NOVEL NEXT Chapter 137: Sleep
'Oh, damn!' The King nearly staggered when he heard Richard's words.
It would've been one thing if Richard had only shouted at Charles—but what he said next also dragged in his teacher, the Lord of the Crimson Veil, and even threatened to send him home without hands or feet.
Even if he was drunk, one could not simply escape punishment for such insolence under the excuse of intoxication.
The King glanced nervously at the Lord of the Crimson Veil—but to his surprise, the man remained completely calm. He didn't look angry or even remotely annoyed.
He simply observed Richard, as though the boy's words didn't affect him in the slightest.
However, the other members of the Order of the Crimson Veil were not so composed.
One of them—a bald old man wearing a crimson robe—pointed a finger toward Richard.
"Boy! Such insolent words! If you have a father, call him here so I can teach him how to raise his son properly!" the bald elder roared.
"Old man, this has nothing to do with you," Richard replied coldly, dismissing him outright before turning his attention back to Charles, whose expression now looked worse than a pig's backside.
The only reason Charles didn't act was likely because he still had enough pride not to start a brawl with a child in public.
"Richard, calm down!" Lilith, who stood behind him, touched his hand, clearly uncomfortable with how chaotic things were becoming.
"Lilith, don't interfere—unless you say, right here and now, that you'll only be my wife in the future," Richard shot back.
He had completely lost control of himself.
Lilith's intention had only been to see what he'd look like drunk—maybe stumbling a little or slurring his words.
Who would've thought that instead of losing his balance, he'd turn vicious and start lashing out at Charles?
Lilith rolled her eyes, and suddenly everyone's gaze turned to her.
"Ahem…" She cleared her throat.
"We're already engaged—what more are you worried about?" she said at last, reluctantly indulging Richard's demand, her words slightly vague but her meaning unmistakable.
She did it only to prevent things from escalating further.
Charles wasn't someone she particularly cared about—but what worried her was the potential wrath of the Lord of the Crimson Veil.
"The matter isn't over yet," Richard said after Lilith spoke.
"You brat!" The bald old man glared so hard it looked like his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.
Of course, to him, the matter wasn't over either—but it wasn't supposed to be Richard who said that.
Richard ignored him and pointed at Charles again.
"What did you mean by sending people to spy on me nonstop? Were you planning to rob me because I obtained something from the Dragon Knight's secret site?" he shouted.
"Boy, what are you implying by accusing me like that?" Charles finally responded, unable to accept such an accusation.
Robbery might have been common among Magi, but among nobles—especially during such gatherings—many still cared about their reputation.
People exchanged glances, particularly those who had also sent spies to watch Richard but had stopped after he killed Austin.
"Don't play dumb," Richard sneered. "If you want to rob me, then do it. If you need your teacher's help, go ahead. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
"…"
"Richard, you need to go home now!" Lilith quickly covered Richard's mouth from behind, then leapt into the air with incredible speed, taking him with her.
They vanished from everyone's sight in an instant.
In truth, Richard had no idea what happened afterward.
Lilith hadn't merely taken him away—she had knocked him unconscious.
Even though she normally wouldn't have been able to knock him out so easily, the wine's effects made it different this time.
When he fainted, he fell into a deep sleep—and only woke when sunlight hit his face.
His eyes opened to see an exquisite ceiling adorned with crystal carvings that shimmered faintly.
The bed beneath him was enormous and soft, and the room itself was filled with dresses, shoes, and jewelry displayed neatly within glass cabinets.
A delicate fragrance filled the air, instantly refreshing his mind—though his head still throbbed slightly as he tried to sit up.
Of course, he remembered everything.
His consciousness had been clear at the time; he simply couldn't control himself.
And he didn't regret it.
Scolding Charles had been something he needed to get off his chest.
It was just a shame he hadn't gone further—otherwise, he might've asked the Fire Spirit Queen to burn the prince to ashes.
Now, looking around, he wasn't sure where he was—but he suspected this was Lilith's residence, perhaps even her private chamber.
He walked to the slightly open window, pushing it wider to look outside—only to find an enormous courtyard.
"This is… the Palace," he muttered, stunned as he realized where he was.
He quickly went to the door, stepping out into a grand, luxurious sitting room.
However, Lilith was nowhere to be seen.
Spotting a large door that looked like an exit, he moved toward it and opened it—only to find a long corridor.
There, two maids were walking from the other end, carrying trays of food.
"Sir Richard, you're awake," they greeted.
It seemed they were bringing the meal for him.
"Where is Princess Lilith?" Richard asked.
"Sir Richard, Princess Lilith is currently busy. We were instructed to serve you in her place. She also told us to ask you not to wander until she returns," one of the maids replied.
"Is something wrong?" Richard asked again.
"Mm… we don't know. We were only told to deliver the message," one maid said nervously.
Richard frowned. Something was definitely off.
"Take the food back. I'm not hungry," he said, turning away and stepping back into the room.
But then, he leapt out the window—landing right in front of two guards.
They were startled, almost drawing their swords, but stopped when they realized it was Richard.
Richard didn't even glance at them and simply left.
No one tried to stop him as he exited the palace grounds and ran toward the banquet hall.
However, before he could get there, a slender hand suddenly pulled him into a carriage.
He could've resisted—but when he saw who it was, he stopped.
The Red Star Empress.
He hadn't expected her to be inside such an ordinary-looking carriage.
"Your Majesty," he greeted.
"Richard," the Empress said calmly, "your caretaker from the orphanage—Lisa—has been kidnapped."
Richard's eyes widened at the words.
"Where is she now?" he asked anxiously.
"Calm yourself. She wasn't taken because of you—but because of Lilith," the Empress replied, confusing him even more.
"What do you mean?"
"It's because Lilith refused to lend her Clone Artifact to the Order of the Crimson Veil. As a result, the Lord of the Crimson Veil took matters into his own hands—and kidnapped Lilith's close friend."
Richard: "…"