Harvest

Zayl’s hand stopped mid-motion while flipping through the report.

“All dead?”

The dark squad agent submitted a report organizing that horrific scene.

Not a single survivor remained, and the contents stated even Johan had been taken.

“The Five Stars?”

“Dead.”

“The bodies?”

“Melted or cut down…”

Zayl threw the report.

“You call that a report?”

“…”

“What the hell are you people doing! I trusted you and even offered up Johan to set the trap, and you botched it? Are you insane? Don’t tell me you sold out to another side?”

“No.”

“Then why! I even attached an A-rank guild to the Five Stars and you still failed!”

The dark squad was equally bewildered.

They’d deployed watchers in case Duke Ludmila herself came to capture Johan, maintaining vigilance.

There’d been no signs, and they were certain the cleaner elimination operation would succeed.

But it failed.

Far from the cleaner, they’d lost precious dark squad forces and even the weakness called Johan together.

“Did you at least find out who it was?”

“We’re considering the possibility it was the 3rd or 4th Prince.”

“Those damn guesses! If you dark squad bastards still don’t know the enemy’s cards, what are you going to do!”

“We apologize.”

“You worthless parasites…!”

While Zayl trembled trying to calm his excitement, the office door opened and a knight urgently approached.

“Your Highness! Ominous rumors are circulating in the royal palace!”

“What rumors?”

“That Your Highness bribed numerous nobles and assassinated political enemies…”

Bang!

Zayl slammed the desk and stood abruptly.

Definitely the cleaner.

The cleaner’s forces that obtained the slush funds from Johan were trying to disrupt his relationship with the royal family.

“Did you identify who?”

“We’re turning over places where the rumors start like catching lice. But that’s not the problem.”

“What else!”

“They say Pernok of Named will inherit the S-rank guild creation instead of Roland!”

Zayl’s face contorted.

“Stop it immediately!”

“W-well…”

The messenger carefully spoke while reading Zayl’s mood.

“Evidence emerged that Your Highness illegally modified Mana Flash Cannons…”

“Just deflect it as mere rumors!”

“The 2nd Prince personally reported this matter.”

In that moment, Zayl realized whose hands had created the work that shook the entire board until now.

“Salavan…?”

Conveying the devastating feeling of witnessing carefully crafted works begin crumbling in an instant, Zayl turned bright red.

“That bastaaaaard!”

However, Zayl couldn’t easily move.

Because Salavan had detonated the research lab cards he’d saved along with the slush fund matter and Zayl’s various corrupt practices all at once.

* * *

At the same time, Lügen was also receiving shocking news.

“That Magus died?”

“Yes.”

“He ran his mouth like that and dies like this? Such a fucking idiot!”

He’d expected the Magus who came from Rakis Empire to perform very outstanding work.

The situation was good too.

Because Johan’s tail was caught, allowing him to deal a blow to Zayl.

Knox judged the cleaner would come there and boasted he’d capture even Johan.

But what returned was Knox’s cold corpse.

“Was it Zermoph? Or did Ludmila move?”

“Neither. Rather, the 1st Prince had set a trap.”

“I know that! We all knew elder brother did something from when that bastard Johan appeared and proceeded anyway! But why did Knox die? Why!?”

“Bodies presumed to be the dark squad’s Five Stars were found at that location.”

“What could those old men do?”

“Moreover, there was also an A-rank guild leader named Roland.”

“He’s just a mercenary! Bring certain information, not trivial content!”

Then the messenger carefully spoke.

“Actually, one more trace was discovered…”

“What. Speak quickly!”

“Traces of destroyed mana circuits remained inside the bodies.”

“So?”

“Mana circuit destruction is Roland’s specialty. But he wouldn’t do such things to his own guild members. Then it means a special mage with power to destroy mana circuits exists, and recently there’s a mage showing a similar pattern.”

“Who?”

“A mage named Naia on the 4th Prince’s side.”

Lügen frowned.

“That level 7 mage Isolun trusts and acts cocky with?”

“Yes. When suppressing various princes, that mage dominated all mana. Mages who tried to forcibly shake it off had their mana circuits burn and self-destructed.”

“Level 7… Level 7…”

Lügen struck the desk with his fist.

“That’s him.”

“Pardon?”

“It was Isolun! The mage who stole my Tunnel Folk and burned the drug house—it’s definitely that bastard Naia!”

If combining the Five Stars, Roland, and Naia’s strength, they might have been able to fight Knox.

