I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 319: He is not innocent

”W-wait!” he uttered desperately. ”I can explain! This… this isnʼt what it looks like!”

Julian stepped closer, his aura pressing down on the commander.

”You really thought you could play both sides and no one would find out?” he said, his cold, mocking tone sending shivers down the commanderʼs spine.

”You have been caught red-handed, and now you think there is room for excuses?”

The commander turned his eyes towards Alden and started pleading.

”Your Grace! I swear I was only acting under pressure! I was forced—”

”Enough!” Alden shouted, silencing the room. Both disappointment and fury glowed in his eyes as he glared at the commander. ”How dare you betray the very people who trusted you? You have put us all in danger for your own greed.”

Julianʼs aura flared once more, pressing down even more heavily on the commander.

”Your punishment will be dealt with swiftly. There is no place for traitors in Easvil.” His lips curled into a wicked smile.

”You have a wife, donʼt you?”

The commanderʼs entire body stiffened, and goosebumps formed all over his skin. His eyes widened with terror as the realization of Julianʼs words sank in.

”P-please,” he begged, ”Leave her out of this… She has nothing to do with any of it.”

Julian tilted his head, acting innocent as his smile widened further.

”Oh, but why should I? You dragged us all into this mess. Why should your family escape unharmed?”

”Julian,” Aldenʼs voice broke the chatter. ”This is a serious matter. We donʼt need to involve innocents.”

”Innocents?” Julian mocked, never taking his piercing gaze off the commander.

”This traitor risked the lives of thousands of our soldiers and the safety of our family. Why should his wife sleep peacefully while others suffer for his greed?”

The commander dropped to his knees within the barrier, his hands joined together as tears began to fall down his face.

”I beg you, spare her! I will do anything—just please donʼt harm her!”

Julian leaned in closer, his wicked smile never wavering. ”You should have thought about your family before betraying mine.”

Alden stepped forward, placing his hands on Julianʼs shoulder.

”Julian, thatʼs enough. His family shouldnʼt pay for his sins. Letʼs deal with him, not them.”

Julian turned to Alden. His aura flared once again as his voice thundered, ”Innocent? His wife? Tell me, Father, was he innocent when he endangered thousands of lives? Was his family innocent when he decided to betray ours?!”

He pointed back at the cowering commander. ”Oi, you. Speak! What did Ethwer promise you?”

The commander stuttered as his voice shook in fear. ”He... he said he would give me 20% of the profits from the castle... and help me obtain a title.”

Julianʼs eyes narrowed. ”A title of what?”

The commander hesitated. ”M-Marquis...”

Julianʼs lip curled into a mock smile. ”Marquis? And tell me, who did you do all of this for? Who were you betraying us for?”

The commander lowered his head, his voice barely audible. ”M-myself... and my family...”

Julian turned to Alden, his voice rising in anger. ”See, Father? He did it all for his family. He wanted to kill our family, betray everything we have built, just so this pathetic fucker could feed his family. And you still want to call them innocent?”

Alden stayed silent, clenching his fists. He knew Julianʼs words carried truth, but the weight of punishing an entire family didnʼt sit right with him. His heart wanted to forgive as he looked at the broken man before him, yet his sonʼs argument was irrefutable.

Julianʼs gaze swept coldly across the room. ”Soldier,” he said, pointing at one of the men in the corner.

”You—come here. Take this shithole and throw him into the deepest prison we have.”

The soldier bowed and moved swiftly to obey. He dragged the trembling commander toward the exit and disappeared into the hallway.

Julianʼs eyes then shifted to another soldier. ”And you—go and find this traitorʼs family. Every single one of them. Bring them here and cage them in the same prison. After this battle is won, I will deal with each of them personally.”

Alden could no longer stay silent, and he interjected hesitantly. ”Julian... donʼt drag his family into this. They didnʼt—”

Julian raised a hand, cutting his father off mid-sentence.

”My decision is final, Father. If this piece of shit canʼt even show loyalty after ten years of serving you, then there is no reason for you or me to show mercy. His family is just as guilty for benefiting from his betrayal as he is for committing it.”

Alden remained silent, his head lowered.

Julian turned back to the soldier. ”Go now. I want this dealt with before the battle ends. When I return, I expect answers—and not any excuses.”

The soldiers snapped to attention and left to carry out his orders immediately.

After giving the order, Julianʼs thoughts shifted back to the battlefield. His eyes glowed with determination. I have to do something.

He approached the table where a detailed map of Easvil was laid out. He gestured for everyone in the room to gather around, and they quickly moved closer.

He leaned over the table, scanning the map.

After a moment, he said, ”Father, since itʼs not Apollo but the army of Ethwer, their numbers canʼt be more than 2,000.”

The high-ranking officials nodded in agreement.

The strategist stepped forward and added, ”Yes, Your Grace. And judging by how the surrounding nobles havenʼt responded to our calls, it seems they have been bought off but not fully subdued. If we offer them much more gold, we can easily bring them back to our side.”

Julian nodded thoughtfully. ”True,” he said, his fingers tracing the map.

He paused over a rocky mountain near the border of their lands. ”This mountain here,” he said, pointing to it, ”is the key.”

Alden thought about it for some time, but he could not find any compelling reasons. ”But how?” he asked.

Julian straightened his posture. ”Since they are still buying off the nobles to isolate us, they will need a high ground to keep an eye on our duchy for any unexpected reinforcements.”

He traced his hand downward across the map to a dense forest. ”They will use this forest,” Julian continued. ”Itʼs the best route to stay concealed while moving their forces undetected.”

”Even if they do not use this route, we have to make sure that they do anyhow.”

Julianʼs hand stopped at a wide-open field just beyond the forest. He tapped the spot. ”And this... this is where we will ambush them.”

***

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