Burning flames roared within the hearth, yet they failed to dispel the chill that lingered within the room.
âMy dear Rophis, you were surely joking, werenât you? Are you invoking the name of the Mother Earth Goddess in vain?â
Duke Frank Mitteis of Wolf Fort, looking at the Knight Rophis in his white robe and shiny silver armor, felt a chill running down his spine.
âI apologizeâŠmy liege.â
Rophis said, âThe armour and remains of the knights have been properly collected and taken care ofâŠâ
âMother Earth!â
Frank clasped his forehead and cried out in pain: âWhere did I go wrong? Why does She punish me so?â
Loss of a tenth of his knights was a serious blow for a duke.
After accepting the harsh reality, a wave of rage surged within his heart.
âWho did it? Who dared to dishonourably murder nobles like Andrews?â
His eyes were bloodshot, like a furious wolf king: âThis is a declaration of war against the Wolf Fort and the North Territory!â
âAccording to multiple investigations, we have a prime suspectâŠSu Lu Pottery!â
Rophis relayed the situation calmly, stating Masâs jealousy, Andrewsâs rash actions, along with some speculations.
âWasnât he the young man who came for an audience some time ago?â
Recalling Su Luâs courteous demeanour, Frank found it hard to believe: âAlso, considering Mas and AndrewsâŠAlas, they were, after all, nobles and died thereâŠâ
The instincts of someone in power compelled him to protect his subordinates â it was impossible for him to act âjustlyâ when dealing with an outsider.
Even if he was a duke known for his rigidness and fairness.
âSign an immediate wanted warrant and issue a nationwide manhunt for this murderer of noblesâSu Lu Pottery!â Frank decided without much hesitation: âThe vengeance of the Wolf Family must be cleansed with blood! MoreoverâŠsend a raven to deliver this news to all the castle lords and to His Majesty the King. He is heading south and might venture into the Central Kingdom.â
âAs you wish, milord!â
Rophis respectfully bowed: âThere are other affairs regarding this Su Lu Pottery that Iâd like to bring up.â
âApologies⊠I had forgotten about thatâŠâ
Frank smiled apologetically, his expression quickly turning solemn: âIs it possible that this Su Lu Pottery, who was capable of slaughtering a squadron of knights and even a bronze knight like Andrews, has possibly reached the Silver rank?â
From young, the Duke was taught martial arts, thereby understanding the difficulties involved.
Despite his talent and the huge resources at his disposal, he had only manage to become an official knight.
Such success, within the history of his family, was actually considered an âexcellent achievementâ.
Besides the ancestors, the most powerful in the family lineage should be his grandfather â Leonard Metis â who was reportedly a Silver Knight. He fought valiantly in countless battles without sustaining severe injuries, taking the glory of the Mettis family to new heights.
If confronted with such an enemy, even the Dukeâs family would be in a predicament.
âItâs hard to say⊠However, there is a possibility that his fighting style might lean towards that of an agile knight. While lacking in destructive power akin to the Silver rank, he may possess a fine weapon, or even a Marvel!â
With Spirit Tides running in parallel, âMarvelâ is not a new concept.
But devices that could be passed down for thousands of years, and still function, were rare. They were mainly kept by the royal family and the nobility, seen as the ultimate weapon and resource.
Of course, the Wolf family had some, and this was no stranger to Frank: âSo itâs a MarvelâŠâ
He felt that many things began to make sense.
âItâs not just thatâŠI suspect that he may even be a âwizardâ. At the scene, we detected numerous traces of witchcraftâŠâ
Rophis continued.
Frank felt a throbbing headache again, harboring a fair amount of resentment towards Andrew at this point.
Barging out recklessly resulted not only in his own death but also provoked such a troublesome enemy, truly infuriating!
If the other party were alive, he would definitely scold him severely and even inflict punishment.
But nowâŠ
Frank rubbed his eyebrows: âThe previous arrangement⊠remains unchanged. Also, add a note about the suspected wizard and inform the families to be cautious.â
âYour will is my mission!â
Rophis politely bowed and left, sweeping a glance to one side before striding away rapidly.
By the door, around the corner, there seemed to be a human figure in the shadows.
She stuck out her head to peek inside, seeming a bit apprehensive. She tiptoed backwards in her long dress and almost bumped into a nanny.
âMiss Linna!â
The nanny stared at the small figure and hastily bowed, âWhere are your maids?â
âI told them to rest. You donât need to worry about me!â
Linna said softly. She returned to her room and after closing the door, she stuck out her tongue, as if she had completed a grand adventure: âThe Silver Hand is amazing. He seems to have noticed me.â
âCough cough!â
At this point, a figure seated off to the side could not hold back a cough.
âWho?â
Linna was startled, her fur standing on end like a cat whose tail was stepped on. Upon recognizing the figure, she relaxed and gave a reluctant curtsy: âMother!â
âLinna, how many times have I told you to learn how to be a lady?! But look at what you are doing⊠Skipping classes, frolicking around with JulianâŠâ
Madame Monfari scolded Linna.
âBut⊠Julian is very nice. She taught me a lot and played with meâŠâ Linna tried to defend her friend.
âWhat use is she? A woman who will eventually be married off⊠You should be making friends with Gran and Cecil. They are the heirs to Wolf Fort! Especially Gran! He is the eldest son of the family, the natural heir! He can offer you tremendous help!â
Madame Monfari fumed.
âBut⊠he is just as serious as the Duke, which makes him difficult to approachâŠâ
Linna stuck out her tongue and quickly changed the subject: âI just happened to pass by the Dukeâs study and overheard something frighteningâŠâ
âWhat is it?â
As expected, Madame Monfariâs attention was diverted.
âItâs about that wandering knight from last time. He killed so many people⊠heâs wanted now.â
Linna said desolately.
She originally fantasized that he was the protagonist in a knight novel but it seemed like now, at best, he would only become a major villain.
âThat lowlife who refused my goodwill?â
Madame Monfari grimaced: âNevermind⊠Without taking the hand I offered, he will not receive my help⊠Perhaps tomorrow you will find out that he was hanged at the gallows by Sir Mas.â
âNo⊠Sir Mas is dead. So is Sir Andrews, and a platoon of the North Territory Knights⊠they were all defeated by Su Lu.â
Linna replied honestly.
âWhat?â
Madame Monfari stiffened, dropping the folding fan in her hand.