Chapter 239: It Would Have Been Different If It Were You (2)
Chapter 239: It Would Have Been Different If It Were You (2)
The greatest disaster since the founding of the Schneider fief had occurred.
In some ways, it was an incident even more dire than a monster stampede.
Ava Schneider had been kidnapped.
Upon hearing the news, the Schneider fief immediately entered a state of emergency.
"You incompetent fools!"
The first to roar in fury was Sanson Kainel, the Captain of the Double Dragon Knights.
He looked ready to tear apart the two knights who had been in charge of the escort right then and there. However…
"The two of them are currently in critical condition, Sir Kainel."
"My Lord."
"And it wasn't their fault. They did their absolute best."
Even as they were dying, the two knights had refused to lose consciousness until they had reported everything about Ava’s kidnapping. Before that, they had stubbornly held on, refusing even medical treatment to keep their minds sharp enough to deliver the report.
Baron Schneider spoke, his fists clenched tight.
"If there is a problem, it lies with me for letting my guard down and reducing the escort just because we were inside the fief."
"……."
Sanson couldn't find the words to respond to the Baron’s statement.
Anyone living in the Schneider fief knew just how much Baron Schneider cherished and loved his wife. While many other nobles treated their wives—often met through political marriages—with mere obligation while keeping mistresses, Baron Schneider was different.
He had truly cared for and loved his wife with all his heart.
Even now, though he claimed to be fine, his clenched fists were trembling violently. Despite being driven to the brink of madness by fury and anxiety, he was still shielding his knights.
Knowing the Baron’s heart, Sanson couldn't bring himself to vent any more anger. Instead, he turned to his subordinates to ask about the situation.
"Where is Vice-Captain April?"
"She is searching the areas surrounding the fief with everything she has. Specifically, she has blocked all exits along the main roads to ensure no one leaves."
"Good."
With Ava kidnapped, the first priority was to lock down the exits of the fief. If the kidnappers managed to take her outside, finding her again would become exponentially harder.
"Lady Elione is also said to be mobilizing the full strength of the elves, using them to block the perimeter and tighten the net around the fief."
"That is a relief."
A search network conducted by elves using spirits was more than reliable.
In addition, the Orc warriors were moving under Tutan’s command, and the Magic Swordsmen from the Tower of Truth were patrolling the skies, searching for anyone suspicious.
The entire manpower of the Schneider fief was being mobilized for the search.
Yet, there was still no sign of Ava’s whereabouts.
There must be something… some blind spot we’re missing. What is it?
Sanson wasn't the type to use his head much. He was better at executing orders faithfully. But now, he was straining his limited mental capacity to the limit, trying to find a clue.
Who on earth would kidnap the Baroness? And for what purpose?
The answer to Sanson’s agonizing thoughts came from the doctor who had been treating the two knights.
"My Lord. I have finished treating the knights."
"What is their condition?"
"I’ve stopped the bleeding and sutured the wounds for now. We’ll have to monitor their recovery. More importantly…"
The doctor held something out.
"I found this inside the knights' bodies during the treatment."
What the doctor held out was a small iron ball. Seeing the nail-sized iron sphere, Baron Schneider’s eyes sharpened.
"You’re saying this came from inside the knights' bodies?"
"Yes, My Lord."
"How could something like this…?"
He had never heard of a 4-Star Knight’s body being compromised by a tiny iron ball the size of a pea. But then…
"That is a bullet."
When had he arrived?
The Fifth Sage, who had appeared after hearing the news, identified the black iron sphere.
"Fifth Sage."
"I have heard the news. And seeing that, I believe I know who the culprit is."
The Fifth Sage picked up the iron ball the doctor had brought, inspected it, and spoke with certainty.
"There is no mistake. This is a 'bullet,' a tool used by the dwarves."
"The dwarves?"
"Indeed. It is a weapon that utilizes gunpowder, one of the secret trump cards the dwarves do not leak to the outside world."
"Gunpowder? You mean that explosive powder?"
In his youth, Baron Schneider had been a bookworm, studious enough to enter the Academy. While he lacked field experience, the knowledge stored in his head was far greater than that of an average noble.
As the Baron seemed to understand, the Fifth Sage continued.
