The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 219

Perched atop the tree like a predator surveying its prey stood a man—tall, imposing, and radiant in knight armor polished to a dark steel hue.

His armor shimmered subtly under the broken light filtering through the forest canopy. His dark hair was slicked back neatly, a sharp contrast to the wild chaos of the battlefield below. Eyes darker than storm clouds peered down with a chilling clarity, scanning the scene with utter calm.

He looked like a war god descended.

Every movement he made seemed precise, intentional, terrifyingly still. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of a sword sheathed at his side, fingers twitching slightly as if measuring every heartbeat below.

The mercenaries and bandits stood paralyzed in awe and fear. Their earlier rage and confusion had turned into silence. No one dared speak.

From his vantage, the knight observed everything. He saw broken carriages, bloodied warriors, the smoke from dying fires curling through the air. Bodies lay scattered across the clearing, some moaning in pain, others unmoving. Kael stood with sword in hand. The burly armored man a few steps in front, shouting accusations. Trevor trembling behind. To his sharp eyes, nothing was hidden.

A brief flicker passed through his gaze—not of anger, but cold understanding.

And then he spoke.

His voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"I heard there is a Royal Guard leader among you," he said, calm but commanding. "Who is that person?"

The words echoed across the clearing, heavy and inescapable. For a moment, no one answered. Then it began to sink in.

Trevor stiffened, his heart pounding like a war drum. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

The mercenary leader swallowed hard.

The others exchanged glances filled with dread.

It was as if the knight's voice carried a death sentence.

Joy suddenly flickered in the burly armored man's eyes. He straightened, a sly grin creeping across his face. That question—it was his lifeline.

'Kkekekee...' he thought. 'You hadn't expected this, did you, masked guy? Now, I just need to twist my words and act well enough.'

He stepped forward with a hurried, reverent tone and raised his voice.

"It's me, Sir!" he called. "I am the Royal Guard you speak of."

Gasps rippled through the mercenaries.

"I was on an expedition," the burly man continued, voice layered with false conviction. "That's when I stumbled upon this group. They've been exploiting villagers, stealing from the poor, committing theft and unspeakable acts! I tried to stop them."

"WHAAAAT?!" the mercenaries shouted in collective disbelief.

Several swayed on their feet as if dizzy. One of them even dropped to his knees, completely confused.

"What is this?!"

"Did we hear that right?"

"He's blaming us?!"

"Wasn't he the one trying to kill us?!"

Trevor snapped out of his daze and stumbled forward.

"Sir!" he shouted desperately. "It's wrong! He's lying! He's the one who's been threatening us. Using force to extort our resources."

"LIESSSSS!" the burly armored man shrieked back. He sounded almost insulted, but his eyes gleamed with glee.

"Look at the insignia on my armor! I even showed it to them! They ignored it. They dared to insult royal authority!"

Trevor's face turned pale.

'FUCKKKK!' he cursed inwardly. 'Since when did bandits start using their damn brains?!'

He glanced up at the knight. One look at the armor, the posture, and the aura—Trevor knew. This wasn't just any knight. High-ranking. Maybe a commander. And those types had a common disease:

They snapped the moment they heard someone disrespected noble or royal authority. Like rabid dogs.

Seeing Trevor hesitate, the burly armored man pounced on the moment.

"Sir," he said in a solemn voice, bowing slightly. "I did my duty. They ignored the insignia. They mocked the authority of the King. I had no choice but to retaliate."

A long pause.

The man atop the tree stood in silence.

Then, he nodded slowly.

"I understand the situation very well," he said. "No need to speak any more. I will enact justice."

The burly man's eyes lit up with triumph. He laughed.

"Hahahaha! As expected of the Knights of Justice! Truly, you are a shining example of honor and truth!"

SWIIISSSHHHH!

Before his sentence could finish, a flash like lightning split the sky.

A sharp streak of blue light carved across the air, so fast the eye barely followed. It stretched from the tree to the ground in less than a blink, humming with fierce, concentrated energy.

The burly man blinked.

Something passed through his body—so quick he couldn't feel it.

He turned his head slightly, confused.

The knight was no longer atop the tree.

Gasps echoed again as everyone stared—not at the burly man—but behind him.

The knight now stood on the ground. Sword drawn. Held low, to the side. Steam slowly rises from its edge.

The world went silent again

The burly man, heart still pounding with imagined victory, slowly tried to turn.

He only managed half a twist.

Then his body tilted.

His head slid cleanly off his shoulders.

THUD.

The head hit the ground, rolling once before stopping—the man's wide, disbelieving eyes still staring straight ahead.

He never finished his last thought.

'Just what... happened now?'

Silence gripped the battlefield. Everyone stared, mouths agape.

The knight slowly turned to the others.

"There are no Royal Guards here," he said.

He wiped his blade clean in one smooth motion and sheathed it.

The birds began to chirp again. The wind returned.

But no one moved. No one dared.

Silence enveloped the clearing.

The knight stood

amidst the stunned crowd, his sword now sheathed.

He surveyed the onlookers, his gaze piercing.

"Let this be a lesson," he declared.

"Impersonating a Royal Guard is a grave offense."

The mercenaries and bandits alike nodded fervently, their earlier animosities forgotten in the face of such overwhelming power.

Kael, still reeling from the display, met the knight's eyes and offered a respectful nod.

The knight then stood with high almighty gaze his cape billowing behind him leaving everyone in awe.