Chapter 373: Backlash (1/2)

Chapter 373: Backlash

Han Shuo didn’t remain in Helon Duchy for long in the end. He stayed for exactly two days, just like he’d said. He rushed straight towards Narsen Duchy after separating from Helen and arrived at Duke Benedict Sackville’s residence within the night.

The former teacher of the state, Stratholme of Verdun’s Imperial Court, had left a deep and profound impression on Han Shuo. Thanks to Helen, Han Shuo realized that this teacher of the state was still alive. By normal standards, when an expert advanced to the level of a sacred magus or swordsman, their lifespan would extend accordingly. Stratholme had broken through to be a sacred level of existence a long time ago. Having been a sacred swordmaster for so long, the reclusive Stratholme was most likely still living healthily, according to logic.

This teacher of the state from the imperial court was also the seven grand duchy’s sole sacred level existence. If Han Shuo wanted to seize the seven grand duchies for himself, then this Stratholme would indeed be a threat. Luckily, this person had already secluded himself long ago and Han Shuo only needed to make use of his mystical demons and attach them to the grand dukes before slowly turning them into his personal puppets one after another.

Han Shuo believed that this method would definitely be more dependable than the Lancelot Empire’s previous large scale invasion. Stratholme wouldn’t detect anything while staying secluded within Stranglethorn Vale. Han Shuo reckoned that by the time he had completely taken over the seven grand dukedoms in secret, his strength would most definitely have improved by another step. At that time, Han Shuo might even be able to do something about Stratholme even if the latter came.

During this night, a splendid sight could be seen within Benedict Sackville’s mansion. Within the central courtyard, a banquet seemed to be underway as shadows flickered to and fro. Many knights completely clad in armor tightly defended the area. A crystal lantern hung from the ceiling in the main hall, while below, each and every noble from the Narsen Duchy wore formal attire and exuded a graceful bearing. They held wine glasses and conversed cheerfully with each other.

Benedict Sackville was naturally the most dazzling figure amongst them. The Narsen Duchy nobles surrounded Benedict, while constantly trying to pry some information from his mouth in a roundabout and indirect way.

The seven grand duchies’ previous meeting at Sakamimir Valley had ended on a sour note. When the war had entered its most chaotic state, several of the grand duchies had suffered under an assassination attempt. As a result, those dukedoms had some weakened their military strength. Narsen Duchy was also not an exception as many of their high ranking generals were assassinated during the battle. Now that Benedict Sackville had returned to the dukedom, the first thing he wanted to do was naturally fill the gaps that’d occurred due to the loss of their outstanding generals.

After hearing this news, all the Narsen Duchy nobles began recommending their own family’s younger generation with utmost of efforts. They hoped their younger generation could fill the gap and become a character wielding true power within Narsen Duchy. Benedict Sackville also clearly understood the intentions of these nobles and also understood that it was the perfect moment to recruit. Thus, he was holding this banquet within his mansion intending to understand everyone’s thoughts while also gaining some personal benefits.

After sending out his mystical demons, Han Shuo grasped a clear view of the situation within Benedict Sackville’s mansion. He knew how many experts were concealed within the mansion, and that a magical enchantment had been set up in a particular corner. Nothing could escape his prying eyes.

While hiding outside the Duke’s mansion, Han Shuo seemed like a hunter in the night, calmly staring at his prey and patiently seeking for the best opportunity-to send his mystical demons into Benedict Sackville’s brain.

Although the mystical demons had magical ability, trying to insert the demon into someone’s brain was not that easy. Firstly, Han Shuo had to be standing right next to Benedict Sackville. When he began using his demons, he would have to promptly act in accordance to the secret demonic method without stopping. If he made even the slightest mistake, Benedict Sackville could immediately die a tragic death or even become an idiot, an outcome that would clash with Han Shuo’s wishes.

During this intrusion, Benedict Sackville could not possess even a single ounce of resistance, while his mind had to maintain a state as innocent as a newborn child. Only like this would the mystical demon be prone to successfully invade one’s brain.

