Linus was stunned upon receiving the report.

He threw an object from his desk at the masked man kneeling before him.

"You failed?! And you call yourselves the black ops?!"

To his frustration, it seemed they had left behind evidence of Linus's involvement.

That part could easily be covered up by claiming an executive of the Clave Company had acted on their own.

But Liam would surely know soon that they had made a move.

The masked man was also panicking.

"It's as if the enemy knew our methods. They were far too efficient, and those by Liam's side must be quite skilled."

He possesses an organization on par with the Empire's black ops.

Hearing this, a chill ran down Linus's spine.

He was forced to recognize that the enemy he had dismissed as a small fry was, in fact, incredibly troublesome.

And at a stage where it was already too late.

"—Crush Liam, no matter what it takes. Cleo can be dealt with, but if I don't act now, my own position will be in jeopardy."

He had thought he could handle any noble, no matter how powerful.

Until now, he always had.

But now, realizing he was dealing with someone beyond his control, Linus was suddenly backed into a corner.

In this situation, he couldn't afford to be fighting with Calvin.

If the nobles of his faction learned of his current predicament, they would surely abandon him.

The masked man reported.

"Liam has requested an audience with His Highness Cleo and is coming to the palace. We are past the point of worrying about appearances. Your Highness, please gather skilled fighters. Knights, mercenaries, it doesn't matter."

Linus was already in a very bad situation.

An assassination within the palace—a rather forceful method, but he had no time to be picky.

It had come to this; if Liam wasn't eliminated, there would be no tomorrow for him.

"Gather as many as you can, immediately. And you all will give it everything you've got."

"Yes, sir!"

In the room, after the masked man had vanished, Linus's face was a hollow mask of despair.

◇

I made my way to the palace to meet with His Highness Cleo.

That said, the palace is quite vast.

Despite the recent assassination attempt, there was a quietness that betrayed no hint of it.

The time being night probably had something to do with it.

But even so, the atmosphere was strange.

Riding in a car that floated above the road, I looked outside and sensed a murderous intent.

"—A blatant assassination attempt, huh. It seems that when people are cornered, they'll make a bad move even when they know it's a bad move."

Klaus, my guard next to me, hadn't noticed yet.

"Lord Liam, is something wrong?"

"Hey, stop the car."

I had the driver stop the car and got out with my guards.

Kukuri, having apparently noticed, appeared with his subordinates the moment I stepped outside.

The place was a beautifully paved road.

Lined with trees and streetlights on both sides, there were even flowerbeds.

The width of the road—in terms of my previous life, it would be about four lanes.

Eight lanes in total, for coming and going.

The moment I stepped out, the sound of a gunshot rang out without warning.

I shifted my body just half a step to the side, and a bullet whizzed past, embedding itself in the ground.

The fact that it only resulted in an unpleasant ringing in my ears was thanks to my physical enhancements.

Klaus frantically jumped in front of me.

"Lord Liam, please step back!"

"Don't worry about it. Just protect yourselves."

Pushing Klaus aside, I stepped forward and drew the sword I was carrying.

I began to cut down, one after another, the bullets fired by snipers aiming at me from different locations.

This is kind of fun.

I was a little pleased to be able to replicate the master technique of cutting bullets I'd seen in my past life.

Well, it's thanks to this physically enhanced body and the techniques of the One-Flash style.

A feat like this is mere child's play.

I glanced at Kukuri.

"The snipers are a nuisance."

"Yes, sir."

Kukuri's subordinates vanished into the darkness.

And then, more and more people began to gather in this place.

They weren't the palace guards who had rushed over after sensing the disturbance, but people radiating killing intent.

Knights, soldiers, mercenaries perhaps? A large number of them were surrounding us.

Faced with such a group, Klaus and the other guards drew their swords.

"Do you bastards have any idea what you're doing?!"

The enemy seemed to have no intention of talking to us.

Their faces were hidden, and they held weapons in their hands.

My guards tried to step in front of me, so I made them stand back.

"Klaus, don't get in my way. This is a perfect opportunity. Let's see what these so-called experts His Highness Linus has gathered can do."

I lifted my chin slightly at the enemy.

