The Time of Revenge (2)

p>Look at Cedric, acting all high and mighty, putting on airs, only to get his face smashed by a mere commoner who pulled him into a chicken leg pose.

p>Is there any other comedy in the world like this?

p>"Enough, that's far enough."

p>But this farce wasn't funny to everyone.

p>It was because an individual who found Cedric's humiliation uncomfortable approached, turning the atmosphere dark.

div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(2,33,155,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative"> div style="position:absolutetop:0left:0right:0height:2pxbackground:linear-gradient(90deg,transparent,#00219b,transparent)"__GT div style="color:#4d9ffffont-size:26pxfont-weight:boldtext-transform:uppercasemargin-bottom:15pxtext-shadow:0 0 20px #4d9fffletter-spacing:3px">⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ div style="color:#e0e0e0font-size:18pxSEMI__border-top:2px solid #00219bpadding-top:15pxline-height:1.8"> p>The Lawrence Viscount family's knights have been called out in response to the disturbance. They are rushing to the scene. Number of personnel: approximately 150. Estimated arrival time: 30 seconds. Status: Mobile. Warning: Immediate action required to prevent escalation of conflict. Priority: Protect the Viscountess and young master.

p>—Clang.

p>"Young master Cedric, it seems you keep crossing lines you should not."

p>It was Clan, the commander of the Lawrence Knights.

p>He drew the Force Sword hanging at his waist.

p>The Force Sword, part of the Vanguard equipment, followed the rule of not being worn on normal stone statues, but for Clan, who was responsible for the safety of Anna and Cedric, that rule did not apply.

p>'Not some Royal Guard protecting the king or anything.'

p>I didn't even blink an eye at Clan commander's threat.

p>"Crossing lines? That's your story, isn't it?"

p>Poisoning, assassination, blackmail, intimidation, surveillance, wiretapping—all kinds of threats had been used, yet they were lecturing me about crossing lines. Did they simply not remember what they had done?

p>Or were they shameless?

p>My pointed counter struck the mark, and the corner of Clan commander's eye twitched.

p>"What the hell! Clan!"

p>At that moment.

p>Cedric finally succeeded in escaping from Arsia and butted into our conversation.

p>"Those bastards who dared to threaten my young mistress! I should kill them all!"

p>With a turkey leg mark plastered on his face, Cedric retreated in a hurry while shouting.

p>The sight of him was utterly pathetic.

p>Yet knights exist to protect their master.

p>Even if his choice of master was lowly, Cedric's master now was me.

p>"Of course I should kill them."

p>"Yeah! That's right!"

p>Even in the face of Cedric's ugly appearance, Clan responded without hesitation.

p>"As your vassal, I cannot harm the young master of the Viscount family."

p>"What!?"

p>But Clan did not seem like the type to lose his reason even when angry.

p>Cedric leaped at Clan’s words, yet he had to listen to the end.

p>"However, this girl is different. As a commoner who dares to commit violence against a noble, there is no room for mercy. Therefore, I will proceed with immediate judgment."

p>With that, Clan’s Force Sword swung toward Arsia.

p>"Did you think that just because you became the Viscount's lover, you were noble? You will die here."

p>Cedric the street bully was no match for this intimidation.

p>"Hm?"

p>—Clang.

p>However, Clan’s sword did not swing toward Arsia.

p>William and the high-ranking knights of the expeditionary force all drew their swords in unison.

p>"What are you doing? Get out of here immediately."

p>"If you were going to retreat just because of the commander's word, you wouldn't have drawn your swords."

p>Clan realized that he could not coexist with these people any longer, given their unwavering expressions and the firm tip of their blades.

p>"Step aside from Lady Arsia."

p>"Lady Arsia?"

p>Clan looked surprised to see Cedric and his own close aides included among those people.

p>Most knights in the knight order who followed Cedric shared similar tendencies.

p>'People who put personal gain above even the gods.'

p>That was why they all followed Cedric, who had a stronger backing than the current Viscount father.

p>Yet even such quick-witted individuals followed me?

p>I couldn't help but feel uneasy about that.

p>—Whoosh!

p>But just for a moment.

p>"Oh, reinforcements have arrived."

p>Over a hundred knights in full armor rushed forward and protected Cedric and Anna.

p>Just like the saying that a hedgehog loves its own child, why had Anna been so quiet about Cedric's matter? Apparently she had been calling for the knights via phone.