Lügen, who hadn’t witnessed a Magus’s true power, reached a conclusion after countless delusions.

“Strike Isolun. Capture that bastard Naia and interrogate him thoroughly!”

“But Lord Barsadan said to exercise restraint until recruiting new experts.”

“If we miss this moment, my elder brothers will strike me!”

The timing of sending Knox was the decisive moment.

He didn’t even want to imagine what Zayl would do after losing Johan in a situation where he failed to catch the cleaner.

Moreover, Isolun had swallowed all the lower princes and somehow grown enough to grab his ankles.

“I don’t care if that bastard Naia isn’t the cleaner! We must crush Isolun before he turns his attention upward!”

“Your Highness…”

“Damn it! Right now talk of S-rank guild creation or whatever is circulating! Roland died, so who’s next! Pernok or Naia! Pernok is at the mountain range, so strike Naia on the battlefield to weaken them even if the S-rank guild is created!”

Lügen glared at the messenger with reddened eyes.

“Create justification to strike Isolun. Anything’s fine, so pick fights over even trivial things! Wars of attrition favor us!”

“Yes. Understood.”

The messenger bowed his head and left the secret chamber.

Left behind, Lügen repeatedly struck the desk while screaming.

“These bastards dare look down on me!”

Why are his forces being so toyed with?

Intolerable fury directed toward Isolun.

* * *

Disguised Pernok was leisurely sipping beer at a tavern.

Zayl’s messenger approached Pernok as if possessed by something.

“Handled as ordered.”

“Good work.”

He’d cast magic on Lügen’s closest confidant to direct Lügen’s fury toward Isolun.

[Suggestion Lv.5]

Inputs specific words to implant new memories as truth in the target.

Magic obtained after killing Roland’s guild members.

With this, he approached Lügen’s most loyal subordinate and manipulated him to make the speculation ‘Naia is the culprit’ possible.

“When does the 3rd Prince plan to move?”

“Said he’ll create justification soon and strike.”

“Hehe, for an impatient one, his head works pretty well.”

This time with Johan, the 1st Prince, 3rd Prince, and even 2nd Prince all wagered everything.

Whichever side survived after staking their cards would shake off this chaotic board situation and stand tall.

‘Though his relationship with the royal family deteriorated, Zayl still holds the powerful card of eldest son succession. But as the research lab matter and slush fund case detonate together, nobles will start attaching to Salavan’s side.’

He’d begun pulling out cards saved until now to deliver a decisive blow to Zayl.

Now Zayl would learn who the cleaner was, but Pernok didn’t care.

Because he just needed to harvest the well-ripened treasures and return.

At this point anyway, Zayl wouldn’t have leisure to waste forces checking or disciplining Pernok while dealing with Salavan.

‘He’ll have fire at his feet while worrying about the neutral faction.’

The neutral faction doesn’t welcome the fact that noble royals buy nobles with money.

They’ll even despise the act of trying to fill private greed by arbitrarily modifying Mana Flash Cannons, the nation’s treasures.

The neutral faction that hoped only for national power not to decline no matter who became king must now choose.

‘The moment he lost after making the gamble called Johan, the neutral faction’s hearts turn toward Salavan, who’s closer to a wise ruler.’

Salavan was currently persuading Ludmila and the neutral faction, and entrusted one authority to Pernok.

“S-rank guild creation will now be seized by Guild Leader Pernok. So bring Named.”

When the 3rd and 4th Princes collided, he created justification to intervene midway so Pernok could absorb forces as intact as possible.

Moreover, the 2 level-6 mages and 10 level-5 mages who worked together in Johan’s capture would accompany Pernok.

He’d become able to suppress all situations with certain military force.

Pernok smiled and spoke.

“Return now.”

“Yes.”

When Pernok snapped his fingers, the suggestion cast on him was released.

“Huh?”

He looked around with a dry sound and tilted his head.

Using his reaction of not knowing why he was here as a drinking snack, Pernok sipped his beer.

* * *

A warehouse caught fire in the untimely night.

“Attack!”

“Put out the fire! Quickly!”

It was a place storing food and medicine.

When the stockpiles prepared for future death struggles with upper princes turned to ash in an instant, Isolun shouted indignantly.

“Don’t let a single one escape!”

Guilds moved in all directions, and crossing the castle, they encountered a group.

“Strike.”

