Chapter 131: The Subjugation of Beltus (5)
cvUbRK“Hey, Robenalt. I heard there’s a man named Dereck who will take charge of the Rodelen region. Help him obtain the title of baron.”FlsRy7
iF40jThe eldest son of the Beltus family. Robenalt was an old friend of Linus, who had left the Belmierd family.J1TH
5m1oqdfLinus seemed like a man who wandered through gambling dens, living a carefree life, but when it came to serious matters, his sharp gaze revealed an intelligent mind capable of seeing the bigger picture.mbK
8OmONo one knew why such a man had abandoned the Belmierd family and roamed around in rags, but at least Robenalt trusted Linus’s judgment.fSaogs
ltgmD1yRobenalt, who lacked confidence and possessed only shallow ambitions, had never been properly recognized as the heir of Beltus.BTkp
SA4bBKAlways overshadowed by his talented younger sister, Denise, who excelled at everything she did, Robenalt constantly watched the reactions of the vassals, making it difficult to consider him a leader.R5J
sjMvHowever, sometimes, when Linus brought good liquor and they drank together, he would pat Robenalt on the shoulder and say,sZqEk5
wbOW0“Who does everything right from the start?”Lg9WM
OzVB0o“If the time comes when my younger brother Leonard starts plotting something, the only outsider who could help Ellen would be that man. So I want to give him a bit of support.”6Ohs7
XDq6gY“I can agree to that, but it’s been a while since someone’s caught your interest this much, Linus.”yu6s
NHTbN“Well, the affairs of the Belmierd family are their own problem, but that man will influence the Beltus family one way or another. It won’t be a bad thing.”GrvG3
d9jC0Robenalt didn’t know what Linus was thinking, but it seemed he held Dereck in high regard.93YS
SpTWith a relaxed smile, Linus placed his hand on Robenalt’s shoulder and, with the scent of alcohol on him, said,9CV
OS8pdI“In my opinion, it’s about time to reform Beltus.”ueTs5
lKs“W-what are you saying, Linus? You can’t say something like that so lightly…”8v8L
JMFllpE“That magic instructor of common birth, Dereck, will try to rise somehow. In the process, he’ll inevitably clash with your father.”CtBs
0cqqHThe Duke of Beltus was someone who would trample and destroy anyone for power, using and even selling his own relatives without hesitation.QSR
tJWHow did Linus view that man, so obsessed with power? At the very least, Robenalt had never thought about it.ilcy4
bUQH2Having left behind Belmierd’s influence, Linus seemed to predict the political future of the southwest even while drowning himself in alcohol and gambling.rPzUr
BcENU3Robenalt knew Linus’s intuition well.Oxfmu8
9YHThe reason he could wander through casinos and live drunk without ending up on the streets was thanks to that innate sense.l5FsJ1k
o2fIiAn intuition that saw deeply into people—Linus had an exceptional ability to measure someone’s worth.sATU
OvORgEoHe was painting a grand picture. Though Robenalt couldn’t see it, Linus viewed the politics of the southwest as a vast canvas.D9lWYp
qOFU“If you give him a small push, he’ll help uproot Beltus one way or another. So, if the chance comes, take it, Robenalt.”IwA
MJ3G“Linus… I’m a man of Beltus, and I can’t stay quiet if you badmouth Beltus like that.”49bujvI
L3Uiz“Ah, right. Sorry, sorry. Just think about it.”xk1lu
ab4fgKLinus wasn’t unaware.u3V7Gsr
h2CoRRobenalt, the eldest heir of Beltus, was a narrow-minded man who lived like a machine, moving according to Duke Beltus’s orders without harboring any great ambition.Stk
m7YPerhaps living that way his whole life might even bring him happiness.rw7xjc
zWkbHowever, sometimes opportunities arise to break the cradle.Le6MCC
yC0There are moments when one faces an enormous, inexplicable wall—and times when one must destroy the values of life built up until now.RTX19ID
9QTNSOIn Linus’s eyes, Dereck was more than capable of bringing about such a change.3hHfvG
4E3Q4“You and Denise live under the shadow of Beltus’s glory. Do you think that life will last forever?”LoQl
3jn9FIs“…”Lnp8Cd
IIf5sqI“Robenalt, you can feel deep gratitude toward the Beltus family for raising and supporting you, and you can consider loyalty a virtue—but think about it, just once.”ysYwk30
a1MThe heir of Beltus and the heir of Belmierd.RkQkP
