Chapter 269: Undercover Infiltration, The Royal Kitchens
Novus poured a cup of water and handed it to Duke Lupis. The nobleman sat at the dining table inside the estate. He drank greedily and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve.
"Voranthar is completely panicking," Lupis explained between breaths. "Soros and the king are drafting summons for the entire continent. The Emperor of Gildreath and the Morval kings are coming here. Voranthar even ordered the ten remaining Heralds to gather at the central palace."
Novus exchanged a glance with Hawl. Hawl immediately walked to the window and checked the courtyard to ensure no one had followed the duke.
"When does this council begin?" Novus asked.
"Three days," Lupis replied. He clutched the cup tightly. "They are using long-distance teleportation arrays to bypass the Vanguard blockades. The entire leadership of the Fourth Continent will gather in the grand hall."
Novus thanked the duke and handed him a wrapped bundle of salted pork. Lupis tucked the food into his coat and hurried out the door. Hawl secured the locks behind him and pulled the curtains closed.
"Every single enemy leader in one room," Hawl said.
Novus activated his communication crystal. He channeled his mana into the artifact to reach the orbital sanctuary.
"Lord Rubedo," Novus reported over the secure link. "We have a major development inside the capital."
Up in the sanctuary, Rubedo leaned back in his throne and listened to the transmission. He brought up the digital blueprint of the Tarnstead central palace on his monitor. "Tell me everything."
Novus detailed the upcoming summit. He listed the invited factions, the involvement of Soros, and the confirmed presence of the ten Heralds.
"Voranthar wants to build a unified front," Rubedo said. A wide smile spread across his face. "He is gathering all my targets into a single convenient location."
"The palace security will multiply exponentially once the Gildreath and Morval leaders arrive," Hawl noted from the background of the transmission. "We cannot fight ten Heralds and an army of royal guards by ourselves. We need backup."
"You will not fight them alone," Rubedo assured them. "Keep your cover intact. I want you to infiltrate the palace staff. Find the structural weaknesses in the grand hall and sabotage the defensive wards from the inside. Discover the exact time the council starts."
Novus nodded, quickly memorizing the instructions. "And the strike team?"
"I am assembling them now," Rubedo replied. "When the emperors and kings sit down at that table, the Vanguard will drop the roof on their heads."
Novus kept the communication channel open. He looked at Hawl and then back down at the glowing crystal resting on the table.
"Lord Rubedo," Novus said. "If we manage to infiltrate the grand hall during the summit, we will have a direct line of sight on Voranthar. If we find an opportunity to strike him down, should we take it? We are willing to sacrifice our lives to obliterate any being that insults you."
Hawl nodded slowly in agreement. He cracked his knuckles, ready to trade his life to sever the head of the enemy coalition.
Up in the sanctuary, Rubedo chuckled softly.
"No," Rubedo commanded. "You will not attack him. Your job is to observe."
Novus frowned slightly. "But he is vulnerable right now."
"If I wanted Voranthar dead immediately, I would have sent the entire military force of the Seventeenth Continent across the ocean instead of sending different voyages," Rubedo explained. "I would have leveled the Fourth Continent on the first day. Death is too simple for him. I want him to suffer."
Rubedo tapped the armrest of his throne. "I want him to live in constant paranoia. I want him and his remaining Heralds to wake up terrified every single day, knowing their end is inevitable and could arrive at any moment. The fear is part of the harvest. Let them scramble to build their unified front while their world burns around them."
Novus accepted the command instantly. "Understood, Lord. What is our primary objective inside the palace?"
"Infiltrate the staff and secure good connections," Rubedo instructed. "Duke Lupis is desperate enough to help you bypass the outer security. Get close to the royal envoys. I want you to establish ties not just with the Tarnstead nobility, but with the leaders of Gildreath and Morval. Discover exactly what they discuss during that meeting. Map their alliances and find their breaking points."
"We will secure the information," Novus promised.
Rubedo closed the connection. Novus slipped the communication crystal back into his coat pocket. He turned to Hawl.
"We need to meet with Duke Lupis again," Novus said. "We are going to use his remaining influence to get inside the palace kitchens before the summit begins."
Two days later, Novus and Hawl stood in the loading courtyard behind the central palace. They wore the crisp, white aprons of high-end guild merchants over their clothes. Two heavy wooden carts sat behind them, loaded with the last pristine reserves of salted pork and grain in the entire capital.
Duke Lupis nervously paced near the kitchen entrance. He constantly checked the palace guards stationed by the heavy iron doors.
"I pulled every favor I had left to secure this contract," Lupis whispered rapidly. He wrung his hands together. "The royal steward only agreed because the foreign kings arrive tomorrow and the palace larder is completely empty. Do not ruin this for me."
"We are just delivering the food, Duke Lupis," Novus replied smoothly. "You get your cut of the profit, and we get our merchant guild officially recognized by the crown. Everyone wins."
The iron doors groaned open. The royal steward marched out, flanked by two armored guards. The steward looked completely exhausted. Dark circles hung under his eyes, and his rich velvet robes hung loosely on his gauntleted frame.
"Guildmaster," the steward greeted curtly. He walked past Novus and immediately inspected the wooden carts. He pulled back the tarpaulin and sighed in relief upon seeing the salted meat. "Duke Lupis claimed you had the last reserves in the city. Bring it inside immediately. The Emperor of Gildreath and the Morval kings expect a feast."
"Of course." Novus smirked from the corner of his lips. "Meeting expectations is what we do. IN fact, we surpass it."
