Chapter 84
Remton.
His eyes were now filled with confusion.
It was because a scene he had never anticipated was unfolding before him.
After announcing the successor,
he had been quietly observing Adolf, who hadn’t moved at all, wondering if perhaps he had been deeply shocked.
Maybe, just as Kyle had said, he really was in a state of shock.
Worry was what rose in the Marquess’s eyes as he looked at him.
But what happened next easily shattered such thoughts.
Adolf.
He surged toward him, exuding a power that felt purely evil.
Clang!
A chill ran down Remton’s back as he blocked Adolf’s sword.
‘What is this?’
Adolf.
Though he was officially known as a high-tier Expert, the movements the second son now displayed were nothing short of those of a Sword Master.
The dark aura flowing from his sword— that aura was in no way inferior to his own.
If he hadn’t been keeping some attention on him, and if he hadn’t flinched ever so slightly when Adolf rushed in—
he would have suffered a fatal injury from that attack.
That’s how stealthy, sharp, and unexpected this ambush was.
Adolf’s expression stiffened as Remton blocked his blade.
Though the Marquess had been paying attention to him, he hadn’t been doing so with hostility or high alert.
And more than anything, Adolf had calculated that if he launched a surprise attack right at the moment of unleashing his power, he would definitely land a critical blow.
The first strike— he was sure it would succeed!
But the ambush had failed.
‘Damn it!’
Just before charging Remton, a force that crushed the space around him had thrown off his balance slightly.
The result was this current state of clashing blades.
‘Who was it?’
He hadn’t even fully unleashed his power yet.
Even so, he had clearly become far stronger than before.
He was nearing the level of a Sword Master.
And yet his body was being restrained?
The spell that weighed down on him had to be of at least 5th Circle level.
Whoever cast it had to be a high-level mage.
The timing had been too perfect.
Because of that, an unforeseen variable had occurred.
He didn’t even have time to look in the direction the spell had come from.
Sword Master.
He had now drawn his sword against one of the three monsters on the continent.
Though caught off guard at first and not launching a counterattack, that wouldn’t last long.
So he had to seize the upper hand now—
before it was too late.
There was no hesitation.
Clang!
Adolf swung his sword without saying a word.
Remton, momentarily startled, calmed his mind and steadily blocked the strikes.
“Father! I’ll help!”
Abel, who had also been kneeling, rushed at Adolf.
Grit!
Taking on the swords of both men, Adolf clenched his teeth.
Even though he had unleashed his power, it was difficult to endure the combined attack of a Sword Master and a high-tier knight.
‘Damn it.’
That sinister power.
He’d been warned of the price when he made the contract.
The more he indulged in it, the more his mind would corrode.
And if he pushed further, he’d eventually lose his soul.
But now, there was no other option.
This wasn’t the time to hold back.
A dark aura began to surge more fiercely from his body.
On the platform, the three swordsmen clashed their blades at one another.
***
The chaos wasn’t limited to the platform.
As Adolf unleashed his power, the knights following him began to emit the same sinister aura.
“Kgh!”
“Urgh!”
The eleven high-tier knights.
Once they began rampaging, Abel’s knights were collapsing powerlessly.
The inner castle had become a battlefield.
Shing!
Leonhardt and Seron drew their swords and took their places near me.
Erciel also began preparing for battle.
A pure white spirit sat perched on her shoulder.
“…Young Master. You must not leave my side under any circumstances.”
“Got it.”
Perhaps because of the sudden bloodshed, Duke Seltarion’s expression was filled with shock as he looked around.
“…What is all this…?”
“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s a rebellion.”
“A… rebellion?”
“He must not have wanted to give up the successor’s seat. Anyway, stay close to me. It’ll be dangerous if you stray.”
Maybe it was my calm tone, but Duke seemed to regain his composure and gave a firm nod.
“…Understood. I’ll fight as well.”
Duke and his knight Emern also drew their swords.
As my companions finished preparing for battle, I began casting support magic on them.
Haste.
Mental Cleaning.
Sharpness.
Stone Skin.
And finally, an enchantment spell I had recently learned.
Each one was enhanced with the hybrid activation method.
They were top-tier buff spells.
Receiving the buffs, Emern and the Duke both looked astonished.
“Could it be… you’ve reached the 2nd Circle?”
Sharpness, Stone Skin, and Enchant— they were all well-known 2nd Circle spells.
It seemed the two of them had realized it right away.
“That’s right.”
At my reply, they both looked stunned.
I did want to hide it a bit longer, but in the current situation, conserving power would be the dumbest choice.
If I hesitated, things could turn disastrous. Rather than half-heartedly hiding my power, now was the time to bombard the enemy with flashy spells and seize the momentum.
The three spells I launched at Adolf.
And on top of that, the buffs I cast on five people had left my head spinning.
‘Ugh…’
At that moment,
A white light enveloped my body.
My head instantly felt clearer.
Raised her well—she’s pulling her weight.
“Thanks.”
“It’s nothing, Young Master.”
“For now, let’s secure the citadel. Everyone, stay close.”
“Yes!”
—Waaaah!
—It’s the rebels! Kill them all!
—For Lord Adolf!
—Graaaah!
All around, the forces under Abel and Adolf were clashing, and blood was splattering everywhere.
In terms of raw strength, Adolf’s knights were overwhelming.
They were exuding sinister energy relentlessly.