0Ur90bThe two men, staring at each other over their drinks, had completely different values and ways of living.QxhSh3B
jWL2“You are the next head of Beltus. Think about the weight of that fact.”KjrvT
vEJ3VOW***67ewTv
MDUQpWhooosh!SFen
uKnGgCrackle!ItPNQ
BULThe enormous magic tower east of the main building of the Beltus residence.r2V6Na
4aFvnThe place where the mages affiliated with Duke Beltus conducted their research and training—it was the symbol of all the magical achievements accumulated by the mages, including the Grand Duke himself.HtOuo6
RNh7srfAt the top of the tower, higher than the main building, a protective emergency circle was inscribed, which could be activated in times of crisis.3lx
5Pk1KyThe protection circle, supervised by Grand Duke Beltus himself and constructed over nearly half a year by four to six mages of at least 4-star rank, once activated, completely isolated the main building and every facility, identified intruders, and unleashed magical bombardments—it was a decisive weapon for siege defense.nPyIg4
byxOBSThe circle had already begun to activate, expanding until it covered the entire sky.Z4ktNp
ybtQIt was the gigantic magic circle that had never been activated since the Beltus mansion was completed.vwrfZ88
1UvoxAs one of the most important facilities, control over the circle was limited to Grand Duke Beltus, a few direct relatives, and two high-ranking retainers of absolute trust.E3qTw
Q7PywTAmong them, Robenalt was the highest authority in charge of this magic tower.R5cOFd9
8vd7PNY“Scribe…! Legal officer…! Report to the main building that the protection circle is active…!”NSc
Hfy“Y-yes…! Young master…!”vPBFXOw
8taI2pERobenalt, clutching the necessary magic stones, hurried down the spiral staircase from the top of the tower.vuyClB
01M6As soon as the anomaly in the mansion had occurred, he had climbed up to activate the circle. Now, he only needed to endure until it fully deployed.qYDJ
sgTTr84Though timid and fearful by nature, he knew very well what had to be done.AJ4qZTs
HRCaF0The protection circle, built by numerous high-ranking mages over countless years, was already beyond what any single individual could create—practically a weapon of war. Activating it even once would incur astronomical costs, but now was not the time to think about that.gzFpsfd
9mQb‘Once it’s fully activated, I can handle the rest…’0Vo
Mi1HEven a 5-star mage couldn’t break it with fire alone; destroying it would take a 6-star mage a considerable amount of time.pg9i
M368xCOf course, at that very moment, a 6-star mage—the necromancer Fina—was present in the Beltus mansion, but Robenalt didn’t know that.PD9o
ppzobHowever, her necromancy wasn’t focused on destructive power.jxJdTX
mPnwRoqJust as Robenalt thought, once the protection circle was activated, the chaos within the mansion would stabilize.zAqLr2
naOWith the circle’s support, Orel’s mercenaries would clear the monsters one by one, securing each section and holding the line.bnK
0yjFjVEven so, Robenalt couldn’t help but swallow nervously.qxwO
7Jgh‘I don’t know what’s happening inside the mansion, but if things have reached this point… whoever’s responsible must know the internal affairs of the Beltus mansion very well.’Y0zSBU
65zThe monsters were coming from within.AMqZfL
kSygtJudging by the situation, someone had prepared everything in advance.m0A5gQ
ijEdqIf the plan was so well-crafted, they would also know about the power of the protective circle of the magic tower.EQ9mIU
Cn9jThey would know that attacking the Beltus mansion in a siege was suicide.8uH
LVtMGIn that case, before the circle could fully expand, they would try to capture the magic tower first. The tower was the key strategic point.QUx84v2
WEwxEvjAnd who was supposed to protect that tower?tsMFHu
lRZNo one but Robenalt.f0GbVHE
8k79x“Don’t tremble… you can do this…”qM6
G2lwRobenalt went down to the middle floor and shouted to his servants and mages.BhGL3
ruLa“Take defensive positions immediately! Eliminate the monsters gathering near the tower! We must make sure there are no variables!”f1TeKL
A7Jl0t“Yes, my lord!”6gui
WwjNormally, the servants didn’t follow Robenalt much.glSnFS
BAcvHowever, they weren’t foolish enough to disobey orders in an urgent situation.Ob0X8T1
