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Battle at the Royal Palace – Part 09

The battle near the castle gate was reaching its final stages.

Margrave Grugschilt fought valiantly, but the difference in numbers was too much to overcome. One guard fell, then another. Grugschilt’s body was marred with numerous small wounds.

The armed fighters, relying on their sheer numerical advantage, surged forward in a final push towards the carriage. However, the tide of battle suddenly shifted.

Several enemies screamed as they were knocked away by an unexpected force, and fell into the moat.

“Wh-What… What is this?”

“N-No one told us about him!”

Knight Commander Lawrence joined the fray, swinging his greatsword around.

“Knights! Subdue the mercenaries!”

At Lawrence’s command, the knights stationed atop the gate sprang into action, delivering punches and kicks to the fighters beside them before leaping into the castle.

With the return of the Knight Commander, the knights were finally able to act upon his orders. Those waiting within the castle, biding their time to take down the mercenaries, launched their assault. Victory now seemed inevitable.

“Margrave! Are you all right? Any injuries?”

“Phew. Thank you, Lawrence. Just a few scratches… Ugh.” Grugschilt’s knees buckled, and Lawrence quickly supported him up. “Age is an undesirable thing.”

“Margrave… I apologize for my tardiness.”

“Now that you mention it, I thought you would have arrived at the castle earlier.”

“Yes. Actually…”

“We can discuss that later! I’m concerned about the situation inside the castle. Let’s go!”

Duke Jackrune, poking his head out of the carriage, beckoned to them. Grugschilt and Lawrence boarded the carriage.

“Excuse me… What’s this?” Lawrence frowned at the sight of an arrow lodged in the backrest of the seat.

During the earlier skirmish, the Duke had also cast elemental magic from within the carriage to aid Grugschilt. Consequently, he became a target for an archer, hence the arrow lodged in the seat. Grugschilt, who had witnessed it, felt a chill run down his spine. Yet, given he narrowly escaped death with the Duke’s help, he couldn’t really say anything.

The carriage jerked into motion.

“Your Graces, it appears that the king has been assassinated,” Lawrence began.

“We have received the news as well.”

“I chased after the assassin, but they managed to escape. Hence the delay.”

“What?!”

Grugschilt and Jackrune half-rose to their feet, genuinely surprised.

“I apologize. I am ready to accept any punishment for this failure.”

“It’s fine. If they managed to escape, they must possess considerable skill,” the Duke said.

The Knight Commander, however, showed no signs of relief. He hung his head. The Duke and Margrave assumed he felt regretful, but they were wrong.

Lawrence was torn. Should I mention Silver Face? He likely knows the assassin’s identity. Yet, what he said is also true.

“We were planning to replace the king, and you played a part in it. It’s as good as pointing your blade at the king.”

“You’re a traitor as well!”

He was right. I swore loyalty to the king, but I turned my blade against him.

In that case, he should disclose the assassin’s identity and confess his own guilt.

“Duke Jackrune, your words are kind, but I cannot accept them. Silver Face was at the same location as the assassin. I believe he knows the identity of the assassin.”

“…Hmm.”

“I want to arrest him and compel him to reveal the assassin’s name—”

“I won’t allow it.”

“What… What now?”

“I will not authorize it, Count Falcon. You must not pursue Silver Face. This is a strict order from a Duke, who will be the pillar of support for the new king.”

“…”

Lawrence clenched his teeth, seeing through Duke Jackrune’s intentions.

The Duke was aware that Lawrence had been bested by Silver Face in a previous encounter. Although he might not believe that there was an insurmountable gap in strength, he understood that a defeat was a defeat.

A second or third defeat, then, was a possibility. If Lawrence chose to pursue Silver Face, he would put his life on the line. Recognizing this, the Duke put a stop to his plans, eliminating the chance of Lawrence’s demise. The Duke concluded that preserving the Knight Commander’s life took precedence over uncovering the identity of the king’s assassin.

Pathetic! Worthless! Frustrating!

