69) Slaughter?
...
{3rd Pov}
Ember finally stepped out of the government building.
Outside, soldiers and knights had already surrounded the entire area.
The civilians had been evacuated long ago, leaving only armed personnel standing between the building and the rest of the city.
At the very front stood a knight clad in full plate armor.
In fact, properly forged medieval plate armor was designed in such a way that killing its wearer was incredibly difficult. Other than overwhelming blunt force, exhaustion, suffocation, or being slowly cooked alive inside the armor, there were very few ways for an ordinary person to bring down a fully armored knight.
Of course, things were different when Falna entered the equation.
Even a Level 1 adventurer wielding a sufficiently powerful weapon could defeat such a knight without too much difficulty, slicing through the metal armour with sheer power.
However, for a person without Falna, the situation was entirely different.
Even if they possessed swordsmanship equal to what the future Sword Princess might one day achieve, they still would not be able to easily kill someone covered from head to toe in layers of steel plate and chainmail.
Armor existed for a reason.
Skill alone could only accomplish so much when every vital area was protected by metal.
That was why fully armored soldiers, even those without Falna or those who were merely weak Level 1 adventurers, were considered terrifying figures by the ordinary populace.
To common people, they were walking fortresses that could not be stopped through normal means.
And now dozens of such figures stood before Ember, forming a wall of steel between him and the city beyond.
“Terrorist, surrender yourself!” the knight loudly proclaimed. “You have violated the laws of the Empire and murdered the proud soldiers of the Empire in broad daylight! Such an act is unforgivable! Either you surrender immediately, or we will execute you in front of everyone!”
As he spoke, many of the knights behind him already had crossbows raised and loaded with iron bolts.
They had not been wasting their time while Ember was rescuing the prisoners.
Rather than recklessly storming the building, they had chosen the safer option.
They surrounded it completely, ensuring that no one could escape once they emerged.
At least, that had been the plan.
“Proud soldiers?” Ember sneered.
“Then answer me this. Why was slavery being conducted beneath an official government building?”
His words caused a ripple of confusion to spread through the ranks.
Then the former prisoners stepped out from behind him.
Men and women dressed in filthy rags slowly emerged into view.
The moment the soldiers saw them, many froze.
“Are those... slaves?” one of the soldiers muttered, unable to hide the hesitation in his voice.
In fact, most of them could not understand what they were seeing.
Even if Ember had somehow brought slaves from elsewhere, transporting such a large group of people would have been nearly impossible.
Not to mention their condition.
They looked starved, abused, and exhausted.
Some could barely stand without assistance.
Others still carried visible wound marks despite Ember's healing.
More importantly, the building had been surrounded for quite some time.
No one could have entered or left under the watch of a platoon of soldiers.
And even before the encirclement began, secretly moving such a large group of people through the city without attracting attention would have been extraordinarily difficult.
There was only one explanation that made sense.
The prisoners had already been inside the building before Ember arrived.
And if that was true...then the implication was obvious.
The government officials themselves were involved.
The knight's face darkened the moment he saw the slaves standing behind Ember.
Before he could respond, a mocking voice sounded from behind him.
“Sir Addison, this is truly laughable.”
The knight clenched his fists as he turned toward the source of the voice.
Standing there was Princess Masdura, accompanied by her maid Akari. Both women were observing the spectacle unfolding before them, though Masdura's expression carried a clear hint of amusement.
“To uncover another slave trafficking incident within a single week,” Masdura continued, her smile widening slightly. “And this time it is connected to the city's official government affairs building? Tell me, what exactly do you intend to say in your defense now?”
Addison's expression became even uglier.
One of the central pillars of Masdura's political agenda was the abolition of slavery throughout the Empire.
She had long argued that illegal slavery flourished under the cover of so called legal slavery, making proper regulation nearly impossible.
Because of that, her preferred solution was simple.
Ban slavery altogether.
Naturally, incidents like this only strengthened her position.
“They are legal slaves!” Addison immediately declared. “The illegal trafficking operation discovered recently was exposed not long ago, so in order to keep the public calm, we decided to transport these individuals in secret!”
He quickly pointed toward the group behind Ember.
