"Everything's ready?"
"Yes, Master. We will proceed immediately with your orders."
"Mn."
Shido nodded as he watched his subordinates carry out the tasks he had assigned. He had to admit, Marquis Raeven was exceptionally capable, he had even managed to subdue Prince Zanac, his former ally.
However, considering Marquis Raeven's silver tongue, along with his cunning and manipulative nature, it was no longer surprising that Prince Zanac had switched sides. With the Azure Knights serving as a deterrent, the plan fell into place even more smoothly.
It had been three days since then, and during the time spent finalizing their plan, Shido also happened to meet Prince Zanac.
As for Prince Zanac, he was beyond shock. He could hardly believe that the mastermind behind the chaos was none other than Acheval Dreissen, the leader of the Adamantite Adventurer Group, Metal Vessels."
However, Prince Zanac quickly recognized his rudeness. He bowed his head and apologized, knowing full well that Shido held his life in his hands now. One wrong move, and he could be saying goodbye to the world.
Although it was disappointing to relinquish the throne to someone else, Prince Zanac knew there was nothing he could do. Even with the head knight, Gazef Stroff, standing beside his father, he didn't believe he could overcome the formidable pair of knights at Shido's side.
After all, Prince Zanac had witnessed their power firsthand, watching them reduce his personal guards to lifeless corpses with a single wave of their swords. Prince Zanac believe that their power were comparable or might even be stronger.
However, when he met Shido face to face and understood his plan, Prince Zanac's face lit up a little. It seemed that while Shido aimed to conquer the kingdom, he had no interest in ruling it himself. Instead, he wanted someone else to take the throne, while he remained the ultimate decision-maker behind the scenes.
While it was not that good, it was far better than being a mere slave. Observing Shido, Prince Zanac began to understand his personality, he didn't seem interested in meddling too much in the kingdom's political affairs.
With everything cleared up, Prince Zanac resolved to pledge his loyalty to Shido wholeheartedly.
...
"And now, in the present, everyone knelt on one knee, awaiting Shido's command.
Shido remained silent for a moment before taking off into the sky, surprising many who had never seen anyone fly with such skill. At most, they saw people floating slightly higher on the ground or fly using an item.
His movement did not go unnoticed by those still loyal to King Ramposa III, including Gazef Stronoff and Brain, who decided to assist him."
Everyone held their breath, anxious to see what Shido was planning. All eyes followed as he raised his hand to the sky, his clear voice echoing throughout the castle.
'World Isolation Barrier.'
In an instant, a massive barrier erupted, encasing the entire capital and trapping everyone within.
After casting the massive barrier to ensure no one could escape, Shido fixed his gaze on King Ramposa III and his servants.
...
"That's... Acheval." Gazef Stronoff could hardly believe his eyes. The mastermind behind overthrowing the kingdom was none other than the very person who had fought alongside him.
"You know him, Head Knight?" King Ramposa asked Gazef Stronoff with a worried voice. He was also curious about the identity of the man threatening to overthrow their kingdom.
"Yes... my king." Gazef Stronoff smiled helplessly recalling how he had once tried to recruit him to serve the kingdom. And now, here they were, facing each other on opposite sides.
'Fate could be cruel sometimes.'
"He is the current leader of the Metal Vessels, and we once fought together against the Eight Fingers." After a brief pause, he continued, "His name is Acheval Dreisen, also known as the Black Swordsman."
King Ramposa III was stunned. He had heard of him before, but he never expected Shido to bring this much turmoil to the kingdom. A heavy sigh escaped him as he began to lament his own weakness.
'Is everything going to end under my rule?'
King Ramposa regretted everything. If only he had been more cruel, more decisive ruler, his kingdom might not have descended into a chaos of infighting. Perhaps this current crisis could have been avoided as well, but by now, it was already too late.
Yet his thoughts were abruptly interrupted when his eldest son, Crown Prince Barbro Andrean Ield Ryle Vaiself as he suddenly hurled vulgar curses at Shido. Seeing this, the king was rendered speechless and could only shake his head, disappointed in his son's behavior.
However, as he looked around, he noticed that, aside from his second son, everyone who still supported him was present, including Princess Renner and Climb. Worried, he sent a few guards to search for his son in his chambers.
...
After casting the spell, Shido landed back in front of Marquis Raeven and the others. He couldn't help but be speechless at the audacity of the clown crown prince, who seemed completely oblivious to the situation he was in.
The prince even shouted scolding words, which caused Shido's subordinates, especially the nobles from both factions, to snort in furiously at his foolishness.
Shido decided to ignore that clown and decided to initiate the attack.
"Go, it's time to conquer this kingdom. Spare those who lower their weapon and surrender, but kill those who try to fight back."
"Advance!"
As Shido gave the command, the soldiers of the nobles began pouring into the castle like ants, heralding the inevitable massacre.
Shido ascended into the sky once again to get a clearer view of the battlefield. Yet his attention wasn't entirely on the castle, his eyes also fell on two figures observing the battle from a great distance.
While he was on guard against them, Shido knew they would act only if their plan required it. In the end, he chose to ignore them after confirming they wouldn't interfere.
The battle had only just begun, yet the casualties on King Ramposa III's side were already too great as they were outnumbered by more than ten times.
As for Gazef Stronoff and Brain Unglaus, they were both engaged by a pair of Azure Knights, keeping them in check. However, following Shido's instructions, the knights didn't finish the fight immediately. Instead, they were ordered to wear them down until they could no longer continue.
Everything was going according to his plan.
King Ramposa watched everything in pain, but the sudden appearance of someone important to him on the opposing side nearly made him cough up blood.
Prince Zanac also led his men into the fray, and, by coincidence, his opponent was his foolish older brother. The two clashed on the battlefield as the sound of swords and spears rang out across the castle.
Watching the two brothers fight, King Ramposa III felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He wanted to stop them, but he was powerless, at this moment, he was just an ordinary old man.
As everything unfold, only Princess Renner watched with a calm, composed demeanor. Even Climb was already super tense and ready to protect his princess with his life. What he didn't realize was that the princess he believed to be pure and innocent was actually the most twisted and crazy person in the castle.
However, Princess Renner paid no attention to the chaos around her. Her gaze remained fixed on the figure hovering in the sky, who was also watching her. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as their silent starting contest began.
Just moments ago, she had tried using 'Message' to contact Demiurge and report the situation, but the barrier seemed to block all communication with the outside. With that option useless, Princess Renner could only wait for the battle to conclude and see how it would end.
Yet even without guessing, she already knew which side would emerge victorious.