Chapter 323 : Chapter 323

Chapter 323. Sealing Off the Embassy

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the edge of the inner city lay the diplomatic embassy district.

This ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍place seemed like a tranquil island in the eye of the storm, completely cut off from the bloody turmoil that was about to sweep over everything outside.

Inside ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Kingdom of Tyrenia Embassy, within the luxurious reception hall, warm firelight evenly filled the entire room, driving away the last trace of chill from the early spring rainy night.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Tyrenian Ambassador to Astrelia was elegantly holding a glass of crimson wine, red as blood, in an almost ostentatious manner as he chatted and laughed with several envoys from different small kingdoms.

His ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍words were filled with undisguised contempt for this ancient kingdom.

“How ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍truly worth anticipating. I wonder what sort of fine spectacle of brothers turning against each other will be staged at tomorrow’s so-called Privy Council.”

The ambassador gently swirled his goblet. Ripples spread through the wine in the glass, reflecting the greedy light in his eyes.

“The current Astrelia is nothing more than a broken sieve riddled with holes, one that will fall over with a single push. As long as we wait for Valeria’s iron hooves in the west to crush Thunder Gorge, we will be able to take over Astrelia’s immensely wealthy eastern island chain without shedding a drop of blood...”

Before his beautiful dream could finish, a burst of heavy, orderly footsteps, accompanied by the teeth-grating sound of metal scraping, tore without warning through the embassy district’s tranquil rainy night.

Immediately afterward, the earth began to tremble slightly, as though an ancient beast forged from steel was taking steps of destruction, crushing every inch of the stone-paved road outside the embassy.

“What is going on?” The smile on the ambassador’s face instantly froze.

An attendant stumbled and crawled into the reception hall, his face as pale as paper, even his voice trembling uncontrollably.

“A-Ambassador! Troops! Outside... outside is full of troops!”

The ambassador’s brows twisted into a knot, and he violently pushed open the floor-to-ceiling window beside him.

The scene outside the window made him instantly suck in a breath of cold air. The blood in his entire body seemed to freeze completely at that moment.

In just these few short minutes, a force of roughly two hundred Northern Territory heavy infantrymen, clad in Third-Generation Standard-Issue Magitech Armor, had arrived.

Along with them were more than a dozen mobile magitech cannons whose barrels flickered with ghostly blue mana radiance. Like a black tide of steel, they had completely submerged the street.

The entire diplomatic embassy district was surrounded so tightly that not even water could pass through!

Those cold, ferocious magitech cannon barrels were all aimed in unison at the ornate gates of the various embassies, gates that symbolized each nation’s sovereignty.

Clack.

The crystal wineglass in the ambassador’s hand slipped weakly from his grasp and fell onto the expensive Persian carpet, making a dull shattering sound.

“Outrageous! Do you know what this place is? This is the Tyrenian Embassy! An embassy is the sacred and inviolable territory of Tyrenia!”

The ambassador, accompanied by several fully armed military attachés, angrily pushed open the doors and stood on the high steps.

He roared sternly at the steel legion in the rain, trying to use diplomatic immunity, that final fig leaf, to suppress the other side.

“Call your commander out! I will lodge the sternest protest with your royal family!”

In the rain, a Northern Territory officer leading the unit took a step forward. Beneath his heavy steel visor, the voice that emerged carried no emotional fluctuation at all, like cold steel grinding against steel.

“By order of Her Highness the Princess, to prevent the remnants of the rebel faction from endangering the safety of the ambassadors, the embassy district will be placed under full security protection effective immediately. No one may enter or leave!”

This was the order Sylvia had issued. Aside from controlling the city defenses, cutting off interference from external forces was equally crucial.

Within the Royal Capital, fish and dragons were mixed together, and there was no telling how many spies from various nations were present. Controlling the embassies was the first step!

This action not only completely cut off the possibility that foreign spies could use physical channels to transmit intelligence after the magitech communications were paralyzed.

It also firmly blocked the final retreat route for those surviving old nobles to flee into foreign embassies and seek political asylum.

Otherwise, that would plant endless hidden dangers for this nation.

“This is illegal imprisonment! A naked provocation of war!” The ambassador angrily waved his arms, spittle flying through the rain.

But when he saw the hundreds of heavy-armored soldiers behind the officer raise the Magiburst Guns in their hands in unison, their fingers coldly resting on the triggers, all the curses in his throat were forcibly stuck there.

HUM—

The charging indicators on hundreds of Magiburst Guns lit up simultaneously. Ghostly blue light connected into a single sheet in the rainy night, and a tangible killing intent rushed straight toward him, instantly sobering him from his rage.

Circumstances were stronger than men.

The ambassador’s face turned from red to green, then from green to white. He gritted his teeth and squeezed a few words through the cracks between them with an ashen face.

“Good. Very good! We accept Princess Sylvia’s ‘kindness’!”

After saying that, he turned around, flicked his sleeves, and left, slamming the embassy doors heavily behind him.

As soon as he returned to the safety of the interior, the ambassador’s originally furious expression instantly became incomparably gloomy.

“Quick! Activate the highest-level magitech communication array in the underground secret chamber!”

He strode toward the basement and snarled in a low voice at the communications officer following behind him.

“Report to Lord Oberon immediately! Astrelia’s Sylvia has launched a coup ahead of schedule. The situation has changed. We cannot wait until tomorrow!”

However, a few minutes later, the only thing that came from the underground secret chamber was the communications officer’s breathless voice.

“Your Excellency... it is not working!” The communications officer was drenched in sweat as he frantically tapped at the complex operating console.

The core crystal that should have lit up with ghostly blue radiance was now dim and lightless, like a dead object.

“The magitech network... has completely collapsed! There is no signal response at all!”

“What?!”

The ambassador was horrified.

Damn it. The other side had come prepared!

He suddenly thought of the iron-barrel-like encirclement outside, and a chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his skull. Cold sweat poured down his body.

...

When all external passages of the Royal Capital had been completely severed, turning it into an airtight iron barrel, the arrest operation targeting the remnants of the old nobles officially began.

On the streets, Esmeralda’s Shadow Guards completely merged into the darkness, silently enforcing the curfew order.

Cold rainwater washed away the mud and bloodstains on the streets. Civilians hid behind tightly shut doors and windows, waiting for dawn to arrive in unease and fear.

In the east of the city stood the Minister of Finance’s luxurious mansion.

The building covered an extremely vast area. The outer garden alone was larger than an ordinary baron’s entire territory. Expensive whale-oil incense burned in the bedroom, and smokeless silverbone charcoal burned in the fireplace, making it as warm as spring.

The Minister of Finance was lying sprawled across the soft velvet bed, snoring like thunder.

In his dream, he was sitting proudly at the head of the Privy Council, calculating how to put the astronomical trade volume of the Eastern Territory entirely under his own name.

Then, he would casually find some excuse to drive that arrogant fellow named Logaris out of the kingdom.

BANG!!

A dull, extreme crash of splintering wood rang out as the entire copper-bound oak door, which had been specially reinforced, was kicked flying from the outside in the crudest manner possible.

The shattered door panel, along with the remnants of the doorframe, smashed heavily onto the expensive handmade carpet like a cannonball, sending up a cloud of dust.

The Minister of Finance jolted awake from his beautiful dream.