Chapter 115: Chancellor Corbens’ Distress

“Chancellor, it’s no use. Please evacuate!”

“Your Highness, Your Highness! As you have seen, our attacks do not work on him.”

“Curses… How dare a lowborn wretch defy the royal family…!”

“You lot, get His Highness to safety!”

“Wh-where to!?”

“To the courtyard or the underground chambers—figure it out yourselves!”

Even after taking two full-force attacks, the enemy still counterattacks. No matter what, we must stop the damage from spreading any further.

“Unhand me! If people think I fled out of fear of that man—!”

* * * * * * *

I entered the castle from the attic space beneath the roof, but there was no sign of anyone nearby.

Finding some stairs, I headed down, and although faint, I sensed people. I followed the presence.

Suddenly a door opened and a man stepped out—looked like a soldier, holding a bow.
The moment he saw me, his face froze in shock and he staggered backward.

Peeking into the room, I saw soldiers leaning against the window or sitting on the floor, bows at their sides.

“W-who are you?”

“Who? I’m the one you were shooting arrows at. I’ll let you choose: die here or run away. If you choose to fight, be ready to die.”

Hostility flared. One soldier had already drawn his bow—so I immediately spun him with Whirlwind!

After three soldiers were caught in whirlwinds, the rest fled through another door.

“Enemy inside the castle!”

“It’s a monster! Run!”

—How rude.

Their screams must’ve alerted others, because doors all down the hall burst open and more soldiers rushed out.
Seeing a few readying their bows, I filled the corridor with a fat whirlwind and spun them all.

I created two whirlwinds—one behind, one ahead. Feeding more mana into one, I left it in place while advancing behind the other as a shield.

I opened every door I passed and tossed a whirlwind inside. Too many rooms.

Mana was becoming a concern, so I asked for help.

“Wind spirits, please help—just don’t let me run out of mana.”

The wind spirits appeared—quite a lot of them.

Opening doors became tedious, so I smashed holes in them with my short spear and tossed whirlwinds through.

After I did that three or four times, the spirits seemed to understand. I’d smash a hole, and a whirlwind would immediately tear through the room.

It seemed only soldiers were inside the castle—well, with rocks raining on the place, everyone else would’ve been evacuated.

Arrows occasionally flew at me, but whenever a whirlwind vanished with a boom, I knew they’d used Fireball to fight back. Not bad.

I instantly formed another whirlwind, sent it forward, and continued my advance behind a fresh shield of wind.

I found a staircase and went down, sending a whirlwind ahead—screams rang out occasionally.
No magic came through the wind, so it looked like the mages ran.

Noble mansions usually put offices on the second floor. What about castles?
The first floor should be halls and such—so I decided to explore the second floor.

* * * * * * *

“Prince Meredith, the enemy—the enemy has entered the castle and is rampaging inside!”

“What do you mean ‘entered’?!”

“The soldiers who fled said he suddenly appeared in a fourth-floor corridor. They don’t know if it’s his magic, but storms are raging everywhere, blowing everything away so no one can get close.”

“Send the knight order—no, the magic corps! Tell them I don’t care what casualties they take. He must be eliminated!”

As the messenger ran off, Corbens exhaled a long sigh.
The magic corps likely couldn’t stop that man either.

He needed to stall for time—enough to get the king to safety—and if negotiation was possible, he would have to go himself.

Prince Meredith had now made three—no, four—critical errors.
If he remained in command, the kingdom had no future.

If only His Majesty… if Felix could be entrusted with this…

“Your Highness, for His Majesty’s safety, please withdraw for the moment. Once our defenses are ready, then you may display your strength.”

Every distant crash and scream made Merediths’ cheek twitch.

“Mm… yes. His Majesty’s safety takes priority… Chancellor, I leave this to you!”

With a relieved yet pompous expression, the prince retreated with his attendants—fleeing, really. Corbens watched him go and sighed again, thinking of the stark contrast with Felix.

Ever since naming Meredith crown prince, the king’s judgment had grown dull.
He simply did not understand that Felix was not weak—only thoughtful and cautious.

“Where is the intruder now?”

“Reports place him near the center of the second floor, sir.”

“Pull back all troops. The magic corps as well. Do not obstruct his path.”

“W-what? But His Highness’s orders—”

“I will go. Tell everyone to stay away.”

“You mean… alone, Chancellor?”

