Chapter 452: Another Secret Weapon (2)
Raul’s face contorted with disbelief upon hearing Gartros’ suggestion.
“Lure him? Are you saying we should attempt assassination?”
“It’s something similar,” Gartros replied nonchalantly, his words reflecting his detachment from the harsh realities of the world.
Raul shook his head at Gartros’ naïveté.
“Do you really think that would work? If such methods were viable, we would’ve used them already. Unless he’s a fool, there’s no way to lure him out.”
The Count of Fenris was a Master. To assassinate someone of his caliber, it would take the combined efforts of multiple superhuman-level individuals from the ducal families.
Even if an assassination squad managed to infiltrate successfully, Ghislain’s subordinates were formidable in their own right. They boasted a significant number of knights and troops.
And if the superhumans dispatched by their side ended up being annihilated by Fenris' forces? That would mark the end of the war.
At Raul’s pessimistic response, Gartros shook his head.
“I’m not suggesting we kill the Count of Fenris. Targeting the Marquis of Ferdium or his younger sister should suffice, don’t you think?”
That proposal sounded even more absurd. Raul frowned deeply.
“Their deaths wouldn’t change much. On the contrary, it would likely enrage the Count of Fenris, making him fight us with even greater ferocity. Unless we seize Ferdium and utterly crush him, assassinating such individuals is pointless…”
As Raul spoke, he suddenly realized something and nodded.
“So the aim is to divert his attention.”
“Exactly. During the barbarian invasion, didn’t the Count of Fenris make a move in response? There’s no reason we can’t use a similar method again. Wasn’t it nearly successful the last time, if not for Amelia’s intervention?”
“Hmm…”
“We don’t need to divert the entire Northern Army. As long as the Count of Fenris separates from them to rescue his family, it will be a success.”
Gartros’ reasoning was plausible. However, when Raul carefully considered the current circumstances and the available forces, he shook his head again.
“Sending ordinary assassins won’t be enough. In fact, this is a time of war. Getting assassins to even reach the target won’t be easy.”
Throughout history, assassination had been one of the greatest fears of rulers. That’s why locations where nobles resided were fortified with extraordinary defenses, bolstered through generations.
It was an unspoken agreement among nobles that seizing power through assassination would never be acknowledged. Moreover, the success rate of such operations was notoriously low.
Raul himself would have gladly eliminated Ghislain if it were possible. But if it were that simple, he would have done it long ago.
Raul pointed this out directly.
“Ferdium has grown far stronger than before. Even if we send elite assassins, they’ll likely be intercepted before even reaching the territory.”
Thanks to the mana cultivation techniques refined by the Count of Fenris, the number of knights and soldiers had significantly increased.
Naturally, checkpoints and border inspections had been tightened, and lords and nobles were taking meticulous precautions against assassinations.
“While the Count of Fenris is infamous for his recklessness, his actions so far suggest he has a surprisingly meticulous side. There’s no way he wouldn’t have prepared against attempts on his family.”
The idea of a small group of assassins infiltrating and eliminating the target was almost laughable. Most would be captured as suspicious before they even reached their destination.
Even Lavierre, a superhuman, had failed to shake off his pursuers, eventually dying while on the run.
Gartros was aware of these facts. But he wasn’t insisting on a flawless assassination.
“We’ll have to discard a significant piece of our own. A strong enough piece to infiltrate their territory and compel the Count of Fenris to act.”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“The Black Moon.”
“...Lord Gartros. That is…”
“There’s an organization that protects the ducal families from the shadows, isn’t there? I’ve heard they’re skilled enough to have eradicated the shadows that once protected Ritania from darkness. We even saved the life of their leader back then, so we could borrow their aid.”
Raul instantly shook his head.
“That’s impossible. They exist solely to guard the ducal families. Count Balzac would never permit such a thing.”
“His Highness would. Didn’t they keep the leader alive just to use him as a disposable tool? Now is the time to put him to use.”
“…”
“Sacrifice them for the greater good. Spread rumors about the assassination plot. If the Count of Fenris wishes to save his family, he’ll have no choice but to act.”
