Chapter 86

"Keh!?"

The chair toppled over, and the lord's massive body rolled on the ground, foaming at the mouth and unconscious.

"Lord!?"

The guards' screams echoed.

"Well, I suppose I'll leave now."

I walked towards the exit, passing by the stunned guards.

"What are you doing!? Don't let him escape!"

The man who shouted was the one they called Second Rank. The guards each tightened their grip on their weapons and hurriedly surrounded me. Just like before, I could easily break through using Shrink Step, but—

"Hmm. You said all of you are combat-type Advanced Classes, right?"

I continued walking straight ahead, normally. Immediately, attacks from various weapons came from all directions.

"What!?"

I deflected all of them with a single hand blade of my right hand.

"Why!? Aren't you Unemployed!?"

"I am Unemployed."

"Then how are you defending yourself!?"

"With my hand."

"That's impossible!"

"Isn't it obvious that I'm doing it?"

I had already easily broken through their encirclement.

"Still, compared to the Advanced Classes of the Sword City, you are several levels lower."

You must have been sitting on your laurels as Advanced Classes and neglecting your training.

"Sword City...?"

"Ah, I remember hearing about it... A few years ago, there was a boy who, despite being Unemployed, stood at the top of the Sword City..."

"That's probably me."

"No, don't lie! That's just a rumor!"

"There's no way that's possible!"

"Fine, believe what you want."

Leaving them behind, I stepped out into the corridor. There was a balcony nearby, which was perfect.

I took to the sky using flight magic. I decided to leave the city.

"That's green magic!?"

"He can use magic!?"

"Damn, he's getting away!"

"Don't worry! The sky is their domain! Send them out immediately!"

As I flew towards the outskirts of the city, something approached from behind.

"Roar!"

The one who shouted was a wyvern, a type of dragon. On its back was a human holding a spear.

"A Dragon Knight, or perhaps just a Trainer."

There were three of them in total, apparently chasing after me. They were determined not to let me escape.

Although small for a dragon, the wyvern was specialized in flight, soaring through the sky at high speed and quickly catching up.

"Running is futile!"

"Submit quietly, and you won't become their food!"

The riders warned me.

"Hmm. If you can catch me, go ahead. I have some confidence in my flight magic."

I accelerated, and the distance that had been closing began to widen again.

"What, why can't we catch up!?"

"This is a wyvern!? Damn, speed up more!"

"Kwee!?"

Well, that's to be expected.

I kept the wyverns at a distance and left the city.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Why...? Why didn't my skill work on him...!"

The lord, Grezzo, who had just regained consciousness, slammed his thick arm on the table in a fit of rage.

The bitterness of letting the man who had struck him, the one who should have been at the top of the city, escape. But more than that, he felt a terrible shock.

For him, <Absolute Command> was absolute.

Born as the third son of a minor noble, with no one expecting anything of his future, he had climbed to the top of the city thanks to the profession of Grand Lord and the acquisition of the ultimate skill, <Absolute Command>. He had even transformed the city's system into the current strict class hierarchy.

But if there was someone against whom that skill didn't work, it was a major problem that could shake the very foundations of his power.

Of course, that man must be the exception, but he issued a strict gag order to those who had witnessed the incident, ensuring that the citizens would never learn the truth.

"Lord! It's bad news!"

At that moment, a soldier rushed in, his face pale with fear. Grezzo, already irritated, shouted in anger.

"Bad news? I'm thinking about the most important thing right now! There can't be anything worse—"

"It's the Empire! The Empire's forces have invaded the city!"

"—What?"

The Empire had sent a small unit of only a dozen or so men to capture the city. But they easily infiltrated the city, swiftly defeating the enemies and reaching the lord's castle in no time. Before he knew it, they were standing before him.

"I am Elenela, one of the Eight Generals of the Empire. By the order of His Majesty, I have come to place this city under our dominion. You must be Lord Grezzo of this city."

A tall, silver-haired woman introduced herself on behalf of the unit. Despite the intense battle, she looked cool and collected, not even breaking a sweat. Moreover, the city's soldiers were lying on the ground, groaning.

"...Yes, I am Lord Grezzo."

"Let me be straightforward. In cases where the previous lord is competent, we sometimes allow them to remain as the city's leader under our rule. However, after investigating your governance, we have determined that this is not a suitable case. Therefore, I must request that you relinquish your position immediately."