“Not to mention, look at them! Even if they appear somewhat ragged, none of them are actually injured!”
In fact, after carefully observing the rescued prisoners, Addison noticed something strange.
Despite their filthy clothing, exhausted appearances, and obvious signs of hardship, there were almost no visible injuries remaining on their bodies.
The wounds that should have existed were simply gone.
He knew that legal or not, among a group of slaves this large there should have been at least some visible victims of abuse.
Yet all of them appeared physically fine.
Combined with the mysterious man's status as an adventurer, Addison quickly arrived at a conclusion.
This was probably the same elf who had discovered the previous slave trafficking operation and freed those captives as well.
And judging by the current situation, the most he likely possessed was some form of healing magic.
That would explain why the slaves looked unharmed despite their miserable appearance.
“Indeed!” another voice suddenly spoke up.
“If we judge purely by appearances, these slaves do not seem to possess any visible wounds.”
The speaker was a woman dressed in the uniform of the Guild.
She was the Guild Master responsible for overseeing the local branch.
Although some regions throughout the world contained very few monsters, every major city and town still maintained a Guild presence.
Their purpose was not limited to managing dungeon expeditions.
They also served as coordinators between adventurers, local authorities, and traveling parties whenever assistance or mediation became necessary.
The Guild Master's gaze slowly swept across the rescued slaves before settling on Ember.
Her expression remained neutral, but her eyes carried a trace of scrutiny as she carefully observed the unfolding situation.
“Sir, even if you were the one who saved the previous group of slaves, this particular batch is entirely legal. In the process of trying to rescue them, you have slaughtered countless innocent soldiers,” the Guild Master said, pointing directly at Ember as she accused him.
With even the Guild Master supporting Addison's claim, Masdura could only click her tongue in annoyance.
At the same time, she found herself glancing at Ember once more.
For some reason, his face seemed strangely familiar.
“Therefore—”
Before Addison could continue speaking, a demi human woman stepped forward while supporting another woman beside her.
It was Ruri.
Although Ember's healing magic had restored her injuries, one side of her head was still missing an ear. The wound had healed, but the absence remained. On the other side, her remaining pointed ear was clearly visible for everyone to see.
Ember stepped forward as well.
“You claim these slaves are legal?” he said coldly. “Fine. Arguing with trash like you is a complete waste of time.”
Then he pointed directly at Ruri.
“Instead, look carefully.”
His voice grew colder with every word.
“This woman is an elf. A fucking elf.”
The crowd instantly fell silent.
“You enslaved an elf despite knowing exactly how great a taboo that is. And I am supposed to believe this was legal?” Ember sneered.
His gaze swept across Addison and the others.
“I am fairly certain that even legal slave traders would not dare commit such a taboo.”
After all, Ember had personally witnessed Ruri's condition before he healed her.
He had seen the severed ear, the blood on the tools that had been used to torture her, in fact after healing her he had also cleaned the semen of that cockroach from her carefully, and tending to her for a few minutes before deciding to come out and he knew exactly what had been happening in that basement.
Now, an elf's long, pointed ears were an extremely sensitive and important part of their identity and culture.
The only reason someone would deliberately cut off an elf's ear was to humiliate, torment, or break them.
Everyone present could understand that much.
As a result, confusion began spreading through the crowd.
Many soldiers exchanged uncertain glances, while others stared at Ruri in disbelief.
Seeing an opportunity, Masdura immediately stepped forward.
“Indeed!” she said loudly. “Are you absolutely certain these slaves are legal, Sir Addison?”
Her gaze shifted toward Ruri's missing ear.
“After all, no sane slave trader would ever want to be hunted down by the elves.”
Addison clicked his tongue in irritation.
“Her ear was cut off,” he replied quickly. “The traders probably mistook her identity because of that. Perhaps some illegal slave trader mixed her in with the rest of our previously confiscated slaves.”
He spread his hands as though presenting a perfectly reasonable explanation.
“Whatever the case, once this man is captured, we will thoroughly investigate the matter and grant her freedom if necessary!”
His voice remained firm, but inwardly he was growing increasingly frustrated.
