Chapter 241 240

Ministry of Defense — Marleyan Capital

The atmosphere inside the minister's office was heavy enough to suffocate.

A thick carpet muffled footsteps. Heavy curtains blocked out the city beyond, sealing the room in artificial calm. At the center of it all stood Cavill—Marley's military marshal, minister of defense, and supreme commander of the armed forces.

His fist slammed against the desk.

"You useless bastard!" Cavill roared. "I've given you three days. Three days! If you still can't capture or kill those troublemakers by then, don't bother showing your face in front of me again!"

Standing rigidly at attention before the desk, Major General Ross looked as though he had swallowed broken glass. His uniform was immaculate, but his face was pale, the veins in his neck taut with strain.

Cavill drew in a sharp breath, forcing his temper down.

After a moment, his voice lowered—still cold, but no longer explosive.

"Ross," he said, "you're one of my oldest subordinates. You should understand the position I'm in."

He leaned forward slightly.

"The Middle Eastern delegation will arrive soon. If those reactionaries aren't eliminated before they arrive—if they manage to make contact with the delegation—then this ceases to be an internal security issue."

His eyes hardened.

"It becomes an international one."

Ross clenched his jaw.

"Marshal, I understand," he replied solemnly. "Within three days, I will eliminate every last one of them."

Cavill studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly.

A sharp, ruthless glint flashed through his eyes.

"It's better to kill a thousand by mistake," he said coldly, "than to let a single one slip through."

"Yes, Marshal!" Ross snapped, saluting sharply.

He turned and moved toward the door.

Before his hand could reach the handle, the door opened from the outside.

A man stepped inside.

He was tall and well-dressed, his posture elegant, his long golden hair tied neatly behind him. His expression was gentle, almost warm, and his eyes carried the calm confidence of someone accustomed to power.

With a faint smile, he spoke.

"Marshal, is it truly appropriate to speak of my compatriots in such terms?"

Cavill's expression darkened instantly.

"Willy Tybur," he said sharply. "Stop pretending."

He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing.

"Tell me—what brings you here today? Aren't the women in your manor enough to keep you entertained?"

Cavill had never concealed his distaste for the man standing before him.

The Tybur family was the oldest noble house in the Marley Empire, their status transcending even the military and the state itself. Though Eldian blood flowed through their veins, they were treated as honored exceptions—symbols, not subjects.

To Cavill, that alone made them dangerous.

Someone who could betray their own people for personal survival and power was capable of betraying anyone.

Willy Tybur, however, showed no sign of offense.

He merely smiled and stepped forward, folding his hands politely.

"I've heard that a reactionary organization has been causing considerable unrest lately," he said calmly. "Reports suggest they possess the power of the Jaw Titan."

His eyes flickered briefly.

"I've come on behalf of my family to express our condolences to the Ministry of Defense. If the Marshal requires assistance, the Tybur family would be willing to help."

"No need," Cavill replied immediately. "We'll handle it ourselves."

His tone left no room for discussion.

Outwardly, the Tybur family had remained neutral for generations. They had never openly opposed Marley's rule and had even contributed greatly to the empire's founding and continued stability.

And yet—

Those who are not of my kind will never truly share my heart.

That belief ran deep within Marley's leadership.

Marley had always been wary of the Tybur family.

If they could abandon their own people, they could abandon Marley just as easily.

Cavill's eyes sharpened slightly.

The fact that Willy Tybur had mentioned the Jaw Titan so directly put him on guard.

This family never acts without profit.

The Tybur family already possessed the War Hammer Titan. The Jaw Titan, by rights, belonged to the Galliard family.

Years ago, due to the failure of Marcel Galliard, that power had fallen into the hands of Paradis Island, severely damaging the Galliard family's standing within Marley.

The Tybur family had never been particularly friendly with the Galliards.

And now—

The Jaw Titan had appeared on the mainland.

Originally, Marley intended to reclaim that power and return it to the Galliard family to stabilize internal balance.

But Cavill could see it clearly.

Willy Tybur had other ideas.

Thinking of the influence the Tybur family had accumulated over more than a century, Cavill felt a headache forming.

Even as a marshal, he could not simply crush them.

The internal power structure of the Marley Empire was a delicate web—maintained through compromise, rivalry, and mutual restraint. Breaking that balance could trigger consequences far worse than the current crisis.

Especially now.

With the Middle Eastern Coalition watching closely.

Hearing Cavill's firm refusal, Willy Tybur merely nodded.

"If the Marshal believes the situation is under control, we will not interfere," he said evenly. "Of course, should you require our assistance in the future, my family will not refuse."

"There won't be such a day," Cavill replied with a thin smile.

"In that case," Willy said gently, "I'll take my leave."

He bowed slightly, every movement reflecting the refined restraint expected of an ancient noble house.

Nothing appeared amiss.

But the moment he turned his back—

The warmth vanished from his face.

His expression collapsed into something dark and cold, his eyes reflecting calculation rather than courtesy.

The door closed behind him.

Major General Ross, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, hesitated before speaking.

"Marshal… that man—"

Cavill raised a hand sharply.

"Enough."

His voice dropped to a whisper.

"Do not concern yourself with him. Your only task is to capture those bastards and execute them all."

"Yes, Marshal!"

Ross saluted and left the office, his mind already racing through plans of purges, raids, and cordons.

As the door shut, Cavill leaned back and exhaled heavily.

"These are troubled times," he muttered. "Let there be no more complications."

He lowered his head and returned to the stack of documents on his desk.

As the highest military authority in Marley, his days were relentless—briefings, orders, logistics, diplomacy.

If not for the scale of the recent unrest—

Thousands of soldiers were killed.

Five armories destroyed.

Chaos erupting within Marley's own territory—

He would never have personally involved himself.

But this time, the threat was too blatant.

Too bold.

Too close.

He had barely finished scanning the next report—

When a gunshot cracked through the building.

Shouts erupted instantly, echoing through the corridors.

Cavill's head snapped up.

"What's going on?!"

He stood abruptly and strode toward the window.

Below, in the courtyard of the Ministry of Defense—

Ross staggered.

A bullet tore through his head.

Blood sprayed.

His body collapsed without a sound.

Cavill's pupils shrank violently.

Before his mind could process what he was seeing—

Another gunshot rang out.

Instinct took over.

Cavill ducked—

Too slow.

The reinforced glass window shattered.

A sharp, burning pain exploded through his shoulder.

The impact hurled him backward, crashing into his desk as papers scattered into the air.

The world spun.

"I was… shot?"

That was the last coherent thought Cavill had—

Before darkness claimed him.

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A/N: S1 Ends Here Stay Tuned for future updates :)

Support: /Narrator_San