Chapter 53

The Stone Family, which had formed the largest power among the families in the eastern frontier.

In the reception room of its Head, two middle-aged men sat facing each other.

Coral Stone, with a stiff face, opened his mouth.

“Demian Eurasia's White Knight Order has notified us that they will visit here in two days. He requested our help for negotiations with Cornelia.”

“I see.”

The man dressed in the armor of the Black Cloud Knight Order showed a nonchalant reaction. For a knight of the family, it was a disrespectful attitude towards the Head.

Coral Stone continued, unconcerned.

“Judging by your reaction, it seems you know something.”

“Head, you are quite impatient.”

“Stop hiding things and tell me. Shouldn't I also be able to prepare countermeasures?”

At Coral Stone's urging, the man let out a laugh.

“Do not rush me. I was just confirming that Eurasia has taken the bait.”

“Bait?”

“That's right. For hunting the main forces of Eurasia and Cornelia…….”

Pausing for a moment, the man pointed his index finger at Coral Stone and opened his mouth.

“Bait.”

“What… Hey, Mainz Kimbel!!”

At the sight of the Head raising his voice, the man burst into laughter.

“Speak clearly, what do you mean I am the bait?!!”

“Calm down, Head.”

Mainz Kimbel's voice changed after he stopped laughing.

He made eye contact with the reddened Head and opened his mouth.

“It is all part of the Empire's plan.”

He told him that Eurasia and Cornelia had joined forces to hunt the Empire's Superhuman who had infiltrated the frontier.

He also mentioned that by now, the hunting dogs of the two families were heading this way.

“H-how could this be? Then, does that mean Eurasia knows that I have joined hands with the Empire…….”

At the unexpected situation, Coral Stone's face turned ashen.

Mainz Kimbel watched him and clicked his tongue to himself.

‘It's tiring trying to scheme with a man who doesn't know his place.’

The Stone Family, located on the outskirts of the eastern frontier and also adjacent to the end of the western frontier where Cornelia's influence reached.

Quite some time had passed since this family, along with a few others, had joined hands with the Empire.

‘I need to reassure him for now.’

Mainz Kimbel belatedly composed his voice.

Now that Eurasia had taken the bait, there was no longer a need to use honorifics with Coral Stone.

“I'll say it again. It's all part of the plan, so you have nothing to be surprised about.”

“Our relationship has been exposed to Eurasia, and the First Young Master of Eurasia is personally leading a knight order here, yet you tell me not to be surprised! Do you think that makes any sense?!!”

“Do not make a fuss. This is something the Second Prince planned himself.”

“Th-the Second Prince himself?!!”

Coral Stone's voice rose once again.

“A month ago, I received a direct order from His Highness. He said that Cornelia and Eurasia were targeting me, so I should entrust myself to a reliable family at the right time.”

Mainz Kimbel emphasized the word ‘reliable’.

“But why… such a risky move now…….”

“Head, you have less courage than you look. Isn't it obvious that it's to capture Demian Eurasia?”

“Young Master Demian?”

“Do you think the eastern frontier will fall into the hands of the Stone Family just by making Simon Eurasia surrender?”

“…….”

“My lord wishes to confirm if you are worthy of becoming the master of the eastern frontier. Demian Eurasia, the likely next Head, is a good sacrifice to prove your loyalty.”

Coral Stone nodded with a dazed expression.

“But… if that Demian Eurasia is joining forces with Cornelia…….”

“Tsk, tsk. You really only know one thing and not the other. That's why I said I am the bait.”

“…….”

“Demian Eurasia will not move alone until Cornelia's support arrives. That must be why he disguised the purpose of his visit as a meeting between families.”

“I-I see…….”

“And His Highness has dispatched additional Superhumans. Cornelia will not be able to reach this place.”

“Then…….”

“You and I, with your Black Cloud Knight Order, will personally hunt Demian Eurasia and the White Knight Order.”

“……!!”

Coral Stone's mouth was agape for only a moment.

‘With the strength of the Black Cloud Knight Order, we can somehow hold off the White Knight Order… and no matter how much of a genius Demian Eurasia is, he cannot defeat Mainz Kimbel.’

If so, there were two things that bothered him.

“Couldn't a Superhuman from Eurasia also make a move? The Head has finished his seclusion, so what if Escardo or the Red Knight Order are preparing…….”

“That is impossible.”

“……?”

“Those who reach 8-star suffer from one major side effect.”

Mainz Kimbel mentioned the Heart Break symptom.

“Has Simon Eurasia made any public appearances recently?”

“……He has not.”

“That man is probably busy managing the side effects right now. Escardo Schtenberg will be too busy acting as Head.”

“What about Eurasia's Annihilation Squad? I heard the skill of the Annihilation Squad Commander reached the level of a Superhuman…….”

“You don't need to worry about that. I dealt with them myself.”

“……!!”

“Do you really think I would have started this without that much preparation? A few of them escaped alive, but they are not strong enough to change the tide.”

Mainz Kimbel said, recalling the green-eyed woman.

“Ahem… Then there should be no more problems. If you had given me a heads-up beforehand, wouldn't I have done my best to help?”

“If the information had leaked, the Red Knight Order would have moved instead of the White Knight Order. Did you want that kind of risk?”

“O-of course not.”

The Red Knight Order was Eurasia's elite.

Even with the help of the Stone Family's Black Cloud Knight Order, Mainz Kimbel alone could not guarantee victory against them.

“Do we really not have to worry about the west?”

