Perfectly regenerated Oleg and Maxim discussed their next steps inside the prison.
Maxim argued that the two of them alone had limited options and suggested they secretly escape the frontline base and head to Novgorod, but Oleg dismissed the idea, citing a lack of time.
By the time they reached Novgorod, the main force would have already fought to annihilation without reinforcements, leaving Maxim no choice but to withdraw his proposal.
“At the very least, we must join His Majesty with the troops from this frontline base. So, we must somehow take control of this place.”
Oleg’s opinion was simple.
Not all the troops at the frontline base would be rebels following the traitors. If that many had dreamed of rebellion, no matter how well they hid it, information would have leaked and been discovered.
Therefore, if they could just ambush and eliminate the four Paladins who were likely sound asleep, it would be possible to rally the warriors of the frontline base and head to the Northern Wall.
Even with their regenerative abilities, there was a way to kill them in a surprise attack. Slit their throats with silver blades before they woke up, then stab the severed area with the same blade.
It was ironic that beastmen, whose weakness was silver weapons, would use them against their own kind, but it wasn’t that uncommon. While useless against humans, there was no better weapon against their own kind.
The close aides of the traitors seemed to have already decided to follow the opinions of the former tribal chiefs instead of Ryu-rik… But even they, if their chiefs were killed before they could act, would likely lose morale and choose submission over resistance.
“If the ambush fails…”
“Then we’ll have a civil war within this base. Let’s pray that doesn’t happen.”
Maxim sighed. The operation was nerve-wracking when considering the possibility of failure, but there was no better alternative.
“For His Majesty’s sake, we have no choice…”
“Right. His Majesty is waiting for us, so we must return with reinforcements as soon as possible.”
Nodding, Maxim turned and began heading out of the prison. As Oleg had said, they had no time. For His Majesty’s sake, they had to eliminate the traitors before the night ended.
Behind Maxim, Oleg stared at him intently.
—
“…Smooth. I was right to trust Maxim.”
Oleg barely suppressed the urge to laugh as he tore into the still-warm corpse of a beastman.
He really liked single-minded loyalists like Maxim, who were devoted to Ryu-rik. In that sense, he could say he quite liked Nazar too.
Their way of thinking and actions were so predictable, it was almost endearing.
—
To eliminate the traitors as quickly as possible, Oleg and Maxim moved toward different rooms. Maxim took charge of Alseni and Evgeny, while Oleg chose Lavrenti and Ksenia.
“Then, good luck.”
“You too.”
Maxim, hiding a silver dagger he had taken from the armory, headed down the corridor with a stern expression. Oleg watched his back and chuckled.
‘Luck… My luck won’t be so pleasant for you, Maxim.’
He couldn’t help but laugh. The luck that followed Oleg would be an unimaginable misfortune for Maxim.
Grasping a silver longsword, Oleg began to walk leisurely.
The quiet, cool night air felt particularly pleasant tonight. He felt like humming a tune. Though his body was heavy from exhaustion and his head felt like it might collapse from fatigue, the thrill and excitement in his chest drove him forward.
His plan was nearing completion.
“Ol, Ole…!”
“Shh… Everyone’s asleep. Making a scene would be troublesome.”
Killing the guards he encountered with a single strike, Oleg headed straight for Ksenia’s room.
If others discovered the guards’ corpses, a huge commotion would erupt, but Oleg showed no intention of hiding the scattered bodies. He simply continued walking, chewing on an arm like a snack.
Though Oleg had warned Maxim not to be discovered before all the Paladins were dead, his current behavior seemed almost as if he wanted to be caught.
And finally, in front of Ksenia’s door, Oleg pushed it open without hesitation.
At the same time, Maxim was carefully opening Alseni’s door, a stark contrast to Oleg’s boldness.
—
“Hmm… You’re alive?”
A voice that shouldn’t have been heard. If Maxim had seen this, he would have drawn his sword and charged immediately. The woman who should have been asleep was wide awake.
But Oleg entered the room with an utterly calm demeanor.
“For all your big talk, you looked half-dead, so I was skeptical. Guess I worried for nothing.”
Ksenia, sitting on the bed smoking a magic herb, gave Oleg a relaxed smile. It was a strangely coquettish smile, a far cry from the murderous rage they had exchanged hours earlier.
“Did I look like I was going to die? You don’t know me well, even after all this.”
“Well… I do know you’re the most cunning man in Baraykruz.”
Oleg chuckled and sat on the sofa beside the bed. He looked more like a carefree man visiting his lover than an assassin.
“So, what should I do now? Should I go kill Lavrenti with you?”
Ksenia casually mentioned the assassination of the tiger beastman who had trusted her completely. She, like Maxim, was a spy Oleg had planted in advance. She was also his mistress.
“No, that won’t be necessary. If Maxim handles things too well, Lavrenti needs to stay alive for now.”
Yet Oleg hadn’t told Maxim about her existence because the two warriors’ goals were fundamentally different from the start.
Maxim was loyal only to Ryu-rik. He helped Oleg because Oleg had shown himself to be a selfless, loyal servant in front of him.
But Ksenia was entirely different.
She held no particular loyalty to Ryu-rik. Not to the point of wishing for his death, but Oleg did. And so, she faithfully followed Oleg’s plan.
His ambition to deceive everyone and gain everything.
—
‘If Maxim had known Ksenia was an ally, he would have restrained me temporarily and dealt with the traitors directly in the audience chamber. A fair fight would have been winnable, and it would have been the fastest way.’
If things had gone that way, it would have been quite troublesome for Oleg. If the rebellion ended before it even began, he would have no choice but to send reinforcements on time.
In that case, all he would gain was the label of Ryu-rik’s loyal servant and the reputation of being smarter than expected. Ryu-rik would continue to reign, and the fox would become even more wary of him.
