《The Greatest Warrior of All Time Returns》 Chapter 7 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 7 When I think about it, it was only natural. As soon as I heard the story of his son''s abduction, I was certain that I was the tastiest hostage. * * * Sigh... Melissa Cascadia, the acting Count of Cascadia, held her head in her hands, overwhelmed by an intense headache brought on by extreme fatigue. She let out a deep sigh. "Manpower, funds... There''s nothing that isn''tcking..." As the businesses faltered, the funds dried up, and as a result, there was no money to maintain the forces. Having fallen into the vicious cycle once, she, still young, had no idea where to begin fixing things. "No. I can''t just sit here like this." She pped her cheeks and shook her head vigorously. She wanted to throw it all away and cry, but she couldn''t. Too many people''s lives depended on her shoulders. "External pressures... Just how many people are tangled in this?" Signs of external forces reaching into the Cascadia County were bing increasingly apparent. On top of that, there was an internal saboteur. Tyvel Cascadia. Her uncle and now practically her mortal enemy. He was iming his own qualifications as the next Margrave and had been exploiting her authority as he pleased. Normally, it wouldn''t have been possible. However, unlike Melissa, who had not been formally recognized as the Count''s sessor, Tyvel Cascadia had connections to central nobles and was unterally stealing her authority. He had actually taken significant control of the private army and knights allowed to the Margrave, securing a considerable amount of forces and even filling part of the county guards with his people. Now, he was systematically getting rid of those who could support Melissa. At first, she hadn''t realized it. But by the time she figured out he was orchestrating things behind the scenes, it was far toote. As a result, the county''s military forces were in shambles, and the funds were depleted. This recent issue with the Verus Armory business was probably another one of his maneuvers. At its core, dealing with Tyvel, who had session rights, would extinguish the biggest fire. But realistically, his forces were far stronger, making that impossible. She hadn''t told her older brother, Leon, about this because she feared he might act recklessly. Though he wasn''t particrly powerful or a genius, her brother had a fiery streak, and she worried he would storm off to confront Tyvel the moment he found out. Considering Tyvel''s side was already willing to resort to murder to get rid of both Melissa and Leon, she had no choice but to hide the information to protect her brother. However, she couldn''t hide it forever. Moreover, she was so short-handed that she judged she needed his help, even if it was risky. For now, Tyvel¡¯s side was rtively quiet, so they probably wouldn¡¯t target Leon just yet. Before it was toote. ¡®I have to protect Leon...¡¯ Even if it meant marrying him off to another household as a son-inw. At that moment¡ª Bang!! ¡°Ah... Mydy!!¡± A knight burst in with a panicked shout. ¡°Hmm?¡± It was none other than Haphon, the knight who served as her escort and aide. He had originally followed the previous Count, Galeon Cascadia, but now swore his loyalty to her. ¡°Sir Haphon, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You need toe outside right away!!¡± The urgency in Haphon¡¯s voice sent her anxiety skyrocketing. Melissa jumped from her seat and hurried out. She soon arrived at the mansion''s entrance, where two knights were kneeling with their heads bowed low. ¡°What is this...?¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry! Mydy!¡± ¡°Please, kill us!!¡± As soon as they saw Melissa, the two knights mmed their foreheads to the ground and shouted. ¡°What happened?! Exin immediately!!¡± Her unease grew exponentially. Had Leon done something reckless? No, then where was Leon? As countless thoughts swirled in her mind, the worst possible news struck her ears. ¡°It seems that Lord Leon has been kidnapped.¡± ¡°What? By who?! Don¡¯t tell me... Was it my uncle?! That man?!¡± ¡°It appears to have been Tyvel Cascadia... His subordinates, to be precise. We tried to chase down those trailing the young master, but it seems we were outmaneuvered...¡± * * * I was now being led into a shabby underground hideout. Surrounding me were knights, their menacing demeanor pressing in on me from all sides. ¡°Move quickly.¡± ¡°Well, it''s so tantly obvious you n to lock me up that it¡¯s hard to even bother reacting.¡± As I followed the knights, I saw that the underground cavern already held numerous other captives. From young boys and girls to grown men and women, the variety was vast. But one thing was clear. The people imprisoned here were likely rtives or close acquaintances of those running businesses under the Count''s domain. After a long trek, we arrived at a cell made of sturdy iron bars. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, get in.¡± The knights¡¯ actions were filled with an unspoken threat: noble lineage or not, resistance would get me killed. I entered the cell without resisting and asked, ¡°So you¡¯re just nning to lock me up? Didn¡¯t Tyvel specifically say he wanted me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± The answer didn¡¯te from the knights. ¡°You¡¯ve alwayscked even a shred of courtesy.¡± Footsteps echoed through the underground prison as someone approached from the other side. Soon, a man in his thirties with short, ash-colored hair emerged into the torchlight. ¡°Long time no see, Leon.¡± He looked down at me coldly and spoke. ¡°If you had just kept quiet and hidden, this wouldn¡¯t have happened...¡± ¡°Well, someone decided to let cockroaches infest the house.¡± This man wasn¡¯t my uncle, Tyvel Cascadia. But I knew him well enough. The man before me was Tyvel Cascadia¡¯s eldest son, Vishiri Cascadia. A man who needed to be eliminated as a priority in cleaning out the branch family. That was his true nature. He was a man with considerable ambition, much like his father, and he was also the reason I hade to terms with myck of talent for the sword in the past. While I certainly disliked my uncle, who frequently barged into the count¡¯s estate to cause trouble, I loathed him even more¡ªhe who directly picked fights with me and Melissa. -You idiot. Even with noble blood, you''re utterly useless. You''re not fit to wield a sword. Doesn¡¯t the count already know that? Someone like you being a direct descendant¡ªwhat an unjust world we live in. I could never forget the words he said when he first saw me pick up a sword and swing it. Even when my father was alive, he spewed venomous insults. Now that my father was gone, it didn¡¯t take much imagination to figure out how wild he would be. ¡°So, where¡¯s my uncle, and why are you here instead?¡± ¡°My father is a busy man. He doesn¡¯t have time to meet someone like you.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re free enough toe meet me?¡± At my provocation, he let out a faint chuckle. BANG! Then, as if to threaten me, he kicked the iron bars between us. ¡°You still don¡¯t seem to understand your situation. Do you even know where this is?¡± ¡°Where else would it be? Some hideout you people set up.¡± I shrugged and casually leaned against the wall, sittingfortably. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] On the way here, they had dragged me into a forest outside the estate¡¯s borders. If I¡¯d tried to find this ce on my own, it would¡¯ve taken quite a while. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to grasp your predicament.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a hostage, aren¡¯t I?¡±@@novelbin@@ It was obvious from the moment they brought me here. In fact, I¡¯d anticipated this oue from the start. The only reason I followed them without resistance was to see if Uncle Tyvel or Vishiri was sane enough to meet me. I also needed to confirm the location of the ce where they were holding Verus¡¯ son. Indeed, during the process of being brought here, I¡¯d seen numerous iron cages, one of which held a dwarf who seemed to be Verus¡¯ son. I had sessfully identified their secret hideout. There was no need toplicate things by searching for it myself when they were willing to bring me straight to it. This was only possible because they mistakenly believed I waspletely powerless. After all, no one in their right mind would bring a ticking time bomb to their stronghold. ¡°A hostage. Heh, yes, a hostage. So my father can formally take over the authority of the margrave.¡± ¡°Do you really think Melissa would negotiate over my life alone?¡± ¡°That remains to be seen.¡± ¡°So, the businesses the count¡¯s estate has been investing intely¡ªare they all packing up and leaving because you¡¯ve been rounding up their families?¡± ¡°Why take the long way around when there¡¯s a simpler option?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re confident you can handle the aftermath?¡± ¡°Many of the nobles in the capital are already on our side. Who would listen to the likes of you?¡± It¡¯s clear there are more than just a few traitors. If Melissa is to be the legitimate margrave, we might need to make a hit list. He sat down on a chair prepared by one of his soldiers and looked at me. ¡°Stay quiet. Once we get that woman to transfer her authority, I¡¯ll consider sparing your life, even if not your sister¡¯s.¡± ¡°Because Melissa deserves to die for being a rightful heir?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tragic, but that¡¯s how it has to be. If we¡¯re being honest, the authority should¡¯ve gone to my father or me rather than an unqualified brat like Melissa.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter chuckle at his words. ¡°People who shouldn¡¯t even have any im to the count¡¯s authority are buttering up central nobles to grab an opportunity, and now you¡¯re talking about legitimacy? Well, I guess whoever wins and spins the narrative gets to be the hero, while the loser bes the viin.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick to understand. That¡¯s good. If you behave, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± He rose from his seat, seemingly out of things to say. ¡°Once my father officially takes over the authority, an official margrave appointment wille down from the capital. From that point on, Cascadia County will no longer be managed by you siblings but by my father.¡± ¡°And then you¡¯ll inherit it after him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He turned away. ¡°Keep him under strict watch. If he tries anything funny, feel free to break a limb or two.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Some knights bowed their heads. ¡°Those faces seem familiar. Turns out the ones who left the estate after my father passed were the ones you¡¯ve recruited. When did you start enticing them?¡± At my question, Vishiri Cascadia didn¡¯t respond and simply left. ¡°Vishiri Cascadia.¡± When I called his name, he paused. ¡°I¡¯ve got things to do right now, so I¡¯ll let you go. But let¡¯s meet again in a little while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re nothing more than a barking dog.¡± Apparently confident I couldn¡¯t escape, he promptly exited the underground prison. Left behind were five knights who seemed to be aura users, along with over ten soldiers. There was likely a considerable force waiting beyond this underground area as well. Sitting back down, I closed my eyes and began circting my aura slowly. I was already exhausted fromck of sleep, which only worsened my foul mood. Perhaps because of this, the aura coursing through my body mirrored my emotions, circting more violently. ¡°Librarian.¡± I suppressed my voice and called out to the librarian through thought, and a question mark appeared before my eyes. The librarian¡¯s text seemed invisible to others. ¡°Is there any way to force myself to sleep?¡± [It is possible to temporarily block your aura and lose consciousness, but it is not rmended.] I figured as much. With the sheer amount of aura I possess, there¡¯s no telling what might happen if something goes wrong. This is the first time I¡¯ve ever experienced a situation where my aura is overflowing like this. [However, if you exhaust yourself with strenuous activity, fatigue will likely lead you to sleep.] So, basically, I should tire myself out. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 8 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 8 I slowly spread my aura, as if carefully operating it. Releasing aura outside of the body is something only Experts and above can achieve, and precise maniption is the domain of Sword Masters. However, my current state was beyond my control, as an excessive amount of aura was naturally overflowing from me. Controlling it wasn¡¯t particrly challenging since I had practiced it to the point of boredom. ¡®Yet, they¡¯re not sensing this aura at all.¡¯ [The energy form you possess deviatespletely from standard trajectories.] Perhaps it was because I had built it up using a method I created myself, or maybe it was due to the unique environment of the Labyrinthos. Whatever the case, it worked in my favor as long as my opponents remained unaware. I wasn¡¯t leaving this ce immediately because there was something I needed to confirm. ¡®Librarian.¡¯ [Awaiting confirmation.] ¡®Do you remember the business investigation reports in my room?¡¯ [All memorized.] ¡®What about the personal details of the merchants or their family status?¡¯ [All retained. I¡¯ll cross-check the details now.] Good. Just confirming that most of the hostages were being held here made my visit worthwhile. Of course, there was still a need to check whether other locations existed. ¡°Come to think of it, I could just ask them directly.¡± Perhaps annoyed by my muttering, the knight guarding the cell frowned before abruptly opening the cell door and stepping inside. It was the same man who had threatened me at Verus¡¯ house. ¡°Oh? Am I being released?¡± At my question, he immediately reached out, grabbed my cor, and mmed me against the wall. As an aura user, his enhanced physique allowed him to lift me effortlessly. ¡°What the hell have you been mumbling about this whole time? I¡¯m already annoyed enough having to guard a prison like this.¡± ¡°Hey, what are you doing?!¡± The other knight shouted in rm, but the man gripping my cor ignored him entirely. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? He¡¯s going to die soon anyway. Let me blow off some steam.¡± Contrary to what Tyvel¡¯s son, Vishiri Cascadia, had said, it seemed they had no intention of letting me live either. This made me curious. Why did this man harbor such hatred toward my family, the Cascadia family? Could it be that my father had a different side I didn¡¯t know about? Given my father¡¯s generally virtuous nature, I was all the more intrigued. Beep! [Confirmationplete. All individuals imprisoned here match the identified targets.] With the results in, there was no longer any reason for me to stay in this cell. While I was lost in thought, not resisting, he pressed me harder against the wall. ¡°Why don¡¯t you at least put up a fight?¡± ¡°Do you perhaps hold a grudge against Cascadia?¡± If my father hadmitted wrongful acts in ces unknown to me, how should I reconcile that? ¡°A grudge? Of course, I hold a grudge. A deep one at that. He cut off our financial lifeline while spouting nonsense about integrity.¡± Frowning deeply, he increased the pressure. ¡°So don¡¯t take it too personally.¡± ¡°Are you going to kill everyone else here too?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the order, sure.¡± ¡°Hmm... and you feel no resistance to that idea?¡± ¡°Why should I care? We¡¯re just paid to do what we¡¯re told. Does pretending to be noble put food on the table?¡± Finally, he gripped my neck harder, as if ready to break it. For an ordinary person, the force he was applying would have already broken their neck. But there was one thing he didn¡¯t know. The aura overflowing from me was naturally protecting my body without any deliberate effort on my part. No matter how much force he applied, it was like trying to crush an iron pir with bare hands¡ªit was futile. ¡°Huh? Why isn¡¯t this working?¡± ¡°Thank goodness. My father really was the man I thought he was.¡± Since the grudge stemmed from underhanded dealings that my father had blocked, it confirmed he had acted with integrity. ¡°What...?¡± Crack! In an instant, I twisted the arm that had been gripping my neck. ¡°Huh?¡± Crunch! Simultaneously, I smoothly applied a joint lock, and as soon as my hand reached his neck, I snapped it without hesitation. The knight didn¡¯t even have time to scream before copsing lifelessly. During the process, a message about acquiring something appeared, but I ignored it as usual. ¡°?!¡± The knight outside was understandably shocked. Seeing his colleague, who had been perfectly fine moments ago, suddenly drop dead was enough to startle anyone. He tried to draw his sword in a panic, but I was faster. Snatching a dagger from the dead knight¡¯s waist, I hurled it. Thud! The dagger, imbued with a faint trace of aura, pierced the second knight¡¯s head with precision. The heavy sound of impact echoed as the man crumpled to the ground. For most people, imbuing a weapon with aura and throwing it was extremely difficult unless they were of the Expert level. Even attempting it would typically result in the aura dissipating rapidly. However, if the rate of dissipation was a problem, simply cramming in more aura to overwhelm it was a viable solution¡ªif one had the skill to control it. At least for the level of difficulty an Expert required, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Having swiftly dealt with the two knights, I calmly walked out of the open cell. Screech! ng! ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± ¡°Emergency! The hostage has escaped!¡± Ignoring the ¡°how¡± of my escape, the knights stationed outside were visibly flustered. Thankfully, none of them tried to flee immediately, indicating their confidence in subduing me. At the very least, the knights here were all aura users. Meanwhile, I was known to the world as nothing more than a frail noble¡¯s son incapable of handling aura. I pulled the dagger from the corpse beside me. Then, after retrieving the dagger from the second dead body, I lightly gripped them in both hands. Without a sound, I stepped forward, elerating as I moved. * * * sh!! Slice!!! With each movement, another person fell. Watching hisrades copse without even a scream, the knight, Balkom, realized how horribly wrong things had gone. The only sounds were the metallic slicing of flesh and the brief cries of those falling. The narrow underground passage was already a sea of blood. Charging in like a sh of light and cutting down the knights with almost acrobatic precision, it was unmistakably Leon Cascadia. Every time one blinked, his position changed, and every time they found him again, another life had vanished without a trace. Leon Cascadia¡ªthe fool of the Cascadia Count''s family. A boy synonymous with ipetence. Impossible. Knights, who had spent years strengthening their bodies with aura and honing their sword skills, were being torn apart without even being able to retaliate? There was no hesitation in his killing, no wasted movement to be seen. The knights desperately tried to counterattack, but Leon seemed to anticipate every strike as if he knew where it wasing from. With a single step, he avoided their attacks and massacred them. "Ugh¡­ Aaaah¡­ Aaaahhh!!" Most of the soldiers and knights guarding the underground prison were already dead. Only a few, including Balkom, remained. Feeling an overwhelming chill across his entire body, Balkom dropped his sword and bolted backward in a panic. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] That thing isn¡¯t human. The rumors had it all wrong. That isn¡¯t an ipetent fool¡ªit¡¯s a monster hiding its power! With the sole thought of escaping the underground prison, Balkom ran frantically without looking back. Thwack!! Slice!! But Leon, wearing an expression of indifference, didn¡¯t seem to care much about his escape attempt. He silently turned the area into a hellish scene. Even the prisoners, who had been sitting idly in their cells, were so terrified that their faces turned pale. ¡®Just a bit further. Just a bit further, and I can get out of here!¡¯ As the door to the outside grew closer, Balkom''s pace quickened. Then, just as his hand reached out to open the firmly shut door¡ª Whoosh!! THUNK!!! A dagger flying from behind pierced his right arm and pinned it to the door. "AAAAAAARGH?!!" It wasn¡¯t even imbued with aura. He was merely wielding aura like the rest of them, yet his power, speed, and skill¡ªall of it¡ªwere far beyond reason. "Ugh¡­" The excruciating pain made him want to copse, but with his arm pinned to the door, he was left dangling and screaming desperately. "Please... Please spare me! I beg you!! I was wrong!" Tears and snot streamed down Balkom''s face as he pleaded desperately. The pain in his pierced arm was less terrifying than Leon''s calm and expressionless gaze as he turned the area into a living nightmare. Leon slowly approached and grabbed the dagger lodged in the door, yanking it free with force. Schlunk!!! "AAARGH!!" Completely demoralized, Balkom crouched on the ground, trembling uncontrobly. "The people you captured, are they all here?" Leon finally spoke in a low, calm tone. "Th-That''s¡­." "If you dy your answer, something will start flying." Flying? What will fly? Slice!! "AAAAAAARGH!!!!" As he felt a sharp pain, a finger flew off. Balkom writhed on the floor, screaming. "I asked if this is everyone." "Y-Yes, yes, it¡¯s everyone! This is everyone here!!" "What about Vishiri Cascadia?" "Th-That¡¯s¡­." "It¡¯ll sting a little." Slice!! "AAAAAAARRGH!!!" Another scream echoed through the passage. Leon didn¡¯t even allow him the time to process the pain. "Where is Vishiri Cascadia?" "He-He went to the Count¡¯s estate! The Count¡¯s estate, I swear!!" He was referring to the main estate of the Cascadia family, where Melissa resided. At this point, there was nothing Balkom could do but spill everything he knew. "Is that so? What about the nobles helping Tyvel Cascadia?" "Th-That¡­ I¡­" Slice!! "Ugh!!" Monster. @@novelbin@@ There was no other way to describe him. There wasn¡¯t an ounce of hesitation in the boy¡¯s movements, even though he was still young. It was as if he had spent countless hours fighting for his life against enemies, leaving no room for mercy. The third question was something that a mere knight like Balkom couldn¡¯t possibly answer. "Pl-Please¡­ I really don¡¯t know¡­ Please." "No, you can figure it out. Think harder." Slice!! "AAARGH!!" How could he answer something he didn¡¯t know? Balkom¡¯s bloodshot eyes were filled with terror, his breathing ragged and heavy. His face was entirely consumed by fear. The cruelty and brutality he witnessed were nothing like what he¡¯d seen from the former Count or Melissa. Leon hadn¡¯t always been like this, but thebyrinth world of Labyrinthos was enough to change a person entirely. "Looks like you really don¡¯t know." "Pl-Please¡­" "Well, then. You¡¯re probably not lying. I¡¯ll find out the rest myself." Thud!! Leon¡¯s de pierced through his chest, and only then did Balkom¡¯s face rx into a faint smile. The fear of death was nothingpared to the hell he imagined enduring if he survived. ¡®Now I can finally escape¡­¡¯ With that final thought, his consciousness faded into darkness. * * * As I dealt with the knights, one thought came to mind: right now, I¡¯m only at the level of an aura user. But when ites tobat power alone, I¡¯m beginning to wonder if one¡¯s rank even matters at all. "Something''s definitely not normal." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 9 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 9 The downside was that it was still difficult to produce sword energy or sword aura. Though I could mimic sword energy, it was softer and far less efficient than genuine sword energy. Even so, it was a bizarre situation where there was no reason for me to lose, even when facing sword energy. After retrieving the prison key from a corpse, I began unlocking the doors one by one. However, those who had been imprisoned seemed to fear me and couldn¡¯t easily step outside. ¡°Are you the son of Verus?¡± When I spoke to a young dwarf sitting dazed in one of the cells, his eyes widened as he looked up at me. ¡°What are you all doing? Come on out. You need to return to your families.¡± I said calmly and then resumed walking. It was only after I started moving that the prisoners hesitantly began stepping out of their cells. ¡°An intruder...! Gaaah!!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhh!! Monster! It''s a monster!!¡± ¡°Please, spare me! Urk!¡± As I emerged from the underground, the interior of an old, decrepit building came into view. Most of the knights stationed in this worn-down building were at best aura users¡ªmere lower-ranking knights. This meant that significant military power wasn¡¯t needed to guard this ce. After all, most of the prisoners here were ordinary people, and this location was hidden. There seemed to be no reason to assign high-ranking experts or elite forces to this area. And what if they were discovered? Who cares? There wouldn¡¯t have been any evidence left behind. ¡°Y-young master...¡± At that moment, a woman who had emerged cautiously from the prison approached me hesitantly. She was the wife of a man who managed one of the count¡¯s businesses, a pharmacy. ording to reports, the pharmacist had been acting as if bewitched, attempting to end contracts and dissolve his business. What else could he do when his wife was held captive? Forced to remain silent due to his family¡¯s lives being at stake, Melissa probably didn¡¯t have detailed knowledge of this situation either. One thing, however, was certain. Tyvel¡¯s scheme to shake the business would no longer have any effect. ¡°By the way, does anyone here know the way back to the territory?¡± This forest wasn¡¯t part of the Count¡¯s heavily monitored Forest of Monsters. Since I had been blindfolded on the way here, I had no idea how to navigate out of this forest. Perhaps one of the others might know the way¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Since this forest is so remote, there aren¡¯t many who know their way around it.¡± It seemed no one knew, as this was such a secluded ce. Should I have spared at least one of them? The regret was fleeting. It wasn¡¯t worth dwelling on. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll just ask someone who knows the way.¡± ¡°Someone who knows the way?¡± I turned my head toward the forest. And then, small, green-skinned goblins began emerging one by one. ¡°Eek! G-goblins!¡± The terrified response of the vigers made me wave a hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. They¡¯re our navigation system.¡± Goblins. Among the weakest of monsters, and one of the most numerous in existence. With exceptional reproductive capabilities and decent cunning, they possessed enough intelligence to understand human speech to some extent. While theycked the skill to craft objects or build intricate traps, they were quick learners who could steal items and figure out how to use them. In terms of danger, they weren¡¯t particrly high on the list. Though clever, their physical capabilities were fundamentallycking. And even among them, only a small number were genuinely smart¡ªmost were outright stupid. Now, how should one interpret a goblin wearing ragged clothing to cover itself? There was only one answer. That thing must have attacked humans and stolen their belongings. If a goblin in this forest was carrying human goods, there was only one exnation. It had ventured into human settlements, stolen items, and escaped. This, at least, was an important clue for me. Kiaaaak!!! The goblins charged at me and the exhausted vigers with reckless abandon, showing no sign of fear.@@novelbin@@ There were ten of them in total. Considering the number of vigers, I could easily handle them, but the goblins were clutching rusted daggers and the like. Moreover, the vigers werepletely worn out, so even if they had managed to escape, they wouldn¡¯t have fared well on their own. ¡°Y-young master!¡± ¡°Stay behind me.¡± The dagger I had been using while escaping the underground was already too damaged to be of further use. Since I wasn¡¯t using sword energy to stabilize my aura, but rather forcefully wrapping raw aura around the weapon, a poorly made de couldn¡¯t endure for long. It wasn¡¯t as though I could go back and fetch a spare weapon now. If there¡¯s no sword, use your fists. After loosening my wrists lightly, I explosively activated the aura throughout my body. Boom!!! Then, I mmed a brutal fist down onto the head of a goblin attempting to stab me with its rusted dagger. The technique I used was a simple but effective closebat move: a single strike. Squelch!!! With a horrific sound of rupturing flesh, the goblin¡¯s head exploded, spraying crimson blood everywhere. Next, I spun my body, utilizing the centrifugal force to deliver a kick that sent the next goblin flying as if it were a ser ball. Thwack!!! The heavy kick crushed the goblin¡¯s face as it was sent hurtling away. Seeing two of their kind fall so swiftly, the remaining goblins hesitated¡ªa natural response. ¡°Only one of you needs to stay alive. You, the one who looks the smartest.¡± I pointed at one of the goblins as I spoke, and the rest started sweating nervously, darting their eyes around. ¡°The rest of you will die. Why hesitate?¡± Boom!!! It didn¡¯t take long to wipe out the goblins. Most of them were so terrified that they ran away, making it take even longer to hunt them down and kill them. The monsters I had in countless times. If it were just a matter of the number of battles fought, there wouldn¡¯t be a monster I had killed more frequently than goblins. ¡°Good heavens¡­¡± ¡°Was the young master always this strong? I don¡¯t remember that¡­¡± ¡°It feels like watching the Count in his prime.¡± Some of the domain¡¯s residents, who were at least somewhat familiar with me, looked puzzled, as if struggling to ept my transformation. Of course, no one openly dared to ask, ¡°Why are you so strong?¡± Part of it was because I had rarely interacted with others, so I didn¡¯t have many close connections. But ever since the massacre of knights in the underground chamber, the residents had harbored a certain fear toward me. ¡°Kee... keeik¡­¡± The first goblin I chose was trembling in fear, sitting frozen in ce. I pointed at the rags it was wearing. ¡°That¡ªwhere did you get it?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The goblin rolled its eyes in every direction, then hastily began stripping off its rags as if to hand them over to me. It must have misunderstood, thinking I wanted the rags, typical of a creature born to steal and survive. Of course. Wham!! ¡°Keeeeeek!!!¡± The sound of a strategic nuke-level impactnding on its head was the inevitable result. ¡°What filthy thing are you trying to show me? I¡¯m asking where you got this.¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting an answer. I¡¯d seen plenty of goblins in the Hall of Swords, and dealing with them was simpler than one might think. You just needed to reinforce a single goal repeatedly¡ªby beating it into them until they understood. They eventually caught on quite well. Whether this goblin had the same nature as those I encountered at the Hall of Swords, I couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°This.¡± ¡°Keeeee...¡± SMAAACK!! This time, I pped it across the face with gusto. ¡°Where did you get this? Lead me to it.¡± SMAAACK!! ¡°You don¡¯t understand? Don¡¯t worry. The more you get hit, the clearer your head will be.¡± SMAAACK!! After the repeated beating, the goblin couldn¡¯t even cry properly anymore, most of its teeth shattered. It got to the point where¡­ ¡°Um¡­ Young Master. That, uh¡­ oh, never mind.¡± The residents of the domain started casting pitying nces at the goblin. How annoying. ¡°I came here to save you all, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you were captured at first¡­¡± ¡°What? So should I just leave?¡± Noticing my expression darken, the residents quickly backed off. ¡°No, absolutely not! How could we possibly interfere with your noble endeavors, Young Master? Who¡¯s the fool criticizing your actions?!¡± ¡°Yeah, who is it?!¡± The same people who had just spoken now pretended they hadn¡¯t. When I turned my attention back to the goblin, it desperately racked its brain. Then, its eyes widened as it reached out to stop me, weakly staggering to its feet. ¡°Keeik¡­ keei¡­¡± It pointed toward the depths of the forest, as if indicating it would guide me. Its eyes were filled with fear, dreading another beating. ¡°See? I told you they understand.¡± ¡°Young Master¡­ I¡¯ve encountered goblins a few times myself, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re sincere, even they will respond. If you ever lose your way, look for goblins wearing scraps of cloth or holding weapons. Those are the ones who¡¯ve attacked humans before.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes, I suppose¡­¡± * * * The Cascadia territory was surrounded by towering walls. One side of the territory bordered a forest teeming with extremely dangerous magical beasts, which was why the position of the border count was recognized for guarding the kingdom¡¯snd. Most of the other forests around the territory were ordinary, but this one was uniquely dangerous, making it essential for the border count to maintain a stronger military presence than typical nobles. Of course, the current forces of the Count¡¯s domain were a shadow of what they should be. The gates of the Count¡¯s castle served different purposes, and the one guarded by veteran soldier Hanson and his junior was particrly quiet. ¡°Yaaawn¡­ man, this is so boring.¡± ¡°Senior, isn¡¯t this better than guarding the south gate? At least this one¡¯s peaceful.¡± ¡°You little punk, do you know how many merchants used toe through the south gate every day? Even though the numbers have droppedtely, standing guard there was great for pocket money.¡± The south gate of the Count¡¯s domain was primarily used by merchants for trade. Many merchants, eager to enter quickly, would slip money to the guards. Merchants gained speed, the guards gained coin, and everyone was happy. For merchants, time is money. ¡°And look at this ce. Not even an ant shows up. While everyone else is raking in extra cash, we¡¯re stuck here wasting time.¡± ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s better than guarding the gate that leads to the magical forest.¡± ¡°Even I can¡¯t argue with that. Haha.¡± The atmosphere in the domain had been tensetely, making guard duty all the more exhausting. It was then that the junior guard noticed something in the distance and tilted his head. ¡°Senior, isn¡¯t that a group of people over there?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? No one¡¯s gone out through this gate today.¡± The previous shift of guards had also reported no one leaving, so there shouldn¡¯t have been anyone returning from the forest. ¡°No, really, look over there!¡± Hanson squinted toward the forest. Surprisingly, there were indeed people. Not just one or two, but over a dozen. Realizing something was off, the guards quickly tightened their grips on their weapons. ¡°Hey, hey! Go ring the bell! We¡¯ve got unidentified individuals approaching!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Wait! Hey, wait a second!¡± Just as his junior reached for the bell, Hanson stopped him. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± Hanson fell silent, observing the figures closely. Soon, as the group drew nearer and their features became clearer, voices could also be heard. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 10 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 10 At the front of the group was an absurd sight: a goblin, not a human. ¡°Hurry up, you filthy little goblin.¡± Wham!! The goblin''s back was kicked harshly as a young man, the heir of the Count''s family, Leon Cascadia, strode forward. ¡°Leon, y-young master?!¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, Hanson, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°My goodness, is it really you, young master?¡± Rxing his guard, Hanson ran toward him. As he approached, the goblin¡¯s condition became clear¡ªit was so beaten up that there wasn¡¯t a single part of its face that wasn¡¯t swollen. ¡°Well¡­ young master? Why are you at the northern gate¡­?¡± ¡°I came to rescue some kidnapped residents. Nothing unusual on the inside, I assume?¡± ¡°K-kidnapped¡­ you can¡¯t mean¡­¡± A startled Hanson turned to look at the residents behind Leon. ¡°My goodness¡­ so the rumors were true.¡± If the rumors had spread enough to reach even these people, it was only a matter of time before they reached Melissa¡¯s ears as well. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure the city guards have already been bought off by Tyvel Cascadia. Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll be overhauling the whole system soon anyway.¡± ¡°But¡­ that goblin¡­¡± Hanson cautiously asked, turning his gaze to the goblin. Leon nodded lightly. ¡°Oh, right. This thing¡¯s a monster.¡± Leon gave a soft smile as he gently patted the goblin¡¯s small, green head. ¡°Well done.¡± Ki-iii¡­ The goblin looked up at him with bright, sparkling eyes, resembling a loyal pet looking at its trainer. Does the young master have a hidden talent for taming monsters? Hanson began to wonder. But just as that thought crossed his mind¡­ Smash!! Leon, who had been patting the goblin¡¯s head, mercilessly crushed its skull with his hand. ¡°If you¡¯re done with your job, go reunite with your friends. No reason for you to stick around.¡± With those words, Leon casually kicked the lifeless goblin aside. ¡°Hanson, can I go in?¡± ¡°Y-yes, of course!¡± ¡°And who were the two guards on duty two hours ago?¡± ¡°Two hours ago, you say¡­?¡± ¡°Senior, it¡¯s those two over there.¡± Following the younger guard¡¯s gesture, Leon turned his head to see two men approaching the gate,ughing and chatting. Hanson recognized them as recent recruits who had some backing, allowing them to get away with harassing women and extorting money. They were rotten to the core. Leon, listening quietly to their conversation, nodded slightly. ¡°Judging by their voices, it¡¯s definitely them. Mind if I borrow your knife?¡± Leon pulled the dagger from Hanson¡¯s belt as he spoke. At the same time, the residents who had followed Leon tightly shut their eyes, as if they already knew what was about to happen. Wham!! Thud!! ¡°Arghhh!!¡± ¡°Gaaah!!¡± The dagger flew with precision, piercing the shoulders of the two men in an instant. Leon spoke in a detached tone. ¡°They coborated with human traffickers and smuggled out our people. Arrest them. If you let them go, I¡¯ll personallye back and cut their heads off.¡± ¡°Y-young master!¡± ¡°Remember my words. Even if that old man Tyvel Cascadia shows up, don¡¯t let them go.¡± The idea that someone could leave through this gate without the guards noticing? Impossible. They simply chose to turn a blind eye. Regardless of their motives, human trafficking was a grave crime, not only within the Count¡¯s territory but across the entire kingdom. While Melissa was unable to take action, Tyvel had already sunk his ws deep into the region. ¡°People are too soft; that¡¯s why things like this go unpunished. Ugh, what a mess.¡± Leon clicked his tongue. Along with dealing with his uncle, it seemed like a full purge was in order. How much damage this process would cause, he didn¡¯t know, but letting a festering wound go untreated was a foolish decision. * * * At that moment, Melissa was meeting with Vishiri Cascadia, the son of her uncle and nemesis, Tyvel Cascadia. Her resentment toward Tyvel, who didn¡¯t even bother showing up in person, only deepened. ¡°Melissa, I won¡¯t repeat myself. Hand over all your authority to my father.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Who do you think you are? This is the Countship my father protected. What right do you have to take it away?¡± Melissa could barely contain her anger. Her aura red around her, but Vishiri Cascadia didn¡¯t so much as flinch. ¡°You¡¯re still young and don¡¯t understand the ways of the world. Do you really think we¡¯d look down on you if you entrusted everything to my father? You and Leon are family. Do you think I would just abandon you? Really?¡± He offered his proposal in a conciliatory tone. In reality, most of the power had already been taken away from Melissa. The businesses that supported her were preparing to leave, and more than half of her military authorization had been stripped. The Countship was running out of funds, leaving them unable to sustain their knights or soldiers. The fight was already over. Tyvel and Vishiri were refraining from using force, not out of mercy, but simply to avoid creating unnecessary trouble. Melissa, an expert only at the beginner level, and Leon, whocked any talent and couldn¡¯t even hold a sword, posed no threat to Tyvel or Vishiri. ¡°The central nobles are already questioning your capabilities. If this continues, the entire family might copse. Don¡¯t you understand that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your doing! The moment my father passed away, you disrupted our businesses, groveled to the central nobles, and abused your authority. Do you think taking power will make things any different? You¡¯ll just end up as their puppet.¡± Melissa¡¯s sharp words made Vishiri shrug his shoulders. ¡°Even if you resist, it won¡¯t change the tide. Most of the residents already want my father to take over the Countship. You need to learn to read the people.¡± ¡°Most of the residents, my foot. It¡¯s all just yourckeys. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that.¡± Hearing this, Vishiri sighed quietly and spoke. ¡°Fine. I knew you wouldn¡¯t give up easily.¡± He then pulled out a document from his pocket and presented it to her. "Sign it. It''s a document transferring all your authority to my father." "Are you insane? Do you really think I''d sign that?" "Ha. Why are you so foolish, Melissa? You already know, don''t you? Where Leon is." At those words, Melissa''s fists clenched tightly. "Vishiri Cascadia!!" "Shouldn''t you at least save your brother? If you keep being stubborn, only Leon will suffer." "..." "Sign it while I''m speaking kindly. If you do, I''ll spare Leon''s life." Although his tone was calm, this man had barged in after it became known that Leon had been kidnapped. No, he was likely the mastermind behind Leon''s abduction. Using Leon''s situation to threaten her, no doubt. "..." "Melissa, let me give you some advice as someone older. If you want to achieve your goals, you must be prepared to do whatever it takes. Not foolishly trying to hold onto everything like you are." "You piece of garbage..." "If you feel wronged, you should''ve built your strength. If you were a Sword Master like your father, who would dare look down on you? Hah." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Vishiri curled his sharp eyes into an infuriating smirk. Then, cing a hand on Melissa''s shoulder, he spoke. "You should make the right choice, shouldn''t you? Your brother must be crying out to be saved..." "You bastard..." Tears dripped down Melissa''s face as she red at him. An uncle who sought to rob her of her family''s name and position in a single day. It was utterly revolting. Yes. People like him should have been dealt with long ago. But her father, with his overly kind nature, had left such scum alone simply because they were rtives. And this was the result. If she lost her family and estate while her father''s fate was still unknown... What if he returned only to find everything in ruins? Though she harbored deep resentment toward her father for allowing things to deteriorate this far, she still couldn''t abandon the faint hope that her parents and youngest sister might still be alive. As Melissa remained silent, gesturing toward the seal on her finger, Vishiri struck her cheek like a thunderbolt. "You insolent girl, sign it already!!!" He shouted at her with fury. "Do I need to tear Leon''s limbs apart right in front of you to make youe to your senses...?" BANG!!! Suddenly, the doors to the reception room burst open with a deafening crash, and the figure of someone stepping in came into view. "Pardon the intrusion, sister. And Vishiri Cascadia, didn''t I promise we''d meet again soon?" At the unexpected entrance, both Vishiri Cascadia and Melissa''s eyes widened in shock. "What the hell are you doing here?!" "Brother?! Why are you here?!" My arrival threw the entire room into chaos. "You''re all giving me so much attention; it''s almost embarrassing." "You... How did you...?" Melissa looked at me with disbelief, her mouth opening and closing as if struggling to find the words. Though I considered giving a brief exnation of what had happened in the forest, there was something more pressing to address. "Vishiri Cascadia." I called him softly, and his expression twisted into a scowl. "Do you have no respect for your elders, you insolent little¡ª!" Thwack!! Before he could finish, I moved faster than he could react. In a single step, I closed the gap and mmed my foot into his stomach, sending him stumbling backward. "Ugh?!" His face contorted with pain and disbelief as he reeled from the unexpected blow. "You bastard. Who gave you permission to hit my sister?" Only I have the right to tease or scold my younger sister. Sching! The sound of des being unsheathed filled the room as Vishiri¡¯s knights drew their swords and pointed them at me. "Drawing your swords without the head of the house''s permission? I''ll let it slide once, but not twice." Brushing aside a de pointed at my neck with a single finger, I casually sat down on a chair positioned between Melissa and Vishiri Cascadia. "You... you insolent brat!!" "Could you lower your weapons? We need to talk." At my smirk, Vishiri gritted his teeth audibly, but eventually motioned to his knights. Though they didn''t sheath their swords entirely, their threatening stance diminished slightly. As expected, Vishiri¡¯s entire body radiated an oppressive aura, his fury evident after being struck. Vishiri Cascadia was a mid-tier Sword Expert, just like his father. His knights were also at the entry level of Sword Experts. Naturally, their strength was far beyond that of Melissa, a sixteen-year-old girl who had just begun reaching the level of a Sword Expert herself. So where was her protection now? It was simple. They had all been sent out to search for me without thinking ahead. The remaining essential personnel would be guarding the family manor. Currently, the household was suffering from a shortage of manpower, with so many people having left. As Vishiri''s oppressive aura began to press down on the room, Melissa''s face turned pale, and she began to sway unsteadily. The difference in level between them was slight, but Vishiri Cascadia, with his years of experience, was a wily fox. His aura grew heavier, causing Melissa to tremble more and more. However, his intimidation had no effect on me. The oppressive force he emitted dissolved before reaching me, as if it were a tiny insect swallowed up by the ocean. "You''re getting too worked up over something trivial." "You arrogant little¡ª!"@@novelbin@@ As his anger reached its peak and he prepared to attack, Melissa kicked up the sword lying on the floor, catching it in her hand, and pointed it at him menacingly. "If you take one more threatening step, this will be a real war." "You dare speak of war, you insolent girl?!" "You''re the one who started this." "How dare you?! You don''t know your ce!!" As Vishiri seethed with rage, Melissa stood her ground, ring at him with unwavering determination. Watching the tense standoff, I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair, amused by the spectacle unfolding before me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 11 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 11 War. Melissa must be furious to her very core. Our dear deputy count wants war. Never again! War! The atmosphere was tense, as if a fight might break out at any moment, and I watched with an amused expression. Then both pairs of piercing eyesnded on me. "Hey! After everything you''ve done to bring this situation to a head, how can you be so rxed?" Atst, Melissa shouted angrily, and I nodded while sitting back, legs crossed. "Well, I did say I had something to talk about, but since you two were busy bickering, I was waiting." At my absurd response, Melissa looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. "What... What is it you want to say?" "Oh, nothing much. Just that Vishiri Cascadia kidnapped all the families of merchants contracted with the count''s house. I trust you did it because you''re confident in handling the aftermath." "What?" Melissa furrowed her brow and red at Vishiri, but he was remarkably brazen. "Hah, ridiculous. You''re just spouting nonsense without evidence." "Ah, I figured you¡¯d react like that. Then there''s no need for further discussion. Deputy Count, here¡¯s my report on the order I carried out earlier." "Huh... huh?" "Vishiri Cascadia kidnapped and detained the count¡¯s vassals. I confirmed it personally. Therefore, I request punishment for him and all those who cooperated in the kidnapping and imprisonment." No one failed to understand the meaning of my words. At the same time, one of the knights guarding Vishiri drew his sword again. ng! Thud! However, the sound of the sword being drawn barely ended before it stopped abruptly. Everyone in the room was shocked by the sudden development. "I told you there wouldn''t be a second time, didn''t I?" The knight who had tried to draw his sword was now pinned to the wall with a sword in his head. He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to react before being killed by the sword I threw. "What... what?!" Vishiri was horrified at the knight''s death, which urred faster than he could perceive. Melissa, too, seemed shocked, realizing I had taken her sword without her noticing and used it to kill an expert-level knight. To kill someone. It''s a heavy concept, one I had to think about deeply. This is reality. Not Labyrinthos, but my homnd, the Lazarus Continent. However, unlike my past life, this world doesn¡¯t have police toe knocking when you do something wrong. There is order here, but survival of the fittest remains an unchangingw. It would be foolish to ce past and present lives on the same scale. The remaining knights, btedly snapping out of their shock, drew their swords and turned their gaze toward me. But by the time they looked at the corpse and turned back to me, I was already pulling the sword out of the knight¡¯s head where it was embedded in the wall. The swordsmanship I honed in the Hall of Swords is closely tied to speed. An opponent of merely expert level? Taking them down was hardly a challenge. As the standoff escted, the tension in the room grew more vtile. "Leon... have you been hiding your strength?" "To rify, I¡¯ve never hidden my strength. As you can see, I¡¯m just a mere aura user who can¡¯t even manifest sword energy." "..." True, but no ordinary aura user should be able to exhibit this kind of speed and power. In fact, the notion of me being a slow learner hasn¡¯t really changed. But I possess an unusual state that defies conventionalparisons. I stopped mid-gesture as I was about to casually toss the sword back to Melissa. The sword is sturdy enough to withstand some of my aura¡¯s release. Instead of letting Melissa dirty her hands, it¡¯s better for me to handle it myself. My uncle, Tyvel Cascadia, and his son, Vishiri Cascadia, were the cancerous tumors eating away at the very foundation of the count''s territory. The moment they revealed their ambitions for the countship, the smiles vanished from the faces of both the count¡¯s house and the territory¡¯s residents. To them, the count¡¯s domain was merely a means to enjoy wealth and glory¡ªa symbol of prestige¡ªand those sacrificed in the process were mere afterthoughts. They were the epitome of small-minded men. "My father and I are officially certified experts by the kingdom. On the other hand, Melissa, though capable of manifesting sword energy, is not officially certified as an expert by the kingdom. Surely you know where the session rights would lean under these circumstances." "Is that your stance now?" "Fool! Do you not realize the enormous forces you¡¯re dealing with?" He seemed utterly confident in his backing and power. Likely, he believed that even if the royal family opposed him, he could push forward as long as he secured a fait apli. At least a marquess-level noble. There¡¯s no doubt a considerable noble family is supporting him. "The one qualified to be Count Cascadia is neither you nor my uncle. It¡¯s my younger sister, Melissa, as our father decreed." "You bastard." "Do you know this saying? Nobles, in some ways, are truly barbaric." "What are you trying to say?" "When you spout nonsense with such conviction, you¡¯ll end up with your head split by an axe." The killing intent I¡¯d been suppressing began to seep out slowly. "That¡¯s why people like you die. Well, what are you waiting for? If you want to live, you better fight." Why would I let someone who¡¯s bound to cause trouble in the future stay alive? Of course, my extreme irritation due to ack of sleep ys a significant role, too. ng! At Vishiri Cascadia¡¯s signal, his knights simultaneously drew their swords to subdue me, standing right next to them. The sudden outbreak of battle began with Vishiri¡¯s escort knights. The knights apanying him were all expert-level novices. Ordinary aura users would find it difficult to handle even one of them. But it didn¡¯t matter. And Vishiri Cascadia, who had been pressuring Melissa, was a mid-level expert. That¡¯s why he must have been deeply humiliated at this moment. "Fine. I¡¯ll personally teach you some manners." "How bold for a mere bandit." As his violent momentum began to surge, his escort knights unsheathed their swords and surrounded me as if to close in. At the same time, I heard the sound of others moving from all sides. Judging by the footsteps, there were about seven of them. They must have been waiting outside to assist Vishiri Cascadia. Perhaps they had nned to resort to force if things didn¡¯t go their way. "Leon!!" Melissa urgently shouted after me, but I didn¡¯t return the sword to her. I had no intention of letting her hands be stained with blood in the first ce. Soon after, more knights armed with swords appeared. They weren¡¯t all Experts, but they were skilled Aura Users. For Tyvel¡¯s forces, the number of Experts seemed surprisingly high. I figured these were likely reinforcements brought in from outside by my uncle, Tyvel Cascadia, to ensure their objectives were achieved. It was probably a favor from some high-ranking noble in the central government supporting Tyvel from behind the scenes. "Subdue them as necessary. Leon may be killed if needed." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Vishiri Cascadia red coldly at Melissa and me before stepping outside. Swoosh! The sword slicing through the air toward me was sharp and sudden. However, I quickly leaned slightly to dodge its trajectory and closed in on the Aura User knight charging at me. ¡°Ugh?!¡± Flustered by my swift movements, the knight hastily raised his sword. ng!!! When my sword struck his with immense force, the loud sound reverberated, and his sword was easily deflected. This wasn¡¯t a technique one could achieve through mere experience.@@novelbin@@ ¡°What the hell?! What kind of strength is this?¡± The knight tried to retreat to secure his safety, but my foot already stepped on his, blocking his escape. Naturally, the oue for someone whose footwork was disrupted was obvious. ¡°Ugh?!¡± Slice! With his stance broken, his neck was cleanly severed by my swinging sword. Even though I was merely an Aura User, the sheer amount of Aura I possessed allowed me to manifest something akin to an Expert¡¯s sword energy. After dispatching the knight whose head was sent flying, I twisted my body, taking a step back just as two Expert-level knights attacked, their swords imbued with sword energy piercing through the corpse to strike at me. It was clear they were aiming for an opening. But I pulled back faster than they couldnd their blows and used the corpse as a shield to block their attacks. The faces of the two Expert knights betrayed their astonishment. "Stabbing your own ally¡ªare you even human?" ¡°What¡­ What the hell is this¡­¡± Of course, they weren¡¯t fools. They quickly withdrew their swords and moved to attack again. I kicked the corpse, sending it flying toward them, while smoothly drawing a dagger strapped to its waist. The knight deflected the iing corpse with his sword and raised it high to strike. But before his sword could descend, my dagger shed his body repeatedly. Even though he wore light armor to protect his vital points, the human body has many weak spots. The physical enhancement of an Aura User who couldn¡¯t manifest sword energy was fairly standard, making it easy to exploit. Aura expands in quantity based on one¡¯s level. Since there were no other cases like mine¡ªa mere Aura User possessing more Aura than a Swordmaster¡ªthey couldn¡¯t grasp the extent of my enhanced physical capabilities. Even though the dagger was short, it posed no issue for me. I then exploited the weaknesses of their tightly packed formation, weaving through the remaining six Aura User knights. Using Melissa¡¯s sword, I cut one down and naturally seized their weapons, countering the iing attacks with raw power. Overwhelming speed and strength. The knights were baffled by my iprehensible physical abilities. Slice! Stter! As I rampaged through their ranks, even the Expert-level knights had their attack ranges and opportunities drastically reduced. With me using theirrades as shields whileunching relentless assaults, their frustration was palpable. The other knights tried retaliating, but I would grab those nearby with sheer force, using them as shields or subtly shifting my movements to block their attacks. By now, their full attention had shifted away from Melissa, who was unarmed, and was solely focused on me. "Arghhh!" ¡°Please¡­ spare me!¡± The more desperate the knights¡¯ cries became, the faster and sharper my sword danced. Faced with this, the two Expert knights, in desperation, aimed their swords at me even if it meant cutting down their own allies. ng!!! What followed left their faces frozen in disbelief. ¡°W-What the hell?!¡± ¡°How is this even¡­¡± The swords they swung, imbued with sword energy, sliced through theirrades like tofu but barely grazed my body without leaving a single mark. ¡°D-Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Swordmaster''s body refinement technique¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible! A Swordmaster?!¡± In martial arts stories, this would be called a defensive aura technique. However, blocking even sword energy ced it beyond the realm of ordinary defensive skills. Their shock was understandable¡ªsword energy isn¡¯t just any mundane phenomenon. Even crude sword energy from an Expert can slice through thick metal in a single blow. Yet their swords couldn¡¯t so much as scratch me. Their faces were etched with utter confusion and despair. "Does it look like my sword is imbued with sword energy?" ¡°D-Don¡¯t spout nonsense! What we just saw was clearly¡­¡± "Enough." I decapitated thest knight and lowered Melissa¡¯s sword as I took a single step forward. Boom!!! At that moment, the uncontrolled Aura burst forth violently, pressing down on the surroundings. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 12 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 12 I couldn¡¯t fully see the effect, nor could I control the range, as it wasn¡¯t deliberately regted. It was simply an overflow of aura spilling out. Normally, this crude method wouldn¡¯t even be enough to threaten someone, let alone harm them. Its power was weak, and its duration extremely short. But my greatest strength lies in my inexhaustible aura. With such a vast amount and the ability to control all of it, this tactic wasn¡¯t difficult to execute. Using the same method, I had managed to block a sword coated with aura just moments ago. ¡°Ugh... ughhh!¡± ¡°Stay back!! Don¡¯te any closer!¡± The overwhelming aura I emitted intimidated them, but they still tried to resist me. Step by step, I slowly approached them, twirling my sword lightly and flicking the blood off it. ¡°D-damn it! What the hell are you, you monster?!¡± Exposing every opening as I leisurely advanced, the terrified knight unleashed a sharp wave of aura from his sword and swiftly swung it toward me. True to the skill of an Expert-level fighter, his sword¡¯s trajectory was precise, and his draw was quick. His de was already close to my neck, while mine hadn¡¯t even moved properly. Even though my aura had blocked his earlier sword wave, he seemed confident that this time his attack wouldnd. A fleeting smile of triumph appeared on his face. ¡°Leon!¡± Melissa¡¯s scream, filled with panic, added to the scene. To her, it probably looked as though I was walking straight into death. But for me, situations like this were far too familiar¡ªsomething I had seen over and over. [Nameless Sword] [One-Point sh] The sword techniques I had honed in the Hall of Swords were designed purely for my use, deviating fundamentally from traditional swordsmanship. Moreover, the Nameless Sword, which I used until the very end, had a peculiar characteristic. Instead of maintaining a consistent speed, it would restrain itself until it explosively elerated at the critical moment. It was a passive, counter-focused sword technique but incredibly effective for frequent use. There was no need to resort to an all-out offensive, either. As if time had slowed, the knight¡¯s sword neared my neck. In the blink of an eye¡ªa fraction of a second¡ª I casually walked out from behind the Expert-level knight, as though I had teleported, shaking the blood off my sword. St! Scarlet blood spattered on the ground like bullets, spreading from the tip of my de. Moments ago, when I first unsheathed Melissa¡¯s sword and killed an Expert-level knight, my movements were almost identical. To put it simply, it was an extreme burst of eleration at a crucial moment. ¡°Gah¡­ urgh¡­¡± The knight, who had been certain of his victory as he swung his sword at me, now had a face full of disbelief, unable toprehend why he was copsing. He had definitely thrust his sword at me, but when he came to his senses, his de had sliced through nothing but air. Instead, I, who hadn¡¯t even appeared to attack, had severed his throat. The knight¡¯s carotid artery was severed, and he copsed, spewing blood in spurts. Now, only one remaining Expert-level knight stood before me. Thest one, crushed by the chaotic aura I emitted, and demoralized further by the swift defeat of hisrades, had already lost the will to fight. ¡°Ahhh! Aaaahhhh!¡± Ovee by terror, he let out a scream and charged toward Melissa. Judging that Melissa, unarmed, would be easy to subdue even as an entry-level Expert, he likely aimed to take her hostage to escape. It was a fairly decent judgment, in theory. And indeed, Melissa was caught off guard by his sudden move. But there was no way I would just sit back and watch. I intercepted him, faster than his charge, positioning myself in front of Melissa and grabbing his arm with my bare hand, stopping his sword in its tracks. ¡°What¡­ What strength is this?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just strong.¡± A closebat fighter needs to be physically strong to overpower their opponent. The synergy between the Hall of Swords and the Hall of Martial Arts was exceptional for close-rangebat. Crack! A sickening sound of bones breaking apanied the expression of intense pain on his face. At the same time, my de gently touched his shoulder. ¡°P-please¡­ spare me¡­¡± sh! I cut thest Expert-level knight¡¯s body in half with a single, diagonal stroke. ¡°Having this much aura makes everything so much easier.¡± Even as just an aura user, I could pour out aura like it was sword energy, and by releasing it around my body, I could block their sword energy. This unique phenomenon was a merit that applied solely to me. Ordinarily, one could never umte such a vast amount of aura. It was the result of enduring countless trials and tribtions to master control over an extraordinary amount of aura. On top of that, the synergy generated from the simultaneous cirction of swordsmanship and martial arts techniques was unparalleled. Right now, Ipletely ignored the conventional standards of strength. When an aura user can one-sidedly kill Experts, it¡¯s clear that something abnormal is going on. Unless a Sword Master appears, there¡¯s no one capable of stopping me, the runaway train. Not that the kingdom¡¯s sole Sword Master would bothering here. And even if they did, I had ways to handle that too. The excessive violence might¡¯ve been influenced by the stress of sleep deprivation. Melissa, still shaken from being overwhelmed by my indiscriminate aura, looked at me with a mixture of shock and bewilderment. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡­ are you really Leon? No way. The Leon I know is a weakling who barely knows how to hold a sword. Who the hell are you?¡± She seemed to believe I wasn¡¯t Leon but someone else disguised as him. As she looked at me with both concern and caution, I paused to think about how to exin. ¡°When did you be a Sword Master?¡± She appeared to have mistaken me for a Sword Master. While I hadn¡¯t generated sword energy or sword aura, the reckless overflow of my aura made it seem like even sword energy couldn¡¯t prate my body, leading her to such a conclusion. The status screen disyed by the Librarian stillbeled me as an aura user. ¡°What are you talking about? Sword Master? I¡¯m not even an Expert yet.¡± "Stop saying ridiculous things! How can an aura user block sword energy bare-handed? This isn''t some kind of joke¡­" Flustered, she began rambling, then heightened her intensity. "You''re not Leon, are you? What did you do to my brother?" Her determination to fight me, even at the risk of her life, was palpable. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I sighed. To tell her the truth, I would need to bring up thebyrinth story, but that wasn¡¯t something I deemed appropriate to share with anyone. "What did you do to my brother!!" She lunged at me, and we engaged in a battle of strength. "Give me back my brother, you bastard!!" "Uh, what?" "He''s thest family I have left now!! Who do you think you are, taking Leon away from me?! Give him back, now!!" Looking at her desperation, I felt a mix of annoyance and amusement. To her, I might as well have appeared as a monster, not a human. Could I still be called an ordinary human, given how far I¡¯d deviated from normalcy? With memories that stretched beyond what any human could retain and an aura capacity that defied human limits, even I knew I was a little unhinged. Though, of course, "a little unhinged" was where I drew the line. "Vishiri Cascadia escaped." At the mention of Vishiri, she froze. "He hasn¡¯t been caught yet. Should you really be wasting time here?" She looked at me with suspicion. "......" "I can¡¯t exin everything, but just know this: I have a unique constitution. I know it¡¯s hard to believe, but I am Leon¡ªyour brother, the same person you know. If that¡¯s too hard to ept, just assume I went crazy and awakened some hidden talent." Given my control over an amount of aura that would be otherwise unattainable, calling it a ¡°unique constitution¡± wasn¡¯t entirely inurate. Though, in truth, this wasn¡¯t innate but something I had painstakingly built over time. To others, however, I must have seemed downright monstrous. "But¡­ where did that scumbag go?" Vishiri Cascadia had ordered his subordinates to subdue us before leaving the reception room. Considering his goal was the family crest ring on Melissa¡¯s hand, there was no reason for him to leave. Yet he had vanished¡­ "Don¡¯t tell me he ran away?" "Unlikely." He was an oddly perceptive man, even back then. But I couldn¡¯t think of a reason why he¡¯d flee. He was greedy but not irrational. She quickly gathered her thoughts and stood up. "Hey! We have to catch him no matter what now! Hand over your sword!" "Whoa there, don¡¯t go getting unnecessary blood on your hands." "This is an order from the acting head! Hand it over!" As she shouted, I shrugged with a smug expression, clearly irritating her. Grinding her teeth, she looked at the condition of the sword in my hand and gasped. "What the¡­ How did you use a sword so brutally?!" Her voice was almost tearful as she yelled. Since I hadn¡¯t yet fully awakened to the Expert level, I couldn¡¯t generate sword energy. The mastery of aura was simr to gaining a new sense¡ªlike opening one¡¯s eyes for the first time. Even with control, my current level was too low to handle the overwhelming amount of aura, which naturally overflowed and damaged the sword. "Still, it¡¯s a good-quality de. If it weren¡¯t, it would¡¯ve broken already." "And you think that¡¯s a good excuse¡­ Wait, this¡ªthis is something aura users deal with. Are you really an aura user?" The situation, resembling amon mistake among aura users, seemed to finally clue her in. Instead of answering, I spread my aura outward like a wave. It wasn¡¯t precise enough to discern details. Most aura users or ordinary people wouldn¡¯t even be able to detect it. But locating someone like Vishiri Cascadia, a mid-tier Expert who didn¡¯t even bother concealing his presence, was no challenge. "That guy¡­ he must be up to something. Got any spare swords? Preferably a sturdy one." "I¡¯ll take care of it¡ª" "You¡¯re ridiculously weak." She red at me, grinding her teeth, unable to argue but clearly brimming with words she couldn¡¯t let out. She was barely at the entry-level of an Expert, with limited experience. Vishiri Cascadia, on the other hand, was a seasoned mid-tier Expert. The oue of a fight between them was obvious. "Give me a sword. A sturdy one, preferably." "Can you catch him?" "I¡¯ll win." Hearing my response, she hesitated, then handed me a sword that had been disyed on the wall. Despite being decorative, its quality was exceptional. "This was meant to be kept for emergencies. You¡¯d better not break it." "Just wait a bit. I¡¯ll bring him back soon. In the meantime, get ready. The civil war has already begun. It won¡¯t end until one side is crushed." "Sigh¡­ I expected this, but they¡¯ve moved far faster than I anticipated. Don¡¯t overdo it. If it¡¯s dangerous, retreat immediately. I¡¯ll join you once I¡¯ve rallied the remaining forces." She rubbed her temples in frustration, clearly overwhelmed by the situation. "Leon¡­ No, brother."@@novelbin@@ For once, her voice carried an unusually serious tone. "Don¡¯t you dare get hurt. That¡¯s an order." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 13 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 13 ¡°I have been ordered, Count.¡± Since she had already been acknowledged as the sessor of the Count¡¯s family, it was only natural to respect her position. * * * ¡°Please, help yourself! I prepared this in a hurry upon hearing of your visit, so I¡¯m a bit worried it might not suit your taste¡­¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Tyvel Cascadia. He was the uncle of Leon and Melissa and a man driven by an ambition to devour the entire Cascadia County. He now looked nervously at the elderly man before him. ¡°Hmm¡­ The aroma is quite pleasant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved that the tea I prepared to wee you suits your taste.¡± The old man in front of him wasn¡¯t exactly his superior. But what did that matter? Even though Tyvel was a citizen of the kingdom and the old man hailed from another country, there wasn¡¯t a single person on the continent who could treat this man lightly. Osberg Mielephon. He was the head of the Mielephon family, a renowned lineage of swordsmen, two generations ago. He was also a sword saint who had been bestowed the title of a star by the Emperor. ¡°I enjoyed the tea.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m d to hear that. But¡­ what brings you to such a remote ce¡­?¡± Tyvel Cascadia was a man who sought to monopolize Cascadia County by forging connections and lobbying everywhere he could. As a result, he already had the support of many high-ranking nobles within the kingdom. However, even for someone like him, forming a connection with the greatest noble of the Empire¡ªa man hailed as one of the most powerful individuals on the continent¡ªwas beyond his reach. Yet, the old man hade to meet him personally. ording to the introduction he received, the old man seemed to have business with the demonic realm under surveince by the Cascadia County. Fine, if helping him with this matter could establish a connection, it would surely be of great benefit to his ambitions. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. Though it may not be a grand or luxurious ce, I¡¯ll do my utmost to ensure your stay is asfortable as possible.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. However, I hear that you are the one managing this county.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s correct. After the unfortunate ident that imed the life of Count Cascadia, who was a rtive of mine, I took over the responsibilities.¡± ¡°I see. Well, the affairs of the estate are not something for an outsider like me to meddle in. Still, since you¡¯re granting me ess to the demonic realm, I ought to repay you.¡± He fixed his gaze directly on Tyvel. Under the weight of those indifferent eyes that seemed to pierce through his entire being, Tyvel felt an eerie chill. ¡®Pull yourself together, Tyvel. This is a rare opportunity¡ªa chance to leave a deep impression on the sword saint.¡¯ Tyvel quickly ordered his attendant to prepare a document. It was a document bearing the seal granting ess to the demonic realm. ¡°Surely, you wouldn¡¯t want unnecessaryplications. Here it is. With this document, you can enter the demonic realm immediately.¡± Of course, this document was half-ineffective. But what did it matter? Once his son, Vishiri Cascadia, returned with the signed transfer agreement from pressuring Melissa, even this fake document would be valid. Tyvel had no doubt that his n would seed. ¡°I appreciate the document. However, when you receive something, it¡¯s only right to offer something in return.¡± Osberg Mielephon looked at the obsequious Tyvel with a detached expression, his smile faintly mischievous. ¡°Since I¡¯m the one making an unannounced visit and imposing upon you, I should providepensation befitting the situation.¡± ¡°Haha, not at all. How could I dare demand anything from the sword saint?¡± ¡°Haha, no need for empty pleasantries. I dislike owing debts, so feel free to speak your mind.¡± The suggestion Osberg Mielephon made carried immense value. His influence spanned not just a single kingdom but the entire continent. For Tyvel Cascadia, who was entangled in a struggle for the title of a mere border count in a minor kingdom, Osberg was an unreachable figure. Tyvel cautiously gestured. The door to the reception room opened, and a young boy walked in slowly. ¡°You called for me, Father.¡± The boy, with red hair inherited from his mother, was Tyvel Cascadia¡¯s youngest son. ¡°This is my son, though still inexperienced.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, the greatest swordsman on the continent. My name is Bivel Cascadia.¡± ¡°Haha, the greatest swordsman, you say? I¡¯m nothing more than an old man past his prime. But you seem to possess a fair amount of talent for your age. Do you practice swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Yes, Sword Saint.¡± ¡°I see. Deputy Count, do you have a reason for introducing this child to me?¡± ¡°I heard that you¡¯re searching for a disciple.¡± ¡°Hah, so that rumor has traveled this far.¡± Indeed, Osberg Mielephon was famously known for not taking on a disciple despite his advanced age. Naturally, countless nobles from kingdoms and empires alike hoped to rmend their sons to be his disciple. ¡°What do you think? Though I don¡¯t mean to boast, I firmly believe that my son is the most talented individual I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡± Tyvel Cascadia made no attempt to hide his ambitions. After all, Osberg was the one who had mentioned repaying his debt, and he was the one who needed help. That made Tyvel¡¯s actions usible. Osberg looked calmly into the boy¡¯s eyes. Then, he stood up. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot grant that request.¡± ¡°May I ask why?¡± Tyvel hadn¡¯t expected much from the start. He figured he could simply request something else aspensation. But he couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed at the implication that his son wasn¡¯t good enough. ¡°The boy resembles his father greatly.¡± ¡°Pardon? Haha, of course he does. He¡¯s my child, after all.¡± Tyvel tilted his head in confusion at the sudden remark. But Osberg didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare adequatepensation for granting ess to the demonic realm. If there¡¯s anything else you desire, don¡¯t hesitate to let me know. Perhaps we¡¯ll meet again someday.¡± It was a clear refusal. A faint trace of disappointment lingered in Osberg¡¯s voice. * * * ¡°Master.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± A middle-aged man bowed as he appeared before Osberg, who was leaving Tyvel¡¯s residence. ¡°Yes, sir. Did everything go well?¡± ¡°Yes, acquiring ess rights was not difficult. But it¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°For a long time, the Cascadia family has been a noble house that guarded the demonic realm with honor. Both thete Count Cascadia and his predecessors were extraordinary individuals, as far as I¡¯ve heard.¡± The Cascadia County was one of the few houses that protected humanity¡¯s domain from monsters. Osberg shook his head and walked away quickly. After all, his visit to this territory had been solely to gain ess to the demonic realm. Beyond that, there was no other interest. ¡°But the current acting lord is different, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Was he a man of greed?¡± ¡°You can hide your words, but the ambition that seeps into your gaze cannot be concealed. Moreover, can you not sense it? The atmosphere of thisnd.¡± It was a bleak and lifeless territory. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°The glory of Cascadia will soon fade. I once regarded it as one of the few noble families in this small kingdom¡­¡± Osberg clicked his tongue in disapproval. The son that Tyvel showed as a potential disciple was just like his father. Though still a child, the ambition and cruelty contained in his gaze fell far short of impressing Osberg, the Sword Saint. His talent was considerable, worthy of acknowledgment to some degree. But that was all. Talent like his could be found if one searched enough. Desire is an indispensable aspect of humanity. However, Tyvel¡¯s second son, Bivel Cascadia, did not meet the conditions Osberg had in mind. Most of all, there was something personally displeasing about his gaze, and to evaluate him objectively, his talent was far from extraordinary. It was fair to say he was skilled, but children with such talent were not umon across the continent. ¡°Is this about finding a disciple?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t keep putting it off forever. Do you resent me for not taking a disciple from within the family?¡± ¡°No, sir. No one would dare question the decisions you make. And even if the boy had some talent, it¡¯s no excuse for¡­¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. Why are you so stiff¡­¡± Clicking his tongue, Osberg turned to leave the territory. Then¡ª He froze! As he walked along, his eyes widened, and he turned his head sharply. ¡°Sir?¡± The man apanying him looked puzzled by Osberg¡¯s sudden behavior. ¡°Did I just see that wrong?¡± With a startled expression, Osberg swept back the hood covering his head. Then, lightly pressing off the ground, he suddenly sprinted somewhere with urgency. Had he ever seen Osberg move with such haste before? The man was bewildered by Osberg¡¯s actions but quickly followed him, moving just as fast. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°My, oh my¡­¡± After running for quite some time, Osberg¡¯s eyes fell upon a young boy. The boy held a sword with faint traces of bloodstains on it. ¡°How is it possible¡­ for such a child to exist in this world?¡± The man was astonished at Osberg¡¯s words and then shocked again by the look in his eyes. The Sword Saint, Osberg, was filled with intense excitement and anticipation. He had never seen Osberg wear such an expression before. ¡°You there.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°There is something I must check before entering the Demonic Realm!¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­ what do you mean, sir? Sir! Sir!¡± * * * Vishiri Cascadia swiftly headed to a deserted alleyway as soon as he left the family estate. Things had gotten a littleplicated, but most of it was within his calctions. He had left Expert-level knights and other capable individuals behind at the estate, so Leon and Melissa should be subdued soon enough. Even if the knights failed to defeat them, the pair would inevitably be exhausted. The only remaining issue was the stubborn remnants of the past who still pledged loyalty to Melissa¡ªthe knights of the count¡¯s household. Even among Experts, skills varied depending on experience and cunning. Although their numbers had diminished, Melissa still had some foolishly stubborn individuals who refused to align themselves with the current power dynamics. Of course, no matter how much they resisted, they would all be dealt with today. ¡°Listen carefully. There will be no changes to the n. Effective immediately, proceed to the count¡¯s territory and subdue them thoroughly. Additionally, execute the individuals marked in advance without exception.¡± At hismand, the troops emitted an ominous, bloodthirsty aura. They were traitors to their own families for the sake of wealth and glory or mercenaries hired from external territories. Such people wouldn¡¯t hesitate to ensure their sess. Although Melissa still had some strong individuals by her side, the forces lent by the kingdom¡¯s high-ranking nobles had already surpassed the count¡¯s strength. Seven low-tier Experts. Two mid-tier Experts. And numerous Aura Users. There were also ordinary soldiers. It hadn¡¯t been easy to gather such a force without Melissa noticing, but in the end, they were fully prepared. ¡®Once my father inherits the title, I will be the next head of the family. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting that go to Bivel.¡¯ As he mulled this over, ready to give the order for the coup against the territory¡ª Boom!! A loud noise came from behind him as someonended with great force. ¡°You weren¡¯t running away; you were tantly starting a rebellion in the territory.¡± To his shock, it was Leon. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 15 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 15 "Remember, our top priority is securing Leon''s safety!!" "Mydy! Please step back! It¡¯s dangerous!" "If I don¡¯t go, who will? Stop spouting nonsense and follow me!" She swiftly entered an isted alleyway. The ce where the traces left by Leon had led was filled with the overwhelming stench of blood. Even the most hardened scoundrels would grimace and avoid entering such a scene. Thanks to that, there was no issue with the knights entering the area. "Ugh?!" How far had they ventured? Melissa, along with the knights and soldiers of the count¡¯s territory, mped their hands over their mouths, their faces stiffening. "My God¡­ What is this?" A horrific scene of helly before them. Not a single body had died peacefully; they were all brutally mutted. Everywhere was soaked in blood, and the faces of the deceased were frozen in a mixture of terror and regret. "Leon¡­ Leon!!" Ovee with fear, Melissa dashed forward, terrified that her only family, Leon, might be among the casualties. "Mydy!!" Hearing screams not far ahead, she quickened her pace even further. "Please¡­ Please!! Save me!" The anguished cries, so broken that it was impossible to discern whose they were, made Melissa tremble with fear, dreading that the owner of the voice might be Leon. Ignoring the goosebumps prickling her skin, she pressed onward. When Melissa and her party finally reached the end of the narrow alleyway, they froze in shock. sh!! Leon, drenched in blood from head to toe, was ruthlessly shing the throat of a terrified knight without hesitation. They had already encountered countless bodies on their way here. If that was the case¡­ Did Leon kill all of them himself? "Brother?" Melissa slowly approached him. Leon''s eyes, dripping with blood from who knows whose body, looked cold¡ªfrigid, even. "Melissa." Eventually, Leon''s voice, weary and worn, reached her ears. "Huh?" "On your way here, you¡¯ll find the body of Vishiri Cascadia. Make sure to retrieve it." With those words, Leon staggered forward. "Finally¡­" Muttering nkly, Leon copsed t onto the ground without hesitation. "Ha, damn it¡­ I can finally sleep." His voice, tinged with iprehensible pain, carried an overwhelming sense of relief and happiness. For someone who had created such a horrifying scene, his tone was unnervingly peaceful. Watching Leon lie down without a care, Melissa, feeling both exasperated and bewildered, cautiously gave her orders. "Take Leon back¡­ The rest of you, stay with me to recover the bodies and search for any remaining enemies." "Yes, ma¡¯am!!" At Melissa¡¯smand, the knights, still pale with fear, began to move. How did this catastrophe happen? Did that frail young lord really kill all of these people by himself? The questions piled up like a mountain, but the one person who could provide answers was already fast asleep. * * * "Ha¡­ Hahaha¡­ Hahahahaha!!" One of the continent¡¯s greatest swordsmen, the Star of the Sword, Osberg Mielephon, burst into heartyughter. "Uh, elder?" Had anyone ever seen Osbergugh so freely? The man apanying him stared nkly at the family elder, his eyes wide with surprise. "Sir, are you alright?" "Khehe¡­ Yes, I¡¯m fine. Living long enough, you get to experience everything." "I¡¯m sorry, sir, but I don¡¯t understand what you mean." "Whates to mind when you see that boy?" At that question, the man shifted his gaze to the young boy lying t on the ground. To be honest, it was astonishing. At a nce, he appeared to be an aura user. But the fact that this boy single-handedly massacred numerous aura users and expert-level knights was hard to believe. "He¡¯s a monster." "Indeed, he¡¯s a monster. In all my years, I¡¯ve never encountered such absurd talent." An exaggeratedparison? Not at all. Though he paled inparison to Osberg, the man was a swordmaster, highly respected within the prestigious sword family of Mielephon and a key asset to the empire. Even with his level-headed analysis, the boy¡¯s existence was astonishing. "Is something like that even possible?" Aura users, experts, and swordmasters. Why do these ranks exist? Because of the umtion of aura, the mastery of swordsmanship, the enhancement of the body, and mental breakthroughs. A swordsman bes an expert and then a swordmaster when these elements build up to form a towering peak. But the boy had defied this concept from the very start. He possessed an overwhelming amount of aura that even lower-tier sword experts couldn¡¯t dream of. He fought tirelessly, his reserves of aura astonishing both men. And then¡ª "It feels as if he¡¯s a swordmaster with only the rank missing. His ability to control aura is far beyond the level of an ordinary user¡­ perhaps even¡ª" "Exactly. It¡¯s astounding, isn¡¯t it?" That was why the two were most shocked and bewildered. He was only a boy in histe teens. He couldn¡¯t even produce a proper aura de as an aura user. But the boy knew how to fight. He understood his strengths and weaknesses precisely, minimizing his ws and maximizing his advantages to overpower his opponents. It sounded simple, but even the man, when he had been an aura user, had never achieved such feats. Even he, once hailed as a genius of the Mielephon family. "Could you pull that off, sir?" ¡°Are you asking me? Haha, you rascal.¡± The old man, Osberg, chuckled heartily before slowly retracting his smile. ¡°That thing defies every theory about swords ever conceived across the continent. In the end, I¡¯m just another swordsman who¡¯s walked the pathid by our ancestors.¡± ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s no point in making theparison?¡± ¡°Exactly. From the very beginning, that boy stands out as the most naturally gifted among anyone I¡¯ve ever known.¡± The man could see the yearning in the old swordsman¡¯s eyes as he spoke firmly. The Sword Saint, who had never taken a disciple, might finally have one. Those eyes filled with desire were unmistakable¡ªa passion to teach the boy personally. There wasn¡¯t even a presumption that the boy might refuse the offer. Osberg Mielephon: the object of envy and aspiration for all swordsmen. Even nations hostile to the Empire held Osberg Mielephon in reverence. He was the kind of figure whom countless young people from both the Empire and other nations aspired to learn under. ¡°Are you nning to take that boy as your disciple?¡± ¡°Yes. At this age, I never thought I¡¯d want something this much.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°But¡­ are you sure it¡¯s wise? It seems that boy has a hostile rtionship with Tyvel Cascadia.¡± The man¡¯s words were true. Currently, Osberg had received entry rights to the Demonic Realm under Tyvel Cascadia¡¯s authority as a count. In other words, he was working with Tyvel. In such circumstances, could the boy and girl possibly look kindly on Osberg? Not a chance. ¡°Hah. Tyvel Cascadia is said to hold countship authority, yet it seems their session is far from secure.¡± ¡°Does that mean Tyvel Cascadia deceived us?¡± ¡°Not quite. Judging by today¡¯s events, Tyvel likely intended to solidify their im to the title by pushing those two aside.¡± If Tyvel seeded in bing a border count, the granted entry rights would be legitimate rather than a deception. What mattered now was that the rights in hand might not yet be fully effective. ¡°Sir, do you think Tyvel Cascadia hopes to involve you in this matter?¡± At this, Osberg let out a short chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m merely a foreigner. There¡¯s no reason or right for me to interfere in the kingdom¡¯s affairs.¡± ¡°True, but Tyvel Cascadia might use their offered rewards as leverage to ask for your help. If that happens, both the kingdom and the Mielephon family will know of your involvement.¡± ¡°Haha. Just hearing it gives me a headache.¡± He hade to pass through quietly and intended to leave just as quietly¡ªno need to get entangled. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Please, I beg you, refrain from causing any major incidents. If this bes an international issue, His Majesty the Emperor might decide to boil you alive.¡± ¡°What can I say? A teacher helping their student¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong with that? Besides, this was a promise I made to His Majesty.¡± ¡°That boy isn¡¯t your disciple yet. And I can¡¯t help but feel wary about the temperament of someone so ruthless.¡± Osberg chuckled at the man¡¯s remark. ¡°True, he may seem ruthless. But you never truly know someone until you meet their gaze and have a conversation.¡± ¡°Considering the adversarial rtionship, it¡¯s hard to dismiss that boy as a mere killer. Still, it¡¯s not even certain he¡¯ll ept you¡­¡± The Sword Saint, Osberg Mielephon, remained unhurried. ¡°After all, am I not one of the continent¡¯s greatest swordsmen? There¡¯s no way he¡¯d refuse¡ª¡± [I¡¯m sorry, but I must decline.] When the boy woke up two dayster, Osberg¡¯s hopes were dashed with those very words. * * * The act of sleeping itself was a source of deep trauma for me. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to sleep voluntarily. The solution was simple: First, somehow fall asleep. Second,e to terms with the fact that it¡¯s okay to sleep. Whether this would lead to aplete cure was uncertain, but with repeated attempts, progress would eventuallye. I had expected to fall into a dreamless sleep. But when I became aware after falling asleep, I found myself in the scenery of Labyrinthos. Wait¡­ this isn¡¯t right. Labyrinthos was supposed to be gone. It was said to have vanished forever, that no one could ever enter it again. My hands and feet trembled uncontrobly, and rage welled up inside me. ¡°Hey, Librarian.¡± I called out to the one I could always vent my anger on, but there was no reply. Instead¡­ Shhhhhhhh. Familiar letters of a different form and color appeared before my eyes. [Red Moon] Red Moon? Raising my head to the crimson sky at the floating words, I saw it¡ªa sinister, blood-red moon that resembled an ominous eye. It was the same grotesque moon that had never disappeared since I first came to Labyrinthos. [Prepare for the Red Moon.] ¡°What am I supposed to prepare for? What the hell is going on? Why am I here¡­?¡±@@novelbin@@ [Prepare for the Red Moon.] [Prepare for the Red Moon.] [Prepare for the Red Moon.] [Prepare for the Red Moon.] The same words echoed repeatedly, filling every corner as if trying to break my mind with their unyielding repetition. Finally, after the maddening sequence: [Good luck. ^#$^#$%% This time, you must %$&$^.] With that single phrase, the surroundings instantly changed. ¡°Huh!¡± Jerking awake, I gasped for breath as I looked around at the familiar scene of my room. ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ What a crazy nightmare.¡± Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t the hellscape of Labyrinthos this time. ¡°Ah¡­ I want some ice cream.¡± The fatigue that had been gnawing at my mind was gone, reced by a sense of lightness and rity. At the same time, memories from both my previous and current lives grew even more vivid. [You are nearly ready to receive the memory of the Third Sanctuary.] The Third? Looking at the Librarian¡¯s words floating in the air, I debated asking about the dream but ultimately shook my head. It was probably just a random nightmare. If it wasn¡¯t, the Librarian would¡¯ve brought it up immediately. ¡°What happens when I receive it?¡± [Currently, you are not in an optimal state, so there is a risk of severe physical strain and mental fragmentation.] ¡°Then let¡¯s wait until I¡¯m fully prepared. No need to push myself to the point of breaking when I¡¯ve got plenty to handle already.¡± [Understood.] For now, my sword and fists were enough to keep me alive. Still, I felt that I could now break through the wall of Expert if I wanted. With my body now ustomed to aura and properly nourished, surpassing the Expert barrier wouldn¡¯t be difficult. ¡®If I push a little harder, I might even break through to Swordmaster¡­¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 17 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 17 ¡°Can you speak to the deputy Count on my behalf?¡± ¡°Understood, my lord. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you again, Deputy Count. I am Bagmut Mielephon.¡± ¡°Melissa Cascadia. It¡¯s an honor to meet the master of Mielephon.¡± Soon, the man standing beside Osberg, Bagmut, began discussing matters of the demonic realm with Melissa in ce of the Sword Saint. The content itself was nothing special¡ªa visit for a simple investigation. With the royal family already granting permission, Melissa, having no grounds to refuse, seemed poised to approve after confirming there were no issues. As the two conversed, I silently fixed my gaze on the figure before me, Osberg Mielephon. ¡°Shall we discuss a different matter? I¡¯ve heard from my younger sibling...¡± ¡°Yes. I want to take you as my apprentice.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± There was no need to think about it. I immediately shook my head, expressing my rejection. [The opponent before you is presumed to be highly skilled.] Although the Librariran added its unnecessarymentary, my decision remained unchanged. ¡®If someone wants to be my master, they should at least be stronger than me.¡¯ It was an utterly arrogant statement. The opponent standing before me was one of the strongest on the continent, with few who could rival him. Indeed, from what I observed, his skills seemed to exceed the rumors. Nevertheless, my judgment was simple. The realm I hadpleted in the Labyrinth¡ª The tower I had built there stood far higher than anything the Sword Saint before me could construct. To put it bluntly, I had nothing to gain from him. Moreover, my criteria for seeking a master were clear¡ªsomeone far beyond my reach, from whom I could learn something valuable. Though, to date, all those who fit the criteria had fallen by my hand. