The Count’s Youngest Son Is A Player - Chapter 135

Episode 135

“The entire army is on highest alert. From this time until the next order, assume wartime and prepare.」

「Yes, Master!」

「The acting lords and commanders of each territory must immediately stop subduing monsters and muster their troops to each lord’s castle. If necessary, I will also allow the residents of the pioneer village to be introduced to the lord castle.”

Raoul continued to give orders as he busily walked towards the portal.

“All knights of the Free City Guild Branch, except for the minimum number of people, are moving to Calypse Castle. The instructors at Mira’s Academy are asked to continue classes until instructed.”

“Yes, Master.”

“An external enemy that heard the news may attack us at any moment. Everyone, stay alert and prepare for threats. And today, at 19:00 sharp, executives and commanders are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting, so check the status of the territory and unit and prepare reporting materials. “That’s it.”

When we arrived in front of the dedicated portal installed in the Mira branch of the First Guild, the head of the intelligence department, Kane Academy Dean Dalton, and Nakia were waiting.

“The current situation?”

“The Count is said to be unconscious and the healers and priests have just begun treatment.”

Raoul stiffened his expression and asked again.

“What do you say is the condition?”

“They say it is unknown at this time. However, he doesn’t seem to have any injuries, but he hasn’t regained consciousness…”

“Kane, follow me straight to the main castle, and Dalton, along with Nakia, join Bernard and his group at Calypse Castle and wait.”

“Yes Master.”

Before leaving, Raoul gave Nakia some instructions via secret communication, and she nodded with a worried expression.

* * *

“Are you here, Master?”

In front of the portal of Cornford Castle, the main home, Knight Commander Philip and about a dozen members of the First Knights were waiting.

“Let’s hurry back to our hometown.”

They, who were waiting for Raoul’s arrival, rode on horseback and hurried to the main castle, soon arriving at the count’s mansion.

“Viscount Raoul…”

At the entrance to the mansion, Ivan, the butler who seemed to be five years older, was greeting Raoul with a dying expression.

“Ivan. “How did this happen?”

“It’s all my fault. “I am not able to properly assist the Count… so I am truly in disgrace.”

Ivan, the iron masked butler who didn’t seem to come out even if he brushed it off, lowered his head, showing a disheveled appearance for the first time.

Raoul patted him lightly on the shoulder and immediately asked.

“What is your father’s condition? “No, please guide me to where my father is.”

“Yes, this way.”

Before we knew it, knights had been deployed at the entrance to the mansion to strengthen security.

As he climbed the stairs to the count’s bedroom, Raoul noticed knights and soldiers everywhere in the mansion.

But Raoul’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he didn’t like something.

‘First of all, starting with the father…’

When we finally arrived at the count’s bedroom, priests and therapists were sweating profusely to check the count’s condition, and in the reception room right next to it, the main figures of the estate were gathered.

“Ah… Master has arrived. Sobbing.”

The sister-in-law was the first to check on Raoul and came over to her and wiped away her tears.

Raoul tried his best to comfort her and walked to his father’s side.

I could see at a glance my father, Count Melvin, lying helplessly on the bed.

Heat was felt near the count’s body, and sweat continued to flow.

His body was swollen, his originally huge figure was filling the bed, and his swollen purple blood vessels were wriggling all over his body like earthworms, which was absolutely not the appearance of a normal person.

Coo.

Raul gritted his teeth and asked the bishop standing next to him.

“What happened? “Why is my father in this condition?”

He sighed with a very embarrassed expression, took Raoul to a corner, and spoke quietly.

“The detailed cause is not yet known, but judging from the symptoms, it is clear that it is a type of ‘mana reflux.’”

“Mana reflux?”

All knights who use mana have a path of mana called the ‘Mana Road’ within their bodies.

Just as blood circulates through blood vessels, mana also flowed in a certain direction along this mana rod and rotated within the body.

However, for some reason, mana flowing in the reverse direction is called mana reflux, and when this phenomenon occurs, nine out of ten people die, and even if they miraculously survive, most of them are crippled.

“It’s a little different from the general symptoms I’ve seen and written down in medical books, but other than that, it’s difficult to define the count’s condition.”

“Then how? Is there no cure? “Shouldn’t we calm the situation down somehow?”

“Unfortunately, in this case, there is no way to solve it with divine power. Other than just giving the Count a blessing to keep his energy from falling…” “

….”

Raoul had already expected this situation, but seeing his father suffering right in front of his eyes made it easy for him to calm down. didn’t

“Please do your best.”

There was nothing more Raoul could say. The bishop also sighed, perhaps feeling sad that he had to face a situation beyond his capabilities.

Raoul left the bishop’s side and approached the count’s exclusive therapist to inquire about his father’s condition, but the therapist was also unable to find any solution.

Someone’s voice came into Raoul’s head as he bit his lip.

“The Count’s will is amazing. The pain must be severe.”

“Master, is there no other way?”

Cardenas, borrowing Raoul’s senses for a moment, examined the count’s condition and tilted his head.

“This is very strange. It’s different from the mana reflux patients I’ve experienced. It feels like an artificially created flow. Anyway, perhaps thanks to that, the Count is holding up well. Mana is not flowing completely backwards yet.”

“What do you mean? “Do you mean there is a possibility of treatment?”

