Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Dangerous Invitation (2)
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Ricardo Ensle, a high-ranking mage of the Belphang Dukedom, gazed down at the central city from a tall spire in the inner castle. Watching the Emperor and Royal Guards enter through the eastern gate, he unleashed his killing intent without restraint.
Ever since his younger brother, Andel Ensle, lost his life, he had lived like a madman consumed by vengeance, reduced to a shell of his former self. Now, the day to exact that hatred had finally arrived, and he was ready to offer his life gladly at a banquet stained with blood.
"Lord Ricardo."
A pale-faced man in a black uniform slowly emerged from the shadows behind him. At the sound of that cold voice calling his name, Ricardo pulled his gaze from the scene below the spire and turned around.
"You've come."
"The lord has ordered us to hasten preparations for the banquet."
"The time has finally arrived."
A chilling smile spread across Ricardo's lips.
"Not even a single person to greet His Majesty the Emperor, despite his personal visit..."
Marquis Blizzard muttered in a frosty tone. He hadn't expected a warm welcome, but he never imagined there wouldn't be anyone to even guide them.
"This may be an invitation, but we're in the heart of enemy territory, Marquis Blizzard. Best not to expect courteous guidance."
Raymond added his piece. Marquis Blizzard nodded weakly in agreement.
"They'll at least send a guide."
Gestain was the one who spoke calmly. Sure enough, a young woman in noble attire soon approached.
"Welcome to the Belphang Dukedom."
But that was it. The Royal Guards bristled at the utter lack of respect shown to the Emperor.
"Stand down, men."
Marquis Blizzard quelled them with a cold voice. The noblewoman's lips twisted at the sight. She had intended to provoke them from the start, but it hadn't gone as planned.
"Lead us to the lord's castle at once."
"Yes, I'll guide you."
He requested it calmly. The noblewoman gave a slight bow and spurred her horse ahead. They followed her to the lord's castle in the Belphang Dukedom.
"I never imagined it would be like this..."
One of the Royal Guards muttered. His voice was loud enough for a mutter, laced with anger and disbelief, but no one reprimanded him. Everyone was outraged by the Mountain Duke's conduct.
The towering walls of the lord's castle bristled with archers armed with longbows, mages in robes lined the battlements, and the greeters at the gate were armored knights and soldiers.
This was enemy territory, their auras fierce and laced with killing intent—a clear threat.
"Royal Guard, stand down. It's not time yet."
Every Royal Guard's hand had instinctively gone to their weapons. Raymond calmed the agitated men and slowly urged his horse forward.
Even as the Emperor approached, the knights remained mounted, holding their ground. Instead, they radiated sharp hostility, pressing and provoking Raymond and the Royal Guards.
"How rude."
Raymond uttered indifferently, but his own killing intent sliced through their auras like a sharpened blade.
"Kuh!"
"Gah!"
The knights who had openly projected their auras staggered, groaning in pain from the backlash.
"Is the Belphang First Knight Order only this capable?"
This time, Raymond provoked them. His short, pointed barb flushed the faces of the Belphang First Knight Order.
The Mountain Duke's goal was to kill the Emperor anyway—a fact known to all the accompanying Royal Guards. They tensed, expecting the provoked knights to draw their swords en masse, but Raymond was different.
'They can't draw their swords right now.'
A leisurely smile played on his lips. Viscount Dornitz had told him the knights wouldn't unsheathe unless they were in the banquet hall of the lord's castle.
The reason for Viscount Dornitz's firm conviction was simple.
'To think they'd install a massive mana-sealing magic circle over the entire lord's castle.'
Setting up such a large-scale magic circle required astronomical costs and effort—something only a duke-level noble could contemplate.
'Even with childhood assassination threats, who would go to such mad lengths?'
Raymond chuckled and shook his head. It was why the Mountain Duke, despite having the Shadow Special Forces, dared to invite him to the lord's castle so confidently.
By luring enemies into a mana-sealed domain, he had already sealed the assassination's success.
'But sorry to disappoint.'
Raymond possessed a means to neutralize the massive mana-sealing magic circle. He wouldn't have accepted the invitation otherwise.
"My apologies for the offense. Please, enter."
Viscount Chester, captain of the Belphang First Knight Order, stepped forward from among the knights, dispelling Raymond's aura as he appeared.
Unlike the Belphang knights who unleashed sharp hostility the moment they faced him, his polite tone seemed courteous at first glance. But Viscount Chester didn't dismount before the Emperor, and his piercing gaze carried a glint of murder.
"Your Majesty the Emperor..."
"Not yet."
Thick anger laced Marquis Blizzard's voice, but Raymond firmly shook his head. Not yet. If swords were to be drawn, it had to be before the Mountain Duke.
"Lead the way, Knight Captain."
"Understood."
Viscount Chester moved first. They rode through the castle gates toward the mansion, seemingly following without thought. But Raymond diligently memorized the terrain and troop dispositions alongside Sylvia.
Soon, they arrived at the lord's mansion. From here, they dismounted and proceeded on foot, passing through the gardens into the main building.