But slowly, variables began to appear.
“You bastards! You’ve lost your minds, blinded by power! I, Kraft, will take you on!”
“Come at me, I am Malon!”
“Jacob is here too!”
Only three knights in the entire marquisate held the rank of Expert High Class.
They were now shouting at the top of their lungs while cutting down Adolf’s low-ranking minions.
Even if the rebels had awakened their powers, low- and mid-ranked knights couldn’t stand against these three.
Just like Adolf’s eleven high-ranking knights had easily slaughtered Abel’s knights earlier, now these three veteran knights were doing the same to the enemy forces.
These knights were shadows loyal only to the Marquess, supporting neither successor.
But now, the enemy was clear.
So they had drawn their blades.
The high-class knights were rampaging.
“You bastard! I’ll kill you!”
Nine of the eleven high-ranking knights charged at the three.
Boom!
Blades cloaked in dark energy clashed violently with blades shining with brilliant yellow aura.
‘They’re strong…’
Jacob, Malon, Kraft.
These three knights had reached the peak of high-ranking knights—veteran warriors whose skill had matured over the years.
Though they hadn’t reached the realm of Sword Master, they were monsters capable of taking on ten high-ranking knights alone.
And yet, they couldn’t easily shake off the three enemies each of them had engaged.
No—more precisely,
‘They’re being pushed back.’
It made sense why those guys would draw their blades if they could wield such insane power.
These veteran knights, once considered a key variable,
Were now being held back by the nine high-rank knights, shifting the tide of battle unfavorably.
And there were still two more of Adolf’s high-rank knights rampaging unchecked.
Asking for help was difficult too.
Because even the regular knights on Adolf’s side were easily handling three men’s worth of enemies alone.
Even Abel’s high-ranking knights were being overwhelmed by swarms of mid-ranked knights who had unleashed their power.
The only ones with any breathing room were me and my group.
Rather than “breathing room,” it was more like a weirdly calm bubble.
Some of Adolf’s knights even walked right past me after glancing at my face.
They clearly had been given orders.
‘Thanks for that.’
Thanks to that, I could quietly approach the veteran knights.
Just when I had closed half the distance—
“Kegh!”
A knight from Abel’s side was casually struck down.
A figure approached me—it was none other than Baron Louis, one of Adolf’s loyal henchmen.
He was a high-ranking knight, and the dark aura radiating from his body was intense.
Leonhardt looked ready to draw his sword, but I lightly touched his arm.
It didn’t feel like the guy was approaching to kill me.
Then the man bowed slightly.
“Fourth Young Master, please come with me.”
I figured I should play along for now.
My expression turned to one of confusion.
“…Baron Louis? What in the world is going on…?”
“I’ll explain later. What’s certain is this: Lord Adolf does not see you as an enemy. He gave strict orders for your protection.”
Oh ho?
So I’m being extracted from the battlefield, huh?
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s all for a better future for the Marquisate.”
“…Understood. Where am I being taken?”
“To the annex for now. Once this is over, Lord Adolf will fulfill every promise he made.”
I nodded quietly at that.
“…Alright. But… I do hope he keeps his word. I didn’t expect my second brother to act this extremely…”
“You need not worry about that. Please, follow me.”
“Yes.”
The moment the Baron turned toward the citadel gates—
Kill him.
I mouthed the words, and Leonhardt and Emern simultaneously charged at him.
Clang!
Their blades collided with the Baron’s.
The Baron, having blocked both attacks, quietly glared at me.
“…Fourth Young Master. Are you saying you intend to betray Lord Adolf’s expectations?”
Of course I intended to.
If I followed this guy to the annex, I might be safe for now—
But what about later?
If the rebellion succeeded?
Then the whole world would belong to him.
There’s a reason people say you feel different going in and coming out of a restroom.
Who knew what he would do afterward?
If he decided to forcibly inject power into me, I wouldn’t even be able to resist.
That’s why backing the Marquess was the only correct choice.
I gave a sly grin and looked Baron Louis in the eye.
“You think I’d follow a damned traitor like that?”
“…Trying to do this the easy way, huh… You’ll regret this. Kill everyone except the Fourth Young Master!”
At his shout, knights began approaching us one by one.
‘One mid-rank, four low-ranks, huh.’
At least not a full squad.
Abel’s knights were still holding some ground—if more came, it’d be overkill.
That number? We could handle it.
Leonhardt and Emern.
Both were high-ranking knights.
With my and Erciel’s buffs, they wouldn’t fall easily to Louis.
Especially Leonhardt—he was especially reliable.
Now it was time to fend off the charging knights.
“Brother.”
“What?”
“Hold off the incoming ones. I’ll support you. Seron, you too—stay alert.”
“…Got it.”
The only ones left were Duke, Seron, and Erciel.
But that didn’t matter.
This was exactly why I’d honed so many spells.
I was brimming with confidence.
“Kill them!”
The five knights charged forward.
My hybrid spellcasting wouldn’t be enough to stop five knights who had unlocked their powers.
Especially with one mid-rank among them.
It was time to use in-game mechanics.
‘I’ll have to squeeze every last drop of mana I have left.’
The decision came instantly.
Mana from within the circle was sucked out as the spell formed in my hand.
Ice Fog.
A spell that generated a fog full of freezing cold.
The frost-covered mist spread toward the approaching knights.
—
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