Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start? - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Chapter85-The Royal Family’s Revenge Plan!
Among the towering peaks of the Thousand Peaks mountain range, a group of people were frantically running, evading the pursuit from behind.

They were none other than members of the Azure Royal Family!

Each of them was in a disheveled state, their luxurious and precious robes almost entirely covered in dust. As they fled through the mountains, their garments were torn into rags.

Deep exhaustion and terror were etched on every face.

Leading the group was King Aldric, his teeth nearly ground to dust as he continuously cursed Leslie along the way.

When Leslie had massacred the great hall today, if it weren’t for the premonition of Luna Academy’s principal who escorted them to the Thousand Peaks, they would have already perished at Leslie’s hands!

The price they paid to escape to this point was extremely heavy!

The twelve-man team of gold-tier mages had been ambushed by Charlotte as they left the city. They sacrificed their lives to cast the Twelve Zodiac Palaces, creating an opportunity for the royal family to flee.

However, in their panic as they entered the deep mountains, they were suddenly attacked by Carlos and Kyrik, the Penal Minister.

They came with great force, but fortunately, the principal of Luna Academy held off the strong enemies on both sides, allowing the few remaining members to escape with their lives.

Though they had escaped to this place, King Aldric was now as ragged as a beggar, drenched in sweat, his clothes tattered, and his crown lost who knows where.

The aura of majesty that once surrounded him as a king had dissipated almost entirely. He now resembled a frightened deer, trembling at the slightest rustle in the wind.

“Who’s there!”

Suddenly, King Aldric felt something approaching from behind and hurriedly cried out, scrambling away in a panic.

“Father, it’s me, Marry…”

Marry approached, holding some clear water in a lotus leaf, only to find that her once composed father had become so terrified.

Seeing that it was Marry bringing him water, King Aldric steadied himself, forcing a wry smile. Feeling parched from the escape, he quickly stepped forward and took the lotus leaf with his mud-stained hands.

He drank the water hastily, not caring about his image. Some of the water spilled onto his chest, making his already filthy and tattered clothes look even more shabby.

“Good, good. You’ve done well. Now, you lead the group and continue deeper,” King Aldric said, feeling slightly calmer after drinking the water. He looked at Marry and discussed their next steps.

Marry sighed as she looked at her father’s current state, then nodded repeatedly.

With the royal family suffering heavy casualties and her father being severely shaken, she knew she had to take on the heavy burden herself.

Marry composed herself, scanned the weary royal family members, and spoke loudly:

“Everyone, the Azure Kingdom is now at a critical juncture of life and death. We must all pull ourselves together. Though the current situation is dire, our royal ancestors have left us resources for a counterattack!”

Upon hearing Marry’s words,

“The royal treasure!”

Many of the previously despondent royal members suddenly widened their eyes in astonishment and cried out.

They had heard from their elders since childhood about a deeply hidden treasure belonging to the royal family.

It was not to be used unless the kingdom was facing life and death.

However, they knew nothing about what the treasure contained, where exactly it was, or how to access it.

But this legend had been passed down through the royal family for generations. Now, Marry mentioned it again.

“That’s right. You might have heard the rumors of the auction. The royal treasure is real and it’s hidden deep within the Thousand Peaks!”

Seeing that everyone had regained some spirit, Marry continued to speak, boosting their morale:

“We are not far from the treasure now. Once we find it, even though our current situation is dire, we can still turn the tide!”

Marry spoke with absolute certainty.

“Victory!”

“Victory!”

The royal members, their eyes now red with determination, roared in unison!

…

The lush towering trees grew wildly, with roots crawling over the ground, crisscrossing in every direction.

Bright sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, scattering dapples of light onto the group venturing deeper into the mountains.

Marry, surrounded by mana, conjured long swords that shredded the branches and bushes in their path, creating a clear trail forward.

Behind Marry, King Aldric and the other royal family members, along with the Council of Elders, followed closely, occasionally glancing around with wary expressions.

Though they had shaken off their pursuers, the Thousand Peaks were teeming with spellbeasts, making the area far from safe. The deeper they went, the louder and more terrifying the roars of the spellbeasts became, their auras exuding ominous power.

Fortunately, Marry remembered the map that guided them away from the dangerous areas where spellbeasts gathered.

The pervasive miasma was also navigated safely thanks to the map’s guidance, allowing them to avoid getting lost, making their journey relatively uneventful.

About an hour later, Marry, leading the way, suddenly stopped and looked ahead, her face breaking into a broad smile.

They had reached the valley where the treasure was hidden!

“The royal treasure! The royal treasure!” King Aldric’s dim eyes suddenly brightened. He rushed to the front, staring at the nearby valley with a fervor akin to a starving wolf spotting fresh meat.

King Aldric knew more about the treasure than anyone else. This place not only housed mana stones but also contained a treasure trove left by their ancestors, with invaluable items rivaling those in the Kingdom Vault!

Because of the vast number of mana stones, the value of this treasure was beyond the imagination of other mages.

Additionally, two platinum-tier mages from House Ashbourne were stationed here to excavate and guard the treasure.

Entering the valley would mean they were finally safe.

Seeing King Aldric rejuvenated, many royal family members, including Marry, immediately followed, their fatigue almost completely replaced by excitement.

However, upon entering the valley, King Aldric, panting heavily, frowned at the sight before him.

The valley was in disarray; the tracks that should have run deep into the mountains were no longer operational. Mine carts were overturned, and there were many chaotic footprints on the ground.

