Chapter 254: Sefira Has Poisoned The Royal Palace (4)

Keter’s Big Bang was the technique that pierced Hyperion’s body, whose flesh was harder than orichalcum. Even though Talon was also a Grandmaster, he was still an ordinary human. No matter how much he trained his body, it could never become harder than steel. However, even if he had no invincible defense, he did have experience.

Talon sacrificed both arms to divert Big Bang’s path in an instant. Had he simply raised his arms, both his arms and torso would have vanished together. But Talon noticed the power of Big Bang and desperately changed its trajectory. As a result, both of his arms were torn off, but he was able to save his life.

The fight should have ended there. With both arms gone, there was no reason to continue the match. But for some reason, both of them wore expressions showing that the battle wasn’t over. In the blink of an eye, Talon’s torn-off arms regenerated at unnatural, extreme speed and attempted to grab Keter’s neck.

Yet, Keter struck both arms away, as if he had expected it. He was aware that the royal guards had transcendental regenerative abilities. He even knew that their secret came from receiving the queen’s blessing. He had fought them in his past life, after all.

Talon was bewildered that his attack was blocked. That was only natural as the transcendent regeneration of the royal guards was a secret which couldn’t have been known without fighting them.

Keter clapped both palms against Talon’s temple. Blood spurted out from Talon’s eyes, nose, and mouth as he collapsed. Judging from how he had instantly regenerated his arms, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to immediately rise again. But strangely enough, Talon lay there with only the whites of his eyes showing, unable to get up.

“S-Sir Talon lost?”

“That’s impossible...!”

“How did he defeat a Grandmaster so easily...? He’s just an archer of Sefira?!”

The knights, who knew Talon’s strength and Sefira’s abilities, reacted in disbelief.

Keter enjoyed their shock for a brief moment and then said, “Stop right there.”

A servant who tried to run off to report the situation froze at Keter’s words. He was certain that moving even slightly would result in death.

Keter looked around him. The island’s vassals, who had been sure Talon would win, swallowed nervously.

“First of all, he’s not dead. He’ll regenerate and get back up in about thirty minutes. In the meantime, we’ll be leaving this place.”

Keter lightly kicked Talon’s head. Talon’s brain had turned to mush, but according to experiments Keter had done in his previous life, this level of damage would fully regenerate and revive.

Even with great regenerative ability, destroying the brain usually meant instant death. However, there were always exceptions in the world. Jeffrey Edmund, whom he had met in the Eslow Public Security Army, was similar but different. He had revived even if his head had been blown off, but his regeneration was slow.

He was annoyingly troublesome when fought as an enemy, but I guess it’s a relief he let his guard down first like this.

If Keter intended to kill Talon, he could have done so within ten minutes. However, subduing him was far harder than killing him and could have taken half a day. After all, the opponent was a Grandmaster with limitless, ultrafast regeneration. His only weakness was the head, and once he decided to protect it, it wouldn’t be easy to aim for.

However, Talon did not perceive Keter as an enemy. He had merely thought of him as a suspicious troublemaker from a noble family and let his guard down, so Keter had been able to subdue him easily.

Good thing I became Sefira’s crazy one. If things go well, even the queen might let her guard down.

To Keter, the idea of fighting fairly was just an act. Winning without taking losses was his second priority, and winning while gaining benefits was his first. Just like right now.

To the vassals who couldn’t do anything, Keter said, “When Duke Lerkin leaves this island, you will all die anyway. Your families and relatives too. Everyone. Plus, you have no chance of stopping me anyway.”

There were roughly a hundred people on the island, including guards. Not all were present, but more than half were here, so Keter continued seriously. “Will you simply die, your families and relatives included, without even trying anything, or will you officially support Duke Lerkin and leave this island together? Make your choice.”

Duke Lerkin had no supporters. His title as a duke was merely a shell. He didn’t even have a family. Of course, the vassals living on the island weren’t particularly talented, but even if Duke Lerkin stood alone, he didn’t feel like a faction. At least dozens needed to gather to feel like any kind of group.

However, the vassals’ responses were more lukewarm than Keter had expected. They had seen Duke Lerkin up close for a long time. The Lerkin they knew was a dependent husband. He ate, played, and slept. He didn’t even have a muscular build and was plump. Moreover, they had never once seen him show intelligence or strength.

Even fools understood authority and would follow others, and the vassals here were far from stupid. To leave this island as supporters of Duke Lerkin? To them, it felt no different from having their entire family exterminated now or a month later.

Keter hadn’t realized this at first, but soon sensed it from their silence and said, “It seems that none of you can see the potential and promise within Duke Lerkin. Well, of course, I don’t expect you to have such discernment. But can’t you at least tell that I support Duke Lerkin?”

If they couldn’t trust Duke Lerkin, then Keter told them to trust him instead. At those words, life finally returned to the eyes of the vassals.

Hearing this right in front of him, Lerkin felt as though he was being insulted, yet he smiled after hearing Keter say he supported him.

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Keter approached Duke Lerkin and asked, “Duke Lerkin. Are you prepared to escape this prison-like island, and become a wise ruler who governs the kingdom?”

