Ch.153Betrayal

Death draws its sword and charges.

With each step, it scatters fragments of earth, swift as an arrow shot.

It was a being that had human form but was clearly not human.

“Attack!”

“It’s useless.”

Claire commands urgently. Ophelia mockingly laughs with leisure.

Unless one is a high-ranking mage, gathering several people makes no difference.

No, even a high-ranking mage alone would be slaughtered without resistance.

That thing was a superhuman created to kill mages.

Karma condensed to the extreme.

A body that clearly transcended humanity.

The blessing of anti-magic that blocks bindings and curses.

A silver sword that cuts through incoming magic.

A warrior as powerful as a calamity, more formidable than anyone present, bared its fangs.

Four breaths. Ten footsteps.

That was enough to close hundreds of meters.

Before the hastily cast spells could reach their target, the wolf of Aishan-Gioro arrived in the midst of the mages.

The misdirected attack spells futilely tore up the ground.

But no one could spare a glance in that direction.

A growling predator stood before them.

A nightmarish killing intent bored into everyone’s minds.

The binding spells cast by several mages shattered before they could even form.

Mana Resistance.

One of those blessings of unknown origin, a curse to mages.

“Wh-what…!”

The unfortunate subordinates nearby couldn’t utter last words or even scream.

A lightly swung slash.

A blue afterglow cuts through the air.

The barrier of mana hastily cast by the targeted mage shatters like thin ice under a single strike of the silver sword.

The mage, split cleanly from crown to groin, rolled back his eyes.

His naked body, cut in half, revealed itself between the parting clothes.

“Impossible…!”

A simultaneous punch struck a knight squarely in the solar plexus.

A speed that an ordinary knight couldn’t even react to.

The steel breastplate crumpled like mud, and pulverized ribs and spine burst through the back.

The knight trembled.

Under the powerful impact that penetrated his entire body, everything inside the armor had already turned to mush.

Even if struck by an ice spear on bare skin, a person wouldn’t shatter like that.

The unfortunate knight died without even a groan, leaking blood and bodily fluids from every orifice.

Three swings. Two punches.

And one kick.

Not one could withstand a single blow.

‘This is… the beast of murder Karma!’

Claire stepped back in shock.

She had heard Isabella’s warning, but this power exceeded imagination.

In the blink of an eye, six subordinates turned into exploding chunks of meat.

The speed was so fast that to Claire’s eyes, it looked as if all six exploded simultaneously in a flash of blurred light.

Flesh bursting like fireworks.

Blood gushed out, beyond a fountain, becoming a curtain pouring down.

“Wow.”

Ophelia let out an exclamation of admiration.

“Come out and stop it right now!”

Claire screamed a command that sounded like a shriek.

The last card she had prepared just in case.

It was a measure she would have preferred not to use, but…

Given how things had turned out, she had no choice.

At this rate, it seemed her subordinates would be annihilated in less than thirty seconds.

Of the three carriages Claire had brought:

One carried Claire and another woman, another carried her subordinates.

And in the last remaining carriage…

– CRASH!

As the carriage shattered to pieces, three knights leaped out.

Knights covered head to toe in black iron armor, wielding long swords.

Though their faces were hidden by helmets… all three emanated an intense aura.

“…Masters.”

The blood-soaked woman raised her sword again, growling like a predator that had found its prey.

—-

“Three Master-level knights…? That’s not a force you could secretly bring in.”

Hearing her sister’s slightly trembling voice, Claire bared her teeth in a smile.

It was a smile containing neither joy nor mockery, but only rage.

To borrow those knights from Isabella, she had to promise to attend her “party” again.

That filthy business which nearly drove her insane after experiencing it just twice.

They were unofficial Masters unknown to the Empire.

Personal subordinates of Isabella.

If she could have ended this without them getting involved, she might have gotten away with just once more, but now… she would have to offer her body at least three more times.

Still, thanks to them, she could block Ophelia’s trump card.

‘I couldn’t believe it, but she really did call in an Aishan-Gioro…’

In Claire’s mind, the conversation she had with Jayden the day before resurfaced.

====[Claire, one day ago]====

“So, the forces Ophelia can mobilize are just the ones we sent? This will end simply, then.”

“Well, I’m not certain, but… there might be one more. As far as I know, it’s only happened twice, but Lady Ophelia has had contact with someone else.”

Jayden reported hesitantly.

Among the confidants ordered to monitor Ophelia, Jayden was the spy Claire trusted most.

It was obvious he harbored adoration for Claire herself.

As long as those feelings didn’t cool, he wouldn’t betray her.

“Someone else? Who is it?”

“The Aishan-Gioro princess. Both times were just brief conversations, but just in case…”

“Haschal Aishan-Gioro? No, why would such a powerful figure help Ophelia? What benefit would she get? She’s a woman who only clings to those in power.”

Ordinary people might praise her as the Knight of the Goddess or whatever, but looking carefully, her actions were consistently power-oriented.

She had the Margrave of Landenburg, who controlled the entire eastern region, as her patron, and maintained deep friendship with the daughter of the Duke of Faelrun, who controlled the entire northern region.

She was also on good terms with one of the great dwarf families, the Red Copper Bloodline.

She openly got close to Prince Leopold, whose influence had grown, while also maintaining connections with the opposing faction, Princess Leonore.

Additionally, she appeared close to Lacy Elmaine Stardolf, a candidate for sainthood in the Church of Elpinel.

Every person she contacted either possessed immense power or would someday possess it.