Lawrence had never felt such deep self-contempt for his own lack of power. No matter how many armed fighters he vanquished, no matter how many adversaries he conquered in the battle against the Quinbrand Empire, the fact that he was regarded as someone who might fall to Silver Face, a lone individual, was overwhelmingly degrading to him.

“Do not blame yourself too much, Lawrence. You’re strong. But compatibility is a significant factor. Even I cannot ascertain the true extent of that young lad’s power.”

Grugschilt attempted to console him, but it had the opposite effect. Grugschilt, too, acknowledged Silver Face’s might.

He appeared suddenly in the realm of palace politics, earned the trust of the princess, and saved Duke Nightblaze’s only son. Although Duke Nightblaze credited Sophie with the treatment, Sophie’s demeanor said that Silver Face did most of the work. The masked stranger effortlessly achieved what Duke Nightblaze had failed to accomplish for years.

“Look outside. Your men are subduing the mercenaries. The outcome has already been decided.”

“So it seems. All that is left to do now is find a way to convince Crown Prince Austrin.”

Grugschilt and Jackrune were already contemplating the next steps. It was not because they were quick to move on, but rather because they had grown wiser with age.

Lawrence was still only half their age. He lacked their craftiness and instead burned with an intense passion.

The two elder men had yet to notice the resolute determination gleaming in his eyes.

---

“What… What did you just say? Repeat it.”

“Well, it appears that the knights had beaten Your Majesty’s men.”

“What?!” Austrin half-rose from the throne.

The noble who relayed the unpleasant information shrank back.

“This does seem rather troublesome, doesn’t it?”

“That individual did not mention it, but it seems the three Dukes have entered the royal castle.”

“What?! I have never heard of the three Dukes forming an alliance before.”

“This puts His, um, His Highness in a difficult spot…”

“Oh, right. I make it a point to greet the three Dukes whenever they visit the royal castle. Well then…”

“You… Are you turning against us? Oh, I have also just recalled an urgent matter requiring my attention.”

“As have I.”

“And I.”

The nobles who had approached Austrin were merely opportunists seeking personal gain from the situation. They would readily switch sides if the tides shifted.

“You lot!” Austrin noticed the nobles attempting to slip out of the room. ” Where do you think you’re going?!”

“Eeek!”

“W-Well…”

“I forbid you from leaving this room until further notice.”

“What?! This is tyranny—”

“Come again?”

Austrin flashed his sword, and the nobles fell into silence. Satisfied, Austrin attempted to settle back into his chair, when he heard an unfamiliar voice.

“Is this the candidate for the throne? You’re dumber than a rock. No, wait. It’s probably easier to handle a puppet with an empty head.”

“Wha—? Who said that?! Was it you?!”

Austrin unsheathed his sword and pointed it at one of the nobles, but the noble shook his head, his face pallid.

“Over here. You can’t even tell where my voice is coming from? Wait, are you drunk? During such a critical situation?”

A bottle of alcohol was lying at Austrin’s feet. He had been drinking to distract himself from the heightened tension and worries about an uncertain future.

Austrin’s menacing glare rested on the masked man in a hooded cloak.

“I’m Silver Face. Let’s just say I’m somewhat involved in this whole fiasco.”

“Kill this man!” Austrin bellowed.

The nobles, lacking combat experience or training, remained motionless, and the dependable royal guards failed to appear through the door.

“Oh, if you’re looking for the guards, they’re all out cold.”

“Bastard! I will kill you myself!”

“Come on, now. Not even a chat?”

“Silence!”

Hikaru nimbly evaded Austrin’s charge. “Short-tempered people are a pain,” he mumbled, despite being the instigator.

Even a child could have dodged his attack. Austrin stumbled and fell forward, tripping over his own feet.

“So, are all the nobles here in the Crown Prince’s faction?” Hikaru’s eyes gleamed behind the silver mask.

The nobles exchanged glances. With the knights in action, it seemed risky to remain associated with Austrin, but they lacked the courage to sever ties right in front of him.

Talk about an abrupt ending.