Chapter 271: Defense

Chapter 271: Defense



The journey from Flashgold Town to the Habsburg Manor was not far, and after about ten minutes, the group approached the manor's entrance.

At that moment, four guards stood at the manor's gate, feeling tense as they saw the large group approaching. They immediately sent someone inside to report, while the others remained vigilant.

However, upon spotting the Calibird emblem of the Habs Family on the carriage, the guards breathed a sigh of relief.

It's our people!

As Rain and the others alighted from the carriage, the guards exchanged glances, their faces filled with surprise. "It's Lady Shadiya!" they exclaimed.

"Oh my! It's Miss Kraya! Miss Kraya is back too!" several guards shouted in delight.

But Rain's transformation was quite significant, making the guards feel both familiar and unfamiliar, leaving them hesitant to recognize him for a moment.

Soon, a familiar figure emerged from the manor, striding quickly—none other than the Habsburg Manor's steward, Lloyd.

Lloyd, upon seeing Kraya, showed surprise and exclaimed, "Miss Kraya, you're back!"

"Long time no see, Knight Lloyd," Kraya said with a smile.

When Lloyd noticed the tall, silver-armored knight standing next to Kraya, his eyes widened in astonishment. "You... You're Rain?!"

The previous Rain was only about 1.8 meters tall, shorter than Lloyd, but now, the young man before him was so tall that Lloyd had to look up. Not only was he well-built, but he was also at least two meters tall.

It was as if he had been inflated.

"Knight Lloyd, it's been a while," Rain greeted with a slight smile, feeling a bit better seeing a familiar face.

"Knight Lloyd, Rain is now Baron Rain, and he's about to be promoted to Viscount!" Lady Shadiya added from the side.

"What?!" Lloyd was shocked.

The guards nearby whispered among themselves:

"It's Rain, for sure. He looks like a completely different person. Rain used to be shorter than me, but now he's so tall!" One of the guards gestured, explaining.

"I didn't expect our Flashgold Town to produce such a prominent figure!"

"A Viscount of the Empire!"

"He's so powerful; perhaps we can take revenge for Flashgold Town."

"It's difficult. The Cult is too strong, but given Rain's rapid progress, maybe in a few years, it's possible."

"Miss Kraya, Viscount Selir, Baron Rain, shall we go inside the manor to talk?"

Kraya glanced at Rain and said, "Knight Lloyd, no need. We plan to head to the county town immediately."

"That's right! About Count Habsburg..." Lloyd seemed to realize something and didn't insist on inviting them in.

"Then, I'll accompany you, Miss."

Kraya's luxurious carriage was spacious, and with Lloyd joining, it comfortably accommodated four people.

"Alright, by the way, is Lord Peres not around?"

"Lord Peres was reassigned to reinforce the county town's defense."

Soon, the carriage arrived at Myester County Town.

As the carriage entered the town, Rain looked out the window at the familiar streets.

The pedestrians on the streets seemed tense, some with solemn expressions, and others with a serious demeanor.

There were fewer street vendors than usual, and unlike before, children were not seen playing and laughing on the streets.

The atmosphere in the entire county town seemed heavy.

Suddenly, Rain spotted a middle-aged man with a flushed face running out from an alley, waving his arms and shouting loudly.

Although the man was some distance away, Rain's keen hearing allowed him to make out the man's words.

".Worship the great God of the Hunt, and you will be protected from the Darkflame Cult secrets."

Before long, the man was subdued by the Sheriff's officers.

Not long after, several Goddess Church temple guards quickly took the man away.

"Knight Lloyd, do these situations occur frequently?" Kraya asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, Miss Kraya. Since the attack, people who speak crazily or drunkenly have often appeared."

Rain knew that although the man was quickly subdued, the fear he instilled in the public was not so easily dispelled.

Even from inside the carriage, Rain could still hear the surrounding crowd discussing the incident:

"This is already the sixth or seventh today?"

"Sixth? Or seventh?"

"Hey, did you hear? Flashgold Town barely had any survivors."

"I heard! And Monam Town is almost gone too.

"Hey, did you hear? Even the Habsburg Count was severely injured.

"You said... If this God of the Hunt can truly protect us, then maybe we..." Suddenly, the speaker's mouth was covered!