"A welcome banquet has been prepared for our honored guests after their long journey."
Not a welcome banquet, but an execution. Raymond wanted to correct Viscount Chester but merely nodded with a faint smile.
'No time to rest before heading to the banquet hall... They must be eager to take my head.'
Guessing the Mountain Duke's intentions was no challenge.
"We accept Duke Belphang's hospitality."
"The banquet hall is this way. The lord has 'specially' permitted your escorts to accompany you."
Viscount Chester emphasized "specially."
Even with guards right beside him, they were confident in pulling off the assassination. Raymond barely suppressed a laugh.
Soon, Raymond entered the banquet hall with fifty Royal Guards. As massive doors over two meters tall swung open, he felt naked gazes brimming with killing intent. It was no banquet hall—this was an execution chamber.
"Your Majesty, there are over a hundred hidden enemies."
Sylvia approached cautiously to report. Her wind spirit not only guided paths but excelled at detecting presences. Even before fully absorbing the "Record of the Spirit King," her scouting surpassed most high-ranking mages.
'Just the hidden ones number over a hundred...'
The term execution chamber wasn't exaggeration. Excluding the concealed foes, the hall teemed with lightly armed knights and mages openly hostile toward Raymond and the Royal Guards.
"Numerous troops are waiting outside the hall as well. At least several hundred."
"The Shadow Special Forces?"
Raymond asked quietly. Unlike Desia or Marquis Blizzard, Sylvia's scouting specialty should detect them—and sure enough, her face hardened as she slowly replied.
"They seem to be present..."
Tension made her voice tremble.
It was inevitable. Her scouting gauged power levels to some extent. The Shadow Special Forces her spirits detected were far from weak—reason enough for anxiety.
"How many?"
"Around twenty."
Sylvia reported in a still-shaking voice. Fortunately fewer than expected, but no cause for complacency.
The Shadow Special Forces were a secret unit the Mountain Duke created to protect himself from assassination threats—a mix of knights, mages, and assassins like the Royal Guard, but of elite caliber.
Weaker than the similar Shades by design, but this was enemy territory. With the Shades limited to about twenty for stealth, the Shadows remained a dangerous variable.
"High-ranking knights: the Mountain Duke and Viscount Chester. High-ranking mage: Ricardo Ensle over there."
Gestain reported next. The Mountain Duke was also a high-ranking knight. In confined enemy quarters with limited numbers, he'd fight on the front lines.
Two high knights and one high mage might seem lacking for a ducal house, but adding the Shadow Special Forces made them formidable.
"His Excellency Duke Reverse Belphang enters!"
At the Mountain Duke's name echoing, knights and mages turned toward the entrance as one.
The knights saluted with swords; mages pressed staff-holding hands to hearts in courtesy. But Raymond and the Royal Guards offered no such respect.
"You've had a hard journey, Emperor."
The Mountain Duke said. His words skipped much protocol, but Raymond remained unshaken. Outrage here would play into the duke's hands. The first to draw lost.
A procession of sharp provocations would soon begin. But Raymond was confident of victory. Beside the Mountain Duke stood Ricardo Ensle, barely containing his rage.
"How rude. It seems you've forgotten this is a royal presence."
Raymond countered calmly. They stood over fifty meters apart—wary distance, allowing retreat with escort support if combat erupted.
"The Emperor has lost his fear!"
"You don't seem to grasp who's in control here."
Ricardo Ensle chimed in with the Mountain Duke. Raymond smirked at the mage's seething hatred.
"Lord Ricardo Ensle! How fares your younger brother?"
That single line pulled the trigger of fury. Before the Mountain Duke could intervene, Ricardo reacted first. He thrust out his hand, conjuring dozens of mana arrows aimed at Raymond.
"Ambush!"
"Shield of the Imperial Family, protect His Majesty the Emperor!"
The Royal Guards sprang into action. Desia blocked Raymond first, erecting a shield. The barrage of mana arrows rained down, but her shield held firm.
"Damn it! Lord Ricardo Ensle! You were reckless!"
The Mountain Duke drew his sword, cursing. Knowing prolonged rebuke helped no one now, he immediately commanded the hall's forces.
"Marquis Blizzard! Seal the entrance!"
Gestain shouted. Marquis Blizzard nodded wordlessly, tracing a magic circle. The massive doors froze solid, blocking enemy reinforcements for now.
"Belphang First Knight Order! Draw swords!"
At Viscount Chester's cry, the accompanying knights unsheathed as one. Blue mana gleamed on several blades with sharp sword cries.
Mages appeared on the second-floor balcony, chanting in unison. Mana churned wildly inside the hall. Knights on the first floor, mages above, and a hundred black-clad assassins dropped from the ceiling.
"Intercept them!"
"We cannot let these vile scum threaten His Majesty!"
"Royal Guard! Full assault!"
Sharp cries rang out in succession as full-scale combat erupted. Marquis Blizzard's summoned icy spears piercing the assassins marked the beginning.