Chapter 183. Reinhaver
“...It seems you’ve resorted to shallow tricks”
Garen quickly assessed the situation and remarked. However, judging by how he regained composure shortly after, he did not seem overly flustered. The sheer number of troops the man had brought along was overwhelming after all. I can say that’s normal.
The quality of the forces too far exceeded what a single family’s heir could command.
By the laws of the Imperial family, it would be a grave crime for a noble family to possess an army of this scale. but... Either way, the war had already begun. This was an act revealing his future plans, in other words, after seizing the central powers and imperial authority as a Dark family, he will reject the Holy Families and Arkheim.
‘I operate under the authority of the princess, who has granted me the right to lead and mobilize forces. But, he isn’t. This is clearly rebellion.’
“You stain the name of Reinhaver to its end, huh. Foolish bastard.”
“Not something I want to hear from the disgrace of our family. Nox von Reinhaver. Hey bug. If you just stay still, you might have barely kept your life. Why do you dare oppose me?”
“Save your nonsense and grip your sword properly, Garen. Unless you wish for news to spread that you were slain by the ignorance blade of the family’s disgrace”
“.... In the end, you truly insist on provoking me.”
Garen gripped his sword. A unique black blade emanated a power that reached me. Christopher stood faithfully by my side to help.
“Young Master, This Christoper, I will assist you if you just give me a command....”
“You may step back.”
“.... Is that fine? No matter how exceptional a knight you are, Young Master, Garen-nim was once praised as the rightful heir of the Reinhaver family. This Christopher cannot help but be concerned for your safety...”
“Laughable concern. Let me make this clear. I, Nox von Reinhaver, will not lose to such a worthless piece of trash.”
————————————————
“.....”
Christopher fell silent for a moment. Though he knew his young master was strong, this felt premature. It was true that in their earlier swordsmanship clash, Nox had slightly edged out Garen. But that alone wasn’t enough. Garen had already mastered the first three forms handed down in the Reinhaver family. The third form, in particular, was overwhelmingly stronger than the first two, and for this reason, Christopher wanted to dissuade Nox.
However
“If it’s the family’s third form you’re worried about, don’t worry. I can endure it. Trust in me, the one you swore loyalty to, Christopher.”
Gleemed eyes of a knight enchanted by the sword. When he saw those eyes in his young master, Christopher couldn’t help but be determined. He realized. He had denied it until now, but Nox was showing that the true head of the Reinhaver family was not Garen who colluded with Demons, but himself. To prove this, Nox needed to showcase his skill to the imperial faction that followed his father.
Nox was putting his life for a kind of show against his older brother, who was several years older.
“You seem confident, Nox. But your sword will never reach me. From now on, I’ll get serious. There won’t be any luck like before, so prepare yourself”
“They say a long-tongued knight doesn’t live long. Ever heard that proverb?”
Penelope bit her lip. A blood dripped to the floor. The once aloof rose called the princess seemed as though it was wilting.
Her furrowed brows marred her graceful face as she stepped onto the balcony, where a sea of troops stretched endlessly before her.
“Brother... What on earth are you doing?! Taking the students of Eldain Academy as hostages for the imperial struggle? This is a blatant overreach!”
“Disgusting. Stop calling me brother, Penelope. From now on, I am here to claim what is rightfully mine.”
The first Prince Louis smirked and continued,
“Listen carefully, all of you. A new sun will shine its light upon the Arkheim Empire from this very place. The thunder that strikes down will punish the vermin who oppose me. If you choose to submit to me, bow your heads, and kneel!”
The first prince Louis proclaimed himself as the empire’s new sun. However, as the students become frozen, unable to move easily. He furrowed his brow and turned to one of his knights.
Schring!
Drawing his sword, Louis pointed it at a trembling commoner who couldn’t speak to follow him, and decapitated his head. The first prince Louis sneered and said.
“Be it commoners.”
Splat!
A fountain of blood spurted out.
Penelope’s eyes were filled with deep emptiness as she witnessed this. That man is supposed to be the new sun of the imperial family? No. That could never happen.
This is wrong.
No. I must say it is not.
As her thoughts filled with these convictions, the first prince Louis proceeded with his next action. This time, he beheaded another noble who also didn’t kneel. It was no different from before. However, no matter how many times one witnessed it—twice, thrice—the shock did not lessen. It was still horrifying. Their gazes grew colder.
“Or nobles are no exception. If you defy me, you will all die the same way. Now, swear your allegiance to the new sun!”
Meanwhile, in the background, Goff, the head of the merchant guild, who had been passively observing the first Prince Louis’s insane behavior, trembled uncontrollably. He urgently asked Rick, who was waiting behind him,
“Rick...! I wasn’t informed about this! If the prince continues acting like this, our guild won’t be able to establish trade relations with other territories, not to mention, if those noble armies ever reach this place, no matter how many troops we have, it will be impossible to handle....!”
“You still don’t realize? You really are human trash too, huh”
With a cold reply, Goff’s pupils narrowed. For a moment, heavy silence enveloped the air, but Goff knew better than anyone else that speaking up here might lead to his death.
‘Damn it... Rick! What was that bastard’s true identity from the very beginning?!’
At that moment, the insignia that Rick had hidden beneath his newsboy cap that blewn away by a gust of wind began to stand out more vividly than ever.
‘A black goat with two horns... wearing a dark crown...!’
Goff’s expression froze. It was the look of a merchant realizing his judgment had failed. No, it went beyond that, it was the look of a human sensing the imminent threat to his very life.