Chapter 168: Blowing Off Steam

I used [Gust!] to fire a stone through the mansion’s front doors. After confirming that no one was in the entrance hall, I sent in another enlarged [Whirlwind!] and blew the doors apart from the inside.

The knights who poured in from the main gate leapt off their horses and rushed into the entrance hall.

“We’re the Royal Knights! Servants, get out of the mansion!”

“Anyone who remains inside will be cut down!”

Those who smashed through large windows to enter the mansion, and those chasing out the early-morning servants, turned the place into utter chaos—this must be what pandemonium looks like.

With over two hundred knights storming in, even any guards present would have no chance.

I rose above the mansion and flew across the front of the knights rushing in after hearing the commotion, holding up the royal banner. I wrapped them in [Whirlwind!] and drove them away.

For those still trying to head toward the main building, I created [Tornado!] right in front of them to force them back.

Since [Tornado!] chased them wherever they fled, they couldn’t approach the mansion and instead ran for their lives.

Because [Tornado!] had no fine control of magic output, it would disappear after about three minutes.

Those who had escaped [Tornado!] were already exhausted.

I then flew calmly past them with the royal banner held high and shouted:

“This is an order from His Majesty the King! Anyone who interferes will be severely punished—act accordingly!”

It was basically the behavior of a petty thug abusing authority… but since I was also blowing off steam, I’ll ask for forgiveness.

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The knights who stormed into the mansion grabbed anyone they could find, interrogating them about the entrance to the underground or searching servant passages and stairways, rampaging throughout the building.

Watching them, I almost felt like they were enjoying it more than I was—well, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to ravage a noble’s estate.

The mansion guards were completely outnumbered, and since the attackers were claiming to be Royal Knights, they couldn’t even resist—they were forced to simply watch.

“We’ve found Hamilton Romberg, the heir of Marquis Romberg!”

“Don’t let a single family member escape!”

“Servants, get out of the mansion! …You there, don’t move!”

“You insolent fools! I’m the wife of Timson Romberg! Such disrespect won’t be forgiven!”

“Even better. Bring her here!”

“We’ve found women and children in the underground prison!”

“Good! Signal Sir Leon outside!”

A knight ran out of the mansion, waving the royal flag tied to a spear. It seemed we had achieved our objective.

The rest was Goldrant’s job as acting commander, so I would stay in support.

“Silence! Be silent! Your lord, Timson Romberg, has already been arrested for human trafficking. We came bearing the royal banner to expose the crimes of Marquis Romberg. Anyone who opposes us will be treated as rebelling against the royal family and punished severely!”

Just as I finished speaking, the magic unit appeared.

They began forming ranks, so I summoned another enlarged [Whirlwind!] and swept it left and right in front of them.

Anyone who touched the edge of [Whirlwind!] was flung away.

I moved [Whirlwind!] back and forth, scattering those who tried to stand again.

Taking advantage of my restraint, archers behind them fired a volley of arrows.

If they can’t understand without suffering damage, I’ll just have to show them—I created [Tornado!] and sent it crashing into the archers’ line.

The roaring [Tornado!] swallowed them, and seeing their comrades vanish into it, the rest fled.

Seeing this, the mages also scattered, and even the exhausted knights scrambled to escape.

Once the area around the mansion was cleared of enemies, I took a break on the roof.

“Hey, did you see that?”

“Yeah… we were told we wouldn’t have to fight the Marquis’ army, but this is something else.”

“So he was holding back all this time.”

“And even that was incredible wind magic and tornadoes…”

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“Goldrant, how’s it going?”

“We rescued six victims from the underground prison: five boys and girls who haven’t yet undergone the Independence Ceremony, and one small child. We have also captured members of the household: the heir and fifth son, the lawful wife, the third wife, and seven children.”

“Then leave the interrogation for later. I’ll go call for reinforcements, so prepare to hold the estate.”

“As for that, Sir Leon, they should have left Leclerc around the time you arrived here.”

From the royal capital Leclerc to Jewelron is three and a half days by carriage. Since I left the castle two days ago… they’ll arrive in another two or three days.

So the chancellor had everything planned in advance.