“Cornelia's Head has also entered seclusion, and Celot Cornelia is serving as the Acting Head. The only Superhuman who can move is Kiel Cornelia.”

Kiel Cornelia. The leader of the Illusion Magic Order and a mage considered to have stabilized 7-star.

Even though such a person was heading this way, Mainz Kimbel showed confidence.

It was because he knew that the Second Prince had dispatched five additional Superhumans.

‘If it's the Black Duke, he will somehow penetrate the Magic Tower's surveillance network and succeed with the plan.’

Eurasia's knights would soon realize that they had walked into the jaws of hell on their own two feet.

‘He's the man who even killed the Annihilation Squad Commander. He wouldn't be gambling on empty words.’

The success of the plan seemed to shimmer right before his eyes.

‘If this plan succeeds, I will become the master of the eastern frontier.’

At the pleasant thought, the corners of Coral Stone's mouth twitched.

“What can I do to help?”

“Now we're talking.”

Although his intentions were transparent, Mainz Kimbel simply laughed heartily and began to explain the plan.

‘Foolish man.’

While hiding his true thoughts.

***

It took less than two days for the fifty members of the White Knight Order, led by Demian, to arrive at the main castle of the Stone Family.

As Coral Stone personally greeted the White Knight Order, Demian dismounted his horse and offered a sword salute.

“I express my gratitude for the Head's hospitality.”

“Hahaha. It is only natural for an allied family to do so.”

“I am simply grateful for your ready understanding despite the sudden request.”

“There is no need for such formalities. So, who is coming from the Cornelia side?”

“Sir Kiel will be coming himself, leading the Illusion Magic Order. I expect it will take about a week.”

“I see. But the number of White Knights is smaller than I thought?”

Coral Stone asked, looking at the fifty knights lined up behind Demian.

He knew that the full strength of the White Knight Order was about a hundred men.

“Our purpose is not battle. Both sides have promised not to exceed fifty knights and mages.”

“That number can be fully accommodated by the family's castle alone.”

“That is a relief.”

It was when Coral Stone and Demian were exchanging peculiar glances.

Killian, who had been staying behind Demian all along, stepped forward.

He was the only one wearing the light armor of the Blue Knight Order.

“It is my first time meeting the Head of the Stone Family.”

“And you are…….”

“I am Killian Eurasia. Though I am lacking, I have come to join my brother.”

Coral Stone scanned Killian's body.

Even through the armor, he could tell it was a body trained as a knight.

‘Are the rumors true?’

He had heard that the Fourth Young Master, who had been without a presence all this time, had reached 6-star and achieved great merit in a subjugation battle.

His skills were said to be such that the family's Matriarchs were trying to make him their own for the competition for the Head's position.

‘There was also a rumor that the Head himself bestowed a sword upon him and had him join the Annihilation Squad.’

They were all rumors that were hard to believe, but seeing the person in the flesh, it seemed to have some credibility.

If it were true, it meant the strength of the White Knight Order was even stronger.

‘But even so, there isn't a single Superhuman.’

That was the reason he felt no hesitation in accepting 52 knights into the castle.

“I have prepared a banquet. Please stay without any discomfort.”

***

Click.

Demian, who had entered the room, locked the door.

Then.

Fwoooosh.

White mana dominated the space.

It was a cleanly spread Carpe.

“It seems there are no magic tools.”

Demian muttered as he subsided his mana.

He looked at Killian, who was already seated.

“Cornelia's reinforcements will arrive in three days.”

“Not a week?”

“There's no need to tell a traitor the truth.”

On the surface, it was a meeting disguised as a secret deal between families.

“Mainz Kimbel is here. The Cornelia side confirmed it, so there's no mistake.”

Cornelia had used its Magic Tower to find out that Mainz Kimbel had been staying at the Stone Family's estate for a month.

They had already tightened the encirclement of the area.

Even for a Superhuman, it would not be easy to escape.

“I saw today that the number of the Black Cloud Knight Order is quite large.”

The Black Cloud Knight Order, raised by the Stone Family.

As they passed the training ground, their numbers appeared to be at least 100. It was a considerable number for a frontier family.

“Most of them seemed to be at the 1~3 star level. More importantly, will Cornelia be able to arrive in time?”

The original plan was to surround the Stone Family as soon as Kiel Cornelia arrived and subdue Mainz Kimbel, who was staying here.

But what if Mainz Kimbel, realizing it was a trap, moved before Cornelia's forces arrived?

That risk would have to be borne entirely by Eurasia's knights.

Of course, in that case, they had already agreed that the Annihilation Squad, including Killian, would face Mainz Kimbel, while the White Knight Order would deal with the Black Cloud Knight Order.

“I only brought the elites to make the enemy let their guard down, but seeing the number of the Black Cloud Knight Order today, I'm starting to regret it.”

“Contrary to your words, you seem to be enjoying yourself.”

Killian said, looking at the smile that had appeared on Demian's lips.

“It's hard to deny.”

It was the first real battle in a long time since the subjugation.

Depending on Coral Stone's response, he might even have to face a Superhuman.

Recalling the battle with the Knight Slayer, Demian's heart was beating quietly.

“It will be a long three days until Cornelia arrives.”

Even if they knew their purpose, Mainz Kimbel would not leave this place alive.

“Plans should always be made in preparation for when they go awry.”

“Do you have a good idea?”

“How about we make the first move?”

“The first move?”

“Yes. If the enemy has set a trap, don't we also need to catch them off guard?”

Offense, not defense.

A strategy that could change the tide if successful.

At Killian's following words.

“…….”

Demian's expression began to turn ambiguous.

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