Chapter 177 - We Are Exitium

Episode 170 - We are Exitium

"But that's an impossible condition because there would have been a commotion if they had tried to set it up here." Euria paused before continuing, "Besides, I didn't discover anything."

Her words sounded out of this world, and nothing like what a child would say. She spoke as if she knew what she was talking about, knew who the enemies were, but at the same time wasn't sure how the situation occurred. But one thing everyone knows was that Euria knows something. Something that she shouldn't have known.

Words that Moniqua wanted to say got stuffed in her throat. Her eyes glanced back and forth between Eugene, Aernest, and finally Euria. 

Eugene lamented on Euria's words for a second and asked, "Are there different types of methods to teleport?" Her voice was as calm as it could be when she asked again. However inside, Eugene wanted to bang her head against something hard to knock herself out. What calm? How could she be calm when she just heard that teleportation was a thing?

"Or less invasive ones," Eugene added. Maybe ones that don't require much commotion or 'people; to set it up. 

Euria furrowed her eyebrows and thought deeply, "There is one possible method. This method is set up by animals or insects instead of humans. However, the security at the Veria mountain is good so not even a random animal or insect can enter. Not to mention, it would have taken years for it to successfully activate."

"However, once an animal or an insect infiltrates the Veria mountain, it would've been easy to set it up, no?" To be able to distinguish between good and bad animals was impossible. After all, many animals and insects are living inside the Veria mountain. Eugene believed Euria when she said that not a random animal or insects can enter the Veria mountain. But what if the intruders have managed the impossible? If they managed to succeed, no one would've known which one to throw out. 

"Eugeneia! Euria!" A voice filled with anger, confusion, and frustration shouted at Eugene and Euria.

The twins became quiet as they faced an angry Moniqua. Moniqua's mouth opened and closed as if there were many things she wanted to ask and say but in the end she gulped it all down. The twins could see Moniqua's tightly clenched fist unclenching as if she had given up on asking. 

Moniqua closed her eyes and when she re-opened them, she became incredibly serious, "A few years ago, the Veria mountain was attacked." Though she didn't understand what the twins were talking about, she understood that they were talking about the intruders that have invaded today. 

"What?!" Aernest, Eugene, and Euria voiced their disbelief at the same time. 

"Mother!?" The corner of Euria's lips trembled as she stared at Moniqua with widened eyes. 

Moniqua pursed her lips and continued, "During your trip to Zene, our estate had an attempted break-in. However, they did not succeed and did not manage to infiltrate the mountain." This means, whatever setting up teleportation the children were talking about, is impossible.

Eugene exhaled, "Zene." That far back? 

"Could they have set up the teleportation circle then?" Asked Aernest who didn't really understand Moniqua's words.

The injured knight intervened suddenly and interrupted, "My apologies for interrupting. At that time, buckets of pigs' blood were splashed all over the entrance to the Veria mountain. At the time, an uncontrollable swarm of animals and insects came flocking in the Veria mountain." 

The knight implied that some insects or animals may have gotten in at that time. They couldn't have stopped all the insects flocking in no matter how tight their security was. Not to mention, no one would have raised their guards up if an insect or two entered the mountain. 

Euria turned pale the moment the knight began to speak. As if a harsh reality hit her. She was beyond pale as she turned to the enemy and glanced at them one by one. 

"They have been this close this whole time?" She questioned. Her voice sounded incredibly speechless. 

Eugene did not say anything as her eyes moved from the enemies to the forest. Whatever method that was used to set it up, it was too late and all they could do right now is fight against the enemies. 

In a span of a second, many flares went off one after the other. The smoke that had been cleared up to some extent, turned pitched black from smoke. As everyone drew closer together to prepare for what was to come, a sense of devastation descended on them.

Learning about how the enemies appear out of nowhere did not help them feel better and made them feel even worse. At this moment, Eugene and the group could see the backs of the knights who had been fighting against the enemies inside the forest. One after the other, knights could be seen with their backs to them as they fought against the enemies. 

'We are surrounded…' Eugene bit her lips as her eyes glanced around.

"Duchess! Masters! Please head to safety!" One of the knights shouted, but before long he was slain to the ground. 

Everyone had been caught by surprise when the intruders suddenly appeared. Don't even mention having a proper plan. The knights had scattered themselves to deal with the squad of enemies either alone or in pairs. 

In Xenperia, there exists a law. A law that states that each house could only have a certain number of knights.

The house of Veria had 100 knights stationed at this estate alone. Any more and it was considered a coup-d'etat. And the only exception to this law was the Akler family because they were a house that trained future Imperial knights. It used to be the Veria family's duty, however the number of knights that got their approval was scarce, hence this duty was handed to the Akler family.

At present, the knights warding off the enemies amounted to 20. Only twenty are available to fight against the enemies. Usually, most of the knights are stationed at the bottom of the forest however because of the attack, most were deployed here leaving only 30 to be stationed behind. The Veria mountain was vast, hence there was a rule that there must be at least 30 knights stationed at the bottom of the Veria mountain. 

'Already half is gone…?' Eugene contained the number of knights and calculated in silence. 

The number of enemies amounted to less than 30, hence the situation was still dangerous. At this moment, a man came forward from the group of enemies. This man was wearing a huge black cape with a hoodie that covered his face allowing only his eyes to be seen. Following the man wearing a huge black cape, a boy aged around 10-13 appeared. He had beautiful green eyes however, it was a pity that there was nothing beyond that.

When the boy appeared Moniqua could be heard gasping loudly.

"That... That boy." Moniqua stuttered as she stared at the boy with widened eyes.

Eugene did not take her eyes off of the enemies but asked worriedly, "Do you recognize him?" Moniqua's gasps and words alarmed her greatly. 

Moniqua's hands were trembling and she replied a while later,  "When we heard that someone had attempted to enter the estate, your father and I headed back to the estate almost immediately, however before we reached the estate, we were attacked." She paused before continuing, "And one of the people who attacked was a young boy."

"Did mother fight?" Asked Euria very suddenly. 

"...Yes."

Euria furrowed her eyebrows as her fists clenched tight,  "Mother, you have to stay back." Her voice was authoritative as if she would not take no for an answer. Euria turned to Eugene and the knights and said, 

"If you encounter strong children. Children that are especially strong, have green eyes, and a blank expression as if they are soulless, you must aim to kill and must never let them go." Euria was ruthless with her words as she informed everyone.

Moniqua stared at Euria in shock. She was shocked at Euria's ruthless words and shook her head, "They are jus-" 

"They are no longer human. Only machines who follow orders. Killing them fast is the only merciful thing you can do." Euria's cold words cut Moniqua off and sent shivers down everyone's spine. 

"But-"

Moniqua was going to refute Euria again when suddenly the man with a cape covering him spoke, "We are Exitium."

"Sir Ario…" The moment Eugene heard exitium come out of the man's mouth, she furrowed her eyebrows and mumbled unconsciously. Her mumble shocked Moniqua and Aernest, whose eyes widened immediately. 

The reason why Eugene made that connection was that before Sir Ario's head had been blown up, these were the words that Sir Ario had said.. It was a unique word that stuck in the back of her mind, which was why Eugene remembered it instantly when the man in front of her said it again.