Chapter 338 - 336: Battle Damage

Chapter 338: Chapter 336: Battle Damage

On Golden Ears Avenue, the men from Sea Cliff Castle had blocked off both ends of the road, forming a perimeter around Natalia’s convoy.

Mages were casting Healing Spells while Professional Physicians staunched bleeding and bandaged the wounded.

Sea Cliff Castle’s resident Mage, Fulin Malachi, examined Natalia’s condition and reported back to the Count:

"The young lady has no external injuries, but her Spiritual Power and Magic Power are severely depleted, which is why she’s fallen into a coma."

Count Kais asked hurriedly, "Is her life in danger?"

"From what I can tell, her life is not in danger, but she will likely remain in a coma for some time."

Upon hearing this, Kais let out a small sigh of relief.

"Thankfully, she not only had her Magic Staff but was also wearing her earrings and necklace. That’s what reduced the severity of the depletion."

An ordinary Level 4 Mage would have likely died from the exertion.

The Count nodded. "That’s a small mercy in this catastrophe."

Fulin bowed slightly, then went to check on the condition of the others who were injured.

The Count also walked toward the injured Warriors.

Heinrich was unconscious, and many others were lying on the ground receiving treatment.

"Allen, how are Eleanor’s injuries?" he asked.

Allen, Sea Cliff Castle’s Guard Captain and a Radiant Knight, was Eleanor’s father.

"She’s unconscious. She probably won’t die."

Fury raged in his eyes. "My lord, you must find the culprits and avenge our injured and fallen Warriors!"

"Of course!"

Count Kais said without a moment’s hesitation.

He went to Heinrich’s side. The flesh on the Warrior’s left arm had been carved away by a sharp blade. It looked as if he had been bled dry, and the wound was beginning to turn pale.

It was only thanks to the powerful constitution of an Earth Tier Warrior that he wasn’t already dead.

Baron Cruz finished his count and walked over to the Count, his voice grave.

"Besides the two Human Tier Warriors, Mateiro and Tucker, four Advanced Warriors and ten Middle Level Warriors were killed."

"On top of that, Heinrich is near death, and Martin, Aino, and the others are severely injured..."

He shook his head and sighed.

Out of a forty-man guard detail, fifteen were dead, and several others were so grievously wounded that they were unlikely to survive.

Count Kais clenched his fists. "Have you identified the assailants?"

"Marles and Jick are investigating now."

Just as he finished speaking, the two men walked over.

"There’s no need for an investigation, my Lord. One look at who these men are, and you’ll know who the culprit is."

The two of them threw the bodies they had been carrying on their shoulders to the ground.

Marles said furiously, "Malachi, a Knight from Fire Source Castle. And this one, Finn, an Earth Tier Peak Warrior, also from Fire Source Castle."

Jick nodded and added, "I heard from the Warriors that after the young lady used her Blink Technique, the fleeing Celestial Tier Warrior shouted Malachi’s name. It’s clear Malachi was taking orders from him."

"Therefore, I’ve concluded that the Celestial Tier Warrior who escaped was either Theodore or Liam."

The territories of the Kennedy Clan and the Calvin Clan are both in Grant Province, so they know a thing or two about each other’s top combatants.

Kais nodded. "It must have been Liam. My informants said he hasn’t been seen much recently, while Theodore is still in his castle."

The Kennedy Clan has many spies placed within the Calvin Clan’s territory and pays close attention to the movements of their key figures.

However, Malachi had spent a long time in the Fire Source Secret Realm, so Kais wasn’t familiar with his whereabouts.

If he had known that both of them had disappeared at the same time, he might have been more vigilant.

’It seems the Warm Sun Soup threatened the Calvin Clan’s interests,’ Kais thought. ’I just didn’t expect them to target Natalia.’

Jick analyzed, "The young lady is the link between the Kennedy Clan and Duane. If this assassination had succeeded, it would have severed your connection with him."

Of course, Duane would never have let it go if Natalia had died.

But without his fiancée, certain things might have changed.

And given Duane’s feelings for Natalia, it’s not out of the question that he might have even blamed the Kennedy Clan if something had happened to her.

