Rebirth of the Ruined Noble



"So the attack failed?" The leaders of the rebel faction were gathered around a large round table, situated in a dimly lit chamber. At the forefront sat a bearded man, his commanding presence overshadowing the others who adorned the seats on either side.

The bearded man's voice carried a calmness as he inquired about the status of the attack. The tension in the room was palpable, and all eyes turned to the old man seated beside the leader, who hesitated before speaking.

"Yes, leader. The 6th unit failed to hold onto the reinforcements, and it led to a disastrous outcome," the old man explained, his voice filled with a mix of regret and apprehension.

The rebel army, aided by an unknown assailant, had meticulously planned an attack on the royal museum, coinciding with the visit of the prestigious Frejlord academy. Their objective was to assassinate the princess, a move intended to send a warning to the royal family and instill fear in the citizens about their own safety.

The initial phases of the plan had unfolded smoothly. As the masked man had promised, an insider had facilitated their entry through a portal. Matsya and Zale, two of their most skilled infiltrators, had successfully made their way into the royal museum. Seizing the opportune moment, the rebels released the monstrous creatures they had secretly bred—the Purblinds.

These abominable beings were the result of an unholy fusion between giants and orcs, the twisted creation of a mage who had met his demise at the hands of the empire for his grotesque experiments. In response, the empire had ruthlessly exterminated both the Purblinds and their creator, fearing the giants' wrath and their potential alliance with other species.

But the empire had overlooked one crucial detail—the mage's disciple, who now occupied the seventh seat among the rebel leaders. With the Purblinds unleashed within the royal museum, the assault on the princess began in earnest.

The situation grew more complicated when a mysterious figure suddenly emerged. Curiosity piqued, the leader turned to the old man seated in the second seat, maintaining his calm demeanor.

"What was he called, by the way?" the leader asked, causing sweat to trickle down the old man's forehead. He hesitated for a moment before answering, "The Sleeping Pendragon."

The old man's unease stemmed not from the leader's potential anger but from his reputation as a formidable figure. Furthermore, the leader's gaze shifted to the vacant 6th seat, reserved for Matsya, who was absent from the meeting due to her injuries sustained during the attack on the royal museum.

To exacerbate matters, divine energy, the customary means of healing, failed to restore her. Instead, it intensified her suffering, making her injuries all the more excruciating. Desperate to save her, the rebels resorted to archaic methods, employing herbs and primitive medicine to stem the bleeding and preserve her life. Regrettably, her left arm could not be reattached, and an insidious curse seemed to gnaw away at her remaining strength.

"Have you discovered anything about the dark energy emanating from her arm?" the leader inquired, this time directing his question to the occupant of the seventh seat.

"It bears resemblance to the energy employed by my late master, but this curse is far more potent and malevolent. I require additional time to unravel its mysteries," the occupant of the seventh seat replied, attempting to explain the perplexing situation.

Silence settled over the room, the weight of their recent losses hanging heavily in the air. After a prolonged pause, the leader finally broke the stillness.

"Though the mission itself was not entirely successful, we have managed to achieve our objective of sowing seeds of unease among the citizens," he stated, his voice resolute. "The price we have paid, however, is immense. We have lost one of our own, Commander Zale of the 6th unit, and the sixth leader herself has sacrificed an arm."

A sense of grief and determination filled the room. "The entire 6th unit has been annihilated, and the damage is far greater than we anticipated. But we cannot afford to retreat now," the leader declared firmly. "We shall carry the memory of their sacrifice within our hearts and press onward on our path to liberation!"

He rose from his seat, placing a fist over his heart. "For the liberation of the great Mauryan!" he proclaimed. One by one, the others in the room stood, their voices echoing in unison. "For the liberation of the great Mauryan!"

***

In the resplendent royal palace adorned with opulent decoratives, Kaiser von Britton, the lord of the seven provinces, holder of the mythical seal, and emperor of the great Mauryan, sat upon the majestic golden throne. 

Flanking him on either side of the royal court were the prime minister, the queen, the crown prince, and a host of ministers, each taking their designated places.

This day marked a momentous occasion as, for the first time in many years, all seven sages of the Mauryan Empire had been summoned to the royal court. The significance of the matter at hand was undeniable, reflected by the gathering of these revered figures.

Alongside the sages, the court also hosted a distinguished assemblage of influential individuals. Grand Duke Leopald Von Rozental and Grand Duke Arden Von Agnus, renowned figures in their own right, were present. Representing the prestigious Freljord Academy was Iris Peacefinder, while Commander Gallard Griffin, the leader of the imperial army's first division, stood among the distinguished guests. Each person in attendance wielded immense power and influence within the Mauryan empire, further emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

"Let the court commence," declared Dooth, the emperor's trusted messenger, signaling the official start of the royal proceedings.

"Firstly, Vice Master of the Justice Tower, Aurnox Blocker, please present the results of your investigation before the royal court," Dooth announced after receiving a nod of approval from the emperor.

Aurnox approached the emperor, his steps measured and respectful, before gracefully kneeling in front of him. "Long live the emperor! Glory to the great Mauryan," he greeted, showing his unwavering loyalty and respect before beginning his report.

"According to the investigation, yesterday around 12:00 PM, criminals suspected to be part of the rebel army launched an attack on the royal museum," Aurnox began, his voice projecting confidence and authority.

"Despite the heavy security maintained by the royal guards, a portal was unexpectedly opened inside the royal museum. It is highly likely that someone from within facilitated this breach. What is truly startling, however, is the fact that Purblinds—monstrous creatures believed to have been driven to extinction—were released in massive numbers within the museum's confines."

At this point, those present in the court were already aware of the initial attack, but the details that followed held their rapt attention.

"According to survivor testimonies, the rebels targeted two individuals in particular. The first was Lloyd Frontera, a professor at the esteemed Freljord Academy. Remarkably, he managed to ascend to the 8-star level, bravely withstanding the onslaught of monsters and repelling the rebels' attacks with the assistance of the academy's students. The second target was none other than Aurora Von Brittan, the beloved Princess of the Mauryan Empire."

As the emperor listened to the account, a frigid aura seemed to radiate from him, but he contained his anger, maintaining his composure.

"Fortunately, Lloyd Frontera's extraordinary prowess allowed him to endure the relentless assault of the monsters. Princess Aurora, too, valiantly confronted the rebel leader—a red-haired woman, as described in the testimonies—and presumably an 8-star knight herself."

The revelation that an 8-star knight was involved in the attack sent a chill through the faces of those gathered, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily upon them.

"Yet, thanks to the extraordinary skill of a young man named Eren Pendragon, who single-handedly managed to injure the 8-star knight and hold her off until reinforcements arrived, the safety of the princess was ensured."

Although Eren's feat amounted to firing a single bullet, the tale had grown somewhat exaggerated as it passed through the mouths of witnesses.

"As Duke Agnus arrived at the scene, the rebels chose to flee. While one of the two leaders was prevented from escaping, the red-haired woman managed to elude capture and even the one who was captured resorted to poisoning himself to avoid capture. Tragically, all those who accompanied her met a similar fate, succumbing either to the poison or to the relentless pursuit of the reinforcements. The situation was eventually brought under control. Despite the considerable loss of life, Professor Lloyd's stalwart defense, Eren Pendragon's heroic intervention, and the prompt arrival of reinforcements minimized the overall damage. However, in addition to the lives lost, many relics, weapons, and treasures stored within the museum have gone missing... and..."

Aurnox hesitated, his voice laced with concern before delivering the final blow.

"The Dragon Heart of Byrve, the evil dragon, is also missing."

---***---