Published: July 4, 2025
The moment he heard it, Ryo dashed out.
Abel chased after him.
Ryo leaped down the stairs from the third floor, where the conference room was located, all the way to the first floor.
“Seriously?!”
Abel shouted while following closely behind.
As he crashed to the ground, the Flying Ring on his left arm emitted a faint glow, and wind erupted towards the ground.
Of course, it wasn't without damage, but as he landed, he spun around, converting his linear momentum into rotational energy to cushion his fall.
Thanks to that, Abel barely managed to leap out of the front entrance without losing sight of Ryo.
What lay before them was a gruesome scene.
There were hundreds of corpses scattered on the ground.
Floating around a single carriage were talismans, seemingly protecting it.
In front of the carriage stood a man.
His light purple formal attire was that of a grand duke's younger brother.
His long black hair was neatly tied back and held in place with a small crown that shone faintly purple.
He usually had a handsome face, but not now.
Cold.
If it were to be expressed in one kanji character, “冷” would be the most fitting.
No emotions showed on his face; everything was as expected, yet it was unpleasant—almost as if he were silently conveying that message.
Anyone who saw the scene would understand.
The Duke Atinjo was the target of the attack, but it had been completely thwarted.
And it was this purple-clad man who had prevented it.
Naturally.
He was one of the ten masters of the southern sorcerer church… synonymous with being the strongest sorcerer.
The strongest shield protecting his beloved Elder Brother, Duke Atinjo.
“Duke Helb…”
The voice that slipped from Abel's mouth seemed to set time in motion.
“Oh, Lord Abel, Lord Ryo. I apologize for causing you worry.”
Duke Helb's voice and expression had returned to normal.
“Right. Since we anticipated the attack, we should have placed our best cards at the site of the assault,” Ryo said, letting out a small sigh.
“No, I never thought something like this would happen. I ended up counterattacking with all my might… but it can’t be helped. After all, since they drew their bows at the Duke, the death penalty is the only possible outcome.”
Duke Helb said that with an almost refreshing clarity.
For him, this attack was likely a minor issue.
With the presence of rebellious elements, it was best to deal with them all at once.
That was all.
After lightly fixing his attire, Duke Helb opened the carriage door and spoke to the person inside.
“Elder Brother, everything is ready.”
He then fully opened the door.
A man slowly descended from the carriage.
His hair, once black, was now completely white, yet it was neatly tied up on his head and held with a small golden crown.
His complexion lacked luster, making him appear to be a very sick person at first glance.
However, his eyes were sharp.
The intensity of his willpower was something that could not be suppressed.
While the white hair stood out against his navy blue formal attire, one glance at his face made one forget everything else.
That was Duke Atinjo.
The two watched as Duke Atinjo and Duke Helb entered the Supreme Council from the front entrance.
“There was something in the documents about the Duke and Duke Helb being fifteen years apart in age, right?”
“Ah. But for that age difference, Duke Atinjo looks quite old, doesn’t he?”
“Yeah. He looks around seventy.”
“But his eyes are sharp.”
“Exactly. That makes him stand out even more compared to his other features.”
Both of them somewhat understood.
It was likely that the constant resistance against the phantom king and others was making him appear older.
After confirming that Duke Atinjo and Duke Helb had entered the building, Ryo and Abel also passed through the entrance.
“Still, Duke Helb is merciless. How many hundreds died out there?”
“Well, that’s probably why he let them run loose. He allowed the attack so he could counterattack all at once. Duke Helb wouldn’t be one to show mercy.”