“First of all, the count’s physical condition is very unusual. This amount of mana is enough to surpass the intermediate level of master, but it’s strange that it hasn’t reached that level yet. And currently, it seems like the count’s mana trying to stop the backflow of mana and the mana trying to backflow are in a struggle, so they probably won’t be able to hold out for long. Perhaps it is because of your family’s strong body that you are forcibly blocking the clash of mana, but no matter how strong you are, there will be limits.” ”

Then what should we do?”

Raoul became impatient. We anticipated and prepared for this situation, but what if it doesn’t work?

“There are two ways. The first is to find and resolve the cause of mana reflux. “It is an unnatural flow, so if you block the power, it will return to the original flow.”

It was the same treatment method that Raoul had in mind. I nodded without realizing it and listened to the next method.

“The second is to forcibly block the backflow. It adds strength to the count’s mana. But the second method carries great risks. Mana needs to be handled very precisely and requires at least a master level or higher level of mana. Even if successful, there is no guarantee that the count’s mana load will return to normal. “If my body was normal, it would have helped, but it’s a pity that I can’t.”

But Raoul was not disappointed. Just the fact that the possibility increased by one was enough.

‘Just in case…’

Raoul clenched his fists.

Raoul came out of the Count’s bedroom and headed to the drawing room.

Still, I calmed down a little and my head started to turn again.

“Why hasn’t big brother Ivan come yet?”

My eldest brother, Dylan, who probably should have arrived first, was nowhere to be seen.

“Well… a special dungeon was discovered a while ago. However, the troops and knights who had been deployed went missing twice, and it was only a few days ago that Prince Dillon went to inspect the dungeon in person.”

For some reason, there was no answer when I contacted them through guild communication, so it seemed like they were in a dungeon.

“How about contact? “Have you heard back from me that you’re coming back?”

“Because the dungeon is located in the farthest corner of the county… A messenger has departed from the nearest village, but we cannot guarantee when he will return.”

After hearing Ivan’s words, Raoul looked around the living room again with a strong feeling.

Several important people who were supposed to be here were nowhere to be seen.

“wait for a sec. What about the knight commander? And what about Viscount Bozel, the Commander-in-Chief?”

“The leader headed to the dungeon with Prince Dylan, and Viscount Bozel has been away for monster suppression and mobile training for over a week.”

“No, then who is in charge of the count’s protection and castle defense now?”

“The guard of the main house is temporarily in charge of Baron Carlo de Ashton, ‘Chief of the Silver Bear Knights’, and the defense of the castle is in charge of Baron Dwane de Ashton, commander of the guards.”

‘this.’

Raoul frowned slightly. This was because, in his opinion, they were not very trustworthy figures.

‘Why are there Silver Bear knights guarding the mansion?’

There were a total of four knightly orders in the County of Ashton.

The Golden Bear Knights are the most elite and an order of knights directly under the head of the family.

The Silver Bear Knights are made up of blood relatives of the Earl of Ashton.

The Iron Bear Knights are made up of commoners and knights from other countries.

And although it was not an official order of knights, it was the Chain Knights, an order of knights with knight-level skills and waiting to be assigned.

Although the territory’s second knighthood is called the Silver Bear Knights, it has only 50 members and the general assessment is that its actual combat power is inferior to that of the Iron Bear Knights.

However, regardless of their skills, they were a group of knights made up of blood relatives, so from Raoul’s point of view, they were difficult to treat with care.

“Ivan, send a messenger immediately to summon the remaining members of the Golden Bear Order to the mansion. These are all people mobilized to conquer dungeons and defend the village! And their positions will be replaced by trainee knights and members of the Chain Knights.”

“All right.”

“And tell the commander of the guards, Baron Dewane, to control access to Cornford Castle immediately. “For the time being, entry by outsiders is prohibited.”

Now that his father, Count Melvin, has collapsed and no news has reached his eldest brother, Dylan, the person in command of the Count family is Raoul.

Of course, if there was a knight commander or commander-in-chief, their understanding or consent would have to be obtained, but what can be done if there is not one?

‘No matter how I think about it, the timing is perfect.’

Everyone seemed to think that it was an accident that Count Melvin fell into a state of mana reflux, but in reality, it was highly likely that this was not the case.

And isn’t it very suspicious that when their father fell, his eldest brother Dylan, the Count’s representative, was away on a long-distance expedition, and the commander-in-chief of the territory and the elite soldiers were away for training?

‘Maybe I too found out too late that my father had collapsed.’

If Raoul had not received an immediate report through guild communication from an informant planted in the main house, arriving at the mansion could have been much delayed.

‘And if my father had passed away while no one was around…’

The county would have been engulfed in great confusion.

Whoever was planning this, Raoul had no intention of playing into their tricks.

‘Save your father and stop the male and female who are targeting the count family. And I will use this opportunity to wipe out traitors like hyenas as well.’

Raoul composed himself and opened the guild communication.

“Jake, immediately lead 50 knights and 200 guild members to Cornford Castle. We’ll open a dedicated portal, so wait near the castle when you arrive. And Dalton comes to the mansion with Nakia Ken and joins them.”

“Yes, Master.”

The enemies do not yet know the true strength of Raoul and the First Guild.

Taking advantage of that opportunity, Raoul planned to hide the knights and guild members in the inner castle.

If they think the main house is empty and make any moves, they will be in trouble.

But then Kane delivered another news with a stern expression.

“Master, this is a big deal. Six baronies facing our four territories are deploying troops forward at the boundaries of their territories. It’s a considerable force, including the knights….” ‘

These are the real ones!’

I felt like I needed to show what happens if you touch the nose hair of a sleeping bear.

(Continued in the next part)