"Correct. There is a device that uses the explosive force of gunpowder to fire small iron balls. It is called a 'gun.'"
"But why would a dwarven weapon be… Ah?"
"The Harbor Kingdom may be at odds with the dwarves now, but they shared a friendship that lasted for centuries, did they not?"
"……"
"Furthermore, it wouldn't be surprising if a member of the royal family had received a gunpowder weapon or two as a gift."
At the Fifth Sage’s words, Baron Schneider immediately grasped the situation.
"Sir Kainel!"
"Yes!"
"Search the quarters of the Harbor Kingdom’s delegation immediately. Now!"
Baron Schneider shouted with a volume uncharacteristic of his usual self.
Sanson replied instantly.
"Yes, My Lord! Understood!"
Sanson immediately led the knights and charged out. The Fifth Sage nodded and added, "I will use the communication magic to spread this fact across the entire region immediately. Please, stay strong and wait."
"Thank you, Fifth Sage."
*
The suspect had been identified.
Sanson immediately led the knights to the inn where the Harbor Kingdom’s delegation was staying.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Knights of the Harbor Kingdom were standing guard in front of the inn. Seeing their arrogant attitude, Sanson glared at them and spoke.
"By order of the Lord, we are here to search the premises. Move."
"What absurd nonsense."
"……."
"This space has been chartered by the Harbor Kingdom, and our Prince is staying here."
"……."
"Where does a mere backwater knight think he’s—Guh-urk!"
It happened in an instant.
Sanson, who had been listening silently, drove his fist upward into the man’s jaw. The opponent was lifted about thirty centimeters off the ground before collapsing onto the dirt.
Sanson barked, "Strike! We don't have time to listen to their bullshit!"
"Yes, sir!"
Prince of a nation or whatever… these bastards had touched something they should never have touched in the first place.
The knights under Sanson’s command immediately stormed the inn.
"What?"
"What is this—Gah!"
The knights ruthlessly crushed anyone who showed signs of resistance as they pushed inside.
Then, a man who appeared to be a high-ranking knight of the Harbor Kingdom came out and shouted, "What do you think you are doing? Do you realize the severity of the diplomatic incident you are causing?"
He tried to argue diplomatic consequences, but his words fell on deaf ears with the knights of the Schneider family.
"Like we give a damn!"
"Where is the Baroness? You sons of bitches!"
"I’ll kill every last one of you!"
As the Schneider knights roared, radiating genuine killing intent, the Harbor knight who had been acting tough became visibly flustered.
"What are you talking about? Why would you look for your Baroness here—Urgh!"
The Schneider knights were literally seeing red. The die was cast. They tore through the inn, searching every nook and cranny. However, even after scouring the entire building, the Baroness was nowhere to be found.
A misunderstanding?
No. There was one piece of circumstantial evidence that was undeniable.
"You bastard! Where is your Prince? Where is that bratty scoundrel?!"
Indeed. While Ava wasn't here, Prince Dawson of the Harbor Kingdom was also missing. At this point, the fact that the Prince was nowhere to be seen was more than enough reason for suspicion.
Oliver grabbed a fallen Harbor knight by the collar and interrogated him with a murderous glare.
"Heh… I… I don't know. Maybe he’s having a good time with some married woman somewhere… Hehehe…"
"You little…!"
At the sarcasm of the knight, whose face was swollen but who still held onto his spite, sparks flew in Oliver’s eyes. Oliver pulled the man close and smashed his forehead into the bridge of the man’s nose.
Crack!
"Aaaargh!"
"You bastard. You don't know who I am, do you? In our fief, I’m the third most hot-tempered person you’ll ever meet."
Normally, Oliver was cheerful and playful, but once he lost his temper, almost no one could stop him. It wasn't just his skill; he would go on a rampage until he literally couldn't see straight.
"You’re going to get beaten until you talk straight, you son of a bitch!"
Thwack! Crack! Bam!
Oliver’s fists rained down on the man’s face repeatedly. But the man gritted his teeth and endured.
I… I have to hold out. They won't kill me.
Talking now would be the same as selling out Prince Dawson. For him, that meant the ruin of his life. Scoundrels like him often showed unexpected persistence when their own lives were on the line.
Even as his teeth were knocked out and his facial bones were crushed by Oliver’s fists, the man held on.
