Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Records of the Spirit King (3)
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The fact that two dark nobles affiliated with the Reaper Squad were secretly mobilizing Hashashin assassins was immediately reported to Raymond by Count Potas.
"Is that so?"
When the director of the Imperial Central Intelligence Agency, Count Potas, finished his report, Raymond wore a chillingly cold smile on his lips.
"Looks like we'll have to scrap the plan."
Originally, he had intended to let the Reaper Squad linger as long as possible.
As long as they remained within the Philius Empire's borders, no full-scale war would break out. That would give Marquis Kreier and the northeastern nobles time to rest and reorganize their forces, while the empire's central command could accelerate its war preparations.
But now that the Reaper Squad was up to no good, he couldn't just let it slide.
"Full-scale war, Your Majesty?"
Count Potas asked with a hardened expression, guessing the emperor's intentions. Raymond nodded slowly before speaking.
"Just look at their behavior. We can't stand by and watch."
"The Reaper Squad is still within Philius Empire territory."
Count Potas voiced his cautious concern. Declaring war on the Tripartite Alliance while the Reaper Squad was still on imperial soil would be unprecedented.
"We'll make precedent if we have to, Count Potas. Anyone else, maybe, but I'm not tolerating the Reaper Squad scheming on Philius soil."
"I agree, Your Majesty."
"Then proceed, Count Potas. Quietly relay armament orders to the military and nobles across the empire."
"If it's to all nobles throughout the Philius Empire, the Central Intelligence Agency doesn't have the capacity to fully block the Hashashin information operations."
Though the agency had expanded its intelligence network and rooted out spies upon reinforcement, a significant number of Hashashin still infiltrated the empire.
It might be feasible to discreetly inform select nobles, but issuing armament orders empire-wide would inevitably draw the Tripartite Alliance's attention during troop mobilization, even if the transmission itself stayed secret.
"Just delay them noticing our military movements as long as possible. I know full well we can't hide large-scale troop movements completely."
"It shall be done at once."
"And summon as many Central Intelligence agents as quickly as possible. Those two dark nobles from the Reaper Squad are after the Records of the Spirit King, so we should dig the trap first and wait."
He could have Sylvia use the Records of the Spirit King right away, but awakening needed to happen in a safe, focused environment.
'Ideally in the secure capital.'
Raymond knew from the author's setting notes that while the Records induced high elf awakening, the process wasn't entirely safe.
"I'll relay Your Majesty's command to the Central Intelligence Agency."
Raymond nodded in response instead of replying, and Count Potas along with the agency hurried to prepare the trap. That very night, the vigilance of the knights guarding the 'Records of the Spirit King' noticeably slackened.
It wasn't so obvious that Pertson Baront or Rakiss Baront would notice anything suspicious.
"When do you think they'll make their move?"
"Tonight at the earliest."
Count Potas answered Raymond's question. The young emperor nodded with a satisfied grin.
"Tell the Foreign Minister to start drafting the declaration of war. The moment we take them down on-site, we'll mobilize the full army."
And that night, just as Count Potas predicted, the two dark nobles from the Reaper Squad moved out with their Hashashin.
Black shadows converged on the tent storing the Records of the Spirit King. Though guarded by Imperial Army knights, they failed to detect the shadows' approach.
The five Imperial Army knights guarding the tent were all advanced knights, but not sensitive enough to detect 'Perfect Stealth'.
The moment sharp blades targeted their throats from the darkness, more shadows surged from behind them.
"Guh... guhk..."
By the time the Hashashin noticed the rear threat and turned, daggers had already slit their throats. With short cries, red blood spurted as the 'Perfect Stealth' broke, and the Hashashin collapsed limply.
As their forms revealed in the darkness, the Imperial Army knights guarding the tent swiftly drew their swords.
Sharp ice shards rained down from the sky like arrows. The full forms of the Hashashin who had moved to seize the Records were now exposed.
"A... trap?"
"Damn it! Counterattack!"
Rakiss Baront, a member of the 'Dark Noble Society' leading the Hashashin, calmed his men's chaos and rallied for a counteroffensive.
Shades and Central Intelligence agents emerged through the night veil to confront them.
There were nineteen Shades alone, and over thirty Central Intelligence agents. In contrast, Rakiss Baront's Hashashin numbered only twenty-five. Even hastily summoning nearby Hashashin, their numbers weren't overwhelming.
"I can't promise to spare your lives if you surrender meekly. You targeted His Majesty's property. Whatever the outcome, you'll pay with your lives."
The Shade squad leader declared in a sharp voice. His red eyes gleamed fiercely. As a subject fanatically loyal to the Philius Empire's emperor, he felt rage—and thus, no mercy for their blades.
The twenty-five Hashashin were massacred without mounting proper resistance. Rakiss Baront, the sole survivor, was far from unscathed. He'd lost his left arm, and wounds covered his body.
"So this is the Philius Empire's assassination force..."
Rakiss Baront muttered through ragged, blood-flecked breaths. Death loomed, but fear did not.
He only regretted dying without reporting the empire's hidden claws to his homeland.
