Chapter 81
Chapter 81
Chapter 81
Palace Assault (2)
Striking Pruna Silent.
That was practically equivalent to facing the entire Imperial Guard Knights.
However, confronting the Imperial Guard Knights head-on would result in far too many casualties, and most of them were completely innocent.
"Indeed, we have no choice but to disperse all the Imperial Guard Knights and then strike Pruna."
Unlike others, Pruna lived in the palace 24 hours a day unless there was something special.
Moreover, her mansion was also located in the bustling district, so any reckless action would cause considerable damage to the citizens.
"Then we need to create a situation where all the Imperial Guard Knights scatter."
When they go on dispatch missions, they usually act as a group rather than individually.
However, there was exactly one place where they would be forced to scatter.
That place was the 'Palace.'
***
"...Elvin, don't tell me you orchestrated this whole situation?"
"That can't be. I merely added my spoon to this plan through the consideration of others."
Even at Elvin's shrugging attitude, Karen didn't get angry as usual but quietly observed the situation.
The other Imperial Guard Knights also didn't rush forward easily and were only keeping the opponents in check.
'Every single one of them is formidable...'
The orange-haired girl next to Elvin looked like a completely untrained ordinary person no matter how you looked at her.
However, the eight men and women behind her, despite not holding weapons, emanated a strange sense of intimidation that suggested they wouldn't be easy opponents.
Especially since Karen had some acquaintance with several of them, she quickly identified their identities.
"Elvin, you brought the family's psychics!"
"That's right, they're carefully selected individuals for this operation. You'd better prepare yourself!"
All of them were elite among the elite, more skilled than Elvin.
They were the core personnel who practically handled Psychic Luminous's military force.
But behind Elvin's confident voice, their grumbling suddenly could be heard.
"Carefully selected my foot, didn't you beg and plead for help?"
"Sigh, raising a younger sibling is pointless work. Look how he's grown into such a liar."
"No, brothers and sisters, please don't break the atmosphere."
This place is the palace, and it's enemy territory more dangerous than anywhere else!
Elvin sent a silent cry backward, but it was useless.
Cutting through such conversation among the psychics, Karen burst out angrily.
"...Are you planning to take the Emperor? Are you going to interfere with his plans to the very end?"
Even at Karen's fierce outcry, Elvin didn't shrink back and shrugged his shoulders.
"Huh? No, not at all."
At the completely unexpected answer, not only Karen but even the Imperial Guard Knights' expressions became dazed for a moment.
"What, what?"
Facing the flustered Karen, Elvin drew his sword and pointed it at her.
"My target isn't His Majesty, but only you, Karen."
"What nonsense are you talking about now...?"
"I told you, didn't I? That I came to settle things. Since Pruna, my target, crawled out on her own, I came targeting you, my second target."
"No way?"
"Thankfully, His Majesty agreed to this matter. He said he would gladly provide this palace as a stage for you."
In fact, it was a stage for eliminating Pruna Silent, and Elvin's circumstances were merely secondary.
However, the Emperor found Elvin's inner circumstances quite interesting and readily agreed, so Elvin's words weren't entirely wrong.
Karen turned her head to look inside the palace where the Emperor resided and thought.
'I've been deceived!'
Their purpose isn't the Emperor.
No, it was a grand play created in advance between the Emperor and them from the beginning!
The target of that play was Pruna Silent.
And absurdly enough... Karen herself!
"What's all this commotion?"
At that moment, about twenty maids suddenly appeared around the palace.
They were none other than succubi disguised as maids.
One Imperial Guard Knight brightened up and shouted toward them.
"Oh! Thank you for coming!"
"......"
"The situation is serious! Join forces with us to stop those invaders!"
"......"
The succubi silently approached behind the Imperial Guard Knights and naturally took their positions.
As reliable magical forces joined them, the knights who now had a significant numerical advantage began to show leisure in their expressions.
Since they were originally quite taciturn, and being demons was reason enough, the knights had no suspicion about them and focused their attention only on the psychics in front.
STAB!
STAB!
Therefore, the Imperial Guard Knights couldn't realize the succubi's betrayal even as their backs were being stabbed.
"Gasp!"
"Wh-what are you doing?"
Twenty succubi launched surprise attacks on all the Imperial Guard Knights except Karen, and except for a few skilled ones, they fell victim to the ambush.
"Why, why?"
"What are you doing right now!"
"Did your master order you to eliminate us?"
"That's right."
"...What?"
The lead senior maid, Queen, the leader of the succubi, smiled bewitchingly with a dreamy expression.
"Our great master, Lord Rudian, desires your lives."
"What did you just say...?"
Succubus Queen looked at the Imperial Guard Knights with eyes that viewed prey.
"It's unfortunate that I can't absorb your life force. Still, with this level of achievement, that person won't spare praise for me."
The venue fell into chaos at this unexpected development.
In the midst of this, Succubus Queen approached Elvin and bowed politely.
"I've heard about you gentlemen who are friends of our master. We'll handle the troublemakers, so please take your time with your business."
"Ah, yes..."
Elvin awkwardly received her greeting.
Even though he had received assurance from Rudian beforehand, until actually witnessing this scene, it hadn't felt very realistic.
'He really dominated all the succubi...'
When Rudian had infiltrated this palace with Sonya in the past, he had seized not just the two guarding the entrance, but all the succubi throughout the entire palace with his Word of Domination.
For Asmodeus, this was something to regret bitterly.
'That's a monster I couldn't guarantee victory against even if I gave my all... No, let me not think deeply about that now.'
What he needed to do now was settle things with Karen on this stage that had been created somehow.
