Chapter 353 254: White Castle of Hidden Murderous Intent

Oli frowned, his hand instinctively tightening on the hilt of his sword.

Because she was describing the current situation exactly, he could no longer hold back. "What are you trying to say?"

"Penny wants to see me now for no other reason than to use me as a bargaining chip—either to force my sister to withdraw her army or to help herself escape Kolon," Onaya said calmly. "Unfortunately for them, they've completely miscalculated. My sister won't withdraw her army for my sake. No one knows better than I do. Compared to her sister who married into the Southern Territory, the Duke of the North is far more concerned with her own interests."

"In other words, using me as a bargaining chip won't waver her resolve to take the city one bit. When that happens, Penny and her entire faction will reap what they've sown."

Onaya stepped closer, studying the young man who was, compared to the other White-robed Iron Guards, rather lean.

"Oli, I know of you. Your father was one of the Old Duke's personal guards. He fought alongside the Old Duke, earning countless merits in battle, and was eventually granted the title of Knight."

"And so, you entered White Castle, studied Swordsmanship and Combat Qi under Master Feito, became a White-robed Iron Guard when you came of age, and inherited your father's knighthood."

"Penny is now clearly a wounded beast thrown into the Beast Fighting Arena. Defeat and ruin are her certain fate."

At this, Onaya finally revealed her true purpose, staring intently at the White-robed Iron Guard. "If you have a change of heart now, then in consideration of your father and your own many years of loyal service to the Isely Clan, I will not hold you accountable for your prior actions afterward!"

This verbal barrage left Oli speechless, his throat feeling as if it were bone-dry.

She wasn't wrong. White Castle had no way to withstand the Northern Territory's assault. He had simply been unwilling to believe it, deluding himself into thinking the people in charge must have a brilliant plan.

But now that she had mercilessly ripped away that comforting facade, he finally understood: White Castle simply couldn't be held.

And as for him, Penny's loyal Iron Guard, his end would be either the pyre or the flaying knife.

"Lady Onaya, what would you have me do?" His tone had become much more deferential.

He didn't want to die. He was still young—he didn't even have a son.

"I don't need you to escort me out. With White Castle under martial law, it's practically impossible to evade the soldiers' patrols and questioning. I just need you to help me at a critical moment."

Onaya wasn't making a difficult request. In fact, the "help" she was asking for was entirely at the discretion of Knight Oli.

"My lady, as you wish. I swear on my sword to help you when the moment is right."

Oli breathed a sigh of relief, seeing she hadn't asked the impossible.

If she had demanded he escort Lady Onaya out, it would have been impossible. But merely helping at a "critical moment"? That was entirely up to his interpretation and cost him nothing. So he agreed without hesitation.

'This way, he was hedging his bets. If White Castle held, then it was as if nothing had happened. If it fell... well, he wasn't expecting to remain a White-robed Iron Guard or anything, but as long as his life was spared, it was worth it.'

If the Lord were here, he would have furiously cursed Oli, saying his brain must have been eaten by a Goblin.

Playing both sides was a surefire way to get attacked by both, a fate even more nauseating than picking the wrong side or joining the Neutral Faction.

But alas, some people are just wired for wishful thinking. They won't ever turn back until they've run headfirst into a wall.

Onaya smiled faintly, her objective achieved. "Oli, I will not forget what you've done for me."

At that moment, no one could have guessed the coldness hidden in the heart of the Martel Family's eldest daughter.

"Before that, my lady, please come with me to the council hall." Oli nodded. Having decided to help her, he didn't hesitate to share some information. "Lady Penny and the Little Duke are in the council hall now, along with Panto Scholar and some other nobles and officers."

"They're at their wits' end over your sister's army outside, and they're arguing furiously about it."

"To be honest, I didn't expect my sister would strike so quickly."

As she walked beside the White-robed Iron Guard, Onaya probed for more information.

"You're not the only one. No one expected it," Oli sighed. "I don't know what Marshal Damon was thinking, insisting on heading south at such a critical moment. It caused us to lose our main army, and we've been suffering one defeat after another ever since."

Onaya's mind raced with theories upon hearing this, but seeing two Iron Guards at the end of the corridor, she cut the conversation short.

'Her arrangement with Oli had to remain a secret.'

'The reason she'd chosen him was simple: he was one of Penny's trusted men. If she could successfully turn him, the impact he could have at a critical moment would be enormous.'

'Even if she failed, he wouldn't dare report their conversation, as that would only make Penny suspicious of him.'

'But things had gone unexpectedly well. She had turned him with almost no effort at all.'

They reached the council hall, where a squad of White-robed Iron Guards stood sentry. After the two guards escorting them fell back to join the line, Oli led Onaya inside.

In an instant, the clamorous hall fell silent. All eyes fell upon the eldest daughter of the Martel Family, wife of the Old Duke's firstborn son.

The marriage alliance with the Northern Territory had been intended to unite their two houses. No one had expected it would instead make them mortal enemies.

"Onaya. What a 'good' sister you have."

The moment she spoke, the resentment on Penny's face was plain to see, her voice dripping with hostility.

The Old Duke's daughter was seated on a distant throne, a frail-looking boy cradled in her lap. A Crown rested on the boy's head.

It was the symbol of the Duke of the South.

But an unnatural air clung to him. Though he was nearly ten years old, he was still nestled in Penny's arms as if he were an infant at the breast.

Onaya couldn't tell if his state was the bitter fruit of an incestuous union with his uncle—a punishment from the Ice and Snow Mother Goddess—or simply the result of his mother's suffocating affection.

But in any case, it made her understand why Damon had helped Penny seize the ducal title instead of taking it for himself.

She also understood why the Old Duke had wanted to pass the title to Liya, rather than to Damon or Penny's son, Little Kao.

Her husband, the Old Duke's son, had died suppressing a Lizardman uprising. The Old Duke had held Damon partly responsible, and a rift had formed between them.

Then, upon learning that Penny had a son with Damon, his anger became impossible to conceal. All things considered, Liya was the only one fit to inherit the title of Duke.

Though Liya was a woman, she was still truly of his son's Bloodline.

Not Little Kao, that malformed child, nor Damon, the man who had slept with his own niece.

"Penny, just say what you want to say. I have no desire to waste time debating with you over who the true heir to the title is."

Now, Onaya had leverage, and she answered in a firm voice.

'At a time like this, no one here would dare harm her and provoke her sister's wrath—unless their brains had been eaten by the Undead.'

"Little Kao, do you remember her? She is your aunt," Penny said, ignoring Onaya completely. "Did you know? Your grandfather made a mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake!"

"Mother, is she the bad woman? She must have lots of milk," Little Kao said, looking up before fixing a dopey gaze on Onaya's full, rounded chest.

"That's right. It's her. Your grandfather allowed this woman from the Martel Family to defile the Isely Bloodline! He even wanted to pass the title to that little wench who's half Martel!"

"She's the reason your uncle is dead! She even drove your grandfather to his grave!"

Penny glared viciously at Onaya.

"Hah. I had no idea I was responsible for so many things that could cause such an uproar in Debei." Onaya frowned. 'Something is deeply wrong with Penny and her son.'