The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices - Chapter 108: Civil War in the Sael Kingdom (5)

The dungeon monsters keep offering sacrifices – 108

EP.108 Civil War in the Sael Kingdom (5)

Count Bearton emerged from the banquet hall and headed straight for the butler’s quarters where Henrik resided.

Initially intending to confront the butler who had suddenly disappeared amidst preparations for the banquet.

However, the sight of Henrik that the count faced was truly miserable.

“What in the world happened to you?”

“My Lord, I…”

Henrik’s voice trailed off weakly.

His clothes were torn to shreds like rags, and blood streamed from his head, obscuring his entire face.

 

There wasn’t an inch of him untouched by injury.

 

Count Bearton, taken aback by his appearance, approached Henrik.

“My Lord, this is not the time!” Henrik pleaded.

Upon Count Bearton’s arrival, Henrik confessed everything he had endured thus far, from being kidnapped while preparing for the banquet to every detail leading up to the present moment.

“They used monsters to abduct me!”

“The White Order was behind it all!”

However, as Henrik continued his account, Count Bearton’s expression turned increasingly skeptical.

“Hendrik, can you truly take responsibility for your words? Are you suggesting that the White Order orchestrated such events?”

There was an unmistakable air of distrust in Count Bearton’s solemn tone.

Henrik had anticipated that Count Bearton might not believe him.

Could anyone believe a story about a White Order breeding monsters, kidnapping, and torturing people outright? Perhaps not, unless they had experienced it firsthand. Henrik had endured it all.

Even if Count Bearton didn’t believe him immediately, as his loyal butler, Henrik had a duty to speak.

“It’s true! Your Lordship, please, you must halt the banquet at once! You cannot trust the White Order!”

In response to his desperate plea, Count Bearton briefly turned his head in the direction of the banquet hall.

Inside, there were envoys from the White Order mingling with Count Bearton and other nobles.

Although knights had been stationed in case of emergency, some of the White Order’s holy knights were also armed and present.

It was unavoidable, as proper etiquette dictated that the White Order be treated as ordinary guests.

Henrik had emphasized to Count Bearton the necessity of halting the banquet immediately due to this situation, but his urgency fell on deaf ears.

“Well, well, Henrik.”

Count Bearton’s voice grew cold.

“Are you perhaps aligning yourself with the royal family?”

“W-What are you talking about…!”

“Think about it. You disappeared the day before the banquet, only to suddenly reappear and accuse the White Order.”

Henrik trembled at Count Bearton’s words.

It was a bad sign.

Henrik couldn’t help but think that the situation was all too convenient.

Suddenly appearing and making such claims would only be dismissed as nonsense.

The current reaction was perhaps to be expected.

‘Could they have even predicted this?’

If so, then the White Order was truly a formidable force.

Above all, everything Henrik had seen and experienced was real, which made his plea for justice all the more fervent.

“I-I’m telling the truth! Please, believe me!”

Count Bearton, on the other hand, sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“To think they’d kidnap and torture the butler within my own estate…”

But was all of that merely a scheme concocted by the White White Order?

Count Bearton found it incredulous.

It seemed more realistic that Henrik had betrayed him, siding with the royal family, and that rift between himself and the White Order made more sense.

Even if Henrik’s words were true, why would the White Order spare him? It made no sense.

“It seems a moment of cooling off would be beneficial. Take the butler to the underground dungeon!”

Count Bearton commanded, and nearby soldiers seized him.

But Henrik protested vehemently.

“No… not the underground dungeon! My Lord, I’m telling the truth!”

Though he struggled against the soldiers, Henrik, with his aging body, couldn’t withstand the strength of the young soldiers.

“Please, believe me!”

He cried out as he was dragged away.

“Tsk.”

Count Bearton clicked his tongue as he watched Henrik being dragged off.

“It seems we’ll have to dispose of the butler soon.”

The White Order kidnapping and torturing people?

No one would believe such a thing, especially the notion of the White Order breeding monsters.

‘Ugh, the White Order despises monsters the most, yet here we are, spouting nonsense.’

Indeed, the White Order loathed monsters.

If one were to side with the butler based solely on his words, all his plans would go to waste.

Count Bearton glanced around. Thankfully, there were no White Order members nearby.

Given that even in this banquet, there were inquisitors present, he needed to be extremely careful with his words.

Offending them could easily brand him as heretics, even among the nobility.

“No, we can’t risk it. Detain Henrik and gag him! He mustn’t utter another word.”

Keeping those nearby in check was a priority.

“And as for what just happened, forget it all. Just a little longer, and the Sael Kingdom will be in my hands. I can’t afford any slip-ups.”

The count nodded and resumed his steps towards the banquet hall.

However, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“…Something’s bothering me.”

After all, Henrik had served him faithfully for a long time.

It didn’t sit right to simply dismiss his claims as absurd.

The count discreetly summoned a soldier.

“Gather all the knights in the estate and bring them around the banquet hall, just in case.”

Even if there was no possibility, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.

With that message conveyed, the count returned to the banquet hall.

He headed towards the spot where High Priest and Commander Gerard had been seated before.

“Hmm?”

But something was amiss.

There was a different atmosphere compared to when he had left.

The first thing was that their expressions weren’t pleasant.

‘It’s rude to leave during a banquet.’

Perhaps it was because he had left his seat during the banquet.

Inviting someone and then leaving first was quite rude.

Trying to lighten the mood, the count approached them with a smile.

“Oh, my apologies. Ha-ha, it seems there was a misunderstanding with my servant. I’ve given a good scolding him, so everything should be fine now.”

“…”

However, the High Priest still sat with a blank expression, and Commander Gerard’s expression was dark.

‘What’s going on? It doesn’t seem to be because I left my seat… Could it be they heard Henrik’s words earlier?’

After a moment of silence, the High Priest spoke.

“What do you think of our White Order’s activities, Count Bearton?”

The sudden question made the count uneasy.

‘What does he mean? Did he really hear something?’

A single mistake in answering this question could undo everything he had done to align with the White Order.

“Ha-ha… the White Order’s activities? I understand that the White Order is working in various ways for the safety of the continent.”

It was a mundane answer, not overly exaggerated.

While he knew the White Order was oppressing people within the kingdom, no one would outright admit it.

The count responded with a forced smile.

“Well, I see.”

The High Priest’s expression subtly changed.

But at least it wasn’t the worst answer, thought the count, as he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you for your words, Count Bearton. However, strange rumors have been circulating in the kingdom lately. They say the White Order is persecuting the people?”

The continued sharp questioning made the count break out in a cold sweat.

Admittedly, it would be strange not to hear such rumors when the White Order was openly persecuting people.

But even now, he couldn’t speak the truth directly.

Regardless, since the count had staked everything on the White Order, he needed to defend them at all costs.

“Who dares spread such absurd rumors!”

Count Bearton slammed his fist on the table, trying to convey his utmost anger as he continued speaking.

“That is absolutely not true! Anyone spreading such rumors must be a heretic. The White Order has always been known to strive for the safety of the continent beyond the kingdom. Such accusations will only harm the kingdom. There’s no need to worry.”

This time, High Priest’s expression grew even darker.

“A heretic…”

The High Priest’s voice lowered further, and the atmosphere became tense.

“In that case, the Count’s words imply that our actions are indeed for the safety of the kingdom?”

“Y-Yes, precisely!”

The count couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling at the High Priest’s question.

‘What was going on?’

The atmosphere was growing heavier.

The lively music assaulted his ears, but the count couldn’t focus on it.

Suddenly, Henrik’s earlier words came to mind.

‘Could it be…?’

Why would Henrik’s words resurface?

‘Surely, it couldn’t be true.’

But for some reason, the unsettling thought wouldn’t leave his mind.

The count subtly lowered his left hand, signaling to call a knight discreetly.

Regardless of the count’s actions, the High Priest continued.

“I heard your words about prioritizing the kingdom’s safety, Count. So, what should we do if there is a threat to that safety?”

“A threat…? If such a presence exists, we must eliminate it without hesitation.”

“Hehehe.”

This time, the High Priest simply chuckled at the count’s response.

However, that laughter held no positive connotation.

“Since you insist, I shall speak plainly.”

Count Bearton’s head began to ache.

Why was the High Priest saying such things?

What was this heavy atmosphere?

Everything had transpired after meeting with Henrik, the butler.

“In that case, why act against the White Order?”

“Excuse me? What do you mean?”

Before the count could finish his sentence, the High Priest swiftly disappeared backward, simultaneously overpowering one of the count’s knights stationed at the edge of the banquet hall.

– Thud. –

The knight’s armor crumpled against the wall, showing the force exerted on him.

“What is the meaning of this!”

Shocked by the sudden turn of events, Count Bearton shouted.

Attacking a knight out of nowhere, even if they were from the White Order, was crossing the line.

“Even if it’s the White Order, this situation—”

But the Count’s words didn’t reach their conclusion.

The reason being the identity revealed when the High Priest removed the helmet of the subdued knight.

Behind the knight’s armor was a skeleton.

“What?”

It was a skeleton monster disguised in knight’s armor.

The Count suddenly felt dizzy.

Why would a monster be wearing knight’s armor?

No, more importantly, why were there monsters inside the mansion?