“…”
“With any luck, the Count of Fenris might even perish alongside them. After all, they are the kingdom’s most elite assassins.”
“Lord Gartros, isn’t this plan far too reckless…”
“And if we advance during that window?”
Gartros’ eyes burned with fervor.
He didn’t care about the sacrifices of others. His mind was consumed with the desire to seize the capital as quickly as possible and claim the royal family’s treasure.
Gartros pressed on.
“We may only get one chance, but the individual in question has reached the superhuman realm. Even with precautions, would the Count of Fenris remain idle upon hearing that a superhuman is targeting his family?”
“…”
“Count Fenris will inevitably have to move to save his family. Without him, the Northern Army will never be able to stop our High Priests and the Duke’s forces.”
Raul fell into contemplation at the plausible words.
The Northern Army would move to a safer location as soon as they handled the eastern rift. They couldn’t consolidate their forces on the front line. In other words, the only ones remaining on the southern front would be the Kingdom’s forces.
First, they would advance eastward to lure part of the Kingdom’s forces, while simultaneously conducting overt assassination operations using superhumans in Ferdium.
‘Count Fenris will have to choose between helping the East or his family.’
No matter which choice he made, they would immediately strike the remaining Northern Army and Kingdom’s forces, march to the capital, and overthrow the royal family.
Without Count Fenris, no one could stop the Duke’s forces, which were led by High Priests with superhuman capabilities.
A prolonged war could wait until after that. For now, toppling the royal family took precedence.
Raul agreed that Gartros’ plan was entirely feasible.
“Indeed, if they move as planned, it’s not entirely impossible. However, we’d need to use the ultimate blade guarding this place.”
“Once the operation succeeds, no one will come here. Everyone will be too focused on reclaiming the capital.”
“Hmm…”
“Sending assassins throughout the Kingdom to sow chaos might also be a good move. It would heighten their vigilance even further. Even if targeting high-ranking nobles is difficult, lower officials and minor aristocrats should be manageable.”
“That’s to make Count Fenris even more wary of assassinations?”
“Exactly. Spread rumors, leak information do whatever it takes to force him into action.”
Raul mulled over the idea. The Duke would undoubtedly approve of this plan. In fact, he was bound to strongly support Gartros’ suggestion. The Duke was a man who cared little for his own safety.
Eventually, Raul let out a sigh and nodded.
“Let’s proceed. I’ll think further about the details.”
The leader of the Black Moon might have been a master-level figure, but Raul couldn’t guarantee that he could kill Count Fenris.
Even sending a superhuman-level assassin alone wouldn’t guarantee success. Adding more people wouldn’t help if they were incompetent. This meant they needed skilled individuals for the task.
And those individuals would ultimately die in Ferdium.
Still, if they could force Count Fenris to act, it would be a profitable trade. Even better if the assassins managed to perish alongside him.
“You’ve thought this through well. This time, it will surely succeed,” Gartros said, smiling with satisfaction.
Raul immediately gave instructions to his strategists.
“I will meet with the leader of the Black Moon. Make the preparations.”
The Black Moon’s assassins were scattered throughout the Duke’s fortress, Eclipse, monitoring its interior for any unusual occurrences. Their leader resided deep in the underground of the Duke’s estate.
After navigating a maze-like path, Raul reached a stone chamber and opened its door.
Creak…
In the center of the dark stone chamber was a magic circle. The aura it exuded was eerily similar to that of a rift magic circle. Even the abundance of corpses beside it was reminiscent.
However, unlike a rift magic circle, this one was much smaller and focused its energy on a man seated in its center.
The man’s entire body, including his face, was wrapped in bandages, leaving only his eyes and mouth exposed.
With each breath, he exhaled a black aura that lingered and swirled around him.
“Melchior.”
At Raul’s voice, the man called Melchior opened his previously closed eyes. Wheezing through a raspy breath, he asked:
“Is His Highness in danger?”
“No.”
“Has someone breached the fortress?”
“No, not that either.”
Suddenly, Melchior’s body seemed to meld into his surroundings, becoming faint and indistinct.
