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Volume 1, Chapter 36: Earl Aubock⑤

Earl Aubock’s mansion was located at the center of Ainsaz City.

Even though the warring era had long passed, the city continued to maintain the ramparts. Due to this, the center of the city was the safest place to be in case a war broke out.

Although it was nothing more than a relic of the past, Lambert considered it a symbol of Earl Aubock’s shrewd and wary nature.

The other side of the rampart was painted a luminescent white, showing off its elegance and style.

The building was only two stories high[around 10~12 meters], but it was built like a noble castle on top of a vast land.

Lambert paused to gaze up at the castle…

Now, which path I shall take? Although Almel spit out the location of every secret passage she knew, it’ll take too much time. Meanwhile, I have no idea what kind of suffering Germain has endured while I was interrogating Almel.

Almel, the only surviving member of Earl Aubocks’s private army 『Dark Night’s Short Sword』, walked in front of Lambert, leading the way. When he stopped to look up, she also halted, determining whether she could use this chance to escape.

Under duress, she had led him this far, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before the guards caught wind of their movements…

Earl Aubock was currently in the basement of his mansion.

In contrast to the gorgeous exterior and public grounds, the basement was dark and gloomy.

Most of its rooms were used for storage, but in a musty and often-deserted corner, a section had been cordoned off and turned into a torture chamber.

Officially, it was for the use of punishing traitors or criminals as determined by the law. However, its true purpose was as a way for Earl Aubock to sate his sadistic pleasures.

The only thing Almel wanted was to be spared from the fate of entering that godforsaken room.

But it was already too late for her. Since she had led Lambert—the fool charging in without a plan—to Earl Aubock’s lair, she would be tortured to the brink of death.

And yet, on the other hand, Lambert would kill her if she dared to run.

Almel, who specialized in agility, knew more than anyone else that she couldn’t escape after she witnessed his god-like abilities.

Earl Aubock’s bedroom was directly connected to the torture chamber.

… I guess I really have no choice.

Earl Aubock would spare her as long as she killed Lambert.

Rather, it would be a feat deserving of praise.

Lambert didn’t seem to be paying any attention to Almel.

Almel slipped her hand into her pocket, grasping a sharp silver needle.

I only have one chance.

Almel held her breath, pondering where she should stab Lambert with her needle.

However, the more she observed, the more she realized that there was no gap in his defenses that she could exploit.

The most she could do was stab the joint of his knee, ensuring that he couldn’t escape.

But even more so, Almel wondered if her silver needle could even kill this man.

After all, before her very own eyes, Lambert had proven that he could repel even the silver needles that were thrown by 『Dark Night’s Short Sword』’s leader himself, Hailzard.

The one who trained Almel in how to use the needles was none other than Hailzard. She had learned everything she knew from him.

If her master, whose skills surpassed her own, couldn’t do it, did she even stand a chance where he had failed?

Almel’s hand was coated in sweat.

As she gulped down her nervousness, Lambert turned around to look at her.

Almel shuddered and averted her gaze.

「I-It’s nothing…」

Lambert interjected.

「Hmm, who knows… I thought I sensed some killing intent.」

The moment Almel heard those words, the color drained from her face. Her body became limp and refused to move.

It seemed that deep inside, she had already given up on her plan to kill Lambert, even before she grasped the needle.

「You said that there’s a torture chamber in the basement. Tell me, where is Earl Aubock right now?」

「He’s either in his office… Or the torture chamber.」

Almel didn’t bother lying.

There’s a high possibility that Germain, along with the other members of 『Spirit’s Dusk』,is being held in the torture room, but… I guess I should prioritize the capture of Earl Aubock. I just need to kill him to end this mess, once and for all. On the contrary, if I prioritize saving Germain and Co. first, it’ll take too much time. It’ll give Earl Aubock a chance to escape.

「… AssassinatingEarl Aubock is impossible. Few of those reason were his escape route and secret path for emergencies, but it’s also because he’s being followed by his guard 24/7. You’re basically surrounded by those guards as soon as you entered the mansion.」

「As I expected. Well, since it’ll be the same no matter which route we choose, let’s just storm the front.」

「Yes, that’s ri- WHAT?!」

With that, Lambert turned around, leaving Almel behind as he walked toward the mansion’s front gate.

「What are you doing? Come here. Your job is to guide me through the mansion. It’ll be troublesome if I get lost.」

「N-No… I mean, I told you that we’ll be surrounded as soon as we enter the mansion… Right?」

「Indeed. That’s why breaking through the front before the Earl gets the chance to escape is much better than sneaking into the mansion in secret. He has the home advantage, after all.」

Lambert rushed toward the front gate, towing Almel along despite her reluctance.

The gatekeeper in front noticed Lambert right away.

He grabbed his spear and stabbed its blade toward Lambert.

「Who are you people?! Do you realize that you’re barging into Earl-sama’s mansion!」

Lambert’s arm moved, grabbing his unsheathed sword and tossing the scabbard toward the gatekeeper.

The tip of the scabbard pierced through the gatekeeper’s chest, sending him flying back and nailing his body to the wall.

「GUH!」

Blood gushed from the large wound in the gatekeeper’s chest.

Even though it seemed like Lambert tossed it lightly, the result was a massive wound for the guard.

