Chapter 304:

Chapter 304:

TL: Etude

On August 18th of the Holy Calendar, the Alda army, having regrouped and repaired, resumed their march. By the 20th, they had crossed the border of the direct territory of the Duke and were heading straight for Center City.

On the 19th, Marltz Kent assembled an army to intercept the Alda forces but was again soundly defeated. From that point on, the road to Center City was unobstructed.

The news that the usurper had no more troops to deploy spread quickly throughout the entire Northwest Bay, and the other lords in the alliance resumed their offensive. They simply bypassed Fort Bidou, leaving only a small force to watch over the garrison there.

In late August, the three major countdoms, which had been maintaining a neutral stance, along with other independent lords, declared their support for the alliance and denounced the illegitimacy of Marltz Kent’s ascendancy.

Many lords who had previously sided with Marltz Kent switched allegiances, announcing their surrender to the alliance. Even those who did not formally surrender were secretly negotiating with the alliance, with Paul Grayman being the most sought after, as everyone knew who had contributed the most in this war.

On the evening of August 25th, the Duke’s mansion received news that the Alda army was less than 20 miles from Center City. If all went well, they would arrive in Center City the next day.

At that time, Center City, the largest city in the Northwest Bay, was in turmoil, and the people were in panic. The Duke’s mansion at the city center was especially desolate.

Where once the mansion was bustling with visitors, now it was eerily quiet. More terrifying were the frequent disappearances and deaths within the mansion, with every discovered victim found drained of blood, leading to rampant and exaggerated rumors.

Duke Marltz Kent, apparently too occupied with the overwhelming war affairs, did nothing to address these rumors, letting them spread far and wide. The servants in the mansion lived in constant fear but dared not flee secretly. With the enemy at the gates, the Duke remained their supreme authority, still supported by a group of family knights loyal to him.

The impending siege and mysterious horror incidents left the entire city of Center City anxious.

On the afternoon of August 26th, the Alda army, having recruited additional auxiliary troops, reached the outskirts of Center City with nearly 6,000 men, effectively blocking all three city gates. After a brief rest and lunch, they began bombarding the city at 2 PM.

The bare-chested gunners worked tirelessly, firing one cannonball after another. Despite shelters erected to shield from the summer heat, the artillery positions were still stiflingly hot, with the cannon barrels becoming scorching hot after a few shots, necessitating the pouring of cool water to reduce the heat.

The bombardment was merely a cover; conventional siege tactics were too inefficient and costly for a fortress like Center City. Paul’s plan was to dig tunnels near the city walls, create large holes, place substantial amounts of gunpowder, and then detonate to collapse the walls.

Thus, many soldiers began the underground operation, digging towards Center City’s city walls bit by bit.

...

Marltz Kent sat alone in the empty grand hall of the Duke’s mansion, reminiscing about everything that had happened since Barnett’s plan began.

The young man spread his hands: “Help? My lord Duke, you might be mistaken. Sorry, I don’t wish to waste words, but something unpleasant is about to happen.”

“Hahahaha!” Marltz burst into hysterical laughter. “So, I’m no longer of any use to you, and you’ve come to kill me to cover your tracks? Fine, I have a score to settle with you too.”

Marltz suddenly lunged, his right hand clawing towards the young man with incredible speed.

However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the young man’s face, his entire body abruptly froze. Marltz remained in his attacking posture, as if instantly immobilized.

The young man calmly stepped back and said mockingly, “Duke, you are only partially correct. The more important reason is—”

His eyes suddenly turned cold, and he spoke chillingly, “You dared to threaten a wizard, even if he’s just an apprentice.”

Threaten? Marltz’s mind flashed back to the scene where he pressured Andy to seek help from the Arcane Society.

The young man placed his hand on Marltz’s shoulder and gently pressed down. Marltz, unable to maintain his balance, fell heavily onto the desk below, which had a candelabrum on it. The sharp end, meant for holding candles, pierced through Marltz’s chest and out his back.

Marltz’s rigid body didn’t even struggle, gradually losing life.

The young man’s face regained a hint of a smile, he donned his hood again, and left the hall.

An hour later, several servants carrying food arrived at the hall’s entrance, finding the guards sound asleep and quickly waking them.

The guards were deeply ashamed, being the Duke’s elite yet committing such a basic error.

Probably due to recent overexertion, they thought.

The first servant to enter the hall dropped the food in shock at the scene before him.

Within minutes, news of the unfortunate accidental death of the Duke spread throughout the entire mansion.

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