When Lügen personally drew his sword and shouted, merchant group mages attacked the guilds.

The number of mages Barsadan brought from abroad was overwhelming the guilds.

Boom boom!

When roars echoed in the night, Isolun who stepped onto the wilderness transformed into a battlefield widened his eyes.

“What are you doing!”

When Lügen raised his hand, a yellow flag rose and the mages withdrew.

“I’m the one who wants to ask. Why did you attack my warehouse?”

“What nonsense in this night!”

“Don’t play innocent! Among your mages must be one who uses unique magic that burns mana circuits!”

While Isolun was bewildered, Ruin stepped forward.

“Are you looking for me?”

“Right, you’re that Naia.”

“We’re strangers, yet you run your mouth carelessly?”

When Ruin struck his staff to the ground, the merchant group’s mages staggered.

After confirming the appearance of intervening in mana, Lügen twisted his lips.

“Johan. You spirited him away, didn’t you?”

“Who is that?”

“Playing innocent is useless. The trace of burning mages’ insides exists only with you in this current situation.”

“Seems there’s a misunderstanding, how about withdrawing for today.”

“Hahahahahaha! Then you alone follow me. If my speculation is wrong, I’ll kowtow and apologize to Isolun.”

Isolun stood beside Naia and shouted.

“You’re saying you’ll take my subordinate and torture them!”

“Right, I knew you’d come out that way. You were always like that! Bowing your head before other elder brothers, yet whenever I passed, you always burned with motivation like you’d trip me.”

Lügen exhaled and shouted loudly.

“Bring Naia! Kill all who interfere!”

“Lord Naia!”

Ruin closed his mouth and just swung his staff.

Silence births suspicion.

‘So that’s why traces of burned mana circuits were left on corpses—to enrage two princes this way.’

He’d heard the rough situation from Pernok.

He shook things up so Zayl couldn’t pay attention here, and provoked hot-tempered Lügen.

‘Once excited, Lügen who charges ahead without regard will definitely try to see the end.’

What would unfold afterward was clear without looking.

The moment both sides’ forces became exhausted, Pernok would appear and clean up.

‘If we shave the 3rd Prince’s forces a bit more, Rio’s merchant group will be somewhat easier too.’

Swallowing laughter, Ruin reversed the opposing mages’ mana.

“Guhk!”

Lügen witnessed the bursting screams and blood drops.

His fury gained more certainty and burst out like a volcano.

“Kill!”

For Lügen, justification that they shook him.

For Isolun, righteousness that he must stop Lügen.

The war triggered from trivial things intensified, and both sides’ forces became complexly entangled.

In the gaps, Ruin focused on preserving guild forces as much as possible.

“Huff, huff!”

Fury that couldn’t communicate continued for three days and nights without distinction.

“That hooligan bastard.”

Isolun ground his teeth and wore the ring.

“Using it already?”

“No choice. Those bastards burned all our food warehouses, making long-term battles disadvantageous.”

“But you decided to save that for fighting other princes.”

“Lügen will be that first button!”

Unable to watch his exhausted allies, Isolun activated the ring.

A massive Anti-Magic Field spread, and the moment Lügen’s mages were neutralized.

Whinny!

At the rough sound of horses neighing, Isolun’s expression stiffened.

“Heavy cavalry. Damn it…”

Lamostal merchant group’s financial power far exceeded Isolun’s expectations.

A full five hundred cavalry wearing armor made from mid-grade demon beast materials burst out.

“You truly want mutual destruction!”

“I must see the end!”

“You think His Majesty will overlook this!”

“You sweeping away your younger brothers is natural?”

Isolun contorted his face and shouted.

“Didn’t you come to kill us without any justification!”

“Isolun! You still plan to deny attacking the merchant group as the cleaner!”

Lügen personally raised his enemy flag.

“Kill them all!”

Isolun’s side’s mages also became unable to activate magic after continued consecutive battles.

A dizzying imagination of being trampled before the heavy cavalry charging while raising sand seemed to loom.

The moment both sides’ distance narrowed.

Boom!

A greatsword fell like a boundary line between the cavalry and guilds.

“By royal command.”

Both forces simultaneously looked at the northern hill.

A man was slowly walking down while waving Named’s flag.

“Since I received permission for S-rank guild creation, until my work ends, no one can draw swords in this battlefield.”

The moment Pernok twisted the artifact greatsword embedded in the ground, the Anti-Magic Field shattered to pieces.