Raul looked incredulous at Gartros's words.
"Lure him? Are you suggesting assassination?"
"Something similar to that."
Hearing the naive proposal, Raul shook his head.
"Do you really think that would work? If such methods were effective, we would have used them already. Unless that man is a fool, there's no way to lure him out separately."
Count Fenris was a Master. To assassinate such a person would require multiple superhuman-level individuals working together.
Even if an assassination squad managed to infiltrate, Ghislain's subordinates were no pushovers. The knights and soldiers guarding him were formidable in their own right.
And what if the elite assassins sent to face him were annihilated? That would be the end of the war.
Raul's negative response didn't deter Gartros, who shook his head in return.
"The goal isn't necessarily to kill Count Fenris. What about targeting the Marquis of Perdium or Count Fenris's younger sister?"
That suggestion was even more ridiculous. Raul frowned.
"Killing them won't change the overall situation. It might even provoke Count Fenris further, making him fight us with even greater ferocity. Unless we completely destroy Perdium and claim it for ourselves, assassinating such figures would be pointless…"
Raul trailed off, suddenly realizing something, and nodded.
"You're suggesting a distraction."
"Exactly. During the barbarian invasion, Count Fenris moved in response. Why wouldn't a similar tactic work again? If not for Amelia's interference, that plan might have succeeded."
"Hmm…"
"We don't even need to lure the entire Northern Army. If Count Fenris separates from them to protect his family, that alone would count as a success."
The idea sounded plausible. However, after carefully weighing the circumstances and available forces, Raul shook his head again.
"Sending ordinary assassins won't work. We're in the middle of a war. Even getting the assassins close to their targets would be nearly impossible."
Historically, rulers were most wary of assassination. Thus, the residences of nobles were always heavily guarded. Over generations, their defenses had only grown more impenetrable.
While assassinating a ruler to seize power wasn't acknowledged among the nobility, the real problem lay in how slim the chances of success were.
Raul had wanted to assassinate Ghislain himself, but if it had been that easy, it would have already been done.
He pointed out the difficulty.
"Perdium is much stronger than before. Even a skilled team of assassins would be intercepted before they could even set foot in the estate."
Thanks to the mana cultivation method improved by Count Fenris, there were now more knights and soldiers. Border inspections were stricter, and lords and nobles had fortified their defenses against assassination attempts.
"Count Fenris might be notorious for his recklessness, but he's shown himself to be surprisingly meticulous. There's no way he wouldn't have taken precautions to protect his family."
Sending a few assassins to infiltrate and eliminate a target was near impossible. Most would be caught before even reaching their destination.
Even Ravier, a superhuman, had been unable to escape pursuit and was eventually killed while on the run.
Gartros seemed aware of this but was aiming for something different.
"Then we'll have to sacrifice a valuable piece. One capable of infiltrating and forcing Count Fenris to act."
"What do you mean?"
"The Black Moon."
"…Gartros, that's—"
"Isn't there a group that protects the duke from the shadows? They're said to have eliminated the shadows that once safeguarded Lutania in secret. We saved their leader from death; surely they can be persuaded to act."
Raul immediately shook his head.
"That's impossible. They exist solely to protect the Duke. Count Balzac would never allow it."
"The Duke would, though. Isn't their leader alive only because the Duke kept him as a tool? It's time to use that tool."
"..."
"Sacrifice them for the greater good. Then spread rumors about the assassination attempt. Count Fenris will have no choice but to move to save his family."
"...…"
"If we're lucky, Count Fenris might even perish along with them. After all, they're considered the best assassins in the kingdom."
"Gartros, this is far too risky…"
"And if we strike during the chaos?"
Gartros's eyes burned with fervent determination.
He cared nothing for the sacrifices required. All that mattered to him was seizing the capital and securing the royal family's treasure as quickly as possible.
Gartros urged him on.
"We can use this gambit only once, but their leader is a superhuman. No matter how well Count Fenris has prepared for assassinations, would he remain idle knowing a superhuman is targeting his family?"
"...…"
"Count Fenris will have no choice but to move to protect them. Once he's gone, the Northern Army won't be able to stop our high-ranking priests and the Duchy's army."
The argument was compelling, and Raul sank into deep thought.
Once the Northern Army dealt with the eastern rifts, they would retreat to a safer location. They wouldn't remain on the front lines to coordinate with the allied forces. This meant only the Royal Army would remain in the southern front.
Marching east to draw away part of the Royal Army while launching a bold assassination attempt in Perdium might work.
'Count Fenris would have to choose between helping the east or protecting his family.'
Either way, his movement would leave the Northern Army and Royal Army vulnerable, allowing the Duchy's forces, led by high-ranking priests, to push into the capital and capture the royal family.
Raul ultimately agreed with Gartros's reasoning.
"It's feasible. But it would mean deploying our last resort."
"As long as the plan succeeds, no one will be able to reach this place. They'll all be focused on retaking the capital."
"Hmm…"
"Sending assassins to sow chaos across the kingdom is another option. It would heighten tensions and divert their attention. While targeting high-ranking nobles might be difficult, lower officials and lesser nobles could easily be dealt with."
"To further alarm Count Fenris about potential assassination threats?"
"Exactly. Leak rumors, spread misinformation—anything to ensure he's forced to act."
Raul pondered. The Duke would likely approve the plan. In fact, he would wholeheartedly support Gartros's proposal, being a man who cared little for his own safety.
Finally, Raul sighed and nodded.
"Fine. Let's proceed. I'll consider the finer details further."