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Osberg wore a momentarily dumbfounded expression at my firm response. Simrly, Melissa and the man Bagmut, who had been deep in conversation, turned to me in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief. ¡®Are you insane? Why would you refuse?! Do you even realize how prestigious it is to be the apprentice of the Sword Saint? Don¡¯t you know how countless geniuses across the continent sought him out only to be turned down?¡¯ Melissa didn¡¯t say a word, but her gaze spoke volumes. And I wasn¡¯t oblivious to her thoughts. Indeed, bing the apprentice of the Sword Saint Osberg Mielephon would bring immense benefits¡ªhonor, wealth, and strength. But my decision wouldn¡¯t waver. ¡°May we step aside for a moment?¡± When he rose from his seat, I quietly followed him to the terrace. While Melissa and Bagmut continued their discussion about the demonic realm, I stood by the terrace railing with Osberg. ¡°May I ask why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothingplicated about it. After my father, the former Count, died in an ident, all that remains of my family is my younger sister Melissa and me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tragic situation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t leave. My sister is intelligent and talented, but she¡¯s still young. Without my support, she wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it alone.¡± It was a statement that Melissa, had she heard, would find outrageous or hurtful. But I had no intention of denying the truth. Melissa was still inexperienced. ¡°You don¡¯t trust your sister?¡± ¡°I trust her, which is why I¡¯m giving this answer. Though she may act tough, she¡¯s still tender at heart. She needs someone to support her.¡± Leaning slightly against the railing with a bitter smile, I watched as he nodded in understanding. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s still young. Too young to endure the storms of the world while holding up the family. Then, would you consider bing my apprentice once she bes a proper Countess?¡± He didn¡¯t seem ready to give up. To this, I posed a more straightforward question. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Will, Intent, Enlightenment, Reformation, Pinnacle.¡± It was an abrupt statement, and a look of bewilderment spread across Osberg¡¯s face. ¡°What¡­ are you saying?¡± ¡°Can you show me something beyond all of these, my lord?¡± At my question, he was rendered speechless. ¡®Will¡¯ is the first realization, and ¡®Intent¡¯ the realization that follows. ¡®Enlightenment¡¯ is the stage where one¡¯s ideals are projected upon the world. ¡®Reformation¡¯ is thepletion of one¡¯s ideals, bending the principles of the world to one¡¯s will. And ¡®Pinnacle¡¯ is the culmination of all these stages into a singr whole. Anyone can speak of such things in words. But someone of Osberg¡¯s caliber would have at least a faint understanding of what I meant and the weight of my words. Can you show me the entirety of swordsmanship¡ªthe ¡®Pinnacle¡¯ and beyond? To be honest, I¡¯ve reached the stage of Pinnacle, but I haven¡¯t fully made it my own yet. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your offer, but I have my own path to follow.¡± Speaking calmly, I turned and walked away, leaving him to silently watch my retreating figure without uttering a word. * * * Walking through the quiet forest path, Bagmut Mielephon repeatedly tried to engage the old man lost in thought. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The forest of the demonic realm was cold, barren, and eerily silent. ¡°What did that boy say to leave you so troubled?¡± Having served Sword Saint Osberg Mielephon for many years, Bagmut couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment at the current situation. Who was the Sword Saint, after all? He was hailed as the greatest swordsman on the continent, a figure respected and revered by nearly all who wielded a de. Naturally, many would even be willing to sell their families to receive training from him. Given that no one within the Mielephon family had formally learned his swordsmanship, it was even harder to grasp the intentions of Leon Cascadia, the boy who had rejected him. ¡°Troubled, you say. Hmm, you¡¯re not wrong. Reaching this stage and feeling this conflicted is a first for me.¡± Thanks to Melissa¡¯s official entry pass rather than Tyvel¡¯s forged clearance, entering wasn¡¯t an issue. Swish. Swish. -Screech!! -Kyaaaa!! -Kyaaaah!! Each swing of Bagmut''s sword sent monsters copsing to the ground, spilling blood. ¡°In this world, there are those said to be blessed by the sword, or even loved by it.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°But what could you even call that child? It''s peculiar.¡± People often joke about describing prodigies of history as being one with the sword itself. Butpared to Leon, even those geniuses were mere mediocrities. Countless swordsmen gain enlightenment and forge new realms. But to Osberg, Leon Cascadia showed no signs of requiring such a process. From the very beginning, the child already held the sword with an established enlightenment. ¡°A genius? Tsk, tsk. No, you can''t call that a genius.¡± That isn¡¯t genius. It¡¯s a cmity. To those who wield swords, he¡¯s a cmity that would bring despair and force them to abandon their des. Even Osberg, renowned as the Sword Saint, felt jealousy creeping into his usually detached mind. What more can be said? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] A genius carves out new realms swiftly and easily, bing stronger than others. But the child, who was closer to a cmity, had no probability of failure to begin with. Why? The only thing keeping him from growing stronger wasn¡¯t enlightenment, but his body¡ªstill not fully matured. Others may not notice, but it was crystal clear to Osberg. Teaching a child like that?@@novelbin@@ It¡¯s impossible to teach someone alreadyplete. The only thing that child needed was time. ¡°Bagmut.¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± ¡°Once the investigation of the Demonic Realm isplete, return to the house and bring the sword.¡± ¡°The sword¡­ You don¡¯t mean¡­!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Osberg¡¯s calm answer, Bagmut¡¯s face twisted in shock. ¡°Master! That sword is one of the treasured heirlooms of Mielephon!¡± ¡°If it can be bought at that price, it¡¯s the best investment. Isn¡¯t buying at the bottom a fundamental principle of business?¡± For Osberg, who treated even a talented imperial prince with indifference, it was astonishing that he desired this connection so deeply. ¡°Instead of this, wouldn¡¯t it be better to intervene in the civil war? Even so, the heirloom is¡­¡± ¡°That would be a foolish move. Besides, don¡¯t hesitate to give it up. I assure you, it¡¯s not a loss.¡± There wasn¡¯t a trace of hesitation in Osberg¡¯s expression. He truly didn¡¯t seem to consider giving up the Mielephon heirloom sword a waste. ¡°Even so, handing it over outright is uneptable. The head of the Mielephon family would never allow it. Perhaps lending it would be more feasible?¡± ¡°Hah. You don¡¯t trust this old man¡­.¡± ¡°What on earth did you see¡­?¡± ¡°Unless an unexpected disaster urs, I guarantee that child will be the next generation¡¯s Sword Saint¡ªno, far surpass me. If I can¡¯t take him as my disciple, I must at least maintain close ties.¡± Of course, the truth was that Leon was an exceptionally slow learner. The path to mastery took him an absurd amount of time and effort. But neither Bagmut nor Osberg Mielephon could have known this. ¡°Master, all that aside, we must firstplete the investigation. Something isn¡¯t right.¡± The moment they arrived at their destination, they frowned at the sight of shattered stone boxes scattered everywhere. Around the boxesy desated corpses, their faces frozen in the expressions of their final moments, left in a grotesque state. ¡°It seems more severe than the Saintess¡¯s prophecy suggested. Something that was sealed has been unleashed.¡± ¡°It looks like someone deliberately released it. We should move quickly.¡± * * * After Osberg Mielephon departed, I could sense that Melissa and I had some things to resolve. Thud!! ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Come here! We have a lot to talk about.¡± As I tried to slip away, she grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and dragged me into her office. Then, she attempted to remove the ring from her finger. Oh? What¡¯s this? ¡°Stop right there. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Put that ring back on immediately. Who said you could give up your session rights?¡± ¡°Come on, isn¡¯t it obvious!¡± She shouted indignantly, her voice rising. ¡°You¡¯re stronger than me! Isn¡¯t that enough? And what about the pathetic disy I just put on? That¡¯s not something a frontier count, tasked with guarding the Demonic Realm, should ever show.¡± Sure, I had just defeated Vishiri Cascadia, who was stronger than Melissa, in a single strike. It¡¯s understandable she¡¯d feel that way. ¡°So what? You¡¯re still the acting count. If you¡¯re going to make decisions based on strength alone, why not hand over the ring to the Sword Saint who just visited?¡± ¡°Well, no, that¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Listen closely, you air-headed octopus. Do you think Father entrusted you with the title simply because you¡¯re an expert?¡± ¡°¡­Wasn¡¯t it?¡± Her expression betrayed her rare shock. ¡°No, there¡¯s another reason. So it makes no sense for you to abandon your position based on strength alone.¡± At my exnation, she fell silent, deep in thought. If I could just get her to let this go¡­ ¡°¡­You¡¯re just making excuses because you don¡¯t want to take it, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tch. I hate it when people are sharp. ¡°Think carefully. During the fight with Tyvel, I shed an unusual amount of blood. The citizens fear me. On the other hand, you¡¯ve always treated them with kindness and warmth. Do you see the difference?¡± She looked like she was almost convinced. ¡°Leon.¡± ¡°What is it, sis?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just indiscriminately ughter Tyvel¡¯s subordinates a few days ago? And the frontier family overseeing the Demonic Realm needs to maintain strict discipline.¡± At that, she picked up a sturdy decoration nearby and hurled it at me. ¡°You little rascal, trying to trick me!¡± I tilted my head slightly, dodging the object she threw, smirking as I did. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 18 [Trantor - Night]@@novelbin@@ [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 18 "What? Why? What will you do if you keep staring at me like that?" "Ugh?!" "What can you even do? Besides inheriting the title of count following your father¡¯s will, is there anything else you¡¯re capable of?" At my sarcastic remark, she ground her teeth furiously, looking as if she might explode at any moment. "Ah¡­ Ahh! My patience is wearing thin!" "Alright, enough of that. Let¡¯s deal with the Tyvel Cascadia issue first. Once we handle him, most of the problems will be resolved." I don¡¯t know much about the other kingdoms, but here in our kingdom of Bata, the royal family has an official system of recognition for noble ranks. To inherit the title of Count of Cascadia, one must at least achieve the rank of Expert as recognized by the royal family. Of course, Melissa is already a Sword Expert, so it¡¯s not a problem for her. But because of the cumbersome certification and formalities, she¡¯s still officially registered as an Aura User with the royal family. This is precisely why Tyvel Cascadia can aim for her position and try to push her out. "What apletely useless system." "Yeah, a downright absurd system." Melissa and I agreed on this point. Of course, bing an officially recognized Expert would bring definite advantages, but Tyvel had been lobbying the central nobles to hinder her certification process. Thus, there was only one option left. Tyvel¡¯s death. "With Vishiri Cascadia dead, there¡¯s a chance Tyvel will flee." Melissa knew Tyvel Cascadia well. "That¡¯s likely." "The fact that we have an unexpected force on our side, and his belief that dragging things out will favor him." As Melissa described, Tyvel Cascadia would certainly think that way. While it¡¯s possible he might trust his own strength and wage an all-out battle, that would actually make things easier for us. "We haven¡¯t heard of him leaving his estate yet, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. If we want to settle this properly, we need to act swiftly." The problem was that we, too, needed preparation. Melissa probably hadn¡¯t anticipated things escting into a full-scale conflict so suddenly. "How much time do you think we have?" "We need to move immediately. He¡¯s a sharp man; if he decides to leave, it could be as soon as today." "Alright. Then I¡¯ll assemble the troops and knights to prepare¡ª" Bang! Bang! Bang! "Miss! Miss! We have a major problem!" It was then that a knight burst in, his face full of urgency, panting heavily. "Sir Harpon? What¡¯s the matter for you to rush in like this...?" "We¡¯ve found traces of a monster that escaped the demon realm and is presumed to be hiding within the Count¡¯s territory! If we don¡¯t act quickly, there will be civilian casualties...!" "What?!" Her face turned pale. "What is this about?" "Well, that is..." I narrowed my eyes at Melissa as she faltered. A monster from the demon realm. I knew about it too. A few weeks ago, a report came in that a monster had evaded surveince in the demon realm and infiltrated the Count¡¯s territory. In response, an investigative team had been hastily dispatched to the area. Monsters from the demon realm are highly dangerous and can cause severe casualties. "You told me the monster was found and eliminated, didn¡¯t you?" "Well... about that..." "You don¡¯t mean to tell me it¡¯s still out there, do you?" At my question, she bit her lip and avoided my gaze. "Ah, what a headache." It was obvious what had happened. They had found traces of the monster but hadn¡¯t managed to catch it. To avoid creating panic in the territory, they must have covered it up. If this fact became known, the situation would spiral out of control. "...You don¡¯t have time to deal with Tyvel right now." "..." Unlike Tyvel, who at least wouldn¡¯t harm people openly, the monster was a different story. Especially one that had evaded the knights and hidden within the territory¡ªit was bound to be an even greater threat. A significant portion of the territory¡¯s forces would need to be deployed. "Split up, Melissa." "No way!" "I¡¯ll handle Tyvel. You take care of the monster¡ª" "Don¡¯t be ridiculous!!" She screamed angrily. "Are you joking?! You¡¯re nning to storm Tyvel¡¯s estate alone?!" "Yeah." "What if you get hurt?!" At her desperate cry, I hesitated for a moment, then smirked. "Hurt? Don¡¯t be absurd." "No! Absolutely not! Over my dead body¡ªugh! Put that down!" As I grabbed a handful of dirt from a nearby potted nt, pretending to throw it, she shrieked and backed away. "Recon first! Just reconnaissance! Do you hear me? Tyvel Cascadia has also lost a lot of his forces! If he tries to escape, I¡¯ll send a detachment of knights, so don¡¯t go alone. Do you understand?! This is an order!" She shouted urgently, but I ignored her nagging and slipped out of her office. * * * Melissa told me to just scout, but I had no intention of following her orders. If my instincts were right, Tyvel would either flee or attack the territory today. Of course, thetter seemed less likely, but it couldn¡¯t be ruled out. In some ways, the appearance of a monster that had escaped the demon realm was oddly well-timed. I donned a ck coat perfect for blending into the darkness. At first nce, it seemed to offer no protection, but in reality, it was made from the hide of a high-grade monster, providing excellent durability. Better to have it than not, and more importantly, it had the advantage of being easy to clean if stained with blood¡ªa feature I greatly appreciated. "Young master." As I was preparing to leave the estate, a familiar voice called out. Turning my head, I saw a short dwarf approaching, holding something in both hands. "Verus? I thought you¡¯d left already?" When I chuckled, he clicked his tongue in displeasure and turned his gaze away. ¡°Well, since there¡¯s no longer a reason to leave, I see no point in leaving.¡± ¡°Is that really all?¡± ¡°Geez, you¡¯re a tough one. You saved my son, so I ought to repay the favor.¡± At his words, Iughed and patted him on the back. ¡°You¡¯ve made the right decision, Verus. You won¡¯t regret it. Take good care of my sister.¡± ¡°Ugh... It¡¯s not just me. Everyone whose families or loved ones were kidnapped owes you two a debt.¡± As he spoke, he handed me something from his arms. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A sword. I made it while the young master was asleep. I heard your swords kept breaking because they couldn¡¯t handle your aura.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sword made with added mithril. It may notst forever, but it¡¯ll hold up for quite a while.¡± Slightly surprised, I pulled off the cloth to reveal a silver longsword. The de¡¯s sharpness was impressive, and the bnce was excellent. A high-quality item, as they say. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] And with mithril mixed in, it was no ordinary, cheap weapon. ¡°Where did you get this? It doesn¡¯t look like it came at a small price.¡± ¡°I had some leftover mithril. I made it myself while the young master was asleep. I couldn¡¯t put in as much time as I¡¯d like, so it¡¯s not as sturdy as it could be. If it breaks, bring it back. I¡¯ll melt it down and remake it.¡± Looking at the silver de, I could tell he had put considerable effort into it. ¡°Thanks. I needed a weapon anyway, so this works out perfectly.¡± ¡°And this is something the old man at the magic artifact shop sent.¡± It was clearly an artifact engraved with magic. ¡°He¡¯s giving something like this?¡± ¡°That miser surprised me with his generosity. And this is a stock of potions from the apothecary owner.¡± It was as if they all anticipated I¡¯d be going somewhere. ¡°They¡¯re acting like they know exactly what I¡¯m going to do.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? With agees insight.¡± It was their gratitude for saving their families and loved ones. Since these items were useful, I didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°I¡¯ll make good use of them.¡± ¡°Young master.¡± As I mounted my horse after epting all the items, the dwarf Verus called out to me. ¡°What now?¡± At the same time, he bent deeply at the waist, bowing to me. ¡°Thank you for saving my son¡­ and, well, I hate to say this, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going on a scouting mission.¡± ¡°To me, it doesn¡¯t look like scouting. It looks like you¡¯re going to destroy something.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± I didn¡¯t bother to refute his words, not wanting to spoil the mood. After all, it was the truth. * * * As twilight descended and the sunset faded, plunging therge mansion into darkness, someone slipped in silently. ¡°See? I knew this would happen.¡± Despite thete hour, the mansion was bustling with activity. Tyvel Cascadia had chosen to flee. And tonight, at that. It was an inevitable choice. After all, most of his forces had been annihted, and even his son had been killed. Believing that I and Melissa might have some unexpected support, he was likely hedging his bets, choosing to retreat to safety and n from elsewhere. Of course, I had no intention of letting him leave this mansion alive. Melissa had instructed me to scout, but since when did I ever follow Melissa¡¯s orders? I unsheathed the mithril-infused sword Verus had given me. ¡°From now on, your name is cknight Sword No. 1.¡± Since its debut was under the dark night sky, I figured that name would suffice. Honestly, what¡¯s in a name for a weapon? What mattered was whether it could cut well and hold up in battle. In Labyrinthos, whenever a sword broke, a new one would appear, and I¡¯d pick it up and swing it. Thanks to the endless supply of swords, I never developed much attachment to them. Fortunately, the dwarf¡¯s craftsmanship didn¡¯t disappoint, and cknight Sword No. 1 seemed to perform admirably. Shing... ¡°Huh?¡± sh! With a chilling sound of flesh tearing, one of the guards copsed, spraying blood. A guard who should have been defending the count¡¯s domain was instead protecting the private mansion. I already knew that when Vishiri kidnapped me and brought me outside the castle gates, some of the guards had aligned with Tyvel. But seeing the extent of their cooperation now left a bitter taste in my mouth. ¡°Father was always too soft on people.¡± Because he was such a good person, he seemed tock the skill to weed out scum like this. As I quietly gazed down at the guards who had died without even a scream, I took in the bustling mansion in one sweeping nce. Compared to when I visited with my father before, the mansion hadn¡¯t changed much structurally, but it exuded a much wealthier atmosphere. The extravagant decorations and the sheer number of servants spoke volumes. Tyvel Cascadia¡¯s branch family originally managed a few small businesses. Enough to sustain themselves but not enough to create such a luxurious scene. Where, then, had Tyvel Cascadia obtained this much wealth? The question didn¡¯t trouble me for long. It didn¡¯t matter in the end. [Warning: Approach detected.] At least the artifact was better than me at detecting things. ¡°Their level?¡± [One aura user. The rest are presumed to be regr soldiers.] ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± By the time Tyvel Cascadia realized I had infiltrated, it would already be toote to turn back. Gripping cknight Sword No. 1 tightly, I bent slightly forward. Then, I dashed forward without hesitation. * * * ¡°Well, it seems I was right to have some contingencies in ce.¡± With a grim expression, Tyvel Cascadia muttered to himself. In just a few hours, he felt as though he had aged years. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 20 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 20 No matter how extraordinary one¡¯s strength and aura may be, experience makes all the difference! Thinking this, he was convinced of his victory. ng! ng! ng! But then¡ª ¡°What¡­ What kind of nonsense is this¡­?¡± A mystical defense protecting the body with aura¡ªthe hallmark of a Sword Master¡ªblocked his sword. Though it consumed energy rapidly, the moment his attack was stopped, the damage to him was immense. ¡°A¡­ Sword Master?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡± sh! Leon¡¯s sword left a deep gash in his opponent¡¯s abdomen. In that brief moment when his enemy staggered from the sudden blow, Leon elerated as though moving instantaneously, leaving countless wounds all over his body. ¡°You should¡¯ve been prepared if you were up against a Sword Master.¡± Of course, it was impossible that the Sword Master loyal only to the royal family of the Bata Kingdom would lend his strength to him. ¡°Guh¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Tyvel, barely standing by using his sword as a cane, tried to widen the distance, but his body no longer obeyed hismands. ¡°If you had been less greedy, things would¡¯ve ended better for both of us. I¡¯d like to take you alive, but I¡¯ve decided the damage you¡¯d cause alive outweighs any benefit.¡± ¡°Do you really think trash like you can protect the Count¡¯s territory? Weaklings like you and the former Count will never be able to defend thisnd! You know nothing abo¡ª¡± Wooooooong¡­ Startled by the immense aura suddenly weighing down the surroundings, Tyvel fell silent. Leon gripped his sword with both hands and began to unleash his full power. The amount of aura he gathered was iparable to what he¡¯d used moments before. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not the kind of person who listens to someone¡¯sst words. If you wanted to leave a will, you should¡¯ve prepared awyer and paid the fee.¡± ¡°You¡­ You insane bastard¡­¡± With those words, Leon infused his sword with overwhelming aura. Boom! He struck the ground with his sword like a massive hammer. The moment the tip of the ck Night de No. 1 struck the ground¡ª KA-BOOOOOM!!! The unleashed aura exploded, utterly obliterating everything in the area. The force wasparable to that of advanced magic, possessing near-catastrophic destructive power. ¡°If only you weren¡¯t here, our family wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much.¡± It had been six months since his father passed away. The grudge he bore toward the one he believed to be the root cause of their suffering ran deeper than he realized. * * * Tyvel¡¯s mansion was reduced toplete ruins. One side of the building was blown away by the shockwave from the aura explosion, and the garden behind it was utterly demolished as well. The destruction only ceased after it had obliterated everything in its path. Tyvel and Bivel¡¯s bodies, caught in the attack, were nowhere to be found. Cough, cough, gag¡­ Leon spat out a mouthful of blood¡ªmost of it dark and clotted. It was a process of expelling the waste that had umted in his body, a sign that his body was improving despite the strain. [Massive aura discharge detected. This attack method is deemed highly inefficient.] ¡°Sometimes you need to release it all at once to promote rapid growth.¡± [Please confirm if this is akin to training muscles.] ¡°Something like that. Think of it as purging stagnant aura to strengthen the energy pathways.¡± The precise mechanics were moreplicated, but he didn¡¯t care to exin further. Aura was an energy that naturally replenished itself over time, so expelling it wasn¡¯t particrly troublesome. To be honest, the remaining enemies were weaker than he had expected. The strongest ones left in the mansion were Tyvel Cascadia and a single knight. The rest were either aura users of a lower rank orpletely powerless. Compared to the massacre in the alleyway, this was child¡¯s y. Most of their forces had probably been sent elsewhere. Regardless, he trudged forward, his body heavy with fatigue. Though Tyvel¡¯s death had restored peace to the Count¡¯s household, there was still a ticking time bomb hidden in this mansion. If what he¡¯d heard about its existence underground was true¡ª [Hidden underground space detected.] ¡°There it is.¡± He forcibly opened the hidden passage, revealing a concealed staircase. Descending slowly, he was met with a horrifying stench as the scene came into view. It was a cage. But it didn¡¯t only hold animals. ¡°¡­This is insane. The scale of this¡­¡± He stared nkly at the beings trapped inside. If it had only been humans, it would¡¯ve been less shocking. There were young dwarves, elves whose origins were unknown, and even monsters that should never have left the demon realm. [Monster detected. Likely a y Wolf.] [y Wolf: A malleable beast with high sticity. It hunts by suffocating prey or hardening its body to sh prey with sharp ws or teeth. Hunting difficulty: low.] ¡°You useless piece of junk. Would¡¯ve been nice if you¡¯d exined your own identity that thoroughly.¡± [My identity is that of an Librarian.] ¡°Sure, whatever. Next useless thing.¡± [I am not useless.] The majority of the stench came from the yellowish y-like wolf. The ves, unconscious and frail, contrasted with the monster¡¯s hostility, which seemed ready to snap the bars and kill everyone. Judging by the scattered straw bundles nearby, they had nned to burn this ce down entirely. But their ns had been disrupted when they were wiped out. Whatever Tyvel Cascadia had nned with all this was irrelevant now. If news of this reached the Dwarf Kingdom or the World Tree, it would spark a war that would engulf the Bata Kingdom. The scale of it all left Leon stunned. Rustle¡­ ng! * * * "Well, this is unexpected." The moment I hastily drew my sword to cut through the iron bars, the mithril-infused de snapped in two. ck Night Sword No. 1, deceased! ¡°Oh¡­ I won¡¯t forget your sacrifice.¡± Even though it was a mithril-infused de, its durability left much to be desired. Moreover, the shockwave from unleashing a massive amount of aura to draw blood earlierpletely shattered the sword.@@novelbin@@ To begin with, while it had mithril in it, the de was forged in haste. I couldn¡¯t expect much in terms of durability. Verus would likely faint if he saw this, but since he had given me the green light to break as many as I wanted, I¡¯d just gather the materials and ask him to make me a new one. With no key and the sword broken, I had no choice but to use my hands. I forced the remaining aura into both hands, forcibly enhancing my physical capabilities. Then I gripped the rusted iron bars with both hands and crushed them. Grk-grk-grrk! ¡°¡­¡± The elf, unconscious inside the cage, didn¡¯t so much as flinch, no matter how much noise I made breaking open the bars. ¡°Hm¡­ still alive, at least.¡± I wasn¡¯t knowledgeable in medicine, so I couldn¡¯t tell exactly what condition they were in, but at the very least, I could tell they were still breathing. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Afterward, I crushed all the other cages one by one and moved their upants outside. ¡°Did I get them all?¡± I had sessfully rescued everyone who had been locked up in the cages. As for the magical creatures like y Wolves, I decided to leave them and burn them to ashes instead. But then, the Librarian¡¯s next words caught me off guard. [Biological response detected. One entity confirmed.] ¡°Where?¡± [Further inside.] Following the Librarian¡¯s words, I walked down an empty passage. Even though it sometimes acted like a useless tool, the Librarian was exceptionally reliable in moments like this. After walking for a while, I came across an empty room. ¡°Where exactly?¡± [The wall, precisely 15 degrees to your left.] I walked in the direction it indicated and felt a faint breeze seeping through the wooden wall. In other words, there was a hidden space inside. Without hesitation, I channeled what was left of my aura into my fist and struck the wall. BANG!!! With a heavy crash, the wooden wall shattered into pieces. Whaty behind the broken wall was revealed. ¡°What the¡­ is this supposed to be a living thing?¡± [It is confirmed to be a living organism.] Behind the wall was a box emitting a faint blue light. However, I couldn¡¯t see what was inside, and the box had no hinges or handles to open it. ¡°Hey.¡± [Librarian, here.] ¡°Yeah¡­ Librarian. How is this a living thing? Is there something alive inside this box?¡± [Unable to identify the species, but a biological response is definitely detected.] ¡°So Tyvel really had no clue what this was when he brought it here. Let¡¯s just take it with us for now.¡± The box was about 30 centimeters wide and tall. It was surprisingly lightweight. Whatever was inside, it was clear it wasn¡¯t a typical creature like a human or an elf. Tyvel Cascadia must have mistaken this for some kind of treasure. Considering the hidden room was filled with objects that looked extremely valuable¡ªjewels and artifacts¡ªit wasn¡¯t a stretch to think so. There was even a small space-expansion bag, enough to pack everything in. This one¡¯s a sapphire, that one¡¯s a diamond. Wow, look at the size of these. If we sell all this, we¡¯ll make a fortune. Where Tyvel Cascadia had acquired all these riches was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was that we were rich now. ¡°Is that everything?¡± [Scanplete. No additional biological responses detected.] The only survivors of the ruined mansion were the ves locked in the basement. The unrted staff had already fled the mansion, and those who were hostile toward me had all been killed. ¡°They should be here soon¡­¡± [Please confirm your intent.] I had gathered the unconscious elves, beastfolk, dwarves, and humans in one ce,ying them down. While I waited, the Librarian asked for rification. ¡°It¡¯s simple. I can¡¯t transport all these people by myself.¡± [Understood. That is indeed correct.] ¡°So, I¡¯ll call Melissa to handle it.¡± In truth, when I blew up Tyvel earlier, part of the reason I intentionally caused the aura explosion was to signal Melissa. She would realize I¡¯d initiated a fight if there was such a big explosion. Now, all I had to do was wait for her to arrive. [Understood. This seems to be a highly efficient method.] If not Melissa, someone else woulde. Just as the Librarian finished speaking, I saw knights on horseback approaching quickly from a distance. They were knights who had sworn allegiance to Melissa. ¡°Young master!? What on earth¡­¡± When they saw the ruined mansion and me, they couldn¡¯t hide their shock. ¡°Wee. Gather all these people and take them back.¡± ¡°These people are¡­?¡± ¡°They¡¯re the ves Tyvel Cascadia kept locked up. Take them back, treat them, and remove the ve marks engraved on their bodies.¡± If they didn¡¯t, it would lead to war with the World Tree, the Dwarven Kingdom, or the Beastfolk Nation. The Kingdom of Bata was far too weak to stand against any of those three. If that happened, the Bata Royal Family would undoubtedly abandon the Frontier Count. Human trafficking alone was a serious crime, let alone trafficking elves or dwarves. There was nothing more to be said. ¡°Good grief, elf ves¡­¡± ¡°Tyvel Cascadia, that insane bastard.¡± The knights, realizing the gravity of the situation, turned pale. ¡°Where¡¯s Melissa?¡± ¡°Thedy is currently exterminating some discovered magical beasts. They¡¯re not particrly strong, so she should finish shortly¡­¡± The moment I nodded in satisfaction at the knight¡¯s report, it happened. Bzzzt! [The Red Moon begins its encroachment.] That unexpected deration was followed by a rapid change in the sky. The heavens turned an ominous red at a terrifying pace. It wasn¡¯t the reddish hue of a sunset but a deep, blood-like crimson. And where the sun had been moments ago, a massive eye-like moon appeared. ¡°The Red Moon¡­¡± So, this is what the Red Moon truly means. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 21 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 21 As I muttered absentmindedly, the knights looked at me with puzzled expressions. "Young Master?" "Do you see that?" "Excuse me? Is there something in the sky?" It seemed that none of the knights, except me, could see the sky that had turned crimson. [The phenomenon of the red moon can only be observed by you.] [If the red moon does not disappear, everything on thend, in the atmosphere, and within the domain will be eroded.] Damn it. No matter what it is, the red moon triggers a deep-seated trauma for me. The sky over Labyrinthos also had a red moon like that. Of course, since it was merely a hallucination-like form, slicing the sky with a sword had no real effect. But what would happen if this red moon materialized? That was when the thought crossed my mind. Suddenly, a hallucination appeared before my eyes. It was... Melissa, covered in blood and on the verge of death, being grasped by a massive hand while a terrifyingly enormous shadow opened its gaping maw. "Brother..." Her weak voice called out to me, and immediately after, the monstrous shadow swallowed her whole, cutting off the hallucination. "Gasp?!" The chilling scene startled me, making me flinch. What on earth did I just see? [What you just saw is not a hallucination.] What? Are you kidding me? Then, what I just saw was¡­ [However, it is not reality either. It is the future¡ªa future that will soon unfold. If you wish to prevent it, I rmend you act quickly.] The future? So what I just saw is the future involving Melissa and me? Who gave permission for that? Sure, she''s an annoying little sister who gets on my nerves, but I¡¯ve never wished for her death. If she''s to be teased, it¡¯ll be by me. If she''s to be bullied, I¡¯ll do it myself. Who gave anyone else the right to interfere? No sense of decency at all. As the librarian¡¯s exnation ended, I instinctively stood up. I grabbed a knight¡¯s sword as if snatching it and handed him my broken ck sword, cknight No. 1. "Y-Young Master?!" "I¡¯m borrowing this sword. Take this to Verus Armory. Also, take responsibility for these captives and escort them back to the mansion." The sword in my hand was a clean, silver de. From now on, your name is cknight No. 2. Even though it was silver and had no connection to ck, that didn¡¯t matter. "Y-Young Master?!" His words never reached my ears. Because I had already kicked off the ground with an explosive burst of strength, racing at full speed toward where Melissa had been. The distance was far, but I didn¡¯t have time toin. * * * Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech! With a ghastly scream, an amorphous monster darted swiftly through the dark sewers, pursued by knights running at full speed. The stench of the sewers stung their noses, but none of them stopped. Though it looked like nothing special, the monster they were chasing, Demon Slime, was an incredibly dangerous creature that should never have entered a human-inhabited area. A demon beast that resided only in the Demonic Realm, the Demon Slime. The name might sound questionable¡ªis it really that dangerous? But the moment a slime, typically a low-tier creature, has the name "Demon" attached to it, there¡¯s no doubt about its peril. Despite its small size, it contained deadly toxicity and screamed like a demon. If this thing released its poison into the water supply, hell would break loose. Fortunately, though it carried immense risks, it wasn¡¯t hard to exterminate once its location was pinpointed. "Lady Melissa! It went that way!" "Got it!" In an instant, Melissa''s sword struck with precision, its de gleaming smoothly. She lunged forward like a sh, cutting through the Demon Slime¡¯s amorphous body and destroying the solid core inside it. Screeeeeeech¡­ With a despairing scream, the creature copsed. Melissa wiped the sweat off her brow as she watched. "Well done, mydy. That was thest one." "We need to finish wrapping up. Any injuries?" "Luckily, no one has been poisoned." While dealing with this, Melissa worried about Leon possibly causing trouble. Leon, who had changed overnight, now acted like a runaway carriage without brakes. She couldn¡¯t help but worry. They had exterminated seven Demon Slimes in total. "I¡¯m not sure if leaving Leon alone is the right call." "If we had let these creatures loose, there would have been a catastrophe. Your judgment was correct, mydy. And besides, you did send some of the troops, didn¡¯t you?" BOOOOOOOM! No sooner had they exited the sewers than an enormous explosion rang out. "What was that noise?" "It seems to being from the Tyvel Cascadia estate¡­" "What?! He couldn¡¯t even wait and caused a mess already?!" Melissa couldn¡¯tprehend the situation¡ªa full-on attack without knowing what the enemy was hiding. "There¡¯s no time! All troops, move quickly to the Tyvel Cascadia estate¡­" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Slice! It happened then. With a sickening slicing sound, the head of a nearby Aura User-level knight went flying through the air. "What?" The knights, all dumbfounded, turned their gazes toward their now headlessrade. And then¡­ A massive ck hand appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Melissa''s body entirely, followed by an unimaginably powerful shockwave. Caught off guard, the knights were helplessly flung aside. "Gah?!" "Arghhh!" Even the Expert-level knights couldn¡¯t withstand the immense repulsion force. Swept up by the enormous shockwave, the knights were exposed to the surrounding ck currents, which quickly sapped their consciousness and left them copsed. The situation had escted far too quickly. ¡°Grr¡­ Ugh¡­ Aaaagh!¡± Melissa, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t flung away.@@novelbin@@ The massive hand had grabbed hold of her. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t help but scream under the crushing pressure. Even her extraordinary physical abilities, honed to Expert level, couldn¡¯t break free from the monster¡¯s grip. ¡°What the hell is that¡­?¡± The creature bore a shape and size roughly simr to a human. However, its entire body shimmered like a swirling ck mist, and its hands were grotesquely oversizedpared to the rest of its body. Its face was horrifying beyond words. Instead of lips, it had sharp, 10-centimeter-long teeth perfectly interlocked, and its other facial features were dominated by eerie red eyes that darted around chaotically, inducing an overwhelming sense of confusion. Boom! The creature finally flung Melissa lightly into the air. She tightened her grip on the sword in her hand, ready to slice it apart as she summoned her aura. The monster moved its enormous frame sluggishly, as though it were merely observing, offering no significant resistance. ¡°Haaah!¡± ng! ng! ng! Melissa seized the opportunity, driving her sword forward. But her de failed to pierce the creature¡¯s body. Her attack didn¡¯t leave so much as a scratch. ¡°What¡­ is this?!¡± Boom! Once againrger than her entire body, the monster''s hand came crashing down like a flyswatter, sending her flying. Momentarily unconscious from the impact, Melissa¡¯s body refused to obey her will as her senses returned. Power, speed, durability. In every way, it was a hopeless mismatch. Where had such a monster evene from? She looked around to see that nearby houses had already been reduced to rubble from the shockwaves. How many had died here? While knights of Aura User level or higher survived, many of the regr soldiers had perished. Of those still able to fight, Melissa was the only one left. But even she had been subjected to excruciating pain from that earlier blow. ¡°Guh¡­ Cough¡­ Ugh¡­¡± A painful fit of coughing forced blood to spew from her mouth. The horrifying ck monster silently stared at her before opening its massive, tooth-filled maw. Hundreds of sharp teeth filled the gaping mouth. The first emotion she felt upon seeing it was pure terror. Yet, even so, she refused to crumble. Though the evacuation was underway, if she were to die now, the monster would devour the unconscious knights and soldiers nearby, and then the entire county. As the Count¡¯s acting representative tasked with protecting thisnd, she couldn¡¯t let that happen. Summoning every ounce of strength, she drew upon thest reserves of her aura. Boom! ¡°Gah!¡± But the monster was a step ahead. It mmed her into the ground without hesitation, doing so two more times for good measure. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Bloodied and battered, Melissa¡¯s consciousness began to fade. Only after shey still did the monster slowly lift her up, opening its mouth wide to tear into her. That was when it happened. Whizz! Bang! A well-forged steel sword flew in from somewhere, striking the creature¡¯s body and sending it tumbling backward. It was the first time the monster had reacted to an attack¡ªsomething even Melissa¡¯s aura-infused sword couldn¡¯t achieve. ¡°Hey, put her down. You may look as vicious as a tyrannosaurus, but that¡¯s my sister you¡¯ve got there.¡± As her consciousness flickered, Melissa slowly turned her head. She managed to glimpse the figure of someone walking toward them in the distance. ¡°Ah¡­ Leon.¡± The most infuriating person she knew. Yet, in this moment, his presence brought tears to her eyes. Still, she had to force out her voice, no matter how weak. ¡°You¡­ you idiot¡­ run¡­ That monster is immune to aura¡­¡± Ignoring her plea, Leon casually picked up another sword from a fallen knight. ¡°This is ck Night Sword No. 3¡­ No, wait. I only got No. 2 recently, and now I¡¯m already two-timing it.¡± At the same time, an explosive surge of aura erupted from his body. The chaotic energy, initially unrefined, began to stabilize and take on a clear, polished form. Zap! Name: Leon Cascadia Age: 17 Gender: Male Abilities: (Hall of Swords) Sword Expert (Top-tier) ¨C Acquired techniques avable for review. The pinnacle [Aura] remains preserved. (Hall of Martial Arts) Fist Expert (Top-tier) A ferocious [Aura] remains preserved. The information, visible only to Leon, confirmed the sudden changes. From Sword User to Sword Expert, and simultaneously from Aura User to Fist Expert. ¡°I was going to wait a bit longer, but I guess it can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s break through first.¡± The awakening of a Sword Expert. Melissa, despite her fading strength, couldn¡¯t fail to recognize the phenomenon. ¡°What the¡­¡± Her dazed expression made it clear she could only watch in stunned silence. Leon, however, calmly advanced toward the monster. ¡°That thing, Void Gluttony, right?¡± [Entity confirmed. Void Gluttony species identified.] The Librarian¡¯s voice further solidified the confirmation. Grrrr¡­ The monster flung Melissa aside with a flick of its hand and unleashed a chilling aura, focusing entirely on Leon. The suffocating pressure emanating from the creature weighed down on Leon¡¯s entire body. There wasn¡¯t even the slightest sign of defeat in the creature¡¯s demeanor. After all, it hadn¡¯t sustained even a scratch from Melissa¡¯s aura-infused strikes. [Void Gluttony has immunity to aura below Sword Aura level. The probability of victory in the current situation is extremely low.] ¡°I know. Do you know how many times I died to kill this thing?¡± Void Gluttony. By the standards of monsters emerging from the Hall of Swords, it wasn¡¯t particrly strong. But for those who wielded aura, it was nearly impossible to defeat without reaching the level of Sword Aura. Like trying to cut water with a de. Step¡­ Step¡­ With aura-infused sword in hand, Leon steadily advanced. Then, in an instant, he stomped down hard on the ground. A powerful shockwave erupted from the impact, propelling Leon forward like a sh of light, leaving afterimages in his wake. Boom! The sheer speed of his movement was almost impossible to track with the naked eye. Yet, Void Gluttony moved all the eyes on its face simultaneously, easily keeping up with him. Chomp! Its jaws, suddenly erged, snapped shut in an instant, and both hands morphed into massive, tooth-filled maws, crushing the space around them with terrifying force. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 22 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 22 Crash!!! With a chilling screech resembling the sound of hard metal being forcibly scraped, Leon slid behind the creature with an agile movement. Meanwhile, Void Gluttony, partially dissipated and swirling with ck mist, twisted its body in apparent satisfaction and let out a sinister grin. It seemed to say, "This won''t kill me." "The de''s all worn out." Though it wasn''t as fine as the first-generation cknight Sword, it had been a well-forged weapon. Thanks to the manifestation of sword energy, he thought the de wouldn''t break. But no matter how perfectly sword energy is applied, when the opponent is that tough, damage to the de is inevitable. And he didn¡¯t have a sword with special features like self-repair. Swoosh... Leon picked up the second-generation cknight Sword, which he had initially thrown away. "Guess I¡¯ll have to break through the wall one more time." * * * Leon turned his head to assess his surroundings. Copsed houses and fallen people. While many were still alive, the number of the dead was substantial. Melissa, who had been barely conscious earlier, was nowpletely still, as if she had fainted. Judging by her severe injuries, it was clear she needed urgent treatment. It was fortunate this area wasn¡¯t densely popted. Repulsion Field. Void Gluttony¡¯s signature ability, allowing it to convert everything it consumed into energy, creating a massive repulsion field. For those with resistance beyond master-level strength, the flow itself could be neutralized, but for anyone below that level, it was nothing short of hell. To be honest, Leon had no idea why this monster was here. The key point was that the sky had turned red with something called the Red Moon, and a Red eye-like moon had risen. "Librarian." [Confirmed.] "This Red Moon¡ªdo creatures like this just randomly pop up because of it?" A catastrophic monster like this, appearing in the middle of a popted domain as soon as the Red Moon rose? This wasn¡¯t a normal situation. [The Red Moon follows an inexplicable and irregr flow. However, based on current observations, it¡¯s likely that the core of the monster derived from the Red Moon had already infiltrated this domain.] "You''re saying that thing came from the core? I don¡¯t even need to guess the culprit." Tyvel Cascadia. Even in death, still causing problems. Taking a short breath, Leon realized he needed to eliminate the creature quickly. For now, it was alone. But the Void Gluttony he knew could create countless replicas of itself. It hadn¡¯t consumed much yet, so it was manageable now, but the scene in the Hall of Swords, where goblins had been devoured and turned into a nightmare, was something he never wanted to relive. "I managed to pierce through as an Expert, but I can¡¯t kill this thing with normal swordsmanship. Hmm... breaking through the Swordmaster barrier right now seems risky..." If he messed up, his body could suffer permanent damage¡ªabsolutely not an option. [Generally, Void Gluttony entities are vulnerable to sword auras and above. They are also somewhat weak to magic. I rmend retrieving the memories of the Third Hall.] "Can that be done in a short time?" [It would require considerable time to secure.] "Then forget it. Let¡¯s break through the wall again." [Continuous advancement in realms ces immense strain on both body and soul.] "Better than recalling memories." Leon drew all the explosive currents surging around him into his body. With that, the smooth flow of sword energy vanished. "Hoo..." After taking a short breath, Leon opened his eyes. The creature, sensing something ominous, rushed toward him in a panic. Its massive maw gaped wide open as if it intended to swallow him whole in one bite. And just as the creature was about to close its mouth¡ª Explosive energy surged out of Leon¡¯s body once more. Even though he had expended a massive amount of energy earlier to destroy the mansion, this much was sufficient. [Overdrive] [Awakening] * * * [Progressing toward Swordmaster Awakening.] [Failed.] [Entering Unstable Awakening State.]@@novelbin@@ What is the difference between sword energy and sword aura? Simply the size? If that were the case, there would be no reason for Swordmasters to be considered strategic weapons. An Expert deals with the domain of will. A Swordmaster, on the other hand, wields the domain of intent. It is the realm where one infuses their intent into their sword, transcending mere physicality to sever even the bonds of mana. Back when Leon was still an Aura User, he had imitated something simr to sword energy. However, for an Expert to mimic sword aura, the difficulty was iparably higher, and its power far greater. Void Gluttony¡¯s mouth split into four parts, its maw fully open, ready to devour Leon in one gulp. The intent to consume him whole was unmistakable. [If consumed by Void Gluttony, death will not be merciful. Be warned.] ¡®Been there, done that.¡¯ Through forced awakening, Leon¡¯s intent fused with the sword energy. It resembled the crude sword energy he had imitated as an Aura User, but its inner structure was entirely different. The origin of his earlier mimicry was, in fact, this very state. "Do you know what this is? Honestly, neither do I." To those who had dedicated their lives to the sword, what Leon was doing now would defy all conventional understanding of swordsmanship. But Leon couldn¡¯t care less. There were countless instances where one had to draw power beyond their limits to survive. Crunch!!! The creature¡¯s gaping mouth finally mped shut. It had seemingly swallowed Leon whole. Just before its mouth closed, Leon''s sword moved in an instant. It was a counterattack technique he had long been familiar with: [One-Horned sh Strike] . However, even though it was the same [One-Horned sh Strike] , the power, speed, and intent contained within the technique were entirely different when wielded by an Aura Userpared to when used by an Expert or during his Enlightened state. sh¡­ Craaaack!!! Dark crimson sword scars appeared all over the massive body of the creature that had swallowed Leon. Sensing something was wrong, the creature iled, but its body had already ceased responding to its will. Before long, its body was shredded to pieces by the sword aura and scattered apart. Leon, who had been consumed by the creature, emerged calmly, shaking off the dark liquid clinging to his sword. Intent. Sword Aura. The realm where one imbues their will and interferes with thews of nature. Around Leon, a dark lotus-like pattern was vividly etched into the air. Despite the sword appearing light and swift, the aftermath it left behind was overwhelming. The enormous lotus-shaped pattern of sword scars radiating from Leon spanned dozens of meters, and the buildings struck by the scars were cleanly sliced apart as if by a sharp de cutting through tofu. Around the lotus-shaped mark, countless deep scars also remained. Even though Leon had focused the brunt of the impact on Void Gluttony, the aftermath had affected the entire surrounding area. However, Void Gluttony was not entirely dead. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] A fragment resembling an eye wriggled on the ground as if trying to escape. Leon stepped forward deliberately and raised his sword with a chilling precision. "Persistent bastard." Stab!! At that moment, the sound of someone¡¯s footsteps echoed as the second-generation cknight Sword in Leon¡¯s hand shattered into pieces. The second-generation cknght Sword was destroyed. The recoil of the [Enlightened] state was far greater than the indiscriminate release of aura he had previously employed. [That was an incredibly close call.] ¡°This was rtively spacious timing, if anything.¡± Afterward, he held the unconscious Melissa in his arms and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re a stepte, Sword Saint. What an inconvenient time to show up.¡± The presence before him carried an overwhelming aura, one that gathered immense power within its body. Having surpassed the threshold and unlocked the Enlightened state, there was no way Leon wouldn¡¯t have noticed the Sword Saint¡¯s presence. ¡°Hmm... Are you uninjured?¡± What was the intent behind that question? Leon suspected the Sword Saint might have known from the beginning. ¡°You seem to have known this monster would appear.¡± At his words, the eyes of Bagmut, standing beside the Sword Saint, widened slightly. Even so, they refrained from pressing further, as Melissa¡¯s condition was more urgent than any interrogation. ¡°It seems we have much to discuss. However, this doesn¡¯t seem to be the right time for such a conversation. Would it be eptable to postpone it?¡± The Sword Saint and hispanion were not so dull as to miss the deadly aura emanating from Leon¡¯s gaze. ¡°Elder.¡± ¡°It¡¯s understandable to draw such conclusions. Very well, Leon, let¡¯s do as you say. It seems there is much to discuss on both sides.¡± ¡°Then.¡± Leonunched a signal re while carrying the unconscious Melissa on his back and returned to the mansion. Her injuries were severe. She was still breathing, but had they been a momentter, she wouldn¡¯t have survived. ¡°This is infuriating.¡± Though this was instigated by Tyvel Cascadia, the issue extended beyond just him. Void Gluttony¡¯s appearance was a clear act of hostility. The presence of the Red Moon was something Leon hadn¡¯t ounted for in his ns. Realizing that he had nearly lost Melissa made his blood boil, something he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. ¡°Why am I always on the receiving end of things?¡± When she wakes, he nned to teach her swordsmanship suited to her abilities. Though he couldn¡¯t teach her the techniques he used, he had discarded plenty of sword techniques and cultivation methods in the past. Traditions or not, they wouldn¡¯t matter if she were to die. The internal conflict with Tyvel Cascadia and the subsequent appearances of Void Gluttony and the Red Moon had turned the entire county upside down. It was a situation severe enough to potentially topple the entire county. The primary issue was the people Tyvel had bribed. After Leon¡¯s father passed away, his uncle Tyvel had bribed everyone from the county¡¯s guards to businessmen and even the family¡¯s retainers in an attempt to im the title of Count. Leon intended to execute those who crossed the line while exiling the rest. ¡°Librarian.¡± [Confirmed.] ¡°The Red Moon¡ªis it the same sky I saw in Labyrinthos?¡± [It is simr, but different.] ¡°How so?¡± [The Red Moon in Labyrinthos is not a real phenomenon.] In other words, the Red Moon he saw in Labyrinthos was merely an illusion. The one he encountered now was real. ¡°I thought it looked like an eye.¡± [Detailed information is locked and cannot be disclosed. You must uncover it yourself.] ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting much anyway. Then let me ask you another question.¡± [Confirmed.] ¡°The encroachment of the Red Moon¡ªwhere and when does it manifest?¡± This was the most critical issue. Void Gluttony was, in a sense, akin to a cmity. If Leon¡¯s assumptions were correct, this wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. If such events urred across the continent, it would plunge the entirend into chaos. [Even the Red Moon cannot encroach indiscriminately. It is expected to remain dormant for the time being.] ¡°That Red Moon¡ªI¡¯m the only one who can see it, right?¡± [That is correct.] ¡°Does that mean anything?¡± Void Gluttony was indeed dangerous, but if it had been the Sword Saint Osberg, he would have easily defeated it. However, if the issue could be resolved so easily, there would be no need for warnings about the Red Moon. It wasn¡¯t as if others couldn¡¯t see the monsters that appeared when the sky turned red. [When the Red Moon begins its encroachment, hostile entities manifest to attack living beings.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 23 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 23 ¡°That¡¯s something we¡¯ll see.¡± From the beginning, I never thought of something like Void Gluttony as an ordinary lifeform. [However, from now on, unless you destroy the source of the erosion, the erosion will not stop.] In other words, unless I identify and deal with the source that is pulling out these hostile beings, monsters will keep pouring out endlessly. So, after defeating Void Gluttony, another one of those creatures shows up? How is this different from fighting an endless army? ¡°Do I really have to do this?¡± [It is your choice, but the Red Moon is fatal to the habitats of living beings.] Right. If left alone, everything except where I am will eventually disappear. I sighed, but the small constion was that even the Red Moon couldn¡¯t recklessly continue its erosion indefinitely. ¡°What¡¯s the estimated time?¡± [It¡¯s impossible to confirm, but it is presumed that without external interference, it will not manifest for the time being.] So, that Red Moon thing or whatever it is, can¡¯t just do whatever it wants. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± I brushed off thoughts about the Red Moon. The Red Moon was significant, but it wasn¡¯t the only pressing matter right now. There were the injured knight and Melissa, who still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness. With even the Count¡¯s proxy incapacitated, the only one left to manage everything was me. After listening to reports from the elderly butler, who had been assisting Melissa with her duties, I realized she hadn¡¯t been idling around all this time. She had been unbelievably busy, with hardly a moment to catch her breath. If this were an ordinary noble household, it wouldn¡¯t have been this hard. Rebuilding the destroyed Count¡¯s territory, checking the conditions of the casualties, and swiftly treating the injured. On top of that, I had to annul the ve contracts of the demi-human ves rescued from Tyvel Cascadia¡¯s mansion, as well as deal with the items recovered from there. Dying this could spark another war. And that wasn¡¯t all. There was also a box presumed to be a living creature that needed investigation, though it wasn¡¯t an urgent matter, so I just left it in a room for now. Dealing with just the most immediate fires consumed a significant amount of time. After handling a mountain ofplicated paperwork that made my eyes ache, I headed to Melissa, who was still unconscious on her bed. The promise with the Sword Saint, Osberg, had already been postponed for a few days, so there was no one to disturb me now. ¡°Heh... Hehehe.¡± I drew a mustache on her cheek with ink from a quill and even added a beard to her face. I cackled like a madman before letting out a brief sigh. ording to the doctor, there wasn¡¯t a single bone in her body that wasn¡¯t broken. Additionally, her aura had been severely depleted, so it would take considerable time for her to regain consciousness. The issue was that her recovery was inexplicably slow. At the very least, Void Gluttony didn¡¯t have such a curse-like power. I wish one of the halls I recalled wielded holy magic. [The third memory is ready to be received. Will you ept it?] ¡°Can¡¯t I choose?¡± [The answer is already predetermined. You just need to respond.] ¡°...¡± [That was a lighthearted joke.] ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense in front of others.¡± Though, no one but me could see this guy¡¯s text anyway. ¡°It¡¯s predetermined, huh?¡± [Yes. Even though this is a space where time does not flow, there are rules and sequences that exist.] ¡°So, I get them in the order they werepleted?¡± [Correct.] ¡°That meansplicated magicester, huh.¡± Learning magic after mastering the sword? I guarantee the difficulty will be entirely different. Clearly, magic-rted skills would onlye muchter. Honestly, I had some anticipation for magic since I¡¯d never actually used it before, but it was hard not to feel disappointed. [Granting the memory. Please prepare for severe motion sickness.] ¡°Urk!!¡± This warninges after the nausea sets in? ¡°Phew... Ugh...¡± [The memory of the third hall, the Hall of Necromancy, is fully transferred. The mana of the King of the Dead flows into your body.] What? Suddenly, ck mana spread throughout my entire body. At the same time, necromancy and all the elements of lifeforms poured into my mind. The amount of information was distinctly greater than when I learned swordsmanship. As I was reeling from the unbearable nausea¡ª Something writhing above Melissa¡¯s body caught my eye. What the hell is that? Even at night, it was clearly visible in the surrounding glow. It had a humanoid shape. But alive? No, it wasn¡¯t alive. As the human-like figure reached for Melissa¡¯s neck to strangle her, I extended my hand and grabbed it. So, this was it. This was what had been hindering Melissa¡¯s recovery. ¡ªKeu-agh?! A scream like the wail of a tormented spirit echoed through the room. I recognized what it was immediately. A specter born of intense resentment¡ªa wraith. On rare asions, humans be wraiths after death.@@novelbin@@ And I realized the identity of the spirit. ¡°Hah...¡± I instantly manipted the necromantic mana within me. The first thing a necromancer learns is how tomune with and dominate souls. ¡°Tyvel Cascadia, bow your head.¡± Boom! The soul was forcibly controlled and mmed into the floor. [With necromancy, your mastery level doesn¡¯t affect your ability to dominate souls.] ¡°I know.¡± Which is why even the soul of someone who had reached mid-level Sword Expert in life could be subdued like this. Tyvel was far from likable, but as a deceased swordsman who had reached Intermediate Expert during his lifetime, he had the advantage of being fairly useful when turned into an undead. ¡ªLeon!! Tyvel Cascadia''s soul let out a piercing wail at me. The memories I gained from the newly established Hall of Spirits rapidly expanded the scope of what I could do. "Seems like you¡¯ve got a decent amount of vitality left, probably because you were quite capable in life." He had more life force left than I expected. For a necromancer, life force is essentially a type of necromantic mana. The aura of death, or "death energy," and life force. While the technique I was about to use was nothing more than a petty trick, it would consume the soul of a swordsman who had reached Intermediate Expert in life to an extreme degree. But I didn¡¯t care. I grabbed him by the hair. ¡ªWha¡­ what are you trying to do?! "You¡¯re awfully full of yourself for a dead man." RIP!! I yanked his hair out without hesitation. ¡ªGaaaahhh!!! "Whoa. Ites off clean because he¡¯s a wraith, huh?" As I stared at his gleaming, ghostly bald head, I let out a wickedugh. "Honestly, I can¡¯t tell you how regretful I was to take you out in one strike. Considering everything you did, though, I¡¯d say this is deserved. Don¡¯t you think?" ¡ªG-grrrk?! * * * "Sending curses to Melissa as nothing more than a mere wraith, huh?" I took the torn fragment of his soul and reshaped it. Then, converting it into massive amounts of life force, I infused it into Melissa¡¯s body. ¡ªAaaagh!!! Stop! Stop it!!! Horrific screams echoed, but only I, who had opened my spiritual vision through mastering necromancy, could hear them. "And what are you gonna do if you keep screaming like that?" ¡ªAaaarrgh!!! "What could you even do?" As I shattered Tyvel Cascadia¡¯s wraith into countless pieces, I converted an appropriate amount of his life force into energy and used it to rejuvenate Melissa¡¯s body. Slowly, her natural healing abilities began to recover. Since Tyvel¡¯s wraith¡¯s curse had also been lifted, Melissa¡¯s body regained its original rate of recovery. By dawn, the doctor who examined her let out a sigh of relief, saying she had entered a stable condition. As for necromancy, the third set of memories I had acquired, though it had started very slowly, it seemed to grow in power at a remarkably fast pace. Necromancy also expanded the range of what I could do dramatically, but there was something more urgent to deal with first. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, I see.¡± The meeting with Sword Saint Osberg Mielephon, who appeared right after I defeated the Void Gluttony, could not be postponed any longer. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Apologies for visiting during such a busy time.¡± ¡°Not at all. Actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to confirm as well.¡± To be honest, it was still just a suspicion. A question that, if misjudged, could put not only myself but also my entire family in danger. ¡°While I don¡¯t know exactly what you wish to ask, I believe it should fall within the range of what I¡¯ve considered.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve deliberated a lot, truthfully. If I¡¯m wrong, it could lead to grave consequences for me and my household. But it¡¯s an issue that needs to be addressed, so let me ask.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ go ahead.¡± ¡°Elder, it seems you already knew about the Void Gluttony.¡± If he had been involved in the Void Gluttony¡¯s emergence¡ª I closed my eyes, deep in thought. If he had a hand in orchestrating the attack, and if he intended to silence me for uncovering it¡ª In my mind, I envisioned a battle between myself and the Sword Saint, a sh where I would likely lose an arm and suffer severe soul damage at the very least. ¡°Haha. So you¡¯re suspicious of me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The appearance of that creature was not my intention. In fact, to be precise, I came here to prevent it from emerging.¡± He pulled a small letter from his coat and showed it to me. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a letter from the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom. I have a personal connection with her.¡± The content was simple. It stated that she had received a revtion about the awakening of a seed of evil in the cursednd of the Cascadia Count¡¯s territory. She had requested the Sword Saint to investigate and deal with it. ¡°Since when were the Empire and the Holy Kingdom on such good terms?¡± ¡°To be clear, this has nothing to do with the Empire or the Holy Kingdom. It¡¯s purely a personal matter between the Saintess and me.¡± A revtion, huh... So is it possible to address the Red Moon just through revtions? [That is impossible. A revtion alone cannot fully prepare for the Red Moon. Only you and I can detect its signs.] The Librarian spoke in a strangely prideful tone. ¡®Then what about this revtion?¡¯ [It is mere coincidence.] The response was oddly firm. No, despite being an emotionless string of text, it seemed to carry a subtle undercurrent of anger. ¡®Don¡¯t get so worked up. What¡¯s got you so heated?¡¯ [Remember this: Only you can see the Red Moon. This recent attack involved just the Void Gluttony, but future Red Moons wille with cores.] If I, who could see the cores, didn¡¯t deal with them, enemies would continue to emerge, and the Red Moon would persist. ¡®When¡¯s the next Red Moon?¡¯ [It will take considerable time. The Red Moon is not something mere humans can control.] While I conversed with the Librarian in thought, Osberg called out to me. ¡°You seem deep in thought. Allow me to give you my word. The recent attack¡­.¡± ¡°I believe you, Elder. And now I understand why you came to thisnd.¡± There was no point in stirring things up if the only oue of fighting him would be more losses than gains. ¡°Then, may I ask you a question in return?¡± At his words, I nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve surpassed the wall of Expert, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I have.¡± ¡°But the divine force you demonstrated when defeating that monster¡­¡± ¡°The sword energy? That wasn¡¯t sword energy.¡± I answered calmly, shrugging my shoulders. ¡°Just an imitation.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Can sword energy truly be imitated? How astonishing. A man who hasn¡¯t yet reached the level of Swordmaster manages to wield such a thing¡­¡± Sword energy, often regarded as the hallmark of a Swordmaster, is most notable for its striking, visible manifestation. For someone who had not yet be a Swordmaster to unleash sword energy was akin to a vehicle without an engine roaring down the road. While it was true that I had utilized enlightenment to draw out sword energy, my body wasn¡¯t yet ready to break through the wall of Swordmaster. It was merely the result of immense aura and the influence of my enlightenment. ¡°Would you be willing to share how you gained such enlightenment and how you managed to wield sword energy, which is nearly the essence of the sword, without breaking the wall of Swordmaster?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 24 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 24 This wasn¡¯t just a simple preliminary investigation. For any martial artist, there is a minimum qualification: A spirit of self-improvement. Even if one were a Sword Saint, iparable to a mere Sword Master, their growth had not yet reached its end. ¡°Elder.¡± I quietly handed him a teacup and spoke. ¡°As you know, our family has many enemies at the moment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°It¡¯s a burden my younger sister Melissa cannot yet bear.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± ¡°So, would the Mielephon family be able to assist us? If you pledge your support, I will hand over what you need.¡± Everything in life is give-and-take, after all. At my proposal, his eyes twitched slightly. ¡°I¡¯d like to help, but you know as well as I do. I am a noble of the Empire, not of the Bata Kingdom.¡± If he were to get involved in this matter¡­ ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. To be precise, I¡¯d only be borrowing your name. It wouldn¡¯t mean permanently tying the count¡¯s territory to your family but merely buying us some time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it, then.¡± ¡°A method that wouldn¡¯t raise much fuss even between different nations: a political marriage.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± His eyes widened in surprise. ¡°If rumors spread of an engagement between the Mielephon family and the Cascadia count¡¯s family, the nobles of our small Bata Kingdom wouldn¡¯t dare act rashly against us.¡± What I proposed was simple. A fake engagement. ¡°Even just releasing a rumor of talks would be enough to intimidate them.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ hahahaha.¡± At my suggestion, he let out a hollowugh. ¡°You¡¯re bold, knowing I wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse such a fiery proposal.¡± ¡°I have no intention of inheriting the count¡¯s family anyway. Even if the engagement falls apartter, my sister won¡¯t get caught up in unnecessary rumors. Furthermore, since we wouldn¡¯t name anyone specifically to proceed with the engagement, it won¡¯t cause much trouble for the youngdies of the Mielephon family either.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°You stand to gain much more than making me your apprentice.¡± It was, in essence, a political marriage without a target. ¡°This is purely a transaction. However, I assure you it won¡¯t be a deal where you¡¯ll suffer a loss.¡± As grand as words like "engagement" sounded¡­ In reality, all we needed to do was leverage the connection to a powerful family like Mielephon from the Empire. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a real engagement anyway.¡± After contemting for a moment, he made his decision. ¡°Alright. If it¡¯s as you say, it wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue. That said, would you really stake your life on this for the sake of your sister?¡± ¡°She¡¯s family, even if she can be annoying.¡± At my response, he nodded. ¡°Fine. But understand this: what you¡¯ve done risks the engagement bing real. That¡¯s the nature of rumors.¡± ¡°Even if talk spreads, it¡¯ll just be rumors. The important part is that I have no intention of finalizing the engagement.¡± ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll be expecting your answer.¡± At his words, I wrote a single sentence on a piece of paper. And I handed it to him. ¡°Elder, I don¡¯t believe what you truly want is to know how I mimicked sword energy.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°This, I believe, is what you need most right now.¡± What I wrote was a hint about the barrier faced by Sword Masters at the very top tier. ¡°The only one who can break through it is you, Elder.¡± ¡°You¡­ just who are you?¡± ¡°Have I provided you the payment you sought?¡± It was an odd conversation to have between a Sword Saint of the continent and a boy who had only recently be an Expert. He said nothing, simply engraving the words on that paper into his mind with utmost seriousness. * * * ¡°Lord, were you able to resolve the matter?¡± ¡°Let us return.¡± As Osberg walked briskly, his face grim, his attendant, Bagmut Mielephon, tilted his head in curiosity. ¡°Elder? Did something upset you?¡± Even at that question, Osberg did not answer. Instead, after some time, his expression grew somewhat satisfied. ¡°He proposed a fake political marriage with Mielephon.¡± ¡°Pardon?!¡± ¡°He said even the mere notion of such talks would reduce the pressure on his family. From the perspective of a small kingdom, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to press a family connected to Mielephon as inws.¡± ¡°A fake political marriage, meaning there won¡¯t be any actual talks? Is that why you¡¯re upset?¡± ¡°No, that matter is rather favorable. What I¡¯m pondering is the insight that boy handed me, Bagmut.¡± ¡°Insight, sir?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity, a fateful one. To think that, at my age, I would gain such a revtion from a mere boy¡­¡± ¡°An opportunity¡­ Elder?¡± ¡°Let us return to the family. We must let the rumors spread as he desires.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make the preparations.¡± ¡°Of course, that boy seems to underestimate the power of rumors, but¡­ the consequences are his to bear.¡± ¡°However, Elder¡­¡± ¡°Depending on the value this insight brings me, I will calcte the price meticulously and repay him appropriately.¡± The Sword Saint chuckled. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s send him that ck sword we prepared earlier as a gift.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± * * * The Sword Saint, Osberg, had stared at the paper with the written sentence as if entranced. Its content wasn¡¯t anything grand. If anyone else had seen it, they might have dismissed it as nonsense. But to him alone, it was exactly what he needed most. Humans have habits. By observing the flow and operation of his aura, faint traces of unconscious habits revealed themselves. From those, I could infer what level he was at, what he was struggling with, and then I wrote a phrase to drive a wedge into that concern. Interpreting and epting it was up to him. I used to be like that, too. In that sense, Osberg Mielephon is quite simr to me. Of course, he calls himself a "Mind Master," and if this were a martial arts world, he¡¯d be knocking on the door of transcendence. That is impressive. ¡°How many times did I die to reach that level again¡­?¡± Time doesn''t flow here, so I can only count the number of deaths. [Approximately 100,000 deaths have been recorded.] Even though my survival rate improved toward the end, the total still reached six figures. ¡°That number¡ª100,000¡ªis ridiculous, you damned Librarian.¡± [Confirmed.] ¡°Even if I were to kill 100,000 enemies in one go, it would take days, weeks, or months. Now imagine experiencing that myself¡ªdying 100,000 times! It¡¯s hellish, you know? Do you get it? And it¡¯s not even about killing, it¡¯s about how many times I died!¡± The Librarian didn''t react to myint. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Well, with the rumor circting in Mielephon, the royal nobles won¡¯t be able to mess with us for a while.¡± I had plenty of excuses. It was enough to say that I crossed paths with Mielephon while dealing with the monsters guing the Countdom of Cascadia. Even though it wasn¡¯t an official engagement or political arrangement, just the rumor that a swordmaster from Mielephon had chosen me as a prospective match for one of theirdies was sufficient. And Osberg kept his word. I heard from the Countdom that talks of engagement between Mielephon and me had been circting. Perhaps thanks to this, the high-ranking nobles in the royal court, who had been scheming, were now frozen in ce. Theck of interference was palpable. No, in fact, the royal court went as far as ordering Melissa to quickly obtain an Expert Certification. In the meantime, Melissa had also been busy, reorganizing businesses that had been floundering due to Tyvel¡¯s tyranny, trading for scarce supplies, and more. It took a few more days to stabilize. As for me, I spent that time periodically hunting down the wraith of that damned Tyvel Cascadia, wearing him down piece by piece. I could have fully transformed him into an undead wraith knight, which would¡¯ve made him a useful pawn. But I had no intention of granting him that honor. For now, my goal was to master necromancy up to the fifth circle. That level was roughly equivalent to a high-ranking Expert in swordsmanship. While necromancy wasn¡¯t mainstream magic, as long as I didn¡¯t use forbidden spells, it wasn¡¯t a problem. After finishing some exhausting paperwork, I headed to the kitchen to carry out a n I had been preparing. ¡°Leon! You bastard!!!¡± Melissa stormed in, furious. ¡°What is it now? Did you eat something bad?¡± ¡°You drew on my face, didn¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°¡­What nonsense is that?¡± When I awkwardly avoided her gaze, she ground her teeth. But soon, she sighed, letting it slide¡ªfor now. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this. Just wait.¡± Ah, she¡¯s definitely going to hold a grudge. I sighed involuntarily. ¡°More importantly, what¡¯s this about an arranged marriage?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that.¡± I nced around and spread necromantic mana, creating a barrier around us. ¡°It¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I struck a deal with the elder. I answered one of his questions, and in return, I asked to borrow Mielephon¡¯s name. It¡¯s just a rumor about a political marriage¡ªthere¡¯s no specific person involved, and no real discussions are happening.¡± Melissa looked utterly baffled. ¡°And the Sword Saint epted that?¡± ¡°What could he do? The benefits are greater on their side.¡± At my answer, she looked at me like I was crazy. ¡°What kind of madman are you?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking about the monsters that attacked you or how many of your family knights were injured?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already received all the reports. Honestly, I think it¡¯s better to give up on trying to understand you.¡± ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t because you were too weak to handle it?¡± At my teasing, she grabbed a te nearby and threw it at me. Thud! Of course, I had no intention of wasting a perfectly good dish, so I caught it. For now, I set aside the small talk and focused on a more important challenge. ¡°If this seeds, we can make some serious money.¡± I kept working while addressing Melissa. ¡°As you¡¯ve seen, Tyvel is dead, the royal nobles are restrained thanks to Mielephon, and the businesses are back in operation. However, the losses were significant, and the manpower shortage is severe. That¡¯s where youe in. You¡¯ll need to handle that.¡± She sighed and nodded, seemingly resigned. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± But she averted her gaze, seemingly unhappy with her unsteady body. ¡°What are you even doing right now? Eggs and milk? And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Condensed milk. Take a guess.¡± ¡°Dessert? Sure, dessert businesses can make money, but thepetition¡¯s fierce. Will it even sell?¡± ¡°Delicious things always sell well.¡± This world has plenty of desserts, but there¡¯s still room for innovation in ice cream. After being trapped in the Labyrinth, I often craved something sweet and cold. Fortunately, I remembered a simple ice cream recipe from my past life. It was a shame there was no vani extract here, but luckily, this world had liquid chocte voring. ¡°Let¡¯s mix this in.¡± Adjusting between high and low heat, I whisked the ingredients together and ced the mixture into a magic tool with refrigeration properties. I added a touch of necromantic chill for good measure. Melissa, who had abandoned whatever she was working on, watched me in a daze. After some time, I removed the partially cooled mixture and stirred in the next set of ingredients, eventually creating a thick, creamy substance. ¡°What is this? Some kind of soup?¡± ¡°It¡¯s done. Now it just needs to freeze for about eight hours.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re freezing it after making it?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s meant to be eaten cold.¡± After cing it in the freezing artifact, I turned to her. ¡°It¡¯s not perfect, but I think it¡¯ll turn out pretty well. Look forward to it.¡± ¡°It better not taste awful.¡± Despite her words, she seemed curious and excited, clearly a fan of sweets herself. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 25 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 25 ¡°Wow, damn. This is amazing.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t it. This is an insult to ice cream!¡± ¡°Are you crazy? It tastes good, so what¡¯s the big deal?¡± Unfortunately, it tasted quite different from the ice cream I used to make in the past. I swallowed my tears of frustration. Was it because of theck of ingredients? Or did I forget to add something? Was it the quality of the ingredients? I had thought it would turn out well since many of the ingredients were simr to those in my previous life, but it left me with a sense of regret. ¡°Hey, give me more.¡± On the other hand, Melissa seemed to enjoy the taste quite a bit as she held out her empty bowl to me. ¡°Do you have a pig growing inside you? Eat in moderation.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m telling you, this is really good! Give me more!¡± Whoever ends up taking her in as their responsibility, I pity them¡­ Clicking my tongue, I handed her another serving of my failed ice cream prototype. Melissa, grinning as if releasing all her pent-up stress, happily dug into the ice cream. ¡°Hey. Eat too much of that, and you¡¯ll gain weight.¡± ¡°Have you ever seen an Expert gain weight? Calorie management is a breeze for me. Ahhh¡­ Eating this while managing my aura feels like my overheated body is quickly cooling down. This is amazing¡­ My brain is tingling¡­¡± Well, if she says it¡¯s good, what can I do? She seemed pretty satisfied, but I wasn¡¯t convinced this would turn into a money-maker. ¡°Leon! Let¡¯s sell this! I¡¯m telling you, this will make money!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Are you kidding me? You want to bankrupt a business?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m serious! It¡¯s tasty, and the ingredients are rtively cheap. No, wait, what if we make this a specialty of the count¡¯s territory and attract trade?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I tapped on the failed ice cream prototype. ¡°It¡¯ll probably be popr at first. For a short while.¡± ¡°And then it won¡¯t?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see for yourself. Here, eat up.¡± I handed her more ice cream, which she ate enthusiastically. ¡°Here.¡± And she ate again. While she kept eating whatever I gave her, her face soon scrunched up in a grimace. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s getting tiresome¡­¡± ¡°See what I mean? Sure, it¡¯s tasty. But it¡¯s a failed product. The vor gets tiresome quickly.¡± It wasn¡¯t that the taste was bad, but the fundamental issue was that it was a vor you¡¯d grow tired of too fast. ¡°Would people really keep eating this after getting sick of it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You¡¯re right¡­ So, this is a failure, huh?¡± ¡°Exactly. But that doesn¡¯t mean the business idea itself is a failure. It¡¯s worth trying. Making moneyes after that.¡± So, for now, I decided to focus on refining it further. A taste that wasn¡¯t overly stimting yet wouldn¡¯t tire people out quickly. That was the key. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a good start. I¡¯ll handle this, so you deal with cleaning up the Tyvel estate and taking care of the rescued non-humans.¡± It was taking a long time to break their ve contracts, so they were still staying here. ¡°Once the ve contracts are broken, those who want to return home can be picked up by their people. But some of them said they have no ce to return to. I n to take them in.¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s the same Cascadia? There are people who want to stay?¡± ¡°Those whose minds are broken. They¡¯ve lost the will to escape very on their own, so they need treatment.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still figuring it out, but it¡¯s not a small number. For now, I n to hire them as staff and provide them with food and lodging.¡± If I could safely return the non-humans, it would help prevent a major conflict. After all, I had no intention of picking a fight with a giant power like the World Tree. The recovery of the abducted non-humans had to be handled with care. Now that the biggest crisis was over, I expected no more disruptions to my rest. Or at least, that¡¯s what I thought. About two weeks had passed since the monster incident. Most of the aftermath had been dealt with, and we had retrieved everything from Tyvel¡¯s estate. Of course, I still had the treasures we found in the vault. Melissa had recovered quickly and could now walk around without crutches, and the injured could at least move around a bit. It was the first time in a long while that I felt this kind of peace and rxation. ¡°Young Master.¡± I was in the kitchen, researching with the chef, when a maid called for me. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Thedy is urgently looking for you.¡± She still had to head to the royal capital soon to officially be an Expert and be recognized as the heir to the count¡¯s title. What now? When I arrived at her office, I saw her smirking mockingly, which made me clench my fists. ¡°What¡¯s with that look? It¡¯s annoying.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­ You¡¯re in big trouble.¡± She waved a letter in her hand yfully. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± The letter she was shaking looked luxurious, just from the texture of the paper. It seemed to be addressed to Melissa. For some reason, a sense of foreboding started to grow. The Melissa I knew wouldn¡¯t be smiling like that for something good. I began to rack my brain. What were the situations in which she smiled like that? -Leon, Father wants you to train. Hehehe¡­ Come with me. I¡¯ll make sure you regret it today. -Leon, I told Father about your screw-up. He¡¯s furious and told me to bring you to him. Run while you can. I¡¯ll give you a ten-second head start. -Leon¡­ ¡°Oh, crap!¡± Reflexively, I turned to flee, but the dagger in her hand flew past me and embedded itself into the door behind me. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you little punk?¡± ¡°You¡¯re throwing knives at your own brother? Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°Hey, I still haven¡¯t forgotten that time you drew a mustache on me while I was passed out.¡± So petty! I looked at her with a face of utter disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s been over two weeks, and you¡¯re still harping on about that?¡± ¡°Yup, even if years pass, I¡¯ll never forget it.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at her relentless grudge. ¡°Sigh... So, what is it?¡± ¡°What do you think it looks like?¡± She grinned slyly. ¡°Damn it. I asked you what it is.¡± ¡°Hehe... Hehehehe.¡± The louder herughter grew, the more uneasy I felt. She was the acting head of the family. In other words, if she said to do something, you had no choice but to obey. ¡°Mielephon.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a request for approval of the engagement dowry list. Wow, this is quite surprising¡­ They¡¯re even sending a sword as part of Mielephon¡¯s response.¡± ¡°Huh? But we only agreed to let rumors spread that we¡¯re just talking about the engagement, right? Why is there suddenly talk of a dowry...?¡± Exactly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] It was supposed to be just idle talk, so there was no need for something as formal as sending a letter. A strange sense of unease welled up. ¡°Are you out of your mind? The fact that a prestigious family like Mielephon is rumored to have positively considered the engagement is already circting. If you don¡¯t prepare a dowry now, what do you think people will say?¡± I didn¡¯t know that. ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± "Is that so, my foot." Come to think of it, she wasn¡¯t wrong. If it were dismissed as a mere rumor, the deal wouldn¡¯t go through. So, silence had to be kept even at Mielephon. But if they simply spread rumors, the reputation of their family would be ruined. As if mocking me, she pulled out the family head¡¯s seal. ¡°Hey... Hey! You crazy woman! Stop!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stopping. Wow! I¡¯m jealous. You¡¯re going to marry a rich and powerful nobledy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Quit joking around.¡± ¡°Nope, I can¡¯t. If you refuse this, it¡¯ll blow up.¡± Even though I sent them a generous dowry list, if it gets rejected, it¡¯ll only take a moment before Cascadia gets branded as greedy. Nobles tend to ce unnecessary importance on honor. In other words, to put it inly¡­ It¡¯s no different than being told to shut down the business. I yelled out in frustration, but she smiled wickedly and stamped the seal on the document with a loud thud. ¡°Take that, you bastard.¡± Why did I ever save her? I felt like I was about to lose consciousness. ¡°This¡­ Is this really turning into such a hassle?¡± ¡°From the start, even if it was just an empty promise, you¡¯re the one who brought it up first. They epted it! If you say just one word, we¡¯re the ones left speechless. In this situation, on what grounds are you going to reject the dowry?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Now that she said it, it made sense. ¡°It¡¯s not just any amount. The moment you reject this, you be nothing but a greedy pig.¡± No, with such an openly offered dowry, didn¡¯t she realize this could easily lead to an actual engagement? Once finalized, even if the engagement is brokenter, it would only leave losses for both sides. I suddenly found the document annoyingly spiteful. Then, as if nothing had happened, she casually slipped the letter behind her and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°You caused this mess, so you should take responsibility, right?¡± ¡°At this point, we should just collect the dowry properly and return itter.¡± ¡°Leon, you still don¡¯t seem to fully understand, so let me exin it to you.¡± Leaning back in her chair, she crossed her legs. ¡°Political marriages, you see, sometimes happen when someone suddenly proposes it outright. But in cases like yours, it starts with a mere rumor and snowballs uncontrobly. That¡¯s why the royal family or major houses are so quick to suppress such scandals.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order from the acting family head. Don¡¯t let your missteps affect the family.¡± ¡°Damn it, yes ma¡¯am.¡± She smirked and pouted mockingly. ¡°Oh, yes ma¡¯am~ This actually feels kind of nice. See, this is how you should always respect me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re as vicious as a Megalodon, living up to your monstrous nature.¡± No matter how much others call Melissa beautiful and elegant, in my eyes, she¡¯s nothing more than a trilobite. This was all a seed I had sown myself, not knowing enough about noble society. Of course, I only asked them to spread a small rumor; I never asked for them to send a dowry, but as Melissa said, I was too naive. Even that old man probably knew. And yet, he didn¡¯t say a word of warning. [He gave plenty of warnings. Based on my analysis, even if he hadn¡¯t, judging by the Sword Saint¡¯s actions at the time, he likely weed this development.] ¡°Shut up.¡± I ground my teeth. Fine, it¡¯s just a dowry list. Let¡¯s not overthink it. It¡¯s a matter that can be canceled easily with the right excuses. Melissa must be thinking lightly of it because she knows that too. She probably also figured there was a chance I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist the opportunity. ¡°Oh, can I be honest?¡± Melissa, who had been humming while looking through the dowry list, suddenly sped her hands together and rested her chin on them, her expression turning serious. It was so sudden, my scalp tingled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Watching you panic is so entertaining.¡± Of course, her serious expression vanished in an instant, leaving only a mocking smirk designed to tease me. As I pulled the dagger stuck in the door, she also drew a spare dagger. ¡°What, are you nning a mutiny? Come on. It¡¯s your death or mine today.¡± Her relentless antics left me sighing deeply. ¡°Ugh, forget it.¡± I asked for a small rumor to be spread, but the scale of it all left me dizzy. However, since I¡¯ve already established that this is a fake engagement, as long as there¡¯s nody from the other side suddenly insisting on marriage... Even the Sword Saint won¡¯t take things any further. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ll be heading to the royal pce soon.¡± ¡°For the royal-certified expert and count approval?¡± Melissa was already an expert. For her to be a count, she needed royal-certified expert approval first, followed by the king¡¯s appointment. Whether I liked it or not, she had to visit the Bata Royal Pce. ¡°You¡¯re staying here?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll follow.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like it there.¡± It didn¡¯t matter anymore. The royal capital is practically the lion¡¯s den. It¡¯s home to the nobles who backed Tyvel. Of course, I couldn¡¯t let Melissa go alone.@@novelbin@@ ¡°I¡¯ll go because I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll gratefully ept.¡± She seemed quite satisfied. The fact that Tyvel had been dealt with and her stress significantly reduced probably contributed. About four dayster. Melissa and I boarded a carriage, taking only the bare minimum number of people, and headed for the royal pce. tter! ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Melissa tilted her head at the small blue box in my arms. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± It was alive, but I didn¡¯t know what might pop out while I was away, so I had no choice but to bring it. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t seem like there would be any immediate changes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 26 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 26 The royal pce of the Bata Kingdom was a ce that, whether one liked it or not, had to be visited at least once. This time, we needed to report the situation and secure the king¡¯s official approval for Melissa¡¯s formal session. While riding in the carriage, Melissa was busy sorting through documents she hadn¡¯t been able to handle back at the estate, nearly pulling her hair out in frustration. Meanwhile, I focused on creating a mana circle, the very foundation of necromancy magic. Thankfully, no one noticed the necromantic mana I was using. Highly refined necromantic mana was virtually indistinguishable from life force itself. It was like air¡ªnobody questions its presence unless something is very off. Honestly, if it were up to me, I¡¯d have stayed back in the county working on perfecting ice cream rather than making this trip to the royal pce. But there was no avoiding it. If there was a silver lining, it was that the journey to the capital went smoothly without any troublesome interruptions. Upon arriving at the capital, where the royal pce was located, the bustling energy stood in stark contrast to the rtive quiet of the county. Merchants moved in and out in droves, and the streets were packed with people. ¡°There sure are a lot more people here than in the county.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass yourself by gawking.¡± ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you amazed? There are so many people!¡± She eximed, clearly fascinated by the capital¡¯s liveliness. But to me, it wasn¡¯t all that impressive. After all, I still remembered my previous life, where fifty million people crammed into a tinyndmass was the norm. If anything, I found the capital rTyvely sparse for what it was supposed to be. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet His Majesty the King right away and get my official Expert certification. Then, during the evening noble¡¯s banquet, we¡¯ll hold the ceremony for the transfer of the countship. Please, I¡¯m begging you¡ªdon¡¯t cause any trouble in front of the royals and all the nobles.¡± After making her point, she left for the pce with her attendants, taking only the essentials for her stay. Of course, I wasn¡¯t entirelyfortable letting her go alone, so I summoned the one wraith I still had in my possession: Tyvel Cascadia. -Grrrr¡­. Although his soul waspletely broken, his form remained intact, allowing me to turn him into an undead. Rather than a skeletal form, I maintained him in a wraith-like state. Visibly, he was amon wraith¡ªhis figure faintly glowing with a bluish hue here and there. ¡°If I leave him like this, he¡¯ll be useless.¡± At mymand, Tyvel let out a low, beast-like growl, his body swaying unsteadily. I recalled the time I first arrived at the Hall of Necromancy, where I was handed a staff to begin my training in necromancy. Seriously, I¡¯ve died a lot. At least a sword could stab and kill something; with just a staff, I had to struggle helplessly against goblins. The memory alone gave me a headache. Even though it was all in the past, the horrific memories remained vivid. ¡°Let¡¯s start by giving him physical power.¡± I wrapped Tyvel¡¯s entire body in necromantic mana, coating him like a second skin. Then I filled his core with the mana, saturating itpletely until it was as though I had dyed him in my own color. ¡°Librarian.¡± [Acknowledged.] ¡°The magic I¡¯ve mastered so far¡ªis it significantly different from traditional necromancers¡¯ techniques?¡± [It is presumed to differ in some areas.] In some cases, I had spells they didn¡¯t know, and in others, Icked spells they had. Thinking about it, I had essentially crafted my own unique style of magic. Of course, most of the ideas stemmed from my memories. After granting him physical strength, I moved on to improving his core attributes. Tyvel had been an Intermediate Expert in life, but I had torn his soul apart to the point where it was irreparably damaged. To make him effective, I needed to strengthen him my way. Even so, there was a clear limit to how much I could enhance him. The three key elements I prioritized were strength, speed, and sensory perception. If his soul hadn¡¯t been so damaged, I could have made him much stronger. But I didn¡¯t regret my actions. I cast the enhancement spells not once but two, three times,yering them like coats of paint. ¡°Hide in Melissa¡¯s shadow and remain unseen. If anyone tries to harm her, reveal yourself and protect her with all your might. Even if it destroys you.¡± Persecution for using necromancy was a thing of the past in most countries or a relic of history in a few. At mymand, Tyvel slowly phased through the wall and disappeared. ¡°Now that I think about it, there¡¯s supposed to be an underground dungeon in the capital.¡± The reason for its existence was a bit absurd, but the dungeon had been there for centuries. It was a massive dungeon that provided an incredible amount of resources, serving as the foundation of the Bata Kingdom¡¯s economy. Thankfully, monsters never left the dungeon, making it the perfect ce for explorers to venture. ¡°Hm, I¡¯ve got a few hours¡­.¡± Since the banquet wasn¡¯t until the evening, I figured I¡¯d take a quick look.@@novelbin@@ I didn¡¯t need to rush to buy ingredients for ice cream or magical tools to aid my necromancy. I got up from my seat. ¡°Huh?! Young master! Where are you going?¡± Harpon asked, Melissa¡¯s knight, as he hurried to follow me. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the dungeon.¡± ¡°The dungeon in the capital? Why would you¡ª?¡± ¡°For a walk. Don¡¯t bother following me.¡± He looked at me with a conflicted expression. ¡°But Miss Melissa ordered me to guard you¡­¡± ¡°Sir Harpon.¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± ¡°Stay here unless you n to overpower me.¡± He shut his mouth at my question. ¡°I¡¯ll bring back something tasty on my way back, so just rx until then.¡± ¡°¡­Fine,¡± He grumbled. After shaking off Harpon, I leisurely walked to the dungeon¡¯s location. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± The dungeon¡¯s entrance resembled a massive building. Two soldiers stood guard at the entrance. ¡°What brings you here?¡± One of them asked. ¡°I am Leon Cascadia, eldest son of the Count of Cascadia,¡± I said, pulling out my identification badge. The guards immediately straightened their posture. ¡°Wee, my lord. What brings you to this ce?¡± "Not a big deal, just thought I''d take a stroll into the dungeon. Can I enter?" "Um... by yourself, sir? Ah, yes, you may proceed." When I slightly unsheathed my sword, letting the de glimmer with a sh of aura, they instinctively stepped aside. They probably didn''t want any unnecessary trouble with a noble''s child. "Thanks for your hard work." "My lord, you may freely venture up to the 5th floor, but below that requires special authorization." "Appreciate it." I wasn''t nning to go that deep anyway. * * * In dungeons, the deeper you go, the stronger the monsters you encounter. This dungeon periodically spawns monsters, and defeating them asionally drops magic stones. "Let¡¯s see... So, the end of this dungeon is still unexplored." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Nobody knows what lies at the end, but something in there is clearly responsible for the continuous spawning of monsters and the magic stones they drop. Magic stones are widely used by mages or for crafting everyday artifacts by guilds. Even in our county, items like refrigerators and freezers¡ªmagical artifacts¡ªare made using such resources. Creeeak... Creak creak! When I first entered, there were quite a few people around, but as I ventured deeper, monsters began appearing one by one. Goblins, to be exact. "Goblins as the first monsters, huh..." They might seem trivial, but these creatures are cunning enough to be a nuisance. [It is presumed that such dungeons are generally avoided unless one has a clear purpose.] "That does seem to be the case." I thought about drawing my sword as usual, but then I changed my mind. After all, why had Ie to this dungeon in the first ce? The answer was to test necromancy and unbox some wraiths. A dungeon like this is the perfect ce for it. Digging up graves just to summon undead wasn¡¯t exactly an option, so I¡¯d have to settle for turning monsters into undead. After quickly scanning the area, I extended my hand toward the two goblins approaching me. [Confuse] [Paralyze] [Poison Fog] In an instant, a cloud of poisonous mist apanied by two debilitating debuffs engulfed the goblins. Confused and writhing in pain, they copsed shortly after, foaming at the mouth. "Necromancers are all about overwhelming numbers." Quantity over quality, as they say. Extending my hand toward the deceased goblins, I made a pulling motion, as if yanking something out of thin air. Screeeech! The souls of the goblins, wrenched from their bodies, were drawn to my grasp. Though they let out ear-piercing screams in defiance, they quivered in fear under the dominion of my necromantic mana. "Alright, focus here. Look closely." I then showed them my middle finger. [Dominate] sh! A dark light red from my fingertip, and the goblin souls began transforming, fully submitting to me as my undead minions. "Line up, everyone. Time for some upgrades." I coated their bodies in necromantic mana and enhanced their strength, speed, and senses, just as I had with Tyvel¡¯s wraith. Let¡¯s limit it to threeyers of enhancements for now. A proper staff would make this easier, but when have I ever relied on a staff for casting spells? In Labyrinthos, a staff was nothing more than a glorified club. With necromantic mana saturating their undead forms, the goblins now possessed physical strength, circling around me as if to guard me. Since I gave them corporeal form, they would be visible to others as well. Not that it mattered. "Now then, your job is to recruit some friends." After all, they were just monsters. "Attack anything you see." Grrr... Snarl... The undead goblins, their veins visibly bulging, charged at the other goblins appearing nearby with ferocious intensity. The greatest strength of the undead lies in their tireless nature and their immunity to most fatal blows. In other words, they are an army of immortals. Of course, my approach to handling the undead differed from the traditional method of sending skeletons to the frontlines. I primarily utilized wraith-type undead¡ªdisembodied spirits. Ordinarily, wraithsck physical power, rendering them incapable of directly breaking or cutting through objects. However, I circumvented this limitation by imbuing them with physical strength. Though slightly weakerpared to their skeletal forms, these enhanced wraiths gained significant freedom from physical constraints. Just like Tyvel¡¯s wraith lurking in Melissa¡¯s shadow. Screech! The terrified goblins tried to flee, but the horde of undead goblins relentlessly chased them down and smashed them to pieces. There was no need to arm them with weapons; they were already stronger than their living counterparts. Of course, it helped that goblins were weak to begin with. When I first became a necromancer and started working with undead, even controlling ordinary skeletons had been a struggle. Theck of dominance over them had been the issue. But now? This was apletely different story. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 28 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 28 Of course, it seemed that he had consumed a massive amount of energy in the process. As a result, he was in a state close to an out-of-body experience, but before it was toote, I managed to re-anchor his soul back into his body and resonate it with his physical form, effectively bringing him back to life. ¡°This actually worked.¡± Of course, the sess rate was incredibly low without several auxiliary factors. Nevertheless, it seemed that this third son of the Pharrell Berli family was quite fortunate. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense. How is this even possible? Is it based on the Berg Law? Or the Paramillus Equation? No, how could this work? It should be impossible by all rational standards...¡± Watching him sink into his own train of thought made me feel uneasy. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°It seems like necromancy... but there wasn¡¯t anything like this in the necromancy I know!¡± I silently watched him mutter to himself before retracting Muyeong into the shadows and turning away. I could feel it. The unmistakable vibe of a really bothersome kind of mage that you hear about in stories. While he was lost in his thoughts, I attempted to leave the scene. Thud!!! ¡°Brother!!¡± Of course, this crazy guy had no intention of letting me go so easily. ¡°When did I ever be your brother? Let go of me.¡± ¡°Brother! You saved my life, so you¡¯re my brother! How could I ever repay this kindness?¡± Repaying kindness versus getting rid of trouble¡ªit wasn¡¯t hard to see which one outweighed the other on the scale. ¡°Forget about it; let¡¯s just go our separate ways.¡± ¡°Then... at least tell me how you saved me!¡± What kind of guy is this? Annoyed to the point of frustration, I delivered a tactical nuke-level flick to his forehead. Smack!@@novelbin@@ ¡°Ack!!!¡± As he clutched his head and rolled on the ground in pain, Muyeong, watching the scene, slowly approached him and began rolling around alongside him. As if he thought it was some kind of game. For an undead, Muyeong¡¯s movements were oddly full of life. Did something strange get mixed in during his creation as a Named? After a while, Muyeong nced at me, noticed my expression, and quickly stood up, lowering himself into the shadows before disappearing entirely. ¡°This isn¡¯t right... I should first thank the person who saved me.¡± He managed to get up with some effort. ¡°Brother, would you be willing to visit my estate?¡± ¡°Your estate?¡± ¡°Yes! I must repay this kindness so we can build a closer bond!¡± Looking directly at this bold and shameless man, I coldly replied. ¡°I said, forget it. Let¡¯s go our separate ways.¡± ¡°Ah... I apologize for my rudeness. Still, if you ever need help, please don¡¯t hesitate to visit the Berli Ducal Family! I will never forget this kindness you¡¯ve shown me!¡± At least he wasn¡¯tpletely unreasonable. He took out his family crest and handed it to me before retreating. Now that I think about it, the Berli Ducal Family¡ªwasn¡¯t that the family of one of the two Sword Masters in the Bata Kingdom? With my father¡¯s passing, he would essentially be thest Sword Master of the Bata Kingdom. The Berli family was renowned for its legacy as a swordsmanship n. But it was surprising to see the son of a Sword Master be a mage. ¡®Well, there¡¯s now that says a mage can¡¯t be born to knightly parents.¡¯ After all, my father was a Sword Master, while I turned out to be a necromancer. By the time I left the dungeon after spending so much time creating and enhancing Muyeong, dusk had already fallen. Naturally, there was no need to openly unt Muyeong¡¯s existence, so I kept him out of sight. ¡°Leon! I¡¯m officially an Expert now!¡± My younger sister beamed with pride as she announced her achievement, clearly in high spirits. ¡°Tonight¡¯s banquet will begin with His Highness making an appearance. During the event, the title session ceremony for the countship will take ce.¡± After that, she would officially be the Count of Cascadia. ¡°Unless someone with a higher title imposes restrictions, there shouldn¡¯t be any issues with the session.¡± Why did it feel like something would definitely go wrong when it was said like that? * * * The royal banquet was attended by far more nobles than expected. The kingdom¡¯s two dukes, five marquesses, and countless other nobles and their families were all on the guest list. Of course, due to various personal circumstances, not all of them could attend. Dressed ufortably in formal attire, I gazed at my sister, Melissa, who had been unusually dolled up for the asion, with narrowed eyes. ¡°Can you stop ring at me like that?¡± Her usual long, gray hair was tied back in a half-up style, and her amber eyes¡ªresembling our mother¡¯s¡ªno longer showed traces of fatigue. However, despite her elegant and demure appearance, the way she spoke hadn¡¯t changed a bit. ¡°Still as rude as ever, I see.¡± ¡°How do I look? Pretty good, right?¡± ¡°No matter how much you dress up a tadpole with wings, it doesn¡¯t turn into a swan. At best, it¡¯s a flying frog.¡± Whack!! She replied with a low kick instead of words. ¡°Hey, flying frog,e here.¡± When she turned away with an annoyed face, I called her back and straightened the messy part of her hair. ¡°A countess-to-be can¡¯t even manage her appearance?¡± ¡°Oh, shut up. You saw it, so just fix it already.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying anything, then?¡± Despite her grumbling, she seemed oddly pleased. ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the seat Father left behind. I¡¯ve finally reimed it. I¡¯ll protect it until the three of them return. Trust me.¡± Losing our parents and youngest sibling had left deep scars on both of us. Now, six monthster, she was finally starting to shoulder the burden of her duties as a countess, relieving some of her pressure. She still firmly believed in their survival. As for me, I wasn¡¯t as optimistic. A Sword Master-level fighter like our father wouldn¡¯t fall victim to just any ident. Melissa had found traces of the incident after much effort. But the problem was, those traces included evidence of a Kraken, a sea monster of legend. To put it bluntly, a Kraken wasn¡¯t something even a Sword Master could handle. It wasn¡¯t just a big octopus. Just a big octopus? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Not even close. It only resembles an octopus in appearance but is practically a cmity. I¡¯ve encountered a kraken in the Hall of Swords, the Hall of Martial Arts, and the Hall of Necromancy, but in my opinion, someone at the early stages of bing a Sword Master stands almost no chance of surviving an encounter with a kraken in the sea. At the very least, we¡¯d need to figure out a way to lure it out of the water. If that doesn¡¯t work, the only option is to risk everything and head into the sea. It¡¯s not like krakens are amon species among the Sea Kings, after all. [If you find it, what do you n to do?] ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Tear it to pieces.¡± [Understood.] Just before I climbed into the carriage heading toward the royal castle, I extended a hand to escort her and asked: ¡°Do you still believe that our parents and Arsha are alive?¡± ¡°I have to believe. I won¡¯t force anyone else to, but I¡¯ll keep believing to the end.¡± It wasn¡¯t a mereint. Perhaps the hope that her parents and youngest sibling might still be alive was thest thing she was clinging to. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s believe that.¡± ¡°Leon.¡± As I affirmed her hope in a weary voice, she looked directly at me in silence. Her eyes widened slightly as her gaze settled on my face. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not getting any sleep, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. A little, here and there.¡± I wasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, so getting proper sleep was still difficult. But thanks to my first attempts, I¡¯d at least managed to catch bits of rest, which was progress. She clenched her small fists and turned her gaze toward the window. The banquet hall was already bustling with nobles. Unlike me, who had barely participated in social activities, Melissa had asionally attended banquets with father, so she probably had acquaintances here. And, of course, with her session ceremony happening, there wasn¡¯t a single person unaware of her. As soon as I escorted Melissa into the hall, countless gazes immediately focused on her. ¡°That youngdy is the acting Count of Cascadia.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­ A young Count, and exceptionally talented at that¡­¡± It seemed Melissa was quite the center of attention among the nobles. ¡°Rx, will you?¡± I whispered quietly enough that no one else could hear. Slightly tense, she let out a careful sigh. ¡°Right. I¡¯m a Count now.¡± The session ceremony had gathered many nobles. However, the king, who would oversee the ceremony, had not yet appeared. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Acting Count. I¡¯m Viscount Ortis¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re meeting for the first time, I believe.¡± The nobles, who had been chatting among themselves, quickly surrounded Melissa as soon as she entered, initiating conversation. Melissa responded with a practiced smile, engaging them in dialogue withposure. ¡°No way I could do that with my temper,¡± I muttered, shaking my head and maintaining a bit of distance from her. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if I, not being the acting Count, went entirely unnoticed. ¡°Good heavens! My lord! You¡¯re from the Cascadia family?¡± Someone approached and spoke to me as I stood somewhat apart from the crowd. ¡°Ah¡­¡± It dawned on me then that this person was a noble. ¡°What a delightful surprise! Father! This is the man who saved my life!¡± At his words, the older gentleman beside him¡ªa man of dignified and imposing presence¡ªturned his sharp gaze toward me, as if assessing something. I bowed respectfully. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet the Sword of the Kingdom, Duke Berli. I am Leon Cascadia.¡± ¡°A pleasure to meet you. I had no idea that Galeon¡¯s son was the one who saved Farrel.¡± Galeon. Galeon Cascadia was my father¡¯s name. And there were only two people in this kingdom who would call him that. ¡°My father spoke of you often, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Did he now? I¡¯m sorry for what happened to him. I hear he encountered a kraken.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The tragedy of my father, mother, and youngest sibling Arsha being caught in an ident while aboard a ship was widely known. However, not many were aware of how someone as skilled as my father¡ªa Sword Master¡ªhad met his end. ¡°My apologies. It pains me that I couldn¡¯t even wield my de for my friend¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Krakens are closer to natural disasters than living creatures.¡± At my response, he smiled bitterly. ¡°My son told me. He said you saved him.¡± ¡°I was just lucky. Without the artifact, what I might have returned to you wouldn¡¯t have been your son, but a keepsake.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 29 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 29 ¡°Ultimately, you saved my son. Honestly, it¡¯s a story I find utterly fascinating. By the way, are you a mage?¡± ¡°I¡¯m learning a bit here and there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no expert in magic, so I can¡¯t gauge your level of skill, but I must say your humility is impressive.¡± He looked directly at me. Then he nodded slightly. ¡°Well, probing too much wouldn¡¯t be proper etiquette for someone who owes you. You¡¯re not like the rumors suggest. Were you hiding your abilities all along?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never hidden them.¡± ¡°Or perhaps a lucky encounter?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± He continued speaking with a solemn expression. ¡°The grace of saving the third son of a ducal family is immense and profound. Do you desire anything in return?¡± At his question, I subtly shifted my gaze toward Farrel Berli. The young man was smiling cheerfully, seemingly pleased to have met me. ¡°You must cherish your son greatly.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no child among mine who isn¡¯t precious.¡± ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t do it expecting a reward.¡± ¡°Then if somethinges to mindter, don¡¯t hesitate to let me know.¡± At this, I smiled and nodded. ¡°Now then¡­¡± Baam! Bara-bam! With a st of trumpets, knights appeared. ¡°His Majesty, King Oliad Riel Bata, enters!¡± Even in a kingdom where royal authority is weak, the weight of a king¡¯s name carries considerable gravity. Soon, an elderly man dressed in elegant, traditional attire appeared, and all the nobles bent one knee to pay their respects. That included both the duke and me. ¡°Thank you for gracing this asion with your presence,¡± He said, his voice weary. While I was quietly bowing my head at his arrival¡­ [Hostile mana detected.] Hearing this, I instinctively spread my necromantic mana faintly across the room. And I was slightly surprised. The King? The source of the necromantic mana was King Oliad Riel Bata himself. However, since he was neither a mage nor someone who handled aura, it wasn¡¯t normal for him to emit such mana. Although I had never met King Oliad before, from my perspective, he looked incredibly fatigued. Ah. At that moment, I realized the nature of this necromantic mana. It was a form of malevolence lingering around him, using the king¡¯s body as a medium. Necromantic mana can be life force or malevolence depending on how it¡¯s handled, and concentrated malevolence can harm the body. I don¡¯t know what the necromancers on this continent think, but based on my analysis, the king didn¡¯t have long to live. It¡¯s a rather simple mechanism, so anyone observant enough should notice soon. Dispelling the curse wouldn¡¯t be difficult, but I had no interest in meddling with pce politics. ¡°Before we enjoy the banquet, there is something we must address. Some of you may already know. Melissa Cascadia, step forward.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Having been briefed beforehand, Melissa stepped forward confidently and knelt on one knee before him. At the same time, King Oliad received a ceremonial sword from a knight. ¡°Six months ago, we lost one of the pirs of this kingdom.¡± Everyone knew he was referring to the Count of Cascadia, herte father. ¡°It was an unfortunate ident. Even now, the thought fills me with sorrow.¡± He gripped the sword with both hands and moved with ceremonial precision. ¡°But it is time to acknowledge the sessor left behind by the Count of Cascadia. Though she is only sixteen, she has met all the requirements of the magrave. In the name of Oliad Riel Bata, I hereby appoint her as the next Marquis of Cascadia.¡± Although she hadn¡¯t been officially recognized as an Expert before, Melissa had resolved numerousplex and difficult issues to im her title. ¡°I pledge to protect the citizens of the Bata Kingdom from the dangers of the bordends, centered on the marquisate.¡± After the formal exchange of words, the king ced the sword on her shoulder,pleting the ceremony. Melissa was no longer acting as a proxy; she was now the rightful Count of Cascadia. Six months. After her father¡¯s death, she had fought relentlessly to reim her position. Her eyes were slightly red, a testament to the emotions stirred by achieving her goal after so much hardship. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you endured a great deal. It seems you¡¯ve grown admirably, taking after your father. I regret that I couldn¡¯t assist you more.¡± ¡°Thank¡­ you.¡± Her voice trembled slightly, ovee with emotion, but she smiled and responded graciously. The king nodded, seemingly satisfied. ¡°I am weary and shall now take my leave. Please, enjoy the rest of the evening.¡± After conducting the session ceremony, the king departed the hall, looking exhausted. The nobles dispersed into groups, eating, dancing, and mingling among their respective factions. Melissa, meanwhile, seemed busy meeting various nobles. As for me, I found a quiet corner and focused on enjoying my meal. ¡°Oh, this is delicious. And so is this.¡± [Would you like to analyze the recipe for this dish?] ¡°Can you do that?¡± [With time, it should be possible to replicate a simr recipe.] Not as useless as I thought, huh? Prettypetent. ¡°Brother! Look at this; it¡¯s another dish renowned for its vor. Oh, and please, don¡¯t use formal speech with me.¡± Sitting beside me now was Farrel Berli, the young man I had brought back to life. The duke and Melissa had left the hall after being summoned by the emperor, leaving Farrel Berli to apany me. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be mingling with people as the duke¡¯s son?¡± ¡°Haha. I tend to get into trouble often, so my father probably feels uneasy bringing me along. Besides, now that His Majesty has left, it¡¯s time for the kids to mingle among themselves while the adults do their thing.¡± He grinned brightly, exuding a carefree attitude devoid of worry. When I first met him, he had already been dead. For a moment, I could understand the hearts of the dukedom''s people. Even in such a situation, bringing his third son to a banquet like this showed that the duke had quite a bit of affection for him. ¡°Well, thanks to that, I can livefortably. By the way, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the eldest son of the Count of Cascadia. So, why were you at the dungeon¡­?¡± ¡°I was visiting the capital and thought I¡¯d check out the famous dungeon, that¡¯s all.¡± As I answered calmly while eating, I noticed the four circles swirling around his heart. ¡°A 4th Circle?¡± ¡°Ah! As expected, you noticed right away. I knew you¡¯d figure it out instantly, brother.¡± The distinct four auras spinning within his heart were unmistakable. A 4th Circle mage. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] By a swordsman¡¯s standards, that was the equivalent of an Expert level. Though he wasn¡¯t a necromancer, considering that ordinary mages are of simr caliber, he was undoubtedly a mage of significant talent. ¡°Well, it¡¯s like a mutation born into a family of swordsmen.¡± ¡°So what? Your life is yours to live.¡± When I spoke matter-of-factly, he pped his hands. ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re right. Cascadia is famous as a swordsmanship family, but you¡¯re an Archmage, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hardly an Archmage.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, brother! Reviving the dead is something only an Archmage can even dream of. Brother, that¡¯s incredible. At first, I thought you were a hidden recluse who had regained youth!¡± Though he was a boisterous fellow, he wasn¡¯t someone I particrly disliked. Even after that, he kept sending signals that he wanted to get closer to me. He went on to share his theories about resurrection magic, the spells I used, and even the shadow wolf wraith, Muyeong, as if he were an excited mage fascinated by a new form of magic. It was then. ¡°Count Bardal! Are you here?¡± The loud shout, seemingly designed to disrupt the mood of the banquet, drew everyone¡¯s attention. Simultaneously, a man engaged in conversation with other nobles turned his head. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± ¡°My apologies for interrupting your enjoyment of the banquet, but...¡± The man whispered quietly into the ear of the one called Count Bardal. At this, Count Bardal¡¯s face turned pale, and he nodded before hurrying out of the hall. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Count Bardal, the court mage, is a 5th Circle mage.¡± Hearing this from Farrel, I nodded. Indeed, his heart bore five circles, one more than Farrel¡¯s. After the man made his request, Count Bardal hastily left the banquet hall. The man then quickly approached us. ¡°Farrel Berli.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a 4th Circle mage, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± As Farrel acknowledged it, the man whispered something in his ear, causing his expression to harden. ¡°We need you toe quickly. Every mage we can get is needed.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± After a moment, Farrel pped his hands. ¡°Well, mage assistance, huh. Then, brother, you shoulde with me¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Farrel Berli.¡± At the sudden unfamiliar voice, all our gazes turned toward it. ¡°Goldsun Vider.¡± Goldsun Vider, the second son of the Vider family. He was someone whose basic details I hade across. The second son of the Vider family strode over and nced at me briefly before speaking. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation, but you¡¯re suggesting taking someone who doesn¡¯t even know the basics of magic to such a ce? No matter how much of an anomaly you are in the Berli family, there are lines you shouldn¡¯t cross.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. What do you even know about my brother?¡± For once, Farrel Berli, usually easygoing, snapped back angrily. ¡°I know enough. Leon Cascadia, the dunce, the halfwit of the Cascadia family. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°You are wrong! You have no idea how incredible my brother is! My brother is¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care to know. And I have no reason to ept your attempt to use your connections to insert someone into this critical situation.¡± I had heard rumors before. Some mages were extraordinarily prideful about their craft. Just as Farrel was about to shout again, I felt a signal made of necromantic mana swiftly reach me, and I stopped Farrel. ¡°Farrel, you should go.¡± ¡°Brother?¡± ¡°My little sister seems to be in bad shape. I should at least try to cheer her up. She¡¯s in a tulip-filled garden, it seems.¡± It was a report from the wraith, Tyvel. It seemed Melissa wasn¡¯t feeling well. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun]@@novelbin@@ Chapter 31 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 31 A system designed to eliminate evidence on its own once the objective ispleted. No matter what materials were used, it must have cost quite a bit. ¡°This is strange. If it were a trap, they put too much effort into making it. But if it weren¡¯t, the security is toox.¡± She fell silent for a moment at my exnation before asking, ¡°From my perspective, isn¡¯t it more likely that you¡¯re the abnormal one? They put in a lot of effort, but to you, it just looks ridiculous.¡± ¡°No, I mean, how does it make any sense that I, who learned magic through self-study, can break through this so easily? It¡¯s not like necromancy is just some random street trick.¡± Even though I had reached the pinnacle of necromancy, what I just did didn¡¯t even require high-circle magic. The spell I used was only a simple 2nd-circle erosion spell. ¡°That¡¯s funny. You became that strong overnight, and now you¡¯re talking aboutmon sense?¡± [You have built up history alone beyond what countless humans have umted.] Even the Librarian agreed, but at least I didn¡¯t see it that way. ¡°Anyway, about that location. Do you recognize it?¡± At my question, she narrowed her eyes and looked out the window I was pointing at. ¡°Wait a second, that¡¯s the royal chamber.¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°Was the target of the curse¡­ His Majesty?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. Even at the banquet, I noticed signs of mana intoxication.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re only telling me this now?¡± ¡°No need to get involved unnecessarily. It would just make things troublesome for us.¡± She didn¡¯t scold me any further, calmly assessing the situation. After all, Cascadia had to remain neutral. ¡°So if we stop this, we can protect His Majesty?¡± ¡°No, the curse is already in ce. We need to deal with the embedded curse itself.¡± At that moment, she suddenly leaped onto my back. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We need to see His Majesty!¡± ¡°I get it, but why are you climbing on my back? Melissa, you¡¯re mistaken if you think you¡¯re light.¡± ¡°Shut up! Just go already! Brother!¡± She only calls me ¡®brother¡¯ when she needs something. Still, it didn¡¯t feel all that bad. It reminded me of a time long ago when things weren¡¯t so bad between us¡ªwhen she happily jumped onto my back. A precious memory, in its own way. * * * The area around the royal chamber was eerily silent. Since Melissa had recently be the Margrave of the Bata Kingdom, requesting an audience was much easier for her than for an ordinary noble. ¡°Count Cascadia, you are not permitted to enter.¡± ¡°Step aside. I have urgent matters to report to His Majesty.¡± Melissa, still on my back,manded with a firm voice. ¡°¡­¡­¡± In response, I quietly set her down. ¡°Speaking while being carried looks really undignified.¡± ¡°Ahem! Hmph!¡± Her face flushed red as she adjusted her clothes before addressing the knights guarding the chamber again with newfoundposure. ¡°This is an urgent matter. If His Majesty¡¯s life is endangered because of this, will you take responsibility?¡± ¡°T-that is¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up and report this. This is literally a matter concerning His Majesty¡¯s safety.¡± The knight sighed and finally opened the door. Momentster, he returned with another man. ¡°Your Grace.¡± ¡°Count Cascadia. What brings you here?¡± Melissa hesitated at the sight of the man. ¡°And why are you here, Duke?¡± The man remained silent but led us inside. Without even seeking His Majesty¡¯s permission? Things must have been quite serious. Upon entering, we saw about a dozen men and women gathered inside. That group over there¡ªdoctors. And over there¡ªpriests? This side¡ªmages. All of them were focused on the frail man lying in bed, struggling to breathe. ¡°If this continues, His Majesty will not survive the night. There¡¯s nothing medicine can do.¡± At the doctor¡¯s words, a priest added, ¡°The same goes for healing magic. It¡¯s actually making His Majesty¡¯s condition worse. As I suspected, this falls into the realm of magic.¡± The priestess sighed in frustration. Just then¡ª ¡°Lady Cascadia? Do you realize where you are right now?¡± ¡°The session ceremony is over. It¡¯s Count now, Marquis Vider.¡± At Duke Berli¡¯s words, an older man¡ªMarquis Vider¡ªclicked his tongue. ¡°So, Count Cascadia, what business do you have here?¡± ¡°I came because I realized that His Majesty¡¯s life was in danger. Though, it seems you all were already aware of that.¡± Her voice was cold and firm,pletely at odds with her gentle eyes. The hostility directed at Marquis Vider was unmistakable. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s life is in danger? This matter was ssified. You speak as if you already knew.¡± ¡°That¡¯s curious, Father. From what I know, the Cascadia family doesn¡¯t have any mages.¡± Goldsun Vider. The same man who had approached me at the banquet, spouting nonsense while I was talking to Farrell. ¡°And yet, despite this being such a grave asion, she even brought a half-wit along. The Count seems utterly unaware of the gravity of the situation.¡± Melissa clenched my hand tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t. Killing him would cause too many problems.¡± Anyone would think I was some lunatic who killed on impulse. ¡°Guh?!?¡± Suddenly, he clutched his head and staggered. Melissa turned to me in shock, as if to ask, Did you do that? I simply shrugged in response. Yes. I am that lunatic. ¡°What are you doing? His Majesty is resting here.¡± The Marquis of Vider instead scolded Goldsun. At this, Goldsun rolled his eyes before widening them at me. "A¡­ Ah! Father! That bastard just¡ª" "Do you not realize how important this ce is? Are you trying to disgrace my name?" At those words, Goldsun stammered in embarrassment. "No, Father, I wasn¡¯t trying to¡ª" "Silence." Wait, why is no one recognizing me? I sent that shot knowing full well that I wouldn¡¯t care even if I was found out. Smack!! "Argh!!!" As I shot another invisible, formless bullet at his forehead, the guy screamed. "Goldsun!!" "Aaaah!! I swear it''s true!" This is fun. Perhaps Melissa had noticed the smirk I couldn¡¯tpletely hide. She subtly extended a fist toward me where no one else could see, and I bumped mine against hers in return. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] She hadn¡¯t said a word, but it was clear she was feeling just as satisfied. Though things had be noisy due to Melissa and my presence, everyone¡¯s expressions stiffened when His Majesty¡¯s breathing grew rough. It seemed that Farrell Berli had disappeared to gather powerful mages, as the king¡¯s condition had be grave. "Let us continue. Count Cascadia, how did you know toe here?" The Marquis of Vider did not seem pleased with Melissa¡¯s arrival. "I¡¯ll say it again. I came because I sensed something was wrong with His Majesty¡¯s condition." "A count? And how exactly would you know about this situation? You act as though you expected this to happen." At his words, Melissa gritted her teeth and red at him. "And even if you are here, what do you think will change? Your actions could allow this information to leak¡ª" "It¡¯s because of this." At Melissa¡¯s signal, I handed over the object I was holding. I didn¡¯t bother to exin what it was. "Anyone can tell it¡¯s an item condensed with foul energy. But what we did find out is that these things are connected to His Majesty¡¯s chambers." "Hah! What do a bunch of magic-illiterates think they know? You think you can just look at it and immediately understand?" At his outburst, the corners of Melissa¡¯s lips curled up. "Hmm? Why wouldn¡¯t I know? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a great mage? My dear brother figured it out in an instant." She lifted her chin proudly and straightened her back. Then, she slyly peeked at me with one eye open. She was acting a little different than usual, but who cares? The point is, she was saying I was brilliant. As she should¡ªafter all that effort, I deserved a little praise. I raised my chin as well. "Ahem, my eyes are quite sharp." The audience stared at us, dumbfounded. "It must be a coincidence. I don¡¯t sense even a shred of mana. Besides, Count Cascadia is an expert, correct? And as for Leon Cascadia, he¡¯s nothing more than¡ª" "Goldsun Vider, young master." "¡­¡­." Melissa immediately unleashed a powerful aura, pressing down on him. "If you dare call my brother a fool one more time, you¡¯ll pay the price dearly." Her deadly re was so menacing that Goldsun Vider¡¯s face turned pale. Unlike him, who had spent his life buried in books, Melissa had plenty of realbat experience. She may have been outmatched by Visihir Cascadia, but that didn¡¯t mean she was weak. Snap!! "Enough. Count Cascadia, stand down. This is His Majesty¡¯s chamber." At that moment, Duke Berli waved his hand through the air, forcefully cutting off the energy before issuing a cold warning. "If another pointless argument arises, my sword will not forgive it. Verify it, Marquis of Vider." "Wait." The marquis closely examined the stone I had handed over. The other mages, including Farrell and Goldsun Vider, also observed it carefully. "This does seem correct." Farrell was the first to speak. "However, I can¡¯t quite determine what kind of object it is or how to handle it." He nced toward the others, seeking their opinions¡ªVider and Count Bardal, the royal mage. "Ahem¡­ I¡­ I would also need to examine it further. Proper equipment is necessary¡­" Count Bardal raised a white g. Wait, how do they not know? I found it rather puzzling. I had put some effort into it, but the security of this magic was flimsy at best. Even if I were only a 5th-circle necromancer instead of one at the pinnacle of the art, I could have easily deciphered its structure. As I tried to mask my bewilderment, Melissa whispered to me. "Hey, you said it was easy. So why don¡¯t these people know?" "How should I know? It is easy. I have no idea why they¡¯re struggling." Meanwhile, the father and son of the Vider family silently stared at the stone. "Ahem¡­." Their expressions suggested they were troubled. Sensing an opportunity, Melissa provoked them. "Why is the Marquis of Vider so quiet?"@@novelbin@@ "Wait and see!!" He snapped irritably, stroking his beard. "Magic isn¡¯t as simple as wielding a sword, you know!" The Marquis of Vider was infamous for his disdain for swords and his fanatical devotion to magic. Despite his words, his face was filled with frustration. It was obvious¡ªhe didn¡¯t understand, but admitting it would wound his pride as the Royal Mage. The same went for his son, Goldsun Vider. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 32 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 32 ¡°You said that because I¡¯m not a mage, I wouldn¡¯t even know the ¡®M¡¯ in magic. But it seems that even Lord Goldsun doesn¡¯t know. You spoke as if you were an expert.¡± ¡°How dare you speak so rudely¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it true? Calling someone a half-wit and insulting the House of Cascadia¡ªthere should be a limit. And yet, you¡ªa bookish schr¡ªdare to act so arrogantly? Should I throw a glove at you?¡± Melissa¡¯s provocations and sharp remarks didn¡¯t stop. As her presence grew more intense, even Goldsun flinched and had to shut his mouth. Even Duke Berli and the royal mage, Count Bardal, wore expressions as if they were questioning, Was she always this kind of person? ¡°Kh¡­ Ahem!!¡± Marquis Vider could do nothing but let out an ufortable cough. Meanwhile, Goldsun Vider red at the stone with a hardened face before responding. ¡°I¡­ I understand!¡± He dered confidently. ¡°I can solve this.¡± His eyes darted around before he hastily pulled out his staff. ¡°From now on, I will sever the resonance between His Majesty and this cursed creature and perform a purification spell. If holy magic is ineffective for purification, then an approach using necromantic magic should suffice.¡± After taking a deep breath, he continued with conviction. ¡°I am a 4th-circle necromancer. I have practiced purification magic to the point of exhaustion. However, to aplish this, I need the assistance of esteemed mages.¡± ¡°Our assistance?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems the so-called ¡®half-wit¡¯ of Cascadia managed to grasp the purpose by sheer luck, but for the purification to be sessful, skilled experts¡ªmeaning all of you¡ªmust assist me¡­ Ugh?!¡± He let out a scream as he staggered. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the same time, suspicion flickered across the faces of Count Bardal, Farell Berli, and even Duke Berli. Can this fool, who¡¯s acting on his own, really be trusted? However, despite appearances, he was a royal-certified 4th-circle necromancer. Though 4th-circle might seem low, it was far from insignificant. In truth, reaching the 4th circle at such a young age¡ªdisregarding external factors like elixirs or exceptional mentors¡ªstill meant he was a genius. Since the Bata Kingdom had a weak foundation in magic, even producing a 5th-circle mage was a challenge. Given those circumstances, the words of a rare 4th-circle necromancer naturally carried weight. ¡°Are you truly confident?¡± ¡°Urgh¡­ Yes, Father. I have memorized purification magic to the point of exhaustion.¡± As he confidently began casting arge-scale spell, the surrounding mages subtly moved to assist him. ¡°Hey, Leon.¡± Melissa, who had been observing the scene, asked cautiously. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can he actually pull it off?¡± At her question, I quietly analyzed his magic. Though he had embedded foreign elements into the circle to push beyond his 4th-circle limits, he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the 5th circle. Even so, a 4th-circle necromancer''s fundamental skills wouldn¡¯t just disappear. The amount of necromantic mana needed to lift the curse was around 1st or 2nd circle. In reality, no more than that was required. Yet, from my perspective, his methods werepletely iprehensible. ¡®Why is he doing it like that?¡¯ Magic was the culmination of humanity¡¯s collective wisdom¡ªa vastption of umted knowledge. Compared to that, a solitary mage who had built his own magic from the ground up should be at a disadvantage. But his magic was too crude. No, beyond crude¡ªit was fundamentally wed. ¡°Ugh?! The mana consumption is too severe! Is this really the correct method?!¡± ¡°I can do it!¡± As his purification magic intensified, King Oliad''s body began to convulse. ¡°Something¡­ something is wrong!!¡± ¡°No! This is part of the purification process! Restrain His Majesty!¡± As the situation grew more dire, Melissa poked my side again. ¡°This¡­ is this the proper method?¡± ¡°The proper method, my ass. His magic is full of holes. What the hell happened to the collective intelligence that built our magical system?¡± At my muttering, the Librarian suddenly projected a rare message. [You built everything on your own. Every aspect of magic carries your understanding.] And? What does that matter? [But for ordinary humans, they merely inherited the knowledge umted by their predecessors. They did not pioneer it themselves, so their perspective cannot be the same as yours.] I suppose their understanding might be simr to mine. But this situation suggests a deeper issue. Oh. Finally, I started to understand. I was literally a living history of magic. They, on the other hand, were merely observers of history. 1+1 is 2. Everyone knows this. But how many have actually proven it themselves? They hadn¡¯t experienced the contradictions, questions, and deeper understandings that came with the process. As time passed, established theories often lost some of their original meaning. Swordsmanship, martial arts, necromantic magic¡ªeverything I had learned in the Labrynthos was the same. Every technique containedyers of wisdom, rationale, and expertise that one could onlyprehend by fully understanding its foundation. And the difference that this created was enormous. ¡°If we leave this alone, someone¡¯s going to die.¡± ¡°What? Then we have to stop it!¡± ¡°Does this matter to you?¡± At my question, she nodded firmly. ¡°If something happens to His Majesty, it¡¯ll affect the House of Cascadia too.¡± ¡°Then we can¡¯t just let this slide.¡± The more stable Cascadia was, the morefortable my life would be. At her request, I pped my hands lightly. Paang!!! Instead of circle magic, waves of raw necromantic mana burst forth, enveloping and consuming Goldsun Vider¡¯s spell. There was no need forplexity. Since his magic was forcibly invoked, it had countless weak points. ¡°Uh¡­ Uhhh?!¡± The surrounding mages were utterly confused by the sudden, inexplicable shift in the situation. ¡°W-What is happening?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± p!! As soon as the sound of another p echoed, the magic dispersed as if it had been a lie. The spell, which had been barely maintained, was canceled due to interference. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to me. ¡°Were you trying to kill him? Who performs a purification spell like that?¡± ¡°What did you say?! What would a brat like you know!!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Goldsun Vider, enraged at having his knowledge and mastery dismissed, stormed toward me and grabbed me by the cor. ¡°Do you even understand what you¡¯ve done?! A curse is a very delicate technique! If you fail even slightly, it can be so tangled that purification may be impossible!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to dispel the spell, but because of you¡ª!¡± I casually grabbed the hand that was clutching my cor. ¡°W-What?!¡± With just a slight application of force, I broke his grip and flung him aside. ¡°You should be grateful. You were about to lose your head under suspicion of regicide, but I saved you.¡± At my words, Count Bardal turned to check the king¡¯s condition. And his face turned deathly pale. ¡°T-This can¡¯t be. The situation has gotten even worse!!¡± His exmation silenced everyone. ¡°Goldsun¡­ what is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ The purification spell should have worked properly! Father! This is unjust! I cast the purification spell correctly! Y-Yes! That fool interfered¡ªugh!!¡± This time, it wasn¡¯t an invisible bullet that struck him. Vider Marquis had pped him across the face. ¡°You foolish brat¡­¡± No one could deny that if the magic had continued, the situation would have worsened. ¡°Leon Cascadia, I assume this means you can resolve it?¡± Marquis Vider now turned his gaze toward me, targeting me with sharp eyes. ¡°Do you think purification magic is a cure-all?¡± ¡°Hah! You sure know how to dress up an admission of failure.¡± Ignoring his words, I approached the king. Right now, King Oliad was suffering from umted malice in his body due to exposure to multiple spell formations over a long period. The curse didn¡¯t just prevent him from controlling the malice¡ªit actively blocked its natural expulsion from his body. This led to malice poisoning and, eventually, the copse of his body. Usually, a curse like this, which umtes malice, can be purified by neutralizing the malice itself. Like pouring a base into an acid to create a neutral solution. However, attempting to neutralize this particr curse carelessly would be like pouring more acid into acid. Whoever set this up clearly anticipated that necromancers would try to use purification magic, so they had set up a trap. But from my perspective, there was no need to engage in aplex magical power struggle to resolve this curse. ¡°Stop rambling with fancy words. If you don¡¯t even know the solution, you¡¯ll just end up exposing your ignorance¡ª¡± Snap!! Just as Goldsun Vider shouted, still trying to preserve his pride, I snapped my fingers. Whoever had ced the curse hadid multipleyered traps, but they had left one crucial w. Snap!! I snapped my fingers again, tuning my necromantic mana to draw out the malice. Then, in an instant, I pushed it into the malice invading the king¡¯s body. ¡°W-What are you doing?! Pouring malice into someone suffering from malice poisoning?!¡± Complex magic? Intricate spell formations? This so-called refined magic was nothing more than a fragile house of cards. As I manipted my necromantic mana to hack into the curse controlling King Oliad, a set of previously invisible violet chains began manifesting around his body.@@novelbin@@ ¡°T-This¡­ What in the world¡­¡± Once the shape was fully revealed, I wasted no time in seizing control of the curse. Crash!!! Then, I reversed the direction of the lingering malice inside the king¡¯s body. Like turning a faucet in the opposite direction. As the malice that had been raging within King Oliad was suddenly freed from its restraints, it burst outward, dissipating into the air. The remaining malice, unable to escape, was swiftly neutralized as the malice I had injected into him transformed into life force. It resembled divine magic used by priests, though the methodology was slightly different. Like neutralizing an acidic sea by dissolving alkaline substances into it, the king, who had been writhing in pain, gradually regained stability. ¡°H-Huh?¡± ¡°It broke¡­ this easily?¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± The mages were left dumbfounded, unable toprehend what I had just done. Among them, Farell was not just shocked but seemed to be analyzing the situation as it unfolded. ¡°Grand magic? No, this isn¡¯t even magic. Just mana maniption? How is something like this even possible?!¡± Unlike the mages, the others had no idea what had just happened. ¡°Hey, Leon. What did you do to make them react like this?¡± Atst, Melissa cautiously asked, prompting me to think for a moment before offering an appropriate analogy. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 33 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 33 "I just stole the aura." "What¡­? Is that even possible?" "The security was weak. Necromantic magic is easy to steal if you find an opening." I often define necromantic magic as awork of interconnectedputers. In fact, during a battle against a high-ranking necromancer in the Hall of Necromancy, the fight turned into a contest of who could breach the other¡¯s security first. No matter how many hundreds or thousands of undead onemands, they are useless if they can be stolen. This kind of hacking and hijacking is only possible between necromantic magic users. But aren¡¯t necromancers, by nature, those who dominate the undead? It¡¯s a battle of control¡ªhow well one infiltrates and takes over. In other words, it''s a hacking duel. And it doesn¡¯t apply only to the undead. The same principle applies to curses. There are various methods of hacking, but no one seemed to have truly understood the intricate details that had been cemented as conventional knowledge over time. ¡°Wow, you''re insane.¡± A short exmation escaped. * * * Several figures d in dark robes gathered in an underground hideout. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The curse has been sessfully applied. As expected, the artifact bestowed by our lord worked wlessly.¡± ¡°The royal mages of Bata will likely attempt a purification spell, but they would never suspect that their magic is actually shortening King Oliad¡¯s lifespan.¡± Even medicine can be poison, depending on how it¡¯s used. But a mishandled remedy bes a deadly toxin. This curse was a brilliant and well-crafted scheme, even by necromancer standards. ¡°When King Oliad dies, the Bata royal family will be thrown into chaos. It¡¯s only natural that many influential figures will vie for power and start a civil war.¡± "You assassinated the king!"¡ªthat usation would fly. The nobles, already deeply divided, would seize the opportunity to strike down their rivals. Moreover, the current king had no clear sessor. His son was too young, meaning the princess would likely inherit the throne. However, it was well known that she was too frail to rule effectively. ¡°If the princess takes the throne, everything will fall into our hands.¡± ¡°Kekeke¡­¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± They let out eerie chuckles, celebrating their impending victory. ng!!! At that moment¡ª A man in a ck robe burst into the room, visibly flustered. ¡°Something terrible has happened!¡± ¡°Stop causing amotion. This is a day for celebration.¡± ¡°T-The curse¡­¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°It has been undone.¡± The room fell silent. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± ¡°Wait, hold on. What do you mean?! That curse was wless! If it were removed, the target should have died instantly!¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know how¡­ but suddenly, the curse was lifted¡­ King Oliad is currently recovering.¡± ¡°No way! How could someone possibly break our lord¡¯s curse?!¡± The men mmed their fists against the table in frustration. ¡°Damn it!! Who dares to interfere!!!¡± One of them raised his hand. ¡°There¡¯s only one possible way to break the curse.¡± The others nodded grimly. ¡°Necromantic magic.¡± ¡°But is there anyone that skilled?¡± ¡°There is a so-called genius¡ªA 4th-circle necromancer, Goldsun Vider, son of the Vider Marquis.¡± Their eyes burned with hatred. ¡°It¡¯s him! He ruined our n!¡± ¡°Damn it, if this gets out, we¡¯re all as good as dead.¡± In reality, it wasn¡¯t Goldsun Vider but Leon who had interfered. However, they never even considered Leon as a possibility. ¡°Capture Goldsun Vider! He must pay for this!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!!¡± And so, Goldsun Vider unwittingly gained new enemies. * * * Having unintentionally saved King Oliad¡¯s life, Melissa seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. It was obvious to anyone that it wasn¡¯t out of loyalty. The real reason for her joy was that this incident put the royal family in their debt. But there was another reason she was pleased. ¡°Oh, the look on Marquis Vider¡¯s face was priceless.¡± Marquis Vider. The Royal Mage and a powerful noble supporting Tyvel from the shadows. For someone of his status, this incident was a devastating blow. A curse had infiltrated the royal pce and struck the king. The mere fact that the Royal Mage had beenpletely unaware would ce a heavy burden of responsibility on him. The fact that his own son, Goldsun, had almost killed King Oliad only made things worse. Of course, in reality, Marquis Vider was more of a victim in this situation, but his position as the Royal Mage would not grant him the luxury of ignorance.@@novelbin@@ ¡°He¡¯ll definitely have to take responsibility for this. He¡¯ll lose a lot.¡± ¡°In return, he¡¯lle after us even harder.¡± ¡°So what? You¡¯re here.¡± She smirked and raised her ss. I clinked mine against hers. Clink! ¡°And Marquis Vider won¡¯t have time to worry about us anymore.¡± When someone powerful is shaken, the hyenas around them rush in to tear them apart. ¡°Either he¡¯ll make a reckless move, or others will drag him down. Either way, things will shift. But if Marquis Vider isn¡¯t behind the curse, then this situation is even more serious¡­¡± It would mean that an external force had attempted to assassinate the King of Bata. It was, in truth, no light matter. "Leon, do you have any suspects in mind?" "No idea. How would I know that?" She half-opened her eyes, staring at me quietly before nodding. "Honestly, I can''t quite grasp the level of necromancers across the continent." Given the effort put into it, the perpetrator wasn¡¯t entirely ignorant, but their security was abysmal. As the librarian had mentioned, this kind of phenomenon required a broad and intricate understanding of magic. If I were to evaluate it coldly by my own standards, the one who cast the curse was nothing more than a novice dabbling at the surface. But in some ways, they might actually be a grandmaster-level necromancer. Unless I narrow down the target, there''s no clear answer either way. "Forget it. This is a matter for the royal family to handle, not us." At that, Melissa waved her hand dismissively and chuckled. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Our job is just to guard the Demon Realm. The nobles'' power struggles within the royal court have nothing to do with us, right?" "That''s right." "Alright, then. Cheers! I''ll even raise your allowance when we get back." And then, the next day. A royal decree was issued, summoning both Melissa and me to attend the state council meeting. Melissa made sense, but why me? I had been preparing excuses to refuse, but in the end, it was Melissa who dragged me there against my will. Since King Oliad was currently in aa, the one presiding over the meeting in his ce was none other than the princess of the Bata Kingdom. The heir to the throne was originally the prince, but as he was still just a young child, he could not attend the state council. Thus, the delicate and timid princess had to step in for him. The meeting itself contained nothing particrly eventful. Discussions revolved around the current state of the kingdom and the affairs of neighboring nations¡ªdull topics, to say the least. Even the princess, who was presiding over the council in ce of King Oliad, seemed to think the same. Of course, there had been the major incident of an assassination attempt via a curse the day before, but since it was being handled in secrecy, very few in the room were aware of it. Then, after a lengthy discussion, a noble brought up a new topic. "As a brief intermission, I¡¯d like to introduce a simple matter, Your Highness." "I will allow it." At the princess¡¯s response, the noble stroked his mustache and stood up. "As you all know, our kingdom recently lost a Swordmaster¡ªCount Cascadia." At his words, a faint flicker of anger crossed Melissa¡¯s eyes. "It was truly a regrettable loss. However, at this juncture, we must reconsider the immense authority that he once wielded." "What exactly do you mean?" Melissa shot back in an icy tone, and the noble raised his voice as if making a grand promation. "Current Count Melissa Cascadia is still young. Shecks worldly experience. Hence, I believe that granting such enormous power to her poses the risk of corruption." The meaning behind their words was simple. They wanted to strip Melissa of her authority. "Are you saying you intend to seize the authority of the border count? On what grounds?" "Seize? Ahem, that is not what I mean. I merely suggest that the authority be returned to her when she turns twenty." "And who, then, would manage this authority in the meantime?" Melissa maintained an expression that practically invited them to keep running their mouths. Most of the nobles, however, seemed to have already reached a consensus. "For the time being, it would be best for the central government to manage it, and then return it when she reaches the age of twenty. Perhaps someone with experience, like Marquis Vider, could oversee it." At his proposal, a significant number of nobles raised their hands. "I agree." "I agree." It wasughable, the way they had already decided everything among themselves and now expected Melissa to simply ept it. Perhaps this had been their intention from the very start. I scanned the faces of those who had just moments ago been so eager to tear apart Cascadia. "Hah, the majority is in agreement. Marquis, would you care to share your thoughts?" The nobles, as if on cue, passed the baton to Marquis Vider. But strangely, his face had gone pale, and he appeared unable to focus on the meeting at all. Because at this moment, what mattered wasn¡¯t Cascadia¡ªhis own standing was at risk of crumbling. Just as Melissa was about to lose her temper, I stopped her and instead turned to the silent Duke Berli. "Do you share their opinion as well, Duke?" He was no fool who wouldn¡¯t grasp the meaning behind my question. Consider this repaying the favor for saving your life, Farell Berli. As the duke slowly closed his eyes, some nobles smirked in amusement. "Ahem, watch your tongue. Do you realize where you are? Who allowed this man to speak here?" "And yet, it''s somehow eptable for you to decide another''s affairs on your own and then demand theirpliance? How ironic." "You insolent¡ª!!" My sarcasm made a few nobles turn red with fury, their veins bulging with rage. But I brazenly pressed forward. So what exactly do you n to do about it? I''ve been officially summoned to this meeting. Most of the gazes in the room seemed to be asking the same thing¡ªwhether I was truly so desperate as to seek aid from the duke¡¯s house. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 34 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 34 ¡°The Count of Cascadia has already demonstrated her ability to fulfill her responsibilities and duties. This proposal seems rather meaningless.¡± The nobles murmured in shock as Duke Berli, who had always maintained neutrality, suddenly took this side. They never saw thising. To make things even more surprising, Princess Bata also stepped forward¡ªsomething she rarely did. ¡°The Duke is right. Is there any reason to strip the Count of Cascadia of her authority?¡± ¡°T-that is¡­¡± Following Duke Berli, even the gentle-hearted princess took a strong stance. Yet, the one who should have been their greatest pir of support, Marquis Vider, was inexplicably pale and silent. It was too bizarre to be exined simply as concern over the instability of his position as Royal Mage. ¡°If there are no objections, then I will dismiss this proposal. With Father unwell, power struggles do not reflect well on us.¡± Once Princess Bata dismissed the proposal, the nobles grumbled but could not openly object. With that, the state council meeting ended, and I was summoned by Princess Bata. This was likely the real reason she had called me to the council meeting. ¡°Wee, Leon Cascadia.¡± ¡°It is an honor to meet the Kingdom¡¯s Little Moon.¡± Beside her sat Duke Berli. ¡°First, I must thank you. If not for you, we would not have been able to save my father.¡± ¡°It was merely my duty as a vassal.¡± Of course, I don¡¯t believe in duty feeding me. ¡°Thank you for saying so. Though there is little I can do for you, I will at least ensure that the hyenas seeking to tear apart the Cascadia family¡¯s authority are kept at bay.¡± ¡°I am grateful for such an ocean-like grace.¡± Maintaining proper decorum, I bowed slightly. She let out a small sigh. ¡°Grace, you say. Without you, this country would have fallen into great chaos.¡± She bowed her head in return, then took a deep breath before speaking. ¡°The truth is, I summoned you here because I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Last night, the Vider Marquisate was attacked.¡± The Vider Marquisate? As I furrowed my brows in confusion, Duke Berli spoke on her behalf. ¡°It is undoubtedly the work of those who attempted to assassinate His Majesty. They seem to believe that the one who lifted the curse on the King was the necromancer mage, Goldsun Vider, the son of Marquis Vider.¡± Only then did it start making sense. Unintentionally, Goldsun had be my shield. No wonder Marquis Vider had looked so shaken during the council meeting. So it wasn¡¯t about responsibility for the assassination attempt. Even so, why would a man who had been willing to throw his own son under the bus for power be acting like this? ¡°There is a high likelihood of that. But¡­ are you asking me to save him?¡± At my direct question, she shook her head. ¡°Do you want to?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t ask that of you. It is something for others to handle. Of course,pensation will be provided.¡± She kept ncing downward as she spoke carefully. Is she¡­ cheating? Can a princess even do that? Is the future of this country going to be okay? Still, if I can put them in my debt, they will protect Melissa and act as a shield against any troublesome incidents that may arise in Cascadia. Melissa may have said she wasn¡¯t interested, but I had a different perspective. If the necromancer faction had the capability to kidnap Goldsun Vider in just one night, it was obvious that their next target would be me. And in that process, both Melissa and I would be in danger. So¡­ I might as well maximize my gains. I formed a circle with my thumb and index finger, then smirked at the two of them. ¡°How much do you know, Your Highness?¡± * * * To me, the County of Cascadia holds great significance. Thebyrinth in my dreams, Labyrinthos, was nothing short of a prison. Trapped there for an eternity, I had only one goal. To return home. It wasn¡¯t as if I had hidden some great secret in the Cascadia estate. It was simply my home, the ce I could return to at the end of this nightmare. That¡¯s why, for me, the County of Cascadia and my family were my anchor¡ªthe ce I had longed for so desperately. Thus. My top priority was the safety of my county. I decided to think positively. They were going to attack me sooner orter anyway. Whether I crushed them now orter made no difference, but if I could turn this into a chance to gain something for my family, it would be wise to do so. At my request, Princess Bata looked tense, while Duke Berli did not intervene. After all, he still owed me. ¡°May I take that as an eptance?¡± At the princess¡¯s question, I nodded. ¡°Simply refusing wouldn¡¯t be wise.¡± Even if she knew that, was there any need to say it out loud? ¡°There is a royal mine near Cascadia, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will grant it to you.¡± At that statement, I nced at Duke Berli. Ah. So that¡¯s what his earlier words were about. Honestly, this was more than I expected, which made me a bit uneasy. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re willing to give away something like that?¡± ¡°Yes. There had already been discussions about transferring it to the Cascadia family. I will take this opportunity to officially grant it to you. This is within my authority.¡± At her words, I fell into thought. So, it was a mine that was already being considered for transfer, but now she was using this as an excuse to finalize it? It was a royal decision, but if the noble faction opposed it, the process could drag on for years. Using this situation as justification to settle it neatly¡­ With this, Cascadia won¡¯t be able to bother them overpensation in the future. Of course, if this were an official transaction, this would be the end of it. But will I try to get more out of it? Then I need to leave some room for maneuvering. ¡°Very well. However, one should never miss an opportunity when it arises.¡± ¡°What more do you want?¡± ¡°If I contribute significantly to the subjugation, I¡¯d appreciate it if my merits were not forgotten.¡± She hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright. If you achieve such merit, the royal family will never forget your contributions.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Then may I hear the details of the operation?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you need to consult with your head of family?¡± At her question, I recalled Melissa¡¯s reaction. I can guarantee that if it¡¯s just the ownership of the mine, Melissa would be overjoyed beyond belief. Given the dire financial state of the family, she would ce immense value on gaining ownership of the mine. ¡°She will certainly approve.¡± ¡°Alright. Then I will exin the subjugation operation. Duke, please.¡± * * * ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re going to rescue that bastard?¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°The necromancers, then? But does the royal family know about your abilities?¡± ¡°Not exactly. The royal family only asked for my general knowledge on necromantic magic. Most likely, I¡¯ll be part of the subjugation force as an intelligence officer.¡± She pondered carefully before speaking again. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. You¡¯re a monster with both magic and the sword.¡± She is one of the very few who knows that I can manifest something simr to sword energy and wield 5th-circle necromantic magic. In fact, she may be the only one who knows both. Even if she understands that mybat abilities aren¡¯t within normal bounds¡ª The group being targeted was responsible for terrorism in the kingdom. It wouldn¡¯t sit well with her either. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t agree to help for free, did you?¡± She has to be that pragmatic to keep her family afloat. I confidently pulled out a document from my coat. ¡°Let me see.¡± ¡°Oh? Not for free.¡± ¡°Why are you making such a big deal? What, are you going to say you got mining rights or something?¡± When I simply smiled without answering, she wiped the smirk off her face. ¡°¡­For real?¡± I waved the paper lightly instead of answering, and her eyes trembled as she hesitantly approached. Then, she reverently knelt and raised her arms high as if worshiping a god. ¡°Oh¡­ look at this radiant glow¡­¡± ¡°You should take good care of it, right?¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s the mining rights, isn¡¯t it?! It¡¯s real, right?! There are no sneaky uses or anything¡­?¡± ¡°Oh-ho! How dare you doubt the divine?¡± Would she dare nder a god? I corrected her mistake with a stern expression. ¡°How could I hand you mere mining rights?¡± ¡°¡­Not the mining rights? Then¡­¡± Her eyes widened even more. ¡°No way?! The ownership?!¡± ¡°You should take good care of it, right? That¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll hand it over to you.¡± ¡°Brother! I¡¯ve been waiting for a brother like you my whole life!¡± ¡°Honestly, me too.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Really?¡± Her eyes sparkled like those of a goblin I once crushed its head in battle. Feeling oddly unsettled, I gently pushed her forehead away. ¡°¡­I lied.¡± Pushing her away decisively, I tossed the envelope to her and stood up. ¡°I have to leave immediately, so you handle the paperwork.¡± ¡°¡­Wow. Ownership¡­ It¡¯s real? Unbelievable¡­¡± Whether she was shocked or not, she kept staring at the document, reading it over and over to confirm its legitimacy before suddenly standing up. ¡°Wait!¡± When she returned, she threw a uniquely designed bracelet at me. ¡°Take that with you. It¡¯s a defensive artifact I bought at a high price. And promise me one thing.¡± Her earlier foolish expression vanished, and she grabbed my wrist tightly, looking up at me with a serious gaze. ¡°Never, evere back injured.¡± In her eyes, I could see the deep sorrow buried within. I suddenly recalled the past¡ªthe moment she took over the family upon hearing the news of my father, mother, and youngest sibling¡¯s ident. The sight of her in my father¡¯s study, staring nkly at his journal with hollow eyes. She had pretended to be fine on the surface, but inside, she had been rotting away. ¡°As the head of the family, this is my first order.¡± Letting out a small chuckle, I responded theatrically. ¡°I will obey, head of the family.¡± Ah, if I carried a grudge against the Labrynthos itself, then she must have a deep-seated fear of family members leaving. After losing her family all at once and holding up the crumbling house alone, It wasn¡¯t surprising that she had a severe trauma about losing loved ones. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 35 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 35 I could have spoken cynically as usual, but this time, I didn¡¯t. * * * The necromancers had hidden themselves in the seventh floor of the royal capital dungeon. Currently, the dungeon was open up to the fifth floor, primarily because the difficulty level spiked significantly beyond that. The most critical elements of this operation were stealth and speed. The royal family divided the extermination force into two units. The first unit, led by Duke Berli, was the annihtion squad. The second unit was the pursuit squad, tasked with rescuing the kidnapped noble of House Vider and gathering intelligence. Naturally, I was assigned to the annihtion squad. What surprised me was the decision of Marquis Vider. He must have known that the annihtion squad would earn greater merit, yet he volunteered for the pursuit squad. A man cold-blooded enough to discard his own child for the sake of his house. And yet, now that his son was in danger, had his paternal instincts finally surfaced? I didn¡¯t know, and frankly, I didn¡¯t care. Since the battle would take ce within the capital dungeon, deploying arge force wasn¡¯t feasible. Thus, the royal family assembled an elite team tounch a swift and decisive attack. While the annihtion squad pushed forward, the pursuit squad would take an alternate route to rescue the hostage. Duke Berli¡¯s presence made sense under such circumstances. The issue was where the enemy¡¯s trail had disappeared. Their tracks extended all the way down to the seventh floor. The capital dungeon was generally open up to the fifth floor, but the sixth floor and beyond were considered highly dangerous. The sixth floor was vastlyrger, more treacherous in terrain, and infested with dangerous monsters. For that reason, the dungeon authorities prohibited entry beyond the fifth floor. Yet, the necromancers had not only ventured past the sixth floor into the seventh, but they also seemed to have knowledge of a safe zone within the otherwise perilous depths. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying there are traitors within the royal family aiding them?¡± ¡°That is my suspicion.¡± As I moved alongside Duke Berli and reached the seventh floor, I immediately sensed the stark difference in atmosphere. The stench of death lingered in a way I hadn¡¯t felt in the fifth floor. The air was thick with residual mana. If monsters lived here, their threat level would be unimaginably high. Even my shadow wraith wolf, Muyeong, which lurked in the darkness, had begun growling in warning. ¡°Are you nervous?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good. I expect you have some hidden tricks up your sleeve. Most people, including the princess, underestimate you, but I think differently.¡± After all, a mere second-circle mage should never have made it as far as the fifth floor. ¡°But you still don¡¯t understand how dangerous this ce is. If anything happens, stay put and hold your ground.¡± That was the extent of the duke¡¯s advice for navigating the lower dungeon floors. There was little I could contribute during our descent to the seventh floor. Perhaps due to their efforts to flee, the necromancers hadn¡¯t set many traps along the way. Still, if that were the only issue, the princess wouldn¡¯t have personally sought me out and offered a mine in exchange for my help. ¡°This is it.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± As soon as we stepped into the seventh floor, an enormous dungeon unfolded before us. And at its entrance, a formidable magical barrier had been set in ce. Waiting for us was Farell Berli, who had arrived earlier as part of a reconnaissance team, separate from the pursuit and annihtion squads. ¡°Brother! You¡¯re finally here!¡± Farell, one of the few specialists dispatched ahead to scout the paths, greeted me with a bright smile. ¡°Do you see these entrances?¡± He gestured around us. The seventh floor resembled a giant maze, with multiple paths leading inward. However, only the entrance where Farell stood bore traces of peculiar magic. ¡°This is the entrance to the safest route. But the necromancers have sealed it to prevent pursuit. The mages tried to dispel the barrier, but¡­¡± ¡°Tried, but?¡± ¡°No method has worked. If we attempt brute force, it could trigger a massive explosion.¡± Given the previous curse incident, such a situation wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. Were the royal necromancerscking in skill? That was debatable. The enemy¡¯s magic was simply more intricate. That was why they needed someone like me to find an opening. Even the three royal mages present seemed at a loss. If I had received something, I should at least earn my keep. I scattered my necromantic mana, injecting my power into the barrier¡¯s magical framework. As expected, the security was subpar. The barrier was designed to detonate if broken with brute force or dispelled directly. That made the solution simple. In an instant, arrays of magical symbols, invisible to others, unfolded before my eyes. And then¡ª Boom!! I forcibly overrode the code and hacked into it. Wait a moment¡­ this is actually well-structured magic. I paused and turned toward Duke Berli. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing like that. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve seized control of the spell. Would it be alright if I modified it a bit?¡± ¡°What?¡± He looked at me in disbelief. The mages were just as dumbfounded. ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡± ¡°I can alter the spell to prevent the necromancers from escaping while allowing only us to pass. But it¡¯ll take some time. What do you think?¡± ¡°If¡­ If you can set a proper trap, then by all means.¡± Even after witnessing it firsthand, the duke seemed incredulous but nodded in approval. Now that I had permission, it was time to customize things to my liking. This magic was now mine. I could do whatever I pleased with it. With a mere gesture, the spell began reshaping itself ording to my will. And as they watched, the expressions of the mages and necromancers shifted from confusion to sheer astonishment. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] About a minute passed. As the faint necromantic mana I had been scattering disappeared, they tilted their heads in confusion. "What''s wrong? Is there a problem?" "It''s finished." "Huh? Just now, you said it would take a long time..." "Yes, and it did. It took a whole minute." Stealing magic for a full minute in the middle of a battlefield? You''d have to have a death wish to do that. In that time,unching an attack would be far more efficient. If I had regained at least the power of a 6th-circle mage, this spell dismantling and modification wouldn''t have even taken three seconds. A heavy silence fell as countless gazes locked onto me. Without a doubt, the most intense stares came from the mages. "Lord Leon! Could you show us that one more time?" "My goodness... You stole and modified such aplex spell in just a minute?" "Hah... How is suchputational interference even possible for a human brain?" "May I ask what method you used? No, wait¡ªthat''s not the issue. Would you be willing to visit my home for a more in-depth discussion on this spell...?" Did these people forget that we were in the middle of a subjugation mission? I was well aware that mages lost all sense of reason when it came to magic. After all, I, too, had sometimes gotten carried away while fighting magical monsters, only to end up nearly dead. But the problem wasn¡¯t just the necromancers. Both elemental mages and necromancers were still mages at heart, and it seemed they had plenty to say to me as well. Among them, the one whose eyes shone the brightest was Farrell Berli, the son of Duke Berli. Of course, no matter what ns he had in mind, his father, Duke Berli, would never simply let him act as he pleased. "Leon, do you see any other spells?" "I don''t see any at the moment. We can advance, but be careful¡ªthere could still be traps. And if I''m right, they probably haven¡¯t even realized that their spell has been stolen yet." There was no precedent in necromantic magic for a situation like this, where the enemy would detect the theft immediately. To even notice it, an additional form would be required. We held an overwhelming advantage in our ambush. Duke Berli understood this perfectly, wasting no time as he raised his sword. "They rely on undead as their frontline and use ck magic for suppression. But do not worry¡ªif we stick to our n, they will pose no threat." Schling! ng! He nced over at the knights drawing their swords. "Farrell Berli." "Yes, Father." "Move with Leon and follow at a steady pace. There may be more hidden trap spells, so be prepared for them." Farrell nodded at his father¡¯smand. "Understood." "We''re moving in." With his final words, the mages and knights, having tempered their enthusiasm, began their advance. Now that it hade to this, I should probably try to im some of the enemy¡¯s undead for myself. Naturally, there was a significant difference in quality between ordinary undead and those that had been maintained by necromancers. I didn¡¯t expect the enemy necromancers'' undead to be in pristine condition, but that could be resolved through modification. I sank into thought. * * * The safe route through the 7th level of the dungeon was even more expansive and intricate than the previous floors. In other words, there were plenty of ces to hide or rest. As wasmon in dungeon cities, each floor had designated safe routes where no monsters would appear or enter. Who had built these dungeons? Where did these monsters evene from? Countless schrs had studied the matter, but their conclusion was the same: the mystery could not be unraveled without delving into the dungeon¡¯s deepest depths. But honestly, the dungeon¡¯s ecology wasn¡¯t what mattered right now. "W-What¡­?!" St! A necromancer scouting the area with a group of undead didn¡¯t even have time to scream before his head was severed. He had ced too much faith in the magic sealing off the entrance. For his kind, this was a grave mistake. Duke Berli¡¯s strike force cut down any necromancer they found. While one unit focused on rescuing Goldsun and tracking the enemy, the extermination unit massacred everything in its path, showcasing the full might of the royal knights and royal mages. "Oh, this one''s actually worth salvaging." Though their physical maintenance was sloppy, there were asional cases where the spirits bound to the undead were of decent quality. Like a necromancer unboxing a collection of graveyard relics, I continued gathering undead. As expected, these necromancers had built up their skills to some extent, but their security measures were pathetic. Not that it would have mattered¡ªmy necromantic mana held a level of dominance that far surpassed a mere 5th-circle spellcaster, built upon years of mastery in the Hall of Necromancy. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 36 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 36 The undead controlled by necromancers came in many forms¡ªsome humanoid, others monstrous. Out of ten, only one or two were actually useful. I extracted the necessary specters, while the defective ones were devoured by Muyeong, the shadow wraith wolf that followed me, allowing it to grow stronger. In the meantime, I subtly separated from the main force and took a different path. "Brother, are we really fine just doing this?" As I leisurely farmed the undead, Farell asked with some hesitation. "There could be traps set by those guys anywhere." "That¡¯s why we¡¯re here." I lightly knocked my fist against a seemingly empty wall. At that moment, a hidden magic circle revealed itself. "My god¡­ That¡¯s a pressure coefficient adjustment magic circle! Brother! If we leave this alone, it could lead to a massive explosion¡ª" Ssssss¡­ The moment the magic circle lost its glow and deactivated, he shut his mouth. "Just erase it." "Hah¡­ So it can be removed this easily. No matter how much I see it, I still don¡¯t understand the principle behind it." Farell let out a hollowugh, seemingly dumbfounded. With this, all the magic affecting the surrounding area had been neutralized. They had cast a spell to seal off the dungeon, but I had already dismantled it.@@novelbin@@ What remained were nothing particrly exceptional¡ªsomething that even an average mage or necromancer could handle. The only thing that concerned me was the sinister aura rising from beneath the ground I stood on. The subjugation force hadn¡¯t reached that area yet. Then, it happened. "Damn it, we¡¯ve been discovered! How the hell did they push in this far?! Were we tracked?!" Several necromancers d in ck robes emerged, apanied by their undead minions. Judging by their words, they were in the middle of escaping. Farell, quick to catch on, immediately understood the situation. "So, they were on the run. In that case, I¡¯ll handle them." The enemies weren¡¯t particrly strong. As a 4th-circle mage, Farell was more than capable of handling them. Of course, the opponents didn¡¯t intend to go down without a fight. "Take them down quickly and get out of here before the Sword Master catches up!" "Yes, sir!" At thatmand, their skeletal minions began advancing toward us. "Not a chance!!" Farell unleashed his magic, bombarding the enemies with a flurry of spells. From low-circle to high-circle spells¡ªhaving experienced numerous battles in dungeons, he utilized a surprisingly diverse range of tactics to suppress the enemy. Even though he was only a 4th-circle mage, overwhelming multiple opponents at once wasn¡¯t an easy feat. The necromancers retaliated by spewing ck mist to counter his fireballs, but Farell used the darkness as a smokescreen to detonate a hidden spell. "Aero Boom." BOOOOOM!!! The small fireball rapidly absorbed oxygen, expanding and exploding, consuming the surrounding undead. "Arghhh!" "Aagh!! My eyes!!" Watching the battle, I could clearly see it now¡ªthis guy had a real talent forbat. "Hmph!!" But Farell wasn¡¯t just casting spells. He understood the weaknesses of mages in battle and actively moved to cover for them. The necromancers weren¡¯t entirely ipetent¡ªthey had experience in harming people¡ªbut in the end, the sheer difference in battle sense overturned everything. While Farell was overpowering the enemy, I approached an undead writhing on the ground. A thin, skeletal humanoid. A lot of effort had been put into its construction, but something felt off¡ªlike the restrictions ced on it were unnecessarily excessive. Grrrr¡­ Undead, nothing more than blindbat tools, were often shackled with various constraints for easier control. There was only one reason this would happen¡ª The necromancer controlling them wasn¡¯t skilled enough. "Hey, quit ring at me like that." Its eye sockets glowed with an eerie light instead of pupils, but I could still sense its emotions. I ced my hand on its skull and poured necromantic mana into it. At the same time, I stripped away the necromancer¡¯s control embedded within the undead. The once-hostile skeleton instantly became obedient. "Good." I extracted the battered soul trapped within the ruined body. Freed from its physical constraints, the spirit looked far better than before. I then inscribed my own magic directly onto its soul. I continued this process, converting one undead after another into specters under my control. The necromancers, seemingly specializing in the undead, kept summoning them as if showing off their collection. It was like watching an endless stream of corpses rise from a graveyard. With great joy, I kept snatching up their undead, until¡ª Our eyes met. "¡­Huh?" "You¡­ What the hell are you doing?" The necromancer looked utterly confused. And for good reason¡ªby the time I realized it, I had already umted over seven wraith skeletons at my side. As he recognized his own undead among them, his face contorted in shock. At that point, everyone¡¯s gazended on me. The necromancers, the engaged Farell, all with expressions of disbelief. "Oh. Guess I got caught." [The probability of this operation being exposed has exceeded 90%.] Shut up. This is embarrassing. Realizing that I had stolen control over their undead, the necromancers scrambled to reim them¡ª "That little rat is stealing our undead?! How the hell is he doing this?!" "Then from now on, I''ll steal them fair and square." I pped my hands lightly. The eight or so undead of various kinds, which had been protecting the necromancers, all flinched simultaneously. Then, they convulsed and copsed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] To be honest, the quality of these undead wasn¡¯t great. But since their original forms were quite high-quality beings, they made for excellent farming material. "Your skeletons were amazing, by the way." "W-What the?! "This doesn''t make any sense! The control haspletely transferred?!" It wasn¡¯t that hard to steal control over undead with such poor security. They had left some sort of countermeasure to prevent their undead from being taken, but from my perspective, it was no more than child¡¯s y. Naturally, the security I oveid onto them was imprable by their current knowledge. "What are you all doing?! Get our undead back!" "We''re trying! Dammit! Why isn''t control being restored?!" They struggled desperately to regain control, but while their undead had no locks, I had securely bolted mine. And none of them knew how to break that lock. "This can''t be happening. This can''t be!" They couldn¡¯tprehend how their undead were being snatched away with just a simple gesture. For a necromancer, the strength of their undead is a source of pride. Even though it was obvious that these undead weren¡¯t originally theirs, my mocking smile seemed to be an unbearable insult to them. At the same time, the necromancers exchanged anxious nces. They had just lost all their undead, which had been their only protection. At this, Farell conjured arge fireball on his fingertip. "Thanks to you, brother, this got a lot easier. Necromancers without undead are nothing." "Damn it! Bring it out!!" "Bring that out? If they find outter, we¡¯re as good as dead¡­." "We''re about to die right now! Who cares?! Do it! We''ve already been caught trying to escape¡ªour fate is sealed!" Realizing the gravity of the situation, the desperate necromancers shouted frantically. An elderly necromancer, trembling, hastily pulled something out from his robes. "What''s that?" "Heh¡­ heheheh!! You¡¯re all as good as dead now!" The necromancer, staggering as if intoxicated by the surge of necromantic mana, activated the artifact. Before us, a presence brimming with overwhelming energy began to take shape. "You''ve got to be kidding me¡­." Farell, his earlier confidence vanished, took a step back with a hardened expression. A magnificently engraved ck te armor, a massive greatsword enveloped in dark energy, and ominous, glowing red eyes. A Death Knight¡ªone of the most difficult undead to create. Just standing there, it exuded a crushing presence. But these necromancers were far too weak to summon or control such a high-tier undead. There was no way they could manage it just because they had called it forth. "Brother, that¡¯s¡­ a Death Knight, right?" "Looks like it." "Then¡­ shouldn¡¯t we be running?" Farell assessed the situation with cold rationality and voiced his concerns. A Death Knight is created from an exceptionally strong knight¡¯s corpse. Apleted Death Knight would be at least Expert-tier High Rank, and in some cases, even Master-level. If someone else had been in my ce, this battlefield would have turned into a bloodbath. I wonder if this is what it feels like to pull a legendary item from a gacha pull. Even those idiots should know that summoning a Death Knightes with risks¡ªthat they might also be its target. "Heh heh heh. Now, Death Knight! Rip my enemies to shreds!" Ah. So they don¡¯t know. Well, if Death Knights weremon, every nation would be deploying them in battle. Aside from requiring a powerful corpse, the process of creating one is exceedinglyplex. "C-Come on! Obey me!" The necromancer shouted at the towering figure of the Death Knight. The creature slowly raised its massive, ck sword. SHAAAACK!!! And then¡ª It cleaved the necromancers who had summoned it in a single stroke. "Huh?" Both they and Farell stood frozen, their expressions nk with shock. At that moment, I swiftly gathered and detonated necromantic mana, triggering a controlled explosion. BOOOOM!!! With a deafening st, Farell¡ªwho had been caught by the back of his cor and flung away¡ªlooked up at me. "Brother, what¡­?" "I just saved your life again." At my words, he turned to look at where he had been standing just moments ago. And fell silent. A massive sword scar was etched into the ground where he had just been. An attack so fast that he wouldn¡¯t have even been able to react. "It¡¯s at least Expert-tier, High Rank¡­ maybe even beyond that." "Holy crap. I knew Death Knights were strong, but where the hell did they get a monster like that¡­?" Farell seemed more fascinated by the existence of the Death Knight than the fact that he had just narrowly avoided death. This guy¡­ I get the feeling that even if he survives today, he¡¯s bound to die some other way down the road. