Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 339: Assassins in Grafen (1) The Order

Chapter 339: Assassins in Grafen (1) The Order

In the grand hall of the Ravalos Estate, deep within the neighboring territory of Grafen, the atmosphere was tense. Lord Hektor Ravalos, a man of considerable influence and ambition, sat at the head of a long, ornate table. His sharp features were partially hidden in the shadows, his eyes glinting with a mix of cunning and frustration. Before him stood three figures, shrouded in dark cloaks, their faces obscured by the hoods they wore.

"Grafen..." Hektor muttered, his voice laced with disdain as he drummed his fingers on the table. "It’s infuriating, the speed at which that backwater city has recovered. The reports say it was in ruins, ravaged by goblins and on the brink of collapse, yet now, it flourishes more than ever."

One of the figures stepped forward, his voice low and raspy. "The new baron, Lyan Arkanium Evocatore, is said to be the cause of this resurgence, my lord. He’s gained a reputation as a man of immense power and influence. The people revere him, and his strength is undeniable."

"Strength," Hektor scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "Strength alone doesn’t rebuild a city. There’s more at play here, something that’s eluded our spies thus far. I want to know what that is."

He paused, his gaze hardening as he studied the three assassins before him. "You are the best I have, skilled in the art of infiltration and subterfuge. Your mission is simple: infiltrate Grafen, uncover the secrets of their rapid recovery, and return with the information I need to bring that arrogant baron to his knees. Do not fail me."

The three assassins bowed in unison, their movements fluid and precise. "We live to serve," the leader of the trio replied, his voice filled with determination.

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Hektor sent them off, the heavy doors of the hall closing behind them with an ominous thud. As the silence settled back into the room, Hektor allowed a small, sinister smile to curve his lips. "Let’s see what secrets you’re hiding, Evocatore..."

___

The night was dark, the moon hidden behind a thick layer of clouds as the three assassins approached the outskirts of Grafen. The leader, a man known only as Shade, signaled for them to halt. His companions, Wraith and Viper, obeyed without question, their senses attuned to the slightest sound or movement in the surrounding area.

"Remember," Shade whispered, his voice barely audible, "we’re here to gather information, not to engage. We’ve heard the rumors about this baron. He’s a man filled with desires, a womanizer, but also a warrior who defeated the goblin king and played a crucial role in quelling the kingdom’s coup. He’s dangerous, so stay alert."

The other two nodded, and with practiced ease, they melted into the shadows, moving like phantoms through the city’s outskirts. Grafen was quiet at this hour, the streets deserted as the residents slept soundly in their homes. The assassins slipped past the guards stationed at the city gates, their movements too swift and silent to be detected.

As they entered the heart of Grafen, however, they quickly realized that the city was far from ordinary. The air was thick with a strange energy, a feeling that something otherworldly was at play. Shade glanced around, his instincts screaming at him that something wasn’t right.

"Wraith, take point," Shade ordered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the streets. "Viper, cover our rear. Stay close, and keep your wits about you."

Wraith, a lithe figure with a talent for stealth, moved ahead, her body blending seamlessly with the shadows. Viper, known for his agility and deadly precision, took up the rear, his eyes darting back and forth, ever vigilant.

As they made their way deeper into the city, they began to encounter the first of many surprises. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the narrow alleyways, and the assassins pressed themselves against the walls, their breathing shallow as they waited for the source of the noise to reveal itself.

What they saw sent a chill down their spines.

A group of living statues, armored knights carved from stone, marched through the streets in perfect unison. Their eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, and their movements were unnervingly smooth, as if they were alive. The assassins watched in stunned silence as the statues patrolled the area, their heavy stone bodies making no sound as they walked.

Shade motioned for them to move quickly before the statues could detect their presence. They slipped past the patrol, their hearts pounding in their chests. "What the hell was that?" Viper hissed, his voice barely a whisper.

"Living statues," Shade replied, his voice tense. "We’ve heard rumors of them, but to see them in action... We need to be even more careful."

The assassins continued their mission, but it seemed that Grafen had no intention of making things easy for them. As they moved through the city, they encountered more strange sights—each one more unsettling than the last.

At one point, they came across a large, lumbering beast—a bear made entirely of molten rock and lava, its body radiating intense heat. The creature, which they later recognized as Magria, Josephine’s summoned monster, was patrolling the streets with a slow, deliberate gait, its eyes scanning the area with a watchful gaze.

The assassins barely managed to avoid detection, darting into a nearby building just as the bear passed by. The heat from the creature’s body was so intense that it left scorch marks on the stone walls as it walked.

"This is madness," Wraith muttered, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What kind of place is this?"

"It’s like a fortress," Shade replied, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what they were up against. "But we’re not turning back now. We need to find out what’s going on here."

Their resolve was tested yet again when they encountered a pack of winter wolves—massive, white-furred beasts with glowing blue eyes that prowled the streets in search of intruders. The wolves moved with a predatory grace, their powerful bodies rippling with muscle as they sniffed the air, their breath visible in the cold night.

The assassins barely had time to react as the wolves caught their scent. They bolted, sprinting through the streets with the wolves hot on their heels. The chase was relentless, the wolves’ howls echoing through the city as they closed in on their prey.

Shade led his team through a series of narrow alleyways, hoping to lose the wolves in the maze of buildings. But the wolves were relentless, their speed and agility unmatched by the humans they pursued.

Just as it seemed that they would be caught, Shade spotted an open manhole cover leading down into the sewers. "Down here!" he shouted, diving into the hole and sliding down the ladder into the darkness below.

Wraith and Viper followed suit, landing in the damp, foul-smelling sewer with a splash. The wolves skidded to a halt at the edge of the manhole, snarling in frustration as they peered down into the darkness.

The assassins didn’t waste any time. They sprinted down the tunnel, the sound of the wolves’ howls growing fainter as they put more distance between themselves and the beasts. But their relief was short-lived.

As they rounded a corner, they were met with a sight that froze them in their tracks. The walls of the tunnel were covered in a writhing mass of acid ants—small, aggressive creatures with powerful mandibles and a venomous bite. The ants swarmed toward the assassins, their tiny bodies moving with a terrifying speed and coordination.

"Go back! Go back!" Shade yelled, but it was too late. The tunnel behind them was already filled with more ants, cutting off their escape.

The assassins fought desperately, slashing and hacking at the ants with their blades, but for every ant they killed, ten more took its place. The swarm was overwhelming, their bites burning through the assassins’ clothes and searing their flesh.

"Get to higher ground!" Viper shouted, scrambling up the side of the tunnel to avoid the swarm. But the ants were relentless, climbing after them with ease.

The assassins were quickly running out of options. They were surrounded on all sides, their movements hampered by the confined space of the tunnel. The situation seemed hopeless, but then, as if on cue, the ground began to shake.

A deep rumble echoed through the tunnel, and the ants suddenly halted their advance. The assassins looked around in confusion, wondering what had caused the swarm to stop.

Then, from the darkness ahead, a massive figure emerged—a rock golem, its body towering over the tunnel as it moved with slow, deliberate steps. The golem’s eyes glowed with an inner light, and as it advanced, the ants scattered, retreating back into the walls of the tunnel.

The assassins watched in stunned silence as the golem approached. They had heard of these creatures before—powerful beings made of living stone, summoned to protect the city. But to see one in person was something else entirely.

The golem stopped in front of the assassins, its glowing eyes fixed on them. For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the sound of the assassins’ ragged breathing.

Then, the golem raised its arm and brought it down with a thunderous crash. The ground shook, and the assassins were thrown off their feet, their weapons clattering to the ground.