But look at the results he achieved by hiding Ksenia’s identity and enduring some pain.
He was no longer just a loyal servant but an immortal hero who fought honorously without sparing himself to save Ryu-rik. Maxim would testify to this, never dreaming it was all Oleg’s deception.
And the reinforcements Ryu-rik was waiting for would be delayed due to “unavoidable” chaos, leaving Ryu-rik and the fox to perish without even returning to their homeland. Oleg himself intended to make it so. He had prepared every means to ensure they wouldn’t survive.
‘They say fools don’t live long. Well, that much is true. Stupid fox.’
Thinking of the brown fox who had constantly irritated him, Oleg grinned gleefully. He really liked Nazar. There was no easier target to manipulate than those who thought they were clever.
All he had to do was act a little stupid and brutish, just as they expected.
This time, too, Nazar had sent him to Baraykruz as he had hoped. He felt so grateful he wanted to offer a drink at his grave.
Nazar… No, most of the beastmen, except for Maxim and Ksenia who were necessary for the “plan,” thought of him as just a stupid warrior who only knew how to fight.
How laughable.
The sole survivor after all his kin had perished in reckless battles. Did they even understand what that meant?
The last Snow Tiger, Paladin Oleg, laughed at them all.
“For now… I wish that guy would just disappear. It’s been a pain dealing with his constant pestering.”
“Hah, he’s true to form. Anyway, it won’t take long for him to become a lump of meat.”
Oleg shook his head and took a drag from the magic herb Ksenia offered. Everything was going smoothly. Almost beautifully.
The throne was within sight.
Traditionalists who believed a strong warrior should ascend the throne would bless his strength. Honor-bound loyalists who had served Ryu-rik would acknowledge him, who had proven his loyalty by risking his life.
In strength, in justification, in influence—no beastman could surpass him at that point. Those who tried to interfere with all their schemes—the three Paladins gathered here and the fox—would all be corpses within a week.
If he had enough time, he would have embraced Ksenia and rolled around all night, pouring out his joy.
But instead of reconnecting with Ksenia, Oleg cooled his head and reviewed the plan. All the groundwork was done; now it was just a matter of executing the plan flawlessly.
According to Ksenia’s report, about thirty percent of the frontline base’s troops were actively cooperating with the rebellion. Another thirty percent would surrender immediately if their chiefs were killed, and forty percent were stationed there without knowing anything.
As Ksenia had been instructed, the balance was just right to drag things out.
“In a little while, after I’ve escaped, shout that I’ve broken out and head to the hideout I told you about. Wait for me there. If Maxim finds you now, he’ll try to kill you.”
“…You’re not planning to discard me, are you?”
Ksenia wagged her tail slightly, looking a bit suspicious.
If things went according to Oleg’s plan, she would be branded as a traitorous Paladin who betrayed the king. If Oleg abandoned her, she could lose everything, including her life. Yet, knowing this, she had chosen to help Oleg. Was this the terrifying aspect of affection?
“Don’t be ridiculous. Do I look that cold-blooded? That’s a bit hurtful. You and I share deep secrets, after all. I just want my future queen to stay safe for now.”
Oleg exhaled smoke from the magic herb and laughed.
Though he answered with a jest, this much was true. Just as Ksenia held affection for him, Oleg also felt attached to her.
Enough to consider making her his queen once he fully controlled Baraykruz. Though he might need to change her appearance a bit.
“Just… wait about three more minutes. If no commotion happens by then, it means Maxim has successfully dealt with at least one of them.”
Ksenia nodded. Though a brief sense of unease had risen, she still trusted Oleg.
—
Three minutes later, the wall of Ksenia’s bedroom shattered, and a disheveled female assassin burst out.
“Traitor! Oleg has escaped! Stop him!”
Shouting as planned, loud enough for everyone in the frontline base to hear.
Lavrenti and Evgeny, who had been sound asleep, jumped up in shock, and Maxim’s face twisted in dismay.
He had no idea how they had been discovered, but with Oleg exposed, all that remained was an all-out battle. At least he had managed to deal with Alseni, which was some consolation.
“Treason! Evgeny, Lavrenti, and Ksenia have conspired against His Majesty! Assist Paladin Oleg in subduing the traitors!”
Maxim shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Maxiiim! How dare you betray us!”
Evgeny’s voice echoed from somewhere in the corridor. It sounded not just indignant but heartbroken, though it was rich coming from someone who had been plotting treason.
“Betrayal? That’s what you’ve done! You vile, despicable traitors!”
Maxim grabbed the head of a warrior charging at him and slammed it into the wall, refuting the accusation with undeniable truth.
“Aaah! Warriors, kill Oleg and Maxim! Turn this fortress into their grave!”
In the sudden chaos, the warriors of the frontline base began swinging their weapons at each other.
Those loyal to Maxim and those unaware of the rebellion sided with him and Oleg, while the rest followed the former tribal chiefs’ orders. Ksenia had already disappeared, leaving only Lavrenti and Evgeny.
Severed limbs flew, and blood flowed like a river in the brutal battle. In the end, Maxim and Oleg emerged victorious.
Lavrenti fell with his fangs torn out and embedded in his eyes, his neck severed. Evgeny was crushed by Maxim’s hammer, his body mangled. With their fall, the rebels lost morale and began to surrender one by one.
Those who resisted to the end soon met the same fate as their chiefs. Thus, the frontline base was secured.
But Maxim’s expression was grim. Oleg also wore a somber look.
“It’s too late…!”
Maxim looked up at the moon hanging brightly in the sky and let out a deep sigh. His body and mind were so exhausted he felt like dropping his weapon. Over a day had passed since they began subduing the traitors.
