Chapter 228: It’s Time for Me to Take Everything. (2)
Swoosh!
First, Caleb and the gray assassins charged in.
“Waaaaah!”
Following them were Ulkan and the bandits, with the remaining troops joining quickly.
Boom!
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the Guard Commander drew his sword and shouted loudly.
“Emergency! We’re under attack! Call for support! Young Lady Amelia has started a rebellion!”
A loud horn blared from all sides. The guards stationed at the castle immediately readied themselves for combat in response to the attackers.
“Support will arrive soon! Calmly fend off the enemies!”
The Guard Commander yelled, shouting encouragement to the soldiers in an informal way.
As expected of a Great Territory, the number of guards protecting the Lord’s Castle reached hundreds. Outnumbering the attackers, they believed they could either repel them or hold out until reinforcements arrived.
However, the attackers’ skills were extraordinary. Especially those at the forefront surpassed most elite knights.
Caleb’s speed was unmatched, and every time Ulkan swung his steel mace, several soldiers were swept away in one blow.
Boom! Boom!
“Uwaaaah!”
“Where’s the support?”
“Stop them! Don’t let them into the castle!”
The guards were slaughtered in an instant, so overwhelming was the difference in their power.
The Guard Commander staggered backward, muttering to himself.
“What, what is this? Who are these guys? What were all of you doing letting such people gather?”
Reinforcements weren’t coming. There was no movement from the public order unit either. He didn’t even have the luxury to call nearby defense forces.
The enemy’s power was too overwhelming. Not a single soldier was given the chance to flee.
What had begun as an equal fight now showed a conspicuous difference.
And Amelia was commanding everything from behind.
The Guard Commander wore an expression of disbelief as he surveyed the battlefield.
“How, how is the Young Lady giving such commands….”
With every gesture she made, someone blew the horn, and accordingly, the positions and formations of the attackers changed masterfully.
The guards didn’t even realize how they were being encircled and killed.
This was no mere attack. The opponents were waging a proper war. It was the guards’ blunder to try and stop them thoughtlessly.
In a daze, the Guard Commander suddenly found himself facing Bernap’s sword, which pierced through his neck.
With that, the guards were completely wiped out, not leaving a single one behind.
It was a perfect victory. Yet, there was not the slightest change in Amelia’s expression, as if this was to be expected.
Bernap lightly shook the blood off his sword and said to Amelia.
“Shall we go inside?”
Meow.
Bastet raised her head and tail, striding ahead of Amelia into the castle.
Watching this, Bernap’s lips twitched slightly.
‘I really need to get rid of that cat someday.’
As a bloodied force suddenly appeared within the castle, the servants screamed and scattered in all directions.
They scattered in horror.
After passing through the long, silent corridor, the attackers arrived at the banquet hall, sealed shut by a heavy door.
Creeeak…
As the door swung open, all eyes in the hall turned toward them.
Meow.
Seeing Bastet elegantly enter the banquet hall, the crowd smiled. However, their expressions hardened upon the entry of Amelia and her followers right behind her.
Everyone present was equipped with enough armor to slaughter the crowd. And they were all covered in blood.
This meant they had forced their way past the guards.
The music that had filled the banquet hall ceased, and silence descended.
A handsome middle-aged man, glaring at Amelia, twisted his lips into a mocking grin and asked, “What’s the meaning of this? Amelia.”
Amelia, returning a bewitching smile, replied, “I’ve come to claim my title, Father.”
The middle-aged man was Count Raybold, the great lord of the North. He burst into laughter at Amelia’s words.
“Bwahaha! Have you finally gone mad? A mere girl, not even the heir, coming to claim a title? Forcibly, no less?”
His sons beside him joined in the laughter.
“Spending all your time reading books in your room has finally turned your brain to mush.”
“We should have married you off quickly. Why’d you break off the engagement with Count Penris? Tsk tsk tsk, with such poor judgment.”
“Brother, do you really think she’d go even if we told her to? She was dragged into the engagement kicking and screaming back then! Now she’s too old, and there’s no one left to marry her. Bwahaha!”
They all laughed uproariously, mocking Amelia. Despite the few guards in the banquet hall, they showed no fear at all.
Count Raybold stopped laughing and surveyed the attackers.
“Here are the filthy little gray rats who only know how to do dirty deeds in my territory. I should’ve dealt with you long ago, instead of letting you off the hook just because you paid your taxes.”
