The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 138:Infiltration

Kael signrd as he looked at the two cloaked figures standing beside him. It was none other than Handel and Vic.

"My Lord, since you all didn’t return last night, there was panic. Sir Robert sent us to check on you. On the way, we met Sir Albert, who briefed us about your plan, so we decided to come here," Handel explained calmly.

Kael smiled, then turned to Vic, who scoffed and shook his head.

"Don’t look at me like that. I came here of my own free will. I’m not worried about you," Vic grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, whatever..." Kael waved him off and turned his gaze back to the mine. "Are you seeing what I’m seeing?"

Handel and Vic followed his line of sight, their expressions turning grim. Massive Ice Titans stood like frozen gods, their glowing eyes lifeless yet filled with menace. Even one of them would be a nightmare to fight, and here, there were several. The huge Ice Trolls lurking nearby didn’t make things any better.

"Should we send a signal and gather the knights?" Handel asked thoughtfully, calculating the odds.

"Nah," Kael shook his head. "It’s too early for that. I plan to sneak inside in disguise and figure out what’s going on."

"It’s dangerous," Handel said with concern.

"It’s idiotic... and a damn good way to die," Vic snapped.

"Nah, it’s not," Kael chuckled darkly. "The one I killed was named Gret. He had underlings. And since these bastards are dressed in all black, no one can tell them apart. Since you two are here, why not join me? We’ll have fun."

"FUN?!" Vic and Handel yelled in unison, feeling a chill creep down their spines.

Kael took a bold step onto the icy field, heading straight for the abandoned town guarded by the massive creatures. Handel and Vic exchanged uneasy glances before following, their eyes darting around, ready for the worst.

To their shock, the monsters didn’t react. They stood still, ignoring the three intruders. It felt unnatural. It felt wrong. The sensation of being watched by unseen eyes made their skin crawl.

Vic suddenly stopped. "What the hell is going on?"

"There’s a barrier here," Handel said, running his hand along the invisible force in front of them. It was solid, like a wall of glass.

Kael rubbed his chin, eyes glinting with amusement. "Hah, that’s cute."

"My Lord, what should we do?" Handel asked. "If we try to break it, we’ll attract unwanted attention."

Kael hummed in thought, then grinned like a lunatic. "Maybe this will help."

Under Handel and Vic’s wary gaze, Kael pulled out something grotesque—a bloody patch of skin with a tattoo on it.

Vic recoiled in horror. "You—what the—?! What the hell is that?!"

Kael ignored him, pressing the bloody tattoo against the barrier. A faint glow pulsed through the air, and with a low hum, a passage opened before them.

He tossed two small pieces of raw, bloodied flesh to Handel and Vic. They caught them instinctively, then looked down in horror.

"I don’t know if one is enough, so use that for identification," Kael said casually, grinning ear to ear.

"You are a goddamn lunatic," Vic growled, staring at the disgusting piece of flesh in his hand.

Handel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "My Lord... this is truly unorthodox."

Kael chuckled, stepping through the passage. "Oh, come on, don’t be so uptight. Let’s see what fun awaits inside."

Kael stepped through the barrier first, his cloak blending into the dark shadows cast by the towering Ice Titans.

The air was freezing, thick with a biting cold that made each breath feel like inhaling shards of ice. The Ice Titans stood like statues, their massive forms nearly blending into the icy walls surrounding the mine. Their eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, following Kael and his two followers as they passed, but they did not move.

Handel and Vic hesitated for a moment, watching the monsters with wary eyes. The Ice Trolls, hunched and grotesque, let out deep grunts, their massive claws twitching as if sensing something was off. And yet, none of them attacked. It was unnatural. The sheer presence of these creatures should have been enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine, but Kael only smirked, relishing the sinister atmosphere.

"Keep walking. Don’t stop," Kael muttered under his breath, his voice calm but commanding.

Handel and Vic obeyed, carefully pacing their steps to match Kael’s. As they maneuvered through the frozen landscape, the tension was suffocating. It felt as if hundreds of unseen eyes were watching them, waiting for any sign of weakness. But they stayed in formation, moving like ghosts between the towering figures of death.

After what felt like an eternity, they passed the last row of guards and stepped into the town. It was nothing like the thriving settlement it once was. The cottages, once homes for the mine’s workers, were now dilapidated, their windows shattered, doors barely hanging from their hinges. The snow-covered streets were littered with broken carts and rusted mining equipment, a ghostly reminder of the life that once existed here.

But it wasn’t abandoned.

Dark figures moved through the town, their silhouettes blending into the snowy haze. They wore thick black cloaks, the emblem of a coiled serpent embroidered on their chests—Serpent Fangs. The air reeked of damp wood and burning flesh, the faint sound of steel clashing echoing from somewhere deeper inside.

Kael’s eyes gleamed. "Looks like we found the rats."

Handel and Vic exchanged glances, adjusting their cloaks. "Now what?" Vic grumbled. "We’re just gonna waltz in?"

Kael turned, his expression sharp. "That’s exactly what we’re gonna do."

Before Vic could protest, Kael strode forward, confidence radiating off him like a storm. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t falter. The key to deception was to act like you belonged. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

The first Serpent Fang they encountered barely spared them a glance. Kael kept his movements relaxed, his pace steady. Handel and Vic followed closely, mimicking his confidence.

As they moved deeper into the town, they saw a large fire pit at the center where several men were gathered. Some were sharpening weapons, others eating, and a few were huddled in deep conversation.

Bypassing, he came to the center house that was quite bigger compared to the rest.He saw many people going there and coming out from it.

A rough-looking man, his face scarred and his eyes cold, stepped forward. "Who the hell are you?"

Kael didn’t flinch. Instead, he tilted his head, exuding casual arrogance. "New recruits. We were stationed at the outer post."

The man narrowed his eyes. "Gret was in charge of the outer post."

Kael let out a dark chuckle, tilting his head. "And Gret is dead.I am his underlying.We need to inform something."

A deep silence lingered.

The nearby Serpent Fangs turned to listen.

Kael took a slow step forward, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. "We were sent here to report. If you have a problem, take it up with the boss. Otherwise, step aside."

The man hesitated. Kael could see the gears turning in his head, weighing whether or not to challenge him. Then, with a grunt, he stepped back. "Tch. Whatever. Get inside and don’t cause trouble.Also keep your voice down before the boss."

Kael smirked, brushing past him without another word.

Handel followed smoothly, but Vic couldn’t help but mutter under his breath, :What a Cocky bastard.’

He was shocked seeing just how smoothly they managed to enter.

As they entered one of the larger cottages, Kael finally allowed himself a small smile. They were in. Now, the real fun began.