Chapter 13

"……!"

At Otto's words, the knights of Iota Manor, including Camille, had their expressions stiffen.

‘What did I just hear?’

Camille, doubting her ears.

But she hadn't heard wrong.

"How about stepping down from your position as lord and leaving? Surrender peacefully. It would be better for everyone."

Otto said to Michael.

"Surrender…"

Michael replied with a completely different, very cold expression from before.

"Are you telling me to surrender? To someone like you, who has no qualifications to be a ruler?"

At that moment.

Thud!

The knights of Iota Manor, including Camille, sprang up from their seats and drew their swords.

‘Was this the reason he told us to wear armor to attend?’

Camille finally understood the reason for the order.

"How did you know?"

But Michael, or rather Condor, didn't even blink as he asked Otto.

"Our Orte and your Iota hardly had any dealings, right? Was there someone who knew my face?"

"Why are you asking? We met often, didn't we? I feel like we met hundreds of times."

"What are you talking about?"

"There is such a thing."

Otto gave a bitter smile.

‘We met many times. Many times indeed.’

Condor was one of the most troublesome villains in the early stages of the game, following Pizer and Nazrak.

He was also the final hurdle to overcome before gaining significant power before his awakening.

"I don't understand what you're saying. I have no memory of meeting you, Otto de Scuderi."

"Sure, sure, that's what you'd say."

"Arrogant brat."

Condor stood up from his seat.

"Our meeting today will be our last."

"Is that so?"

Otto turned to Camille.

"Camille! I've chosen you!"

"…?"

"I've chosen you, okay?!"

"What do you mean?"

"Ah! I want you to fight him!"

"…Understood."

Camille felt bad for some reason but approached Condor.

"Camille. I've heard you are a talent wasted in Iota Manor. Why not suffer under such a fool and become my vassal instead?"

"Shut up."

Camille swung her sword at Condor.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Condor drew the sword he had hidden under the table and faced Camille.

At the same time, a battle broke out in the banquet hall.

The officials and servants of Orte Manor, who had attended the banquet, drew their weapons and began attacking Otto and his group.

* * *

The sudden battle.

Otto, not panicking, watched the situation while being protected by the knights.

"Roar!"

"The lord is in danger! Occupy the banquet hall!"

"Cut them all down!"

The knights of Iota Manor, who had been waiting, and the elite soldiers carefully selected from Iota Manor, stormed into the banquet hall to subdue Condor and his group.

‘I won't fall for this again.’

Condor, who often deceived players and trapped them, was familiar with this pattern of ambushing players in the banquet hall.

Otto's decision to attend the banquet in armor from the beginning.

The pre-arranged knights and elite soldiers.

All of this was due to his experience of falling into Condor's traps and dying many times, so he had prepared in advance.

"More than I expected."

"Shut up."

"Indeed, your skills are wasted in Iota."

"Only Iota can contain me."

Meanwhile, Camille and Condor engaged in a fierce battle, trading insults.

However, Condor's strength was clearly superior.

As time passed, Condor began to overwhelm Camille.

"Sir Camille!"

"Be careful!"

In the end, the knights of Iota Manor, unable to bear it, had to join in to attack Condor.

‘I can't capture him by force. Absolutely not.’

Otto watched the fight, timing it.

‘He'll run in five minutes. It's 4 minutes and 30 seconds now. In 30 seconds…’

Exactly 30 seconds later.

"Unfortunately…!"

Condor swung his sword hard, shaking off Camille and the knights.

"I'll see you later."

He then leaped towards the window.

Crash!

The window shattered into pieces, and Condor disappeared without a trace.

"Let him go."

Otto stopped Camille, who was about to chase after Condor.

"But…"

"It would be dangerous to chase him."

Otto calmed the disappointed Camille.

"Is it a trap?"

"Understood."

"You've done well."

Otto patted Camille's shoulder, encouraging her.

"You weren't in good condition. Don't let it get to your pride."

"I know."

Camille nodded.

"But the opponent is indeed much stronger than me."

"That's true."

"What about these people?"

Camille pointed to the captured people from Orte Manor.

"There's no need to kill them. Just lock them up in prison."

"They tried to kill the lord."

"I know."

"They should be executed."

"I know."

"But you're showing mercy?"

"Do I look like I'm showing mercy?"

Camille was startled by the chilling expression on Otto's face.

"Killing them will only increase their resentment. Condor would want me to kill them."

"Is that so?"

"Killing them would only help Condor. And…"

Otto added.

"There's no need to chase after and kill them."

"Why do you think so?"

"I told you. When people make desperate moves, they become ugly."

"Are you trying to make Condor make a desperate move?"

"Exactly."

Otto nodded.

"Our goal isn't to kill Condor. It's to make him lose the people's support."

"Ah!"