Every time he thought he had found a way to control the situation, another problem emerged.
And worst of all, the crowd no longer looked entirely convinced by his words.
‘Why am I even wasting time talking here?’ Addison thought irritably, after all whether the soldiers were suspicious or not they still will have to obey his orders by Empire's laws!
‘That man is nothing but a thorn in our side! The more time we give him, the more opportunities Masdura will have to find inconsistencies in our explanations!’
His expression darkened as he prepared to issue an order and put an end to the useless discussion.
Then another voice suddenly rang out.
“Wait!”
Addison immediately turned toward the source of the interruption and shouted in frustration.
“Which motherfucking pig is disturbing us now—”
His words abruptly stopped.
The anger vanished from his face, replaced by shock because the person standing there was a short, stout man, none other than his lord.
Lord Optos.
This time, however, Optos looked nothing like his usual self.
His face was pale and his expression was nervous with a trace of panic in his eyes.
“Lord Optos! It is dangerous here!” Addison quickly shouted, desperately hoping the man had not paid attention to his earlier outburst.
“Shut up, Addison!” Optos barked immediately. “There is something I must ask!”
Without waiting for permission, he pushed his way through the formation of soldiers and knights.
Meanwhile, the soldiers exchanged awkward glances with one another.
Although they were trained professionals, they had been standing in formation with loaded crossbows for dozens of minutes by now, even before Ember came out.
Their armor covered nearly their entire bodies with layers of steel plate and chainmail.
If they had been ordinary people, many of them would have already been drenched in sweat and struggling from the heat trapped inside their armor.
The only reason they remained standing so steadily was because most of them possessed Falna and had reached at least Level 1.
Even then, the prolonged standoff was beginning to wear on everyone's patience.
“You, elf! Tell me what happened to my son!” Optos roared, his face twisted with panic and fury. “He was handling official duties inside the Government Office! Where the fuck is my son?!”
After all, ever since the incident began, his son had never returned to his side.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Everyone present instinctively turned their attention toward Ember.
Meanwhile, Ember chuckled as though he had just heard a particularly amusing joke.
“Oh, that sorry excuse for a man?” he said mockingly. “Now that I look at you, I can see he did share a few facial features with you.”
His eyes remained cold beneath the cloth covering part of his face.
“Well, I pierced his throat with my sword,” Ember continued casually. “Then I tossed him aside like a piece of trash and watched him struggle on the floor.”
He paused briefly before adding,
“He looked like a cockroach desperately trying to breathe while choking on his own blood.”
The crowd fell completely silent.
Even the soldiers and knights felt a chill run through them as Ember described the scene with such blunt indifference.
For several seconds, nobody spoke a single word.
Meanwhile, Masdura placed a hand over her face.
‘This guy is a complete idiot!’ she thought in frustration.
‘If he had simply remained silent, or at the very least not killed Optos' son, I could have taken him into my custody and safely protected all of these slaves!’
No matter how suspicious the situation surrounding the government building was, one fact remained undeniable.
The masked man standing before them had openly admitted to killing the son of a noble lord.
Within the Empire, such a crime was classified as a capital offense.
And for a capital offense, there was only one punishment.
Execution.
Even Masdura would have difficulty interfering after such a public confession.
However, as she was considering the situation, she suddenly noticed something strange.
The slaves were gone.
More specifically, they had gradually retreated back inside the government building while everyone's attention had been focused on the argument.
Masdura's eyes widened slightly.
‘Wait a minute...’
Her gaze shifted toward Ember.
‘Was he just buying time for them to retreat?’
The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
While everyone had been arguing, questioning each other, and exchanging accusations, the former slaves had quietly withdrawn from the front lines and moved back into the building.
And if that was true...
Then there was only one conclusion.
Ember had never expected to talk his way out of this situation.
He had never intended to negotiate.
He had only been stalling.
Masdura's expression changed.
‘But if that's the case...’
A realization struck her.
‘Then he intends to fight everyone here!’
Her eyes widened further.
‘Is he insane?!’
Before her stood dozens of soldiers, knights, crossbowmen, city officials, and several powerful individuals.
Yet the masked elf appeared completely calm.
