The Paladin in the Abyss

When Lancelot reached the throne hall in Tigana's Castle, the Succubus Lord had not appeared yet, but he was not the first one to arrive—four fully armed Dwarves were already there waiting.

Lancelot recognized these Dwarves as vaguely familiar, then realized that he had indeed seen them before: when it was decided to establish a Temple of Moradin in the Shattered Mountain Range to house the Holy Iron Anvil, seven powerful Dwarf Warriors had stepped forward, taking on the duty of guarding the Temple.

The four in front of him were of those seven Dwarves; they were all veterans of many battles, skilled in martial arts, among whom the leader was also a Dwarf Priest of Moradin, possessing Divine Arts abilities to protect against toxins and heal life.

Of course, before becoming a priest, he was also an experienced warrior.

"You must be Sir Lancelot." The Temple Guards, all Dwarves, stood up and greeted Lancelot.

"Uncle Vito?" Bruto's voice rang out in surprise, "How did you come here?"

"We were directly summoned by Tigana, she mentioned it's about the honor of the Dwarves." The Dwarf Priest named Vito said with conviction, "We have been informed of the situation. Retrieving the platinum relic is an indisputable duty for every Dwarf. We will fully support your actions, but what exactly is the plan?"

Lancelot was about to speak, but suddenly closed his mouth, turning his gaze towards a step behind the throne.

The figure of the Succubus Lord appeared there, followed by an uneasy Goblin and a Demon with a calm demeanor.

Perhaps in an effort to reduce the unease of these devout Dwarves, Tigana currently adopted a human form, dressed in a well-tailored black long skirt, with her wings nowhere to be seen.

Lancelot noticed she was wearing a beautiful diamond necklace around her neck, the very one he had gifted her before.

"Good morning, my lady." Lancelot performed a knightly bow toward Tigana, "You look especially beautiful today."

"Good morning, knight." Tigana returned the greeting with a smile and slightly lifted her chin. "Meet the guide for the operation. This Goblin is Phil, whom I believe you might have seen in the mercenary area."

Bruto jumped up; how could he possibly forget this little swindler?

Phil immediately hid behind the Succubus Lord, a pitiful look on his face.

"Good, this is exactly the acting skill I need." Tigana's tail was far more powerful than it looked, and it whipped around to scoop up the Goblin, "Phil is one of the best intelligence officers in Twin Bridges Town, very familiar with many Neutral Towns. It seems you've already witnessed his talent in impersonating merchants.

He will play the leader of the merchant convoy, and your roles will be as the convoy's guards."

"Nice to see you again, Sir." Phil weakly waved at Lancelot, then was put down by Tigana.

"This is Iados, the finest Brezu Swordsman in Twin Bridges Town." Tigana then introduced the Demon beside her, and Lancelot realized it was the very Brezu Demon he had briefly met under Tigana's statue when he first arrived in Twin Bridges Town.

At that time, the Demon was holding a Great Sword, and had greeted Lancelot with a courtesy very uncharacteristic of Demons, both of which had left a deep impression on him.

"Nice to meet you again, Sir Lancelot." The towering Demon with a goat-like head nodded at Lancelot; his words and gaze held only calm, a trait Lancelot had never seen in other Demons. "I had thought you were a master swordsman then; I hope to have a chance to spar with you."

"I live in the Hagrid Manor in the eastern district and am always happy to have you visit," Lancelot said to the Brezu Demon with a mix of curiosity and fondness, and he did not hesitate to accept the invitation.

"Let's wait until this mission is completed."

"Remember to notify me when the time comes; I don't want to miss out on this good show," Tijana's voice rang out again, "Iados will lead twenty Brezu warriors to lie in wait outside Oasis Fort, and should you be chased, they will handle those who follow."

"We will wait for you in the woods about three miles outside Oasis Fort, a perfect spot for an ambush," Iados chimed in, "If for any reason that spot becomes unsuitable, an alternate rendezvous point is fifteen miles further south in Crackskull Valley. Phil will point these locations out to you on your way to Oasis Fort."

"Understood, thank you very much," Lancelot nodded his head.

"You all need to be fully prepared for difficulties," Tijana spoke up, "According to intelligence sent back by the spies in Oasis Fort, Molo seems to have sensed something. He should have set out three weeks ago but only left this morning. In the meantime, he significantly increased the guard strength, and the number of soldiers patrolling the streets has tripled."

This news unsettled everyone, and the dwarves began whispering among themselves. Lancelot furrowed his brow and asked,

"How could this be? Has our plan been leaked?"

"The plan should not have been leaked; his arrangements seem to be geared towards a large-scale military attack. Furthermore, the focus of the guards inside the city is not the Succubus Palace but his own castle," Tijana spoke with certainty, "Perhaps he has guessed something or learned of some plans from other forces.

He does not know that someone is targeting an ordinary item in the Succubus Palace, and that's our advantage."

"If things go smoothly, we'll just need to silently take out one or two guards."

"If things go smoothly," Tijana agreed and then seemed to recall something amusing, flashing a sinister smile, "Is that item ready?"

"It's ready," Kalalin quickly replied.

"Let me see the effect," Tijana's expression became even more bizarre, her voice filled with anticipation.

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"Uh, better not," Lancelot awkwardly declined the Succubus Lord's request, "I've already tested it, and the effect is better than anticipated; it will definitely help us blend in seamlessly."

"Are you sure? I can make you more persuasive,"

"It's already very persuasive," Lancelot declined again, his tone very firm.

"Well, perhaps next time we're alone, you'll have some new ideas."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Apart from Lancelot and Kalalin, the others listened to their conversation with confusion; even Bruto was baffled, but he didn't dwell on it—after all, who knew what Tijana and Lancelot might have discussed privately. It was perfectly normal for him not to understand.

"Let's set out, my warriors; three carriages are already waiting for their masters at the head of North Bridge," Tijana waved her hand, "I await your good news and truly believe you won't disappoint me."