know why I am cursed this way?" 

He spoke up all of a sudden.

Lin Ling froze. She quickly rubbed her ears. He is actually telling her something important about him! Lin Ling finds this absolutely unbelievable.

"My father is an exemplary knight. When I was but a young lad, I wish to be just like him, and I did. I became a knight. It was then that my mother told me this; No matter where my duties brought me, I must never neglect a woman's request or a woman in need. Without the slightest hesitation, I must commit myself to a.s.sist them. I must throw my own life for honor. Should a men abandon a woman, then he would have lost his honor. I knew of this, and yet, I disregarded my mother's words. And thus, I was punished by G.o.d."

He was deep in his thoughts, and continued after a long contemplation. 

"I was on my way to visit my cousin when I saw a group of bandits *hara.s.sing a young girl. I wanted to save her but there is too many of them. Overwhelmed by numbers, I was defeated. I prioritized saving myself and did not continue my struggles against those bandits. In the end, the girl killed herself right in front of my eyes. As she flickered between life and death, she gave me this curse that you now know too well."
TL: The word is actually rape, but it doesn't sound nice.

He pulled his gaze away. Those eyes of his could not hide the immeasurable grief he was trying to suppress.

He could not right all the things he had done wrong. The guilt caused so much pain to him.

Lin Ling was stunned at his story. She sympathized with him. She never would have thought Percival had such a terrible, painful history to his curse. Could this be the reason he refused to hurt the fairer s.e.x? Then, the reason he put an egg in the soup is because...

"Why aren't you eating the egg yet? I am not sure why you need an egg, but I do know that you could leave this place if you eat it. Am I right on this?" 

Percival returned to his usual cold att.i.tude. 

"Thank you, Xiao Per..."

She quivered in excitement as she picked up the egg. When she was about to put it into her mouth, Percival had a dagger glinting dangerously pressed on his neck.

"D-Duarte..."

"If you wish for him to die, then eat that egg." 

Duarte smirked.

"Stop! Let him go!" 

Lin Ling banged on the door with her free hand. The egg she held in her hand moved away from her lips. 

"Oh? You would throw away your only chance at escape for him?" 

Duarte chuckled coldly. 

"Do not forget. He is one of my men."

"He is not one of yours! He will join up with Arthur in the future! He is also my comrade. I don't see what's wrong with protecting your comrades!" 

Lin Ling threw the egg in front of Duarte.

"Thank you, Xiao Per. I am grateful for your help. From now on, you're my comrade in arms!"

Duarte looked down and kept quiet.

"Nevertheless, Percival... I am disappointed in you." 

Duarte's gaze had a dangerous glint to it. 

"Do you honestly believe I will have her whipped fifty times? No matter... If I did not give that order, such interesting things would never have occurred."

A light bulb went off above her head. 

"You actually faked an order to push Xiao Per? Your actions are way overboard!"

Percival stood there quietly and calm all this while

"Lin Ling, did I not mention this to you? When a man abandoned a woman's honor, his honor would be lost." 

He covered his eyes with his hand and spoke softly.

"Xiao Per..."

"Which is why, Lin Ling. Please give me the honor I should have." 

As soon as he finished his words, Percival took her hand which is holding the egg and pushed it into her mouth. It was so sudden and forceful that before Lin Ling could react, she had gulped it down her throat.

No, stop! Xiao Per!

She yelled at him in her heart. But the scenery in front her eyes spinned, and not long after, she lost her consciousness.