Ch.207Chapter 207: The Kingdom of Duron (13)

# Chapter 207: The Kingdom of Duron (13)

“Success!!”

Lati and her friends shouted in celebration.

Despite the Dark Society blocking their way, they had ultimately succeeded in stealing the parts and escaping.

There were injuries both major and minor, but this was an incredible achievement.

“Hahaha!! Those Dark Society bastards must be dying of frustration right now!”

“Is everyone alright?”

“Of course! These wounds will heal with just a bit of ointment!”

Despite his comrades celebrating their victory, Valt couldn’t smile.

Something felt off.

But now wasn’t the time to show his concerns.

***

When the armored magic vehicle finally arrived at the safe house on the outskirts of Siduron—Lamrpo’s secret hideout—the sun had already tilted westward, spilling its last bloody glow.

The deadline promised to Quan was now truly less than a day and a half away.

“Everyone… you’re safe… I’m… I’m so relieved!”

Princess Siloin, who had been anxiously waiting, greeted them.

She momentarily fell silent upon seeing Valt’s battered group, especially Professor Riemann with bandages wrapped around his shoulder, but soon composed herself with an expression of both relief and concern.

She too must have spent the past day anxiously awaiting news of them.

“Did you… secure the parts?” she asked with a trembling voice.

Valt silently pulled out Franz’s mirror from his chest.

The mirror’s surface still looked ordinary, but to those who knew that five unstable core components slept within, it appeared different.

“…All five, successfully contained.”

Valt answered briefly. His voice was heavy with exhaustion.

“My goodness… you really did it! That’s amazing!”

Siloin’s face lit up with genuine admiration and relief. Lamrpo was already sobbing with emotion.

“Oh my! Your Highness! Professor! And all you brave companions! How can I ever… waaaaaah!”

For a moment, the joy and relief of completing the mission enveloped the hideout.

But that moment was brief, as they soon had to face harsh reality again.

After recovering some strength with a simple meal and recovery potions provided by Lamrpo, Valt immediately called the team members back to the conference table.

Spread across the table were the information Princess Siloin had desperately collected over the past day: hangar blueprints, security system analyses, guard shift schedules, and other data related to the “Tempest” airship.

“We have only a day and a few hours left,” Valt began. His voice was low and heavy.

“Since we’ve confirmed that we can’t obtain the airship through official means, we’ll execute Plan B as planned. Stealing the Tempest airship.”

His words caused his companions’ expressions to harden again. The joy of success was momentary; they had to plunge into tremendous danger once more.

“Do we have enough information?”

Professor Riemann asked, scanning through the materials Siloin had brought.

“…This is the best I could obtain. But… as you know, the Tempest is a top-tier strategic asset. There were many core security systems that even I couldn’t access. With just this information… it’s hard to guarantee success.”

Siloin replied with an apologetic expression.

But everyone knew.

Without Siloin, they couldn’t have obtained even this information.

That’s how valuable this intelligence was.

Valt spoke with determination.

“We must succeed. There’s no other way.”

He remained silent for a moment, then finally furrowed his brow as if something was bothering him and spoke.

“…Doesn’t something seem strange?”

“…Huh? What?”

All eyes turned to Valt.

“The battle at the 5th Workshop. Obscurant 3rd Seat and 6th Seat. They were incredibly strong. Incomparable to the 8th Seat we faced before, and even Professor Riemann struggled. And yet…”

Valt recalled the sense of incongruity he felt then.

“I feel like they let us go too easily at the end. As if… they deliberately let us escape.”

Valt’s suspicion changed his companions’ expressions to puzzlement.

“Easy?!”

Yuria was the first to flare up.

“Hey! Valt, you really are a monster, aren’t you? I thought I was going to die! That shadow guy nearly got me several times!”

Solphin agreed.

“I barely held on even using my beast transformation. I definitely wouldn’t call it easy.”

Airin, Lati, and Lilith also shook their heads. The battle they experienced was certainly fierce and dangerous.

Professor Riemann let out a hollow laugh.

“Kuk kuk, my disciple, have you become so strong that everything in the world seems easy? Or do you think you fought comfortably because this old master did too well!”

