I Regressed to My Ruined Family – 53

 #I returned home to find my family ruined (54)

Since the visit of the Grand Duke, two families had already fallen into ruin.

If he opened the castle gates carelessly, he had no idea what kind of interrogation he would face from the viscount.

Even if the Grand Duke had visited here without any particular purpose.

“If we open the castle gates carelessly, we will definitely be punished.”

The captain of the guard shouted while circulating the mana inside his body.

“Wait… Wait a moment! We need to follow procedure!”

“What procedure are you talking about?”

The captain of the guard looked at one of the knights in a panic.

He communicated through his eyes, telling him to stall for time.

While the knights on the outer wall exchanged words in loud voices,

the captain of the guards hurriedly placed a mana stone in the communication crystal.

Soon, the face of the viscount appeared in the crystal.

“What’s going on?”

“Something… something terrible has happened, my lord! The Grand Duke has arrived with his knights! I’m blocking the gate, but I can’t hold them back for long…”

That was the moment.

“…What?”

“You… you’re crazy!”

Voices mixed with horror erupted from the surrounding area.

“What is it?”

The captain of the guards naturally turned his gaze. His eyes widened like those of the men on the ramparts.

The ramparts were nearly 7 meters high.

The Grand Duke was leaping toward them.

He flew nearly 4 meters in his first leap, and the moment his feet left the ground, fiery mana flickered in the air and created a platform.

“…!”

The knights on the wall understood without being told how much delicate mana control was required to do that.

Even the royal guards would not have been able to perform such a feat just now.

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It took the mana control of at least the royal guard captain to do something like that.

With just two leaps, the Grand Duke climbed onto the city wall and naturally met the eyes of the commander of the defense forces.

Ethan smiled slightly as he looked at the crystal ball in his hand.

“Viscount Rokan?”

―…Grand Duke? What are you doing here?

“Is this a place I shouldn’t be?”

―Why did you bring the knights here?

Ethan took two books from his robe and held them up.

One was the Book of Dragons.

The other was a ledger detailing the viscount’s tax revenue.

“Not content with imposing excessive taxes and committing acts of tyranny, you are also distributing interesting items in the city. Have you forgotten whose land this is?”

…!

His surprise was short-lived.

Lord Lokkan quickly said.

―That book has nothing to do with me…!

“We’ll find out when we check it. Just wait there with your neck clean.”

―What…! What are you doing…!

He didn’t even have time to continue.

The moment Ethan released his mana.

The pressure-sensitive crystals burst in all directions, unable to withstand the pressure.

“Are you going to open the door, or do you want to fight me?”

“…”

The knights on the ramparts swallowed hard.

*

“Damn it!”

The crystal ball suddenly darkened, and cold sweat began to pour down Lokan’s forehead.

The Grand Duke.

Just three months ago, he hadn’t even given a second thought to this sick man, but now he was afraid of him!

“This is bad.”

The viscount bit his nails.

The report from the commander of the defense forces.

He learned that the Grand Duke had not come alone, but had brought his knights with him.

If he had come with good intentions, he would not have brought his knights with him.

He hurriedly picked up the crystal ball on his desk.

Count Cheiman, the leader of the faction.

Contacting him was the top priority. Fortunately, Cheiman answered quickly.

―What is going on?

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“Something… something terrible has happened! Count!”

―Terrible?

“The… the Grand Duke has invaded! And he brought his knights with him!”

―…What?

Cheiman was shocked.

Why on earth did that man visit his faction?

―…The reason?

“There are two reasons! One is taxes, and the other is… the distribution of the Dragon Clan Scriptures!”

…!

The Dragon Clan Scriptures.

Chaymon knew very well what they were. They were literally books praising the dragon clan.

“…!”

The Grand Duke.

He understood why he had visited Viscount Dekun.

All of the previous members of the Ardan family had been killed by the Dragon Clan.

Naturally, the Grand Duke’s hatred for the Dragon Clan was beyond imagination.

It didn’t matter if it was Irdan or anyone else.

If he heard that a book praising the Dragon Clan was being distributed, he would rush over without hesitation.

“Damn it!”

It was as if his grand plan had been splattered with filthy mud.

Chayman quickly thought things through.

Should he go rescue Viscount Lokhan now?

No matter how fast he traveled, it would take at least four days for reinforcements to arrive. Would the viscount be able to hold out that long?

“If he puts up a strong fight inside the castle, it might be possible…”

However, there were too many variables.

He had to ask this first.

“So where is the Grand Duke now? Did you open the outer gate?”

“…No, I didn’t. He just jumped up on his own.”

“…What? Are you trying to joke with me at a time like this?”

The medium-sized city of Demorian.

The outer wall here was nearly 7 meters high.

Of course, it was impossible to jump up that high just like that.

One would need to have at least the mana/quantity of a 6th-rank knight to jump that high in one go.

A human whose mana core had been shattered achieving the level of a 6th-rank knight in less than four months after waking up?

It was impossible, even for the best knights on the continent.

Count Rokhan shook his head urgently at the question mixed with doubt.

“…That’s not it! He jumped twice in midair!”

“Twice?”

“Yes.”

Even a knight of low rank could do that. That is, if they had mana control beyond imagination.

“Talent…”

It was frightening.

The Grand Duke would not be a threat to him right now.

But what if someone with such talent continued to grow?

“Umm…”

Chayman pondered.

Was it right for him to attack the Grand Duke now?

“It’s not that he’s targeting my faction directly…”

It seemed highly likely that they had rushed in knowing about the distribution of the Dragon Clan Scriptures.

Even if it was the former, he would have to consider whether to fight the Grand Duke to the death, but if the latter was more likely, then what?