“Of course! I shall make this nation strong and peaceful, just like Lillian, Sir Keter!”

Duke Lerkin straightened his back as though he were already king. With his plump body, the sight was ridiculous.

Keter held in his laughter and then said to the watching vassals.

“What are you doing? Pack your things.”

After gesturing for the vassals to disperse and prepare, Keter continued speaking to Lerkin, who stared at him with incredibly bright eyes.

“Duke Lerkin. As I thought, my judgment was not wrong. I sensed the kingly nature hidden within you the moment I first saw you.”

“Is that so?! You have a better eye than any noble I have ever met!

Ahaha!

”

No one disliked being complimented, especially from someone more powerful than themself.

“However, there is one thing you must be careful of once you leave this island.”

“You seem to have a plan for everything,

hm?

Speak freely. You are my strategist!

Ah

, of course, if I become king, I promise to grant you the rank of duke—no, archduke!”

“That is unnecessary, Duke Lerkin. I do not support you for personal gain, but sincerely for the sake of this nation. So please forget such promises and act as though there is no connection between us later on.”

“

Hahaha, ha... huh?

Wait. You want me to act as though we have no connection between us?”

“Yes. Once we leave this island, you and I must behave as though we have never met.”

“How is that even possible? It is thanks to you that I opened my eyes and can escape this island. How could you and I become nothing to one another?”

“You must do so. That is a part of my

plan

.”

“Plan?!”

Even though there was no one around, Keter lowered his voice even further, so Lerkin instinctively lowered his voice as well.

“What is this plan supposed to be?”

“I cannot tell you. If you know, everything will go wrong.”

“How does it make sense that I don’t know the plan that is for my sake?”

“Your Majesty, if I told you that it would rain tomorrow, you would carry an umbrella so you wouldn’t get wet. Then people would find it strange, seeing you carry an umbrella when the weather is so clear. For that same reason, I cannot tell you anything.”

“If I know it will rain, couldn’t I just stay inside or pretend not to know?”

“To remain indoors and pretend not to know on such a sunny day would also be unnatural, would it not?”

“And if I don’t know it will rain, won't I also get wet?”

“Someone would appear and cover you with an umbrella before that happens, or naturally create an excuse for you to move indoors. That is the

secret

plan.”

“

Ohh,

I see!” Persuaded by Keter’s words, Lerkin put on a solemn expression. “So, in short, I can understand that all of this is for a secret mission?”

Keter glanced around, then whispered in his quietest voice. “This is a secret only between you and me. And no matter what happens, this secret must be kept. Even if things take the worst possible turn, you must firmly believe that it is all part of the plan. Remember, you are the core of this entire plan. You must remain confident and firm.”

Hearing that he was the core of everything, Duke Lerkin’s expression grew determined.

Keter felt slightly relieved after seeing that face.

Fortunately, his mental fortitude seems stable enough. He likely won’t break under pressure right away.

As obvious as it was, Keter had no real intention of making Duke Lerkin king. He only wanted to use Duke Lerkin to shake the royal palace. But if Duke Lerkin actually became king during the process...

That would be entertaining in its own way.

Although the odds were slim, Keter had no intention of stopping Lerkin from becoming king.

At least for now.

Keter could not predict how the nobles of the outside world would receive Duke Lerkin once he left the island. Still, he figured they would not be able to ignore him completely. No matter how he seemed, he was still the head of state of this nation.

“Your Majesty, I will get going first.”

“Let us meet out there another day, Archduke Keter.

Hahaha!

”

Smiling at Lerkin, who addressed him as archduke, Keter left the island.

Even until then, Keter had no idea that the Lerkin he freed to shake up the royal palace would end up shaking not just the palace but the entire nation.

***

Keter didn’t return directly to Her Majesty’s Bridge. Instead, he began exploring the maze of the palace. Keter had freed Duke Lerkin from the island and even pushed him into the battle for the throne, throwing the royal palace into confusion, but that alone wasn’t enough to satisfy him.

“There’s a saying in Liqueur that the more, the better. ”

The same applied to chaos. The more, the better. Moreover, there was still a long time before noon tomorrow.

“And it seems the sowing of discord worked well, too.”

It had been over three hours since he left the island. Which meant it had been three hours since he parted ways with Riri. If Riri didn’t have anything on her mind, she would have sent knights to track him down since he hadn’t left the palace. However, the maze was quiet, which meant only one thing. Riri was not in a relaxed state.

“Maybe she’s having a deep conversation with the second prince right now.”

Keter pictured the second prince being troubled and let out a laugh. Then, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, but it wasn’t because he reached the treasure vault, which was his initial goal of destination. He still had a distance to go for that.

Instead, he stopped because he had run into someone. That person was neither a noble nor a guide passing through the maze. Absurdly, it was someone Keter knew. The person who had run into Keter also stopped, rubbed his eyes, and let out a hollow laugh.

In response, Keter asked, “Ailos, what are you doing here?”

The singing lunatic of Liqueur, Ailos, who should have been busy being chased by Eslow, was wandering the maze of the royal palace.