As though he had already accepted exactly what was about to happen.
“Kill him,” Optos said coldly, barely managing to restrain the rage threatening to consume him.
“Soldiers! Fire!” Addison shouted.
At his command, dozens of bolts were released simultaneously.
The crossbow bolts shot forward with tremendous force. Each one was fitted with a metal spearhead and jagged edges, making them deadly weapons capable of killing even a Level 1 adventurer if they landed properly.
Ember immediately charged forward.
His figure blurred as he moved.
The bolts that could be dodged were avoided entirely, while the rest were deflected away with precise swings of his sword. The projectiles ricocheted in different directions as sparks erupted from the collisions.
In the very next moment, Ember appeared in front of one of the crossbowmen.
His sword flashed.
The knight was cleaved into two halves through the torso before he could even react.
Without slowing down, Ember continued his advance.
“I pray to the Great Father of Gods, Zeus. Bestow your thunder upon this child! Let it pierce my foe like a divine Vajra—”
Even as he chanted, he continued fighting.
Another knight rushed toward him.
Ember sidestepped the attack and cut him down.
A second followed immediately after.
That knight met the same fate.
All the while, he continued avoiding attacks from every direction, his movements remaining fluid despite chanting magic in the middle of combat.
Meanwhile, Addison felt a chill run down his spine.
Until now, he had assumed the elf was merely a skilled swordsman.
He had never considered the possibility that Ember could use magic as well.
Leave aside what kind of attack spell it was.
The mere fact that it was combat magic was enough to alarm him and judging from the chant alone, it was definitely a spell capable of reaching at least Level 2 in destructive power.
A spell of that level was more than sufficient to kill him if it landed directly.
For the first time since the battle had begun, genuine fear crept into Addison's heart.
“Stop him!” Addison roared at the top of his lungs as he watched the situation spiral out of control.
At his command, more soldiers rushed forward to intercept Ember.
However, the reality of the battlefield quickly became apparent.
Even though Ember was technically fighting an entire platoon, only a single squad among them consisted of Level 1 adventurers. The majority were ordinary soldiers without Falna.
Against normal opponents, that difference might not have mattered much.
Against Ember, it meant everything.
The battle rapidly turned into a one sided slaughter.
One knight after another fell beneath his sword.
Some were cut down before they could even raise their weapons.
Others attempted to surround him, only to be met with precise strikes that exploited every opening.
Despite being outnumbered, Ember continued advancing through their ranks like a force that could not be stopped.
Seeing the situation deteriorate, Addison finally decided to enter the battle himself.
He gripped his greatsword tightly and searched for an opportunity.
Soon, he found one.
Ember was currently occupied dealing with two soldiers directly in front of him.
Without hesitation, Addison charged from behind.
His greatsword swung downward with all the strength his body could muster, intending to split Ember apart in a single strike.
Yet Ember reacted instantly.
He twisted his body at the last possible moment and brought his sword up to meet the attack.
Their weapons collided.
A powerful shockwave erupted from the point of impact.
The stone beneath their feet cracked apart as the force rippled outward.
Addison's eyes widened.
The moment the blades met, he felt a terrifying power travel through his arms.
His hands instantly went numb.
Then came the sound that made his heart sink.
Crack.
Ember's sword sliced straight through his greatsword.
The expensive weapon was severed apart as though it were made of cheap iron.
The remaining force continued through the collision and struck Addison directly.
He was hurled backward.
His body skidded across the ground for several meters before finally coming to a stop.
Blood dripped from the corner of his lips as he struggled to breathe.
At the same time, intense pain shot through his fingers and wrists.
Several bones had fractured from the impact alone, leaving his hands trembling uncontrollably.
As he looked up at Ember again, the fear in his heart only deepened.
“Thunder Bolt!”
Ember finally completed the chant.
As the last words left his mouth, he channeled mana through his magic sword. In the next instant, multiple bolts of lightning erupted outward and struck the remaining soldiers.
The thunder magic tore through the battlefield.
Those caught in its path were hit before they could even react. Electricity surged through their bodies, scorching flesh beneath their metal armor. The intense heat seared their skin, while the force of the spell overwhelmed them completely.
