《I Became a Sick Nobleman》 Chapter 1: Lets live for now Chapter 1: Let''s live for now ¡°...huu..huu..¡± I can¡¯t breathe, I¡¯m suffocating. It felt as if someone was pressing down on my neck, cutting off my oxygen. Struggling, I opened my eyes. ¡°...huu...huk..¡± It was getting harder to breathe even more, and my head felt like it was being split open... ¡®Damn, how long did I run yesterday?¡¯ I can¡¯t go to work in this condition. This won¡¯t do, I need to call and ask for the day off. Knock. Knock. I turned my head reflexively to the door. My eyes widened at the sight before me. A wall with a strange portrait, a fine wooden door displayed with natural grain, and a bed adorned with curtains. This... Wasn¡¯t my room. Confused, I tried to get up from bed. I needed to find out where I was, but this blanket was weighing me down. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is this my arm? Why the heck does it look like a dried branch.¡± ¡®Ehh?¡¯ I pulled the blanket off me with all my might, the very act had my heart bursting in exertion, it¡¯s frantic beating could be heard in my ear. I was out of breath even though I had only rolled out of the blanket. ¡®Mirror¨C.¡¯ Thud! My body tilted even before my legs touched the ground. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± The door opened and a man in a black suit hurriedly approached. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°... Ruel?¡± The stranger looked at me in askance. ¡®Why did the name sound so familiar?¡¯ The man who appeared to be a butler easily lifted me off the floor and placed me back onto the bed. ¡°You almost got in trouble. The fever just dropped this morning. Are you hurt anywhere?¡± The butler asked me, but I was absorbed in my own thoughts. ¡®Ruel... Setiria?¡¯ That was the name that came to my mind after a bit of thought. The man standing before me became nervous. ¡°Do you still have a fever, Ruel-nim?¡± The butler carefully put his hand on my forehead with his white gloves on. ¡°The fever went up again. I¡¯ll get your meds ready right away.¡± Seeing the butler leave, I grabbed him with my withered, twig-like arms. If the name I said was wrong, the man would have questioned me. Since he didn¡¯t, that could only mean... The butler chuckled. ¡°Mirror.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The mirror.¡± Even the very act of talking seemed to sap my breath away. ¡°Would you like me to bring it?¡¯¡¯ asked the butler. I stared into the butler¡¯s eyes as a response. The butler bowed his head after much consideration. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± When the butler left, I felt the exhaustion sink into my body as if I had been running a marathon. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be.¡¯ ¡®There was no way.¡¯ ¡®The owner of this body, Ruel? That Ruel Setiria?¡¯ Ruel Setiria. A character in the first volume of the web novel ¡®SSS-class Knight¡¯. A sickly aristocrat from a very prominent and powerful family. Since birth, Ruel had an unknown disease that plagued him throughout his life, but it was never revealed in the novel what the cause was. How could it have been known? After all, he died in the middle of the first book. Knock. Knock. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡± Cassion, the butler came into the room carrying the mirror with a faint smile. He brought the mirror and angled it to the man on the bed, judging that he wouldn¡¯t have the strength to hold it himself. Only after seeing the reflection looking back at himself in the mirror, did the sense of reality set in. What was staring back at him was a sickly face, showing the effect of a long bout of illness, the skin was pallid and the sunken-eyes were made prominent by the dark circles. Unmanaged gray hair grew wildly like weed, and blurred green eyes were distorted. What a fucking joke. Ruel Setiria. I become a weak and useless nobleman. ¡°Cassion.¡± The butler looked at me anxiously at this breaking voice of mine. ¡®You¡¯re so pretentious.¡¯ If anyone saw it, they could have mistaken the butler for someone loyal, who was worried about his master, and was heartbroken after checking his master¡¯s condition. ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim.¡± I waved my hand lightly. My body was dead tired, out of breath just by speaking one word. How weak was it? ¡°Ruel-nim, are you out of breath?¡± Cassion handed me something that was on the table. It was a tubular object similar to a flute. ¡°It may be hard for you sir, but please breathe through this Breath slowly.¡± ¡°My cousin, Mineta Setiria has prepared well for it all to happen, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well, you just can tell just by looking at their eyes that they¡¯re full of greed.¡± Cassion¡¯s confidence was amusing, and Ruel, who had firmly believed in him without knowing that he was an assassin that was sent to kill him. The thought itself was ridiculous. Cassion messed up his neatly arranged hair. ¡°This is very strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t know anything until yesterday, how did you know today? Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± ¡°What do you know after only half a year?¡± After coughing a couple of times, I finished drinking the soup. This fucking body. I can¡¯t even eat comfortably. Cassion took out the dagger he had hidden on his sleeves and toyed it lightly. ¡°It¡¯s also a time to know a lot in half a year. Anyway, I¡¯d like to hear what made my master speak out.¡± ¡°Lord.¡± ¡°......?¡± ¡°Call me Lord.¡± No matter what anyone said, Setiria¡¯s lord was Ruel. Cassion stopped toying the dagger and looked greatly surprised. It was the most honest thing he had ever shown. ¡°You?¡± At the derisive remark, l returned it as it was. ¡°Because I am the Lord.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Cassion dropped his dagger and held his stomach laughing. I continued to eat silently while watching him. The laughter paused after a moment. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to die. Not in 2 weeks, but today. Do you know how hard my head was spinning because of that?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± Cassion suddenly got out of his seat and placed the finely folded paper packet down, next to the tray. ¡°This is the medicine you should take today. You know, without this medicine, you wouldn¡¯t last a day.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± At his determined answer, Cassion smiled and looked at Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m often told that I¡¯m quite easygoing. But it seems like you¡¯re more so than I am.¡± Like a child watching a circus, Cassion was filled with expectations of finishing his task of killing Ruel. As he said, Ruel, a character in the ¡®SSS-class Knight,¡¯ was so weak that he could not even survive a day without medicine. But I was different. Though my body was weak, I wasn¡¯t sick to the extent that I couldn¡¯t think. I raised my finger and pointed at Cassion. ¡°You¡¯ll protect me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I decided to give Cassion a blow. ¡°Heirloom, you want the Turbulent Day, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°.......¡± Cassion shut his mouth. ¡°My cousin promised to give it to you, right?¡± Although his expression didn¡¯t change, it was fully understandable how embarrassed Cassion was now. Cassion¡¯s motivation for assassinating Ruel was for a sword called Turbulent Day. A sword known to have cut down an evil hero, there was no special force in it anymore. But Cassion was a sword collector. It was not hard to guess what he would do, if he had the opportunity to hold the legendary family treasure of Setiria that everyone yearned for but couldn¡¯t have? But he was in the wrong about something though. ¡°Idiotic.¡± A word that was not at all noble popped out of Ruel. Only then did Cassion¡¯s mouth move. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°Water.¡± I looked at the cup. The initiative in the conversation has been handed over to him. Cassion furrowed his brows and poured the water. Slowly, I drank the water, the conversation making me tired. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± This time, Cassion called his name. ¡°The heirloom passed down through the bloodline.¡± ¡°Through the bloodline...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Ruel Setiria, that is the current head of Setiria.¡± Ruel laughed at Cassion and continued. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who knows the location of the sword.¡± ¡°......!¡± ¡°You¡¯re being cheated.¡± ¡°No...way.¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± The fishing rod is bent greatly. In the novel, my cousin did not know the location of the heirloom. But the person who¡¯d know the location is obvious. The heirloom would naturally be in a secure place with tight security. Chapter 2: Lets live for now (2) Chapter 2: Let''s live for now (2) I used three circumstances to my advantage to control the situation to my favour. For one, Cassion knows that I have an unknown illness. Second is that Ruel, who was stupid till now, had changed. And finally, Cassion¡¯s willingness to drop his superiority when it suited him. Cassion seemed almost feverish with the intensity of his thinking, especially with the current situation. ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s a very satisfying face.¡¯ I opened my mouth, holding back my desire to smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Cassion pursued his lips. He must be upset since he was fooled by my cousin. ¡°Because I¡¯m ill, it¡¯ll be of no use to me anyway.¡± ¡°... How do you guarantee that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll sign a contract.¡± I patted myself on the chest. Everyone in the world of ¡®SSS-class Knight¡¯ had mana and establishing contracts using the mana were a common occurrence. ¡°The conditions?¡± Ho... Not only was the fishing rod bent greatly, but it was also winning the fight. Just a little bit more. ¡°Be a loyal butler until I die.¡± Cassion later became the main character¡¯s loyal feet and ears. I must be a fool to let a fish already on the cutting board go, afterall I have to do my best to live. There was a shiny glimmer in Cassion¡¯s greedy eyes. This request was far simpler than he thought. It was easy to guess what¡¯s on his mind as he had been watching Ruel for half a year. ¡®Ruel is about to die. Wouldn¡¯t he be free after that?¡¯ Cassion didn¡¯t bother to hide his expression this time. Joy was exposed on the surface. ¡°Cough, Cough!¡± I coughed loudly on purpose. At the same time, the pain that I felt in my chest made me frown. Eventually, the fake cough became a real cough and something hot flowed down my throat. At the moment, I wondered if I really was going to die. ¡®Ha.¡¯ However, when I looked up I saw Cassion¡¯s face mixed with joy and embarrassment, I burst into laughter. ¡°Even like this...¡± I wiped the blood off my mouth and clasped my trembling hands. ¡°I want to protect the Setiria.¡± I said once more. Cassion, He was the head of the assassin guild. Whether you belong to a family or a guild; as a leader or member, you will have the desire to protect. His delicate expression was erased and he sat as the head of a guild. ¡°Please drink.¡± Cassion held out a paper packet containing medicine. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we sign a contract?¡± ¡®The fish is caught...¡¯ I coughed and hid my smile. My first step on the path of survival, catching a valuable piece named Cassion in my palm was almost a done deal. *** The contract was concluded smoothly. The sword Turbulent Day would go to Cassion and in return Cassion would be a loyal butler until Ruel died. ¡°I didn¡¯t say the deadline on purpose. I¡¯d like you to think that we¡¯ll be together for at least half a year more.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Would I die after that? I don¡¯t know. I would sacrifice as much as I could, even such as a seemingly fine sword for a glimmer of hope. And I obviously will not let myself die. For that sliver of hope, I need the power left by the Hero. It was the power held by a Hero just like his name. It was known to have been scattered all over the world before he died, and if I had all his power, I could become a real hero. But currently I didn¡¯t know if I had a chance to be one. Even the main character, who had acquired this power, could not gather all the scattered power and tried to figure out it¡¯s origin, but the ending of the ¡®SSS-class Knight¡¯ was never clear, so even he couldn¡¯t discover who the Hero was or what he did. ¡°Isn¡¯t that funny?¡± ¡°What?¡± Skrr, skrr. It was interesting to see the assassin sitting next to him peeling an apple. ¡°I am an assassin who came to kill you. I didn¡¯t expect to peel an apple like this.¡± ¡°But, now I¡¯m a butler.¡± Cassion smiled awkwardly. ¡°What date is it today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s September 11th.¡± So it¡¯s next week. Unlike the date Cassion promised my cousin to kill me, I was due to die a week later. My cousin changed his plan and tried to kill me by sending another assassin besides Cassion, but amusingly, Cassion killed Ruel first. Cassion doesn¡¯t like anyone else snatching his prey. After that, the main character appeared and solved the Setiria situation. ¡®Oh, right. There was the protagonist. The Hero.¡¯ The sound of peeling stopped. ¡°Do you have a headache?¡± ¡°No.¡± I want to avoid meeting the protagonist no matter what. Just by stepping on the same land as him, for sure troublesome things would shortly follow. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to live prosperous and comfortable with the fortune I have at the moment. Of course, before that... ¡®First of all, I have to live.¡¯ ¡°Here is it.¡± ¡°Aside from you...¡± Ruel asked, eating an apple piece handed by Cassion. ¡°Who else is here?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°People watching me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just me.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. Having come to recuperate, he did not plan to change his position as the head of Setiria. ¡®Somehow, only Cassion appeared in the novel. Was he just not sitting there?¡¯ He didn¡¯t seem to know what he was talking about. Cassion sighed lightly, and spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Nevertheless, don¡¯t rush your short life and lie down nicely.¡± The look Ruel showed today was pretty good. Over all the time they had spent together in the last 6 months, Cassion liked the Ruel he saw today the most, so he sincerely advised him. ¡°Cassion.¡± I smiled superciliously. ¡°I¡¯m not dying.¡± The eyes revealed on the pale face were filled with flames. ¡°So I will go out.¡± Cassion was speechless. How are you suddenly so resolute today? How come your eyes are so determined now? Ruel, who originally had given in to death, the Ruel he knew, was not here. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore.¡± What the hell is this about? Cassion knew how bad his condition was and how painful he looked earlier. What in the world made him change today. Even if it¡¯s like this. I want to protect the Setiria. The words spoken with conviction that shook one¡¯s heart, suddenly echoed in Cassion. Cassion clenched his fist. ¡°Is it because of Setiria that you are so stubborn? Are you doing this because you are dying?¡± Ruel looked at Cassion without saying a word. Cassion thought Ruel looked like a fading flame, blooming brighter and grander than ever before dying out, maybe that was the case here. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll get ready.¡± Still, as a person who served, it was the butler¡¯s duty to grant his or her masters last wish. Cassion bowed his head. ¡°Have a good rest.¡± There was no sound of footsteps. I couldn¡¯t hear the door closing. Soon I realised that Cassion had left. I looked at the door with an absurd face. ¡®What is he saying now?¡¯ He brought up Setiria this or whatever by himself, and he made up his mind and left. ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know. I just want to go out.¡¯ l couldn¡¯t think of other things to do for fun activities. My head throbbed. My skin felt as if they were being sliced. I struggled with unfamiliar pain and suffering. After groaning for a long time, I couldn¡¯t win over the pain and my eyes finally closed. *** The night soon arrived and the sound of torches outside crackling could be heard. Cassion hummed as he walked back silently. He was on the way back from checking on Ruel who had fallen asleep. Today, Ruel¡¯s face was full of pain, from which he soon fainted. Such a pitiful fellow. The assassin disguised as a butler for a mission, but Cassion now thought it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to be a real butler for a short time since he already signed a contract. Cassion turned the dagger in both hands. The Lord ordered me to kill the flies, so I¡¯ll have to act on them. Back then, he showed his killing intent on purpose. Hehe. Cassion grinned at the thought. ¡®Five hunters, three more. You guys missed a lot, will have to punish you later.¡¯ Cassion took a step after unbuttoning his collar. Cassion stood in the shadows, and his hands raised caught all the lingering memories. His purple eyes flash for an instant. All the memories in the surroundings were caught, they were then pulverized and scattered into dust. Weapon tracking. Cassion walked among the shadows. He moved stealthily like a panther until reappearing behind the enemy hiding behind the flower bed. With a flash, the sound of the heartbeat disappeared. The dark scent of blood lingered on the dagger, which had stolen a life with a single swing. ¡®I caught one.¡¯ Cassion sunk back into the shadows again. He soon caught all five people he had seen with memorisation without causing a disturbance. Then Cassion walked back to the initial place. ¡®There are three left.¡¯ There was news that the former employer (Ruel¡¯s cousin) had squandered his assets, and it seemed to be true. Otherwise, he could not have sent such sloppy people against him. In a blink of an eye, three people dressed in black appeared. Cassion laughed. ¡°Why did you come here in such a hurry?¡± He didn¡¯t hear the answer. Since their necks had already been cut off. Blood burst from the cut, and Cassion stood among them with not a single drop on him. Cassion raised his hand. His guild member, who was ambushed outside the mansion, appeared. ¡°Sir.¡± His voice was quieter than usual because he had done something wrong. ¡°You missed eight people and made me come out to do your job.¡± Looking at the subordinate he said ¡°Begin the clean up.¡± It wasn¡¯t because the cleanup was bothersome. It would now be the punishment to guild members who had become negligent. ¡°I¡¯ll take your orders, sir.¡± ¡°One more thing.¡± Cassion wiped the blood off the dagger and tidied up his uniform. ¡°Tomorrow the Lord is going out. It¡¯s been a while since I have gone out as well so don¡¯t cause any mistakes.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m heading back, put everything back neatly.¡± As for what he¡¯d say to his former employer, Cassion thought about it. Let¡¯s say they fought each other. Chapter 3: Lets live for now (3) Chapter 3: Let''s live for now (3) Shuaa. All of a sudden, I woke to the sound of the curtains being drawn. ¡®Damn body.¡¯ I could barely open my eyes. After suffering the whole night in pain, I barely managed to get a wink of sleep after being constantly woken up due to pain. ¡°Are you up?¡± Hearing Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel didn¡¯t bother responding. ¡°Hey, I know you¡¯re awake. If you want to go out and come back before the slug comes, you¡¯re going to have to hurry.¡± Knowing I can¡¯t pretend anymore, I opened my eyes and looked at Cassion. Trying to get up, I was immediately overcome with weakness, causing my body to feel limp and heavy as if it was shackled by steel chains. ¡®This damn body.¡¯ Feeling limp, I laid back onto the bed cursing. ¡°Here, let me lift you up.¡± Cassion raised Ruel¡¯s upper body delicately without shaking him too much. After making sure Ruel was sitting comfortably on the bed, he brought water and medicine without a word. ¡°You still have a slight fever. You were sicker than usual last night.¡± As if he was following a routine, Cassion lifted his body straight to wipe the sweat gathered on his body with a damp cloth and he did this with great familiarity, even helping him change his clothes. I felt refreshed after my body was cleaned. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like it, but I¡¯ll bring you a meal.¡± Cassion said to him, after helping. ¡°Sure.¡± Seeing Cassion leave the room, l took the medicine placed on the desk next to the bed. Only after my body became more comfortable did I take in the surroundings. I realized that my room, which I thought was fine, had their windows blocked up by newspapers. ¡®Could this house even be called a manor when there are no servants to even manage the house properly?¡¯ I laughed lightly. Although it was my second day of becoming Ruel, I felt good today, thinking of finally saying goodbye to this wretched disease. ¡®If I get that power, it will be a great start.¡¯ The most important thing for a person is to cherish their health. After all you have to be healthy for you to accomplish anything. I don¡¯t want to go back to who I was before and certainly not the way I am right now either. I just want to live a normal, healthy and peaceful life. ¡®That should be very simple.¡¯ *** After a light meal, I dressed before going out. ¡°Where did you find this?¡± Tugging at the loose clothes I asked. It felt like I was wearing someone else¡¯s clothes. Cassion complained of injustice. ¡°It¡¯s only been half a year since I served you.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good because you personally confessed your laziness of not doing anything for half a year.¡± I took a breath and continued again. ¡°So you¡¯re really letting me go out wearing these clothes?¡± ¡°Sorry. Among other spare clothes, that one is the smallest one.¡± ¡°Thanks for saving my face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hearing the same thing over and over again, I noticed a fact. That slug had more money to eat than I thought. It¡¯s been more than five years since he kicked Ruel out with the excuse of nursing him. As the condition worsened, his authority as the Lord also steadily declined paving a way for his cousin. Even the smallest clothes he¡¯s wearing now would be taxing for him to buy now. ¡°Ha...¡±, I laughed at the scene. I didn¡¯t know that Setiria¡¯s condition would be much more severe than I thought. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°All right. Please wait a minute.¡± Cassion, who left with the door open, dragged something in. It was an object resembling a wheelchair with a clatter. Cassion then carried Ruel to the wheelchair and gently pushed him out of the room. ¡°Ruel-nim, where do you want to go?¡± ¡°The backyard of this house.¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± *** Druck. Druck. Followed by the echoing sound of the wheels, Cassion calmly pushed the wheelchair to the backyard, he couldn¡¯t help wondering what kind of outing it was. Seeing the backyard, unkempt due to the overgrown weeds wildly blooming, Ruel chuckled lightly. Cassion, the ¡®butler¡¯ who couldn¡¯t manage the entire mansion alone, felt uncomfortable considering he hadn¡¯t seemed to have done his job well. ¡°It¡¯s clean, no bloodstains. You cleaned it up very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the reason you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Cough, Cough.¡± Just in time, I coughed. ¡°Of course not.¡± Cassion could see the corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth slightly rising. ¡®Should I have tidied it up?¡¯ Cassion gripped the handle tightly. The assassins sent by slug stole everything from Ruel. Even if they were dead, wouldn¡¯t they have wanted to smile at the mess they made? ¡°Go over there.¡± Looking around the yard, Ruel looked around and pointed to a tree. ¡®Ah... I killed a man over there.¡¯ Musing, Cassion slowly pushed the wheelchair, considering the road was rather bumpy. Although he was careful, Ruel still turned pale. Cassion glanced at Ruel¡¯s complexion, he looked happier the more he saw. ¡®There!¡¯ Ruel was as excited. The power was asleep in that ugly tree. The way to live, my second chance. The power left by the original Hero. It was a kind of power that grew the more it was used. ¡®What a fucking joke.¡¯ Plans don¡¯t always flow the way one wanted them to. Haaa... My second chance to overturn my fate ended in failure. Soon I didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else. My stomach ached. A whole lot. *** ¡®... Huh?¡¯ I could taste again. The moment I saw Cassion looking at me with anticipated eyes, my appetite dropped sharply. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°... Somewhat good.¡± Cassion seems to be pleased with the reply because he was looking at me with delight. ¡°Cough, Cough!¡± In a sudden fit of cough, I stopped eating and grabbed my chest. Not sure how long, but even after a long time, my coughing didn¡¯t stop. Cassion stopped looking at Ruel and calmly pulled out the basin he had left under the bed and placed it beside him. Something hot flowed up my throat. ¡°... Wek!¡± Pitch black blood formed puddled on the basin. After a long time the coughs stopped, but my whole body felt even weaker than before. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Cassion wiped Ruel¡¯s mouth and moved his eyes toward the door. He seemed to be letting me know that someone was here, the slug appeared earlier than expected. ¡®What a crazy timing.¡¯ I stretched weakly on the bed and laughed inwardly. Knock. Knock. ¡°Come in, please.¡± The door opened as soon as Cassion¡¯s words were finished. A middle-aged man dressed up in luxurious clothes from head to toe walked in. Mineta Setiria was a man who glistened just like he was described in the novel. Especially his hair, they were shining even in this darkened room. ¡°How have you been, My Lord?¡± Mineta bowed gracefully. When he lifted himself up again, he asked with a surprised look. ¡°... Are you okay?¡± Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. You clearly heard it from outside. I¡¯m really powerless right now, so I waved my hand weakly. ¡°Cassion.¡± Mineta said. ¡°Yes sir?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He suddenly vomited blood during the meal.¡± Cassion glanced at the basin and carefully moved it out of the bed. ¡°Did he take any medicine?¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°Then how is he not better!¡± Watching this farce, l wanted to applaud him for his performance, if one didn¡¯t know his true character they would have thought that he was really concerned about his family. What a sly man. ¡°That¡¯s enough, get it out of here.¡± I said. Cassion lowered his head and carried the basin outside. ¡°Oh, how come you¡¯re getting so weak.¡± Mineta sat in Cassion¡¯s seat and clasped Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡®Cheeky...!¡¯ I wanted to shout, but didn¡¯t have the strength to speak. ¡°Please live a long life for Setiria, we need you.¡± Unlike his consoling voice, Mineta¡¯s eyes were filled with desire. ¡°No matter what anyone says, the Lord is the rightful blood of Setiria.¡± The words had thorns mixed with it. Ruel was the only child of the main house, the heir to the throne of Setiria. His parents died in a sudden accident, so he naturally became a head of the household. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much the previous Lord cared about you. I have no doubt that you will be a great Lord just like your father.¡± ¡®It smells. This guy stinks.¡¯ Although Mineta tried to hide his wiggling desire, every time he spoke the stench that leaked out made one nauseous. Looking at the scene before him, Ruel thought of a familiar cliche. ¡®You must be the one who killed Ruel¡¯s parents.¡¯ Then just as these thoughts drifted in his mind, a warm current flowed throughout his body. The power that disappeared earlier slowly returned. As it flowed through the body it became easier to breathe. The pain that was crushing my chest, also eased. This power. It might be possible for me to stand now. ¡®Ha.¡¯ I¡¯m not wrong, this path is correct. It¡¯s not a failure. To be exact, it was half successful. The disease remains the same, but the power of recovery will not let him die. It will steadily heal me after a trauma. ¡®That¡¯s enough, for now.¡¯ ¡°Mineta.¡± It may be because of a cough, but my voice sounded hoarse. They were like iron chains being dragged across the floor. ¡®That sounds terrifying.¡¯ He sounded like he was in a very serious condition and even felt sympathetic toward himself when he heard it. ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± For a moment, I saw Mineta¡¯s grin. l almost laughed when I saw that. He wasn¡¯t aware of the fact that I was being vigilant. ¡°Thanks.¡± Thank you so much. For misunderstanding things yourself. Chapter 4: Why are you coming out of there? Chapter 4: Why are you coming out of there? ¡°No. You¡¯re praising me for something I¡¯m not worthy of. All I have done is for Setiria and for you, my Lord.¡± Pretending to be moved by Mineta¡¯s words, I watched Mineta shake his head from side to side. ¡°Please make sure to take care of yourself and get back to where you once were.¡± ¡°You must be busy, Mineta, you can go.¡± I was satisfied with this meeting since I got to see whom I¡¯m against, this occasion was inevitable, he would have come to see how I was doing anyway. Mineta, as expected, rose from his seat without any hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re having a harder time because of me.¡± ¡°Go home safely.¡± Although he spoke calmly, Ruel¡¯s appearance resembled that of a patient who had only a few days left to live. Mineta had a feeling that he didn¡¯t have to wait much longer. What he wanted was almost within his reach. He bent down as if he wasn¡¯t willing to leave. ¡°Make sure you get well.¡± ¡°Mineta, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be coming back...to my rightful place.¡± Mineta paused for a moment and looked taken back as he bowed to Ruel. As he rose, his eyes were filled with indescribable emotions that were not there earlier. It wasn¡¯t hard to see the condescending gleam in his eyes as he left the room. Fuu... I almost ruined my performance back then, I didn¡¯t know what that look was, but I knew it was nothing good. *** Mineta walked outside while lightly biting his lips. ¡°Mineta-nim.¡± Cassion was waiting for him. Mineta quietly gestured to him and went out of the mansion to the main gate, he asked Cassion. ¡°What was that in there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Have you gone blind?¡± ¡°... Ah.¡± ¡°Do you know something? Maybe the medicine didn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Those who are close to death originally have false hopes. Don¡¯t think too much.¡± Cassion looked back calmly at the restless Mineta who by now had calmed down a bit. ¡°But did you mix something in the medicine?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to die soon, so I just added something extra, fastening his condition, so there¡¯s no concern about getting caught.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not like what¡¯s on my contract. It has to be me who should be killing him.¡± Mineta¡¯s flustered face had a fierce look. ¡°It just makes him weak, so don¡¯t think too much into it. It is your job to see if the work is done. Don¡¯t neglect to watch him.¡± ¡°Of course, as reported, he¡¯s gotten worse.¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes.¡± Tch. Annoyed Cassion clicked his tongue at Mineta. His eyes were as if a viper was staring at its prey, but at this moment there was nothing he could do. Cassion raised his hand after confirming that Mineta had left. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Immediately three people appeared behind him. Cassion took the packet of medicine out of his pocket. ¡°Look into it.¡± He¡¯s not happy. Each assassin had their own belief and his convictions were not assassin-like. ¡®I do not doubt my client.¡¯ An assassin led a dangerous life. Dying with a blade on their neck (being betrayed) was not uncommon. But his belief was very strong. Even at death he would never change it. This is my belief. Cassion never doubted the medicine Mineta gave him. He was a client and it was Mineta who repeatedly broke that trust first. The contract? It is all over from today. Suddenly, an interesting image came to mind and Cassion laughed. The Lord of house Setiria, died of poison. The killer was a certain assassin disguised as a dutiful butler. *** Cassion almost dropped the basin containing water, only to reflexively catch it at the last moment.Upstodatee from That¡¯s how surprised he was. Until not long ago, Ruel, who had difficulty in any aspect of physical movement, was actually standing before him. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± ¡°You sound like a butler who¡¯s been with me for a long time.¡± My legs were shaking, but this is how far I could go now. My lips curled at the fact. ¡°I know it sounds strange, but please listen.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± I slowly moved back to bed and sat down. It was a laborious process. My body was considerably stiff and weak due to the fact that I haven¡¯t used my muscles for a long time and much of it has wasted away. ¡°Looking at this... It turns out that the tree was something that granted wishes?¡± ¡°What bullshit are you talking about?¡± I was really irritated. ¡°After I cut the tree, something came out, and as a result, Ruel-nim is even able to walk now.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather have God come out of my dreams and make my wishes come true... Cough!¡± I laughed haughtily. Cassion had his nose stuck up in the air, looking very condescending, but there was no turning back. He looked at his weak Master, a guy who didn¡¯t even realize his own pitiful condition. ¡°The more urgent you want to take action, the slower you have to be.¡± ¡°Slower? How long would that be? After I die?¡± ¡°I understand you¡¯re worried about Setiria¡¯s situation. But in a few days...¡± I raised my palm at Cassion. ¡°I¡¯ll look at the data as soon as I open my eyes tomorrow.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression crumpled when he was told not to talk anymore. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest, so get out.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I closed my eyes and slowly felt the power of recovery. The power was still coursing through me, healing everything in its path. I never liked my body as much as I did now. I smiled as I felt the power was gradually growing. *** ¡°...uuh.¡± Every time I saw the documents that Cassion brought to me, I was aggrieved at what I saw. ¡®This is just a mess.¡¯ Setiria was a family that could never be poor. There were six noble families in the Kingdom of Leponia, one of them was Setiria. Its lands were fertile and farming always yielded a great harvest every year. If you dug the mine, a series of precious ore and gems would pour out and its road served as a gateway to the kingdom due to its location, so commerce was very active. In addition, due to its proximity to the Masu Forest that contained a den of monsters, the country also provided the land with support funds to fight against the monsters. It was basically a land blessed with prosperity and abundance. But that slug lost his mind, ruined the mine, dismantled Setiria¡¯s proud soldiers, and cut off all the competent men who had worked for Setiria. I clasped the paper hard. This. I am so angry. In particular, the worst thing slug did was that he was in debt. That explains the smoky clothes I wore yesterday. ¡°Ruel-nim, anger is not good for you.¡± ¡°What a great job he has done.¡± ¡°What the heck is this? Owing debt to two high lords and eight barons?¡± ¡°Yes, and that is just one of the many worst things.¡± The debts owed by slug and his family were considerable. It was much equivalent to Setiria¡¯s two-year budget, which already made many eyes water. He was not angry just because of the debt. It was due to the fact this was just a paving stone for the wolves hungrily staring at Setiria. In fact, after Ruel died, Setiria was split into the hands of debtors. ¡°Cassion, let me check one thing.¡± ¡°Please feel free to ask me.¡± ¡°Whose name is the debt under?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the slug.¡± I raised the corners of my mouth. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a mistake.¡¯ ¡°Any good move you¡¯ve come up with?¡± ¡°Yeah, please relax a bit and don¡¯t get angry anymore.¡± Scowling, I folded my hands and looked at a pile of papers. ¡°Get rid of it.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it all yet.¡± ¡°I already feel a headache coming.¡± Today, Cassion¡¯s eyes looked very tired. He must have worked hard to gather all this information for me. I felt sorry that I had to be unjust to him this way. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cassion replied reluctantly. He paused cleaning up the pile of papers and asked. ¡°Are you going to read them again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s enough.¡± I already checked the information I wanted to get, so there¡¯s no point looking at the rest. ¡°Are there any other documents I must see?¡± ¡°None sir.¡± Cassion bit his lips tightly. Compared to the documents he prepared, there were very few documents that Ruel had looked into. I smiled as I watched Cassion¡¯s trembling shoulders. ¡°When are we going to start rehabilitation?¡± ¡°You seem to have gotten sick again.¡± ¡°I want to start today.¡± Ruel replied. ¡°You said you had a headache. You might have a fever again.¡± Maybe it was because of the documents, but there was emotion in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± I said pointing at my chest. ¡°It was you who said that the power of recovery would not cure the disease.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mean.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes grew wide for a moment, but soon, he said with a big smile. ¡°Okay, Although it¡¯s not my body, I¡¯ll do my best to take care of it.¡± Chapter 5: Why are you coming out of there? (2) Chapter 5: Why are you coming out of there? (2) ¡®As expected, eating meat is the best.¡¯ My heart was filled with joy as I finally got to eat meat for the first time in a while. The more I chewed, the more abundant the juice flowed into my mouth, the better the taste of meat prevaded. Satisfied, I put down my fork and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to have much of a big budget here.¡± I can¡¯t believe that Mineta decided to be a wasteral, spending fortunes just because he thought I would soon die. Ruel drank a mouthful of carbonated water. ¡°It¡¯s on me. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got more money than you seem.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely more than you.¡± The corners of Cassion¡¯s mouth went up. I scoffed, not wanting to be caught in his childish provocations. ¡°Really? Please use it more often from now on. There is nothing better than meat for recovery.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you eat well, thanks to that power. It¡¯s worth making the dish.¡± Far from being disappointed, Cassion laughed like a dutiful butler. Well, this is going to be fun. Soon... it¡¯ll be time to treat myself like a dog. ¡°Here take this.¡± Cassion handed over Breath which was tied to a string. Eyeing the rope on the Breath, Ruel noticed it looked somewhat unusual at the first glance. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ruel was happy, Cassion was good at what he was told to do, and it was very satisfying to see that he even went beyond the initial request to add something extra. Thinking this, if Cassion had been lost to the main character, how painful would it have been? I wouldn¡¯t have such a considerate butler and would have to suffer even more than before. As soon as I wore the braid chain around my neck, I immediately felt comfortable. ¡°Are you feeling any pain?¡± ¡°My head still hurts, but it¡¯s bearable. I¡¯m feeling much better than I used to be.¡± Although I still had a sickly complexion, my physical condition was quickly being stabilized after gaining the power of recovery. Still, it had not yet reached the level of an ordinary person. Cassion said quietly while clearing the dishes. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back in an hour.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Instead of leaving, Cassion stopped at the door. I rubbed my stomach while looking at him. ¡°Sooner or later, I¡¯ll bring a proper medical doctor.¡± The door closed quietly. ¡®He¡¯s quick-witted.¡¯ I held my arm tightly. My hands trembled. I pretended to be okay, but my whole body was horribly painful as if it were being sliced by a knife. An hour. That¡¯s what Cassion said. If the condition didn¡¯t stabilise within that time, today¡¯s rehabilitation training was over. I couldn¡¯t do that. I need to survive the next five days, I can¡¯t chicken out now. In order to cope with the assassination toward me and the situation of the main character, at least I needed to get stronger to the point where I could move without any help. ¡®Cycle around, move more.¡¯ Closing my eyes I urged the power of recovery. *** Knock, knock. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡± Cassion found Ruel¡¯s room exactly an hour later. As soon as Cassion opened the door he was alarmed by the smell of blood that came from the otherside of the door, fearing the worst he rushed in. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± ¡°Good to see you.¡± I laughed with blood dripping from my mouth. Cassion was speechless at this scene. Cassion rushed over and looked at the black blood spilt on the blanket and the pale complexion of Ruel. His condition has calmed down. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be staring at it like that, but you should clean it up.¡± I said, showing my bloodstained hands. ¡°It smells different.¡± ¡°You have a dog¡¯s nose, I just move around a little bit.¡± I placed my thin hand at Cassion¡¯s chest. Cassion frowned. ¡°Who¡¯s after you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk rubbish, just prepare for rehabilitation training. I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°...oh, good. You want me to live up to that expectation of yours, don¡¯t you?¡± Cassion raised the corner of his lips. *** ¡°...keuk!¡± I clenched my teeth and reached the end of the backyard. Immediately I fell down on a blanket laid on the floor so that I wouldn¡¯t get hurt. ¡°Now that¡¯s the 2nd round.¡± Cassion raised Ruel up and made him hold the crutch. ¡°Ruel-nim have a strong will, so I won¡¯t be weak either.¡± ¡°... Damn it.¡± I bit my lip. Twice in number. It was one round trip. As Cassion said, sweat soaked my whole body. A dagger and a sword collided, sparks sprang up illuminating the night. Cassion and the man with the sword were surprised to see each other, but Cassion, not missing the opportunity, did not stop. He moved his foot as if he were falling backwards. Kaang! As soon as Cassion moved the man slashed his sword blocking his action. Cassion twisted his body and attacked the man¡¯s head with his other leg. ¡°Yipe!¡± Taking the kick, the man was forced onto the ground. Cassion materialized out of the shadow of the man and placed the dagger at his throat. ¡°Who sent you?¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about? Why are you attacking the mansion?¡± ¡®Hmm? He¡¯s not an enemy?¡¯ Cassion looked at the man. Leaves on the hair, clothes that were slightly torn from branches. Above all, the accent was somewhat awkward. ¡°Are you a Leponian?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to fight anymore? My heart is burning from the blow.¡± The man¡¯s sword had a subtle glow. It was a fine weapon. ¡°It¡¯s the Lord who went easy on this one.¡± Cassion backed off the man and glanced at the sword. Cassion liked collecting swords, so he recognized it at once. It¡¯s a sword given to knights of the Cyronian Kingdom. Cassion raised his ears to check the surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s already over. It¡¯s been a while since I used a sword.¡± The man put the sword down in regret. ¡°You think that old mansion has something to take? What¡¯s the reason for the fuss?¡± ¡°As it appears there is nothing valuable in that mansion. Anyway, I borrowed your hand, so I¡¯ll let you stay for a few days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯m ashamed, but I¡¯m lost.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lost?¡± Cassion looked suspiciously at the man. There was only one way from Masu Forest to Setiria. T/N : Masu forest is a forest full of beasts. ¡°We were here with the merchants, and the beasts started attacking us. I played the part of the bait and ran around, leading myself here.¡± It must¡¯ve been quite a match given the man¡¯s terrible appearance. Cassion thought for a bit and buttoned up his collar considering it didn¡¯t look like the man was lying. ¡°My name is Ganien Croft. It may seem suspicious, but I am a knight.¡± The man took a magic item from his sleeve and showed it. His blue eyes glistened playfully. ¡°Look, here¡¯s the token.¡± A pendant with a lion pattern was displayed. Cassion bowed to Ganien only after confirming that it was a token of the Blue Knights. ¡°I¡¯m Cassion, who serves the owner of this mansion, Ruel Setiria, the Lord of Setiria.¡± ¡°...is the Lord here?¡± Hearing this for a moment, Ganien covered his mouth with a faint glimmer in his eyes. The Lord of Setiria is living in an old, almost depleted looking mansion. It smelled of conspiracy. When Ganien saw injustice, the instinct of the knight who could not resist helping the weak was roused. It looks like I¡¯ll be needed here. Thinking this he decided. ¡®Someone needs my help¡¯ *** Thirsty... My body was too hot, and my head continued to hurt as if someone was drilling holes in it. I opened my eyes with difficulty while trying to breathe. ¡°Drink slowly.¡± Cold water ran down my dry lips as I listened to Cassion¡¯s voice. I was a little distracted. I closed my eyes as I inhaled the Breath with my trembling hands. ¡°How many days ... have I been unconscious ?¡± ¡°Two days.¡± Two days. Being alive despite the attack meant that Cassion did something. However, the attack was not important now. ¡°By any chance...¡± I stopped talking. I belatedly noticed a man standing behind Cassion. Don¡¯t tell me... ¡°Good morning, Lord. My name is Ganien Croft, and I¡¯ve been staying here for two days.¡± I looked at Cassion with questions in my eyes. ¡®Why the heck did he come here?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have brought in outsiders. I owed him a small favor from that night. Please help me repay the favor,¡± Cassion said. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ I frowned. The reason why I tried so hard to stand until the attack, was now in the same room as me. Ganien Croft, the main character in ¡®SSS-class Knight.¡¯ He was so broad-minded that he could not pass by the weak and the injustice. Ganien¡¯s coming to the mansion was one of the plot settings in the novel. I treated myself like a dog while training relentlessly so as not to fall for either, but I already met him during the attack. ¡®I¡¯m screwed. I¡¯m fucked up!¡¯ The moment I saw Ganien¡¯s sparkling eyes, I swallowed, I had a terrible hunch. Ganien had already decided to help me. Chapter 6: Why are you coming out of there? (3) Chapter 6: Why are you coming out of there? (3) ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Ganien. How could I be all right? I planned to live quietly without getting involved with the main character, but now we¡¯re already face-to-face. This situation was completely different from the one in the novel. First, Ruel hadn¡¯t died, and second, the main character became a glutton. ¡®Yeah, he¡¯s still a glutton, mooching off me.¡¯ I need to kick Ganien out before he gets too involved. ¡°Excuse my rudeness, I didn¡¯t greet you earlier.¡± l tried to make my voice sound very solemn, but my voice still cracked. ¡°No, I thought I¡¯d say hello to you, the owner of this mansion, but I think I was greedy for nothing. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t treat our guests poorly when they go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Ganien bowed and went outside. Just as Ganien turned to go outside, he smelled the scent of blood. When he saw the blood in the basin, he frowned. Ganien smelled a familiar scent mixed in with the blood. ¡°Excuse me.¡± When Ganien turned around and came towards me, I was greatly unsettled. I didn¡¯t even think I would suddenly throw up blood again. ¡®Now, everything is really ruined.¡¯ My heart beat frantically. ¡°Get out of here. Even a guest won¡¯t be shown any more respect.¡± Cassion restrained Ganien. However, Ganien adamantly opened his mouth, not showing any intention of backing down. ¡°Your blood smells like it¡¯s been poisoned.¡± ¡®Not everyone has a dog nose, you know.¡¯ I wiped the blood off my mouth. It was the same black blood again. Aside from the vertigo from throwing up earlier, I was feeling much better. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself properly. I¡¯m Ganien Croft from The Blue Knights of the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± Even though he knew it was discourteous, Ganien revealed his identity as a knight. This showed his attitude to intervene in this matter. ¡°I¡¯m ignorant of many things aside from the sword, but I do know a little bit about medicine. Please allow me to check your condition, Lord.¡± It was true. Ganien¡¯s grandfather was a very famous medical doctor, so Ganien naturally learned medicine from him. Cassion looked at Ruel. I waved my hand lightly. ¡°Feel free.¡± I couldn¡¯t kick out a knight from another country for no reason. Things will get even more troublesome than it is now. However, there might be other benefits if the main character gets involved in this... With this thought, I stretched out my bloodstained hand to Ganien. It was not a bad idea considering there¡¯d be no loss for me because even if Ganien doesn¡¯t know the name of the disease, with that personality of his, he will at least owe me a favour. As Ganien held Ruel¡¯s wrist, warm light blossomed on his fingers. There was no concept of divine power in web novel, ¡®SSS-class knight.¡¯ If there was such a thing, I would have rushed to the temple right away and begged every day to God to heal this bloody body. When the light on Ganien¡¯s fingertips disappeared, Cassion asked. ¡°How is it?¡± Ganien had an embarrassed look on his face. It was the first time Ganien had come across this type of disease. To medical practitioners, a disease looked like shapes. Severe diseases were usually caused by 5 to 9 different types of these shapes bumping into each other creating conflict. A medical practitioner usually would treat the body using similar shapes counteracting them and creating a stable balance. However, within Ruel¡¯s body, there were almost a few dozen of these shapes and those were the only ones he can see due to his weak power; if he were a bit stronger there could be at least hundreds more of these shapes wreaking chaos on Ruel¡¯s body. ¡°How are you still alive?¡± Ganien asked sincerely even though it was a rude question. ¡°Somehow.¡± I replied unfazed. Only then did Ganien realize his mistake because Ruel is alive right in front of him. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. Anyway, can you treat it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m sorry for my lack of ability, but I can cure the poison.¡± ¡°Thank you, that¡¯ll be enough.¡± Ganien lowered his hand and looked at Ruel. Ganien felt heavyhearted when he saw Ruel¡¯s young face. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how many life and death trials this young man has faced. Ruel smiled faintly at Ganien¡¯s expression.Upstodatee from ¡®You look like you want to help me.¡¯ It was a successful ruse in owing a debt of the heart. Ganien was visiting the Kingdom of Leponia for the purpose of sightseeing. However, that was just a superficial camouflage and the actual reason was to confirm the reconciliation with the Kingdom of Leponia was even possible. He was commanded by the Cyronian King to check the situation. Everything Ganien sees and feels here will affect the relationship between Leponia and Cyronian. ¡®I can get rid of the idea of chasing him away.¡¯ For helping him out in time of his need, I have made him indebted to me. Maybe I can use the name of Blue Knight at least once for my needs? ¡°Is it okay to infuse an aura?¡± Cassion asked with a slight surprise. It was similar to the method he thought of, but he didn¡¯t want to take action as it may have the opposite effect on Ruel. ¡°This should be ok, but you have to put in just a bit. Ruel¡¯s vessel is very big, but as you know, he is weak right now and won¡¯t be able to hold it all.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, I felt a slight loss. If I could really get better, I could become a great archmage. After steadying my breathing, I stood up with Cassion¡¯s assistance. ¡®......?¡¯ I felt a fiery power in my body. This power was different from the recovery ability. ¡®Is this the power, Ganien infused in me?¡¯ A force could be felt coursing through his body, pooling most of it toward the inner soles of the feet and thighs, as if to show where the power should mature and develop. ¡°You should follow it.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, l held onto the pole as before. It was much more comfortable. I raised my head and gazed at the sky. It was as if this was my first ever sight of the sunset. Everything about it was beautiful. However, it is not yet time to enjoy the scenery leisurely. My life, which is at stake even if I beat the slug, is not over yet. I had to live. I will live and watch this sunset everyday. *** ¡°...so I got annoyed and reported killing them all.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lying in bed, I responded sourly. Cassion expressed his regret because it was not the response he expected. ¡°It will probably be quiet for a while because they probably don¡¯t have the money to send another bunch of assassins. Also when do you want me to announce the existence of Ganien?¡± ¡°Report on the day I can walk.¡± ¡°Do you want to go to your mansion standing on your own feet?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Is Ganien helpful?¡± ¡°He¡¯s essential to my plan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed that he is a member of the Blue Knights. So rest assured.¡± I smiled satisfactorily. How good of him to be so thorough at his job, doing all the work without being told. The corners of my mouth went up at the thought of finding a talent like Cassion to take care of Setiria, with him here I can live a peaceful and normal life. ¡°You must be in a good mood today.¡± ¡°I looked up for the first time. The sky was beautiful.¡± ¡°If you walk, you¡¯ll see a lot of things in the future. Well, then, it¡¯s time for you to rest now.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± I grabbed Cassion, who was leaving. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°If you go to the basement of this mansion, you¡¯ll find a red box. It¡¯s not the heirloom, but take it.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± In fact, the heirloom, Turbulent day was twin swords. One was housed in the basement of this mansion and the other was secured in the heirloom room. Although they look similar, the only thing that could contain special power was the heirloom, which led to the fall of the Cold War. Although the sword was very valuable this was meant to be the use of a sword, and it would be a considerable gift for a sword collector. ¡°You¡¯ll see when you get there. It¡¯s a gift, and also my encouragement.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion went outside looking puzzled. It was because of the sudden arrival of Ganien that Ruel gave Cassion a gift now. Ganien had his covetous eyes on Cassion, Ruel felt that he had to give Cassion something to keep him on my side. So... Cassion, don¡¯t turn your eyes to Ganien. *** Cassion was astonished to really see the red box in the basement. But when Cassion saw the contents, he was so surprised that he looked paralysed. ¡°... Is he crazy?¡± Cassion realized what the sword was when he looked at the blade twinkling daylight as if it had been carved from a star. ¡°It¡¯s a Turbulent Day Sword.¡± No way. There¡¯s no way that a family heirloom would¡¯ve been thrown here in this depleted mansion. As Cassion thoughts buzzed through his head, the corners of his lips rose uncontrollably ¡®It¡¯s a twin! Turbulent Day was a twin sword!¡¯ The fact that the Turbulent day was twins was a fact that no sword collector knew. Not only did Ruel inform him of the truth, but Cassion was greatly indebted to Ruel for having received this gift. Cassion smirked, stroking his new treasure. ¡®You want me to follow you to death, huh?¡¯ Such a proposal was very bewitching. Chapter 7: Im back Chapter 7: I''m back ¡°Cassion.¡± Ganien called Cassion, who was heading to Ruel¡¯s room. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you have any inconvenience?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not something like that, but I do have something to say.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you have been talking to me so politely since this morning.¡± Cassion took the watch out of his pocket and checked it. There were 10 minutes left. Ruel had asked Cassion to wake him up at 8 o¡¯clock, so Cassion had to wake him up on the dot. He didn¡¯t want to imagine his heart pounding in pain, if he failed to complete the command, Cassion said. ¡°Keep it short.¡± ¡°I apologize in advance for being rude. Why don¡¯t you join me? I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s not right now. But later...¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± Cassion cut him off with a phrase. Ganien, who suggested it, seemed to not understand the reason for refusal. ¡°I suggested it because I knew the time you spent with Ruel wasn¡¯t that long. But I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d say no at once.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a guest here, I¡¯m putting up with this rude behaviour.¡± Cassion took a step without looking back. ¡°Sigh, what a waste.¡± Ganien looked at his back and scratched his neck. If he had met Cassion first, they could have teamed up. The Lord, assassins, and raids. The combination of these three things made the relationship between Ruel and Cassion so strange. But it certainly wasn¡¯t a close relationship. ¡®...did that mean there¡¯s something strange about Ruel?¡¯ In Ganien¡¯s eyes, there was nothing special about Ruel that could capture Cassion¡¯s heart. No. In Ganien¡¯s eyes, Ruel was just powerless. ¡®Did I understand something wrong? Is there something else I¡¯m missing?¡¯ Hmm... It would be best to observe Ruel again. *** 5 days later. My eyes were filled by the red sunset. The sky was really wide, as I stood on the ground with my own two legs. I kept my mouth shut because I felt something was going to rise up from the inside. ¡®I did it.¡¯ I really did it. I walked. I walked over to the peak and smiled back at Cassion who was behind me. Cassion laughed all the way up to that point. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you to do it so soon.¡± Ganien clapped his hands in admiration. ¡°Thanks to your help, I did it. Thank you.¡± With a nod, I thanked the two. ¡°Ruel-nim, please sit down for a moment.¡± Cassion walked into the mansion with his mouth raised, as if he had seen something that excited him. I glanced back at the backyard where Cassion had gone. Ganien, who had nothing to do, pulled out all the weeds and cleared out a wide space. I sat on the ground and inhaled my Breath. ¡°Sir Ganien, I¡¯m sorry, but could you come over here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come up to you.¡± When Ganien came next to me, I tapped the floor lightly. The attempt to win over Cassion was disgraceful today, but necessary. Ganien sat down and asked, ¡°Did you have anything to say?¡± ¡°What do you think of me?¡± Ganien smiled awkwardly as if Ruel had read his mind. ¡°Did you happen to notice that I was trying to take Cassion? I didn¡¯t know Cassion was such a light-mouthed person.¡± ¡°No, I just saw Sir Ganien¡¯s eyes coveting Cassion. So what¡¯s your opinion of me?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s great that you walked in such a short time, but honestly, it¡¯s not interesting.¡± At the very straightforward review, I laughed. The evaluation was about to be overturned easily. Soon enough. ¡°It would be a long way to the Royal Court, but would you mind staying here for a while?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for sightseeing, so I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you going to look at the Kingdom of Leponia and decide on reconciliation or even an alliance?¡± ¡°Since I am here for sightseeing, isn¡¯t it right to look around?¡± There was a brazen conversation between each other. I pointed to myself. ¡°Then don¡¯t look far and look at me.¡± ¡°......?¡± ¡°See how I get Setiria back, which is currently in ruin.¡± The wind blew softly, stoking the fire to Ruel¡¯s firm eyes. ¡°Sir Ganien, you know what kind of power Setiria holds. The only entrance to the Kingdom of Leponia and the gate block to protect the country through the Masu Forest. Once Setiria is destroyed, the Kingdom of Leponia is over.¡± My firm voice doesn¡¯t sound so bad. Hmm ¡°Because you¡¯re aware of that fact, you came to Setiria.¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes were filled with embarrassment. But it wasn¡¯t long before a smile crossed his mouth. ¡°I know that, so I have to use you, the Lord.¡± Ganien was beginning to like Ruel¡¯s brazenness. ¡°Because of this, I¡¯m going to have to get Setiria back.¡± The looks in Ruel¡¯s eyes were pretty good. Cassion glanced at Ganiel and bowed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll throw some bones to make them come running like a dog.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Ganien called out to Cassion. ¡°You have to fight because your master has already given his word.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it after I get the Lord inside.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll be watching from here. I¡¯ve never seen you fight.¡± I wanted to see with my own eyes what Cassion and Ganien were capable of. ¡°You can get cold and have a fever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with this.¡± The cape was quite warm, perhaps there¡¯s a warmth spell. Cassion looked around, frowning. ¡°Sit over there, then.¡± The place he pointed out was the very corner of the backyard. ¡®That far?¡¯ Before I could say anything, Cassion guided me to the spot. ¡°Raise your hand if you think you¡¯re going to be shocked and strain yourself. Not only that but if you feel ill again...¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion chuckled lightly at the young man voicing his displeasure. ¡°I see.¡± Cassion knew that no matter how much Ruel pretended to be an adult, he hadn¡¯t gone through his coming of age ceremony yet. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you like this, but health comes first. Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± I waved my hand instead of answering. Cassion chuckled at Ruel¡¯s altitude. As soon as Cassion turned his back, all the laughter stopped. Cassion unfastened his collar and took out his dagger and stood facing Ganien. Ganien¡¯s lips curled slightly at the battle intent coming from Cassion. ¡°Are you going to do it with the intention to kill? Or do you want to kill me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Sparring is like killing, isn¡¯t it?¡± As soon as Ganien finished talking, Cassion disappeared. At the same time, Ganien¡¯s sword slashed backward. Kkang! Wind arose. The two blades facing each other trembled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s very hard to live.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Whirl. Cassion turned the dagger in the other hand and aimed for Ganien¡¯s neck. Ganien¡¯s hair fluttered as he twisted his waist and leaned back his neck. Ganien laughed. That was a killing blow. ¡°This is fun.¡± Ganien straightened his posture and raised his knees aiming for Cassion¡¯s chin, which his opponent swiftly dodged. But Ganien, like a hellhound scenting its prey, did not allow a single moment of respite. He chased and threw his sword at Cassion¡¯s heart. Shhhh! He felt no sensation in his hand except for the sound of air being pierced. Cassion was not there. Ganien immediately pulled back his sword. Kaang! Two daggers and a sword struck. Cassion felt his arm tremble from the force. At the same time, Ganien¡¯s sword drew back, going for another attack. Kaang! At the ensuing clash, My mouth gaped open in disbelief. I heard something scattering near me, but I couldn¡¯t see the two¡¯s movements properly any longer. Gulp. I knew. That they are now fighting purely with physical strength. Whoosh! Ganien¡¯s leg, which blocked Cassion¡¯s attack, slightly shook at the impact. ¡®Crazy guys, should I start digging a hole to hide myself?¡¯ The two men¡¯s offensive became more intense. Even though it was just swinging and bumping, the wind intensified, and dust blew everywhere. ¡°I¡¯ve finally warmed up. Why don¡¯t we really go now?¡± ¡°All right.¡± I couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about, but the moment I saw the light rising from their swords, I hurriedly raised my hand. If they didn¡¯t stop it here, I felt like the mansion would be destroyed. In a blink of an eye, Cassion appeared in front of me. And I saw Ganien. ¡®Haha, look at the speed.¡¯ Cassion asked anxiously. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°My... head hurts.¡± My head hurt when I found out that I was involved with a monster on my own. ¡®I chose to live with this path. I can live, right?¡¯ My complexion turned blue. Chapter 8: Im Back (2) Chapter 8: I''m Back (2) 2 days later. ¡°Are you sure you want to wear this?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ruel answered Cassion¡¯s question in a grumpy voice. He was wearing the same outfit he had when he first went out. Although I had gained more weight compared to before, my clothes were still loose on my body, fluttering as I moved. What can one do, even if the clothes are good looking, they don¡¯t fit the person wearing it. Cassion stared at Ruel¡¯s clothes and opened his mouth. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want it altered?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You know you¡¯d be shamed by others if you went out like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I will wear it. How excited will our slug be by then, when I wear these clothes and walk besides Ganien.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes were curved happily at the thought. ¡°What would he feel then? How embarrassing would that be?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°Me? Well, I don¡¯t know if there is anyone else¡¯s name that can fall further than mine.¡± Who do they curse at when their Lord lies in bed and his deputy, Mineta, eagerly steals the livelihood of the commoners. ¡®As for Mineta, who took away my means of survival? Well...¡¯ Ruel thought he was the only one they were pointing fingers at. Unfortunately the role of a Lord was like that. You get criticized if you do your duty well, and get cursed even more if you don¡¯t. As Setiria has been dwindling over the past five years, there must have been a lot of criticism thrown around. He was sure that his image was so bad that it couldn¡¯t fall further. Cassion laughed despondently at his side. ¡°Ruel-nim, you¡¯re really strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a noble, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Class of people that live and die with honor. That is the nature of the nobility. But I can¡¯t understand in my mind why you would deliberately lower your own honor.¡± ¡°What has the honor done for me? I can throw it away as much as I want in order to live.¡± Ruel rather looked at Cassion strangely. The first thing to throw away as a member of society was the honor, in some way similar to throwing away his pride. I didn¡¯t know why I had to hold on to something like pride if it can¡¯t feed me. ¡®So you are saying, you don¡¯t consider yourself a nobleman?¡¯ Cassion smiled with satisfaction. He liked the money that nobles and barons had, but Cassion passionately hated them. Mainly due to the always pompous and arrogant look on their faces. ¡°Why? It can¡¯t be fixed, so just give it up.¡± Ruel replied. As Cassion observed him, there was no such arrogance in Ruel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Okay, sir.¡± Fu... If I were to go against him anymore, my heart might¡¯ve torn due to the contract. ¡°How are you today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same, but it¡¯s not the worst I experienced.¡± The poison left by the slug was cured thanks to Ganien. But that didn¡¯t truly treat the disease. It was as if he had a time bomb in his body, that could explode at any moment. ¡°Please, don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± Cassion looked anxiously at Ruel. He¡¯s now completely Ruel¡¯s man, since the day he received the Turbulent Day¡¯s Twin Sword, he¡¯s already known. ¡°Look forward to it.¡± Ruel said, raising the corners of his mouth. ¡°As promised I¡¯ll give the rest to you.¡± Cassion was already as excited as a sword collector who finally had in his possession a precious heirloom. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cassion folded one foot and entered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel walked outside, supported by his cane. Ganien, who was waiting outside, was dumbfounded by Ruel¡¯s appearance, forgetting to greet him. ¡°Is that all you¡¯re wearing?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you want to wear my cape?¡± ¡°No, I like it this way.¡± When Ruel refused, Ganien hesitated to bring it up again. ¡°I speak as a friend, your outfit today is not good.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So you dressed like this on purpose?¡± Ruel smiled instead of answering. Then using my new cane, I walked forward. Since the slug¡¯s visiting today to meet me, shouldn¡¯t I stand at the gate and wait for him as the host? Less than ten minutes after waiting, they heard the sound of a carriage. ¡®It¡¯s so fast.¡¯ When Ganien revealed his name, that slug personally came to meet him. Ruel was already having fun. It takes about a day and a half to get here from the main house by carriage. It was enough of a distance that it wouldn¡¯t be strange for anything weird to happen between the slug and himself on the way back. ¡°Coming.¡± As soon as Cassion finished speaking, the carriage stopped right in front of the gate. How much of a hurry was he in to use a carriage with four horses? At a glance, I could see how lavish the slug was at spending just from looking at the carriage; the entire carriage was covered in intricate details, embossed with the luxurious materials. As the carriage continued its journey, only the sound of Ruel¡¯s coughing resounded in the chamber. Mineta found the sound grating, but he couldn¡¯t say anything due to the atmosphere in the cabin and at the same time fearing it would affect Ruel. It was when Ruel fell asleep that the carriage became quiet. Grasping this opportunity, Mineta said. ¡°Sir Ganien.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Please forgive my inattention and rudeness a little while ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t care.¡± At that response, Mineta felt that his mistake had a bigger impact than he thought initially. It was then, Ganien hinted. ¡°If you¡¯re so concerned, would you be able to answer my questions?¡± ¡°No, of course not. Feel free to ask.¡± When those words left his mouth, Ganien¡¯s eyes glowed like a beast that caught its prey. Cassion, sitting on the side, raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°The Lord had given me a place to sleep and food to eat when I got lost, and I was greatly indebted to him. However there were a few things I saw that I couldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious that Cassion is the only butler in the house of Setiria and the Lord, he didn¡¯t even have the right clothes in that unmanaged mansion. Why is it like that? You¡¯re wearing such fancy accessories and high-quality fineries.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± Mineta stammered. He was stumped; he never expected Ganien to bring that up suddenly. ¡°Now please answer my questions.¡± At Ganien¡¯s firm words, Mineta¡¯s eyes rolled quickly and soon stopped at Cassion. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about it privately, not here.¡± Mineta pointed to Cassion with his eyes. Ganien nodded lightly. ¡°Okay, sir.¡± Mineta swallowed his saliva. His hands trembled in fear under Ganien¡¯s gaze. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait, surely.¡± *** Fisss... Snap! The fire crackled and sparked in the campfire. Mineta was worried to death that Ruel, who was supposed to be resting in the carriage, was outside. The whole experience made him uncomfortable and troubled. He could hear the sound of Setiria¡¯s dignity falling to the floor because of Ruel. ¡®Of course, it doesn¡¯t help.¡¯ Mineta himself was forced to come out because of the fact that he had to personally bring the head of the family back to the main house. ¡°Tch.¡± Mineta clicked his tongue as he glanced at Ruel. Cassion was preparing the dinner, and Ganien went off for a short walk. ¡°My Lord, why don¡¯t you rest inside?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me. I feel pretty good maybe because I have always been staying inside the mansion.¡± Ruel grinned ignominiously. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid you will get sick.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, because you¡¯ve already hurt my body as much as you can.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The gift you gave me made my body very much messed up.¡± Ruel gaze contained hostility and he stared at Mineta without averting his gaze. Ruel wanted Mineta to go crazy. The more you run, the more enjoyable I will find your situation to be. ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The corners of Mineta¡¯s mouth trembled as he spoke. ¡°I heard you gave me the medicine I was taking. I have a certificate validating that it contains poison. That¡¯s too bad. You¡¯ve been bitten by your dog.¡± Ruel openly laughed at Mineta. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of dogs.¡± ¡°Oh. You got the money to call for another set of dogs? Well, I¡¯m sorry for my words. Why don¡¯t you send the dogs again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so touching that you¡¯re concerned about my finances.¡± ¡°Why would I think of your money? No, I¡¯m just thinking of my wealth you had been nibbling away at.¡± Mineta¡¯s eyes turned red, he clenched his fist. The Lord didn¡¯t even realise he was kicked out of his house and didn¡¯t even know his life was in the hands of another. If I reach out my hands right now, I can kill the Lord with one hand. ¡®A mere weak bug like you?¡¯ How dare you. His whole body trembled with anger. He couldn¡¯t stand it. Mineta¡¯s pent up anger exploded. ¡°Kill him now!¡± The knights, who were guarding the area around the carriage, pulled out their swords. ¡®Isn¡¯t this too easy?¡¯ I thought it would happen, but I didn¡¯t know that the slug would readily jump into the pan. Ruel smirked and simply inhaled the Breath. I was too relaxed for someone who was to die right now. At that sight, Mineta screamed again. ¡°Kill him right now!¡± As the knights rushed in. I heard the sound of rattling armor. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel quietly opened his mouth. ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion emerged from Ruel¡¯s shadow. ¡°Kill everyone except that slug.¡± Ruel smiled at the slug, who did know there were two monsters ready to help him. Chapter 9: Im Back (3) Chapter 9: I''m Back (3) ¡°As you wish.¡± Cassion¡¯s hands, each held a dagger in them. Ruel looked at Mineta with determination. His journey will begin by using him as his stepping stone. This was a world where strength spoke better than the law. It was quite common to see people lose their life on a mere command. Knowing this, Ruel didn¡¯t turn his eyes away, he watched while pinching his thighs tightly. The assassin¡¯s dagger danced. With each swing, blood gushed out like a fountain from the knights¡¯ necks at the smooth, swift motions. Ruel frowned. ¡°Ugh!¡± The scream came from Mineta. This was because the sharp blade was aiming at his neck. ¡°Never mind, keep going.¡± Ganien did show any intention of stepping in. There was no point in coming forward in the first place. There was no one here to beat Cassion. Shoosh. A knight approaching Ruel was dead before uttering a single sound.. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± At those words, Ruel finally relaxed, loosening the hand that held his thigh. Only then did he feel the pain. Ruel stood up enduring the pain,walkibg with a cane as his support. Tak. At the sound of the cane getting closer, Mineta trembled violently, as if experiencing a seizure. He was desperately wishing this was merely a nightmare. All the knights he brought with him were slain in an instant. ¡°Slug.¡± A weak sound came out of Ruel¡¯s mouth. But the fear in Mineta¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°You¡¯re just a puppet. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± The slow-witted man was not the one at the top. The real culprit was borrowing the slug¡¯s hand and was sucking him like a parasite. ¡°So who told you to do this?¡± Ruel said a bunch of random names he knew at the start. And only at the end did Ruel bring out the names of the culprits. The real mastermind of the Setiria crisis, which was later revealed in the novel. ¡°......my aunt, Carbena Setiria, and your wife, Jane Setiria.¡± Mineta¡¯s face froze. Ruel looked at him coldly. ¡°Did the people of Setiria, really wanted to kill my parents that badly?¡± ¡°......AAH!¡± At the screaming, Cassion and Ganien gaze hardened at once. ¡°Ganien, I want you to be quiet.¡± My head was ringing because of the loud scream. He had already been in the worst condition due to the time he spent on the carriage. He activated the power of recovery and barely spoke, so he didn¡¯t have the spare energy to focus on anything else. Ganien stabbed a sword into Mineta¡¯s thigh, while covering his mouth. ¡°You¡¯d better be quiet.¡± The momentary pain brought his sense of reason back. Mineta nodded, sweating heavily. Ruel grabbed his head and asked. ¡°Slug.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Slug, answer me.¡± ¡°......yes, yes.¡± ¡°Do you want to live?¡± Mineta¡¯s eyes were shaking. He nodded his head as tears flowed out at the hope that he could live. ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°Uck, I want to live! Help me, My Lord! I¡¯ll do anything! Please!¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s something even you who¡¯s an idiot can do. Are you up for it?¡± ¡°I can do it! I can do anything!¡± ¡°For now, you swear by mana. That you¡¯ll do anything I command. Then I will save you.¡± Mineta signed a contract with Ruel and Mana without any hesitation. Watching him kneel down, Ruel laughed at Mineta. The third way for him to survive, catching slugs. Even though he was nothing more than a figurehead, the slug played a very important role. Ganien took back his sword at Ruel¡¯s glance. Ruel bowed lightly to him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me for everything. It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± After contemplating whether to say more to him, Ruel stopped. He was so tired. Now that he had achieved one of his goals, he thought that was enough for today. ¡°Dear Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion helped himself next to him and gravely said. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to stack up Mana¡¯s contracts.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Go have your rest. I will not kill the slugs for now.¡± Tak. The sound of the cane stopped for a moment. An unmanaged garden was visible. ¡°Mineta.¡± When asked to give an explanation at this sight, Mineta looked around and confessed. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no money.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have money to manage the mansion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes stopped on the clothes Mineta wore. ¡°No, it¡¯s not about luxury.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of luxury?¡± After examining Setiria¡¯s financial status through the documents, Ruel also thought that a very large sum of money in the vault was empty. Mineta was speechless. It was because of the footsteps coming in haste. ¡°Welcome, My Lord, and my knight. I¡¯m Carbena Setiria. I am sorry I do not hold a position and I have nothing to introduce myself.¡± A middle-aged woman whose hair turned white greeted them. The young woman who immediately followed after, also introduced herself with her head down. It was Carbena and Jane. ¡®Something¡¯s not right.¡¯ I expected a thrilling confrontation, but I didn¡¯t see any of it here. The two women were oddly trembling, their hands shaking, with visible dark circles under their eyes, and were thin. Above all, they seemed quite anxious. ¡®Is it because of the meeting?¡¯ On the day the barons of Setiria gathered, they must have felt impatient. ¡®Something¡¯s not still not adding up, though.¡¯ After a short moment, Ruel noticed that Carbena was looking at him. Now that he¡¯s seen himself, he¡¯s proud to show off that he¡¯s capable of walking. I ordered. ¡°Guide me to the conference room.¡± Two women and Mineta were greatly surprised. Ruel laughed as he looked at the two shocked women. Anyway, shouldn¡¯t we announce that the lord of the is back? *** ¡°......No, I mean, it¡¯s no longer possible. If we collect more taxes here, we¡¯ll be in trouble! How long did it take you to get your stomach full!¡± ¡°Did you pass it on to someone stupid? The tax is for protection, you know, for protection.¡± There was a heated meeting going inside the room that can be heard from outside the door. Today¡¯s topic is taxes. ¡°Open up.¡± At Ruel¡¯s order, Cassion opened the door. Everyone¡¯s eyes immediately bolted on Ruel and his companions. ¡°Imprudent!!¡± One of the barons shouted fiercely. In their eyes, Ruel was just a troublemaker. ¡®......Ah.¡¯ It has already been five years since Ruel was sent away. Five years was enough time to forget many things. No wonder they couldn¡¯t remember themselves because Ruel Setiria, who as far they remember, would still be a little kid. But what¡¯s up with their confidence? They were supposed to be kicked out anyway. Tak. The cane hit the floor. The strangely clear sound turned everyone¡¯s eyes on Ruel. ¡°What are you all doing, without bowing your head?¡± Ruel smiled devilishly. And looked down at them with eyes that held no respect for them. In the eyes of these barons, Ruel still looked nothing more than a newborn. However, the barons were astonished by the words that followed. ¡°Hold your head down. This is Lord Ruel Setiria, the head of Setiria.¡± Cassion mentioned Ruel¡¯s name more proudly than any other moment. ¡°Ruel Setiria......?¡± The barons pulled out the name they had buried in their memories. He fell ill with an unknown disease and was chased away from Setiria under the guise of recuperation. Since then, they have forgotten the name Ruel Setiria. It¡¯s a name you don¡¯t need to remember. And he¡¯s back? ¡°Bow your head. I don¡¯t want to see this disgraceful behaviorr anymore.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice, drenched in arrogance, was heard. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. I hardly got my head around this nonsense. Seeing the still stiff neck, Ruel smiled fiercely. Baron. It was too much for the aristocracy to manage the territory alone, so they selected people to manage various villages and treated them appropriately. In other words, unlike noble aristocrats from birth like himself, a baron¡¯s positions can be changed at any time. ¡°All of you.¡± All the authority to cut and seat the barons as they wished came from the family. Don¡¯t you think you should use the power you have? ¡°You¡¯re discharged!¡± Chapter 10: Im Back (4) Chapter 10: I''m Back (4) Ruel sentenced them to death. They were like parasites that were plaguing Setiria anyway. There is no reason to keep those who are not needed. ¡°Oh, yeah everyone except him. Excuse me.¡± Of the many barons, there was only one who bowed his head when he was introduced. ¡°I greet the lord of Setiria. My name is Minart Hen.¡± It was the voice that insisted earlier on lowering taxes outside the door. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ruel looked at Minart and smiled softly. ¡°...leave, my lord?¡± At those frightened voices, Ruel turned his head and glanced at them. Their shocked faces were an interesting sight to behold. ¡°Why are you guys who aren¡¯t even barons anymore still standing here? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send you the certificates of resignation later.¡± ¡°For-, forgive me!¡± ¡°Please forgive these humble men for not bowing their heads to the Lord!¡± There was no anger in their eyes, only fear. It was obvious what the reason was. In this world, the barons could never be considered a true nobleman. It would be unfair, but the only way for them to succeed was to cling to the legs of a nobleman or to enter a government office like in the past. ¡°Cassion, I¡¯m getting tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get the knights right away.¡± Only then did they cling to the ground at the sound of knights. Their squealing sound bothered my ears. Ruel made a face. ¡°Who said it was okay to sound like that?¡± The hall descended into silence at once. Ruel walked slowly and sat on one of the conference tables. ¡°Sit down, Minart.¡± ¡°...You, you can¡¯t do this.¡± A voice that suppressed an embarrassed tone spoke out. Ruel turned his head to see Carbena looking at her hands shaking. How disappointing this sight of her was. I need to cut them off from the root. Ruel held back his laughter and opened his mouth. ¡°Did I allow you to speak?¡± ¡°Even if you are a lord, there is no such law!¡± The eyes of those of the former barons were quickly dyed with hope at the shrill scream. What a spectacle. ¡°Law?¡± Ruel lost his laugh. ¡°There is a phrase in the law. The decision of the right to decide and allocation of the positions of the barons rests solely with the head of state. What are you angry about?¡± Carbena¡¯s mouth quickly closed. ¡°I have a question for you. Do you want to be the Lord? In other words, do you want to commit treason?¡± ¡°NO! Absolutely not!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you another interesting law. An immediate execution is possible for this offense as it is equivalent to blaspheming the entire aristocracy, which is represented by the six great families of the Kingdom of Leponia.¡± The aristocracy in Leponia was even more special because of their minority. It was all the more reason they were venerated and treated with respect due to their unique noble titles. ¡°What you have done has defiled my dignity.¡± However, even among the same noblemen, as the bloodline has stretched and thinned, the power among them was also different. Ruel is from direct bloodline while Carbena is of a branch. Only direct lineage can become head of household. This was the reason why Carbena held back for a long time, it would be truly dangerous to the point of suicidal for her to kill a member of the direct line of the family. The royal family moved nonsensically whenever someone from the main bloodline was harmed. I don¡¯t know the reason why that could be but Carbena knelt down at once after my short talk. It seems she still has some clarity of her situation. ¡°Give me mercy, my lord! I made a slip of the tongue!¡± It was not the time yet. It was like cutting only the leaves if he were to make too much noise. Only by pulling out the whole root, would the Setiria be safe and could I live in peace. Ruel pretended to hesitate for a moment and responded benevolently. ¡°I¡¯ll close my eyes this time. Get out of here. Don¡¯t be in my sight for a while.¡± ¡°Thank you! I am moved by your compassionate heart.¡± Carbena grabbed Jane and quickly scrambled out of the conference room. It was at this moment, I was too stimulated to the point where my head was feeling as if it were being ripped apart. Fighting it off, I inhaled Breath. My breath was also laborious as I had talked too much. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys go out? I¡¯ll take it as a sign that you don¡¯t want to keep your neck as well. wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no! I thank the Lord for his kindness.¡± Those barons bowed their heads several times before rushing out of the conference hall. Now it was just himself, Ganien and Minart in the room. It was nice to be quiet. Salag. Ruel quickly looked over the documents. I was so engrossed, I couldn¡¯t hear the two of them talking. The contents of the documents in my hand were greatly shocking. When Ruel finally placed the papers down, a snack was pushed on to his table, and a blanket was wrapped around his body, cuddling him. ¡°What the...?¡± ¡°It has been over an hour. As I have seen before, Ruel-nim¡¯s concentration is considerable.¡± I looked out of the window to see a fading red glow in the sky. As he got hungry, he picked up a beautifully baked pie. ¡°What about Ganien?¡± The space next to Cassion was empty. ¡°He went to check out the knights, he was a bit curious about them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± When I sliced through the pie, the meaty juice flowed out. It was a snack often eaten in the old mansion. ¡°Did you make it? Why?¡± ¡°Because Ruel will have to be a lot more careful now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Staring at the person looking at him with innocent eyes, Cassion signed after a moment. He knows more about the disease than the sick person. ¡°You have allergies.¡± ¡°......Wow, that¡¯s great.¡± At his soulless remark, Cassion wanted to write down all foods he should be careful about right now. If you can¡¯t do it, you¡¯ll get 3 pages. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it for a while, but I think one of the groups has seduced Carbena.¡± Ruel pointed to one section of the report. There was a flame-like pattern stamped between the dense letters. ¡°Here¡¯s the details of how to kill my parents, how to kick me out, and so on.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t identify the group name.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not here. Cabena doesn¡¯t know either. It¡¯s a secretive organization that recommended the drugs, and at first it was free and once they got addicted to it, they were at it¡¯s mercy.¡± Ruel breathed for a moment. ¡°Now I know where the money went on the last document.¡± It was all wasted on drugs. I felt like I was going to tear up from laughing. ¡°By the way, Ganien asked me to deliver this message.¡± Ruel mumbled as he ate the pie. ¡°Prazio is a creature that comes from the sea.¡± ¡°Sea? That¡¯s not close to us.¡± The Kingdom of Leponia was a country surrounded by a large mountain with a barrier that no one could break. The barriers created around the time the country was founded to blocked everything, so Setiria which neighboured other countries naturally took on the role of the gatekeeper. ¡°It was said that it was a difficult creature to find as it was born in the depths of the sea.¡± Ruel ate the pie without saying a word. I felt an indescribable sense of discomfort. It was a little annoying because it wasn¡¯t something he could check right away. ¡°Shall we call Mineta?¡± ¡°Yes, I have to look around the mansion.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After confirming Cassion¡¯s exit from the room, Ruel frowned. ¡®It¡¯s not just debtors who are after Setiria?¡¯ The novel revolves around Ganien, so Setiria and what he went through ended in volume 1. Although Setiria was mentioned occasionally, the information was just too little. Still, I had to prepare. Ruel picked up another slice of the pie and ate it. ¡°Di,did you call me, My Lord?¡± With about four pieces of pie left on the plate, Mineta groveled into the room being lead by Cassion. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, you know why I called you.¡± ¡°Carr- and my wife, I went to appease her.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°When they¡¯re done, they say they¡¯re going to start smashing things.¡± Ruel coughed and shook his head. ¡°The Drugs and the organizations that approached you, and the series for debt.¡± Briefly, Mineta threw a topic for discussion. If that¡¯s the case, even an idiot would understand. Mineta bit his lip several times before starting to talk. Chapter 11: Im Back (5) Chapter 11: I''m Back (5) ¡°It was Carbena who introduced my wife. The moment I met Jane, I knew she loved me. That was five years ago, before that incident.¡± Mineta checked Ruel to see if the mention of his parent¡¯s death had any effect on him. Ruel waved his hand as if to go on. ¡°It was eight years ago when that unknown group approached Carbena. She refused at first...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough narration.¡± ¡°The organization has supported everything in the Setiria for the last three years and from then on their plan has been successful. Carbena was in their clutch and was engulfed in fear daily, the royal family sent people here several times. Due to her anxiety, she got into drugs that the group gave her.¡± ¡°Is it Prazio?¡± Mineta was surprised. ¡°That¡¯s right. Well, I don¡¯t use it but my wife, like Carbena, touched it. It was sent free of charge for several years. However, it was 3 years ago they started accepting money and the price quickly shot up like crazy.¡± When his expectations fell flat, Ruel was surprised for a moment. ¡°Due to this, I raised the tax, my property went empty, and I ended up having to borrow money from that group again.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I was given a list, they told me the people on it lend me money. And just as they said, it was really easy to borrow money.¡± Ruel shook his feet. ¡°Now you¡¯re under pressure, aren¡¯t you? So you sold out everything you could use.¡± ¡°...Yes... that¡¯s right...¡± Carbena and Jane were addicted to the drug, and there were things Mineta didn¡¯t notice as he was stupid. There was a contract in the report he had obtained. An evidence that is very clear and powerful enough to turn everything upside down. After Ruel checked everything, he got up in a good mood. At once, he was assaulted by dizziness, and felt something hot rise from within. Ruel covered his mouth while clutching onto his cane. His fingertips trembled. ¡°Go out and wait.¡± Cassion calmly sent Mineta out. He immediately brought out a plate of pie. ¡°You can take it out.¡± He had no intention of losing the meat pie. Before Ruel could even point a finger at the pie, Cassion pulled out his handkerchief and placed it over the pie. ¡°That¡¯s enough...¡± ¡°Ugh...!¡± I threw up to my heart¡¯s content. The sight of the red blood gave me goosebumps.Upstodatee from The color was so vivid that it was very unnerving. ¡°Ha...ha...¡± It was not until later did the power of recovery move. It was amusing at how lazy it was. Ruel didn¡¯t even have the strength to wipe the tears away. It was different from when he had vomited the black blood. The world was spinning so much that it¡¯s making him dizzy. ¡°I think we¡¯d better take a look at the mansion tomorrow.¡± Cassion said. I blinked at him not being able to answer back. Ruel could no longer hold back and lost consciousness. Cassion hugged the limp Ruel. ¡®You can¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡¯ Cassion clicked his tongue. He immediately looked at the door. ¡°Ruel, I know you¡¯re disappointed...¡± Ganien opened the door without knocking as if it were his home. It was quickly shut after a moment. ¡°It must be hard for you, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already hard.¡± ¡°Then my suggestion is...¡± ¡°Go follow the one outside first.¡± ¡°All right, all right, don¡¯t stare. You wanna fight?¡± Ganien said as he clenched his itchy hand with an eager face. *** ¡°Cough, cough.¡± When Ruel opened his eyes, he was coughing making a noise akin to being choked. Hearing a movement, Someone turned their head over. ¡°Spit it out.¡± Realising it was Cassion, Ruel didn¡¯t refuse. It was black blood, they poured out so much that my stomach felt like it was pierced. Once the ordeal was over, I felt much better. ¡°......Pie?¡± Ruel asked with his voice hoarse. Cassion, who was stunned for a while, managed to function again. ¡°I¡¯ll bake it again for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As I watched Cassion wiping my mouth, I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. It was pitch black outside. ¡°It¡¯s still 4 a.m.¡± ¡°You are diligent.¡± Cassion did not reply. He was angry, talking to someone who didn¡¯t realise his condition all morning had made him very frustrated inside. ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Yes, it was very quiet. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Today is good. I wish it was a bit more attentive.¡± Ruel pointed helplessly at his chest. ¡°Can the black blood be considered the impurities expelled by the body recoveying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly, but so far I¡¯ve vomited, it seems to be the case.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take note of it.¡± Cassion took a serious look at the pool of blood. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel got nervous at his serious voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for half a year. But I¡¯ve been thinking even more this month.¡± Ruel looked at Ganien and Cassion and asked. Ganien quickly made a face. ¡°I¡¯m offended you¡¯d doubt me.¡± It sounded like anything was possible. It was reassuring. These were two powerful men, no, two monsters. Cassion cautiously commented. ¡°Do you mind if I touch them?¡± ¡°Is there a reason why you can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a debt?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not mine.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion sneaked a look at Mineta and raised the corners of his mouth. Mineta trembled at that smile but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask. ¡®Driving me crazy.¡¯ I¡¯ve never been so anxious in my life. I¡¯m worried that even my hair would fall out. *** Clink. Kirik. Gulp. There were sounds everywhere interfering with the peaceful meal. Compared to the old mansion Ruel stayed in, there were many servants here but considering the size of the actual mansion, the population was very small. Moreover, from the looks of their lack of discipline they had just learned working here, Ruel looked at Mineta without saying a word. Carbena and Jane were absent, so the staff acted with much more confidence. Mineta¡¯s spoon fell helplessly. ¡°We¡¯ve hired a new...¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Some of me, some of them.¡± ¡°Did they leave or did you get rid of them?¡± ¡°Both.¡± Ruel let go of his spoon. I¡¯m hungry, but there were so many bugs here that I couldn¡¯t concentrate on rice. ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ There was no reason to drag this on, no reason to keep playing this ridiculous game. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ganien, can you lend me your strength?¡± ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°What you should do as a knight. It¡¯s about punishing evil. Mineta.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Gather them all to the training ground. Everyone.¡± Sshhh. As Cassion¡¯s arms moved, the servant who was trying to sneak out the door collapsed. A scream was heard as blood flowed out. ¡°The rat tried to run away.¡± Tak. The cane rang. ¡°Quiet.¡± Ruel said, looking at the servant¡¯s face covered with tears and fear. ¡°You follow me. I¡¯m warning you all, don¡¯t try to run away.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. Everyone except the two were enemies. As time went by, the disadvantage one was myself. The fact that he¡¯s here will be known to those who covet this place. The things they planted before that. Everything they left here. I¡¯ll weed it out. *** Ruel walked over, looking at people who hadn¡¯t filled the training ground. The sound of a cane mixed with the sound of footsteps caught their attention. The cold wind as the winter was soon approaching. Ruel breathed out ¡°Ha¡± and stood in place. I met everyone¡¯s eyes. Not even a hundred people, I guess. Fewer than 100 people gathered to eat the Setiria. ¡®My pride is hurt.¡¯ He was meant to be a prey that was almost eaten. ¡°Is everyone here?¡± ¡°Everyone is here.¡± Mineta replied. Ruel laughed as his eyes met with Carbena, who looked to be with lots of complaints. ¡°Mineta, pick out the ones you chose.¡± It was necessary to skip once. Whenever Mineta picked someone, they were full of worry. ¡°It is not good to act hastily.¡± Ganien has built battle intent. Even the air swayed with fierce momentum to reveal what he was capable of. He exhaled calmly because he wasn¡¯t heading towards Ruel. ¡°Did you finish choosing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then take the two of you over there.¡± When Carbena and Jane stood up, the stage was set properly. Ruel ordered looking at them who were not chosen. ¡°Kill it.¡± Chapter 12: Im Back (6) Chapter 12: I''m Back (6) As soon as the words resounded, light rose on Ganien¡¯s sword, and Cassion disappeared. Carbena did not try to stop them like she would¡¯ve done. After all, there were only two people. 2 against 100. The outcome was easy to imagine. She sat comfortably on the side, watching the current situation. However, as time passed, the situation was progressing to a more and more unexpected result, as Carbena watched the scene her face turned pale. Each time the two swung their blade, lives were extinguished like candles amidst a storm. It was someone¡¯s feet, and someone¡¯s head that flew away. The chasing, bloody rain turned inside out. The two weren¡¯t human, they were monsters. Badumpp... Badump! Her heart was pounding. Everything in front her has become a grotesque mess. ¡°......blargh!¡± She couldn¡¯t stand the disgust and threw up whatever was inside her. ¡°Look right. That¡¯s what you did.¡± Unlike the staggering body of Ruel, his voice was steady. He looked like an uptight tree, unmoved by the hellish scene in front of him. His figure was so dissimilar to herself that Carbena looked up again at him. ¡°You sold out Setiria and I will claim it back.¡± Ruel¡¯s words shook her heart. It was something she wanted to deny for a long time. Because she was under influence and with her mind far from reality, reasons was something that had abandoned her long ago. ¡°I didn¡¯t sell it! I have it! I¡¯ve got the Setiria!¡± ¡°Then, what is that?¡± Ruel pointed to the dead and dying littered on the ground. Speechless Carbena clutched her skirt tight. It was a bloodbath. The blood and body parts were scattered all over the place. The dirty sight was difficult to behold. ¡°You don¡¯t have Setiria.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it, I¡¯ve got it all! I have Setiria, the protectors of this land! It will be recorded for the first time in this country!¡± ¡°You failed. You¡¯ve mistaken to rely on drugs for Setiria.¡± ¡°Shut up, shut that mouth of yours! Shut that mouth!¡± Carbena screamed as she scratched her head again and again. ¡°Direct bloodlines, direct bloodline, damn the main branch!¡± ¡°Tsk, is the one I¡¯ve been talking to degraded to her state? What a waste of time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that! Don¡¯t you dare look at me with those arrogant eyes!¡± Jane walked out from behind the screaming Carbena. She looked at Mineta with disgust. ¡°Trash.¡± And ran towards Ruel. She brandished a dagger that was hidden under the folds of her skirt. ¡°It¡¯s over if you die! Hehe, hehe!¡± Ruel made a face. It was so cliche that he was worried that the laughter he was holding in would burst out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you at least pretend to avoid it?¡± Cassion, suddenly appeared in front of Ruel, swatted Jane away with a kick. Grasp! Jane flew away coughing, rolled several times and landed on the outermost of the training ground. ¡°I can¡¯t run.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too exhausting.¡± The sound of the swinging finally stopped. Ganien walked to Ruel side with his sword sheathed. ¡°......Ha, that was really boring, can¡¯t even be called a fight.¡± He sighed, longingly glanced at Cassion and quickly turned his head away. What can he do even if he tried provoking Cassion? That guy doesn¡¯t have any intention of competing with him. ¡°Tch.¡± Ganien clicked his tongue. Ruel passed Carbena and stood in front of Mineta¡¯s chosen servants and thugs. ¡°What do you guys think?¡± ¡°Save me! Save me! Please show us mercy!¡± It turned into a sea of tears at once. This got Ruel. ¡°Quiet.¡± Everyone shut up without a peep. They knew, for the strongest person here was the one in front of them, who was likely to collapse just by pushing lightly. ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up this house first today. I¡¯m sure there are some people who feel that this is unfair.¡± Many pairs of eyes had a strange look at Ruel¡¯s equivocal remark. ¡°So what?¡± I felt my heart drop when I said it out loud. ¡°Are you dissatisfied? Then come out here in front of me.¡± The sound of a coughing echoed. No one could come forward because the sound was like a bell announcing their end. Then, a woman walked out. There was flour and sauce on her apron. Ruel smiled.. ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± She looked at Ruel, trembling but confident. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was called here to make a pie.¡± ¡°Is that so... What kind?¡± ¡°It was a meat pie.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She glanced at Cassion. ¡°A knight never goes back on his words. You couldn¡¯t have sold it to the wrong place, and the more your name is known, the better. That¡¯s why I allowed it.¡± Ruel asked him in a favourable tone, as he glowed like a protagonist. ¡°Am I still weak in your eyes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange that you¡¯re getting far from that term.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll help me a lot in the future. Because you¡¯re a knight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you as long as you don¡¯t veer off the right track. As a close friend.¡± Ruel laughed, satisfied. Ganien was a man of his words. ¡°Ruel.¡± He said in a heavy voice. ¡°Your actions are like that of a true Lord.¡± It was something of an embarrassment but it didn¡¯t feel so bad to be complimented. ¡°I¡¯m a knight, so I only know how to fight. I respect the fight because it is an honor for a knight to uphold justice.¡± Ganien was a man of the righteous but he was ruthless in combat. ¡°Your battle, it wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± That¡¯s how much Ganien could see. Such Ganien admitted to acknowledging Ruel¡¯s action. Ruel¡¯s eyes grew hot. A lot of people died at his word. He remembered those eyes engulfed in blood and resentment that were aimed at him. If only he had made the wrong choice. He was afraid to even bring up such a thought. ¡°Get some rest.¡± Ganien turned around with a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ruel whispered as a choked whimper escaped from his chest. Click. The door closed and Ruel wept, silencing all noise. *** ¡°Thank you.¡± Cassion bowed to Ganien. At this Ganien quickly brushed him off. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re talking about, cut it out. I¡¯m just saying what I truly meant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to thank you.¡± Ganien looked at Ruel¡¯s room. As a close friend, he felt sorry for him. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if his body was normal? ¡°He¡¯s not used to watching people die yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Stay tuned, people like Ruel will burn their body to protect something they care about.¡± Cassion sighed deeply, signaling that he knew enough. ¡°...... not much time left.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. You know Ruel¡¯s life is numbered.¡± Cassion laughed inside. I shut up because there was no reason to let him know that Ruel had the power to recover. ¡°It¡¯s a year at the most.¡± ¡°Why do you care so much? To be honest, if this place goes under, it¡¯s good for you.¡± ¡°Who cares if there¡¯s a man who wants to protect this place for the rest of his life?¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re a knight?¡± ¡°Yes, I made up my mind when I became one. I will only follow my code of honor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very rigid way of thinking.¡± Instead of answering, Ganien patted Cassion¡¯ shoulder and walked away. ¡®Everyone has their own worries.¡¯ Cassion shook his head shaking while looking at Ruel¡¯s room and Ganien alternately. Knock, Knock. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already done......?¡± Cassion pretended not to see him as he hurriedly wiped his face. ¡°I recharge fast.¡± There was no reason to waste his time when there were many people under him that could do it. Ruel glanced at him with an inquisitive expression. So what if you doubt it? Cassion sat next to Ruel with an impassive face. ¡°Cassion, what do you want me to do.......¡± ¡°For you to get well soon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to claim the heirloom early?¡± Isn¡¯t life supposed to be tiring? Cassion smiled kindly. ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± ¡°Say it. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°Tell Minart to find out where those who originally worked in this mansion are.¡± When he saw Ruel already thinking about what to do next, even though his body was still a ball of fire, he remembered what Ganien had just said. -Watch closely. People like Ruel will burn themselves out to protect something. ¡®Even if you have the strength of recovery, isn¡¯t it useless if you burn out too fast first?¡¯ Cassion briefly agonized between seeking the heirloom and handling his butler¡¯s work. Since I already gathered one, it¡¯s okay to get the next one at a slower pace. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± Chapter 13: The Rusty Sword Again Chapter 13: The Rusty Sword Again Cassion felt his heart squeeze in pain as he refused Ruel¡¯s words. Ruel frowned. ¡°Today¡¯s business is over.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Cassion took a mysterious black object from his sleeves. Chik! As soon as the pump was pressed something was sprayed out, hitting Ruel causing him to stretch weakly. Ba-bump ba-dump. Cassion¡¯s heart pounded hard in his chest as if it was going to explode. Cassion¡¯s back was drenched in a cold sweat after a long time. ¡®...Damn! It hurts like hell.¡¯ He felt like was going to die before he became a butler. Cassion faintly regretted what he had committed himself to. *** Two days later. Ruel was eating the meat pie gracefully. ¡°I¡¯m amazed, as soon as you open your eyes, you really dove in that.¡± ¡°What do you expect? I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ve been asleep for too long thanks to someone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad, thanks to that you¡¯ve lost your fever.¡± Crinkle. I deliberately spilled pie crumbs on the blanket. The pies were succulent, oily and juicy, so I¡¯ll have to wash my blanket. Ruel brushed away the crumbs and said. ¡°Delicious.¡± ¡°You can try spilling as much as you want. I¡¯m going to throw it away anyway.¡± Ruel¡¯s face wrinkled up. He put the second slice in his mouth and shook his hand. ¡°You got something for me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eight letters came out of Cassion¡¯s pocket. The numbers were the same as the eight barons in debt. ¡®You must have been in a hurry anyway.¡¯ Ruel read them one by one. It was not until he took out the last letter and read it that a smile leaked out. The contents were all the same, however the names were different. Setiria did not borrow money. Borrowing money was just a dogmatic choice of Carbena and Jane. It was better to have no debt altogether as compared to meeting a bitter end by treason. ¡°You¡¯re wise.¡± ¡°Did you get the results you wanted?¡± ¡°Yes, Minart...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from you. After Ruel said he was hungry as soon as he woke up.¡± Ruel asked while going for the third slice. ¡°What do I have to do today?¡± ¡°All you have to do is bring out what you want for me.¡± ¡°Then add one more. I¡¯m going to inspect the most remote places. Get ready.¡± Cassion didn¡¯t answer and stared at Ruel. With a look asking them to explain. ¡°...Ruel-nim.¡± He called his name with a sigh. Ruel explained as he knew, Cassion was waiting for one ¡°I¡¯m the Lord. I haven¡¯t done anything for five years.¡± ¡°That was due to your circumstances.¡± ¡°In other words, it¡¯s just an excuse. The Lord has been missing for 5 years and the person that was left in charge caused a serious mess. It¡¯s pretty clear what a runaway like myself has to do. I have to protect my territory, it¡¯s people and win back their trust.¡± After speaking, Ruel dug into his fourth slice of the pie. ¡°Will you be able to continue eating breakfast like that?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m growing up, but I¡¯m still hungry.¡± ¡°It could also be due to that power.¡± ¡°Whatever the cause, I¡¯m leaving after breakfast. Oh, make a lot for breakfast. I¡¯m taking Ganien with me. Tell him.¡± Calmly, Ruel is demanding a lot. Cassion offered a suggestion to Ruel, who looked at him like a magic tool that popped out of thin air in his hands. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have one more butler?¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°They have to be just as strong as you are. Feel free to bring someone like that.¡± ¡®... you bastard!¡¯ Cassion¡¯s heart throbbed for a moment. It was not an easy job for a loyal butler to swear at their owner, especially for one that signed the mana contract. Seeing Cassion wince, Ruel hinted. ¡°You were having bad thoughts.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Go, you¡¯re going to be busy making breakfast for two people.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel put the pie back in bed after confirming Cassion had left the room. ¡®Ruel is five years behind. We need to get it all together as soon as possible.¡¯ In the latest chapters of ¡®SSS-Class Knight¡¯ he read, there was a strange atmosphere between the Kingdom of Leponia, the Kingdom of Cyronian, and the Kingdom of Kran. The air held the smell of gunpowder as if a war would break out. However, that wasn¡¯t confirmed. Since I came into a novel that wasn¡¯t even finished. ¡®There¡¯s no harm in being prepared.¡¯ This will be my fourth rule of survival. Ruel noted the things in his head that he¡¯ll need to do in the future. ¡®I hope there¡¯s some information about that unknown group... something unpleasant will always cause trouble.¡¯ Merchants in the shops were full of energy, and the atmosphere was energetic, prosperous sight could be seen everywhere. However amidst this flourishing place there¡¯s few contrasting images that can be gleaned through. Ruel looked down as he felt his clothes were being pulled. It was a child who looked about nine years old. The child looked anxiously at him holding a basket the size of his body. ¡°Are you in a lot of pain?¡± Ruel blinked at the boy¡¯s sudden question. Is it serious enough to hear this from a random passing child? Ruel seriously thought about it. ¡°You look very sick. It¡¯s an herb, and I got it from Masu¡¯s Forest yesterday.¡± Ruel finally noticed the strange plants in the basket. Ah this was like the kids that would often be seen in the novel, selling flowers on the street But I was more concerned about the child¡¯s words than the herbs. ¡°Did you say it came from the Masu¡¯s Forest?¡± ¡°Right, look at this. It has three pairs of leaves, and has bluish tint. It is an herb called Akal.¡± The child smiled innocently. ¡®Is the Masu¡¯s Forest unmanaged enough for a child to go there as he pleases?¡¯ There is one more thing that needs to be solved. ¡°Akal is definitely the herb you need. It helps reduce your pain.¡± Ganien whispered to Ruel. Ruel smiled warmly at the child. ¡°Yeah, it looks like I need it.¡± When Cassion reluctantly took out the money, the child¡¯s narrow eyes turned to Cassion. Ruel asked, looking at a child possessed by money. ¡°The Masu¡¯s Forest is dangerous. Are you going alone?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going with my grandfather. He¡¯s very strong!¡± ¡°Your grandfather taught you about herbs?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± The child was excited to see the money he received from Cassion. Then he handed over the basket. ¡°The basket is for free. Buy from me again next time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Ruel¡¯s reply, the child hummed and disappeared into the crowd. Cassion, who was looking at the child, sighed. ¡°You are even more nosy than Ganien.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it before.¡± Ganien said unpleasantly. Ruel was also unprepared for those, so his voice became a little sharp. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Look.¡± Along with the child who had just disappeared, other children rushed out with baskets of Akals. Only then did Ruel understand Cassion¡¯s words. In a word, he just got ripped off. That boy¡¯s grandfather is basically everyone¡¯s grandfather. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°What else? Buy it all.¡± It is possible that the owner of the house that the children lived in, will allow them to stay only when they had worked. Hoping for a good night¡¯s sleep tonight, Ruel bought all the Akal from the children. ¡°You can start a business with this.¡± Cassion complained as he carried several baskets. Ganien looked back and forth at Akals in the basket. ¡°Although it was forced on us, the price is conscientious. The quality is fine too.¡± ¡°My grandfather told me not to do anything expensive!¡± ¡®But you can force them on the streets?¡¯ Ruel grinned. ¡°Big brother, do you want to meet my grandfather? My grandfather is a doctor!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Cough, Cough.¡± A cough came out of nowhere. Ruel desperately tried to stop coughing but to no avail. The children looked at Ruel with anxious eyes as they watched him. If we didn¡¯t go with them, they looked like they were about to cry. What matters if those innocent eyes were fake. Don¡¯t I have two monsters tagging along? I could hear Ganien laughing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do. I have to go.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ruel walked under the guidance of the children to see how far the children were driven. Small legs did not stop no matter how far the supposed grandfather lived which was located opposite the main gate. Thanks to this, he got information from the murmuring kids while looking around. ¡°Hey, brother, you know what? Not long ago, Sisel¡¯s big warehouse was burgled!¡± ¡°How about eating as much bread as later!¡± ¡°It was a good time, that the uncles and the aunts all laughed!¡± Someone robbed a large warehouse full of goods and seemed to have distributed the grains in it to many people. The strange thing about that day was how that large warehouse was robbed. ¡°Do you know who did it?¡± ¡°No one does. The barons blew their horns and ordered adventurers to find it.¡± ¡°I hope they don¡¯t get caught. I want to eat bread again.¡± Except for Minart, all of the barons were killed by Cassion without leaving any traces. Although it was revealed that the mission had to be cut short, it was strange that adventurers were still continuing the quests of the barons. ¡®Is moderate threats to the family, but that wasn¡¯t enough?¡¯ Seeing that the names of the barons are still being used, it seems that they do not know the fear of the contract yet. Let me show you, if you don¡¯t. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel called Cassion quietly so that the children could not hear him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Find out from the adventurers why the request is still ongoing.¡± Chapter 14: Rusty Sword Again (2) Chapter 14: Rusty Sword Again (2) Instead of answering, Cassion indicated the baskets in his hand. ¡°Ganien-nim, Carry this for me.¡± And in the eyes of Ganien, Cassion seemed to say, ¡®You can¡¯t leave it all to Ruel,¡¯ as he passed all the baskets over casually. ¡°Can you still find me after?¡± Ruel asked before turning around. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can find you even if you were to fall in the desert.¡± With those words, Cassion quietly disappeared. Ruel saw him leave and then followed after the children. How long had he walked? The children suddenly stopped and pointed to a place full of soldiers and adventurers. In front of them was a large building. It was as if three to four other buildings were combined. ¡°What a big warehouse!¡± ¡®Ugh... I¡¯m feeling a bit nauseous.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim¡± Ganien said quietly. Ruel looked at him instead of answering. There was a brief glow in Ganien¡¯s blue eyes as he caressed the handle of the sword at his waist. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s an ordinary thief.¡± ¡°What is he then?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not as good as I am, but he is definitely a man of ability. If our strength were ranked, with the strongest at 10, he would be a four.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a six.¡± He said humbly. Ganien was already on the level of a monster. Ruel couldn¡¯t even imagine what it would be like to go beyond that. ¡°For your information, Cassion is between five and six. Maybe we can make it to 7. I haven¡¯t really shown my skills yet either.¡± Ganien went on as if he was giving me the benefit of the doubt. Ruel was stunned for a moment. ¡®Was Cassion that strong?¡¯ I only wanted his service because he seemed quite useful, but he turned out to be quite the catch. ¡®What an unexpected windfall!¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Sick looking brother, come quickly!¡± ¡°Hurry! I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ruel and Ganien speeded up a little at the sound of the children¡¯s voices. As they moved away Ruel looked at the oversized warehouse once again. ¡®The fact that someone powerful intervened means this can¡¯t be brushed up as ordinary.¡¯ It was a clear crime to rob the large warehouse, no matter how much it was entangled with the former aristocrats. Those who challenged the powerful, regardless of their intentions, usually started with the support of ordinary people. It was a good time for them to be active when the resentment of the common people exploded due to the harsh taxes raised by the Barons. ¡®This is not good. I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯ Once the flame of the rebellion is ignited, it could not be quenched easily. This has to be dealt with before it explodes. He found it hilarious that as soon as he left for inspection, he was faced with a serious incident, and Ruel could already feel the great power of the protagonist¡¯s halo. ¡°Ganien, I don¡¯t know much about swords, but I heard that each person has a different color for their Aura. Is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, what it¡¯ll be based on the person themselves.¡± Ganien laughed briefly and showed what he meant. ¡°You can tell by looking. I¡¯m still trying to find mine.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go take a look later. I want to see what the sword that slashed a fallen hero looks like.¡± ¡°All right.¡± This is ok, as It was still before he fully handed over his heirloom to Cassion. ¡°Is the Setiria heirloom very famous?¡± ¡°Of course, that was one of the reasons I wanted to come here.¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes twinkled like a child who spotted a toy. ¡®Hmm... If it¡¯s that famous, I¡¯ll have to make a replica before giving it to Cassion.¡¯ Ruel thought seriously. *** ¡°Grandpa!¡± The children ran toward a man who was walking feebly. While the man¡¯s hair was turning white, he was still too young to be called grandpa. Ruel stopped looking at the man and checked the village that was creeping through the trees. The person the children wanted to introduce was in fact living in the forest outside the village of Sisel. ¡®Thanks to you lot I don¡¯t know how many times I inhaled Breath on the way.¡¯ ¡®It was a good thing I came to just to inspect things.¡¯ The furthest place from the mansion was the best place to understand the current situation of Setiria. However, why would someone build a residence here that can¡¯t even be considered a village? ¡°Welcome back, but who are those people?¡± The man welcoming the children stared at them sharply, clearly weary of the strangers. Ruel stumbled just as he was about to introduce themselves. Ganien quickly grabbed Ruel and had him lean on his back. ¡°...pfff.¡± It was not until he confirmed that he heard a small moan and that he just was too tired to continue that Ganien felt calm. ¡°I brought a sick older brother with us!¡± Who was the last expression of his bitter feelings toward? ¡®Isn¡¯t that what the powerful hated? So what feelings do you have for the nobles?¡¯ It was the role of the head of state to stop the Barons when they made a mistake. While Ruel was puzzled, Cassion began to speak silently. ¡°This has nothing to do with the former Barons.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it related?¡± ¡°It is said that the client has changed from a Barons to an adventurer. The apparent reason was to restore trust for not completing the quest on time.¡± ¡°Well...¡± While making a sound, Ruel suddenly remembered the crude role that Cassion had made at will. ¡°Did you enjoy your play?¡± ¡°Then should I have called you Lord? You have a more naive side than you think.¡± Ruel turned the subject around, as he got really mean when he got angry. ¡°What¡¯s the real reason?¡± ¡°It is said that the thief belittled the adventurers continuously. Eventually, the client changed and the request was re-implemented.¡± Ruel shot at Cassion. ¡°Cassion, can¡¯t you get things done right?¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°The thief is Cheynol. Why would he turn adventurers into enemies when he hates the Barons? It just so happens that the client has disappeared, so if things stay quiet, the interest will cool down.¡± ¡®How the hell did you find out the culprit?¡¯ Cassion was surprised at the news. ¡°I¡¯m going to deal with them both today. Get Ganien.¡± ¡°He is in the middle of a fight. He won¡¯t like it if I disturb him.¡± ¡®Are there any ghosts that died because they couldn¡¯t fight? No, it means there are quite a few talented enough for him to ask for a match.¡¯ Ruel asked, recalling what Cassion had said. ¡°You said there were a lot of informers, didn¡¯t you? ¡°That¡¯s right. Half of the people in this town are sword-wielders.¡± ¡°In terms of power?¡± ¡°So, you can think of it as a Knights Templar.¡± ¡°The Knights...?¡± In an instant, one of the novel¡¯s plot flashed through Ruel¡¯s head. ¡®It turns out, Ganien received his knighthood when he left from the Kingdom of Leponia to the Kingdom of Cyronian.¡¯ After resolving the Setirian crisis at the request of Ruel, just before Ruel¡¯s death, people that called themselves the Knights of Setiria appeared. Thanks to Ganien for sorting out the situation in Setiria. When they heard that it was Ruel¡¯s last request, they decided to follow Ganien. ¡®Wait, wait.¡¯ Ruel grinned as he looked at the door. ¡°Ruel-nim...?¡± Cheynol, who hates Barons, but defends the region. ¨C Just as a King becomes a scarecrow if he doesn¡¯t have power, neither does the lord. Those who are aware of the situation in the family state that no one cares about it. Knights who decided to follow Ganien at the word of Ruel¡¯s last request. Everything was just right. ¡®...What a jackpot. Don¡¯t tell me they were here?¡¯ ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Call Ganien.¡± Ruel laughed happily like the man who found a hidden treasure. ¡°All right.¡± Thinking Ruel must have found a clue to the case. Cassion went outside to call Ganien. As soon as Ganien came in, the smell of sweat spread through the room. Not sure how many times he fought, but Ganien had a refreshingly happy face. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you know how much I love sparring?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the point of stopping me from fighting?¡± ¡°Make a mess you are with the name of the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°A mess...?¡± It was a word that didn¡¯t match the knight. Nevertheless, Ruel did not change his words. Rather, he inhaled the Breath and threw out his bait. ¡°Maybe we should fight the adventurers. You like to fight, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I like it, the more reason to fight, the better.¡± ¡°One, there are no adventurers at the target that the thief is aiming at. Two, who will benefit if the request continues?¡± ¡°How can you be sure that there are no adventurers?¡± ¡°Adventurers are money-driven. You can be allies as much as you want, but there¡¯s no reason to be poor. For example, if a thief hired shopkeepers, wouldn¡¯t there be adventurers in it?¡± ¡°Certainly adventurers are quite variable.¡± Ganien nodded if he was convinced. ¡°So who do you think the culprit is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the commission. Those who manage requests in the middle will benefit from having a high-priced request. Cassion, how much is the commission for the Barons to make a request?¡± ¡°25 percent. Even when the client changes, 25 percent.¡± ¡°See? 25 percent is huge. I bet there is quite a lot of money involved, so how frustrating it must have been when the request of the Barons was canceled.¡± The commission served as a bridge between clients and adventurers. In other words, accepting a request from a client is purely up to those fortune seeking adventurers. Ganien grinned. His face changed color when he found out that it was made up by a commissioned cow for profit. ¡°In a word, you grew up off the right path, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take this opportunity to clean up the bad habits of those incompentent people.¡± Chapter 15: Rusty Sword Again (3) Chapter 15: Rusty Sword Again (3) ¡°You want me to go on a rampage?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll handle the consequences.¡± Ruel smiled with satisfaction. I had to step on it when I broke it. It wouldn¡¯t have changed otherwise. I will. ¡°What¡¯s the thief up to? You know who did it.¡± ¡°I will handle that. So, do as I have requested.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When Ganien left, Ruel reached out to Cassion.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com hungry. I wanted to eat the rest of the cookies. ¡°Give me the basket Astell gave me.¡± ¡°I gave it to Ganien. Everything.¡± The basket was not here. Cassion soon smiled as he thought of something. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, they¡¯re almost fighting over something. There was.¡± ¡°...it¡¯s been taken away.¡± Ruel was really disappointed. The taste was excellent with Cassion, but what Astell made was strangely comfortable for the body. ¡®Actually, What the heck is up with Astell?¡¯ *** ¡°What are you doing?¡± A child stared at Cassion¡¯s actions. Unsurprisingly, Cassion was choosing the distributed food with a careful face. Meals were served in the open space outside. It was noisy as most of the villagers gathered. With the loud noise, Ruel couldn¡¯t hear anything around him. Grabbing his hungry stomach, he raised his eyebrows at the dwindling sheep. ¡°It¡¯s rough.¡± ¡°No,¡± Cassion said firmly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The children asked again. ¡°There are foods that cause trouble when you eat them, so I¡¯m choosing them.¡± ¡°Do you have to get hurt again?¡± ¡°Are you sick again?¡± ¡°Yes, it hurts when you eat it.¡± Cassion patted the children¡¯s heads and laughed. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Cassion, who had been taking it out for a long time, stuck out the plate. ¡°Well...¡± All there was on the plate were potatoes and sweet potatoes. When I saw Cassion¡¯s plate, which was rich in bread, meat, and soup, I was embarrassed. However, when I see him doing this, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s trying to screw me with all his heart, so I held it in and ate it. ¡°The meal suits my taste...¡± Any other words said were inaudible. Cheynol looked at Ruel¡¯s plate of potatoes and sweet potatoes. His face hardened slightly. ¡°There are foods I shouldn¡¯t eat, so I gave them away. Please, kindly pass on it.¡± ¡°How many are there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard.¡± Cheynol looked at Cassion, who smiled as if he were tired and then turned to his plate. He turned his gaze. Cassion¡¯s plate was pretty empty, perhaps taking Ruel¡¯s share. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give me a heads-up?¡± ¡°No. It is rude to even make such a request on the subject of getting a meal.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t be such an asshole!¡¯ Maybe it was because I ate sweet potatoes or because I was watching Cassion¡¯s smoke, but my throat was choked. As I was about to drink water, Cassion took the cup. ¡°Why again?¡± ¡°Because I have hair.¡± Cassion showed off his gray hair. It was also really long. ¡°Pua hahaha...¡± I heard laughter. Cheynol spoke without pausing his laughter. ¡°You seem to have a deep relationship.¡± ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Ruel was furious. Then he realized that Cheynol had taken a seat where they were and calmed his mind. ¡°Your brother is very shy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like.¡± While listening to the conversation between the two, Ruel munched on potatoes to keep his mouth shut. When the potatoes and sweet potatoes on his plate were almost gone and the children who had finished eating were playing, Ruel raised the topic. ¡°On my way here, I heard a story about a big warehouse being robbed.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a buzz in the town of Sisel.¡± There was no change in the look on Cheynol¡¯s face. ¡°The bandit must have distributed food to the people. The children were very happy.¡± ¡°Right, when I opened the door in the morning, Everyone was happy that they had food stocked up for weeks.¡± Cheynol smiled gently if he had any regrets. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it hard for you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s always the case. Living for a day. We might as well be kicked out.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m asking if it was hard to steal and take care of people who were struggling with taxes.¡± Cheynol¡¯s hand stopped. He put his spoon down and looked at Ruel without any emotion. ¡°...it was hard.¡± ¡°A sin is a sin. There¡¯s very little that can be changed to sin.¡± ¡°Even that little thing was precious to me.¡± ¡°Will you not stop?¡± He brought up the name that he had cried out so much for. He¡¯s back. He came to find those who had already been forgotten by everyone. He told them it was okay to give up his legitimacy as a knight and even resorted to stealing. He vomited blood and called him a knight. What greater glory can there be than this? Cheynol exclaimed. ¡°I will be back.¡± Everyone¡¯s voices followed. ¡°I will be back!¡± ¡°I will definitely be back!¡± On this day, the rusty sword was forged again and became a sword aimed at its master¡¯s enemies. *** ¡°Once again, I am a Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± Ganien faced the head of the commissioned cow standing with his feet on his desk. ¡°Oh, that can¡¯t be! A knight is asking about what this kind of municipality is doing...¡± Boom! The desk crumbled in an instant. The chief trembled and moved his eyes behind Ganien. His shop was literally cut in half to expose its inner flesh, many adventurers were laid out on the floor. During such an absurd situation, the chief seemed to go crazy when this man called himself a knight. ¡°Now, are you ready to talk?¡± Ganien took one step closer to the chief. The chief took a further step backward, but the hard wall hit his back. He had nowhere to turn. ¡°The-, the soldiers will be here soon.¡± ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve talked to you?¡± Garnien tapped his shoulder lightly with his sword. It was good to run. He also fought against adventurers, and he tried to slash a shop, something he had always wanted to try. However, the mouth of the chief of the commissioning office was tighter than expected. He was afraid because he had encountered so many adventurers, but he was not terrified. Ganien stopped as a hand tapped him on the shoulder and looked behind him. ¡°I¡¯m here? Ruel is... Did you collapse again?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Cassion showed the Ruel in his arms to Ganien. Then, Ruel opened his eyes and said, ¡°Cassion put it down now.¡± ¡°Did you not collapse?¡± ¡°I was embarrassed and pretended to collapse. You knew everything and pretended that you didn¡¯t.¡± I felt dizzy, but not enough to faint. But I vomited blood. I judged the latter to pretend to be OK in the situation and to turn around and collapse. ¡°What? You scared me.¡± Ganien looked at the chief again. Ruel pointed his cane and looked around. There were many spectators, perhaps because the building was cut in half. ¡°You, you bastards!¡± The chief shouted in disgust. ¡°Isn¡¯t it over yet?¡± He was terrified, but Ruel was bewildered by his bubbly appearance. Indeed, cheating adventurers was something that most adventurers could only do. Ganien shook his head softly. ¡°He¡¯s quite poisonous. You didn¡¯t say I could cut him anywhere, so I didn¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°One arm is fine. By the way, did the soldiers come?¡± At the sight of the two casually spewing out scary noises, the chief became terrified. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t do any harm, it was that he knew he didn¡¯t. ¡°They didn¡¯t show up.¡± ¡°...Ha, I was about to solve a problem, but I¡¯ve found another.¡± Ruel sighed deeply and walked to the chief. ¡°Cassion, cover for a second.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He took off the cloak he was wearing and almost wrapped it around the chief and Ruel. ¡°Come on, look at this. Before that, if you see this and scream, your neck is dingy.¡± Ruel held out the back of his hand and showed the shield pattern. The chief desperately covered his mouth. However, he could not hide his large eyes and his trembling body. It was as if he was about to collapse at any moment. ¡°You must have heard all about what you did, right? Continue to cry out about your sins from this place until the soldiers come. Okay?¡± ¡°... Ugh.¡± ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°Oh, I see! I¡¯ll keep that in mind! Definitely, definitely... ¡± ¡°There. Now, shout in front of the crowd. Loudly.¡± When Ruel turned around, Cassion took the cloak back. The chief shouted at the sound of Ruel¡¯s cane. ¡°I, I swindled adventurers using bandits who robbed large warehouses so that I could embezzle the commission fees! I am a killer!¡± ¡®Kya, that¡¯s why it¡¯s so good.¡¯ ¡°Are you going back to the mansion now?¡± ¡°No, we need to know why our soldiers aren¡¯t coming don¡¯t we?¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°Ganien, will you go on a rampage again?¡± ¡°As much as you want me to.¡± Apparently, Ganien had just gotten a taste of work. Chapter 16: The Wizard Came Chapter 16: The Wizard Came Setiria served as the gateway to the Leponia Kingdom and because of its location adjacent to the Masu Forest, there were small and large barracks in every village. When I followed the children, I checked the barracks in the center of town, so it was easy to find. There were only two soldiers patrolling around the barracks. ¡®It¡¯s very quiet.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± One of them saw Ruel¡¯s party and blocked the road with a spear. ¡°There was a commotion at the Request Center, but they did not come to the rescue, so I came to see them.¡± At that moment, the sounds of overlapping laughter of both men and women could be heard from the barracks. The soldier was slightly perplexed and turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready soon to go to the barracks. For now, you guys better go back.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± There was a strong smell of alcohol coming out of the window someone had opened. The most vigilant time for soldiers was at night. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel let out a laugh. As I thought, this is a mess. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early to have a drinking party?¡± ¡°I told you to go back.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m really going to have to root it out.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Tell him the Lord has come.¡± Cassion brought it up politely. ¡°...what?¡± The soldier suddenly turned into a gentle lamb and blinked quickly. ¡°Tell them.¡± At Ruel¡¯s smile and command with arrogance, the soldier rushed into the barracks. Thumping. How busy it must be since the banquet they have opened has been canceled. Ruel said to Ganien. ¡°Catch everyone and tie them up.¡± ¡°Even women?¡± ¡°Of course, everyone. If they resist, you can knock them out.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll clean it up.¡± Ganien strode into the barracks excitedly. ¡°Argh!¡± I could already hear a scream. ¡°Tsk.¡± Ruel kicked his tongue. This place was full of mess. Everything from big matters to small things need to be fixed. ¡®Let¡¯s fix everything we see.¡¯ Although money could not be obtained immediately, public security was different. If they fix their rotten heads, it will be somewhat resolved. After about five minutes, Cassion opened his mouth. ¡°You can go in now.¡± Tak.Tak. I went into the barracks with Cassion. I had them all kneel on the floor to see if they had realized their mistakes. Everyone had a bruise on their face, apparently they were hit quite a bit. ¡°Who¡¯s the captain?¡± Without needing to say anything, they all looked at the same man. ¡°I¡¯d like to cut them all, but I have a lot to pack, so let me put it simply. Cough, cough.¡± A strange skepticism appeared in their eyes as the coughing sound followed. It was as if they were saying, ¡®The sick man should go away?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t this the third time already? I want to do this better.¡¯ But it was hard just to move Mana because of this weak body. I can¡¯t. Ruel showed a pattern indicating that he was the head of the household. Then their faces turned blue. ¡°First, alcohol is prohibited. Drink alcohol when you take a break. If anyone sees a bottle of alcohol, you all have to take off your clothes as a solidarity responsibility. Second, it is forbidden to bring women who are not soldiers into the barracks. Do it while you rest.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and wiped away the cold sweat before bringing it up again. ¡°Third, for longer distances when an incident occurs, soldiers should arrive in up to 10 minutes. Short distances should be dispatched within 2 minutes. Fourth, divide the village of Sisel into 4 districts, and patrol in two groups of four and send them to each district. Especially at night patrols. Fifth, of course, it is forbidden to act violently.¡± Tak. Tak. Ruel rolled his cane. ¡°I don¡¯t take questions. Starting today, these rules will be effective immediately.¡± They were all embarrassed of being caught today. I¡¯m sure the buzz from the alcohol has already been blown away. ¡°I¡¯m going to assign a watchman on this and ask the villagers, so don¡¯t act recklessly. Don¡¯t forget, this responsibility belongs to all of us.¡± ¡°I, I...! Lord! My-, My lord!¡± As it was, Ruel turned around. It was a waste of time to hear excuses. When I left the barracks, the night wind brushed against my body. Once I got rid of the things I could see, I felt relieved. ¡°It¡¯s windy.¡± I also had a cloak on, but Cassion still took off his cloak. I didn¡¯t refuse and put on another cloak. ¡®Is he the main character because he has a big heart?¡¯ ¡°Have you thought of anyone?¡± ¡°There is.¡± I answered without hesitation. Ganien smiled reassuringly without asking who it was. As he came to the Kingdom of Leponia, he met many talented people. Whether it was an accidental meeting or an approach based on the possibility, the person he took was enough to create knight squadrons. It seems that all the talented people are all gone, but as a Leponia person, how can I just look at it? I¡¯m gonna take everything Ganien should¡¯ve had. ¡®To live.¡¯ Suddenly the carriage stopped. Ruel¡¯s body shook at the same time. In the meantime, Ruel had no choice but to put his tongue out when he saw Cassion and Ganien, who were not budging. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± Ganien opened the carriage door and went outside. ¡®Is the cliche? showing up?¡¯ Ruel was a little excited. The reason the carriage suddenly stops is usually because of ignorant thieves. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to barge out like this.¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard through an open door gap. ¡®Isn¡¯t that a cliche??¡¯ ¡°Who is it?¡± Ganien had a fierce voice. ¡°My name is Drianna, a disciple of the Magic Knights of Setiria.¡± ¡®You¡¯re a disciple of the Magic Knights of Setiria? Was there such a thing in Setiria? Of course, there was a wizard in ¡®SSS-class Knight.¡¯ Everyone had mana, but using that mana to turn it into magic was another matter, so it was a rare existence. ¡°Is this the carriage that the Lord is riding?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Calling himself, Ruel opened the carriage door and looked at her. The soles of my feet hurt to go down. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s really rude, but could you show me the crest?¡± ¡°No, today¡¯s minutes are up.¡± If I showed the crest too much, I didn¡¯t know if I would faint at once, dye the wagon with blood, or maybe both. Drianna grabbed her skirt with a troubled face. ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡± It felt like she was going home excitedly after work, so she couldn¡¯t look good when she stopped the carriage. ¡°Are you really the Lord?¡± ¡°Ganien, come back. Let¡¯s go home.¡± I turned a blind eye to her rudeness even though I made time for it, but it was suspicious enough that she would come back after me. I was tired. My head started pounding. ¡°Well, I...!¡± When Ganien got back on the wagon, Drianna clasped her hand in bewilderment. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With the word that Ruel took out, the carriage started again. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if you don¡¯t hear her story? No one is dare enough to sell using the wizard¡¯s name.¡± ¡°I have a headache.¡± ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t ask you any more.¡± Ruel smiled leaning against the wagon. He did not know what she was approaching him for, but the basics of the deal were the fact that if someone was in a hurry they should bow their head. *** ¡°Ugh.¡± Ruel opened his eyes listening to the bird chirping. Looking around, I couldn¡¯t see the Cassion. ¡®Is it too early?¡¯ It was cloudy looking out the window. Ruel got up from his seat and looked at his feet. All the blisters were gone. ¡®That¡¯s the power of recovery.¡¯ If anyone knew the power of recovery, they might point fingers right away, but anything small was good. ¡®Peaceful, normal life.¡¯ Ruel laughed as his mind wandered and pictured this enthusiastic prospect in his head. Knock, Knock. ¡°Did you cough, my Lord?¡± Astell¡¯s voice was heard. It was somewhat awkward for someone other than Cassion to take care of him. ¡°Come in.¡± Still, Ruel sat with dignity as the Lord. ¡°The butler left hastily because of the guest.¡± ¡°Guest?¡± Hmm... Is there anyone who wants to see me? ¡°Is the guest¡¯s name Minart?¡± Ruel asked, recalling Minart. ¡°No. I¡¯ve only heard that she¡¯s a disciple Magic Knights of Setiria.¡± It must have been quite urgent. Ruel was already excited because he didn¡¯t know what Drianna might have brought. Chapter 17: The Wizard Came (2) Chapter 17: The Wizard Came (2) ¡°I¡¯m going out, so just give me something simple to wear.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Oh, my Lord, by the way¡± ¡°What?¡± Astell crouched and held out the pie she hid behind her back. No wonder it smelled so good. ¡°The butler said that the Lord would look for the pie when he wakes up.¡± ¡°Did you make it?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± Ruel picked up the pie with a smile. As the power of recovery turned around, there was a great sense of hunger. Crunch.Upstodatee from I heard a pleasant sound. I liked the crunchy texture along with the juices that spread in my mouth. ¡°Astell.¡± When he ate up the second slice of the pie, he called Astell in question. ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question. Can you answer me?¡± ¡°Ask as much as you like.¡± Astell looked at Ruel with her expectant eyes. Perhaps she thought he would ask questions related to cooking. Let¡¯s answer first. ¡°The pie is delicious.¡± ¡°Well, really?¡± ¡°Do you have any special powers?¡± ¡°... What?¡± Astell blinked her eyes and clasped her hands. She looked worried that she might have made a mistake. ¡°I thought it was weird every time I ate your food.¡± ¡°My Lord, I have sinned to death! But I swear, I never put anything weird in it! I always use fresh ingredients for your health! I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡± Out of nowhere, Astell suddenly bent over. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s your fault. Just look at me.¡± ¡°Then....¡± Astell slanted up her bowed waist, with a tear in her face. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m getting healthier.¡± ¡°Yes...?¡± It was natural not to understand. Even himself couldn¡¯t believe it. However, the more I ate it, the more I felt like I was being supplied by herbal medicine, so I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Did anyone else eat your food and ever say that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of... There is.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Bu-t, but they didn¡¯t tell me something like what the Lord is speaking of.¡± Then there was the possibility that it would not work very well for others, or that it would only work particularly well for some people. I was satisfied once I saw that possibility. ¡°Please prepare my clothes, I¡¯ll wear them on my own, so bake me some snacks. I think I¡¯ll be out again today.¡± ¡°But the butler sai-...okay.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel reiterated her name over and over again after Astell left. ¡®...I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Astell was not mentioned in the novel. I thought she might have died during the Setiria incident. ¡®That¡¯s great.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. *** Tak.Tak At the sound of the cane, Cassion sighed and looked back. ¡°Have you come out?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dressed lightly.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m wearing three layers.¡± ¡®I¡¯m not even a grandmother. This is ridiculous.¡¯ Ruel smiled lightly and saw Drianna fidgety. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°My Lord, I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for my rudeness last night.¡± ¡°Forgiveness doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t just babble with your mouth.¡± ¡°What can I do to make you feel better?¡± ¡°Tell me your business first.¡± Drianna pointed to the carriage I was riding on. ¡°May I speak to you over there?¡± Regardless of how important the story was, Ruel would have allowed it. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°Your opponent is a wizard.¡± Cassion said. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Ruel followed Drianna with a grin. Then he got in the carriage with her support. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Even if Ruel doesn¡¯t remember, he remembers. ¡°I have to bring my Knights, so wait at the mansion. Astell¡¯s a good cook. So ask her to make something for you.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°When you¡¯re done crying, come out.¡± Ruel trembled and came down the wagon. ¡®Damn, why are the stools so wide?¡¯ By the time I thought that I should make the foothold tight, I heard Cassion¡¯s voice. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I heard someone cry.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t cry.¡± Cassion looked at himself with a significant look. ¡°She cried when she found out I was terminally ill. Let¡¯s just eat. I¡¯ll bring the Knights.¡± ¡°In a word, you cheated her.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fool around here and prepare your meal.¡± Ruel brushed Cassion into the mansion. Listening to the laughter coming from behind, Ruel frowned. *** This time, unlike last time, I rode a wagon with shield patterns to the village of Sisel. Everyone noticed it without having to be announced. The Lord is back. Setiria¡¯s owner is back. Ruel traveled beyond the village of Sisel to the woods to greet his Knights, creating a tremendous sensation. Even though he was not a boy playing the flute, people followed him behind the carriage. ¡°You¡¯re very popular.¡± Ganien grinned at the window. ¡°You¡¯re here to see what the face of a damn beggar is like.¡± ¡°The people feel more sympathy rather than anger towards Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you can¡¯t swear directly.¡± Ruel chewed the cookies in a sour way. It was a snack made by Astell. It is not only melting in his mouth but also lightening his body. ¡°Oh, how about you guys eat these cookies?¡± ¡°Delicious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± At about the same time, Ruel asked again. ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t you feel healthy after eating?¡± ¡°Well, I guess so and I guess not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel that way.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel smacked his lips. Poor bastards, not receiving the healing power of cooking. Ruel¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t stop moving until the carriage stopped. ¡°Stop eating and get off.¡± ¡°One more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to get off, so why don¡¯t you pop the cookie off your mouth?¡± Cassion¡¯s fingertips trembled a little as he looked at the crumbs on Ruel¡¯s mouth and clothes. He resisted the heat from the bottom of his heart and forced himself to smile. ¡°It¡¯s hard for you, too.¡± Ganien got out of the carriage first, looking pitifully at Cassion. ¡°What¡¯s the trouble?¡± Ruel snorted and ate another cookie before he got off the wagon holding Cassion¡¯s hand. ¡°He turned too quickly.¡± And in case Cassion might say something, he pointed to his chest before hitting the player with a K.O. Ruel moving recklessly doesn¡¯t mean that the disease has gotten worse. Cassion looked at Ruel anxiously. ¡®I wonder why you looked at me like that, is it because I haven¡¯t given you the heirloom yet?¡¯ I¡¯ll give it to you as soon as I get back. Ruel laughed as soon as his feet touched the ground. Boom. Boom. There was a loud sound on the floor. Even Ruel¡¯s mind became more comfortable with the perfectly neat arrangement. All the clothes they wore were as shiny as a sword in their hand, even though they were worn out. Cheynol stood in front of them and looked at Ruel, bringing it up, which he had called hundreds, thousands of times. ¡°Setiria!¡± At the short, thick cry, all the knights standing behind them raised their fists and shouted. ¡°Setiria!¡± The more he screamed, the more heat swelled in his chest. In order to get rid of the shame he had in the past, Cheynol shouted louder. ¡°Setiria!¡± Ruel raised his hand. In an instant the forest became quiet. Looking at them, Ruel gave a simple order. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, my knights.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s reclaim what is mine!¡± Chapter 19: The Wizard Came (4) Chapter 19: The Wizard Came (4) ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed furiously when the carriage was just around the corner. My back bent down due to the pain, the cane was the only thing holding me up. ¡®...Damn it.¡¯ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m like this when I have to show off my confidence. Ruel coughed and stopped as Cassion prepared to receive vomit at any time. ¡°I¡¯m not throwing up.¡± ¡°Is that so? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I straightened my bowed waist, I could see everyone¡¯s worried gaze on me. ¡°The carriage is here.¡± Feeling burdened by the gaze, Ruel decided to board the wagon quickly. The new foothold was firm enough for me to climb on my own. Cassion, Ganien, and Ruel were seated in Setiria¡¯s undecorated, small carriage. Their carriage followed Drianna¡¯s wagon. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to overdo it?¡± Ganien asked bluntly. Ruel asked on the contrary. ¡°Why?¡± There are a lot of people who can do it. Ganien loosened his stiff face at the words. Ruel reached out to Cassion. The amount of snacks Astell made was so large that I left it to him. Cassion said, taking out a basket. ¡°They also put in the akals they got from the kids.¡± ¡®Allergies and other things are said and it seems to work.¡¯ Crunch. The sound of cookies breaking filled the carriage. ¡®It¡¯s delicious.¡¯ *** Drianna¡¯s carriage stopped at the village on the border between Setiria and Lumina. Cassion woke up Ruel. ¡°Ruel, you need to get up.¡± It had been a long time since Ruel was physically exhausted and fainted. As I struggled to open my eyes, the sky outside the window became dark. ¡°Have we arrived?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice was locked. ¡°I think you have a fever.¡± Ganien sensed the heat from Ruel¡¯s body. ¡°I have a fever if I overdo it, but it¡¯s still okay. If I get some rest, I¡¯ll fall off.¡± Knock. Knock. Ganien opened the carriage door. Right in front of the carriage door opened, Drianna smiled broadly and said, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, please. Ruel hasn¡¯t come to his senses yet.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, Drianna clasped her hands tightly with a worried expression. ¡°I, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Ruel breathed heavily when he saw the turn. It¡¯s just that there was always a slight fever. But he was also busy. I got a little dizzy, so I got off the wagon with Cassion¡¯s support. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring you there by magic.¡± Drianna said in a fidgety way. Normally, it would be ignored by Ruel, but this time, there was a special word in there. ¡°Magic?¡± His interest was piqued. He had never seen magic. Ruel said, ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Then, Ganien and Cassion changed at the same time. Ruel¡¯s face frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you intend to use [Hold]?¡± Ganien stared at Drianna. She was intimidated and cringed. ¡°That¡¯s right. It is the most suitable magic for lifting objects or people.¡± ¡°Ruel¡¯s body won¡¯t be able to withstand the magic and will break.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hold.¡± It seemed that the word ¡®only¡¯ was omitted before Drianna¡¯s words. ¡°He¡¯s a sick Lord. Unlike [Hold] or anything, mana flows directly to Ruel, doesn¡¯t it? He will not be able to stand it.¡± Cassion explained politely. Drianna¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°You mean he can¡¯t even hold on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At those words, she looked at Ruel as if she had decided something. ¡°I¡¯ll make a new one for him. Please look forward to it.¡± ¡®...What?¡¯ Ruel wondered what was left out sharply. ¡°This way, my Lord.¡± When he saw the glaring eyes of Drianna, Ruel decided to relax and wait. ¡®I¡¯m giving you a present, so you have to wait.¡¯ *** Drianna led us to an ordinary house in town. As soon as he entered, Ruel was stunned. Unlike the narrow buildings seen from the outside, the interior was spacious enough to be called a mansion. ¡°This is the magic my master has installed.¡± Drianna spoke with pride. ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯ After walking for a while, I saw a man among the flowers. With his neatly cut hair and beard than he had expected, he didn¡¯t look like someone who had been stuck in a room for years. There were two graves in front of him, and he was just about to offer flowers on them. Ruel made a sound and proceeded, but the man did not even respond. Looking at one of the tombs, Ruel flinched. His own name was written on it. ¡®I feel bad.¡¯ Ruel clicked his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m not dead.¡± The man reacted to the voice. He turned his head away from placing the flower. Ruel said, looking at the blue flowers that were trodden under his feet. ¡°...that¡¯s my brother¡¯s favorite flower.¡± The man soon laughed, as if he didn¡¯t see Ruel. ¡°I was in phantasmagoria, and it looks like I had hallucinations.¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria is not dead.¡± ¡°......!¡± ¡°Come out, Uncle.¡± The man got up from his seat with his mouth open and approached Ruel with difficulty as if he had just started walking. He reached out and put his hand on Ruel¡¯s shoulder. I felt a tremor. The man¡¯s eyes quickly turned red. ¡°Is it Rue-... l? It¡¯s not a hallucination, is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a hallucination. It¡¯s not an illusion.¡± ¡°Hah, can you confirm one thing for me?¡± A throbbing appeared within his body. As soon as it spread to himself, something poured down. It was blood, too red. Ruel collapsed helplessly, feeling the pain of his whole body. ¡°...Ah.¡± The man did not receive the falling Ruel. The blood splattered on his hand was hot. The illusion disappeared at that moment. The only thing left in the room was himself and the fallen Ruel. Only then did Ruel¡¯s condition become visible. The man was screaming and hugged Ruel. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± He stormed out of the room that had been stuck for years. *** Whizz. A loud noise echoed in my ears as if someone was running a vacuum cleaner. Ruel couldn¡¯t resist the sound and opened his eyes. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen this ceiling before¡¯ I blinked and my whole body throbbed and frowned. Doesn¡¯t it seem like I¡¯ve got a flu? When I opened my mouth to find Cassion, it was not the sound but the black blood. ¡°Whew.¡± It was not until it poured out twice as much as usual that the buzzing sound stopped. Ruel was exhausted and fell back on the pillow. ¡°...are you all right?¡± Only then did I hear it clearly. Cassion¡¯s voice was full of worries as usual. Ruel turned his eyes and looked at Cassion. Behind him, even Ganien spoke with an anxious look on his face. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Why...¡± I couldn¡¯t speak well because my voice was hoarse. I wanted to ask you why you¡¯re here. ¡°That idiot blew a lot of mana into you.¡± Ganien looked at someone. When Ruel turned his head around, there was a man with swollen eyes. ¡®Is that Ruel¡¯s uncle?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m glad Cassion was holding the finest potion just in time. Otherwise...¡± While talking, Ganien looked at the man furiously. How angry he must have forgotten to be polite. ¡®A potion?¡¯ Potion was the only wound recovery medicine in the ¡®SSS-class Knight.¡¯ It works well depending on the grade, but it was ineffective on diseases and only worked on external wounds. When Ruel saw Cassion, he lifted his index finger and put it around his mouth. I realized that he said so because he did not want to say anything about the power of recovery. Instead of words, Ruel blinked his eyes and replied that he knew. ¡°It¡¯s been about two days.¡± ¡®The power of recovery, of course.¡¯ ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better to say that your whole body, uh, collapsed because of Mana, or split up. I don¡¯t know. Anyway, it was the worst because you had blood all over your body.¡± ¡®... Also the power of recovery.¡¯ Gulp. Ruel swallowed his saliva for no reason. ¡®Wait a minute...¡¯ Isn¡¯t this what happened because of the swaying thing that the man sent to him? In other words, the swaying thing was Mana and he could see Mana himself. Ruel couldn¡¯t stop his frown. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°...uh.¡± I closed my eyes answering Cassion¡¯s question. It hurts. I was heartbroken because my chance to become an archmage just flew away. Chapter 20: Knock. Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? Chapter 20: Knock. Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? ¡®Damn body!¡¯ He recalled Ganien¡¯s words that his bowl was large, but he could not contain it because the bowl was too weak. ¡®The Archmage...¡¯ Ruel suddenly opened his eyes with chills while swearing at his body. ¡°Do you know that you just tried to kill your nephew with your own hands?¡± Ganien suddenly jumped at the man in anger. Caught by the collar, he bowed his head like a sinner, and Drianna, standing next to him, could not stop him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Do you know how long Ruel fought alone, holding on to that body, while you were locked up?¡± The man¡¯s complexion simply turned pale. ¡°He walked for the first time in five years.¡± The man looked up at Ruel, raising his bowed head. On the face of guilt, Ruel¡¯s face showed nothing. ¡°Water,¡± Ruel said. Cassion got up and went outside. ¡°Stop it, Ganien.¡± Even though it was a small sound, Ganien let go of his hand and pushed the man away. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡± ¡°... Okay.¡± Ganien and Drianna went outside. Ruel inhaled Breath with trembling hands. The man looked at the Breath. ¡°That Breath... Are you not getting any rest?¡± ¡°After we finished our conversation.¡± Ruel checked his breath as he returned and pointed to the chair next to him. ¡°Sit down.¡± The man didn¡¯t come up to me in a hurry. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m tired.¡± Only then did the man rush and sit down. He rolled his eyes around, anxious like a person sitting in a chair for the first time. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°... But,¡± ¡°I¡¯m alive and I¡¯m not dead, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry...you¡¯re right.¡± Feeling like he¡¯s not referring to this one, Ruel asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Everything...¡± For a moment, Ruel noticed. A man named Ruel¡¯s uncle had a great deal of guilt on him. It was roughly expected. Maybe he could have saved Ruel¡¯s parents, but he couldn¡¯t save them, and he could have stopped them when Ruel was kicked out. I wondered why, but I didn¡¯t need to know. ¡°Forget about the past.¡± By forgetting the past, that man could not be bound by the past. And cover the past so that he can get his hands on the Knights of the Magic. The man made eye contact with Ruel for the first time. Ruel laughed when he saw the eyes of a man full of fire. His eyes are not dead yet. ¡°Can you protect me this time?¡± That man couldn¡¯t protect Ruel¡¯s parents or Ruel, but he had to protect himself. I¡¯ve given him a chance. A man must hold his hand because he has lost everything. The swollen man¡¯s eyes turned red again. Ruel reached out his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s say hello. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Introduce yourself. The act of sharing names with people you meet for the first time. Ruel completely covered the past. The man bit his lips hard. No matter how ugly you are, you can¡¯t even show tears to your nephew. ¡°My name is Tyson Setiria.¡± Ruel held his skinny hand. ¡°Can you protect me this time, Uncle?¡± Ruel raised the same question as before. He, who was a child, had grown up with adult eyes. In the past, Tyson was nearing the completion of his research, and everything happened so he could save no one. He ran away like that. If he had known, he would have run right away to study or whatever. If it were, my brother would have been alive, and Ruel would still have the eyes of a child. Even now, the regrets remain. However... Tyson closed and opened his eyes. He was like my son. He almost killed such a child with his own hands. He got down on his knees and bowed his head. ¡°I will protect you even if I have to give up my life.¡± He made a pact of mana himself. This was like atonement for the past and a commitment to protecting Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s done. I don¡¯t want anything grandiose like that.¡± Ruel reacted sullenly. Even if Tyson didn¡¯t risk his life, Cassion was next to him. Tyson laughed silently. The smile seemed somehow aloof. ¡°I just need you to do a few things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same.¡± ¡°......?¡± ¡°You say a few things, but it¡¯s not a few things, right? It was like that when you were a kid.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say, ¡®You can do it indefinitely.¡¯ Cough, cough.¡± Tyson stood up at Ruel¡¯s cough. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Ganien will take care of himself, but just in case, evacuate the neighborhood. Oh, he¡¯ll lose, so I¡¯ll call a doctor.¡± Drianna knew that the Blue Knight was famous. However, it was embarrassing to easily declare the defeat of her master, the Knight of the Magic. Ruel laughed. Like a man who knows everything ahead of time. Drianna couldn¡¯t bring it up when she saw the smile. She just stared blankly at Ruel¡¯s back. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± Cassion smiled lightly and said. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Yes, the wizard has lost his mind, and Ganien is strong.¡± ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no easier prey than a mad wizard. In my experience, I think it¡¯ll be over in five minutes.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± To Cassion, shrugging his shoulders, Ruel smiled and headed for the carriage. About five minutes later, Ganien got on the wagon. ¡°Did it take long?¡± Considering the time it took to get to the carriage, it meant that it was settled in at least three minutes. ¡®It¡¯s a monster, a monster.¡¯ ¡°Uncle?¡± ¡°He cried.¡± ¡°Did you hit him enough to make him cry?¡± Ruel asked with a grin. Then Ganien voiced his voice as if he was falsely accused. ¡°No way, I just spoke politely, with a sword. I¡¯m not good at talking.¡± He must have been a huge fan. With his occasional satisfactory face, Ruel didn¡¯t want to hear any more of it. ¡°Is there any damage to the surroundings?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s rude.¡± Isn¡¯t it rude to beat people? Ruel suppressed the question and leaned against the carriage. ¡°... I want him to know.¡± That he¡¯s busy. ¡°He¡¯ll know. That¡¯s why he cried.¡± Ganien calmly frowned. He and Cassion looked at each other with warm eyes. It was just the expression of looking at his nephew, who was just for his uncle, with a happy expression. It was so offensive that Ruel quietly covered my mouth. ¡®... I can¡¯t say I saw Tyson for the first time today.¡¯ The carriage moved quietly. *** Knock. Knock. ¡°Young master.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man spoke bluntly. His blush was red, and his whole body smelled of alcohol. The servant carefully opened the door, shrugged once, and entered the room only after confirming that the owner was not throwing a drink. With a very nervous expression, the servant spoke to the owner who had been drunk since broad daylight. ¡°The Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom has come to see the young master.¡± ¡°... What?¡± The man put down the glass he was going to drink. ¡°A little while ago, the Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom came to see you.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Suddenly, he laughed hysterically and the servant trembled. Then he rolled his eyes around to avoid things that might come at any moment. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± The man had a straight face in an instant. ¡°Why would the Blue Knight come to see me?¡± Although he was the eldest son of the Lumina family, he was wretched and fell behind the ranks. No one didn¡¯t know about it. And the famous knight of the Cyronian came to find himself? It was a really bad joke. The man tried to throw a glass of alcohol. If it wasn¡¯t for the urgent word of the servant. ¡°And there was someone next to him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± In response to the servant¡¯s answer, he shook the glass he was about to throw, shot the servant a look once, and drank. ¡®Is it similar to them?¡¯ A year ago, some strange people came to see him. They said that if he granted them one request, they would make him the successor right away. He kicked them out, dismissing them as crazy people. ¡®The knight, the Blue Knight, came to me. With someone next to him?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the answer at all. The man kicked his tongue and said. ¡°Bring them in.¡± *** ¡°Come in.¡± The servant opened the door politely. ¡°I¡¯d like your name.¡± Ruel spoke with pleasure while talking to Ganien. For himself, Ruel couldn¡¯t mention his name, because he had to work hard to rebuild Setiria. The servant looked at the sickly-looking boy speaking vaguely with the Blue Knight and had his doubts. ¡°Could you please guide me?¡± Cassion said, enjoying the gaze of the servant who looked at them here and there. ¡°This way please.¡± As Ruel approached the room where Lumina¡¯s eldest son, Hale Lumina, smelled strongly of alcohol. ¡®He¡¯s a nobleman who drinks all day.¡¯ Ruel knew this sort of thing. There was a strong feeling of a spoiled man in web novels. As the door opened, he saw a man whose face was flushed red. Seeing and greeting his guests was not even expected in the first place. Even though they came, Ruel thought the three-year-old had a higher insight into drinking. A maniac shouldn¡¯t be treated as a normal person. It was all wrong from beginning to end. Chapter 21: Knock, Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? (2) Chapter 21: Knock, Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? (2) ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Hale did not even make eye contact with Ruel¡¯s group and suddenly treated them like dirt. The sight made the servant restless. ¡°Get out.¡± Ruel sent him away. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Cassion closed the door and stood in front of him. ¡°Hey.¡± He didn¡¯t act like a human, so he called Hale like an animal. ¡°Are you...?¡± Hale quickly grabbed the glass and threw it at Ruel. However, the glass of wine, let alone the drink in the glass, did not reach Ruel. Boom! It was Hale who rolled the floor. Ganien grabbed the glass at the same time as he held him in. Ganien waved his hand with a glass and introduced himself with a smile on Hale. ¡°Ganien Croft, the Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to introduce yourself.¡± Ruel sat in the chair where Hale sat and looked down at him. ¡°Hey.¡± Hale grabbed his kicked chin and looked at Ruel. Because he had been humiliated like this by a guy who was less than a fist, his anger was boiling. ¡°You crazy thing!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy. Now, I¡¯m gonna say something very important. You have to listen carefully.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and smiled at Hale. ¡°You lent me a lot of money to get Setiria. I don¡¯t think it came out of your head. Who did you hear that from?¡± ¡°... What, are you from Setiria? Why, are you scared?¡± Upon learning the identity of Ruel¡¯s party, Hale began to act as if he had put aside the upper hand. Ruel asked again. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a hard time getting there. So, I¡¯ll give you more interest.¡± Hale laughed at Ruel with a scornful laugh. Ruel also smiled at Hale, pitifully. ¡°Interest? Debt? You don¡¯t know the situation yet.¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°You touched your father¡¯s money, and you lent it to Mineta. Minetta died of treason.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°You lent money to someone who rebelled... Isn¡¯t that very suspicious, Ganien?¡± ¡°The laws vary from country to country, but taking part in treason is obviously treason.¡± Ruel laughed, perhaps pleased with Ganien¡¯s answer. ¡°What, what are you talking about?¡± Hale asked. ¡°Crazy? Oh, I didn¡¯t introduce myself. I am Ruel Setiria, the Lord of Setiria.¡± Hale snapped and stopped as if time had stopped for a moment. Even the same aristocrat knows well that there is a difference between the family head and nobility. His complexion soon turned pale, reflecting on how arrogant he had been. Ruel ordered. ¡°Lower your head for your lord.¡± ¡°Sir, that was only a slip of the tongue!¡± Perhaps he was sober at once, Hale got up in place and bowed his head to Ruel. ¡°I am Hale Lumina, the eldest son of the Lumina family.¡± ¡°No, your introduction is wrong. You¡¯re a traitor.¡± Despite Ruel¡¯s ridicule, all Hale could do was to think hard. Didn¡¯t he know he just stole his father¡¯s money? But treason. That stupid Mineta did that? He resented his head for not working well because it was dangerous to raise the word treason recklessly. ¡°You wonder why I came here?¡± Thump-thump. His heart beat so fast that Hale was suffocating. ¡°Have you been playing well with Setiria until now? It must have been fun and has been different from the reality of being the eldest and crawling behind the ranks.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. ¡°For-forgive me...¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion took out the copied documents and put them on the table. ¡°Read it carefully and try it.¡± The scoundrel was not a man. The scoundrel who touched Setiria wasn¡¯t even human. Ruel headed to the door to the sound of a cane. ¡°Well, hold on a second!¡± Hale¡¯s voice calling for Ruel and his hands trembled. His body staggered. ¡°Forgive me!¡± I kicked the weirdos out, but I made a joke out of what they alluded to. ¡®Because I had nothing to lose.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t true. Tak.Tak. ¡°Ganien, take out one more.¡± How would you have prepared just one in front of a poisonous snake? Ganien pulled out one more document and handed it over. ¡°Here¡¯s proof that your son left your safe unattended even though he confirmed it.¡± Corrence laughed. ¡°Only...¡± ¡°Also, proof that you know how your son spends his money and neglects it. Ah, your son stole it. Evidence that you put more money into the fund.¡± It was him who made it, but it was Cassion who did all this. It was obvious how overworked his guild members must have been. Corrence¡¯s face hardened. He looked at Ruel as if he had seen a ghost. The evidence that he thought had definitely been eliminated made him feel embarrassed. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t owe me anything, and a mana contract that you will never cross Setiria again. The knight next to you will confirm.¡± ¡°Will that be all?¡± ¡°No, I need you to do one more thing. You will not retaliate against Setiria for this. Of course, with the Mana contract.¡± Corrence¡¯s lips trembled. A vein ran down his neck, and his eyes widened. But he persevered. His treason was by sit-in. Isn¡¯t it cheap for the price of his life as branch families? He opened his mouth consoling himself. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Ruel laughed spitefully as he inhaled Breath. Corrence signed a memorandum of renunciation of debt and two mana contracts. ¡°Exactly both times, we signed a contract normally.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, Ruel rose from his seat. I didn¡¯t want to be in a place like this anymore. But I smiled leisurely, holding a cane like an aristocrat. ¡°It¡¯s meant to be, so let¡¯s be friends.¡± At least you won¡¯t get bitten because you¡¯ve put a leash on a noisy crying beast. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ruel thanked Ganien. ¡°You love to say thank you so much.¡± The two went around the way they came. Cassion asked, looking at Ruel¡¯s bright face. ¡°You must have finished it well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you. Thanks.¡± ¡°... Well, I¡¯m glad it was helpful.¡± Cassion smiled awkwardly, as it was a little harsh to say thank you. ¡®It seems like most of my guild members have been stabbed.¡¯ At least he confirmed that he had a conscience. Ruel has now safely crossed a bridge, but he thought that he had to somehow compensate the guild members of Cassion because he had helped him so far. ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal.¡± But the meal came first now. Ruel spoke pleasantly. *** When he had to eat the dishes Cassion had made outside, Ruel burst into discontent. ¡°If you do something wrong, you¡¯ll really die.¡± It was not until Cassion gave a fierce warning that he took a step back. It was not good for my health to go to a place where many people go, so I got a room and started eating there. It was delicious, but I didn¡¯t feel good, so I stared at the dishes of Ganien and Cassion. ¡°I envy you.¡± ¡°The food I made tastes better.¡± Cassion quietly boasted of his cooking skills. ¡°It¡¯s just that I feel like it.¡± ¡°Are we going straight to the Shio family?¡± Ganien asked a question and immediately put a juicy steak in his mouth. ¡®Oh, I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ He was eating meat, but originally, other people¡¯s rice cakes looked bigger. T/N: Other people¡¯s rice cakes look bigger means a person does not always seem more appealing than the things he or she does have. He looked at the steak, putting the meat in his mouth as if it was a crisis. ¡°Ruel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going right away.¡± ¡°Well, is there a stop somewhere?¡± ¡°There is, the Adventurer Guild.¡± ¡°Would you like to be an adventurer?¡± Cassion brought it up as a joke. It was because I thought there was no reason to go to the Adventurer Guild even though I was confident. ¡°How did you know?¡± Ruel was a little surprised. ¡°... What?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Looking at the startled pair, Ruel raised his lips playfully. ¡°Are you going to be an adventurer?¡± Chapter 22: One by one Chapter 22: One by one ¡°That¡¯s an interesting joke.¡± Ganien took the steak unpeeled fork into his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s a very, very funny joke.¡± Cassion smiled and inserted a knife into the chicken leg. Even I want to applaud him for his neat workmanship. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding.¡± When the two denied it more than expected, Ruel became more serious. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a real adventurer.¡± ¡°Are you crazy...?¡± His heart probably hurt, Cassion said with a sharp edge. ¡°Listen till the end.¡± Ruel wiped my mouth and inhaled Breath.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) ¡°I need a fake identity to get around comfortably outside. For that reason, the status of an adventurer is pretty good.¡± ¡°Where and how long are you trying to get around?¡± ¡°Cassion, when my name is mentioned, what kind of modifier is usually attached to it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a disease-related modifier.¡± Ruel flicked his finger lightly into the glass. ¡°Setiria isn¡¯t ready yet. I¡¯m going to do something different, and I¡¯ll get attention every time... I¡¯ll be swept away, for sure.¡± ¡°Are you saying you need a fake identity to go unnoticed?¡± ¡°No, you have to say that it was me when Setiria stood up. Why would you waste that opportunity?¡± ¡°Are you going to lead a double life?¡± Ganien looked at Ruel with interested eyes. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Right, a double life.¡± Cassion¡¯s sigh was followed by Ruel¡¯s answer. Ganien sat deep in his chair, folded his arms, and said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that bad? Clearly, as you said, Ruel, there¡¯s no way Setiria deserves the attention. It¡¯s time to solidify it.¡± ¡°As expected, my best friend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, and how crazy are you thinking of needing a fake identity?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ruel really didn¡¯t know either. He was just being prepared because he didn¡¯t know. Don¡¯t be swept away until Setiria hardens. ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡¯m asking you just in case. Do the adventurer titles include me and Ganien?¡± ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t even fight. Let¡¯s get on your back.¡± Cassion was speechless because he spoke so confidently. Then, Ganien tapped the table. ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s going to be fun, so I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± I was thinking he¡¯d be happy to allow it. Isn¡¯t there a lot of fighting because of his job as an adventurer? Being able to get out of the mold of being a knight would be pretty liberating. Ruel smiled and looked at Cassion. ¡°The majority have agreed, so you¡¯ll have to follow, right?¡± ¡°An adventurer is certainly free. But do you know that you need the right identity to be an adventurer?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Are you going to keep your mouth shut?¡± Feeling Ganien¡¯s stinging gaze, Ruel immediately shook his head. Ruel coughed out and said, ¡°Why are you so ferocious? We can find a guild of adventurers we can trust.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Ruel grinned and raised the corners of his mouth. *** A shield pattern appeared on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand to prove that he was the Lord of Setiria. The guild leader, called the ¡®Hand of the Wind,¡¯ was stunned and collapsed backward. ¡°Will you believe it now?¡± ¡°Forgive this old man¡¯s insolence.¡± The guild leader stepped out from behind his desk and gave Ruel a polite bow. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, so give me an ID to prove myself to be an adventurer.¡± ¡°Lo, Lord, How would I dare to deny the Lord¡¯s help? I will make it right away.¡± Ruel looked at Cassion, coughing. Seeing him startled and astonished, he felt relieved. ¡°How the hell did you know?¡± I didn¡¯t mean to tell you, so I kept smiling. Hand of the Wind Guild. It was originally a guild with the greatest adventurers. However, it declined dramatically due to its misplaced connection with the Barons. He came here because he knew that they would grab his hand if they knew he was a nobleman. Isn¡¯t it a way to help with joy, to be guaranteed an adventurer¡¯s status, and to keep a secret? ¡°What do you want your name to be?¡± At the question of the guild leader, Ruel looked at them. Ruel had a name already set. ¡°I¡¯ll just go with Cassion. I don¡¯t care if I get more jobs.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with Gaff.¡± ¡°Yes, Cassion and Gaff. What name would you like, Lord?¡± ¡°Han, let¡¯s go with that name.¡± Kim Han. Before I knew it, it was his real name. ¡°Sa, save me!¡± The boy, who barely raised his upper body, cried desperately. Ruel walked forward despite Cassion¡¯s restraint and looked at the alley and the boy. The entrance door to the alley was slightly open. Whoever saw it, the boy must have come from there. ¡°Ruel, step back.¡± Ganien raised an eyebrow. There was a possibility that the boy had hidden a blade on his slender body. ¡°Do you need help?¡± But Ruel reached out to the boy. It was a moment, but I saw a huge swaying thing around the boy. It must have been because he couldn¡¯t control his mana, so he was seeing it everywhere. With so much mana, there was only one person who could come out of the alley of the Matyros Guild. ¡®Found him.¡¯ Ruel laughed. Aris, the right arm of Ganien and a genius Archmage. ¡°Help me...¡± Of course, I¡¯ll help you. You¡¯re gonna be my escort. ¡°I¡¯m taking you.¡± Ruel looked at him and said. Ignoring the sighs and smirks that ensued. *** ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ganien apologized to Aris, who was eating while looking around. Aris opened his eyes wide and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the food.¡± Ruel said with a sharp edge. It was Ganien who was going to take Cassion with him, so it was difficult to keep a mole on Aris. ¡°I just apologized.¡± ¡°He says it¡¯s burdensome. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± Aris¡¯ eyes at Ruel were a little soft. The difference between those who reached out their hands and those who were wary was huge. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°... It¡¯s Aris.¡± When he heard the boy¡¯s name, Ruel smiled gloatingly. As expected, Aris. ¡°That¡¯s a nice name. Do you want to eat more?¡± Aris shook his head. Looking at the spoon still in his hand, Ruel called Cassion. How can I be so disingenuous? ¡°Cassion, order more.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ruel. The bad brother there is Ganien, and that¡¯s Cassion.¡± ¡°Oh...ha, that¡¯s very offensive.¡± ¡®Well, then we¡¯ll have to make a big dent in our favorability.¡¯ Ganien did not make excuses because of what he did. ¡°I¡¯ll hear from you when you are done. Do you want me to leave you alone?¡± Aris nodded again instead of answering. Ruel thought it was fortunate that at least human distrust did not occur in those intimidated-looking eyes. Looking at Ruel and Aris, Ganien quietly moved aside. Then he took Cassion out of the restaurant, noticing that he had returned from the order. Cassion, who came out together unexpectedly, asked puzzledly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Did you notice? Aris, a child, was abused. It¡¯s not normal abuse...¡± ¡°People are trafficking, people being sold as slaves. It must have been harsh.¡± ¡°Ruel will intervene, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s highly like that. Didn¡¯t he bring in a person already?¡± Ganien touched his chin. While working as a knight, he did encounter slave traders a few times. They were animals, not people. An animal to be killed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good sight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ruel, so I¡¯m sure he already made up his mind. He doesn¡¯t move without thinking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ganien nodded and agreed. Ruel never did anything without thinking. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go in.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll be there in a little while.¡± Ganien grabbed Cassion. Cassion looked at Ganien instead of words. ¡°Somehow, I want to make the two of them get along as they are the same age.¡± ¡°Ruel will be angry if he hears it.¡± ¡°But Ruel...¡± Lowering his voice, Ganien whispered. ¡°Isn¡¯t he young?¡± Cassion looked at Ganien with a ridiculous look on his face at the words. Chapter 23: One by one (2) Chapter 23: One by one (2) ¡°He is 17 years old.¡± ¡°... What? Isn¡¯t he 14 years old?¡± Cassion said to Ganien as if he were pathetic. ¡°How did you propose they become close friends when you didn¡¯t know his age?¡± ¡°How old is your friend? If you like that, everyone will be friends.¡± Ruel looked young because he was shorter than his age. As a butler, I work hard to feed him, but where does it all go? ¡®Is the amount of recovery power consumed greater than I thought?¡¯ Cassion thought for a moment, then headed back to the kitchen to make a snack for Ruel to feed him. However, he felt a strong gaze from behind, so he reluctantly opened my mouth. ¡°If you can¡¯t go in because you feel guilty, take a walk around. I have to pack Ruel¡¯s snacks, so...¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have feet? You can go downstairs and order.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cheap shot.¡± Ganien leaned against the window, smacking his lips with regret. It was even more regrettable that Cassion¡¯s trust in Ruel seemed deep and he could not even come up with a proposal now. ¡®... Let¡¯s see, Ruel is 17 years old...you¡¯re an adult next year and everything happened when you were 12?¡¯ His face was stiff. 12 years old... Ganien sighed deeply. *** Crunch. Ruel was eating a meat pie elegantly. And with the cake cut in the other hand, he looked serious. ¡°You eat it, too.¡± Ruel offered Aris a snack. ¡°I ordered extra snacks, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Three pieces of the cake had already fallen into Ruel¡¯s stomach. ¡®Why don¡¯t you gain weight when you eat like that?¡¯ Cassion was worried about Ganien¡¯s words. He thought about whether he should increase the amount of his overall meal, and then felt someone¡¯s gaze and looked back. Aris then hurriedly turned his head, holding a spoon. ¡°If you wait a moment, the food will be served soon.¡± ¡°Thank ... you.¡± Aris, who turned his head again, made eye contact. His eyes, which he thought would be dead, were rather full of intelligence. ¡®......?¡¯ Cassion knew those eyes. It was a more difficult being to kill than a swordsman, the eyes he often saw in wizards. ¡®Let¡¯s see what the owner of those eyes chooses.¡¯ Cassion slightly raised the aura and poked Aris. ¡®Ohh.¡¯ Immediately to protect the master, the mana swayed and counterattacked. It was very fierce and brave. It was mana with a golden hue that shone so brilliantly that it did not suit Aris, who was intimidated. ¡®I don¡¯t know if my Master is lucky or just has a good eye.¡¯ Cassion just looked at Ruel proudly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Feeling his gaze, Ruel asked Cassion. Contrary to words, his eyes were wary of not wanting to be taken away. The temperature difference was funny, so Cassion smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± When the mealtime, which was a time of happiness for both Ruel and Aris, was over, it was time to talk. ¡°Speak comfortably. I¡¯ll help you. Cough, cough.¡± Aris was surprised by Ruel¡¯s coughing. ¡°Are you going to get sick?¡± Aris felt a little burdened by Ruel¡¯s appearance of pain that did not match the words of help he spoke. Maybe it wasn¡¯t him who needed help, but the person in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so tell me your story.¡± Aris wriggled his fingers because he knew the look of enduring pain. His heart was heavy. At that time, Cassion handed over cocoa with plenty of chocolate. ¡°You can speak comfortably.¡± ¡°Help me...¡± Aris said, looking at Ruel, who reached out to him for the first time. Three years ago, Aris said he was sold to cover his uncle¡¯s debt. The phrase ¡®sold¡¯ was used, but he did not speak ill of the farmer there, who was apparently doing quite well on the farm. However, a year ago, he claimed to be the debtor by forcibly stealing the farmer¡¯s farm, and Aris had no choice but to go to him. Since then, he was forced to work in the mines and was injured and was trapped in the guild basement of Matyros as a product for human trafficking. If it¡¯s useless, then sell it. Aris wriggled his fingers and said, ¡°...they taught me how to obey. I was beaten because I didn¡¯t obey.¡± ¡°How many people are there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but there were a lot of people.¡± In the novel, Ganien attacked the trading site. There were also quite a few people who were captured as slaves. But the real thing was the guild. ¡®You¡¯ve been thinking a little bit.¡¯ Who would have thought that a place to tame slaves was built in the basement of a crowded guild? ¡°So what do you want? Revenge? Or do you want me to save everyone?¡± ¡°... Save me.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take revenge for you.¡± ¡°......!¡± Aris¡¯ eyes got bigger. His face looked as if he was looking at a Savior, so Ruel turned a blind eye to it and ate cookies. Crunch. Arrogant voice and shield patterns. The soldier undoubtedly bowed to the two men as he looked at the blue knight. ¡°Si-r, excuse me! I¡¯ll report to Mr. Matyros right now!¡± Thanks to the name Blue Knight, the necklace bought with 10 fairy tales passed lightly. Ganien sneaked a thumbs-up at Ruel. He really went through without even examining it properly. ¡°... You know?¡± Ruel smiled arrogantly. ¡°Sure.¡± What Ruel asked for was simple. Hold on to the weight. To protect yourself. After a while, the soldier who had gone inside jumped in. ¡°Please come inside.¡± The door opened. Ruel was pleased to inhale Breath. When the soldier guided him to the entrance of the mansion, a man who appeared to be Matyros approached the party, greeting the servant. ¡°Nice to meet you, Nobleman. Knight of the Blue.¡± For the first time in his life, Ruel had goosebumps. ¡®What a noble man.¡¯ ¡°This humble man is Matyros Henya.¡± Greeting politely, Ruel didn¡¯t miss the look at him. ¡°Nice to meet you, let me know if I have something to say rather than an introduction.¡± ¡°All right.¡± There was no reason to introduce him because he was the one who would not see him today anyway. Matyros led them into the room without a murmur, as his status was previously confirmed. ¡°Which tea do you want me to bring?¡± ¡°Oh, get me some Akal tea.¡± I usually wouldn¡¯t drink it, but I had to wait until the promised time, so I remembered the tea Cassion gave me. ¡°What would you like, then, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Matyros asked the servant for tea and sat down again. Ruel began to use his tongue to ease the tense atmosphere. ¡°You must have been very surprised by the sudden arrival.¡± ¡°No, the Noble has come, and I am sorry that I have not been able to meet you on my own two feet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching your business, Matyros.¡± When the business story came out, Matyros¡¯ eyes looked greedy like a merchant. ¡°You run an adventurer¡¯s guild, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, as for my adventurer¡¯s guild...¡± Despite not saying much, Matyros began to stretch his guild¡¯s strengths alone. Ruel relaxed and listened to everything. How should he pay off his gambling debts? When he had a hard time thinking, a man and a knight suspected to be a nobleman came to him. How happy you must be. Ruel sneaked a look at Ganien. He told me it was time to hold the weight. As the atmosphere of the room changed, Matyros suddenly stopped talking. ¡°I hear you owe a lot of money to gambling.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s, uh, it¡¯s not that long. Did you hear the rumor spread? The reality is different from rumors.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. I heard the guild is flying away. Such a great guild is gone. This is a huge loss.¡± Gulp. Matyros swallowed without realizing it. In the context of the atmosphere, there must have been talks of lending money. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what time is it?¡± However, what he actually said was asking for time. Matyros was in the mood for something mischievous because he couldn¡¯t get rid of steam. He wanted to argue with his heart, but when he saw the knight sitting next to him, he felt as if his throat was going to run off at any moment. ¡°Now, excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Matyros went out briefly to check the time and came in with the servant. ¡°It¡¯s 11:23.¡± ¡°I see, thank you.¡± Ruel picked up the tea set by the servant and smelled the incense first. The scent of Akal was more intense. He seemed to have put in some pretty high-quality tea to make himself look good. ¡°It smells good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Sweating profusely, Matyros laughed. Ganien glanced at the teacup, smelled it, and gave Ruel a look. ¡®There¡¯s no poison.¡¯ Reading Ganien¡¯s eyes, Ruel continued. ¡°So, can I keep talking?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel had no choice but to drink tea to stop the coughing that had started again. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s hot.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t express his feelings, so he closed his lips and barely opened his mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a loss to have a great guild gone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just grateful that you see me like that.¡± ¡°Not your guild, but the Hand of the Wind Guild. A very good guild. Isn¡¯t it a waste to disappear as it is?¡± ¡°... Yes?¡± Matyros had a stupid look on his face. ¡°Did you mistake me for a savior that would pay off your debts? I¡¯m sorry about this. I don¡¯t even want to step into that crap.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth with his fingers crossed. Chapter 25: One by one (4) Chapter 25: One by one (4) *** ¡°Come to Setiria.¡± ¡°......?¡± The Hand of the Wind guild leader, who had just finished giving his thanks, froze at Ruel¡¯s sudden suggestion. ¡°I hear there¡¯s a lot of tax cuts here in Lumina.¡± Tak. Tak. Ruel tapped on the table. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know who Baron Matyros is. Turn this place into a branch office and move to Setiria instead. I¡¯ll give you a good deal.¡± The Hand of the Wind Guild trembled at the mention of Matyros, but the know-hows and management system they had was real. ¡®I¡¯m gonna take it.¡¯ Ruel smiled at the bewildered guild leader. The request center in Sisel Village was destroyed, so why not set a new one up and make it a guild? ¡°Do you know the location of our Setiria? There¡¯s a Masu Forest nearby, so requests are always abundant. Interference? Don¡¯t worry, I hate being bothered. As long as you don¡¯t cross the line, I¡¯ll close my eyes.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Cassion laughed next to him. Ruel glared at him and continued. ¡°What do you think? I can only say this orally for now, but I¡¯ll write a contract to give you that much in detail.¡± ¡°... Really?¡± ¡°There was a commission in the Sisel Village. The Sisel Village is located close to the Masu Forest.¡± The story was out of the blue, but the guild leader became focused. It felt like something great was about to happen. ¡°The request center crossed my line, so it disappeared. Our knights broke it in half.¡± ¡°It was pretty fun. When are you going to take that building apart?¡± Ganien brought up the story with joy. Although the guild leader hesitated, Ruel struck the desk again and made a clearer suggestion. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for the story anyway. I¡¯d like to make it a guild and request center, what do you say?¡± ¡°Does that include the commission, too? But there¡¯s a lot of resistance...¡± ¡°I am the Lord.¡± Ruel looked at the guild leader as if he was casually talking about something. ¡°There are a lot of rotten places in Setiria, so the request center is probably the same. Shouldn¡¯t all the rot be removed?¡± The guild leader laughed as he saw the grand words coming out so casually. ¡°I was discourteous back then. Let¡¯s officially greet each other. I¡¯m Flenn, the guild leader of the Hand of the Wind. I look forward to our kind cooperation.¡± ¡°Of course... Speaking of which, I¡¯ll leave you with a request.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to take your first request.¡± The mindset of starting over wasn¡¯t bad. Ruel opened his mouth with a satisfied look on his face. ¡°Have you heard of Matyros keeping working slaves?¡± ¡°I heard, it¡¯s not something a human can do.¡± Flenn quietly showed his anger. ¡°We¡¯re the adventurers who saved them. I now belong to the Hand of the Wind Guild, so sell it well.¡± It was said that it was some adventurers who revealed Matyros¡¯ whereabouts. Flenn was surprised, and Ruel laughed. ¡°Our names are Han, Gaff and Cassion, don¡¯t forget. I¡¯ll be a signed adventurer in the future.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Anyway, get back to the request and make sure to take them safely to Setiria. The reward, well... It will definitely make the Hand of the Wind guild sign wonderful.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for your request and complete it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. He stepped out of the guild receiving Flenn¡¯s farewell. ¡°Cassion, contact Minart to extend the building to the Sisel Village Request Center.¡± Except for Minart, the Barons in Setiria had all been cut off, so there was no one else to direct. ¡®This time, after getting the big money, I¡¯ll have to chop up Setiria beautifully.¡¯ The cornerstone for that was money. It was unreasonable to find the merchants that Mineta had sold. Then it was the only way to acquire a pretty decent merchant. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Shio family.¡± ¡°I see.¡± But before that, I had to meet one more debtor. *** Today, as always, the name of the Blue Knight was thoroughly exploited. Who would dare refuse the Blue Knight? Seeing the wide-open door, Ruel was satisfied. ¡°The more I use it, the more I feel it¡¯s a good name.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you make Cassion a Blue Knight? Even if he¡¯s not an official knight, he can borrow the name.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even dream.¡± Ganien giggled at Ruel¡¯s stern words. ¡°My body is itching right now. If someone gives me a match, I think I¡¯ll get better.¡± ¡°There are adventurers out there. So give them money and fight them until you are satisfied, not just one match.¡± Cassion said politely with a smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s sad. No one knows the freshness of sweating while fighting.¡± Flicking his sword, Ganien exposed his sullen face. Fearing that they might end up in a bloody fight, Ruel calmed him down. ¡°Do it with Cassion when you have time.¡± Ruel brought it up and stepped forward. ¡°Ruel, I¡¯m a butler.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re a butler, you should listen to your master.¡± ¡°Are there ghosts that died because you couldn¡¯t fight?¡± Cassion looked at Ganien with an annoyed face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never meant to tarnish the name of the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°I accept your apology with a broad heart.¡± Serti couldn¡¯t react any more, even though she was arrogant. Everything was possible because he was a blue knight. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now that the situation has calmed down. One there is no debt. Two, give me back ownership of the mine you stole. Three¨C¡± ¡°Ha. It seems that the Lord is very sick. Seeing as you can¡¯t judge the situation.¡± Tak. Before Ruel could bring it up, Ganien put a bunch of papers on the table. ¡°Look at this and judge for yourself if he doesn¡¯t know the situation.¡± ¡°Sir Ganien, who do you think you are?¡± Serti raised her voice proudly. Ruel smirked. ¡°You said it.¡± ¡°Lord, whoever you may be, I am also a noble of the Six Families. I¡¯m not going to let anyone disrespect me anymore.¡± ¡°How rude.¡± As he stretched his tongue, Ruel looked pitifully at Serti. Serti¡¯s face crumpled. It was an unpleasant look. ¡°Should we have been polite to the traitor?¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria! I told you I wouldn¡¯t let it slide!¡± Serti got up from her seat and grabbed the hem of her skirt and shook her hands. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you called the name of the Lord. How impolite.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who hasn¡¯t been polite.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I haven¡¯t heard any information from you yet. Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to tell you because I¡¯ve lost all my will to listen.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You lent money to Mineta, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ll tell you what happened to him.¡± Ruel looked at Serti with such a fierce expression that he didn¡¯t look like a sick man at all. ¡°Out of guilt for treason, he committed suicide. After all, he tried to open the gates of Setiria to an unknown group.¡± Suddenly, he touched the papers in front of him. ¡°Read it. See just what kind of business you were involved in.¡± After speaking, Ruel inhaled Breath. Serti stood there until the tea came. ¡°Get out!¡± She took her anger out on the servant and, after kicking the servant out, sat down again. Every time she flipped a document page over, Serti ran out of breath. Ruel said earlier that Mineta was associated with an unknown organization when she lent him the money. Seeing Setiria¡¯s state right now, what she did was more than just a sin. ¡®...To the traitor, I lent money!¡¯ Mineta, that man came to her and begged for money. She was willing to give even though she knew it would destroy Setiria. For the future. She was envious of Setiria. Setiria which had everything, military, commerce, resource. She was waiting for the day when it was completely destroyed. Not long ago, she heard the news that the Head who was exiled had returned. But so what? Even if the Head returns, in less than two weeks, what can he do? Today the Lord came. When I finally realized that the day had come, I was overjoyed. Serti gripped the pile of papers tightly. ¡®What is this!¡¯ Before she even knew it, a sword was pointed at her neck, without a single sound. ¡°Three, don¡¯t go after Setiria anymore. Four, no harm must be done to Setiria.¡± The Lord laid out the conditions to the extent that he felt at ease. Serti¡¯s long eyelashes trembled. ¡°Five, swear your allegiance to me.¡± As soon as she heard Ruel¡¯s final condition, she felt the ground sink. It was an irresistible condition. If one was found guilty of treason, not only her own life but also her family¡¯s life would be in danger. After all, treason was guilt by association. ¡°What¡¯s your answer?¡± She bit her lips until they burst. It was humiliating. It was a disgrace. But Serti bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± At the end of her speech, she volunteered to sign the Mana contract. Ganien nodded and Ruel got up from his seat. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have desired it.¡± Serti closed her eyes tightly. She had sworn allegiance, so if she did anything harmful to Ruel, her mana would flow back and she would die. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will help you become the head of the household.¡± Currently, Serti was the leading candidate for head of the Shio family. It was because she was the only child of the court, a wizard. For Ruel, it couldn¡¯t have been better if Serti became the Lord. Even though they seemed equal on the outside, the Shio family would now be under his feet. ¡°But I won¡¯t forget your rudeness to me, your debt, You¡¯ll pay me back soon.¡± Tak. Tak. The sound of the cane echoed cheerfully. The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth also went up. Serti, who had been rolling her hands in debt, was an unexpected blessing. Now, the nobles of the two families were roasted and boiled. ¡®Was there only the three families and the royal family left?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± While Ruel was happily imagining, Ganien suddenly said something out of the blue. Chapter 26: You have to take care of yourself Chapter 26: You have to take care of yourself ¡®Did he notice something?¡¯ Ruel suddenly got thirsty. Well, things have been going so well so far, so I could feel something strange. ¡°What is it?¡± Ruel asked back with proficiency. ¡°If it were me, I would have cut your neck right away. That person is a wizard, so the evidence could easily be destroyed if she wanted.¡± ¡®That¡¯s what he wants to say?¡¯ Ruel breathed out lightly and quickly stepped into the conversation. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve experienced it. Have you?¡± ¡°No way, but if that happened to me, I would¡¯ve strangled them.¡± Ganien fiddled with the handle of his sword. Ruel said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me,¡± but I knew Ganien would do that in the future. The Cyronian Kingdom had quite a few aristocrats, unlike the Kingdom of Leponia. Ruel brought up some advice and words. ¡°Be careful with those comments. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a nobleman, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s in my family, I have an older brother. Thanks to you, I¡¯m enjoying freedom to my heart¡¯s content.¡± Ruel snorted at the childish words of the Croft family¡¯s youngest. The world didn¡¯t go its way. ¡®Enjoy it to your heart¡¯s content, Ganien.¡¯ ¡°Did work go well?¡± Cassion welcomed the returning Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you planning to return to the mansion now?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ruel said proudly, inhaling from Breath. Cassion¡¯s smile hardened for a moment. Ruel had just been saved from getting poisoned, and he hadn¡¯t even rested yet, only wandering around. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since you were able to get up from your bed.¡± He said while suppressing the growing irritation at the sound of Ruel¡¯s frequent coughing. ¡°I¡¯m always sick anyway.¡± Hehe(Giggle), Ganien next to him laughed. Cassion held back his anger again. He couldn¡¯t even swear out loud. His sighs increased. When they left the mansion, Cassion asked. ¡°Where are you going, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°To the inn. Cassion, you¡¯ll be investigating. Ganien, what about you? ¡°To the inn.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow me.¡± Ganien snorted at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m not going because of you.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Aris asked me to teach him the way of the sword.¡± ¡°Aris?¡± My mind floated to the slow healing wound I saw on his body. It makes sense if it was a wound caused by training. ¡°Ruel, you have a very good eye. His body and muscles are better than he looks, he¡¯ll grow tall.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare covet him.¡± Ruel hurriedly drew the line. Because of his criminal record, Ganien could not express his dissatisfaction and changed the subject. ¡°It¡¯s about teaching the sword.¡± ¡°No other teachers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Aris wants.¡± Ganien, who hinted, moved ahead as if he were running away. ¡®I¡¯m anxious.¡¯ Ruel smoothed his cane. *** Cassion saw the effects of the completed magic handkerchief when Ruel was poisoned. When Ruel vomited black blood, the magic was activated. Adding the way he grabbed it so cleanly, blood did not splatter and simply disappeared like snow. ¡®It works, definitely worth the money.¡¯ It was easy to carry, and it wasn¡¯t strange to use. ¡°... Cough.¡± When Cassion saw the pouring blood, he couldn¡¯t help but check the amazing effectiveness of the handkerchief again. Ruel glared at him. It was not the time to admire the handkerchief, but Cassion¡¯s heart did not move at all. How much did I warn him to rest? Cassion thought. After coughing out blood a total of five times, Ruel, who had almost collapsed from exhaustion, laid right on the bed. ¡°What did I say?¡± Cassion took out a magic item he had ordered together with the magic handkerchief. It was an item that had the function to cool down the heat. It was just the right size for the forehead. ¡®It¡¯s like a heat patch.¡¯ Ruel thought as he looked at the mysterious tool. He was so weak that he couldn¡¯t even move his mouth. Even when he was still, his surroundings were spinning. ¡®Is it anemia?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± The poison made his body feel weaker. The amount he had coughed up was not small. Cassion said, with a throbbing heart. ¡°Since you entrusted me with the investigation, I¡¯ll stop nagging. Take a rest because you have a fever. Don¡¯t even think about moving.¡± When the heat patch touched his forehead, it quickly became cool. Cassion went outside and familiarly brought a basin and two glasses of water. One for rinsing the mouth and the other for drinking. ¡°You won¡¯t have an appetite right now. I¡¯ll serve the meal after the investigation.¡± Ruel blinked his eyes instead of answering. Anyway, he had already left the investigation to Cassion, so he would now try to rest for himself. Find a failing merchant. That was the investigation left to Cassion. ¡®Let¡¯s get some rest.¡¯ Ruel stopped thinking and closed his eyes before the fever swallowed him up. Only after confirming that he was asleep did Cassion raise his little finger. ¡°Let me know when things get worse.¡± ¡°All right, there¡¯s no news about 18 yet.¡± 18. It was the temporary name given to the organization created by Matyros, who tried to devour Setiria and sell its people. Cassion thought it was a perfect name. ¡°And one more request came from the chief.¡± The guild member handed Cassion a piece of paper. ¡°This is the place, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cassion did not stop taking commissions even while serving Ruel. The sword will rust when it stops being used, and the assassin will be culled if he doesn¡¯t kill. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, so keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t these Sertia¡¯s tears?