Chapter 253

Chapter 254. Sephira Poisons the Royal Palace (4)

Keter’s Big Bang is a technique that pierces through Hyperion’s body, which is tougher than Orichalcon.

Even if they are both Grandmasters, Talon is just a regular human. No matter how much he trains, his body can’t become harder than steel.

However, Talon, despite not having invincible defense, had experience.

In a split second, he sacrificed both arms to alter the trajectory of the Big Bang. If he had only used his arms, both his arms and torso would have been obliterated. But Talon, sensing the power of the Big Bang, struggled to deflect its path.

As a result, Talon’s arms were torn off, but his life was spared.

Normally, the fight should have ended here. With both arms gone, there’s no reason to continue the battle.

But for some reason, both of them wore expressions as if the fight wasn’t over.

*Whoosh!*

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Talon’s torn-off arms regenerated unnaturally at super speed, attempting to grab Keter’s neck—

*Snap!*

Keter, as if he had anticipated this, severed both arms.

He truly knew. He knew that the royal palace’s guards possessed transcendent regenerative abilities, and that the secret behind it was the Queen’s blessing. He knew because he had fought them in a past life.

Talon, whose attack was blocked, was stunned. After all, the fact that the royal guards have transcendent regenerative abilities is a secret one wouldn’t know without having fought them. But Keter blocked it as if he knew, so how could Talon not be shocked?

*Whack!*

Keter slapped Talon’s temples with both palms.

Talon, spitting blood from his eyes, nose, and mouth, collapsed. Given how quickly his arms had regenerated earlier, it wouldn’t be strange if he got up immediately. But strangely, Talon lay there, showing the whites of his eyes, unable to rise.

“Sir Talon… lost?”

“No way…!”

“A Grandmaster defeated so easily… and by Sephira’s Archer?!”

The knights, who knew Talon’s strength and Sephira’s traits, couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

Keter enjoyed their shock for a moment before speaking.

“Stop moving.”

A servant who was about to leave to report the situation froze at Keter’s words. He was certain that even the slightest movement would mean his death.

Keter glanced around. Naturally, the island’s vassals, who had expected Talon to win, were swallowing their saliva nervously.

“Let me make one thing clear, this guy isn’t dead. He’ll regenerate and get up in about 30 minutes, and by then, we’ll be leaving this place.”

*Tap tap*, Keter kicked Talon’s head with his foot.

Talon’s brain was mush. But according to Keter’s experiments in a past life, this level of damage was enough for him to regenerate and revive.

Even with excellent regenerative abilities, it’s common sense that destroying the brain means instant death, but there are exceptions in this world.

Jeffrey Edmund, whom he met in Eslow’s territory, was similar but different. That guy could revive even if his head was blown off, but his regeneration speed was slow.

‘He was quite a nuisance when we fought as enemies, but it’s a relief he let his guard down like this.’

Keter could kill Talon within 10 minutes if he wanted to, but subduing him, which is dozens of times harder than killing, might take half a day. After all, the opponent is a Grandmaster with infinite super-speed regeneration.

The only weakness is the head, but once the opponent starts protecting it, it’s not easy to target.

But Talon didn’t recognize Keter as an ‘enemy.’ He regarded him as some suspicious delinquent from a prestigious family and let his guard down, making it easy to subdue him.

‘It’s good I became Sephira’s madman. If this goes well, even the Queen might let her guard down.’

For Keter, who believes that fighting fair is all an act, winning without losses is second priority, and winning while gaining benefits is the top priority. Just like now.

Keter spoke to the vassals who were at a loss.

“If Duke Lerkin leaves this island, you’ll all die. Your families and relatives too. And there’s no way you can stop me.”

There are about 100 people on the island, including guards. Not all, but more than half were present, so Keter continued seriously.

“Will you die without doing anything, along with your families and relatives, or will you officially support Duke Lerkin and leave this island together? Choose.”

“……!”

Lerkin has no allies. His title as Duke is just a facade. He doesn’t even have a family.

Of course, the vassals living on this island aren’t exactly talented, but Duke Lerkin alone doesn’t feel like a ‘force.’ At least dozens need to band together to feel like any kind of force.

But the vassals’ reactions were lukewarm, contrary to Keter’s expectations. After all, they had seen Duke Lerkin up close for a long time.

The Duke Lerkin they knew… was a lazy bum. Eating, playing, sleeping… not muscular, but chubby, and they had never seen him as particularly smart or strong.

Even fools understand authority and follow others. Moreover, the vassals here are far from stupid.

But to board the same ship as Duke Lerkin and leave this island? It felt like the difference between their entire families being wiped out now or a month later.

Keter didn’t know at first, but soon sensed this from their silence and spoke up.

“It seems you don’t see Duke Lerkin’s potential and possibilities. Well, I don’t expect you to have such insight. But at least you can see that I support Duke Lerkin, right?”

If you can’t trust Duke Lerkin, then trust me. At Keter’s words, the vassals’ eyes finally lit up.

Lerkin, who was listening to this, felt like he was being insulted but smiled broadly when Keter said he supported him.

