Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: 47 Sinister Banquet (2)
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"His Majesty the Emperor of the Philius Empire has arrived!"
The attendant announced Raymond's entrance in a booming voice. He could feel all eyes in the banquet hall turning toward him at once.
Those gazes held a mix of emotions. The nobles of the Philius Empire looked on with respect and goodwill, but many from the Free Isirian Kingdom felt the opposite.
As he slowly walked into the banquet hall, Raymond took his time savoring those looks. Not all were outright hostile. Quite a few from the Free Isirian Kingdom appeared to respect their king's decision and were following it.
"When the disturbance begins, send escorts to them as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Raymond quietly passed the order to Marquis Blizzard of the Royal Guard as he walked toward the center of the hall.
Marquis Blizzard nodded, grasping the deeper meaning, and replied.
He promptly summoned a subordinate Royal Guard and drafted a new escort list on the spot, handing it over.
"Deliver this to Sir Cassius of the Imperial Army."
"Understood, Marquis Blizzard."
The Royal Guard junior baron swiftly broke from the formation and rushed to Sir Cassius. Raymond, meanwhile, continued toward King Sellion ahead, a faint smile on his lips.
"Do you think King Sellion realizes his subordinate nobles are plotting rebellion?"
He spoke in a very low voice, audible only to Count Reinitz, directing the question at him. Count Reinitz sharply scanned the surroundings before shaking his head.
"He has no idea. The rebels likely plan to drag down even King Sellion, who declared unconditional surrender at this opportunity."
"Just as I thought."
"Of course, Your Majesty. It's killing two birds with one stone."
Raymond nodded quietly at Count Reinitz's words.
"We're almost at King Sellion, so I can only accompany you this far. Many of the palace guards seem to have been bought by the rebels, so please be careful, Your Majesty."
"No need to worry about that, Count Reinitz. Our Royal Guard will protect His Majesty safely."
Marquis Blizzard stepped forward, interjecting.
"I trust you, Marquis Blizzard."
Count Reinitz withdrew, and Raymond closed the distance to Sellion.
"Welcome, Your Majesty."
Sellion smiled, but Raymond could see the bitterness hidden behind it.
"Thank you for the welcome, King Sellion."
"This banquet was prepared with utmost care by the Free Isirian royal family. I hope it becomes a pleasant time for you."
"It surely will, King Sellion."
Raymond accepted Sellion's greeting with a cold smile. He didn't know what Sellion was thinking, but one thing was certain: those dreaming of rebellion here today would all lose their lives.
The Central Intelligence Agency had acquired intel that assassins and armed forces were secretly assembling, and Count Reinitz had received the palace banquet hall blueprints. He'd advised Sir Cassius to form a perfect encirclement when the enemies' plan began.
'They won't kill a single Philius Empire noble.'
A clear smile spread across Raymond's lips. This time, he was confident not a single one would be lost. The time to prepare countermeasures had been short, but the preparations were flawless. Everyone had given their all.
In the quiet atmosphere, King Sellion of the Free Isirian Kingdom formally announced the start of the banquet, but there was no exchange between the nobles of the two nations.
The Free Isirian nobles huddled together first and refused to approach, so the Philius Empire nobles stuck to their own groups as well.
Raymond had never expected perfect integration from the start, so he watched impassively.
He believed time would resolve it, so there was no need to rush.
"Summon Count Reinitz."
Raymond ordered a Royal Guard to fetch him. The guard brought Count Reinitz, who had been conversing with military nobles nearby.
"You summoned me, Your Majesty?"
"When do you think they'll make their move?"
He was asking when the Free Isirian rebels would draw their hidden blades.
Raymond and his subordinates had finished all preparations; now they just waited for the enemy to act.
Count Reinitz composed himself calmly at the question, then spoke.
"The banquet has a set end time, so their window is limited. If I may presume, it should start soon."
"Then it's time to prepare. Not much time left before it ends."
Considerable time had passed since the banquet began, and it was heading toward its close. Now was the perfect moment for those with dark intentions to strike, so Raymond discreetly ordered the Royal Guard to heighten their vigilance.
"We shall obey your imperial command."
Marquis Blizzard replied in his usual loyal tone.
How much time passed with the Royal Guard on high alert? It was just as the banquet neared its end. They moved.
Kaboom!
An explosion erupted outside the banquet hall.
"Explosion!"
"Protect His Majesty the Emperor!"
The Imperial Army soldiers panicked and moved noisily. Some who had been guarding outside rushed toward the explosion's source to investigate, while the rest secured the hall thoroughly.
"Your Majesty! You must evacuate immediately!"
Sir Cassius rushed in with Imperial Army knights, shouting. At that moment, all the lights illuminating the banquet hall went out simultaneously.
"Mages!"
No sooner had the lights died than Sir Cassius barked sharply, and the Imperial Army mages cast Light spells in unison.
White orbs of light banished the darkness, revealing the intruders who had deeply infiltrated the hall. The moment the shadows retreated, they drew their swords as one.
"Enemies!"
Someone shouted.
"Imperial Army, protect His Majesty!"
"Enemies appearing outside too!"
Sir Cassius called for the Imperial Army waiting outside, but the response was negative.
No sooner had enemies appeared inside than the traitorous palace guards outside had armed themselves and attacked the Imperial Army.