¡± A single Sertia tear was worth more than 500 gold coins, because it¡¯s processing process was difficult. Ruel chuckled. He felt like he was finally out of the stalemate he had with his lack of money. ¡°I took the emergency money from my safe. It should be enough to buy a ruined merchant¡¯s store. Buy some ice cream with the rest of the money.¡± I brought it up on purpose because I knew Cassion liked sweet things. ¡°... When did you know?¡± ¡°Buy it while I¡¯m finishing eating, we¡¯ll be leaving right away.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a merchant of Beto, it means it¡¯s a serious problem. It¡¯s a place where if one lost trust, they would lose their status as a merchant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need to fix it. Depart.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion bowed his head and went out of the room. The most important thing for a merchant was trust. A merchant without trust could no longer be called a merchant. In the novel, after Ganien solved the problem of the Beto merchants, within a year, it grew into the largest group of Leponia. In other words, it was a merchant group that would grow greatly if the problem was solved. If support was added, how much more would it grow? The credibility issue that Beto was facing was due to the framing of another merchant, who had been eyeing it for a long time. ¡®The proof. It¡¯s bound to come out if you rob it.¡¯ The question was, could they buy it faster than the other merchant, who was aiming at Beto? Ruel put the meat pie in his mouth and put on a serious look. Knock. Knock. ¡°This is Aris.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Have you been eating?¡± ¡°Did you eat?¡± ¡°Yes, I ate early and finished my morning training.¡± Aris smiled innocently. His hair was wet because he had just washed it. ¡®I think you¡¯ve grown again...¡¯ Aris¡¯s clothes seemed to have shrunk slightly. Ruel looked at his own loose clothes and put the steak in his mouth. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I stay here until Cassion comes?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Ruel felt like he was being watched and stopped his eating. It was because of Aris standing behind him. ¡°Sit in front of me.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± He was as happy as a child with a cookie in his hand. Ruel somehow thought he looked like a golden retriever. ¡°You must be working hard.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m working hard. Because I want to be Ruel-nim¡¯s sword!¡± Ruel munched on the salad and corrected one fact. ¡°I think you¡¯re more talented in wizardry, so don¡¯t learn aura, just train your stamina.¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± Aris was embarrassed by Ruel¡¯s remarks. He thought he would be a knight. ¡°A Wizard...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what Ganien says, but I can see Mana. There is so much mana around you. You¡¯re better off being a wizard.¡± ¡°Ha, but isn¡¯t escorting the job of a knight?¡± Ruel giggled as he stopped eating. He must have seen a fairy tale somewhere. Then, a good idea suddenly came to mind. ¡°The wizard can escort me. If you don¡¯t want to throw away the sword, pretend to be a knight.¡± ¡°So you want me to be a wizard pretending to be a knight?¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s a wizard hiding his power.¡± Ruel excitedly talked about the title of the web novel he once saw. Aris, who had been embarrassed, also listened with glistening eyes as he gradually sympathized with the story. ¡°... That¡¯s cool! Whenever a crisis hits, he goes back to his job as a wizard and defeats the enemy! I feel like something¡¯s opening up.¡± ¡°So no matter what Ganien says, you shouldn¡¯t learn Aura.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll follow since Ruel-nim says so!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel sighed inside. If Aris hadn¡¯t visited him today, the genius wizard would have disappeared. ¡°Oh, if Ganien asks you why you don¡¯t want to learn Aura, you answer like this.¡± I inhaled the Breath and told him how to do it. ¡°For a knight, stamina is not fundamental. Aura is too much of a luxury for me who didn¡¯t even learn the basics.¡± ¡°I see!¡± I tried to make up similar things that had Ganien said to his teacher. It was going to be very easy. Because that was just how Ganien was. The corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth curved up. *** Cassion appeared exactly in time for Ruel to finish his meal. ¡°I bought it.¡± Despite the purchase, Ruel waited for the letter. This was because the guy who was aiming for the Beto Merchant wouldn¡¯t just sit and watch. ¡°Before that, He¡¯d like to see you at the Beto Merchants.¡± Ruel coughed out and thought about the reason for the conditions. To deal with a tiger, one must also call a tiger. Just in time, someone appeared to buy his merchant. It was strange to stay still when he had the chance to relax himself after becoming a rabbit. ¡®I¡¯m going to pass it on.¡¯ Ruel wasn¡¯t offended by the slyness. The merchant had to be. Rather than being a tiger, you have to be a fox to survive. ¡°Call the Blue Knight. If you say he¡¯ll have a chance to fight, he¡¯ll jump in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call him.¡± As Cassion went outside, Aris asked quietly. ¡°May I come, too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to be a good thing.¡± People might die... ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± How can I say no when you are so determined? Ruel nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside the inn!¡± Ganien, who came to the room, left only those words before quickly running out together with Aris in excitement. With the help of Cassion, Ruel set out to go out. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a little too thick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, and you get colds easily.¡± Ruel looked quite satisfied because he looked like he had a healthy build thanks to the clothes he was wearing. Winter hadn¡¯t come yet, but he wore mufflers and earplugs. It was going to be noisy. Tak. Tak. Ruel moved with his cane. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Chapter 27: You have to take care of yourself (2) Chapter 27: You have to take care of yourself (2) *** Looking at the sign of the Merchants of Beto, Ruel could see people with grim expressions crowding the front. ¡°A lot of people are here.¡± Ruel smirked. He had heard a lot of people saying there were no winners in a gang fight. However, thinking of the two monsters he had following him, he could only say it was a laughable idea to even think they could measure up to them. Ruel went inside without even looking at them. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ruel asked the two people. The only answer that came was a snort. Ruel was satisfied hearing the meaning that it was not worth dealing with. ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Aris was the only one who was scared. It was understandable. He didn¡¯t know those monsters well, so Ruel understood how he felt. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± Ruel gave a light answer. After recognizing Cassion¡¯s face, a guild member guided them to the owner. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, nobleman. I am called Jirie, the upper owner who runs the Merchants of Beto.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say much, who exactly am I dealing with?¡± A cough followed. Ruel sat roughly before Jirie answered. He had a slight headache because his fever had yet to go away. Every breath he took made a sound. Aware of what he looked like from others¡¯ perspective, Ruel looked into Jirie¡¯s eyes and grinned. Ruel laughed. Jirie was truly a merchant by nature. Even though he knew Ruel was a nobleman, he was already putting a price on him. ¡°It¡¯s the Merchants of Ribone.¡± ¡°I mean, being vicious is not the way of a merchant. You insist that I give you the merchant even though I¡¯ve already bought it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡± It was a voice full of sincerity. It was not a merchant¡¯s job to threaten someone to revert what had already been done. A person who does such things is a thug. ¡°Oh, no! Go back!¡± It was noisy outside. ¡°Get out of here.¡± Bang! The door opened violently along with the sound of a curious voice. A man tall and big enough to reach the top of the door came inside. ¡°It¡¯s a disaster to see a junkie crawling in.¡± Ruel looked at the man and criticized him. ¡°What?¡± He approached Ruel with a harsh sneer. But he couldn¡¯t get close. Cassion¡¯s aura pushed him to stop walking. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose your neck, don¡¯t come any closer.¡± ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s funny.¡± The man¡¯s smile was directed at the coughing and spouting sick man. ¡°Is that the sick bastard who just barely hung on? Jirie!¡± ¡°It¡¯s noisy, Cassion.¡± ¡°I apologize, I¡¯ll take care of it quickly.¡± In a blink of an eye, a dagger was already in Cassion¡¯s hand. It only took a step forward. Rolling. The man¡¯s neck fell off the smile still on his face. It was not long before the body collapsed, spouting blood. Blood poured out but not a single drop spilled toward him. It was a very neat kill. Ruel peeked at Aris. He was calmer than he thought. ¡°Ganien, if you¡¯re bored, you can go out and play. I still have some things to say.¡± ¡°I finally have a chance to fight.¡± Ganien squinted at his sword, complaining about not being put to action. ¡°At first, I was just trying to keep things clean. But the plan has changed.¡± Ruel looked at Jirie and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re going to be punished for touching a noble.¡± Ganien stopped at Ruel¡¯s words and asked, as he was about to go outside. ¡°Other than that, wasn¡¯t everything outside already dealt with? Where should I go?¡± ¡°Merchant of Ribone. Tell him that I¡¯ve taken one of their men¡¯s neck because they dared to touch the nobleman.¡± ¡°Are you selling my name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if you act like how you are now, you can deal with it. There must be some pretty strong people at the merchant¡¯s side.¡± ¡°Haa.¡± Ganien sighed. So far, Ruel¡¯s words had been unambiguous, but this one was a bit vague. It is true that he was part of the aristocracy, but he was a knight. There was no justification for killing as a knight. ¡°Jirie.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me straight what Ribone¡¯s superiors have done. No lies.¡± ¡°They are a merchant guild that¡¯s famous for being messy. They¡¯re related to the underworld, and we can¡¯t mess with it, so everyone¡¯s hands are tied.¡± After hearing Jirie¡¯s story, the Merchants of Ribone seemed to have deeper roots than expected. There was nothing missing in the underworld check list, such as drugs, kidnapping, and human trafficking. ¡®It¡¯s hard, the underworld.¡¯ Ruel looked sideways at Ganien, who was angry at him for justification, and soon gave Cassion a look. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can touch them.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Did you go out for a drink last night?¡± ¡°... !¡± ¡°I cut off their necks.¡± What he did last night for a drink was to get rid of the boss of the underworld. It was work done in one area, but it was still quite large. Ruel asked calmly in contrast to his surprised heart. ¡°Who¡¯s the second in command?¡± ¡°Are you going to meet them?¡± ¡°Later.¡± There must be an uproar since the boss died suddenly. It made no sense to go now. ¡°Ganien, how are you now? Are you ready?¡± ¡°Where is the location?¡± ¡°Cassion, let him know.¡± Ruel spoke and looked at Aris. When he made eye contact with the boy, he smiled warmly. Aside from being used to seeing death, an escort had to be cool anytime, anywhere. Aris stood beside him like a tree, still without receding. While Cassion and Ganien were out, Ruel asked Jirie a question. ¡°How much am I worth you?¡± ¡°Noble, if you don¡¯t mind, may I ask who you are?¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria.¡± Like those with gold in their hands, Jirie¡¯s eyes glinted with the classic greedy gaze of a merchant. Ruel could not get any closer and grabbed his chest. Cassion glanced at Ruel and said, ¡°How about lowering the momentum?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a little pissed off.¡± ¡°Did they insult you?¡± Ruel asked, holding onto his chest. ¡°Right. Exactly blasphemy against the Blue Knights. Was it a little too grand?¡± ¡°What about the boss?¡± ¡°There.¡± There was only a desk where Ganien pointed. Holding the sword again, Ganien swung at the desk. Under the desk neatly cut with wind pressure, Ruel saw a man curling his body in a fetus position and shivering. ¡°... Aah! A monster, a monster!¡± Seeing Ganien, he trembled, going into a seizure, bursting into bubbles and passing out. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel swept down his face. ¡°That was grand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you just need the data?¡± Ganien threw something at Cassion. When he opened his hand, he saw a key in his palm. ¡°The key to opening somewhere. I¡¯m going to calm down.¡± ¡°Aris, follow me and talk to me so I can calm down.¡± ¡°I see!¡± In pursuit of Ganien, who had gone away, Aris moved his feet. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a thief.¡± ¡°Find something that fits the key, and I¡¯ll be looking for the data.¡± ¡°... Ha, I see.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re asking me to do everything,¡± Cassion said, diligently moving on. Ruel looked at the room where Cassion went and burst into laughter. If one followed the sword path, one could see that the sword was swung only twice. ¡®He must¡¯ve been really pissed off.¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and searched the desk Ganien cut first. It was neatly cut, so the inside of the desk was clearly visible. He sat down on a rather clean chair and flipped through the papers one by one. ¡®There is nothing worth writing about.¡¯ After roughly throwing it on the floor, Ruel searched the owner¡¯s body. He took off all the bracelets and necklaces that looked expensive, as well as the rings on both hands. Ruel searched his pocket and found one that was deeper than it looked, so he stretched out his hand and took something out. ¡®It¡¯s smooth.¡¯ At that moment, he felt something slipping out of his body. He barely managed to support his staggering body, checking what was in his hand. It was a statue made of gold. It was so heavy that he couldn¡¯t lift it up and had to let it go. Bang. Ruel¡¯s body also collapsed because he could no longer support the statue that was lying on the floor. There was no strength in his body. Still, Ruel laughed. ¡®It¡¯s like the magic pouch that Cassion has. It looks like it¡¯s connected to the warehouse, right?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because he was not set as the owner or if that was just how it¡¯s supposed to be, but he knew it. The accumulated wealth was going to be huge. While his body was shaking, Ruel laughed. ¡°Haa.¡± A sigh came from behind. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Cassion got goosebumps when he saw Ruel¡¯s smiling face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did you pick up something wrong?¡± ¡°Magic pocket. I found it.¡± Blood suddenly gushed out of Ruel¡¯s nose. It was similar to the symptoms that occurred when one ran out of mana or aura. Cassion looked around and found the golden statue that appeared out of the blue. It was taken out of the magic pocket, with its glass-like body. ¡°Are you crazy!¡± Cassion felt his heart ache and inflated a very small amount of aura into Ruel. ¡°No matter how much money there is, how can you touch someone else¡¯s magic pocket? Have you sold the face of a householder?¡± Ruel¡¯s mouth opened with his face looking as if he was about to faint. ¡®Did you find a place to use the key?¡¯ ¡°I found it! I found it, so we¡¯re here!¡± When Cassion screamed, his heart felt like it was about to tear. Cassion broke out in a cold sweat. If Ruel died, he would die too. That was the effect of the Mana¡¯s vow he took to be a loyal butler. The aura he had been giving to Ruel stopped. Just like the way Ruel¡¯s body broke when mana was injected, so would the aura. If he gave more than this, Ruel¡¯s body would not be able to withstand it and would collapse. The nosebleed stopped. At least the minimum amount of life he needed had been filled. Cassion was relieved for now. ¡°I told you not to use magic pockets.¡± Whether it was mana or aura, they were like blood that sustained life. The countdown to death would begin the moment it was depleted, and one would die if it was not filled again within a certain period of time. That was true for everyone. ¡°... I didn¡¯t know.¡± Ruel wiped his nosebleed and made a sincere face. I really didn¡¯t know. What can I do if I had already done it? ¡°Don¡¯t get up. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Cassion put Ruel in a chair, stripped the top of his jacket and put it in his pocket. ¡°We¡¯ve found a secret room. I¡¯ve packed it with a lot of money that Ruel likes, and I¡¯ve also packed the well-stored documents.¡± ¡°How about material for the story?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Ruel also made the impression that he had found money and evidence. But now, he felt dizzy and nauseous as if he had anemia. ¡°Are you going back to Jirie?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m coming, too.¡± Jirie was a merchant. Ruel knew he couldn¡¯t show weakness to him already. He had to go boldly and reaffirm his worth in Jirie¡¯s mind. Cassion knew that, so this time there wasn¡¯t much protest. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to make a copy before that. You should be the only one holding the original unconditionally.¡± ¡°I have them all, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then go ahead and sit down for a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Cassion handed something to Ruel and disappeared. When he unpacked it, it was cookies made by Astell. Ruel ate a cookie and closed his eyes. He tried to fill up the shortage of mana by moving the power of recovery quickly even for just a moment. Crunch. ¡®I want to eat meat pie now too.¡¯ Chapter 28: You have to take care of yourself (3) Chapter 28: You have to take care of yourself (3) *** Tak. Cassion carefully put the documents down on the table. Ruel coughed lightly before looking at Jirie. The man looked a little surprised. ¡°Have you already gone there...?¡± ¡°What will you give me if I give you this?¡± Ruel pointed at the documents. It was too important for Jirie to refer to it as simply this. Not only was Ruel able to restore the people¡¯s lost trust, he was also able to improve public opinion and get a chance to reverse the losses he had suffered. Rather than glancing at the documents, Jirie looked at the man he previously thought was weak. ¡®It¡¯s fun.¡¯ Jirie¡¯s heart swelled. As long as Ruel had the power and strength, it was possible to make his face immediately touch the floor. But Jirie wanted to make a deal with him. The difference between other nobles and him was so interesting. ¡°What do you want?¡± For the first time, Jirie handed over the initiative to his opponent. What he didn¡¯t have was power. The essence of merchants was to build up capital by clinging onto those in power and using their influence. However, Jirie didn¡¯t attach himself to anybody. Was it because the aristocrats who claim themselves to be noble and the barons under their feet dirty? It wasn¡¯t. He was a dirty merchant himself. But it was pathetic. The ones he saw were all the same, only the names and faces were different. Things that shone the more one wiped them, things that were old but valuable because of their old age. Jirie had seen so many of such things that he didn¡¯t find interest in them. But Ruel sparkled. Who said he was a weak nobleman? Who said he was a poor Lord? ¡°You.¡± His arrogant smile, his desire to possess, and his blatant intentions were so bright. There was a smile on Jirie¡¯s face. ¡°You mean me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The value didn¡¯t match. Jirie closed his eyes for a moment. After he sold Beto¡¯s Merchant, he ceased all his plans without hesitation. He didn¡¯t need it anymore. But Ruel appeared. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s kind of an investment.¡¯ Seeing the smile Jirie gave, Ruel already knew he would accept. Jirie made a joke without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m expensive.¡± ¡°For a failing upper-class merchant, you¡¯ve got a lot of pride.¡± ¡°I failed because I had the pride to not beg.¡± ¡°So, did you find a place to stay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s your place.¡± Ruel burst into laughter. It was because he liked how Jirie didn¡¯t disregard his beliefs even in the obvious disadvantage. ¡°I¡¯ll invest in you.¡± ¡°You and I are equal?¡± ¡°How can you say that you are equal to a noble? All I¡¯m saying is that during a deal everyone is equal.¡± Ruel said while reaching out his hand. ¡°Okay, I like that.¡± Jirie took it and bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± ¡°Cassion, give it to me.¡± He handed over a sheet of paper from his pocket. It wasn¡¯t your normal piece of paper. It was a certificate of something engraved in gold leaf. ¡°I will hand over temporary ownership of one of Setiria¡¯s mines to you. Call me, and I¡¯ll hand you something delicious one by one.¡± Ruel inhaled from Breath. ¡°Is this a test?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget. Only you are to blame if it fails. Oh, let me add something. Don¡¯t forget that you are only the temporary owner. Well, do your best.¡± Leaving a calm smile, Ruel took his party and left. After he left, Jirie sat still for a long time. Setiria was originally one of the wealthiest families. At least that was how it was five years ago. Now, it was nothing but an empty fancy shell. But something was changing, and it was changing because of Ruel Setiria. Jirie sighed. He didn¡¯t know how Ruel and the others got ownership of the stolen mine, but as long as there was high-purity ore there that could only be found in Setiria, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to start over. ¡®What a huge gambler.¡¯ Who else would dare buy a failing merchant and not cut off their ties? He even gave Jirie temporary ownership of a mine. Jirie couldn¡¯t think of Ruel¡¯s intentions as simply an ¡®accident.¡¯ ¡®But you won¡¯t regret choosing me.¡¯ Jirie rose from his seat with the certificate in hand. A piece of paper fluttered down. ¡°...?¡± ¨CSetiria shouldn¡¯t be in the spotlight yet. Surround yourself with the Hand of the Wind Guild adventurers, Han, Cassion, and Gaff. Jirie laughed out loud as he read the paper. ¡®What a funny person.¡¯ *** ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re thinking.¡± After thinking for a long time, Ganien still couldn¡¯t find the answer. He eventually asked Ruel. ¡°What on earth are you thinking?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ruel inhaled using Breath. ¡°It¡¯s not normal. It¡¯s common to take over a failing merchant group. That¡¯s fine, but you don¡¯t need your own merchant, do you? Why did you save that merchant?¡± He stared at Ruel curiously. ¡°A feeling.¡± Ruel answered briefly. He was too lazy to answer. ¡°Is it? Is it really so simple? That¡¯s simple enough to be called ignorance.¡± ¡°I have a good feeling about it. That¡¯s it¡± Ganien and Aris were much easier to convince than expected. ¡°Well, all the choices you¡¯ve made so far...¡± Ganien muttered something, but Ruel only looked out, listening with one ear. The power of resistance. It was time to obtain it. The power of resistance resided on the main road from Setiria to the Lumina family. Ruel couldn¡¯t get to the place because he ran to meet Tyson, the head of the Magic Knights. However, now that he was back in Setiria, he was now on the main road. The power of resistance was the power that Ganien did not acquire. An extra was used to boast its power instead and that would then suggest to Ganien that there were more powers left by the hero. Ganien had been blessed with resistance since birth anyway. ¡®I¡¯m different.¡¯ He had to have it if he didn¡¯t want to die because he had nothing but weaknesses. Cassion kept looking at Ruel with a nervous look. ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to go to the bathroom.¡¯ Ruel averted his gaze immediately and looked out again. By the time his weak body was forced to close its eyes, Ruel said. ¡°Stop.¡± When Cassion knocked on the wagon wall, the wagon stopped quickly. Ganien stopped talking to Aris and looked out the window. He checked the forest spread out on both sides of the road. ¡°It¡¯s a long way off.¡± ¡°Toilet.¡± Ruel replied calmly, got off the wagon, and went into the woods. Cassion, who followed him, said nothing until Ruel stopped in the middle of the woods and held out his hand. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to drink?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± The person who boasted the power of resistance was a woodcutter who saw and ate a precious medicinal herb, like wild ginseng, and found out that it was poisonous. At that time, after accidentally discovering and gaining the power of resistance, he was so proud of it. Ruel ordered Cassion to buy the same poison the woodcutter had that made him gain strength.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Ruel didn¡¯t know why they rushed to his room, but he was tired. All he wanted was to kick them all out and lay in bed thinking about what he was going to do next. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Aris said. Instead of answering, Ruel simply looked at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be strong, too!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± No matter how genius he was, Ruel knew he couldn¡¯t become strong overnight. He just answered in hopes that they would disappear soon. ¡°Cassion will show you around your room and how to get ready for a bath.¡± Ruel waved his hand. When they all left, he inhaled Breath and looked back on today. Fourth, improve my way of life. Get my hands on the merchant, the guild, and the escort. I¡¯ve accomplished everything. Everything, except for my health recovery. ¡®Damn this body.¡¯ No matter how many times he cursed, Ruel didn¡¯t feel better. How to get rid of the disease. There was no clue at all. ¡®What is this disease in the first place? It¡¯s a disease, right?¡¯ He thought about whether he should find an excellent medical doctor soon, but he put off thinking about it. Now, what he needed to do was to implement his fifth plan for living. Knock. Knock. ¡°It is Tyson, the head of the Magic Knights.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Tyson ran in as soon as he opened the door. He looked all over Ruel¡¯s body and looked sorry for him. ¡°You¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Your recovery is behind my expectations.¡± ¡°Well, something¡¯s come up.¡± ¡°How are you feeling? There are no aftereffects of that time...was there?¡± Tyson was reluctant to ask more and more questions, but suddenly Tyson closed his mouth. There was a trembling in his hand. Ruel hurriedly pulled his body back. ¡°What are you doing, Uncle?¡± I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve already forgotten that last time you did this something big happened. ¡°It will be okay. I¡¯m just checking something.¡± As if his wizard switch was turned on, his face was suddenly filled with emotions. His expression was that of looking at something very interesting. ¡®Did he sense the power of resistance?¡¯ ¡°Just stay where you are for a second. I won¡¯t do you any harm.¡± Fire bloomed on Tyson¡¯s fingers, although it was as small as a candle flame. He grabbed Ruel¡¯s wrist and brought it towards the flame. Ruel thought it would be hot, but it was only warm. ¡°As expected.¡± Tyson laughed. ¡°You have become resistant to Mana.¡± ¡®It seems that the power of resistance is working properly.¡¯ Ruel was satisfied, too. ¡°Oh! Wait a minute, take this.¡± Tyson pulled a bracelet out of his sleeve and handed it over. ¡°It¡¯s a magical item created by Drianna. Your body is just like glass, or a piece of paper, so you¡¯ll definitely need it.¡± ¡°What about this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bracelet that boosts Mana¡¯s tolerance.¡± The previous words were quite insulting, but it wasn¡¯t like Ruel would reject the items that were coming. ¡®Last time, what did Drianna say she was going to do, and she did it to give it to me?¡¯ As soon as Ruel put it on, a tickling sensation surrounded his whole body. That was all. ¡°Okay, my disciple. The mana surrounding your body is now more stable.¡± Tyson made another flame and placed it on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s as strong as before.¡± ¡°It feels less warm.¡± ¡°Done. That means it works. That¡¯s not gonna make your body collapse anymore.¡± Ruel was a little uncomfortable when he looked so happy. He was called uncle, but he was a stranger to himself. ¡°Did you happen to see the boy next to Ganien on his way?¡± ¡°Of course I did. I¡¯ve never seen such beautiful mana before.¡± Tyson was ecstatic. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to have someone from my side teach him magic before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My escort is named Aris. Teach him. You can pour out all the knowledge you have.¡± Tyson jumped with joy, as if he suddenly forgot his age. ¡°This is a miracle! It¡¯s a miracle! Mana blesses me!¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± But at the sound of Ruel¡¯s cough, Tyson¡¯s energy sank at once. ¡°I didn¡¯t get an answer last time. Is the condition bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bad. It¡¯s not treatable right now.¡± It was better to tell the truth than to give false hope. As Ruel¡¯s words entered Tyson¡¯s ears, he had become as hopeless as a man who lost his country. ¡°But... I¡¯m not going to die.¡± ¡°... Is it your desire? Or is it true?¡± Tyson looked so desperate. Ruel felt he looked a little bit like a man holding onto a rope even though he knew it would break. Ruel answered the same way as before. He didn¡¯t want to let him know that there were powers left by the hero. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll meet the boy named Aris.¡± No matter how he felt about Ruel¡¯s words, Tyson tried to calm down. ¡°I heard you haven¡¯t announced the thing about the Magic Knights of Setiria to the public yet.¡± ¡°... What¡¯s the use of giving an announcement when the owner isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought many people. You¡¯ll see them later. If they have talent, take them.¡± The mansion had many vacancies, so all the people brought from the Hand of the Wind Guild stayed. Ruel was going to have them picked up by Cheynol and Tyson, and then hire the rest as servants or pay them to help them settle in Setiria. Ruel turned his head and looked at the window. Before he knew it, the sun was already setting. ¡®A meal tastes best after taking a bath.¡¯ Tyson felt sorry looking at the gentleness in Ruel¡¯s gaze looking at the sunset. His mouth moved without realizing it. How many things do you have in that sick body? ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°If the seat of the head of the household is too heavy, you don¡¯t have to carry it.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not that heavy.¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo it if you¡¯re having a hard time. Uncle can raise you well, even if you don¡¯t have such a position.¡± There were people who were obedient when asked to do something. However, why did he have to leave just because Tyson told him to leave. Why did he have to leave all that he had accomplished just because the burden of a name was too much? Ruel pushed down the curse about to come out of his mouth and spoke as calmly as he could. ¡°Uncle. I¡¯m the Lord of this land. Setiria is mine.¡± ¡°But the name of the Lord is...¡± ¡°Setiria must rise up. That¡¯s my job. I want to rest, so please go back.¡± As Setiria grew well, he had to step up his game to be comfortable. Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m dragging my fucking body around? ¡°Ruel, although I have no children, I have always thought of you as a son. Call me whenever you need me.¡± Ruel could feel the deep affection between the words. However, it was burdensome. After all, he wasn¡¯t Tyson¡¯s beloved Ruel. ¡°I will. Definitely.¡± But still, Ruel replied with a bright smile. ¡°Eat a lot because your uncle brought a lot of healthy food for dinner.¡± Tyson laughed weakly. Ruel didn¡¯t want to interpret that smile. He sighed as Tyson turned around. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ Ruel had already taken care of one thing and was going to rest for the time being. No matter how strong the power of recovery was, a body that had been burdened as much as Ruel¡¯s was excessive. I¡¯ve been feeling it desperately lately. Ruel closed his eyes. Soon, his whole body went in pain and he squeezed his blanket to put up with it. Chapter 29: Fill in the blanks Chapter 29: Fill in the blanks ¡°Is this what it¡¯s like when you get ready to take a bath?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel and sighed. ¡®I thought I might get wrinkles on my forehead.¡¯ Looking at the blanket mixed with sweat and blood, Cassion counted how many blankets he had left in his head. ¡®I¡¯ll have to get a new one.¡¯ ¡°... It¡¯s noisy.¡± Ruel said, suppressing a scream that seemed to leak out. ¡°Having the energy to talk means that it¡¯s still okay.¡± Cassion handed the Breath over directly to Ruel, who couldn¡¯t even lift it properly. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°Damn it...¡± ¡°Do you want me to put you to sleep?¡± How painful must it have been to squeeze his arm to the point of bleeding? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to sleep so deeply that you didn¡¯t know the pain than to endure it? Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°Alright. I will wait patiently.¡± Thinking that he wouldn¡¯t want to show this to anyone else, Cassion dragged a chair and sat down. After returning to this mansion, Ruel didn¡¯t even take painkillers. After gaining the power of recovery, his body was better than before, but Mineta seemed to have caused distrust of the drug. He had been taking poison medicine for years, so he honestly felt like he was going to get fed up with it. ¡°Would you like some painkillers?¡± The answer was not heard. ¡°It¡¯s a pain reliever I bought myself. There is no poison in it.¡± Cassion said that he had bought it himself to assure Ruel. It¡¯s not good to rely on medicine, but it seemed foolish to endure the pain recklessly. Now that he had even let out a scream, Cassion asked again. ¡°How about taking some medicine?¡± ¡°... Give it to me.¡± Ruel struggled to get his words out. Only then did Cassion smile with relief. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Even the sound of the door opening and closing did not reach Ruel¡¯s ears. This pain was too great. There was no sign of it calming down even though the power of recovery was so strong that it rang, ¡°Wi-ing.¡± ¡®Damn body.¡¯ Since he didn¡¯t know the name of the disease and the medicine didn¡¯t work, all he could do was get used to the pain. ¡®Calm down, sink!¡¯ ¡®I wanted to cry right now. I wanted someone to grab hold of how much it hurts and appeal.¡¯ Then, the pain disappeared in an instant. Ruel put down the blanket that he was holding tightly. ¡®I¡¯m exhausted all over my body.¡¯ ¡®I should¡¯ve just taken medicine.¡¯ ¡®The reason I didn¡¯t take the medicine was that the pain that I could endure came after I gained the power of recovery.¡¯Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Also, he didn¡¯t want to depend on drugs. ¡®But it was the first time I had such a strong pain like today.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m dying...¡¯ I felt like I was going to die. ¡®Hungry.¡¯ As the pain went away, I felt very hungry. Ruel looked around him, feeling his energy gradually rising. He was drenched in so much blood and sweat that he vomited. He frowned right away. ¡°I¡¯m here. Here¡¯s some medicine with water.¡± ¡°Bath.¡± As soon as Cassion returned, Ruel said as if he had waited. ¡°Pardon...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat right after taking a bath, so get ready.¡± *** Sniff. Ganien sniffed as he sat next to Ruel. ¡°Did you throw up again? It smells like blood.¡± While trying to pick up the meat that had just been cut thickly with a fork, Ruel glared at Ganien. ¡®I didn¡¯t know his senses were this sharp.¡¯ Clank. Tyson dropped his cup of water. Even his lips, on his face that turned whiter than the tablecloth, were shaking. What about Aris? He couldn¡¯t even sit on a chair, he just stood still and looked at Ruel. He looked like he had lost his soul. ¡°... Ha.¡± Ruel sighed. As the pleasant meal time went by, ¡®I thought it might turn into a funeral home.¡¯ Only then did Ganien notice. Tyson and Aris only knew that Ruel was sick, but didn¡¯t know what symptoms he had. Ganien closed his mouth and held the spoon calmly. Cassion put down a freshly drawn water cup and spoke quietly to Tyson. ¡°You dropped your cup.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± He couldn¡¯t grab the cup steadily so he drank all the water with his trembling hands. Ttak. Ganien quieted the area in an instant, and even the sound of Tyson putting his cup down was loud. Tyson struggled to call Ruel. ¡°Ruel.¡± Feeling that it had come, Ruel glared at Ganien again and quietly moved his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s just a symptom of a disease that always occurs, so you don¡¯t have to pay much attention to it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about...¡± ¡°Have you decided on a date to publicly announce the Magic Knights?¡± *** ¡°Cassion.¡± After returning to the room, Ruel lay in bed and put his hand on his belly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything useless.¡± ¡°I did it because it was useless. When were you going to tell them if I didn¡¯t force you?¡± Ruel was amazed to see his shameless face without any remorse. ¡°My uncle nearly had a mental breakdown, no, he¡¯s weak-minded. What if you stimulated him too much?¡± ¡°You know, there¡¯s Drianna. What does it matter if there is a student who will succeed him?¡± ¡°Aris?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve allowed you to make up your mind faster. When Ganien leaves, your side will be empty.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your decision?¡± Cassion smiled without answering. He seemed to have called and talked with Aris. How burdensome was it to receive a mixture of pity, sadness, and confusion from both sides during the meal? ¡®I nailed it again when I mentioned that I didn¡¯t die, so they must have understood it well.¡¯ ¡°The data I received from Minart. Did you finish your research?¡± The data received from Minart were a list of people hired by the former lord. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s already been completed.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°I guess you forgot what your condition was like before this evening.¡± ¡°You have to move when you can.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression briefly hardened at the subtle words. ¡°We cannot keep the Baron¡¯s positions vacant forever, so we have to fill it up slowly. Even though you know Minart was getting letters asking for help.¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± It seemed like he was going to say one more word, but Cassion politely handed over the data. Ruel, who was looking at the data silently, opened his mouth. ¡°Did you include all the former Barons?¡± ¡°As you can see from the results of the survey, the former head of the household has chosen the right people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, I was thinking about which people to choose.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send a letter.¡± ¡°No, it was unfair to be kicked out, but it¡¯s not just about sending letters.¡± Cassion¡¯s heart fluttered whenever Ruel brought up the word ¡®no.¡¯ Should Ruel say that he was like a child before making trouble? ¡°I will personally go. I¡¯m going to go around everything tomorrow, so get ready.¡± ¡°...are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion was silent for a moment. He suddenly frowned as if he was pondering something. ¡°Did you curse inside again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s... My heart is throbbing because I¡¯m getting a little intense thinking about how to do it.¡± ¡°Anyway, get ready. As you know, I¡¯m not feeling well, so let¡¯s plan the fastest and best route.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite absurd that someone who knows it well says something absurd.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry when I turn around, maybe because I¡¯m growing up. Go bake some meat pie.¡± After eating like that? Cassion showed embarrassment, but he had already bowed. No, he had to eat a lot. so that he could gain weight. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you soon.¡± Cassion turned around and thought that he might have to find an exclusive butler soon. ¡®Where do I get a guy similar to me?¡¯ Even if he was too talented, it was a mask. Suddenly, something sweet pulled back. ¡°Yesterday, while planning the route, we found the location of the Barons again, and as a result, they all went on a fishing trip together.¡± Crunch crunch. Eating cookies in the carriage, Ruel looked out the window. Blinking his sleepy eyes, he was belatedly startled. ¡°What kind of trip?¡± According to data handed over by Cassion, the seven Barons originally had a bad relationship. However, after being chased, their relationship became strangely strong, and they even became as close as siblings. ¡°It¡¯s a trip that brings back memories by cursing Setiria who kicked them out.¡± Ruel smiled at the clear sky. Did you come together in old age as a group? ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Franna Village in the center of Apor and Sisel. There is a fairly large lake behind Franna Village, so I think they traveled there.¡± Apor was the center of Setiria. And it was also the place where his mansion was located. ¡°Did you travel often?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was wandering around Setiria at regular intervals.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you go outside of Setiria?¡± ¡°I never left Setiria before or after I was kicked out.¡± Ruel crossed his arms. If Setiria had been hated so much, he would have escaped quickly after being cut from the position of Baron. ¡®There is something, something.¡¯ Ruel pondered while inhaling Breath, and asked one thing. ¡°Did they all go on a trip together?¡± ¡°No, they went around Setiria in pairs of three or four or two, two or three.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that they all moved together this time, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Listening to Cassion¡¯s answer, Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. The date they went on a fishing trip together cleverly overlapped with the date we returned. ¡®Are you going to test me?¡¯ Whatever it was, I would know if I met him in person. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel closed his eyes until the carriage arrived. Chapter 30: Fill in the blanks (2) Chapter 30: Fill in the blanks (2) *** ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± At the words of Cassion, Ruel opened his eyes. He didn¡¯t know why, but Cassion¡¯s face looked exceptionally refreshing. His well-groomed hair was a little messy, and dirt was visible on the floor of the wagon. Ruel was unsure and asked. ¡°What happened while I was sleeping?¡± ¡°Yes, the rat stepped in the trap without knowing the subject.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Apparently, a common cliche? popped out while sleeping. Ruel got off the carriage. An open lake was the first thing that caught his eye. He could see people coming for a walk or fishing. The carriage was unintentionally attracting attention because it was the only one of its kind there. ¡°It¡¯s not a walk that Ruel-nim could handle so I had no choice but to drive the carriage all the way here. I apologize for bringing unnecessary attention to you.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ttak. Ruel walked to the lake while listening to the people gossiping. The sparkling appearance of the lake under the sun was beautiful. It was as if it was sprinkled with jewels. The water was so clear that the fish at the bottom were clearly visible. ¡®It¡¯s a good place.¡¯ It was the perfect place to camp. It would be nice to come to play later. ¡°I think it¡¯s over there.¡± Cassion looked around and pointed to the right. Seven middle-aged men huddled together and were waiting for the fish to bite on their fishing rods. In a place with very shallow water where no fish could be caught, in a corner where there were not many people. Ruel walked leisurely and approached them. Tak tak. He hit his cane to the ground to announce his presence and to attract their attention. But they didn¡¯t even give him a single glance. Ruel sat on a flat-looking rock and asked. ¡°Did you catch a lot?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t catch any.¡± The answer was fast. ¡°There are 7 of you, but you couldn¡¯t catch a single fish?¡± Then one of them saw Ruel. He asked him a question with a firm face. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to meet someone.¡± ¡°The people are scattered about like fish here.¡± ¡°I hate talking too much, so I¡¯ll keep it simple. Please come back.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? There are so many places to go back to. Where are you telling me to come back to?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡®Oh man, he likes to talk back.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t what he liked to hear. Ruel gave strength to his voice so that they could hear it well. They seemed to be sulky. ¡°The seat is reserved, so please return to your original seat.¡± The man let go of the fishing rod. And he said with a slightly gloomy face. ¡°It seems like I caught a fish for the first time in five years.¡± ¡°You were caught, and I came directly to you because you seemed to be upset.¡± ¡°I had a lot... of resentment.¡± ¡°I know, but you didn¡¯t leave this place.¡± ¡°We blame ourselves, not you. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you to come.¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel replaced the answer with a snort. It was not him who was kidnapped by Carbena or whatever he did. He was a poor Lord who cleaned up the consequences of Carbena¡¯s cheap dirt and old Ruel¡¯s stupidity. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Among those who have been driven out, who are the closest living here?¡± ¡°Maybe... Are... Are you planning to visit?¡± ¡°You heard it too, everyone is shy. For Setiria to normalize, we need to put those shy people back to their original positions. You know?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath in a tight breath. Then came a sigh from Cassion. ¡°Can¡¯t it be written?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± In response to the firm answer, Cassion rubbed his face. *** Boom Boom! Aris didn¡¯t stop swinging his sword even though the sun went down. He felt like a fool. Didn¡¯t he waste his time not knowing that Ruel was so sick? From the moment Ruel chose him, He decided to make him his lord. ¡®I had to be stronger and stand next to Ruel as soon as possible.¡¯ That was the reward for Ruel, who saved him and chose him. ¡°Stop it. You¡¯ll get hurt.¡± I could see Tyson¡¯s face with the flame behind his back. ¡°Mr. Tyson.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re impatient, you¡¯ll ruin everything.¡± ¡°But Ruel-nim is very sick, and I haven¡¯t taken a step on the path to protecting him yet.¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m upset.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry, too.¡± The flames blazed sharply as if representing Tyson¡¯s emotions. ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything, really nothing. The only Ruel I can remember when he was younger.¡± Tyson waved his hand over his thigh. He drenched himself in the past for a moment, and then looked at Aris, his face mixed with misery. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it all day. What Ruel wants.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ruel kept talking to me. He kept asking me to help Setiria become stronger. So I thought about what I could do.¡± The misery engraved on Tyson¡¯s eyes disappeared and they shone like bright stars. ¡°First of all, I will turn you into a wizard, that¡¯s what Ruel wanted me to do.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim said to me. I should be a wizard rather than a swordsman.¡± ¡°You were wise. Right. You have very beautiful mana.¡± Tyson held out his hand. The murmur grew deeper and deeper, turning it into a purple color. ¡°This is my mana.¡± His mana aggressively rushed to Aris. Paang! Something bloomed on Aris¡¯ body and erased Tyson¡¯s mana. ¡°Did you see, that¡¯s your mana.¡± Aris saw the golden light blooming from within his body. It was light enough to erase even the night. ¡°A very dazzling golden color.¡± ¡°This is...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get stronger together.¡± Tyson smiled kindly and extended his hand to Aris. ¡°Let¡¯s get stronger and protect Ruel and Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, I will be strong.¡± Aris squeezed his hand tightly. Chapter 31: Fill in the blanks (3) Chapter 31: Fill in the blanks (3) *** ¡°What¡¯s that? I think it¡¯s near my house.¡± Violet and golden lights appeared almost identically out of the carriage window. ¡°It¡¯s Tyson and Aris.¡± Cassion smiled happily. ¡°I see you¡¯re finally teaching, ha...¡± Ruel exhaled deeply. ¡°Who else is left?¡± ¡®I met the butler and several servants. Thanks to this, I was able to return home after dark.¡¯ ¡°Congratulations. Thanks to Ruel-sama¡¯s persistence, only Setiria¡¯s Ear remains.¡± The being called the Ear was a so-called living informant, also known as a spy. They were essential in finding various information from outside or inside Setiria. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± Ruel pointed to Cassion¡¯s heart. ¡°This is fine. It was a great time to feel the power of an exclusive magic handkerchief again.¡± ¡°You saw it, too, right? Crying and saying that they did something wrong to me. As expected, I shouldn¡¯t have sent a letter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really like that look on their faces. It has been five years. They did nothing and were devoured by their sense of helplessness. It¡¯s not worthwhile in my personal opinion.¡± Unlike his serious words, Cassion took out a thermal patch, a magic tool, and put it on Ruel¡¯s forehead. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Are you going to help others again?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°You are not like the old Ruel. Regardless of the past, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s looking for usable people, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. He turned his head and looked out the window. ¡°It¡¯s just a trace.¡± Traces of Ruel¡¯s presence other than himself. ¡®I didn¡¯t even want to erase it.¡¯ Cassion answered as usual. ¡°Is that so?¡± Whirlik. Suddenly he took the dagger in his hand. And the carriage stopped. Ruel noticed a strange feeling. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Stay calm in the carriage. You can¡¯t come out.¡± Cassion disappeared from his sight. Ruel looked out the window again. It was dark around and only the stars in the sky were clearly visible. For a brief moment, a few lights appeared. It was a number that seemed to be more than eight people, even as an estimate. ¡®The thief... I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ Ruel held his breath at the quiet sound of swords clashing. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ ¡®There were many things that I could have guessed because there were many things that I did, but I did not put restrictions on most of them.¡¯ Smack! Something flew in and broke the window. Crash. With a loud noise, Ruel¡¯s eyes grew bigger together. Ruel hurriedly covered his face with his hands. His hands and face have been burning. Numerous pieces of glass fell into the wagon. ¡®It wasn¡¯t bulletproof glass.¡¯ Kwajik. There was the sound of something being crushed. The sound was so terrifying that Ruel unconsciously lowered his hands and looked towards the source of the sound. ¡°Are you okay? Were you surprised?¡± Cassion asked while holding someone¡¯s neck. Ruel looked at his arm. Blood flowed because of the excellent water-studded glass. ¡°The glass is broken.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There were more of them than I thought...¡± Gang! Someone¡¯s sword hit the dagger wielded by Cassion. There was no spark. Since Cassion¡¯s dagger cut the sword and cut his opponent¡¯s neck. ¡°They were doing something that bothered me.¡± Cassion raised his hand. An arrow flew towards him from somewhere and was caught in his hand. Weapon tracking. A light flashed in his purple eyes. Without even leaving an afterimage, Cassion disappeared. Three necks flew in the starry sky. When Cassion, who had disappeared, reappeared, his dagger was soaked in red blood. ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± Cassion caught an arrow through the broken window. He accidentally received an arrow, but Ruel watched what he said. ¡°I was relieved that the carriage window was made of tempered glass, but the arrow had magic on it. This is kind of unfair.¡± As Cassion said, there was a swaying thing(mana) around the arrow. ¡®Whether the window was smashed and shards of glass were pierced in my arms and face, there was something more important than that.¡¯ ¡°Did you catch one?¡± ¡°No. When the window was broken, I decided to kill them all.¡± ¡± ...Cassion.¡± ¡°But I brought a clue.¡± Cassion opened the carriage door, came inside, and paused. The inside of the carriage was a mess than he thought. When he saw Ruel with a piece of glass embedded in his arm, his killing intent began to rise. ¡°Okay, you did a good job killing them.¡± Cassion clenched his teeth and handed over the remaining pieces of paper. ¡°Flame patterns...¡± Ruel burned with anger whilst looking at a piece of paper. An organization that ordered Carbena to open the door to Setiria. Ruel walked away with a tired look on his cane. The throbbing sound of his arms and the chirping noises in his ears grew louder than before, making him anxious. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop looking at me and treat me first?¡± Cassion laughed at Ganien, who continued to ask for wrongdoing. ¡°There¡¯s one thing you¡¯re mistaken about, so I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯m a butler, not an escort.¡± Aris and Cheynol shook their heads and bowed their heads. At Cassion¡¯s words, which skillfully stabbed each person one by one, Ruel couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡®He¡¯s a really toxic guy.¡¯ *** ¡°You are a real bastard. Do you know, Cassion?¡± Ganien moaned and treated Ruel¡¯s arm. Herbal medicine was applied to the smaller wounds, and the larger wounds were stitched up. There was nothing much different from modern medicine, so Ruel asked with a dull face. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to spray a potion on it?¡± ¡°A potion is not a cure-all, it is highly addictive like drugs. Mana potions, unlike physical potions, are less addictive, but both are used when it¡¯s dangerous.¡± After wrapping up Ruel¡¯s injuries with the bandages, Ganien put his hand on Ruel¡¯s wrist to check his condition. His face hardened automatically. Ruel belatedly shook off Ganien¡¯s hand, but he had already confirmed his condition. Ruel lay on the bed pretending not to see it, feeling annoyed that the fact that he had openly wandered around to this point with his condition came to light. ¡®It¡¯s bothering me.¡¯ ¡°How is his condition compared to before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s worse than after taking poison.¡± ¡°Is it that bad? It wasn¡¯t this bad two days ago.¡± They talked as if they had checked the condition from time to time. When? Ruel shut his mouth in wonder. ¡°Ruel, you must rest now. I will stop it before Cassion stops it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Not as a doctor.¡± He didn¡¯t know when he changed from a knight to a doctor, but Ganien nagged, saying dozens of forms he saw looked close to hundreds. Ruel listened to most of his words with a frown on his face. In the end, it was just a verbose statement that said to rest. ¡°I have a lot to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I can do for you. So you want to try some medicine?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even tried moving from place to place, but not now, it¡¯s impossible to heal completely, so I¡¯ll aim to slow down the progress at least.¡± ¡°I will unconditionally support you.¡± Ruel was not even angry at the sight of himself being the topic of conversation without being involved. ¡°Go out and talk.¡± Ruel drove them away. It was difficult to hear more. The biggest goal was to slow down the progression without treatment. It was a bitter pill to swallow. ¡®If I didn¡¯t get the power of recovery, I probably would have already died.¡¯ So he looked at the ceiling quietly.¡¯ *** There was a building where the Hand of the Wind Guild would stay, and they moved their headquarters to Setiria as promised. The merchant of Beto was adapting faster than expected and making immediate profits. It was proof that high-purity ore from Setiria played a big part. The Barons who had been expelled returned to their seats, checked the current situation of each village, and were quickly recovering. The mansion he was in was already full of servants. Under the direction of the butler, Billo, who had returned, he had hired some of them, who was about to become slaves and was conducting training from start to finish. As the number of servants increased, even when they stayed in the mansion, they made repairs, and it was gradually changing. ¡°... This is the report for this week.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel sighed. ¡°You didn¡¯t get a reply from Setiria¡¯s Ears, did you?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Setiria!¡± A powerful slogan was heard through the window. The number of knights increased. Many had not yet been officially knighted, so it was difficult for them to be called official knights. Ruel also looked at the rest of the documents. It had already been two weeks since he¡¯d been locked up in his room. The reason he allowed this strange situation without saying a word was because he had collapsed two weeks ago and couldn¡¯t wake up for four days. ¡°How are you feeling today? You look a little better.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel was relieved to hear it after a long time. ¡®It seems like you¡¯re thinking of letting me go.¡¯ I glanced around and looked at Ganien. He stood like a gatekeeper. After Ruel opened his eyes and they told him how surprised they were, he was put under surveillance in his room like this. ¡®Obviously, I should be on my own.¡¯ Thanks to his rapidly deteriorating condition, the power of recovery had grown even further. The fact alone made him very happy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to look after Aris?¡± ¡°No, the road has been paved, so it¡¯s up to Aris to decide how to go about it.¡± His words were exceptionally sharp. It seemed to be largely because he had not been called a teacher until now. Ruel focused again on the documents and ate up the pie he had been given as a snack. ¡°Security is still a problem.¡± ¡°I looked into it in advance.¡± Cassion presented new data. In case Ruel was to leave, he stuck out his tongue in the prepared position. He went on to read new material. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± He coughed and inhaled the Breath. When Ruel put down the material, there was no sound from outside so the knights were resting. Ruel put down the data and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°How dare rats roam inside my territory?¡± Chapter 32: What happened at the gate Chapter 32: What happened at the gate Everywhere there existed a place called the underworld. Setiria was no exception. As it collapsed, quite a few people seemed to have flowed in. The number of rats was not a problem. The real problem was now that they had consolidated their forces into one. ¡°The rats who fought against each other suddenly formed a camaraderie and recently joined forces?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel laughed at something that wasn¡¯t even funny. ¡°Someone intervened. Who was it?¡± ¡°Them? We are looking into it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be them?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean that group? I named it 18.¡± ¡°What an amazing name, 18. You named it very well.¡± Ruel let go of the paper. At Ruel¡¯s gesture that showed that he had seen it all, Cassion took the documents back. When Ganien, who was standing like a gatekeeper, approached, Ruel familiarized himself with turning his wrist. ¡®I¡¯m in good condition today.¡¯ Ruel was going to leave the room today, regardless of whether or not Ganien was okay with it or not. Wouldn¡¯t it be better than staying inside for another two weeks? Ganien¡¯s fingertips gleamed with light. As he carefully checked Ruel¡¯s condition, he smiled brightly. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better. It seems that the disease has abated a little.¡± That was because of the further growth in the power of recovery and the fact that the medicine that Ganien had given him was effective. However, the disease had only slowed marginally. ¡®Where did he learn all this?¡¯ Ruel pretended to be surprised and praised Ganien¡¯s medical skills. ¡°Why don¡¯t you become a knight and a doctor?¡± ¡°I hoped for it, but I didn¡¯t know I had the talent, it surprised me too.¡± Ganien raised his nose high. ¡°Thank you.¡± With Cassion¡¯s sincere gratitude, Ganien looked at Cassion blankly. Crunch crunch. After eating up the last of his meat pie, Ruel touched his cane after a long time. ¡®As expected, this feeling.¡¯ He stood on the ground on both legs, using his cane as support. People also had to walk. Ganien was startled and stood in front of Ruel. ¡°Wait a minute. Your body is just entering the recovery phase.¡± ¡°Ganien, I know how hard you worked for me, I¡¯m so grateful. It¡¯s hard to take a break like this. I have so many lives to take responsibility for, you just heard that rats are eating up my territory, right?¡± The moment he saw Ruel¡¯s unwavering gaze, Ganien gave way. It was impossible as a swordsman to stop him from going to fight. ¡°Mr. Ruel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go even if you stop me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wear something else and go out. The newly customized clothes arrived yesterday.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember measuring myself...?¡± ¡°Oh, I had to measure Ari¡¯s figure as a reference, but I forgot.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡± Ganien and Cassion rushed outside as if they were chased by someone. ¡®What is this? It¡¯s scary.¡¯ *** Ruel wore newly tailored clothes and went around the mansion first. He wondered how much the butler Billo decorated the mansion and he wanted to remember the new faces. ¡°Oh!¡± Ruel was astonished. He couldn¡¯t see any cracks or peeling floors and wallpaper. Looking at the newly decorated walls in neat basic colors, it felt like he was in a new house. ¡°It¡¯s like my home now.¡± Plants and sculptures were placed in a flat area to relieve boredom. ¡°But what about money? I can¡¯t open my personal safe. Did you pay for it?¡± ¡°Mr. Billo took care of everything.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He said it doesn¡¯t matter how much it costs as long as he can relieve his debt to Ruel.¡± ¡°It seems that he has already grasped Setiria¡¯s financial situation.¡± Their situation was like a fine-looking vase. Beautiful on the outside, empty within. It was a little difficult to go around the whole mansion, so Ruel mainly went around the main areas. When he saw the servants in person, he realized that the inside of the mansion was running properly. Some of the servants were still clumsy, but their appearance was neat. ¡°Good morning, my lord.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been officially appointed yet.¡± ¡°Are you doing this because you¡¯re afraid that Ruel-nim will say something negative?¡± Aris clenched the water bag instead of answering. Horen really spewed water this time. It wasn¡¯t because Aris¡¯ words were outrageous, but because Ruel was walking towards him. ¡°I see you, Lord!¡± Horen straightened his chest and put his hand on his left chest. Aris, who was shocked still, bowed as well. ¡°I see you, Lord.¡± ¡°You were resting, but I intervened without realizing it.¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s okay!¡± This was his second time seeing Ruel in person, so Horen was very nervous. Reul¡¯s face reflected so much of his pain that Horen wanted to lay him on his bed right away. He seemed to be a little taller than before. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Aris. Tall... You grew up again.¡± Ruel noticed that his gaze at Aris was higher than before. ¡®What is he eating that he¡¯s growing up like that?¡¯ ¡®I thought I grew up.¡¯ Ruel held the cane hard. He was upset. ¡°Are you feeling well? Can you stand up like this?¡± Aris looked at Ruel once, and his gaze was fixed on Cassion. Cassion shrugged his shoulders as he asked if he could walk around. ¡°Aris, I unintentionally overheard the conversation. Are you anxious?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nervous and because I¡¯m inexperienced.¡± ¡°Sir Horen.¡± ¡°What?¡± Horen, who was suddenly called by name, was startled. Ruel knew his name. He was deeply moved. ¡°How long has Aris been like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the day that Ruel-nim did not regain consciousness.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Horen. For raising Aris¡¯ spirit.¡± ¡°No. We are protecting Setiria, but Aris is the one who will protect Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel smiled happily. He liked the way he distinguished himself well. Ttak. The sound of the cane approached Aris. He bowed his head. ¡°Aris, why are you lowering your head?¡± ¡°I am ashamed that I cannot stand by your side.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t raise your expectations on your own. You¡¯re weak.¡± ¡°... I know.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t set your expectations on yourself. I told you to be strong because you haven¡¯t turned your back on it yet.¡± Ruel laughed at Aris¡¯ shaking hands. When expectations were placed on someone they were put under pressure, nothing could be done. He didn¡¯t expect anything. ¡®I have to show him reality to shatter all of his expectations.¡¯ Ruel turned his head to look at Cassion. ¡°Can I add one more load?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the training ends here, Sir Horen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡± ¡°Sir¡¯s swordsmanship, I saw it well. Cough, Cough...¡± Hearing a deep cough, Horen noticed that Ruel was overdoing it. Ruel walked to Horen. When he looked closely at Ruel, he could see the traces of his long battle with the disease. Somehow he felt ashamed of himself. Wasn¡¯t Ruel the one who threw himself into the revival Setiria even with such a messed-up body? Tap. Ruel patted Horen on the shoulder. Even though he tapped lightly, the weight was as light as a feather. ¡°I will continue to work hard.¡± Horen spoke more sincerely than any other moment, under the constant shaking of Ruel¡¯s hands and his wrist that seemed to be ready to break. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to protect Setiria!¡± Ruel was slightly perplexed. He thought it was ordinary encouragement. As he had traveled through the mansion, he had encouraged many knights. They burned like a Horen every time he did. ¡®Why?¡¯ As he turned around, he looked at his hand. ¡®Is there a power I don¡¯t even know about?¡¯ There was a possibility of that. If this was a novel, his life would have already ended. ¡°Follow me, Aris.¡± ¡°...!¡± After confirming Aris¡¯ stupid face was following him, Ruel left the training ground. Chapter 33: What happened at the gate (2) Chapter 33: What happened at the gate (2) *** ¡°Ruel-nim, everything is ready!¡± Cheynol called loudly from in front of the carriage in which Ruel was on. Before going to the training ground, Ruel stopped by Cheynol and gave him an order. The order was that he should prepare for Ruel¡¯s departure and gather the Knights with no experience in combat and the Reserve Knights so that they could set out with him. The mansion should not be vacant when they did not know when another attack would occur so he left the main force there. Cheynol strongly opposed his departure and the fact that he was leaving the main force at the mansion, but he could only agree when he found out that Ganien was going with Ruel. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice flowed through the open carriage door. He prepared this outing so that the newer Knights and the Reserve Knights who had no actual combat experience could gain that experience and know what to expect and the positions they would be in further in the future. Since this outing was an official event, the carriage had the Shield Emblem of Setiria engraved on it. ¡°Ruel-nim, I have received a call from the Magic Knights.¡± Cassion showed the light coming from the communication bracelet. ¡°Then look after the mansion while I¡¯m away.¡± ¡°I will protect it no matter what.¡± Confirming Cheynol¡¯s strong will, the carriage¡¯s door closed. ¡°Connect.¡± The Magic Knights were also scheduled to be put into practice just like the Knights because the number of recruits increased. Unlike the Knights that should stand out, the Magic Knights, who only announced their existence to the Royal Family, were sent to the Masu Forest to move quietly. T/N: As a reminder, Masu Forest is the forest of the Beast. -My Lord, we have safely arrived in front of the Masu Forest. Are you feeling okay? I heard Drianna¡¯s voice. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m doing good.¡± A sigh from Cassion was heard from the front of the carriage. Ruel continued to talk ignoring this. ¡°They are playing first. As much as fun as possible.¡± -All right. A lot of people are already excited. Some people were about to die through the communicator. The only one excited about it was Drianna. She came closer to the communicator and whispered. -Are you okay? It was that question again. Drianna was surprised to hear that Ruel was heading to the Masu Forestand asked how he was now. -If you have a headache or something else, you should get out of the Masu Forest immediately. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t ask because he knew that she couldn¡¯t teach because of Mana¡¯s oath. -My Lord, may I ask you a favor? ¡°What is it?¡± -Can I satisfy my personal curiosity by collecting specimens from the monsters and plants that grew in the Masu Forest in the last 5 years? ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± The corners of Drianna¡¯s mouth went up. She was already excited. -Thank you! We¡¯ll make sure to meet your expectations! Before even asking the question of what to expect, the contact was cut off arbitrarily. ¡°... Ha, what else are you going to do?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be fun.¡± Ganien smiled. As the Magic Knights entered the mansion, a new space was created underground. There must be many other rooms, but when asked why they went underground, the answer was, ¡®Sunshine interferes with research.¡¯ For a moment, he felt like he was seeing office workers who were tired due to working overtime. Anyway, the first thing they were interested in was the carriage. Cassion heard that quite a few people rushed in, saying they would build a carriage that would never break. Boom boom. Ruel, who was immersed in thought, was surprised, and Cassion, who hit the carriage, was satisfied. ¡°You hit it hard, right?¡± Aris looked at Cassion curiously. ¡°Right, it¡¯s stronger than I thought.¡± ¡°You have to hit harder. Is that enough?¡± Ganien clenched his fists and struck out with a blow that could kill a man. The carriage itself seemed to stumble for a moment, but there was no breakage. ¡°I¡¯ll check if it can be cut.¡± Suddenly, Cassion had a dagger in his hand. Ruel looked at him absurdly. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get hurt again. You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve been nagged by Ganien.¡± ¡°What kind of nagging?¡± Ganien laughed as if exasperated. The glass-carved area healed neatly without any marks. It wasn¡¯t a big scratch in the first place. ¡°It¡¯s definitely strong. If this is enough, it won¡¯t break. Well, it would be different for people of that level.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°It is.¡± Cassion showed me my empty hand. ¡®When?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s rather strange for you to see. Did you see that?¡± While smiling at Ruel, he gave Aris a look. ¡°I saw it up to two times. I don¡¯t know about the rest.¡± ¡°You have good eyes, I can¡¯t believe you saw them.¡± ¡°Of course. Someone taught me.¡± As he wiped his nose with his thumb, Ganien was flattered. ¡®These monsters.¡¯ Ruel clenched his cane and shook his head from side to side. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion called Ruel. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Have a nice trip. I¡¯ll let it slide today.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me telling you to connect to the Baron?¡± ¡°Hey, who are you to say that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, captain?¡± As the scuffle did not end, the other guards flocked to the area. Ruel grabbed his throbbing head and laughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that the Lord is coming here today? Don¡¯t draw attention from others and connect quietly.¡± Ssaaa. The captain in charge of the gateway suddenly got goosebumps all over his body. The gateway was one of the places where many people visited. If you¡¯ve been doing this for 7 years, you could feel it just by looking at his face. That was real. He barely opened my mouth with a trembling voice. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll connect you to him immediately. Please come this way.¡± The captain was convinced of the attitude of receiving his guidance with a casual expression. He seemed to believe that the real Lord had arrived. Gulp. He swallowed deeply. He glanced at Ruel and their eyes met. Ruel had a smirk on the corner of his lips. ¡°Where is the gateway?¡± ¡°This, this is the entrance.¡± ¡°No, where is the gateway to Setiria?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a place that¡¯s open for everyone, but a place to weed out the real from the fake.¡± He almost lost the spear he was holding for a moment. His eyes darkened. Ruel sat in a seat inside the gate and looked at the communicator. -What¡¯s going on... my, my Lord! The Baron was the one who answered many of his words at the last lake. ¡°Will, are you surprised that I¡¯m here?¡± -No, the Lord was supposed to pass by this place today. But what¡¯s going on? Did you suffer any inconveniences? ¡°Didn¡¯t you stop me from coming today because you seemed busy?¡± -... That¡¯s right. Will¡¯s eyes moved busily as Ruel continued to speak. ¡°Sisel Village is important, yes, but I think gates are even more important, what do you think?¡± -Important! It¡¯s important. ¡°Why is the gate open to everyone? Have you forgotten what Setiria is?¡± Ruel¡¯s expression was crunched in dissatisfaction. He looked angry, so he immediately gave Will a hard time. -This humble person didn¡¯t think much. I thought everyone would feel uncomfortable if I suddenly changed it. ¡°The discomfort is temporary. But information sold is forever. Do you know the faces of everyone who lives in Setiria and Leponia?¡± -No! I¡¯m really sorry! Ruel inhaled the Breath. As Will said, complaints could arise because of the sudden inconvenience. But shouldn¡¯t we look at the long-term effects? Security could not be avoided because of immediate discomfort. ¡°If I could, I¡¯d ask you to change it right away, but I¡¯ll hold it in. You are to correct the situation as soon as possible.¡± -Okay! We will correct the situation by this week at the latest. ¡°In addition...¡± As he mentioned one more thing, Will stiffened and swallowed his saliva. ¡°The number of soldiers stationed at the gate is too small, double it.¡± -I will increase the amount. ¡°Apparently, the only emergency contact was a communication device. I¡¯ll try to make an emergency network soon, so keep up the good work.¡± Ruel cut off the contact. He let out a cough that he had barely endured and looked at the commander of this place, who had a close-knit discipline. He lowered his head until he touched the floor. ¡°Ple-Please forgive me for being rude!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know, so that¡¯s fine, as long as you don¡¯t do what you did wrong again.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll treat the gateway as if it were my own body!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. Let¡¯s go, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Unlike Ruel, who passed by the soldier, Aris showed him his life. ¡°Be careful.¡± The captain let go of the spear because of the brutality that was so huge that it did not suit the boy. ¡°Are you less nervous now?¡± Listening to the spear falling, Ruel asked. ¡°Yes, I feel much better.¡± ¡°Even if there are raiders, it is very difficult for something to happen in a place with so many people...¡± Aris grabbed Ruel¡¯s clothes and pulled him back. Chaeng! There was the sound of something colliding with the sword that was quickly drawn. ¡°It should be...¡± Feeling out of balance, Ruel fell on his butt on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± What fell on the floor was an arrow filled with mana. ¡®Again, these 18 guys.¡¯ Ruel bit his lips. ¡°Protect the Lord!¡± ¡°Protect him!¡± The soldiers also belatedly came out in front of Aris and took out their shields to maintain their protective positions. It was only then that Ruel realized the screams from all directions. ¡®Ah, where was Ganien?¡¯ Chapter 34: The Great Purifier and Ruel Chapter 34: The Great Purifier and Ruel ¡®I forgot that the main character, who wouldn¡¯t be odd in this kind of incident, was still in the carriage right now.¡¯ Shhh! A sound was heard piercing the wind. ¡°I¡¯m still here!¡± Aris raised his voice toward the soldiers. Ting ting! Shields were concentrated to protect Ruel. They seemed lazy, but when the situation called for it, their hands and feet were more ready than ever. Their training seemed to have been well done. Ruel didn¡¯t get up. ¡®I¡¯d rather sit, it would be better for them too.¡¯ ¡®... Cassion isn¡¯t coming?¡¯ If anything happened, he would have come running, but he didn¡¯t. ¡®Was there an attack on that side, too?¡¯ ¡°Fire.¡± Harrrrr. Flames rose on both hands of Aris. Ruel¡¯s mouth opened wide at the sight of using magic. ¡®... Crazy, he definitely wasn¡¯t called a genius for no reason.¡¯ Soon, Ruel smiled cheerfully. The genius was currently his escort. ¡°The body shall be divided and burned.¡± The six flames appeared in front of Aris¡¯ body as he chanted and were quickly fired in a direction out of Ruel¡¯s line of sight. ¡°Appear, shout, blow.¡± Soon, the wind blew from Aris. As before, it was divided into six equal parts and shot out in a similar direction a moment later. Ruel grasped Aris¡¯ intention. ¡®Right! The wind makes the fire stronger.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t that far away from Cassion or Ganien¡¯s level of strength. It was very sad that he couldn¡¯t see it. ¡®Did he hit any enemies?¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was heard behind him. ¡°You are late,¡± Ruel said. ¡°I came late on purpose. Just like you, I was curious about how much Aris can do.¡± ¡°Did Aris handle it?¡± Without knowing that Cassion had come, Aris continued to be wary of the surroundings. ¡°I checked on the way here, a few of them were being grilled quite nicely. Oh, I killed the two people that he missed.¡± ¡°What about Ganien?¡± ¡°He¡¯s swinging his sword excitedly.¡± ¡°Did you catch one of them?¡± ¡°I caught one this time.¡± That was very good news. I was starting to wonder about the mental state of this group, 18, who dared to attack even at the most crowded places. ¡°Tell your subordinates to watch them. I¡¯m going to meet you when I¡¯m done with my business.¡± ¡°Did you know that this would happen?¡± Instead of answering, Ruel looked at Cassion with an arrogant expression. ¡°To think that even you had noticed... Hmm. Alright. We¡¯ll proceed with the interrogation in advance.¡± For a very short time, Cassion expressed his anger. It seemed that one of the guild members made a mistake. These were the people who were like his own limbs, so it shouldn¡¯t happen if there¡¯s something against them. ¡°... I stabbed him once.¡± ¡°What do you mean you stabbed him once?¡± His voice was harsh, Ruel quickly turned his head. ¡°Ah... When did you get here?¡± Aris was surprised to see that Cassion had arrived. ¡°Good job.¡± Ruel stood up with Cassion¡¯s support and praised Aris. Clink. Aris let go of his sword in his hand and looked at Ruel. With Ruel¡¯s proud expression, Aris slowly turned his eyes to his own hands. ¡®Did I protect... him?¡¯ ¡®I fought them off by chance and I happened to protect him.¡¯ ¡®No, I¡¯m still inexperienced in my use of magic and missed a few of them.¡¯ Aris clenched his fists and looked at Ruel again. Except for the dust on his clothes, he had no injuries. Aris bent his back to Ruel while hiding his face and held his trembling mouth tightly. ¡°I will continue to protect you, Ruel-nim!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At his calm voice, Aris firmly bit his lip. ¡®I¡¯m so glad that what I did was not in vain.¡¯ Ruel picked up the fallen sword and handed it over to Aris. ¡°Don¡¯t drop the sword anytime, anywhere.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± *** The two gates were wide enough to take 10 minutes to travel through even by carriage. After passing the external gate, the Masu Forest entered their field of vision. Unlike ordinary forests, the trees were more than twice as large, the branches were black, and the leaves were purple. The Masu Forest, which gave off an ominous and gloomy feeling, was divided into two sides along the road in the center. ¡°What day is it today?¡± Ganien grabbed the sword¡¯s handle excitedly. Ruel asked reluctantly, worried about something. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°A beast is coming.¡± ¡®It¡¯s because of you!¡¯ Ruel swallowed the words he couldn¡¯t bear to say and looked at the wagon window. It was angled so Ruel couldn¡¯t see outside unless he opened the door. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The Knights can handle that much. Are you feeling better at that?¡± ¡°What did you hear from Drianna?¡± ¡°I was told by Tyson to take good care of you when we enter Masu Forest.¡± ¡°Tell me if you run out of mana.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t cost too much to use .¡± ¡®Is it like a fan?¡¯ It would cost less mana to have something to act like a fan. ¡°You look comfortable.¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s very comfortable.¡± Ruel responded to Aris¡¯ statement. ¡®The magic, , is so comfortable that I might get addicted to it.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, can you tell me the reason why you came all the way to the Masu Forest?¡± Cassion walked silently and opened his mouth. ¡°I came for a walk.¡± Ruel replied leisurely, inhaling Breath. ¡°Masu Forest... Are you saying you came here for a walk?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s exciting.¡± Sometimes it is good for mental health to get away from work and enjoy your personal interests. Ruel looked around with a smile to Cassion, who wanted to hit him. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s expression subsided. Something was weird. ¡®I can¡¯t even see the beasts with my eyes, but I can feel where the beasts are, like a mini-map in a game.¡¯ As we approached the depths of the forest, the feeling became more distinct. ¡®... What? This is very strange? What should I say about this?¡¯ After contemplating for a while, Ruel called Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you go over there for a second and check if there are any beasts there?¡± Among the beasts spread out, Ruel pointed in the direction of the one closest to them. ¡°There is. It¡¯s a little far, but I¡¯ve detected 11 in the direction you¡¯re going.¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t it 15?¡¯ When Ruel found out that his senses were not false, It felt like someone had hit his head with a hammer.¡¯ ¡®Do I have an ability? The kind of ability that detects beasts? Really?¡¯ However, despite knowing that he had an ability, Ruel was surprisingly not happy. Rather than that he felt drained and let out a deep sigh. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re uncomfortable with?¡± Aris was treating Ruel very carefully like a glass doll. ¡°No, I¡¯m doing good.¡± ¡°Are you expecting a beast to appear?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a walk.¡± Masu Forest was quieter than I thought. The purple leaves were interesting, but the flowers on the ground were also unique in shape, which caught Ruel¡¯s eye. Even the grass took on various colors such as yellow and blue. If there were no beasts, it would be perfect for a walking trail. ¡®... Huh?¡¯ The 15 beasts suddenly began to flock to one place. ¡°Cassion, the beasts. Do they cooperate with each other?¡± ¡°If it turns out that they¡¯re collaborating, the scholars will be shaken up.¡± ¡®Then what is the situation? They just flock together as if competing for one prey.¡¯ Ruel felt a deep curiosity. Ruel also had a simple expectation that he might be making a discovery that would upset the academic world. ¡°That way.¡± Aris turned around without a word and walked to where Ruel pointed. As Aris approached where Ruel pointed to, Cassion¡¯s expression turned fierce. ¡°Not over there. Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The beasts are swarming.¡± ¡°You mean the beasts are gathering? They don¡¯t cooperate, right?¡± Ruel laughed playfully. They were about a 10-minute walk away from them. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± However, Cassion looked at Ruel with a face that showed his incredulity at the situation. Ruel glanced at the place he was going to and inhaled Breath at what he said while enduring the pain in his heart. ¡®Since he¡¯s against it like that...¡¯ ¡°Okay, go back.¡± ¡°Aris, take him over there.¡± Cassion pointed to the side where there were no beasts. ¡®At least, let me see one beast.¡¯ ¡°Zeep.¡± Ruel suddenly stopped talking and couldn¡¯t even scream at the sudden shock. ¡°...!¡± Something flew and crashed into Ruel¡¯s body. The magic of Aris¡¯ spell was broken, and he flew helplessly. A moment later, Cassion noticed and caught Ruel, who was falling. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Cassion was nervous for the first time. He couldn¡¯t sense what had happened at all. ¡®Obviously, there was nothing there... !¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aris looked at Ruel in surprise. Ruel hadn¡¯t lost his consciousness yet, but he was shaking all over. -Boo hoo! He felt like he was about to die of pain. He had caught a glimpse of a bright red fox piercing his body. It was that fox kit who had suddenly flown and collided with Ruel. Ruel gasped at his fading consciousness and desperately moved his mouth. ¡°... Fox, damn fox... .¡± ¡°Fox...¡± Ruel¡¯s words before passing out made Cassion doubtful. This was Masu Forest, where not even the tail of a fox could be seen, let alone an actual fox. Cassion got up while holding Ruel. ¡°We¡¯re going back, Aris.¡± The walk was over. Aris couldn¡¯t even breathe properly because of the aura the angry assassin had been emanating. Chapter 35: The Great Purifier and Ruel (2) Chapter 35: The Great Purifier and Ruel (2) *** As soon as Ruel opened his eyes, he was startled by the face of the fox in front of him. As he tried to shift his hand, he felt a stiff sensation that caused him to look at his left arm in panic. Puzzled by the splint, he soon found Cassion. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He saw Cassion looking at him worriedly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my arm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s broken.¡± When he looked closely at his body, he saw that it was littered with many small wounds. His ribs were aching too. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get rid of this fox?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion frowned and approached Ruel and looked at his eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt your eyes, did you see anything wrong?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? This fox bumped into me and I became like this.¡± The fox widened his eyes and wagged his tail. -Ahem, this one is not a fox, but a Great Purifier. The voice rang in Ruel¡¯s head, not in his ears. ¡°... Is this a dream? Do foxes talk?¡± -Unlike what you have in your body, you have very clear and beautiful eyes. The fox circled Ruel¡¯s prone form. Ruel¡¯s eyes also followed it. -Look at that. That human being can¡¯t see me. ¡°Ruel-nim, are you in a lot of pain?¡± As Ruel continued to behave strangely, Cassion thought that something serious was wrong. -You don¡¯t know how happy I am to see you, you defiled being. The fox tapped Ruel¡¯s body with his tiny front paw. Suddenly a black substance came out of his body and flowed into the fox¡¯s mouth. At that moment, black blood flowed from Ruel¡¯s mouth and nose. ¡°Cough!¡± At the same time, the pain came rushing in which caused Ruel to lay back on the bed and curl his body. ¡°I¡¯ll bring Ganien.¡± Cassion quickly left the room. Soon after, not only Ganien but also Drianna and Aris entered the room one after the other. Seeing blood dripping from his mouth and nose, Ganien hurriedly checked Ruel¡¯s condition. Ganien looked at Cassion with a serious look and said. ¡°It¡¯s fine, he¡¯s even gotten a little better.¡± ¡°Is that so? But why is he in pain? It¡¯s a little different from his usual seizures.¡± -That¡¯s because this one forcibly ate the dirty thing in your body, so it hurts. It¡¯s like biting off your flesh. The fox lolled its tongue and wagged its tail. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ Ruel felt like he was going to die because of the cheeky fox in front of him. -Oh, it¡¯s much better than I expected. Good, good. The fox jumped on its short legs while a light glowed from his body. ¡°First, take the medicine. You need to reduce the pain. I have the medicine I made...¡± Ganien couldn¡¯t finish his speech and stared at a creature that resembled a fox suddenly appearing in front of Ruel. ¡°... Fox.¡± Recalling Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion opened his eyes wide. He soon drew his dagger while approaching like the wind and cut off the fox¡¯s head. -It¡¯s useless. He felt no resistance as he cut through its body. Cassion turned his head and looked at the fox. The fox, which dispersed like smoke and then re-formed, raised the corners of its mouth while waving its thick, long tail.Updated chapters at novelhall.com It was a very cheeky smile. ¡°It-It¡¯s a spirit!¡± Then, Drianna screamed in shock. -Oh, there is one that knows of this one¡¯s kind. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Drianna. She was embarrassed and spoke out what she had to say right away. ¡°The spirits are not our enemies. They cannot be cut with swords, nor can they do any harm.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Cassion pressed Drianna with a smirk. ¡°T-The spirits are creatures born from nature. They can¡¯t hurt us either. Because we, too, are born of nature.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim said that the fox definitely crashed into him and was the reason for his injuries.¡± ¡°No way! The only things that a spirit can touch are those who are out of nature.¡± While talking, Drianna looked at the fox eagerly. ¡°Spirit, please tell us.¡± -You¡¯re wrong. This one can touch your human being. Cassion¡¯s dagger once again aimed at the fox¡¯s neck. Cassion¡¯s expression twisted. ¡°Can the spirit heal Ruel¡¯s illness?¡± Whether it was a spirit or whatever was not important to Aris. What was important right now was that the spirit could heal Ruel¡¯s disease. The fox tilted its head. -I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll heal you. I can only devour the black stuff. ¡°A kind of purification... Is what you are implying?¡± Drianna asked, recalling the words the spirit had uttered in her head. Wouldn¡¯t the act of eating up the harmful substances be like purification because he introduced himself as a Great Purifier? -This body can¡¯t be purified. I¡¯m just eating the dirty stuff in this human being. ¡°How much is there?¡± Ruel asked only after he coughed once again. The fox jumped in place. -There is so much! I can eat it for the rest of my life. This body is lucky. I can¡¯t believe that dirty stuff continues to appear. I¡¯m so happy! As soon as the fox finished speaking, Ruel clenched the spirit¡¯s head hard. ¡°You said you¡¯d clean it up. What? Is it being served forever?¡± -It hurts! Don¡¯t do anything disrespectful to this body! ¡°... But why have you guys rushed in?¡± Ruel noticed them late. There were as many as five people and one beast in the narrow room, so it was almost torn apart due to the lack of space. ¡°I only called Ganien.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see how you¡¯re doing. ¡°I came here because I was worried about the Lord.¡± ¡°The same goes for me.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t catch a line of words in his ears. He just looked out the window. The sun was still there. And through the window, he could see the Knights and Magic Knights. ¡°What about training?¡± ¡°Since you were in this situation, did you think that they would be able to continue training?¡± Ganien smiled lightly. ¡°No, they shouldn¡¯t forget their purpose in any situation.¡± Ruel grabbed his cane that was set down near one side of the bed. ¡°You cannot get up yet. The consequences may lead to further complications.¡± For Cassion, who forgot the power of recovery, Ruel¡¯s actions were a shock. The pain, which had been throbbing even after taking the medicine, has already stopped. ¡°Drianna, don¡¯t put me ahead of the Magic Knights under any circumstances.¡± ¡°What do you...¡± ¡°I have enough people to protect me.¡± The fox got off the bed and easily clambered up to Ruel¡¯s shoulder. It was so light that Ruel thought that the wind had brushed over his shoulder. The warmth and cozy feeling it emitted were pleasant, but he then remembered that the fox did hurt him, so he threw it off of him. ¡°You should be reflecting. You did this to me.¡± -That¡¯s too much, human! ¡°It¡¯s Ruel Setiria. Remember, Leo.¡± -Leo? Ruel thought he wouldn¡¯t have a name because he kept referring to himself as this one. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, forget it.¡± -Right! My name is Leo! Leo! Leo even showed his teeth and laughed. ¡°Look at the wall and reflect.¡± Looking at Leo, who really turned toward the wall, Ruel went out of the room. ¡°Ruel-nim, are you really going to take that animal in?¡± ¡°I saw Leo take something out of me and eat it. That power is real no matter what anyone says.¡± When Leo ate the black substance within his body, it hurt a lot, but now his body was very light. He even felt refreshed. ¡°You made Ruel like this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Thinking about why he was so worried about him, unlike Cassion, he thought of the sword he gave him a while ago, the flower of Siriena. As expected, bribes are good. ¡°Get well soon.¡± As his healing powers had grown, his arm would probably be healed within the day. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruel-nim.¡± Aris walked ahead of Ruel and bowed his head to him. Ruel laughed while thinking about why Aris was doing this. ¡°My butler was standing still like an idiot. That¡¯s enough.¡± Spirits were present in ¡®SSS-Class Knights¡¯ but they were hardly ever mentioned. But one had appeared in front of him and had even touched him, even Cassion did not recognize the existence of the spirit. ¡®How interesting.¡¯ Chapter 36: The Great Purifier and Ruel (3) Chapter 36: The Great Purifier and Ruel (3) Looking back, it was a very chilling situation. I was so glad Leo was a fool. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what a spirit is, but I couldn¡¯t feel it either.¡± Ganien smiled quietly as his fighting spirit burned. ¡°I want to fight it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance, Ganien, I want to see what a spirit is like.¡± To him, Leo was prey. Wouldn¡¯t he be like a bundle of gold that never runs out and continues to produce riches? ¡®I should treat it well and make it come with me.¡¯ Ruel smiled lightly and walked out of the house. As soon as he saw the Knights and Magic Knights crowding at the entrance, his smile disappeared. ¡°Sir Horen, is the training everyone is going through the act of looking at me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an excuse, but we all couldn¡¯t continue our training at the news that you collapsed.¡± ¡°If I faint, will Setiria collapse?¡± ¡°It will fall!¡± Horen answered without any hesitation. Without asking, Drianna, who followed, answered the same. Ruel¡¯s face quickly cooled down. He looked at them coldly and said, ¡°I am not Setiria. If Setiria will collapse if I fall then I don¡¯t want to save it anymore.¡± It would not be strange if he collapsed right now and lost consciousness. Wouldn¡¯t it be a big deal if Setiria shook like this every time? He neither wanted nor hoped for a living doll. ¡°Setiria is you. If you fall, Setiria will really fall. What happened today was only during training, but next time it may be in a place full of enemy swords and magic.¡± Ttak. The cane hit against the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t be shaken even if I¡¯m not there. Think about it. Move. Judge, you are not puppets, you are Setiria.¡± Again, the cane rang as it struck the ground. At that small noise, they looked at Ruel with pride. ¡°Remember, Setiria is you.¡± ¡®Strangely, I want to follow his every word even though they weren¡¯t anything special,¡¯ Horen thought. ¡°Don¡¯t be swayed by this.¡± Putting himself down to the ground, his heart thumped at the words that raised them. What kind of existence is the Lord? Wasn¡¯t it the root, stem, and leaf? But Ruel denied all of it. He mentioned that they were the trees. Then, what is the lord? Horen¡¯s mouth moved automatically due to deep doubts. ¡°If we are Setiria, what would the lord be?¡± ¡°The shell.¡± ¡°You mean the shell?¡± ¡°Yeah, the shell. The more it is decorated, the more beautiful it is, but it is useless. It¡¯s not going to be a good shell because of my shape, so you guys have to fill it up more.¡± ¡°No! The Lord is not a shell!¡± Drianna insisted from behind. Then the Knights and the Knights of Magic literally said what she said. Numerous sounds rang out, and Ruel grabbed his head, which throbbed for a moment. To live a rich, comfortable, and ordinary life, you had to become a shell. Therefore, Ruel did not intend to bend his argument. ¡°Even if you say so, the shell doesn¡¯t change, so what you have to do now is not to worry about me, but to move your body for even a second to become stronger.¡± Cheynol and Tyson gave them orders to train. Knowing who the order was coming from, they tried. This time the same order was issued. However, the feeling they felt from this order was different. It touched them deep in their chests and excited them because it was an order they had received directly from their Lord, Ruel, they laughed with a burning desire. ¡°We¡¯ll be stronger!¡± ¡°Okay, continue training until it is time to eat.¡± ¡°My Lord.¡± Horen said with a firm face while waiting for the two knight corps to finish answering. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The training will continue. I will raise the intensity even more than before. So tell me who has harmed you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been resolved, so don¡¯t worry about it anymore.¡± The stupid fox must still be smiling at the wall. Ruel passed through them with a vengeance and spoke to Drianna. ¡°Drianna, I¡¯d like you to make a place for me to sit. It¡¯s a bit stuffy inside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it right now.¡± As he gave the order to Drianna, all the magic knights gathered and quickly exchanged words. It was good to see because there was no formality, but Ruel couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of chairs would be made when they started talking about what decorations should be added and how much comfort he would like to have since it was a seat for the Head of a Noble Household. ¡°Just a plain seat will do...¡± ¡°Ruel.¡± Ganien spoke to me along the way. ¡°Yes?¡± When he straightened his bent back, a lizard-like monster revealed its figure. ¡®What is this sound?¡¯ It was like a searing heat pierced his head. The nosebleed didn¡¯t stop. Unlike the blood that was shed because of Leo, it was red. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Aris called Ruel again. Ruel¡¯s body shook as he barely held onto his cane, perhaps because the disease had flared up again. Looking towards the monster. Ruel¡¯s consciousness seemed to be fading. Symptoms similar to when using magic appeared, but the mana surrounding his body did not move. Aris picked up Ruel for now. Quaang! Dozens of flames engulfed the monster. However, at the same time, the rising black smoke disappeared with a single gesture of the monster. -What do you want? I¡¯ll do what you want. Even though the distance from the monster was far, Ruel felt that the voice was very close. ¡°I... ?¡± -I came here because you wanted me to be here. ¡°Me?¡± -That¡¯s right. ¡°This is...¡± As soon as Cassion came out of Ruel¡¯s shadow, he saw his condition and sighed. ¡°Something is strange. His magic hasn¡¯t manifested, but it is in a state similar to when it was manifested the last time.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aris stopped walking and showed Ruel to Cassion. There was a glimmer of light in Ruel¡¯s eyes. Cassion stared at those eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s using something.¡± He soon turned his gaze to see the monster standing there. ¡®Maybe...¡¯ ¡°... Go.¡± A small sound came out of Ruel¡¯s mouth. The monster disappeared back into the forest without looking back. At that moment, the light in Ruel¡¯s eyes went out, and at the same time, his head was tilted back. ¡®Ruel... You can control the monster?¡¯ It was his first time seeing it. Cassion calmed down, turned his head, and looked at Aris. ¡°I know. I will never betray you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°All I need is to know.¡± Cassion looked back at the sound of footsteps. Drianna was running. She spoke her words softly yet impatiently. ¡°Just now, did you see that?¡± Cassion didn¡¯t answer, just looked. It was a situation to be cautious of. Being able to control monsters could be regarded as dangerous in another sense. ¡°Please, keep it a secret.¡± Drianna bowed her head. ¡°I think you know what it means to be able to control monsters in this country of adventurers, so please don¡¯t tell anyone...¡± ¡°Did you know?¡± Drianna couldn¡¯t answer Cassion¡¯s question. She just looked at Cassion and Aris as they eagerly waited. ¡°I can¡¯t speak.¡± The words ¡®because the contract was at stake¡¯ were swallowed inside. Drianna looked at Aris. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Just then, at Aris¡¯s reassuring words, she let out a sigh of relief. Cassion stared at her and brought it up. ¡°Is there a contract at stake?¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°By any chance... Did you erase his memory?¡± Drianna smiled sadly. It meant that someone had erased Ruel¡¯s memory, even if it wasn¡¯t her. ¡°Do we still have to erase it?¡± Aris asked anxiously. If it was erased in the past, shouldn¡¯t it be erased now? ¡°Even if he has developed a resistance to his disease, Ruel-nim will not be able to withstand it now. ...please.¡± As people flocked, Drianna bowed her head and stepped down. ¡®I have a very good Lord.¡¯ Cassion flicked his tongue. Chapter 37: The Great Purifier and Ruel (4) Chapter 37: The Great Purifier and Ruel (4) *** Slap. When he felt something soft touching his face, Ruel opened his eyes in surprise. -Wake up, Ruel! This one was reflecting while you were asleep. ¡°The monster... ?¡± -Listen carefully to what this one has reflected on. First of all, I chased you just because there was delicious food. This is something that even children do not do. Also, breaking your arm by hitting it recklessly is something that even a child does not do. And then... Grabbing Leo¡¯s chattering mouth, Ruel looked for Cassion. ¡°Are you up?¡± Cassion, who had just entered the room, had a washbasin in his hand. When I turned my head and looked at the window, the sun was rising. ¡°What about the monster?¡± ¡°The monster went away. Maybe Ganien is on his way back from cutting it down. He was excited and chased after the monster.¡± Cassion said disgustedly. ¡°Did you see that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°I saw it. If I pretend I don¡¯t know, can¡¯t you just let it slide?¡± It wasn¡¯t something to let go of. ¡®The sensation and voice that came into my head that I felt were definitely real.¡¯ ¡®Did the original Ruel have the power to control monsters from an early age?¡¯ ¡®Previously, I was dumbfounded to hear that Drianna had saved them, but now I can see what happened.¡¯ Old Ruel had used this power to rescue Drianna and them. ¡°Who else saw it?¡± Ruel was not happy. Beasts were monsters that were rejected in any country. Being able to control them meant that he, too, might be marked as a dangerous being. ¡°Aris saw it.¡± ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°Nobody, other than the fact that Drianna noticed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Relax, Ruel-nim is supposed to be recovering from a previous injury.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. He came to know this power unintentionally, but he saw the monster he so desperately wanted to see. ¡°How was the training?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t stop even after Ruel collapsed. From what I can tell, everyone cheered up and showed unexpected skills.¡± That¡¯s it. It was a satisfactory result if he could do his part even if he collapsed. ¡°I¡¯m going back today.¡± If the Head of a Household leaves the mansion for a long time, what¡¯s the point? *** When Ruel returned to the mansion, he didn¡¯t waste any time. He sent Cassion in advance to check the condition of the barracks in each village. ¡°It would be silly not to know.¡± Ganien giggled at Ruel¡¯s words. He stayed longer than expected, but the time was never boring. Ganien turned his head and looked toward the door. Listening to Ruel¡¯s cough, he saw a sword carefully appearing. ¡°Oh!¡± Ganien got up and looked at the heirloom, the Turbulent Day Sword, firsthand. ¡®You passed.¡¯ Ruel smiled and drank tea. ¡°Are you saying this is the Turbulent Day Sword of the rumor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s somewhat mysterious. But I can¡¯t feel the strength of the sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s an old story. Do you want to swing around?¡± Ganien wondered how well the sword was made. He asked with a little excitement. ¡°Can I really swing it around? I¡¯m going to.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re close friends, Cassion, lend him your gloves.¡± Still, even if he asked, I couldn¡¯t let him touch it with his bare hands. Ganien pulled out the sword from its sheath while wearing Cassion¡¯s white gloves. ¡®Oh.¡¯ The sword sheath and other leaf patterns were densely engraved up to the blade. ¡°It must have been quite old, but it looks new.¡± ¡®It doesn¡¯t look new, it is new.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his lips again. A light sound rang out every time he swung the sword to see if Cassion did his job properly. Crunch crunch. As he put a cookie in his mouth, Ruel identified a strange curiosity in Ganien¡¯s eyes. He shook his head without saying a word at Cassion¡¯s glance at him. Let him do whatever he wants. No matter how fake it was, he spent quite a bit of money on it, so Cassion felt uncomfortable. But what could he do? His Lord had commanded him to stay still. Pajijig. When Ganien drew his aura into the sword, a blue aura that resembled the sky appeared. ¡°Wow, look at this. Also, rather than exploding. Even if you put an aura, it will hold up... ¡± Ttug. Even though Ganien¡¯s words were not finished, the blade split in half. Ruel drank tea silently. Ttak. The sound of the teacup being put down was so scary. Ganien¡¯s eyes shook while his face gradually paled. ¡°Ru, Ruel, this is...¡± ¡°You owe me another debt.¡± Ruel smiled furiously. ¡°Because you broke my family heirloom.¡± Chapter 38: With the moonlight Chapter 38: With the moonlight Gulp. Ganien swallowed unconsciously. Cursing his own damned curiosity, he cautiously looked at Ruel. ¡±H-how can I even do this?¡± ¡°The heirloom, Turbulent Day, remains whole. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Ruel! This isn¡¯t something we can ignore. I¡¯ll pay you as much as I can, no, I¡¯ll do anything!¡± ¡°You already owe a great deal, and the heirloom remains unbroken. Cassion, you know this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Before Ganien could interject, Ruel held out his palm to stop him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This is just a formality. What¡¯s a little more debt at this point?¡± ¡°Ruel...¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath while turning away from Ganien¡¯s eyes full of respect, finding them a little burdensome. ¡°On my name, this debt will not go unpaid, Ruel. Even if I have to betray my country.¡± This time, he did not stop Ganien¡¯s oath. ¡®Even a fake sword is useful.¡¯ Isn¡¯t piling debts onto the protagonist a great way to have a good life? ¡®I think it¡¯s maybe the 5.5th rule for me to live.¡¯ Can¡¯t forget to make another fake Turbulent Day, just in case. I don¡¯t know who will get it, but I¡¯m already excited. *** ¡®If I send the two knights to Masu Forest from time to time to train and earn money...¡¯ Ruel thought while grinning at the papers piled on the table. ¡®... And the merchant of Beto uses the materials for building, and the ores to make more money...¡¯ I was excited. Even if I just stood still and breathed, the money keeps rolling in. Although he wasn¡¯t rich-rich yet, he was still happy to know how it felt like, even for a little bit. Though Billo, the butler, got very angry when he found out he had entered Masu Forest, so what? Everything was awesome. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ruel-nim¡¯s health more important than catching a rat?¡± Looking at Ruel using the magic tool, Thermal Patch, attached to his forehead to peruse the documents, the wrinkles on Cassion¡¯s forehead never eased up. ¡°I¡¯m going hard.¡± Ruel put down the documents in his hand pointed at his chest. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Though my fever is soaring and I¡¯m overkilling it a bit, the power of recovery is keeping me from dying and Leo is eating it up.¡± ¡°But if you breach your limit again, you¡¯ll fall unconscious like last time...¡± ¡°Ruel! Ruel!¡± Leo, after zooming around the room, rushed to lie on Ruel. ¡°This is why animals should be leashed.¡± Cassion looked at Leo coldly. The fox, having been scolded so suddenly, did not look good. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m a spirit. Uncle doesn¡¯t have a spirit leash, do you?¡± ¡°All you do is run around like a dog. What use are you?¡± ¡°This body is a spirit! What¡¯s wrong about getting to know where I¡¯m going to stay?!¡± Ignoring Leo¡¯s howling, Cassion continued with his tirade. ¡°There¡¯s already an uproar about Ruel keeping a fox as a pet in the mansion. And just how many snacks are you getting from the attendants?! Insufferable!¡± It¡¯s crazy to think of getting great snacks just wandering around doing nothing. He seems to be nursing a grudge. That¡¯s understandable. Cassion, or his guild members to be more precise, is working really hard. Ruel put down the documents. ¡°Even if I haven¡¯t, I¡¯m going to do it now. Ganien hasn¡¯t gone yet, right?¡± ¡°He was packing his things.¡± ¡°Tell him to come to the training center. He¡¯s my friend, so I¡¯m going to give him a present before he goes.¡± Ruel saw Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aside from purifying, can you fight?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never fought before. I was always too hungry.¡± ¡°Can you fight now?¡± ¡°This body¡¯s a great spirit before it¡¯s a great purifier. I¡¯m full now, so yes I can fight.¡± Ruel smiled at Leo¡¯s wide-open eyes and his pricked up ears. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to, but I¡¯ll add one more escort.¡¯ The more, the merrier, right? Crunch crunch. Cookies~ Yum. *** ¡°Wow. Honestly, I¡¯m impressed.¡± Ganien¡¯s low-key comment as he pulled out his sword did not match his eyes ablaze with fighting spirit. The little fox in front of him was invisible. ¡°You have to get a present before going.¡± Ruel lounged in a corner of the training ground while stuffing his mouth with meat pie. He didn¡¯t want any spectators, so he asked Tyson to cover the area with magic. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m fighting a spirit. I¡¯m probably the first one in the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°Ruel, how much strength should I use? I haven¡¯t fought before, so I have no idea.¡± ¡°Just use a bit.¡± An ear of Leo drooped at Ruel¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was saying. ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow first, Leo. It¡¯s my first time fighting a spirit.¡± Ganien¡¯s excitement was evident in his voice. He clenched his teeth and held his sword hard. ¡°Ruel, can I really use the video recording device?¡± There was one more excited person. Tyson¡¯s lips were dry, revealing his excitement and nervousness. The coughing and the dizziness came at the same time, souring my mood. ¡°Good job. You forced yourself out of bed, and now your fever is likely to spike tonight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still okay, ah, don¡¯t forget to recreate the heirloom.¡± ¡°Ruel! Ruel! This body will eat you up. I am very hungry right now!¡± ¡°Let me ask you a question, Leo.¡± Leo¡¯s ears were perked up. ¡°What exactly is this dirty thing you mentioned?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Are you the only great purifier?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s more. Everyone... left me behind.¡± The ears that were perked up were drooped down again. ¡°Can I meet them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You... Do you really need me?¡± Ruel smiled suspiciously. ¡°I really do! You fill my stomach! You are very good food for this body!¡± When Ruel told him to eat, Cassion was fiddling with his hands. He seemed to be measuring how to cut Leo¡¯s neck. ¡°What if I told you to leave?¡± ¡°Did I do anything wrong?¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°This body can¡¯t fight like the human said. If I can¡¯t feed on you, I¡¯ll slowly fade away. Eventually, I¡¯ll return to nature.¡± It was the answer he wanted to hear. Ruel licked his lips while eating his cookie. ¡°I don¡¯t trust people because I¡¯ve been stabbed in the back before, so how can I trust you if you¡¯re not even people?¡± Leo widened his eyes. He whirled around Ruel with his short legs and sat down on his thigh. ¡°You¡¯re surrounded by people full of faith. Why do you say that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different. I didn¡¯t pick those up because I wanted to.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. Ganien was an exception, but most of them just sort of happened. The fact that he could be betrayed at any time by someone he didn¡¯t specifically choose, be they people, spirit, or anything, was very annoying. ¡°But didn¡¯t you pick up this body, me, Ruel?¡± Leo smiled and waved his tail. ¡°You followed me.¡± ¡°You gave me a name, and I was happy. So this body was picked up by Ruel.¡± ¡°Congratulations. You have a beast as a pet.¡± Cassion sarcastically raised the corners of his mouth. Crunch crunch. Ruel spilled crumbs on the blanket. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nervous if you don¡¯t have a leash. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°This body already has a leash given to me by you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me a name? For a spirit to be given a name, that¡¯s already what you want.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes got bigger. The unchewed cookies melted in my mouth. ¡°... Are you an idiot? You saw me for the first time that day. Why did you believe me?¡± Leo¡¯s stupidity made me raise my voice. Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡®What a foolish fox.¡¯ Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s thigh. ¡°It was the first thing that Ruel had asked of this body. So I was happy.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel tried to say something more, but the cough stopped it. Leo looked at the black, black things that filled Ruel¡¯s body and shouted loudly. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll eat well!¡± Leo tapped Ruel¡¯s thigh and a black thing popped out. Yummy food! Leo grinned wide and hurriedly ate as if there was no tomorrow. Listening to the chewing sound, Ruel gritted his teeth as the pain of tearing his flesh off cascaded on him. Cassion carefully observed Leo. It seems to be eating something, but he was not able to see it. ¡°Beast, can I see that dirty thing you mentioned?¡± Leo, who was smacking his lips, stuck out his front foot. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± It was grimy, but Cassion gave his hand. Leo¡¯s paw then flickered with light for a brief moment. ¡°That¡¯s....¡± He couldn¡¯t stand what he saw. Having finally witnessed the black things that filled Ruel¡¯s body, Cassion found his appetite plummet. ¡°Cough¡±! As soon as Ruel vomited black blood, Cassion caught it readily with a handkerchief. It was noticeable faster than when the dregs came out due to the power of recovery. ¡°Did you see it? Ruel is a very good prey. I will eat them all!¡± ¡°Yeah, eat a lot. Get rid of it all.¡± Ruel¡¯s body was so full of black things that it seemed terrible. Cassion decided to accept the existence of that beast for now. As Leo was enjoying his meal, he furtively whispered a question to him ¡°Could any other beasts get rid of that?¡± Leo shook his head. ¡°It is similar to what needs to be purged, but a little different.¡± ¡®In the end, is this also a temporary solution?¡¯ Cassion sighed lightly and put out a handkerchief to Ruel¡¯s mouth. As expected, black blood came out. Chapter 39: With the moonlight (2) Chapter 39: With the moonlight (2) *** ¡°Hey, I feel refreshed today, unlike yesterday.¡± Ruel put on a heat patch and walked around the room as if to impress Cassion. ¡°There¡¯s still a slight fever.¡± ¡°My body temperature must naturally run high.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it only natural for someone who didn¡¯t eat for two days and has a slight fever to not feel well?¡± ¡°You probably didn¡¯t eat enough.¡± ¡°No, I ate lots!¡± The impulsive Leo insisted. Cassion smiled for a moment and pointed to the bed. ¡°Call Aris. I¡¯m going to the Hand of the Wind Guild. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had an appetite, so it¡¯d be nice if there was a lot of meat. Oh, I¡¯ll also have ice cream for dessert.¡± Cassion thought for someone who has a fever to have ice cream... ¡°Ruel, even if you don¡¯t do anything, the rats won¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t moved for two days.¡± Even if Leo ate a lot of the black thing, or the power of recovery did its thing, I had to suffer for two days with a fever. Even though I was hungry then, I couldn¡¯t hold down anything, so I couldn¡¯t eat properly. Ruel tried to be as patient as possible while caressing his rumbling stomach. ¡°Like you said, the rats won¡¯t run away until they think there¡¯s no more food to be had, but it is also true that we cannot afford to delay this any longer.¡± I inhaled Breath. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to throw some bait.¡± I had intended to wait a little longer. Ganien isn¡¯t here, and Aris isn¡¯t ready yet. However, Leo¡¯s appearance made immediately implementing the plan feasible. If I utilize both Leo and Aris, isn¡¯t it like having a not-totally-reliable Ganien? Ruel walked to the table and shook the documents. ¡°The rats are so busy that they don¡¯t have enough hands to do their dirty work, so they¡¯re hiring adventurers, right? We cannot miss this opportunity.¡± ¡°Just the two of us will go. Ruel-nim, please go to bed right away and calmly go to sleep.¡± ¡°I want to, but I don¡¯t know why Setiria¡¯s Ears are in the hands of the rats. I need to go and check.¡± ¡°Is it Minart? Jirie? Or is it Flenn?¡± Cassion wore a displeased look because this information was something he didn¡¯t know. ¡°We¡¯re going to find out soon.¡± The answer was Jirie. As our interactions with merchant Beto increased, so did the flow of information. Specifically, he told us a rumor about Setiria¡¯s Ears being in prison in one of our transactions. It was information worth checking. ¡°I wonder who it is?¡± No matter how much Cassion poked and prodded, Ruel remained tightlipped on the answer. Previously, I was in no shape to acquire Setiria¡¯s Ears, but now? A chance to finally catch the rats, and at the same time Setiria¡¯s Ears? You bet I¡¯m going to make a move. ¡°A night like this is perfect to do things quietly.¡± ¡°Have you already forgotten how much you groaned in pain all day long?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Ruel asked back, fawning surprise. Cassion let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°And the ice cream. I¡¯m sure you said you wanted to eat some?¡± ¡°Of course. I only like things that are good for my body. I¡¯d also like to have some ginger tea with dessert.¡± When he saw Ruel¡¯s smile, Cassion started to rummage through his pockets. ¡®Should I put this guy to sleep forcibly?¡¯ ¡°This body likes ice cream too.¡± Leo, who¡¯s always prancing around, said while grinning. ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Crunch. As soon as Ruel sat on the bed, he started to munch on the meat pie he had on hand. Seeing the crumbs falling all over, Cassion lifted his hand from his pocket. ¡®Yeah, this is how you should be when you¡¯re sick.¡¯ Knock, knock. After Cassion left, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Did you call for me, my lord?¡± Billo bowed his head at a perfect angle, like he was meticulously measuring it to be just right. As I thought, he¡¯s a real butler. Cassion could learn a thing or two from him. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? You look out of sorts?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Ruel went straight to the point before Billo could speak any further. ¡°I was hoping to leave a certain matter to Cassion, but you know how he has a habit of just killing anything he finds annoying.¡± ¡°Are you perhaps referring to the dogs you caught?¡± Cassion captured 1 of the 18 groups that were buzzing around the gates like flies. The wizards were safely locked up in the basement, but now we need them to talk. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve done it before. Torture.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an unwanted skill.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°Do we stand out?¡± ¡°Very. In particular, Ruel-nim leaves a strong first impression.¡± With a deathly-ill face, pale skin, and trembling lips. Above all, the green eyes that seem to see through everything¨Csimply unforgetable. ¡°It seems someone failed to mention it so I had no idea.¡± Ruel really had no clue. If Cassion had said something, I would have done something about it. ¡°Aris, would you happen to know a spell to change appearances?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the magic book, so yes, I can.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a bit too much for you to handle that kind of magic, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion chose his words extra carefully. The mana that keeps the alterations active will inevitably penetrate the body. It doesn¡¯t matter how much resistance you have, you won¡¯t be able to stand it. ¡°Then do you have anything that can cover my face, Flenn?¡± ¡°There are. Among adventurers, those wearing masks are quite common, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Masks are common?¡± ¡°Masks are convenient for hiding your identity and protecting oneself. Adventurers aren¡¯t the sort to mind doing dirty things.¡± After saying all that, Flenn got up from his seat to rummage through the nearest drawer. In the meantime, Ruel perused through the requests. He only picked out the ones who gave the most money and the most dangerous ones, and set everything else aside. ¡°Ruel, my ransom is more expensive than you thought.¡± I only chose the best paying ones, but they didn¡¯t always catch Cassion¡¯s interest. Just how expensive is this ransom?! Ruel ignored Cassion, as he had no choice in the matter anyways, and only asked Aris for his opinion. ¡°Do you think you can handle this?¡± It was the most lucrative and thus the most dangerous request. At least, among the ones that don¡¯t require killing people. That¡¯s where Aris draws the line. For him, letting people die and actually doing the killing yourself was completely different. ¡°You¡¯re too soft on him.¡± Upon seeing the request, Cassion made a knowing smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s too early.¡± ¡°Well. I disagree.¡± Cassion chose another request. One that paid more, was more dangerous, and involved killing. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel glanced at Aris through his coughing fit. In the end, he will decide what to do. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Ruel-nim, but it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡®Murder... You can¡¯t be saying you have experience? Is that why Cassion said I was too soft on him?¡¯ It was an action that did not match with Aris¡¯ pure eyes. But in the end, Ruel nodded. ¡°If you say so.¡± Aris smiled at Ruel¡¯s calming words. While Cassion and Aris were actively choosing requests, Flenn handed him a mask. The mask was mostly white, and was made to look like a fox. The eye holes were covered by something similar to cellophane. ¡°It is a magic item. The device conceals eye color, but doesn¡¯t impede sight. When worn, it locks in place and isn¡¯t easily taken off, even when hit.¡± ¡°Are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s small, but consider it a gift.¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°At least you know how to be grateful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural. The grace I received from Ruel-nim was so great that I wanted to do even a small thing like this.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Ruel spoke calmly. The respect and loyalty in Flenn¡¯s eyes were sincere. Having left his original home to build a new one here in Setiria... Just how much trouble did he go through? My investments are finally paying off. Since they started working with the Client Office, sales jumped four to five times from their heyday. Even for himself, Ruel is hard-pressed to find anything more beautiful. ¡®As expected, money is the best.¡¯ Ruel saw Cassion and Aris. Everyone stood up at the signal that they had chosen previously. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back after I take care of this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for your return in the meantime.¡± Flenn saw Ruel off and returned to examine the request they took. ¡°Hmm...¡± Although he paid me a lot for my cooperation, he also took the most dangerous and troublesome request out of my hair. The client was a smartass and normal adventurers didn¡¯t want anything to do with him, so this has been a constant pain in the ass until now. He must have taken it on purpose. ¡®It seems I owe you another favor.¡¯ What should I give to Ruel-nim next, Flenn pondered. ¡®I think he was raising a pet...¡¯ I remembered a fox sleeping calmly on Ruel¡¯s lap. ¡®Nah! What does he need the most? Medicine! Health is wealth, right?¡¯ Chapter 40: With the moonlight (3) Chapter 40: With the moonlight (3) *** ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± As he was leaving the room, Cassion put a magic handkerchief on Ruel¡¯s head to cover his mouth. ¡°At least cover your mouth when you cough.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t answer because the coughing wouldn¡¯t stop. Cassion looked at Leo trying to soothe Ruel and asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you eat more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full...¡± The coughing fit was harsher than usual because Leo had had his fill of the black things already. ¡°Wasn¡¯t everything going well? Why are you like this again?¡± With the coughing fit showing no signs of stopping, Cassion handed Breath to Ruel. Ruel, who had finally managed to breathe properly, stopped coughing like magic. This damn sickness had no middle ground. With his chest in pain, Ruel just had to say something while in pain. ¡°At least... we know... it¡¯s working very well...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll organize a special group for now. I know that no matter how competent my guild members are, you can¡¯t trust just anyone on a matter as important as this, right, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you know.¡± Cassion sighed while he brought the table within arm¡¯s reach of Ruel. ¡°There¡¯s water here if you need it. Drink some if your throat hurts too much.¡± Ruel only frowned. ¡°Beast.¡± At Cassion¡¯s call, Leo turned and looked at him. ¡°Protect him. No matter what.¡± ¡°This body has never tried to protect anyone before, but I will protect Ruel.¡± I can¡¯t say that his words were reassuring at all. When Cassion heard Aris approaching, he reluctantly started to move. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back in letting things out if you have it. Even if it hurts, it¡¯ll make you feel better.¡± ¡°... Fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Cassion, an assassin turned adventurer, sighed and went out of the room. Ruel bit his lips and closed his eyes. The whining sound hadn¡¯t started yet, so things were still tolerable. He struggled to get up to inhale Breath. His hands trembled from the effort. ¡°This body will give it to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Rather than relying on those short legs, it was better for him to use his hands, even if they were trembling. Even the shadow in the bedroom stirred. The guild member Cassion had assigned to protect Ruel was stirred to action by worry. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Trying to sound reassuring, Ruel spoke his words softly. And finally managing to take his medicine, he immediately collapsed on the bed as he fainted. Cassion and Aris left. Even though he knew the situation was very dangerous, Ruel felt relieved. [Ruel, this necklace has a protective magic on it. And this ring is imbued with attack magic.] [How do you use it? There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll bother you with such trifles. Leave the controls to me. So relax. I¡¯ll protect you even from afar.] Remembering Tyson¡¯s words, I peeked at the ornaments I wore. Ruel smiled. ¡®It¡¯s like having a lackey.¡¯ I was a bit worried that I¡¯d screwed myself for accepting something I didn¡¯t want in the first place. ¡®Is uncle personally controlling it? Does that mean he¡¯s also acting as a surveillance camera?¡¯ That thought was a bit disconcerting. I definitely should ask Aris when he comes back. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Ruel closed his eyes, fiddling with Leo¡¯s fur. After a time, unbeknownst if he had fallen asleep or simply fainted, Ruel found himself being rudely awakened. With eyes still heavy, he awoke. ¡°... Wake up.¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard. It was difficult to know who it was because it was still dark. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel asked quietly. He could hear Leo, still asleep, breathing heavily on his fingertips. ¡°I¡¯m a shadow.¡± It was the one Cassion¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Please excuse me, but the enemy is here.¡± She then carried Ruel and jumped out the window. ¡°Uh-uh...?¡± Having been woken by the commotion, Leo was about to complain when Ruel quickly shut his mouth. ¡°Keep quiet.¡± Leo nodded. Gang! The sound of clashing swords could be heard from the inn they were just in. ¡®Are they from the 18 flies?¡¯ Ruel tried to think of possible culprits as they were being carried away. ¡°My cane.¡± I left my cane at the inn. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± I tried to block the sudden cough, but to no avail. The woman put down Ruel for a moment and parried something with her sword. Kaang! It was a mana covered dagger that failed to hit its mark. ¡°I¡¯ll be dropping you off soon. Are you good at staying still in one place?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± If anything, I am confident in my ability to stay still. Just how long do you think I¡¯ve been lying motionlessly in bed? ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± She smiled brightly and carried Ruel again. ¡°Are we at the point where we need to fend for ourselves?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± The ring¡¯s buzzing stopped when he died. The two new shadows appeared at his back. Ruel turned his head towards them. ¡°It¡¯s strange that you were discovered so quickly, since you only just arrived. Did you perhaps leave a trail for them to follow?¡± Hina was standing next to Cassion. She looked at Cassion like a starry-eyed child that wanted to be praised. ¡°You forgot about this.¡± Cassion flicked Hina¡¯s forehead lightly and walked to Ruel. Ruel was handed his cane. ¡°Ruel! Ruel! This body kept you safe. Ahem!¡± ¡°Good job, Leo.¡± Before I realized it, I was already petting Leo. In any case, it is true that he protected me. Albeit, a bit late. ¡°Aris?¡± ¡°He went to the commission.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Well, it was okay. As strong as one of my fingernails.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± Ruel stood up with the help of his cane while Leo continued to gleefully beg for pets. ¡°I was just sitting down the whole time, but I¡¯m a mess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the 18, right?¡± ¡°Maybe... At least, that¡¯s what it looks like.¡± ¡°It seems that they really don¡¯t like you, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion smiled lightly. ¡°At the very least, you¡¯ll be able to hear all about it right now. Hina.¡± Hina came dragging someone. The man she brought was bloody and his limbs were broken. She threw the man on the floor. Cassion took out a bottle of drugs. ¡°This is kind of like a truth serum. In the first place, these guys don¡¯t like to talk.¡± ¡®I made Billo open his mouth, so when I go back to the mansion, I¡¯ll have to check if the information is correct.¡¯ Ruel unconsciously glanced at Leo resting on his shoulders and keeping his neck warm. When the man was forcibly given the truth serum, he opened his eyes instantly. ¡°What¡¯s your goal?¡± When Cassion asked, the man answered without hesitation. ¡°To kill Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°For him.¡± ¡®Him?¡¯ At first, Ruel wondered if these guys were the same ones Ganien was involved with, but it seems they weren¡¯t. The novel¡¯s events mainly occurred in the Cyronian Kingdom, Ganien¡¯s homeland. His enemy was part of the nobility that didn¡¯t want the Blue Knights to grow in power. ¡®If they weren¡¯t mentioned in the novel, who are they then?¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow in thought. I mentally prepared myself when I took in Ganien, but things seem to be rapidly diverging from the events of the novel since I didn¡¯t die. Why? ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Red Ash.¡± When the man finished answering, he suddenly began to laugh like crazy. And he looked at Ruel with an eerie smile. Ruel trembled from the thick vicious aura. ¡°I will kill you! I¡¯m going to kill you! Because you¡¯re alive! Not dead! Everything started...¡± Before the man could finish, Cassion slit his throat. It was unpleasant to hear more. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel¡¯s hands were trembling as he inhaled Breath after the execution. ¡®Why do you have to kill me?¡¯ The story of the novel had almost nothing to do with him anyway. He was nowhere near where the story occurs, and he could barely even be called a side character as he was just a person who supposedly dies in Volume 1. It was unpleasant. It¡¯s so frustrating when you¡¯re not in the know. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The cold night air that flowed through Breath soothed his throat. ¡°The soldiers are coming.¡± ¡°They¡¯re coming fast.¡± I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been, but it felt pretty fast to me. At least my displeasure lessened due to the prompt actions of the soldiers, way different than usual. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cassion¡¯s guild members will clean up. Ruel looked at the bright moon with a serious look. *** All hell broke loose when Cassion and Aris began to sweep the most lucrative and most dangerous requests the Hand of the Wind Guild posted. Titles, even the flashy ones, weren¡¯t all that important to adventurers. All they knew was these men were shamelessly stealing food from their rice bowls. ¡®Very good.¡¯ Whatever. Ruel¡¯s aim was to become famous anyways. Doesn¡¯t matter how. ¡°Lord.¡± Flenn carefully called out Ruel. ¡°Cassion.¡± At Ruel¡¯s prompt, Cassion took out a pouch of money out of his pocket. Flenn¡¯s eyes twinkled with the sparkle of gold coins. ¡°Distribute it evenly. Complaints will subside.¡± This is a job you do for money anyways, so if you just give them the cash, they¡¯ll quiet down. It was only a fraction of the money earned by Cassion and Aris. Ruel smiled at Cassion¡¯s dissatisfied look. I¡¯ve shown off that I¡¯m filthy rich. As he inhaled Breath, he was sure. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get the request any day now.¡± It was the perfect time for the rats to take the bait. Chapter 41: Cleaning for sure Chapter 41: Cleaning for sure ¡°How did you know?¡± Flenn could not hide his surprise because he was just about to bring up the issue. ¡°Just a feeling.¡± Ruel answered and held out his hand. ¡°I personally picked three people.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why rumors are good.¡¯ Looking at the request, Ruel smiled. They only really had two people who did request, but rumors spread that there were really three people. At least, that¡¯s what they suspected as the truth. ¡°It¡¯s a rat.¡± The client himself, Plane the merchant, was a rat. The request was to move some valuable goods. ¡®This bastard. Valuable drugs, most likely.¡¯ It was a bit obvious, but in order to capitalize on this, they had to match the rumors. ¡°Accept it.¡± Ruel held his palm out to Cassion. ¡°Mask.¡± -Wow, it looks just like this body. As soon as he saw the mask, Leo¡¯s eyes shone brightly. He didn¡¯t talk aloud to pretend he was a normal beast. ¡°Is Ruel-nim going this time, too?¡± Aris asked anxiously. In his eyes, Ruel was as fragile as glass. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll need me.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of doing something dangerous?¡± After reading Ruel¡¯s suspicious smile, Cassion asked in displeasure. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you on the way. We¡¯re just teasing the rat.¡±Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com Ruel stood up with the mask already put on. ¡°Okay, on to the adventure!¡± Ruel was really looking forward to all the exciting situations that might occur. *** ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Plane, a merchant and the client who issued this request.¡± ¡°Thank you for having us. My name is Han. And they are my party members.¡± ¡°Are you injured?¡± Plane looked from Ruel¡¯s masked face to his bandaged arm and cane. ¡°The injury I suffered from the previous request has not healed yet. However, it won¡¯t interfere with your request, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel deliberately revealed a weakness. So that Plane remembered. Plane introduced himself with a distrustful look and flashed a wider smile to Cassion and Aris than to Ruel. Ruel and his party had changed their faces thanks to Aris¡¯ magic. ¡°You just have to safely bring this wagon to the destination I asked for.¡± After completing the introduction, Plane pointed to a wagon he had dragged. ¡°The situation at the merchant is not very good as the fortress monsters and thieves have infested everywhere. Besides, this is something we have worked hard to get, so it must be transported safely.¡± ¡°Oh, you purposely chose a small number of people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If there¡¯s a lot of people, it¡¯s the same as letting them know that there¡¯s something expensive. They may be just a few but very competent at the merchant. Then, please.¡± Plane handed Ruel a map of where he had to go and bowed his head. Ruel smiled broadly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will carry it safely.¡± ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± Plane left the place with difficulty, glancing at Ruel as if reluctant. Ruel looked at the map. ¡®Are we going through the Masu Forest to the neutral zone?¡¯ The neutral zone was a small place located between the Kingdom of Leponia, the Kingdom of Cyronian, and the Kingdom of Kran. It was too small to be called a country and too large to be a village, so the three countries recognized it as a neutral zone. ¡®Shall we see if there is a base there or if it¡¯s only a trick?¡¯ Ruel walked to the wagon, receiving suspicious looks his way. -Ruel, did you do something wrong? Everyone is staring at you. And he just smiled silently at Leo¡¯s words, who was chasing after him. One out of the three key offense adventurers was injured, so it was just annoying for them. But that¡¯s just their case. The loyal butler couldn¡¯t leave him alone. They suddenly screamed as if they had met a ferocious beast and hurriedly fled. ¡®Oh, there is Aris too.¡¯ Contrary to his innocent-looking face, Aris was also angry, which made him quite frightening. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ruel called them in, notifying them that it was enough. As he approached the wagon, it was full of luggage. The wagon they were riding in was the same as a luggage wagon and seemed uncomfortable at first glance. ¡®I want to be able to sleep properly.¡¯ ¡°I have prepared it in advance.¡± Cassion took out a rug covered with fur from his pocket. ¡°Hang on. What are you doing?¡± One of the merchant members asked, puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassion frowned at the merchant members blocking him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We can¡¯t allow that in our wagon!¡± ¡°There¡¯s an injured person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your business.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re an adventurer, act like one. We have to show them well so that they can roll their tongues and give them a lot of money.¡± All the merchant members laughed together at the words. Ruel laughed as well. The obvious cliche? was so funny. It must have been a trick that worked well for adventurers they had encountered so far. Up until now. Ruel pointed at them with his finger instead of his words. He had to deal with cliche?s with cliche?s. The content of the quest was to safely transport the wagon to its destination. Leo, who did not know that it was a bluff, strolled around Cassion and Aris. ¡°Aris, drive this wagon. Cassion, you drive that wagon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The answers of the two came right away. Ruel confirmed his and Cassion¡¯s neat attire as he watched Aris. ¡°I need to make it dirty.¡± ¡°Do you really have to do that?¡± Cassion frowned because he had read Ruel¡¯s intention. ¡°The play should be dramatic. In that sense, Aris, you have passed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still inexperienced, so I can only do this much.¡± ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think of yourself as inexperienced. Cassion is just a monster.¡± These words might not be comforting, but it was better than not saying anything. How many people would be able to master the sword and magic after learning them within a month? It was a pity that he could not recognize himself as a genius because there were many monsters around him. ¡®I hope there¡¯s an opportunity to show it off.¡¯ Aris needed to feel that he had become strong. Ruel smiled suspiciously. ¡®If there¡¯s none, I¡¯ll make one for you.¡¯ ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Aris¡¯ voice was weak. Aris, sitting on the wagon, grabbed the reins tightly. The gap felt so distant because he had witnessed the power of Ganien and Cassion with his own eyes. When he achieved one thing, he felt helpless on his own as he saw them already holding on to their enthusiasm. Aris was upset. He wanted to be stronger. In the fight just now, Cassion seemed as free as the wind. ¡°Aris.¡± Aris was startled because it seemed that Ruel had read his mind at the moment. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No matter what anyone says, my escort is you.¡± His heart, which was strangely shaken by the indifferent voice, was settled. As Ruel said, no matter what anyone said, his escort was him only. ¡°Yeah!¡± Hearing Aris¡¯ powerful voice, Ruel was relieved only then. He had to raise Aris well. He could never let him get off the rails in the middle. ¡°Do you know how to drive a wagon?¡± ¡°I do. I learned while working on the farm.¡± ¡°Really? Then, drive it without shaking.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Aris smiled brightly and shook the reins. Ruel inhaled Breath and closed his eyes quietly. ¡®It¡¯s quiet now.¡¯ Whatever monsters appeared in the future, it had nothing to do with him now. Because the two monsters would protect him. -This body is going to sleep, too. Touching Leo¡¯s fluffy fur, Ruel lay down on the slightly hard rug. *** ¡°... Are you saying they¡¯re all dead?¡± The supervisor of the mission, who was waiting for the wagon in the neutral zone, asked again. Ruel said again, pointing to the blood on his body and the bits of flesh on Cassion and Aris. ¡°Because of the monsters¡¯ attack, all I had to do was protect the wagon.¡± While he was about to ask why Ruel was all right, Ruel spat out a cough. It wasn¡¯t a coughing sound on purpose. The supervisor almost asked him if it was okay without realizing it. Ruel barely stopped coughing and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. ¡°I got injured because of that, too, so I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the mission complete safely? I have to take him to the doctor, so please give us a confirmation.¡± Cassion acted feisty. It was because he wanted to wash away the unpleasant things on his body right away. ¡°Yes, yes. Please wait a moment.¡± Several people, including the supervisor who was talking to Ruel and the others, carefully looked inside the wagon. Is there anything missing? The contents of the wagon had already been searched once. Thanks to Cassion¡¯s dog-like sense of smell, he found drugs that were cleverly hidden. Prazio, the cheap drug that brought Carbena to her downfall, was also mixed in it. When Ruel discovered the drug, things got very interesting. He caught it since he thought it was a rat¡¯s tail, but unexpectedly it was a beast¡¯s tail. He realized it after he had already filmed the video with the help of Aris. Ruel had put it back as it was before looking it up, so there shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong with it. About 10 minutes later, the supervisor walked back to them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting. The mission has been completed. Here¡¯s the confirmation card.¡± ¡°I should get going, then.¡± Cassion left the wagon without looking back. Aris also left the scene, supporting Ruel. It¡¯s a product that Plane personally asked for, so it would definitely head to their base. Now that they had attached a shadow, all they had to do was wait for the wagon to go. ¡°Cassion, it¡¯s starting now.¡± The mice had dug up too many holes. Waiting for the wagon to move, he was thinking of destroying it one by one. ¡°I¡¯ll contact Horen, Drianna, and the barons.¡± Why did he continue to send the two knights to the Masu Forest? So that the rat didn¡¯t doubt it. So that they let down their guards and got used to the movement of the two knights. Ruel waited for that moment. The stinking bugs that scattered all across Setiria would disappear today. Chapter 42: Cleaning for sure (2) Chapter 42: Cleaning for sure (2) *** Shhhhhh. Gold coins poured down. It always looked beautiful. Following the orders given to him, gold and silver coins really fell into his hands. ¡®You idiot.¡¯ Plane remembered the lord, who had returned a few weeks ago. He seemed to be trying to do something on his own, but how desperate it would be to find out that it was all just a futile struggle. Soon, Setiria would be dominated by the rest of the world. He dug a tunnel hard for that. Plane wanted to see the lord¡¯s desperate expression. ¡®Before that, I¡¯ll have to figure out what the lord¡¯s up to.¡¯ He had been stuck in the mansion for long and didn¡¯t think of what he was doing. Not long ago, the lord went to the Masu Forest. However, the protection of the knights was tight, so he failed to grasp his face. Knock, knock. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Mr. Plane, the wagon has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already here. They¡¯re pretty useful.¡± As the long-cherished plan was nearing the end, he kept rushing in, so he had to lend his hand to adventurers. ¡®Adventures are very convenient. Even if I kill them, there is nothing holding me back.¡¯ It was a profession where adventurers died so frequently that they were told that they were working with their hearts out. Even if they were surrounded by monsters to the point of being killed by one, no one doubted it. ¡®Did he say that he was Han? I¡¯ll have to use them a few times and put them away.¡¯ But too many deaths could lead to suspicion, so Plane stood up, carefully and cautiously contemplating a plan to kill them. ¡°Everyone must have arrived, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± The place where he stopped was a safe made of a thick layer of metal and various magic devices. When the door opened, numerous drugs were piled up like mountains. Plane smiled so widely that his mouth reached his ear. If that amount was released at once, what would happen to Setiria? Both the aristocrats with high pride and the knights who regarded their beliefs as their lives were bound to collapse over that. ¡®...Oh, I¡¯m going crazy just imagining it.¡¯ An ecstatic expression cast on Plane¡¯s face. Tak. The sound of something tapping filled the cave. ¡°......?¡± Tak. The sound was quite close. As soon as he looked back, Plane stiffened. ¡°I saw it very well. Thanks to you, I know for sure what you¡¯re aiming for, thank you.¡± ¡°... Han?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you remember my name.¡± ¡°How can you be here...¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a bit competent.¡± Ruel pointed to the inside of the open safe. ¡°Burn it.¡± It was just a small gift for eating Setiria little by little. ¡°Oh, no!¡± Plane reacted late, but the flames had already touched the safe. Baang! As it exploded beautifully, Ruel smiled in satisfaction. -Did you see it? This body did it! I can do it because of this body. Leo laughed triumphantly and ran around Ruel. Ruel took one step, then two steps, and caught the sight of the burning fire.Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Looking at the sheer amount of it, it seems like they have been collecting them for years. Are you upset?¡± ¡°... Ugh.¡± Plane groaned on his knees. The servant, who was driven into the corner, did not know what to do. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was clear what to do in the current situation. Aris sprinted and cut off the head of the servant. Then, he shook off the blood from the sword and aimed it at Plane¡¯s neck. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± People flocked late to the sound of the explosion. The moment they saw a sword pointed to Plane¡¯s neck, they uniformly pulled out a sword. ¡°Kil, kill me! Just kill me!¡± Plane shouted ferociously. There was blood in his eyes. Bits of burnt drugs drifted before his eyes. His anger grew at the two intruders for destroying those lovely things, and he wanted to tear them apart. Plane ignored the sword pointed at his neck and glared at Ruel with eyes full of hatred. Blood dripped from Plane¡¯s neck. As the pain came, his reason returned a little. [¡°The injury I suffered from the previous request has not healed yet. However, it won¡¯t interfere with your request, so don¡¯t worry.¡±] Suddenly he remembered what Han had said. Plane tried to think by forcibly suppressing the anger that pervaded his mind. The safe was burned, and his henchmen came from the east of the cross aisle, and the distance was close to the place where Han stood. At best, Ruel seemed to be standing defenselessly. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you. For sure!¡± In response to Plane¡¯s deathly threat, Aris thrust the sword into his leg. ¡°Argh!¡± Plane, while screaming, forcibly lifted his finger and pointed at Ruel. Didn¡¯t even know it was the sound of coughing because of the disease, Plane laughed. ¡°I feel kind of dirty.¡± The cane, which he had missed as he fell after being hit in the face, rolled over Ruel¡¯s head. ¡®My cane.¡¯ When Ruel saw the cane, Plane smirked again as if he had found delicious food. ¡°I guess it¡¯s hard for you to walk without a cane.¡± Plane touched Ruel¡¯s cane with his dirty hands. He lowered his cane to his knees to see if it would make him suffer frustration in front of his eyes. Crack! There was a sound of something else breaking instead of the cane that should have been broken. ¡°Pfft.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter. He soon became suffocated and had no choice but to inhale the Breath. ¡®Indeed, Cassion, you¡¯ve got a very sturdy one.¡¯ ¡°What the...¡± Plane looked at Ruel as he threw the unbreakable cane. Anxiety flooded his mind. ¡®Should I let myself get one more blow?¡¯ Ruel soon gave up his thoughts. He had already been hit once. ¡°You¡¯d better change your mind, Plane.¡± Plane¡¯s flustered face turned white. Some of them dropped their swords on the light blue shield pattern that appeared on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Lo, lo, ... Lord.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡± Ruel smiled at them. ¡°Fo, forgive me... !¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Plane grabbed the collar of his subordinate, who was lying flat, and shouted. A smile bloomed on his face, which had turned ashen. It wasn¡¯t a normal reaction, but Ruel wanted to see that reaction. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this the lord of Setiria? How can you get to such a shabby place?¡± Plane laughed at Ruel as soon as he straightened his bowed waist. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d say that? Hahaha! A lucky charm rolled on its own! Good, very good!¡± A trump card that could turn the tables at once has rolled to his feet. The fact that the lord became an adventurer and came to his own place was something he had been preparing for a long time. He destroyed what I owned, so he should pay it back equally. ¡°Gather the rest of you.¡± Now that the lord had been captured, the knights and soldiers were bound to come. To prepare, he had to gather his subordinates spread out in the tunnel. Wasn¡¯t it a tunnel created for this purpose? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You search his body and see if there¡¯s any tracking magic.¡± Plane hurriedly rushed to the place they had come from. He made several exits just in case, so it was troublesome if there was a location tracking magic. Ruel looked at the approaching man and said. ¡°I¡¯m allergic to mana, so I will die when mana comes in.¡± The man paused and looked at Plane. Ruel pointed to where he came from. ¡°Look, they¡¯re still not chasing me, there¡¯s no location tracking magic in the first place.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. Isn¡¯t that a magic item that you¡¯re wearing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little weak. It¡¯s like a life support device. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel let out a cough. He didn¡¯t feel good because he felt nauseous. ¡°Then you can try it. You know that if I die here, you¡¯ll have no answer, right?¡± Ruel bit Breath, but Plane grasped his hand. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°My lifeline.¡± ¡°Are you going to call your knights with this?¡± ¡°If I could call the knights with this, I would have called them sooner, idiot.¡± Plane tried to yank it by hand, but the cord was so hard that it could not be cut. The Breath was pulled out of his neck without a choice. Ruel also tried to resist, but he couldn¡¯t even do it. ¡®Damn it... .¡¯ Losing the Breath was unplanned. Ruel¡¯s breathing slowed down. ¡°Bo, boss. No contact.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Try contacting other tunnels.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t reach anyone.¡± ¡°Give it to me!¡± Plane took the communication devices and connected them one by one. As the non-response continued, he threw the communication device to the ground and approached Ruel. Bzzt. Bzzt. Ruel smiled as Plane grabbed his neck. The two knights and the soldiers seemed to have cleared all the tunnels. The rest were just them. It was insignificant. He thought there would be more, but the hard work was not worth it. ¡°You! You! What do you know? What the hell is going on!¡± Plane¡¯s grasp on Ruel¡¯s neck tightened and he lifted him into the air. ¡°Le... O.¡± -Alright! This body is coming out! The cave was full of moisture, so Leo could gather water very easily. One drop was small, but when tens of thousands of droplets gathered, it became a very terrifying power. Leo fired tens of thousands of droplets at once. Toward the very bad people who attacked Ruel. Chapter 43: Cleaning for sure (3) Chapter 43: Cleaning for sure (3) ¡°Can I step up now?¡± Leo hiccuped at the sudden appearance of Hina. However, the water droplets that had already been shot did not stop. Tatatada! ¡°Ugh!¡± Plane and his men were thrown backwards by the bluntly forged water droplets. Hina picked up the Breath and handed it over to Ruel. ¡°If the chief was here, he would have said, ¡®Was dropping the lifeline part of the plan?''¡± Ruel laughed as he inhaled Breath. Cassion cares about his safety more than anyone else, so I thought he would have at least one attached. ¡ªRuel, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere? Do you want me to hit you more? Then this body will hit you. Leo rushed in and wandered around Ruel. ¡°Close your eyes for a second.¡± Ruel grabbed Leo and covered his eyes. Then Leo struggled and soon calmed down. Hina picked a dagger. ¡°Would it be okay if there¡¯s only one mouth left to speak?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you like to be beaten up?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°If that were the case, I would be less scolded by the chief.¡± Hina walked forward, pushing her long hair back into her shoulders. ¡°You probably know my name, but I came out a little late because you didn¡¯t call me.¡± And she approached Plane and his crew, defenselessly. However, they, who had fallen down, did not dare to get up. Shaking. They were shaking as if there was someone in front of them. Hina smiled, moving her thick lips. ¡°Oh, You dropped this.¡± Obviously, it sounded like she was right next to him. The man tried to turn his neck. ¡°I¡¯m talking about your neck.¡± A cool sensation touched his neck following those words. ¡°...da, darn!¡± As he watched his men die one by one, Plane was going crazy. Why isn¡¯t anyone coming? Didn¡¯t the sound of the explosion work even with magic items that served as emergency communication? ¡°They can¡¯t come.¡± Ruel grabbed the cane Leo had brought. I was still out of breath, so I just sat down. ¡°... What?¡± ¡°You must be excited that I¡¯m going, so I forgot to look around, right?¡± Plane swallowed his saliva. He couldn¡¯t admit that Ruel was right. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be true! This is the center of the underground cave! There are dozens of them just by looking at the exit! Do you know how many years I¡¯ve devoted myself to this ho...le?¡± Although he tried hard to deny it, Plane had no choice but to accept the fact that he was trapped. This place is a maze. A maze dug underground. His stomach churned because he knew it better than anyone else. ¡°Then why isn¡¯t anyone coming?¡± At Ruel¡¯s question, Plane bit his lips hard. Drugs collected over the years were burned in an instant. I grabbed Han with anger against him. An adventurer named Han was actually the lord himself, and Plane himself thought he had a reversal card. But he doesn¡¯t. The moment he grabbed Han, his life was already over. He should have dispersed his men rather than gathered them together. ¡®He, I should have sent my men to tell him that the operation had failed... I should have done that before...¡¯ The moment he thought of himself as a wolf, everything was over. Seeing Plane die in despair, Ruel smiled arrogantly. As soon as she saw Cassion emerging from her shadow, Hina stiffened. ¡°Are you done already?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m a bit worried, so I came earlier. Is that right?¡± Cassion¡¯s gaze headed toward Hina, she quickly permeated into the darkness. Then, Cassion saw the Breath in his hand, not his neck. ¡°I attached a very strong string so as not to drop it, but I didn¡¯t think it would be taken away. We¡¯ll take action later.¡± He bowed his head neatly toward Ruel and looked at Plane with a smile only an assassin would make. Puck! Something came and instantly kicked Plane in the face. Plane flew into the air with the sound of something breaking. Soon after, Cassion appeared on his back falling down from the air. Crackle. Due to the weight of Cassion on his back, Plane¡¯s face fell to the floor. There was an eerie sound of his face being ripped apart. ¡®People aren¡¯t snowboards...¡¯ Ruel was so startled that he couldn¡¯t even blink. Cassion grabbed Plane¡¯s neck and lifted it slightly. Blood dripped from Plane¡¯s face. ¡°Who¡¯s your owner?¡± When there was no answer, Cassion took out a dagger and cut off his useless leg. ¡°Aww!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your owner?¡± ¡°Liberan! It¡¯s Liberan!¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°P, Prios.¡± Prios was one of the six families of Leponia. Ruel breathed out calmly. ¡°What¡¯s your purpose?¡± ¡°Crashing Setiria...huff...do,down with drugs.¡± ¡°Was there a Red Ash on you?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Answer me.¡± Cassion urged. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know. I can become the king of this place if I do what Liberan tells me to do.¡± ¡°Stop the bleeding.¡± I still had to listen more. Cassion replied that he knew Ruel¡¯s instructions for now, but he seemed dissatisfied. While robbing Plane¡¯s property, Aris said he found something. Abandoned Birds. Click. At the sound of the door opening, Ruel opened his eyes. Abandoned bird, Setiria¡¯s ear. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ruel saw a man without one eye. He stood like a sinner, as if he denied reality. Ruel just asked because he didn¡¯t know how he was standing here. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come back to me?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you abandon us?¡± ¡°You must have heard that I was back.¡± ¡°A spy that failed to fulfill their roles should be discarded. Thrown away.¡± ¡°What were you doing there?¡± We were at odds. Nevertheless, Ruel only asked and asked until the end. The man barely vomited words while biting his lips. ¡°We were preparing for our finale.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The last, because even that last wish could not come true.¡± His voice was full of despair. Ruel slowly looked at the man, inhaling Breath. Setiria¡¯s ear were in a prison made by Plane. Even though they could have come out, they didn¡¯t. Looking away from life, Ruel thought they were abandoned. ¡°What was the wish?¡± ¡°The accident where the former lord passed away...¡± The man struggled too hard to speak out. ¡°It happened because of the betrayal of some of us.¡± The former lord died when the wagon overturned. It was such a vain death. Cassion saw Ruel. I couldn¡¯t tell what kind of mind was swirling in that calm expression. ¡°My ears were broken, the network was disrupted, and the former lord died. And you...¡± ¡°I was sent to the most remote place in Setiria. So what?¡± Ruel made a hoarse voice. ¡°Did you get your revenge?¡± ¡°Only half is successful because I couldn¡¯t kill Plane.¡± That was so funny. As a result, it eventually returned to the fundamental problem of Setiria. After the death of the head of the household, his successor fell ill with an unknown disease and was detained in an old mansion. Plane, no, his owner Liberan. No, the Red Ash did everything. ¡®Maybe this disease is also related to Red Ash.¡¯ Ruel said, fiddling with Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°Then I helped you get revenge, we caught Plane. Killed all the rats too. I found out who used them.¡± Every time Ruel spoke, a look of surprise appeared on the man¡¯s face. ¡°Are you feeling better now? Or do you want to grab on to what¡¯s already been done and go back to that dirty, rotten prison?¡± Setiria¡¯s remaining ear found the culprit, but the story was drawn in his mind that it failed and he was captured by Plane. They weren¡¯t monsters like Cassion, they didn¡¯t have soldiers like themselves. ¡°... Actually, revenge is not over yet.¡± After thinking, Ruel pointed up. ¡°There¡¯s something hanging around. What do you want to do?¡± I¡¯ll give you a chance this time. Whatever choice they make, it will be up to them. If you refuse, it¡¯s a bit of a waste, but if you go after them, you¡¯ll get a better ear than them. ¡°I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man just looked at Ruel. Setiria¡¯s last hope, the flame. If the only direct line, Ruel, disappears, Setiria will fall. Reading the man¡¯s gaze, Ruel grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t like people who don¡¯t have grit.¡± And he soon stopped laughing and looked at the man. ¡°I hate people who give up without even doing it.¡± Ruel pointed to the door. ¡°Get lost, cough.¡± A cough followed. The man stood stunned and looked at the door that Ruel had pointed to. What would happen if he went out that door himself? He turned his head again and looked at Ruel. He meant it. The man felt as if the irritation reflected in his eyes was holding him back. ¡®If...¡¯ My colleagues once talked about what they would do if Ruel found them. Everyone said they couldn¡¯t go back. But the man knew. That all those words are false. He gave up his name, face, and family for the sake of Setiria and became his ear. He became an adventurer to get any information, became a chef, a servant, a handyman, etc. There were no unseen things. ¡°Can I go back?¡± The man asked. His mouth trembled. ¡°Do you want to come back?¡± ¡°Can I go back?¡± ¡°I gave you a choice.¡± The man tightly closed his eyes. His eyes got hot. His heart beat so hard that the place where he was cut by Plane and the place where he was trampled on hurt. ¡®I haven¡¯t felt anything... .¡¯ The man grabbed and unfolded his hand and looked at Ruel. He said as he lowered Ruel¡¯s hand, which was pointing at the door. ¡°... I want to come back. I want to go back to my hometown, my everything.¡± When he brought out the sincerity he had not yet revealed, the man felt a heavy burden lifted. ¡°Okay.¡± The man knelt down on two knees at Ruel¡¯s voice that it was natural. ¡°Greetings from Dion, the head of the ear of Setiria. Greetings, Lord.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s a bird, not an ear.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re birds.¡± ¡°Will you ask for information for me, Dion?¡± ¡°Of course! We exist for the lord.¡± The bird, which shook off its hesitation, flapped its wings to fly again. Chapter 44: Prios (1) Chapter 44: Prios (1) ¡®Not yet.¡¯ However, in Ruel¡¯s view, they have yet to fly. Then shouldn¡¯t you help them fly as the lord? ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Go to the Birds and make them swear by Mana. The condition is not to betray Setiria.¡± One bird is weak, but a flock is different. Ruel broke it from the foundation so that they wouldn¡¯t think about anything else. ¡°Those who refuse are enemies. Kill them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You too, make an oath of Mana, Dion.¡± He didn¡¯t know what the lord was thinking about releasing the birds, but he was different. Everything needed a leash. Trust can be gained slowly over time Dion signed a mana¡¯s oath with him without saying a word. ¡°It¡¯s been signed.¡± As soon as Cassion¡¯s words fell, Ruel smiled with his hands folded. ¡°You can¡¯t escape Setiria with this.¡± ¡°From the moment I gave up my real name, I had no intention of leaving Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the first order. Take the birds¡¯ oath. Cassion, follow him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two answered at the same time and went out of the room. Ruel finished looking at the data while touching Leo¡¯s ears, who was still asleep. ¡®Liberan, the baron of Prios.¡¯ I wondered if the barons could really have enough power. Perhaps there is a powerful family from Prios in the background. ¡®Should I meet him? There is no muzzle to cover the mouth, no leash.¡¯ E/N: Means nothing is stopping him from doing so. There was no emotional connection between Prios and Setiria. In good words, it was normal, and in other words, they were not interested in each other. Knock. Knock. A knock was heard while Ruel sighed. ¡°Come in.¡± It was Billo who opened the door and came in. Did the Red Ash minions open their mouths? ¡°Greetings, Lord. Within a few days, your face became emaciated.¡± ¡°I am always emaciated. So? Did they talk?¡± ¡°It has not been opened. But I made it open.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Ruel looked through the snack basket on the table because his mouth was bored. Sniff. Sniff. Leo, who smelled the good food, opened his eyes. ¡ªI want to eat in this body too! Isn¡¯t that the sweetest thing in the world? I thought I should teach him how to say cookies. Ruel handed over one cookie to Leo. He put it in his mouth. Crunch. Crunch. ¡°He¡¯s a Red Ash, aiming for Ruel-nim¡¯s life.¡± ¡°And?¡± The information I know came out. Ruel listened bored and chewed on the cookies again. ¡°He used Flenn, who had attracted Liberan, Prios¡¯ baron, who dominated the world behind Setiria.¡± ¡°How was it that only a baron could use Flenn in Setiria?¡± ¡°He gave Liberan a weakness of Prios.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the weakness?¡± ¡°Prios is said to be a collateral.¡± ¡°... Ha.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. I heard an unexpected ball of luck rolling around. ¡°Can¡¯t a collateral be the head of the household? It doesn¡¯t add up.¡± I touched the back of my hand. The only thing a collateral could have was the name of a noble. ¡°You can fool your eyes with magic as much as you want. If your liver is out of your stomach.¡± T/N : If your liver is out of your stomach it is a Korean saying used to make fun of, condemn, criticize someone who acts way too recklessly without fearing possible consequences. ¡°The head of Prios is someone who act recklessly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Liberan took advantage of that weakness and turned even the head of Prios into a puppet for me.¡± ¡°... Things are going interesting.¡± The reason Liberan was able to reach out to Setiria even though he¡¯s only a baron was because he had captured the head of Prios. ¡®It¡¯s going very well, three noble families are raging like this to eat Setiria, so Setiria must have been a very tasty restaurant.¡¯ Ruel quit thinking about whether any of the remaining nobles had touched Setiria. He was already so tired. ¡°I¡¯ve caught a guy called Flenn. Check if the information matches, this time his mouth is light, so you can just sting it a little.¡± ¡°I will know for sure so as not to go against the expectations of the Lord.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s work hard.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Billo bowed and stood up. He was acting as if he would go out at any moment, but he gently looked at Ruel. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°Do you get better from the illness?¡± ¡°Are there many rumors about my illness?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this old man has fixed all the rumors circulating in the mansion.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel replied calmly and smiled subtly at Billo. ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°Excuse me a lot. I was just worried, so don¡¯t think too hard.¡± Where should I start? There is a mountain of things to do. He inhaled the Breath and asked Cassion. ¡°Today is the day of the meeting, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Taxes have been lowered, the number of thieves has decreased, farming has improved, ore is pouring out of mines, there are no natural disasters, the Masu Forest is quiet, and the crime rate has decreased. What topic are they discussing?¡± The more he spoke, the corners of Ruel¡¯s lips rose. Originally, Setiria was abundant. It¡¯s just that silly Carbena and Mineta ruined it. ¡°They¡¯re discussing Ruel-nim¡¯s marriage...¡± ¡°Dismissed.¡± It seems that these old people are comfortable in their bodies, so their heads are also comfortable. ¡°What is Minart doing without stopping this?¡± Being the youngest and most capable, Ruel made Minart the center of the barons. If such a nonsensical topic had been discussed, I would have cut it off. ¡°Minart strongly insisted.¡± ¡°Today¡¯s topic is warp devices. Say that.¡± The land of the Leponia Kingdom was wide, and Setiria was also wide. It took about a day by carriage to the village of Sisel, farthest from Apor, the center of Setiria, so it was too far from Ruel. The gap should be narrowed so that it can shine in times of crisis. ¡°Okay.¡± Cassion bent down and went outside. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± With a lot of meat pie on his face, Leo smiled. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed out and smiled suspiciously. ¡°Would you like to play with Aris?¡± ¡ªPlay? Leo tilted his head. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a spirit or a wizard, it¡¯s the same nature in the end, so wouldn¡¯t it be stronger if you play a game of attributes with each other?¡± Leo¡¯s eyes were sparkling. ¡ªCan this body protect you better? ¡°Probably.¡± ¡ªThis body wants to protect you. I want to protect you better. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªIt feels great to protect it. You¡¯re my food, so it¡¯s natural for this body to protect you. Leo ran over his short leg and rubbed his face full of meat pie in Ruel¡¯s arms. Cassion would freak out if he saw it, but Ruel stroked Leo. How can I not smile when you speak so firmly without any doubt? ¡ªI will. This body will protect you. ¡°Okay.¡± Maybe Aris and Leo were similar. The eyes longing for affection that appear occasionally may be due to the environment in which they were raised. Ruel bit Breath in his mouth, hoping they would get close to each other. *** ¡°Pardon? Play with Leo?¡± Aris was surprised by Ruel¡¯s sudden remark during the meal. Leo suddenly walked over and rubbed his face on Aris¡¯ feet. ¡°Yeah, are you looking forward to it too? How the spirits manipulate nature.¡± ¡°Yeah! It was very beautiful.¡± Aris recalled the fight between Leo and Ganien that he saw not long ago. How I wish I could do magic like that. Because the current magic cannot contain both attributes at once. ¡°Is it fun being an adventurer, Aris?¡± Ruel cut the meat into large pieces and put it in his mouth. Aris showed signs of surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Flenn said you liked it so much that he talked about it.¡± When he went to catch the rat, Flenn suggested that the most innocent Aris ask for a request, as it was quite suspicious when Cassion and Aris solved it. Of course, with his permission. If the enemy of the two knights was the army, Aris¡¯s enemy was an individual. Ruel is willing to allow it because it would have been difficult to make the fighting method similar because they were training together. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, you made a good decision.¡± Now that Aris was taller and better than himself, he smiled happily as if he had not become sullen. No matter how you look at him, he resembles a golden retriever. ¡°In addition to my name, I also sold Ruel-nim and Cassion.¡± ¡°Good job, an adventurer is a status that can be used at any time.¡± ¡°Are you frustrated to the person who came into the mansion late yesterday?¡± Cassion put down the new dishes. ¡°You should always be ready to move. Adventurers can go anywhere.¡± Even if the opponent is a noble. ¡°Eat a lot.¡± Cassion sighed deeply and said. Ruel stopped picking up the meat with a fork and opened his mouth. ¡°It seems like your sighs have increased lately?¡± ¡°Thanks to someone, my sighs increase.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to rest for a while. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Cassion, who was putting the food on the table, and Aris, who was trying to put his salad in his mouth, stopped and looked at Ruel. Bite. Bite. I could only hear Leo eating. Ruel raised his eyebrows when the atmosphere suddenly became quiet while chewing. ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 45: Prios (2) Chapter 45: Prios (2) ¡°Are you sick?¡± Cassion asked quietly. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± Aris looked at Ruel anxiously. ¡°No, it¡¯s the same as usual.¡± Cassion carefully examined Ruel. Breathing, fever, trembling, everything was similar to usual as he said. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The familiar cough sound was also the same. Cassion couldn¡¯t help but ask questions that came late. ¡°What do you think Ruel-nim is resting for? Isn¡¯t he the one who can move even if there are two sides of the sky?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± It was a joke that wasn¡¯t even funny. Looking back on Ruel¡¯s own actions, wasn¡¯t it simple? He had, of course, been running around a bit with his condition, so he was thinking of taking a break. ¡®A day or so?¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll get a tailor. I¡¯ll also put off the meeting later.¡± ¡°No, I need clothes to wear, and I¡¯m going to show my face for a minute at the meeting.¡± Cassion¡¯s smiling face hardened. The meaning of resting was different from that of himself. ¡®Well then.¡¯ Cassion answered, letting go of the food. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell them separately.¡± *** The tailor closed his eyes tightly and was happy that the size did not decrease as much as expected, and the barons including Minart watched Ruel¡¯s eyes throughout the meeting, so they could not even say the ¡®ma¡¯ of marriage. Since the warp device will not be made overnight, it has been decided to discuss it one more time at the next meeting. Flop. Ruel lay in bed and coughed. Is it because it was harder than I thought to catch a rat? I was tired even though I didn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Change your clothes and lie down.¡± Cassion held back his anger while carrying a change of clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s do it roughly.¡± Isn¡¯t it my room anyway? It doesn¡¯t matter what I wear when I sleep. Leo pressed Ruel¡¯s back hard. ¡ªIt is full of filth again. This body will eat you! ¡°Wait!¡± But before Cassion could even speak his words, Leo had already touched Ruel¡¯s body. Looking at the black things emanating from Ruel¡¯s body, Leo swallowed his mouth. Ruel groaned and gripped the duvet tightly as his heart had been removed without preparation. His hands trembled. Cassion hurriedly took out his handkerchief and put it in Ruel¡¯s mouth. Yum. Yum. Black blood flowed from Ruel¡¯s mouth with the sound of teeth clashing. ¡°Beast, from now on, get my permission before eating Ruel-nim¡¯s disease. The duvet I put on today will get dirty.¡± Teary-eyed. As if appealing to his disappointment, Ruel vomited black blood. I¡¯m glad I supported it with a magic handkerchief, otherwise I would have almost gone for a new blanket today. Cassion looked proudly at the handkerchief and was relieved. ¡°... Cassion.¡± Ruel was dumbfounded and looked at Cassion.Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Please understand that I take care of everything, including bloody clothes, blankets, and pillows.¡± There were servants in charge of laundry. However, we can¡¯t just leave the blood-stained laundry to the servants. No matter how much Billo cracked down on the rumors, there was no guarantee that such a big event wouldn¡¯t leak out. Ruel quickly averted his gaze. I was poked inside. ¡°Thank you for your generous understanding.¡± Despite Cassion¡¯s intentionally twisting and sarcastic remarks, Ruel was desperate to endure the pain from what just happened. How embarrassed he would have been if he hadn¡¯t been sick. ¡®Are you secretly gathering adventurers to transport things?¡¯ There were quite a few people recruiting considering it being conducted secretly. It seemed that he was going to move things by pretending to be a merchant. ¡°Cassion, how did you get this information?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Everyone¡¯s mouth is light in front of death.¡± ¡°Buy one of the adventurers and change the list of adventurers to us.¡± ¡°Are you also going, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do reckless things like when I was catching Flenn. I have to meet the head of Prios as well.¡± Cassion sighed instead of answering. ¡°We¡¯ll leave in 5 days.¡± The goods were scheduled to be shipped a week later. Shouldn¡¯t we go to Prios in advance and prepare various things? ¡°Call my uncle. You don¡¯t have to come to me after.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± From the smile on Ruel¡¯s face, Cassion sensed that he was up to something. A moment after Cassion left, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Did I interrupt your research?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re calling, and of course I should come.¡± ¡°Uncle, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± Tyson wondered why Ruel was sitting on the floor, but smiled broadly at the request of his nephew. ¡°Tell me anything.¡± ¡°Please strengthen this to the point where I can stand while using it.¡± I handed over the bracelet I received from Ganien. It was a magic item that made me walk better. ¡°... Ruel, magic items are less than direct mana, but it¡¯s easy to strain your body.¡± ¡°So you only have to strengthen it to a level that I can tolerate.¡± ¡°May I ask why?¡± ¡°I want to move as much as I can.¡± I couldn¡¯t leave my body alone forever using my illness as an excuse. That item was the foundation for that. ¡°I want to be strong, too.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°It¡¯s two different things, not getting better and being strong.¡± Tyson shut his mouth tight. He¡¯s afraid he¡¯ll say something that will make Ruel lose his expectations. ¡°Red Ash is aiming for me. I don¡¯t know the identity of the enemy. But they knew very well what was going on around me.¡± He manipulated Carbena, reached out to Hale, the eldest son of the Lumina family, a baron of the Lumina family, and Matyros that trafficked people. And he threatened Setiria by handing over the secrets of the Prios family to the baron Liberan. All of this is not just a coincidence, Ruel thought. It must have been a long and painstaking preparation. ¡°Everything they have done so far, all of them are directed towards Setiria and me. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel frowned and let out his cough. ¡°Someday, they will also target those around me and will remove the obstacles one by one. I can¡¯t even move at will, so should I just watch the situation?¡± With a firm look, Tyson saw the bracelet Ruel gave. It was dangerous. If he creates an item that exceeds Ruel¡¯s tolerance, he will break again like before. He was scared. He wonders if he¡¯s hurting Ruel again with his own hands. ¡°Uncle, I know what you¡¯re worried about. But I¡¯m fine. I believe in my uncle.¡± ¡°Ruel, it¡¯s not a hasty decision. Your existence is much bigger than you think.¡± ¡°I know. So I can¡¯t stay still like this. My existence shouldn¡¯t be a weakness. I have to be strong.¡± Ruel has already made up his mind. With that firm will, Tyson felt like his heart was breaking. He wanted to shout asking why he had to walk on the thorny path right away. ¡°Uncle, even if my body is weak, I don¡¯t want to be as weak as my mind. Can you help me?¡± Ruel laughed. Tyson couldn¡¯t say anything more about the sad smile. A guy like my son wants to be strong, and he wants to fight. I can¡¯t do anything about it. ¡°I got it.¡± Tyson struggled to accept it but looked at Ruel and smiled. Chapter 46: Prios (3) Chapter 46: Prios (3) *** Five days later. ¡°Did you... gain weight?¡± Cassion hesitated as he dressed Ruel like usual. It wasn¡¯t to the point that the outfit couldn¡¯t be worn, but it felt like it was a bit tight. ¡°... I see. You¡¯ve gained some muscle.¡± Ruel smiled happily at the sound that he gained muscle. Even while passing out every day, he had walked consistently and it was already the fifth day of walk training. It could be wondered if there was anything that could change in five days¡¯ time, but it was also time for quite a lot to change. It was possible because he had gained some muscles while walking. As if to show off, Ruel got up from the bed. He was dizzy for a moment and staggered a bit, but he was able to stand. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to close all the buttons yet...¡± Cassion belatedly noticed. Ruel got up from his seat without a cane. ¡°Congratulations. It seems your efforts have come to fruition.¡± ¡°You said I wasn¡¯t under surveillance.¡± ¡°I can tell by the shape of your muscles. You could have told me though.¡± ¡°Would you have approved?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I apologize. I think I¡¯ve underestimated Ruel-nim.¡± ¡ªThis body helped! Leo was jumping on the bed and said after shrugging with pride. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all thanks to you, Leo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you in the future. Do you wish to be strong?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Will it be okay? Do you know that you still have a fever because your body is frail?¡± ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I have this on.¡± Ruel pointed to the thermal patch. Illness was not something he could do anything about. He will have to compromise moderately in the future. ¡°Did the place where you were hit by Plane hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah, it really hurt.¡± ¡°Up to where are you looking for? I will get a sense of the expectations.¡± ¡°A level where I can protect myself.¡± Cassion immediately frowned. The wrinkles looked unusually deep.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Do you know that using a sword is unreasonable and using magic is difficult?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± ¡°Your body will break like before. As you know, your bowl is wide, but it¡¯s too weak to hold anything.¡± It was a story he already knew, but his heart ached again. ¡°It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way.¡± It was possible if the power of resistance grew. Also, weren¡¯t there still two powers left behind by the hero? ¡°My goal is to run around without relying on magic items.¡± ¡°That is possible, though it¡¯s going to take a long time.¡± ¡ªThis body will help you again. I¡¯ll push you with the wind! ¡°Okay. Help me.¡± Ruel finished speaking and inhaled Breath. Knock. Knock. ¡°Ruel. Can I come in?¡± Cassion opened the door to Tyson¡¯s voice. Tyson was slightly surprised to see Cassion as he came inside. Cassion was displeased by that reaction. ¡°Did you perhaps talk behind my back?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Ruel replied calmly, but Ruel sighed at Tyson¡¯s eyes asking if it was okay. He really can¡¯t hide his true feelings from showing on his face. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Please come in.¡± ¡°Are, are you standing without a cane now?¡± Immediately after making a slightly embarrassed expression, Tyson stopped in his tracks when he saw Ruel standing upright. And soon, he slowly approached and looked at Ruel as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°... Keep up the good work.¡± Ruel took a leisurely look at the scenery outside while eating cookies. ¡°I¡¯m glad your wound got better so soon.¡± Aris smiled broadly at Ruel¡¯s arm without the bandage. ¡°My wound heals quickly.¡± ¡ªNo, Ruel is... Before Leo spoke more, Ruel handed over a cookie. Jjap Jjap. With the cookie in his mouth, Leo forgot what he was going to say and busily ate the cookie. ¡ªThis is the second sweetest thing in the world! The first one is ice cream! ¡®Has Leo ever eaten ice cream?¡¯ Ruel peeked at Cassion. Cassion shrugged his shoulders. ¡°After meeting the head of Prios, I will attend a prearranged meeting as an adventurer, so prepare accordingly.¡± ¡°Prearranged meeting?¡± Aris asked, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s a meeting for giving out information in advance. Information such as: what needs to be guarded, where the destination is, and so on. They do this because it¡¯s a large scale. Cough, cough.¡± After speaking, Ruel coughed. ¡°Our goal is to take the item that needs to be guarded.¡± ¡°May I ask what the item is? ¡°I don¡¯t know except that it¡¯s sealed.¡± Liberan did not even tell Plane what the object was. Considering that, it¡¯s probably very important. ¡°May I ask why you should also be going for this mission?¡± At Aris¡¯ question, Cassion seemed satisfied. Ruel looked at Cassion. Cassion only shrugged as he did before. ¡®Did you trick innocent Aris...? Even though you know why I¡¯m going?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°That¡¯s a good question. But before that, let me tell you for sure. You guys will be doing the job. I am just observing.¡± After the premise was laid out, Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°First of all, I told Cassion to bring the item, but the result was a failure.¡± ¡°It is not a failure. It¡¯s just that it was enchanted and it couldn¡¯t be taken out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s called failure, Cassion.¡± ¡°What kind of magic was enchanted on the item?¡± Aris asked with a curious look. ¡°It¡¯s called item disposition magic.¡± The answer was from Cassion. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a name for magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just magic that sets the material on fire. It¡¯s magic that¡¯s usually used by guys who have something to hide, and it¡¯s more efficient than thought. If you say a certain word, or it falls within a certain distance, or the caster dies, the item burns on its own.¡± ¡°So, you can¡¯t touch it. The problem is that the agent we see tomorrow is also one of those people who cast that spell.¡± Ruel smoothed Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°How difficult. If we can¡¯t take it out secretly, then the only way is to go and unseal it there. But I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the reason Ruel-nim has to go.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a valuable item, they must have put warning magic on it. You have to unlock the magic seal as well. If there¡¯s another way to trick the guards¡¯ eyes and get the item out safely, do tell.¡± At Ruel¡¯s question, Aris pondered. Even if they ambushed, it was over once the agent spoke that certain word. ¡°If the shadows hid and somehow unleashed the magic seal...¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the shadows are not wizards.¡± Cassion admitted that it wouldn¡¯t be possible to quickly unlock the seal. ¡°Then, Tyson-nim...¡± ¡°The wagon is going to travel through the Masu forest.¡± ¡°...!¡± Only then did Aris notice why Ruel was going. ¡°Also, I want to see what kind of item it is.¡± Whether or not Cassion crumpled his face, Ruel clasped his hands together and laughed. Chapter 47: Prios (4) Chapter 47: Prios (4) *** ¡°It¡¯s Ruel Setiria.¡± Since Ganien, whose name was the most formidable to use as a disguise, had left, Ruel used his own name. ¡°I, I apologize! I¡¯ll get in contact right away!¡± The soldier freaked out and hurried into the mansion. Who in the world would use the name of a powerful family head other than the head themself? Looking at the soldier running in without checking his identification, Ruel inhaled Breath. Ruel was holding a cane. Even if he could walk without a cane, he didn¡¯t intend to change his image of being weak. ¡°Do you have anything to pick up this time?¡± At Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel was willing to answer. ¡°There is.¡± There is only one line mentioning Prios in the novel: ¡®I went through Prios to get to Shio¡¯s estate.¡¯ It was a very uncharacteristic place. There was only one thing to pick up here: Prios¡¯ Lord. Ruel only smiled but did not answer exactly what it was. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Aris, not Ganien, was standing behind him. So-so. This was the assessment that Cassion had bestowed on Aris¡¯ skill. The word ¡®so-so¡¯ in the eyes of a monster was taken as that it was better than most adventurers. Soon the soldier returned, and Ruel went inside under the guidance of a servant. Ruel was slightly offended by the servant¡¯s words that the head of Prios had already entered the room. ¡®Their treatment toward their guest is awful.¡¯ Although he spoke his name, he was still Setiria. He didn¡¯t think he deserved to be treated this badly. Since the other party didn¡¯t keep to their manners, Ruel had no intention of keeping his either. Ruel took all members of his party and entered Prios¡¯ room. There were no butlers or servants in sight to stop this. ¡°There are many eyes.¡± Cassion spoke quietly before opening the door. ¡ªShould this body protect you? ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Looking at Leo sitting on his shoulder, Ruel nodded towards the door. Ttak. With the sound of the cane hitting the floor, Ruel entered the room. ¡®...Hmmm.¡¯ The family head of Prios was sitting at the table and biting his hand with his head bowed. At his actions as if being chased by something, Ruel grinned. ¡°Thank you for welcoming me even though I came without prior notice. I am Ruel Setiria.¡± Only then did the family head of Prios get up in surprise. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t meet you in person. I¡¯m not feeling well today. I am Ketlan Prios.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s clean up the area first since there are many flies around. Aris.¡± There was no need for Cassion to come forward. Even in Ruel¡¯s eyes, people surrounded in mana were seen here and there. ¡°Yes.¡± Aris pulled out a sword. It was best to get rid of buzzing flies. ¡°What, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Sit still.¡± Ruel was known for being sickly, but his spirit was extraordinary. Ketlan covered his ears. Ruel sat down at the table leisurely, listening to the screams and the sound of the sword being swung. Tock. Tock. He then tapped the table with his finger and drew Ketlan¡¯s eyes to him. ¡°You¡¯re of a collateral line.¡± Ruel coughed to the point his back bent at the force. He made a face at the pain that rose at the same time as his coughs. ¡°Being a lord myself, it¡¯s a tedious position. It¡¯s the kind of thing where if I disappear, everything collapses. It¡¯s really hard to change that. I wouldn¡¯t know about later, but if I disappeared now, Setiria will definitely fall into ruins.¡± Ketlan clenched his hold on his knees at Ruel¡¯s calm voice. ¡°If you disappear, will Prios not collapse?¡± ¡°... it might collapse.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you leave this place if you can handle all the resentment and tears.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go...¡± Ruel grinned at Ketlan¡¯s answer. Ruel believed that Ketlan, though of the collateral line, was better than those of the direct bloodline, who left everything behind, not caring whether or not Prios was destroyed. ¡°You are the only direct line of Prios.¡± ¡°What... ¡± ¡°Live as the proud head of Prios.¡± Ketlan silently looked at Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s simple to come under me. Don¡¯t look down on Setiria. Help Setiria. I¡¯m asking you to come under me for those two conditions.¡± ¡°What, what about surveillance?¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want Prios? If you put a leash on my neck, you can enjoy more money and power. And you don¡¯t have to deal with dirty things with your own hands.¡± Ruel snorted. It was funny because what Liberan had made Ketlan do was so insignificant. You only took control of Prios for that? Ruel expressed his opinion exactly after inhaling Breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want it. Setiria is a much better place than Prios. Money? Power? I have enough of those right now. Oh, it¡¯s good to have more money, but I¡¯m not in an urgent need to squeeze Prios dry.¡± ¡°Is, is it fine to require only those two conditions from me...¡± ¡°Listen.¡± ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Ketlan calmed his excitement and waited for Ruel to speak. ¡°You are the lord. Whether you are of a collateral line or of a direct bloodline, I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s make this clear.¡± Ketlan had on a stupid face. He wanted to talk, but his mouth didn¡¯t move. ¡°Remember this. You and I met today because I needed to borrow money from you.¡± Ruel then pointed to the body that had yet to be cleaned up. ¡°Form an excuse saying there was a slight dispute. These things will be changed out anyway. Since it¡¯s me we¡¯re talking about, they¡¯ll let it slide.¡± Ruel urged Ketlan after inhaling Breath. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Yes...?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not swearing the Mana Oath on the terms I said. Should I even tell you how to do that?¡± Ketlan¡¯s breathing got a little faster. There was a very small light reflected in his dead eyes. ¡°Really, would that be enough? Really?¡± ¡°Do it.¡± Ketlan smiled for the first time at the firm answer. It was a rope of salvation. There was no reason to refuse. This was someone who gave him back his hands and feet and drove out those who planned to take his neck. Ketlan said after a hasty oath of Mana, ¡°The lord came to borrow money from me, and I refused. As a result, there was a slight dispute.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°You and I have never officially met.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ruel smiled satisfactorily. ¡°I¡¯ll chase out the rat. I will wash away your stigma as well. Instead, swear your loyalty to me.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve already sworn allegiance in my heart.¡± The coward that was seen at the beginning was no longer there. This must be the real Ketlan. Ruel was done with his business. All that¡¯s left is to kill the rat in order to fully get Prios in his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel got up from his seat with the cane. For the sake of acting, he put on a fuming face as he left the room. When the door closed, Ketlan firmly bit his lips. For the first time since he¡¯s climbed up here, he¡¯s become a person. For the first time, he could breathe. Tears streamed down his face, eyes brimming with emotion. ¡®Thank...you.¡¯ Chapter 48: A Noble Person Chapter 48: A Noble Person Until he got into the carriage, Ruel maintained an angry expression. But as soon as he sat, he put his hand on his stomach with a languid face. It was difficult for him to make this expression. ¡°Why?¡± After patting Leo on the head, Ruel opened his mouth. Shortly after riding the carriage, Aris looked at him with respect. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of my decision to follow you.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°But I think you can be more greedy.¡± ¡°I was greedy.¡± Thanks to Plane*, Liberan¡¯s nemesis, he learned about the weaknesses of the head of Prios, and as an added bonus, he received an oath of allegiance. T/N : Plane here is a merchant from chapter 41, in the previous chapter he was translated as Flenn. Actually, they are different people. So Plane is a bad guy here, the rat. Flenn is still the leader of Hand of the Wind guild. I¡¯m so sorry for the misunderstanding. Isn¡¯t that completely beneficial? What more can I be greedy about? Aris laughed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s like Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°The pride of Prios are the artisans.¡± Cassion spoke with regret. Ruel was impressed when he heard that only a few of them could have been brought out. I didn¡¯t know that. The pride of Prios are the artisans. Had I known that fact, of course I would have added it on the condition. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a bit disappointing, but I can bring them back even after this is over.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Black things are growing. But this body is full now, so I¡¯ll eat it later. Leo laughed as he watched the food increase. No wonder my head was throbbing. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the inn.¡± ¡°You seem to be in good health though. There was no loss of consciousness like before.¡±Updated chapters at novelhall.com Cassion calmly pulled out his handkerchief as he started the carriage. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Looking at Ruel¡¯s hand, Cassion searched his pocket without a word. He took a basket of snacks out of his pocket and handed Ruel a meat pie. Preservation magic was applied, so it was warm as if it had just been baked. ¡°Astell cared more. In addition to meat, only ingredients that Ruel-nim can eat have been added, which are good for the body.¡± After passing the meat pie to Aris and Leo as well, Ruel took the pie in his mouth. Crunch. A pleasant sound was heard. *** Stretch. Stretch. An annoying noise was heard throughout the meeting. The client¡¯s agent was impatient and pointed to the man in the fox mask. ¡°Hey! Why do you keep eating?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s time to take my medicine.¡± Regardless of whether his eyes were focused or not, Ruel finished what he was eating and raised the corners of his mouth. He originally hated herbal medicines or things that are bitter, but he started taking herbal remedies to help him regain his vitality. Rather than getting frustrated because only painkillers work, wouldn¡¯t it be better to take herbal medicines to keep the body healthy? ¡°What are you doing without explaining? They¡¯re all waiting.¡± Ruel¡¯s brazen tongue made the agent feel ridiculous. He stopped talking because of someone. ¡°Hmmm, the brief introduction ends here, and now I will tell you what you need to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s bitter.¡± Without paying attention to the agent¡¯s subsequent explanation, Ruel put into his mouth a medicine that looked like uhwang-cheongsimhwan instead of just drinking it directly. T/N: Uhwang-cheongsimhwan : a pill formulated with a variety of herbs, used to treat various symptoms such as traumas, paralyzed limbs, etc., from a stroke, etc. The bitterness came right up. ¡°Don¡¯t leave anything behind, drink everything.¡± All herbal medicines have been made by Cassion after consulting a well-known pharmacist in Leponia Kingdom. ¡°The task you have to accomplish is simple. It is to deliver our products safely and in good condition. The number of wagons is four. There are hundreds of things in it. The value is indescribable.¡± ¡®I need to find out about the doctors and pharmacists.¡¯ ¡°This time, our Carpen merchant has made a deal with an important customer. That¡¯s why we need the help of all of you.¡± ¡®After this is over, I¡¯ll have to look at the Birds¡¯ status and ask them for information.¡¯ ¡°We will start here from Prios, cross the Masu Forest, and head to the Kran Kingdom.¡± T/N: For reminder, masu forest is a beast forest. Ruel gave a long yawn as he had already heard the information. After the long speech, the adventurers gathered a team on their own. Ruel stood up and hinted. ¡°You decide and let me know.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Group 3 consisted of themselves and two soloists. One appeared to be an archer, and one appeared to be a shield-wearing swordsman. ¡°Trash.¡± Cassion simply said, no more, no less. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am...¡± ¡°You will need my arrows in the future. Speaking of my skills...¡± There was no need to look any further. Let¡¯s say those two can¡¯t come out because of a sudden stomach ache. Ruel concluded and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk in a place like this. How about this?¡± Then he made a drinking gesture, and the two immediately smiled. Ruel asked. ¡°Do you know a good place?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The swordsman wearing a shield proudly tapped me on the chest. ¡°Guide me, it¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°Haha! Unlike your appearance, you have a lot of courage. I like it!¡± ¡°Are you going there by any chance? Bitter beer.¡± The archer asked the shield-wearing swordsman. The swordsman opened his eyes wide and soon laughed cheerfully. ¡°That¡¯s the best place in Prios.¡± ¡°No one is there...¡± The two immediately became close friends over alcohol and walked forward. ¡°The symptom is a stomachache.¡± ¡°Yes, I have a medicine we can use. Those three days will be pretty tough.¡± ¡°Okay, do that.¡± ¡°But do you know how to drink? Aris, you too?¡± Cassion looked at those who were not yet adults and was thinking about what to do. Aris shrugged his shoulders. He never had a drink. Ruel had never even had alcohol in his current body. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you drink it.¡± Shouldn¡¯t it be alcohol that I¡¯m going to drink? His mouth is watering already. *** ¡°Kyaha.¡± Ruel drank the best liquor in the store without hesitation. Checking for allergies, He just dropped some on his tongue, and when there was no reaction, he had one, two, and more and more glasses. Whether it was the one with the shield or the one with the bow, the two had already gone to the bathroom and did not come out for a long time. ¡°... Huh, it¡¯s like a beached whale.¡± Cassion laughed despondently, putting the side dish in his mouth. Drinks are as good as the meal. Aris hit his head on the table as soon as he touched the booze. The only thing they could hear was breathing with no movements at all. Leo was busy eating snacks from Cassion under the table. Ruel, who was drinking the whole time, suddenly put down his glass. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± Ruel stopped looking at the glass and inhaled Breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? There¡¯s still alcohol in the glass.¡± ¡°¡®Wiing!¡¯ It¡¯s just the beginning. I¡¯m a drinker. This can¡¯t be happening.¡± Ruel smiled softly with sullen eyes. Cassion immediately drove the booze out of the way. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± The only way to find out whether alcohol was harmful to Ruel was to make him drink it first. No more alcohol. Cassion put a piece of information on the checklist. Ttak. As Cassion put the notebook in, Ruel banged his head on the table. ¡°Ha....¡± There was a long sigh. Chapter 49: A Noble Person (2) Chapter 49: A Noble Person (2) *** Unlike Aris, who has been suffering from a hangover since dawn, Ruel was busy vomiting black blood. ¡ªOh, it¡¯s getting more and more delicious. Based on Leo¡¯s growing size, a lot of black things are being devoured. How many side dishes did you just eat at the store? Cassion shook his head while looking at Leo, who looked at his owner and ate well. ¡®The sound of sipping and the groan of Ruel were mixed.¡¯ The pain was even greater because it was torn more than usual. ¡°... medicine.¡± Ruel struggled to get his words out. I wanted to ask Leo what he meant by getting more and more delicious, but I couldn¡¯t think straight. Ruel took the medicine that Cassion gave him and fell back on the bed. ¡°We have to start now.¡± We had to get together at 5 a.m. The clock was already ticking toward 4 a.m. ¡°...soon.¡± Ruel closed his eyes tightly, bringing up a brief remark that he would be fine soon. Who do you blame? It¡¯s his fault for being crazy about drinking after a long time. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait until 4:15. If you don¡¯t get better, stay here and return to Setiria, and Hina will protect you.¡± Cassion looked at the clock leisurely. The second hand moved diligently with the sound of chewing something. With three minutes to go, Cassion¡¯s hand moved. Cough. Ruel coughed up black blood once more. Only then did Ruel look at Cassion with a refreshed face. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel got up from his seat, putting on the mask he had placed over his head. He stumbled for a moment, but he didn¡¯t fall. Cassion sighed as he tucked in his handkerchief. He set the time short on purpose. ¡®The power of recovery has grown more than before. He recovered earlier than expected.¡¯ Cassion followed Ruel, who walked well without a cane. ¡°... I¡¯m ashamed.¡± Aris couldn¡¯t raise his head in shame. He never thought he¡¯d faint with a drink. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± So what if the escort can¡¯t drink? Ruel reacted sourly and looked at Leo. ¡°What do you mean by saying that black things are delicious?¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s thicker. That wasn¡¯t good news either. ¡°Didn¡¯t it increase?¡± ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t grow even though I ate so hard.¡± Leo licked his lips again and smiled mischievously. ¡®It¡¯s a relief that he didn¡¯t grow.¡¯ Whether this, which is not known whether a disease or not, is getting worse and spreading, it¡¯s okay as long as Leo balanced the strength of his recovery. They arrived at the meeting place by walking in the morning. By five o¡¯clock, the appointed time, the agent appeared. Like an attendance check, he checked the adventurers one by one and checked the paper in his hand. ¡°...and there¡¯s Han, Cassion, and Aris... Where did the rest go?¡± There were two missing. ¡°Come to think of it, we met last night, so we had a drink, but I haven¡¯t seen them since.¡± Ruel spoke in a pompous manner. The agent asked in surprise. ¡°You mean you don¡¯t know what happened?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re in the same group, but I¡¯ve never seen him before. Shouldn¡¯t you figure it out?¡± ¡°I see. Group 3 will have 3 members first, and the rest...¡± ¡°No, thank you. We¡¯ve been working together, so these three are more comfortable to work with.¡± The agent opened his mouth with a ¡®hmmm¡¯. ¡°Would it be difficult with only three people?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really difficult, I¡¯ll talk to you separately, so go ahead.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t want to talk any more, so he pushed his agent away. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and put a medicine in his mouth that Cassion had passed. While departing, the agent emphasized the value of the goods in the carriage and demanded that the mission be completed safely. The carriage left at six o¡¯clock, an hour later, due to attendance checks and speeches. The wagons, which were going smoothly in Prios, stopped at the gates of Setiria. ¡°... No, what are you doing? I¡¯ve shown you the merchant token, the referral letters, and the adventurers¡¯ cards!¡± The agent raised his voice against the soldier. There has been news that the gate security has become tight these days, but I didn¡¯t know it would be this much. ¡°It¡¯s taking time because the merchant token is a bit strange. Please wait calmly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s already an hour. An hour!¡± The most important thing in the upper convoy was to deliver the goods safely, but the second was to deliver them within the scheduled time. Unexpectedly, they were kept hostage at the gate. Ruel yawned and watched it leisurely. ¡®I told Baron Will in advance and I¡¯ve got my hands on it.¡¯ He ordered Will, a baron who manages the Sisel Village, to hold onto him appropriately when a merchant named Carpen arrives. ¡®Very good.¡¯ The promised date is probably correct, apart from this being a normal convoy request. ¡®Your mouth will be dry. We¡¯ve already spent an hour.¡¯ The Masu Forest was an uncontrollable place. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the time I expected, so how anxious will it be. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed while taking the medicine. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a nap?¡± asked Cassion, looking back. Judging from the commotion in the gate, it was likely to drag on for two, no, more than three hours. ¡°No.¡± Adventurers who were showing their patience must be feeling the pressure at the gate when irritation arises from their mouths. ¡°We¡¯ll see how they will handle this.¡± Ruel leaned back like a spectator and took the medicine. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you get things right? I showed you everything. What¡¯s the problem?¡± One of the adventurers came down from the wagon and walked to the soldiers. The agent calmed down the adventurer as he was about to show it. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of it soon. Give me a minute.¡± When he slipped a silver coin, the adventurer pretended to hold back his anger and went back to the carriage. The agent approached the soldier and secretly showed him a flower, the symbol of Prios. The soldier remained motionless. Rather, he pointed to the shield pattern engraved on his armor in the sense of why he showed this. ¡°This is Setiria.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the captain here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± The soldier who was talking to the agent raised his hand slightly. The agent was briefly embarrassed, but soon whispered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Plane.¡±Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com The merchant was in a hurry, which could have caused disruptions. But it¡¯s not this name. Because the opponents were monsters. He must have felt relieved that his wagon could be safe. In a situation where monsters and adventurers were mixed, the confusion only grew. The agent trembled while hiding in the midst of the adventurers and prayed that the monsters would disappear. Ruel asked Tyson to look at the situation around him, pretending to use magic roughly. In case my share disappeared, the adventurers who were covering the wagon they had to protect also moved toward the first wagon when the monster did not move much. People flocked to the first carriage. Then, his gaze shifted from the carriage to the monster. ¡®Good, good.¡¯ Ruel also moved towards the first wagon. Cassion followed and informed Aris of the situation in real time. ¡®It¡¯s very much like a herd of dogs.¡¯ As if the enemy had been lost by the wagon, the monsters happily ate and smashed, despite the resistance of the adventurers. In the meantime, Aris appeared quietly. He cut down a monster and made a trail of battle on his body. ¡°Scattered.