And once again, Henrik’s words echoed in his mind.

“The White Order was breeding monsters!”

“The White Order was behind everything!”

Count Bearton wasn’t a fool. Everything that had happened so far connected into one.

Could it be that all these events were plots by the White Order?

‘Were they planning to trap me!’

If that were the case, why? Why would the White Order want to trap him?

Count Bearton quickly deduced the answer.

‘They wanted to devour the kingdom from the start. Not only the royal family but all the nobles.’

It was no coincidence that the skeletons were armed as his knights.

At this moment, the White Order could easily designate Count Bearton as a heretic and cleanse him.

If that was the White Order’s intention, then sitting idly would not resolve the issue.

There was no need for further contemplation. It was now crucial to act faster than the opponent.

That’s how he survived in the cutthroat world of nobility where everyone was out for themselves.

“Knights! Draw your swords!”

Count Bearton shouted as he raised his right hand.

And upon hearing their lord’s command, the knights drew their swords.

As the knights drew their swords, the White Order’s Holy Knights also drew theirs, creating a tense standoff.

“Ah!”

“What is happening?!”

The nobles, who had been enjoying the banquet moments ago, were now bewildered.

While they sensed the tension earlier, the sudden sight of knights drawing their swords left them stunned.

Tension filled the previously joyful banquet hall.

The first to break the heavy silence was the High Priest.

“Hehe, Count.”

Once again, the High Priest swiftly moved, subduing one of the knights facing the White Order.

“What is the meaning of this!”

The Count protested, but once again, the High Priest paid no heed.

Instead, he removed the helmet of the subdued knight.

“….!”

Similarly, inside the helmet was a skeleton.

“What in the world!”

“Are you suggesting, Count, that you’ve been raising monsters…?”

“I have nothing to do with this! I merely came at the Count’s invitation!”

As the situation unfolded, voices of confusion erupted, ironically, from the nobles closer to the Count.

The Count himself was equally disoriented.

“Haha….”

He let out a hollow laugh.

Henrik’s words had been correct.

The White Order bred monsters and used them.

This incident must have been a trap set to bring him down.

“You were planning to trap me from the start.”

When had they introduced the skeletons?

They must have been preparing for quite some time to infiltrate them here.

If such actions were orchestrated by the royal family, it would be understandable, but why would the White Order be capable of it?

The Count blamed himself for not strengthening his defenses.

However, he had no intention of backing down.

“All knights, reveal your identities!”

At the Count’s command, several armed knights revealed their faces by removing their helmets. They were all familiar faces.

Thankfully, none of the knights seemed to be monsters.

However, some knights did not remove their helmets, disobeying the Count’s White Order.

‘They must be the skeletons.’

It was now certain.

The skeleton knights were not just one or two.

‘The damn White Order planned it all!’

The Count seethed with anger.

How dare they mock him like this!

If he didn’t act now, he’d likely be branded a heretic and dragged away by the White Order.

He couldn’t allow that.

He would subdue them immediately and expose the White Order’s misdeeds!

Even if it meant turning the entire White Order into enemies, it didn’t matter.

Their image was already tarnished.

“All knights, suppress the heretics disguised as the White Order!”

At the Count’s cry, the knights waiting outside the banquet hall rushed in.

“Those who resist can be killed!”

The sound of swords clashing echoed everywhere.

Tables shattered, leaving bloodstains on the walls.

The once joyful atmosphere, filled with the sounds of music, turned into one of despair and screams.

The banquet hall was filled with vibrant red blood.

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***

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“Father.”

Princess Elena announced her father, the King.

Currently, the King Karendia was in a meeting.

However, the number of nobles attending the meeting was not significant.

Not all nobles belonged to the nobility faction.  Although it was a small number, there were also nobles who belonged to the royalist faction that followed the king.

But the problem was that their numbers were dwindling day by day.

Alongside the nobles were those who assisted the royal family, such as the head of the kingdom’s knights, but their numbers were woefully inadequate.

It was embarrassing to even call it a meeting attended by the king.

“Well, what is it?”

King Karendia responded indifferently.

Even though they were father and daughter, the formal title of ‘father’ was inappropriate in such a formal setting.

But Princess Elena’s demeanor was icy and unwavering.

King Karendia sensed his daughter’s atmosphere.

“I have something to report to you, Father.”

Princess Elena took a deep breath.

Hesitation?

There was no need to dwell on such things now.

Thinking about the future, there was no time to look back.

Only forward.

As the silence lingered, Princess Elena finally spoke.

“There has been a clash between Count Bearton and the envoy of the White Order.”

Now it was Princess Elena’s turn.

Simultaneously, armed knights positioned themselves behind the princess.