120 — Always Assume the Worst When Making Plans

1

The jungle was long, and it was dangerous.

There had already been a commotion caused by poisonous insects, and they had faced two monster attacks.

But Caesar was not weak enough to be shaken by such things.

The two princes didn’t even need to step in; the squad members handled everything themselves.

Manus and Tyrannis both noticed that the guide’s expression darkened slightly as he watched this unfold.

The sun set, and a darkness so thick that not even a single inch ahead could be seen, descended upon them.

“It’s dark enough already, and now the sun has set… This is quite eerie,” one of the soldiers muttered.

“A perfect setup for an ambush,” another replied.

“We’re almost at the first village. Just a little more effort, everyone,” the guide said.

Their footsteps became lighter.

The squad members, eager to leave this dreadful forest, quickened their pace.

Their vigilance naturally lessened.

It’s amazing, really, how words can have such a mysterious and profound power.

A single sentence from the guide was enough to make them lower their guard like this.

To keep everyone focused while navigating the unfamiliar terrain, Manus spoke up.

“Stay alert till the end. Slow down and don’t make any careless moves.”

“Yes, sir.”

The tone of the atmosphere changed with Manus’s calm yet firm voice, as if the earlier restlessness had never existed.

Watching his younger brother command their subordinates, Tyrannis clenched and unclenched his fists a couple of times.

The boy was already sixteen.

He had been trained from the moment he took his first steps, so he should at least be capable.

Yet why did the past keep coming to mind?

Even though Manus was showing such a commendable side, the memories buried deep in his heart couldn’t be easily shaken off.

Tyrannis sighed quietly and gathered his mana.

‘Even so, family is still family, huh?’

He had heard of families, like those whose main occupation was assassination, where siblings would fight to the death for competition.

He couldn’t understand such customs, but that’s how power worked.

It was rare to find noble families that valued justice and unity.

It was pathetic to see those who couldn’t wait to take what others had.

Even noble families had enough to live comfortably, so why was there such greed?

To overcome his disappointment, something decisive was needed.

‘If this turns out to be boring, it’ll be no fun at all.’

He glanced at the guide, who was walking ahead of them.

He hoped this would be a trial that would allow him to grow.

A chance to finally untangle the knot deep in his heart.

“There it is! We’ve arrived!” the guide shouted.

The forest opened up.

Or rather, it seemed like they had reached a large clearing.

Starlight poured down, and the light from two moons pushed away the darkness.

The village, which should have been brightly lit, was instead swept by a cold wind that had chased away its warmth.

[Anigam Village]

Located at the entrance of the Biltite Forest, this village often engaged in trade with the Empire.

Many things found only in this vast natural area could be procured here, making it a frequent destination for the Empire’s merchants.

Normally, this place would have been welcoming to outsiders, but now it was as silent as death.

The faint light Manus saw pointed directly toward the village’s interior.

Crunch.

The party advanced, trampling on the unusually short grass.

“We’ll split up and conduct a search. Look for survivors, and check for any threats. If anything seems off, avoid engaging in combat and call for backup.”

“Yes, sir!”

Their loud voices echoed through the air.

Leaving the scattering soldiers behind, the two princes walked toward the guide.

He was a seasoned guide.

In a normal situation, his actions would have appeared entirely normal.

However, once doubt turned to certainty, every one of his actions felt suspicious.

He seemed to be subtly trying to lead Caesar into exposed areas, as if waiting for an opportunity.

Almost as if he was about to report to someone—.

“You were right, after all,” Tyrannis said.

“This is a perfect place for an ambush,” Manus replied.

“So that’s why you insisted on pushing through? I must say, I’m impressed.”

Tyrannis had now adopted a position of observing and evaluating his younger brother.

Remarkable.

If there was a variable, it was the unknown strength and scale of the enemy.

Caesar was isolated.

If an overwhelming force appeared, they could all be wiped out without resistance.

The forest.

And a village blocked off on all sides.

It was an ideal setup for a massacre.

“A point off for not assessing the enemy’s strength,” Tyrannis said.

“The Blue Lions. The cleaners of the Aker family.”

Manus spoke as he looked at the guide’s back.

He knew the guide could hear him.

The guide’s back shuddered slightly.

Manus spread out his mana.

There were no figures detected in the surroundings yet.

Even if they were skilled in concealment, it wouldn’t be of much use.

No matter how formidable their combat abilities were, they couldn’t surpass Caesar.

Would they use dark magic to launch mental attacks instead?

Whatever they chose, let them come.

“You were chosen as the contact to call them here. It’s natural for Caesar to hire the best guide.”

“You… you…” the guide stammered.

“What, did you think we were just blindly following along, knowing nothing?”

The cruel smile on Tyrannis’s face was a declaration that he intended to crush the guide’s heart.

He roughly gathered mana and shot it into the air.

Manus cast a binding spell to prevent the guide from fleeing.

[Necto]

Crack—.

Chains of mana wrapped tightly around him.

The situation happened so quickly that the guide had no time to react.

These two devils had known everything from the beginning.

About the Dire Order, about the secrets of the Aker family, and that they were working together to ambush them.

Desperate to say anything that would stop these ruthless and brutal individuals, the guide’s gaping mouth spewed out words.

“The… the Emperor! This is on the Emperor’s orders! The Emperor is backing us! So please— Aaargh!”

The sensation of ice shards piercing his flesh and bones was excruciating.

