Struggling as a Villain

Richard had a clear goal in mind—to assess the situation within the wall of the main fort.

If he could infiltrate the deeper sections of the fortress then it would be his luck. And if he gets to see Rena, then it would be his fortune.

Richard was no knight bound by chivalry who would only take the hostage away after a glorified war—if he could, he would snatch Rena away and then take care of these assholes later.

However, that would unlikely happen, considering Rena was Jin's biggest asset and someone who could make him an irreplaceable resource to the world.

Naturally, Jin must have caged her in the deepest depth of his vaults, since Rena was far more valuable than any gem or gold.

"The cleaning staff changes at seven—there is still fifteen minutes. How are we going to get rid of two staff before that?" Laila asked, her voice laced with apprehension.

Only a certain number of staff could enter the fort with a common utility batch on their chest. These staff live in the servant quarters near the main building.

Not to talk about there are guards around those quarters who would immediately inform the fort security that some unwanted activities have been spotted—resulting in a thorough investigation.

Jin is one heck of a paranoid guy.

Looking at the small guard post near the quarters, Richard made a plan,

"Laila..."

....

"George, what do you say? Should I clean up my beard?" The guard on the left asked while looking at himself in the mirror.

The other one, who was reading the magazine while munching on a donut, grumbled, "That won't earn you a night with her-"

Suddenly both men raised their eyes upon spotting a certain female appearing out of nowhere, heading toward the quarters.

"Who are you?" George asked through the mic, bringing the lady to a halt

She turned to look at them with a smile before saying, "I am the new recruit."

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George shared a look with his co-worker before both of them got up and walked out of the cabin.

Proceeding toward the pink-haired, George kept his hand on his gun as he warned, "Look, lady, this is not a new trick; however, the punishment for this crime is still quite harsh. So, I will suggest-"

Suddenly, the man turned still once he sniffed the sweet and flowery scent surrounding him. And not only George but the bearded one as well, smelt the sugary fragrance, making him freeze at his spot.

Laila tilted her face with a smile blooming on her face as she waved her hand in front of the two guards who were still standing yet they looked out cold.

Once she ensured that they were no longer moving, Laila raised her thumb without turning to look back.

Soon she returned to her previous position beside Ben and Richard, as she asked,

"Can't I have just walked in and finished the job?"

Hearing the question, Ben chided, "You have been working here for so long yet you don't know that there are several cameras in the dormitory."

Laila scratched her head, "I could have just created fog on their lenses?"

"What about heat detection?" Richard voiced which was meant by another question,

"Won't Emily be caught in that way?"

Richard shook his head, "Apart from magic, no detector could sense anything from her. Her barriers are that reliable."

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The intense training of the battalion, which was formed by handpicking them from different divisions, began.

They all were veteran warriors and had experienced numerous battles throughout their lives as soldiers, so basic training or protocol was something they did not need to be taught.

However, the information about their enemy was a very vital factor that would decide the tide of the war that was about to happen. As such, during the training, they were told what they could expect on the other side.

"They don't ride horses or wield swords. They don't care about chivalry or honor and are hungry for our blood. We, the Knights of the Imperial Legion, will surely give them blood. But...that blood shall be of our enemies!"

"Hooo!!" A round of cheer erupted as Bennet encouraged the soldiers in training.

Bennet suddenly received a message from a soldier that he was required in the strategy chamber.

He instantly responded to the call and emerged inside the room where all the important council members who would be involved in this war were present.

Bennet gave them a nod before asking, "What's the matter?"

Harold was the first to explain, "We caught seven more vigilantes from the other side—they tried to infiltrate the capital but got caught." There was a severe frown on his face as he added,

"However, before we could have brought them in for interrogation..." He paused, urging Bellarine to add,

"Their heads exploded before we could get a single word out." Her expression remained indifferent as she stared at nothing particular.

Bennet was perplexed, "It's strange...did they take their own life?"

Gideon shook his head, "They were under some binding spell that prevented them from revealing anything about their master."

Now, that makes the situation even more complicated as Bennet asked, "Then....what about that one we caught?"

If this binding vow was applied to each soldier—which was a cunning move, regardless of how inhumane it seemed—then how come that specific soldier didn't die? Rather, he revealed everything without a problem.

Harold suggested, "Maybe they brought this change after realizing that their soldiers might bring damage if caught?" That was a plausible assumption.

"However, who could have made them realize their mistake? Last I remembered the assailant we caught had no means to communicate back home.... Wait, where is he right now?" Just like the Duke's words were a cue, a soldier suddenly rushed inside the room.

Bennet frowned as he asked, "What happened?"

"The Prisoner", he began, while breathing violently, "...his head exploded."

Everyone turned silent for a moment, letting the news register in their mind before Harold heaved a sigh,

"It seems the trigger was delayed but not defused." His words were agreed by the other members.

They assumed that because of the drug which forced the prisoner to reveal everything, delayed the bind.

However, Bellarine didn't believe in that theory completely. It almost seemed to her that a mistake was rectified by letting that soldier die.

'What is this strange feeling...' First, the letter she sent to Lilia was not responded to by the maid, and now this.

Clenching her fist, she approached the Knight Commander who was about to walk out, before Bellarine asked,

"Bennet...can I talk to you for a moment?"

-----------**---------

Emily returned in a few minutes, as she informed, "I have incapacitated two servants; they won't wake up until tomorrow."

Inserting her hands in her pockets, she took out two rectangular ID cards, "Here is what you asked for."

Richard took the ID cards and heaved a sigh of relief—it was not the unique type, but rather a bearer type that could be used by anyone until they were carrying it.

"They change the servants so frequently that it was impossible to give them the unique ones," Laila added.

Richard handed an ID card to Ben and the other one to Emily before telling them, " You don't need to draw attention to yourself; just follow the others and avoid communicating with others."

Ben asked, "What about our faces?"

Richard heaved a sigh, "I already told you, your mark isn't that bad-"

"I am not talking about myself, brother."

Richard blinked in surprise before he, along with the other two, turned to look at the golden-haired beauty who was blinking innocently. Her facial features were so refined and delicate that it was inevitable for her to attract attention.

"I have a solution," Laila muttered, before she squatted at her place and picked some wet mud.

Dipping her fingers in it, she stained her face and also tied her head in a bun to reduce the attention from her as much as possible.

"Just for safety, cover your head," Richard advised, to which Emily nodded.

Ben also removed his mask and hid his eyes with his long hair. It was highly unlikely to happen but if by any chance Jin crossed paths with him, it was highly likely for him to recognise Ben.

When Jin joined, they spent months together, and the glaring mark on Ben's face was not something Jin could ever forget. So he better be careful.

Once done, Emily chanted an invisibility barrier around Richard and Laila before the four of them were headed towards the servant's quarters.

The real investigation of the enemy's territory begins now.

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A/N:- It has been a while for me to ask this; how is the pace? I hope it hasn't turned boring. This arc is one of the leading arcs which would direct the story to its conclusion, so I am taking my time.

Thanks for reading. Drop a comment.