I Level Up Dragons with My Evolution System-Chapter 68: A trap

In the Main Hall.

From the moment he entered, Lander had noticed that something was wrong in this place. He wasn’t a mage with heightened perception; he was just a novice mage, but his skin bristled like goose bumps several times.

The looks the guards gave him weren’t mere looks of doubt or caution toward a stranger; they were something more.

The pressure rose from his ribs to his heart and from there settled in his veins. When he noticed that his body was acting strangely, Lander knew that this was not going to end as well as he thought.

Perhaps it was his instincts screaming at him to hurry up and get out of there, but he had to clench his teeth tightly to resist that urgency and fear.

Right now, he was Clara Merchant and Mery’s personal guard... his mission was dangerous. He knew that. But his spells were ready at the entrance and everywhere else.

Since he came here, he had prepared everything to know if he would be attacked. It was dangerous, but it was the only part of the mission he had mastered, as he didn’t know how to handle the rest of the situations.

He wasn’t prepared for traps. What if they encountered a trap on their way to the basement? He wasn’t prepared to fight unless it was for survival either...

’Everything will be fine. It’s just nerves.’ He tried to convince himself.

His steady footsteps stopped right in front of the main armchair, where a man who looked very similar to his target was sitting.

’If it’s not Silas, then they really are identical.’ Lander was surprised.

"Uncle," Clara greeted him in a flat voice.

"I haven’t seen you in 10 days, little Clara." Her uncle, Scylas, greeted her. "It’s unusual for you to come here twice in a month. Has something happened?"

"A few things happened, Uncle. I had to rush over to tell you," Clara replied.

"Well, you can tell me after you introduce me to your new friend. I know Miss Mery, but who is this man?" he asked, his gaze resting on Lander’s body.

"Oh, Uncle. He’s my new personal bodyguard." Clara stepped aside to introduce him. "This is Lander, a mercenary with bodyguard skills. I brought him today precisely because the matter at hand is... complicated."

Scylas nodded. "He seems quiet," he said, almost ignoring what she had said.

"He is," Clara acknowledged with a soft smile. "That’s why I brought him."

Scylas still stared at him. It was clear he had his doubts. But after a while, he laughed and leaned back in his chair.

"It’s good that you now have a bodyguard; it will come in handy to protect you from the idiots in your area," he acknowledged. "By the way, what did you want to tell me?"

Clara sighed inwardly, grateful that this man was not pressing the issue.

"Uncle, the thing is... someone wants to kill you," she revealed.

Scylas stared at her for several minutes and frowned.

"I’m sure a lot of people want to kill me, niece. We Merchants are powerful and rich."

"This time is different. They haven’t been afraid to go to my organization to hire a group of mercenaries."

"Interesting." Scylas leaned forward. "Did you teach them a lesson? I’m sure you know how to get things done." His eyes flashed intensely.

Clara lowered her head slightly, intimidated by those eyes. "...We tried, Uncle."

"You tried? I don’t like that answer." Scylas growled.

"But it’s all we can give you. We tried, but we failed. I sent my best mercenaries, and they were all defeated in no time."

"Oh." Scylas frowned. "Beastmasters, right?"

"Yes. There are two of them," she replied. "They are both very powerful."

Scylas leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. It took him several seconds to gather his thoughts and respond.

"Do you know where they are?" he asked.

"Are you going to send men after them? They’ve probably changed their residence..."

"I didn’t ask you to deduce my intentions." Scylas looked at her, his cold gaze making her tremble.

"I’m sorry. They’re at the Goodnight Inn, on Middle Street, room 13," she replied, lowering her head again.

"Very well." Scylas smiled and pressed a bell on the right armrest of his chair.

The sound caused a man to rush through the door. "My lord."

Clara didn’t turn to look at him, because if she did, she would get angry. He was the family butler who had served her father... The main traitor who caused Silas’ downfall.

"You heard that, right?" Scylas asked.

"I heard it, sir."

"Very well, then kill them. The time has come for my ascension."

The butler hesitated. "Um... Are you sure, sir?"

"I am. The time has come." Scylas stood up.

The butler became excited and nodded. "I will do as you say."

With that, he turned around, but did not leave.

"Guards, we have traitors served on a platter! It’s time for them all to die!" he roared.

Suddenly, many guards who had been waiting nearby came out and surrounded the group standing in the middle of the room. There were about 30 of them, the entire armed force of the Merchant mansion.

They were clad in metal armor, quite resistant to almost any type of attack. They carried reinforced swords and spears, not at all the kind of weaponry a small family of merchants could have...

Clara was speechless for a moment.

But Lander clenched his fists. His bad feeling now made sense.

Perhaps it was his ability as a perception mage that told him something was wrong. But... What happened? Were they betrayed?

He looked at Clara, furious. "Do you want to die?" he asked in an almost inaudible whisper.

Finally, Clara came to her senses and became alarmed. The cold words behind her made her shudder, but even more so did the 30 men surrounding her.

Still, she couldn’t show her desperation. She had to remain calm and ask, "Uncle, what is this?" Despite trying to remain as calm as possible, her voice betrayed her.

"Heh." Scylas sneered. "You think you can betray me like that, you little bastard? Let’s be honest, Clara. You were always in my grasp, and you always will be until the end of your days. You could have lived a peaceful life, ruling your territory for a while longer, but since you insist on sending yourself to your death, then I’ll grant you your wish!"

At his words, the guards advanced with a roar. "Death to traitors!"

His words were cold and sharp as a sword... But Clara was unaffected. She didn’t care about his words; he was the biggest scum she had ever known. What affected her was knowing that she would fail.

This was a mission carried out with the highest level of confidentiality. Only a few people knew about it!

Clara turned to look at Lander. They... betrayed her? Was what Mery said true? What was their intention, and what did they gain from it?

Lander’s expression was deadly cold. He wanted to say something, but he remained still, alert...

Just then.

The guards lunged at them.

"Kill them!"