Caleb stood with a cold expression, showing no interest in anything said, simply folding his arms.
“There are even famous bandits here who were thought to be dead.”
“Bwahaha! The young lady secretly helped them out!”
Ualkan, swinging a steel mace over his shoulder, laughed heartily.
“Not the notorious merchant leader of Actium, is it? Seems I have an ally here.”
Conrad politely placed a hand over his heart and bowed his head.
Count Raybold smirked and continued, “You pathetic fools have all gathered for my crazy daughter. If you wanted something to eat, you should’ve aligned with me instead.”
Seeing her father’s demeanor, Amelia couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“Hmmm, it seems you’ve prepared something.”
Such a response couldn’t have been spontaneous. In a situation like this, one would be begging for their life, trembling in fear.
Count Raybold raised his hand with a sneer.
Boom! Boom!
The emergency doors of the banquet hall swung open, and a battalion of troops entered, surrounding the area.
All of them were armed with powerful crossbows, ready to fire.
If they were attacked simultaneously, the damage to the attackers would be considerable.
Amelia nodded as she observed the troops encircling them.
“You were indeed well-prepared. How did you know?”
“Heh heh heh, do you think it’s easy to seize power? A powerful person must always be suspicious and keep watch. I always kept this level of defense on standby. Recently, I’ve heard awful rumors about the kids in the fort, so I reinforced things a bit.”
At Count Raybold’s words, Amelia smirked. Truly a fatherly preparation, thinking only of his own safety.
His sons must have been eyeing her position, so he likely over-prepared.
Everyone seemed relaxed, hinting that something had been communicated. It seems sitting too long in one place sharpens one’s instincts.
As she fell silent for a moment, Count Raybold arrogantly waved his hand.
As Count Raybold arrogantly waved his hand in silence for a moment, he said,
“Just turn them all into hedgehogs. It’s crazy to let a daughter even think about taking my place. I have plenty of daughters to marry off, so it’s fine.”
However, the knight who had brought the troops did not move. He simply stood there with an expressionless face.
Wondering if Count Raybold hadn’t heard, he prompted again.
“What are you all doing? Are you going to kill her or what?”
He showed no hesitation in wanting to kill his daughter. Seeing this, Amelia smiled and spoke up.
“Change direction.”
Snap! Snap! Snap!
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the knight raised his hand, and all the ballistae turned to aim at Count Raybold.
“Wha-what! What is the meaning of this?!”
Count Raybold and everyone in the banquet hall were taken aback. If the ballistae fired now, they would all become hedgehogs.
The knight slightly bowed his head to Amelia and apologized.
“I’m sorry. I was suddenly called and couldn’t notify you in time.”
“It’s alright; I expected at least this much. That’s how my father operates.”
“Thank you.”
Amelia had wooed and recruited numerous dignitaries from the territory. If that didn’t work, she resorted to taking hostages from families to threaten them.
Thus, most of the troops and commanders guarding the lord’s castle had switched loyalty to Amelia.
The territory’s exclusive mage and other mages had done the same. They had already been swayed and promised to observe the situation.
They had made various excuses and were waiting outside the banquet.
As the situation takes a turn, Count Raybold yelled in rage.
“Traitors! What is the meaning of this?! Kill her at once! I said kill her quickly!”
But his struggles were in vain. All the armed forces present were under Amelia’s command.
The only ones left were the guard knights that had followed the nobles. With only a minimal number of personnel in the banquet hall, it was impossible to handle her forces.
Watching Count Raybold throwing a fit and the terrified princes, Amelia smiled again.
“Now your faces are somewhat presentable.”
The momentum had shifted toward Amelia. But there was still one person left who could be a variable.
“Hm, my lady, you’re taking this too far.”
A middle-aged man with a plump physique stepped forward. At first glance, he looked like someone who hadn’t trained at all.
However, if one were to know his true identity, no one would dare utter such words.
He was Jurgen, the knight commander of Raybold, known as the ‘First Sword of the North.’
Jurgen slowly drew his sword and said,
“If you withdraw now, I will plead with the lord to spare your life.”
Swish!
As his words finished, an overwhelming momentum surged forth. Truly worthy of the title ‘First Sword of the North.’
“Bring it on, Jurgen! Get me out of here right now! I’ll lead the army to come and kill them all!”
Count Raybold’s eyes sparkled with hope. As long as he survived, it didn’t matter if everyone here died. He could just have more children if his were to die.