For a brief moment, their bodies remained frozen in place.
Then, one after another, they collapsed to the ground with heavy thuds.
By this point, nearly half of the platoon had been wiped out.
Even Addison, the strongest soldier among them, had been utterly overpowered in a direct clash.
The outcome had become painfully clear.
Even if Addison and the remaining soldiers continued fighting, the only thing waiting for them was defeat.
Meanwhile, the expressions of both Optos and Masdura had become increasingly grave.
Neither of them had expected the situation to deteriorate so badly.
By now, they had already concluded that Ember was at least a Level 3 adventurer.
In fact, after witnessing the power of his magic and his ability to chant while actively fighting, they began suspecting something even more alarming.
He might actually be a Level 4.
The thought alone sent a chill through those who understood what such a possibility meant.
A Level 4 adventurer was not someone a city garrison could casually suppress.
It was the kind of individual capable of overturning entire battlefields through sheer personal strength and right now, that very person was standing before them with a bloodstained sword in hand.
It was becoming increasingly clear that only defeat awaited them if the battle continued.
Optos had finally calmed down from the rage caused by his son's death and was now forced to confront reality.
The situation had already spiraled beyond his control.
With a pale face, he turned toward Masdura and Akari, a pleading expression visible in his eyes.
“M'Lady, please do something!” he said urgently.
Meanwhile, Masdura clicked her tongue in annoyance.
The truth was that she had no desire whatsoever to help Optos.
If anything, the current disaster was politically beneficial to her.
However, she could not be certain whether Ember considered Optos his only target or whether he intended to continue his assault against everyone involved.
More importantly, she had come here for a reason.
One of her goals was to secure Lord Optos' cooperation and bring him onto her side politically.
Allowing him to die now would make all of that effort meaningless.
“I will require payment,” she said bluntly.
Optos immediately clicked his tongue.
“Fine,” he replied without hesitation.
Under normal circumstances, he might have considered backing out of such an agreement later.
However, the Empire's noble culture made that difficult.
From a young age, nobles were taught to uphold their promises and agreements.
The practice bordered on indoctrination.
After all, if even the nobility could not trust each other's words, how could they expect loyalty from their vassals, retainers, and subordinate lords?
A hierarchy built upon broken promises would inevitably collapse into chaos.
Because of that, while nobles might twist words or exploit loopholes, outright breaking their promises was heavily frowned upon.
And in the current situation, Optos had no choice but to accept Masdura's terms.
Not to mention that even if Optos chose to go back on his word later in order to prove his loyalty to Lord Alaric, the consequences would be severe.
Masdura could simply expose the entire matter to the public.
The moment word spread that he had broken a promise made in exchange for saving his own life, his reputation would suffer tremendously.
In fact, even Lord Alaric himself might begin questioning Optos' loyalty.
After all, what value was a man's oath if he abandoned the one he made from the moment when his life was on the line?
How could someone who swore allegiance for personal benefit be trusted not to betray that allegiance when faced with danger?
Masdura understood this perfectly.
That was why a satisfied grin appeared on her face.
She had effectively cornered him and thus without wasting any more time, she stepped forward.
Beside her, Akari calmly reached beneath her maid uniform and drew several daggers from the belts strapped to her thighs.
Although her expression remained composed, her posture made it clear that she was prepared to intervene if necessary.
“Please stop!” Masdura shouted loudly enough for everyone present to hear.
Her voice echoed across the battlefield.
“I can help with the slaves!”
Then she raised her head and declared,
“I swear it upon my title as the Thirteenth Princess of the Empire!”
For the first time since the fighting began, Ember stopped moving.
At the same moment, Optos seized the opportunity.
“Soldiers, fall back!” he ordered immediately.
Then he turned toward Addison.
“Addison, retreat to my side!”
Addison, who had managed to stand back up despite his injuries, had been staring at Ember as though he were some kind of monster.
The order finally snapped him out of his daze.
His body stiffened before he quickly withdrew from the battlefield and hurried back to Optos' side, putting as much distance between himself and Ember as possible.