Whoosh!
In an instant, a dense darkness surged forth, and Melchior appeared right before Raul. His growling voice carried an edge of anger.
“Then… could it be that woman? The one who turned me into this wretched state!”
Raul shook his head.
“No, it’s not her. That was over twenty years ago. We’ve found no traces or signs of activity. By now, it’s safe to assume she’s dead.”
“Can you be sure?”
“They said she was gravely injured, even her mana core shattered. No one could survive long in such a condition.”
“That woman was born with divine power. Even with her core broken, she wouldn’t be easy to kill.”
“Even so, it’s unlikely she survived those injuries. If she had made any moves, our intelligence network would’ve detected it.”
“She was an assassin who used techniques similar to mine. Are you truly certain she hasn’t been found?”
Raul hesitated briefly at the remark.
‘Surely, in Fenris…’
Among the individuals investigated by the Intelligence Department, there were some who used similar techniques.
However, their ages and periods of activity didn’t align. Neither did their hair colors. The woman Melchior sought had blonde hair, while the individual apprehended by the Intelligence Department did not.
‘No, wait, there were plenty of assassins of that caliber in other kingdoms too. Like the leader of Raypold’s Wildcat Smuggling Gang.’
The techniques used by assassins were often similar. There was no need to complicate matters with baseless speculation.
Eventually, Raul shook his head again.
“No. They’re certainly dead, so there’s no need to dwell on it any further.”
“…I see.”
Melchior fell silent for a moment.
Truthfully, he had suspected the person he was searching for was already dead. He simply wanted revenge against the one who had inflicted such a wound upon him. Back then, he had suffered a clear defeat.
But it seemed his opponent had succumbed to their injuries and left this world as well.
Suppressing his turbulent emotions, Melchior spoke in a somber tone.
“…Then why have you come here?”
“An enemy has appeared that needs to be dealt with.”
“So, the time has come to use my life.”
“…It’s a life patched together by force, but you should be able to contribute one more time.”
It was the Duke of Delfine and the priests of the Salvation Church who had saved Melchior from the brink of death. They couldn’t simply allow someone of his caliber to perish.
After all, Melchior had reached the level of Master over twenty years ago.
To make use of that extraordinary skill once more, they had kept him alive, binding him to life and ensuring he couldn’t die so easily.
Hearing this, Melchior nodded obediently.
“Very well. I can fight one last time before I die.”
He was, after all, the hidden blade of the Ducal Family. His role was to eliminate their enemies. That was both his destiny and his mission.
Although his assignment had shifted to protecting the Ducal Family after suffering an irreparable injury, his original task was to kill.
“Who is the target? I hope it’s someone worthy of burning away what remains of my life.”
“The Count of Fenris.”
Melchior’s expression showed a flicker of disappointment.
“An unfamiliar name.”
“That’s to be expected. He emerged while you were resting here.”
“What about his skills?”
“He’s a Master.”
At those words, Melchior’s eyes gleamed with excitement. For his final act, this was an opponent he could truly savor.
Such a foe couldn’t simply be killed outright. That would be far too dull.
Licking his lips suddenly, he asked, “Does he have family?”
“He has a father and a younger sibling.”
“Then, as in the past, may I start by killing his family? Watching a skilled individual suffer is truly an art form. I’d also like to spread my name before I die.”
Melchior was a cruel assassin who fancied himself a high-caliber artist. He always preferred to systematically eliminate his targets’ loved ones first, one by one, before going for the kill.
He believed the mental collapse and despair of a strong opponent were the pinnacle of beauty.
However, his malicious inclinations had been curtailed after suffering a severe defeat over twenty years ago.
Raul responded with a matching smile.
“On the contrary, that’s what I was going to ask of you. The longer this drags on, the better it is for us. Kill anyone you can family or otherwise.”
“Shall I move out immediately?”
“No, wait until the priests gather and the war begins. This is a hastily conceived operation, so we need time to prepare.”
Raul smiled. He had played his strongest card a card reserved for a moment like this, one that could only be used once.
This time, even the Count of Fenris would have no choice but to fall.