Jurgen nodded slightly and spoke to the nearby guard knights.
“Prepare for battle formation. I will escort the lord out of here.”
The guard knights gathered around Jurgen and formed a battle formation. Their numbers were few, but these knights would make their desperate stand to ensure the Count’s escape.
The others wore expressions filled with despair. It was evident that if a battle broke out, they would most likely die.
As Jurgen stepped forward, Bernap, who had been standing next to Amelia, took a step forward and spoke.
“Before you go, how about having a little fun with me?”
“You are…?”
“I’m Bernap.”
“Oh, right. I remember now. You’re the guy who was chosen as the lady’s guard just for looking decent, right?”
Jurgen chuckled in disbelief.
The evaluation of Bernap back at Raybold was at rock bottom. Most agreed he was chosen simply for his appearance.
It was mostly said that he was picked simply because he looked decent on the outside.
He wasn’t even officially appointed as a knight, and only floundered next to Amelia, earning mockery like, “Where did the young lady pick up this halfwit?”
Yet, that same fool had now challenged him, who was known as the Knight Commander and the strongest sword of the North.
If he restrained himself against such provocation, it wouldn’t be fitting for a knight.
Jurgen stepped forward and said, “Sure, I’ve got enough time to kill at least you. Draw your sword.”
It was a statement that radiated the confidence of a victor. Bernap grinned, grasped the hilt of his sword, and slowly bent forward as he turned his body.
Bernap’s left foot pivoted a little further. He entered a stance that seemed ready to draw his sword.
Jurgen waited with arrogance as Bernap prepared to draw.
“What’s taking you? Hurry up and draw! What’s with that weird stance?”
“I’m coming.”
“What?”
Click!
Flash!
With a small sound of friction as the sword was drawn, a flash of light erupted.
“Ugh!”
Jurgen instinctively stepped back, gritting his teeth. Blood was gushing from a long cut across his chest.
If he had dodged even a moment later, his head would have rolled.
Seeing this, Bernap clicked his tongue.
“Ha, as expected of the strongest sword of the North. He started with a special move from the get-go, huh?”
Meow!
It felt as if Bastet was scolding him for not killing his opponent. Bernap thought to himself, ‘I really need to get rid of that one.’
Jurgen gritted his teeth in rage. It was humiliating to receive such a wound from a snot-nosed brat not even worthy of being called a knight.
Looking closely, the sword he held was peculiar. It had a blade only on one side, and the blade had an ever-so-slight curve making it easy to slice when drawn.
“You little brat! How dare you use cheap tricks!”
Kaw!
Jurgen lunged forward like lightning, while Bernap raised his sword to block him. Soon, the two began exchanging blows at an incredible speed.
Bang! Bang!
A storm of mana erupted, shattering the floor beneath them. Those unable to withstand the shock staggered and fell back.
Boom! Bang!
The clash between Bernap and Jurgen seemed evenly matched. Everyone’s faces in the banquet hall turned pale with astonishment.
No one would have dreamed that the so-called layabout Bernap was hiding such skill.
However, Bernap bit his lip, frowning.
‘It’s no wonder he’s called the strongest sword of the North. I thought I could win easily, but he’s tougher than I expected! And he looks like he doesn’t even train; he’s got a bit of a belly on him!’
Achieving this level at such a young age was impressive, but Bernap felt incredibly conflicted. He needed to finish this quickly, but with this opponent, that wasn’t easy.
Indeed, the experience accumulated over years was not something to be taken lightly.
If left unchecked, this would surely devolve into a chaotic brawl.
Amelia, who had been watching the fight with a languid expression, slowly opened her mouth.
“I think I’ve given him enough of a chance. I allowed him to try because he insisted, but this is taking too long.”
She wasn’t fond of wasting time unnecessarily. It was better to handle things as efficiently as possible.
She had given ample opportunity by now, and there was no need to wait any longer.
It was clear why Bernap stubbornly insisted on facing Jurgen alone—he was trying to impress Amelia.
As Amelia raised her hand slightly, Caleb pulled out a sword from his cloak. It was a ‘Sword Breaker’ with several deep notches on one side resembling a serrated blade.
Conrad drew his rapier from his waist, while Ulkan spun a steel mace that hung from his shoulder.
Amelia’s hand flicked, pointing at Jurgen.
“Handle it.”
The three rushed towards Jurgen.
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