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 37 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 37 "It looks like it''s moving?" Before long, the Death Knight''s ominous eyes flickered, and it quickly sheathed its sword before dashing off somewhere. As I attempted to wrest control over it, I realized once again how my current level¡ª5th Circle¡ªwas subtly holding me back. I hurriedly chased after the creature. Being an undead, it never tires. The Death Knight maneuvered through theplex dungeon as if it knew the path by heart. Of course, perhaps because of its absurd speed¡ª ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff!¡± Farell, who was following behind, waspletely exhausted and gasping for air. ¡°Brother¡­ Just¡­ Just a moment¡­¡± As I slowed my pace, he barely managed to catch up, his vision spinning wildly as he staggered. ¡°That thing¡­ It won¡¯t stop! And we¡¯re just frail mages¡­ trying to keep up with a Death Knight¡ª¡± Mid-sentence, he suddenly seemed to realize something and turned to look directly at me. ¡°Wait a minute, Brother. Why are youpletely fine?¡± Currently, my physical abilities were so enhanced that even a Sword Master wouldn¡¯t be able to do much against me. That meant this guy couldn''t keep up, but I had no problem at all. If I matched my pace to Farell¡¯s, I would be too slow. Letting that thing go would undoubtedly lead to trouble. The highest necromantic magic I could wield was at the 5th Circle. Fortunately, this particr Death Knight was at the peak of the Expert level¡ªsomething I could still manage. If I couldn¡¯t catch up to it, the best course of action was to make sure it couldn¡¯t escape. Necrotic mana began pouring out around me. ¡°Gasp?!¡± Farell flinched beside me, and even the Death Knight ahead of us momentarily stopped in its tracks and turned to look at me. A mere 5th Circle spellcaster had only a narrow, weak gateway to necrotic power. However, the amount of necrotic mana flooding through that small gateway was endless. And the dominance embedded within it affected the undead in apletely different way. ¡°Huh? The Death Knight is¡­¡± Step by step, it backed away from me. As the swirling necrotic mana spread out like a thick, dark mist, the creature began to tremble. And then¡ª Boom! As if fleeing from a predator, it suddenly bolted at full speed. A runaway ve! The other undead I had obtained so far were disposable, mere sustenance for Muyeong. But this one was different. Like prey running from a hunter, it fled with all its might, and I mmed my foot into the ground,unching forward. The sheer force left a deep indentation in the ground as I pursued at apletely different speed than before. * * * The extermination force moved swiftly and efficiently, storming the necromancers¡¯ hideout. The necromancers were caught off guard when their robust defenses suddenly copsed without a sound¡ªand even more so when those very barriers turned against them, preventing their escape. ¡°Damn it!! What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°The door¡­ The door won¡¯t open! Aaaah!!¡± ¡°Why are the damn traps activating?! Ugh!!¡± Screams of necromancers filled the air. They had no idea that the security systems they had set up had been hijacked and repurposed against them. It was the fate of those who valued secrecy over security. Dozens of necromancers within the hideout were ughtered in no time. In the end, the only one left was the aging necromancer who had orchestrated this operation¡ªBalha, a 5th Circle necromancer. ¡°Lord Balha¡­¡± ¡°Damn it. With our forces as they are, we can¡¯t possibly stand against a 5th Circle mage and a Sword Master. Open the blocked exit! Quickly!!¡± His disheveled beard remained untended as he shouted in frustration. They had anticipated an attack from the kingdom¡¯s forces. But they never expected them to breach their defenses this quickly. The seventhyer of security¡ªthe only way into their sanctuary¡ªwas protected by powerful enchantments bestowed upon them by their master¡¯s artifact. Yet, while the magic remained intact, the enemy had still entered. ¡°Is there a traitor among us?¡± ¡°Or is there a w in the spell¡­?¡± ¡°Disaster!! The kingdom¡¯s forces have reached the chamber of the final sacrifice¡ª Gahhh!!¡± Boom! The iron doors burst open, and a squad of knights and mages stormed in. A necromancer copsed, spewing blood, as the invaders pushed forward. Leading them was none other than the Duchy of Bata¡¯s sole Sword Master¡ªDuke Berli. ¡°Hear me, terrorists who conspired to assassinate His Majesty. Today, you will not escape. Surrender now, and at least you won¡¯t have to scream.¡± His words,ced with mockery, carried a clear message¡ªthere would be no mercy. ¡°Duke Berli¡­¡± Balha grit his teeth as he watched the forces surround him. ¡°How¡­ How did they break through the barrier?¡± He desperately tried to think of a way to stall for time, but Duke Berli simply drew his sword and took a step forward. ¡°Wait!! Goldsun! You¡¯re searching for Goldsun Vider, aren¡¯t you?! If you do this, you won¡¯t be able to find him!¡± ¡°There will be no negotiations with terrorists who attempted to assassinate the King. Kill them all. I will handle him myself.¡± Only one prisoner needed to survive. Duke Berli¡¯s decisivemand made Balha grit his teeth before shouting in desperation. ¡°Damn it!! Activate the final sacrifice! Dark Swarm!¡± With that, he summoned everyst undead under his control, unleashing a massive ck mist. Slice! But despite Balha¡¯s efforts, Duke Berli¡¯s power was beyond imagination. ¡°Guhah!! Aaaagh!!¡± In an instant, both of Balha¡¯s arms were severed, and he copsed pitifully to the ground. Meanwhile, the knights and mages quickly disposed of the remaining undead and executed the necromancers. The eradication team¡¯s mission had been aplished. Goldsun Vider¡¯s whereabouts were still being tracked by the pursuit team, but it was only a matter of time before they found him. The speed of their assault had been the key to their sess. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Not only had they seized control of the enemy¡¯s magic in an instant, but they had also cut off all routes of escape. It was all thanks to Leon. ¡ªTo be honest, the way he maniptes magic is entirely different from what we know of necromancy. It¡¯s as if¡­ the fundamental truths he understands arepletely different from ours. And he hadn¡¯t even used that much power. Yet, he eroded magic in a way that ordinary necromancers could notprehend, stripping everything away. ¡°Ugh¡­ Gah!!¡± He let out a painful groan, pinned underfoot as the man aimed his sword at him. To think that the king was nearly assassinated by the likes of these men. Frankly, considering the level of the mages here, it was doubtful whether they could even use the curse-bound servitors, let alone the protective magic of this ce. That meant there had to be someone behind them. That was something he could find out once he took this one in for questioning. ¡°We have sessfully eliminated all targets.¡± A knight slowly approached, preparing to bind the subdued man on the ground. Watching the scene unfold, Duke Berli felt an inexplicable sense of unease. Then, it happened. Wuuuuuung!! Wuuung!! The surrounding space began to resonate. A chilling unease struck his mind like a lightning bolt, and before he could even process it, Duke Berli instinctively unleashed his aura to its maximum, scattering it in all directions. BOOOOOOM!!!! The overwhelming shock sent his mind reeling for a moment, making him stagger. What just happened to him? Through his hazy vision, the first thing he noticed was the ck mist nketing the area. Assessing his condition quickly, the duke could not help but be shocked. His aura had beenpletely nullified and dispersed in an instant. It wasn¡¯tpletely drained, but the amount consumed was far too great to have vanished so suddenly. In other words, had he been even a fraction slower to react, he¡ªand everyone else in the vicinity¡ªwould have been killed instantly. Whatever that spell was, it was by no means trivial. Necromantic magic? He had never heard of necromantic magic like this before. No¡ªwas it even possible for necromantic magic to break through the natural defenses of a Sword Master, a being considered a strategic weapon?@@novelbin@@ Using his sword as a support, he steadied himself and surveyed the area. The entire subjugation force had already copsed, unconscious. tter¡­ tter. Srrrrrk! Squelch¡­ Squelch¡­ Then, from the opposite corridor of the hideout, two sets of footsteps approached. Duke Berli¡¯s eyes widened at the sight emerging from the darkness. Glowing, icy-blue eyes. Jet-ck bones. A ck robe. At a nce, it seemed to be just a mere mage skeleton. But his instincts screamed otherwise¡ªthis was no ordinary undead. ck bones. To his knowledge, only one kind of being possessed such ckened bones. A lich. An Archmage who had forsaken their own lifespan in pursuit of magic, breaking the ultimate taboo¡ªa being of at least the 6th Circle. In its grasp was a man, drenched in blood and unconscious, being dragged along. ¡®Marquis Vider¡­¡¯ The figure was none other than Marquis Vider, the Royal Mage, who had been tracking down his missing son. A battle against a lich, a high-ranking mage¡ªno matter how powerful the Royal Mage was, he stood no chance. And then, when the second set of footsteps revealed its owner, Duke Berli nearly dropped his sword. -Kill¡­ me¡­ The figure was a grotesque, monstrous lump of flesh. It looked as if an oversized human body had been grotesquely inted and stitched together from various pieces. Its head was covered with dozens of small human faces. And in the center of them was a face that even Duke Berli recognized. Goldsun Vider. The very person whom Marquis Vider had been desperately searching for since the noble house was attacked and he was abducted. His hollow eye sockets wept endless streams of ckened tears as he begged for death. ¡°Oh ho¡­ Quite the well-crafted trap, and yet you survived. Impressive.¡± The chilling voice dripped with amusement. ¡°You must be a Sword Master¡­ You would make a fine second-inmand Death Knight.¡± As the eerie voice filled the air, Duke Berli gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand, pointing his sword at the lich. ¡°You¡­ What are you?¡± ¡°My, my. Quite bold, aren¡¯t you? Even for a Sword Master, you¡¯ve only just barely stepped past the threshold. And yet, you don¡¯t tremble in fear?¡± The lich¡¯s eyes gleamed ominously as it leisurely approached, as if Duke Berli posed no threat at all. ¡°Well, since you destroyed my offering, I suppose I have no choice but to im you as a recement.¡± With those words, the lich gestured into the air. ck mist stretched out, coiling around the body of the fallen necromancer, B. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 39 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 39 But he no longer had the strength to move, and even if he did, in his weakened state, there was no way he could deal with the Death Knight and the corpse golem that had be Goldsun Vider. The rest of his forces were not even worth considering. "Stop!! Please, stop!!" "Keh keh keh!! How amusing it is to see you in such despair. Grief and sorrow are the finest seasonings. Is this one precious to you? Just endure a little longer, and soon, he will experience an ecstasy beyond anything he has ever felt." "Aaaaargh!!!" Duke Berli clenched his fists so tightly that they seemed about to bleed and let out a desperate scream. He prayed¡ªprayed for anyone, anyone at all, to put an end to this ursed monster. It was a sentiment far too weak for themander of a nation''s knights, but at this moment, he was more a grieving father watching his son die than a knightmander. And just as the Lich was about to fully extract Farell¡¯s soul¡ª Crack!! A sound of something shattering rang out, followed by an eerie noise from the floating ck sphere in the air. "Huh?" The Lich stopped what he was doing and looked up at the sky. There, a dark red sword aura gleamed as it split the sphere in two. Crack!! Crackle!! Before long, the dark red light shed across the sphere multiple times, creating cracks throughout its surface. Crash!!!! Then, in a single explosion, it shatteredpletely. And from within it, Leon emergedpletely unscathed. "Wait, why is he fine?" The Lich muttered in disbelief, momentarily forgetting his usualposed demeanor. Leon had beenpletely unaffected by therge-scale magic circle earlier, and now, again¡ª The ck sphere spell was not something a living being could survive if trapped inside. The Lich, unable toprehend how Leon had escaped, asked in a hollow voice. But Leon simply brushed off his clothes and approached Duke Berli. "Your Grace, are you all right?" The Duke could not respond. Hecked the strength even to speak. As a Swordmaster, he had been powerless in this situation, and expecting anything from the still-young Leon would be a foolish judgment. But sometimes, in life, there were moments when logic shed with an overwhelming feeling. "You¡­ are you all right?" "As you can see. I was a littlete, though." "Krrk¡­ Huff¡­ Please¡­ save my son¡­" With those words, Duke Berli lost consciousness. Now, in the grand hall, only the Lich and Leon remained standing. Leon gazed silently at the Duke before giving a small nod and rising to his feet. "Muyeong, release them." A deep growl echoed as a massive shadow wraith wolf emerged from his own shadow. And following it, the undead he had seized from this ce began to emerge, one after another. "Gather all surviving members of the subjugation force in one ce. Prioritize the living." At hismand, the undead, now far more agile than before, swiftly moved to gather the survivors into one location. "No matter how many times I see it, it¡¯s incredible. How is it that you remain unaffected?" The Lich finally spoke, regaining someposure. It was understandable¡ªFarell had copsed the moment he entered this space. And the others fared no better. The only one who had managed to endure was Duke Berli, a Swordmaster, but even he had ultimately fallen under the overwhelmingyered debuffs. Yet, in the midst of all this, Leon remainedpletely at ease. "This magic identifies those closest to death and the underworld. Those unworthy suffer immense overload."@@novelbin@@ "That¡¯s correct." "Then how can someone like you¡ªa mere child¡ªbepletely unaffected?" This spell was starting to feel increasingly impractical. It could only be activated within a specific area, its maintenance was incredibly demanding, and it even had the tendency to turn against its own caster. To Leon, it was nothing more than a failure. Yet its effects were undeniably terrifying. "It¡¯s nothing special. I just excluded myself from the target list." "What?" "I mean, I¡¯m not just any ordinary mage. Of course, I had my defenses up. Must be a bad habit of mages. It was a close call, but honestly, the security on this spell was aplete mess." Leon grumbled, as if recalling something. Ever since regaining the memories of the Hall of Necromancy, he had been reacting this way without realizing it. "¡­¡­" "If I had known what this spell was, I wouldn¡¯t have let so much damage happen. If you want, I can include myself in the target list now." With those words, Leon snapped his fingers, and the dark shroud surrounding him materialized before shattering into pieces. The spell had now begun affecting him as well. "What kind of trick did you pull? This spell cannot be dodged¡ªit can only be dispelled." "Dodged? Even the rocks lying around aren¡¯t affected by it." "¡­¡­" "Honestly, I should be the one asking questions. You and the other necromancers¡ªwhy do you all ignore the fundamentals?" "How dare a mere whelp lecture me about fundamentals!" Though he wasn¡¯t a high-circle mage, meaning hecked overwhelming firepower orrge-scale spellcasting, he could still tamper with and manipte an active magic circle. "You insolent brat!!" Just as the enraged Lich was about to yell¡ª A strange noise echoed as the magic circle reactivated once more. Boom!!! At the same time, the Lich staggered, falling to one knee. And along with him, the Death Knight and the corpse golem of Goldsun, which had been under his control, also began to stumble and copse. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "What¡­ is happening¡­?" "Your spell works by bestowing debuffs and curses upon those farther from death and the underworld. That¡¯s its fundamental principle. At my current circle level, I can¡¯tpletely dispel it, but I can manipte it enough to cause some mischief." Leon took a step forward. "The magic is functioning as intended¡­" "¡­¡­" "But the fact that this is happening to you means the roles have reversed." The Lich was not so ipetent as to fail to understand what that meant. "That''s ridiculous¡­ A human who hasn''t even experienced death¡­ No, a mere brat who looks like he hasn''t even lived for twenty years¡ªhow could you possibly say such a thing?!" "Twenty years, huh¡­ Want to see for yourself?" The boy standing before him had the body of a young human. But what he carried within him, what he had experienced, waspletely different from his outward appearance. The necromantic mana flowing from Leon''s entire being held a history within it. A dreadful remnant of memories and traces of time that reduced the centuries Lich had lived into mere insignificance. The dominion embedded in his necromantic mana was none other than death itself. The sheer magnitude of it was beyond anything Lich could hope to contend with. It was only then that Lich truly took in Leon¡¯s mana with his own eyes. His jaw dropped as if it might dislocate. He was the only being in this world who had glimpsed into the depths of Leon¡¯s essence, and with a face twisted in terror, he gasped out a question. "You¡­ What in the world are you¡­? What are you, ugh?! Krrrk¡­ This is impossible. How can a living being be death itself?!" Despite his anguished cry, Leon remainedposed as he picked up a discarded sword from the ground. At the same time, a crimson aura of sword energy began to surge. * * * "Guh¡­ Krrrk¡­" For an ancient being like Lich, his greatest advantagey in his vast reserves of necromantic mana and his long-standing expertise in deceit itself. Words might dress things up nicely, but in the end, a battle of attrition was always won by the one who had lived longer and mastered necromancy to a greater degree. In that regard, I might only be a mere 5th-circle necromancer right now, but the fact that all the necromantic mana I had umted in the Labrynthos had returned to me meant I was already overwhelming him. My mind had already beheld the very essence of death, had peered into the abyss of the underworld. The dominion and death embedded in my necromantic mana were filled with traces of my arduous journey along the path of the Death Lord. And yet, a lich who had barely broken past the 7th-circle? At least make a properparison. I refuse to ept such an unfair match-up out of sheer indignation. Exposed to his own spell, Lich was copsing in real time. Even though he stood at the lofty level of a 7th-circle necromancer, and even though I had barely restored myself to the 5th circle, I had no need to lift a finger. His own magic was tightening the noose around his life. Furthermore, due to his very nature, he was especially vulnerable to dominion imbued with necromantic energy. "K-kill him!!" In desperation, Lich barked an order at his undead golem, Goldsun Vider. The creature, writhing in pain, immediately charged at me with ferocity. In response, I spun my sword with a flourish and strode forward without hesitation. And then¡ª ¡ªGRAAAARGH!!! Just before the undead golem¡¯s massive fist could turn me into pulp, I elerated in an instant. SLASH! What bloomed from my de was a pseudo-sword aura. Since forcing it would damage my weapon, I opted not to use my usual cknight No. 1. As I watched the golem crumble into two clean halves under my sword strike, Lich reeled in shock. "Sword aura?! Sword aura?! But you¡ªweren''t you a mage?!" Whether it was true sword aura or not, he didn¡¯t seem to have the knowledge to distinguish the difference. Originally, the undead golem should have regenerated almost immediately. However, with Lich¡¯s power being suppressed to an extreme due to his own magic, even its regeneration was failing. Realizing this, Lich had to make a critical decision. "Damn it¡­ I have to retreat." Falling victim to his own spell, even he couldn¡¯t undo the magic in such a short time. But his attempt to flee was cut short by my next words. "Trying to run? You do realize whose hands the safety barriers along the escape route have fallen into, don¡¯t you?" Hearing my question, he grit his teeth so hard it sounded like they might shatter. At that moment, he stretched out his hand. From him, a surge of ck mist erupted, and an enormous number of undead began pouring out. Each of them was at least at the level of an Aura User or higher. While many of them crumbled under his diminishing control, some still managed to endure. "You¡­ What have you done to the barrier?!" The Lich, now panicked, shouted in disbelief. The situation hadpletely reversed from before, where Lich had held the upper hand. "I just¡­ made a few adjustments." "Impossible! There''s no way that¡¯s possible¡­ Even if it were, there''s no way someone of your level¡ª" "Come on now." I let out a chillingugh and manifested necromantic mana in both hands. Then, with a light flick, I scattered it into the air. In an instant, the undead army halted in ce. Hmm¡­ Even at the 5th circle, strengthened by the lingering effects of the magic circle, this seems to be my limit. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 40 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 40 "Move!! I said, move!!" "It''s true that I''m a 5th-circle necromancer, but do you think my necromana is only at the level of a mere 5th-circle necromancer?" The vast necromana I possess is that of a Death Lord who has already glimpsed the ultimate truth. Even if my physical body weakens, the singrity reached by my mana is beyond theprehension of a mere lich at the 6th or 7th circle. If the Hall of Swords and the Halls of Martial Arts provide the merit of extreme physical enhancement due to immense aura, Then the merit granted by the Halls of Necromancy is the absolute control of my necromana. "I may not have enough output to seize itpletely, but stopping its movement is a different story." Saying so, I took one step after another toward him without hesitation. "This might sting a little." "O... O-Don''te near! I told you not toe near me! Stay away!!" He screamed in fear, spreading his necromana as if setting himself on fire, but by then, I had already closed the distance between us. Though there was still a Death Knight that I couldn''t suppress, one Death Knight alone was not enough to stop me. Squelch!!! In an instant, I closed in and shed the lich''s chest, pulling out the hidden crimson orb within his body. Even if it was an imitation, a sword aura still lived up to its name. The crimson orb in my hand pulsed faintly. It was the lich¡¯s core¡ªhis Life Force Vessel. Liches full of confidence often kept their Life Vessels inside their bodies, believing their own form to be the safest ce in the world. "Ugh... Impossible... How could such a monster exist among the fallen necromancers...?" It seems the level of modern necromancers has truly fallen. Fundamentally, they don¡¯t understand the impact of security at all. But I had something to say about that too. "I thought about it carefully. For necromancers, security is as essential as their foundation. So why did they abandon it for the sake of progress?" "¡­¡­" "Then, after watching your magic, I started to understand." Magic evolves over time. The problem is, the direction of its evolution ispletely wed. "You cut out parts you thought were unnecessary to improve efficiency and firepower. And one of those parts was security. Fine, I''ll admit it." I shrugged as I delivered the brutal truth. "Necromancy is essentially hacking, but it''s not as easy as it sounds." "You...!" "Yeah. Forget security or anything else. You removed necessary spaces to cram in something else, and that must have increased efficiency. But then, you turned around and mocked the magic of your ancestors for being inefficient and pathetic." Without even realizing the massive hole in the system they themselves had created. "As time passes and things be fixed, past truths are forgotten. You don''t even recognize security issues anymore. In the end, from my perspective, you and all the other necromancers are the same." From my perspective, whether it¡¯s modern necromancers or the lich standing before me who has lived for centuries, they''re fundamentally the same. "Who... who exactly are you...?" By now, terror was etched onto the lich¡¯s face. "Leon Cascadia. In your eyes, I might just be a fledgling, or I could be an ancient monster who''s existed longer than you." "Lord Leon, p-please... spare me." The lich made a swift decision. "If you let me live, I will devote myself to you." "Why should I?" "You can even ce a geass on me! I promise you won¡¯t regret it! I am quite the talented individual!" He pleaded desperately, and I pondered for a moment. The undead, including Muyeong, who had been under the lich''s magical influence, had already been moved outside. Now, only the lich and I were within the range of his magic. That meant I had some extra time. "What can you offer?" Surely, after living for so long, he must have something valuable. Something even money can''t buy. Hearing my question, the lich frantically pulled out hidden items from his collection. "This is the Skull of the Madman! It enhances necromantic magic efficiency¡ª"@@novelbin@@ "Not interested. Next." As I rejected it outright, he panicked and hurriedly grabbed the next item. "This is the Reaper of Death! A magitech artifact crafted by an engineer centuries ago... It utilizes a human skull¡ª" "Do I look like some deranged psychopath into fratricide? Next." I dismissed him coldly, and he grew more frantic. His condition was worsening due to the magic. Moreover, since he was a lich, not a human, this magic was acting as a deadly poison to him. "Th-Then how about these?" What he presented next was none other than the corpse golem made of Goldsun and the Death Knight. I gazed at the Death Knight intently. "That Death Knight doesn¡¯t seem to be fully utilizing its strength." "Well... I was in the process of making it an independent, named entity... But given enough time, it will naturally grow stronger! Stronger than a normal Death Knight! The original human before bing this Death Knight wielded the power of a Swordmaster just before his death." Hearing that, I stroked my chin. A Swordmaster-level Death Knight. To transform such an undead into a wraith and carry it aroundfortably, I would need to reach the 6th circle¡ªbut breaking through the 6th circle wasn¡¯t difficult. "Fine, transfer ownership." Upon mymand, the lich hastily severed his link with the Death Knight. Then, he handed over the core of the magic. "H-Here! Take it!" "Good." I fully epted ownership of the Death Knight. I felt sorry for its original human self, but there was nothing I could do for him. It wasn¡¯t like Farell, whose body had been preserved and was regenerating with the help of an artifact. Now under my control, the Death Knight¡ªwho had resisted just moments ago¡ªknelt before me. "T-Then¡­ will you spare me...?" "Is that all you have? No, seriously, what kind of centuries-old lich has so little?" "W-Well, I haven¡¯t been out of my seal for long¡­ But if you let me live, I will create more! A legion of undead solely for you! An organization dedicated to your service¡ª" He was desperately trying to scheme, but honestly, it was meaningless. "Fine. Then take care of that." I pointed at the corpse golem made of Goldsun. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The lich tilted his head in confusion. "Ah. Are you trying to save that human? It may take some time, but..." "No. I don¡¯t care whether the heir of the Vider family lives or dies, but I want you to revive the humans who were used as the base material for creating that." At my words, his mouth shut. The answer had already been decided from the beginning. There was no way for him to revive the countless humans who had been horrifically killed. He could save their souls, but the broken bodies couldn¡¯t be restored. Even if I asked him whether he could recover Goldson Vider, the answer was the same: impossible. Perhaps what he meant by revival wascking in many ways. Of course, I had no interest in his survival. The reason I pointed to the corpse golem wasn¡¯t just because I didn¡¯t intend to keep the lich alive, but also because I could see the lingering souls of those who had wandered around the golem, shedding tears of blood. Watching the souls suffering like that, unable to enter reincarnation and only leaving remnants behind, made me uneasy. They must have been killed in an incredibly brutal manner. There were elderly people, children. A little girl, and a boy. There were more than thirty of them, the living gravestones of the dead. The lich¡¯s pupils fluttered as he fully understood the meaning of my words. ¡°Damn... You never intended to keep me alive from the start...¡± Screech!!! Before his words could finish, the Death Knight, whose control had passed to me, severed his body. ¡°Did you want to live, you bastard?¡± I coldly looked down at him as he was neutralized, gripping the Life Force Vessel in my hand tightly. The Life Force Vessel couldn¡¯t withstand my power, cracked, and soon shatteredpletely. The ck bones of the lich began to decay as if time that had been stagnant was now flowing. ¡°This can¡¯t be... I am the King of Death, Glevik...¡± The lich, who had lived for centuries, met a death that was emptier than one could imagine. Afterward, I reached out to the body golem lying on the ground and freed all the souls bound within it. The body golem, now without a master, was extremely unstable. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t protected against magical interference. Unlike the Death Knight, it only took about 5 circles of interference magic to turn it into nothing. With no reason left, the souls no longer asked to be killed and slowly dissipated. Among them, Goldson Vider¡¯s soul was also mixed in. I gazed at the Death Knight, who was staring nkly at me. While traveling with a Death Knight would bring attention and talk, if I couldn¡¯t prevent it from bing a specter, it would be difficult to keep it in my shadow. I considered storing them in an artifact, but unfortunately, the spatial artifacts they carried were objects that recognized their masters. And while I was knowledgeable about necromancy, I was practically ignorant of other types of magic. Even the same magic was entirely different depending on its type. It was like studying different subjects. Ultimately, since I couldn¡¯t use the items, I had no choice but to carry them around. Even so, I had gained a subordinate whose potential wasparable to a Sword Master. "Muyeong, he¡¯s your junior." I introduced the Death Knight, who was silently following me, to the shadow wolf, Muyeong. Like the Death Knight, Muyeong was also an independent named entity, and surprisingly, his self-awareness was quite strong. Undead with such strong self-awareness tended to be blind followers of their masters. As the Death Knight stared at Muyeong, Muyeong slowly approached him. And then, without hesitation, he bit off his head! ¡°Hey.¡± Afterward, he performed a death roll, seemingly displeased. As always, Muyeong was more like an alligator than a wolf. * * * There were no survivors among the necromancers who hadmitted the terror. However, the fact that the operation was a sess remained unchanged. The aftermath was swiftly handled. As soon as the royal family, which had been keeping this a secret, heard about the annihtion of the necromancers, they decided to publicly announce the news. The public face of the achievement was none other than Duke Berli. Although the real contributor was me, I made sure to suppress any information about that. What I wanted was the reward, not the petty glory of attracting attention for something so trivial. More than that, the reason I made such a choice was due to suspicions that someone else was behind the necromancers. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 42 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 42 Seeing that she even ignited her aura, it seems she got properly provoked. Cascadia has its own unique martial arts and swordsmanship, passed down from previous generations. I, too, tried to learn them from a young age, but realizing I had no talent, I gave up early on. Sng!! Shweeek!!! A single sharpened sword, infused with aura, shed through the air and came at me with ferocious intensity. Yet, without moving too far from my spot, I dodged her attacks with just a few measured steps. Unlike when she was simply blinded by rage, Melissa''s expression hardened after exchanging just a few moves. Your left side is open. I swung my sword and lightly kicked her left leg to disrupt her flow. ¡°Ugh?!¡± She must have relentlessly attacked, leaving no room for a counter. A normal person wouldn¡¯t even perceive the sword strikes that were exchanged dozens of times per second. Yet, by dodging only what I needed to and cutting off her momentum with precise counterattacks, she was starting to grow impatient. And impatience inevitably leads to mistakes. ¡°Ah?!¡± Her sword swing wildly tore through the air. A seasoned swordsman, not just an expert, would never make such an error. But repeated counterattacks, disruptions, and growing desperation had led to this catastrophe. Had this been a real battle, she would have died a meaningless death. She hurriedly tried to recover her sword. But I was already one step ahead. I curled my index finger and thumb into a circle. Smack!!! And then, I unleashed a tactical nuclear flick to her forehead. ¡°Gyaaahhh?!¡± Letting out a scream, she dropped her sword and rolled across the ground. ¡°This is so disappointing I feel like giving up.¡± Since it wasn¡¯t just a simple flick but a shockwave attack using aura, the pain was beyond imagination. Of course, it was purely meant to be painful rather than lethal. ¡°You insane bastard! Were you trying to kill me?!¡± Still clutching her forehead on the ground, she shouted in outrage. ¡°This is pissing me off! What the hell did you eat to turn into such a monster?!¡± ¡°Enough. There''s a swordsmanship style that suits you. I was originally just going to teach you swordsmanship, but it looks like you¡¯ll need to modify your martial arts foundation as well.¡± Her eyes widened at my words. She couldn¡¯t possibly misunderstand my meaning. I was telling her to abandon our family''s martial arts. For her, it would be difficult to ept, given that it had been passed down for generations. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Just learn it for now. But don¡¯t forget¡ªright now, you are the head of your family, Melissa. What you wield bes your family¡¯s swordsmanship. If you die, that lineage ends with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something you should¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt. I don¡¯t practice my family¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± If you¡¯re weak and die, none of it matters. She hesitated for a long while before finally looking me straight in the eye. ¡°If I learn it¡­ will I be stronger?¡± Of course, I use a different swordsmanship myself. The style I was about to teach her was one I once pursued but ultimately abandoned because I deemed it incapable of reaching the pinnacle. But that didn¡¯t matter. It simply didn¡¯t suit me. However, for someone with her refined sword trajectory, it would be a perfect fit. In fact, using just this swordsmanship, I had once reached the rank of Mind Master, then surpassed that boundary to be a Grand Master. Yet, I ultimately discarded it in pursuit of a greater ideal. ¡°Phew¡­ Fine. Not that you¡¯d answer even if I asked for details. What¡¯s the name of this sword style?¡± After a brief pause, I flicked my fingers. Dark deathly mana surged forth, pulling the sword she had dropped into my grasp. At the same time, a ck aura began radiating from my entire body. As the dark energy fully merged into my sword, I slowly closed my eyes before reopening them. ¡°Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.¡± With those words, an overwhelming tyrannical aura erupted, forcefully oppressing everything in the vicinity. ¡°Hmm¡­ Yeah, it¡¯s a little dramatic, but if I had to describe it simply¡­ It¡¯s a swordsmanship fit for the King of Hell.¡± As my overwhelming aura spread, she instinctively clenched her fists. Despite both being manifestations of aura, the nature of mine was entirely different from Melissa¡¯s. BANG!!!! A domineering force surged forth, crushing everything beneath it like a ruthless conqueror. The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword was not something I created based on memories of my past life. Among the many enemies I faced in the Hall of Swords, there was one who fought with what seemed like martial arts. That pitch-ck figure had wielded a sword style that remained deeply engraved in my memory. Boom!! Boom!!! Each time my sword swung, it suppressed everything in its path. It was a swordsmanship that forced absolute submission upon its opponents. Domineering. Merciless. Yet smooth. And dark. Its grand structure was supported by 382 different variations. Melissa watched in silence, utterly captivated by the disy. I didn¡¯t expect her to grasp everything at a nce. Like all skills, mastery would require endless training and introspection. Since this wasn¡¯t my primary swordsmanship, I was consuming a massive amount of stamina. But I simply reinforced my body with aura. Melissa''s greatest strength was her wless sword trajectory, one that rarely wavered. And she never allowed foreign elements to disrupt her rhythm. If that pitch-ck swordsman I once fought in the Hall of Swords had seen Melissa¡­ Perhaps, he would have chosen her as his sessor. Of course, that was merely my spection. As I demonstrated the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword, she watched intently, determined not to miss a single movement. By the time I was finished, a considerable amount of time had passed. ¡°That swordsmanship¡­ it¡¯s incredibly oppressive.¡± Her assessment was short, concise, and urate. ¡°The foundation of both your family¡¯s swordsmanship and this one is aura cirction.¡± Sword techniques, surprisingly, reveal their limitations quickly. No matter how perfect a style may be, at its core, swordy boils down to three fundamental principles¡ªvertical cuts, horizontal cuts, and thrusts. Just like how humans breathe unconsciously. If anything, you have to actively think to hold your breath. It was an automatic, instinctive phenomenon. In other words, it is instinctual. "First, you need to get used to your newly modified aura cirction." Swordsmanshipes after that. I immediately had her sit down and began forcibly modifying her aura cirction using my immense aura. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Her body twisted in pain throughout the process, but I made not a single mistake or deviation as I altered her aura flow. Blocking where needed, opening where necessary, and connecting passages that were originally disconnected. Every time I did so, her face turned bright red from the pain, but I never stopped. ¡°Hic?! I¡­ I think I¡¯m going to die¡­.¡± It was as if she were in a state where simply being aware of her breathing was not enough¡ªshe had to deliberately force herself to breathe. ¡°How long do I have to do this? Huff¡­ huff¡­.¡± She struggled to speak as she desperately controlled the aura that was trying to flow in reverse. ¡°About three days. I¡¯ll leave you alone during that time, so just focus on getting used to it.¡± In truth, she was more suited to the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword than our family¡¯s swordsmanship. Not only did swordsmanship and cultivation techniques match her well, but I was also determined to drill the essence of my insight into her. Of course, the process wouldn¡¯t be smooth. But that wasn¡¯t my problem. * * * The first day of training. Melissa showed determination as she got used to her aura cirction and relentlessly practiced swordsmanship. At the same time, she steadily progressed with preparations for the mining business. The second day. Her expression soured a little. Perhaps it was because she hadn¡¯t felt full-body muscle pain in a long time. The third day, the fourth day¡­ By the end of the first week. Melissa lost her smile. By the time I visited her with a wooden sword in hand, I could see fear in her eyes. "Um¡­ can I take a break today?" "Who said you could? Get up, now." "But, uh¡­ I¡¯m a count and the family head. I have responsibilities¡­." "And you think you''re in any shape for that? What a weakling." Grit¡­ I heard the grinding of her teeth, but she said nothing in return. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle the on-site mine inspection and write the reports.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­.¡± Yeah, I knew. I knew that this training had long since surpassed what could be considered normal. In fact, I was pushing her to an astonishingly brutal degree. But I had no regrets about my actions, nor did I see any ws in my approach.@@novelbin@@ Despite all herints, her aura had begun settling into ce, circting properly, and she was absorbing swordsmanship at a rapid pace. I was also intentionally teasing her more than necessary to ignite her fighting spirit, but it wasn¡¯t just for stress relief¡ªit had a clear purpose. Then, by the second week. Melissa ran away. She even managed to shake off Tyvel¡¯s wraith, which had been hidden in her shadow. "Where the hell is that girl?" I red at the empty office of the count¡¯s estate. ¡°Hic?!¡± A startled elf maid carrying aundry basket gasped and took a couple of steps back. "Where did Melissa go?" ¡°W-We¡¯re looking for her too¡­.¡± She was one of the elves that Tyvel had originally captured for trafficking but had chosen to stay in the mansion voluntarily. This particr elf was one of the better cases. She simply wanted to repay the kindness of being rescued. "Look me in the eyes." As I approached, exuding an aura as terrifying as a demon from hell, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. ¡°P-Please spare me, young master¡­.¡± "I''m not going to kill you. Just tell me where our esteemed family head ran off to." She averted her gaze at my words. So, everyone knew that Melissa had run away. They must have made a promise not to reveal it. Well, I had my own methods. I immediately led her to the kitchen. Then, I revealed the Vani Ice Cream Mk.8, which I had refined over the past two weeks. Gulp¡­. A sh of intense desire crossed the elf maid¡¯s eyes. Of course. The Ice Cream Mk.8 was essentially a perfected product¡ªone that I was nning tounch as a business. The household servants who had tried even a single spoonful spread the word about how amazing it was. Whenever I asked if anyone wanted to eat my "failed" batches, they would raise their hands and mor for a taste. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 43 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 43 "If you tell the truth, I''ll give you this." "T-That..." "Alright, I''ll be generous. If you tell the truth, I''ll make this for you every day during snack time for the next week." "Gasp?!" At my shocking proposal, the elf''s eyes darted around wildly. She seemed to be in extreme distress. Technically, since her employer was Melissa, she wasn¡¯t obligated to obey me. However, I was also duty-bound to catch her after she had run away. "Don''t worry. You won¡¯t be treated unfairly because of this. Melissa is the one who did something wrong¡ªyou''d only be passing the truth along to me." "I-I don''t know anything, Young Master." Oh. So she¡¯s still loyal to the head of the household. Well, if she had given in this easily, I might have been disappointed. "Alright. I''ll add coffee cookies to the deal." With that one statement, she was utterly defeated. "I think... the Lady mentioned going to pray..." See? Don''t assume all I make is ice cream. Satisfied, I handed her both the ice cream and the coffee cookies I had prepared in advance. Her face was a mixture of guilt and the pure joy of tasting such exquisite snacks. "Anyway, don¡¯t worry. You didn¡¯t confess directly, and if Melissa has any sense, she won¡¯t hold this against you." "Y-Young Master... you really don¡¯t understand people¡¯s hearts." Ignoring the elf maid''s small rebellion, I grabbed a wooden practice sword and a smoke bomb before heading out. Just then, a panicked servant came running towards me and shouted excitedly as soon as he saw me. "Ah! Young Master! I have an urgent report, but the Lady isn''t here..." "I¡¯ll fetch her, so just report to Melissater." I kept walking,pletely ignoring the servant¡¯s desperate cries. Who woulde all the way to this rural backwater? Even if someone did, unless it was an imperial noble or someone of simr status, I had no intention of paying attention to it now. I couldn''t forgive Melissa for running away at such a crucial time. A church, huh? She wasn¡¯t exactly a devout believer, so there was no way she had gone there to pray. In fact, our church didn¡¯t even have a priest currently residing in it. It was just an empty building where the local vigers asionally went to seek peace of mind through prayer. There was no way she had gone there for that reason. Which meant the reason was obvious. But hiding there wouldn''t make her hard to find. After all, it was a ce where she and I used to hide when we got into trouble as children. Sure enough, the church showed no signs of recent visitors¡ªit was locked up tight. So much for "free prayer." The people of Cascadia preferred to pray privately anyway. "Melissa?" I stepped inside the church and called out to her. No response. "Melissa, tonight¡¯s snack is a brand-new ice cream vor." Still no response. A worn-out chair, wooden statues, and a goddess statue stood at the center of the church. Sigh. After all I do for her, this is how she repays me? I ced a hand on one of the walls. Creak... Crackle... Only the sound of old wooden nks creaking echoed through the empty church. No real changes urred. This was the secret space we used to hide in when we were kids. But since it hadn¡¯t been used in years and had likely been renovated, the secret space was nowpletely sealed off. "Huh. So the hiding spot is gone? When did they block it off?" My voice echoed hollowly through the old church. "You made a promise to learn, and now you run away just because it¡¯s a little tough?" I turned away indifferently. Then, without hesitation, I pulled out the smoke bomb I had prepared and removed the safety pin. It was a rather expensive military-grade artifact, but this was the territory of a bordend margrave. Military supplies like this were in abundance. I casually tossed it into a gap in the wall on the other side of the church. Then, without hesitation, I stepped outside and spoke. "Remember that one time? After I got into trouble, you caught me and gave me ten seconds to run?" Back when I was much weaker than Melissa, she would yfully chase me down before mercilessly tying me up and dragging me before my father. And every time, my father would praise her and give her delicious treats. Meanwhile, I would get severely scolded. Of course, since I had actually caused trouble, I couldn''t reallyin. Even with my past-life memories, this just proved that boys are still kids at heart. That smug little sister of mine, telling me to run for ten seconds before she caught me¡ªthose memories stuck with me vividly. "I¡¯m generous, so I''ll give you three minutes. Honestly, what kind of head of a noble household runs away like this? How disgraceful." "Cough! Cough!!" A girl¡¯s harsh coughing echoed from behind the wooden ts. It was just a smoke bomb, but in her current state, she wouldn¡¯t be able to control her breathing properly. The effect was bound to be overwhelming. I folded my hands behind my back, stepped outside, and gazed up at the sky with my eyes closed. Then, I began to count. "179 seconds, 178 seconds." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "You... you crazy bastard!?" Melissa''s panicked scream sounded like a beautiful melody to my ears. Grabbing a nearby branch, I conducted her screams like a maestro leading an orchestra. "As your instructor, I can be either a demon or an angel, depending on your attitude. Understood?" ¡®You absolute lunatic!¡¯ Melissa cursed inwardly as she took off at full speed. She was at the early Expert stage. In other words, she had surpassed the limits of ordinary people. However, in her current state, she was struggling to fully utilize her previous strength. That¡¯s right¡ªshe had abandoned her old training methods and swordsmanship to learn a new style from Leon. It was like wearing unfamiliar clothes. Every movement, every breath¡ªeverything felt awkward to her. And then, there was Leon¡¯s training method, which pushed her to the brink with a wooden practice sword. It was absurdly intense, to say the least. Her brother, Leon, had suddenly be overwhelmingly strong overnight. Perhaps the reason behind his strength was this absurd training. ¡ªOr so she thought for a moment. Shaking her head, she quickened her pace. Nonsense. Leon¡¯s martial prowess was beyond the realm of normal. It was to the point where she could believe that another person had taken over his body or that a future version of Leon had returned to the past. Not that it would exin his abnormal amount of aura or necromantic mana. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about it. He¡¯s a doppelg?nger.¡± Even though she knew it was unrealistic, she couldn¡¯t think of any other way to describe the madman of a brother who was relentlessly following her. What was even more terrifying was that he was humming a tune and leisurely keeping pace with her, yet she couldn¡¯t widen the distance between them. Utterly exhausted, Melissa only managed to reach the mansion before copsing onto the training ground, lying t on her back, gasping for breath. ¡°I give up¡­ I¡¯m dead¡­ I¡¯m really going to die.¡± ¡°First, your lower body. The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword is useless if your foundation is weak.¡± ¡°No, no. Just¡­ let me rest for a bit. I also have work to do¡­¡± ¡°Work? You mean this?¡± Leon smirked and waved a thick stack of documents in his hand. Processing paperwork was one of her more taxing duties, but ever since training had begun, it had practically be her only refuge. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to do it, right?¡± In the end, Melissa strapped on the monstrous training equipment¡ªsomething called a training tool but better described as a torture device¡ªthat Leon had prepared. Then, with a rare, pitiful expression, she teared up and pleaded. ¡°Leon¡­ No, Brother¡­ I¡¯m really exhausted¡­¡± Seeing her sorrowful face, Leon let out a sigh, stepped forward, and gently took both of her hands. Then, as ifforting a crying child, he smiled warmly. ¡°Stop the act. Because after this, you have to do this too.¡± Leon nonchntly pulled something out of a prepared sack. A needle threaded with string and a handful of beads with holes in them. ¡°W-what is that?¡± Feeling a sense of unease, Melissa instinctively took a step back. Leon calmly tossed the beads into the air. And then¡ª Pa-pa-pa-pa-pak!!@@novelbin@@ In an instant, he threaded the falling beads with the needle. ¡°The key to the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword is flexibility and precision.¡± Though it was a technique that unleashed an overwhelming force, that was only the result. The process required not brute strength but rather flexibility and fine control. Melissa stared nkly at the sight before her. ¡°That¡¯s your task.¡± ¡°¡­How?¡± ¡°That¡¯s for you to figure out. Oh, and once you get a little used to it, I¡¯ll add debuffs like confusion or paralysis.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to do it under those conditions?¡± ¡°When you reach a state of extreme aura control, you gain resistance to curses. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll adjust the difficulty.¡± Leon¡¯s training was missing a screw. It wasn¡¯t structured training but rather a nightmarish regimen, seemingly built on practicalbat experience. Melissa felt the blood drain from her face. At this rate, she genuinely felt like she was going to die. ¡®Think! I need to find a way to get out of this¡­!¡¯ They said that humans could disy superhuman abilities in life-or-death situations. A sudden realization struck Melissa. ¡°Ahem! I would love to continue training, but I have an unavoidable issue to deal with first.¡± Seeing Leon¡¯s expression slightly sour, she cheered internally. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°As you know, we¡¯ve received ownership from the royal family. But mining operations require a massive amount of money. Do you realize? Given our current financial situation, our family doesn¡¯t have the initial capital to manage and extract resources from the mine.¡± Though it was a ploy to escape, it wasn¡¯t entirely false. In fact, it was her biggest concern. Mining? That required money. The problem was where to get the initial funds for development. Loans were an option, but she didn¡¯t have anything she was willing to risk as coteral. As Leon stroked his chin in thought, she smirked internally, feeling triumphant. That is, until she saw what he did next. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Leon pulled out an enchanted pouch from his coat, and Melissa froze. Thud-thud-thud-thud!! A mountain of treasures spilled out from the bag, their origin unknown. It turned out that the loot from Tyvel Cascadia¡¯s underground mansion was far greater than what Melissa had been aware of. ¡°We¡¯re filthy rich. Just focus on training.¡± ¡°You¡­ You lunatic¡­ Just where did you rob all this from?¡± ¡°Where else? Tyvel¡¯s estate. That bastard had a ridiculous amount of secret funds stashed underground. I kept it for an asion like this.¡± His grin felt like the smile of the Grim Reaper. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 44 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 44 ¡®Is there really no way out?¡¯ Just as Melissa was slowly stepping back, her so-called savior arrived. Or rather, could that even be called a savior? ¡°B-Bad news, Lord!¡± An elf man came running frantically and shouted at her. ¡°What is it?¡± Elves are typically quiteposed. But the sheer urgency in this elf¡¯s expression made Melissa tense up as well. ¡°F-from the young master''s room, a strange light burst out¡­¡± Leon¡¯s room? Almost simultaneously, both of them turned their heads toward the window of Leon¡¯s room. BANG!!! A mass of light exploded from the window at that very moment. It was obvious at a nce that this was no natural phenomenon. ¡°Leon, what the hell did you put in your room?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Other than the necessary supplies, I don¡¯t have a single magical object in there. Just an extra ck Night Sword and a blue box¡­¡± Leon trailed off. Right. There was one thing. A blue, square-shaped box presumed to be a living entity. He had oveid it with a sealing barrier as a precaution. ¡°¡­You put up that barrier, and now it¡¯s causing trouble? Can¡¯t you do something about it?¡± ¡°That¡­ is beyond my control.¡± * * * The curtain of light engulfing my room was, quite literally, a massive barrier wall. ording to the attendant, at first, the light was only shining inside the door. But before anyone realized it, it had slowly spread beyond my room. Zzt¡­ Sparks flickered from my hand. ¡°Leon, how is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use. I can¡¯t interfere with it.¡± If only it were necromantic magic, I might have been able to hack into it. But this golden barrier waspletely untouchable. Not that a mage can be proficient in all forms of magic anyway. Even with the knowledge I had umted at the Hall of Necromancy, I could only make rough guesses about the basics of this magic. There was no way I could handle such a precise and solid barrier. At least, touching it didn¡¯t seem to cause any immediate harm. ¡°Hah. So there are things you don¡¯t know.¡± Ignoring her mocking tone, I narrowed my eyes and studied the barrier. I had no idea how far it would keep expanding, but this wasn¡¯t good. ¡°If this keeps up, our entire estate could be swallowed whole.¡± ¡°What?! No way! How is that even possible? What on earth did you bring back?!¡± Melissa grabbed my cor and shook me violently. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll find a way. Looks like our training will have to wait.¡± I barely managed to suppress my irritation. This damned blue box had robbed me of my perfect chance to torment my insufferable little sister. It would pay for this.@@novelbin@@ ¡°If there¡¯s no opening, I¡¯ll just break through with force.¡± I immediately stepped forward and spread my necromantic mana. No matter how I analyzed it, I had no way to interfere with it in my current state. But there was no way I was letting this cursed barrier run wild and cost me my golden opportunity to legally torment Melissa. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m breaking through.¡± At my words, Melissa turned her gaze toward the barrier. No, not that wall. Wooooom! Chiiiiing! As a massive resonance vibrated through my heart, sending out an ear-splitting grinding noise, Melissa finally understood my intent. Her mouth fell open. ¡°¡­Are you seriously trying to reach the 6th Circle?! Just like that, without any preparation?!¡± Before she could even finish her exmation, ck necromantic mana erupted from my body like mist, coiling around the surroundings. Swordmaster. Archmage. There were many other paths, but the reason these titles existed was simple. They marked the point where one surpassed the limits of humanity. And for the first time, I was stepping beyond those limits. Of course, reaching the level of an Archmage wouldn¡¯t physically strengthen my body. Each path of transcendence grants something different. And necromancers were no exception. I wasn¡¯t sure how the elemental mages developed, since I hadn¡¯t seen it firsthand. But judging by the Archmages I had fought as enemies, they were definitely insane superhumans. I hadn¡¯t dyed reaching the 6th Circle because I was cking off. Just as I had temporarily put off the Swordmaster¡¯s wall, I had also refrained from pushing past the Archmage¡¯s wall too recklessly. Doing so could have backfired horribly. But this was not the time to hesitate. Even if it cost me something, I had to deal with this damned barrier first. The resistance was immense, but I forced my way through using my overwhelming necromantic mana. No! Stop! Don¡¯t do it! It was as if the barrier itself was rejecting me. The more it pushed back, the sharper the pain in my head became. It felt like a mere jolt at first, but if I made a single mistake, my brain could end up getting roasted like a well-done meal in an oven. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Crrrack¡­! Crack! ¡°Tch. What nonsense. ¡®Archmage¡¯ isn¡¯t just some pet¡¯s name¡­¡± With the sound of something shattering, a ck ring formed around my heart. Crash!!! But it didn¡¯tst long. It began breaking apart almost immediately. What? Why isn¡¯t this working? This waspletely different from anything I had experienced before. Dozens, no, hundreds of hypotheses raced through my mind, but I couldn¡¯te to a clear conclusion. Sensing the sudden shift in my energy, Melissa caught on instantly. And she did not let the opportunity slip away. ¡°Pfft. What was that? Breaking through a wall?¡± ¡­This brat. Wiiiiiiiing!!!! I can endure the fact that I haven¡¯t be an Archmage yet. But. I can never endure Melissa mocking me about it. [Warning, excessive agitation will be detrimental in this situation...] I forcibly began to stabilize the circle. Interference? Failure? Those factors had long since ceased to matter to me. The difficulty of sess was nothingpared to the anger I felt at Melissa¡¯s ridicule. Fwoooosh!!!! The broken and copsing rings forcefully reformed, wrapping around the five fiercely rotating circles to create a new one. Atst, the sixth circle was finallyplete. At the same time, my body shed ayer, as if peeling away like fragments of light. It was a transformation different from mere rebirth. ¡°What¡­ what the?! You were failing just moments ago?!¡± Melissa looked utterly unaware that her own mockery had been a major contributing factor. Of course, she would have to pay for her ridicule. Name: Leon Cascadia Age: 17 Gender: Male Abilities: (Condensed) (Condensed) (Hall of Necromancy) Archmage Necromancer (6th Circle) ¨C Learned spells can be viewed in detail. The Deathlord¡¯s necromantic mana and the authority infused within it remain preserved. [Rank has changed from Senior 5th Circle Necromancer to 6th Circle Archmage Necromancer.] What is the 6th Circle? It is the realm of Archmages. Even those who know little about magic have at least heard of it. Then, does reaching the 6th Circle make a huge difference? Are the spells usable at this level extraordinary? Both statements are true, but there¡¯s more to it than that. A mage who reaches the 6th Circle undergoes fundamental changes¡ªthe structure of their magic circles alters, and the way they manipte mana shifts entirely. Atst, the stale air around me felt a little fresher. No matter how good my control was, if my engine¡¯s output was low, there was only so much I could do. Besides, for me, reaching the 6th Circle was the only real obstacle. Everything beyond it? No problem at all. Mastery of 6th Circle magic? Adapting to the changes thate with it? None of that applied to me. As soon as I reached the 6th Circle, a surge of denser necromantic mana overflowed through my body. Melissa, quick to catch on, immediately gestured to her attendants and took several steps back. Sguguguguguk!!! Simultaneously, intricate magic circles appeared at my fingertips, radiating power that pressed down upon the barrier. [6th Circle Necromantic Magic] [Weight of Resentment] This was a gravitational pressure spell I had cobbled together, inspired by the gravity magic favored by an elemental dragon I fought in the Hall. Most 6th Circle spells are like this. No matter how skilled you are, without the raw output of the 6th Circle, you simplyck the power to cast them. But now that I had surpassed that threshold, such concerns were meaningless. I typicallymanded undead, but in this situation, summoning a Death Knight or a Wraith Wolf like Shadowfang would be of little help. The barrier before me was not necromantic magic¡ª I couldn¡¯t hack into it, and none of my necromantic spells could interfere to dispel it. That left me with only one option. A brute force approach. I had to break the barrier. Sensing my intent, the barrier began to fiercely resist. But the ck magic circle I had conjured only intensified the gravitational force, pressing down harder and harder on it. And then¡ª Crackle¡­! Crackle-crack!!! Sparks suddenly erupted from the barrier, streaking toward me like lightning. Crash!!! Yet, they dissipated harmlessly upon colliding with the necromantic mana surrounding me. However, it did seed in making me frown in irritation. ¡°Eek!!¡± The bacsh from the damn barrier wasn¡¯t just targeting me¡ªit was also striking out at Melissa and her attendants. If Melissa hadn¡¯t instinctively drawn her sword and deflected the attack, one of the maids would have been injured. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± There¡¯s no way this barrier has a will of its own, so it must be acting ording to a pre-set retaliation mechanism. Normally, defensive systems like this prioritize neutralizing the most immediate threat first. Given the current situation, the barrier should be directing all of its energy toward eliminating me. But instead, it had spread its attack across multiple targets. Which meant¡­ This barrier didn¡¯t consider my assault to be that much of a threat. [There is a high possibility of misinterpretation.] Shut up. I widened my eyes and cracked my neck. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I just broke past a wall and need some time to adjust¡ªyou¡¯re underestimating me? You picked the wrong person to mess with.¡± I raised my other hand, which had been idle until now. And with a surge of necromantic mana, as if overloading the flow, I explosively poured my power into the magic circle, twisting its structure. * * * Something about Leon¡¯s demeanor was different. I wasn¡¯t sure what had set him off, but the irritation on his face was palpable. He¡¯s always had a streak of pride since childhood. Of course, when he abandoned the sword, he did so without hesitation¡ªbut I still remember how he brooded over it for days afterward. Maybe that¡¯s why. The mana overflowing around him was so intense that even non-mages could sense how dangerous it was. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 45 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 45 That wasn¡¯t all. The magic circle that Leon had created began to glow before transforming into a different shape, initiating a peculiar change. The previously thin magic circle started splitting into countless others, as if shifting from two-dimensional to three-dimensional space. The number of magic circles? Roughly fifty. Melissa, who had been watching, turned to the elven maid who stood frozen, wide-eyed and speechless. "Do you know what that is?" "I¡­ I''m sorry. I don''t know what kind of magic that is¡­" "Really? Hmm¡­" "But¡­ it''s definitely not an ordinary magic circle. My magic mentor was a 5th-circle mage, and¡­" ording to the maid, even her mentor, a 5th-circle mage, could barely handle a single magic circle, yet each of these circles contained more mana than that. "Those magic circles? It¡¯s 6th-circle magic, so that¡¯s to be expected, right?" "No¡­ I''m talking about one of those split magic circles." At that, Melissa fell silent. A single magic circle that required the full power of a 5th-circle mage¡ªyet here were fifty of them, each holding even more mana than that. And the number kept increasing. "I¡­ I might be wrong, but to create that many magic circles with such an absurd amount of mana would require unimaginable energy and an extreme level of control." "But he''s doing it." "That''s what I don''t understand¡­ Do all Archmages be like that? Even with the difference between the 5th and 6th circles, this is clearly abnormal¡­" Even the maid, who had learned magic, couldn''t hide her bewilderment. Melissa immediately grabbed the maid¡¯s arm and ran, hiding behind a statue. Then she shouted. "Leon!! If you destroy this mansion, I swear you''re dead meat!!" Despite her brave words, she couldn''tpletely hide her fear. At that moment, Leon clenched his hands tightly. Kuuuuung!!! The countless magic circles, each with a different design, began resonating in unison, converging into a single spell. It was a spell of decay. But this wasn¡¯t just any ordinary decay spell¡ªits scale and depth werepletely on another level. The sheer force of the magic caused the protective barrier to spark in resistance, but as its surface gradually decayed, its resistance weakened and eventually vanished. Crash!!! The barrier shatteredpletely, and the magic circles dissipated into thin wisps of smoke, disappearing like a mirage. "W-What¡­? Did it work?" "It worked." Leon responded calmly as he strode toward a firmly closed door and kicked it open. A wave of scorching heat rushed out from the room. "Ugh?!" Melissa instinctively raised her arm to shield her face, but before the heat could reach her, Leon unleashed a chilling aura, forming a protective barrier of cold. Feeling the temperature drop, Melissa slowly lowered her sleeve and spoke with a tense expression. "What the¡­ Is that a rift?" "Looks like it." A rift. A rare phenomenon asionally discovered across the continent¡ªan extradimensional space. Though rifts were known to exist, they were incredibly rare. However, for Melissa and Leon, they weren¡¯t entirely unfamiliar. "A rift¡­ appearing outside of the Demon Realm?" Leon¡¯s gazended on a blue chest lying open on the floor beneath the rift. "Looks like we brought in andmine." It seemed the rift had formed when the blue chest¡ªretrieved from Tyvel¡¯s mansion¡ªhad been opened. "This is ridiculous! How the hell can a rift form outside of the Demon Realm?!" The reason rifts were nearly unheard of on the continent was simple. A rift only formed when an extreme concentration of mana or an unknown force distorted space, connecting it to another dimension. Outside of the Demon Realm, where such conditions were naturally present, rifts were nearly impossible to create. The Cascadia Mansion had never detected any such phenomenon before. Given the circumstances, their panic was understandable. Melissa grabbed Leon¡¯s cor with both hands and shook him violently. "You lunatic! What the hell did you bring back?!" "You said it was a lifeform, but it looks like a rift came along with it." [Lifeform detected. Presence confirmed inside the rift.] Leon ryed the information he had just received from the Librarian. "Whatever was inside that chest must be the boss of this rift. More importantly, why are you grabbing a sword? Stay here." "What? If we don¡¯t neutralize the rift quickly, it''ll cause a disaster!" "And you, themander, are going to charge in without even investigating what''s inside? I¡¯ll go. You stay put." Melissa bit her lip, unable to argue. Leon walked over to a corner of the room and picked up ck Night de No. 1. "Don''t you need a staff? I heard mages need one to cast high-level spells." "Did what you just see look like beginner magic?" "¡­Now that you mention it, no. Still, hold on. My family is responsible for managing the Demon Realm¡ªwe can¡¯t just rush in recklessly." With that, she started gathering military supplies stored within the mansion. Most were standard provisions for an armed incursion, but among them were vital magical tools designed specifically for rift eradication. "More people aren¡¯t necessary." "You never know. What if the rift requires multiple people to clear? No matter how strong you are, you wouldn¡¯t be able to solve it alone." In response, Leon gestured toward a Death Knight preparing its sword. Melissa pouted and tossed aside some of the supplies in frustration.@@novelbin@@ "Fine, but we investigate first. The standard procedure is to analyze the rift¡¯s energy emissions and internal conditions before entering." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Leon observed quietly as she began setting up magical instruments near the rift. Then¡ª Ssssssss¡­ A strange noise echoed from within the rift. Leon reacted instantly, grabbing Melissa by the cor and yanking her backward. "Ah?! What are you¡ªLeon!!" She turned to yell at him, but her face quickly twisted in shock and terror. The very next moment, grotesque, writhing tendrils shot out from the rift, wrapping tightly around Leon. "I¡¯ll be back." Since the Cascadia family managed the Demon Realm, Leon and Melissa had encountered vast amounts of information regarding rifts. However, they could confidently say that a case like this had never existed before. Without any resistance, Leon simply grabbed a piece of artifact equipment nearby and was immediately sucked into the rift. "Don''t do anything reckless. Just wait." Snap!!! That was thest thing Leon said. Entering a rift without assessing the situation inside was an extremely dangerous act. Even Leon¡¯s father, a Sword Master, had strongly emphasized the importance of this rule. One of their ancestors had neglected this principle and perished within a rift, despite possessing the skills of a Sword Master. In other words, depending on the nature of the rift, the situation could be extremely perilous. Maintaining a certain level of tension, Leon stepped inside. "...What the hell is this?" The first thing Leon saw was¡ª ¡ªWee, esteemed guest. Dozens of young girls dressed in immacte maid uniforms stood in two orderly rows, bowing deeply toward him in an eerie disy. * * * When people face an iprehensible situation, they instinctively rub their eyes. What exactly is a rift? A distortion in space thatmonly urs within the Demon Realm, typically filled with countless monsters. However, as rifts had never been fully researched or analyzed, the origins of the monsters within them remainedrgely a mystery. "Even so, rifts have existed for a long time, and I¡¯ve never seen a case like this." A space filled not with monsters, but with beings that clearly possessed intelligence? And they could evenmunicate? I blinked in momentary brain fog before poking my head back outside the rift. Melissa, who had been anxiously observing the rift, gasped in shock upon seeing me. "Wha... What the hell?!" "Hey,e in here." She frowned deeply at my words. Then, after grabbing her weapon¡ªwhich had been brought to her by a maid¡ªshe strode forward and threw herself into the rift. "...Oh." And just like me, she stared nkly at the sight before her. "Leon, this is a rift, right?" "I''m starting to doubt that myself." Melissa, still on edge, seemed unable to believe what she was seeing. ¡ªWe will guide you. Please follow me. A maid, who had been bowing politely, approached us with her hands neatly folded. Melissa and I exchanged nces. ¡®Say something.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean, you say something! This is ufortable as hell.¡¯ Even among nobles, etiquette varied. The level of respect the maids were disying was something typically reserved for royalty. It was an overly grand gesture that even the most prestigious nobles wouldn¡¯t receive lightly. Since there was no sign of hostility, Melissa and I silently followed the maid. And we arrived at an enormous dressing room. ¡ªThere is a dress code here. We will assist you with your attire. With that, a group of girls surrounded Melissa and me. She instinctively tensed, her hand moving toward the sword at her waist. "What do you think? Should we force our way out?" When I asked for her opinion, she shook her head. "No. I think this is a required trigger event. Sometimes, in sub-dimensional spaces, there are rules you need to follow instead of just fighting." Melissa¡¯s guess was urate. The maid who had guided us bowed politely. ¡ªIf you wish to continue your visit here, we would appreciate it if you followed our rules. She and I locked eyes for a moment before silently nodding. Rifts often held valuable treasures. And the decorations we had seen on our way here¡ª Each one was exquisitely crafted from gemstones and gold. If we yed our cards right, everything here could be our spoils. And more money was always a good thing. There was no reason for us to refuse. * * * The outfits the maids prepared were surprisingly sleek and refined ck suits. They efficiently assisted with our dressing and even tidied my hair. What was most astonishing was the sheer speed of their work¡ªthey finished everything in an instant. ¡ªAre you satisfied? "Hmm. Yes, I am." They were so impably polite that addressing them informally felt inappropriate. Of course, their expressions showed no particr emotion. ¡®Hey, Librarian.¡¯ [Confirmed.] ¡®Are they living beings?¡¯ [No. They are illusions created by some unknown phenomenon. They have neither consciousness nor souls.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 46 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 46 It seems that it¡¯s not a living being. After finishing the unknown preparations, a grand banquet hall was revealed. A fake banquet hall. It felt like a movie set. Tables and food were ced all around, and delicious aromas filled the air, but I instinctively knew¡ª These are all fake. Despite the luxurious setting, not a single person was in sight. Instead, the numerous maids from before stood in a row along the walls, hands neatly folded, heads slightly bowed, and eyes closed. ¡ªPlease ept this. The maid who had guided me handed me a small bundle of documents. "Hm?" It was none other than a script. "A script?" A piece of paper detailing how to act, what lines to say, and even what kind of expressions to make. That kind of script. "I refuse!!! I won¡¯t do it!!!" At that moment¡ª Just as Melissa¡¯s furious outburst filled the hall and I instinctively turned around, a door on one side of the banquet hall swung open. A delicate-looking girl with gray hair, dressed in a crimson dress, stepped inside. "You expect me to do something this ridiculous with that bastard?! Are you insane?! He and I are siblings! Blood-rted siblings! Take me to whoever is in charge here, now!!" Sigh, that fool¡­ It¡¯s the family head who brings disgrace to our name. If only she kept her mouth shut, she would look like a pure and elegant youngdy. But with the way she acts and speaks, you¡¯d never know if she was a noblewoman or a wild deer running through the fields. Shaking my head in exasperation, I flipped to the first page of the script in my hand. The contents were simple. But¡ª "I refuse! I won¡¯t do it! This is nonsense!" Without hesitation, I threw the script onto the floor, my energy rising. "That¡¯s it. Forget the treasure, let¡¯s just tear this ce down." ¡ªYou must follow the rules. "And if I don¡¯t? What are you gonna do about it? Does this even make sense? You want me to do something like this with that deep-sea cuttlefish over there?" "Are you insane? I¡¯m a primate! Leon¡¯s just a damn chimpanzee!" Melissa, for once, seemed to be inplete agreement with me. As both of us strongly objected, the maid remained silent for a moment¡ªthen pped her hands. p, p! The space around us distorted. ¡ªWe apologize. However, if you do notply with our rules... The maid¡¯s atmosphere shifted into something unsettling. Just as I was about to snap her neck¡ª ¡ªWe will deem this treasure unnecessary. From somewhere, she produced an extravagant ne. I tilted my head in confusion, but Melissa narrowed her eyes at it. A momentter, she rubbed her eyes, then squinted at the ne again. "Wait a second¡­ Why is that¡­? Hey, that thing¡­ is it real?" ¡ªI do not know the value of this item. However, I believe it is quite valuable. Her shameless words made me wave dismissively. "Do I look like a beggar to you? Forget it." At the same time, Melissa strode forward. Given her temperament, she¡¯d probably¡ª Grab! "Brother, let¡¯s do it." I scowled. First, the fact that she deliberately used the word "brother" in this situation gave me hives. "Are you insane? Why are you adding that nasal tone to your voice? You look like a twin-headed ogre." Second, whenever she acted like this, it meant she had an ulterior motive. "This is a direct order from the head of the family. Selling that one piece alone could cover our territory¡¯s entire budget for a year!!"@@novelbin@@ Melissa still needed a lot of money. * * * The correct way to fully im the treasure of this rift wasn¡¯t brute force. All we had to do was follow the script they had prepared. It was simple enough¡ªbut not something I was pleased about. Music from an orchestra began to y. With a stiff expression, I ced my left hand on Melissa¡¯s waist and gently held her left hand with my right, stepping into the dance. "Keep your eyes decent. If you don¡¯t want to die, that is." Melissa spewed venomous remarks, but I was filled with displeasure. "Does this situation seem normal to you?" "What else do you suggest? Wreck everything? The rift¡¯s rules are more binding than you think. If the rift suddenly copses, do you think you¡¯ll survive?" The chances of that happening were low. "Even so, you¡ª" "Leon, do you know what that is? That essory is called Queen¡¯s Twilight." "Queen¡¯s Twilight? What¡¯s that?" "It¡¯s a famous piece among noblewomen. It once belonged to a queen of a kingdom that was destroyed because of it. They say a war broke out over that item, leading to the kingdom¡¯s downfall. It disappeared 200 years ago, and I¡¯ve only seen it in paintings. One of those paintings alone was sold for 2 billion sel." She fell silent for a moment before looking at me again. "If that¡¯s the real thing and we put it up for auction, how much do you think it would go for? A year¡¯s budget for a declining noble family like ours? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Even royals and imperial princes would scramble to get their hands on it. This is something we have to put up for auction." An auction, huh? Now that I think about it, I did hear rumors about a famous secret auction happening soon in a neighboring kingdom. But why would an item like that appear in a dimensional rift? If I think about it logically, rifts are mysterious spaces. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] It wouldn¡¯t be strange if something got sucked in due to spatial distortions during a war. Even so, the timing of this was too suspicious. "Think about it carefully. The treasures you own could restore our family¡¯s wealth, but... if we sell that, we could fund a search for Mother and Father¡¯s remains, as well as Arsha¡¯s. Plus, we could buy rare elixirs for ourselves..." My mind raced. And I reached a decision. "Mydy, under the moonlight, you are as radiant as a fairy. Though hardships stand in our way due to the opposition of our families... my heart will never waver." Once a decision was made, there was no reason to hesitate. As soon as I delivered my cringe-worthy line, Melissa''s face paled, but she quickly disyed an almost superhuman level of patience, shing a radiant smile. "Oh, Romiel. Why must you be Romiel?" She delivered her performance with an astonishing level of obsession. Some of the maids lined up against the wall quickly jotted something down on their boards. "I bet they''re evaluating this ridiculous y we''re putting on..." Beep!! It happened in an instant. One of the maids suddenly blew a whistle-like object with great force. At the same time, the music abruptly stopped. ¡ªYou have not met the required standard. Would you like to try again? "......" ¡ªIf you do not wish to proceed, we will guide you on your way back. Realizing that the bnce of power had shifted, Melissa and I exchanged nces. "Let''s just drop this." "Don''t be ridiculous." Determined not to give up the chance to obtain a great fortune, she shed a dazzling smile. "Alright. Let''s do it again." * * * Perfect steps. Perfect expressions. Perfect lines. And even the perfect gaze. Only after meticulously controlling everything down to the tips of our nerves did we finally seed in acting out this wretched ballroom scene. ¡ªWell done. You havepleted the task wlessly. "Urgh..." "Ugh..." The moment we heard those words, Melissa and I immediately grimaced and turned away, pretending to vomit. But just how many failures had it taken to get here? Each attempt had been nothing short of infuriating. "Alright, we''re done now, right?" ¡ªIndeed. Thank you for providing us with such a splendid spectacle. Now, onto the next stage¡ª Clench. Crack. As I struggled to contain my rising frustration, Melissa asked, "What¡¯s the point of all this?" ¡ªAll things requirepensation. I proposed this challenge as a reward, and you epted it. The maid once again produced an ornament and presented it to us. ¡ªThe choice is yours. She spoke as if she couldn''t care less about whether we agreed or not. "Is it even possible for a Rift to not involvebat?" "I''ve never even heard of a Rift wheremunication was possible. Some Rifts do have rules, but most of them involve fulfilling certain conditions before the boss appears. I''ve never seen one that forces you to put on some childish y like this." In other words, this Rift was vastly different from the ones we knew. As we hesitated, uncertain of our next move, the silent maid finally opened her mouth. ¡ªMy master is sufficiently pleased. I will now guide you forward. With that, she carefully ced Queen¡¯s Twilight into a luxurious box brought over by another maid and handed it to us. They¡¯re really just giving it to us like this? Melissa gleefully epted it, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling suspicious. What is this ce? Is this really a Rift? The maid, her footsteps eerily silent, led Melissa and me down a long, wide corridor. "Hehehe. With this, I won¡¯t have to worry about paying my servants, and I can take my time shopping for military supplies too." Melissa chuckled to herself as we walked for quite some time. Eventually, we arrived at a grand hall. And there¡ª We saw an enormous throne. However, the scene before us only deepened our confusion. "What... is this?" "What the hell..." The throne was massive, its backrest alone exceeding five meters in heightrge enough for a person to lounge on if they wanted to. Yet, the one seated upon it was a petite figure, barely 150 centimeters tall, with a small frame to match. Her long pink hair cascaded down to her calves, streaked with ck as though she had added highlights. She looked to be about the same age as Melissa. Her eyes were closed, with faint dark circles visible beneath them. Yet, despite having her eyes shut, her head was tilted slightly in our direction, as if she could see us clearly. At first nce, she appeared to be a peculiar human. But the strange halo floating above her head and her gray angelic wings proved otherwise. I had never seen a species like hers before. The aura she emitted did not feel like that of an ordinary living being. [Verification: The lifeform detected within the box matches the entity before you.] "What is she?" [Unable to determine.] So, the presence inside the box had been this mysterious girl all along. Calling her a monster felt wrong. I had seen plenty of humanoid monsters before, but never anything like this. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 49 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 49 "You''re definitely tough, I''ll give you that." At Leon''s taunt, Barva''s glowing eyes shed. The eye that had been pierced earlier was nowpletely restored. Of course, having spent a significant amount of energy in the process, Barva couldn''t simply treat Leon as mere prey anymore. Instead, he became extremely cautious, as if acknowledging Leon as a real threat. Even as Leon''s relentless waves of aura and necromantic mana surged toward him, Barva''s stance remained unwavering, without even a hint of weakness on the surface. To be precise, regardless of how much weaker he had be, the fact that Leon was holding his own against Barva¡ªa divine beast capable of tearing apart even Sword Masters¡ªwas sheer madness. While Leon fought, Melissa had taken Luna Basilin Raphaelia to a safe distance and was in the process of releasing her seal. Once unsealed, she could assist Leon in battle. "Ah, just stay still for a moment. This is hard to undo." "Does that even make sense? How can a living being be that unbnced?" To Luna Basilin, the amount of necromantic mana and aura Leon possessed was anything but normal. An overwhelming force, so vast that even she couldn''t fully grasp it. His speed andbat instincts were so exceptional that it was questionable whether he was even human. And yet, his level and physical state were far too weak inparison. Or perhaps, weak wasn¡¯t the right word. Not exactly weak, but in contrast to the other two aspects, it was severelycking. It was as if an immensely powerful warrior had lost his level and had his body reset, except for his mana and aura. However, that didn¡¯t solve the fundamental problem. Luna Basilin turned her head toward the rift that had served as the exit. At first nce, it looked intact, but she soon realized that something had gone wrong. "Damn, the entrance to the rift is already sealed. There''s no time. Start unbinding this first." Having made her decision, she gestured toward her wings. "That part first? Hold on a second." Melissa carefully began unfastening the chains binding Luna Basilin''s wings. One by one, the tightly wound chains crumbled like a weathered wall, making a brittle cracking sound as they fell away. Soon, one of her gray wings spread wide. "Good. That should be enough." The moment she spoke, her wings burst into a brilliant white light. At the same time, light enveloped Melissa, Luna Basilin, and Leon. Another set of luminous chains emerged, binding Barva¡¯s body and restricting his movements. It was a power simr to what had been used to subdue him before. Additionally, the strands of light extended to erase the w marks Barva had left in the air and the zing sacred mes. It was as if they were healing the wounds left in the void itself. "Do you need help?" "I stuffed him with curses, but only a fraction remains. Still, the poison is in his system, so as long as we hold out, we can buy time. Do you have somewhere safe to hide for a while?" In the brief lull, Leon gathered his raging energy and replied. "There is a single safe ce in this space. I''ll take us there. But seriously, why did you even stay behind instead of leaving when you had the chance?" "I can¡¯t let him go. I have to kill him here and now." Though not as intense as before, Leon¡¯s sky-blue eyes gleamed with a sharp, murderous light. It was a chilling bloodlust. "I''m teleporting us now." With that, Luna Basilin¡¯s wings scattered a murky glow, and the scenery around them shifted. They found themselves in a small, cozy cabin surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Melissa, startled by the sudden change, looked around in awe. "Where¡­ is this?" "This is the inner sanctum of the seal, a ce where even Barva cannot enter. I normally wouldn¡¯t be able to enter either, but..." She nced at her now unbound wing. The fact that she could enter now meant that the lifted seal had made it possible. "Anyway, we''ll be safe here for the time being." Completely drained, she copsed onto the floor. "Carry me, will you? There should be a bed inside the cabin." Leon carefully picked her up, and she chuckled softly with her eyes closed. "How long do we need to hold out?" "As long as possible. His resistance is significantly weakened, so if west at least three hours, even if Barva¡¯s ancestors showed up, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do much." "Divine beasts aren¡¯t that weak." "He may be a 6th-circle being, but I¡¯ve crammed 70 different curse and poison spells into him. He won¡¯tst long." Most 6th-circle necromancers wouldn¡¯t be able to cast some of those spells more than once or twice. However, Leon had a near-limitless supply of energy, making it possible for him to pull off such a feat. "In that case, this shouldn¡¯t be too difficult." Barva was undoubtedly strong, but now that his weaknesses had been exploited and he was poisoned, there wasn¡¯t much he could do. * * * In front of themy a tranquil, crystal-clearke. Behind them, a towering mountain nketed in white snow. It was the perfect harmony of nature. The cabin itself was simple, yet it radiated a strange warmth. Leon carried the exhausted Luna Basilin into the cabin andid her on the bed. "Was this where you lived?" "No. This wasn¡¯t my home." She spoke inly, but there was a hint of emotion in her voice. Was it longing? Guilt? It was hard to tell. "This was where the two people I cherished most lived. Of course, this is only an illusion, reconstructed from my memories." In other words, the entire space inside this rift was built from her recollections. This cabin, in particr, must have been deeply embedded in her subconscious. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The interior wasn¡¯t spacious¡ªjust the right size for two people. And indeed, the remnants of their lives were visible in every corner. "Leon! Look over here! A golden apple¡­ ah!" Melissa, who had been exploring the area, let out a startled cry. The golden apple she had picked up suddenly dissolved into light. "Everything in this ce is merely a memory, not real." "I¡¯ve never seen an apple like that before." "That¡¯s no ordinary fruit. Humans rarely, if ever, get to see it." What, does she think it''s the fruit of knowledge or something? Since she was reluctant to talk more, I didn''t press further. "Too bad¡­ Anyway, let me finish untying those chains." Melissa calmly began to untangle the chains still wrapped around Luna Basilin''s body. All she did was carefully loosen the tangled links¡ªthere was nothing magical about it. "Hold it right there. Your leg is injured, and you''re messing around? Let''s treat it first." "Oh. Right." Melissa suddenly seemed startled, as if she had just remembered therge wound on her leg. But soon, she looked down at her perfectly intact leg and made a dumbfounded expression. "Huh? Why is it fine?" "I healed it. A simple treatment like that is nothing to me." She spoke so nonchntly that I grabbed her leg roughly to check for myself. "Hey, hey! You can''t just grab ady¡¯s leg like that!" "Shut up. I need to check." With a serious face, I examined whether her muscles were damaged or if there were any issues with her bones. Surprisingly, she waspletely healed. Melissa bounced in ce a few times to test it and, looking satisfied, resumed untying Luna¡¯s chains. Originally, I was supposed to do it, but she refused, saying she wouldn¡¯t let me freely touch a young girl¡¯s body. While she worked, I decided to talk to Luna. "What exactly are you?" "Luna Basilin Raphaelia." Seriously, whether it was this girl or that librarian, their ability to dodge questions was impressive. "I asked what you are, not your name." "Hm? You don¡¯t know? I see. Understood. I am a fallen angel." She spoke withplete indifference.@@novelbin@@ "A fallen angel?" "An angel who betrayed God. My wings were originally white, but when I fell, they turned ck." She casually described herself as a fallen angel. Well, if I thought about it that way, it made sense why her wing color and halo had a dark hue. "Do all angels talk like that?" I asked bluntly, without any sugarcoating. "No. I am a unique case. It was not intentional." She didn''t seem to mind my remark at all. "Why do you keep your eyes closed?" "I have my reasons. But I can already see what I need to see." She answered calmly, naturally pping the freed wing behind her. "So, you fell from grace and got sealed away or something?" "Something like that." I felt it wasn¡¯t my ce to pry further into her personal circumstances, so I didn¡¯t ask any more questions. "An angel, huh? I¡¯ve never seen one before. I always thought the stories about angels from the Holy Kingdom were just rumors." "Angels aren¡¯t that impressive. However, the seven highest-ranking archangels are a different story. Even other angels¡ªbothmon and strong¡ªcan¡¯t meet them directly. Also, theyck individual will." The seven archangels she mentioned were well-known figures. The right hand of God, the angel of power. The angel who delivers divine revtions. The left hand of God, the angel of love and healing, and so on. Since the Cascadia family was never particrly religious, I had only heard bits and pieces about them. Like the story of an angel descending to a kingdom, warning of a disaster, and saving countless lives before leaving. Then Luna spoke again. "Now, let me ask you something. I am a fallen angel. A traitor to God. Even so, will you still break my seal?" At that, Melissa and I exchanged nces. Then we gave a simple answer. "Our family isn¡¯t exactly devoted to religion, so we don¡¯t really care. It¡¯s not like we blindly believe in angels anyway." More than that, Melissa wasn¡¯t particrly fond of God. "If God really cared for us, He wouldn¡¯t have let my mother, father, and Arsha die so meaninglessly." Hearing the bitterness in her voice, Luna reached out her freed hand and gently patted Melissa¡¯s head. "Well done. Whether you believe in God or not, it is a choice given to living beings. Angels like us never had that choice." In the end, she hadmitted some crime, fallen from grace, and was sealed away in this ce. That made me wonder. "Then, do all fallen angels get sealed like this?" "My crime is different from that of an ordinary fallen angel. It is a far greater sin." "At this point, I have no choice but to ask." I looked straight at her. "What exactly did you do?" At my question, she fell silent for a moment before shrugging. "I defied the will of God. For an angel, the will of God is everything." For beings who were created to serve God and live entirely for Him, disobeying His will must have been the greatest crime of all. But for us? That kind of thing wasn¡¯t really a big deal. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 51 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 51 The spell caused a grudge-filled wraith to sink its fangs into its target, nting death itself into the wound. Unlike manipting the aura of death, a magic spell that directly embeds the very concept of death requires at least a 6th-circle mage to handle. Though the spell itself had been refined to a 6th-circle level, I only mastered it muchter. The dozens of wounds inflicted by Muyeong rotted ck, and soon, they sumbed to death, beginning to wither away. The creature thrashed violently in agony, but as if it could no longer resist, its body convulsed before copsing. I slowly walked toward it. Ity limp, seemingly unable to move any longer. At a nce, the battle seemed to be over, but I knew better. "Don''t try anything. I''ve seen your kind pull this trick too many times." These so-called divine beasts were anything but noble. When gravely injured in battle, they would pretend to be weak as if they were on the verge of death¡ªonly to unleash their trump card the moment their opponent let their guard down. It couldn''t understand my words, but as I approached with an opening in my stance, its eyes shed for a brief moment. "Get a hold of yourself! That thing is still¡ª!" Luna Basilin''s warning came toote. Barva was faster. As if mocking its previous staggering, it sprang up in an instant. And then¡ª Its vicious regenerative ability kicked in, restoring its body as golden light shone from its eyes. At first, I wondered if it would shoot beams from its eyes. That wasn''t the case. Its true weapon was the ws of sacred me. Immense regeneration and defense. And finally¡ª Kagagagak! Fwoooosh! An invisible, intangible w. Its final resistance, created by sacrificing most of its remaining life force. However, since it had taken a direct hit from Revenge of the Banshee, its power was pathetic. Honestly, this magic felt far too strong for something a 6th-circle mage could cast. By the time it resorted to this, it was already in no condition to continue fighting. "Yeah. You really thought I''d fall for that again?" Even if it was running purely on instinct, it hadn''t anticipated that I''d predict and evade this attack. Barva''s massive body visibly flinched. Even while lying on the ground, it was so enormous that I had to crane my neck to look up at it. A creature standing five meters tall¡ªwhat more needed to be said?@@novelbin@@ Though many factors had intertwined, the conclusion was simple: I knew Barva well, while it knew nothing about me. And then there was the enigmatic angel, Luna Basilin, whose presence had been a major variable. -Grrrr... grrk... phoo... phoo... "If it weren¡¯t for her, this wouldn''t have ended so easily." Good for me, but for the beast, it was a disaster. Barva, who had been ring down at me, gasped heavily before finally closing its now-ckened, curse-infested eyes. The once-thundering heartbeats slowed¡­ and then stopped. "Is it dead? Did we finish it off?" At Melissa¡¯s murmuring, I frowned before rxing my expression. "Watch your mouth." "Wha¡ªWhat? What did I even say?!" Melissa protested, flustered, but thankfully, Barva seemed to havepletely ceased all life activity. I wonder¡­ Could I turn this thing into a wraith? I reached out toward the lifeless creature. Since I had surpassed the 6th circle, even beings like this could be partially converted into wraiths. However¡ª Unlike with a Death Knight, Barva remained an overwhelming monster even in death. In the end, the attempt failed. Not only that, but perhaps because it was a divine beast, even turning it into an undead was impossible. "What a shame..." It would''ve been useful for clearing farnd if I could''ve reanimated it. Leaving my regret behind, I approached the two. Melissa trembled as she stared at the corpse, while Luna Basilin closed her eyes before turning to me. "Even if one can imitate the ability to manipte death itself, mastering it to such an extent is beyond any mortal¡¯s reach." "It¡¯s possible. Not impossible." "Ridiculous. To wield death is a matter of qualification." "I don¡¯t know about that. I just kept pushing myself to the limit, and before I knew it, I had mastered it." At my response, she fell into deep thought before shaking her head. "It¡¯s like the story of Adam." "Adam? You mean the evil god of death, Adam?" Melissa asked, her expression puzzled. What the hell? This was the first time I¡¯d heard of this. I shot her a questioning look, and Melissa shrugged. "You don¡¯t know the tale of the God of Death and the Goddess of Life?" "Would I? I have no interest in religion. The only things I know about religion are that there¡¯s a pope, a hierarch, a saintess, and an archbishop¡ª" "Ugh, forget it!" Melissa clicked her tongue, cutting me off. "My mother told me this story long ago. A long time ago, there was the God of Death, Adam, and the Goddess of Life, Eve." The only Adam and Eve I knew were from my past life¡ªthe myth of the first humans created by God, banished from Eden for eating the forbidden fruit. Honestly, I hadn¡¯t expected to hear simr names in this world, so I was a bit taken aback. "It¡¯s nothing special. Basically, the fallen God of Death and the Goddess of Life rebelled against the primordial god and were punished, erased from existence. In the Holy Kingdom, they use this to scare people¡ª''If you misbehave, the banished God of Death wille for you!''" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Sounds like amon tale. Every kingdom has something like that. Even in the Bata Kingdom, they say an evil dragon lives in the Demon Realm." "True. Compared to other myths, the story of Adam and Eve is treated more like folklore. But since she mentioned it, I wonder if there¡¯s some truth to it." "There isn¡¯t. Evil gods don¡¯t exist." Luna Basilin dered firmly, and Melissa simply nodded. "If she says so, then I guess that¡¯s that. Honestly, too much has happened today¡ªI just want to rest." At her exhausted sigh, I slung her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. [The sentences are strangely disjointed. The truth may have been cleverly concealed.] The Librarian seemed to have an odd distaste for Luna Basilin. Was it just my imagination? Whether the im was true or not, I didn¡¯t care. "Hey! What are you doing?!" "The space is copsing faster than expected. You know what happens if we don¡¯t get out in time." At my chilling warning, she shut her mouth. "Can you keep up?" "I can move, at least. But most of my strength is depleted." "As long as you can move, that''s enough." As I advanced swiftly, Luna Basilin pped her pair of wings and flew after me. The exit of the rift, which had been blocked by the divine beast Barva, looked no different from before, but Barva''s power hadpletely disappeared. Before long, we quickly escaped through the rift''s exit, and Luna Basilin followed right behind me, bursting out of the rift as well. "Ugh!" She staggered like a child taking their first steps and then copsed onto the ground in an ungraceful heap. "What the... What''s wrong with her?" "The air... feels unfamiliar..." "Young Master!! My Lady!" The attendants and knights who had been guarding the area around the rift rushed toward us in rm. Upon hearing about the rift, the knights had arrivedte, but for some reason, they had been unable to enter it. Just then, as if waiting for this moment, the rift we had emerged from began to spark. "What the?! What''s happening?!" A startled Melissa hurriedly reached for her sword. However, Luna Basilin and I simply watched it in silence. "It''s copsing. It will disappear soon." "The structural energy is dispersing." Just as she said, the rift where Luna Basilin and the divine beast Barva had been gradually lost its shimmer, then shrank, and soon vanishedpletely. All that remained in the room was a dull, blue box that had lost its glow. "As expected. The structure copsed under the influence of the energy. This is now just a useless box with no function at all." With a sneer, Luna Basilin picked up the box. Then, without hesitation, she clenched it tightly and crushed it. The scattered fragments burned away into nothingness as they dissolved into the air. "It''spletely wrecked now... I just want to drink something and rest..." Looking exhausted, Melissa plopped down on the spot with a sigh. At this, Luna Basilin''s head perked up. "Food and drinks!!" * * * Luna Basilin had once said that her biggest regret before dying was not having had a proper drink, which showed just how much she cared about alcohol. Do these mysterious beings called angels also indulge in drinking and merrymaking? I wasn''t sure, but one thing was certain. This crazy fallen angel, Luna Basilin Raphaelia, was an even bigger drinker than I had imagined. At first, she sipped wine, but soon, finding it unsatisfying, she started downing the strong liquor that dwarves usually drank. Exhausted from everything that had happened with the rift, Melissa abandoned her work and passed out, but I couldn''t fall asleep so easily. Whether Luna Basilin was truly a safe presence was a secondary concern¡ªmy insomnia hadn¡¯tpletely gone away. As a result, I found myself staring nkly at herte into the night as she sat in my room, happily chugging alcohol. Somehow, she had settled into my room, talking away while I half-listened, feeling like I was half-keeping an eye on her. Not being able to sleep wasn''t a serious enough problem to cause immediate issues, but it was definitely a major source of stress. I silently gazed at the drawing of a ring she had sketched for me. It was surprisingly well-drawn, making the ring''s shape clearly visible. It didn¡¯t seem to have any special power, nor did it have any particrly striking features aside from a slightly unusual design. "Why do you even need this ring?" Munching on the coffee-vored snacks I had prepared, she gulped down some barley beer before mming her ss down with a satisfied look. "As I said before, it¡¯s something precious to me." "Was it a gift?" "Something like that." She didn¡¯t borate beyond that. "Well, now that I know what it looks like, let¡¯s start searching for it in the morning." "I don¡¯t have high hopes. It¡¯s an infinitely small and insignificant object that may or may not exist somewhere in this vast world filled with countless living beings." Though she said that, there was a hint of bitterness in her voice. That made me all the more determined. "Still, it¡¯s worth trying." "That¡¯s a relief, then. Whew... I should stop drinking for today. It''s been a while since Ist drank and had a proper conversation with someone. It was quite enjoyable." "Yeah." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 52 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 52 Whether or not I could trust her wasn¡¯t really a big issue. Since I had insomnia, I couldn¡¯t sleep deeply anyway, and she was currently being discreetly watched by Muyeong and the Death Knight. Iy down on the bed and closed my eyes. There were still guests remaining, but neither she nor I were the type to care much about that. Then it happened. ¡°Hey. What are you doing?¡± I frowned as I saw her crawling onto my bed. ¡°What else? Just doing what needs to be done.¡± Objectively speaking, she was quite beautiful. Even if I considered both my past and present lives, it would be hard to find a woman as stunning as her. But that didn¡¯t mean she could suddenly push her way into my bed. As I tried to raise my body cautiously, she swiftly lunged and grabbed hold of me. So, you¡¯re finally showing your true colors, huh? You damn woman! Even though my eyes were closed, I could feel her gaze fixed precisely on me. ¡°Aren¡¯t we in a mutually beneficial rtionship? If you act like this, the deal is off.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to regret? Just hold my hand.¡± She interlocked her fingers with mine and quietly gazed down at me. Annoyed by her joke, I was about to yell at her and jerk my body upright. And then¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± She hadpletely disappeared, and the star-filled night sky outside the window had been reced by a bright, sunny morning. ¡°What the¡­ Librarian.¡± At my call, words floated into view. [Yes.] ¡°What just happened?¡± [It¡¯s simple. You had a veryfortable and deep sleep. So deep that you weren¡¯t even aware you had fallen asleep.] I stared nkly at the words. I slept? Without even realizing it? Did I just lose consciousness all of a sudden and wake up now? As if to confirm my thoughts, more words appeared. [The moment you held her hand, your insomnia was temporarily neutralized.] At that, I looked down at myself. Now that I thought about it, the usual irritation caused by my insomnia waspletely gone. ¡°So, her healing power is this strong?¡± [Her healing ability defies the conventional definition. I rmend that you be cautious of her true nature.] The Librarian seemed strangely wary of Luna Basilin Raphaelia. Regardless of that, the disappearance of my insomnia was enough to make me reconsider. It seemed I had taken in quite the remarkable guest. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Is it already morning? I think I¡¯ll get some more sleep.¡± Of course, Luna Basilin¡¯s insane way of thinking was anything but normal. * * * ¡°Get a grip! Do you realize that there are engagement talks going on between you and Mielephon, you bastard?¡± That was the first thing I heard as soon as I arrived at the dining hall for breakfast. ¡°I only received a simple healing act.¡± ¡°Healing? Don¡¯t tell me your insomnia is still bad?¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± At my answer, Melissa pursed her lips. ¡°It seems it won¡¯t be cured instantly. I¡¯ll need at least a few months of continuous neutralization.¡± Hearing my calm response, Melissa let out a sigh. ¡°Fine. Just be careful not to cause a scandal. Even if it¡¯s a fake engagement, you¡¯re the one who started it.¡± ¡°I know that well.¡± ¡°If things go south with Mielephon, it¡¯ll be a huge hassle.¡± She shook her head in exasperation. ¡°More importantly, there¡¯s something I really need to discuss with you today.¡± With a look that said she had been holding back for too long, she pulled out an ornament. It was none other than The Queen¡¯s Twilight, a national treasure that had disappeared 200 years ago, given to me by Luna Basilin. The mere revtion of its existence could spark wars between nations blinded by greed. ¡°You may or may not know this, but a long time ago, two nations went to war over a national treasure. Right now, it belongs to the empress of the Pascalia Empire.¡± That alone made it significant, but The Queen''s Twilight was an even greater artifact. ¡°There¡¯s basically no way to sell something like this normally. The moment it¡¯s known, nations will scramble to im it.¡± She hesitated for a moment before estimating its value. ¡°You could get at least hundreds of billions in sel for it.¡± The amount was so absurd that it left me speechless. It was a fortune beyond the wildest dreams of most people. ¡°No, this doesn¡¯t make sense. It¡¯s just an ornament. I get it being worth a few billion or even tens of billions, but hundreds of billions?¡± Melissa nodded at my bewilderment. ¡°Of course. Do you know why it¡¯s so famous?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Look here.¡± She carefully held The Queen''s Twilight as if afraid it might break, showing me the gem embedded in its center, which emitted an otherworldly light. ¡°This is a Bartnel gemstone. Have you ever heard of it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve only heard rumors about it, and I never believed it actually existed. Do you know why? Because this is the only one in the world.¡± The value of gemstones is determined by their rarity. But if it¡¯s not just rare, but literally one of a kind? ¡°Before, I said that it could cover our territory¡¯s annual budget. But to be honest, that was an understatement. Its real value is in the hundreds of billions.¡± ¡°This thing is worth that much?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I reached out curiously. ¡°Hey! What if you break it? Do you even know your own strength?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I can control my strength.¡± I took The Queen''s Twilight from her and examined it. ¡°Hm? There¡¯s an unusual power imbued in it. It¡¯s different from the holy power used by priests.¡± ¡°It carries the blessing of an Angel.¡± "Angel?" Luna Basilin, who had been gulping down beer and munching on desserts since early in the morning, exined. "It''s an artifact imbued with the blessing of an archangel. It''s simr to the holy power used by priests, but fundamentally different." She casually revealed this high-level information. "Possessing it grants immunity to disease and significantly enhances resistance to poison." Intrigued by her exnation, I examined the object closely. This wasn¡¯t something I could replicate. "Are angels really that incredible?" "Nope. They''re nothing more than useless puppets that can¡¯t do anything on their own. They act ording to the will of the gods, execute allmands, and enforce allws. Theyck self-awareness and can''t make decisions for themselves. Just tools." Archangels. In the Holy Kingdom, they were described as God''s ultimate representatives. But Luna Basilin, who was herself an angel, didn¡¯t seem to hold them in high regard. Whether that was because she had fallen from grace or because she had always felt this way was uncertain. "You said this belonged to a legion-ss angel? Their master." I showed her the Hand of Fury I had received from her, and she nodded. "Among angels with self-awareness, they are the highest-ranking. But even they are nothingpared to an archangel." An artifact imbued with the blessing of an archangel. "The Holy Kingdom must be desperate to get it back." "There are even rumors that, before this item disappeared, the Holy Kingdom was consideringunching a holy war to obtain it. Anyway, back to the main point. If word gets out that we have this..." She carefully ced Queen''s Twilight into a box for safekeeping before continuing. "...it could throw not just our territory, but the entire Bata Kingdom into war." A fortune in gold wouldn¡¯t start a war. But an artifact could. "That''s why we need to get rid of it as quietly and discreetly as possible." But was that even possible? It wasn¡¯t as if we could just sell something this valuable at a market stall. "So, I¡¯ve been thinking. There''s a massive, highly secretive auction in the Empire. You can only enter through personal connections, and absolute anonymity is guaranteed." "You''re not saying I should go, are you?" "Of course, who else would go? Me?" She reached out her hand. "Go to the Empire. Attend the auction. Sell this thing off." A cursed chalice¡ªdeadly to its owner. If we managed to sell it, the House of Cascadia would be unimaginably wealthy overnight. And if word got out, not only foreign nations but even factions within Bata Kingdom might start scheming. Her n was logical, but I saw two major problems. "There are two issues." "What are they?" "First, how do we know this is even real? The ce where it was sealed off was isted for ages." So how could a mere 200-year-old artifact have ended up there? "That¡¯s... not wrong. But didn¡¯t we already establish that some people had entered and exited that space before us?" "Through dreams, yes. But physical objects are a different story." She fell silent at my words. She hadn¡¯t considered that. And then there was the second problem. "Even if the auction is secret, how do we get an invitation? Just waltz in and ask to join while waving this thing around? That wouldpletely defeat the point of keeping it hidden. Wasn¡¯t ck Friday an auction you could only ess through personal connections?" Melissa shook her head. "That part isn''t a problem. Think about the family you''re currently discussing an engagement with." One of the Empire¡¯s most prestigious swordsmanship families. The House of Mielephon, the lineage of the Sword Saint. Ah. I nodded in understanding. "So, all we need to do now is verify whether it¡¯s real or not?" Melissa and I both turned our gazes toward Luna Basilin, who was still chugging beer. "Got any ideas?" I pressed her, but she simply shrugged and emptied her mug. "I dunno. Whether it''s real or not. Honestly, I don''t care. But if it¡¯s said to be blessed by an archangel, it probably is. Their blessings aren¡¯t given out lightly." A fake imbued with an archangel''s blessing? Impossible. And even if it were fake, it didn¡¯t matter. The Eternal Jewel, Bartnel was real, and the archangel¡¯s blessing was genuine¡ª Even ignoring historical value, that alone made it as valuable as Queen''s Twilight. "Now that you mention it, yeah. There''s no way an artifact with an archangel¡¯s blessing could be fake." [There is a high probability that statement is true.] Even the Librarian agreed.@@novelbin@@ Which meant that I had no choice but to go myself. "Remember, if word spreads about this, we¡¯re in for a real headache. You don¡¯t want that, do you? Because I definitely don¡¯t." "Unfortunately, we¡¯re on the same page about that." "Then I¡¯ll leave it to you. Bring back some good desserts on your way back." "Got it." And so, apanied only by my sleep pillow¡ªno, my healer, Luna Basilin¡ªI set off for the Mielephon territory in the Empire. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 53 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 53 If we sessfully develop the mines and sell the Queen¡¯s Twilight as nned, Melissa and I won¡¯t have to worry about money for the rest of our lives. Even though the Cascadia Count¡¯s household is spending a significant amount on military expenses, the royal support funds will now be received in full. The territory will regain its former vitality, and more people will be assigned to monitor the demonic territory under our jurisdiction. This will also ease the financial burden of investigating the ident involving my father, mother, and youngest sister, Arsha. The affected area is vast, the danger level is high, and the duration of the investigation is long, which must have been a considerable burden on Melissa. For this journey, it was just Luna, me, and a coachman to handle the horses. Originally, we nned to disguise ourselves as small merchants to avoid drawing attention. But as Melissa and I were finalizing our ns, Luna Basilin solemnly dered with her eyes closed: "We must take a private carriage." A private carriage¡ªunlike a cargo wagon¡ªis a luxurious vehicle used by nobles. The Cascadia Count¡¯s household owns several such carriages, but to avoid unnecessary attention, we intended to use a in cargo wagon instead. "What are you talking about? It¡¯s already decided. We¡¯ll disguise ourselves as merchants to avoid suspicion¡ª" "Private carriage!" She was more stubborn than I expected. She must have wanted the private carriage so she could enjoy snacks, ice cream, and other preserved foods at a cool temperature thanks to its artifact storage. Her intentions were obvious. Even now, she couldn''t put down the coffee cookies I had made. Melissa and I had epted her as a long-term guest of the household, but did she really think throwing a tantrum would change our minds? "Stop talking nonsense and just eat your cookies. The decision is final. We still haven¡¯t heard any news from the necromancers who attacked the capital." As Melissa grumbled and narrowed her eyes, Luna pulled something from her pocket and raised it high for everyone to see. A brilliant light! A transparent gleam! Oh¡­ My god. "Private carriage!!!" What she revealed was a massive gemstone radiating a dazzling glow. "Leon, what are you waiting for? Prepare the finest carriage at once." Melissa¡¯s change of stance was as fast as light. As a result, our n was quickly revised, and we were now heading to Mielephon territory in a carriage that my father had secretly purchased¡ªonly to be scolded by my mother for it. It was a luxurious carriage with excellent suspension and magical artifacts for storing tea and desserts. Thinking about it now, I couldn''t help butugh. Speaking of my father, something came to mind. "Luna." "Go ahead." "Have you ever been to the Netherworld?" A necromancer of Deathlord caliber would naturally recognize the Netherworld¡¯s existence. Rather than a world, it was more like a vast system¡ªa river-like flow within the world. It was where souls of the dead traveled and where reincarnation took ce. In my past life, I must have died, undergone reincarnation, and been reborn here as Leon Cascadia. Luna savored her vani ice cream Mk-8, then shook her head. "The Netherworld is not a ce one can go to." "What do you mean?" "It exists but does not exist. The Netherworld is everywhere in this world, yet nowhere can it be directly essed." So, it wasn¡¯t a tangible location? Like the back of a coin¡ªno matter how much you turn the front side, you can never see the back. "Even angels perceive it the same way. Leon, you should already understand this." "I know what I perceive, but I don¡¯t know how it differs from the truth." Calmly, she put down her empty ice cream cup and held out her hand. "More, please." "Seeing you enjoy it makes it all worthwhile." I had prepared plenty in advance. After all, she was my ultimate sleeping pillow and the biggest financial supporter of the Cascadia household. She was undeniably beautiful, but trusting her looks alone was a mistake¡ªher entric behaviors could catch anyone off guard. In the grand scheme of things, making ice cream wasn¡¯t that difficult, and considering the value of the gemstone she casually handed over, I could serve her ice cream for a lifetime without feeling shortchanged. A sudden thought crossed my mind. If this world truly had the technological level and ideologies of medieval Earth, wouldn¡¯t life here be absolute hell for me? Especially since I remember modern Earth from my past life. The filth on the streets, the horrifyingck of human rights, and the endless small-scale wars. The romanticism of fantasy and medieval Earth were gxies apart. In that sense, while this world resembled the Middle Ages, magic hadrgely reced science. The tangible blessings of actual gods had also significantly improved human rights awareness. But what I appreciated most was probably the hygiene. "Eat like that, and you¡¯ll be a pig." "¡­¡­." She was unfazed by my muttering. "I¡¯m fine with that." I briefly imagined a chubby angel. Sweating profusely while rolling around like a ball. Or struggling to fly, unable to lift off due to her weight. ¡­Yeah, let¡¯s pretend I never pictured that. I turned my attention to the documents Melissa had prepared¡ªcontaining vital information about the Empire. Basic geography, culture, etiquette, details on the Mielephon household, and information about our ultimate destination¡ªck Friday. "Leon." Luna, licking her ice cream, turned her closed eyes toward me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "What?" "What are the chances our territory gets attacked while we¡¯re away?" The necromancer cult, suspected to be behind the recent chaos in the capital, had been eerily quiet. Given their nature, it would have been unsurprising if they had acted already, but their silence only made things more unsettling. I wasn¡¯t particrly worried for myself, but I couldn¡¯t help but think about Melissa, who was left behind in the territory. "Of course, I¡¯m worried. I¡¯ve taken precautions, but it still feels uncertain." I could defend myself, but Melissa? Even though I had stationed a Death Knight in her shadow for protection, my anxiety didn¡¯t subside. So, without telling her, I had inscribed protective magic on her. "By the way, how many?" "Around forty-three." "You''re definitely crazy." I couldn''t help but worry whether she was getting into trouble somewhere. While I hoped that any hostility would be directed toward me instead, I was also torn between wanting to keep the fact that we were carrying the Queen¡¯s Twilight a secret. At the very least, until we handed over the item on ck Friday, it was best to keep everything concealed. We arrived at Bechtel, a neighboring territory of Cascadia, and used the teleportation device there to travel to the Mielephon family¡¯s estate. The journey itself wasn¡¯t particrly difficult. The road we took wasn¡¯t one where bandits were known to appear, and there was no chance of monsters suddenly jumping out at us. The Empire had developed far beyond what the small Bata Kingdom couldpare to. It was to the point where even a satellite city of the Pascalia Empire was more advanced than the capital of the Bata Kingdom. Quality of life, atmosphere, security¡ªevery aspect of daily living subtly highlighted these differences. Mielephon¡¯s territory was one such satellite city. Of course, while it was called a satellite city, it was still a massive domain where many nobles resided. One of the Empire¡¯s greatest noble houses. One of the Thirteen Great Houses of the continent. It wasn¡¯t surprising that such an influential house controlled a satellite city instead of the capital. The fact that the Mielephon family alone dominated an entire satellite city was proof of their overwhelming power. Thanks to this, the number of merchants and noble carriages traveling through the city far exceeded my expectations. At this point, no one would question us for arriving in a private carriage. "Wee, Young Master Leon." Moreover, although security checks were strict, they did not apply to me. Because Melissa had sent word to the Mielephon estate in advance, we were met by their attendants and maids upon arrival. "I am Misha, the head maid of the annex." Misha? A maid with that level of skill? "Are you a knight?" "I am a maid." Hmm¡­ Ah. "Oh, were you a knight before?" "No, I have always been a maid." That can''t be right. Ah! "Oh, you aspired to be a knight?" "No. I was a maid from the very beginning." I see. That¡¯s the concept we¡¯re going with. Let¡¯s leave it at that. "We have been expecting you, Young Master. Please follow me." She spoke in a calm, emotionless tone and turned to lead the way, and I followed along. Perhaps because this was a noble district, the main road was rather quiet. As we continued, an astonishinglyrge mansion came into view. "It¡¯s bigger than I expected." At least in the Bata Kingdom, I had never seen a noble estate thisrge. However, we did not enter through the main gate but through a side entrance. For someone of my status, entering through a side gate would normally be a great insult to the Mielephon family¡¯s honor. But since they had agreed to my request to keep our visit discreet, this arrangement made sense. "The Sword Saint is expecting you." I supposed it made sense that he would personally wee me, given how long we had been acquainted. After stepping down from the carriage with Luna, I followed Head Maid Misha. Most of the other attendants and maids seemed like ordinary people. I had thought that bing a Mielephon servant required immense skill, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Eventually, we arrived at arge reception room, where Misha quietly knocked on the door. "Master, Young Master Leon has arrived." "Oh-ho! Come in!" A familiar voice boomed from inside, and Misha opened the door, bowing slightly toward me.@@novelbin@@ "Please, go ahead." Inside the reception room stood a man I had met before¡ªSword Saint Osberg Mielephon¡ªand his attendant, Bagmut Mielephon. "Haha. I never expected my future grandson-inw to visit." At his joke, I narrowed my eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 54 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 54 ¡°It¡¯s just an engagement in name only.¡± ¡°Come,e, have a seat.¡± Regardless of my reaction, Osberg casually gestured for me to sit. ¡°Yes. Would you like some coffee or sweets? You must have had a hard journeying all the way from Cascadia.¡± He kept offering me things with an endless smile. Was this old man really that excited? I scrutinized him for a moment before asking, ¡°You must have achieved something.¡± His eyes widened at my words. ¡°Ha¡­ Hahaha! As expected, my eyes were not mistaken!¡± He burst into heartyughter, pping his knee. ¡°Yes, thanks to you. I was finally able to fully perceive and somewhat surpass the barrier that had long eluded me. It¡¯s all thanks to you. I don¡¯t even know how to express my gratitude.¡± Even at a nce, I could clearly sense a change in his aura. For a swordsman of his caliber, breaking through a barrier was no easy feat. Of course, even if he had ovee that hurdle, it wouldn''t mean his entire level had changed. Still, it was an impressive achievement. The fact that a human, who barely lives a hundred years, had grown this strong was nothing short of astounding. [In the end, you have reached a higher ce. But humans do not have the luxury of time to fully attain that state.] A notification from the Librarian appeared before me, perhaps responding to my bitter emotions. I ignored it. ¡°But who is the youngdy beside you?¡± It is considered impolite to keep one''s hood on indoors. As I nodded in understanding, she casually flipped back her hood. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± A sigh escaped both of them simultaneously. ¡°This¡­ won¡¯t be easy¡­¡± He muttered something under his breath. ¡°She is my healer and also a guest residing in the Cascadia estate¡ªLuna Basilin Raphaelia.¡± ¡°A healer? Do you have any ailments?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I have a bit of insomnia.¡± I answered inly, and he made aplicated expression. ¡°With such beauty, she could bring a kingdom to its knees¡­ I must be careful.¡± ¡°What is there to be careful about, sir?¡± ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s nothing. Well, since you¡¯re here, I actually have something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen first.¡± Mielephon had already provided me with this much hospitality. Moreover, for my future objectives, I needed to amodate Mielephon¡¯s requests to some extent. ¡°I had intended to give you a sword.¡± ¡°A sword? Ah, the dowry list¡­ But wasn¡¯t that just a formality?¡± ¡°No, if we handled it carelessly, it would be noticed immediately. So, I made proper preparations. The dowry itself isn¡¯t an issue, but¡­¡± The sword was a problem? ¡°What kind of sword are we talking about?¡± ¡°Oh, just one of the swords owned by the family. However, the head of the house opposed its removal.¡± That was to be expected. The sword on the Mielephon dowry list was unlikely to be ordinary. ¡°I don¡¯t particrly need a sword.¡± I already had the ck Night Sword No. 1. Though it was a fragile, worn-out weapon that creaked every time I drew an aura de and often broke. If Master Verus heard me, he¡¯d probably yell, What do you expect me to do with ack of materials?! Seeing myck of interest, he clicked his tongue in disapproval. ¡°You¡¯re far too modest. I assure you, this is something you will never regret.¡± ¡°But, sir, if the head of Mielephon is against it, is it really alright for you to give it to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something you need to worry about.¡± It was clear that this swordsman was a persistent thorn in the side of Mielephon¡¯s head. ¡°Well, I was told I¡¯d get the details once I arrived. You need Mielephon¡¯s help.¡± Then, with his smile gone and a serious expression, he spoke. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be direct. I need to be present at ck Friday.¡± Gaining ess to ck Friday wasn¡¯t easy, let alone making contact with anyone there. However, if it was Mielephon¡ªone of the Empire¡¯s greatest noble houses and one of the continent¡¯s thirteen major families¡ªthey would certainly have a way. That said, considering ck Friday sometimes dealt in illegal goods, I wasn¡¯t sure if Mielephon would be pleased about it. ¡°Alright. That¡¯s not difficult.¡± ¡°You¡¯re agreeing so easily? The imperial family doesn¡¯t look kindly on ck Friday, since illegal goods are sometimes sold there.¡± ¡°What¡¯s stopping me? Besides, even the imperial family asionally attends to purchase items.¡± Ah, so they disapprove on the surface but don¡¯t actually interfere. ¡°As long as no lines are crossed, there¡¯s no reason to dismantle it.¡± That was enough for me. ¡°So, what are you trying to buy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not buying anything. I have something to sell.¡± I didn¡¯t take out The Queen¡¯s Twilight just yet. * * * Fortunately, ck Friday was being held in Mielephon¡¯s territory. Auction houses for ck Friday were scattered across various territories, but whether by luck or because Mielephon was preparing for a major event, it was decided that this time it would be hosted within theirnds. However, since the auction wouldn¡¯t start immediately, it was arranged that I would stay at the Mielephon estate in the meantime. Of course, our goal wasn¡¯t to participate in the auction to buy anything. To put an item up for sale, I needed to prove its value first. ¡°This is the ce.¡± See? She¡¯s not just a regr maid. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I let out a small chuckle as I looked at Misha, the head maid of the annex, who had guided us here. She was called the head maid of the annex, but the ce where Luna and I were staying was quite different from what most people would expect from an annex. The staff here were all exceptionally skilled. This reminded me of something Melissa had once told me. That Mielephon secretly operated an elite execution squad. Misha, the head maid leading us, brought us to what looked like an ordinary shop. ¡°For such a famous auction, it¡¯s rather small.¡± ¡°Of course, this must be one of the branches. There''s no way they''d hold it in a ce like this.¡± Hearing my exnation, Luna finally seemed to understand and nodded. The reception area of ck Friday was simpler and more ordinary than expected. ¡°Wee. What brings you here?¡± A middle-aged man wearing a monocle asked. Without hesitation, Misha pulled out an emblem symbolizing Mielephon¡ªspecifically, the emblem of the Sword Saint. ¡°Oh my, we have an esteemed guest.¡± As he spoke, he lightly tapped the table, and as if activated by a mechanism, magic began to spread across the surrounding windows. ¡°An illusion spell?¡± ¡°You have keen eyes. From the outside, the interior will appearpletely different. It¡¯s quite a rare enchantment. Additionally, various protective spells have been ced here, so you need not worry about any information leaking out.¡± He spoke calmly, maintaining his smile. ¡°So, what brings you here? Are you here to participate in the auction? Or to submit an item?¡± Most would be here for the auction. ¡°I¡¯m here to submit an item. I¡¯ve heard that this ce ensures absolute confidentiality.¡± At my question, he nodded. ¡°We take great pride in our anonymity, the best on the continent. However, given recent events, we¡¯ve been refraining from handling illegal goods, so please keep that in mind.¡± He cleared the desk as if signaling me to proceed. Misha, the chambein, bowed to me. ¡°I will step outside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote for that. If you leave now, the protective spells surrounding this ce will be lifted.¡± At my exnation, Misha frowned slightly and nced at the old man. ¡°Then, I will take what I see here to my grave.¡± I hadn''t known her for long, but I had a good grasp of her personality by now. I casually tossed some food to Luna, who was curiously looking around, then pulled a small box from my spatial expansion pouch. ¡°Is it jewelry?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ There¡¯s already an abundance of jewelry, so I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll fetch a high price at auction. Please keep that in mind¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I opened the box without hesitation. ¡°At the very least, I doubt this will be overshadowed by anything else.¡± Click! The old man stared at the item inside, tilting his head in confusion. It was indeed a beautiful piece of jewelry, but he had never seen it before. Given the sheer number of essories in the world, that wasn''t unusual. However, for an item to be worthy of auction here, it needed to carry a certain legacy. And yet, this experienced appraiser¡ªwho knew almost everything¡ªhad never seen this before. No wonder he was puzzled. ¡°This is¡­ the first time I¡¯ve seen this.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± At his question, I smirked, recalling a recent event. ¡°The original painting of this item sold for 2 billion sel.¡± ¡°2 billion sel? 2 billion¡­? Wait a moment.¡± His eyes widened in shock as he abruptly stood up. Staring at the item with trembling eyes, he hurriedly ran off and returned with a magnifying ss. ¡°P-please allow me to inspect this! I need to verify whether it¡¯s genuine, whether it¡¯s truly what I think it is¡­¡± ¡°Go ahead. Though, considering the immense blessing infused in it, I highly doubt it''s a fake.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right. A blessing from an archangel isn¡¯t something just anyone can p onto an item. If this were a fake and the real one only had a mediocre blessing, then this would be the more valuable piece.¡± Luna agreed as she casually munched on a coffee biscuit. Of course, no one had definitively confirmed whether Twilight of the Queen bore the blessing of an archangel. That revtion had onlye from Luna Basilin Raphaelia¡ªa celestial being whose existence had only recentlye to light. Luna had an unexpectedly strong dislike for archangels, yet she acknowledged the power of their blessings.@@novelbin@@ ¡°My word¡­ this is unbelievable. The gemstone set in the center is undoubtedly a Bartnel.¡± The old man¡¯s hands trembled as he reached for the piece but hesitated, afraid he might damage it. Misha, too, seemed quite surprised. Of course, she didn¡¯t outwardly show it. ¡°Y-Young Master¡­ where on earth did you¡­¡± ¡°Do you need to know?¡± ¡°¡­No, of course not. We don¡¯t pry into the origins of the items we handle. This is undoubtedly authentic. In that case, let¡¯s proceed with the contract¡­¡± He hastily pulled out a document. At the same time, Misha¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply. ¡°Manager, never forget that Mielephon is watching.¡± ¡°W-wouldn¡¯t dream of it, Lady Misha. No one here would be foolish enough to cross Mielephon.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 55 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 55 Look at that. For a mere maid, he seems unusually afraid of her. He carefully wrapped the box and let out a sigh. "This auction is bound to stir up quite amotion. Would it be alright if I let a few rumors slip about this item?" "To attract more buyers?" "Yes. If those who want it are well-prepared and gather in advance, it will benefit both your side and ours." "Go ahead." As long as they didn''t know we had it, it didn''t matter if the item itself was known. "And I was thinking of putting these up for auction as well." The items I took out didn¡¯t have any particrly grand backstory. "Oh?!" But the old gentleman¡¯s face lit up in surprise. "My word¡­ A gemstone of this size¡­." A sly grin spread across his lips. "It seems you''ve brought me a stroke of great fortune, young master. Thanks to you, I''ll be making quite the profit." "If you understand that, then handle it well." "I will do my utmost to ensure you have no regrets." This was the continent¡¯s top auction house¡ªone that only those with fame and connections could even dream of entering. However, no auction house would turn away someone bringing in top-tier goods. After consigning the precious metals Luna had given us, along with the Queen¡¯s Twilight, I finalized the contract and left the premises. The auction would take ce in about one to two weeks. The timing was ideal, as the Mielephon family was about to hold a major event, which meant arge gathering of nobles. They were determined not to miss this opportunity. "The value of the items is even greater than I expected, but I doubt there will be any major issues." "If someone tries to run off with them, we¡¯ll just catch them." They didn¡¯t know, but I had embedded a bit of magic into the items. The enchantment would be released naturally once the auction ended. However, if someone tried to steal or switch them, things would get very interesting for them. * * * The next few days were quiet. Since I wasn¡¯t actually engaged, the Mielephon family had no particr demands of me. This meant I spent my time at the nearly deserted annex, circting my aura to strengthen my body, ying chess with Luna, or writing letters to Melissa. Of course, I also took the opportunity to explore Mielephon¡¯s territory. In that time, I hadn''t seen the Elder since the first day, as he was busy with external affairs. Likewise, I hadn''t met the head of the Mielephon family, as they hadn¡¯t sought me out. Instead, I heard through Misha that ck Friday''s associates were spreading rumors about the Queen¡¯s Twilight. At first, people had been skeptical, but given ck Friday''s prestigious reputation, interest in the item had skyrocketed. "As a result, far more people are gathering than we originally expected. Nobles and wealthy figures from not only the Empire but also foreign nations are flocking in, to the point where the guards at the entrance are struggling to keep things under control." Misha, the head maid, had been attending to me throughout my stay. Since she was a familiar presence, I had noints. Despite her strict demeanor, she was a surprisingly decent person, and over the past few days, both Luna and I had grown quitefortable around her. "One of ck Friday''s representatives visited today. They¡¯ve verified the authenticity of the items, and they''ve decided to make them the main attractions of the auction." "That¡¯s good news." As I spoke, I flicked Luna¡¯s hand away from subtly trying to reposition a piece and sealed her fate with a checkmate. "Pathetic." "One more round." "I don¡¯t y with weaklings." Luna, annoyed by my taunting, started kicking my leg, but her strength wascking. "Young Master." As we bickered, Misha called me again. "Is there something you need to say?" "There will be a party at Mielephon tonight." At her signal, a group of maids entered the room carrying boxes. "I already said I wouldn¡¯t attend." Wasn¡¯t avoiding attention the whole reason I was staying in this annex? In response to my confusion, she replied calmly. "It is the family head¡¯s order. In exchange for ck Friday''s assistance, they have requested that you attend." "What do they mean by that?" "They believe that, given the sheer number of attendees, it won¡¯t be an issue." She pulled a small letter from her pocket and handed it to me.@@novelbin@@ It was a message from Catsey Mielephon, the head of the family. Skimming through it, I gathered that our presence in the annex had been discovered faster than expected. She wanted me to attend the party and y the role of a noble heir who was merely visiting, rather than someone suspiciously hiding away. Hadn''t I just attended a royal banquet in the Bata Kingdom? And now, another gathering? "Hmm¡­ Completely avoiding notice isn¡¯t easy." "I apologize for the inconvenience." "You don¡¯t need to apologize, Misha." What choice did I have? When the homeowner calls, you answer. "What¡¯s it about?" Luna asked. "The master of the house wants me there." "Didn¡¯t we agree staying out of sight was best?" She had a point¡ªthere was little benefit in drawing attention. However, since I had already handed over the items, the risk was significantly lower. "As long as I don¡¯t cause a scene, it won¡¯t be a problem." A grand ballroom filled with countless guests. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Instead of being a mysterious boy secretly residing in Mielephon¡¯s annex, I would simply be seen as a young noble attending out of personal connections. Depending on how one looked at it, this was a manageable situation. When I agreed to attend, Misha¡¯s expression eased slightly. It was the first time I had seen even the slightest change in her usually emotionless face. "Then I will help you prepare." "Leon, am I going too?" "Where do you think you''re going? You''re staying here." "Why?" Luna pouted and looked up at me in protest. ¡°Misha, head maid.¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± ¡°If she appears there in a dress, will she attract attention or not?¡± ¡°This is not a situation I should judge carelessly, but¡­¡± After a brief silence, she quietly answered. ¡°Logically speaking, she will attract every gaze possible. But disguising her is not an option, is it?¡± Did you hear that? I tilted my head toward Luna, and she pouted slightly, expressing her dissatisfaction. ¡°Very dissatisfied, extremely dissatisfied.¡± Yet, she didn¡¯t push the issue further. ¡°When this is over and we return to Cascadia, I¡¯ll let you try a new strawberry ice cream prototype.¡± ¡°That is satisfying.¡± ¡°Lady Luna, I will inform the maids in the banquet hall to bring some delicious desserts here for you.¡± ¡°That is also satisfying. Misha, the head maid, is very flexible.¡± Seeing her childlike delight, Misha¡¯s stern expression softened for just a brief moment. So, even she shows her emotions after spending so much time with us. * * * The formal suit that Misha had prepared was elegant yet subtle, exuding nobility without drawing excessive attention. Something that wouldn¡¯t invite ridicule yet wouldn¡¯t stand out too much. A truly difficult bnce to strike, but Misha, the head maid, had aplished it. ¡°Oh, it looks even better thanks to your handsome appearance.¡± Luna Basilin Raphaelia¡ªthis peculiar fallen angel¡ªhad an unusual tendency tovish praise on my looks. Even when we first met, hadn¡¯t she said I was handsome or something? Does that mean I am objectively good-looking? I personally don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s said that those who wield aura tend to develop more ideal physiques than ordinary people, making them naturally attractive. However, unless one undergoes aplete transformation, their features don¡¯t drastically change. ¡°You always make people flustered withments like that.¡± Feeling slightly awkward in the high-quality formal suit, I asked her, and she simply closed her eyes and gazed up at me. Then, she slowly adjusted the tie around my neck before looking up again. ¡°What does it matter what others think? Personal preferences differ.¡± She had a knack for rendering me speechless. ¡°Just in case, don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± ¡°You should be saying that to yourself, not me.¡± As long as no one storms in here causing chaos, the annex should be rtively safe. ¡°Let¡¯s go, young master. I will attend to you throughout the banquet.¡± ¡°Is that allowed?¡± ¡°Yes. Many nobles bring along attendants, maids, or knights with them.¡± With Misha¡¯s words confirming the n, I began walking. Might as well gather some snacks for Luna while getting a feel for the auction¡¯s atmosphere. ck Friday is famous for its anonymity, but that doesn¡¯t mean the items being auctioned or the auction itself arepletely shrouded in secrecy. The banquet hall was even grander than I had anticipated. The hall I was standing in was built solely for banquets, and in terms of sheer size, it felt evenrger than the royal banquet hall in Bata. That¡¯s just considering the indoor space¡ªif you count the outdoor areas as well, the scale is even more impressive. No wonder people say the satellite city of Mielephon has outgrown the capital of a small kingdom. Of course, not all noble families in the Empire are like this. Only the distinguished sword-wielding families or the 13 great houses of the continent could manage such extravagance. Either way, the banquet hall was vast, and the crowd wasrge. At a nce, there were many who clearly belonged to high-ranking nobility, judging by theirvish attire and essories¡ªon apletely different level from the banquets I had attended in the Bata Kingdom. Many among them were foreign dignitaries. Perhaps there were people from Bata here as well, but I hadn¡¯t spotted any so far. The reason for Mielephon¡¯s banquet was straightforward. It was the birthday banquet of Catsey Mielephon, the head of the Mielephon family. Of course, the scale was particrly grand this time because several other noble families¡¯ events coincided with it, but all I could think about was¡ªwhere does all this wealth evene from? If Melissa were here, she would probably be in awe at the scale of wealth disyed by aristocratic families. Though, she wouldn¡¯t be reckless enough to say it out loud in front of the Mielephon people. ¡°Hmm¡­ this looks good.¡± I wandered around the outskirts of the banquet, sampling and gathering treats that looked particrly delicious. As always, the Librarian informed me that they would analyze and recreate the recipester. ¡ª Grrrrr¡­ At that moment, a small wolf¡¯s head slowly emerged from the shadows at my feet, its mouth opening wide. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 56 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 56 "You want some too? Here, eat." As I let go of the meat in my hand, Muyeong snatched it up in an instant and disappeared into the shadows. Seeing how he kept popping up whenever he wanted and demanding food, I started to doubt whether this guy was really just an undead¡ªspecifically, a wraith wolf. "Normally, undead don¡¯t have such strong self-awareness." I had never experienced this before. A line of text from the Librarian appeared in response to my doubts. [The manifestation of souls in Labyrinthos may differ slightly from here. While the difference isn¡¯t significant, there is a high possibility of variations in self-awareness.] So, in simple terms, the souls over there were fake, while the ones here were real, which could exin the difference? In reality, it¡¯s not easy for undead to develop self-awareness. The original soul has to be strong for that to happen. The undead I controlled were simr to skeletons and banshees, but they followed a slightly different lineage. If you look at the structure alone, they were closer to banshees, but in precise ssification, they were something else entirely. It was an experiment I attempted in order to ovee a certain barrier, and thanks to this, I did manage to surpass it. That must be why. As Muyeong repeatedly poked his head out, I continued feeding him before anyone else could notice, slipping him back into the shadows. Luckily, even though I attended the banquet, no one really paid attention to me. Before long, the head of the Mielephon family arrived at the banquet hall. "Lady Misha, is that person the head of the Mielephon family?" "Yes, that is Lord Catsey Mielephon, the head of the Mielephon family." The first impression I had of Catsey Mielephon was that she exuded a truly fierce atmosphere. With her crimson short hair and cold-looking eyes, she appeared to be in her thirties, but her actual age was likely much higher. She was not originally from the Mielephon family. She had married into the family through herte husband, who had passed away due to illness, and upon his death, she took over as the head of the household. There must have been significant challenges for an outsider to take up the role of family head. But she rose to that position purely through skill and achievements. No wonder she was called the "Iron-Blooded Lady." "Still, it¡¯s fascinating. It¡¯s rare for an outsider to be the head of a noble house." "Our Mielephon family values ability above all else. Because of that, our lord took up the sword again to protect the family and to uphold the seat of thete family head." She was originally known as someone who never wielded a sword. But it seemed she had always possessed an extraordinary talent for swordsmanship. From what I observed, her level was beyond reach for anyone here. Sword Saint Osberg Mielephon was said to be at the upper tier of Sword Masters¡ªor perhaps even beyond. She was at least a mid-tier Sword Master. Considering her rtive youthpared to the Sword Saint, her sheer talent alone was unparalleled. In other words, she was stronger than most so-called "strategic weapons" among Sword Masters. With that level of strength, she could certainly impose her will. A woman who took over the vacant position of family head through sheer strength, all to protect her child and herte husband¡¯s ce. I found myself thinking that she was truly remarkable. Melissa, as a young and still inexperienced head of her own family, could probably learn a lot from her. Amidst the crowd of nobles engaging in conversation, her gaze suddenlynded on me. Her emotionless, icy stare met mine. There wasn¡¯t any particr emotion in her gaze. It was merely a neutral, assessing look, as if she was simply evaluating what kind of person I was. Of course, since I wasn¡¯t truly engaged to the Mielephon family, her opinion of me didn¡¯t really concern me. Then, it happened. ¡ªLeon Cascadia. A voice resonated in my mind. I turned my head to look back at Catsey Mielephon. She had just spoken to me using a telepathic method. The distance between us was quiterge¡ªso she could do this too, huh? ¡ªSo we finally meet. I¡¯ve heard about you from my father-inw. You won¡¯t be able to respond, so just listen. Her voice was polite but carried an undeniable pressure. I could also use telepathicmunication, but even for someone of high rank, it wasn¡¯t easy to employ such techniques. Telepathy was, in a way, a special skill. It wasn¡¯t something one could use just by being skilled in aura or mana. Even as she conversed with other nobles, Catsey continued sending me telepathic messages. ¡ªI¡¯ve heard your request. The Mielephon family does not forget kindness. If you have shown great kindness to my father-inw, then it is only right that Mielephon repays that debt. So, stay herefortably until you leave. On the surface, she seemed considerate, but I could clearly feel the boundary she was setting. Honestly, I liked her approach. That old Sword Saint kept subtly trying to push forward this fake engagement, and I was starting to find it annoying. ¡ªHowever, I ask that you do not cause any trouble. I do not think you are foolish enough to act recklessly, but remember this¡ªif you cause an incident in a gathering of so many people, I will not be able to help you. Enjoy yourself moderately without drawing too much attention, and don¡¯t expect Mielephon¡¯s assistance if you arrogantly cause an incident. She hadn¡¯t explicitly said it, but the tone of her words made her meaning clear. I responded with a faint smile, then shaped my aura into a wave and fired it like a bullet. ¡ªDon¡¯t worry, Lady Mielephon. I¡¯m already grateful enough for the consideration you¡¯ve shown me. She hadn¡¯t expected me to send a telepathic message in return, and she flinched in surprise, turning to look at me. In her gaze, I could see the faintest trace of disbelief. Perhaps it was a technique she had developed on her own, but once one reaches a certain level, picking up such tricks is inevitable, whether they want to or not. Seeing me use it so effortlessly, it was only natural for her to be surprised. ¡ªAnd happy birthday. I should have prepared a proper gift, but giving it here would be crude, so I¡¯ll visit you separately in the future. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Of course, I bowed my head slightly in greeting so that no one else would notice, then turned my back on her. At the same time, words from the Librarian appeared in my vision. [She is observing you.] ¡®Good. I only returned the favor because I felt like I was being subtly ignored.¡¯ A birthday present for her? I could just pick something appropriate and have Misha, the head maid, deliver it on my behalf. As if nothing had happened, I found a quiet seat again and focused on tasting the various dishes. The scale of the Empire was truly vast; there were rare delicacies here that I had never even seen in the royal pce of Bata. Behind me, Misha, the head maid, tilted her head slightly as if sensing something unusual but soon took her ce nearby, sitting with impable posture and silentposure. ¡°Head Maid, have you had your meal?¡± ¡°Yes, I have eaten sufficiently.¡± ¡°I see. So, while you were making sure I didn¡¯t get to eat anything, you went ahead and had your fill?¡± ¡°There are certain privileges to being a head maid.¡± The way she calmly responded to my teasing meant we must have grown quite close. I chuckled and popped a small piece of bread into my mouth. * * * Catsey Mielephon. The daughter-inw of the Sword Saint and the wife of the former family head. An outsider by birth, but through overwhelming skill and aplishments, she had be the current head of House Mielephon¡ªa woman of iron will. She found herself slightly taken aback by an unexpected turn of events. ¡®That boy will certainly be worth investing in. Maybe not now, but before long, he will stand out. After all, no matter how much you try to hide a sharp needle in a pouch, it will always poke through, my dear.¡¯ When she first heard about the fake engagement and the family heirloom being handed over, she had thought, Has Father finally gone mad? But she was not cold-hearted enough to outright refuse her father-inw¡¯s request. Besides, she didn¡¯t underestimate his insight, either. If nothing else, ying along with the engagement as a formality was manageable. The real problem was the heirloom sword. It wasn¡¯t until after hearing that Osberg, her father-inw, had broken past his limits that she started to give the situation a more positive review. Even so, she couldn¡¯t be sure whether handing over such a prized sword to an unknown boy from another kingdom was truly the right decision. That¡¯s why she called him to this banquet. She could have met him separately, but she had been busy, and this event provided a convenient opportunity. Upon meeting him for the first time, Leon Cascadia gave off a peculiar impression. For a boy his age, he seemed far tooposed. Still, she couldn¡¯t make a judgment until she saw for herself. So, as a test, she sent him a telepathic message. As expected, the boy flinched slightly before looking at her. She had assumed that a boy praised even by the Sword Saint himself would be extraordinary, but when she examined him up close, she could hardly sense any power within him. At first nce, she even wondered if he had truly trained with a sword at all. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t as remarkable as she had thought. Even so, he was quick-witted, well-mannered, and carried himself with dignity¡ªhardly someone who would leave apletely negative impression. Then, at that moment¡ª She heard an unexpected response from him. He had returned her telepathic message with a smiling expression. She had never seen anyone else use this technique before. It wasn¡¯t just a simple skill. @@novelbin@@ While it didn¡¯t require an incredibly high level of mastery, it demanded extremely precise aura control. For a boy with seemingly no detectable aura to use it so effortlessly¡ªit was hard to believe. ¡°Lady Mielephon?¡± One of her knights, who was guarding her side, cautiously spoke up. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± Coincidence? No, this was no coincidence. That boy was hiding something beyond what she could perceive. What was he concealing? Catsey Mielephon¡¯s gaze briefly lingered on him once more before drifting away. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Lady Mielephon, are you experiencing headaches again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. More importantly, inform me immediately if there is any new report on that damned octopus¡ªKraken.¡± Recently, she had been so upied with troublesome matters that she barely had the time to focus on Leon. * * * The banquet hall was filled with countless people, engaging in conversations, forming connections, discussing business, and exchanging idle chatter. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 57 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 57 Among them, there were some who got into disputes, but no one dared to cause a major incident at the Mielephon family''s banquet. The most attention-grabbing topic was the auction item for this ck Friday. "Have you heard? About the auction this time." "I have. I''ve seen a great number of nobles gathering in the Mielephon territory because of it. It''s the first time I''ve seen even foreign nobles gather like this." It was all because of one particr item rumored to be up for auction at ck Friday. The Queen¡¯s Twilight. A legendary treasure that was said to have disappeared over 200 years ago. Not only was it known to grant the owner the power of longevity and immunity from disease, but it was also a one-of-a-kind artifact embedded with a gemstone found nowhere else in the world. The story surrounding the item was so wless that even an original painting depicting it had once been sold for 2 billion sel. Of course, to the unimaginably wealthy, 2 billion was a sum they could afford, but for lesser noble houses, it was an amount equivalent to their entire fortune. Few openly spoke about it, but many nobles had expressed interest in at least getting a glimpse of the item. ¡°The impact seems greater than expected.¡± ¡°Do you think it will sell for its true worth, Head Maid?¡± "Large-scale transactions frequently happen at ck Friday, so even if someone doesn''t have the funds on hand right now, they can still participate in the auction." In other words, even those who hadn¡¯t been able to prepare financially in time wouldn¡¯t be entirely excluded from the bidding. "My humble opinion? The item''s value is so immense that such concerns are hardly relevant." Many of the nobles at this banquet would likely participate in ck Friday. But among them, only a select few would actuallypete in the auction for The Queen¡¯s Twilight.@@novelbin@@ And for good reason. This wasn¡¯t just an ordinary piece of jewelry¡ªit was an artifact that granted longevity. Even among the wealthiest, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they engaged in a fierce game of chicken to obtain it. Most nobles were likely here just to witness it in person. Of course, the short preparation time was a factor, but in the end, it didn¡¯t really matter. ¡°Shall we head back?¡± I had made my appearance, eaten my fill of the banquet¡¯s delicacies, and exchanged pleasantries with Catsey Mielephon, the head of the Mielephon family. It was the perfect time to leave. The only thing that left me with a strange feeling was the fact that no one had directly approached me for conversation. Just as I was about to rise from my seat¡ª I overheard a conversation. "I''m telling you, just listen to me. I''ll set you up with whatever youngdy you want." A voice filled with confidence. Judging by the tone, they were likely in their mid-teens. Some had juste of age, while others hadn¡¯t yet. Whether they were nobles from another country or the empire, I had no way of knowing. I wasn¡¯t deliberately eavesdropping¡ªit was just a coincidence. ¡°So, which youngdy caught your eye?¡± "That, uh¡­ the youngdy from the Baron Bellisty family¡­" ¡°Oh, that one? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll create an opportunity for you. How long are you going to live without even holding a girl¡¯s hand?¡± ¡°Haha, you really are amazing, Senior.¡± A conversation full of youthful arrogance and pride. Well, it wasn¡¯t unusual for boys that age to be interested in the opposite sex. Come to think of it, Melissa had been a student at the academy before our parents passed away. Now that I looked more closely, the brooches on their uniforms bore the emblem of the same imperial academy Melissa had attended. Were they her fellow alumni? They seemed to be around the same age, and their looks were striking. Even from an objective standpoint, they had the kind of faces that would make many women swoon. I was about to dismiss it as nothing more than boys being boys when¡ª ¡°No, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve won over every girl. There¡¯s just one¡­ one bitch I failed with.¡± Oh? I suddenly found myself paying closer attention. Misha, my maid, looked noticeably displeased at their conversation, but she was too much of a professional to show it outright. ¡°Young Master, shall we head back?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Of course, my curiosity was piqued. Melissa¡¯s academy¡­ I had never attended, so I rarely got to hear about it. ¡°A senior like you actually failed with a youngdy? Who was she?¡± ¡°Tsk. Yeah, there was one. Some noble girl from the Bata Kingdom.¡± Bata Kingdom? Our kingdom? I was just about to walk past them when¡ª ¡°Bata? That tiny little kingdom?¡± ¡°Where even is that?¡± ¡°You idiot. The Bata Kingdom is that tiny backwater kingdom attached to the Empire. Do you seriously not know that?¡± ¡°Well, I mean, I might have forgotten¡­¡± ¡°Wait. A nobledy from Bata Kingdom¡­ Senior, don¡¯t tell me that rumor was true? About Melissa Cascadia from the Student Council¡­¡± I froze. ¡°Young Master?¡± Misha¡¯s voice reached me, but it sounded muffled¡ªlike I was underwater. [Warning. Warning.] The librarian¡¯s letters swirled around me at a frantic pace. These guys¡­ they didn¡¯t even know that Melissa was now the head of her family. A Count. The golden-haired boy exuded the aura of a powerful noble from the Empire. Judging by his attire, he was at least the son of a Count¡ªperhaps higher. And in the Empire, a Count¡¯s family could easily rival a Marquis or even a Duke¡¯s house in a smaller kingdom. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Yeah. I thought she¡¯d be easy since she was from a small kingdom, but I guess not. That bitch. Acting all high and mighty when someone like me took an interest in her. Just because she¡¯s good at swordsmanship, she thinks she¡¯s untouchable." ¡­What? ¡°Haha. She¡¯s on a leave of absence right now, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Well, she won¡¯t be gone forever. She¡¯lle back eventually. You guys know, right? The more a girl acts high and mighty, the weaker she is at night. Just wait. When shees back, I¡¯ll make sure she learns her ce.¡± Ah. Melissa and Catsey both told me not to draw attention to myself. But this¡­ this I couldn¡¯t let slide. [Warning. Warning. Your mental state is highly unstable. It is advised that you calm down.] ¡®Librarian.¡¯ [Confirmed.] "Shut up for a bit." Boom!!! The librarian¡¯s warning blurred my vision, disrupting my sight. It was undoubtedly meant to obstruct me. But would I, who once tore apart that ursed nine-headed dragon, the Hydra, even after losing my sight, be hindered by mere letters? Passing by the boy, I swiftly turned around and grabbed him by the neck. Before he could utter a single word, I pressed down, forcing him to his knees. Boom!!! At the same time, cracks spread in all directions from where his knees hit the ground. The power I unleashed was immense, but it didn¡¯t instantly shatter his body. Instead, the force I had infused coursed through him, dispersing into the ground beneath him, shattering it. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Still gripping his throat, I lifted him again and mmed him into the fractured ground with all my might. ¡°Gah?! Cough?!¡± His body went limp as if the impact hadpletely drained him. It had happened in an instant, leaving the boy¡¯s followers staring at me in shock. Naturally, the sudden explosion of sound drew the attention of every noble in the banquet hall. Men and women of all ages fixed their gazes on me¡ªa situation in which most would feel at least a little flustered. I pressed my foot against his chest, sending another wave of aura rippling through him, causing a second series of massive cracks to spread across the floor. ¡°Gahhh?!¡± This time, the impact tranted directly into unbearable pain, wrapping around his entire body. Still, he desperately tried to move, willing his unresponsive limbs to obey. "Sometimes, those who think themselves cultured are more ill-mannered than barbarians." My cold voice echoed softly throughout the hall. It carried with it the chilling killing intent that I had sharpened endlessly in the Labyrinthos. "They never even consider that their reckless words might earn them an axe to the skull." Melissa is an annoyingly bothersome sister. We used to fight all the time. There were even moments when I wished she¡¯d just disappear. But no matter how much I cursed or resented Melissa, I could never stand seeing others insult her. And now? Now, I was so deprived of human connection that even that bothersome Melissa seemed endearing. So there was nothing more to say. "Wha¡­ what¡­" He looked up at me from the ground, his trembling eyes filled with confusion. He was asking, Why? "Leon Cascadia. House Cascadia." At my words, his eyes widened in shock. "You insulted my younger sister, a countess now, right in front of her brother. And you dare ask why?" Mark this well. I don¡¯t know who you are. I don¡¯t care who you are. But the moment you insulted Cascadia¡ªinsulted my sister¡ªyou forfeited any hope of walking away unscathed. Even if you were a high-ranking noble¡­ No, even if you were royalty. The repeated aura-infused blows had ravaged his body, twisting his muscles and overloading his aura heart until it cracked. Unable to endure the excruciating pain, he finally convulsed and passed out, foaming at the mouth. I won¡¯t kill you. That would be too kind. Your aura heart is shattered. You will live the rest of your days as nothing more than a cripple. The suddenness of my actions, and the sheer devastation I had wrought, left Misha, the head maid, staring at me in utter shock¡ªfor the first time ever. * * * Leon had been in Mielephon¡¯s domain for quite some time now. Through magicalmunications, he had kept me informed of the situation there. He had sessfully made contact with ck Friday and had submitted the gemstones, including The Queen¡¯s Twilight, to the auction. The auction was set to take ce soon, and as soon as everything was settled, he nned to return. He also mentioned, somewhat irritated, that Luna Basilin¡¯s appearance had drawn far more attention than expected, causing all sorts of trouble. "Hmph¡­ A lot has changed since that day." So much had changed. It felt like several years'' worth of events had passed in just a short period. And I found myself beginning to appreciate this moment of peace. Of course, I couldn¡¯t afford to simply rx¡ªnot after what had happened in the territory, nor after the events in the capital of Bata. As Leon had pointed out, after we drove out the cultists¡ªthe necromancers¡ªfrom Bata Kingdom, unsettling movements had begun stirring within the domain. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 58 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 58 It wasn''t certain, but if the necromancers had infiltrated Cascadia to take revenge for what happened back then, she would have to face them alone in Leon¡¯s absence. ¡°Lady.¡± At that moment, a servant knocked on the door and called out to her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, the academy has sent a message.¡± ¡°The academy? Ah¡­ Now that I think about it, I had forgotten. It was quite fun.¡± Originally, she had been attending the academy while also receiving sessor training from her father. The message from the academy inquired about her potential return. ¡°Going back would be the worst option.¡± Now that she had inherited the countship, returning to the academy would be an act of irresponsibility. And it wasn¡¯t as if the academy was just next door¡ªit was all the way in the Empire. However, it wasn¡¯t as though she disliked having the academy''s diploma or the student life she had experienced there. As she thought about the academy, one particrly unpleasant memory surfaced. A noble from a rather prestigious count family in the Empire. People said he was handsome, but to Melissa, he was just another frivolous yboy. She was pretty sure his name was Siger Reden. He was notorious for seducing noblewomen everywhere he went, and although his reputation wasn¡¯t great, no one dared to reprimand him due to the influence of his family. Recalling her past entanglement with him left her feeling irritated. She shook her head, brushing off the memory. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°Here is some water, mydy.¡± The old butler promptly handed her a ss, and she drank it down in one go. ¡°By the way, is it true that the Sword Saint wants to make Leon his grandson-inw?¡± ¡°Judging from the circumstances, it seems highly likely.¡± ¡°Hah. What a ridiculous situation. If there¡¯s anyone who might be considered a candidate¡­¡± ¡°From my limited knowledge, I believe it is more probable that the main family, rather than a branch family, would seek such an alliance.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re talking about someone from the Mielephon family around Leon¡¯s age¡­ then it would be Senior Isna.¡± Isna Mielephon. A senior who was also well-known at the academy. Melissa chuckled as she recalled her. Their first meeting¡­ what was it like? Ah, yes. She had been in the garden at night,ughing loudly while breathing fire from her mouth. ¡°You know her, mydy?¡± ¡°I do. She¡¯s¡­ how should I put it? The kind of person who makes you feel embarrassed on her behalf, even when she¡¯s not the one at fault.¡± Of course, whether Leon truly intended to get engaged was not something she intended to interfere with. And if someone asked whether Isna Mielephon was a bad person, the answer would be no. People might have avoided her entricity, but they neither hated nor resented her¡ªprobably because of her good nature. Melissa slightly unsheathed her sword before sliding it back in. ¡°I can¡¯t leave everything to Leon. Let¡¯s go. Before he returns, we should take care of the rats hiding in our territory.¡± ¡°Yes, mydy.¡± * * * It was cold. I could feel piercing stares drilling into my chest. But I didn¡¯t shrink back. Right now, in this ce filled with noblemen, I had just utterly destroyed someone. No matter how one looked at it, I was the viin in this scenario. ¡°Siger!! What is the meaning of this?!¡± A nobleman suddenly pushed through the crowd. ¡°What are you all standing around for?! Check on Siger¡¯s condition immediately! You there, how dare you do this to a member of the noble Reden family and think you¡¯ll get away with it?!¡± The enraged noble appeared to be of high status. The Reden family, huh? Ah, the Count of Reden. Compared to Mielephon, they were insignificant, but they were still well-connected within the central aristocracy. Melissa had mentioned this in the documents she gave me. Had she anticipated that I would get entangled with nobles? I didn¡¯t think so, but who knew. ¡°Young master! Are you alright? Please wake up!¡± The knight standing beside Count Reden rushed forward to check on Siger, but his body was already in shambles after taking several blows. ¡°You¡­ Reveal your identity. I will make your family pay for what you¡¯ve done to my son.¡± ¡°You are Count Reden, correct?¡± At my question, fury red in his eyes. ¡°Yes. Do you have any idea who you have justid hands on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern. You may be proud of your family¡¯s honor, but¡­¡± I spoke calmly and walked past the fallen boy, approaching the count.@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­Your son is nothing but a disgraceful scoundrel with not a shred of nobility.¡± ¡°What did you just say?!¡± ¡°You asked me to reveal my identity, so I shall.¡± I took another step forward. ¡°I am Leon Cascadia, eldest son of the Cascadia family, the border counts who guard the Demon Lands of the Bata Kingdom.¡± As I spoke calmly and took another step forward, the man who had been checking on the crouching boy quickly approached and blocked my path. ¡°Step back. Do not approach the Count any further.¡± He was likely a knight serving one of the many nobles present. Either way, it seemed no one was particrly concerned. Of course, I had Misha, the head maid, with me, but she was not my personal maid¡ªshe served Mielephon. I never intended to rely on her help. The head of the family, Catsey, had warned me not to cause any trouble, but the trouble had already happened. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] So, expecting assistance from the Mielephon family was out of the question, and I couldn¡¯tin even if ties were severed. Not that our rtionship would actually be that cold. ¡°The Bata Kingdom? Aren¡¯t they just bordend nobles from a minor kingdom? How dare a mere border noble of Bata insult the Reden family of the Empire!!¡± ¡°I see. So because the Reden Count family is a grand house, it means that if Cascadia is a small, insignificant noble family from the bordends, then insulting them to their faces is eptable? Is that how I should interpret your words?¡± I didn¡¯t bother raising my voice. Yet my words carried across the entire gathering. ¡°Insult? What nonsense is this!¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s right! H-He suddenly attacked Lord Reden!¡± ¡°Yes! He attacked Lord Reden without provocation!¡± As the younger students from the academy, who had been following Siger Reden, joined in, the crowd¡¯s gaze grew sharper. It took only a moment for me to be painted as the troublemaker who had ruined the banquet. ¡°My sons im that you attacked my child without reason.¡± ¡°Is that so? Strange, I clearly introduced myself.¡± I calmly swept my gaze over the young men. As my name registered in their minds, they flinched as if recalling something. However, they quickly regained confidence and shouted, ¡°What does introducing yourself have to do with anything? The issue is that you attacked Lord Reden!¡± ¡°What does it have to do with anything? That¡¯s a rather twisted way of thinking. Do you believe it is normal to ignore someone who openly speaks vulgarities and insults about his younger sister right in front of her older brother?¡± They must have assumed that since there was no proof of their conversation, they could manipte the narrative however they wanted. ¡°Hah, a lowly noble daring to challenge the Reden Count family.¡± Besides, even if they were caught, what did it matter? Their backing was stronger. That much was written all over their faces. That is, until a certain individual stepped forward. ¡°Exin everything in detail, Lord Leon.¡± As Catsey Mielephon, who had been silently observing as if she had no intention of intervening, finally spoke up, the crowd parted in both directions. ¡°Give a full ount.¡± As she addressed me with familiarity, the murmuring in the crowd grew louder. Even Reden Count, who had been ring at me, and Siger Reden¡¯s academy juniors, who had been growling at me, wore expressions of shock. ¡°Siger Reden made crude and obscene remarks about my younger sister within my hearing. As her older brother, I am merely fulfilling my duty.¡± At those words, Catsey¡¯s cold gaze shifted to Siger, whoy copsed on the ground. At the same time, the previously pale-faced Siger trembled violently and lowered his gaze. Regardless of the truth, he seemed genuinely afraid of Catsey Mielephon, the Duke of Mielephon. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°What does it matter whether it¡¯s true or not! Your Grace, I do not know why you acknowledge a mere bordend noble, but he is undoubtedly lying!¡± As the enraged Count Reden shouted, Catsey¡¯s gaze sharpened chillingly. ¡°Duke, please don¡¯t concern yourself with such a lowly¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Cascadia Count family is currently engaged to Mielephon.¡± At those words, waves of murmurs spread through the hall. ¡°Count Reden, are you saying that since Cascadia is ¡®lowly,¡¯ and they are engaged to Mielephon, then Mielephon is also insignificant?¡± Her cold tone made Count Reden¡¯s face turn pale. ¡°T-That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ But surely you don¡¯t mean that the fianc¨¦ is¡­¡± He had assumed I was just some minor noble from the outskirts, but realizing I had ties to someone powerful left him visibly shaken. Still, he must have decided that remaining silent would do him no good. ¡°Lord Leon, there is nothing more powerless than an unproven truth. Can you prove it?¡± After shooting a cold, disdainful look at Count Reden, Catsey Mielephon turned to me, demanding proof. ¡°Proof? That won¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°How do you intend to prove it?¡± Misha, the head maid, had been present and heard everything, but I had a more reliable method in mind. Necromancy typically deals with souls and corpses. There is a magic that can extract the memories of the dead. With some modifications, it is not difficult to extract memories from the living as well. However, before I could cast my spell, I was interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that¡ªI heard everything myself.¡± At the sudden voice, everyone turned toward the source. And they all froze in astonishment. Understandably so¡ªbecause a giant mascot-like costume had just emerged from under the table where I had been sitting. It closely resembled the mascot costumes from my previous life, often worn by part-time workers. I never expected to see something like that in this world. Of course, given the materials¡ªanimal hides and cotton stuffing¡ªit was likely different. But judging by the mana emanating from it, it was more of an artifact than a mere costume. At the same time, Catsey Mielephon¡¯s expression twisted with fury. Did she recognize this strange individual? ¡°Nice to meet you, Lord Leon. This is our first time speaking, isn¡¯t it? I haven¡¯t had many conversations with your sister, Melissa, but I¡¯ve overheard herining about you quite often.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 59 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 59 People usually say that a lot of swearing happens in moments like these. From first impressions to the choice of conversation, there was a peculiar air about her¡ªdifferent from Luna in a way. "Isna, what in the world is that appearance?" "A perfect disguise?" From inside the giant doll costume, a girl''s voice rang out brightly. A perfect disguise? That ridiculous appearance? Why was she hiding under the tablecloth, and what was that bizarre doll costume? More importantly, why had I not sensed her presence despite her being so close? Even if I hadn¡¯t been deliberately searching my surroundings, even a Sword Master wouldn¡¯t have been able topletely escape my detection. To achieve this, she must have possessed some kind of extraordinary ability. In my memory, only a few special cases could evade a detection of this level. Ah, it must be that doll-like outfit she¡¯s wearing that is helping her. "Take off that ridiculous thing and speak properly." "Uh¡­ Asking me to undress in front of all these people is a bit¡­" CRACK!! The wine ss in Duke Catsey¡¯s hand shatteredpletely. Holding her forehead as if she had a headache, the head of the Catsey family muttered under her breath, while Isna popped off the headpiece of the doll costume. Simultaneously, her long, fiery-red hair spilled out, flowing wildly. The first thing revealed was the face of a girl who appeared to be around my age. Her red hair was tied into twin tails, and her crimson eyes sparkled with both confidence and mischief. "No way¡­ Isna Mielephon, the duke¡¯s daughter?" "What on earth is with that ridiculous outfit¡­?" As the noble guests murmured in growing confusion at her bizarre entrance, Duke Catsey''s headache seemed to intensify as she grimaced further. "Heheh, I heard about it. I know for a fact that it''s true." In this world, the weight of testimony depends greatly on who is giving it. For instance, the words of a minor noble''s son from a small kingdom¡¯s outskirts and those of a duke''s daughter from the 13 Great Houses holdpletely different levels of impact. With her adding to the im, the murmurs around us grew louder. "Is what you said true?" "Why would I lie? Oh, would this help convince you?" She reached inside her doll costume and, with some difficulty, pulled something out. It was a voice-recording artifact. "Why do you even have that¡­? No, never mind." Duke Catsey scowled, rubbing her temples. It seemed like she was used to dealing with her antics. "Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way here." But at least one thing was clear. She was nothing like the typical image of a noble duke¡¯s daughter. I wasn¡¯t particrly experienced in these matters, but I could tell that dealing with her would be exhausting. She was the type to bring trouble wherever she went. Without hesitation, she activated the artifact. A loud voice erupted from it, filling the banquet hall. The conversation inside was unmistakable¡ªit included Siger Reden and his group. Now, it was clear why she had disguised herself in such an odd manner at the banquet. She had nned to bring Siger Reden down from the start, and I had inadvertently stepped into the situation. The murmurs among the nobles turned into full-blown whispers of scandal. Siger Reden¡¯s face went deathly pale. Even Count Reden¡ªhis father¡ªhad an expression twisted with rage. It took mere seconds for the tide of public opinion topletely turn against them. A family head, whose younger sister had been insulted, was not likely to sit idly by. "Count Reden." A voice, cold as ice, nketed the entire hall. Count Reden flinched. "How could you let this happen?" I spoke in a deliberately provocative tone. "Though the Cascadia family has endured unfortunate circumstances, my younger sister upheld her duty as a noble and proved her worth, inheriting the count''s title. I am proud of her." The murmuring intensified. "And yet, are you telling me that standing by while someone insults my only remaining family member in public is what noble honor entails?" The room''s atmosphere shifted. The sentiment now clearly turned against Siger Reden¡ªas if he were the viin. Siger had likely not expected his offhandments to cause such an uproar. A spoiled yboy often spoke with more bravado than truth. However, while I had only needed two sentences to seal his fate, he would need dozens of words to attempt to undo the damage. In politics, who speaks first and who is better prepared determines the winner. And he had already lost. "Count Reden''s son is clearly at fault here." "I can''t believe it¡­ To insult someone''s younger sister right in front of her older brother at a gathering like this¡­" Count Reden now found himself in an impossible positionpletely humiliated. Not only had his son disgraced himself, but now the entire Reden family¡¯s reputation was under attack. "T-This is¡­" "Insulting House Cascadia is the same as insulting Mielephon, to whom they are betrothed." Catsey, exuding an overwhelming aura, pressed forward. Her chilling presence, as if she could cut the Count down at any moment, weighed heavily on everyone around. It was only natural for someone of her rank as a mid-level Sword Master. "P-please, forgive me! M-my foolish son must have made a mistake in his youthful ignorance!" Even though the Reden family was prominent, it was no match for Mielephon. In this situation, where his son had openly hurled insults, resisting further could lead to an outright conflict with Mielephon¡ªa risk far too great. The Count was quick to assess the situation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Ahem. So, you are Lord Leon, yes? It seems my foolish son has insulted the honor of House Cascadia out of ignorance." "I''m d you understand so quickly." "H-however, he is still just a child, is he not? How could you be so cruel as to leave him in such a state...?" Oh, so you''re trying to downy the situation now? It was obvious that the Count was trying to brush it off as nothing more than a childish mistake. What he feared wasn¡¯t me¡ªit was Mielephon. Had Mielephon not intervened, the Count would have likely taken a much more brazen approach. "Shouldn¡¯t you be grateful instead?" "W-what?!"@@novelbin@@ "If I hadn¡¯t done this, we would have fought to the death. At least this way, he still has his life. Surely, that¡¯s something to be thankful for?" Or would you rather your son had died? When I overloaded his aura heart and shattered itpletely, I created massive fissures within it. Because he had overestimated his mediocre talent and neglected to properly temper his aura heart, even a slight overload was enough to fracture and destroy it. Now that his body had been pushed beyond its limits, he was doomed to be crippled for life. "Even so, wasn''t this an ambush? H-how could someone of noble blood be so cruel?!" "Then allow me to heal him. I will restore him to better health than before." "What...?" "However, once the treatment isplete, I will personally challenge him to a duel to the death. No representatives. Do you have any objections?" My killing intent made the Count flinch. "Th-that is... In a duel, one is allowed a champion..." "Would you also use a champion to prolong your own life when your timees?" When your lifespan reaches its end, will you appoint someone else to die in your ce? I don¡¯t mind engaging in a fight myself. But honestly, what could be more important than one¡¯s own life? "What a bold young lord! Well done! Well done!" Isna Mielephon pped in approval, fully supporting me. ...Shut up. I ignored the entric youngdy of House Mielephon. "Siger Reden, that guy is pure evil... mmph!" At that moment, a voice rang out¡ªit was Isna Mielephon, the duchy¡¯s youngdy, speaking her mind about the situation. Of course, before she could say more, her maid, Misha, quickly covered her mouth and dragged her away. "Misha." "Yes, my lord." "Take Isna away. Make sure she doesn¡¯t leave the annex." Wait, why the annex? Then, the duke turned to me. "Leon." "Yes, Your Grace." "It seems my message was not properly conveyed." "My apologies, but my stance remains unchanged." "Do you believe this course of action is necessary, even at the cost of your original goals?" "It was never something I ced much value on to begin with. If you want an answer, then yes, I do." A fake engagement? Acting as a pawn in political maneuvers? Fine. All of that is eptable. But it is not eptable to simply stand by and watch my sister be insulted. If the kingdom were to turn against Melisa, I would turn against the kingdom. If the empire opposed her, I would oppose the empire. Cascadia is the only thing I have left. As I locked eyes with the duchess without averting my gaze, she let out a small smirk. "Then I take it you are also willing to bear the consequences of your actions?" "If that is what you wish." So she would not interfere in my dealings with the Reden family? It would undoubtedly cause a stir, but ultimately, it wouldn¡¯t be a significant problem. The Reden family, despite its influence, was not powerful enough to threaten an entire kingdom. And the royal family of Bata owed me a favor. "I trust you understand what this means. There will be no more pretenses from now on." She then turned her gaze toward Count Reden. No more pretenses? Were we talking about different things this entire time? Just as I was about to ask for rification, a private transmission from her reached my mind. -That was a foolish decision. It was mere words, nothing more. Is it truly wise to risk everything over a fleeting insult? No matter what you originally intended. -Perhaps, from a rational standpoint. Especially for nobles. -However, I find your choice rather appealing. If one is to be betrothed to House Mielephon, they should at least have the courage to stand their ground. To immediately crush anyone who insults their family. Excuse me? What nonsense is this? I stared at her,pletely forgetting to reply via transmission. She simply gave me a cold, thin smile. -Given how publicly this has unfolded, surely you didn¡¯t think this engagement would remain a mere formality? -But I wasn¡¯t the one who made it public in the first ce. -I did. What? This level of brazenness¡ªwas this what it took to be the head of a great house? -Your Grace, in situations like this, wouldn¡¯t it be normal for you to distance yourself from me? -Far from it. Thanks to your actions, my decision has been made. A cold sweat trickled down my back. To my knowledge, the current head of House Mielephon had several children. Yet, I had never heard anything substantial about any of them. And now, I had met one in person. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 60 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 60 -Could it be¡­ that the target is¡­? As I suppressed the chilling sensation creeping over me and responded telepathically to Catsey Mielephon, she let out a short scoff. -The child may have been born from me, but I have no idea what goes on inside her head. I pray that you forge a good connection. Could there really exist a mother-inw who would willingly wee a son-inw prone to causing such trouble? I pondered that thought, but recalling Lady Isna Mielephon¡¯s entric behavior and her shocking entrance, I couldn''t shake the feeling that I had unwittingly walked into a trap. Melissa once told me that I would suffer a great setback someday¡­ "Count Reden, whether intentional or not, the fact remains that Lord Leon was insulted. As a noble, he acted to uphold both his own and his family¡¯s honor. Do you dispute this?" "That¡­ that is¡­" Even if he were to argue otherwise, nothing would change. His son''s Aura Heart had already been shattered, and healing it through ordinary means would be difficult. Not to mention, they had fallen out of favor with the Mielephon family¡ªmaking matters even worse. At this point, he had no choice but to be involved in the situation. His only priority was to avoid further repercussions from the Mielephon family. "Mercy¡­" "I shall grant you a chance for recovery. If you win the duel, the Mielephon family will not interfere further." The unspoken implication was clear: If you win, I will at least let you live. The Mielephon family had always valued strength above all else, so this was hardly surprising. However, everyone present understood one undeniable fact: The Mielephon family was one of the most prestigious sword-wielding ns on the continent. For the Reden family, facing their power was an impossible ordeal. But what could Count Reden possibly do? There was nothing. "Go¡­ Go forth and protect our family." As Count Reden finally spoke, his knight stepped forward with a solemn expression. Judging by his aura, he was an Expert-level knight of mid-rank. A knight of considerable skill. The situation was already beyond repair, so this was likely ast-ditch effort to maintain some level of dignity and prevent further disaster. After all, retreating here would only invite the Mielephon family¡¯s next wave of retaliation. Many expected Catsey to summon one of Mielephon¡¯s elite knights. But instead, her gaze was locked onto me. "Lord." "Yes, Duke." "Would you handle this personally?" "Are you saying¡­ that I should do it myself?" The murmurs around us grew louder. She had chosen a boy who had yet to reach twenty to face an Expert-level knight. Though I had utterly crushed Siger Reden earlier, few had actually analyzed the process or gauged my true strength. "Of course, if youck the confidence¡ª" With a wave of her hand, a well-dressed maid stepped forward, bowing her head slightly. See? The Mielephon family¡¯s maids were not just mere servants. "I can appoint a substitute for you." "¡­No, I will do it myself." Though she offered me a proxy, she clearly had no doubt that I would refuse. A chance for recovery? Who was she trying to fool? Whispers spread through the crowd. "My, my¡­ It seems that Lord Leon of Cascadia is more merciful than expected." "By taking the duel himself, he is at least providing Reden with a justification to avoid Mielephon¡¯s wrath." "So that¡¯s why they¡¯ve been discussing marriage prospects with the Mielephon family¡­" Some mistakenly believed that I was showing mercy to the Reden family by stepping forward personally. From amon perspective, it seemed impossible for a boy in histe teens, with barely any detectable aura, to defeat a seasoned knight of Expert rank or higher. It wasmon sense that a young noble would not be ridiculed for losing a duel against a fully trained knight. "Lord Leon, as a knight serving my lord, I will fulfill my duty. I thank you for your generosity." "Generosity? I''m sorry, but you¡¯re mistaken." "Mistaken?" This knight, too, assumed that I was showing mercy by taking the duel personally. But they were all gravely mistaken. Did they truly believe I would save the Reden family after everything they had done? My anger had not yet been satisfied. I loosened my tie and stepped forward with measured strides. The knight chosen by Count Reden took up a wooden sword brought by a Mielephon attendant, demonstrating precise aura control indicative of a skilled mid-tier Expert. A formidable knight, even among his rank. As he took his stance, I casually lowered my sword, taking him into my field of vision. Seeing that I hadn¡¯t properly positioned myself, the knight grew more confident in his assumption. He did not even consider the possibility of losing. "I will restrain myself to avoid injuring you too severely." Following a brief exchange of nces, the knight made the first move. He did not unleash his aura but relied on his enhanced physical capabilities to thrust forward with impable form. His technique was sharp, direct¡ªno wasted movement. A knight of remarkable skill. Just before his sword reached me¡ª My right foot moved a beatter. Despite the dy, my body had already slipped out of his anticipated range. His eyes widened in shock. Realizing something was wrong, he immediately attempted to pull back and widen the distance. But by the time he exhaled once, I had already closed in on his opening. Boom!!! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The sound that erupted was far too loud for mere wood striking flesh. His body seized up from the impact. I didn¡¯t stop there. With controlled precision, I struck key points across his body as if sealing his acupressure points with my sword. Each strike caused violent reactions in unrted body parts, making it seem as if he had been struck by a dozen arrows at once. "Ugh¡­ Guh¡­ W-What is¡­" Though he had only been struck once in his eyes, he felt six or more blowsnding simultaneously. Using only aura, without magic, such a technique should have been unthinkable. His expression twisted into sheer disbelief. His blood flow was thrown intoplete disarray, rendering him unable to move. To finish it off, I lightly pressed my sword against his sr plexus. Without ever getting the chance to counterattack, the knight lost consciousness and copsed. Of course, had he coated himself in aura, the oue might have been different. "S-Seven hells!" "What just happened?" "An Expert-ranked knight¡­ was defeated in an instant¡­!" The knight was at the expert level. An expert was considered a valuable asset in any kingdom or empire. And yet, he had been defeated without even putting up a fight. Of course, from my perspective¡ªsomeone who had fought against master-level opponents before¡ªhe wasn¡¯t much of a threat. But others wouldn¡¯t see it that way. Having subdued the knight with my usual instantaneous eleration, I leisurely loosened my tie with one hand. Then, with a flick, I discarded the broken wooden sword onto the ground. A suffocating silence followed. The nobles¡¯ faces were filled with shock, clearly astonished by the swift oue. Even Catsey Mielephon, who had remainedposed thus far, had widened her eyes slightly in surprise. ¡°So this is why my father spoke so highly of you. Take the fallen one away. And as for you, Young Lord Leon.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± ¡°As the host, I must handle the aftermath here. You may go in and rest.¡± His demeanor was different from before when he seemed to be testing me. Still, I had already seen everything I needed to see, and staying any longer held no benefit for me. So, I simply nodded. ¡°Given the situation, I suppose I have no choice. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± ¡°A wise decision. Count Reden, you should also return. I will send someone to discuss the detailster.¡± It was practically a death sentence. The House of Reden was like a vassal to the Mielephon family. Falling out of favor would shake the very foundation of their house. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Count Reden stood up with a vacant expression, looking around in a daze. Even though my confrontation with him had ended, it was clear that the Mielephon family intended to make him pay for what had happened. No wonder he was so shaken. ¡°P-please! Have mercy!¡± He hastily dropped to his knees, bowing his head, but she turned away without hesitation. Slumping to the floor in despair, he was eventually helped up by his attendants and escorted out of the banquet hall in disgrace. In Labyrinthos, there was no room for hesitation, mercy, or second thoughts. If you didn¡¯t act first, you would be the one to fall. Maybe that¡¯s why. I suddenly realized that ever since leaving Labyrinthos, I had been acting with more aggression than I expected. Yet, I didn¡¯t find it strange. Would Melissa be angry when she heard about this? Or would she react differently? That was a difficult question to answer. * * * Outside the banquet hall, the night sky was so densely packed with stars that it almost felt bright. I had noticed before, but unlike my previous life, the night sky in this world never felt truly dark. Misha had returned at some point, quietly approaching as I left the hall. ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve certainly caused quite a stir.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I?¡± I chuckled, and she let out an exasperated sigh, as if she couldn¡¯t believe me. ¡°But you were splendid. I heard everything that Lord Siger Reden said.¡± She walked alongside me with practiced ease. ¡°And just to ease your mind¡­ may I say one thing?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I apologize in advance for Lady Isna¡¯s antics.¡± A sense of unease welled up inside me. And I quickly realized why she had said that. ¡°Wow! Why do you hide such a beautiful face?! Come here! Let me dress you up!¡± ¡°You¡­ you crazy woman!¡±@@novelbin@@ I saw Luna running away while Isna Mielephon chased after her with enthusiasm. It had taken me less than thirty minutes to leave the banquet hall and return here. And in that short time, she had already met Luna¡ªthe infamous troublemaker¡ªand managed to startle her. I turned around, pretending I hadn¡¯t seen anything. My time in the annex was over. I needed to find a suitable residence within the territory and settle down¡ª ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re running off to? Take this lunatic away from me, now.¡± Luna clung to me like a cicada on an old tree, refusing to let go. * * * In the end, my worries were unfounded, and the worst-case scenario did note to pass. Thinking about it, the result was only natural. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 62 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 62 It was an awkward situation where I couldn''t exactly refuse, considering what I had done. "Hmm... This isn''t good." She didn''t stop there. Taking a bite of a nearby dessert, she shook her head and started frantically pressing the signal installed on the wall. "Potatoes! I need potatoes!! Warm, cooked potatoes!!" ¡­¡­ A nobledy from a duke''s family throwing aside elegant desserts and causing a scene in the VIP room over potatoes¡ªwhat a sight. Misha, the head maid, seemed even more embarrassed as she covered her face with both hands and sighed. Let''s pretend we didn''t see that. Beep!! A signal announcing the start of the auction echoed through the room, and a hologram-like projection began to appear on the once-empty red wall. On the screen was arge podium where the auctioned items were disyed. As expected, one of the most valuable items, The Queen¡¯s Twilight, would be auctionedst. "Let''s just take it easy and watch." "I''m not interested." Of course. For Luna Basilin, who had an endless collection of treasures stored in her subspace, the trinkets being auctioned here were hardly impressive. Luna, losing interest, flopped onto a long sofa, while a ck reapery sprawled out on a circr bed. The only one maintaining a proper posture was Misha, standing beside my chair. "You should sit and rest. You can¡¯t stand the whole time." "I appreciate your kindness." Misha, in her own way, could be quite shameless. Soon, the auctioneer appeared on the screen and began his introduction. "Wee,dies and gentlemen, to another ck Friday Auction. This marks the 87th edition of ck Friday, and once again..." As the usual scripted speech yed, I wore a bored expression. Then, it happened. [The memories of the Fourth Hall are ready to be applied.] I shot up from my seat. So suddenly? Noticing the gazes turning toward me, I quickly sat back down. ''Now of all times?'' [Due to the memory transfer of the Hall of Necromancy, your body has undergone significant strain.] Well, this is already the fourth one. Has it even been two months since I woke up? Receiving the fourth memory this soon felt a bit premature. Still, having more abilities at my disposal was never a bad thing. ''Start the process.'' [Due to the unique nature of this hall, the transfer will take some time. Until the process isplete, you will not be able to ess its contents.] ''That¡¯s never happened before. How long will it take?'' [This is a special case. Estimated duration: one week.] A week. That¡¯s not too bad. I smiled in satisfaction. The preparations for my rebirth were almostplete. Now, I could undergo a transformation whenever I wanted. I checked my status window. Beep! Name: Leon Cascadia Age: 17 Gender: Male Abilities: (Hall of Swords) Sword Expert (Highest Level) ¨C Mastered techniques can be viewed in detail. Ultimate Aura is preserved. (Hall of Martial Arts) Fist Expert (Highest Level) Ferocious Aura is preserved. (Hall of Necromancy) Grand Necromancer (6th Circle) ¨C Mastered spells can be viewed in detail. Death Lord¡¯s Necromantic Mana and the dominance imbued within it are preserved. Necromancy at the 6th Circle. My aura-based swordsmanship and martial arts would surpass the master''s threshold once Ipleted my transformation. Even now, my specs were far from weak, but getting stronger was never a bad thing. If I expanded the details, I could see everything I had learned. "What are you doing?" As I gestured at the air, Luna stared at me intently. "I see a strange flow of energy at your fingertips. Are you doing something?" I shook my head and dismissed the status window. "It''s nothing." Even so, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of anticipation about the Fourth Hall. Recovering its memories wasn¡¯t the only benefit¡ªthe hall''spletion bonus, like aura or necromantic mana, always came along as well. I could only hope that something powerful would apany it. For now, I watched the auction unfold. The usual trinkets, artifacts, equipment, and monster materials were disyed, but the bidding was far lesspetitive than I had expected. Luna, the walking treasure vault, wasn¡¯t interested in buying anything. Neither was I, nor was Isna, the nobledy, who had no particr enthusiasm for these items. Our only real concern was whether The Queen¡¯s Twilight would sell properly. Then, something unexpected happened. "Now! Up next is a relic imbued with ancient magic! At first nce, it looks like a simplepass, but its true purpose..." Thud!!! The moment the peculiarpass appeared on the podium, Luna shot up from her seat. Her hands trembled. She stared at it nkly before frantically reaching into thin air, pulling out one item after another. Small gems, expensive-looking trinkets¡ªeach object looked incredibly valuable. Her sudden actions left Misha, the noble Isna, the ck-robed reaper staring at her in shock. "Luna?" "That, that!" "What about it?" "I have to buy that. I¡¯ll give you everything I have, Leon!" There was outright panic in her voice. Seeing her frantically pulling out all her valuables, I knew I had to calm her down. I tried gathering the items and stuffing them back into her subspace. But she wouldn''t budge. "Please! Leon! I have to buy that! I¡¯ll give you everything I have!" ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have enough money, so I¡¯ll buy it for you. Besides, there¡¯s nopetition, and I promised. I said I¡¯d get it for you.¡± There was no way to miss the look in her eyes. Thatpass she was looking at must be the key to finding the ring she had been desperately searching for¡ªthe Fate Lord. But she had said the ring didn¡¯t have any special abilities. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªdid such apass really exist? Still, Luna¡¯s expression was so desperate that I didn¡¯t press her for answers. I immediately pressed the bid button. The starting price was 1 million sel. By my past life¡¯s standards, that was about the equivalent of 1 million won. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Not an expensive item. In fact, there were barely any bidders. ¡°5 million sel.¡± I called out a strong bid from the start to crush any potentialpetition. It was a dummy item, anyway. An item like that would only attract collectors who hadpletely lost their minds. No sane person would pay a high price for it. ¡°We have 5 million sel! Any other bidders? If no one bids within 10 seconds, it will be sold for 5 million sel!¡± Despite the auctioneer¡¯s excited voice, no one else ced a bid. ¡°See? No problem buying it.¡± Considering the 45 million sel worth of funds the administrator had prepared for me, it wasn¡¯t a burdensome amount. Of course, I needed to confirm whether that money was actually provided for my use or if it was more of a loan. For now, it was enough. As the countdown reached 3¡­ then 2¡­ then 1, Luna¡¯s nervousness intensified. And then¡ª Beep!! ¡°We have 7 million sel! Any other bidders?! 7 million sel!¡± Startled, I turned to see a panel disying the new bid of 7 million. ¡°That cheeky bastard¡­¡± I immediately pressed the button to raise my bid. ¡°Don¡¯t outbid me on mypass.¡± ¡°Ah! We have 7.5 million sel! 7.5 million sel!¡± The price was rising fast for an early auction item, drawing interest from those who wouldn¡¯t have noticed otherwise. Beep! 9 million sel. I clenched my teeth, suppressing my irritation. So, they wanted to have a money fight with me? I deliberately bid 9 million and 1 sel. The opponent responded with 12 million. As the numbers climbed, I quickly did the math in my head. Then, I entered 15 million sel. I still had room to bid. I wasn¡¯t going to exceed the limit of 45 million just yet. Even in my past life, 45 million won was a considerable sum of money. When I bid 15 million, my opponent immediately raised it to 20 million. That meant I was about to go over my current avable funds. But a promise was a promise. I continued bidding. 20 million. 25 million. 30 million.@@novelbin@@ 40 million. I had already reached the limit. Luna grew more anxious and reached into her dimensional space, trying to pull out some jewels. ¡°L-Leon¡­¡± I should have dered arger budget when entering the auction. This was my first time participating, and my inexperience was showing. In the Labyrinthos, I had built overwhelming strength. But dealing with people, navigating society¡ªthose were things I had beenpletely detached from. This world had more unknowns than I thought. I felt both anxious and intrigued. If we lost that item now, we wouldn¡¯t even know who had won it. At this rate, I needed to call the administrator and increase my bidding limit. But no matter how fast they processed it, the auction would end before that could happen. And then¡ª Beep!! ¡°2¡­ 200 million sel! We have 200 million sel!!¡± A panel that had been dark suddenly lit up beside mine, dropping a massive bomb on the auction. ¡°Huh?¡± Stunned by the sudden esction, I turned my head. There, holding a bid button in one hand, stood a figure draped in tattered ck robes, wearing a death god¡¯s mask. Isna Mielephon. ¡°Lord Leon, do you need that item?¡± She had just bid a staggering 200 million sel. The scale was on apletely different levelpared to the small skirmish I had been having. ¡°Lady Isna?¡± ¡°Well, if a VIP-tier item is being auctioned, they¡¯ll probably make quite a bit of money. But right now, your auction limit is 45 million, right? ck Friday events are such a hassle¡­ Trying to stay anonymous means dealing with annoying spending caps¡­¡± She spoke casually, as if this was nothing. I could only stare at her in shock. But it seemed my opponent wasn¡¯t backing down, either. Beep! 250 million sel. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 64 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 64 I may have lived for a long time, but when ites to rtionships with people, I am woefully inexperienced. No, perhaps I am even more inexperienced than the average person. Some people say that time grants people a certain level ofposure and wisdom. Sure, that¡¯s not wrong. However, that didn''t apply to me, as I had spent all my time fighting rather than contemting such things. Having achieved a satisfying result, the moment I returned to the annex, I activated themunication crystal I had received from Melissa. ¡ªWh... what did you just say? "Two trillion." ¡ª... Melissa, who was drenched in sweat as if she had just finished a battle, stared nkly for a moment. ¡ªNo way, did I hear that wrong? "You heard it right. Not 50 billion, but something worth over two trillion." ¡ªKyaaaah!! We''re rich now!! I quickly deployed a sound barrier to prevent her shrieking from spreading everywhere. Seeing her scream and celebrate for a while made me chuckle. "The remaining bnce can be collected through Lavren Bank, so I''ll just bring what we''ve received for now. More importantly, has anything happened in the territory?" ¡ªWe¡¯re cleaning up the estate. There¡¯s a lot of trash, so we¡¯re getting rid of it all. Be careful on your way back, big brother! And don¡¯t lose the money! She only calls me "big brother" when she needs something. After ending mymunication with her, I realized that I had now aplished my original goal. Fortunately, despite themotion at the banquet hall, there was nothing significant lost. Perhaps Mielephon had provided some kind of excuse, as no additional attention was drawn to the matter. Of course, there were still some lingering gazes due to the fact that I had defeated a knight, but since there were almost no opportunities for outsiders to meet me, it didn¡¯t really matter. Now that I hadpleted my objective, Misha, the head maid, subtly showed signs of regret, as if she was pretending not to care. "It will feel a bit lonelier once you both leave." "Will you be staying here, Head Maid?" "I usually do." "Isn''t Lady Isna still here?" "...." At the mention of Isna, exhaustion flickered across her face. "The youngdy is... sigh." I understand exactly how she feels. Luna, meanwhile, waspletely absorbed in the ancientpass of Lace that she had won at the auction. ording to her, she was attempting to synchronize her consciousness with thepass¡ªsomething that, if sessful, would allow her to find the ring she was searching for, the Fate Lord. On the other hand, Isna, who had actually bought the item, didn''t seem to care much about it. Even for a wealthy nobledy, a 1 billion investment couldn¡¯t have been insignificant. It was unsettling to realize that this 1 billion wasn¡¯t just some rich person¡¯s frivolous spending. Rich people may seem to throw their money around, but in reality, they never make decisions that put them at a loss. Even though she acts as if she''s absentminded, the eerie atmosphere she exuded for a brief moment during the auction made me wonder if she was truly just a simpleton. "Do you like it that much?" "Of course. With this, the chances of finding it increase significantly." Of course, it''s not a perfect tool¡ªit only provides a rough direction andes with various limitations¡ªbut even that was more than enough. Because it meant that, one day, she would certainly find it. "Since we¡¯re done here in Mielephon, shall we head back?" "Fine. I will eat strawberry ice cream when we return." To inform the head of the family, Catsey, of our departure, I went to find her. She was sitting alone in the center of the first training hall within the family grounds, quietly gathering her aura. "Your Grace." At my call, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at me. "It seems you''ve finished your business, Young Master." "Yes. However, it appears that the Sword Saint is absent." "My father is a busy man." Speaking matter-of-factly, she stood up and walked somewhere. She then retrieved two swords she had prepared in advance. "Young Master." "I am listening." "Take up your sword." She handed me a sword that, at a nce, looked exceptionally well-made, while she herself took up a more ordinary one. As I epted the sword, she walked to the opposite side and spoke again. "The sword that my father promised to give you, as well as the one I am about to hand over now, are both heirlooms of Mielephon." "Pardon?" "However, there is a condition to wielding them." Her aura shiftedpletely. The previously subdued atmosphere became razor-sharp in an instant. "Does the sword choose its master... or something like that?" "Exactly. Come at me. If you can withstand even a single strike of my de, I will hand the sword over to you." Wait, I don¡¯t even need that sword, but she insists. Even so, I took up my stance. I was also curious about Duke Catsey¡¯s skill.@@novelbin@@ I may not have seen the Sword Saint in action, but at the very least, I knew she wouldn¡¯t be an easy opponent. "My father trusts you and has agreed to give you the sword. However, the one I am about to give you is a de that will either drive its wielder insane or cause their aura to run amok if they are unqualified." Why would she even consider giving me something so dangerous? "Does that mean its performance is that extraordinary?" "If it was inferior, it wouldn''t be worthy of being called an heirloom. You are now officially engaged to Mielephon. As the head of the family, it is my duty to ensure that my future son-inw is up to the task." In other words, before handing over the sword, she wanted to test my abilities. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Rejecting it didn¡¯t seem like an option. Besides, if it was truly such a great sword, having it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. With that thought, I gripped my sword and took a proper stance. At the same time, the fierce aura of Catsey Mielephon sharpened like a de. Oh. As I observed the movement of her aura, I saw a momentary surge. And in the blink of an eye, she had already closed the distance, swinging her sword at me. In terms of speed, she was faster than anyone I had encountered so far. I had never seen the Sword Saint in action, so I couldn¡¯tpare, but I could tell that her position as a mid-rank Sword Master was well deserved. Even though she swung her sword at close range, she didn¡¯t hold back at all. It was as if she was daring me to bring out everything I had. Watching her sword pierce forward without a shred of hesitation, I decided to take the initiative this time. The moment she stepped into striking distance, her sword trajectory became visible to me. Her sword, imbued with the determination to press forward no matter how I countered, was undoubtedly sharp. aang!! The swords shed in an instant, sending sparks flying as they rebounded. The sheer strength was astonishing. With the immense aura reinforcing my body, I wasn¡¯t at a disadvantage in physical ability even against a Sword Master. Even though I had limited my aura output and refrained from drawing out pseudo-sword energy, it had been a long time since I had experienced being pushed back several meters in just a single exchange. It was clear that someone of Catsey¡¯s caliber wouldn¡¯t allow me to hold back too much. On the other hand, even Duke Catsey seemed quite surprised. In response, an overwhelming surge of aura erupted from her entire body. Ah, her switch has flipped. I knew this phenomenon well. A swordsman whose growth had stagnated but suddenly discovered something would sometimes lose themselves like this. If I let this go on, she would soon disregard any control over her strength in her following attacks. It had already gone far enough. ¡°I surrender. Enduring even a single strike was my limit.¡± As I slightly raised both hands while still gripping my sword, she flinched in surprise and retracted her aura. ¡°My father always spoke highly of you, but I thought he was exaggerating¡­ It seems I greatly underestimated you.¡± ¡°You were holding back.¡± ¡°I apologize, but there is only so much one can hold back.¡± She let out augh, as if she found the situation absurd. Then, after sheathing her sword, she retrieved a red box that had been ced to the side and held it out to me. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Open it.¡± Even at a nce, the box radiated a sinister energy. Slowly, I opened the box, revealing a beautiful yet eerie crimson sword within. ¡°A cursed sword.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more valuable than most magic swords. One of the heirlooms of Mielephon. My father initially wanted to give you something a tier lower, but I felt this one suited you better.¡± Why was she being so generous? ¡°Is it really alright for me to have something like this?¡± ¡°As long as our engagement doesn¡¯t fall apart due to some unfortunate incident, there¡¯s no issue.¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°Likemitting treason without any justification.¡± That was quite an extreme example. ¡°What if I turn out to be aplete scoundrel or a womanizer?¡± ¡°Lord, I am not the type to worry about impossibilities.¡± Her words implied that if I evermitted treason, so be it¡ªbut she did not see me as someone capable of such base behavior. I couldn¡¯t tell if that was apliment or an insult. ¡°If you insist, I¡¯ll dly ept it. But I tend to be quite rough with my swords.¡± ¡°I noticed. That¡¯s why I chose this one.¡± That was simply my habit¡ªI couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°This is the cursed sword Elekstra. It is nearly impossible to damage, and the more blood it absorbs, the faster it regenerates. It should suit you well.¡± I pulled the sword out of its sheath ever so slightly. The moment the crimson de was exposed, it emitted a chilling, sinister aura, attempting to engulf me. A weapon of such malign nature that it would easily consume anyone without a strong aura or a well-disciplined mind. Since it had yet to be fully subdued by its owner, this reaction was to be expected. The cursed sword¡¯s energy seeped toward me, trying to erode my being. Fine. My aura and mental defenses alone were enough to suppress it. But before I could even exert my control, a presence within me refused to let such an invasion slide. ¡ªHow dare you act out here. ¡ªKIEEEEEEK!! As if dering its dominance, the vast quantity of necromantic mana residing within me surged forth,pletely crushing the cursed sword¡¯s sinister energy. Since both the necromantic mana and the sword¡¯s aura were of simr nature, this overwhelming suppression was inevitable. Vwooom!!! Realizing its mistake, the sword vibrated violently, as if screaming in defiance. It resisted for a while, but in the end, itpletely surrendered. It wasn¡¯t merely acknowledging me¡ªit had entered a state of absolute submission. I wasn¡¯t sure what effects this would bring, but at the very least, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing. After all, an heirloom wouldn¡¯t be preserved if it simply destroyed its wielder. This meant that once properly tamed, it wouldn¡¯t pose a threat. ¡°It¡¯s a fine sword.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you think so. Would you like to give it a swing?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 65 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 65 At her suggestion, I silently twirled my sword in my grip and lightly swung it through the air. Swish! A chilling resonance sliced through the empty space. It wasn¡¯t a sound that shoulde from merely cutting through air with a sword¡­ This must be why cursed swords and demon swords are considered dangerous. Because they exhibit power beyond the wielder''s actual skill, the user naturally bes reliant on the sword, leading to the decline of their own abilities. Without a certain level of skill, the wielder would end up being consumed by the sword. Honestly, I had never used such a powerful sword before. Back in Labyrinthos, a sword was nothing more than a disposable tool, something to be reced once broken. To me, a sword was simply a sword¡ªjust a tool, an extension of my will. Of course, acquiring a high-quality weapon was never a bad thing. "Thank you. If you''ll excuse me, I will take my leave now." "Your reaction is surprisingly indifferent." "Bing too attached to the sword''s power only leads to one''s own decline. There¡¯s a reason why demon swords and cursed swords are called what they are." I tend to treat even holy swords the same way. At my words, a faint smile graced her otherwise cold face. "Correct, young lord." * * * After Leon had left, Catsey Mielephon stood in the center of the training ground, scanning her surroundings. "Lady Patriarch." "Report?" "We''ve located him again. Shall we prepare the subjugation squad?" "Deploy the knights. This time, we will eliminate that wretched bastard." She murmured coldly, exuding a sharp, intimidating aura. "But this is surprising¡­ To think a boy could withstand your sword and still remain standing. That level of skill is rare even within our family." The knight muttered in amazement as he looked toward the spot where Leon had departed. "I can understand why the elder holds him in such high regard. Give it ten¡ªno, maybe twenty years, and he¡¯ll make a name for himself across the continent." Though his words could have been mistaken for dismissive, that was not the case. The Mielephon family was the greatest swordsmanship lineage on the continent. Meaning, their elite warriors were all among the strongest. For a teenage boy to bepared to them was an extraordinarypliment. However, Catsey merely chuckled and shook her head. "You still haven¡¯t fully grasped it." "¡­Pardon?" In response, she swiftly unsheathed her sword. A silver steel de gleamed in the light. "What do you mean¡ª?! Huh?!" In an instant, countless cracks formed along her sword, and then¡ªshatter!¡ªit broke apartpletely. Excuses like, Leon¡¯s sword was of better quality or her sword was just an ordinary one were meaningless. She had been holding back when fighting Leon. But someone of her caliber would know better. Leon had been hiding his true skill just as much as she had. When she first crossed swords with him, she thought his movements still had some roughness to them. But in hindsight, those weren¡¯t imperfections. If their swords had been of equal quality, she wouldn¡¯t have lost. But this was a duel between a Swordmaster of mid-tier rank and a young warrior still in his formative years. Even though she had held back, her sword breaking was absurd. A teenager shouldn¡¯t possess such overwhelming potential. And yet, he did. It wasn¡¯t just brute strength. This was something else¡ªan understanding that even seasoned swordsmen struggled to attain. A level of mastery that should be impossible for someone so young. Ten years? D on¡¯t make meugh. If he was already capable of this while not even being a Swordmaster yet¡­ How much stronger would he be once he surpassed that wall? And to think, he hadn¡¯t even shown all of his strength. No wonder her father, Osberg Mielephon, the Sword Saint, had reacted with such excitement. He¡¯s too talented to even feel envious of. She found it amusing that, rather than jealousy, she felt awe toward a boy far younger than herself. "That boy is a monster." Catsey muttered the same words her father, the Sword Saint Osberg Mielephon, had once said. "Isna found herself quite the husband." Even after the knight left, Catsey remained in the training grounds, refining her aura. Now that the engagement was confirmed, she no longer considered Leon an outsider. From what she had seen, he was an outstanding candidate for a son-inw. There might be a disparity between their families, but he could very well be the strongest swordsman on the continent. Investing in him was hardly a difficult decision. More importantly, finding someone who could handle her unpredictable daughter, Isna, was no easy task. Though she hadn¡¯t considered whether Isna might actually develop feelings for him. At that moment, she felt a gaze upon her. "What is it?" Without turning her head, she addressed the presence approaching her. A figure in a ck robe drew near.@@novelbin@@ Beneath the robe was a shockingly beautiful face¡ª Though her eyes were closed, it was clear she could still see. The faint dark circles beneath her eyes only added to her enigmatic charm. Considering that a woman of such beauty was by Leon¡¯s side, most ordinary beauties would hardly catch his attention. "You must be Leon¡¯s healer." "Correct. Name¡¯s Luna Basilin Raphaelia." "Raphaelia¡­ Sounds like the name of an angel." "A mere coincidence." Her tone was devoid of formality. And yet, oddly enough, it didn¡¯t seem disrespectful. "You must have something to discuss." "Not really. Just taking a walk and got lost." Her blunt response made Catsey chuckle despite herself. How many people in the world would dare speak so casually to the head of the Mielephon family? "The annex is that way." "That is very kind of you." She turned her body with a bag full of unknown fruits slung over her back. That was when it happened. Her steps came to a halt. "I should repay you." "Repay me?" Luna, who had been quietly watching her, slowly extended her hand. At that moment, multicolored lights instantly shot out and seeped into her. The sudden phenomenon urred before Catsey could even react in caution. "This is¡­." "It¡¯s just a temporary measure. Even if I wanted topletely heal you, I don''t have that much power right now. Therefore, long-term treatment will be necessary." Hearing such vague words, Catsey''s eyes twitched. "But I have no intention of leaving Leon¡¯s side. So I suggest eliminating the source." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Eliminating the source? You speak as if you know everything." "You must have been experiencing frequent headaches recently. I don¡¯t know the exact cause of the symptoms, though." At her words, Catsey widened her eyes. Indeed, hadn¡¯t she felt a headache even at the banquet hall? Very few people should have known about this, so how had she noticed? The duchess regarded Luna with a wary gaze. "I don¡¯t recall telling anyone about this." "Oh, that much is not difficult for me. If I hadn''t intervened, in about two months, your mind would have beenpletely broken, and you would have fallen into eternal sleep syndrome." Hearing those words, Catsey flinched and her eyes widened in shock. "Eternal¡­ sleep syndrome?" "Simply put, it''s a disease where you sleep forever as if you were dead. It''s more of a curse, really. Practically the same as brain death." Speaking matter-of-factly, she turned away once more. "Eat peaches often. They will alleviate the symptoms." With that, she walked away. Catsey suddenly realized that the piercing headaches that had been tormenting her hadpletely disappeared. The best priests and doctors had all shaken their heads in defeat. As Luna had said, this was a curse. The curse of the Sea King species, Kraken. Unless she killed the Kraken, her headaches would never truly disappear. "Hah¡­" "Mydy?" "Bring me some peaches. I find myself craving something sweet for the first time in a while." What exactly is Leon keeping by his side? * * * Since the original purpose had been aplished, preparations to return to the Cascadia territory proceeded smoothly. Unfortunately, the Sword Saint had left the territory due to urgent matters and could not be met. However, in his ce, the head maid, Misha, acting on the orders of Catsey, the family head, took care of me thoroughly until the day of my departure. "You have worked hard." "Not at all. Thanks to your consideration, I was able to serve without much difficulty." Bowing her head in farewell, I cast my gaze toward Luna, who was waiting for me with her hooded robe pulled over her head. She looked quite satisfied. And with good reason¡ªshe had not only obtained the artifact needed to locate the ring, Fatelord, but also received plenty of the high-quality wine she adored as a gift. Luna had emerged from a sealed space in her search for Fatelord. -What will you do once you find it? I had asked her that question before. From the beginning, I had intended to respect her choice. Even if she decided to leave, I wouldn¡¯t have stopped her. But she rendered my concerns meaningless¡ªshe had no intention of leaving. -Do you n to kick me out? -I was just asking. -I''ll stay for good. So she dered. After all, just one of the jewels she had given me was worth enough to let her live a life of luxury forever. Before I could leave the mansion, the busy head of the Mielephon family, Catsey Mielephon, appeared to see me off. However, contrary to my expectations, Isna Mielephon did not appear. "I had nned for our knights to escort you on your journey." "I appreciate the thought, but that won¡¯t be necessary." "Very well, I will respect your wishes. Take this." She handed me a small pouch. "What is this?" "A spatial expansion pouch. I¡¯ve included a token of goodwill for the Cascadia family, so I hope it pleases the Count." "You''re being very generous. This is a bit overwhelming for us." "Think of it as an investment." Now that this is no longer a fake engagement. Understanding her implication, I smiled wryly. "By the way, where is Lady Isna?" "Have you grown fond of her?" How could I? There hadn''t even been any significant interactions between us. Even so, I asked about her because she had helped me purchase Lace''s Compass. "I wouldn¡¯t say that. Our time together was too short for such things. I just thought it was proper to express my gratitude before leaving." "Don¡¯t worry about it. I won¡¯t force a decision on you. Besides, by your side¡­ Hmm." She nced at Luna and let out a soft sigh. She must have thought the same thing after seeing Luna. Despite Luna usually covering herself up, quite a few men who had seen her even once had been utterly captivated. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 66 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 66 Just as I was about to depart with their send-off¡ª "Mother!" From a distance, Isna Mielephon¡¯s voice rang out, calling for the head of the family. If one were to ask whether she was dressed in an entric manner again, the answer would be ambiguous. It was an outfitmonly seen. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something a duke¡¯s daughter would typically wear. It was the kind of light attire one would expect at a resort. If she were to toss aside her outer garment, what would be revealed was akin to the swimsuits nobledies wore at vacation spots. However, swimsuits were only eptable at swimming pools¡ªanywhere else, they were inappropriate. "Sigh... Isna, what is that outfit again? Are you in your right mind?" "The knights are going to the resort, Belrest! I want to go too!" At the mention of "Belrest," Luna¡¯s ears perked up. "What¡¯s Belrest?" "It¡¯s the continent¡¯s finest resort¡ªa city of luxury with breathtaking beaches, stunning sea cliffs, and a grand hotel run by the Lavren family, the most prestigious house on the continent." Hearing my words, she showed an expression of eager anticipation. "We¡¯re not going, you fool. Do you even know how expensive it is?" "But Leon, aren¡¯t you rich now?" She wasn¡¯t wrong. Money wasn¡¯t an issue at all. Even if we stayed in a luxury suite there, eatingvish meals three times a day for an entire year, we¡¯d still have plenty left. Not to mention, the funds currently deposited with the Lavren family ced us beyond VVIP status¡ªshowing up with nothing but the clothes on our backs would still be more than enough. But that wasn¡¯t the point. "Melissa would be devastated if she heard about this." Melissa had an almost obsessive fear of being left behind when family members traveled. It was more than just anxiety¡ªit was a trauma. Because both she and I lost our parents and youngest sister to a kraken at that very ce. It had only been about seven months. That was why I once told her¡ª If I ever heard any news about the kraken¡¯s whereabouts, I would hunt down that wretched monster and tear it apart. I may not be strong enough yet, but I had fought that thing countless times in Labyrinthos. I had died to it tens of thousands of times. And I had in it even more times than that. I knew its weaknesses. I knew how to attack, what to be cautious of¡ª Every detail was burned into my memory. The only reason I hadn¡¯t gone after it yet was that it wandered aimlessly across the vast seas of the continent, making it nearly impossible to track. Understanding my meaning, she didn¡¯t push the matter further. "Your Grace, we¡¯ll take our leave now." The Duchess, who had been watching her daughter with a dazed expression, nodded. "Misha, apany the young master. Attend to him and serve as his escort for the time being." "Yes, mydy." Misha, the head maid, looked momentarily surprised but quickly returned to her usual nk expression. She didn¡¯t ask for an exnation. It was likely because I was now officially engaged. "And Isna, the knights'' destination isn¡¯t the Belrest resort¡ªit¡¯s a small fishing vige nearby." Why would a duke¡¯s daughter go to a fishing vige? That question barely had time to form before she blurted out something unexpected. "So what? It¡¯s still squid hunting¡ªKraken!" At that one word, my steps came to a halt. From the way they were acting, it seemed to be ssified information. Before I could react, the Duchess grabbed Isna by the ear and dragged her away as she screamed. "You and I need to have a little talk." "We¡¯ll be on our way now." The Duchess nodded. "Forgive the scene. Travel safely." "Yes, ma¡¯am." With Misha now in tow, I boarded the carriage. The moment we left Mielephon¡¯s territory, I pulled out themunication artifact I had kept tucked inside my coat. ¡ªLeon? What¡¯s up? Are you done with your business? "Yeah, I just finished and I¡¯m leaving Mielephon now." ¡ªAlright. Trip once on your way back. "There¡¯s going to be a slight dy, Melissa." Hearing that, she sounded puzzled. ¡ªA dy? Hey! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to run off with all the money?! "I think I found something." ¡ªFound what? Your fated escape route?! Quit the nonsense and get back¡ª "I found information on the kraken." A suffocating silence followed on the other end. ¡ªThe... kraken? "Yeah. I¡¯m heading there now." ¡ªAre you insane?! No! Absolutely not! Come back immediately! Her voice quivered with unmistakable fear. She had lost her entire family to that thing. And now, she was terrified of losing me too. Beep! [Fourth memory transfermencing.] [The transferred archive is...] As the Librarian¡¯s message appeared before my eyes, my determination solidified. "I¡¯ll kill that wretched cephalopod bastard." ¡ªLeon?! Stop this madness!! If I lose you too, I¡ª!!" "I¡¯ll bring back something tasty on the way home." ¡ªHEY!!! Beep! Themunication artifact shut off. [The Hall of the Sage is transferring.] [The essence of magitech, the Heart of the Machine God, is being imnted.] An unbearable headache struck from the overwhelming memory transfer¡ª But I was already broken enough. Pain like this was nothing. * * * Sea King-ss Kraken. The very creature responsible for preventing my mother, father, and youngest sibling from returning after they set out on a journey seven months ago. The cause of my family¡¯s ruin. The reason Melissa was unable to return to the academy for six months, forced instead to dedicate herself entirely to rebuilding our household. There was no way to confirm whether my parents had truly been killed by that thing. However, shattered debris had washed up on the shore, bearing the Kraken¡¯s slime and distinct markings of destruction. Its size was befitting of a deep-sea creature¡ªmassive. Its power was unparalleled in the ocean. In the past, countless warriors and heroes had gathered in an attempt to hunt it down, yet they all failed. Moreover, the Kraken had no fixed habitat. It roamed the coasts of the continent periodically, bringing disaster wherever it went. Finding it, let alone ambushing it, was nearly impossible. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] However, there was one known exception. Once every 500 years, it woulde nearnd toy its eggs. Originally, the location of its spawning ground was unknown, but thanks to unexpected information from a small fishing vige, its whereabouts had been pinpointed. That was why Isna and Mielephon had been making such a fuss in their light travel attire. The Belrest Resort actually existed within the Empire¡¯s territory. Thus, eliminating the Kraken wouldn¡¯t lead to international disputes. ¡®Spawning, huh¡­ It¡¯s true that a Kraken carrying offspring is fierce, but during spawning, it bes significantly weakened.¡¯ Indeed, thest time a Krakenid eggs 500 years ago, a total of eight offspring were born. All were sessfully eliminated during the spawning period. Now, only the mother Kraken remained. If it were dealt with, the tragic disasters it caused woulde to an end. Of course, to the Kraken, it was merely hunting, feeding¡ªinstinct. But to those who suffered because of it, that didn¡¯t matter. Still, I had no obligation to stop such cmities. I wanted to hunt the Kraken down for one reason only¡ªrevenge against the damn monster that had destroyed my family. ¡°Leon, what are you thinking about?¡± As I sat in the carriage, silently staring out the window, Luna, who had been nibbling on a snack across from me, spoke up. ¡°Nothing much¡­ Just thinking about the Kraken.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why Mielephon is so eager to hunt it down.¡± The Kraken wasn¡¯t like somend-dwelling monster. Its difficulty level was on an entirely different scale. It was a sea creature. Even if it was the Kraken¡¯s spawning period, why was Mielephon attempting to take it down in secret, and alone at that? ¡°There must be a reason they have to kill it.¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°The Kraken possesses immense mental power. It¡¯s one of its greatest weapons.¡± She calmly continued munching on her snack. ¡°To save someone affected by the Kraken¡¯s curse, the creature itself has to be eliminated. Maybe it¡¯s something like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The Kraken¡¯s mental attacks don¡¯t function like a curse that takes root and gradually eats away at a person.¡± While the Kraken¡¯s mental attacks were diverse, that kind of ability was extremely rare. At least, if this Kraken was the same species as the one I knew. ¡°Either way, with your current strength, it¡¯s out of reach. The advantage of being in the ocean is too significant.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way.¡± Before, we had to rely on the unique opportunity of the spawning period. But things were different now. I opened my palm slightly so she could see. A mysterious blue light gathered in my hand, like a hologram. ¡°That¡¯s not necromantic mana, nor is it aura. Wait a minute¡­ Leon, why has your heart changed?¡± She quickly noticed something was off. ¡°A structure that can¡¯t be analyzed¡­ Created, yet infused with something beyond mere craftsmanship¡­ This is¡­¡± She suddenly pressed close to me, leaning in until her ear rested against my chest. She listened to my heartbeat, then lifted her head while still nestled in my arms. Our faces were so close that it was a little disconcerting, but her expression was serious. ¡°This wasn¡¯t here before. What did you do?¡± ¡°You have your secrets, right? I have at least one of my own.¡± She frowned, clearly dissatisfied with my refusal to exin further, but eventually pulled away. ¡°I need to get used to it first. I¡¯ll show youter.¡± Even though the memories were settling in, my body still wasn¡¯t fully ustomed to the traces left by this newfound power. This had never happened before. Was this an unusual case? ¡°Young Master, we are approaching the crossroads leading to the Kingdom of Bata.¡± Outside the carriage, from the driver¡¯s seat, came the voice of Misha, the head maid. The carriage wasrge enough for her to ride inside, but she insisted on staying up front, saying that she was just a mere maid. For the time being, she would no longer be in Mielephon. She would be following me. Because of that, her manner of speaking and the atmosphere around her had slightly changed. She might have to leave her homnd and live in a foreign country, which couldn¡¯t have been an easy decision. Yet, she showed no signs of concern. ¡°Misha, take the left road.¡± ¡°Huh? But the left road doesn¡¯t lead to the Kingdom of Bata¡­ Don¡¯t tell me, Young Master?!¡±@@novelbin@@ She immediately caught on to my intentions. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re heading to a port town near Belrest. But before that, I heard there¡¯s a magical city along this route.¡± ¡°A magical city? Ah, yes. There is the city of Gaifen, where the Magic Tower is located. Gaifen¡¯s magic market is full of rare and new magical artifacts. Of course¡­ there are many experimental items, so idents are frequent.¡± ¡°Misha, can you procure the items I¡¯m about to list?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 67 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 67 Even though she was the head maid, she could have felt displeased at being ordered to run such errands. However, she simply bowed her head calmly. "If youmand it, I will purchase everything you desire." "Great. Then, please take this." What I handed her was arge scroll of paper. "This is...?" "It''s aplete shopping list. Some of these items are difficult to obtain, so make sure you get every single one of them." At my words, she scanned the contents with sharp eyes. "You can use this to cover the costs. But just in case, take the two attendants who apanied me." Without hesitation, I handed her a portion of the advance payment I had received. Embezzling the count¡¯s funds? The long-standing goal of the Cascadia Count¡¯s household was to eradicate those ursed cephalopods. So, this wasn¡¯t embezzlement. What¡¯s the harm in using some of it? No one would even notice. "However, it seems wise to leave someone to serve you during your travels..." "No need. Take the carriage. Luna and I will head straight to our destination from here." At my exnation, she no longer resisted. "As youmand." * * * Luna Basilin Raphael¨ªa. She calls herself an angel, but this fallen angel currentlycks the halo above her head and the wings on her back. Of course, it''s not that she truly lost them¡ªthey are merely concealed. "Leon, I am not a mode of transportation."@@novelbin@@ "But it was fast, wasn¡¯t it?" "I won¡¯t deny that. Well, holding you in my arms while flying isn¡¯t entirely unpleasant, either." She flirts so effortlessly. Besides, I saved my mana. Her wings weren¡¯t just for show; she could fly with them. And carrying me through the sky at her speed was vastly different from the slow pace of a carriage. A journey that would have taken several days waspleted in a fraction of the time. Of course, Mielephon¡¯s knights and Isna Mielephon would likely be at the destination, but I had no intention of joining them right away. After all, suddenly appearing in the middle of a secret operation would be ridiculous. More importantly, before hunting the Kraken, there were things I needed to confirm for myself. The small fishing vige was already bustling with knights and mages from Mielephon. This was the only chance in 500 years to hunt a Kraken. It seemed they believed that if they missed this opportunity, they would never have another chance. The vige, which should have been quiet, was now a chaotic mess thanks to Mielephon. Because of that, Luna and I were able to enter without drawing much attention. Wearing our cloaks also helped us blend in. Since I was unfamiliar with the area, my first priority was gathering information. And the best way to do that? Asking the locals. Of course, in viges like this... "What do you want, outsider? If you have nothing to say, leave!" There was a strong hostility toward outsiders. It¡¯s always the same, whether in my past life or this one. If I had revealed my noble status, things might have been different. But right now, I looked no different from a wandering adventurer. "Leon..." Luna stared at me intently. Since we couldn¡¯tmunicate through eye contact alone, she barely moved her lips, forming a silent question. Should I hit him? No. Hold it in, you lunatic. Instead, I decided to use the ultimate, universal method to open a person¡¯s heart. "Ahem. It must be tough working in this weather. It¡¯s nothing much, but this is a little token of appreciation..." "Are you trying to bribe me? How dare you insult¡ª" The old man¡¯s harsh expression melted away the moment he peeked inside the pouch of money I handed him. "Speak freely! Ask me anything you wish to know! We can¡¯t even set sail for the time being anyway." That¡¯s more like it. * * * Inside a dark cave, figures in ck robes gathered. "Is the ritual prepared?" "It¡¯s nearlyplete." "If we miss this chance, we will never control the Kraken again. There must be no mistakes." "Understood." In the empty void of the cavern, necromancers began inscribing their prepared magic circles. A wooden box resting on the cave floor rattled, and then a sinister, ck aura seeped out. A book, emanating an eerie presence, pulsed as it rose into the air. The book emitted a sinister light that spread like a web, connecting to the surrounding walls before finally settling in ce. "Will this really be alright?" "What do you mean?" "The knights of Mielephon are here to hunt the Kraken..." "Do not worry. They will be the Kraken¡¯s prey." They assumed the Kraken would be weak during its spawning period and sought to take advantage of that. But they had no idea whaty beneath. "This is an opportunity to deal a devastating blow to Mielephon. Heh heh..." One of the figures chuckled darkly, his gaze fixed on the powerful magic circle before him. "As long as no one finds this ce, we will not fail." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "No one will. Even our cult struggled to locate this spawning ground." Although many details about Krakens were known to the world, very little was understood in depth. For example, Krakens chose secluded caves beneath steep cliffs in the deep sea as their nesting grounds during their spawning period. Even within their cult, finding this ce had been nothing short of a miraculous coincidence. "Exactly. Those foolish knights will never uncover this location. Prepare yourselves. Once we seed in controlling the Kraken, we will annihte Mielephon¡¯s forces. We will drown their Sword Saint in the depths of the sea." "Yes, sir!" "Yes, sir!" The cultists responded in unison and hastened their work on the magic circle. Had the Kraken been at full strength, even these necromancers would have stood no chance against it. But just as Mielephon sought to exploit the Kraken¡¯s weakened state, these cultists aimed to seize control of its mind. The key to their n was the artifact levitating at the center of the ritual. A strange book, exuding a power never seen before. Its origins were unknown, and the cult¡¯s higher-ups had not disclosed where they had acquired it. Although he had never touched it himself, he was well aware that dozens of cultists who had dared toy hands on it had suffered mental copse and died. Whatever it was, if it possessed power this strong, then subduing a weakened Kraken shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. "Even so, being able to mentally subjugate a sea king species that specializes in mental attacks... that¡¯s truly an incredible artifact. Just what is it, to be made from human skin¡­?" "Handle it carefully, unless you want to end up like those fools who lost their minds just by touching it." "Understood." * * * The old man was more talkative than expected. No, perhaps he was normally taciturn, but money had loosened his tongue. And he was someone who had been around these parts for a long time. At first, I had only intended to extract some basic information, but he eagerly shared various minor legends that I hadn¡¯t even asked for. ording to the old man¡¯s information, it was clear that the Kraken had settled here toy its eggs. However, something about his story seemed strange. "Is there something bothering you?" "Not exactly¡­ It might just be my imagination, but something feels off. The Kraken¡¯s traces are here, but¡­ something is very different." In ces like the Hall of Swords or the Hall of Nothingness, how a Kraken survived wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was whether it was weakened or strong. However, in the Hall of the Sage, where a detailed investigation into the Kraken was necessary, I could tell that the current situation didn¡¯t match what I knew. This won¡¯t do. I need to see itsir for myself. During its spawning period, a Kraken hides its eggs in a safe location and then relentlessly hunts for food. However, to protect its territory, it usually casts a powerful mental domination over all living creatures within its domain. "What is different?" Luna didn¡¯t seem to have an in-depth understanding of Krakens either. "When a Kraken enters its spawning period, it bes extremely sensitive and spreads a strong mental domination across the entire area." It¡¯s natural for it to get exhausted since maintaining such prolonged control drains its strength. Hearing my exnation, she tilted her head in confusion. "But that old man was unaffected." "Exactly. If the cliffside rocks are the Kraken¡¯s spawning grounds, then this fishing vige should have already fallen under its mental domination¡­" "Maybe the Kraken just hasn¡¯t settled in yet?" "If that were the case, the surrounding traces wouldn¡¯t show signs consistent with having justid eggs." This is the period when the Kraken is at its weakest. That much is certain, and yet, there are no signs of mental domination. "In cases like this, seeing it firsthand is the only way to be sure¡­" "Do you have an idea?" "If we assume this situation is normal, then there¡¯s only one possible answer." I walked over to the nearby shoreline. Then, crouching down and gazing at the seawater, I spoke. "The Kraken is in a special condition. For example, its organ responsible for mental domination might be damaged. Does that satisfy your curiosity, Lady Isna Mielephon? You cane out now." At my words, the water¡¯s surface rippled slightly. At the same time, a hand, with only the thumb extended, shot up from the dark depths. A beautiful girl with vibrant red twin-tailed hair and a yful expression peeked out. "I thought I was hiding well. How did you know?" She asked while holding arge fish tightly in one hand. * * * "Brrr, it''s so cold. Hoo¡­ hoo¡­" A quiet, deste rocky shore. Amid the countless jagged rocks, Luna and I sat by a bonfire, cloaked in our robes, watching the entric duke¡¯s daughter nibble on a roasted potato. "Why exactly are you here?" "What do you mean? When your fianc¨¦ arrives, isn''t it natural for his fianc¨¦e toe see him?" At her question, I closed my eyes for a moment. She had been following us from the very beginning. Come to think of it, she had acted as if she already knew we would being here. Wait a minute¡ªwasn¡¯t the reason we came to this ce¡­ ¡ªSo what! It''s squid hunting! A Kraken! I turned my gaze back to her. It must be a coincidence. That utterly harmless-looking smile. Her airheaded, carefree behavior¡ªso unbefitting of a nobledy. She wasn¡¯t even worth keeping my guard up against. And yet, why did I feel such an eerie sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu? No, I already knew the answer. "You nned this from the beginning, didn¡¯t you, Lady?" She tilted her head in confusion. "nned what?" "You lured me here, didn¡¯t you?" "Ehh? I¡¯m too dumb to pull off something like that~." She spoke yfully, her expression as innocent as ever. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 68 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 68 Luna looked at me again, her mouth opening and closing as if hesitating to speak. Should I grab her by the hair? No. Hold it in, you fool. She''s still my fianc¨¦e. Still, I couldn''t deny I was feeling a bit annoyed. "Young Lady, I dislike dealing with people who enjoy ying others in the palm of their hands." At my words, her smile wavered slightly. "Hmm... I thought you might like it." "What?" "When Grandfather first mentioned the engagement." Her smile softened. "Grandfather was determined to make our engagement happen no matter what." She twirled around me, looking up as she spoke. "He''s never been the type to force arranged marriages on the family, so everyone was surprised. Especially since it wasn''t even within the Empire but with a noble family from another country. That made me curious, you see? Wouldn''t you be?" Her eyes reflected me entirely. "I wasn''t going to say this, but I found out that the Cascadia family holds a grudge against the Kraken. And I thought¡­ if Mielephon ys the Kraken here, wouldn''t you be quite disappointed?" I couldn''t answer her question. I had been yed right into her hands, but if Mielephon were to eliminate the Kraken now¡­ Then my revenge would be lost. "I originally had the right to refuse, but since Grandfather spoke so highly of you, I got a little interested and did some digging. After all, it''s always better to see and judge for myself, isn''t it?" She gave a lightheartedugh, and I remained silent. Fine. It makes sense that she looked into me and realized I was seeking revenge. Misha, the headdy-in-waiting, had told me that despite being the daughter of a duke, she had always had a rather frivolous side. If she truly just wanted to help me get revenge on the Kraken, then¡­ Well, I suppose I can ept that. As long as she doesn¡¯t have any other ulterior motives. I nodded. "I overreacted. My apologies, Young Lady." "It''s fine. I''ll consult with you next time." She smiled brightly. When I turned slightly toward Luna, I noticed she was looking at the youngdy with aplicated expression. "Luna?" "¡­It''s nothing. There''s no malice, so don''t mind me." She said no more. Then, "By the way, I''ve been curious¡ªyour rtionship with Luna doesn¡¯t seem to be just healer and patient. What exactly is your connection?" I hesitated for a moment. Strictly speaking, we were healer and patient. Luna was also a guest of the Cascadia family, a highly esteemed one at that. Could I call her a friend as well? I considered it, but defining our rtionship in one clear term felt difficult. "She¡¯s both my patient and my friend." "Is that so? You two make quite the lovely pair." Not exactly the kind of thing you''d expect a fianc¨¦e to say. Though Isna¡¯s unexpected addition to the group changed things slightly, my mission remained the same. "Grandfather was so mad¡ªhe nearly kicked me out, you know?" It seemed the Sword Saint had approved of her joining the expedition, but he still found her unreliable. Out of curiosity, I asked, "Why exactly did he try to throw you out?" "Oh, well, I heard that some delicious fruit grows in a cave by the cliffs nearby. Hehe. So I went to get some, but I lost my footing and fell into the sea¡­ and then the Kraken attacked me¡­." As she spoke, Luna and I exchanged nces before looking back at her. "Alone?" "Grandfather was so mad. I mean, what¡¯s the big deal?" "¡­" For a moment, I was speechless. How do you even get lost to the point of getting attacked by the Kraken? She must have been swimming in the ocean. Either she was fearless, or she had some ulterior motive. Regardless, she almost died, and seeing that must have made the Sword Saint, Osberg Mielephon, feel she wasn¡¯t ready. To me, Isna Mielephon did not seem suited to the Mielephon family''s strict traditions. "Let''s make one thing clear." "What is it?" "You will not act alone under any circumstances. If you do, I will report it to the elder, and I will refuse to work with you." She reminded me of that reckless mage, Farell Berli, who once called me "brother" back in the Barta Kingdom. Which meant one thing¡ªshe was destined to die a foolish death somewhere. "Alright. I''ll be careful." She agreed readily, but I remained skeptical. "I¡¯ll believe it when I see it." "So, my lord, what¡¯s our next move?" "¡­" Did she even listen? Luna mouthed words again. Should I grab her hair? No. Hold it in. "More importantly, you said you were attacked by the Kraken?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Uh¡­ well, I didn¡¯t see the Kraken itself, but a huge tentacle did shoot out from the water." The Kraken was an enormous creature¡ªits limbs alone could crush and capsizerge ships. To survive an encounter with it, especially in the sea, was nothing short of a miracle. "How did you survive?" Or perhaps¡­ had she nned something? "A giant shark got caught instead?" "Ah¡­" So she just got incredibly lucky. At least now, I was certain. "It seems certain that the Kraken is not in a normal state." "How can you tell?" "If the Kraken were in a normal state, it wouldn''t have been able to escape from a mental attack. The Kraken''s mental attacks are more than enough to kill a person." At my response, Isna flinched slightly. It was a very faint reaction, but it was enough to paint a scenario in my mind. If someone important from Mielephon had been exposed to the Kraken''s mental attack? I stared at Isna from Mielephon. I recalled the memory of when I first met her. It''s not often you see someone acting like that. Hmm, I¡¯m fairly certain now. However, if someone is exposed to the Kraken''s mental attack without proper defense, even an experienced Sword Master would struggle to hold out for long. So if Mielephon is desperately trying to capture the Kraken, it would mean that someone within Mielephon is still alive, not dead. If that person is still alive due to an issue with the Kraken''s mental attack, then it makes sense that Mielephon is going to great lengths to capture the Kraken to undo the mental attack. That person is... well, I don¡¯t have to look too far. "Ah, now the pieces are starting to fit together." "Hmm, you seem to have a very unpleasant look on your face." Ignoring Isna, who was giving me a strange look, I climbed up to a cliff near a pile of rocks and ced my hand on the ground. Then, I tried to activate the new power transferred from the Hall of Sages. "But what are you going to do here?" "I''m going to check the Kraken''s nest directly. I need to secure a route for future ns." "Where is the Kraken here?" As Isna tilted her head, I immediately pointed below. "There should be a natural cave system underground in this area. The Kraken must have taken up residence there." There are several conditions for a Kraken to settle in a spawning area. First, a location close tond. Second, a natural cave that can only be essed by water but still has air inside. There are other small conditions, but based on the information I¡¯ve gathered, this is the only ce that suits the Kraken¡¯s needs. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s just looking for a single spot for spawning for no reason. "Are you using the power of the Heart?" "You''ve been curious. I''ll show you now." Luna seemed quite curious about the power my heart possessed. To be honest, it''s quite the ability. I focused and gave themand. [Heart of the Machine God] [Resonance] It was at the moment I tried to activate the resonance of the Heart of the Machine God. "Tidal wave!!!" Screams erupted from the vige. At the same time, arge tidal wave could be seen approaching from the far-off sea. Although only about 50 centimeters tall, even a wave of that size could cause unimaginable damage. The direction was directly toward the vige. If left unchecked, the fishing vige would be submerged in water in an instant, causing a huge disaster. Although the poption wasn¡¯trge, if you count the members of the extermination squad, several hundred people could be swept away in the blink of an eye. Could it be that the Kraken noticed the presence of the extermination squad? The Kraken is a clever sea monster with many defenses. It probably couldn¡¯t just stand by while humans gathered to hunt it during its spawning season. Unable to control the surrounding life forms with its mental domination, does it intend to wipe them out instead? Even so, with the Sword Saint Osberg around, it could be stopped, right? As if noticing my doubts, Isna added an exnation in a somewhat stiff voice. "My grandfather... he left the area after looking seriously into something." Luna frowned slightly. "Leaving it like this will result in everything being swept away." Although she calls herself a fallen angel, herpassion makes it clear she is nothing like the evil demons from the books who enjoy destruction. Seeing the vigers hastily trying to move, I stopped my actions. "Leon." "Saving lives is the priority. Let¡¯s go down to the vige first." Having lost my family to the Kraken, I didn¡¯t feel right about just watching people suffer at the hands of the Kraken. Although I hadn¡¯t expected the Kraken to take the initiative, if it had noticed us and attacked, I needed to stop it before the damage grew toorge to minimize casualties. The fact that it hadn''t fled and was causing chaos in this area likely meant its spawning preparations were nearlyplete, so it wouldn''t be escaping. Luna, Isna, and I quickly left the rocky area and headed toward the vige, where people were already scrambling to evacuate. The knights from Mielephon and the dispatched mages were hurriedly preparing, but it¡¯s difficult to stop natural disasters. In fact, with the scale of this, even as a 6-circle necromancer, it would be nearly impossible for me to stop it without taking damage.@@novelbin@@ "Ahhh!!!" "Save us!!" Seeing the panicked members of the extermination squad and the vigers, I quickly made my decision. If the Kraken was in a state where its mental domination was not effective, it was highly likely that it caused this tidal wave with the intent to clear the area. But the Kraken didn¡¯t seem like the type to act so meticulously... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 69 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 69 There was a high probability that some other factor had intervened. "I''ll go help first." "Wait." I ced my hand on the ground once more. Then, I reactivated the Heart of the Machine God, which had moved just moments ago. [Heart of the Machine God] [Resonance] As if responding to mymand, a blue light surged from my fingertips, scattering in all directions before seeping into the earth. An overwhelming flood of information shed through my mind, but I was used to this.@@novelbin@@ At the same time, the usage of my ability drained a massive amount of life force. However, it wasn¡¯t a fundamental loss of life force, so it wasn¡¯t a serious problem. A good sleep would be enough to recover. Most of the burden was borne by the divine power imbued within the Heart of the Machine God. "Leon, we don''t have time for this." "I know. Just wait a bit. I''m concentrating." This wasn¡¯t an ability that produced instant results. Even so, I chose to use it¡ªnot out of some reckless desire to test a new power, but for a more crucial reason. "Mydy! There you are!! Please, evacuate at once!!" Knights of Mielephon, who had been evacuating the vigers, spotted us and rushed over. "Wait." Despite this, Isna kept her gaze fixed on me and murmured calmly. "What are you saying?! If anything happens to you while the Sword Saint is away, it would be the greatest disgrace of all!!" One of the knights reached out to forcibly pull Isna away. "Wait, isn¡¯t that Lord Leon?! Lord Leon, you must also evacuate at once!!" Another knight seemed to recognize me and extended his hand to pull me away from where I knelt with my hand on the ground. But before he could reach me, his hand was blocked by a small, slender arm that moved with the speed of a sh. "What the¡ª?! How is she this strong?!" Luna Basilin Raphaelia, standing only in the 150 cm range with a petite frame, possessed an astonishing level of physical strength. No matter how much a knight trained his body, he could not possibly overpower the sheer strength Luna wielded, which even surprised me. "Do not interfere with Leon." "Are you out of your mind?! Another tidal wave ising!!" A smaller wave had already struck, causing damage. Now, a second, muchrger wave was approaching. If nothing was done, it would lead to an iparably greater catastrophe. It was only natural for the knights to be frantic. "Ahh!! Help! Glub!!" "Save me!!" Screams echoed from all directions, making the knights'' faces grow even more desperate. One of the knights was about tosh out in frustration. "It''s done. Step back." I opened my eyes slowly. [Form Modification] [Matter Shape Transformation] The Heart of the Machine God pulsed violently, causing the life force it had absorbed from me to tremble and surge. Then¡ª A blue light spread rapidly across the entire area. The power of the Heart of the Machine God was simple: analysis, memory, and transformation of information. It was like converting a one-kilogram lump of iron into a one-kilogram sword. Except, it omitted the smelting process, the quenching, and even the hammering. For a mere expenditure of life force, it achieved an enormous transformation¡ªsomething only possible due to the transcendental power of divinity. Rumble¡ª!!! The ground along the coastline began to rise as if it were alive, forming an enormous wall. At the same time, channels were created beside the seawall, redirecting the surging ocean waters elsewhere. "W-what is that?!" "What the¡ª?!" As a deafening roar echoed, enormous sculpted hands rose all over the vige. And on top of those hands¡ª Were the people who had been swept away by the tide. "Puha!! I-I''m alive!" "Huff... Huff... What is this...?" Some were unconscious, but those still aware wore expressions of bewilderment as they took in their surroundings. The entire vigendscape had changed in a bizarre way. Even as a 6th-circle mage, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to rescue everyone so thoroughly in such a short amount of time using ordinary magic. To most mages, this phenomenon was iprehensible. Realizing that all of this had been caused by a single person, most of the vigers turned toward the origin of the glowing light¡ªme. "My god¡­ What kind of magic is this¡­?" The dispatched mages were utterly shocked, unable to sense any flow of mana. The others seemed overwhelmed by the sheer power that had reshaped the entire vige. "What in the world¡­" Even the knight who had tried to drag me away was at a loss for words. "Leon, this is divine power. A high-level one at that." Luna, staring at me with a firm expression, asked, "The origin is unknown, but it''s definitely imitating divine power, right?" After all, the Heart of the Machine God was crafted using the core of an ancient monster that radiated divine power. "The Fruit of Adam¡­" She murmured something under her breath. The Fruit of Adam? Now that I thought about it, Luna had always been particrly interested in the primordial myth of Adam and Eve. More importantly, the people who had been rescued couldn''t take their eyes off me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] I met their gazes head-on with confidence. What? What are you staring at? * * * To be honest, I had no intention of joining Mielephon¡¯s subjugation force. I wanted to eliminate any unnecessary interference in killing the Kraken. However, with the situation as it was, there was no avoiding some degree of involvement. Even though countless people were looking at me with confusion, curiosity, and awe, no one dared approach. Because before they could, someone else had already stepped forward. "Leon, you¡­" I gave a wry smile as I looked at the Sword Saint Osberg, whose armor was stained with blood, as if he had juste from a battle. "We meet again here, sir." "How did you end up here¡­ Isna, was this your doing?" "Hehehe." "Sigh. Every time I take my eyes off you, you cause trouble¡­" Even though she was his beloved granddaughter, it seemed he still wasn¡¯t used to her entric ways, judging by his exhausted expression. But there was no time for rest. Without dy, he led us to a temporary barracks set up to deal with the aftermath of the tidal wave. At the same time, the knights who had been waiting there began to report to him. "Sir, we have finished assessing the wounded and casualties. Fortunately, there were no deaths. If it weren¡¯t for the efforts of Lord Leon, the number of casualties would have been catastrophic." "That¡¯s a relief to hear. But Leon, what kind of power was that? Every time I see you, you seem to show a new ability." "Leon has quite a few tricks up his sleeve." Hey, why do you sound so proud about that? "If it weren¡¯t for those damned bastards¡¯ trap¡­" Hearing his anger, I asked, "A trap? What happened?" "Ahem, it¡¯s nothing. More importantly, this ce is dangerous. The Kraken is far more ferocious than expected. I know you''re strong, but this is a trial far beyond what you should handle." He didn¡¯t seem inclined to exin further. Well, Mielephon must have its own internal matters. Regardless of whether the Sword Saint tried to stop me or not, I was determined to hunt the Kraken. "Forgive me, sir, but I cannot back down from this matter." "Do you even understand how dangerous a Kraken is?" "Yes. I can confidently say that there aren¡¯t many who know more about it than I do." After getting a rough idea of Mielephon¡¯s forces, I had a n in mind. Lure the Kraken out, have the others distract it and divide its attention, and then have the Sword Saint, with his overwhelming strength, strike it down. It was the cleanest and most viable method. My response was hard to believe, but it seemed the Sword Saint thought differently. [Currently, the subject is under the impression that you have conducted independent, long-term research on the Kraken. Realistically, no human could have fought and defeated as many Krakens as you have.] Wait, why does it sound like you are proud of me too, just like Luna? As I stared nkly at the schr''s text, Osberg let out a deep sigh. "¡­The problem is, the Kraken is not the only threat." "I was thinking the same thing. This tidal wave was oddly well-timed and calcted, even for a Kraken." A Kraken is a living disaster, but it is not a strategist. "It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to say that something else has been influencing its actions." At my question, he pondered for a moment before giving a small nod. "You''ve figured out this much¡­ Clearly, you haven¡¯t just picked up superficial knowledge. Leon, do you know about the Necromancer Cult?" "Ah." No wonder. Those bastards have been unusually quiettely. "Actually, no¡­ You''ve likely encountered them before." "Have they appeared here?" "I only managed to catch their tail. I wiped them all out, but they¡¯re like leeches¡ªpersistent. It¡¯s clear they are scheming something." So while the tidal wave was approaching, he was busy hunting down cultists. As if dealing with the Kraken wasn¡¯t bad enough, now the Cult was involved. No wonder he looked exhausted. "Mielephon can¡¯t back down either. It seems someone has already been exposed to the Kraken¡¯s mind attacks." "How do you know that?" He looked at me with widened eyes, clearly startled. "Even a weakened Kraken¡¯s mental erosion can destroy a person in an instant. I don¡¯t know why its attacks have weakened, but if we miss this opportunity¡ª" I trailed off and stared straight at Isna Mielephon. "Um, why are you looking at me like that?" "We have to protect her, don¡¯t we?" It was obvious. They could try to hide it, but there was no way I wouldn¡¯t notice. At my words, Isna¡¯s face twisted into a scowl, while Osberg stared at me in a daze. "What are you talking about?" "I already know. Lady Isna has been exposed to the Kraken¡¯s mental attacks, hasn¡¯t she? I don¡¯t know how it happened, but¡ª" "Wait a minute!!" Even for someone as entric as her, hearing this outright must have been infuriating. But I was certain. No one could act like that without being affected by some form of mental attack. Logically speaking. However, what followed was silence. "¡­¡­" "¡­¡­" Even Luna averted her gaze. "¡­Wait, am I wrong?" "Leon, I¡¯ll admit that Isna has a¡­ peculiar personality¡­ No, a unique preference." Wait. So she was always like this? I turned to Isna in disbelief, only to find her looking at me with a face full of dissatisfaction. "My lord." "¡­¡­" "Hey." As I stood there, too stunned to speak, she called out to me again. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 71 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 71 Likewise, the rest of its body was the same. From the gaping mouths scattered across its form, blood dripped endlessly, exuding an eerie presence. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Uwaaack!!!¡± Even those who had been through countless battles couldn''t withstand the horrific sight, vomiting and staggering in ce. ¡°Leon, that thing¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I know what it is.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ A corpse golem¡­ and one made from the remains of dozens, no, hundreds of people¡­¡± The Sword Saint, Osberg Mielephon, spoke in a grim tone, identifying the creature. Ordinarily, something with that appearance would indeed be called a corpse golem. But Luna and I weren¡¯t talking about it in that sense. Corpse golemse in various forms, but one with such a grotesque structure¡ªwhere body parts seem to move as if they are still alive¡ªis not just an ordinary corpse golem. No, more precisely, it¡¯s merely a fragment of something much greater. That is no ordinary corpse golem. A typical corpse golem is an artificial construct, created through twisted curses or experiments. But this thing¡­ it¡¯s closer to a living, natural entity that grows by consuming corpses, blood, corrupted souls, and mana. A twisted sapling of the World Tree. A lure that the sapling creates to draw in powerful beings as sustenance. Or perhaps, an executioner meant to ensnare the weak. However, itcks self-awareness, meaning it cannot move far from its source. [Fragment of the Demon Tree detected. Exercise caution.] As the Librarian warned, it was safe to assume that the cultists had secured a piece of the Demon Tree. It makes sense¡ªthese were the same people trying to unseal a Lich, after all. What a mess. We came here to hunt a Kraken, and now we¡¯ve stumbled upon an even bigger nightmare. ¡°Leon, step back.¡± Sensing the ominous nature of the corpse golem, Osberg moved as if to draw his sword. I quickly intervened. ¡°You must not attack it! Absolutely do not engage!¡± He shot me a questioning look. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That thing isn¡¯t just a corpse golem. It¡¯s a bait. If you touch it, we¡¯re in for a world of trouble.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Please, trust me.¡± After a brief silence, Osberg let out a short breath before issuing a firmmand. ¡°Cease attack! Everyone, stand down!¡± He didn¡¯t fully understand, but he trusted me. The fact that he was willing to order a halt to an attack, despite the enemy being right in front of us, showed just how much faith he had in me. That weight of responsibility sat heavily on my chest. ¡°Ugh¡­ Aaaaaah!!!¡± But then, a younger mage, overwhelmed by fear and panic at the monstrous sight, reflexively cast a spell. I tried to react immediately to block the attack, but I hadn¡¯t expected someone to lose their mind andsh out so recklessly. This is what happens when you don¡¯t have experience fighting in coordinated battles. It wasn¡¯t even one of Mielephon¡¯s mages but a dispatched outsider¡ªwe couldn¡¯t expect too much from them. The fireball he unleashed struck the creature. ¡°¡­Yeah, I knew this would happen.¡± ¡°This is bad.¡± Given its horrific form, it was understandable that someone would instinctively attack it out of sheer revulsion. But understanding it and epting it were two different things. The moment the fireball struck, a blinding light erupted. The corpse golem exploded, scattering fragments in all directions, releasing a wave of grayish energy. I instinctively drew my sword, shing through the strange mana surging toward me. But there was too much of it¡ªmore than I could cut down in an instant. And when I came to my senses, I found myself alone. Standing in what seemed to be an underground cavern. ¡°Damn it. Just like a deep-sea anglerfish¡­ What a pain in the ass.¡± * * * The bait created by the Demon Tree isn¡¯t focused onbat ability. Why is it a bait? What does a bait do? Literally, a bait is meant to lure in prey and get them to bite the hook. The purpose of that grotesque form is to induce extreme disgust in any living being that sees it. And when a creature attacks it out of revulsion, they take the bait. The moment the bait is disturbed, the prey is caught on the hook. The light that erupted when it exploded wasn¡¯t just for show¡ªit was meant to drag its targets to a location where they could be easily consumed. It was a form of spatial magic, but something more¡ªsomething entirely alien. No mage could replicate it. At least, not with necromantic magic. ¡°I need to move quickly.¡± I had managed to cut through some of the key points where the power had gathered before the transferpleted, so not all of us would have been pulled in. Moreover, the fact that I wasn¡¯t sent directly to the Demon Tree¡¯s core meant my interference had some effect. But I had no idea how many had been dragged into this. In an instant, I slipped behind them, and before they even noticed my presence, the heads of four necromancers flew off. Srrrng... For the first use of the cursed sword Elekstra, it wasn¡¯t bad. Unbelievably solid. Incredible sharpness. It had no special abilities aside from restoration, but even that alone was enough for it to be called a cursed sword. Satisfied with its excellent cutting power, I turned my attention to the person they had been dragging¡ªthe one wrapped in a sack. And I let out a sigh. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "You really got yourself into trouble, huh?" "Mmmph!" She struggled, making muffled noises through her gag. Watching Luna, bound at both hands and feet and squirming, I asked her, "Want me to untie you?" "Mmmph!" "Nope." She kicked at my leg with her bound feet. "When else will I get a chance to mess with you like this?" A sense of relief washed over me upon finding her safe. But she kept trying to say something. Curious, I pulled the cloth from her mouth, and she immediately fired off her words. "You idiot! They''re trying to apply the Tome of the Lion to the Kraken!" Her urgent outburst made me pause and recall what exactly the Tome of the Lion was. "The Tome of the Lion?" "The Necronomicon." "And? So what?" Did she think there was only one kind of Tome of the Lion? But her next words made my heart drop. "It¡¯s the Necronomicon that can summon an Ancient God." "Wow. That¡¯s... not good." I had seen it before. A foe I was certain I had defeated had fed themselves to a book bound in human skin¡ªand when it activated... A gate to hell had opened. That was something I wanted no part of. Necromancers using the Tome of the Lion was one thing, but an Ancient God¡¯s Necronomicon waspletely different¡ªits method, structure, purpose¡ªeverything. "How do you know about this?" "I pretended to be unconscious and overheard them talking. This isn¡¯t the time for jokes. If their ritual seeds, forget ying the Kraken¡ªa fifth of the continent will be wiped out!" That sounded about right. I had fought an Ancient God before, but that was not a monster you could defeat with luck alone. No matter how much experience I had, no matter how vast my aura, necromantic power, or the Heart of the Machine God¡ªI was not yet at the level to handle that. "We need to find them." "I¡¯ve seen that Necronomicon before." She pulled out something from her subspace storage¡ªCompass of Lace that she had purchased before. A cursed artifact that could read the user''s memory and use the world''s records to point toward the desired object. "If what they said was true, this will definitely react." The moment she activated it, a violet light gathered above thepass, forming a magic circle. The needle spun rapidly before settling in a specific direction. "As expected. It really is the Necronomicon." "These bastards have already revived a 7th-circle lich, and now they have something like this? Just who the hell are they?" "I don¡¯t know. This is beyond what mere cultists should be capable of." The enormous cave system was like abyrinth, but with the Compass of Lace, it didn¡¯t matter. Of course, thepass wasn¡¯t some GPS that would guide us step by step... [Heart of the Machine God] Vrrrrr... Shhhhh... The cave walls crumbled silently as I activated my ability. Meaningless resistance. After walking for some time, thepass pointed downward. "Looks like it¡¯s directly below us." "Then let''s go in." Before it was toote. I activated the Heart of the Machine God again and reshaped the ground beneath us. As we slowly tunneled down, voices reached us through the thin ceiling. "Preparations areplete. We have gathered enough sacrifices." "Good. Very good." A man¡¯s voice responded, followed by a hesitant cultist¡¯s voice. "But... are we certain this is safe? Once the ritual begins, we won¡¯t be able to defend ourselves..." "No fool would ever find this ce. Besides, the traps should have lured them into the territory of the monster tree by now." "Still, if the Sword Saint were to barge in while we¡¯re defenseless..." "We¡¯ll use those to buy time. Begin." I nced at Luna. "Weren¡¯t you captured? Why do they think no one¡¯s here?" "I overheard them saying theirmunication artifact broke." Lucky for us. "Now, let the ritualmence!" A sinister aura surged beyond the wall.@@novelbin@@ Unable to resist? Now that was good news. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I deconstructed the thin ceiling that had been supporting us¡ªerasing itpletely. And we dropped straight into the center of the cultists'' ritual. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 72 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 72 "Nice to see you, you bastards." At the sight of Luna and me descending, those who were still conscious widened their eyes in shock. But they remained frozen, unable to react properly, their mouths simply moving. ¡°W-What?! How did you get here?!¡± ¡°How? I followed the GPS, you bastards.¡± They spoke, yet they neither moved nor used magic. In other words, they were nothing more than living punching bags. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I could afford to be careless. After all, at the center of their ritual magic circle floated a sinister-looking leather-bound book, scattering a violet aura that instantly made me think, Yeah¡­ that thing is bad news. A book suspended in midair as if it were alive¡ªthe Book of the Dead. The Necronomicon of the ancient gods. Did they even understand what they were using? If their mindset was just "Screw it, let the world burn!", I might be able toprehend it. But in all my experience, I had rarely encountered people who truly wanted to bring about the end of the world. Looking around, I noticed the entire area was covered in a thick, slimy substance¡ªthe kind you¡¯d usually find in a kraken¡¯s habitat. So this is the kraken¡¯s habitat. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re that brat who was with the Sword Saint. Is the Sword Saint here as well?¡± Did they not recognize me? Or did they just not consider me important? Either way, it worked in my favor. ¡°The Sword Saint? No, it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± At my calm reply, the leader of the cultists, who had been staring at me, suddenly smirked. ¡°Hah¡­ I was scared for nothing. What are you all waiting for? Release them. Get rid of these pests.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Won¡¯t we be interrupting something important? I mean, if I just¡ª¡± Tuk. ¡°¡ªdo this, what happens then?¡± I lightly tapped the violet barrier surrounding them. The cult leader let out a chillingugh. ¡°You? A mere brat? There¡¯s no way you could¡ª Besides, you have more pressing matters to worry about.¡± As soon as he spoke, grotesque masses of flesh began crawling out of the darkness. Their bodies were toorge and excessively muscr to be considered human, with mouths protruding from random ces, clicking their teeth together. Each of them wore eerie masks that resembled hockey masks. ¡°If this were just a horror movie, the visuals alone would be terrifying. But before we continue, I have a question.¡± Turning to face them nonchntly, I asked, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking, is that all?¡± ¡°Hah. You¡¯re more fearless than I expected, brat.¡± At his words, the grotesque giants simultaneously brandished massive cleavers and charged at us with frightening speed. ¡°I¡¯m useless here.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be useful in a bit, so just wait.¡± Without even bothering to draw my sword, I ced my hand on the ground. BOOOOM!!! A heavy, thunderous sound echoed as a massive, thick wall erupted from the ground,pletely cutting off the advancing monsters from reaching us. ¡°And now, it¡¯s just us.