232. Counterattack (2)
“Please permit the execution of the operation.”
“I grant you permission.”
“·······.”
As soon as I presented the plan, Arya answered with a smile.
For a moment I was taken aback and I froze on the spot.
“Your Majesty. You haven’t opened the plan yet, have you?”
“There’s no need to look at it. Isn’t it dangerous to delay more than this? It would take three days for me to examine each one carefully… Is that what you really want?”
“No. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
She immediately listened as if taking away the plans.
Arya then smiled and gestured for me to come closer.
“Tell me that. Which way did you decide to go, the safe but low-yielding road I talked about before, or the dangerous but high-yielding road?”
“The latter.”
“Huh. You look like him.”
I don’t know what being like me means, but I couldn’t blow this great opportunity for safety.
Every operation carries risks.
It means everyone is prepared to die.
So the big and small risks are not that important.
The only thing that matters is whether the operation can quickly end this bloody war.
“From what I’ve heard, you’re good at noticing other people’s crises, but you can’t avoid your own crises at all.”
“·······.”
I think that’s Iris’ story, not mine.
Arya motioned for me to come closer and she caressed my cheek.
Arya stroked and rubbed and pinched my cheek for a while before she took her lips away.
“Don’t die. If you die, I won’t forgive you.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
“I swear.”
“I swear I will return alive and not die, Your Majesty.”
Aria finally smiled in satisfaction. She
Does she now know that she’s working hard to raise the flag?
Thanks to Aria making me swear, I became very anxious even when I was not thinking about anything.
“You don’t have to worry.
“I’m not worried about that. If Jim’s prediction is correct, you’ll make this operation a success without any problems. However, I’m worried about the aftermath of that success. For some reason, Mine will move. I think it’s the same.”
“·······.”
The moment I checked Aria’s eyes, she was a little scared.
Because it seems to see through my intentions…
This operation is not just to attack Asylum.
It was a strategy to pressure the mines to move slowly if there were mines attached to Asylum.
“Even if the demons attack you, you can defeat them.”
“Who can’t win with words? You’re talking nonsense.”
I wasn’t kidding.
Because I can ‘theoretically’ kill demons.
There is no way that Mine will be fine even if she is hit by her fist, which she wields with over 300 stats.
Of course, the problem was that the premise that Mine would accept it had to come first.
‘Who should I bring?’
Anyway, the execution of the operation has been confirmed.
The decision now is who to take…
***
“Cheers!”
A banquet hall where the light splits and pours through the chandeliers.
Aristocrats wearing masks clinked glasses.
The site of a masquerade that is held periodically.
It was a party worthy of being called a banquet of luxury, with luxurious food, luxurious cakes, and luxurious drinks.
There is only one rule at the masquerade, don’t ask what’s inside the mask.
No matter how much a mask is worn, the identity of the inside is always known through the characteristics of the body or voice, but it was the rule here not to disclose what happened at the ball outside.
That’s why the nobles used to regard the masquerade as a scene of small deviation.
“Welcome.”
From noble mtl dot com.
“Nice to meet you, are you the Archbishop?”
“That’s right.”
Of course, it wasn’t just a small deviation.
A seemingly natural scene of friendship, it was also a scene of social and Asylum exchanges.
They maintained thorough security with various types of passwords and barriers and were able to have safe conversations with the executives.
So there was no need to worry about getting caught even if an imperial knight hid inside the ballroom.
“Archbishop. Recently in the desert-“
“Everyone! Great news!”
Then the door slammed open and someone shouted.
An excited expression on the flushed face.
Something good must have happened.
It was also the time when the performance was over, so all the nobles’ eyes were on him.
“It is said that His Excellency Schluss Heinkel is coming here!”
“Go, Your Excellency?”
“Really? I thought you hated things like this…”
The nobles looked at each other in bewilderment.
Rumors spread that Schluss Heinkel was a commoner, and he hated luxury.
He was told that he had only been to a party once, and that he hadn’t been to a party since.
But to attend a masquerade that is famous for being extravagant even among nobles.
At first the nobles were startled and bewildered, but they soon burst into laughter.
“You seem to want to become more friendly with the high-ranking nobles.”
“Perhaps you are recognizing someone in order to get married?”
“Anyway, good news!”
In the midst of everyone’s excitement, only Asylum’s executives, who were talking in a corner, wrinkled their faces.
The reason why the masquerade ball was initially chosen as the place for the story was because of its strong closedness and weak surveillance network.
However, it was difficult to see that Schluss Heinkel’s sudden visit to this place was simply because he had changed his mind.
‘I smelled something.’
