"What did you say!? Her Highness has fallen!?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down, for goodness' sake! If someone hears you, you and I are..."
Before he could finish, he made a throat-slitting gesture.
His companion nodded frantically in response.
"Right, right. Quiet, quiet."
Despite their words, the cry of "fallen" had already reached many ears.
Heads turned, gazes filled with surprise and curiosity.
Without context, those words might not have meant much immediately.
But seeing the duo's secretive behavior, interest piqued throughout the room.
This was a bar, after all, a nexus where information converged.
People came here not just to drink, but to listen to gossip.
When someone whispered secrets, curiosity was inevitable.
Similar scenes were playing out in bars across the city.
People leaned in, sharing tables and hushed words.
'I won't tell anyone, just tell me what's happening.'
The news took flight. In a single morning, it had spread everywhere.
Countless people received variations of the same message.
Meanwhile, Augus was hurrying back to the city in his carriage.
A plague in Brilliant City was the last thing he wanted to see.
The city had been stable, but a plague, combined with a little manipulation, would make public opinion boil over.
And at this critical moment, the Saintess's fate was unknown.
Coupled with the Refugee City outside...
What exactly were the nobles planning?
Augus's expression was grim. Even inside the carriage, he couldn't escape the biting autumn chill.
He tucked his hands into his cloak, trying to stave off the cold.
The carriage rattled forward, but suddenly, the driver cried out in alarm.
"My lord, there is a roadblock ahead!"
Augus's brow furrowed, a look of solemnity flashing in his eyes.
A thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.
"Do not stop! Can you break through?"
"I can't! Those are military abatis!"
"Turn around immediately! Go back!"
"Yes, my lord!"
However, before the carriage could turn, the thundering of hooves echoed from behind.
"Haha! Since you are already here, why not meet with us, my lord?"
Hearing this, Augus slowly closed his eyes.
Abatis in front, an ambush behind.
It seemed they had planned this thoroughly.
Did they intend to kill him?
Lola was ill.
Currently, the administrative power of Brilliant City was in his hands.
If he died, Brilliant City would be thrown into chaos.
Were they planning to fish in troubled waters?
No, the nobles' schemes were likely more complex than that.
The plague was probably part of their calculation too.
After all, even if Augus was removed, there was still Bishop Lola.
Unless they could prove she was unfit to rule Brilliant City, they had no legitimate reason to defy her orders.
A thought occurred to him.
They wanted to incite a popular uprising, spreading the news to undermine Lola's authority.
Currently, Lola held the Papal Decree, and no one could openly defy it.
But if two million people spoke as one, even the Pope would have to consider public opinion.
Indeed, ever since the Garnet family had fallen as the public face of the opposition, the other nobles had become more cautious.
They no longer stood in the spotlight but manipulated things from the shadows.
It seemed that while they were certain something had happened to the Saintess, they weren't sure if she was dead.
If they were certain, their methods would be far more aggressive.
"M-My lord, what do we do?"
The driver was panicked. As an ordinary man recently assigned to Augus's service, he had never faced such a situation.
"Do not panic. I am here."
Augus stood up and pulled back the curtain.
He looked ahead.
The carriage had already turned around, now facing the direction of the Refugee City.
The men appearing before him were not wearing the armor of noble houses.
Instead, they wore the attire of the Adventurers' Association.
'Is the Adventurers' Association involved in this too?'
Augus's face darkened further.
But then he reconsidered.
With the loose structure of the Adventurers' Association, they couldn't possibly participate in such a major plot.
Adventurers were, at the end of the day, a ragtag band of individuals who lacked the cohesion for such things.
In other words, these men were likely mercenaries paid to carry out a hit.
And the target was him.
"Do you know the consequences of blocking my carriage?"
Augus spoke with gravity, his gaze sharp and imposing.
However, the aura of a high-ranking official meant little to those with actual power.
Adventurers who lived by the blade were accustomed to slaughter and could even resist killing intent.
The mere presence of a superior meant nothing to them.
"Heh. I don't care about consequences. I just kill people for money. As for what happens later..."
The leader of the adventurers chuckled.
"Once I've fled far away, what does it have to do with me?"
Augus glanced behind him.
The road to Brilliant City was blocked by abatis, guarded by a dozen more adventurers.
On this side, there were about thirty.
Augus let out a silent sigh.
Though Yuna had warned him to be careful, the shortage of troops in Brilliant City meant he hadn't brought any knights with him.
He had miscalculated.
He hadn't expected the nobles to strike so soon.
The news of the Saintess's injury had only been out for half a month.
Were they really that impatient?
No, if that were all, they wouldn't have moved so quickly.
They must have received news of the incident from another source.
Only the news that the Saintess's life was in the balance would drive these nobles to take such a risk.
It seemed he was one step behind.
Augus didn't know the strength of these men.
But regardless of their skill, he had no way to defend himself.
How could a frail scholar compete with men who lived by the sword?
Augus took a deep breath and looked at the trembling driver.
"I can die, but can he live?"
"Accepting your fate?"
The lead adventurer paused, looking Augus up and down.
"Aren't you afraid of death?"
"I am. But there is nothing I can do, is there?"
Augus smiled with a touch of helplessness. In this situation, resignation was his only option.