¡± The smug expressions vanished from the necromancers¡¯ faces. The cult leader leading the ritual rolled his eyes in frustration, his expression hardening. This was bad. He never expected anyone to find this ce. Ordinarily, a mere brat like that wouldn¡¯t have been a problem. However, right now, neither he nor the other cultists could even move a finger, let alone fight. Had he been able to move, he could have easily demonstrated the true power of a 5th-circle necromancer. But since the ritual had begun, their physical bodies were already halfway detached from their control. When the boy first arrived, he had been terrified, thinking the Sword Saint hade. After all, the Sword Saint was the one person the cult feared the most. Fortunately, it was just some brat and an absurdly beautiful girl. Once the ritual started, it would take at least two to three days before they could move again. If those two somehow survived that long, things would be incredibly troublesome. Still, the protective barrier around them was sturdy, and the chimera guardians stationed nearby would handle it. Or at least, that¡¯s what he had believed¡ª ¡ªuntil a massive stone wall suddenly appeared,pletely blocking the chimeras from reaching the boy. ¡°And now, it¡¯s just us.¡± The boy approached with a bright smile, and the cult leader found himself at a loss for words. What just happened? Was it spirit magic? No, it didn¡¯t feel like spirit magic. Was it regr magic? But there was no sign of mana movement. Then what the hell was it? BANG! BANG! Beyond the wall, the chimeras repeatedly mmed against it, but the barrier remained firm and unyielding. The cult leader, momentarily lost in panic, soon let out a hollow chuckle. ¡°So this is the best trick you coulde up with? I¡¯m sorry to say, but you won¡¯t be able to harm us. As long as the barrier exists, you won¡¯t be able to so much as touch a hair on our heads¡ª¡± CRASH!!! The moment the boy ced his hand on the barrier, thest protectiveyer shielding them shattered. In less than a second. This isn¡¯t supposed to happen. This doesn¡¯t make any sense. Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but the boy who had just done the impossible remained utterly nonchnt, casually joking with the girl beside him. ¡°A barrier? You said there was a barrier?¡± ¡°I think that was a lie.¡± ¡°Right? So now we just beat them up, yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Had the cult leader known that Leon possessed the power of a 6th-circle necromancer, he would have never been so confident. And if he had realized that the death mana Leon wielded was that of a Death Lord at the pinnacle of necromantic arts, he would have been even more terrified. ¡°W-Wait!¡± As he remained frozen in ce, unable to move, Leon grinned and casually kicked his shin. CRACK!!! A sickening pain shot through his body as he stumbled violently. ¡°AAAAAGH!!¡± Even as he let out a horrific scream, he couldn¡¯t move. It wasn¡¯t just that his consciousness dictated he shouldn¡¯t move. The moment he tried to, his body fell out of his control, rendering himpletely immobile. ¡°You try it too. A scream shoulde out.¡± With that, Luna stared at themander with her eyes closed, then boldly stepped forward and looked up at him. Things were turning dire! He had to buy as much time as possible¡ªjust enough for the chimera to break through the wall and burst into the scene. Truth be told, he had some defensive magic cast on him as a precaution. Most ordinary attacks would only hurt temporarily before his defenses kicked in. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] But¡­ Crack! Luna, without hesitation, struck his opposite shin with a swift kick. A grotesque sound echoed from his leg. The sheer destructive power was unbelievable, especiallying from such a small frame. Was it just brute strength? No. The strike was frighteningly precise. The pain was so excruciating that he couldn¡¯t even muster a scream. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he screaming when I do it?¡± ¡°Is he broken?¡± These insane bastards!! Even as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness from the unbearable agony, unable to copse due to being fixed in midair, he could only swallow back bloody tears. The moment the overwhelming light faded¡ª * * * The Sword Saint, Osberg Mielephon, stood frozen, staring nkly at the surroundings. Was it because he, like Leon, had instinctively cut through the unnatural distortions? Most of the expedition remained in ce without any issue. Except for two people. ¡°¡­Th-This¡­ this¡­!!¡± He clenched his teeth. Then, in a fit of rage, he grabbed the attacking mage by the cor. ¡°You bastard!!! What have you done?!!¡± Indeed. The two who had vanished¡ªLeon and Luna. Leon had been at the very center of the light and was pulled in. As for Luna, she had pushed another mage out of the way and was sucked in instead. ¡°Th-That¡­!¡± ¡°I ordered you not to attack!¡± ¡°P-Please spare me! I didn¡¯t mean to, I just¡­!¡± Damn those Tower mages. This was exactly why they shouldn¡¯t have sent in an inexperienced aristocratic brat.@@novelbin@@ The mage responsible was a noble¡¯s son who had been parachuted into the Magic Tower. By all rights, he should never have been part of this subjugation force. But due to political maneuvering, he had forced his way in. The corpse golem had disappeared without a trace, and the magic circle had vanished. At the same time¡ª ¡°Sir!!! The storm clouds! They¡¯re rolling in! It¡¯s a Kraken attack precursor!!¡± Sailors always said¡ªwhen an unexpected storm appeared at sea, you must suspect a Kraken. Normally, the Kraken wouldn¡¯t rampage like this, so they had nned to head out to sea and deal with it directly. But now, the Kraken had gone berserk, shattering all expectations. * * * Whether they knew of Osberg¡¯s mounting frustration or not, Leon and Luna were busy tormenting the cultists. ¡°Still no reaction?¡± Thud!! ¡°How pathetic. This is how you do it.¡± Wham!!! Luna¡¯s tiny hands struck the cult leader¡¯s abdomen¡ªright at the liver¡ªwith terrifying uracy. The man gasped, choking out a painful breath as he struggled to inhale. ¡°You sure know exactly where to hit to make it hurt.¡± ¡°I throw punches sometimes.¡± ¡®Damn it!! I¡¯m not staying still by choice¡ªyou demons!!¡¯ The ritual was more advanced than expected. At this rate, it would take at least a few more hours to fullyplete. But could they evenst that long? At this rate, these two lunatics could ughter everyone here within mere minutes. He desperately wanted to halt the ritual and kill them all, but he had no control over the process. If just one cultist were to die¡­ then the ritual would be forcibly stopped, and he would be free to move. ¡°If even one of them dies, they can move again.¡± ¡°So until then, they¡¯re just scarecrows?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± How in the world did these insane brats know that? ¡°W-Wait!! Stop! Let¡¯s negotiate!¡± Sensing imminent danger, the cult leader shouted urgently. ¡°You must want something, right? There¡¯s no reason for us to be enemies.¡± ¡°No reason to be enemies? That¡¯s hrious.¡± ¡°What have we even done to deserve this?!¡± Desperation painted his voice as he humbled himself in a way he normally never would. This confirmed it. The cultists here had no idea who Leon really was. How was it possible that the organization¡¯s intel was this disjointed? ¡°That¡¯s strange. How could you not know me?¡± In truth, during Leon¡¯s time in Mielephon, several suspected cultists had infiltrated Cascadia, only to be swiftly exposed. As he pondered this, a thought crossed his mind. ¡°Tell me¡ªwithin your cult, do you have internal faction conflicts?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I see. That exins it. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t know who I am.¡± So the cult¡¯s factions were so divided that they were actively restricting information from each other. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 74 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 74 She quickly bounced toward me, grabbed my cheeks with both hands, and examined my face from side to side. "Are you really the young master?" "Then who else would I be?" "But... I heard you got caught up in a teleportation spell..." "Yeah, I did. Ended up in the Kraken¡¯s nest." At those words, her eyes widened dramatically. "The Kraken¡¯s nest?! You actually went to that thrilling ce?!" "Are you crazy? No, wait¡ªI misspoke." "Hehe, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know you¡¯re the kind of person who would bluntly ask someone if they¡¯ve lost their mind." "Uh, well¡­" She really knew how to leave me speechless. But honestly, wasn''t it because her behavior was outright insane? I wanted to shout that at her, but I held back. "Let go, Luna." I gritted my teeth as Luna suddenly restrained me from behind. "Youngdy, please¡ªjust one hit? Just one?" "Of course not! Now, let¡¯s go! Grandfather is waiting for you." She effortlessly changed the subject and ran off energetically. I shook my head and followed her. * * * Right after I disappeared, the Kraken attacked the vige. Its erratic behavior was likely due to its unease about not being able to control all living beings with its mind. Moreover, the cultists had tried to interfere with the Kraken¡¯s mind, which must have increased its anxiety even further. Fortunately, thanks to the presence of the Sword Saint, Osberg Mielephon, the Kraken didn¡¯t rampage too much before retreating. Osberg Mielephon, who was overseeing post-battle operations in a temporarymand tent, widened his eyes in surprise when he saw Luna and me approach. He hurried over. "You two! Are you alright?" "Yes. Luckily, we weren¡¯t teleported too far away and managed to escape quickly." "Phew¡­ That¡¯s a relief. If something had happened to you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to face certain people." "I heard the Kraken attacked?" "Yes. It retreated fairly quickly, but the damage was greater than expected." He sighed heavily. An unprepared battle inevitably leads to casualties. Still, the fact that there were no fatalities¡ªonly injuries¡ªwas likely due to Osberg¡¯s extraordinary skill. "Sir, with the Kraken rampaging beyond expectations, we¡¯ve suffered significant material losses. There are also many injured." Osberg¡¯s expression darkened. A cold-faced man in armor stepped forward. A member of the Mielephon family¡ªlikely Isna¡¯s uncle. "To be blunt, the chances of a sessful subjugation have be too low." "What do you propose?" "We should retreat for now, regroup, and request additional support from the main family." "If we do that, the Kraken will have alreadyid its eggs. Are you suggesting we let the patriarch die?" "Analyzing the situation objectively, if we continue like this, not only will the subjugation fail, but the task force could suffer irrecoverable losses." The man spoke unwaveringly, and Osberg sighed deeply. They had managed to stop the cultists, but the damage they had done was severely affecting the subjugation effort. "This is my burden to bear¡­ I should have eradicated them all in the past¡­" "Grandfather, this isn¡¯t your fault, is it? And, Uncle, isn¡¯t it possible that the Kraken has weakened as well?" "Regrettably, the Kraken is not such a fragile creature, Isna." From the look of things, the resources prepared for the Kraken¡¯s subjugation had been severely damaged. "More importantly, its mental attack capabilities have significantly recovered. If we engage in battle, we may end up losing our sense of ally and enemy altogether." "How many immunity artifacts do we have left?" "We used most of them to evacuate civilians who couldn¡¯t escape in time." Osberg let out a suppressed groan. Then, as ifing to a decision, he spoke. "Withdraw, leaving only the minimum necessary personnel." "Grandfather!" "Listen to me, Isna." "Are you just going to abandon Mother?!" She shouted in anger, and he shook his head. "The Kraken will be subjugated. But I will do it alone." It seemed no one could overturn his firm decision. The knights and retainers around him wore grim expressions. Even Isna bit her lip in uncharacteristic silence. That¡¯s when I spoke up. "Excuse me, but I don¡¯t think defeating the Kraken will be that difficult." All eyes turned toward me. Some were filled with disbelief, as if asking, Do you not see the situation? What do you know? Of course, as Isna¡¯s fianc¨¦, no one openly voiced such thoughts. "Looks like the patriarch chose the wrong son-inw." Ah. So, there was someone who had no filter. It was none other than Isna¡¯s uncle, the one who had suggested retreat. Still, I could understand his point of view. It was a miracle that there had been no deaths so far, but any furtherbat would be reckless. "Well, from my perspective, the odds are quite good." "Hah, is that so? Then you must have a reason. Let¡¯s hear it. How do you n to counter the Kraken¡¯s mental attacks?" The most fundamental problem. To defeat the Kraken, they needed a way to block its mind attacks. "Even with the best immunity artifacts from the Magic Tower, the maximum battle duration is only 30 minutes. And right now, we don¡¯t even have those. What do you n to do¡­?" "We¡¯ll make them. Not just for 30 minutes. I¡¯ll craft artifacts thatst for days." If things hade to this, I would simply make full use of the Mielephon family. At my words, Isna¡¯s uncle scoffed coldly. "This conversation is going nowhere. Are you seriously saying you¡¯ll make immunity artifacts? Do you have any idea how long the Magic Tower spent preparing enough artifacts for this mission? Months! And yet you¡­" At that moment, someone entered themand tent. "Young master, I¡¯ve purchased everything you requested¡­ but it seems I¡¯vee at a bad time." It was Misha, my head maid. She fell silent upon seeing the tense atmosphere. "You¡¯re earlier than expected. Were you able to get everything?" "Yes, young master. I secured the full quantity without any issues." "Good. Then we just need to wait three days." At my words, everyone''s gaze shifted from Misha, the chiefdy-in-waiting, back to me. "In three days, the Kraken wille charging in, eyes zing red." * * * Three days. The only reason they hadn''t withdrawn was solely because of Osberg¡¯s unteral decision. Given the current situation, where all the tactical supplies had been exhausted, staying any longer could lead to catastrophe. Yet, he trusted Leon. Isna¡¯s uncle, Beren Mielephon, couldn''t hide his impatience. "What in the world is the elder thinking¡­?" As the captain of the family''s special subjugation force, he had set out to hunt the Kraken under the orders of Catsey. The n itself was meticulously prepared. But the situation had gone terribly wrong. No one had expected cultists to be involved. Thanks to the Sword Saint¡¯s aid, casualties had been minimized to an extreme degree, but Beren had seen it. He had seen Sword Saint Osberg push himself too hard to save the knights from the rampaging Kraken, sustaining injuries in the process. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] That was why he had urged a retreat, yet Leon Cascadia had thrown everything into disarray. "What is he doing now?" "He has locked himself in the workshop." "It''s already been three days!!!" Beren couldn''t suppress his anger. "Damn it! The Kraken subjugation is not some child''s y!" He had seen many young men overreach themselves in the hopes of making a name for themselves. Beren trusted Sword Saint Osberg¡¯s judgment. That was why he refrained from making hasty judgments about Leon Cascadia, whom Osberg believed in. However. Up until the promised third day, Leon¡¯s actions had been utterly disappointing. On the first day. He spent the entire day staring at the sea cliffs with a robed healer. On the second day, his subordinates reported that he had slept all day. And on the third day. All he did was silently swing his sword in an open clearing. The fact that the Kraken had truly not attacked for three days was curious, but they couldn¡¯t stay idle forever. The longer they remained on guard without taking action, the more exhaustion would build up, and the damage to the fishing vige would worsen. It was strange enough that Leon wielded both a sword and magic, but fine, that was still within reason. However, this was too much. "Is he still swinging his sword?" "Yes." "Take me to him." "Ha¡­ However, the elder instructed us not to disturb him¡­." The knight, sweating nervously, flinched. Beren¡¯s gaze was cold enough to freeze a man on the spot. "The Mielephon subjugation force is not here to babysit a fool who wastes time with no n. Lead me to him, now." Beren stormed off to find Leon. There, he found Leon silently swinging his sword in the air, a robed woman watching him, and Isna standing nearby. "Uncle?" "Leon Cascadia." Beren''s voice was ice-cold as he approached, drawing his sword without hesitation and pointing it at Leon¡¯s throat. Isna blinked at the sudden action, while Luna observed the situation with an unreadable expression. Themon factor? None of the three seemed particrly surprised. "Knew this would happen." "You¡¯re thest person who should be saying that. Beren, please lower your sword for now." "The elder gave you three days. And for three days, I have indulged your whims while leading the wounded knights of my house."@@novelbin@@ His voice was sharp and cutting. "It''s a miracle that the Kraken hasn¡¯t moved. I¡¯ll give you that. But what exactly are you doing?" "Hmm." "Do you think knights¡¯ lives are something to be thrown away? Exin yourself¡ªright now." Leon nced at Luna. Should I strike? When Luna raised her small fist slightly, Leon let out a sigh and shook his head. "It''s almost noon." For three days, the Kraken had been silent. But that was the limit. "We''ll begin the Kraken defense battle now." "Are you joking?! We¡¯ve wasted three days without even preparing to set sail! Do you think ships can be deployed instantly?!" "Why would we set sail?" The most difficult part of Kraken hunting. It had to be fought at sea. No matter how strong a warrior was, if the ship capsized,bat became nearly impossible. "W-what?" "We¡¯re going to drag that thing onto the shore. It''s exhausted to the point where it can''t tell the difference between friend and foe." "That¡¯s nonsense¡­!" "You seem to be mistaken, so let me rify: no matter how weakened it is, it''s still a Kraken. If we fight it at sea, we¡¯re guaranteed to be annihted." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 75 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 75 At those words, Beren''s expression twisted. However, Leon casually pushed away the sword pointed at his neck with a flick of his finger. Then, he walked forward. Nonsense. The Kraken hasn''t lost its intelligence, so why would it willinglye ashore and put itself at a disadvantage? If it were in a berserk state like before, that might be possible, but with all the cultists eradicated, there¡¯s no reason for the Kraken to act that way. Besides, as long as it stays in the sea, there''s nothing we can do about it. "I''ll brief you in detail when we get there." * * * Inside a tent filled with many people, I calmly scanned the map while under everyone''s scrutiny. No one responded. Most of them looked at me with distrust, and the only one disying a peculiar expression was Osberg Mielephon, who believed in me. "I assume many of you are dissatisfied with the fact that I did nothing for the past three days." "Then how could someone aware of that put the entire subjugation force in danger?" A knight sneered as he asked. From their perspective, because of my words, they had to stand guard without rest in a situation where supplies were alreadycking. Even though I told them to get some rest, that wasn¡¯t something they could just ept. "The Kraken has been rampaging for exactly 72 hours. Now, we will hunt it down." A few people chuckled in disbelief. "You¡¯re spouting nonsense. The ships for deployment haven¡¯t even been repaired, yet you¡¯re saying we¡¯re going out to sea to hunt that thing?" The Kraken is a sea king-ss creature, and it is extremely rare for it toe ashore. In other words, unlike when it rampaged before, we would now have to go into the ocean to fight it. "No. We¡¯re not going out to sea." "Then how exactly do you n to capture it?" "How? We¡¯ll capture it right here." I pointed to the ruins of a vige, already devastated by the tidal waves and the Kraken¡¯s rampage. "The subjugation force will be divided into three units. First, the main attack unit. Those who are confident in their abilities, including the elder, will join the attack team." My words were met with indifferent reactions as if they were waiting for me to keep talking. "Second, those with mid-to-low expert-level skills will be in charge of disruption and eliminating lesser monsters. Lastly, the support unit. All the mages will be assigned here." Beren frowned and questioned me. "None of this makes sense from the beginning. You need to convince us why you¡¯re so certain that thing wille ashore." "I¡¯d like you to listen first before making a decision. The moment ites ashore, the operation begins, and we won¡¯t have time to debate anymore. But sincebat could start at any moment, just remember three things." I raised three fingers. Then, I folded my ring finger. "First, the battle must be fought within a designated area the moment it sets foot onnd. If you step outside the area, its mental attacks willpletely ruin the subjugation effort¡ªnever forget that." Some looked puzzled, but I continued without pause. "Second, the Kraken is extremely fatigued, meaning it will likely bring more lesser monsters as shields than we initially expected. In that case, the disruption team must swiftly eliminate them. Lady Isna is well-informed about this, so follow her lead." "Lesser monsters? The Kraken does bring a few with it, but usually only a small number¡ª" "At this point, the fact that it''s evening ashore is already abnormal. Lastly, third." I turned to the mages and spoke. "Outside, you will find five devices that my summoned skeletons have ced. Red, orange, yellow, green, and blue¡ªin that order. I will handle the red one, and the support team must pour all their mana into the devices starting from the orange one. Luna will exin the details." "What is that supposed to mean...?" "And remember this. Once the battle begins, do not use any magic other than channeling mana into the devices. The disruption team and my skeletons will protect you, so you must stay in position no matter what." With those words, I gestured, and the tent ps were pulled back, revealing five massive, color-coded devices¡ªeach twice the height of a person. These were one-time-use,rge-scale artifacts, created solely to capture the Kraken. They were made by transforming the materials that Misha, the head maid, had acquired, using the Heart of the Machine God to reshape, restructure, and alter their molecrposition. Originally, I hadn¡¯t nned to make such equipment, but due to the situation, I revised my ns, even using up the remaining supplies of the subjugation force. At first nce, these devices didn¡¯t look like something that could be built in such a short time. But the Heart of the Machine God ignored the entire manufacturing process and simply converted raw materials into finished products. A heart that possessed an immense authorityparable to vast amounts of mana. The only requirement was extensive knowledge and information¡ªbut I had studied the Kraken to the point of exhaustion, so that was no issue. "What in the world is that...?" "When did he make something like that...?" "It¡¯s hard to exin in detail right now. Alright, everyone, what are you waiting for? Let¡¯s wee our guest." Fwoooosh! A dense wave of necromantic mana surged outward, causing the knights'' faces to twist in shock and confusion, their eyes saying, What kind of person is this?! And soon, the effects became apparent. "The... The Kraken!!! The Kraken ising ashore!!!" At that moment, someone shouted from afar. "It begins." I swiftly moved my necromantic mana. An overwhelming amount of necromantic mana spread out, shaking the surroundings and draining the color from people''s faces. ¡°Guh?! What is this¡­?¡± ¡°How can necromantic mana be this dense¡­?¡± It was impossible to believe that such an immense amount of necromantic mana had been released by a mere teenage boy. All around, people recoiled in shock. Without stopping, I poured all the surging necromantic mana into the crimson device. At the same time, the device began to glow and activate. The two spheres protruding from its center started spinning fiercely, like a centrifuge, rapidly emitting a wild green light as they operated. Yes, back at the Hall of Sages, I had used these devices to hunt the Kraken. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Back then, Icked mana and had to find alternative means. @@novelbin@@ But here, I had an abundance of both mages and mana. A massive, translucent green mana sphere began forming over the entire battlefield, from the beach where the Kraken had surfaced. "Remember this. The moment you step outside that boundary, the entire subjugation effort could copse, so do not¡ªunder any circumstances¡ªleave the area." The Kraken had gone three days without rest or food. That alone was enough to leave it in a severe state of exhaustion. And sure enough, as evidence of this, its once-ck skin had turned an unnaturally deep red. ¡°What are you all waiting for? Let¡¯s begin the hunt. Lunch may have been disappointing, but for dinner, you¡¯d better be having fresh octopus sashimi.¡± * * * It all started with the falling raindrops. What began as a few light taps soon turned into a torrential downpour. Across the sea, thunder and lightning roared, and the clouds churned violently like a hurricane. The Kraken, now bright red, no longer bore its usual appearance¡ªit looked like an octopus that had been boiled for far too long. Its unnatural color was proof of extreme maternal instincts, intense stress, and severe malnutrition. Of course, the overwhelming pressure from its massive body,rge enough to coil around an entire ship with its tentacles, had not diminished in the slightest. ¡°My god. The Kraken actually came ontond by itself?¡± Its behavioral pattern was obvious. For three days, the magic formations I had nted in its habitat had tormented it relentlessly. Utterly exhausted, it had been unable to properly hunt, focusing entirely on guarding the eggs it hadid. Normally, it would leave its eggs behind to hunt and replenish its strength. But unable to do so, the creature had made a final decision. It realized that, to keep its eggs safe, it had to eliminate thend-dwelling humans¡ªthe ones responsible for this entire situation. Even with only its primal instincts remaining, it was intelligent enough to understand this. To make up for its weakened state, it had used its psychic abilities to control a horde of sea monsters and bring them ontond. Even in its deteriorated condition, the Kraken''s mental attacks were still its signature weapon. It knew it was a powerful predator, yet it also understood that it was not in peak condition. Coming ontond was an act of desperation¡ªnormally, it would never make such a reckless choice. But in the end, it had no other option. WOOOOOM!! Even knowing this could be a trap, the Kraken had no alternatives. A massive, green, dome-shaped barrier enclosed the creature. Now faced with the Kraken in person, I could see just how massive it was¡ªit was asrge as a mansion. Each of its eight legs was as thick as a giant pir, and the suckers on its tentacles were lined with razor-sharp barbs coated in deadly venom. Its red skin was a sign that its body¡¯s endurance had drastically weakened. Yet even in its weakened state, the creature¡¯s flesh looked so tough that ordinary sword strikes wouldn¡¯t even scratch it. A single attack from its massive frame and colossal limbs could easily shatter an entire ship. Indeed, encountering a Kraken at sea was a death sentence. It would emerge from the depths alongside a raging storm, its eight limbs coiling around ships and crushing them into splinters. Even a sword master would struggle to fight it underwater, making Kraken hunts among the most difficult of all monster subjugations. However¡­ If you stripped the Kraken of its greatest advantages¡ªthe ocean storms and the water itself¡ªthen the difficulty of the hunt changedpletely. Had it not been for its breeding season, things would never have yed out so conveniently. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t have even considered attempting a hunt under normal circumstances. Now, the enraged Kraken, having spotted humans, let out a thunderous roar¡ªa psychic attack aimed at shattering the minds of everyone present. Ordinarily, this kind of attack would rip through human consciousness, overwhelming and destroying their minds. But for some reason, the Kraken¡¯s scream did not reach anyone. Why? That thought must have shed through its mind. Meanwhile, the humans, weapons in hand, were already rushing toward it. Tiny prey, daring to challenge it! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 76 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 76 The Kraken swung its mighty tentacles, trying to strike down the humans charging toward it. However, the humans were not as weak as the Kraken had assumed. Boom!!! A dozen knights, armed with heavy shields, moved in perfect unison, blocking the Kraken¡¯s attack. Alright, let¡¯s see you dodge this. The Kraken immediately attempted to coil its tentacles around the humans and hurl them away. That is, if not for the old man charging in with an overwhelming aura. "I have spent years preparing to kill you. Don''t even think about leaving this ce alive." One of the greatest swordsmen on the continent. A living legend of Mielephon. Osberg Mielephon¡¯s immense sword energy shed, leaving a massive wound on the Kraken¡¯s leg. It¡¯s him! The dangerous human who had left a scar on its tough flesh when it rampaged here before! "KIIIIAAAAAAA!!!" The Kraken twisted its body in agony, letting out a piercing scream at the unexpected counterattack. The damage was far greater than it had anticipated. Its body shouldn¡¯t be this weak. Last time, it had only suffered minor scratches. This time, however, it had received a deep wound. For the first time, the Kraken felt its life was in danger¡ªhow could such an old human be so fast and powerful? But the Kraken quickly came to a conclusion: If it could kill that human, the rest wouldn¡¯t be a threat. Thus, it set a trap. It moved as if it had lost control, thrashing wildly to give the illusion that it was overwhelmed by its wounds. It wanted its enemy to believe: A creature that has never been injured before wouldn¡¯t know how to handle pain. Osberg, the old swordsman, took the bait, pressing the attack with the knights to corner the Kraken. But the Kraken had been waiting for that exact moment. Suddenly, it shook off the knights, and all eight of its legs converged on a single point, forming a glowing red sphere in the air. Although its primary attack was psychic, the Kraken was a true ruler of the seas. There was no way it only had one ability. The energy mass swelled violently¡ªit was one of the Kraken¡¯s hidden techniques: Superheated Breath. No one knew that the Kraken was capable of such an attack, making it apletely unexpected move. * * *@@novelbin@@ One step forward. The sword style I use, Nameless Sword, allows for sudden bursts of speed. It was the perfect technique for this situation. If we wasted even a moment, the superheated beam would incinerate someone instantly. The moment I saw the Kraken¡¯s strange leg movements, I realized it was preparing to fire the beam. Even the Sword Saint could be fatally wounded if they failed to react properly. So, I had to act. I dashed through the knights, quickly closing the distance. As my speed increased, the world around me blurred, giving me the illusion that my vision was being pulled forward. I rarely elerated this much. But it didn¡¯t matter. Ipressed my aura explosively and shot into the air, aiming for the Kraken¡¯s tentacles. There were eight points I needed to cut. One for each leg. The energy for the beam was being concentrated in different areas, but I had done this kind of acrobatics many times before. "You?!" The Sword Saint¡¯s surprised voice rang out as I suddenly entered the battle. Ignoring it, I spun like a top mid-air, shing eight times in an instant beforending. The dyed afterimages of my shes left deep wounds on the Kraken¡¯s tentacles, distorting the shape of its energy beam. The Kraken hesitated, unsure of what had just happened. I had fought Krakens before, and with its body weakened and its speed reduced, it had no way to counter this. Frustrated that its trap had failed, the Kraken let out a furious roar and opened its massive maw, intending to swallow me whole. Hundreds, no, thousands of razor-sharp teeth gleamed inside its mouth. Just as it lunged¡ª Boom!!! A massive Shadow Phantom Wolf, Muyeong, erupted from my shadow, mming into the Kraken¡¯s body. Dark mist coiled around the beast, momentarily stunning it. It wasn¡¯t enough to stop the Krakenpletely, but it bought me a crucial moment. "The beam is stopped, its weak points are exposed." I elerated again, tearing into the Kraken¡¯s softer flesh and embedding several small devices into its wounds. Then, I retreated. "Luna, I¡¯ve torn the wounds open. Activate the device." In the distance, a blue mist spread rapidly, forcing the Kraken to instinctively back away. It knew, on a primal level, that touching that mist would be fatal. But taking its eyes off the battle, even for a second, was a mistake. The Sword Saint struck with his powerful sword energy, leaving another devastating wound. The blue mist seeped into the Kraken¡¯s open injuries, halting its regeneration. "That¡¯s a special telet-dissolving agent, made just for Krakens." Now, its wounds wouldn¡¯t heal, and the energy points for its superheated beam were permanently disabled. The Kraken¡¯s massive eyes filled with fury and resentment as it locked onto me. But I didn¡¯t stop. I continued to slip into its blind spots, carving wound after wound into its body. Being out of the water, the Kraken¡¯s movements were sluggish¡ªit was a nightmare for the sea creature. "A Kraken has no reason to attack humans." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] sh! "KIIIIAAAA!!!" "And yet, there are only two reasons you would attack a human ship." One: if there was absolutely no other food avable. Two: for fun or stress relief. "And I don''t believe you were starving." That meant this disgusting squid had attacked the ship my parents and little brother were on¡­ just for amusement. "So I¡¯m going to rip you apart. My way." "GRRRR¡­?!" The Kraken recoiled, sensing something truly terrifying. "Don¡¯t even think about dying peacefully." * * * "What the hell¡­ What was that speed just now?" "An Expert... No? I couldn''t even see it..." It wasn''t just the Kraken who was shocked. The main raiding party consisted mostly of mid-to-high-tier Experts, with even a few Master-level knights among them. And yet, not a single one of them could properly see Leon''s instantaneous breakthrough. Instant eleration. It was unbelievable that such an eleration ability belonged to a mere teenage boy. When he first proposed hunting the Kraken after three days of preparation, most of them had thought he was just a boastful kid. So, they had nned to humor him for a while, pretending to go along with the operation, and then abandon the hunt and retreat once their supplies ran out. But the Kraken appeared¡ªjust as Leon had predicted. And just as he had said, it was significantly weakened. On top of that, for some reason, the Kraken''s mental attacks had no effect whatsoever. Even the immunity artifacts from the Magic Tower couldn''t block the Kraken''s mental attack waves so perfectly. And yet, all of this was unfolding before their very eyes. "Commander... isn''t that sword aura?" The symbol of a Master, the Aura de. "No. It looks simr, but it¡¯s different from a true Aura de." Beren, the leader of the hunting party, stared at Leon with eyes wide enough to tear. "But..." "Yeah. It¡¯s simr, yet despite its shorings, it isn''tcking in the slightest..." The strongest warrior in the hunting party was undoubtedly Sword Saint Osberg Mielephon. But considering the age difference between Osberg and Leon, this situation waspletely absurd. Everything was happening exactly as Leon had predicted, and even he was disying his incredible power without holding back. When Osberg had insisted on recruiting Leon into Mielephon, Beren hadn''t believed him. But now, he saw the truth for himself. Sea King-ss, the cmity of the ocean¡ªthe Kraken. And now, that very Kraken was beingpletely dominated by a boy who had only just passed his mid-teens. No¡ªmore than that, the truly disturbing thing was Leon himself. The Kraken was an unknown entity, a Sea King-ss monster deemed impossible to subjugate. Yet Leon, a boy in histe teens, was effortlessly exploiting every opening, ruthlessly tearing through its body. This level of battle instinct and technique was impossible without overwhelming experience. For whatever reason, Beren couldn''t help but think¡ªperhaps the real monster here wasn¡¯t the Kraken, but that boy. He moved as if he knew everything about the Kraken. His attacks easily broke the sound barrier, yet he dodged the Kraken¡¯s counterattacks as if performing an acrobatic dance, relentlessly targeting its weakened spots. That wasn''t talent. When Osberg first mentioned Leon, Beren had been skeptical. No matter how much of a genius someone was, this was impossible. This wasn¡¯t the realm of talent. But now, faced with this iprehensible reality, his mind was thrown into turmoil. "A natural disaster." A talent so monstrous, it could only be described as a cmity from the heavens. There was no other way to put it. Where had such a monster suddenly appeared from? Of course, the Kraken''s power wasn¡¯t limited to just this. It had immense regenerative abilities, meaning they had to be prepared for a prolonged battle of attrition. But then, as the second mechanism was activated, Beren realized how meaningless his concerns were. "Commander, the wounds on the Kraken..." "They''re not regenerating?" The Kraken''s flesh, which had inhaled the spreading mist, was healing at an unprecedentedly slow rate, as if its regeneration had beenpletely blocked. Noticing the situation, the Kraken urgently iled all its tentacles, desperate to rip Leon apart. At that moment, Leon was midair, falling toward the Kraken. The beast seized the opportunity, aiming to grab him and tear him to shreds. But just then, Leon casually twisted the grip of his sword, Elekstra. In that instant, his foot seemed to push off an invisible surface in midair, propelling him forward at supersonic speed, narrowly avoiding the Kraken''s tentacle. ZZZZZZT!!! Then came eight shes of light. Moving even faster than before, Leon weaved through the oing tentacles, slicing through them one by one. Seizing the opening created by Osberg¡¯s powerful strike, he dove straight into the Kraken¡¯s vulnerable spot. Sensing danger, the Kraken hastily moved to shield its wound. But Leon had been aiming for something else all along. As if carving rifling into the barrel of a gun, he left a deep, spiraling gash in one of the Kraken¡¯s massive tentacles beforending. And in that instant, he stole one of the Kraken¡¯s eyes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 77 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 77 ¡°KIAAAAAAAAH!!!!¡± With a horrifying scream, the Kraken thrashed wildly on the ground,shing out in every direction. "Filthy thing is going berserk." Leon, who had swiftly distanced himself from the Kraken andnded, wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. "An Expert rank alone won''t be enough¡­" Though he grimaced as if suffering internal injuries, there was no sign of panic or fear on his face. The Kraken subjugation had only just begun. * * * Leon¡¯s ferocious movements were not only being observed by the main attack squad. ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one get through!¡± Monsters under mind control were often far more dangerous than usual. Creatures that typicallycked any sense of cooperation were now attacking in perfect formation, as if they had trained together. But this wasnd. And the ones fighting them were skilled warriors. There was no way mere fish-like monsters such as mermen could overwhelm them. However, their sheer numbers were overwhelming, and the main attack squad needed time to catch their breath, just as Leon had requested. Although using magic would have been the most effective way to restrain the Kraken, Leon had strictly forbidden its use. This meant that, aside from magical devices, no magic was being used in this battle. A foolish decision. What did a mere boy know to dictate strategy? The knights who had once doubted him now found themselves speechless as they watched Leon cut through the battlefield like a storm. Even seasoned experts would struggle to analyze and counter the Kraken¡¯s movements as precisely as he did. Yet, Leon moved with the ease of someone who had fought Krakens countless times before. "Wow, look at that¡­" "Insane¡­ How is that even possible?" "My god¡­" The knights and soldiers in the disruption squad muttered in disbelief,pletely forgetting their decorum. Leon¡¯s movements were wless, as if the entire battle had been rehearsed. And then¡ª "Honestly, it¡¯s a relief that the Kraken is our enemy. If we had to face Lord Leon as an opponent¡­ he¡¯d be terrifying." It was the highest form of praise among knights. "Lady Isna, just who exactly is Lord Leon?" "I have no idea~." Isna smirked and casually tossed aside the corpse of a merman she had been holding by the head. At first nce, she looked like a delicate young girl. But she was a direct descendant of the Mielephon family. And, more importantly, a beloved grandchild of the Sword Saint himself. In other words, only a fool would underestimate her. With a single, effortless thrust of her sword, she skewered another merman, smiling all the while. "Lady Isna, your fianc¨¦, Lord Leon, is far more skilled than we expected." "Fianc¨¦, huh¡­" "Wait¡­ You don¡¯t seem too happy about that?" She avoided answering with nothing more than a bright, carefree smile. "He¡¯s certainly an interesting person, but¡­" "But?" "Isn¡¯t it even more interesting?" "Excuse me? What do you mean¡­?" "It¡¯s like he¡¯s fought and killed hundreds, if not thousands, of Krakens before." The enigmatic smile on her face made the knights fall silent as they turned to watch Leon again. Indeed¡­ "That¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s so suspicious." sh! With that final remark, she effortlessly sliced through another merman¡¯s body. Her lively, flowing twin tails¡ªso vibrant in their deep red hue¡ªmight have been stained with the monster''s blood had her hair been a lighter color. A peculiar youngdy, and an equally mysterious Leon Cascadia. To the knights, they seemed like a perfect match.@@novelbin@@ Though none of them had any intention of trying to understand what theirdy was implying. * * * While the attack and disruption squads were in the midst of battle, the support squadposed mostly of mages¡ªremained in an eerily calm state. Well, aside from the mana swirling wildly around them. "This is fascinating¡­ I can¡¯t even begin to understand how this works." "I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s a necromancer, but this structure isn¡¯t like ck magic at all." Mages were, by nature, obsessed with knowledge. At first, they had grumbled about being told to do nothing but channel mana into the devices. But the moment they saw the five magical devices that Leon had created begin to function, allints vanished. "This is incredible. This mana wavelength is unlike anything we¡¯ve ever observed before. But this alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to neutralize the Kraken¡¯s mental attacks or block its regeneration¡­ How is it doing that?" "Can we take one of these back with us after the battle, Senior? I need to study it!" "You idiot, you think they¡¯ll let you? Just memorize everything you can now so you can analyze itter!" The mages were practically drooling over the devices, dedicating their full attention to understanding them. "Even if a dwarf tried to create something this intricate, could they even do it?" "Even if they could, it wouldn¡¯t be possible in such a short amount of time." "And magic?" "There¡¯s no way to even examine the internal structure." "Oh¡­ Ohhh, it¡¯s moving! This mana wavelength is remarkable! It¡¯s like the device itself is a living archmage!" Was this really the same group of mages who had been grumbling just moments ago? Watching them, Luna could only think: What a bunch of idiots. The first device had nullified the Kraken¡¯s mental attacks. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The second device had suppressed its regeneration. ¡ªLuna, prepare the third. And now, the third device. Leon Cascadia harbored a deep grudge against the Kraken. So he had spared no effort in ensuring its demise. To be honest, the Kraken was starting to seem pitiful. The creature was highly instinctual, prioritizing its attacks on the greatest threat. Sword Saint Osberg? His sword was certainly dangerous, but the Kraken¡¯s primary target wasn¡¯t him. Even after sustaining injuries from Osberg¡¯s attacks, the Kraken¡¯s focus remained elsewhere. It was obvious to anyone watching. Its target was Leon. Osberg¡¯s sword might have greater raw power, but Leon¡¯s attacks were far more lethal to the Kraken. It was the simple truth¡ªan opponent who aimed for the eyes, even if weaker, was far more dangerous than one who merely bludgeoned with brute force. As its condition deteriorated, the Kraken let out a massive roar. Whether it was still fighting because it had the strength to continue or simply out of pride was unknown. Rolling its massive body, the Kraken forcefully shook off all those nearby. Then, it began gathering a mass of light near its head. It looked as though a deep-sea fish was generating bioluminescence from within its body. ¡°What the¡ª?! Something¡¯sing!!¡± No one knew what it was, but instinctively, they all sensed something significant was about to happen and quickly backed away. - Luna, activate the third device. Only Leon remainedposed, calmly issuing instructions. Luna ryed hismand to the mages. ¡°Activate the third device.¡± At her words, the mages, swallowing nervously as they stared at the Kraken, swiftly set the mechanism into motion. Unlike the previous devices, this one didn¡¯t release anything. Instead, it began rotating, much like a centrifuge, before shooting a massive beam of light into the sky and shutting down. ¡°Wait¡­ Something¡¯s not right¡ª¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s working.¡± A momentter, at the end of the light¡¯s trajectory, a distant explosion echoed through the air. Simultaneously¡ª A colossal storm erupted around the Kraken, fueled by its immense power. Those witnessing this spectacle for the first time turned pale, realizing that mere retreat would not be enough. The Kraken¡¯s storm was several times more powerful than an ordinary tempest. If such a massive natural disaster were to concentrate on a single point, it would be nothing short of an apocalyptic catastrophe. ¡°A¡ªA storm!!¡± ¡°Damn it! Prepare defensive magic!!¡± The mages hastily began casting spells¡ª But Luna stopped them. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­ Huh?¡± The storm, which had seemed inevitable, suddenly faltered. The beam of light that had shot into the sky began emitting strange pulses, releasing waves of ultrasonic frequencies. ¡ªSCREEEEEECH!!!! Even though the sound was too high-pitched for human ears, the sheer force of the resonance could be felt throughout their bodies. ¡°What is that¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just disrupting the Kraken¡¯s wavelengths.¡± Luna, quickly grasping the situation, responded calmly. ¡°You¡¯re saying a single device managed to neutralize the Sea King¡¯s cmity?!¡± ¡°The Kraken isn¡¯t a perfect life form.¡± To summon a storm, the Kraken had to generate specific wavelengths, which required an immense mental barrier to protect the process from interference. But in its current weakened state, it no longer had the strength to maintain that defense. Luna¡¯s voice remained steady as she exined. With its trump card neutralized in an instant, the Kraken hesitated and instinctively recoiled. Already in poor condition, it now faced the terrifying possibility of its own demise. From that point on, the battle became entirely one-sided. Leon and the swordmaster Osberg relentlessly exploited the Kraken¡¯s weak points, leaving deep wounds across its body. The strike team then capitalized on those wounds, further draining the monster of its strength. As the Kraken¡¯s movements slowed, its body covered in gaping wounds, blood gushed out uncontrobly. - Good work, everyone. The Kraken was already injured, which made the hunt much easier. Now, we just need to finish it off. Leon¡¯s calm voice echoed through theirmunication devices. Gone was the disbelief that a mere youngster couldmand such an operation. Now, only awe remained. After all, the core strategy of the hunt had been Leon¡¯s doing. The knights had merely followed the same battle tactics used againstrge monsters. The Kraken, utterly drained, could barely move. It gasped for breath, unable to hold itself up any longer. The strike team slowly gathered around the near-lifeless creature. ¡°My god¡­ We actually took down the Kraken.¡± ¡°I thought it was impossible, but it happened so easily¡­¡± Even now, they struggled to believe what they had aplished. They had prepared for countless sacrifices, knowing this would be a battle of endurance. But their hunt had been disrupted by cultists, leading to devastating ambushes and heavy casualties. For a time, it had seemed impossible. The Kraken had long ruled the seas as the ultimate terror of sailors. Many had attempted to y it, but no one had ever seeded. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 79 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 79 "Soul Shackle Magic? Just hearing the name, I can''t quite tell what it means..." At the junior''s question, another senior mage continued the exnation. "It''s simple. It''s a defensive magic that shackles one''s soul to prevent instant death for a certain period. Necromancers dream of immortality, after all." In other words, since Leon couldn''t remain intact against the poison, he used Soul Shackle Magic to prevent instant death, while Luna would heal his deteriorating body. This meant that until the Soul Shackle Magic was lifted, Leon wouldn''t die from the poison. "However, while using that magic, an enormous amount of mana is consumed. And it does nothing to reduce injuries or pain. Plus, it won''t protect against high-level magic beyond the caster''s circle." In other words, Leon was enduring the excruciating pain of the poison with an expression that betrayed nothing. "Do not approach within ten meters of the absolute barrier." "If I go in and assist, we can safely take that thing down." Osberg was about to join the battle with his sword, but Luna shook her head. "Right now, no one except Leon can withstand the inside of that barrier. Your body might endure it, but since you''repletely unprepared, there''s a risk ofsting side effects." The subjugation team hadn''t anticipated that the Kraken would have such a trick up its sleeve, so they hadn''t prepared for it. "So just wait." With those words, Luna strode confidently toward the barrier. Osberg, with a grim expression, asked, "Just what are you?" "What do you mean?" "To this old man¡¯s eyes, you hardly seem human." At Osberg¡¯s stern voice, Luna let out a bitter smile. "Just a fallen kin." Like Leon, Luna was not a normal existence in the eyes of others. And for good reason¡ªneutralizing such a deadly poison in an instant wasn''t something even the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom could easily achieve. "Hah. The more I see those two, the less I understand what they are." * * * As we prepared for the Kraken''s subjugation, I was deep in thought about countering its final desperate measures. By using Heart of the Machine God, I could create a neutralizing agent or even something to withstand the Kraken¡¯s attacks. A high-circle necromancer wouldn¡¯t even need to take the attacks directly. The same applied to the Sword Hall and the Martial Hall. But coldly analyzing the situation, at my current level, none of those methods were feasible. What I had was overwhelming fuel¡ªand experience. Even reaching Sword Master was something I could manage, but beyond that, I too needed more time. So, my conclusion was to push the limits of what I currently had. I would use 6th-circle Soul Shackle Magic to prevent instant death. Soul Shackle Magic was originally meant to prevent momentary death, and since it required an enormous amount of necromantic mana, this way of using it was practically insane. But I had an abundance of necromantic mana. It wasn¡¯t a problem at all. Even if there was a limit to my output, meaning I couldn''t burn all my mana at once, maintaining it continuously wouldn''t be an issue. And my shattered body¡ªLuna would heal it in real-time. With her grotesque healing ability, even if half my body were torn apart by the Kraken¡¯s tentacles, she could regenerate me almost instantly. She literally had the power to save someone as long as they weren¡¯t outright dead. When I first revealed this n to Luna, she was vehemently opposed to it. "Are you insane?! Who¡¯s going to endure all that pain for you? Your ancestors?!" As Luna said, the pain from my poisoned and deteriorating body would be unimaginable. If the pain was too intense, fighting would be impossible. So, I used all the materials that Misha, the head maid, had brought to create two elixirs. One was an anesthetic to suppress pain. The other was a toxin that hyperactivated my body. Both were substances guaranteed to wreck the body, but for me, they were the best possible elixirs. Pop!! The cork popped off, and both potions poured into my mouth simultaneously. ng!! Without hesitation, I tossed the empty potion bottles aside and let out a chillingugh. The excruciating pain disappeared in an instant. "Ahaha¡­ Hahahahaha!!" As Iughed freely, the Kraken''s massive eyes twisted in an eerie manner. What? Isn¡¯t this fun? The fact that it was finally time to rip apart that damn octopus made me happier than the pain. "Alright, let¡¯s go again." At my menacing aura, the Kraken hesitated for a moment but then, with the fury of a parent who had lost its child, charged at me. At the same time, a fake Aura de¡ªa pseudo sword energy¡ªred atop my sword. The Kraken was burning its very life force to draw out more power. On the other hand, I was still too weak to fight it head-on. So, I chose to strengthen myself, even if it meant breaking my own body. By doping my already aura-enhanced body, I pushed it even further. BOOM!!! A massive tentacle came crashing down, creating a sonic boom. I was struck and sent flying, yet I wore a satisfied expression. My crushed body healed in an instant. The durability of my reinforced physique was also satisfactory. But there was no guarantee that Soul Shackle Magic or Luna¡¯s healing couldst forever. The Kraken visibly wavered as it witnessed my rapid regeneration. But it soon lunged at me again. Getting hit once was enough¡ªthere was no need for a second time. I shot forward, kicking off the ground with explosive force, tightening my grip on my sword. In the end, this brutal battle was a matter of time. Who would fall first? Who would deplete their opponent first? Fortunately, I had several advantages¡ª I possessed a cursed sword. I had experience fighting this creature before. And I had a vast reservoir of energy to sustain this fight. The problem was that my current swordsmanship wasn¡¯t refined enough to kill itpletely. I had to break past my limits and reach Sword Mastery right now. That woulde at a great cost. "I wanted to reachpletion first before breaking through¡­" I pointed my sword at the Kraken. At the same time, the cursed sword¡¯s crimson me-like pseudo sword energy flickered violently. [Nameless Sword Technique] [Rotation] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] In an instant, I closed the distance to the Kraken and swung my sword in a circr motion. sh!!! sh!!! Like a massive sphere spinning on its own, the sword aura spread outward, leaving a huge scar on the creature¡¯s tentacle. Since its defense had weakened, the attack was definitely effective, but gaining any greater advantage seemed difficult. This isn¡¯t enough. As the Kraken¡¯s counterattack rushed in, I narrowly dodged, barely grazing past the strike. My sword shed once more, leaving behind a crimson afterimage. Then how about this? I quickly pointed the tip of my sword downward before lifting it up, channeling necromantic mana into my thumb. Then, I ran my hand over the de of my cursed sword. [Rune Inscription] [Kallis] A strange, glowing symbol etched itself onto the de¡¯s surface, resonating with both the sword aura and the aura de. It was probably different from actual runes. The symbols I was using were ones I had created himself, embedding everything I had umted as a necromancer and naming them "runes" out of convenience. Sensing something unusual, the Kraken hurriedly tried to distance itself, but by then, my foot had already struck the ground. Swish!! In an instant, my sword elerated at an incredible speed and shed once again. Of course, the Kraken was a formidable entity in its own right. It swung all its tentacles at me, blocking every possible path of approach. By any objective measure, there was no space to evade. But to my eyes, a minute gap was visible. No opponent was perfect. And the moment that gap was revealed, I strung them together into a single opening and charged through. Shaaack!!! I slipped through the deadly tentacle tips at speeds faster than sound could follow. In response, the Kraken desperately condensed its venom into a liquid and spewed it out. Getting hit by that is not an option. The Kraken was blocking even the only path I had left. Dodging further while closing in was no longer possible. In that case¡­ I had no choice but to fight power with power. [Nameless Sword] [Revolution]@@novelbin@@ At the same time, several sword auras formed in the shape of rotating orbs, circling around the Kraken and cutting into its body. The resulting force tore through the ground nearby, leaving thendscape cracked and upturned. "Tsk!" My body periodically stiffened as the poison seeped into me, but each time, Luna¡¯s healing magic flew in to counteract it. When I turned my head, I saw Luna with her eyes closed, failing to hide her frustration. The rest of the subjugation squad had simr expressions. Shock. Disbelief. Not that it mattered at this moment. The Kraken¡¯s regeneration was stronger than I had expected. But that only meant it was being pushed into a corner. At the same time, my own side¡¯sck of firepower was bing clear. The pseudo-sword auras I was using were only imitations of true aura des. As the battle dragged on, the Kraken¡¯s body continued to suffer immense wounds, healing only to be injured again. Likewise, my own flesh was repeatedly torn apart by poison and attacks, only to regenerate time and time again. And yet, neither I nor the Kraken backed down, both fighting as if intent on ripping the other apart. Then, at that moment¡ª The Kraken¡¯s massive body suddenly swayed violently. The signal had arrived. That meant the Kraken had reached its absolute limit. In this war of attrition, the one who ran out of endurance first was the Kraken. Of course, it was aware of this too. That¡¯s why it made a desperate move. The creature shoved me away with a massive tentacle and then gathered all of its appendages into a single point. A high-temperature beam. I had blocked this attack once before. But this time, it was impossible. The Kraken knew that as well¡ªthis time, it was aiming to incinerate mepletely. And if the firepower had increased, half-hearted measures wouldn¡¯t work. After some thought, I dissipated the pseudo-sword aura stored in Elekstra. The Kraken let out a deafening roar, thinking I had given up. Shortly after, a blinding light began to flicker at the tips of its converged tentacles. I raised my sword skyward, positioning the hilt against his chest. If an Expert isn¡¯t enough¡­ I¡¯ll just have to be a Master. Thump¡­ Thump¡­ Thump¡­ The aura swirling around him forcibly bloomed. "Elder!!" At his call, Sword Saint Osberg, who had been gripping his sword, ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice, widened his eyes. "When I give the signal, cut down that magic with a single strike." If his strength wasn¡¯t enough, he would just have to borrow it. Though the distance between Osberg and the Kraken was vast, sending out a single sh of aura shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 80 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 80 Sssss¡­ Paaah! The faintly radiating aura suddenly erupted explosively. The aura circting through the body underwent an enormous transformation in an instant, altering its form, structure, and density. Breaking through the wall that had been put off for so long, I fully pioneered the realm of a Sword Master. The overwhelming rise in physical abilities and everything that had only been imitated until now emerged naturally, as if they had always been possible. Ideally, I would have taken more time to train my body before surpassing the wall, but at this point, that was impossible. The wall of the Sword Master.@@novelbin@@ In truth, the birth of a single Sword Master is only somewhat threatening to a Sea King-ss Kraken but not fatal. But I am not a typical case. The Kraken has yet to fully realize that the realm of the Sword Master I have transcended is vastly different from that of ordinary Sword Masters. As a golden, high-heat beam fires from the tip of the Kraken¡¯s tentacle, I immediately face the signal. "Now!" At the same time, an immense concentration of sword energy tore through the air from behind me. Its target was beyond the barrier¡ªa massive concealed magic circle barely visible above the Kraken''s head. The Kraken does not use magic because of knowledge; the magic circle is merely an embodiment of its instinctively wielded power. Crash!!! The sword energy ripped through the barrier and shattered the magic circle in an instant, leaving a massive scar in the air, proving that its wielder is no mere swordsman but the Sword Saint. As if that weren¡¯t enough, the attack leaft an enormous, irreparable wound on the Kraken¡¯s body. -Kyaaaahhh!!! Its power interrupted, the Kraken staggered in agony, and the scorching beam it fired burned the sky, its trajectory shifting upward into the heavens. A ck scar remains in the sky, as if a massive line had been drawn across it. Once again, he folds space and closes in on the Kraken in an instant. Sensing its impending doom, the Kraken raised its tentacles for a final counterattack. But it is not the only one with hidden tricks. "Muyeong." At my call, a ck misty swamp forms beneath my feet, and wraith wolf emerged, tearing into the Kraken. From six magic circles that instantly materialize in midair, ck spears rained down, piercing the Kraken''s tentacles and pinning them to the ground. -Kiiiek?! Its limbs restrained, the Kraken looked up at me in desperation. But it is already toote¡ªthe moment it looked up, I had already drawn out my aura de, stretching several meters long, and closed the distancepletely. "Hooah!" What is the most familiar action when wielding a sword? A downward sh. The most basic, fundamental movement found in every sword technique. The de descended, carving through the Kraken¡¯s body with an aura-infused strike. -Kyaaaahhh!!! In its agony, the Kraken ripped off one of its own tentacles in a desperate counterattack. But the Kraken was already on the brink of depletion. Its attack failed tond. Seeing how quickly my body was regenerating, the Kraken''s eyes widened in shock. Swoosh! Moving fluidly, I fiund another opening and delivered yet another downward sh. As my speed increases, so does the power of my strikes. The overwhelming force of my aura de,bined with the natural sharpness of the cursed sword Elekstra, was a fatal blow to the Kraken, which had abandoned defense in favor of regeneration and offense. Of course, the Kraken, enraged over the loss of its offspring, attacked with extreme fury, but I, trusting in Luna¡¯s healing abilities, swung my sword recklessly like an unyielding warrior. Swoosh! Swoosh!! Swoosh!!! The Kraken thrashed desperately, trying to escape, but it was already drained of life force¡ªthere was no strength left in it. In its eyes remained emotions of hatred, fury, and¡ª Fear. Fear of and-dwelling human who dares tough in the face of the ocean¡¯s apex predator. "Are you scared?" Leon asked in an eerie voice, gazing at the Kraken. Just like my parents must have been. -Kyaaaaah!!! However, the Kraken¡¯s attack is notpletely meaningless. Even at death¡¯s door, a Kraken¡¯s venom is still potent. Despite Luna¡¯s healing and the Soul Shackle spell, my body momentarily overloaded, disrupting my sword flow. Seizing the opportunity, the Kraken sacrificed its tentacle to wrap around Elekstra, holding it firmly in ce. My sword is stuck. But Leon¡¯s expression showed no sign of distress. "You caught me? So what?" Rather, I sneered at the Kraken. At that moment, an aura de erupted from my sword¡ªfar denser andrger than before. A technique that no ordinary Sword Master could imitate. Just as I had mimicked Sword Aura as an Expert, now as a Master, I imitated the techniques of a Mind Master. It¡¯s not impossible. After all, I had already warmed up with countless strikes. [Overdrive: Transcendence] [eleration] [Void Severance] BOOM!!! A deafening explosion echoed as the Kraken¡¯s tentacle was utterly annihted, scattering in all directions. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Itsst means of resistance now gone, the Kraken stared at Leon. Was it resignation in its eyes? Or something else? It didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that its weakness was nowpletely exposed. Without hesitation, Leon stomped his left foot down with immense force. Kwaaaang!!! A massive crater formed where his footnded, sending fractures tens of meters across the battlefield. Raising his sword high, Leon swung it down like a bolt of lightning. A radiant sh swept through the entire space in an instant. The Kraken, unable to resist any longer, was torn apart as though shredded by massive ws. * * * No matter how powerful a Sea King was, survival was impossible after its body was shredded. Its pupils began to dte rapidly, and the strength it had been holding onto slowly faded. At the same time, the endless stream of poison it had been releasing gradually dissipated. The death of the Sea King, feared as a catastrophe of the ocean for centuries, was quiet and pitiful. I didn¡¯t particrly care if someone was watching. If I had intended to hide my abilities, I wouldn¡¯t have acted so openly even within the Cascadia territory. As I sat down against the now-silent Kraken, exhaustion overwhelmed me. Crossing the threshold of a Sword Master elerated the transformation of my body. Most of the changes had already taken ce as nned, but some parts were still iplete. Even if I wasn¡¯t entirely sure, I probably needed some rest. ¡°Leon.¡± Luna calmly looked down at me, her voice cutting through the lingering poisonous mist. ¡°Did getting revenge make you feel better?¡± What exactly was the meaning behind Luna¡¯s question? I closed my eyes in silence before letting out a soft chuckle. ¡°It did.¡± Then, I leaned back and shut my eyes. ¡°I''m gonna sleep for a bit.¡± ¡°Get some proper rest.¡± With those words, Luna¡¯s gentle touch brushed against my hair, and I drifted into slumber. * * * Even though I had used Soul Shackles for recovery, I couldn¡¯t deny that I had pushed myself too far. Moreover, the strange emptiness that followed sessful revenge kept me lounging in bed for several days. It wasn¡¯t that I felt hollow about avenging myself against the Kraken. Rather, it was the bacsh from surpassing the threshold of a Sword Master much faster than expected. Lying in bed, I raised a hand. Tzzzt! A de of dense aura formed at my fingertips. A fully manifested Aura de¡ªthe symbol of a true Sword Master. I was already prepared to break throughpletely, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling a little regret. Still, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to let the final blow go to the subjugation force? Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t sent any updates to Melissa since I left to hunt the Kraken. She was probably fuming by now, but there wasn¡¯t much she could do about it. Knock, knock. ¡°Leon, food.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I¡¯ll eat¡ª¡± BANG! The door was kicked open, and Luna stepped inside, holding a small tray. On it sat a bowl of suspicious-looking porridge. ¡°Hey, are you paying for that door?¡± ¡°Quit whining and eat.¡± She strode toward me, grabbed me by the cor, and hauled me upright. She was always strong, but maybe because my body had grown exponentially stronger after breaking past the Sword Master threshold, her strength didn¡¯t feel as overwhelming anymore. Not that I resisted. She propped me up, grabbed a baguette, and shoved it straight into my mouth. ¡°Guhk!¡± ¡°Hurry up and eat. Who skips meals for three days?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s been three days already?¡± ¡°Are you sick? You don¡¯t look it.¡± ¡°No, just¡­ no appetite.¡± ¡°Is it that hard to eat?¡± She took a small bite of the bread and chewed it thoughtfully. ¡°Do I need to chew it for you and feed you myself?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the flirting all of a sudden? Anyway, what about Melissa? No word from her?¡± ¡°Nothing yet. And that wasn¡¯t flirting. Now shut up and eat.¡± As soon as I swallowed the bread, she poured the soup straight into my mouth. The hot liquid burned my tongue. ¡°Pwah!! Hey! You should never be anyone¡¯s caregiver.¡± ¡°Caregiving? This isn¡¯t caregiving.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ You lunatic.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m charming, aren¡¯t I?¡± Her flirting was seamless. She struck a strange pose, acting coquettishly right in front of me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I had seen her antics before, but this time, she was being unusually bold. I knew she held some affection for me, but I had no idea why. ¡°My apologies, Young Master. Lady Luna insisted on bringing the food herself¡­¡± I didn¡¯t need to look to know what was going on. The joy on her face from sessfully teasing me said it all. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°Most of the cleanup is done, but due to the Kraken¡¯s attack and two consecutive storms, many residents will have to stay in temporary shelters until the vige is rebuilt. The family is covering most of the costs.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°¡­Young Master.¡± ¡°Yes, Head Maid?¡± Misha, the head maid, bowed her head deeply. ¡°Thank you for saving the Lord.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 81 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 81 The head of the family, Catsey Mielephon. She had a conflict with the Kraken for some reason and was subjected to the Kraken¡¯s mental attack. In the process, I ended up teasing Isna due to a misunderstanding. ¡°And we investigated the cultist hideout you mentioned¡­¡± The cultists wouldn¡¯t have been hiding only in the Kraken¡¯s habitat. Since they were using fragments of the Demon Tree, there had to be others managing it elsewhere. ¡°Was there a problem?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± After a brief moment of hesitation, she carefully responded. ¡°When we found them, they had already been massacred.¡± ¡°A massacre? Who killed them?¡± ¡°Yes. Judging by the traces left behind, it seems to be the work of the Moon Watchers, a well-known secret organization in the Empire.¡± The Moon Watchers. I¡¯ve heard of them. The most infamous criminal organization on the continent. No one knows where they originated, their internal structure, or even their base of operations. There are plenty of secret organizations on this continent, but among them, the Moon Watchers¡ªdespite being the most recently formed¡ªhad quickly gained the greatest influence. The cultists must have been up to all sorts of schemes everywhere, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they had crossed paths with the Moon Watchers. Both were criminal groups, but in this case, it seemed the Moon Watchers had done part of my job for me. ¡°Did you find the tree there?¡± This time, the one who answered wasn¡¯t Misha, the head maid, but someone else. ¡°No. There wasn¡¯t a single trace of a tree.¡± A girl wearing a doll mask. I knew her true identity. ¡°Lady Isna, why do you look like that again?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing~ I just thought it would be fun?¡± Yeah, understanding this woman is impossible. When I silently stared at her, she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The full-body doll mask she wore was simr to the one I had seen before. It was likely using the same technique to erase her presence. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°Of course not~.¡± ¡°The smell of blood is so strong that I thought you were injured.¡± At my calm remark, she let out an ambiguousugh. ¡°Hehehe. Are you perhaps¡­ worried about me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± When I didn¡¯t deny it, she seemed momentarily flustered and fell silent. ¡°Anyway, we have a guest.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± As soon as she said that, footsteps echoed from beyond, and someone walked in. Seeing the figure, my expression twisted. Why the hell are you here? ¡°Hey, what about your territory? Why are you all the way here?¡± ¡°Lady Isna, excuse me, but may I speak with my brother for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course~ I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± With a yful grin, Isna immediately left the room. Then the intruder, Melissa Cascadia, strode towards me with purpose. I raised a hand to stop her and quickly assessed the situation. Something felt off. ¡°You alone?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m single.¡± No, I don¡¯t care about your love life, little sister. With aposed face, she asked me, ¡°This is Imperial territory. Are you nning to start a war by bringing an army here? More importantly, are you injured?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°The Kraken?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dead. I¡¯m nning to ce its core on our parents¡¯ and Arsha¡¯s graves.¡± ¡°¡­Do you have any idea how worried I was? Can I hit you just once?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not.¡± I understood how much Melissa must have worried. Her older brother suddenly left for the Pascalia Empire, iming he had found information on a Kraken¡ªthe Sea King species, known as a living disaster¡ªand then set off to hunt it. If the situation had been reversed, I would have tracked her down and smacked her until sparks flew. Thinking about the emotional turmoil she must have gone through, one hit might be¡­ Not a chance. Why should I get hit? The moment I instinctively tried to leap out the window¡ª ¡°Luna, if you catch that bastard, I¡¯ll buy you a fridge to store your snacks.¡± Luna had more money than Melissa, but since she found the purchasing process troublesome, she only used what Melissa bought for her. Smack!! Instantly bribed, Luna grabbed onto me without hesitation. I could easily shake her off with my physical strength, but I didn¡¯t. Despite her curvaceous figure, she was petite, so it felt like a cicada clinging to an ancient tree. ¡°Hey, Luna Basilin, think carefully. Who¡¯s the one actually filling that snack stash?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about that after I get the fridge.¡± ¡°Melissa, you¡¯ve been practicing the Heavenly Demon Sword Technique I taught you, right? If I test you and you¡¯recking¡­¡± ¡°Actually, I was about to show you.¡± Boom!!! ¡°Because of you, I¡¯m going to die young! Just die already!!¡± Melissa¡¯s flying kicknded squarely on me. One thing was certain. Melissa Cascadia¡ªthe Margrave of Cascadia and my little sister¡ªwas nothing like the refined, demure noblewomen. She was aplete wildcat. * * * Apletely destroyed cave. Due to Leon¡¯s scheme, all of the Kraken¡¯s eggs had been caught in an explosion and were obliterated. No signs of life could be felt in the cave, which had mostly copsed. Yet, within the rubble, something began to pulse. It slowly throbbed, emitting a violet glow that spread outward, causing the fallen rocks to tremble. ¡ª Bur¡­n¡­ A voice, or something like it, resonated through the cave. Thenguage was too bizarre to be called anguage¡ªit was iprehensible, yet its meaning was clear to all. ¡ª¡­R¡­ The pulsating waves of violet light continued to utter unknown words. ¡ªCall it¡­ Atst, a word that could be fully understood. What was it asking to be called? In the midst of this darkness, the voice elerated. Then, with a massive surge of energy, something emerged from the shattered rocks and floated into the air. It was none other than the Book of the Lion, which Leon had burned. The Necronomicon, a tome that summoned ancient gods. But had Leon been present, he would have instinctively known¡ª [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] That was no ancient god. It was something darker, something far more monstrous. ¡ªSpeak my name. The Book of the Lion, hovering in the empty void of the cave, continued to repeat the samemand. This went on for about ten minutes. [Yo¡­ gu.] Then, impossibly, a voice rang out in a ce where no answer should exist. It came from thepletely shattered, liquefied remains of a Kraken egg. A Kraken could not speak. It was an intelligent creature, but one driven more by instinct than intellect. And a Kraken hatchling? It was a being ruled solely by instinct. Yet here was a dead, liquefied Kraken¡ªspeaking. This was no ordinary sight. FWOOOOSH!!! At that moment, a violent surge of violet light exploded from the Necronomicon, scattering massive chunks of flesh. The cave began to transform¡ªits walls pulsating like the insides of a living creature, tentacles sprouting in all directions. Those tentacles stretched outward, piercing into both the Necronomicon and the ruined egg. Thump¡­ thump¡­ A sound echoed, as if a heartbeat had begun. ¡ªSpeak¡­ my name. Once again, themand was issued. The lifeless egg, now covered in grotesque flesh, pulsated. Then¡ª With a squelching tear, the flesh split open, revealing an enormous eye. [Yo¡­ gu.] With that single utterance, the heartbeat grew louder. It was as if something was being born. At the same time.@@novelbin@@ A mysterious presence standing beside Leon¡ª[The Librarian]¡ªdetected something. [Premonition of the Blood Moon detected. However, anomaly vanished within a fraction of a second. Assuming temporary error. Requesting log review. Report withheld.] For just a brief instant, the anomaly was caught in the Librarian¡¯s perception. * * * The Pascalia Empire housed numerous magic towers. From small-scale towers to those rivaling the greatest noble houses. Mages belonged to these towers, forming a unique society of their own. Among them, the Gaifen Tower was an upper-ranked institution. A 5th-circle mage, Berhem, was currently reporting to his superior. His priority was to report on a young, reckless mage who had attacked a Corpse Golem¡ªa fragment of the Demon Tree¡ªduring the Kraken subjugation. ¡°This is the full ount of the Kraken subjugation.¡± -So that brat caused an incident¡­ ¡°The Sword Saint is furious. He¡¯s not showing it outwardly, but¡­¡± -I know. People of my generation all understand. Hmph, that kid¡¯s magic career is over. He probably hadn¡¯t meant for things to turn out this way. It was simply a mistake born of fear. Perhaps, under different circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t have been such a catastrophe. But this was a mission where many had staked their lives. There was no room for failure from an unqualified recruit. However, that was not the main issue. ¡°As I reported, this concerns Leon Cascadia, the eldest son of the Margrave of Cascadia.¡± -Yes, I¡¯ve heard the story. To be honest, I can¡¯t believe it. Even within the towers, 6th-circle mages are extremely rare. Even among the continent¡¯s most powerful magic towers, Master-level 6th-circle mages were few and far between. Yet this one was unaffiliated? The fact that he was a necromancer was irrelevant¡ªtowers specialized in different types of magic, but they did not discriminate. More astonishing was his age. -A mere teenager reaching the 6th circle¡­ Hah. Unbelievable. We might have to rewrite the list of the continent¡¯s greatest prodigies. ¡°To be frank, his magic is impressive, but what I value the most is his magitech skills.¡± -I was going to ask about that. You mentioned five devices. What¡¯s the analysis? ¡°Shall I be honest?¡± Berhem let out a dry chuckle. ¡°To put it simply, we couldn¡¯t understand a single one of them.¡± -What? ¡°To be blunt, they are leagues beyond our current technological level. From their structure to theirposition, I¡¯m no expert in magitech, but¡­ Elder Repal said the technology feels centuries ahead of our own.¡± -Hah¡­ If even Elder Repal says that¡­ we must secure him at all costs. If word gets out, every magic tower will be desperate to recruit him. This was no exaggeration. Magic towers, starving for talent, would never let a prodigy like Leon slip through their fingers. ¡°How much support can we offer?¡± -A 6th-circle Grand Mage, on top of overwhelming magitech capabilities. Frankly, I don¡¯t understand how such a boy has reached this level¡­ but we can¡¯t ignore the results. We¡¯ll offer him first-ss treatment. If he joins another tower, the loss would be catastrophic. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 82 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 82@@novelbin@@ "Honestly, the chances are low, but I will do my best to recruit him." To them, Leon was a talent they absolutely could not afford to lose. * * * After the Kraken subjugation, I could tell that the way people looked at me had changed. Among those gazes, some saw me as a monster of talent or something beyond that. And understandably so. It''s not that geniuses don''t exist among teenagers. But nowhere in the history of the continent has there been a teenager who mastered 6th-circle necromancy and achieved the rank of Sword Master. More than that, those who realized that everything about the Kraken battle had been meticulously nned from start to finish must have felt even more bewildered. Of them, the only ones whose attitudes toward me remained unchanged were Isna Mielephon and the Sword Saint Osberg. "Take care." The elderly man carrying an unconscious Isna on his back smiled faintly. The reason Isna had passed out was simple. She had injured herself by tripping during one of her usual antics at dawn. Then, in her reckless nature, she had tried to cause a ruckus again and ended up getting subdued and knocked out by Osberg. "Yes. Sorry for leaving the clean-up to you." "No need to apologize. It was originally our duty. Without you, not only would we have suffered tremendous losses, but the subjugation itself might have failed." There was no doubt that the Sword Saint was strong. But by human standards. In a battle at sea against a Kraken, a disaster-ss sea king, victory was uncertain at best. It was already a miracle that Mielephon¡¯s patriarch, Catsey Mielephon, returned alive. Perhaps even the Kraken itself had deemed it unworthy to entertain itself with a mere hunt, so it had let her go after wounding her. The leader of the subjugation force, Beren, had also changed his attitude toward me. Before, his words carried a hint of distrust and concern, but after the battle, he no longer hid his respect and gratitude. "Sorry for not giving you a proper send-off." "Commander, please take care as well." "We all owe you our lives." The meaning behind his words was the same as the Sword Saint''s. He had surely prepared extensively for the Kraken subjugation, but the Kraken had more tricks up its sleeve than expected. He must have felt a lot about it deep down. The rest of the subjugation knights were the same. While they couldn''t fully conceal their astonishment at my monstrous talent, they were overwhelmingly positive toward me. Behind my back, I even heard murmurs about how the Sword Saint had truly picked the perfect husband for Isna. Some even said that, contrary to my appearance, I was extremely aggressive and masculine. After all, I had erected a barrier, inhaled deadly poison to the point of destroying my body, and still fought the Kraken in a one-on-one battle. Thanks to that, a knight I encountered during a meal gave me an exaggerated thumbs-up, creating an absurd scene. And about that husband talk¡­ Even though I had somehow ended up engaged¡­ Well. I had a feeling this engagement wouldn¡¯tst long. Engagements were often broken over trivial matters, and circumstances could always change. Meanwhile, there were those who were truly bothersome. "Lord Leon! Join our Magic Tower. I shall report this incident to my Tower Master and ensure you receive the highest treatment!" "But I¡¯m not an elemental mage." "Haha, what age do you think we live in? Such outdated distinctions don¡¯t matter! In all my life, I have never seen such an extraordinary¡ªno, unparalleled¡ªspecimen¡­ I mean, budding mage! No, actually, given your skills and mastery of magitech, you are no mere sapling¡ªyou are already a towering tree!" I had heard that the Magic Towers were desperate for talent, and apparently, that was no lie. Initially, it was the mages who had shown the most resistance to my decisions. But now, they were the most eager to win me over. "I¡¯ll consider it for now." "You must! If I had my way, I¡¯d have you sign the documents this very moment¡­!" "Hey! You sneaky bastard! Don''t you dare im him first! Lord Leon! Forget them,e to our Magic Tower instead! We¡¯ll offer even better treatment!" "Hmph! Know your ce! A minor Magic Tower dares topete with us?" The mages sent as envoys hade from different Magic Towers, and they were now acting as if they were bidding for me in an auction. But not everyone was friendly toward me. There was one person who could not conceal his tant hostility. "¡­¡­." "Don''t mind him. That¡¯s just the kind of person he is." "Who is he?" He looked about my age. Judging by his mana flow, he was around the 3rd circle. He wasn¡¯t without talent, but if asked about his future prospects¡­ Well, let¡¯s just say the answer wouldn¡¯t be promising. Had he at least been in thetter half of the 3rd circle, that would be one thing, but from the instability of his mana flow, it was clear he had only recently broken into the 3rd circle. "He¡¯s actually the son of a high-ranking noble. He wouldn''t have been allowed to join the subjugation force, but¡­ well, politics." Ah, a parachute recruit. Now that I thought about it, he was the one who fired a piece of the Demon Tree¡¯s fragment. Osberg had been furious enough to nearly kill him, and it took multiple people to hold him back. Because of that, this noble brat, who had once acted so arrogantly under the protection of his family''s influence, had his reputation utterly destroyed. Well, if you''re going to ride on connections, you should at least know when to keep your head down. Once you make a fatal mistake in realbat, no one is going to protect you. Besides, his personality didn¡¯t seem particrly pleasant either. The only reason he wasn¡¯t openlyshing out at me was obvious. Dismissing me as a minor noble from a backwater kingdom was one thing, but the Mielephon family¡¯s backing was too formidable to ignore. That said, it seemed his sponsors and he himself had intended to make him one of the most celebrated figures of the subjugation force. But I hadpletely shattered that n, which was likely why he was so bitter. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Indeed, since the incident, he hadn¡¯t evene to offer me an apology. He must have felt too humiliated. Honestly, part of me wanted to grab him by the head, m him into the ground, and forcibly teach him the meaning of etiquette and apologies. But seeing how Osberg was already watching him with a predatory gleam in his eyes, I figured I didn''t need to bother. Osberg Mielephon might have seemed like a kind and benevolent man, but one of his old nicknames said it all. The Mad Wolf of Mielephon. There was a time when he was called that. "At least, that¡¯s how I see it. That brat has fallen out of favor with the Sword Saint, so no matter how noble he is, his future won¡¯t be easy." A mage approached me with a friendly smile, exining the situation. "Thanks for the exnation, but I don¡¯t really care." Truthfully, I had initially nned to crush him upon my return. But since his recklessness had led us to the cultists and, most importantly, the Necronomicon¡ªthe biggest threat¡ªwe had been able to locate and destroy it first. If we hadn¡¯t known about it beforehand, things could have gone very wrong. "Haha, even the demeanor of a magnanimous person!" No, why do they keep trying to wrap everything in a positive light? Do they want something from me? That thought onlysted a moment. The mages cautiously asked me, "Young Master, would you be willing to sell the five devices you used to hunt the Kraken to our magic tower?" "...Excuse me?" Now that I think about it, didn''t the magic tower develop a jamming artifact? Since those devices blocked the Kraken''s mental attacks on a wide scale, it''s no wonder they are incredibly interested in them. After some contemtion, I shook my head. "I''m sorry, but I must refuse." Even if I sold them, they wouldn¡¯t be able to understand how they worked. The Heart of the Machine God doesn¡¯t just change form¡ªit can even alter its internal structure. At first, I thought it was made of simple iron or metal, but in reality, it might be softer than gold or more heat-resistant than titanium. This is still an advanced technology for them. At least, that''s what I believe. Arrogant? Overconfident? Do I think no one else could analyze something I created on my own? To be brutally honest¡ªyes. If they could, then magitechnology on this continent wouldn''t be at its current level. Besides, I¡¯m not the type to just hand over my trump cards to others. "Is there... truly no way? I may not be a magitechnician myself, but even I can tell how incredible those devices are... I''m even willing to offer a hefty price¡ª" "I must politely decline." "...Ugh. Fine, I''ll withdraw for now. Persisting any further wouldn¡¯t be courteous. However, if my predictions are correct, other magic towers wille to approach you frequently, Young Master." No, just don¡¯t try persuading me in the first ce. These people really are stubborn, like whale tendons. Typical mages. Even as they left, some still asked how I became an Archage at such a young age and whether I had a teacher. A teacher? I did have one. The problem is, they all got "teacher out!"¡ªby dying at my hands. Since, in the end, I had no teacher, I chose to remain silent, and the mages, finding it hard to press further, finally withdrew. And now¡ª I received one of the Kraken''s cores as my reward. Melissa and I agreed on this; we didn¡¯t even want to look at the other parts. That disgusting octopus bastard took my family from me. Even though I got my revenge, my parents and my adorable youngest sibling would nevere back. That bitter truth weighed heavily on me. As a result, we started our return to Cascadia much earlier than nned. Seated in the carriage, Luna, Melissa, and I stared at each other. Hostility? Tension? In that heavy atmosphere, the first one to move was Melissa. "Now!" She quickly flipped over the card in front of her. It revealed three strawberries. In front of me¡ªtwo strawberries. In front of Luna¡ªfour bananas. Five in total. Bingo. I immediately reached out to ring the bell at the center¡ªonly to flinch and retract my hand at thest moment. BANG!!! Luna¡¯s absurdly strong palm strike crushed the bell t like a piece of paper. Even if I had hit it first, she wouldn¡¯t have stopped. If I had, my hand probably would have ended up as crushed as that bell. "......" Melissa and I, faces pale, turned to Luna and asked, "Just curious... but were you always this strong? Why do you seem to be getting stronger?" "I''m useless. I''m not even using 10% of my strength." That¡¯s less than 10% of her full power?! When we first met, she wasn''t this strong. Speechless, I just stared at thepletely ttened bell and shook my head. I must be insane¡ªfor making a game for these lunatics. "This is fun. Let¡¯s y again." As Luna pulled out a spare bell with a bright smile, Melissa cleared her throat and looked away. I, too, subtly covered my pile of cards with my palm and scattered them onto the carriage floor. "...How about we just have some snacks?" The moment the first bell rang, the game had already been destroyed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 84 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 84 "A very good choice." Of course, neither Melissa nor I had the heart to push her away when she naturally became part of our little world. The truth was, both of us longed for someone''s warmth. She was the one who brought life back to the once-quiet Cascadia household. Even if there had been a request, it was ultimately our decision to bring her along. So, when I filled her refrigerator to the brim, she finally looked satisfied and hugged it tightly. "But if you have a subspace, why don''t you just store things there? Do you really need a refrigerator?" "There is a special taste in eating things cold." Sure, if she says so. It had been about two weeks since we returned to the Cascadia estate. For the first few days, life was rather monotonous and peaceful. But that peace didn¡¯tst long. "Give me your opinion." That day, Melissa was waiting for us with a serious expression. It was our usual meaningless small talk disguised as a meeting. The three of us¡ªMelissa, myself, and Luna, who was technically just a guest but had practically be a permanent resident¡ªalways had these discussions. "Did something go wrong? The mines?" I asked, but she shook her head. "No, the mines are running smoothly. But..." The issue she brought up was something else entirely. "The knights and soldiers monitoring the Demon Realm are too exhausted." It was a serious problem. The morale of the troops is directly tied to theirbat ability. "Recently, there have been incidents, and many knights who had left the territory have returned¡­ but still¡­" Manpower wascking, and the systems to take care of them hadrgely copsed. "So, what do you want to do?" "At the very least, I want to create something that allows them to properly rest when they¡¯re off duty." That was her idea. They couldn''t afford to neglect their monitoring duties. Moreover, given the nature of the Demon Realm, they couldn¡¯t just hire any random people to take over. So at the very least, she wanted to provide a way for those on duty to rest properly after their shifts. I closed my eyes in thought.@@novelbin@@ It was true that soldiers being worn down had been a longstanding problem. I understood their hardships well enough to empathize. Then, it happened. "I¡¯d love to send them on vacation, but¡­" "I saw it in this noble travel guide. Vacations mean beaches. Like,ing back from a hard mission and lying on a beach, drinking something cool." Luna held up a book that had detailed illustrations of vacation spots. Of course, it didn¡¯t really seem like a ce knights would enjoy. "Ah, the sea¡­ I used to like it too. I¡¯ve barely been to one, though¡­ and now, I can¡¯t really enjoy it the same way anymore." Melissa¡¯s expression hardened. The sea must have been where she lost her family. "Or, there are scenic ces with natural wonders. It says here that the neighboring continent has a massive waterfall." "Wow, I¡¯ve never been to a ce like that¡­ Wait, how did we even get to this conversation?" "Leon, isn¡¯t it nice?" Luna turned to me and asked. "Yeah, sure. Rxing on a beach and listening to the waves sounds great. But what¡¯s the point? Are you saying we should send the knights and soldiers there on vacation? That¡¯s ridiculous." "We''ll just make one." I stared at her, dumbfounded by her confident statement. "What?" "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and make one." "Cascadia is ind, you idiot. How the hell am I supposed to make a beach?" "That¡¯s for you to figure out, Leon." "What kind of lunatic are you?" As Luna grinned mischievously, Melissa nodded along. "Yeah. Whatever it is, we need to create something the knights and soldiers can enjoy." Seeing the two of them in perfect sync, practically staging a protest, I fell into thought. Now that I looked at it, it was clear they were just messing with me. Without hesitation, I stood up and grabbed one of the disposable artifacts ced on a nearby shelf. mming it down onto the table, I dered boldly: "Let there be light." "Ah!" Boom! "Ack! My eyes!!" With a loud noise, the artifact exploded, releasing an immense sh of light. It was a sh artifact. * * * The Cascadia territory contained a Demon Realm. Because of that, the Cascadia family had long deployed knights and soldiers in shifts to monitor designated areas. If they noticed any unusual monster activity, they would either lure them away or exterminate them. As a result, the Cascadia family regrly rotated its knights and soldiers, stationing them at lodges near the Demon Realm to maintain surveince. This was the key issue. In most other territories, soldiers and knights weren¡¯t too restricted in their actions. Their range of movement was mostly within their own territory, so they could live rtively freely. Off-duty knights could visit taverns, enjoy their personal time, or even stop by brothels. But in Cascadia, such things were impossible. The only entertainment they had was the asional snacks delivered by supply teams entering the Demon Realm. Lately, however, the knights had found a new pastime¡ªcollecting moonstones. "Sir, look at this one." "Oh, that¡¯s a pretty big one this time." Moonstones¡ªmysterious, colorful stones asionally found in the Demon Realm. Their sizes ranged from as small as a fingernail to as big as a fist. No one knew where these moonstones came from, but some spected that they were fragments of the moon that had fallen from the sky. That was why they were called moonstones. Of course, aside from their beautiful colors, they were just ordinary stones. Even though they were rare, they weren¡¯t particrly valuable. So why did fully grown knights and soldiers bother collecting them? Because they were bored out of their minds. A few months might be fine, but each deployment to the Demon Realmsted anywhere from three to six months. Since they had to carry out nothing but surveince duties in the forest for such a long period, the greatest challenge was enduring the excruciating boredom. That¡¯s why, after trying this and that to kill time, they had recently taken an interest in farming moonstones. ¡°Sir Balin, take a look at this.