"What's wrong? Not going to attack?"

There are probably some strong guys among them.

But they're no match for me.

Linus, who could only gather this many, was indeed a fitting first opponent.

He's like a mid-boss from the early stages of a game. Good for grinding experience points.

The knights charged at me.

The soldiers were about to pull the triggers on their firearms, so I dealt with the nuisances first.

Without changing my stance, maintaining an arrogant attitude, the soldiers before me were slashed apart, spouting blood.

The mercenaries were in chaos, but the knights shouted them down.

"This is the One-Flash style! If you value your lives, before you're cut down—"

I killed the knight who opened his mouth first.

His head flew off before he could even get close, but the other knights, their resolve seemingly firm, continued to charge at me.

Their spirit alone is admirable.

But—.

"Don't think spirit alone will be enough."

—I cut them all down.

It might look like I haven't moved an inch, but I've lopped off the heads of every single knight.

The knights collapsed one after another.

Klaus was stunned, so I warned him.

"Klaus, at least protect yourself."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

The mercenaries—or should I call them bounty hunters?—could only watch as the knights fell.

The bounty hunters were trembling as they looked at me.

"What's wrong? You want my head, don't you? Well, you can't take my life if you don't raise your weapons."

When I took a step forward, they dropped their weapons in fear and tried to flee.

I cut down the one who turned his back to me.

It wasn't a distance my blade could physically reach, but anywhere the enemy stood was within my range.

"The moment you pointed your weapons at me, you and your master were doomed to die. Too bad for you."

As the bounty hunters frantically aimed their weapons at me, I sheathed my sword.

With a click, the enemies collapsed one by one.

To an observer, it must have been an incomprehensible sight.

Klaus was bewildered.

"Klaus, it's over. We're taking another route to see His Highness Cleo. And inform the palace guards."

The scene around us was truly gruesome.

Klaus shook his head, his expression turning serious.

"Is the planned route dangerous?"

"There's no need to be so foolishly honest and proceed. I have a bad feeling about it."

As I was about to return to the car, Kukuri approached me.

"Lord Liam, there is something I must report to you."

I smiled at Kukuri's report.

◇

Cleo had escaped to a facility located just outside the rear palace.

A security detail was stationed there, and it also served as a shelter in case of emergencies.

Having escaped to such a facility, Cleo and his guard, Lysithea, were relieved.

Lysithea let out a sigh.

"I'm glad big sister Cecilia wasn't in the rear palace."

It was fortunate that Cecilia, who was unsuited for rough situations, was away from the rear palace for a marriage interview.

Cleo looked at the faces of the servants who had fled with him.

"Tia, several people are missing, aren't they?"

Tia, armed as a guard, was by his side, but she spoke with cruel coldness about the missing servants.

"Perhaps they anticipated the attack; they made excuses to stay out tonight."

Hearing that, Cleo understood.

"I see. And some of them have served me for a long time."

They had foreseen the attack—in other words, they were traitors.

In front of the servants huddled together in fear, Cleo couldn't show any sign of anxiety.

He made an effort to appear composed.

Seeing his demeanor, Tia praised him.

"You are admirable, Your Highness Cleo."

"Are you treating me like a child? More importantly, have you contacted the Count?"

"Yes. It seems he was attacked on the way, but he is heading here without any issues. In another five minutes—"

Tia, having said that much, drew her rapier and moved to protect Cleo.

A clash of metal was heard; it seemed Tia had deflected a thrown weapon.

Men spattered with the blood of the knights who had been guarding this place began to pour in through the entrance.

Lysithea also took up her weapon, but her reaction was slower than Tia's.

"Th-They've invaded even a place like this?!"

It was no wonder Lysithea was confused.

But the enemy seemed to know the situation inside and out.

"The affairs of the court are mysterious and profound—something like this is a common occurrence."

The reason for Lysithea's confusion was that the knight was a man she often saw within the palace.

It was unexpected that he, who normally worked as an ordinary knight, would carry out this attack.

He was a man with eyes so narrow they seemed closed, but now they were slightly open.

His eyes were incredibly cold.

Tia ordered her subordinates to protect Cleo and stood before the man.

Her voice was lower than usual.

