[Layland Kleinhaus' POV]
"So, you are suggesting that we should concentrate the army there because the Demon King's Army will likely appear there? And... This is solely based on your intuition?"
"Intuition is something that you get when your mind thinks or calculates so fast, you can't keep up with it. It may seem to you that it just comes up randomly, but it is actually something that is produced by a super quick logical calculation—"
"I get it... It's just... Too good to be true. I mean, unless you told them to start their invasion from these spots you have suggested, it is close to miracle for them to appear there."
"Why are you so sceptical about them being able to use our Teleportation Gate? Do you think the Demon King's Army only knows how to invade a territory in a direct way?"
"Well, that's what they mostly do."
"Don't worry. I will bet my head on this. You can immediately cut my head if my prediction turns to be wrong."
"There is no need for that. We'll go with your suggestion."
Recalling my conversation with the Dukedom's Army Commander, Iancov Celcia, I can't help finding it funny. My conversation with him was, after all, too smooth sailing to be true.
Although I have bought quite a lot of information about him from the shady informant in the black market, I only needed to call him by his name to make him consider me his friend, whom he had forgotten about.
I am not too sure whether the man, Iancov Celcia, is stupid or just trusting in nature, but I am grateful for his nature. I didn't need to act extra friendly to convince him that I am trustworthy thanks to that.
In result, all of the Dukedom's Army is now concentrated in front of three different Teleportation Gates, which are the spots where my troop mates will appear when the Conquest starts.
In their perspective, they will think that they are going to besiege us, but in reality, they are just delivering themselves to us.
It doesn't take me to be a veteran to know that the Dukedom Army will not stand a chance against my troop mates. As soon the clash starts, I am sure my troop mates will immediately annihilate all of them.
This way, we won't have to be afraid they will coop themselves up inside the Dukedom when they are losing.
In my opinion, this method is way better than provoking them to get out of the Dukedom by themselves like what Velucan's Legions have always done.
Sure, the property damage will be greater using my method, but I am sure the time needed to fully conquer the Dukedom will be significantly shorter, so it's a fair trade.
Besides, this way, none of them will have enough time to call for backup from the Kingdom—like what has always happened to every Conquest Mission Velucan's Legions have taken—because by then, all of them will have already died.
Needless to say, I need to coordinate with my troop mates first for my plan to work, which I have done.
"Are you thinking about something?"
I am awaken from my thought by Winerva nudging my rib. I tilt my head as I look down at her, then shake my head lightly in the next moment.
"I was just thinking about what I should say to those nosy pricks." I wave my hand nonchalantly. "I don't want them to approach me, so I think it is better for you to not make yourself stand out."
"Well, I think you should say it to yourself." Winerva points her finger at my eyes. "Your appearance attracts more attention than mine."
I honestly think that I look respectable enough to be considered a noble, but I can't help agreeing with Winerva on this one.
My appearance—my eyes are too cold to portray me as someone honest and compassionate. They attract people's attention.
"Nevermind. Just don't talk too much about our relationship—you might end up exposing us."
"You can rest assured."
Ignoring Winerva, I focus my attention to the 8 feet tall door at the end of the hallway. That is the ballroom where the banquet, which is basically a meet-and-greet, with Niles is commenced.
For someone important, Niles really lives up to his name for being a generous guy. To join the banquet, you only have to book one of the VIP rooms of the hotel, which is ridiculous since that means anyone with enough money can attend.
I expected him to make a list of the invitees to make the banquet more secure, but he doesn't even care about who attends it. I am grateful of this, of course; thanks to it, I don't have to bother myself killing one of the invitees just to obtain the invitation.
"Good Evening, kind sir. May I know who am I greeting?"
Upon arriving in front of the door, the hotel attendant stops us. He smiles at us politely, then asks our identity as he takes out a book, which I believe is the list of the guests.
"Layne Hauser and Winerva Hauser."
"Oh, it's the lovely newlywed couple." He smiles after reading the information about us, which I have provided to the hotel staff, in his book. "I am sorry for wasting your time, sir. Please, enjoy the banquet."
Thud!
The attendant opens the door afterwards, revealing the scene behind it. Other than the glorious light the fancy chandelier in the room is exuding, what I immediately take notice is how stiff the atmosphere is.
All of them are trying to look serious; they are forcing down their nature, so they can make an impression of a really respectable person. I find it irritating as I don't like the amount of hypocrisy flying in the air.
"It is good to know that we are going to eradicate this kind of people later," I mutter.
Just as the people are wondering why we are standing in the doorway, Winerva and I step inside the ballroom. They still, however, plant their gaze on us even when we are already a few steps away from them.
Most of them are wealthy merchants, so they must be wondering who I am to be able to attend the banquet. I am sure they are thinking that I am also a merchant like them, which confuses them since they have never seen me.
Since I find their gaze annoying, I slightly intimidate them with my Mana; only then do they turn their eyes away from us. With this, they will think I am a Mage or possibly a Knight who they shouldn't mess with.
"You didn't have to do that, you know? They were just curious," Winerva comments.
"I find their gaze annoying. It's an unwritten rule that you should never look at the other Magic Practitioner for too long," I reply.
"The fact is, all of the people you have scared are merchants. How could they know about our rules? They don't even practice Magic."
Shrugging at her response, I turn my gaze to the corner of the room, and find her party standing there looking around the room. They can't mix well with the people, which makes it easy to tell they are here to watch over the banquet.
In other words, they are one of the worst hidden guards you can hire.
"I think you want to greet them first." I point at her party. "They look like they are going to kill everyone here. Maybe, you can teach them some tips to mix with the rest of population."
"... Are you going to flirt with some women? Is that why you are trying to get rid of me?"
"No. How can you even think that up?" I look at her weirdly.
With the most unamused face she can show me, she says, "Just look at those rich ladies. They are waiting for you to greet them."
Turning my head to the direction she is pointing her finger to, I find rich young girls and mature women looking expectantly at me. They look like they are challenging me to flirt with them in front of their fiances and husbands.
My eyebrow can't help twitching at that, and I wonder why all of the rich females I have met in this Dukedom seem to be specifically targeting me.
"Well, that won't happen. I am just going to have some talk to my friend."
Winerva looks sceptically at me, but eventually shrugs her shoulders and scurries away. I turn my head away from her to the direction where I can feel the victim of my Curse, Niles Brontes, is coming.
I walk toward that direction casually, ignoring all of the female's gaze following me. Only when I am just 12 feet away from the place where I assume Niles will be standing on do I stop in my tracks.
Tap. Tap.
"Well, hello, everyone. What a fine night for us to be given the chance to meet here."
Not long after, my soon to be opponent comes inside the room using the little door that is just 27 feet away from me. His entrance is greeted by cheers and applause. Everyone seems genuinely happy they can meet him.
Niles Brontes is a fit man in his late fifties. He has a well trimmed blue hair, a forehead that is decorated with fine wrinkles, a pair of stern blue eyes, an attractively sharp nose and jaw, and a height of 5'10" feet.
The aura he is exuding is fierce, but I can tell he doesn't fight as fierce. Smirking softly, I can't help looking forward to our fight.
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