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Luisen suggested that they reverse the trap on them.
While Luisen pretends to be helplessly ambushed, most of the worshippers’ main forces will gather in the banquet hall to capture Luisen, none the wiser. Taking advantage of their inevitable carelessness, Morrison and Carlton would, this time, smash their heads in from behind.
Once the demon worshippers and Ruger had been captured, Luisen and his party may be able to learn more about their background and motives and, furthermore, neutralize their ghouls.
It was dangerous for the young lord to use himself as bait, but this strategy could snatch victory from their opponents’ hands at the very last minute.
Morrison admired Luisen’s proposal. Considering his and Carlton’s abilities, they had a good chance of winning. Also, he had no reason to refuse the chance to catch a demon worshiper.
‘However… if something goes wrong–even a little bit–Duke Anies’s life will be in danger.’
Morrison looked at Carlton–he thought the mercenary would oppose putting the young lord in danger. Surprisingly, though, Carlton nodded his approval. “I think that would be the best way forward. Though, I loathe that my Duke will be used as bait.”
Carlton was a cool-headed, brilliant strategist, so he knew that this wasn’t the time to be stubborn.
With the three in agreement, everything progressed smoothly. Luisen returned to the terrace, and Carlton and Morrison moved into their counterattack positions.
When the blue flames soared inside the banquet hall, Carlton also launched an attack. He ambushed Ruger, and Luisen didn’t miss that opportunity to move away from his would-be kidnapper.
Once again, Carlton blocked Ruger’s way when the ex-attendant tried to chase after the young lord.
“You again!” Ruger shouted angrily. Every time he thought that he had Luisen in hand, Carlton appeared and interfered. Unforgivable. Ruger jumped at the mercenary, moving with a hitherto unseen ferocity.
Luisen avoided being caught up in their attacks and threw a wine bottle to save the Eastern Great Lord. Their counterattack had been successful thus far.
‘I thought I was in trouble when they mentioned killing me…’
It was worth putting up with those threats and trusting in Carlton and Morrison, though.
After being chased for so long, the young lord was so elated to see their astonished faces. He was so happy that he almost laughed out loud; right now, Luisen thought they wouldn’t lose.
“Do you think you can win like this? What are you all going to do alone?!” The ninth worshiper began casting a spell; the monsters in the banquet hall rushed forward simultaneously. Ruger moved with them.
Carlton and Morrison stepped forward; Luisen found a safe location to avoid the chaos. In addition to their numerical disadvantage, the mercenary and inquisitor had to keep Luisen and the unconscious nobles in mind. Nevertheless, the two were not forced back at all.
Morrison, as a heretic inquisitor, specialized in combating heretical demonic worshippers, and Carlton was strong enough to surpass their magical powers. Moreover, the two were well-matched in battle, working in tandem to defeat the worshippers and monsters alike.
Even though their opponents fought back with all their might, Carlton’s and Morrison’s momentum could not be stopped. The demon worshippers tried to press back by using the dark red fog, but that too was a failure.
As Morrison’s blue flames grew in intensity, the dark red fog that filled the banquet hall began to fade. The demon worshiper’s magic was being purified by the inquisitor’s divine power.
At that point, those who were unconscious began to wake up. They were appalled at the current state of the banquet hall.
The sight of the living corpses, the intimidating direwolves, and the seemingly suspicious men fighting against Luisen’s group just felt so unnaturally–horribly–unrealistic. In particular, their jaws dropped when they looked at Carlton and Morrison–whom they had ignored–in the throes of combat.
“Everyone, come to your senses!” Luisen’s cry snapped everyone to attention. “Please take care of the people around you and evacuate the banquet hall! Those monster-like things are outside the mansion as well, so hide in whatever room you can find!”
“B-But there’s flames.”
“If you’re innocent, you’ll be able to pass through without being hurt. Hurry!”
With Luisen’s order, the aristocrats, faithful to the pecking order of the nobility, began to move their bodies even if they were still confused by the whole situation. The Eastern Great Lord walked closer to the Luisen with the support of a few other nobles. “What in the world is going on here? What happened?”
“I’ll explain it all later.”
The situation was just too urgent to fend off questions one by one.
“It’ll be very chaotic outside. The Duke should lead the others out.” Luisen requested.
“What about you? Aren’t you going to flee to safety?”
“I’ll have to finish my business here.”
Moreover, one Carlton was better than dozens of nobles; the demon worshippers were aiming for Luisen, so they would go wherever the young lord went. Even now, Luisen could feel Ruger’s sticky gaze–the ex-attendant continued his battle with the mercenary but still continued to stare at his former lord.
It would be safer to be protected where Carlton could see rather than to hide haphazardly elsewhere.
