NOVEL WEB Chapter 92: One Shot
The palace should have been impenetrable. It didn't matter that this was an outer palace vault but the expectation was still the same.
And yet, the bodies of the vault guards lay scattered across the stone floor, their blood seeping into the cracks.
"Urk!" The guard struggled, trying to break the grip of his neck but in the next moment, there was a crack and he hung limply from the hand, dead.
Octavian Underwood tossed the guard aside with a sneer. "Weak."
He'd expected better resistance but as always, he'd been disappointed.
He adjusted the cloth mask on the lower half of his face as his eyes flicked up to the heavy steel doors of the vault. At least, the guards had been trained well. None of them had divulged the secret of opening the vault.
He could sense it. The vault was a blood bounded object. But it wouldn't stand before him.
Stepping forward, he placed a hand on the vault door's handle before changing his mind. It'll probably break off if he exerted pressure.
Instead, he dug his fingers into the steel, carving a groove in it. When his grip was solid, he planted his feet and pulled.
Using the power of his Divine Gift, he grunted as the vault creaked. Cracks began running along the walls but he didn't stop.
The vault groaned for a few more seconds, before it finally sheared off with a loud screech.
Octavian tossed the vault door to the side before making his way unopposed to the center of the vault.
He exhaled in satisfaction as his fingers wrapped around the artifact he had come for. The Rank 5 artifact that would've been the prize for the winner of the king's tournament.
One Shot.
He stared down at the single arrow, which was made of an obsidian stone and rippled with a red glow.
An arrow that could only be shot once and would never miss its target.
He chuckled to himself at the irony. Oh, you foolish king.
He ran a thumb over its surface, feeling the raw power radiating from it. He couldn't use it against Lilith. Her Soul Dominion was much stronger than this weapon.
That left the person who had generously donated this arrow.
A king should be killed with an executioner's blade, but this will be poetic.
His gaze drifted over the lifeless guards. Rank 3 Knights, all of them strong, but nothing compared to him.
Their blood dripped from his knuckles as he turned, walking out of the vault with steady, unhurried steps. The king would meet the same fate.
The alarms would be raised soon, but it didn't matter. His work was done.
By the time the palace realized what had happened, he was already gone.
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Ren, Thorn, and Elias filed into Ren's room, none of them having said a word on the ride back to the Underwood manor.
During their ride back, they'd been able to see from afar that while the streets of the inner city were quieter now, the outer city was still in its festive state.
The problems of last night had been in the inner city and had therefore been categorized as a nobility problem. The commoners couldn't care less.
As they entered his room, Ren opened the letter he'd gotten from the mansion's attendant. It had arrived from the palace after they'd left.
He quickly read through it before tossing it on the bed beside him
"What does it say?" Thorn asked from where he stood, leaning against the wall. Elias stood nearby, not hiding his worry as much as he thought he was.
"It's the tournament's first round matchups. I'll apparently be fighting some Knight tomorrow."
"Will you fight?" Elias asked, trying to stop himself from pacing but he wasn't fooling anyone. His legs moved, constantly tapping on the floor.
"No." Ren answered. "I'm withdrawing. Thorn, send a letter to the palace confirming it."
Thorn nodded. "Consider it done."
"I know you're holding yourself back from asking, Elias, so I'll say it now." Ren said. "Yes, I successfully struck a deal with Prince Anders. He has given me a mission to undertake before Lilith would be released to us."
"What is it?" Elias asked eagerly. "What do we have to do?"
"Nothing." Ren exhaled. "Prince Anders wants this done by me, but utmost secrecy. So, I can't tell you."
Thorn and Elias exchanged glances.
Elias' eyes darkened. "Why not?"
"Because the less you know, the safer you are." Ren met their gazes evenly. "I need you both to trust me."
Elias hesitated. "Ren—"
"He's right." Thorn interrupted. "If it's something dangerous, knowing about it might make us targets."
Elias gritted his teeth, running his hand through his hair. He moved, pacing in the small corner of the room. After a few seconds, he sighed. "Fine. But I don't like it."
Ren nodded. "I never expected you to."
There was a knock on the door and their head snapped to it. They'd specifically asked not to be disturbed.
They all shared a glance before Thorn walked forward to open the door, revealing one of the Underwood family servants and a palace messenger holding a sealed letter. "For Lord Terence Ross."
Thorn took the letter and shut the door. He tossed it to Ren, who caught it mid-air, a frown on his face. "What else does the palace want with us?"
"My lord?" The Underwood family servants spoke up. "You might want to see this."
After sharing another glance between themselves, they followed the messengers outside the manor.
Waiting for them was a wagon filled with various chests. Thorn walked to one and opened it, showing that it was filled with gold coins.
Ren glanced down at the letter in his hands. Breaking the seal, he read the contents quickly before folding it back up.
"Those are my winnings from defeating Roger." he walked forward, staring at the gold coins.
"The palace took their ten percent enforcement cut, but of the remaining ninety percent, I've been given four hundred thousand gold coins and the deeds to a barony."
Elias blinked. "A barony? Where?"
"At the edge of the Rosefield family's lands. But instead of falling under them, I'll be a baron directly under the crown." Ren rubbed his temple. "That means I answer only to the king and whoever he places over me."
Thorn let out a low whistle. "That's… unexpected. It must have been one of Vesper's lands."
Ren stood there, staring at the new wealth of the Ross family. He'd increased the standing of the Ross family in the capital and earned a barony for himself.
His father should be more than satisfied.