Little Pink Starfish

In terms of combat strength, it took about six or seven players to deal with one member of the Dragon Star Knights.

The Dragon Star Knights used to be somewhat reputable. Feil, once a royal guard, ranked low among the Royal Knights. If it hadn’t been for His Majesty Leiser’s early obsession with Duke Burke Angre, Feil would never have been sent to the Lano Territory.

Feil had been ostracized and lacked the strength to gain a foothold, eventually becoming a discarded pawn. However, he held on to his pride and sought to achieve something. Wallis managed to win him over due to a few life-saving coincidences, earning Feil’s loyalty.

Over the years, even the most honorable knights succumbed to corruption. That’s how they ended up as a key part of the human trafficking ring. Without the protection of the Dragon Star Knights, Kui Wolf could never have sold captives to the distant central territories.

Still, their strength was genuine. Years of escort missions kept them battle-ready.

So when the players suddenly charged, even Kesso and the mages were dumbfounded—as were Wallis and his knights. It wasn’t what they expected at all. Wallis had no idea Eagle truly meant to kill him. He thought it was just an angry show.

He panicked when he heard Kesso was coming but still expected diplomacy. Unfortunately, the Bix people stormed the mansion before any words could be exchanged.

From a player’s perspective: cutscenes could be skipped. There was no cinematic now, and only one boss. If an NPC killed him, they’d lose loot. So the part about “assisting the Mage Tower” was completely ignored.

But Kesso had been told the Bix people would assist him.

This didn’t feel like assistance.

The Dragon Star Knights were swarmed. Though powerful, they were vastly outnumbered by over 2,000 players.

This limited-time mission attracted more attention than the birthday banquet. In fact, it was Sunday. Almost every player who wasn’t already online rushed home once the quest dropped. Even dates were canceled. Priorities!

Closed beta testers were at their peak obsession with the game. Of the 2,200 testers across both phases, over 2,100 had shown up. Astounding participation.

“Interesting group,” Kesso commented. “I hear Pei Sen is one of them?”

“He is, but he seems pretty normal,” said Bersa beside him, startled by the crazed Bix fighters.

The mages stood frozen, not knowing what to do.

“We can’t cast spells now; we’ll hit the Bix fighters too,” someone said.

After all, they were on the same side. With the knights fully surrounded by players, precision spellcasting was tough, especially for apprentices and low-level mages. Only intermediate mages could manage.

Kesso smirked. “Then let them go first. Don’t let anyone escape.”

“Understood, Lord Kesso.”

He wasn’t stupid. If even one knight escaped, Eagle would use it against him. He wouldn’t give him the chance.

Pei Sen hadn’t anticipated this either. He’d expected the Mage Tower to be the main force, with players blocking escape routes.

Instead, players became the primary attackers while mages stood idle.

But considering the players’ personalities, it wasn’t surprising.

“Do they even read the quest text?” Pei Sen muttered. “And can they even beat Wallis and the knights?”

Among the 2,000+ players, only the closed-beta veterans were over level 6. Most second-wave testers were under that.

Dragon Star Knights, led by Feil, quickly regrouped and pushed back. The frontline players, overconfident, began to fall in waves.

Wallis, initially panicked, tapped into the resolve of his former knighthood. He wasn’t weak. Kesso, as a level 9 mage, could handle him, but the knights were mostly level 3 swordsmen wielding greatswords. Feil himself was level 4. They had excellent coordination.

“Too reckless,” Pei Sen frowned. “Level 5 bosses with support from level 3 elites? That’s suicide.”

That was why the quest said to assist the mages. But the players were too eager.

They kept falling, unable to withstand the knights’ power, let alone reach Wallis.

Kesso watched coldly, a mocking smile on his face.

He disliked Pei Sen and, by extension, the Bix people. Unlike the refined Pei Sen, the fighters looked ragged. Disdain oozed from the elite mage.

Let them die.

The other mages shared this sentiment. A few younger ones looked uneasy, worried Pei Sen would retaliate later. But most just watched the slaughter with casual chatter.

