LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 304:
TL: Etude
On August 18th of the Holy Calendar, the Alda army, having regrouped and repaired, resumed their march. By the 20th, they had crossed the border of the direct territory of the Duke and were heading straight for Center City.
On the 19th, Marltz Kent assembled an army to intercept the Alda forces but was again soundly defeated. From that point on, the road to Center City was unobstructed.
The news that the usurper had no more troops to deploy spread quickly throughout the entire Northwest Bay, and the other lords in the alliance resumed their offensive. They simply bypassed Fort Bidou, leaving only a small force to watch over the garrison there.
In late August, the three major countdoms, which had been maintaining a neutral stance, along with other independent lords, declared their support for the alliance and denounced the illegitimacy of Marltz Kent’s ascendancy.
Many lords who had previously sided with Marltz Kent switched allegiances, announcing their surrender to the alliance. Even those who did not formally surrender were secretly negotiating with the alliance, with Paul Grayman being the most sought after, as everyone knew who had contributed the most in this war.
On the evening of August 25th, the Duke’s mansion received news that the Alda army was less than 20 miles from Center City. If all went well, they would arrive in Center City the next day.
At that time, Center City, the largest city in the Northwest Bay, was in turmoil, and the people were in panic. The Duke’s mansion at the city center was especially desolate.
Where once the mansion was bustling with visitors, now it was eerily quiet. More terrifying were the frequent disappearances and deaths within the mansion, with every discovered victim found drained of blood, leading to rampant and exaggerated rumors.
The impending siege and mysterious horror incidents left the entire city of Center City anxious.
On the afternoon of August 26th, the Alda army, having recruited additional auxiliary troops, reached the outskirts of Center City with nearly 6,000 men, effectively blocking all three city gates. After a brief rest and lunch, they began bombarding the city at 2 PM.
The bare-chested gunners worked tirelessly, firing one cannonball after another. Despite shelters erected to shield from the summer heat, the artillery positions were still stiflingly hot, with the cannon barrels becoming scorching hot after a few shots, necessitating the pouring of cool water to reduce the heat.
The bombardment was merely a cover; conventional siege tactics were too inefficient and costly for a fortress like Center City. Paul’s plan was to dig tunnels near the city walls, create large holes, place substantial amounts of gunpowder, and then detonate to collapse the walls.
Thus, many soldiers began the underground operation, digging towards Center City’s city walls bit by bit.
…
Marltz Kent sat alone in the empty grand hall of the Duke’s mansion, reminiscing about everything that had happened since Barnett’s plan began.
Half a year ago, in this very hall, the lords of the Northwest Bay gathered to celebrate the birthday of the then-Duke Ferdinand. It was on that day that the old Duke announced him as the successor, and Marltz still vividly remembered the shocked, fearful, and resentful look in the eyes of the Duke’s brother, Viscount Henry.
It was probably around that time that a conspiracy against him began to brew.
Price Parker, Paul Grayman, Morley Malkan… each and every one of them, those rats from the sewers, those maggots from the latrine, must have been watching him with jealous and twisted eyes from the corners of the hall.
Ah, he should have thrown them into the dungeon right then and there. Maybe then, so many troubles would have been avoided, and certainly, the current situation wouldn’t have arisen.
Speaking of dungeons, the Ferdinand family’s escape tunnel actually had an entrance in the mansion’s dungeon. After that fool Henry escaped, Marltz had the walls and floor tiles of the dungeon nearly dismantled, eventually uncovering the secret tunnel. Damn it, how could he not have considered such a possibility?
However, even without Henry Ferdinand, Parker and Grayman would have probably found another reason to oppose him. Those villains would never have let him sit comfortably on the Duke’s throne.
“Hmph, you don’t let me live in peace, and you killed my son; I won’t let you off easy either,” Marltz thought, pondering the plan he had already devised. Yes, he had indeed lost in direct confrontation, but the real play was just beginning. He would become a nightmare, a terror that his enemies could never rid themselves of.
“Haha, Duke, enjoying your leisure, aren’t you?” a voice laced with mockery suddenly echoed in the hall.
Marltz jumped up, startled. Despite his heightened senses, he hadn’t noticed anyone entering the hall.
A figure in a black cloak appeared at the door, slowly pulling back the hood to reveal a young, handsome face with an earring on the right ear. However, his somewhat frivolous gaze was irksome.
Wearing a black cloak in the heat of summer, was this man ill?
Clearly, this was no ordinary person. He walked up to the main seat, stopping just across a low table from Marltz.
Marltz, after a moment’s thought, ventured, “Are you… from the Arcane Society?”
The young man smiled and nodded.
“Where is Master Barnett?” Marltz asked.
The young man shook his head: “That gentleman’s whereabouts are mysterious, even to us.”
“Andy has returned? Did he send you to help me?” Marltz asked, not waiting for an answer, he suddenly shouted angrily, “Why have you come so late? It’s already too late.”
The young man spread his hands: “Help? My lord Duke, you might be mistaken. Sorry, I don’t wish to waste words, but something unpleasant is about to happen.”
“Hahahaha!” Marltz burst into hysterical laughter. “So, I’m no longer of any use to you, and you’ve come to kill me to cover your tracks? Fine, I have a score to settle with you too.”
Marltz suddenly lunged, his right hand clawing towards the young man with incredible speed.
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the young man’s face, his entire body abruptly froze. Marltz remained in his attacking posture, as if instantly immobilized.
The young man calmly stepped back and said mockingly, “Duke, you are only partially correct. The more important reason is—”
His eyes suddenly turned cold, and he spoke chillingly, “You dared to threaten a wizard, even if he’s just an apprentice.”
Threaten? Marltz’s mind flashed back to the scene where he pressured Andy to seek help from the Arcane Society.
The young man placed his hand on Marltz’s shoulder and gently pressed down. Marltz, unable to maintain his balance, fell heavily onto the desk below, which had a candelabrum on it. The sharp end, meant for holding candles, pierced through Marltz’s chest and out his back.
Marltz’s rigid body didn’t even struggle, gradually losing life.
The young man’s face regained a hint of a smile, he donned his hood again, and left the hall.
An hour later, several servants carrying food arrived at the hall’s entrance, finding the guards sound asleep and quickly waking them.
The guards were deeply ashamed, being the Duke’s elite yet committing such a basic error.
Probably due to recent overexertion, they thought.
The first servant to enter the hall dropped the food in shock at the scene before him.
Within minutes, news of the unfortunate accidental death of the Duke spread throughout the entire mansion.
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