The leader of the Black Moon was a Master-level fighter, but Raul wasn't convinced they could defeat Count Fenris.
Even sending a superhuman assassin alone might not guarantee success. Attaching too many people would only expose the mission to failure. Only elites could carry it out.
And they would undoubtedly perish in Perdium.
But if their deaths forced Count Fenris to act, it would still be a profitable move. Better yet, if the assassins managed to take him down with them, it would be an extraordinary victory.
Gartros grinned with satisfaction.
"An excellent decision. This time, we will surely succeed."
Raul turned to his advisors.
"Prepare to meet the leader of the Black Moon."
The Black Moon's assassins operated in the shadows of the Duke's Castle, Eclipse, constantly monitoring the castle for internal threats. Their leader resided in the castle's deepest chambers.
After traversing a maze-like path, Raul reached a stone chamber and opened the door.
Creak…
At the center of the dark chamber was a magic circle. Its ominous aura resembled that of a rift's magic circle. Piles of corpses littered the area, eerily similar to the rift sites.
The only difference was that the circle in the chamber was smaller, and the energy it emitted was being funneled into a man seated at its center.
The man's entire body, including his face, was wrapped in bandages, leaving only his eyes and mouth exposed.
With each breath, black energy seeped from him, swirling ominously in the air.
"Melkir," Raul called out.
At the sound of his name, the man named Melkir opened his eyes. His raspy breaths echoed through the chamber as he spoke.
"Is the Duke in danger?"
"No."
"Has someone breached the castle?"
"That's not it either."
Suddenly, Melkir's form blurred, melding into the surrounding darkness.
Fwoosh!
In an instant, Melkir materialized before Raul, radiating a dense, suffocating darkness. His voice was a low growl.
"Then, have you found her? The woman who made me like this!"
Raul shook his head.
"It's not that either. It's been 20 years already. We haven't found any trace of her, nor detected any activity. At this point, it's safe to assume she's dead."
"Can you be certain?"
"They said she was gravely injured, even had her mana core shattered. No one can survive long in that state."
"That woman was born with divine power. Even with a broken core, she wouldn't die so easily."
"Even if that's true, surviving those injuries would have been nearly impossible. If she were active, there's no way our intelligence network wouldn't have detected her."
"She was an assassin who used techniques similar to mine. Are you absolutely certain she hasn't been found?"
At that, Raul hesitated, his mind racing.
'There was someone in Fenris who…'
Among the individuals investigated by the intelligence division, there was someone who used techniques resembling hers. However, the timeline and age didn't match, nor did the hair color. The woman Melkir was searching for had golden hair, but the individual identified by the intelligence division did not.
'No, it doesn't add up. Assassins of that caliber existed in other kingdoms too. Like the leader of the Wildcat Smugglers from Raypold.'
Techniques used by assassins often resembled one another. It wasn't worth getting distracted by baseless speculation.
Ultimately, Raul shook his head again.
"There's no trace. She's definitely dead, so there's no need to obsess over it anymore."
"…I see."
Melkir fell silent for a moment.
In truth, even he suspected the woman he sought was likely dead. He simply harbored a lingering desire for revenge against the one who had inflicted such grievous wounds upon him. After all, he had been thoroughly defeated back then.
But it seemed his adversary had succumbed to her injuries as well.
Melkir, his aura subdued, spoke in a heavy tone.
"…Then, what brings you here?"
"There's a target we need you to eliminate."
"So, it's finally time to use what remains of my life."
"…It's a patched-together life, but it should be enough for one final fight."
It was the Duke's house and the priests of the Salvation Church who had saved Melkir from the brink of death. They couldn't afford to let him die back then.
Melkir had reached the level of a Master over 20 years ago.
His incredible skill had prompted them to preserve his life, keeping him alive despite his injuries, to use him one final time.
At Raul's words, Melkir nodded willingly.
"Very well. One last fight before I die."
He had always been the hidden blade of the Duchy. Eliminating the Duchy's enemies had always been his duty.
After sustaining irreparable injuries, his role had shifted to guarding the Duchy. But killing others had always been his true purpose.
"Who's the target? I hope it's someone worthy enough to burn away my remaining strength."
"Count Fenris."
Melkir's expression showed faint disappointment.
"Never heard of him."
"You wouldn't have. He's an upstart who appeared while you've been resting here."
"What's his skill level?"
"Master."
Melkir's eyes gleamed with excitement. A Master-level opponent was more than worthy of being his final prey.
Killing such an opponent outright would be far too boring. He wanted to savor it.
Suddenly, Melkir licked his lips and asked.
"Does he have a family?"
"A father and a younger sister."
"Then, I suppose I could start with his family, just like before. Watching someone of that caliber suffer is truly an art. And I'd like to leave my name known before I go."
Melkir was a cruel assassin who considered himself an artist of the highest caliber. He always preferred to start by killing his prey's loved ones, one by one.
To him, breaking a strong opponent mentally and emotionally was the ultimate form of beauty.
His sinister preference had been curtailed after being gravely injured over 20 years ago, but his instincts hadn't faded.
Raul smiled coldly and replied.
"We were going to ask you to do that anyway. The longer we drag this out, the more it benefits us. Kill his family and anyone else you can find."
"Should I move immediately?"
"No, wait until the priests are gathered, and the war has officially begun. This plan was just devised, and we need time to finalize everything."
Raul smiled. He was finally unveiling one of the strongest cards they had been saving.
This time, even Count Fenris would have no choice but to suffer.
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