388
Chapter 388
NEEEIGH!
A messenger quickly galloped toward the tent of Knight Commander Fritz Meis, located in the center of the Crab Palace Knights' camp.
After dismounting, the messenger hurriedly entered Fritz Meis's tent.
"Commander! Urgent news from Rom!"
Fritz, who had been fooling around with shirtless male slaves in the tent, frowned at the messenger's sudden entrance.
He waved his hand dismissing the slaves and turned toward the messenger with a displeased expression.
With white powder on his face and red-painted lips, Fritz looked like a theater actor.
He spoke to the messenger, still wearing a dissatisfied expression.
"What urgent news suddenly came from Rom?"
His voice was full of irritation at having his pleasant time interrupted.
The messenger handed Fritz the telegram.
He quickly unfolded and read its contents.
Then he crumpled and tore it to pieces.
"Damn it! How dare that Dark mage bastard treat the Imperial Army like errand boys?"
The one who sent the letter to Fritz was none other than Ropocale, a minion of the 'Writhing Pit of Darkness' disguised as an Apostle of the Abyss.
Fritz had been unhappy with how Ropocale, who stuck close to Abel after taking Rom, was moving the Imperial legions according to his will.
Ropocale had again ordered Fritz to capture Barkal quickly and then attack Mycenae, where the Agamemnon family resided.
Ropocale's goal was to attack Mycenae, which could be considered Zeke Draker's base, first to divide his attention.
However, Azmund Varios, the Knight Commander of Snake Palace who was developing the Imperial legion's strategy, thought differently.
'It makes no sense to attack Mycenae first when all the central noble families would rise up if we touch it. It would be more beneficial to attack the Graham family's Panstas or the neutral cities instead.'
Panstas was the financial center of the central region, and the neutral cities were the center of medical production in the central continent.
They were easier to capture and offered substantial benefits when occupied.
But in Mycenae's case, there wasn't much to gain compared to the effort required.
Moreover, since Zeke Draker, the guardian knight of the Draker family and Black Knight, was the heir to the Agamemnon family, there was a high risk of counterattack.
While Ropocale gave these orders with the aim of capturing Zeke Draker, Fritz had no reason to take such risks from his position.
Fritz, who followed Azmund, gritted his teeth at Ropocale's orders.
'How dare this ignorant dark mage bastard act like he's a legion commander.'
Fritz stood up and went outside the tent.
Looking at Barkal's walls, he asked his aide who had already followed behind him.
"Still no answer from the Barkal council?"
Barkal was a self-governing city centered around its council.
As a place where various races including humans and dwarves lived together, representatives from each race and region had a voice in determining city policies.
Because of this, it usually took quite some time for decisions to be made on any proposal. However, this wasn't a time comparable to normal circumstances.
Fritz had set up camp with his soldiers and requested permission to enter from the Barkal council.
The surface reason was that monster legions had appeared in the northern continent putting the city itself in danger, so the Imperial army would provide protection.
But the Barkal council couldn't possibly miss Fritz's transparent intentions.
They locked the city gates and began quietly holding out.
After hearing from his aide that there was still no response from Barkal, Fritz clicked his tongue and said.
"Well, we've waited long enough. If they want to drink poison themselves, what can we do?"
Along with his words, Fritz looked at Barkal's walls with a cruel smile.
Fritz, who led the Knights of Crab Palace, was a strong knight with Red Knight abilities and also possessed a cruel personality.
He was an evil person who would brutally push and completely subjugate those he judged weaker than himself.
The peaceful Barkal was just like very easy prey that he could conquer in two days.
Fritz ordered his aide.
"Contact the dark mage's side. When monsters attack Barkal, they'll kneel and beg us for help."
"Yes, Commander."
Fritz prepared for battle while anticipating Barkal being ravaged by the monster legion.
However, the situation unfolded completely differently from what Fritz had wanted.
At first, the monster legion came down to attack Barkal as he had intended.
However, before they could reach Barkal's walls, another unit appeared and instantly swept away the monsters.
Fritz gaped at the bull emblem engraved on their armor.
"That's the Tourn family's crest?"
It was incomprehensible that the Tourn family based in Midland suddenly appeared in the northern continent.
In this bewildering situation, Fritz spotted the young knight leading the Tourn knights.
'A woman...?'
Reina was charging forward with the Tourn knights, sweeping away monsters like fallen leaves.
Fritz quickly recognized her as Reina Draker, daughter of Rex Tourn.
'Why did the Tourn people suddenly appear here?'
Before the Crab Palace knights headed to the northern continent, Azmund had strongly warned Fritz not to confront the Northern Duke of Himonas head-on if he appeared.
While they had been cautious about Himonas possibly sending knights, instead forces from the completely unexpected Tourn side had arrived.
Fritz gritted his teeth watching Reina thrust her sword like lightning.
'This girl who just became a Blue Knight dares to interfere with my plans?'
Due to the sudden appearance of the Tourn forces, the monsters retreated back into the mountains.
After the monsters withdrew, Reina turned her horse toward the Crab Palace knights and shouted loudly.
