Chapter 210: The Guardian of the Blood ‘Empire’ (4)

Within the Imperial Palace, there were many secret routes reserved for the royal family.

In the worst-case scenario—

Should enemies breach as far as here, these passageways were designed to ensure the escape of the royals.

Security was paramount, hence only the royal family knew of these routes…

Yet, how could a stranger possibly know the precise location of the palace’s secret passages?

“This is utterly absurd…”

Bainstelern bit his lip in shock over the unsettling situation.

The other nobles were just as astonished.

“To think there was a secret passage in the conference room.”

“I’ve been attending meetings here for 30 years, and I never knew those panels could open.”

“This is beyond belief.”

As everyone murmured, looking at the passage, Everham approached Mackensie.

“Are you alright?”

Mackensie’s face was still flushed with anger he couldn’t suppress.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

His tone was nonchalant.

But Everham immediately gripped Mackensie’s arm.

“Argh!”

A cry of pain escaped his lips.

Everham’s eyes narrowed.

“Nothing serious. I just failed to properly channel my mana and got a slight injury…”

Mackensie tried to explain, but his words didn’t reach Everham.

‘Could it be… He’s this badly hurt?’

His arm was broken.

He had thought their powers almost equal…

No, he had even believed Mackensie to be overwhelming in strength and stature.

…It was a complete misjudgment.

In that brief moment, the man utilized his mana in a burst too subtle for senses to catch.

That’s why it went unnoticed.

Truly, an unnervingly swift and natural use of mana.

‘He wasn’t just fleeing.’

If he truly willed it, Mackensie’s head could have been rolling on the ground.

Just then.

Bainstelern approached, his expression marred by rage.

“Sir Everham. Lead a pursuit team immediately. If we let this heretic escape, we risk losing the trust of neighboring kingdoms.”

“Before that, may I ask you one thing, Your Grace?”

Everham’s voice was low.

“You have something to say, speak.”

“Must we turn that man into an enemy?”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly as I said. Instead of shedding blood in hostility, isn’t it better to persuade him to join us?”

“Hah. Despite his considerable skills, he’s nothing compared to you. Most importantly, at this critical juncture, with a great undertaking within reach, we can’t afford to risk taking in a wild card of unknown origin. Therefore, organize the pursuit team immediately.”

The seeds they had meticulously sown over the years were about to sprout.

Soon, they would ascend not merely as nobles but as emperors.

For that purpose, they had planned and sacrificed everything over more than a decade.

They had even joined hands with the martial world, their lifelong enemy.

However, Everham, whom Bainstelern expected to agree, remained unusually quiet.

His tight-lipped and hardened expression held no trace of confidence.

“…Are you that concerned?”

“To be honest, I believe our odds of winning against him are fifty-fifty.”

Everham’s estimate of a fifty-fifty chance—if anyone else had said it, no one would have believed it.

It’s obvious.

How could anyone accept that the Empire’s mightiest knight talking of even odds against a stranger they’d just met?

“It seems you are serious.”

“Yes. Considering the level of skill required to instantly break Mackensie’s arm, I cannot underestimate him.”

Only then did Bainstelern realize the new variable was far more ominous than anticipated.

“We’ll need to revise our plans completely.”

His decision didn’t take long.

“Summon all those involved in the conspiracy to my residence. We’ll have to discuss matters over dinner. And of course, keep those loyal to the Imperial family in the dark.”

＊＊＊

Splashing through the sewers.

After quite a distance, Jinhyuk emerged in an alley on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

“Damn it…”

He didn’t dare use mana to avoid leaving traces, resulting in his ankles getting thoroughly soaked.

“Tsk tsk. That’s what I warned you about. I almost sullied my precious wings. And this horrid smell doesn’t suit me at all.”

Perched on his shoulder, Elise pinched her nose in complaint.

Despite his efforts to navigate here, she remained ever so critical.

Gently catching one of Elise’s wings, Jinhyuk directed her toward the wet surface.

“Scaaary! Let go. Just for a second! My feet are touching it. They’re touching!”

Flailing dramatically, Elise continued her protest.

“My deepest apologies for bringing such a noble creature to such a squalid place. I’ve committed a sin worthy of death.”

“Sorry. Alright, I get it. Stop it. Hey, these clothes are expensive!”

“If you do that again, I’ll test how good your respiratory system is underwater. So please be careful next time. I’m asking you nicely.”

“Um, sure.”

“Good.”

Jinhyuk returned Elise to his shoulder as she regained her composure.

Exhaling, Elise spoke again in a deflated tone.

“So, what’s the plan now?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said you’d make friends with the Empire, right? But after creating such a mess, won’t you become public enemy number one?”

Indeed. That’s a reasonable assumption.

After barging into a room full of nobles and causing uproar, certainly the city guards would be frantically searching for him.

However—

“This very act will have piqued the interest of one party.”

The Empire was currently split into two factions: the noble faction and the imperial faction.

Although Bainstelern and Mackensie belonged to the nobility,

the real ally Jinhyuk needed from the Empire was the opposing force loyal to the Emperor and the Imperial family.

