Chapter 981

Merni flinched without realizing it. Though he had spent a long time with Herchi, he had never seen such a fierce look in his eyes before. It was as if flames were burning within his pupils—a rage so intense it felt like being drawn in and melted away.

As Merni took a step back, Herchi threw off his jacket and advanced.

“Merni.”

“That….”

“Merni.”

“Hey, wait a minute, Herchi.”

“Merni!”

Herchi’s roar thundered down, pressing Merni to say something, anything.

They had believed each other comrades for half their lives. Merni had entrusted his back to Herchi, and Herchi had sworn to protect Merni’s back with his life. Was that all just empty words? How could this be happening? How?

“And in His Majesty the Emperor’s own chambers, no less.”

Herchi’s eyes reddened, as if blood had pooled in them.

But Merni couldn’t grasp the emotion behind those eyes. He only felt a flicker of fear and confusion.

“What’s that on your back? A magic circle? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I never imagined a treacherous rat lurking in the palace, let alone that rat being my own comrade.”

“Hah! Don’t pretend you’re the one who’s been betrayed. In the end, you didn’t trust them either, did you?”

“Shut up! How dare you say that!”

Merni squared his stance and summoned his magic sword again. With things having come this far, there was no choice but to break through head-on. Unless he killed Herchi here and took control of the Imperial Guard, everything would be for nothing. He glanced at the frozen Emperor, then searched for Herchi’s weak points.

Damn it.

No matter who it was, taking down Herchi one-on-one wasn’t going to be easy. Aside from the fact that Herchi pulled his shoulder back a bit too much when drawing his sword, his technique was flawless.

‘That’s really just nitpicking—nothing worth exploiting.’

Moreover, Herchi’s magical power was slightly superior among the three commanders. There was only one way: psychological warfare. Merni had to shake Herchi as much as possible to create an opening. He clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath.

“Ah, damn it. All that talk about comrades and trust… You’re no better than me.”

The moment Herchi heard that, he stood still and took a deep breath. The fiery rage in his head cooled suddenly.

Click. Click.

Herchi slowly walked to the Emperor’s bed and stood firmly before him. Then, he conjured two long magic swords, gripping one in each hand.

“Merni. I am different from you. At least I understand the weight of a vow.”

Someone who swore to serve as the Imperial Guard, to protect the Emperor and prioritize the palace’s safety—would they really try to kill a comrade? Especially in His Majesty’s own chambers?

“Kill your opponent. Whoever it is, hesitate not.”

Herchi shouted, recalling Ian’s advice.

“Daran, Touha!”

Was he planning to pull his subordinates into the chambers? If there were three opponents, it would get complicated and harder to gain the upper hand.

Thwack!

Merni leapt forward to strike first. He knew Herchi better than anyone else. He knew what this fight hinged on. Ultimately, the one who struck first would win. And right now, one-on-one was his best chance. He had to end this quickly…

“Don’t come in, no matter what noise you hear!”

“…?”

Merni, hovering in midair, frowned in confusion. Pulling his men back? What was his intention? As he pondered, his expression hardened.

“You always—”

You always looked down on me. You think you can handle this alone now? Even with the frozen Emperor right behind you?

Swish!

Merni’s sword flew straight at Herchi, who calmly parried it. The clash sent a gust of wind swirling, but the Emperor’s bed remained undisturbed.

“Hah.”

The mage had already set up a protective barrier.

“The Emperor’s chambers fall under the Imperial Guard’s jurisdiction, yet you set up a barrier without consent?”

“If two or more of the three commanders agree, it’s allowed. Merni, while you were out wandering, the palace was busy.”

Herchi’s muttering made Merni scowl deeply. So the other commander had also sided with the magic department?

“It’s not siding—”

Herchi added quietly, as if reading his thoughts.

“It was a reasonable decision for the palace’s safety. Merni, we did what we had to do. And—”

Snap.

Herchi pointed his sword tip at Merni.

“I have never looked down on you.”

Just as Merni knew Herchi well, Herchi knew him. As he analyzed his opponent’s openings and chose his attack routes, Herchi had already decided how to handle Merni. Every word was part of his strategy.

“You must not be looked down on. You were one of the three commanders. To deny you was to deny the royal family itself.”

Thwack!

As Herchi’s words ended in the past tense, Merni felt a strange emotion. But he quickly shook it off and swung his sword again.

Herchi, who had only been defending until now, raised his magical power a notch and unleashed it explosively.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

Merni’s signature move—the Winged Right Strike—gained force, shifting the air’s flow. It was a slash that seemed to cut through space itself.

Herchi twisted his blade and barely deflected the attack.

Ting!

The stronger the force, the more it wavers with even the slightest interference. As Merni’s trajectory faltered and a gap opened in his right arm, Herchi didn’t hesitate to thrust his sword into it.

Swoosh.

“…!”

That was close. If he had pulled back a moment later, he would have lost his entire arm.

A chill ran down Merni’s spine as reality hit him. Oh no, this could really go badly…

“Merni!”

Herchi roared and launched a flurry of attacks. Just one opening had completely shifted the momentum. Merni had no choice but to retreat; he couldn’t raise a proper defense.