Generally speaking, the most perfect timing was during a dream. Thus, Han Shuo would only descend next to Benedict Sackville’s side when the latter entered deep into a nightmare. Then, taking advantage of his muddleheaded state, Han Shuo would successfully implant the mystical demon right into his brain.

Everyone dreamt. However, dreams were not a nightly occurrence and sometimes a person wouldn’t dream for days on end. Han Shuo had to wait until Benedict Sackville finally dreamed. Thankfully, when a person dreamed, they would be sufficiently relaxed towards their surroundings which would allow Han Shuo to arrive soundlessly beside his target.

Han Shuo continued to linger in the vicinity of the duke’s mansion over the next five days. His mystical demons would incessantly monitor Benedict Sackville, particularly at night. He remained clueless throughout of this tight surveillance.

Benedict Sackville was only been completely exhausted once over the next five days due to his official business on the third day. That day, he sank deep into his nightmare because he was excessively tired. However, Benedict Sackville had an incomparably tight protection around his mansion’s room on that day. There were experts upon experts protecting the room outside, while all sorts of magical warning enchantments were present within his room.

That day, Han Shuo was only certain that he could forcefully charge in and kill Benedict Sackville. He could not guarantee that his mystical demons could intrude into his brain without warning.

Han Shuo had even carefully considered his gains and losses. In the end, he felt that even if he killed Benedict Sackville, there would be another noble that would become the new duke of Narsen Duchy. Rather than wasting time like this, he might as well just take control of Benedict Sackville.

Precisely because of this, Han Shuo abandoned his thought of killing Benedict Sackville that night and continued to wait for the next opportunity.

On the six night. Han Shuo unexpectedly noticed through his mystical demons that Benedict Sackville had left his mansion for the first time. While surprised, Han Shuo used his mystical demons to attentively watch Benedict Sackville on one hand and silently caught up to him on the other. He intended to see just what Benedict Sackville was up to.

Things went contrary to Han Shuo’s expectations. Instead of going somewhere for official business, Benedict Sackville was obviously headed somewhere else. After walking along the streets within Narsen Duchy’s Northwest city, Benedict finally arrived at a serene and elegantly quiet manor from the back door.

Twelve mystical demons scattered within the manor. In only a few minutes, Han Shuo had already discovered the type of place this serene and elegant manor was like. It was like the Rose Garden that Lawrence had previously brought Han Shuo to in the northern part of Ossen City. This manor was a noble’s special venue for licentious activities.

This manor was undoubtedly Narsen Duchy’s most well renowned place and it was even a bit bigger than Ossen City’s Rose Garden. Inside, all kinds of atrociously shady business occurred in innumerable fashion. After the twelve mystical demons circled the place, Han Shuo gained a much deeper familiarity to the licentious and rotten behavior of the nobles.

Benedict Sackville was this place’s owner. Han Shuo was still able to learn of this fact very quickly when he merely used two of his mystical demons to watch Benedict Sackville attentively. As Narsen Duchy’s most influential men and as this place’s owner, Benedict Sackville did not need to waste much of any of his energy while secretly controlling this place. Benedict Sackville first heard a report about current financial affairs in a heavily guarded room. Afterwards, he began walking towards a delicately serene and elegant small house with a chuckle.

A mother-daughter pair were waiting within this house. Han Shuo had already seen the the stunning mother-daughter pair when Benedict Sackville had held a personal banquet in his mansion last time. They were the wife and daughter of Count Delbert. Delbert’s wife was past forty. However, because she had properly maintained her looks, she seemed to be barely thirty years old.

As Delbert’s wife and her daughter Deyali stood there together, they seemed not like a mother and daughter. They seemed more like sisters as their faces glowed with smiles, welcoming the person in control of Narsen Duchy, Benedict Sackville.

Han Shuo was stunned through the eyes and ears of the mystical demons. Apparently, the mother-daughter pair had served Benedict Sackville before, and it was actually with Delbert’s approval. It was precisely because of Delbert’s encouragement that they were actually standing there. They jointly served Benedict Sackville in bed exchange for the only and youngest son of their family to become a captain knight under Benedict Sackville.