Chapter 406: Surrender or be annhilated

Numerous carriages followed by different armies were starting to gather in Duke Reginald's domain. Today was the day for the meeting among the nobles that want Ren out of the throne. Seeing the many nobles coming to support him Reginald felt elated. This was better than he had expected, with so many nobles on his side victory was assured.

'You see this you dumb older brother, all of the nobles flock to my banner because I am in the right and because they all believe that I am the true rightful king. You on the other hand died most likely trying to protect those worthless commoners. You should have fled when you had the chance, as long as the king survives the Kingdom will survive. Now that you died the kingdom almost crumbled, and a commoner from the Reschbeauch Kingdom took the throne. If I wasn't alive the Serbek Kingdom would've been finished. This is fate, this my destiny!'

Reginald smugly smiled as he remembered what his older brother used to say to him. It had been so long but he could never forget it.

...

"Reginald, I know that you take pride in being born a noble, and I understand why you do. Still, you mustn't discriminate against the commoners. Even nobles that you believe are above others are still human the same as the commoners. It's just that each one of us has different responsibilities we must fulfill. In fact, if you think about it properly it's the commoners that have the most power. They outnumber nobles one to a hundred. Also unlike kings, even if I die somebody would replace me, but if our citizens die the kingdom will die with them."

...

Just remembering those words made Reginald boil in anger. 'How are the commoners the ones with power? You see this brother, for each noble house, an army follows. Can commoners command such power? You truly were nothing more than a foolish king, my idiotic big brother.'

While thinking about that, Reginald continued to greet the incoming nobles. It was then one of the royal guards who were in charge of security whispered something in his ear.

"Tell this to him and his rabble that today I'm only meeting those of noble birth. I don't have time to accommodate them. Tell Albert that he should talk strategy with his own kind."

The royal guard bowed his head and headed back. Reginald continued to greet the incoming nobles with a smile, but in his head, he was scoffing at Albert.

'I'm only allowing you brutes to join in the glory because I can use them as meat shields. Did his brain melt thinking that he could join a meeting of those of higher birth than him? You should be grateful that I even allowed you to join me.'

...

In the adventurers guild, one of the guild masters of a different branch slammed his hand on the table destroying it.

"That f*cking arrogant noble!"

"Calm yourself, Samson, I already told you that he's that kind of person." Albert patted Samson's back as he tried to soothe him.

"Still, doesn't it irritate you that he just tossed us aside like that? He's the one who asked for our help."

"Yeah, why aren't we allowed in the strategy meeting? How do we know what we're supposed to do? Shouldn't we be coordinating with one another?"

"I don't think that idiot has any plans for us except to make us into meat shields."

"It doesn't matter as long as we survive the battle at the capital will be going home with so much money that we won't need to work for a long time."

"Speaking about that. Albert, I heard you made a deal with that arrogant Duke to make you into a noble."

"What is that true?!"

"I'm surprised that you were able to figure that out. Well, I guess I should tell you guys. Yup, it's true I negotiated with Duke Reginald to give me a noble title and land."

"So you're joining the side of those snobbish people? Why though, isn't being an adventurer who is free better than that?"

"Yeah, if I was younger that would be the best... But you see Anna is pregnant."

"Congratulations!"

"Anna's pregnant and you didn't tell me?!"

"Yeah, so you see I can't continue being the guild master like this. Even though being a guild master pays well, but the job comes with a lot of danger. Seeing as I need to be there for my kid, I need a safer job that pays equally well. Also if I have a noble title my kid is going to be able to go to school and become somebody worth mentioning. I understand that what I'm about to do is going to make a lot of people suffer, but I'm willing to carry that sin for my kid."

"Well, we're adventurers we don't really care about the political strife of one or two kingdoms. We're just doing our best to live the same as anyone else, so don't sweat it."

"Anyway, we should celebrate later for you becoming a father."

"Yeah, sure, drinks are on me." As the three guild masters' moods were changing for the better, a loud voice resounded throughout the city.

...

"Duke Reginald and all of your accomplices as decreed by my master, Ren the current king of the Serbek Kingdom all of you should surrender yourselves! If you surrender now my master will be merciful and forgive all of your sins. If you don't surrender then as ordered by my master we will annihilate all traitors. I advise all the non-combatants to leave now or else you might get caught in the crossfire. I will repeat once again, Duke Reginald-"

Arthur continued to repeat the same things about three times. Once he was done with his announcement he looked at the twenty members of the Shadow Clan.

"This is the first mission of our unit. Defeat is not allowed, we must not fail master. Only absolute victory is acceptable."

"ABSOLUTE VICTORY!" The twenty responded with gusto.