The Eastern Great Lord, who was ignorant of the full situation, was moved. “You’re…. I didn’t know you were so self-sacrificial. It seems my people-judging eyes have been blind.”
‘It seems the old man misunderstood something.’ Luisen felt a bit bitter, but he could not afford to disabuse the older noble of his delusion: only when the Eastern Great Lord went out and quickly directed the knights would they be able to stem the flow of ghouls from outside.
Luisen chased out the tearful Eastern Great Lord. Thanks to the older noble’s deep faith, the blue flames gained strength when the Eastern Great Lord ran through with powerful steps, which were rare in men that age.
Morrison and Carlton played their parts faithfully while Luisen gathered people up from behind them. This left Morrison and Carlton versus two demon worshippers, Ruger, and a few monsters.
The two were not pushed back, even until the end, and instead subdued their enemies. They steadily sliced off a monster’s head or leg to neutralize them, cinching victory.
The most prominent figure in the battle was Carlton. He went wild, as if to prove that his rise to his present position was based on personal ability. Simultaneously, he continued to confirm and check on Luisen’s safety, and he did not miss any monsters that dared to approach the young lord.
‘What a monster of a human being…’ The ninth worshiper gnashed his teeth.
They could understand the forceful movements of the inquisitor–he was a warrior raised with all of the Church’s might. However, Carlton was an overwhelming pressure despite the fact that he was a mercenary who hadn’t received a proper education. Even though the worshippers deliberately sent attacks towards Luisen, Carlton didn’t miss a thing.
Even Ruger, who showed excellent promise and had outstanding grades while he trained to become a knight, was no match for the mercenary.
‘We can’t continue like this–when will we get an opportunity like this again?’
The entire manor had been thoroughly and rigorously prepared. If their scheme had progressed as planned, the world would be thrown into great turmoil. When the world above turns into hell, their god, who lived underneath hell itself, would be able to ascend and enter this world!
However, their plan was completely ruined. The twelfth worshiper was knocked half-unconscious, and there were no more monsters available in their command. The flames that Morrison created became gradually stronger due to the faith of those present as he continued to fight the demon worshippers. As a result, the ninth worshiper felt like his strength was growing weaker and weaker.
The odds were stacked against them. Grand plan or not, they would be caught by a heretic inquisitor at this rate. Their fate, once caught, was bound to be miserable.
However, clever villains always have an ace up their sleeves; the ninth worshiper had a hidden card as well.
The ninth worshiper stared at Ruger; the man looked more at Luisen than his own colleagues. Even in the midst of battle.
“Hehehehehe.” The ninth worshiper laughed–a dark sound. He directed his last ghouls to rush at Morrison. Then, he ran towards the twelfth worshiper’s side and sliced the person’s arm without hesitation.
Even though he was half-unconscious from pain, the twelfth worshiper’s body flinched and jumped.
“I sacrifice my colleague’s arm.”
The severed arm decayed almost instantly; a dark, green smoke rose up from the limb. The smoke took on the form of a mountain goat and rushed towards Carlton. A terrible noise–like someone was screaming–rang out.
“Kngh!” Carlton couldn’t avoid the attack and threw out his sword. Though the blade cut the green mountain goat’s head in half, the smoke rushed over the mercenary. It felt as if he was being wrapped in mold. He wasn’t fatally injured due to Morrison’s blessing, but the mercenary stumbled due to his obstructed vision.
As soon as Carlton’s feet were tangled, the way to Luisen was clear. The ninth worshiper shouted in the midst of the chaos, “This is an order, Ruger! Kill Luisen Anies!”
The ninth worshiper’s command was Ruger’s Lord’s command.
Ruger reflexively ran towards Luisen as he was ordered. Morrison tried to head towards them once he saw what was happening, but the twelfth worshiper barely managed to drag himself awake and engage the inquisitor–the person mustered up the dregs of his tenacity to help his colleague in any way possible.
Ruger reached the young lord without any interference. He raised his sword; Luisen was defenseless and powerless to stop Ruger’s attack. Killing the young lord would be as simple as killing a fawn.
However, as soon as Ruger’s eyes met the blue eyes of his former master, Ruger was unable to move his body. Like the legendary Medusa’s curse, it felt like his whole body became a stone lump.
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At that moment, he imagined his sword stabbing the young lord’s white, thin neck, and he shuddered. When he thought of Luisen dying, he felt terrible, as if he had thrown himself into the cold sea in the middle of winter. Deeper than any despair, darker than any melancholy…Pain that felt indescribable.
Ruger thought, ‘I can’t.’
He couldn’t kill this man…No–he didn’t want to kill this man.