Side Story Chapter 287

“Of the one hundred members of the White Pillar, six are dead and two received critical injuries. Thirteen of them are lightly wounded,” a person in black clothes reported. Behind him were a group of people in white clothes who were prostrating themselves.

“Six of the White Pillar are dead?” Aaron del Killian asked. “The casualties are bigger than I expected... Is that how strong Duke Voltaire is?”

“No, there were golems protecting Prince Kireua, duke.”

“Golems...?” Aaron's eyes widened. “She sent the Vaikals to be Kireua Sanders’s guards?”

“Fortunately, it seems our identities haven’t been discovered—”

“No, remember that the Vaikals were there. Both the Fox Master and that idiot Duke Voltaire know that I’m the one who sent you.” Aaron sighed quietly. “In any case, we now know that the Vaikals are as powerful as the legends say, so that’s good... It was lucky that you returned from your mission in time, Ninth Dagger. You’re the only reason why the casualties are as light as they are.”

“I am your dagger. Command me.”

“I already feel reassured, but you’ve done all you can for now. This attack will suffice as a warning.” Aaron smiled faintly.

The attack was enough to show Aaron’s resolve and demonstrate that he didn’t care about the new empress. He was fully committed to seizing control.

“My original plan was to kill that arrogant prince just to be sure...”

Even if it hadn’t been for Aaron’s personal reasons, Kireua had to die to stop the ridiculous talk about attacking Hubalt. It seemed that the world was on his side because he had received the reports of Arcadia’s fall several hours ago. As soon as the news had arrived, Aaron changed his mind.

“Anger must have blinded Kireua Sanders after losing his home, family, and country. It would be rather good if he attacks the Battle God but ends up getting killed instead; Arcadia’s fall will also serve as a good example to show those empty-headed nobles that they shouldn’t make Hubalt their enemy—”

“Your Grace!” Haron, Aaron’s aide and brother, came running.

“Haron?”

“I just received a message from the palace.”

The message was sent right after the Killian family’s ambush. Arash was too clever to directly question Aaron, but...

“What is the message?” Aaron asked, his eyes boring into his brother.

“The message mentioned nothing about the attack on Kireua Sanders’s party. Even Duke Voltaire didn’t say a word when he returned home. But...”

“But?”

“...The message says that the new empress would like the Killian family to be the vanguard for the upcoming war against Hubalt,” Haron continued with difficulty.

Aaron’s eyes narrowed. Those who were born and raised in Swallow considered it an honor to be in the vanguard; it earned them the respect of the nobles and knights, and the emperor also rewarded the general of the vanguard general first after the war.

The imperial order was actually a gesture of respect for the Killian Family, not an attempt to ostracize them—or it would be, if it had been given under ordinary circumstances.

“...The Fox Master certainly used her head again. It seems our warning wasn’t enough.”

“How shall we deal with it?”

“Is there any other news I should know about, beside Kireua Sanders’s return to Avalon?”

“There is nothing in particular for now.”

Aaron pondered for a moment before nodding. “We should go stronger if our warning didn’t work. Haron, go to the safe house and suggest to the people from Thran that tomorrow is the time for them to take revenge for the Flame Emperor.”

“Tomorrow? You mean...”

“We’ll take over the palace a day before the mobilization order’s deadline.”

Haron's eyes widened in surprise before he quickly lowered his voice. “Don’t we lack justification?”

“Duke Voltaire dared to reign over the empire by using the new emperor, so we’ll execute him for treason. That is our cause.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

*

“Duke Killian will probably attempt a coup,” Arash said.

Anna jumped up from her throne. “What?! ...Do you think he’s feeling guilty?”

“It’s probably because he wants to sort out matters within the empire first, since things took an unexpected turn.”

“Are you talking about Avalon’s capital?” Anna asked.

“That’s right. He would have realized that the Battle God’s martial prowess is beyond his expectations, so he’s going to change his plan. Since Hubalt is doing him a favor by conquering other countries, Duke Killian will attempt to take control of Swallow first and then prepare for a final battle against Hubalt.”

Anna gaped at Arash for a moment before asking her something entirely unexpected.

“...What if Avalon wins the war?”

“Pardon?”

“Doesn't it seem strange? It’s been less than two days since we heard that Hubalt's forces were nearing Avalon’s capital. Yes, I know the Martial God isn’t around and the Battle God is formidable, but I highly doubt that Hubalt would break Avalon’s forces in less than two days. Avalon still has the Heaven’s Mind and Selim Sanders, who’s supposedly the greatest genius of his generation.”