Thud.

Merni’s back hit the wall. He swallowed hard, his throat tightening with a cold sensation. Herchi’s magic sword was aimed at the base of his neck.

“Merni. Stop tarnishing the honor of the Imperial Guard. Even if you have abandoned it, others still carry that duty.”

“…Hey, wait a minute. Friend.”

Friend? Herchi frowned. His trembling sword tip conveyed his fury. Merni’s awkward smile vanished instantly.

“Go to hell, Merni.”

“…!”

“If you go first, all the people you care about will follow you there.”

Herchi raised his sword high. For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze. That split second was all he needed to make his decision.

Swish!

Merni gathered new magic power in both hands to counterattack, but it was too late. A flash of light and a chilling energy sliced across his chest. Merni felt his body tilt involuntarily and looked at Herchi.

“Ah…”

The world tilted. The afterimage of the slash stretched from his shoulder to the opposite side of his waist… No, it wasn’t an afterimage.

That was as far as his thoughts went. Merni collapsed without even realizing his body was breaking apart.

Thud!

Falling hard, Merni’s eyes darted around as he gasped for breath. He couldn’t believe the gap in skill. Bound by the title of the three commanders and their close bond, it had been a poison. The difference in caliber was undeniable.

‘Damn it…’

Maybe Merni instinctively knew. That’s why he hadn’t tried to strike Herchi from behind. He didn’t know.

Desperately clinging to his fading breath, Merni rolled his bloodshot eyes. He saw Herchi wiping sweat dripping from his chin, sighing.

“…”

Herchi knelt down, leaning his upper body closer. Was he about to say something? To mourn him? To ease his guilt?

Merni swallowed the rising lump in his throat. If that was the case, then before I die, I’ll carve my claw marks into your heart. No matter what, with your nature, you’ll never overcome the guilt of killing a comrade. I’ll engrave this scene deep inside your heart.

Thunk.

But Herchi’s action was completely unexpected. He simply plucked the Imperial Guard badge from Merni’s chest.

“Merni. By the authority of Herchi Zack, one of the three commanders of the Imperial Guard, I hereby revoke your badge.”

Merni’s eyes widened. His mouth opened as if to say something, but only a faint, weak groan escaped. Soon, the light in his pupils faded.

Herchi clenched the badge tightly and looked toward the bed.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I have shown you disrespect.”

Despite the blood splattering and the shattered ornaments and objects scattered around, the area near the Emperor’s bed remained clean and quiet.

Herchi wiped the blood roughly from his face and called out to two soldiers waiting outside.

“Daran, Touha.”

Bang!

“Commander!”

“Commander! What’s going on?!”

Pressing himself tightly against the wall, fully focused on the situation inside, Herch’s reaction was surprisingly quick, even though his name had only been called out. The two guards stood frozen in shock as they took in the chaotic bedroom and the lifeless Merni slumped halfway against the wall.

“Captain…”

Herch calmly tossed Merni’s badge to the two guards and began pulling on his jacket. It was filthy with dust and blood, but he brushed it off roughly and issued his orders.

“Summon all the palace guards immediately. Merni has been summarily executed for attempting to kill a comrade within the emperor’s quarters. Escort the body outside, and call the attendants to clean up the room.”

“Ah…”

The two guards could barely find their words, their eyes lingering on Merni’s corpse. Merni, one of the three commanders—once thought to have reached an almost unreachable level of strength—now lay there, a stark reminder of the fragility of even the mightiest human.

“There will be an investigative committee to verify the legitimacy of the summary execution. You two are ordered to testify truthfully and without omission.”

“Understood. We will report exactly what we saw and heard.”

“Captain, are you alright?”

Herch nodded as if unbothered, though unnoticed by others, he bore several cuts and wounds.

“Also, before that—”

“Yes?”

Herch pursed his lips briefly, thinking of Barsabe. Though she was his daughter, she was still a full-fledged member of the guard.

“There’s a high chance there are problems on Beric and Barsabe’s side as well.”

“Ah…”

Merni had gone so far as to attempt to kill a fellow commander inside the emperor’s quarters. It was likely that the Crony faction had already taken some military action related to this.

“I’ll stay here to guard the quarters. You two need to assess their situation and report back immediately.”

“Understood. We’ll also contact the Magic Department and share the information.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Excuse me?”

Herch’s words caught the guards off guard. No need to inform the Magic Department? As they watched the attendants rushing in from a distance, Herch explained.

“The Magic Department already knows.”

More precisely, Ian does.

‘There’s no way Ian wouldn’t have noticed the activation of the magic circle etched into my body. And above all, Ian foresaw this entire situation.’

From the betrayal of a close ally to using Beric as bait to lure out Crony’s faction—everything had been anticipated.

Now that Merni’s betrayal had come to light, there was no doubt that trouble had also arisen on Beric’s side. Ian must be fully aware of all this, as if watching a compass resting in the palm of his hand.

“Move quickly.”

“Yes, sir.”

With a crisp salute, the two guards dashed out of the quarters.

Before the attendants arrived, Herch gently closed Merni’s open eyes and lit a cigarette, drawing in the smoke as if trying to fill the deep void of loss etched into his heart.