Chapter 244: Assassin in the Dead of Night (1)
Chapter 244: Assassin in the Dead of Night (1)
At the central keep of Strauss Fortress, Emil Strauss was receiving a battle report from silver knight Kairon in the lord’s chamber."There are thirty-eight wounded, no fatalities."
It seemed almost impossible to believe that, with so many wounded, there hadn’t been a single death. But thanks to the unique composition of the Strauss forces, that seemingly absurd outcome was reality.
"Of course, if you count those who were already dead and simply destroyed again, the number would be much higher," Kairon added, in a flat, businesslike tone. "But there’s no need to include them in the tally, since they’ll be up and moving again by tomorrow."
His report was delivered with a clinical indifference, devoid of loyalty or emotion. No, to be precise, there was emotion, though it was thinly veiled. He was barely suppressing a smouldering fury and resentment.
Watching him, the Leven within Emil smirked inwardly. Still seething with hatred, I see. As expected.
Kairon did not serve Emil Strauss out of loyalty. In fact, most of Strauss’s vassals involved in the rebellion were in the same position. They were following orders only because Gellard, their liege, had been taken hostage.
Outwardly, they feigned obedience, but under the surface, they were clearly biding their time for betrayal. And yet, there was no need to worry about them turning on him. It was thanks to the powerful mental domination spell cast over Kairon and the rest of the vassals.
They had not been forced into loyalty by crude enchantments like "Renounce Gellard and serve Emil!" Mental domination grew exponentially more difficult based on the target’s willpower and the degree to which the command opposed their nature.
Trying to subjugate them outright would’ve led to certain failure. Even if it succeeded, it would only work on a few, never the majority. So, the Black God's Cult had taken a different approach with the Strauss vassals.
—Avoid anything that could endanger the hostage, Gellard.
Altering their very thoughts was too difficult, especially with high-level aura users like Kairon or mages. But it was possible to leave their beliefs intact and merely nudge them toward a more obsessive fixation on their existing concerns.