"Tonight, as the deepest shadow acting on His Majesty's execution authority, I will behead this traitor."
The Shade squad leader approached. Rakiss Baront still held a dagger but abandoned resistance. His mana was depleted, and he lacked even the strength to swing his arm.
No final desperate surge remained; he could only await death.
Soon, the Shade squad leader's dagger severed Rakiss Baront's head.
The headless body slumped powerlessly, and the squad leader's red eyes flashed as he spoke.
"Shades, detain all remaining Reaper Squad members."
"All as His Majesty wills..."
The Shades melted into the darkness, heading toward the Reaper Squad's section within the encampment.
The remnants were mostly non-combat attendants and a few Hashashin disguised as escorts.
Moments later, Shades appeared before their tents.
The brigade knights guarding the Reaper Squad section joined the Shades emerging from the shadows.
Having received the operation briefing in advance from the brigade elder, Villiang, they showed no confusion at the Shades' sudden arrival.
The Shade squad leader naturally took command, and they swiftly, flawlessly surrounded the Reaper Squad section.
By the time Pertson Baront belatedly sensed the ominous atmosphere outside and emerged from his tent, it was too late. Shades in black led the brigade knights, approaching with swords drawn.
"It failed, then..."
Rakiss Baront had clearly failed. Glancing aside, he saw non-combat attendants being subdued in other tents. Only the escort Hashashin faced off against the knights, weapons in hand.
"Your Excellency Baront, what should we do?"
A subordinate Hashashin nearby asked cautiously. Pertson Baront sighed shortly before replying.
"Given Emperor Raymond's temperament, he wouldn't have ordered us taken alive."
"Then we'll take as many enemies with us as possible."
"See you in hell."
Pertson Baront unleashed his daggers first. Five daggers floated mid-air, splitting into dozens. They spun as if possessed by will, flying toward the advancing knights.
"Guhk!"
"Argh!"
Knights pierced in throats and chests collapsed with short screams, and the Hashashin charged the enemies en masse.
Fierce combat ensued, but the outnumbered Hashashin fell one by one.
Pertson Baront of the 'Dark Noble Society' held out longest, but when over ten Shades swarmed him with focused attacks, he soon bled out and perished.
"To dare rebel against the great Philius Empire's emperor—your crime demands more than your lives."
The Shade squad leader stepped lightly over Pertson Baront's cooling corpse and murmured coldly.
Late that night, a visitor sought Raymond, who had arrived at the encampment and was resting. It was Count Potas of the Central Intelligence Agency.
"Wiped out. All dead."
"Our casualties?"
"Some. It's all recorded here."
Raymond read the report handed over by Count Potas. Casualties existed, but they were few.
"Good work."
"The Central Intelligence Agency ever awaits Your Majesty's command."
Count Potas withdrew, and Raymond summoned Desia to request a magical communication link with Marquis Kreier. She placed the contact crystal orb on the table and infused it with mana.
A clear light shimmered, revealing the mage from Marquis Kreier's domain in the orb.
-Hail, Your Majesty!
"Summon Marquis Kreier."
-Yes, understood.
Marquis Kreier happened to be nearby; it took less than ten minutes for his face to appear in the contact orb.
-Your Majesty, are you well?
Marquis Kreier inquired with a faint smile. Since the Reaper Squad's arrival in the Philius Empire, battles in the Black Mountains had noticeably decreased, but not vanished entirely.
Marquis Kreier's domain forces and the border troops endured small but constant attrition, gradually wearing down both the marquis and border command.
-War?
Seeing the young emperor hesitate to speak, Marquis Kreier easily guessed and spoke first.
Raymond nodded slowly in response.
-How much time do we have?
Marquis Kreier was ever pragmatic. He knew war was inevitable. From the escalating border provocations and worsening Black Mountains clashes, he, his domain, and the border troops had steeled for it.
"The Foreign Minister is drafting the declaration. It should be finished in three days, reviewed, and delivered to the Tripartite Alliance within a week."
-Then we'll maximize combat readiness within about a week.
"Can you manage?"
War demanded far greater supplies than skirmishes. Though war's possibility had been mentioned before, with Marquis Kreier constantly scouring the Black Mountains nonstop, expecting full preparations was unrealistic.
Yet contrary to expectations, Marquis Kreier grinned unusually.
-We're already in full battle posture.
The northeastern nobles' domain armies and border troops were fully prepared. Despite ongoing attrition in the Black Mountains, they had steadily readied.
"Supplies sufficient?"
-Not abundant, but not lacking.
Marquis Kreier replied with a faint smile to Raymond's question, as if no issue.
But Raymond instantly spotted the faint shadow on his face. Supplies were short, it seemed.
"I'll provide maximum support."
He had secured vast gold from secret vaults in the Valencia and Belfiang Imperial Demesnes, but most was spent reinforcing the Central Intelligence Agency and rearming the Northern Central Army, among other places.
The Philius Empire's finances weren't ample now. But solutions existed.
Seizing the Black Mountains entirely would claim its gold mines and turn the tide.
'Only I know about the massive gold mines in the Black Mountains.'
No one else did. It was Raymond's exclusive secret knowledge.