Marles urged, "My lord, the Calvin Clan has provoked you, Duane, and the entire Silent Shore! We absolutely cannot let this go! We must send out the troops!"

"Yes, send out the troops!" the others chimed in.

All eyes turned to Kais. The implications of this assassination attempt were too broad, a blow to all the noble families of the Silent Shore, large and small.

Even Count Kais, who was known for trading prudence and compromise for times of peace, would never let this matter rest.

"Right now, the most important thing is to ensure the wounded receive medical attention!"

The Count’s gaze swept over the crowd before finally landing on Baron Jick.

"Jick, you and Allen will be responsible for safely escorting all the wounded back to the Silent Shore!"

"No problem. Leave it to me."

Kais contemplated for a moment, his eyes sweeping over Cruz, Marles, and the others, before making his decision.

"I won’t issue a formal summons. Go back and gather your men. Prepare for battle. We will assemble at the Sea Cliff Castle fortress tomorrow morning to finalize the plan of attack!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Everyone’s spirits lifted, and they responded with a thunderous shout.

The Silent Shore had been dormant for many years. Finally, it was time to strike.

The sight of their comrades dead and grievously wounded had awakened the warlike spirit in their very bones.

If they didn’t fight a proper war, this hatred would never be settled, and there would be no outlet for the pent-up frustration and rage in their hearts.

Count Kais also knew this battle was inevitable.

As night fell, Liam dragged his injured body into Fire Source Castle and came before Viscount Ugo Calvin.

"You failed?"

Ugo’s face contorted. "You and Malachi attacked together, with Finn and other Earth Tier Warriors, and you still failed?"

Liam’s face was pale. The assassination was doomed the moment Malachi was killed and he was forced to trade blow for blow with Heinrich and the others.

He was lucky to have escaped with the few survivors he had.

"It was Natalia. She killed Malachi and turned the tide of the battle."

Ugo strode closer and seized Liam by the shoulders, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip.

"Liam, are you joking with me? How could a mere Level 3 Mage interfere in a battle between Celestial Tier Warriors?"

Liam winced in pain, but he understood the Viscount’s fury. He gritted his teeth and explained:

"The intel on Natalia’s strength was wrong. She’s a Level 4 Mage!"

Ugo demanded, "So what if she’s a Level 4 Mage? How could she kill a Celestial Tier Warrior?"

Liam retorted loudly, "But she was decked out in magical equipment and carrying a Level 6 Spell Scroll! Malachi died to a spell called ’Tidal Cage’!"

Ugo was stunned. The Kennedy Magic Research Institute... that was something all the Nobility were wary of.

As the daughter of its director, Delilah, it wasn’t surprising that Natalia would have a full set of high-end equipment.

Ugo staggered back two steps and collapsed weakly into his chair.

His mind was in utter chaos.

If it were just a matter of the Warm Sun Soup encroaching on the Fire Source Beast Bone Soup business, he would have had time to figure out a countermeasure.

But now that the assassination had failed, the Kennedy Clan would surely mobilize their army.

"Were we exposed?"

Though he asked the question, he already knew the answer in his heart.

Malachi was dead. His body was in their hands. How could they not be exposed?

Liam remained silent.

A dead silence filled the study.

Finally, it was Liam who spoke. "My lord, the existence of Warm Sun Soup threatens the very foundation of the Calvin Clan. This assassination was a gamble on our destiny from the start."

"I truly regret agreeing to your proposal!"

Ugo said, utterly crestfallen. "But I regret even more not sending Martina along."

Mobilizing so many people to lie in wait in the Silent Shore, especially high-level combatants, could have easily aroused Kais’s suspicion.

Besides, with Martina’s brazen personality, she wasn’t well-suited for an assassination mission.

"My lord, now is not the time for this."

Liam said, "We must prepare to face the Kennedy Clan’s inevitable counterattack!"

Ugo’s panicked heart gradually calmed. Of course, he knew this was the most pressing matter.

"Adams! Immediately notify Liam, Martina, Ewen, and all the other nobles to come to Fire Source Castle!"

"Also, bring me paper and a pen!"

He needed to write for aid.