The Imperial Palace was in a festive atmosphere.

It was the ‘Imperial Knights Day’, which was held only once a year. The Emperor offered a lavish dinner, saying that he would boost the knight’s morale. He even offered something he rarely allowed – alcohol.

Holding a sword, the knights drank with restraint. Still, they got tipsy.

Then, there was an ominous whistle.

It was a sign that all five gates of the Imperial Palace had been closed.

Shortly after, arrows hit the light floating in the air. The magic shattered and all the bright lights went out. The night was dark.

The surrounding was plunged into darkness.

Dylan raised his hand. The ‘Shadow’ moved.

“An, an arrow flew!”

“It’s an intruder!”

“Turn on the lights!”

Bombs of smoke rolled in between the knights who hadn’t yet grasped the situation.

In an instant, the entire palace was enveloped in smoke. Because it was something the knights had learned from their training, they knew what scent it was at once.

A deadly poisonous herb called ‘Faint-herb’.

And if you inhaled the smoke that burned the ‘Faint-herb’, you would faint after a while.

It was just a well-known poisonous herb known for a long time since it became extinct in the West Continent. If you want to get it, you would have to bring it from the East Continent. However it was very expensive because the distance was far.

However, the smoke bombs were endless. It was enough to reach hundreds. This alone was worth billions of genen.

“It’s a Faint-herb! Everyone cover your mouths! Soak a towel and put it in your mouth…! Cough cough.”

The captain of the knights, who knew how to deal with it, stood up and shouted. The smart ones hurriedly poured alcohol into the tablecloth and covered their mouths with it.

But it was not enough. Several knights staggered and soon fell.

“I can’t see anything! Ugh!”

“Re, rebellion!”

“Protect His Majesty!”

“Occupy a position!”

Since all gates were closed, the Imperial Palace became akin to an isolated island.

The ‘Shadow’ quickly entered the chaotic atmosphere. The ‘Shadow,’ who always trained on dark nights, swung their sword well even though it was dark.

They covered the tip of their sword with the faint-herb, causing their opponent to become incapacitated with just a single attack.

It was an effort to reduce the loss of the Imperial Knights who would be loyal to Dylan.

The knights collapsed helplessly, but they quickly rearranged the formation. They were not imperial knights for no reason. When it became certain that it was the rebellion, a servant ran away. He ran to the north desperately.

Sending relief requests to the lords across the country.

“Everyone, wake up!”

The ‘Shadows’, including Dylan, were already wearing completely wet masks so that they could be free from the influence of ‘Faint-herb’.

With his sword, Dylan cut down the knights and knocked down the knights in front of him.

He was a Master. Due to Charlize’s swordsmanship, he was already using the highest skills among masters.

Even if he swung the sword and cut them off, he was able to prevent his opponent from getting hurt. Without having their skin torn or letting them bleed external wounds, instead giving them internal wounds.

However, the Shadows didn’t have the same skill as Dylan. So the swords of the ‘Shadows’ were thickly covered with ‘Faint-herb’. With just one attack, the enemies would faint.

“Lord!”

In an instant, Dylan defeated several knights. His talent was comparable to masters which was rare, even among the Imperial Knights.

So far, things were going as planned.

“Ahhhh!”

Someone ran into Dylan. Without even looking, Dylan defeated his opponent by swinging his sword in a parabolic curve.

Dylan saw Hugo approaching.

“How are things going?”

“It’s going well.”

“Hugo.”

“Yes.”

The Imperial Palace was becoming bright again as knights came with torches in a hurry.

Thanks to those individuals, there were some good things.

He could see the Emperor running away to escape from a distance.Hugo’s mission was to follow behind the Emperor secretly and announce his location at the right time.

Dylan ordered.

“If it is inevitable during the mission, you can kill him.”

The maids and servants were all fallen. At most, the ones left were knights who were trained to be resistant to the ‘Faint-herb’ training. There were also knights who did not inhale the smoke due to their quick senses.

Of course, the knights who were awake were gradually falling apart due to the attacks by the Shadows.

This was because the knights had drunk alcohol unlike usual, hence, they were very slow to move as they could not avoid being affected by the ‘Faint-herb’.

“Except for the Emperor, do not shed more blood than necessary.”

He was trying to shed as little blood as possible, but if he couldn’t help it, he had to kill everyone. Hugo bowed his head, understanding Dylan’s intent.

“Yes my Lord.”

Hugo left. Dylan then ordered.

“Let’s go to the library.”

Some of the Shadows followed him, while the rest dealt with the Imperial knights.

It was the hidden library for the imperial family, but its existence would be revealed to the world today. The atrocities and hideous crimes that the imperial family had committed so far. With all the evidence.

The hidden library was underground, near the entrance to the secret passage hidden with magic.

The sound of a whistle rang again.

The second whistle meant Charlize was in contact with Dylan’s reinforcement.

Dylan looked up at the sky.

***

Charlize looked up at the sky. The Duke of Kenin pretended to be acquainted with her.

“Long time no see? I’m glad I’m not too late.”

“It’s been 3 months. I don’t think it’s time for casual greetings.”

Charlize answered indifferently.

Right now a rebellion was taking place.

A complete battle. It was like the middle of a war and one should never be let off guard. As it was a war that ‘Keira’ went through under the influence of alcohol, the excitement she felt was stronger than her tension.