Eventually, Sanson, unable to watch any longer, stepped in.
"Stop. If you hit him anymore, he’ll die."
"Dammit!"
Oliver spat in frustration.
The fallen knight, with his face swollen beyond recognition, wore a victorious smile and wheezed, "Hehehe… Now you lot… are finished. The Harbor Kingdom… will… formally… ugh… lodge a protest."
Everyone’s expression turned grim.
If they had found the Baroness here, it would be one thing. But they had decimated a national delegation based only on suspicion without finding her. If things continued like this, an international protest was inevitable.
"Dammit, I can't even just kill this bastard?"
"Why can't you?"
It was then.
The voice that reached the grumbling Oliver was colder than a midwinter north wind. Turning their heads, they saw…
"Vice-Captain."
"You’re here?"
It was April, the peerless beauty, her face masked with blatant killing intent.
As she appeared, even the allied knights stiffened. It was a scene that showed just how firmly April had established her position as Vice-Captain over the past year. Even Sanson, the Knight Captain, deferred to her.
"Vice-Captain. The Baroness is not here."
"Are you certain these people are the culprits?"
"Almost…"
"I see."
April approached the fallen knight. Despite her terrifying beauty, the knight was paralyzed with fear, scooting backward on his buttocks.
S-Scary…
Even if he was third-rate, he was still a knight. He had undergone knightly training. But the pressure radiating from the woman approaching him was overwhelming, effortlessly crushing his meager confidence.
"Where is the Madam?"
"I… I don't… know. Why are you looking for that bitch with me?"
"……."
April said nothing. Instead, her fingers moved rapidly, striking several pressure points on the man’s body.
The man looked dazed, not realizing what had just been done to him.
"What is this… G-Guh…?"
That was only for the first second.
Soon, as his bones and muscles began to twist and contort…
"AAAAAAAGGHHHHH!"
He let out a scream that seemed loud enough to be heard across the entire fief.
Bone-Splitting and Tendon-Severing.
A living hell, officially recognized in the martial world, unfolded before them.
*
Another inn, located a short distance away from the one where the Harbor Kingdom’s delegation had stayed.
The Harbor Kingdom had rented this entire inn under the name of an actual merchant. Perhaps because they were no strangers to foul play, they had secured this lodging before kidnapping Ava.
Usually, they were fools who seemed to leave their brains behind, but they showed a meticulous side when it came to committing crimes. They had moved the kidnapped Ava here.
It was a fact the knight subjected to April’s Bone-Splitting and Tendon-Severing had confessed within ten minutes.
After completely surrounding the place, April gritted her teeth and spoke.
"I will go in alone."
"A-All right. We’re counting on you."
Sanson closed his eyes tight and gave his permission. The other knights felt the same.
Ava had been kidnapped at dawn, and it was now late at night. Considering the depraved nature of the Harbor Prince and Ava’s beauty, they could easily imagine what horrific things might have happened.
They didn't even want to think about it, but if the worst had happened, it was better to have as few witnesses as possible.
April entered the inn. As she stepped inside…
"What?"
"What’s going on?"
Flash!
Two knights wore startled expressions, but that was their last. April’s twin swords, drawn simultaneously, cleanly severed both their necks.
Continuing her stride, April stopped at the basement storage in the inn’s kitchen. A cellar built for storing ham, cheese, and wine.
She sensed two presences there. One was strong and healthy, but the other was fading, nearly dead.
"……."
Her breathing grew heavy. April gritted her teeth and gripped her sword with trembling hands. Then, with a clean strike, her blade sliced through the door of the basement storage.
Slash!
Dropping lightly into the cellar, April immediately gripped her sword and glared forward. And there…
"April? Is that you?"
"…Madam?"
"I was having trouble finding the way out. Can we go now?"
"……."
There stood Ava, looking perfectly fine. Her hands were tied with rope, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with her. And…
"G-Guh… uuuugh…"
"Oh? He’s trying to wake up again. Move aside for a moment. I need to knock him out again."
The one groaning in pain beside April was Prince Dawson. He was shirtless, and his pants were halfway down, tangled around his legs.
What… what happened here?
Even the formidable April couldn't help but be bewildered by the sight.