6PVMFrThey immediately began checking the surroundings from the tower and took defensive positions.lXN
HZ7zUB9Fortunately, from above, everything could be seen clearly.mEOzi
U8H6Y7oOrel’s mercenaries, who had left the barracks, began clearing monsters as they advanced toward the main building.UTKlpt
poQ1UYiThe main building was half-destroyed. Considering the fire giant and the demonic hand that had covered the sky just moments ago, it was very likely that Grand Duke Beltus was fighting some entity.ypVIJpd
oOnZTK“I’d like to go to the main building and check right now, but I must not forget my duty…!”wcP
bUvThe victory condition for House Beltus was to activate the protection circle and isolate the intruders by sections to defeat them one by one.2Wcofbd
JIEvI8Since Robenalt held the key to the circle, he couldn’t act recklessly.YJJd9
NRM“What is that…?”ONih3xh
FUPWhile watching everything from the tower, Robenalt felt something strange.Pv2L1i
yxCpYbwThe Beltus mansion grounds were as large as a decent-sized village.8v1
lrVKThe enormous outer wall that followed the perimeter was larger than that of most noble territories.hZg4G
lmJTWnBeyond the wall, in the forest, there were armies he had never seen before.q2ydVR
xHPVIn the center stood the main building where the Grand Duke lived.8cvkh
FoBKAround it were the barracks, the training grounds, the gardens, the magic tower, and the servants’ quarters, all protected by the outer walls.j0aR
JDftAnd beyond that, there was only forest—yet he could see unknown riders advancing among the trees.DwW
RvJ5Robenalt and his servants opened their eyes wide in shock.dDe6
09qC9j1Approaching the southern gate of the mansion were the private soldiers sent by Count Belmierd. The emblem was clearly visible on their banners.UMqz
7oX4snAt the front was Ellen, who had received full authority over Belmierd’s forces, riding toward them.XKBKJ1
wr4j1jbTo the northeast were members of the Beldern mercenary group, allies of Dereck.5peOx
X7gctLeading the front line was the one-armed general, Jayden.FvH2Y
qEMnwHe was a veteran mercenary who had participated in the Dawn War and was the central figure of the Beldern mercenary corps.PRfftB
nxa4mDtFurthermore, Countess Rodelia’s unit was already running through the gardens of the Beltus mansion.GZgEqP
fBWduuVThey glanced at the magic tower that was beginning to emit a faint power, but continued advancing toward the main building.nXlV
m4CPW“This can’t be… Belmierd has drawn swords against Beltus…? And Renuel too…? Who… who could have mobilized all these forces…!”fSvSY
qe1Robenalt thought, trembling.X9j
8UoGrand Duke Beltus never hesitated to antagonize and crush other powers, but Belmierd was different.XbxZu
xwmfgTo move Belmierd—a house that sat like an old lion observing the situation—would take more than ordinary trust.0et
4r2AW‘We must complete the protection circle before it spreads any further…! Captain Orel is a veteran commander, but he won’t be able to stop them alone…!’3Kb5wd
OB1“How much longer until the protection circle is complete?”nvl
yjgiEZU“It’s already more than seventy percent done! Once the magic purification process of the tower is finished, we can immediately isolate each section!”kT46PQ1
KSse“We must finish before Countess Rodelia’s forces reach the main building!”QBMPpy
OBA06“U-understood! Even if they reach the main building… once the protection circle is deployed, we’ll have many ways to confront them!”30gTX
mKtThe tower servants boasted confidently.Vkdl
jtSSince it was a protection circle equivalent to a five-star-level spell, they weren’t wrong.E8k1fN
oBlG5lOnce activated, the Grand Duke’s mansion would have a real chance to counterattack.Cuw1epl
gbUlbpThe protection circle would isolate each section and create an environment where they could bombard freely.mpPZ
6CzUCountess Rodelia’s forces, charging recklessly toward the main building, would be surrounded and unable to act.SUJrB9v
GUq‘…’qCX1ULO
fdryB8However, a sense of unease crawled inside Robenalt.yyUCteT
5xYC9UNCountess Rodelia was a veteran among veterans, someone who had commanded countless battlefields—not only on Rodentz Island.OzQw
