Chapter 57
“The Banquet of Betrayal”
The Capital of Schemes and Intrigue, Part VIII
The royal capital had two faces—one bathed in light, and one drowned in shadow.
On the grand avenues, magic lamps glittered while music and laughter filled the air.
But in the alleys, darkness pooled thick, echoing with the drunken shouts of rogues and vagrants.
Deeper still—beyond the reach of the city’s revelry—stood an old, forgotten mansion.
Its outer walls were moss-covered, its gate sealed shut, and its windows shrouded with thick cloth.
Yet inside, the rooms blazed with light.
A dozen nobles, their faces hidden behind masks, gathered around a long table.
“The order to take the head of the Outsider is absolute.”
“But… our last attack failed. Lady Rutia is far too strong.”
“Then we strike at the root—bring down the ducal house itself.”
Glasses of wine clinked softly.
Their hushed voices carried the weight of conspiracy, heavy and coiling through the air.
◆◇◆
In the attic above them, four shadows crouched beneath the moonlight.
Kai, Rutia, Leon, and Filia.
“Well, that’s about as black-hearted as a conversation gets,”
muttered Kai under his breath, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“More than I expected,”
Rutia said quietly, her hand resting on her sword hilt, eyes sharp and focused below.
“Charging in from the front would be suicide,”
Leon said, voice low and calm.
“But letting this slide is even more dangerous. We’ll get proof—and drag the mastermind into the light.”
“Then let me do it!”
Filia clenched her fist, determination flashing in her eyes.
“Just like you always say, sensei—‘When fear takes your step, stop once. But only once.’ …So now I’m stepping forward!”
Kai gave a faint, uneasy chuckle.
“This girl’s idea of homework’s gettin’ downright violent.”
◆◇◆
In the grand hall below, a masked nobleman struck the floor with his staff.
The heavy thud echoed as the curtains on the walls dropped away—revealing an elderly man with white hair and hawk-like eyes.
He wore the robes of a high aristocrat, exuding an air of authority and menace.
“I am Duke Grants,”
he declared, voice resounding through the chamber.
“A scion of the ancient bloodline that has long served the royal house.”
The assembled nobles immediately bowed their heads.
“The balance between crown and dukedom is the sacred law of generations.
We must preserve it.
Yet this Outsider dares to disrupt that balance.
He must be destroyed.”
“But, Your Grace, the ducal family—”
“Enough! This nation was built upon the pillars of our ancient blood! It is ours to protect!”
His fiery words stirred the crowd; murmurs of agreement rippled through the masked assembly.
“Guess that’s our cue,”
Kai whispered.
Leon nodded once.
“Right. We go in—now.”
Rutia unsheathed her blade.
Filia summoned a glowing magic circle beneath her feet.
A heartbeat later, all four kicked off the roof and crashed through the ceiling into the hall below.
Dust and sparks filled the air as the masked nobles gasped in shock.
“Hope y’all don’t mind,”
Kai said, raising a casual hand and grinning.
“We came for a little pop quiz review.”
“Kai Cross…!”
The nobles snarled, weapons flashing.
Leon’s sword sliced through the air in a silver arc.
Filia’s shield of light flared to life, deflecting volleys of spellfire.
Rutia’s blade burst into flame as she leapt straight into the enemy’s ranks.
And Kai—he simply lifted his hand.
With a crack like thunder, the ancient sealing sigils drawn on the ceiling shattered to pieces.
“Please. Don’t lock me in a barrier solvable with basic algebra.”
“W-what have you done!?”
Duke Grants cried, eyes wide.
“Just some classroom math, old man.
Equations don’t lie.”
The battle turned swiftly.
One by one, the masked conspirators fell.
At last, only Duke Grants remained, trembling with fury.
“You… filthy foreign teacher!”
he roared, slamming his staff into the ground.
A massive circle of black magic spread across the floor.
Rutia started forward, but Kai stopped her with a hand.
“Leave it. This one’s still part of the lesson.”
Tracing symbols in the air with his finger, he rewrote the runes within the magic array—locating the distortion at its core and flipping the signs.
With a deafening blast, the entire circle imploded.
Silence fell.
Duke Grants sank to his knees, clutching his staff as it cracked.
“Impossible… My magic… destroyed?”
Kai shrugged.
“Old formulas are still old formulas.
If you don’t update ’em, even grand magic turns obsolete.”
Leon stepped forward.
“Duke Grants, your crimes are clear.
You’ve conspired against the crown—and the evidence is more than enough.”
The remaining nobles broke into panic, scattering in terror.
Outside, the night wind cooled their sweat as the four of them caught their breath.
Rutia sheathed her sword and stood beside Kai.
“With you around, everything ends quicker.”
“Don’t call me ‘husband,’”
Kai muttered, half-smiling despite himself.
He glanced sideways at her.
In her eyes—reflecting the dying flames—he saw pride, and perhaps a quiet sense of peace.
