Chapter 1247
"I shall fulfill my obligations as the acting patriarch."
Raon gave a firm nod, setting the final pile of reports upon the desk situated before the high throne.
"A wise choice!"
Evelyn responded with a beaming grin and an approving nod.
"It is high time those youngsters learned to rely on their own capabilities!"
She struck her palms together repeatedly, voicing her total agreement with Raon’s resolve.
—You absolute lunatic!
Wrath erupted with a piercing yell.
—Those brats are nowhere near ready! Particularly the frozen dessert girl—she is currently under a magical affliction! Under normal circumstances it might be one thing, but in these perilous times, you ought to be providing support!
The small King of Essence seized Raon’s collar, jerking it back and forth while demanding he go to Runaan’s aid immediately.
"Hmm..."
Sheryl let out a soft, thoughtful sound, rubbing her narrow chin.
"I find myself somewhat uneasy..."
Following Evelyn’s remark, she knit her brows, expressing her own trepidation regarding Runaan.
"I find myself aligned with the acting patriarch’s perspective."
Roenn smoothed back his silver locks and offered a quiet laugh.
"A crisis is the only true forge for human growth. This ordeal will undoubtedly serve as a vital stepping stone for them."
Despite his kind expression, he gestured his approval, suggesting that the Light Wind Palace must undergo this trial.
At that moment, even among the elite gathered in the hall with Raon, the consensus was split right down the middle. It was clearly a dilemma with no easy resolution.
"My path is set."
Raon continued his work, his gaze never wavering from the parchment.
"My primary concern at this juncture is proving my worth as acting patriarch."
To claim he felt no anxiety for the Light Wind Palace would be a blatant falsehood; his instinct was to sprint after them this very second. Nevertheless, he chose to place his confidence in their martial skill, their seasoned intuition, and the unbreakable camaraderie they shared.
"If I possessed even the baseline credentials, things might be different, but that is not the case. I will commit to my duties here, and I expect each of you to attend to yours."
Raon made it clear he would not be swayed, burying his attention back in the bureaucracy. However, the white sheets in his grip shivered slightly, as if caught in a phantom breeze.
—Tsk!
Wrath clicked his tongue in blatant irritation.
—Truly, a stubborn mule of a man!
The demon shook his head, lamenting that Raon’s nature remained entirely inflexible.
"Since you have made your stance clear, we shall follow your lead."
Sheryl gave a slight shrug and moved to stand directly behind Raon.
"I will fulfill my post as the acting patriarch’s personal protector."
She inclined her body respectfully, signaling her obedience to his command.
"Heh heh heh."
Roenn chuckled warmly and moved to Raon’s left side.
"You have made a heavy choice the moment you stepped into this role. Such an experience will surely benefit both the acting patriarch and the warriors of the Light Wind Palace."
He stroked his beard thoughtfully, affirming the decision, and gathered the stacks of completed paperwork into his arms.
"......"
Raon offered no verbal reply, remaining deeply absorbed in the processing of data and intelligence reports.
"So, I’m to just get to work then?"
Evelyn glanced up at Raon on his elevated platform and pressed her lips together.
"Very well. If those are your orders..."
She took note of the slight tremor in Raon’s hands before turning away.
"I suppose I'll just have to follow my own lead."
Leaving those cryptic words behind, Evelyn vanished from the hall in a flash of azure light.
"This is Birdnew Village."
The operative from the Shadow Agents gestured toward the valley below after they crested a steep ridge.
Beneath his hand lay a landscape scarred by scorched earth. The perimeter walls that once sheltered the settlement had crumbled into rubble; the shattered husks of homes were splattered with dried gore, and the atmosphere was thick with the suffocating stench of acrid smoke.
"The village...?"
Burren’s voice was hollow as he stood beside the scout.
"To call this a village..."
He swallowed hard, staring down at the devastation that had stripped the place of its identity.
"It is a hard truth to swallow, but this is indeed Birdnew Village."
The leader of the Shadow Agents squad let out a weary breath.
"As the reports indicated, there wasn't a single survivor. The bodies were consumed by flames—some were already dead, others were burned alive."
He clutched his forehead, noting that even for a veteran of many grisly scenes, this slaughter was exceptionally heinous.
"Vile monsters!"
Martha spat a curse, her eyes fixed on the blackened soil of Birdnew Village.
"Giving them the exact same death wouldn't even begin to satisfy my fury!"
The sound of her grinding teeth was audible, her mind clearly picturing the horrific carnage that had unfolded.
"Eden has never known mercy."
Krein’s frame shook, his rage barely contained.
"Those Phantom bastards don't view people as living beings!"
He kicked the ground, looking ready to slaughter any member of Eden who dared show their face.
"Ugh..."
Dorian doubled over, gasping as the putrid scent of charred remains triggered a wave of nausea and grief.
"Eden..."
Runaan stood with her arms folded, her eyes narrowing. Her gaze darted with uncharacteristic speed, as if she were trying to memorize every agonizing detail of Birdnew Village’s ruin.
"Curse them!"
"This is... this is far more gruesome than we imagined."
"I've seen war zones cleaner than this."
"They aren't human. How could anyone do this to civilians..."
The warriors of the Light Wind Palace bit their lips in silent fury, their blood boiling with hatred for Eden.
"We shall commence the forensic audit now."