He tapped his wounded shoulder and said.

“If we had made one small mistake, none of us would have left there alive. They were definitely strong! That feeling of yours that they were ‘going easy on us’ is probably just fatigue after an extreme battle. Don’t think too deeply about it.”

When even the professor dismissed his suspicion, Valt was momentarily at a loss for words.

Was it really just his own groundless fear?

Certainly, their attacks seemed to lack desperation in the final moments, and it felt like they let the retreating group go too easily. Was the Dark Society actually weaker than expected? Or…

‘…Or do they have some hidden agenda we don’t know about?’

The seed of doubt remained, but there was no time to investigate it now.

His mind flashed to his father Quan’s cold gaze and the word “war.” Whatever doubts he had, he couldn’t stop now.

‘…Damn it. Now is not the time for other thoughts. Father’s deadline comes first.’

Valt swallowed his curse and forcibly shook off the anxiety in his heart.

He pointed to the information Siloin had brought and said.

“…Alright. It might have been my imagination. We don’t have time for this now. Let’s establish the theft plan immediately. Princess Siloin, please brief us in detail about the collected information. What are the most vulnerable points and times of the hangar? How can we neutralize the security system?”

As Valt changed the subject, his companions also returned to serious expressions and focused on formulating the plan. Siloin began to explain the information she had gathered in detail.

“The Tempest hangar is located in the deepest underground level of the Knights’ Command Headquarters. There are three main access routes, but two of them are likely to have heightened security already. The remaining one is… an abandoned old magic supply tunnel, which might have less surveillance due to its lower security rating. However, the internal structure is complex and there might be traps.”

“The security system consists of multiple magic barriers, biometric recognition, and mana pattern detection systems. Especially the mana pattern detection… almost perfectly blocks outside intrusion. However…”

Siloin hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“…For a very brief moment, during the system’s regular inspection and energy replacement time, the detection system is temporarily weakened. That’s tomorrow at dawn.”

“Tomorrow at dawn?”

Valt’s eyes sharpened. The timing was extremely tight.

“We’ll aim for that moment!”

Professor Riemann exclaimed.

“Lamrpo, does your trading company happen to have any internal diagrams of the Magitek Knights’ headquarters or inspection schedules?”

“Ah, I’ll look right away!”

Lamrpo hastily operated his information terminal.

They began to formulate a specific theft plan based on the information Siloin had brought, the additional materials Lamrpo found, and Professor Riemann’s experience and knowledge.

Infiltration: Using Lilith’s shadow movement and Lati’s concealment magic to sneak through the closed magic supply tunnel to near the hangar.

Security Neutralization: Lati and Professor Riemann would collaborate to temporarily disable or disrupt the magic barriers and detection systems during the brief window of the system inspection time.

Guard Suppression: Solphin, Airin, and Yuria would swiftly subdue the internal hangar guards with minimal noise.

Securing the Tempest: Valt would directly approach the Tempest’s cockpit and complete takeoff preparations. Siloin needed to be present as royal authentication was required.

Escape: Professor Riemann would take control, while Lati and Lilith would use magic to conceal the noise and magical reactions during takeoff as much as possible, then fly at full speed to leave Siduron airspace.

The plan was bold and dangerous, but if successful, it was the only way to meet Quan’s deadline. Each person’s role was determined, and detailed movements and contingency plans were discussed. A solemn resolve settled on everyone’s faces.

“…Does everyone understand?”

Valt confirmed one last time.

His companions all nodded in unison.

“Good. Then everyone make final preparations and rest. Operation begins tomorrow at 3 AM.”

With Valt’s declaration, the long and urgent meeting ended.

The companions dispersed to their rooms to prepare for the “theft operation” that might be even more dangerous than their last battle.

Valt remained alone, gazing at the darkened Siduron sky through the window.

Doubt about the Dark Society still lingered in his mind, but now he had to bet everything on the enormous gamble before him.

Failure meant war.

His shoulders felt crushingly heavy.

‘Once father’s deadline is resolved, I’ll have to find out what those bastards are plotting.’