Chapter 59: Assassination

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Assassination

For the next few days, Vili spent his mornings studying literacy with Mr. Hudier and his afternoons learning Fencing from Olay. Both Hudier and Olay had high praise for the talent and diligence Vili displayed.

During this time, Bamos also brought news about the Snow Pattern Deer. Since its diet had been changed to meat, the deer’s appetite had increased significantly. Disappointingly, however, the Snow Pattern Deer still hadn’t taken a liking to the Baron, and it showed no signs of submission whatsoever.

Vili couldn’t do anything about this either. His Middle Level Beast Tamer ability only provided an affinity bonus with Bronze Level Magical Beast cubs; it had no effect on adult Magical Beasts. As for helping the Baron tame the Snow Pattern Deer, it was simply impossible.

「Nighttime.」

Vili finished his studies for the day, took a hot bath, and was now lying in bed, ready to sleep.

Just as he was starting to feel drowsy, Vili suddenly heard someone shouting inside the building.

"All members of the Personal Guard! Full gear! Assemble! Immediately! On the double!"

In an instant, the quiet of the Personal Guard Bureau’s dormitory was shattered by a sudden commotion.

Hearing the call to assemble, Vili’s drowsiness vanished instantly.

In all his days at the Personal Guard Bureau, he had never witnessed such an emergency.

Vili didn’t hesitate. He got up, changed out of his sleepwear, and donned his custom-made light armor and helmet. Since the order was for full gear, he also fastened his cross sword to his waist and gripped the long spear issued to every member of the Personal Guard.

He hurried downstairs and saw a stream of men all heading toward the training grounds.

Vili saw this and followed the other Personal Guards.

"Captain Morion, what’s going on?"

When he reached the training grounds, Vili saw Morion, the captain of the first squad, standing before the men and barking out orders.

Seeing Vili approach and ask, the stern expression on Morion’s face eased slightly.

To Morion, Vili’s position was awkward. While technically a Personal Guard, he didn’t belong to any of the Personal Guard Team’s three squads. Furthermore, Vili was highly regarded by the Lord Baron and was also a student of Olay’s. As a result, although Morion was a captain, he had no real authority over Vili. He could only treat him with courtesy.

"Word just came in. The Baron has been attacked in his manor."

Morion stated the reason directly.

"The Lord Baron was attacked!?"

Vili was utterly shocked. ’Although Baron Kels isn’t a great noble,’ he thought, ’he’s still a member of the aristocracy. To assassinate him means making an enemy of the entire nobility of the Lanton Duchy. The consequences would be devastating.’

"Is the Lord Baron hurt?"

Vili asked quickly.

Morion nodded. "He was injured, apparently, but his life isn’t in danger. Lord Olay is furious, though. He’s ordered all members of the Personal Guard Team to assemble at the Baron’s Manor and await further instructions."

Vili instantly understood the gravity of the situation. ’His life isn’t in danger, but he’s still hurt. That means the attempt was partially successful. As the head of the Personal Guard Team, Olay is the one primarily responsible for this incident. He can’t escape the blame. Mobilizing the team this quickly must be his way of trying to manage the aftermath.’

"In that case, Captain Morion, I’ll fall in with your first squad for now."

Vili wasn’t assigned to a squad, so it wouldn’t be wise for him to act alone.

Naturally, Morion didn’t refuse.

In less than three minutes, the nearly one-hundred-strong Personal Guard Team was fully assembled.

The squad captains mounted their steeds, and the Personal Guards followed behind at a run.

Morion had offered to find a warhorse for Vili, but Vili refused. His position in the Personal Guard Team was already a sensitive one; there was no need to make himself a special case at such a critical time.

「Baron’s Manor.」

"Lord Baron, this is all my fault!"

Olay performed a knight’s salute, bowing his head and kneeling on one knee before Baron Kels in apology.

Baron Kels’s face was pale. He was bare from the waist up, his chest wrapped in blood-soaked gauze. His breathing was shallow.

"Rise, Olay. This isn’t entirely your fault."

Baron Kels showed no intention of blaming Olay. "When Lanwo joined the Personal Guard Team, you only accepted him after I personally approved it. If anyone is to be held responsible for this failure, it should be me."

"I just never imagined... that Lanwo, after more than ten years in the Personal Guard Team, would turn out to be a traitor..."

A cold glint appeared in Baron Kessel’s eyes.

Half an hour earlier, Baron Kels had been in his study reviewing documents, just like any other day.

As relations between the Lanton Duchy and the Wata Duchy continued to deteriorate, pressure on the border defenses mounted. Although Baron Kels had requested reinforcements from Count Lumbar, the Count had yet to provide any meaningful support. Diamond Town was not the only one of Count Lumbar’s territories bordering the Wata Duchy; other barons and viscounts under his command faced far greater pressure than Baron Kels did.

Just as Baron Kels was wrestling with this frustrating problem, one of his most trusted Personal Guards, Lanwo, paid a sudden visit. The Baron was surprised, as Lanwo was not on duty that day. Still, he wasn’t overly suspicious. After all, Lanwo had been by his side for over a decade.

Upon seeing Baron Kels, Lanwo immediately claimed to have border intelligence to report. But the instant he handed the documents to the Baron, he pulled a hidden dagger from his sleeve and lunged for the Baron’s chest.

Although Baron Kels possessed Knight Level strength, the attack came without warning, and he was still stabbed in the chest. If he hadn’t dodged at the last second, the dagger would have pierced his heart. Seeing that his killing blow had failed, Lanwo gave a signal. Suddenly, five or six other assassins rushed into the study—right inside the heavily guarded manor—and surrounded the Baron.

Baron Kels counterattacked instantly. Despite his grievous injury, he drew on his Knight Combat Power and slew three of the attackers on the spot. The other three, however, managed to escape.

The Baron wanted to give chase, but then his wound began to itch. He realized the dagger had been coated with poison. Left with no other choice, Baron Kels had to abandon the pursuit to treat his injury.

Only then did the Personal Guard Team and the Guard Team notice that something was wrong. It turned out that before the attempt, Lanwo had used his position to transfer some of the nearby Personal Guards and regular Guards away from their posts. The ten guards who remained were caught completely unprepared and silently eliminated by the assassins. The Baron’s defenses had been left wide open.

The enraged Baron immediately ordered a lockdown of the entire manor, and even Diamond Town itself. He dispatched the Personal Guards and the Guard Team, vowing that the assassins must be captured and brought to justice by the end of the night.