Berserk: The Prophet

Just then, the Grand Duke's guards drew closer and closer. Dick looked at Edward, gritted his teeth, and said, "Fine, I'll trust you this once, but if I find out you have any ill intentions, I won't let you off the hook."

"You, hurry and send a message to the family, tell the old man to quickly organize those old nobles to gather some troops and secretly control Norudkavati! Otherwise, he can just wait to collect my corpse!!" Dick hurriedly ordered his trusted adjutant to send a message to the Olsen family.

Edward nodded approvingly, "A wise choice. Once Gurenbelud ascends to the throne of Grand Duke, you will be the primary contributor!"

"Damn it, this guy who would betray even his own nominal father is not worth this kind of trick. He should think about how to save his own life."

“If I were you, I wouldn’t go against my own father over a woman,” Dick cursed.

Although Edward was very insightful and articulate in his political analysis, Dick had disliked his style of doing things since childhood.

"Hmph, what do you know?" Edward sneered. "That old man has never treated me like a son. In his eyes, there is only power. And I am nothing more than a tool for him to fight for power and profit."

Dick curled his lip in disdain. "No matter what, betrayal is betrayal. But now that we're cooperating, let's deal with the immediate problem first. Those guards are not easy to handle."

Edward's eyes sharpened. "Don't worry, I've already made arrangements. The supplies and manpower provided by the Earl should arrive soon, and with the strength of your family, as long as we use the right tactics, we can hold out for a while. Moreover, Gurenbeldo won't stand idly by. If he received my secret letter, he's definitely making preparations in secret as well."

Just then, a cloud of dust rose in the distance—it was the Grand Duke's heavily armored spearmen!

Dick gripped his sword tightly. "I hope so, otherwise we'll all die without a burial place today!" Everyone stood ready, preparing for the upcoming battle.

"Then let's hold off the Grand Duke's attack first, and then plan our next move. Horseback fighting on the streets is disadvantageous for us. Let's use the Eugenson family's manor to wage guerrilla warfare and buy time!" Edward immediately dismounted and prepared for battle, letting his warhorse run into the manor.

"Excuse me, Your Excellency."

If the Earl and his family want to avoid being drawn into the power struggle, they must pretend to be held hostage by Edward.

Meanwhile, the private soldiers maintained by the Earl's household were also in place, ready to be deployed by Edward at any time.

The group rushed into the mansion, each finding a strategic hiding place. Dick and his men dismounted and stood guard at one side of the gate, their eyes fixed on the approaching enemy. Edward, meanwhile, led a few men to the flank, preparing for a surprise attack.

The lance guards drew near, their footsteps indicating nearly a hundred men. When they saw their target burst into the mansion, they quickened their pace, the centurion at the head shouting, "By order of the Grand Duke, arrest the traitor Edward Halvorsen!"

They charged toward the gates of the Eugenson family mansion, shouting as they rushed in. Just as they were about to burst through the gates, Dick and his men swiftly drew their longswords, slicing through several spears and killing several guards. At the same time, Edward and his men attacked from the flanks, and the sounds of battle echoed throughout the mansion.

However, the Grand Duke's guards were well-trained and quickly adjusted, and the two sides were locked in a fierce battle.

"...When will General Kirsten arrive with his guards?" Dick asked, panting.

"Don't expect too much. This is just the first wave of attacks. Our top priority right now is to gather soldiers from various factions within the city." Edward looked warily into the distance, constantly watching to see if any of his personal guards had run off to report the attack.

"Tch, I'm starting to regret listening to you, I bet you weren't prepared for a rebellion at all," Dick complained. Although Grant was martial, as the eldest son of a long-established noble family who had been in business for a long time and knew how to invest in the next ruler, his fighting skills and mental fortitude were far inferior to Edward's. The fierce battle he was witnessing had already made him pale.

Edward was already used to such bloody scenes. As a pure-blooded Grant, the bloodlust ingrained in his bones was indelible.

However, the current battle, in which the two sides are so mismatched in strength and equipment, has made Edward silently pray that Gurenbelud will receive the carrier eagle at the Dragon's Nest and that General Kirsten will arrive in time to provide support.

After all, when it comes to power, there is never any room for kinship in the struggle between royal families; this confrontation with the Grand Duke is destined to be a life-or-death battle.

.........

While Edward and Dick were fighting tooth and nail with the Grand Duke's guards at the Eugenson house, Grand Duke Hokun had already wiped out all the guards and mercenaries in the Halvorsen family.

...No armor can withstand the destructive power of crossbows, let alone in a battle where the disparity between the two sides is so great.

Madwood followed behind Grand Duke Hokun on horseback.

"...Still haven't found that damn slut?"

"Not yet, Your Majesty," Madwood replied respectfully.

Grand Duke He Kun frowned, his face contorted with rage. "No matter what method we use, we must find that woman."

“Yes.” Madwood immediately went to do it. Having been a ‘shadow’ in Naurudkahuatti for so many years, he already knew the general location of the Halvorsen family’s secret chamber.

Meanwhile, Folda and the butler had already hidden in the Halvorsen family's underground secret room.

As a shipping dynasty, how could the Halvorsen family be without any means of escape? Everything was to avoid becoming political pawns. After all, with initial capital, what difference does it make who you serve? As long as you're alive, there's always a chance to rise again.

.........

Meanwhile, the hawk bound for the ice-free port successfully arrived at its destination. Upon receiving the news, the agent immediately gathered manpower and supplies, prepared a small to medium-sized sailing speedboat with a maximum speed of 20 knots, and dispatched a private guard at the exit of the secret room to welcome Edward and the former head of the Halvorsen family.

Meanwhile, the trusted confidant who was sent to deliver the message to General Kirsten had already arrived at the general's camp, and a storm that would determine the fate of the Duchy of Grant was about to erupt.

.........

Meanwhile, at the Eugenson residence, Edward seized the opportunity and charged towards the centurion of the royal guard. In a few exchanges, he swung his longsword, beheading the man and seizing his spear.

"Quick! Go find the Grand Duke!" Seeing that the situation was not good, several of the guards immediately organized their troops to break through the encirclement, preparing to send the fastest soldiers in the team to inform the Grand Duke.

"We absolutely cannot let him get away!" Dick shouted, still wary of the few guards who were trying to break through his lines, though he was still shaken.

Although he was determined to stop the soldier who was like a trapped beast, his retreating steps betrayed him.

“Of course I know!” Edward used his spear to take down several guards. These iron-clad spearmen only lacked plate armor and chainmail above their shoulders; the only way to kill them was to precisely rip open the vulnerable tissue around their throats and eyes.

Fortunately, Edward was a skilled marksman, so these pikemen were unlucky to run into him.

Edward suddenly mustered his strength, shaking off a few drops of sweat from his blond hair. With his long limbs, he instantly and elegantly launched the nearly two-meter-long spear in his hand like a javelin.

"Thud...splat—!" The sound of a spear piercing through armor and flesh exploded in Dick's ears. Immediately afterward, the royal guard soldier, whose breastplate had also been nearly pierced, fell stiffly onto Dick.

The spreading blood completely stained Dick's pants, and he truly regretted not wrapping himself up like a metal can before going out today.

Dick pushed the corpse off him with disgust, stood up and complained, "Damn it, you got me all filthy...it's really uncomfortable."

With Edward and Dick's encirclement, the brawl inside the mansion quickly ended. The royal guards were wiped out, but the situation for Edward and Dick's soldiers was also dire, with most of them unable to fight anymore.