Before everyone could enter the mansion, a group of paladins in silver-white heavy armor surrounded them.
Count Matthews realized something was wrong and immediately rushed out. But seeing the scene before him, his expression turned grave. This was the first time Mann had seen his father make such a face.
The King’s Guard group directly under the King. The selection and training of personnel were personally handled by the King, making them the elite of elites. If even they were mobilized… it seemed the King wanted to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.
But judging by the timing, at least the affair with the mercenary group hadn’t spread widely yet. Under normal circumstances, there should be room for negotiation—yet the one leading the team was Kris…
‘Let’s just wait and see for now…’
Mann only cautiously stared at the knights. He didn’t speak, nor did he have any right to. Count Matthews stepped forward to confront the lead paladin.
“Although you have extremely high authority, barging into my territory without notice—do you not take me, the lord, seriously?”
“Exactly. Even you must follow proper procedures to investigate a noble’s territory.” Lifu immediately chimed in.
The lead paladin ignored Count Matthews and bowed directly to Lifu. “This matter is indeed my discourtesy, Your Highness.”
He then turned his gaze back to the Count. “However, our actions were specially approved by the King. You have no right to question them, Count.”
“You! …”
‘Sure enough, this hasn’t spread outside. The King intends to suppress it.’
The Count was about to argue when Lifu pulled him back. “So where is that boy Kris? Call him over…”
Before she could finish, a familiar young voice rang out, but the arrogant tone clashed sharply with the voice itself. It was extremely unpleasant to hear.
“Aunt Lifu, long time no see…”
As his voice fell, the encircling knights opened a gap. A young man in splendid attire walked forward slowly.
The moment their eyes met, Mann was sure he was not controlled by the Heretic God Sect. Yet in that instant, the unease in his heart peaked. If his previous impression of this person was disgust, now it was entirely different. His magical fluctuations were chaotic, and as his aura stirred, some power within Mann began to stir restlessly.
‘No mistake—among it is that thing’s (the Evil God’s) fluctuation. Could he be connected to the Heretic God Sect?’
Kris merely glanced at the on-guard Mann and dismissively looked away. He opened his arms to embrace Lifu, though she remained unmoved.
“So cold… Aunt.”
He said that, but his face showed a completely different expression. A smile that didn’t reach the eyes; it felt awkward.
“Explain yourself, Kris!”
At this, Kris bowed to Lifu. “According to my investigation, a mercenary group called Griffin has colluded with the Heretic God Sect and plans to occupy Matthews Territory.”
Upon hearing this, Sophien already roughly guessed his goal—this entire setup was aimed at her. She also felt guilty for having doubted Mann.
“As you can see, everything is normal here…”
But before she could finish, Kris cut her off. “Isn’t that a bit too hasty, Sister? Oh no, I should say… Sophien Ulicon, Captain of the Griffin Mercenary Corps. Although the place has been cleaned up, signs of a fight are still visible.”
He clapped his hands, and a man covered in blood was carried up. With a thud, the man was thrown to the ground. Kris grabbed his hair and turned his face toward Sophien.
“You!”
Such provocation was unbearable for Sophien. Just as she was about to charge forward, Mann held her back. He looked at her with solemn eyes and shook his head almost imperceptibly.
Kris’s sinister gaze never left Sophien. He slowly approached the severely wounded mercenary and whispered, “Tell me… is she your captain?”
“N-no…!”
“Oh? Is that so…”
Suddenly, he exerted force—a crisp cracking of bones echoed. This sudden move stunned everyone and ignited Sophien’s fury. The battered mercenary lost his life; his head hit the ground limply, eyes wide open.
“You’ve gone too far, Kris!”
Faced with Lifu’s accusation, Kris immediately retorted. “A married princess—you have no right to speak here!”
Unable to hold back any longer, Sophien rushed forward and slapped Kris hard across the face. “What exactly do you want!”
Kris staggered back, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. “That… really packed a punch!”
At this, Durufu and the other mercenaries drew their weapons, ready for battle. Simultaneously, the surrounding paladins prepared to attack. The atmosphere was tense, swords drawn.
Mann did not step in for Sophien, because the moment that slap landed, the outcome was already decided. First, Sophien had lost this confrontation; she was now completely passive. Instead of doing something meaningless, it was better to think of countermeasures.
Given how things had developed, the best choice was to keep oneself safe and stay out of it. However, once the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold. After Kris took down Sophien, the next to suffer would be House Matthews. He couldn’t let go of Mann, who knew the truth. Moreover, Kris might have the backing of the Heretic God Sect—he had to be handled carefully.
Second, Sophien had likely acted deliberately to protect the mercenary group, since Kris’s target was clearly her.
“Everyone, stop!”
At these words, all eyes turned to her. Kris wore a sardonic grin. “Saying stop… at least give me a reason to stop, Sister?”
“I… am the captain of the mercenary corps.”
“Sophien?” Lifu could hardly believe her ears.
Kris’s lips curled up involuntarily. He had been waiting for this. He waved his hand, and the paladins behind him rushed forward, binding Sophien tightly.
The lead knight knelt before Kris and asked, “Should we seal the Second Imperial Princess’s mana?”
“No need. She’s already in an overdrawn state; she won’t be able to use the god’s power for some time.”
“And them?” He looked toward Durufu and the others, awaiting Kris’s orders.
Kris didn’t answer. He didn’t even bother looking at them. His goal was achieved; he didn’t want to waste energy on useless matters. He exchanged a glance with Mann across the distance—his eyes now held more wariness.
‘As expected, the one I need to guard against most is this guy…’
“Lord Mann, until we meet again.”
With that, the group left without lingering.
“Ha… until we meet again? I doubt it.” Mann thought to himself, his gaze turning serious and determined.
Given his open identity, he truly couldn’t say or do anything. But behind the scenes… that was a different story.