p>Though gathered in a hurry, the number was quite large.

p>Thanks to that, Cedric's momentum surged again.

p>"It's too late for regret. I will make every single one of you, including William, pay for your crimes thoroughly."

p>Among the knights, a considerable number were Vanguards.

p>I hardened my expression and spoke without losing my composure.

p>"The Viscount is here. Yet these knights of the territory dare to confront the master from the opposite side!?!"

p>Seeing the knights unmoved by my rebuke, father smiled bitterly.

p>The current confrontation showed the true state of the Viscount family.

p>"Suppress those bastards immediately!"

p>At Cedric's shout, the knights drew their swords in unison.

p>"What are you doing! Hurry up and attack!"

p>Cedric’s angry urging continued, and the knights closed in, forming a encirclement.

p>If I counted the soldiers, I had overwhelmingly more numbers.

p>But while the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expeditionary force lacked proper equipment, this side had over ten Vanguards, and both the quality of knights and equipment were superior.

p>Regardless of numbers, in terms of actual combat power, I was at a disadvantage.

p>Whether the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enemy would charge seriously or not, if a full-scale battle broke out, it would lead to a one-sided slaughter.

p>"Why did you do something so unnecessary?"

p>Clan clicked his tongue and shook his head.

p>"It seems you forgot the lesson of victory. This family's system cannot be changed. Because of young master Cedric’s arrogance, only harsh people will suffer blood."

p>And as if lecturing me, his serious expression toward me was striking.

p>"You won't die right away. But from now on, even if you live, it will be as if you haven't lived. A life more cruel than this."

p>A sudden action leading to a sudden situation.

p>Everyone in the opposing camp had not expected it, but on the other hand, they would think the situation wasn't that bad.

p>Cedric would get a chance to step forward with the title of 'Young Viscount' without the 'young'.

p>If this incident ended as Cedric and Anna wished, the territory newspaper might run a story like this.

div style="text-align:centerborder:2px solid #00219bpadding:20pxbox-shadow:0 0 15px rgba(0,33,155,0.5),inset 0 0 15px rgba(0,33,155,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 100%)border-radius:6pxmargin-bottom:20px"> div style="color:#e0e0e0font-size:18pxtext-shadow:0 0 8px rgba(77,159,255,0.4)line-height:2"> p>[Adrian's rebellion due to jealousy toward his brother Cedric.] p>[Viscount Rayford Lawrence, disgusted by his son's betrayal, transferred his authority to the eldest son Cedric. The territory now operates under the young Cedric Lawrence system.]

p>Wasn't that a pretty good justification?

p>"Adrian, use the artifact! And run away no matter what!"

p>Though sudden, father shouted while wrapping his arms around mother, who had already realized the situation was beyond control.

p>Mother looked bewildered and asked for forgiveness from the unknown opponent.

p>—Clang! Clang!

p>—Attack preparation!

p>The scene of Anna and Cedric planning the approach and aftermath of the knights who had become enemies.

p>I watched the change without saying a word, even though father's instruction had changed the situation, and a sigh from the bottom of my chest escaped.

p>"Idiots."

p>And unlike the enemy, I smiled brightly.

p>Staring at Clan with the expression that said "are you out of your mind?", I shouted loudly.

p>"Rebellion! Rebellion! These bastards are trying to harm the Viscount! Protect the Viscount everyone!"

p>"Yes!"

p>The shout carried a theatrical feel.

p>His subordinates answered with eager expressions.

p>"Why are they acting like that……"

p>My reaction and that of my subordinates was not that of people in a tight spot.

p>Thanks to that, I told the bewildered knight commander.

p>"Looking at it, isn't treason obvious who the traitor is?"

p>If they won, we would be the traitors, but the opposite was true—these people would be the traitors.

p>"What does that mean?"

p>"They've lost their minds."

p>That was Cedric's and Anna's impression.

p>But how long would such a display last?

p>I decided to stop the boring performance and give them a shock.

p>Probably the next situation would be beyond their common sense.

p>"Arsia. Leave the three in front to me, and deal with the rest."

p>With that, I placed my hand on Arsia's shoulder.

p>—Whoosh.

p>Her figure blurred and transformed, revealing Arsia equipped with the Force Armor and Force Sword of the Lawrence territory forces that William had passed on.

p>It was only because of an illusion magic that she had been hidden, but Arsia had been in full battle stance from the beginning.

