The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate

Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Leo immediately examined Caron's condition. His cousin's blood loss seemed severe.

"Priest! We need a priest, now—" Leo shouted urgently. But before he could take a step to look for one, Revelio appeared behind him, quickly pulling out a small vial from his coat. Without hesitation, he poured the elixir from the vial into Caron's mouth.

"This will work faster than a priest," Revelio said.

"This is..." Leo began, confused.

"This is the dew of the World Tree. It's incredibly expensive. Hah, I was saving it to use it in a near-death situation, but look at this, your cousin's draining all my resources," Revelio said.

The elixir seemed to take effect quickly. Caron slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze found Leo's guilt-riddled face. But Caron knew this wasn't the time for comfort, so he spoke firmly. "Leo, listen to me carefully."

"Shouldn't we take care of your injuries first...?" Leo suggested.

"Contact Grandfather right away. Tell him I almost died in the Imperial Palace," Caron said with a strained breath, but flashed a grin. "Once he hears what happened to me, he'll come here in person. This is out of our hands now. Things have escalated too much."

An attack on a member of the Ducal Family of Leston, during a banquet hosted at the Imperial Palace? And by a succubus, no less? This wasn't a matter anyone could simply overlook. Neither the Leston family nor the imperial family could turn a blind eye. Furthermore, this was a major event that would shake up the entire empire.

"Not once in fifty years has something like this happened. Isn't that right, Prince?" Caron asked.

"You're absolutely right. The imperial family considers anything related to Dark Mana a direct threat," Revelio said, nodding in agreement.

Caron inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. He could feel immense mana stirring within his body. It seemed Revelio had fed him something. He asked, "What exactly did you feed me, anyway?"

"The dew of the World Tree," Revelio answered.

"...Are you insane? Where did you even get that?" Caron continued.

"Obviously, my sis gave it to me. I've invested heavily in you, sparing no expense. We'll settle the bill later, alright?" Revelio replied.

The dew of the World Tree was a miraculous elixir that only elves could procure, capable of bestowing vast amounts of mana to knights and mages alike. With the elves no longer in contact with the empire, it had become one of the most valuable and unattainable treasures in the world, something money couldn't buy. Even in his previous life, Caron had never tasted such a priceless gift. It was said to have the power to revive even those on the brink of death, and here Revelio had used it without hesitation.

Caron furrowed his brow, staring at Revelio. He remarked, "You really pulled out all the stops, huh?"

"If you want to stay connected to the right people, you've got to make some big moves," Revelio replied with a smirk.

Caron had consumed something unbelievably precious. If Revelio hadn't given him the dew of the World Tree, he could have spent an agonizingly long time recovering his mana channels. The aftermath of forcibly reaching 5-Star had been far worse than he'd anticipated. But now, the mana channels, which had been on the verge of collapse just moments ago, were already healing. If he could fully absorb this mana, he felt confident he could control his newly opened fifth sea with ease.

"I'll let Grandfather know," he said.

"You better," Revelio responded.

Caron had been very lucky. Even if he began training his mana power in this state, he would become far stronger than before, beyond comparison. With a smile, he began to rise from his spot, but Leo quickly pushed him back down.

"Where do you think you're going?" Leo asked sternly.

"I need to fix this mess," Caron replied.

"We'll take care of it. Just take a rest," Leo insisted.

"I'm really fine. There's nothing wrong with me. I'll deal with this mess, so go and contact Grandfather," Caron argued.

He had just fainted from severe blood loss. Rest was supposed to be his first priority. Even though Caron was recovering thanks to the dew of the World Tree, he still had to be taken to a doctor and a priest, Leo figured.

"You're a patient," Leo pressed.

"I'm telling you that I'm not—"

Whack!

Someone smacked Caron in the back of the neck with a wooden rod... a rod with a mana stone embedded in it. It was Revelio's wand.

Caron turned to look at Revelio and began, "What are you—"

"Hey, when your older brothers tell you to rest, you should listen. You really don't know how to take a hint, do you?" Revelio interrupted.

"You, you—" Caron started to argue, but he couldn't finish his sentence.

Whack!

So, Leo decided to take care of Caron first. He kneeled down and lifted his unconscious cousin onto his back.

Caron's recovery comes first, he thought to himself.

While Leo was wondering where he could take Caron for proper care, he noticed a female knight with a pale face standing behind the other Imperial Guards. Recognizing her, he gestured in her direction.