¡± Ruel gave orders, covering his nose with a handkerchief. As soon as the command was given, the monsters ran towards the forest in an instant. In the sudden situation, none of the adventurers showed embarrassment. Rather, they roared loudly and enjoyed the victory. ¡°The monster has retreated!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a success.¡± Aris said softly and laughed. There were many things that Ruel asked Aris to do. Unlock the defense system around the wagon, exchange the item with another object, then restore the defense system. Cassion couldn¡¯t, but Aris, the wizard, could. ¡°Hu, hurry up and check if there¡¯s anything missing!¡± The agent belatedly came to his senses and shouted at the wrecked wagon. The adventurers scattered and headed for their wagons. It was because there was a possibility that someone could tamper with the object by taking advantage of the chaos. Ruel also entered the wagon. The object they were aiming for was a necklace with rubies. Aris showed off the necklace proudly. It was very faint, but the mana fluttered. ¡°It¡¯s sealed. It¡¯s a very precise seal.¡± Just in case anyone heard, Aris lowered his voice. ¡°Can you solve it?¡± ¡°I can solve it.¡± He answered without hesitation. Ruel automatically burst into laughter when he thought about how much other wizards were hung on to this seal. Genius was different no matter what. ¡°Release the seal.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion looked at them and said, ¡°The agent is coming.¡± Aris rushedly stashed the necklace into his pocket. ¡°Is there anything missing?¡± ¡°There is none. There is no damage too because no monsters come here.¡± Cassion replied to the agent¡¯s question. ¡°All right. Please keep an eye on it just in case.¡± With a sour lemon-filled face, the agent left the carriage. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel put a handkerchief to his mouth. I didn¡¯t know if it was the aftereffects of controlling the monster or the disease, but there was red blood around my mouth. Ruel leaned against the wagon and closed his eyes. ¡°...continue.¡± The agent was nearby, and the defense system and items would be fine, so if you unsealed as it is, your purpose would be achieved. ¡°Yes.¡± Aris answered silently, took out the necklace he had hidden to unseal it, and moved Mana. The sound of the wheels rolling was unusually loud. Leo must have woken up, but a soft touch lingered in his hand. Ruel opened his eyes with a bite of Breath. ¡ªIt seems that dirty things have increased. What did you do? The black ones seemed to have increased for a while as the power of recovery was trying to fix something else. Ruel did not respond to Leo¡¯s words. I didn¡¯t want to wrinkle the face of Cassion, who looks at him from time to time, and Aris, who obviously cares about him openly. He just stroked Leo¡¯s fur. ¡®It¡¯s not good for my body to use the power to control monsters.¡¯ It worked very well. Ruel closed his eyes again. Just because I did it a few times, my whole body was as heavy as a stone. ¡°Wake me up when it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Hearing Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel could no longer resist the force holding him back. His breathing was slow, but uneven. ¡°If Ruel can¡¯t breathe properly, pass the Breath over to him. You know what I mean, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Even if you unseal all the seals, don¡¯t wake him, he¡¯ll wake up in a little while.¡± ¡°I know that, too.¡± Aris unwrapped the seal with a complicated face. *** Ruel opened his eyes automatically with an uneasy energy. The carriage stopped. ¡°You can still sleep more.¡± Cassion opened his mouth, slitting someone¡¯s throat. Someone¡¯s death is what I see as soon as I open my eyes. Ruel asked, repressing his bewilderment, ¡°...what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. As you expected, there was only Red Ash.¡± Why is that not a big deal? Even though the massacre of adventurers had begun, he was too carefree. ¡®... No, am I the most carefree person who slept in the middle of this chaos?¡¯ Ruel expected that by the time the carriage reached its destination, Red Ash would appear and eliminate the adventurers. I would have called them by offering 10 gold coins with that in mind from the beginning. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Leo jumped in from outside the carriage. ¡ªThis body has gathered it all. Leo¡¯s tail moved gently, hoping for praise. What does that mean? Ruel¡¯s gaze automatically turned to Cassion. ¡°He said he would do anything, so I ordered him to collect shiny things.¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s lips went up. He rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach, who must have been collecting jewels. ¡®Okay, it¡¯s time to give you a sword. There are a lot of artisans in Prios, so I¡¯ll have to ask Ketlan for it.¡¯ ¡°The agent has been held. I¡¯m sure Hina is keeping him well.¡± ¡°What about the seals?¡± ¡°It has already been solved. He was better than I thought.¡± Bang! There was the sound of something exploding. The carriage shook for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s the magic that Aris tried. There¡¯s a wizard in the enemy, and we¡¯re dealing with him.¡± Ruel walked up to the tent hanging from the carriage. ¡°Did you kill the adventurers, too?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s better not to have a light mouth at all. They all died in the Masu Forest.¡± Ruel frowned slightly but said nothing. He looked at the magic bursting with colors as if embroidered in the sky and inhaled Breath. ¡®It¡¯s going to explode.¡¯ Chapter 50: A Noble Person (3) Chapter 50: A Noble Person (3) *** ¡°If you talk nonsense, you won¡¯t die beautifully.¡± Ruel glared furiously at his agent. With the aura that broke through his mask, the agent bowed to the point where his head touched the carriage floor. Aris, who was sitting next to him, quietly drew his sword. ¡°Of course, of course. I, I¡¯m not going to do anything stupid and talk nonsense!¡± Mana¡¯s oath hung in the heart of the trembling agent. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have had to follow me.¡± Cassion glared at the agent and opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s strange that you have no injuries.¡± A real patient joined the scheduled trade to act as a person injured from the attack. It was amazing. Cassion couldn¡¯t even laugh. As he approached the meeting place, Ruel finally checked their story matched with his agent. ¡°How did you say you¡¯d introduce us?¡± ¡°Th-This is my escort!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°While killing the adventurer, I met soldiers on patrol and there was a big fight, and you were the only ones who survived.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It took a long time because the soldiers were strong and they were forced to leave the corpses in the Masu Forest. They left no traces, so I have to tell them to be rest assured.¡± After everything, the agent looked into Ruel¡¯s eyes. The agent was Liberan¡¯s subordinate, but all he knew was that he had to deliver something to an organization. ¡°What about Liberan?¡± ¡°I have already reported that this is progressing as scheduled.¡± ¡°Yes, you should report regularly.¡± Ruel laughed. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because Leo ate a lot of black things or because the power of recovery grew again, but anyway, I felt healthier than before. Ruel reached out to Cassion. He familiarly handed Ruel a cookie wrapped in his hand. Crunch. ¡®As expected, you need to eat cookies to calm down.¡¯ After having the agent turn his head, Ruel gave one to Leo as well. Crunch. The carriage filled with the sound of cookies being chewed. If you catch them by their tails, find their base and destroy them, everything that gets in our way will disappear. We will now be able to enjoy a rich, peaceful and ordinary life. Ruel painted a happy future. *** ¡°... So what about the thing?¡± The man asked from behind. A few words were spoken. He simply asked questions about things within the range that Ruel had anticipated and told the agent beforehand. The agent replied calmly, feeling Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°I brought it.¡± Ruel¡¯s group entered a restaurant in the neutral zone and waited for them to come. But it wasn¡¯t them who came, it was one guy. Cassion sat next to his agent and showed him the ruby-studded necklace. ¡°I checked.¡± It sounded low. Cassion put his hand back and handed the necklace. In the midst of hand-to-hand contact, Cassion left a trail for tracking. As soon as the item was handed over, the man stood up. When the man disappeared completely, Cassion opened his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Ruel smirked and sliced the meat. And he looked at the agent and checked. ¡°You know what to do, right?¡± ¡°Of, of course. I know.¡± ¡°Keep the evidence together while I go do other things, and don¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± ¡°Go.¡± The agent bowed to Ruel and ran away. As long as there was Mana¡¯s oath, the agent was in the palm of his hand anyway. ¡°Can you track where he went?¡± ¡°Yes, he was injured. He smelled like blood.¡± Cassion raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°He was injured?¡± Ruel¡¯s hand stopped. I fiddled with the fork at the unfamiliar fact. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s tracking him.¡± ¡°I feel the same way. I could see several mana as if he was enchanted with.¡± Hearing Cassion and Aris, Ruel lowered his hand and stroked Leo. ¡®There¡¯s someone else who knows Red Ash?¡¯ If so, we had to hurry. Ruel put the meat in his mouth in disappointment and held Leo in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel rose from his seat. *** Cassion stopped and fiddled with the soil and smelled it. ¡®He rode from here.¡¯ He left the neutral zone and headed for the forest, and fled on a horse waiting for him. ¡®But you won¡¯t get out of my hands.¡¯ Cassion returned to Ruel and reported what he had found. ¡°What¡¯s the distance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not far. I¡¯ll prepare a horse.¡± Cassion paused and looked at Ruel. ¡°Do you know how to ride it?¡± And then his eyes turned to Aris. ¡°I know how to ride.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°A letter that maneuvered something with Carbena Setiria.¡± ¡°...ha.¡± Is it Carbena again? Ruel sighed automatically. There was no end to the waves, so I was annoyed. ¡°It was strange. You are the ruler of Setiria I know.¡± ¡°Mineta must have been your agent.¡± ¡°An agent? I¡¯ve never heard of such news.¡± ¡°Someone seems to have covered the eyes of the royal family.¡± Banios was not particularly angry. We continued to talk. ¡°Until I see the letter.¡± Tap. Tap. Banios came closer to Ruel. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that either.¡± Then he glanced at Cassion and Aris, who were standing far away, and asked. ¡°Are they trustworthy?¡± Ruel replied without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°All right, then...¡± Ruel shook his head from side to side, inhaling Breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to ask me to do, but I¡¯m out of it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you come all the way here after chasing the Red Ash?¡± The corners of Banios¡¯ mouth went up. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have stepped out.¡¯ It was no coincidence. Banios thoroughly waited here for himself and the man with the ruby-studded necklace. Where did they find out? Ruel exhaled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What kind of deal did you make with Ganien?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a deal, it¡¯s a cooperation, and I¡¯ve decided to send one of my men to catch the rat hiding in the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± The words were a little strange. Ruel burst out laughing. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re talking about me, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Today, for the first time, I met the third prince, Ha-ha.¡± ¡°I am not, um. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you in person, but I¡¯ve heard about you from time to time. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so familiar.¡± Banios talked about bullshit for a long time. ¡°So let¡¯s change the subject. Carbena Setiria...¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Carbena. Don¡¯t put with Setiria.¡± ¡°Excuse me, anyway, when I saw a letter from Carbena pretending to be the housekeeper, It was so weird that I did a separate investigation.¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Okay, all of a sudden. Until then, I did not covet the throne, because I believed that my brother would lead this country brilliantly.¡± Banios¡¯ mouth drew an arc. It was as bitter as autumn. ¡°You know what Setiria is like. The gates of the country have been opened. You, the lord, were imprisoned.¡± ¡°You were wise. If you had saved me, I would have lost my neck.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t blame me.¡± Ruel had a calm look. There was a time when I thought people who barely managed to deal with a drugged Carbena were stupid. But it wasn¡¯t by any means. Five years ago it was really huge enough for them to just let it go. Ruel asked calmly. ¡°When did you start looking for it?¡± ¡°Three years ago. My strength was weak, so I only managed to break through the surveillance and get here.¡± ¡°Have you taken care of the Second Prince¡¯s ears?¡± If the powerful second prince had dealt with Carbena, it was clear that he was keeping an eye on Setiria. Of course, that surveillance has diminished over time. ¡°I got them.¡± Banios proudly said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep blocking Setiria¡¯s information.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should say thank you, honestly.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to hear that, but I¡¯d rather ask you to do something.¡± ¡°Please tell me first.¡± Setiria was not yet fully rebuilt. But there was enough power to overcome royal pressure. There was nothing to lose. ¡°I want to be the king, so please support me.¡± Ruel immediately frowned. It was a sound that had to be. The prince met for the first time today, regardless of whether he has power or not. Can you believe in him? ¡°Let¡¯s think slowly about the request just now and solve the Red Ash that hid in the country first.¡± ¡°Setiria is not what it used to be.¡± ¡°But that role hasn¡¯t changed yet.¡± Banios was very aware of the role of Setiria. The gatekeeper of the Kingdom of Leponia. A place that should never be weak. ¡°Give me the information you know.¡± ¡°Liberan.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°There is a place in the Cyronian Kingdom that is believed to be their stronghold, so I brought in Sir Croft and cooperated with him.¡± Ruel grinned. As expected, the main character is caught in the middle of a huge incident. ¡°Good information. Please give me more details later.¡± Hearing Ruel¡¯s brazen demand, Banios laughed. ¡°Oh, I got one, so I¡¯ll give you one. Cassion.¡± Cassion took the paper out of his pocket. It was precisely a copy of the paper taken from the ruby necklace. ¡°It¡¯s from the guy you caught. I stole the confidential document he was trying to steal.¡± Ruel waved the paper in front of Banios¡¯eyes. He will be very surprised to see the contents. Chapter 51: Can you use magic? Chapter 51: Can you use magic? ¡°Confidential documents...?¡± Banios¡¯ eyes grew sharp. ¡°Yes, Leponia¡¯s vulnerability is written down, to be precise, an attack plan. First of all, it¡¯s about me. After killing me, the is plan to bring down Setiria and crush the royal family using the secret passageway.¡± ¡°...crazy.¡± Banios¡¯ teeth cracked. ¡°Who the hell!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°I was going to chase after the man His Royal Highness caught, to find out where he was, and then I was going to beat Liberan. He knows something.¡± Ruel laughed bitterly. The goal was him again. The beginning of the Red Ash was him, and the end was Leponia. Why is it that bad things always start with himself? Ruel was displeased with the fact that he seemed to take on unsolved homework. Ruel Setiria, the sick noble. Turns out I could see a spirit. Turns out I am able to control the monsters. Unlike the web novel, In which he was not mentioned at all because Ruel died, but it turns out that the living Ruel was very special. To the point where the enemy is so impatient to end him. In the latest episode he read, the atmosphere of the Kingdom of Leponia, Cyronian, and Kran was sharp as if war was about to break out at any moment. ¡®Maybe because of this confidential document.¡¯ The possibility is quite great. If there is a place that is presumed to be the stronghold of Cyronian, many people must have colluded with the Red Ash. ¡®Is it the war that Red Ash wants? Or something else.¡¯ Ruel closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling Breath. ¡°Do you think that the place where the second prince is located is also the base of Red Ash? I think so.¡± ¡°Pu ha ha ha.¡± At Ruel¡¯s sudden attack, Banios laughed as if he had seen something interesting. Ruel casually brought up the fact he had wanted to deny. ¡°Are you originally like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Please don¡¯t be offended by it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, what you think is correct. I covered my eyes, I covered my ears, because I thought the king¡¯s seat was not mine.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel turned his head and covered his mouth with his hands. ¡°At least you shouldn¡¯t have closed your ears.¡± ¡°I know, I regret it.¡± ¡°How much work did you do?¡± ¡°Khun, Prios, Lumina. Three families are on my side.¡± When he heard Prios and Lumina, Ruel smiled softly between his covered hands. The problem was the Kuhn family. A powerful family that has been protecting the royal family since long ago, they are in-charge of escorting the entire royal family. ¡°So you need Setiria.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the importance of the guards of the kingdom and the guards of the royal family different?¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°What can I give to you, your highness, who has managed to find both ears and eyes?¡± Banios frowned slightly. It was because he felt that it was a statement that crossed the line. ¡°Lord Setiria, although...¡± ¡°My lord, my family is Setiria. Whether the wings are broken or both legs are broken, Setiria is Setiria.¡± Ruel, who spoke softly, showed greed like a merchant. ¡°I am also the last remaining Setiria. If you want to protect this country, I have to live. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Give me everything I want.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t covet the throne. I don¡¯t want to make Your Highness into a puppet. You can just feel that I¡¯m not yet an adult, and I¡¯m greedy, so I have to do everything in my power to survive.¡± After saying everything, Ruel smiled broadly. ¡°I think my existence is worth it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion sighed as if he were looking at the child who had an accident, and Aris clenched his fist at his confident appearance. Leo, who wanted to run to Ruel right away, pouted his mouth and tapped Aris¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Banios managed to suppress his anger. ¡°You can be arrogant. But the difference between having one and having three is huge. What would you do?¡± The side that needed urgent help was Banios. It was for his own good, not for Ruel, that he blocked the information heading to Setiria. It was all for Banios himself that he investigated Setiria and chased the Red Ash. So Ruel was going to get everything he could use for himself. Banios wanted to contort his face, but then he laughed out loud. ¡°Indeed, Sir Croft was right. You¡¯re a big shot.¡± ¡°Thank you for having a good impression of me.¡± ¡°So what do you want?¡± ¡°How about an oath that we can trust each other?¡± ¡°Anytime.¡± Ruel took another oath to his heart on the condition that they would not betray each other. ¡°Is this how trust was built?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a small stepping stone. I don¡¯t know you, so it¡¯s normal to take precautions.¡± However, he trusted Ganien¡¯s eyes and made an oath. The main character¡¯s ability to choose people was amazing. Cassion, Aris, Jirie, etc. How many people are there already? ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Liberan. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m too big to move.¡± T/N: He¡¯s saying about his position. ¡°Now, I want you to bite off the ears that you put in Setiria.¡± Contrary to speaking in a solemn voice, Leo¡¯s tail fluttered uncontrollably. It was very easy. No one is as easy to seduce as Leo. ¡°What do you think, Aris?¡± ¡°Just leave it to me.¡± ¡°Cassion, you choose the client, and if you think it¡¯s hard, come forward and help.¡± ¡°... I see.¡± Cassion looked displeased, but failed to refuse. ¡°Sure.¡± Seeing Flenn return, Ruel rose from his seat. ¡°Take it.¡± Then he took the medicine and handkerchief that Cassion was giving him, and followed Flenn. ¡°I¡¯ll rest, so don¡¯t let anyone come.¡± Ruel left the words behind and went into the room led by Flenn. As soon as the door closed, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and vomited blood. Bright red blood. Ruel stumbled and just sank into place. He went up again and covered his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ If he thought he was getting better, his condition would get worse and try to eat himself. It didn¡¯t seem like a disease. Should it be called a disease when symptoms appear and worsen unexpectedly like this? It was as if the disease had even malicious intent to kill him. ¡®What should I say about this...?¡¯ Ruel felt his fingertips tremble and closed his eyes. ¡®It¡¯s not magic.¡¯ If it was a series of black magic, there was no way that Tyson wouldn¡¯t recognize it. Magic and other things. It¡¯s not obvious, but misfortune can come and kill the opponent. ¡®...a curse.¡¯ Ruel clenched his handkerchief. It was a concept that did not exist within the ¡®SSS-class knight¡¯ novel. If there were, he would have thought about it sooner. ¡®Red Ash, you¡¯re the same.¡¯ The corners of his lips went up. That group was also non-existent in the web novel. I don¡¯t know if it was in the author¡¯s settings, but I couldn¡¯t have known myself as a reader. ¡®This is fun.¡¯ Maybe the group called Red Ash was the enemy of Ganien that the author wanted to portray, or it could be the group that came out because Ruel wasn¡¯t dead. Whatever it was, Ruel¡¯s illness occurred five years ago. It coincided with the time when the Red Ash was approaching Carbena. ¡°... Hina.¡± Blood flowed down again with the words. Ruel wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and said to Hina, who appeared at his call. ¡°Give me some water.¡± ¡°Here you are. The chief gave orders before he left.¡± Hina shook her head as Ruel tried to grab the cup. ¡°He even told me to feed you directly because you¡¯ll break the cup after throwing up blood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hina was neither his butler nor his servant. So he was sorry. ¡°Can I just pat the spirit instead?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to be sorry.¡± Hina helped Ruel, who couldn¡¯t even stand, into the bed. ¡°Chief, stop making me work.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath with his trembling hands. ¡°... I have to say it right. Tell the chief to stop overworking you guys.¡± For a moment Hina¡¯s lips twitched. I knew you¡¯d want to hear that, too. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. He only asked this and thought well. ¡°Are you aware what a curse is?¡± ¡°Is there anyone you want to kill? If you ask, I will do it for you.¡± ¡°Then what do you think of a curse?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s useless, but it¡¯s something you inflict to someone annoying enough to want to kill them, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± If the deputy guild leader brought it up like that, then a curse was just a simple word. ¡®It¡¯s no different from the novel.¡¯ With some unknown relief, I felt frustrated. ¡®Then what? This disease... ¡® Ruel did not think much more and fell into a faint sleep. Hina retrieved the cup of water she had handed over. ¡°Put him to sleep.¡± Recalling Cassion¡¯s last command, Hina stared at Ruel. She understood why he gave such an order in person. If I didn¡¯t put him to sleep, he would have endured the pain and ponder about something constantly. ¡®What makes you so anxious?¡¯ Aren¡¯t you the head of Setiria? It was a position where he could live his whole life without doing anything. It was strange. She didn¡¯t understand. But she liked it. Unlike other aristocrats, he enjoyed working even though he was tired. Hina smiled and quietly retreated into the darkness. Chapter 52: Can you use magic? (2) Chapter 52: Can you use magic? (2) *** Tweet. Tweet. At the sound of birds always heard in the mansion, Ruel opened his eyes. I looked around in a hurry and it was really the mansion. ¡®How long did I... sleep?¡¯ I didn¡¯t have a clue. There was no Leo, and there was no Cassion.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡®A day must have passed.¡¯ Considering the current strength of recovery, that was just the right amount. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Did you wake up?¡± Cassion emerged from the shadows. Maybe he was cooking, but he took off his usual suit top. ¡°How long did I sleep?¡± ¡°You slept for a day and a half.¡± Ruel was relieved for now. He had been unconscious for four days before, so he didn¡¯t feel sick enough to at least get there. ¡°Aris and Leo?¡± ¡°He¡¯s playing and training. He must have realized something since he went on the quest.¡± It¡¯s a good sign. Ruel drew an arc with the corners of his mouth. ¡°I heard you asked Hina about curses.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about curses? A curse that doesn¡¯t contain a mana is simply a word.¡± ¡°... Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± I answered calmly, but I couldn¡¯t hide my disappointment easily. Cassion asked quietly, ¡°Are you having a hard time with your illness?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the same as usual, it¡¯s just that the Red Ash and the time I got sick overlapped. It made me think for a while.¡± ¡°Did you say it overlaps?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Originally I was healthy, but I had this disease five years ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it before.¡± ¡°I heard it for the first time from my uncle, too.¡± Ruel put down his clasped hands on his knees. ¡°Do you want to learn about curses? To be honest, you¡¯re not going to get much.¡± ¡°What do you think my illness is?¡± ¡°I think my personal opinion will only lead to confusion. The medical doctor and pharmacist sent by His Highness will arrive around 5pm today, so why not check it out with them then?¡± ¡°They¡¯re coming so fast.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. It would have taken some time even if Banios went back to the royal family first. ¡®Did you send it in advance because you knew I¡¯d accept your offer?¡¯ Whatever it was, Ruel decided to put aside his thoughts about his disease until they came. ¡°What about the Birds?¡± ¡°It can move now.¡± ¡°Then release the birds and dig behind Banios Leponia to see who the hidden ears are in Setiria.¡± ¡°Do you mind if I touch the royal family?¡± Banios must have expected that, too. It wasn¡¯t a problem to slightly nudge them ¡°And find out in advance who the doctor and pharmacist will be coming this time.¡± Cassion put a heat patch on Ruel¡¯s forehead as if hitting him since he gave a series of requests. ¡°Can you feel it?¡± ¡°I just put it on because you had a fever.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting mischievous, Cassion?¡± ¡°The trick is good.¡± Following Ruel, who smiled broadly, Cassion also smiled brightly. ¡°When are you going to visit Liberan?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something you need to do before that.¡± He wanted to break it even though he knew it was an unbreakable stubbornness. Ruel¡¯s potential was, frankly, no less than Aris. The problem is how frustrating it must be since his body is weak. ¡°Uncle.¡± Tyson clenched his fist at Ruel¡¯s urging. ¡°Give as much as you can for Mana. You have to give it until the limit.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Ruel stretched out his palm and made Mana appear. A mana with a sky blue color that resembles the symbol of lord also appeared. The sheep grew larger and is now more than enough to cover the palm of Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Ruel scattered his Mana with a long breath. It was harder than I thought. ¡°What do you think? Be honest with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible...you can do it.¡± Tyson spoke with great difficulty. It¡¯s so hard to say it¡¯s possible. Ruel smiled, unaware of Tyson¡¯s feelings. ¡°I¡¯d like to learn a few things.¡± There was a long sigh. Tyson hesitated again and again and took a bead out of his sleeve. ¡°Just because you know how to manipulate mana and see it doesn¡¯t mean that everyone can use magic. There are attributes that suit you, and the fields you can use are different. Or you may not be chosen by any attribute.¡± ¡°Are you confirming that?¡± ¡°Yeah, by the way, Aris is a wizard who can handle all the attributes of what we call the four elements.¡± As expected, I picked it up well. Ruel smiled contentedly. He raised his hand on the bead, wondering what would come out. Contrary to the expectation that colors such as red and yellow would pop out, a figure that a kindergarten child might have drawn came out. The box followed and suddenly appeared, and a hand came out of the shadow of the person in the picture, and lifted and lowered the box. That was the end of the video. So what? Ruel saw Tyson right away. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Tyson couldn¡¯t bring it up easily. He moved his lips with a look on his face, not knowing whether to cry or rejoice. ¡°It is dark. It is a very rare attribute.¡± ¡°Black magic?¡± ¡°Black magic has the color of darkness, but it is not darkness. The only thing you can do is cast shadows.¡± ¡°Why is the shadow dark?¡± I was disappointed because I imagined myself enjoying the force of the devil by wrapping around the black things for a moment. ¡°Shadows are often classified as another part of a person. And everything, living or dead, has a shadow, hence the name darkness.¡± Tyson smiled vaguely, not genuinely pleased or sorry. The smile made Ruel feel uneasy for no reason. ¡°Is it a useful attribute?¡± ¡°To be honest, we don¡¯t have the proper data yet because of the rarity. You can¡¯t call shadow nature, so it¡¯s usually different from magic.¡± ¡°It sounds like you can¡¯t teach me.¡± ¡°What I know is very shallow. But remember this. ¡®Darkness is not borrowing, but summoning.¡¯ It¡¯s a phrase that definitely goes into any thesis related to the dark attribute.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Magic is usually borrowed from nature. Its scope does not deviate from nature¡¯s properties.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Ruel could not hide his frowning expression. It was difficult. Concepts and practice were different. No matter how many novels I read about using magic, I didn¡¯t have a clue because I couldn¡¯t really use them. ¡°I¡¯ll help you from the side, so don¡¯t worry.¡± The expression of regret on Tyson¡¯s face disappeared, and academic curiosity and interest were shown through the gap. So wizard-like. Chapter 53: Can you use magic? (3) Chapter 53: Can you use magic? (3) *** Liberan must have heard through his agent that the mission was successful, so he could have a week at most. He gave Cassion a week, so can take care of his work. Ruel was planning to spend the week to the fullest without wasting any time. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely stable.¡± ... Until he heard the stern word. Ruel, who was stroking Leo, stopped his hand and wrinkled his face. The medical doctor and pharmacist sent by Banios arrived on time. The two were sisters and were geniuses among those who graduated from the medical school and the pharmacy school, which were said to be difficult, and passed the royal medical and pharmacist exams with top marks. They introduced themselves as ... The older sister Fran was a medical doctor and her younger sister Tierra was a pharmacist. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strong. Walking around in this state is like walking around with multiple knives on your body.¡± Perhaps the metaphor was so nice to hear, Cassion smiled and nodded satisfactorily. Ruel gave up his wrist and asked, ¡°What kind of disease is it?¡± ¡°This is not a disease.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a disease, what is it?¡± ¡°There is no disease pattern. It¡¯s very random. I¡¯m seeing this for the first time. But it is not a disease.¡± Ruel continued to listen to Fran without asking hastily. ¡°If you look at the shape one by one, you see dozens of different forms of diseases.¡± ¡°So it looks like dozens of diseases are clumped together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so it¡¯s not just a disease, but it¡¯s a very strange group of diseases. Tierra.¡± ¡°Yes, sister.¡± ¡°Give me a painkiller.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt now.¡± Fran frowned and glared at Ruel. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, I know you¡¯re sick. If you¡¯re worried about the effects, you don¡¯t have to. Fran¡¯s medicine is excellent.¡± Ganien was described in the novel as a knight, but she has great skill as a medical doctor. But Fran was different.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com He felt that she was really outstanding from the start. Look at those bloody eyes. If he didn¡¯t rest, she had the power to tie him up immediately. Ruel glanced at Cassion. He was so proud of her that he wanted to hug Fran at any moment. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not okay. The lord¡¯s body condition is not good. I don¡¯t mind telling you this so many times.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cassion finally opened his mouth. Ruel inhaled Breath and asked the point. ¡°Is there a cure?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give you a definite answer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In a calm voice, Fran said angrily, ¡°But I will treat you. That¡¯s my role now.¡± ¡°I heard you volunteered.¡± ¡°Yes, I applied. Because my goal is to cure diseases that cannot be treated in this world. You are my first patient with an incurable disease.¡± From the very beginning, Ruel was pitiful for Fran, who met the boss, and received the medicine Tierra gave him. We¡¯ll see each other often from now on, so the relationship can¡¯t go wrong from the beginning. Ruel, who took the medicine in front of Fran, raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ll be very upset with me. I¡¯m not very obedient.¡± He could hear Cassion sighing. ¡°The examination will be done before breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. For now, I will only prescribe painkillers.¡± Fran rose from her seat and walked to Cassion. ¡°I heard he has allergies, too. Please give me a list.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you in a minute. First, let me guide you through the room.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Fran took a step back and emphasized again when he looked at Ruel. ¡°Absolutely stable.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I answered, but I never said I¡¯d follow. Ruel relaxedly fiddled with Leo¡¯s stomach. Tierra took the medicine out of her bag. ¡°It¡¯s a drug that relieves anemia. You can eat this when you have a little pain, this is when the pain is strong, and lastly, when it hurts to death.¡± The colors of the bottles were red, orange, yellow, and green in turn. ¡°If you have an allergic reaction after taking any of these medicines, please stop taking it and tell me right away.¡± Tierra smiled broadly. ¡°Are you dreaming big like Fran?¡± ¡°No, my dream has already come true. My dream was to become a pharmacist.¡± She lowered her head slightly. ¡°I apologize on behalf of my sister if her tone of voice was rude. She had no bad intentions.¡± ¡°I know, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then rest peacefully, my lord.¡± Tierra bent down and followed them who had gone first. ¡ªRuel, are you okay now? Leo confirmed that they had gone and brought it up. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it works.¡± The occasional pain in my body went away. ¡°What about the black ones?¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s the same. ¡°As long as it¡¯s balanced, it¡¯s fine.¡± Ruel closed his eyes, stroking Leo. ¡°The most basic of magic is to feel Mana. You can move Mana, make it appear, and at any moment you can get to know your own mana.¡± Recalling what Tyson said, I felt the mana spread evenly all over my body. Mana continued to spin along his bloodstream, just as blood was flowing. He thought about how to move this, and he changed the flow of mana as if drawing a circle in the air. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Ruel soon awoke to the throbbing pain. The place where he moved mana has been hurting as if It had been cut by a knife. ¡®Let¡¯s not change the flow, let¡¯s just follow it.¡¯ He closed his eyes again and moved faster as Mana flowed. Let¡¯s speed up a bit so that it doesn¡¯t hurt. Like a chick following a mother bird, Mana followed his movements. How many times did he repeat it, until he felt like he saw a sky-blue mana in front of him. Ruel opened his eyes. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Leo made a fuss and pointed below his feet. His shadow dithered and appeared as much as his fingernails. Ha, it¡¯s so tiny that it¡¯s cute. ¡ªThis body is... Huh? Isn¡¯t it Ruel? Ruel is here, and I feel Ruel here, too. ¡°My ma...¡± Ruel hurriedly covered his mouth. It was dangerous. He felt the sense of something breaking like that time, so he hurriedly lifted the magic. The hand covering his mouth trembled. He felt like crying and bleeding. He slowly took his hand off, calming down his stomach. ¡°... Ha, ha.¡± Breathing heavily, he bit the Breath in his mouth. ¡°She stayed up all night yesterday studying Ruel-nim¡¯s disease. Please understand.¡± Cassion kept an eye on her even after investigating Fran. If there is any contact with Banios. So far, no contact has been seen. Rather, as Cassion said, she was just immersed in curing his disease. ¡°I know.¡± Ruel responded with a bittersweet smile, and then smiled full of playfulness. ¡°Cassion, I¡¯ve given you plenty of time, so you should get a good result, right? What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°As instructed, I killed all the Barons of Prios except Liberan. Those who know that they are the next target are hiding in the mansion.¡± Ruel laughed cheerfully. Cassion was given a week to terrorize and kill the Barons of Prios. They were attached to Liberan anyway, and if Ketlan wanted to come to power, they had to disappear. Because of Liberan, the situation in Prios was worse than in Setiria. It was infested with Bandits, and the people who lived there were leaving for other lands. Complaints have reached their peak, so it won¡¯t be strange if anything happens. Ruel took advantage of the situation. ¡°So, what¡¯s Ketlan doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m following your orders. We¡¯re taking the soldiers first and using them to set up temporary Barons to deal with the situation.¡± Even if we fix it, it would be difficult to put the complaints to rest right away. It was up to Ketlan. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve decorated the traces well, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Killing the barons is as well decorated as the bandits.¡± It was difficult to move because there were too many rats around to visit Liberan right away. So he beat the rats first. To find the king of rats who have become alone. ¡°Did you call Astell?¡± ¡°She is already waiting at the door.¡± ¡°Bring her.¡± ¡ªDid Astell bring something delicious? Leo wagged his tail as Astell often made delicious snacks. ¡°No, it¡¯s a different business today.¡± Leo¡¯s tail soon stopped at Ruel¡¯s words. While stroking Leo¡¯s face, which showed disappointment, Ruel smiled at Astell, who came in with an innocent face. ¡°I see you, Lord.¡± ¡°I thought you were bold. You were the ear of the prince.¡± ¡°...!¡± Astell bowed her head in a hurry. He was predicting that she was Banios¡¯ ear and after Cassion¡¯s investigation, it was confirmed. In addition to her, Banios¡¯ ears were spread evenly throughout each village. ¡°It¡¯s all right, I¡¯m not going to kick you out.¡± Why don¡¯t you report something like that? I didn¡¯t want to give up the snacks and foods Astell made, and the special power she had. ¡°Report as you always do. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°...¡± Astell shut up. A look of guilt appeared on her face. She couldn¡¯t hide her feelings more than she thought. ¡°But I want you to tell me what you¡¯re going to report before you send it.¡± ¡°My lord, I am ashamed of myself.¡± ¡°No, it can be. You are the prince¡¯s ear. You had to get my attention, so you lied to me.¡± ¡°...my, my lord.¡± ¡°At that time, was it a lie that you wanted to feed me a delicious meat pie?¡± Astell, who was restless, turned her head from side to side and shouted, ¡°No! I mean it! My family itself inherited being spies from generation to generation, so I had no choice but to become an ear. But what I really like is...¡± ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Ruel stopped talking. Astell, who was explaining hard, bowed her head. Ruel smiled as he pressed Leo¡¯s face slightly, staring at him. ¡°I often heard that you looked very happy making food. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°... Yes, it was a lot of fun.¡± Astell¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will believe it, but I like this place better than the Royal Family. If only I could...¡± Astell immediately bit her lip. The hem of her skirt was wrinkled. ¡°Then, can you be my person now?¡± It was better to know that Banios¡¯ ears in the mansion was Astell. She didn¡¯t want to go home like she just said. She will surely come over. Astell had to remain ostensibly the ear of Banios. Information should be delivered as it is now, but information that should not be reached by Banios¡¯ ears should be blocked. Astell looked at himself with a slightly dazed expression. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re not going to kick me out?¡± She asked herself and didn¡¯t understand. The ending of the ears are usually the worst. Just like how her own father and her mother did. She was prepared for it, and she set her feet on this mansion thinking that, but she was so scared. But he says he won¡¯t kick her out. Then he reached out his hand. ¡°... Can I be...here too?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t throw away what I picked up.¡± Ruel, with a sour face, uttered casually what he could never say lightly. Astell¡¯s hand, holding the skirt, loosened. She enjoyed this place a lot. She loved this place where she could cook as much as she wanted. It was the first time she felt happiness. But she always felt uneasy. Because she was hiding, being an ear watching Ruel, who accepted her. ¡°Thank you¡ª¡± Astell couldn¡¯t keep up. For a moment, she choked up with tears. Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t cry, all the anxiety she had felt until now came crashing down like a wave and dripping from her eyes. ¡°...thank you for...your kindness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to today¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll live up to your expectations.¡± Astell bowed several times before leaving the room. ¡°You have a big heart. Don¡¯t you call it stupid in other words?¡± Cassion frowned and opened his mouth. ¡°...woa, just leaving. Our loyal butler?¡± ¡°Why do you leave your ears alone?¡± ¡°Leave it out? Are you crazy?¡± Ruel looked at Cassion in bewilderment. Why would I leave them alone? They don¡¯t even have special abilities like Astell. ¡°Did you say that the prince lured the second prince¡¯s ear? What can¡¯t I do? Starting with Astell, I will have everything.¡± I will not change the system that is being maintained. If you change it, Banios will hide it more tightly than he does now. ¡°Tell Dion. Approach the prince¡¯s ears and make them change their mind within half a year.¡± Chapter 54: Invitation Chapter 54: Invitation The hearts of the ears did not turn overnight. It had to be looked at with an open heart. Even if you change your mind in at least half a year, it will be a huge loss. I¡¯ll leave the bird to the bird. Cassion smiled at that moment. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll tell Dion.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± I should have received a reply since I wrote a letter. I had written a letter to Serti Shio asking her to buy time, or to just prevent her father from joining hands with the second prince, and I wrote another letter to Corrence Lumina, warning him that the second prince was not the prince he supported. If I¡¯ve said this much, then the reply I should get in return is the answer I wanted. [I¡¯m going to risk my heart to stop him.] Serti¡¯s answer was clear... [It¡¯ll be hard to get out of the way, but I will try to get out of the way as much as I can.] Corrence¡¯s answer was a bit vague. But he was under the oath of mana, so he¡¯ll act in moderation. Ruel handed the letter back to Cassion. ¡°I¡¯m leaving after eating. Get ready.¡± ¡°Yes, I will prepare.¡± ¡ªWhere are you going? Leo pricked up his ears. As soon as he was about to say he was going to kill a rat, Ruel fixed his language. ¡°I have to meet someone.¡± ¡ªThis body will follow you. This body must protect Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± Leo smiled even at Ruel¡¯s grim answer. *** I said I didn¡¯t need a see-off because I wanted to go out quietly, but Cheynol, Tyson, and Drianna were standing in front of the main entrance of the castle. ¡°Aren¡¯t you all busy? I guess I gave you too little work to do.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I was busy or free when you¡¯re on your way out. I¡¯m going to see you off as a representative of the Knights. I ask for your understanding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me. I¡¯m going to see you off as a representative of the Knights of Magic.¡± Drianna grinned, tailing Cheynol¡¯s words. ¡°What about uncle?¡± ¡°As an uncle, I¡¯ll see you off. You¡¯ve been out a lot lately.¡± Even though I¡¯ve been quiet for a week. In bewilderment, Ruel looked at Tyson approaching him. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Call me when you¡¯re in danger. Whoever it is, your uncle will kill them.¡± The last few words were said in a quiet whisper. However, the thorn in the words was so sharp that Ruel swallowed dry saliva without realizing it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this again, but don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Soon after, Tyson smiled kindly. At that smile, Ruel smiled as well. ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. I look forward to your kind cooperation, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± Aris bowed his head lightly. The boy, who had not come out of his room in a while, visited Ruel¡¯s room today and spoke proudly. That he had passed the wall. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because he had passed the wall, but Aris had grown taller. ¡®I eat more than him though.¡¯ Ruel checked the appearance of Aris, who had become strong, and got into the carriage. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± When Aris got into the carriage, Ruel asked him the same question he had asked the day he first took Aris as an escort. ¡°I¡¯m not nervous.¡± The answer was different. The look in his eyes was different, too. There was a sense of strong conviction in his tone. ¡°This time, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ll do better than ever.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel replied indifferently. If you don¡¯t feel anxious, that¡¯s fine. Aris opened his mouth before Ruel closed his eyes while smoothing Leo¡¯s fur. ¡°Ruel-nim, have you moved your Mana recently?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The amount of mana in you has increased.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡ªLately, Ruel has been doing something. He¡¯s been moving something resembling Ruel and vomited blood¡ª Ruel grabbed Leo¡¯s mouth because he was babbling. ¡°Leo, your mouth is too light.¡± ¡ªEup-eup! Leo struggled, but Ruel didn¡¯t intend to let go easily. ¡°I already know. Ruel-nim moves mana and casts shadows using magic.¡± Cassion said calmly. It was Aris who was surprised. ¡°Do you use...magic? Are you okay though? I was told your body would break doing so.¡± Aris was shocked when he heard that from Tyson. Does it make sense that a person becomes broken? But Tyson was more serious than ever. Since there was no word to exactly express it, Aris could not understand even if it was explained using several different words. However, he was quite aware of what he meant when Ruel used more mana than his level of resistance. ¡°That¡¯s right, if you saw the situation yourself, you would only remember that word.¡± Cassion frowned slightly as if he remembered that day. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Since that was the most unreliable phrase, Cassion and Aris hardened their expressions. It was a face that clearly knew what he was going to do. Ruel made a face and laughed. ¡°You should take a good look at Ruel-nim, Aris. A newly learned sword is the most ignorant.¡± ¡°What?¡± At Cassion¡¯s obvious sarcastic remarks, Ruel stopped touching Leo. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that Ruel-nim is ignorant.¡± Because of the pain he felt for the first time, Liberan made a crying face and began to shed tears. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted Prios. They appeared as if they were beings similar to god and made such demands of me.¡± ¡°In exchange for what?¡± For a moment, Liberan¡¯s tears stopped. Instead of answering, he looked at Ruel. Ruel inhaled Breath and asked nonchalantly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Th, they said you should die. They said that the great first step begins only when you die. I, I swear I don¡¯t know what that great first step is. I mean it. Trust me.¡± Liberan sobbed as he spoke. ¡°Who¡¯s the person above you?¡± ¡°There is no one. There really isn¡¯t. The only order I¡¯ve been given is to take over Prios. Really. Ta, taking over Setiria with drugs was a belated order!¡± ¡°Was it related to my father¡¯s accident five years ago?¡± Gulp. Liberan began to tremble as if he had entered the winter sea. Ruel¡¯s impression was crumpled. Dion said the accident happened because the birds betrayed him. As expected, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of betrayal. ¡°Who else is involved?¡± ¡°I, I, I don¡¯t know. I was only in charge of the information leaked to the ears of Setiria. I don¡¯t know who else is involved because we never see each other!¡± ¡°Why did such an order come?¡± ¡°I, I heard that the lord discovered the identity of the Red Ash. While he was evacuating you...¡± Liberan managed to catch his breath and spoke again. ¡°There...was an accident, and there were so many people watching that they were unable to deal with you.¡± ¡®That¡¯s when this disease came about.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. Liberan closed his eyes tightly at the same time. ¡°Do you know about the curse?¡± Liberan¡¯s shoulders flinched. ¡°I mean, I was actually very healthy. But five years ago, strangely, I got sick, a very bad disease.¡± Ruel laughed lightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t the timing too good? I thought about it, and the only people who could make me like this was the Red Ash.¡± Bang! As Ruel hit the desk, he looked at Liberan coldly. ¡°Tell me what you know, Liberan!¡± ¡°Red Ash! The Red Ash did it!¡± Liberan¡¯s heavy breathing was heard after that sentence. He wept and looked at Ruel despairingly, looking at the sword stuck in his hand. ¡°But I, I didn¡¯t do it! I honestly don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a curse or not. Be, believe me! All I¡¯ve ever heard is...that the great first step begins once the lord is dead! Please, please believe me!¡± ¡°Who!¡± ¡°The one who kidnapped the Lord is P, Plane! You must have seen them!¡± Ruel wrinkled his face. Plane died today. The infection of the wound had grown worse and he died as a result. I came to feel upset. ¡°Would Plane have reported to you?¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t my subordinate back then! It¡¯s true!¡± Ruel¡¯s long sigh was heard. What a pity for Plane¡¯s death. ¡°Give me all the data on the Red Ash.¡± Even though I received the data through my agent, it wouldn¡¯t matter as much as the data Liberan kept. When Ruel looked at Aris, Aris took out his sword at once. Liberan hurried to his bed without any time to feel pain. After tapping something, a secret passage came out from under the bed. ¡°He-Here it is. All of them, but I¡¯m just at the end of the line. Honestly, I, I don¡¯t know if there is any data you want.¡± ¡°You take the lead first.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Liberan clasped his bleeding hand and went down the stairs. He was followed by Cassion, Ruel, and Aris. ¡°Nobleman, nobleman! Yes, noble! I heard one of the nobles was working with the Red Ash! If he had planted a disease in the Lord, it must be him!¡± In order to live, Liberan spoke about things he wasn¡¯t even asked for. ¡®...a noble.¡¯ For now, Shio, Lumina, and Prios were excluded. I made them do the oath of heart, so I can ask them directly or make them talk. ¡®Are the remaining ones Kuhn and the Liobenez family?¡¯ Ruel went down the stairs one step at a time and was lost in thought. ¡°The Red Ash works for the great one. Honestly, I¡¯m not interested in that. All I wanted was power and money.¡± ¡°What do you mean by the great one?¡± When Ruel became interested, Liberan smiled broadly, overcoming the pain. The more they knew you have a lot of information, the longer they¡¯ll keep you alive. But oh no. The more Liberan struggled, the more his life was close to its end in Ruel¡¯s eyes. ¡°They are who the Red Ash follows. The real name has never been revealed.¡± Something that I don¡¯t know came out again. Ruel slightly wrinkled his face. It was only after going down the last stairs that Ruel inhaled Breath. Liberan rushed deep inside and gathered the data in one place. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have much to earn.¡± Cassion opened his mouth and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no information I want.¡± I wanted to check whether the disease was a curse or not. But the answer I got in return was too vague. ¡°It must be useless data anyway, but it¡¯s like collecting evidence.¡± ¡°And we will take him away.¡± ¡°The leader of the bandits must be Liberan.¡± Liberan, who was collecting data excitedly, turned to the sound of his mention. ¡°I see. I will prepare it well.¡± Cassion smiled brightly once after a long time. Chapter 55: Invitation (2) Chapter 55: Invitation (2) *** Ketlan made a surprise visit to Liberan¡¯s mansion at the appointed time. Because Cassion formed the evidence, Ketlan proudly announced that Liberan was the one who killed the barons based on the evidence. ¡°Thank you, Lord. It¡¯s just a pity that I¡¯m so grateful that I can¡¯t express it all in words.¡± Ketlan bowed his head to Ruel. Tak. Laying down the teacup, Ruel smiled faintly. ¡°I just kept my promise. You can go now, and there¡¯s probably no one to disturb you.¡± Someone who felt that everything was a well-organized script could complain. But it was up to here that Ruel will be involved. The rest was something Ketlan had to pass over on his own. ¡°The grace I have received is so great. It¡¯s just not enough with words.¡± ¡°Then send some artisans to Setiria. Of course, keep it low and don¡¯t attract attention.¡± If the high-purity ore of Setiria was carved by the artisan¡¯s hands, the price would soar more than double. I could imagine Jirie liking it so much that he would run wild. ¡®I¡¯ll have a lot to lose.¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth to Ketlan, who still had an I¡¯m-lacking-expression. ¡°Deal it directly with Beto Merchant. The ore from Setiria is of very good quality, unlike other places.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the Beto Merchant. As you said, I heard that the ore is very popular now because the purity of the ore is high and has a good price.¡± ¡°Send the remaining adventurers as well.¡± Regardless of whether it was an adventurer or a merchant, Setiria had to attract more people than it does now. Because of the Carbena, commerce lost its power, and the adventurers left. The workers also could not stand it and left for other territories. If there was one thing that Setiria, who had everything, lacked, it was people. Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°If there are any remaining workers, send them. I¡¯ll pay you a fortune.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. Actually, there¡¯s nothing special about Prios. The only pride we have are the artisans.¡± Ruel listened to Ketlan as he put his mouth on the teacup. ¡°It is my personal wish, but I would like Prios to be closer to Setiria.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice wish.¡± Since Prios belonged to Ruel anyway, it was also beneficial to himself that Prios became bigger. To this, Ruel pointed to Ketlan¡¯s heart. ¡°But don¡¯t forget, the oath embedded in your heart.¡± Ketlan smiled brightly at those resolute words. ¡°Yes, of course. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ruel-nim, that you brought me here, who was helpless.¡± ¡°All right, don¡¯t forget my kindness. I¡¯ll ask for it every now and then, so be prepared for it.¡± ¡°Please come anytime, anytime. I¡¯ll welcome you even in barefoot.¡± His eyes full of trust toward him were a little burdensome, but that was enough. ¡°I hear Prios supports the Second Prince, is that true?¡± ¡°We will quit. It wasn¡¯t the will of Prios, but it was Liberan¡¯s will.¡± ¡°No, until I give you an order, please don¡¯t be so squeamish as you are now.¡± ¡°Prios will stand with Setiria.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± As Ruel coughed, Ketlan asked in a worried voice. ¡°Your health... seems to be not as good as rumors are.¡± ¡°Never mind that. Let me know if anyone approaches you. Let me know everything if you hear the name Red Ash mentioned.¡± Ruel put down the tea cup and got up from his seat. Ketlan also got up in a hurry. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hold you busy. Thanks for the tea.¡± Ttak. The sound of the cane resonated. Ruel stood in front of the door and paused for a moment. Ruel paused for a moment. I didn¡¯t think he would really try to make me go. I have said that I was weak and that I¡¯m not feeling well. His head was throbbing, and Ruel grabbed his head and frowned. He could feel the heat through his hands as if the fever had risen. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the prince know how weak I am?¡± Ruel¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t too polite. I didn¡¯t like it when he openly tried to make me work. ¡°With all due respect, rather than my master¡¯s will, this decision was made with the opinions of Ganien Croft, the representative of the delegation who came here for an alliance.¡± ¡®... Ganien, you son of a bitch!¡¯ Ruel staggered for a moment as his blood pressure rose. ¡°Are you okay?¡± They spoke to Ruel almost at the same time. ¡°I just got dizzy for a second, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Sniff. Ruel breathed in through a runny nose and asked Hoswell a question. ¡°When is the date of departure?¡± ¡°You will be leaving from the palace in two weeks. Now then.¡± Hoswell bowed politely. ¡°Why are you so busy? Don¡¯t you have something to give me? I have something to give to His Highness as well.¡± Hoswell smiled softly. ¡°All I¡¯ve been told from His Highness is to tell you to take care of yourself until two weeks later.¡± Ruel nodded lightly. ¡°Okay, tell your Highness not to worry.¡± ¡°Then, I shall take my leave.¡± With a simple greeting, Hoswell climbed on his horse he had come on. Ruel looked at him and soon looked at Cassion. He had a thought that Banios didn¡¯t just send his butler to deliver the letter. Cassion nodded instead of answering. Meaning, there was something else besides the letter. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Ttak. The cane rang cheerfully. ¡°When you look at his posture, he seems to have been a knight.¡± Cassion uttered in a low voice. ¡ª...Uh! With Leo¡¯s sudden exclamation, Ruel hurriedly stopped walking and covered his mouth. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Something hot surged from inside. The stabbing pain began again, starting from his head and spreading to all over his body. Shivers. Ruel shivered. ¡°I¡¯ll support you. In the meantime, please cover yourself with this.¡± Cassion handed his handkerchief to Ruel. ¡ªIt¡¯s suddenly increased! I think it¡¯s because this body wasn¡¯t able to eat it! Leo had eaten some black stuff in the carriage, if not much. ¡®...that¡¯s not enough. If the balance is not maintained, the symptoms come right away.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s pale complexion became whiter. ¡°Rather than supporting, I will cast to move.¡± Aris looked at Cassion without panicking. His condition had worsened, but fortunately, the strength of resistance remained the same. ¡°Move him carefully.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 56: Invitation (3) Chapter 56: Invitation (3) *** ¡°Lord!¡± Fran rushed in and opened the door. The smell of blood filled the room. ¡°...oh my god.¡± Tierra, who also eventually entered the room, covered her mouth. ¡°Close the door quickly, are you going to let everyone know about Ruel-nim¡¯s condition?¡± Cassion said in a grumpy tone. ¡°I apologize.¡± Tierra hastily closed the door. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to make a fuss.¡± Who the hell called Fran? Ruel shot a look at Cassion. ¡°What do you mean by a fuss? I hear you vomited blood. Blood, nothing else.¡± Unlike her bewildered face, Fran sat calmly and checked Ruel¡¯s condition. ¡°As always, they are only symptoms.¡± Thanks to the medicine Tierra gave him, the pain stopped. He was just lying in bed dizzy because he was vomiting blood. Compared to before, the recovery speed has definitely improved. ¡°Will you be careful next time? I don¡¯t want to worry the people here.¡± ¡°There was no rush. I will be careful next time.¡± Fran lowered her hand and opened her mouth. ¡°The condition is... It¡¯s just like before the Lord left.¡± Fran¡¯s stiff expression softened a little. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. In fact, before Fran came, Leo ate black things until his stomach was full. Perhaps Fran was surprised because of the smell of blood in the room. Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head. A commendable fellow. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± After the examination, ¨C when his condition was called ¡®absolutely stable¡¯ ¨C it was time to leave, but Fran sat with a complaining face. ¡°Did you feel the cold wind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fran grasped my hand at my bold answer. ¡°After you left, you came back with another disease.¡± She could not raise her voice and was seen holding back her anger. Ruel also held back his laughter. ¡°You have a cold. It¡¯s showing signs of getting worse, so I¡¯ll prescribe you some medicine.¡± No wonder I had a runny nose. Standing in front of Liberan¡¯s mansion seemed to be the cause of trouble. ¡°I will prepare for treatment starting tomorrow.¡± Fran said firmly. ¡°No, start the day after tomorrow. Get some sleep now. It¡¯s a pity to see you like this.¡± From looking at her face, I couldn¡¯t tell who the patient was or who the doctor was. ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯m more afraid that your condition will get worse any minute. You don¡¯t know how many times my heart dropped when I got here today.¡± ¡°...okay.¡± This time, Ruel willingly took back a step. She¡¯s trying so hard to cure him. ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave now?¡± ¡°I have to go out in two weeks.¡± ¡°Two weeks later. All right. Take a good rest. You should take a good rest. Please, take a rest.¡± After saying it not once, but three times, I nodded because I felt like I would be in the wrong if I did otherwise. Fran¡¯s stiff face smiled. ¡°You must keep your word.¡± Emphasizing repeatedly, Fran went outside after she bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll come back later. I¡¯ll be careful this time.¡± Tierra smiled at Cassion and followed Fran out. It was only after confirming that they went out that Ruel¡¯s long sigh was heard. ¡°Cassion, has it been once or twice I¡¯ve vomited blood?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a medical doctor. If the beast is stable after eating Ruel-nim¡¯s black food, why are you trying to guess when there¡¯s a doctor?¡± ¡°Look at Fran¡¯s face. She looks like she¡¯s been up all night for a few days, so it¡¯s not a big deal to call her.¡± One corner of Cassion¡¯s mouth went up. And soon he began to speak like a man of spirit. ¡°Before that, how about checking Ruel-nim¡¯s complexion first? You look like someone who is going to die soon.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right! Ruel¡¯s face is always white, but he¡¯s even whiter today. It¡¯s like flour. When Leo intervened, Ruel had nothing to say. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a light dinner, so take a nap until then. I¡¯ll put the heat patch on beforehand.¡± ¡°... Damn it.¡± Ruel lay in bed in a fit of annoyance. ¡°Do you hate being treated like a patient?¡± ¡°I know my body is like glass, but no, it¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel covered himself with a blanket and closed his eyes. ¡®I am sensitive today.¡¯ He could have been annoyed because he missed a clue that was right in front of him to figure out the disease. Cassion quietly went out of the room. They were not even called by anyone, but the servants gathered and asked for the condition with their eyes. ¡°There is no need to make a fuss. Act as usual. Ruel-nim wants that.¡± The servants dispersed quickly after being relieved. ¡®Today¡¯s dish should reduce vegetables and increase meat.¡¯ Hoping at least much food would make him feel better, Cassion moved his feet. *** ¡°My lord, I have told Setiria.¡± At the voice of Hoswell, Banios spoke modestly. ¡°Come in.¡± Hoswell looked at Banios¡¯ desk full of books. When Tyson started the device, it was as big as a fist, but there was a warp. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°First of all, I succeeded in holding it. We¡¯ll have to grow this size.¡± Soon he made a fire out of his hand and aimed it toward the warp. The flames gradually went out as they repeatedly moved from warp to warp. ¡°Congratulations, Uncle. And thank you for listening to my unreasonable request.¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy. If you wish, you can secretly put warp devices among the royal family.¡± He could feel that it was from the bottom of his heart, so Ruel just laughed. ¡®All I have to do is wait for my uncle.¡¯ Ruel left the basement and headed to the training ground. ¡°Are they the ones who passed the test today?¡± Ruel saw the new chicks who were just becoming knights standing in front of him. As soon as they made eye contact with them, they immediately showed their tense expression. ¡°Yes, by gathering the reserve knights, these are those who have passed the benchmark through various test formats such as the tournament format and the actual battle format.¡± Cheynol was proud of them. To prevent the same thing as before from happening again, the reference point was raised not to be compared to the past. Nevertheless, quite a few people passed. Aris was among them. Ruel smiled at Aris with a smile of satisfaction. Aris was a wizard, not a swordsman. No matter how much you train your body, there must have been one or two disadvantages. Cheynol pressed his stomach and shouted, ¡°On behalf of the reserve knight, Aris, who passed the exam as the top of the class, will come forward!¡± Ruel was surprised to hear the name. ¡®Aris? He¡¯s a wizard.¡¯ Because of Cheynol¡¯s nature, Aris is his escort, so he would not have given extra points or treated him specially. ¡ªWow, was Aris the best?? It was worth letting him play with my body. Leo, who was on his shoulder to see what was the fun, waved his tail. Ruel attached the badge of the Knights delivered by Cassion to Aris¡¯ chest. Aris looked at himself with a look of anticipation. ¡°Good job, Aris. It¡¯s amazing that you passed the senior year!¡± Aris smiled proudly. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Ruel-nim. I¡¯m not just saying this, it¡¯s true. I had a lot of teachers, but the best teacher among them is Ruel.¡± Ruel looked puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you teach me more than any other book? Ruel-nim taught me all about anger, shame, pride in protecting, and trust.¡± It wasn¡¯t just to please himself. Every word was filled with sincerity and it was embarrassing. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you that I was able to come here.¡± With a bright smile, Ruel reached out his hand. Aris was embarrassed, but Ruel still had his hand out. Reluctantly, Aris held hands. ¡°I look forward to your continued support, Sir Aris.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll protect you from now on!¡± After Aris, Ruel wore a badge on all the reserve knights and shook hands with them one by one. There were some people who shed tears because of the handshake. ¡°... Ha.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and let out a long sigh. After meeting the Knights, I visited the Knights of Magic. They also have reserve magicians who have not yet been tested. After that, he held a meeting to check the situation of each village and whether they needed anything, and the marriage issue was mentioned again, so he pretended to be sick and came out. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ When he was lying on the bed to close his eyes for a moment, Cassion opened his mouth. ¡°Jirie is here.¡± ¡°...already?¡± I¡¯m sure Jirie promised to come today, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be that time already. Ruel rose from his seat, leading a heavy body. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ruel-nim who has a tight schedule.¡± Holding Ruel¡¯s chest, Cassion opened his mouth at Ruel, who frowned. ¡ªAre you all right? Leo patted Ruel on the head. ¡°I definitely stopped you.¡± When Cassion handed over the medicine, Ruel took it. ¡°... I know.¡± I purposely made a tight schedule. For the rest of his time, I wanted to focus on exercising and moving shadows. In addition, dealing with the big problems earlier made the future easier. Ruel limped off to the sofa. It seemed more tiring to walk around the mansion than to ride in a carriage. ¡®There were a few papers I had to deal with after I met Jirie.¡¯ Even if most of them stop at the Billo line, the important thing is that it went through your own hands. It¡¯s been over a week since Plane disappeared, so it¡¯s time to report back. The meeting with the barons also confirmed that the overall crime rate in the village has risen a little. Plane seemed to be in brief chaos that came with the loss of the central point. ¡®I need to see the guy next to Plane.¡¯ Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Jirie.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring the tea.¡± Cassion went outside. ¡°I see you, Lord. Have you been well?¡± ¡°You look very good.¡± Jirie seemed to have gained more weight than before. You¡¯ve gained as much weight as the antenna of an ant. ¡°Thanks to the Lord, I¡¯m flying around these days.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have come empty-handed.¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it, but I prepared a little bit.¡± Chapter 57: When I open my eyes, the royal palace Chapter 57: When I open my eyes, the royal palace What Jirie took out of his pocket was something wrapped in a white cloth, a luxurious box, and a collar. ¡°A good sword came out so I bought one. And this.¡± Jirie opened the box. There were several bottles inside, each containing yellow powder. ¡°I tried to prepare only the best medicines that the Lord can take.¡± He then turned his eyes to Leo, who was lying on the bed. ¡°These days I hear you have a fox. How about putting on a leash?¡± When I saw the shimmer around the jewel, I knew it wasn¡¯t a regular necklace. Ruel looked at the presents with satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ll take the presents.¡± ¡°Yes, of course they¡¯re gifts.¡± ¡°Why did you ask me to see you today?¡± ¡°I have come to borrow the power of the Lord.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°As you can see, the demand for ore is very high. But to keep up with that demand...¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about workers, they¡¯ll arrive tonight or tomorrow.¡± ¡°... huh?¡± Jirie showed embarrassment. The conclusion was reached before he could bring up anything. In a very good way, too. ¡°I wondered if there would be any dissatisfaction with simply selling ore, so the artisans will arrive around that time, so let¡¯s try selling ore crafted items as well.¡± Jirie¡¯s eyes widened at what followed next. ¡°Let¡¯s try to expand the scope of the deal to Shio and Lumina. Is there anything else you want?¡± ¡°Ru, Ruel-nim?¡± Ruel smiled haughtily. Business needs to be expanded so that there will be more to gain. ¡°Well, there seems to be a lot I can give you, so I¡¯ll make a suggestion.¡± ¡°Please say anything!¡± What more could you want than for workers and artisans to expand in their fields? ¡°I want to put my birds on your peddler, and of course, I want to expand my range of hearing, not just keep an eye on you.¡± ¡°Okay, can we take action from today?¡± I thought Jirie would be a little hesitant. So I threw a lot of things in front. ¡®If I knew this would happen, I¡¯d save my words a little. Though, that doesn¡¯t mean I gave you everything.¡¯ Ruel comforted the regret internally. ¡°The sooner, the better. When Cassion comes, I¡¯ll call my birds¡¯ heads.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting at any time.¡± From Flenn to Jirie. Once they tasted the money, they had a tendency to wag their tails. They both had a leash, so I left the rest to themselves with confidence. ¡°I heard that you are going to the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± ¡°I see news spread fast.¡± ¡°Is it okay for you to travel such a long distance?¡± ¡°If I refuse, there will be many disadvantages waiting for me when coming back.¡± ¡°Yes, there will be a lot of disadvantages. But apart from that, I¡¯m very worried. Whatever decision you make, I will help you unconditionally.¡± Jirie expressed his feelings as a person who was indebted to Ruel. After inhaling Breath, Ruel laughed lightly. ¡°Has your flattery skills grown?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to make a deal, so I¡¯m not here to talk about my intentions or to win your heart. And I always show you the results.¡± Ruel laughed really loudly at Jirie¡¯s last sentence. ¡°If you have any inconveniences or improvements when leaving, please let me know at any time. Whether it be by carriage or horse, I¡¯ll get you as much as I can. Of course, I¡¯m going to give them to you as a gift.¡± When Jirie, ¨C who became a merchant to win Ruel¡¯s heart ¨C basically said he was not doing business by giving them to Ruel as gifts, it was so funny that Ruel hit his knee. Knock. Cassion came inside after a light knock. ¡°Cassion, call Dion.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± After dropping off the tea, Cassion went outside. And soon there was a knock on the door again. It was time to take a couple of mouthfuls while the tea was still hot. Jirie couldn¡¯t ask, but looked at the door with a surprised look. ¡°Did you call, Lord?¡± Dion looked more comfortable than before. It was worth training with the Knights. The first mission was successful, and the second mission, Banios¡¯ ears, was in progress. So Ruel took a little pause before he opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re already on a mission, but do you mind if you take on another? This mission is a long-term one, too.¡± ¡°Please give us any order, our birds have already given their lives to the Lord.¡± Dion said without hesitation. It was a very desirable attitude. Ruel said with a smile. ¡°Join the merchant of Beto and collect all the rumors of Red Ash. The merchant owner of Beto here, Jirie, will help you.¡± ¡°I will take measures in advance, so you can come at any time with confidence.¡± Jirie spoke to Dion, and soon rose to his seat and bowed to Ruel. ¡ªYou don¡¯t know how to rest? Ruel stopped moving his hand and looked at Leo with a look of absurdity. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡ªWhy don¡¯t you take a rest when people around you nag so much? It¡¯s like you don¡¯t know how to rest. Leo smiled broadly as if he was proud of what he said. ¡°I can¡¯t rest.¡± ¡ªShouldn¡¯t you just go to bed now? This body will teach you! ¡°I can¡¯t rest.¡± Leo tilted his head as he ran to the bed. Ruel started moving his hands again. ¡°I¡¯m like a moving cog in the middle. If I rest, the rest all stops. That¡¯s why I have to work hard.¡± ¡ªThen why is everyone telling Ruel to rest? Is it a big deal for Ruel to stop and take a break? ¡°It¡¯s because they care about me. I know. I also just want to close my eyes and rest.¡± ¡ªDo you want to? Ruel¡¯s hand stopped again. ¡°I¡¯m not ready for that yet, that¡¯s why I¡¯m moving. And resting won¡¯t cure me.¡± If he had rested and gotten better, he would have been in bed instead of being at the desk. It¡¯s tough all around. Resting didn¡¯t mean that I didn¡¯t vomit blood or that I didn¡¯t feel pain. It just took a little fever, and it took a little while before losing consciousness. ¡ªIs Ruel happy? ¡°... What?¡± ¡ªIsn¡¯t Ruel moving for everyone? So is Ruel happy? It was a very abstract question. Seeing Leo¡¯s innocent eyes looking for answers, it was an unavoidable question. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and thought. The memory of repeated vomiting and collapsing was vividly depicted in my head. ¡®Should I say this is good?¡¯ Leo walked up and looked at him with sparkling eyes. He didn¡¯t know what to expect, but Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± You can think of it as working overtime. There is no monthly tax, and you don¡¯t have to be swayed by relationships. I eat the food I want to eat, my house is spacious, and there are many people to work for. Well, wouldn¡¯t this be enough to make you happy? ¡ªThis body is happy to meet Ruel, too. I¡¯m always happy because you¡¯re so happy. Leo smiled brighter than any smile he had ever shown. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ruel smiled at Leo and recalled the necklace he received from Jirie. ¡°Leo, how about this? It¡¯s a necklace.¡± The necklace was studded with green jewels resembling the eyes of Ruel and Leo. ¡ªNice! I like this body to shine! Even though it seemed uncomfortable because it was the first necklace he was wearing, Leo stood by Ruel¡¯s feet, looked at the necklace and laughed again and again. Scratch. Scratch. The sound of a pen marking the paper filled the room. *** ¡ªIs Aris happy? Leo asked after putting food all over his mouth. When asked a sudden question, Aris blinked and laughed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡ªHehe, this body is happy, too. Is Ruel¡¯s uncle happy, too? Leo called Tyson uncle because Ruel called him uncle more than by his name. With affection, Tyson looked at Leo wagging his tail. ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± Soon his eyes turned to Ruel. ¡®What else are you doing?¡¯ Ruel¡¯s hand holding the spoon shook for a moment. Leo¡¯s eyes turned to Cassion, who put down the plate. ¡°Is Cassion happy, too?¡± Cassion glanced at Leo. Then he looked at Ruel. Ruel shook his head at Cassion¡¯s silent question of why Leo was like that. ¡°What if I¡¯m not happy?¡± Leo staggered at the unexpected answer. ¡ªYou¡¯re not happy even after meeting Ruel. This body will teach you how to be happy. ¡°I¡¯m happy, so you don¡¯t have to teach me.¡± Cassion changed his words because it was obvious that it would get annoying if he didn¡¯t. Only then did Leo¡¯s tail move again. ¡ªRuel made this body happy. Ruel made everyone happy. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel choked on his food at Leo¡¯s ridiculous conclusion. Aris and Tyson nodded their heads as if in agreement, and only Cassion, who was always stressed by Ruel, stuck his tongue out, but after recalling the sword he received, he pulled back the twisted corners of his mouth. Chomp. Chomp. Satisfied, Leo put his face in the bowl again. Chapter 58: When I open my eyes, the royal palace (2) Chapter 58: When I open my eyes, the royal palace (2) *** A day before departure for the royal palace. ¡°I¡¯ll stop now.¡± Aris stopped the flames that were coming out of his hands. The shield that Ruel had made disappeared as soon as he sat down. My stomach felt nauseous. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Ruel-nim extended the shield for another two seconds.¡± Ruel, who was catching his breath while inhaling Breath, frowned at the word ¡®two seconds.¡¯ ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Even considering the risk Ruel-sama took, keeping the shield for 12 seconds is great.¡± ¡°You mean the shield that breaks when you add more Mana?¡± Ruel was still dissatisfied. For the past time, I have focused on developing the power of resistance. He was seriously contemplating taking poison, but he was caught by Tyson and reprimanded. Since I nailed that I would never do such a thing again, the only way was to strengthen my resistance while being directly subjected to magic. Ruel called Aris because Tyson had to focus on building a warp device. On the first day of training, Aris broke Ruel¡¯s shield. Who would have thought that it wouldn¡¯t even last a second. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. It lasts at least three seconds.¡± At the mention of three seconds, Ruel smirked. 1 second or 3 seconds. ¡°Then shall we run simply?¡± Leo, who was curled up at the sound of running, woke up in a hurry. ¡ªAre you finally running? This body will arrive first today. Ruel got up from his seat only after pouring the expensive powder Jirie had given him into his mouth and eating three more medicines. Whether the supplementation effect came properly, the severity of nausea subsided. ¡°Cheer up, my lord!¡± Horen was the first to shout as usual. ¡°My lord can finish the race today, too!¡± ¡°Strive to finish!¡± The Knights, who were training, cheered for him even though Ruel had just risen. ¡°You¡¯re popular today, too.¡± Aris smiled brightly as if he had been cheered. ¡°It must be interesting to see. The lord, who used to be bedridden, runs while exercising his physical strength.¡± ¡°No, all the Knights have respect for you.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel waved his hand at the Knights with a sour face. They didn¡¯t stop cheering unless I sent any response. ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡± Ruel ran with Breath in his mouth. The wind that tickled my face was pleasant. Ruel was out of breath faster than the others, but the feeling of his legs tiring out made the sound of his heart beating louder. Fran¡¯s new drug was fortunately working well without aftereffects. As much as Leo¡¯s two front feet combined, the balance tilted toward recovery, so there were days when there was no slight fever. Contrary to Cassion¡¯s worries, Ruel did not overdo it and developed resistance and physical strength.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com Above all, Ruel knew best that he had to save himself in preparation for leaving for the Cyronian Kingdom. Only after running so fast that the taste of blood lingered in his throat, Ruel completed the race and returned to the room with Aris¡¯s support. After finishing a refreshing bath, I filled my stomach with snacks and trained with Aris to develop resistance again. ¡ªThis body is going to run now! Leo now ran to the floor where the circle was drawn. Ruel sat in place and took out his shadow. The shadow, which was as small as his fingernails, diligently stretched out to the length of an arm. Ruel took off the bracelet Ganien gave him. The length of the shadow quickly increased to more than a leg as the part that the resistance power had to endure was reduced. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot since the last time I saw you.¡± Cassion was a little startled. ¡°Ruel-nim worked really hard.¡± Aris was pretty happy with his job. Before Ruel reached the limit of resistance, Aris had been increasing it by cutting it off like a knife. ¡°Here we go, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body is always ready!¡± The training method was simple. If you catch Leo in the circle until you reach the limit, Ruel wins. If you don¡¯t catch it, Leo wins. Ruel had never beaten Leo before. ¡®Today will be different, Leo.¡¯ At first, I was full of confidence because using shadow was similar to controlling monsters. But Leo was faster than I thought. Ruel moved his shadow, licking his dry lips. It changed into the form of a hand and stretched out towards Leo. As soon as he thought he caught him, Leo was smiling wide away from his grasp. ¡ªThis body is so fast! ¡®It can¡¯t be done by standard methods.¡¯ Leo¡¯ short legs were perfect for changing directions at will. Ruel split a shadow. Ruel inhaled Breath. Then he brought up the words that had stopped. ¡°I dragged my heavy body to do better, but the result was putting a knife in my uncle¡¯s chest.¡± ¡°...Oh, no, Ruel, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with my uncle, because I¡¯m so indebted to him.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Ruel grabbed his chest and smiled bitterly. It was then that Tyson realized that his worries were too much, and he hurriedly spoke his words. ¡°Oh my, do not think deeply about what I am saying. I¡¯m leaving, so come back healthy.¡± How urgent it must have been for Tyson to go out without listening to Ruel¡¯s answer. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression disappeared and his tiredness was revealed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault for not stopping him.¡± ¡°No, I know how much uncle cares about me. What about the others?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Ganien. I stopped him from coming.¡± ¡°Well done, I didn¡¯t expect to use the Prince¡¯s room unintentionally, but now let¡¯s get ready. You brought it, right?¡± His appearance was exactly what he had worn before he fainted. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry. How are you feeling?¡± Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and checked himself. The power of recovery and the power of resistance. Both have grown. ¡°Feeling refreshed.¡± ¡°I will change my clothes and take the medicine Fran gave me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± *** ¡°... I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ganien scratched his cheek without making eye contact. After changing clothes, Ruel called Ganien, Aris, and Leo. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a conscience left.¡± Ruel grinned and stroked Leo. It was really good that its fur didn¡¯t fall out because it was a spirit beast. ¡°I won¡¯t make excuses, because I helped you out even though I knew your condition.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to become a debtor like this, and I don¡¯t know how to start repaying.¡± There is a lot of debt, but there is nothing he can do for Ganien right now. Ruel turned his head and looked at Aris. He was restless and kept getting nervous. ¡°Pull yourself together, Aris.¡± ¡°... All right.¡± Aris unraveled his expression, but he was still concerned. ¡°I heard the news the other day... that the Red Ash is after you.¡± Ganien sighed. ¡°Yeah, I looked through the library to see if there was anything special about my family, and there was nothing special.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made such a reckless decision without knowing that it was such a situation.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯m the only one in this country you can trust.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel got down to business. ¡°When you go back to Cyronian, you drag the Blue Knights out and destroy the hideout. You¡¯re the leader.¡± Ruel himself could not go to the Kingdom of Cyronian and make a mess of it. ¡°Did you notice?¡± Ganien was slightly surprised. ¡°What country makes a regular knight do such a big job?¡± ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll destroy the hideout.¡± ¡°Leave some mouths open for information.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯m very curious as to why they¡¯re aiming for you too.¡± Ganien sneakily revealed his desire to live. Then, the door opened wide. The only person who could come in from here without knocking was the room owner. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since people gathered in this room.¡± ¡°Your Highness, are you here?¡± Everyone but Ruel and Leo bowed to Banios. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s easier to talk because we¡¯re all together.¡± Banios brought a chair and sat pompously in a place where he could see everyone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you troubled by what Sir Croft did? Because Lord Setiria wanted somewhere quiet.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m going to give you a present to compensate for this situation. What do you think?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Banios grinned and took the bottle out of his pocket. The moment he saw it, Cassion and Ganien frowned. ¡°Your Highness, what are you thinking?¡± Ganien couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°It¡¯s safer than it looks, I¡¯m asking Lord Setiria¡¯s thoughts, not yours.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m not feeling well without that childish toy.¡± With the reaction of Cassion and Ganien, Ruel recognized what bottle Banios had. Smiling. Ruel decided to go along with Banios¡¯ scheme. It might have worked better than he thought. Author''s Thoughts Hello everyone, I''m so sorry for the long update. And I want to say that this series will be on semi-hiatus. Currently, I''m looking for editor. (Urgently looking) If you''re interested, you can DM me on Discord. Only apply if you are serious and are not MIA. #CleiZz#5160 Requirement: Please only contact if you can at least do 2-3 chapters per week. Your role is editing grammar, pinpointing errors in the plot, and rewriting some sentences to make the flow better. Chapter 59: When I open my eyes, the royal palace (3) Chapter 59: When I open my eyes, the royal palace (3) *** ¡°Ruel Setiria, the gatekeeper of Leponia Kingdom and as the head of Setiria, enters!¡± With the loud sound of the attendant, Ruel¡¯s cane moved. Ttak. Everyone looked at Ruel as if possessed by the sound. Gray hair was tied up highlighting his young face, with not the slightest tension seen in his luminous green eyes. The presence he had alone attracted attention. One by one, the ministers watched Ruel walk past them, looked at him with pitying eyes.¡± The traces of his illness could not be hidden in his appearance. Who stumbles while walking even when depending on a cane. Ttak. Ruel didn¡¯t care how those around him judged. Setiria¡¯s interest came first. ¡°Greetings to His Royal Majesty. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Subsequently in turn of speaking those words, the exclamations of coughing was heard. The force of the coughing was enough to bend his back and the sound reverberated throughout the room. The king waited until his coughing fit stopped. ¡°I apologize for my rudeness, Your Majesty. My mistake is not of my cause as I do not feel the best.¡± ¡°It is pardonable, I heard from my youngest son that you weren¡¯t feeling well. I¡¯m very worried to see it firsthand.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, though I am not in the best of health, I will gladly accept this delegation for the sake of the country.¡± ¡°Your heart is warm. Borrowing your will, I will appoint you today as the representative of the delegation representing the Kingdom of Leponia.¡± The king glanced at the minister standing next to him. The minister handed over the letter of appointment to Ruel. Previously, in Banios¡¯s room, Ruel had asked if the king was trustworthy. Banios¡¯ response was merely a smile, even though it was terribly rude to ask. ¡°He loves this land, Reponia, more than anyone else in the world.¡± Ruel was relieved by the answer. At least the efforts he made never came to nothing. The king signaled with his fingers to Ruel, who received the letter of appointment. In advance, Banios, Ruel, and the king talked about the situation. The king did not hide his shame at the fact that someone blocked Setiria¡¯s information, and that he had only come across false information so far. Ruel saw Leo sitting next to his feet. It was not yet time for Setiria to wake up. It was necessary to withdraw the gazes that followed because of Ganien¡¯s action of nominating him as delegation of Leponia Kingdom. ¡ªCan I eat it here? This is not in a bed. Ruel quietly smiled reassuringly at Leo. Then Leo licked his lips again and touched Ruel¡¯s foot. ¡ªWell then, I¡¯ll eat well! As soon as the black thing was ripped off, black blood poured from Ruel¡¯s mouth. Immediately, Ruel¡¯s face scrunched in pain. When going to accept the letter of appointment he stumbled to one knee and spit blood. Ruel was careful not to get blood on the letter as he took it in his hands. Once he received the letter of appointment, he remained on one knee and bowed to the king. In an instant it was silent. The ministers watched the unbelievable situation with their eyes wide-open. He showed deep respect for the king, his posture undisturbed even though he vomited blood. They watched as the upright man collapsed like a sandcastle in the face of the sea. The pressure in Ruel¡¯s increased to an unbearable level and he sank under the waves. Ruel couldn¡¯t be used, they judged. The king rose from his seat and shouted hastily, ¡°Call the doctor now!¡± He was really surprised even after the multiple warnings about Ruel¡¯s health. He hadn¡¯t expected Ruel to be weaker than the rumors, especially after seeing the bloodworks. ¡®Did you mean that you¡¯ve rebuilt Setiria, who has been destroyed in such a state?¡¯ The king was moved. Even though he knew this was a play, he couldn¡¯t let Ruel lie on that cold floor. Ruel made him realize he had forgotten the importance of Setiria during the long period of peace. ¡°No, don¡¯t come closer.¡± Ruel grappled with pain. The play had to come to an end when the king came to him. The king clenched his fist with a sullen face. The king turned his head to meet Ganien¡¯s eyes. The king willingly accepted the request in his eyes and gestured at Ganien. ¡°Sir Croft, hurry up and take him home.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± With an answer, Ganien rushed out with Ruel in his arms. Only when the majestic doors closed did the long silence break. The ministers all looked at the black blood stains on the floor and discussed the issue of the delegation. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, the Lord of Setiria cannot represent the delegation. Please reconsider.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I also beg you earnestly.¡± The king sat down and stroked his beard. ¡°It¡¯s too late to appoint another now. I¡¯ve already sent notice of the delegation.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this is an important matter towards a friendly relationship. Please consider it.¡± After that, the ministers repeatedly mentioned Ruel¡¯s physical condition and asked him to change it, but each time the king was adamant. ¡°My choice will remain.¡± Seeing the response, the ministers¡¯ attention turned to deep disappointment as Ruel hoped. If he appointed another it would make a mockery of the name Setiria. It would cause irreparable damage in the future. ¡°This year I am seventeen and next year I will hold my coming-of-age ceremony.¡± ¡°How far ahead are you looking?¡± Banios looked at Ruel with admiration. If he came to Ruel¡¯s Coming-of-Age ceremony, it was suitable to show that he and Setiria were close. ¡°Isn¡¯t it that you¡¯re giving me a gift again?¡± ¡°At that time, I would like to hold the lord inauguration ceremony. There I want you to back me. Isn¡¯t it necessary to do something formal?¡± Banios¡¯ mouth was graced with a smile of satisfaction. If it was the inauguration ceremony of the state, it was meant to show that Setiria supported him, not just a level of friendship. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Please find a way to bring down the second prince. In addition, please hold a large ceremony for next year¡¯s Coming-of-Age and Lord inauguration, and give support funds to Setiria to their original state.¡± He said support funds, but it was a reward due to Setiria being the gatekeeper. Because of Carbena, the subsidy had been reduced by her rattail. ¡°Also, prepare a famous sword and a useful sword.¡± Cassion¡¯s lips curled up when Ruel mentioned the famous sword. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. If there¡¯s anything else I need, I¡¯ll ask for it later.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you what I want.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have the strength to raise a sword, the subsidy is just a return to Setiria to its original condition, and the inauguration ceremony is being held because of me. There¡¯s nothing for you.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t open his mouth as easily as before. ¡°... Well, give me a pen that can¡¯t dry out as a gift.¡± ¡®You¡¯re not greedy. You don¡¯t know how to take care of yourself either.¡¯ Banios looked at Cassion with a flabbergasted face before he nodded calmly. ¡°I see, I¡¯ll prepare a suitable gift for you.¡± Banios opened the carriage door and saw Leo wiggling in the blanket. ¡°Can I pet you? I¡¯ve never seen a fox that looks like this before.¡± ¡°Yes, it does. Leo won¡¯t scratch you, he¡¯s gentle.¡± Ruel pulled Leo out from the blanket and gave it to Banios. ¡ªThis body is not a pet! Unlike his displeased voice, Leo¡¯s tail swung. He kept stroking the tail and it beat back and forth in a rhythm. ¡°After the winds blow over, bring the fox to play. There will be a lot to talk about.¡± Bullshit. Despite Ruel¡¯s thoughts he answered, ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± Banios paused in holding the handle of the carriage and his smile faded. ¡°Don¡¯t trust the Royal Knights. Among them, there are those planted by my brother.¡± Throwing a powerful hint, Banios lightly stepped out of the carriage. ¡°Then, work hard.¡± Ruel¡¯s face was wrinkled in response to Banios¡¯s departure. He was told to work hard, not just a simple goodbye. ¡°...that damn thing.¡± Ruel forced himself to swallow his words and lay back in bed. Papers were placed on the seat where Banios sat. Ruel reached out his hand. ¡°Give it to me.¡± The material listed the personal information of the Knights. Among them, the circled ones seemed to be the ones planted by the second prince. Ruel handed over to Cassion. ¡°Please refer to this document to distinguish between Red Ashes and those planted by the second prince.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion answered and took out another blanket and covered Ruel with it. ¡°Are you warm?¡± Ruel looked away vaguely and nodded reluctantly. ¡®Should I order a blanket with thermal insulation magic?¡¯ Cassion picked up Leo hanging from the window and placed him next to Ruel. As the season approached winter, Leo¡¯s body temperature was higher, like a moving stove. Feeling the heat only then did Ruel close his eyes contentedly. *** Rattle. Suddenly, the carriage shook violently and Ruel opened his eyes startled. He could see the sun setting over the window. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You can go back to sleep. It looks like something is stuck.¡± Ruel raised his upper body by inhaling Breath. Knock. Knock. Aris, who was sitting at the front of the carriage, came down and knocked on the door. Cassion opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It rained all night and the road was muddy and we are stuck in a puddle.¡± ¡°A puddle?¡± Ruel asked back, wondering. They may have escaped from the palace, but aren¡¯t they running on the main road? ¡°Yes, there was a deep puddle. We¡¯ll be right out.¡± Ruel did not answer and looked at the surrounding landscape. The location was roughly the way from Shio to Setiria. ¡®The road must have been well paved back then.¡¯ He hated things not going as planned. ¡°Cassion, check it out.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Author''s Thoughts Hello everyone, I''m so sorry for the long update. Most likely, I''ll be busier than now in the future. So as usual, I''ll update when I can. Thanks so much for your patience. I hope everyone had a good day. ?????????? Chapter 60: Who cut the waves Chapter 60: Who cut the waves There were no suspicious signs around. Cassion thought it was simply a puddle. ¡°Aris, come here.¡± To give Ruel peace of mind, Cassion got down and investigated the puddle with Aris. For more certainty, he took off his white gloves and touched the soil. ¡®You have a pretty sharp intuition.¡¯ The puddle was artificially created by someone a few hours ago. Cassion wiped his hands and put on his gloves again. Aris asked, ¡°How is it? There is no mana reaction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an artificially created puddle.¡± Aris bit his lip. ¡°Did they already move?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not early, Ruel-nim received the letter from the royal family two weeks ago. So don¡¯t hesitate to drive the carriage and just avoid it as much as you can because you will see a lot of puddles like this in the future.¡± If there were puddles on every road, you couldn¡¯t help but pay attention. Ruel was more sensitive than he thought. With such psychological warfare, you have to be careful because your subconscious thoughts might cause foolish actions. Weak mind, weak body. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Aris climbed back into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The commander of the Third Royal Knights escorting the carriage from the back got off his horse and walked towards Cassion. ¡°The carriage fell into a puddle, so I was checking.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll push the carriage from the back. Is the Lord okay?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s fine.¡± Cassion nodded and climbed back into the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s a puddle that was artificially dug a few hours ago. No gadgets or magic. Of course, there are no enemies,¡± Cassion reported to Ruel. ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°I think it might be psychological warfare. A warning that they could kill you at any time.¡± Ruel smirked as he stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡°Who do you think is a sunfish?¡± ¡°Sun...fish?¡± Leo also stared at Ruel at Cassion¡¯s question as if he was curious. ¡°There¡¯s something like that, anyway, don¡¯t worry about puddles or weird things in the future. Just be prepared for a raid.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡®You¡¯re in a hurry, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ To the point of committing unnecessary acts. There were several minor raids, as well as puddles until the carriage reached the gate. It was insignificant enough that you couldn¡¯t even call it an attack. The attacker just showed up wearing a mask and shot several arrows. ¡°I¡¯ll chase them down and kill them.¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s wait and see what they do.¡± Ruel wondered what he was aiming for through a clumsy play that was neither a raid nor a trap. The carriage stopped for a moment to pass through the gate. Ruel used this pause to briefly step out of the carriage and examine the Knights in the name of getting some air. Unlike his tranquil self, the face of the Knights was emaciated. ¡®Ah... You are aiming for this.¡¯ The ground was muddy, the armor heavy, and the horses were startled by the puddles and it was a struggle to calm them down. In addition, how many close battles had occurred that were embarrassing to call an attack? When troublesome things were repetitive it created irritation, people were bound to be sensitive. Especially since annoying things are repeated over and over and over. ¡®The more sensitive you become, the greater the agitation. The Masu Forest is perfect for causing that commotion.¡¯ The Masu Forest was originally a place where monsters often appeared. Suddenly. Surprisingly. It was also not a strange place to put such a word. Ruel climbed back into the carriage and bit the Breath in his mouth. ¡®Is the purpose to make the Knights tired?¡¯ For that, Masu¡¯s forest was the perfect place. A monster that suddenly pops out. Surprisingly, the number of monsters was large. A script was drawn in my head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± When Ruel showed a suspicious smile, Cassion was nervous. ¡°No, I just remembered a part of a story. A very insignificant thing makes the knights tired. They get even more exhausted from the onslaught of monsters that randomly popped out of the Masu Forest. Suddenly,the knights who suddenly disappeared from the front yard of the Cyronian Kingdom before the neutral zone... Hey, it¡¯s perfect for a war, isn¡¯t it?¡± It wasn¡¯t just a story. Cassion read the atmosphere of the Knights, so he asked carefully. ¡°... Are you going to use that power?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°For now, why don¡¯t we just watch the situation, as it¡¯s not happening right away?¡± Cassion prefered waiting rather than opposing. ¡°Then we are acting like a breakwater.¡± Ruel waited with a smile. The carriage crossed the gate and reached the Masu Forest. As soon as he saw the monsters preparing to come out, Ruel gave an order. ¡°Everybody-¡° Whiiing. His head got hot. ¡°Until I pass,¡± There was a light in Ruel¡¯s green eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t come out.¡± As the nosebleed dripped, Cassion hurriedly staunched it with a handkerchief. ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡± For a moment, Cassion flinched. There was a sound as if the forest was ringing. ¡°Ruel-nim...¡± Ruel trembled suddenly. It was because hundreds of voices telling him they would obey the order were transmitted in his head at once. I didn¡¯t mean to call this much. Like being swept away by the waves, Ruel couldn¡¯t hold onto his consciousness any longer. *** ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s... It is said they have entered the neutral zone.¡± The man grinned and grabbed the neck of the subordinate who came back to report. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°N-Neutral...¡± His neck was broken. He threw his bent-necked subordinate onto the floor like dirty trash and looked towards another subordinate. ¡°Report.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± A woman beckoned her subordinates out of the room. Quang! A desk was smashed by the man¡¯s angry fist. ¡°I heard they passed the neutral zone. What happened? Didn¡¯t you say it with confidence, that you could grab his ankle?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that the monsters didn¡¯t even come close to the roadside?¡± ¡°So what are you going to do about it!¡± The man shouted. ¡°Damn Setiria! Oh why do you live so long with an existence like a fly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they sent us up here. Without disturbance, we¡¯ll take care of it neatly.¡± ¡°But some of them should have moved.¡± ¡°We checked if the Red Ash was hidden in the Knights.¡± They still must have known the patrol route as she easily attacked him without being caught by the Knights. ¡°I¡¯m very scared that my country will be like this, too.¡± Ruel said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s highly likely none of us know enough about the Red Ash.¡± ¡°... Right.¡± Looking at the dead enemy, Ganien¡¯s expression stiffened. The situation was completely changing with the appearance of the Red Ash. ¡°Cough, cough. Now go.¡± Ruel said after coughing. There wasn¡¯t much time to talk leisurely. Aris used magic to hide himself and Ganien. The door opened and closed quietly. Ruel turned over and saw Leo in dreamland. ¡®You sleep really well.¡¯ Usually, he was more sensitive to sound than Ruel, but he closed his ears when sleeping. Knock. Knock. A light knock signaled Cassion coming. The door opened quietly and the knight walked in with Cassion. ¡°I see the Lord...¡± The knight could not finish his sentence. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m ashamed! I didn¡¯t know there was an intruder...!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t call you to scold you for your mistake, so don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± ¡°Why did you call me?¡± ¡°Say you got him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It may be sudden, but there is someone inside the Knights who communicated with the intruder.¡± The knight¡¯s face hardened immediately. ¡°Ginger, you¡¯re the only one I can trust here.¡± After Cassion¡¯s investigation, the most reliable knight was the one named Ginger. ¡°Take a look inside the Knights with this incident. Doubt the commander and all your colleagues.¡± ¡°Even the commander?¡± Ginger hesitated for a moment. As a member of the Third Royal Knights, he has trusted the commander and relied on his colleagues more than anyone else. However, the lord in front of him denied all of that. ¡°Are you worried?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. Ginger nodded reluctantly. ¡°If your colleagues are the most important thing to you, then you will have to throw away all the rumors you have heard. If you¡¯re truly loyal to this country, believe in me.¡± Ginger¡¯s fist clenched hard. It seemed to turn white* in his mind. T/N: White here means poured one¡¯s heart and soul into something or to have given something one¡¯s best. ¡°Why would I go to Cyronian now? Why me?¡± The representative of the delegation was a place for those of the upmost trust. A place of honor more than anyone of any standing could sit. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time.¡± His heart beat faster at the prompting. Colleagues who have been with me had always stood in front of me. Things won¡¯t change much with his choice, but at least his surroundings seemed to change significantly. Ruel Setiria. The sick noble and representative of the delegation. The loyalty sent to the king while vomiting blood was already highly gossiped about. Ginger closed his eyes tightly and soon decided. ¡°I will do it.¡± It was his country that he valued. Ruel¡¯s lips drew an arc. ¡°Let¡¯s start right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an intruder!¡± Leo opened his eyes wide at Ginger¡¯s loud cry. ¡ªAn, an intruder has appeared! ¡°No, you can sleep more.¡± Ruel closed Leo¡¯s eyes and gently rubbed his stomach. Leo¡¯s dim eyes soon closed and fell asleep again. Thump. Thump. Two footsteps were heard from outside. Quang! Ganien and Aris shouted as the door opened wildly and everyone heard; ¡°Ruel, the intruder is here!¡± ¡°Hurry up and defend yourself!¡± Unlike the urgent voice, the eyes of the two were smiling. ¡®You said you couldn¡¯t act...¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel improved his impression with the intense cough. Thump. Thump. An urgent sound of footsteps came and the Knights entered Ruel¡¯s room. ¡°Are you all right?¡± The commander immediately noticed Ruel¡¯s condition. The commander stammered with a painful expression like he had been the one almost stabbed by a knife. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No, I was just so surprised at the sound of an intruder.¡± Since there was Red Ash inside the Knights, Aris couldn¡¯t see them favorably. ¡®... Huh?¡¯ Ruel was amazing. ¡°We¡¯ll protect this place, so commander, please check for intruders.¡± ¡°The Lord seems to be very surprised, so I¡¯ll leave now. Don¡¯t worry, my lord. We will surely kill the intruders.¡± The commander hurried out of the room with the knights, strengthening his strong will. ¡®What?¡¯ Ruel looked at Aris with an absurd expression. I couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of rumor would spread. What is the point of adding heart medicine to the infirmity? Aris even moved away, avoiding his eyes. ¡°I confirmed that Ginger was pretending to kill him properly... What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Cassion, who appeared in the dark, stopped explaining the situation and followed Ruel¡¯s gaze. Ganien saw Aris rolling his eyes around as if he had done something wrong. He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Anyway, it went well. You can go to bed now with peace of mind.¡± Cassion himself carried the body and decorated it as if the enemy had come, and Ginger finished his role well like an actor. Now that an attacker appeared, the Knights must be on high alert and it will be harder to make another attempt tonight. Coughing, Ruel glanced at Ganien and Aris. ¡°Can you sleep on the floor since there¡¯s no seat?¡± It¡¯s fake, but there was an attack, so the two had to stay in Ruel¡¯s room. ¡°I¡¯ve camped a lot, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to sleeping on the floor.¡± Ganien was fine, but at Aris¡¯s remarks, Ruel paused. ¡°Cassion, get me a blanket.¡± No matter how hard it was, you couldn¡¯t sleep on the cold floor at a time when winter was approaching. Ruel closed his eyes when he saw Cassion go outside. Chapter 61.1 - Who cut the waves (2) Chapter 61.1 - Who cut the waves (2) *** Cyronian was a kingdom located in the north. Therefore, the further we went, the lower the temperature became. The first thing they saw after leaving the neutral zone was the open sea. ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± Ruel smiled at the sea that appeared through the window. He felt that winter had arrived by seeing the slight freezing. He tried to open the window to feel the wind, but Cassion stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s colder as we head to Cyronian. You still have a fever, so just look.¡± Whether the carriage is wider or the carriage has a bed, the body was still burdened just by moving, and Ruel¡¯s fever has risen. It was a simple fever, but Cassion paid more attention because he was on the move, not resting in the mansion. The heat patch had already been applied. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! There¡¯s a lot of water. I want to go in and swim. Leo wagged his tail constantly as he hung from the window with his short legs. ¡°If you jump into the water on a day like this, will you catch a cold?...Can spirit¡¯s get sick too?¡± ¡ªThis body can¡¯t catch an illness like that. Isn¡¯t it Ruel who is sick every day? Cassion quietly covered his mouth and smirked as Leo poked brightly.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com Ruel tried to squeeze Leo¡¯s tail, but he was powerless and left it alone. ¡°How much time do we have left?¡± ¡°Probably four more days. There is a bridge between Cyronian and the Neutral Zone, but it sometimes submerges depending on the flow of the waves, so you should consider it an additional three days.¡± A sea existed between the Neutral Zone, the Cyronian Kingdom, and the Kran Kingdom. A bridge was set up to connect the sea and the neutral zone. ¡°The waves appear to be calm.¡± ¡°It looks like that with the naked eye, but shouldn¡¯t we be prepared?¡± Ruel exhaled lightly. Another good place to play tricks. The carriage stopped before the bridge after running non-stop for a while. Knock. Knock. Cassion answered when someone knocked on the carriage door. It was Ganien. ¡°Ruel, from here on we¡¯re going to cross the bridge.¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s submerged by the waves. Is everything alright?¡± ¡°I contacted my home country in advance, so the wizards are here. They¡¯re going to freeze the surroundings and start the carriage. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± I would have been relieved if it was Cassion who said that, but unfortunately it was Ganien. The main character who brings incidents just by breathing. ¡®Something¡¯s going to happen.¡¯ After Ganien left, Ruel thought, touching his stomach with his hands. ¡°If you¡¯re swept away by the waves, it¡¯ll be hard for even a knight to survive, right?¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± ¡°Bring Aris for a moment.¡± Aris was the only wizard here. Right now the wizards of Cyronian will be freezing the waves, so there was time to talk. ¡°I see.¡± Cassion went out for a while and came back with Aris. ¡°Did you call me, Ruel-nim?¡± Ruel glanced at Leo, who was still hanging on the window, and said as he tapped his side, ¡°Come here, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body is busy seeing the sea. ¡°The great purifier has something to do.¡± Tap. Tap. Tap. Leo ran to where Ruel pointed with his hand, his eyes sparkling. ¡ªWhat does this body have to do? This body is a great purifier. ¡°Aris, you and Leo have something to do together, although there is a precondition.¡± ¡°What are the prerequisites? I¡¯ll do anything.¡± Aris uttered a word with a firm will. ¡°I think something is going to happen while crossing the bridge, can you get rid of the waves?¡± ¡ªDo I have to swim? Leo wagged his tail. ¡°Of course it has. So, were there any problems with the mansion?¡± Billo remained silent for a moment. ¡°Billo.¡± -Actually, there was an intruder. Don¡¯t worry, the mansion is safe. ¡°Is it Red Ash?¡± -It looks like that. They tried to self-destruct and I couldn¡¯t identify them. I¡¯m sorry. ¡°No, tell each of the barons and ask them to increase the number of soldiers patrols a little more.¡± -All right. Ruel turned off the communication device and handed it over to Cassion. ¡°It seems to be another psychological attack rather than the beginning of a real attack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡± There has never been a raid on the mansion before. But this attack happened for the first time while he was away for a long time. Ruel grinned. ¡°It stopped shaking as much.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Cassion put Leo into Ruel¡¯s arms and opened the carriage door. ¡°...?¡± When the carriage door opened, both Ruel inside the carriage and the knights guarding the outside were startled. Cassion held Ruel and exited the carriage calmly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t on either side but from beneath. I don¡¯t know how sturdy the carriage is, so I¡¯ll try to avoid it myself for now.¡± ¡°Ruel!¡± Ganien came running calling out to Ruel. He had already drawn his sword. ¡°Leo, come here.¡± Aris, who got off the carriage, reached out for Leo. Leo alternately looked at Ruel and Aris and rubbed his face against Ruel. ¡ªThis body is better with Ruel. Thank you, but now is not the time to say that. ¡°Leo, go to Aris. Did you forget what I said in the carriage?¡± ¡ªAh! I see! Leo jumped into Aris¡¯ arms. ¡°We will live up to your expectations.¡± Showing the same spirit as a knight, Aris broke through the knights and went out. ¡°All of a sudden, what is this...¡± In response to the sudden action, the commander of the knights approached Ruel. But he couldn¡¯t continue. ¡°Enemy!¡± Whoo! A large stream of water popped out from the point where the carriage was. Among them was an enemy dressed in white. Ruel was lifted into the air above Cassion¡¯s shoulder, and as soon as he saw the carriage crash to the ground, he swallowed. It was not crushed or broken for now. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty sturdy carriage.¡± Cassion moved swiftly, uttering a relaxed sound. In case Ruel got wet, he escaped from the encircling knights, avoiding splashing water droplets. ¡°Chief.¡± Ruel was surprised by Hina¡¯s voice coming from behind. ¡°I cut their necks. Two.¡± After bringing it up, Hina disappeared again. Ruel frowned. I expected it, but I didn¡¯t expect two of them among Cyronian¡¯s wizards. ¡°Are you cold? I should have brought a blanket.¡± Ruel¡¯s condition was conveyed through his shivering hands. He was already feverish, but with the cold his whole body was trembling. ¡°Protect the Lord!¡± The commander of the Knights shouted loudly. At the same time, he looked at Ruel with concern. Chapter 61.2 - Who cut the waves (2) Chapter 61.2 - Who cut the waves (2) The Knights were divided into two groups, and one of them approached Ruel. But Ganien blocked their steps. He couldn¡¯t trust them with the Red Ash potentially mixed among them. ¡°It¡¯s alright! I took the knight¡¯s oath and I uphold it.¡± Boom! He simply struck his sword, but he felt great spirit from Ganien. Gulp. Although he was also a knight, Ganien was the leader of the Blue Knights. He was the main character and carried a different aura. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®It¡¯s good to have a good debt.¡¯ The commander stared at Ganien for a moment. However, he soon lowered his head lightly and combined the two groups he commanded. ¡°Annihilate the enemy!¡± They shouted loudly and rushed toward the enemy. Ruel looked around, inhaling Breath. There was a big hole in the bridge where the carriage was, and Aris and Leo were talking to each other. ¡°You can put me down now.¡± Ruel showed him the necklace Tyson gave him. ¡°Oh, I forgot.¡± As soon as Cassion put Ruel down, he lifted his leg and kicked something. Whack! Ruel couldn¡¯t see what went flying. ¡°Stay still here, Ganien is here and I¡¯ll go and clean up the area.¡± Cassion looked around and quietly went into the shadows. Even if Cassion wanted to run rampant, it was better for Ganien too. Cassion was externally a butler. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Ganien asked, cutting down on the enemies rushing for Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel bit Breath in his mouth. Every time he took a breath, he smelt blood. Chuang! In an instant, Ganien, who moved behind Ruel, blew the enemy¡¯s head. Cooung! As Ganien stomped his foot, he saw a waving figure staggering near Ruel. ¡°Very.¡± Clank. The swords collided, but Ganien¡¯s blue aura destroyed even the sword. ¡°Annoying.¡± Contrary to what he said, Ganien was smiling. The fight seemed to be pleasant. Ruel blew Mana into the ring rather than paying attention to the blood flowing under his feet. ¡®It¡¯s so cold.¡¯ He had asked Tyson to put a communication device function in the ring to contact him whenever he really needed him, like now. ¡°Uncle.¡± -Ha, have you arrived yet? Are you okay? ¡°No, I got into a fight... ¡± -I¡¯ll be there soon. ¡°No, no, the sea breeze is so cold that I want to get some warmth.¡± Instead of words, flames came out through the ring and wrapped around Ruel. ¡°A little loud, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was not a regular flame. It was a blue flame that seemed to melt just by touching it. I just expected a warm bonfire. -Wouldn¡¯t it be bad if you catch a cold? Don¡¯t worry, the fire will go out automatically when you collect mana in the ring. Is that all for you? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough. Till then.¡± Ruel cut off the communication because he was afraid to say something that would worry his uncle. ¡°Your uncle must have surpassed his wall. The quality of his mana is different.¡± After hitting the enemy in the face with his elbow, Ganien expressed his fighting spirit. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gotten a lot stronger~¡± Ruel looked at the sound of the sword and the bursting magic with calm eyes, and waited for the enemy¡¯s real attack. ¡°...!¡± Ganien turned his head to the left. Soon he clenched his sword. ¡°The waves...¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more coming.¡± Ruel¡¯s breath leaked out of his mouth. The crashing sea was visible through the cracking ice on the left side. The enemy backed away, as if the moment they were waiting for had come. ¡°The waves are coming again!¡± One of the knights shouted. There were waves approaching on the right side as well as on the left side and the hole grew larger. ¡°I¡¯ll cut one of them!¡± Ganien bellowed so that everyone could hear him. On Ganien¡¯s sword, the baby blue sword aura became darker and darker. Ruel felt sick at the momentum. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put out the fire for a while?¡± Cassion, who appeared from Ruel¡¯s shadow, looked at the blue flame. It was not a fire that couldn¡¯t be extinguished, but he did not want to dirty his gloves. Ruel gathered Mana into the ring. As the cold hit again, Ruel grabbed both arms, shivering. ¡°Ruel, I¡¯m ready,¡± Aris said, with Leo in his arms. ¡°Cassion, bring in Sir Torto.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel bit Breath with his blue lips and with the other hand, he pointed to the waves coming from the right. ¡°Aris, the opportunity is yours to seize.¡± ¡°I see.¡± E/N: I vote we change this to ¡°sea¡° hehe. Pun intended~ Aris put Leo down and took out his sword. He himself was a swordsman in appearance, so he studied with Leo on how to put mana on the sword like an aura. After answering, Aris bit his lips tightly. Without Leo rubbing his face with his tail, it would have been hard to hide his feelings. ¡°Will you upright the wagon?¡± Ruel pointed to the carriage that had fallen before the battle. The dazed knights belatedly came to their senses at the sound of coughing. ¡°Alright.¡± The commander approached Ruel, glanced at Aris, and opened his mouth. ¡°You have a great escort. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s already in that state at his age. I¡¯m looking forward to his future.¡± It was Aris and Ganien, whose lips twitched, receiving the praise. ¡°Thank you, you were very good, too. As expected of the commander of the Royal Knights.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± Torto looked at Ganien with his head bowed. It was the level of skill Ganien possessed that bothered him. The commander noticed that his skills were better than himself with his clean cut of the waves. The Blue Knights of Cyronian were famous, but he didn¡¯t expect them to be so outstanding. Torto¡¯s heart was boiling long after the fight. He walked over to Ganien and held out his hand. ¡°It was really good work.¡± ¡°I was really surprised, too. If I have a chance, I would like to compete with you. What do you think?¡± Ganien did not miss the opportunity to approach him. His hands were itching because he also saw Torto¡¯s skills. ¡°All right. After this, it¡¯s good to cross swords in a friendly bout.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Torto.¡± Ganien smiled brightly with a voice filled with sincerity. He was the commander of the Royal Knights. How can he miss fighting such a commander? Ganien tried to calm down and walked to Ruel. ¡°Ganien.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel opened his mouth. Ganien waited for Ruel¡¯s words with a smile on his face. ¡°The Red Ash were mixed among the wizards. I leave it to you to deal with the aftermath.¡± Ganien¡¯s face quickly darkened because of the whispered words. He went back the way he had come and walked towards the wizards. Ruel followed Ganien then looked away. The rest was Ganien¡¯s job. When the wind blew, Ruel immediately trembled. ¡°Except for a few scratches it looks fine.¡± When the Knights overturned the carriage, Cassion carefully examined the outside and inside of the carriage. After organizing the mess, he pointed to the carriage. ¡°Now get in.¡± ¡°Cassion, you need to drive the carriage for a moment.¡± Ruel gestured to Aris with his eyes. It would be difficult to drive a carriage with such a low level of mana. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll drive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry...¡± ¡°Aris, get in the carriage.¡± At Ruel¡¯s firm words, Aris replied without question, ¡°I understand.¡± The Knights finished reorganizing, and the carriage departed. ¡°Is it... Is it okay if Cassion-nim isn¡¯t here?¡± The appearance showed while cutting the waves was nowhere, and Aris was restless and opened his mouth nervously. While stroking Leo¡¯s stomach lying down, Ruel smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡ªRight, thanks to this body¡¯s hard work. Leo was flattered and tapped his hand with his tail when Ruel stopped petting him. ¡®This one. Who¡¯s raising who?¡¯ ¡°I will...¡± ¡°Why do you feel pressured?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do if Ruel-nim¡¯s condition gets worse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cassion¡¯s role, so turn off your thoughts and take a rest, your face looks blue.¡± Aris¡¯ mouth opened and closed. Isn¡¯t it Ruel who always walks around with a pale face? It was only for a moment, but he could understand how Cassion felt. ¡®You¡¯re always having a hard time.¡¯ Aris lay down grudgingly under Ruel¡¯s gaze. Amazingly, it was more comfortable than he thought. ¡°Is it okay if you don¡¯t lie down, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°I get motion sickness when I lie down.¡± Ruel rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach with one hand and inhaled Breath with the other. His hands trembled from the lingering cold. ¡°I want to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°What do you want, Ruel-nim? Besides Setiria.¡± Ruel has always put himself on the back burner. So Aris really wanted to ask since he had the chance. Because a sword is directed by the master¡¯s will. ¡°A life where I don¡¯t have to be the center.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°A rich, comfortable, peaceful life.¡± A smile hung around Ruel¡¯s mouth. It was like a person who went out for a walk in a quiet place. ¡°Okay. All right.¡± Aris also laughed. As the carriage crossed the bridge and returned to the plains, Ruel laid down on his back. ¡®Red Ash, these rotten bastards... ¡® Ruel was resentful when he recalled his goal, which had been distorted thanks to Aris. *** At the end of the night, the carriage stopped in front of a small village. It was a village in the outermost part of Cyronian. ¡®Slowly, we are coming to the place where the power left by the hero is.¡¯ In the novel, Ganien gained a power from a cave beyond the village here. It was discovered on the way back after having to bypass the mountain due to heavy snow. ¡®There¡¯s no way it¡¯s going to snow all of a sudden. What should I say to go there?¡¯ Chapter 62.1 - Purification Chapter 62.1 - Purification The two powers in his body would guide him along the way. ¡®I¡¯ll have to talk to Cassion before I go.¡¯ Ruel got out of the carriage thinking hard and he was shocked in an instant by the cold wind rushing over his face. It was colder than when he crossed the bridge. He hurriedly put on a cape and a hat. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Something white is coming down! Leo jumped out next to Ruel and opened his mouth to eat the snow falling from the sky.UppTodated from ¡ªUnsweetened ice cream! ¡®Good timing.¡¯ Ruel looked up at the sky, inhaling Breath. *** Ruel opened his eyes slightly at the soft touch on his face. ¡ªLook, Ruel! It all tastes like ice cream that¡¯s not sweet! This body is going to eat it all! ¡°How many times have I told you it¡¯s snow, not unsweetened ice cream...¡± Ruel raised his upper body in a hurry. ¡®The snow... It¡¯s piled up a lot.¡¯ He stopped as soon as he opened the window. The snow was piled up almost to the point where you couldn¡¯t see the ground floor because it was submerged due to heavy snow overnight. ¡°Are you up?¡± Cassion opened the door and came inside. ¡°No matter how curious you are about the snow, your fever hasn¡¯t gone away yet.¡± ¡°Did it snow all night?¡± ¡°Yes, it poured down all night.¡± ¡°Then I can¡¯t move today, can I?¡± A suspicious smile grew on Ruel¡¯s face. Cassion frowned slightly at the smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to stay another day. But why are you so happy?¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± Cassion replied promptly, but something was disturbing about Ruel¡¯s reaction. ¡°I have business so I need to go out.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Ruel pointed his finger at his chest with strength. ¡°I think I met a friend. It¡¯s humming.¡± ¡°Again, you mean that power? What¡¯s that power?¡± ¡°If I had known its power, I would have come here from the beginning.¡± It was pure coincidence that Ruel became the head of the delegation. ¡°Are you going to waste it?¡± Clearly, that power was helping Ruel. *** Cassion cared a lot about his outfit to deter Ruel from catching a cold. After putting on one, two, or three layers of clothes, it was difficult to move his arms. Not to mention, adding on a scarf and a hat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Cassion paused and asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Leo peeped out his head in Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡°Cassion is fast. Things keep flying by.¡± Cassion was very fast, as if contracting space with his magic. With each leap, the wind lashed against Ruel but it was not cold because he dressed warmly. ¡°When I go back to Setiria, if we travel like this, we¡¯ll be there in a day, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take more than a day, but if you want it too, let me know.¡± It was a joke, but Cassion took it seriously. ¡°No, thanks.¡± Monster. He certainly understood why he was a guild leader today. His strength played a part, but the mobility to go anywhere, anytime... It was a scam. His ability exceeded the Cassion described in the novel. ¡°Are you strong enough to take the king¡¯s head?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t do it, but it¡¯s outdated, cumbersome, and doesn¡¯t fit the standard of the quests I accept.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the standard?¡± Cassion grinned at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°First of all, I make sure that there are no problems even if he dies. Then, assuming even if the client doesn¡¯t plan to hit me in the back of the head, I only kill the people I think are worth dying. It would be a bit of a hassle.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s a hassle... It¡¯s not about the king, is it?¡± ¡°When I was younger, I tried to do it when I was drunk.¡± Cassion looked at the sky faintly as if he were reminiscing about the past. ¡®Crazy guy...¡¯ ¡°That way.¡± Ruel pointed his finger in that direction. He had two powers, so he was able to find them from a farther distance. Five more minutes? Cassion opened his mouth when he saw the new terrain. ¡°There¡¯s a cave ahead.¡± ¡°Stop here.¡± The power was running wild, saying they were here. Found it. Cassion carefully put Ruel on the ground. After placing Leo in Cassion¡¯s arms, he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Wait.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡ªAlright. Chapter 62.2 - Purification Chapter 62.2 - Purification *** Since the second test was easily passed, he thought the third test could also be taken lightly. But he lost his confidence as soon as he entered and saw the cave. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, Ruel could see himself as soon as he entered the cave. ¡®Are you going to let me pass through right away this time?¡¯ The third test to gain the power was seemingly simple, go to the end of the cave. However, this place is called the Doppelganger¡¯s Cave, and if you go inside, a person identical to you appears. In the novel, only Ganien could reach the end of the cave and gain the power. ¡°You¡¯re selfish, Ruel.¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be scary to hear your own voice talking to you like this? However, Ruel ignored it and walked forward because he knew that the trial left by the hero was an illusion. It was neither dark nor wet inside the cave, so there was no problem with walking. ¡°How many died for your wish? How selfish is this?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about how many people will be harmed by your presence? The Red Ash already attacked the mansion, what¡¯s next? Apor? Sisel? There could be raids in any of the towns.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard, isn¡¯t it? Isn¡¯t that body frustrating? Why should you be the only one suffering? It hurts, it hurts again, don¡¯t you want to let it all go?¡± Although it was an illusion, the problem was it knew his situation too well, bringing up every private thought and flaw he had. Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°You must be anxious. You describe it as a leash, but you don¡¯t trust anyone after all. All you have is a sick body. What do you have, Ruel?¡± ¡®You talk a lot.¡¯ In the novel, the cave was described as short, but it felt longer than I thought. Illusions continued to appear, bringing out all the worries he had hidden in his mind. Little by little, it became unpleasant. ¡°...!¡± Ruel¡¯s feet stopped. The illusion had turned into Kim Han, not Ruel. ¡°Can you go back to your original place? Ruel, no, Kim Han. Why aren¡¯t you scared when you¡¯re stuck in a novel and don¡¯t even know the end of it? Are you doing well? Are you overcoming it?¡± Ruel was agitated for the first time. ¡°I know you more than anyone else.¡± But that was it. He was caught off guard by his old self for a moment. ¡°Get lost.¡± Ruel passed by Kim Han with his middle finger raised. It was only then that the end was visible. ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯ It was already in the past, regardless of what he said or not, pretending to be himself. It was much too late for him to have any regrets about the past, it was more important to solve what was happening currently. Cough. Cough. Ruel grabbed some of the pieces of a fractured sculpture in front of him. ¨C You who possess the power of recovery and the power of resistance. You have successfully completed my test. Physical pain is not the only pain. Memories can dig within you at any time. No one can be free from the pain of memory. That¡¯s why I chose you. It was a very arrogant statement. ¡°No, I chose you.¡± So, Ruel also corrected what the sculpture said with an arrogant expression. ¨C I will protect you from pain. I will hide you from pain and return your pain to the enemy who gave you pain. The fragments permeated into Ruel¡¯s body. Wi-ing. Wee-ing. The two powers wept as if welcoming the new power. ¡®The Power of Reflection.¡¯ Ruel smiled mischievously. It was a power that Ganien used instead of a shield, but Ruel planned to use it differently. He built a strong wall on my body that couldn¡¯t stand Mana. Now his body was like a broken pipe. When water is sourced through a broken pipe it can leak here and there, drenching the surroundings and when it rains, the foreign water will enter the pipe and pollute it. It would be easier to change the pipe itself, but he was unable to do so. He could only block the holes here and there. It would fix some of the problems. Using the power of reflection, Mana from the outside can be reflected from the inside to the outside. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and looked back at his Mana. After increasing the power and stretching it quickly, it definitely will last longer. ¡°Ptui.¡± Ruel spat out a little blood and raised the corners of his mouth. As soon as Drianna saw Leo for the first time, she noticed the existence of the spirit. The man who wrote Mana¡¯s handwriting saw Leo, so he could notice that he was a spirit just like Drianna did. If you look at it so broadly, there is a possibility that he might have noticed that Leo was a great purifier, even if you read it in a book or heard it somewhere. But the power in his body. Cassion, Ganien, and Uncle knew there was something, but they didn¡¯t know what exactly. I went to get the power left by the hero, but the burden increased significantly. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo raised his face buried in a rice bowl and pricked his ears. ¡°You said he¡¯s close to nature, what does that mean?¡± Leo¡¯s eyes rolled. ¡ªHe is human, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be human. It smells like a spirit about to return to nature. To Spirits, returning to nature means death. ¡°So, what is it?¡± Ruel didn¡¯t understand when he heard it. ¡ªI don¡¯t know. But he is not a being outside of nature, so he is not a being that disturbs order. ¡°At least it¡¯s not evil?¡± ¡ªRight. Existences that are out of natural order must be purified by a great purifier. That is the task of this body. Leo proudly uttered this sentence and then proceeded to bury his face in the bowl of rice. Chomp. Chomp. ¨C Always stay with the Great Purifier. Ruel tapped his thigh, recalling the words written in Mana. ¡®If the great purifier¡¯s job is to purify beings out of order, does that mean that someone against nature¡¯s order will appear in the future? So you sent me that message? If not...¡¯ The uncertainty was very uncomfortable. ¡°Leo, what exactly do you mean by out of natural order?¡± Leo tilted his head from side to side and wagged his tail. ¡ªHonestly, I don¡¯t know. I just heard that you will know those who are out of nature¡¯s order when you see it. This body... Soon the wobbly tail stopped. ¡ªThis body, this body is a half-wit so it will be a big deal if a person who deviates from nature¡¯s law appears because it cannot be purified! He seemed to have just figured out the problem by moving left and right as if he were confused. ¡°Never mind. No one treats you like an idiot.¡± ¡ªRight! You don¡¯t treat this body as a fool here. So this body is very happy. Leo¡¯s tail wobbled again. Ruel tapped his thigh again and turned his eyes to see the food in front of him. It was not a problem to be solved by thinking unless the person who engraved the letter materialized. ¡®Let¡¯s eat, with what little of my appetite remains.¡¯ ¡°What did you get there?¡± Cassion, who was listening in on the conversation, asked. Ruel immediately swallowed the meat in his mouth and held out an unused fork. ¡°Throw it gently.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s going to get stuck wherever I throw it.¡± ¡°Then just throw it near me.¡± Cassion had no choice but to hold the fork because his heart would hurt if he refused further orders. ¡°What are you thinking? You know what happens when I attack Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, throw it lightly.¡± Cassion focused on his finger and threw it with force only slightly touching the hem of Ruel¡¯s clothes. Ting. It was a very short moment, but Cassion saw a powder appear and push the fork. It was different from magic. ¡°What¡¯s that power?¡± ¡°The power of reflection.¡± ¡°Can magic also reflect?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°How much force can you reflect?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was filled with concern. The power of reflection. It may sound like anything could be reflected by the tone, but there was no absolute power. Especially when you¡¯ve just gained strength, you¡¯ll be very weak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t intend to use it like a shield, because I¡¯m going to fill in the parts that my body lacks with that power.¡± ¡°You thought well. This has made it more bearable with mana. Congratulations.¡± Cassion clapped his hands lightly. ¡°So, Cassion, let¡¯s do a test. We need to figure out how much power this has. We have plenty of time, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start after the meal.¡± Ruel laughed contentedly, inhaling Breath. Chapter 63.1 - Purification (2) Chapter 63.1 - Purification (2) *** Ting! The powder rose and disappeared as if Cassion were bouncing his fist. Ruel hurriedly covered his mouth. His complexion turned pale. Unlike the other two powers, this power did not emit any warning sound. Cassion gave him a handkerchief and made a calm voice. ¡°It¡¯s easy to think of it as a disposable shield. It¡¯ll endure at least once.¡± Ruel wiped the bloodstream and tightened his fingers. ¡®Ganien could reflect everything as soon as he got it.¡¯ The power this time seemed to be influenced by the state of his body. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll call Aris after you take a rest.¡± Ruel nodded instead of answering. As soon as he lay on the bed with Cassion¡¯s support, Leo asked, putting his face in Ruel¡¯s. ¡ªIs there anything this body can do to help? ¡°Not today, maybe next time.¡± His ability to delicately control his power was superior to Aris. ¡ªOkay. If you ever need the help of this body, tell me. Leo smiled at Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°Ruel.¡± The door burst open and Ganien walked in. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to knock?¡± Ruel showed his displeasure. He thought he¡¯d have to tell him someday, but only this time he got it out. ¡°You have Cassion.¡± It was very brazen. Ruel held back his anger and asked. ¡°So what¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°The Blue Knights will be waiting in the next town. As the representative of the delegation, they must treat you with utmost respect.¡± ¡°You brought them?¡± ¡°No, I honestly thought, regardless, the more escorts, the better. In any case, His Majesty gave the order, not me. You are a precious guest, and this time, you and I have swapped roles.¡± He and Ganien played an important role in determining the alliance between Leponia and Cyronian. Ganien has already met the King of Leponia and proposed an alliance, and Ruel will await the response to the decision of the King of Leponia. The result of the alliance would be seen in the future. In the novel, no alliance was ever established between the two countries. ¡°The Red Ash disappeared on the way, and some of the wizards were mixed with the Red Ash. That¡¯s why I called the Blue Knights.¡± He needed people he could trust in the palace. Ganien frowned slightly. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Ginger, my lord.¡± Ruel raised his upper body. ¡°Come in.¡± Ginger opened the door and tried to lower his head, but was surprised to see Ganien. No matter how close Ruel and Ganien are, aren¡¯t they from different countries? ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel reassured Ginger.UppTodated from ¡°Did you find it?¡± ¡°Yes, I found it. And I secured the note on the bird¡¯s leg.¡± Ginger approached Ruel and politely held out a note. [Persons to be eliminated first: Ganien Croft of the Blue Knights, Torto the Commander of the Third Royal Knights, and Aris escorting Ruel Setiria.] [Thanks to the heavy snow, no one has noticed. Begin.] ¡°Who¡¯s the enemy?¡± Ruel wrinkled the note and smiled. Mary was captured and killed by one of the Royal Knights. Ruel, who should have been swept away by the waves, arrived safely in the village in the southernmost part of Cyronian. ¡®Damn! Damn it!¡¯ He chewed and chewed his frightenly short nails. Mary was weaker than himself, but she was a very capable assassin. Then she died, at the hands of only one knight. ¡®The information is different! Damn it!¡¯ Nintra was heading towards the southernmost village. The information should have come by now. Why he wasn¡¯t swept away by the waves and what exactly happened? And is it okay to continue carrying out our plan? ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Something is messed up. It felt as if his steps were getting slower and slower forwards. ¡®I should have killed Ruel Setiria for Him.¡¯ Can he execute the plan? Nintra thought and pondered over and over again. Nintra took out the black water from his pocket and put it back in repeatedly, until he finally clasped it firmly in his hand. Because of the raid, it was only natural that the security level inside the Knights would rise. Isn¡¯t that what they had in mind when they attacked him? ¡®It¡¯s alright, this is for sure.¡¯ He stared at the black water in his hand. Even without their information, this item from those above was certain. ¡°What an ominous thing.¡± ¡°...¡± Nintra froze. He didn¡¯t even notice when he approached. The subordinates behind him also tensed like Nintra. ¡°Is your name, Nintra?¡± The assassin laughed. Before he knew it, the assassin had the bottle of black water in his hand. Nintra finally drew his sword. But he couldn¡¯t swing it. He only thought that if he wielded it, he would die. He had never heard of such a strong man. ¡°I think this is the core of some kind of operation you guys are going to launch.¡± Cassion shook the bottle lightly. Gulp. Nintra also did not realize that he was slowly kneeling down, weighed down by the pressure Cassion sent out. The necks of the men behind him soared into the sky. Dek dududu. One of the necks rolled and stopped at Nintra¡¯s feet. It was then that Nintra began to tremble. He was not an opponent he could dare deal with. His instincts cried and screamed. ¡°Is that all of the plan?¡± Nintra nodded his head several times. ¡°Is that all of your subordinates?¡± He nodded his head frantically. ¡°How lame.¡± Crack! Nintra collapsed helplessly with the sound of a broken nose following him. Cassion shot out his hand and grabbed him by the neck. Chapter 63.2 - Purification (2) Chapter 63.2 - Purification (2) *** Tap. Tap. Ruel tapped his knee. He prepared, but there was no attack. They weren¡¯t weak, but Cassion was too strong. To be honest, even Ruel didn¡¯t expect Nintra to be caught this quickly. Watching the man kneeling under his feet, an arrogant smile hung on his bored face. ¡°Are you Nintra?¡± Nintra looked at Ruel with confused eyes. It was the first time seeing him in person. How can you be so weak? If I break your neck now, you¡¯ll die at once. His hands itched. ¡°Answer.¡± Cassion¡¯s sharp voice brought Nintra to his senses. ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Even when you see Ruel-nim, you¡¯re not polite. We should have a close, intimate conversation.¡± Aris looked at Nintra with an unpleasant face. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± It didn¡¯t matter whether he spoke informally to himself or not. ¡°How far can he go before the Mana¡¯s oath takes effect?¡± ¡°Kill me.¡± He had lost his mind and was forced to come here, but he had no intention of begging for his life. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll kill you. But let me ask you a few questions.¡± After speaking his words, Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to answer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m slowly getting offended because I keep getting targeted and I don¡¯t know why. There¡¯s no one who speaks frankly. First, let¡¯s hear why you guys are after me.¡± ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t intend to answer.¡± Ruel laughed at the grandeur. ¡°Your head is called the Great One. My existence is blocking the Great Step.¡± He came down from his perch and lightly tapped Nintra¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s funny, I can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s Great because he couldn¡¯t beat me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t insult him.¡± Nintra¡¯s eyes became fierce. Undeterred, Ruel kept caressing his cheek lightly. ¡°Insulting? I just said a dog¡¯s bark is just a dog bark. Great? That guy? He¡¯s a coward who can¡¯t even come to me in person. How can you say that? I don¡¯t know what about me scares him so much.¡± ¡°Shut up. He can¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Are his legs uncomfortable? Or is he sick like me?¡± Nintra snorted. ¡°Disease? No, what is planted in your body is his mark.¡± ¡®You said punishment last time, but now it¡¯s a mark, what do you mean?¡¯ Ruel adjusted his rhythm appropriately. Kuhuaang! Black energy exploded out from his body and soon smashed through everything. ¡°Hold your breath.¡± Shh! Ganien swung his sword. The black energy that filled the room disappeared with a single swing. Whew. A cold wind blew through the broken wall. He¡¯s gone. ¡°I will chase him. Aris, protect Ruel.¡± Cassion flew through the broken wall. ¡°Please.¡± Ganien followed after him. Aris soon came to his senses when he saw their backs. ¡°Are you all...right? Ruel¡¯s gaze turned to the broken wall. Thump. Thump. Ruel¡¯s heart beat faster when he saw Nintra colored with black blood. It was different from fear. It felt like his blood was boiling. The mana filling his body became hot. He felt instinctively that he had to get rid of it. The shadow under Ruel¡¯s feet wriggled. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going after him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Aris.¡± When Ruel and his eyes met, suddenly goosebumps sprang up all over Aris¡¯s body. Ruel¡¯s atmosphere was different. It felt similar to when Ruel first controlled a monster. Ruel rose from his seat. There was a light in his eyes. All the shadows around him moved in waves. ¡°It¡¯s an order.¡± It was reckless to take Ruel there now. Knowing that, Aris bowed his head. He couldn¡¯t refuse the order. ¡°...I see.¡± A shadow in the corner shifted. Ruel inhaled Breath and said. ¡°Hina, don¡¯t try to stop me.¡± The shadows movement soon subsided. Chapter 64: Purification (3) Chapter 64: Purification (3) *** Papa Papak! When it touched the black energy, the building collapsed as if it were being torn apart by something. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± The black blood that Nintra had spilled covered his whole body. Every time he walked, the floor turned black. You could tell it was an ominous creature just by looking at it. ¡°Protect the village!¡± Torto was bewildered by the strange being that suddenly appeared, but immediately cleared the area and ordered an attack on the enemy. Shh! A thick stream of black water stretched out from Nintra¡¯s body. The knights quickly pulled out their shields and blocked the attack. Shush. Shush. He thought he blocked it. But as the shield melted down, even the knights standing behind them were engulfed in the black stream. Crash! The sound of something cracking was vividly heard. Seeing his comrades die before they could even scream, the knights anger ignited. The black thing wrapped around Nintra grew even bigger. ¡°Get away from it now!¡± Ganien shouted at them. The black energy was dangerous. Ganien¡¯s aura was baby blue across the sword. He cut off Nintra¡¯s head, just as he had cut the waves. Dek dududu. It was very easy to decapitate. ¡°...!¡± But Ganien and the Knights watched in astonishment. Nintra was not dead. The cut throat was filled with black liquid, but it was still connected to the neck and body. ¡®Someone who never dies?¡¯ Cassion licked his lips. So far, he has killed many people. But there was no one who didn¡¯t die. How should he deal with him? A strong aura burst from Cassion¡¯s dagger. It was wrapped around the dagger as thin and sharp as a blade that had been sharpened thousands of times. Jumping out from the shadows, he slit Nintra¡¯s throat at once. Swoosh. As soon as the purple aura left an afterimage, black blood splashed everywhere. The half-cut head dangled and looked at Cassion. The regenerative speed was slower than before, but he still didn¡¯t die. ¡°What is this...¡± Cassion looked at him as if exasperated. Dadadada. Moving his short legs, the red fox charged at Nintra. Chiig! Just touching Leo melted the black blood. ¡®Is that a being who deviates from nature, like what the beast said?¡¯ Cassion frowned, narrowing his eyes. Unlike his wild dash, Leo looked pretty nervous. ¡°Move.¡± Then, an arrogant voice came from behind. The knights paved the way. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! This body melted the snow, and my feet lead me to this place. Leo immediately ran to Ruel and chatted. ¡ªThat¡¯s a man who¡¯s out of nature¡¯s order. This, this body cannot purify it. What should I do? ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Ruel smiled at Leo and walked toward Nintra, who had turned completely black. ¡°Ruel-nim, you can¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Ruel, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Despite Cassion and Ganien¡¯s restraint, Ruel did not stop his steps. ¡°I am here.¡± Sniff. Nintra sniffed like a dog and jumped at Ruel in an instant. Ting! A shield appeared in front of Ruel, causing his body to bounce off. Aris glared at him and chanted a spell. ¡°Purify everything through your brilliant red light.¡± The flames from Aris¡¯ hands turned into butterflies and engulfed Nintra¡¯s body. But it only slowed down his actions, and he focused back to Ruel. Bam! Aris kept his mouth shut while memorizing the next spell. The flow of mana was sensed again from Ruel. There was a stronger light in those green eyes. Black hands protruded from the shadows of everyone standing around and they wrapped around Nintra at once. ¡°Hina, I have something for you to do.¡± ¡°Say anything.¡± Cassion handed Hina two bottles of black water. ¡°One for investigation and the other, tell Tyson that there¡¯s a man who doesn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I accept your orders.¡± Hina disappeared. ¡®Nintra suddenly shed black blood. I don¡¯t know what that is, but it must be relevant.¡¯ Nintra, who fainted, was taken by the Knights for now. As soon as Cassion saw an opportunity, he planned to take him out. ¡ªCassion. Leo quietly called Cassion. He looked at Leo. ¡ªIs Ruel a human being? ¡°I don¡¯t want to play along with you today, so just lie down next to Ruel.¡± ¡ªRuel is not a great purifier, but he purified it. ¡°...What?¡± ¡ªRuel is definitely a human being even if he has something dirty in his body. ¡°Purification... Are you sure of that, beast?¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°It¡¯s purification. I know because this body is a great purifier.¡± What the hell is the identity of my master? Controlling monsters and even purifying them. ¡°Ha...¡± He was tired. He felt it after a long time. ¡°You should have died at His punishment. Your filthy blood is blocking his Great Start. But you will die, for sure.¡± Cassion recalled what Nintra said. ¡®Is it a bloodline?¡¯ Before entering Setiria as a butler, he did a lot of research on Setiria. There was nothing special about it except that it was going to collapse. But just like an onion, as I peel more back, something new would pop out. ¡®What else will come out?¡¯ Cassion sat in his chair and grabbed his throbbing head. *** ¡ªBoo-hoo. A loud roar broke through the soundproof sound of the carriage. But what Ruel heard was a very small cry. Ruel opened his eyes with difficulty and focused his eyes. His mouth was dry. ¡°You can sleep a little longer. We have not yet reached the capital.¡± Ruel shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to sleep any more. His hands were so wet with how much Leo cried. Ruel raised the other hand and stroked Leo¡¯s head. Strangely enough, he stopped crying. He raised his face from his hands and met Ruel¡¯s eyes. His eyes got bigger. ¡ªRuel! Leo climbed over his chest and rubbed his face again and again. ¡ªDo you know how worried this body was? No matter how many times I called you, you didn¡¯t wake up, so I thought you left me alone. Ruel left me... A sobbing sound followed. Ruel pet Leo and closed his eyes for a moment. I felt like I had a dream. I can¡¯t remember exactly, but there was a being with very beautiful scales. His own hands were very small and the other presence was very large. He seemed to have had a very long talk with the being. But I couldn¡¯t remember. Except, for just one thing. ¨C Come and find me again. Only those words came to mind. ¡°Today is the second day.¡± Cassion moistened Ruel¡¯s dry lips first. ¡®I had a dog dream for a long time.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel looked at Cassion rather than answer. ¡°I heard that the mana you have is darkness. Did you know that you could absorb the black things?¡± Ruel shook his head. He didn¡¯t even know what he was doing. He just did what his instincts told him to do. ¡°Water.¡± Ruel sat up only with Cassion¡¯s help as he tried to raise his upper body. Cassion asked, giving out water. ¡°Are you in pain?¡± Ruel shook his head again and drank water. ¡°The beast called what Ruel-nim did purification.¡± ¡°Pooh!¡± At a sudden sound, Ruel spewed water. Author''s Thoughts Chapter 65: Delegation Representative (1) Chapter 65: Delegation Representative (1) ¡°P-purification?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right. Hick, it¡¯s purification. This body will prove it. When Leo answered with tears in his eyes, Ruel blinked with his mouth open. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± Ruel wiped the dripping water under his chin. He himself became Ruel, but all he knew was that he was a sickly nobleman. Ruel recalled the time when a shadow enveloped Nintra and carefully organized his words. ¡°It wasn¡¯t purely my will to use magic, I followed my instincts.¡± His voice was weak. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled Breath. Even Breath felt heavy. ¡°My uncle said that the dark attribute is very rare, and there is very little information about it... Is it because of my blood or magic?¡± Ruel, who was marked by a Great One, was able to live for five years thanks to the blood flowing through his body. Cassion killed him in the novel, he did not die because of his illness. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°...what?¡± Ruel opened his closed eyes. ¡°You know, whether you were descended from a hero, called by God, or something like that.¡± ¡°Cassion, are you serious or joking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you seriously.¡± Ruel sighed. ¡°Yes, I would ask that, too. But there¡¯s only one thing I can tell you.¡± He was out of breath quickly. Ruel continued after inhaling Breath. ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± Why can he control the monsters? How he managed to do purification. ¡°I have a great master.¡± Despite Cassion¡¯s sarcastic remarks, Ruel stretched out his hand and asked for a snack. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ruel checked his strength as he ate the meat pie Cassion handed him. Crunch. To my delight, they have all increased. ¡®As expected, when you reach the limit, you grow faster.¡¯ How much more blood should I vomit? Crunch. Ruel asked, chewing the meat pie hard. ¡°Then why is it so noisy around here? This is a soundproof carriage.¡± ¡°You saved the village.¡± Ruel frowned. He could see that he had saved the village. But something was wrong. It sounded like people were shouting something together. ¡°Ruel-nim saved the village from a strange monster engulfed in black blood, and as a result, the Royal Knights saw Ruel-nim vomit and collapse. The title ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ was given to honor Ruel-nim¡¯s sacrificial spirit.¡± Cassion raised one corner of his mouth and clapped his hands with a great deal of ridicule. ¡°Wh, wh... what?¡± He got goosebumps. ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯¡± ¡°Who gave that nickname?¡± ¡°The leader of the Blue Knights was excited to grant it. No one opposed the title.¡± ¡°Crazy bas¡ª¡± Ruel angrily recalled Ganien as if he were going to tear him to pieces. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°That is impossible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± You have to face reality yourself to know why. Cassion opened the window only a little. The cold wind followed with a strange sound. ¡°We see the lord, the Noble of Darkness!¡± ¡°O Noble of Darkness. We welcome you!¡± ¡°The Noble of Darkness...¡± ¡°Close it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s order, Cassion closed the window regretfully. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Ruel buried his face in his hand. ¡°First of all, we couldn¡¯t stop you from using magic and saving the village. However, the power that turned Nintra into a bizarre monster and the magic Ruel-nim used were hidden to the public. The Noble of Darkness is known as the title that came out because of what Ruel-nim wore, so don¡¯t worry.¡± In the end, the title Noble of Darkness did not disappear. ¡°Is it possible to kill Ganien? Cough, cough.¡± The sound of Ruel¡¯s complaint was mixed with the sound of coughing, Cassion laughed out loud. ¡°Sadly, he¡¯s out of my league. I don¡¯t want to kill him.¡± Cassion stopped his laughter at once and continued, as if he had never laughed, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± He held out a bottle of black water from his pocket. ¡°Nintra had it. We¡¯re still investigating it.¡± Leo sniffed and looked at the bottle. He tilted his head at once.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡ªIt is water that smells like the man who had gone out of nature¡¯s order. Ruel occasionally frowned at the stabbing pain within his body. ¡°Try a drop on Leo.¡± Leo said he couldn¡¯t purify it, but he still saw purification happen just by touching it. Cassion dropped just one drop on Leo. Shiiiijikjik. It melted away quickly. Ruel inhaled the Breath quietly. What if the bar run by Bianne Chen is not really the stronghold? If Banios had investigated and the second prince noticed this, but induced him to obtain false information. There were many possibilities. So Ruel wanted to carefully look at everything once more himself. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll look into it.¡± *** As soon as Ruel got out of the carriage, Ganien asked, ¡°What about your body?¡± Ruel glared at him as if he were going to kill him. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t attached that title, my body would have felt a little less painful.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a good name, right? I don¡¯t usually have a knack for naming, but it came out really well this time. Even within the Blue Knights, they say it¡¯s okay...¡± Ruel grabbed Ganien by the collar. The self control that Ruel had been holding back burst when he saw Ganien¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Erase it, now.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, we have a lot of eyes watching us.¡± Cassion pointed out the surrounding gazes and reminded him quietly. He understood how he felt, but it was not good to make a fuss in front of the palace. ¡°Whew...¡± Ruel managed to come to his senses. It¡¯s not a new kind of annoyance, but until he met the royal family, he would have to listen to the familiar sound of ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯ He dreaded it. ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t like it? But what should I do? It¡¯s all known now. I can¡¯t change it even if I remove it.¡± Ganien scratched the back of his neck. Ruel¡¯s stomach hurt as he thought about his ruined name. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s weird, too, Aris?¡± Ganien looked at Aris for help. ¡°Be honest.¡± Aris gulped at the gaze of the two and loosened his itching mouth. ¡°I personally think it suits Ruel-nim very well. I don¡¯t know what to say because I think about the bravery Ruel-nim showed me at that time.¡± His eyes were so shiny. Like a child facing a treasured object, Ruel turned his head away. ¡®...I shouldn¡¯t have asked Aris.¡¯ ¡ªThis body was very surprised, too! It was great! Ruel¡¯s name may be preceded by greatness! Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s body. It was very cozy with its tail wrapped around its neck. ¡°Lord.¡± At Torto¡¯s voice, Ruel turned his head. Chickk. With reverent vigilance, Torto opened his mouth. ¡°I would like to pay tribute to the courage and spirit of sacrifice that the Lord has shown. Thank you!¡± While traveling under his protection, the mysterious creature without magic was able to kill all of his men. But he lived. He was saved by Ruel. Chiikk! Following that, the Royal Knights stared at Ruel with firm eyes. ¡°Oh, this was a first.¡± Ganien looked at the scene with satisfaction and gestured towards the Blue Knights. Unlike the royal knights in red capes, the knights in blue capes moved forward in line with Ganien¡¯s instructions. ¡°Lord Setiria, I would like to express my gratitude to you as a knight who protects the Kingdom of Cyronian. Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Ruel smiled lightly at the salutes of the two Knights. ¡®Can I rip something of his out?¡¯ This wasn¡¯t Setiria and there was no obvious action. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Perhaps because of his lack of energy, Ruel stumbled for a moment. ¡°Ah...¡± Sighs leaked out from all over the place. Knowing the amount of blood they saw at that time, the Knights expressed concern at Ruel¡¯s uneasy appearance. He just collapsed for two days and now he¡¯s up. He may not make it even if he walks. One of the Blue Knights nudged Ganien on the side and whispered something, and Ganien opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll bring a stretcher. Please wait.¡± Ruel¡¯s face crumpled right away. I was afraid of what other titles would be given to me if I was carried on a stretcher to the royal family, as if the Noble of Darkness was not enough. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t walk because I didn¡¯t have the strength. Ttak. Eyes followed the sound of the cane. It was like watching a newborn baby learning to walk. ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t reveal the power of recovery he held within his body. ¡ªRuel. Ruel, everyone is worried about Ruel. Leo¡¯s voice was very excited about what was going on. When Ruel inhaled Breath, the Knights flinched. ¡°May I ask what that is?¡± Torto opened his mouth very carefully. Ruel didn¡¯t want to tell him because he didn¡¯t know what else they would react to. ¡°Nothing.¡± At the same time as he said this, he looked at Ganien softly with a threateningly look to keep his mouth shut with his eyes. Ganien nodded his head violently. Ttak. The sound of the cane was heard again. The two knights looked at him anxiously and followed closely behind him. Chapter 66: Delegation Representative (2) Chapter 66: Delegation Representative (2) Before meeting the King of Cyronian, Ruel and his party had time to change clothes and dress up. ¡°Our Majesty is so broad-minded that you can make a cough, so it¡¯s alright if you can¡¯t hold it. He knows you¡¯re sick and he knows that he pushed you to attend.¡± The King of Cyronian was young. He had no children as of yet, so he treated Ganien as if he were an older brother. Anyway that¡¯s how the novel explained the relationship between the two. This fact did not seem to have changed. As long as he went along with proper etiquette it would be more than sufficient. Ganien spoke repeatedly. ¡°Do you have any pain?¡± ¡°There is a slight fever, but nothing to worry about.¡± Cassion suggested taking painkillers in advance in front of the King and his ministers in case his condition would decline. ¡ªEverything sparkles. There¡¯s something shiny about this body too! Leo was busy looking around holding the necklace that Jirie gave him with his short legs. Aris was the only one who was meek and quiet. Studying him, it seemed that he was holding back what he wanted to say, not necessarily being quiet. ¡°Is there anything you want to say?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Aris recognized that his voice was too loud and hurriedly lowered his volume. ¡°You can do it well. Don¡¯t be nervous and relax.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris was more nervous than himself. His face turned pale. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Cassion and Aris stopped before the door. They couldn¡¯t go beyond this. Ruel smiled and went inside with Ganien. ¡°The Blue Knights Commander, Sir Ganien Croft, escorting Lord Ruel Setiria, who has come from Leponia as their delegation¡¯s representative. Welcome!¡± Following the powerful words of the servant, various nobles in the hall and the King sitting in the center focused their attention on Ruel. Ttak. The sound of a cane rang first. The nobles who stood according to their titles looked at Ruel¡¯s attire and spoke in hushed tones of the Noble of Darkness. ¡®...Damn it.¡¯ Ruel usually prefered dark colors. Ruel in the novel also wore dark clothes, so the clothes he brought with him without much meaning were now scrutinized by today¡¯s eyes. Worried the nobles would put the ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ nickname in their mouths, Ruel chose the brightest outfit out of his clothes, but it still turned out like this. ¡®When I go back to Setiria, I will change everything to white so you can¡¯t talk about ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ anymore. Certainly.¡¯ Although his stomach began to burn, Ruel walked confidently with a slight smile. When Ruel was about to bow to the King, the King spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be polite. Sir Croft, you¡¯re fine, as well.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Ruel, who only bowed his head, looked at the King. Ruel was one of only six heads of state in Leponia. There was nothing to lose with slight disrespect. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard time getting here, Lord Setiria. First of all, I¡¯d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving the town.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered. I just did what I had to do as a fellow human being.¡± Oh oh. Cheers sprouted across the place. How can you be so humble, after saving a village in another country. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t resist coughing. At the same time, he endured the chest pain and concentrated on the King. ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked the King, genuinely concerned. It was a slight cough. It isn¡¯t very deep? ¡°The Lord of Setiria has been unconscious for two days, and has just woken up today, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± The King sighed at Ganien¡¯s words. He opened his mouth to Ruel rather than resent Ganien for not telling him about it. ¡°I¡¯m going to end this for today, let¡¯s discuss this issue after the lord¡¯s body is recovered.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m here on behalf of my country. My country comes before my body¡¯s health to carry out my mission.¡± Ruel turned down the King¡¯s consideration and handed the King a luxurious envelope he had kept in his arms. ¡°This is a personal letter from the King of Leponia.¡± When the King received the envelope, Ruel tensed his shoulders. ¡°I will take this opportunity to clearly state the will of our Leponia.¡± The silence was so stifling that you could clearly hear the sound of the crowd swallowing their saliva. Just because the delegation came, it could not be assured that they would form the alliance unconditionally. Ruel was astonished to see the result of the King of Leponia¡¯s choice. ¡°I accept the alliance.¡± As his relationship with Ganien changed, the storyline was heading in a completely different direction from the novel. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Ruel promised Sien to meet him next time, supported by Ganien. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait for that day.¡± When he received a definite answer, Ruel thought about which bridge to build with the Duke. There was nothing bad about being close. *** It¡¯s already been a day since he came to Cyronian. After meeting the king, he took a nap to catch his breath for a while, and slept until morning. Purification seemed to be more of a burden on the body than he thought. ¡°How long does it take from here to the Ice Castle?¡± Ruel was changing his clothes for the parade. Cassion¡¯s hand stopped. He thought carefully because he knew very well that Ruel would not bring it up for no reason. ¡°Do you know where the Ice Castle is?¡± ¡°You know, it¡¯s a very unusual place.¡± There was a place called ¡®Ice Castle¡¯ near the Cyronian Kingdom. It was built on the highest mountain and was always snowy and cold, and unlike the neutral zone agreed on by the three major countries, it was formed independently. ¡°It¡¯s not a country, it¡¯s not a village, it¡¯s a strange place maintained only by strange rules.¡± The rules were simple. You are free to enter the Ice Castle, but you must fight with the residents of the Ice Castle. If you win a fight with a resident of the Ice Castle, you can own the resident, and if you lose, you must become a resident of Ice Castle and obey the person who won. No one knew why such rules existed or when the Ice Castle formed there. ¡°Are you going to visit there?¡± Cassion moved his hand again, attaching decorations to his clothes. ¡°It¡¯s a very attractive place, we¡¯ve come all the way to Cyronian, shouldn¡¯t we go see it?¡± ¡°Did you forget the rules? Wealth and status have no sway there, there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t know why people avoid it.¡± Ruel knew it very well. There was no stupid King who would go to war for a barren land with nothing to gain. There was a time when one of the stupider aristocrats challenged the ice castle to grow his prestige. He was defeated. According to the rules, he had to become a resident of Ice Castle, but he refused to do so and died. His family was angry and headed there with the determination to wipe out the barbarians. However, they were unprepared for the harsh cold and had to come back down, then they requested the royal family to wipe out the barbarians, but was refused. A worthless piece of land. A war that is not worth winning. ¡°So you can¡¯t win?¡± Ruel raised his lips provocatively. At least in his own eyes, the land looked different. In short, isn¡¯t it the land of money that only needs to be won? ¡°No way.¡± When Cassion said he was confident, Ruel calmly asked what he had to do for the event. ¡°What should I do during the parade?¡± ¡°The speech was canceled, so you can just smile and wave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired just listening to the schedule.¡± Ruel sighed deeply. ¡°But do you have any other colors? A brighter color?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the brightest color you have.¡± ¡°This?¡± Looking at himself through the mirror, he was in an outfit that would remind anyone of the absence of light. Chomp. Chomp. He glanced at Leo at the sound of non-stop snacking. He had received a lot of snacks this morning because there were rumors he was raising a fox. ¡®You¡¯ve grown a bit.¡¯ Leo was not a fox but a spirit, so even though his body grew bigger, he was still light. ¡ªDo you want to eat, Ruel? If it¡¯s Ruel, I can give it to you. Leo, who had been eating non-stop, finally raised his head. Cassion¡¯s subtle pressure appeared. He honestly wanted to eat. But he didn¡¯t have the confidence to eat without spilling. The uniform had a long process to put on and he didn¡¯t want to go through it again. ¡°No, enjoy yourself.¡± At Ruel¡¯s answer, Cassion breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°One meat pie, please.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, you don¡¯t have to take off your uniform, do you?¡± Cassion¡¯s sigh was heard very deeply. Author''s Thoughts Chapter 67: Delegation Representative (3) Chapter 67: Delegation Representative (3) *** The main character of the parade was Ruel. The carriage was open upstairs for the parade. Ruel felt tired as soon as he saw the carriage. It looked like it had already become quite a sight though he had yet to embark on it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can come down and rest for a while.¡± Ganien said brightly. ¡°How long would it be?¡± ¡°About 30 seconds to 1 minute?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a meaningless sham.¡± ¡°Everyone has come to see you so you have to be considerate, Lord Setiria, Noble of Darkness.¡± Ruel crumpled his face. He wanted to strangle Ganien right away. Ganien was wearing the symbolic Blue Knights¡¯ uniform during the parade. Ganien held Aris back to check several things for the last time before getting into the carriage. It was Aris and Ganien who were escorting Ruel in the parade. ¡°Aris, you are no longer an ordinary person, but Ruel¡¯s escort. With the title of knight, do you know how many responsibilities come with it?¡± ¡°I know what it means to be here.¡± Aris managed to take a deep breath and calm himself down. Last night, he was confronted by Ganien and learned from him that he had become stronger. Aris was happy but not satisfied. Because he wants to be even stronger. Aris was dressed as a Setiria knight, not as usual. A sky blue cape representing Setiria fluttered behind him. Ttak. With the sound of the cane, Aris followed Ruel. The carriage departed under the escort of the Blue Knights. When the gate of the tightly closed castle opened, people shouted. Ruel went upstairs with a pre-prepared smile. The wind blew hard. Leo was wrapped around his neck in advance because he could not wear anything on the outside, like a cloak, due to the nature of the uniform. Ruel closed his eyes and squinted them against the cold wind coming in. The eyes of people looking at him were welcoming. ¡ªThere are so many people! Everyone smiles at Ruel! This body is very happy! ¡®It¡¯s cold.¡¯ Ruel was able to wave his hands thanks to a magical item like a hand warmer attached to the uniform. ¡°Wow!¡± When Ruel waved his hand, strong shouts came. They didn¡¯t know his name, but they knew the title that had already spread. ¡°O Noble of Darkness!¡± A noble man who saved their village even though he was from another country. People who appreciated his noble behavior shouted loudly. ¡°You¡¯re so popular¡± At Ganien¡¯s voice from below, Ruel said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s noisy.¡± Then Ganien appeared. The shout grew even louder as the blue cape, which announced that he was a Blue Knight, fluttered in the wind. Two people from different countries stood side by side and waved to show, at least indirectly, why the Leponia delegation came here and what they planned. The effect was very good. Standing side by side with a bright smile reminded one of a solid alliance. After the parade, the King of Cyronian officially declared an alliance with the Kingdom of Leponia. *** ¡°Your Majesty, it is clear that the alliance between the two countries intends to exclude our Kran Kingdom!¡± One of the nobles spoke up. After declaring the alliance in the Cyronian Kingdom, King Kran gathered the nobles and hurriedly began a meeting. ¡°It seems premature to judge like that yet. You¡¯ll have to decide after checking the movements of Leponia and Cyronian.¡± ¡°What are you talking about! The long-held balance has been broken! If you stay still like this, your eyes will be open and your nose will still be cut off!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Kran is the only country that will become an empire, even though it has maintained a balance so far. It¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re keeping us in check.¡± The king opened his mouth with a bored face. ¡°Who are you kidding without knowing the purpose of the alliance?¡± At the sound of scolding, the nobles looked at the king¡¯s countenance. ¡°Your Majesty, may I dare to speak?¡± The second prince requested to speak. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°It is said that the Tonisk Empire, which had been abolished, is acting suspiciously.¡± The nobles were surprised by the second prince¡¯s remarks and paid apt attention to him. ¡°Is that reliable information?¡± Even the king spoke in a serious voice without concealing his surprise. What kind of place is the Tonisk Empire? It was an opponent that the three countries could not win against even if they worked together. But a few decades ago, the empire suddenly declared an end to it¡¯s rule and closed its borders. Since then, the three countries have maintained a balance with each other and continued their current relationship. ¡°As you know, the Cyronian kingdom is closest to the Tonisk Empire. I¡¯ve confirmed through my ears that such information is circulating.¡± ¡°Well.¡± The king agonized. Kran didn¡¯t get along with Cyronian. Ruel inhaled the Breath. The order is wrong. He should have heard from the head of Leponia, who planted his own disease. Ruel¡¯s eyes frowned. ¡°Your presence seems to be preventing them from seeking something.¡± Cassion noted calmly. ¡°Clean it up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as Cassion took Nintra out, Ruel closed his eyes. Lick. Leo licked Ruel¡¯s cheek. ¡ªAre you okay? ¡°It¡¯s okay, thanks to you, my head is a little clear.¡± Finally, he found out why the Red Ash was after him. ¡®...Woa.¡¯ He was a kind of seal that prevented them from looking for something. They had to break the seal to find something or not, but had no choice but to use their hands because it didn¡¯t break. ¡®...Ruel Setiria, Ruel Setiria, what the hell are you?¡¯ Now I understand why the Red Ash didn¡¯t appear in the web novel after Ruel died. The seal that was stopping them was broken when Ruel died. Since the primary goal had been achieved, there is no reason for the Red Ash to appear. They would have been laughing at those who knew nothing, slowly achieving their goals behind the scenes. ¡®You¡¯re going to act crazier in the future, because I knew you failed.¡¯ The Great One turned Nintra into a black monster. From the beginning, the Red Ash intended to manipulate him like this. We needed a quick investigation into what the black water was. ¡°Aris.¡± The door opened and Aris came in. ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Bring me Ganien.¡± Ganien¡¯s side also had to investigate the black water. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The chest pain after coughing made Ruel frown and smoothed his hair. It was throbbing. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Can this body eat? The filth is increasing. ¡°Not yet.¡± He was still dressed in his uniform. He was in trouble if he threw up without a handkerchief. Ruel took off his stuffy top and waited for Cassion or Ganien to come. ¡°I took care of it.¡± As soon as Cassion showed up, he looked at Ruel¡¯s jacket, which he had thrown away carelessly, and made an ugly expression. Unlike ordinary clothes, the uniforms are expensive because they are difficult to make. It was good to wear it as plain as possible. The door opened as Cassion carefully picked up his clothes. ¡°Oh, my.¡± Ganien knocked on the door, not coming in. It was funny to knock after opening the door, but there was still progress. ¡°It smells like blood.¡± He looked around for a moment. ¡°Nintra is dead.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him, but he died?¡± ¡°Oh, he died in exchange for breaking Mana¡¯s oath. Cassion, hand it over.¡± Cassion briefly put his clothes on the table and handed over a bottle of black water to Ganien. As soon as he saw the black water, Ganien looked serious. ¡°This is the black stuff I saw then.¡± ¡°Do an investigation.¡± Ruel had to find a countermeasure. If someone using black water was encountered again, what if he was not confident in his abilities to deal with it? ¡°Thank you,¡± Ganien spoke from the bottom of his heart. Ganein didn¡¯t know how he secured the black water. But what was important was that Ruel gave it to him because he trusted him. ¡°Ganien, as you know, the Red Ash has infiltrated more than you think. Don¡¯t trust anyone unless it¡¯s accurate.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Originally, he had Cassion and Aris, who were supposed to be by Ganien¡¯s side. Although Ruel had poached two of them, there were still many people who would be Ganien¡¯s colleagues. Ruel told Ganien one more thing since he had already called him here. ¡°At tomorrow¡¯s banquet, the nobles who keep you in check will approach me to lure me in.¡± Ganien waited for the next words because Ruel did not appear to be asking to stop them. ¡°As you know, there is a bar owned by Bianne Chen that is supposed to be a hideout of the Red Ash.¡± ¡°I heard so from the third prince as well.¡± ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll approach me. When it comes to deceiving an enemy, there is nothing like the enemy¡¯s allies.¡± Ganien was slightly surprised by Ruel¡¯s intelligence. Bianne and himself were at odds, but it was not visible on the outside. ¡°What role do you want me to play?¡± He asked with anticipation. ¡°It¡¯s a little different, but I need someone to mess with them, aren¡¯t you interested?¡± Ruel smiled like a scoundrel. Author''s Thoughts Batch /s/b7e516b9bf Chapter 68.1 - Its moving Chapter 68.1 - It''s moving Ruel was forced to stand in front of the door in a black suit, which reflected his inner thoughts and others¡¯ surrounding opinions in a manner that was more obvious than normal. ¡®I even asked Aris to change my clothes to white...¡¯ Ruel sighed and looked at the large door in front of him. ¡°Ruel Setiria, the Lord of Setiria, the Noble of Darkness, and Sir Aris, the knight of Setiria, enter together!¡± Ruel slightly crumpled his face at the extravagant remarks of the attendant. But soon he walked leisurely in with a smile. ¡°You hate it that much?¡± Aris asked in a low voice. ¡°Yeah, every time I hear that, I want to grab Ganien by the collar.¡± Ruel answered quietly with a smile. Cassion entered with Aris because he had no title. He had relinquished his sword, but Aris¡¯ sword was not needed to fully protect Ruel as he was originally a magician in the first place. Aris kept a reasonable distance from Ruel and followed him. Ttak. Ruel, who grew a little taller with the sound of a cane, caught his eyes. ¡°...that¡¯s why I¡¯m a must-kill for the enemy, Aris. Unlike you, there are restrictions because the enemy is always around me and Cassion is a butler. Your presence will become more and more important now.¡± Unlike his still weak-looking face, Ruel is fitter and much healthier than before. Aris breathed in. ¡°Protect me, Aris.¡± Ruel¡¯s words yesterday were imprinted on his heart like a brand. Ttak. With the sound of the cane, his eyes focused. Without panicking, Aris distinguished the hostility that was evident in many of the gazes that followed them. It was necessary to identify who was the enemy and who was taking a neutral stance. This was a battlefield, without a sword. Ruel glanced at Aris and looked forward once more. Numerous nobles saw themselves as valuable prey. ¡®Yes, let¡¯s stick together closely. We¡¯ll be coveted.¡¯ ¡ªRuel! Ruel! There¡¯s a lot of food! I¡¯ve never seen so much food. Sighs. Leo took a breath. The alliance between Cyronian and Leponia has now been finalized. Not only did Ruel come as a representative of the delegation, he saved the village of Cyronian, and he was a lord of the Leponia nobility that only had six noble families. Isn¡¯t that someone you would want to make a connection with? Nobles above the rank of a count had already secured a good seat and watched Ruel raptly. At the time when they were trying to get the timing to approach Ruel, Ganien, who was already attending the banquet, moved. ¡°Ah.¡± The nobles grumbled their annoyance. Like the last meeting, they were worried that Ganien might block them. Ganien Croft. Croft¡¯s status as the youngest son of the Marquis alone was difficult, but in addition he was the youngest leader of the Blue Knights, one of the most famous Knights of Cyronian. ¡°Ruel.¡± Ganien welcomed Ruel with a loud voice. Everyone had seen the good relationship between the two at the parade. However, they didn¡¯t know they were close enough to call each other casually without hesitation at an official meeting. ¡°Aris, stop following Ruel around and try some of the delicious food here.¡± As Ganien finished making his way over, he mentioned the man known as Ruel¡¯s escort. The eyes of the nobles turned greedily. Wouldn¡¯t that knight be easier to chat with? ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I am unable to fulfill your request, Sir Croft.¡± Aris declined politely. It was called an alliance, but this place was still another country. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal. This is not the first time we¡¯ve seen each other.¡± Ganien put all the food in sight on a plate and handed it to Aris. Ruel hadn¡¯t asked for anything from Ganien except for messing up other¡¯s plans. He asked him to act as usual. Ruel himself was a delicious prey, but most of the nobles could be blocked with just the existence of Ganien. He didn¡¯t care enough to attempt to distance himself from them. The real plan would begin when those who approached him despite Ganien¡¯s presence. Red Ash would be among them. ¡®What method should I use?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, looking knowingly at those who were still looking for an opportunity. There were many ways. Typical examples were putting poison in food or attacking while there are a lot of people. Even if the food at the banquet looked delicious, it was difficult to get his hands on it because I didn¡¯t know which food could cause an allergic reaction. ¡°Ruel-nim, Cassion made this snack just in case. Can I give it to you?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± Ruel tried to hold it in, but it was hard to hide. Aris turned over a piece of meat pie. Crunch. What a familiar taste. ¡ªThis body, too. When Leo ran toward the snack with his short legs, Ruel grabbed his mouth and placed t it in his mouth. ¡ªOh! It¡¯s very delicious. ¡®I¡¯m done eating.¡¯ Obviously, he ate a lot of black things before coming to the banquet. ¡°I envy Ruel-nim because I can only watch the snacks disappear before my eyes. Did Leo see where they went?¡± ¡°I heard Leo likes my eyes?¡± ¡ªYes, Ruel¡¯s eyes are very clear and clean. Aris raised one eyebrow at the elusive remark. By the time four pieces of the meat pie disappeared in an instant, Aris hurriedly tucked the snack in his pocket. At the same time, Leo¡¯s ears drooped. ¡ªThis body wants to eat more. ¡°Come.¡± Ruel finished a piece of pie and then bit the Breath in his mouth. Knock. Knock. The door opened carefully after the knock. Bianne opened his mouth with a startled face. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know the Lord was here.¡± ¡®You¡¯re making me laugh.¡¯ Ruel raised his upper body and frowned at the cough that burst out. He took medicine, but it still hurt. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t get up. I¡¯ve already heard that you¡¯re not feeling well. You can lie down comfortably.¡± ¡°Well, excuse me.¡± Ruel lied down comfortably again because he didn¡¯t want to get up in the first place. ¡®It¡¯s perfect if you¡¯re eating pie here and doing your overdue work.¡¯ Bianne sneaked into his place and began to talk to him carefully. Most of the time, he talked about ¡®Cyronian¡¯s attractions¡¯ alone, so Ruel only nodded his head from time to time. ¡°...You seem very close to Sir Croft.¡± When Ruel looked at Bianne, Bianne waved his hands exaggeratedly. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I said this because I was amazed that people of different nationalities became friends. I apologize if I was rude.¡± ¡°Sir Chen, I don¡¯t like to talk in circles.¡± ¡°I want to be close to the Lord.¡± ¡°What can I get out of this?¡± Bianne¡¯s mouth drew an arc. He glanced at Aris. He didn¡¯t mean to take interest in Aris. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the Red Ash? I think I can help you.¡± Ruel grinned at the unexpected remarks. It was fun. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re looking for a hideout of the Red Ash. I can let you know what I know.¡± It wasn¡¯t Cassion. As a result, he was convinced that it was Banios who leaked the information. ¡®Okay, it gives me a chance to trace back the information, and confuse the information source.¡¯ Ruel took it easy and inhaled the Breath. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to kill me?¡± ¡°They said they would give me what I wanted, but it was so insignificant that I actually secured it without their assistance.¡± ¡°But can you give me what I want?¡± ¡°There, within Red Ash, I could obtain what the Lord wants.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed, raising his upper body. A glance. Ruel did not miss Bianne¡¯s gaze at the window. ¡®...Ah.¡¯ Trust was simply built up and collapsed faster than expected. In particular, trust could be built up very quickly when there was a shared enemy. Ruel certainly knew what Bianne was after. Chapter 68.2 - Its moving Chapter 68.2 - It''s moving ¡°Sir Chen.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a greedy person.¡± ¡°I am also greedy. The Lord and I seem to have a lot in common.¡± With a smile, Bianne glanced at the window again. It became noisy outside. Bianne¡¯s eyes widened. What would he think if an enemy came to the royal palace and the enemy aimed at himself and Bianne? At least, that was what he expected Bianne to say. ¡®You¡¯d say you were betrayed.¡¯ Ruel endured the creeping disgust and called out, ¡°Aris¡±. In an instant, sharp ice floated around Bianne¡¯s neck. Ruel laughed at Bianne¡¯s expression of incomprehension. ¡°I don¡¯t like being swayed. I was born invaluable.¡±Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Do you know what this means?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should know what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I made a proposal that we could coexist with each other.¡± ¡°I know, but why should I listen to you? Even if you make a suggestion, I¡¯ll do it anyway. All you have to do is listen to me calmly.¡± It was about time we needed an insider. Isn¡¯t Bianne the perfect person for this? Ruel looked at Bianne and laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that the people you¡¯ve been waiting for are not coming? There should have been people coming to help us build trust in each other.¡± Sshaa. The air in the room seemed to be getting colder. ¡°Oh, would you understand better if I say it¡¯s Red Ash that is coming to attack this place, not the people who were coming to help?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Bianne¡¯s smile vanished in an instant. ¡°Isn¡¯t it honor that you want?¡± Bianne¡¯s eyebrows wiggled. ¡°Thanks to you, I can see that the honor of your family is going to the bottom. Not only will the name Chen be ruined, but your neck will be caught in the middle of the street and stoned to death.¡± Ruel smiled an arrogant smile at Bianne¡¯s look of disbelief. ¡°Ah, are my words a lie? Cassion.¡± From Ruel¡¯s shadow, Cassion appeared holding a man by the neck. As soon as he saw the man, Bianne¡¯s mouth gradually opened. He was covered in blood, but his face was still recognizable. ¡°We have already secured testimony and evidence that Bianne Chen led the way in all this.¡± At Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel clasped his hands and rested them on his stomach. ¡°Isn¡¯t it noisy today? Aren¡¯t you curious why?¡± ¡°What, what do you want?¡± Bianne began to stutter. What Ruel held was his everything. It was a mistake to think that he was above Ruel. That boy was playing him from the start. ¡°No, listen to the reason first. I heard that several knights take turns being in charge of the royal family, but the knights in charge of this hall must be the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°I, I, I went without knowing the subject, forgive my rudeness, My Lord...¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t something come off? You don¡¯t like the Red Ash and Ganien, so I thought you¡¯d planned something, so I gave you a hint. Now, you know why it¡¯s so loud?¡± The disturbance was caused by the Blue Knights punishing the Red Ash. They must have been caught after all the opponent is the Blue Knights. In the royal family, he also permitted the enemy within the place where the banquet took place. What would that mean? All the nobles would turn their backs on him, of course, and his neck was hanging in front of him. Bianne¡¯s mouth is dry. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything, anything! Please, please...¡± Ruel laughed arrogantly and tapped on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me. Just answer what I ask.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± When Ruel glanced at Aris, he cast a spell. ¡°Did you make an oath of mana with the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°What kind of oath did you make?¡± ¡°It is a promise that I will not reveal the existence and the purpose of Red Ash to those who do not know it.¡± As expected, it was not bound by the grand element of loyalty. There was a loophole. ¡°Make Mana¡¯s oath to speak only the truth in front of me.¡± Betrayal was impossible because he had to tell the truth. When he saw a shining sword inside his arms, Ganien rushed in in an instant. ¡°I¡¯ve memorized all the faces of the royal servants.¡± The skewer pierced the man¡¯s neck. He looked at the man with cold eyes and said, ¡°There are two bodies in Hall Area 2-1, so remove them.¡± -I¡¯ll go right away. ¡®It was in the hall. I just have to clean up around the lounge and go.¡¯ Ganien wiped the blood off the skewer and walked down the hallway. Drip. Drip. *** As soon as Ruel came out, he was guided by Aris and entered the other lounge. After confirming that the lounge was empty, he blew Mana into one of the three rings. ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± He spoke in response to Aris¡¯s words, ¡°Ganien, you can take care of everything now.¡± -It¡¯s already been dealt with. The commotion also subsided. At the sudden sound, Ruel put on an expressionless face. ¡°... That wasn¡¯t in the plan?¡± He had in mind the possibility of failure, so he told him to keep some of them alive. -Come to think of it, I¡¯m very angry because I don¡¯t want to deal with the aristocracy at the banquet, but I like the food made by the royal chef and the boisterous atmosphere. That played a part, but I honestly didn¡¯t think you¡¯d fail. ¡°You...¡± -Look, I was right. Then, you can take it easy and come back. Ganien cut off the communication at will. Ruel fiddled with Leo¡¯s tail in a surge of irritation. ¡®He¡¯s so excited.¡¯ Aris smiled lightly and opened his mouth again. ¡°It¡¯s still okay.¡± Ruel immediately blew Mana into the ring he received from Banios. ¡°Your Highness.¡± -Oh, Lord Setiria, didn¡¯t you say you had a banquet today? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± -It¡¯s an honor to find me even though you¡¯re busy. ¡°Well, I have one thing to tell you.¡± -That¡¯s not good news. ¡°Do you know a servant named Rinar?¡± Instead of an answer, Ruel heard a deep sigh. ¡°It is said that the servant exchanged information related to the hideout.¡± -I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. ¡°You owe me, Your Highness. Then, keep watching the second prince.¡± -I¡¯ll keep watching, but I don¡¯t see any movement. While trying to cut off the communication, Ruel thought of the black water and opened his mouth. ¡°I will let you know, and I have forgotten one thing.¡± -Go ahead. ¡°If you see someone bleeding black blood, don¡¯t confront them and avoid them. Keep an eye out for it..¡± -Black water? What¡¯s that? ¡°We¡¯re looking into it now. Anyway, be careful.¡± -Okay, I hope that Lord Setiria will come back in good health. After a proper greeting, Ruel cut off the communication. He inhaled the Breath. Now that he has achieved his primary goal, it¡¯s time to move on to additional goals. He had to take advantage of this two day banquet to pull some strings. Especially, it would be better to get close to aristocrats who own merchants. ¡°... I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡ªThere was a lot of food over there. Come on, let¡¯s go. Ruel stroked Leo who was looking at him with his sparkling eyes. What¡¯s the point of having too much food? My body is so delicate that I can¡¯t eat carelessly. ¡°Do you want a snack?¡± ¡°No, thanks. Give me the medicine you got from Cassion.¡± ¡°Did the pain... happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be sick.¡± It was a good excuse, but he couldn¡¯t keep showing his pain at the banquet. Ruel took the medicine Aris gave him and moved forward again. And as soon as he opened the door, he smiled at the nobles who welcomed him as if they had been waiting for him. ¡®Thankfully, they came and organized themselves for me.¡¯ Chapter 69: Its moving (2) Chapter 69: It''s moving (2) *** Yum. Yum. At the feeling of soft material brushing across his face, Ruel frowned and opened his eyes. ¡°...what¡¯s wrong, Leo?¡± It was still dark outside. ¡ªCassion and Ganien are fighting! ¡°That¡¯s how it was back in Setiria. Don¡¯t worry and go to sleep.¡± ¡ªI can feel the ground shaking! Look over there! The purple flame... ¡°...!¡± Ruel immediately opened the window and looked out. It was quite far from here, but the purple and blue lights were clearly visible. ¡®You crazy people!¡¯ It¡¯s not like fireworks in the middle of the night. What is this about? ¡°Aris!¡± ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Aris hurried inside at the urgent voice of Ruel. Ruel said, pointing to the lights, ¡°Bring them right now!¡± Aris soon swept his chest in relief. ¡°They seem to be having fun fighting, so why don¡¯t you leave it alone?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°After meeting the black blooded man, both of them seemed to have been deeply troubled. Of course, I am also worried.¡± Aris closed the door he had opened. ¡°The enemy... did not die. I felt like everything I¡¯ve learned was falling apart. I think that¡¯s how those two feel. Please understand.¡± Ruel looked through the window and inhaled Breath. ¡°Go.¡± Aris closed the open window and headed towards the door. ¡°Are you anxious?¡± At Ruel¡¯s low voice, Aris breathed deeply. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m anxious now.¡± The door opened and closed. Ruel lay down again. Leo curled up close to his face, glancing around. ¡ªThis body is unstable, too. If this body could purify... ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t force you to do what you can¡¯t do.¡± ¡ªCan¡¯t Ruel teach this body? Leo was too desperate to just laugh it off. Ruel patted Leo on the head. ¡°At that time, I don¡¯t know if I can say it was my instinct, but it wasn¡¯t my will anyway. I think I¡¯ll get the hang of it if I try it again.¡± ¡ªInstinct? ¡°Yes, instinct. I still don¡¯t know why I can purify it.¡± ¡ªDoesn¡¯t this body have an instinct? Why doesn¡¯t it show up? Leo sounded kind of sad. ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed now.¡± After stroking Leo again, Ruel closed his eyes. ¡ª...instinct. Leo stared at the sky, reflecting on what Ruel had said. *** The light filtered through the window. Ruel awoke to the sudden downpour of sunlight. ¡®...?¡¯ It was an unfamiliar ceiling. ¡°Are you up?¡± Ganien said with a big smile. ¡°I was so excited yesterday that I forgot something. His Majesty wanted to meet you.¡± Ruel looked half-asleep and just looked at Ganien, trying to comprehend what he was saying. ¡°I should have told you at the banquet yesterday, but I forgot because I was excited. So after competing with Cassion, I brought you out at dawn.¡± How the hell? Ruel was quite sensitive about his sleeping habits. ¡°Cassi...¡± ¡°Cassion is furious now, so you¡¯d better not call him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Who do you support?¡± ¡°I support the third prince, His Highness, Banios Leponia.¡± ¡°Okay, have a good time playing, take time to recover your health.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Huswen was given his departing greeting by the two of them and went outside. Ganien rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes were left drawn to the seat where the king had just left. ¡°You don¡¯t have a normal relationship with the king, I¡¯m a little surprised...¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ganien lowered his hand and laughed questioning at Ruel¡¯s hoarse voice. ¡°As expected, my eyes are certain,¡± he murmured softly. ¡°Ganien.¡± ¡°... Huh?¡± When his voice calling for him was unusual, Ganien became nervous for no reason. ¡°I heard your family has been swordsmen for generations, right?¡± Ruel¡¯s smile was so suspicious that Ganien reluctantly replied. ¡°That¡¯s right... Why?¡± ¡°I heard Bianne lost something to your family. What does that mean?¡± Ruel wanted to confirm one fact at this time. ¡°Did he say that? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That bastard! He still thinks he has been deprived of the honor of protecting the frontier by my family, but he¡¯s the one who made a mistake. He can¡¯t thank me enough for sparing his life after committing military corruption, but being taken away? Took it from him?¡± Listening to Ganien, Ruel inhaled Breath. Bianne and Ganien¡¯s past has not changed either. In other words, if Ruel himself did not intervene, Ganien¡¯s story would not have changed. Somehow, Ruel felt like an obstructionist. ¡®What will change now that Bianne, who should have been dead, is alive.¡¯ It was a pity that the original work was altered, but he didn¡¯t regret it. Because he had to live. ¡°... You lapping dog. ¡± As soon as Cassion appeared with a murderous voice, he grabbed Ganien¡¯s neck. Ganien smiled awkwardly as if he had allowed him to catch him on purpose. I warned him to stop Huswen¡¯ footsteps by any means, but Ruel-nim faced His Majesty like that. Wouldn¡¯t it be perfectly acceptable to kill him right now? ¡°Ganien, you must have a lot of swords left at home¡± Ruel asked, stroking Leo, who was sleeping soundly. At the moment, Cassion flinched. ¡°There¡¯s a lot.¡± At Ganien¡¯s reply, Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°Let him go, Cassion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have cut his throat yesterday.¡± ¡°Cut my neck? Don¡¯t make me laugh. I¡¯m the one who let you go.¡± Ganien raised his voice in disbelief. ¡°So, who won?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± When asked by Ruel, the two spoke at the same time and frowned at the same time. ¡°Let¡¯s just eat.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t want to see the two men fight for their pride. *** ¡°Here it is.¡± When Ganien opened the door to the arsenal, Cassion¡¯s eyes moved quickly. In addition, Leo¡¯s mouth opened wide. ¡ªWow! There are a lot of shiny things! Ruel opened his mouth as he stopped Leo from running right away. ¡°Ganien, you know you owe me a lot, right?¡± ¡°Of course, look at it comfortably and take it as much as you want.¡± As soon as permission was given, Cassion moved. ¡°Cassion, don¡¯t forget Aris¡¯, too.¡± It¡¯s time to change swords. ¡°Of course,¡± Cassion replied with a bright smile. Ruel left it to Cassion and departed after all he did not know how to appraise swords. ¡°Who really won?¡± And knowing that Ganien had put his pride against Cassion for no reason, Ruel opened his mouth after walking for a long time down the hallway. Ganien swallowed his saliva with a face as if the question tasted unpleasant. Chapter 69.1 - Its moving (2) Chapter 69.1 - It''s moving (2) *** ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Cassion arranged the clothes that Ruel had taken off. ¡°I thought I was going to die of hunger.¡± Ruel was busy placing the food on the table into his mouth. Cassion handed over a communication device while thinking that he would eat and change into uniform no matter what occurred tomorrow. ¡°It¡¯s Ketlan.¡± ¡°Connect it.¡± -How have you been, my lord? I contacted you even though I knew it was rude. I apologize. ¡°What¡¯s happening in the middle of the night?¡± -Someone called the Red Ash approached me. Ruel stopped forking food and laughed in interest. The Prios Incident, in which all the barons died, was known externally as something Liberan had committed. The name Ruel Setiria was never been mentioned in relation to the case. ¡®The information was successfully blocked.¡¯ The post-processing was Cassion¡¯s responsibility. Ruel said, moving his stopped hand, ¡°Keep talking.¡± -There was a request to hand over information about the Lord in exchange for giving me the location of Prios¡¯ direct bloodline. They seemed to have recently noticed the exchange between Prios and Setiria. It didn¡¯t bother Ruel much because it wasn¡¯t something that wouldn¡¯t be revealed just by moving secretly. What really bothered him was that they asked for further information. ¡®You seem to have noticed that there was information hidden away and faked.¡¯ It might be because of the black water incident. It was also an incident that could not be fully covered because there were too many eyes. ¡®I¡¯m rather happy.¡¯ It was an opportunity to mask the more important secrets within the less important information. ¡°Hand over the information.¡± -...I don¡¯t know what you mean. Handing over information to the enemy, I can¡¯t do it because I owe the Lord. ¡°Hand over unimportant information and camouflage the more important information. They¡¯ll make you make a Mana Oath. Only allow the conditions to comprehensively hand over my information. If they ask for more than that, boldly fold the deal.¡± The urgent side was the Red Ash because they would start to feel like the information was blocked somewhere. -I¡¯m a little worried. If the information I handed over could harm the Lord... ¡°Aren¡¯t you such a tactless person? It¡¯s possible, but just pass on useless information. If you¡¯re really worried, report it to me before handing it over.¡± -Alright. Ketlan¡¯s voice brightened up. ¡°Just deal with the information I told you. Nothing more than that. You are responsible for the information of your direct family.¡± -Alright, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Ketlan asked cautiously, acting as if he was hesitating to hang up immediately. -Are you feeling well? Aren¡¯t you having a hard time living in a foreign country? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, later then.¡± Ruel cut off the communication first. When talking about his body, each of them had much to say, so it was more comfortable to hang up first. Yesterday, Ruel called Tyson, Cheynol, Billo, Drianna, and Horen to check the situation and listen to reports, and he cut off contact with them first because of the endless amount of questions; Such as whether he was eating well, whether he was losing weight, how was his health, etc. ¡ªEveryone likes Ruel. So does this body! Ruel didn¡¯t know if he was jealous of the communication device, but Leo came up and stared at Ruel. ¡°Just finish what you¡¯ve been eating.¡± Ruel pointed to Leo¡¯s own rice bowl. ¡ªAll right! Leo then walked again and hid his face in the bowl. ¡®I¡¯ve been going easy on Cassion lately.¡¯ When Billo, who was preparing to die on his behalf by now, came to mind, Ruel thought he should comfort him tomorrow night. *** Cassion made sure Ruel was asleep before coming out. He wandered around the back gardens to avoid patrolling soldiers and sat in a suitable seat. Nobody¡¯s going to notice this blind spot. Cassion took out his most cherished sword, Turbulent Day, out of the collection of precious swords in his possession and set it across his legs and began to wipe it. It wasn¡¯t bad to feel the cold wind blowing against his face. ¡®...I couldn¡¯t see it.¡¯ He recalled the sensation of cutting the black blooded human being. He set out to kill him. But there was no feeling of death itself, and he did not die. ¡®I was confident that there was nothing I couldn¡¯t kill with my dagger.¡¯ When he set out into the world, everything was easy. People were as slow as a worm crawling, and everything died just by drawing a blade. The most difficult thing so far was this butler job. If he had been alone, he would have never known. Cassion raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®A man who never dies. Interesting.¡¯ As an assassin, a strong desire was boiling over. The enemy had to die before him. He took it for granted. But he will continue to work hard in the future. There¡¯s nothing in this world you can¡¯t cut. ¡°You don¡¯t sleep at night?¡± Cassion looked back, hiding the Turbulent Day. It was Ganien. He spoke with interest. ¡°I came here because I felt a familiar presence during the patrol, and I knew it would be you. What about Ruel? ¡°Went to bed early, I guess he¡¯s tired.¡± ¡°Did Ruel get upset again? You should understand best, Ruel is sick.¡± Ganien giggled. ¡°Do you have some spare time?¡± When Cassion flipped the dagger he had taken out, Ganien stopped and slapped him lightly on the shoulder. Now, he felt pain thinking about a stubborn Ruel and pitied Cassion. ¡°Is it because Ruel said he was going to the temporary hideout? Do you want me to convince him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a different issue. So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love a match, but can you leave your post?¡± Ganien gently pointed to where Ruel was, questioning. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because there¡¯s Aris.¡± Ganien smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you think highly of Aris. No matter what anyone says, I¡¯m his first teacher.¡± ¡°There is nothing that cannot be cut with an aura. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve thought so far. How about you?¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes glistened. When Cassion revealed what he was worried about, he erased his laughter. It was the same for him, who was also concerned about the black blooded man. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll face you.¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯m determined. I¡¯m going to win anyway.¡± Cassion raised one corner of his mouth at Ganien¡¯s words. Chapter 70: Milky Way rising to the sky Chapter 70: Milky Way rising to the sky ¡°Ruel, to be honest...¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s Cassion! Ganien lied! At Leo¡¯s sudden words, Ganien bowed his head. Ruel grinned at him. Yeah, Cassion needs to win. ¡°Were you watching?¡± ¡ªNo, this body heard a sound while sleeping. ¡°Sound?¡± ¡ªThe wind whispered the man with black hair won. Ruel patted Leo on the head. It was strange that Leo, the spirit, had not heard the sound of nature so far. It was a good change. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose. Well, how can I say, I just let my guard down for a while.¡± ¡°The leader of the Blue Knights has his tongue-in-his-cheek.¡± ¡°... Anyway, it was great. It was a short time, but I could see the way.¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes were filled with fighting spirit, as if recalling yesterday¡¯s confrontation. Finding the way is something to celebrate, but Ruel felt impatient with them. It¡¯s been a few days since the black blooded man appeared. ¡°What I can¡¯t do, you do, and I do what you can¡¯t do. So, work around it moderately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to say...¡± ¡°Ganien, promise me one thing here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ganien began to look uneasy for no reason. ¡°Don¡¯t covet anything I pick up. Don¡¯t tell me you forgot, right? The sword that you broke.¡± ¡°How can I forget? I promised.¡± Ruel raised the corner of his mouth, biting Breath. That¡¯s it. Ganien didn¡¯t pick it up first, so he should pick it up himself. ¡°Young master!¡± Then, the butler rushed in. Ruel pictured in his head what was urgently happening around this time in the novel. ¡®...I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Sien Lupiros is here...¡± Ganien ran out as the butler announced it, without listening to the rest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Setiria.¡± The butler bowed his head in shame. ¡°Did Ganien do something wrong?¡± ¡°I think it was last night.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± You¡¯re going to get in a lot of trouble. Ruel took it easy and inhaled Breath. ¡°Lord Setiria, Mr. Lupiros said he had something to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± The butler walked ahead first. ¡®Is there any reason why Sien wants to see me?¡¯ Ruel walked after the butler, questioning. Anyway, he was glad to meet Sien again. Ttak. The sound of a cane rang. *** ¡°Sorry for calling you out of the blue.¡± Sien bowed his head and apologized. Ganien was seen standing behind him in a squat position with only his arms outstretched in front of him. He desperately asked for help using all his facial muscles. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it because it¡¯s the perfect punishment for a child who doesn¡¯t know position or rank and is just excited about fighting.¡± ¡°Teacher, it wasn¡¯t just a match. Cassion is a very strong...¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot one thing.¡± Sien took two stones from his pocket and placed them on Ganien¡¯s lap. ¡°Keep trying to flap that mouth that doesn¡¯t know the shame of distracting the guard of your precious guest.¡± Only then did Ganien shut up. ¡°Now, please sit over here.¡± The landlord was Ganien, but Sien guided Ruel as if it were his own house.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel sat down in the seat led by Sien, ignoring Ganien¡¯s eyes begging for help. ¡°I came to meet that child, and I heard that you were here, so I called to tell you a story that I had not gotten the chance to before.¡± ¡°Did you have anything to talk to me about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so wary. I heard it all through that child.¡± ¡°Ganien¡¯s mouth seems lighter than I thought.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s imprudent, too. If there are many people who know a secret, there are many places for it to leak from.¡± Ruel nodded with satisfaction. Everything Sien said was right. ¡°Anyway, apart from that fact, I called you here because I thought Lord Setiria should know.¡± However, despite Sien being my favorite character, my life depends on his choices. He still had to check something. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to prove to me that Lord Lupiros is not a member of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°I guarantee it!¡± cried Ganien in a fit of anger. Sien laughed as if he liked it. ¡°You¡¯re a fighter, contrary to what I see.¡± ¡°There¡¯s just a lot of doubt.¡± ¡°What do you want? I heard that my disciple owes you a lot.¡± ¡°Please make an oath with Mana. What is more certain than this?¡± Ruel smiled and stroked Leo. ¡°There¡¯s certainly nothing more reliable than that. But don¡¯t be too blind. There¡¯s a loophole in everything.¡± Ruel agreed just by looking at Cassion¡¯s example as someone who had also taken the oath and previously planned to assassinate him. It seemed that the standard that he was loyal to was the standard he considered himself to be. ¡®How long has it been since I gave the communication device? I already got a call?¡¯ Coming from Ganien¡¯s villa to the palace, he met Bianne briefly and handed over the communication device. ¡°Connect.¡± The communication device lit up. -Lo, Lord, I¡¯m sorry to contact you so suddenly. Bianne¡¯s voice sounded very unsettling. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± -I¡¯m contacting you because I heard that the Red Ash will leave the temporary hideout soon. You¡¯d better hurry. ¡°Where?¡± -...I don¡¯t understand. ¡°What¡¯s the order that came to you? How did you obtain that news?¡± -If I left the temporary hideout, I was ordered to destroy it. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. In order to completely destroy it, it was necessary to have a blueprint or related data. ¡°You must have data related to the hideout in your hands. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± -Well, that¡¯s right. ¡°Put all the data on your desk quietly.¡± -On the desk? Alright. ¡°I¡¯ll hand you a copy soon.¡± Ruel cut off the communication and glanced meaningfully at Cassion. He resumed polishing his sword while Ruel spoke with Bianne. Cassion¡¯s hand paused at Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Hina...¡± ¡°You¡¯re faster.¡± Cassion¡¯s face was wrinkled for a moment, but he soon sighed and replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Cassion quietly hid himself in the shadows. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! Leo, who had been licking the rice bowl several times, came up to the bed with a grin. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªDirty things have risen! This body just ate something sweet and sour right now, so it¡¯s very appetizing! Now, this body can¡¯t wait to eat something dirty! ¡°Eat when Cassion comes back.¡± Leo looked shocked and saw that Cassion had left. ¡ªIf you eat something dirty after eating sweet and sour things, your stomach will be happy. So, this body ate something sweet and sour... ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel patted Leo on the head, who burst into tears. ¡®What does it taste like?¡¯ Then, while inhaling Breath with the other hand, he secretly raised the corner of his mouth. There¡¯s no Cassion, isn¡¯t there? After purifying, the shadow had never moved. Since the power of resistance has grown, shouldn¡¯t we check how big the shadow was now? ¡°Hina, if you pretend you didn¡¯t see me, I¡¯ll let you pet Leo.¡± In the corner, Hina slightly stuck out her head. Her eyes were shining brightly, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must not work too hard, not enough to vomit blood.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hina smiled and sank back into the shadows. Ruel sat his upper body up. Then he cycled the Mana through his body. After confirming that it was rolling smoothly, he moved the shadows. One, two, three... Ruel pulled out shadows as much as he could. Despite the increase of five, Ruel was still unaffected. ¡®It¡¯s worth throwing up blood.¡¯ Leo, cried with a ¡®EEEP,¡¯ raised his head when he saw the shadows. Still in tears, he asked. ¡ªAre you playing hide and seek in a circle? ¡°Do you want to do it?¡± ¡ªThis body is sad now. ¡°Let¡¯s use this room as a whole then, not within the circle like we did before.¡± Leo¡¯s tail wagged slowly. ¡ªIt would be more fun, but what should this body do because this body is so sad? Leo¡¯s eyes shook greatly at the sound of fun. Ruel tickled Leo with one of the shadows. ¡ªPuhaha, don¡¯t do it. This body is very ticklish... Hehehe! If you tell me not to, I won¡¯t. Ruel quit suddenly. Leo giggled and looked as if he had lost his country as the shadow disappeared. ¡ª...why not? ¡°If you run away from my shadow, I¡¯ll tickle you again.¡± ¡ªReally! Ahem. This body is sad, but I will run away for Ruel. The slowly wobbling tail moved vigorously. ¡°Start.¡± With Ruel¡¯s words, Leo went up to the table with a triumphant face. His short legs moved as Ruel¡¯s hand quietly protruding from Leo¡¯s shadow tried to grab his tail. ¡®He doesn¡¯t get caught by the same trick anymore. Did he get smarter?¡¯ But there are more shadows than before. Just as there are no rules in hand-to-hand battles, Ruel will win again if he used numbers to his advantage. Each time Leo¡¯s legs moved, the shadows secretly waited and spread out quickly as if aiming to enclose their prey. ¡ªClose! Ruel frowned. Swish. Leo escaped from the shadow¡¯s hand narrowly. After repeating it several times, Ruel¡¯s breathing became erratic. It was harder than he thought to inject and maintain a certain amount of mana. He bit Breath into his mouth. ¡®Well, then.¡¯ Chapter 71: Milky Way rising to the sky (2) Chapter 71: Milky Way rising to the sky (2) The shadows, which had been increased to five, were united into one and laid like a trap. Leo, who was running away from it, stepped on it and the shadows shot up like a net. ¡®I got you!¡¯ ¡ªYou didn¡¯t catch me again! ¡°...?¡± Leo¡¯s voice came from next to him. Turning his head, he saw Leo swinging his tail happily. Ruel scattered the shadows. Obviously, there was only faint smoke in the place where Leo was. As he tried to move the shadows again, Leo rested his face on Ruel¡¯s lap. ¡ªStop this. More dirty things have been added. ¡°...Yes.¡± Fortunately, he felt only a little nauseous, but his condition was not bad. ¡ªThis body has won. Leo lay down with his stomach showing. He demanded his reward proudly as a victor. ¡ªNow tickle me. ¡°Okay.¡± Gently tickling his stomach, Leo laughed and moved his tail incessantly. ¡°It got faster. Did the wind talk to you again?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right! It was worried about this body and let this body know. As if something suddenly came to mind, Leo got up and jumped into Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Look at this! Leo lifted his short front paws. A sphere wrapped in silver floated up. Just looking at it made Ruel feel it¡¯s sacred power. Tak. Aris rushed in through the door. And immediately stopped without pulling out his sword. ¡°Ruel-nim, I just felt a strange mana...¡± ¡°Close the door.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Aris closed the door at Ruel¡¯s command, but couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the sphere Leo created. ¡°What is that? It feels very warm.¡± Ruel looked at Leo instead of answering. ¡ªOn the day Cassion and Ganien fought, this body looked at the sky and thought of that. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªThis body hated that Ruel was sick because this body couldn¡¯t purify. Leo rubbed his head against Ruel, removing the sphere. There was sadness mixed in his voice. ¡ªThis body was very sad and kept thinking about it, then this body was able to make the light just now. ¡®Awakening... should I say...¡¯ ¡ªDon¡¯t get sick because of this body. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± A cough came out of nowhere. Ruel gently stroked Leo. ¡°Congratulations, Leo.¡± Aris couldn¡¯t resist curiosity and asked, ¡°Is what I just saw the power of purification?¡± ¡ªMaybe. ¡°It feels completely different from when Ruel-nim purified it. At that time, it was somewhat sad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the real thing.¡± ¡ªHehe. Aris smiled at Leo¡¯s eyes begging for praise. ¡°Congratulations, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body has done it! This body is no longer a fool! ¡°I¡¯ll have to check it out.¡± Ruel raised the corner of his mouth towards Cassion, who showed up in a timely manner as he inhaled Breath. ¡°I¡¯m back... Why are you smiling so suspiciously as soon as I came?¡± Seeing Aris was in the room, a small wrinkle appeared between Cassion¡¯s eyebrows. Leo went down and circled around Cassion. ¡ªCassion, look what this body has made! As he lifted his short front paws, a silver sphere floated up. With Leo¡¯s eyes staring at him asking for quick praise, Cassion squatted down and stared at the sphere. ¡°It¡¯s as big as a nail, but something¡¯s different.¡± ¡°It looks like a sphere with the power of purification. Check it out.¡± Cassion immediately took out black water at Ruel¡¯s command. And he dropped just one drop on the ground. The black water did not spread out, but shook gently like jelly and stopped. Leo stuck his tail close and put the silver sphere to the black water. Everyone paid attention to the scene. But surprisingly, nothing happened. ¡®Isn¡¯t that purification?¡¯ Ruel looked at Leo with a cough. Leo was flustered and hardened. ¡°Beast, it¡¯s not that it doesn¡¯t work. It¡¯s very small, but it¡¯s shrunk in size.¡± At Cassion¡¯s words, Leo jumped in place. ¡ªThis body has purified it! This body is a great purifier! Leo stepped on the black water while running. Chiiig. Ruel held back his laughter as he saw it purified in an instant. ¡®Can you break the fun?¡¯ ¡°Leo, can you explain to me how you used Purification a little while ago?¡± ¡ªOf course! In a triumphant voice, Leo ran to Aris. Aris sat on the floor and listened to what Leo was talking about. That¡¯s what happens when you become a wizard. Ruel looked away from them and turned towards Cassion. ¡°Give it to me.¡± He looked over the data Bianne received from the Red Ash one by one. The location, structure, and map of the hideout were perfectly written. ¡°You seem to have a lot of worries,¡± said Aris quietly. ¡°When you have a lot of worries, a match is the best.¡± Ganien followed after him even though he never asked for him to follow. Cassion silently frowned at Ganien. A tactless fellow. Ganien expressed resentment as if he felt Cassion was swearing with his eyes. ¡°Why? I¡¯m not that tactless. I have no choice but to follow my teacher¡¯s orders.¡± Sien issued a strict order not to leave Ruel¡¯s side at any time except for the moment when he removed the temporary hideout of the Red Ash. He was a mysteriously proficient teacher, so he had to follow his orders closely. ¡°Leave it alone.¡± Ruel snorted. What can I do if you are following me? Ruel just walked along the path of an unknown village. When Leo chattered to himself and Ganien brought up the story of the last match to Cassion, Ruel just walked, listening to the story and Aris¡¯s comments. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel exhaled deeply. I felt free after a long time, so my mind was clear. ¡®After all, people should rest.¡¯ We¡¯ll be in Dotol Village tomorrow. It was disappointing that he couldn¡¯t directly watch how the temporary hideout would be robbed. ¡®If you want to pick it up from the Dotol Village, you¡¯ll have to fill your pockets in advance.¡¯ Ruel walked and walked looking at the stars that filled the sky. Then, when Ruel stumbled for a moment, questions poured out to ask if he was okay. ¡°I only felt dizzy for a moment.¡± Ruel grabbed his head and said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit over there for a second?¡± Cassion pointed to a flat rock. Papapapa. Leo stepped off Ruel¡¯s shoulder and ran into the wide snowfield. Pang! He jumped in head first and only moved his short back legs that were not buried in the snow along with his eyes that peeked out. When Aris ran hurriedly and pulled out Leo buried in the snow, Leo smiled. ¡ªIt¡¯s really fun! Aris, try jumping too! Then Leo jumped into the snow again and buried his upper body in the snow. Aris looked at Ruel with Leo flapping his short hind legs in the distance. ¡®You don¡¯t have to ask for permission one by one.¡¯ When Ruel nodded, Aris flew into the snow with open arms like a cross. Pang! Listening to the vivid sound, Ruel sat on the rock and coughed. ¡®You¡¯re having fun.¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright.¡± I heard Aris and Leo giggling. Before I knew it, Ganien¡¯s voice was mixed in. Swish! Snow flew here and there as if the event had turned into a snowball fight. ¡ªThis body can be made bigger! ¡°That¡¯s a foul, Leo.¡± ¡°You¡¯re using magic in a cheap way, right? Alright, I will use aura.¡± Ruel felt a sense of calm when he saw the three fools. Cassion took out a blanket and covered Ruel with it. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make you feel a little more at ease when watching someone act like an idiot?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. When he wondered why Cassion was so kind, he remembered the sword he got from Ganien¡¯s villa yesterday. Pak! Snow from somewhere spread across Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°Can you see? What more wonderful skills I have, like my marksmanship?¡± Ganien chuckled. ¡°Cassion...¡± ¡°Sometimes I thought it would be okay to be stupid. Doesn¡¯t your head get cold right away from having an empty head?¡± Cassion smirked. ¡°...I wasn¡¯t doing anything stupid.¡± Cassion sighed as he touched Ruel¡¯s forehead. His hands were hot. The fever went up immediately after getting hit by some snow. There was even a squeaking sound. Maybe he will be very ill tonight. Lately, Ruel has been complacent about being ¡®fit.¡¯ He was still walking glass. Cassion reflected on himself and handed over a fever reducer. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ruel nodded. He could only bear nodding with his head ringing. ¡ªThis body will scold Ganien! ¡°...You haven¡¯t helped me much either.¡± Leo¡¯s front foot, which he raised vigorously, slipped down. Leo looked down and quietly curled up next to Ruel. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Aris.¡± The door opened softly with a careful voice. ¡°Are you alright...sick?¡± He should have stopped Ganien. Perhaps because he had fun after a long time, he forgot his position as an escort. He was ashamed. ¡°I just have a fever as usual. Never mind.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice was drained. Aris glanced at Cassion. He shook his head. Aris closed the door carefully again at the signal not to say anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll be better by tomorrow.¡± Ruel groaned and closed his eyes. Author''s Thoughts Eat. Drink. Be Merry. Have a wonderful Christmas ????! ?????????????????????????? Chapter 72: Milky Way rising to the sky (3) Chapter 72: Milky Way rising to the sky (3) *** The fever remained until morning, perhaps because of the accumulated fatigue from traveling.Ruel led his heavy body into the carriage feeling dizzy. ¡°Uhmmm.¡± Ganien, who was waiting in the carriage first, coughed dryly and looked at Ruel¡¯s countenance. He must have been quite sorry to hear from Aris that Ruel had caught a fever because of him. ¡°Yesterday...¡± ¡°Is it going well?¡± Ruel asked casually, inhaling the Breath. He had requested Bianne to compile the information of knights involved with Red Ash and hand over the info to Ganien. The more Red Ash they caught and the more information obtained, the more secure his own safety was. ¡°It¡¯s in progress.¡± ¡°Let me know when you get the results.¡± Ruel glanced at Cassion at the door. The wind blew into the carriage causing his body to tremble. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± (Ruel) Ganien stopped at the doorway. ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things, just take care of it properly.¡± Only then did Ganien¡¯s face brighten but with a sour voice. ¡°Do not worry. It¡¯s something I learned very well in Leponia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The door of the carriage closed with Ruel¡¯s answer. Ganien took a deep breath and moved towards the Knights with a determined face. The Red Ash touched his country and was aiming for his own friend. He stood in front of the pre-assembled group of Blue Knights and shouted loudly. ¡°The honor of this nation depends on our sword. Do not allow any enemy. Do not allow the word ¡®danger.¡¯ Recognize who we are protecting.¡± After taking a breath, Ganien opened his mouth again. ¡°Protect it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect!¡± The entire Knights answered at the same time. The Knights marched in a blue wave, led by Ganien. Joining the Royal Knights, they escorted the moving carriage. ¡°Would you like another fever reducer?¡± Ruel shook his head left and right when he saw the medicine Cassion was holding out. ¡°I ate it earlier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking because your fever didn¡¯t go away.¡± Ruel shook his head again. Guiltily, Leo looked at Ruel. He had thrown three snowballs at Ruel. ¡ªThis body feels sorry. Instead of talking, Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head. He found it funny that his body became so hot after being hit by snow, but what¡¯s wrong with the opponent who threw it? With a slightly trembling hand, Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°One more day, we¡¯ll see Dotol Village. If you change your mind and want to go to Trien...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Contrary to what was said, Cassion was relieved. Ruel recognized his position objectively after the Plane incident. He didn¡¯t have to go to this temporary hideout himself. It wasn¡¯t a role he could play in the first place. He could use magic, but not to the level he could defend himself in combat. But one thing had to be pointed out. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Cassion took out a handkerchief and put it near Ruel¡¯s mouth at the sound of a strong cough. ¡°Cough.¡± When he vomited blood for the first time in a while, the familiar smell of blood came up in his mouth. But his body became comfortable. ¡°Cassion, there¡¯s only one reason I¡¯m visiting Trien.¡± The black-blooded man. Cassion stayed silent for a long time before answering reluctantly. ¡°... I see.¡± *** Knock. Knock. The carriage door opened. It was morning when they started, but now the red sun was setting. Ganien pointed his thumb behind him. ¡°Ruel, we¡¯re going to separate here.¡± They haven¡¯t seen Dotol Village yet, but it was right to start moving now to surprise them properly. ¡°Good luck.¡± That was all he could say. Ganien smiled and rejoined the ranks. ¡°What about you?¡± Ruel asked Cassion. ¡°Hina will go instead of me today. Something¡¯s bothering me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± If Hina goes, that¡¯s fine. The carriage door closed again. *** It was quiet. There were no news of raids until they reached Dotol Village. The word that he would go sightseeing in Dotol would have already spread among the nobles of Cyronian. Nevertheless, it was still. Ruel didn¡¯t like it. If he had some struggle, he would have been much more comfortable. ¡®What is the enemy up to?¡¯ Cassion had sent a shadow to check the Red Ash to confirm if the order Bianne gave was real. It was also confirmed that the temporary hideout actually existed and was leaving soon. Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°The enemy is lurking.¡± Cassion frowned slightly before opening the carriage door. ¡®No wonder it was quiet.¡¯ That¡¯s right. The Red Ash can¡¯t let this opportunity go. ¡°Leo, do you smell anything like the black-blooded man?¡± ¡ªI don¡¯t. ¡°That¡¯s enough, leave it alone.¡± Without a black blooded man, Cassion should be able to face any attack or any enemy. Ruel smiled and got out of the carriage. Dotol Village was small enough to count how many houses there were from here. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a lie when Huswen boasted that the lake was beautiful.¡¯ The lake behind the village contained numerous stars. ¡®It¡¯s wonderful.¡¯ Ruel looked briefly at the lake, coughing. The lake in the village of Prina was also beautiful. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Can this body swim? Stars in the water! This body wants to jump in there. Leo, who was in Ruel¡¯s arms, scratched his clothes with his front paws and asked. ¡°Later.¡± Ruel whispered in Leo¡¯s ear and took a cane. Ttak. He moved his cane and headed to the accommodation of Dotol, which he had arranged in advance. He was followed by the Royal Knights and Blue Knights, who did not go to Trien. Ttak. Only the sound of the cane and the sound of the heavy footsteps were heard. Cassion took out a blanket and covered Ruel with it and said quietly. ¡°The enemy is moving.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel bit Breath. There¡¯s something he has to pick up in Dotol Village. He was a little worried. Ruel bit the Breath and moved his shadow. If we stick together like this here, won¡¯t we all die together? ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± Cassion stopped Ruel. Cassion¡¯s eyes were purple. ¡°Do...Don¡¯t call.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll kill him first.¡± He doesn¡¯t call his men. There was a limit to the number that Ruel could purify. It would be easier for Ruel deal with if the enemies were gathered together. Weapon tracking. That¡¯s why he had to get rid of the annoying enemies before the black blooded men came any closer. Cassion quietly and secretly disappeared, as it was the butler¡¯s duty to secure the owner¡¯s safety. ¡°Haaaap!¡± With Aris¡¯ loud shout, the sword was struck into the ground. Kwakwakwa! The area was covered with ice. Trees, grass, approaching enemies, and even the black-blooded men were frozen. Aris stumbled after exhaling a strong breath. The Knights were relieved little by little. ¡ªNot yet. There are still people who are out of the world¡¯s natural order. Leo ran to Ruel. Ruel walked forward, coughing. The road opened by itself. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Ruel kept walking despite the cries of knights who stopped him. Ttak. The gaze was noticed because the sound of the cane was heard loudly. ¡°Don¡¯t play into the enemy¡¯s hands. What the enemy wants is the death of all of us.¡± ¡ªThis body can do it. Ruel, stay put. Leo stamped his foot and followed after Ruel. ¡ªUh...! In the direction Leo looked, Ruel had already moved his shadow. The black one was caught. The black thing permeated the shadow like a powder dissolved in water. Ruel said, barely swallowing something rising up his throat. ¡°I won¡¯t say any more. Spread out, now.¡± Ruel stumbled for a moment because his head was dizzy from the fever. There was a fine line between bravery and recklessness. He set out to let them know that what they had was not courage, but recklessness. ¡®Get out of my way.¡¯ At this rate, the dog¡¯s death was waiting. The two vice-captains stared at Ruel and the black-blooded man before opening their mouths. ¡°Disperse!¡± Ruel said to them, who just noticed the situation going back. ¡°The target is me. Don¡¯t be sacrificed.¡± He tried to hold it in, but blood flowed down his mouth. ¡°Luck...¡± The vice-captain of the Royal Knights clenched his fists feeling furious. They couldn¡¯t move their feet. Rather, they were being protected by the target they were supposed to protect. Now that Aris had frozen the black-blooded men there was an opportunity. ¡°...I wish you.¡± But Ruel said not to choose a dog¡¯s death. Feeling the taste of blood in his mouth, the vice-captain turned around. Ruel opened his mouth as he did, wiping his mouth. ¡°I am here.¡± Black-blooded humans who were not trapped in ice located Ruel at once. For a moment, he felt goosebumps. ¡®I¡¯ve felt it before.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s shadow moved at the same time as a thick black liquid spewed from black-blooded humans. ¡®I guess I¡¯m a very delicious prey.¡¯ Kwakwakwa! The sword wrapped with ice swayed. The black stream froze at once and fell to the ground. Ruel spoke emphatically to Aris, who stood in front of him. ¡°Get back.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that! It¡¯s still moving!¡± Every time Aris exhaled a strong breath, his white breath came from his lips. He was Ruel¡¯s escort before he was a knight. Whatever he said, it was his job to protect Ruel¡¯s life. Crack. The sound of ice cracking came faintly. However, the ice barely caught the ankle, making it of no use. What can I do to get rid of them? He felt like he was holding onto the distant sky. ¡°Cut it down! No matter how many times!¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was heard. The purple aura decapitated the black blooded human closest to Ruel. But something black, woven like a thread, put his neck back in place. Aris bit his lip. Isn¡¯t it the same situation as before? Cassion swung the dagger again. Cut it. He concentrated on that single determination. There was nothing that could not be cut with an aura. Whiik! Cassion¡¯s two daggers moved like crazy. In the place where it was cut, Aura was left like an afterimage, and Aura was embroidered in that place. There is nothing perfect in this world. There must be a gap. He raised his momentum. He used all of his power for the first time. Whoo! The ground rang, the floor went out, and a storm blew around Cassion. Nevertheless, the black blooded man, who had been split into dozens of pieces, regenerated again as if he were laughing at him. Flash. At that time, a fleeting but faint trajectory came into Cassion¡¯s eyes. Cassion moved his hand along the trajectory. The light of the aura became stronger. The sensation he had felt countless times came to his hand. The feeling of being cut off from life. Fwiickk. The black-blooded man melted down. The thick black water stream was seen cut in half. Cassion caught his breath and found a huge hole in the wall replacing what he had been struggling with for so long. ¡®Did you cut it? You cut that?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t believe it even when he saw it in person. He inhaled the Breath with his trembling hand. ¡°He is not a man who never dies.¡± Cassion laughed. The black blooded man was not immortal.. However, the way to kill him...it was very difficult. Pak! An arrow from afar hit the black-blooded man¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t a regular arrow. There was something attached to the arrowhead. As soon as the powder on the arrowhead spread, the outer part of the black-blooded man melted and somewhere in the body shone as much as a fingernail. Aris stabbed with his sword without hesitation toward the shining place. Chapter 73: Milky Way rising to the sky (4) Chapter 73: Milky Way rising to the sky (4) Fwiickk. Then it melted like the black-blooded man that Cassion had just cut. ¡°...!¡± Aris was surprised. As Cassion said, the black-blooded man was not immortal. This had become something of certainty. When Ruel saw Leo, he shook his head. ¡ªNo purification. If it¡¯s not purification, what should he call it? Never before had such a power been introduced. Ruel coughed and watched the ice splitting apart. ¡°There¡¯s a drop of black water on his body. It¡¯s in a different in location, but if you cut it, it melts like that.¡± The way Cassion described it proved how dangerous and difficult it was to defeat. It wasn¡¯t the method that just anyone could use. When Ruel glanced back, Cassion followed his gaze. And he spoke after seeing his gesture of making a X with his arms from a distance. ¡°There¡¯s no more.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Ruel took a step forward. The number of black-blooded men left is five. ¡ªThis body will do it. Leo hovered around Ruel, anxious. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you take care of all the monitors?¡± Since they sent this many people, they must have attached an observer to clean things up. ¡°We¡¯ve taken care of it.¡± In response, Ruel took another step, inhaling Breath. Ruel¡¯s complexion grew bluer and bluer because of the fever, the cold, and the nausea. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion couldn¡¯t wait to call Ruel. He couldn¡¯t help it, but unlike last time, there were many black-blooded men. ¡°Cassion, take care of what is left. And...¡± Ruel glanced back and raised the corners of his mouth. The target he had to pick up from Dotol would become indebted to him, so he would come after him on his own. ¡°What about the Knights?¡± Jjeok. ¡°It is far gone.¡± He was relieved. Unlike before, it was night now. A time when shadows fall all over the world. Ruel¡¯s eyes shone. Aris shook his sword tightly at the sight. ¡ªThis body! This body will do it! Leo was restless and almost clinging to Ruel¡¯s feet. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± Ruel smiled briefly at Leo and moved his shadow. Big enough to wrap all five of them. ¡ªRuel! This body... ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Ruel ordered. At first, he had moved the shadow as his instinct led him. But not anymore. ¡°Darkness is not borrowing, but calling.¡± Now he understood more of what Tyson said. He was hoping that his shadow would eat away that black thing. It was he who grabbed the reins. He held it firmly and ordered it not to miss anything. ¡®Eat it.¡¯ The shadow silently rushed toward the black-blooded men. Every time he ate the black substance through his power, there was a sensation of being stabbed. Patter. The power of resistance and reflection grew and endured quite a bit, but blood poured down from his mouth and nose. Ruel held on tightly to his cane. More. He had to eat some more. Wi-ing. He was used to being sick. Wi-ing. He could bear this much. Compared to the usual pain, it was just a little more painful. ¡ª...Ruel. Leo¡¯s ears were drooping while looking at Ruel. The blood spreading to the ground increased. Finally, the cane fell from Ruel¡¯s hand. Cassion and Aris grabbed him as he stumbled. A new darker color fell from his lips. Ruel¡¯s breath became rough. He only managed to breathe by inhaling the Breath. ¡ªThis body, this body... Leo¡¯s eyes fluttered. Ganien stopped walking. He can¡¯t believe it¡¯s a message. ¡°What happened to Ruel?¡± ¡°We will follow the Red Ash that ran away. Cassion¡¯s message for you is to hurry up and organize the Red Ash hideout and join the village you stopped by before going to Dotol. I¡¯ve already informed Sir Torto, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± ¡°A black-blooded man has appeared.¡± Hina frowned after looking for a moment at the place where the silver rays had risen. There was nothing they could do even if they came forward. A sense of helplessness. It was a feeling she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. ¡°...I see. How¡¯s Ruel doing? Is anyone hurt?¡± ¡°The Knights are fine. Ruel¡¯s condition isn¡¯t as bad as I thought.¡± Hina disappeared after lowering her head slightly. ¡®It¡¯s the worst situation.¡¯ Ganien scratched the back of his head. There was no telling what would have changed if he went, but he frowned automatically as he imagined a situation where he would have leaned on the weakest Ruel. ¡®Because of Ruel¡¯s personality, he must have sent the knights away and handled everything himself.¡¯ He would have acted the same way had he been in that situation himself. But he had a body that could handle it, and Ruel didn¡¯t. ¡®...foolish fellow.¡¯ Ganien ran faster back the way he had came. *** ¡°I¡¯m going to disappear for a while.¡± The condition was better than expected. Of course, it meant it was better than expected, but not in good condition. Ruel vomited black blood as soon as he finished talking. ¡°... what?¡± Ganien asked back in a jubilant way. ¡°They released several black-blooded men.¡± Ruel rinsed his mouth and inhaled Breath. Still, the breathing sound was uneven. ¡°Cassion killed the monitors, they won¡¯t know how things are going.¡± ¡°Then, see me and tell His Highness in advance?¡± Ruel laughed hard. ¡°That¡¯s right, Prince Banios will take care of me, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Do you know how difficult the Cyronian position will be if you disappear now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not disappearing. To be exact, I went to Dotol...¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath again. Then he frowned and grabbed his head. ¡°I just stayed at your villa for recuperation and as a close friend because my illness got worse.¡± ¡°Yes, I will have to bear all the debts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ganien sighed deeply at Ruel¡¯s words, which seemed to be natural. ¡°Did you tell Sir Torto?¡± ¡°Before you came. I told him to stay quiet at your villa. It¡¯s safe there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s safe.¡± Ganien gave a confident smile. ¡°...Cough!¡± Cassion quickly put a handkerchief to Ruel¡¯s mouth. Leo¡¯s ears are drooping. How many times has it already been? Ruel patted Leo¡¯s head with his trembling hand. ¡°Looking at you talking, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to come to get some rest. Where are you going?¡± Cassion sighed. ¡°I was going to the Ice Castle...¡± Leo was startled and covered his mouth. Ruel¡¯s hand, which was patting his head, paused. Leo lay flat on the bed and looked up at his face with fierce eyes. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Ganien¡¯s voice rose immediately. It was such nonsense that he forgot that Ruel was sick. Cassion laughed with satisfaction, and Aris watched nervously. ¡°You¡¯re really... Ha. Yeah, I¡¯m so sorry I made you come to Cyronian that I really have nothing to say, but this isn¡¯t it, do you know what kind of place it is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression did not change with a short answer. Ganien looked at Cassion with a stiff feeling. Cassion shook his head from side to side. ¡°Whoa.¡± Ganien took a deep breath to calm down and dragged a chair around him and sat down in front of Ruel. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Ruel could be in better shape than he looked. Because that happened a few times. Ruel turned over his hand without hesitation. ¡°... crazy bastard.¡± Ganien, who was examining him, broke his arrogance. What a bummer. He was only conscious, but he was ready to dance as the sicknesses were not running rampant like before. ¡°I came this far, but I have to go see the Ice Castle. I¡¯m not feeling well enough to come again.¡± ¡°You...!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to go if it is not now. Think carefully, Ganien.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. Author''s Thoughts Dear readers, Thank you for all your support in the past year. Special thanks to honey users and Ko-Fi users. Thank you for being there. Really! ?! So, I hope the two chapters here bring you joy as you begin the new year. Happy New Year, 2023! May your new year be filled with new adventures, accomplishments, and learnings. Chapter 74: Money is the best! Chapter 74: Money is the best! Certainly, as Ruel said, now was the time to move comfortably. If Ruel did not show up, the enemy¡¯s surveillance would naturally spread in all directions, and at the same time, Ruel¡¯s movement could be free. The problem was that there could be a big uproar in Cyronian and Leponia. ¡®No, it¡¯s not just a big deal. It¡¯s enough to make it to the brink of war.¡¯ The representative of the delegation from Leponia has disappeared from Cyronian. It was an even bigger problem because the representative of the delegation did not simply disappear. Ruel was acting as a representative of the delegation in addition to being the last remaining member of one of the six families supporting Leponia. ¡®I should stop him. This isn¡¯t right.¡¯ ¡°Your role is as big as your debt, Ganien. To prevent war...¡± Ruel giggled and coughed. Ganien¡¯s lips trembled. Every time Ruel mentioned debt, it reminded him of Turbulent Day now irreparably broken by himself. ¡®...Yes, I owe him, so I have to bear it.¡¯ But it was dark ahead. Ruel continued after taking Cassion¡¯s medicine. ¡°I¡¯m going to split up the Royal Knights, so please take action in advance.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I will return to your villa for now. I need to be considerate enough to the Knights, so they can be relieved of blame.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re close friends.¡± Ruel smiled straightforwardly. It was a very unlucky smile. ¡°Give it to me.¡± He was a madman who created a strong Aura across Setiria¡¯s heirloom. ¡®Even if I¡¯m crazy, I¡¯m crazy. Curiosity is nothing.¡¯ Ganien took out the data with a face full of dissatisfaction. Pop. While attempting to grab the data, Ruel lost strength in his hand and missed. ¡°Take a rest.¡± Ganien loosened his expression, relieved, and spoke seriously. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel needed sleep. He tried to hold out forcefully, but now it seemed that his limit had been reached. Knock. Knock. Someone knocked on the door. It seemed that he couldn¡¯t wait anymore and came already. Ruel said, sending out Ganien. ¡°Aris will tell you the rest of the story.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Ganien rose from his seat. When he opened the door, he saw a man who had a naive impression. ¡®Money... It smells.¡¯ How much did you have to tinker with money, to smell so strongly of it. The man glanced at Ganien and Aris before entering the room. Ganien asked Aris, lowering his voice, ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°He was the one who helped us.¡± ¡°That guy?¡± ¡°Yes, he used something unrecognizable. I asked him directly what it was, but he demanded a gold coin for the answer, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Ruel paid him well, but he doesn¡¯t want to waste valuable gold coins on a single question. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s why he smelled like that.¡¯ (Ganien) ¡°... Is he strong?¡± Aris asked uncertainly. He saw in the battle that he was very good at archery. ¡°It¡¯s vague.¡± It was difficult to assess. ¡°But he¡¯s not weak.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aris glanced at the room where Ruel was. Ruel had on his signature smile that he wore before picking something up. ¡®What did Ruel-nim see?¡¯ They had exchanged glances with each other for a brief moment, but it was unpleasant. The man had the look of judging one¡¯s value with a monetary perspective. Aris could not help but feel the instinctive discomfort of being a slave. *** ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel greeted the man with a frown at his trembling cough. The corners of the man¡¯s mouth were already up to his ears because he knew money when he saw it. ¡®You must have thought it was luck, because it was an aristocrat who you helped. Is this why he received the nickname ¡®country bumpkin¡¯? I don¡¯t know what it would be natural to help and get in a small village called Dotol, but those natural rules didn¡¯t work where he was .¡¯ ¡°Keep your head down.¡± Cassion looked at the man¡¯s stiff expression and moved his lips. ¡°...?¡± The man bowed his head as he watched the atmosphere shift. Contrary to expectations, the atmosphere was rather heavy. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Ruel asked his name first for confirmation, but the man was not taking him seriously, looking at him as if he was the prey in the hunt. But it was him who was being hunted unawares. ¡°My name is Noah.¡± ¡®As expected, it was Noah.¡¯ Ruel smiled lightly. Noah was a former hunter and exhibited his excellent tracking and mobility, as well as his high-level archery when battling previously. He wasn¡¯t even that bad of a person. Except for the money obsession part. ¡®I needed to let him know where I stand.¡¯ Ruel knew Noah¡¯s goal was money, but he pretended not to know and asked, ¡°Yes, what do you need?¡± Ruel felt like he was facing a child who hadn¡¯t learned of the world yet. Cassion managed to hold back his leaking laughter and threw an equally hefty bag of gold coins. ¡°Make a vow of loyalty to me.¡± Only money was embedded in Noah¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you swear by Mana, that¡¯s the advance payment.¡± Ruel had a lot of money sitting in his pockets, but it was a very small sum for Noah to swear his life and loyalty. ¡°My name is Ruel Setiria. Remember the name of your master.¡± Still, Noah will. Afterall it is probably the largest amount he¡¯s ever seen since he was born. Noah¡¯s fingertips trembled. Even his face flushed with joy and excitement. His head and mouth felt light, distracted by the glowing jewels and gold coins. ¡°I, Noah vow allegiance to Ruel Setiria.¡± When Cassion nodded, Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Cassion, he is an attendant who will assist you, so make good use of him.¡± When Ruel said he was going to bring in Noah, Cassion did not object. Another person to work for him has walked in, who would oppose it? ¡°Noah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What was the arrow you shot then?¡± ¡°This is what my mother received from a warlock before, and it guarantees death.¡± ¡®It¡¯s black magic... ¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth, thinking that he should let Tyson know. ¡°Do you have any luggage to pack?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Cassion, give him a uniform.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion smiled at Noah. Noah expressed a little anxiety as if the money¡¯s effect was slowly fading. ¡°What exactly does a servant do, Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°You are the exclusive attendant of Cassion, the butler. In other words, you have to do whatever Cassion tells you to do.¡± ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± The simple words sounded strangely ominous. Something...something was wrong. However, when Noah saw the gold coins in his possession, the corners of his mouth went up again. There are lovely gold coins, so what could be wrong? ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Noha asked at Ruel¡¯s harsh cough. ¡°Are you going to die soon?¡± ¡®...Oh, right.¡¯ There was a big drawback to employing Noah. His words did not go through his brain. Ruel gave orders in advance. ¡°I command you, Noah. Don¡¯t reveal any information related to me to the outside world. Also, I forbid you to judge my people by your standards.¡± ¡°Why so... Ugh!¡± Noha gripped his chest tightly. He fell down. Gold coins spilled out of the bags. Knowing that more than familiar pain, Cassion knew what Noah would try to say next. ¡°...Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Cassion, go educate him.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be happy to comply. Follow me.¡± Noah took off his coat and wrapped the jewels and gold coins in it. Eohhwadungdung. Ruel wondered how long it would last for Noah to see those jewels and gold coins as precious treasures. As soon as the door closed, Ruel lay on the bed as if he were collapsing, releasing all of the tension in his body. Leo rushed over and lay face down next to Ruel¡¯s face. ¡ªDid you pick him up? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªIs it abandoned like this body? ¡°No.¡± ¡ªThen why did you pick it up? ¡°Because it¡¯s useful.¡± ¡ªCassion was overjoyed. How happy would he be to not have to do all the little things. ¡°...Yes.¡± Ruel still on the bed felt his eyes become heavier before they closed, his plans of meeting the knight corps to encourage them before their next departure were left unfulfilled. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Ruel touched Leo¡¯s tail instead of answering. ¡ªThis body has purified! Purify! Leo shook excitedly even while petting. ¡ªThis body tried again, but it won¡¯t come out. It was not a voice of disappointment. ¡ªBut this body is not upset. If you do it once, it will work again. This body is not a fool. This body is a great purifier. He was brave. ¡ªOnly Ruel knows about this. Ruel¡¯s hand, which was stroking his tail, fell weakly. ¡ªThis body was happier that Ruel was no longer sick because of this body than this body being able to purify it. Leo smiled, stroking Ruel¡¯s head, who fell asleep quickly. ¡ªDon¡¯t get sick now. Author''s Thoughts Leo is so cute... >< Batch chapters available /s/7303ca65fc Chapter 75.1 - Money is the best! (2) Chapter 75.1 - Money is the best! (2) *** ¡°...Are you up?¡± At Cassion¡¯s voice, Ruel nodded. ¡°You slept for two days. How are you feeling?¡± At the news of sleeping for two days, Ruel turned his head startled and looked at Leo. Leo was sleeping soundly and his hands weren¡¯t wet with tears either. ¡°He didn¡¯t cry this time.¡± ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve gone around to avoid any eyes, so one more day, we¡¯ll arrive at Ganien¡¯s villa.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel looked at the carriage with Breath dangling from his mouth. It was a familiar carriage. ¡°...wasn¡¯t it broken?¡± ¡°Aris did the outside and Noah fixed the interior.¡± Aris would have used magic and Noah, according to the original story, was good with his hands. In the web novel, the amount of content dedicated to Noah was not high. Ruel thought it was because there was a more interesting character, Cassion. So, Ruel brought him in because he wasn¡¯t a colleague who had a lot of importance to Ganien. Cassion was his only butler with no other servants to assist him. It was a waste of power to employ Cassion¡¯s shadows as servants, and it took a long time to choose amongst ordinary servants as they couldn¡¯t work with Cassion. Ruel drank the water Cassion handed over and asked. ¡°What do you think? Is it usable?¡± A gentle smile formed on Cassion¡¯s mouth. ¡°His mouth is very annoying, but it is useful. It¡¯s very good to have.¡± ¡°Was there any friction with Aris?¡± ¡°There was.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. It was expected. He knew they wouldn¡¯t get along. Maybe the first impression wasn¡¯t the best. The memory of being sold as a slave created a lasting trauma to Aris, so the first impression must have already been at the bottom, once Aris saw his eyes that judged a person¡¯s value from a monetary perspective. Still, Aris would have tried to get along, but Noah¡¯s mouth would have ruined everything. Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°The friction sparked into a fight.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to ask who won?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Aris would have won. ¡°Aris¡¯ growth rate is very fast,¡± Cassion said, handing over the meat pie. Ruel¡¯s expression was crumpled in the pain but he managed to pick up the pie. Rattle. ¡°Who¡¯s driving the carriage?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Noah.¡± He knew it. When Aris drove the carriage, the ride was as smooth as gliding across ice. ¡°What about Aris?¡± ¡°He¡¯s walking with the Knights. Speaking of which, I have something to tell you. I think you should check on the Knights as soon as you arrive at the villa. The morale has sunk.¡± ¡°...I know. It¡¯s a little late.¡± They must have been under a lot of pressure creating the resolve to face an impossible enemy, just to run away without the object you had to protect. ¡°How many people are escorting my carriage?¡± ¡°The Blue Knights left early and the Royal Knights left in groups, and now only Sir Torto is attached.¡± That was wise. Even though there were many escorts, they only drew attention from the surroundings now. Ruel snorted, his eyes coldly sinking. ¡°Did you chase them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re heading out of Cyronian and towards the Tonisk Empire.¡± ¡°...to the Tonisk Empire?¡± He heard from Sien that the gates of the Tonisk Empire were opened. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were heading to the Tonisk Empire on purpose or if the Red Ash hideout was really there. ¡°Watch until the door opens. Catch them after that.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll order that.¡± Crunch. Ruel shook his empty hand while eating a meat pie. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel gave his permission without hesitation. It happened to be a heavy tea cup. ¡°...So, the Lord is burned with a sense of justice and bruises... Ugh!¡± Noha, who was sliding off the driver¡¯s seat, gripped his chest and complained of thepain. Aris didn¡¯t know what he was going to say, but it was clear he wasn¡¯t talking nicely. Aris glared directly at him. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad word. It¡¯s just a sense of justice. Stupid... Are you crazy? You don¡¯t let me say anything!¡± ¡°I told you to watch your mouth, right? Or do you want to roll on the floor again?¡± Since he had already lost to Aris, Noah muttered and reworded his previous unheard statement. ¡°Pretending to be good.¡± The atmosphere between the two was frigid. Ruel glanced at them and inhaled from Breath. It was not his problem to intervene. Noah was also the servant of Cassion. Cassion sighed and approached Noah. ¡°Noah.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Obviously nervous, the fear was immediately present on his face. ¡°Didn¡¯t I repeatedly tell you to watch your mouth? Is the pain still not enough?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± The eyes of Noah, who had no time to look elsewhere, shook. ¡°If you slander Ruel-nim again, I¡¯ll throw your body into the sea.¡± Cassion was a loyal butler. The loyal butler couldn¡¯t let go of any gossip about his master. At Cassion¡¯s look of satisfaction, Ruel left Breath in his hand and walked again. ¡°Work until you get your act together.¡± Cassion bowed slightly when he ordered quietly. Leo jumped up and fell into Ruel¡¯s arms again. ¡ªI came to say hello to Aris. Did you sleep well, Ruel? This body did not cry today or yesterday again. ¡°Well done.¡± Ruel patted Leo on the head. The tail fluttered violently. Aris used the Hold on Ruel, and he arrived comfortably at the restaurant. When Ruel, Aris, and Torto entered the restaurant, Cassion blocked Noah¡¯s entrance. Noah expressing his dissatisfaction, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you trying to stop me from eating just because I said that earlier?¡± ¡°The first thing to do is to buy ingredients for Ruel-nim¡¯s meal.¡± ¡°I want to eat, too. I mean, my belly is about to stick to my back.¡± ¡°Who holds a higher position, Ruel-nim or you?¡± ¡°People are equal. Eat, poop, sleep. What¡¯s the difference between an aristocrat?¡± Cassion laughed. Noah shuddered when he remembered the time when he had been smashed to the floor by him when he last saw the smile. ¡°Work it until you get your act together.¡± It was an order that Ruel-nim gave himself. How hard does he have to work to get rid of the stupid? Noah¡¯s physical ability was better than expected. He had a keen eye and excellent sense, perfect for a tracker. However the largest flaw was the words that came out never passing through the brain. ¡®Isn¡¯t it a problem that can be solved if you cut the vocal cords so that you can¡¯t talk stupid?¡¯ Cassion held himself back once while fiddling with the dagger hidden in his sleeve. ¡°People are not equal. You are below me, and above me is Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar to a phrase the village chief used to tell me often but that was another word that came to mind after seeing my hunting skills.¡± Noah said with great pride. For him, the existence of a nobleman seemed very similar to a village chieftain. ¡°Have you ever seen an aristocrat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time.¡± ¡°Then you can experience the difference.¡± ¡°...what do you mean?¡± Cassion handed over a silver coin to Noah. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°All right! I will wait for you until you come. It¡¯s rice, you won¡¯t die from missing one meal.¡± He entered the store and moved towards the room he had reserved in advance. Chapter 75.2 - Money is the best! (2) Chapter 75.2 - Money is the best! (2) ¡°What about Noah?¡± The space behind Cassion was empty. ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡¯ll take Noah with me somewhere else for a moment,¡± asked Cassion, taking out a handkerchief. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of stopping by the guillotine for a while.¡± ¡°...Oh, go ahead.¡± Ruel grinned. If you don¡¯t know what an aristocrat is, you should experience it for yourself. Cassion left the room, departing politely as he had come. ¡ªRuel, Ruel, what is it? ¡°What commoner, to a nobleman, doesn¡¯t know how to be afraid... ¡± Ruel hurriedly covered his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°Cough.¡± At the same time, Hina appeared and caught him as he leaned backwards from the pain that came like a wave. ¡°Are you all right? I¡¯ll call the chief.¡± ¡°...No.¡± Ruel¡¯s mouth was stained red with blood. After wiping it off with his handkerchief, he sat back down. It was fortunate that Torto and Aris went to go order. ¡°It happens all the time.¡± He answered, hiding his trembling hands. The aftermath of the cleanup was bigger than he thought. The body was in pain again. ¡ªNo. Something dirty as large as the three front feet of this body has grown. Doesn¡¯t it hurt? ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Ruel picked up Leo and held him out to Hina. She hesitated and hugged Leo. ¡°It is an apology.¡± Not even the shadows were allowed to step forward. You should apologize for unintentionally scratching their pride. Hina held Leo tightly and opened her mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. We can decide what we can do or can not.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report this to the chief.¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Hina smiled as she felt Leo¡¯s soft touch. *** Clatter. ¡®How dare you threaten me, asshole?¡¯ Noah gritted his teeth and fiddled with his neck. He went to the guillotine yesterday and was finally released, so his whole body was still trembling. Does it make sense to die just because you insulted an aristocrat? What is the nobility? ¡®... No matter how much I think about it, I think I¡¯ve been tricked.¡¯ ¡°Listen up, Noah. By coming to me, all former traces of you have been erased. Keep in mind that from now on you will have to live as a Leponian, not a Cyronian.¡± Looking down at himself from the guillotine, he remembered the words that Ruel-nim whispered. I was not interested in Cyronian and Leponia anyway. Money was the best thing. Even if he regretted it anyway, he already took Mana¡¯s oath, so there was no way out. ¡®For a few gold coins, no. Not a few pennies, because there were 1,133 in total. And there is nothing wrong with the gold coins. The fault is that sick... ¡¯ Noah grabbed his chest and groaned. ¡®Damn it...Huh?¡¯ He put the reins aside for a moment and grabbed the bow right next to him. There was something. Sniff. Sniff. ¡ªWhat about this body? This body must fight alongside Aris. Leo scratched Ruel¡¯s clothes with his front paws. After one stroke, Cassion restrained Leo. ¡°Stop it, beast.¡± Leo stopped his paws in a sullen mood, then opened his eyes wide begging at Ruel. ¡°Yes, you too.¡± ¡ªI knew it! This great body cannot be left out!¡± Leo¡¯s tail moved vigorously. ¡°So, Cassion, continue to work it well. Until it¡¯s more usable.¡± Ruel smiled at ease. It was a very cheeky smile. ¡°His mind was very clean.¡± He¡¯s lived in the mountains for half his life, so that¡¯s inevitable. ¡°But it¡¯s still worth it.¡± Crunch. When Ruel ate about three meat pies, he heard a knock on the door. ¡°I found traces and notes.¡± On Aris¡¯ respectful palm was a note, a feathered earring, and an arrow. Ruel saw the note first. ¨C We found a target. Near the Selemina Forest. ¡®They left it on purpose, but it¡¯s not rewarding. It¡¯s not written who wrote it.¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s poison on the arrow.¡± Cassion grabbed the arrow and said. ¡ªUncle said that poison kills you. Sniff. Sniff. Leo approached Cassion and smelled the arrow. Cassion tasted the poison on his finger from the arrow. Aris was startled. Leo was also surprised. ¡ªIs Cassion going to die? ¡°Th, the antidote right now...!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression after tasting it subsided. ¡°Well, before mark, Ruel-nim ...¡± ¡°That¡¯s the poison I made. I thought the smell was strangely familiar.¡± Cassion and Aris waved their hands and stared at the approaching Noah. Hmm? Noah stopped on his way and looked at them. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with them again?¡¯ ¡°The poison you made?¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. It was a significant laugh. ¡°... Yes, I combined it, but it works really well for monsters.¡± Well, listen very well. Because I almost died from that poison. ¡°I can¡¯t make it even if I order it as I don¡¯t have any ingredients at the moment.¡± ¡°Who did you sell it to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a genius. How can I remember all that?¡± ¡°Can you tell from the poison?¡± ¡°I can tell that for sure. It has its own unique scent.¡± Noah smiled triumphantly and his eyes were drawn to the earrings that Ruel shook in the air. ¡°What kind of bird feather is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Meru, a bird that lives in the west here. It¡¯s too hard to catch it, but you nobles use it as earrings. That¡¯s quite a lot of money. You can get 20 silver for one, I¡¯m jealous.¡± West of the Selemina Forest. ¡®I¡¯ll leave it to Ganien to investigate.¡¯ Ruel coughed and opened his mouth. ¡°We are leaving after the body is disposed of.¡± Chapter 76: Money is the best! (3) Chapter 76: Money is the best! (3) *** After checking several times to see if there were any sentinels around, he snuck into Ganien¡¯s villa. As soon as Ruel entered the villa, he met the knights who had arrived ahead of time. They greeted Ruel with a gloomy atmosphere. ¡®The morale... is enough to pierce the floor.¡¯ ¡ªThis body is uncomfortable in this atmosphere. Ruel had similar thoughts. It was the first time that he reflected on his pale appearance. The mood was so serious that he wondered if he should have put makeup on to hid his drastic appearance. ¡°No matter who dies...¡± When Noah opened his mouth, Cassion immediately hit the back of his head. ¡°Raise your heads!¡± From the back, Torto shouted loudly. ¡°Running away is a shameful act!¡± At his words, Ruel stood still and inhaled Breath. ¡°But surviving is not something to be ashamed of. If you don¡¯t forget who saved your lives, if you don¡¯t forget who you faced, I don¡¯t think you need to be ashamed anymore!¡± Torto made eye contact with his men one by one. ¡°So, raise your heads!¡± The knights raised their heads one by one at Torto¡¯s sincere cry. ¡°Thank you! And I¡¯m sorry!¡± Ginger spat out his words like vomit. He clenched his trembling hands. The knights then bowed their heads, thanking and apologizing to Ruel. That¡¯s enough. As long as they don¡¯t forget the guilty and grateful feelings from Torto¡¯s pep talk, it was enough to count as debt from the Royal Knights. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I didn¡¯t think too deeply about the matter.¡± Ruel spoke calmly and smiled at them. In an instant, their faces contorted and looked like they were about to burst into tears. No matter how the story was spun, it was true that they, the knights, fled in the end. But Ruel buried it. He didn¡¯t ask anything, he covered it up with trivial matters. Ruel followed the butler to the room without looking back. Until the door was closed, the knights kept their eyes on Ruel¡¯s back. Ttak. Ttak. Multiple footsteps sounded in the hallway. When Cassion held out his handkerchief, Ruel stopped and vomited blood. Ruel was relieved to find that it was black blood. His body, which had deteriorated due to the purification, seemed to be recovering again. When the butler met Ruel¡¯s eyes, he was surprised. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous...¡± ¡ªUh...? Ruel stumbled in a sudden dizziness. Cassion caught him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He heard from Hina that Ruel vomited red blood. Red blood was not good, it was not black blood. He could see he was in bad condition. Cassion said, supporting Ruel. ¡°Aris, Hold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use it.¡± Aris chanted a spell, and the butler looked around and suggested carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll call a doctor.¡± Cassion shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s all right. Please be careful not to let any news out.¡± Until yesterday, he was careful about his actions as the last attack was done by people who were not Red Ash. ¡®It would have been nice if Fran and her sister Tierra came along, too.¡¯ But they were ordinary people. It was very disappointing, even though Cassion himself wouldn¡¯t let them come on this trip. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± The butler walked ahead again. ¡ªThis body ate a lot. Ruel didn¡¯t say anything, but Leo spoke first as soon as he met his gaze. ¡ªYesterday, this body said the dirty stuff is the same size as the four paws of this body. Leo explained, waving his front paws. ¡®You said three paws back then. Is it four now?¡¯ ¡ªAre you sick from vomiting blood? When Ruel shook his head slightly, Leo smiled and rubbed his face against Ruel. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you think you¡¯re going to die...¡± Noah instinctively grabbed the gold coin. ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I can do it.¡± Noah¡¯s mouth moved at will. Looking at the gold coins, nothing came to mind, not even the poison. He thought it was too late to get rid of the poison from the market, but he didn¡¯t want to return the gold coin. ¡®I put pressure on you and handed over the money, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth at Aris. Ruel-nim seemed to tell him that this is how to handle Noah. Aris nodded slightly to show he understood. ¡°Then leave me.¡± ¡°Are you doing it right now? I wanted to take a rest today. We¡¯ve come a long way.¡± ¡°Yes, it starts tomorrow. If you don¡¯t want to lose the money you received, the results will have to be satisfactory.¡± Ruel tried to inhale Breath, but this time he couldn¡¯t resist and vomited blood again. A handkerchief covered Ruel¡¯s mouth. Aris¡¯ face frowned. ¡°I think Ruel-nim should start moving later than tomorrow.¡± Ruel nodded instead of answering. Cassion put a heat patch on with his other hand. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aris pointed to the door, responding to Noah¡¯s useless question. ¡°Get out, stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me...¡± Ting. When Aris snatched the bouncing gold coin, Noah replied with a smile. ¡°I was going to go out even if you didn¡¯t say anything. Ruel-nim doesn¡¯t look well, so he needs to rest well. What¡¯s wrong with my curiosity? I can listen to it next time, next time.¡± When Aris pointed at the door again, Noah went out energetically without any further complaints. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± He bowed to Ruel and went to the door. Creak. The door closed and Cassion said. ¡°It started to get worse after you did Purification.¡± ¡ªYes! Since then, the dirty things in Ruel¡¯s body has grown as big as four paws of this body. ¡°Since Ganien has spoken well to His Majesty, why don¡¯t you take a few days off?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay because the power of recovery will come into effect soon.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath with a short breath. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Ganien¡¯s hair was messy because he had came in a hurry. ¡°On the way, I heard that there was an attack on Sir Torto. It can¡¯t be Red Ash again. I definitely crushed their hideout.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Red Ash. I think the aristocracy opposed this alliance.¡± Ganien gripped the handle of his sword tightly. Ruel glanced at Cassion, and he handed the earrings over to Ganien. ¡°I don¡¯t know the geography of this place, so you should investigate. Among the nobles West of Selemina Forest, whether they bought or locally made these earrings, you should find someone related to them.¡± Ganien, receiving the earrings, showing his mixed feelings. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I got you involved in my country.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, hurry up. The Red Ash can¡¯t miss this good opportunity.¡± If the Red Ash wanted a war between the three countries, it could not have let this opportunity go. Ruel was sure they¡¯ll make a move and eventually come to take his life. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Red Ash among the inner nobles one by one with the information you gave me, but is it increasing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ganien sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take this chance and cut some of the branches off? There are many aristocrats.¡± ¡°I really want to. I¡¯m good at cutting.¡± ¡°The day will come soon.¡± ¡°I hope this is a big catch, then it follows one after another.¡± He shook the earring slightly. ¡°Anyway, His Majesty has understood and respects your situation. He wants you to take advantage of it. What do you think?¡± Ruel bit Breath. It was a good decision. When he disappears, he will naturally be able to see much further as black and white are separated. He closed his eyes for a moment and smirked. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s about time to receive the gift.¡± ¡°His Majesty said to listen. He instructed me to hear what you wanted and ordered me to deliver it.¡± Author''s Thoughts See you in February. Thanks for reading at Readhive. Don''t forget to bookmark it if you liked it. Thank you very much ^^ & New! Chapter 77-80 available at /cleizz/shop Chapter 77: Encounter Chapter 77: Encounter Ruel unraveled his thoughts one by one. ¡°Setiria wants you to cut the commission in half, in addition, to gaining monopoly among major products, technical cooperation, and exchanges.¡± Despite the increasing demands, Ganien¡¯s expression did not shift. He thought it was rather natural. ¡°Can you give me something to write this down?¡± Cassion tore out a page of a notebook. Ganien said, writing down Ruel¡¯s demands. ¡°Keep talking.¡± ¡°I want to place a portal device connecting to Setiria here.¡± Ganien¡¯s hand paused. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to make it a two-way portal device if both sides permit.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Regardless of the reason, I want you to give me the authority to lead the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°I hope that you won¡¯t use this authority to direct their swords at us.¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t betray my friends.¡± Only then did Ganien¡¯s stiff face smile. ¡°All right, I agree. I still owe you a lot.¡± There were many other demands. Ganien looked at what he had written and nodded. ¡°Perhaps, most of them will be accepted.¡± It was natural. Ruel deserved this much. He had the chance to fend off the traitors thanks to him. ¡°Oh, the king heard that you saved Dotol Village and said he would bestow you an honorary title. It¡¯s a token of gratitude for saving the village twice. The title was given in the name of honor, but I think he intends to give you land itself.¡± Ruel smiled pleasantly. He got a land for free despite being an outsider. ¡°You are the first outsider to receive an honorary title. You can be proud.¡± ¡°Yes. Cough, cough.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re not going to immediately leave tomorrow, are you?¡± Ganien looked at Cassion and asked carefully. He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m still thinking. More than that, you¡¯ve secured a place to hide the Royal Knights in advance, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve made a separate space in the mansion. My butler should be guiding them at this moment. We¡¯ve prepared food for the Knights in advance. I¡¯ve been careful not to be tailed, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel finally laid in bed. Ruel had something to check by hiding the Knights and going to the Ice Castle to obtain the power left by the last hero. ¨C Always move with the Great Purifier. ¨C Stop gaining that power, remember. Who wrote those letters? Won¡¯t they come to see me in person because I might take the last remaining power fragment? ¡°Are you still tracking the Red Ash that ran away?¡± At Ganien¡¯s question, Cassion raised his brows. ¡°We are still tracking them. Just waiting for an accurate report. I don¡¯t know how long it would take if you did it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re picking a fight on purpose because your hands are itching, aren¡¯t you? One more time. It will be different from before.¡± ¡°The leader of the Blue Knights is clingier than he looks.¡± ¡°Go out and fight. My head is ringing.¡± At Ruel¡¯s frown, Leo patted Ruel on the head. Cassion spoke in a lower voice than before. ¡°I have one more thing to mention.¡± ¡°You have something else to tell me?¡± It felt like he was dealing with the aftermath of a typhoon. Black-blooded men and the Red Ash appeared in large numbers and attempted to kill Ruel, followed by the aristocrats. All this happened in just two days. But there is another fact that needed to be noted. Ganien truly felt sorry for Ruel. ¡°Black-blooded men are not impossible to kill.¡± Ganien asked back in surprise at Cassion¡¯s words. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go out and discuss.¡± Ruel said, irritated. It wasn¡¯t something they had to say in his room. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you now. I¡¯ll call for Aris.¡± Cassion politely declined Ruel¡¯s orders and went to call Aris. Ganien called the butler requesting a chair, and soon three chairs were placed in the room. Aris began a heated discussion between the three of them after creating a screen to block sound with magic. It wasn¡¯t loud, but Ruel was strangely bothered. Then Leo came up to his belly and pushed his face close to Ruel¡¯s. It must have been an AI with less Mana Oath. I can¡¯t figure out what it¡¯s like to turn out like that. Ruel snorted and said. ¡°Get ready.¡± ¡°... Yes, I understand,¡± replied Cassion, with clenched teeth. ¡°Who¡¯s going on this journey?¡± Leo looked at himself in anticipation. ¡°I, you, Aris, Leo, and the shadows.¡± ¡ªThis body knew you would bring it too! ¡°We¡¯re going very simply.¡± There was a deep sigh of Cassion. *** ¡°...really warm.¡± Ganien came to see Ruel off. His lips twitched at the sight of his clothes. He was so thickly dressed that he believed that a snowman had come and gone. Cassion was taking out another layer of clothes as if it was still not enough. Ganien looked at the clothes and looked up with surprise. ¡°Do you really have to go this far? I know the situation is not good, but it¡¯s not urgent enough to not be able to rest for a few days.¡± ¡°When will I ever see the Ice Castle again?¡± Ice Castle was famous for its coldness. Since Ruel has to go to gain a power, he had no choice but to go there. ¡®Would I go twice just because I was crazy?¡¯ Ganien¡¯s expression suddenly softened. The meaning of Ruel¡¯s light words seemed to resonate differently with Ganien. He looked as if he was looking at someone else¡¯s funeral. Ruel asked because Ganien¡¯s expression was so unpleasant. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°No. Cassion took care of everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s done for now.¡± Finally, with Leo in Ruel¡¯s arms, Cassion took two steps back and examined Ruel. He looked like he was still lacking, but any more than this was only a burden to Ruel. ¡°Call me if anything happens.¡± When Ruel grabbed his cane, Ganien hurried and said, ¡°Are you going to come?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating the ice castle too much.¡± Cassion said with a slight sneer. Ganien returned with the same derision. ¡°You look down on me too much, it¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t go there, it¡¯s that I didn¡¯t go there. If it wasn¡¯t for this situation, I honestly want to go there.¡± He saw the light after sparring with Cassion. The path was so brilliant that it seemed like it was sprinkled with the sun. Ganien asked with a grin. ¡°One more time?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your tail too long* for a loser with it only waiting to get pulled?¡± T/N: Something secret is bound to be revealed if it continues for a long time. (Ganien, for example, requested another duel with Cassion in order to witness the enlightenment again.) Ruel inhales Breath and walked first. Leo, cradled in Ruel¡¯s arms, tug his clothes with his paws. ¡ªWhy are you going? This body wants to see the two of them talk. ¡°It¡¯s not fun to watch because it¡¯s a childish verbal fight.¡± ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t said bye yet. Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to visit in a while, but what a grandiose farwell.¡± Ruel snorted. ¡°Take this.¡± What Ganien offered was a bottle of red reagents. ¡°Potion. It¡¯s the best product, so you don¡¯t have to worry about addiction. Take it with you just in case.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± You have to get a present. Cassion took the potion with a very unpleasant face. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your skills. Something you don¡¯t know might come out like a black-blooded man.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Contrary to what he said, Cassion¡¯s gaze at Ganien was fierce. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of the Knights.¡± Ruel left the room with a light smile. Ganien has already arranged a way for him to sneak out. Aris, who was standing outside in advance, followed Ruel. Chapter 78: Encounter (2) Chapter 78: Encounter (2) *** Mixed in with the merchants, they arrived at the entrance of the Ice Castle by wagon. ¡°...it¡¯s cold.¡± As soon as he got out of the carriage, the cold hit Ruel¡¯s cheek. It was already no joke even though he had yet to climb the mountain. ¡ªThis body will keep you warm. Leo said, peeping his head out of Ruel¡¯s clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll cast a warm spell on you.¡± Leo raised his body temperature, while Aris controlled his mana and cast as much magic as Ruel could endure. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Bearable, almost.¡± It wasn¡¯t warm enough to chase out the cold. ¡°I can lift you.¡± Aris then tried using Hold. Ruel, who felt his body moving, bit Breath with a comfortable face. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± Cassion said, covering Ruel with a warm blanket he pulled from his pouch. ¡°Do you know the way?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡®Did you do your research in advance?¡¯ When Ganien gained this power in the novel, Cassion was not there. He was reluctant to go to the Ice Castle, and Ganien alone headed to the Ice Castle to get stronger. In other words, the notoriety meant that there were many strong people. Ruel sniffed and looked at the mountain. The peak was hidden from view by the clouds. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the guy who wrote about the last remaining power through mana letters, I wouldn¡¯t even be looking at it.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Cassion heard Ruel¡¯s response, he stepped on the snow like a man on his front yard. Crunch. Leo¡¯s eyes twinkled at the clear sound. ¡ªThis, this body wants to jump into the snow! It feels great to swim in there! ¡°Then go play for a while.¡± ¡ªNo, this body has an important duty to keep Ruel warm. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± It was good to have Leo in his arms, but it was okay not to restrict him. ¡ªDon¡¯t you need this body? Contrary to what he said, Leo stared earnestly at him with sparkly eyes. ¡ªRight, Ruel? (Leo) He patted Leo soothingly, his eyes asking for compliments because he was holding in the urge to play. (Ruel) ¡ªHehe. (Leo) He felt a moving tail swing in his arms. (Ruel) ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel was puzzled by Cassion¡¯s sudden behavior of searching for something, while suffering from a strong cough. ¡®Are you looking for a easy way up the mountain?¡¯ In the novel, Ganien just went up ignorantly. He almost died, but he endured it and reached the top. ¡°It took me a while because I couldn¡¯t remember since it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡®Been a while?¡¯ Ruel was puzzled by the strange words. Cassion walked by a tree covered with snow. ¡°Come out.¡± The hidden shadows appeared at his words. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ As well as Cassion, they took a piece of glass out of their sleeves and lifted it, Aris and Ruel were surprised. The place where they were standing suddenly shook. ¡°It is a very complex barrier.¡± When the aura was blown into the pieces of glass, each piece was colored in its own individual color. Thud. Thud. Thud. There was a sound of something opening, and the entrance to a cave appeared. ¡ªWhoa! ¡°... Explain, Cassion.¡± Ruel asked calmly. Suddenly the entrance to the cave appeared. Even without entering, it was obvious where the entrance was connected. Cassion passed the shadows and placed a piece of glass in his pocket smiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because you didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Tell me what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the owner of the Ice Castle.¡± ¡°Ca, Cassion-nim...¡± Aris was speechless with astonishment. ¡®I kept thinking about how to win against the people of Ice Castle, but I never thought that the owner of the place would be Cassion.¡¯ (Ruel) With relief came a sense of despondency. ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Ruel slowly raised the corners of his mouth. It wasn¡¯t just a gem. It was the most precious jewel in the world. Now Ruel understood why Cassion was strong. Ruel thought it was altitude sickness, but suddenly his eyes went dark. Feeling his body collapsing, Ruel closed his eyes. *** ¡®...!¡¯ She opened her closed eyes. ¡®...the powers gathered. I think the idiot ignored my warning.¡¯ She let out a deep breath as she ruffled her hair. ¡®Who is that idiot who keeps collecting that power without knowing what it is? You can¡¯t bring them together, even if you collect all of them together.¡¯ For a moment her body flickered transparently and then changed back to normal. ¡®Not yet. Please, hang in there.¡¯ She clenched her arms and crumpled her face. *** Wheeze...hughh, cough. Ruel opened his eyes because he was suffocating while exhaling. He looked into Cassion¡¯s eyes, who was about to hand over Breath. ¡°... I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ruel just looked at it, inhaling the Breath Cassion had passed over. ¡°I think I was a little excited to come to my hometown after a long time. I should have been prepared for altitude sickness earlier on. Is it still hard to breathe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± It was harder than when he was on the ground, but his head was less dizzy. ¡°I injected medicine while you were sleeping, so the symptoms will be lessened.¡± When Ruel reached out his hand, Cassion took out the basket and handed over the meat pie. Crunch. It was worth living for these delicious things that went into his mouth. Noting that Leo was not in his arms, Ruel glanced around and looked for Leo. Cassion took out Leo who was hiding under the bed and held him out. ¡°Ruel-nim collapsed and he kept hiding under the bed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ruel looked at Leo while eating a meat pie. Leo hesitated before answering. ¡ªThis, this body left Ruel and Ruel collapsed. It happened because this body forgot it¡¯s important tasks and was only paying attention to stones. Soon he pouted and burst into tears. ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Sniff. Leo stopped crying and opened his eyes wide. ¡°You didn¡¯t explain it?¡± ¡°I did. What can I do if he blames himself for everything?¡± Cassion shrugged his shoulders. Ruel inhaled Breath and asked. ¡°What about Aris? Aris can¡¯t leave Leo alone... ¡± ¡ªAris did nothing wrong. He took care of this body, and it was all because of this body... Hick! Ruel grabbed Leo¡¯s tail with an unpleasant expression. ¡°Let¡¯s ban snacks for the day.¡± ¡ªThi, this body is at fault! ¡°One more day.¡± ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t do anything wrong! This body has done nothing wrong! Finally, Ruel relaxed his firm expression. ¡°Let¡¯s ban it just for one day. Reflect on what you did wrong.¡± ¡ªThis body has made Ruel... No, this body will reflect! Let this body think again! Leo hurriedly changed his words at Ruel¡¯s gaze. When he let go of his tail, he ran quickly and crouched next to Ruel¡¯s face. Cassion sat next to Ruel, administering a new drug. Now that he has come to his senses, he checked Ruel¡¯s condition one by one before trying to move again. After only a few minutes of exposure to the cold wind, the fever began to boil from yesterday. Still, the fever went down a bit from dawn. ¡®One fever reducer.¡¯ Ruel bit his lips at the occasional pain. ¡®One painkiller, no, two would be good.¡¯ He knew he was originally pale, but his complexion never returned. ¡®A cure for anemia, too.¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The coughing sound was not good. ¡®When I get back to Setiria, I¡¯ll tell Tierra that the cough medicine is ineffective, I¡¯ll change it to another one.¡¯ Even if he was given medicine to calm the symptoms of altitude sickness, his breath shortened. ¡®It would be impossible to walk as usual.¡¯ As Cassion checked over his condition one by one, he sighed automatically. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to learn medicine myself than to bring a medical doctor?¡¯ Has there ever been a time when your life wasn¡¯t at stake? Crunch. Whether Ruel knew his deep distress or not, four meat pies have already gone into his stomach. What about the fox next to him? It¡¯s not his food, but he still eats it well. Cassion opened his mouth, which had closed heavily. ¡°You¡¯re not here for sightseeing, are you here to gain another power?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m bothered by the warning then. Will you be okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came. To see who gave the warning, why, and for what purpose.¡± Chapter 79: Encounter (3) Chapter 79: Encounter (3) Crunch. ¡°The power I¡¯ve already obtained resides in my body, and I don¡¯t know how to remove it. Shouldn¡¯t I risk it rather than feeling uncomfortable?¡± ¡°What would you do if that power causes any problems?¡± ¡°I would stop using it¡¯s power.¡± If it¡¯s dangerous, he should stop. ¡®To be honest, the last power was not very helpful to me.¡¯ The first thing to do was to find out who and their purpose for leaving those words. ¡°Is the power near here?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s very close.¡± Ruel looked around the room and pointed to a small statue decoration on the fireplace. ¡°...do you mean it¡¯s there?¡± Cassion asked in amazement. This room was his own. That statue was one of the heirlooms of the descendants of the ice castle from generation to generation. He was going to throw it away, but had held the urge. ¡°Can I break it?¡± ¡°No, that bastard has to come. Until then, that statue is yours...¡± Leo gazed at the window, his ears twitching. ¡ªTh-that smell! Cassion¡¯s brow wrinkled. He didn¡¯t feel any signs. ¡®You came early.¡¯ Ruel grinned. Through the slightly open window, Ruel could hear the snow breeze and the voice of an angry woman. ¡°Hey, you idiot! I even took the risk and kindly wrote to instruct you, but you came all the way here to still gain power? Shit! Why can¡¯t I open it?¡± The window was hard to open as it was frozen. ¡°Pft.¡± Ruel managed to hold back his laughter. ¡°Open it, Cassion.¡± Cassion smiled despondently and opened the window tactfully. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± She paused before skillfully passing through the window frame. ¡°What?¡± She ran quickly towards Ruel staring. Cassion blocked her in front of her. ¡°Just til here. Please step back.¡± ¡°Thank you for opening the window, but move out of the way for a second.¡± Despite Cassion¡¯s spirit, she pushed Cassion casually aside and approached Ruel. ¡°What is this...?¡± She looked at Ruel and cried as if she was about to shed tears. ¡°Why do you have that mark on your body?¡± ¡°Can you see that?¡± ¡°Where is the rest? Why did they leave you until you were like this!¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Those who protect you.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. He needed to think for a moment what she could be talking about. ¡®There were people who protected Ruel? But not now.¡¯ Where did he die? Ruel answered first. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Who are the people who protect me in the first place?¡± ¡°... No way. Wait, wait. I will ask you questions one by one.¡± The most confusing thing here was Ruel, but she was also very embarrassed. ¡°Ask as many as you want.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Setiria, aren¡¯t you?¡± How does she know me? Ruel answered first. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since when has this mark been planted?¡± ¡°Since five years ago.¡± ¡°Five years ago, five years ago... I went to Setiria seven years ago, so what about Trino Setiria?¡± Probably referring to Ruel¡¯s father. ¡°He passed away.¡± The calm sound staggered her mentality for a moment. ¡°...what? They¡¯re all dead?¡± From her reaction, it seemed that five years ago, Ruel¡¯s father and those who protected him died in the case of his kidnapping. He had no impression of the situation; he had never seen their faces in the first place. Before thinking too much about that, he finally heard clues on the woman¡¯s identity who acted like she knew him. ¡°Since it¡¯s our first time meeting, why don¡¯t you introduce yourself first?¡± ¡°Well. You were a little kid at the time, so you don¡¯t remember me, I...¡± She stopped talking and saw Cassion. A statue popped out of his pocket. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let him have that power. Trust me, Setiria, he¡¯ll find this place soon. So quickly.¡± She held out her hand. When Ruel reached out his hand, the fragment appeared. Ruel¡¯s eyes grew bigger. ¡®I didn¡¯t even touch the fragment...?¡¯ ¨C He who knows the pain. You deserve me. The fragment permeated Ruel with words that rang in his head. ¡°Oh, no! No. No way!¡± She screamed and clasped Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Come to me! Come to me!¡± She was about to burst into tears. ¡°I found it.¡± The voice alone gave him goosebumps. An entity entered their space compressing the distance and walked in. He was a black-blooded man from head to toe. Thump. Thump. Thump. Ruel¡¯s heart beat like crazy. It was different from when Nintra became a black-blooded man. He was massive and the surrounding Mana desperately fluctuated. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, you dog that enjoys hide-and-seek.¡± He looked at her gloatingly. ¡°But I won.¡± Then he saw Ruel. His eyes were smiling. Ruel¡¯s body stiffened with fear rising in an instant. ¡°Setiria.¡± She stood in front of Ruel. ¡°You hateful bastard.¡± But his eyes never left Ruel as if he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Here you are.¡± ¡°Get lost! You won¡¯t ever be able to touch this child!¡± ¡°It was your mistake to bring Setiria here. This place is a gap in the world, where the world¡¯s order cannot interfere.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel looked at him with a rising cough. ¡°Are you, the Great One?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t debate words with him! His mark will get stronger.¡± The man laughed. Ruel directed his middle finger at the laugh. The shadow whispered to Ruel, tempting him. It whispered he needed to consume the black one. Yeah, since we¡¯ve seen each other, we should at least say hello. ¡°No! That¡¯s no good.¡± As she shouted urgently, Ruel¡¯s shadow quickly subsided. ¡°...?¡± The shadow stopped even though Ruel¡¯s orders were not given. ¡°Yes, you who are less-than-a-bug, are you also called Setiria? If you are, then show me your power!¡± When he raised his hand, a mass of muddy blood came over them like a wave. It was very sinister. Kwang! The bright light from her hand blocked the blood. ¡°Listen, Setiria. Unlike us, he can¡¯t set foot in this world because of restrictions. So he can¡¯t move.¡± She slowly began to blur. ¡°Find the King.¡± ¡°King...?¡± ¡°Wake up the king and you¡¯ll be able to hear everything. Sorry, there¡¯s so little I can explain.¡± ¡°No way!¡± The murky blood became as heavy as an awl. Her presence dimmed every time he struck the light she had created. ¡°I¡¯ll come! I will surely come back and tear you to pieces!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She reached out to Ruel. Ruel took the hand. There was no warmth. He didn¡¯t feel anything. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She smiled brightly. Like when he first came to this world, something pulled him. She moved away. ¡°...it¡¯s alright.¡± Chapter 80: Encounter (4) Chapter 80: Encounter (4) The sound got quieter. ¡°Setiria! You! You bastard!¡± The red blood, which had a pointed shape with the feeling of evil, became stronger, stabbing through her to approach Ruel. Power scattered in front of Ruel. The power of reflection worked. ¡°Have you only grown my strength that far?¡± He laughed at Ruel. His red blood was beyond Ruel¡¯s control. Crash. An unfamiliar sense spread with the sound of the power of reflection being broken. Crack. A groaning sound followed, accompanied by a terrifying pain in his stomach. ¡°Die! Die! Die for me, Setiria!¡± But the sound was silenced as if cut off by a knife. The moment the cold wind tickled his cheek, blood spurted out of his mouth. His stomach was hot. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Everyone waiting for Ruel ran forward astonishment. He¡¯d say it¡¯s okay, but he couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°Blood, blood comes out.¡± Cassion took out the potion he received from Ganien and poured it generously. ¡°...it won¡¯t heal.¡± The wound refused to heal. Ruel opened his mouth with difficulty. Don¡¯t waste your potions. ¡°Ca... cough!¡± What came out was blood, not words. Cassion tore his clothes open and saw the wound. There was blood and something else muddy red covering it. Leo reached out and grabbed it. Sizzle. It melted. Leo was surprised even though he was the one who grabbed it. ¡ªIt, it wasn¡¯t of nature¡¯s order. This body doesn¡¯t know what this is. ¡°That might be interfering with the potion. Keep getting rid of it, beast.¡± Cassion opened his mouth with some difficulty. His heart tightened. Every time Ruel¡¯s breathing weakend, it became painful. ¡ªAlright! If it was for Ruel¡¯s sake, Leo could move his forepaws as many times as he could. ¡°Hina.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Bring in a doctor.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Betrayal did not exist here, as it might have elsewhere. No matter who was called, there was no reason for concern that information would leak out. ¡°I will stop the bleeding so that there is no more blood loss.¡± Aris bit his lips tightly and pressed the wound with a cloth given by Cassion. He was very upset that this was the only thing he could do. *** Ruel opened his eyes softly. ¡®My stomach ached but I was able to endure, proving the painkillers were working well. How many days have passed?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve checked the surroundings twice and released all my men, so you can sleep with confidence.¡± Leo was within arms reach. On the right, Aris was fast asleep. ¡°This wound is...¡± His lips are dry. Cassion gave him water to moisten his throat and passed over Breath. ¡°Leo purified it, but the potion didn¡¯t work in the end. I¡¯ve never seen such a case.¡± ¡°The Great One... It¡¯s a scar he left behind.¡± Cassion¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°What does it look like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was just black.¡± ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Ruel closed his eyes and opened them. Even though he saw her for the first time and didn¡¯t know her name, her voice still lingered in his ears. ¡®No, the money is innocent. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s stupid, right?¡¯ He took out a lunch box that he had packed in advance, ate it, and stood up before suddenly stepping back. ¡°You punk!¡± Crash! The window broke and a man flew through the glass. Then another man crossed through the broken window swinging his sword. ¡®What a bloody fight!¡¯ Mumble. Revealing the money was also a problem, but why are people so angry all the time? Whatever you do, just fight and kill. You can¡¯t live like that. Noah put a piece of bread in his mouth and paused at the smell emanating from the window. ¡®It smells like my poison.¡¯ He drank water in a hurry, swiftly went down the stairs, and snooped around the window. ¡°What kind of guy are you?¡± There was blood on the sword as if he had killed the person he was chasing a while ago. ¡°...uh, the kind that needs to ask you something.¡± ¡°You need something to ask.¡± The man shaped a coin with his fingers. This guy was like him. Clang. Noah put a crossbow to the man¡¯s head and ordered, ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°...Well, ask away.¡± Seeing that he quickly became polite, he gained a great realization. ¡®I should¡¯ve done this sooner.¡¯ *** ¡°Tyson-nim.¡± -Oh, Aris, what¡¯s going on at this hour? ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Aris hesitated. He had contacted Tyson, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. He couldn¡¯t tell him that Ruel was injured. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I am taking up your time?¡± -Aren¡¯t you cold? I can see a lot of snow. Tyson smiled kindly. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it feel like this if I had a father?¡¯ Aris wanted to swim for a moment in the kindness. ¡°It¡¯s not cold... It¡¯s harder than that.¡± -Tell me. ¡°Is it true that I have become stronger? When I cut the waves, I thought I became stronger. But since the black-blooded man appeared, I don¡¯t know. I have to protect Ruel-nim but Ruel-nim took care of me. That is so...pathetic.¡± It felt like he went back to the time when he didn¡¯t know anything and could only ask for help. -Aris. Tyson gently called Aris. At the call, Aris suddenly felt like tears were about to pour out. -Magic is the greatest blessing that nature has ever given to humans. ¡°...¡± -And nature has the power to overcome anything. Tyson made eye contact with Aris. -We, who borrow power from nature, also have the power to overcome anything. For a brief moment, Aris felt a light appearing in his head. ¡®Nature... Nature?¡¯ -Mana can¡¯t lie. Mana originated from nature... ¡°Tyson-nim.¡± -Yeah, tell me. ¡°Those who are out of the ordinary are those who are out of the natural order, right?¡± -Right. Isn¡¯t that nature? Nature...? Aris and Tyson realized something at the same time. The mana of the person who was out of natural order was different from the mana of nature. He realized this simple fact. The two smiled at each other. -Thank you. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡± The black-blooded man was not immortal. He could have killed him. ¡®How to deal... I might have found the answer. The way forward.¡¯ Aris cut off the communication and saw the sky with numerous twinkling stars. His eyes reflected their bright light. Chapter 81: Play Chess Chapter 81: Play Chess ¡°What?¡± Ruel asked in response. ¡ªTen front paws of this body, no... Even with all the forepaws, there were more than 10 of them. Leo sat down and tried to count his back feet, but gave up neatly. ¡°Anyway, the dirty stuff has decreased.¡± There was no way that the markings would suddenly shrink. ¡®Why...¡¯ Suddenly, the mysterious woman came to mind. ¡°Because I will take the mark off your body, you can live.¡± Ruel gazed at the hand she had held. ¡®Did you take some of the marks? Therefore...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He understood her last words belatedly. He felt nauseous for some reason. ¨C...do-does it hurt? (Leo) ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s time to change the bandage...¡± Cassion paused as he entered the room. He blinked to see Ruel again, wondering if his eyes were wrong. ¡°Does it hurt that bad?¡± (Cassion) Ruel was surprised to feel the sensation of tears falling on his palm. ¡°Enduring the pain won¡¯t make you heal faster. I will give you more painkillers.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Wiping away tears, Ruel shook his head. ¡°Is that guy here?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t come.¡± ¡®He didn¡¯t come? It¡¯s the third day.¡¯ Ruel hid in the Ice Castle to avoid the ¡®taggers,¡¯ but because of the mark left by the Great One, he should be aware of Ruel¡¯s location. It was strange that though the woman took some of his marks, he still couldn¡¯t locate them after all this time. To this point, he has easily grasped the location. ¡®Are there any conditions for the method of finding my location?¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, Chief, I have something to tell you.¡± Hina appeared. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I confirmed that they were trying to enter the Tonisk Empire and trapped them. They are currently under interrogation.¡± Ruel calmed Leo, who was startled by Hina¡¯s sudden appearance, while listening to the report. ¡®You mean they headed for the real Tonisk Empire, not an imaginary one?¡¯ What does the Red Ash have to do with the closure of the Tonisk Empire? Ruel instinctively put his hand to his stomach and hurriedly pulled his hand from the pain. ¡ªBe careful. It¡¯s not better yet! Exclaimed Leo, freaked out. Hina looked lovingly at Leo¡¯s panicked appearance. ¡°How long will it take them to throw up the rest of the information?¡± Hina answered Ruel¡¯s question with her eyes averted. ¡°You¡¯ll get the remaining info by the end of the day.¡± ¡°What about Ganien?¡± ¡°He is collecting evidence to exterminate any nobles entangled with Red Ash. We are also helping by securing evidence.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Noah doing?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s getting well acclimated to the underworld.¡± Cassion frowned at Hina¡¯s answer. ¡°He¡¯ll only learned bad things by the time he comes back.¡± ¡°No, sir. Looking closely, I believed he learned flexibility to solutions other than money.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the atmosphere like in Cyronian?¡± ¡°There is a rumor among the nobles that Ruel-nim has disappeared. Sooner or later, I think they¡¯ll visit His Majesty Huswen and request the rumors to be investigated.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel had a meaningful smile. Even though the power of recovery was circulating, the wound healed slowly. Thanks to Leo¡¯s diligent cleaning of the wound with his forepaw, the potion worked, but its effectiveness was so insignificant that it was better to not waste it. There seemed to be some special effect in the power of the Great One. ¡°You can¡¯t move yet.¡± Cassion warned. How the hell does he perceive himself? ¡®Who cares about my body as much as I do?¡¯ Ruel replied sourly, ¡°I know.¡± Thinking of his weak body, Ruel planned to rest for a while longer, about a week, or if need be a shorter period of about 3 days before moving on. While the Red Ash couldn¡¯t find him, Ganien and Noah would grab them by the nape, only after he was safe enough to make their moves. ¡®How will that guy meet us next?¡¯ Considering the conversation between the woman and the Great One, the place she took him to was no ordinary place. ¡°Listen, Setiria. Unlike us, he can¡¯t set foot in this world because of restrictions. That¡¯s why he can¡¯t make his move.¡± ¡®If the Great One can¡¯t come here, how can he control the Red Ash?¡¯ ¡°Find the king.¡± ¡®Who is the king?¡¯ The king she was talking about didn¡¯t seem to mean the actual king. Banios hid his feelings behind a smile ¡°Looks like your work was completed early. When I suggested drinking with my brothers after a long time, you rejected it so coldly.¡± The second prince smiled lightly at Banios¡¯ whining. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little brother. I didn¡¯t know it would be completed so soon either. Don¡¯t be angry.¡± The servant rushed to pull out the chair and the second prince sat down and shoo¡¯ed away the servant. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but I¡¯m on the youngest¡¯s side. Our youngest looks like he¡¯s up to nothing, but he¡¯s definitely preparing for a huge leap forward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not playing. I¡¯m just enjoying my freedom.¡± The Second Prince giggled at Banios¡¯ confidence. ¡°Your conversation ability has improved a lot. Adoris, don¡¯t you think so too?¡± ¡°Was it today or yesterday that the youngest speech improved?¡± ¡°Oh, well, it just happened. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve met like this, so what do you think about this?¡± Banios posed as if pouring alcohol with his hands. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Banios expressed his disappointment at the words of the First Prince. ¡°You said no earlier.¡± ¡°Us brothers have gathered together, and there is nothing happier than today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m excited to listen to what the youngest is going to do after a huge leap.¡± ¡°I like to play.¡± ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± ¡°But, we can¡¯t hang out forever.¡± At Banios¡¯ words, Adoris looked at him with a smile in his eyes. The moment he saw Adoris¡¯s eyes, the corners of Banios¡¯ mouth trembled slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, youngest. I¡¯ll take care of everything. You don¡¯t have to do anything like now.¡± He was laughing, but it was a warning. ¡°Adoris, Banius is now an adult. Shouldn¡¯t you take care of yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect the youngest. Don¡¯t worry, brother.¡± Adoris rose from his seat. ¡°Let¡¯s get up on a happy day like today, and we need alcohol, not tea.¡± Adoris looked down at the two and laughed. *** ¡°... Don¡¯t you know how to rest?¡± Cassion swallowed several words, suppressed his anger, and asked. ¡°I¡¯m taking a break.¡± Ruel was quietly buried under a thick blanket, holding a meat pie in one hand and examining the data in the other. Leo, who was wriggling under the blanket, poked out his head. ¡ªCassion is angry. Did Ruel do something wrong? ¡°No, I was lying in bed quietly today.¡± ¡°...where did you get that data from?¡± Cassion himself didn¡¯t give it to him. He took a breath and looked at the shadowed spot. It was only for a moment, but the shadow trembled. ¡°Hina, I told you to keep an eye on Ruel-nim, but I don¡¯t remember telling you to turn over the data to him.¡± ¡°I ordered it.¡± Cassion let out a choking sound at the shameless sound. ¡°What¡¯s the point of staying still? All I can do is sleep.¡± ¡°That sleep is very necessary for Ruel-nim.¡± Didn¡¯t the wound burst while coughing yesterday? ¡°You take it too seriously. I fell sorry to Billo for staying longer than planned in Cyronian.¡± What about me? Cassion was dumbfounded. Goong. Leo put his front paws on Ruel¡¯s head. ¡ªIn the eyes of this body, Ruel is at fault for this. ¡°...?¡± ¡ªEveryone wants Ruel to get better soon. Ruel should not see the white thing, but sleep with this body first. Cassion made a subtle expression. He didn¡¯t expect to get help from the beast. ¡ªThis body will sleep with Ruel, so lie down quickly. Leo hurriedly hid his face under the blanket. His prickly ears moved from side to side and urged Ruel. ¡®I slept all day long. I slept yesterday and today.¡¯ Ruel despised the all-white-world, he hated being in bed motionless. Sometimes Ruel wondered what magic Aris used to make that popping sound, and Ruel wanted to see what the Ice Castle looked like. All he saw during the visit to the Ice Castle was the tiresome bed and the snow that can be seen all over Cyronian. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± When Hina appeared, Ruel welcomed her. ¡°Did they open their mouths?¡± ¡°Yes, the real hideout of Red Ash is said to be located within the Tonisk Empire.¡± Tap. Tap. Ruel tapped his thigh with his finger. Author''s Thoughts Hello to everyone. In March, updates will be infrequent. I''m not sure; I''m currently working on my thesis. So I''ll simply update when I have time. The same can be said for other series, such as "This Bastard is Too Competent." Thank you very much for your patience and support. If anything happens, I''ll simply notify you via Discord. ???????? Chapter 82.1 - Playing Chess (2) Chapter 82.1 - Playing Chess (2) It was too obvious. It bothered him. ¡°Furthermore, I obtained Leponia¡¯s attack plan from them.¡± ¡°...what?¡± As Ruel reached out, Hina turned over the data. Parts of it were different, but it was the same information he had obtained before meeting Banios. This almost fell into the Tonisk Empire¡¯s hands. Ruel bit Breath after inhaling. ¡°Who tried giving this to them?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s names in case they were caught. All he said was that he secured it from one of the Cyronian nobles.¡± ¡°It means we need to find the one who¡¯s connected to the Leponia nobles among the Cyronian nobles.¡± ¡°The Red Ash¡¯s primary goal is Ruel-nim, but the secondary goal is the Kingdom of Leponia. It seems that they intend to start a war.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes shook. Only when he died could war break out. However, if there is a situation where you can¡¯t find him like now, what would you target next? The answer was obvious. Ruel injected mana into the ring. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel moved his mouth, enduring the pain that racked his body. ¡°Ganien, the Red Ash¡¯s goal is His Majesty Huswen.¡± If there was a way to start a war other than killing himself, it would be to directly attack Cyronian¡¯s King, Huswen. It was a good opportunity for the enemy because the timing of his disappearance could be used as a cover for their sins. What¡¯s the hardest thing about pacifying nobles? If you don¡¯t have proof, then the truth is whatever they make it to be. Ruel is a person from another country who disappeared suspiciously while traveling, so even if he returns, there wouldn¡¯t be an alibi. After that, he would dance on the board laid out by the nobles, solving everything for the enemy, without getting a drop of water on their hands. If, of course, the enemy¡¯s plan works. -Oh, Ruel. Ganien¡¯s voice was bright. Did he really listen to his own words? Ruel reiterated. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding, Ganien. The Red Ash is after His Majesty Huswen...¡± -I¡¯m already next to His Majesty. My teacher is with me too, so don¡¯t worry. Only then did a long sigh flow out of Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°When did you notice?¡± -After hearing that the person who attacked you was a noble, His Majesty secretly called Teacher. Although, I only came to report and got caught. Oh wait. Huswen¡¯s voice was heard after a rustle. He handed over the painkiller to Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you not to do anything. It¡¯s a concern that the wound doesn¡¯t heal.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t say that I reviewed the data because I was bored.¡¯ Ruel silently swallowed the medicine and looked out the window. The sun was still up. Now, as Cassion said, all he has to do is wait. Knowing that, staying in bed was as hard as being sick. ¡°I¡¯ll be quiet, so stop watching.¡± Ruel reached out his hand as soon as he finished speaking. Cassion shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t eat the snacks yet.¡± ¡°Not that. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been reviewing in the data. That¡¯s all.¡± Cassion sighed as he recalled the data mixed in with the rest. He must have been looking at the data on purpose when he was cleaning it up. *** ¡°Ganien.¡± ¡°I know, Teacher.¡± Sgung. Ganien drew his sword. The sword under the moonlight shone for a moment. How many years ago has it been since he had fought with Sien? His heartbeat raced with excitement already. ¡°You must leave them intact enough to speak.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Sien may have said something else, but he couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°Don¡¯t kill the enemy just because he provokes a blue knight or anything else infuriating.¡± ¡°You worry too much. Trust me, teacher.¡± Ganien grinned and opened the window. ¡°I¡¯ll take the right side.¡± Ting! Ganien split the flying arrow in half. Shhhh. Sien released a throwing dagger, inserting itself into the enemy¡¯s head. ¡°This is why I¡¯m worried, Ganien. Don¡¯t forget that your sword doesn¡¯t reach infinitely. Calculate your distance from your enemies and always keep in mind the means to kill them from a distance.¡± Contrary to his calm voice, Sien¡¯s sword blew off the enemy¡¯s head. He looked to the left and raised his spirits. ¡°Come, intruders.¡± Chapter 82.2 - Playing Chess (2) Chapter 82.2 - Playing Chess (2) *** Chop. Chop. When a soft thing touched his face, Ruel opened only one eye and opened his mouth. ¡°...what¡¯s wrong, Leo?¡± It was still nighttime. ¡ªThe ring shines. Ruel blew mana in a drowsy state. ¡°Why...?¡± -I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s the middle of the night. -Apologize more politely. He heard Sien¡¯s voice whispering quietly from the side.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m -I¡¯m sorry I woke you up in the middle of the night. But I thought I should inform you right away. ¡°...What is it? Has there already been an attack?¡± -Oh! As expected, you have good instincts. Yeah, they¡¯re here. Ganien¡¯s voice was as excited as if he got the right answer on the quiz. Ruel woke up completely. He had just contacted them about the attack during the day yesterday. It seems that the fact that he hid himself was a bigger blow to the Red Ash than he thought. ¨C This afternoon... well, actually you called yesterday. This is certainly something that my teacher and I didn¡¯t expect to come this quickly. ¡°So?¡± -Of course, we got them. You¡¯ll soon find out which noble attacked you. I contacted you wondering if you would be alright to return as soon as possible Ruel fiddled with a thick bandage. ¡®Can I move?¡¯ ¡ªNo, if you touch it, it will bleed! Leo purred, pulling Ruel¡¯s hand. -...blood? What does that mean? ¡ªRuel is hurt... Ruel caught Leo¡¯s mouth a little late because of his stomach. There was a moment of silence. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± -Now, hold on a second! Leo just said you¡¯re hurt. Pop. Ruel turned off the communication device. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªTh-This body is busy sleeping right now. Leo went straight into the blanket and wriggled. ¡°Come here.¡± He asked, sticking his ears out of the blanket. ¡ªAre you angry? ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Anyway, Ganien is a dog like Cassion, if he gets near, he will notice the problem and nag. Leo, who was slowly sticking out his face, smiled and rubbed his face into Ruel¡¯s hands. ¡°But your mouth is too light.¡± ¡ª...! Leo looked at Ruel, still stiff. ¡ªThis...this body¡¯s mouth is loose. Wh-what just happened, it¡¯s just, it-it was a mistake! Please don¡¯t stop this body from eating snacks. How sad this body was at that time, Ruel doesn¡¯t know! Leo urgently hung on Ruel¡¯s arm and cried. Ruel just laughed and called Cassion. Cassion appeared with a candle. ¡°I¡¯ll cut off Ganien¡¯s head.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird to leave him alone when he keeps getting on my nerves?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll slowly get ready to leave.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, the wound hasn¡¯t healed yet, so you have to avoid moving now.¡± ¡°It looks like Noah will find something soon, and the Ganien side has been sorted out sooner than expected, so now we have to get ready to go back to Setiria.¡± While time was running out, Ruel thought about who was working with Cyronian¡¯s nobility in Leponia. It was, in his opinion, the second prince. Since the Kuhn family was a noble family charged with protecting the royal family, making it difficult to touch them without any evidence, but no one else came to mind. ¡®For now, let¡¯s listen and think about what the guy Ganien caught will say.¡¯ But never as fierce as now. As soon as he stepped down, Ganien expressed his frustration. ¡°We came to catch the traitor under His Majesty¡¯s command. If he disobeys, kill him.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Among the nobles in charge of the West, the presumed nobleman who ordered the attack on Ruel was Count Iria Promien, the center of the noblemen of the West. The men were divided into five groups and scattered to catch the rest of the Western nobles, and Ganien came himself to catch Iria. As Ganien and the blue knight approached the main gate, the guard panicked and stopped them. Ganien showed the king¡¯s seal and said, ¡°Get out of the way.¡± ¡°Wh, what¡¯s going on...¡± As soon as Ganien pulled out his sword of the sheath, their neck fell. ¡°Open it.¡± The rest of the guard shuddered before opening the door. Whisper. When the Blue Knights, who were supposed to be guarding the royal family came, the servants watched their faces carefully, terrified. Chak. As soon as Ganien stopped, the following knights stopped at the same time. Ganien looked at the attendant with infinitely cold eyes. ¡°Show me where your master is.¡± ¡°Fo, follow me.¡± At the irresistible order, the servant wept and walked forward. As the Blue Knights walked down the hallway, Iria, the owner of this place, was seen coming down the stairs. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Iria angrily pointed a finger at Ganien with no real anger in his voice. When the king passed away, it was customary for the royal knights to come and announce the news. Therefore, it was rather difficult to hide his joy. ¡°No matter how much the Blue Knight protects His Majesty, this is my house! At least ...¡± Iria shut up in an instant. It was because he was overwhelmed by Ganien¡¯s momentum. ¡°Your Majesty ordered me to arrest the traitor, Iria Promien!¡± Along with Ganien¡¯s loud words, an order was shown bearing the king¡¯s seal. The attendants immediately lowered their heads, and only then did Iria come to his senses. Tremble. He fell down with shaking legs, perhaps because it had been him who had just shook his finger at Ganien not long ago. This wasn¡¯t the news he was waiting for. He failed. It¡¯s a failure. All the dreams he had until yesterday were disappearing into fantasy. ¡°Take him.¡± There was no cry for help against Ganien¡¯s momentum. It was too scary. Ganien quietly pulled out his feathered earrings, walking towards Iria. ¡°Do you know this?¡± Iria¡¯s face turned white. He couldn¡¯t even ask how he got it. ¡°It is the feather of the Meru bird.¡± Chk. At the sound of teeth clashing, Ganien looked at Iria and paused. ¡°I asked you if you recognized this.¡± ¡°I, I, I know.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be telling me everything about who instigated it.¡± Living a life that ordinary people can¡¯t stand, Iria finally bit the bitter fruit. ¡°You stay and guard this place. From now on, anyone who crosses the gates of this mansion will be killed.¡± Sssaa. The bloody momentum swept through the entire mansion. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Some of the blue knights remained behind to guard the door of the mansion. ¡°Giddy Up!¡± The horses they charged forward. Chapter 83: Playing Chess (3) Chapter 83: Playing Chess (3) *** ¡°...aww¡± Ruel swallowed a groan. As soon as he woke up, his stomach ached as if it had been cut out by a knife. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Aris shook his head as he tried to lay Ruel down again. ¡°No, it¡¯s just a little sore.¡± He had woke up suddenly with his stomach painfully throbbing. Leo brought the cane. Ruel stroked Leo and held his cane. Cassion reluctantly opened his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve forgotten the promise you made with me?¡± He finally got a promise from Ruel that he would stay for a week if the wound burst before leaving the ice castle. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel stood up proudly in front of Cassion. He walked at first with a cane and then without his cane. Every step he took was fine except for the throbbing pain. Ruel approached Cassion and smiled, handing him the cane. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hurt?¡± It was much slower than usual, but the wound was healing thanks to the power of recovery. Cassion opened his mouth with a strong grip on his cane. ¡°Yes, but it didn¡¯t burst.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? It seems to hurt every time you walk.¡± Aris knew the expression of enduring pain. Every time Ruel moved, that expression was made. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to being sick.¡± Ruel smiled as if to assure them, but somehow it sounded sad. Ruel spread his arms in advance. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be heavily armed leaving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to bundle up like before because of the wound. Instead...¡± What Cassion took out of his magic pouch was a white cloak. It was not a normal cloak, but enchanted. ¡°This is a thermal cape made by Aris.¡± Magic items were not made with a ¡®boong¡¯ just by infusing magic into the object. Ruel heard that in order to keep magic in an object, various magics are used, such as a magic formula that allows the owner to use a certain amount of mana and allows the object to withstand mana. It was only possible for Aris to make it so quickly as he is a genius. ¡°I heard from Tyson-nim how much magic resistance Ruel-nim can withstand, and I made it considering your growth so far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your first work, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruel smiled pleasantly. If it¡¯s a gift, you should always take it. ¡°Yes, this is my first piece. After Ruel-nim acquired that title, you seemed to hate the color black, so I dyed the cape white.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good choice.¡± Ruel wanted to raise his thumb right away. ¡ªThis body too, do you have one for this body? Leo ran to Aris right away and rubbed his face against his leg. Aris took out a white cloth and tied it to Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°It¡¯s the same material as Ruel-nim¡¯s.¡± ¡ªWith Ruel? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leo jumped from place to place. Aris looked at Leo cutely and turned to look at Ruel at the flapping sound. Gulp. Since it was his first work, it would be a big problem if he calculated the resistance level wrong. The cloak covered Ruel¡¯s body. ¡°I like it because it¡¯s warm.¡± Aris smiled broadly at Ruel¡¯s smile. ¡°Do you feel nauseous or dizzy?¡± Still, he asked about his condition just in case. ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Ruel answered briefly and reached out to Cassion. Cassion handed over the fox mask to Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Aris, change your appearance with magic with Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes, I will change it back to how it was before.¡± Three adventurers, Han, Cassion and Aris, have already contacted Ganien and asked him to make a record of entering Cyronian a month ago. When asked if Cassion and Aris would be caught because they had the same name, Ruel welcomed them. The three adventurers¡¯ origins and track record were perfect. When Ruel thought of the time the Red Ash would be wasting, he naturally laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel grabbed his stomach and came out. ¡°...Wow.¡± As soon as he came out, Ruel naturally admired the view. The white scenery seen from the window and the white scenery seen directly with the eyes was different. It was a magnificent view. It was like a world full of innocence and purity. ¡°It¡¯s a boring place,¡± Cassion spoke out plainly. ¡°But it¡¯s also a beautiful place. It¡¯s charm changes with every time I see it. As it¡¯s the closest place to the sky, it¡¯s a place where you can see stars so close at night.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel smiled. He wanted to count those many stars there were in the night, but he had to depart now. He moved his feet, leaving his regrets behind. *** As he stepped out of the Ice Castle and entered a small nearby village, Cassion sensed a sharp atmosphere. As expected, they expanded their search to near the Ice Castle. Not knowing if he was aware, Ruel was slyly talking to the merchants. Ruel soon smiled brightly, looking at Cassion and Aris, and pointed his finger at the carriage. ¡°Get in.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim is very sociable.¡± Aris whispered softly to Cassion. ¡°He must be good at acting.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Aris followed Cassion, who moved first. ¡°It¡¯s a carriage that goes to the capital, but he¡¯s in trouble because there¡¯s no adventurer. I decided to go to the capital, too, and escort him while sleeping and getting something to eat, brother.¡± Adventurers were relatively free to go back and forth regardless of their status or country. Therefore, the token was absolute for the adventurer. Unlike normal IDs, the adventurer¡¯s certificate could be checked if it was one¡¯s own or not by infusing mana on the spot without any magic items. Due to the nature of the soldier¡¯s job, where he has to deal with many adventurers, he should already know that fact. He should have checked if the token was real, not the mask. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel¡¯s words spread like waves and turned the mood around. The merchant members were also one of the jobs that often encountered adventurers. One by one, the merchant people also looked at the soldiers with suspicious eyes. The men disguised as soldiers showed their true colors. ¡°This is why quick-witted things are annoying.¡± Their numbers are 20 including hidden colleagues. There are only eight escorts at the merchant, including adventurers. It was worth a try. ¡°Kill him.¡± When a soldier who appeared to be the head of the enemy gave orders to the other soldiers, Ruel laughed at them and inhaled Breath. ¡°These days, bandits do all sorts of things.¡± The rabbit jumped at the tiger. *** ¡°Your Majesty, you can¡¯t do this!¡± The Marquis looked at Huswen and raised his voice. The nobles who followed also spoke in one voice. When the aristocrats in the east and west were caught one after another under the charge of treason, the remaining aristocrats stood up. The crime of treason was not the name of anyone¡¯s dog, and even the nobles who were caught had already passed 10 people. This is not a cornerstone for strengthening royal power, but what is it? ¡°What do you mean?¡± Huswen looked at the Marquis with displeasure. ¡°Even if the crime of harming Your Majesty is decapitated right away, the conviction will welcome it with open arms. But what is the crime of harming the representative of the missing delegation?¡± Treason was a matter that should not be touched, no matter what one¡¯s status. So, the Marquis slightly looked around and mentioned Ruel Setiria. ¡°What do you mean by the Lord of Setiria disappearing? Lord of Setiria was attacked on the way back from Dotol, and the person who instigated this was Count Iria Promien and the captured nobles.¡± Another wrinkle was carved between Huswen¡¯s brows. The Marquis rolled his eyes for a moment. Why do you keep mentioning that the missing Ruel Setiria has not disappeared? ¡°Don¡¯t you ask what that means?¡± The Marquis raised the corners of his mouth slightly at Huswen¡¯s shout. He must have wanted to buy time. Time to find Ruel Setiria, time to find the sins of the nobles. Can you give me that chance? ¡°With all due respect, it has already been a week since Lord Setiria disappeared from Dotol. This news has spread throughout the capital, but how is Your Majesty referring to the missing Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°Then I am oppressing them by making a crime that doesn¡¯t exist when the representative of the delegation has disappeared!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that...¡± ¡°In the first place, you probably don¡¯t know what it means to say that Lord Setiria disappeared.¡± The representative of the delegation who came to accept the alliance disappeared. This was a major problem that could lead to war. ¡°This is an act of insulting the entire delegation in Leponia, which is like insulting Leponia. Can you handle it, Marquis?¡± Something was out of the ordinary. I heard that he put pressure on Cyronian to find Ruel Setiria, who also disappeared in Leponia. But what exactly is Huswen¡¯s confidence? ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking me if I¡¯m bringing out something I can¡¯t handle right now?¡± It was also a crime to spread false rumors. The Marquis thought carefully and opened his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, this lowly subject is worried about the safety of the country with one heart. I request for you to call for Setiria¡¯s lord.¡± What if Huswen¡¯s confidence is a lie? No matter how things turned out, now was a golden opportunity to destroy Huswen¡¯s power and seize power. He couldn¡¯t miss it. ¡°Lord Setiria is not feeling well right now so I can¡¯t call for him.¡± Also. The Marquis¡¯ face lit up. The bravado was a bluff. ¡°But.¡± An unpleasant word popped out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see it yourself?¡± Huswen smiled. The Marquis¡¯ brow wriggled. ¡°Before that, I will tell you clearly, no matter how noble you are, the honor of the delegation has been tarnished, so you who are standing now will have to pay for all your sins.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty, if the news heard by this lowly subject is wrong.¡± The Marquis was sure. Huswen is buying time now. I can¡¯t give you more time. ¡°Your Majesty, I want you to tell me where the lord of Setiria is.¡± ¡°Sir Croft.¡± Huswen suddenly called Ganien. Standing quietly next to him, he strode out and bowed to Huswen. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You will guide him.¡± ¡°Alright, Your Majesty.¡± Why Ganien? The marquis turned his head quickly. ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Croft has a heavy duty to protect you. I¡¯ll go with others.¡± Huswen laughed. ¡°The lord of Setiria is staying in Lord Croft¡¯s villa. Isn¡¯t it right for Lord Croft, the owner, to go with you?¡± It was a laugh. It was Ganien¡¯s villa that was the first place to check after Ruel Setiria disappeared. Not even Ruel Setiria could be found there, not even the royal knights he had brought. The Marquis replied, pressing the corners of his mouth, which seemed to fly high at any moment. ¡°I understand.¡± Author''s ThoughtsHooray ???? new cover is here & I''m back but slowly.???? Thank you for waiting so patiently! Love u all???????? ~uwu, Leo is so cutteeeee ???? Chapter 84.1 - Ruel the piper (1) Chapter 84.1 - Ruel the piper (1) It was strange. He must be dreaming. Before coming to the palace today, he had Ganien¡¯s villa checked. But who are these knights that get along so well with the Blue Knights and trained so intensively that you would be dumbfounded just by looking at them? Why are those knights wearing the insignia of the Leponia Royal Knights? Why are you greeting Ganien so warmly? Why? ¡°It¡¯s complicated because the number of family members has increased. We ask for your understanding.¡± Ganien smiled lightly. The Marquis and the nobles following him could not hide their bitter expressions. The missing Royal Knights of Leponia had reappeared. It can¡¯t be. ¡®I don¡¯t think so. It shouldn¡¯t be!¡¯ The Marquis shook his fists. ¡°Come this way, please.¡± Following Ganien¡¯s guidance, the Marquis and his followers arrived in front of the room where Ruel Setiria was. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Before they could open the door, a cough greeted them. It sounded like an indicator they were heading to hell. ¡°As I said before, Lord Setiria is not feeling well, so please keep the conversation as short as possible.¡± With a warning, Ganien opened the door. Thump. Thump. The Marquis¡¯ heart beat wildly. His legs were so wobbly that even the feeling in his hands and feet was disappearing. ¡°Sorry, Ruel. The guests are here.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s alright.¡± He heard a faint sound. The soft voice was Ruel¡¯s. The moment the curtains over the bed were opened, the Marquis and the nobles grew cold in an instant. It was evidently Ruel Setiria who was lying in the bed. How could I mistake him? ¡°...Ru,ru,ru... ¡± The Marquis fell to the floor clutching his chest as if he had a heart attack. How the hell is Ruel Setiria here? Isn¡¯t it magic? He wanted to shout at once. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have a visitor, but I couldn¡¯t even greet you properly.¡± Ruel stroked Leo lying next to him and expressed his embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s magic! It¡¯s definitely magic!¡± One of the nobles shouted with great surprise, but soon shut his mouth. Ruel¡¯s eyes were directed to Ganien. He pretended to explain the situation quietly to Ruel. ¡°The guests... You weren¡¯t.¡± Ruel¡¯s corners of mouth rose as he saw them devastated. ¡°You¡¯ve come all the way here, whether you¡¯re a guest or not, so I¡¯ll just think of it as if you¡¯re here to visit. But before that, let me stress one thing.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and pointed to his ear. ¡°I was just lying here in bed, but the rumors were so strong that I heard very clearly how I had disappeared. Perhaps we should listen to that nonsense directly from the source.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes looking at them sank coldly. *** ¡°Sigh.¡± Ruel sighed. Seeing them shaking, the pressure they felt seemed to be relieved, but simply looking at them made him tired. Ganien¡¯s giggling and snickering didn¡¯t stop next to him. ¡°...I¡¯m glad.¡± Aris arrived late, heard the explanation from Ruel, and finally took a breather. Most of the shadows took care of the situation ahead of time, but they were delayed by unexpected events such as an enemy disguised as guards or a landslide blocking the way. In the end, Cassion was able to come before the nobles arrived at the villa by a slim margin carrying Ruel in his arms. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Cassion-nim, something really big would have happened.¡± Aris praised Cassion, but Cassion looked calm. Cassion had already received the opportunity to take a sword from the Cryonian royal treasury. He didn¡¯t even get carried away with the barely-passing compliment. ¡ªThis body also warmed Ruel. Leo stared at Aris intently. ¡°Well done, Leo. If it wasn¡¯t for Leo, Ruel-nim would have caught a cold.¡± ¡ªHehehe. Leo¡¯s tail swung wildly. ¡°Your complexion is not good. How about taking a break now?¡± ¡°Two days later.¡± ¡°So soon? What about the wound?¡± ¡°It would be better for His Majesty and Cyronian if I leave quickly.¡± It is impossible to punish the aristocracy in the presence of delegations from other countries. Knowing that, Huswen must have asked Ganien about his intentions. He had to leave Cyronian anyway. He stayed in Cyronian longer than expected, and while the incident was roughly outlined, he will obtain all the information he needed with the news brought by Bianne. As soon as Huswen handed over the final reward given to him, they would be finished. ¡°Ganien, ask when the royal treasury will open. I have to go pick out something.¡± ¡°More than that, where did you get hurt? There¡¯s no way Cassion wasn¡¯t watching. I was sure Cassion was unbeatable.¡± ¡°I met the Great One.¡± Ruel smiled and briefly explained the situation where he met the Great One. Ganien was speechless. And after looking at Aris and Cassion once, he stood up quietly from his seat. ¡°...then, rest.¡± After confirming that Ganien was out, Ruel said. ¡°Take a shadow and report every story that comes out during the interrogation of the nobles.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± If the opponent was Ganien, he wouldn¡¯t have to add a shadow, but Huswen was different. Because he is a king, he will act in the interests of his country in the end. There will surely be information that is cut off in the middle. Ruel had to know everything though. ¡®...Corence Lumina.¡¯ An unexpected person was named. For now, ¡®I won¡¯t touch Setiria. There is no retaliation,¡¯ the Mana¡¯s oath is at stake, but it was different before. If he had interacted with the Red Ash before, it could have been enough for him to be the one who planted the disease in Ruel. Ruel closed his eyes and opened them. He was tired. ¡°Ruel-nim, isn¡¯t it too early to leave in two days?¡± Aris asked insinuatingly while playing with Leo in the corner. Leo tapped Aris¡¯ hand. It was a sign to play. ¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡± Cassion also helped. Riding in the wagon itself was hard on the body, and the cold wind was blowing strongly while carrying out the mission as an adventurer. In the end, while rushing on the way to the villa, didn¡¯t the wound burst? ¡°How much longer do you think I can stay?¡± Contrary to their expectations, Ruel¡¯s response was cooperative. ¡°A week... No, why don¡¯t you stay for another four days then leave?¡± Cassion personally knew that he had to leave as soon as possible. But the wound needed time to heal again. In fact, four days were not enough because of the slow recovery. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Get some more rest...?¡± Cassion stopped talking and doubted his ears. ¡ªIs Ruel sick? Leo jumped up and put his front paw on Ruel¡¯s head. ¡ªRuel always does the opposite of Cassion¡¯s words. Ruel, who answers easily, is strange. They heard a short laugh from Aris, but it disappeared in an instant as Ruel¡¯s gaze turned to Aris. ¡°Then, I will pass it on to Ganien, assuming that we are leaving in four days. I will also report to His Highness Banios, so please rest comfortably.¡± What¡¯s the point of waiting one more day? Cassion¡¯s face smirked. ¡°Follow me for a moment, beast.¡± Cassion had previously helped Leo and was thinking of taking Leo for a while so that Ruel could sleep more comfortably. ¡ªAlright, Ruel, I¡¯ll go and come back after a while. Sleep well. Leo rubbed his face against Ruel and then followed Cassion, who was retreating. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Aris also went out in relief. ¡®Why do you all like it so much?¡¯ Two days was the minimum amount of time he had set. However, considering his physical condition, he thought it was impossible and allowed Cassion¡¯s suggestion. Ruel closed his eyes while looking at the room where he was the only one left. ¡®It¡¯s been quiet for the first time in a while.¡¯ Ruel forced himself to sleep, wrapping his stomach that was throbbing even if he took painkillers. ¡®I just have to get better.¡¯ Chapter 84.2 - Ruel the piper (1) Chapter 84.2 - Ruel the piper (1) *** -You¡¯re leaving in four days? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the plan.¡± Cassion answered Banios. Next to him, Leo was licking the ice cream excitedly. -I heard you couldn¡¯t even tour properly because of the Red Ash. After all, an investigation into treason or whatever isn¡¯t something that can be done overnight, so why don¡¯t you wait to go back home a little more leisurely? ¡°That¡¯s what Ruel intends. I just deliver.¡± -You¡¯re so boring. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± -So, listen to me. Aren¡¯t you good at listening?CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m ¡°Your Highness¡¯s butler will be more comfortable than I am.¡± -Oh, I asked the butler to run some errands. There¡¯s tea I must have for lunch. Anyway, a few days ago, I drank with my brothers after a long time without seeing each other. Cassion frowned and had to listen to what Banios had to say. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It must have been intentional from the start. Why him? Cassion made up his mind and took out his sword and polished it carefully. -... So there was a lot of conversation going on, it would have been really fun in the past, but this drinking party was the worst. The second older brother tries to dig pits for me, and the older brother kept supporting me. There was a sound of the door opening over the communications device. Cassion thought it was over, but Banios¡¯ words didn¡¯t stop. -Suddenly, I felt bad, since when did my eldest brother give up the throne? Cassion heard the sound of drinking tea. -Thinking about it, it was five years ago, towards the end of the year when a big incident happened to Lord Setiria. ¡°...I hear you well.¡± Cassion stopped. He wondered why Banios was talking for a long time, but in the end, it was to let him know. There was something between the first prince and second prince. -I¡¯ll dig it up, so please tell Lord Setiria to come back safely. My second brother seems to have done something, so be careful. ¡°Alright.¡± That¡¯s the end of the communication. The second prince had started to move. The information will be uncertain as Banios¡¯ power within the royal family is weak. Nevertheless, the warning was due to the high possibility. Whatever the consequences were obvious. ¡®He hired an assassin. The moment Ruel leaves the capital, the target is the carriage.¡¯ Because he was an assassin, he was as clear as a palm of his hand. ¡®I won¡¯t let Ruel know so he doesn¡¯t mind...¡¯ Cassion saw Leo. When Leo was caught in the eye, he was wary, hugging the bowl of ice cream. ¡ªI have nothing for Cassion. ¡°You heard it all, right?¡± ¡ªWhat, what are you talking about? Leo averted his gaze. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything to Ruel, I¡¯ll make you one more.¡± ¡ªReally! Don¡¯t worry. The mouth of this body is heavy! There was no credibility. ¡°If you break this promise, I won¡¯t make your snack for a month. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡ª...how much is a month? It was as if he had touched the wrong switch. It seemed that Tyson¡¯s guilt, which had finally settled, would pierce the floor. Ruel immediately turned his words around. ¡°How¡¯s the analysis of the black water going?¡± -I think I¡¯ll know for sure when you come back. ¡°Are you saying you need to see the purification in person?¡± Tyson nodded. -Check how Leo¡¯s purification differs from yours... In particular, your mana is needed. ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel replied with a puzzled look. It was difficult to understand why he needed his mana. -I¡¯m sorry, Ruel, but I couldn¡¯t find the warlock. ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll find it.¡± The black magician in the web novel ¡®SSS Class Knight¡¯ was not well-recognized. They felt more like sorcerers than wizards. However, Tyson said they are fake, and a real warlock is given a special mission unlike other wizards as guides of death. He added that he was only named a wizard to use Mana, but it is comfortable to think of him as a separate being. -I said so confidently that I could find it. ¡°I¡¯ll see you when I get back.¡± Ruel cut off the communication right before Tyson said anything else. And he inhaled Breath and insinuatingly looked at Cassion. There was a sigh at once. ¡°It¡¯s hard for us to find it, too.¡± ¡°Look for it anyway.¡± ¡®It¡¯s my master¡¯s order, so I shall do it even if he tells me to look for diamonds in the sand.¡¯ ¡°I see, but the results may not be good.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel closed his eyes again. Soon the sound of breathing deepened. However, it was quite irregular, so Cassion thought he had to watch him carefully today. ¡ªIs Ruel sleeping again? He slept all day yesterday. Leo asked, lowering his front paw that covered his mouth. ¡°He has to sleep so that he can recover quickly.¡± He doesn¡¯t show it, but it must be very difficult because of the many overlapping diseases, from the illness caused by the mark, the poison he has accumulated over the years, and the wounds he suffered from the Great One. Leo patted Ruel. ¡ªThis body is a little lonely. This body will go to Aris for a moment. Cassion glanced at Leo and took out his sword and wiped it. Sak-sak. ¡ªOpen the door, please. As Leo scratched the door with his front paw, Cassion got up with a sigh. He was startled for a moment. From a certain moment, a sigh began to fly to his mouth even the slightest things. Cassion opened the door slightly with an uncomfortable face. ¡ªThank you. Leaving the fox behind, Cassion sat down again. Sak-sak. Only the sound of wiping the sword resounded in the quiet room. Chapter 85: Ruel the piper (2) Chapter 85: Ruel the piper (2) *** ¡°I¡¯m back! I¡¯m back!¡± Noah shouted sorrowfully next to Ruel. While waiting for him to wake up, he thought he would die waiting patiently. ¡°Quiet. My head is ringing.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel took the medicine Cassion handed him. He was so hungry because slept through the meal times. Before Ruel could reach out, Cassion handed over the meat pie. Crunch. ¡°...so what?¡± Ruel asked, with his heavy lids half open. ¡°Are you sending me away to have a picnic in that underworld when there¡¯s nothing to eat?¡± ¡°What is there to fall for?¡± Crunch. ¡°I¡¯m not in the right mind to talk long, so keep it short.¡± He was unsure if it was lack of sleep or if Cassion snuck him sleeping pills, but drowsiness came over him again. Taktak. Leo patted his tail dissatisfied as he looked at Noah. ¡ªThis is the body that waited for Ruel to open his eyes! He¡¯s supposed to talk to this body right now, but that human took it away! As Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head, Leo rubbed his face against his hand several times as if he missed that touch. ¡ªThis body prefers Ruel to be awake. ¡°Ruel-nim is not in a state to listen to your whining, so simply tell me the information you obtained.¡± Enraged by Cassion¡¯s words, Noah intended to roll up his sleeves and showed his scars proudly. ¡°It¡¯s not whining! Don¡¯t talk about my first adventure that way. See this! This was a small tussle in the underworld...¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Cassion hurriedly covered Ruel¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief. Luckily it was black blood. ¡°...!¡± Noah¡¯s eyes widened. Ruel vomited blood again. ¡°Just keep it short.¡± At Cassion¡¯s fierce eyes, Noah gently lowered his hand and took out the data with a dissatisfied face. ¡°Someone in the underworld was using my poison, so I asked with a crossbow to his head, and ... I went somewhere, anyway, they introduced me to the place, and I repeated the crossbow trick, and he mentioned another store. I have no idea how many times I had to hold the crossbow to their heads, but anyway, I got out of the underworld.¡± When there was no response, Noah¡¯s expression crumpled. He was even more annoyed because he couldn¡¯t even tell how much he had been running in circles and suffered because of it. ¡°After that, I hesitated because I didn¡¯t know if the crossbow trick would be effective, as it wasn¡¯t the underworld...so I just killed them all and did it to the remaining survivor. Then he began begging for mercy. What did he say, Lu... Mino?¡± ¡°Lumina.¡± Ruel spoke briefly. ¡°You¡¯re right. He gave me the name and said that the Lumina family was their main customer. I¡¯m ignorant, so I don¡¯t know what that means.¡± Cassion politely took the data Noah handed over to Ruel. Ruel shuffled through the data handed over by Cassion and raised the corners of his mouth. He got them. Among the merchants run by the Lumina family, the merchant named Kelpe was directly related to the Red Ash. Perhaps the merchant of Lumina, who handed over the attack plan to Count Iria, was also Kelpe. ¡°How about the clean up afterwards?¡± ¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t know I did it. Do you think a hunter should be the one hunted? I disposed of all the people who were escaping, and cleaned all traces.¡± The shadows would have done it if Noah hadn¡¯t cleaned up the traces properly. ¡°Cassion.¡± Thud. A money bag fell before Noah. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Th-thank you!¡± It¡¯s best to let them think that they¡¯d get paid if they did a good job. ¡°You will follow me to the royal treasury tomorrow.¡± Noah¡¯s eyes opened wide as if to pop out. ¡°I¡¯m taking you because you asked for something good.¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll work harder! I¡¯ll be prepared to bury my bones!¡± The dissatisfaction that was deeply engraved on his face was cleanly washed away. A royal treasure trove! He was excited just by hearing the words. *** ¡°It¡¯s a nice day.¡± Ruel got out of the carriage, supported by Cassion, wearing a white cloak made by Aris. After three days of sleeping, the sun felt warm. ¡ªGo see the treasure, treasure! This body has been excited since yesterday! Leo raised the corners of his mouth, staring at the necklace around his neck. The royal butler, who had been waiting for them in advance, bowed and introduced himself. When Ruel released the barrier, it made an intense shimmering sound. He pointed with his finger as if he would vomit blood at any moment if he caught it. ¡°T-That¡¯s all right! I¡¯m already getting too much!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want it?¡± ¡°It bothers me... but I did. Well, how to say, only this one had a very beautiful color.¡± Aris looked at the earring with a calm smile, as if he had never been flustered. Originally, there was only one piece, seemingly without a matching pair. Ruel didn¡¯t know what it¡¯s function was, but it would definitely help Aris. ¡°Take it.¡± Ruel grinned and walked toward Cassion. ¡°Thank...you.¡± A mixture of gratitude and apology was heard quietly. ¡ªAris is always cautious. He did it even when playing with this body. ¡°What do you want to have? Decide.¡± ¡ªAre you giving this body too? Really? ¡°Yes.¡± Leo rubbed his face at Ruel in a warm voice. ¡ªHehehe. This body is so happy! Perhaps the happiest spirit in the world! Everyone seemed happy with the gift, regardless of whether it was a person or a spirit. ¡°Did you pick one?¡± Ruel approached Cassion and asked. ¡°Not yet. I was in great trouble because there were many good swords. I didn¡¯t know the ¡®Black Star¡¯ I was trying to locate was here.¡± ¡°Then you can choose that.¡± ¡°But the ¡®Root of Sapling¡¯ next to it is also one of the swords I wanted to have.¡± The conversation seemed to be prolonged. Ruel coughed and held on to his bitter stomach. Although the part that burst was stitched again, he was nervous. After taking a reeling step, his vision suddenly spun. At the same time, the sound of a staff rolling on the ground was heard. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He felt Cassion¡¯s hand supporting his back. ¡°Oh, I just felt dizzy for a moment.¡± Since she, who¡¯s name was unknown, took the mark from him, his physical condition became much better, but little by little, the black things filled up again. Recently, the frequency of dizziness seemed to go back to the normal amount. Cassion seated Ruel in a chair placed in the warehouse. ¡°You can rest for a while. I¡¯m still choosing. You too, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body wants to choose with Ruel. Cassion looked at Ruel with an uncomfortable face and walked back to the sword display. ¡ªWhat does Ruel want to have? ¡°I can¡¯t use anymore.¡± Since the body was like glass, it was only a burden to have anything more. It was better to split and focus the power to protect himself than to have several that he couldn¡¯t use. ¡ªThis body will pick for you. Just trust this body! ¡°Pick your own.¡± Slap. He heard a ferocious sound from somewhere. When he turned his head he was relieved to see Aris, who hit Noah, had relieved the congestion in his brain. Noah appeared to be happy to be woken up by the slap. ¡°R-Ruel-nim!¡± Noah ran right away and knelt in front of Ruel. ¡°I just confirmed that it¡¯s not a dream. Can I really, really pick one?¡± ¡°The condition is that it will not be sold.¡± ¡°No matter how big my courage is, I don¡¯t sell royal treasures!¡± ¡°Like you sold the poison?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth a royal treasure, is it?¡± ¡°Choose, tell me after you have chosen.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With a loud scream of excitement, Noah ran toward the displayed treasures. Ruel inhaled Breath and propped his cane back up. ¡ªThis body decided it as soon as this body saw it! When Ruel¡¯s gaze met Leo¡¯s, he moved his tail and smiled. ¡ªIt is calling for this body. There¡¯s someone who wants to be friends with this body. ¡®A spirit stone, something like that?¡¯ He walked to where Leo was pointing. There was an ore that repeatedly lit up and extinguished its light. It was the size of two fingers combined. ¡®...?¡¯ Ruel rubbed his eyes for a moment. There was something about the size of a thumb hanging from the ore. Chapter 86: Ruel the piper (3) Chapter 86: Ruel the piper (3) ¡®What is it?¡¯ Ruel shuddered as he tentatively touched the smooth lump. ¡®It¡¯s...moved.¡¯ Ruel looked at Leo with a stern face. ¡ªHe said he couldn¡¯t get out because he was stuck in the stone. This body wants to save that body. Ruel slightly frowned and used the tool to break the barrier. Crack! As soon as the barrier disappeared, Leo bit the ore. Ruel hurriedly picked up Leo. ¡°Wait! Then...¡± Bup. It split in half and something popped out of it. ¡°...!¡± It jumped out of the ore and flew over to Leo hiding in his fur. Ruel quietly stepped back and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡ªLike this body, it¡¯s a spirit. But not like this Great Purifier. Ahem. Ruel¡¯s stiff shoulders were loosened by Leo¡¯s answer. Ruel coughed and studied the broken ore. ¡°Can this be used?¡± Perhaps because the spirit disappeared, the light disappeared. But the mysterious feeling remained the same. Leo came down to the ground and gave him the ore. Jingle. Ruel could hear a bell sound unlike anything he had heard before. ¡®That¡¯s unique.¡¯ ¡ªPlease add one more jewel to this body¡¯s necklace. This body likes everything that sparkles. The jewel on Leo¡¯s necklace was enchanted to allow the owner to find him. The owner being himself. ¡ªThe sound is good. Jingle. Jingle. It sounds pretty now, but with how much Leo usually runs around... ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be too noisy if I hang it around his neck?¡¯ Ruel put it in his pocket, thinking that he should just use it as a decoration. *** A day later. Knock. Knock. ¡°Ruel Setiria-nim is here.¡± ¡°Let him enter.¡± Huswen immediately stopped what he was doing and stood up. ¡°I meet the greatest of Cyronian.¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Thanks to your concern, I¡¯ve gotten a lot better.¡± ¡°Your health doesn¡¯t look very... improved.¡± Huswen frowned slightly and patiently led him to a table on one side of the office. Ttak. The sound of a cane was heard softly. Ruel bit his lips as soon as he sat down from the sharp pain in his stomach. ¡°Honestly, I feel uncomfortable not being able to give you a farewell banquet. If you change your mind even now, let me know. Everything has been prepared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Right now, the issues of the country take precedence over my farewell banquet.¡± ¡°No, you did such an honor for my country, isn¡¯t it only natural? Don¡¯t feel too burdened.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already receive something else in exchange?¡± Instead of holding a farewell banquet while the treason case was being finalized, Ruel asked Leponia to formally inform them of what he had done for Leponia¡¯s ally, Cyronian. The new year is about two months away. It was expected that it would take that long to finish investigating and punishing those who ran away one after the other, along with the aristocrats who were already accused. ¡°I¡¯m not a narrow-minded person, apart from the banquet, there¡¯s always hosting a smaller farewell party if you want. Oh, and while I¡¯m at it, I was going to ask the question, why did you only take that from the warehouse?¡± ¡°I have chosen carefully and I am satisfied with my choice. Thank you, I will receive it gratefully.¡± Cassion eventually chose the ¡®Black Star,¡¯ and what Noah chose, contrary to expectations, was not a gem but a weapon. He seemed to think that putting arrows into enemies¡¯ heads would bring in more money than reselling jewels. ¡®Although the ore I brought has disappeared.¡¯ Sniff. Sniff. Leo was busy smelling Ruel today. He said he smelled a lot better than usual. The fuzzy spirit that was hiding in Leo¡¯s fur was clinging tightly to him now, just like Leo. Ruel let it be because it was harmless. ¡°Your hands are smaller than I thought.¡± Ruel responded calmly to the tone that seemed to be measuring him in return. ¡°The royal treasury was magnificent. But what I wanted wasn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I hope Your Majesty will remember me and not forget that I am a worthy tool.¡± Huswen smiled lightly. There was also sadness in the laughter. ¡°Aren¡¯t you from another country?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I am a man who wants the alliance to remain very firm for a long time. If Your Majesty does not change my mind, I am on your side and only hoping for a strong alliance.¡± ¡°It sounds like a threat.¡± ¡°I am stating my position. As Your Majesty knows, Setiria is the gatekeeper of Leponia. I think I have that much of a say.¡± ¡°... It¡¯s a pity, it¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel grabbed his stomach and coughed. Huswen spoke again after Ruel¡¯s coughing stopped. ¡°It would be better if you were born in Cyronian.¡± Cassion asked insinuatingly. ¡°It seems that the spirits are gathering because of that ore. There are still two more.¡± ¡°Do you mean there are two more insects?¡± The deep sigh of Cassion followed. Leo seemed to eat a lot, even though he didn¡¯t talk. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t take them in.¡± Leo¡¯s ears pricked at the statement. Instead of eating, he looked at Ruel with expectant eyes. ¡°Leo is enough.¡± Leo smiled as if it was the answer he wanted. ¡°And I can¡¯t communicate with the rest of the spirits.¡± Ruel touched one of the fuzz balls that slid down his shoulder. Kuroo kuru. It got angry, but Ruel couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cassion knocked on the wall of the carriage, and the carriage moved. *** The Royal Knights joined, followed by the Blue Knights. As soon as the gate was opened, the two knight orders lined up and drew their swords toward the sky. ¡®Oh, I said I don¡¯t need a farewell party.¡¯ Ruel sat down for a moment to take the medicine and witnessed the scene. ¡°I think Ruel-nim should have enjoyed more than this.¡± ¡°I only know my place. You should distinguish between what you can enjoy and what you can¡¯t enjoy.¡± Setiria only had to cut the fee in half to obtain a small monopoly among Cyronian¡¯s main commodities: technical cooperation and exchange, the installation of a portal device leading from Setiria to Ganien¡¯s villa, and the right to command the Blue Knights for whatever reason. And he received titles and lands from Huswen, despite not undergoing an inauguration ceremony. Unusually, the title bestowed was not an earl or a marquis, but ¡®lord.¡¯ It meant that his position would be recognized comparable to a marquis and below a duke. First of all, Ruel was satisfied with this much. The opponent will feel less pressure if you break it apart slowly rather than all at once. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°It means that I stopped here first because I know my place, not that I won¡¯t get it in the end. I deserve more as you stated.¡± A faint smile spread across Cassion¡¯s face. Cassion was quite satisfied and asked. ¡°What will you do with the land you received from His Majesty?¡± ¡°Corrence Lumina should be considered before the land. The inquiry into his merchants should be a top concern.¡± There was evidence that the merchant controlled by Lumina had interacted with the Red Ash. But that was not enough. In a way, Ruel thought he was stabbed in the back by Corrence. ¡®I¡¯ll give you back more than what you got.¡¯ ¡°I will instruct Dion to release the birds towards Lumina.¡± ¡°Count Iria confessed that he had received the Leponia attack plan from Lumina. But remember when you asked the man who ordered him to attack me, you said he was just ordered by the Red Ash?¡± ¡°I remember, I heard that the Red Ash gave instructions by letter.¡± Ruel closed his eyes briefly, inhaling Breath. ¡°We have to catch him. It is highly likely that he is the arm of the Red Ash in Leponia.¡± ¡°How far do you think it¡¯s related?¡± ¡°A prince.¡± ¡°My expectations are the same. Either the first or the second will be connected to one or the other.¡± He heard from Cassion about the case of the eldest giving up the throne five years ago. It coincided with the time when he was kidnapped. ¡®Is it really a coincidence?¡¯ Taktak. Leo hit the bed with his tail. ¡ªNow lie down. The spirits are grieving that the playground is gone. Huh. Ruel let out an absurd laugh and looked at the two fuzzy lights next to Leo. Tears, the size of millet, were dripping down. Ruel looked out the window with a cough. The two knight orders lowered their swords, which had stretched out into the sky, in front of their chests in accordance with the chants of Sien and the unnamed commander. It wasn¡¯t grand, but it was a quaint farewell party. *** After leaving the capital, the knights¡¯ vigilance increased. Their nerves were sharper than ever from the residing impact of meeting the black-blooded man. ¡°If you¡¯re sleepy, go to sleep, don¡¯t force yourself to fend it off.¡± ¡°I slept a lot.¡± Ruel said, stroking Leo¡¯s stomach. ¡°Do you worry about a black-blooded man appearing?¡± ¡ªAhem, this body will purify it. Leo smiled triumphantly. ¡°Honestly, the possibility of a black-blooded man appearing in the current situation is low, but it¡¯s not impossible, so it bothers me.¡± The Red Ash avoided being noticeable. The procession with the two knight orders escorting was quite noisy. In order to wipe out the two knights, who are not together but still unified, they will have to bring in more black-blooded people than last time. It was expected that they would not do anything, as the rats in the Cyronian aristocracy had already suffered quite a blow. ¡°But they aren¡¯t ones to miss a good opportunity either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cassion suddenly chuckled along with his words. Then he took a white cloth out of his pocket and wrapped it around Ruel¡¯s head. ¡°...?¡± Ch-nk. Then there was the sound of something being cut, and the hot splattered blood turned the white cloth red. ¡°The enemy was already in the carriage.¡± Chapter 87: Entrance! Chapter 87: Entrance! Ruel felt something falling behind him. Whoosh! Cassion¡¯s dagger was lodged into the wall in the corner of the carriage. Blood dripped down. ¡°...Cassion.¡± Ruel frowned, taking off the cloth that covered his face. Then he covered Leo¡¯s eyes before straightening his tousled hair. ¡°The carriage is dirty.¡± ¡°Aris will clean it up in a minute.¡± ¡°What about the body?¡± Instead of answering, Cassion covered himself once more with a cloth and stabbed a dagger behind him. The pure white cloth was stained red. Cassion said naturally. ¡°Ah, did I tell you that there wasn¡¯t only one person in the carriage?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my men will take care of the bodies.¡± ¡°...you knew?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you kept encouraging me to sleep?¡± Cassion smiled undisturbed. ¡°There¡¯s that, but it¡¯s also what Ruel-nim needs, isn¡¯t it? I will call Aris for a moment.¡± Knock. Knock. The carriage stopped when Cassion knocked on the carriage wall. Immediately, Ganien clung to the carriage door and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Cassion went down the carriage and explained the present situation to Ganien, and soon Aris came into the carriage. ¡ªAris... Leo looked at Aris with a tearful face. It didn¡¯t get on Ruel¡¯s clothes, but the carriage walls were covered with blood. ¡°...I¡¯ll clean it up in a minute.¡± Aris quickly recited a spell. Cassion spoke to Aris, who chanted the spell. ¡°Listen as you do, Aris. The enemy sent an assassin. I cannot leave Ruel¡¯s side, so watch out for any more possible assassins.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. A smooth journey seemed to be a word that didn¡¯t fit him. ¡°Can you catch them?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re not half-hearted. A forced confession won¡¯t work and their tongue is firm. I¡¯d rather just kill them. Even if their arms are cut off, they will bite Ruel¡¯s neck with their teeth.¡± ¡°...okay.¡± Ruel calmed Leo while watching Aris use magic. *** ¡°Ah, how irritating!¡± Noah stopped peeling the vegetables and threw them aside. All the knights are eating, but why is it that only he can¡¯t eat? Rustle. Feeling murderous intent, Noah instinctively looked back. It was Aris. ¡°Shit, I thought it was a Cassion.¡± ¡°Pick it up.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°These are the ingredients Ruel-nim will eat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice after being well-fed you¡¯re bored and want to come and pick a fight with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what Cassion told me to do.¡± Noah¡¯s eyes flickered anxiously for a moment. Eventually, Noah picked up the thrown ingredients again, washed them clean in the flowing stream, and placed them in the basket. ¡°That¡¯s enough....¡± Aris drew his sword and swung it at Noah. Swing. As soon as he hit something, a drop of blood fell next to Noah. Aris rolled his eyes in a hurry. ¡°It¡¯s the enemy.¡± ¡°Y, you¡¯re crazy!¡± He had swung without hesitation. That guy must be crazy. ¡°One gold coin per enemy head.¡± As soon as he came to his senses at the words that were music to his ears, Noah put aura in his bracelet. ¡®Crazy, one gold coin per neck!¡¯ Unlike his days as a hunter, when he always prepared thoroughly, there was not much he could prepare for as Ruel¡¯s servant. In order to keep up with the unpredicatable flow, they needed weapons and magical devices that allowed them to fight at any time even when they were not ready for battle. Noah brought a bracelet that can store weapons from the royal treasury and a bow that turns Aura into arrows. ¡®As expected, I was good in resisting the other temptations and bringing this.¡¯ He was confident in removing traces as good as any assassin. Noah entered the forest, in his wake not a single grass blade moved with not a rustle to be heard. *** ¡°...hah.¡± Aris caught his breath and gripped his sword tightly. It was Cassion¡¯s order to come get Noah, but because Ruel¡¯s only official escort was himself, he expected that if he left, separating from everyone else, he would surely become a target for the enemy. ¡°Aris, you¡¯re in charge of Noah. I already told Noah, so don¡¯t worry and look forward.¡± He had said when Aris was departing from the carriage where Ruel was. Only then did he fully understand why Ruel decided to pick up Noah. Aris took a deep breath in calmly. Thanks to the earrings, the natural mana was faintly visible. He could distinguish between the hidden enemies. ¡°Your descent is a mace, and what you embrace is....¡± The enemy would not allow Aris to cast a spell uninterrupted and promptly swung a sword at Aris¡¯ neck. ¡°That¡¯s as far as I can go to see you off.¡± Ganien pointed to the bridge towering over the waves. It was the end of Cyronian. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel said calmly. ¡°You can rest assured that the wizards brought this time were chosen by His Majesty. They¡¯ll freeze the waves like before, and you¡¯ll be able to cross comfortably.¡± Ruel was relieved that Huswen had chosen to bring them. There were several raids on the way here, but no black-blooded men had made an appearance. That fact didn¡¯t bother him. ¡°Thank you for escorting and seeing me off so far, and I hope you get back safely.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Because I heard the weakness of the black-blooded man from Cassion.¡± In response to Ganien¡¯s answer, Cassion smirked and said. ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy if you do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange that I can¡¯t do it even though you did it.¡± ¡°Yes, do your best.¡± Ganien tried to swallow his anger at Cassion¡¯s sarcastic remarks. As it was a farewell ceremony for Ruel, we had to maintain our composure. Ganien spoke as brightly as he could. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you as soon as information comes out, whether it¡¯s the information the nobles have revealed or the black water.¡± ¡°I will contact you if I have any information on the Red Ash.¡± ¡°Well, see you next time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The door closed after a calm goodbye. Ruel laid himself down again. It will take time for the waves to freeze. He closed his eyes only to open them and see Leo. ¡ªAre we going back to our home now? ¡°Yes, I must go back.¡± ¡ªYay! Go back. This body is best at home! Leo jumped in place. Instead of biting Breath, Ruel looked at the little mongrels attached to his body with a chilling expression. ¡°When did they come again?¡± ¡ªThey said they came because the smell was good. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± While the carriage door was open for a while, the fuzz balls decided to make a visit. He didn¡¯t know when the smell that attracted the spirits would disappear, he didn¡¯t know how many would show up in the future. ¡°I¡¯m glad I can¡¯t see them.¡± Cassion laughed with relief. ¡°You¡¯d freak out if you saw it. I already have six of them attached to me.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression hardened as he listened to Ruel. ¡°So when are those spirits going back?¡± Ruel asked Leo. ¡ªI don¡¯t know. They said they wanted to stay for a while. You don¡¯t have to worry because this body has firmly stated that this side of Ruel is taken by this body. ¡°...okay.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t get rid of it, it doesn¡¯t harm you and you don¡¯t have to play with it like Leo. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel grabbed his stomach from the pain that occurred after coughing. The fuzzballs rushed in and sat huddled on Ruel¡¯s belly. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Leo perked his ears when Ruel frowned, questioning the mongrels¡¯ behavior. Soon they smiled walking near Ruel¡¯s face. ¡ªIn return for allowing the spirits to stay without evicting them, they have offered to erase what should not exist in this world. ¡°...what?¡± ¡ªThey¡¯ve said there is something in your wound that should not exist in this world. This body doesn¡¯t know what it is, but this body knows removing it will heal Ruel! Leo¡¯s tail wagged pleasantly. ¡®Somehow it didn¡¯t get better.¡¯ When the Great One stabbed himself, he was sure to imbue him with some power or curse. ¡°Ruel-nim attracts so many different things. Fortunately, there are good directions as a result.¡± ¡°Hand me the medicine.¡± By the time Cassion handed over the medicine to Ruel, the carriage set out. ¡°Are you okay with getting seasick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to lie down.¡± ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°The welcome ceremony will be held on the day I arrive at the palace?¡± Judging from the way Ruel avoided the question, it looked like he was in pain again. Cassion answered Ruel¡¯s question, pretending not to know. ¡°Yes, it will be held simply in consideration of your condition.¡± ¡°Damn it, does it mean that it will be done whether I¡¯m sick or not?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the nobility of the royal family?¡± ¡°... damn it.¡± Ruel bit Breath irritably. ¡°The second prince earnestly requested His Highness to shorten the welcoming ceremony, which was supposed to last for three days, into one day.¡± He knew but couldn¡¯t help the irritation that arose. ¡®I want to go home and rest.¡¯ The stopped carriage moved again. The waves look frozen. Leo suddenly clung close to the window and saw the frozen sea. ¡ªRuel, this body wants to swim in the sea someday. ¡°Later. Maybe we can swim in the lake next time.¡± Leo immediately ran to Ruel and wagged his tail. ¡ªReally? Going to the lake? Before that, it was beautiful with stars! This body wants to swim in a lake of stars! ¡°Yes, Lake Prina is very beautiful.¡± ¡ªVery well, this body will swim there. Ruel also closed his eyes for a moment, drawing time to spend in Lake Prina. ¡®I¡¯ll go one day. I¡¯m not lying.¡¯ Chapter 88: Entrance! (2) Chapter 88: Entrance! (2) *** ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Ruel frowned at Cassion¡¯s firm words. The carriage was facing the Beast Forest beyond the neutral zone. As soon as they crossed the border of Cyronian territory, the sudden attacks disappeared like a ghost. However, it was not time to let their guard down. ¡°It¡¯s the Beast¡¯s Forest, right?¡± Ruel said in a rebuttal. ¡°There are knights. We can solve it without Ruel-nim. Have you forgotten that you have a hole in your stomach?¡± Boo. Leo settled his paws on Ruel¡¯s head. Fifteen small furballs gathered around Ruel¡¯s head and leapt eagerly, having been drawn to the wound by Leo. There didn¡¯t feel like anything was running on his head, but he still felt strange. ¡ªRuel must remain calm. If Ruel moves, the spirits may be angry. ¡°You¡¯re a spirit, too, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡ªThis body is not just a spirit, but a great purifier. Ahem. Leo raised his nose, stretched out his legs proudly, and stood gracefully. Of course, he was still short. Ruel patted Leo on the head and glanced at Cassion. ¡°The Beast Forest is just right for doing something. You know that, right?¡± ¡°If Ruel-nim doesn¡¯t wake up by the time we arrive at the castle, the Royal Knights will have to take full responsibility.¡± Ruel¡¯s brows wriggled. There was never a time when Ruel didn¡¯t pass out after controlling the monsters. ¡°You can say that I fell ill. The welcome ceremony was canceled, so I took a break and thought about it, so I think it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Yes, if the fact that Ruel-nim has an incurable disease is revealed to all nobles, barons, and ministers, wouldn¡¯t it be perfect for everyone to rush to take a piece of Setiria?¡± ¡°...I was just joking. You¡¯re being too serious.¡± Cassion smirked. He has successfully overcome Ruel¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°Anyway, because of what happened in Cyronian, wouldn¡¯t Setiria be in the public eye again? Will you be okay?¡± Cassion¡¯s words made Ruel¡¯s bones ache. It wasn¡¯t okay. ¡°Originally, I was going to go quietly and bring only what I would gain quietly, but it was an inevitable choice. Afterall, the existence of a black-blooded man was unexpected.¡± ¡°Are you planning on spilling blood at the banquet again?¡± When Leo¡¯s ears were perked at Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel soothingly stroked his stomach. ¡°No, you can¡¯t cover it up with that. I won¡¯t be able to hide it either way. For the time being, you should think that troublesome flies are permanently attached.¡± He wanted to avoid bringing attention to Setiria the most. Then, the carriage stopped suddenly. ¡®There aren¡¯t any monsters around here?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll be back after checking.¡± As Cassion opened the door of the carriage, familiar voices were heard. ¡°My lord! We¡¯re here!¡± ¡®Drianna?¡¯ Ruel was surprised as he bit Breath. Why is she here? As Ruel raised his upper body while holding his stomach, he finally saw a sky blue flag with a shield pattern flying. The Knights of Setiria had arrived. ¡°Was this you, Cassion?¡± ¡°It was not.¡± Cassion grinned at the knights. ¡°Horen-hyung?¡± Aris welcomed Horen. Aris hesitated for a moment fighting the urge to run to him right away, but this wasn¡¯t a private occasion. Aris greeted him with a salute instead. ¡°Oh, you got stronger since I last saw you? Oops, greetings first. Hello. My name is Horen, the vice-captain of the Setiria Knights.¡± ¡°My name is Drianna, the vice-captain of the magic knights. As dangerous as the Beast¡¯s Forest is, we¡¯ve come all the way here to protect the Lord. We apologize for not contacting you in advance.¡± Horen and Drianna saluted Torto. ¡°No, aren¡¯t more escorts for the better? The Knights of Setiria have come, and the Lord will be very pleased.¡± ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ve laid the road safely and beautifully on our way here, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Drianna smiled with a relieved face. It was hard to get out of the basement and get some sun after a long time, but she couldn¡¯t be happier to use new magic. ¡°Then, how about meeting with the Lord for a while before we depart?¡± Drianna¡¯s corners of her mouth went up right away at Torto¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Thank you!¡± She was most happy to see Ruel. She was worried about his health and whether his face retained its slowly earned fat. Driana put the Knights on standby and immediately headed with Horen to the carriage where Ruel was. Envy-filled gazes followed. ¡°Lord...¡± ¡°Who ordered it?¡± As soon as the carriage opened, Ruel¡¯s displeased voice immediately sprang out. ¡ªRuel, what¡¯s wrong with you? This body is very happy to see them. Leo came out to the entrance of the carriage and waved his tail at the two. Drianna and Horen¡¯s faces hardened. They turned their attention to Leo. This wasn¡¯t what Ruel ordered. Hearing the news of Ruel¡¯s return from Tyson, he almost forced himself out. ¡°Don¡¯t vacate the mansion no matter what.¡± The order Ruel left before leaving suddenly came to mind. ¡°The mansion?¡± ¡°We are guarding it hard, I only brought half of the forces.¡± Drianna said, avoiding his gaze. But soon she grabbed the hem of her clothes and looked at Ruel. His face was gaunt. Almost all the hard-earned weight has been lost. How upset she was that she couldn¡¯t follow along. ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± Horen glanced at Ruel¡¯s stomach. It was subtle, but it smelled of blood. There was a feeling of apology in Banios¡¯ voice. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°There is still time until the banquet, so why don¡¯t you see His Majesty first and then stay in my room and prepare?¡± ¡°I will do so.¡± His Knights did not cross the gates. They were his personal forces, and the act of crossing the gate with an unauthorized knight was tantamount to treason. ¡°Sir Torto.¡± Banios called Torto. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°No, I have only carried out your orders as a royal knight.¡± ¡°As I crossed the castle gate, the duties of the knight were over, so Your Highness meant that you could rest comfortably.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Torto raised his bowed head and looked at Ruel. ¡°Lord, I...¡± ¡°Thanks to sir, I was able to get here safely, and if I have a chance next time, I hope sir will protect me again.¡± ¡°Of course. You are always welcome, my lord.¡± ¡°I hope these aren¡¯t empty words.¡± Ruel smiled lightly at Torto and turned to look at the Royal Knights. They were nervous making eye contact with Ruel. Previously, they had run away without being able to protect Ruel, so this time they stayed up all night with their eyes open. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a simple greeting, but there was a lot of sincerity. They guarded it safely. They didn¡¯t run away like before. That satisfied him about the Knights well enough. Ruel followed Banios into the palace. He was closely followed by Cassion and Aris. ¡°Have you prepared a big gift?¡± Banios smiled vaguely at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should call this a gift, it¡¯s something completely different from my expectations.¡± (Banios) ¡°I¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°So I prepared another one, I¡¯ll give it to you as well.¡± This time, Banios¡¯ face brightened. Ttak. Other footsteps were heard in the hallway, mixed with the sound of a cane. When a man came out of the intersected hallway, Banios¡¯ face froze for a moment. ¡°I see Second Brother.¡± ¡°What a coincidence.¡± The second prince smiled. The second prince, Adoris Leponia. He was the next powerful prince to ascend the throne and belonged to the Red Ash. Ruel didn¡¯t know they¡¯d meet like this under the guise of coincidence. Ruel smiled and lowered his head slightly. ¡°Nice to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± For a moment Adoris¡¯s eyes shook. But soon he opened his mouth with a relaxed smile. ¡°You are the Lord of Setiria. I thought I could see you at the banquet, but I am lucky to encounter you like this.¡± ¡°I am also honored to be able to see my prince.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, especially after hearing about your active role in Cyronian, I¡¯ve really wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°I just did what I had to do as a fellow human.¡± Adoris smiled pleasantly. ¡°What humility. Thanks to your contribution, I can picture a bright future for our country. By the way, how is your health? Apparently, there are too many rumors that it¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as good as it¡¯s rumored.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± Adoris put on a look of sincere pity. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Then, I¡¯ll see you at the banquet.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your concern.¡± Adoris, who greeted Ruel lightly, stepped back on his way. Stomp. Stomp. There was a sound of footsteps in the hallway. Later, the two footsteps joined together, and soon no sound was heard. Just a moment ago, when Adoris¡¯s eyes shook for a moment, an unpleasant feeling was seen from that gaze. A feeling of guilt. ¡®Why is he making that face?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and glanced at Banios, who looked stiff. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Banios opened his mouth heavily. ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± It wasn¡¯t something he was sorry for. Adoris knew that Ruel had come, and it was clear that he came to see him on purpose. A sense of desolation settled between the two again, and only the sound of their footsteps echoing in the hallway could be heard. *** ¡®... is that what Setiria is now.¡¯ Adoris paused and looked back. He could no longer see the child from years ago. ¡®I can read your expression.¡¯ Your mind breaks when your body hurts, but Ruel was different. In that brief moment, he read his expression and was surprised to see that he was preparing for the next move right away. ¡®The count is fast. He¡¯s also very wary.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if he would get bitten if he approached unprepared. -Ruel Setiria has entered Leponia, so I¡¯ll leave Setiria to you as requested. Please, don¡¯t forget our deal. Adoris clenched his fist. ¡®... Red Ash.¡¯ His feet moved forward once more. Eyes wrapped in rage looked straight ahead as if they were about to chew on something. ¡®At the banquet, then...¡¯ Chapter 89: Entrance! (3) Chapter 89: Entrance! (3) *** Ruel had a brief conversation with the king and was granted permission to admit his knights into the palace. As a bonus, even Noah was allowed to enter the palace, and uneasy, he ordered him to never leave the room where they were staying before stopping by Banios¡¯ room. ¡ªThis body will just walk around. As soon as he entered the room, Leo ran off excitedly. ¡°Sit down.¡± Banios pointed to the chair. Ruel sat down in his chair, glancing at Leo, who was wandering around with nothing to do. ¡°Do you have a favorite tea?¡± ¡°Whatever is alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt because it¡¯s a situation that needs to be discussed before the banquet.¡± (Banios) Banios pulled the materials out of the drawer and handed them over. ¡°You and your brothers are intertwined with the events that happened five years ago, and I dug further into it. Is that okay?¡± (Ruel) ¡°It will be alright.¡± Ruel could tell Banios was speaking carelessly most likely as it wasn¡¯t his business anyway. ¡°Five years ago, Trino Setiria, the former head of Setiria, departed with your younger self in a rush. Incidentally, there was an accident and the former family head died, and the Royal Family concluded that the accident was caused by an attack by an unknown person.¡± (Banios) Up to this point, Ruel had already known. ¡°In additon, they say you were found wounded in a village far away from the scene of the incident.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Ruel was twelve years old at the time. ¡®How far can I go even if I run?¡¯ In response to Ruel¡¯s question, Banios opened the data one by one and pointed to one of them. ¡°If you look here, it is written in detail about who first found you and what kind of village it was.¡± It was written that a man named Widen, who lived in Hian, a village next to the capital, found Ruel. ¡°As you know, the royal family intervenes when there is a problem with the aristocracy, so it is hard to fake this while being investigated under the king¡¯s watch.¡± ¡°So the incident was aimed at my disappearance?¡± ¡°Under the circumstances, that seems to be the case.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath to clear his head. The former head of the family was in a hurry to run away with the young Ruel, then he got into an accident. ¡°I heard that the former patriarch recognized the identity of the Red Ash. While evacuating you...¡± To borrow Liberan¡¯s words, the former patriarch knew who the Red Ash was. ¡°Their ears were broken, the communication network fell apart, the former head of household passed away, and you...¡± In Dion¡¯s words, those birds had betrayed the patriarch. Liberan was the one who coaxed the birds. In other words, the information the patriarch had known was false. It meant that the fact that the patriarch had been rushed to leave with false information was a trap set to kill him from the beginning. But the enemy failed. He failed to kill Ruel. ¡°The ones who protect you.¡± Because of the unnamed guards of Ruel she had mentioned. Otherwise, the case wouldn¡¯t be connected. After Ruel disappeared from the scene of the incident, the mark was planted at that time and with the current flow of events, he could only think that all those who guarded Ruel had died. Ha. Ruel exhaled lightly. ¡°So five years ago, what happened to the Second Prince?¡± ¡°On the day of your accident, both brothers left the palace, ¡°Banios finished, bitting his lower lip. ¡°Where did they go?¡± ¡°First of all, my Eldest Brother left first, and then my Second Brother moved, but only that fact they left is recorded, it¡¯s unknown where they went.¡± Ruel waited for his words silently with his back to him. ¡°That day, my Second Brother had an accident. He almost lost his life from the chandelier in the royal hallway.¡± ¡°...An accident, you say?¡± ¡°And that year, my Eldest Brother suddenly gave up his succession to the throne. What do you think, isn¡¯t this sequence of events too strange?¡± It was weird. The Second Prince was almost killed by a chandelier in the royal family¡¯s very presence, and the First Prince suddenly gave up the throne. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is simply an accident.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened the day the two brothers left, but it¡¯s clear that they were in the same place.¡± ¡°Then who was the more likely candidate for the throne five years ago?¡± ¡°My Eldest Brother.¡± ¡°Then, after the Second Brother had an accident, the Red Ash approached him.¡± ¡°I agree with you.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth for a moment. The only organization that could give Adoris enough strength was the Red Ash. Wasn¡¯t the Lumina family that supported him also entangled with the Red Ash? What was very suspicious here was the First Prince¡¯s move. Why did he leave that day? ¡°Cough, cough. Anyway, I think that¡¯s all the information you can give me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s not a big gift, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve made this more complicated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay because you¡¯ve got another individual to watch. Please monitor both of them.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that I am a prince?¡± Banios stated, smiling slightly. ¡°I¡¯m asking you this favor because you¡¯re a prince. This is not a place where I can intervene recklessly.¡± ¡°It was a light joke, as you said, I can easily dig into my two brothers.¡± Banios soon rose from his seat with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another gift later, so I hope that will make you content, after all I¡¯ve received so much from you already.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you know. I was afraid that you might come to me empty-handed.¡± Banios laughed loudly. ¡°Yeah, I was a bit arrogant when I first met you. As is often the case with nobles, there¡¯s a tendency to hold oneself in high regard.¡± You¡¯re a prince, tho? Ruel looked at Banios with an absurd face. ¡°I¡¯m a little shy to say it myself, but I¡¯m still more modest than you admit. Well, anyway, you may stay and relax and prepare for the banquet in my room.¡± Banios¡¯ expression didn¡¯t change a bit, even though he said something quite shameless. Ruel replied calmly. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I tried to cancel the banquet so as not to burden your wound, but I am sorry that my power doesn¡¯t reach that far. Please get some rest once you get back to Setiria.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and briefly pitied Leo, who reveled in his plan alone. ¡®...let¡¯s see.¡¯ Lumina, Shio, Prios, Kuhn, Liobenez. Among them, Lumina was the family that was confirmed to be related to the Red Ash. ¡°Give me your report.¡± Cassion would have looked into it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you prepare for the banquet first?¡± Cassion¡¯s hand stopped touching Ruel¡¯s hair. ¡°Unlike you, sitting still is all I have to do.¡± Even if he was getting ready, Ruel only had to maintain either a standing or sitting position, like a mannequin. He was doing his hair right now, so Cassion shouldn¡¯t care what he did in the meantime with his hands. When Ruel showed his empty hands, Cassion handed over the data with a disapproving face. ¡°Please understand that the contents are poor due to lack of time to investigate.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel answered calmly and opened the data focusing on the family heads of the three families, Kuhn, Shio, and Liobenez, whom he had not met. Then something came to mind, and Ruel spoke in thought. ¡°You were the one who rejected the lady-in-waiting that His Highness offered, Cassion.¡± ¡°Their mouth is supposed to open eventually. What should I do to inform you of the current situation? I did all this from the beginning, and now it¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Are you going to teach Noah?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Ruel chuckled at Cassion¡¯s urgent reply. Cassion frowned and continued working on Ruel¡¯s hair again. What¡¯s the point of having an exclusive attendant? It was better to just do it himself than to have Noah burden him. He quickly learned about combat, but the attitude that he had towards learning as an attendant remained the same no matter how many times Cassion instructed him. Maybe when we go back, he can be passed over to Billo. That would be much better. Ruel looked at the data again, still smiling. ¡®The head of the Shio family is Diagos Shio...¡¯ In the past, the Shio family supported the Eldest Prince, but they already knew that they were being worked against behind the scenes under the influence of the Second Prince. It was also noted that the head of the family sincerely cared for their second daughter, Serti Shio. The Liobenez family was quiet; it was a family that produced many judges and built close friendships with ministers. The patriarch¡¯s name was Ben Liobenez, who had a cousin, but had no children. The Kuhn family was a family that was considered the guardian of the Royal Family and, like Setiria, was allowed many private soldiers. The number allowed was less than that of Setiria, but it is said to be comparable to that of Setiria in strength. ¡®The patriarch takes the position through a duel among the direct line... ¡¯ The head of the Kuhn family was Rie Kuhn, who became the patriarch of the Kuhn family three years ago through a duel. Unfortunately, there was only superficial information to see but there was really no time to dig further. Although it was better than nothing. Ruel lowered the spirit that fell on the data onto his lap. Kuroo kuru. He seemed angry, but what does it matter? Ruel slightly hit the mongrel on the head and handed the data back to Cassion. ¡°Oh, did you change the color of your clothes?¡± ¡°Aris just briefed me on some of the rules within the Royal Family. It seems that Sir Torto has given you only the minimal information you needed to know.¡± The word ¡®rule¡¯ was not a good sign. ¡°First of all, even minor magic is prohibited. Originally, possession of magic items should be prohibited, but the patriarchs of the six families stated there can be exceptions.¡± ¡°My uncle did it with me before¡± ¡°Tyson-nim is better than the royal wizards here. He hid the mana and it went undetected. But Aris compared to a royal wizard...¡± ¡°Okay. Stop it.¡± He explained it in a roundabout manner, but in short, he meant that Ruel had to wear the clothes in the original dark colors. Ruel inhaled Breath with a frown. ¡®Nothing goes my way.¡¯ *** ¡°The bandages are tighter. But you shouldn¡¯t bump into anything.¡± Behind Cassion¡¯s words, the sound of a cane echoed. ¡°You¡¯re going to watch.¡± Ruel paused and gestured to his own shadow. ¡ªThis body will watch. Don¡¯t worry about Cassion. Leo fluttered around Cassion, knowing he couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on you. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Aris smiled slightly. He was dressed as a knight, so every time he moved there was a heavy sound. ¡°Please, he who doesn¡¯t know what his condition is like now.¡± Huh. Ruel made a ridiculous laugh at the open conversation. ¡®They¡¯re having fun.¡¯ ¡°Then.¡± Cassion quietly seeped into Ruel¡¯s shadow. Mana¡¯s oath seems to be working properly, seeing that Noah gets caught every time he speaks, but looking at Cassion, he feels a little torn. Ruel walked forward again, inhaling Breath. The sound of the cane rang in the hallway. ¡ªThis body has thought of food to eat at the banquet in advance. This body will eat everything sweet. Leo then chatted about his small plans, gesturing with his front feet and tail. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Aris asked in front of the entrance to the hall. ¡°No, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nervous. Being in the spotlight is awkward and strange, no matter how many times I¡¯ve been through it.¡± ¡°You have to get used to it. That position will continue to attract attention in the future.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris replied with a firm will. Unlike in Cyronian, this was not an enemy state. However, the Red Ash also existed in their home country of Leponia. Aris exhaled heavily, and watched the back of Ruel, dressed in black. There were some things that Cassion reminded him several times to pay attention to, so he stayed alert. When he arrived at the door of the banquet hall, Ruel nodded to the servant, who bowed and opened the tightly closed door and shouting loudly, ¡°Aris, the knight and magic swordsman of Setiria, and Ruel Setiria, the head of Setiria and Noble of Darkness, enters!¡± Chapter 90: Banquet Chapter 90: Banquet The main character of today¡¯s banquet was going to be Ruel. Everyone in the hall paid rapt attention to Ruel¡¯s entrance to the banquet. Ruel walked slowly as if enjoying their gaze. Ttak. He walked firmly with the cane, in a leisurely gait that slightly revealed his arrogant eyes. He looked at them serenely, his mood calm. Ttak. Corrence Lumina turned his head pretending to ignore him as soon as his eyes met Ruel, while Ketlan Prios lightly nodded his head, trying to hide his delight. Diagos Shio looked at Ruel with a slight glance. Then Ruel¡¯s eyes met his second daughter, Serti Shio. It had been a long time since he had last seen her, so when Ruel smiled it was a bit more welcoming. Serti hurriedly covered her face with her fan and lowered her head. ¡®The rest...¡¯ He thought all the lords were gathered as of the number of people present, but the other two individuals did not look like what he saw in the files provided to him. There was no Rie Kuhn or Ben Liobenez to be seen. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel paused lightly in his steps with a cough. He wasn¡¯t feeling very well today either. ¡°Hello.¡± Ruel moved his feet in surprise at the sudden voice of a woman coming up close. At that moment, he reeled from sudden dizziness. Aris caught both the cane and Ruel that almost fell to the floor. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel nodded to Aris¡¯ question. ¡ªThis body is not surprised and was ready. Hehe. After glancing at Leo, who was shaking his tail, Ruel stood back in place. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re very surprised. Are you okay?¡± The lady was at a loss with an apologetic look. Seeing Ruel¡¯s eyes of inquiry, she said while fiddling with her fingers. ¡°Greetings, my name is Rie Kuhn, head of the Kuhn family.¡± ¡®It¡¯s Rie Kuhn.¡¯ Her cheerful personality was shown on her face. Ruel immediately smiled and held out his hand. ¡°My name is Ruel Setiria, the head of Setiria. It¡¯s because I¡¯m in delicate health, so you don¡¯t have to be too apologetic.¡± ¡°But you almost got hurt because of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a little awkward with this being my very first official banquet. How could I complain after meeting such a beautiful individual willing to grace me with her presence.¡± ¡°You flatter me.¡± Rie was happy and acting as if she had met a fellow comrade, lowered her voice. ¡°In fact, this is the fourth or fifth one for me as well. Anyway, it¡¯s been a while since I have attended one, so it¡¯s a bit awkward. But, I¡¯m a senior at attending banquets, so if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t know, feel free to ask.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she smiled broadly. Sniff. Sniff. Leo wandered around Rie, sniffing her and recalled something familiar. ¡ªIt smells like Ganien! But Ganien¡¯ scent is stronger. Leo said Ganien smelled of iron and sweat. Rie seemed to be as much a training fanatic as Ganien. She immediately looked at Aris and held out her hand. There was a slight flash of fighting spirit in her. ¡®Does everyone act like this when they hold a sword?¡¯ ¡°Hello. This is Rie Kuhn. I thought this lord had learned the sword, but the aura I felt must have flowed from you.¡± ¡°This one is Aris, a Knight of Setiria. It is an honor to meet my lord.¡± ¡°Before I am head of a household, I am a knight. You understand my meaning, correct?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°If someday the opportunity does arise would you accept it?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be honored.¡± Rie smiled brightly at Aris¡¯ response and covered her mouth daintly with the fan. ¡°Oh, I must apologize, I have kept the main character of this banquet long enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really personally interested in Setiria¡¯s heirloom, so I hope you¡¯ll invite me to Setiria later on.¡± ¡®... Are you interested in Turbulent Days?¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. It was very good news. ¡°Of course.¡± When permission was readily granted, Rie clasped her hands tightly and finally suppressed her joy. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll come back later.¡± Ruel turned his head following Rie¡¯s back after she smiled and walked away. ¡®Is it just a favor? Or is there a purpose?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t tell the two apart now. Ruel inhaled Breath and moved to find Ben Liobenez. Diagos Shio seemed to want to approach him, but he was quickly distracted when he saw someone. ¡ªSomeone came behind you. At Leo¡¯s words, Ruel looked back. There was an older man with white hair that was quite tall. ¡°Well, you still hate me.¡± The man uttered the words as if meant to be heard by Diagos. And soon he smiled and reached out his hand to Ruel, revealing a missing tooth. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ben Liobenez, and I approached first thinking that I might be the one you¡¯re looking for. If it was the wrong assumption due to my excitement, I greatly apologize.¡± ¡°No, it is just as you expected. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Ruel took his hand and smiled innocently. Since he was the only one among the family heads who hadn¡¯t reached adulthood, innocence could be a weapon. As soon as Ruel stepped down from the king, he walked to a resting place on the outskirts. He wasn¡¯t in good enough physical condition to meet someone. If he didn¡¯t rest immediately, he would collapse. Aris helped Ruel on the sofa. ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°More than I thought.¡± Aris wiped Ruel¡¯s cold sweat. It felt like all his stamina was being sucked out just by wearing formal clothes that didn¡¯t comfortably fit, with all the eyes watching closely, and trying not to reveal his wound. Even if the spirits made the wound recover faster, it is still a long way off. ¡°Would you like some medicine?¡± When Aris asked carefully, Ruel hesitated and nodded. He had already taken one before entering the hall, but given the current state, it was unlikely that one painkiller would be enough. Ruel took the medicine that Aris handed over and saw Leo approaching the food in the hall. It wasn¡¯t his fault even if he was caught. Ruel took a short deep breath and closed his eyes. It was a pity that he couldn¡¯t lie down. ¡°Are you okay?¡± At the voice of Banios, Ruel opened his closed eyes. Aris bowed his head and stepped back for a moment. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell His Majesty, so why don¡¯t you rest for the remaining evening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can¡¯t ruin my first banquet because of illness.¡± Ruel finished his sentence and coughed as he bit Breath. Aris, who had withdrawn, hurried over and covered his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel vomited black blood. No matter how much he covered Ruel¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief, he couldn¡¯t stop the sound. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring some water.¡± Banios said with a stiff face. Despite him offering, he couldn¡¯t ask a prince to run an errand. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Aris left, handing his handkerchief to Ruel. ¡°That...¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. As I said before, it¡¯s just a symptom of the disease. Now step aside. It¡¯s not good to stay long.¡± Since Ganien visited Banios, he temporarily acted as a diplomat and took care of Ruel, who became the representative of the delegation, but it was not a good choice to come any nearer. Banios¡¯ declaration of support had to be made during the coming-of-age ceremony to be effective. Banios hesitantly opened his mouth ¡°I¡¯ll only be here until Sir Aris comes back, and not everyone knows you¡¯re sick, so this will be okay.¡± ¡°Please allow me to close my eyes for a moment until Aris comes.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Who would say anything when the prince allowed it. Ruel snorted and closed his eyes. His body was already exhausted, but the fact that the banquet had just begun felt scarier than he thought. A few minutes later, Ruel heard footsteps. It wasn¡¯t the sound of Aris, but someone with a hint of arrogance heard in their steps. Banios opened his mouth in astonishment at the sound of his footsteps. ¡°Brother.¡± Ruel struggled to open his eyes and saw a spirit running around on his lap. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯d have investigated everything before you came.¡¯ Ruel took a breath and looked up. It was the First Prince. Ruel stopped attempting to stand and only managed to hold on to his cane due to the dizzy spell that hit him. ¡°Your Highness, Ruel Setiria...¡± ¡°I know your name already, so it¡¯s okay not to get up, so sit comfortably.¡± Huan looked at Ruel with an apologetic face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to come here during the break, but I came here because I was curious about you, who was called the name Noble of Darkness. But, I didn¡¯t know there would be a guest already present.¡± He glanced sideways at Banios. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been in charge. This was also coincidental, so we were only talking lightly.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well, is it okay to leave it as it is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright if I take a break.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°The youngest must be more comfortable to be with than me who you¡¯ve met for the first time. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Lord Setiria. I want to speak with you again once you are in better health. Would that be okay? ¡°I would be honored.¡± Huan looked at Ruel worriedly and then turned around. Ruel slid down on his seat. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It was a good opportunity to meet the First Prince alone. He blew the chance because of his failing body. ¡°Are you okay, Ruel-nim?¡± Aris had returned and Ruel drank the water he handed over, clearing his mind a little. Ruel closed his eyes and forced the power of recovery to work quickly. There was one more opportunity for the princes and the family heads to gather together like this three days before the New Year, but they could not drag the wait any longer until then. Before that, he had to find out who had joined the Red Ash, so he was planning on making full use of the meeting today. ¡®Let¡¯s hang in there.¡¯ Wiing. There was a sound from the power of recovery a couple of times before it stopped. Ruel opened his eyes and covered his mouth with a handkerchief. Chapter 91: Banquet (2) Chapter 91: Banquet (2) ¡°Ptui.¡± He wiped the blood flowing from his mouth. This place was different from the outside. It was a place where he had to deal with it alone. ¡®I have to endure.¡¯ The splendid music sounded like the music of a bloody war movie, his aching body was a burden he had to carry alone, and he was holding the enticing treasure called Setiria in his hand. In order for Ruel to obtained what he wanted he had to break through the traps of those venomous snakes and Red Ash. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Ruel looked at Banios. ¡°Please tell me all the information you know about those people.¡± Except, that didn¡¯t neccesarily mean that he was lacking a weapon to help overcome the situation. Information was a weapon. Isn¡¯t there a living informant, Banios, right next to him? How much information he heard as a prince and how many nobles he must have met. He must have the key information he was looking for. ¡°You really have no end.¡± When the person who had been groaning in pain until now had the audacity to say that he would move forward without stopping, Banios could not comprehend how much willpower he had. ¡°How can you have the mind to look back when you¡¯re so busy looking forward?¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°The situation has changed since the First Prince visited. You can stay a little longer.¡± ¡°Do you mean to do a short play?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± If it were just Banios and Ruel, one could think that their friendship is deeper than expected. However, since Huan came and went, if Ruel simply explained what happened inside, they could easily move past suspicions. ¡°Since you are the only one with whom I have a friendship here, it¡¯s an opportunity for you to accumulate virtues while taking care of me, and for me to listen to information.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Banios hesitated and finally answered. ¡°I will stand in front.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In response to Ruel¡¯s reply, Aris stood before them, apart from them. It was to let Ruel know if anyone else approached. Ruel noticed what he was thinking with the occasional worried look while Banios was giving information. ¡®I guess my illness is bothering him.¡¯ Being sick is a weakness, but Ruel intended to make it a weapon. How painful would it be to the extent that it is rumored to be terminally ill. ¡®You¡¯d think it wouldn¡¯t be long in life.¡¯ In other words, not living for a long time means that hard won results would be lost quickly. You have to pick the persimmons before they burst on the ground to pick the most perfect fruit. He made it the goal of this banquet as it was obvious that he would rush to reserve an appointment without having to leave his own territory. The question was whether his body could withstand the process or not. After memorizing the information Banios gave in his mind, Ruel stood up with his cane. He inhaled the Breath. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good for me to leave first, so please go ahead. I will follow you soon.¡± ¡°You need help...¡± ¡°The situation of Your Highness is not good either.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Banios was not displeased, but rather gave a playful smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I would gift you a present?¡± Standing up, he continued, taking a step forward. ¡°It¡¯s worth looking forward to.¡± ¡®Was the present to be gifted at the banquet?¡¯ Ruel thought quietly. ¡°...!¡± Ruel quickly predicted what Banios planned to do. A very powerful move that would make him the star, the main attraction, of this banquet in an instant. Smirk. The corners of his mouth rose automatically. ¡®I should be grateful that you¡¯re a shield.¡¯ Ruel waited for Banios to leave before departing the room. Aris looked at him worriedly. ¡°You look pale. Why don¡¯t you rest a little longer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± First, Ruel had to meet the princes again. Rather than the definite Second Prince, it was a priority to find out the intentions of the ambiguous First Prince. ¡°Ha ha, Lord Setiria.¡± Then, Diagos Shio approached with a smile with Serti following not far behind. ¡®...I see what you¡¯re up to.¡¯ Most certainly, the rightful way to take control of Setiria was by means of marriage. It seemed that Shio, the weakest of the six families, was in a hurry to make this connection. ¡°I was frowning earlier due to a problem going on within my territory, so I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Diagos bowed slightly. ¡°No, I should have greeted you first, so before it¡¯s too late, I¡¯m Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°This is Diagos Shio. This is my daughter... Oh, come to think of it, you know each other...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but it¡¯s my first time seeing her today. As you know, I don¡¯t often leave the territory because I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± Ruel cut it off resolutely. How can you like Serti, who swallowed Setiria and created huge debts. What shamelessness allowed herself to be brought before Ruel by her father without stopping him. After a moment¡¯s eye contact with Serti, she hurriedly pulled Diagos¡¯ sleeve. ¡°...Father.¡± ¡°Haha, I guess I was too hasty. My daughter seemed interested in Lord Setiria, so I mistakenly thought she was an acquaintance. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, she must have been staring at the awful pallor of my face from my sickness. That¡¯s perfectly alright.¡± Ruel nailed them once again, implying she was just staring out of misguided curiosity. ¡°No, who said anything about staring at Lord Setiria in such a manner? Since you have such an outstanding appearance, isn¡¯t it natural to look at a handsome young man at least once?¡± He didn¡¯t put butter on his tongue, but he thought it was rolling rather smoothly. ¡®It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve seen me and I have an outstanding appearance.¡¯ Prios and Lumina had to be put off because they could make an appointment later. ¡®Lumina...¡¯ It wasn¡¯t time to touch it yet. Ruel inhaled Breath and looked for the First Prince. ¡°The one you are looking for is over there.¡± Aris lowered his voice and pointed with his hand. He followed the tip of his finger and saw Huan. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth and praised Aris. Aris also felt relieved when he found out that looking for Huan was the first thing they were doing in this situation. ¡®But I¡¯m still fully considering it.¡¯ When one¡¯s physical strength is low, one¡¯s mental strength is weak. Then the judgment was bound to be blurred. As Ruel approached Huan, Huan, who was talking to other ministers, felt it became a little noisy and turned his head. ¡°Ah, Lord Setiria.¡± Huan welcomed Ruel with pleasure. Ruel was slightly annoyed by the welcome. It was as if Ruel had taken the bait. ¡®What is it?¡¯ ¡°Is it okay not to be resting?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to your concern, I am better.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down for a while?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a nice offer, but I can¡¯t bother Your Highness.¡± ¡°There is something else I want to tell you, so maybe our conversation will be longer. Shouldn¡¯t I hear how you earned the title of Noble of Darkness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Highness, I hear it¡¯s a title given after saving a village of Cyronian. Isn¡¯t Lord Setiria a perfect example of the aristocracy?¡± The ministers next to him chattered after him. Ruel just shuddered in humility, enduring the annoyance at the title, Noble of Darkness, that was mentioned one after another. ¡°No. The Royal Knights worked harder than me. I was given that title simply because I was the representative of the delegation.¡± Huan smiled pleasantly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too modest? It¡¯s a place where you can campaign to some extent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Aren¡¯t you a patriarch?¡± He felt pity for the appearance of ministers who were not parrots but still busy repeating Huan¡¯s words and praising them. Ruel looked the other way, turning his head for a moment because of his cough. At a distance there was a place where people were particularly crowded. ¡®The Second Prince must be there.¡¯ Typically, people will stick to the side where there was most to gain. ¡°Are you alright? Why don¡¯t you drink some water?¡± Huan summoned the servant who was passing by and handed him the water on the tray. ¡°Thank you.¡± As soon as he received the water with his head down, Cassion¡¯s shadow shook for a very short time. Cassion sent Ruel a warning. ¡®...Don¡¯t tell me, it¡¯s poison?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe the water was poisoned in such a situation. If he drank it without knowing it, it was very likely that the First Prince would be involved in the incident. Whether it was handed over intentionally or without knowing it, that servant will surely die. Is it better to drink and make a fuss or not? Ruel closed his eyes tightly and leaned over. Ch-INK. Aris rushed to support Ruel in response to the sound of the shattering glass. Buzz. Buzz. The sound of the banquet quieted and music halted. The surrounding individuals were attracted to the commotion The Royal Knights approached. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m just dizzy.¡± All he did was break the cup and splash the water. The disturbance soon calmed down. Ruel stood up and saw Huan. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Unlike his worried voice, there was no emotion to be seen in his eyes. As if he knew this would happen. Ruel grinned. It smelled. But he wasn¡¯t sure. It was necessary to be caught in an enemy trap to know for sure. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I think I¡¯d better sit down for a while, as you said.¡± Only then did Huan¡¯s eyes smile. ¡°Would you please step aside for a moment?¡± Huan asked softly to his ministers. They were far away from Huan and looked around to see if it would be an obstacle. Huan, who was staring at the crowded place for a moment, seemed relieved. ¡®Why are you checking the location of the Second Prince?¡¯ Ruel was confused by Huan¡¯s behavior and followed Huan who took the lead. ¡°Follow me, Leo.