"I, Reina Draker, pureblood awakened of the Draker family and heir to Tourn, stand here to stop the monster legion of the northern continent! Imperial Army, explain why you threaten Barkal with your forces!"
Fritz realized Reina had stolen the justification he had tried to claim.
If they had eliminated the monsters themselves, they would have had justification for their illegal occupation in front of Barkal's gates, but in the current situation, they would only appear to be threatening Barkal.
Fritz glared at Reina Draker while grinding his teeth.
"Impudent girl. You're quite arrogant for a wet-behind-the-ears rookie."
Despite his words, Fritz was frantically calculating the power difference between the Tourn knights and Crab Palace knights.
While Reina Draker herself was still a rookie, the Tourn knights behind her couldn't be taken lightly.
Moreover, with Barkal's city walls at their back, there were many disadvantages to confronting them head-on.
'Considering everything, we're at a disadvantage in the current situation.'
While Fritz had a cruel personality, he greatly disliked unnecessarily wasting his forces.
After contemplating, he decided to set a trap to capture Reina Draker instead of confronting her directly.
"Tell Reina Draker I want to meet her alone."
When Fritz's side contacted them, Reina's side sent a positive response.
Finally, while both sides were in confrontation, they arranged a place in the middle for Reina and Fritz to meet face to face.
The two faced each other on horseback between the two camps.
Fritz smiled at Reina and said.
"Reina Draker, I've heard much about your excellent abilities. Pleased to meet you."
Looking at Fritz who approached with friendly greetings, Reina immediately shot straight to the point.
"Why are Imperial troops stationed here? Barkal's autonomy is recognized, so the Empire has no right to interfere here."
To those words, Fritz replied in a sly voice.
"Of course that's true. But Barkal lacks defensive capabilities against large-scale invasions. It wouldn't do for citizens to suffer from monster invasions, would it? The Empire dispatched troops out of humanitarian concern for them."
"If that's your purpose, you can leave now. The Knight of Salvation, Zeke Draker, will soon arrive with forces to eliminate the monsters invading the northern continent."
Fritz was startled at the mention of Zeke Draker.
'He's coming here?'
Zeke Draker, the Black Knight and guardian knight of the Drakers, was currently their most watched opponent.
'If he comes leading troops, it will be impossible to take Barkal using monsters as an excuse.'
Fritz realized he needed to deal with Reina's side and enter Barkal somehow before Zeke Draker arrived.
He spoke to Reina.
"The Knight of Salvation! I've admired him greatly from before."
He continued speaking.
"If that's the case, even better. With Lady Reina's help, we could scout the Ogre Mountains and find the monsters' base. When the Knight of Salvation arrives, we could eliminate them all at once."
After considering Fritz's words, Reina asked.
"Have you located where the monsters are coming from?"
Fritz nodded and answered.
"Yes. We knew, but as I mentioned, given Barkal's insufficient defenses, we couldn't attack directly for fear of bigger problems. But with your help and the Tourn knights, it's certainly possible."
After contemplating Fritz's words, Reina nodded.
"Very well. Let's climb the Ogre Mountains together and attack the monsters."
As Reina easily fell into his trap, Fritz smiled inwardly.
* * *
Reina agreed to lead the Tourn knights alongside the Crab Palace knights up the Ogre Mountains.
Fritz planned to attack Reina's forces once they entered the area where black mages waited, then send more monsters to attack Barkal.
'Eliminate all the Tourn people and take Barkal as quickly as possible. Once we occupy it, even Zeke Draker can't do anything.'
Soon the unit entered the barrier zone set by the black mages, and the knights showed sensitive reactions as if sensing something strange.
Reina spoke to Fritz.
"Sir Fritz. This place... doesn't feel right. Is there no other path?"
Fritz shook his head and replied.
"This is the only way. Just a bit further, don't worry."
Though looking displeased, Reina nodded in understanding.
Fritz grinned at her response.
'What can an inexperienced rookie girl do? Kill her here and blame it on monster attacks - problem solved cleanly.'
He led the unit deeper into the barrier zone.
Only Fritz, who received a totem from the dark mages to resist the barrier's effects, could properly use aura here.
When they reached the barrier's center:
WOONG!
Dark mages appeared throughout the forest.
Seeing this, Reina shouted in surprise to her knights.
"Enemy! Prepare defensive positions!"
Other knights drew their swords but shouted in confusion.
"My lord! My aura…….. is not responding!"
"Something's wrong!"
In the chaotic situation, Reina turned to Fritz and said.
"Sir Fritz! What is this…?!"
Then Fritz drew his sword with a sinister smile.
His sword raised an aura blade.
"Excessive ambition becomes poison."
Fritz swung his sword at Reina without hesitation.
But then:
GRAB!
An ordinary-looking knight next to Reina stepped forward and caught Fritz's sword with bare hands.
For a moment, Fritz stared blankly at the knight, not understanding the situation.
Then, the knight's appearance changed.
Fritz recognized Zeke as he released his shape-shifting magic.
"Z-Zeke Draker!"
Suddenly Zeke was swinging his arm holding a massive hammer.
Fritz shouted in panic.
"W-Wait!"
With a sound of cutting wind, Fritz's head shattered to pieces.