Keter also approached Duke Lerkin and said.

“Duke Lerkin. Are you ready to escape this prison-like island and become a sage king who rules the kingdom?”

“Of course! I will make this country as strong and peaceful as my Lilian, Prince Keter!”

Duke Lerkin, puffing out his chest as if he were already king, looked ridiculous with his chubby body, but Keter held back his laughter and spoke to the watching vassals.

“What are you doing? Pack up.”

Keter gestured to the vassals to leave, then turned to Lerkin, who was beaming with pride.

“Duke Lerkin. My eyes weren’t wrong. I sensed the kingly qualities hidden within you the moment I first saw you.”

“Is that so! Prince Keter, you have a better eye than any noble I’ve ever met! Hahaha!”

There’s no one in this world who doesn’t like praise. Especially when it comes from someone stronger than themselves.

“But Duke. If you escape this island, there’s one thing you must be careful of.”

“You have a plan, don’t you? Speak freely. You are my advisor! Ah, of course, if I become king, I promise to grant you the title of Duke, no! Grand Duke!”

“No, Duke. I support you not for personal gain, but sincerely for the sake of this country. So please forget such promises and act as if we have no connection.”

“Hahaha, ha… wait. I have to act as if we have no connection?”

“Yes. Once we leave this island, Duke Lerkin and I will have never met.”

“…Is that even possible? Thanks to you, I’ve awakened and can escape this island. How can we act as if we have no connection?”

“That’s exactly what must happen. It’s part of my ‘plan.'”

“Plan?!”

Even though no one was around, Keter lowered his voice, and Lerkin followed suit.

“What exactly is this plan?”

“I can’t tell you. If you know, things will go wrong.”

“It doesn’t make sense that I don’t know a plan meant for me.”

“Duke. If I tell you it will rain tomorrow, you will carry an umbrella to avoid getting wet. Then people will find it strange. Why is the Duke carrying an umbrella on such a sunny day? That’s why I can’t tell you.”

“If you know it will rain, shouldn’t you just stay indoors or pretend not to know?”

“Isn’t staying indoors on a sunny day and pretending not to know also unnatural?”

“But if I don’t know it will rain, won’t I get wet?”

“Before that, someone will appear to give you an umbrella or create a reason for you to move indoors naturally. That’s the ‘secret’ plan.”

“Oh, I see!”

Lerkin, convinced by Keter’s words, put on a serious expression.

“So, in short, all of this is for a secret operation?”

Keter looked around once more, then whispered in a tiny voice.

“This is a secret between you and me. And no matter what happens, this secret must be kept. Even if the situation turns for the worst, you must firmly believe it’s all part of the ‘plan.’ Remember, you are the core of this entire plan. You must be dignified and composed.”

Hearing that he was the core of the entire plan, Duke Lerkin’s expression became resolute. Keter felt a bit relieved seeing that face.

‘Fortunately, his mental strength seems usable. He won’t break under pressure immediately.’

Of course, Keter has no real intention of making Lerkin king. He just wants to use Duke Lerkin to shake up the royal palace.

But what if Duke Lerkin actually becomes king in the process?

‘That would be fun.’

The probability is low, but Keter has no intention of stopping Lerkin from becoming king.

‘For now, at least.’

Keter couldn’t quite guess how the nobles outside would receive Duke Lerkin once he left the island.

But he couldn’t just ignore it. After all, he’s still the country’s Duke.

“Duke. I’ll go ahead first.”

“See you outside, Grand Duke Keter. Hahaha!”

Keter smiled back at Lerkin, who called him Grand Duke, and left the island.

At that time, Keter didn’t know.

That Duke Lerkin, whom he had helped escape to shake the royal palace, would become a force that would shake not just the palace, but the entire country.

* * *

Keter didn’t return to the Queen’s Bridge immediately. Instead, he began exploring the palace’s maze.

He had caused chaos by helping Duke Lerkin escape the island and involving him in the struggle for the throne, but Keter wasn’t satisfied with just that.

“There’s a saying in Ruquer, ‘The more, the better.'”

Chaos is the same, the more, the better. Besides, it’s still a long way until noon tomorrow.

“And the discord seems to be working well.”

It had been over three hours since he entered and left the island. It had also been three hours since he parted ways with Lilie.

If Lilie had been in a relaxed situation, she would have sent knights to find Keter, who hadn’t returned from the palace.

But the maze was quiet. That meant Lilie wasn’t relaxed.

“Perhaps she’s having a sincere conversation with the Second Prince?”

Keter chuckled, imagining the Second Prince in distress, then suddenly stopped walking.

It wasn’t because he had reached his destination, the treasure vault. He still had a ways to go. But he stopped because he had run into someone.

That person wasn’t a noble passing through the maze or a guide. Unbelievably, it was someone Keter knew.

The person Keter ran into also stopped and rubbed their eyes, letting out a hollow laugh.

“Ayrus, what are you doing here?”

Ruquer’s singing madman. Ayrus, who should have been on the run from Eslow, was wandering the palace’s maze.