¡± Leo stopped licking his front paws and poked his ears up. Ruel was calling for him. Leo stared at the strawberry-filled cake, then jumped up and spun around at Ruel¡¯s feet. ¡ªNo one knew this body was so good! Ruel, Ruel. Listen to what this body has eaten. The first thing this body ate was very black like dirt! This body was the first to choose because it was a Great purifier! Leo smiled broadly and talked excitedly about what he had eaten. Ruel breathed comfortably, using the chatter as background noise. The sound of music that was ringing in the hall gradually faded away. The place Huan guided him seemed to be the furthest place from the hall, a resting place reserved only for the royal family. Ruel glanced at Aris. It was not the place for Aris to enter. A little uneasy, but trusting Cassion, Aris bowed his head and stopped walking. ¡°How is it? Isn¡¯t it quiet?¡± Huan closed the curtains as Ruel entered the room. He could see the gloomy sky through the glass pane. Author''s Thoughts Iron plate nailed on one''s face : It''s a state when a person is doing an unpleasant or embarrassing activity, but act like nothing special is done. (Thick skin) Chapter 92: Banquet (3) Chapter 92: Banquet (3) ¡ªWow, this body likes to be able to see the sky so close. It reminds this body of the Ice Castle. It was very pretty. Leo jumped right in front of the glass, clinging to the window. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a place like this existed.¡± ¡°Only the Royal Family can enter, so it¡¯s natural that you wouldn¡¯t know. Ah, if you¡¯re with me, there¡¯s no need to feel uncomfortable.¡± Huan gestured to the sofa. ¡°Please sit down.¡± Huan asked kindly as Ruel sat down. ¡°Is there anything you want to drink?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Then let me know if you do.¡± When Huan jingled the bell, the servant ran quickly. He asked the servant for various foods and drinks, and sat down. ¡°The reason why I asked to see you is simply because I was curious about you.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also something else I want to tell you.¡± Huan crossed his legs and leaned deep into the sofa and looked down at Ruel. ¡®It¡¯s a perfect example of a cheeky attitude.¡¯ Ruel laughed inwardly. ¡°Before that, I want to solve my curiosity first, is that okay?¡± ¡°Speak at ease.¡± ¡°How did you obtain the title Noble of Darkness?¡± ¡°My answer is no different than it was a while ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different from what I heard.¡± His mouth was already set. He didn¡¯t know what the Royal Knights told Huan, but in the end, the final confirmation was made by Ganien, who gave the title, and Huswen, who confirmed the title, so it was no different. Therefore, Ruel smiled leisurely. ¡°I wonder what Your Highness heard.¡± ¡°I heard that you personally killed the strange monster that attacked the village.¡± Ruel smiled briefly. He slowly opened his mouth, pretending to control his emotions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was such an absurd rumor that I laughed. I wonder what you think of me?¡± Huan just looked at himself with his mouth drawn into a thin line. ¡°Do you really think I can defeat that monster?¡± Huan¡¯s feet shifted slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard that rumor, but someone dared to spread false rumors and disturb Your Highness¡¯ mind. He should pay for this sin immediately with a cut tongue.¡± Ruel erased his smile from his words and looked straight at Huan. There was a moment of silence. Huan shook a foot and touched the back of his hand. ¡°I thought so.¡± It was a slightly childish tone of laughter in Huan¡¯s words, but there was no reason to waver. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it have to be true as the words of the lord himself who has received that title? I will make sure to have their tongues cut according to your opinion.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°However.¡± A word questioning his intentions presented itself. ¡°What should I do with you if you were to be lying to me now?¡± It was half questioning, half threatening. But what does it matter? ¡°My neck is no different from theirs.¡± Huan¡¯s expression subsided slightly. ¡°I am Setiria.¡± Ruel just raised the corners of his mouth. Setiria. It didn¡¯t make sense that the prince wouldn¡¯t know the importance of the location that even the king couldn¡¯t touch lightly. No matter how much he lied or what he did, it was different because it was Setiria at his back. Ruel could speak with confidence because he was Setiria. ¡°I don¡¯t know if your curiosity has been resolved now?¡± Ruel swallowed his laughter inside at the sight of Huan, who had slightly lost his composure. ¡°I am very glad that it has been resolved sufficiently.¡± Ruel was happy because the prince understood his warning well. It was not easy for even a prince to touch Setiria. Ruel looked at Leo, inhaling Breath. Leo was still hanging from the window and looking at the sky. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a medical tool.¡± There was no reason to elaborate. When Huan was about to speak, the servant came inside with various foods and drinks. Leo hurriedly ran to the empty table filled with food. ¡ªWhat a soft, sweet thing full of strawberries! This body came because Ruel called this body not to eat food! Because Ruel is more important to this body! He was glad to hear that, but it was funny being compared to strawberry cake. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like, so I ordered them to bring everything, so why don¡¯t we eat and talk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very happy with your suggestion, but I can¡¯t eat recklessly because of my health. My sincere apologies.¡± ¡°...Oh, I didn¡¯t know that, I was being nosy for no reason.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m very grateful for your generosity.¡± ¡°How about drinking, is it like that too?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a lot to watch out for except water.¡± Ruel deliberately mentioned water. Even if drinks and alcohol were poisoned, it was relatively difficult to distinguish them because of the smell and color. Seeing Huan so flustered when Adoris came in, it seemed Huan was trying to use himself to attack Adoris. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Mistakes can come out when alcohol goes in. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that can be forgiven with a light apology.¡± Huan¡¯s face hardened in an instant. He was still a prince. An aristocrat demands an apology from the prince. ¡®If you really want to use me, you will apologize.¡¯ Adoris apologized to him, so it was okay for Ruel to lift his neck high now. Huan alternately looked at Adoris and Ruel, clenching his fists. There was no change in their expressions. Huan soon released his fist and looked at Ruel. However, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, he could see the rage burning in his eyes. ¡°I made a mistake that I shouldn¡¯t have because of my drunkenness, and I sincerely apologize for insulting Setiria.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for defending the honor of Setiria.¡± Ruel responded with a winning smile. This convinced Ruel that Huan wanted to use him to win the tug-of-war with Adoris. ¡®Looks like Red Ash promised the position of king, how stupid.¡¯ Huan rose from his seat first, looking at Ruel with an apologetic expression. ¡°It¡¯s because of my mistake that this happened, so let¡¯s forget and move on, Lord Setiria. Next time...¡± Huan hesitated as he spoke. It seemed that he was about to push ahead with it rather than reverse it anyway. ¡°Will you give me a chance to restore your honor next time?¡± The prince came bowing like that, but as a noble himself, he couldn¡¯t help but accept it. ¡°I have already forgotten the mistake of my Lord. It is a great honor to be given the opportunity to be with Your Highness.¡± Ruel bowed slightly and accepted Huan¡¯s offer. ¡°I want you to set the day when it will be convenient.¡± Huan left it to Ruel to choose the date and smiled slightly at Adoris. ¡°Thank you.¡± He was unaware of the meaning behind the prince¡¯s words, but Huan took the chance and left. ¡°Your Highness, I beg for your forgiveness that I couldn¡¯t greet you properly.¡± Ruel belatedly greeted Adoris. ¡°No, why don¡¯t you sit down? You don¡¯t look very well with a cold sweat.¡± Adoris offered Ruel a seat and naturally attached his butt to the seat where Huan sat. ¡®You came to me on purpose.¡¯ It was true that he wondered why he had come to visit him after being postponed by so many people. Ruel sat down and patted Leo indistinctly. ¡°Did Your Highness come to see me?¡± The Red Ash has arrived. A huge beast came to visit. A well-crafted innocent smile was painted on Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you in advance that I would see you at the banquet? I didn¡¯t know we¡¯d meet in this situation. Anyway, it¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± ¡°It seems that you were very pleased. You¡¯ve come to me after greeting all those people from before.¡± Adoris smiled slightly. ¡°There was a lot of people, but I believe Lord Setiria is mistaken. I left from the hall for a while and when I came back, I saw Lord Kuhn surrounded by the crowd.¡± Adoris put away the alcohol, chose a drink, and poured it into the glass. Gurgle. ¡°What did they say? Ah, it was reported that Lord Kuhn was getting married, and it turned out to be fake. Rather than being disappointed, it was funny to see so many people happy.¡± Adoris laughed at the thought of the situation. Ruel also laughed along. ¡°Kuhn, Prios, Lumina. Three families are on my brother¡¯ side.¡± According to Banios, Kuhn was one of the forces supporting Adoris. In other words, the rumor meant that whether it was leaked by the Kuhn family under Adoris¡¯ orders or leaked from Adoris¡¯ side, it was intentionally leaked information. Adoris set a trap because he knew Huan would approach him from the beginning. Apparently, Huan was caught, and eventually, Adoris took a gamble and even lost a place to talk to him alone. ¡®...It¡¯s a bit creepy.¡¯ Setting traps was not a skill where you could depend on luck, he must have some experience. ¡°You must have aimed to build friendships with the heads of the five families through this banquet. We will speak further, until our next meeting.¡± That was enough to be expected, and it was even more obvious if he had watched himself, so Ruel inhaled Breath and waited for the next word. Adoris, who put down his glass, spoke with caution like a dealer handing over a card. ¡°Now, since I¡¯m having a private meeting with you, I¡¯m concerned about what to discuss first.¡± ¡°Please feel free to ask me anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time to speak with you like this, and I have a lot to discuss.¡± There was no point of contact between Adoris and himself. It was also awkward for him to meet him separately and spread rumors that Setiria supported the Second Prince, so it was best to solve it here. ¡°Please set the stage and reveal your role in this performance, so that I can talk comfortably.¡± Adoris let out a laugh at the remark, ¡®If you reveal your identity, I will also talk comfortably.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s very bold.¡± ¡°Do not be offended, for there is no evil intent.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll lay the ground for you because I don¡¯t have time. You know I¡¯m a part of the Red Ash.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips went up automatically surprised that he would outright reveal himself. ¡°Very well. It¡¯s a very comfortable approach to the topic. Did they offer you the throne if you killed me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very bold. The throne doesn¡¯t have just anyone¡¯s dog¡¯s name on it.¡± Adoris¡¯ laughter followed. ¡°Can you say that you revealed your identity because you were confident enough to kill me?¡± ¡°If we know each other¡¯s identity anyway, why would we hide it? I revealed it because I only get tired hiding it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s convenient for me, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°So what do you want to say? Didn¡¯t you come here because you wanted something from me?¡± Chapter 93: Banquet (4) Chapter 93: Banquet (4) Adoris wiped a smile from his face and revealed his true feelings. His face, which showed sincerity, looked very uneasy. ¡°Convince my brother, Banios, to stay out of this.¡± ¡°...?¡± What does that mean? Words did not come out of Ruel¡¯s throat at the absurd request. ¡°What you want to know is the one who planted the mark on you, the truth of what happened five years ago. I know, so... ¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± At that moment, Ruel realized that Adoris was serious. ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ Adoris, who had joined hands with Carbena, who had turned Setiria into a mess, was now brazenly demanding a favor of himself. ¡°Are you saying this in your right mind?¡± The words couldn¡¯t come out politely. They gave him poison disguised as medicine, only to leave. He was one of the culprits who tried to take his life, but that person was proudly asking for a deal, citing things from the past. ¡®How can a piece of shit like you underestimate me like this?¡¯ ¡°I am well aware that my request is not easy, and I promise to protect you from the Red Ash if you do me a favor.¡± ¡°You?¡± Ruel snorted. He saw the Red Ash swaying the Cyronian nobles. He was also aware of the attack on the King of Cyronian. Not only had he faced a black-blooded man but also met the Great Man in person. Can a prince with nothing but power protect himself from such lunatics? ¡°You?¡± His stomach was so hot. He could feel blood surging to his eyes. He seemed to be laughing at all the struggles he¡¯d made so far. ¡°Can you protect me?¡± Quaang! Ruel hit the table hard. Bang! Along with it, a plate shattered into broken pieces, embedding glass shards into Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡ªUgh. Ruel, what¡¯s wrong with you? Doesn¡¯t it hurt? Leo¡¯s words did not reach his ears. Ruel had an urge to tear Adoris apart at any moment. ¡°How are you going to protect me from the Red Ash? I don¡¯t think you can protect your younger brother properly, so why are you asking me? Are you saying that you can protect me?¡± ¡°The situation between you and my brother is different, and unlike you, my brother has too many enemies to protect against.¡± Enemy? ¡°Aren¡¯t you my enemy right now? It¡¯s not the Third Prince that has many enemies, it¡¯s me. It is me, not the Third Prince, the enemy is after!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you attract them in the first place! I¡¯m telling you to take responsibility for it!¡± ¡°It is you who brought in the Third Prince!¡± ¡°...What?¡± Adoris was so surprised that he forgot to even get angry at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°I told you that it was Your Highness that attracted the Third Prince... cough!¡± A cough followed with the taste of blood lingering in his throat. It was because he shouted so forcefully. Ruel tried to calm himself down by inhaling Breath. It¡¯s only one more day being chased by the enemy. That discomfort and restlessness should have subsided, but seeing him still getting worked up, it seemed that he hadn¡¯t fully calmed down yet. ¡°It¡¯s not a deal in the first place to offer what you can¡¯t do. It¡¯s called intimidation in other words.¡± One corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°But since you revealed your weakness first, shouldn¡¯t I be the one to threaten you instead, Your Highness?¡± Adoris sighed deeply. ¡°Are you going to refuse my hand? I¡¯ll admit you have a lot of enemies, that was my mistake. But don¡¯t you need protection even if you¡¯re disgusted?¡± ¡°Let me ask you one question. Have you ever attacked me?¡± Adoris frowned. ¡°I thought you would be different from the broken toys scattered over there, but you don¡¯t unconditionally hold hands with the enemy. That¡¯s a very outdated idea.¡± Adoris stood up right from his seat and glanced at Ruel. There was a lot of disappointment. The look was revolting. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it out.¡± Ruel caught Adoris trying to go out in a calm voice. ¡°I don¡¯t trust it if I don¡¯t hold the leash. Give me the leash of Your Highness, and I¡¯ll consider it.¡± ¡°Consideration? I have ignored your rudeness to this point, and I bowed my head, and above all, you have already grasped my weakness.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt the deep brotherhood, but since you don¡¯t know why the Third Prince got involved to begin with, it feels like a very weak leash. Give me a real leash.¡± The once noisy hall became silent for a moment. And Ruel couldn¡¯t help laughing at the quiet voice. As a matter of fact, Ruel felt more like shit. ¡°Yes.¡± But Ruel answered calmly as usual. *** As soon as Adoris returned, people¡¯s eyes were drawn at once. ¡®...Banios.¡¯ Every step he took, people gave way as if the waves were spreading sideways. ¡®That¡¯s not enough.¡¯ Adoris hid his trembling hand uneasily. At the end of the road where people parted, he saw Banios. He had the same playful face as usual. Adoris took a deep breath. ¡®Setiria, you bastard.¡¯ It was clearly a trap to play with his mind. ¡°Banios.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I was on my way back from meeting Lord Setiria for a while. Why is it so noisy?¡± ¡°Then you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Adoris looked at Rie for a moment and asked, looking again at Banios. ¡°You mean Lord Kuhn? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll...¡± ¡°No, brother.¡± His heart dropped with a thud. ¡°Otherwise, what news has come?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you always ask me? What do you want to be?¡± Adoris seemed suffocated by the pouring gaze like a pointed spear. ¡°I want to be a king, too.¡± Banios looked at Adoris with a confident glance. ¡°...!¡± Adoris couldn¡¯t speak easily at the shocking sound. ¡°I deserve it.¡± ¡°...Banios, that position is...¡± There were too many eyes. Adoris swallowed what he was about to pour out. Ttak. He heard the sound of a cane in the back. It was an unpleasant sound, like tearing his own heart. ¡°Congratulations, Your Highness Banios.¡± Ruel smiled at Adoris and immediately bowed his head to Banios. ¡°I¡¯m so happy because it¡¯s my first time receiving such a greeting.¡± Banios smiled broadly. Ruel laughed happily, too. It was a very definite gift. This banquet was for Ruel, but since Banios had declared that he would challenge the throne, it turned into a banquet for him. As the object of attention changes, Setiria will quietly disappear from the gaze of others. Later, ministers and nobles congratulated Banios. ¡°...You.¡± Adoris bit his lips hard and vented his anger. ¡°Your Highness, we are in public.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. His figure was arrogant. ¡°Don¡¯t you need me yet?¡± Adoris¡¯s lips trembled at Ruel¡¯s quiet voice. The look filled with anger disappeared the instant Adoris blinked his eyes. Just like when he first saw Adoris, he showed a slightly arrogant yet confident look. Ruel hated to admit it, but it was a perfect poker face. ¡°Since what we talked about a while ago is not over, why don¡¯t we continue to share more next time?¡± Ruel laughed when Adoris said that he would leave his proposal. Indeed, Adoris meant to protect Banios. ¡°The Royal Family¡¯s waiting room will be inconvenient, so let¡¯s find a place that is more comfortable for you.¡± There were many eyes now because of Banios¡¯s presence. Nevertheless, there was only one reason why Adoris had to bring up the word royal. It was a warning to be careful of the individuals associated with Red Ash present in the royal family. Since he received several concessions, he decided to give one. ¡°It¡¯s my honor, Your Highness.¡± Just like Adoris had the opportunity to kill himself in the presence of the Red Ash, Ruel really wants to be close to Adoris. Ruel only looked at Adoris with a broad smile. Chapter 94: To Setiria Chapter 94: To Setiria ¡°Open it.¡± As soon as Ruel lay on the bed, he handed Cassion the pouch he had received from the king. The banquet was finally over. After Banios announced his challenge for the throne, all attention was drawn to him. Ruel had accomplished his goal, so he retreated into a corner and people watched until the banquet ended. Afterwards, the king proposed that Ruel, who was due for a long trip back to Setiria, stay at the royal residence for a day, citing the long distance. He was worried that Huan and Adoris would visit him, but luckily neither of them did. ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion, who opened the pouch and looked inside, smiled lightly. ¡°There are so many of those gold coins that you are fond of.¡± ¡ªThis body, this body wants to see. As Leo tried to put his head in the pouch, Cassion stared down Leo. ¡°Beast, if you don¡¯t behave...¡± Cassion suddenly stopped talking and dug his hand deeper into the pouch. When he pulled his hand out, he held a piece of paper. Leo studied the paper and tilted his head. ¡ªIsn¡¯t this the white thing that Ruel watches every day? That¡¯s not the money Ruel likes. Cassion doesn¡¯t know money? Cassion held out the paper without even responding. ¡°There is a note.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± Paper in the pouch. ¡®Did the king intentionally place it in?¡¯ Where is the brave soul who would dare to touch the object handed over personally by the king? Ruel continued reading the paper. [I entrusted my old friend Ben Liobenez with the letter I received from your father, Trino Setiria. Tell him you brought out my ¡®buried conscience,¡¯ he will understand. I¡¯m sorry.] ¡®...A letter?¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes shook slightly. ¡®The former patriarch was taking Ruel to meet the king. In the meantime, he was attacked by Red Ash?¡¯ Ruel handed the paper over to Cassion with a hardened face. ¡°No wonder he gave me a lot.¡± As he expected, he added more money to go along with his apology. Cassion read the paper and placed it in his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s a note speaking of regret. It seems that the king could have prevented it, but didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Royal Family, it¡¯s more like a hideout of the Red Ash.¡± Ruel patted Leo, who was clinging to him, on the head. The First and Second Prince are hostile, while the Second Prince is trying to protect the Third Prince, and the Third Prince is trying to protect the country from both of them. ¡®And the king... is sitting on the sidelines.¡¯ What a mess.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Cough!¡± Ruel frowned at the rising cough. Leo glistened his eyes and licked his lips. ¡ªThis body will eat it.¡± ¡°Has it grown a lot?¡± ¡ªIt has grown as much as the two front legs of this body. As expected, it increased. Ruel inhaled Breath and glanced at Cassion. He nodded his head. ¡°Eat a little, beast.¡± The pain that occured when the black thing was eaten did not subside with painkillers, so naturally, his stomach tensed. The wound had worsened and could easily burst again. ¡ªTrust this body. When Leo lightly smacked Ruel¡¯s arm with his paw, the black things flowed out. Kuroo kuru! The spirits gathered on Ruel¡¯ stomach were frightened and ran away in an instant. Ruel immediately bit his lips and clenched his fist tightly. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Ruel groaned at the pain that remained for a long time. He tried not to strain his stomach, but his whole body curled up in a cold sweat. ¡°Argh!¡± He very quickly began vomiting black blood. Chomp. Chomp. Leo smiled as his eyes shook at the sweet and sour taste in his mouth, contrasting to Ruel, who was riddled in pain. ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious. As expected, this is the best. ¡°Don¡¯t use any more force.¡± When he smelled blood, Cassion warned. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ If Ruel was able to, he wouldn¡¯t have tensed his stomach in the first place. ¡°Cough!¡± Black blood spurted out again and ran down the handkerchief. Chomp. Chomp. The pain that spread to his fingertips slowly subsided. Ruel finally inhaled the breath and calmed his breathing. Chomp. Chomp. Ruel looked at Leo¡¯s wildly shaking tail and tried to inject mana into the ring. ¡°Ruel-nim, there is something I have to tell you.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the poison?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a poison that causes mild dizziness. The servant who served it died suddenly today.¡± It was obviously Huan who poisoned the water. He must have done it to draw Ruel to that private resting place. ¡°I¡¯ve definitely cut off the tail, so there¡¯s no need to do anything now. Bury it.¡± Ruel smirked and injected mana into the ring. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Cassion didn¡¯t mention the Turbulent Day by name because Leo was loose-lipped. Ruel confirmed one thing before Cassion went out. ¡°How was the reaction after the party?¡± After the banquet, all the nobles and ministers had no choice but to pass through the gate naturally. It was a perfect place to position the shadows to learn what they were saying. ¡°There are more declarations about Prince Banios than Ruel-nim. Perhaps news related to Ruel-nim will be buried as time goes on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It would not be possible to turn all of the attention to Banios, but thanks to that, Ruel was satisfied with the decreasing attention that was focused on Setiria. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Call Drianna and Horen while you¡¯re on your way.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and rested his eyes for a moment until they came. ¡®Which of the household heads should I touch first?¡¯ He felt Leo¡¯s soft fur between his fingers. ¡®When I go back to Setiria, I have to see the progress of the research into the black water, I have to check the status of the territory by going around Sisel Village, I have to check the financial situation, the warp device and the defense device that surrounds the entire village... Damn it.¡¯ There was no end to what Ruel had to do. There was no time to rest. ¡®Cassion will sigh, and Billo will nag again. No, Fran. Will she ever let me go?¡¯ The phrase ¡®absolute stability,¡¯ which was always on the tip of her tongue, came to mind. ¡ªWhy? Are you sick? When Ruel frowned, Leo rubbed his head and asked. ¡°No, I have a lot of work to do, so I¡¯m a little annoyed.¡± ¡ªThis body will take over. Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head. The heart alone was admirable. Knock. Knock. Ruel heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°I see the Lord.¡± Drianna and Horen saluted Ruel. ¡°Sit down first.¡± They quickly brought their chairs over and sat down. They looked excited. ¡°I called because I have a favor to ask. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a bad time.¡± ¡°Say anything, and I will come wherever you call!¡± Drianna said emphatically. ¡°Are you my people?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The two shouted at the same time. It was no different from the trust-filled eyes shown by the residents of Ice Castle. Ruel was satisfied. ¡°Tomorrow, I will return to Setiria. Didn¡¯t you guys come to escort me like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I moved voluntarily to protect Ruel-nim.¡± Horen answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m glad about your feelings.¡± Ruel laughed. The two looked at Ruel curiously surprised at the rare sight of Ruel¡¯s mannerism more appropriate for his age. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you know what to protect me from?¡± Already Tyson and Cheynol knew about the Red Ash. Now it was time to tell the two vice-captains. Ruel informed them about the Red Ash in a slightly weakened voice, revealing their purpose and why they were targeting him. ¡°Cough.¡± As Ruel finished his speech with a cough, Drianna¡¯s eyes twitched with unbearable anger, and Horen quietly clenched his thigh furiously. ¡°Tomorrow.¡± They flinched at the same time. ¡°As soon as we leave the capital, there could be an attack from them.¡± ¡°Then, did they inflict those injuries as well?¡± Horen asked, trying to swallow his anger. Drianna trembled at the words. ¡°W, wounded...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Why... Ruel-nim always says it¡¯s okay,¡± Drianna¡¯s voice sounded hoarse. ¡°In the previous carriage, in the Beast Forest, and in the mansion. Continuously, continuously, why do you keep saying it¡¯s okay?¡± Her eyes reddened. She clenched her trembling hand and spat out her words with difficulty. ¡°I¡¯m not okay. It¡¯s so frustrating to realize that I didn¡¯t know anything. To me, Ruel... Ruel...¡± Ruel knew the specialness in their relationship because it was Ruel who saved Drianna. ¡®But I didn¡¯t think it would bring tears.¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth to appease Drianna. ¡°Drianna, I really...¡± ¡°I knew that it wasn¡¯t okay. But I didn¡¯t know that such terrible people would aim for Ruel-nim¡¯s life.¡± Drianna slowly erased the tears and opened her mouth with cold eyes. ¡°Tomorrow, no one will lay a hand on Ruel-nim. My magic exists for Ruel-sama.¡± Chak. Horen stood up and saluted Ruel as a knight. ¡°A knight protects his master. We have never forgotten His Grace that made us knights once more. My master¡¯s enemies are my enemies. I will definitely annihilate them.¡± Contrary to expectations, the response was too strong. He told them about the enemy to protect himself more, but he felt like he poured too much oil into a small flame. Ruel quietly inhaled Breath as he saw it become a big fire that was blazing out of control. ¡®...It¡¯s scary.¡¯ Anyway, no matter what happens tomorrow, Ruel felt confident. Chapter 95: To Setiria (2) Chapter 95: To Setiria (2) *** ¡®Crazy...¡¯ Seeing the sight of the three princes gathering side by side to see him off, Ruel was full of nervous energy, but he laughed for now. What could he do? They were royalty. ¡°It is an honor beyond anything else to have all of you, the princes, see me off.¡± The First Prince who made eye contact with himself, the Second Prince who came to keep the First Prince in check and protect the Third Prince, and finally, the Third Prince who was supposed to see him off. Among them, there were two Red Ashes. Faced with those who aimed a knife at his throat, it seemed like something he ate in the morning would come up. It was Banios who approached first. He said with a hint of displeasure. ¡°Brothers, what business do you have with Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°At the banquet, I was rude to Lord Setiria. You forgave my mistake with an open heart, but I came here because I am not comfortable allowing you to leave with such a rude impression.¡± Huan made up a reason by referring to his last mistake. ¡°You won¡¯t make any excuses, will you Lord Setiria? I thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to become closer,¡± said Adoris with the shamelessness of an iron plate. Rather, Huan looked refreshed. ¡®What an asshole.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to look him in the face anymore. ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± Ruel did not hold back as usual due to a cough that came out just in time, and just spat it out. What if your stomach and chest just hurts too much? You don¡¯t want to see a face that you don¡¯t want to see. ¡°Are you okay? Looks like we¡¯ve been occupying you too long.¡± Banios made a fuss and pretended to support Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s cold, so come and enter the carriage.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t... Cough!¡± It was the first time he felt the cough was a good thing. Ruel went to the carriage door as if being pushed by Banios¡¯s will. He gave the three princes a strong impression of being forced into a carriage. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You came to see me purposefully, but I am unable to greet you properly.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been holding on to people who aren¡¯t feeling well for longer than intended.¡± Adoris said with a kind smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to see you off beforehand, so the second uninvited guest would be me.¡± Huan admitted, letting it slide. It was difficult to keep a smile on his face as he looked like he was trembling, so Ruel decided to get inside the carriage as soon as possible. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s going to be cold, so go in quickly. Then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± After bowing to them, he entered the carriage with the help of Cassion. ¡°Ha.¡± The air felt refreshing. Since the carriage Ruel had been riding was exclusively for the Royal Family, they changed back to the original carriage. After riding in a wide carriage with a place to lie down, he felt that his carriage was too small. ¡®It¡¯s too narrow to the point of bursting.¡¯ As soon as Ruel got into the carriage, the spirits, who were all stuck together, scattered around. Leo also paused and tilted his head. ¡ªThe carriage has become smaller. This body should have a soft bed. ¡°When I get to Setiria, I¡¯ll ask my uncle to change the carriage again.¡± ¡°A carriage with a place to lie down?¡± ¡°Do you remember when you first met my uncle? He changed the space with magic. A carriage should be possible. We should make it wider and more comfortable.¡± He learned that Banios knows where to find the beds used in the royal palace. He must have received a lot of money, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to invest in a good bed that they could use frequently. ¡°While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s change the bed.¡± Suddenly, when Cassion laughed, Ruel frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that funny? You only buy a bed and a carriage with the money His Highness gave you. Should I say it¡¯s like Ruel-nim is a child who got his allowance for the first time. It¡¯s very ambiguous.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand as you have never laid on that bed. If you had laid down, you¡¯d want it!¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right! It was so soft! This body felt like it was in the clouds! Leo said, wagging his tail. ¡°You see that?!¡± ¡°Do you intend to spend your money somewhere else?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡± That¡¯s right. Cassion smoothed his chin. He realized that he had made a mistake due to Ruel¡¯s behavior that was more mature than his age. Ruel has not yet become an adult and has lived as if trapped in that mansion for five years. ¡®It¡¯s almost like he has no sense of spending money... No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ How much money did it cost to match the equipment of the two knight orders of Setiria? There was a time when the short budget was covered by private expenses. You¡¯re giving so much to others, but what about yourself? ¡®Do I have to teach you this?¡¯ ¡°Are you not going? Are we going to stay here all night?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Cassion knocked on the wagon wall. Only then did the carriage move. ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things and pay attention to your surroundings as soon as you leave the capital.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Though, the assassin isn¡¯t in the carriage this time, is he?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± Cassion looked out and smiled slightly. When the magic of the Magic Knights was completed and ready to be fired, the knights moved backwards, and vice versa. Quickly, the knights moved forward when they were casting spells, so they were able to deal with the situation smoothly. ¡°Because they are my knights.¡± Ruel replied as if it were natural. ¡°I also see personal resentments. Did you inform the two vice captains of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve fueled the silent flame.¡± ¡°I have a slight regret. I didn¡¯t know it would burn this much.¡± ¡ªIf you get burned, you¡¯ll be in big trouble. This body will turn it off. Ruel looked at Leo, who was speaking seriously, followed by the spirits, who were saying something, and stroked Leo¡¯s head. Leo soon laid down, showing his stomach. ¡ªPat on this body¡¯s stomach, not this body¡¯s head. Ruel was stunned by Leo¡¯s attitude, which he had taken for granted now. When Ruel stopped and looked at him for a moment, Leo gently shook his tail and his eyes shone brightly. ¡®...I picked it up, so I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡¯ Ruel inhaled the Breath with one hand and rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach with the other. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°The level of the enemy has risen, but the Knights are far superior, so it will end quickly.¡± Ruel paused for a moment. ¡®It can¡¯t end so soon.¡¯ Why would he show the enemy the real strength of the Knights? They had to hide it. ¡°Connect the communication device to Drianna.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion pulled out her communication device and infused it with aura, and Drianna¡¯s face was immediately visible. Tyson and Drianna always do the same thing, why do wizards prefer to display their faces on their communication devices. Drianna turned off the light in her hand and hurriedly touched something, and the screen turned off and only her voice was heard like any other communication device. -Ruel-nim, this is Drianna. Did you contact me because you wanted it to be finished sooner? I¡¯ll take care of it as soon as I can. ¡°No, it¡¯s the other way around. Act as if everything you just did was your greatest strength, that it¡¯s the limit of your abilities. The same for Horen as well.¡± -...Um, I see. A bitter voice was heard. But she soon replied again, as if she had noticed what he wanted. -Is the reason why you¡¯re ordering us to hide our power to limit our enemies¡¯ power? ¡°Yes.¡± -I see. I will deliver Ruel-nim¡¯s order and control the power. Ruel cut off the communication first. Cassion smiled faintly. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you expect the enemy to measure the power of the Knights under the guise of a raid?¡± ¡°Yes, I guess it¡¯s to find out how much the knights have grown by comparing it with the previous incident at the gateway and now.¡± Contrary to expectations, if the Knights are stronger, they will send more enemies. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but the enemy couldn¡¯t move forward confidently. The reason he judged this was covert actions of responding indirectly with the help of nobles and barons. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and spoke. ¡°Last time with the Royal Knights, because of the waves, I had no choice but to show off my skills. Did you forget what came of it?¡± ¡°How could I forget? An absurd notion like a black-blooded man emerged.¡± ¡°Unless the reasons why they can¡¯t come forward and can¡¯t be revealed are not resolved, the current policy of maximizing efficiency with minimal effort will continue. We have to respond by lowering the level accordingly.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips went up. It had to be themselves who controlled whether the black-blooded man popped out. Looking at the window, he saw his knights acting more sluggishly than before as if they were tired. The order seemed to have been delivered well. ¡°...Now we need to find the king.¡± (Cassion) He didn¡¯t know if he had met the unknown existence the nameless woman had said was the king. Issue being there was no clue. There¡¯s no more power remaining from the hero. ¡°I met the king at the banquet. I already found it.¡± (Ruel) When Ruel gently scratched his stomach, Leo waved his tail again with a languid expression. ¡°Is that the king you were talking about then? There¡¯s no clue, is there?¡± (Cassion) ¡°That¡¯s a headache. At least I have no choice but to wait for someone like the nameless woman to come to me.¡± Ruel closed his eyes for a moment from the sudden spike of pain. ¡°I¡¯ll give you medicine.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s mild.¡± It was bearable. ¡°Anyway, for now, we have to go back to Setiria first.¡± Ruel opened his eyes again. ¡°After that, I have to meet the family heads and catch them one by one.¡± ¡°Who are you going to meet first?¡± ¡°Rie Kuhn.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Corrence Lumina first?¡± ¡°I was going to do that, but before I make an appointment next time, she wants to see Turbulent day. She wants to see it, so I have to show her.¡± Cassion let out a deep sigh. He might have to make another replica of the lovely Turbulent Day. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that Rie Kuhn is also a Red Ash? I think it¡¯s a hasty decision.¡± ¡°It is true that she supports the Second Prince, but in my opinion, she is not the Red Ash. She only supported him because of their mutual understanding.¡± Ruel smiled mischievously. ¡°When I return, I¡¯ll have to prepare to greet the guests.¡± It¡¯s time for Turbulent Day to do great things once more. Chapter 96: To Setiria (3) Chapter 96: To Setiria (3) *** ¡°So?¡± Ruel yawned and asked. After one raid, he fell asleep as if he passed out. He barely came to his senses and stopped by Prios for a certain period of time to have a meal. ¡°As expected from Ruel-nim, it seems that they purposely attacked us to check our abilities. There have been no raids since.¡± Cassion put down the plate. The appetizing smell of food tickled his nostrils. ¡ªIt must be delicious! This body is excited now! Leo wagged his tail as he grabbed the table from Ruel¡¯s lap. ¡°I have one thing to tell you.¡± Cassion approached Ruel and took Leo and put him down on the floor. ¡ªThis body wants to eat, too. This body has a mouth, too. When Leo hung on to Cassion¡¯s legs, he put down a bowl of various sweet things such as cakes, pies, and cookies that Cassion had prepared in advance. Leo¡¯s eyes twinkled in an instant. ¡ªThis body likes Cassion! Munch. Munch. Cassion snorted for a moment and went on. ¡°Most of the people involved in the raid were adventurers.¡± He took the adventurer¡¯s token from his pocket and handed it to Ruel. Ruel looked at the adventurer¡¯s token. The back of the certificate was marked with the emblem of the adventurers¡¯ guilds that issued it. The Prostone Guild. It was a guild he¡¯d never heard of. ¡°The commission office says they don¡¯t know who the client is, right? He must have offered a huge amount on the condition that his identity remained secret.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. As you expected, the client requested to remain anonymous when making the request.¡± ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll use the same commission office next time, so we¡¯ll hide our identity and coax it in moderation. The first time is the hardest, and the second time is the easiest.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Also.¡± Ruel spoke again, cutting the meat elegantly. ¡°If you have to silence the mouth of the commission office and secretly rescue adventurers, there is a high possibility that a large sum of money has been drained. Investigate the bank.¡± There were only a few banks at this time. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to investigate, as there were one to three banks in each territory. ¡°We¡¯re already looking into it.¡± Ruel smiled at Cassion¡¯s reply. As expected, it was good to see you do everything on your own initiative. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough rest for your shadows, right? There are many things to investigate.¡± For a moment the shadow in the corner shook. ¡°Perhaps, they have had enough rest. They are prepared for anything.¡± Cassion smiled very brightly. The shadow shook again. ¡°Ketlan must have heard that I was here, but he hasn¡¯t contacted me.¡± Part of the reason why Prios was chosen as the place to eat was to connect with Ketlan. ¡°Already waiting.¡± Ruel grinned at Cassion¡¯s reply. It was good timing. ¡°Bring him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As Cassion went outside, the sound of munching filled the room. ¡ªThis is the taste. Cassion¡¯s cooking is even more delicious than what this body had in the castle. During the banquet, Ruel saw countless desserts going into his small belly. Now, Ruel could somewhat understand why Cassion sighed at the mention of more spirits being attached. It felt like a collaboration between three mukbang broadcasters. Ruel made eye contact with the spirits, who were attached to him like decorations. Ruel was in a good mood today, so he smiled. ¡ªWhen Ruel eats, a good smell comes out. This body feels happy to smell this and eat something sweet. At this, the fork that Ruel was holding stopped. It is said that a spirit was needed now because of the wound, but what should be done to feed them later. Ruel looked behind him for a moment. The spirits were already crowding around. They filled both sides of the carriage. ¡®More than before... It seems like it.¡¯ Ruel hoped it was just his imagination. ¡ªThe smell is stronger than before. Clank. Ruel dropped his fork. It was as scary as the fact that the power left by the hero was the power of the Great Man. Knock. Knock. ¡°...Come in.¡± Ruel¡¯s face hardened. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you... Are you sick?¡± Ketlan was glad to see Ruel but slightly surprised by his firm face. ¡°No, sit down. Have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°Yes, I did before I came.¡± ¡°Does Red Ash know that you are coming to me?¡± ¡°Yes, they know. I informed them that I was approaching you on purpose.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Ketlan smiled at Ruel¡¯s praise. ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± ¡°Are you experiencing any troubles? If it¡¯s hard to communicate with the Red Ash, tell me anytime.¡± ¡°No. I am happy to be able to repay the favor, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it at all.¡± At Cassion¡¯s suggestion, Ruel nodded his head. As expected, the only person who immediately came to mind was Banios. He injected mana into the ring. ¡°Your Highness.¡± -Isn¡¯t it still a long way to reach Setiria? It probably hasn¡¯t arrived yet... Could it be that there¡¯s an attack? ¡°I contacted you because I had a question for you. Are you okay?¡± There is no need to inform him of the attack, so Ruel did not answer. -That¡¯s fine, what are you trying to ask? ¡°Is there an exceptional case where a member of the collateral line becomes the family head?¡± For a moment Banios shut his mouth. He seemed perplexed by the sudden question. -There is, but why are you asking such a thing all of a sudden? You¡¯re a direct descendant, aren¡¯t you? Are you in a situation where it turns out you were collateral? In that case, I¡¯ll gladly lend you a hand. ¡°I am a direct descendant, so there is no need to worry. Suddenly, I got curious, and I asked the question while talking to my subordinate.¡± -I didn¡¯t know it was possible for flattery to fly from your tongue, do it the way it was. It was to the point where Ruel could feel the disgust through the communication device. He also replied, rinsing his mouth with water because his mouth became dry. ¡°Yes.¡± -You must know that the distinction between direct and collateral lineage is determined by looking at the family crest that appears on the back of the hand. ¡°I know.¡± -Then, do you know that the distinction between direct and collateral was because of an oath? ¡°...?¡± It was the first time Ruel had heard of it. -On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, the Royal Family will tell you an interesting story about the relationship between the king and a patriarch. I am enjoying my favorite tea right now. Since Cassion had been caught over tea by Banios, his expression naturally frowned. Of all things, that time. -A long time ago, the king and the heads of households swore an oath to each other. I believe that the lineage of the patriarch who made the oath at that time is the current direct lineage. ¡°You said oath, is it an oath of allegiance?¡± Banios laughed lightly. -No, it was an oath of friendship, an oath never to betray each other. Isn¡¯t it funny? The subtle power struggle between the Royal Family and the patriarchs was still ongoing. -Well, there is only one way to acknowledge the collateral line, as you asked. As the family head, with all the fanfare. Ruel waited for the latter words. -Dedicate themselves to this country, Leponia. If you can show some proof, then His Majesty will give you a chance to swear the oath as a reward. ¡°Then, are you saying that you are not recognizing a collateral as the head of the family, but as a direct descendant?¡± -Indeed, this is in the case if there are no more direct descendants, it has happened a few times in the past. For example, in the case of the Kuhn family, they defended the capital from an attack by the Tonisk Empire in the past, and they became the direct descendants by winning the recognition. ¡°In short, they look at whether the individual devoted themselves to the country in a crisis?¡± -Isn¡¯t that a moment of sure proof? ¡°Thank you.¡± -I didn¡¯t expect to receive words of gratitude, but anyway, when you return to Setiria, please use the communication device to let me know of your safety. Well then. As soon as communication was cut off, Ruel place a slice of meat in his mouth, chewing it as if it were an enemy ¡®...So, you have to smash the Red Ash in Leponia.¡¯ Damn it. Nothing is easy. *** Ruel stepped out of the carriage, inhaling Breath. ¡°Setiria!¡± All the knights who came to meet him and the knights who escorted him shouted Setiria. Thump. Thump. Ruel¡¯s heart thumped at the sound of them striking the scabbard. They looked the same as before they left the mansion, but their eyes were full of endless joy. Ttak. At the sound of Ruel¡¯s cane, all the knights stopped and looked at him. ¡°Thank you for your hard work guarding the fief.¡± At the words that brought with a faint smile, the knights roared again. ¡°Setiria!¡± The family head of Setiria has returned. Ruel Setiria is back. As if to express that joy, the shouting did not stop until Ruel walked to the front door. ¡°Ruel.¡± Tyson smiled kindly in front of the main gate. As always, no, it was a little darker under the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m back. It took a little longer than I expected...¡± Tyson came running and hugged Ruel. ¡°...!¡± ¡°You did a great job. You did a great job.¡± Ruel paused with the unfamiliar warmth. It seemed to give off an old comfort that had once been lost. ¡°Did you eat well? I wonder if you slept well.¡± ¡®I hesitated if I could hear the voice full of worries that I had always pushed out. I hesitated whether I could enjoy this warmth, which I always turned away.¡¯ The Ruel Setiria that Tyson knew was no more. ¡®I know this warmth isn¡¯t directed at me.¡¯ But Ruel soon patted Tyson carefully on the back. The trembling felt on his back, the roughness of his hands, the tightly held hands as if he was afraid to leave again, were really like his father, so he couldn¡¯t bear to push them away any longer. So Ruel brought it up again. ¡°I¡¯m back, uncle.¡± Sincerely. For the first time, he smiled brightly at Tyson. Author''s Thoughts I got teary at the end of the chapter. So heartwarming ???? Chapter 97.1 - Black water Chapter 97.1 - Black water ¡°...Ha.¡± Fran couldn¡¯t stop the sigh from examining Ruel. He appeared to have rolled his body¡¯s health backwards once more. She obviously felt sympathy for the weight he lost again until she opened the door and saw Ruel. ¡®Let¡¯s calm down, the Lord has just come back, hasn¡¯t he? He must be fatigued.¡¯ Fran barely held on to the string of reason and slowly cut the bandage wrapped around Ruel¡¯s stomach. However, as soon as she saw a wound about the size of three fingers, Fran got up from her seat. Wandering around in that state, going to the banquet. For a moment, it seemed as if her eyes went dark. ¡°Absolutely stable! It¡¯s definitely stable! I¡¯ll go to Mr. Billo myself and tell him that I resign! Clearly, I am not needed!¡± ¡°Sister, deep breath, deep breath!¡± Tierra was busy calming Fran by the side. ¡°I bet Billo is busy right now?¡± Ruel smirked. Billo was very busy in his absence, no joke on his part. He hadn¡¯t even heard of the injury yet, but it was obvious that he would nag him to take a break from work. Fran took a deep breath with great difficulty as her face turned red with anger. Cassion looked at her pitifully. ¡°How in the world, how, no, why did the patriarch get hurt like this?¡± ¡°It just happened.¡± It was a very light remark compared to the wound he suffered. Fran sighed deeply and sat down again. ¡°I know that the escort of the Lord is Sir Aris. As a doctor, I think there is a clear justification for scolding his failure to protect you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault, so tell me.¡± Huh. Fran was at a loss for words. Covering for the escort rather than scolding him. He was too soft. What if something like this is repeated. Fran cut off all unnecessary words and curses, intending to speak only to the extent that she could without insulting a Lord. ¡°Sister, calm down.¡± Tierra rubbed Fran¡¯s shoulder, which looked like it was about to explode. ¡°Covering for them doesn¡¯t mean the wound will go away. I say this because this could happen again.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t covering it up, I was telling the truth.¡± Fran closed her mouth tightly. She was more angry at his calm attitude. Ruel was the head of the household. There were always numerous escorts around him. But the enemy broke through the escorts and wounded Ruel. There must have been something she couldn¡¯t imagine that occurred. Fran did not ask for any more reasons for the injury. ¡°Who did the suture?¡± ¡°Originally the surgeon did it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sew it up again. The wound itself is a complex wound, so the suture was not properly performed. As a result, there are signs that the wound has burst again.¡± ¡°...Woa.¡± Ruel admired purely. It was to the point where his trust skyrocketed as she knew only by looking at the scars. At that moment, Noah, who was about to jump out of the window, met his eyes. He gently lowered his legs and gently clasped his hands together. ¡°I, I opened it for ventilation.¡± ¡°Noah.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Cassion took Noah to the office where Billo usually stays. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Cassion.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as the door was opened, Noah swallowed his dread. The pile of papers on the desk was considerable. ¡°...Huh.¡± ¡°This is Noah, brought by Ruel as my immediate attendant.¡± ¡°Oh, I heard it from Ruel in advance, it¡¯s nice to meet you, I¡¯m Billo, the butler.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Noah.¡± Noah bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed, but I¡¯m not good at teaching regarding these matters, so I¡¯m here to ask for assistance with him. I¡¯ll take care of some of the papers instead.¡± ¡°Oh, will you do that for me? It¡¯s timely since my eyesight has been getting worse lately.¡± Billo had a very glad smile. ¡°...Let¡¯s see.¡± Standing up from his seat, he put on his glasses and approached Noah. He circled around him and smiled lightly. ¡°I know what your condition is, as an attendant, I will make you do the basics.¡± ¡°Thank you. Which ones should I take?¡± ¡°Take as many as you want, except for the accumulated ones on the left.¡± Cassion said, putting just half the papers in his magic pocket, ¡°Butler, Ruel-nim is calling.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Not knowing why he was called, Billo was excited as if he were going to see his grandson. Cassion glanced at him and put the papers in his pocket. ¡°You come here for a moment.¡± Billo called Noah to stand against the wall. Noah obeyed for the time being, but his face was full of dissatisfaction. ¡°An attendant shouldn¡¯t show his emotions easily.¡± ¡°Emotions are meant to be expressed, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Emotions are meant to be expressed. I¡¯m saying that being someone¡¯s servant entails supporting and following the master, and your feelings belong to the master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°You have chosen this job and have been paid fairly, so that mouth should now be used for the sake of the owner, not complaining.¡± Noah¡¯s eyes moved hurriedly, but the words made sense, so it was difficult for him to refute. ¡°You stand still there until I come back. You¡¯re going to stand there longer if you move.¡± ¡°How do you know if I moved or not?¡± ¡°How do you chase your prey in the mountains?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. There¡¯s a trace of the prey running away... Have I told you I¡¯m a hunter?¡± ¡°You are the prey now, I am the hunter. Please listen to me clearly so you don¡¯t get caught.¡± Billo smiled softly and left the office. ¡®...What is it? Are you a mind reader?¡¯ It was not until the door was closed that he swallowed his saliva. Chapter 97.2 - Black water Chapter 97.2 - Black water *** ¡°I apologize I couldn¡¯t see your arrival.¡± Billo bowed as soon as he saw Ruel. ¡°I told you not to come, so no need to apologize.¡± Ruel rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach with a comfortable face. After Fran sutured the wound again, the pain in his stomach was less. ¡ª...It¡¯s a shock. There¡¯s something in the stomach. He covered his eyes to prevent him from seeing it, but Leo seemed to have seen the wound. He muttered the same thing a moment ago, in shock. Sniff. Sniff. Suddenly his nose flared, then he got up and ran to Billo. ¡ªIt smells sweet! Billo brought something delicious. ¡®... That¡¯s great.¡¯ Leo circled around Billo. ¡°Give me one if you brought it.¡± ¡°As expected, the nose doesn¡¯t seem to deceive. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Unlike his words, Billo smiled and put down the cookies he had kept hidden in his arms.T/his chapter is updated by ¡ªOh! Oh! Oh! ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay for a fox to eat this, but it¡¯s adorable to see it want it.¡± ¡ªYes, please love this body a lot. Billo bent his knee and stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡°That¡¯s very kind.¡± ¡°Stop talking about it now. Since Cassion said that the room was full of the smell of blood, you must have already noticed it, right?¡± ¡°This old man is getting angry after a long time. Who is it? I will cut his throat even if it costs me my life.¡± ¡°Billo.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice was heavy. Billo bowed his head slightly as if he had guessed that it had come. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did my father take me back then and for what reason did he leave?¡± Previously, the accident didn¡¯t matter and he didn¡¯t ask. He didn¡¯t ask before because he thought he had to cover the fact he had no memory of ¡®his¡¯ father¡¯s death and accident. But now he had to know. Billo, the butler, would know. He calmly closed his eyes and opened them. ¡°The former head of the family chased after the Red Ash. It was for Ruel-nim.¡± As expected, Billo knew. Ruel looked at him with sunken eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. This old man swore an oath to keep his mouth shut for the sake of the former lord, and for Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°This is the oath the former head of household wanted. It is a secret of Setiria¡¯s that must never leak out.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t even you believe me?¡± ¡°Because you trusted me, you were considerate of me not to be targeted by Red Ash and others. As if I didn¡¯t see what I saw, as if I didn¡¯t hear what I heard. That¡¯s how I was left.¡± Billo smiled calmly. It was all inefficient to touch and kill someone who couldn¡¯t say anything. Knowing that, it seemed that the former head had made Billo swear a mana oath. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me why we went out that day?¡± ¡°The former head of the family knew that the ears of Setiria, no, the birds betrayed them. And yet he went out.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath, waiting for the next word Billo would bring up without urging. ¡°Before he left, he was delighted to say that he could cut off this relentless evil. After that...¡± Billo didn¡¯t finish his sentence and shut up. He became a sinner again and stood before Ruel. ¡®Tough bad luck...?¡¯ This was not the first time a Great Man had targeted Setiria. Since when? Ruel let out a sigh and looked at the spirits playing on his shoulders, treating him like a slide. He thought the castle grounds were good, but compared to Setiria, he was a nobleman. This was just a world of spirits. While coming to his room he saw countless spirits. The size was also bigger than the spirits clinging to the body. Fortunately, the number of clinging spirits was limited. Kuro Kuruu. There was a sound of excitement. ¡®It¡¯s lively.¡¯ ¡ªEveryone came to smell Ruel. ¡°Are they going to stay like this?¡± ¡ªNo. There are also spirits that have left. ¡°...What?¡± Leo grabbed the one in front of him with his short front paws. If the existing spirit is the size of a thumb, the spirit that Leo caught is the size of the palm. As expected, it wasn¡¯t just his imagination that the spirits got bigger. ¡ªWhen it grows this big, it will leave for other spirits. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡ªIt is said that if the spirits smell Ruel¡¯s scent, they will grow. The reason why this body has grown may be because this body is next to Ruel! This body wants to grow big enough to carry Ruel! Leo smiled and wagged his tail. Ruel was so confused that he couldn¡¯t even speak. It said that the bell-sounding ore did not simply give off a smell that the spirits liked. ¡®... Then, did I become a hot place for spirits?¡¯ ¡°Still, you don¡¯t have to worry because they¡¯ll make sure to erase the things that aren¡¯t from this world from the wound and leave.¡± No matter how harmless, there were too many spirits. Ruel bites his lip. Knock. Knock. ¡°May I enter, my lord?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Tyson opened the door, he looked around with a curious face. ¡°As expected, this natural mana was coming from you, Ruel.¡± ¡°Can you feel it?¡± ¡°Every time I feel it, it¡¯s a blessing. Thanks to you, the knights feel comfortable.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The fact that there is a lot of natural mana floating around means that the knights can increase their mana and aura more, so who wouldn¡¯t be happy?¡± Ruel asked, relaxed his stern expression, ¡°Then does that apply to me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a wizard, so of course.¡± ¡®Pretty things.¡¯ The sound, which had been a little annoying, suddenly sounded beautiful like the singing of birds in the mountains. ¡°Can I hear what happened?¡± ¡°At the Cyronian Royal Warehouse...¡± ¡ªThis body discovered it. The spirit was on a stone, so this body rescued it! Leo hovered around Tyson with a face of pride. ¡°Does it mean that the Spirit-nim discovered the Spirit Stone?¡± ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t know that. This body only loved the ringing sound. ¡°A stone that makes a sound?¡± ¡°Do you know something?¡± Seeing Tyson¡¯s thoughtful look, Ruel asked urgently. He wanted to hear exactly what the stone was. Tyson shook his head apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s mentioned in any book I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± The Spirits were like an unknown world. In the first place, being able to see the spirit was special. ¡®If you follow the spirit that¡¯s leaving once grown up, won¡¯t you know where it goes?¡¯ Chapter 98: Black Water (2) Chapter 98: Black Water (2) Ruel saw Leo. As soon as their eyes met, Leo smiled. ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll meet the rest of the Great Purifiers.¡¯ Leo came running and jumped into bed. Ruel tried to talk to Tyson, but waited as he wrote in his notebook. It was no longer unfamiliar to see Tyson writing in a notebook with an apologetic expression on his face. ¡°Otherwise, I was thinking of visiting you because of the black water situation...¡± Tyson looked at Ruel with his notebook folded. ¡°But rest today.¡± ¡°Uncle, didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s a problem that can only be confirmed when I came back? I¡¯m home, now I just need to check.¡± ¡°You look very tired.¡± Tyson gave a calm smile. ¡°You can take a day off. Rather, I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll fall while running in a tizzy.¡± ¡°...Uncle, if I sleep now, I think I¡¯ll sleep rather long. So I¡¯m worried. Don¡¯t I have to keep moving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m fine today. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t move today. Even if anything comes, your uncle will prevent it all.¡± Ruel felt his eyes getting heavier, even though no one was forcing him to sleep. Maybe it was because he came back home. Maybe it was because he felt relieved from Tyson¡¯s words. ¡°When I fall asleep, no, I still have a lot of work to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Put everything down today and take a rest. The Setiria you rebuilt won¡¯t be shaken just like that anymore. Don¡¯t you trust in Setiria?¡± It was funny that he didn¡¯t seem to trust in Setiria¡¯s ability despite Ruel himself deciding to make a Setiria that would work without him. No matter what anyone says, he¡¯d believe in it. Setiria. Everyone. ¡°...Yes, I¡¯ll rest.¡± Only then did Ruel close his eyes. The sound of breath soon deepened. ¡®He looks tired... He really looks like my older brother.¡¯ Tyson looked at him with a smile. His sleeping appearance hasn¡¯t changed since his younger days. He is still stubborn about going to bed. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t like Ruel sleeping. Leo looked at Tyson with a sullen face. He patted Leo on the head. ¡°Ruel must rest, Spirit. Please, understand.¡± ¡ª...This body knows. It¡¯s kind of tense when this body looks at Ruel these days. This body felt so much emotion. This body is overwhelmed by just feeling it, so this body doesn¡¯t understand what feeling it is. Leo¡¯s ears are drooping. ¡°It¡¯s because he has a lot on his back. Chased, threatened, sick. My heart hurts like this just watching, how much will my heartburn?¡± Tyson¡¯s eyes twitched for a moment. He wanted to take everything if he could. ¡°So he needs to rest. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here.¡± ¡ªThis body is a great purifier! Ahem! Tyson smiled as Leo wiggled his tail again. Knock. Knock. Leo ran and stood at the door. ¡ªCassion quiet... ¡°Shh!¡± As soon as the door opened, Leo rushed to Cassion. ¡°Ruel is sleeping.¡± Cassion smiled lightly. He was thinking about how to let Ruel rest all the way here. ¡°Did he just go to bed?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll probably sleep for a while.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that there¡¯s someone who recognizes my hard work.¡± Cassion sighed deeply. *** ¡ªDid you open your eyes? Are you up? As soon as Ruel opened his eyes, he saw Leo¡¯s face. He felt like he slept for a long time. ¡°How long did I sleep?¡± ¡ªYou¡¯ve slept three feet of this body! ¡®Did I sleep for three days? I slept for a long time.¡¯ Leo licked Ruel¡¯s face and soon rubbed his face. ¡ªIf Ruel hadn¡¯t gotten up now, this body would have cried today. Leo¡¯s eyes were already preparing to shed tears. Ruel stroked Leo. ¡°Yeah, you did well.¡± ¡ªAre you sick? ¡°No.¡± ¡ªWhat a relief! Can you speak to this body now? ¡°...Yes.¡± His body felt lighter as he had slept for a long time. When he raised left hand as he felt uncomfortable, there was an IV. ¡®No wonder it hurt less.¡¯ ¡ªThey put it on when Ruel was sleeping. You seemed to be in pain because there was blood. Ruel stroked Leo again. ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion came out of the shadows. He was holding a cup of water. ¡°Are you awake? How is your body? Even after you fell asleep your body was in pain, so I told Fran and she added an IV.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°The meal is almost ready.¡± ¡°Nothing happened?¡± ¡°Yes, nothing happened.¡± Cassion handed the water. He couldn¡¯t tell a lie. The feeling of cool water entering through his throat made the remaining drowsiness disappear. ¡°Call my uncle.¡± ¡°How about seeing Fran first?¡± Ruel paused for a moment. ¡°How¡¯s the wound?¡± ¡°It¡¯s healing. But you still have to lie down more.¡± ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of leaving the mansion until the wound heals.¡± Tyson previously said he should see his purification and Leo¡¯s purification. Purification itself hurts the body, so it was better to listen to Fran¡¯s nagging anyway. ¡°Starting from my uncle.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ruel waved at Cassion, who was about to turn around. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is real...¡± ¡°Uncle, tell me. Why did the black water turn into a shadow?¡± ¡°Do you remember what I said about the dark attribute?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± He said that darkness is not borrowed, but bequeathed. ¡°In the process of investigating the black water, I forgot the most important thing. I noticed it while talking to Aris. Black water is out of natural order. In other words, it is out of touch with nature.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then, I studied what it would look like if it could be reversed.¡± ¡°The figure was similar to the darkness.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I needed you. You¡¯re the only wizard I know who can use the darkness. I can be sure as a result of just now.¡± Tyson expressed his regret. ¡°Black water is uncontrolled...darkness. In other words, it means a shadow that has lost control.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± The shadow did not move or speak unless it was summoned. ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Tyson opened his mouth heavily. ¡°Ordinary magic is borrowed from nature, so it disappears when I stop using it. But your magic, the shadow stops only when you disappear.¡± Ruel frowned. Tyson was right. ¡°Are you saying that after using dark magic, you made that person faint or even killed them?¡± ¡°There, it is said to be a substance created by corrupting. A very, very terrible and disgusting substance.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t even laugh. As Tyson said, it was a terrible thing to do. And it was the Red Ash that did it. Tyson soon looked at Ruel, showing his fear. If black water was created using a person with the dark attribute, Ruel was no exception. Ruel¡¯s attribute was also darkness. ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± Even with Ruel¡¯s words, Tyson¡¯s fear did not disappear. ¡°In the end, it was possible that I was able to purify it because I had the same dark attribute.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡± Tyson hesitated for a moment after answering and then brought it up again. ¡°Ruel, I think it¡¯s better not to purify.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°If the Spirit¡¯s purification is to take out only the corrupted and change the essence itself to nature, then your purification is to eat away the corruption with the same darkness. In the end, that burden is bound to go to you. I hope you never do it again.¡± ¡®As expected, there was a reason for the burden on the body.¡¯ Ruel nodded, feeling Cassion¡¯s gaze staring at him. Is that why the unknown woman stopped him from using magic? ¡°Rather than that, uncle, what do you think this is used for?¡± Black water has already been made. Understanding its use was of paramount importance. ¡°Corruption easily stains other things. All that is said to be bad can be corrupted.¡± It seemed that there were so many possibilities that it was impossible to determine a specific one. ¡°Tyson-nim, is it really possible to be corrupted in the first place?¡± asked Cassion, with a more serious look than ever. ¡°Did you know that warlocks can curse opponents?¡± ¡°I know that the conditions are tricky, and that the same curse is applied to the opponent who used the magic.¡± Tyson nodded to Cassion¡¯s reply. ¡°Unlike curses that are generally poured out with words, curses that are used with magic are not allowed by nature, so the person who uses magic suffers the same. That¡¯s what we call a price.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not supposed to be used in the first place.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath. He had no reason to use it if he suffered the same. ¡°In contrast, corruption is similar yet different. It replaces the cost with something other than oneself. The blood, the life of another being. That¡¯s why it¡¯s more severe. That¡¯s why it¡¯s very dangerous.¡± ¡°So does that mean that the one who used magic has no price?¡± Tyson shook his head at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°If using magic in exchange for oneself who used magic is 1, tens of thousands of lives and blood of other beings are counted as 1. The price is the heart and mind worn out by giving many lives.¡± ¡°...Did you say tens of thousands?¡± Ruel was surprised. It was a ridiculous number. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s an accurate number, but in the book that contains anecdotes of witnessing the corruption in the past, it is said that the number of people who died was to numerous to guess.¡± ¡®Is that why you¡¯re trying to start a war?¡¯ War was the easiest way to take a person¡¯s life. Then, how was the black water made now? ¡°Ruel, I said before that warlocks are given special missions, do you remember?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°One of its missions is to prevent corruption.¡± ¡°Now I have more reasons to find the Warlock.¡± Ruel reached out to Cassion after answering. ¡°The data from the investigation of the specific people who came out of the temporary hideout in the Red Ash, you probably found out who they were?¡± There was no way Red Ash would investigate people without reason. If he made black water using a person with a dark attribute, that particular person had to be a person with a dark attribute. ¡°Yes, but we are still investigating whereabouts.¡± Cassion turned over the data. Ruel coughed and looked at the data. Cassion opened his mouth as he glanced at Ruel. ¡°Even if it¡¯s true, it won¡¯t be easy to find a solution. Only those with dark attributes can control the darkness.¡± ¡°Even if they can¡¯t do it like Ruel, Ruel¡¯s mana alone can calm the darkness.¡± ¡°Then it means that we must find and secure someone with dark attributes.¡± Cassion excluded Ruel as if it were natural. Ruel¡¯s mana was as much as Tyson¡¯s, and even if the lost mana was quickly restored, Ruel¡¯s body had its limits. Ruel covered the data and stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡®...Damn it.¡¯ As he predicted, the Red Ash was investigating those with dark attributes. To make black water. ¡°Cassion, find their whereabouts and bring as many as you can.¡± Some of these were likely to have already been obtained by Red Ash. ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion replied, receiving the data from Ruel. ¡°Uncle, can you find a way to deal with black water?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want something perfect enough to be called Purification. We need to find a way to at least kill the black-blooded man. Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t do it, try using my mana first.¡± Ruel reached out his hand. He knew this would happen. As expected, Tyson was heartbroken when he saw Ruel¡¯s hand. Unlike other people, Ruel became poisoned just by moving mana. Isn¡¯t he barely blocking the poison with his resistance? But in order to find a way, Ruel¡¯s mana was needed. ¡°Before I went to bed, my uncle told me that I could increase the mana quickly because there were more natural mana floating in the mansion. I¡¯ll give it a try. So you don¡¯t have to make that face.¡± Ruel smiled as if to reassure him. ¡°Let¡¯s start by eating first.¡± Chapter 99: Black Water (3) Chapter 99: Black Water (3) *** Ruel realized belatedly that the person who was calmly and gently putting the dishes on the table was Noah. He put the fork down for a moment. ¡®What happened in the last three days?¡¯ Noah was silently doing his job with a stiff face like a robot. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Aris called Ruel quietly. Noah was seen at the end of Aris¡¯ gaze. ¡°Is it Noah? Am I seeing it correctly?¡± ¡°It seems so. Why don¡¯t you flip a coin?¡± Aris thought seriously for a moment and tossed a coin on the floor. Ting. As soon as the sound rung out, Noah instinctively rushed toward the coin. ¡°It¡¯s Noah. You¡¯re making a fuss because you¡¯ve changed a little. I guess you¡¯re still lacking in training.¡± Aris soon continued to eat casually. ¡°My my.¡± Tyson laughed with a good-natured face. ¡°Are you the new one?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My name is Noah. Ex-excuse me!¡± Noah got up in a hurry and lowered his head because he felt someone approaching from behind. It was Billo, not Cassion, that he was afraid of. ¡°There is still a lack of education. I¡¯m very sorry for the inconvenience.¡± Billo, like a model of a butler, bowed neatly and brought Noah out. Noah looked at Ruel with a look of asking for help, but Ruel turned away. Billo was definitely reliable. Sooner or later, Noah was expected to show a neat attitude as a servant. After the meal, Tyson took out a magic item. He looked at Ruel with a face that wanted to put the item back in at once. ¡°Is this a magic item that can store mana?¡± Listening as he ate, Ruel noticed what Tyson had taken out. ¡°Ruel-nim, I personally want to object to this method,¡± Aris said with a firm face. His expression worsened when he heard what black water was and what Ruel was going to do during the meal. ¡°I personally disagree, too.¡± Tyson hinted at Ruel. Ruel¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change a bit. Since he was the one who always got hurt, he couldn¡¯t get his words out hastily. ¡°Uncle, did you say that I can add my mana with my hands up?¡± Leo smiled and said as Tyson saved his words. ¡ªThis body heard! This body heard clearly! Ruel smiled lightly at Leo. Ruel raised his hand as he glanced at the two people who were stiff. Mana slipped out in an instant. Kuroo kuru. Ruel felt something cut off at the end of the spirit¡¯s words. *** ¡°...?¡± As soon as Ruel opened his eyes, he looked at Cassion with a puzzled face. Cassion sighed. ¡°Get some more rest. The mana has escaped all at once, so you¡¯ll be dizzy just by moving.¡± Ruel stroked Leo, who was crying beside him. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to pass out.¡¯ These days, the power of resistance and reflection have grown a lot, so he thought it would be easy to draw mana. ¡®...I must have miscalculated the amount of mana I needed to draw. I have to pull out less than now.¡¯ The spirits rushed in and jumped in anger from his chest. It was only after he roughly stroked the group of spirits that they calmed down. ¡ªThis body, this body was so surprised. If this body knew Ruel was going to fall, this body shouldn¡¯t have let you! This body is at fault! Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s palm. Tears moistened his palms. ¡°I was wrong. I miscalculated the amount of mana.¡± Leo looked at Ruel with tears in his eyes. He wiped away the tears. ¡°How long did I pass out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been about three hours.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Are you used to fainting now?¡± *** Two days later. Rie Kuhn sent a reply very quickly, and whether it was because she really wanted to see a Turbulent Day or because she wanted to make a chance to kill himself as soon as possible, this led to the date of the meeting being advanced. ¡°Where did you hurt your hand?¡± Rie asked, looking at the bandage wrapped around Ruel¡¯s hand. He couldn¡¯t stop the smell of blood, but it was fortunate that he could deceive the gaze toward his stomach with his hands. ¡°I got dizzy while drinking water and accidently got cut by the shards of the glass.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± Rie felt sorry for him. It was even more regrettable that at the previous banquet, Ruel confirmed that he had a body that was less than average or ordinary. ¡°It¡¯s okay as the wound is not deep. Thank you for your concern.¡± Knock. Knock. Rie took a deep breath at the knock on the door. The sword that slashed the heroes of the past stained with evil. A sword that descends as an heirloom in Setiria. Those who saw its beauty and dignity were so amazed that they all decided the best sword was the Turbulent Day. She couldn¡¯t gauge how badly she wanted to see that sword since she was a child. However, due to seeing Kuhn and Setiria as rivals, they could only maintain an awkward relationship for a long time. ¡°I guess it¡¯s ready, come.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. He was really nervous. Same with Ganien and Rie. The Turbulent Day might have been worth more than he thought. ¡°Come in.¡± Noah opened the door, and Cassion came with a cloth woven of gold wrapped around a Turbulent Day. Rie held her breath and was at a loss for joy. ¡°How about taking a moment to breathe?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. It was a sword that I really, really wanted to see.¡± In the eyes of Cassion, Noah closed the door with his gaze on a Turbulent Day. Only after checking the closed door did Cassion walk with a Turbulent Day and carefully put it down. As soon as Cassion put it down and touched the cloth, Rie said urgently. ¡°Now, wait a moment.¡± Rie nodded after finishing the tea in front of her. Soon, the Turbulent Day hidden in the cloth appeared, and she clasped her hands tightly. It was so beautiful, as it was rumored, or more than it was. Not only the tightly embedded decorations and patterns, but also the mysterious energy. She was so happy that she almost cried. She wanted to touch it. She wanted to draw the sword. She wanted to know what it would look like without the sheath. ¡°You can touch it.¡± Rie was happy with Ruel¡¯s suggestion, but she was immediately worried. ¡°Oh, oh, no.¡± ¡°Cassion, give her the gloves.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion handed the white gloves to Rie. Unexpectedly, she received the gloves and still hesitated greatly. ¡°Is it okay to touch it?¡± ¡°Yes, it is stronger than you think. It¡¯s okay as long as you don¡¯t just step on it or throw it.¡± When Ruel smiled, Rie put on her gloves with confidence. ¡°Thank you very much for the opportunity to touch the heirloom.¡± ¡°Lord Kuhn, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to take some medicine for a while. I have to lie down for about 5 minutes because I feel dizzy after eating, would that be alright?¡± Rie smiled broadly and answered, as Ruel seemed to bring up the sword to look at it comfortably. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s alright.¡± Ruel headed to bed with Cassion¡¯s help. Leo went to Aris for a moment, so the bed was full of spirits. ¡®Something is missing.¡¯ Cassion went out for a moment to get water, and in the meantime Rie slowly drew the sword. ¡®It looks new, it¡¯s really well maintained.¡¯ When she reflected the sword¡¯s blade in the light, and saw its glossy brilliance flowing enticingly. She couldn¡¯t put into words how beautiful the pattern on the sword¡¯s body was and touched the blade carefully. ¡®It¡¯s so pretty...¡¯ At a moment, Rie felt something approaching her neck. Instinctively, she got up from her seat and looked behind her. She must have been mistaken, there was nothing and the feeling was gone. Dduk. At that moment, an ominous sound came from the direction of her hand holding the sword. Chapter 100.1 - Who is my enemy? Chapter 100.1 - Who is my enemy? Rie slowly turned her head and looked down at her hand. She raised her gaze from the hilt of the sword, down the blade, and then to the shattered edge of the blade. She was emitting an aura without even realizing it. Rattle. Her hands were shaking. It¡¯s broken. The blade of the sword had broken. ¡°I heard something...¡± Ruel struggled to raise his upper body and then froze. The orange aura was wrapped in a Turbulent Blade, and the blade was broken. Rie looked at Ruel with a horrified face.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡®This is why I can¡¯t stop utilizing Turbulent Day.¡¯ Ruel struggled to hold back the laugh that wanted to leak out. *** Rie managed to calm her mind. When the sword broke, the butler went out, and Ruel could not threaten herself. If there was someone else in this room, there¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t know. It was as if she had been possessed. Rie first chose apology over excuses. She repeatedly bowed her head to Ruel. ¡°...Ha.¡± A long sigh came from Ruel¡¯s mouth. She could sense a really heavy and deep worry in that sigh. ¡°As the head of the Kuhn family, I will take full responsibility for this matter. Please tell me anything that can remedy this situation.¡± ¡°As you know, Turbulent Day is the heirloom of Setiria. It¡¯s also very famous.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pretend that the Turbulent Day is not broken for now. Can you keep it a secret?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a counterfeit, I think we¡¯ll have to make it again.¡± ¡°I will cover all the expenses.¡± Ruel sighed again and swept up his bangs, setting the mood so that Rie would increase her guilty conscience. ¡°Cassion, organize it carefully.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel looked back at Rie. ¡°I invited Lord Kuhn not because of the Turbulent Day, you know.¡± She bowed her head slightly with a face of dread. She had nothing to defend about destroying an heirloom, and was unsure what price would need to be paid. ¡°Do you love this country, Leponia?¡± ¡°...?¡± Rie¡¯s expression of embarrassment was revealed along with the tension that was being released. ¡°Did you become a knight for Leponia, your country?¡± In response to a different but similar question, Rie raised her head and made eye contact with Ruel. He was serious and wanted an answer. ¡°Of course.¡± Rie answered as a knight should. ¡°I have three requests for Lord Kuhn. Don¡¯t lie in this room. Do not leave this room without my permission. Lastly, the final request will be told at a later time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. The second condition is to prevent escape because you may run out of the room.¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re asking... No, it¡¯s not a worry.¡± Rie was reticent. Ruel was a lord. ¡°The proof is...¡± Ruel smiled at Rie¡¯s words. ¡°What difference does showing evidence make? I definitely told you not to do anything. The Kuhn family can support the Second Prince as it is now.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. This is a serious matter. This is not a child...¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because it¡¯s not child¡¯s play. Who will be the first to suspect when the Kuhn family makes a move?¡± ¡°I am also the head of the family.¡± ¡°So have you ever investigated this entity called Red Ash? Did you know that the Second Prince supported by the Kuhn family is also Red Ash?¡± Rie bit her lips tightly and frowned. ¡°This is not something to be dealt with carelessly. If the Royal Family was involved with them, that would be a terrible thing to be found out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust other family heads.¡± ¡°...!¡± Rie¡¯s eyes shook greatly at Ruel¡¯s words. It was so disgusting to hear that other territories were dealing with Red Ash. ¡°Don¡¯t even dig further, you¡¯ll die. You can disappear like a mouse.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you, as Lord Setiria, are alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already a target. You¡¯re not.¡± Rie felt Ruel¡¯s smile held a weight, a burden. Despite him not being a knight, she felt the spirit of someone who had overcome countless battles. ¡°Doing nothing is not a statement made out of disregard for the Kuhn family. If I disappear, I need someone to take over this job. I want it to be the head of the Kuhn family.¡± Cassion turned his head for a moment and covered his mouth. ¡°I know you¡¯re frustrated. Cough, cough!¡± Ruel¡¯s face twisted with the cough. It looked painful just by looking at it. ¡°But someone has to do this. People in the world think of Setiria and Kuhn as rivals, but I think differently. Because we are gatekeepers, we can understand each other better. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Why is Lord Setiria doing this?¡± It was a task that many others could undertake. However, she didn¡¯t understand why Ruel, who was not well, was doing it. ¡°I want to protect this country. The mind is firm, unlike this weak body.¡± Ruel laughed bitterly. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. There was no malice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°...Then may I ask why it is me?¡± ¡°You are the gatekeeper protecting the Royal Family. The gatekeeper must not collapse and since you¡¯re a gatekeeper, you have a duty to hold the defense. That¡¯s why I chose Lord Kuhn.¡± Rie squeezed her thigh and slowly loosened her grip. ¡°I believe in the Setiria family.¡± Her eyes sparkled with trust and firmness towards Ruel. ¡°The reason I supported the Second Prince was because of his mindset for the country. Contrary to that, I have noticed that his behavior has been strange recently.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and listened calmly. ¡°During the banquet, His Highness used me to meet Lord Setiria. To be honest, I was disappointed at that time. If he had told me the truth, I would have been more efficient.¡± Disappointment appeared briefly in Rie¡¯s eyes and disappeared. ¡°I trust Lord Setiria. Coming here, the residents and servants really like the patriarch. It¡¯s not something you can fake.¡± ¡°...?¡± Rie smiled very broadly when Ruel was embarrassed. ¡°I envy you. You¡¯re loved by many.¡± ¡®Is it because I lowered taxes? Because of the supplies?¡¯ ¡°I trust the lord¡¯s family, so I will accept your request. But keep in mind, my sword is aimed at the enemies of Leponia.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± In any case, Rie accepted his request at her own will. ¡°Can I move on to the hard part now?¡± Rie sipped the tea and laughed. ¡°I¡¯m personally interested in Setiria.¡± Chapter 100.2 - Who is my enemy? Chapter 100.2 - Who is my enemy? *** ¡°...Ha.¡± Ruel let out a long sigh from his new bed. They chatted for three hours. Rie was really interested in Setiria. ¡®How could she talk about the pure white walls surrounding the capital of Setiria for more than an hour?¡¯ It made him wonder how she had been able to hold back her curiosity for so long. ¡°Your acting has improved a lot.¡± Cassion sarcastically handed over the meat pie. Crunch. ¡°If Ruel-nim dies, won¡¯t everything end? Who¡¯s next? If I had heard it without knowing, I would have been deceived.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying, if I die, what Red Ash wants to do will only begin, not end, right? At that time, I will need someone to carry on my will.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, so Ruel-nim won¡¯t die either.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, make copies of the materials and tell Noah to keep them. Spread the word.¡± Cassion frowned for a moment. ¡°Why Noah?¡± ¡°It seems like he will survive strangely well even if disaster strikes. It¡¯s a feeling. A hunch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if I¡¯m making an imitation of a Turbulent Day.¡± ¡°Should we make counterfeit products?¡± ¡°I know we should.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was filled with discontent. ¡°But how much is a Turbulent Day worth? I think the more you break it, the more it exceeds the value I know.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I came to serve you, who¡¯s busy and tired already in addition pretending to be a butler?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Why would the rich owner of an ice castle regret becoming a butler? Scratch-tch. Cassion¡¯s eyes grew fierce at the sound of scratching at the door. He remembered hearing that the door had been repainted three days ago. ¡°Maybe I should make a Leo-only door.¡± When Cassion opened the door, Leo jumped and ran at Ruel. ¡ªThis body played with Aris! Ruel was petting Leo and then flinched at the sight of him wagging his tail so happily. Leo¡¯s footprints were clearly visible from his play outside, and his clothes and bed were covered in mud. Ruel inquired, observing Cassion¡¯s countenance. ¡°...When did Corrence say he was coming?¡± ¡°Tonight.¡± ¡°Should I push it back?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t put it off just because of something like this.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes looking at Leo were so fierce that Ruel slightly covered Leo¡¯s eyes with his hands. ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong with you? Leo tilted his head to see as if he was dull or pretending to be dull. *** ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I ate dinner moderately tonight.¡¯ As soon as he met Corrence¡¯s face, his stomach felt nauseous, and Ruel soothed his mouth with a refreshing apple tea. ¡ªGive this body a bite too. As Leo rushed toward the apple tea with his eyes shining, Ruel quietly grabbed his tail. ¡ªHik! ¡°Why did you decide to meet me?¡± Even though Ruel called him, Corrence opened his mouth as he was silent for a while. ¡°Did you commit any crime?¡± ¡°I¡¯m keeping my vow well. I swear that there is no harm that Lumina has inflicted on Setiria.¡± ¡°You came quietly, right?¡± ¡°I came out with the excuse of seeing my business partner, and I met her, so don¡¯t worry. Hurry up and tell me what you want to say. You¡¯re not close enough to see her face to face.¡± Ting. Ruel flicked the cup with his finger. Corrence¡¯s face, which had been hardened, was more crumpled. ¡°Why do you think we can¡¯t see each other face to face? Didn¡¯t you ask me to be friends with her? I haven¡¯t seen her face lately, so I just called her out for the sake of mixing things up. I think you¡¯re being too cautious.¡± ¡°Congratulations. Thanks to you, Lumina¡¯s name has fallen to the ground.¡± Ruel grabbed the cane. Corrence crumpled his hem hard, expressing that he had no more reason to talk. Thud. Thud. Ruel was seen getting up while Corrence¡¯s heart pounded. Is it Lumina¡¯s name or a broken relationship? There¡¯s nothing to worry about. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Ruel standing looked down at Corrence. ¡°His Highness, the Second Prince! He made me deliver the goods to Count Iria Promien!¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°Are you Red Ash?¡± ¡°No! They approached me, but I didn¡¯t accept them! I am... A nobleman. I didn¡¯t want my ambition to fall into the hands of such dirty people.¡± ¡°Prove with an oath that you are not Red Ash.¡± ¡°...I understand.¡± With his previous oath, Corrence could not touch Setiria. Having been put on a leash here once more, he is now the perfect dog of his own. Knowing that, he couldn¡¯t stop his head from drooping weakly. Corrence signed an oath on the condition that he would not have any connection with the Red Ash, now and forever. ¡°It¡¯s been signed.¡± With Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel sat down again. Corrence wasn¡¯t really a Red Ash. If the Matyros incident was not related to the fact that he ordered Count Iria to attack him, there was only one answer. ¡®Huan, it¡¯s you.¡¯ Ruel smiled pleasantly. ¡®And the Shio family.¡¯ The Shio family was originally a family that supported Prince Huan. What if you fooled everyone else and are still supporting them? Tap. Tap. Ruel hit his thigh and felt soft fur. ¡ªTouch this body¡¯s belly. ¡®Woa.¡¯ Leo fell down on his lap and revealed his belly. Ruel looked at Corrence, touching Leo¡¯s belly. ¡°There¡¯s something I want you to do for me. I promise you, by no means, will it cause harm to Lumina.¡± ¡°...Tell me.¡± ¡°Support His Highness Adoris as you are now. Also, do what Adoris tells you to do. I just want you to let me know what¡¯s going on before it occurs. Isn¡¯t it very easy?¡± ¡°Now... Is there more?¡± Corrence looked at Ruel with doubtful eyes because it was not as big of a request as he thought. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m saying this out of resentment, but you¡¯d better not aim for my back.¡± ¡°What should I do if his Highness interrogates me?¡± ¡°Sell me out or whatever you need to do, so you can survive on your own. Aren¡¯t you good at that kind of thing? But think about where you want to belong. Thinking about what would be the best for Lumina.¡± It was a heart-throbbing warning. Corrence already realized that he was weighed down by Ruel¡¯s spirit. He has struggled so far to survive among the rest of the four families except for Setiria and Kuhn. He didn¡¯t know anything else, but the sixth sense told him where he could get an advantage. Corrence rose from his seat. He stood in front of Ruel without any hesitation and bent down. A greeting he only gave to someone of higher standing than himself. The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°I, Corrence Lumina,¡± Honor wasn¡¯t something you could maintain by yourself. It was maintained only when everyone supported it and everyone thought it was truly noble. Corrence chose to be pointed at by only one person, even if he bowed his head, rather than being pointed at by everyone. ¡°I will stand by your side.¡± Ruel quietly inhaled Breath. Chapter 101: Whos my enemy? (2) Chapter 101: Who''s my enemy? (2) *** ¡ªIt¡¯s pretty. Leo was busy looking at the sky covered with numerous stars from Ruel¡¯s lap. He told Cassion that he was going to bed, then secretly went to the kitchen and asked Astell for two cups of cocoa. After staying in bed all day, his chest felt heavy and he couldn¡¯t stand it. He had a hard time rejecting her offer to bring him cocoa all the way outside. Even so, he had the strength to hold two cups. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel took a cup of cocoa and exhaled. At that moment, fog blew from his lips. Late at night in the training grounds, it was quiet and absent from use. Kuroo Kuru. Looking at the spirits rolling around in the training ground, Ruel tried to ignore them by turning his eyes away. ¡®Well, it¡¯s quiet enough.¡¯ Leo on his lap was like a stove, and the cloak made by Aris was warm. Only the fingers holding the cup and the back of his hand were cold. Leo, looking at the sky blankly, put his head down and diligently licked up the cocoa. ¡ªThis is the taste! It tastes similar to a black cake. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything to Uncle and Aris, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body has closed lips! I kept the promise I made with Cassion... Oops! Leo hurriedly covered his mouth with surprise. Even if it¡¯s a promise, it¡¯s one of the things that¡¯s already passed. ¡°Do you want a drink, Hina?¡± Hina appeared at Ruel¡¯s question. She sat next to Leo and gently stroked him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, but did you come out thinking you wouldn¡¯t be caught by the chief?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Cassion must already know. ¡°At least Fran won¡¯t find out. As long as I don¡¯t get caught by Fran.¡± At Ruel¡¯s smile, Hina took out her scarf from her pocket and wrapped it around him. ¡°It¡¯s cold. It¡¯s a big deal if you catch a cold.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess Fran will find out.¡± ¡°There are so many stars today.¡± ¡°I was sad that I couldn¡¯t see the stars in the Ice Castle.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see it again next time.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and nodded slightly. Hina rose from her seat and went back into the shadows. ¡°Have a good night.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Again, only Leo and himself are left. ¡®No, there are spirits.¡¯ It was probably thanks to the spirits that it wasn¡¯t cold. Leo asked as he reheated his cooled cocoa. ¡ªIs it cold? ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡ªThis body is worried like Hina. If you catch a cold, wouldn¡¯t you keep sleeping? This body hates Ruel sleeping. ¡°I¡¯m stronger than it looks.¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s a lie. Ruel is the most, the most, the most hu... ¡°The stars are falling.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Leo looked up urgently. ¡ªWow! This is so unbelievable!¡± They were lucky. A meteor shower was falling from the sky. A long tail is connected by biting its own tail. T/N : This expression is used to describe a situation where a problem or a series of events continues to perpetuate itself, creating a never-ending cycle. ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to see it because I was busy at work, but I¡¯m seeing this now.¡¯ He blew before drinking the cocoa that was just warm enough to drink. ¡®It would have been better if it was alcohol, not cocoa.¡¯ Ruel regained his appetite and looked at the sky. ¡®Still, it¡¯s pretty.¡¯ Whenever the cold wind brushed his cheeks, it seemed as if the accumulated emotions melted away. Red Ash. Two princes. And Ruel¡¯s past. Even the marks on his body. How he wish everything would sink in the heat of the cocoa. *** ¡®The Kuhn and Lumina families are done.¡¯ An event to honor this year and welcome the next year was held at the Royal Palace two months later. Until then, most of the work had to be completed. He had yet to hear from Ganien yet. Cyronian and the Tonisk Empire are close, so he also asked them to keep an eye on them. ¡°...Are you listening to me?¡± Fran now looked like she wanted to cry. He woke up in three days, greeted guests not long after, and went out at night with his weakened body to see the stars. His stomach didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Why do you refuse to listen to me?¡± ¡°Cough! After watching it for a while, I tried to go back in, but the meteor shower fell just then, so I kept watching it...without realizing it.¡± At the sound of Ruel¡¯s Breath, Fran held back her anger several times in her mind.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com Ruel himself did not intend to stay that long. Ha. Cassion gave a smirk. ¡®When did it change from the damn Lord to our patriarch?¡¯ ¡°You know, Chief.¡± Hina brought a chair next to Cassion and sat down. ¡°It¡¯s not the chief or the spirit that have watched Ruel-nim the most, but I.¡± Her eyes towards Ruel were like looking at her immature youngest brother. ¡°Honestly, he made us work hard, but he took care of us most of all.¡± ¡°Is that so? Why am I the only one who doesn¡¯t know?¡± Cassion snorted. All he received from Ruel was a sword, so he couldn¡¯t think of anything else. Of course that was enough. Especially as Turbulent Day was more than fantastic every time he saw it. ¡°The chief is, uh...¡± Hina equivocated her words. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m already a fish that he¡¯s caught.¡¯ Cassion said nothing and wiped his sword again. ¡°Anyway, as I keep watching, I see something in him that makes him feel like my younger brother. I hope he lives a long and healthy life. I mean it.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll live long.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Hina smiled. The sound of wiping the sword and humming mixed together to fill the room. *** ¡°...the throat is still a little swollen, and you have a slight fever, but it¡¯s alright.¡± Fran smiled brightly after a long time. She was in a good mood for the first time in a while because Ruel had really stabilized for two days. ¡°Ah, the wound is healing well. I¡¯ll disinfect it at once.¡± When she removed the bandage, she could see the meticulously stitched wound. She could see it was definitely healing. Since there were many spirits, the speed of healing was different. Fran still smiled and asked. ¡°How about a new drug that¡¯s been raised to the next level? Do you feel dizzy, nauseous, or have any allergic reactions?¡± ¡°I feel drowsy.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the feeling of your body floating?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Alright. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Alright. Other than being weak, the disease is getting better little by little.¡± Feeling that the drug is definitely effective, Leo said this morning that the mark was reduced to two of his front feet. It¡¯s not yet possible to be certain, but so far Fran¡¯s strategy seems to be working well. ¡°I ask you again, my lord, you need to rest. You should never ignore fatigue.¡± ¡°You know it. Except for two days ago, I took a good rest in bed.¡± ¡°I know you visited Tyson yesterday.¡± Ruel saw Cassion standing behind her. He shrugged his shoulders. If not him, Tyson was the culprit. ¡°Lord, the body is valuable and an asset.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Fran¡¯s hand, which was disinfecting, stopped at a sudden remark. She smiled proudly because she felt his sincerity. But she soon collected her expression. It was too early for her to feel flattered that he was feeling a little better. She had to research more and treat it further. It wasn¡¯t a normal disease. Fran wrapped the bandage again and stood up from her seat. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Fran went out with Cassion. ¡°Butler, how about the cough medicine you changed? Now my sister is making something else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely better than the previous one. But there¡¯s no sense of a significant reduction.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take it for a few more days and if it still doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll change it to another medicine.¡± Fran took out her notebook from her arms and played with her hands. ¡°As you know, it¡¯s impossible for the cough to stop completely before the disease goes away.¡± Soon she folded her notebook and continued her words with an indignant look on her face. ¡°The butler constantly asked about his breathing steadily, but according to the results of the examination until today, it appears that part of his lungs is damaged. This is not something I can do.¡± ¡°Is it damaged briefly because of the illness or separately?¡± ¡°It seems to be a complex result. There are scars on his body probably because he had an accident when he was a child.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard there was a carriage accident.¡± ¡°At that time, the damage to the lungs came from a strong shock, and it seems to have been damaged by further damage due to the disease.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Are you saying that even if the disease gets better, there will be no recovery?¡± ¡°Yes, in my opinion.¡± ¡°...Alright. I would like you to keep this a secret from Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather tell him the truth... No. Alright. But if the Lord asks, I have no choice but to answer.¡± ¡°I know. Please keep it a secret until then.¡± Cassion bowed his head to Fran and stopped for a moment on his way to Ruel¡¯s room. ¡®...ha.¡¯ He turned his steps again and headed for the kitchen. He was craving something sweet. Chapter 102: Whos my enemy? (3) Chapter 102: Who''s my enemy? (3) *** ¡°Bring the best guy in the back alley in front of me.¡± After eating, Ruel said after inhaling Breath. ¡°Why...?¡± Instead of answering, Cassion stared at Breath, and Ruel asked back. ¡°No, I¡¯ll bring him in.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard from Fran, but now just focus on what¡¯s in front of you.¡± He forgot that his owner was quick-witted. Cassion chuckled for a moment and soon bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Before you go, let me ask you one thing. Have you checked who hired the guys who attacked me in the capital after the banquet?¡± ¡°We found traces of money being taken from several merchants on the same day. After researching this, it led to the Lumina family.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Adoris.¡± Crunch. Ruel chewed the pie and snorted. Corrence was under oath. No retaliation could be made against himself. I guess he did it because he didn¡¯t know it. It was common for the merchant to withdraw money from the bank, and Adoris was very neat in handling the after-sales as he just gave them the money they withdrew in the name of investing in the merchant. ¡°It is either Adoris¡¯ butler or servant who has ordered the request to the commission office, as I expected. Tell His Highness Banios.¡± ¡°Alright. And I have one more thing to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°At the time of the raid, the Prostone Guild, which employed adventurers, was a guild administered by the Shio family.¡± Crunch. ¡®A guild managed by the Shio family?¡¯ Ruel touched one of the spirits that were huddled on his stomach. Kuroo Kuru. I kept rolling my head as I looked at that angry look. ¡®It¡¯s not that the Lumina family doesn¡¯t have an adventurer¡¯s guild, so why is it an adventurer¡¯s guild affiliated with the Shio family?¡¯ Ruel was annoyed by the triviality. It was clearly the Lumina Adventurer¡¯ guild that supported Adoris himself that made it easy to hide his identity after the attack and find it easy to question the incident itself. There was no way Adoris didn¡¯t know that fact. Separately, the connection between the Shio family and Huan became increasingly clear. ¡°Investigate the Prostone Guild again. Everything from the past.¡± ¡°A few men may die if we investigate the past. Are you alright?¡± ¡°If it helps me to get information. It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t clean up.¡± Cassion¡¯s brow frowned slightly, but he was a loyal butler. ¡°Oh, bring Aris on the way. You can¡¯t be loud.¡± ¡°Alright. Let me call Aris first.¡± Cassion bent down and went out. After a while, Aris arrived and Cassion disappeared into the shadows to pick up the leader of the back alley. ¡°Are you feeling well, Ruel-nim?¡± Aris stroked Leo, who was spinning around him, and asked. ¡°It¡¯s alright, how¡¯s your research going?¡± ¡°...Did you know that?¡± Aris sat down a little embarrassed. How could he not notice when Tyson openly brags about Aris? ¡°I heard you¡¯re studying the essence of magic?¡± ¡°Yes, magic is borrowed from nature, but after all it is an artificial force. I was wondering why more than one attribute could not be mixed at once.¡± ¡ªThis body can do it! Come out when I say yar! It was a very unwieldy remark. Ruel looked at Leo and opened his mouth. ¡°It seems like a question that was dealt with a lot by magicians.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not bragging, but I¡¯ve heard from Mr. Tyson that few people can handle the four attributes like me. So instead of taking out properties separately like now, creating new properties and saving them in advance, from the beginning...¡± ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± Ruel snorted. ¡°N- no. Isn¡¯t Ruel-nim a rare attribute that¡¯s not even in the data! A shadow is a being that is not limited by its form and completely changes the laws of magic!¡± Aris showed a pure enthusiasm for learning and looked like he wanted to open his notebook right away. I don¡¯t know the details, but the current magic was originally unavailable except for its natural attributes. So, when you want to use other attributes, you have a very troublesome way of making it like a natural phenomenon by colliding various attributes, blowing in mana, tying it up into a spell, and storing it. Aris finds a way to occur simultaneously like a natural attribute. ¡°Leo must have the hint.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So...¡± When Cassion reappeared, Aris rose from his seat, saving his words. He brought a stranger. At first glance, he was terrified. ¡°Keep the sound from leaking.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± At Ruel¡¯s command, Aris approached the door and cast a spell. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Cassion hesitated and spoke as Ruel looked at him telling him to take it off immediately. ¡°He had a bad mouth, so he gagged for a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Cassion hesitated once more and pulled out the gag. ¡°This fucke...¡± Cassion did not allow a retort. He pressed him quietly with his eyes. ¡°Ugh..¡± The man groaned in agony. He was suffocated, his head, his knees found the ground by themselves. His instinct to live quickly opened his mouth. ¡°Save me...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, the pressure that dominated the body quickly disappeared. The man breathed heavily. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The man¡¯s eyes moved hastily. He froze, as if he couldn¡¯t believe that the owner of this strongest person was that boy. ¡°Name.¡± Ruel asked again. Only then did he open his mouth. ¡°Gors...It is.¡± He reluctantly respected Ruel. ¡°You are now number one in the back alley. What you will do next is simple.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Shen, what happened to Shen?¡± ¡°Rather than that, why don¡¯t you start by asking who I am? No matter how you look at it, I think that comes first.¡± Gors looked around at Ruel¡¯s arrogant smile. It was full of things that ordinary people could never enjoy. ¡°N, noble one.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Gors¡¯ eyes shook. What would you say if you weren¡¯t an aristocrat? Gulp. He swallowed his saliva belatedly. He was a fool himself. He felt so pathetic for not even noticing the boy in front of him. ¡°I, I, I see the Lord!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not dull.¡± ¡°Why us...¡± ¡°Even you, who wander through the back alleys of Setiria, are one permanent resident of my territory for now.¡± Gors could not hide his surprise. What do you mean permanent resident? I didn¡¯t know that such a word would come from the mouth of the owner. He thought they would see them as pests devouring the territory. ¡°I¡¯ll acknowledge the existence of a back alley. Exactly, as far as I¡¯m allowed.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. The head of the family really intended to receive them as permanent residents. Whether they were kicked out of the territory or fled after committing a crime, isn¡¯t it the place where those with red lines gathered and started. He was one of them after all, but he was one of those who wished he could start a new life again. ¡°First of all, aside from that, have you heard of Red Ash?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± Gorse quickly became a gentle sheep and answered hurriedly to the point of urgency. ¡°He was making nonsense about giving Setiria to Shen.¡± ¡°Is it absurd?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man who knows the subject. What I want is not a Setiria that I can¡¯t even get my hands on, but for me and my men to live like humans again.¡± ¡°Living in the back alley?¡± At Ruel¡¯s sneer, Gors clenched his knees. ¡°Whether it¡¯s voluntarily or were forced to live in the back alleys, it is true. But I swear to you, Shen and I were trying to calm down the chaos in the back alley, and all the ugly things that had been going on...¡± ¡°Cough, cough. Do you know how to write?¡± ¡°I do not know. Shen was the one who knew how to read and write.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I have to see it for myself. Cassion, tell him briefly.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while Cassion told Shen of his sins. When Ruel peeked at Aris, there were spirits attached to his body. In case I laughed, I turned my head and pretended not to see it. ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Gors¡¯ face turned white. ¡°Shen can¡¯t do that! I¡¯m with Shen...¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Ruel laughed. ¡°I¡¯m the lord.¡± Gors shut up when he was told it wasn¡¯t even worth lying to himself. Chapter 103: Strange but not unfamiliar Chapter 103: Strange but not unfamiliar ¡°Or should I slit your throats right now to make you believe me?¡± When he saw Ruel¡¯s arrogant smile, he could tell that he wasn¡¯t lying. Gors¡¯ head bowed to the apparent warning. ¡°Now that you have proven you¡¯re not the Red Ash, it¡¯s settled. You will eradicate the Red Ash that has spread in the back alleys, alongside my people.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you force obedience?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Ruel snorted. It was funny how he kept treating himself like he was an important person. ¡°It would be very easy to cut off your head.¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze turned to Cassion, standing behind Gors. Gors also followed Ruel¡¯s gaze and immediately bowed his head in surprise. ¡°I need a leader to control the back alleys, and don¡¯t you need hope?¡± The support was given, but it was up to Gors to achieve it in the end. Take it or not. Gors had one of two choices. ¡°Thank you... Thank you, Lord.¡± Gors was crying. He was offered a proposal by Ruel. ¡°I¡¯ve misunderstood a lot. I thought that the head of the family was a noble person after all, so he would not help us, who were stigmatized. But there is hope. There was someone willing to help us.¡± He seemed to have forgotten Shen, and all Gors could feel was deep admiration. ¡°Do you know Plane?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t cross the line I set like that guy.¡± ¡°Mind, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Ruel said as he looked at Gors, who was lying face down. ¡°Maybe you can find out who is connected to the Red Ash. I¡¯ll put my birds on it, so get in touch.¡± ¡°This humble servant will do anything for the Lord.¡± ¡°Go now.¡± When Ruel shook his hand, Cassion disappeared into the shadows as he had come with Gors. Ruel breathed in Breath. Feeling a slight discomfort in his stomach, he lay down on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried.¡± Aris looked at the seat where Gors had sat and said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Plane incident will happen again.¡± Ruel was reorganizing the back alley. It will have a huge ripple effect on its own. ¡°Anything that will happen is bound to happen no matter how much you block it. Also, back alleys are created no matter how hard you try to block them. If it¡¯s going to happen anyway, it¡¯s better to put it under my watch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Gors I¡¯m worried about, it¡¯s that someone else will go for the job.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My butler is a good judge of a person¡¯s abilities.¡± Pfft. Aris laughed unintentionally. ¡°Yes, my concern was too much. It may have been influenced by Mr. Tyson.¡± ¡°Go now. You¡¯re busy.¡± Ruel was really free because Billo and Cassion had taken away most of his work. ¡ªNo. Aris is not busy. Leo jumped up and clung to Aris¡¯ arm. Aris stroked Leo¡¯s head at the sight of him asking him to play. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go after playing with Leo and being his free-time companion.¡± ¡ªOkay. When Aris took out a notebook, Ruel quickly changed his mind. It seemed that the idea of being a mere companion in words was not what he had in mind. ¡®You have become a worthy wizard.¡¯ Even though he was his Uncle, it was undoubtedly Aris who surpassed Tyson. *** For four days, the routine of sleeping, eating, gathering mana, and summoning continued repeatedly. Ruel looked at his monotonous life, feeling like he might meld with the bed at any moment. ¡®What day is it today?¡¯ Ruel counted the days on his fingers and hurriedly poured mana into the ring. Even though Leponia¡¯s business in Cyronian was over, Ruel still had to pay attention to the situation. Since the novel itself flows around Cyronian, there was something to be told to Ganien. ¡°Ganien, are you free now?¡± -I¡¯m on duty right now. It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s only for a minute. Ruel heard the door sound as if he was entering a room. ¡°Is Lord Sien doing well?¡± -If you mean Master, he is currently with His Majesty... Why do you ask? ¡°The Red Ash on the Cyronian side seems to be quiet.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t know the exact date, but on the day when winter officially arrived, Sien had an accident. It was poison. Although he didn¡¯t die, he was seriously injured affecting his ability to use Aura, to the point where he had to quit being a knight, so this had to be prevented. The culprit was not revealed. -Well, I did find it suspiciously quiet too. It¡¯s like a blow to the back of the head, and I can¡¯t just sit still. ¡°Based on my experience, they¡¯ll target the surroundings, especially those close to you. So, it would be Lord Sien in your case.¡± In fact, the Red Ash attack wasn¡¯t just focused on him. Ruel happened to see the Red Ash that was smashed while attacking Cassion. Although they didn¡¯t say anything, it seemed like the enemy was coming after Cassion and Aris as well. Gnash. The sound of Ganien grinding his teeth was clearly heard. ¡°Pay special attention to food items. Who would attack Lord Sien with a sword? Also, recheck the guards.¡± -...You¡¯re not poisoned again, are you? ¡°No, it¡¯s quiet these days.¡± Since Ruel was back at the mansion, Cheynol was taking care of preventing any minor attacks or external attacks. Since there hadn¡¯t been any direct attacks on him, it was true that it had been quiet. -What about the injuries? ¡°It¡¯s getting better. Nothing came out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± As soon as he moved, the spirits moved en masse to cling to his body. He couldn¡¯t take them all. ¡°Only the kids who are less grown up should follow me.¡± Kuroo kuru. The mongrels were talking to each other as if they were having a meeting, and about 20 of them clung to his body. ¡ªRuel¡¯s shoulder is the seat of this body! Leo jumped up to Ruel¡¯s shoulder. He seemed delighted at the mention of going out, forgetting about the fact that the black things had diminished. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªTell me. ¡°Do the treats you eat not satisfy your hunger?¡± ¡ªNot only do they fail to satisfy this body¡¯s hunger, but they also can¡¯t sustain this body. Cassion looked at Leo with an expression asking why he had been eating like that all this time then. As if to pretend Ruel didn¡¯t hear him, Ruel quickly walked over to the door and opened it. ¡®Can¡¯t you fill his stomach with anything but black things?¡¯ He never thought about what would happen after removing the mark. What happens to Leo if the mark disappears. ¡®If you don¡¯t eat it, it¡¯ll disappear.¡¯ Ruel was worried. At first, Ruel brought Leo along because he thought it would be useful, but now Ruel couldn¡¯t imagine not having him by his side. ¡ªWhy do you ask that? You suddenly look sad. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Ruel stroked Leo and held his cane. Ttak. The ringing sound was quite heavy after a long time. *** -Start. With Ruel¡¯s command, the shadows next to Gors quickly dispersed. ¡°...ha.¡± A long breath came from Gors. It was serious. After Plane died, those in the back alley fell into the group called Red Ash like a plague. Even those he regarded as comrades, as brothers, were no exception. But it has to be done. By doing so, they would receive the promised hope. They would fulfill the owner¡¯s desire. Swoosh. He drew his sword and took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re going too.¡± Hearing Gors¡¯ words, the subordinates standing behind him also pulled out their swords with tense expressions. Those who obtained trust by swearing an Oath of Mana. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate.¡± Gors opened the door. ¡°Those gathered in front of us are enemies.¡± They had once shared a drink from the same glass. But now, they had to be sent away all at once, in one final act. ¡°Captain, what¡¯s happening now? Why are you acting like this? And why are those behind you behaving the same way? Where is the designated area for rendezvous... Ugh!¡± ¡°Bera!¡± Gors stabbed his fellow men in the heart and shouted in spite. ¡°You, you crazy! What are you doing?¡± The room became chaotic at the sudden movement. But no one could get out. All the doors were locked. They had no weapons. ¡°Cut it down!¡± Once the massacre occurred, it did not stop until the last enemy was killed. ¡°Keugh... ugh, Captain, ugh... Why...¡± Gors¡¯s eyes filled with tears as he stabbed his sword into the abdomen of his now-enemy ex-comrade. Whenever he saw the sword soaked in blood, it seemed as if his chest had been cut out. ¡°Why!¡± Gors shouted resentfully. Stabbed in the shoulder by his sword, the man slumped back into the corner. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Why! You joined that group!¡± ¡°...Why?¡± The fellow man laughed. It was a detached smile prepared for death. ¡°Because they gave me hope.¡± Gors clenched his teeth at the man¡¯s words. ¡°He said if I destroy Setiria, if I kill Ruel Setiria, he will grant me anything I want. You know why I¡¯m like this.¡± ¡°You fool.¡± The tip of Gors¡¯ sword trembled, ¡°You fool! Ruel Setiria will acknowledge us. He will accept us as permanent residents!¡± As much as Gors knew the man, the man knew Gors. Gors was a man who didn¡¯t deal in lies. ¡°...Damn it. Damn it all.¡± Only then did the man shed tears. ¡°Save me, Captain. You know, you know how much I yearned for that. Captain, I¡¯ll let go of that now. So, please...¡± The conversation couldn¡¯t continue. Gors cut off the man¡¯s head. ¡°The price of betrayal is death.¡± That was the first rule Gors and Shen decided in the underworld. How many more people¡¯s blood will be spilt by the sword before morning? Although his hands were already dirty, Gors closed the man¡¯s eyes. Chapter 104: Strange but not unfamiliar (2) Chapter 104: Strange but not unfamiliar (2) *** ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Cheynol stood in front of the main gate, bowing his head towards Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m not even going that far away, but you¡¯re seeing me off. It looks like you¡¯re free these days.¡± Ruel chuckled lightly in response. Even without being told, the knights lined up behind Cheynol, without a word or command.T/his chapter is updated by requested to tell you that he is sorry for not being able to see you off and to come back in good health. I too would like to reiterate the same thing to you. Please come back safe and healthy.¡± ¡°Please come back healthy!¡± The knights shouted loudly. ¡®They all seem to be worried,¡¯ Ruel thought to himself. After resting and recovering from the exhaustion and reducing the marks, his body felt better than ever. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be back.¡± As it was not feasible for both vice captains to accompany Ruel on his peaceful visit to another territory, they decided to draw lots to determine who would go. Drianna emerged as the winner, and she was able to follow behind Ruel. ¡°I¡¯ll bring back a gift, so take care of the house,¡± she said, flashing a bright smile towards Horen. It was a very wicked smile. ¡°Are you here?¡± In front of the carriage, Noah was bowing his head towards Ruel in a polite manner. If you look at the greeting itself, it was like seeing a second Billo. ¡°The butler is very good.¡± Cassion was satisfied and pointed to the door with a nod to Noah. Noah¡¯s eyes were slightly shaken, but without any complaint, he opened the carriage door and bowed. ¡°Your demeanor has really changed.¡± Aris looked at Noah curiously. His attitude has become perfected since the last appearance he showed during the meal. ¡°Most of all, you become a decent person. Isn¡¯t that right, Noah?¡± Before getting into the carriage, Ruel flicked a gold coin that he had prepared in advance. Ting. At the sound, Noah¡¯s hand reflexively grabbed the gold coin. ¡°... crazy.¡± Even though Noah had caught the gold coin, he was startled and quickly looked around to see if Billo was there. Fortunately, Billo was not there. ¡®That¡¯s right, because human nature doesn¡¯t change easily.¡¯ Despite Ruel¡¯s ridicule, Noah bowed again. The posture Billo had taught him came out first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being rude.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel lightly tapped Noah on the shoulder. It was an unsolicited apology, but at this rate, it was worth taking Noah with him. Ruel got on the carriage with Cassion¡¯s support. ¡ªOoooh! Ruel was just as surprised as Leo¡¯s shout. It felt as if an entire small room had been transported instead of a carriage. ¡®Uncle really went all out with his power.¡¯ The space inside felt slightly larger than a royal carriage, allowing him to breathe more freely. As Leo immediately jumped onto the bed, the Spirits followed suit, taking over the beds with enthusiasm. ¡ªIt¡¯s spacious! It¡¯s soft! This body likes it here! ¡®It¡¯s a mess.¡¯ Ruel sat down after looking at the spirits and Leo. ¡°Tyson-nim put a lot of effort into this carriage,¡± Cassion said as he climbed aboard and tapped on the wall. The carriage started moving, and he pointed to the back wall. There was nothing there, but it seemed to ripple and shimmer. Cassion lightly blew Aura on it, and suddenly a door appeared. ¡°It¡¯s not only sturdy, but Tyson-nim also made a kitchen so you can comfortably enjoy your meals,¡± Cassion explained. Ironically, Cassion was the one who liked it the most. ¡°What is this?¡± A conspicuous red button that seemed out of place caught Ruel¡¯s attention. ¡°If you press that, Tyson said it¡¯s an emergency device that allows him to come anytime,¡± Cassion explained. ¡ªReally? This body wants to touch and see... Heek!¡± Ruel quickly grabbed Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡ª... I understand. This body is good and listens to Ruel. Leo pouted and crouched on Ruel¡¯s lap. He kept looking at the red button with regrets. As Ruel gently stroked Leo¡¯s stomach, his ears immediately perked up. ¡°You said you had something to give. Give it to me.¡± Ruel extended his hand to Cassion. ¡°This is the information you requested about the Prostone Guild and the Shio Family. I haven¡¯t had a chance to thoroughly review it yet.¡± Cassion took out the data and handed it over to Ruel. ¡°It must have been difficult to find?¡± ¡°Hiding it is pointless. Among the aristocrats, if someone breaks into their house or bribes their servants, they would still try to hide the information even if rumors start spreading. Whether it¡¯s in a secret study or a magically protected vault, it ultimately becomes useless, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ruel concurred. ¡°It¡¯s truly foolish, or perhaps it¡¯s just a habit of those who bear the name of aristocrats, to always hide the key somewhere on their own bodies. I don¡¯t know which one to call it¡ªeither remarkably stupid or a characteristic of those who call themselves nobles.¡± There was a hint of disdain towards the nobles in Cassion¡¯s words. Ruel silently inhaled Breath. ¡°Anyway, the Prostone Guild seems to have left information for trading with the Shio family, and the Shio family seems to have left information for trading with someone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so funny seeing the same guys together.¡± ¡°Well, if they¡¯re the same kind of people, wouldn¡¯t they be capable of the same kind of deeds? Cassion let out a brief smirk before continuing, ¡°The search for the warlock and the person who discovered you five years ago is still ongoing. We did find traces of the warlock, but they had already left Leponia.¡± Ben plucked the flower and handed it to Ruel. As Ruel took a closer look, he noticed that the petals were shimmering even more beautifully. ¡°The language of this flower is conscience.¡± His gaze filled with a faint longing. He could see glimpses of guilt that he had often witnessed in Tyson¡¯s and Billo¡¯s eyes. ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡°Achoo!¡± Ben panicked when Ruel sneezed and hurriedly guided him to the room. * * * Ruel and Ben, accompanied by Leo, sneaked into Ben¡¯s room. ¡°I apologize,¡± Ben said. ¡°No need to apologize. But before that, there¡¯s something I want to say,¡± Ruel said, sitting down on the sofa and smiling at Ben. ¡°Please feel free to speak your mind.¡± Leo took the blue flower that Ben gave him. As he put it on Leo¡¯ head, the smile on Leo¡¯ face did not disappear. Ruel glanced at Leo for a moment. A group of spirits moved behind Leo as he walked around the room. ¡®Leo is the leader.¡¯ Ruel looked at Ben again and spoke. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been out since the banquet. Didn¡¯t you agree to recommend a good restaurant to me before?¡± If the enemies have surrounded the mansion, wouldn¡¯t it be enough to avoid giving them an opportunity to attack the mansion? Ruel was already excited at the thought of moving around in crowded places. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be uncomfortable?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to go on an outing, but I¡¯d like to go with you. Why not?¡± Ruel asked like a child throwing a tantrum at his grandfather. Ben grunted loudly enough to show his teeth. ¡ªThis body came from an outing with Aris not long ago. Don¡¯t worry, this body will tell you everything when you go outside. Standing next to Ben, Leo cocked his nose high. Ruel snorted slightly as he inhaled Breath. ¡®If you go on two outings, you become an experienced teacher.¡¯ Ben soon looked at Ruel with concern. ¡°I¡¯m worried about the health of the head of Setiria. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, there is nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°How about a cup of tea to warm you up first?¡± ¡°I like apple tea.¡± ¡ªThis body also likes apple tea. ¡°Apple tea, understood,¡± Ben rang the bell, and a butler entered the room. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Bring a cup of apple tea.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The butler bowed and went out. Ben took a deep breath and opened his mouth as if he had decided to do something. ¡°Do you happen to dislike being questioned about your past?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°I understand. The reason I approached you at the banquet was to reveal one truth,¡± Ben confessed, even though Ruel had expressed his dislike for being questioned about his past. Ruel was taken aback by the sudden turn of the conversation, but he was genuinely interested, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to ask, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Five years ago, on my way to meet His Majesty, I saw a carriage with the Setiria emblem on it. Because it stopped at the corner of the road, I thought something had happened so I approached it.¡± The news that followed was overwhelming. It was something beyond his imagination. Ruel felt his mouth go dry. ¡°Who was there?¡± ¡°Is it okay for me to tell you...?¡± It wasn¡¯t Ben who needed to ask if it was really okay; it was Ruel. ¡°I won¡¯t ask why you¡¯re telling me that only now. There must have been a reason.¡± ¡°Exactly. After seeing you at the banquet, I couldn¡¯t bear to ask, so I wanted to make an appointment with you.¡± Ruel had no intention of blaming Ben. What he needed to know now was who else was there besides Trino Setiria. ¡°Please tell me.¡± Ruel urged. Ben didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°It¡¯s the head of Diagos Shio and Prince Huan.¡± The pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. Ruel barely suppressed the corners of his mouth from rising. ¡°It may be far away, but how could you not know the appearance of the Shio family head and His Highness Huan? It seemed like they were the ones who halted the Setiria carriage, judging from the atmosphere.¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Since it wasn¡¯t a welcoming atmosphere, I went on my way. Afterward, when I heard that Lord Setiria had been involved in an accident and died, I immediately rushed to His Majesty,¡± Ben explained, expressing his anger as if he had been betrayed. ¡°...An order was given to keep quiet,¡± Ben continued. ¡°His Majesty knew about it... He knew even though he pretended not to.¡± Prince Huan was the one who stopped the Setiria carriage, and the king was aware of this fact. Yet, he chose to feign ignorance. How much evidence had been lost during the investigation of the Setiria incident? ¡°I know I don¡¯t deserve to see your face, but I invited you because I have something to tell you,¡± Ben confessed. ¡°Is it really a letter you want to deliver?¡± Ben looked surprised. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°His Majesty gave me a note that said, ¡®Bring out the buried conscience.¡¯¡± ¡°Finally...¡± Ben¡¯s voice began to waver. ¡°Finally, it seems that His Majesty has made up his mind.¡± Ben took off his bracelet, which was thicker than his finger and seemed out of place with something he would wear. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I will help you with anything. Whether you consider it a retribution for the past five years spent in silence or a retribution for not being able to prevent the accident that could have been prevented.¡± Following Ben¡¯s touch, the bracelet came apart. Inside, a neatly rolled white letter was revealed. ¡°I stake my honor on it. I have never seen its contents. The owner of this letter is you.¡± Ruel grasped the letter that Ben handed to him. It felt familiar, even though he had never held it before. The scent was comforting, as if it had been preserved with a preservation spell. His heart raced. The feeling of unfamiliarity was strangely familiar. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 105: Strange but not unfamiliar (3) Chapter 105: Strange but not unfamiliar (3) Knock. Knock. There was a loud sound as the butler approached and set down a teacup. ¡ªUgh... I can¡¯t eat anything right now, Leo¡¯s voice didn¡¯t reach Ruel¡¯s ears. After the butler left, Ruel carefully opened the letter. ¡ª...Ah, are you in pain? Leo hurriedly approached Ruel. Tears welled up in Ruel¡¯s eyes, flowing involuntarily. It wasn¡¯t himself, but Ruel Setiria, who remembered the handwriting. Ruel Setiria remembered that this letter was written by his own father. ¡®... What a mess.¡¯ Ruel wiped away his tears and made eye contact with Ben. He quickly averted his eyes, feeling flustered. Clutching the letter in his hands, Ruel spoke up. ¡°I showed an embarrassing side of myself.¡± ¡°If you wish for me to step aside, I will,¡± Ben offered. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I just hope you can give me some time to read the letter,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°I can wait as long as you need. Take your time and read it comfortably,¡± Ben assured him. Ruel heard through Cassion that there was no one else in the room. Feeling relieved, he began reading the short letter addressed to the king. [Your Majesty, the Great Man wears a false disguise and treads upon the same land as us. I will provide you with the detailed story in person.] Ruel hastily folded the letter. He knew he should put it in his pocket, but his hand wouldn¡¯t follow. ¡®What is this... What does this mean?¡¯ ¡°Listen carefully, Setiria. He cannot set foot in this world due to constraints, unlike us. That¡¯s why he cannot move.¡± ¡®The Great Man said he cannot come to this world.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, are you alright? ¡®Is he saying that someone... someone took over someone else¡¯s body to exist in this world?¡¯ It was crazy. Ruel felt the hairs all over his body stand up. The Great Man existing in this world. And that person treading upon the same land as himself. ¡®Who is it? Whose body did you occupy?¡¯ ¡ªRuel! Take a breath! Leo clung to Ruel¡¯s leg. Only then did Ruel exhale. Huff. Huff. Ruel heard his own ragged breathing and then saw Ben approaching right beside him. ¡°Ar-are you alright? Your breathing sounds too rough,¡± Ben asked. Ruel inhaled Breath with his trembling hands. After catching his breath, he managed to speak. ¡°...I¡¯m fine. I was just startled, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay, it¡¯s alright to take a rest,¡± Ben reassured him. Lost in his thoughts, Ruel didn¡¯t realize how breathless he had become. His hands were still shaking. It was fear. The memory of the gaze of the Great Man, consumed by darkness, who had intended to kill him, flashed in his mind. Ruel closed his eyes briefly and then opened them. ¡°I¡¯m fine. But there¡¯s one thing I want to confirm with Lord Liobenez.¡± Ruel continued speaking after inhaling Breath again. ¡°Did you say you would pay for your sins?¡± ¡°... exactly.¡± Though guilt weighed heavily on him, Ben¡¯s eyes remained clear. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t Lord Liobenez first prove to me that you are not part of the Red Ash? That would be the opening of our conversation.¡± ¡°Many often prove themselves through a Mana Oath. But what I have to offer is this.¡± What Ben took out was a piece of paper with nothing written on it. But it wasn¡¯t a regular paper. The mana emanating around the paper was strong. ¡°It¡¯s a magic contract. Unlike Mana¡¯s oath, there is no gap.¡± Ben came with strong wording. ¡°I will write that I will not have anything to do with Red Ash in the past, present, or future.¡± If the Kuhn family, the Lumina family, the Prios family, and even the Liobenez family were wiped out, only the Shio family would remain. ¡®What Ben saw of the incident was true.¡¯ ¡°I will also write that I have not read the letter left by your father and that I will spare no effort to resolve this matter. If there is anything you wish for, please tell me.¡± Although Ben¡¯s clear delineation of this particular incident slightly bothered Ruel, objectively speaking, Ben didn¡¯t do anything to be criticized. He told the king what he had seen, and he did not accept it, so what could he do? However, aside from that, Ruel didn¡¯t want to end the grandfather-grandson playtime. With Ben¡¯s vast connections, he could utilize them anywhere. ¡°Regardless of the means you employ, I hope you will examine the noble families in Liobenez and the underworld to eradicate the Red Ash. That is my request.¡± ¡°I understand. I already expected that request. I will definitely resolve it.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Ben immediately started writing on the paper. ¡°And what you said about knowing a good restaurant still holds true?¡± Ben grabbed his pen and quietly put it down. ¡°...Are you serious?¡± ¡°I was sincere, but it seems Lord Liobenez regarded it as a passing remark.¡± ¡°At that time, I remained silent. You have the right to scold me.¡± Ruel smiled innocently. ¡°But in the end, didn¡¯t you tell me everything? You also protected the letters from being taken away by the enemy.¡± ¡°Are you planning on moving them all to the surface?¡± ¡°No, I have to take care of both. Make sure there are no more guys like Plane in the back alleys. And to ensure that the Red Ash cannot approach.¡± ¡°I understand. I will examine the land and discuss it with Billo. Then I will inform you of the required funds.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t inform the nobles just yet. I will address it in the next meeting.¡± Ruel handed over the letter he had kept to Cassion. ¡ªAh! The one you saw and cried over... Oops! Ruel was a little late and caught Leo¡¯s tail. He should have stopped that light mouth from the beginning. Cassion smirked as if he had found something to tease, but his smile vanished as he read the contents of the letter. ¡°... didn¡¯t you say that the Great Man couldn¡¯t come to this world?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°I know that the phrase ¡®false disguise¡¯ written in the letter is really nonsense, but doesn¡¯t it mean that it can take over someone¡¯s body?¡± Cassion¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good about going back to square one.¡± ¡°But my father knew. He was on his way to tell the king who it was.¡± ¡°You mean the king knew about the Red Ash and kept his mouth shut?¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and raised one corner of his mouth. ¡°Yes, because it was Diagos and Huan who stopped my father¡¯s carriage. The king knew about this and pretended not to know. Because he is a person who cares very much for his sons.¡± ¡°The marking was done by one of them. According to Nintra, who became the first black-blooded man, the one who planted the mark was the head of a family, so it is highly likely that it was Diagos.¡± Cassion glanced at Leo as he spoke. Leo had somehow ended up lying on Ruel¡¯s lap, wagging his tail. He didn¡¯t mean to talk about it in front of a light-mouthed animal, but what should he do with what he already brought up. ¡°I don¡¯t believe what Nintra says, because the information given to him may be false.¡± ¡°I will turn the carriage towards Shio. With the evidence we have, if you start poking around the Prostone Guild, Shio will react. Both sides are armed against each other, after all.¡± ¡°No, the person I need to meet first now is Adoris.¡± Cassion waited for Ruel¡¯s words with a questioning look on his face. ¡°I was curious why Adoris specifically requested assistance from the Prostone Guild, but now I understand. He deliberately made it known. Because he was present at that scene too.¡± ¡°By that, are you referring to the carriage accident five years ago?¡± ¡°Yes, he wanted me to realize who caused the accident. That¡¯s why he deliberately chose the Prostone Guild.¡± Ruel recalled what Banios had said. ¡°First of all, the eldest brother left first, and then the second brother moved. That fact is clearly known, but I don¡¯t know where they went.¡± Huan moved first and Adoris moved next. That day, Adoris saw what Huan had done. He really knew the truth of the accident when he offered to tell Ruel. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. Adoris is Red Ash.¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°We were completely fooled. Both you and I, even Banios.¡± Soon he erased his smile. ¡°Adoris is not our enemy. It¡¯s a somewhat ambiguous relationship.¡± Ruel kept thinking about what Banios had said. ¡°That day, my Second Brother had an accident. He almost lost his life after being crushed by a chandelier in a hallway of the Royal palace.¡± ¡°Adoris almost died because he witnessed the whole truth of the carriage accident, which involved Huan. But he survived.¡± ¡°Could it be... that he received help from the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes, even before the carriage accident, Huan was already a member of the Red Ash. Adoris must have been approached by them after the accident.¡± Ruel pointed to the letter Cassion was holding. ¡°It all started with that letter.¡± Whether the king showed Huan the letter without knowing he was Red Ash, or Huan secretly saw it, he eventually saw the letter. ¡°Huan saw that letter. And then he learned that my father had obtained an important clue to destroy Red Ash. Which choice would he make? The result is obvious.¡± That letter caused the carriage accident. ¡°And that year, my Eldest Brother suddenly gave up on succeeding the throne.¡± ¡°Huan gave up his succession to the throne. It was Adoris who made it that way.¡± That fact led to one very simple result. ¡°In other words, the Red Ash granted Adoris¡¯s request. Being pushed aside by the Second Prince, how devastated must First Prince Huan have been?¡± ¡°Unless I¡¯m mistaken, did the Second Prince intentionally join the Red Ash? Otherwise, some of his actions don¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Perhaps he did. Maybe he had no choice but to join the Red Ash, shedding a few tears as a pretense. His desire to protect Banios was genuine.¡± Cassion let out a hollow laugh. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m watching a third-rate play.¡± ¡°So am I.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean the collaboration with Carbena disappears.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said it was a slightly ambiguous relationship.¡± What Adoris did did not go away. After all, didn¡¯t he do what Red Ash asked him to do? ¡°While it¡¯s true that I survived because of my bloodline, I could never understand why Carbena didn¡¯t kill me for five years.¡± Ruel frowned. He felt uneasy. ¡°Adoris stopped it. I received help unintentionally.¡± Perhaps Adoris had come to him, urgently requesting to end Banios¡¯s involvement, because the situation had become dire? Or was it all part of this theatrical performance to make him aware of the circumstances? Whatever it was, things had changed. His guess could have been wrong all along. But what was certain was that Adoris knew about the accident five years ago. He had to meet Adoris. He needed to hear the complete story from five years ago, to clear his mind. ¡°Contact Rie Kuhn.¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 106: 5 years ago, that accident Chapter 106: 5 years ago, that accident Ch 106 5 years ago, that accident ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion infused an aura into the communication device.T/his chapter is updated by ediately, Rie¡¯s voice came through. It sounded warm enough that one could sense that it was a welcomed call. ¡°Lord Kuhn, is now a good time?¡± -Yes, it¡¯s fine. I was simply working on some paperwork. ¡°Can you relay a message to Prince Adoris right away?¡± -What happened? Prince Adoris has never left the castle before. ¡°We¡¯re having a bit of a problem.¡± Ruel had told Rie that Adoris was Red Ash, so he had to explain it later. It was such a hassle. ¡°For that matter, I would like to meet with Prince Adoris. An explanation will be provided after this issue is resolved. Can you arrange it?¡± -Yes, I can. What should I tell him? ¡°Just let him know that I would like to meet with him at the Lumina Family today.¡± -That¡¯s easy enough. Is there anything else I can assist you with? ¡°That¡¯s sufficient. Thank you, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Ruel ended the communication and called the next person. ¡°Contact Corrence Lumina.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As soon as the communication device light came on, Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°Corrence.¡± -L-lord Setiria, what happened...? Corrence¡¯ voice trembled, perhaps because he was nervous. ¡°His Highness Adoris will come to your house, so prepare yourself.¡± -... Pardon? With a gesture from Ruel, Cassion ended the communication. ¡°Who should we contact next?¡± ¡°Ketlan.¡± Ruel inhaled breath and stroked Leo¡¯s stomach, who had just fallen asleep. * * * On a dark night with the full moon rising, a carriage adorned with the crest of the Prios family came to a stop in front of the Lumina Family mansion. The rain drizzled down, and the head of the Prios family, Ketlan, holding an umbrella, was followed by two attendants donning flipped cloaks. ¡°Welcome. I came out because I was worried about the rain,¡± Corrence greeted them at the front gate. ¡°Thank you for the escort. Has His Highness Adoris arrived?¡± Ketlan asked. Glancing behind him, Corrence quickly replied, ¡°He has already arrived.¡± ¡°We should hurry, then.¡± The group swiftly moved forward. * * * Corrence and Ketlan stopped in front of a room, their gaze fixed on a young boy. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here, you¡¯ll have to keep that in mind.¡± Ruel said, removing his cloak, his gaze lingering on Corrence. Ketlan answered with a smile, and Corrence, slightly taken aback by Ruel¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, replied hesitantly, ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel handed over the cloak to Cassion, received his cane, and entered the room. Adoris watched Ruel approach with a sidelong glance. ¡°Your Highness, please forgive my impoliteness.¡± ¡ªNo, Ruel is not scary! Ruel is a kind person that humans don¡¯t know about! Leo, who had been circling around, suddenly jumped and playfully growled at Adoris¡¯s feet. Ruel chuckled at the sight. It seemed he was unintentionally mocking Adoris as his brow furrowed even deeper. Ruel had no intention of clearing up that misunderstanding. ¡°It¡¯s a hint you gave me to understand, so shouldn¡¯t I notice it?¡± ¡°First, let me state my position: I have no interest in the throne.¡± ¡°Yes, those are kind words. Then, how about we have a conversation while enjoying some snacks? My mouth feels a bit empty,¡± Ruel suggested, dismissing the topic of the throne as if it were a trivial matter. ¡®He has no interest in the throne?¡¯ Adoris continued to scrutinize Ruel with a subtle expression. Knock. Knock. ¡°This is Cassion.¡± Ruel found Cassion¡¯s voice to be incredibly welcoming. It was perfect timing. Seeing Adoris¡¯ wary eyes, Ruel leaned back on the sofa and said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be on guard, he¡¯s my butler. By any chance, does Your Highness enjoy macarons?¡± ¡°I eat them, but not to the extent of seeking it out.¡± Adoris answered with a stern face. Naturally, Ruel was taking the lead in the conversation. It was easy to forget that they were inside the Lumina mansion. The owner of the estate, Corrence, couldn¡¯t even enter. Ruel Setiria had already taken full control of him. At first, Adoris casually mentioned that Ruel was scary, but now that he saw him like this, he truly was a terrifying person. ¡®...Could it be that Lord Kuhn has also been won over by Ruel Setiria?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I keep my promises. I have even exchanged an oath with His Highness Banios not to betray each other.¡± Only then did Adoris relax a little and take a deep breath. ¡°Do you perhaps have your sights set on the throne?¡± Adoris asked. ¡°Why would I have my sights set on the throne?¡± Ruel countered, leaving Adoris speechless. ¡°I am satisfied with Setiria. Anything more than that would honestly be too much.¡± It was a laughable remark. Based on what he had seen of Ruel so far, he was someone who could aim for more. When he said that he had made an oath with Banios, Adoris decided to believe him and did not mention anything more. ¡°Your Highness, may I bring my servant inside for now?¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Adoris granted permission. Only after receiving Adoris¡¯s approval did Ruel bring Cassion inside. The tray was filled not only with macarons but also with savory meat pies, cookies, and apple tea. ¡ªThis body likes apple tea! This body likes sweet things too! Leo immediately ran to Cassion and circled around him. ¡ªThis body... Hup! This body can¡¯t eat right now. This body cannot eat... Ruel. Leo¡¯s tail, which had been gently moving, stopped. Leo stood in place and looked up at Ruel. This was not something Ruel himself could do anything about. Initially, he told Cassion to be quiet, but it was Leo who insisted on following him. ¡ªNo. This body can endure. Cassion bowed and went outside. Surprisingly, he closed the door slowly. ¡®He¡¯s taking care of Leo more than I thought.¡¯ However, to his disappointment, Leo didn¡¯t go outside. He stayed there, looking at Ruel while drooling. ¡°Please have some,¡± Ruel recommended the snacks to Adoris. Adoris picked up a fork but hesitated. Seeing this, Ruel grabbed a piece of the meat pie with a hand and took a bite. Crunch. As expected, it felt good to have something to know on. It was only then that Adoris¡¯s hand started moving. ¡°I¡¯m ready to listen. Please tell me now.¡± ¡°... I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Adoris slowly spoke, his expression cautious, as if opening a tightly sealed box. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 107: 5 years ago, that accident (2) Chapter 107: 5 years ago, that accident (2) *** ¡®Where did you go, brother?¡¯ Adoris got off his horse and wandered around the forest for some time. The trees were thick, making it difficult to sense the direction he was walking. Adoris couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of Brother Huan¡¯s behavior these days and had followed him as he watched him sneak out of the castle. ¡°Dad...!¡± Suddenly there was a mournful scream from a child. Adoris followed the sound in alarm. Coming across the scene he held his breath. Two carriages were stopped on the road with armed soldiers surrounded about five people. ¡®...!¡¯ Adoris¡¯ eyes, watching the scene, grew larger in shock. The man was stabbed in the stomach by the soldier¡¯s sword. It happened to be Huan who stood unmoving looking at the man on the ground with the sword inserted into his abdomen. Thump. Thump. His heart beat hard. The person stabbed by the sword was someone he recognized. ¡°... Cough! Run away, Ruel! Irian! Hurry, quickly!¡± When he heard the man¡¯s voice, it became more clear who he was. He was the patriarch of Setiria. Adoris couldn¡¯t think of anything anymore. The soldiers were aiming for the child who was closely following the Lord. ¡®That kid is Ruel Setiria...¡¯ He had to save a child at least. Adoris ran back to the direction he came from and whistled loudly. Whistle! Soon, the sound of hooves could be heard. He pressed his hood down, attached to his cloak, further over his face and mounted his horse. ¡°Giddy up!¡± His heart was racing. He had to hurry. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming!¡± One of the soldiers shouted, but Adoris had no intention of stopping. When he was close to grabbing Ruel a man jumped on the back of his horse slinging Ruel into his own arms. The smell of blood quickly enveloped him. How badly injured was the man? Adoris slightly turned his head back, only to see the man holding the child tightly in his arms. ¡°Keep running!¡± the man shouted. ¡°How dare you! Chase them immediately! Chase and kill them!¡± Huan screamed, pointing his finger. Whoosh! Perhaps there was a mage among the soldiers, as a massive fireball formed above one of the soldiers¡¯ hands. ¡°I¡¯ll stop them. Benefactor, please look ahead.¡± The man held Ruel tightly and moved his finger as if he had written something in the air creating a shield. Kwaang! The fireball and shield collided, making his eardrums ring. Adoris almost lost the reins for a moment, but managed to catch it and turn toward the village. ¡°This person, Cough! This is Ruel Setiria.¡± The sound of blood vomiting was heard from behind. When he saw the man a little while ago, he could see at a glance that his injuries were serious. ¡°Do you need any treatment?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± The man seemed to know he had no chance. ¡°... Thank you for your help.¡± Adoris heard the child¡¯s voice soaked in tears. Adoris bit his lips. He could not bear to say that the person who killed the child¡¯s father was his older brother. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think it¡¯s better for the benefactor to get off here and hide himself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take him with me.¡± It was uncertain whether the man could make it to the village on foot. Adoris spoke again, ¡°It will be safe to go to the village. There, we can seek assistance from the soldiers.¡± Even if he was his elder brother, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bring the soldiers into the village and openly kill the man. ¡°I am a guardian of Setiria. The enemy will agree to the deal, so please... please.¡± Irian had no intention of killing himself. He really wanted to protect Ruel. ¡°Your Highness, please... Please save Ruel-nim.¡± His earnestness was felt through the sword pointed at his neck. Adoris looked around. Nearly hundreds of people were pointing their arrows at Irian. There was no way for both Irian and Ruel to survive. And the unfortunate reality was that Adoris himself was in no different of a situation. Huan, too, was a member of the Red Ash, just like the others. He must have seen through Adoris¡¯s intentions. Could a greedy person like Huan really leave him alone? Adoris knew he had to consider his own survival as well. There was little time for deliberation. Adoris grabbed Ruel by the neck and shouted to Irian, who was pointing his sword at him. ¡°Let me go now! Before I break this child¡¯s neck!¡± Then, he yelled at Red Ash, who was observing the scene, ¡°If you truly want to make me a king, protect me!¡± Adoris shouted louder. ¡°This is the guardian of Setiria!¡± Adoris hugged the child in his arms. It was so miserable that he had to rely on the child and maintain his life by selling others¡¯ lives. ¡°...Thank you.¡± With those words, Irian finally withdrew the dagger he had aimed at Adoris¡¯s neck and stepped back obediently. ¡°Please save him.¡± His words were not meant to be shown to Red Ash, but to be sincere. ¡°Shoot it.¡± The old man¡¯s words could be heard through the sound of flying arrows that descended. Plop. Adoris felt his heart sink. He heard the sound of a body collapsing behind him. ¡®Endure it, hold on,¡¯ Adoris told himself silently, never taking his eyes off Red Ash. The sword and arrows were aimed at the ground, not at him. It meant they had no intention to attack. Adoris calmly spoke up, ¡°I appreciate your rescue, but I cannot give you this child.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°Setiria is the guardian of this kingdom. Didn¡¯t you promise to make me a king?¡± His hands trembled, but he held the child even tighter. The warmth of the child¡¯s body reminded him that this was the reality. ¡°I will be the one to kill this child. I will kill him on the day I become king. I will bring Setiria down with my own hands. Isn¡¯t that what you desire?¡± There must be a reason why he approached himself even though they had Huan who would succeed to the next throne. Adoris believed in his assumption and acted proudly. ¡°I gave you permission to kill the guardian. That would have met my qualifications.¡± The corner of the old man¡¯s mouth went high. ¡°Yes, thanks to that, my men could easily kill the guardian without getting hurt. They¡¯re very persistent. It was disgusting every time I saw their tenacity.¡± The old man walked over and stepped on Irian¡¯s head. ¡°Why?¡± Soon there was a kick. ¡°Why!¡± Crack. With the sound of something breaking, the blood Irian shed gradually spread. ¡°Why! How dare they sniff around and interfere with everything we do like dogs! Haa...¡± The old man caught his breath and looked at Adoris. ¡°I was so annoyed that I couldn¡¯t stand it. Thank you, Your Highness.¡± He wiped the blood on his feet roughly on the floor, as if it were dirty, and smiled. He got goosebumps, but Adoris took it calmly without being exposed. ¡°Well, one thing. Please allow only one device to be used on the child.¡± ¡°I give you permission.¡± He doesn¡¯t know what the Red Ash will do to Ruel, he knows what he¡¯s doing, but he handed Ruel over to the Red Ash. To protect himself. To protect this kingdom from Huan. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 108: 5 years ago, that accident (3) Chapter 108: 5 years ago, that accident (3) *** ¡°... After I found out that my brother was Red Ash, I realized that the Royal Family had fallen into their hands.¡± Adoris opened his closed eyes. ¡°I make no excuses, there was nothing I could have done there as a prince, I had to turn into Red Ash to protect myself.¡± ¡°Did that executive mark me at that time?¡± ¡°I saw he put something in your body. It was very ominous, very scary.¡± After speaking, Adoris slowly squeezed a glass and sipped the tea. He faced Ruel¡¯s eyes without the slightest wavering. The child who was small enough to be held in his arms was already this big. Adoris smiled lightly. ¡°I regret it. I didn¡¯t prepare at all, as if I went on a picnic. I should of suspected my brother more. I regret everything.¡± Crunch. There was a sound of biting down on the meat pie. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you heard from Banios, but I almost died that day by my brother. It was Red Ash that saved me.¡± ¡®It wasn¡¯t Huan or Diagos who placed the mark.¡¯ ¡°I needed strength, the strength to protect me. My brother, and the strength to protect this country.¡± The glass held by Adoris shook wildly. ¡°But...¡± ¡°Yes, that strength is all false. It¡¯s not your strength, but the strength of the Red Ash.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adoris replied with a bitter smile. Then, with a shadowy and dark expression, he continued. ¡°It seems like my situation, or rather the situation within the Red Ash, has changed. They are breaking their silence and starting to move.¡± ¡°Is it because of my injury?¡± ¡°No, it seems they have found another way to break the seal without killing you.¡± ¡°...Is it black water?¡± Ruel mentioned what immediately came to mind. Instead of answering, Adoris simply smiled. It was a gesture of affirmation. ¡®Damn you guys...¡¯ It was indeed the black water. The black water. Suppressing his rising anger, Ruel asked, ¡°Is breaking the seal what they¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that, I¡¯ve been in Red Ash for quite some time, but they¡¯re drawing a clear line. I have to catch those who were Red Ash from the beginning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know them?¡± ¡°I only know some of them.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine. Please let me know.¡± Ruel had the shadows to utilize. Adoris carefully opened his mouth as he fiddled with the tea. ¡°Perhaps you... did you know that there was a guardian?¡± ¡®Are you talking about the people who protected me?¡¯ Ruel shook his head. ¡°I have no memories of my childhood.¡± ¡°... I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adoris¡¯s head bowed a little. As it wasn¡¯t an experience he went through, Ruel felt a little awkward. ¡°It¡¯s Irian.¡± ¡®Irian?¡¯ It was the first time he heard the name, but it wasn¡¯t unfamiliar. His heart trembled uncontrollably, just like when he had seen Trino Setiria¡¯s handwriting. ¡°The name of the guardian who protected you until the end is Irian.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know where they might be now?¡± Adoris shook his head. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t, please at least remember the name Irian.¡± ¡°Yes, I will remember.¡± The tea had cooled down to the perfect temperature. Ruel wet his lips with a sip. ¡°I will continue to attack you as I¡¯ve been.¡± ¡°Yes, as you should. I will do my best to survive as always.¡± Crunch. ¡°Can you control the black-blooded man?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the authority to do it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been affiliated with them for five years, yet they treat you so poorly. How is your relationship sustained?¡± Adoris smiled. ¡°The Great One is a god to them.¡± ¡°Do you mean that bastard?¡± Ruel frowned as if he was disgusted. ¡°Which side would be more convenient for you to receive information from, Kuhn or Lumina?¡± ¡°Please send it to Prios.¡± ¡°...You¡¯ve reached that point, huh?¡± Adoris¡¯ laughter disappeared for a moment. Three families had already fallen into Ruel¡¯s hands. ¡°I have my own reason, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Take a rest for now.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any shooting stars tonight, so please refrain from going outside.¡± ¡°I saw earlier that the sky was covered by clouds. There¡¯s no point in going out if there¡¯s nothing to see.¡± ¡°Well, then.¡± Cassion went outside today without turning off the lights. ¡ªCassion forgot to put out the lights. This body will turn it off. Leo approached the lights while eating. ¡°No, turn it off when I fall asleep.¡± ¡ªI understand. Then this body will eat and leave. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel closed his eyes. ¡®Irian.¡¯ And he repeated the name of his guardian. *** ¡°Irian!¡± A young voice came out of his mouth. ¡®...What is it?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something he said himself. It just came out of his mouth randomly. He was holding hands with someone. His hands were so small that he looked like five or six years old. ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim.¡± Irian¡¯s face was not properly visible, as if covered by fog, but he seemed to smile warmly at himself. ¡®Ruel? ¡®Is this Ruel¡¯s memory?¡¯ It felt really weird like a lucid dream. ¡°Are you going to see the king?¡± ¡®King?¡¯ Is he referring to the king that the unidentified woman mentioned? ¡°Yes, he called for you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°The king. Is he this big?¡± He drew a circle with his small hand. ¡°Yes, he is extremely large and beautiful.¡± ¡°Hehehe. The king. He¡¯s this big.¡± The child¡¯s bright laughter continued to flow through his mouth. To meet the king, the two of them passed through the beautiful forest they had seen in a fairy tale, and went through another forest. Finally, they stopped walking. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so big!¡± A big hand reached out to the child. The hands were very beautiful in scales, as if they had all sorts of jewels in them. ¡®...What is this?¡¯ The scales were all too familiar. ¡®The first time I purified a black-blooded man, I saw him in my dream.¡¯ ¡°Come see me again.¡± Those words were still vivid in Ruel¡¯s mind. Like Irian, the being called the king was not seen except for his hands. ¡®...?¡¯ When the king¡¯s hand touched his head, the surrounding landscape turned white. It was like coming to a different place. Ruel looked at his hand. ¡®...It¡¯s not young Ruel, it¡¯s back to my current body.¡¯ -You are not the same child I saw before. The king¡¯s voice was so sad. -Also... Ruel couldn¡¯t hear the rest of his words. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ A large hand stroked him very carefully. -I have been waiting for you. Don¡¯t give up. Don¡¯t easily let go of that fragile life of yours. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ No voice, no words, came out. Huh? At that moment, Ruel turned his head to the strong sense of death behind him. Crack. He heard something cracking. The once bright world was stained black, and the Great Man was looking at him through a small crack. ¡®... The Great Man.¡¯ -Did you survive again, Ruel Setiria? A creepy smile played on his lips. -Wait. Bloody eyes stared at him. -Now my time has come. Before the gap closed, he pointed his finger at himself. He could see the chest he was pointing at gradually turning black. It was very ominous and very scary. ¡®This... mark?¡¯ At that moment, the world turned white again, and he felt something pulling him once more. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 109: To firmly brace Chapter 109: To firmly brace ¡°... Ruel-nim! Are you okay!¡± ¡°Huh... !¡± Ruel panting and opened his eyes. ¡°Breathe slowly.¡± While listening to Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel inhaled Breath. As Ruel¡¯ breathing gradually returned, he saw Fran and Tierra who were greatly relieved. ¡®... Why is she here?¡¯ She checked Ruel¡¯s eyes by shining a light on him, checked his pulse, and went through various checks. ¡°Everything is fine. But just in case, I¡¯ll give you a tranquilizer.¡± Fran held out her hand and Tierra quickly filled the syringe with medicine. ¡°... what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ruel belatedly opened his mouth. His body felt strangely heavy. He asked as Cassion frowned at him. ¡°You had a pretty bad seizure.¡± ¡°...!¡± Is it because of a dream? Or maybe it was because he met the Great Man. ¡°You must be sleepy. Don¡¯t resist it and sleep.¡± Fran smiled and told him not to worry. As soon as the tranquilizer was injected, his arm became hot. Soon, the drowsiness came in like a wave, and his eyes closed on their own. *** Ruel opened his eyes again. Swish. With the sound of the curtain being lifted, sunlight poured onto his face. ¡ªAh! This body is awake! Along with Leo¡¯s voice, Ruel felt the soft fur on his face. Then, the spirits started to stick to his face. ¡ªCassion kicked me out of bed all of a sudden. This body is angry! It seemed like Cassion had kicked Leo out because of his seizures. ¡ªBut this body is the Great Purifier. This body waited for Cassion to open the door and sneaked in! Ahem! Leo extended his short legs gracefully and raised his snout in a haughty manner. On top of him, the spirits hopped around energetically. It was a strangely fitting combination. Leo received Ruel¡¯s touch and soon curled up into Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡ªYawn, this body feels a bit sleepy from waiting for Cassion to open the door, Leo murmured. ¡°Okay, get some sleep.¡± After stroking Leo¡¯s head a few times, he immediately heard a snoring sound. Ruel inhaled Breath and then called Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± As Cassion revealed himself, he immediately spoke up. ¡°Are you alright? I was a bit startled this time. Fran too...¡± ¡°I met the Great Man.¡± A long sigh was heard from Cassion. Ruel found it difficult to explain to him how he met the Great Man. ¡®In my dream, I suddenly changed to a different place. Or is it all a dream... ¡¯ Ruel bit his lip slightly. ¡°Fran mentioned that the seizure you experienced this time doesn¡¯t seem to be due to an illness. Did he do something to you?¡± ¡°I think he probably touched the mark.¡± ¡°Fran briefly visited during dawn, but there was no mention of anything significant. We¡¯ll see.¡± Ruel frowned and grabbed his head. ¡®Is it really all a dream?¡¯ -Wait. Now my time has come. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be a dream. The voice is still so vivid.¡¯ Ruel grabbed his hair tightly. ¡°My situation, no, things have changed in the Red Ash, they are trying to break the silence and move.¡± The change in the situation of the Red Ash that Adoris had mentioned and the words of the Great Man were plausible. We need to know whose shell the Great Man was wearing. Ruel inhaled Breath and told Cassion of what he saw in his dream. ¡°I also met the King.¡± ¡°...?¡± The being with beautiful scales was the king. ¡°I think we met when I was young, but honestly, I don¡¯t remember.¡± -You are not the same child I saw before. Tyson smiled brightly. ¡°After today¡¯s meeting, I would like you to lend me an entire day. Aris, you too.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Aris answered nervously. What did he even call Tyson? ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then uncle, please explain each step of the process.¡± The first thing that had to be built was a defense mechanism. As Setiria was the gatekeeper, he was the first to face the enemy. The Tonisk Empire is quiet now, but he didn¡¯t know when or what would happen. Ruel¡¯s face brightened as Tyson¡¯s expression became enthusiastic. ¡°The defense mechanism can now be attached to each village after a final confirmation.¡± ¡°Will Cassion do the final verification?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®It would be worth seeing.¡¯ He might have to grab a bunch of pies and have a look. ¡°I think the warp device, in its current state, will be able to give us good news in two months. and...¡± Tyson was silent for a moment. He expressed everything unsaid with his facial expressions instead of words. ¡°Black water has nothing to do with it yet. I confirmed that the decay of black water briefly subsided with your mana, but the research was delayed for a while because I couldn¡¯t confirm whether black water only works on humans.¡± Tyson must be anxious because he heard from Ruel that black-blooded men do not die. It was not clear whether black water would respond similarly to animals like humans, so it seemed that they could not even experiment hastily. Ruel soon realized his mistake. ¡°Today is difficult, and I will help you tomorrow. I¡¯m going to bring Leo too. Please check then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No. I should have checked that fact first.¡± Ruel should have expected that Tyson wouldn¡¯t even be able to speak up for himself. It was a waste of time. Ruel inhaled Breath and checked the clock in Tyson¡¯s room. The meeting time has come to an end. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see you later. Aris, you too.¡± *** During the meeting held a week ago, Ruel couldn¡¯t attend due to an injury. However, they had given orders to each nobles to build a new wall, and distribute the already provided weapons and armor to the soldiers. Additionally, they didn¡¯t forget to issue various minor commands, such as maintenance of dams in each village and particularly emphasizing repairs to the gates in the Sisel Village. ¡°Report each situation.¡± He had already heard the reports on the situation in each village from Dion. However, the information given from the nobles could differ from what was presented. Therefore, Ruel listened attentively, eager to catch any discrepancies. ¡®... Nothing much has changed.¡¯ There were some minor adjustments due to the cleaning of back alleys, but it was as Dion had informed them. Ruel looked at each noble one by one and asked, ¡°Double-check if the preparations for winter are properly done.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. I will check again.¡± Minart was the last to answer. He cautiously opened his mouth, looked at Ruel. ¡°In a few months, won¡¯t it be time for your coming-of-age ceremony, Lord Ruel?¡± Ruel immediately noticed the way he spoke while paying close attention. He was planning to bring up the topic of marriage again. ¡°I¡¯ll dismiss it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s firm words, the other nobles, excluding Minart, looked at Ruel as if the world had collapsed. ¡°From now on, you are prohibited from mentioning matters related to me in future meetings, do you understand?¡± ¡°Th-then when should we inquire about your well-being?¡± ¡°Contact me directly. I will accept it any time.¡± Well. The nobles had a regretful look on their faces and quietly lowered their heads. ¡°I have one more thing to tell you.¡± Ruel mentioned Gors and the back alleys. This was something the nobles needed to know. ¡°...So we¡¯re going to create a new village on the vacant land, and I hope you all help as much as possible.¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll definitely help, without a doubt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your task, Lord Ruel, so we¡¯ll assist.¡± One after another, they expressed their willingness to help, leaving Ruel slightly surprised. He had expected some opposition. After all, back alleys were generally avoided and considered dirty by the general public. ¡®What¡¯s this? Shouldn¡¯t there be opposition or someone trying to maintain neutrality?¡¯ While marriage was a significant matter, it seemed much less confrontational than when the topic had come up before. ¡®The other day, they explained how important marriage was to the point where his blood ran cold in his veins at the topic.¡¯ Ruel looked at the nobles with a puzzled expression. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 110: To firmly brace (2) Chapter 110: To firmly brace (2) *** Setiria was Ruel¡¯s own territory. This time he wanted to take a closer look around. He wanted to know what delicacies each village had, what beauty it possessed, and the expressions on people¡¯s faces. He also wanted to identify any shortcomings or geographical features that could become weaknesses, contrary to the reports. However, it was winter now, and with the things that needed to be done immediately in addition to the opposition of Cassion and Billo, he had no choice but to postpone the schedule. ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling cold?¡± Ruel looked at the blue flames floating around his body as Tyson continued to question him. There was no time to be cold. ¡°Yes, I feel warm thanks to my uncle.¡± ¡ªA lake full of stars! Can this body really swim? Leo couldn¡¯t contain his excitement as he gazed at the large lake. Ruel nodded his head. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to break the ice a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Aris created a flame right out of his hand. ¡ªThis body wants to do this too! Nevertheless, Ruel wanted to take some time to go out, even if only for a little while. He wanted to cool his head and try fishing for the first time. In the middle of the night, Lake Prina was more beautiful than the lake in the town of Dotol in Cyronian. The Milky Way was completely embedded in the water, and the quiet breeze was pleasant. ¡°Aren¡¯t your hands cold? I¡¯ll give you gloves.¡± Cassion took out a pair of pure white gloves from his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s okay, fishing is just fun.¡± ¡°I put the bait on the hook.¡± Cassion spoke pointedly. ¡®How condescending.¡¯ Ruel frowned slightly. What else can he do if the bait is disgusting? ¡°I¡¯ll be the one catching. Don¡¯t just stand there uncle, sit down. Cough.¡± The fishing rod Tyson was holding shook violently at the sound of coughing. ¡°Don¡¯t overreact. I¡¯ve changed my medication recently, so my cough has decreased a lot, and I¡¯m feeling better.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t! You had a fever earlier...¡± ¡°Look, there¡¯s a fish swimming over there.¡± Ruel naturally pointed towards the lake as they spoke. ¡ªOh! It¡¯s true! Leo wagged his tail and leaped towards the water. Tyson¡¯s face, which had brightened up slightly, stiffened again. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already heard about my condition from Fran?¡± Ruel immediately gestured to the blue flames around them. ¡°It¡¯s really warm.¡± It wasn¡¯t an empty statement; he truly meant it. It was different when he was just stargazing. With this level of warmth, there was no chance of catching a cold. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Finally, Tyson shifted his gaze towards the lake. ¡°This place has always been a wonderful place, whether in the past or now. I don¡¯t know if you remember, but you, me, and my brother used to come here often.¡± Stars glimmered in Tyson¡¯s eyes, filled with nostalgia. Ruel could not sympathize with that faint feeling. Instead he brought up another story. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Now I know when it¡¯s time to rest.¡± A warm smile appeared on Tyson¡¯s face. ¡°Like my uncle said, Setiria was stronger than I thought.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who rebuilt it.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m strong.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m so glad.¡± ¡°Sometimes.¡± Ruel smiled and looked at Tyson. ¡°I wish we could come out together like this more often.¡± Tyson¡¯s fishing rod shook once more. His eyes, which shone like stars, twinkled slightly. It was Ruel¡¯s genuine smile, a smile that he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My wish is for you to be happy. I hope you have more days when you truly smile like you do now.¡± ¡°Do not worry. I am still happy enough. So, I hope your uncle will forgive himself now.¡± ¡°Thank... you.¡± Ruel stared out at the lake while listening to Tyson¡¯s somber voice. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! This body is happy too! ¡®Your ears are sharp.¡¯ After swimming happily in the lake, Leo waved his short paw and Ruel also waved his hand. He suddenly felt a vibration in his hand. ¡®Oh!¡¯ His own fishing rod was vibrating with the tremors. It looked different because it was a top quality bait. ¡ªThis body will help you. The lake trembled, and then waves came crashing down. ¡°Wa, wait a minute!¡± The waves stopped in front of Ruel, and Leo, who had caught a fish with the fishing line in its mouth, gently let the fish go. Ruel smiled and patted Leo¡¯s head as his bright eyes begged for praise. ¡ªRuel caught it first thanks to this body. Ahem! ¡°... It¡¯s a foul, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel with a puzzled expression. What kind of fishing is that? ¡°It¡¯s true that I caught it first.¡± Ruel smiled proudly. Don¡¯t you just need to catch anything? *** ¡°Uhm.¡± Ruel opened his eyes with a yawn, and attempted to remove the heat patch on his forehead. He thinks he still has a slight fever. Ruel¡¯s expression hardened. ¡®Is it because I met a Great Man?¡¯ ¡°You may experience new symptoms or stronger existing symptoms.¡± Fran looked at Ruel with unwavering eyes. ¡°However, as I told you a little while ago, the progress of the disease is still slow and is improving. There is absolutely no need to be afraid.¡± ¡°I understand, I just trust you.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± Fran¡¯s voice had power. She couldn¡¯t hide her expression as much as Tyson. ¡°You¡¯ll stay up all night.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty strong, so don¡¯t worry. Right now, the one who should be concerned is you, Lord.¡± Fran drew an arc at the corner of her mouth and took out her notebook. As she was examining him and recording it in her notebook, she belatedly saw Leo lying back on his bed. ¡°Lord, may I pet him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, once he falls asleep, he sleeps deeply.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Fran, who carefully touched Leo¡¯s fur, was soon struck by his strange charm. ¡°It¡¯s better than I thought, hmmm, Lord. Please do not hide any new symptoms that appear and tell us everything.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ruel glanced at Fran¡¯s hand diligently stroking Leo as he answered. As soon as she caught Ruel¡¯s gaze, she hurriedly got up from her seat and bowed her waist. ¡°Well, as I always say, take care of yourself. Don¡¯t overexert yourself, and always stay warm now that it¡¯s winter.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Please keep it. By all means.¡± Fran repeated her request and went out. ¡°Did I not keep my promise?¡± Ruel asked Cassion while holding Breath. Instead of answering his question, Cassion looked at him with a stern look on his face. It was as if he was going to kill those who turned out to be Red Ash at any moment. ¡°When I die, the seal that Red Ash wants will be released. This is natural. No, it¡¯s expectation noneless.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t shown any symptoms, and my condition isn¡¯t as severe as it used to be.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, the Great Man did something to the mark without even touching you... ¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± He knew what Cassion was worried about. ¡°My body has been dying for the past five years. It¡¯s not surprising at all.¡± Ruel stood up from his seat. ¡°The Great Man failed to kill me as a mark in the first place. I told you this before, right,¡± he said, looking at Cassion with a relaxed smile. ¡°I¡¯m not dying.¡± Ruel lightly tapped Cassion on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going for an exercise. I¡¯m looking forward to breakfast today. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to investigate that guy named Luruan. Especially, dig deeper into the second-in-command.¡± Ruel pointed to the documents on the bed, then hugged the yawning fox and went outside. Cassion¡¯s sigh was heard along with the sound of the door closing. ¡®Should I call him a child or an adult? What should I say? You can at least express yourself?¡¯ Cassion opened the window. ¡®... Again.¡¯ Cassion flung himself out before the wind blew his hair. He stepped on the intruder silently as leaves falling to the ground. Cassion¡¯s eyes looking down at them were infinitely cold and sharp. ¡°Tell me which guild you are from.¡± Cassion got to his feet and casually threatened the bastard for his life. The tremor he caused like a seizure was felt through his toes. Assassins have been steadily coming to Ruel for a few days now. { Kill Ruel Setiria. } It was a request distributed to all assassin guilds in Leponia. The client was unknown, but the amount proposed is 10 million gold coins. The money was more than enough to inspire a pack of dogs to attack. Cassion had no intention of letting him or the assassin¡¯s guild he belonged to remain alive. It wasn¡¯t Adoris who unleashed the assassin. If we kill them one by one, we will find out whose work it was at some point. It was his job to step forward for the owner who had a lot to do, as he had more to do than the owner. *** Shudder. Chills ran down Aris¡¯s body, causing him to abruptly stop running. ¡®Is it Cassion¡¯s presence?¡¯ It seemed like the enemy had come in again. The defensive barrier installed by Tyson had temporarily stopped functioning at Cassion¡¯s request. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Have you caught a cold?¡± Ruel asked, panting heavily. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just suddenly got chills.¡± ¡°I have had a really bad cold these days. Be careful not to catch it.¡± Ruel frowned because he had already caught a cold. ¡ªCome quickly! This body has already come this far! Leo was already half a lap ahead and was wagging his tail. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t something been off with the mansion¡¯s barrier lately? It seems fainter than before.¡± ¡°Yes, pardon? I don¡¯t know.¡± Aris turned his head and hurriedly moved his feet. Knowing that Aris couldn¡¯t lie in front of him, Ruel inhaled Breath while looking at the sky. The mana was definitely fainter. ¡®It seems like something is happening without my knowledge.¡¯ ¡°My Lord! Just two more laps!¡± Horen screamed at the top of his lungs. After wiping his sweat, Ruel gave Horen his hand and ran again. ¡®The structure of the disease has changed...¡¯ Whatever happened, there was no need to worry in advance, because his thoughts were already overflowing with concerns. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 111: To firmly brace (3) Chapter 111: To firmly brace (3) *** After Ruel finished writing the letter to Huan, he admired his handwriting with satisfaction. First of all, the appointment time was set a week later. ¡°Send it to Huan.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion went out with the letter. ¡°No, Leo.¡± Leo, who was trying to touch his ring, noticed and put down his front paw. ¡ªI was just watching. There is something sparkling on this body too. Leo grabbed the jewelry on his collar, and spoke out as if he were expressing his injustice. ¡°Yeah, just go play with the spirits over there.¡± ¡ªDid you see something white? T/N : Leo means paper. ¡°No, I have someone I need to contact.¡± ¡ªI understand. Leo took a seat next to Ruel and curled up with his body. While Ruel had briefly mentioned it to Rie, he had told Banios to back out of the case concerning five years ago. Banios had been busy since declaring his intention to succeed the throne. Ruel ate the meat pie and infused mana into his ring. ¡°Your Highness, is it time for us to talk? It may take a bit longer.¡± -Today is fine. I¡¯ve been curious to hear why you told me to stay away from the incident five years ago. The sound of paper being flipped could be heard. -Before that, I have something to tell you first. ¡°Please speak.¡± -The frequency with which the First Brother meets the ministers has increased, and his behavior is unusual. ¡°Yes, I will explain the reason as well.¡± Ruel brought up the incident from five years ago to Banios, and he listened calmly. ¡°...So, Your Highness, I hope you continue to maintain a relationship with both Princes as you have been.¡± -Lord Setiria... Banios called him with a heavy tone. It was a voice he had often heard from Tyson. ¡°You don¡¯t need to finish that sentence. It¡¯s not His Highness¡¯s fault, nor is it something you caused.¡± Banios was silent for a while and then finally opened his mouth. -Did you say that His Majesty had moved? ¡°Yes, I heard it through the head of the Liobenez family. I hope to see His Majesty soon.¡± -I, I thought you were kicked out by Carbena... ¡°Your Highness.¡± -... I will approach my eldest brother, and in such a way carefully so as not to raise suspicion. Huan was trying to attract Banios to take advantage of Adoris¡¯ weakness. -Also, I will check the approaching ministers and bring them to my side. I can¡¯t burden you any more than this. If Banios begins to build up his power, it will be seen externally as a three-way war. The more the sides are divided, the more difficult it will be for the ministers to unite. The more divided and scattered the more disadvantaged were the people on Huan¡¯s side. In fact, it¡¯s not 1:1:1, but 2:1. ¡°Yes, I will assign the Liobenez family to assist you.¡± It was Setiria, Shio, and Liobenez that remained neutral. Since Shio was already a person of Huan, Liobenez had to stick with Banios. ¡®That way, Huan will cling to Setiria even more.¡¯ -I too will pretend to approach you. ¡°Yes, you should. There are many listening ears in the palace, so I will relay His Highness Adoris¡¯ words.¡± -I understand. When you come to the palace... I want you to see it in person. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll see you then.¡± As the story neared its end, Ruel waited for Banios to cut off communication. -I feel reassured because you are there. The light on the ring disappeared. Ruel inhaled breath and looked at Leo. Leo clung to his arm as soon as communication was cut off, like a puppy begging to go for a walk. ¡ªAre you going to your uncle now? Is that right? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªThis body also likes uncle. This body is also like magic knights. Leo¡¯s target was not Tyson but the magic knights. How nice it would be to have something delicious given to you every time you visit. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Ruel got up, Leo immediately got down on the bed and rubbed his head. Kuro kuru. He looked at himself at the same time as if the spirits spread out in the room were about to move in large numbers. ¡°Follow me just a little bit.¡± Ruel opened the door and went out. Ttak. As the sound of the cane echoed through the hallway, the servants stopped what they were. They were silent like ghosts and only looked at him. ¡®Woa.¡¯ The spirits were enough to catch up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just do what you¡¯re doing.¡± Ruel waved his hand and walked towards where Tyson was. While experimenting with black water, Ruel rented an entire training room to prepare for any possible danger. Crunch. While eating meat pie, Ruel watched the scene where Tyson created a barrier and Aris complemented it. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The mansion barrier...¡± Before Ruel could finish his words, Tyson¡¯s eyes shook greatly. When Ruel turned his gaze and saw Aris, Aris pretended not to know anything and was only staring at the barrier. He was so bad at hiding it. Ruel lost the will to ask. ¡°I asked Tyson for a favor.¡± Cassion said as he poured the tea. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°This is to ease Ruel-nim¡¯s worries.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something I need to hear right now, is it?¡± ¡°Yes, I will tell you when it becomes more certain.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel also didn¡¯t want to increase the expense of the things he had to worry about anymore. He blew his tea and looked at Tyson and Aris. He could see how relieved they were. ¡®It¡¯s the same, it¡¯s the same.¡¯ Ruel turned his gaze to the center of the training ground. There was a glass box in the center that held a rat inside it. ¡°Why is the rat there?¡± Leo followed Ruel¡¯s gaze and widened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to feed the rats black water to find a way to deal with it.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes looked lost. Ruel didn¡¯t want to bring him in, but Leo was a great purifier. ¡ªIs, is this action absolutely necessary? If you feed it to rats, they get sick. ¡°Yes, it is absolutely necessary. There¡¯s something I need to check.¡± Only then did Leo see Ruel. Like Billo, he seemed to want to protect Tyson. ¡°Now I think I know why my brother hid that fact.¡± Tyson looked at the sky. A slightly muffled voice was heard. ¡°... He was trying to protect me from the Red Ash.¡± Tyson turned his head and was smiling. He seemed strong-willed. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to say I can¡¯t. I¡¯m going to find a way to deal with black water.¡± Instead of acting guilty like his previous behavior, he was determined to act like a real uncle. *** 4 days later. The carriage embossed with Setiria¡¯s emblem moved. In response to Huan¡¯s reply, ¡®I want to meet you as soon as possible,¡¯ the date was pushed forward earlier than planned. The place they decided to meet him was ¡®Hian¡¯ village, which ironically was the place where Ruel was found after suffering a carriage accident. It is said that the decision was made to go there considering Ruel¡¯s physical condition, but in reality, the distance between Hian Village and the castle was not very far. When Ruel first confirmed the location in the letter, he burst out laughing. Isn¡¯t his intention to embarrass himself too blatant? ¡°Are you okay?¡± The closer they got to Hian Village, the more Cassion expression hardened. ¡°It¡¯s okay, so stop asking.¡± Ruel looked through his window and stroked Leo¡¯s fur. It¡¯s not a lie, it really didn¡¯t matter. Ruel was about to bite his Breath when he suddenly noticed that the carriage had halted. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It looks like there was a carriage accident.¡± ¡®... Carriage accident? Why now?¡¯ ¡°I think we can just ignore it and pass by.¡± Cassion hit the carriage wall. At the signal, the carriage started moving again. Knock. Aris knocked on the window. When Ruel opened the window slightly, Aris was next to him and told him the situation. ¡°It looks like there was a minor carriage accident. It¡¯s not serious enough to help.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel saw the carriage that had been in an accident. In the new carriage, there were no traces that could have been the cause of the fall. He immediately closed the window and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®You¡¯re leaving that damn thing. Why don¡¯t you just tell me?¡¯ Perhaps because he was trying to relive the trauma that Ruel Setiria had. He couldn¡¯t help staring at the entire scene of the carriage accident. Instead of words, Cassion was asking if he was okay with his eyes. He was fine. Now that he knows what his enemy wants, he must return the favor. Ruel smiled suspiciously and patted Leo. *** Huan must have rented the entire store and the entire area, so there wasn¡¯t a single person in sight other than the employees. ¡°There are no enemies.¡± Cassion supported Ruel and spoke softly. ¡°Okay.¡± Red Ash, like himself came, but I guess he didn¡¯t bring them with him just to make himself look good. Ttak. The sound of a cane broke the silence. Haa. White steam rose along with Ruel¡¯s exhaled breath. In this town. Here. Ruel Setiria lost everything and survived. And he survived only to come back. Ruel thought of nothing more. It was too early for him to become sentimental. He himself had to become a sharp sword before his enemies. He had to become a performer to deceive his enemies. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Ruel walked into the store with a smile on his face. *** The first thing that welcomed Ruel was food laid out on a long table. Then, Huan smiled and welcomed Ruel. ¡ª... Huh! This body is in shock! This body dreamed a while ago similar to an ocean of food! Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at the food. Even if Ruel tried to stop him, he was ready to eat it. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it difficult to get here?¡± Huan asked softly. ¡°No. Thanks to your consideration, I came here comfortably.¡± ¡°I should have asked you in advance what you liked, but I was so anxious to meet you that I forgot to ask, so I prepared the best things in this town.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Oh, no, please sit down first. Don¡¯t worry, I have prepared separate seats for the butlers and knights you brought.¡± Huan took care of Ruel to the extent that anyone would think he was a butler rather than a prince. Ruel handed over his cloak to Cassion and walked to the location Huan guided him to. ¡°Sit down first.¡± As Cassion followed Ruel, Huan looked at Cassion with a sideways glance. ¡°I have something to tell you, so why don¡¯t you just send the butler away?¡± Despite Huan¡¯s roundabout discussion, he didn¡¯t hide his unpleased expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness, but I need a butler, so please allow him to stay by my side.¡± ¡°Tell me why.¡± For a moment, Huan¡¯s brow twitched, but he naturally hid his anger. ¡°At the banquet before.¡± Ruel choked out his words. Huan¡¯s eyes became slightly harsh. Since the words were deliberately brought up to recall the shame from the last banquet, Ruel continued his next words in a good mood. ¡°I once told Your Highness that I cannot eat food recklessly.¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you that my butler is the only one who knows what food I can eat, so he needs to be around.¡± Huan calmed his stomach by drinking water before his eyes. ¡°I understand. Let the butler choose what food you can eat.¡± ¡°Thank you for your generous generosity.¡± Huan rang the bell and made the servant come back. When Ruel saw Cassion, he bent down and picked out the food one by one. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s fun.¡¯ Ruel looked at Huan¡¯s expression, who was suppressing his anger while inhaling Breath. It was so funny that the prepared foods disappeared one by one, the time took, and most of all, he couldn¡¯t take back the words he had said. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Ruel broke the silence midway and opened his mouth. He would be bored waiting, so he wanted to start with an interesting topic. ¡°I witnessed a carriage accident on my way.¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 112.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria Chapter 112.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria In an instant, Huan¡¯s smile vanished. His eyes quickly became busy, not missing a single expression, look, or gesture from Ruel. He gazed at Ruel with eyes stronger than before, as if he was determined not to miss a single thing. ¡°Have you been hurt?¡± Huan asked. ¡°No, I just happened to see it passing by,¡± Ruel replied gratefully, acknowledging Huan¡¯s concern. ¡°But it was a little strange.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It felt odd for it to be called a carriage accident. Well, ultimately, the person wasn¡¯t hurt either. Your Highness, please always take care. It would be a big problem if you were injured.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Ruel suddenly reacted as if something had come to mind. Huan pursed his dry lips, urging Ruel to speak with a look of impatience. Ruel paused for a moment, as if responding to the urgent gaze, before speaking, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s difficult for me to talk about this, as it¡¯s a personal matter.¡± ¡°Is that so? How could I ask about personal matters?¡± Despite pretending to be a broad-minded prince, Huan seemed full of impatience in Ruel¡¯s eyes. Once again, silence fell between them, and it was Huan who felt frustrated for not being able to speak his mind. ¡ªThis body has figured out where the food is going. This body will be back after a bit. Ruel found no time to be bored just by watching Leo and the bustling spirits wandering around the room. ¡°Everything is ready,¡± Cassion said. After a sorting process that took more than 30 minutes, more than half of the food that filled the long table disappeared. Huan swallowed a breath as he looked at the empty table. He seemed quite irritated. Cassion checked the drinks one last time before bowing and leaving. ¡°I will take my leave now.¡± As the servant and Cassion left, Huan regained his composure. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this. I will make sure to prepare better next time.¡± ¡°No, I apologize as what you prepared was ruined because of me,¡± Ruel stated asking for forgiveness. ¡°It¡¯s nothing compared to the rudeness I showed to you.¡± Huan poured a drink into Ruel¡¯s glass with a friendly face. ?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°I was really sorry back then. I lose my senses when I¡¯m drunk. I¡¯m trying to be more careful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already forgotten.¡± This time, Huan drank from his own glass, which contained a non-alcoholic beverage. ¡°Lord Setiria, I heard that you had an accident when you were young.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard that too.¡± ¡°Do you have no memory?¡± Huan asked with a slightly surprised face. Ruel was secretly amazed at how Huan could make such realistic facial expressions despite knowing everything. ¡®Yes, you have to be able to do at least that much to act as a prince.¡¯ Ruel didn¡¯t answer right away but fiddled with the cup. ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡± Immediately, he lowered his head slightly and sighed deeply. ¡°They said I was there too. But I can¡¯t remember, it¡¯s very... I feel resentful.¡± Ruel clenched his fists and bit his lip. Anyone could see that he was a person steeped in anger and sadness. Therefore, Huan stood up and approached Ruel. Huan did not attach anyone. Cassion would have known if Huan really had an investigator. ¡°Your Highness, do you know who attacked me?¡± ¡°The Second Prince, Adoris.¡± ¡°H-His Highness Adoris, why would he do that to me?¡± Ruel blinked quickly with a face as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the Red Ash is targeting you?¡± ¡°Are you saying that His Highness Adoris is part of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s why I want to protect you.¡± The glass Ruel was holding shook. Ruel managed to inhale Breath and looked at Huan, trying to pretend to calm down. ¡°How did you know this?¡± ¡°Because I am part of the Red Ash too.¡± Ruel was dumbfounded by his imposing remarks. Huan hurriedly continued his speech. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I joined the Red Ash for this country. It was an inevitable choice to protect the country from my second brother.¡± ¡°...So, did you know that I was being targeted by the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes. At that time, I couldn¡¯t speak properly because I was conscious of my second brother.¡± Huan let out a long breath as Ruel kept his silence. ¡°I understand. You must be very suspicious of my words. But when you see this, you might think a little differently.¡± What Huan presented was data. Ruel reluctantly took the material and looked at it in front of him. It was material containing evidence that Adoris approached the Prostone Guild and hired adventurers. Afterwards, the assassin who attacked Ruel on his way back from Cyronian to Leponia even had evidence in his hand that he had been hired by Adoris. ¡®So the assassin was sloppy at that time.¡¯ Ruel barely suppressed his laughter and forced a frown as much as he could. ¡®Huan gathered data to stab Adoris? I can collect a debt from Adoris.¡¯ The data that Huan collected was an element that would interfere with the stage he and Adoris had prepared. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Ruel said as he put down the materials. ¡°Is there a reason the Second Prince is targeting me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I just can¡¯t understand it as well.¡± (Huan) Since the story might be different from Adoris, Ruel continued acting and asked. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems like you won¡¯t be able to get the explanation you want, but I can look into it for you.¡± He spoke as if he were generously offering help, but Huan had just thrown a bait. ¡®Does he know something else?¡¯ Whether Huan knew it or not, Ruel had to tell him what he wanted to hear anyway. ¡°I hope I can meet Your Highness again next time.¡± Only then did Huan smile satisfactorily. This meeting was just a stepping stone for the next one. It was a typical method to lure someone with information, make them think they had become close, and then betray them unexpectedly. It was quite an effective method. ¡°Of course, honestly, I didn¡¯t expect to hear your answer right away. I hope to hear it at our next meeting.¡± ¡°Yes, I will think about it carefully.¡± Ruel wasn¡¯t sure how much longer he would have to deal with Huan, but he needed to handle this valuable actor on the stage carefully. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 112.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria Chapter 112.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria *** ¡°It was quite disgusting.¡± Ruel spoke as soon as the carriage started moving. He calmed himself by petting Leo¡¯s fur. ¡°I agree.¡± Huan¡¯s approach had been to criticize Adoris¡¯s actions, justifying that he had no choice but to become a Red Ash. At any rate, it was now certain. Huan didn¡¯t know he knew the truth about the past. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel furrowed his brow. The coughing had decreased, but the pain hadn¡¯t subsided. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Is the enemy watching us?¡± ¡°Yes, they are.¡± ¡°Fine, let them watch as much as they want,¡± Ruel smiled slyly. To pretend to trust Huan, there was one thing he needed to do. For that, Ruel directed the carriage towards the palace, not Setiria. Knock. Knock. Aris knocked on the window. Cassion opened the window and spoke immediately. ¡°Ignore it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Aris¡¯s sixth sense has improved?¡± Ruel opened his mouth as soon as the window closed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the result of training to build sense by enlisting Noah.¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯re not asking him to dodge arrows blindfolded, are you?¡± ¡°That makes some sense. To develop your senses, practical experience is important.¡± ¡°Sounds like advice you got from someone?¡± ¡°Aris asked for advice on a method, and I just gave an answer.¡± With a calm tone, Ruel looked at Cassion with a chilling gaze and inhaled Breath. ¡ªThis body helped Aris avoid getting hit. ¡°Unlike others, you are kind.¡± As Ruel¡¯s hand touched him, Leo smiled and wagged his tail. Cassion remained still, then frowned as if he had been slapped, and took out a handkerchief. Cough! Without any warning signs, Ruel coughed up blood. He looked at the red blood on the handkerchief with a bewildered expression. He didn¡¯t feel any pain, just a hint of blood in his mouth. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure, but you did cough up blood.¡± Cassion¡¯s face stiffened as he spoke. Fresh blood. Soon, Ruel¡¯s heart pounded and he gasped for breath. ¡ªC-Cassion, something¡¯s wrong with Ruel. Gasp. Ruel grabbed his chest and staggered. It was different from the usual difficulty in breathing. Didn¡¯t he just inhale Breath? Deep wrinkles appeared in Ruel¡¯s clothes as he fought against his forcefully blocked airway, causing him to feel suffocated. Cassion calmly administered Breath to Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°Slowly, use Breath. You need to breathe.¡± After inhaling Breath several times, Ruel barely managed to exhale. ¡°Crazy.¡± There was no way the words would come out nicely. Just when he felt relieved that he could breathe, a piercing pain engulfed his entire body. It felt like the symptoms were coming all at once, like a dam breaking. Ruel lay down on the bed and curled up. ¡°Fuck. Damn it!¡± Ruel could feel both hands holding his arms shaking. Brrr. His teeth clenched. ¡ªRuel, are you okay! The amount of dirty things remains the same! Ruel felt like cursing at the mention of the filth remaining unchanged. It was only now that he realized what the Great Man had touched. He had disturbed the timing of his symptoms, synchronizing them and making the disease more painful for him. He was forced to endure the onslaught without a break, the pain coming at him relentlessly. ¡®You son of a b****! You f*ing son of a b**!¡¯ ¡°I will administer the painkiller. Hina.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold him down.¡± Hina emerged from the shadows and grabbed Ruel tightly. Ruel¡¯s face and neck were visibly strained, with veins bulging out, indicating how much pain he was in. Cassion took Ruel¡¯s arm and used the syringe. ¡°Ugh...¡± Ruel¡¯s entire body trembled. ¡°Ugh!¡± Another wave of excruciating pain swept over Ruel. Wiing! The power of recovery briefly screamed in response to the sudden onset of multiple symptoms of the disease. Banios welcomed Ruel and hesitated at his pale complexion. ¡°Even though my complexion looks like this, my physical condition is really good.¡± ¡°Um, okay, it¡¯s cold outside, so come inside.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and followed behind Banios. As soon as they entered the castle, Ruel touched his cold hands in the rush of warm air. ¡®On days like this, I should just get under the blanket and eat some tangerines.¡¯ Unfortunately, there were oranges, but no tangerines. ¡°How have you been so far? I was curious because I hadn¡¯t heard anything since the banquet.¡± Banios naturally began to ask how he was doing, as if it had been a long time since they last met. Ruel also responded as if he was a little uncomfortable with the act that started as he entered the castle. ¡°I had a good time. I took care of my estate, which I had not been able to take care of before, and also took care of my own body. How have you been?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I the most popular person recently? Let¡¯s see, you and Shio are the only ones who don¡¯t support any of the families.¡± Banios smiled cheerfully while applying subtle pressure. ¡®Is acting a prerequisite to becoming a prince? They all act well.¡¯ The setting was planned in advance to fool the eyes of the Red Ash hiding within the royal family. Banios spoke in a roundabout way, fitting the situation in which he was trying to appease him and he was rejecting it. ¡°Is that so? Since it is a matter of deciding who will lead this country in the future, I will carefully decide on my support.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t feel too pressured. I didn¡¯t bring it up to pressure you.¡± Thomp. Thomp. The sound of Adoris¡¯ footsteps echoed in the corridor. Banios bit his lip for a moment and then lowered his head towards Adoris. ¡°Greetings to brother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± As Ruel bowed his head, Adoris approached them with a satisfied face. ¡°What happened to Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°I came in response to Your Majesty¡¯s summons.¡± ¡°Are you feeling okay? Your complexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Adoris seemed slightly annoyed by Ruel¡¯s curt response, but soon regained his smile. ¡°When will we schedule our next meeting? I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you again.¡± ¡°I made Your Highness wait while recovering from my illness. I apologize.¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be too harsh on Lord Setiria.¡± Banios stepped in to replace Ruel, who looked troubled. ¡°What are you talking about? Your words sound unpleasant, Banios.¡± ¡°Adoris.¡± ¡®Here he comes.¡¯ Ruel pressed down the corners of his mouth as he heard Huan¡¯s voice. ¡°It sounds like that to my ears, so it seems like you¡¯re being too sharp.¡± Huan looked at Adoris with a triumphant expression. It was so different from what he saw at the banquet. ¡°Lord Setiria, I apologize on behalf of my brother. He¡¯s feeling uneasy because something tiring happened today.¡± Huan did exactly what Adoris did to him during the banquet. There was only one reason why Huan could come out like that. ¡°Well, the last meeting was very enjoyable.¡± Huan looked at Ruel and smiled very brightly. It was because he thought that his relationship with Ruel Setiria was several steps ahead of Adoris. Ruel looked at Adoris and Banios and then smiled at Huan. ¡°I had fun too.¡± Ruel did not deny that he had met Huan in front of the two princes. The corner of Huan¡¯s mouth twitched. And soon he smiled proudly at Adoris. ¡®It¡¯s good.¡¯ Ruel almost clicked his tongue. As soon as Huan made eye contact, Ruel smiled brightly. Huan asked softly. ¡°Have you come to see His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, I came to see His Majesty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a shame. Since you and I are both busy, let¡¯s meet up next time. Be careful on your way back to Setiria.¡± Huan lightly tapped Ruel on the shoulder and hurried on his way. After confirming that he had gone, Ruel glanced at his shoulder. He felt like he wanted to shake off the feeling as if a bug was crawling on him. However, he calmed his expression and bowed his head to Adoris. ¡°Your Highness Adoris, I am also busy, so I will leave now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your contact.¡± ¡°Yes, I will arrange a date soon. I hope we can finish our conversation then.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Adoris responded and then looked at Banios. As he avoided eye contact, Adoris clenched his fist and turned away. Thomp. Thomp. The sound of footsteps, now further away, echoed heavily compared to when he had first arrived. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Banios urged, stopping in his tracks. Ruel took a deep breath and glanced at the corridor where Adoris had left. He didn¡¯t have anything to do with it, but he was concerned because he was involved in Adoris¡¯ affairs. ¡®Not now, later.¡¯ Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 113.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria Chapter 113.