The Shadow Agents leader gave a curt nod to Burren, requesting protection, and began the descent into Birdnew Village. His team of specialists followed, unpacking their investigative gear.
"Light Wind Palace, provide cover for the Shadow Agents."
Burren shook off the shock of the tragedy and issued swift commands to his unit.
"Understood!"
The swordsmen obeyed instantly, splitting into tactical groups to shadow the operatives as they moved through the wreckage of Birdnew Village.
"I'm heading in as well."
Martha wrinkled her nose and adjusted her gear.
"Standing here watching makes me feel like my heart is going to explode from frustration."
She breathed out a ragged sigh, needing the distraction of physical activity to dampen her rage.
"Wait."
Burren signaled for Martha to stay, his eyes still scanning the ruins.
"There is a specific task for you."
He turned to her, indicating she had a separate objective.
"What now? I'm hitting my limit here, so make it quick."
Martha halted her descent, demanding he get to the point.
"The Zieghart border lies just behind Birdnew Village. Investigate the fate of the sentries stationed there."
Burren’s eyes sharpened as he ordered her to check on their fallen kin.
"Given the tactical landscape and your specific skills, you are the best fit for this."
He gestured toward the perimeter, certain she was the right choice for the solo sweep.
"The border..."
Martha hesitated, her gaze shifting to Runaan on her right.
"......"
Runaan remained motionless, hand hovering near her hilt, but the air around her was crystallizing into frost like falling snow, a manifestation of her cold fury that was beginning to freeze the very earth.
"That area definitely requires eyes on it."
Martha conceded with a nod, though her concern for Runaan lingered.
"Fine. I’ll make it quick. However..."
She trailed off, glancing once more at Runaan.
"Don't fret."
Burren gave a dismissive wave.
"I will personally ensure everything stays under control while you're gone."
He spoke with a heavy, grounded confidence.
"You've grown up a bit, haven't you?"
Martha let out a short laugh and nodded.
"I'm off, then."
With a quick salute, she vanished into the dense treeline behind the village.
"Haaa..."
Martha exhaled, shaking her head as she moved.
"Nothing is ever simple, inside or out."
She was braced for an external strike from Eden, yet she was equally worried that Runaan might snap at any moment. She resolved to finish her scout and get back to the main group post-haste.
Paaaaang!
Martha ignited her movement techniques, sprinting toward the Zieghart boundary. Having patrolled this sector multiple times, she navigated the terrain with ease.
"The post should be right around—wait."
As she approached the suspected location of the barrier, the foul odor of decomposition hit her like a physical wall, making her stomach churn.
"Ugh..."
Martha gritted her teeth against the stench and pushed forward toward the source. Her eyes went wide at the sight.
"What in the world...!"
The guards, clad in the recognizable Zieghart livery, were slumped on the ground, their flesh sloughing off as if they were rotting corpses.
"How is this possible?"
She stared at the maggot-infested remains, her mind racing.
"It has only been three days since the Eden raid!"
The Light Wind Palace had mobilized almost immediately after receiving word of the massacre at Birdnew Village. While not an instantaneous arrival, their response time was standard for an elite unit—yet these bodies looked weeks old.
"Is this the work of necromancy? Some kind of curse?"
Martha’s hands tensed as she stared at the remains.
"Absolutely revolting."
If the enemy intended to kill, they should have done so with martial honor. Seeing her comrades desecrated in such a fashion stoked her hatred for Eden to a white heat. If she found the culprits, she would tear them limb from limb.
"Haaa..."
She took a long breath, forcing her anger into a cold, sharp focus.
"Focus. Do the job."
Only two bodies remained at this specific spot. She needed to scrutinize their deaths to understand what kind of enemy they were facing.
"Let’s see the entry wounds... What?"
Martha gasped as she rolled over one of the slick, decaying bodies.
"Wait. They were struck from the rear? And..."
There were no signs of a struggle.
"This doesn't add up."
The fallen men were Zieghart's finest.
Had a conventional enemy approached from behind, these warriors would have reacted. Yet, the wounds suggested they were cut down without ever realizing they were in danger.
'The second one is the same.'
The adjacent guard had also been backstabbed, seemingly dying instantly without a chance to defend himself.
"Which explains..."
Martha bit her lip, inspecting the corpse again.
"Why the sirens never sounded."
Every sentry carried emergency devices to signal Zieghart and neighboring posts. She had found it suspicious that no alarm was raised; clearly, they were blindsided. By someone—or something—unconventional.
'Three scenarios.'
Martha brushed away the insects crawling over the dead and counted on her fingers.
'First, a master of such high caliber arrived that they were paralyzed. But such a warrior would have likely taken their heads cleanly.'
Eden’s elites could certainly overpower these two, but the choice of a stabbing blow to the torso was odd, as was the fact that such a powerful figure would simply leave after the Birdnew Village slaughter.
'Second, they were hit by enchanted weaponry that induced immediate paralysis. That’s a strong possibility, especially given the unnatural rate of decay.'
Martha grimaced at the odor.
'But this feels too deliberate. Too staged.'
Unlike the chaotic destruction of Birdnew Village, leaving these bodies out in the open felt like bait for a trap.
'Then, the third option. The assassin was...'
Just as Martha was weighing her final theory.
Whoooosh!
A violent surge of mana erupted from the direction of Birdnew Village.
Boom!
Martha slammed her teeth together and leaped to her feet.
"They're under attack!"