"Karen, if you defeat me here, I'll send you to Pruna obediently."
"...Ridiculous. What if you win instead? Should I give you my life?"
Elvin's heart ached at her sarcasm, but he somehow pulled himself together and continued.
"I'll give you time to apologize and make excuses to you. Even if it's just for a very brief moment."
"......"
Karen paused briefly at the unexpected words.
She sent a glance asking if he was serious for just a moment, but immediately withdrew that gaze and smiled with mockery again.
"Fine. If that's what you want, I'll do that."
Karen drew the magic sword she had received from Pruna.
Recognizing that the sword's shape was different from usual, Elvin hardened his expression and shouted toward her.
"I will definitely bring you back."
"Try it if you can!"
With those words, they charged at each other, swinging their swords.
***
The forces mobilized for this palace infiltration operation were Rudian and fifty Glory Knights under Delphione in charge of eliminating Pruna.
And Elvin and Rebecca who took a side route to target Karen, along with eight psychics from Psychic Luminous.
Added to this were about a hundred Imperial Guards who joined by the Emperor's command, and elites from the Four Great Magic Towers to counter the intervention of court magicians.
Finally, three hundred elite troops were deployed to prevent possible damage to officials and royal family members.
"Wow, this is so comfortable and nice!"
Rudian was excitedly rampaging while various parts of the palace were burning.
Scattered Imperial Guard Knights or other knights directly under the royal family discovered Rudian and the Glory Knights and charged at them, but in small-scale battles, the numerical advantage was naturally on their side.
The scene of knights appearing at intervals of several minutes being completely subdued continued several times.
"The palace's defenses are weaker than expected. While we infiltrated for other purposes, if this were really wartime..."
Sir Jaxian, vice-captain of the Glory Knights and a veteran knight who had served Kaitel his whole life, quietly expressed his dissatisfaction.
Rudian smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"His Majesty the Emperor helped make this happen from the beginning. The fact that the palace's defensive magic isn't activating is proof of that."
"Oh, I see. Come to think of it, I had forgotten about the existence of defensive magic."
"And the different deployment of soldiers would be another reason."
The Emperor, who had persuaded the court magicians, not only temporarily turned off the defensive magic but also manipulated the Imperial Guards' routes to guide them to different places than usual.
The Imperial Guards who were patrolling useless places different from usual were subdued without much damage by knight orders deployed by other nobles.
"Hmm, it should be about time."
Unless she disobeyed the Emperor's orders, Pruna Silent should be showing her face around now.
And as Rudian expected, not long after, aura blades flew in volleys from afar and bombarded the location where Rudian was positioned.
BOOOOOOM!
'Not just one or two.'
Seeing the various colors, it seemed several people had counterattacked simultaneously.
Sure enough, Pruna Silent had steadily gathered the scattered Imperial Guard Knights while coming here and formed a battalion.
'She certainly has the skill and leadership worthy of being called Imperial Guard Knights Captain.'
If she hadn't been too greedy, she would have lived a happy life holding both wealth and honor.
Pruna glared at Rudian with gritted teeth.
"I didn't expect to meet you again like this."
"Really? I wonder if you've been well."
At Rudian's question about whether she'd been well when they'd only met two days ago, Pruna's cheek twitched slightly.
"I understand you're confident in your abilities, but did you come to strike our Imperial Guard Knights with just these Glory Knights scraps? Your arrogance is severe."
At the word scraps, tremendous killing intent erupted from those behind Rudian.
If Rudian hadn't restrained them with a gesture, they would have immediately rushed out for a life-or-death battle.
"Naturally, I started this because I have the skill and confidence to do so."
"I acknowledge that, but we're not your only opponents. Soon they'll receive word and come rushing here leading their subordinates. When that happens, you'll have no chance of victory."
By 'they,' she naturally meant Marbas and Asmodeus and the demons.
But even at Pruna's threat, Rudian smiled brightly and asked back.
"Will they really come to help you?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
Pruna's expression immediately hardened.
To dismiss it as bluffing, there was far too much leisure in Rudian's expression.
"Look behind me. These are the Glory Knights. And there's also the magician battalion under Lady Sonya, composed only of 6th class and above magicians."
"......"
"But why can't we see Lord Kaitel who leads them or Lady Sonya?"
"......!"
Into the flustered Pruna's ears came Rudian's snickering.
"A resort about 15km east of the capital."
At those words, Pruna's expression became as pale as it could possibly be.
"They went to attack that place leading the remaining elites. Now, here's the question: in this situation, will Asmodeus and Marbas come to save you, who are merely a subordinate, or will they go to rescue their main base that's about to be destroyed?"
"E-everyone attack that bastard!"
Through those words, Pruna also realized that the purpose of this palace infiltration wasn't the Emperor but herself.
Pruna tried to make the Imperial Guard Knights charge and quickly escape, but she had to hesitate at a sword that Rudian suddenly drew.
"Now, everyone stop."
"Gasp...! Th-that is?"
The sword Rudian drew wasn't his usual Diablo.
It wasn't particularly ornately decorated, but it was a crude sword with the emblem symbolizing the Morian Empire engraved throughout the blade.
Moreover, while only the shape itself was crude, the brilliant spiritual energy circulating throughout the sword gave the Imperial Guard Knights confidence that they hadn't mistaken this object's identity.
"The Emperor's sacred artifact. The Sword of Ascension, Ascension of Morian."
As Rudian spoke the identity of this sword, he looked around at the Imperial Guard Knights who had fallen into panic.
"What are you doing? I command you as the Emperor's representative. Everyone kneel down immediately."