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The royal palace boasted a grand hall capable of accommodating hundreds of guests for elaborate ceremonies. However, utilizing such a space with only a handful of attendees would create a sense of emptiness and a stale atmosphere.

Thus, the evening’s banquet was held in a more intimate dining room, where a single long table could comfortably seat everyone. The unexpected nature of Julian’s visit, coupled with the notion that it was not yet the appropriate time to reveal too much, resulted in a relatively small number of participants.

Dressed in attire that exuded elegance and refinement, the palace’s high-ranking officials and nobles made their appearances.

Positioned at the far end of the table were the two adventurers, who had been extended a special invitation for their own unique circumstances.

Engaging in lively conversations and savoring their aperitifs, the guests delved into social interactions that encompassed both pleasantries and subtle political maneuvering. However, the ambiance of tranquility was abruptly shattered as Julian, the esteemed guest of honor, made his grand entrance. From that moment onward, the serene atmosphere gave way to a tense and uncertain air.

“Kyaaaaa!”
“Come out and engage!”

In the cramped room, a multitude of golems filled the space. They appeared as skeletal specimens adorned with metal-plated armor, their arms seamlessly fused with blades. Standing at the height of an average adult man, they were compactly designed to be compatible with storage magic and magical items while retaining the agility and strength comparable to seasoned adventurers.

The formal guards, who had been standing by the wall like mere ornaments, were caught off guard and silenced by the initial surprise attack.

In a stroke of misfortune, a noblewoman who failed to flee in time met a swift demise as her torso was ruthlessly cleaved in two, her lifeless form sinking into a pool of blood.

Even the invited gentlemen, once valiant knights skilled in combat, were no longer in active service and now found themselves defenseless. Confronted with the golems’ merciless assault, their only option was to disperse in a desperate attempt to escape.

Amidst the chaos…

“Hyaaaaaaah!”

The long table was forcefully overturned with herculean strength and slammed into the attacking golems.

In any situation, when faced with attacking enemies, one must adapt and fight back. The ability to think swiftly and improvise during combat were skills that distinguished Adventurers.

“Damn it, I need some armor!”

Tim swiftly discarded his formal jacket, revealing his chiseled muscles as he tore his shirt apart.

He grabbed a sword dropped by a fallen imperial guard (though its beauty seemed to come at the expense of its sharpness and durability) and swung it at the golem which had avoided the table slam.

The golem moved with unexpected agility, skillfully parrying Tim’s sword strikes. It was evident that this was a high-level golem that possessed refined swordsmanship.

However, a fork found its mark, piercing the golem’s glass-like mono eye!

“This, this isn’t my forte!”

Wein had thrown the fork in question.

Even though the meal had yet to be served, the table was already adorned with tableware, which now lay scattered across the floor.

Wein skillfully juggled five knives, effortlessly catching them in mid-air. Each knife was poison detection tableware crafted from mythril, which was renowned for its lightweight nature and exceptional durability, making it a favored material for weaponry.

With lightning speed, Wein ran up the golem’s body, swiftly thrusting the knives into its joints and gaps in the metallic armor.

The golem spasmed and convulsed, momentarily stunned by Wein’s precise strikes. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wein delivered a powerful kick to the back of its head, executing a graceful backflip. He then turned his attention to a lantern-shaped magical light fixture mounted on the wall.

Long cords, drawn in from outside the room, coiled in the corner and connected to the lighting fixture. They served as conduits for the magical energy drawn from underground to power the illumination device.

With a forceful tug, Wein forcefully severed the tip of the cord from the light fixture.

Evading the golem’s sword strikes, Wein swiftly moved behind it, passing the rope through its joints while restraining and binding them.

To further neutralize the golem, Wein deftly inserted the severed end of the cord into a gap in its armor.

In an instant, a pale blue light flashed, causing the Golem to convulse before collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut, completely immobilized.

“I see, you used the magic conducting wire to…”
“Overload its motor and break it. I’m glad this method works on them.”

As the other golems that were crushed by the table rose from the debris, they synchronized their movements, surrounding Tim and Wein with a more cautious stance. Now that their numbers got reduced, they recognized the adventurers as a formidable threat.

The cornered nobles, who had failed to escape, found themselves pressed against the wall, shielded by the two adventurers. Wein kicked up a fallen guard’s sword too and took a defensive posture, but it was a weapon he seldom used and would prove challenging to wield effectively against the high-performance golems capable of engaging Tim head-on.