Charlize held her tight breath and gripped her sword. Next to the Duke of Kenin was the tactician who had the hwagi.

“When you came to see me, was this your intent from the beginning?”

Thanks to the mana circle, the Duke led the army quickly. The hundreds of millions of genen used for the mana circle were all paid by Charlize.

Charlize didn’t answer back.

The Duke of Kenin just shook his head, dumbfounded by Charlize’s huge disbursement.

‘I knew it was unusual.’

The lords of various regions gathered around Charlize’s and bowed their heads. As Charlize worked hard to besiege the area, enormous amounts of power surrounded the Imperial Palace.

Smoke was rising everywhere. An urgent request for relief spread.

The nobles under the Emperor’s faction were seen running from far away. They must win the rebellion quickly. The longer it took, the more disadvantageous it would be for them.

Charlize mounted on a horse.

At the moment, everyone’s attention became focused on her appearance. Under the moonlight, she looked as if she was not inhuman.

Her pale nape became exposed as she tied her hair up. Wearing a neat riding suit, she lifted her sword.

“Let’s go.”

The outside plenipotentiary was Charlize.

Charlize reigned her horse and led everyone.

All the lords, including Duke Kenin, were willing to follow her.

Not even a single ant will be allowed into the Imperial Palace. Charlize’s eyes shone intensely.

***

Dylan’s expression was cold.

‘Whether it’s fortunate or ill fortunate.’

The imperial family were the ones who deserved to die. All kinds of corruption and luxury. Though some nobles weren’t exactly saints, they didn’t traffic several human beings for biological experiments.

‘I never thought we’d have this.’

There was no end to the documents recording the repulsive deeds of the imperial family. Records that the Prince had secretly raped and killed commoner girls then hid the body.

A record of the treasury’s illegal conduct to earn visa money through luxury and pleasure.

There was also a record of manufacturing and selling drugs led by the state, then extorting money from addicts as a weakness.

‘How ruined the lives of these people have been all because of these drugs.’Dylan looked gloomy. Normally, even Dylan, the Crown Prince, couldn’t enter the library without the Emperor’s permission.

“My Lord, what’s all this…”

One of the Shadows, who was reviewing the data together with him, muttered in disgust.

Dylan kept his mouth shut. He quickly skimmed through the bookshelf. Then something intuitively caught Dylan’s eyes.

A document hidden deep in the bookshelf.

“Follow me.”

V, holding a torch, followed Dylan.

The cover drawn on the blue document file was somewhat clear. Dylan pulled out the file and opened it.

<Ke-i-ra.>

Keira.

<The Living Sword Project.>

‘What is this…?’

The title of the document is quite gruesome. Dylan looked at it for a moment and found it was quite a strange information.

The document was labeled as strictly confidential, and whoever made it prohibited anyone from leaking it to the external for a thousand years. The source of the document was the tower. It had required enormous research funds.

‘A living sword?’

Somehow it felt ominous. Dylan hurriedly skimmed through the document.

<Only humans can become a living sword. So far, the sword has been nothing but an inanimate object that responds to the hands of its owner.

The attempt to contain the ego has failed. However, if you use humans as materials, you can make a sword with an ego.>

It sounded absurd, but Dylan didn’t stop.

<Take several conditions-appropriate subjects, their whole body is crushed, trampled, and pulled the body out to cause pain.

In the process, those who are mentally weak are eliminated, and only humans who are suitable as a sword with a strong mental power remain. This is the process of making a mental sword.>

In a word, it was torture.

Dylan’s expression stiffened.

<When the material is finished, change the sword to the shape of an iron and sword blade.

The human with supreme intelligence and immortality will chew and swallow the pieces of Ehyrit.

If the sword remains to be in perfect condition, the process of making a perfect living sword that no one dares to imitate is completed.>

Dylan was in a daze for a moment. Because he saw a familiar word.

‘A piece of Ehyrit.’

Charlize once taught him in class.

The bluestone that always comes out when digging the corpse of the monster was called a piece of the Ehyrit.

However, ‘Ehyrit’s piece’ was not something that an ordinary young noble lady could know in strict secrecy.

Not only that.

[It will make the person who swallowed the piece like a monster. If his mind is weaker than the energy of the piece, he will become contaminated and be eaten. However, there is a way to survive after you swallow the piece.]

[What is it?]

[If you have a supreme intelligence that no one can keep up with. It’s possible. Of course, there was only one person who had succeeded.]

Even the wizards who had made the theory admitted they were unsure it would work.

‘Master’s expression at that time…’

It was definitely strange.

Dylan had a gut feeling. The secret about Charlize could be hidden here. But.

The document stated that the project was suspended for the time being because no test subjects had survived the process of making the mental sword.

Dylan closed the file.

They were still in the middle of rebellion, even now. Every one single moment was substantial. But Dylan kept searching the bookshelf even though he got everything he needed.

His eyes soon laid on another document.

“Your Highness.”

“Just a moment.”

Dylan stopped the V as he tried to rush him.

Dylan opened the document.

<A list of candidates for the experiment.>

Dylan’s fingers began trembling. From number 1 to number 2000, the names of numerous people were written on it.

Together with status, gender, and age.

Then Dylan’s fingers stopped in one section. He clearly read it in letters, but they did not register in his head.

But unless his eyes were deceiving him, it was definitely a familiar name.

<No.512. Charlize Ronan.>

It was his Master.

***