Novel All
Chapter 529
Chapter 529
Chapter 529: Seizing the Throne
The Blau Mowe of the Empire had arrived as an envoy from Rondine.
Upon receiving this report from his Admiral of the Navy, Barnabas ordered that she be brought to the castle immediately.
Why had the Blau Mowe of the Empire come as an envoy from Rondine?
Although he had his doubts, Barnabas had no choice but to meet her.
The reputed beauty of the Empire.
He had always wanted to meet her someday.
However, Barnabas was no fool.
As a condition for the envoys who entered the castle, he stipulated that only Finne and one other person could attend the audience.
Ideally, he would have preferred Finne alone, but that would have been too blatant.
Currently, the Duke's army is at a disadvantage.
Keeping Finne close at hand would make her a hostage more valuable than the King himself. If used correctly, he might be able to turn the tide.
This was Barnabass calculation.
At least until he met her in person.
"I am here to pay my respects to His Majesty the King. My name is Finne von Kleinert."
In the throne room.
Barnabas, who was standing near the King seated on the throne, was fascinated by Finne.
He had never seen a woman as refined and beautiful as her.
"We...welcome, Miss Finne."
This was, on the surface, an audience between the King and Finne.
Yet Barnabas opened his mouth.
There was his pride that he was the de facto holder of power and his eagerness to converse with Finne as soon as possible.
"I am grateful for your invitation, Lord Barnabas."
"Do not worry! We are always delighted to have a beauty like Miss Finne!"
Laughing, Barnabas was elated.
He thought his father had been defeated, and his luck had run out.
But then this first-rate woman suddenly fell into his lap.
The best hostage and the most beautiful woman.
He would never let her leave the castle.
Barnabas swore this to himself.
"I have come here today as an envoy from the Duchy of Rondine. Here is a letter from the King of Rondine."
"Ho? Then let me read it."
Barnabas easily approached Finne.
Only an elderly butler stood behind Finne.
The long sword that the butler had been carrying was confiscated by soldiers before they entered the throne room.
There was nothing to fear.
Barnabas did not want to waste the opportunity to get close to Finne.
Smiling as gently as possible, Barnabas approached her.
And his hand reached out for Finne.
But his hand never reached her.
"Eh?"
His vision spun around.
When he realized, he was looking at the ceiling, and his back hurt.
"What...?"
When Barnabas struggled up through the pain,
The two soldiers who had been standing by the King's side fell down.
"Are you unharmed, Your Majesty?"
"A-ah, thank you..."
Finne approached the King, showing concern for him.
In the meantime, Sebas was throwing ultra-fine needles at the soldiers around them.
A hidden weapon that slipped past the soldiers' checks.
It's difficult to handle and lacks power unless it hits a vital spot.
However, Sebas's throws were precise, accurately piercing the soldiers' throats.
"W-what are you doing?!"
"Oh? I thought you were unconscious. You're surprisingly sturdy."
Sebas said so and pulled out another needle.
With a small scream, Barnabas put distance between himself and Sebas and raised his voice.
"It's an enemy attack! Hurry up! Enemy attack!!"
At Barnabas's voice, the soldiers waiting outside came into the throne room.
Finne and the others were quickly surrounded.
"So the King was the target after all..."
"You knew, and yet you let me in?"
Finne responded curiously to this. In return, Barnabas sneered.
"Of course. I was considering how to keep you in the castle, but this has saved me the trouble. You'll become a second hostage! I won't let you escape!"
"If I intended to run, I wouldn't have come here."
"Quite resolute, as expected of Miss Finne."
Barnabass, mistaking Finne's resignation, nodded several times.
Now he had a reason to keep Finne in the castle.
Moreover, she was a criminal who had tried to abduct the Duke.
There was no need to treat her courteously.
Barnabas was laughing, but upon seeing Finne's unchanging expression, he felt a chill.
"Do... Do you have some kind of plan?"
"Who knows?"
Finne said with a smile.
The next moment, the soldiers around Barnabas fell.
They had been cut down by another soldier.
"What... what? What are you doing?!"
The ones who had cut down the soldiers were members of the Narbe Ritter, disguised as soldiers.
They proceeded to slash through Barnabas's soldiers.
The soldiers attempted to resist, but they were no match for the Narbe Ritter.
"Damn it! Call for more soldiers!"
"They won't be coming for a while. The soldiers in the vicinity are asleep."
The one who appeared, saying this, was Linfia.
Behind her were a few of the most skilled crew members of the flagship Alphonse.
However, they didn't have much to do on this journey.
The soldiers on the way were put to sleep by Linfia's magic spear.
"That's ridiculous... Damn it! Kill them!"
While giving these orders, Barnabass ran to the end of the throne room.
There was a hidden escape route there.
Linfia and her team didn't pursue Barnabas but prioritized securing the throne room.
Although they were outnumbered, the skilled Narbe Ritter and Lynfia were present, so the situation was resolved quickly.
It also helped that more than half of the soldiers dropped their weapons as soon as Barnabass fled.
"Then, I'll leave it to you."
Finne addressed a member of the Narbe Ritter.
He used magic to amplify Finne's voice to reach the entire castle.
"I announce to all the soldiers in the castle, I am Finne von Kleinert of the Empire. I have secured His Majesty the Duke. Prince Julio's army will surely come to the capital. Now is the time to make a decision. Will you side with the Duke or the King? Think again. And if there is still loyalty in your heart it's time to fight."
With these words, Finne called out to the soldiers in the castle.
They were enough to throw the castle into chaos.
In the meantime, Linfia and the others began preparing to barricade themselves in the throne room.
"You choose to fortify instead of escape... Do you have reinforcement lined up, Miss Finne?"
"Yes, reinforcements will surely arrive. Please bear with us until then."
"If you say so, I'll believe you."
The Duke nodded deeply, leaning back into his throne.
He had resolved not to leave this place.
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