He’d seen a spark of defiance in the lethargic Emperor’s eyes, creating a sufficient opportunity.

“Hmm. You had that figured out all along? You’re not as reckless as I thought.”

“And what exactly did you think of me?”

“Of course, as a most remarkable… ahem, as a unique contractor in this world. Seriously.”

Elise quickly corrected herself as Jinhyuk’s fingers edged towards her wings.

“But can the Imperial forces alone stand against the martial world, especially since the nobility has already allied with them?”

“That’s a valid point, but we don’t need to face the entire martial world. There are cards within that can be exploited.”

The opponents they’ve continually clashed with were the Five Great Clans, Nine Factions, and the Demonic Cult—all part of the martial world.

But there was another force—

The Heavenly Demon Cult, which had just ended its seclusion.

“The Heavenly Demon… I’ve crossed paths with him a few times. He’s truly formidable. Even for you, he won’t be easy to use.”

“That’ll depend on how it’s approached.”

Jinhyuk was aware of the challenge.

The megalomaniac who proclaimed that no one under heaven should disobey him wouldn’t easily be subdued.

Yet Jinhyuk felt confident, including such dispositions in his calculations.

“You’re always so full of confidence.”

“That goes without saying. Anyway, get ready. We’ve arrived at our destination.”

No matter how extensive the capital was, it was impossible to evade every guard.

They needed a place to stay while in the area.

And that location had been predetermined from the start.

Jinhyuk adjusted the mana flow into Elise.

The bright light surged, elongating Elise’s stature to nearly 160 cm.

“Here?”

“Yes.”

Thud!

Jinhyuk opened a door in one of the numerous makeshift shanties.

And then—

“You’ve arrived just on time.”

A familiar voice greeted the two.

＊＊＊

In a small room barely able to fit four persons, beside an old wooden table sat…

…Penheimer, whom they’d encountered in the conference hall.

“Isn’t this safe house a bit too modest?”

Jinhyuk remarked with a hint of dissatisfaction.

While not expecting a mansion with four rooms and two baths, the current state seemed a bit extreme for one of the Empire’s top 100 swordmasters—it felt more like a haven for an ordinary guard.

“Ha, such places actually attract less attention. Please, come in, both of you.”

No sooner had Penheimer invited Jinhyuk and Elise inside than he securely locked the door.

“Though the place is humble, there’s plenty of food.”

Water, wine, beer, tea, and so on for beverages.

Cheese, sausage, bacon, and various types of bread for food.

A feast contrasting the room’s shabbiness was prepared.

Elise’s eyes glinted with excitement.

As a gourmet, the prospect of new world delicacies always made her heart race.

“Ho, not bad at all. The pairing of this cheese with the wine is quite pleasing.”

As Elise munched away, puffing her cheeks,

Penheimer looked at Jinhyuk with satisfaction in his eyes—it was a burdensome gaze.

“You seem to have enjoyed the performance in the conference chamber.”

“Certainly. It was a tall order, but Jinhyuk exceeded my expectations.”

Routing the royal guards with overwhelming force,

and even breaking the arm of Mackensie, who was reputedly indestructible within the Empire.

“Seeing Sir Everham flustered like that was a first for me. And the Duke Bainstelern’s expression was quite a sight.”

With such feats, no further proof of credentials was necessary.

“I humbly apologize for testing you. I, Aibach von Penheimer, swear I’ll never doubt Jinhyuk’s abilities again.”

Thump!

Penheimer knelt on one knee before Jinhyuk, his sword touching the wooden floor—a knight’s gesture.

The sudden action left Jinhyuk bemused.

‘It seems he’s willing to sacrifice everything for the Empire’s revival.’

Without that resolve, the sight of a proud knight bowing and apologizing would have been unimaginable.

“Raise your head. I understand your sentiment. And of course, if such incidents recur, I will hold you accountable for the oath you’ve sworn today.”

“You needn’t worry about that.”

“Then, Mr. Penheimer, please share your plans with me. What will the Imperial family do from here on?”

“As you may know, divided forces will never win this war.”

A serious revelation—striking at the core and coldly acknowledging reality.

“…That’s probably the case. The military power of the Imperial family alone won’t be enough to secure the ‘Strongholds,’ will it?”

The key to victory in the war against the martial world was who could seize control of the “Giants’ Corpses” on the 29th floor.

An essential stronghold to establish a foothold in each other’s territory, but the formidable nature of the giants deterred both sides from launching a premature attack.

Securing that region was the top priority for gaining an advantage.

“Correct. We cannot anticipate when the nobility might stab us in the back. And more importantly, the noble faction is well-versed in our swordmasters’ capabilities.”

Their unique skills, preferred sword techniques,

even their favorite diners were known to their adversaries.

That foreknowledge could be the deciding factor in a battle—it was a devastating reality.

Therefore—

“I wish for you to take on this mission.”

Penheimer calmly dropped an outrageous suggestion.

…What?

What did he just say?