NOVEL NEXT My Daddy Hides His Power
Chapter 243
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[Imperial Calendar 1786, May 18th. The last Emperor of the Empire, Nicholas von Pavilion, seized the opportunity during the kingdom’s invasion war to order the massacre of non-ability users in the Capital and nearby territories. The leaders of the Capital defense forces who followed this order included the captain of the defense force, Marquis Willow Chambers, and the Marchioness Selena Ludendorff, who was a researcher at the Ability Training Institute… … Compiled in Imperial Calendar 1796, <History of the Empire>] * * * The Capital’s defense forces, having received the imperial decree, took to the streets. Selena Ludendorff was assigned to the 1st platoon of the defense forces, responsible for occupying the territories surrounding the capital. ‘Come to your senses.’ At that moment, she had no strength left to hold onto her sanity. Her husband disappeared overnight. And her two sons. Her husband had despised participating in the Emperor’s massacre of the commoners. The husband’s words that he would never see her face again. Who knew that those words meant that he would personally carry out his son Kyle’s desertion? ‘It’s okay. Calm down. The Emperor doesn’t know yet.’ Selena managed to pull herself together. She had to fulfill her duties no matter what. That way, she could ask the Emperor for leniency regarding her son’s absence later. “Why is your expression so gloomy?” Selena looked around. The ruler of the North, Count Rector Somerset. He came to the capital under the Emperor’s orders, serving as the commander of the 1st platoon of the defense forces and was an ability user. ‘I never expected Count Somerset would come here…’ Selena briefly recalled Enoch’s face. There was no hope for him anymore. The capital was empty, the Emperor’s army was strong, and the non-ability users that Enoch would struggle to protect would only become obstacles in his path. “When we arrive, we will occupy the territories and wait. As soon as Duke Rubinstein arrives, the people of the territory…” While speaking, a sharp light flashed before her eyes. The surroundings became quiet. Selena stopped talking and slowly lowered her eyes. The sword thrust into her neck. The owner of the sword was Count Rector Somerset. “…What are you doing?” The Count’s private soldiers who were with her also took a stance to subdue Selena. “I asked what you were doing.” “What… Don’t you understand?” With his sword threateningly pointed at her, Rector Somerset sneered. “I’m over there—” He gestured towards the imperial family and added, “—Instead of the snake coiled in the palace, the one who’s got the leash is Duke Rubinstein, the one we’re about to hunt.” “…!” Selena’s eyes widened. “To put it more simply, the place I’m going to set on fire from now on is not the innocent bodies of non-ability users, but rather the snake den behind you.” “….” “Rebell—ion.” Selena’s breath became ragged. At her reaction, Rector let out a hearty laugh, as if finding it amusing. “Ahahahaha…! Rebellion! How can that word make a man’s blood boil?” Soon, Rector sheathed his sword. Still, Selena was unable to make any counterattack. The entire force of the 1st Platoon of the Defense Forces consisted of Count Rector Somerset’s soldiers. “Hey. Let’s not live in sin. Do you really want all those non-ability users to die at your hands without knowing why?” “….” “Behave yourself. Then you’ll thank me later.” Seeing Selena, who appeared to have no chance of resistance, Rector let out a snicker. “I guess I’m doing you a favor by reducing your charges when you go to hell.” * * * The capital, the residence of commoners. Bruce Chamber was the commander of the 3rd platoon commander of the defense force, ordered to carry out the massacre of non-ability users within the capital. Bruce’s shoulders rose high as he led the defense force of over fifty ability users. ‘To think that the balance of power would change.’ The Emperor, who would rule with absolute authority after unifying the continent, entrusted him with this mission. Killing the powerless, who would drop dead with just a snap of his fingers, was far too easy for him, a Quarto-class ability user. Are all humans the same? Powerless individuals and himself existed in entirely different worlds, completely different beings. “Run away quickly!” Bruce chuckled as he shouted at the commoners out on the street. The armed army suddenly barged in. Half of them ran away with terrified expressions, while the other half tilted their heads in confusion. “Oh my, what a pity.” As Bruce scanned the surroundings, his eyes fell upon a father and son who had just come out of the old building. The young boy in his father’s arms was watching the armed ability users with a bewildered expression. “I guess you don’t understand the situation.” Bruce smiled and swung his right arm, which was covered with a gauntlet, to close the distance. “Kid, don’t blame me too much. Whether it’s late or early, you’re all going to die today anyway.” Bruce’s eyes flashed, and a blue wind pressure burst out from his gauntlet. “No!” A scream, and. The fleeting glimpse of terrified eyes. Tak—! ‘What?’ Bruce stopped. A blue shield spread over the father holding the child. The sharp wind pressure cracked the shield and scattered without a trace. “Ah! Are you okay? Oh my, you almost got into big trouble right after receiving treatment.” “H, healer… I, I…” A slender man rushed out of the building. The man, referred to as a healer, hurriedly brought the trembling father and son back into the building. “Phew, Bruce! You’re still living like such trash, huh?” Bruce’s eyes widened as he blankly watched the scene. ‘Did he just talk to me?’ Only then did Bruce take a good look at the man’s appearance. Glasses that covered half of his face and a stupid expression. It didn’t look unfamiliar. It was definitely a face he remembered. “You… no way, Rom?” “What, did you forget my face?” “Ha?” Yeah, Rom. He was a commoner who shared a room with him during the training center days. He would bark like a dog when told to, and crawl at his feet like a bug. “Wow, it’s been a while, huh? This damn bug who used to stutter and fumble his words has really cleaned up his act! But were you the one who just blocked me?” “Haha, I’ve changed a lot, right? But you’re still the same, just as rotten as ever. I could smell you from ten meters away and knew it was you right away.” Bruce’s expression, which had been mockingly smiling, suddenly hardened. “…Have you lost your mind?” Bruce strode toward Rom threateningly. At that moment. Whoosh—! A sharp gust of wind brushed past his nose. Startled, Bruce froze in place. “Hey! What brings the great Sir Bruce all the way to this humble place?” When he turned his stiff head, he saw a familiar face at the forefront of the armed mercenaries. Jemian Traha. “Hahaha, what are you guys?” He must have left a scar, because when he wiped his cold nose, blood came out. Bruce, who had been smiling at Jem, immediately dropped the corners of his mouth, revealing his unfiltered anger. “Do you have a death wish?” “Who’s the one with a death wish? Me? Or you?” “….” At Jem’s mocking tone, Bruce fell silent for a moment. As if she had been waiting for this moment, she led her mercenary group with a readiness to even fight against the imperial guards who had received the emperor’s orders. Jem was prepared. Daring to resist the emperor’s army. It was treason. “Wow, you stupid X….” Eventually, Bruce began to laugh, panting as if he were out of breath. “Is that a head or a rock sitting on your neck? You’ve repeated a few years at the training academy and graduated, yet you have no common sense? Don’t you realize that even if you bring a hundred or a thousand of those lowly bugs, you still won’t be able to catch me?” The clear gap in power that exists even among individuals with abilities. The Diez of the 6th class would be at the bottom of this class society if there were no non-ability users. “Well? I guess you’ll only know if we try to catch you.” Jem added with a sly smile. “Without your abilities, you’re just a scrawny noble brat who wouldn’t even be a mouthful for me. I was about to die of frustration watching you act all high and mighty just because of your rank.” “This crazy X is really―” Bruce, whose eyes were rolled back, attacked Jem without hesitation. But, tak—! Again. He was blocked by the shield again. “How long are we going to fight with our mouths? We’re not like the brats of the training camp anymore~!” Rom sighed and approached Jem. ‘What the hell is that kid?’ Bruce was sure that Rom had blocked both the previous attack and the current attack. However, it was ridiculous. To block his attack, he had to implement at least a C-class or higher shield. ‘Wasn’t that guy Diez?’ Rom must have been a Diez who had a hard time casting even the lowest level of defensive magic. ‘What’s going on?’ Seeing the flustered Bruce, Jem covered her mouth and burst into laughter. “Pft.” * * * Wizard Tower, Gifted Education Room. Unlike the ominous atmosphere outside, this place was filled with the same passion for learning. Among them all, there was Hans. The creator of a groundbreaking magic formula that reconstructed all existing magic with less mana. He eliminated the gap between those with abilities and made equal fighting possible between classes… In other words, the one who prevented the horrific massacre that nearly occurred in the spring of 1786— —was the hidden mastermind. * * * “Stop talking nonsense and let’s have a good fight!” Jem took a big step toward Bruce. “We’re sick of this. Right?” Bruce flinched and took a step back. Jem’s mercenary group, which outnumbered the defense forces by twice as many. Of course, bringing a few hundred of Diez and the likes would have been meaningless because of the power gap… ‘No, maybe it really is meaningless? Why is that b*stard so confident, and how did Rom manage to block me?’ Things were going strangely. “Let’s settle this stubborn grudge cleanly today.” “Shut up, you stupid X! Do you know who you’re rebelling against right now?!” “I know very well! I’m going to smash your face in, and then—” Jem pointed at the palace in the distance. “—I’m thinking of giving that emperor who’s lounging around in his fortress a punch?” “This, this crazy….” As Bruce was taken aback, someone behind him stepped forward courageously, leading a group of a dozen or so ability users. It was Alfredo Bervin of the Septima Holy Fist Division. “Ah, Sir Alfredo! Great! Give that damn b*stard a good hit!” Bruce’s lips smirked as he watched Alfredo without fear― “What kind of trick did he pull to be so confident…” —He froze in place. Jem snickered as she wrapped her arms around Alfredo’s shoulders as he approached her. “Why? Did you think he was on your side?” “This, this bastard… Alfredo Bervin… Are you out of your mind? How dare you… rebel against this imperial family? By sticking with those bugs?” “Shut up. Let’s find out who the bug is right now. Don’t even think about going back safely, Bruce Chambers.” Jem said with a chilling laugh. “Today, here, either you or I will definitely end up as a corpse.” With that as the signal, Jem’s mercenary group advanced. It was the first move of the Imperial Revolutionary Army, which would later be recorded as a great struggle.
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