"Mind-controlled already?"
Andrea, who witnessed Felix being mind-controlled effortlessly by Riezel with his magic, stood frozen for quite some time, almost unable to react.
Nibald, on the other hand, stared at Riezel's back, seemingly a little dazed.
Mind control wasn't exactly a rare thing since in the Akasha Continent, there were similar magic spells. Nibald himself had mastered several mind control magic, so Riezel using it wasn't all that surprising.
However, first of all, mental magic that could control the mind or read memories was usually in the hands of court magicians, making it difficult for regular magicians to find a way to learn them.
Secondly, mental magic worked fine when used on ordinary people, but the effects were usually not as expected when it was aimed at nobles or powerful figures.
Why?
It was because influential people like them had many secrets and confidential matters that couldn't be exposed, so they often considered the possibility of themselves or their people being controlled by mind control and similar methods, resulting in them taking preventive measures.
For example, the royal family of Jinas practiced the War King Sword Style, which could trigger spiritual power and enhance mental resistance, making them not easily affected by mental magic.
Some nobles also had corresponding methods to protect themselves like magic items that could resist mental magic that could control the mind or read memories, taking potions from childhood that enhanced their mental resistance, and even those who set up traps on themselves specifically to counter mental magic.
More radical ones would even apply vicious techniques or magic that, if they were to be interfered with by mental magic, would immediately trigger and destroy their brains to prevent leaks of their secrets.
Simply put, the more important one's status, the more likely they were to have countermeasures or resistance to mental magic.
Felix, as the eldest son and heir of the Hadyth family, a descendant of a count family, certainly had methods to resist mental magic.
Facing someone like Felix, Nibald wouldn't dare say he could successfully use mind control on him. Even the kingdom's court magicians, who specialized in interrogating serious criminals, would need preparation and the use of ritual items to strengthen their magic before they could even hope to accomplish such a thing.
Yet, Riezel succeeded in an instant, leaving Nibald, a magician with immense achievements in the magic of the Interference System, feeling utterly amazed.
What Nibald didn't know was that Riezel had enhanced the effectiveness of his mind-control magic before using it.
Among Metamagic Enhancements, there was one called 'Penetrate Magic.'
As the name suggested, it enhanced the resistance penetration of one's own magic, allowing it to break through an opponent's magic resistance. When it was used, if the opponent didn't have greater magical prowess than the caster, even if they had some resistance to magic, it would be ineffective.
For example, if someone had resistance to fire attribute attacks and could reduce the damage from them, but their magical prowess was weaker than Riezel's, Riezel could use 'Penetrate Magic - Fireball' to deal massive damage, overcoming their resistance.
Needless to say, this was the reason Riezel could mind-control Felix so quickly.
When Riezel used Charm Species, which had been enhanced with Penetrate Magic, ordinary resistance methods wouldn't work.
And so, as Felix was affected by Charm Species, Riezel walked up to him and began questioning him.
"Say, were those attackers just now related to you?"
As soon as Riezel's question dropped, the answer came almost instantly.
"Yes."
Felix's expression was blank, but his tone was surprisingly relaxed like he was chatting with a close friend.
Nonetheless, his answer made everyone around him change their expressions, especially the knights bound by Mass Hold Species, their eyes widened in disbelief.
Riezel, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all since he already expected it, so he calmly continued his questioning.
"Who are they?"
"I don't know."
"...You don't know any of them?"
"I don't. They're just helping me with things. Who they are doesn't matter."
"So, you hired them but don't know anything about them?"
"Yes."
"What about that attendant of yours, the one named Jack?"
"He's not my attendant. He's someone those people sent to me. They said I could ask Jack for anything I need. As long as I can offer a payment that satisfies them, they'll send someone to handle what I've asked."
"Who are these people you're talking about?"
"I don't know. A few years ago, they suddenly sent Jack to approach me, and he's been with me ever since. I've only heard Jack mention the people behind him. Apparently, they saw something in me, which is why they specifically sent Jack to cooperate with me, but who they are, I have no idea."
Felix's words made everyone, including Riezel, exchange confused glances.
"...It feels like we've uncovered some huge secret, doesn't it?" Andrea muttered speechlessly, voicing what everyone else was thinking.
Nibald, looking solemn, stepped up to Felix, then turned to Riezel.
"Sir Brynhart, may I ask him a few questions as well?"
Riezel didn't answer, simply stepping back to give Nibald space.
Seeing this, Nibald turned back to Felix.
"What kind of deal did you make with those people?"
Felix answered with his usual relaxed tone.
"A lot—they'll do anything. Whether it's assassinating someone, causing trouble to someone I don't like, or even bringing back people I have an eye on. They make things pretty convenient for me."
"Bastard!" Andrea immediately lashed out with an angry expression.
It wasn't just her—Fanny and Gerald were also looking at Felix with angry expressions.
From just that one sentence, it was clear what kind of things Felix had been making those people do, which made everyone realize that their judgment of Felix had been far too mild.
"With what and how much did you pay them to get them to do your bidding?"
Nibald's interrogation was met with an answer that moved everyone on the spot.
"People." Felix answered bluntly. "They need people, lots and lots of people. As long as you give them people, they'll do anything."
"I see..." Nibald's face became cold. "So, every time you ask them to do something, you give them the people they need?"