His faction wasn’t the only one distributing the Dragon Clan Scriptures. The book was probably also being distributed in Irdan’s territory.

“If only we weren’t distributing the Dragon Clan Scriptures.”

The blade would surely turn toward Irdan once again. Cheiman said, looking at Su-kyung.

“Hold on for four days. I’ll dispatch the knights.”

“Yes, sir!”

Lokan replied vigorously, looking relieved.

Four days.

It was quite a long time, but if they held out with their inner strength, it was a reasonable amount of time to try. The vassal territory was filled with numerous private soldiers and even knights.

Then, communication with the crystal ball was cut off.

The count immediately summoned the knights. He called the deputy commander and handed him the command of the knights, saying

“Go to the viscount’s residence. If the viscount has been captured by the grand duke, just come back. If not, and the situation is tense, don’t interfere and contact me first.”

“Yes, sir.”

“There may be many things to do on the way. I’m worried that you won’t be able to make it in time.”

Contrary to his words, the count’s expression was very calm.

The deputy commander nodded as if he understood. It was not difficult to understand his true intentions.

“The count has given up half the battle.”

He would send reinforcements because of the eyes of others, but it would not be a real rescue mission.

Slowing down the advance with a simple trick was child’s play for him.

In any case, his master was the count, so he intended to do as he wished. And so, the knights set out from the count’s domain.

* *

“Who is our lord? All raise your swords!”

The captain of the guard shouted loudly.

Regardless of the prince’s justification, they were knights who swore allegiance to the viscount.

At the captain’s words, the knights began to draw their swords one by one.

However, the soldiers were different.

“…”

Unable to obey the order, many soldiers began to put down their weapons.

Their reaction was understandable.

To ordinary commoners, the name “Prince Ardan” was synonymous with a guardian deity.

“…They have no desire to fight.”

In fact, it was only natural.

This was a territory belonging to the duke’s domain. The Grand Duke was nothing less than the spiritual pillar of that domain. The knights looked at the soldiers and gave up halfway.

Rather than commanding soldiers with such low morale, it would be better for the knights to charge on their own.

The standoff lasted only a moment. Ethan looked at the knights surrounding him and smiled.

“You fools don’t understand what I’m saying.”

However, there was no anger in his voice.

He understood perfectly well that knights were beings who fought for their masters.

Besides, these knights weren’t trying to kill him. They were merely trying to subdue him.

“Well, if they subdue me, that’s fine.”

He would just give them back what they gave him. The mana flowing from his body circulated throughout his entire body.

Soon, glowing mana blossomed on his great sword.

The heat was so intense that his black great sword was glowing red.

As if that weren’t enough, his greaves and gauntlets also seemed to be glowing hot, spewing steam. It was a sight that sent a chill down his spine.

“…Subdue the Grand Prince!”

At the words of the commander of the defense forces, the knights of the Duke rushed toward Ethan.

The knights formed a line and launched an attack with their sharp swords.

However, to Ethan, their sword strikes seemed infinitely slow.

That was especially true now that he had released all of his power. Ethan began to move in earnest.

He dodged and clashed swords.

It was a very simple action.

However, the result of his actions was not so simple. Like fish caught on a hook, the knights’ swords were naturally drawn toward his broadsword.

Clang!

Clang!

Unable to withstand the scorching heat, the middle part of the sword melted completely and began to roll on the ground.

“You… you’re crazy!”

How hot was that sword that it melted a steel sword the moment it touched it?

It was terrifying.

If that sword touched my body…

It was obvious that my body would melt away without a single piece of flesh left.

After the sword melted, a fist flew naturally.

Fortunately, the heat from the gauntlet was blocked by mana. The disaster of my body melting away did not happen.

However.

It was not possible to completely defend against the physical force of the punches with mana alone.

Pah!

“Guh!”

Pah!

“Guh!”

With each punch he threw, a knight fell. It seemed so natural.

Even the highest-ranking knight, the commander of the outer defense, was so stunned by the fluid battle that he lost his mind for a moment and could only watch the scene.

“Could it be… a domain?”

The commander flinched.

A master with extreme mana control could completely change the nature of the surrounding space.

People referred to this as “territory.” The Grand Prince seemed to have created his own territory.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for more than twenty knights to charge at him without even a scratch.

“…Damn it!”

The commander drew his sword and charged forward. He was a skilled five-star knight who was highly regarded even among the nobility.

However, he was not at all confident that he could defeat the Grand Prince.

He hoped that this one sword would hit its target.

He thrust his sword forward.

When he closed the distance to five steps, the captain of the guard sensed it.

“…It’s a domain!”

He felt an indescribable sense of alienation.

It felt as if his body was not moving as he wanted it to.

His doubts turned into certainty.

Someone who had his mana hole broken less than four months ago had built a domain!

A monster.

He was a monster with terrifying martial arts skills!

“That’s impossible…”

The defense commander’s sword collided with the crown prince’s broadsword with perfect timing.

The broadsword, made of steel with a small amount of mithril added, couldn’t withstand the heat and melted completely.

Pah!

A single punch flew toward him, and his mind went completely blank.

Only after the world went completely dark was he able to regain consciousness.

Ethan quietly looked around. The knights who had attacked him were all lying on the ground, unconscious, bleeding from their noses.

It was an easy battle, almost boring.

Thud.

Thud.

He walked toward the pulley that opened the castle gate.

Despite the numerous soldiers stationed on the ramparts, no one blocked his path. Instead, they bowed their heads in gratitude and made way for him.

They had been completely overwhelmed by the overwhelming force he had just demonstrated.

Squeak.

The outer gate opened.

The knights, who had been gazing endlessly at the towering city walls, began to cross the gate.

Now, the only thing left to do was to capture the rats hiding in the inner castle.