Howard was acutely aware that even if they wanted to back out now, Kaedwyn wouldn’t let them go.

By this time, Kaedwyn had probably already informed Sedge of the situation.

If Sedge made the first move, and they were caught in the city, escape would be impossible.

Both Kaedwyn and Sedge would never allow them to leave alive.

And fleeing now was not an option either.

With Sedge’s assistance, Kaedwyn would surely have all the city gates quietly monitored, not to mention the Empire Knights Order…

There was no way out.

“You must understand the gravity of the situation, right, Leader Kellman?” Howard posed the question.

“Sedge might already be hunting us across the city. If we are slow to act, our deaths are certain.”

Kellman felt a cold sweat break out. .𝒎

Howard was right.

To survive, their best chance was to catch Sedge off guard and kill him.

But they lacked the strength! Even if Howard, Kellman, and Tina teamed up, they were no match for the Four Knights.

And Sedge wasn’t just anyone – he was the deputy commander of the Empire Knights Order, commanding formidable forces.

“Don’t worry, I have a plan, and I also have a master who can handle three of the Four Knights,” Howard assured.

Kellman’s eyes widened at this revelation.

Remembering the hundreds of thousands of gold coins at Howard’s disposal, the plan didn’t seem so far-fetched anymore.

But it was still a risky endeavor.

Howard continued, “Leader Kellman, now is not the time for hesitation. Opportunities are fleeting.”

Gazing into Howard’s resolute eyes, Kellman finally made up his mind.

“At this point, we have no choice but to fight with all we’ve got. Howard, my friend, let’s hear your plan.”

“I’ve learned that Sedge has an illegitimate child,” Howard said, a smile playing on his lips.

Kellman, seeing that smile, was reminded of the time they had kidnapped the old man outside the city.

Were they about to repeat that trick?

It was a bit unscrupulous, but given their current disadvantage, they had little choice.

“Alright, I’ll handle the son.”

“Wait…” Howard interjected, “I’ve already sent someone for that.

Leader Kellman, please gather everyone you can trust.

The more hands we have, the better.”

Kellman, as the leader of the Frostwolf Mercenaries, likely still had connections despite his current situation.

Getting a few reliable and skilled fighters with some money shouldn’t be a problem.

The more people involved, the higher their chances of success.

“I’ve been working on this with Tina today. We were preparing to deal with Kaedwyn, but let’s first serve a big surprise to Sedge, the dishonorable deputy commander of the Empire Knights Order,” Kellman declared.

“We must act quickly,” Howard urged.

“I’ll find a way to send a message to Sedge, arranging a meeting. We’ll set an ambush.”

“Agreed!”

After finalizing their plan, they split up to take action.

Returning to his temporary residence, Howard found that Chris had already captured Sedge’s illegitimate child and the maid who looked after him.

Chris didn’t feel there was anything wrong with Howard’s methods.

Excessive kindness couldn’t change anything.

To kill someone like Sedge, a scoundrel, there was no need for righteousness.

She, too, harbored deep hatred for Sedge and was fully committed to this plan.

“Take this letter to Sedge,” Howard said to Chris, handing her a freshly written letter.

Taking the letter, Chris immediately set off on her mission.

…

At that moment, Sedge had just returned from outside the city. 𝘪.𝑐ℴ𝘮

“That Kaedwyn, showing such disrespect to me. If it weren’t for his usefulness, I would have eliminated him already,” he grumbled, lounging comfortably in his chair, flanked by the Four Knights standing guard on either side.

Just then, a shadow flashed past, instantly putting the Four Knights on high alert, and Sedge, who had been squinting, promptly stood up.

“Who’s there!” he barked.

Two of the Four Knights chased after the fleeting figure.

Suddenly, a letter wrapped around a stone flew in through the window.

Guards and the remaining Knights rushed outside to search.

Sedge ordered the letter to be picked up and examined it himself, trembling with rage.

“Damn it!” he cursed.

“How did they find out about my connection with Kaedwyn?”

One of the Knights stepped forward, puzzled.

“My lord, what has happened?”

Sedge tossed the letter to him irritably.

“Kellman, just a mere leader of a mercenary group, dares to oppose me. He kidnaps my illegitimate child and now invites me to meet him. Who else could it be?”

The Knight’s face tensed, recognizing it as a clear trap.

“My lord, you must not go.”

Sedge scoffed disdainfully, shaking his head.