0OCsBgNFor someone like her to charge directly into the main building without inside information about the mansion…Z313hSY
BqfBcAnyone could see that the power of the magic circle emanating from the tower was unusual.orR
THEnsLDIn an environment full of variables, the image of Countess Rodelia charging into the deepest part of enemy territory was strange.bi50x
2BNAn inevitable question arose.DYjVjcm
IglPusEWould a battle-hardened veteran really act so recklessly?cGp
D2uIt was a scene filled with too much inconsistency.5Ad
xPof6tAs if she were absolutely certain that the path to the main building would inevitably open.jNIV
gVcYNThe reason she hadn’t even diverted her forces to the tower to neutralize the protection circle first…y8r
8o0pnpuOnly one possibility came to Robenalt’s mind.MMDu
G7Zj5“A detachment…! She sent a detachment…!”vf36
TWGl“W-what?!”4A3
iNWNg“Listen carefully, everyone…! Killing the monsters around the tower is important, but… maintaining strict vigilance is even more crucial…!”dvS
XTSqv“Y-yes…! But there are too many monsters, and the situation is chaotic with creatures that already entered the tower…!”al1
ehVw38“That’s exactly what the enemy wants! I don’t know what trick they used, but their goal is to throw the mansion into chaos. Taking advantage of that void, they plan to seize the key facilities first! So for now, forget the commotion caused by the monsters…”e9y
4QhqneRobenalt’s words were cut off.BE4022n
btg46Boom! Crash!S0JV8f
TBhThe inner wall connecting to the corridor.5HRXHCr
dAvxA huge explosion erupted from that wall—it was magic of at least three-star level.iTXDYV
0UWXgyrCrash! Crackle!q4ExA
q4GThud, thud, thud, thudwJpv
ggeFJThe magic tower, centered around the spiral staircase, extended to the top floor.Ue0u
An5OThere were already intruders who had managed to slip in, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the monsters.cz3a3ey
ImMu7TvWhen Robenalt activated the tower’s protection and came down to the middle floor, they had already quickly infiltrated inside.T3m2oF
x8c3Whoosh!AEx
7JfrSmoke entered through the shattered wall, and the few servants and mages in the room took up battle positions.ZY7Op
W97kZC8Dust rose from the collapsed wall. Robenalt also gripped the edge of his cloak tightly and swallowed hard.7tGiXC
XaBdHe was someone whom Countess Rodelia trusted enough to turn her back on. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down.6kUE
1cqjThump, thump.VHU44
7hC‘Damn it…! Damn it…!’evnPc3
QJSRobenalt’s heart began to pound uncontrollably.dGx
3zC6fIn a situation where his life was at stake, combined with the enemy’s attack, his hands began to tremble.mgBccN
dlhzcp6No matter who came out of that dust, he couldn’t back down.3Plb3O
f6yThe ones guarding the tower’s command room with Robenalt—the four servants—were mages who had already mastered second-level magic. They weren’t people who would fall easily.jQrbZNL
9ZotSCIn that extremely tense atmosphere, the mages who had gathered magical power stared fixedly at the collapsed inner wall.eNS6dO
DB0xQIn that tension, where every second felt like an eternity, when the dust finally settled—no one was there.L7w
UMI“…What?”75kS
jZiBang!qDI0F
RJE6BBy the time they realized that breaking the inner wall had been a diversion, it was already too late.5dPx03w
vLMk9A man burst through the main door of the command room.krM
7W0yThe door, ripped off its hinges by the man’s weight, crushed one of the servants standing in front of it.sMKg
JngK1I“Argh!”kBzHbde
hLen2Bang! Crash!A6kr
X124mThe servant, pinned beneath the torn-off door, tried to struggle, but a first-level combat spell, Fire Arrow, pierced through him.DBk8GE
9lm0KotThe servant foamed at the mouth and lost consciousness from the severe burns and pain. One of the four had already fallen at the start of the battle.eqdfi2z
Uvzb“Y-you’re…!”88V
vVilp96At the instant Robenalt clenched his teeth and gathered his magic—rfI
IkojP5The white-haired man in mercenary attire who had burst in, Baron Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw, was already forming another spell in his hand. He had been chanting it even before bursting through the door, so there was no way to catch up to him in speed.r4e
v1jedWhoosh!1g1
H0HzFirst-level transformation magic, Creation of Light.GUqH