¡± ¡°Oh... That¡¯s quite a big one. Where did you find it?¡± ¡°Come on, sir. I can¡¯t just tell you for free.¡± Some might say it was a childish hobby. In truth, it was a meaningless collection. But the knights and soldiers were excruciatingly bored! Of course, monitoring the Demon Realm and carrying out subjugation missions required them to stay on high alert, but that was only exciting the first few times. When it became routine, the crushing boredom was inevitable. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] So, even those who initially scoffed at the idea of collecting moonstones eventually started taking an interest. ng! The tightly shut door suddenly swung open, letting in a cold draft. The Demon Realm was always freezing, after all. Except for those delivering supplies, no one ever visited this ce. So who on earth hade here now? ¡°Huh?¡± The knights and soldiers, who had been chatting away, blinked in confusion at the unexpected guest. Then, their eyes widened in shock, and they shot up from their seats. ¡°Y-Young Master?! How did you¡­?¡± The one who had suddenly arrived at the lodge was none other than Leon. Leon Cascadia, the eldest son of the Cascadia family. ¡°You¡¯re all working hard,¡± He said calmly as he stepped inside, his eyes glinting with interest. ¡°I heard something interesting from some knights who recently returned.¡± ¡°Something interesting? What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°I heard that collecting moonstones has be a trend among the knights and soldiers on dutytely.¡± Leon¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. The knights and soldiers, feeling an ominous chill, quickly hid the moonstones they had been proudly disying just moments ago under the table. They were just moonstones, but for some reason, the moment they saw Leon, they had an instinctive urge to hide them. However, Leon had no intention of letting such trivial hobbies slide. ¡°Bring them all here.¡± Leon was ruthless. ¡°Aaah! Young Master! Please! Not those¡­!¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯ll get you even better onester!¡± The merciless plunderer didn¡¯t hesitate. He brazenly raided the soldiers¡¯ storage chests and every corner of the lodge, sweeping up everyst moonstone they had painstakingly gathered. The knights and soldiers, who had long suffered through soul-crushing boredom, could only watch in silent despair as their treasures were stolen before their eyes. Arge sack swallowed up every single moonstone the surveince team had worked so hard to collect. The knights could do nothing but stare at the departing Leon with the same anguish as parents watching their child being taken away. * * * About two hours before I looted the lodge¡­ At Melissa¡¯s request, I was pondering what could be used to improve the knights¡¯ welfare. But no matter how much I thought about it, there weren¡¯t many viable options. Lack of materials. Lack of time. Even if I altered and restructured things, most ideas required either a significant amount of time or resources. In the end, my options were extremely limited. But even the idea I had in mind came with one major problem. A shortage of moonstones. Moonstones¡ªfragments of the moon¡ªwere considered utterly useless stones. And yet, they were difficult to obtain. The real issue was that these so-called useless stones were the key to my current n. With a special refining process, their molecr structure could be altered to form a unique pattern whenbined with certain metals. And only moonstones could do that. ¡°Where the hell am I supposed to find moonstones¡­?¡± Even the merchant guilds found moonstones difficult to procure. Especially since I needed a significant quantity. ¡°Moonstones? Well, there are plenty inside the Demon Realm¡­ but gathering them takes a lot of time. What do you need them for?¡± ¡°What do you think? You told me toe up with a welfare system for the knights.¡± If I was going to do this, I might as well create something unprecedented in the entire continent. ¡°Should I just flip the entire Demon Realm upside down¡­?¡± ¡°How much do you need?¡± ¡°If I want to gather as many as possible¡­ it¡¯ll take quite a bit of time.¡± Using undead minions would speed things up drastically, but it wasn¡¯t like the Demon Realm was overflowing with moonstones, so there were clear limitations. Honestly, unless I had already stockpiled them, collecting arge amount wouldn¡¯t be easy. Just then, I spotted a group of knights returning to the estate. Riding their horses back, they looked visibly relieved to be home. These were the knights who hadpleted their watch over the Demon Realm and were finally being relieved from duty. Since they had just returned from their most honorable task, Cascadia always held a weing ceremony for them. While Melissa was preparing to do just that, my gaze fell on something else they carried. ¡°Heh. Look at this magnificent glow.¡± ¡°Haha, old man. It¡¯s still nothingpared to mine.¡± ¡°Hah! You just got lucky, kid¡­¡± As they basked in the relief of their return, I approached them without hesitation. Looking them over, I asked, ¡°Moonstones?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Young Master?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 85 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 85 At my question, they looked at me slowly, their expressions filled with confusion. Then, as I continued speaking, their faces turned pale. ¡°Bring everything.¡± * * * Havingpleted his shift in the Demon Realm and returning to his family for the first time in a while, the old knight Rembel had no choice but to watch Leon scrape up everyst piece of moonstone with a look of despair. Collecting moonstones had always been a hobby for them, but it was also an undeniable sign of neglecting their duties. However, in Cascadia, minor indulgences like these had always been overlooked, so they never really saw it as a problem. But Leon was different. With his eyes wide open, he tracked down everyst moonstone with a near-supernatural precision, even uncovering the final pieces hidden deep within their armor, confiscating them all. ¡°Is this everything?¡± At his question, old knight Rembel clutched his aching heart and nodded. ¡°Yes, young master. That is all.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Young master, please. This is the only hobby I have left in my old age. Just a little mercy¡­¡± ¡°Tsk. I told you, I¡¯ll get you something better.¡± When Leon carelessly brushed aside his plea, Rembel¡¯s expression darkened with despair. Why did he have to get caught now, of all times? What terrible luck! If only he had returned a littleter, none of this would have happened. Now, he would have to endure watching the other knights proudly show off their moonstones while swallowing his frustration. Rembel was utterly miserable. Then, Leon¡¯s words suddenly caught his attention. ¡°Hm. There¡¯s quite a lot, but this is nowhere near enough¡­¡± At that, Rembel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Young master.¡± ¡°Hm? What is it?¡± ¡°There are more moonstones.¡± If I can¡¯t have them, I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re all destroyed! I won¡¯t go down alone! And that was how Leon ended up raiding the Demon Realm¡¯s surveince outpost. * * *@@novelbin@@ After humanely collecting the moonstones from countless knights and soldiers, I gathered them all in one ce to assess my haul. ¡°Hey. I heard you went around robbing the knights of their moonstones? What are you doing? You should let them keep small indulgences like that.¡± Melissa¡¯s argument made sense. I wasn¡¯t oblivious to the hardships they faced, and if they weren¡¯t allowed even this much, their morale could plummet in an instant. ¡°What are you talking about? You told me to set up a welfare system, and this is how I¡¯m doing it.¡± ¡°¡­And what exactly are you nning to do with moonstones?¡± ¡°A data storage unit.¡± More precisely, something that could store specific information. ¡°Data¡­ what? What even is that?¡± ¡°Just watch.¡± Without hesitation, I ced my hand on the gathered moonstones. At the same time, the Heart of the Machine God activated, and an immense stream of information about the moonstones and their impurities flowed into me. What I needed was 100% pure moonstone. Even though I had gathered enough to fill an entire room, only a fraction would remain once refined. But that didn¡¯t matter. It was enough to create a prototype for instation in the outpost. Sorting through the information on impurities and pure moonstone, I began the refining process. Refining moonstones typically required an immense amount of time and effort. However, the Heart of the Machine God was a power I had obtained in ce of vast amounts of mana. In truth, if used properly, this heart could even turn weapons into scrap metal. Since it was a power specialized in analyzing and restructuring matter, I could bypass the usual refining steps entirely. Soon, a brilliant light enveloped the moonstones, separating the massive collection into a lump of impurities and a small pile of pure moonstone. What once filled an entire room had shrunk to merely enough to fit two or three people. But I was satisfied. ¡°The purity is higher than I expected. This should be enough.¡± ¡°My god¡­ What even is this?¡± Melissa muttered in disbelief, unable toprehend what she was witnessing. ¡°This is pure moonstone? The color is unusual¡­¡± ¡°Technically, it¡¯s altered moonstone. Its molecr structure has been changed.¡± Normally, refining moonstone would require an extreme high-pressure, high-temperature process. But I didn¡¯t need that. The purified moonstone was then divided into pieces about the size of circuit boards. Next, I gathered some pre-prepared materials and processed them again. For this step, I needed to have a clear blueprint in my mind. Unlike refining raw materials, this required a significantly higher level of precision. But that wasn¡¯t an issue. I already had a detailed mental blueprint of the final product. I had designed something simr in Labyrinthos several times for other purposes. After about five seconds, the moonstone fragments glowed before transforming into emerald-colored gemstones. I picked up one of the gems and immediately activated necromantic magic. Back in the Hall of Sages, necromantic magic was strictly prohibited. So even if I wanted to create something like this, I had to rely on alternative methods. But here, it was different. Here, I could use magic. I had also mastered swordsmanship and hand-to-handbat. In other words, I didn¡¯t have to rely solely on magitech to achieve results. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] [Memory Reloading] I stored a portion of my memory using necromantic magic, embedding it into the gemstone as a medium. I didn¡¯t know much about elemental magic, but when it came to human memory and souls, nothing could surpass necromancy. Normally, I would have had to encode the data manually. But with necromantic magic specializing in memory maniption, that step was unnecessary. Then, using the Heart of the Machine God, I engraved aplex magic circle onto the surface of the gemstone. Afterward, Ibined the gemstones with specific materials I had gathered in advance, creating a prototype. The design was alreadyplete. I had refined simr items countless times in Labyrinthos for different applications. To test the prototype, I held thepleted device and generated a specific wavelength. Normally, I would need additional equipment to produce this frequency. But since I could now use magic, I generated it manually. Immediately, the moonstone glowed, and I felt something connect to my consciousness. Instead of resisting the strange sensation, I epted it. My vision blurred. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in an empty void. There was absolutely nothing here. But a smile crept onto my lips. [Staying in this space for an extended period may ce a significant burden on the soul.] I was already aware of the librarian''s warning. "Hmm. Let''s try adding a code." I immediately stretched out my fingertips and focused my necromantic mana. Then, I devised a specific code and spread it in all directions. Light began to burst forth around me, dispersing like electrical signals. As if light wereing into existence ording to the will of a god at the dawn of creation. "Not bad." What I had just created was none other than a multi-linked illusionary space. By processing a special medium called moonstone along with various materials simultaneously, I linked them together and developed a technique that could immerse human consciousness into a hypnotic state without side effects. Here, people¡¯s consciousness lingers in a designated space as if they were caught in an illusion. That space was constructed by coding fragments of memories that I had just reloaded using memory-reloading magic. What exactly is this? A simr concept existed in my previous life on Earth. A sort of pseudo-virtual reality. If one cannot enjoy the ocean while living in the mountains, then the solution is simple¡ªcreate a virtual ocean. * * * A week passed as I gathered moonstones. During that time, I devoted myself entirely to processing the moonstone into an artifact in my workshop. It didn¡¯t require anything particrly borate or intricate. A vast white beach, coral scattered all around, and schools of tropical fish swimming in groups. A sun identical to the real one, yet emitting light that had no effect on the skin. Yes, everything here was fake. A meticulously crafted illusion. By holding thepleted artifact and uttering a specialmand, it would activate, linking itself to the user¡¯s consciousness. In other words, even while stationed at an observation post in the mountains, one could enjoy the ocean during their break time. I had sessfully implemented the ocean, but the rest was still beyond my reach. Since I couldn¡¯t code other people¡¯s memories, I could only build it based on my own. "Not bad at all." A parasol and a sunbed were ced on the beach. Lunayfortably on the sunbed, holding a drink in one hand and leisurely enjoying the sea breeze. She wore a one-piece swimsuit and sunsses. In fact, about half of the items in this ce slightly differed from those of the Lazarus continent. "How is it? Do you feel any sense of dissonance?" "It¡¯s not bad. If it were too realistic, it might feel unnatural, so this level is just right." Luna answered while slightly lifting the edge of her sunsses, even though her eyes were closed. I had no idea why she even bothered wearing sunsses if she was going to keep her eyes closed the whole time. As she said, this was an illusion, not reality, so I had implemented various mechanisms to prevent confusion between the two. A good example was the enormous magical constetion floating in the sky. A massive constetion, visible even during the day, was an obvious deviation from reality, regrly reminding anyone using the artifact that this was not the real world. Additionally, I had incorporated an interface resembling a game menu in the users'' field of view, disying options to exit and ess various amenities. "Is all of that really necessary?" A voice came from below my feet. It was none other than Melissa, who was buried in the sand with only her head sticking out. She had originally imed to dislike the ocean, but after testing it a few times, she seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. The sea had taken her family away. If she hadn¡¯t sobbed her heart out after taking down the Kraken, she would likely have still avoided the ocean entirely. Of course, the psychological assurance that this sea was 100% safe probably yed a role, too. "Why do you keep reinforcing the idea that this isn¡¯t real?" "If reality and illusion be mixed, idents can happen. But for someone who dislikes the ocean, you sure are enjoying yourself." At my remark, she fell silent for a moment before turning her head away. Judging by her reaction, she had gotten so caught up in the moment that she had forgotten her initial reluctance. She always acted so sharp and decisive, yet she had her airheaded moments, too. "Since it¡¯s an illusion, it feels different from reality the longer I stay here." Perhaps that sense of detachment helped alleviate her aversion. After all, this ce was designed solely for rxation. It was impossible for it to feel identical to real nature. "But is the ocean all there is?" "For now. It¡¯s not easy to create more." In truth, I had only been able to construct this beach rtively quickly because I had tested a simr field at the Hall of Sages. If it were any other location, I would have needed to fine-tune countless details, which would have taken much longer. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 86 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 86 On one side, arge log grill was set up to simte the experience of eating meat. Though it couldn¡¯t actually fill anyone¡¯s stomach, the illusion replicated the taste, smell, texture, and even the feeling of fullness as closely as possible. It might still feel a bit offpared to reality, but overall, the result wasn¡¯t bad. "I don''t know much about magic, but couldn''t this be used as a training program too?" "The human body isn''t that simple. It changes constantly. This should be enough. Everyone,e out." "Oh¡­ is it over already?" "We¡¯ve finished adjusting the data, so now it can be deployed in the field." At my answer, Melissa averted her gaze. Then, hesitating, she mumbled something under her breath. "Well¡­ just in case, maybe we should test it for a few more days to prevent any idents¡­" "I can see right through you." "Shut up. You enjoyed it too." At Luna''s teasing remark, Melissa clicked her tongue. "I mean, it was better than I expected. Leon, do you have any extras of this?" "No." "Make one for me too." She had clearly decided to be shameless about it. "I''ll test it for you." At first, she had looked at me with suspicion, but after spending a few days using the test as an excuse for a break, she seemed to have grown quite fond of it. Having watched her enjoy it more than anyone else, I shook my head. "Melissa." "Huh? Big brother, just one¡­" She only calls me "big brother" when she wants something. "Do you think I''ll do something good for you or not?" "Ah, please!" At first, she had thought, What kind of crazy thing is this guy doing now? But now, the situation hadpletely flipped. Unable to shake her off as she clung to me persistently, I finally handed over a prototype I had secretly kept aside. "Use it in moderation." "Great! This is amazing!" With an excited expression, she ran off to her office. Since Melissa seemed satisfied, it was time to check the opinions of those stationed at the Demon Realm. * * * After Leon left, the knights and soldiers monitoring the Demon Realm copsed like limp earthworms when they were off duty. It was no wonder¡ªthey had already been suffering from boredom, and now the ruthless young master had confiscated the only hobbies they had managed to find. It had been a week since that disaster struck. "Ugh¡­ I wish my shift would change already." At the young knight¡¯s grumble, a soldier polishing his spear gave a bitter smile. "Sir Knight, don''t you go picking up moonstones anymore?" At the mention of "moonstones," all the knights turned their eyes toward the soldier. Their gazes were filled with indescribable emotions. "Uh¡­ um¡­" "Our young master, you see, has no heart." "Heart? He doesn''t even have blood or tears." "He has nopassion at all!" At therge lodge where the knights and soldiers stationed at the Demon Realm resided, Leon Cascadia hade to be seen as the Demon King himself.@@novelbin@@ Technically, his actions followed the rules to the letter, so there wasn¡¯t much they could argue against¡ªbut people are creatures of habit and flexibility. Outside of their shifts, they had little to do¡ªexercise options were limited, and their only real diversions were lying around, doing simple physical training, or enjoying the asional rations of meat and alcohol. Since they were on duty, drinking was rare, meaning they were constantly starved for entertainment. Things were so bad that they had resorted to collecting moonstones¡ªbasically just rocks¡ªand arguing over whose was shinier or bigger. Leon Cascadia had taken away even that final, desperate escape. Naturally, their opinion of him had hit rock bottom. "I knew it! He''spletely ruthless! No wonder the former head of the family chose Lady Melissa as the sessor instead." "Exactly! Ourdy has a kind heart, but the young master¡­ geez." The anger of those deprived of their moonstones! Their misced urge to destroy something now turned toward Leon! Once one person started,ints erupted from all directions. The lodge housed about 150 knights and soldiers. Though they called it a "lodge," it was really just a massive barracks. As soon as one person voiced their frustration, it spread like wildfire. The new recruit awkwardly watched the scene unfold. It was true that Leon¡¯s sudden arrival had caused all this, but still¡­ "Uh¡­ Sir Knights? Maybe you should tone it down a little¡­?" "Tone it down? Do you even know how boring it is to stand watch here, kid?!" "Join in! Our young master has no heart!!" "He has no heart!!" Their voices rose in unison like a chorus. The new recruit could only smile awkwardly as he watched them. "Uh¡­ you guys are going to regret this¡­" As the mood heated up, the senior knight shouted even louder. However, he failed to notice just how eerily quiet it had suddenly be. A hand suddenly rested on the shoulder of the knight leading the outburst. "Doesn''t understand people''s hearts?" "That''s right! A real human wouldn¡¯t act like this! It¡¯s not even interfering with duty! We were just picking up some stones to fight off boredom! I mean¡ª" "Uh¡­ um¡­" "Honestly, isn''t he being way too harsh?! He¡¯s just some pampered noble brat who grew up soft and doesn¡¯t understand real hardship¡ª" The knight, practically ranting like a drunkard, suddenly stopped. A strange feeling crept over him. He flinched. And then¡­ Slowly, he turned his head. "You¡­ young master¡­?" "Interesting. Please, continue." Like the creaking of a rusty machine, the heads of all the knights turned toward the source of the voice. Standing there, carrying arge bundle, was Leon. His sky-blue eyes gleamed with an icy sharpness. His gray hair and sky-colored eyes had once seemed ordinary, but for some reason, they now carried an eerie intensity. Standing near the darkened entrance, the only thing that seemed to glow was his piercing gaze. ¡°Oh. So you were that upset.¡± ¡°Y-Young Master?¡± ¡°You must have thrown that tantrum because you''ve never suffered before.¡± ¡°T-That¡­¡± ¡°But I felt bad for taking away your only hobby, so I barely slept for a week to make this.¡± ¡°Please, just kill me!!¡± The senior knight dropped his head straight to the ground. But Leon wasn¡¯t the type to back down so easily. Shiiing. ¡°Alright. Then you¡¯ll have to die.¡± As Leon¡¯s chilling aura red up, the knights all rushed forward to stop him. ¡°Y-Young Master! Please calm down!¡± ¡°Get a hold of yourself, Young Master!!¡± ¡°Let go, unless you all want to die together.¡± It was only a whileter that Leon, who had drawn his sword in a frenzy, finally calmed down. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * The suffocating atmosphere lingered. Sitting with my legs crossed, I chewed on the jerky in my hand and thought to myself. It doesn¡¯t taste as good as I expected. I should fix that sometime. Morale, above all, was the key to military operations. But seeing this ce in person, it was in a worse state than I had imagined. Since reducing personnel wasn¡¯t an option due to financial struggles, they had gradually downsized everything else instead. Tyvel Cascadia, is this your doing again? What a wretched bastard. Gathering everyone except those on duty, I finally spoke. ¡°So you all hated it that much?¡± ¡°No, sir!!¡± The knights and soldiers shouted in unison, almost desperately. They seemed far more disciplined than usual. It wasn¡¯t like this before. Ever since they saw me casually slice jerky with my Aura de, they had been walking on eggshells, faces pale. ¡°Why do you all look like that? I¡¯m not the kind of person to hold grudges. I¡¯m not here to take out my anger on you.¡± ¡°No, sir!!¡± Their eyes flickered toward my side. I slowly turned my head. The senior knight, drenched in cold sweat, was kneeling in a posture of absolute submission. The knights of Cascadia weren¡¯t like the typical knights of the continent, who obsessed over honor. They were closer to trained soldiers. ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Stand at attention!!!¡± The senior knight, now standing with stiff discipline, was the very man who had been badmouthing me before getting caught. ¡°Senior Knight.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master!!¡± ¡°Nothing to say?¡± ¡°I sincerely apologize!!¡± ¡°Return to position.¡± At my shortmand, he immediately mmed his head back onto the ground. ¡°Return to position!!¡± I understood their frustration. Neither Melissa nor I had any intention of berating them over collecting moonstones. No one questioned why someone who didn¡¯t care had confiscated everyst moonstone. They were too busy sweating over the aura de I had been using to cut my jerky. The knights who had been stationed here for months without returning to the territory couldn¡¯t hide their confusion toward me. ¡°Senior Knight, how long have you been serving here?¡± ¡°Twelve years, sir!!!¡± His voice cracked as he forced out a reply. I slowly stood up. Then, I asked. ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Stand at attention!!¡± He shot to his feet, and I stared at him. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen quite a few senior knightse and go¡­¡± ¡°I sincerely apologize!!¡± ¡°I thought I treated you well, but I guess not. You have no faith in me at all.¡± ¡°I sincerely apologize!!¡± ¡°Does apologizing mean your time under surveince is over?¡± ¡°No, sir!!¡± ¡°You look full ofints. What¡¯s with the expression on the back of your head?¡± ¡°I sincerely apologize!!¡± ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Stand at attention!!!¡± I verbally pummeled him until he was nothing more than a shivering wreck. Only then did I return to the main point. ¡°I know everyone is frustrated about the moonstones.¡± Silence fell around me, but I continued speaking. ¡°Let¡¯s be honest. Isn¡¯t everyone exhausted?¡± Some of the knights hesitated before finally nodding. ¡°W-We are, sir.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Young Master!!¡± As soon as the first voices spoke up, more followed, and I smiled. ¡°All those who just spoke¡ªget down.¡± ¡°Get down!!¡± They were instantly pinned down. The older, more experienced knights, quick to read the situation, paled. In the suffocating silence, I sighed. ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Stand at attention!!¡± Scanning them, I smirked. Then, I pulled something from my bundle¡ªa peculiar-looking string and arge rectangr board. ¡°I guarantee this will be far better than running around collecting moonstones. You¡¯ll envy those who aren¡¯t on duty.¡± * * * Most of them were simply trying to gauge the situation. Others were curious¡ªjust how amazing could something be to warrant this reaction? The knightsy on their bunks, holding the artifact in their hands. A vacation, huh? Lying in bed and holding onto this thing, what were they supposed to do? If he started spouting nonsense about spiritual enlightenment or something, it would be infuriating¡ªbut their opponent was the Young Master of their household. ying along until it was over seemed like the safest bet. But the moment they pressed the button on the artifact, all thoughts vanished. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 87 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 87 "Huh?" "What the... is this?" They say that when a person is too shocked, their brain stops functioning. A refreshing sea breeze that wasn¡¯t unpleasant. The sun shone brightly but wasn¡¯t overwhelming.@@novelbin@@ The sound of waves crashing against the shore rang in their ears. The soft, warm sand could be felt beneath their feet. "Uh¡­ S-Senior? What is this¡­?" "Am I dreaming¡­?" The dazed individuals soon shook their heads vigorously as they looked up at the strange constetions in the sky. This isn¡¯t reality! As if to confirm their thoughts, an interface¡ªsomething that shouldn¡¯t normally be visible¡ªappeared at the edge of their vision. The knights aimlessly wandered along the shoreline, beginning to explore their surroundings. But it wasn¡¯t long before a scream shattered the tense silence. "Ahhh! Let go of me!" "Heheheh. Senior Knight, you have to enjoy the upper stream first before you can enjoy the lower stream." "Argh!!" A senior knight was grabbed by the arms and legs and lifted as if they were a giant nket being carried away. He was passed around among the other knights before being thrown straight into the sea. "Ugh!!" SPLASH!!! "Argh! Pfft! So salty! Why is the water so salty?!" I heard that seawater is salty like salt?! Curious and intrigued, someone began pressing the interface disyed in their vision as if exploring it. Suddenly, a parasol, a sunbed, and a luxurious ss filled with what looked like an exquisite fruit juice appeared next to him. "Oh¡­ Ohhh." Everyone''s eyes focused on the soldier who had summoned it. He slowly took a sip of the drink. Then, he let out a brief gasp of admiration. "Hey! Hurry up and tell us. How is it?!" "It tastes like a real drink? I¡¯ve never tasted anything like this before, but¡­" "What?! There¡¯s alcohol here too!" "No way, I have to try it too!" With that, the guards'' eyes sparkled with excitement. They didn¡¯t know what was going on, but they were all desperate for entertainment. And now, they found themselves in a ce that seemed filled with things to enjoy. They had yed in the water before, but an ocean stretching endlessly to the horizon was a first. Excited cheers erupted as they began exploring like children who had just received new toys. However, some knights knew they had to stay sharp. It was impressive, but if they got too caught up in this, they wouldn¡¯t be able to fulfill their duties as guards. Then¡ª BEEP!!! A sudden sound turned their vision ck. At the same time, they shot up from their seats. What they saw upon regaining their senses was an artifact instation site. "Gasp?!" "What the¡­!" The illusion had suddenly vanished, and grumbles of dissatisfaction erupted from all directions. "Come on, I barely got to see anything!" "What the hell is this¡­?" Though they were frustrated, Leon remained calm. "If a problem arises, just press this button." Only then did the knights and soldiers realize who had turned off the artifact, their gazes turning sharp. They clearly wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t¡ªbecause he was the heir of the noble family. "If you lose sight of your mission and get lost in indulgence, we won¡¯t be able to provide support." As he spoke, Leon raised the rm artifact. It was a sound that yed when monsters in the demon territory exhibited abnormal behavior, signaling the guards to deploy. And it was the sound they hated the most. To make matters worse, just as they were about to have fun, this happened¡­ "Since you all seem to be cking off, I¡¯ll be confiscating the artifact¡ª" "No, sir!" "We¡¯re always ready for deployment!" The knights clung desperately to Leon¡¯s shoulders. "Enjoying yourselves is fine, but don¡¯t forget that if you becent, the lives of the territory¡¯s citizens will be at risk." Wasn¡¯t that basically saying that if the monsters hadn''t acted strangely, there wouldn¡¯t have been a problem? Their misced anger soon found its target. "Damn it! Why now of all times?!" "These damn monsters!!" "How dare they ruin the mood?!" With nowhere else to direct their rage, the furious knights and soldiers turned their wrath toward the monsters. For the next two hours, only the anguished cries of lower-ranked monsters, relentlessly pursued by the enraged knights and soldiers, echoed throughout the demon territory. * * * "You should¡¯ve held back a little." Two weeks after returning from the demon territory, Melissa told me this. She looked exhausted as she spoke to me, carrying Luna, who was half-asleep, slumped over my back. "You''ve be so popr that some knights are actually volunteering to be stationed in the demon territory now. Did you know? Senior knights have been secretly bribing junior knights with gifts to swap shifts, and I caught them." Oh, I guess it was more effective than I thought. Indeed, the fact that a team of knights and soldiers had returned over the past two weeks yed a huge role. They enthusiastically shared stories about the convenience facilities they had enjoyed in the demon territory, and after hearing those stories, the other knights went crazy trying to find a way to experience the artifacts for themselves. "But why is Luna like that?" "She¡¯s been messing with the artifact non-stop sincest night." To be precise, she had been at it for three days straight, without sleep. I had only briefly exined how to encode memories into it, yet she was grasping the concept like a massive supeputer, tinkering away bit by bit. Even when I asked her what she was making, she wouldn¡¯t answer, so I had no way of knowing. "I¡¯m just a little worried that this might affect the surveince duty." Honestly, I¡¯m more worried that it¡¯s raising the threshold for what stimtes her. "You did a good job." Melissa buried her face back into the mountain of documents as she continued organizing them. ¡°Still, we never know what might happen. Can you make some artifacts for the family?¡± At her request, I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t have the materials.¡± ¡°You can just buy them.¡± ¡°No, I need somerge-scale materials. I looked into it, but to secure the quantity needed, I¡¯d have to request a visit to a major merchant guild.¡± Cascadia was in the frontier, after all. Military supplies were delivered regrly, but the materials I needed weren¡¯t rted to that at all. She pondered over my response before nodding. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Then, she took something out from her arms and handed it to me. ¡°A seal?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be away from the territory for a while.¡± I maintained my expression at her words. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°A friend from the academy is getting married soon. Can you manage the territory?¡± ¡°Ah, of course. No problem.¡± She narrowed her eyes at me, as if doubtful of my response. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you. Just in case, I¡¯ve already applied for a visit to the merchant guild. They should arrive about half a day after I leave.¡± With that, she packed up and left the territory with a few knights, escorted by a Death Knight. Of course, before she left, I secretly cast dozens of defensive and counter-magic spells on her once again. Now, we had reached the point of no return with the cult. As I saw her off, Luna, who stood beside me, spoke. ¡°You can¡¯t hide the joy on your face.¡± At her remark, my expression twisted into a grin. ¡°Hey, do you know what the best thing in the world is?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pleasure without responsibility.¡± From this moment on, this territory was mine. I could do whatever I wanted. Looking at the count¡¯s seal in my hand, I boldly dered, ¡°First things first¡ªlet¡¯s go shopping.¡± I had plenty of money, but since it was public funds, I couldn¡¯t spend it recklessly. Melissa was meticulous and incredibly strict about finances, saving every coin she could. But now that I had the seal in my hands, there was nothing to fear. ¡°Luna, tell me anything you want! I¡¯ll buy it all for you!¡± ¡°Oh, I like this a lot.¡± A n quickly formed in my head. I had plenty of things I wanted to build throughout Cascadia. But first, I¡¯d indulge in just a little selfishness. ¡°Selfishness?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s install a teleportation device.¡± The investment cost was high, but it wasn¡¯t impossible. Authorization? I was the acting lord of the territory right now¡ªwho would stop me? * * * Outside the territory, Melissa couldn¡¯t hide her unease. She was heading to imperialnds. Even at the fastest pace, it would take at least a few weeks. ¡°Mydy, are you alright?¡± ¡°Ah. I¡¯m fine.¡± With a grim expression, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Leon was about to cause some trouble. ¡°Well, we do have plenty of money¡­ A little bit of trouble should be fine, right?¡± Leon might get into mischief, but he wasn¡¯t the kind of scum who ruined people¡¯s lives. No, if anything, he tried to improve them. He wouldn¡¯t torment the citizens. ¡ªWhat are you all waiting for? Let¡¯s get started! I¡¯ll even pay you wages! With big bonuses! ¡ªUgh¡­ Young master, if the Count finds out about this¡­ ¡ªDo you see this seal in my hand? Right now, I am the king of this territory! And anyway, Melissa will take all the responsibility!! ¡ªWoooooo!!! At the same time, back in Cascadia, chaos was unfolding. Melissa had no idea. In any case, thanks to the teleportation device, she quickly reached her destination. She had arrived at the Berner territory¡ªone of the imperial count houses. Since Berner had long had a teleportation device,merce had flourished there. Most territories with teleportation devices experienced economic booms. After stepping out into the bustling streets, she took a carriage and soon arrived at a luxurious mansion. ¡°My goodness, Lady Melissa. It¡¯s been so long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Steward. I think thest time we met was after the academy?¡± ¡°Yes. You didn¡¯t look too happy that day when you left¡­ But judging by your face now, I take it everything has been resolved?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a few months now.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. And you¡¯re not just ady anymore¡ªyou¡¯re a Count now.¡± The elderly steward chuckled as he weed her. ¡°Is Count Berner here?¡± ¡°The master is currently at the imperial pce. But more importantly, mydy has been eagerly waiting for you. She missed you dearly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since Ist saw Lilia. Please, lead the way.¡± Following the steward inside, Melissa took in the grandeur of the mansion, far morevish than anything in Cascadia. Cascadia, after all, was a small border county in the kingdom. Berner, on the other hand, was an imperial count house with direct ties to the royal family. It was only natural. Of course, Melissa wasn¡¯t the type to show any sign of being overwhelmed. After walking for a while, she entered a reception room where a girl with a cute demeanor widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Melissa!¡± The girl rushed forward and threw herself into Melissa¡¯s arms. Melissa silently embraced her and patted her back. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lilia.¡± ¡°My goodness, just how much have you been through? You look half-starved¡ªah, no, wait. I mean, Count Melissa.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just the two of us here.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 88 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 88 She spoke calmly as she nced over the girl called Lilia. In Lilia¡¯s hands was a pure white dress. ¡°That dress?¡± ¡°Oh, I wanted to show you first. It¡¯s the dress I¡¯ll be wearing for my wedding.¡± It was a dazzlingly beautiful white dress. Melissa narrowed her eyes and asked, ¡°You¡¯re showing someone your wedding dress before the ceremony?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my friend, so it¡¯s fine. Besides, I haven¡¯t even worn it yet.¡± Speaking nonchntly, Lilia took Melissa¡¯s hand and pulled her to sit down. ¡°Come on, sit. We have so much to catch up on.¡± ¡°We do.¡± Though Melissa briefly felt uneasy about leaving Leon behind in Cascadia, she quickly pushed the thought aside. Meanwhile, back at the estate... ¡ª Come on! Move! We have to finish this today! ¡ª Let¡¯s go!!! The count will take responsibility anyway!! ¡ª We know nothing about this!! Of course, Melissa had no idea what was happening in her domain. Lilia, overjoyed to see Melissa after so long, chattered away, sharing everything she hadn¡¯t been able to say before. Seeing her so genuinely happy, Melissa responded with a faint smile. Back in her academy days, Melissa had many acquaintances, but Lilia Berner was the first true friend she had made. ¡°Haha, do you remember Siger Reden? From the Reden Count family of the empire?¡± ¡°Oh, that scoundrel?¡± ¡°Your brotherpletely wrecked him. Did you know? That guy has almost regr panic attacks now, just from hearing your brother¡¯s name. That night at the banquet was insane.¡± ¡°You saw it?¡± ¡°Yeah, from a distance. Even from far away, it was terrifying.¡± ¡°No way... that lunatic caused trouble there too?¡± Melissa was at a loss for words. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Your brother stepped in because Siger Reden was saying awful things about you. Honestly, it was kind of amazing.¡± ¡°B-because of me?¡± ¡°Yeah. You knew, right? That pervert always looked at you strangely. Apparently, he was bragging about how he¡¯d humiliate you in front of Lord Leon.¡± Ah, in that case, he did well. Knowing Leon¡¯s strength from past encounters, she had no doubt Siger got what he deserved. As their conversation flowed easily, the atmosphere became more rxed. Then, Lilia slowly spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve been engaged for a while, but now that I¡¯vee of age after myst birthday, I¡¯m getting married soon.¡± She lifted her teacup calmly. ¡°Was this your father¡¯s decision?¡± ¡°What are you saying? We¡¯re nobles. A noblewoman doesn¡¯t have the right to choose her marriage. I just hope married life won¡¯t be too difficult. But I¡¯ve been lucky.¡± She smiled brightly. ¡°I heard your fianc¨¦ is a prince.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Prince Dorn Lu Pascalia. He¡¯s kind and warm. My first love, too.¡± That was good news. Dorn Lu Pascalia was known by an unusual title¡ª"a coteral prince.¡± In the empire, it was a unique status. Though not born of the emperor, he was granted the title of prince due to his lineage and the special duties assigned to him. Unlike illegitimate children, he was still a legitimate part of the imperial family. As long as no major incidents urred, those in his position typically led normal lives. Seeing Lilia¡¯s face flush as red as a ripe persimmon, Melissa smiled faintly. ¡°Congrattions on your marriage.¡± ¡°When I was young, I always thought that if I had to get married, I¡¯d want it to be with someone kind. I love Prince Dorn, so honestly, I¡¯ve been looking forward to this.¡± She didn¡¯t seem unhappy at all. In fact, she weed the marriage. ¡°That¡¯s good. As long as you¡¯re happy. What about the academy?¡± ¡°After I get married, I won¡¯t be able to focus on my studies, so I¡¯ll have to drop out. But I¡¯m more worried about you. You¡¯re still on leave, aren¡¯t you? What are you going to do?¡± ¡°What else? I¡¯m a count now. Going back won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°There are a few nobles who hold titles and still attend the academy, you know?¡± At her yful remark, Melissa let out a short sigh. She had enrolled in the academy to prepare for inheriting her title. But now that she had already taken over, she wondered if there was still any point in returning. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Since I already have my title, I¡¯m not sure I need to go back.¡± Lilia didn¡¯t press her any further. ¡°I just regret that I won¡¯t get the chance to visit the western continent¡¯s beaches. I always wanted to see them.¡± She seemed genuinely disappointed that marriage would prevent her from going. After some thought, Melissa pulled out an artifact she had. If the beaches of the western continent were anything like thendscapes created by this artifact, they must be breathtaking. She happened to have an extra prototype. Leon had nned to discard it, so giving it as a gift wouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the beach.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you. My brother made this.¡± ¡°An artifact?¡± ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re going to be amazed.¡± Melissa puffed out her chest proudly. There was nothing illegal about it, so there wouldn¡¯t be any trouble. Still, whether Leon¡¯s invention would draw admiration or chaos remained to be seen. * * * While Melissa was off visiting her engaged friend¡­ I was making drastic changes to my domain. ¡°Hey!! Pull that over there!!¡± ¡°One, two!!!¡± Dozens of strong men heaved on ropes, lifting a massive structure into ce. These weren¡¯t particrly skilledborers. The work wasn¡¯t overly difficult, and the pay was surprisingly good. For the idle vigers with nothing else to do, this was an unexpected windfall. They dropped whatever they were doing and flocked to the construction site. Melissa wouldn¡¯t be back anytime soon. She¡¯d likely stay for her friend¡¯s wedding and negotiate with the Pascalia tradingpanies or magic towers while she was there. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] It was clear that she didn¡¯t want the Cascadia territory to remain just a rural vige monitoring the Demon Realm. That meant we couldn¡¯t afford to stand still either. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! It¡¯s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!!!¡± I grinned in satisfaction as I watched the workers respond to my chant and raise the structure. We cleared a huge open space in one part of the vige and built a massive structure there. It was none other than a statue. A statue of Melissa standing proudly with her hands on her hips and her chest puffed out. The confident expression on the statue¡¯s face waspletely uncharacteristic of the real Melissa, who had no hint of cuteness to her. If she saw it, she would definitely go berserk trying to destroy it. [Warning: Upon confirmation, there is a very high probability that she will attempt to tear you apart.] ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m doing it.¡± [I cannot understand your reasoning. Is it rted to the special fortress walls?] ¡°If you knew, you wouldn¡¯t sound so stiff. And don¡¯t make it sound like I¡¯m some kind of pervert. I guarantee Melissa will do nothing but grind her teeth in frustration.¡± I hadn¡¯t gone to the trouble of mobilizing the entire territory just to build a statue for nothing. Surprisingly, I had learned that Melissa was quite popr among the people of the territory. The best way to mess with her was exactly this. ¡°This is it!¡± ¡°Wahaha! Look at our princess standing so proudly!¡± Seeing the territory¡¯s peopleughing and enjoying the sight of the finely crafted statue, made using the Heart of the Machine God, was immensely satisfying. It likely meant that Melissa had done a good job winning the people¡¯s trust and affection. Even the mercenaries from outside the region were chuckling at the statue. Besides that, a few more buildings had beenpleted. The most striking among them was a unique structure with four curved legs rising from the ground toward the sky. ¡°Leon.¡± At that moment, Luna approached me. ¡°Can that thing actually work?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s possible.¡± Teleportation magic was technically reserved for mages of the 7th Circle or higher. However, there weren¡¯t many known 7th Circle mages on the continent. Historically, there had been a few, but as of now, it wasmonly epted that none existed. Maybe the magic tower had one. The important thing was that I wasn¡¯t an ordinary mage¡ªI was a 6th Circle necromancer. It was ironic that I couldn¡¯t even use teleportation myself but was working on building a teleportation device. ¡°Do you know what the biggest weakness of teleportation devices on the continent is?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°They have more security holes than you¡¯d think.¡± Most of the teleportation devices had been created long ago by great archmages. I had no intention of downying their expertise, but in my opinion, conventional magic had weaker security than necromantic magic. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to make it using necromantic magic?¡± ¡°I¡¯mbining magitech and necromantic magic.¡± Necromantic magic wasn¡¯t particrly outstanding in spatial maniption, but its security capabilities were top-tier.@@novelbin@@ Of course, most necromancers on the continent didn¡¯t care much about security, but from what I had seen, that was a crucial distinction between necromantic magic and elemental magic. However, since a 6th Circle necromancer alone couldn¡¯t create a teleportation device, I needed to supplement it with magitech. ¡°This is the real question¡ªdo you think the concept of spatial transferes from magic first or from nature first?¡± ¡°Huh? Obviously, nature¡­ Oh?¡± As she spoke, Luna¡¯s eyes widened. Magic was ultimately a system humans had created by observing natural phenomena and artificially replicating or modifying them. ¡°Exactly. A 7th Circle mage is essentially someone who can recreate those natural phenomena on their own.¡± That meant if there was another element that could assist in implementing the concept of spatial transfer, it could be achieved without needing the level of a high-tier archmage. The existing teleportation devices had been created by powerful mages, but what I was attempting didn¡¯t require reaching that same level. ¡°Plus, this method actually increases its versatility. If someone tries to use teleportation magic on their own, they have to consider a lot of factors.¡± Of course, if you reached an extreme level of mastery, those limitations didn¡¯t matter. ¡°But the materials will be hard to get.¡± ¡°No. Moonstone will do. Wepensate for ack of skill with technology and ack of materials with magic.¡± ¡°Again with the moonstone?¡± ¡°Moonstone is like single-crystal silicon¡ªit¡¯s one of the most efficient materials for all sorts of applications. Honestly, it¡¯s weird that moonstone is so undervalued.¡± In human history, iron had been one of the most crucial resources. If I had to pick the two most essential resources in magitech, they would be moonstone and mana-infused magic crystals. Moonstone, which could retain specific mana patterns and information, was incredibly valuable. The only issue was that it wasn¡¯t something that could simply be mined, making it difficult to obtain. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 89 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 89 Although Melissa hadn¡¯t intended it, she was able to quickly obtain moonstones from the Pahel Trading Company. After all, fragments of moonstone often fell from meteorite debris that periodically rained down from the sky. "Moonstones are formed when exposed to high pressure, extreme heat, and the irregr flow of mana deep within the earth over long periods. Therefore, it is possible that moonstone veins exist deep underground on this continent." "Let¡¯s not dwell on unrealistic possibilities." Even the Heart of the Machine God had its operational limits. "It''s all set, young master." "Good. Then, shall we test it?" It had always been frustrating not having a teleportation gate. In the past, theck of technology had made it impossible, but now that I had acquired the Hall of Sages, nothing was out of reach. "Uh, young master? Will this really work?" One of the territory¡¯s residents asked cautiously. "That¡¯s what we¡¯re about to find out." Normally, using a teleportation device required a hefty sum. In other words, the fees were exorbitant. Additionally, mana had to be recharged periodically, and maintenance wasplicated. On the other hand, teleportation devices created through magitech required significantly less involvement from mages. And since the necessary elements were being gradually reduced, it would be possible to maintain them without charging high fees. The only role for mages would be minimal maintenance. That was enough. I ced my hand on the activation control sphere and input the pre-configured magitech system. Then, I fed in the pre-collected mana stones, as if shoveling coal into a furnace. As the device activated, the structure rumbled to life like an engine starting up. Bzzt... Crackle... Crackle... Soon, a massive flow of energy began to emerge, forming trails of green light. "Oh... Ohhh!" "It¡¯s glowing!" Most of those unfamiliar with teleportation devices were simply amazed by the glowing lights. At that moment, Luna, who had been silently watching the gate, tugged at the edge of my sleeve with her fingertip. "Connection not established. Unlike normal teleportation, the destination remains unset." She was right. "That¡¯s because we haven¡¯t connected it to a destination yet." Teleportation gates needed to be linked to each other to function. Right now, this teleportation gate had only the input, meaning there was no output for it to connect to. "Then we just need to attach it." The first test would be with the magical city of Gaifen, where the Magic Tower was located. It was an imperial city of magic. He hadn¡¯t chosen Bekdel, a city with a teleportation device nearby, for a simple reason. For Bekdel, which was close to Cascadia, the establishment of a teleportation device in Cascadia would mean reduced profits for them. They would likelye up with all sorts of excuses to refuse the connection. Besides, there was no real need to conduct a test with a nearby territory. A foreign location, on the other hand, posed no such issues. He immediately took out the letter andmunication artifact that had been sent from Gaifen¡¯s Magic Tower. "Oh, that one?" "Might as well use it while we have it." Upon activating the artifact, the other side picked up almost immediately. -Yes, this is Gallian, administrative officer of the Gaifen Magic Tower. It was unlikely that the same mage he had met before had answered, but the voice sounded noticeably annoyed. * * * Gaifen Magic Tower, Magic City of the Pascalian Empire Gallian, an administrative officer of Gaifen¡¯s Magic Tower,zily answered the iingmunication. The widespread use ofmunication artifacts across the continent had greatly reduced the reliance on letters. Of course, artifacts were expensive, and each use came with inconveniences such as the risk of interception, so many people still preferred letters. But in Gallian¡¯s view,munication artifacts would one day be asmon as anything else. That didn¡¯t mean he liked them. He actually despised the damned things. -So, regarding the investment proposal¡ª "Ah, our Magic Tower isn¡¯t interested. We¡¯re declining." Sincemunication artifacts were rtively essible to those with money, he frequently received all sorts of calls. A prime example was people trying to pitch investment deals like now. After hearing over a dozen of these nonsense proposals just today, he was already irritated. "I came to the Magic Tower to research magic, not to deal with these artifact calls..." Grumbling, he was about to get up from his seat. Crash! His teacup slipped from his hand and spilled over the artifact. "Ack!" A little tea wouldn¡¯t destroy an artifact. But if it seeped inside, his superiors might very well tear him in half. Panicking, he hurriedly turned it off and pushed it aside. He wiped it off quickly, but since the cleaning system was now running, it would be out of use for a while. "Damn it." He pulled out an old-modelmunication artifact, activated it, and frowned. Unlike modern versions, this old onecked an early warning system for important calls. But it didn¡¯t matter. 99% of today¡¯s calls had been utterly useless anyway. Bzzzz... Bzzzz... And just as expected, another call came in. "Ugh, seriously." Suppressing his irritation, he answered. "Yes, this is Gallian, administrative officer of Gaifen Magic Tower." He forced himself to remain professional. ¡ªThis is Leon Cascadia of the Cascadia family. Cascadia? That name sounded vaguely familiar. But he couldn¡¯t quite remember why. It was probably some insignificant noble house. No reason to bother with formalities. Besides, the Magic Tower was expecting important guests today, so whatever this was, it needed to be dealt with quickly. "Yes, Leon Cascadia. How can I assist you?" ¡ªIt''s nothing major. We''ve constructed a teleportation gate and would like to conduct a synchronization test with Gaifen¡¯s gate. Could you provide the mana pattern and frequency code? Mana patterns and frequency codes¡ªessentially the unique identification numbers for each teleportation gate. They weren¡¯t exactly confidential. Still, Gallian responded with irritation. ¡°Haa¡­ Here we go again, seriously.¡± ¡ªExcuse me? Gallian retorted indifferently. ¡°Look, if you¡¯re going to joke around, at least make it believable. What? You want to create a teleport gate? Do you think ¡®Teleport Gate¡¯ is some random pet¡¯s name?¡± ¡ªWhat the¡­ ¡°Forget it. We¡¯re not in the business of investing in nonsense, so go try somewhere else.¡± After cutting off the call with an air of indifference, he let out a short sigh. ¡°There really are all kinds of lunatics out there. Seriously, nobles and merchants are the worst.¡± It was then. tter! ¡°Huh! Lord Berhem!¡± A pair¡ªa man and a woman¡ªsuddenly burst through the door, making the mage Gallian jump to his feet as if a soldier had just encountered a general. Unlike him, a mere lower-ranked mage, Berhem was a high-ranking figure with immense power in the Magic Tower. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] And beside him¡­ ¡®Gasp!!¡¯ An astonishing figure stood there. ¡®No way, it¡¯s the honored guest!¡¯ He had never seen her in person before, but there was no way he wouldn¡¯t recognize her. Most of the mages had already caught a glimpse of her earlier that morning when she visited the Magic Tower to meet with the Tower Master. ¡°I apologize foring here when you¡¯re busy. I hope I¡¯m not causing any trouble.¡± ¡°A-Ah¡­ Not at all!!¡±@@novelbin@@ Before him stood a girl who looked no older than seventeen. She had long blue hair, a pure white sacred robe, and a high-ranking priestess¡¯s veil adorned with golden embroidery. And her overwhelminglyrge chest held Gallian¡¯s gaze for a brief moment. But he knew that she wasn¡¯t actually seventeen¡ªshe was neen. She was that famous. Her name was Nadia Ten Lilibel. The surname Lilibel was not a family name but a symbol of a particr order. In the Magic Tower, where magic was everything, she was someone who emitted no mana at all. Under normal circumstances, she would have been of no interest. But he couldn¡¯t afford to ignore her. Because she was none other than the most sacred maiden on the continent. But why would someone so famous and importante to a ce like this? As Gallian puzzled over this, Berhem cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem. The reason for this visit is mine. The Saintess is merely apanying me.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then, what brings you here¡­?¡± ¡°Have you received any contact from Cascadia?¡± Gallian was about to nod absentmindedly when he suddenly froze in shock. ¡°Ca¡­ Cascadia?¡± ¡°Yes. If I recall correctly, I already issued a first-ss transmission.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A bead of cold sweat trickled down Gallian¡¯s face as he fell silent. ¡°Sir Mage¡­ If it really was that Leon Cascadia, do you think he might actually have a method?¡± Even the Saintess, Nadia, looked skeptical as she asked. ¡°To be honest, the chances are low. However, he is someone who has overturned the very conventions of the subjugation force. You never know¡ªhe might have some interesting insight on teleport gates.¡± Currently, no mage on the continent was capable of creating a teleport gate, but theoretically, it wasn¡¯t impossible. ¡°Cascadia¡­ That¡¯s the ce where the Sword Saint sought aid before, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s fortunate, but will he really be willing to help so easily¡­?¡± The Sword Saint, Osberg, had barely mentioned what happened that day, so Nadia didn¡¯t know much about Leon¡¯s character. ¡°Do not worry. He is not an ill-natured man. As long as there are no major issues, he will likely offer his aid. Of course¡­ we need to receive his response first.¡± Gallian¡¯s face turned pale. Leon Cascadia. Wasn¡¯t that the same fraud he had just berated over the transmission? That guy had been spouting nonsense about creating a teleport gate and asking him to transmit signals or something¡­ And now they were saying he wasn¡¯t a fraud? ¡°Phew¡­ If we could secure a teleport gate, so much would be possible¡­¡± Teleport Gate! Gallian¡¯s face darkened even further. His mind went nk. Just then¡ª Beep! Beep! Thergemunication artifact he had temporarily reset after spilling his tea came back to life, disying a list of missed transmissions. And there, among them, was a golden emblem marked with the number 1, indicating first-ss priority. The issue was that newer models disyed the rank of the transmission, but older ones did not. Up until now, only those scammer noble bastards had been calling, so why did this have to happen now of all times?! Without thinking, Gallian instinctively covered the screen with his hand, like a child trying to hide a mistake. It was a meaningless action he normally wouldn¡¯t even consider. But unlike Berhem, Nadia caught sight of it. ¡°A missed call list? That golden ¡®1¡¯¡­ That means first-ss, doesn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you actually received a call?¡± ¡°Hm? Move aside, let me see.¡± ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 90 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 90 ¡°What the hell? This bastard?¡± Luna smirked as she watched me staring nkly at the disconnectedmunication artifact. ¡°Totally ignored.¡± If I hadn¡¯t hidden my wings, they¡¯d be trembling in irritation from the ridicule. ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± I had contacted them with confidence, but I never expected to be shut down like this. Is this how mages on this continent make dinner ns? It was so absurd that I wasn¡¯t even angry¡ªjust dumbfounded enough tough. ¡°Whatever. If this doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll just ask elsewhere.¡± It¡¯s not like I was asking for an investment. I only requested confirmation on the activation of a teleport gate. It¡¯s somethingmonly done in areas where teleport gates are discovered. Of course, it doesn¡¯t happen often, but it¡¯s not impossible either. From what I¡¯d heard, there was even a case of a teleport gate being found in the wilderness about a decade ago. The real issue here is that this mage, Gallian¡ªor rather, the Magic Tower of Gaifen¡ªtold me to contact them, only to hang up and tell me not to talk nonsense when I actually did. ¡°¡­Ha. Hah! Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± One of the knights beside me barely held back augh but quickly looked down when he noticed my gaze. It seemed the others were struggling to hold it in, too. ¡°You think it¡¯s funny?¡± ¡°N-no, young master!¡± ¡°Yeah? It¡¯s funny, huh?¡± I stepped closer to the young knight who had failed to suppress hisughter, leaning in and ring at him. His body froze stiff. ¡°N-no, sir!¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t beughing, right? This really isn¡¯t funny, is it?¡± Ssshhk¡­ A de of aura burst from my hand, leaving a faint but menacing scar on the ground. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!!! Please, spare me, young master!!¡± The knight, now pale as a sheet, screamed in terror. Only then did Luna tug on my arm. ¡°Stop taking your anger out on him. I remember the frequency.¡± I stared at her, and she stared right back. Now that I looked closer, she seemed to have grown a bit taller. When I first met her, she was in the upper 140 cm range¡ªbarely taller than a very petite adult woman. But now she seemed to be in the mid-150s. ¡°That¡¯s strange. Haven¡¯t your growth tes closed?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You seem taller. You weren¡¯t even 150 cm before.¡± The angels I saw at the Hall of Sages were all adults, so I had no way of knowing. But as far as I knew, I¡¯d never heard of an adult angel growing taller. At my remark, Luna answered with a slightly bitter expression. ¡°I am returning to my original form.¡± She said she was reverting to her true form, but she didn¡¯t look happy about it. I didn¡¯t press further. ¡°I¡¯ll just check the gate¡¯s frequency myself.¡± ¡°Yourself? You mean I should go see it in person?¡± ¡°I can carry you there.¡± At her words, I gave a slight nod. Before I could even process it, she floated into the air and hooked her arms under my armpits, lifting me up. ¡°Young master?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. Keep things in order.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Leaving them behind, Luna and I soared high into the sky. ¡°How fast can you go?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s not the Kingdom of Bata, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°To be precise, as long as it¡¯s not Bekdel territory, where we¡¯d lose money by creating a teleport gate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just take you somewhere with traces of a teleport gate nearby.¡± With that, she flew at a speed iparable to before. * * * Shortly after Leon left, the knights guarding the newlypleted teleport gate noticed themunication artifact ringing fiercely beside it. Misha, the head maid who had been silently observing, picked it up. Leon had entrusted it to her before he left, so it was her responsibility to answer in his absence. ¡°This is Misha, head maid of the Cascadia Count¡¯s domain.¡± ¡ªAh, Head Maid Misha. We meet again. But isn¡¯t this Leon¡¯s personalmunication artifact? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the young master is currently unavable.¡± ¡ªDamn¡­ I was just a step toote. I hurried here as soon as I heard that the young master had reached out¡­ ¡°You are indeed toote. Moreover, the treatment from the Gaifen Magic Tower was quite displeasing to him.¡± Misha¡¯s expression was far from pleasant as she spoke. ¡°Master Berhem, 5th-ss mage. As a mere head maid, I fail to understand such discourteous behavior.¡± ¡ªHah¡­ I have no excuse. The fool managing ourmunication artifacts made a huge mistake¡­ ¡°That is unfortunate. The young master has already left to connect the teleport gate to another domain.¡± ¡ªTeleport gate? What do you mean¡ª ¡°I shall end the call here. If such rudeness urs again, I, as someone who serves the young master, will not overlook it.¡± ¡ªW-wait! Head Maid Misha! Please, calm down and hear me out! I swear, I didn¡¯t intend for this to happen! Just wait a moment¡ªah, right! There¡¯s someone very important who must meet with the young master¡ª Beep! With an icy expression, Misha pressed the power button. The artifact, crushed by the overwhelming force, sparked and shattered. ¡°Oh dear. I must have pressed too hard.¡± The knights watching gulped nervously. She appeared delicate, but the sheer intensity of her presence made them feel like a single misstep would be fatal. Technically, Misha¡¯s actions could be seen as overstepping, but it was the Magic Tower that had been disrespectful. In fact, her response was rather mild. She only held back because Leon hadn¡¯t made a fuss. ¡°Um¡­ Head Maid?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not just a maid, are you?¡± ¡°I am merely a head maid.¡± ¡°Ah. So, you''re actually someone really important, but you¡¯re acting as a maid for your mission¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just a maid.¡± Her firm response left the knights unable to question her further. * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] She¡¯s getting stronger, and her flight speed is faster. ¡°Hey, are you actually getting stronger?¡± ¡°Even if I am, it¡¯s insignificant. I¡¯m useless.¡± ¡°You sure talk well for someone useless.¡± She pouted. They kept flying, braving the cold wind for quite some time. Leon, looking bored, raised his head and nced up at her. That was when she called his name. ¡°Leon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re already out, I want to eat something.¡± ¡°You want me to buy it for you?¡± Truthfully, she had an overwhelming amount of wealth, but her treasures were more literal treasures rather than just money. For some reason, she liked getting food from him. ¡°Yeah. Since we¡¯re out anyway, let¡¯s eat. What do you want?¡± ¡°I saw something on a map. Apparently, there''s a dish along the way where pork is tied with strings and slow-cooked for a long time.¡± ¡°Ah, that one. It was delicious.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to eat it now. Leon¡¯s paying.¡± It seemed like she had no interest in teleportation gates in the first ce. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s it going with that illusion artifact you were messing with?¡± ¡°The method is simr, so it¡¯s not too difficult.¡± She spoke nonchntly, but she never let him see it no matter how many times he asked. ¡°Alright. Whatever, let¡¯s just have some fun.¡± The teleportation gate wasn¡¯t an urgent matter anyway. * * * It didn¡¯t take long to obtain the pattern and wavelength of the teleportation gate. As long as no problems arose, the more routes there were, the more profitable it became for those managing the gates. Unless there was directpetition, cooperation was inevitable. Still, the fact that they handed over the information without digging deeper, even though I hadn¡¯t mentioned I created the teleportation gate, felt somewhat careless. Of course, testing its safety meant I couldn¡¯t use it right away, but in the meantime, I nned to fix various issues. ¡°A message came from the Gaifen Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Ignore it.¡± At my response, Misha, the head maid, bowed her head slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not going to protest?¡± ¡°Why would I? They only contacted me as a formality. If someone didn¡¯t pick up on that, they¡¯re just an idiot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, does it?¡± Honestly, I wasn¡¯t pleased about it either, but making a fuss would just be tiring. With nothing more to say, I focused on adjusting the gate. A lot of materials went into this process, so I spent quite a bit of money, but I didn¡¯t care. ¡°Hmm¡­ There doesn¡¯t seem to be an issue with activation. Let¡¯s observe it for a while.¡± Fortunately, the teleportation gate seemed to be functioning without problems. But ensuring its safety was a priority, so I decided to leave it activated for now and monitor it. No sane person would try to use it yet anyway. For days, I kept it running while maintaining some level of control over the area. Just as I was contacting Melissa, who had gone to Pascalia to meet a friend¡ª -Everything okay? ¡°Yeah. You know the Demon Realm is always quiet.¡± Technically, it had be quieter after the enraged security officers turned everything upside down when I distributed the illusion artifacts. -Actually¡­ I want to give one of your artifacts to my friend as a gift. Is that okay? ¡°An artifact? Sure. I gave it to you to use as you wish.¡± -They were shocked. They kept asking how something like that was possible. I didn¡¯t know how to exin, so I just said you made it. That was the normal reaction. Melissa wasn¡¯t a mage, so she probably didn¡¯t even realize how absurd an attempt it was. ¡°Leon.¡± At that moment¡ª Luna, who had taken a fruit from the personal fridge Melissa had bought her, spoke to me. That fridge was ridiculously heavy, yet she dragged it around on wheels like it was nothing. I used aura to enhance my physical strength, but she didn¡¯t have anything like that. That meant her sheer physical strength was naturally at that level. ¡°Do you want some fruit juice?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the juice?¡± At my question, she pulled out a cup from the side of the fridge, set it down, and then squeezed a pineapple with her bare hands. ¡­Wow. I stared at her, dumbfounded. That pineapple was several times harder than a regr one. ¡°You washed your hands, right?¡± ¡°Do you want to be squeezed instead?¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯ll drink it. Thanks.¡± I took a sip of the fresh juice she made. It tasted good. -What¡¯s going on? Melissa, unable to see the situation, was curious. ¡°She just crushed a red pineapple with her bare hands to make fresh juice.¡± -Wow¡­ Just how strong has she gotten? That was exactly what I was wondering. I recalled seeing Luna crush a boulder with her bare hands once. ¡°Anyway, when are youing back?¡± Melissa took a moment before responding. -Uh¡­ I might be a littleter than nned. There¡¯s a banquet, and I might stay until the wedding.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not their parent, why¡ª¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 91 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 91 -Are you feeling anxious since your wedding is approaching? I was thinking of staying by her side for a while. Is that okay? It wasn¡¯t just anyone¡ªshe was her closest friend. So what did it matter? Besides, Melissa was at an age where she should be going out and having fun. "Sure. Go and enjoy yourself as much as you want." That was the n from the beginning, so there was no issue. But still, I had a feeling things would get a little troublesome if the artifact became widely known. Just as I was thinking that¡ª There was a knock at the door, and Misha, the head maid, entered, bowing politely with aposed posture. "Young Master." "Ah, thank you for your hard work. Has the gate¡¯s color changed at all?" "No, it has never turned red." If the spatial magic activated within the gate changed from green to red, that would mean trouble. Fortunately, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. "That¡¯s good. At least it looks like the connection is stable." "If word gets out that you created a teleportation gate on your own, it will cause quite amotion." "Of course. But for now, it¡¯s just a prototype, so I n to ignore any requests regarding it." Whether it was the illusion artifact or the teleportation gate, both would definitely cause a stir. However, unlike the illusion artifact, the teleportation gate wasn¡¯t fullyplete yet. Safety inspections wouldn¡¯t be done in just a day or two, and if the gate I created wasn¡¯tpatible with the existing teleportation gates, a major problem could arise. The existing teleportation gates were made with magic, whereas the one I created was primarily built using magitech. "The mana stones used as fuel are sufficient, so now we just need to test it by periodically transporting objects." "Um, Young Master?" Misha hesitated before adding, "We received another message from Gaifen..." "Again? Just ignore it." Why should I bother? There was no reason to ept it. I had already aplished what I set out to do. Gaifen¡¯s Magic Tower had sent several messages after that, but I didn¡¯t bother responding. Judging by how things unfolded, I could tell I had been somewhat mistaken. They probably did expect a response from me. The problem must have been caused by some lower-ranked official not delivering the message properly. But I chose to ignore it. If they wanted to apologize, they coulde in person. If they didn¡¯t like that, then we didn¡¯t need to associate with each other at all. I wasn¡¯t nning on doing anything more. If Gaifen¡¯s Magic Tower truly intended to show goodwill, they woulde meet me directly. If not, we would go our separate ways. Of course, it would be better if they came in person. That way, I could use it as leverage to extractpensation. And sure enough, they moved quickly, seemingly realizing that dragging this out would only be a loss for them. Much sooner than expected, the Level 5 Mage, Berhem and a girl who appeared to be from the Holy Kingdom visited my estate. * * * Apanied by a priest from the Holy Kingdom, the mage gave me a bitter smile the moment he saw me. "Wee, Elder Berhem. And the person beside you is¡­?" "Ah. This is Nabel, a high-ranking priest from the Holy Kingdom." "I am Nabel. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Leon Cascadia." I stared at her as she greeted me with an elegant smile. Then, something about her caught my eye,pletely stealing my attention. Wow... Cerberus... I had never been sopletely captivated before in my life. As I stood there, speechless, Luna appeared, dragging a refrigerator behind her, and gave my calf a few sharp kicks. "Leon, that''s rude." "Ah. My apologies, I lost myself for a moment. Please, have a seat." I immediately had the servants guide them to the reception room and turned to Luna. "Hey, bring out some ice cream and coffee cookies." "No. They¡¯re all mine." "I¡¯ll make more for youter. It¡¯ll take too long to prepare otherwise." She looked up at me with dissatisfaction but eventually opened the refrigerator and pulled out ice cream and coffee cookies, setting them on the table. "My goodness, she¡¯s carrying that refrigerated artifact with one hand..." "Ha, incredible. Now that¡¯s magic." "Hmm." Seeing her proud expression, I could tell she secretly took pride in her growing strength. The two visitors, who had been caught off guard, cleared their throats and refocused on me. I leisurely pushed the ice cream and cookies toward them. "Please, try them. Just something I made as a hobby." "What are these?" Unlike the visibly uneasy Berhem, the high-ranking priest Nabel¡¯s eyes sparkled as she took in the sight of the ice cream. "Ice cream and cookies." "Ice cream? How fascinating. It¡¯s different from fruit syrup poured over ice. And yet it¡¯s not quite milk either..." She elegantly lifted a small spoon and took a bite of the ice cream. Her eyes widened. "Gasp..." She took another spoonful and blushed slightly. "It¡¯s cold but sweet. I¡¯ve seen simr frozen treats before, but¡­ this is my first time tasting something like this. Did you make this yourself?" Seeing her eyes shine with delight, I found myself somewhat pleased. "I made it as a hobby. I¡¯m d you like it." "If I could, I¡¯d eat this every day. But¡­ rules prevent me from indulging too much..."@@novelbin@@ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "I¡¯ll pack some for you." Hearing that, she gave me a faint smile. "Elder Berhem, so what brings you here?" Even though I already knew, I asked anyway. "Ahem. You sent a message to the Magic Tower recently. It seems the person in charge made a mistake and was rude to you, so I came to apologize personally. I am truly sorry." He bowed his head respectfully. "To be honest, I was a little disappointed. I thought it was just a meaningless, formal statement." "No, not at all! Our Gaifen Magic Tower genuinely wishes to maintain good rtions with you¡­ No, saying that now would just sound like an excuse." He spoke with a bitter expression. "If you desirepensation for this matter, we are willing to offer it, Lord Leon." "In that case, I won¡¯t refuse." "Uh..." "You''re giving that to me, aren''t you?" I pointed to the small box he had brought. There was no reason to make an enemy out of Elder Berhem just because of a mere low-ranking mage. Besides, my connection was with Berhem, not necessarily with Gaifen. When I smirked, he let out a helplessugh. "I must have thought too highly of you. This is a gift personally selected by the Tower Master." From the box he handed over, a small stone emerged. But I immediately recognized its value. "A magic stone. And a top-grade one at that." Magic stones were quitemon, but once they surpassed a certain level, their value skyrocketed astronomically. And a top-grade one? Considering the number of magical engineering feats that could be achieved with this, it was an incredible item. "Isn''t this excessive? There''s no need to go this far." "It''s partly an apology, but also a form of investment." He chuckled. "You neutralized a kraken with ease and even created a teleportation gate. Honestly, I''m quite curious about what you''lle up with next." In other words, if I ever needed support for my creations, he wanted me to consider them first. For an institution like the Gaifen Magic Tower, that wasn''t a bad offer. "I''ll keep it in mind." Of course, I didn''t have any immediate ns to create something new. "So, did youe here for the same reason as Elder Berhem?" "Ah¡­ no. I have a different purpose. I came to see you personally." As my gaze shifted from Berhem to the high priestess, Nabel, she, who had been happily biting down on a spoon, flinched and quicklyposed herself. "It''s an honor to meet the famous Lord Leon in person." "The honor is mine, to meet the great light of the Holy Kingdom." "I am merely a humble servant who walks ahead in service." High Priestess Nabel. But considering her title, she looked far too young. Not just youthful in appearance¡ªshe was actually young. A high priestess from the Holy Kingdom, yet still innocent and pure. And despite that, I could sense something massive within her, something far beyond that of an ordinary priest. If I hadn¡¯t possessed vast amounts of aura and necromantic mana myself, I might have only felt a vague sense of unease around her. Yeah. There was only one person in the world who matched these conditions. Nadia Ten Lilibel. The most sacred existence of the Holy Kingdom. The Saint. Ah, so that¡¯s why she goes by "Nabel." Well, if she wanted to keep her identity hidden, I had no reason to expose it. After all, the status of a Saint was incredibly significant. Rejecting a high priestess''s offer was one thing, but rejecting a Saint''s proposal could bring serious consequences. She knew that too¡ªthat¡¯s why she hade under the title of a high priestess. "Lord, would it be alright if I took a look at the teleportation gate you created? I assume the matters between you and Nabel are ones I shouldn''t intrude upon." "Yes, feel free. Oh, before you go, take a look at the statue in the estate square. If you like it, spread the word." It would be a waste if only we got to appreciate that masterpiece. "The statue? Ah, the one of Count Cascadia. Hmm, I¡¯m not sure if that was the image I had in mind¡­." "I made it a few days ago. My younger sibling hasn¡¯t seen it yet." When I grinned mischievously, he let out a heartyugh. "Ha! Alright, I¡¯ll make sure to take a good look before I leave." After he left, silence lingered for a moment before Nabel slowly turned her gaze to me. After a brief hesitation, she finally spoke. "The garden outside¡­ did Count Cascadia design it?" "My mother did." "Ah, then¡­ your mother is¡­." "She passed away." "Oh¡­ I¡¯m so sorry." She flustered and fumbled with her words. At first nce, she seemed sacred and elegant, someone who would be unwavering in her prayers no matter the circumstance. But now, I finally understood why she had felt strangely familiar from the start. Was it because she was the Saint? Unlike the battle-hardened and politically shrewd upper echelons of the Holy Kingdom, she still carried a great deal of innocence. Honestly, I didn¡¯t dislike people like her. I was terrible at dealing with people. Growing up in the Labyrinth, I never had the chance to learn how. So, conversing with people who were adept at social interactions never feltfortable for me. Alright. Plus ten points. I gave her a generous internal rating and then calmly asked, "So, Nabel, you came to see me?" "Yes." "I am merely a retainer of a bordend count." "But if that retainer is the greatest genius on the continent, wouldn¡¯t that change the story?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 92 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 92 As she smiled faintly and exaggerated her gestures, a particr part of her body once again drew attention. If that was intentional, it might be an incredibly high-level tactic¡ªso much so that the thought sent a chill down my spine. ¡°I need your help. With your power and knowledge, thousands of lives can be saved.¡± She spoke with a serious expression. ¡°You¡¯re neither affiliated with the Empire nor the Holy Kingdom, and you have extensive knowledge of teleportation gates. You also maintain political neutrality between nations as a margrave of the Kingdom of Bata. In my opinion¡­ um¡­ well, I believe you¡¯re the only one who meets all these conditions.¡± Her slight stuttering made it feel like she was reciting memorized lines. Was it natural since a saintess wouldn¡¯t be ustomed to political negotiations? But from the perspective of a high-ranking priest, this was a failure. Did she even intend to hide her identity at all? I hesitated. If I listened to what she had to say next, I had a strong feeling I would get involved. But the weight of thousands of lives was not something to take lightly. ¡°Hah¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll hear you out for now.¡± ¡°There is a small tribe on the outskirts of the Holy Kingdom.¡± A tribe? Ah. I had heard about the nomadic tribes. The Hael Tribe, also known as barbarians, was famous. They wererger and physically stronger than most humans¡ªso much so that if one considered biological differences, they were practically a different race altogether. However, since they looked like tall humans, distinguishing them based on appearance alone was no easy task. I had heard that there had long been debates about whether barbarians should be ssified as humans or not. ¡°Are you referring to the Hael Tribe?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a possibility that a war may break out between the Holy Kingdom and the Hael Tribe.¡± That was quite the grand statement. ¡°I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear that.¡± There was nothing good about getting involved in a war. Just as I was about to cut her off without hesitation¡ª She spoke urgently.@@novelbin@@ ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to help with the war. With your technology, a war between the Hael Tribe and the Holy Kingdom can be prevented.¡± Hearing her words, I stopped myself from standing up and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll listen, for now.¡± Piecing together her exnation, it seemed that tensions between the Hael Tribe and the Holy Kingdom had been growing, and now, even some within the Holy Kingdom were beginning to advocate for war. ¡°They are an honest people. They may not be the most intelligent, but they are straightforward and do not lie. If they are given the opportunity to interact with the Holy Kingdom, they can coexist peacefully.¡± ¡°Would the Holy Kingdom be willing to ept the Hael Tribe, given their shamanistic beliefs?¡± ¡°I will make sure they do.¡± Her eyes held unwavering determination. Seeing that, I asked: ¡°So, what exactly do you need from me?¡± ¡°The teleportation gate. I heard that you created one. I even saw it on my way here. Can you¡­ create them at will?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re just asking whether it¡¯s possible, then yes. Though the materials are expensive.¡± Upon hearing my response, her eyes lit up. ¡°The Holy Kingdom will provide the materials. Under my name. So please, help me. If we can link them with a teleportation gate, foster interactions, and formally negotiate, we can resolve the misunderstandings that have umted¡ªwithout bloodshed.¡± The idea that mutual understanding was possible¡ª If she truly believed that, she was a fool. If she knew it was impossible but still wanted to try, then she was an optimist. I didn¡¯t dislike that sort of thing. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I had anything to gain by agreeing to her request. ¡°This is not a minor issue. Even as a high-ranking priest, Lady Nabel, this seems beyond what you can handle alone.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± As expected. This was something only a saintess could overstep authority to aplish. She was trying hard to hide her identity. And I was willing to respect that. But I had forgotten about the presence of Luna, who was sitting beside me, licking her ice cream. ¡°Since when do high-ranking priests possess such an abundance of divine power?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you¡ª?¡± ¡°Even just the divine power you¡¯re emitting on the surface is dozens of times greater than that of an ordinary priest.¡± At those words, her expression stiffened. ¡°And since when do priests engrave the symbol of God on their chest?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± She instinctively covered her chest. Oh, so the saintess¡¯ stigma¡ªthe divine mark that serves as the source of her power¡ªis located there? Her attire was modest, covering her fully in an elegant and refined priestly robe. But now, realizing she had been tricked, she furrowed her delicate brows. ¡°H-how rude.¡± ¡°I merely stated what I saw. I apologize.¡± Luna¡¯s attitude was unusual. She was acting with an odd sense of wariness, hostility, or some otherplicated feeling toward the saintess. Considering that Luna rarely picked fights with others, this was unusual. ¡°Leon, I¡¯m going to rest.¡± She abruptly stood up, dragged open the refrigerator with a loud screech, and left the room. ¡°¡­I apologize. It seems Luna is in a bad mood.¡± ¡°That person¡­.¡± ¡°She¡¯s Luna Basilin Raphaelia. She¡¯s both my household¡¯s guest and my personal healer. But, more than anything, she¡¯s family.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Hearing that, the saintess tilted her head. ¡°Luna Basilin Raphaelia?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Now that I thought about it, Luna was an angel. And the Holy Kingdom was a nation that worshiped God. That meant there might be a connection between them. Could she possibly know something about Luna? Given that Luna rarely spoke about herself, I felt a flicker of curiosity. ¡°Raphaelia¡­ Raphaelia¡­ That name sounds familiar somehow¡­.¡± Thinking back, my first encounter with Luna had been anything but ordinary. A rift in a blue box, and inside it¡ªthe fallen angel who had been sealed away. ¡°Do you recognize the name?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ N-no. I must be mistaken. Anyway, let¡¯s get back to the main topic¡­.¡± ¡°All right.¡± When I readily agreed, she flinched. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you. You said countless lives are at stake.¡± At my words, she looked at me with hesitation, but soon her expression brightened. ¡°Thank you so mu¡ª¡± ¡°But the Holy Kingdom will pay an appropriate price, right?¡± She shuddered at my cold smile, unable topletely hide her wary expression. ¡°But countless lives¡­¡± Was this woman a seasoned maniptor, or just an empty shell? ¡°Lady Nabel, I clearly said I would help. But do you realize this is like eating a poisoned apple? One that could very well kill me?¡± She tilted her head at my question. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The teleportation gate hasn¡¯t even passed safety inspections. No one knows what could happen. There¡¯s a high chance of casualties. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t nning on using it for at least a month. And if things go wrong with this mission, it could escte into a war.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Her face darkened. ¡°Even so, I said I would help. But I¡¯m not some saint who preaches selflessness. If you offer properpensation, I¡¯ll consider it favorably.¡± She seemed too inexperienced to counter my reasoning. No, if she had any real purpose, she would¡¯vee prepared with an offer. ¡°You¡¯re right. Morally, that would be fair.¡± ¡°And this oue benefits you as well. Isn¡¯t it better to trust someone who asks for an appropriate price rather than someone who helps without revealing their true motives?¡± At my words, she stared at me nkly before letting out a faint chuckle. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re quite wise, my lord. So, what is it that you want?¡± Got her. Letting out a short sigh, I licked my lips. I needed to ensure she cooperated as much as possible. ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard, but the previous Count Cascadia and his wife¡ªmy parents¡ªand my youngest sibling were killed at sea by a kraken.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°We still haven¡¯t even found their bodies.¡± We had a rough idea of where they were lost. But the problem was the location itself. ¡°The sea where my parents and youngest sibling disappeared is impossible to explore.¡± ¡°What do you mean by impossible?¡± I handed her a letter as she focused on my words. Having a lot of money meant I had a wider range of requests I could make. In the meantime, Melissa had even hired mermaids to assist in the search. This maritime species, neither particrly hostile nor friendly toward humans, was small in number but maintained some level of interaction with us. Standing at an average height of 50 centimeters, these small creatures resembled humans but had fins for their lower bodies. They were generally mild-mannered. We had described my parents¡¯ and Arsha¡¯s features and belongings to them, and they immediatelybed through the sea where the kraken had disappeared. The result was bad news. [The bodies of the three were not found anywhere in the area. Even if they had been eaten, there should have been remains. Theck of any trace suggests they drifted into the Forbidden Zone. ording to the treaty with the Holy Kingdom and due to its extreme danger, entry into the Forbidden Zone is not permitted.] Not far from the site of the identy a perilous part of the sea. A location designated as a Forbidden Zone by the Holy Kingdom. A ce where one could not enter without the ancient divine artifact possessed by the Holy Kingdom. ¡°You¡¯re asking to borrow the divine artifact¡­?¡± ¡°Only for the duration of the search.¡± At my words, she teared up. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help you. No, please let me help. If it¡¯s for such a reason, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to find them.¡± Did she even realize? That an ordinary high priestess had no authority over the Forbidden Zone? A saintess might, but for a mere high priestess, it was beyond her reach. Yet, she had just dered she would provide it. I smirked and extended my hand. ¡°Then let¡¯s give it a try, Lady Nabel.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ May the Archangel¡¯s blessing be with us¡­ I¡¯ll be in your care, my lord.¡± My house¡¯s resident guest really hated that archangel. * * * Saintess¡ªno, High Priestess Nabel¡ªleft, saying she would return once everything was arranged. ¡°I¡¯m relieved that my lord has agreed to help.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t given a definite answer yet.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. That¡¯s why I will ensure you receive the divine artifact. In the meantime, please focus on the safety inspections. If you need anything, I will personally cover the costs.¡± I wasn¡¯t so desperate as to milk her dry. Besides, this wasn¡¯t about money. If someone got involved just because I epted her support, it would only be annoying. Watching her take off on a griffon alongside her holy knights, I sank into the chair in my room. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!