Then something changed.

The relentless Bix warriors kept charging. Reinforcements arrived, and not a single one retreated.

Even Kesso was speechless.

Bones piled up. The dead turned to skeletons almost instantly. Still, their comrades marched over the remains, swords raised high.

Words couldn’t capture the scene. Even the experienced Kesso was silenced.

The mages stopped chatting. Pale-faced.

“This is horrific… why doesn’t Kesso order us to act?” one apprentice finally whispered.

Others echoed the sentiment. They were supposed to kill Wallis, not let these allies die like this.

The players weren’t stupid. They noticed the boss was strong and hit hard. But he had no healers. If they kept pressing, he’d eventually go down. Plus, second-phase players below level 10 didn’t lose XP on death.

“No healers, no regen. We can wear him down!”

“Exactly! We can do it!”

“It’s slow, but the knight mini-boss lost 5% health already!”

So they kept fighting, swords targeting weak spots—unarmored joints, faces, limbs. One player even went for a knight’s groin, causing visible rage.

No one feared the skeletons underfoot. No one felt horror.

Kesso realized his inaction was damaging his authority. He finally cast a spell. Wallis, recognizing the danger, tried to flee.

“Feil! Break through! Forget the Bix!”

“We’re surrounded,” Feil said grimly.

The Bix warriors refused to retreat, their sacrifice creating an impenetrable wall.

Even escape was impossible.

Back at the manor, Eagle remained stone-faced. Sadin and Ichabod, seeing Kesso finally act, knew it was over. Wallis would die.

“What will happen to Casey City afterward?” Sadin asked.

Eagle sneered. “It’s just a city. Are you saying we can’t survive without one lord?”

“Of course not,” Sadin replied carefully.

“Mary has served me for years,” Eagle continued. “Her family served the Lano house like Wallis’s. She’d make a fine city lord.”

Sadin was stunned. Mary as city lord?

“But if she leaves, who will manage the manor?”

“She’ll still be close. It’s just Casey City.”

Sadin was silent. Mary wasn’t nobility, but being appointed by Eagle would make her one. Wallis had started the same way.

If Mary later heard Sadin had blocked her promotion, it would damage their relationship. But Sadin didn’t want her to leave.

She kept Eagle in check. No replacement would be as reliable.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Eagle snapped. “Pei Sen will take over her position. He’s my personal steward now.”

Pei Sen froze. He hadn’t expected this.

Eagle grinned and winked playfully.

Pei Sen: “…”

This decision meant a huge boost in authority. If Mary remained in charge, it would be impossible to sneak Eagle out. As steward himself, Pei Sen could manage it.

Eagle was determined to follow Pei Sen wherever he went.

After so many years locked in the manor, this was his first real chance at freedom. He wouldn’t let it slip away.

Pei Sen hadn’t thought that far. But Sadin and Ichabod were both staring at him now, eyes full of suspicion.

They thought Pei Sen had influenced Eagle.

He felt wronged. He hadn’t!

“Am I really becoming a pampered favorite…”

He was now the fastest-rising person in the manor, envied and gossiped about. And he was handsome, which didn’t help.

In Esmia, Eagle at fifteen was an adult. Only Pei Sen still thought of him as a kid.

At the edge of the Starfall Plains, several mounted knights raced toward Golden Rose Manor, escorting a silver-haired youth. Handsome but sickly, he coughed, eyes weary.

“Only Eagle would take me in now,” he muttered with a bitter smile.

This was Aken Ashkro, who had sent a letter to Eagle not long ago. He had no idea so much had happened in his absence.

Back in Casey City, Wallis and Feil finally fell. Players cheered, screenshots flew across the forum.

Claude, who had missed the quest due to a boring social event, logged in just as the knights passed by.

“What the hell! Another big quest trigger?!” he cried, snapping a screenshot.

Pei Sen saw the post immediately. Those riders were heading toward the manor.

He glanced at Eagle.

Please let the young master be distracted by something.

If something happens to him, the players will murder me.

I can’t afford that!