As nightfall enveloped the bustling and lively port town, it sank into a tranquil and serene silence.
The full moon rose from the horizon, its pale light cascading down like a delicate silver veil, shrouding the entire Harbor Town in its ethereal glow.
At this moment, Lynn stood atop the Pedroal residence, gazing down upon the entire town. Whether it was an illusion or not, the port seemed particularly still tonight, not a single insect's chirp was heard, an unusual quiet that hinted at a lurking danger.
"071, report energy reserves." After placing the diary carefully, Lynn silently inquired in his mind.
[Energy remaining: 40.2%...]
"A pity it is still insufficient…"
Lynn thought to himself. On this full moon night, 071 had increased energy reserves by approximately thirty percent, a remarkably swift gain, but it would only sustain overload mode for about two hundred seconds.
In such a state, he could unleash the full power of the white phosphorus fire!
Despite an inexplicable unease, Lynn was not prepared to alter his plans. Tonight was their only opportunity to rescue the pigeons and Johnny!
After all, the passage to the sorcerer's domain would only open on Monday, and tomorrow was the public execution…
Lynn took out Lot's diary, placing it in the corner of the table.
After today, regardless of success or failure, he could no longer remain in Harbor Town, and the identity of Lot would no longer be his concern.
This diary would serve as Lot's final testament to Baron Pedroal and Ivyna. Though it might not alter much, it was the only thing he could offer.
Having gathered his belongings, Lynn left the room alone, reflecting on the intelligence gathered by the [Smugglers' Guild].
Yadahn… recently reassigned to Harbor Town, Archbishop Antares's right hand, a noble by birth, and the champion of the last Nordland Knight's test, possessing formidable swordsmanship.
Crucially, his schedule was highly regular. At this time each night, he would inevitably venture out, destination unknown, suspected to be attending some noble's banquet.
Lynn had devised several plans for the rescue of the two witches, with the most straightforward being to directly capture and replace Yadahn.
This approach would not only reveal the location of the captives but also leverage Yadahn's position as the Archbishop's right hand.
As the full moon hung high in the sky, the [Smugglers' Guild] would stir chaos at the docks, driving away all unrelated personnel, and setting fires with the pre-prepared white phosphorus powder.
Such unstoppable "hellfire," once spread, could not be quelled by a few hundred soldiers and was Lynn's signature magic.
By then, Archbishop Antares would likely have to intervene personally, either to extinguish the flames or to capture him, even mobilizing elite guards hidden in the shadows.
The vast quantities of cargo piled at the docks had been secretly replaced with special black powder by the [Smugglers' Guild]. Once detonated, it would blow both the moored warships and arriving guards skyward!
If Antares could be eliminated in the explosion, it would be ideal; even if not, the Archbishop would be delayed for a time.
Meanwhile, Lynn would use Yadahn's identity to access the holding place of Johnny and the others, using the chaos in Harbor Town as an excuse to falsely convey the Archbishop's orders and transfer the prisoners to a safer location.
Afterward, Lauder's trusted subordinates would handle the extraction.
Of course, this plan relies on everything proceeding as anticipated, with the potential for countless unforeseen complications.
For instance, being unmasked while impersonating Yadahn at the holding site, or guards refusing to follow his commands, would necessitate reliance on his own strength to resolve!
The worst-case scenario would be if Antares chose to do nothing, allowing the "hellfire" at the docks to spread unchecked. In that case, Lynn would have no choice but to intervene to contain the flames and prevent the destruction of many innocent lives.
If left uncontrolled, the entire Harbor Town could become an inferno.
As Lynn continuously replayed potential scenarios in his mind, a harsh creaking sound approached from the corridor ahead.
Alert, Lynn stopped immediately, raising his head to see the figure at the end of the hallway.
The brown-haired girl stood in the shadows, wielding a long, ground-dragging blade. As she moved, her red and black attire appeared ominous under the silver moonlight.
"Ivyna, what are you doing here?" Lynn inquired with confusion, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. Her room should be on the second floor.
"Why?" The brown-haired girl asked softly. "Why didn't you tell Father?"
Lynn paused, unable to respond, as he did not know what to say.
Ivyna gripped the slender blade tightly, her gaze toward Lynn filled with an indescribable intensity. "I want to know… how did you escape from the Claw Alva three nights ago?"
Hearing this, Lynn's pupils contracted, a chill running down his spine.
Wasn't Lot supposed to have committed suicide?
Wait… Lynn suddenly thought, if someone had stabbed Lot's heart from behind with his right hand, it could produce similar wounds.
Which means he was… murdered!
"No matter how excellent or diligent I am, Father will never acknowledge me, while you, who fail repeatedly at the knight exams, always seem to get everything you want so easily…" Ivyna's words were filled with uncontainable rage. She clenched her teeth, seemingly making a tremendous effort to control her fury.
But soon, her expression returned to calm, her tone icy.
"My brother, you are the obstacle to my progress…"
As the words fell, Ivyna lunged forward with the slender blade.
Clang~
With the sharp clang of metal, Lynn drew his steel longsword from his waist to block the descending blade. It was evident that the girl's strength and speed were considerably greater than during their training sessions, revealing her true prowess!
Ivyna's dark golden eyes gleamed with coldness and murderous intent. The slender blade became a streak of cold light, cutting through the air once more toward Lynn.
"You always wear that indifferent expression…"
"Tell me, why didn't you inform Father?"
"You know very well I want to kill you!"
With each of Ivyna's words, the speed of her blade increased, her expression a complex mix of emotions as she focused intently on her brother…