"Lady Amy, come here for a moment," Leo called out.

Amy tried to step forward, but one of the Imperial Guards blocked her path and said in a low voice, "She hasn't been officially knighted yet. She's unfit to serve the young masters. I will escort you myself."

Leo asked himself what Caron would do in this situation, and the answer came to mind quickly. Someone here could have been behind this incident. Leo had already realized in Thebe that even the Imperial Guards couldn't be fully trusted either. Therefore, he had to prioritize choosing someone he was familiar with.

"I'll handle it," Leo said firmly.

"But—" the guard protested.

"I said, I'll handle it." Leo's frown deepened, and only then did the guard step back reluctantly. Leo then turned to Amy and said, "Lady Amy, I need you to guide me."

"Of course. I'll lead you to the priests," Amy replied.

"Thank you. I think he's past the critical stage, but he still needs immediate care," Leo explained.

Amy nodded and shifted her gaze to Caron. His body was battered and bruised, his clothes soaked with blood; the extent of his injuries was obvious.

"This way, quickly," Amy said as she led the way.

Leo followed without hesitation. I have to protect Caron until grandfather arrives, he thought. He hadn't been able to fight alongside his cousin, but from now on, he would make sure Caron was safe.

As they ran through the palace, Leo could hear Caron's ragged breathing next to him.

***

Whoosh.

A sound hummed through the royal garden, where the teleportation magic circle lay. The Crown Prince stood at the edge of the garden, waiting for the visitors who were about to arrive. Mages from the Imperial Magic Tower were working in unison to activate the portal, and soon, their guests would step through.

The Crown Prince took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the shimmering magic circle. Moments later, the voices of the mages rang out across the garden.

"Connection complete," one of the mages said.

"The teleportation circle is stable," another mage called out.

"The magic circle from Azureocean Castle is now active!" the next mage informed the others.

Flash.

A white glow erupted from the magic circle, quickly shaping itself into a massive, glowing gateway. It was a massive teleportation portal. Through the portal, figures from Azureocean Castle began to step into the royal garden, one after another.

The first to arrive were the knights of the Oceanwolf Knight Order, led by Zerath. They marched through the portal in full armor. As the Crown Prince and the Imperial Guards watched them, they swallowed hard at the sight.

The Oceanwolf Knights' presence was overwhelming. They radiated a fierce energy, as if they were ready to draw their swords at any moment. Zerath, an 8-Star knight, stood at the forefront, exuding such a powerful aura that it felt as if the air had thickened.

But not everyone had arrived yet. The master of the Oceanwolf Knight Order, the legendary hero of the empire, hadn't yet crossed through the portal. As the Crown Prince felt the weight of anticipation, he bit down on his lip, and his eyes never left the magic circle.

"The head of the Leston family is arriving. Everyone, get to your escort formations!" Zerath commanded.

At Zerath's command, the Oceanwolf Knight Order swiftly moved into formation, creating an impenetrable escort line. Moments later, the air shimmered once again as light erupted from the teleportation circle.

A single man emerged, walking with deliberate, measured steps. Clad in azure armor, his silver hair and the deep wrinkles etched across his face marked him as an old man. And yet, despite his age, no one in the garden would dare think of him as just an elderly man. The sheer mana that radiated from his massive frame spoke volumes. That proved his strength was beyond comprehension.

Halo... Leston, the Crown Prince thought, his gaze fixed on the legendary hero and his eyes full of fear. Halo's presence was so overwhelming that it felt as if the prince's breath could stop at any moment. A monster who had surpassed the limits of humanity... That was Halo Leston.

Although the Crown Prince was aware that he had to offer a greeting, he found himself too stiff to speak. His mouth refused to form words, and his body was petrified with fear.

Without hesitation, Halo marched toward the Crown Prince. When he arrived in front of the prince, he looked down and said in a low, commanding voice that carried immense weight, "Your Highness, I trust you understand that this is no time for formal pleasantries."

"...D-Duke Halo," the Crown Prince stuttered, barely managing to get the words out.

"In accordance with the agreement between the Leston family and the imperial family, I will deal with the dark forces that have infiltrated the palace. But before that..." Halo's voice dropped even lower, filled with an undeniable fury as he leaned slightly forward. "I must take care of my grandsons first. I assume you have no objections to that."

The sheer intensity of Halo's anger echoed through the garden.