The leader looked at Augus, then at the driver, and shook his head.
"Sorry. My orders are that everyone who sees this must die. He is no exception."
Augus nodded and said no more, slowly closing his eyes.
"Proceed."
"Heh! I didn't expect a descendant of nobles to have such courage. You are a world apart from your ancestors."
The leader rode forward, slowly drawing a long blade from his waist.
"Since you are so cooperative, Lord Augus, I'll make it quick!"
Augus gave a cold snort but remained silent.
"Don't take it personally. We're just doing a job!"
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of galloping hooves erupted in the distance, accompanied by the clatter of armor.
Then, a thunderous shout!
"Guardian Knight Hilda is here! Who dares to strike!?"
The lead adventurer jumped in surprise and lunged forward with his blade.
But in the next second, a knight's lance whistled through the air.
With a wet thud and a gust of wind, the leader stared down in shock.
He looked at the gaping hole in his chest, unable to utter a single word before tumbling from his horse.
"Temple knights, hear my command! Protect Lord Augus! Kill the rest!!"
Augus slowly opened his eyes and looked back at Hilda, who was riding toward them, unstoppable.
He let out a sigh of relief.
As expected, the Saintess's dominion was protected by God!
And in that dominion, his own presence was indispensable!
With that thought, Augus took a deep breath. Looking at the corpses littering the ground, he shouted:
"Lady Hilda, leave some alive!"
Hearing him, Hilda turned her sword mid-swing, slamming the flat of the blade into her target instead of cutting.
These disorganized adventurers, though individually capable, were no match for a coordinated knightly charge.
They collapsed almost instantly.
The rest was a pursuit.
Hilda watched the dozen adventurers trying to flee on horseback.
"Capture these few alive! Kill all the others on the spot!"
"Yes!"
Dozens of knights shouted in unison.
"War Skill — Charge!"
Rumble—
The momentum of the few dozen cavalrymen felt like hundreds.
The fleeing adventurers couldn't even mount a counterattack before they were trampled.
The road was left strewn with bodies, blood mixing with the mud.
Hilda nodded and turned to Augus.
"Lady Hilda, why are you here?"
"Bishop Lola was uneasy and ordered me to rush here. I didn't expect to run into this. Who are they?"
Augus shook his head.
"I don't know specifically, but... it's likely the same people."
Hilda frowned, looking down at the fallen adventurers.
"The Adventurers' Association is involved?"
"No. They wouldn't have the courage to get involved in this."
Augus stepped down from the carriage, ignoring the drizzling rain.
He waded through the mud to one of the captured adventurers and looked down at him.
"Who sent you?"
The adventurer was terrified.
They were used to killing, but being the target was a different story.
"I... I don't know! The leader knew, but you killed him! Don't kill me! I really don't know! I just took the money and followed!"
He began to sob in terror.
"Lady Hilda, kill him. I doubt these people know anything of value."
"Later, send someone to the Adventurers' Association to have a word with their president."
Hilda nodded.
"Don't worry, I can handle that. Lord Augus... you should get back in the carriage."
Augus gave Hilda a strange look.
He knew she was concerned, but her words sounded a lot like she was looking down on him.
Who was she looking down on?
Weak as he might be, he wasn't going to fall ill from a little rain!
"I'll leave the rest to you, then."
"Go. Lola is waiting for you."
Hilda nodded and watched as Augus's carriage departed.
Once it was out of sight, her expression turned cold as she looked at the remaining adventurer.
"I ask, you answer. Otherwise..."
"I understand! I'll tell you everything I know!"
To save his life, the adventurer was forced to cooperate.
"Which families are involved? Did the Cromwell family take part?"
"I... I don't know."
"Is that so?"
Hilda nodded to the knight beside her.
Without hesitation, the knight drove a sword into the man's back.
The adventurer only had time to look at the blade protruding from his chest before he expired.
The other captives were executed in the same manner.
"Wait! Wait! I know! I know where he received the mission!! Don't kill me!!"
With only two left, one adventurer screamed out.
The person beside him tried to speak but was silenced by a knight's blade.
Hilda stepped up to the remaining man, her gaze fixed on him.
"Don't kill me. I know where he took the order. It was a small alley in the south of the city. The people living nearby are from the Anjou and York families."
"Oh? Anjou and York?"
Hilda repeated the names.
"Are you telling the truth?"
"It's the truth! I wouldn't dare lie to a Guardian Knight! Please, spare me! I'll do anything!!"
Hilda nodded and looked at the knight.
"Take him back to Brilliant City and deliver this news to Bishop Lola."
"Yes, my lady!"
Against those who dared to rebel, the knights showed no mercy.
They bound the adventurer tightly and threw him onto a horse.
Hilda scanned the surroundings to ensure no one else was alive before mounting her horse.
As she did, she glanced behind her.
She had a faint feeling that someone was watching.
However, there was no forest in the rain behind her, only the long road leading to the Refugee City.
"Was it an illusion?"
Hilda paused for a moment before turning her horse and leading the knights back to Brilliant City.
Shortly after she left, a figure stood up from a nearby puddle with a splash.
Gasping for air, he crawled out of the water and pulled out a short-range communication stone.
"Report. Assassination failed! The meeting point has been compromised!"
Rate on N.U.