“Sir, I do not know who you are,” Masdura said seriously. “But I can promise upon my name, Masdura Ez Bashuman, that I will protect these slaves and help them return to their homes.”
Her voice remained steady despite the tense atmosphere.
Then she added,
“The only thing I ask of you is that you spare the remaining soldiers. They are merely following orders.”
Ember stared at her coldly without saying a word.
The silence stretched for several seconds.
Masdura immediately understood what that look meant even before he spoke.
She quickly continued before he could reject her proposal outright.
“I know what you are thinking.”
Her expression became more solemn.
“You are wondering why you should believe me.”
She took another step forward.
“That is precisely why I am willing to allow you to personally witness the entire process.”
Her eyes remained fixed on Ember.
“You can watch everything. You can verify that these slaves are protected. You can see where they are taken and how they are treated.”
Then her expression became slightly more complicated.
“While I cannot promise that you will not be pursued by the Royal Knights for the laws you have broken today, I can promise something else.”
Masdura straightened her posture.
“At the very least, while you remain under my supervision and in my presence, I will ensure that no harm comes to you.”
The battlefield fell silent once again.
Even the soldiers seemed surprised by her offer.
After all, she was effectively placing her own reputation and authority on the line in front of everyone present.
Whether Ember accepted or rejected her proposal would determine what happened next.
In truth, Masdura could have simply lied to him.
Under normal circumstances, that would have been the easiest option.
However, in this particular situation, doing so was nearly impossible.
Too many people had already witnessed what happened.
The deaths of so many soldiers, along with one of Lord Optos' sons, were not incidents that could simply disappear.
Even if the authorities managed to suppress the details for a short period of time, the truth would inevitably spread sooner or later.
And when it did, people would learn that a mysterious elven adventurer had slaughtered imperial soldiers while attempting to rescue slaves from beneath a government building.
That story was simply too large to bury forever.
Furthermore, within the Empire, the lives of ordinary citizens were generally valued above those of slaves.
The lives of soldiers were valued even more and the death of a noble lord's son was a matter that would attract attention across the entire region.
No matter how one looked at it, this incident was destined to become public knowledge.
“Very well,” Ember finally said.
“I will follow you.”
His voice remained cold and cautious.
Then his gaze sharpened.
“But if you betray me...”
The atmosphere instantly became tense again.
“I will kill you, Princess.”
His words carried no anger.
He stated the threat as a simple fact, as though he were merely informing her of what would happen if she broke her promise.
For a brief moment, nobody spoke.
Then, seeing that Ember had agreed to stop fighting, the soldiers, knights, and officials collectively relaxed.
Some lowered their weapons.
Others released breaths they had not realized they had been holding.
Addison clenched his fists as he stared at Lord Optos.
His expression clearly asked whether they were truly going to obey Lady Masdura and allow this bastard to remain under her protection after everything that had happened.
Optos noticed the look immediately.
The noble lord remained silent for a moment before speaking in a calm voice.
“Yes, my son died. So what?”
The bluntness of his words shocked several people nearby.
“I have multiple bastard sons.”
His expression remained indifferent.
“Not to mention my previous wife is dead. I can take a new official wife or several more concubines and sire a new heir whenever I wish.”
He deliberately spoke loudly enough for everyone present to hear.
More specifically, he wanted a certain masked adventurer to hear those words.
The message was obvious.
While he had been enraged by the death of his son earlier, Optos was first and foremost a noble.
And nobles valued survival, influence, and the continuation of their bloodline above personal emotions.
A dead son could be replaced.
A dead lord could not.
Addison's face twitched slightly upon hearing those words, but he ultimately lowered his head and remained silent.
The battlefield itself had also fallen quiet.
The wounded were being gathered.
The surviving soldiers were retreating into formation.
And the rescued slaves remained hidden within the government building under the protection of those watching over them.
For now, at least, the slaughter had come to an end.
To be continued...
(A/N: Masdura really cornered Optos Lmao, though in a way someone who betrayed the prince cannot be trusted but again he is in a pinch here. He gave his royalty to prince out of political interest and here princess in dire consequences, and ughh my head is hurting so Idk If I can explain this properly, let's just skip this, it's politics afterall.)