With a flick of his finger, Manus pulled the guide’s backpack toward him.

As if binding his limbs wasn’t enough, the guide’s shin was impaled with an icy spike.

Underestimating this child was a mistake.

This little prince.

Who would have thought that the smallest boy posed the greatest threat!

It was so cold that it felt like he was being burned; the sensation tortured him.

“Here it is,” Manus said.

“Yes, sir! You called for us, Prince!”

Troops rushed over.

Manus pulled a scroll from the guide’s backpack.

The guide would serve as an excellent example.

“Listen up,” Tyrannis began.

The soldiers’ faces hardened.

If you start something, you have to see it through.

Fweeeeee—!

A massive flash dispelled the darkness.

In his fading consciousness, the guide saw a scene that made him doubt his own eyes.

The men who should have been preparing for battle with grim expressions were grinning, as if they were excited.

He still didn’t fully understand what it meant to face Caesar.

2

The figures hidden in the bushes moved at the sight of the now-brightened night sky.

They wore specially treated armor with their emblems concealed.

Quietly, they pushed through the underbrush, heading toward the signal.

“…”

They moved without a word.

As the faint moonlight streamed in, their clothing revealed a blue hue.

The cleaners.

Known as [Roima], they were a group that wielded their swords not against monsters but against humans.

Handling all the dirty work for the Aker family, they were veterans among veterans.

Since their targets were always human, they were emotionless and ruthless.

“Stop.”

Only the unit leader had the authority to speak.

They emerged from the underbrush and arrived at the outskirts of Anigam Village.

The quiet village was bathed in a faint glow.

Perhaps their presence had already been detected; they heightened their vigilance.

Today’s objective wasn’t to kill but to instill trauma in the enemy.

However, if necessary, they were prepared to kill a few.

Hahaha!

Loud laughter echoed from a distance.

That was all they needed to understand the situation.

Those fools were probably spending the night in peace, unaware of what awaited them.

“Move stealthily.”

The village’s layout followed an old-fashioned design.

Watchtowers and lookout posts lined the outskirts, while the inner sections housed residential areas, forges, and markets.

At the very center was the village square, a place where the villagers would gather for communal dinners.

The sounds they heard were likely coming from there.

It was the perfect spot for a siege and massacre.

They had acted as support during a past disaster.

Repeating something they had done before would be a piece of cake.

“You all know the plan.”

The squad members nodded.

Faint lights flickered in the distance.

It seemed like the enemy was sitting by a campfire, enjoying their rest, as murmurs of conversation could be heard.

Now was the time to strike.

The cleaners drew their mana-forged swords, custom-made killing tools without sound or shine, and moved toward the dim light like daggers aimed at a target.

But what awaited them wasn’t an ordinary person.

“…”

“S-Save…”

A wheezing sound came from someone with ice lodged in his lungs, barely managing to utter his last words.

It was the guide, skewered on a stake of white ice and placed in front of the fire.

It was undoubtedly the guide they had hired.

They had paid a substantial sum to secure his services.

The ice, infused with mana, didn’t melt in the ordinary flames. Instead, it slowly sapped the life from him.

The guide’s appearance was so gruesome that the cleaners were momentarily stunned.

Unbeknownst to them, those few seconds of hesitation were their last chance to escape.

“To think an imperial family could be so corrupt…”

A hard voice spoke as a group emerged from the shadows.

The cleaners’ leader instinctively realized the situation had gone awry.

How long had they known?

Why were these people so calm in the face of such an unexpected trap?

“Forget about claiming the Emperor ordered this.”

Manus stepped forward.

Instantly, one of the cleaners darted toward him.

Their most crucial target was within range.

Knowing he wouldn’t leave this place alive, the cleaner decided to at least take the enemy commander down with him.

His speed was remarkable, his body sliding smoothly over the grass.

The Caesar soldiers didn’t even flinch, just stood there, staring blankly at him.

Of course, they would.

After all, there was no way those who had spent their lives killing on the frontiers would be outdone by those who only trained comfortably within the principality!

‘Die.’

He maintained his emotionless expression even as he swung his sword.

There was not even the sound of air being sliced as he slashed.

The moonlight shone indifferently on the ground, but his blade remained unseen.

Swish!

His sword cleaved through empty air.

‘-Cutting through empty air?’

The blade he believed would end his opponent’s life only cut through nothingness.

He didn’t have the luxury of time to comprehend the situation.

“Pathetic.”

That’s a sword swing not even worth a first-year student’s effort.

It was a quick strike, but all Manus had to do was slightly bend his body, and he evaded it effortlessly.

It was as if his body instinctively knew how to avoid attacks and when to counter.

Tense-

Mana surged into his fist.

Recalling the teachings of Jennifer, the continent’s greatest martial artist, Manus moved accordingly.

With arms significantly shorter than an adult’s, Manus had a natural disadvantage in reach.

However, his fists would reach far beyond their physical limits.

[A punch is not just about using your shoulders, elbows, or wrists.]

[You must use your entire body to throw a punch. When you channel mana into it, even a bare fist can carry the force of a sledgehammer.]

Boom!

A brilliant white light exploded outwards.

The cleaner was sent flying, crashing into the campfire with a scream, “Aaargh!”

It was a scream soaked in terror, making the cleaners realize they were nothing more than trash.

A cold, indifferent voice echoed as if giving an order to dispose of litter strewn along the roadside.

“—Clean it up.”

Caesar moved into action.

–TL Notes–
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