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria *** ¡°Ruel Setiria sees the Great Sun of the country.¡± ¡°Indeed, I am pleased as well.¡± The King of Leponia, Brans, kindly smiled at Ruel. ¡°I will take my leave, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Upon Brans¡¯ words, Banios left the room. As soon as the door closed, Brans spoke in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ruel, who had not yet sat down, looked down at Brans and asked sarcastically. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It took too long to bring out my ¡®buried conscience.¡¯¡± ¡°The conscience of the Greatest Sun of this country must have been deeply buried, right?¡± If it had been anyone other than Ruel, the king would have immediately scolded them, offended by his rudeness. Brans remained silent. Ruel was the last remaining Setiria. That little boy lost his father because of his own son. Even after knowing that fact, didn¡¯t he ask for the truth and turn his head away? ¡°My father passed away on his way to meet Your Majesty.¡± Ruel¡¯s words pierced Brans like a spear. ¡°Your Majesty knows who killed my father.¡± Brans did not have the courage to look into the eyes of the young man who had lost his father, so he turned his head slightly. ¡°Your Majesty...¡± The cane that Ruel was holding tightly trembled. The veins on his neck bulged. This was not anger for himself. It was anger for Ruel Setiria. This was the only thing he could do for him. Therefore, Ruel believed in the conscience expressed by Brans, believed in the power in the name Setiria, and refused to back down. ¡°Please look at me, Your Majesty.¡± Brans still couldn¡¯t face Ruel directly. ¡°Stop avoiding my gaze and look at me.¡± Suppressing his anger, Ruel spoke calmly. ¡°Your Majesty, I am the justice you abandoned, and the people you abandoned. We represent the lack of conscience that Your Majesty has expressed over a long period of time.¡± Brans¡¯ eyes wavered. ¡°Please look at me. Didn¡¯t you call me to meet you? Are you going to bury it again now? Are you going to abandon me again?¡± Only then did Brans look at Ruel with difficulty. His face twisted with the weight of the guilt he carried. Before and after becoming king, his hands were never free of blood. The throne was a place where countless sins had to accumulate before one could sit on it. What he had abandoned in that pursuit was Trino Setiria, his right-hand man who had worked and sacrificed himself for this country. How could it not hurt? How could he not be sad? ¡°Please sit.¡± Brans spoke weakly, and Ruel finally took a seat and faced him. ¡°Trino Setiria, your father, was my right-hand man. I abandoned him and buried him.¡± ¡°For whom did Your Majesty abandon your right-hand man?¡± ¡°For my son, Huan Leponia.¡± ¡°Did Your Majesty know Huan was part of the Red Ash?¡± Brans held his breath in shock at the guess. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I really didn¡¯t know at the time that I had ignorantly helped the Red Ash that your father and I were chasing. I showed the letter to Huan, in case I died and he had to continue after me.¡± As expected, that letter caused the carriage accident. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. Brans needed to understand what had happened to the Royal Family due to his abandonment and negligence. ¡°Does Your Majesty know what happened to the Royal Family while you turned a blind eye?¡± Brans quietly waited for Ruel¡¯s next words. ¡°His Highness Huan attacked His Highness Adoris, and His Highness Adoris had no choice but to join the Red Ash. The ministers, royal knights, and servants all became part of the Red Ash. It is difficult to find a place where the Red Ash has not infiltrated the Royal Family?¡± He had to pay the price together while watching his precious son rot in prison. ¡°I want His Highness Huan to be haunted by thoughts of my father for the rest of his life, until his dying breath.¡± Brans will accept his offer. What parent could kill their child with their own hands? But later, he would regret how cruel that compassion, that love, could become. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡®See.¡¯ Ruel answered calmly. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I want.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you very much.¡± Branth¡¯s hands tightened. The victim, himself, wants Huan to be punished like that, but how happy must he be that he now has an excuse to stop the death penalty even if the nobles and ministers rise up later? Ruel drew a light curve with his mouth making him look merciful. ¡°But it¡¯s still too early to talk about punishment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, everything comes after eradicating the Red Ash that lurked like a parasite in this country.¡± Now Brans finally looked like a king. ¡°I asked His Highness Adoris, but I ask His Majesty to help me bring all the aristocrats and ministers together as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you as much as I can.¡± With the addition of Adoris and the king, it was clear that the stage would be created. ¡°Also, please investigate the Red Ash that has stuck to the Royal Knights. The head of the family, Rie Kuhn, decided to help with this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Brans pursed his lips tightly, as if at a loss for words. As he said, it happened because the king turned his face away from the truth. But in the end, Brans had to do all the cleaning up and cutting down the Red Ash that was spreading within the Royal Family. ¡°Leave the affairs of the Royal Knights to Sir Torto.¡± Ruel only mentioned certain people so that Brans would not do anything foolish. ¡°Now that we are still not sure who the Red Ash is within the Royal Family, it would be best for you to trust only Prince Adoris and Prince Banios.¡± ¡°Is the condition that serious?¡± There are so many people in the Royal Family, but the only people he can trust are the two princes. ¡°Yes, if you personally verify it, you might be shocked by the severity of the situation.¡± ¡°I will handle the verification properly, so don¡¯t worry, I will move cautiously. How are the nobles reacting?¡± ¡°Except for the Shio family, everyone is working to eliminate the Red Ash.¡± ¡°What about the Liobenez family?¡± Brans hesitated, then sighed and spoke again. ¡°Did my friend resent me?¡± ¡°Upon hearing the news that Your Majesty is no longer denying the situation, he was pleased. He said he would help with everything, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I see. He has forgiven me.¡± A faint smile appeared on Brans¡¯ lips. ¡°So, the Shio family is the only one supporting Huan, is that right?¡± ¡°For now, yes.¡± Brans rolled his eyes as if he was thinking for a moment. ¡°I understand to some extent what kind of stage you want.¡± ¡°I will take care of Prince Huan and the Shio family.¡± ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t want to hear it again, but thank you, really, thank you.¡± ¡°I was just fulfilling my duty as a noble.¡± Brans finally let go of Ruel¡¯s hand and looked at him proudly. Brans and Adoris were about to start planning the stage, but he asked the most pressing question first. ¡°Your Majesty, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°If Your Majesty pursued the Red Ash with my father, do you know why they are doing this?¡± Brans was very pleased with Ruel¡¯s question. It seemed that it brought him joy to have something that could help him. ¡°Yes, you are qualified to hear this story.¡± ¡°Do I need qualifications for that?¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 113.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria (2) Chapter 113.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria (2) ¡°Do you know about the stone barrier surrounding Leponia?¡± ¡°Yes, I have seen it. I heard it¡¯s a stone that blocks everything.¡± ¡®Why is the talk about the stone barrier suddenly coming up?¡¯ ¡°Fundamentally, the barrier covered by that stone prevents the Great Man from coming to this country.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but feel absurd when the stone and the Great Man appeared. The purpose of that barrier is to prevent the Great Man from coming to this country. ¡°For a long time, the only people who knew about this were the king and the head of Setiria.¡± Ruel urgently inhaled Breath and then asked with a surprised look on his face. ¡°Was the seal I knew about a barrier stuck in a large stone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that barrier was set up by the head of the Setiria family a long time ago, and it is only passed down through blood, that is, pure direct lineage, so if you die, the barrier will disappear. That¡¯s why the enemy is targeting you.¡± Ruel was speechless at Brans¡¯s next words. It wasn¡¯t just a seal that prevented him from getting something. It was a seal that blocked the Great Man himself. Ruel was the medium. It gave him chills to think that so many lives depended on this body. ¡°The Royal Family protected Setiria, and Setiria protected this country, that is... It has been a tradition and obligation that has continued since my time.¡± ¡°What is the reason? Why is it that only Leponia has a seal like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because there is an item in the Royal Family¡¯s treasure trove that cannot be taken away by the Great Man, but I don¡¯t even know what it is. It¡¯s probably to prepare for an unexpected situation.¡± Now Ruel knows why the Red Ash was so obsessed with the throne and approached the princes. ¡°Thank you for letting me know, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I thought it was a story you should know. Are you okay? Your complexion has worsened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Do not worry.¡± It wasn¡¯t okay. But Ruel smiled faintly as he listened to his pounding heart. ¡®I understand why the former head of the family silenced Billo.¡¯ Although it was a secret known only to the king and the head of Setiria, the Great Man and the Red Ash also knew it. They knew, but they didn¡¯t use it. Except for the head of the family, no one knew about Setiria¡¯s collateral or servants, so it could not be used.Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com How could an individual handle such a tremendous barrier? It was obvious, but if he weren¡¯t Ruel Setiria, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it. He would have laughed at the person who said it and dismissed it as a lie. ¡®...ha.¡¯ Ruel took a deep breath, holding his trembling hands together. His chest felt tight, the pressure was greater than he had anticipated. ¡°If it¡¯s too much, it¡¯s okay to take a break.¡± Brans looked at Ruel with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine. If I stay too long, it will only arouse the enemy¡¯s suspicion.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you inform me earlier that the Tonisk Empire was making a move?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They might send an embassy to the Kran Kingdom soon. We don¡¯t know if an alliance between the three countries will be formed, but you should be aware of it for now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel finished speaking and took a deep breath. Logically, the three countries had to form an alliance to prepare for the Tonisk Empire. But he felt a little uneasy because he didn¡¯t know much about the Kran Kingdom. ¡®Let¡¯s focus on solving the current problems first.¡¯ Since he had nothing to do with the arrival of the Kran Kingdom delegation, Ruel brought up a story related to the upcoming stage. Leo¡¯s ears perked up and his tail automatically moved left and right. ¡®Now we can have a conversation.¡¯ Only then did Cassion see that Ruel¡¯s mood had calmed down a bit and asked. ¡°What did you hear?¡± Ruel continued to stroke Leo¡¯s fur and pressed his ears. It was to prepare for the sensitive fox¡¯s light-mouthed fox. ¡°I heard what my existence is meant to protect.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the seal?¡± ¡°It was a stone covered by a barrier surrounding Leponia.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°What exactly does that stone hold?¡± ¡°It serves as a barrier to prevent the emergence of the Great Man in Leponia.¡± Cassion fell silent. He understood why Ruel was so shaken. It wasn¡¯t just about breaking a simple seal. Ruel opened his mouth without looking at Cassion. ¡°The real purpose of the Red Ash is the Royal Family¡¯s treasury. I am just a shield that blocks it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very fragile shield.¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, it¡¯s my ancestor who did that, so I can¡¯t blame anyone.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear why?¡± ¡°Yeah, they just said it¡¯s something they¡¯ve been doing for a long time.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cassion hesitated and asked. It wasn¡¯t a typical question that was usually asked. Worry was deeply buried. ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay, it¡¯s really not okay.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips trembled slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to endure it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t argue with anyone. What are you going to do if I don¡¯t stand it? It¡¯s because I¡¯m a Setiria... damn it!¡± Ruel immediately took a deep breath and inhaled Breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s just sudden, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Yes, I may not be good at giving comforting words, but I¡¯m good at listening. When you want to talk, feel free to tell me.¡± Cassion sat down and took out his sword. Ruel laughed as if relieved by his action, finding it better than useless comfort. Sak Sak. The sound of a sword being polished was heard. ¡ªIs it over now? Leo looked up and saw Ruel. Ruel let go of the hand that was holding Leo¡¯s ears and let him down to the ground to roam. But Leo climbed back onto Ruel¡¯s lap and looked at his face. ¡ªGive this body some too. Ruel had unknowingly given Leo a piece of the meat pie that was on the table. Leo made a crunching sound as he ate, and Ruel also ate the meat pie with the same sound. Crunch. Enduring was familiar to him, even when he was Setiria. Even when he was Kim Han. ¡°Han, don¡¯t try to follow me, just live. Live and do what you want to do.¡± Ruel closed his eyes for a moment, recalling his father¡¯s voice that had been buried deep in his heart. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 114: Deceive and be deceived Chapter 114: Deceive and be deceived There was the sound of the door opening before Banios¡¯ voice was heard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you wait long?¡± Looking at his apologetic appearance, Ruel shook his head. ¡°No, thanks to you, I was able to take a short break, so no need to apologize.¡± ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re directing a thorn in my side.¡± Banios smiled lightly and sat down. Soon he began fidgeting his fingers before cautiously opening his mouth. ¡°Did you have a good conversation with His Majesty?¡± ¡°Do you really want to be king?¡± Banios¡¯ eyes widened at Ruel¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Your Highness began by saying that you would become king to protect this country from Prince Adoris. Wasn¡¯t it simply handing me a gift when you said you would challenge the throne at the banquet?¡± Ruel was serious. After hearing about the relationship between the Royal Family and Setiria from Brans, this was something he really wanted to ask Banios. From anyone¡¯s perspective, the only person Brans could let inherit the throne was Banios. Banios took a calming breath and looked at Ruel. ¡°I have never once taken this matter lightly.¡± Banios¡¯ voice was heavy, and his eyes were unwavering. ¡°I will definitely become king.¡± ¡°Good, that outlook is enough.¡± Ruel smiled slightly. ¡°May I explain what it was like to have a conversation with His Majesty?¡± ¡°Give it a try.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Banios paused at the stronger-than-expected remark, and Cassion quietly covered his mouth. ¡°Are you that angry?¡± ¡°I would like to tell you what I discussed with His Majesty, but I cannot.¡± ¡°I understand, I won¡¯t ask any more questions.¡± Ruel patted Leo with a cool expression. ¡°I am the main character on this stage, but in fact, I am not the real protagonist.¡± What was the best way to summon all the nobles and ministers? The simplest and most certain method. It was the matter of deciding the next successor. Originally, Adoris naturally had to take the throne, but Banios¡¯ participation changed the flow. There was sufficient reason to select a successor to prevent wars that would be waged by their children and check competitors that would arise among the nobles. ¡°Perhaps the stage will be set to decide on a successor. That¡¯s why the real protagonist is me.¡± (Ruel) ¡°So why did you ask?¡± (Banios) ¡°Isn¡¯t this the person I will support? I¡¯m just asking to make sure I know before I dip my toe in for the last time, so I hope you¡¯ll be lenient.¡± (Ruel) Banios smiled happily. ¡°What could be happier than your support?¡± It¡¯s obvious. Ruel reacted calmly and asked about the actual matter. ¡°What do you have to say to me?¡± ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll be able to make an appointment with Cron, Luluan¡¯s henchman you told me to recruit, soon. When is a good time?¡± It was Banios who threw the bait, and it was Ruel¡¯s role to grab the lure to the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please postpone your appointment.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to hurry? Or did something happen?¡± ¡°I have some work to do with Prince Adoris.¡± Banios rubbed his arm with a puzzled expression. ¡°I heard what you were doing something with my brother, but I didn¡¯t hear any specific details.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll probably see it today. You might be a little, just a little surprised, so don¡¯t panic.¡± At Ruel¡¯s suspicious smile, Banios frowned slightly between his eyebrows. He couldn¡¯t even guess what he was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s your job, so you¡¯ll do it right, but is it dangerous?¡± ¡°Well, you might be a little surprised.¡± Ruel hesitated. ¡°Anyway, postpone your appointment with Cron, and in the meantime, capture his heart with your brilliant speech.¡± ¡°Is my eloquence as good as yours?¡± ¡°How can I do as well as Your Highness?¡± Banios laughed out loud. ¡°You don¡¯t look very good.¡± ¡°Can you tell?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t noticeable, but your tongue was slicker than usual, so I wanted to bring this.¡± Tak. Banios took out something and placed it on the table. It was a piece of paper. ¡°Just in time, I have a gift here to brighten your mood.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± Ruel immediately grabbed the paper and lifted it up. Soon a smile appeared on Ruel¡¯s lips. The paper contained a statement that granted the right to trade some of the items the Royal Family needed. ¡°I thought this would be an appropriate gift, even though it¡¯s not worth as much as what you¡¯ve done for the Royal Family and the country.¡± Jirie¡¯s pleased expression was already apparent. At the same time, the birds¡¯ territory could naturally reach the Royal Family. ¡®It will make the investigation easier.¡¯ Ruel doesn¡¯t know if Banios gave it to him because he knew about the birds of Setiria, or if it was pure compensation, but since he gave it to him, Ruel won¡¯t give it back. ¡°I will accept it gratefully.¡± Ruel entrusted the deed to Cassion. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to do. If you¡¯re free, we can talk more. If you¡¯re busy, I can leave now.¡± Ruel held his cane and rose for a moment before sitting down once more. Ruel wanted to resolve everything that bothered him, so he asked Banios. ¡°Are you still awkward with Prince Adoris?¡± Banios, who had been waiting to hear what he was going to say, froze for a moment. ¡°Hmm...¡± Banios rubbed under his chin. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my place to interfere, but Prince Adoris cares for you a lot.¡± Soon there will be two brothers instead of three, so shouldn¡¯t they get along well with each other? ¡°Have you forgiven what he has done to you...?¡± ¡°The relationship between you two has nothing to do with my forgiveness.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°How great it would be if forgiveness could end with words.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That doesn¡¯t end with words.¡± ¡°If you really feel sorry for me, you can give me gold coins to buy snacks, surprise gifts, and a lot of those items anyway.¡± Banios looked at Ruel in surprise. ¡°Prince Huan will be watching, so I¡¯ll head out so that no one gets suspicious.¡± ¡°L-Lord Setiria.¡± Aris¡¯ smile deepened. Ruel inhaled the Breath and answered Aris¡¯ question. ¡°I have to act from here on.¡± It would be strange that the carriage exploded but he remained unharmed. Even if you¡¯re really lucky and get moderately injured, wouldn¡¯t it only be real if you bleed a little, have messy hair, and have torn clothes? Aris glanced outside. ¡°Are you not planning on telling the knights?¡± ¡°Yes, because they really have to fight.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not the real enemy, are they? They might get hurt.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask who¡¯s the real enemy?¡± Ruel¡¯s words paused for a moment and then looked at Cassion. ¡°Are the enemies shadows?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I need to become a daily adventurer and run around completing jobs.¡± Behind Ruel¡¯s happy laughter, Cassion¡¯s sigh was heard again. *** ¡°It¡¯s the enemy!¡± At Aris¡¯s words, the knights simultaneously drew their swords and took an alert stance. ¡°They¡¯ve grown so much.¡± Ruel watched the scene from afar and spoke leisurely. ¡ªIt¡¯s like hide and seek. Leo giggled and was happy. It was Cassion¡¯s responsibility to be busy. He caught a deer running in the forest and sprinkled blood on Ruel¡¯s body. Ruel frowned. The bloody smell came up in an instant and made him feel sick. Leo dissipated his smile and looked at Ruel restlessly. ¡°It¡¯s not painful, so you don¡¯t have to look at me like that.¡± ¡ªI understand. Leo ran around with his ears perked up again. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you have to do this?¡± ¡°Yes. I have to get to this point for Prince Huan to move. He and his people are difficult to move into action.¡± As Huan gained strength in the Red Ash, how anxious would he be to hear that Adoris almost succeeded in killing him? ¡®You¡¯ll definitely come running to Setiria, right?¡¯ Ruel smirked. ¡°I was injured in an attack, and when Huan finds out that the assailant was Adoris, he will come to me and tell me who the culprit is. It¡¯s a good opportunity for me to pretend that I believe in Huan, and a good opportunity for Huan to think that I really believe in him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what Ruel-nim is aiming for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was also an opportunity to unite the Shio family at once. ¡°Okay, now let¡¯s move.¡± Ruel grinned as he grabbed Breath. Quaang! The carriage Ruel was in exploded spectacularly. It exploded from the inside. At this incredible sight, all the knights looked towards the burning carriage. They were filled with a deep sense of despair. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Aris shouted desperately. Afterwards, the knights called out to Ruel in unison. ¡°Patriarch!¡± Everyone approached the carriage, leaving the enemies in front of them. ¡°Stop!¡± Aris gritted his teeth and calmed the knights. ¡°There are still enemies! I¡¯m saving Ruel-nim!¡± Aris immediately used water to put out the fire. ¡°Cough!¡± A coughing sound was heard from the smoke-filled area. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Aris immediately shouted and informed the knights of Ruel¡¯s dilemma. As Aris hurriedly removed the remains of the carriage, he saw a slightly smoky Cassion wrapping his arms around Ruel. ¡°Ruel-nim was injured.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice trembled slightly. His voice was shaking as he desperately tried to hold back laughter. He stood up while holding Ruel and located Noah. Ruel ordered that one horse be secured before the carriage exploded. ¡°There¡¯s a horse over there! It looks like Noah kept the horse!¡± Aris looked around and pointed to Noah leading the horse. His face had turned completely white. His legs were shaking every time he walked. Aris thought that Noah had at least left a means to protect himself, but there was nothing like that. The carriage really exploded. He felt like he was about to cry. ¡®Damn it. If only it weren¡¯t for the money.¡¯ Aris ran to Noah, escorting Cassion, who was holding Ruel. ¡°Give me the horse.¡± Noah was going to give it to him even if he didn¡¯t ask. Noah handed the reins to Aris as if throwing them. At the same time, Aris slipped a gold coin to Noah. Noah¡¯s eyes changed. He immediately took out his bow and shouted solemnly. ¡°Are you okay, Ruel-nim? I will protect this place, so go quickly!¡± Cassion got on the horse with Aris¡¯ help. ¡°Go first!¡± Clank! Aris reacted to the attack and raised his sword to block. Even though more than half of her face was covered, Aris recognized it as Hina. She smiled, lowered her body, and swung her foot towards Aris¡¯ leg. Aris¡¯s centered weight collapsed. He fell backwards, but a strong wind blew from behind. Hina stepped back, covering her face with her arms. ¡°No one can get ahead of us.¡± Aris, who regained his balance, glared at Hina bearing a sword and a lightning bolt. It was so good that it could not be considered as complete acting. Her eyes smiled again. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 115: Deceive and be deceived (2) Chapter 115: Deceive and be deceived (2) *** Clop. Clop. The rough sound of horses¡¯ hooves was heard.ViiSiit for latest novels The knights guarding the main gate of the Setiria Mansion immediately stopped drawing their swords and froze. The person on the horse was Cassion, and the person in front of him with his eyes closed as if fainting was their master, Ruel Setiria. ¡°P-patriarch!¡± Red blood was all over Ruel¡¯s body. The knights were astonished. ¡°Move out of the way right now.¡± Hearing Cassion¡¯s urgent voice, the knights opened the door. Cassion got off his horse at the entrance to the mansion and gave an order to the servant. ¡°Call Fran right now!¡± He went straight into Ruel¡¯s room. The following screams and cries that followed made Cassion uncertain of how to handle the situation. He hesitated to lay Ruel on the bed, as the sheets had just been changed before their departure. But in the end, he had no choice but to put Ruel on the bed and Cassion sighed deeply. ¡°Ruel, because of this incident, I¡¯m a little confused about what my job is.¡± He was an assassin, a butler, an adventurer, and even had a hint of acting as an actor. What should I call this? ¡°I fainted, so don¡¯t talk to me,¡± Ruel replied with his eyes half-open. ¡ªThis body knows that Ruel is not sleeping! Leo laughed bitterly. Cassion said while looking at Leo who was licking Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°There are no watchers.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Only then did Ruel open his eyes and move his stiff body around. Ruel was surprisingly calm, considering the chaos in the mansion. Cassion looked displeased and asked, ¡°How do you plan to handle the situation in the mansion?¡± ¡°Leave them be until we catch them. The culprit this time is quite big, so if we act hastily, we won¡¯t catch them,¡± Ruel replied, smiling. ¡°Fran is here,¡± Cassion said as the door banged open. Bang! ¡°My Lord! Are you alright?¡± Ruel grinned and waved his hand. ¡°Sister! The patriarch is in...¡± Even Tierra, who belatedly followed Fran, froze and looked at Ruel. Cassion quietly closed the door. ¡°Please lower your voice.¡± Soon Cassion¡¯s brow furrowed. He raised one finger and showed it to Ruel. It seemed to mean that one more person was coming. ¡®It¡¯s my uncle.¡¯ Ruel could clearly guess who it was. He glanced at the frozen women and leisurely inhaled Breath. Bang! As always, the door opened violently. ¡°Ruel! Ruel...¡± Tyson¡¯s expression contorted as if he was about to burst into tears, then he stopped talking. Ruel put his finger on his lips and motioned for him to come closer. As if possessed by something, Tyson walked inside following Ruel¡¯s instructions. Cassion closed again. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t let the sound go out.¡± At Ruel¡¯s mischievous smile, Tyson cast the spell with a puzzled expression. Tyson¡¯ eyes were busy. The blood on the clothes was definitely real blood. But Ruel laughs so casually like that. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Fran took a deep breath and calmed her mind before sitting next to Ruel to conduct an examination. The blood was only on the clothes and there were no cuts or scratches at all. ¡°Really...you¡¯re okay.¡± Tyson and Tierra¡¯s hearts pounded at the sound of Fran¡¯s voice. Soon Fran¡¯s face distorted. ¡°Is this a trick?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were going to lie about your life being at stake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you earlier, but I couldn¡¯t tell you what was going on to catch a big beast.¡± Ruel looked at the three people and smiled suspiciously. ¡°Uncle and you both need to cooperate.¡± *** ¡°What did you say?¡± Huan let out a laugh and looked at his knight. He hesitated and then opened his mouth again. ¡°The attack... It looks like it was a success. Now there is news that Ruel Setiria is on the brink of death.¡± ¡°The second one! Finally!¡± Huan slammed the table and stood up. ¡°Did you check it yourself?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t confirm it. Setiria¡¯s defenses have become even tighter. In addition, it¡¯s very strange that the assassins sent to Setiria keep disappearing...¡± ¡°Who on earth is in Setiria!¡± Huan approached the knight. ¡°Who said they were such skilled fighters? Didn¡¯t you check everything? How much have you not reported to me!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The most important thing in battle was to check the enemy¡¯s skills. The person to watch out for the most was the knight commander named Cheynol, who was guarding the mansion, and the guard knight named Aris, who was always next to Ruel Setiria. Other than them, there was no one else with decent skills. This was the result of checking not just once, but several times. However, the assassins sent to kill Ruel Setiria disappeared, and the adventurers sent to attack him disappeared. ¡®No matter how much you think about it, there must be a third force protecting Ruel Setiria.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t Adoris. He was overwhelmed just holding himself in check. Neither was Banios. Ben Liobenez recently supported him, but he was only a growing force. If Setiria had the power, he would not have been attacked in the first place, and Adoris¡¯ head should have fallen off long ago. ¡®Who on earth...?¡¯ ¡°Do you remember that you swore your loyalty to me?¡± ¡°I... I remember it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see how deep your loyalty is.¡± Ruel smiled arrogantly. One came first to throw the spark of discord. ¡°I¡¯ll ask before that.¡± Ruel did not get straight to the point. ¡°Please speak.¡± Serti soon suppressed her emotions and became calm. She was indeed a nobleman. ¡°Do you want to become the head of the family?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± It was the fastest response he¡¯d ever heard from Serti. Only after receiving confirmation of her ambition did Ruel get to the point. ¡°You remember the promise I made to you, right?¡± ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you say you would make me the patriarch?¡± ¡°Your chance has come.¡± Serti looked at Ruel as if asking what he was talking about. ¡°I need your help to defeat Diagos Shio.¡± Serti¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Father... Are you planning to kill him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to keep him alive. I¡¯m planning on letting him rot in prison until he dies.¡± As if she had rested for a while, Serti took a deep breath. It was okay as long as he remained alive. Serti calmly composed herself. ¡°Can I hear why?¡± ¡°Your father is taking a dangerous gamble. If he succeeds, he will receive a position worthy of a dukedom, but if not, the Shio family will be swept up in charges of treason. Even you.¡± Again, treason was claimed. Serti felt dizzy and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them. ¡°Did you just say it was treason?¡± ¡°Do you think what I am saying is a lie?¡± Serti couldn¡¯t answer Ruel¡¯s question right away. It was such a hard thing to believe. Ruel let out a laugh as if mocking Serti. ¡°Why would I say this when I tied you with an oath in the first place? At least I¡¯m giving you a chance to make a choice.¡± ¡°At least explain what my father did...¡± ¡°Make a choice.¡± Ruel spoke firmly as if she would not be allowed to say anything more. Whether Serti believed his explanation or not didn¡¯t change the fact that she had a choice to make. She didn¡¯t want to waste that time. After thinking about it, Serti opened her mouth heavily. ¡°Are you really, really not going to kill my father?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes communicated his seriousness. Serti slowly loosened her grip on the fan. *** ¡°This way, Your Highness.¡± Cassion spoke to Huan. Just then the door opened and Serti came out. She looked at Huan and bowed. ¡°I meet His Highness, the Little Sun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Serti Shio.¡± Huan smiled gladly. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Long time no see.¡± ¡°I just wanted to tell you something. Would you mind waiting a moment?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Huan heard Serti¡¯s answer and went inside. It was quiet. It was too simple to be a lord¡¯s room. Setiria owed a lot of debt, and that seemed to be true. Huan didn¡¯t sit down and just pulled back the curtain. As soon as he saw Ruel sleeping as if he were dead, his stomach boiled. He should have killed him, not Adoris. Soon Huan closed the curtain again and noticed a woman next to him with her head down. ¡°Are you a doctor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fran answered. ¡°What is Lord Setiria¡¯s condition?¡± Huan asked cautiously. ¡°He was close to the explosion, but he¡¯s in good condition. I think he¡¯ll be fine as long as he regains consciousness.¡± ¡°So, contrary to the rumors that are spreading, the situation is not as bad?¡± ¡°Yes that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. Oh, if it¡¯s a rumor, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll put them to rest.¡± Huan laughed contentedly. It was a good idea to check for himself. If Ruel Setiria hadn¡¯t died, he still had a chance. If he just strangled Ruel now, he would die, but dying like this would only be helping Adoris. When Ruel came to his senses again, it had to be dealt with cleanly. Huan swallowed his laughter and opened his mouth with difficulty, as if he were depressed. ¡°Please take good care of Lord Setiria. If you need anything, I will spare no effort in supporting you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°No, isn¡¯t Lord Setiria a talent that the country desperately needs?¡± ¡°I will take care of the lord with the utmost care.¡± ¡°Thank you, I will go then without wasting any more time.¡± Huan encouraged Fran and went out. Huan looked apologetic as he looked at Serti who was waiting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting.¡± ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± Before leaving with Serti, Huan walked up to Cassion and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I hope Lord Setiria gets well. If you have any difficulties, please contact me at any time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There is no need to see us off, you can take care of Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Please proceed carefully.¡± Cassion bowed. As Huan and Serti disappeared from sight, Cassion brushed off the shoulder that Huan had touched in displeasure. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 116: Deceive and be deceived (3) Chapter 116: Deceive and be deceived (3) *** Huan and Serti walked down the hallway talking. ¡°I heard a lot from your father. You are clever and wise.¡± ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± Serti replied, touched by the compliment. ¡°How is your father doing well these days? I heard a rumor that a few businesses are faltering.¡± Serti¡¯s hand holding the fan trembled at his sarcastic remark. The Shio family had supported Huan in the past, but how difficult had it been since he suddenly announced his intent to give up the throne. He stabs someone in the back and pretended as if it never happened. Serti composed her crumpled expression. ¡°Your Highness, the rumors are different from the reality.¡± ¡°Is that so? It was rude to ask, but I was worried as we were once in the same boat afterall.¡± ¡°There was a time when your relationship with my family was special, but I don¡¯t think our relationship is close enough to bring up such a story now.¡± Huan noticed something in Serti¡¯s manner that made him realize that Serti was unaware what her father, Diagos Shio was up to. The relationship between the Shio family and himself hadn¡¯t changed. He felt like he was going to laugh at the sight of Diagos, who was struggling to prevent his daughter from becoming his dog. However, in the end, the Shio family was his dog. ¡°So, what is the relationship between Setiria and you? As far as I know, you and Setiria had no connection. Could it be...?¡± Huan trailed off, lifting the corners of his mouth. Serti¡¯s expression sank slightly. ¡°I only came at my father¡¯s command, so I hope there are no other misunderstandings.¡± ¡°Lord Diagos Shio?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± In response to Serti¡¯s answer, Huan stroked his chin. ¡®Diagos. Are you doing something I didn¡¯t ask you to do?¡¯ Why did he send Serti Shio to Setiria? The obvious intention was visible. ¡®Insolent.¡¯ Huan clenched his fists. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Serti¡¯s voice soon came, and Huan responded with a friendly face. ¡°Yes?¡± Huan asked. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t understand why my father would withdraw his support for you,¡± Serti said abruptly. Huan didn¡¯t say anything in response to the sudden remark. ¡°I think you still have a chance to aim for the sky, Your Highness,¡± Serti added. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Give me a chance.¡± Huan smiled with interest. ¡°Why did my father send me here? If I can capture Lord Setiria¡¯s heart, Setiria will be mine.¡± ¡°Is that an easy task?¡± Even though Huan¡¯s words sounded sarcastic, Serti smiled brightly. ¡°Is there a unique way to capture someone¡¯s heart? In my opinion, Your Highness, you seem to need Sertiria¡¯s support. What do you think?¡± It was the typical gaze of a noble, seeking only to satisfy their own ambitions without understanding their position.Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com Huan forced a smile, suppressing his amusement at the situation. ¡°Your father doesn¡¯t seem to favor me very much.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I am a direct descendant of the Shio family.¡± Huan understood exactly what that meant. It was a declaration of intent to push aside Diagos Shio and take control. Huan finally let out a genuine smile. ¡®Yes, I was thinking about getting rid of Diagos, but it worked out well.¡¯ Serti Shio. She was Diagos¡¯ most beloved daughter and was the perfect tool for his plans. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± he said, and Serti subtly covered her smile with a fan in response to the positive signal. *** Rustle. Cassion, who was wiping the sword next to Ruel, stopped his hand for a while. His subordinate quietly left a note to him and disappeared. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ruel responded, flipping through some documents. His bandaged face was now uncovered, since he was feeling stuffy. ¡°It is said that Serti Shio contacted Huan and made their next meeting.¡± ¡°As expected,¡± Ruel smirked. Serti Shio was as good an actor as the prince. ¡°I...¡± -Ar-are you okay? Ruel felt de?ja? vu. *** ¡°Astell.¡± Ruel held Leo and quietly called Astell from the kitchen. She was startled, but then looked at Ruel with a slightly angry look on her face. ¡°Do you know how many times our hearts have skipped a beat today between my colleagues and me at the dreadful news?¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Since both Serti and Huan had arrived on the same day, he didn¡¯t bother hiding it from the servants and knights anymore. However, he has already heard from Astell and countless others saying the same thing. Last time Ruel checked he was the patriarch. Why should he be the one scolded? ¡°Don¡¯t do that next time. To us, you¡¯re not just a Lord.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel was about to ask what she meant by ¡®not just a Lord,¡¯ but decided against it, thinking she might begin a different lecture. Astell sighed heavily and asked softly, ¡°Did you come because you wanted to have cocoa?¡± ¡°Yes. Just two cups.¡± ¡°Does Cassion know that you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Astell knew it was a lie, but she pretended not to notice. ¡°Are you dressed warmly?¡± ¡°I even wore gloves today.¡± Ruel showed off his thick gloves. ¡°The sky wasn¡¯t very clear today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going out to stargaze. Just going out for some fresh air.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t catch a cold like last time.¡± Astell didn¡¯t ask why Ruel was going outside after returning from a walk. She simply made cocoa with warm milk so that he could enjoy it. Leo had already swallowed his saliva at the sweet smell. Astell was about to hand the cup to Ruel, but cautiously suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you outside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll enjoy the cocoa.¡± Ruel quickly grabbed the cup, chuckled, and left the kitchen. *** ¡ªThere are no stars today. Leo said, licking his cocoa and looking up at the sky. ¡°Instead, the moon is out.¡± ¡ªReally! Leo smiled brightly as he watched the round full moon with his tail wagging. It wasn¡¯t cold today. He had Aris¡¯s cloak, Cassion¡¯s gloves, and Tyson¡¯s scarf to keep him warm. ¡ªRuel. Leo asked, burying his face in Ruel¡¯s stomach. He glanced and noticed the cocoa stains still there. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªAre you sad? Ruel lowered his head at Leo¡¯s question. His green eyes, just like Leo¡¯s, sparkled like stars. He stopped himself from lying. At this moment, with no one around, he didn¡¯t want to hide his emotions. He knew he had to hold back at certain times, but not now. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a little sad today.¡± Ruel smiled bitterly. He felt overwhelmed by his own existence. He felt trapped within layers of walls. He didn¡¯t want to become someone important to someone else, not wanting to be the important person to those whose faces and names he didn¡¯t even know. ¡ªThis body will hug you tightly. Leo hugged Ruel with his short front paws. Seeing Leo¡¯s gesture, Ruel burst into laughter. It was small, but it was enough, and it was warm. Ruel managed to stifle his laughter and sipped his cocoa. Ha. It was very sweet. ¡®It¡¯s delicious.¡¯ Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 117: Small sparks Chapter 117: Small sparks Ruel-nim, Jirie and Dion have come to visit. What should we do? Cassion asked, while polishing his sword. How does Cassion know who is here? Leo, who was happily playing with the spirits, paused for a moment looking at Cassion. Cassion reluctantly answered the large sparkling eyes looking at him. I hear their footsteps. Wow! Thats amazing! Leo exclaimed, spinning around Cassion and the spirits followed suit, jumping and shouting Kuroo kuru excitedly. Although it was chaotic, Cassion looked at Ruel with a calm expression. Let them in. Ruel fidgeted with his hand that had an IV in it. Last night at the training ground, he saw the moon instead of the stars, but he didnt catch a cold. Instead, pain occurred while he was sleeping, so Cassion brought Fran to him. This time, the pain did not subside easily even after vomiting black blood, and Fran eventually gave him an IV. How is your condition? Cassion looked at the pocketwatch in his hand and asked. It doesnt hurt anymore. Can you take it out now? It was uncomfortable to have something stuck in his arm. After meeting Jirie and Dion, I will call Fran. Okay. Cassion got up and went outside. Does it really not hurt? Leo jumped up and clung to the bed. Yeah. Compared to when the condition was severe and the pain came several times a day, he was doing much better now. However, it was a little difficult to rush around without any time to rest. Ruel inhaled Breath and continued with the paperwork he had put off. Arent you going out today? Leo looked at Ruel with a look in his eyes that suggested he wanted to go for a walk. Do you want to go out? This body wants to run on the training ground. Ruel stroked Leos head. You go running with Aris first. Ill go out when it feels better. Okay. Leo soon lowered his head, as if making a decision, and resisted the temptation with determination. This body will go out with Ruel. Itll be a big problem if Ruel is sad. Im not sad today, so you can run with Aris first. Really? Yes. This body understands! Leo laughed and ran to his exclusive door. Just before he went out, he turned back and looked at Ruel intently. Are you happy today? Um, a little? The food was delicious. This body is happy too! Leo exclaimed, raising his short front paw as if he were cheering and quickly ran out the door. Kuroo kuru. Ruel reacted with astonishment when he saw the spirits gather around the paperwork, almost as if they were comforting him. Im really not sad, so go and have fun. Only then did the spirits disperse again. Even if he was the medium of the barrier that blocked the Great Man, nothing would change. Get rid of the Red Ash and survive. That was it. Ruel put down his pen and turned his stiff shoulders. I should take a break after finishing this. Since it was winter, it was obvious that there would be people who would object if he said he wanted to go out and wander. Knock. Knock. Come in. P-patriarch! Jirie and Dion rushed in so urgently that their hair was disheveled by the wind. When Ruel smiled happily, they stopped and froze like the others who came before them. Smiling at their confusion, Ruel gestured towards the chairs in front of them. Please, have a seat. Are you okay? Are you sure youre okay? Jirie and Dion spoke at the same time and were busy looking at Ruel. Someone remembered them, who had no choice but to be forgotten by everyone. Dion is so grateful for that. He just burst into tears. *** Banios, Adoris, five family heads, and barons visited Setiria. Ruel was scolded by the two princes and scolded by the barons, but he was relieved and shed tears, so he thought he should stop blowing up carriages. From that day on, Ruel worked out from time to time to build up his basic physical strength, and increased his mana among the spirits. Ruel spent his days drawing mana for the experiment with the black water, sometimes spent his days and nights looking at the sky. Now it was time to start moving, and Ruel made a loud announcement that the enemies could hear. Lord Ruel Setiria has awakened! It was a week after the carriage accident. *** I see you, Prince Huan. Diagos bowed politely to Huan. It was the first time in almost two years that Huan had called him publicly. Please, have a seat. Huan gestured to a chair. When he smiled, Diagos felt like he was sticking his head into a beasts mouth. It didnt feel good. Nevertheless, Diagos smiled brightly and asked about his well-being. You look better. It seems like things are going well for you. Thanks to you, everything went well. Huan replied, his voice slightly heavier than his words suggested. As his gaze settled, he continued speaking. I went to visit Lord Setiria in his mansion and met your daughter, Serti Shio. When Serti was mentioned, Diagos had a vague sense of what was coming. Im worried about what impertinence she might have shown to you, Your Highness, Diagos pretended not to understand and changed the subject. Isnt it you who has been impertinent? However, Huan caught Diagos tail. I only sent the child away because I was busy. Diagos Shio, dont evade the topic. Your Highness Did I order you to send your daughter to Setiria? Or did you use your daughter to get on Setirias side? It was only then that Diagos desperately got up from his seat and prostrated himself in front of Huan. Your Highness! I, I have made a mistake! I thought my plan would be helpful for Your Highness. Didnt I clearly tell you not to do anything other than what I tell you to do? I swear I will never do something arbitrary like this again! Huan rested his chin on the back of his hand and looked down at Diagos, who was lying face down. Your daughter is indeed something you can be proud of. Diagos felt an unexplainable sense of foreboding at Huans words, whose meaning he could not understand. It seems like I have relied on you too much all this time. My, my lord. Do you particularly favor Serti? At the mention of using Serti, Diagos felt a surge of anger. He could tolerate anything else, but not when it came to his daughter. His beloved daughter, Serti. She was more precious to him than his own life. What had that child suffered at the hands of that venomous snake in Setiria? The memory of seeing Serti returning from Setiria, crying, flashed through his mind. Your Highness, that child is still young. Please punish me for my mistake, Diagos pleaded. Leave now, Huan said, coldly gesturing towards the door. Your Highness. I said, leave. I will take my leave for today. I will come back to ask for forgiveness another time, Diagos said as he got up and bowed to Huan, who didnt even spare him a glance. As Diagos stepped out of the room, deep anger flashed in his eyes. He was a lord, but he couldnt escape Huans grasp after the incident five years ago. He never thought that what he had done to secure a golden future would turn into a noose around his neck. Huan Leponia. The words Huan had spoken to him were a warning. A warning not to commit such acts in the future. As much as he relied on Huan, Huan also needed him, but he had touched a nerve. Serti should not have been touched. If I die, the next one to become a dog will be my daughter. He should have bitten first before Huan bit his neck. Serti, no matter what happens, your father will protect you. Diagos clenched his fist and walked down the hallway. His footsteps echoed fiercely. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 118: Small Sparks (2) Chapter 118: Small Sparks (2) *** Ruel-nim. Cassion stopped in his tracks, not taking the documents Ruel had been working on, and spoke up. Ruel, looking exhausted, looked at him from the bed. When Ruels hand paused, Leo looked at Cassion. Why? Did something go missing? Ruels expression involuntarily turned sour. After checking the documents multiple times, it seemed that something had been accidentally left out. Prince Huan is coming. It seems we need to prepare. Leos ears perked up at Cassions words. Ruel has decided to play with this body. This body, this body has been waiting quietly by Ruels side Just a little while ago, you were happily running around the room with the spirits. Ruel looked at Leo as if in disbelief. But Leo, who didnt know how to lie, seemed to be saying that playing with the spirits wasnt really playing. Leo fell down helplessly, as if his soul had gone out, and leaned against Ruel. And then it started whimpering and tried to cover its face with its short front paws, but it didnt work. This body is sad because it cannot play with Ruel, and it is sad that the feet of this body are short. Cassion, ask Astell to make just one ice cream. Is it for this body? Leo sniffled and looked at Ruel with expectant eyes. Yes. With Ruels answer, Leos ears perked up and he bounced around the bed with joy. This body is happy now! Ha. Ruel let out a bitter laugh. In the meantime, Leo ran to Cassion and pressed his face against his leg. This body wants to eat it right now. Quickly, tell Astell. I will call Fran. Cassion looked at Leo attached to his leg, then spoke to Ruel. Alright. Watching Cassion and Leo leave, Ruel inhaled Breath. Serti is doing well. Ruel didnt know how much he had laughed upon hearing that Huan foolishly touched Serti. He should have been more careful with Serti, even if he was ignorant of everything else. Huan knew how much Diagos cherished Serti. It was an intentional move. However, Huan would not have known that precious things have different depths. Huan may have thought he had Diagos weakness, but in fact, he rubbed the wrong way. He ignited Diagoss anger. He underestimated the importance of the title father had. There was no way that Huan, who always received and only took, would know. The small embers burned brightly and became fire, which would soon become a huge flame that would drive away the rest and Red Ash. Ruel laughed happily. Now was the time to make his move. I rushed here as soon as I heard that you woke up. It seems like I was too hasty. Im sorry, Huan looked at Ruel with an apologetic face. Half of Ruel face was covered in bandages, and his pale complexion was enough to make anyone feel sorry for him. I Im the one who should be sorry. Your Highness came all this way and Im just lying here like this, Ruel replied, feeling guilty for causing concern. Dont worry about it. Hows your body feeling? Huan asked, showing concern. Im fine, thank you for worrying so much. Its not as bad as it looks, Ill get better with time. Huan sighed in relief, patting his chest. The sight was so disgusting that Ruel frowned. Are you sick? Ill call a doctor right now. No, its just a mild discomfort, Ruel replied, trying to endure the pain without inhaling Breath. Perhaps, Huan hesitated, then cautiously asked, Has the culprit been caught? Not yet. I couldnt identify who did it, Ruel replied in a grim voice. I know. Thats why I rushed here, Huan replied cautiously, as if sharing a secret. Ruel immediately got up and then lay down again, complaining of pain. Huan stopped him and comforted him. Calm down. You shouldnt get up yet, he said. Who is it? Tell me, Your Highness! When Ruel pretended to be angry and raised his voice, he found it harder to breathe than before. Huff. Huff. Ruels breathing became a little rough, and his eyes were filled with desperation. Huan lowered his head and answered, It was Adoris. His Highness A, Adoris, again! Meagain! Ruel shouted again, and his breathing quickly became more rapid. Are you okay? Your breathing sounds too rough, Huan asked, furrowing his brow. It sounded like he was struggling to breathe. C-Cassion Huf Huff, Ruel gasped, clutching at his clothes in distress, causing Huan to immediately get up from his seat. If Ruel died like this, it was obvious that it would be attributed to Adoris actions. Huan opened the door and shouted, Summon the doctor right away! Fran and Tierra, who were waiting outside, along with Cassion, hurriedly ran in. Ruels breathing was not normal. Your Highness, please stay here for a moment, Cassion politely asked Huan and followed her. Swish. Fran immediately closed the curtain and hurriedly asked Ruel to inhale Breath. You need to breathe. Its okay. Just breathe slowly, Fran said as she administered the Breath several times until Ruel was able to breathe normally. Crazy For a brief moment, it seemed like his deceased father was expressing anger. Ruel deliberately did not inhale Breath to show Huan that he was not in good condition. As soon as Cron saw Banios taking off his cloak, he bowed. He had never expected to meet Banios only in a small village near the capital, swayed by Banioss persistent persuasion. Isnt Banios also being recruited by Red Ash anyway? No matter how likely Adoris was to become the next king, he would never favor Cron. It was better to choose something that fell close by rather than to reach for something unattainable. Nice to meet you. At Banios words, Crons mouth didnt loosen from the smile when Banios spoke. Thank you for your hard work coming all the way. Even though it was winter, Cron continued to wipe off his sweat and led the way to the seat he had prepared in advance. Ive rented the entire building to ensure your comfort. Thank you, Banios sat down and smiled leisurely. Have you considered my proposal? It was a proposal to empower Banios himself to ascend to the throne. It was a very simple, yet also heavy proposal. Cron sat down and answered thoughtfully. Yes, I have thought about it, a lot. I personally hope that your answer is positive, Banios poured a drink for Cron and himself. I think that if you want to become the so-called king, the priority is to recruit the nobles, but in reality, it is ministers like you who run this country. Cron wanted to agree wholeheartedly, but it was a risky statement for someone of his humble status to handle. Isnt that right, Cron? Banios asked, not bothering to look at Crons expression, shaking the glass again. Whatever your conviction is, if it can be your strength, I would be delighted, Cron replied cautiously. Ha ha, my apologies. I was too hasty. Lets forget about our conversation just now, and could you give me an answer to my proposal? As soon as Banios gaze fell on him, Cron felt his heart stop. The efforts he had made to rise to the position of judge unfolded before his eyes like a painting in an album. He had thought this day would come someday. He had thought that someday, someone would need him. Cron took a deep breath, put on the strong expression he had practiced in front of the mirror many times, and spoke, Your Highness, my conviction is Its the Red Ash, isnt it? Red Ash.? Cron was taken aback by the sudden unfamiliar voice and looked urgently in the direction of the sound. The door opened, and someone was coming in. Ttak. Ttak. The sound of a cane echoed cheerfully. R-Ru-Ruel Setiria! Cron pointed his finger at Ruel and shouted. Nonsense. Didnt he just wake up from a carriage accident? How dare you call my name so recklessly? Contrary to his words, Ruel looked at Cron with a mischievous smile. Ruel approached Banios and bowed. Your Highness, its been a while. You seem to have lost a little weight. Its not just a little, its quite a bit. I have been doing quite a run around, Banios joked. Cron couldnt comprehend the situation. Ruels sudden arrival was unexpected, and instead of being rude to him, he was surprisingly friendly. We can catch up on things later. Lets deal with this matter first, Ruel said, inhaling Breath and sitting next to Banios. Aris. At Ruels words, Aris entered and stood next to Cron. Finally, Cron understood the situation. The two of them had plotted against him. Cron pointed at Ruel and shouted, You, you! Youagh! Aris lightly broke Crons finger that was pointing at Ruel. Aris, my order hasnt been given yet. As if he didnt care about Cron, who was suffering from a broken finger, Ruel pointed out Aris unruly attitude. I apologize. I couldnt help but act when his finger pointed at you. I will be more careful, Aris said apologetically, and Banios took a sip of his drink, seemingly indifferent to the situation. The true appearance of Ruel and his escort, which he did not recognize, was unfamiliar to him. Is it okay for the noise to come out? Banios looked outside. Even if Cron had rented the entire shop, he couldnt control the noise. Yes, its fine. Please dont worry, Ruel showed a faint smile to ease Banioss concern. Outside the door, Tyson and Cassion were waiting. How reliable they were. Ruel put his clasped hands on his stomach, enduring the dizziness that came after the warp magic used by Tyson. To synchronize the timing, they had no choice but to use warp magic to avoid the surveillance of the Red Ash. Luruans henchman and a member of the Red Ash. Quite an interesting combination, isnt it? Cron glared at Ruel, holding his finger. Youve deceived all of us, he said. Im a bit busy, so lets wrap this up quickly. Ruel looked at Aris and pointed to Cron with a nod. What Aris presented to Cron was data containing records of how he freely used Luruans money and power. Although there was a hierarchical relationship between the two, they had been friends since childhood, and that relationship lasted for 20 years. Ironically, Luruan genuinely trusted Cron, but to him, Luruan was merely a means to climb higher and a necessary pawn for his schemes. Cron, with a doubtful look, gazed at the stack of documents in front of him but made no attempt to touch them. Dont you want to see it? Ruel confronted him, not wanting to waste any more time on the rascal. This is evidence of your exploitation of Luruan. What do you think will happen if this falls into Luruans hands? Ruel directly challenged him. Only then did Cron hastily grab the documents, surprised and flustered. H-How did you? His breathing quickened, and his eyes widened. The process is not important now. Isnt that right, Cron? Ruel smiled arrogantly. Rip! Cron hastily tore up the materials. The sight made Ruel burst into laughter. Tear it all you want. The originals are in my hands. You, you bastard! Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 119: Small Sparks (3) Chapter 119: Small Sparks (3) As soon as Cron got up from his seat, he couldnt overcome Aris power and fell down again. Ruel spoke while inhaling Breath. Where is the Red House owned by Luruan? Crons eyes widened at the mention of the Red House. He tried to appear nonchalant, but sweat quietly trickled down his face. He knew after all. Ruel suppressed his laughter. Luruan was different from other people who thought their home was safe. The only information the shadows brought was the word Red House, and the only information Dion managed to get were compliments about him being an innocent person with lots of integrity. After hearing the report, Ruel laughed so loudly that his stomach hurt. Integrity and innocence were the words that were most unfit for Red Ash. Like I said a little while ago, Im a little busy today. Ruel flicked the cup with his fingers and looked at Cron. He seemed busy racking his brain. Was there an opportunity to exploit? You, Luruans lackey, must not hold a higher position within the Red Ash. What will Luruan do to you? Ruel didnt know what punishment was given to traitors in the Red Ashes, but Cron did. When Ruel poked that point, there was an immediate response. Little by little, fear appeared on Crons face. Ruel, who was enjoying looking at Crons face, soon opened his mouth as if he had thought of something. Oh, do you know a guy named Nintra? Why dont you stop making useless efforts? Do you think you can get information even if you catch me? Cron tried to remain calm and laughed at Ruel. How did he die again? Ruel stopped snapping his fingers and looked at Cron calmly. Black water. Crons complexion darkened at the words Ruel mentioned. Someone made him drink black water. He was betrayed, Ruel stated. Ha, dont make me laugh. Nintra was a Red Ash from the beginning, unlike me! Cron retorted. Even if his whole body turned black and he suffered a fatal blow, he couldnt die or be torn apart. For Cron, who did not believe him, Ruel listed out the characteristics of black blooded-man. You will soon become useless to the Red Ash and be used as a means to kill me, wont you? Ruels smile curled upwards. Cron could no longer maintain his composure. Knowing what black water was, he couldnt contain the natural fear that arose within him. Ruel watched silently as Cron succumbed to fear, inhaling Breath. Ruel pointed to Banios. Look carefully. With Banios present, doesnt it seem like I have the authority to negotiate with you? Banios stood with his arms crossed, looking down at Cron. Ill spare you, he said, giving Cron the words he most wanted to hear. Thats the reason Im here. Crons lips trembled with relief. Cron had already stabbed Luruan in the back. How can he not be afraid of what happens next? He probably felt anxious every time. Ruel had instilled fear in him, so he was ready to gently unravel him. Think about it carefully. Why are you keeping your mouth shut for a place where the only thing you can return to is death? Ruel pointed to the ground. What you should do now is not keep your mouth shut, but come to me and beg for your life. Do you have any plans to save me? At Crons sneer, Ruel glanced at Banios.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com Look carefully. With His Highness Banios present, doesnt it seem like I have the authority to talk to you? Banios immediately crossed his arms and looked down at Cron. I will spare you. Thats the reason Im here. Crons lips trembled with relief. With a gaze that questioned the truth, Banios responded without any hesitation. What Im saying will weigh heavier than anyone present here. Banios emphasized his words with strength in his eyes and voice. Who was he? He was one of only three princes in the country. Ruel swallowed his satisfaction at Banios very appropriate remarks and cajoled Cron. Think about it. Its not that complicated. Its a matter of choosing whether to become a monster or at least maintain conscience as a human being. Cron felt trapped between himself and Luruan. Neither side could easily escape. Now, the only thing left was Crons choice. Ill ask again. Where is the Red House? In response to Ruels question, Cron looked at Banios and then turned his head to glance at Ruel. Even if it was a small chance, which place would he choose, one with a glimmer of hope or one with no hope at all? Cron struggled to open his mouth. *** Ruel moved to Setiria with the help of Tyson, just as he did when he arrived at the location where Cron was located. A dizzying sensation swept over his entire body, and as soon as he returned to the room, Ruel started coughing up blood. Cough It was because his body couldnt withstand the warp magic twice in one day. His whole body was shaking. Ruel! Leo, who was curled up on the bed, rushed over. Are you okay? Tyson urgently supported Ruel and wiped the blood from his mouth with his hands. I will call Fran. No, theres no need to call Before Ruel finished speaking, Aris hurried out. Cassion sighed as he looked at the blood staining Ruels clothes and the floor. Because his body was not used to warp magic, he was a step behind. After wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, Cassion picked him up and laid him on the bed. Are you okay? Rest is absolutely necessary for the time being. I may not be able to check on you because Ill be busy, but please make sure to take care of yourself. Dont worry. Ruel nodded his head lightly. Sister? As Fran got up, Tierra called out to her in surprise. Tierra seemed to be taken aback as well. Then, get some rest. Fran went out, dragging Tierra. When the door closed, Ruel looked at the door and smiled. It seemed that she finally understood her position. Lets get ready, Cassion. Ruel said, while petting Leo. Alright. After Cassion left, Tyson spoke up. Are you really okay? Dont worry, I dont plan on leaving right away. Okay, dont overdo it. Tyson stood up. Staying here didnt mean Ruel would get better. He had a lot of work to do. That came first. Yes, I wont push myself. Tyson turned around with difficulty as he looked at Ruels smile and the blood stains on his clothes. Aris. Ruel called Aris. Yes. Take a break and rest in your room for a while before we leave. I will stay here. That is my role. Okay. Ruel stroked Leo and inhaled Breath. *** Knock. Knock. Serti knocked on Diagos door. This is Serti. Diagos opened the door in response to the chirping sound of Serti, like a mother bird. Oh, Serti. Do you have any concerns? Or are you not feeling well? The business is on my side. Lord Diagos Shio. Diagos opened the door wider at the familiar voice. A man covered in a cloak stood behind Serti. As he removed his cloak, a pale-faced Ruel Setiria appeared. Ruel, Ruel Setiria. Diagos froze as he mentioned Ruels name. Didnt they say he just woke up from a carriage accident? Unlike his still sickly face, he showed no signs of trauma. May we come in? Diagos looked at Serti and Ruel in confusion at Ruels confident statement. Are you going to keep guests waiting here? It was only then that Diagos came to his senses after hearing the words that sounded like a scolding. Please come in. First, he let Serti and Ruel come inside. When the three people sat down, Diagos opened his mouth and expressed his displeasure. Lord Setiria, I need to hear an explanation as to what is going on. We are both busy people, so I will be brief. Dont we have a story to share? Diagos looked at Serti, as if he had immediately guessed the topic of conversation from Ruels words. Serti. You should go out for a while. Father. I deserve to be here too. Later, this father will explain everything later. So please stay out. In response to Diagos earnestness, Serti reluctantly stood up. After she left, Diagos looked at Ruel harshly. What did you do to Serti? Thats something you should ask Prince Huan, not me. Isnt that right, Lord Diagos? You knew? Fear flickered in Diagoss eyes. How? He couldnt figure out how the information had leaked. You should be grateful to me. I helped cover up Sertis foolish mistake, Ruel said, without moving from Leos side. Since meeting Cron, Leo had been silent and unresponsive. Foolish mistake? Diagos asked. In response to Diagos question, Ruel spread his fingers around the side of his neck before dragging them across his throat in a slicing motion. Treason. A heavy sound came out. Diagos swallowed dryly at the words that followed. Treason? Attempting to open the door of Setiria, the gatekeeper of Leponia, and collaborating with those who did it. They are Carbena and Mineta. You know them, dont you? S-Serti? No way! Theres no way! Diagos exclaimed. Whether you believe it or not is not important. The deed has been done, and I turned a blind eye to Sertis crime. There should be atonement. Diagos glared at Ruel with gritted teeth. A man who had yet to grow all his hair was touching his daughter. Ruel chuckled at his gaze. For your information, I have never touched your daughter. In fact, I promised to make your daughter the head of the family. You must have mistakenly said your dog, not the head of the house. But youre the dog, right? Prince Huans dog. When Ruel imitated his words, Diagos face instantly turned red. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 120: For the stage! Chapter 120: For the stage! Ruel Setiria! Kang! Diagos hit the table hard. Ruel laughed at that action. Are you pissed off because I just called you a dog? Calm down. I still have more to say. Get out now. You must be in trouble. Are you conceited that you have caught my weakness now? Okay. It must be fun now. But later, that pride will make you Conceit? Ruels smile disappeared. Cassion. Cassion emerged from Ruels shadow and aimed a dagger at Diagos neck before both of them could blink. Diagos belatedly noticed Cassions presence and took a deep breath. Even though Diagos doesnt know anything about fighting, he definitely noticed this one thing. The person who pointed the dagger at him was an incredibly talented person. Ruel sneered again as he looked at Diagos, who had stiffened. Are you saying I was conceited because I could cut your head off at any time? Diagos. Diagos Shio. You must have been conceited. Didnt you help Prince Huan with all the various things he did while he was drunk in his position as a prince? Ruel relaxed while inhaling Breath. Hina. Diagos flinched at Ruels grave voice. Hina appeared from Ruels shadow and handed him something. Whack. What Ruel put on the table was a fan. Sertis fan. Now, do you know Ive kept Serti and you alive? Diagos suddenly found Ruels arrogant smile and relaxed gesture extremely terrifying. Diagos. Ruel called Diagos again. Diagos looked at Ruel without saying anything like before. Scrchh. Diagos teeth gritted together. When he saw Sertis fan, a terrible thought came over Diagos. Do you know what it feels like to walk between cliffs, relying on a rope thinner than your arms? Tuk-tuk. Ruel started hitting the table slowly. You pushed me to that place, watched when I fell, and enjoyed shaking the rope, didnt you? The sound that rang out in precise rhythm stabbed Diagos fiercely, like a dagger aimed at his throat. From now on, its me who holds the rope and Im the one who shakes it. Ruel looked at Cassion and motioned for him to lower his dagger. Only then did Diagos take a long breath. However, he was unable to make proper eye contact with Ruel, as the time spent soaking in fear had not yet washed away. Now, lets start again. Ruel stopped his hand hitting the table. Is Serti unharmed? Diagos asked cautiously. Yes. Tell me what your deal was with Serti. Ruel shook his head in response to Diagos question. That might not be the first thing to be asking, is it? Sertiplease at least spare my daughters life. Wrong. Well, what do you want? Now we can have a conversation. Only then did Ruel smile with satisfaction. As Serti requested, I have decided to keep you alive. Serti? Diagos eyes turned slightly red. Even during this time, he seemed to be moved by his daughters deep filial heart. Only life. Just your life. You havent forgotten the crime you committed against me, right? Bang! Ruel hit the table with his palm. My father. The anger hidden behind a smile. My Guardian. The ferocious teeth hidden in the youthful face. And me. All of it was revealed. You wont forget, will you? Diagos hands on his knees trembled. He knew it all. Ruel Setiria knew everything about the past five years ago. The sins he had committed came back again like the hands of a clock. But this time, he wasnt the only one caught. Diagos held Sertis fan with both trembling hands and lowered his head in silence. *** Cassion stopped at Lake Prina and carefully lowered Ruel to the ground. Arent you dizzy? Im a little dizzy. Ruel frowned and answered. He had been transported twice by Warp, and his body was in a state of disarray when he was brought to the Shio family by Cassion. It was impossible for his body to be normal. He felt as if he could vomit blood at any moment, the taste of blood lingered in his throat, and his stomach churned. He felt dizzy, as if he might tilt over at any moment. Cassion supported him and sat him down on a rock. Despite everything, the cool breeze made him feel a little better. Ruel looked at Leo, who clung to his shoulder as if for dear life. Even though they had come to a lake he loved, Ruel reluctantly removed Leo from his shoulder and placed him on his lap. When he met Cron, he intentionally didnt bring Leo along. He left him behind for a while, thinking it would be okay to visit Aris, the Magic Knights, and the kitchen. Ruel petted Leo and said, You want to swim? You used to sing that you wanted to swim while I worked. This body will be with Ruel. Im sorry. Cassion was very surprised by Ruels apology. He turned his head to avoid making any sound. I was wrong. Ruels continued apology brought tears to Leos eyes. Seeing the tears fall, Ruel apologized again, filled with remorse. Next time, Ill make sure to tell you before leaving. This body was so scared when you left, Ruel. I promised not to abandon you. This body knows. Thats why this body endured it as best as this body could. This body quietly waited for Ruel in Ruels empty bed. How surprised he must have been to vomit blood as soon as he returned. Ruel wiped Leos tears. This body was so shocked to see you come back injured and in pain again. It seemed like he was talking about a time when his stomach was pierced by the Great Man. Leo. Speak. Leo sniffled and looked up at Ruel. The spirits made gurgling sounds as they patted Leo. Ruel opened his mouth but suddenly felt too embarrassed and covered his face with his hand again. How can he get the word precious out of his mind? Who knew that this short-legged, snack-eating fox would occupy a lot of space in his heart from fall to winter? When Ruel admitted that fact, his face heated up slightly. Ruel hesitated several times before finally opening his mouth. Ill say it again, I will never abandon you. Everyone is busy, but there is nothing for this body to do. This body also wants to be of help to Ruel. This body feels like hes becoming a Leo who is only worth eight pennies Ruel grabbed Leos mouth. You are still helping me enough, so dont say things like that. Leo stared at Ruel and wagged his tail. The round, tear-soaked eyes sparkled beautifully. Leo immediately asked in disbelief. This, this body, is for Ruel Is it important? Leo usually felt his emotions well. He seemed to have noticed this time too. Yes. Really? Yes. Really? Is it really precious? Ruel answered Leos questions repeatedly. But as soon as Ruel answered, he couldnt raise his head as his face grew hotter. Cassion and the shadows must be listening. This body is really, really, really happy now! Leo was wagging his tail and rubbing his face against Ruel. This body cant believe it! This body! This body! This body is the most precious person to Ruel! Leo soon got off Ruels lap and ran around him. Ruels most precious being is this body, Leo! Leo shouted loudly and shouted again for Lake Prina to reverberate. This body is now refreshed. This body will have fun swimming! Ruel belatedly took his hand away after seeing the short legs running from between his fingers. For some reason, he felt exhausted. Hmm. Cassion let out an out-of-place cough. I didnt know that the beast was so precious. Shut up, Cassion. Alright. I will gladly follow your orders. Cassions voice was excited. It was a big change after a long time. Author''s Thoughts Why Leo is so cute? Chapter 121: For the stage! (2) Chapter 121: For the stage! (2) *** Knock. Knock. After knocking, Cassion came into Ruels room. When he looked around the room and saw that Leo was not there, Cassion smiled and opened his mouth. Ruel-nims precious beast is nowhere to be seen. Did he go to Aris? At that moment, Ruels hand as he was signing the document slipped. Cassion. Despite Ruels sharp eyes, Cassion approached without any hesitation and reported what Ruel had told him to do. We received reports from the five heads of families that most of the Red Ash hidden in the territory have been found. Also, I heard separately a little while ago that Prince Adoris had filtered almost all the Red Ash that had been hidden in the royal family. The process went smoothly and Ruel smiled slightly. Even if we do this, we wont be able to completely filter out the Red Ash hiding in Leponia, but wouldnt it be enough to cut off the Great Mans arms? Ruel asked as he signed the document again. What about the Red House? Ive been there. Ive confirmed that people are being held in the basement of his mansion. Ha, they really do all sorts of things. Ruel laughed. His actions were similar to those who were worried that they might be seen as trash. Cassion played back the magically recorded device. The people imprisoned in the prison sat quietly as if they were drugged and did not even blink. No matter which side the screen was showing, everyone was doing the same thing. Ruel, who was quietly watching the scene, opened his mouth. Is it human trafficking? He felt relieved that Leo wasnt there to witness this. Yes, thats correct, Cassion replied as he handed over the documents. Ruel expressed his confusion as he looked through the information. So, the place they are being sent to is not Cyronian, but the Kran Kingdom? According to the information provided, that seems to be the case, Cassion replied. Ruel furrowed his brow as he listened to Cassions answer. Mentions the Kran Kingdom was quite unexpected. Among those captured, we found one person who was locked up alone in the deepest part of the underground. ViiSiit for latest novels It seems they received special treatment. So, they were treated differently from the others? Ruel put down his pen and rubbed his chin. Yes, unlike the others, there were no signs of drugs or physical abuse. However, it seems their mental state is not entirely stable, likely due to being imprisoned for a long time. Treating someone differently and leaving them in the deepest part of the underground was suspicious to anyone sane. Did you bring them here? Ruel asked, holding Breath. Yes, I did. I have employed a healer to treat them. They are currently suffering from anxiety symptoms accompanied by aphasia due to the mental shock. I will report as soon as their condition improves. As soon as Cassion finished speaking, he took out the materials Ruel had been waiting for. These are records of transactions with some high-ranking officials, including the exchange of goods. It also includes some nobles from Cyronian and Cron. They even came forward and produced evidence, these guys are really diligent. Ruel received the data. Who would have thought that their enemy would benefit from what they did because they did not trust each other? Before reading the material, Ruel asked a question. In this data, other than those who came in as latecomers, were there people who were part of the Red Ash from the beginning? Adoris gave us information about them, but there were no executives among them. The Red Ash that needed to be captured were not those who had just dipped their toes like Adoris or Huan, but the executives. If we attack them one by one from the bottom, we will be able to find out who the executives are. Cassion shook his head. I havent been able to confirm that yet. Okay. I will check that. Theres one more thing you need to know. Go on. Ruel said as he read the material. While investigating the Red House, I confirmed that Luruan, despite being a latecomer, became a devoted follower of the Great Man, and I found out why. Should I prepare myself to shed tears? Cassion chuckled at Ruels words. Im telling you in case it might be helpful. If you dont want to hear it, I wont say anything. No, go ahead. Im curious about how compelling it is. The Luruan family are descendants of the so-called heroes who protected their land from the attacks of the Tonisk Empire in the past. However, as you know, except in very special cases, the existence of a hero is quickly forgotten. A hero Ruel furrowed his brow slightly as he recalled the power left behind by the hero, or rather, the Great Man, that still lingered. They were given the title of nobility by the royal authority, but over time, they were forgotten and their titles and lands were taken away. It was at that time that the Red Ash approached Luruan. Surely they didnt approach him with the intention of helping people remember his ancestors. Well, did they approach him with such conditions? Thats correct. Ruel seemed bored as the story unfolded as he had expected. The Red Ash provided full support for him and placed him in the position of a judge. Thats when Luruan became a devoted follower. Cassion looked at Ruels outstretched hand and placed snacks on the table. Crunch. Cassion opened his mouth as he watched Ruel quickly take out a meat pie and take a bite. Do you know why I am telling you this? Uh, its not something Red Ash would do. Looking at Red Ashs actions so far, it seemed like he had invested too much in Luruan. If Luruan was a genius who only came once in a hundred years, it might have been worth it, but investing to the extent of making him a judge didnt seem justified. Thats right. Personally, I found it so strange that I thought I should inform you about it. If their goal was to create a devoted follower, their actions towards others dont make sense. Red Ash expanded its power by using things needed by nobles as bait. Just looking at Bianne Chen and Iria Promien, whom he saw in Cyronian, they were not fanatics. Crunch. Ruel frowned as he bit into his meat pie. He even felt uncomfortable with the ambiguous facts. Is this all there is anyway? Ruel put aside his incomprehensible actions and waved the document and asked. Thats right. Okay. After reviewing the data, I will let you know if there is anyone to investigate. Yes, then I will go prepare dinner. Cassion bowed and went out while watching Ruel wave his hands. The stage will be completed when the investigation into the Red Ash hiding in Leponia is completed. With the cooperation of Diagos, the investigation became even faster. The materials to hold the Red Ash necks were piled up one by one, and everything was perfect if it proceeded as it was. Kran Kingdom. Crunch. Tonisk Empire. They say there is a mountain beyond the mountain. The Tonisk Empire was entrusted to Ganien, yes, but it was unsettling to see a point of contact between Luruan and the Kran Kingdom. Crunch. Well, Leponia and Cronian also have Red Ash, so why not the Kran Kingdom? Ruel mumbled and held the pen again. All he had to do now was catch up on his work. *** 3 days later. Crunch. While eating savory popcorn glossed in butter, Ruel watched as the defense mechanism, made by Tyson and the magic knights, was installed. How can popcorn be missing on a day when the final check of the defense mechanism is being carried out? Perhaps because it was popcorn made by Astell, Ruel felt healthier the more he ate it. Tyson and Cassion are ready, but Ruel is not ready yet. Its delicious! This body can eat more! Leo came out of the bucket, smiled brightly and wagged his tail. Just bring me the popped corn and then start. Do you think its okay if your hands are empty? *** Lets begin. Cassion wielded two daggers along with his words. After wiping out an assassins guild yesterday, his senses were still fresh. After confirming the barrier that Tyson and the magic knights had created together, and re-checking Ruels location, he infused them with aura. A purple light aura surrounded the dagger. The thicker the aura, the better the cut. Thin but strong, thin but sharp. So thin that the aura was covering the dagger. Cassions eyes sparkled for a moment. Kwaaang! Ruel covered his ears from the sudden, tremendous roar. He didnt even see Cassion swinging his dagger. Push it away. Aris hurriedly chanted a spell and swung his sword, pushing away the approaching wind as a result. Ugh. Aris quickly let out a moan. It was heavy despite the wind that only happened in the aftermath. However, when he reached the barrier without being able to push all the way, the wind disappeared in an instant. Huh. Ruel let out a laugh as he straightened his hair. Even though it was only a single blow, the impact was so great. Leos eyes widened. Its stronger than I thought. Cassion touched the shield-like translucent defense mechanism. There wasnt even a scratch. You can go a little harder. Ruel couldnt even chew the popcorn he put in his mouth as he continued to speak. Haha. Tysons laughter could be heard as if he was the only one who was thrilled. Lets start again. Cassion raised the corners of his mouth. He was excited to relax for the first time in a while. He made the aura thinner, about 4 to 5 sheets of paper, and swung it towards the defense mechanism. Kwaaang! Once more. And then he moved the opposite hand. Kwaaang! Ignoring the roaring sound in his ears, Cassion slowly increased his speed. Like decapitating an enemy. Faster. Stronger. Kwaaang! As the sound rang out several times, Cassions eyes widened. The path of the sword that he had previously seen in Cyronian unfolded before his eyes again. This time it was closer enough that he could touch it if he just stretched out his hand. His body became so light, as if it was not his own. The dagger in both hands felt like his own body, and he could even hear the Aura whispering as if it was speaking. It was clearly visible where he would swing and the defense mechanism would collapse. Its here! He drew a circular path as if he was stirring an egg. Crack! With the sound of the defense mechanism breaking, a light appeared in Cassions purple eyes. He finally broke down the wall he had been facing for a long time. The corners of Cassions mouth rose high. huh. Tyson took a deep breath. Cassions state was no longer visible. Finally, he broke through the long-faced wall. For a moment, Tyson looked at Ruel urgently. As the defense mechanism was broken, the aftermath was severe but Tyson only smiled happily. Although Aris face turned pale, he completely blocked the shockwaves from reaching Ruel. Cassion wasnt the only one who grew. He noticed that the light in Aris eyes had become deeper than before. Even if he couldnt overcome the wall, he gained enlightenment. Crunch. Ruel belatedly ate popcorn and raised his eyebrows. Youve grown. The mana flowing around Aris became thicker. Are you okay? Aris turned his head and looked at Ruel. As soon as he saw the blood flowing from the corner of Aris mouth, Ruel made a serious expression. I guess I should ask, are you okay? Isnt it because the mana flowed back? Ah! Aris bleeds! He got it from Ruel! When Leo said something absurd, Ruel gently pressed Leos head. Im not a germ. Take your hands off this body. This body cannot eat that delicious food! Seeing Leo hurriedly moving towards the bucket of popcorn, Ruel took his hand away and looked at Aris again. Im fine. Aris spoke calmly. How much blood has Ruel shed so far? Aris was rather embarrassed when Ruel looked at himself anxiously. Ruel looked around and mentioned the same thing again. Hurry up and go to Fran and get treatment. Its really okay. This is a temporary phenomenon, so I will go after this experiment is completely completed. Aris. Ruels voice was heavy. Yes. Go now. Anything that hurts needs to be treated quickly. It wasnt something Ruel, who always held back, would say, but Aris answered with a hearty smile. Alright. Ill be back. As Aris left, Ruel called out to Noah as he saw Cassion and Tyson talking. Noah. Please speak. Take care of the mess. Noah looked around for a moment with a grudging face as he really didnt want to do. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 122: For the stage! (3) Chapter 122: For the stage! (3) Alright. Ruel stood up and approached Tyson. What do you think, uncle? Can we install defense mechanisms in each village starting today? Tyson opened his mouth before looking at Cassion. It seemed like the decision would be made after listening to what he had to say about destroying the device himself. This is enough to be useful. Cassion answered with a satisfied smile, and Tyson laughed along with him. I guess its possible. Ruel was satisfied with the positive results. Then uncle, please stop by each village from now on and set up defense mechanisms. I will convey this to the barons. I understand. Thank you for your hard work, uncle. Ruel greeted Tyson and moved on to the next task. Cassion walked at Ruels pace and handed him a handkerchief. Youve overdone it. You should have heard it through reporting. Ruel covered his mouth with a handkerchief. It was annoying to have to be told that it was too much to just see one experiment, but it was true, so he couldnt refute it. Ruel doesnt know if it was the aftermath of Cassion destroying the defense mechanism, or the barriers and shields that Tyson installed as a safety device, but the taste of blood filled his mouth. Are you okay? Leo, who had been following Ruel, raised his head. Ruel nodded. The more he hit the limit, the more his strength grew, so it was an advantage in the long run. Ruel spoke after wiping the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. Cassion. Yes. Have you by any chance crossed the wall? Cassion glanced at Ruel. Ruel held out his handkerchief with an expression of displeasure, saying, Theres no way I can see that. Youre right. How did you know? Ruel was truly surprised by Cassions answer. When Leo told him, he couldnt believe it. I didnt believe it, but its true. Isnt it a cheat to become stronger here? Didnt I tell you that I would become stronger when we visited the Ice Castle? Cassion walked ahead, acting as if nothing had happened. It is cold. Please come inside. He opened the door and waited for Ruel. Whether he overcame the wall or became stronger, the fact that Cassion was Ruels butler did not change. *** Ruel drank water first in front of Huan. Afterwards, Cassion chose only the food that Ruel could eat among the food prepared by Huan, and when all the selection was completed, the conversation between Ruel and Huan began. Is it okay to walk around like this now? Huan glanced at Ruels left arm, which was wrapped in bandages, and asked. Ruel answered as brightly as he could because it was the first time he had seen Huan outside in a long time since they had been meeting in Setiria. Yes, its okay to move now, just a little uncomfortable here. Ruel pointed to his left arm. Then he saw Leo swallowing his saliva while looking at the food. How long has it been since Leo ate the black stuff from him? Huan smiled with relief. Thats a good thing. By the way, Lord Setiria. Yes, Your Highness. Do you know that you have a peculiar habit? What habits are you talking about? Youre so careful with your food, but dont you drink water casually? Did I do that? Ruel reacted as if he really knew nothing. The world is scary, so be careful. Thank you for telling me. Ill have to be more careful next time. Huan cut the steak with a good-natured expression on his face. Anyway, I postponed it because Lord Setiria wasnt feeling well, but now I think its okay to listen to my proposal. Yes, Your Highness. I was also thinking that I should respond to your proposal today. Ruel put down his fork for a moment and rinsed his mouth with water. Youve waited a long time. With a bright smile, Ruel spoke his first words. At the same time, Huans expectations seemed to be rising. Ruel continued without further hesitation. I will support you. Thanks Before Huan could finish speaking, the ring on his finger sparkled. It seemed like someone had contacted him. Huan looked at the ring and Ruel alternately, then made an apologetic expression. Can you give me a moment? Yes, Your Highness. You must be in a hurry, so Ill give you a moment. Ruel stood up with his cane and went outside. With his back to the door, he leisurely inhaled Breath. The call to Huan was obvious. The stage decorated by Brans and Adoris has been completed. And the person who tells us this is probably Luruan. Cassion. Yes. Wi-ing. Even the feeling in his hands was disappearing due to the power of resistance ringing in his ears a little while ago. I will feed you. Cassion opened the vial and administered the antidote directly. After taking the antidote, the sound of the resistances roar gradually disappeared, and the feeling in his hand returned. Are you okay? Cassion asked, fiddling with his handkerchief. Ruel nodded his head. The poison wasnt as strong as he had thought. Did you eat poison? Leo was surprised and glanced at Ruel. I took the antidote, so Im fine now. Ruel stroked Leo and inhaled Breath. The preparations were complete, from the king to the princes, and the five families. Ruel didnt forget to cause confusion for Prince Huan as a final touch. Tomorrow, finally, the stage would be set. It would be a sea of blood so immense that it couldnt be compared to the cleansing in Setiria. Ruel closed his eyes and opened them. *** Cheynol, uncle. Ruel saw the two people before getting into the carriage. Yes, patriarch. Yes, Ruel. The two answered at the same time. The enemy was not a fool. If something big happens in the royal family, they wont sit still. Defense mechanisms were installed in each village to prepare for any possible danger, and walls were also rebuilt. It bothered him that the warp device wasnt finished yet, but for now this was the best. Ruel spoke more forcefully than ever. Please do me a favor while Im away, Billo. Yes, Ruel-nim. I trust you. When the head of the house was away, Billos role was also important as the butler took charge of the mansions work. Yes. This old man, I will protect the mansion no matter what happens. Ruel then looked at the two vice-captains, Horen and Drianna, who were eager to chase after him immediately. He smiled wryly at their frantic expressions Please take care of it. Yes! Leave it to me! Ill do better! The two of them shouted fiercely. Ruel looked at the knights firmly and then got into the carriage. Lets go. Cassion tapped the carriage wall at Ruels command. You seem quite composed for someone causing such a big commotion, Cassion remarked with a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. Its unusual for you to be composed when Im around. This body too! Leo nuzzled his face into Ruels lap. Okay. Ruel quietly inhaled Breath while stroking Leo. Although the Red Ash would try to destroy him, they also had to keep in mind that it would shake up Setiria, its foundation. *** The castle courtyard was filled with more carriages than ever before. A carriage with a shield emblem symbolizing Setiria came to a stop. Soon, the door opened, and Ruel, dressed in a white suit that didnt befit his title as the Noble of Darkness, stepped out. Because he was one of the six heads of the family, the eyes of ministers and barons turned to him. Ruel entered the castle without being conscious of the people around him. Lord Setiria. Banios, who was heading alone, found Ruel and called him. It was truly a coincidence. Ruel greeted neatly. I greet the little sun. Why is your attire like that? It was evident that Banios was not accustomed to Ruels usually dark attire turning so stark white. Its boring to always be in black, isnt it? Ruel forced a smile. It would be difficult to explain why he had chosen to wear a new white suit this time, considering his noble title of the Noble of Darkness. Arent you going to enter with the other princes? Ruel changed the subject. Entering simultaneously in the place where the successor is chosen. Isnt that amusing? Well, thats true. Then, are you nervous? Banios chuckled leisurely at Ruels question. Im incredibly nervous. How about you? Me? Im the same. Crossing the line as always, there was nothing to be nervous about. He had to overcome this hurdle to live on for the next time. They stopped for a moment in front of the door. Ruel glanced back at Aris, who stood behind him. His face was still tense. Knowing he would do well once inside, Ruel smiled lightly and looked ahead again. With a gesture from Banios, the servant opened the door and shouted loudly, Sir Aris, the knight of Setiria, and the noble of darkness, Lord Ruel Setiria! The servant paused for a moment and then shouted again, And His Highness, Banios Leponia, the little sun of Leponia, is entering! Ttak. The sound of Ruels cane echoed through the hall. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 123: Stage Chapter 123: Stage Banios and Ruel entered at the same time for the ceremony to choose the successor. Huan, who was seated ahead of them, could hardly hide his displeasure. Ruel looked at him leisurely and inhaled Breath. Adoris, glancing at Ruel, turned his head away when their eyes met. Good. Ruel liked the current atmosphere. Today there was no loud music, no eye-catching delicious food, or greedy gazes. Everyone was just sitting quietly, seemingly shocked by the sudden news from the king. Ruel walked to the place where the patriarchs were gathered. Its nice to see you all, Ruel smiled at them, breaking the silence. Diagos nodded and squeezed his arm, and Corrence swallowed his nervousness and went along with the charade for now. Rie was worried about Ruels bandaged arm, and Ben handed him the snack he had brought to give Ruel, saying he seemed to have lost weight. Sniff. Leo sniffed the snack bag Ruel received and raised the corners of his mouth. Its a macaron! This body remembers that! Just when I was feeling a bit hungry. Ruel laughed as if he had made a fortune. Long time no see, Ketlan greeted Ruel warmly and made space next to himself. Thank you, Lord Prios, Ruel took a seat and took a deep breath. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com Just exchanging greetings was already exhausting. To regain stamina, Ruel took a bite of a macaron and offered one to Ketlan. Would you like one? Its okay. I dont think I can handle it well in this tense atmosphere. Did I just hear someone swallowing? Ruel watched his surroundings and secretly passed it on to Leo. Oooh! This is what it tastes like! Ruel couldnt understand why they hesitated to accept what he offered, whether it was Aris or other servants. He moved his hands back and forth. The spirits tilted their heads following his hand. Is it because there are a lot of needle marks? Mostly on his arms, but a few on the back of his hands. He considered wearing gloves like Cassion, but the sound of the door opening made him turn his head. The heavy atmosphere deepened. The king had appeared. His Majesty Brans Leponia, the sole Sun of Leponia, enters! The servants loud shout broke the silence. Everyone rose from their seats to look at the king. The words he was about to utter would change the balance of power among the nobles and ministers, including the fate of the country. Without a show of any emotion in his expression, Brans walked over and sat down on the throne. Turning to face them, he spoke. Take your seats, everyone. Making sure everyone was seated, Brans spoke again. This was sudden. In an instant, a murmur arose. As Brans said, it was a very sudden announcement. Since there were no prior signs, the confusion was further aggravated. Brans eyes turned to the three princes. Huan, Adoris, Banios. Each and every one of them made eye contact. Instantly, his heart sank. No matter what anyone said, they were all his precious sons. But please know that there will be no change in the choice of my successor today. Brans first made his intentions clear so that no one would object. Your Majesty, may I be presumptuous However, someone among the ministers cautiously spoke. Brans immediately showed his displeasure. Be silent. I will not accept any comments on this. Brans knew that it seemed like an arbitrary choice. However, most of the dissenters were those who joined the Red Ash. It was ugly, but the thought of them deciding the countrys successor made him feel like he had bugs crawling all over him. There was no point in dragging it out. Brans again tried to speak directly without paying attention to the minister standing next to him. Your Majesty, this is too sudden, and somewhat unjust. Huan spoke up, cautiously. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the ministers expressions relaxed as they heard the refreshing sound. But it didnt take long for Branss anger to hit him like a bolt of lightning. What did you say now? Unfair? What does the prince say is unfair now! Your Majesty, please hold on. Youre choosing the heir to the country, and youll be deciding its future, so please be more careful Brans held out his palm. It meant to stop talking. I have made it clear that I am here to choose an heir. Is the prince here to lecture me? Huan was surprised at the remark mixed with anger and was unable to answer hastily. I tell you clearly. If there is anyone who objects to my decision to select a successor, I will bring down the law. Brans nailed his point firmly so that no more words could be spoken against his decision. He paused, letting his anger settle, and then spoke again. His voice was softer than before. Some may think as Prince Huan does, but I have been dismayed by the state of affairs in this country lately. I can no longer stand idly by and have made this decision, so follow it. At the subtlety of his words, the ministers began to stir. Brans looked at the three princes again and gestured. Princes, come before me. The princes rose from their seats and walked toward him. That was Brans signal that the performance had begun. Ruel inhaled the Breath and stifled a laugh. Its time to get up. Torto shouted immediately after the reply. What are you doing, not capturing the traitors now? At Tortos command, the knights arrested the ministers who colluded with the Red Ash, including Luruan and Cron, whom they were previously briefed on. Your Majesty! What is the meaning of this ugh! Torto struck Huan on the back of the head as he approached Brans and knocked him down. Brans did not turn his head. Your Majesty! It is I, Huan! Huan is here! Huan tried to rise, but the knights grabbed him and held him down. He hurriedly shouted with an incomprehensible expression on his face. Treason! Your Majesty! Its all a misunderstanding! Let me explain it properly, so I cherished you! I really cared about you! But what have you done to me and to this country! Brans shouted desperately. Huan realized then that this was all a trap set by the king and Adoris. They had lured him and the others of the Red Ash into the trap with the bait of choosing an heir. Who led all of this? You son of a bitch! Adoris! Huan turned his head with difficulty, glaring at Adoris as if he were going to kill him. Ruel looked back at the crowded hall and inhaled breath. Ruel expected this situation, but it was more hectic than he expected. Even those who already knew about this stage seemed confused. Who the enemy was. What the enemy had done to us. Dont worry. Aris watched the surroundings while holding the sword given to him by a knight. Aris. Aris responded firmly to Ruels words. Yes. Cough, cut down all those who come after me. Alright. Ruel moved his cane while listening to Aris answer. Ttak. The sound of the cane echoed off the ground as Ariss sword moved. Enemies appeared, taking advantage of the chaos and coming to target Ruel. Even though the enemies collapsed to the floor and vicious curses were heard, Ruel did not stop walking. Blood splattered on the ground and screams rang out, but Ruel didnt stop walking. Splattered blood stained his white clothes red. He stopped in front of Huan. He laughed at the sight of him being captured and tied up by the knights. How did you feel when you killed my father? Huan was startled by Ruels cold voice. How, how could you For what reason did you kill my father? Have you longed so much for a throne that you will grovel at the Red Ashs feet on the floor? Huans eyes filled with bewilderment, then gradually turned to anger. Its you! It was you! Looking at Huan moving his whole body in a frantic struggle, Ruel leaned down slightly and touched his cheek, then stood up again and looked around. Now that the knights have blocked the door, they leisurely capture and kill the enemies in this hall who had no hole to escape. After a while, silence came. Ttak. The sound of Ruels cane broke the silence. They belong to an organization called the Red Ash, including Prince Huan Leponia. The Red Ash seeks to sell this country, your Majesty, the princes, and all of us to a man they call the Great Man. His voice was full of appeal, but those who were not Red Ash were unable to come to their senses due to the carnage and sudden actions of the knights. Ttak. Ruel slammed his cane on the floor again. At the sound, they all turned to look at him. The Red Ash killed my father, Trino Setiria. At those words, those who were not Red Ash came to their senses and were shocked. All the heads of the household, except Diagis Shio, were equally surprised. What a place Setiria was. Everyone here knows what Setiria is like. Its the Red Ash that killed Trino Setria, my father the former lord. Only then did everyone understand what Ruel wanted to say. They understood why Brans had been shouting treason, and they realized how terrifying the Red Ash were. But those were secondary thought. What mattered now was that the Red Ash had killed Trino Setiria. The Red Ashes had declared war on Leponia. As Ruel secured the legitimacy of the current situation, the atmosphere of fear quickly turned into anger. Those who were not Red Ash glared at those captured by the knights, considering them enemies. They must be the same guys. Brans looked bitterly at the blood-stained hall and then bowed his head towards the honest ministers and heads of families of this country. Im sorry, because it was like this, I had no choice but to let the situation unfold like this without any explanation to you in advance. As soon as the kings apology confirmed the gravity of the situation, the ministers became angry. The number of those captured by the knights was huge. The influence of the Red Ash had been so great. Wondering why they hadnt realized this before, one of the ministers bowed to the king. Your Majesty, its the fault of this subject! I didnt know anything while this country fell into enemy hands! Please kill this subject! This subject is guilty and deserves to die! They didnt care if their knees were soaked with blood or if they stepped on the corpses of their enemies, but instead they all bowed their heads to the king. No matter who they were, they were all people of Leponia. Brans spoke as if he was embarrassed by the ministers sudden actions. Rise. It all happened because of my lack of virtue. My son, Huan Leponia, was part of a Red Ash. Dont be pretentious, Your Majesty! Didnt you turn your head when you learned of the death of Trino Setiria?! Huan gritted his teeth and shouted. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 124: Stage (2) Chapter 124: Stage (2) He couldnt die alone like this. If he dies, shouldnt they all die together? The ministers who stood up from their seats at Huans explosive remarks looked at Brans in bewilderment. Brans answered them without hesitation. It is true. I turned a blind eye to the death of Lord Trino Setiria. The ministers couldnt hide their surprise. If you have a mouth, why dont you speak up, Adoris, youre a Red Ash too! Huan then proceeded to bite at Adoris. Stop it, brother! Banios shouted. Adoris grabbed him by the shoulder and shook his head. Its true. I have no intention of hiding it, nor intention of denying it. Adoris didnt lie about the truth either. The room fell silent again as one more shocking truth hit them. Therefore, the next heir shall be Banios. He was the only one who truly cared about this country. Brans looked at Banios warmly. Your Majesty Banios was speechless. Perhaps a stage will be set to decide on a successor. So the real protagonist is you, Your Highness. He remembered Ruels words, when hed said that he was the real protagonist. Now he understood what he meant with his father, his eldest brother, and his second brother all shackled by sin, he was truly alone. The ministers turned towards Banios. There was hope in their eyes. Do you truly have the heart to become king? The question Ruel asked himself came to mind again. Hed said yes then, but the words didnt seem to come out right now. It was heavy. It was much heavier than he thought. Banios. Brans called out to Banios with a sad smile. A bright red line was drawn over the royal family. He hadnt expected to pass on the throne like this. Instead of answering, Banios looked at Ruel. Ruel nodded and smiled. And then Ruel got down on one knee towards Banios. I am Ruel Setiria. It was a promise to be made at the coming-of-age ceremony, but there was no stage more suitable than now. Because there is nothing more beautiful than a flower that blooms in despair. I support His Highness Banios. You really, really overdo it. Banios laughed in exasperation. His back was against the wall. In a situation where even Setiria supported him, he couldnt avoid answering. I, Rie Kuhn, support His Highness Banios, not His Highness Adoris. Rie walked out and got down on one knee like Ruel. Prios also supports His Highness Banios. Ketlan also supported Banios. Ben said with a chuckle. I already supported the prince. The Lumina family will also support Banios. Corrence quickly came out and knelt down, catching Ruels eye. Five families have already supported Banios. The answer had already been decided. Your Highness, we too When even the ministers opened their mouths, Banios held out his palm. No more words were needed. Banios took a breath and looked at Brans with his fists clenched. In those clear eyes, Brans saw the future of Leponia. A brilliant future. Your Majesty, I may be weak, but I will lead Leponia. As Banios accepted the position of next king, the hall became so noisy that it seemed as if they were about to leave. What the hell. Huans words sent a chill through the air, like cold water. Everyones gazes turned toward him. The throne is mine. That seat belongs to me! How did I come this far! Me!Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com He couldnt keep still, not even in frustration. Cough. At that time, Ruels coughing sound was ominous. Ruel urgently covered his mouth with his hand, but blood leaked out between his fingers. Darn it. Again, blood without any symptoms Ruel covers his mouth with the handkerchief given to him by Cassion, but it is already too late. There was no one who was not shocked by his bright red blood. Ru, Ruel! Leo was shocked and froze. No words came out of his mouth to say he was okay. Despite the painkillers hed taken beforehand, the pain rushed through him, making his whole body shake. Damn it! Ruel-nim! In the end, when Ruel lost his balance and fell backwards into Aris arms. The sound of a cane collapsing followed. Fuhahaha! Huan smiled very brightly. Hope bloomed in despair. The poison he had fed Ruel was finally working. Look! The throne is mine now, because I poisoned him! Huan, you! Brans gritted his teeth and glared at Huan. That was a sin of his own making. It was very awful and terrible. Brans looked away from Huan and urgently raised his voice. Now! Call a doctor immediately! No matter what happens, Lord Setiria must not die! Its late, Your Majesty! Its late! Yes, there was a lot of blood in other places besides here. The blood on Torto and the royal knights as they entered this place belonged to the Red Ash that had spread throughout the royal family. Ruel asked, looking at the family heads before moving his body. Did the red flowers bloom there as well? When they nodded instead of answering, Ruel turned back to the door, no expression on his face. It was a given that today, wherever they went, there would be rivers of blood. Are you okay? Banios approached and asked. His expression wasnt good. It was probably the first time he had seen so many deaths. Do not bury this day, my Lord, but remember it forever. Ruel himself was able to bury this incident. No, he had to. The Red Ash had not completely disappeared yet, so it was not the time to get drunk on small victories. Banios, the man who would lead the country in the future, needed to remember. What the end for those who supported the Red Ash. What the first victory tasted like. He had to remember it all. I understand. Lets go to the room first. Isnt detoxification a priority first? Ruel-nim. Cassion frowned slightly and called out to Ruel. Cassions expression was not good. He carefully took out the communication device. It wasnt a good thing for the communication device to ring in this situation. Did a Red Ash, or rather a black-blooded man, appear? Ruel pictured the worst in his current situation. What if Red Ash knew of the stage he had created and attacked Setiria? No, that cant be possible. It was foolish to abandon the royal family and the five territories and only attack Setiria. He decided not to overthink it and focus on what he had to do now. Connect. Ruel calmly opened his mouth. -Patriarch! Its Gors! An urgent voice was heard. The voice was urgent. The urgency was palpable. Ruel didnt panic and spoke calmly. Briefly. -Well, the black-formed monster you mentioned is attacking Sylvia right here. Sylvia was a new village to be created for the residents of the back alleys. -Suddenly, some guys appeared, shouting Great Man and drinking some liquid. Red Ash suddenly appeared? Only then did Ruel chuckle. The Red Ash hadnt realized this stage, and had been preparing to stab him in the back when Huan said that he had poisoned him. It was like they had both taken a strike, but he had hit harder. He hadnt been properly hit by that guy yet. I understand. Ill be there soon, so take refuge. Ruel broke off the contact and inhaled Breath. His fingertips were still shaking. Im sorry. Cassion bowed his head in apology. No, not your mistake, my mistake. Ruel shook his head. He turned to Banios and spoke. Your Highness, please be especially careful, as there may still be hidden remnants in the castle. I will return now. Are you going back in that condition? Banios protested as he tried to stop Ruel. Ruel smiled at him and then looked at the five patriarchs. Ill leave it to you. As soon as he finished speaking, Ruel walked towards the door. Every time he touched the ground with his cane, it splashed pooled blood on the floor. Ruel moved beyond the door and infused mana into the ring. Uncle. -Yes, Ruel. Tysons expression became cold when he saw the situation unfolding behind Ruel. I need you to come to the Royal Palace now. This was the only way to get to Setiria quickly. -On the way. Going straight to the palace. As soon as communication with Tyson was lost, Ruel mentioned the next person to connect with. Cassion, contact Billo. Alright. As Ruel walked, he saw numerous footprints marked with blood. Footprints continued endlessly in the hallway. -Ruel-nim, we were already planning to send knights and soldiers to Sylvia Dont send them. -Pardon? What do you mean by that? Billos embarrassment was vividly conveyed. Dont send them because unnecessary sacrifices will only increase. Stop Cheynol, stop the knights. -Understood. Billo reluctantly responded. Ruel cut off communication and saw Tyson appearing in front of him. It wasnt a time to show joy. It wasnt a time to exaggerate pain. Uncle, you know where Sylvia is, dont you? I know. The black-blooded man Please take me there. Ruel stretched out his hand. His fingertips were trembling. Tyson hadnt found an alternate way to deal with the black-blooded man, so the burden had to fall back on Ruel. However, Tyson did not apologize for this. Every time he apologized, Ruels expression was so pitiful. It was like he was being forced to take something that didnt belong to him. Leo climbed onto Ruels shoulder, and Cassion and Aris gathered close to Ruel. Tyson began to cast a warp magic spell. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 125: Stage (3) Chapter 125: Stage (3) *** Ruels body staggered from the effects of the warp. Despite the overwhelming aftereffects, he soon opened his eyes wide. Ten, no, twenty, maybe more? There were more of them than the black-blooded man hed fought in Cyronian. Thump. Thump. Thump. His heart pounded loudly. His own shadow moved arbitrarily. Calm down. Ruel soothed the shadow and surveyed the situation. Gors must have evacuated the people, so all that was left in Sylvia was the corpse. With all traces of the village that had been built so far gone, Ruel bit his lips hard. Ruel, Ruel! This body can do it now! This body will purify those who are out of natural order. Leo said, his tail raised. Are you alright? Aris asked, concerned. Ruel nodded in response. I can fight. Please dont ask me to run away this time, Ruel said. Aris discarded his sword and took out his own sword from his magic pocket. Ruel, you dont have to face this alone, despite Tysons gentle words, an icy sphere already hovered in his hand. Ruel-nim, I apologize for bringing you to such a messy place. Cassion spoke, pulling a syringe from his magic pocket and casually injecting it into Ruels arm. The black water in their bodies feels stronger than before. Cassion noted, swiftly cutting down a tree and arranging a makeshift seat for Ruel on the stump. You can sit here quietly. Observing Aris and Tyson rush towards the black-blooded man without hesitation, Ruel turned to Cassion and asked. What about the spies? Rest assured, there are none in this vicinity, Cassion assured him, bowing low. As he straightened up, a dagger appeared in each of his hands. The assassin unbuttoned his shirt as he smiled. The slightly eerie smile made Ruel flinch, almost inhaling Breath. Well then, please stay here quietly, Cassion said before disappearing from sight. Ruel gulped while inhaling Breath. What a burden. However, the best outcome would be for all the black-blooded men to collapse and be defeated by their hands. Chuckling softly, Ruel observed the approaching black-blooded men. They paid no attention to the others rushing to attack, their focus solely fixed on Ruel. Do I look that appetizing? The shadows whispered, urging him to devour them immediately, but Ruel calmed himself. Wait. He had to hold back from purification, as it took a toll on his body. I trust and wait for my uncle, Aris, Cassion, and Leo Ruel, Ruel! Strange! Leo came running, panting. How long had it been since he had run off? Ruel looked at Leo, his gaze drifting away from the scene of lightning, ice, and fire. What is it, Leo? Ruel asked. It cannot be purified. Leo immediately tilted his head. Cant be purified? Purification isnt working as strongly as this body did at the lake. Did this body revert back to being stupid? Ruel patted Leos head and looked ahead, seeing the worry in his eyes. When Leo used purification, his shadow first surrounded the black-blooded man. And Leo used purification. Was that the difference? Ruel did not show impatience. Right now, they were calmly eliminating the black-blooded man, one by one. By following the method discovered by Cassiongetting rid of the black water in their bodies. Okay, theres no need to be anxious, Ruel reassured himself, attempting to calm his racing heart. Thump! However, his heart suddenly started beating violently once more, sensing something ominous about the death of the black-blooded man. Thump! Thump! Unable to ignore the unsettling feeling, Ruel got up from his spot. Are they clustering together? The black-blooded men had changed their behavior and started clustering together. No, rather than uniting, theyre devouring each other. Instead of attacking their intended targets, the black-blooded men turned on each other, tearing into one anothers flesh and consuming their own kind. As they did, the body of the black-blooded man grew larger. We have to stop them! Aris! Tyson shouted, reaching his hand towards the sky and signaling Aris. Im ready, Mr. Tyson! Aris responded, preparing himself. Now! Tyson commanded, and together they unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning. Rumble! Electric blue streaks extended from the sky, descending upon the enemies like divine punishment. The forked beams of light judged the black-blooded men, piercing through their bodies and even reaching the ground. Flames erupted, engulfing the area, and clouds of dust and dirt billowed around. This body will put a stop to it! Leo stood up in front of Ruel and halted the gust of wind that threatened to blow towards them. Ruel closed his eyes tightly and slowly opened them again. Through the haze of dust, his vision was obscured. Ruel! Leo tapped the ground with his front paw. A stone wall appeared in front of Ruel. Bang! But before that, there was the sound of the sword colliding with something. Cassion was standing in front, blocking the black stem. Hina! Cassion called out to Hina and quickly cut down the black stem. Excuse me, Hina said as she carried Ruel and quickly left the area. Even now, it looks like hes overdoing things quite a bit. They had to concentrate. Ill get rid of the four on the right. Tyson opened his mouth cautiously. Because the target was too small, they couldnt attack all at once. Then I will get rid of the rest. Aris applied lightning to his sword. Crackle. Lightning flashed everywhere. They knew the burden Ruel was under, so they had to succeed. The three looked at each other and rushed at the same time. It was their first time working together, but Cassion shot a dagger, and Tyson fired four ice skewers as thin as needles, matching Aris speed. Crackle. The lightning from Aris sword drowned out all sound. The combined attacks from Cassion, Tyson, and Aris pierced through and eliminated all twelve hidden black waters within the black-blooded man. It seemed as if the black-blooded man was melting, and the thick black liquid spreading around him began to shrink, and the black water that had been cut began to clump together. Is he sacrificing himself to regenerate the black water? Cassion urgently looked at Ruel. Ruel, the black water is starting to regenerate! Damn bastards. He released both the reins and the shadow restraining the black-blooded man, calling out to Leo. Leo, go! This body is always ready! Leo ran towards the black-blooded man. Dozens of shadows spread out like a canopy, covering the black-blooded man. Dont eat it. Ruel cried out in pain as the shadows tried to devour the black-blooded man without warning, as he squeezed the reins of the shadows hard. Stay still. Hold on. Inside the shadows, the black-blooded man began to rampage. Despite the shadows pleas to eat it, Ruel looked at Leo. When the silver bead that emerged from Leos short front paw touched the shadow, a silver light ascended along the shadow. Its the Milky Way I saw back then. Ruel lost strength and collapsed on the spot. Although it wasnt nighttime, the silver powder that accompanied the silver light spread like beautiful snowflakes. Ruel reached out and caught some of the powder, experiencing a warm sensation as it touched his palm. This body has done it! This body is a great purifier! Leo jumped up and down in place, then leaped towards Ruel. Ruel dispelled the shadows. The silver powder, which had not disappeared and was left in that spot, fluttered once again. In an instant, Ruels upper body collapsed. Cough The corruption of the black-blooded man, which the shadows had consumed recklessly, had come crashing towards Ruel. The blood spreading across the ground looked eerie. Cough! As another gush of blood poured out, Leo stood frozen in place. Are you okay? Th-this body definitely purified it! Wiing. The power of recovery cried out. Perhaps it overlapped with the aftermath of grabbing the reins of the black-blooded man. Despite everything, he managed to stay conscious. Lifting his head quietly, he gazed at the desolate ground. The silver powder continued to flutter, and he released a long breath. He was grateful that the black-blooded man appeared here and that he was the only one shedding blood. Are you okay? Cassion approached Ruel and offered him a handkerchief. Aris and Tyson extended their support, helping Ruel to his feet. The question that Cassion had asked earlier, whether he was okay, followed. Ruel did not answer the question but asked Cassion. Are there no more enemies? There are none. Cassion confirmed. Upon hearing this, Ruel infused mana into his ring and contacted Banios, causing blood to flow from the corner of his mouth once again. It was a result of the heavy mana consumption. Your Highness. Ruel weakly spoke. Are you okay? What about the black-blooded man? Are there no casualties? How is that place? -Its being handled well here. The prisons are overflowing from all the arrests. How are the conditions in each territory? -I havent heard any bad news. It seems like things are being handled well on your end as well. thank you. Ruel expressed his sincere gratitude. He understood how terrible it could have been if black-blooded men had appeared in other locations too. Your Highness, if I may, I will end the call first for today. -Okay. Rest up a bit, and contact me later. After concluding the call, Ruel closed his eyes momentarily and then opened them. He tried to inhale Breath but his hands were shaking, making it difficult to hold it. Tyson handed him the breath. Are you okay? It was a familiar question, but today it carried a different weight. It felt like a congratulatory message for this small victory, a word he could only hear because he had managed to stay alive. Ruel weakly smiled. Yes, just a bit dizzy, but Im okay. They won. It was a day with a lot of bloodshed, but they still won. Although everything wasnt perfect yet, they had erased the Red Ash from this territory. Ruel covered his eyes, which were growing warm. Finally he murmured. He could finally breathe freely. Swallowing the tears of relief that fell to the ground, Ruel reaffirmed, Im okay. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 126: Sometimes Im relaxed Chapter 126: Sometimes I''m relaxed Shrrk. Ruel frowned at the sound of the curtain being lifted and the sunlight pouring in. His body felt heavy, as if it were Monday morning and he had to go to work. After purifying the black-blooded man and returning to Setiria, I cant remember what happened afterwards. It was obvious. He must have passed out. Ruel, Ruel. Are you awake? Ruel had no choice but to open his eyes at the sound of Leos lively voice. How does he manage to draw the curtains with those short legs? Kuroo kuru. The spirits eagerly approached him, expressing their joy at seeing him. Ruel petted them in response and soon felt a tingling sensation in his palm, realizing there was an IV inserted there. Fran attached it while you were sleeping. How long did I sleep? He didnt know how long he slept, but he was very hungry. Leo glanced at his front paws and then gestured with them. Ruels frown deepened as he observed Leos short front paws. Did I sleep for 10 days? Well, this body cant say for sure. It might have been longer than that. Ruel became anxious when he heard Leo say that he may have slept more than 10 days. Cassion. Ah, are you awake? Cassion said it with a faint smile as he stepped out of the shadows. Ruel hurriedly asked, How long was I asleep? Its only been about four days, so dont worry about it, Cassion reassured him. Upon hearing this, Ruel finally relaxed his body and inhaled Breath. Four days wasnt too bad. He grabbed hold of Leos tail, noticing the sparkle in his eyes. You really know how to startle people. Hmph! Leo growled and immediately pounced on Ruels arm as soon as he let go of his tail. You naughty hand! This body didnt do anything wrong! Leos bite didnt hurt, so Ruel let him go and turned to Cassion. What is the situation of the Royal Family and other territories? They apprehended the rebels within the Royal Family who were attempting to escape through a secret passage, and the other five household heads are focusing on capturing them as well, Cassion replied. Was there an attack on Setiria? Yes, they attacked the villages of Apor and Sisel. We immediately activated the defense mechanisms and successfully subdued the enemy after a minor battle. It was to be expected. The Red Ash couldnt remain quiet. Ruel asked cautiously, Did any black-blooded men appear during the battle? Yes, they did, but thankfully they werent the same ones as the ones from Sylvia. Their numbers were small, so we didnt suffer major damage. Ruels expression darkened. Whether they drank black water out of despair during the battle or intentionally, black-blooded men had appeared in Setiria again. It seems that my situation, or rather, the situation within the Red Ash, has changed. They are about to break their silence and make their move. Perhaps Adoris words to him were coming true. Anyway, since they had successfully subdued the black-blooded man sent by the enemy, it meant that even stronger and more numerous enemies would appear in the future. Just the thought made his head throb. What else do I need to know now? His Highness Banios requested that you contact him once you wake up. Work has begun on rebuilding the village in Sylvia again. Ruel smiled at Cassions final report. It was the first village he had established, and he vividly remembered the anger he felt when it was destroyed by the black-blooded men. It still felt like the lip Ruel had bitten back then was hurting. Ill call Fran. Ill go to the kitchen to prepare a meal. Call me anytime if you need anything. Okay. Ruel answered Cassions words and patted Leos stomach. There was the sound of the door opening and closing. Ruel glanced at Leo. Anyway, its been four days, and I dont think hes cried. This body didnt cry. Ruel flinched, as if his thoughts had been read. This body has made up its mind not to cry over trivial things anymore. This body still doesnt like it when Ruel sleeps, but this body is fine because it checks Ruel heartbeat every time! Leo raised his nose high and stretched out his short front paws. Immediately, his tail began wagging, and he raised his head towards Ruels face. Are you okay now, Ruel? Are you not sad anymore? Maybe? First and foremost, with most of the Red Ash driven out of Leponia, Ruel could feel somewhat relieved. This body is always happy to see Ruel. This body hopes you wont experience anything sad again. Every time Ruel looked into Leos sincere green eyes, he found it impossible to lie. Yeah, I hope so too. Knock. Knock. Fran cautiously opened the door and met Ruels gaze. She quickly rushed to stand in front of him. Ruel-nim Everyone was waiting for Ruel to wake up. Walking side by side, Leo spoke joyfully. More than half of the servants were people who had been there since Trino Setiria, and the rest were people Ruel had saved. He knew they were grateful to him, but they worried too much. They worried about him from the beginning, even when he was just walking around. Im not made of glass, you know. This body is so glad that this body is not the only one worried about Ruel! Leo kept chattering happily until they reached the restaurant. Ruel silently listened to the chatter and the chorus-like sound of the spirits that followed, finding the sound rather pleasant. *** Knock. Knock. After a light knock, Cassion entered Ruels room with a tray of snacks. Soon, Cassion frowned. After the meal, Ruel had been wandering around the mansion, but now he was quietly working in his room. When Noah briefly visited Ruels room, he seemed to have taken some documents from Billos room. I heard that you stumbled for a moment while walking in the hallway. Its been a while since you woke up, so why dont you get some rest? I was just going to finish this and then Ill rest. Cassion knew that those words were lies. If Ruel really wanted to rest, he wouldnt have brought a pile of paperwork that reached up to his shoulders. Cassion thought about stopping Ruel, but decided against it. After all, Ruel was the type to wear earplugs and ignore others advice. Ruel-nim, your precious Shut up. Cassion couldnt finish his sentence, but he felt relieved to see Ruels flustered expression. Leo seemed to have gone to play with Aris again. Ruel-nim. Ruel glared at Cassion as before when he spoke. Have you contacted His Highness Banios? No, I was just about to finish this. Ruel put down the pen and inhaled Breath. As he tried to grip the pen again, his wrist went numb, so he shook it. What happened to the person who was taken from the Red House in Luruan? Banios had taken charge of the people captured by Luruan, excluding those brought by Cassion, declaring it was the Royal Familys responsibility. Since there had been no contact since then, Ruel didnt know what had happened afterward. They say hes doing much better. Other than that, who is he? I dont know. He was the only one whose information was erased. Only him? Ruels mouth curled up, a sign that he found something interesting. What do you think, Cassion? My guess is that he was of noble status. Occasionally, I saw characteristic behaviors that only nobles exhibit. The Kingdom of Kran is quite far, isnt it? Yes, its a bit far. Ruel expressed his disappointment at Cassions prompt answer, which lacked any hesitation. There seemed to be a connection with the Kran Kingdom. However, to unfold the stage for the Royal Family, he couldnt send the shadows out just yet, so they were temporarily at a standstill. Ruel knew it was time to start making slow moves, but there were several difficulties ahead. Firstly, the Kran Kingdom was even farther away than Cyronian, and Ruel had no knowledge of it. Once again, he found himself without someone he could trust and rely on like Ganien. Its not impossible. It will take some time. At Cassions following words, Ruels ears perked up momentarily before hesitating. As the shadows were sent out, Ruels reach in Leponia decreased. Ruel hesitated at the realization, then spoke. I see. He knew that the missing pieces could be filled in by his Bird. Alright, we will begin the investigation immediately, Cassion said. Cassion set down a plate of snacks and tea that he had brought, and Ruel immediately grabbed a cookie. Crunch. Well then, Ill be going now. Okay. Ruel waved his hand and took a sip of his tea. Then, instead of picking up the pen to continue with his paperwork, he hurriedly looked for Cassion. However, Cassion had already left. Damn it. He had taken everything with him except for the documents Ruel had been reviewing. What a waste of power. Ruel quickly got up and went outside, but of course, he couldnt find any trace of Cassion. Kuroo kuru. The spirits gathered around him, as if to comfort him. Its okay. Go and play. In a moment of anger, he almost considered chasing after the spirits to see where they would go when they grew up, but he stopped himself. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 127: Sometimes Im relaxed (2) Chapter 127: Sometimes I''m relaxed (2) Hes not even a child. Anyway, I should contact His Highness Banios since it turned out like this. Ruel sat on the bed and infused mana into the ring. Your Highness, its been a while. -Lord Setiria! Are you awake? Yes, I woke up today. It seems like I slept deeply. -You must have slept for a long time. I wonder how impatient everyone was, not just me. Banios chuckled happily. I received a message to contact you once I woke up. Whats going on in the royal family? -It wasnt a formal message. Your butler is no fun. I agree as well. Ruel snickered. It was okay to be boring, but he was good at his job. -When can you come up to the palace? Ah, not immediately, though. You must find time to rest your body. Is everything alright, Your Highness? Banios hesitated for a moment. -Thats part of the issue, there are other matters too. His Majesty has something for you to do. It seems like an official apology. Either way, he intended to go to the palace. He wanted to see what Huans expression was when he saw him. Ah, how exciting. -Thank you. Banios voice, filled with deep sincerity, was heard. -The royal family has been greatly indebted to you and has committed indelible sins. Didnt I say that any sin can be forgiven as long as you hand over money or snacks? -I heard youre building a new village. Yes, I dont know where you heard that it would be most appreciated. -Fuhaha! As Banios cheerful laughter continued, Ruel lay down on the bed and waited for his laughter to subside. -Sorry. That was too funny. Ill take care of you so that you dont feel disgruntled. Of course. I support Your Highness now, so I wont hesitate to make demands. -I look forward to what demands you will make. Even as Banios disconnected the communication device, he didnt stop laughing. Ruel inhaled Breath and called out to Cassion in a low voice. Cassion. Yes. Cassion responded with a resigned voice, as if he had expected this. Hand over the documents you took. Its an order. Ruel reached out his hand, and sure enough, the documents ended up in his palm. Ruel wore a sly expression, lifting the corners of his mouth. Ruel-nim, Cassion spoke up, holding back the pain in his heart. Tell me. Your condition was not good while you were unconscious. He could tell just by looking at Fran or Tyson. Vomited blood, had a seizure, whatever. Cassion barely suppressed his anger at Ruels indifferent words. Despite knowing that, Ruel snickered at Cassions expression, as if asking if he was looking at the documents. Im the Lord. The tasks to be done dont change. Understood. So, how about taking a few days off? If I dont do it, you or Billo will do it. Cassion looked slightly puzzled at the concern for himself. Quietly, he took out the documents and placed them on the table, wondering what Ruel was going to ask him to do. Im afraid that if I just rest quietly, Ill get drunk on this small victory. Im really going to just do that document and rest. Ruel sat up straight. The situation improved, but Ruel was looking further away. Only then did Cassion relax his expression and give a faint smile. Sometimes, there should be days like today, shouldnt there? Its okay for Ruel-nim to relax a bit. Ill try. Ruel-nim, you have made Setiria run smoothly, so dont worry. Its not as weak as before. Yeah. Ruel chuckled, then got up and sat down at the desk. Cassion was right; there was no need to be anxious today. They had dealt a significant blow to Red Ash, so retaliation was expected. They needed to be prepared for what was to come. Of course, I should rest well now. Ruel inhaled Breath and held the pen again. Well then, Ill go now. Call me whenever you need me, as always. Sure. Before he could reply, Ruel called out to Cassion again. Ah, Cassion. What did you say the name of the sword you wanted was? Cassion smiled immediately. Its called Sirinels Tears. Do you need anything else? No, thats all. You can go now. Seeing Cassions obvious expression, Ruel laughed triumphantly and moved the pen. Banios said I can demand anything, so while Im resting, I should ask everyone what they need. Since it wasnt his money being spent, his lips naturally curled up. As a prince of a country and soon-to-be king, he should have more than enough resources. *** Hello, Astell. Ruel visited the kitchen with Leo. As expected, Astell was the only one alone in the kitchen at this time. My Lord! Astell stopped what she was doing, startled. She quickly looked at the clock. 3:38 PM. Dinner was still a long way off. Relieved, Astell asked. Are you hungry, by any chance? As Ruel stroked Leo, who was affectionately rubbing his face against Ruels leg, Astell remembered something and opened the drawer with the preservation spell. Please just wait a moment. Just in case the snacks the butler took earlier seemed to be insufficient, I have something prepared. Chocolate cake! Leo wagged his tail in excitement. Ruel glanced at Leo and opened his mouth. My stomach is always empty. I came to ask if you needed anything. Something needed? Astell put down her chocolate cake and rolled her eyes at Leo. Well there isnt anything. Im not saying this out of obligation, but I really dont need anything. If theres something needed, the butler will provide it immediately upon request. Ruel knew that their contact with the Red Ash had been cut off, so it was expected that they wouldnt know the full details of what had happened in Leponia. However, the royal family seemed to have decided, even if momentarily, to shield the eyes of those bastards from knowing what event had occurred. -The truth is different, isnt it? Thats right. I stopped the Red Ash buds. -We also captured most of the nobles who were involved with the Red Ash. During the process, a black-blooded man appeared ha. Ganien sighed and added. -Thats no joke; thats not a human; thats a monster. Yeah, a monster. Anyway, I guess you cut through the black water like Cassion told you to? As Ruel laughed, his breath leaked out. -Yeah, I did. Let Cassion know that I succeeded as well. And thank him. No, scratch that. Just forget what I said. Ill tell him that too. -I misspoke. I will tell him, so what? Ganien shook his head, as if he thought Ruel would actually tell him. -Ruel, please, just think of it as saving one person and keep your mouth shut. That guy is tougher than you think! Cassion is the kind of guy who would brew tea until the tea leaves are completely worn out! Have you ever heard of arms being bent inward? T/N : Bending the arms inward is a Korean proverb that means admitting ones faults or shortcomings and apologizing or making concessions. This expression means suppressing or hiding ones thoughts or opinions in order not to be subdued, encouraged, or oppressed by the other person. -Ruel. My proud friend. Not long ago, Cassion jumped over a wall. -What did you say? Cheer up. So? What happened? -Ruel, wait. Really? Yeah. Ganien was silent for a while. Ruel patiently waited, gently stroking Leos belly as he requested. It must be so bitter to lose to Cassion and then be pushed back a step. - ha. Thatwhen was it? Previously, the barrier of the Tonisk Empire Cassion, you monster! Perhaps Ganien needed to know how Cassion had gotten over the wall to hear the rest of the story. Cassion -No. Its okay. Even if all roads lead to one in the end, I must blaze my own trail. Okay. -Anyway, do you remember what I said last time about the Tonisk Empires barrier shaking? What came out? -There were signs before the barrier was released. At that time, it was quite ambiguous, so I said I would inform you next time. After continued observation, it has become certain, so Im contacting you now. The barrier is being released? Ruels hand paused, and Leo opened his closed eyes, tapping Ruels hand with his tail. Ruel resumed stroking Leo and inhaled Breath with his other hand. -Perhaps the barrier will be released soon on its own. So, it means that its lifespan has come to an end. The Tonisk Empires gate had closed decades ago, and while Leponia was established not long after, it had been centuries ago. It seemed strange that the empires barrier, maintained by a single individual, would come to an end after just a few decades. Ganiens words sounded awkward. -The magicians believe that the Tonisk Empires gate may be opened again to reinforce the barrier. Okay. Thank you for letting me know. -Dont hang up yet. Theres something else I need to tell you. Ruel patiently waited for Ganien to speak. -Some of the nobles have connections to the Kran nobility. So, I investigated further. Kran Kingdom again? Ruel frowned slightly. -They were not the people of the Kran Kingdom but of the Tonisk Empire. It seems that people from the Tonisk Empire are mixed within the Kran Kingdom. So, are you saying that the nobles connected to Luruan might also be from the Tonisk Empire? Ruel brushed his hair back, which was fluttering in the wind. Ganien. -Yes. No, give me a minute. When you say my name this seriously, I get a little scared, like something big is about to happen. The black-blooded man that appeared this time was different from what we saw before. -Look at this. Something huge is about to be revealed again, isnt it? Anything else? Let me get ready. Um no. -Darn! The black-blooded man we encountered not long ago was already bad enough. Are you saying its another kind? Ganien raised his voice belatedly. They might be able to merge with each other now. Despite purified, they wont return to their original selves. -Crazy people. Red Ash is really crazy! Are you looking for warlocks or anyone with a dark attribute? Find them and bring them in. The black-blooded man that showed up this time regenerated even when Cassion, Uncle, and Aris tried to kill it. -We are searching, but sigh, its already difficult to find them, and now its even more difficult. It might be faster if you came. Ganien. -When will the warp be completed? Ganien turned at the sound of Ruels heavy voice. Sooner or later. A month or two, maybe sooner. -Okay. Yes. Cutting off communication, Ruel inhaled Breath. Is there any connection between the Kran Kingdom and the Tonisk Empire? Or did the Tonisk Empire spread unilaterally within the Kran Kingdom? Why? At this point, Ruel couldnt know anything for certain. As much as he received information, he had to diligently find out more. Haa. Ruel let out a long breath. He decided to take the day off and stop thinking about it. He stared at the pure white steam and quietly listened to the spirits playing still. Uh! Leo opened his closed eyes and stood up. Its snowing! He jumped in place and stuck out his tongue. This is what it tastes like! A taste that feels like nothing. Leo slid under the chair and busied himself with eating the snow that was falling thicker and thicker. When the snow piles up, this body will swim happily! Okay. Ruel put Breath in his mouth, remembering the snow he had seen in Cyronian. Hup! Leo was suddenly startled. Ruel will catch a cold if he gets hit in the snow! We have to go to the room quickly! At that time, I was suffering from fatigue Quickly, quickly! We have to go to the room! Leo tugged at the hem of Ruels pants with his mouth. Since Leo was so desperate, what could he do? Ruel had no choice but to get up and follow the little fox, who eagerly led the way back to their room. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 128: Sometimes Im relaxed (3) Chapter 128: Sometimes I''m relaxed (3) *** Are you feeling better now? Fran looked at Ruel with concern. Ruel nodded his head while wiping the red corners of his mouth with the handkerchief Cassion handed him. The mood had become heavy as Ruel vomited blood during the examination. I have to leave tomorrow Before Ruel could finish speaking, Fran stared at him intently. Frans gaze was burdensome, but Ruel finished his sentence. Has your condition improved? Fran turned her gaze to the fever patch on Ruels forehead, a magical tool that was attached to his forehead. It was not a fever from a cold or overexertion. It was a sudden onset of fever as a symptom of the illness, so they didnt know when it would subside. Was he still suffering from the fever even now? Fran squeezed down the bitterness and anxiety that boiled inside her. Thinking about the fact that Ruel was a patient, she asked, recalling that he was a patriarch before being a patient. Lord Ruel, I would like to ask if it is absolutely necessary for you to go. The King has summoned me. When the King was mentioned, Fran understood that it was inevitable. Lately, Ruels symptoms have been unpredictable, as if someone has tampered with his illness. The royal family had a physician, so the least she could do was write down the symptoms and what could be done about them in a notebook and hand it to Cassion. If any symptoms other than those I have prepared medicine for appear in Lord Ruel, please contact the royal palace I dont want the symptoms of my illness to spread to others. Ruel interrupted Fran in a low voice. People knew that Ruel was sick, but no one knew what it was. Fran lowered the paper she was about to hand over and looked straight at Ruel. I recognize that, she said, but my priority is your health. Thats fine; the medicines you gave me will suffice. Alright. Fran answered reluctantly and stood up. Dont push yourself too hard. Dont worry. Among the words Ruel uttered, it was the only one that Fran couldnt trust. Fran couldnt help but glance at Ruel once more before leaving. A moment later, as Fran, Tierra, and Cassion went outside, Leo stopped eating his cookie and ran to Ruels bed. Ruel, Ruel. Are you going out tomorrow? Ruel inhaled Breath and nodded. After you wake up and my front paws um, after four days, we will go outside! The fact that they were going out already seemed to bring joy to Leo. Ruel touched his forehead. It was hot. Kuroo kuru. The spirits gathered around his head and rubbed their bodies as if telling him to get better quickly. Leo watched the scene, climbed onto the bed, and stroked Ruels head with his short paw. The spirits are cheering for Ruel to get better. Was it real? Ruel, feeling strange, nervously fiddled with Breath. *** Butler. Fran thought about it and handed Cassion the paper from earlier. I know Lord Ruel is against it, but I really want you to have it, just in case something happens. Cassion hesitated. It was almost heartbreaking, but he agreed with Frans idea, so he took it. I hope you understand Ruel-nim. Yes, I understand. Fran smiled. As Ruels sole physician, she often unintentionally heard various things from the servants. Knowing how difficult Ruels journey had been to get to this point, she knew how much of a blow it would be for his specific condition to be exposed to the outside world. Ms. Fran and Ms. Tierra are the only doctors and pharmacists Ruel-nim trusts. Cassions words were not flattering but sincere. So, I think its okay to tell you Ruel-nims little secret. Secret? Fran looked at Cassion with interest. Ive only known Ruel-nim for about seven months, so I dont know the details, but it seems hes been taking poison mixed in with his painkillers for quite some time, which is why he doesnt trust doctors and pharmacists. Crazy guys! Tierra hurriedly closed her mouth as she shouted in a fit of rage. Lord Ruel Fran clenched her hands in shock. The line Ruel kept drawing wasnt just about the division of roles between a patriarch and patient. It was a boundary. She felt so sad and sympathetic for Ruel that she felt like crying right now but Fran endured the feeling. Thank you for letting me know. I almost made a big mistake, so Ill never say anything about this. Then. I wish for each day to be a joyful one. Ruel Setiria! You! You bastard! *** These are the nobles, barons, and ministers who participated in this treason. Following Brans orders, the Minister called out all of those who participated in the Red Ash Incident. Diagos Shios name was mentioned, but Serti sat calmly in the place of Diagos. Ruel did not kill Diagos as promised, and Diagos alone was sent to prison for Shios dirty deeds. Despite the dishonor brought upon Serti by the accusations against her father, it was only fitting that she assume the role of the next family head, considering her significant contributions to saving the Shio family. Huan, the first prince of this country, will never see the light of day in prison, and Diagos and Luruan, who helped Huan, will likewise be sentenced to life imprisonment! Brans solemn voice rang out. He then stood up and ordered the actions of the remaining ministers. Everyone else who was seated also stood up and looked at Brans. Brans walked towards Ruel with the face of a sinner, not a king. Lord Setiria. Yes, Your Majesty. Ruel politely replied, bowing his head. Branss long sigh was audible. No matter what happens, as a king, I should not turned a blind eye to the death of your father, Trino Setiria. Ruel simply bowed his head, waiting for Branss next words. I have become a foolish and incompetent father who is too busy hiding the sins of my son. As Branss head slowly bowed, surprise appeared on the faces of those standing. The king bowed his head. Unbelievable events had unfolded. I will apologize for everything and live to atone for you until the day my eyes close forever. Ruel looked up and gazed at Brans. Whether Brans was speaking sincerely or just putting on a show to restore the fallen royal familys reputation, in the end, it was just a stage. Thats what Ruel thought, but it seemed that his body was not his own. Just as when Ruel read Trino Setirias letter, his smile blossomed effortlessly, and tears welled up in his eyes, flowing uncontrollably. It was happiness. The mere possibility of an insincere apology brought him so much joy. How foolish. Foolish Ruel Setiria. Naive Ruel Setiria. Well, if it pleases you so much. If it pleases this body, thats all that matters. He has now paid off his debt to this body. Ruel lowered his head again, swallowing the tears that happened at will. Thank you. No words could express how he felt right now. He was happy, angry, relieved, and disgusted. He felt like two minds in one body. Thank you, thank you very much. Ruel raised his head again at the sound of Brans crying. The hall that was once filled with blood and corpses now echoed with cheers and laughter. It felt unfamiliar to Ruel. *** Hey. Someone called Ruel. Ruel thought for a moment. I guess Im on my way back from the royal family to Setiria right now? Looking around, he realized that he wasnt in a carriage. It wasnt the inside of a carriage, but rather that shabby room where he first became Ruel Setiria, the room where Carbena and Mineta had imprisoned him. He stood there while Ruel Setiria lay on the bed. He had the same frail and sickly appearance as when he first saw Ruels face. Ruel Setiria looked at him apologetically and asked him, Dont be surprised. So whats your name? Your real name, I mean. Kim Han. Now what felt to be an unfamiliar name came from his lips. Ruel laughed. Thats a very unique name. Nice to meet you; I am, as you can see, Ruel Setiria. Are you really Ruel Setiria? You are Ruel Setiria, so what does it matter who is real? Ruel looked at Kim Han with a contented expression. It was chilling to see that expression on his face. Han brought a chair and sat down next to the bed. This was where Cassion always sat. Looking at him like this, he looked so sick that Han wanted to stop him from moving. Han asked with his arms crossed. Where am I? Is this a dream? Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 129: The gate was opened Chapter 129: The gate was opened I dont really know either. Ive always been here and watched, so maybe only the gods know? Ruel tilted his head weakly. So what do you want to say? The thought of being observed by the real Ruel Setiria, or whatever it was, didnt sit well. Ruel chuckled softly at Hans words. Dont be so hard on me. I just came to give my greetings. What kind of greeting? Ive died. Youve lived. Hans eyebrows twitched. Ruel struggled to sit up and looked at Han. Perhaps I am nothing more than remnants of my soul, or a form born out of lingering resentment. Or maybe something else entirely. Ruel chuckled again, sounding strained. But in the end, does it really matter? I am grateful to have this chance to say my last words to you. You seem strangely carefree. Thank you, for everything. Ruel expressed his sincere gratitude, causing Han to hesitate in response. I I took over your body, didnt I? I was already dead. You fool. Ruel smiled gently at Hans straightforward remark and reached out his hand. Reluctantly, Han took Ruels hand, and Ruel held it tightly. There was no warmth, just like when the unknown woman vanished. Ruel locked eyes with Han. Youve endured so much until now. I burdened you with the most difficult tasks because I couldnt handle them myself. Yeah, well, Im glad you finally realize that. Regarding my father and Setiria, thank you for everything. Now, I can finally find peace. Ruels voice trembled as he spoke, pouring sincerity into each and every word. My time has already come to an end, but I am so glad to see you like this. Ruels smile widened. Dont give up. Promise me that you will keep on living. Those words sounded familiar, reminiscent of what the king had once said. Han furrowed his brow and asked, What do you mean? Kim Han. No, Ruel Setiria. Please cut the ties of this stubborn fate and dont create another like you. What do you mean by that? Ruel raised a finger to his lips. Ruel Setiria was not alone. Observing Ruel crumbling like dust, Han felt a vague force pulling him in a certain direction and closed his eyes. *** Ruel Setiria is really you now. With the last echoing words of Ruel Setiria, Ruel opened his eyes. Are you hurt? Is something wrong? Leo asked, surprised to see Ruel. It seems like you had a bad dream, Cassion said, pretending not to have seen anything. Ruel felt the corners of his eyes moisten. Taking a deep breath, he felt the void left by something vanishing, and he wiped away the tears streaming down his cheeks. To ensure he didnt forget the clue Ruel Setiria had given him, he recalled the last scene he witnessed.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only raising a finger to his lips. Ruel Setiria was not alone. The finger raised to the lips signified a secret or a gesture to keep quiet. In this case, it seemed to indicate a secret. Ruel Setiria was not alone. If he wasnt alone, does that mean there is another Ruel besides me? No, that cant be right. Ruel remembered the words of the king. -You are not the child I saw before. He didnt just mean that Im not the real Ruel Setiria. -I am waiting for you. Do not give up. Hold on to that fragile life. The words the king said to him. -Do not give up. You must keep living. The words Ruel Setiria said to him. Ruel is not alone. Do not give up. Hold on to your life. He kept remembering what they said. In an instant, Ruel urgently sat up. With trembling hands, he inhaled Breath and covered his mouth against the pounding sound that followed. Crazy. This is crazy. Whats wrong? Cassion asked anxiously as Ruels condition seemed strange. This isnt the first time! There had been others who had become Ruel Setiria before. Someone had become Ruel Setiria and then given up. They couldnt bear the torment inflicted by the Mark of the Great Man, nor escape the clutches of the assassin who now looked at him with concern Ill call Fran. Finally, one by one, the sounds became audible. Cassion hurried out. He heard his footsteps for the first time. When Ruel looked away, he saw something hanging on his arm. Whatever they were, there were a lot of them. There were blood bags among them. Leo. He could taste blood in his mouth. He couldnt imagine how much blood hed thrown up. Ruel, Ruel! Leo came into Ruels outstretched hand and rubbed his face against it. This body, this body thought Ruel was dying. I wont die. It was like you were suddenly stabbed with a knife, and lost a lot of blood. The fever continued, but Cassion drive me out on the way. Well, this body wanted to be next to you. While Leo was talking, he continued to sniffle, so Ruel gently stroked him. Just listening to Leo speak, he could imagine what his condition must have been like. I never thought I would end up like this. He didnt know that his body would deteriorate so much just from knowing a shocking fact. No matter how many times Ruel Setiria had existed, now he could only move forward. I never had the intention of giving up my life in the first place. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. It seems like Im the first Ruel Setiria to come this far. Now he finally understood what the king was saying. Perhaps what followed after the word again that the being had last uttered was now becoming clear to him. Wake the king up and listen to everything. Sorry. Theres so little I can say, Im sorry. Ruel recalled the words of the unnamed woman. Is there a limit to what she can say? The image of Ruel Setiria, who had given hints and turned into dust, came to mind. So Ruel Setiria disappeared like that because he wasnt supposed to know? Ruel looked at the IV dripping on his arm. He couldnt recall ever being in this much pain before. What if Im not fragile and I know something I shouldnt know? It strangely made sense. The door opened, and Fran and Tierra ran in together and collapsed in place when they saw Ruel waking up. Thank God Im so, so glad, Fran just cried. Your heart is Ruel quickly grabbed Leos ear, who was still wiping his face with his hand, causing Ruel to feel dizzy. Whats wrong? Leo looked at Ruel with red eyes as he sobbed. Lord Ruel? You shouldnt move suddenly, Fran urgently got up from her seat to stop Ruels actions. Understanding the situation immediately, Cassion lowered his voice and spoke to Fran. I will personally inform Ruel-nim of that story. Please take care of Ruel-nims condition for now, Cassion said. Understood. I was too hasty, Fran wiped away a tear that had welled up in her eyes and sat down to examine Ruels condition. Cassion gave Ruel Breath and spoke briefly. It has only been a day, so dont worry. Your condition may have worsened due to using magic while collapsing. Cassion perceptive master would have understood. Ruel nodded slightly as he inhaled Breath. He understood what Cassion was saying. His heart had stopped, and it seemed to imply that he had used magic for that. No wonder my whole body hurts. Ruel soon raised the corners of his mouth. It seems like this happened because I was not fragile and knew something I shouldnt have known. Gradually feeling the diminishing power of recovery, Ruel breathed a sigh of relief. Thanks to the power of recovery, he seemed to have survived. Even if it was the power of a Great Man, it couldnt have looked so good. I should have realized that death was right in front of me since I met Father. Ruel laughed. Are you okay now? Leo asked, his eyes wide. Ruel nodded and wiped away Leos tears. I guess I cant tell Cassion. Another secret had been added. Author''s Thoughts Who''s cutting onions in here? Chapter 130: The gate was opened (2) Chapter 130: The gate was opened (2) *** Ruel opened his eyes again. The things hanging around his arms were reduced to two. He turned his head at the sound of Leos snoring and the sound of a sword being wiped. Have you woken up? Its still far from morning, so you can go back to sleep, Cassion said. Did Fran go? Ruel asked. Yes, after checking and confirming your stable condition, Fran left with various things. After answering, Cassion stopped cleaning his sword and looked at Ruel. Cassion hadnt been able to inquire about the situation since Ruel had taken a stabilizer and fallen back asleep after the examination. I cant tell you about this, Ruel said first. Cassion pointed to his own heart with a calm expression. Do you know this? When your heart stopped, so did mine. Of course, I managed to hold on for a moment. Your heart stopped and you held on? Youre a monster. Ruel frowned at the unbelievable statement. Hows Noah? Hes fine. After the response, Cassions expression twisted slightly. Honestly, I really didnt expect our hearts to stop together. It was one of the most terrifying experiences in my life. I think my heart stopped because I figured something out. What do you mean by that? I dont know exactly either. My heart stopped because I found out something I shouldnt have known, and I guess I survived thanks to the power of recovery. So, you shouldnt know about it, Ruel explained. Cassion didnt have the power of recovery. If his heart stopped, he would definitely die. I understand, Cassion stepped back as he seemed to have understood enough. But still with a face full of dissatisfaction, he called out to Ruel. Ruel-nim. Speak, Ruel replied. Are you okay? Oh, Im used to this kind of thing now, Ruel said nonchalantly as usual, but Cassion could see Ruels irritation that was briefly revealed. Is it related to you, Ruel-nim? Yes, what about Uncle and Aris? They went out for a moment. Fran said your condition had stabilized, so they should be fine, Cassion said. Thats good. Im sure Uncle was worried a lot, Ruel replied. He was worried, Cassion confirmed. Ruel turned his head towards the window where the sun had not yet risen. Cassion. Yes. Sorry. ! Cassion froze at the unexpected apology. He hesitated several times, wondering if he should ask Ruel to repeat himself, doubting what he had just heard. Ganien asked me to thank you for letting him know the weakness of the black-blooded man, Ruel quickly changed the subject. Cassion chuckled and smirked, realizing that Ganien wouldnt normally express gratitude in such a manner. Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only It must have been quite embarrassing for him to admit it. Thank you. It was a good catch, Cassion said. I didnt say it to make you feel good, Ruel snapped. Yes, I understand, Cassion resumed wiping his sword, barely able to contain his laughter. He wanted to see Ruel embarrassed. But then Cassions hand stopped again for a moment. He remembered a fact that he needed to tell Ruel. Ah Ruel-nim, I have something to tell you. What is it? Ruel asked, his voice tinged with annoyance due to Cassions constant laughter. Yesterday, Ganien contacted me urgently, Cassion continued. Ruel turned to look at Cassion again. The word urgently caught his attention. What did he say? Ruel inquired. He said that the gates of the Tonisk Empire have opened, Cassion replied. What? Ruel was taken aback. They say that a group of supposed soldiers came out, and when they were spotted, they suddenly disappeared, and in their place were traces of magic. Did they use warp magic like Uncle? Warp magic required a large amount of mana. Tyson now used it comfortably after crossing the wall, but it was difficult before. Ruel clenched and unclenched his fist. However, the Tonisk Empires gates had indeed opened. Where could those suspected soldiers have gone? Ruel asked after inhaling Breath. But the gates didnt open after that? No, they didnt, Cassion confirmed. Cassion. Yes, please speak. How many people are there who have reached Uncles level at such a young age? I can count them on one hand, Cassion replied. Tuk-tuk. Ruel started tapping his thigh. The opponent was the Tonisk Empire. Given the name Empire, there must be someone who had reached Uncles level. However, Ruel was puzzled as to why the Tonisk Empire had moved at this ambiguous time. The news of Leponia and the Cyronian Kingdom forming an alliance, and the rumor that the Kran Kingdom had sent an envoy to Leponia, must have reached them. There was deep animosity between the Tonisk Empire and the three kingdoms, so the fact that the Tonisk Empire was making a move now only seemed like a provocation to the alliance. If they really wanted to make a move, they should have done so before Leponia and Cyronian formed an alliance. That fox is always cute. Banios playfully extended his fidgeting hand, coughed awkwardly, and crossed his arms again, spitting out a fake cough under Ruels gaze. You dont have to get up so suddenly. Its not like weve only met once or twice, and the time has passed for us to show courtesy. Your Highness, I am someone who knows courtesy. I am deeply sorry for greeting you in this state. Despite being the one to apologize, Ruels expression was very stern. Banios, who knew that this was an insult to himself, smiled and said. I did apologize in advance, didnt I? Sorry about that. Did something urgent come up for you to come here personally? Do I have to come only if its urgent? Thats disappointing. Even though you havent officially inherited the throne yet, isnt it a busy time for you? Ruel looked behind Banios as he spoke. He followed Ruels gaze and replied, Ah, your butler has left for a moment. He must be busy. Cassion was always busy, but it was frustrating to see the Crown Prince, who should be even busier, sitting idly. What do you have to say to me, Your Highness? Whats so urgent? Im not busy at all, so take your time. I came to Setiria before, but I couldnt properly tour around and had to leave, which was very regrettable. Did you come to Setiria for refuge? Becoming a crown prince from a prince, the amount of things to learn would be overwhelming. If Banios, who had come out of a web novel as a work addict, was like this, how much more would there be to learn? Banios avoided eye contact. You dont need to worry at all. I brought my butler, and I can do everything well on my own. Of course, theres no need for formal greetings. Just relax. It seemed like he didnt just come for refuge. Banioss behavior seemed suspicious. Your Highness, are you really not busy? If thats the case, may I ask Prince Adoris? Lord Setiria. Banios urgently called Ruel, then opened his mouth more seriously than ever. So, this is a territory visit. Its natural for me to look around since its the land Ill be ruling. Ill make sure you dont feel uncomfortable. Ruel let out a light sigh. It seemed like Banios was planning to stay for a while. Although some of the information directed to Banios through Astell was hidden, there was no fear of being caught because he trusted Cassion to handle the aftermath well. How long do you plan to stay? Ill leave soon, so dont worry. If not for this opportunity, when else could I tour around Leponia? Has His Majesty approved this? Of course. Banios responded cheerfully, which annoyed Ruel slightly. Laughing shamelessly at someone elses house. Ruel didnt like talking back, but since Banios was a prince, he decided to turn and politely decline. Im not sure if theres a suitable room for Your Highness. Any place would be more humble than the royal palace. I didnt grow up as sheltered as you think. As long as theres a place to lie down, its enough, so dont worry about it. His attempt didnt work at all. After inhaling Breath, Ruel just spoke as usual. I feel uncomfortable. Im not uncomfortable. Your Highness, I am telling you that I am uncomfortable. The diplomatic delegation from the Kingdom of Kran will arrive soon. I dont know what the outcome will be, but it will be interesting. Banios completely changed the subject. Ruel had no choice but to move on from a topic that couldnt be ignored. So soon? A meeting was held a few days ago due to the news that the gate of the Tonisk Empire had opened. I assume there was a similar meeting on the Kran side as well. What kind of proposal do you think Kran will make to the Cyronian Kingdom? Honestly, the relationship between the two countries is not good, but I heard they are leaning towards sending a diplomatic delegation. Is that so? Ruel frowned slightly. Kran Kingdom had sent a diplomatic delegation. The fact that the Kran Kingdom was sending an envoy hinted at a potential alliance. No matter how you look at it, the timing of the Tonisk Empire opening the gate is convenient. It almost seems like they are pushing for an alliance. Ruel felt uneasy about this fact. I have reported to the landlord, so I will be leaving now. Ive said it before, but please treat me as if Im not here and make yourself comfortable. Banios stood up, glanced at Leo, and then something came to his mind and he opened his mouth. That guy, Kron, you gave me was remarkably good at sniffing out the Red Ash. I think well be able to take out the rest of them sooner than expected. Now, get some rest. Banios smiled and walked out again. After confirming that he had left, Ruel opened his mouth. Cassion. Yes. For what purpose did Prince Banios come? First of all, inspection of the territory seems to be the top priority. Empty-handed? Ruel subtly inquired. Cassion shook his head and replied, Prince Banios provided me with a sum of gold to cover expenses. As expected. Ruels lips curved up. He would continue to welcome him with open arms since they would be seeing each other often from now on. While Prince Banios is staying here, treat him as a special guest. But, regardless of that, keep an eye on him. Understood. Cassion waited without fading into the shadows. Also, find out who is coming as an envoy from the Kran Kingdom and what their intentions are. They have already started moving. Ruel smiled contentedly at Cassions response. Then, continue with the preparations for breakfast. Of course. Ruel watched Cassion disappear, continuing to contemplate the relationship between the Kran Kingdom and the Tonisk Empire. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 131: The gate was opened (3) Chapter 131: The gate was opened (3) Tap. Tap. As Ruel tapped his thigh, the spirits gathered around him. Kuroo kuru. When one of them cried out, all the spirits in the room joyfully joined in with their kuroo kuru cries. Pausing for a moment, Ruel reached out and grabbed one of the spirits. Kuroo kuru. It seemed that the time for the spirits to depart was approaching, as they had grown significantly. Even after absorbing the sounding spirit stone into his body, many spirits remained gathered, indicating that they wouldn¡¯t disappear anytime soon. The presence of the spirits had increased his mana and slowed down the growth of the marks, and Ruel had grown accustomed to their presence. ¡®Now that the spirits have grown, maybe it¡¯s time to follow them and see where they go.¡¯ A smile formed on his lips. Cassion, Billo, Fran, Cheynol, Tyson, and the others¡ªsince they all seemed to be urging him to rest, perhaps he should take a break. ¡®I¡¯ll use recuperation as an excuse,¡¯ Ruel chuckled, inhaling Breath. Regardless of the excuse he made, he was the head of the family. As Ruel prepared to rise from his seat, the spirits moved in unison, as if competing to see who could reach his body first. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, just stretching,¡± Ruel reassured them. Kuroo kuru. As if understanding his words, the spirits dispersed and began playing among themselves. ¡®...what the.¡¯ What was the reason for constantly sticking to him, besides the pleasant scent emanating from his body? Ruel sits up and cranes his neck, and soon there¡¯s a ¡®crack¡¯ sound. ¡ª...! Leo¡¯s eyes snapped open as he quickly sat up. ¡ªHah! Ruel¡¯s bone is broken! It wasn¡¯t me! This body¡¯s only broken it once! ¡°It¡¯s not broken,¡± Ruel assured him, causing Leo to laugh and lie back down on the bed. ¡ªRuel, did you sleep well? ¡°Yes, good morning.¡± Leo rolled around on the bed and then widened his eyes. ¡ªAre you feeling better today? ¡°Yeah, my body feels better than yesterday.¡± Leo quickly got up and wagged his tail. ¡ªCan you go out? Can you run? This body is ready at any time! ¡°How about doing something more fun?¡± At the mention of something fun, Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡ªThis body! Leo exclaimed, hopping onto Ruel¡¯s lap and looking up at him. ¡ªThis body is already excited! Playing with Ruel is the best thing ever! Leo spread his short legs as wide as possible and hugged Ruel tightly. ¡ªWhat are we going to play? This body is curious! ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡± Since Leo was a chatterbox, he might have gone to Cassion to tell him about it. Leo¡¯s tail and ears drooped. ¡ª...Alright. This body¡¯ll be a good Leo and listen when Ruel tells me. It was a bit pitiful to see Leo holding back his excitement, even though it wasn¡¯t really a secret. Leo sat down and hunched over, gazing at Ruel for a moment. Ruel chuckled and called out to him, and instantly, one of Leo¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo looked at Ruel with eager eyes. ¡°You must be wondering as to where the spirits are heading, right?¡± ¡ªThis body¡¯s curious! This body has been curious from the beginning! We¡¯re both spirits, so this body really wanted to know where they were going, but this body held back! Leo¡¯s tail wagged so fast that it was almost invisible. ¡ªAre we going to see where the spirits are going? Is that it? ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as Ruel¡¯s words were spoken, Leo jumped up from the bed with joy. ¡ªThis body¡¯s excited! This body is happy! ¡°Leo, where were you born?¡± Ruel stood up and stretched, asking Leo. With every movement, the sound of bones creaking could be heard. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t know. Leo replied, momentarily stopping his movements and tilting his head. Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡ªAll this body knows is that this body has a mission to purify what goes against the natural order. ¡°Well, you might not remember. I don¡¯t remember my childhood memories either.¡± Leo¡¯s ears drooped. ¡ªThat¡¯s why another purifier called this body a lost cause. This body is unable to purify and does not know the purpose of his birth. Ruel stopped moving and observed Leo. Curious, Ruel sat on the bed and asked, ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°They are the first and second princes of the Kingdom of Kran. The first prince is named Adea Kran, and the second is Treytol Kran. The first prince is leading the delegation.¡± ¡°They sent both princes?¡± Crunch. Ruel¡¯s expression hardened as he took another bite of the meat pie. If they sent princes, it undoubtedly meant they were aiming for an alliance. If they intended to declare war, they wouldn¡¯t have sent the princes in the first place, as they would be the first targets. ¡°Why are there two of them?¡± ¡°The second prince is also part of the delegation, but it seems they plan to separate during the journey.¡± ¡°Separate? Is he going to Cyronian?¡± ¡°No, it appears he intends to visit a neutral village. He has expressed a desire to go there.¡± Since only the representative of the delegation needed to announce their presence to King Brans, there was no need for them to travel together. From a status perspective, it was a bold decision to forego the potential benefits of an alliance and visit a neutral village instead. Although Ruel found it intriguing, it didn¡¯t personally concern him, so he shifted the conversation to another topic. ¡°Is the alliance truly their goal?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems their objective is to form an alliance.¡± Ruel absentmindedly petted Leo, who had climbed onto his lap. ¡®Is it because of everything that¡¯s happened to me? There¡¯s nothing inherently suspicious, so why does it feel strange?¡¯ With the opening of the Tonisk Empire¡¯s gate and the positive response from the Kran Kingdom, it appeared to be a favorable outcome, albeit unexpected. ¡®Does it all fit together too perfectly?¡¯ Ruel considered the possibility that individuals from the Tonisk Empire were involved within the Kran Kingdom. ¡°I will investigate further to determine if any Red Ash members are part of the delegation,¡± Cassion stated, meeting Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Very well. Keep a close watch. With the heightened security in Leponia, they may be hiding even more discreetly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call Fran.¡± ¡°Good.¡± After receiving Ruel¡¯s approval, Cassion respectfully bowed and left the room. Despite almost eradicating the Red Ash infiltrators in Leponia, Ruel couldn¡¯t shake off his unease. After enduring so much, he knew that clarity wouldn¡¯t come overnight. However, Ruel¡¯s suspicions didn¡¯t entirely carry a negative connotation. Considering the person who had requested the assassination from Ruel, there was a possibility they had a connection to the Kran Kingdom. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know... Ah, Kr-Kran! Even for a moment, I smelled that unique flower scent that only comes from the Kran Kingdom! The name... the name was, yes, it was Prazio! Prazio!¡± Recalling the dying words of the assassin from the previous day, Cassion¡¯s eyes grew sharp and cold. ¡®Prazio.¡¯ The name that had been buried deep within him resurfaced. Prazio, the flower that bloomed in the deepest sea of the Kran Kingdom. The same name as the drug that had brought down Carbena. ¡®So, they are connected.¡¯ However, Cassion decided not to inform Ruel just yet. He planned to wait until his master¡¯s condition became more stable. ¡®Ruel-nim¡¯s condition is still somewhat unstable.¡¯ Remembering the time when Ruel¡¯s heart had stopped, Cassion clenched his fists. As Cassion arrived in his room, Ruel¡¯s heart stopped beating. At that moment, something appeared. It appeared as a mana cluster, faintly visible to Cassion¡¯s eyes, resembling natural mana. Just as he was about to attack the presence, a voice echoed in his mind. ¨C Don¡¯t worry. Setiria is not dead. I exist in the present moment and have no intention of causing harm. ¨C One who serves Setiria. Please, do not say anything to Setiria. I don¡¯t want to make the poor child sad. The voice carried a sorrowfultone. ¨C I... I am the guardian of Setiria. Then, Ruel¡¯s heart started beating again. The presence that had revealed itself kissed Ruel¡¯s forehead and smiled as if satisfied. Cassion had done nothing. ¡®What should I call that being?¡¯ Although Fran couldn¡¯t see mana, the presence felt eerily similar to the woman who had appeared in the Ice Castle before. Walking down the hallway, Cassion let out a sigh. His master seemed to have a grand protector. Perhaps his master had been an onion in his past life, peeling layer by layer. ¡®In any case, it¡¯s a good thing I left the beast behind.¡¯ Leo had tried to follow him, grabbing onto his leg, but Cassion decided to leave him behind, just in case. If Leo had been there at that moment, he would have undoubtedly overheard the conversation. A secret had unintentionally slipped out. It seemed Cassion would have to be even more careful to ensure his observant master remained unaware. Cassion quietly continued down the hallway, gently smoothing his slightly disheveled hair. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 18: The Wizard Came (3) Ruel turned back to board the carriage but paused for a moment and asked, ¡°What about the children?¡± ¡°Not everyone has joined us.¡± Contrary to the momentum he had just shown, Cheynol hesitated. ¡°Really? Tell them to tell me whenever they feel like it. I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The carriage, which had started without escort, brought in a good hundred people on its way back. Their strength, which was not commensurate with the old armor, was powerful enough without looking at it. ¡°It¡¯s the Knight!.¡± cried one of the people who gathered at the parade of the Lord. Someone laughed at the sound, but someone shouted together. ¡°Here comes the Knights!¡± If they are not knights, who are they?ViiSiit for latest novels Many people wondered why they were not wearing armor. In the blink of an eye, a lot of speculation arose. Among them, the most influential was the fact that ¡®there was no money in Setiria, so they had to sell even the knights¡¯ armor.¡¯ But the eyes of the knights were different from what people had guessed. They couldn¡¯t see any shame in being proud of themselves and their eyes were wary of any harm that could befall upon their Lord. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to announce that the luxury of the barons is over?¡± People sympathized with the sound someone uttered. Everything was right. The Lord had returned, and strong knights stood by him, even though they were not wearing armor. People were full of expectations. Remembering the last five years of the luxury of the barons. ¡°Why, do you like it so much?¡± Ruel spoke bluntly. People were talking, but the voices are mixed and I couldn¡¯t understand his question. Maybe he¡¯s laughing at the Knights without armor. ¡°Hooray for you.¡± Ganien said. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ganien shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Look at this. I told you people wouldn¡¯t hate you like you think.¡± When Cassion was elated, Ruel frowned. ¡°This can¡¯t be.¡± Either way, he is an bad Lord who gave up his job. Hurray for board that wouldn¡¯t be strange even if a stone flew in. ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ *** The hurrah procession continued until Ruel arrived at the mansion. Ruel now felt strange and burdensome. It was because he liked it so much and felt like he had to do something. Crunch. Ruel soothed himself by eating cookies. Hooray or stone throwing won¡¯t change your plans. ¡®Peaceful life, normal life.¡¯ I repeated my simple dream several times in my mind. ¡°Looking at it, there¡¯s a lot going on around you.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± At the sound of Ganien and Cassion¡¯s easygoing voice, Ruel let out a laugh. ¡°...huh.¡± I was upset when I saw Ganien, who looked at me in a strange way, not knowing if it was all because of me, who was the actual main character of this procession. Crunch. Ruel bit another cookie. ¡°Are you done with your schedule for today?¡± With the help of Cassion, Ruel got off the wagon. As he looked at the wagon foot, he automatically remembered what had happened this morning. ¡°I have to ride again, so until then, make another footrest and attach it.¡± Ruel gave a light command as if calling someone¡¯s dog¡¯s name and entered the mansion with Ganien. The knights followed him. ¡°Ha...¡± Cassion, who was left behind by the carriage, messed up his neat hair. ¡®Damn you!¡¯ His heart throbbed immediately, but Cassion clenched his teeth and chewed on Ruel once more. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the contract...!¡¯ Cassion looked at the guild members who were guarding the front of the mansion with a wrinkled expression. ¡°You hear him? Make a foothold, tight.¡± ¡°Chi-, chief?¡± One of the guild members asked. Despite their bewildered words, Cassion diligently moved into the mansion. He was suddenly craving something sweet. *** Crunch. Gold coins poured out. Cassion¡¯s eyes grew bigger together. The side he was looking at was the sword, not the gold coin. His heart ached when he saw the leaf pattern that was closely ivory-colored with black sheath. A gold-wrapped pattern on the handle and rim was written in a very small handwriting. Cassion eventually gulped the saliva down his throat as he looked at the sword, which felt sacred just by looking at it. He couldn¡¯t even feel the sweetness of the ice cream he had a while ago. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Any news from Minart?¡± ¡°Yes, I was just about to take it out.¡± Ruel took the letter and unfolded it. The letter was filled with three pages. ¡®Why are there so many?¡¯ Among those listed in the letter, the Knights Templar were excluded because they returned. Former aristocrats, butlers, servants. Why are there so many people who have been kicked out or gone on their own? Ruel handed over the letter to Cassion. ¡°Choose one of these to exclude. You can do it, right?¡± Of course, it was your guild members who did all the work. ¡°Even if I can¡¯t, I have to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to meet the two nobles after meeting with the Knights of the Magic. Which one is closer between the two families?¡± ¡°.......¡± Cassion was silent for a moment, and then asked with firm eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t mean to attack them all at once, do you?¡± ¡°Yes? I want to take care of everything once I can move my body.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Cassion sighed deeply. His experience so far had shown me that he would not be able to dampen that stubbornness. If Ruel would listen to him because he said it wasn¡¯t good for his health, he would be resting now. Cassion struggled to speak as he looked at Ruel¡¯s pale complexion. ¡°The Lumina family is closer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be ready. How many knights do you intend to take as an escort...¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to move quietly. I haven¡¯t been out since I came back with the Knights. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel finished coughing and went on. ¡°Because I¡¯m very, very busy trying to raise the fallen Setiria.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll move quietly.¡± ¡°I asked Astell to make me a lot of cookies, so bring them. I¡¯ll bring in Cheynol.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Cassion hesitated to look at Ruel, contrary to his answer. Ruel pointed to his chest instead of answering. It¡¯s working fine. Despite the announcement, Cassion sighed outside. ¡®You¡¯re a quick-witted man.¡¯ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I ate all the cookies Astell made me, but I was getting sick again. ¡®Damn body.¡¯ No matter how many times I cursed, I felt sick. As Ruel closed his eyes and forced his recovery efforts, a knock was heard. ¡°It¡¯s Cheynol. I heard you found it.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Cheynol was the Knights Commander. Other knights didn¡¯t know, but he was aware of Ruel¡¯s condition. ¡°May I ask you a question with all due respect, my Lord?¡± The first word he received as a Knight Commander was, ¡®You may.¡¯ It was bittersweet, but his complexion was so bad that even his eyes could see it. Ruel didn¡¯t answer and said something else. ¡°The armor will be delivered within a few days. As you know, Carbena and her crew have done a lot and it¡¯s empty now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, we just need to protect this place.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay. You¡¯re my knights. They¡¯re like my face. I¡¯ll make everything the best from head to toe.¡± Cheynol¡¯s eyes slightly flared. ¡°This old man is honored to have been thought of so highly by you, my Lord.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯d like to give you two orders, would you mind?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°A week? Maybe more. I¡¯ll go out and come back. Can you keep this place safe?¡± Cheynol, who answered without hesitation, shut up for the first time. Ruel¡¯s pale complexion, blue lips, and even his trembling hands. Those symptoms were not good. ¡°Can you keep it?¡± Ruel asked again. Cheynol¡¯s lips trembled. ¡®You don¡¯t have more than one life... Are you thinking of burning that one life for Setiria?¡¯ Cheynol thought. ¡°Can you keep it?¡± As if to urge him to agree, the question uttered again left Cheynol choked. It was just like that when you get old, your tear glands become weak. ¡°It¡¯s possible!¡± So Cheynol shouted louder. Ruel smiled contentedly only then. ¡°And one last thing.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°I wonder if the sword has rusted after years of grazing. Cough.¡± The sound of coughing followed. Each time, Cheynol¡¯s clothes were wrinkled. ¡°Be strong.¡± Ruel said. ¡®For Setiria.¡¯ Ruel didn¡¯t say aloud, but that¡¯s what Cheynol heard. ¡°It has to be.¡± Cheynol was on one knee. And he bowed his head for a pledge to his lord. ¡°I will be strong.¡± Chapter 24: One by one (3) Author: CleiZz ¡°Get me some data so I can solve that stupid face,¡± Ruel said. At Ruel¡¯s words, Ganien put the materials on the table as if throwing them. ¡°The testimony of those who have confessed that you set it up to frame the Hand of the Wind Guild. Evidence that money was handed over to them.¡± Ruel pointed to the data. Matyros¡¯ eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. It was reported that suspicious people stopped by at the Hand of the Wind guild. Don¡¯t tell me it was them. ¡°And you made money out of slavery, which is prohibited by the state. You have done all this so that this mansion and your guild can shine.¡± ¡°Well, what do you mean!¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± As Ganien increased his momentum, Matyros trembled and bowed his head. ¡°Why would I look at the time?¡± Matyros started sweating even more. It would have been more than 30 minutes since they came. ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t tell me...!¡± ¡°Yeah, the soldiers will be coming this way soon, so keep quiet.¡± ¡°I, this! !¡± I was so excited to see that his face was burning red. How frustrating it must be because he couldn¡¯t move or argue recklessly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your guild and mansion will be disposed of.¡± The moment I heard Ganien¡¯s voice saying ¡®Here comes¡¯, the purpose was over. ¡°The tea, well done.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. I¡¯ve had Cassion run wild as much as possible, so Corrence, the Lord of Lumina, would not be able to easily cover it. ¡®It would be nice to receive it as a gift.¡¯ I raised the corners of my lips. ¡°I, Do you know what I did to go this far?¡± ¡°None of my business!¡± ¡°Your guy-...! You guys ruined it all! I don¡¯t forgive you! I won¡¯t forgive you! Youuu!¡± Suddenly, Matyros remembered that they gave it to him so that it would be used someday. It wasn¡¯t the time to be picky. Matyros rushed to Ruel with something. However, he was easily suppressed in front of Ganien. The moment he was about to take what was in his hand, something exploded. Cough! Ganien hesitated, covering his face with his hands. ¡°...poison?¡± ¡°Cough!¡± When Ganien looked back, Ruel¡¯s dark red blood popped out of his mouth. The color of the skin began to turn purple. Matyros laughed, raising his voice. ¡°Perfect! Die! Puck...¡± Ganien punched him in the face with all his might. He seemed to have lost all reason. But he suppressed his emotions and went to Ruel. ¡°Ruel! Ruel! Wake up!¡± Ruel stumbled and fell. After something was shot in the face, he threw up blood. Something was off. His body didn¡¯t listen to him. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ I felt as if I had been burned all over my body. ¡°...ugh!¡± It was more painful than when I was injured. Whizz. The sound I had heard before was ringing in my ears. My eyes were dimmed. Ganien said something, but I couldn¡¯t hear it. Something swallowed itself. * * * Whizz! It sounded like a motor turning. Ruel tried to open his eyes, feeling the sensation of his body slowly returning. ¡°...that¡¯s all right. Get some more sleep.¡± He fell asleep again after learning that he was alive by the voice of Cassion, which sounded like a lullaby. I didn¡¯t know how many times I woke up and fell asleep again. Every time I felt like I saw something. Instead of talking, Ruel clapped his hands. Only then did Ganien approach. ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength to hit you, so you owe me one.¡± ¡°Barely?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret it, will you?¡± Ganien¡¯s firm expression was hardly resolved, even though he was joking. As a knight, the promises couldn¡¯t keep weighing on his heart. ¡°I¡¯m alive, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough to say that. You kept throwing up blood, your whole veins showing, your skin...¡± ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re going to have such a sweet talk, then go out.¡± Ruel waved his hand. Only while being kicked out did Ganien smile awkwardly. ¡°When you come back, shake it all off. Cause I did, too.¡± ¡°...okay.¡± ¡°Please call Aris.¡± ¡°You¡¯re starting to act like a Cassion.¡± ¡°You owe me, it¡¯s big, so I have to use it a lot.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ganien suddenly pulled out a sword when he thought he was going outside. Skunk. Ruel looked bewildered at the light sound. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ ¡°I, Ganien Croft, from the Blue Knights, must defend Ruel Setiria, I swear on my honor as a knight.¡± Ruel was really startled by the loud cry right away. A Knight¡¯s oath. It was not compulsory like the contract of mana, but it was an oath that a knight had to keep. ¡°... Crazy? Cancel it quickly.¡± Suddenly his head hurt. He and Ganien were from different countries. What would happen if war broke out? ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± The person who caused the headache smiled brightly and went outside. ¡®Crazy guy.¡¯ Ruel attempted to wrap his head around this. After a while, I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Aris, who had been eating well for a few days, carefully came inside. ¡®... You look tall?¡¯ Ruel stopped looking at Aris and looked at his body. It hadn¡¯t changed much since he had first entered the body. Rather, it felt like I was drying up. ¡°Thank you.¡± Aris lay face down before he spoke out. His voice was locked. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aris looked up at the questioned words. Ruel was skinnier than he was a few days ago. He was worried that he might dry up. ¡°Everything. Thank you and sorry.¡± Aris¡¯s eyes turned slightly red. ¡°I was supposed to help, so that¡¯s fine.¡± Aris was moved because I said it was my greed to help. I¡¯m sure he was considerate of himself. ¡°Do you have anywhere to go?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did you say you were in debt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel liked the current situation. Now that we¡¯ve sown the seeds, we¡¯ve sprouted them, we¡¯ve got to harvest them. ¡°Be my escort.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°An escort.¡± ¡°I, you mean me? I don¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I suggested it.¡± A shield pattern appeared on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand. Chapter 132: Chase the Spirits! Chapter 132: Chase the Spirits! Hmm. Ruel examined the spirits closely, but they all appeared quite similar, making it challenging to distinguish them. Their physical builds were also nearly identical. Choosing among them seemed like a difficult task. Leo, I need your help with this. Leo stood up from Ruels lap, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Really? Yes. I want you to choose only the spirits who are planning to leave here in the future. Understood. Leo replied firmly and scurried under the bed. He extended his short legs as far as he could and began speaking to the spirits. Ahem, listen well. Only the spirits who are going to leave Ruels side should come forward. Kuroo kuru. The spirits looked at each other and exchanged words. Soon, one of the spirits stepped forward and started speaking to Leo. Ruel waited quietly for Leo to translate the words. Kuroo kuru. Leo nodded in understanding and turned to Ruel with a serious expression. It seemed as though he had been bestowed with a mission to save the world. They want to know why you want to follow them. Ruel suppressed a laugh before responding, I want to know what the spirit stone inside me is, and Im curious about where you all are headed. Kuroo kuru. The spirit continued speaking, and Leo translated. They welcome you, but they mention that there is a guardian protecting their destination, and they are uncertain about what might happen. You dont have to worry about that. Ruel chuckled. Having a guardian there is a bit unexpected, but if things go wrong, they can always retreat, right? Kuroo kuru. They respect Ruels decision. However, they are not sure if they can guide the way Why is that? Leo, who was translating the spirit words, unexpectedly asked a question. As the conversation continued, Leos ears perked up. Oh! Is that so? How fascinating. This body wishes this body could grow up quickly too. Ruel inhaled Breath and then burst out laughing at Leos enthusiasm. Leo had been so engrossed in the conversation that he had forgotten his purpose of translating. Kuroo kuru. Really? Then could this body have been born there too? Why cant this body remember that? Kuroo kuru. Thank you. Maybe this body can find out something if this body goes there! Kuroo kuru. Well, this body doesnt know either. Its already amazing that Ruel can see spirits, isnt it? Just a moment. Ruel couldnt wait any longer and interrupted them. Leo was surprised to see Ruel take action. Huh! This body forgot that this body had an important mission. Leos eyes were filled with determination. So, the spirit said that when they grow up, its instinctive to go to a certain place, and they also mentioned that this body might have been born there. Leos eyes, which were full of determination, softened, and his head tilted. And also, uh, the spirit wondered why Ruel doesnt understand what theyre saying, so I answered! Ruel gently stroked Leos head in response to his pleading eyes. Leo might have been born there too? There was now another reason to go. Perhaps they could meet other Great Purifiers there. Ruel looked at the spirit and asked, So, when are you planning to leave? Kuroo kuru. Upon hearing the spirit response, Ruel naturally looked at Leo. The spirit Oh! They say this body is helping Ruel. Unbelievable! Even though Ruel had already said that Leo was already helping enough, he was endlessly delighted. The fact that Leo was happy was enough for him. Ahem, this body will clearly tell you what the spirit is saying. Leo proudly raised his snout. *** So, youre saying youre going to see where the spirits go? Aris was taken aback by Ruels statement about following the spirits. Cassion, who already guessed why Ruel had said he would rest for five days, glanced at Leo, who was clinging to Ruel. Leo looked very excited. Ruel-nim, you are planning to ride a horse to an uncertain destination on a cold day like this. Have you reconsidered this journey? Cassion cautiously brought up the topic before departing. Its a beautiful day for a ride, Ruel replied with a bright smile, gazing up at the sky. He had recalculated the translated words from the spirit, which Leo had conveyed, and decided to sneak out in the early dawn while everyone was asleep. Equipped with gloves enchanted with protective spells, as well as a cloak and hat given by Aris, Ruel didnt feel the cold. He listened to the horses whinny, gently stroking its mane before mounting it. Ruel continued to gaze at the firewood. The sound of the crackling fire brought peace to his heart. It reminded him of camping, something he had always wanted to do with his father. Are you really going to sleep here? Theres an inn just a little further. Would you like to stay there? Cassion looked around and came back to ask Ruel. Its okay. I want to continue feeling like Im on a journey. You seem happy. Yeah, I am. Ruel smiled and stretched his arms. Despite his contentment, he still needed to take his medication. Cassion administered two injections to Ruels arm. Even though they had only passed through several small villages in Setiria, seeing them with his own eyes made it feel different. Ruel permitted one of the spirits to leave so he could take a break, but he wasnt concerned because many other spirits still clung to him. Aris handed warm water to Cassion, who took out dried apples from his magic pocket, put them in a cup, and brewed them. Apple tea! This is the apple tea this body likes the most! Leo, playing in the grass field, ran over and eagerly waited next to Cassion. Cassion, feeling uncomfortable with Leos gaze, subtly said, You have your share, so you dont have to look like that, beast. This body likes Cassion! Leos attention shifted to the apple tea, and he rubbed his face against Cassions body, laughing. Here. Cassion reluctantly poured the apple tea into Leos special bowl, and Leo hastily consumed it, almost dropping the bowl in his eagerness. By the time the apple tea was halfway gone, Leo raised his head and looked at Ruel, indicating that he had finished his meal. It was the perfect time to eat the black stuff on Ruels body as the freshness spread in his mouth. You cant do that here, Leo. Leos wagging tail drooped at Ruels words. Still, you cant. This body didnt say anything. As Ruel sipped on the apple tea, he soon chuckled. He wondered what that sparkling look in Leos eyes meant, as if he was asking for something black to eat. No, Ruel firmly refused, causing Leos wagging tail to droop. Leo whimpered but reluctantly finished the apple tea. Ruel then turned to Aris and asked, Aris, would it be okay for you to sleep here? Ruel skipped over Cassion and asked Aris. Aris, on the other hand, expressed concern for Ruel. Im used to sleeping on the floor, so its okay. But Im more worried about you, Ruel-nim. Are you really going to sleep here? It might be uncomfortable for my body, but I wanted to experience this once. I have already driven away the Red Ash, and now that I have a moment to relax, I should enjoy it. I will help make your sleeping arrangement more comfortable, Ruel-nim. Aris took out a material like plastic from his magic pocket, shaped it, filled it with air, and quickly sealed the opening. Is it like an air mattress? Ruel was greatly surprised to find a familiar item in this unfamiliar land. Would you like to try lying down? If its too firm, Ill deflate the air inside. Ruel put down his tea and immediately laid on the makeshift bed, which resembled an air mattress. As soon as he lay down, words of admiration escaped from his lips involuntarily. Its even more comfortable than I expected. Really? Aris asked with a pleased expression. Leo perked up his ears and eagerly bounced onto the makeshift bed. Its really comfortable! So soft! Ill sleep here tonight! Thank you, Aris. Thanks to you, Ill be able to sleep well. Aris waved his hands dismissively. Its not worth being thanked for. No, receiving thanks is more than enough. In truth, Ruel had been a little worried himself. It was winter, and he was concerned about catching a cold. Despite the insulating stones surrounding him, acting as heaters, there was still a lingering worry. If you feel cold, please let me know. I have received many items from Tyson-nim, Cassion offered after taking a sip of tea. Okay, Ruel replied, returning to his seat and picking up his teacup. Crack. The bonfire splattered sparks. It was quiet. Ruel was enjoying this relaxed feeling so much. I followed the spirit out of pure curiosity, but its even more enjoyable than I expected, Ruel spoke softly. Since he didnt often share his feelings, Leo, Cassion, and Aris listened attentively. Actually, I wanted to experience something like this with my father Ruel brought up the topic, knowing that both Setiria and Kim Han didnt have fathers. He quickly smiled, preventing the atmosphere from turning somber. But its still wonderful because Im here with you guys. The bonfire reflected brightly in Ruels eyes. Despite the occasional cold breeze touching his cheeks, even though they had put up a tent to shield against the wind, it was colder than his room, but it was bearable. Ruel took a sip of his apple tea, surprising the others. The warm and refreshing taste spread throughout his mouth, bringing comfort to his senses. Author''s Thoughts Chapter 133: Chase the Spirits! (2) Chapter 133: Chase the Spirits! (2) *** Crack. Cassion swatted away the sparks flying from the bonfire with his hand to protect himself. Recently, he had overcome a wall where he could go without sleep, so it was okay even if he didn¡¯t sleep a wink. After just an hour of closing his eyes, the fatigue had vanished completely. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep, Aris?¡± Cassion spoke after looking at the sleeping Ruel and Leo. Ruel¡¯s breathing became increasingly irregular, so it seemed like it was time to give him Breath. Aris sat up awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I can sleep tonight.¡± It seemed like he was having a hard time falling asleep today. Ruel¡¯s words have already become a memory of yesterday. ¡°But it¡¯s alright because you guys are here with me.¡± Aris felt so happy to hear that. He didn¡¯t dare describe it as family, but Aris felt that way. ¡°Ruel-nim is quite clumsy about expressing his feelings, so I was surprised when he said that yesterday.¡± Cassion was also secretly surprised, but he didn¡¯t show it. Sometimes, it happens that way. Aris cautiously spoke as he stroked his hair. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m too happy to fall asleep. Despite almost being an adult, I still feel like a child.¡± ¡°Being an adult doesn¡¯t make much difference. Would you like some tea if you can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Aris shook his head at Cassion¡¯s suggestion and quietly looked at the bonfire, just like Cassion did. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion started the conversation first, and Aris turned to look at him. ¡°You know he cares for you, even if he doesn¡¯t express it, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I am well aware of that,¡± Aris used a spell to block the sound as he approached the bonfire, in case Ruel woke up. ¡°However, I always feel sorry for not meeting Ruel-nim¡¯s expectations.¡± ¡°Aris, don¡¯t the knights usually say you¡¯re unlucky?¡± ¡°How did you know? I can¡¯t fool your ears,¡± Aris expressed slight surprise before smiling. ¡°I still have a long way to go to keep up with the knights. I need to work harder to catch up.¡± Cassion clicked his tongue but then quit. Comparing a mage to a knight in that way didn¡¯t sit well with him. It seemed to be an unchangeable aspect of his personality to always consider himself lacking. Even if Aris reached a higher state than now, that thought might not change.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡®If he surpasses me, maybe things will be different then.¡¯ Cassion tried to imagine Aris surpassing himself, but it didn¡¯t come to mind easily. ¡°Now Ruel-nim will be able to smile a lot, right?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Cassion couldn¡¯t give a definite answer to Aris¡¯s question. The only thing that had collapsed was the Red Ash in Leponia. They hadn¡¯t even encountered the higher-ups yet. The future remains uncertain, casting a slight gloom over Aris, then he clenched his fist. ¡°I want to become stronger, so that no one can harm Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I think the same.¡± Aris was surprised by Cassion¡¯s words that followed. Cassion becoming stronger from here was unimaginable. ¡°Why are you surprised? I haven¡¯t reached my peak yet. Stopping here would be foolish.¡± Cassion chuckled and looked at Aris. When Ruel¡¯s heart stopped, he realized that if the weak master died, he would die too. To protect his own life, he needed to become even stronger, ensuring no one could harm Ruel. ¡°I feel reassured because of you, Cassion.¡± Aris smiled faintly as he looked at the bonfire. A challenge seemed to lace Cassion¡¯s words as he questioned, ¡°Not following behind me are you?¡± Aris met Cassion¡¯s gaze once again. Observing the determined glint in Cassion¡¯s eyes and his smug smirk, Aris clenched his fists once more. ¡°I will catch up. Definitely.¡± *** The spirit passed through the gate and headed towards the Beast Forest. Ruel, watching the lone figure, stood in line with those trying to pass through the gate and leisurely looked around. Seeing the Setiria Gate after a long time, a satisfied smile naturally appeared on his face. He had only heard news of the gate being repaired, so he didn¡¯t know what it looked like afterwards. ¡®Seems like it¡¯s been rebuilt.¡¯ The old, worn-out feeling was nowhere to be found. The number of soldiers had increased significantly, and their armor and weapons sparkled brightly. ¡®Good, good. It¡¯s very well done.¡¯ Ruel then tried to see the large rock covering Leponia, but it was still shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at Cassion. ¡°I will go talk to the soldiers at the gate.¡± Ruel was now feeling the chilly wind despite Aris¡¯s warming magic and Leo being in his embrace. However, Ruel was still shivering from the cold and shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s a rule I¡¯ve set. I don¡¯t want to break it with my own hands.¡± Breaking the rules would undermine their resolve. There should be no exceptions at the gate. ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion took out a blanket from his magic pocket and covered Ruel with it. They waited for their turn in line, unsure of how much time had passed. When it was finally their turn, Cassion handed his identification to the soldier. The soldier, wearing an expressionless face, was taken aback and urgently searched for someone. Soon, his gaze fell on the man with a white cloak and a blanket covering him. A finger covered with thick gloves rose to Ruel¡¯s lips. ¡°Be quiet. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Y-yes, I understand perfectly! Please go ahead quickly!¡± As Cassion retrieved his identification from the soldier, Ruel mounted his horse ahead of time. Cassion followed suit, and the horse started moving energetically again. ¡°Can we still catch up?¡± Aris asked Ruel. Ruel still saw the rabbit-like spirit clinging to his leg. ¡ªIt seems like everyone is drawn to Ruel¡¯s scent. Leo sniffed and said with a big smile. Ruel sighed deeply and wiped his face with his hand. Is it the scent again? ¡°Is this place full of spirits?¡± Aris asked anxiously, his face showing a desire to take out his notebook immediately. ¡°Yes. There are so many.¡± Although Ruel didn¡¯t know why there were spirits in the Beast Forest, it seemed like he needed to first confirm the beings being chased by the monsters. Ruel was about to speak as he made eye contact with the spirits, but he stopped himself. Even if he told them not to follow, the spirits were already in pursuit. ¡°It¡¯s that way.¡± Ruel pointed in the direction again with his finger. They ventured deeper into the Beast Forest, with the spirits following behind them. Sounds from the spirits and unfamiliar voices echoed from all directions, making Ruel increasingly frown. Ruel couldn¡¯t help but glance back. ¡®What? They¡¯ve increased more than before, right?¡¯ Ruel was surprised by the procession of spirits following him one after another. ¡ªOh! This body didn¡¯t know there were so many spirits! Leo, who was always fascinated by anything, was busy admiring them. ¡°It feels like something unpleasant has been lifted, and I feel like I can breathe more easily.¡± Aris took a deep breath and spoke with a calm expression on his face. Is it because of the spirits? Ruel paused for a moment while inhaling Breath, recalling Aris¡¯s words. ¡°You mentioned that there is a lot of natural mana here. Shall we take a break?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve been slowly converting it into my mana anyway.¡± ¡°Is it possible to convert your mana while walking?¡± ¡°Yes, it is possible.¡± Ruel was amazed at how easily Aris answered. If he made a slight mistake, he wouldn¡¯t be able to convert it to mana while in such a precarious situation. ¡®That¡¯s why geniuses...¡¯ Ruel closed his mouth, understanding the knights, especially Horen¡¯s feelings. ¡°Ruel-nim, it seems like we¡¯ve ventured too deep into the Beast Forest. How about turning back from here?¡± Cassion, who had been silently moving forward, spoke up. The Beast Forest was dangerous. At the moment, the monsters around him were at a level he could handle, but as they went deeper, he felt a sense of danger. His sense of direction was starting to blur. ¡°It¡¯s up ahead. Let¡¯s just check here and then turn back.¡± Ruel was just as tense. While in the beginning, they leisurely admired the surroundings, it was different now. Because of Cassion, the monsters didn¡¯t approach, but it was clear that they were starting to gather, considering them as tasty prey, which created a significant sense of pressure. After a few more steps, Cassion stopped walking for a moment. ¡°Please wait a moment. My subordinates are dealing with the monsters up ahead.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel nodded and looked at the spirits. ¡®It seems like there are even more now.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo called out to him, scratching the ground with his front paw. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªThe spirits said that the monsters attacked while they were on their way home.¡± ¡®Home? Are they referring to the place where the spirits are heading?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, waiting for Leo¡¯s words. ¡ªThey said they were running away and happened to catch a good scent that led them to you, Ruel! ¡®Again, this scent...¡¯ Ruel petted Leo, who was seeking praise, and met eyes with Aris, who seemed to be expecting something with a fervor for knowledge. He must be curious about what spirits look like. Ruel glanced at Aris and asked Leo, ¡°Surely they won¡¯t attach themselves to me again?¡± ¡ªNo, they won¡¯t. It seems like they have found the direction to go back home. It was good news at the right time. Ruel¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay now. Let¡¯s move again.