"It seems your master doesn't care about the means. He looks desperate."

Hearing this, the men laughed softly.

Tia narrowed her eyes.

"What's so funny?"

The narrow-eyed man spread his hands slightly and shrugged.

"Oh, nothing. It's just clear you're ignorant of court affairs. You'll be shocked when you find out who our master is."

As Tia raised her rapier, she slashed through two knights who were closing the distance from behind the narrow-eyed man at incredible speed.

Cleo couldn't even react.

(Are these guys skilled?)

Tia, who defeated them so easily, must also be incredibly skilled.

The narrow-eyed man applauded.

"Marvelous skill. I'd love to recruit you."

Tia wore a provocative smile.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll kill every last one of you."

Tia stepped forward, but immediately leaped back from her spot.

An instant later, a sword swung down where Tia had been standing.

The man who swung the sword was two and a half meters tall.

The man, who had swung a sword as large as his own body, smiled at Tia's reaction speed.

"Hoh, it's been years since someone dodged my first strike."

Cleo recognized the man and his eyes widened.

"Why are you..."

Lysithea was also trembling.

"—Lord Sword Saint, why are you attacking us?"

The Sword Saint, with a longsword resting on his shoulder, glanced at the narrow-eyed man.

The narrow-eyed man showed a defiant attitude.

"The darkness of the Empire is very deep. It's a common story to think you've peered into it, only to find you were still at the entrance."

There are multiple Sword Saints in the Empire.

The number varies by era, but in the present day, four individuals were known as Sword Saints.

Those who have risen to the top on swordsmanship alone, regardless of school or faction—the highest-ranking swordsman was right before their eyes.

And as an enemy, no less.

Tia also heightened her guard.

She looked less composed than before.

The Sword Saint spoke to Tia.

"Now then, I'll ask you one more time. It would be a waste to kill a swordswoman of your skill in a place like this. How about it—won't you switch to our side?"

Tia scoffed.

"I have only one lord, now and forever. Betrayal is out of the question."

"What a shame. —I wanted to kill you after you had honed your skills even further!"

The Sword Saint closed the distance in an instant and clashed swords with Tia.

Sparks flew multiple times in a single moment, and Cleo's eyes couldn't keep up with the sword strikes of the Sword Saint and Tia.

(So this is a battle between high-ranking knights.)

Their bodies moved too fast for his eyes to follow, and before he knew it, Tia had been sent flying into a wall.

The narrow-eyed man praised the Sword Saint.

"As expected of a Sword Saint. Your skill, the best of this generation, is no mere boast."

However, the Sword Saint frowned at the flattery.

"Enough with the transparent compliments. More importantly, you lot do the cleanup. There's no fun in cutting down the weak."

The Sword Saint seemed to be the type who sought battles with the strong; he headed towards Tia, paying no mind to Cleo and the others.

In fact, neither Cleo—nor Lysithea, who was training as a knight—could move.

They were overwhelmed by his presence.

The narrow-eyed man ran a hand through his hair.

"Well then, shall we begin the cleanup? I don't want to take too much time, so let's finish this quickly. Come on, it's time for work."

When the narrow-eyed man turned around, his subordinates didn't move.

"What's wrong? Hurry up and—"

From the back of the entrance—from where the intruders had entered—footsteps could be heard.

"—They're already dead, so they can't work. Let them rest."

Cleo gasped at the voice.

"Count Banfield."

The one who emerged from the darkness of the corridor was Liam.

"Is this where the fun party's at?"

As Liam walked past the narrow-eyed man's subordinates, ignoring them, they collapsed one by one, bleeding.

Tia, embedded in the wall, let out a pained voice—but she sounded incredibly happy.

"Lord—Li—am."

Liam looked at Tia, then turned his gaze to the Sword Saint.

"I've been wanting to meet a Sword Saint. Hey—give me your title."

Facing the Sword Saint, Liam picked a fight as casually as if he were challenging someone to a game.

Brian: (；゛゜'ω゜'): "Lord Liam, please don't pick a fight with a Sword Saint!!!"

Klaus: (；゛゜'ω゜'): "Our boss is picking a fight with a Sword Saint, ababababa!!"