"Yes."
Felix smiled emptily, his eyes distant.
"They don't care. As long as they get people, that's good enough. Luckily, Mavros Territory is full of lowly, filthy refugees. No one would care if those refugees disappeared. No one would say anything, so isn't that a good thing?"
"As long as I cooperate with them, I can get rid of those lowly scum and have them help me at the same time, so why not?"
"Honestly, those scum dragging their lives along in this world just pollute people's eyes. They waste resources, they waste food, and they're disgusting. What right do they have to keep living?"
"Better for me to make use of them, get something out of them. It's their honor, isn't it?"
Felix smiled proudly, acting as if he had done something good, causing everyone present to want to tear him apart.
"You damn scum!"
Andrea was furious, drawing out her staff, ready to teach Felix a lesson.
"Don't rush." Nibald stopped his granddaughter, looking coldly at Felix. "So, are you saying the mysterious disappearances in Mavros Territory are related to you? Is that because you offered people in the territory to those people? Does this also mean the missing people in the Mavros family's army are your doing?"
At this question, Felix shook his head.
"No, that has nothing to do with me. I don't know what's going on with the Mavros family. I was just using the refugees as payment. I wouldn't dare use people from the army."
Hearing this, Nibald furrowed his brows at once.
Just then, Lizbeth couldn't hold back anymore and spoke up.
"Then, why did you have them go after me?"
Lizbeth was confused and bewildered by this.
"Of course, because I want you." Felix responded casually.
He didn't care about Lizbeth's stunned expression, speaking as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"A beautiful girl like you, I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you in my life. And your body is so perfect. If I could get you into my bed, it would surely be—"
*Swish!*
Before Felix could finish his sentence, a cold flash of a sword interrupted him—it severed his neck, beheading him on the spot.
*Splurt!*
As Felix's head flew into the air, his severed neck sprayed a large amount of blood before his headless body slowly collapsed to the ground.
Riezel, holding a black sword, looked coldly at Felix's headless body—the sword in his hand dripping with blood, staining the ground red.
""Kyaaa—!""
Andrea and Fanny immediately screamed, while Gerald, who didn't expect Riezel to suddenly kill Felix, was so startled he took several steps back.
""Young Master!""
At the same time, the frozen knights shouted loudly, staring at Felix, who had turned into a headless corpse, with deathly pale faces.
"M-Master?" Lizbeth looked helplessly at Riezel.
"It's fine..."
Riezel said indifferently, sheathing the black sword in his hand before gently patting Lizbeth's head, calming the shock in her heart.
"Trash like him isn't worth sparing."
Hearing this, Lizbeth stared silently at Riezel, who said these words so calmly, making her shock and surprise slowly fade away.
Meanwhile, Nibald, whose brows were already furrowed, tightened them even more.
"You were too impulsive, Sir Brynhart..." Nibald said with concern. "While this man certainly isn't worth keeping alive, he is, after all, Count Hadyth's son and Marquis Mavros's nephew. Killing him directly like this will probably cause some serious trouble."
It was clear he didn't approve of killing Felix outright.
However—
"Serious trouble, you say?"
Riezel turned his gaze toward Nibald, speaking in a calm voice.
"Are you saying that when someone makes a move against my people, I'm not allowed to act?"
"If I kill him, it'll cause trouble, but when they harm my people, that won't bring them trouble?"
"Am I not worthy of being a 'serious trouble' in their eyes?"
As these words left Riezel's mouth, his presence, which had been unnoticed until now, suddenly began to radiate an overwhelming aura that made the ground and air tremble slightly under the power he radiated.
Andrea, Fanny, Gerald, and the others all felt immense pressure from Riezel's overwhelming aura, their breath catching in their throats.
Nibald, on the other hand, narrowed his pupils, and his expression grew grave as he sensed Riezel's overwhelming aura.
As for the surrounding knights, they looked as if they were staring at a volcano ready to erupt, their faces filled with fear.
Soon, Riezel's voice slowly echoed.
"Count Hadyth?"
"Guardian Sword Saint?"
"If they're unhappy about this and wanna cause me trouble, they can come at me anytime. I'd be happy to experience their skills firsthand."
With that, Riezel turned around and undid the restraints on the knights.
"You all saw what just happened, right?" Riezel said coldly to the knights. "Go back and tell your lord that I want an explanation. If he doesn't give me one, I'll go to Karudia and get it myself. Scram."
Hearing Riezel's cold words, the knights turned pale and staggered backward, quickly turning around to flee in a panic, in complete disarray.
As the knights fled, the scene was immediately cleared, which made the area, once filled with noise and activity, suddenly quiet, without a single knight in sight.
"Lizbeth, let's rest."
Riezel, as if nothing had happened, reeled in his aura.
"Y-Yes!"
Lizbeth finally snapped out of it and hurriedly nodded in agreement.
With that, Riezel and Lizbeth turned and left, returning to the camp.
Nibald and the others watched Riezel and Lizbeth leave, some with complicated expressions, others with fear on their faces—they couldn't react in any way other than this for a long time.
"Hahh..."
Nibald, with his brows tightly furrowed and his face set in a deep frown, let out a long sigh as he gazed at Felix's decapitated corpse lying in a pool of blood.
"Looks like Mavros Territory is about to face some great chaos..."