“Do you not understand? No one in this castle can stop that man now. His Highness’s repeated misjudgments have caused this disaster. If we fail to negotiate, the kingdom will decline—and our blunders will soon be known to every neighboring nation. We will be mocked.”

* * * * * * *

Resistance abruptly stopped. In fact, even the presence of people vanished.
A large-scale counterattack? Or did they finally decide to bring the reply letter?

With only the wind spirits helping, no one should be able to see anything approaching except me. So I continued forward.
It seemed the second floor held mostly administrative rooms.

My detection net picked up only a few people watching from afar… except one man walking straight toward me.
Maybe someone who could talk? Or…

I stood in the middle of the corridor and waited.
An elderly man in fine embroidered clothing appeared. He studied me, then bowed with elegant composure.

“I am Jesslyn Corbens, Chancellor of the Kingdom of Holtland. You have my respect for your arduous service as the envoy from Sutherland.”

“Is the grand welcome finally over?”

“The one who welcomed you has gone to His Majesty. Regrettably, I myself do not have the authority to promise a ceasefire.”

So the “host” of my welcome was with the king, and even the chancellor couldn’t stop him.
I had thought the king held full command… What now?
If I just left, they’d call me back when the conflict reignited.
If Sutherland could easily win, fine—but that was unlikely.

“You say you’re chancellor, but if you lack authority, could you bring me to someone above you?”

“You wish… to meet His Majesty?”

“It may be insolent for a commoner, but you understand which of us is stronger right now. The castle is half-ruined, the capital and neighboring nations are certainly watching. If the whole castle collapses—well…”

“You mean you could do it? …No, you just might. And if you meet His Majesty, what then?”

“Your country stirred up trouble, causing me no end of headaches. Even if a ceasefire is agreed on, I can already see who your people will target next—me. So before that, I’d like to have a very thorough talk. Consider it a thank-you for the ‘warm’ welcome.”

“True, your power must not be underestimated… but I doubt His Majesty will receive you.”

“Why not?”

“His Majesty is advanced in years. Nearly all state affairs have been entrusted to Crown Prince Meredith.”

“And he’s the one you ‘cannot overrule.’”

“Any advice I give is blocked by his attendants.”

“So if I removed those men…”

“I cannot say such a thing.”

“Is there no more reasonable successor?”

“His elder brother, Lord Felix, exists—but due to slander from those same attendants, he was stripped of his title and is practically confined. I have tried repeatedly to remonstrate with His Majesty, but Meredith and his circle have prevented it.”

Ah.
So the prince and his cronies seized power and decided to flaunt it by provoking another nation.

“If nothing else, allow me to request an audience with His Majesty. Please… grant me one day.”

This old man knew full well:
If he arranged such a meeting, I might end up killing both king and prince—and the guilt would fall solely on me.
Felix would ascend without being branded a patricide, while I would be the monstrous king-killer, hunted forever by Holtland’s knights.

But fine. I would play along.

“Very well. I will wait until noon tomorrow. I’ll use the courtyard.”

“Allow me to guide you.”

Led by the chancellor, I went near the gazebo in the courtyard.
“Strike the bell at noon,” I told him. Then I formed a large dust-colored Dome! and put up a hut inside to rest.

* * * * * * *

Corbens nodded at Leon’s request, and in an instant a massive earth-colored dome rose up, hiding him from sight.

So this was the barrier that had defied all magical attacks?
It was unlike any barrier magic he knew, unlike any earthen dome either.
But if he dared to create one right in the middle of enemy territory, it must have been unimaginably strong.

All that remained was persuading His Majesty and Prince Meredith—and silencing their attendants.
After witnessing Leon’s power, perhaps it could be done.

Felix was essential for negotiations.

“Listen well,” 

Corbens commanded the knights. 

“Until I return, let no one approach this dome.”

With that, he hurried away.

* * * * * * *

“What troubles you, Meredith?”

“F-Father—Your Majesty, that man is a monster! He infiltrated the castle. We sent the magic corps, but they were no match for him!”

“So you ran? Where is all that talk you spout every day? In that case Felix would be the better choice!”

“N-nonsense! I am not a coward like elder brother! Once I confirm Your Majesty is safe, I shall lead the entire army myself and crush him!”

“Your Majesty, we too shall give our full strength to aid Prince Meredith!”

“Prince Meredith is nothing like the indecisive Lord Felix!”

“Then bring that insolent man before me at once!”

“Yes, Your Majesty—at once!”