“No, I will go. Send the order – bring everyone. I want to see what they’re up to.”

The Knight’s expression grew even more troubled.

“My lord, the letter says you must go alone.”

Sedge’s face changed as he snatched the letter back, realizing he hadn’t read it thoroughly in his anger.

“What?”

The letter from Howard explicitly stated that Sedge had to come alone, or he could forget about seeing his illegitimate son again.

“Damn it, this is infuriating!” Sedge exclaimed, seething with anger.

The composed Knight, who had been silent until now, spoke up, “Lord Sedge, don’t worry.

The four of us can follow you discreetly.”

“Exactly, my lord,” another added.

“Kellman, just a small-time leader of a mercenary group, surely won’t notice.”

Sedge’s expression eased slightly at this suggestion, nodding in agreement to the plan.

…

Howard had instructed Sedge to come alone to a deserted ruin in the city for their meeting.

He knew Sedge would never come alone, even if his only son was in Howard’s hands.

He was too aware of how much Sedge valued his own life.

But that was not an issue.

Sedge could bring only the Four Knights at most, and Chris alone could hold off three of them.

With Kellman, Tina, and the skilled fighters they had brought along to handle the fourth, Howard would have his chance to kill Sedge.

Once Sedge was dead, Kaedwyn would lose his backbone of support.

Some time later, Kellman and Tina arrived, fully armed, sporting brand new equipment.

Four formidable-looking individuals followed them – evidently the skilled fighters Kellman had hired.

Howard gave them a signal, and without a word, they began to set up their ambush.

They noticed Chris by Howard’s side, and some recognized her, feeling a surge of shock.

Chris, a powerful warrior with orcish bloodline, had a certain reputation in the city.

Her progress had been hampered by her status and the harsh suppression from the nobility, leading to a lack of notable achievements.

However, this did not mean she lacked strength, a fact well understood by all present.

Initially, Kellman was somewhat apprehensive, but he relaxed upon hearing that Howard’s ally was Chris.

His main concern had been whether the expert Howard brought could actually hold off three of the Four Knights.

After all, those four were the strongest entities in the entire city.

If it was Chris, then the problem didn’t seem so significant.

This increased the likelihood of successfully killing Sedge.

Achieving this would not only ensure their safety but also eliminate someone who colluded with bandits like Kaedwyn, bringing misery to the people.

The endeavor was undoubtedly worth the risk.

The only regret was the lack of time to gather evidence of Sedge’s crimes, which would have made their actions more justifiable.

Now, killing Sedge meant they had to keep this secret buried.

After all, Sedge was the deputy commander of the Empire Knights Order, and his death would not go unnoticed by the empire.

That’s why Howard had asked Kellman to bring trustworthy individuals for this mission.

Of course, if their plan was eventually exposed, it wouldn’t be a huge concern.

Howard had a backup plan.

Obtaining evidence of Sedge’s crimes wouldn’t be too difficult, especially by threatening his son’s life.

Even if Sedge remained tight-lipped, they still had Kaedwyn as an option.

Tomorrow, Howard would have another chance to extract information about Sedge from Kaedwyn and his followers.

Howard instructed Chris to also stay hidden; Sedge knew her, and his recognition might deter him from approaching.

As time ticked by, everyone waited anxiously and nervously.

Finally, Sedge’s figure came into view.

He walked with a confident stride, chest puffed out.

While the Four Knights were nowhere to be seen, Howard knew they must be nearby, perhaps already in position.

“Who are you? Where’s Kellman? Bring that fool who doesn’t know what’s coming to him out here!”

Sedge bellowed, believing Kellman to be the main culprit.

Hidden away, Kellman flinched at this, then realized the logic behind it.

His name was the most recognized among the three, and since Sedge was unaware of Howard’s involvement, he naturally assumed Kellman was responsible.

This was expected, but Kellman couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread.

If they failed today, there would be no place left in the empire for Frostwolf Mercenaries or himself.

His eyes hardening with determination, Kellman whispered to his men, “Brothers, put in extra effort to rid the people of this scourge.

I promise you will be handsomely rewarded afterward!”

“Don’t worry, Leader Kellman. Even without your promise, we’re set on taking this scoundrel down.”

“Exactly, everyone knows Sedge is no good. We just never had the opportunity before.”

“Today, he won’t be going back alive!”

One after another, they all expressed their resolve.

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