Arthur's anger flared, and he cursed Tarian in his heart, yet he showed no clear reaction. After a short silence, he said, "Your words are quite arrogant. Normally, I would have ordered your head cut off, but you've just given me an idea."
"I'll give you one week. Bring me the head of the bandit leader. Chadwick, you'll accompany him and supervise — he might flee from sheer terror when he fails as well."
Tarian's face turned red, and he couldn't refuse the task. Doing so would destroy his image before everyone, not to mention the potential punishment. Although the Baronet suspected something about Arthur, he wouldn't dare defy his orders until he was sure of his doubts.
"Speak up! Why have you gone mute all of a sudden?" Arthur shouted at Tarian angrily, rising from his seat. He moved his head slightly, and Chadwick immediately drew his sword and pointed it at Tarian's neck. His actions were swift and unexpected, causing everyone in the hall to tense up, instinctively reaching for their weapons.
Tarian looked at Chadwick and cursed internally, 'This bastard has become a loyal dog to that fraud.' But he dared not say it out loud. Calmly and submissively, he said, "Forgive me, my lord. My silence wasn't a sign of refusal—I was merely thinking of the best way to deal with the bandits."
"Heh, let's see how clever you really are." Arthur nodded, and Chadwick backed off.
"Take fifty elite soldiers with you. Bring the other mage as well. I don't want any excuses. Go now — I've had enough of your disgusting faces."
Everyone froze, unable to process such a strange order. But Arthur's furious glare snapped them out of their daze. Edgar quickly commanded:
"Move! Prepare the rations and horses. You must leave before sunset."
Sending fifty elite soldiers and both of the castle's official mages was a mad move. It would weaken their forces by more than half — but it was exactly what Arthur wanted.
Because of his orders, the castle descended into chaos. The servants and cooks worked quickly to prepare the soldiers' rations, while the troops packed their belongings and readied their weapons. The journey ahead would not be easy.
Unbothered by the chaos, Arthur returned to his room, trained a bit, and then crafted a few Brutal Enhancement Elixirs, which he handed to the promising trainees and the loyal soldiers who had sided with him.
…
Three days flew by in a flash. During this time, Arthur prepared himself mentally and physically to execute his plan. All the youths with average potential had managed to reach Level E, except for Selene. Octavia had also become a Level E Mage. Meanwhile, both Brock and Alvin advanced to Level D — despite their low potential, they were seasoned soldiers who only needed a small push. Arthur supported them regularly with Brutal Enhancement Elixirs.
Reclining on his bed, Arthur gazed at his personal stats screen with clouded eyes.
[Name: Arthur Lucian Vesper]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 21 Years]
[Class: Boundless Knight]
[Level: E]
[Skills: Photographic Memory (Max Tier), Logical Analysis (E), Solid Body (E), Swordsmanship (E), Horsemanship (E), Dimensional Storage (D), Plot Savant]
[Equipped Items: Thornspike Castle Bracelet (A) - Broken, Fake Noble Seal]
He had finally broken through to Level E after a long struggle, yet he felt neither happy nor sad—just lost. He stared at the blue screen for several minutes before letting out a long sigh and rising from his bed.
'The time has come. I must not be nervous or hesitate—it's either my life or theirs.' He picked up the bell near his bed and rang it. Immediately, Octavia entered the room and asked anxiously, "What are your orders, my lord?"
Arthur replied firmly, "Order everyone to gather in the main hall. That includes all the recruits I enlisted, the soldiers supervising them, and have Duncan come to my room. I wish to speak with him."
"Y-Yes, my lord." Octavia hesitated in her response, sensing something was off. She had been with Arthur long enough to know when something about him felt different—different in an inexplicable way. Still, she didn't dwell on it for long and quickly ran to deliver his orders.
Once Octavia left the room, Arthur sat on his bed and waited. Though it was only a few minutes, it felt like an entire day. He counted the seconds anxiously, unable to remain still. Even activating Logical Analysis did little to calm him—his nerves were too strained.
Time dragged on, and finally, he heard a soft knock on his door, followed by Duncan's familiar voice. "Lord Arvan, did you request my presence?"
Arthur took a deep breath, adjusted his tone, and said, "Yes, come in."
…
Duncan entered, visibly surprised. The first thing he did was scan the room with sharp eyes before bowing slightly toward Arthur. "How may I serve you, my lord?"
Arthur stood from his bed and took a few steps toward him. "I heard a curious rumor. It sounded too absurd to believe, but I still wanted to ask you about it."
Duncan's heart pounded wildly, alarm bells ringing in his head. Something was wrong — terribly wrong. But he couldn't afford to make a reckless move. With hesitation, he asked, "What is this foolish rumor, my lord, that has troubled you so?"
Arthur smiled and tilted his head oddly. "Well, it is ridiculous. But I was told that some fools think I'm just a fraud. That I'm not the real Arvan."
Thump!
Duncan's heart pounded like a drum. His body tensed, and instinctively, his eyes flicked to the sword on his hip as he thought,
'I can't do it. What if he is the real one? I'd get us all killed.'
He swallowed hard and maintained his composure, replying with a mocking tone, "That's insane, my lord. Who would believe something so mad?"
Arthur burst into loud laughter, clutching his stomach. Duncan laughed as well, masking his concern. 'What's wrong with this lunatic? He's acting so strange…'
The two continued laughing awkwardly for nearly a minute until Arthur stepped forward, placing a hand on Duncan's shoulder. Then, with a strange smile, he stopped laughing and said quietly, "But, you know what? I'm not the real Arvan."
Duncan froze in place, stunned. But the overwhelming sense of danger jolted him back to action. He quickly reached for his sword—but he was far too slow. Arthur stabbed him with his bare hand, a dagger manifesting out of thin air.
The blade pierced Duncan's chest and punctured his heart. His strength failed him, and his movements faltered. He raised a trembling hand to grip the dagger, his face empty and lifeless.
With the last of his strength, he tried to punch Arthur—but his fist swung through empty air. Arthur had easily dodged the sluggish blow. He then drew another dagger from Dimensional Storage and slit Duncan's throat with surgical precision. Blood poured out wildly as Duncan collapsed, while Arthur turned away, unwilling to watch the gory scene.