The Lord Of Blood Hill

Henwell forces himself to stay calm, probing carefully to understand the situation.

While the Marquess of Nothing shares those secrets with Henwell, he also informs members of the Penitence Squad.

This is a way to corner Henwell into making a choice. Whether he agrees to the Marquess’s demands or not, in reality, he no longer has any real options.

McComb’s tone carries respect. “Henwell, honestly, at first we were worried whether you could carry out the punishment mission properly. Your personal strength is unquestionable, and your great achievements prove your wisdom.”

“But you’re still young. Veil’s danger is far beyond what you imagine. We feared you might be deceived by Veil. We didn’t expect you to come here and so quickly piece everything together. That’s a big deal!”

Sosie adds, “Henwell, you did great. We wondered why you didn’t investigate Vorry, where you’re familiar. Instead, you went all the way to Billie, insisting on chasing Veil’s trail here.”

“At first, we thought maybe you had reservations about Vorry’s influence and didn’t want to investigate your motherland under Paladin’s name. But it turns out you had a plan all along! You sensed the problems in Billie’s royal family and already gathered so much evidence.”

McComb continues, “I also heard you originally escaped from Veil’s youth training camp and became a gladiator near Divine Revelation City. You must have remembered some of Veil’s secrets back then. Later, when Vorry and Billie allied through marriage, you stayed in Divine Revelation City for over a year. Were you already tailing these people then?”

What could Henwell say?

That he was using the church’s name to play hero and save a damsel?

That he wanted to watch church and Veil tear each other apart, throwing Billie into chaos?

All he could do was offer a humble smile, chalking it up to luck.

Now there’s no turning back. Henwell has no choice but to lead his men into the palace and kill Ulysses.

The thought of being manipulated fills Henwell with anger he can barely contain.

The next day, Henwell goes to see the Marquess of Nothing again.

“Your methods are impressive,” Henwell says.

The Marquess replies calmly, “Henwell, you’ll come to understand that this is the best choice. I’ve been through too much. I get that you want the best of both worlds. But in life, we’re like leaves drifting in the wind. We don’t have the power to make the perfect choice.”

“People around you, events near and far, even strangers thousands of miles away, all push you toward that one inevitable decision.”

Henwell stares unflinchingly at the Marquess. “You’ve miscalculated. I’m never someone who can be manipulated. The reason I struggle to climb higher is precisely because I refuse to passively accept the fate others give me. I will enter the palace, and I will rescue Catherine. But I will not kill Ulysses. I will take him away. He knows Veil well, and I’m sure the higher-ups need the intelligence locked in his mind.”

Henwell’s eyes turn cold as he continues, “As for you, Marquess, you’re dealing with Veil too. When I’m carrying out my plan, you’d better behave. Otherwise, don’t blame me for taking you to the Western Regions to ‘learn more.’ Then you won’t have to worry about the Celtic family anymore.”

That’s an outright threat, but the Marquess acts as if he doesn’t hear it.

He simply pulls out a dossier. “Here are the forged identities for you, and your safe houses once you enter the city. My men will escort you into the palace to minimize trouble. Also, some inside the palace are Ulysses’s loyalists. No matter who you are, they won’t care. I’ve compiled a list of these people. Whether you kill or subdue them is up to you. This way, I can avoid accusations of using you to eliminate threats.”

Henwell sneers. “Now that everything’s out in the open, we won’t sneak around. You think I underestimate Veil’s power, or the church that keeps Veil in the shadows? You’re mistaken.”

Watching Henwell’s retreating figure, the Marquess murmurs softly, “You really remind me of myself when I was young. When you face Ulysses, you’ll understand, you have no choice but to kill him. It’s not a decision you make.”

Back at his residence, Henwell looks at the documents in McComb and Sosie’s hands, his expression darkening.

The Marquess of Nothing is truly infuriating!

Here in Yinxin City, as the uncrowned king, no matter how much Henwell tries to stay under the radar, he can’t escape the Marquess’s watchful eyes.

What’s worse, the Marquess has plenty of ways to smuggle information and items into the Paladin squads.

They have to leave this place as soon as possible, he can’t stay so passive.

Before Henwell can say anything, Sosie delivers some troubling news.

“Henwell, the church has responded. They want us to hold position and wait. Soon, several squads will arrive as reinforcements, two Paladin squads from the church, plus two hunter squads from the Groias Empire. You’ll be in command of the operation. You should plan carefully and make sure this mission goes flawlessly.”

“This will boost the church’s prestige and greatly benefit your personal growth. Henwell, you won’t remain a lord forever, fifty years at most. You’re still young. Becoming an Iron Knight is only a matter of time. Building achievements now is crucial for when you step down from lordship and move on to develop in the Western Federation.”

It’s clear Sosie truly believes in Henwell.

This young man has more potential than either of them.

Though they’ve been instructed to secretly monitor Henwell, both see his promise.

As long as Henwell doesn’t do anything reckless, they’ll try to stay on good terms with him.

If possible, they might even offer guidance on certain matters.

In their eyes, Henwell is destined to develop in the Western Federation.

Such a powerful figure, if he becomes an Iron Knight before fifty, will likely be summoned back to the Abundant Continent by the church.

At that point, Henwell’s favor will be invaluable.

If their relationship is close enough, Henwell might even bring them along when he leaves.

So, they’re fully committed to supporting Henwell and ensuring this mission succeeds.

That way, not only will Henwell’s career advance, but they’ll also earn significant merit.

Still, Henwell feels frustrated.

With so many eyes watching and the Groias Empire’s hunter squads involved, this mission just got a lot more complicated.