Yet, no zombies were in sight.

King Aldric sensed something amiss.

This area was supposed to be managed by Sean and Robert from House Ashbourne, both mages proficient in Corpse Animation Spells. Ordinarily, this place should have been bustling with zombies, busy with activity.

Yet now, there wasn’t a single zombie in sight, and even the presence of Sean and Robert was absent.

“Those two opportunists! They’re unreliable in times of trouble!” King Aldric cursed.

House Ashbourne was known for prioritizing profit above all else, willing to abandon everything for the sake of gain.

Not sensing the presence of the two mages, King Aldric concluded that they must have fled in fear.

His heart raced with anxiety as he dashed deeper into the valley.

The treasure!

The treasure must not be compromised!

King Aldric hurriedly rushed to the center of the valley.

At this moment, Sean and Robert’s tent was in shambles, but the treasure vault’s door remained tightly closed.

Seeing this, King Aldric breathed a sigh of relief.

Marry and the other royal family members, upon seeing the treasure vault door, also displayed signs of eagerness and curiosity.

Although they did not yet know what was inside, the scattered fragments of mana stones from the overturned mine carts excited them.

It appeared that this mana stone deposit had been mined for a long time, and surely a considerable amount had been accumulated.

“Mana stones are the hard currency of the continent, especially coveted by Middle Earth and the Mountain Forces. With enough mana stones, it’s possible to hire them to take action!”

Many royal family members were already visibly eager.

They all followed closely behind King Aldric and began to slowly push open the treasure vault door.

Creak~

As they exerted their combined strength, the tall and heavy treasure vault door quickly opened. Bright light poured in, revealing piles of mana stones stacked inside.

The mana stones, pitch black and brimming with mana, glowed brightly, shimmering with a radiant light.

The light passing through the mana stones created a kaleidoscope of colors, slightly illuminating the dark treasure vault, allowing King Aldric to see the interior more clearly.

“Mana stones! Piles and piles of mana stones!” King Aldric exclaimed first, squeezing through the barely opened door and grasping the nearest mana stone in his hand, like a crazed gambler hitting the jackpot.

Marry and the others followed closely behind, witnessing the heaps of mana stones piled up like small mountains inside the vault.

Their breathing quickly grew heavy, faces flushed, each of them itching to scoop up all the mana stones and hold them close.

Mana stones!

A single mana stone the size of a thumb could be exchanged for hundreds or thousands of gold coins, enough to support an ordinary family for a lifetime!

And here, the end of the pile wasn’t in sight.

Even though they were royal family members, accustomed to luxury and having seen countless treasures,

seeing so many mana stones amassed here in person, they couldn’t suppress their excitement.

It’s known that if someone outside were to accidentally obtain a single mana stone, it would be cherished as a family heirloom, carefully protected and passed down through generations.

But here, mana stones were as common as garbage, scattered everywhere, easily found!

“Good, good, good! With this legacy left by our ancestors, Leslie is nothing more than a clown, at best enjoying her moment of glory!”

King Aldric ecstatically tossed the mana stones into the air, reveling in the feeling of being showered by their energy.

However, King Aldric was unaware that these mana stones were merely a tenth of what Owen had left behind. Owen had already plundered the remaining ninety percent. If he knew this, he would probably be spitting blood in rage.

After inspecting the mana stones, King Aldric continued deeper into the vault. He knew that at the center of this treasure trove lay various priceless artifacts placed there by generations of the Azure Royal Family.

Though mana stones were incredibly valuable, the treasures left by their ancestors were equally rare and could offer even greater assistance in their current plight!

Soon, as King Aldric ventured into the central area of the vault, he saw rows of precious magical artifacts neatly arranged.

Each artifact radiated a dazzling array of colors, creating a mesmerizing rainbow-like spectacle.

“Dragon Scale Armor!”

“Mammoth Tusk Spear!”

“Royal Holy Grail!”

“Light Convergence Mana Stone…”

Glancing over the artifacts, King Aldric recognized almost every one of them at a glance. These items were famous not only in the Azure Kingdom but also renowned in other kingdoms.

Additionally, the powerful auras emanating from these magical artifacts gave King Aldric a sense of security.

With these mana stones, they could hire mercenaries and top forces. Using these artifacts, they could put bounties on the heads of Leslie, Owen, and others.

High rewards would surely attract brave individuals.

With this dual approach, no matter how ambitious Leslie was or how long she had been preparing for her rebellion, she would still meet a disastrous end.

The Azure Kingdom would still belong to the royal family!

“Our ancestors were wise. With this treasure, I, Aldric, will surely restore the splendor of the Azure Royal Family!”

With a plan set in his heart, King Aldric felt much more spirited and swore an oath to the heavens.

He seemed to have returned to his former confident and commanding self.

At this time, Marry and the other royal family members also arrived. Seeing the vault filled with luxurious and precious magical artifacts, their eyes widened, captivated by these rare treasures.

“Everyone, the time for our counterattack is near. Now, transfer the mana stones and these treasures into the treasure chest and take them with us!”

Seeing the others following, King Aldric immediately issued the command, simultaneously tossing out a treasure chest pendant hanging from his chest.

This was a special storage magical artifact with a much larger internal space compared to an ordinary storage ring.

Bang!

As the treasure chest pendant was released, its size immediately expanded with the wind, forming a huge, spacious treasure chest standing before them.