Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1521 - 523: Jennifer’s Crisis_3

Previously on Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys...

Jennifer suspected trouble had befallen Rein as intruders violently breached her mansion, blasting Viery through the door and silently eliminating her guards. A titled knight, two Crystallization Wizards, and a noble in a cloak entered, revealing their intent to capture her and her companions to pressure Rein, whom they claimed was defeated and imprisoned by the Avatar of the Nether Sea Goddess. They displayed the petrified head of Georgia's brother Fandar as a warning, prompting Jennifer to activate a protective barrier and secret escape passage, though the attackers assaulted it with a massive stone pillar while Viery's desperate counterattack failed, sending him crashing through the wall.

"That's truly reckless!"

The Light Curtain lay shattered in that instant. "Hold up," the cloaked man declared, "we need to chase down those women first."

"They're inside that servants' quarters." A different Crystallization Wizard shut his eyes for a quick probe, then snapped them open once more to announce.

Sure enough, Jennifer along with the other two women had dashed from the servants' room in the front courtyard, rushing straight toward the entrance.

"Heh, how fascinating—do they really think they can get away?" the armored man scoffed with a smirk.

His form blurred forward to the front courtyard, yet he came to an abrupt stop since two men and one woman had shown up at the gate to shield the three women: Angus, Evelyn, and Neoro.

"These must be the old squad mates of Lord Rein; their abilities are indeed quite feeble." By now, the two Crystallization Wizards and the cloaked man had drawn near as well, commenting thus.

Angus and Neoro stood ready in full vigilance. Though their advancement had been impressive, a vast gap in power still separated them from the foes they faced.

In that very moment, a Knight gripping a gleaming silver Dual-Handed Warhammer, at the head of several Silver Armored Knights, reached the gate.

"Miss Jennifer, apologies—I've arrived a touch late."

"The Goddess Church? A Punishment Knight?" Now, the cloaked man's hooded face turned a bit more grave.

Clearly, they hadn't expected the Goddess Church in Mingster Province to hold such close ties with the target—or more precisely, with Lord Rein himself.

The Goddess Church, which seldom meddled in disputes among the Imperial Nobles, was making an exceedingly rare move.

"Punishment Knight, I urge you not to get involved here; it brings no gain to your side."

"Lord Rein rendered great service to the Church in the past, and as holder of a Second Level Goddess Medal, his kin and loved ones receive Church protection—unless they've violated Imperial law."

Brandel also picked up on how tough these adversaries were.

Three of them equaled his own strength, forming a group far beyond what typical Great Nobles of the Empire would send out.

....

Imperial City Tamriel.

Drum Duke’s Mansion.

"What! That Rein is back? He and Prince Menia weren't captured by the Avatar of the Nether Sea Goddess—instead, they triumphed over them? Vanished briefly just to recover?"

The Drum Duke burst out, leaping up from behind his polished mahogany desk.

"Indeed, Duke, I found it hard to accept too, yet this comes straight from a trusted family spy in the Elder Council—word has it Crown Reginald has already welcomed Prince Menia and Rein."

The Drum Duke double-checked, his gaze turning somewhat vacant, like a body stripped of its backbone, before he slumped heavily into the broad chair.

After some time, the Drum Duke growled lowly, "Halt every operation right now!"

"Pull back the squad en route to Frostwind Prairie for the Gold Mine at once."

"Tell the O’Lence family to drop all their moves in Mingster Province immediately."

"Understood! But... Marquis O’Lence got wind of this the day before last and headed to Mingster in person. With him are two lords from the Isodre school—I fear they've already begun."

The butler relayed this with evident strain.

"As for Frostwind Prairie, we can still catch them since the trip is lengthy; the group hasn't arrived yet."

Listening to the butler's update, the Drum Duke's features grew ever darker.

"Quickly cut all links with the O’Lence family on this issue, wiping out every hint of the Drum Family's role!"

The Drum Duke's command sent a chill through the butler!

For ages, the O’Lence family had followed the Drum Family's lead, but now the Duke discarded them without mercy. Was this the ruthless maneuvering of the Empire's elite ancient nobles?

"Yes! Still, Duke, one or two hidden missives from us might remain with the O’Lence family."

"Doesn't matter—every secret letter uses unique ciphers, so without hard proof tying the Drum Family to it, we're safe."

"Once we break away cleanly, Lord Rein lacks grounds to strike at us without firm evidence. Besides, we boast the Empire Guardian, our forebear Pantoscoke, famed as 'Storm Cloud'."

Invoking this Empire Guardian eased the Drum Duke's expression considerably.

The Drum Family's enduring rank among the Empire's premier nobles stemmed mostly from 'Storm Cloud' Pantoscoke.

"True enough, with Crown Pantoscoke watching over us, even if Lord Rein harbors grudges about this affair, it'll fizzle out there." The butler gave a light laugh, offering praise.

...