¡± Cassion resumed walking after stopping. As they arrived at a place where traces of battle were visible, Ruel spotted a spirit running towards him through the bushes. ¡ªIt¡¯s a spirit! We found it! Leo laughed gleefully and hugged the spirit tightly with his short hands. It seemed to be the same spirit that had left the gate first. ¡®It¡¯s not a great purifier.¡¯ Although disappointed, Ruel was initially satisfied with the fact that he had discovered an important piece of information. The place the spirit was heading was none other than the Beast Forest. ¡®A very unlikely combination...¡¯ Suddenly, Ruel¡¯s eyes widened. A monster was rapidly approaching him at an incredible speed. It was different from the previous monsters. It was of enormous size, unlike anything he had seen before. ¡°A giant is coming!¡± Ruel immediately shouted loudly. Knowing where the spirits were heading, there was no reason to fight the monster. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 134: Chase the Spirits! (3) Chapter 134: Chase the Spirits! (3) Running away wasn¡¯t a bad idea either. But Aris drew his sword and stood in front of Ruel. Ruel spoke, looking at Cassion and Aris, ¡°Now step back...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just step back against that guy.¡± Suddenly, a dagger appeared in Cassion¡¯s hands. He looked in the direction the monster was coming from with interest and smirked. ¡°He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Yes. This one, no, this monster is strong.¡± Aris furrowed his brow and swallowed nervously. Rumble! The ground shook for a moment. A giant snake with golden-yellow scales emerged, crashing through the trees. It stood tall, filling the forest with its overwhelming presence. It was so large that Ruel couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°What is that? It¡¯s huge...!¡± Standing before such a monster, he felt as insignificant as an ant. -Ugh. Suddenly, a voice echoed in Ruel¡¯s head. Ruel quickly turned to look at Leo. It wasn¡¯t Leo. Leo was gaping in surprise. ¡®I haven¡¯t even used my power yet; I can hear its voice.¡¯ The blackened eyes of the monster only looked at Ruel. -Me... me. Shaaa. Just the sound the monster made sent shivers down Ruel¡¯s skin. ¡°Aris, take Ruel-nim and retreat,¡± Cassion¡¯s dagger emanated a purple aura. ¡°Understood.¡± Aris immediately took Ruel, who was lifted by Hold, and ran backwards. -Stop... Please. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Ruel urgently called out to the desperate voice of the monster. Aris came to a halt, his expression filled with confusion as he looked at Ruel. ¡°The monster is speaking to me.¡± ¡°...?¡± Aris was taken aback by Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°That monster.¡± A light shone in Ruel¡¯s green eyes. Despite how absurd it sounded, Ruel didn¡¯t feel entirely unfamiliar with the monster. ¡°Instruct me to stop.¡± -...Ruel. The monster spoke Ruel¡¯s name. At that moment, Ruel¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Thump thump. ¡®Does this monster... know my name?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t comprehend this strange situation where the monster seemed acquainted with him. The glow in Ruel¡¯s eyes caused Aris¡¯s face to tense up. He was using that power again. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you plan on using that power?¡± ¡°Release Hold.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris immediately released Hold at Ruel¡¯s command. But Aris watched over Ruel, biting his lip in worry about what might happen. ¡°Leo, step back.¡± ¡ªThis body... ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body understands. Ruel put Leo down and walked forward. ¡°Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion turned his head at the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. His master was heading towards them. Cassion wanted to shout, ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± But when he saw the light in Ruel¡¯s eyes, he turned his head towards the monster. The blackened eyes of the demon gradually subsided. Cassion clenched his dagger tightly and spoke firmly, ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t use that power if possible.¡± The monster was strong, but he was confident he could handle it. ¡°I can handle this.¡± ¡°Cassion, step back.¡± Ruel commanded. Reluctantly, Cassion took a step back. However, he was prepared to step forward, no matter how much it pained his heart. ¡°Stop.¡± At Ruel¡¯s command, the monster stopped and stared silently at Ruel. Ruel thought it wouldn¡¯t be difficult since it was just one monster, but a severe headache surged as if controlling dozens at once. Ruel grabbed his throbbing head and asked the monster, ¡°How do you know my name?¡± Cassion, who was standing behind, looked at Ruel and the monster alternately in surprise. -Dear. The monster called Ruel with a faint voice. -My friend. ¡°....?¡± Ruel was too shocked to utter a word. The monster called him a friend. -Something is devouring my existence. I can no longer sustain myself. ¡°What... are you saying?¡± Ruel felt frustrated that the monster didn¡¯t explain in a manner he could comprehend. ¡°Who are you? Speak so I can understand!¡± At Ruel¡¯s command, the monster spoke immediately. -I am Rupina. The guardian and the one who obeys your commands. ¡°Rupina...?¡± Why did that name not feel unfamiliar? Apart from the headache, Ruel sensed a surge of emotions welling up within him, but he couldn¡¯t grasp what they were. It felt as though something tightly blocked his understanding. There was no Ruel Setiria to seek answers from at that moment. -I have protected this place, faithfully following your orders until now. Please aid me in finding rest. ¡°Me? Help you?¡± -Even if you don¡¯t remember me, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just happy to see you for the last time. The monster bowed its head to Ruel. Cautiously, Ruel reached out and touched the monster. There was no warmth. How many times had he experienced this sensation now? Ruel finally understood what it meant¡ªthe monster was on the verge of death. ¡®Ruel Setiria. You¡¯re such a piece of trash.¡¯ Why are there so many things you left behind? If you¡¯re leaving, take everything with you. ¡ªI will stay by Ruel¡¯s side. Leo pouted. Cassion nodded slightly at Aris. ¡°Leo.¡± Aris called Leo. ¡ªThis body is not in the mood to play with Aris right now. This body will stay by Ruel¡¯s side. ¡°Besides that, don¡¯t you want to go buy snacks with me? Ruel-nim hasn¡¯t been able to eat anything and has been lying down all the time, so he must be very hungry.¡± Leo slowly turned his head to look at Aris. His eyes were still full of discontent. ¡°Leo, you¡¯re going to choose something delicious for Ruel-nim.¡± ¡ªThis body? ¡°Yeah. You know best what Ruel-nim likes.¡± ¡ªThis body knows! Only then did Leo smile broadly. ¡ªThis body knows how hard it is to be hungry! This body will choose something delicious for Ruel! Ruel felt a sense of guilt as he looked at Leo¡¯s innocent smile. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just happy to think it¡¯ll help me, and whatever he chooses, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s delicious.¡¯ ¡ªThis body will be back. Leo was hugged by Aris, who waved his short front legs. Ruel waved his hand as well, and the door closed with a squeak. Cassion brought a chair with a frown at the unpleasant sound. He spoke up towards Ruel, who was sitting upright and inhaling Breath. ¡°Is it worth sending out an innocent beast like that?¡± Ruel knew that he usually didn¡¯t send Leo away from his side. He sent Leo away because it was something that shouldn¡¯t be heard by him. ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel spoke with a deep frown. ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡± ¡°Do you remember when I first performed purification, and you questioned my identity?¡± ¡°I do remember,¡± Cassion replied. The memory of that moment was still vivid for him. However, now that he knew the reason behind Ruel¡¯s ability to purify, he no longer doubted Ruel¡¯s identity. ¡°The monster claims that I am its master,¡± Ruel revealed, causing Cassion to be taken aback. ¡°The... monster?¡± Cassion repeated, trying to comprehend the absurdity of the statement. ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± Ruel said, looking at Cassion, who was in shock. ¡°I¡¯m not joking either. The master of a monster is obviously not a monster.¡± If Ruel was a monster, it made sense that he could control monsters as well. It was obvious that the master of monsters could control them. ¡°Cassion, stop talking nonsense.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice rose. Since it was not good for him to get angry, Cassion held back his itchy mouth and remained silent. ¡°I have no memories of my childhood,¡± Ruel continued, revealing that his childhood memories had been erased by someone. Cassion was aware of this fact, but Ruel himself was not. Cassion hesitated on whether to inform him of this. ¡°Perhaps someone granted you this power when you were young?¡± Cassion suggested. The demon named Rupina knew about him. Rupina even said it received orders from him. There was no doubt that Ruel had encountered that monster when he was young. ¡°It seems like I have more reasons to find the king.¡± Cassion nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. First, we need to go back to the Beast Forest.¡± ¡°Pardon...?¡± ¡°We came here to chase the spirit, didn¡¯t we? We need to achieve our goal.¡± Cassion stared at Ruel as if he had been hit hard. Whether he stared or spoke, Ruel lifted the corners of his mouth and said, ¡°We¡¯ll eat first and then set off again.¡± *** ¡ªWas the cake this body chose delicious? ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel nodded his head at the sudden cough. ¡ªReally? Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled unusually today. Ruel smiled and patted Leo, who was sitting on his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, it was delicious.¡± ¡ªThis body did it! This body was helpful to Ruel! Leo nuzzled his face into Ruel¡¯s arms and constantly waggled his tail. They left the inn in the neutral zone and walked through the marketplace. Since none of them had seen the neutral zone before, they decided to take a leisurely stroll around the outskirts of the Beast Forest, allowing themselves some extra time. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion spoke quietly. Since Ruel mentioned going to the Beast Forest, Cassion¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t been favorable. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Please accept this for now.¡± Cassion handed Ruel a cane. ¡®Why a cane all of a sudden?¡¯ Briefly puzzled, Ruel soon turned his gaze around. ¡°Someone is watching you, Ruel-nim. I thought it would be wise to be prepared, so I¡¯m giving this to you.¡± Ruel¡¯s doubts were resolved by Cassion¡¯s small voice. Ruel held onto Breath and asked. ¡°Is it the Red Ash?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so. They don¡¯t seem to have any intention to attack.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. No one was chasing after him. If someone were, Cassion would have already informed him. ¡®They seem to be interested in me.¡¯ Whether this person recognized his face or had heard the name ¡®Ruel¡¯ from Cassion or Aris, they clearly knew who he was. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have stared at him so intently, prompting Cassion to report it. Ruel didn¡¯t know their intentions, but he had to confront them directly. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 135: House of Spirits Chapter 135: House of Spirits ¡°Go down the alley,¡± Ruel instructed, and Cassion nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Aris, silence the sounds around us,¡± Ruel continued, giving his instructions. ¡°Understood,¡± Aris replied, and he immediately used magic. ¡ªAnd what about this body? Leo was also waiting for his instructions. ¡°Leo, you...¡± Ruel hesitated for a moment, but Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation. ¡°Leo, reveal yourself and stay close to me,¡± Ruel finally said. The rumor of Ruel carrying a red fox had spread widely. ¡ªGot it! Leo happily jumped down from Ruel¡¯s shoulder and stuck closely to Ruel¡¯s leg. Pretending to casually explore the market, they naturally made their way towards the alley, with Ruel patiently waiting for the person following him. Their eyes met as a man glanced at Ruel. Ruel removed his hat, offering a gentle smile. ¡°If I made you uncomfortable, please accept my apologies,¡± Ruel said politely. The man, accompanied by several imposing individuals, approached Ruel cautiously, scratching the back of his head. ¡°I unintentionally followed someone I couldn¡¯t see here, and I apologize regardless of the circumstances.¡± The man bowed his head to Ruel. Then, realizing something, he gestured towards the men behind him, and they respectfully backed away. ¡°If you have a moment...¡± the man began hesitantly. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ruel replied, noticing the man was wearing and the men who approached him as if to escort him, Ruel noticed that he was not a commoner. ¡°Here.¡± Ttuk. Ruel gestured with his cane toward the ground. He intended to show respect but had no intention of being led by the man until he knew his purpose. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can convince you, but I am not a suspicious person,¡± the man explained, rubbing his chin and shaking his head. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t very convincing.¡± He seemed to be talking to himself, contemplating how to gain Ruel¡¯s trust. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ ¡°How can I persuade him to believe me?¡± Ruel grasped his cane at the man¡¯s clearly audible muttering. Preparing to speak and not wanting to waste any more time. However, before he could say anything, the man introduced himself. ¡°Please don¡¯t be startled and hear me out. I am Prince Treitol Kran, the second prince of the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°...?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. The man then took out a necklace and approached Ruel, but Aris stepped in. ¡°Do not come any closer,¡± Aris warned, cautious of any potential threat. ¡°Oh, my apologies. In any case, please show this to your master,¡± the man said. Aris took the necklace from the man and handed it to Cassion. Sniff. Leo sniffed. ¡ªSmells like the ocean! Cassion closely inspected the emblem on the necklace and nodded slightly towards Ruel, indicating that it was indeed the authentic emblem of the Kran Kingdom. Ruel internally swallowed his surprise. ¡®Has the Kran Kingdom¡¯s envoy already arrived?¡¯ Ruel glanced at Cassion and spoke softly, ¡°Return it.¡± It was clearly Cassion¡¯s mistake not to inform him. However, Cassion¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡®Does this mean the envoy hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡¯ The man, who was smiling awkwardly and trying to hide his embarrassment, was indeed a prince. The necklace was real, after all. Ruel bowed his head to the man. ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience. I am Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Ah, as expected, you are Lord Ruel Setiria,¡± Prince Treitol said with relief, placing a hand over his chest before bowing his head in surprise. ¡°Oops. Let me formally apologize. Will you forgive all my actions?¡± ¡®He believed me so easily?¡¯ Ruel momentarily suppressed the doubts that arose within him. He hadn¡¯t revealed the Setiria crest on the back of his hand yet. ¡®He must have already investigated me.¡¯ He raised the corner of his mouth even higher, ¡°How about we relocate first, Your Highness?¡± Ruel suggested, wanting to properly welcome this suspicious guest. *** Ruel attempted to secure a private room at the inn to have a conversation with Treitol, but the prince had rented out the entire place as a gesture of apology. ¡®What a waste of money.¡¯ He was a prince, after all. ¡®The prince I know wasn¡¯t like this.¡¯ Ruel sipped water in silence while thinking about Banios living in his house. Leo, sitting on Ruel¡¯s lap, tilted his head in confusion when he saw that there was only water on the table. ¡ªWhy is there nothing here? ¡°No, go quickly! Hurry!¡± Treitol urged Cassion hastily. ¡°Until we meet again, Lord Setiria,¡± Treitol said faintly, leaving Ruel with an unsettling feeling, as if he was caught in a spider¡¯s web. *** As Cassion carried Ruel back to the inn, Leo, who had been sound asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, hearing Ruel¡¯s groans. ¡ªRuel? Leo hesitated, not sure what to do, as he saw Ruel curled up in pain, trembling. ¡ªCassion, Is Ruel in pain again? ¡°It¡¯s the pain he always experiences,¡± Cassion replied calmly, administering a third painkiller to Ruel, who seemed to be in more intense and prolonged pain than before. It was a variable he had worried about, but fortunately, they were currently in a neutral zone and not the Beast Forest. Aris wiped Ruel¡¯s cold sweat and asked Leo, ¡°Leo, can you check to see if anything black stuff has increased in Ruel-nim¡¯s body?¡± ¡ªThere aren¡¯t any. Leo approached Ruel and gently patted him. ¡ªDon¡¯t be in pain. I will comfort you. ¡°Cassion.¡± Aris called out heavily, interrupting Cassion. The enemy had finally made a move, and Aris could sense their presence. Expecting retaliation from the Red Ash, Aris calmly said, ¡°I will go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let any of them escape,¡± Cassion instructed. ¡°Of course,¡± Aris replied, tightly gripping the handle of his sword. Opening the door swiftly, he drew his sword. The enemy had been waiting for an opportunity, and now they had targeted Ruel. How dare they? Aris¡¯s eyes gleamed with fiery determination as he declared, ¡°Not a single one.¡± Flames erupted from his sword with a swift motion. ¡°None of them will survive.¡± *** As the pain subsided, Ruel breathed heavily, feeling drained. Cassion offered a handkerchief and asked, ¡°How about returning to the mansion?¡± Ruel, after coughing up black blood, raised the corner of his mouth and said, ¡°You know this symptom... it appears even when I¡¯m resting. What about Aris?¡± ¡°He went with my subordinates to dispose of the bodies.¡± ¡°Bodies? There was Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes. As soon as we crossed the gate, the enemy attacked. Although I thought they would give up once we reached the neutral zone, they pursued us again.¡± ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel called out to Cassion fiercely. He, too, foolishly didn¡¯t know about it. ¡°I apologize. But I didn¡¯t want to disturb your peaceful journey, and it seemed manageable enough for Aris to handle.¡± ¡°Cassion, you have an obligation to report everything to me. Is there anything else you¡¯re hiding?¡± ¡°Yes, there is.¡± Cassion spoke without hiding the truth. After all, even if he had concealed it, only his heart would ache. Ruel looked at Cassion with a look of disbelief. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± ¡°As you know well, I am your loyal butler, Ruel. I won¡¯t do anything that harms you.¡± He confidently stated that the hidden information was for Ruel¡¯s benefit. Ruel clenched his fists, considering Leo¡¯s presence, and suppressed his anger. Cassion had hidden the truth from him, but he was unharmed. It was clear that it was something for his own sake. But it was unpleasant. After inhaling Breath, Ruel asked without showing his emotions, ¡°...Fine. What happens if I find out?¡± ¡°You will likely be greatly confused.¡± ¡°Greatly confused?¡± ¡°Yes, after all, who doesn¡¯t have secrets?¡± Ruel chuckled at Cassion¡¯s remark. ¡°Okay. You¡¯re right. Who doesn¡¯t have secrets?¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold. ¡°But not you, Cassion.¡± Ruel¡¯s words drew a clear line between them, and Cassion suppressed a smirk that almost escaped. Regardless of whether he had crossed a line or not, he couldn¡¯t show any fear to Ruel. It was only natural for someone who was his master. ¡°Remember,¡± Ruel reiterated, driving the point home, and Cassion lowered his head. ¡°I will keep it in mind. If you ever wish to know the secret I¡¯ve hidden, please command me anytime.¡± ¡°...No. Later. Tell me later.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t want to immediately know what secret Cassion had concealed, considering the potential confusion it could cause. His mind was already consumed with thoughts of Rupina. Ruel closed his eyes in exhaustion, then opened them again, raising his upper body. ¡°Would you like to rest a little longer?¡± Cassion asked, his gaze falling on the bloodstains on Ruel¡¯s clothes. He had brought plenty of spare clothes, knowing this would happen. ¡°We¡¯ve already delayed for too long,¡± Ruel replied, turning his head toward the spirits clinging to his body. ¡°Once Aris returns, we¡¯ll set off.¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 136: House of Spirits (2) Chapter 136: House of Spirits (2) *** As Cassion led the way into the Beast Forest, Aris used his ¡®Hold¡¯ ability to carry Ruel and kept a watchful eye on him. ¡°Are you okay now, Ruel-nim?¡± Aris asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ruel replied with a slight nod. Although he felt a bit weak, being carried by Aris meant he didn¡¯t have to walk on his own, so he managed. Ruel was trying to inhale Breath when he called out to Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Cassion responded. ¡°Look into Treitol Kran more closely. Something doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Cassion chuckled for a moment. Having overheard the conversation between Ruel and Treitol, Cassion had a rough idea of where Ruel¡¯s suspicions were coming from. First of all, it must have been suspicious that Treitol treated Ruel like a celebrity. ¡°Ruel-nim, you are much more famous than you think you are.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Ruel asked, disbelief evident in his voice. ¡°What Cassion says is true. If you simply walk around Apor¡¯s Street, you¡¯ll see children dressed in black, idolizing the title ¡®Noble of Darkness...''¡± Aris was happily telling the story but quickly fell silent as he noticed Ruel¡¯s expression turning serious. ¡°When did this start?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. If even children were using his title, it meant that the news had already spread far and wide. ¡°It started a while ago. It happened about two days after you returned from Cyronian to Leponia,¡± Cassion replied, mentioning the exact date while raising the corner of his lips. ¡®Damn you, Ganien.¡¯ Ruel cursed Ganien in his mind several times before pointing ahead. ¡°Anyway, look into it.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Cassion replied cheerfully. *** They safely arrived at the place where a monster named Rupina had appeared. The trees in the area were not the usual trees found in the Beast Forest, but instead were taller and thicker than normal. The forest looked different than before, and somehow the monsters that had been chasing them suddenly began to retreat. It took them a moment to catch their breath. ¡°Am I seeing things? The trees have changed,¡± Aris quickly took out his notebook and asked Ruel for confirmation. ¡°It has changed,¡± Cassion answered, looking at Ruel. ¡°Is that because the monster is dead?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± When Ruel looked to Leo for his thoughts, all he could see was Leo¡¯s eager request for a quick petting session. For some reason, they ventured deeper into the Beast Forest in a relaxed and comfortable manner, as if taking a leisurely walk. *** ¡ªRuel is so popular! The spirits are always flocking to him like this! Leo, perched on Ruel¡¯s shoulder, turned back and smiled. Numerous spirits followed Ruel, their numbers increasing from the last time they were here. ¡ªAhem. Leo felt an unfounded sense of pride, as if he were the leader. ¡°Now you¡¯re not scared of this place, are you?¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel spoke. ¡ªNot at all. This body has overcome this level of fear now. Following Leo¡¯s words, the spirits also seemed to have lost their fear, no longer clinging to Ruel¡¯s body. Leo raised his front paw and tapped his head lightly. ¡ªThis body can sense it! ¡°What do you sense?¡± ¡ªA warm energy is flowing from over there! Leo immediately turned his body in the direction Ruel and the group were heading. Sniff sniff. ¡ªThe smell is also very nice! It¡¯s the same smell as Ruel¡¯s! Ruel hesitated at Leo¡¯s joyful words. Ruel knew that the scent emanating from his body was not normal, but he never expected it to be the same scent as the spirits¡¯ home. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Kuroo kuru. ¡°I stopped searching for the one who corrupted the guardians.¡± ¡°Guardians?¡± Ruel suddenly thought of Rupina at the mention of guardians. ¡°Could it be that the name of the guardian of the spirits is Rupina?¡± he asked. In an instant, her eyes widened. Ruel bit his lip. It couldn¡¯t be, but it was Rupina. -I have protected this place, faithfully following your orders until now. Please aid me in finding rest. The place Ruel Setiria had commanded Rupina to protect was just beyond that door. ¡°You... met? You met Rupina?¡± She asked anxiously, impatience evident in her voice. Ruel hesitated before answering. ¡°Let me get through to that place first. That¡¯s the priority.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t enter without the permission of the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. It¡¯s not something I can control,¡± she replied. Before her words fully sank in, someone slightly opened the door and then swung it wide open. ¡ªThe door has opened! The scent inside is so delightful! Leo exclaimed, his feet ready to dash towards the door. ¡°Come in, my children,¡± a solemn voice resounded from inside. Ruel chuckled and looked at her. ¡°They¡¯re inviting us in?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± she said, staring at the open door in disbelief. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor fall asleep?¡± *** Aris clutched his notebook, his gaze fixed on the being known as the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. His hands trembled uncontrollably, unable to believe this situation. He finally saw another spirit other than Leo. The appearance of the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor captivated him¡ªtheir shimmering hair and radiant presence, akin to enchanting fairies from a tale. With three pairs of wings draped like a cloak, the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor walked ahead in silence, pausing briefly to glance back. With a few graceful movements of their fingers, the ground transformed into a table. ¡°Will the humans take a seat?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Ruel replied, responding with proper etiquette. Seeing the numerous blooming flowers around, Ruel¡¯s heart naturally eased. ¡°Child,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor softly smiled at Ruel. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much.¡± ¡°Yes...?¡± ¡°At that time, you were only this tall.¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor waved his hand around his knee. Ruel felt more embarrassed than surprised. It seemed the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor knew everything about him. ¡°How do you know me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you come here to see the king? Ah, someone has tampered with your memories.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor casually revealed the secret he had been hiding. Ruel licked his lips and asked, ¡°Are you saying someone manipulated my memories?¡± ¡°I apologize. It seems I unintentionally revealed the secret you were hiding,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor apologized, offering a sympathetic gaze to Cassion. Cassion cautiously inquired, ¡°Do you possess mind-reading abilities?¡± ¡°I, too, am a spirit, and I can sense emotions,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor replied. Approaching Aris, he gently stroked his head. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to ask any questions you¡¯re curious about. You¡¯re the one who protects Ruel, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Th-Thank you!¡± Aris replied breathlessly, his face turning red. The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor¡¯s gaze shifted to Leo, filled with a tinge of sadness. ¡°Great Purifier.¡± ¡ªDo you know this body? Leo asked. ¡°Of course. I have something to discuss with you. Will you listen?¡± ¡ªCan Ruel come with this body? ¡°You can come together,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor replied with a faint smile. Leo followed him, laughing joyfully. ¡ªThat¡¯s great! ¡°Child,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor, approached Ruel once again. Ruel¡¯s gaze fell upon a white being with exquisite scales, as if adorned with gems, buried amidst a variety of colorful flowers. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 137: House of Spirits (3) It wasn¡¯t a dragon, but it resembled one, and its mere presence gave it a serene majesty, but it didn¡¯t give the sensation of being alive. ¡°Is that being the king?¡± Ruel asked the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡°Child.¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor took Ruel¡¯s hand. It was warm. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What are you thankful for?¡± Ruel immediately became cautious at the unexpected remark. He didn¡¯t do anything that the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor would be grateful for. ¡°The power that resides within you is the power that I have lost.¡± Cassion chuckled as if he was amazed. He thought Ruel was good at picking up amazing gifts here and there, but he didn¡¯t expect him to pick up what the king of the spirit¡¯s dropped. Ruel recalled what the woman who introduced herself as ¡®Mayre¡¯ had said. ¡°The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor fell into a slumber. In order to maintain this place, they had to use all their power and inevitably fell into a slumber. To wake up like this, it¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Ruel glanced at Mayre, who was playing with a spirit in the distance, and spoke calmly. ¡°The spirit stone that has seeped into my body was found in the royal treasury of Cyronian.¡± This place was inside a barrier created by the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. How did the spirit stone that should have been in the Beast Forest end up in Cyronian? ¡°I lost them when I was chased by monsters. Someone who follows the Great Man picked up my Spirit Stone and sent it far away so that I couldn¡¯t possess it.¡± ¡°You mean the Red Ash?¡± Ruel asked, puzzled by the sudden appearance of Red Ash. ¡°You call them Red Ash?¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor smiled innocently. As he moved his fingers, something emerged from Ruel¡¯s body and took on a form. Jingling jingling. It was the spirit stone that made the ringing sound he had heard. Sniff sniff. Leo sniffed Ruel. ¡ªThis body can still smell it. ¡°Because it has been absorbed into the child¡¯s body, my power still remains. Don¡¯t worry too much. There will be no harm.¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor smiled and pointed to the table he had set up. ¡°Your mind seems troubled. Why don¡¯t you sit down first? Let¡¯s have a conversation, and then you can talk to the guardian next.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips twitched at the suggestion. There was no need to rush. There was a being believed to be a king here, the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor who was the origin of the spirit¡¯s, and above all, he now knew what power resided within his own body. All he had to do was listen to the stories calmly. ¡®I¡¯ve stumbled upon something big while chasing the spirits.¡¯ He felt like he had discovered a 5,000 won bill buried in the playground as a child. They walked towards the table and took a seat. The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor planted the spirit stone that had been pulled out of Ruel¡¯s body in the spot where they stopped for a moment. After the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor and the spirits gave it water, a tree that looked like ore grew in an instant. ¡ªOooooh! Leo immediately ran over and touched the tree emitting a faint blue light. ¡ªIt¡¯s smooth. Oh! This body feels like it¡¯s gaining some strength! The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor picked Leo up and walked with him to the table. Leo wagged his tail and glanced at the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡ªThe spirit¡¯s, um, name is too difficult. ¡°Then call me Jan. It¡¯s the name Ruel gave me.¡± ¡ªWhat is Jan doing here? ¡°I am protecting the remaining spirits.¡± ¡ªWhy is there no Purifier? Why is this body alone? Jan laughed silently. ¡°Are you sad?¡± When Leo tilted his head and asked, Jan said while stroking Leo. ¡°It¡¯s sad.¡± Jan took a seat, and Ruel observed while inhaling Breath. When Leo sat on Ruel¡¯s lap, Jan began to speak. ¡°Can I speak first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in unnecessary stories,¡± Ruel said flatly. He didn¡¯t want to hear anything if the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor intended to bring up trivial stories from the past. His mind was already complicated. He already knew that the being crouched within the flower was likely a king. ¡°It¡¯s an essential story. It will be helpful to you, too, my child.¡± Since the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor made such a request, Ruel thought he should at least listen to what he had to say. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Ruel smirked arrogantly. ¡°Child.¡± As the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor continued to use the term ¡°child,¡± Ruel felt that he had to clarify. It was quite an unfamiliar way of addressing someone. ¡°My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°I am Cassion.¡± Cassion was also getting annoyed, so he said his name. ¡°Well, I¡¯m Aris.¡± As the self-introduction continued, even Aris noticed and then joined in. ¡ªThis body is Leo! Ruel named this body! And Leo climbed up to the table and felt proud, concluding the series of self-introductions. Jan laughed happily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Having seen many Setirias living and dying, I¡¯ve gotten used to it. Old habits die hard. Please understand.¡± ¡®Does that mean it¡¯s been over a hundred years?¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem real how many years the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor had spent walking the earth. ¡®That would make us seem like babies.¡¯ Ruel moved Leo from the table to his lap and urged Jan. ¡°Please continue speaking.¡± ¡°Child, have you ever thought about what kind of existence you are? Of course, your memories were erased, so it must have been frustrating...¡± ¡°I am Ruel Setiria,¡± Ruel curtly mentioned his name. He had already thoroughly considered and accepted his identity as Ruel Setiria. ¡°You must have been confused by your special powers to control monsters and see spirits...¡± ¡°Please get to the point without beating around the bush,¡± Ruel interrupted, his expression growing displeased. He couldn¡¯t fathom why the conversation had taken such a lengthy detour. However, no matter how Ruel looked at him, Jan continued to smile warmly. ¡°You were the first. To see spirits...¡± Growl. ¡°The power that the king gave to Setiria to command the monsters or the guardians, is the power that only you, who possess that power, can understand.¡± Everyone was shocked by Jan¡¯s words. ¡®He must have hit the jackpot in his past life.¡¯ Cassion looked at Ruel. Thump thump. Ruel heard his own heart beating loudly. Being the medium of the barrier, the only one who could see spirits, and now having the power to command monsters, it was too much for one person to bear. Ruel felt suffocated and spoke, ¡°Why on earth did the king give me this power? Is it because I am the only one who can see spirits?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Of course, it may not be. I cannot fully understand his intentions either,¡± Jan looked at Ruel with pity. Jan felt so many emotions from him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t ask anything of you. You have already received a lot, and you are carrying too much already.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that a bridge was needed between you and humans?¡± ¡°Child, you don¡¯t have to carry all of that burden alone.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that only I can see spirits?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice became louder. ¡°You have brought my power, so now I can gather more spirits.¡± ¡°The Great Man!¡± Ruel exploded after seeing the calm demeanor of the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. How could he be so relaxed with all the power he had found? ¡°He came looking for me!¡± Jan kept quiet when Ruel shouted loudly. The opponent was the Great Man. ¡°He said it¡¯s time for him to return and declared war after seeing me clearly.¡± Jan¡¯s expression darkened gradually. Listening to Ruel¡¯s gasping breaths, Jan closed and opened his eyes. ¡°Child. I know how nervous you are. All Setiria¡¯s were like that, and so are you.¡± Jan didn¡¯t laugh. He sincerely wanted to convince Ruel. ¡°Now, thanks to the power you brought, I can move freely and maintain the barrier without falling into slumber. The situation will improve even more than it is now.¡± ¡°How much better does it get?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to sacrifice yourself any further. So...¡± ¡°So, do you really not want anything from Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion quietly spoke instead of the exhausted Ruel.Then, he openly expressed his discomfort and continued speaking. ¡°Are you telling Ruel-nim to do nothing simply because you feel sorry for him? Or do you have false hope that he can win after enduring so much until now?¡± Cassion mocked Jan, criticizing him. Ruel had relieved some of the burden with the spirit stone he brought, but not everything was resolved. If Ruel was the last line of defense, shouldn¡¯t they have protected him better? They couldn¡¯t properly protect him and ended up burdening Ruel alone, making his burden heavier and claiming it was the truth. It didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you stop the Great Man with all your big talk?¡± Cassion asked the most fundamental question. Ruel also wanted to hear this part, so he waited for Jan¡¯s answer while stroking Leo. ¡°The Great Man knew us better than anyone else.¡± ¡®Knew us better?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath. He realized that there was some reason, some constraint, whether it was vague or whether Jan couldn¡¯t answer directly, that he couldn¡¯t tell him anything. ¡°Are you saying that this is someone you knew?¡± Jan nodded at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°Is there some constraint that prevents you from speaking?¡± Jan nodded again. If there was a constraint, he couldn¡¯t ask any further. Ruel stepped back for now. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Child. This is all I have to say to you. Is there anything else you want to ask? I¡¯ll tell you whatever I can within my limits,¡± Jan said. ¡°What is the current situation?¡± Ruel asked. What Ruel needed to know now was their situation. If they were to collapse, the damage would eventually come back to him, so he needed to come up with a plan. ¡°Child.¡± ¡°Please tell me.¡± At Ruel¡¯s urging, Jan looked at Leo. Leo¡¯s ears twitched. Jan let out a long sigh and hesitated. No matter what he said, Ruel was going to fight. It seemed that he should let go of his stubbornness. Surprised at the small fire he had been able to extinguish, he had grown impatient to protect what was in front of him. Jan wondered what it would have been like to fight alongside the spirits instead of protecting them. But it had already passed. Jan opened his tightly closed mouth. ¡°It¡¯s serious. The great man continues to spread corruption to kill the spirits.¡± ¡®The reason for creating the black water wasn¡¯t just to break my seal.¡¯ Ruel bit his lip. ¡°Spirits cannot exist in corrupted places, nor can they purify it. The only spirits that can purify this are purifiers, and they... I can¡¯t feel them anymore.¡± ¡ªWhat do you mean? Leo perked up at the mention of purifiers. Ruel¡¯s hand that was stroking Leo stopped. It seemed like Jan was planning to tell Leo the truth. Leo grabbed the table and glanced at Jan. ¡ªDoes Jan know where the Great Purifier¡¯s are? ¡°I did. I exist to protect and watch over you all,¡± Jan replied. ¡ªThen tell this body. When this body meets the Great Purifier, this body has a question to ask. Well, what does this body have to do, what was it born for, again. Leo¡¯s ears moved around, but he stopped thinking when nothing came to mind. ¡ªIn any case, please tell this body. ¡°Leo.¡± When Jan called Leo, Ruel urgently shouted, ¡°Wait.¡± Ruel pressed his lips tightly together as he looked at Leo. His hand trembled as he petted Leo. ¡°Just a moment, please.¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 138: Exhale Chapter 138: Exhale ¡ªRuel, what¡¯s the matter? Why do you suddenly seem sad? Leo was puzzled by the deep sadness he suddenly sensed in Ruel. ¡°Leo,¡± Ruel called out Leo¡¯s name with a heavy tone. ¡ªTell me. ¡°This story can wait for another time.¡± ¡ªBut this body has a question. After hearing Jan¡¯s words, this body wants to know more. ¡°You can come over another time and listen.¡± Ruel glanced at Jan and shook his head. Reluctantly, Jan nodded, sensing Ruel¡¯s sincere emotions. ¡°I might have rushed things. Leo, let¡¯s discuss it later.¡± ¡ªCan this body come back again? ¡°Of course.¡± ¡ªHehe. This body likes it here. Leo continued to talk about why he enjoyed being in this place and leaned his head against Ruel. ¡ªRuel, this body will listen to what you have to say later, but for now, can this body play with the spirits? Leo seemed tired from the intense conversation they had. ¡°Sure, go and play.¡± When Ruel lightly tapped Leo¡¯s back, he quickly dashed off. ¡ªI¡¯ll play and come back! ¡°...Ha.¡± Ruel let out a deep sigh, feeling a mixture of relief and uneasiness. He cautioned Jan, ¡°You mustn¡¯t reveal anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a truth that even the beasts will come to know one day,¡± Cassian remarked indirectly. ¡°I disagree,¡± Aris shook his head, voicing a differing opinion. Opinions were divided, and Ruel¡¯s expression grew darker. While he recognized that Leo needed to learn the story, he believed it wasn¡¯t the right time. ¡°I will speak when I decide. It¡¯s better that way.¡± ¡°...I can¡¯t sense the whereabouts of the Great Purifier, but there might still be a sliver of hope. I regret rushing into things and causing you distress.¡± Jan cautiously spoke, and Ruel saw a glimmer of hope. He also hoped for the same. He wished that Leo wouldn¡¯t have to experience the same pain as him. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s coughing caught Jan¡¯s attention, who seemed puzzled by the sound. ¡°Are you okay? It doesn¡¯t sound like a typical illness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mark of the Great Man.¡± ¡°That...?¡± Jan¡¯s eyes shook intensely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not your responsibility,¡± Ruel clarified, drawing a clear line for Jan. It wasn¡¯t Jan¡¯s fault that Ruel was marked by the Great Man. Ruel then shifted the focus to the task at hand. ¡°I can also perform purification. Perhaps others can too. Above all, I know what leads to corruption.¡± ¡°But even if other humans, including you, can perform purification, it¡¯s still different and dangerous compared to what the Great Purifier does,¡± Jan expressed concern, looking at Ruel. However, no matter how Jan showed concern, it wouldn¡¯t solve the issue. If Leo was the only Great Purifier left, then humans had to step in to restore balance. Ruel pointed towards the spirits and asked, ¡°Are all the spirits here?¡± ¡°No, spirits can be anywhere. There are still children I haven¡¯t found. Thanks to you, I can open many doors and rescue those children.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Ruel smiled satisfactorily at Jan¡¯s positive response. If the spirits were scattered everywhere, having a good source of information would be wonderful. ¡°I need you to be my ears.¡± ¡°Ears?¡± ¡°For the warlock.¡± Ruel paused for a moment and summoned his shadow. ¡°A very pure darkness.¡± At Jan¡¯s prompting, the shadow approached him adorably, seeming to cuddle up to him on its own. Ruel heard the joyous sound emanating from the shadow towards the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡®I thought it only enjoyed consuming things.¡¯ As Ruel retrieved his shadow, Jan looked disappointed. ¡°Are you asking me to find a warlock and a human who can wield darkness like you?¡± ¡°Yes, you must find them. That¡¯s why I specifically asked you.¡± Jan appeared to be on the verge of saying something worrisome. ¡°So please, do not draw a line between humans anymore.¡± Ruel spoke before Jan could utter a word. While Jan¡¯s words included ¡®us,¡¯ referring to Ruel, there was no mention of humans. Jan didn¡¯t hold resentment towards the Guardians¡¯ killing, but he drew a clear line. Jan smiled quietly for a while, touching his clasped hands. Eventually, with a lighter expression, he finally spoke, albeit belatedly. ¡°Yes, I understand what you¡¯re trying to say. To be honest, I don¡¯t have much fondness for humans. I know it¡¯s not their fault, but they always seem to be at the center of everything that happens.¡± Jan¡¯s smile turned slightly contorted. ¡°I find that very disappointing.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t force you to change your mind, but if you genuinely care, please consider my request.¡± ¡°Child.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me one thing.¡± Ruel waited for Jan to continue. ¡°Do you think things would be different now if I hadn¡¯t protected the spirits and fought against them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But there are many things that would be different if you had taken action, even now.¡± Jan suddenly burst into laughter, a sympathetic tone underlying his amusement. ¡°Thank you. Despite causing you much disappointment, I will make my move now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hand over my communicator.¡± Ruel gestured to Cassion and then to Jan. Jan took the communication device, examined it briefly, and then returned it to Ruel. ¡°With my power inside you, I can reach you without using the communicator.¡± ¡°But keep it with you, just in case,¡± Ruel insisted. Given his own unstable condition, there would undoubtedly be a need for communication. Jan reluctantly placed the communicator back in his hand. ¡°Why do the Guardians exist?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t a grand reason behind their existence. We couldn¡¯t bear to see Setiria carrying the burden alone. Since Setiria took on the heaviest and most difficult role, the rest of us felt it was our duty to take on other responsibilities.¡± ¡°Do you know where the other Guardians are?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps even the other Guardians themselves are unaware. It¡¯s better that way. If we were captured by the group led by the Great Man, we could die without revealing any crucial information.¡± Ruel sat up. Although he didn¡¯t know what the spirit had done, the sensation of his hair felt strange. ¡°You¡¯re here to treat your injuries, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t have much time left... Even if I disappear when the time comes, I have to do everything I can before that.¡± ¡°See you next time.¡± ¡°How reckless. Saying that kind of thing only leaves unnecessary regrets.¡± Mayre finally raised her head and looked at Ruel. Tears stained her face. Ruel stood up without saying a word and handed the thick gloves to Cassion. He knew that due to the constraints, he couldn¡¯t obtain information freely, and it was regrettable. ¡®Forgotten heroes.¡¯ Heroes are usually forgotten with time. But they had come like somewhat special heroes. ¡®If the Guardians are all colleagues, the first Setiria must have been a hero too.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and walked away silently. ¡®They know who the Great Man is. Why can¡¯t they even mention it because of some constraint?¡¯ The question still remained, but through the conversation, Ruel was able to establish a hypothesis. The Guardians, including Setiria, were heroes who protected this world from the Great Man. But for some reason, they couldn¡¯t eliminate the Great Man. ¡°It¡¯s because there are things in the royal treasure vault that must not be taken away by the Great Man.¡± Ruel recalled Brans¡¯ words. As a compromise, they had placed something related to the Great Man in the Leponia Palace treasure vault and created a barrier mediated by First Setiria to prevent the Great Man from coming to Leponia. ¡®It seems quite plausible.¡¯ Ruel thought as he stood in front of the fragment of power left by the king. ¡°Cassion, can you see this?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t see it.¡± The king was also a spirit, it seemed. ¡®Spirits have a broader range than I thought.¡¯ Ruel cautiously reached out his hand while inhaling Breath. He didn¡¯t feel any sense of being alive, but he just wanted to touch it. It felt like touching cold ice. But his hand didn¡¯t feel numb. ¡®As expected, there¡¯s no response.¡¯ Ruel sighed with disappointment and remained sitting there. ¡°The king is here. Well, to be precise, it¡¯s a fragment of the power left by the king. It¡¯s so beautiful with its shining scales.¡± ¡°You seem to need a drink.¡± Cassion¡¯s words made Ruel smirk. Indeed, he felt like it, but his body was too sensitive, and he couldn¡¯t drink. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to drink. You said it¡¯s forbidden.¡± Clink. Cassion took out a bottle from his magic pocket and shook it. The sound was clearly that of alcohol. As Ruel swallowed dryly, Cassion raised a corner of his mouth. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s not alcohol. Well, the taste might be similar.¡± ¡°Are you teasing me now?¡± ¡°Regardless of what it is, wouldn¡¯t it be enough if we could enjoy spring in winter?¡± ¡°Just be yourself as usual.¡± Unexpectedly, Cassion said something surprising, contrary to his usual behavior or personality. Ruel untied the hair that the spirit had touched and ruffled his hair in frustration. ¡°I am a butler.¡± Surprised by Cassion¡¯s sudden words, Ruel gave him a disapproving look. ¡°Why are you saying that? Did you finally get the sword you needed?¡± ¡°As I spend most of my days as a butler, I now feel like being a butler is my calling.¡± ¡°...Huh.¡± Ruel was finally impressed by Cassion¡¯s recognition of himself as a butler. How long had it been since he made the mana oath with Cassion? Cassion bowed his head and said, ¡°In that case, I will ask the spirit¡¯ progenitor to make a table.¡± ¡°...Fine.¡± Ruel glanced at his knees and the spirits around him, who were looking at him with worried expressions, then simply laid down in that spot. Kuroo kuru. Among them, that spirit was also visible. The spirit¡¯ eyes were welling up as if it would burst into tears at any moment. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to comfort me. It¡¯s my fault for being a Setiria.¡± As he thought about it again, anger suddenly surged up within him. ¡°Damn it.¡± He saw slowly drifting clouds. He thought he had somewhat escaped from the clutches of the Red Ash, but it was a mistake. A larger net was waiting for him. ¡¯Ruel Setiria.¡¯ His mind was complicated due to the various things Setiria had, causing anger yet feeling burdened, unable to let go of the situation as Cassion had said. He didn¡¯t even know if he should follow Cassion¡¯s advice and take a breath. ¡°Ha...¡± Ruel deeply, deeply exhaled while looking at the colorful petals fluttering in the wind. ¡®Hian...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He faintly smiled, recalling the words she had said while smiling. He finally knew her name. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 139: Exhale (2) *** ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious! Leo smiled brightly, lifting his face from his special rice bowl, which was filled with various snacks. However, Cassion¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he observed that the bowl was already more than halfway empty. It seemed like Leo had been eating more than usual. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you eating well,¡± Jan said quietly as he sat in front of Ruel. Aris, who had been engaged in conversation with Jan, joined the small dinner gathering as well. Every time Ruel took a bite, Jan smiled contentedly. ¡°It¡¯s burdensome,¡± Ruel said, annoyed, taking a bite of strawberry cake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But will you let me keep watching? The time that passes by for me is different, so the moments we spend talking and seeing each other are very precious to me.¡± Reluctantly, as Ruel had only planned to eat the snacks and leave, he nodded in agreement at Jan¡¯s sincerity. He replied, ¡°Yes, please feel free to do as you wish.¡± ¡°When do you plan to leave? I¡¯ve been thinking a lot as I walked here. I made a soft bed with the hope that you would sleep comfortably...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have this before I go. Cough.¡± Suddenly coughing, Ruel tasted the peculiar beverage that tastes like beer in his mouth. It was perfect as an accompanying drink with apple tea, but it left a slight sense of disappointment. ¡°A-Are you leaving already?¡± Jan was visibly flustered, stumbling over his words. ¡°Yes. Now that the business is finished, is there a need to stay longer?¡± Originally, Ruel¡¯s purpose for this short journey was to find out where the spirit was heading after growing up. Along the way, he ended up learning other various things, but his main objective was to take a break and perhaps do some fishing at Lake Prina. Jan gazed at Ruel with deep sadness, as if he feared that he would never see him again. He wondered how long it had been since the previous Setirias had shown such expressions. Ruel picked up the last strawberry from the cake with his fork and reassured Jan, saying, ¡°But Leo enjoys being here, so I will come to visit often.¡± This place is just as wonderful as Lake Prina. It¡¯s a perfect place to clear his mind and it¡¯s not even cold. ¡°Is that really true?¡± Jan asked, expression filled with hope. ¡°Have you been deceived?¡± Ruel replied playfully. Seeing Jan¡¯s delighted expression, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think I was fooled. It¡¯s just that those children probably don¡¯t like this place where there¡¯s nothing but flowers.¡± With a nostalgic gaze, Jan gently touched Ruel¡¯s hand, as if he had been deceived more than once. Sensing that he had unintentionally stirred painful memories, Ruel silently stuffed a piece of chocolate cake into his mouth. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Aris spoke up, his eyes sparkling like Leo¡¯s. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°While I was talking to the Spirits¡¯ Progenitor, I discovered an interesting fact.¡± Aris was typically interested in topics that stimulated his curiosity, such as the relationship between magic and nature to fundamental questions about magic and spirits. In other words, he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in academic matters that he didn¡¯t find interesting. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the reason the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor here is visible to me, even though he¡¯s a spirit, is because he¡¯s been granted the powers of a king, but then so has Leo! If this is how it works...¡± It was the same as when Cassion explained about the swords. Ruel stared at the spinning spirit in front of his bowl and chewed the cake he had stuffed into his mouth. In short, Leo had the king¡¯s genes mixed inside him, allowing him to control what is visible and invisible to human eyes. In other words, he was a more special existence compared to regular spirits. After finishing his explanation, Aris held his notebook carefully in his arms. He expressed his disbelief, saying, ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable. I want to inform Tyson-nim and Sister Drianna as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yeah, they will definitely find it fascinating,¡± Ruel agreed. Aris¡¯s explanation had been somewhat lengthy and sluggish, but he was genuinely interested in the topic. He knew that Tyson, Drianna, and Aris had discussed the principles behind Leo¡¯s ability to appear and disappear multiple times. Ruel had been forced to participate in those lengthy and tedious discussions. He had listened to half of it attentively and had fallen asleep during the other half. ¡°Child,¡± Jan said with a happy expression. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It has been a long time since so many humans have visited here, and I have never been this happy.¡± Jan expressed his sincere gratitude, causing Ruel to change the subject for no apparent reason. ¡°May I investigate and study this place?¡± Before Jan could respond, Aris suddenly stood up from his seat, looking astonished. ¡°Really?¡± Ruel could already imagine the reaction of the Magic Knights. ¡®They will absolutely love it.¡¯ They were still conducting research on the Beast Forest and had a lot of work to do. Ruel had concerns about the consequences of extending their research to a place with spirits. However, on the other hand, he couldn¡¯t simply ignore how much the Magic Knights would enjoy it. ¡°If it¡¯s an investigation, will more humans be coming?¡± Jan asked cautiously. ¡°Yes, they are the Magic Knights accompanying me.¡± ¡°In that case, bring as many as you want.¡± ¡°Do you trust me that much?¡± Ruel asked with a hint of surprise. Surprisingly, he granted his permission so easily. ¡°Of course. As I mentioned before, we owe a tremendous debt to Setiria.¡± This place was created to escape the Red Ash and monsters. Ruel smiled brightly for the first time in a while, knowing how significant Jan¡¯s decision was. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No, my child, that¡¯s something I should be saying. Thank you.¡±Visitt for the latest updates Jan smiled with joy. *** -Lord Setiria. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Ruel answered while waiting at the gate leading to Setiria. As Aris blocked outside sound with magic, Ruel was able to talk to Banios comfortably. -Where did you go, leaving your guests behind? ¡°You told me to take it easy, so where am I going and why are you asking about my whereabouts? I was just following your orders.¡± -Even though I said so, I didn¡¯t expect Lord Setiria to follow my orders so faithfully. Ruel covered his mouth as he coughed while inhaling Breath. Cassion¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡®His coughing seems to be getting worse.¡¯ Despite having taken all the medicine, Ruel¡¯s condition was worrisome. As Ruel¡¯s cough subsided, Banios spoke up again. ¡°But I don¡¯t think today is the day.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ruel asked and inhaled Breath. ¡°How about we simply enjoy fishing?¡± Clearing one¡¯s mind by hiking in the mountains felt great, but considering Ruel¡¯s current condition, fishing seemed like a reasonable alternative. Ruel smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m glad you finally understand my intentions.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot on your mind,¡± Banios commented. Banios had no idea what emotions were hidden behind Ruel¡¯s calm expression. He decided to let Ruel be, thinking that he wanted to conceal his feelings. Everyone needed a break sometimes. Banios¡¯s version of a break was spent with alcohol. ¡°If you ever need a drinking buddy, just call me. How about meeting in two months?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t drink,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re still a kid. How about we have a drink together in two months?¡± Banios found it amusing and chuckled. Ruel felt a little embarrassed at being treated like a child but clarified the misunderstanding. ¡°I did try drinking once, but it didn¡¯t sit well with me. Remember how I drank and vomited blood a few times, Cassion?¡± ¡°That happened more than a ¡®few¡¯ times,¡± Cassion replied, causing Banios¡¯ laughter to vanish. He asked in surprise, ¡°N-no, are you serious?¡± Cassion looked at him with a stern expression. ¡°I understand,¡± Banios said, his hands trembling slightly as he held the fishing rod. Since it seemed unlikely that Banios could regain control of the situation, Ruel decided to intervene. ¡°How about having tea instead of alcohol?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Banios burst into laughter abruptly upon hearing Ruel¡¯s unexpected suggestion. Knowing from past experience that once Banios started laughing, it was hard for him to stop, Ruel remained still, holding onto the fishing rod without any intention of moving. ¡®Why isn¡¯t my fishing rod moving...¡¯ When Ruel reached out his hand, Cassion familiarly gave him a piece of meat pie. Ruel took a big bite of the pie. Crunch. Eating outdoors made it taste even better than usual. ¡ªHeh! This body wants to eat too! Leo, who was swimming hard, pricked up his ears and looked at Ruel. Ruel chuckled at the sight of him suddenly coming towards him. ¡®His ears are sharp.¡¯ ¡°Sorry. Once I start laughing, it¡¯s hard to stop,¡± Banios said, embarrassed, only staring at the fishing rod. ¡°It¡¯s okay. So, how about considering my suggestion?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about having tea instead of alcohol, but it¡¯s fine,¡± Banios reluctantly agreed. Although it seemed like Banios was giving an unwilling approval, Ruel didn¡¯t mind. He never particularly enjoyed relying on the effects of alcohol to express himself. ¡ªCassion! Cassion! Give this body too! Leo approached Cassion, still dripping wet. ¡°Leo, you need to dry off,¡± at Ruel¡¯s words, Leo stood tall and looked at him. ¡ªThe wind will dry this body. But since Ruel told this body to pretend to be a fox outside, this body has no choice but to shake it off. ¡°Just a mome...¡± Before Ruel could finish his sentence, Leo shook off the water. ¡ªHup...! Looking surprised, Leo stared at Ruel after shaking off all the water. Ruel, completely soaked, calmly gazed at Cassion. Cassion pointed his finger at Aris. Externally, Cassion was an ordinary butler, and Aris was his knight. Regardless, Aris had to be the one to protect Ruel from any external harm. When Ruel looked at Aris, he seemed engrossed, as if he were shut off from the world and focused on something. ¡®Right. He said he was studying, so I can¡¯t say anything...¡¯ ¡°Are you alright?¡± Banios rummaged through his magic pocket, searching for something. Cassion took out a towel from his magic pocket and wiped Ruel off. He briefly glanced at the fishing rod. ¡°Ruel-nim, the fishing rod is shaking.¡± ¡ªIs that so! This body will help! Ruel quickly grabbed Leo¡¯s tail. ¡ªHic! With Leo¡¯s surprised cry, the lake quieted down. Fishing was indeed enjoyable. ¡°Achoo!¡± Ruel sneezed, causing Leo¡¯s ears to twitch. ¡ªThis body is at fault. Seeing Ruel covering himself with two blankets and heat patches, Leo hurriedly hid his head in Ruel¡¯s clothes. ¡ªThis body thought this body only had to watch out for Ruel¡¯s surroundings. Today, this body learned that even getting wet can give you a cold. It¡¯s not Leo¡¯s fault; it¡¯s just funny how his body gets a fever from getting a little wet. Ruel petted Leo. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel responded to Banios¡¯ question nonchalantly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Cassion said sincerely. It was a great relief that Banios had brought the carriage. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 140: Exhale (3) Ruel almost ended up heading home, fully exposed to the chilly wind. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m glad I could be of help,¡± Banios reassured, glancing at Ruel leaning against the carriage wall. ¡°I really am fine,¡± Ruel insisted, meeting Banios¡¯ gaze. Despite feeling a slight fever and dizziness, it was within an acceptable range. ¡°I apologize,¡± Banios suddenly said. ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡± Ruel asked, taken aback. ¡°What for?¡± Ruel asked, surprised. ¡°I mean, for sending you to Cyronian. Looking back, it was like throwing you into the lion¡¯s den.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, then give me a bunch of shiny things to hold in my hand.¡± Pffft. Banios chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ruel called out, and Banios turned to him with a smile. ¡°I actually encountered His Highness Kran, the second prince of Kran, in the neutral zone.¡± Ruel let out another surprised remark that Banios thought wasn¡¯t possible at this point. Banios widened his eyes and asked, ¡°Does that mean the envoy has already arrived? I haven¡¯t heard that news.¡± ¡°No, they haven¡¯t. According to Prince Treitol, it seems he visited the neutral zone first.¡± ¡°He went to the neutral zone first? So he doesn¡¯t intend to take part in the envoy? That sounds peculiar to me. Did he miss out on an opportunity for significant gain by staying idle?¡± Puzzled by the situation, Banios furrowed his brow. ¡°What kind of person is Prince Treitol, as far as you know?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Banios rubbed his chin, trying to recollect who Treitol was. ¡°I only met him when I was young, and even in my memories, he was a prince with a barely noticeable presence. But I heard that he underwent a complete change after suffering a head injury.¡± ¡°In that case, what kind of influence does he hold in Kran now?¡± Ruel asked, curious about Treitol¡¯s current position. Banios pondered for a moment before answering, ¡°Unlike Leponia, Kran is a country where the firstborn inherits the throne. However, the King of Kran holds the second prince in high regard, and he faces challenges from various directions.¡± ¡®So, is this what he meant by ¡®internal affairs¡¯?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, feeling a slight headache coming on. He closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them, continuing the conversation. ¡°Today, I found out that I¡¯m more famous than I thought. Your Highness, how famous do you think I am?¡± Ruel had requested King Huswen of Cyronian to delay the official announcement of his achievements until his upcoming coming-of-age ceremony. However, rumors have a way of spreading regardless. Despite his efforts to keep a low profile, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the extent of his newfound fame. Banios contemplated for a moment, a subtle twitch playing on his lips as he considered how to respond to Ruel¡¯s seemingly boastful yet humble inquiry. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to boast here. His Highness Treitol approached me after hearing these rumors. Please just tell me the facts you know.¡± ¡°To be honest, you are quite famous. Even if people don¡¯t know your name, they are aware of the title ¡®Noble of Darkness.''¡± As soon as the title ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ was mentioned, Ruel frowned deeply, his frustration evident. ¡®Damn you, Ganien!¡¯ Ruel¡¯s mind wandered back to Ganien, and he vowed that if he ever saw him again, he would definitely punch him in the face. Taking a moment to regain control of his emotions, Ruel asked again, ¡°Why am I so famous? Why did a prince from another country investigate me to that extent?¡± ¡°If I tell you the truth, there were acts of goodwill that you performed that hadn¡¯t been seen before, or rather hadn¡¯t been seen for decades. After the fall of the Tonisk Empire, there hasn¡¯t been such a thing. All three countries have been watching for an opportunity to fill that reputational void.¡±Visitt for the latest updates Banios took a short breath and continued speaking. ¡°Did you ask if a prince from another country would investigate you to that extent? Honestly, yes. Um, thanks to you, black outfits are selling like crazy... ahem.¡± Banios coughed awkwardly as Ruel¡¯s gaze became increasingly sharp. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve heard that your actions have increased the number of foreigners who view Leponia favorably. In a way, you have become a famous figure, and perhaps even a potentially dangerous one. It¡¯s only natural that investigations would be carried out.¡± As Banios conversed with Ruel, he found himself overwhelmed by curiosity and hesitated for a moment. ¡°Ruel, there¡¯s something I¡¯m really curious about, so please don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead and ask.¡± ¡°Do you know how to take a break?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right. Ruel doesn¡¯t know how to take a break. Although Leo knew he wasn¡¯t being heard, he joyfully replied. Cassion, sitting beside Ruel, couldn¡¯t contain his suppressed laughter. Realizing that he might have been too blunt in his question, Banios hesitated slightly and corrected himself. ¡°So, I¡¯ve been informed by your butler that you briefly left the mansion to rest. However, it seems that this wasn¡¯t exactly a leisure trip. When one is resting, one should...¡± Banios proceeded to explain how one should properly spend leisure time, as if he had paid particular attention to recent literature on the subject. While Cassion and Leo were captivated by Banios¡¯ words, Ruel listened with only partial attention, occasionally glancing out the window. ¡®...!¡¯ Suddenly, Ruel spotted something and urgently spoke up. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Could we please stop here for a moment?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± At Banios¡¯ words, Cassion knocked on the carriage wall. Ruel, who had been leaning against the carriage wall, straightened his body as the carriage came to a halt. ¡°Your Highness, may I step out briefly?¡± ¡°Where are you going? Isn¡¯t your body still not back to normal?¡± Ruel¡¯s face was slightly flushed with heat. He smiled faintly as he looked outside the window. ¡°Right now, I can see the new village I¡¯m building outside the window.¡± The village he had created for the first time. It had crumbled due to the black-blooded man, but now construction was underway once again. How relieved he was to hear that. ¡°Has there been any trouble in the back alleys lately?¡± The expression on Gors¡¯s face, which was just beaming moments ago, hardened. ¡°Actually, I was going to report that to you, my lord.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Lately, smuggled goods have been coming in through the back alleys.¡± ¡°Smuggled goods have always been coming in, haven¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Well, the thing is, as you mentioned, Prazio has started coming in as smuggled goods.¡± ¡°Prazio?¡± Ruel raised an eyebrow, having a specific reason for mentioning that item to Gors. It was because Prazio was an item that the Red Ash had come into contact with. Gors nodded. ¡°Yes, even if we try to apprehend them, the smuggling routes are so diverse that they slip through our fingers.¡± ¡°If you need support, let me know. I can provide as much backup as you need.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Just as Ruel finished his discussion with Gors, Leo returned, running towards him. Ruel rose from the rock, realizing that his business here was complete. ¡°Then, take care.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± Ruel looked at Gors as he spoke. ¡°Thank you once again for giving us this opportunity.¡± Ruel smiled faintly, leaning on his cane for support. He took a few steps forward and quietly called out to Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Instruct them to reinforce the gate.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It seemed that since he started trading with Cyronian, the Red Ash had started to lay the groundwork once again. He can¡¯t bear to see the Red Ash return to Leponia. Even if this incident wasn¡¯t related to the Red Ash, it was clear that it needed to be stopped. A haughty smile appeared on Ruel¡¯s lips. *** ¡°Achoo!¡± Fran tried to hide her frustration as Ruel sneezed. ¡°Mr. Ruel,¡± Fran addressed him. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°You clearly said you were going to rest. I don¡¯t understand why you keep finding excuses to be outside.¡± ¡°I rested. I just couldn¡¯t help myself from getting soaked.¡± ¡°I see. Did you overexert yourself?¡± ¡°Did my condition worsen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say for certain. The nature of your illness remains the same, but there are a few unusual aspects. We need to observe it further to understand what¡¯s happening,¡± Fran explained, closely watching Ruel¡¯s reaction. However, Ruel maintained a calm expression, making it difficult to gauge his true feelings. So, Fran smiled reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± ¡°Well then, until you recover from your cold, please refrain from wandering around.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ruel agreed, casting a quick glance at Leo, who was staring at the wall. After Fran, Tierra, and Cassion left, Ruel shifted his gaze to the ring on his finger. He needed to inform Ganien about what he had revealed to Banios, but he was still annoyed about the incident in the carriage. If only he had chosen a more ordinary title, he wouldn¡¯t have felt so embarrassed. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo, who had been fixated on the wall, turned his head to look at Ruel. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªThis body has already repented. ¡°Is that so?¡± Upon returning to the room, Leo stood facing the wall, expressing his intention to reflect on his actions. Ruel hadn¡¯t asked him to do so, and it wasn¡¯t necessary, but since Leo insisted, Ruel allowed him to do as he pleased. ¡ªThis body will never throw snow or water at Ruel! ¡°Leo, what you did...¡± ¡ªNo. This body is at fault. Aris told this body that if this body makes a mistake, this body has to reflect on it. ¡®He had a good teacher.¡¯ Leo immediately smiled bashfully and ran up to Ruel. He showed his belly, asking to be petted, and Ruel gently touched Leo¡¯s soft belly. Ruel infused mana into the ring and called Ganien. ¡°Ganien, is it a good time to talk?¡± -...Just a moment. What do you want to talk about now? Let¡¯s take a deep breath first. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just a little long.¡± -Oh, really? I thought it was something really serious. I¡¯m on my way home from work, so that¡¯s good news. What do you want to talk about? Ganien¡¯s cheerful voice lightened Ruel¡¯s mood, causing him to chuckle softly. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 141: Its my heart that goes -You... damn it. Haa. Bast, no, you... you really... Without waiting to hear what Ruel was going to say, Ganien interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important to you, right?¡± At Ruel¡¯s amused laughter, Ganien couldn¡¯t hold back the curse he had been holding in. Ruel petted Leo while waiting for Ganien to finish his swearing. -Are you crazy? The balance of the world? The last wall? Seriously? ¡°Um.¡± -What is the name of the first patriarch? ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe something like Setiria.¡± -Dig up that bastard¡¯s grave. ¡°Well, that¡¯s actually what I was planning to do.¡± What¡¯s so great about the legacy that forced Setiria into sacrifice? It was a waste of land to give. -He¡¯ll sacrifice alone, so why force everyone to sacrifice one after another? What a fucking bastard. Ruel nodded instinctively at Ganien¡¯s impassioned words, even though he knew Ganien couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°Anyway, Ganien. There¡¯s still more to uncover about Cyronian.¡± -And what happened to you again? Ganien sounded horrified. ¡°Prazio has entered Setiria once more.¡± -What? Did the Red Ash return? Ganien let out a laugh as if he was shocked. ¡°That¡¯s still being investigated. It¡¯s suspicious that Prazio appeared as soon as we started trading with Cyronian. There¡¯s no solid evidence yet, but suspicions are growing.¡± -As you mentioned, there¡¯s still more to uncover. I¡¯ll personally inform His Majesty. No, I¡¯ll discuss it with him tomorrow when I go to work. It would be better for you to contact him directly, right? ¡°Yeah.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel continued speaking, ¡°And have you heard the news about the Kingdom of Kran sending an envoy to Leponia?¡± -I have. I can¡¯t comprehend what those guys are thinking. The ones who used to look down on us are now trying to make amends or something. It appeared that the reports of Kran sending an envoy to Cyronian were indeed true. ¡°Ganien.¡± -Say. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been through a lot, but why does the current situation seem so suspicious? It seems like everything is going too smoothly, doesn¡¯t it?¡± -Yes, I feel uneasy too. Kran has always been good at betraying us. ¡°Betraying us?¡± When Ruel momentarily stopped his hand, Leo opened his eyes and stared at Ruel intently. -When the Tonisk Empire was about to collapse, they reached out to us first to form an alliance and then stabbed us in the back. In short, they¡¯re a treacherous bunch. That¡¯s why we dislike them. Geographically, Cyronian and Kran were positioned on either side of the Tonisk Empire. It seemed that they considered themselves the biggest competitors now that the empire had collapsed. -Anyway, we still don¡¯t know how things will turn out. His Majesty is considering it, but it might take some time for the decision. ¡°Yeah, please inform me when the decision is made. And make sure to handle the Red Ash situation properly.¡± -I¡¯d love to, but conflicts of interest are difficult. Unlike Leponia, we have many nobles here. As Ganien said, there are more than thirty times as many nobles in Cyronian as in Leponia, which must have been troublesome. -But Bianne Chen, whom you handed over, still has a scent, so I¡¯ll need to investigate further. Anyway, thanks. ¡°Yeah.¡± Just as Ruel was about to end the communication, Ganien urgently called out to him. -Just a moment. ¡°What now?¡± Ruel responded curtly. There didn¡¯t seem to be much left to discuss with Ganien. -... I was wondering if it was worth living. ¡°It¡¯s still worth living. Then.¡± -Wait a sec. I haven¡¯t arrived home yet. ¡°I¡¯m done with my business. That¡¯s it.¡± -Hey, hey! Just a moment... Before Ganien could finish his sentence, Ruel ended the communication and lay down on the bed. ¡ªIt sparkles. Leo opened his eyes and looked at Ruel¡¯s ring. The sparkling sight made his pupils shimmer even more. ¡®He¡¯s persistent today.¡¯ It seemed that Ganien was going home with his mouth, not his feet. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel asked in a disgruntled voice. -Last time when the gates of the Tonisk Empire opened, there were those guys we missed. Afraid that Ruel might end the call, Ganien quickly spoke up at the mention of the Tonisk Empire. Ruel tried to hang up but stopped at the mention of the Tonisk Empire. When he first heard this story, he thought it was strange. Those presumed to be soldiers suddenly disappeared? Was that really possible? ¡°Did you find any traces?¡± -I didn¡¯t find any traces, but I figured out what was left behind at that time. It¡¯s definitely not teleportation magic. As expected, Ruel didn¡¯t jump to conclusions and sought the expertise of Tyson regarding teleportation magic. Tyson confirmed that it was impossible and mentioned that teleportation magic takes at least 30 seconds to perform. ¡°What kind of trace was it?¡± -They mentioned that they saw traces of a warlock. Whether it¡¯s a warlock or a magic user who manipulates darkness, they¡¯re not common, so it¡¯s hard to say for sure. ¡®A warlock?¡¯ The Shadows were searching for them, yet there were no signs of their presence. ¡°But... I can¡¯t find it anymore.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, well, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it before, so I don¡¯t know what to say, but that strange structure exploded like a bomb and disappeared, leaving behind the previous illness.¡± Fran looked perplexed throughout her explanation. The illness grew back. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was a temporary phenomenon or not, so it felt like a dream. Deep wrinkles formed on Cassion¡¯s forehead. ¡®Did the Great Man interfere again?¡¯ Ruel had mentioned encountering the Great Man in a certain space before. At that time, the Great Man had touched Ruel¡¯s mark, causing the structure of the illness to change. He had been foolish to believe that was all. He should have been more suspicious. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ What the hell does this mean? ¡°I will continue to watch over him.¡± Fran gathered her resolve, swallowing back tears that seemed on the verge of spilling. Scratch. Scratch. The sound of a small fox scratching at the door made Cassion feel uneasy and frustrated. This was a very unfamiliar feeling to him, but one he had experienced before. It was a sense of helplessness. *** Three days later. Banios received a message from the royal palace and headed straight to Ruel¡¯s room. The atmosphere in the mansion was heavy and dark, making him question if it was the same place he had been staying in. Despite knocking on the door and entering, Cassion, who sat in front of the bed, remained motionless. Banios didn¡¯t find it rude; he found it pitiful. Even though he had been informed that Ruel would wake up today or tomorrow, Banios didn¡¯t believe it. He thought it was merely a figure of speech implying that Ruel¡¯s condition was critical. But he was mistaken. ¡°The envoy from the Kingdom of Kran has arrived,¡± Banios said, regardless of whether Cassion heard him or not. Only then did Cassion push back his disheveled hair and rise from his seat. ¡°Yes, I will convey the message to Ruel-nim once he wakes up,¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I have taken care of the eavesdropping, so you can rest assured.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. I wouldn¡¯t have stayed silent if this news had leaked outside.¡± It wasn¡¯t something a mere butler would say to a crown prince. However, Banios forcibly suppressed the instinctive warning and his discomfort. Without drawing back the curtain that concealed Ruel¡¯s appearance, he sat down beside Cassion. ¡°He will wake up.¡± ¡°He will.¡± ¡°But, why don¡¯t you eat something?¡± Every time Banios visited Ruel¡¯s room, Cassion never left his chair. He seemed like a wounded beast that had lost its appetite. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Cassion was not alone. Every knight in the manor had become a beast. Banios felt a deep sense of envy towards their loyalty. *** Four days later. As Ruel¡¯s fingers twitched, Leo hurriedly approached his face. Tears welled up in Leo¡¯s eyes upon seeing Ruel¡¯s trembling eyelids. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Leo called out to him desperately. When Ruel¡¯s hand touched his body, Leo held back his emotions, but tears inevitably streamed down his cheeks. ¡ªWhat Fran and Cassion say, this body doesn¡¯t know but this body knows that Ruel was in a lot of pain. Ruel, who was already pale, became even paler, as if buried in snow. ¡ªEven if this body was hungry, this body endured this time. Black things accumulated inside Ruel¡¯s body, but Leo judged that he shouldn¡¯t eat because there was too much blood on the bed that day. ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t go to Aris either. Sob, leaning against the door, this body listened to Ruel¡¯s heartbeat quietly. Leo was terrified that the faint sound of the heartbeat might disappear at any moment. Ruel opened heavy eyelids, hearing Leo¡¯s whimper. He hadn¡¯t dreamt of anything. It felt like he had just slept for a long time. ¡®...I really thought I was going to die this time.¡¯ Something was off. The symptoms seemed familiar, but they were different. It felt as though death was spreading through his veins like poison. ¡®Did the Great Man plant something?¡¯ ¡°Are you... awake?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice strained as he struggled to open his mouth. Ruel was taken aback by the sight of Cassion¡¯s unfamiliar face. The gravity of the situation must have been immense. Ruel smiled, not asking any questions. ¡°... see?¡± Ruel managed to speak after taking a deep breath. ¡°...That I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Yes, I knew.¡± Cassion answered with a faint smile. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 142: Its my heart that goes (2) Chapter 142: It''s my heart that goes (2) *** Crunch. Ruel swiftly devoured a meat pie. Munch. With his mouth full of cookies, Ruel extended his empty hand to Cassion. ¡°People really need to eat,¡± he mumbled. Although Ruel¡¯s voice lacked strength, Cassion felt reassured that Ruel was now okay. ¡°I¡¯ll go call Fran,¡± Cassion said, placing a cookie in Ruel¡¯s palm. Concerned that Fran had been staying awake for days, Cassion convinced her to return to her room, fearing that she might collapse. Ruel was about to eat another cookie when he spoke up. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you asked how I ended up like this?¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s assess your condition, Ruel-nim. We can discuss the reasons later.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Ruel agreed. Leo, pulling himself out of the bliss of Ruel¡¯s touch, shouted. ¡ªCassion is right! He then stood up abruptly and stared at Ruel intently. Ruel gently touched Leo¡¯s lips. ¡°Maybe that Great Man did something to me when we last met,¡± Ruel revealed without hesitation, even though Cassion had suggested discussing it later. He then smirked. ¡°But I emerged victorious, didn¡¯t I?¡± It may be funny to say that he won in this situation, but as Ruel said, if the Great Man pulled out some trick, it could be said that Ruel won because he overcame it. Because surviving means winning. ¡°Despite your victory, you appear quite worn out,¡± Cassion bluntly remarked. It seemed that the things hanging on his arms were not visible right now. ¡°That¡¯s understandable, and... what about Uncle?¡± Ruel asked after a moment of pause. He was always prone to worrying, and he wondered how shocked his uncle would have been by the incident when his heart had stopped before, and now this. Cassion¡¯s expression softened as he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll bring him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡ªRuel. Leo called out to him as Cassion left the room. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªRuel should thank Cassion. Although Cassion¡¯s footsteps paused for a moment, as if pretending not to hear, the sound of the doorknob turning was heard. ¡°...Thank you,¡± Ruel spoke in a barely audible voice, without questioning Leo further. Even though it was soft, Cassion must have heard it clearly. ¡°Please find a good sword for me,¡± Cassion chuckled as he left. ¡°Sure,¡± came an indifferent voice in response. ¡ªCassion drew blood for Ruel. He never left Ruel¡¯s side, always there. And... After confirming Cassion¡¯s departure, Leo chirped more cheerfully. Ruel inhaled Breath and clenched his hand without saying a word. ¡®This can¡¯t continue.¡¯ If the mark on his body disappeared, he didn¡¯t know what would happen to Leo. He had been putting off dealing with it until now. However, Ruel now had a way to contact the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡®How should I reach out to him?¡¯ Recalling the method Jan had taught him, Ruel attempted to contact him. ¡®He said to imagine opening a door by adjusting mana at a regular rate, right?¡¯ ¡ªAre you in pain? As Ruel closed his eyes, Leo urgently stroked his head with his paw. ¡°No. I am trying to contact Jan. I have some questions to ask.¡± -What is it, my dear? What¡¯s going on? As if the connection was successful, he could hear Jan¡¯s excited voice in his mind. It feels a bit ticklish. ¡°I want to ask about something related to Leo.¡± -By any chance... Did you tell everything to Leo? ¡°No. I contacted you to ask what Leo should eat besides the thing called ¡®black stuff¡¯.¡± ¡ªThis body can answer that. This body eats ice cream, cake, and apple tea! Ah! This body also eats cookies and meat pies! Leo smiled as if it was a delight just to say it. Ruel scratched the back of Leo¡¯s neck. -Is Leo forgetting his duties as the Great Purifier? ¡°Yes.¡± -I see. It¡¯s not just immaturity from being too young. Spirits do not forget the mission assigned at birth. He seems to have been born a little unstable. Jan sighed softly. -Child, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re next to Leo. ¡°Why?¡± -The Great Purifiers are born in the purest of darkness. That¡¯s why they can naturally use purification like breathing. Ruel stared intently at Leo. The green eyes twinkled back at him. ¡®Born in darkness?¡¯ Leo and darkness seemed incompatible. In fact, his fur color made him blend in with sunlight, not darkness. *** ¡°I apologize sincerely for delivering such news as soon as you open your eyes. There will be no demands this time, and your...¡± ¡°I will go.¡± Ruel readily accepted Banios¡¯ proposal. Cassion and Banios¡¯ faces contorted almost simultaneously. Before Banios arrived, Cassion had informed Ruel of three facts: The delegation from the Kran Kingdom had arrived in Leponia, a noble from the Kran Kingdom who had conducted trade with Prince Huan and Luruan involved in the Red Ash had been identified. However, as Ganien had revealed, they were actually officials of the Tonisk Empire, not nobles of the Kran Kingdom. And there was a member of the Red Ash among the nobility named Medeas Tehel. He was a member of the Tonisk Empire and the son of a former prime minister. ¡®That Medeas is connected to the first prince of Kran, Adea Kran.¡¯ It was unbelievable. It was like finding a sweet potato in a field. For the first time in a while, Ruel felt excited. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Ruel.¡± Both Cassion and Banios broke the silence and spoke. Ruel responded calmly, as it was a familiar response he always received. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the King of the Kingdom of Kran personally chose me to lead the delegation?¡± ¡°Well... but there¡¯s no absolute need for you to go. His Majesty will surely find a way to prevent it. I will also help.¡± Ruel was currently lying down, unable to move, with medical devices attached to his arm. Anyone who saw him would try to stop him. ¡°Now I have a reason to go.¡± Ruel smiled as if he had found an interesting toy. ¡°There is nothing to exchange for your health,¡± Banios insisted. Ruel informed Banios of what the shadows had discovered in response to his firm words. Banios had to know but Ruel didn¡¯t reveal everything. Maybe there was a Red Ash¡¯ executive there, he made up an excuse like that. ¡°Huh.¡± Banios couldn¡¯t close his mouth in disbelief. ¡°Why... Why do I keep hearing surprising facts from you?¡± ¡°This journey will be accompanied by Prince Adoris.¡± From the perspective of the Red Ash, Adoris was a traitor. It created a perfect target. Ruel planned to use himself, who was popular among the people, and Adoris, a traitor to the enemy, as bait. Banios managed to calm his heart as he looked at the little fox clinging to Ruel¡¯s side. ¡°Ruel, to be honest, I was planning to reject the intention brought by the delegation and inform you of my decision.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Kran bring an offer to form an alliance? And even though you didn¡¯t mention it, they surely didn¡¯t just come here for nothing. Wasn¡¯t it included in the conditions of the alliance that I would go to Kran?¡± The Red Ash¡¯ executive was a man under Adea Kran. The prince would not have come as the head of the delegation without a reason. Banios flinched at Ruel¡¯s sharp point. Adea Kran had specifically requested Ruel, who had played a crucial role in establishing the alliance between Cyronian and Leponia, to be sent as the representative of the delegation. Despite being presented as a request, it was more of a condition. It appeared that they wanted to exploit Ruel¡¯s favorable reputation to gain some advantage, even if it meant extracting minor concessions. Alternatively, they might have aimed to present Ruel as a symbol of peace. Either way, Banios was displeased with this fact. Banios sighed and said, ¡°Brother Adonis alone will go to Kran. That was the original plan.¡± Ruel chuckled lightly. What Banios was saying now was merely a last resort. The first prince, Huan, was imprisoned and the second prince, Adoris, had also committed a crime and had given up the throne, barely maintaining his position as a prince. Banios was the only one left. He couldn¡¯t risk leaving Leponia and falling into a trap, as it would practically be the end of their country. But Kran, a country where the firstborn inherits the throne, has sent their first prince. Could they really send only Adoris under these circumstances? ¡°Your Highness, I know the situation is not favorable, so you can stop acting.¡± Banios squeezed his thighs and sighed. ¡°I never thought it would be this difficult to deceive you.¡± ¡°When did I ever say I was going now?¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°I will go to Kran once I have recovered. They may have their own plans for my arrival, but ultimately, it is my decision.¡± A subtle smile played on Ruel¡¯s lips. He had no intention of blindly accepting Kran¡¯s demands. He intended to act only after confirming the ties between Kran and the Tonisk Empire. ¡°I do plan to go eventually, but my current condition is not suitable. Please inform them that I will go at a later time, accompanied by some flattery, of course.¡± Banios, who had been frowning the whole time, suddenly laughed. How could he not laugh at Ruel¡¯s statement that he would defy Kran¡¯s arrogance? Alliances aside, how arrogant was it of the Kran Kingdom to act in such a manner? From the moment Banios ordered Ruel Setiria to be sent as the representative of the delegation, an invisible battle had begun. Who had made the request for a prince to be sent? Who had proposed using the alliance as a hostage under the pretense of courtesy? How dare they treat Leponia in such a manner? ¡°Very well. You¡¯re right. Rest comfortably and inform us when you feel ready to go. We will leisurely make the decision on that day.¡± Finally, Ruel¡¯s words struck a chord with Banios. Delighted, Ruel replied with a beaming face, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I trust your word, and I will rest well.¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 143: Its my heart that goes (3) Chapter 143: It''s my heart that goes (3) *** ¡°Ganien, please convey my apologies to His Majesty Huswen for the delay,¡± Ruel said as soon as he contacted Ganien. He had originally intended to contact Huswen and discuss the current situation, but he unintentionally broke that promise. -...Huh. Ganien could only laugh in disbelief. ¡ªRuel, you should sleep now. Fran said you need plenty of rest. Leo said, flicking the blankets up with his short front paws. Since Ruel was already under the blanket, he stroked the back of Leo¡¯s neck. Leo¡¯s serious expression softened, and he smiled. Ruel smiled at the sight and said, ¡°Since when did you start saying that you wanted me to sleep?¡± ¡ªThis body hates it more when you¡¯re sick. Many humans weep when Ruel is sick. Even Aris cried today! News of Ruel waking up spread, hence many people briefly visited his room. Upon seeing Ruel¡¯s condition, visitors displayed visible emotions and teary eyes. Aris was one of them and burst into tears upon seeing Ruel. It reminded Ruel of their first meeting¡ªthe child who was thin and desperate for help was now growing into an adult, surpassing his own height, but Aris still cried like a child. Ruel once again realized that his life was not just his own and felt the need to value himself even more. Ruel comforted Leo and said, ¡°Just a few more words with Ganien, and then I¡¯ll go to bed.¡± ¡ªReally? ¡°Yes.¡± Despite Ruel¡¯s answer, Leo crouched next to Ruel with a sullen expression on his face. -Do you have to say that as soon as you wake up? Forget it, get some rest, don¡¯t worry about anything else! ¡°I am resting. I¡¯ve been in bed all day today, haven¡¯t I?¡± Ruel chuckled. -And now you¡¯re laughing? ¡°So did you inform His Majesty Huswen?¡± -You are so stubborn. I relayed everything you said. His Majesty was very worried. The Master too. ¡°Okay, please tell them thank you.¡± -Got it. ¡°Sorry...¡± Before Ruel could finish speaking, Ganien cut off contact first. Ruel chuckled again and closed his eyes. He felt like he needed to warn the other family heads to be cautious of Prazio, but it seemed that for today, he had done enough. His eyes felt heavy. ¡ªHave sweet dreams! Leo rushed to turn off the light, as if he had been waiting. *** ¡°I apologize for calling you at this late hour,¡± Brans said with a faint smile as he looked at Adea Kran. ¡°No, I cannot express enough gratitude for Your Majesty¡¯s kind consideration. Please don¡¯t worry,¡± Adea replied. ¡°Lord Setiria¡¯s condition has worsened recently, and I have only just received a response. I apologize for the delay,¡± Brans expressed his regret. ¡°No, it was actually me who was worried and felt troubled for Lord Setiria.¡± Brans suppressed his anger inside as he looked at Adea¡¯s mouth, talking like a snake. He knew about Ruel¡¯s condition, yet he deliberately used him as a hostage for the alliance. However, he couldn¡¯t turn them away when the road to peace laid before him. Brans clenched his fist tightly and spoke softly. ¡°Lord Setiria has granted the prince¡¯s request. He will go to the Kingdom of Kran as the representative of the delegation.¡± ¡°Thank you. Please convey my gratitude to Lord Setiria as well,¡± Adea responded. ¡°One more thing,¡± Brans smiled, interrupting Adea, who held his breath in anticipation. ¡°Lord Setiria has decided to depart once he recovers. Please inform the King of Kran about this,¡± Brans continued. ¡°When is he going to...?¡± ¡°Prince Adea,¡± Brans¡¯s forceful voice called out, drawing a line. ¡°I cannot force Lord Setiria any further, so refrain from asking. Anyway, since we have granted the demands of the Kingdom of Kran, it is time for you to withdraw.¡± Before Adea could protest, Brans dismissed them. ¡°Dammit!¡± Adea left Brans¡¯s room as if being kicked out and vented his anger upon returning to his own quarters. ¡°Please calm down, Your Highness. This is Leponia. You must be careful.¡± ¡°I know. I know!¡± Adea followed the butler¡¯s advice, sat down, and tried his best to calm his anger. ¡°What about Treitol?¡± ¡°He is waiting for Your Highness in the neutral zone.¡± ¡®What¡¯s on your mind, Treitol?¡¯ Ever since suffering a head injury, Treitol had become a completely different person. He claimed to have accompanied the diplomatic delegation to see the neutral zone out of curiosity, but Adea didn¡¯t believe him. Adea sensed that Treitol had his sights set on the throne. Adea anxiously revealed his restlessness by repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fists. Finally, he persuaded His Majesty Brans to summon Ruel Setiria to Kran. ¡®Just a little more.¡¯ Adea applied so much force that his hands turned bright red. *** Ketlan revealed the Prios emblem appearing on the back of his hand. ¡°I wanted to show it to Ruel-nim first.¡± Although he spoke calmly, the emotion was evident in Ketlan¡¯s expression. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Ruel greeted him simply. Ketlan smiled slowly, without rushing. There had been a slight delay due to the remnants of the Prios family, but Ketlan had officially become the head of the family thanks to the removal of the Red Ash. ¡°Can they communicate now?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Yes, they can express their opinions,¡± Cassion confirmed. ¡°In that case, deliver this message,¡± Ruel grinned. Red Ash never acted without purpose. ¡°If they want to bring down the Great Man, they should tell me everything.¡± ¡°Alright, I will relay your words,¡± Cassion said. As he was about to leave, he hesitated and spoke softly. ¡°Fran said a light walk would be fine. There might be a lot of stars tonight. Take care not to catch a cold.¡± Cassion neatly laid a white cloak on the bed. ¡°Are you encouraging me to go out for once?¡± Ruel asked. Cassion chuckled lightly. ¡°Even if I advised against it, you would still go out, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± Ruel felt a twinge of guilt and didn¡¯t even manage to speak. ¡°In my opinion, it seems like it¡¯s about time for you to go out. It¡¯s already been three days. Well then,¡± Cassion said, bowing slightly before leaving. ¡®Has it only been three days?¡¯ Being confined to the bed made it feel like a week had passed. He now looked at the solitary IV drip, and before he knew it, he made eye contact with Leo, who was dangling from the bed. ¡ªAre we going to have some cocoa? ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡ªThis body is ready at any time. Leo¡¯s tail wagged so much that it seemed invincible. Just like Cassion said, he was starting to feel a bit sore. ¡ªIt sparkles! Leo climbed onto the bed and grabbed Ruel¡¯s arm. The ring sparkled. It was Ganien. ¡®He won¡¯t let me contact His Majesty Huswen.¡¯ Ruel tried to contact Ganien earlier today, but Ganien only left the message ¡®Rest¡¯ and cut off the communication. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel said grumpily. -The gates of the Tonisk Empire are open. Ganien¡¯s serious voice came through the ring. Ruel¡¯s expression hardened upon hearing Ganien¡¯s words. ¡°Again?¡± -It¡¯s different this time. I confirmed that they were real soldiers. Ruel gazed at the window. Darkness had fallen. It was a good time to move secretly. ¡°Are you going there now?¡± Ruel asked. Ganien seemed to have mounted a horse as the sound of the wind and clattering hooves could be heard. -Yes, I¡¯m heading there now after hearing the news. Even though the numbers might not be many, they say it¡¯s over a hundred. I¡¯ll see what they¡¯re like. Unlike his words, Ganien¡¯s voice was tense. It was the Tonisk Empire. This time, unlike last time, they had confirmed that they were actual soldiers. ¡°If you¡¯re going, that means the soldiers are coming toward the Cyronian.¡± -Yes, they¡¯re coming our way. ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± -I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only read about them in books but never actually fought anyone from Tonisk before. The sound of the horses¡¯ hooves became faster. It sounded like Ganien¡¯s heartbeat. -Regardless I will be the one to win. Ganien laughed out loud. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll win and come back to defeat Cassion.¡± -That¡¯s some good encouragement. The sound of grinding teeth could be heard in the background. ¡°Stay in touch.¡± -Yeah. I¡¯ll contact you later. Take care then. Ganien cut off the communication first. Ruel grabbed Breath and bit his lips at the fact that the approaching danger felt more imminent ¡®Is the Tonisk Empire really moving?¡¯ He expected it, but it finally felt real now. His heart pounded hard with the fear of war. ¡ªRuel, are you sick? When Ruel¡¯s complexion paled slightly, Leo lifted a short front paw to comfort him. ¡°No, I¡¯m not in pain. It¡¯s just the medicine working,¡± Ruel assured, pointing at the IV to indicate the painkiller¡¯s effectiveness. ¡°Leo, let¡¯s go get some cocoa.¡± ¡ªReally? Leo was so happy that he jumped up in his place, pricked up his ears, and looked at Ruel. ¡ªAre you okay? ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little fuzzy-headed.¡± He needed time to process the information he had received; he felt restless without a clear reason. Something was bothering him, and he hoped that slowing down and enjoying a cup of cocoa would help him figure it out. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 144: Everything was a lie (1) Chapter 144: Everything was a lie (1) ¡®What¡¯s missing?¡¯ Ruel went to kitchen while thinking for the missing puzzle piece ¡°My Lord?¡± He ran into Astell, who was just coming out of the kitchen. ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m not too late.¡± Astell smiled in response to Ruel¡¯s smile, ¡°Are you here for some cocoa?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Two cups, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Come in. It¡¯s warmer here than the hallway.¡± Astell opened the door and waited for Ruel. ¡ªThere always seemed to be a sweet smell coming from Astell Leo rubbed his head against Astell¡¯s leg and followed Ruel. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°You also came to my room yesterday.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look as well as you did yesterday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came for cocoa.¡± Seeing Ruel¡¯s indifferent expression, Astell decided not to ask further. ¡°The Lord will always do well.¡± Instead, she carefully encouraged Ruel. ¡°...?¡± At Astell¡¯s words, Ruel looked at her with a puzzled look. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going through, but I¡¯m always here to support you, my lord.¡± ¡°Ok, thanks.¡± Ruel waited patiently, showing a faint smile. Since his body couldn¡¯t move freely, he had to use his head at least. More than others. That¡¯s why he needed something sweet today. *** ¡®Medeas Tehel, a man of Adea Kran, was an executive of the Red Ash and a citizen of the Tonisk Empire. Technically, his mother was Kran, so he was half-blood.¡¯ Ruel gently stroked Leo¡¯s smooth fur and tasted the sweetness in his mouth. ¡®However, the issue is that there is still no evidence that Adea Kran is one of the Red Ash.¡¯ Medeas Tehel was an executive. Even though Adea claimed to be a prince, some evidence should have been revealed. ¡®The gates of the Tonisk Empire have opened twice.¡¯ Once before Kran sent an envoy to Leponia. And once before Kran sent an envoy to Cyronian. ¡®Is this just a simple coincidence?¡¯ Ruel took a deep breath. ¡®When the gates of the Tonisk Empire first opened, those presumed to be soldiers suddenly disappeared from the scene. Although it is not exact where they disappeared, traces of black magic were visible.¡¯ But the second time was different. Soldiers moved as if they were really going to attack Cyronian. What was the reason? What was most incomprehensible was the behavior of Treitol Kran, the second prince of Kran. Neutral zone. ¡®Why did Treitol come to the neutral zone?¡¯ Without any gain, it was too strange to visit the neutral zone just to see it. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. As Cassion says, there are many stars! Leo stopped licking his cocoa and looked at the sky. Ruel instinctively gazed at the sky as well. The densely packed stars emitted different lights with each blink. ¡°Ha,¡± Ruel exhaled. His fingers grew numb, the cold air biting at his skin. He had forgotten to wear gloves despite being fully armed. Leo grabbed Ruel¡¯s hand with his short front paw. ¡ªThis body loves drinking cocoa while looking at the stars. It tastes different from just drinking it. ¡°How is it different?¡± Ruel asked with a smile. He felt like Leo could become a food critic at this rate. ¡ªThe twinkling of the stars feels like it¡¯s entering this body¡¯ mouth! That¡¯s why this body drinks cocoa after looking at the sky! ¡°That¡¯s a nice way of putting it.¡± ¡ªTry drinking it like this body, Ruel. Ruel patted Leo¡¯s head and reached for the cocoa he had set aside. When Leo touched it lightly, the slightly cooled cocoa became warm enough to enjoy. He looked up at the sky and drank the cocoa. It felt like being a baby bird surrounded by numerous mother birds. Fran laughed even harder than before, but stopped abruptly at the sound of Tierra¡¯s call and spoke calmly, ¡°As you know, I am the only doctor in this mansion. Even if I don¡¯t want to, I hear everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to have multiple sources of information.¡± ¡°They all did it out of their affection for you, Mr. Ruel. I hope you don¡¯t find it unpleasant,¡± Fran said. ¡°Who said anything about being offended? It¡¯s just... a little strange,¡± Ruel replied, averting his gaze slightly and scratching his cheek. Fran¡¯s eyes widened momentarily, and then she regarded Ruel with an intrigued expression. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel inquired, aware of Fran¡¯s curious gaze. She laughed bashfully and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, considering the severity of the situation, your recovery is remarkably fast. You can start moving around now, but as always, don¡¯t push yourself too hard,¡± Fran said. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t push myself.¡± ¡°Mr. Ruel.¡± Fran leaned back and spoke, conscious of the stares around her. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°You always say the same thing, ¡®It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t push myself.¡¯ We all know that¡¯s the most unreliable thing you can say. I knew it for sure this time.¡± ¡°Who said that?¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze instinctively turned to Cassion, who shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Mr. Ruel,¡± Fran called out to him again, her brows slightly furrowed, uncertain of what she would say next. ¡°I will ensure that the events of last time do not repeat themselves.¡± Fran wiped the smile off her face, regret reflecting in her eyes. ¡°I heard that you are going as a representative of the Kran Kingdom delegation. Tierra and I also want to accompany you on this journey.¡± ¡°Fran.¡± ¡°I know I may not be capable, but please allow me to join you on this journey.¡± ¡°I have never considered you as incapable,¡± Ruel spoke sincerely, causing Fran to tightly seal her lips. Ruel had heard through Cassion about how heavily she blamed herself for the recent events. ¡°Regardless, no. This trip is far more dangerous than you realize.¡± ¡°I think Fran should come with us this time.¡± Cassion, who had been silently listening to the story, spoke up. ¡ªThis body also thinks Fran should go. What if you collapse suddenly like last time, this body, this body, is too scared. Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s body. Ruel patted Leo and glared at Cassion. Cassion said what he wanted to say despite Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°I understand that you said those words for Fran¡¯s sake, Ruel-nim, but you need Fran.¡± ¡°I feel the same way,¡± Fran quickly added. ¡°Your current physical condition has too many variables. Instead of relying on an external doctor who may not fully understand the situation, I believe it¡¯s better if I accompany you, Mr. Ruel.¡± Caught in Fran¡¯s earnest gaze, Ruel fell into deep thought before speaking. ¡°I will consider it. I need some time to think.¡± It was not a decision he would make lightly; it required careful consideration. ¡°Understood. Please take your time and give us an answer,¡± Fran replied, her face brightening at the fact that Ruel didn¡¯t outright refuse. She left with Tierra, leaving Cassion standing behind. Ruel spoke first, breaking the silence. ¡°You know why I don¡¯t want to take Fran with us.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. That¡¯s why I thought about it carefully and told you,¡± Cassion replied. ¡°What if something happens to Fran?¡± Ruel was referring to the worst-case scenario, and Cassion didn¡¯t understand why he always dwelled on that possibility. Cassion, suppressing his frustration, spoke. ¡°Why do you always prioritize others over yourself, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already a target, but Fran is different.¡± Ruel¡¯s words, considering himself as the obvious risk, momentarily angered Cassion. Cassion calmly assessed the situation. In other matters, he would have been fine, but not when it came to Ruel¡¯s own people, the people he had always considered his own. It was the butler¡¯s job to keep his master in line. ¡°I will also make sure to protect Fran at all costs, so please allow it.¡± Cassion refused Ruel¡¯s command, feeling his heart tighten. ¡ªRuel, this body will protect Fran as well. Fran is necessary for you, Ruel. When Leo joined in, Ruel¡¯s heart wavered. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± It was a matter that required time for Ruel, at least in his perspective. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know later.¡± ¡°Understood. Then I will take my leave.¡± Ruel had made significant concessions, so Cassion didn¡¯t press any further and left. As soon as Cassion left, Ruel inhaled Breath. He had planned to go to Tyson, but upon receiving a message from Ganien, it seemed he needed to leave. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo, hugging one of the spirits, looked at Ruel. ¡ªThis body thought Aris was the most cautious person, but it seems this body was mistaken. Leo held Ruel¡¯s hand. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 145: Everything was a lie (2) Chapter 145: Everything was a lie (2) ¡ªRuel is the most cautious of all. Ruel silently stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡ªDon¡¯t be scared. What could he be scared of? Even though Ruel didn¡¯t know why, he couldn¡¯t deny those words. ¡°I know it¡¯s better for Fran to go to Kran with me.¡± ¡ªThen why are you opposing it? Leo tilted his head curiously. Ruel didn¡¯t have an immediate answer. He had always entrusted dangerous tasks to the shadows while being exceptionally cautious with Fran. In that contradiction, Ruel finally realized why he was opposing it. Finally, he understood what Leo was saying. Ruel whispered softly, ¡°...Because they¡¯re weak.¡± He was still afraid of his father, who was thinner than his own arm and still relied on a respirator. ¡°If they¡¯re weak, they¡¯ll die quickly.¡± That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t escape from sadness and saw that image overlapping with others. Leo blinked his eyes and continued to look at Ruel. ¡°But...¡± Ruel took a deep breath. ¡°I suppose I have to trust, right?¡± Since Cassion said he would protect Fran and Tierra, he must keep his word. Finally, Leo smiled brightly. ¡ªJust trust this body! This body is a great purifier! ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick to call.¡± Cassion appeared with a sigh. He glanced at his watch, realizing that he had left Ruel¡¯s room only a minute and 43 seconds ago. Ruel smiled as Cassion sighed, regardless of whether it was a complaint or a sigh of relief. ¡°Tell Fran and Tierra to pack in advance.¡± Cassion was momentarily curious about Ruel¡¯s sudden change of heart. ¡°Ruel-nim, why...¡± ¡°Now go.¡± Ruel interrupted Cassion¡¯s words and waved his hand. It seemed Ruel had no intention of providing an explanation. Cassion briefly lifted the corners of his mouth, observing Leo rubbing his face against Ruel¡¯s palm. ¡°Understood. Then.¡± Confirming Cassion¡¯s left, Ruel called Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at Ruel. ¡ªYes? ¡°If Cassion promises to give you ice cream, you¡¯ll fall for the temptation just like that, right?¡± ¡ªThis, this body... Leo¡¯s eyes trembled greatly. He avoided Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡ªThis body will never, ever give in to ice cream. This body can overcome this time.¡± Ruel chuckled softly. Even if he made such a determination, Leo¡¯s mouth would easily succumb to ice cream. ¡ªIt sparkles! Leo became even more excited when he saw the light coming from Ruel¡¯s ring today. ¡ªRuel! The ring is sparkling! Hurry, hurry and take it! Leo urged him on, but this time Ruel was ready and connected. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel immediately asked about Ganien¡¯s well-being. -There¡¯s no need to worry. They withdrew just before the conflict broke out. ¡°Withdrew?¡± -Yeah. I guess they didn¡¯t have any intention of escalating things on their side. They had a considerable number of scouts, but it was insufficient for a full-scale battle. ¡®The Empire avoided conflict?¡¯ Not scouts, no declaration of war, and they even avoided direct combat. Ruel¡¯s face also suddenly hardened at this strange situation. -I have no idea what the Empire is thinking. Ganien let out a deep sigh. -In any case, we¡¯ve been debating this situation all night, so I was a bit late because I took a short nap. ¡°It looks like no conclusion has been reached.¡± -That¡¯s right. We have to prepare for war, we have to wait and see. Also, it was still too early to be sure about either of them, etc. ¡°What about His Majesty...?¡± -Oh, he¡¯s right here. Let me hand it over. ¡®...?¡¯ Ruel had no choice but to stop talking, startled by Ganien¡¯s sudden action without warning. -Ah, can you hear me? Huswen¡¯s voice could be heard. When he told Ganien about the balance of the world before, it seemed to be revenge for that time. ¡®Don¡¯t be petty.¡¯ Ruel grimaced, but his voice remained steady. ¡°I greet the brightest sun of Cyronian. I apologize for not being able to meet you in person and having to communicate through the device...¡± -Such greetings are fine. How is your health? ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s concerns, I am now well.¡± -That¡¯s good to hear. However, before I talk to you, I need to confirm one thing. ¡°Please feel free to ask.¡± -Is the story you communicated through Ganien true? ¡°Yes, it is an undeniable fact.¡± Huswen let out a long sigh. -I believe in you and am looking for warlocks and those with dark attributes on a large scale. ¡°Your Majesty should also stop hunting monsters for a while.¡± -I am aware of this fact, but monsters are continuing to attack my people. ¡°I¡¯m not asking Your Majesty to stop all attacks. Naturally, monsters that attack Your Majesty¡¯ people must be killed. However, please maintain a minimum defense line and stop any unnecessary attacks.¡± Ruel asked Banios the same thing. The monster has become corrupted. *** ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Just as Ruel was about to open Tyson¡¯s door, Cassion appeared from Ruel¡¯s shadow and called out to him. ¡ªWhoa! Leo was startled and quickly backed away. Ruel chuckled as he glanced back and saw Leo hiding behind his leg. ¡ªDon¡¯t laugh. This body doesn¡¯t get surprised! Leo growled and playfully bit Ruel¡¯s shoe. Kuroo kuru. The spirits pulled Leo¡¯s fur. ¡ªAh, this body didn¡¯t bite him hard. Ruel is not hurt by this body¡¯s teeth. Kuroo kuru. ¡ªIt¡¯s true. Ruel smiled and spoke at the sight of the spirits trying to protect him from Leo. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°There are two things I need to tell you.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I heard news that they are recruiting adventurers in Kran.¡± ¡°Why adventurers?¡± Ruel inhaled Breath as he walked into the room. He noticed that Tyson seemed to be absent momentarily. Ruel took a seat and looked at Cassion, who closed the door before answering his question. ¡°There is a day every year in Kran when monsters run rampant, and it is said that now is that time.¡± Ruel laughed for a moment. As Cassion frowned, Ruel urged him again. ¡°Oh, go ahead.¡± ¡°They say it usually happens around summer, but this time it came late.¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth rose. ¡°Every year, monsters run rampant temporarily. Is that possible?¡± ¡°Yes, it happens in Leponia as well as Cyronian, but it seems to be particularly severe in Kran,¡± replied Cassion. Ruel didn¡¯t jump to conclusions. Surely there were experts who could shed light on the matter. ¡°Contact Jan,¡± Ruel said. ¡°Understood,¡± Cassion said, taking out the communication device and contacting Jan. After about 30 seconds, Jan¡¯s voice came through, sounding slightly surprised. -Who is this...? ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± -Child, why did you contact me with this? You startled me. Jan¡¯s voice quickly brightened. ¡°I was a bit tired, so I contacted you this way.¡± -Alright, from now on, use this method to reach me. I don¡¯t want to burden you. ¡°I had something to ask, so I contacted you again. Are you busy?¡± Ruel inquired. -Not busy. I was just receiving news from the spirits and opening the gates to bring them in. Jan denied it, even though it could easily be described as busy. He must have thought Ruel might abruptly end the call again, as he swiftly brought up the events that had been happening. After listening to the story for a while, Ruel laughed at Jan¡¯s words as he occasionally checked to see if he was listening to his story. How long had Jan been waiting for Ruel¡¯s contact? Jan¡¯s fondness for him was evident even across the communication device, but it was different from Tyson¡¯s affection. -...So, there isn¡¯t much news at the moment, right? Okay. What do you want to ask? Jan finally asked after the long conversation. Now that the lengthy conversation was over, Ruel finally got to the point. ¡°Is it possible for non-corrupted monsters to go on a temporary rampage?¡± -A rampage, you say. Jan pondered for a moment before responding. -Non-corrupted monsters don¡¯t display aggression. They only attack the Great Man. But you say it¡¯s temporary. The possibility of a Great Man causing monsters to go berserk in Kran was very low. It¡¯s not just Kran where the monsters go on rampages; it happens in the three nations as well. However, as Jan said, it bothered him that it was temporary. ¡®Could it be related to corruption?¡¯ It was difficult to confirm whether the monsters had been corrupted or not. Even if Rupina¡¯s eyes had returned from black to gold the other day as a sign, there were too few examples to be certain. Perhaps some beings were originally black-eyed. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. I will send my people over soon, and I will rely on you for assistance.¡± -Of course, I don¡¯t know how many will come, so I¡¯m not sure what preparations to make. I can¡¯t leave this place... Ruel looked at Cassion and made a light waving motion with his hand. The communication device turned off. ¡°I¡¯ve disconnected it.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while listening to Cassion. ¡°It seems corruption is a possibility. It will be difficult to confirm with the shadows,¡± Ruel said. Since the monsters would prey on the spirits, it was also impossible to confirm through the spirits. ¡°Indeed. It seems you¡¯ll have to personally confirm this part since I can¡¯t communicate like you, Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion suggested. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Ruel asked, patting Leo¡¯s stomach. ¡°The person we rescued from the Red House, previously owned by Luruan, wants to have a conversation with you.¡± ¡°I heard they haven¡¯t fully recovered yet?¡± ¡°Yes. Their mind is still not entirely stable. However, after conveying your words as instructed, they momentarily came back to their senses.¡± ¡°And are they back now?¡± ¡°Yes. So you need to hurry.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°It seemed that the person had suffered greatly under the Great Man.¡± ¡°I also thought so at first.¡± Listening to Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel stood up. It seemed he would have to meet Tyson later. ¡°He claims to be the Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire,¡± Cassion revealed. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 146: Everything was a lie (3) Chapter 146: Everything was a lie (3) ¡°Haha...¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, finding the situation amusing. Looking at Cassion¡¯s expression, Ruel finally spoke. ¡°You said he came to his senses, even if just for a moment?¡± There was annoyance in his voice. ¡°Yes, he is currently in his right mind.¡± ¡°The Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire? Even a passing dog would laugh at that. This is what you call being in his right mind?¡± Cassion remained unfazed by Ruel¡¯s snort and calmly replied, ¡°You may find it hard to believe, but it was proven true after undergoing a simple test.¡± ¡°What kind of test?¡± ¡°I first asked him to name the kings of the Empire. In addition, he answered most of the questions about the royal family, such as the names of cities in the Empire and methods of conquest,¡± Cassion explained. ¡°If he is interested in the Empire, he could know that much. Or maybe he¡¯s a spy from another country.¡± ¡°I merely relayed his words. You be the judge.¡± The truth couldn¡¯t be revealed by scolding Cassion, so Ruel had to make his own judgment. Ruel hesitated. He thought the person was quite important, but what if he turned out to be a mere scammer? However, he couldn¡¯t discard even the slightest possibility. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go. Lead the way.¡± Ruel said with a troubled expression. Cassion reached for the doorknob and announced, ¡°Mr. Tyson is outside.¡± When the door opened, Tyson smiled widely and spread his arms. ¡°Ruel, you¡¯re already wandering around like this...!¡± ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll come back later.¡± Ruel nodded slightly and followed Cassion. Leo rubbed his face against Tyson¡¯s leg and waved his short paw. ¡°I will come back later.¡± ¡°Yes, see you later.¡± Tyson awkwardly looked at his outstretched arms and then nervously scratched his back. ¡®Is Ruel too big for me to hug?¡¯ No matter how much Ruel had grown, he looked like a child in his eyes. *** ¡°This way.¡± Cassion guided Ruel to a room that had not been used before. As they entered, they heard a frightened sound coming from a man crouching in the corner. ¡°...?¡± Ruel was slightly surprised by the man¡¯s behavior. He had expected a young prince, but instead, he saw a middle-aged man with sparse white hair, showing signs of aging. ¡°Are you saying he is in his right mind now?¡± Ruel asked Cassion, seeking confirmation. Cassion smiled and replied, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but sense Cassion¡¯s enjoyment of the situation. ¡®Okay, the more difficult my situation is, the more fun it is for you, right?¡¯Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only Having already figured out Cassion¡¯s twisted personality to some extent, Ruel¡¯s temper flared up. ¡®He¡¯s also a butler.¡¯ Ruel swallowed a sigh and then spoke, ¡°Bring a chair.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cassion said, placing a chair at a distance from the man. Even conversation with a person in their right mind could be difficult, Ruel was already anticipating how tiring this conversation was going to be. Ruel looked at the man while inhaling Breath. The man crouched, shielding his head with both arms. The sight was pitiful, but Ruel could not associate any sense of a crown prince¡¯s bearing. ¡®No matter how I look at him, he seems like a swindler.¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow and absentmindedly pet Leo¡¯s stomach, who was lying on his lap. ¡°Do you know the Great Man?¡± Ruel brought up a topic, trying to gauge the man¡¯s reaction. The man¡¯s trembling ceased, and he cautiously observed Ruel, resembling a wary herbivorous animal. ¡°I am Ruel Setiria, the owner of this mansion.¡± Thinking that his name must have been mentioned several times during his treatment, Ruel introduced himself. This time there was a reaction. The man lowered the arm covering his face. ¡°You claim to be the Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire?¡± Ruel mocked him once again. ¡°Ho... How audacious!¡± The man automatically responded to Ruel¡¯s ridicule, just like a typical noble who considered himself highly esteemed before he quickly looked away and raised his arm again. ¡°To be honest, I think you¡¯re a scammer,¡± Ruel continued, regardless of whether he was upset or not. At that moment, a flicker of light sparked in the man¡¯s hazy eyes. Ruel knew he had hit a nerve and continued to provoke him. Ruel had often wondered about the source of the Red Ash¡¯s power but had never found a definitive answer. There was much he didn¡¯t know about the organization. ¡®If what Hilim says is true, how long has this plan been in motion?¡¯ Ruel swallowed nervously. ¡°After my investigation, I found that the Red Ash¡¯s influence extended to three other countries, even deeper than in our own Empire.¡± ¡®From that moment, or even before, the Red Ash had been pulling the strings.¡¯ Leponia had severed ties with the Red Ash. Cyronian had mostly rooted them out. What a relief. ¡°The size of the force convinced me it was a dangerous matter. Their leader, the Great Man, is a monster. How can a person take over another person¡¯s body? We started a war to get rid of the Red Ash.¡± ¡°The war started because of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The reason seemed somewhat absurd, but considering it was the Empire, Ruel could understand their confidence. Hilim took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°We were arrogant. We deluded ourselves into thinking that our Empire could truly save humanity.¡± ¡°Save humanity? What does that even mean?¡± Ruel furrowed his brow, struggling to grasp the connection between eliminating the Red Ash and saving humanity. ¡°They sought revenge.¡± ¡°Revenge? Revenge against whom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know but they were aiming to eradicate all of humanity on this land except for themselves. The Empire was arrogant. We should never have started that war...¡± ¡°What happened to the Empire in that war?¡± Ruel circled back to the crucial point. Ultimately, the most important thing was the reason for the Empire¡¯s downfall. ¡°The Ray of Darkness,¡± Hilim¡¯s eyes trembled intensely. ¡°The Ray of Darkness. It descended upon us. That ray, that ray...¡± Hilim recalled the Ray of Darkness as if he had just seen it, curling up and shuddered. ¡°I have to stay alive. I must rebuild the Empire. I must not be found out.¡± As he repeated the same words, the flames in Hilim¡¯s eyes that had flickered were extinguished. Ruel inhaled Breath and waited for his condition to improve. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected the hypothesis he made yesterday to become reality. If the Tonisk Empire had fallen, how could there still be people from the Tonisk Empire in the Kingdom of Kran? ¡®Then did Kran already know that the Empire had fallen? That can¡¯t be.¡¯ If Hilim¡¯s words were true, it meant that at the time, the Great Man had taken over his brother¡¯s body. The Kingdom of Kran had no connection to all this. ¡®Why on earth did the empire have to be brought down? And what is this Ray of Darkness?¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow. ¡°If you count the use of magic in exchange for your own life as one, you count the lives and blood of tens of thousands of other beings as one.¡± Suddenly, he remembered what Tyson had told him about the corruption. The black water corrupted those with darkness attributes. Where did the heavy price come from, and where was the black water being created? He brought back the questions he had postponed. ¡®Crazy...¡¯ Ruel¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he held Breath. ¡®Surely not. They didn¡¯t sacrifice the entire empire just to create the black water, did they?¡¯ It was a horrifying thought that crossed his mind. If it were true, then what or who could be present in the empire now? It was unimaginable, and Ruel didn¡¯t want to entertain those thoughts. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion quietly called out to Ruel. ¡°Speak.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice still shook, unable to easily recover from the shock. ¡°It seems like we need to end the conversation here.¡± Hilim showed no signs of recovery, and Ruel¡¯s complexion was also not good. ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel stood up, inhaled Breath. Soon, he laughed absurdly. They had all been played by the Great Man¡¯s tricks. They had allied themselves out of fear of a non-existent Empire. The only country that knew all this now was the Kingdom of Kran. Why was it Kran? Why did Kran know? There was only one conceivable answer now. ¡®You were there.¡¯ Ruel smirked. ¡®You were in Kran.¡¯ The Great Man. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 147: Stand firm again Chapter 147: Stand firm again ¡°Bwahaha.¡± The moment Ruel stepped out of the room, he held his stomach and burst into laughter. ¡ªWhy are you laughing when you¡¯re not happy? Leo followed closely behind Ruel, his eyes wide open. Ruel took a quick glance at Leo while inhaling Breath. ¡°Just because it¡¯s a bit funny.¡± He understood why the Great Man spared Hilim¡¯s life. Hilim was kept as a pawn for the worst-case scenario. A means to demonstrate that the fallen Tonisk Empire still existed. However, the Red Ash burned down the red house that Luruan owned. Hilim was no longer necessary. Because the plan that had been devised was likely the Great Man¡¯s most flawless plan. ¡®Now that I know how the game works, I have to turn it over and start again.¡¯ If the Tonisk Empire was truly destroyed, there was only one place to be wary of. ¡®Kran Kingdom.¡¯ Ruel spoke. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Investigate about Hilim Tonisk.¡± But all of these assumptions depended on whether the words spoken by Hilim Tonisk were true or not. ¡°First, you need to find out if that person is truly Hilim Tonisk.¡± It was a matter that couldn¡¯t be hastily judged; it required careful consideration. A more cautious approach was necessary. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll prioritize this investigation above all others.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice carried a hint of concern as he called Ruel. Knowing what he intended to say, Ruel interjected first. ¡°It¡¯s alright. We don¡¯t have to face the Empire anymore, right?¡± The number of enemies to face had decreased. That was sufficient for now. Ruel was about to turn towards Tyson¡¯s room, but instead, he headed in the direction of the room where Banios stayed. ¡®I¡¯ll see my uncle later.¡¯ If he were to meet Banios after seeing his uncle, this sense of calm would likely crumble. Honestly, it was frightening. The opponent was too overwhelming. The more he tried to find out, the more it seemed that the Great Man¡¯s plans extended endlessly. Ruel took a deep breath and controlled his emotions. He had to endure both fear and frustration. ¡®Let¡¯s start by overturning the scenario created by the Great Man now.¡¯ ¡°Are you going to see His Highness first?¡± Cassion hesitated before speaking. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Would you like some cocoa?¡± Leo was the first to react at the mention of cocoa. He immediately clung to Cassion¡¯s feet. Vi?Sit no(v)3lb/!n(.)com for new novels ¡ªGive some to this body too. This body wants to drink as well. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll need two cups, no, three cups.¡± Ruel glanced at Leo with a faint smile. Cassion now understood that the smile was forced. He simply bowed and replied, ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll bring it right away.¡± *** ¡°Haha. What a humorous joke. It seems you were bored lying around. So, what book were you reading? I¡¯m quite curious about this strange book of yours.¡± Banios smiled and playfully responded to Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°Your Highness, please do not turn your eyes away from the truth.¡± Bang! Banios slammed his hand on the table. ¡ªHick! Soon he took a deep breath and showed an expression of regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This, this is truly... difficult. Too difficult.¡± Banios furrowed his brow, struggling to control his emotions. Ruel felt the same way. ¡°I find it difficult as well. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve come to seek your help first.¡± ¡°If only it were a joke, how pleasant that would have been.¡± Banios clenched his fist. He then looked at Ruel with a concerned expression. ¡°Can you endure it?¡± If he was grappling with such difficulties, how could Ruel not? ¡°Yes. I can endure it.¡± Ruel smiled gently. It was a wry smile. Banios rubbed his fingers with his thumb. In the end, the object the Great Man was after resided in the royal treasure vault. ¡°Why would I do such a thing?¡± Ruel took another sip of cocoa, a pleased smile forming on his lips. ¡°The most crucial task should be undertaken by Your Highness, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Hearing about delivering a significant blow to the enemy, Banios covered his mouth, his lips curling up in amusement. ¡°I¡¯m proud to have you by my side.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the fish we caught that slipped away a bit,¡± Ruel held his glass as he gazed at Cassion, causing a slight furrow in Cassion¡¯s brow. The fact that all the fish had been caught was already known without double checking. *** Ruel left the room as soon as he finished speaking with Banios. His steps were unusually quick as he made his way to Tyson. ¡°Ruel-nim, are you going to inform Ganien of this as well?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Ruel replied, shaking his head. After confirming that Hilim Tonisk was real, he planned to inform Garnien. ¡®Maybe I should make a deal with Huswen?¡¯ Ruel hoped that Banios would be the one to announce the fake existence of the Tonisk Empire. It would strengthen the foundation once he became king, thanks to his achievements. It was a deal made with that purpose in mind. ¡°You¡¯re still gathering information on Adea Kran and Treitol Kran, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m still gathering information. I hope you understand that it takes more time than others.¡± He knew that it was much more difficult to extract information since they were princes. ¡°I understand, but please hurry.¡± Time was of the essence as the enemy was moving on a larger scale. ¡°And you mentioned that you¡¯re searching for adventurers in Kran?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s... correct, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion sighed as he spoke. Not long ago, Cassion visited the Hand of the Wind Guild to disguise his subordinates as adventurers and send them to Kran. However, the guild master, Flenn, complained about why Ruel hadn¡¯t given them a different mission, leading Cassion to believe that the adventurer fever had subsided. Unfortunately, it was just his misconception; the adventurer fever hadn¡¯t subsided, but had only paused momentarily. ¡°We need to check whether the monsters have been corrupted or not. You know I¡¯m the only one who can do so, right?¡± Ruel kindly reminded as he came up with a plausible excuse that left Cassion speechless. He couldn¡¯t retract his previous statement about not being able to confirm the corruption among the monsters. ¡°If Ruel-nim falls into hot water, I think you¡¯ll just open your mouth,¡± Cassion said, provoking a reaction from Ruel. Ruel chuckled, responding to Cassion¡¯s remark, ¡°How did you know? I¡¯m fine, including my mouth. Oh wait, my mouth isn¡¯t fine either. It still hurts a little, like it¡¯s been scraped from continuously spitting out blood.¡± Ruel reacted strongly to Cassion¡¯s slightly provocative remark. Cassion was once again left speechless. Ruel continued walking down the hallway, raising the corner of his mouth, and advised Cassion, ¡°Don¡¯t try to climb for nothing and report it after you¡¯ve done your research well.¡± There had been a moment when the barrier around the mansion weakened. For reasons unknown, Tyson had casually undone a few layers of the stacked barrier at Cassion¡¯s request. Seeing that it hadn¡¯t been reported to him yet, it seemed the investigation was incomplete. ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel observed Cassion¡¯s restrained anger and wore a satisfied expression. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. At Leo¡¯s words, Ruel looked down. ¡ªAre you okay? Ruel¡¯s emotions are swirling again. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to see Uncle to feel better.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s a good idea! Ruel likes his uncle. Of course, this body is Ruel¡¯s first choice. Ahem. Leo snorted defiantly. It was fortunate that no one else could hear his words. Ruel sighed and looked out the window while walking down the hallway, noticing the falling snow. He momentarily pleased at seeing the snow that Leo enjoyed. He inhaled Breath as he quickened his halted steps. His smile slowly faded along with the quietly falling snow. *** ¡°Uncle,¡± Ruel greeted Tyson with a warm smile. ¡°Ruel,¡± Tyson¡¯s bright smile seemed to relieve all tension. ¡°Are you busy?¡± ¡°What does it matter if you¡¯re here, Ruel?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know where the quietest place in Setiria is?¡± At Ruel¡¯s question, Tyson¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment. It was clear that something had happened to Ruel. But Tyson, just as he did when he first welcomed Ruel, smiled and asked, ¡°Do you want to go?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to go,¡± Ruel replied with a smile. Although Tyson knew that Ruel¡¯s smile was forced, he responded affectionately as if he didn¡¯t notice, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go. It happens to be very close to the mansion.¡± ¡ªThis body will follow too! Leo smiled brightly. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 148: Stand firm again (2) Chapter 148: Stand firm again (2) *** Tyson led them to a small mountain located behind the mansion. ¡°This is the highest and quietest spot in Setiria. You should be able to see the whole of Setiria from here.¡± With Hold¡¯s assistance, Ruel climbed the mountain comfortably and sat on a rock, inhaling Breath as he looked down below. Just as Tyson said, he could faintly see the mansion, the central area called Apor, and even the distant village of Sisel. Ha... Ruel let out a deep sigh and inhaled again. The cold air filling his lungs didn¡¯t feel so bad. The snow, which had been falling until recently, showed no signs of stopping. Tyson draped a blanket over Ruel and offered, ¡°If you feel cold, just let me know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not cold. It feels warm.¡± Even without a cup of cocoa in his hands, flames danced around Ruel, providing warmth. Ruel looked at Leo running around to eat snow and the spirits talking with a new spirit, and called out to Tyson. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you for a while. A lot has happened today, but... can I share it with you?¡± ¡°I want to hear everything,¡± Tyson said. Ruel poured out everything he hadn¡¯t been able to tell Tyson¡ª stories he heard from Jan and the truths he had learned today. As Ruel conveyed his thoughts, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief wash over him. When he finished speaking, Tyson let out a deep sigh, his gaze fixed on the sky. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°If I were a direct descendant, I wouldn¡¯t have burdened you with this difficult task.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault. The one who deserves to be killed is already dead.¡± Ruel chuckled for a moment. The first Setiria. It seemed he should issue orders to dig up that bastard¡¯s grave tomorrow. If someone dared to say anything about disturbing the ancestors, he would have Cassion break that person¡¯s fingers. ¡°Uncle, there are so many people who say they feel sorry for me. Please, you don¡¯t have to apologize, Uncle.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try not to.¡± ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Can I... admit that I¡¯m struggling?¡± Tyson clenched his fists upon hearing Ruel¡¯s words. The child who rarely showed his emotions was expressing his difficulties, and it weighed heavily on Tyson¡¯s heart. ¡°Can I... say that I¡¯m feeling a bit overwhelmed?¡± Seeing Ruel, who struggled to even voice that, filled Tyson with a deep sense of sorrow. ¡°Of course... you can say anything.¡± Tyson¡¯s voice trembled. The burdens on the child, who was already suffering, kept piling up. Since Ruel asked him not to feel sorry, Tyson held back his own urge to express pity. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Ruel cautiously spoke while looking around Setiria. Then, he let out a bitter laugh¡ª a smile tinged with deep sadness. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have the right to feel this way.¡± ¡°You have every right to feel that way; in fact, you should. You are Ruel before being the head of this family.¡± ¡°Uncle,¡± Ruel called Tyson quietly. ¡°Please forget everything I¡¯m saying today. Just think of it as the foolish words of a child who hasn¡¯t even gone through his coming-of-age ceremony yet.¡± Before being the head of the family, he was just one person. There were some things that should never be shown. Just a little, but he had let a glimpse slip through. Not wanting the mask covering his face to crack just yet, Ruel steadied his emotions once again. ¡°Ruel, right now, I¡¯m not looking at you as the head of the family.¡± Tyson¡¯s words caused Ruel¡¯s lips to tremble slightly. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Ruel swallowed the emotions welling up in his throat and gazed at the snowflakes falling from the sky. The fear he experienced today, the weight of the burdens pressing down on his shoulders. He had to forget all of it and become the head of the family. He hoped everything would be buried deep, deep within the snow. Ruel exhaled another long breath. *** ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s time to wake up and have breakfast...¡± Cassion halted as he opened the door and found the bed empty. He entered the room, curious about the situation, and discovered Ruel sitting at the desk. ¡°Perfect timing. Here, take this to Billo.¡± Ruel handed Cassion a neatly signed document. Cassion almost unconsciously reached for the documents, surprised at how natural Ruel¡¯s action was. Very soon, a burning sensation surged from below his abdomen. He realized that he hadn¡¯t brought those documents himself; someone else had delivered them. Someone in this mansion who could be easily swayed for a handful of gold coins. for new novels ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion¡¯s tone was unusually harsh. Cassion believed that this was the moment for Ruel. ¡®Since Hina is with him, it should be fine.¡¯ *** ¡°My Lord, are you going out?¡± One of the servants asked cautiously as he saw Ruel walking with a cane. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you going out alone, where is the butler?¡± How many times had he heard that question already? It was because the lingering effects of his previous fall were still severe. ¡°I¡¯m just going for a short walk nearby. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ttak. Ttak. The sound of Ruel¡¯s cane echoed through the hallway, catching the attention of the servants, who turned to look at him in unison. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Ruel glanced at Leo, who matched his pace beside him. ¡ªEveryone is looking at Ruel. He knew that even without Leo saying it. At this point, it had become routine, and he had grown accustomed to it. Before opening the front gate, Ruel put on a hat and gloves, fully prepared for the outside. ¡°I¡¯ll open it for you.¡± Several servants who were cleaning near the front gate hurried over to open the door for him. The snow swept in with the wind. ¡ªWhoa! There¡¯s a lot of snow piled up! Leo, like a fish in water, scampered over and buried his head in the snowdrift. Poof! As Leo flailed his hind legs, Ruel approached and pulled him out. ¡ªHehehe! This body loves the snow! Leo rolled in the snow and perked up his ears. ¡ªAh! It¡¯s Aris! ¡°...Ruel-nim?¡± Aris dismounted his horse and quickly ran towards Ruel as soon as he noticed Leo approaching him. Other knights appeared behind Aris, as if they had just returned from training. ¡®Oh my goodness...¡¯ It was bad timing. Ruel¡¯s hand tightened on his cane. ¡°Where are you headed?¡± He noticed Horen running up behind Aris. ¡°Ruel-nim! I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re going, but we¡¯ll escort you,¡± Horen hurriedly saluted Ruel and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s fine; you don¡¯t have to follow me. Aris, you don¡¯t need to come either. I¡¯m just taking a quick stroll.¡± ¡°In this weather? It¡¯s dangerous if you slip,¡± Aris pointed out the snow piled up everywhere, a look of concern on his face. Even Ruel found that argument rather unconvincing. ¡°Is Cassion going with you?¡± At Aris¡¯s question, Ruel shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Upon hearing that Cassion wouldn¡¯t be joining, Aris panicked and raised his voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ruel lightly declined and walked slowly. Observing the knights approaching in a hurry, Ruel paused for a moment and glanced back. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. That¡¯s an order,¡± Ruel commanded. Horen and the knights hesitated, unsure whether to obey the order. However, Aris, undeterred, stepped forward to follow Ruel. ¡°I said not to follow me, Aris?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten my role?¡± Aris smiled innocently. ¡°The moment you step outside the mansion, my duty begins.¡± ¡°No matter what I do, you¡¯re going to stop me.¡± ¡°Of course... isn¡¯t that natural? I have the obligation to protect you, Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel gestured toward the mountain behind the mansion. ¡°That land is mine too. So, this doesn¡¯t count as outside the mansion.¡± Aris looked at him, questioning the validity of such a flimsy argument. However, it wasn¡¯t completely flimsy. After all, that land belonged to him. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Take a break.¡± Ruel waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Aris called out earnestly. Ruel furrowed his brow slightly and glanced at him. He couldn¡¯t help but worry, remembering how Aris had cried for no apparent reason before. ¡°If you¡¯re confident enough to quietly follow, then come along.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Finally, Aris relaxed his stern face. Ruel felt a slight sense of unease, but he pretended not to notice and resumed walking. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 149: Stand firm again (3) Chapter 149: Stand firm again (3) *** The flames danced around Ruel. It was a fire created by Aris. Aris remained silent until Ruel came to a stop in front of the mountain. It was Leo and the spirits¡¯ responsibility to chatter. ¡ªAre you climbing the mountain again? Didn¡¯t you come here once with your uncle? Whenever you climb the mountain, don¡¯t you feel sad again? This body is worried. Leo circled around Ruel, looking distressed. ¡°Today is different.¡± ¡ªWhat¡¯s different? Leo halted and looked up at Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m going to climb the mountain myself,¡± Ruel¡¯s lips curved up high. ¡°...!¡± Aris looked at Ruel in shock. Ruel knew it was a crazy thing to attempt. He understood that climbing the mountain with this body was overly ambitious, which was why he hadn¡¯t considered it, but deep down, he had always liked hiking. Today, Cassion had declared that there would be no restrictions imposed on him. It was a rare opportunity to give it a try. ¡°R-Ruel-nim,¡± Aris stammered. Ruel gestured towards the path they had come from, silently signaling Aris to refrain from trying to stop him. Aris immediately fell silent. As Ruel climbed with Tyson, he assessed that this was a mountain he could potentially manage. Of course, it would still be difficult for him. ¡®Except when my body is truly unwell, I have always pushed myself hard.¡¯ He had maintained a regular exercise routine and hadn¡¯t forgotten the joy he felt when he first stood on two legs. Leaning on his cane, Ruel took his first step towards the mountain. Leo raced over in front of Ruel. ¡ªThis is the first time this body has seen Ruel climb a mountain by himself. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Ruel replied. ¡ªThis body believes that Ruel can do it! Leo smiled brightly. Last night, Leo had sensed Ruel¡¯s deepening frustration as he heard the non-stop sound of the pen. Leo was afraid that Ruel would be consumed by the darkness that loomed overhead. But now, that fear has dissipated. Leo wagged his tail uncontrollably, relieved. ¡ªIf it gets too hard, this body will help you. Leo said in an excited voice. ¡°Okay,¡± Ruel agreed. Ruel proceeded slowly, taking one step at a time. Aris silently followed behind, feeling a sense of unease today as he observed the familiar Ruel¡¯s back. It was as if the most vital part of the tower was missing. ¡°Huff...¡± Ruel¡¯s breathing grew faster after just a few steps. Ruel continued walking with Breath in his mouth. He kept his gaze fixed on the path ahead, not looking up. Step by step, he felt a sense of progress, despite his aching calves and the chilling breeze penetrating his lungs. He stumbled along the way, losing count of how many times. His knees throbbed, and his face was covered in sweat. As the unnecessary thoughts that had filled his mind began to dissipate, his heart felt lighter despite his weary body. Tears and sweat streamed only surrounded by the snow-littered dirt, stones, trees, and grasses. There was no need to think about anything, and there was nothing to fear. Ruel paused for a moment, taking deep breaths while inhaling Breath. The spirits sitting on the dry tree caught his attention, turning their heads curiously observing him. ¡ªAre you okay? Leo rushed ahead but, upon hearing Ruel¡¯s barely audible footsteps, he quickly walked back to him. ¡°No. It feels like I¡¯m dying,¡± Ruel replied, struggling to catch his breath. For a brief moment, his vision blurred. Despite not having traveled a great distance, his entire body was drenched in sweat. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s just cold sweat.¡¯ So he paid it no mind. Although his body was exhausted, there were no other abnormalities yet. ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± At Aris¡¯s voice, Ruel collected his scattered thoughts. His head felt heavy, preventing him from seeing Aris¡¯s expression. ¡°Really...?¡± Ruel asked weakly. ¡°Yes, really,¡± Aris reassured him. As Ruel¡¯s breathing steadied, he resumed moving forward with his cane. Two steps forward, catch his breath. Two steps forward, inhale Breath. With his head feeling lighter, it seemed as if his body could collapse at any moment. His legs trembled, and sweat dripped onto the ground. Yet, Ruel smiled. The snow, resembling a whipped cream topping, adorned the mountain in a beautiful manner, bringing him delight. The thought of getting closer to the summit filled him with joy. ¡ªOh! Ruel, Ruel! We¡¯ve reached the top! At Leo¡¯s words, Ruel lifted his head with difficulty. In the place where there was no further ascent, snow fell gently with the wind. It was even more beautiful than when he had climbed with Tyson. Ruel¡¯s legs moved on their own. Overwhelmed, Ruel reached the summit and sat down on the ground. His hair was damp with sweat and his legs trembled uncontrollably, but it was all worth it. Overwhelming joy swelled within him, causing Ruel to smile with his eyes and laugh so wide that his teeth were visible. He was on the verge of choking and had to inhale Breath, but the corners of his mouth refused to drop. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go this way,¡± Cassion directed Aris, leading him towards the bathroom. He couldn¡¯t bear to see Ruel laid down on the bed in such a state. *** The recording device proved to be quite convenient, although it consumed more mana than other magical tools. ¡°This was the limit of my mana,¡± Aris lamented, unable to capture everything. ¡°No, Aris. I appreciate that you managed to record this much,¡± Tyson reassured him. With every stumble Ruel encountered, Tyson cheered alongside him. And when Ruel reached the summit, Tyson shouted as if he had been there, experiencing the moment firsthand. At first, when Aris mentioned Ruel climbing the mountain, Tyson couldn¡¯t believe it either. ¡°I feel ashamed for only wanting to protect Ruel.¡± Tyson felt proud but also a bit guilty. Ruel was growing, albeit at a gradual pace, and he had achieved what everyone deemed impossible. What a strong kid he was. Tyson glanced at Cassion, whose expression appeared rather complex. ¡°What do you think, Cassion?¡± Cassion didn¡¯t like the question directed at him. He had thought Ruel would return defeated, but instead, he had come back having made the impossible possible. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh, wondering how much further his master would race forward. ¡°What do you expect me to say?¡± Cassion retorted sharply, causing Tyson to chuckle softly. ¡°Just be honest with me.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be the one in this position; it should have been Billo. He would have given you the perfect answer, Tyson-nim.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you realize how much Ruel relies on you?¡± Cassion let out a mocking laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t sugarcoat it by calling it reliance. It only makes it easier to manipulate me. I¡¯m just a fish that¡¯s already caught.¡± ¡°Cassion, why can¡¯t you be honest?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. It¡¯s almost time to pass on the Breath to Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°So be it. I¡¯d like to witness more of this scene. Oh, and while you¡¯re at it, please call Billo too. I think he¡¯ll find it pleasantly surprising.¡± Tyson¡¯s tone resembled Setiria¡¯s, much to Cassion¡¯s displeasure. Nevertheless, he reluctantly agreed. ¡°Well, fine. If I happen to pass by, I¡¯ll relay the message,¡± Cassion replied before silently leaving the room. As soon as the door closed, Aris revealed a hint of impatience, ¡°Tyson-nim, please understand that it¡¯s not Cassion¡¯s true feelings.¡± ¡°I know. I just wanted to tease him a little,¡± Tyson replied with a mischievous smile. He had noticed a fleeting sense of pride in Cassion¡¯s gaze when Ruel reached the summit. As a butler, how could Cassion not experience joy witnessing his master achieve such a feat? ¡°By the way, neither Ruel nor Cassion are very honest, are they not, Aris?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Aris acknowledged, finally understanding Tyson¡¯s implication, and chuckled, ¡°Perhaps Cassion-nim is the one feeling the most pride at this very moment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably true. Despite his pretense, Cassion takes care of Ruel even more than I do. Sometimes, doesn¡¯t he seem like Ruel¡¯s dependable older brother?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an older brother who can¡¯t be honest.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± Tyson burst into laughter, his voice echoing. It was a fitting description of Cassion. *** As soon as the door opened, Leo, who had been curled up next to Ruel, perked up his ears. ¡ªCassion, Ruel is still asleep. Cassion sat down beside the bed. ¡ªDid you see Ruel reach the summit? ¡°I did.¡± ¡ªThis body was so, so anxious. Look at this. Ruel fell and got hurt. Leo licked Ruel¡¯s injuries on his face, knees, and palms as he spoke. Although the injuries would heal quickly thanks to the power of recovery, it was better to address any concerns. ¡°I called Fran, so she¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡ªWhen Ruel wakes up, make sure to praise him for doing well! Cassion couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡®Compliments for a child... Ah, I suppose he is still a child.¡¯ Suddenly, Cassion was struck by this realization and looked at Ruel. The child didn¡¯t behave like a typical child, which made even him confused. ¡°Beast.¡± ¡ªSpeak. ¡°Astell probably baked a chocolate cake.¡± ¡ªOh! Really? ¡°Yeah, if you hurry now, you might get a few pieces.¡± Leo immediately jumped off the bed. It appeared as though he would rush outside at any moment, but he restrained himself and glanced at Cassion. ¡ªWill you stay here while this body goes to eat all the cake? ¡°Probably.¡± ¡ªIf Ruel wakes up, let him know that this body will be back soon. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡ªRuel likes this body the most, so this body will return quickly. Only then did Leo seem relieved, flashing a big smile as he dashed out through the private door. Cassion covered his mouth, and between his fingers, a slight upward curve of his lips could be seen. ¡®Likes me the most, huh...¡¯ Suppressing his laughter, Cassion looked at Ruel again. Having spent half a year with him, Cassion had thought he would die soon and had made the mana oath. He didn¡¯t even know if the contract was fraudulent from the beginning. Honestly, there had been moments when he had wanted to kill Ruel, but now, it doesn¡¯t seem so bad. Not in this situation. Not in this mansion. ¡°Well done, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion quietly smiled and spoke. Author''s Thoughts Aww... so wholesome. Chapter 150: Before Departure Chapter 150: Before Departure Fran was in agony again today. There are only six family heads, and among them, why and for what reason did Ruel, who has the highest of noble status, get injured like this? It was a wound, as if he had fallen down from a mountain. Fran¡¯s brows were deeply wrinkled as she looked at Ruel¡¯s wounds. ¡°Sister,¡± Tierra gently patted Fran on the shoulder. Despite thinking she had grown accustomed to Ruel¡¯s actions and any situation that arose, it seemed otherwise. After all, she had earnestly asked him to take better care of himself. This time, as his personal physician, she intended to scold Ruel severely. ¡°Mr. Cassion,¡± Fran called, rolling up one sleeve. Cassion looked at her sympathetically, knowing what Fran was feeling. How frustrating this must be. ¡°The wounds themselves aren¡¯t too deep. It¡¯s more like he stumbled a bit while playing,¡± she informed him. These injuries were likely to heal within a week. ¡°However, the real problem is the reason behind them. If my assumptions are correct... Did Lord Ruel climb the mountain?¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim did climb the mountain,¡± Cassion confirmed, prompting Fran to roll up her other sleeve. ¡°Can you wake Lord Ruel up now? As the attending physician, I have something to tell him.¡± ¡°Ms. Fran, could you overlook what you saw today and let it pass quietly?¡± ¡°With his body covered in wounds, you expect me to let this pass quietly? Do you recall how shocked I was the last time he was injured?¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time Ruel had come back with a minor or major injury. He had previously returned with a large hole in his abdomen. ¡°And now the mountain...¡± Fran paused, attempting to control her rising anger. ¡°Climbing a mountain with such a body is excessive. No, it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°It was what Ruel-nim wished for. So please, just let it go.¡± A faint smile briefly appeared on Cassion¡¯s face. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t impossible. Ruel-nim really did reach the summit.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Fran asked incredulously, looking back at Cassion. As he nodded, Fran jumped up and hugged Tierra tightly. ¡°S, sister?¡± ¡°Tierra! This is a miracle! Regardless of the process, it signifies Lord Ruel¡¯s recovery!¡± Realizing Cassion was present, Fran abruptly released Tierra from the embrace. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Fran, feeling her face lightly flush, sat back down in her seat. Then, suddenly, a wave of confusion washed over her, and her eyes darted around. ¡®Why on earth would the family head be climbing a mountain?¡¯ With a slight hesitation, Fran turned to Cassion and asked, ¡°Is it possible that Lord Ruel went up the mountain for...?¡± While speaking, she lightly patted her chest. ¡°Yes. So please don¡¯t say anything to Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Fran finally grasped the situation. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she cautiously asked, ¡°Was Lord Ruel... really struggling a lot?¡± ¡°Perhaps he is alright now.¡± With Cassion¡¯s assurance that he would be okay, Fran let out a deep sigh. ¡°...I¡¯m truly relieved.¡± Her gaze softened as she looked at Ruel. *** ¡°Ugh.¡± Upon opening his eyes, Ruel let out a groan. His entire body felt sore and heavy. It seemed to be muscle pain. ¡ªDoes it hurt? Leo¡¯s surprised face came into Ruel¡¯s view. ¡°It¡¯s not an illness, so no need to worry,¡± Ruel reassured Leo with a chuckle, realizing he was back in his own room after patting Leo. He had collapsed again. ¡®Ah... I missed a good opportunity. I was thinking of coming home and getting some work done.¡¯ Ruel clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for a full day. How¡¯s your body? You probably strained muscles you haven¡¯t used in a while.¡± ¡°My whole body is sore.¡± If the pain had been severe, he would have taken painkillers, but since it was mild, he had to endure it. ¡°Did Fran visit?¡± Ruel asked as he looked at the neat treatment of his wounds. Since it was a minor wound, it would have healed quickly with the power of recovery, but it was obvious that suddenly being completely healed would seem strange, so he decided to leave it alone. ¡°Yes, she did because I called for her.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Precisely. Accept it graciously.¡± With that, Banios had essentially put himself on the same boat as Ruel, handing over the identification card. Only then did a smirk appear at the corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to utilize it with gratitude.¡± ¡°Furthermore, to save your time, I¡¯ve brought a means to verify whether Hilim Tonisk is real or not.¡± Seeing Banios finally act the part of a prince, Ruel smiled contentedly. ¡®Yes, a prince should be capable of dealing with such matters effortlessly.¡¯ All of the praising words he¡¯d used to win Banios¡¯ favor now felt justified. ¡°What kind of means is it?¡± Ruel was already filled with anticipation. It was a fact that needed to be confirmed for future work. ¡°The Empire presented an object to the three nations as a show of goodwill, essentially a symbolic gesture to honor the Empire. I¡¯ve already handed it to your butler in advance for us to inspect together later.¡± As Cassion was also unaware of its purpose, he caught Ruel¡¯s gaze and promptly responded, ¡°What the prince entrusted to me was a flag.¡± Ruel looked at Banios again, ¡°How can we verify with that flag?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it myself, but I¡¯ve heard that the flag glows brightly when the royalty of the Empire is present, and it was sent to me before the war, so it¡¯s practically an object with the intent to bring down the three nations.¡± ¡°What a disgraceful object.¡± ¡°Indeed. So, it took a while to track it down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Regardless, this would save them some time. Banios shook his head at Ruel¡¯s gratitude. ¡°I know this is a trifling matter compared to the grace you have shown me.¡± ¡®He¡¯s well aware,¡¯ Ruel thought, choosing not to respond but instead smiling. ¡°This was just the main topic I wanted to address before your meal, in case you might choke on your food,¡± Banios added, and his expression softened slightly. Ruel, too, eagerly anticipated beginning his meal. However, just as Banios picked up his spoon, a mischievous smile crossed his face. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ll be attending His Majesty Huswen¡¯s birthday celebration.¡± ¡°How did you find out?¡± Ruel asked, surprised. They had not disclosed that information externally. ¡°His Majesty Huswen personally reached out to me and informed me.¡± ¡°The King spoke to you directly?¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Huswen would contact Banios. He tried to predict the reason, but his hunger made it hard to think straight. ¡°Oh, my apologies. Please, start eating.¡± Banios, seeing Ruel make no move to start, felt sheepish and gestured for him to begin the meal. ¡°My birthday is exactly ten days apart from His Majesty Huswen¡¯s. Perhaps he reached out to me to offer a small comfort because of that.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel sputtered on his soup, almost bringing tears to his eyes with a dramatic cough. After recovering, he glanced at Banios. Banios wore a proud expression, as if he had just discovered his weakness. It was then that Ruel realized this was the real reason Banios had called him. *** Ruel walked behind Banios with an uncomfortable expression. ¡°I must have said something unnecessary,¡± Banios muttered. ¡®Then you should have just kept it to yourself.¡¯ If Banios had expressed feeling excluded, Ruel might have offered some comforting words. However, Banios did not bring up the topic of birthdays again. This made Ruel so uneasy that he couldn¡¯t discern if he was actually swallowing his food or if it was just getting stuck. If Ruel didn¡¯t even remember his own birthday, how could he possibly know Banios¡¯s? He had been aware of Huswen¡¯s birthday celebrations from the scenes depicted in the web novel. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Walking beside Ruel, Leo called out to him. ¡ªInform this body later about your birthday. Ruel nodded slightly at Leo¡¯s request. ¡°Speaking of which...¡± Banios elongated his words with a grin, clearly enjoying the moment. It wasn¡¯t just Banios who was thrilled; Cassion wore a bright smile as well. ¡°When is your birthday? I want to properly congratulate you.¡± As if he thought he had caught hold of a tail, Banios was trying hard to avoid getting caught himself. What was Ruel supposed to do now? ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied with a short sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t remember my early childhood, and did I ever get a celebration while being locked away?¡± Banios¡¯s face, which had been laughing heartily, suddenly turned awkward and stiff. ¡°Haha, well, what significance does a birthday hold, right? By the way, is this the correct path?¡± Banios looked at Cassion, sending a look for help. ¡°This way, Your Highness,¡± Cassion replied. However, Cassion icily disregarded Banios¡¯s plea and continued leading the way. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ruel called out, causing Banios to flinch. ¡°W-what is it?¡± Banios stuttered. ¡°I just realized I¡¯ve been so consumed with work that I forgot to inquire about my own birthday from Billo. I genuinely appreciate you reminding me.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The dynamic had shifted; now Banios was the one feeling uneasy. Ruel inhaled Breath and laughed. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 151: Before Departure (2) Chapter 151: Before Departure (2) *** As Cassion entered the room where Hilim was staying, he immediately saw Ruel and Banios. ¡°Today, Hilim Tonisk¡¯s condition isn¡¯t good, so I¡¯d like you both to wait here. I will check on him myself.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Banios replied, with Ruel nodding in agreement. Cassion moved to another soundproof chamber inside the room. Hilim, with his arms tightly bound to prevent self-harm, was muttering to himself in the corner, repeating that he needed to ¡®hide¡¯ unaware of Cassion¡¯s arrival. ¡®The flag shines...¡¯ Cassion genuinely hoped the flag would shine. Currently, he was investigating all four princes and two princesses, including two princes of Kran. Moreover, in preparation for any potential incidents that might occur in the enemy¡¯s stronghold, he was meticulously recording all the geography and mapping their movements. This time, he hoped the number of things to investigate would decrease, as he felt somewhat apologetic for how hard his subordinates were working. Cassion carefully took out the flag that Banios had given him. ¡®...!¡¯ Cassion¡¯s eyes widened slightly. The emblem of the Tonisk Empire engraved on the flag was glowing. ¡®It¡¯s real.¡¯ The man who claimed to be a prince was indeed of royal blood. The Tonisk Empire had truly vanished from this land. The false board had disappeared, revealing a new game on top of it. The fight, the outcome of which no one could predict, had genuinely begun. He could already hear the deepening concerns of his master. When Cassion opened the door and stepped outside, Ruel and Banios looked at him intently. ¡°Hilim Tonisk is indeed of royal lineage.¡± Upon Cassion¡¯s words, Banios closed his mouth, and Ruel¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡®Great Man, as expected, you were in Kran.¡¯ *** Ruel walked around the quiet training ground, inhaling Breath. ¡ªRuel, are we skipping cocoa today? Leo, who had been following Ruel, finally asked after some hesitation. ¡°I feel like exploring a bit today.¡± ¡ªOh, so no cocoa then? ¡°Perhaps.¡± Leo¡¯s tail and ears drooped in disappointment. He had come to expect cocoa during their nightly visits to the training ground, so it seemed he was looking forward to it again today. Ruel chuckled and teased, ¡°Leo, did you really tag along just for the cocoa?¡± ¡ªAh, no, this body followed you because this body likes Ruel! Despite Leo¡¯s denial, the sad look in his eyes suggested that more than half of his purpose was indeed the cocoa. ¡°Would you like to go have cocoa with Hina? Astell is likely still in the kitchen.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here until you return.¡± ¡ªReally? ¡°Really!¡± Without anyone calling her, Hina appeared, looking at Ruel with eager eyes. ¡ªEek! Leo jumped in surprise, clinging to Ruel, but then promptly smiled at Hina. ¡°Leo-nim,¡± Hina carefully approached Leo and gently patted him. Observing her joy, Ruel gestured with his hands, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, so you should go with Leo.¡± ¡°Ah, no! If I leave, I won¡¯t be able to protect you, Ruel-nim!¡± After receiving a stern rebuke from Cassion previously, Hina was more cautious. ¡°This is my home, and you¡¯re only going to be gone for a little while, so go.¡± ¡ªHina, this body wants to have cocoa. ¡°Yes, shall we go together then?¡± Leo rubbed against Hina¡¯s leg, and her resolve crumbled in an instant. ¡ªThis body will be back soon! With short legs kicking excitedly, Leo hurried off to the kitchen with Hina. As Ruel watched intently until Leo disappeared into the mansion, he let out a deep sigh. ¡°Hah,¡± Taking a deep breath, he continued his interrupted steps, inhaling Breath. The Empire had vanished, and the Great Man was in Kran. ¡®Whose body did the Great Man enter?¡¯ Trino Setiria knew who the Great Man had possessed. Ruel wished there were more clues left behind. There was a suspicious person, but evidence was still elusive. ¡®Regardless, even if I find the Great Man, how can I defeat him?¡¯ Since they had failed to eliminate the Great Man before, perhaps the royal family had hidden something. The scope had narrowed considerably, but there was still much to find. ¡®The King.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡®I need to find the King.¡¯ Even though he had been happy to think he had found the King in the spirit¡¯s house, that had merely been a fragment of power left by the King, not the King himself. ¡®I am the only Ruel Setiria who has survived to this point, though I¡¯m not sure which number I am.¡¯ Ruel walked a lap around the training ground before stopping. He had been feeling this way for a while, but it was hard to believe that he was truly in the world of a web novel. ¡°SSS-Class Knight¡± was still ongoing, so why would a different story be unfolding? It seemed that only stories that couldn¡¯t be found in a web novel were being revealed. ¡®What if this isn¡¯t a world of a web novel, but a real world?¡¯ Where have all the people who previously became Ruel Setiria gone? Had they gone back? Or... Ruel clenched his fist. ¡®What if I find a way to return...?¡¯ He gazed at the mansion, which was brightly lit. The scenery had become so familiar, leaving behind a deep sense of longing. ¡®Do I want to go back?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, slowly closing his eyes before opening them again. He pushed any unnecessary thoughts aside. He looked at his own hands, clad in thick gloves. -If it¡¯s the flag given by the Empire... Ah, you mean that humiliating flag? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± -I heard that my grandfather tore it to shreds the moment he received it. So, Leponia has kept it. ¡°Yes, they have. In any case, I confirmed that the flag started to glow in his presence.¡± -I see. Huswen understood immediately what it meant for the flag to be glowing, as he was already familiar with it. He let out a series of gasps, struggling to find words. ¡°Now I will tell Your Majesty my conditions for the deal.¡± -Go ahead. Huswen¡¯s voice sounded slightly sharp. How frustrated he must have been, not knowing he had been stabbed in the back and played by the enemy. ¡°Someone must inform the world that the Empire no longer exists. Please grant me this crucial moment as promised.¡± -Indeed. That moment holds great weight. It carries substantial influence. Pause. Upon hearing Huswen¡¯s words that seemed to prolong the conversation unnecessarily, Ruel waited with slight tension. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t really back out of the promise, would he?¡¯ Taking on a large role was only one part of it. There were still other opportunities available. -It¡¯s a very tempting position, but I will grant it to you as promised. That position is not large enough for me to forsake my relationship with you. ¡°Your Majesty, I plan to extend this opportunity to Prince Banios.¡± -How admirable. My knights often slack off during duty, and the nobles only think of ways to press me down, yet you are actually strengthening the foundation for the Crown Prince. I really envy you. Huswen repeated his envy several times as if feigning regret. ¡°Your Majesty, I am thinking of shaking up this newly arranged board. Would you join me?¡± -You always manage to surprise me. How can I assist you? Ruel shared the same information he mentioned to Banios regarding the alliance with Huswen. ¡°I will inform you again once a detailed plan is outlined.¡± -Lord Setiria. ¡°Yes.¡± -I¡¯ve been jesting until now, but this time I speak earnestly. I will create a position for you. Whenever you feel inclined, visit Cyronian. You will be welcomed with open arms. Huswen, who had been talking around in circles, sincerely offered for him to come to Cyronian. To be honest, it was a wonderful proposal, but he was Setiria. ¡°Thank you for your generous offer.¡± -Take your time to consider it. ¡°Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask.¡± -Feel free to speak. ¡°The Empire now stands vacant. I would like to see what lies within it. I hope you can remove the seal placed at the entrance of the Empire.¡± -It¡¯s not easy to break the seal, but I¡¯ll try. I guess I¡¯ll have to stop for a walk here. Well then, have a good night. Ruel inhaled Breath and replied, ¡°Yes, I wish you a good night too, Your Majesty.¡± Only then did Ruel ease his shoulders, relieved that the negotiations had proceeded more smoothly than anticipated. -Ruel. Ganien cautiously spoke up. ¡°You haven¡¯t hung up yet?¡± Ruel sniffled. -How can I just hang up after hearing this? Damn it! What the hell is this... ha. Ganien struggled to find the right words as he let out several sighs. While he took a moment, Ruel continued inhaling Breath and waited patiently. -Ruel, given the situation, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to be in Leponia? ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± If this were a game of chess, Ruel was the king. There was no place safer than Leponia, which had cleared out the Red Ash. ¡°But as I¡¯ve mentioned before, I¡¯m simply doing what others cannot. If you think about it, Cassion has done most of the work, and I¡¯m just putting in the finishing touches.¡± -I don¡¯t see it that way. Others probably won¡¯t either. ¡°Stop with the uncharacteristic flattery and get back to work. Goodbye.¡± Ruel felt an itch at the nape of his neck and quickly cut off the communication. Sigh. A white breath fogged the air. Ruel stood up and started walking around the training ground again. Crunch. The sound of stepping on snow echoed under his feet. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! Leo¡¯s excited voice made Ruel wave his hand slightly. Leo rushed over and circled around Ruel. ¡ªThis body had a delicious meal! Look, this body¡¯s front paw... Leo paused for a moment and looked at his front paw. ¡°Leo-nim ate a whole cake,¡± Hina chimed in and smiled brightly. ¡°Is it good, Hina? You have a bit on your mouth.¡± As Ruel gestured towards the corner of her mouth, Hina quickly covered it, surprised. Similar to Leo, there were remnants of chocolate cake on her lips. Ruel chuckled and inhaled Breath again. ¡°Let¡¯s head inside, Leo. You should rest too, Hina.¡± ¡°Have your concerns been resolved?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a situation that worrying could fix from the start, but I¡¯m not feeling down about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, I was worried. It¡¯s good to see you smiling, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡ªThis body also enjoys seeing Ruel smile! With both Hina and Leo chiming in, Ruel hurriedly turned his head away. Such compliments still made him feel rather shy. Hastening into the mansion, he paused briefly. Snowflakes began to fall once more, coming down steadily. ¡ªLook, it¡¯s snowing! Leo looked up at the sky with his mouth agape. ¡°Shall we build a snowman?¡± ¡ªA snowman? What¡¯s that? Leo immediately picked up what Ruel muttered. ¡°Perhaps we can make one tomorrow? You can discover what a snowman is then!¡± ¡ªSounds fun! Witnessing Leo¡¯s wide grin brought a smile to Ruel¡¯s face as well. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 152: Before Departure (3) Chapter 152: Before Departure (3) *** ¡°Hmm.¡± Ruel smiled contentedly as he gazed at the snowman he had just finished building, its curves perfectly formed. Extending his hand towards Cassion, he awaited the carrot to complete the snowman¡¯s nose and enhance its perfection. ¡°Cassion, continue speaking,¡± Ruel requested. He had recently learned that a bounty of 10 million gold coins had been placed on his head. It was shocking enough but Ruel couldn¡¯t decide whether to laugh or scold Cassion for not informing him earlier, especially considering he had acquired this information by eliminating most of the assassin¡¯s guilds in Leponia. ¡°It seems that most of the remaining assassins in Leponia are preparing to leave. That¡¯s why I went out yesterday,¡± Cassion explained, handing the carrot to Ruel. Pausing before placing the carrot on the snowman¡¯s face, Ruel seemed to savor the moment, as if on a leisurely stroll. So that¡¯s why Cassion¡¯s face seemed refreshed today. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the details; what intel did you gather?¡± Ruel wasn¡¯t particularly interested in the specifics of how Cassion had taken down the assassin guilds. Cassion smirked slightly before revealing, ¡°The client was a noble from the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Could it be Red Ash then? Please tell me it¡¯s not one of their high-ranking members?¡± ¡°If Medeas Tehel, who follows Adea Kran, has recently joined the Red Ash and been promoted to an executive, then it¡¯s not him as it seems that the person who commissioned the assassin¡¯s guild was a member of the Red Ash from the very beginning.¡± While they spoke, Aris watched Leo joyfully crafting a snowball with his short front paws, creating a feeling of disconnect between Ruel and Cassion¡¯s conversation and the current circumstances. It was as if a line had been drawn in the middle, placing the two pairs in entirely different worlds. ¡°So who is this guy?¡± Ruel asked and inhaled Breath. ¡°I mentioned before that they were rescuing adventurers in the Kran Kingdom from a monster outbreak,¡± Cassion replied. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the person in charge of that.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± a chuckle escaped Ruel¡¯s lips. ¡°It seems like there are connections everywhere.¡± It would be prudent not to rush to conclusions about the involvement of a Red Ash member in the outbreak until the reasons behind the monster outbreak were thoroughly investigated. Ruel nonchalantly stuck the carrot into the snowman¡¯s face and stepped back a few paces, admiring his creation. It was a perfect snowman that could be considered the masterpiece of a lifetime. ¡°It seems there are more things Ruel-nim can¡¯t do than I had imagined,¡± Cassion said, glancing at the somewhat shabby snowman that Ruel had built, choosing to withhold some comments. Even a child might have been able to craft a better one. ¡°Has the departure date for Kran been finalized?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice held a hint of displeasure. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re set to depart in ten days.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How quickly can you get me to Kran?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel with suspicion. Ruel rarely spoke without reason. This meant that there must be a significant reason for him to want to go to Kran. ¡°Could you explain why you are asking such a question?¡± ¡°You seem quite distrustful lately,¡± Ruel chuckled. Thanks to whom? Cassion forcibly held back his urge to speak out. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, I just don¡¯t see the need for a carriage to the Kran Kingdom when you can move so swiftly.¡± ¡°Ru, Ruel-nim.¡± The snow in Aris¡¯ hand slipped away, and even Leo paused to gaze at Aris. ¡°Are you suggesting you want to depart separately from the delegation?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Ruel clapped his hands twice. ¡°So, what¡¯s your decision, Cassion?¡± Under Ruel¡¯s penetrating gaze, Cassion massaged his temples. His head was throbbing. ¡°Could you tell me the reason you want to go separately from the delegation?¡± ¡°When the delegation arrives, there will naturally be a lot of attention around. I want to investigate the monsters before that.¡± Breaking the seals guarding the Empire¡¯s gates would require time. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t sure how to use his power to approach the ¡®king.¡¯ A carriage journey to the Kran Kingdom would take a minimum of four days. Given various factors, those four days might stretch even longer. Time was of the essence. Wouldn¡¯t it be best to figure out whether the monsters¡¯ rampage was due to corruption or some other reason in the meantime? Ruel shook off the snow from his gloves and said, ¡°Everyone already knows that I¡¯m unwell. I stayed practically glued to the carriage during the Cyronian incident anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risky move. What if it¡¯s discovered that you¡¯re not in the carriage?¡± Aris asked, looking concerned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± The wealthy and capable crown prince would take care of everything. Ruel then fixed his gaze on Cassion. ¡°Do I need to ask again?¡± ¡°What will you do if a black-blooded man appears on this journey?¡± In response to Banios¡¯ concern, Ruel pointed to Aris as if to reassure him. ¡°There is Aris. Aris will depart with the delegation.¡± Aris¡¯ face turned pale at Ruel¡¯s unexpected statement. He momentarily tightened his lips at Ruel¡¯s continued words. ¡°Your Highness, please do not worry about Aris¡¯ abilities. I guarantee it. Aris can certainly defeat the black-blooded man. Isn¡¯t that right, Aris?¡± Ruel turned to Aris. Shocked but meeting Ruel¡¯s expectations, Aris stuttered, ¡°R-Ruel-nim, I am your guardian knight. It is my duty to protect you.¡± ¡°Then you should accompany the delegation. Everyone knows you¡¯re my guardian knight,¡± Ruel countered, leaving Aris speechless, unable to protest further. Aris could only gaze at Ruel with a rigid expression. ¡ªWhat about this body? This body wants to go with Ruel. The news of Aris separating from Ruel to join the delegation startled Leo, who quickly grabbed Ruel¡¯s leg with a surprised look. Ruel leaned down and whispered softly to Leo, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re going together.¡± ¡ªThank goodness. This body is so surprised. This body thought it couldn¡¯t go with you. At Ruel¡¯s comforting touch, Leo finally loosened his grip on Ruel¡¯s leg. ¡ªSo, that¡¯s why you called me? To take me instead of Aris? Ganien said, crumpling his face. At Ganien¡¯s question, Cassion chuckled, causing Ganien¡¯s brow to furrow even more. ¡°That¡¯s right. You have to come with me.¡± As Ruel smiled brightly, Banios, who was quietly listening, asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Sir Croft a knight of His Majesty Huswen?¡± ¡°I have already asked His Majesty Huswen for permission.¡± Ganien reacted to Ruel¡¯s answer as if it were his first time hearing it. -When was this decided? ¡°It was a hassle to communicate with His Majesty Huswen through you all the time, so I decided to get a new communications device,¡± Ruel proudly showed off his fourth ring. ¡°His Majesty Huswen has granted me full authority to use you as needed, but you can confirm with him separately later.¡± Although Ruel spoke lightly, Ganien was one of the three commanders protecting King Huswen. King Huswen had willingly handed over Ganien because after this incident was over, Cyronian could exert influence over Leponia. Taking this into account, Ruel had made the request to King Huswen himself. After all, finding a trustworthy and skilled individual wasn¡¯t a simple task. -For some reason, His Majesty keeps forcing me to take leave these days. Bless me... I apologize, Your Highness,¡± Ganien hastily bowed, frustration evident in his voice. He had momentarily forgotten that Banios was present. ¡°I understand your sentiments. In fact, I somewhat sympathize with you at this moment,¡± Banios chuckled helplessly before shifting his focus to Ruel. ¡°I finally grasp the meaning of being ¡®caught like a sitting duck.''¡± ¡°That¡¯s a rather hurtful thing to say, Your Highness. As I just mentioned, I am acting in the interests of my country...¡± ¡°Lord Ruel, you should tone down your flattery a bit. It¡¯s terribly awkward,¡± Banios interrupted. ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t this the time to wield power? And everything I do is ultimately for you,¡± Ruel explained. A peculiar atmosphere lingered, leaving Banios unable to discern the underlying meaning in Ruel¡¯s words. As a Leponian and a key supporter, Ruel¡¯s actions would naturally enhance his own influence as he continued to excel. ¡°What you say is always strange. It leaves me speechless.¡± Seeing Banios¡¯ troubled expression, Ruel smiled. If one only looked at his smile, he seemed entirely innocent. However, there was a slight unsettling feeling as he couldn¡¯t guess what was hidden beneath it all. ¡°Your Highness, did you perhaps forget the Mana Oath we exchanged?¡± ¡°How could I forget the strongest bond between us?¡± Banios laughed lightly. As long as the Mana Oath, which affirmed their commitment not to betray each other, remained as a foundation of trust, everything Ruel did would undoubtedly be for the benefit of Leponia. ¡°Then, I look forward to your support. My fate lies in your hands.¡± ¡°Understood... Just a moment.¡± Banios hesitated, feeling compelled to address the unmentioned plans for the Kran Kingdom. ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned what you will be doing in the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°I plan to become an adventurer and investigate the monsters,¡± Ruel announced with a wide smile. ¡°As I have a gift bestowed by Your Highness personally, it¡¯s only fitting to make use of it, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Previously, it was cumbersome to ask Flenn to create the adventurer Han¡¯s activities and records separately from his own, but now that Banios had created a persona named Han, it was enough. Even if something went wrong, Banios, who had made the identification card, would take most of the responsibility, so there was no need to worry. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Ruel expressed his gratitude once more. Was there ever a moment when he could act without worry, like now, before stirring up trouble? As patriarch, how much effort had he put into avoiding being caught? Hearing that Banios would mostly take responsibility in his place, it seemed that one must possess a mindset as calm as the Pacific Ocean to be a prince. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 153: Ive already arrived Chapter 153: I''ve already arrived Ruel lay on the bed. Tomorrow, he will have to leave Setiria. The tasks that needed completion before his departure weighed heavily on him, leaving him too exhausted to do anything but grumble. ¡®I¡¯m tired. Really tired.¡¯ Leo, who had been playing with the spirits, rushed over and climbed onto Ruel¡¯s stomach. ¡ªYou should change your clothes. Cassion will scold you if you don¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let him be mad if he wants to.¡± ¡ªHas Ruel finished everything? ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡ªThis body has been bored all the time. You¡¯re always talking to the magic knights, the regular knights, the barons, Cassion... You just keep talking. After a brief bout of complaints, Leo sulked and flopped weakly on Ruel¡¯s stomach. ¡ªYou don¡¯t even play with this body anymore. Always busy talking to other humans. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. Cough, cough, but I used to play with you a lot. We built snowmen, had snowball fights, and climbed mountains.¡± ¡ªThose were the best times! Aris is busy too. This body is the only one not busy. Leo muttered sulkily but then perked up his ears. ¡ªAnd Ruel has not told this body what a birthday is. Leo crawled up to Ruel¡¯s face with bright eyes. Ruel inhaled Breath before answering, ¡°A birthday refers to the day you were born.¡± ¡ªWhen is this body¡¯s birthday then? Even when Leo looked at him with sparkling eyes, Ruel couldn¡¯t answer. After all, the first time he had seen Leo was in the Beast Forest, so he had no way of knowing how or when Leo had been born. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡ªRuel and this body are the same! We both don¡¯t know our birthdays! Yet, it seemed that Leo had little interest in his own birthday, as his tail wagged with excitement, seemingly forgetting his earlier sulking. ¡®Is being the same really that great?¡¯ Ruel enveloped the bouncing Leo with his shadow on the bed. Leo smiled brightly. It wasn¡¯t for fun that he wrapped Leo up; previously, Jan had said that the energy of darkness could be food for great purifiers. So, whenever Ruel had the chance, he attempted to create shadows around Leo or envelop him in various ways, but he still didn¡¯t know how Leo could consume it. ¡°Do you still not know how to eat the darkness?¡± ¡ªThis body feels the warmth of the darkness. Kuroo kuru. The spirits that were spread out in the room came rushing in, clinging to the shadows. At first, the spirits had been wary of the shadows, but now they treated them as their playground. ¡°How about resting today to prepare for tomorrow?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice drew Ruel¡¯s attention. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Kran is very dangerous, unlike the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± The Kran Kingdom had a Red Ash executive, the monsters were on a rampage, and, most importantly, there was the Great Man. ¡°I know.¡± Despite the dangers, Ruel knew he had to proceed, even if it felt like walking into a minefield unarmed. ¡°You and Ganien will find a way.¡± ¡°Are you saying this because you trust me, or are you just trying to pass the responsibility onto me?¡± Ruel stared at Cassion with a confused expression, not understanding what he meant. Cassion looked more serious than usual. Thinking about it, Ruel realized he probably hadn¡¯t said that ¡®thing¡¯ to Cassion, considering it the most obvious thing in the world. Ruel thought Cassion might need more assurance from his perspective, so he sat up straight. ¡°I¡¯m not good with sentimental words; they make me feel awkward.¡± Previously, he hadn¡¯t even properly conveyed to Leo how precious he was, just nodding his head instead. ¡°So listen carefully.¡± Ruel took a deep breath, feeling the awkwardness creeping in. ¡°Whatever you do, I hold the responsibility. I am your master.¡± Meeting Cassion¡¯s gaze, Ruel spoke with conviction. ¡°I trust you, Cassion.¡± ¡°...¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes slightly wavered. ¡°Are you serious...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve understood.¡± Ruel intervened, sensing Cassion might dwell on it too long. He wanted to prevent overthinking. ¡°I am already a fish caught in the net.¡± Cassion, still looking surprised, responded to Ruel. ¡°Even a fish in a net is still a fish. Well, that¡¯s enough. If you have nothing more to say, you may leave.¡± ¡°...¡± Even when Ruel waved his hand, Cassion stood there, stunned. It seemed he was deeply shocked. ¡®Yeah, I admit this. He¡¯s been working hard, so it¡¯s understandable.¡¯ Ruel suppressed his growing impatience as he looked at Cassion. Then, as he inhaled Breath, he suddenly recalled something and asked Cassion. ¡°Oh, what about the First Tomb of Setiria?¡± Cassion answered a beat late. ¡°I dug up the grave as you instructed, but it was completely empty inside.¡± ¡°Nothing at all? Not even a body?¡± ¡°None. While I was digging, I found an old trace. The color of the soil was slightly different from the other tombs.This is just my guess, but it seems like someone had dug up the tomb before.¡± ¡°You mean it was robbed?¡± Ruel asked in confusion. Although the First Tomb of Setiria was more elaborate than the rest, he didn¡¯t expect everything, including the body, to be looted. ¡°...!¡± Drianna scrutinized the faint traces of mana around Ruel and the small door, her gaze shifting between them. It appeared that all his mana had dissipated in a single swoop.. ¡°Could it be... that you made the door and crossed over, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right. So that Ruel can come over here as much as he wants....¡± ¡°I need to move him to a safe place.¡± Drianna, suppressing her rising anxiety, glanced at Jan and carefully placed a Hold on Ruel. *** Ruel opened his eyes and quickly sat up, realizing he wasn¡¯t in his own room. This was Banios¡¯s room. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this situation feel all too familiar to you?¡± Cassion spoke with a sigh. As Ruel cautiously surveyed the room, his gaze met Tyson standing beside Cassion. It had become the same situation as before, before heading to Cyronian, except for the fact that Fran, who had been sitting next to Tyson, was now staring at him intensely. ¡ªRuel! Ruel lowered his head as Leo rushed towards him. He truly felt ashamed of this incident. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to apologize; just the fact that nothing serious happened is enough,¡± Tyson smiled warmly, observing the mana swirling around Ruel. Ruel¡¯s mana was replenishing at a more normal pace ¡ª so it was much quicker than before. He believed that even if Ruel were to open the door to the spirit¡¯s house again, he wouldn¡¯t collapse as he did that day. ¡°Are you feeling dizzy or nauseous?¡± Fran¡¯s tone was sharp. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m alright.¡± Ruel avoided meeting Fran¡¯s eyes. ¡°I had told you to be careful, as anything could happen in this brief time before joining the delegation to the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°I know. I... I¡¯m really sorry about this.¡± ¡°Lord Ruel,¡± Fran called Ruel calmly, her anger having subsided by now, ¡°When we meet again in the Kran Kingdom, I hope it will be with smiles. So, you must be careful while I¡¯m away.¡± Ruel was doing something separately, though she didn¡¯t know exactly what it was. It had to be something important yet simultaneously dangerous. Unable to ask what it was, Fran forced a bright smile as she said goodbye. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Although she knew that the words coming out of Ruel¡¯s mouth were unreliable, she wanted to believe him once again. Fran stood up, knowing that the longer she stayed, the more rumors about Ruel¡¯s condition would arise outside, so she decided it was best to leave. ¡°Ruel-nim, you¡¯re truly remarkable.¡± As soon as Fran left, Cassion spoke sarcastically. ¡ªRuel has done nothing wrong. Leo observed the atmosphere carefully and said, ¡ªIt was this body¡¯s fault. If this body hadn¡¯t insisted on going through the door, Ruel wouldn¡¯t have...! Ruel hushed Leo, placing a hand over his mouth. It wasn¡¯t Leo¡¯s fault. This was due to his own lack of caution. ¡°This time, I was the one at fault.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand your mistake. Please don¡¯t open that door again.¡± Cassion said firmly. Though he had a rough idea of why Ruel had opened the door to the spirit¡¯s house and why he was so interested in it, what good would it do if he collapsed this way? ¡°You¡¯ll be fine now,¡± Tyson interjected, breaking the tense silence, ¡°Ruel, you are free to open the door to the Spirit¡¯s house again.¡± Ruel looked surprised. ¡°Tyson-nim?¡± Cassion raised his voice. ¡°Have you not noticed the increase in Ruel¡¯s mana compared to before?¡± Tyson¡¯s words gave Cassion pause. ¡°I learned that just protecting him isn¡¯t the answer from the last experience.¡± Even now, if he closed his eyes, he could vividly recall the scene of Ruel climbing the mountain. Though his body was weak, he was a child capable of achieving anything. Tyson smiled at Ruel. ¡°Go ahead and try anything.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡± Regardless of Cassion¡¯s sighs, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel answered while petting Leo. ¡°If anything happens, call for me.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Do not bear everything alone. If it becomes overwhelming, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out to me anytime.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡± Tyson felt reassured that Ruel¡¯s smile was genuine as he walked towards the door. Before turning the handle, he glanced back at Ruel and waved lightly. ¡°Then let¡¯s ensure a safe reunion and take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°I will return in good health.¡± Tyson seemed like he could repeat those words several times, but without any lingering feelings, he stepped outside. Slightly disappointed, Ruel cut off his lingering feelings by inhaling Breath. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice had a slightly sharp edge to it. ¡°Is it because of me that the appointment ceremony has been postponed again?¡± ¡°You hit the nail on the head.¡± Ruel shared a smile with Cassion, who raised the corner of his mouth. He felt sorry, but King Brans would have handled everything on his own. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare. It¡¯s time to depart.¡± Towards the Kran Kingdom. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 154: Ive already arrived (2) Chapter 154: I''ve already arrived (2) *** Ruel seemed to have adapted to the rapidly changing scenery; the wonder he once expressed was nowhere to be seen, and he merely yawned in boredom. ¡ªWhoa! However, Leo¡¯s admiration continued incessantly, even though it wasn¡¯t being expressed verbally. Cassion paused to check on Ruel on his back, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± At first, it felt strange, like being on a train without a roof, but now he had grown accustomed to the wind slapping his face. Cassion spoke up to reassure Ruel, ¡°There are no watchers or enemies nearby.¡± ¡°Is there anyone who could match your speed?¡± ¡°The world is vast, Ruel-nim.¡± In the past, Cassion might have boastfully declared there was none, but since Ruel had been injured in the stomach by the Great Man, he had changed. He truly did not take pride in himself and continued to look upward. Cassion waited while Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°I will resume our journey. Please let me know if you notice anything unusual at any time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With Ruel¡¯s answer, Cassion set off again. Ruel gazed out at the sea that had finally revealed itself. Although he had collapsed after opening the door, he had confirmed, just as Jan had said, that the door connected to the spirit¡¯s house could be opened from anywhere. He could only hope he would never need to open that door again. *** ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s time to wake up now,¡± Cassion shook Ruel out of his deep sleep. Perhaps due to the journey¡¯s toll, Ruel struggled to shake off his drowsiness. Thankfully, there was no fever in sight. Leo peeked his head out from Ruel¡¯s arms. The scent of the sea was overwhelming. As Leo took in the surroundings and caught sight of the ocean, his eyes lit up with excitement. ¡ªHave we arrived already? But Leo quickly closed his mouth, sensing the atmosphere. He had broken his promise to Ruel not to speak outside. ¡°That over there is Kran.¡± Cassion pointed to the country floating above the sea, on the other side of the long bridge. The only entrance to the Kran Kingdom was via this bridge, with the surrounding expanse being ocean; they had to walk the rest of the way. ¡ªIs there nobody around? Leo asked quietly. Cassion nodded, and only then did Leo let out a joyful shout. ¡ªWhoa! At Leo¡¯s voice, Ruel finally pried open his heavy eyelids. After inhaling Breath, he opened his mouth. His throat was dry. ¡°People are truly amazing. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m falling asleep in the meantime.¡± As soon as night fell, the combination of sea breeze and winter wind made his long hair dance. He had never thought of it as bothersome, but this time it was especially irritating. As Ruel blinked, he finally realized that they had arrived in the Kran Kingdom. ¡°Cassion, would you like to rest briefly until Ganien arrives?¡± Cassion had only managed short five-minute breaks for himself. He must be exhausted no matter how tough he seemed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll prepare a meal once we¡¯re in the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cassion had pre-prepared a snack and offered it to Ruel. Today, it was a sandwich instead of a meat pie, filled generously with vegetables. ¡ªHow delicious! Leo¡¯s mouth watered as he eyed the sandwich, while Ruel simply stared without interest. ¡®More than half of it is vegetables.¡¯ It seemed odd. Cassion surely knew his preferences. Looking at Ruel as if he were a finicky child, Cassion said, ¡°Ms. Fran mentioned the benefits of eating plenty of vegetables, so I tried something new this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just eating because I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ruel reluctantly took a bite of the sandwich and then chuckled. Despite the overwhelming presence of vegetables, the meat¡¯s flavor was robust. ¡°Cassion, you could open a shop later.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t add to my workload here,¡± Cassion said, frowning. His current tasks were already more than sufficient. ¡°What about Ganien? Is he on his way?¡± Ruel finally took in his surroundings, finding himself near a forest close to the bridge leading to the Kran Kingdom. ¡°He¡¯s on his way,¡± Cassion replied, glancing back as Ganien hurried towards them. ¡ªGive this body too. Leo tried desperately to cling to Ruel¡¯s arm, but it was futile with his short front paws. ¡°It might not suit your taste. It¡¯s not sweet.¡± Leo mostly enjoyed sweet foods. Ruel tore off a piece of the sandwich and gave it to Leo, then turned his head towards the beach, pausing. ¡°...!¡± Spirits that looked like water droplets had gathered on the sandy shore, staring intently at him. When did they gather? ¡ªIt seems they came out from under the sea because of the good smell. They¡¯ve been watching you even before you woke up... mm, it¡¯s not delicious. Leo¡¯s words trailed off as he choked slightly. ¡°See?¡± Ruel took a delicious bite of his sandwich while watching Cassion busily prepare the medicine. How could there be so many kinds of medicine? ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Ruel asked Cassion, offering him a piece of the sandwich. ¡°I¡¯m fine with not eating.¡± Rustle. His hands turned quickly through the pages. The person in charge of this year¡¯s monster rampage incident, ¡®Glen Syria,¡¯ had been responsible for managing it for the last twenty years. ¡®Stripped of national merit...¡¯ Ruel noted that Glen had led a fairly ordinary life, but one notable incident in his life was that his father, a national meritorious person, had been stripped of his title. His father, an ordinary teacher, had died while trying to save a student, but as time passed, the incident seemed to be forgotten by the public, leading to the revocation of his status. ¡®His mother tried to appeal to the country, but it failed.¡¯ That was an unsettling conclusion. ¡°Is that all?¡± As Ruel turned the page, expecting more information, he found none and turned to Cassion for answers. Aside from the fact that he had requested the Leponia Assassin Guild to kill him, the information felt rather dull. Even if he tried to blackmail him, there was nothing to threaten him with. ¡°That¡¯s all for now.¡± Ruel frowned at Cassion¡¯s words. Wasn¡¯t this vastly different from the normal trajectory set by the Red Ash? According to the information, ¡®Glen Syria¡¯ was just a low-ranking noble who had lived a normal life with support from the Red Ash. Was he supposed to believe this nonsense? ¡°Anything else?¡± Ruel inquired. Cassion glanced at Ganien, who was entertaining Leo, and then pulled out another document. ¡°The investigation on this is still ongoing. There¡¯s much more to review.¡± ¡°Just hand it over.¡± Ruel snatched the document and began to examine it. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a shame to miss out on the meat pie while you¡¯re engrossed?¡± Before Ruel could respond, Cassion handed him a meat pie. Crunch. The satisfying sound caused Leo¡¯s ears to perk up. ¡ªMeat pie! This body loves meat pie! ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ganien looked on regretfully as Leo dashed over to Ruel. ¡°Beast, yours is right here.¡± Since Ruel was beginning to focus, Cassion preemptively blocked any distractions. Crunch. Leo took a bite of the meat pie that Cassion held in his hand. ¡°Cassion.¡± When Ganien called Cassion, he spoke firmly. ¡°There¡¯s none for you.¡± *** Before long, the sun was setting in the west. Ruel furrowed his brow and looked up. ¡®Treitol Kran is investigating the Red Ash?¡¯ That couldn¡¯t be right. Something felt off. There were a total of six princesses and princes in the Kran Kingdom.Among them, aside from Adea Kran and Treitol Kran, the only one currently entangled with the Red Ash was Princess Jayel Kran. Adea Kran and Treitol Kran, born to the same mother, were Jayel Kran¡¯s half-siblings. Given the kingdom¡¯s hereditary nature, Adea Kran, the eldest, was set to inherit the throne. ¡®So it turns out that it is not the second, Treitol Kran, but the fourth, Jayel Kran, who is trying to keep things in check.¡¯ If one were to look at Treitol Kran¡¯s previous actions, it appeared he had been supporting his elder brother, Adea Kran, from behind the scenes. ¡°Cassion, are you certain about this?¡± Ruel questioned, clutching the documents tightly. Based on this information alone, it seemed Treitol Kran had grown distant from his brother due to misunderstandings, yet he was depicted as a noble prince dutifully working for the kingdom by investigating the Red Ash, as well as a good younger brother willing to sacrifice for his elder brother. Cassion, slightly puzzled, affirmed, ¡°The investigation results are accurate.¡± ¡°Reinvestigate. Not just the results, but the whole process.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Cassion asked with a hint of confusion. It was the first time Ruel had so vehemently denied his own research findings. As Ruel inhaled Breath, he started to notice sounds coming from another direction. They weren¡¯t the only ones here. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Though Ruel didn¡¯t provide a clear answer, Cassion understood his concern and nodded in acknowledgment. Ruel opened his mouth to speak again but scanned the surroundings instead. Wasn¡¯t it too quiet? Ganien and Leo had already fallen asleep. ¡®Sleep well.¡¯ Ruel briefly smiled and then turned his gaze back to the documents. The Great Man was in Kran. He thought and thought and thought about whose body he might be in. Although it was too early to conclude, Ruel found it difficult to erase the feeling of being trapped in a spider¡¯s web when shaking hands with Treitol. Why did he feel that only with Treitol? After meeting Treitol, he suddenly shed blood, and strange things happened to his body, almost causing his death. It seemed far too coincidental to chalk it all up to mere chance. Ruel spoke cautiously, ¡°I think Treitol Kran is the Great ... Man.¡± ¡°...¡± Cassion was taken aback, but he didn¡¯t rush to voice his thoughts. His master was that cautious. Although not certain yet, there seemed to be some suspicions. Without further inquiry, Cassion replied, ¡°I¡¯ll review the process, as Ruel-nim suggested.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t miss a thing.¡± Ruel doubted but did not have conviction. There were only suspicions, and it was just one of many possibilities, so he had to keep his ears open. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 155: Ive already arrived (3) *** After spending the night in the capital, Ruel and his party found the reception desk. Adventurers from various regions had gathered, and there were already more than ten lines just waiting at the reception. The line stretched long like a snake, seemingly endless, so Ruel decided to step out early and wait nearby until it was their turn. ¡ªThis body can¡¯t count anymore. Leo¡¯s head was spinning as if overwhelmed by the crowd and his own paws. Leo only had ten paws in total. Although tempted to tease Leo with a number game starting from one and ending at ten, Ruel was also overwhelmed by the many sounds around him and decided against it. ¡°Would you like some water?¡± Cassion offered, extending a bottle of water subtly. The one standing in line was Ganien, who occasionally shot him dissatisfied glances, but Ruel didn¡¯t have the energy to wave his hand. He weakly responded to Cassion¡¯s offer and reached out for the water. ¡°Uh.¡± ¡°Would you like to wait at the inn instead?¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds good,¡± Ruel replied, feeling unwell. Despite the seemingly swift movement of the line, he hadn¡¯t anticipated such a long wait, which was why he had come to the reception desk in the first place. If he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have left the inn at all. ¡ªHuh? Leo tilted his head, looking at Ruel. ¡ªWhere have the spirits gone? Lost in observing the crowd, Leo hadn¡¯t noticed the spirits¡¯ disappearance. A sudden chill ran down Ruel¡¯s spine as he scanned himself and his surroundings. ¡®Where are the spirits...?¡¯ Despite the bustling crowd, not a single spirit was in sight. It should have been a safe place, unlike outside. While he could have assumed the spirits were hiding once again, it had become a routine after gaining Jan¡¯s power to have spirits emerge and curiously watch him. Where could they have strayed off to? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassion asked. ¡°Just a moment,¡± Ruel replied, deep in thought. ¡®The absence of spirits could mean that corruption is occurring nearby?¡¯ But Leo, being a Great Purifier, was unaffected by corruption. ¡®It¡¯s not corruption.¡¯ If there had been a Corruption, Leo would have said to himself, ¡®I smell something out of the natural order.¡¯ ¡®What else could explain the absence of the spirits?¡¯ Ruel stopped his thoughts. It seemed he would need to ask Jan about the situation once they got to the inn. As he stood up, Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡ªAh! Leo began sniffing the air, tilting his head. ¡ªThere¡¯s an unusual scent. It¡¯s so overpowering that it initially confused this body, but indeed, it is the scent of something out of the natural order! ¡°What about black water?¡± Ruel whispered, prompting an immediate reaction from Cassion. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings carefully. ¡ªNo. ¡°Then is it a black-blooded man?¡± ¡ªNo. It¡¯s very faint. Leo jumped down from Ruel¡¯s lap. ¡ªFollow this body. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel called out, and Cassion nodded in response. ¡°I¡¯ve got your back, no need to worry.¡± With Cassion¡¯s reassuring presence behind him, Ruel confidently trailed after Leo. ¡°Let Ganien know about the situation.¡± Following Cassion¡¯s directive, a lurking shadow quivered slightly. They ran for about five minutes. As they were passing a narrow pathway, Cassion caught Leo, who was dashing ahead, and then grabbed Ruel as well. ¡ªLet go of this body. It¡¯s over there. Leo struggled, flailing his front and back paws, but couldn¡¯t escape Cassion¡¯s grip. ¡°Why?¡± After inhaling Breath several times, Ruel finally asked. ¡°It¡¯s a trap,¡± Cassion stated calmly, passing Leo back to Ruel. ¡°A trap?¡± ¡°I need to confirm it properly. Please wait here for a moment.