Killing

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Clay was absolutely furious—how dare anyone mess with him like this!

The guard had just brought distressing news: his younger sister, Wylla, had gotten separated from her escort while wandering through the bustling city. By the time the guard realized the situation, Wylla had already been harassed by a minor noble of House Lannister.

When the guard arrived and revealed their identity, the arrogant young noble finally understood that he had harassed a noble lady. However, his response was to mockingly toss a few copper stars onto the ground!

This was a direct insult to the Manderly family, rubbing their face in the dirt. Such an affront was intolerable!

After hearing the full details from the guard, Hostar's eyes turned bloodshot with rage. First, the young master had spent a night in the mud, and now Lady Wylla had been harassed by the Lannisters due to the guards' incompetence. If this wasn't handled properly, even if he had three heads, they wouldn't be enough to stop Lord Manderly from executing him!

"Young Master, I shall gather the guards and teach these scoundrels the true meaning of facing the wrath of the Sea God. This matter will not be left unresolved!"

Without waiting for Clay's response, Hostar, his beard trembling with rage, stormed out like a gust of wind.

To be honest, Clay's several dozen knights in full plate armor could easily handle a minor noble, but with the King's court present, even in his fury, he had to consider the repercussions of his actions.

The situation was urgent, and showing the Manderly family's displeasure by assembling their forces was necessary, but Clay couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right after he had calmed down a bit.

This entire incident felt too strange. Wylla might be somewhat naive, but she wasn't foolish, and her guards weren't inexperienced. Clay knew that in certain ways, her guards were even more capable than he was as the heir.

It was simply unrealistic for Wylla to have lost her guards. Even if it had happened, was it really a coincidence? To be harassed the moment she was out of sight from her guards? Clay's instincts told him something was off—this whole situation felt too orchestrated to be merely a chance.

Rushing to the scene with urgency, Clay saw the White Harbor guards, their armor gleaming under the sun and swords drawn, surrounding the few Lannister minor nobles Wylla's guards had managed to restrain.

Hostar was holding an utterly distraught Wylla, and as soon as she saw Clay, she broke free from Hostar's grip and rushed into his arms, tears of grievance streaming down her face as she buried her head in his chest.

"You are her brother?" a gruff voice called out from a distance, thick with the heavy stench of alcohol.

Clay turned his cold gaze toward the arrogant young Lannister still sitting on his horse, his face twisted in disdain. More than anger, Clay felt confusion. Surrounded by dozens of knights in full plate armor, if he signaled to them, these fools were moments away from becoming a pile of mangled limbs.

The main line of Tywin Lannister's family was well-maintained, but why were these side branches so reckless and lacking in sense? They had no brains at all.

Ignoring the drunken Lannister provocations, Clay turned his attention back to Wylla. He gently comforted her, relieved that nothing more extreme had happened. If it had, it would have been beyond his control, and he would have had to report to his father—a prospect Clay desperately wanted to avoid.

"Get off your horse, Lannister!" Hostar shouted, gripping his longsword and pointing it at the center of the encirclement.

As his words echoed through the air, the White Harbor cavalry urged their heavy-breathing horses forward, slowly pressing in. The encirclement tightened, and the sword's edge crept ever closer.

The deep blue Merman flag fluttered above, encircling the roaring lion at its center like an isolated island.

The commotion quickly reached Lord Eddard Stark, who had been discussing his family's ancestral sword, Ice, with King Robert. Upon hearing the news, his expression immediately darkened, and he stormed out, greatsword in hand.

King Robert, who had also heard the commotion, kicked his chair aside and followed his good friend. However, as he passed the doorway, he called for an attendant. "Go and fetch the queen," he commanded, his voice booming through the corridor.

Back at the scene, seeing that Clay was ignoring him, the young Lannister noble, convinced that his noble status was intimidating enough, grew even more arrogant and brazenly shouted:

"Cowardly eel, you don't deserve such a beautiful sister. Leave her to me. I'll take her to see the sights of King's Landing. It's far better than this freezing hellhole!"

The crowd fell silent, all eyes on Clay. The audacity was unbelievable.

This fool really wants to die...

The more the Lannister spoke, the more Clay sensed something was off. Why would such an idiot target him in such an obvious and reckless manner?

Clay is worried that his emotions might get the better of him and a swift strike with his sword would play right into the hands of those who might be orchestrating this situation. But now, Clay had no choice...

Who did this Lannister think he was insulting, daring to offend the patriarch of House Manderly? It's important to note that Count Wyman is respected and also known by the honorary title of "Lord Lamprey."

As the heir, it was Clay's unshirkable duty to uphold the honor of his family and its name.

Letting go of his sister and pushing her into the arms of a nearby guard, Clay sighed. The next moment, his magically enhanced muscles as a Witcher catapulted him from his position like a fired cannonball toward the grinning Lannister, drawing his sword mid-flight.

The sound of the blade cutting through flesh and slicing through bone was accompanied by the pained screams of the horse.

With one swift strike, Clay severed the front legs of the leading Lannister noble's steed, causing the horse to collapse and crush its rider beneath its massive weight.

A faint crack of broken bones echoed, and the unfortunate man, whose bones were likely frail, had his thigh crushed by his own mount. After a disorienting fall, he let out a sharp scream, pain flooding through his shattered body.

Walking up to the fallen noble, Clay raised his long sword, its blade stained with scarlet blood. Since the deed was done, it would be cleaner to finish it.

"Spare me, spare me…" The Lannister noble's voice, once proud, now trembled with fear.

Just moments ago, he had been as proud as a god; now, he was as worthless as grass. How pitiful.

"It's too late," Clay said flatly, and with a swift, precise stroke, his sword pierced the Lannister noble's abdomen. Blood splattered everywhere, staining the ground in crimson.

Amidst the low screams of the onlookers, the Lannister noble clutched the long sword embedded in his abdomen, his eyes bulging in disbelief. He couldn't accept that Clay would actually kill him despite his surname being Lannister.

King Robert and Lord Eddard Stark had arrived just in time, stopping in their tracks as they gazed at the emotionless figure in the center of the chaotic scene.

"Seven gods..." Robert muttered. Despite being accustomed to witnessing death, the sight of the cold, calculated ruthlessness displayed by Clay Manderly—a young man he had only seen briefly at the first banquet—left him deeply unsettled. The Lannister had been killed without hesitation.

"That's enough, Clay," Lord Eddard Stark spoke, stepping forward to survey the scene before addressing Clay in a deep, authoritative voice.

"It's fine, my lord. The honor of House Stark is like the northern ice—pure and untainted. As your vassals, House Manderly will uphold the same honor," Clay said, bowing slightly as he added, "Your Majesty."

Robert nodded stiffly, because he realized he might have just done something foolish. The words he had exchanged with Ser Lancel when he left had now attracted an even bigger problem—the queen's figure was already appearing in the near distance.

He had originally intended to use his royal authority to punish the Lannister harshly and then have the queen take him away, ensuring he stayed out of sight until they left Winterfell.

Unexpectedly, Clay had acted too swiftly and decisively, leaving no time for him to exercise his kingly authority.

A small group of soldiers bearing the emblems of the Lannisters and the crowned stag forcefully pushed through the tense crowd, and the queen entered the scene. She came face-to-face with the gruesome sight: a fresh corpse, Clay, and his blood-drenched longsword freshly drawn from the body. Her expression turned grim and shocked.

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[Chapter End's]

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