p>"Understood."

p>A short answer following my instruction.

p>At the same time, Arsia's figure disappeared like mist.

p>—Boom!

p>And with a flash of light, five knights protecting Anna and Cedric were split vertically and separated left and right.

p>"Arsia! Humans cannot be recycled! But equipment can! Aim only for the necks!"

p>The knights' equipment was not simple iron armor and swords.

p>They were power suits packed with various magic and technologies, comparable to Vanguards.

p>Since complete equipment cost billions, it was a waste.

p>So I made a somewhat difficult request, and because of that, an unrealistic scene unfolded where the knights' heads fell like toys.

p>It was a clean Arsia-style resolution.

p>"Speaking of which, Clan. What did you say just now?"

p>I asked the flustered commander while stepping back.

p>"Huh? Huh?"

p>And I slapped Clan in the cheek, who was lost in Arsia's presence.

p>Instead of bare hands, I pulled out a Magic Staff from the pocket dimension.

p>The Force Armor tried to protect the user, but the magic power contained in the Magic Staff negated it and pierced through, smashing his cheek.

p>I could have beheaded him if I wanted, but the damage was just enough to make him feel bad.

p>"Even though you're a traitor, you're lecturing?"

p>After being slapped, he seemed to regain his senses.

p>Previously speechless from the collapsing common sense, he now gripped his Force Sword tightly with a tense expression.

p>"O, aura master! Form a formation centered on the Vanguard and confront them! Cold calculation is enough to handle it!"

p>"Even in this situation, giving instructions to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠subordinates, you're quite the knight commander. Of course, it's useless."

p>"Who are you anyway?"

p>Clan asked my true identity.

p>Just the fact that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I pierced the Force Armor and dealt damage was enough to make him wary.

p>"What! I'm an educator who will give you a lesson in life."

p>Magicians could use magic from two circles lower than their own without casting.

p>A 7-circle magician could use 5-circle magic without casting.

p>I poured all buffs below 5 circles—Haste, Strength, and more—onto myself.

p>With flashes of light, magic was applied, and the process of flashing light and applying magic repeated.

p>Clan blinked his eyes.

p>"N-no way?"

p>Seeing that, one possibility popped into his head.

p>Clan desperately shook his head to deny it, but I used a technique that was proof of a great magician, and even though 7 circles were only one step above 6 circles, it overwhelmed the magic sword killer Vanguards.

p>"Flame Blast."

p>—Kukukukukuk!

p>A 7-circle ultimate magic that could be cast instantly without casting.

p>It was using the casting storage magic called Memorize.

p>7-circle magic required casting times from 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on the type.

p>But Memorize stored the magic by casting it in advance and allowed instant manifestation by recalling the stored casting as needed.

p>A maximum of 10 magic could be stored with Memorize, and once used, it was deleted from the list.

p>So the style of fighting by mixing 5-circle magic usable without casting and Memorized 7-circle magic, while steadily casting 7-circle magic during that time to fill the consumed Memorize list, was the great magician's combat style.

p>"Kyahak!"

p>Meaning, becoming a great magician made the magician's weakness of casting almost disappear.

p>Even though I maximized the defense of the Force Armor, complete damage absorption against the ultimate magic that struck at close range was impossible.

p>Clan screamed and fell back, and Cedric and Anna behind him turned pale and sat on the spot, dazed.

p>"It looks like it will be very fun from now on. Right?"

p>I smiled playfully toward the two of them.

p>After all, I was still wearing the pretty face shell, wasn't I? Wouldn't it be attractive?

p>But the two of them's eyes shook nonstop, as if facing a grim reaper.

p>"You bastard!"

p>At that moment, Clan, who had been rolling quietly on the floor, suddenly jumped up and lunged at me.

p>Thanks to the enhanced physical abilities from Force Armor and aura, his movement was as fast as lightning.

p>Ordinary magicians would have been bewildered by the knight's agility.

p>—Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

p>At least that didn't apply to me.

p>Clan's attack was nothing compared to the Death Knight I had faced in the final step of the Arsia Quest 7.

p>I had fought the aura master Death Knight as a dodging magician.

p>So Clan’s attack was easily evaded.

p>"What……"

p>When Clan’s boastful 5 consecutive strikes were evaded by a magician using movement instead of space teleport, his expression twisted nicely.

p>Even if body enhancement by magic, magicians were magicians.

p>How would my outside appearance look to him?