Annoying as it was, I couldn’t afford to slow things down, so I kept quiet.

“Bring Marquis Romberg’s family out to the courtyard.”

“Is that safe?”

“I have to move on to the next location. I’ll keep them inside a dome. It can withstand a coordinated attack from top-tier magicians.”

I enclosed the eleven family members in a dusty magical dome, created a small entrance, then surrounded it with a larger transparent dome.

I marked the entry point on the ground.

“You can enter from this mark. The entrance is small, so they won’t be able to rush in. This dome will last a week, enough time for reinforcements.”

I also prepared similar domes for the rescued victims.

It looked like Goldrant wasn’t very reassured, but I was busy.

I was also worried about the Langueille estate until reinforcements arrived.

I created paired domes facing each other with aligned entrances so defense would be easier.

When I explained it, they asked if I had military training, but this was just basic adventurer survival defense.

After surveying the area from above and confirming the enemy forces had withdrawn, I headed for Jewelron.

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Moorian and Jewelron are only a day apart by carriage, so it should have been a quick trip… but they were under siege.

It was clearly not Royal Knights, but there were far more troops than should have been stationed there.

Then they must be reinforcements from the Langueille family’s main estate in Daniera.

From above, I could see that Josefane’s group was barricaded on the third floor while troops surrounded the building to keep them from escaping.

Since Vincens hadn’t been recaptured, I descended to check the third floor.

The updraft startled the soldiers below, but I maintained altitude at window level and moved horizontally.

When they noticed the royal banner I was carrying, they started shouting and a window opened.

Several heads appeared at the window. Two of the men wore Royal Knights uniforms, and Commander Josefane was among them.

“Captain Josefane, explain the situation.”

“The duke’s heir, Skoltin Langueille, came with troops from Daniera and demanded that we hand over Vincens.”

“I see. Then I’ll blow away the rooms occupied by the duke’s knights, so close the doors and brace them.”

“They’ve barricaded themselves in six rooms and blocked the corridors with furniture. Please wait.”

Even while we talked, arrows kept flying—annoying, but harmless.

“You there! You look like an adventurer—stay away from those impersonating Royal Knights!”

“Come down! Are you the one who insulted Lord Vincens?”

“If you’ve harmed even a hair on him, you won’t be forgiven!”

A group in fine clothing, different from the other knights, shouted at me. Their guards wore light armor bearing the ducal crest.

They looked like a flock of ducks… so these are the ones I should capture first.

“Are you listening, you there!”

“You’re the one rumored to fly in the sky—how dare you look down on a noble!”

“Didn’t you hear us? Come down!”

They were noisy—less like ducks, more like a flock of geese.

As requested, I descended in front of them, then used [Whirlwind!] to blow away the knights below and wrapped the nobles and their guards in a dome.

Their clothes and hair were ruined by the leftover wind, and they were furious.

“Y-you insolent bastard! How dare you disrespect Lord Skoltin Langueille—kneel, and apolo—what’s this?”

They tapped the transparent dome curiously, confused.

“You can listen to your complaints later. Stay still.”

I rose slightly and created a stronger [Whirlwind!] aimed at the duke’s knights leaning from the windows.

“Uoooooo!”

“What’s this wind?!”

“Help meeee!”

“Gyaaaah!”

Furniture shattered, knights screamed, and bodies and debris were thrown from the windows.

I entered the room through the broken window, threw stones at the door with wind force, then sent another enlarged [Whirlwind!] through the hole.

The room turned into chaos, and when I looked inside, it was a scene of destruction—like a field of corpses.

The corridor was completely cleared.

Since I still sensed presence in the next room, I pierced the door with a spear and sent in another [Whirlwind!].

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“Lord Skoltin, there’s a strange wall here!”

“A wall? Something like that exists?”

“It’s here too—it feels like a barrier…”

“We can’t go back either!”

“It seems we’re trapped inside this thing.”

“What’s that sound?”

“Above!”

“Uoooooo!”

They screamed as something fell from above—but it was a knight wearing light armor bearing the ducal crest, unconscious.

“What’s happening?”

“Screams… things are flying out…”

“Could it be that intruder’s doing?”