The gatekeeper never expected that that measly lump of metal would easily break through his sternum, sink into his chest, and still have enough power to send him flying backward, nailing his body to the wall.

「Of course I know. The reason we came here is that Earl, after all.」

Lambert declared to the gatekeeper, who was on the verge of dying.

Soon enough, Almel’s prediction came true; the private army of Earl Aubock surrounded Lambert.

Lambert and Almel were besieged by thirty foes.

「SEE! I’VE TOLD YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT YOU’RE TOO RECKLESS!」

Almel ended up spewing a mouthful of protests at Lambert, completely forgetting about her fear of him.

「The man in the armor as reported… I see a secret forces member… Almel is with you? Did those 『Dragon’s Enchanted Metal』 fail to do their job? Or, you’re colluding with those guys? Well, it doesn’t matter either way.」

The one who welcomed Lambert and Co. was a tall man, whose black hair was swept to the back. He stood at the very back of the encirclement.

His handsome face did little to hide the cruelty in his darkened eyes.

「M-… Malkido?! Of all peo-…」

Almel’s eyes opened wide as she glared at Malkido.

Maybe because he wasn’t interested in Almel anymore, the man named Malkido rubbed his chin while making a gesture as if taking note of Lambert and Almel. He heaved a sigh with a bored look on his face.

「Hmm… Just the two of you. It seems this will end in a flash.」

After observing Lambert for a while, as if to evaluate him, Malkido clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s gazes to him.

「Everyone, how about playing a little game? The contents of the game are… Hmm… That’s it! The goal is to tear off the limbs of that idiot intruder and that traitorous woman. How’s that sound? Legs or arms, doesn’t matter. Anyone who presents their limbs will receive a reward from me.」

The man named Malkido spoke with a sadistic smile on his face.

The soldiers surrounding the two laughed raucously upon hearing his words.

―Malkido Maaveran.

He was the current leader of Earl Aubock’s private army.

He was a sadist who loved toying around with his opponent in the middle of a battle, as if it were just a game.

Earl Aubock gave Malkido preferential treatment since they were family. Thus, the latter had no problem with money.

「This is my chance!」

「You bastard, get back and wait your turn!!」

As soon as they heard Malkido’s words, five soldiers sprung at once toward Almel and Lambert, each one aiming for the first kill.

「This is… The end.」

Almel muttered as she took out her silver needle and prepared to commit a suicide.

Lambert pulled out his greatsword and swung it lightly.

It was just a simple movement, and yet none of the people present could draw their weapons faster than Lambert.

The first five who were scrambling at them suddenly stopped moving.

Everyone who saw such a scene from nearby felt that something was off. They went pale; it was as if the greatsword had appeared from nowhere.

The next instant, the heads of those five rolled on the ground.

Fresh blood spurted from their headless corpses as they fell to the ground, dyeing them in crimson.

「… Uhm?」

Witnessing such a scene from the backlines, Malkido gaped, not fully understanding the situation.

「Just thirty, huh…」

Lambert stood in front of the frightened soldiers as he calmly counted how many of them he faced.

Once again, he set his stance with his greatsword.

「This will end in a flash, indeed… For you guys, that is.」

At a loss for words, Malkido could only stare in silence.

Lambert swung his sword for the second time and then once again as he advanced forward.

Each swing reaped the lives of the soldiers who surrounded the two, scattering their flesh and blood on the ground.

「What are you waiting for?! Kill that guy now! I’ll reward anyone who can kill him! KILL HIM NOW!」

Malkido’s order was in vain. Anyone who dared to get close to Lambert was turned into a decapitated corpse in the next moment.

「Kill him… Quickly!! We outnumber him! Just surround him and kick him from his blind spot. With that stupidly heavy armor, like hell he can get up aga-」

Malkido shut his mouth before he finished his sentence.

Lambert, who wore that “stupidly heavy armor,” was moving quickly, killing one soldier after another.

While Malkido stood dumbfounded before that seemingly impossible scene, the subordinates at his side were killed by Lambert.

Color drained from Malkido’s face.

「U… U… UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」

Malkido raised a warcry as he slashed at Lambert.

Lambert dodged to the side with ease.

When he tried to put more strength in his grip and chase after Lambert, Malkido realized that his fingers had already rolled on the ground.

Following that realization was a searing pain coursing through his entire body.

「AAAAAAAAAH! MY-MY FINGERSSSS! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH」

Malkido groveled on the ground, picking up his right hand’s scattered fingers with his left hand.

「It was you who encouraged your subordinates to mutilate their opponent for reward, right?」

Lambert asked the half-crazed Malkido.

「I-I’ll give you as much money as you want, so fix these quick-」

Lambert’s greatsword bissected Malkido’s body from his head to his toes before he could even finish his sentence.

As Malkido’s blood splattered on his armor, bathing him in a crimson red, Lambert coldly resheathed his sword.

「Well then, it’s only a matter of time before Earl Aubock learns of this. Almel, show me the way.」

Seeing such a one-sided massacre, Almel felt the power drain from her body. She shuddered as her legs gave out and she collapsed on the ground.

The silver needle intended to take her own life had long since fallen from the grasp of her shuddering hands.