Chapter 28 — The Ambush Beneath the Moonlight
The journey toward Lovera Highcrest remained peaceful for most of the night.
Too peaceful.
Silver crescent banners danced softly against the cold wind as the royal procession moved across the narrow mountain roads. Moonlight stretched across the forests surrounding them while armored knights rode silently beside the carriages.
Inside the royal carriage, Roseline had fallen asleep again.
Her head rested gently against Kingston's shoulder while one of her hands remained loosely wrapped around his sleeve unconsciously.
Kingston looked down at her quietly.
Then smiled faintly.
Even after everything—
She still trusted him enough to sleep peacefully beside him.
Outside, hooves echoed rhythmically against the road.
The captain of the silver knights narrowed his eyes slightly toward the dark forest ahead.
Something felt wrong.
Too quiet.
The night insects had stopped making noise.
The wind itself seemed tense.
His hand slowly moved toward his sword.
Then—
"STOP THE CARRIAGES!"
Too late.
WHISSHHH!
An arrow tore through the darkness at terrifying speed.
BOOM!
The front carriage exploded violently as hidden explosives erupted beneath the road.
Horses screamed.
Knights shouted instantly.
"AMBUSH!"
Roseline woke abruptly in confusion just as Kingston grabbed her instinctively.
Another arrow pierced through the carriage window.
Kingston immediately pulled her down.
CRACK!
The arrow embedded deeply into the wooden wall where her head had been seconds earlier.
Roseline's breathing stopped.
Kingston's expression changed instantly.
Gone was the soft husband from moments ago.
What remained now—
Was a man ready to kill.
"Stay down," he ordered sharply.
Outside, chaos erupted fully.
Dark-clothed assassins poured out from the surrounding forest with terrifying speed.
Steel clashed violently beneath moonlight.
The silver knights reacted immediately.
Unlike ordinary royal guards—
These men belonged to Louis.
And Louis did not raise weak protectors.
One assassin lunged toward the carriage.
He never reached it.
SHING!
A silver knight cut him down before his feet even touched the ground.
Blood splattered across the snowy road.
Another explosion erupted nearby.
Horses panicked wildly.
Roseline flinched as screams echoed outside.
Kingston quickly removed his outer coat before wrapping it around her protectively.
"Listen to me carefully," he said calmly despite the violence surrounding them. "Do not leave this carriage unless I come for you."
Roseline grabbed his wrist immediately.
"No."
His eyes softened briefly.
"Roseline—"
"You are not leaving me alone here."
Before Kingston could answer—
Three assassins suddenly crashed through the opposite side of the carriage.
Wood shattered violently.
Roseline gasped.
Kingston moved instantly.
BAM!
He slammed the first attacker directly into the broken carriage frame before stealing the man's blade mid-motion.
The second assassin lunged.
Kingston sidestepped sharply and drove the sword straight through his chest.
The third attacker reached Roseline—
Only for a silver dagger to suddenly pierce his throat from outside.
The assassin collapsed instantly.
A silver knight appeared at the broken entrance.
"Your Highness!"
Roseline blinked.
The knight immediately knelt despite the battle raging outside.
"We will secure the area shortly."
Kingston looked outside sharply.
"There are too many."
The knight's expression remained terrifyingly calm.
"They underestimated whose sister they targeted."
Then he stood again before disappearing back into the battlefield.
Moments later—
The true horror began.
Because the silver knights stopped defending.
And started hunting.
The assassins quickly realized something devastating.
These were not ordinary royal escorts.
These men fought like monsters.
Cold.
Precise.
Merciless.
One assassin attempted escaping into the forest.
A silver spear pierced through his back before he took three steps.
Another screamed after losing an arm.
No mercy came.
No hesitation existed.
The knights of Lovera Highcrest slaughtered through the ambush with terrifying efficiency.
Meanwhile hidden behind shattered carriage walls, Roseline watched in horror.
Kingston immediately blocked part of her vision gently.
"Don't look."
But it was already too late.
Because one truth became painfully obvious.
The kingdom Louis ruled…
Was not normal.
And the men loyal to him were even worse.
Then suddenly—
A loud whistle echoed from deep within the forest.
Retreat signal.
The remaining assassins attempted fleeing immediately.
Most died before escaping. Only two escaped. One man— survived. Captured.
A silver knight tackled him violently from his horse before slamming him face-first into the frozen ground.
The assassin struggled wildly.
"LET ME GO!"
The knight calmly broke his arm.
His scream echoed through the forest.
Kingston grimaced slightly.
"…Remind me never to anger Louis."
Roseline almost laughed despite the situation.
Almost.
Minutes later, silence slowly returned to the road.
Bodies covered the snowy ground.
The smell of blood lingered heavily in the cold air.
The captain of the silver knights approached the carriage calmly before kneeling.
"The threat has been eliminated, Your Highness."
Roseline swallowed slowly.
"Who were they?"
The captain's eyes darkened slightly.
"We found royal insignias hidden among their belongings."
Kingston narrowed his eyes.
"Which kingdom?"
The knight hesitated briefly.
"Several."
Roseline froze.
Several kingdoms?
The captain continued coldly.
"Rejected kings."
Silence.
Kingston's expression hardened instantly.
Ah.
Now it made sense.
The kings Roseline rejected during past marriage negotiations.
Men whose pride had suffered humiliation after being denied by a woman they considered powerless.
Men unaware—
Terribly unaware— of the consequences.
That the woman they targeted was actually Louis' sister.
The captain's voice became colder.
"They likely believed removing Lady Roseline quietly would erase the insult."
Kingston laughed once.
Not amused.
Not kind.
Just disbelief.
"They are dead men." he stated
The knight nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Because everyone in Lovera Highcrest knew one terrifying truth.
Roseline was untouchable.
Not because she was a princess.
Not because she carried royal blood.
But because she was Louis' reverse scale.
The single existence the Silver King protected beyond reason.
To touch Roseline—
Was to invite catastrophe.
The captured assassin was dragged forward violently before being forced onto his knees.
Blood covered half his face.
His broken arm hung unnaturally.
Yet the moment he looked up—
His face lost all color.
Because Roseline stepped out of the carriage slowly. Still alive and breathing fine.
Moonlight touched her silver-lined cloak softly.
And beside her stood Kingston with sword still stained red.
The assassin laughed weakly despite his fear.
"So the rumors were true…"
Roseline frowned slightly.
"What rumors?"
The assassin coughed painfully before whispering—
"The Silver King's madness…"
Then his terrified eyes lifted toward the silver knights surrounding him.
"They said he destroyed entire bloodlines over less."
Kingston's expression darkened slightly.
The assassin suddenly began trembling.
Not from pain.
From realization.
Because the silver knights were not looking at Roseline with ordinary loyalty.
No.
They looked at her like sacred territory.
Like something precious.
Something protected absolutely.
And suddenly—
The assassin understood.
Too late.
"…What exactly are you?" he whispered fearfully.
No one answered him.
But somewhere far away—
Inside the Silver Palace—
Louis abruptly stopped writing.
The candlelight flickered softly across his desk.
The royal advisor nearby immediately stiffened.
Because the atmosphere around the king had suddenly changed.
Quietly.
Dangerously.
Louis slowly lifted his eyes toward the dark window.
Silver.
Cold.
Terrifying.
"…Something happened."
The advisor's heartbeat dropped instantly.
Because the last time Louis said those exact words—
Three noble houses disappeared within a week.
----------------
Louis instincts again😉😊