"You can't say such things!" The person next to him tensed up, looking around cautiously.

It was clear that the situation in Meyster County had not been effectively controlled and remained volatile.

The panic continued to spread.

Myester County Town.

Inside the Count Habsburg's Manor.

Rain had met Count Habsburg twice, both times in his study, and on both occasions, he was in a subordinate position.

But this time was different.

For the first time, Rain accompanied Kraya to the bedroom of the Governor of Meyster County.

As soon as he entered the room, Rain was greeted by the strong scent of potions. Several physicians in white attire were busy, and Shane Bishop, whom Rain was familiar with, was also present.

He noticed Shane Bishop's serious expression, and upon seeing Rain, he managed a faint smile and nodded.

"Father!"

Kraya exclaimed, and then quickly ran over.

Rain's gaze followed Kraya's figure, looking at the hunched old man lying on the bed, and he was shocked!

Previously, Rain had met Count Habsburg twice.

He was a man with neatly combed hair, a deep and thick aura, and only slightly graying hair, but his spirit was vibrant.

However, the old man lying on the bed had a withered face, age spots were visible, and his hair was almost completely white; he could be described as a very old man!

"Kraya, didn't I tell you not to come back? You never listen to me," said the familiar voice. Count Habsburg's eyes, which had been somewhat dim, suddenly lit up, and he showed a happy and relieved smile.

"Father, I had to come back!" Kraya, usually known for her composure, had red eyes at this moment.

This was the first time Rain had seen Kraya in such a state, and he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

At this moment, Shane Bishop approached and whispered to him, "Rain, let's go outside. Let's leave them alone."

"Okay, Bishop Shane."

"You all can leave too," Count Habsburg said, turning his head to several physicians.

"Yes, Count," the physicians quickly left the room.

Kraya knew that her father had something to say to her, so she sat by the bed and listened attentively.

"Kraya, I guessed you would come back. I've prepared something for you, a specially tailored Beast Essence Elixir, which is stored in the family's secret chamber."

"You have the highest concentration of family bloodline. Once you reach the rank of Grand Knight, your strength will see a significant increase."

"Moreover, you are very likely to activate the family's bloodline talent. Therefore, you must take this elixir as soon as possible!"

"A High Knight is not enough to handle the current situation in Meyster County. If you become a Grand Knight, I will feel much more at ease."

Listening to her father's earnest admonitions, Kraya fought back tears and nodded vigorously.

"Don't cry. I'm not going to die yet! I should be able to live for another two or three years, and seeing you get married shouldn't be a problem."

"By the way, Kraya, I've decided to let you succeed me as the head of the Habsburg family and the first-in-line heir."

"Don't consider the imperial capital's noble heirs. Find yourself a suitable young man and let him marry into our family."

Kraya's face turned slightly red, and her mood gradually improved.

"Father, I'll think about marriage later," Kraya said.

For some reason, when Kraya mentioned 'marriage' and 'marrying into the family,' she suddenly thought of Rain's combat image.

But the problem was that Rain had only trained for half a year, and his strength had already reached this level.

Marry, was it possible?

Kraya's emotions were a bit complex at this moment.

In the corridor outside the room.

"Bishop Shane, it's been a long time."

"Yes, it has been a long time, Rain. I feel your aura is even more profound. It seems your strength has improved," Bishop Shane said, looking Rain up and down in surprise.

"Bishop Shane, I have a favor to ask of you," Rain suddenly remembered something.

Rain took out the Golden Conch Medal from his chest and handed it to Bishop Shane.

"The solidified divine technique 'Exorcism' in this conch medal has been used. I may need to trouble you to re-empower it for me later."

"Of course, it's no problem. But I'll need to return to the temple to empower it. I'll send someone to deliver it to you later."

"Thank you, Bishop Shane."

Half an hour later, in the study.

Rain and Kraya sat facing each other.

"Rain, my family has prepared a special Beast Essence Elixir for me, and I want to take it in the family's secret chamber right away."

"The breakthrough will take approximately three days. I'd like to entrust the security of the manor to you."

Hmm?

Rain was a bit surprised to hear this news.

Although he could sense that Kraya, a High Knight, had a very solid foundation and was ready to advance to the rank of Grand Knight.