Camille was genuinely impressed.

She had never imagined Otto's thoughts could reach such depths.

"People make desperate moves when they're cornered. We just need to wait. It might be a bit troublesome, but I have a plan, so don't worry too much."

"Understood."

At that moment, a notification appeared in Otto's vision.

[Notification: Camille's mindset has changed!]

[Notification: Camille's affection towards you has changed from <Sympathy> to <Expectation>!]

As Otto demonstrated his abilities, Camille's affection for him gradually upgraded.

* * *

Meanwhile, Condor, who had successfully escaped, entered the deep mountains and rejoined his main force.

There, the knights and 500 soldiers of Orte Manor were waiting.

"Unfortunately, the assassination failed."

Condor said to the gathered knights.

"Otto de Scuderi is different from what I heard."

"Is that so?"

Alan, the knight Condor trusted the most, asked in surprise.

"What about him made the operation fail?"

"He acted as if he knew about the plan in advance."

"Otto… that scoundrel did that?"

"It seems rumors can't be trusted. He was more like a seasoned con artist than a scoundrel."

Condor said this while having a strong drink and bandages brought to treat his wounds.

Even Condor, despite his prowess, had suffered minor injuries in the bloodbath at the banquet hall.

"Ugh… A simple assassination is out of the question, so we'll move to the next plan."

"I'll prepare immediately."

Condor had various plans to retake his territory.

In other words, the battle between Otto and Condor was just beginning.

* * *

A few days passed.

"Camille."

"Yes."

"Condor's group will likely infiltrate tonight, so keep a close watch on this secret passage."

"Understood."

Camille didn't ask how Otto knew the location of the secret passage.

She knew he wouldn't reveal it, calling it a "trade secret."

That night.

"Move quietly. Quickly infiltrate and eliminate Otto de Scuderi, then incite the people to riot. Got it?"

"Yes! My lord!"

Condor, along with the knights and soldiers, tried to infiltrate Orte Manor through the secret passage.

However.

"Enemies! Enemies!"

"There's Condor! Capture him!"

As soon as they passed through the secret passage, the army of Iota Manor attacked Condor's group.

It was as if they knew Condor's group would attack that night.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

In the end, Condor had to flee hastily without even entering Orte Manor.

"Good escape."

Otto, standing on the wall, smiled as he watched Condor's group flee.

"Condor's strength is excellent, but the enemy didn't suffer significant damage."

"It doesn't matter. Our goal isn't to cause damage."

Otto shrugged.

"The night air is cold. Let's go inside. It will be quiet for a few days."

"Understood."

A few more days passed.

"A caravan has requested to stay here temporarily. I confirmed they regularly pass through this route."

Camille reported to Otto.

"Oh, that? They're Condor's group."

"Really?"

"They're all knights of Orte Manor, and there are soldiers in the wagons. Capture them all and lock them up in prison."

"Understood."

Camille followed Otto's orders, thinking it was a trick.

As a result.

"Let go! You dirty Iota scoundrels!"

"Ugh!"

Otto's prediction was correct.

All 50 members of the caravan were revealed to be knights and soldiers of Orte Manor.

"What!"

Condor, receiving the report of the failed operation, was furious.

"Damn it! Incite the people to riot immediately!"

But even that plan failed.

"My lord… The people who were supposed to incite the riot… have all been forcibly conscripted into the Iota army and sent to the northern mountains to fight monsters."

"What…?"

Condor couldn't believe the report.

The identities of the people who were supposed to incite the riot were a secret known only to Condor and his loyal knight Alan.

Yet they were the only ones conscripted into the Iota army?

Something was off.

Condor felt as if Otto could read his mind.

And this feeling led to one conclusion: suspicion.

"Alan! Where is Alan!"

Condor immediately summoned Alan.

"Yes, my lord. Did you call me?"

"I trusted you."

"What? What do you mean…?"

"You were the only one who knew the details of the operation besides me."

"No, no! My lord! I have never betrayed you…."

"You traitor!"

"Kyaah!"

Condor's sword cleanly beheaded Alan.

In his suspicion, he had beheaded the knight he trusted the most and who was the most loyal.

"Everyone… listen…."

The enraged Condor, holding Alan's head, threatened his subordinates.

Unaware that he had made a mistake and beheaded Alan.

"Anyone who betrays the country will meet a miserable end… Do you understand?"

"Yes! My lord!"

The subordinates trembled in fear at Condor's terrifying appearance.

‘Otto de Scuderi, you deceitful scoundrel… You must be feeling smug right now… But from now on, it will be different… Now that I've eliminated the internal traitor… You can't stand against me.’

Condor clenched his teeth, thinking of Otto's face.

Unaware that he was being manipulated by the antlion pit Otto had set, and was gradually becoming more corrupt.