This was the heart of the royal palace. Given a little time, the elite knights and imperial guards would arrive, and ten or so golems could be subdued. However, buying that “little time” was proving to be a challenge.

Just then, a set of resolute footsteps reverberated through the surroundings. Someone was approaching with a determined stride.

But then, someone arrived with hard footsteps.

“Sorry, I’m late…! Leader! Wein! Are you okay?!”
“Viola, are you sure you should be here?!”
“This is no time to worry about that!”

Viola, dressed in an evening gown reminiscent of a watercolor blue rose, with her shoulders exposed, hastily entered the room, lifting her skirt skillfully with her heeled shoes. It was an incongruous sight, as her glasses with thick lenses remained perched on her nose.

Brandishing the magical wand she held in her arms, Viola began to chant rapidly.

“Amidst the azure skies, a narrow passage lies // I, the one who races forth, offer my devotion // The heaven’s net lets no evil pass / Echoing lament / Endless and unfathomable, thy name persists // ”

The golems instinctively reacted, moving to disrupt the critical incantation. However, Tim and Wein, well-versed in such situations, immediately intervened. They had already gauged the remaining time until the completion of the chant. All they needed to do was buy a few seconds.

They engaged in swift swordplay, delivering kicks and creating distance, even resorting to throwing their blades for a momentary respite. Then, in synchronized motion, they swiftly dove to the sides, creating an opening in Viola’s line of sight.

“Dance, O Faceless King!…<<Shattering Light≫!!”

Viola's wand emitted a brilliant burst of light, enveloping the surroundings in contrasting shades of white and black. The resounding boom of thunder filled the air, causing the glass windows in the room to shatter, welcoming the lukewarm night breeze.

The immense lightning beam surged forward, directly striking the approaching golems. The one at the forefront was reduced to scattered scraps, while the others were swept aside, their internal mechanisms fried by the electric onslaught and dispersed like motes of dust.

Despite this, one golem attempted to rise again, but Tim stepped on it, seizing the previously thrown sword and delivering a decisive strike to its neck from behind. With a tremor, it ceased all movement.

“Okay, let’s hold out until the imperial guards arrive!”
“Right!”
“Okay!”

The surviving golems raised black smoke but still started to get back up like zombies.

At the same time.

“What is this sound? What’s happening?”

Monica was in a small room not too far away from the center of the incident. It was a small-scaled dining room that seemed like a downscaled replica of the banquet hall.

Monica waited there all alone, wearing a dark blue dress with mourning vibes.

The building shook and one of the plates hanging on the wall fell down and cracked.

She could even hear screams coming from somewhere. Which was unbelievable, considering this was the royal palace.

“Who are you! This is…gaaaah!”
“Huh?!”

There was a scream very close. And with it, something heavy fell to the floor.

There should’ve been an armed imperial knight, serving as an escort or perhaps a lookout, standing before the room.

But now, someone rudely pushed the door open and stepped in.

A tall and dignified young man in his mid-twenties stood there, wearing a white jacket adorned with decorative buttons. He also had a scarf wrapped around his neck, resembling a cloak. By his side stood a gleaming mechanical automaton. The sword, integrated with the golem's arm, was stained with fresh blood.

“Oh my, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Julian Angus, the marquis from the Maltgartz empire. I am not mistaken to assume that you are Lady Monica, yes?”

Julian greeted Monica, who couldn’t even breathe, with hypocritical courtesy which looked perfect only in form.

Monica was aware that he was invited to the banquet, but nothing beyond that.

Why did he know that Monica was in this room? Why did he come to meet her? Why did he bring a dangerous combat golem with him here? What was the scream just now?

“Please come with me. Don’t even attempt to resist. You will experience some pain otherwise.”
“…Don’t come close!”

As Monica rejected him and stepped back, Julian quickly abandoned his superficial polite attitude.

“Looks like you lack discipline. I suppose you are a mere b̲i̲t̲c̲h̲’s daughter. Golem, capture her.”
“Agh…!”

With Julian’s command, the golem mercilessly and mechanically lunged at Monica with its bloodstained fist.

And with skillful and inorganic movements which seemed flawless even to an amateur’s eye, pinned her down.

“Gah, cough!”

Monica started coughing violently before even realizing what happened to her. Pinned down to the ground as if glued to it, She couldn’t even budge. Julian leaned over before her and glared down with cold, condescending eyes.

“Hmph. I suppose this fits the daughter of a dog.”

In his hand, he held a leather collar with a wicked dark luster.