However, the timing of this breakthrough still surprised him.

But soon, Rain understood.

"Don't worry, Miss Kraya. I'll take care of the manor's defense. You can focus on your breakthrough.

"

It takes three days to break through and stabilize, which is quite normal.

Rain has a system, so it's not a one-size-fits-all situation.

"Okay, thanks! Let's go, Rain, I'll take you to announce this." Kraya stood up and said.

"Great!"

"Rain, also about your appointment ceremony, the current situation isn't suitable for a grand banquet. So, I was thinking of postponing it for a while, is that okay?"

"Of course, you're already my guardian knight. You have access to some areas like the family's private library, which you can browse freely." Kraya said as she walked.

"Of course."

The family library?

That's not bad, Rain thought to himself.

"By the way, Rain, after I break through, when we spar again, I believe your Arcadia Sword Technique will improve even faster."

"Hmm, thanks." Rain was taken aback and replied.

Habsburg Count's Residence, Training Field.

Most of the family knights and guards were gathered here.

"This is Baron Rain, who will now be in charge of all security and defense operations for the Count's Residence."

"Everyone, you must follow Baron Rain's instructions as if they were my own."

After Kraya's announcement, she headed to the secret chamber.

Rain looked at the crowd before him and nodded slightly.

The security personnel at the Count's Residence were indeed numerous.

In terms of strength, they were not weak either, all well-trained family knights and guards.

If it were to defend against an attack by a Grand Knight or lower, one could say there would be almost no issues.

But if they encountered a Senior Knight, or a joint attack by multiple Grand Knights, the entire defense force would be insufficient.

And this was without considering the presence of sorcerers.

Of course, the Goddess Church had also arranged many personnel at the Count's Residence, but generally speaking, without high-ranking church officials to manipulate them, most of these formations could only serve as an early warning.

Moreover, one had to consider the possibility of an insider within the residence.

If an insider caused some damage, then it would be questionable how effective these formations would be.

Fortresses are often breached from within.

When Rain began assigning defense tasks, many of the Count's Residence guards were surprised.

They found that the colleagues who had welcomed Miss Kraya seemed to have great faith in the young Baron Rain.

Basically, whatever he said, they did, executing his orders meticulously.

This left many of them puzzled.

"Hey, why are you all so obedient to this young Baron Rain?"

"Yeah, he's not even a real Baron, is he?"

"Do you really think we respect him just because of his title?"

"You don't know how strong this Baron Rain is? Didn't you see that Viscount Seril over there, he's also very obedient to Baron Rain."

"Yeah! Why is this Viscount so compliant?"

The sharp-eared head maid, Shadiya, spoke up.

"Do not question Baron Rain's instructions, nor should you slack in carrying them out!"

"Also, to clarify, Baron Rain isn't a baron, he's already a viscount, just waiting for the official appointment."

What?

He's already a viscount?

At such a young age?

Several guards were shocked.

After learning more, they realized just how strong this young Baron Rain was.

In the study.

Rain was talking to a stranger.

"You're the one who took on the task of protecting Count Habsburg, Rain? I've heard of you, you have a nickname, 'Master Siege Hammer of Meyster'!" The young man in the robe smiled.

"Yes, and you are?"

"I'm Stuart, also from the Minster Swordsman Division, part of the Hurricane Squad, currently stationed at the Count's Residence."

"Our main task is to ensure the safety of the transport route from Fishport Town to the county town. Since the airship's capacity is limited, most supplies need to be transported by land."

"The Black Flame Cult is causing a lot of trouble here, now that you're here, I can return to my squad."

Rain nodded.

He understood this, after all, the other party's task was to protect the transport route, and considering the stability of the area, he was stationed at the Count's Residence.

Now that Rain had arrived, it was normal for the other party to step aside.

"By the way, Rain, is it just you this time? Is your squad not with you?" Stuart, about to turn and leave, suddenly thought of something and asked curiously.

"Er, it's just me for now."

Hearing Rain's reply, Stuart looked at him in surprise and said,

"In that case, your task will be very difficult. The Black Flame Cult has increased their activities here, and there are several experts among them."

"I advise you to give up this task early and let another fully-staffed squad take over.

(End of Chapter)"This way, it'll be safer for you, for us, and for the overall situation."