SoIrbTMDereck’s movements, specialized in orchestrating the battlefield and overwhelming enemies, were an insurmountable wall to scholars accustomed to noble culture.5uQ
iJZGdZ“Argh!”W9z9S
Om0jgvCIn an instant, everyone had to shut their eyes at the sudden flash.Maitve
J7wATaking advantage of that brief moment when the enemy’s vision was obstructed, Dereck leapt onto the desk near the door and lunged, tackling one of the servants.RmCOg
lOTdHe plunged a knife into the servant’s thigh and, before he could even scream in pain, grabbed him by the neck and hurled him backward.dnMPL
b2TSHis movements flowed like water.eYx
JbnThus, Robenalt lost his second servant.K2MP5
ZCLJ4E“Attack…! Attack!”gts3z
KU1Thud!aPi
XfJ8Gqv“Ugh!”Wpwu62
AzMOwaAnd just as another servant, who had barely regained his sight, was about to shout while gathering magic, Dereck’s boot flew up and struck him in the throat.7t33
3NO0Taking down a servant, then kicking backward, one of the two remaining lost his breath for an instant—but with almost superhuman mental strength, he kept his composure and cast a first-level combat spell, Magic Arrow, aiming at Dereck.usRDu
5YMgkkvThud!UAJ5
ScLuDwyThe magic arrow grazed Dereck’s shoulder, but the impact hit fully.89tuwpK
LEICFrThe pain was intense, but Dereck gritted his teeth and endured it, as if already accustomed to it.anJo
PMVkk1His expression, frowning for just an instant, was that of a berserker unfazed by pain.ouv44F
UNJjB1Living as a mercenary surrounded by labyrinths and monsters meant taking direct hits from magic or swords more than once.HWl
cIHThe difference between those who endure pain and those who don’t is clearly seen in real combat.lQMWXbE
vxTj“Huff…!”nFl
1PmfnQA“Stop! Damn you!”SoBB
pgVqhSWhen Dereck grabbed the servant who still had some sanity left by the neck, the last servant drew his sword and charged at him.jTDG9lo
JfYwBut when Dereck used the other servant’s body as a shield, the attacker’s sword stopped short.Zf6Q
lQE“Ugh…!”ScmKd1H
wcxA moment of hesitation.q7gy6
NYaUM6Dereck, a veteran of real combat, didn’t waste that opening.DRvcT
IKNstiHe threw the unconscious servant and kicked the hilt of the sword, sending it flying from the retainer’s hands.nWXd
xWpAs the now-disarmed servant stared at him in terror, Dereck had already closed the distance and drove his fist into his solar plexus.WDP
mnWp“Ugh, huff…”TPtTL7
W0FxThe last servant rolled across the floor, and Dereck pounced on him, pinning him down.eSBwG
X1XTsSoon, his breathing steadied—he was unconscious.qWP
6yrZHow many seconds had passed until this point?EcmD
9dT0aobIn that instant of confusion and held breath, all the servants in the command room had fallen. Only Robenalt and Dereck remained.5h1
1OSSitting atop the last unconscious servant, Dereck confirmed he was completely out of combat and immediately lifted his gaze.aQsbOu
BTXt2The last guardian of the command room, Prince Robenalt, was now reflected in his eyes.XRESZcV
eXEK‘Huff…!’4aW3r
I6vmhiImmediately, fear filled Robenalt’s heart.GbxYS
S61aug0Even so, he clenched his teeth and grabbed the magic wand lying on the desk.sCR
u2h5“Baron Ravenclaw…”WIq
sEH“….”umra
V5E6nlDereck, who didn’t even respond, looked possessed by a specter.dABMw
Ql0sedThe Dereck who walked the battlefield was completely different in aura and presence from the one who sat quietly in a noble mansion.psw
mzVEDXyFina had once said that Dereck’s true abilities only emerged in blood-soaked places.jdzvcF
eTYxvAnd now he proved it—his eyes were icy, infinitely cold. Compared to his gentle demeanor with Aiselin, the difference was enough to freeze anyone’s blood.LbkO10
efx— Robenalt. If you ever meet Baron Ravenclaw, it would be wise to be very careful.bgWg
0Md4GXThe words of his old friend Linus, spoken between laughs, echoed in his mind.hUD9iMb
zuknw‘Huff… Huff…’BNd
daSWhen Robenalt was young, he had once encountered a wild wolf in the forest while returning by carriage.bokF2Fk
pKhIn front of that beast, radiating a seasoned presence even amid its killing intent, it was impossible to tell who was the hunter and who the prey.qlB
mIHaVFuAn immense fear engulfed him.1ga
u5N7poThe feeling he had now was exactly the same.Tz9
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