Schlus Heinkel thinks the masquerade is suspicious.
That was the only explanation.
It could be quite dangerous to remain here.
If he came with conviction, no matter how confidently he greeted him, he could be suspected and imprisoned.
It was Schluss Heinkel who cut off the heads of the ministers, but there was nothing that could not be done with the earl’s head.
So he’d better run away while he can.
“Excuse me for a second.”
“Oh, yes.”
Pretending to go to the bathroom, the Count naturally left the ballroom.
He somehow had to escape before Schluss Heinkel came.
By the way, if you hear that Schluss Heinkel is coming and you find out that he left the ballroom, he will be rather suspicious.
That’s why the count decided not to go straight to the mansion, but to stop by the safe house.
He passes the time there, and after a while, he arrives at the mansion and creates an alibi.
Then it could be thought that he had returned exhausted after struggling in the bathroom while Schluss Heinkel was here.
“What about tracking?”
“No.”
“What about the magic formula?”
“Nothing detected.”
Inside a rattling wagon.
The count looked back at his elongation and couldn’t hide his anxiety.
‘Did I notice something?’
Have you been stepped on by the tail?
If that’s not the case, maybe the barrier that boasts the best performance has been broken.
Or maybe one of the bishops betrayed…?
The count chewed his nails carefully, examining several possibilities.
However, no matter how much you think about it, the possibility that Schluss Heinkel came to the ball after realizing his true identity converged to zero.
Among Asylum’s executives, only a handful of people knew his true identity.
There was no way that the empire, which had only arrested lay people until now, could not trace the ranks of the executives.
However, there is nothing wrong with being careful.
The Count decided to observe the situation in the safe house for now.
There was not a single person related to Asylum in the mansion, so once you enter, you cannot receive a report on the situation at all.
“I have arrived.”
“·······.”
As the carriage stopped, the count caught his breath and quickly changed his clothes.
The count, who had changed from fancy clothes to common commoners’ clothes, naturally opened the carriage door and came out alone.
In front of my eyes, I saw an ordinary house.
It was a house like an ordinary family living there.
However, the reality is that the safe house is thoroughly managed by Asylum.
It was a place whose location was unknown except for the executive class.
All the laymen who were mobilized to build this place were brainwashed and their memories were erased, so there was no need to worry about being discovered.
“I’m here.”
Knocking on the door, the Count gulped.
Soon I heard the sound of trailing footsteps from inside-
“Oh, are you here? Come in quickly.”
“·······.”
A strange woman opened the door and greeted me.
The count shivered in surprise, but he slowly stepped inside.
I felt relieved now.
Because this place is protected by a concealed barrier.
“Oh?!”
“·······!”
At that time, an intense wave of magical energy burst out.
The barrier spell had been broken.
Without any premonition, all at once.
While the count was startled and at a loss for what to do, several men in black hoods came out from inside.
“Looks like you’ve been discovered! You should evacuate immediately-“
Quang! Bang······!
At that moment, a bright flash flew in with the force to blind the count.
Along with him, hot heat surged through his whole body.
By the time the Count opened his eyes, only red-hot flames remained on both sides, and not a single fanatic could be seen.
The man who had been leading me by the hand until just now had only one of his arms amputated and was left lying on the ground.
“Hee, hee hee…!”
When the count turned his head, he saw a human figure through the broken door.
The figure of three people.
Wedge juice!
At that time, flame magic was fired from the side of the house and hit the human figure.
A red-hot pillar of flame rose up, illuminating the dark night like daylight.
It was at that moment that the Count let out a sigh of relief, saying that a safe house was not his form.
Faang······!
“Oh?”
In an instant, the house was swept away and turned into powder.
The safe house that the top level wizards were protecting was destroyed like a sandcastle collapsing.
“Huh…! Are you all right?!”
When the black smoke cleared, the three figures were still standing where the magic had poured out.
A barrier that can withstand direct hits from that magic.
It seemed that the monsters had decided to attack.
The Count gave up and raised his hand.
If he had been a fanatic, he would have detonated the self-destruct spell he had installed in his heart, but the count wasn’t so crazy about the pseudo-crazy.
“This is surprising. Count Wiegenstein.”
“Schlus Heinkel······.”
As expected, it was Schluss Heinkel who appeared through the smoke.
How long have you been tracking them?
No, how did you track it down?
The Count tutted and clicked his tongue.
“Oh, father?”
“What?”
At that time, a familiar voice came from Schluss Heinkel’s side.
The Count opened his eyes wide in surprise.
There stood his son, his mouth wide open.
Einz von Wiegenstein.
A proud son.