Rayne nodded, acknowledging the other's good intentions. He couldn't very well refuse.

"I'll be careful. It shouldn't be a problem."

Giving up was out of the question! He had also accepted two other Golden Rank tasks, each more challenging than protecting Count Habus.

More importantly, the devastation in Flashgold Town and the unrest in Myester County weighed heavily on his mind, making him feel oppressed and uncomfortable.

He needed someone to bear the brunt of his anger.

The Black Flame Cult, the cause of all this, was the perfect choice!

Seeing that Rayne didn't seem to heed his advice, Stuart couldn't help but shake his head and leave.

Not long after Stuart's departure, a guard arrived with a message: "Sir Rayne, a messenger from the Minster Swordsman Division is at the door, requesting an audience. He claims to have important information for you."

Rayne's eyebrows furrowed. "Show him in quickly!"

Soon, Rayne met the messenger from the Swordsman Division in his study—a rugged man wearing leather armor.

"Sir Rayne, please present your emblem. The sealed letter requires your emblem to open."

Rayne nodded and handed over his Golden Emblem.

The messenger took it and gently swiped it across a letter emitting a faint sorcery glow.

The sorcery glow on the letter flickered and then returned to calmness.

"This is a confidential letter. Also, Sir Rayne, in five minutes, the letter will self-destruct. Please read it quickly." The rugged man explained.

"Hmm!"

Rayne nodded, took the letter, and quickly opened it, skimming through it.

Soon, he had memorized the contents.

Rayne hadn't expected the strength of the 'Bloodburner' Laksoor to be as formidable as he had estimated. The task's difficulty level had now been adjusted to three and a half stars.

Additionally, there was another piece of information in the letter that caught Rayne's attention.

The Serpent Sect's envoy would be arriving in Myester County in the next two days to make contact with the Black Flame Cult.

In other words, if Rayne were to take action soon, he might face two experts from the two cults.

Of course, if the enemy was strong enough, they might not wait for Rayne to find them; they could directly attack him!

"Please tell Under-Secretaries Umaz and Olenna that I will continue with this task. Thank them for their concern."

"Yes, Sir Rayne. Under-Secretary Olenna asked me to inquire if you have any further needs. She and Under-Secretary Umaz will do their best to assist you."

"Hmm," Rayne said, deep in thought.

He was facing a thorny issue: he had too few people available if he needed to defend the entire Duke's Residence.

Even for mere vigilance and defense, the Duke's Residence, having endured several attacks, lacked personnel strong enough for the task.

The two High Knights from Viscount Selir's side were no match for the cult experts.

Rayne thought of the twin-tailed girl, Galina.

If Galina were here, her avian specialization would at least save him a lot of effort in vigilance, allowing him to focus on combat.

Now, he could only rely on the Bloodfeather War Eagle and the Spirit Greyhound to ensure the vigilance and safety of the main building.

After some thought, Rayne said, "Tell the Under-Secretaries that I need Galina to come here. She's my teammate and is currently in Fishport Town."

"Yes, Sir Rayne. I've noted your request and will report it to the Under-Secretaries immediately. Do you have any other requests?"

"The second matter is to ask Under-Secretary Olenna to help me coordinate with Angus, Vieri, and the other four. Are they willing to come to Myester County to carry out a task?"

He knew this request might be difficult, as they were originally part of the military and might have specific tasks during the empire's turmoil.

However, these five were new to the Swordsman Division, making it easier to transfer them.

One of the reasons Rayne valued them was their military background; they were disciplined and obedient.

He had sparred with them a few times and found them to have good character and strength. If he could bring them all over, it would significantly ease the defense burden.

As for Evelyn, he didn't consider her.

He knew that the situation in Rosby County was also dire, and this time, Evelyn had returned there to carry out a task.

"Yes, Sir Rayne. Is there anything else?"

"No, that's all."

---

On the road near the border between Nom Province and Minster Province, a luxurious carriage sped along. Inside sat two men in black cloaks, both with the Ouroboros symbol on their collars and sleeves. The most striking feature was the metal ring-shaped Ouroboros embedded in one man's lips was particularly chilling.

The other man had an '8'-shaped Ouroboros pattern on his face.

(End)

Chapter end