Unless she was seeking power, there was no reason for such behavior.

“Ophelia, who has nothing but magic, isn’t the kind of woman who could easily drag someone into this kind of affair…”

“Could it be part of the First Prince’s plan? Perhaps trying to extend his influence to House Sigmillus through her… or maybe even targeting you, Lady Claire.”

It seemed unlikely that a prince would covet House Sigmillus, which was merely a count’s family, not a marquis or duke’s… but one never knew.

“Killing me wouldn’t particularly harm the Empress… I really don’t understand.”

In the end, Claire couldn’t determine whether Haschal would participate.

She couldn’t understand why she would take Ophelia’s side.

Indeed, how could she have known?

That Haschal simply took Ophelia’s side because of game knowledge.

“Sigh… the Were Eater… If she really does appear, our forces won’t be able to handle her.”

If her skills were even half of what rumors claimed, mediocre mages would all be torn to pieces.

In the end, Claire had to visit Isabella to borrow forces capable of stopping Haschal Aishan-Gioro.

No matter what price she would have to pay later.

===================

– CLANG!

The sharp sound of collision piercing her ears brought Claire’s consciousness back to reality.

The three black iron knights were locked in fierce combat with the Aishan-Gioro princess.

The rumors comparing the Were Eater to the Empire’s First Sword weren’t exaggerated—even against three Masters, the battle was evenly matched.

Blades imbued with each other’s Karma collided repeatedly, emitting bursting sounds.

The strange black longswords surrounded by mysterious energy were somehow holding up against the sharpness of the silver sword.

“HAAAH!”

“……”

Unlike Aishan-Gioro who roared with each magnificent strike, the black iron knights swung their swords silently without a single battle cry.

Even to Claire, it seemed somewhat strange.

She didn’t know their exact identities either… but it didn’t matter.

They seemed capable of buying enough time until Ophelia could be dealt with. That was sufficient.

Turning her gaze away from the Masters’ battle, Claire looked at Ophelia, who was still maintaining her barrier.

Her subordinates also extended their arms toward Ophelia again, gathering mana.

Though their numbers had decreased slightly, whether it was one against forty or one against thirty, the odds were still overwhelming.

If they pressed on like this, they could win.

“Oh dear, your proudly presented last resort has been blocked? …Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“I tried to keep it as secret as possible… Only one person besides those directly involved knew about it.”

A low voice. Ophelia seemed to have guessed who had informed Claire.

Claire gestured over her shoulder, calling the man standing behind her to her side.

She placed her hand on his shoulder, displaying him to Ophelia as if showing off.

“…Jayden.”

“Yes, Jayden is also a spy I sent. Did you actually trust him? Well, I suppose you grew up together for over ten years, almost like childhood friends.”

In fact, Jayden was the first spy Claire had sent.

Ophelia lowered her head.

“Ophelia, how do you feel right now? Your trump card is held up by three Masters, and you’re all alone. Your defeat comes from trusting Jayden. How does it feel to be betrayed by the person you trusted until the end? Tell your sister, please.”

Claire gathered mana at her fingertips while mocking Ophelia.

She intended to penetrate the barrier.

“…To be able to bring three Masters, your price must be quite high. Perhaps I should have sold my body like my sister.”

“You still…!”

Already distressed just thinking about what she would face at the party later, her sister’s mockery until the very end pushed Claire over the edge.

As she was about to unleash an angry shout…

No, she vomited blood.

Blood surged up from deep in her throat and spewed out of her mouth.

“Kuhek! Kuhek…! What is this…! Blood…? Kup, KUHEK!”

The thick blood poured down, soaking the ground.

Her purple dress was stained red.

Excruciating pain as if all her internal organs were melting.

Claire’s face turned deathly pale.

‘…Poison?! When did…!’

Gritting her teeth, Claire somehow managed to straighten her posture despite her trembling legs.

Her knees shook weakly, and the terrible pain forced her to hunch over halfway…

But somehow she kept her face up, glaring at Ophelia.

At her sister who was slowly walking toward her with a triumphant expression.

“Sister, you’re so consistent. You shrink when things turn unfavorable, and immediately become triumphant when things look good. You always pretend to be elegant and composed… but scratch the surface just a little, and this happens. Your true nature is revealed. That’s what they call having a small vessel. If your vision were even half as wide as your spread lower body, you wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

Ophelia laughed, mocking Claire.

“This mere poison…!”

While barely managing to cast a detoxification spell with what little mana she could muster, Claire looked around.

She wasn’t the only one poisoned.

Her subordinates were also collapsed on the ground, vomiting blood.

About half of them.

Surprisingly, the other half showed no signs of poisoning whatsoever.

They were confused and at a loss seeing their colleagues rolling on the ground coughing blood.

‘What’s the difference…?’

Between those poisoned and those not poisoned.

Claire immediately noticed the crucial difference.

The subordinates who came with her in the carriage… and the spies who had been waiting with Ophelia.

Only the former were rolling on the ground.

‘Poisoned. Just us? When, how…!’

“Ah,”

Claire’s eyes widened in realization.

There had been exactly one opportunity to poison her and her subordinates.

The venison stew.

The stew everyone had for dinner.

If poison had been added there, it would explain why only she and her subordinates were affected.

And,

‘The one who served the stew for dinner was…!’

Claire’s head snapped to the right.

The culprit who had added the poison was grinning at her.

“Too late, sister.”

At that moment, Jayden’s sword pierced through Claire’s side.