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Arash peered at her thoughtfully. “Do you think this is a ploy by Avalon, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, because things don’t add up to me.”

“...If it’s true, I really want to know what is going on in the heads of Avalon’s strategist—as a fellow strategist.”

“We got sidetracked for a moment. Let’s get back on topic. Does my strategist have a way of stopping the Killian family if they actually attempt a coup?” Anna asked, her head tilted.

Arash nodded, a smile dancing on her lips. “Although it bothers me that we sent away two of the Vaikals, you can leave it to me.”

*

Before entering Arcadia, Theta scraped up every drop of mana he had left to cast all sorts of magic, from invisibility to silence spells, on Kireua and Isaac. But despite their precautions, they didn’t see a single living thing even after they passed through the castle gates.

“Oh, well. I was going to show you how great an Eighth Circle mage’s spells are, but I feel like I wasted my time.”

Theta was noticeably pale.

“Not only can I not find the invaders, I can’t detect any presences inside the buildings either.”

“It’s like we’re in a ghost city.” Theta narrowed his eyes.

However, Kireua’s expression grew brighter as he went deeper into the city. The fact that he wasn’t able to find any of Avalon’s people on the streets was evidence that they had been safely evacuated.

The problems occurred when Kireua and the others neared the palace.

A faint clashing of metal made Kireua jump. Isaac noticed the sounds as well and came to a halt.

“Someone’s fighting...” she murmured.

Without a word, Kireua took the lead, quickly followed by Isaac and Theta.

“Oh...”

Before long, they saw a host of Hubalt’s knights and soldiers raising Hubalt’s flag all over the palace garden.

‘They’ve made themselves awfully comfortable in someone else’s home,’ Theta mouthed.

However, the knights and soldiers were simply standing in their posts, and no signs of battle could be seen in the garden.

‘Then where are the sounds coming from...?’

Kireua focused on his sense of hearing.

The moment he had laid eyes on Arcadia, Kireua had sensed that something was off. He knew that Iruca and the Second Queen Consort weren’t the kind of people who would simply flee the palace out of fear for their lives.

‘...Wait a minute.’

A memory flashed across Kireua’s mind.

Theta had said earlier that even the Battle God would be tempted by the treasures safeguarded in the impregnable walls of the palace.

‘The palace’s secret vault!’

That must be it. In the past, his father’s undead legion had emerged from the vault to stop the demon army’s attack. Similarly, Iruca and the Second Queen Consort would have...

‘But His Majesty is away, so they can’t bring the undead out of the vault. Then were they anticipating that I was going to come back...?’

“We have rats.”

Kireua’s thoughts were interrupted by a voice. He, Isaac, and Theta all turned their heads towards its source, and their eyes landed upon a group of dozens of knights whose skill was evident even at a glance.

“The Martial Knights...” Isaac whispered. She recognized the voice.

Had Kireua infiltrated the palace alone, he wouldn’t have been caught this easily.

“We ran into the last people we wanted to meet here.”

“...Is it because of me?” Theta looked embarrassed. “I feel bad.”

“Tower Master, you’re capable of protecting yourself, yes?”

“Huh?”

“I’ll get going first.” Kireua sprang forward without waiting for Theta’s answer.

Isaac hurriedly followed after him. “Excuse me.”

“...Those guys... I know I screwed up here, but are you kidding me?” Theta deactivated the now-useless spells with a frown.

“Go after them.” The Martial Knight gestured at Isaac and Kireua with his chin.

“Sir!”

Most of the Martial Knights chased Isaac and Kireua while the rest surrounded Theta.

“The Martial God’s son is something, alright,” Theta mused. “He already assassinated the emperor of Hubalt and challenged the powers that be in Swallow. Right after he returns home, he chooses to face the continent’s strongest knights head-on...”

“What are you mumbling about?”

“...It’s nothing. I just have a feeling that he’ll be the one to unify the continent after this, not you guys,” Theta answered as his Circle began to churn. “But I don’t know if you guys need to worry about that.”

“What?”

Theta felt the wind around him grow stronger and smiled from ear to ear. “You’re fighting against me, Thetapirion Whitesox.”

Even if a tiger was tired, it was still a tiger, and a tiger wouldn’t be defeated by puppies.