As the noblemen knelt, Princess Delilah’s gaze was unyielding.
“What is the meaning of this barbarism, Lord Artois, and all of you?” she demanded, her tone sharp.
“Th-Third Princess?” The noblemen’s surprise was evident as they recognized her. “Your Highness, what are you doing here?”
Delilah did not soften. “As noblemen of Araknis, you bring shame to His Royal Highness. Are you not ashamed of your actions?”
A few of the noblemen bowed their heads, visibly chastened, but resentment lingered in the eyes of some.
Lord Artois, a man of fifty, carefully chose his words as he replied, “But, Your Highness, this bast.…no this man crippled our sons. Where is the justice for that?”
He glanced nervously at Aengus, unable to fully mask his fear after experiencing Aengus’s terrifying aura. None of them dared provoke him again.
Princess Delilah’s gaze remained steely, her tone laced with anger.
“Those spoiled, reckless brats deserved what they got,” she declared coldly.
“They were drunk, unruly, and dared to speak disgracefully to their Princess. Not to mention, they insulted our new captain, who holds authority equal to the commander. Are any of you prepared to take responsibility for such war crime offense during wartime?”
“War crimes?” The noblemen looked at her in shock, stunned at the severity of her words. They exchanged bewildered glances, unable to process the implications.
“But, Your Highness… how can this be a war crime? And since when was he given the rank of commander?” Lord Artois stammered in confusion.
Delilah’s expression hardened further. “He is our new Captain, an S-Rank war hero. If you dare create obstacles for him, how could it be anything less than a war crime?” Her words struck like a hammer, dashing any defiance remaining in their hearts.
The noblemen shrank under her domineering gaze, realizing the power and authority of the man they had unwittingly provoked.
“How could their useless sons provoke an S-Rank war hero?” they lamented, cursing their sons’ stupidity.
“Now, don’t waste any more time here. Otherwise, I’ll have to call my royal father to strip you of your noble status,” Delilah warned seriously.
“Ah, no need for that, Your Highness. There’s no need to involve the king, is there?” they replied with sheepish smiles, trying to appease her.
“We’ll punish our children for disturbing your peace. Please forgive those foolish boys. Your magnanimity is boundless.”
“No need to ask for my forgiveness. Apologize to our captain,” Delilah reminded them sternly, glancing at Aengus and Aria.
“Oh, yes… our war hero…”
They quickly approached and knelt down before Aengus, who sat calmly, watching them with an unreadable expression.
The noblemen felt humiliated by his indifference, but they dared not show any anger with their noble status on the line. The mistakes had been made, and they knew they would have to fix them.
“Our apologies, Captain. If you or your teammates were hurt in any way, we sincerely ask for forgiveness on behalf of our children.”
Aengus looked at them with disgust, recalling certain individuals from his family with double faces—those who spoke respectfully but hid venomous intentions beneath a polished facade. Such people were, to him, the most despicable kind, and he loathed them deeply.
“Leave,” Aengus commanded coldly, his gaze piercing through their blackened hearts.
“Ah?”
The noblemen’s hear skipped a beat faces flushed with embarrassment, and they quickly turned to leave, their pride wounded. They would have never expected such humiliations from a person, who is their children’s age.
As they disappeared from sight, Aria glanced worriedly at Aengus, noticing the change in his mood all of a sudden.
“Are you okay, Ethan?” she asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Aengus took a steadying breath, his expression relaxing slightly. “Yeah, I’m fine. They just reminded me of some two-faced bastards from my family. Ugly and despicable.”
Aria nodded, understanding his frustration. “That must have been tough. Maybe next time you go back, you can teach them a lesson or two about underestimating others,” she said, offering a comforting smile.
Yona and the others perked up, intrigued by the mention of Aengus’s family. They still didn’t know much about his background, and the mystery piqued their curiosity.
“Captain, why don’t you tell us something about your family?” Yona asked, half-teasing.
Aengus looked up at the evening sky, his gaze distant.
After a pause, he replied, “They’re… special. To some, they’re gods; to others, devils. Their pride and arrogance know no bounds. It’s better if you don’t know about them yet—you might start doubting your own existence if you do.”
He shook his head, clearly not willing to delve further.
The answer only deepened their curiosity, his words were both vague and intriguing. With no clearer answers from Aengus, they turned to Aria.
She shook her head with a knowing smile, indicating that she wouldn’t be sharing any secrets, either.
“Oh my god, why are you two so mysterious?” Yona and Drake complained in exasperation, while Princess Delilah kept a reserved, knowing smile.
Aengus only smiled, savoring the rare moments of peace with his companions.
Night fell quickly, shrouding the camp in darkness. The moon hung in the sky, half-lit—a fitting symbol for the uncertain future they faced. Around them, the camps buzzed with tension, as news had arrived that the Imperial forces were nearing, prepared to put an end to Araknis Kingdom’s rule.
Aengus received the report and turned his gaze toward the horizon. Even from a distance of tens of kilometers, he could see the vast Imperial army swarming like ants, their numbers reaching tens of millions.
With his Supreme Hunter’s vision, he took in the scene in stark detail, far beyond what his teammates could discern in the darkness. He saw warships hovering above, the rumbling sounds of heavy cavalry, and an endless swarm of magical energy signatures flickering ominously in the night air.
The enemy was close—closer than ever.
“Ethan, did you see anything?” Aria asked, slightly nervous.
The others’ expressions turned grave as they waited for his response.
