Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Young Masters
The group of newcomers appeared unruly, dressed in fine gear that highlighted their noble status. They were a gang of younger aristocrats, drunk and arrogant, displaying little respect or awareness.
"Hey, beauties," one of them slurred, smirking. "Are you free tonight? Let's have some fun while we still can, before this Kingdom vanishes. What do you say?" His eyes were glazed, unfocused, his companions laughing as they swayed unsteadily.
Princess Delilah's eyes narrowed, her voice cutting through their drunken chatter. "Watch your tone. Do you even realize who you're speaking to?"
A few of them blinked, finally focusing, and recognition slowly dawned on their faces. The color returned to their cheeks as they realized her identity.
"Max, Tim… that's Princess Delilah! Let's get out of here!" one of them whispered urgently, stepping back in panic.
But others scoffed, too drunk to care or think clearly. "Shut up! Why would Princess Delilah be at the frontline? She's a princess, not a soldier," one of the young men muttered, swaying in disbelief.
Aengus's gaze hardened, his patience wearing thin as he took a step forward. The atmosphere shifted, the surrounding soldiers sensed his irritation as the nobles continued to push their luck, oblivious to the dangerous line they were crossing.
"Wow! These young masters are done for today, aren't they?" one soldier whispered, grinning.
"Right? Hitting on the captain's girlfriend? Must be tired of living!" another added, laughing.
Many soldiers watched in amusement, some eagerly anticipating the scene unfolding before them.
Before Aengus could react, Aria stood up, her eyes flashing with anger. Knowing Aengus might not hold back if he stepped in, she took charge. With swift, sharp slaps, she sent each of the young nobles flying backward, the sound of her strikes echoing like "paah, paah!"
The six young men hit the ground, stunned, the sudden impact clearing the alcohol from their minds. Blood trickled from their lips and gums, adding to their comical appearance.
"Hahahaha!"
"What morons!"
The surrounding soldiers burst into laughter, reveling in the young masters' humbling. The nobles scrambled to their feet, thoroughly humiliated.
"Hey, why did you hit us, bi*ch?" one of their raged seethed holding onto his bloody nose and sword.
"We could have you stripped of your rank in the army, do you know that?" another sneered, stepping forward to attack.
"Whoosh!" Aengus appeared beside them, carried by a gust of wind.
The young nobles barely had a moment to react.
"What the—?"
"Ahhh!"
Suddenly, their fearful screams echoed, sending chills down the spines of onlookers.
Without a word, Aengus, his patience exhausted, lifted them effortlessly and hurled them into the air. They soared up in a vulnerable position, eyes wide with terror as they realized their helplessness.
Under the red glow of the setting sun, their desperate cries rang out across the campsite, fading as they fell far into the distance, their landing marked by a series of painful thuds.
The soldiers who witnessed it watched in awe, some chuckling under their breath, while others stood silent, reminded of their captain's power and restraint.
"Wow! That escalated quickly!" Drake commented as he approached Aria.
Aria slapped her forehead, feeling helpless.
"We'll be seeing more of this drama, won't we? I'm sure their 'noble' families will be here demanding justice," Yona said with a chuckle.
"Don't worry, guys. I'm here. I'll talk to their parents. I'm sure they won't be unreasonable once I explain," Princess Delilah said, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Oh yes, we have you, Delilah. Thanks to you, we don't need to waste our energy on them."
Aria, however, seemed more concerned about Aengus losing control. She felt like she was with a ticking time bomb that could go off any second. Oddly enough, though, she didn't dislike it; there was something endearing about feeling his protectiveness in the process.
"Are you okay, Aria?" Aengus asked.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine..." Aria replied quickly.
"Huh? What else could have happened to Lady Aria, Ethan? Don't you think you overdid it a little?" Yona asked as they all sat around the bonfire.
"No, he did not. They deserved it," Princess Delilah replied, defending his actions.
Yona and the others gave Delilah a strange look, except for Aengus, who seemed oblivious.
Noticing their stares, Delilah, still seated in her flexible white armor, raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" she asked, looking puzzled.
"Nothing.." They quickly averted their gaze.
After nearly an hour, the expected guests arrived, their loud voices rumbling through the camp.
"Who is it? Who dares to hurt my son?" one nobleman shouted, his face a mask of rage.
Aengus furrowed his brows as he saw six or seven noble-looking men, their intimidating presence filling the space. They stormed over to his group, their expressions darkening with scowls.
"Noblemen, where are you all going? Please think twice," Captain Dior and Captain Ren interjected, stepping in front of them. They had already caught wind of the incident and informed the commander, hoping to avoid a scene during wartime.
"Two bastards, get out of the way!" one of the noblemen snapped, trying to push past them. But the two former captains, being A-Ranks, were no easy obstacle. The noblemen, also A-Ranks and likely in their forties, appeared more focused on vengeance than on showing sound judgment.
"Get the hell out of our way!" another nobleman shouted, drawing his sword and activating his skill, his aura flaring. The tension grew thick, and the two captains momentarily faltered as the noblemen released their oppressive auras.
"Princess Delilah is present there! Don't court death!" Dior and Ren called out sternly from behind, hoping the warning would deter the nobles.
But they simply scoffed, dismissing the captains' words as a bluff, and stormed forward, letting their auras flare even further in an attempt to dominate and intimidate the group responsible for crippling their children.
"Buzzz..."
As soon they took their first step, A heavy, buzzing sound filled the air as the noblemen advanced. Suddenly, an overwhelming force descended on them, crushing their auras and rooting them in place. A dark, lethal intent filled the space, paralyzing them with fear as their hearts pounded erratically.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
Each heartbeat echoed painfully loud in their ears, their eyes widening with horror.
"W-What's going on?" one of them stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
Aengus, seating calmly nearby, was the source of the oppressive aura. His gaze was cold, his presence radiating a power that left the noblemen trembling where they stood, completely overpowered by the unseen force he wielded so effortlessly.