I Transmigrated Into a Game World as a Former Top Player

The three armored riders’ declaration sent ripples of shock across the castle walls.

Tanchapel had actually sent Justiciars?

This was no small matter.

These Justiciars served directly under the city’s arcane overseers. Each one was a hardened peak 2nd Rank expert. Their order numbered fewer than twenty in the entire region, yet their reputation for ruthlessness preceded them.

Dispatching three of them to a remote territory? This went far beyond a simple arrest.

The Bramble Syndicate members exchanged uneasy glances. Krael gripped his greatsword tighter, his gaze shifting toward Corbin with clear suspicion.

Corbin maintained a calm facade, though a smug sneer twisted inwardly.

He had complied with the Masked Twin Blades out of necessity, but his true backer in Tanchapel held real influence. This was his gamble.

Let the Masked Twin Blades come for me later. A man of his strength still can’t possibly escape three Justiciars.

His lips curled slightly in satisfaction—until his eyes twitched.

Where was the Masked Twin Blades?

One moment the rogue stood among them. The next, he had vanished like smoke.

Before Corbin could process it, a weak but steady voice rang out from deep within the castle ramparts.

"Justiciars of Tanchapel? Do they have so little to occupy them these days?"

"When Redoak Vale fell to the gnolls, where were you?"

"Where was your sworn duty to the Arcane Covenant?"

"This is my territory. You trespass here and speak of capturing someone? This is a blatant violation of the Covenant’s laws!"

"Your presence here offends me greatly. I care not who sent you—get out of my lands!"

The words struck like hammer blows, growing sharper with each sentence.

A pale, frail youth stepped into view on the battlements. He appeared thin and sickly, as if recovering from a grave illness. A strong wind might topple him.

Yet he stood ramrod straight, his voice carrying clearly to the riders below.

The three Justiciars’ expressions changed drastically.

---

"My Lord!"

"My Lord!"

"You’ve returned!"

The Redoak Vale garrison surged forward in excitement. They had assumed their young baron was still delayed in Tanchapel. None expected him to already be inside the castle.

Corbin cursed his rotten luck.

This whelp is sharper than expected. He must have slipped in during the night with Elyra’s group.

As for the Masked Twin Blades... he was probably ordered to withdraw.

I’m finished.

Verne clutched his head, his quick mind already foreseeing the disaster unfolding.

---

Xander was indeed a destitute noble in the eyes of many.

In Tanchapel, after losing his territory, he had been mocked and bullied—even by street gangs. The city officials had dismissed him because he could not hold his own lands.

But Redoak Vale was different.

This was his domain. The Arcane Covenant had granted him sovereign rights here. Challenging an overlord’s authority on his own soil was tantamount to provoking the entire southern Covenant.

No one dared cross that line lightly.

Even these elite Justiciars from Tanchapel hesitated.

Redoak Vale held no formal vassalage to Tanchapel. Xander could reject their warrant outright. His grandfather had been a respected high-ranking wizard, and the Covenant protected such bloodlines.

The three Justiciars exchanged uneasy looks, anger flashing across their faces. Yet they had no easy recourse. Forcing entry would mean open defiance of an overlord’s dignity—a line few were willing to cross in this era before the Great Shattering.

After a tense silence, one knight called upward:

"Baron Xander, the Masked Twin Blades is a dangerous fugitive—"

Xander cut him off sharply. "I have seen no official warrant from Tanchapel’s council!"

"Only some anonymous bounty posted in the guilds. Anyone with enough coin can issue such trash. Clearly, the Masked Twin Blades has offended some wealthy patron."

"But that is none of my concern. Hunt him elsewhere if you wish. On my lands, he is as welcome as any craftsman or merchant."

Xander feigned a harsh coughing fit before continuing in a stern tone:

"Leave. We have only just reclaimed our valley. Much work remains."

"When my people suffered, Tanchapel offered no aid."

"From this day forward, Redoak Vale will not welcome officials from Tanchapel."

The declaration stunned everyone present.

Even Elyra looked startled. This was nearly a declaration of severed ties!

Food imports, trade routes—how would they manage?

"Young Master..." Elyra began.

Xander raised a hand, maintaining his angry facade. "My decision is final."

"I need rest. If those three refuse to depart, I will invoke the [Crimson Ember Sigil] and request a Covenant arbiter."

He turned and departed the ramparts.

The adventurers wore varied expressions. Krael relaxed slightly—he suspected the Masked Twin Blades was safely inside.

Sure enough, upon hearing the threat of the Crimson Ember Sigil, the Justiciars’ faces darkened. They wheeled their mounts and left without another word.

They had no choice but to report back.

---

"Since the contract is complete, our team will depart as well," Verne announced with a forced smile.

He had no desire to linger. If the Masked Twin Blades had noticed his betrayal, staying here was suicide.

Elyra offered a polite smile. "You are welcome to return as guests in the future."

This, too, followed Xander’s instructions. She trusted his judgment completely. Since his recovery, his decisions had proven flawless.

The Lynx team soon departed the castle.

---

Night fell. The fortress felt cold and empty with so few inhabitants remaining.

In Xander’s study, Krael sat restlessly before the desk.

Xander, still looking frail, raised an eyebrow. "You say the Masked Twin Blades has already left?"

"He mentioned the cure for your daughter’s plague could be found in my study?"

Krael nodded heavily. The rogue’s words had been clear.

"I see. I will search these archives for records of the [Shadowblight Essence]. Do not worry—your daughter still has time. I will locate the relevant texts soon."

"Thank you, my Lord!" Krael bowed deeply, gratitude evident in his voice.

After he left, Elyra entered through a side door.

"Why not cure his daughter now?" she asked quietly.

Xander smiled faintly. "I will."

"But not yet."

The Shadowblight Essence was tied to a greater power’s experiment. Curing it prematurely would draw unwanted divine attention.

Xander had no fear of gods, but he refused to invite trouble recklessly—especially with so many tasks ahead.

First, the food shortage had to be resolved.

---

System Notification: Territory Reclamation Progress Updated.

Redoak Vale – Control: 87%. Remaining Threats: Minimal.

Reputation with Local Garrison: Revered.

Hidden Quest Progress: Unmask the Mastermind – New Leads Available.

Xander leaned back in his chair, eyes gleaming with cold calculation beneath the fatigue.

The real game was only beginning.

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