And it didn't end there.
Among the royal knights guarding the hall, some were traitors too. They pulled out red cloths, tied them around their shoulders, drew their swords, and aimed at the Imperial Army and other royal knights.
The nobles panicked at the sudden chain of events, but Raymond, Count Reinitz, and a few others remained utterly calm.
They had predicted everything perfectly.
"Shades!"
Raymond summoned the shadowy guardians who had protected the imperial family from the darkest corners for ages. Black shadows surged from the banquet hall's darkness. They were the 'Shades' who had been hiding per imperial orders.
They swiftly moved to protect their pre-assigned charges, and Central Intelligence Agency special agents appeared as well.
Outside, the Imperial Army lying in wait around the hall buildings revealed themselves with resounding cheers.
"What the...?"
The assassins wore masks, but their panic was evident. A chilling smile crept across Raymond's lips as he watched them.
"You thought you'd cornered us."
His calm voice echoed softly through the tense standoff in the hall.
"Sorry, but we're not the ones cornered. You are."
With that cold declaration, he raised his hand, breaking the standoff. Desia, guarding his side, completed her prepared spell.
A small vortex formed on the banquet hall ceiling, spewing ice shards wildly. As a miniature storm whipped up, the assassins and traitorous royal knights sprayed blood and collapsed powerlessly.
"Charge!"
"Kill the Emperor and the King!"
Sellion, who had been composed at their initial appearance, lost his cool seeing assassins and traitorous royal knights approaching him and called for his royal knights.
"Shall we send escorts to King Sellion as well?"
Count Portas, who had torn through dimensions to appear, asked quietly amid the chaos.
He was confirming if the once-enemy king, who had surrendered unconditionally, qualified for protection.
But Raymond slowly shook his head.
"No need for King Sellion."
That single phrase was a ruthless decree. Count Portas of the Central Intelligence Agency immediately understood.
The agency's special agents began acting in earnest. Excluding those protecting nobles who had shown favor to Raymond, they focused solely on safeguarding Philius Empire personnel.
The rebels attacked as well. They targeted the Philius Emperor but couldn't reach him.
It was a failure for them, but the escorts protecting Raymond were Hashashin-trained, honed against ambushes, blocking them effortlessly.
Even with support from the End Society, their hastily gathered forces couldn't breach the Royal Guard's defenses.
"Target King Sellion first!"
"Take out the royal knights!"
The rebels' main force shifted their blades from Raymond to Sellion. Unlike Raymond, who had anticipated and prepared for everything, King Sellion's face was one of great alarm.
He clearly hadn't foreseen his loyal royal knights betraying him.
He cast pleading glances, but Raymond ignored them. There was no reason to help King Sellion.
In fact, his absence from the Free Isirian Kingdom benefited the Philius Empire.
"Y-Your Majesty the Emperor...!"
King Sellion cried out desperately. As the royal knights' defensive line crumbled, the rebels' blades closed in on him.
"Insolent fools!"
The royal knights at Sellion's side rushed forward to drive back the enemies, but it was only a stopgap.
The rebels' forces were far from few. Unlike the Royal Guard and Imperial Army's solid formations, the royal knights' line was precarious.
It seemed ready to collapse any moment. Sure enough, a high-level spell struck from somewhere, toppling the royal knights and shattering half their formation.
Desia, the Azure Tower Lord, and the Crimson Tower Lord could have intercepted that spell, but they refrained per Raymond's order not to protect Sellion.
"We can't let it fall like this!"
"Protect His Majesty the King!"
The royal knights scrambled, but the rebels outnumbered them. Soon, their formation fully collapsed, and Sellion desperately begged Raymond for aid.
"Your Majesty the Emperor! Please...!"
But Raymond turned away again, pretending not to hear.
In the end, all the royal knights fell, and a sharp dagger plunged into King Sellion of the Free Isirian Kingdom's chest.
"Guh... ack!"
Sellion spewed red blood and staggered. He stumbled weakly before the rebels hacked him to pieces, his breath ceasing completely.
"King Sellion has lost his life."
"Mobilize additional forces to surround the banquet hall and exterminate all the traitors."
"We obey your imperial command."
At Count Portas's report, Raymond issued orders with a cold expression. When Count Portas raised his hand, waiting Imperial Army troops poured in, swiftly encircling the hall.
"Let not a single one escape alive."
Raymond spoke icily. Count Portas signaled again, and the fresh Imperial Army troops charged with roars, executing the command. Armed soldiers flooded into the grand banquet hall.
The rebel forces outside, already clashing with the existing Imperial Army, had long been subdued.
Raymond's preparations with Count Portas and Count Reinitz had been too perfect from the start.
Having foreseen everything, their readiness was impeccable.
The rebels in the hall didn't give up. They engaged the Philius Empire's Imperial Army.
But how long could hastily assembled fighters from a fallen kingdom hold against an empire's elite?
"Arghhh!"
"Aaaah!"
Rebels screamed and fell to the Imperial Army's thrusting spears and swords.
Their numbers dwindled rapidly, and after about thirty minutes, the grand banquet hall was littered with the corpses of the black-clad assailants. Today's assassination plot had failed utterly.
It was Raymond's complete victory, having prepared for everything.