¡± Cassion faded into the shadows against the wall. Ruel leaned against the wall, regulating his breathing and inhaled Breath again. ¡ªThat was close. Aris always told this body to be careful when walking down the street, but this body forgot. Leo¡¯s ears drooped, and his tail lost its usual energy. Ruel patted Leo gently. No matter who brought him here, Aris seemed to have raised him well. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel finally turned around, prompted by Hina¡¯s voice. A man stood there. ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy. I¡¯ve been led here by death,¡± the man, clad entirely in black, spoke calmly even with Hina¡¯s dagger at his throat, ¡°Aren¡¯t you also led by death?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ruel furrowed his brow at the gibberish. But even that moment was followed by the man¡¯s shocking words. ¡°O Great Purifier and Devotee of Darkness.¡± ¡ªHuh! He recognised this body! Leo was momentarily shocked but then burst into laughter, his tail starting to wag once more. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel questioned sharply. Until now, the only ones who accurately knew about the Great Purifier were the Guardians and the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor, Jan. Ruel didn¡¯t think that the man was one of his guardians. A smile crept onto the man¡¯s lips hidden under his hat. ¡°I am a servant of death. People often refer to me as a warlock.¡± Ruel spoke as Cassion pointed it out. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Now let¡¯s return to the inn. I¡¯m still feeling dizzy.¡± *** ¡°...Ha.¡± As soon as Ruel lay down on the bed, he let out a groan. He had no idea he would be so exhausted just by the presence of so many people. Leo, with wide eyes, came into Ruel¡¯s view. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Are you tired? ¡°I¡¯m just exhausted.¡± ¡°Although we arrived early in Kran, the travel fatigue cannot be ignored. Still, you seem to be much healthier now.¡± Cassion, contrary to his words, pulled out a heat patch and placed it on Ruel¡¯s forehead. Ruel pointed at the heat patch, ¡°But I¡¯m not feeling hot right now?¡± ¡°You have a slight fever.¡± ¡°Where is the delegation now?¡± ¡°I received contact from Aris this morning. They are likely just about to leave the neutral zone. So far, things are going smoothly.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while fiddling with Leo¡¯s ears. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªSay. ¡°You mustn¡¯t rush at the corruption recklessly like you did earlier.¡± ¡ªA deviation from the natural order isn¡¯t right. Aris hadn¡¯t said such things. ¡°That¡¯s a trap.¡± ¡ªWhat kind of trap? Leo tilted his head in confusion. Ruel took a moment to think about how to explain it. Given the circumstances and the fact that the Great Purifier couldn¡¯t hide when using purification, the traces of corruption on the wall were a lure. A bait to draw in a nai?ve Great Purifier, like Leo. It seemed that other Great Purifiers had disappeared from Kran. Ruel had a headache. ¡°Do you remember how Noah sets traps to catch rabbits?¡± ¡ªThis body saw it. ¡°What happened to that rabbit?¡± Leo immediately looked sad. ¡ªRuel... ate it. So, if this body gets caught in a trap, will this body be eaten too? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªOh, this body understands! This body won¡¯t chase after anything at all. This body will stick close to Ruel! Leo trembled and burrowed into Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡®It¡¯s good he¡¯s so innocent.¡¯ Ruel felt a sense of relief and gently patted Leo. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion said, drawing Ruel¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Ganien for now.¡± ¡°Right, he¡¯ll just be grumbling by himself again.¡± ¡°Then, what do we do about those guys?¡± ¡°Hina.¡± Without even looking at the ones Cassion was pointing to, Ruel called for Hina. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel, sitting up straight, handed Leo over to Hina. Despite her puzzled expression, Hina¡¯s hands instinctively reached out for Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± Rather than responding, Leo appeared on the verge of tears. It seemed he sensed the separation. ¡°Hina doesn¡¯t know my preferences. So, Leo, you choose for me like before.¡± ¡ªAre you talking about snacks? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªUnderstood! This body will choose for you! Leo¡¯s tail wagged. That was it. Leo would no longer have to listen to what those guys had to say. ¡°Hina, please go and return.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Hina responded with more energy than ever and left the inn. Cassion waited a moment before speaking again. ¡°Ruel-nim, I apologize for pushing you. However, we now have proof that the Great Purifier¡¯s have disappeared from the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m just not prepared yet.¡± He still couldn¡¯t bear to witness the tears Leo would shed. ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Ruel said calmly. Cassion slapped the cheek of one of the men who had targeted the Great Purifier, who lay unconscious. Slap! With a sharp sound, the target hurriedly opened his eyes. Cassion pressed firmly on the assailant¡¯s mouth and quietly asked, ¡°Do you have any intention of telling me why you targeted the Great Purifier? Nod if you do.¡± The assailant struggled, but he couldn¡¯t overcome Cassion¡¯s strength. ¡°Or perhaps, dying like this wouldn¡¯t be so bad.¡± The assassin, who also worked as a butler, smiled, ¡°The choice is yours.¡± With words that could determine life or death. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 156: Warlock The man¡¯s eyes trembled intensely. Tears streamed down his face as Cassion¡¯s murderous intent felt like it was penetrating every fiber of his being. Cassion glanced at Ruel. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt today, so go ahead,¡± Ruel waved his hand dismissively. Cassion clamped the man¡¯s mouth shut, gripping his jaw, while swiftly drawing a dagger with his free hand and pressing it against the self-proclaimed warlock¡¯s throat. ¡°Ugh...¡± The self-proclaimed warlock groaned and spun around, then stopped. He was helpless to do anything as the dagger touched his neck, he felt as if he would be split in half. ¡°You¡¯re next,¡± Cassion declared with a menacing glare at the self-proclaimed warlock. The atmosphere was so oppressive that breathing felt like a chore. When Cassion retracted the dagger, the self-proclaimed warlock let out a shaky breath. ¡°I... I can tell you who that person is, if you spare me,¡± At the trembling voice of the self-proclaimed warlock, Ruel grinned slyly. ¡°Hmm... Is that so? What I need is someone who can share the information I want, so deal with the other one.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± At that moment, the guy that Cassion was holding desperately nodded his head. As soon as Cassion removed his hand from his mouth, he spoke in a pleading voice. ¡°I will tell you everything. Please, please, let me speak!¡± ¡°Why were you luring the Great Purifier?¡± Ruel asked, and the guy spoke immediately. ¡°Death, death is the ultimate form. The Great Purifier interfered with that...¡± ¡°Did the Red Ash tell you to do that?¡± As he spouted nonsense, Ruel cut it off sharply, wanting to get the answer he sought. ¡°I-I am not with the Red Ash. We collaborated because our interests aligned...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Suddenly, the self-proclaimed warlock shouted. ¡®Surprised me,¡¯ Ruel thought, startled by the sudden outburst. ¡°He is the same servant of death, a very, very, very shameful bastard who ignores proper death and tries to lead the world to destruction with a false death!¡± The self-proclaimed warlock glared at the man in front of him as if he were about to kill him. Ruel pointed to the one the self-proclaimed warlock was glaring at. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying he¡¯s a warlock, too?¡± ¡°As much as I hate to admit it, yes,¡± the self-proclaimed warlock replied. ¡°Are there really factions among warlocks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, they¡¯re different from us because they¡¯re mentally corrupted!¡± ¡°Are you saying they¡¯re insane?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense! The Lord of Death desired the world¡¯s demise for us!¡± As the man retorted loudly at the self-proclaimed warlock¡¯s claims, the room became very chaotic. Ruel glanced at Cassion, who watched as the shouting continued to escalate. Catching Ruel¡¯s gaze, Cassion spoke low to them both, ¡°The order of speech is determined by my master.¡± Both fell silent at Cassion¡¯s threatening tone. ¡°So what proof do you have that you are a warlock?¡± Ruel wanted to leave, but he needed some confirmation that assured the self-proclaimed warlock was indeed a warlock. Cassion had intervened before he could verify everything, but when the self-proclaimed warlock had first offered to show proof, he remembered how the shadow of that man had writhed. ¡°I¡¯ll show you right now.¡± As soon as the self-proclaimed warlock moved his hand, his shadow stretched out towards Ruel. In an instant, Cassion¡¯s dagger was aimed at the self-proclaimed warlock¡¯s eye faster than he could blink. The gap between the dagger and the eye was as thin as a sheet of paper. Too late to react, the self-proclaimed warlock found himself utterly powerless. ¡°Stay still, Cassion,¡± Ruel¡¯s displeased voice cut through the tension as the approaching shadow vanished. ¡°Understood, but this guy¡¯s magic is a bit annoying,¡± Cassion sheathed his dagger immediately, remaining wary of the self-proclaimed warlock. He knew what kind of person his master was. His master was as fragile as glass. Gulp. The self-proclaimed warlock swallowed dryly. Only after calming his pounding heart could he move the shadow again. ¡®Hmm...¡¯ Ruel fixated on the shadow that the self-proclaimed warlock was controlling. He thought he was a person with the attribute of darkness because he moved his shadow, but something about the self-proclaimed warlock¡¯s shadow felt different from his own. First of all, it was small and somewhat frail. Second, even though it had no eyes, he felt like it was gazing at him with infinite affection. Ruel watched the self-proclaimed warlock¡¯s moving shadow and commanded, ¡®Come here.¡¯ Then, like Leo coming to eat meat pie, the shadow hurriedly approached him and waited patiently. ¡°...!¡± Both the self-proclaimed warlock and the man who was still held by Cassion reacted almost simultaneously with widened eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hikars.¡± ¡°Did you come looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes. To be precise, it was death who guided me to you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To protect you as these lunatics are using dark devotees as scapegoats to create corrupted deaths. You are...¡± Hikars paused for a moment, furrowing his brow slightly, ¡°Death is close to you. An artificial death, it seems.¡± ¡°Can you see that?¡± It sounded as though he was referring to the mark left by the Great Man. So far, only the guardian Hian had seen that mark. ¡°We can feel death. That¡¯s how we know of the Great Purifiers born from the darkness.¡± ¡°Even those lunatics?¡± Hikars shook his head, ¡°They are so mentally corrupted that they no longer feel death. That¡¯s why they were unaware that you are a devotee of darkness.¡± ¡°You said you help people with darkness attributes like me. I want to know if purification is included in that help.¡± ¡°We do not purify, we only seek out the corrupted dead and burn their lives on behalf of the devotee of darkness.¡± Ruel fell silent. He had said that if a devotee of darkness used ¡®purification,¡¯ their life would decrease. In other words, the warlocks became living batteries to help Ruel survive longer. ¡®What kind of ridiculous system is this?¡¯ Ruel decided not to dwell on this topic further. ¡°Why have you come here?¡± He deliberately changed the subject. ¡°I sense a death here that is far more immense than one can handle. I came to resolve this before it transforms into a corrupted death.¡± A shadow crossed Hikars¡¯ face. ¡°Are you familiar with the Red Ash? I overheard your conversation with that lunatic earlier.¡± ¡°I am somewhat acquainted. Why?¡± ¡°Because of them the warlock¡¯s mission was twisted. Originally, they weren¡¯t this severe. Whatever they¡¯ve done with the Red Ash, they are distorting reality and leading the world to destruction.¡± Ruel let out a laugh. ¡°What they did? It¡¯s obvious; they¡¯re just happy to be applauded for a job well done, so they go on a rampage, like children.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s their hideout? You must know.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of uprooting them?¡± Cassion spoke up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t part of the plan, but I guess I have to.¡± Ruel smiled at Hikars, who was staring at him in disbelief. It was an arrogant grin. ¡°The ones causing corruption are those lunatics. While not the sole perpetrators, they lie at the heart of it. Eliminate the instigators to eradicate corruption. It¡¯s a straightforward solution, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruel then turned his gaze to Cassion. ¡°It¡¯s what you do best, and above all, it¡¯s foolish to let your main skills get rusty.¡± Lately, Cassion had been functioning as a private investigator for himself, pulling the original Shadows, who had served as assassins. ¡°I currently serve as a butler,¡± Cassion remarked, a faint smirk playing on his lips, ¡°But I am willing to undertake this task. If Ruel-nim commands, I shall obey.¡± ¡°So, if I prevent a corrupted death, what will you offer me?¡± Ruel redirected his attention to Hikars. Taken aback, Hikars stuttered, ¡°W-wait a moment, please.¡± ¡°Why? From what I understand, warlocks aren¡¯t exactly known for their magical prowess. Are they perhaps strong in combat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only fought that lunatic, so I¡¯m not sure. Ah, we can¡¯t do it, but they have the power to command the dead.¡± ¡®Do they possess necromancer-like abilities? Then perhaps the soldiers that came out when the empire¡¯s gates opened...?¡¯ Ruel briefly lost himself in thought, staring intently at Hikars as he continued to babble. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to clearly distinguish between strong and weak. However, a wrongful death becomes a corrupted death. And corruption feeds on more corruption.¡± ¡°So, by merely commanding the dead, they are spreading corruption?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± There was now one more reason to eliminate the lunatics. ¡°Are there royals or nobles among these lunatics?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ruel quickly came to a conclusion. After all, his goal was to destroy the Great Man. If the lunatics were in league with the Red Ash and played a key role in creating corruption, then they too had to be eliminated. ¡°So what can you offer me?¡± Ruel asked again. Perceiving his seriousness, Hikars responded composedly, ¡°What is it that you desire, Devotee of Darkness?¡± ¡°What is your standing among the warlocks?¡± ¡°We have no hierarchy. Everything is shared.¡± It seemed there was some sort of group chat existing somewhere in his mind. ¡°Alright. What do you think of my proposal?¡± ¡°We have accepted your proposal.¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 157: Warlock (2) ¡®Consent?¡¯ It was so absurd that it almost made him laugh. However, Ruel held back and inhaled Breath. ¡°But I want to ask. Can you really eliminate those lunatics?¡± Seeing Hikars look at him earnestly, a smirk appeared on Ruel¡¯s lips. ¡°The deal has already been made. Whether I can eliminate them or not, it¡¯s no longer your turn to demand.¡± ¡°What do you mean...?¡± ¡°You just said you¡¯d consent.¡± Hikars flared up, but Ruel spoke as if he found it amusing. To Ruel, the agreement resembled a personal challenge, even without swords drawn. Now that his opponent had surrendered, it was time to reap the rewards. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for me to state my conditions.¡± Hikars¡¯s anger subsided as he bit his lip, ¡°Serving the Devotee of Darkness is one of our missions.¡± Ruel crossed his arms, wanting to probe whether his true feelings matched his words, ¡°So, it doesn¡¯t matter what kind of person I am?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then it means I can stake all your lives on my conditions.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s...¡± As expected. Ruel never met a man who could actually keep his word after all the bullshitting he¡¯d done, ¡°From now on, keep your nonsense to a minimum and choose your words carefully.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± With Hikars already kneeling, Ruel felt like a teacher scolding a student. He sighed as he looked at him. ¡°First, swear by mana that you won¡¯t betray me.¡± Hikars¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Must I do it now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel waited for the words from Cassion confirming the mana oath had been made, slightly swinging his crossed legs. He had thought only the madmen were lunatics, but the warlocks were no less formidable to deal with. Their faith was blind, as if they had been brainwashed. He needed to understand what they meant by ¡®death¡¯ in the first place. After hearing Cassion announce that the mana oath was concluded, Ruel proceeded to mention his second condition. ¡°Second, you will tell me everything you know about the so-called corrupted death. Third, you will cooperate with me unconditionally. Fourth, I will be the absolute priority when it comes to Devotee¡¯s of Darkness to you.¡± Hikars, who had been blinking, spoke up when Ruel finished listing the conditions, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hikars¡¯s face visibly brightened, ¡°You¡¯re a good person before being a Devotee of Darkness.¡± To describe himself as a good person... Ruel cast a disapproving look at Cassion, who was now openly snickering beside him. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve had your fair share of bad experiences with other Devotees of Darkness, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but yes. Six months ago, I guaranteed a loan, and I still have some debt, but I don¡¯t hold any resentment. Even the Devotees of Darkness have their circumstances...¡± ¡°Circumstances, my foot!¡± The mention of ¡®guarantee¡¯ instantly triggered Ruel¡¯s intense anger. Even Cassion appeared slightly surprised. Ruel clenched his teeth. Due to that guarantee, his father had fallen ill, and he had suffered greatly. A brief flash of old memories raced through his mind. ¡°Hikars!¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± ¡°You sensed that I was a Devotee of Darkness and came looking for me, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. My coming to find you was no coincidence.¡± ¡°Find them.¡± ¡°Y-yes...?¡± ¡°Find them. Instruct your associate to track down the Devotee of Darkness who made you guarantee the loan.¡± Ruel knew from Hikars that when a Devotee of Darkness used purification, their life force was depleted, and he shouldn¡¯t use purification rashly. However, he was determined to capture that person and force them to use purification, no matter what. How dare they make him guarantee a loan? ¡°Ah, understood. But if that person refuses to come with us...¡± Ruel frowned at Hikars¡¯s hesitant attitude. He was reminded of the other company¡¯s assistant manager, Park, who was often whining and grumbling. ¡°Have you forgotten the fourth condition, ¡®I will be the absolute priority to you¡¯?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten. Understood. For us, you, that is...¡± Hikars trailed off, staring at Ruel. Until now, he hadn¡¯t even known the name of the Devotee of Darkness. ¡°Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Y-you are the Noble of Darkness!¡± As soon as Ruel said his name, Hicarus was visibly surprised. ¡°Darn it!¡± Ruel cursed aloud. Even a clueless warlock knew that title. ¡°I-I apologize! I spoke your esteemed title carelessly!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention the word ¡®esteemed.''¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Hikars appeared anxious, uncertain if he had offended Ruel with his words. Ruel inhaled Breath and suppressed the rising frustration. ¡°I¡¯m truly proud to be the butler of someone as famous as Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Shut up, Cassion.¡± Cassion closed his mouth tightly but was grinning widely. ¡®That twisted loyalty...¡¯ Ruel clenched Breath tightly. ¡°Before you leave, I have one question. Where should I go?¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s have a snack.¡± Ruel sat up again, looking at the snacks Hina had placed on the table. *** ¡°Did you bring me here for this?¡± Ganien glared at Ruel slightly. It was unreasonable for Ruel to stand in line when he wasn¡¯t feeling well, so as a friend, Ganien could stand in for Cassion, who had to take care of Ruel. Then, he received a concerning message about confirming the presence of corruption and pursuing it, which left him slightly uneasy. Finally, they arrived back empty-handed despite the enticing aroma around them, which made him disappointed that they hadn¡¯t even brought him warm coffee. ¡°Yes,¡± Ruel replied without hesitation. Huswen had sent Ganien to him for his country¡¯s benefit. Whatever he did with Ganien was his own business. ¡°The line has gotten shorter.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right. Ruel glanced at Leo, who was chiming in, and slightly leaned forward to look ahead. The day had darkened, with about five people visible in front of them. Perhaps due to a brief nap, he felt less dizzy. ¡°Ruel, you...¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel cut off Ganien¡¯s words and called Cassion. It was obvious what Ganien was unhappy about. ¡°You¡¯re ten years older than me, yet your behavior is...¡± Ruel carefully chose his words and inhaled Breath. Cassion smirked while looking at Ruel. He didn¡¯t want to leave any room for Cassion to retort with a look insinuating, ¡®You¡¯re no different.¡¯ Ganien expressed his frustrations after receiving a snack from Cassion; it was too cold, he had no one to talk to, and he even got into some sort of dispute, etc. Ruel, who was listening next to him, let it all pass through one ear. ¡°So, can you imagine how bored I was? At least...¡± Ganien stopped mid-sentence and turned his head in a certain direction. Ruel followed his gaze but saw nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Soldiers have arrived,¡± Cassion explained with a grin. ¡°Including the person in charge, Glen Syria.¡± ¡®Glen Syria?¡¯ Soon, Ruel saw Glen Syria approaching. Dressed in blood-stained armor, it was unclear whose blood it was, he stood confidently in front of the reception desk with soldiers flanking him, appearing like a valiant general. Glen¡¯s voice was grave as he declared, ¡°I will now issue an urgent mission. I want to clarify in advance that this is an official mission.¡± An urgent mission had been announced. ¡°Currently, the monsters have breached the first defensive line and are now threatening the second. If they break through the second line, they will flood into the Kran Kingdom¡¯s capital.¡± A commotion erupted instantly. Ruel smiled leisurely, recognizing the monsters as the Guardians. This dramatic scene was merely a farce¡ªorchestrated to create chaos, with the blood-stained armor and soldiers all part of the act. ¡®They¡¯re trying to lure adventurers into a dangerous area, likely with a significant reward involved.¡¯ It was a situation he had seen many times before. It was similar to when the Red Ash had created a fake merchant and tried to pass the Leponia attack plan to the outside. ¡°Quiet! Please be quiet!¡± Glen shouted. ¡°Anyone willing to join me at the second defensive line, please move to the side.¡± The adventurers hesitated, looking at one another. Most aimed for the relatively safer third and fourth defensive lines, where they hoped to slay monsters and earn good rewards. After all, the first defensive line had already been breached; would the second be safe? ¡°This time, as an exception, we will simply complete the process with ID verification upon departure, and since it is an emergency mission, we promise to give you double the usual compensation!¡± ¡®Of course.¡¯ Ruel covered his mouth, nearly bursting into laughter. The promise of double rewards had sparked a sudden frenzy among the adventurers, who were previously hesitant and now rushed toward the location indicated by Glen. ¡°We¡¯re going too,¡± Ruel said, his voice tinged with amusement. It was essential to uncover the true intentions behind the adventurers¡¯ gathering. He immediately glanced at Cassion, ¡°Don¡¯t stop me.¡± Seeing Cassion¡¯s stern expression, Ruel felt refreshed for the first time in a while. ¡°Are you aware of what you¡¯re walking into?¡± Ganien interjected, trying to caution Ruel. The two made quite the pair. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the explanation from Cassion.¡± While the third and fourth defensive lines were flatlands, the first and second lines were mountainous regions. ¡°Even though you know, are you still going? Consider your objective.¡± Ganien¡¯s remark made Ruel smile brightly. ¡°My objective? Ironically, it¡¯s right there.¡± Ruel subtly gestured towards Glen Syria. ¡°...Hey.¡± Ganien called out to Ruel sharply. Glen Syria was associated with the Red Ash. Coincidentally, an urgent mission was announced right when Ruel had joined. Wasn¡¯t it quite peculiar? What if this was not a coincidence but a trap set by the enemy? ¡°Let¡¯s go and find out. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Seeing Ruel¡¯s confident smile, Ganien felt a swell of warmth in his chest. Despite knowing all this, Ruel had still said he would go. Mirroring Cassion¡¯s distorted expression, Ganien¡¯s expression also hardened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bring this up, but climbing the mountain is too much for your body.¡± ¡ªNo! Ruel has climbed the mountain, this body has seen it! Leo said proudly, even though he knew he couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°Too much? Well...¡± Ruel chuckled. There was no rule saying you had to climb a mountain with both feet. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 158: Warlock (3) *** ¡°Ah-choo!¡± Leo, who was in Ruel¡¯s arms, was startled by Ruel¡¯s sneeze. ¡ªHave you caught a cold? ¡°No,¡± Ruel replied softly, rubbing his nose. Having journeyed comfortably by carriage through the fourth and third defense lines, they now alighted and were en route from the third to the second line. Despite the group of adventurers forming a loose formation as they proceeded, the biting wind still managed to nip at their cheeks from both sides. Thankfully, Ruel¡¯s mask shielded his face from the chill, and the wind naturally muffled noises from the front, which was a relief. ¡°It¡¯s starting to look worrying,¡± Ganien said, looking at Ruel like a parent sending off their child on their first errand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much; I¡¯ve been getting healthier lately.¡± Ganien responded as if reluctantly, a beat behind, ¡°True. I suppose your coughing has decreased quite a lot. Still, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re fit enough to climb that mountain.¡± Ganien pointed to a section where the incline began to rise. He had been unable to believe Ruel when he heard that he had climbed a mountain before, and had to ask Cassion for confirmation. ¡°Actually, I was just about to call for you.¡± As Ruel noticed they were slowly getting farther from the front row, he thought he needed to hurry. He then looked up at the quite distant mountain. Unlike the mountain he had climbed at the mansion, this one had many steep sections, making it impossible to challenge. ¡®Maybe later.¡¯ The fierce wind was exhausting just by walking through it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Cassion asked. Due to the strong wind, Ruel¡¯s body temperature had slightly dropped. ¡°I¡¯m fine for now. Hikars.¡± At Ruel¡¯s call, Hikars appeared from behind. He bowed politely to Ruel. ¡°Thank you for calling me, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Ganien stared intently at Hikars. He was different from a regular wizard. The smell of death spread widely around him. At Hikars¡¯ gaze, Ganien hastily lowered his head slightly. ¡°I apologize. This is my first time seeing a warlock, so I was rude.¡± ¡°No, there are many who find us fascinating.¡± Hikars smiled as if nothing was wrong, as if he had experienced this reaction more than once. ¡°Do you know Hold?¡± When Ruel asked, Hikars answered sharply. ¡°Yes. I know some simple magic.¡± ¡°Good. Just take me to my destination. Simple, right?¡± Hikars hesitated, his gaze shifting between Ganien and Cassion, ¡°Um, are you both comfortable with me?¡± ¡®Comfortable?¡¯ Ruel was puzzled, sensing that it wasn¡¯t just a simple question about the discomfort of having a stranger join them. ¡ªThis body is fine. Leo smiled brightly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not an unfamiliar feeling, so it¡¯s okay,¡± Ganien waved his hand. Then, as Hikars¡¯ gaze turned to Cassion, he pulled a blanket from his magic pocket and replied, ¡°I¡¯m used to it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Ruel felt a twinge of discomfort at being the only one left in the dark. ¡°Unlike you, the Devotee of Darkness, ordinary people instinctively feel discomfort from the smell of death that we emit.¡± Only then did Ruel understand why he had struggled to find a warlock. It was because they had deliberately hidden themselves from people and their unique smell had prevented the shadows from finding them. ¡®Anyway, since I¡¯ve found a warlock, I should ask Jan to tell me about places where spirits cannot go.¡¯ In those places, corruption and Red Ash were likely to be present. ¡°Then, I will cast it.¡± At Hikars¡¯ words, Ruel nodded. He felt a slight tightness from the Hold enveloping his entire body, but it was bearable. ¡®My magic resistance has improved a lot.¡¯ He smiled slightly at himself, who was still standing strong in a situation where he would have already collapsed before. *** ¡ªA fox! Leo looked to the left and then to the right, chattering non-stop. His tail twitched with interest, particularly at the sight of a fox resembling him. To Leo, it seemed as though the fox was equally captivated by its doppelganger. Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at the pure white mountain scenery. Before he knew it, a blanket had been draped over him, and a heat patch was also stuck to his forehead. ¡°It looks like they are really dead. Especially with the smell.¡± As they crossed the mountain, Ganien pinched his nose and frowned. ¡°Not just over there, but I can feel a lot of death here too.¡± Hikars looked down, becoming engulfed in sadness. ¡°Ruel-nim, could you help me for a moment? There is death accumulating from here.¡± ¡°Death accumulating? What do you mean by that?¡± When Ruel asked, Hikars reached out his hand, ¡°Please hold my hand. You should be able to perceive the death.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that pouch?¡± Ruel asked, noticing Leo¡¯s keen interest in Hikars. Leo was licking his lips. ¡°This is our magic tool, the ¡®Black Wayfinder,''¡± Hikars explained, summoning a pouch from thin air. ¡°We utilize the mana infused by Ruel-nim to cover the magical powder in the Black Wayfinder, guiding lost souls to their destination.¡± In short, it meant that the powder was tainted by darkness. ¡®That powder is the same.¡¯ It was indeed the same powder that Noah had used during the Cyronian incident. At that moment, wasn¡¯t the black water inside the black-blooded man¡¯s body clearly visible? Ruel raised the corners of his mouth, ¡°Do you happen to know about the black water?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the corrupted death?¡± It seemed they were talking about the same thing, but for accuracy, it felt necessary to show the black water. ¡°Cassion, show it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion took out the black water from his magic pouch. As soon as Hikars saw the black water, he pulled out the Black Wayfinder, ready to sprinkle the powder immediately. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°That is corrupted death. Just sprinkling it here will cause it to spread in an instant.¡± Even though Hikars¡¯ voice was filled with strength, Ruel spoke his mind first. ¡°Do you know how to get rid of it? I¡¯m trying to find a way.¡± ¡°Only you, Ruel-nim, and the Great Purifier have the power to eliminate it,¡± Hikars explained. ¡°Alright. Let me rephrase. What happens if I sprinkle the powder from the Black Wayfinder onto the black water?¡± ¡°Thanks to the Devotee of Darkness¡¯s power, it will react... Ah, the hidden corrupted death will reveal itself, but that action alone won¡¯t change the situation,¡± Hikars clarified. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth again. That was enough. It must be true since the warlock himself said it. There was no time to conduct further experiments. ¡°Tell your friends.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. After sniffing, he opened his mouth again. ¡°Just send a few people to Setiria in the Leponia Kingdom to help with the research.¡± Tyson would be delighted if the warlock visited Setiria. ¡°Understood. I will inform them right away.¡± After responding, Hikars immediately muttered something. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can assist with, don¡¯t hesitate to ask,¡± Ganien added casually, slowing down to match Ruel¡¯s pace. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you prioritize your own nation¡¯s interests first?¡± Ruel questioned Ganien¡¯s willingness to assist, surprised by his offer. While Leo continued to glance at Hikars, Ruel noticed Leo still licking his lips and discreetly pulled out a shadow. However, Leo remained fixated on Hikars. ¡®Does it have to be the powder?¡¯ ¡°Well, I still owe you a debt, and this is both my and his opinion.¡± ¡°...?¡± Ruel paused. ¡®Huswen?¡¯ It was surprising to consider that Huswen, who held his country dear, had such thoughts. Despite Ganien stating he had no ulterior motives, focusing on the warlock they had encountered by chance seemed more crucial due to the unsettling black water. Having seen him report to Huswen, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but be even more surprised. ¡°He¡¯s not so naive as to only seek personal gain from a crisis. Someone who was constantly criticizing him said something very similar to what you just said back then.¡± ¡°Does that mean he will take care of the benefits afterward?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And if necessary, he also mentioned capturing you.¡± Ganien¡¯s words, meant as a joke, were surprisingly intense. Ruel chuckled softly, ¡°Your humor has improved.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. The value of your existence is more significant than I thought...¡± As he spoke, Ganien flashed a grin at Cassion. He hadn¡¯t drawn his sword, but the energy emanating from Cassion was already reaching Ganien¡¯s nape. ¡°Are you itching for a duel now?¡± Ganien actually wanted to spar with Cassion the moment he saw him. However, they were currently infiltrating as adventurers. They couldn¡¯t risk ruining their plans over a moment of competitive spirit. ¡°How about we think about that after you surpass me?¡± At Cassion¡¯s provocation, Ganien instinctively tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. His hand trembled slightly as he suppressed his instincts with reason. ¡ªYou must surpass this body too! Leo declared confidently. ¡°...Pfft.¡± Ruel laughed a bit louder. With Leo¡¯s interruption, the tense atmosphere seemed to transform into a flower garden. Cassion and Ganien stopped their standoff and looked at Ruel. ¡°Ah, my apologies. Leo wanted to join in,¡± Ruel said, gently patting Leo¡¯s head. ¡ªAhem. Leo raised his nose high in response to everyone¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well, anyway. Depending on the situation, I can be a hostage or whatever.¡± Ruel wiped the smile off his face. ¡°But you won¡¯t be able to force me, my butler¡¯s a bit strong. Oh, and my knight is no pushover either.¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 159: Second Line of Defense ¡°Aris...?¡± Ganien¡¯s expression displayed a mix of joy and triumph. ¡°That¡¯s right. Surpassing your master is the real beginning, isn¡¯t it? How does that sound?¡± At the mention of ¡®master,¡¯ Ganien¡¯s lips curled into a broad grin. ¡°I want to meet Aris soon. But...¡± Recognizing it wasn¡¯t the right moment to push forward, Ganien released his grip from the sword. ¡°I have no intention of dragging you along against your will. It¡¯s just a hypothesis, and it means your value has risen that much.¡± ¡°Then, do you owe me an equal amount or more than what I¡¯m worth?¡± Instead of Ruel, who finished speaking, Cassion chuckled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Similar to how there¡¯s interest on loans, there¡¯s interest on debts too. But, don¡¯t fret. What harm could I possibly cause to a friend?¡± Ruel lightly tapped Ganien¡¯s shoulder, who appeared surprised. Having spent a short time with Ruel, he expected, based on his experience, that Ruel would ask him to do something. However, not having a clue about what that was, Ganien swallowed dryly. After confirming that they were getting closer to the front line amidst the blizzard, Ruel infused mana into his ring. ¡°Uncle.¡± -Ruel...? Tyson¡¯s face lit up upon seeing Ruel but hesitated as he glanced around him. A fierce blizzard was blowing, not from mountainous ground. -I thought it was about time for presbyopia to develop in my old age, but I didn¡¯t know it would be today. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a mountain.¡± -So, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re already getting into mountains. I, um, usually agree with whatever you do, but it¡¯s a bit early... ¡°I have urgent news to share.¡± Ruel adjusted the angle so that Hikars could be seen on the screen. ¡°I¡¯ve found the warlocks.¡± Tyson jumped up from his seat. -Y-you found a warlock? ¡°I instructed them to head to Setiria. If they arrive dressed like this and mention my name, please welcome them.¡± -Ah, I see. How did you come to meet the warlock? ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. Be well.¡± At Tyson¡¯s rising excitement, Ruel immediately ended the call. Remembering Tyson¡¯s belated reaction, Ruel burst into laughter, pretending to scratch his nose to hide his smile. ¡°How much longer until we reach our destination, Cassion?¡± ¡°I estimate about 3 hours.¡± ¡°Alright. Just bring me another blanket.¡± Cassion frowned, but there was little to be done about the cold. *** Thump. Ruel suddenly opened his eyes at the unexpected sound of his heartbeat. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t pain, but rather a resonance emanating from somewhere. However, it quickly quieted down as if nothing had happened, leaving him puzzled. ¡®I¡¯m experiencing all sorts of sensations.¡¯ Ruel looked around and met Leo¡¯s eyes. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Are you awake? Leo smiled brightly. He couldn¡¯t remember where his consciousness had cut off. Ruel looked at the blanket wrapped around him and sat up. In that moment, his body swayed, and he hurriedly placed his hand on the floor for support. His body felt incredibly heavy. ¡®Has my condition worsened again?¡¯ He thought it was due to the cold wind he had been exposed to. Leo urgently clung to Ruel¡¯s arm. ¡ªYou have a fever. Lie down quickly. ¡°I¡¯m not in a condition where I can¡¯t get up.¡± Ruel brushed Leo off his arm and patted him. A smile quickly appeared on Leo¡¯s serious face. ¡°Are you awake now? How do you feel?¡± Cassion entered the tent. ¡°Have we reached the second defense line?¡± ¡°Yes. We are currently at the second defense line. It¡¯s been about an hour since we arrived here, so you can rest easy.¡± ¡°And Ganien?¡± ¡°He went to capture Hikars.¡± Ruel received the medicine Cassion offered but looked at him with a bewildered expression. ¡°Capture?¡± ¡°Yes. He said that death was lingering and jumped straight down below the defense line. So Ganien followed him.¡± ¡°Did he mention anything about corrupted death?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± ¡®So the monsters aren¡¯t corrupted?¡¯ It was still uncertain. Ruel moved his hand again, which had stopped at Leo¡¯s tail, which was hitting his hand. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± As Cassion opened his mouth heavily, Ruel¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He wondered if there was something he might get criticized for and then replied. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, since this mission isn¡¯t mandatory, how about you stay here until your fever goes down?¡± The verification of the adventurer¡¯s badge had already been completed on the carriage while heading to the third and fourth defense lines. Due to the nature of the mission, there were no time restrictions or mandatory requirements. It didn¡¯t matter whether they spent the entire night fighting monsters or carefully taking them down one by one; they would still get paid. After taking the medicine, Ruel asked, ¡°Why are you trying to dissuade me?¡± ¡°Hand them over,¡± Ruel conceded, extending his hand to Cassion. Observing Ruel sunk up to his knees, Cassion smirked knowingly. In his current state, Ruel couldn¡¯t get out on his own. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Cassion easily lifted Ruel, settling him on a nearby rock. ¡°Hmph.¡± Feeling like a paper doll, Ruel wasn¡¯t particularly pleased. But what could he do? He couldn¡¯t get out of the snow on his own. ¡°Damn bastards. They just keep swarming in.¡± One of the adventurers gathered at the defense line muttered angrily. The noise was loud enough for Ruel, who was changing his shoes, to hear. ¡°The idea of easy money, right? Enduring this bitter cold while those bastards keep coming.¡± ¡°Tsk. If not for the damn money, I wouldn¡¯t be here freezing. Where are the soldiers at?¡± ¡°Are they making us do all the dirty work? Didn¡¯t you notice soldiers at the third and fourth defense lines?¡± ¡°I did see them. Just didn¡¯t realize they were absent here.¡± ¡°Oh, they are here.¡± The adventurer pointed to a tent that was shaped like a hut, standing alone among the many tents. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re probably around that big shot, guarding his own hide.¡± ¡°Go see him if you think you can protect our meal ticket.¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Their laughter spread cheerfully. ¡®So, soldiers are only stationed around Glen?¡¯ As Ruel put on the last of his shoes, he realized the discomfort he had been feeling. Amidst the natural situation of monsters and adventurers, the soldiers were nowhere to be seen. ¡°If the second defensive line is breached, monsters will flood over the walls of the Kran Kingdom and pour into the capital.¡± Glen¡¯s words were not just tricks to lure adventurers; they were the truth. In fact, the third and fourth defensive lines were expansive plains without a single tree, making the area too wide to defend. If agile monsters began to surge in, it honestly seemed difficult to prevent them. ¡®In a situation like this, there are no soldiers...?¡¯ Ruel was surprised and saw a small opening. A smile crept across his lips. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion followed Ruel as he moved again. ¡°Tell me what you find strange about this place.¡± ¡°The stench of death lingers, yet the number of corpses is surprisingly low. Also, there are suspiciously few soldiers.¡± ¡°Few corpses?¡± ¡°It seems that way to me.¡± ¡®Few corpses, and few soldiers?¡¯ Ruel stopped for a moment and inhaled Breath. ¡°Hah.¡± His body felt heavy, and his headache from the fever weighed his thoughts down as well. ¡®What kind of a difficult situation would require adventurers but not soldiers?¡¯ Ruel started moving again. With the new shoes, he could move much more easily without sinking into the snow. Originally, he had just planned to explore the second defense line, but now his plans had changed. The defense line remained as he had first seen it: a crude wooden wall lined with drab tents and a strong smell of blood. ¡°Perhaps you should stop wandering around now?¡± Cassion called out to Ruel, who was wandering aimlessly. ¡°I want to meet Glen briefly at night.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Cassion chuckled at Ruel¡¯s absurd statement. Glen Syria was in charge of this area. Even if there were fewer soldiers, there would still be dozens of them. Only his master could casually say something like wanting to meet someone as if they were going to a neighbor¡¯s house, knowing the situation. But what could he do? If he wanted to meet him, he had to let him. ¡°As you wish,¡± Cassion replied as usual. ¡°Where are Ganien and Hikars?¡± ¡°They¡¯re quite a distance away.¡± Ruel clicked his tongue as Cassion pointed beyond the wall. ¡®They went pretty far.¡¯ He was in no condition to go down there. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± It seemed he would have to return to the tent after all. ¡°Good choice,¡± Cassion smiled brightly. Ruel¡¯s fever had risen slightly. If Ruel had gone any further, Cassion would have forcibly brought him back to the tent. Ruel, who had been walking unsteadily ahead, suddenly turned to look at the wooden wall. For a brief moment, a light flickered in his eyes before disappearing. Had something he was worried about happened? Cassion moved closer to Ruel, conscious of the surrounding gazes. ¡°Did you hear something?¡± Ruel nodded. He had heard a voice. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a monster or not, but it had definitely said to him: -Setiria. Setiria. It was clearly referring to Ruel himself. But the voice was too small, and he couldn¡¯t hear the rest. Where did that voice come from? Ruel stared at the wooden wall. Why were so many people looking for him? ¡®This kind of attention is unwelcome....¡¯ ¡ªRuel, can this body come out now? Seeing Leo¡¯s head raising, Ruel pressed down slightly again. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 160: Second Line of Defense (2) *** The outside of the tent was bustling, and Ruel woke from a shallow sleep, opening his eyes. His face still burned with fever, and he shifted his gaze to look for Cassion. ¡°It¡¯s Ganien. I¡¯ve finally caught the warlock.¡± At the mention of the warlock, Leo¡¯s ears perked up. ¡ªThis body has been craving that delicious powder! Leo rubbed his face with excitement in his voice. ¡°How are you feeling, Ruel?¡± With a bright voice, Ganien appeared, Hikars slumped on his shoulders. ¡ª...! Leo¡¯s swaying tail came to a halt. ¡ªSo, he has fallen asleep. This body was craving that powder... Ruel comforted Leo and pointed at Hikars. ¡°Ah, he wouldn¡¯t stop resisting, so I just knocked him out.¡± Ganien awkwardly laughed, feeling embarrassed. It seemed Hikars had been quite stubborn to the point of being knocked out. ¡°What was Hikars doing?¡± Ruel asked Ganien in a muffled voice. ¡°He was scattering powder everywhere.¡± ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± ¡°Well, he was weeping deeply about death. I¡¯ve never seen a grown-up cry so sorrowfully, so it took a while to knock him out.¡± ¡°Wake him up.¡± After speaking, Ruel inhaled Breath. He needed to talk to Hikars to see if the black water had spread or if it was simply stagnant death. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest a bit longer before questioning him? Your fever hasn¡¯t gone down yet.¡± Cassion firmly advised, noticing Ruel¡¯s condition, which was even accompanied by cold sweat. The fatigue and cold were overlapping. Although it wasn¡¯t serious, it was uncertain when it might become critical. ¡°Then, should we move after the delegation arrives? Looking at the current situation, I think we should.¡± Ruel was sarcastic. Regardless of his well-being, there were tasks that needed attention. When had he ever delayed action based on his health? ¡°Ruel-nim, are you thinking of going down below the wall...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At Ruel¡¯s confident declaration, Cassion clenched his fist. Ruel going down meant he was somewhat considering using the power to control the monsters. ¡°You know that using that power will make you collapse afterward, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decide based on the situation.¡± ¡°So, do you want me to wake him up or not?¡± Ganien asked while grabbing Hikars by the collar. ¡°Wake him up.¡± ¡°No.¡± Ruel and Cassion almost spoke in unison. After a brief pause, Ganien lightly tapped Hikars¡¯s cheek. Hikars opened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t glare at me, Cassion. Remember, your master is Ruel,¡± Ganien chuckled, finding amusement in Cassion¡¯s blatant stare. He might have thought he struck a nerve. As soon as Hikars regained his senses, he busily looked around. Just as he was about to dash out of the tent, Ruel commanded him. ¡°Sit there.¡± Hikars obediently knelt before Ruel. The urgency he had shown moments ago was gone, and he now looked like a docile lamb, waiting for orders. ¡°This is no joke. It¡¯s like talking to a wall.¡± Ganien was dumbfounded. How much effort had he exerted to capture Hikars? Whoever had first labeled him a warlock was clearly mistaken. He seemed more like a black beast, with physical prowess akin to a knight and legs as nimble as a mountain goat. ¡°What did you think of the surroundings?¡± When Ruel asked, Hikars recounted everything he had felt at that time. ¡°As soon as I returned to the Kingdom of Kran, I sensed an aura of death permeating the air.¡± ¡°So, the black water hasn¡¯t spread?¡± Ruel asked, feeling a sense of unease at Hikars¡¯s response. ¡°That¡¯s correct. I don¡¯t sense any corrupted energy of death.¡± -Setiria. Was this voice calling out to him from a monster? ¡°Something is consuming my existence. I can no longer maintain myself.¡± He recalled the words of Rupina, the guardian that guarded the spirit¡¯s home. Her friend, the guardian Mayre, had said that Rupina had been corrupted, but it wasn¡¯t due to the black water. At that time, Leo didn¡¯t mention that it was against the natural order. This situation seemed similar¡ªit wasn¡¯t due to the black water. ¡®Then why are the monsters behaving this way?¡¯ The monsters were the Guardians who watched over the Great Man. Didn¡¯t Jan mention they only targeted the Great Man? In the end, it was clear that Ruel had to get involved. That was acceptable. ¡°Cassion, pass me another fever reducer,¡± Ruel requested, ensuring he was adequately prepared for what lay ahead. Cassion hesitated, glancing at Hikars, but eventually handed the fever reducer to Ruel with a resigned sigh. Ruel¡¯s determination to go forth made any further protests pointless. *** ¡°Over there.¡± Cassion pointed to the location with his finger. At first glance, it looked just like any other place, but the smell of blood was much stronger. ¡°That¡¯s it. I sensed a blockage there too,¡± Ganien affirmed. They had deliberately circled around the outskirts, aware of the adventurers. Since Cassion and Ganien took turns checking if anyone was following, Ruel felt reassured as he approached the spot they indicated. However, the relentless blizzard made it difficult for Ruel to see ahead. ¡°Leo, do you smell anything out of the natural order?¡± ¡ªNot at all. This body is focusing its nose right now to catch the scent! After enjoying the powder mixed with darkness, Leo was in high spirits. ¡ªHuh...! Leo¡¯s ears perked up. As some of the powder Hikars sprinkled flew towards Ruel, Leo quickly stuck out his tongue. Since they had come down beyond the defensive line, Hikars began to scatter the powder like a madman. With each sprinkle, Leo¡¯s head moved busily in response. Swish! Ruel shielded his eyes with his hand against the fierce snowstorm. Thanks to Hikars¡¯s Hold, his body wasn¡¯t strained, but the heavy snowfall made it incredibly difficult to keep his eyes open. ¡°Are you alright?¡± At Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel nodded. Cassion and Ganien were unperturbed by the snow falling down on them, and Hikars didn¡¯t seem to struggle as much as he did. Ruel had no choice but to call Leo. ¡°Leo, can you stop the snow around me?¡± ¡ªUnderstood! Ruel felt Leo¡¯s tail perk up. The snow that had been pouring down like it was piercing his face gradually slowed, falling softly like petals. ¡°Perfect.¡± The snow fell slowly around him, barely noticeable from a distance. When Leo looked at him with eyes seeking praise, Ruel patted his head. ¡ªHehe. This body helped Ruel! As they progressed, a peculiar wall with intricate patterns came into view. It looked out of place against the surrounding scenery, yet strangely felt familiar. Cassion, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. ¡®...?¡¯ Ruel blinked as he inhaled Breath. Wondering why Cassion had stopped, he looked around, but the scenery remained unchanged, so he turned his gaze back ahead. ¡®...!¡¯ Soon, Ruel understood the meaning behind Cassion¡¯s halt. It was right there. The wall that both Ganien and Cassion had found strange was now visible. Perhaps this wall was something only he could see. ¡°There¡¯s definitely more death accumulating around here.¡± Hikars stood right in front of the wall and began to sprinkle the powder. Then, he boldly walked through the wall. ¡®...!¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He had suspected it wasn¡¯t an ordinary wall, but he hadn¡¯t expected to be able to pass through it. ¡°Strangely, there¡¯s no hint of death within. What do you perceive, Ruel-nim?¡± Hikars directed his gaze towards Ruel. ¡°It appears you can see something.¡± Ganien didn¡¯t miss the moment Ruel looked surprised. ¡°Indeed. There¡¯s a wall here,¡± Ruel confirmed, pointing towards the invisible barrier. Cassion, with a dry chuckle, followed Ruel¡¯s gesture, realizing there was nothing visible to him. It seemed that only Ruel could see it. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Cassion was reminded once again that his master was like an onion. ¡°A wall, not mana?¡± Ganien asked, startled. ¡°Yes, a wall. A rather peculiar one,¡± Ruel responded before inhaling another Breath, scrutinizing the wall that starkly contrasted with its surroundings. ¡°Hikars, release the hold.¡± ¡°Understood. I will release it right away.¡± As Hikars released the hold, the pressure that had been weighing on Ruel disappeared, allowing him to take a deep breath. ¡°Ruel-nim, what are you getting yourself into this time?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was filled with disbelief, and Ruel couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 161: Second Line of Defense (3) ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to know too. Maybe if we look closely at the pattern on the wall, we¡¯ll figure it out?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a pattern?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to get a closer look.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t find the wall unfamiliar, but he didn¡¯t think it had been built with good intentions. After all, he had been told that death lingered deeply where the wall was, and that the smell of blood was thick. He thought it must be meant to block something. ¡°Leo, step away for a moment.¡± ¡ªThis body will stay with Ruel. Leo snuggled close to Ruel, turning his head to the side. ¡°I just want you out here as a precaution.¡± Unsure if the wall held a trap, Ruel decided to ensure Leo¡¯s safety by setting him down. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take care of yourself as well as the beast, Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion spoke in a displeased voice, but there was nothing he could do. ¡°What am I supposed to do when only I can see it?¡± As Leo continued to insist, Ruel had no choice but to pull him out and hand him over to Cassion. Leo, reluctant to leave, clung to Ruel¡¯s arm, closing his eyes and letting out a loud protest. ¡ªThis, this body doesn¡¯t want Ruel to get hurt! ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt.¡± Leo opened his eyes and looked at Ruel. ¡ªReally? But Ruel gets hurt all the time. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo frowned at Ruel¡¯s firm voice. ¡ªThis body. This body... ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel gently patted Leo¡¯s head. Thrrr. Slowly, Leo¡¯s front paw drooped helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ll go check and come back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Cassion took Leo and handed him to Hikars. ¡°You stay here. It could be troublesome if you get involved. Just assess the situation and come running later. You can get here fast, right?¡± At Ruel¡¯s command, filled with concern and trust, Cassion hesitated. It had been a long time since someone had worried about him. It was particularly surprising that it was Ruel who was giving such concern. Ruel strode toward the wall. As he approached, his eyes widened in amazement. ¡®That pattern is...¡¯ It was a shield design, depicting two snakes intertwined, biting their own tails. ¡®It¡¯s Setiria.¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t fail to recognize that symbol. Tentatively, he reached out to touch the wall. Suddenly, a sky-blue shield, symbolizing the head of the family, appeared on the back of his hand. -Setiria. And then he heard a voice. ¡°...!¡± It was the same voice he had briefly heard from inside the defensive line. -Destroy this wall. Unlike previously, the following words were clearly audible. ¡°Destroy the wall?¡± Ruel didn¡¯t act hastily. He knew there was something within this wall. Crackle. At the sudden noise, Ruel felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. ¡°...Hah.¡± He quickly exhaled deeply. The sound had made his head spin. -Destroy this wall that conceals countless deaths. ¡®A wall that conceals death?¡¯ The unknown voice claimed that the wall had intentionally hidden death. With widened eyes, Ruel slowly lifted his gaze. ¡®If what it says is true...?¡¯ If death accumulates, new life cannot be born. Who would have concealed this? For what purpose would they have done so? ¡®Is it true?¡¯ It felt as if the horrific scenario he had imagined was slowly becoming a reality. His mouth felt dry. And the biting cold wind made his entire body ache. ¡®Is it true that monsters and adventurers were used as materials to create the black water?¡¯ Unsure whether the words were true or false, Ruel hesitated. Crack. ¡®...?¡¯ At that moment, an ominous sound echoed. ¡®What is that?¡¯ A sound of breaking came from Ruel¡¯s hand, which was gripping the wall. Ruel hurriedly pulled his hand away, but once the crack had started, it wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡®Damn it! I only touched it!¡¯ Feeling unjustly targeted, Ruel stepped back, his expression a mix of frustration and disbelief. There was no turning back now. All he could do was witness the wall crumbling away. Soon, the pattern that had appeared on his hand faded, and the collapsing wall dissolved. The concealed area behind the wall slowly revealed itself. ¡®Death...¡¯ He saw the death he had witnessed while holding Hikars¡¯s hand. A thick, dark fog filled the area, so dense that it made even the night feel bright. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, overwhelmed by the flood of sorrow that surged forth without warning. He felt pity for them, and his heart ached. The fog reached out toward him once more, just as it had before. Ruel didn¡¯t shy away. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± ¡°It is, but why? Did you eat something weird?¡± It was unlike Cassion to acknowledge him. ¡°That sparring match was quite fun that day.¡± Despite saying it was fun, Cassion¡¯s expression remained flat. Ganien beamed instantly. ¡°Exactly! It was exhilarating. The only one I could truly spar with...¡± Ganien paused briefly, a broad smile on his face. ¡°Because you¡¯re my friend.¡± Swish. Ganien unsheathed his sword, resting it on his shoulder, and walked away. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± He waved lightly and pushed through the snow. ¡°Must be nice, being friends with Ganien.¡± Ruel chuckled as he spoke. He hadn¡¯t intended to tease, but seeing Cassion¡¯s flustered face made it hard to hold back his laughter. ¡°It¡¯s time for your medicine,¡± Cassion stated, his hand holding out the medicine feeling unusually cold. ¡°Sure,¡± Ruel replied, smiling as he took the medicine. Cassion¡¯s expression gradually hardened. ¡°In truth, you¡¯re quite similar to Ganien, aren¡¯t you, Cassion?¡± ¡°Yes...?¡± ¡°Ganien is one of the rare few who can truly spar with you.¡± ¡°Well, he can endure against my blade.¡± ¡°Look after him. Ganien is my only friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Cassion replied, a slight frown on his face. *** Ganien¡¯s steps were unusually light. A rematch with Cassion. He had already surpassed his previous level, yet the anticipation of the duel set his heart racing. Perhaps he could break through the barrier he had faced before. No, maybe he could even surpass it. Hah. Ganien took a deep breath. He didn¡¯t have the skills to hide and approach like Cassion did. That was something only an assassin could do. He was a knight. The best thing a knight could do was protect someone. And the one he needed to protect now was Ruel. The number of enemies was about ten, including Glen and the first target he needed to charge at was none other than Glen Syria. Ganien sheathed his sword and dashed forward. Right now, he had no heavy armor weighing him down, no comrades to rely on, and no one to entrust his life to. His calves burned with heat as he charged forward like a war chariot. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Pushing through the enemies who noticed his presence, he grabbed Glen by the collar and slammed him down to the ground. Thud! All he needed was the enemy¡¯s mouth. He struck Glen¡¯s legs with his sword to prevent him from escaping. Crack! ¡°Aaah!¡± With the sound of bones breaking, Glen screamed in agony. ¡°Hah.¡± Taking a composed breath, Ganien unsheathed his sword once more. The distance to the enemy was a single step. So, he advanced just one step and swung his sword. Before the severed head of the enemy hit the ground, before the blood splattered on him, he moved fluidly like water, targeting the heart of the enemy standing behind. Thud! In the blink of an eye, two enemies fell dead. Gulp. The remaining soldiers hesitated, glancing at each other. They trembled under the gaze of the blue eyes that looked at them like a fierce beast. This was not someone they could dare to face. They had to run. But in that moment, a chilling aura pierced their backs, freezing them in place. ¡°I can¡¯t leave any witnesses alive. Sorry,¡± Ganien spoke with regret in his eyes. *** Thud. Ganien threw Glen into the snow. ¡°Damn you! Who the hell are you! Do you know who I am?¡± Ruel laughed at Glen¡¯s crushed feet while listening to Glen¡¯s screams with one ear. Soon, Ruel looked at Ganien. Not a drop of blood had splattered on his clothes. ¡°Nice and clean.¡± ¡°As for the leg, he won¡¯t be able to use it later anyway. I broke it on purpose.¡± Ganien looked at Glen as if he were trash. He caused countless people to die, and also turned a blind eye to it. That alone was enough to ignite Ganien¡¯s sense of justice. Ruel looked back at Glen. Glen was shouting fiercely, but he couldn¡¯t hide his pain and fear. ¡°Oh, curious about our identities? Allow me to introduce myself,¡± Ruel stated before removing his mask. Seeing Glen¡¯s horrified expression, Ruel smiled. Of course. How could the Red Ash not know him? To them, he was a well-known celebrity. ¡°Now, do you recognize me?¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 162: Welcome ¡°Ruel Setiria. Yes, you! It¡¯s you!¡± Glen was excited and tried to get up immediately, but it was impossible with his crushed foot. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, enduring this cold place. Let¡¯s make it quick.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at Cassion. The warlock, whose mind was corrupted and who held hands with Red Ash, was a madman. Was Glen any different? He had been raised by the Red Ash since he was a child. Faster than inflicting physical pain, the confession potion would work wonders. Cassion nodded, forcing Glen¡¯s mouth open to administer the confession potion. Glen¡¯s pupils dilated rapidly. ¡°What is your name?¡± Ruel asked for a name as an example. ¡°Glen Syria.¡± Though his voice was weak, Glen said his name correctly. Confirming that the confession potion was effective, Ruel adjusted the blanket that had slipped down and asked, ¡°Is there a mana oath placed on you?¡± ¡°There is... I swore an oath of eternal loyalty to the Great Man until my death.¡± Loyalty. It was a very subjective and ambiguous condition. Ruel decided he needed to approach this situation cautiously. Since an oath of mana was involved, there were many things he couldn¡¯t ask. ¡°This place operates for the Great Man, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. This place exists for the Great Man.¡± ¡°The reason Death is confined here is also for the Great Man, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. Everything is for him. For his stolen past.¡± ¡®A stolen past?¡¯ Ruel felt puzzled, but this wasn¡¯t something he needed to resolve immediately. He continued the conversation calmly and without wavering. ¡°Ruel Setiria must die for the Great Man. Is that right?¡± Glen shook his head in response. ¡°No. Ruel Setiria must not die.¡± In an instant, Ruel frowned. That was not the answer he had anticipated. ¡®Is the confession potion really working?¡¯ As Ruel was taken aback by the unexpected response, Glen suddenly started to weep. ¡°This place...¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes subtly wavered. Deep guilt clouded Glen¡¯s eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve ruined everything. It was a task entrusted to me by him... a humble servant.¡± ¡°What did you ruin?¡± Ruel asked with a stern expression. His stomach churned at having to look at his disgusting face, let alone the man¡¯s tears. ¡°I messed up the way for him to return to Leponia, breaking through the damn barrier surrounding it. That was something I should have accomplished.¡± ¡®Is he talking about using black water to destroy the barrier?¡¯ Beyond killing the adventurers and monsters, he had thought there must be another reason for hiding death within the wall. A sense of futility washed over him. ¡°Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°...?¡± Suddenly, Glen spoke Ruel¡¯s name. ¡°He was a Devotee of Darkness born in Setiria after hundreds of years,¡± Glen continued while tears streamed down his face. ¡°Ruel Setiria, he was supposed to be the next vessel for the Great Man...¡± ¡°What?¡± Ganien was taken aback, and Cassion grabbed his hand with difficulty, his face contorted. ¡®I am... to be the next vessel for the Great Man?¡¯ Ruel felt his mouth go dry, and it seemed the ground was slowly crumbling beneath him. His complexion turned pale as if all the blood had drained from his body. His heart raced uncontrollably behind heavy eyelids. ¡®So... the Great Man only sees me...¡¯ One by one, pieces began to fall into place. ¡®The mark that the Great Man left on me.¡¯ It was something that had never been present in the previous head of the household, Trino Setiria. There had been times he questioned why Trino had not received such a mark if it was indeed possible. It wasn¡¯t that it couldn¡¯t be done; it was that it hadn¡¯t been done. Trino Setiria was not a devotee of darkness. ¡®The mark was a symbol indicating the next in line.¡¯ Ruel Setiria survived for five years after being marked. ¡®It was not that I survived... but that I was left alive.¡¯ The mark he left could be reversed at any time if he wanted. Hadn¡¯t he experienced that in his second meeting with him? Even if the actions of the Red Ash trying to kill him were sincere, ultimately, he was the one controlling everything. He designed the plan so that Ruel wouldn¡¯t die, wouldn¡¯t doubt, and would only look forward. The overwhelming truth made his senses begin to dull. He could no longer tell if the wind brushing against his face was cold. ¡®Yes. I should have realized it when the one who knows about the power left by the hero¡ªor rather, the power left by the Great Man¡ªkept trying to kill me.¡¯ As if assisting the growth of insufficient strength. To think that he had claimed victory without realizing he was being played. There was a reason behind everything. He was the prey, and the Great Man was enjoying the hunt. ¡®That crazy bastard.¡¯ The back of his head throbbed. It felt as if all his efforts had turned to ash, leaving him feeling utterly dejected. ¡®Damn bastard!¡¯ When he first met the Great Man, it might have been by chance that the Great Man found him, but everything¡ªthe desire to kill him, the stabbing¡ªhad all just been an act. ¡°Wait for me.¡± When he met the Great Man for the second time, the words he had said while pointing at him echoed in his mind. ¡°Now my time has come.¡± ¡®He didn¡¯t mean it as a declaration of war; he was saying it was time for him to take over my body!¡¯ A hollow laugh escaped his lips. It was a bitter mockery of his own foolishness for not realizing anything while merely nurturing his power. To grasp the fading sensation around him, Ruel clenched his fist tightly. It felt as if everything he had been holding back was ready to pour out at any moment. It seemed like he would fragment and disappear into pieces at any second. What he had said to Ganien was all true. Even in situations that deserved to be cursed at, his body was too weak and sensitive to properly express his emotions. The trembling in his hands and the dizziness that had started after he had gotten a little angry hadn¡¯t stopped yet. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ganien exclaimed as he kicked his foot. He then looked at Ruel with a frustrated expression. ¡°What the hell is this? What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re the victim. You should be the one who¡¯s most angry... Why, why are you the one holding it in?¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°Then go ahead and do it for me.¡± ¡°Is this how it¡¯s always been?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Every time something like this happens, have you always held it in?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ganien ruffled his hair in frustration. Ruel smiled, almost mockingly, and retorted. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why, you ask!¡± Was it really okay to just hold it in like that? The thought of someone taking his body from him was disgusting and terrifying, yet it had actually happened. How could anyone remain indifferent in such a situation? Ganien glared at Cassion. ¡°Cassion! At least you...¡± ¡°You want me to offer some petty consolation?¡± Cassion scoffed. Ganien was taken aback by his behavior, ¡°What...?¡± ¡°Consolation? What good would that do? I don¡¯t know what Ruel-nim is feeling. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t interfere, you idiot.¡± If Ruel himself could endure it, what could Cassion, who wasn¡¯t involved, say? Ganien bit his lip, loosening his clenched fist. He couldn¡¯t say anything to the meaning of his pointless meddling. ¡°Ganien.¡± Ruel called out to Ganien. At the unchanged voice, Ganien¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel smiled and then resumed walking forward. Ganien, clutching his head in frustration, was at a loss for words. He finally realized just how much Ruel was carrying on his shoulders, unable to let anything go. Cassion and Hikars followed behind Ruel. As their figures grew distant, Ganien slowly began to move his feet. Taking a deep breath, he called out to Ruel once more. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You fool. You stubborn fool...!¡± Ruel chuckled at those words. ¡°Are you actually laughing?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Ganien sighed. ¡°Feel free to talk whenever you want¡ªdrop the titles, the nation and rank. I¡¯ll listen as your closest friend.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ganien was certainly someone who could offer that kind of support. But now was not the time. Ruel walked and walked, inhaling Breath. He came to a halt, finally facing the monsters that had been waiting atop the mountain, now charging toward the adventurers below. Watching this unfold, Ruel commanded them with a bright gleam in his green eyes. ¡°Everyone, stop.¡± Zzing. His head throbbed. -Did you call us? -Is this what you wish? -Did you stop us? The monsters halted in unison, all eyes on Ruel. Hundreds, no, thousands of voices echoed simultaneously. It felt as though someone was gripping his head and shaking it, but he had to endure. If the Great Man were to take everything from him, he would make sure to bring down everything the Great Man had in return. He had to. With great difficulty, Ruel forced his mouth to open. ¡°...Yes. I have stopped you.¡± No more would he be used by the Great Man. ¡°Now, do not be bound here.¡± He wished for their suffering to end. ¡°Return to where you belong and do what you wish.¡± Drip. Blood trickled down. When Ruel staggered, Cassion and Ganien caught him. -If it is what you wish. -I will do as you say. -What you wish is what we wish. The gathered monsters began to disperse instantly. The sudden shift in their behavior startled the adventurers, whose murmurs echoed around, but Ruel laughed. This was it. This was enough. No one needed to be sacrificed. No more death would occur. The snow touching his face grew cold again. The wind howled as if it could tear his ears off. Ha. As Ruel exhaled, white breath rose into the air. Struggling to keep his heavy-lidded eyes open, he gazed at the snow falling around him. Even though he was tired of it all, the snow drifting gently around him looked as beautiful as flower petals. Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 163: Welcome (2) *** ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± At Cassion¡¯s voice, Ruel opened his heavy eyelids. It was still dark outside the tent, suggesting the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet. ¡°There¡¯s an urgent message.¡± Ruel stared at Cassion with half-closed eyes. ¡°Treitol Kran is currently heading towards the delegation¡¯s procession.¡± ¡°What?¡± It felt like a thunderbolt waking him from sleep; he couldn¡¯t comprehend the words. Ruel blinked. He placed his palm on his forehead and felt heat radiating from it. ¡°Treitol Kran... you say?¡± His mind was still sluggish from sleep, making it difficult to think. ¡°Treitol Kran is approaching the procession of the delegation.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve been monitoring Treitol¡¯s movements. He¡¯s taking a different route than usual, which confirmed our predictions that he¡¯s heading toward the delegation.¡± Ruel quickly sat up, urgency washing over him. Leo, who had been sleeping beside him, rolled over with a groggy sound. ¡°When?¡± ¡°The message just came in.¡± ¡°Contact Aris.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡®Why now, of all times?¡¯ The timing felt all too perfect. -Cassi... Ruel-nim! Aris stopped mid-sentence, startled by Ruel¡¯s pale complexion. He could sense something was wrong. What else has happened? Aris couldn¡¯t hide his anxious expression. -Go, good morning! I hope you¡¯ve been well... ¡°Aris.¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to exchange pleasantries. -Yes. ¡°Treitol Kran is heading toward the delegation. The shadows will provide the location, so buy as much time as you can.¡± -Understood. ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Ruel maintained a firm smile at Aris before confirming the communication had ended. He then looked around and realized Ganien and Hikars were missing. ¡°What about Ganien?¡± ¡°Ganien went for his morning training, and Hikars went out to deal with the lingering dead.¡± Cassion paused before calling out to Ruel. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we need to hurry? Will we meet within an hour, even if we rush?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way.¡± When Ruel smiled, Cassion didn¡¯t ask any more questions. ¡°What¡¯s the situation right now?¡± Ruel asked, placing Leo, who had rolled off, back on his lap. ¡°The remaining soldiers are searching for Glen Setiria. They¡¯ll probably never find him, though.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve spread the rumor that Glen Syria is dead, so the adventurers will soon leave this place in a hurry. Some adventurers who have already noticed the situation are already leaving.¡± It was a good decision. Rumors have a tendency to spread uncontrollably, and it was only a matter of time before news of Glen¡¯s death became public. What mattered here wasn¡¯t just the spreading rumor but the fact that Glen was a noble. The disappearance of Glen in the midst of the assembled adventurers meant that everyone would soon find themselves as suspects. Since Glen was a lower-ranking noble, the investigation would likely fizzle out with time, but it was wiser to escape before getting entangled in troublesome matters. ¡°Have you erased any record of our presence?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡ªIs it hard to say? ¡°Yeah. I think so.¡± Slowly, Leo approached and rubbed his head against Ruel. ¡ªThis body can listen to anything. So say whatever you want when you¡¯re ready. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel smiled as he stroked Leo¡¯s soft fur. He almost blurted out the scary truth, forgetting that Leo¡¯s mouth was so loose, but it was okay to hold off for now. ¡°Later. When I really can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯ll definitely tell you.¡± Ruel spoke again as if making a promise. Leo smiled. ¡ªAlright. This body can wait anytime! Seeing Leo head back to his food bowl, Ruel also took a sip of his cocoa. ¡°...Ha.¡± It was sweet. Thank goodness. It seemed his sense of taste had returned. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment to savor the sweetness filling his mouth before swallowing. Treitol Kran was heading towards the delegation. According to previous investigations, he was a kind prince who didn¡¯t crave power and cared about his brother. But unlike when the delegation was sent from Kran, this time he was coming under the pretext of a farewell. ¡®There are two possibilities.¡¯ Either Treitol Kran was the Great Man or he was not. If he was not the Great Man, it meant he had something urgent to convey. ¡®Conversely, if he is the Great Man... then it¡¯s to verify whether or not I¡¯ve been involved in this matter.¡¯ A smile crept onto Ruel¡¯s lips. The current position of the delegation and his own location had more than a day¡¯s difference. Since they probably already knew that there was no wizard in the delegation who was good enough to use teleportation magic, they probably decided that they couldn¡¯t travel long distances. That left one clear fact: Ruel Setiria wasn¡¯t in the carriage! ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Ruel happily took a bite of the meat stew, the juices bursting in his mouth, finally making him feel alive. ¡®They likely don¡¯t know that one can move without a mage.¡¯ The existence of a door that could open anywhere was probably unknown to them. Ruel synchronized his mana flow and opened his mouth. ¡°Jan.¡± *** ¡®I hear a sound.¡¯ Aris fidgeted with his hands at the sound of horse hooves. Had Treitol arrived sooner than expected? The carriage was still empty inside. Torto, who had escorted Ruel on the way to Cyronian, was again in charge of this journey. Knowing that Ruel wasn¡¯t inside the carriage, he cast a glance at Aris. ¡®He hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡¯ Aris shook his head, growing anxious as he repeatedly peeked into the carriage. As the dust kicked up by the horses drew closer, the knights unsheathed their swords and formed a protective stance around the carriage. Torto stepped forward and called out to those dismounting from their horses. ¡°Please identify yourselves first.¡± ¡°I apologize for coming without prior notice.¡± As a man dismounted, those who had accompanied him followed suit. The knights scrutinized them sharply. One of the men who dismounted approached Torto and presented a token. ¡°This is His Highness Treitol Kran, the second prince of the Kran Kingdom.¡± Torto carefully examined the token before bowing deeply, ¡°My apologies for not recognizing you, Your Highness.¡± The other knights followed suit and bowed their heads to Treitol. ¡°No need to apologize. I did not give any prior notice,¡± Treitol Kran replied, turning his gaze towards the carriage, ¡°Please convey my apologies to Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Chapter 164: Welcome (3) ¡°...Ah. Wait a moment.¡± Treitol stopped Torto, who was about to approach the carriage. ¡°I will speak directly. After all, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Torto glanced briefly at Aris, who shook his head. Ruel still hadn¡¯t arrived. At the command to delay as much time as possible, Aris clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly before finally stepping forward. ¡°I greet the Great Small Sun of the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Treitol smiled. ¡°I am Aris, the escort knight of Lord Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Are you the magic swordsman Aris?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard much about you. You imbue magic into your sword, correct? If you have the time, I¡¯d love to see it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great honor that you remember such a humble person.¡± Bowing his head, Aris cautiously addressed Treitol again. ¡°Your Highness. May this humble one speak?¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I regret to inform you that Ruel-nim is not in a condition to receive you at this time. Please allow me to convey this quietly.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Seeing Treitol genuinely worried for Ruel, Torto felt a sense of relief inside. Surely, with this much concern, he wouldn¡¯t press further. ¡°I¡¯ve made a tremendous mistake. Not only did I come unannounced, but I also approached the carriage of Setiria when he was unwell.¡± Treitol looked at Aris. ¡°Then... can you let him know I would like to visit later to apologize?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course. I will ensure it is conveyed.¡± Only after hearing Aris¡¯s response did Treitol turn away. As Aris felt a wave of relief seeing Treitol take a step or two away from the carriage, his eyes widened suddenly. ¡°Aris, what kind of rudeness is that to His Highness?¡± The carriage door opened, and Ruel¡¯s voice came through. ¡°R-Ruel-nim! I apologize.¡± Aris stammered, shock evident in his expression, but he quickly concealed it, bowing his head towards the carriage. Ttak. Ttak. The sound of a cane striking the ground echoed. ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s cough accompanied his appearance. Treitol stopped in his tracks and turned back. For a moment, his eyes flickered. ¡°I am honored to meet the Great Little Sun. Please forgive my knight and my rudeness, Your Highness.¡± Supporting himself with the help of Cassion, Ruel stepped down and bowed his head to Treitol. ¡°No, I heard that you were... not feeling well?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m unwell, how could I stay inside the carriage when you¡¯ve come to visit, Your Highness?¡± With a simple smile, Ruel raised his head once more. Treitol looked taken aback. Why was he so surprised? Ruel didn¡¯t know the reason, but he was determined to strip away any mask Treitol Kran might be wearing. ¡°How could you arrive without any notice, Your Highness? If I had known in advance, I would have come out to greet you.¡± Having regained his composure, Treitol slowly smiled. ¡°Lord Setiria, I was eager to meet you.¡± Ruel returned the smile. If the other party was brazen, then he had to be even more so. ¡°I also wanted to meet you, Your Highness.¡± Soon, Ruel¡¯s expression turned apologetic as he fiddled with his cane. ¡°...I truly apologize for our previous meeting being cut short due to my health. I hope you have been well, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Not at all. Don¡¯t worry about it. How have you been, Lord Setiria? I was worried since you weren¡¯t well at that time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Treitol Kran smiled as if he were truly relieved. ¡°I have been waiting eagerly for you to arrive as an envoy to the Kran Kingdom. By the way, are you feeling alright now? You don¡¯t look your best.¡± ¡°I caught a bit of a cold due to the cold weather. But it¡¯s not serious enough to worry about.¡± ¡°Would it be alright if I joined you in the carriage?¡± Treitol whispered, glancing around. ¡°I have something I need to tell you.¡± ¡®Something to tell me?¡¯ Ruel had two assumptions about why Treitol had come to see him. One was that if Treitol wasn¡¯t the Great Man, he might have something urgent to communicate. This was something he needed to hear. Ruel slightly bowed his head and gestured towards the carriage. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Please, get in quickly.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Setiria.¡± Before stepping away, Treitol lightly waved at those he had brought with him. Watching them step back, Treitol climbed into the carriage. Since royalty was present, Cassion could not join them, so only Ruel climbed into the carriage. The carriage started moving, and only then did Treitol, who seemed burdened, speak up. ¡°Please forgive my rudeness, Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. What is the urgent matter you wish to discuss with me?¡± Treitol glanced toward the window before carefully meeting Ruel¡¯s gaze again. ¡°Help me.¡± A simple request, but it left Ruel puzzled. With a smile still on his face, he replied, ¡°...I¡¯m not sure I understand what you mean.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve assisted the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± ¡°Rumors often tend to exaggerate.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s a rumor or not, this matter concerns you. Help me, Lord Setiria.¡± Ruel maintained his smiling expression, intertwining his fingers and placing them over his stomach. The smile that had briefly appeared on his face slowly faded away. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m terribly sorry, but this is not a situation where we can exchange jokes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no joke; he really has his sights set on your body.¡± ¡°My body?¡± Ruel scoffed. ¡°No, if he wanted to kill me, he would have done it already. Why would he want this worthless body?¡± Ruel struggled to continue his words, trying to soothe his emotions. ¡°Your Highness wouldn¡¯t be making such statements on purpose... I¡¯d like to ask what information you possess.¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t know. Because of the mana oath that they have for the Great Man, I couldn¡¯t find out more details. I feel sorry for causing unnecessary confusion.¡± It was unclear whether he genuinely didn¡¯t know and was backing away, or if he was just pretending to retreat, but Treitol quickly switched topics. ¡°In any case, the threat isn¡¯t just directed at you; they¡¯re also after my brother.¡± ¡°You mean Prince Adea Kran?¡± ¡°Indeed. Their target is the Kran Kingdom itself. My brother is the one who will succeed the throne and become the next king.¡± Treitol¡¯s face twisted in desperation as he looked earnestly at Ruel. ¡°Please help me... help me, Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Your Highness, with all due respect, I am not strong enough to help anyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for help with mere words. If you come to the castle, I will share all the information I have concerning the Red Ash with you.¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°The enemy is targeting you. Please find out who the Great Man has possessed.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression hardened slightly at the notion of being used as bait. But Treitol, in his princely status, bowed his head to Ruel. ¡°...Please, just tell me that. I don¡¯t want to lose my brother. I don¡¯t want the Kran Kingdom to fall into their hands.¡± The desperate voice for Adea Kran and the kingdom mixed with emotion, leaving Ruel increasingly confused. He felt shaken about what the truth really was. *** ¡°This way.¡± The attendant guided Ruel to his assigned room. Behind Ruel followed Aris, Cassion, Noah, and Ganien, disguised as a servant. ¡°Then please rest comfortably.¡± The attendant bowed to Ruel at the door. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel exchanged a brief word with the attendant before stepping inside. Aris and Noah stood guard at the door, while Cassion and Ganien followed him in. Leo rushed over and immediately clung to the window. He could see the path they had just taken. The traces of their earlier passage were still visible, making his tail wag with excitement. ¡ªEveryone called Ruel the Noble of Darkness! It seemed Leo could not forget the petals and sparkling powder scattered as they passed by in the carriage. Seeing Ganien¡¯s proud expression made Ruel angry, but Leo¡¯s joy made him hold back his frustration. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡ªThis body is so happy! I am so proud! Leo felt proud and let out an ¡®ahem¡¯ so Ruel could hear. Despite having chosen a carriage designed to be soundproof, the noise from outside was overwhelming. On the left, there were the calls of ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯ On the right, there were the calls of ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯ And from all around¡ªbehind and in front¡ªthat sound resonated. It was particularly frustrating that he had to share the carriage with Treitol and couldn¡¯t even curse. He had suffered so much during that time. ¡°Ruel-nim, did you gain anything?¡± Cassion asked, holding out the meat pie. Crunch. Ruel sat on the bed and took a bite of the meat pie instead of responding. The bubbling rage inside him slowly settled. Brushing crumbs from his lips, he said, ¡°Ambiguous.¡± It truly was ambiguous. Treitol had even sworn a mana oath. Yet, he still couldn¡¯t feel at ease. Was it because he had been hit hard in the back by the Great Man? Or was it an instinctual feeling of discomfort? ¡°Even if there are loopholes in the mana oath, the compulsive conditions don¡¯t change.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ruel replied, taking another bite of the meat pie. Crunch. ¡°I think it would be wise to trust your instincts,¡± Ganien said as he sat in a chair, ¡°You bear the mark of the Great Man. It¡¯s natural to feel something instinctively.¡± ¡°But that instinct isn¡¯t necessarily right. I believe you should make a careful judgment, Ruel-nim.¡± Both Ganien and Cassion were correct. Ruel chuckled. Currently, he suspected there were four candidates for the Great Man. First, Adea Kran; second, Treitol Kran; fourth, Jayel Kran; and the King of Kran as well. It would be wise to meet all of them personally and make a judgment afterward. ¡°There¡¯s a welcoming party tomorrow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± The opportunity would be tomorrow. ¡°Hikars.¡± ¡°Yes, did you call for me?¡± Hikars appeared near Ruel. ¡ªHikars! Leo immediately dashed over to Hikars, blinking his eyes excitedly. The Great Man had stolen someone else¡¯s body. Although it was a body changed at the cost of countless lives, Ruel believed it wouldn¡¯t be perfect. If Treitol was truly the Great Man, wouldn¡¯t Hikars be able to sense the death leaking out from somewhere. ¡°Did you sense anything strange from the person who rode the carriage with me?¡± Chapter 165: Battle of wits (1) ¡°I felt it.¡± Crunch. At Hikars¡¯s response, Ruel silently ate his meat pie. ¡°There was an unmistakable smell of death.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the smell of death... does that mean that Treitol Kran is dead?¡± At Ganien¡¯s question, Hikars shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. The smell of death naturally lingers around the deceased if one stays near them for a long time.¡± Crunch. In short, Hikars was saying one thing. ¡°Are you saying that the smell of death is coming from here?¡± ¡°Indeed. The moment I entered the castle, I sensed the stench of accumulated death. Somewhere within this place, death is gathering.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Ruel laughed in disbelief. To feel death in a castle. It was absolutely chaotic. How deeply had the Red Ash infiltrated Kran? ¡®In a place that worships the gods... talking about death....¡¯ Ruel scoffed again. ¡°Can you pinpoint the location?¡± ¡°I will do my best to find it for you, Ruel-nim.¡± Hikars bowed respectfully to Ruel and then stepped back into his shadow. Ruel then turned to look at Cassion. ¡°Call Noah.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to rest for a bit now?¡± Cassion hesitated slightly before asking. Ruel had to move again tomorrow. Though it was called a welcome party, he knew it would be no different from a battlefield for Ruel. ¡ªIndeed! Ruel needs to rest so he doesn¡¯t get scolded by Fran! Leo chimed in. ¡°My current condition is nearly perfect!¡± Ruel looked at Cassion and Leo in turn, as if questioning what they were saying. He only had a slight fever and no injuries or pain. ¡°What a very amusing joke.¡± Cassion retorted sarcastically. Given Ruel¡¯s condition, he would likely be in serious pain tonight. ¡°Call him.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion replied reluctantly and headed outside. Ganien watched Ruel with a peculiar expression. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel asked, sensing his gaze. ¡°I know it¡¯s an urgent situation, but you seem even more pressed... as if you¡¯re out of time...¡± Ganien hurriedly stopped speaking. His expression soon darkened as if he had touched something he shouldn¡¯t have. Curious about what he was about to say, Ruel furrowed his brow. ¡°Why did you stop mid-sentence? It¡¯s unsettling.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, really.¡± Seeing Ganien¡¯s fidgety attitude, Ruel finally caught on to what he was thinking. ¡°I¡¯m not going to die.¡± At that moment, Leo perked up his ears and looked at Ruel in surprise. Ruel petted Leo while looking sharply at Ganien. It seemed Ganien still believed that he didn¡¯t have much time left to live. Avoiding Ruel¡¯s gaze, Ganien began to stutter, ¡°W-When did I say you were going to die?¡± ¡°I really won¡¯t die. So stop being so conscious of my mortality.¡± ¡°You¡¯re annoyingly perceptive.¡± Ganien mumbled in a lowered voice. ¡°You need some intuition, at least.¡± Ruel smiled. If he didn¡¯t have any intuition, he wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. Every moment was like walking a tightrope. Who would have thought that the insight gained from a career in sales, constantly breaking and rebuilding, would come in handy here? Knock, knock. After a knock, Noah walked in with an anxious expression alongside Cassion. He seemed to be gripping something tightly in one fist. ¡°You called for me, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°Relax your face. Someone might think you were dragged here against your will.¡± Noah briefly opened his hand to reveal some gold coins. A smile quickly bloomed on his previously tense face. ¡°Haa. I¡¯m okay now. What do you want to tell me?¡± ¡°You need to go to the underworld once more.¡± ¡°Do I have to go again?¡± Noah made a blatant face of displeasure. ¡°We need to find the corpses of the missing monsters and adventurers.¡± They broke through the wall that kept death hidden, concealed by the Red Ash at the second defense line. ¡°This is the result of the investigation into Treitol Kran again. Unfortunately, there haven¡¯t been any significant changes.¡± ¡°No significant changes?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes sharpened as he accepted the documents. ¡°Yes. Additionally, there are records related to the rest: Adea Kran, Jayel Kran, and the king of Kran.¡± Cassion then handed Ruel a meat pie along with other documents. Ruel, who immediately took the documents, read through them urgently. ¡ªCassion, Cassion! As Leo happily called out his name, Cassion promptly took out a bowl of food. ¡°Sit down.¡± Leo, who had been running over, sat down in front of Cassion, his eyes sparkling as he looked at him. ¡ªQuickly, give it to this body. This body is waiting. ¡°Wait.¡± At Cassion¡¯s firm reply, Leo pouted his lips. ¡ªI am not a dog! I am a great purifier! ¡°Right. Leo is a spirit.¡± As Ganien chimed in, Leo nodded vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m the one who gives treats.¡± Just as Cassion was about to take back the bowl of food he had offered, Leo spoke urgently. ¡ªAh, okay! This body is good Leo, so this body will wait patiently. Satisfied with Leo¡¯s response, Cassion finally filled the bowl with treats. Leo swallowed hard as he watched the treats being placed one by one into the bowl. Flap. Ruel¡¯s speed in flipping through the documents gradually increased. Soon, he let out a hollow laugh, gripping the documents tightly. Aside from the occasional gaps in Treitol Kran¡¯s activities, the results were as Cassion had said. These gaps were bothersome, but based solely on the activities, he was merely a misunderstood good prince who had been wronged by his brother. The point when he had become a completely different person was when he had started chasing the Red Ash. ¡®Is it really not true?¡¯ Ruel set down the documents related to Treitol Kran and took a bite of the meat pie. Crunch. ¡®Then what is this gap?¡¯ It was clear he had come out of the castle as if he had become someone else, but there existed a gap where no traces could be found after that. The number of such occurrences was small, but as a prince who had only learned a bit of swordsmanship, there were some traces left imperfectly enough for the shadows to track. Crunch. With a frown on his forehead, Ruel examined the documents investigating others. The king of Kran inherited the throne simply because he was the eldest and enjoyed peace thanks to the glory of the previous generation. However, he lacked love for the country. He seemed indifferent to how the kingdom was faring, merely pretending to be king. And the eldest, Adea Kran, was... ¡®Ambiguous.¡¯ Crunch. Ruel exhaled, brushing off the crumbs that fell from the paper. There were traces of the Red Ash approaching Adea, but there were none in the opposite direction. Rather, Adea was investigating the Red Ash. Yet, his own person, Medeas Tehel, was an executive of the Red Ash. Additionally, Adea was diligently digging into the Tonisk Empire. ¡®A very passionate and caring prince for his country.¡¯ Still, there was nothing that immediately came to mind. Ruel finally examined Jayel Kran. Not long after reviewing the documents, he suddenly let out a chuckle. ¡®Preparing for rebellion?¡¯ Death was pooling somewhere in the castle, the Fourth Princess was preparing a rebellion, while the king had no interest in the country, and the first and second were entangled with the Red Ash. ¡®The country seems to be running very well.¡¯ Jayel Kran was part of the Red Ash. The fact that she was preparing for rebellion implied that the Red Ash were also aware of this and were supporting her. ¡®Rebellion means breaking this alliance system, doesn¡¯t it? Are they really going to break the game they themselves created? Why?¡¯ Ruel set the documents down and tapped his thigh. ¡®Death lingering in the Royal Family. Rebellion.¡¯ Slowly, the corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth began to rise. The ray of darkness. The ray of darkness that supposedly destroyed the empire suddenly came to mind. The Tonisk Empire was now gone, and the alliance was merely a means for the Red Ash to expand the influence of Leponia and Cyronian. Yet, the Red Ash were aiding rebellion in the Kran Kingdom. This was not an ordinary rebellion. The goal of the Great Man was to obtain his own body, and the best way to sacrifice in return would surely be through war. ¡®If this rebellion was a plan left to take my body...¡¯ Crunch. Ruel chewed on the meat pie with a serious expression. Then he had to outwit the Great Man at everything. Author''s Thoughts After a lot of thought, we decided to replace the black light with a ray of darkness. I apologize for the inconvenience. Chapter 166: Battle of wits (2) *** ¡°Earlier, you were eating that meat pie quite seriously, weren¡¯t you?¡± Ganien whispered to Ruel. ¡°I was having some unpleasant thoughts.¡± ¡°Still unsure about things?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then that must be your battlefield over there.¡± Ganien pointed to a large door they were about to reach. A grand welcoming ceremony awaited Ruel. As always, he didn¡¯t feel nervous. He was used to stepping into the lion¡¯s den. Ruel replied flatly, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You still have time, so why not meet Fran before going in?¡± Cassion suggested, taking a last look at Ruel¡¯s condition. ¡°After this is over. I don¡¯t want to hear unnecessary nonsense.¡± Most of the nobles knew he was ill, but he didn¡¯t want to make a scene. Further investigation confirmed that Kran had been eaten by the Red Ash more severely than Leponia. He couldn¡¯t let his guard down. He mustn¡¯t give them any openings. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Send my regards to His Highness Banios. And...¡± Ruel paused and glanced at Ganien. Huswen also needed to be informed of this. Ganien nodded in response, being mindful of the nobles gathering one by one. ¡°Aris.¡± At Ruel¡¯s call, Aris was the first to speak. ¡°I¡¯m still nervous this time. But there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡± Satisfied with Aris¡¯s resolute response, Ruel smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± To his battlefield. ¡°Announcing the entry of Sir Aris, the Magic Swordsman from the Kingdom of Leponia, and Lord Ruel Setiria, the noble of darkness!¡± As always, it was an awful sound that made Ruel¡¯s senses sharpen. Ttak. Ttak. The sound of the cane rang cheerfully. The gazes upon him stung more than ever. Some were openly showing malice, and Ruel smiled pleasantly in response. Eyes up. Back straight. Walk confidently. Who wouldn¡¯t know that he was Ruel Setiria? ¡°You seem to be enjoying yourself,¡± Aris whispered, walking just behind Ruel. ¡ªIndeed! Ruel was truly enjoying himself. Leo wagged his tail and smiled brightly. ¡°It¡¯s fun, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruel genuinely found it amusing. ¡°Hilim Tonisk confirmed that his younger sibling is a devotee of darkness.¡± Ruel recalled what Cassion had mentioned before bed last night. Glen Syria had not lied. What he said was true. To become the vessel of the Great Man, the condition was they had to be the ¡®Devotee of Darkness.¡¯ ¡ªWhat could possibly be so fun? Tell this body! Leo joyfully wiggled his feet. Ruel inhaled Breath and glanced around. Almost half of the nobles were part of Red Ash. If he just reached out his hand, he could be killed right there. How regrettable it must be that they could not kill him despite that. Ever since entering the palace, he hadn¡¯t seen even a strand of hair from the enemy, let alone any attacks. The death they had gathered to claim his body had vanished, so until they collected it again, it would be quite troublesome if he accidentally died. ¡®While they¡¯re gathering death, I am practically invulnerable¡ªhow could I not enjoy that?¡¯ The situation had completely reversed compared to before. Feeling the long-lost tranquility made him smile involuntarily. Ruel walked to the closest position to the king and took a seat. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Ruel whispered softly while petting Leo. Even with nobles pointing fingers at him and whispering since the king had not yet arrived, it was amusing. He was allowed to do so. Wasn¡¯t he in that position? Ruel waited for the king and the prince and princess to enter. ¡ªThis is strange. Why is there no food? Leo looked around eagerly, but all he could see were chairs placed toward the throne, causing his tail to droop in disappointment. Each country had different protocols, so Ruel shrugged his shoulders. It was just a ceremonious gathering by name, and he hoped it would be quick with just some polite greetings. What good was it to have delicious food if it was just a distant fantasy for him? ¡®Damn, allergies.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please step back.¡± In a brief moment, nobles swarmed towards Ruel. They vied to introduce themselves, trying to build connections with Ruel, but Aris stepped in assertively to block them. Still, those trying to break through suddenly hurried back to their original places. It was because of the loud announcement from the attendant. ¡°His Majesty, the most esteemed and the greatest, His Highness Trown Kran, enters¡ªblessed by Hela!¡± The king entered with a bored expression. He didn¡¯t appear as rigid as Huswen or as wise with age as Brans. He seemed like merely a dead shell. The king walked toward the throne without even casting a glance at Ruel. ¡®...?¡¯ In that brief moment when the king brushed past him, Ruel felt a familiar sensation. Like being caught in a spider¡¯s web. Though not as clear as the sensation with Treitol, it was undoubtedly that feeling. ¡®What the...¡¯ Ruel tightly gripped his cane. ¡°Ruel-nim, His Highness Adea Kran has arrived.¡± At Aris¡¯s words, Ruel smiled and grasped the cane that lay beside him. With the sound of footsteps, a rather large man walked over. This was Adea Kran. ¡°I greet the Little Sun. I am Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Apologies for interrupting your rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I apologize for not coming out to greet Your Highness.¡± ¡°Please, sit.¡± Adea naturally offered a seat. Could he take the initiative in the conversation? ¡°It seems Your Highness has something urgent to discuss with me.¡± Ruel comfortably sat down and opened his mouth. ¡°If you had no purpose, you wouldn¡¯t have come to see me, would you?¡± Adea lightly chuckled and sat down. Whether he was testing Ruel or was just inherently arrogant, Ruel responded with a sly grin. ¡°That is incorrect, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Incorrect?¡± ¡°Yes. I am different from those outside.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that an incredibly arrogant statement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not arrogance; it¡¯s the truth. I am someone with quite a bit of influence, enough that even Your Highness cannot disregard me. So saying I wouldn¡¯t have come to see you if I had no purpose is rather ridiculous, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Adea laughed loudly. As expected, he was testing him. ¡°I apologize. I take back my earlier statement. Will you accept my apology?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it a pleasant first meeting.¡± Ruel responded with an innocent smile. Adea glanced outside and lowered his voice a notch. ¡°Do you understand why I have come to find you?¡± ¡°Is it not for a deal?¡± The reason for Adea¡¯s visit was clear. He must have heard his story through Medeas Tehel. To deal with the Red Ash, which had nearly taken over the country, he needed someone with prior experience¡ª someone like him. Even if he was a Great Man, approaching him in this way was appropriate. Adea was publicly known as a prince who ardently worked for the nation. ¡®Gotta stick to the concept, right?¡¯ Adea smiled contentedly. ¡°Correct. Just as you expected, I have come to negotiate with you.¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s a deal that will benefit me.¡± Fed up with the typical roundabout speech of nobles and royalty, Ruel decided to cut to the chase. Adea smiled and pulled the paper from his pocket. He could see mana swirling around the paper. ¡°We¡¯re meeting for the first time today. Hela says trust must be given first.¡± When Ruel silently stared at him, Adea shook the paper. ¡°Thus, I have prepared my magical contract.¡± ¡®He even brought a magical contract?¡¯ Adea lowered the contract and spoke seriously. ¡°I have been waiting for you to come to the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Why were you waiting for me?¡± ¡°Because you are the one most deeply involved in the current situation.¡± Adea flipped the paper around to show Ruel. [I, Adea Kran, am neither the Great Man or part of the Red Ash. I swear to be true to Ruel Setiria until the end of the Red Ash.] After reading the words written on the paper, Ruel remained silent. His questions were still unresolved. ¡®What about Medeas Tehel?¡¯ Without hesitation, Adea signed the contract in front of Ruel. As the color of the paper turned blue, Adea handed it over to Ruel. ¡°This is the utmost trust I can show you right now.¡± ¡°Are you saying you are not part of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°As you know, a magical contract is absolute, unlike a mana oath.¡± Ruel accepted the paper and stared intently at the text. It was clear to anyone that the contract had been properly executed. He inhaled Breath and slightly closed his eyes. A magical contract was indeed absolute. Adea had not even filled in a term for the first condition. This meant he had satisfied the requirements in the past and must uphold this treaty in the future. Could it truly be that Adea was not the Great Man? ¡°What is it that you desire from me?¡± Ruel finally spoke. After all, the stage for conversation had been set. It would not be courteous to remain silent. ¡°I have heard that you dealt with the Red Ash in Leponia and Cyronian.¡± ¡°I merely laid the table; I don¡¯t deserve such high praise.¡± ¡°I am aware you were at the center of it all.¡± ¡°Did you learn this from Medeas Tehel, a member of the Red Ash, or is it information you acquired on your own?¡± For a moment, Adea was at a loss for words. He blinked rapidly before finally responding. ¡°How do you know Medeas Tehel?¡± ¡°Before that, I have something I¡¯d like to check.¡± Ruel extended his hand. ¡°You want to... shake hands?¡± ¡°Yes. I am requesting a handshake.¡± Just because the magical contract seemed flawless didn¡¯t mean he could relax. If the Great Man were Adea Kran, then his body was merely that of Adea Kran, but being the Great Man was not inherently tied to Adea Kran. There was always a possibility of deception, so he had to check and double-check carefully. A handshake. This was the best way to confirm the truth at this moment. ¡®Back then, after shaking hands with Treitol, I definitely felt it.¡¯ A sensation of being caught in a spider¡¯s web. Although it was still uncertain, he thought it might be a feeling associated with being the Great Man or someone connected to the Great Man. Could he feel that with Adea as well? Reluctantly, Adea took Ruel¡¯s hand. Chapter 167: Battle of wits (3) ¡®...?¡¯ Aside from the warmth of Adea¡¯s hand, Ruel felt nothing. ¡®Is Adea really not one of them?¡¯ He didn¡¯t feel the familiar sensation of being caught in a spider¡¯s web that he had sensed when passing by kings, princesses, and princes. Ruel composed himself, released Adea¡¯s hand, and thanked him. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Is this handshake a way to discern the Great Man?¡± ¡°Not at all. It was simply my way of greeting you. If it was rude, please forgive me.¡± ¡°Is that so? What a pity.¡± Adea genuinely expressed his regret. Ruel pinched his thigh slightly harder. If his intuition was correct, Adea Kran was not the Great Man. To be sure, he decided to ask Adea a question first. He wanted to know if the statement Adea wrote in the magical contract, ¡°I swear to tell the truth to Ruel Setiria until the Red Ash incident is resolved,¡± was effective. ¡°Medeas Tehel. Please tell me about him.¡± Adea closed his mouth and surveyed his surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can speak.¡± The fact that Cassion showed no reaction yet meant it was an appropriate time for conversation. Aris also showed no reaction. No?v(el)B\\jnn After hesitating, Adea lowered his voice. ¡°Medeas is not on their side but on mine.¡± ¡°Are you saying he is a spy?¡± Ruel thought Adea was bolder than expected, but he was soon disappointed by his next words. ¡°I didn¡¯t plant him; he came to me willingly.¡± ¡°Did you at least write a magical contract? Is that why you feel reassured?¡± The other party was a member of the Red Ash. No matter what Medeas had done for Adea, Ruel found it hard to believe easily. ¡°Do I look like such a foolish person?¡± ¡°Everyone is foolish. I am no exception.¡± Adea paused for a moment. Ruel¡¯s gaze, filled with suspicion, seemed to disappoint Adea as well. ¡°Even if I wrote a magical contract, I know it won¡¯t be easy to change your mind.¡± Adea tightened his grip. ¡°I have heard many stories about you from Medeas. I would have doubted myself too.¡± ¡°What did you hear from him? And what do you know?¡± ¡°I want to make a deal with you.¡± Instead of answering, Adea threw out another statement. Ruel smiled. Adea seemed well-versed in negotiations. ¡°I will consider the terms once I hear them. Please go ahead, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I know exactly why the Great Man is targeting you.¡± ¡°What can I do to help?¡± Thinking Ruel had given his consent, Adea approached with even more caution than before. ¡°Help the Kingdom of Kran.¡± For a moment, Ruel felt annoyed. Everyone was asking for help as if he owed them something. However, since this was what he had expected, he managed to endure it. ¡°The term ¡®kingdom¡¯ is too broad and vague. Please be more specific.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve realized that the Red Ash is deeply rooted in this country. Help me deal with them. I will help you in any way I can.¡± Ruel laughed. It was a hysterical laugh. ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t come cheap.¡± ¡°Not cheap...?¡± ¡°Since you trust Medeas so much, I will trust you and tell you this.¡± Seeing Adea¡¯s bewildered expression, Ruel leaned back deeply in his chair. ¡°Please find out who placed the mark on me through Medeas, including the terms you proposed.¡± Ruel intertwined his fingers and placed them on his abdomen. Considering the slight possibility that Adea could be the Great Man, he had to act as if he didn¡¯t know that someone was targeting him. ¡°And until this situation is resolved, you must follow my orders unconditionally.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adea¡¯s face contorted at Ruel¡¯s crossing of the line. ¡°You will have to comply with my words, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Lord Setiria. What you just said...¡± ¡°If you do, I will provide you with more information regarding the Tonisk Empire and the Kran Kingdom.¡± At Ruel¡¯s follow-up proposal, Adea fell silent. ¡®This must be troubling him. After all, it¡¯s information related to the Tonisk Empire that he¡¯s been searching for.¡¯ Initially, Ruel intended to capture Medeas Tehel to find out who had marked him. Now that he learned the powder created from the Black Wayfinder could fill Leo¡¯s belly, he no longer needed the mark on his own body. Thus, he had to get rid of this dreadful and painful mark. ¡°Is this for real?¡± Adea stammered in disbelief. ¡°Your Highness, you know my situation, right? What I need is allies, not enemies.¡± Ruel leaned on his cane and rose from his seat. It was time to meet others as well. ¡°You have until the end of today to give me an answer. Then, Your Highness, please leave first.¡± Adea stood up, looking dazed. ¡°Is it really true?¡± With the same question echoing, Ruel nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Please forgive my earlier rudeness.¡± ¡°...I understand. I will consider it.¡± Adea took a slow breath to compose himself. Since his purpose was a deal, there was no reason for him to hesitate further as he left. Ruel finally relaxed his tense body and inhaled Breath. He needed to ascertain the causes of the monster rampage and find the missing monsters and adventurers¡¯ corpses, the deaths stagnating within the castle, and the Great Man. R? All were essential matters to be looked into, but for now, he needed to choose those who could potentially become the Great Man¡¯s vessel. ¡°When my brother suggested that you be called as the representative of the delegation, to be honest, I opposed it.¡± Not knowing what she was getting at, Ruel quietly followed Jayel. She didn¡¯t even give Aris, who hovered near her, a chance to speak. Whether she was deliberately ignoring him or for some other reason, after seeing her disdainful gaze towards Aris, he didn¡¯t feel too good. ¡°It¡¯s because I haven¡¯t felt any value in you. Noble of Darkness? How much does that title really mean? Without that title, what do you have?¡± Ruel almost let out a laugh in disbelief at Jayel¡¯s boldness. To say something so straightforward was unexpected. Jayel continued to speak with a smile. ¡°Will you show me your worth?¡± ¡°Why should I show my worth to Your Highness?¡± Ruel responded with an innocent smile of his own. Jayel halted her steps, fixing Ruel with a cold glare. ¡°I am in a position to make such a request of you.¡± ¡°I understand. But I¡¯m also in a position to refuse your request.¡± ¡°How amusing.¡± For a brief moment, Jayel¡¯s expression turned serious. But soon, she walked away again with a sharp, needle-like smile. The place where she stopped again was where the royals were gathered, with a round table and chairs engraved with intricate patterns, very splendid but also very quiet. Adea and Treitol were also present. Perhaps they were conversing with others while eating here. ¡®Goodness.¡¯ In this sight, there seemed to be a sense of superiority that they were different from the nobles. Even the royals of Leponia and Cyronian did not go this far. ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel answered at Jayel¡¯s call. ¡°Dismiss your knight. From here on, this place is not for just anyone to enter.¡± While Jayel seemed to have quite a strong pride as a royal, her voice sounded quite annoyed. ¡°Understood.¡± But Ruel immediately looked to Aris. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim. I will wait here.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t stay here. Go over there and enjoy some delicious food.¡± What was the point of standing here aimlessly? After all, they were at a party; Aris should indulge in the good food on his behalf. ¡°But...¡± ¡°Relax your face.¡± Ruel then lowered his voice. ¡°Keep an eye on Leo too.¡± As Ruel smiled, Aris reluctantly nodded. It seemed that he was also worried about Leo. ¡°Understood. I will follow your orders.¡± Turning back to Jayel, Ruel raised an eyebrow. She was frowning slightly, as if she didn¡¯t like something about him. Perhaps it was because of Aris¡¯s behavior that was uncharacteristic of nobility. Regardless, Ruel looked towards the place where the royals were gathered. ¡®Wow. That place looks suffocating just by looking at it.¡¯ It reminded him of the times he felt stuck as a new recruit amid seasoned veterans. Unless he had a compelling reason to approach the place, he would prefer any excuse to stay away. ¡®I really don¡¯t want to go there.¡¯ ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± Jayel turned her stiff face toward a direction where an empty throne was visible. She then looked back at Ruel, her face showing a fierce smile. ¡°Do you enjoy gambling?¡± ¡°What kind of gambling do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean a gamble where there are only two choices: life and death.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I like gambling. Especially the kind that turns the impossible into possible, like a reversal.¡± ¡°Is that so, Your Highness?¡± ¡°But this time, the gamble I¡¯m watching isn¡¯t that fun. The outcome is too obvious. It¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± Ruel subtly smiled, realizing what Jayel was implying. She was talking about him and the Great Man, and she was openly saying he was going to lose. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Ruel decided to play dumb. If this was meant to test him, he¡¯d feign ignorance even more. ¡°Then why not intervene, Your Highness? Didn¡¯t you say you like reversals?¡± ¡°That would be rather unfair, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Is there such a thing as a fair gamble from the start?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°After all, it is a gamble. Who would dare to say anything against you if you chose to intervene? Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Or is it possible that even you, Your Highness, cannot sway the game?¡± Jayel¡¯s expression hardened slightly. She valued her status and felt pride in being royal. ¡®What I said might sting quite a bit.¡¯ A member of royalty being played by a lowly figure like Ruel might have touched a nerve. ¡°It was a joke. It¡¯s impossible, of course.¡± At times like this, the best approach was to smile brightly. Ruel innocently smiled again, pretending not to know anything, just as he had before. Author''s Thoughts Dear Readers, Happy New Year! ???? Thank you for being a part of our journey. Your support means the world to us. Wishing you a year filled with joy, success, and endless possibilities. Cheers to a fantastic year ahead! Warm regards, CleiZz Chapter 168: Cover the mark ¡°The joke you shared was quite interesting,¡± remarked Jayel, though her forced smile betrayed her lack of amusement. It was clear that she was rather upset, a reaction that relieved Ruel, who had been concerned she might not react at all. ¡°I¡¯m pleased that you enjoyed the joke,¡± Ruel responded with an unaffected smile, seemingly oblivious to Jayel¡¯s tension as she gripped her dress tightly while releasing a deep sigh. ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Please, go on.¡± ¡°Could we meet separately later, not here?¡± ¡°Yes. I will seek you out later.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Jayel¡¯s reply was brief as she turned her gaze straight ahead. ¡°Lord Setiria...?¡± Treitol expressed surprise, looking at Ruel before breaking into a wide smile. ¡°I never expected to run into you here. What a pleasant surprise,¡± Treitol greeted Ruel warmly, while Jayel, who had accompanied Ruel, appeared indifferent. ¡®Is this all an act, or are their feelings genuine?¡¯ According to the information gathered, it was true that Treitol and Jayel did not have a good relationship. However, in the case of this incident, all information could not be trusted. It was uncertain who truly held power. Adea glanced at Ruel but chose not to speak. ¡®The feeling is growing stronger.¡¯ Ruel felt a strong sense of resistance to the dense atmosphere. But he had to smile as he greeted the assembled royals with a respectful bow. ¡°It is an honor to meet the little suns of the Kran Kingdom. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°I caught a glimpse of you earlier, but meeting you like this is even more delightful,¡± Adea said, rising to offer his hand in an obvious invitation for a handshake. Ruel reciprocated with a broad smile, contemplating how to shake hands with them anyway. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you as well,¡± Ruel responded, shaking hands with the other royals present, including Treitol. Only three people felt the same way. Treitol, Jayel, and the King of Kran. If his intuition could distinguish the Great Mans, it meant that one of these three was indeed the Great Man. *** ¡ªThis body had such a wonderful time! The food was delicious! Leo patted his satisfied belly. ¡ªRuel, Ruel, did you see this body¡¯ nimble movements? This body wasn¡¯t caught at all! ¡°Yes,¡± Ruel replied wearily. Just responding to the questions asked by the six royals was exhausting enough, and the thought that one of them might be the Great Man made it even harder to watch his back. It felt far from an ordinary social gathering. ? ¡°During this welcoming event, there were no signs of surveillance or attacks on you, Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion mentioned while tidying up Ruel¡¯s discarded attire. ¡°I feel invincible at the moment,¡± Ruel chuckled. When Ganien casually touched the clothes, Cassion swiftly smacked his hand away. Ruel sharply turned his head at the noise. Nonchalantly, Cassion asked, ¡°Did you notice anything noteworthy? I couldn¡¯t discern anyone appearing suspicious right now. Everyone seemed rather enigmatic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so petty.¡± Ganien muttered, but Cassion didn¡¯t seem inclined to listen. ¡°Still, I¡¯ve narrowed it down. To three people, excluding one.¡± The three referred to Treitol, Jayel, and the King of Kran, while the one was Adea. ¡°Didn¡¯t Prince Adea sign a magical contract, and as you know, magical contracts are absolute.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s just... somewhat unsettling,¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and petted Leo. ¡°Hikars.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim, did you call for me?¡± Hikars appeared from the floor. Unlike an assassin who could blend into the shadows of a crowd, a warlock could only conceal themselves within their own shadow. He had heard there was another space within the shadows. Normally, one couldn¡¯t move within the shadow, but if a Devotee of Darkness was nearby, the passageways would expand, allowing one to move around within a certain range. Not just Hikars, but other warlocks were also searching for hidden death within the Kingdom of Kran. ¡°Sorry to interrupt your investigation, but I have something I¡¯d like to ask.¡± ¡°Feel free to ask anything, Ruel-nim. There¡¯s no need for apologies.¡± ¡°What was your impression of the King of Kran?¡± ¡°There was a lingering scent of death around him.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± When the desired response didn¡¯t follow, Ruel probed further. ¡°The scent was slightly stronger, but I didn¡¯t detect anything else.¡± ¡®Nothing else?¡¯ That seemed strange. Leo had said there was no scent coming from the king. Knowing that he wasn¡¯t just making a casual remark, Ruel shifted the conversation. ¡°You mentioned before that a heretic could control corpses, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°To what extent can this control go?¡± ¡°It is possible to make a corpse move similarly to a living person.¡± ¡°Anything beyond that? Like talking or expressing emotions like a real person?¡± Hikars looked hesitant as he sensed the direction of Ruel¡¯s questions. He knew what Ruel was hoping for but couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. How could he lie to a Devotee of Darkness? ¡°...I get it. Thus, it¡¯s not achievable?¡± Ruel quickly deduced the meaning from Hikars¡¯s distressed look, asking, ¡°But if that were possible?¡± ¡°If, if such a thing occurred, this place would already be a land of the dead!¡± Hikars exclaimed in shock, involuntarily raising his voice. Immediately, he hurried to lower his head. ¡°I apologize. I got a little carried away and raised my voice.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have something on your mind?¡± Cassion asked. Ruel¡¯s repeated questioning usually occurred when he didn¡¯t get the results he wanted. ¡°Hmm.¡± It wasn¡¯t just his imagination. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ruel looked at Leo, who seemed on the verge of tears. ¡ªThis body wants to eat the powder. Please let this body eat it. ¡®Well, he¡¯s too adorable to resist.¡¯ Ruel released his grip, and Leo eagerly moved to sit in front of Hikars. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion called Ruel while putting the bag containing the powder into his pocket. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I will summon Fran.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s something I need to inform you about.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Adea Kran is indeed a Devotee of the Darkness.¡± Ruel looked directly at Hikars. ¡°Yes. That person is a Devotee of the Darkness. However, we prioritize your commands, Ruel-nim, as per our agreement.¡± ¡®Was Treitol¡¯s claim that they were targeting Adea¡¯s body true?¡¯ Ruel frowned. It seemed that when Adea came to his room, he would need to have a conversation about this topic. Adea would definitely come to accept the deal. ¡°What about the heretics?¡± Ruel asked, turning to Cassion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although it¡¯s not an official request, the assassination will be handled efficiently.¡± Cassion smiled slightly ominous. ¡°Anyway, Ruel, are you saying that the people who came out of the gates of the Tonisk Empire were dead?¡± At Ganien¡¯s question, Ruel smirked. ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°They played us, didn¡¯t they?¡± Ganien exhaled heavily, scratching his chin in contemplation. ¡°Does that mean there are corpses inside the Tonisk Empire?¡± ¡°Given the circumstances, wouldn¡¯t that be the case? How¡¯s the unsealing process going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still working on it discreetly. There¡¯s progress being made, and I¡¯ll let you know when we have concrete results. And Ruel.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Some warlocks, including those from Cyronian, had moved towards the Cyronian capital. Even if they had driven away the Red Ash, it was too early to relax. More warlocks were to be dispatched to Leponia. Just as death had loomed over the Kran Kingdom, other nations might not be any different. ¡°No need for thanks; it just adds to the debt.¡± Ruel chuckled softly. Knock, knock. After a cautious knock, Aris entered. ¡°Ruel-nim, His Highness Adea Kran and Medeas Tehel have arrived.¡± Aris seemed slightly anxious, likely having overheard Ruel¡¯s conversation with Adea during the welcome party. ¡®I guess it was really urgent.¡¯ Ruel stood up and said, ¡°Tell them to come in.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Aris retreated after responding. As Ruel looked at his neatly arranged clothes, Cassion let out a big sigh. Since the prince was coming, they needed to maintain proper etiquette. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside when the prince arrives,¡± Ganien chuckled, addressing Ruel. ¡°Yes, Cassion, you should wait outside too.¡± ¡°Tea?¡± Cassion inquired. ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t think so.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like the conversation would be very long. After speaking with them, he needed to take care of some matters, so he was a bit busy at the moment. He hadn¡¯t mentioned it to Cassion yet, but he couldn¡¯t help but smile at how much he might oppose it. ¡ªAre you enjoying yourself? Leo asked. ¡°A bit. I am enjoying it.¡± ¡ªThis body is happy when Ruel is happy! As Ruel put on his clothes, he smiled along. Hikars faded into his shadow, and with the cane from Cassion in hand, Ruel approached the door. ¡°Cassion, if their surveillance resumes, regardless of the excuse, come inside,¡± Ruel instructed. ¡°Understood.¡± Listening to Cassion¡¯s response, Ruel inhaled Breath. The door opened, and Ruel bowed his head toward Adea, who was entering. ¡°Your Highness, you have arrived. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Chapter 169: Cover the mark (2) Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. The stout man standing behind Adea was Medeas Tehel, who might know a way to remove his mark. Adea swiftly analyzed Ruel¡¯s expression, anticipating a hint of arrogance that was surprisingly absent. ¡°I was worried that I might have arrived too early, but seeing such a warm welcome from you reassures me.¡± ¡°How could I not extend a welcome when you honor us with your presence, Your Highness? Please, take a seat,¡± Ruel gestured towards the table. Adea moved toward it, and Medeas, standing behind him, bowed his head to Ruel. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Medeas Tehel. Thank you for your hospitality after your long journey.¡± Medeas had an overall friendly face, which made a good impression. However, Ruel couldn¡¯t quite recall if he had attended the welcome party. ¡°Pleasure to meet you. I am Ruel Setiria. Please, have a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As Ruel observed Adea and Medeas taking their seats, he signaled with his head to Cassion and Ganien to indicate the door. The two nodded before stepping outside. Ttak. With a sharp sound as his cane hit the floor, Ruel¡¯s confident grin returned. ¡°No need for tea. It won¡¯t be a lengthy discussion.¡± Adea snorted at Ruel¡¯s confident attitude, which implied that he expected him to concede to his demands. ¡°Is this arrogance your nature, or is it typical of the nobles of Leponia?¡± ¡°Both. In Leponia, nobility is treated with respect due to their status. Growing up in such an environment, it¡¯s unavoidable.¡± Ruel replied without hesitation as he took his seat. No matter how hard he tried to control his expression, the wrinkles between Adea¡¯s eyebrows didn¡¯t disappear. However, there was no need for Adea to belittle himself simply because he was a prince. He had the upper hand in this situation. ¡°I would like to hear what decision you have made, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Before that, you should demonstrate that you can keep your demands.¡± ¡°I still have not resolved my doubts about you, Your Highness. How can I show trust without something to believe in?¡± Ruel didn¡¯t show any sign of disappointment. There were plenty of ways to get Medeas to speak or to make him find the one who placed the mark. ¡°I believe Your Highness and Lord Tehel have joined forces because of the Tonisk Empire, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Since the day he received information about Adea searching for details on the Tonisk Empire, he felt something was off. The Tonisk Empire was currently a defunct state, and even if its gates had opened twice, it wasn¡¯t a serious enough situation for a prince to personally investigate. So why was he searching for information? And that¡¯s when Medeas Tehel immediately came to mind. He was the son of the former Prime Minister of the Tonisk Empire. The link between Adea and Medeas was the Tonisk Empire. Seeing Adea¡¯s expression harden, Ruel smiled. It seemed he had hit the nail on the head. ¡°There¡¯s no one easier to manipulate than a dog that has switched owners, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze shifted toward Medeas, who also looked troubled, but Ruel¡¯s next words caused his eyes to widen. ¡°Would you like to know the situation of the Tonisk Empire?¡± Ruel reached out a hand towards Medeas. ¡°Switching sides wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. I probably hold more information than he does.¡± ¡°Lord Setiria. What are you doing?¡± Adea¡¯s voice rose. Ruel smiled at his reaction. ¡°It¡¯s easy to persuade people like that. But I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to become your enemy, Your Highness.¡± Adea gritted his teeth, angry that he had been played. ¡°I would like to advise Your Highness not to waste unnecessary time. You haven¡¯t forgotten the conditions I proposed, have you?¡± ¡°... I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± ¡°Please let me know what results you have brought with you.¡± Adea let out a sigh and said, ¡°Hela emphasized the importance of trust as a starting point.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard that several times already.¡± ¡°Can you... protect Kran?¡± At Adea¡¯s cautious question, Ruel scoffed. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s hard enough for me just to protect myself. Don¡¯t delude yourself. Protecting Kran is your responsibility.¡± ¡°...¡± Speechless, Adea seemed embarrassed by his own question. ¡°As Lord Setiria knows, I¡¯m a high-ranking member of the Red Ash.¡± Medeas pointed to himself. Ruel felt a strong curiosity, never expecting Medeas to directly label himself as an executive. ¡®What is he trying to say?¡¯ ¡°All I want from you, Lord Setiria, is one thing.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°The situation of the Tonisk Empire.¡± No?v(el)B\\jnn Adea was taken aback to see Medeas surrender so quickly. However, he didn¡¯t stop him. ¡°Any information related to the Empire will suffice. Please tell me everything.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath, alternating glances between Adea and Medeas. They seemed to have a long-standing relationship based on how they interacted. But what did that matter? ¡°Why should I? I don¡¯t trust you.¡± Ruel said, looking Medeas straight in the eye. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Understand? How repulsive.¡± Hearing the executive of Red Ash use the word ¡®understand¡¯ while looking at him made the words come out harshly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Lord Tehel would find anything to understand about me. It seems you¡¯ve worked hard to rise to the position of an executive, but I wonder if your hands are free of the blood of my guardians.¡± ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± Adea immediately tried to intervene with Ruel. But Medeas shook his head at Adea. ¡°No, Your Highness. How could my hands be clean?¡± Medeas¡¯s lips trembled as he spoke, opening and closing repeatedly. In the end, he couldn¡¯t even look at Ruel and spoke. ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t deny it. I killed one of Lord Setiria¡¯s guardians to rise to this position.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression turned icy in an instant. ¡°I know how disgusting I must seem. So, separate from the conditions you presented, I will tell you who placed the mark.¡± Adea looked like he wanted to stop Medeas immediately, but he didn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t stop him because he knew how long Medeas had been struggling with this issue. ¡°But killing the one who placed the mark won¡¯t lift it.¡± ¡°What do you mean it cannot be lifted?¡± ¡°Honestly, that¡¯s what I would like to know. They say it¡¯s due to the natural mana swirling around Lord Setiria, but frankly, I don¡¯t understand what that means.¡± Medeas forced a smile, his expression apologetic. ¡®It¡¯s Jan¡¯s power.¡¯ At that moment, Ruel felt an overwhelming urge to run to Jan and hug him. The increase of natural mana around him had started occurring when Jan¡¯s power had been absorbed into him. Ruel clenched his fists on the table. ¡°Is this enough for you to believe me? Try wearing the necklace now.¡± Adea wanted to stop Medeas countless times but managed to hold back. The opportunity for negotiation had already passed. Ruel had obtained the most important information he sought, hadn¡¯t he? Adea gave up and gestured towards the box with a smile. Ruel took a deep breath and took the box. Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡ªWoah! From Leo¡¯s reaction, it was clear that the necklace wasn¡¯t tainted with corruption. Ruel carefully held the necklace in his hands. There was no sensation. It didn¡¯t even tingle. ¡®It¡¯s not even a magical necklace?¡¯ Ruel felt a mix of unease and curiosity about this unfamiliar object. If it worked as Medeas claimed, it was certainly not an ordinary item. ¡°Again, let me remind you, while wearing this necklace, it will only conceal the mark. Eliminating it entirely is impossible for now.¡± Ruel glanced back and forth between the two before placing the necklace back into the box. His heart was already racing, making it hard for him to focus on the transaction. ¡°I¡¯ll verify it later.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Adea¡¯s expression brightened a bit. Receiving the box was a positive sign, after all. ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± Adea called out to Ruel. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been weighing my country and myself up to this moment. It¡¯s like defying Hela¡¯s words.¡± Adea seemed to be blaming himself. ¡°I willingly cooperate with you.¡± Despite Adea¡¯s acceptance of the deal, it felt like a plea for Ruel to trust him. However, that was out of the question. Ruel looked at Medeas. ¡°Who does Lord Tehel consider to be the Great Man?¡± ¡°Regrettably, I don¡¯t know.¡± Medeas shook his head. ¡°Among the high-ranking members, there is likely no one who knows whose body he has taken over. Ironically, he trusts no one.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment. No one knows? Various questions swirled in his mind, but now wasn¡¯t the time. He needed to ask one urgent question. ¡°Lord Tehel, haven¡¯t you sworn a mana oath related to the Great Man?¡± Wasn¡¯t it too natural to refer to the Great Man as ¡®him¡¯? ¡°I have. But what does that matter? The Great Man is not his real name. The ¡®Great Man¡¯ I¡¯m loyal to now is Your Highness Adea Kran.¡± At Medeas¡¯s words, Adea smiled with satisfaction. That was genuine. Indeed, the one to whom Medeas pledged his loyalty was Adea. Even if there were loopholes in the mana oath, and even though loyalty could vary from person to person, one could not escape the fundamental framework of loyalty. Didn¡¯t Cassion grab his chest and complain whenever he cursed at him? Nevertheless, Ruel did not dismiss the possibility that Adea might be the Great Man. If Adea was the Great Man, then Medeas¡¯ mana oath and his presence by Adea¡¯s side all made sense. ¡°Very well.¡± However, Ruel had started to dismantle the towering walls of suspicion he had built. Now it was time for direct verification, not just words. ¡°Cassion.¡± As Ruel called for Cassion, he opened the door and entered, ¡°Did you call for me?¡± ¡°Give me the powder.¡± Cassion took out a pouch containing the powder from his pocket and handed it to Ruel. Watching Cassion retreat back outside, Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°What is that?¡± Adea asked first. ¡°It¡¯s a sign of trust that I need to believe in Your Highness.¡± ¡°Is this it?¡± Ruel opened the pouch and took out the powder. ¡°If you trust me, please stay still.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ruel then turned to Medeas. ¡°The same goes for you, Lord Tehel.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Upon hearing their responses, Ruel sprinkled the powder over both of them. Adea sneezed, while Medeas tightly closed his eyes. Nothing happened. If they were corpses, then recalling Hikars¡¯s words about how the connection with the heretics would break for a moment when the powder was sprinkled, Ruel finally smiled. Adea and Medeas had nothing to do with death. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel then handed the pouch containing the powder to Adea. ¡°Here¡¯s the powder I just sprinkled on Your Highness. You can use any method you want. Please sprinkle it on His Majesty.¡± ¡°Why should I sprinkle this on His Majesty? And what is this powder anyway?¡± ¡°Your Highness, after sprinkling this powder, please come back to me. Then I will trust Your Highness.¡± Adea was confused and even annoyed. He had set aside his pride as a prince and offered to be a pawn for the plan. And now he was being asked to sprinkle this powder on the king? Adea asked in an annoyed voice, ¡°Are you always so rude?¡± Chapter 170: Cover the mark (3) ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. This time is different, and although I realize it¡¯s impolite, I¡¯m asking despite that. I trust Your Highness will understand.¡± ¡°...Hah,¡± Adea gritted his teeth. Having already bowed to Ruel, he felt he had no remnants of pride left to lose. Yet, anger still simmered within him. Staring fiercely at Ruel, Adea finally rose from his seat. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be back.¡± As Ruel moved to stand, Adea raised his hand. ¡°No need to see me off. Let¡¯s go.¡± Medeas stood up from his seat, with an apologetic expression, he spoke, ¡°Then, please take your time to rest.¡± There was a note left on the seat where Medeas had been sitting. Ruel grasped the note and watched the two of them leave. ¡ªOne person was angry at Ruel, and one continued to apologize to him. Leo, who was also looking at the door, spoke. ¡°I know.¡± Entrusting the powder to Adea was the final confirmation task. It seemed that any serious discussion with Adea would have to wait until after the powder was used. The sound of the door opening was followed by a single set of footsteps. Ruel¡¯s gaze shifted towards the door. It was Ganien and Cassion. The one who walked silently was Cassion. Ruel unfolded the note and read its contents: [The one who placed the mark on Lord Setiria is the Marquis of the Kran Kingdom, ¡®Nehils Praha¡¯.] Ruel¡¯s lips curled into a smile. He had finally caught a lead. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Prince Adea has the powder. Confirm if it¡¯s being used on the king,¡± Ruel instructed before passing the note to Cassion. ¡°Investigate and verify.¡± As Cassion¡¯s gaze shifted to the note, his eyes momentarily shook. ¡°After that, I will go to meet him personally.¡± ¡°Understood. I will conduct a thorough investigation,¡± Cassion affirmed, glancing at a small box on the table. ¡°Ruel-nim, about the necklace in that box...¡± ¡°Can that necklace truly conceal the mark?¡± Ganien interjected, interrupting Cassion. Cassion frowned in response. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ruel shook his head. Ganien scrutinized the necklace closely. ¡°It¡¯s not magical, is it? Aris, come here for a moment.¡± Ruel chuckled at Ganien addressing his knight like a younger brother. ¡°Did you call me, brother?¡± Aris responded promptly, glancing towards Ruel. Through the slightly opened gap, Aris was visible. How curious he must have been. As Ganien gestured, Aris entered. His steps were unusually quick. ¡°Is this the necklace?¡± Aris asked in a hushed tone as he looked at the necklace. ¡°Were you all eavesdropping outside the door?¡± Ruel was surprised that Aris was aware of the necklace. This was the Royal Palace; it should have been soundproofed, preventing their conversation from being overheard. ¡°I was, although Brother and Cassion-nim weren¡¯t,¡± Aris admitted, scratching his neck. ¡®Well, what can I do? Good nose and good ears.¡¯ It was his fault for briefly forgetting who Cassion and Ganien were. Ganien was the main character, and Cassion could hear sounds all the way from his room to the mansion¡¯s front door. But Aris listening at the door was unexpected. When did he become so sharp-eared? In the end, it meant that they had all heard everything. Ruel held the necklace without any need for further explanation. ¡°Be careful, Ruel-nim. I can¡¯t properly identify any mana around that necklace.¡± Aris spoke uneasily. Ruel glanced at them for a moment. If anything were to happen to him, he felt quite reassured. ¡°Cassion, isn¡¯t Fran waiting outside?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s been waiting for a while,¡± Cassion confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± There was no need to hesitate any longer. Ruel immediately put on the necklace. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s anything special...¡¯ Suddenly, the white gem attached to the necklace began to spin on its own. ¡ªWhoa! It¡¯s spinning! Leo¡¯s tail wagged so vigorously it disappeared from view. A transparent film, resembling soap bubbles, emerged from the gem and slowly enveloped Ruel. It felt refreshing, like a breeze passing by, and it was soft. As soon as the transparent film wrapped around Ruel¡¯s body, it swiftly sucked back into the gem as if retracting a net. The once white gem turned pitch black, and Ruel looked at his hand. He felt a sensation like something gnawing at his body had disappeared. But that was it. There was no miraculous effect of feeling better. ¡®What? Is this really it?¡¯ No matter how much he examined his body, it was just a vague feeling of slight refreshment and uncertainty. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Cassion asked, swallowing hard. ¡°Is it the same?¡± The three of them, who had been tense awaiting Ruel¡¯s answer, let out a sigh of disappointment. ¡°Really, nothing has changed?¡± ¡°Surely, there must be something that feels a little different, right?¡± Ganien and Aris asked in turn, but Ruel¡¯s answer remained unchanged. ¡°There really isn¡¯t anything different.¡± As Ruel pondered about his condition, he glanced at Leo. It was a genuine hope, not a futile one. His body would get gradually better, and a day without pain would surely come. Fran felt relieved seeing Ruel smile brightly again. It was a smile fitting for his age, so very delightful to behold. She soon looked at Cassion. ¡°Has Lord Ruel taken any fever-reducing medicine?¡± ¡°He took some before the welcome party.¡± ¡°He may have another fever tonight. He might even be quite unwell.¡± ¡°Yesterday, he had a fever too...¡± Fran moved away to talk to Cassion about Ruel¡¯s condition. Ganien, who had stepped back, approached with a faint smile, unsure on which side to align. ¡°So... are you okay? Or not okay?¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Before Ruel could speak, Cassion called out to him. ¡°Since it seems like the conversation with Ms. Fran is going to be lengthy, I will move to a different location.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Then, Lord Ruel, make sure to sleep well, take your medicine regularly, and don¡¯t overdo it...¡± ¡°Sister.¡± Tierra interrupted Fran as she began to go on about the advice. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave now, Lord Ruel.¡± After greeting Ruel, Tierra grabbed Fran and headed outside. ¡°Wait a moment, Tierra! If we don¡¯t firmly inform Lord Ruel, his body will turn to stone...¡± Thud. With Fran¡¯s cut-off words, the door closed. ¡°Well then,¡± Cassion said with a smile that seemed like a sneer, and followed them out. Only then did Ruel answer Ganien¡¯s question, ¡°I¡¯m fine. It seems the mark has stopped.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief...¡± Aris abruptly halted his words. It was because of Ruel¡¯s expression. Aris recognized that expression. It resembled the face Ruel had when he climbed the mountain and reached the summit, holding back tears with great effort. Aris rolled his eyes and called out to Ganien. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ganien was slightly surprised. This was the first time Aris had raised his voice like this. ¡°That thing you said you would tell me before... That! I want to know right now, immediately!¡± ¡°When did I... oh, that?¡± Seeing Aris¡¯s eyes pointing towards Ruel, Ganien awkwardly smiled. ¡°Ruel, I¡¯m just going out for a bit. Oh, right. You said you were tired from the welcome party, didn¡¯t you? Hurry and lie down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Please rest quickly. My brother and I will, uh, talk for a long time, so don¡¯t worry about it at all.¡± ¡°Right. Right. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel sighed and rubbed his face. Both of them were so bad at lying that it was almost embarrassing. ¡°Okay.¡± Hearing Ruel¡¯s nonchalant response, Ganien and Aris awkwardly smiled and left the room. ¡°...Pftt.¡± After a moment, Ruel burst into laughter. ¡®They really can¡¯t lie. Both master and disciple are too alike.¡¯ They must have stepped aside because of him. He had tried to hide his expression, but today it seemed he couldn¡¯t conceal it. Ruel looked at Leo, who was still fiddling with the necklace. He wondered if it was really that good. ¡®The mark.¡¯ The fluttering in his chest began again. The smile that had lingered on Ruel¡¯s lips slowly faded away. ¡®Has it stopped...?¡¯ Ruel quietly covered his face with the blanket. Leo perked up his ears. ¡ªRuel? ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice sounded muffled. ¡°...Really, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Leo set down the necklace and came closer to Ruel¡¯s face. Ruel¡¯s breath sounded submerged, like it was drowned in water. Leo didn¡¯t peek under the blanket but simply patted him. ¡ªThis body heard nothing. Even the trembling in Ruel¡¯s tightly clenched hand. Even the occasional sniffle. Leo, as if he saw nothing, heard nothing, gently stroked Ruel with his short paws. Chapter 171: The encirclement is narrowing ¡°...!¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes shot open in surprise, his eyelids feeling heavy. How had he fallen asleep? Dawn had already broken outside. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ He had a place to go early in the morning. A sigh escaped him as he rubbed his tired face. Had his fever risen again while he slept? He noticed a heat patch stuck to him. Turning his gaze to Leo, peacefully asleep nearby, a rustling noise caught his attention from the other side. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice broke the silence as he sat there, engrossed in cleaning his sword. It had been a while since they had spent time together. ¡°You¡¯ve been here the whole night?¡± Ruel inquired, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember how you were ill all night? You woke up several times during your sleep. We even had a few conversations.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± Ruel genuinely couldn¡¯t recall. ¡°It might be best to skip today¡¯s welcome party,¡± Cassion suggested. The welcome party was held over three days, so missing one day might not be a major issue. A welcoming ceremony without the main guest. ¡°That¡¯s a relief...¡± Ruel started to respond but was interrupted by a fit of coughing that ended in a disturbing sight¡ªblack blood staining his handkerchief. Cassion frowned at the blood, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ruel affirmed, the metallic taste of blood overwhelming his senses, tears welling up in his eyes, yet a smile on his face. It was a sign that the power of recovery was actively working, expelling the remnants of his illness. ¡°I mentioned it yesterday as well, but the marker has stopped. It means there¡¯s nothing left but treatment.¡± After drinking the water Cassion offered him, Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°What did Fran say?¡± ¡°She¡¯s looking at it positively.¡± ¡°Good to hear,¡± Ruel acknowledged. There was no need to rush; the fact that he was healing was a victory in itself. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°How about telling this news to Tyson-nim?¡± A warm smile crossed Ruel¡¯s face. ¡®Tyson will be overjoyed, won¡¯t he?¡¯ Tyson might even cry a lot. Or he might act like the time Ruel climbed up the mountain, bragging to passing knights by replaying that moment. But now wasn¡¯t the time for such musings; there were pressing matters at hand. ¡°Not right now, but later. I want to tell him in person.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Leaving that aside, why...¡± About to ask why he was asking such a question, Ruel stopped himself. He realized that Cassion had likely heard him crying yesterday, which was unlike him. Feeling embarrassed, a sarcastic remark slipped out instead. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you have something else you want to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. For now, I have a question,¡± Cassion replied. ¡°What is it that you¡¯re dragging out so much, which isn¡¯t like you?¡± ¡°Are you planning to go outside, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°...¡± Ruel was caught off guard, speechless at Cassion¡¯s insight. How had Cassion figured it out? He hadn¡¯t dropped any hints. Cassion let out a deep sigh.No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°I know you intend to go out even if I try to stop you. The attendants and soldiers saw Fran coming in and out at night, so there¡¯s also an excuse for missing the welcome party.¡± He knew well enough that Ruel would do what he wanted, no matter how much he tried to discourage him. Then, he had to steer Ruel in another direction. ¡°Rest well during the day, and go out at dawn.¡± Since many eyes were watching during the day, Ruel wouldn¡¯t easily move around. Using that time as recovery time was more efficient, no matter what. ¡°Trying to persuade me now, are you?¡± Ruel chuckled, seemingly unfazed. Though Cassion was annoyed by that laughter, cursing him would only hurt himself. ¡°Whether the marker has stopped or not, the illness still remains.¡± ¡°I know. I don¡¯t even know how long it will take.¡± Since it wasn¡¯t an ordinary illness, even with the power of recovery, he had to be prepared for a long healing process. But the curse would eventually weaken, and if Leo joined in, things would improve quickly. ¡°Fran even asked me to keep an eye on you, Ruel-nim, to make sure you don¡¯t overexert yourself, now that your condition is improving.¡± ¡°Who else can care for my body better than myself?¡± Ruel retorted confidently. ¡°...Ha.¡± Cassion laughed openly in disbelief. ¡°If you did, I wouldn¡¯t have been in such a dilemma.¡± ¡°Aris must be outside and is Ganien with Aris?¡± Ruel changed the subject, dodging Cassion¡¯s pointed remark. Cassion raised one corner of his lips unamused, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re outside.¡± ¡°Then tell them I¡¯ll be moving out in the early morning and inform Sir Torto to guard the door, pretending to switch shifts with Aris.¡± Ruel returned his focus to the papers. The thicker the paper, the more densely packed the information inside. Instead of focusing on the nobles and small fry involved with the Red Ash, Ruel focused on the higher-ups. Swish. Ruel¡¯s eyes and hands moved rapidly. There were well over several hundred high-ranking members listed. Soon, Ruel¡¯s hands stopped, and he bit his lip. ¡®Ah... this is annoying.¡¯ If these documents were true, then the Red Ash was still lingering in Leponia. Like leeches. He felt a shiver run through him. Amid the numerous names, he spotted a familiar one. ¡®Nihils Praha.¡¯ He was the one suspected of placing the mark Ruel Setiria during the carriage incident five years ago. Ruel exhaled slowly. In any case, there were overlapping pieces of information. It seemed necessary to verify. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion emerged from the shadows cast by the bed, his gaze falling upon the organized papers with a sigh, indicating the need for further investigation. ¡°Are these the documents Prince Treitol gave you?¡± ¡°Yes. You know what to do, don¡¯t you?¡± Ruel confirmed. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°What about Ganien?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°He was deep in conversation with Aris,¡± Cassion replied, a hint of annoyance on his face. Ganien had more time to himself since Ruel had slept from dawn till midday, and this seemed to annoy him. ¡°Call him.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Only then did Cassion walk towards the door with a faint smile. He opened the door slightly and said, ¡°Ganien, Ruel-nim is calling for you.¡± Ganien, who had been deeply engaged in a discussion about swords with Aris, quietly stepped inside at Cassion¡¯s glance. Ruel had indeed called for him. The anticipated moment had arrived. What could he possibly be asked to do this time? ¡°Did you call?¡± Ruel beamed, ¡°Feeling bored?¡± Ganien shook his head promptly. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°This concerns Cyronian,¡± Ruel stated, handing Ganien some documents. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Read it.¡± Ganien furrowed his brow as he read the materials with a sour expression. ¡°Does the Red Ash still exist?¡± ¡°If these documents are accurate,¡± Ruel replied in a tone tinged with irritation. ¡°Inform His Majesty Huswen and conduct an investigation. I¡¯ll delve into this matter as well.¡± Of course, it was work that Banios should be doing. The shadows were currently too busy and short-handed. ¡°Those bastards...!¡± Veins popped out on Ganien¡¯s neck. Just when the papers were about to crumple and tear apart, Ruel coughed. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were fine?¡± ¡°If I were to recover instantly, that would indeed be a miracle,¡± Ruel quipped, passing the remaining documents to Cassion before reclining wearily against the bed. His fever-induced dizziness made it difficult to sit upright. Ruel waved his hand and inhaled Breath with the other. ¡°Is it okay for you to be going out at dawn while in this condition?¡± Ganien¡¯s gaze instinctively turned to Cassion at Ruel¡¯s labored breathing. ¡°If he could be stopped, he wouldn¡¯t be here, he¡¯d be in Leponia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Still, um, it¡¯s a bit concerning.¡± Ganien thought seriously about whether he should speak up, but Ruel¡¯s next words made him sigh. ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s something only I can do.¡± ¡°Cassion, I¡¯ve just realized why you¡¯ve been sighing so much. Ruel really doesn¡¯t listen.¡± Even Cassion, usually silent, nodded in agreement. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s still young?¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± Ruel opened his eyes at Ganien¡¯s absurd remark. Ganien quickly spread his ten fingers. ¡°This should be enough qualification to speak, right?¡± A ten-year age difference. Ruel clamped his mouth shut and closed his eyes again. Chapter 172: The encirclement is narrowing (2) *** ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion¡¯s voice roused Ruel from his sleep. Leo was within his line of sight. ¡ªHow are you feeling? Leo asked. ¡°A bit better.¡± Despite the necklace easing some of his tension, his fever persisted, refusing to subside. ¡ªIt¡¯s still quite high. Leo observed, placing his paw gently on Ruel¡¯s forehead. The warmth of Leo¡¯s paw quickly turned cold. ¡°Is it already dawn?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice was hoarse as he spoke, glancing towards the window. Night had fallen, but dawn was not yet in sight. ¡°No, I woke you to tell you that Prince Adea has spread the powder,¡± Cassion informed him. ¡°And you¡¯re saying that Adea is on his way here as well?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. Prince Adea was certainly passionate. It had only been a day, and by now, a welcoming party without the main guest was likely underway. ¡°What was the result?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°The king... stopped for a moment.¡± Ruel smiled faintly. His hypothesis had been correct. The king was already deceased, and the Great Man was pulling the strings. Ruel chuckled and said, ¡°That guy¡¯s completely insane. To think he¡¯d manipulate the king.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion¡¯s voice sounded grave. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should bring this up now, but is there anything else related to Setiria?¡± Cassion asked cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m not sure... Ah, there was one thing.¡± Ruel¡¯s smile widened, making Cassion uneasy. ¡°The pattern on the wall that confines death. What do you think it was?¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, what exactly is Setiria?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I want to know too.¡± ¡ªThis body is curious too. Leo chimed in, raising his paw. ¡°I truly have no idea,¡± Cassion paused, glancing towards the door and continued, ¡°Prince Adea is on his way.¡± Since the king had acted strangely after the powder was sprinkled, Adea would undoubtedly be in a rush. Moments later, Ruel smiled as he heard frantic knocking on the door. ¡°Open the door, Cassion.¡± As Cassion opened the door, Adea rushed in with a flustered expression and approached Ruel. Medeas, following behind, bowed to Ruel. Adea had a lot to say, but he held back until the door was closed, then blurted out, ¡°Lord Setiria! What just happened? Father... no, the king has stopped! It was like a puppet whose strings were suddenly cut!¡± Ruel smiled. ¡°Now we can finally talk.¡± He reached for the cane Cassion offered, attempting to stand but wavering slightly. Nevertheless, his smile remained unwavering. ¡°Please, Your Highness, take a seat for now.¡± ¡°Did Lord Setiria foresee this situation?¡± Adea asked in disbelief. Ruel¡¯s expression betrayed no surprise; in fact, he seemed calm, almost as if he knew what was to come. ¡°I had anticipated this to some extent. Please, take a seat, Your Highness.¡± Adea had arrived for a courtesy visit, but neither he nor Ruel had much time to spare. Gulp. Adea gulped nervously, a look of discomfort crossing his face as he settled into his seat. Ruel seemed different to him now. He exuded an air of intimidation, leaving Adea both fearful and unsure of the extent of Ruel¡¯s thoughts and knowledge. Once Medeas had also taken a seat, Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°I will take my leave,¡± Cassion announced quietly before stepping outside. ¡ªThis body will stay by Ruel¡¯s side. Having jumped down from the bed, Leo quickly climbed onto Ruel¡¯s lap. Ruel affectionately petted Leo and began to speak, ¡°You arrived much earlier than I expected.¡± ¡°Why would I delay? I had an appointment with the king today,¡± Adea replied. Despite having an appointment, it would be difficult to carry out such a task immediately. It was evident that Adea was in a hurry. ¡°When I heard that Lord Setiria had visited Cyronian as the head of a delegation, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to come to Kran.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°I saw you as the only hope to save Kran. You survived the Red Ash, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ruel pressed his index finger tightly against his thumb. He hadn¡¯t survived; the Great Man had spared him. ¡°I was incompetent. What good is it to be in line for the throne when I didn¡¯t even know that the Kran Kingdom had been crumbling for so long?¡± Adea spoke with a bitter smile. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ruel called out. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I¡¯m answering your question, so please listen without misunderstanding,¡± Ruel requested, his expression serious. ¡°Understood,¡± Adea replied, his tone tense. ¡°His Majesty has passed. The one sitting on the throne now...¡± Ruel began, but Adea interrupted him. ¡°...Stop there,¡± Adea demanded, suppressing his anger. However, Ruel continued speaking. ¡°Your Highness, the one sitting on the throne is not a living person...¡± Adea seemed at a loss for words, unable to utter anything. He would need some time to process it all. Ruel shifted his gaze to Medeas. ¡°Yesterday, Lord Tehel mentioned that even the executives are unaware of the Great Man¡¯s current host.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°How, then, do you receive instructions from the Great Man?¡± Ruel asked, seizing the opportunity. This was something he had always been curious about. Medeas looked at Adea with concern before answering. ¡°A note inscribed with the flame symbol is delivered. All the executives receive their instructions through that note.¡± ¡°...Ha,¡± Ruel scoffed. ¡°You truly believe that? It¡¯s merely a piece of paper!¡± ¡°For the executives, it is not ¡®just.¡¯ The Great Man is a god to them. No, perhaps even a greater existence.¡± ¡°What on earth has he done to be revered in such a way?¡± Ruel could not understand. Just looking at what the Great Man had done to the empire, he was nothing more than a cruel murderer, not a god. ¡°Do you know what occurs when a hero is forgotten? And what happens to their descendants?¡± ¡°...?¡± Ruel¡¯s hand, which had been petting Leo, halted. Why was the term hero suddenly coming up? ¡°The term hero is usually used when someone accomplishes great deeds. However, there is nothing more pitiful than a forgotten hero. Time strips away even past glory, leaving them with no one to remember them.¡± Ruel sneered and said, ¡°That¡¯s too far-fetched. Even if they were heroes, not everyone can remember them.¡± ¡°I agree, but what about their descendants?¡± Medeas interjected. ¡°Are you suggesting...?¡± Ruel inquired. ¡°Yes. All the executives are descendants of forgotten heroes. The Great Man brought them to the present with the promise of restoring their past glory. It¡¯s only natural for them to serve him,¡± Medeas explained. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What does that have to do with the current situation?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t quite grasp that either,¡± Medeas replied ambiguously. Hero. That term seemed to come up quite often. Ruel stroked his chin in contemplation. Familiar phrases associated with heroes and the power they left behind crossed his mind. When he learned that the power left behind by a hero was the power of the Great Man, he thought it was a misnomer. In his view, the Great Man wasn¡¯t a hero but pure malevolence. ¡®What if, against all odds, that title was rightly bestowed?¡¯ Ruel felt a wave of disgust wash over him. The notion of the Great Man being labeled a hero seemed absurd to him. ¡®Crazy. How could he be a hero?¡¯ ¡°Lord Setiria?¡± Ruel stopped his thoughts belatedly at Medeas¡¯ voice and looked at him. ¡°Oh, my apologies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Anyway, it¡¯s not efficient to keep searching for that place. We might get caught.¡± ¡°Is Lord Tehel currently safe?¡± Ruel inquired, his trust in Adea wavering, considering Medeas¡¯ precarious position as a Red Ash executive. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say that the situation is safe right now. However, I¡¯m not in immediate danger. Moreover, a command has been issued for all executives to remain still, so it should be fine.¡± Perhaps it was because the wall that concealed death had crumbled. ¡°...Huh.¡± Adea let out a deep, heavy sigh. His face was filled with a weariness that made him seem older in an instant. ¡°Now I understand why you gave me the powder. My father has passed away...¡± Adea began but abruptly stopped, his eyes brimming with anger. That kind of look wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Your Highness, I know it¡¯s difficult, but if you lose your temper now, it will only give your enemies an opportunity to attack. You are the king of this country now. You must look after your kingdom properly.¡± Because it was Ruel¡¯s words, Adea nodded. Ruel had also lost his father to the Red Ash. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll calm myself down.¡± Only after witnessing Adea slowly calm down did Ruel speak again. ¡°The Tonisk Empire is no more,¡± Ruel declared, directing his gaze at Medeas, who remained unmoved. ¡°The Tonisk Empire fell long ago,¡± he added. Bang! Medeas slammed his fist down so hard that the desk broke beneath him. Adea and Leo were startled almost simultaneously. ¡°What... What does this mean...¡± Emotions swirled within Medeas, evident in his reddened eyes and bulging veins reflecting his anger. ¡°Yes. We were deceived. The Great Man played us all,¡± Medeas admitted in frustration. ¡°Are you expecting me to believe this now?¡± Adea questioned. ¡°Lord Tehel.¡± Ruel called out firmly to calm Medeas, but he couldn¡¯t contain his outburst. ¡°My father thought he was unjustly driven out of the empire for no reason. He couldn¡¯t return because of the barrier!¡± ¡®Because of the barrier, he couldn¡¯t enter the empire?¡¯ He had clearly heard that only citizens of the empire could enter. He had heard it directly from the Red Ash he had captured in Cyronian but to say that even citizens couldn¡¯t enter? Ruel realized that Medeas wasn¡¯t lying. ¡®What lies within the empire? Should the barrier even be lifted?¡¯ Chapter 173: The encirclement is narrowing (3) Ruel pressed his thumb firmly against his index finger. ¡°Decades have already passed. And now... to hear that it¡¯s gone! That the empire has fallen! Such a damn... thing...¡± ¡°Lord Tehel, please control yourself. His Highness is watching.¡± Adea, who had lost his father, was also struggling to hold back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... Your Highness.¡± Ruel¡¯s scolding brought Medeas back to his senses. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Both you and I are a mess. Like crumpled paper.¡± Adea gave a bitter smile. Now was not the time for sentiment. Ruel looked out the window, then back at the two of them. ¡°Your Highness, you might still have some of that powder left.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Please keep it with you, just in case.¡± ¡°It sounds unsettling, but I¡¯ll do it for now.¡± ¡°Lord Tehel.¡± Ruel called Medeas to confirm the facts about the barrier. ¡°Is it true that the barrier prevents anyone from entering the empire?¡± ¡°Yes. The citizens who were outside the empire before the war were never able to return to their homeland.¡± It was the truth. Ruel clenched his fist tightly. ¡°By now, you should have a general idea of the situation.¡± The Tonisk Empire had fallen, and King Kran was also dead. It was a truly desperate situation for both Medeas and Adea. ¡°There are many things we must do, Your Highness, Lord Tehel, and myself. But the most important task is to accurately identify who the Great Man is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s the most crucial task.¡± ¡°Therefore, I must ask: who do you suspect, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Treitol.¡± Adea answered without hesitation. ¡°And Jayel.¡± In the end, it narrowed down to two people. Since King Kran was dead, he couldn¡¯t be a candidate. ¡°Treitol has changed since his head injury. That¡¯s what they say. But even before that, I sometimes felt like he was a different person. He¡¯s my brother, how could I not know?¡± Adea frowned. ?A??????????¦¥s?? ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not suspecting him solely based on that.¡± Adea clenched his hands tightly and hesitantly continued, ¡°It was Treitol who instilled ambition in Jayel. Ruel inhaled Breath as he waited for Adea to elaborate. ¡°But it seems Treitol doesn¡¯t remember it. It¡¯s as if his body changed at that time.¡± Adea laughed, seemingly incredulous about what he had just said. ¡®His body... changed?¡¯ Ruel didn¡¯t dismiss it lightly. Hadn¡¯t he heard about a similar incident from Medeas just the day before? ¡°This necklace is one of the treasures that belonged to the Empire. I only know that it was entrusted to my father by the Empire¡¯s second prince.¡± He recalled the words Medeas had said while handing over the only necklace that could conceal his mark. The second prince of the Empire must have been in a state of having his body taken over by the Great Man, yet he entrusted the necklace to Medeas¡¯s father. It seemed odd. But now that he heard Adea¡¯s story, it felt like the incidents were connected. ¡®Even if the Great Man took over his body, couldn¡¯t he still have some control?¡¯ ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just a hypothesis, so don¡¯t take it too seriously.¡± Adea, noticing Ruel¡¯s very serious expression, spoke as if troubled. ¡°I said it was Treitol who instilled ambition in Jayel, but in reality, Jayel has been eyeing the throne for some time. And...¡± Adea hesitated before continuing. ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± Ruel already knew about Jayel¡¯s treason but pretended to be unaware. ¡°She¡¯s preparing for rebellion.¡± Adea awkwardly smiled. Even though she was only his half-sister, they were still related. ¡°Why do you suspect her of being connected to the Great Man?¡± Ruel was puzzled. His suspicion that Jayel might be the Great Man was more related to the feeling of being caught in a spider¡¯s web. There wasn¡¯t any solid evidence to definitively point to Jayel as the Great Man.@@@@ ¡°Have you ever heard that the Great Man would lead this world to destruction for a past that was taken from him?¡± Ruel knew this fact as well but shook his head, pretending not to. ¡°The purpose of the Great Man is revenge. To accomplish this, they are creating something called black water. You must already know what is needed to create it.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t understand what Adea was trying to say. ¡°Right now, Jayel¡¯s rebellion is not simply about seizing the throne.¡± Ruel thought so too. If Jayel was the Great Man, he believed that the rebellion itself might be the catalyst for war. However, Adea¡¯s words seemed to carry a slightly different meaning. ¡°She possesses an enormous quantity of magical bombs capable of bringing down the entire Kingdom of Kran.¡± ¡°Magical bombs?¡± Ruel was slightly taken aback, as this was information Cassion had not uncovered. ¡°The one supporting her is none other than the Red Ash.¡± Adea glanced at Medeas as he spoke, indicating that it was Medeas who provided him with this information. ¡°Is that true?¡± Ruel looked at Medeas, asking for confirmation once more. ¡°It is true. We are currently keeping track of the location of the magical bombs.¡± ¡®That can¡¯t be.¡¯ There was no way Cassion could miss such significant information. Even if it were true, Aris had not noticed it at all. ¡®Aris, who can even see natural mana, missed this?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. If there were truly that many bombs, their movements would have been visible in order to transport them. But Cassion had failed to catch anything. No, he couldn¡¯t catch anything. It was expected that he couldn¡¯t since there was nothing to begin with. This was a trap. The Red Ash had set a trap to find the spy hidden among them. ¡°Why are you suddenly laughing?¡± Adea felt a sense of unease at Ruel¡¯s meaningful laughter. ¡°Lord Tehel.¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± ¡°Please stay away from the matter of the magical bombs.¡± *** Ruel appeared at the second line of defense through the door opened by Jan. The shabby wooden walls were nearly broken, and only traces of the tents remained. In the place abandoned by the adventurers, white snow piled high. And the spirits, which had hidden themselves, were peeking out from between the stones and trees, half-concealed, watching him intently. As soon as their eyes met, the spirits greeted him with bright smiles. ¡®The spirits are still absent.¡¯ T/N: Referring to the spirits that have previously accompanied Ruel. Suddenly, Ruel found himself wishing to hear the sound of the spirits crying, ¡°Kuroo kuru!¡± Leo didn¡¯t say anything, but he missed them too. Still, the appearance of the spirits might suggest that this place was now safe. ¡®It¡¯s no wonder Jan seems to be losing weight.¡¯ Even in this desolate land, spirits are visible. How busy must Jan have been to summon all the spirits to the Spirit¡¯s House? ¡°Is this the second line of defense?¡± Aris asked, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. ¡°Yes, this was the second line of defense,¡± Ruel confirmed, glancing at Aris and naturally using his Hold ability. ¡®As expected, Aris¡¯s Hold is the most comfortable,¡¯ he thought, finding it as soothing as lounging on a sofa while watching television on the weekend. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± At Cassion¡¯s words, Ganien stared intently at Ruel. Not only was he floating in the air with a magic-infused cloak, but there was also a fire spinning around him, warming Ruel. Most importantly, Leo in Ruel¡¯s arms caused the snowflakes to drift slower. ¡°You¡¯re asking that even after seeing all this?¡± Ganien questioned, studying Ruel intently. Previously, Ruel looked like he might collapse with just the wind blowing, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Cassion had brought it up; but not anymore. Compared to before, he really had become healthier. ¡°I know Ruel¡¯s body is weak, but at this point, isn¡¯t it a bit overprotective? Anyone who saw you would think that Ruel is your lifeline.¡± No matter how he thought about it, Cassion¡¯s behavior was excessive for his character. However, since it was just a casual remark, Ganion soon chuckled at his own words. He stopped laughing when he saw Cassion¡¯s face and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the ... reaction?¡± Cassion did not smirk or laugh as usual. It was as if he were completely serious. Ruel inhaled Breath and patted Leo. It seemed that Cassion had decided to stop hiding that fact and acknowledged, ¡°That¡¯s right. Ruel-nim is my lifeline.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ganien was taken aback but finally saw Cassion smile at his surprised reaction. ¡°I made a mana oath. If Ruel-nim dies, I will die too.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡ª...Huh! Aris, who had been watching quietly, and Leo, who had been smiling while lying in Ruel¡¯s arms, were also startled. ¡°You crazy bastard. Why admit such a thing? You should have denied it,¡± Ganien expressed disbelief at Cassion¡¯s revelation. What kind of fool reveals his weakness like that? Cassion, still smiling, retorted, ¡°You see why I¡¯m not hiding it?¡± ¡°...Damn.¡± Ganien grimaced. It was a way of saying that if he didn¡¯t want to see them both die, he should properly protect Ruel. Because he was a knight. ¡°What bad luck. This damn mouth. Because of this damn curiosity...¡± Ruel interjected with a chuckle, ¡°You even broke an heirloom of my family.¡± ¡°Uh, where do we go from here?¡± Ganien showed a hint of discomfort at the mention of the heirloom. ¡°Thanks to that, you now owe me,¡± Ruel teased. ¡°I asked where to go.¡± Ganien raised his voice at Ruel, who kept teasing him. Ruel, smiling, pointed in a direction and replied, ¡°That way.¡± As Ganien moved forward to shake off his embarrassment, Ruel turned to Cassion, asking, ¡°This is unlike you, Cassion?¡± ¡°I may not be as good a judge of character as you, Ruel-nim, but I do have an eye for people.¡± Ruel, feeling a chill, received a blanket from Cassion. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± After bowing slightly, Cassion followed behind Ganien. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°Are you feeling pressured by Cassion¡¯s expectations?¡± What Cassion had said was directed at Ganien, but it was also a question for Aris. Ruel inhaled Breath. Aris met Ruel¡¯s gaze with determination, replying, ¡°No, I can handle it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Pleased by Aris¡¯s resolve, Ruel smiled at the new expression on Aris¡¯s face. Did Ganien and Aris realize that Cassion had used himself as bait to provoke them? In any case, it seemed to have provided a good stimulus. ¡®Whatever, Cassion. You have a twisted personality.¡¯ Ruel turned his head to look toward the wall that had concealed death. That¡¯s where it is. There, the answer to the monster¡¯s rampage lay. Chapter 174: Where the King Is Chapter 174: Where the King Is ¡®Is this the path we came from?¡¯ Ruel took a deep breath and glanced around. With the snow piling up even more, confusion about the way was inevitable, yet Ganien strode ahead without hesitation. Cassion remained silent, implying that this must be the correct path. However, Ganien suddenly halted and pointed to the ground. ¡°This is where the wall that concealed death used to be.¡± ¡°Is this the place?¡± Aris¡¯s eyes lit up. With a questioning look towards Ruel, as if seeking permission to take a quick look, Ruel nodded. ¡°Thank you!¡± Aris released the hold and swiftly dashed towards Ganien, pulling out a video device. Upon seeing the device, Ruel frowned. He had endured so much because of that very thing. Ganien scanned the surroundings and gestured to the left, then asked, ¡°Is that the direction we should take? I sense a presence over there.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the way.¡± There were monsters in the direction Ganien indicated. It was clear that Ruel had instructed them to return to their original location and do what they wanted. However, these might have been monsters native to the area. Ruel exhaled deeply as he gazed ahead. There was an unusually large gathering of monsters in that direction. ¡®It was like this before too. Especially monsters always gathered over there.¡¯ It was as if they were guarding something precious. Ruel pointed ahead and said, ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± Cassion remarked, ¡°There are monsters gathered in that direction.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s precisely why we¡¯re heading that way. It¡¯s suspicious.¡± Ruel smirked. The monsters seemed uncorrupted by the black water. Perhaps by uncovering the source of the monsters¡¯ rampage here, they could also discover the reason for the corruption in the Beast Forest. And put an end to the mission of the Guardian, Mayre. ¡®The emblem of Setiria.¡¯ Ruel recalled the pattern he had found at the wall that trapped death. For some reason, it weighed heavily on his heart, making it flutter uncontrollably. *** ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion, who had been walking silently, called out to Ruel. The monsters were drawing closer. Just as he could sense their presence, they must also be aware of him. ¡°Is that why you brought both me and Ganien along?¡± Cassion asserted his presence, causing the monsters to retreat. Ruel smiled as he observed the monsters backing off due to Cassion¡¯s momentum. ¡°That¡¯s correct. I don¡¯t want to collapse this time.¡± What use was the ability to control monsters if one were to faint after every use? If he collapsed, neither side would be able to act. Thus, using Cassion and Ganien¡¯s strength to drive them away made sense. Ruel began to inhale Breath but suddenly flinched. -Setiria... ¡®Wow. Here comes this old man again.¡¯ It was the voice he had heard earlier. It didn¡¯t seem to come from the wall concealing death. Now, he could pinpoint exactly where the sound was coming from¡ªit was right where the monsters had gathered. ¡°Ruel-nim, why are you acting like this all of a sudden?¡± Aris asked, noticing Ruel¡¯s suspicious smile. ¡°I hear a voice calling me.¡± ¡°Calling you? I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± Aris scanned the area. ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t hear it either. Leo added, perked up like a cat, following Aris¡¯s gaze. ¡°Are we starting this again?¡± Cassion frowned, appearing tired of the situation. ¡°I suppose so. It seems like I¡¯m the only one who can hear it,¡± Ruel chuckled, appearing amused. ¡°Again?¡± Ganien asked, sounding perplexed. ¡°Last time, only you could see the wall. Now it¡¯s just you who can hear something? What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°I wish I knew myself...¡± Ruel looked ahead. ¡°The sound is getting closer.¡± Despite Cassion and Ganien¡¯s imposing presence, the gathered monsters weren¡¯t retreating. Something lay within that shimmering barrier. ¡°There is a barrier up ahead,¡± Aris said, furrowing his brow. It was a wise choice to bring him along. What Cassion and Ganien lacked was magic. Aris was the one who could fill that void. ¡°Can you break it?¡± Ruel inquired. Aris nodded vigorously and answered, ¡°Yes, I can. Please give me a little time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Aris released the Hold and strode forward, stopping in front of the shimmering barrier. -Setiria... When the voice echoed once more, Ruel frowned. He was already planning to step inside without any further encouragement. Ruel glanced at Cassion and asked, ¡°Any surveillance?¡± ¡°None. However, I¡¯m slightly concerned about whether it¡¯s safe to break this barrier.¡± The second line of defense was located at the far northwestern edge of the Kran Kingdom. Such a remote barrier was often used to conceal something. In other words, if they entered the barrier, the enemy could notice them quickly. ¡°The barrier is meant to be broken, isn¡¯t it? If any issues arise at the royal palace, Sir Torto will inform us... Ah, Ganien.¡± Ruel smiled, suddenly recalling something he needed to tell Ganien. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡®The Beast Forest here?¡¯ He comforted the trembling Leo with a pat. ¡°That¡¯s... isn¡¯t that the Beast Forest?¡± Aris was so surprised that he almost forgot to report to Ruel. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Are you serious?¡± Ganien laughed incredulously before turning to Ruel and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Beast Forest a unique forest found only in Leponia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Only Cassion looked ahead with fierce eyes. ¡°The monsters aren¡¯t retreating from there. I¡¯ll go ahead and cut them down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. Seeing that they don¡¯t retreat from your or my aura, they must be pretty strong.¡± Ganien grinned, gripping the sword at his waist. ¡°No. There¡¯s no need to attack. The monsters don¡¯t seem to have any intention of attacking us yet.¡± The monsters gathered around, forming a line as if in a welcoming gesture. Could this be their way of greeting them? ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll take the lead from now on,¡± Cassion declared, exchanging glances between Ganien and Aris before stepping forward. Ganien nodded and joined Ruel, drawing his sword. ¡°Then, Ruel-nim, I¡¯ll head back in.¡± Perhaps feeling like he might be hindering progress, Hikars politely bowed to Ruel and slipped back into his shadow. As Ganien moved, Aris followed closely behind. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ruel-nim.¡± Ironically, it was Aris who seemed more anxious as he spoke, but Ruel trusted him. Inhaling Breath, Ruel thought, ¡®The Beast Forest... What an unexpected revelation.¡¯ ¡®Well, considering that the King of Kran is dead and being controlled by the Great Man, who would have known if there was the Beast Forest or anything else here?¡¯ He was completely unaware of what the Beast Forest was like to begin with. What was even more surprising now was the sight of the monsters welcoming them, sitting obediently like dogs listening to their master. Ruel was already amazed even though he saw it from afar. ¡°These monsters aren¡¯t going to suddenly rush at us, are they?¡± Despite the monsters¡¯ salivating appearance, Ganien placed his sword on his shoulder and acted casually. ¡°It¡¯s possible. Their intent to kill is sharp,¡± Aris replied, scanning the surroundings vigilantly. ¡®Killing intent?¡¯ Ruel checked himself before turning his attention back to the monsters. Despite their fierce looks, he sensed no hostility. ¡®Could it be because of the controlling power?¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, are you alright?¡± Aris noticed Ruel¡¯s distraction and turned back to check on him, prompting Cassion to also look at Ruel. In the midst of focusing on their surroundings, they had overlooked Ruel. However, Ruel waved his hand dismissively, as usual. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Cassion pressed, observing Ruel closely. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ruel affirmed, a hint of annoyance in his tone. ¡ªThis body is terrified. Leo, who had been trembling, hurriedly burrowed into Ruel¡¯s embrace. After taking a few more steps, Leo perked up his ears. ¡ªHuh. This body smells something. A scent out of the natural order. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel was taken aback. It seemed a variety of surprises awaited them. ¡°Hmm. Things do come together, don¡¯t they, Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion stopped in his tracks again and looked at Ruel. Why was he looking at him? ¡°Hikars.¡± Ruel called out Hikars with a displeased expression. Given Leo¡¯s unstable condition in the Beast Forest, Ruel thought it better for Hikars to take on Leo¡¯s role. ¡°I apologize, Ruel-nim. I need to get closer to be certain,¡± Hikars admitted, bowing his head to Ruel. Was it the difference in power between a warlock and a Great Purifier? There was nothing to be done about it. ¡°Leo, guide us. Let me know if our path aligns with where we need to go,¡± Ruel instructed, following the path the monsters had opened for them. They were on their way to meet someone, but the corruption factor might require adjustments. ¡ªThere¡¯s a scent coming from there. Leo peeked out and pointed ahead with his snout. ¡°So, straight ahead?¡± Ruel confirmed with Leo¡¯s nod, looking towards the snow-covered trees with black trunks and purple leaves, indicating they were on the right track. Chapter 175: Where the King Is (2) Chapter 175: Where the King Is (2) *** In the midst of their journey, Hikars sensed the corrupted death and began to guide them along the path. How deep had they entered the Beast Forest? -Setiria. Ruel furrowed his brow at the familiar voice that began to echo again. ¡°Stop calling me! If you have something to say, just say it.¡± -Come this way. With those words, Ruel felt a powerful thump in his chest. ¡®...?¡¯ ¡°They¡¯re approaching. The corruption is getting stronger!¡± Hikars warned, preparing his Black Wayfinder. ¡°Wait,¡± Ruel intervened. Swish. ¡°...!¡± The trees fell like a curtain being drawn, revealing a shocking sight that left Ruel gasping. It was a shadow, taking on a hand-like form, toppling the trees. Only one being could wield such darkness ¨C ¡®The Devotee of Darkness.¡¯ Whoosh! As Cassion swung his dagger, a sound like ripping air echoed through the space. Before Ruel could react to the shattered wood, a man¡¯s figure appeared through the gap between the trees, and he hastily pressed Leo¡¯s head down. Crunch! The man¡¯s shadow appeared to be consuming something. ¡®Crazy. This is crazy...¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t believe his eyes ¨C it looked like a fox. Thump, thump. His heart raced uncontrollably. ¡®It¡¯s a fox.¡¯ Looking again, it indeed was a fox. ¡®It really is a fox.¡¯ Ruel tightly embraced Leo. ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong? Leo sensed Ruel¡¯s tension and tried to peek out, but Ruel held him back, urging him to stay put. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Leo,¡± Ruel reassured, though he knew it wasn¡¯t just a fox. ¡°Ruel-nim? Are you alright?¡± Aris cautiously called out to Ruel, noticing his startled expression. If he was unnerved by the sudden appearance of the enemy, Ruel must be in a worse state. He stood protectively before Ruel, facing the foe emanating a dark aura. It felt akin to facing a black-blooded man. Whoosh! As trees flew toward them and the wind roared, Ruel finally snapped back to reality. Now was not the time to be pondering. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Hikars called out to him. Struggling to compose himself, Ruel turned to Hikars. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before,¡± he admitted, perplexed by the unusual form before them. That guy was surely a Devotee of Darkness. Ruel paused, contemplating. ¡°Did you mention he¡¯s being controlled, Hikars?¡± Could it even make sense for someone to wield such power while under control? Was he truly dead? Hikars pointed at the figure. ¡°Yes, he is dead. He¡¯s being controlled by someone... just like the King of Kran.¡± ¡°What did you just say? Similar to the King of Kran?¡± Ganien exclaimed, taken aback. ¡ªThis body smells something out of natural order in this place, is it the black-blooded man? Leo, wriggling in Ruel¡¯s arms, questioned. ¡°It¡¯s quite a chaotic situation,¡± Ruel responded, a faint smile playing on his lips. One could mistake the enemy for a mere peddler, considering not only was he a corpse, but he was also corrupted and controlled. From Hikars¡¯ earlier words, it seemed that man was also being manipulated by the Great Man. ¡°Ruel-nim, I don¡¯t see any black water,¡± Cassion shouted as he chopped down trees, causing Ruel to furrow his brow. ¡®Ah... wait.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t understand how his body is moving right now.¡± Hikars, who had been staring at the enemy, was at a loss. ¡°What¡¯s strange...?¡± Ruel trailed off. -Setiria. The voice echoed once more, this time coming from the man before them. It was crazy. ¡°I thought he was definitely dead, yet he is using purification. However, the corrupted death persists.¡± Even Hikars, who spoke those words, let out a hollow laugh, seemingly incredulous. ¡°...Ha. So, in other words, purification and corrupted death are happening simultaneously within this man?¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± Ruel was dumbfounded. Was this situation even real? It was hard to believe, even when looking right at him. -Me. The enemy momentarily paused and looked at Ruel. -Stop me. ¡®This again?¡¯ Ruel bit his lip. Crunch. The sound of something being chewed by the enemy¡¯s shadow rang sharply in his ears. The fox¡¯s body was severed and fell to the ground. ¡°It¡¯s unsettling,¡± Ganien murmured, watching as the man¡¯s shadow expanded like wings. The man¡¯ shadow had uprooted all the trees around it, making it more comfortable to fight. As the shadow shifted, Ganien raised his sword and brought it down on the ground. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Slash! With a powerful swing, Ganien cleaved through the shadow, revealing the true darkness hidden within. The disoriented enemy¡¯s gaze met Ganien¡¯s, who returned the look with a confident grin. Crunch. The severed shadow attempted to consume Ganien¡¯s sword, showcasing its insatiable appetite. Wasn¡¯t this the same darkness that had devoured a fox resembling Leo? ¡°Phew,¡± Ganien exhaled deeply, gauging the distance to his enemy ¨C five large steps. A blue aura enveloped his sword, causing the shadow to gradually dissipate from its grip on the blade. With a resounding thud, Ganien made his move, the sound of cutting air preceding his swift motion. Boom! The clash of giant rocks echoed, prompting Ruel to cover his ears, a wave of nausea washing over him. ¡°Ruel-ni...¡± As Cassion emerged from the shadows, he immediately fell silent. He was left speechless at the sight of Ruel, blood streaming from his nose. Dozens of monsters sat in silence with a bright light in their green eyes. ¡°Hah...¡±Cassion sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aris bit his lip. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to stop Ruel. ¡°Aris,¡± Ruel called out, wiping his nose. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Freeze that guy with your magic,¡± Ruel pointed to the First Setiria. It wasn¡¯t that he doubted Aris¡¯s abilities. When Aris attempted to attack the monsters, he heard their pleading voices. They begged him to stop. The power controlling the monsters seemed stronger, but how could he ignore such desperate cries? ¡®Damn it.¡¯ His head throbbed. ¡°Yes?¡± Aris looked at Ruel with wide eyes. ¡°Keep him restrained. Can you do that?¡± ¡°I-I can do it!¡± ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Only then did Aris realize that Ruel¡¯s actions were not to protect himself. That was enough for him. Aris focused and moved forward. Squelch. With each step Aris took, the snow beneath him shifted. A golden light shimmered in his black eyes. ¡°Can you hold on?¡± Cassion grabbed the staggering Ruel. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ruel said, placing his hand on Cassion¡¯s arm, with Leo tightly holding Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡ªThis body will purify. This body can do it. ¡°I know.¡± But how could he let Leo go? How could he say that a half-dead fox was a Great Purifier like Leo? ¡°Hikars,¡± Ruel closed his eyes briefly and called out. ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Take Leo with you. Cover Leo¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡ªWhy? Feeling Ruel¡¯s anxiety and worry, Leo couldn¡¯t refuse his touch. But it pained him. ¡ªWhat has this body done wrong? ¡°No, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± ¡ªThen why... are you trying to separate from this body? Leo¡¯s eyes fluttered with confusion. Ruel reassured Leo. ¡°Later, when I open my eyes, I¡¯ll explain everything.¡± He prepared to faint, aware that controlling monsters and manipulating shadows had taken its toll on his body. He forced a smile, turning to Cassion for support. ¡ª...Ruel. Leo¡¯s ears drooped. Ha. Ruel exhaled. Even though he could hear Leo¡¯s sad voice behind him, he had to shake it off. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°You came here knowing it was only ... me. I guess you couldn¡¯t see the black water when you sprinkled the powder,¡± Ruel smirked, and Cassion took a deep breath. ¡°Yes,¡± Cassion observed Ruel, who appeared on the verge of collapse. ¡°Can you hold on?¡± ¡°A little. No, I¡¯m not sure,¡± Ruel stared blankly at his hands, feeling his senses fading and time was running short. Clang! The sound of a sword clashing with something drew closer. With trembling hands, Ruel inhaled Breath and focused on what lay ahead. A dense shadow attacked Ganien. A blue aura cut through the shadow, confidently advancing forward to sever the man¡¯s arm. However, the arm reattached itself, and Ganien laughed as if in disbelief. ¡°That guy. He¡¯s insane. Nothing gets through to him, not the powder, not the aura.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Are... you okay? You look like you¡¯re about to collapse...¡± Ganien trailed off, dodging backward to slice through the shadow charging at him again. ¡°Yeah, I feel like I might collapse.¡± Chapter 176: Where the King Is (3) Ruel gripped the cane that Cassion offered, steadying himself. The First Setiria, in a sense, was a variant. The Devotee of Darkness had only ever been a sacrifice to the black water, not directly corrupted and manipulated like this. ¡®This is the worst.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, earlier you mentioned that the Great Man could control death. I initially thought it was impossible, but your hypothesis seems correct. There are no corrupted warlocks near us right now.¡± Ruel recalled Hikars¡¯ words before he took control of the monster. It was commonly believed that when manipulating a corpse, a mad warlock must be nearby. However, Hikars had explicitly stated there was no one around. This suggested that some aspect of the Great Man¡¯s power was involved. ¡®It¡¯s unbelievable,¡¯ Ruel thought, finding himself chuckling at the sheer absurdity of the situation. The idea of a devotee of darkness, a wielder of darkness, turning into a corrupted corpse was terrifying. Yet, Ruel also recognized a clear limitation. If the Great Man could manipulate numerous corrupted devotees of darkness, there would have been no need to create the black water in the first place. ¡®...hah.¡¯ Putting his thoughts aside, Ruel understood the simple task at hand: he had to defeat the enemy. This was all part of the Great Man¡¯s plan. With a smile on his face, Ruel declared, ¡°I am here.¡± As the First Setiria¡¯s gaze briefly met Ruel¡¯s, the shadows beneath Ruel¡¯s feet stirred. ¡°Stop. Wait. Everything will freeze at your breath,¡± Aris warned. Instantly, ice flowers sprouted from beneath Aris¡¯s feet, extending towards the First Setiria. The multiplying ice flowers began to freeze the enemy¡¯s feet. ¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± Aris announced, preparing another spell. ¡°I will handle the shadows,¡± Ganien stated, exhaling as steam rose from his body. ¡°I¡¯ll keep pace with you, Ruel-nim, and you may cast your shadow to your heart¡¯s content,¡± Cassion added, taking a step back. Surprised, Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°Are you not going to stop me?¡± he asked. ¡°I am not in a position to stop you, so focus on the task at hand,¡± Cassion reassured him. ¡°Right, that¡¯s reassuring.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath, ready to command his shadows into action. It had been a while since he had been in a real battle, but he had not forgotten that feeling. ¡®I haven¡¯t been idle all this time.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s shadow slithered across the floor like a snake. Sensing his shadow, the First Setiria¡¯s shadow also began to move. Like encountering a delicious meal, his shadow whispered to him to devour the First Setiria¡¯s shadow. ¡°I will strike at the shadows. Pay no attention to anything else!¡± Trusting in Ganien, Ruel focused solely on moving his own shadow, ignoring the enemy¡¯s. A precise blue aura severed the enemy¡¯s shadow with a crack. Crack! The ground cracked, sending up a cloud of dust. A wind blew through. As the dust cleared, several shields appeared before Ruel. It was Aris¡¯s magic. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ruel-nim. I¡¯ll block everything,¡± Aris assured him, standing protectively in front. Suddenly, the First Setiria moved a shadow from a tree behind Ruel, but Cassion¡¯s dagger swiftly intercepted it. ¡°Do not concern yourself with anything else. I will eliminate them all,¡± Cassion declared. R?aN?bE?S ¡®I really feel reassured.¡¯ Ruel smirked, steadying himself with the cane as a wave of dizziness briefly washed over him. Night. This was the hour when shadows enveloped everything. The world lay beneath his feet as Ruel wiped his running nose, twirling his staff. Ttak! The initial shadow he dispatched was to precisely pinpoint the First Setiria. Ruel¡¯s eyes gleamed as shadows began to congregate around the First Setiria. As the first shadow reached the First Setiria¡¯s legs, Ruel directed all the shadows around him to ensnare the target completely. It was as if thousands of black lights were shooting towards the First Setiria. ¡°Cough!¡± Ruel groaned. The First Setiria was also a devotee of darkness. As the First Setiria¡¯s shadow started to consume his own, a searing pain akin to being torn apart surged through him. Despite the agony, Ruel persisted and commanded his shadow, urging it to consume the corrupted shadow. ¡®Devour it.¡¯ His shadow, drooling with anticipation, instantaneously lunged at the enemy¡¯s shadow. ¡®Consume the corrupted shadow!¡¯ It sounded as though something with teeth was crunching as it devoured. ¡°Cough!¡± As the corruption washed over him, Ruel spat out a mouthful of blood. His legs weakened, but he clung to the cane, managing to remain upright. Nevertheless, the relentless corruption continued to surge, inflicting a pain that felt like his entire body was being engulfed in flames. ¡°Cough!¡± With another gush of blood, Ruel¡¯s body collapsed as if melting down. Cassion swiftly sliced through the enemy¡¯s shadow and caught Ruel urgently. Ha. As Ruel exhaled, the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. His entire body trembled. ¡°Stay conscious, Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel nodded at Cassion¡¯s words while wiping his mouth. The corruption ran deep. He needed to consume more. However, the excruciating pain threatened to overwhelm him, pushing his consciousness to the brink. ¡°Yes! I want to see you, Your Majesty! I want to play with you for a long time!¡± Tiny hands drew a circle in the air. ¡°Alright. Be sure to come see me.¡± The king looked at him with sad eyes for a moment. He then raised his hand and pointed to the sky. ¡°Come to the place where the stars are closest. I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°The place where the stars are closest?¡± His head tilted to the side. The king smiled again. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®If the place where the stars are closest...¡¯ As Ruel pondered this, a sudden obscuring of light made him lift his gaze. ¡°Remember this, Setiria,¡± the king looked at him with pity once more. ¡°No matter what happens, don¡¯t give up and blame me. All of this is a result that came from my foolish mercy.¡± At that moment, everything around¡ªflowing winds, rustling leaves¡ªcame to a halt. Ruel blinked, and a younger version of himself appeared before him. ¡®What is this?¡¯ He was taken aback and looked at his hands. It was back in his hand again. The king gazed not at the young Ruel but directly at him. ¡°You¡¯ve come this far, Setiria, no, Kim Han.¡± Suddenly, Ruel¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Just as I thought... it was you.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°It was you who called me here!¡± It was that king who had put him in this wretched body. ¡°Why did you call me here? Why did you make me Setiria?¡± At Ruel¡¯s questions, the king gave a bitter smile. ¡°I will be waiting for you there.¡± Then, the king closed his eyes. At the same time, Ruel was forced to close his eyes. *** ¡°...I apologize. I¡¯m afraid Ruel-nim hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡± Despite his words, Cassion¡¯s voice held no hint of distress. Ruel opened his eyes to the noisy sounds around him. His eyelids felt heavy, as if his entire body was weighed down. He checked the IV drip and opened and closed his eyes again. ¡®My whole body hurts.¡¯ He realized he was back in reality due to the throbbing pain. ¡°Get out of the way. I told you I just wanted to see his face.¡± ¡®Is that Jayel?¡¯ Hearing her annoyed voice, he realized she had several arguments with Cassion. It was funny to see Cassion trying to stop royalty, but it was also amusing that Jayel would try to enter without permission. Ruel rolled his eyes and saw Leo, deep in sleep. It was clear he had cried a lot, as tears were still gathered at the corners of his eyes. Ruel wiped away Leo¡¯s tears with a sorry expression and inhaled his Breath. Even holding Breath was difficult, and his hand trembled uncontrollably. ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel called weakly. He didn¡¯t know why Jayel was here, but he had to greet her. Cassion swallowed a sigh at Ruel¡¯s call. He knew Ruel had woken up, but he hadn¡¯t expected him to want to meet Jayel in his current condition. There was nothing to be done. Cassion took a step back and bowed. ¡°Please wait a moment. It seems that Ruel-nim has woken up.¡± Jayel frowned, letting out a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone as dense as you. They say servants usually resemble their masters.¡± A sneer appeared at the corner of Jayel¡¯s mouth. ¡°Please forgive my rudeness,¡± Cassion said, maintaining a composed expression as he straightened up. Suddenly, Jayel felt an inexplicable pressure and held her breath. Feeling the weight of his stare, she reluctantly replied, ¡°...Fine. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± ¡°Thank you for your graciousness, Your Highness.¡± Cassion walked over to Ruel. It hadn¡¯t been difficult to return to the palace after he had contacted Jan. In fact, it was Jan who had become frantic at the sight of Ruel covered in blood, and Cassion had had a hard time calming him down. It had been a close call. Eventually, Leo, whose eyes were swollen from crying, had threatened to tell everything to Ruel if Jan didn¡¯t stop, and the situation had been quickly resolved. Remembering that situation, Cassion sighed. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°How long has it been?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes looked like they could close at any moment. He needed more rest. It seemed that he had woken up due to the squabble with Jayel. ¡°It¡¯s been just a few hours...¡± Cassion quickly offered him a handkerchief. ¡°Cough!¡± It was stained with dark red blood. The color was ambiguous. Ruel¡¯s expression turned similarly vague, as he seemed confused about what to make of it. ¡°Tell her to come in.¡± ¡°You still need more rest.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With a sigh at Ruel¡¯s stubbornness, Cassion walked back to Jayel. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment. After having said a few words, he was already growing weary. Sleepiness washed over him again. -Come to where the stars can be seen the closest. I will be there. Ruel recalled the king¡¯s words from his dream. ¡®The place where the stars can be seen the closest.¡¯ Ruel knew where that was. Hadn¡¯t Cassion mentioned it? ¡°This place is the closest to the sky, so at night, the stars are so close you can almost touch them.¡± The Ice Castle was indeed the closest place to the sky. Chapter 177: Shake them one by one ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Ruel bit his lip. He had spent nearly a week at the Ice Castle recovering from the injuries inflicted by the Great Man. He had been so close to realizing it. He could have met the king sooner. Clack clack. The sound of approaching heels echoed in the room, causing Ruel to snap out of his thoughts. As the footsteps ceased, a shadow fell over him, prompting Ruel to turn towards the door. Jayel¡¯s expression was tense, a mix of confusion and surprise evident in her eyes. Ruel narrowed his eyes slightly at her reaction. ¡®Surprised?¡¯ It seemed that the Red Ash had already caught wind of the events at the second defense line within just a few hours. Wasn¡¯t that a bit too fast? Tinkling. A tinkling sound drew Ruel¡¯s attention to Jayel¡¯s necklace, which was unusually flashy for a casual visit. Adorned with numerous gems, one jewel shimmered distinctly. ¡®As expected. You came to check on me¡ªto see if I¡¯m really in this room.¡¯ With the First Setiria gone and the entire Beast Forest purified, chaos must have erupted within the Red Ash. They would be scrambling to find the culprit, and he was the prime suspect, albeit based on mere speculation. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get up,¡± Jayel interjected, halting Ruel¡¯s attempt to rise, her touch on his arm more than a mere gesture. The shimmering in her necklace intensified. At that moment, Jayel¡¯s eyes flickered, and Ruel felt an urge to vomit. The part of his arm she had touched throbbed, leaving a metallic taste in his mouth. Magic had been cast upon him. ¡®That¡¯s it. She¡¯s confirming if it¡¯s really me.¡¯ After calming his churning stomach, Ruel managed to speak. ¡°What brings you here in broad daylight?¡± ¡°I heard you weren¡¯t feeling well, but I was busy yesterday, so I couldn¡¯t come to see you. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here now.¡± Jayel regarded Ruel with a worried expression, though it felt insincere. Hiding his true feelings, Ruel responded, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Lord Setiria,¡± Jayel cautiously addressed him. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Today marks the end of the welcome banquet. Do you think you can attend? If it¡¯s too difficult, I can explain to His Majesty on your behalf.¡± ¡°This banquet is being held for me; I must go today, at least.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to strain yourself.¡± Ruel detected a hint of anxiety in Jayel¡¯s expression. ¡°...No, I can go, so please don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you look ready to collapse at any moment? I¡¯ll have my palace¡¯s best physician attend to you.¡± ¡®What is she playing at?¡¯ The peculiar sense of superiority that Jayel had displayed during the welcome banquet had dissipated. Now, she appeared genuinely concerned. ¡°I¡¯ve brought my physician, so... cough.¡± Ruel grimaced at the cough that interrupted his speech. His entire body throbbed with pain, now compounded by a sharp ache in his chest. It felt almost unbearable. ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯m taking painkillers...¡¯ Jayel scanned the unfamiliar medical equipment surrounding Ruel, her true emotions revealed through slightly. ¡°This won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll fetch the physician immediately. What are they all doing when our esteemed guest is in such agony?¡± She turned towards the door, her voice so gentle that one might mistake her closeness to Ruel. ¡®Why is she doing this...?¡¯ Ruel, puzzled, soon found the corners of his mouth lifting. ¡®Ah, I see. She doesn¡¯t want me dead just yet.¡¯ He had been threatened by the Red Ash so much that he had forgotten this. He was a valuable asset, destined to become the vessel of the Great Man. Even if suspicions lingered regarding the events at the second defense line, what difference did it make? The devotee of darkness of Setiria was none other than himself. Moreover, hadn¡¯t Jayel just used a magical tool? Though not entirely free of suspicion, it seemed she had temporarily set her doubts aside. If not, Jayel wouldn¡¯t be in such a fluster. ¡®How amusing.¡¯ The tables had turned drastically. The Red Ash that had sought to kill him were now trying to save him. Ruel found the situation rather comical. ¡®Oh, what should I do?¡¯ A mischievous idea had just dawned on him. If he could utilize Jayel¡¯s arrogance and superiority to his advantage, he felt he could further destabilize the current situation. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, but my personal physician suffices. I appreciate your goodwill.¡± ¡°You mean your physician, who isn¡¯t even by your side when you¡¯re in this state?¡± Jayel laughed incredulously, blaming Fran. ¡®Is she truly absent?¡¯ At Jayel¡¯s words, Ruel briefly pondered Fran¡¯s whereabouts. Where could she be? ¡°Unless someone has driven her away, my physician wouldn¡¯t abandon me.¡± Ruel locked eyes with Jayel, emphasizing his point. Fran had never left his side during his worst moments; she was unwavering in her support. Yet, she was conspicuously absent now. Unless Cassion had sent her away or someone had coerced her to leave, it made little sense. ¡°Are you doubting me at this moment?¡± Jayel frowned under Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°She¡¯s my physician. I trust her implicitly.¡± ¡°Are you implying doubt in me?¡± ¡°I simply suggested that perhaps...¡± Ruel paused to inhale Breath before continuing. ¡°...But since Your Highness continues to raise the issue, I must voice my thoughts.¡± Although Jayel¡¯s blame towards Fran unsettled him, Ruel deliberately continued to provoke her. ¡°Given that everyone is aware of my illness, it¡¯s only natural that my physician would accompany me. Yet, didn¡¯t Your Highness seek out Kran¡¯s physician first?¡± He smirked, a smug grin playing on his lips. ¡°What are you trying to say? That I dismissed your physician? Even if I did, what relevance does that have to me because of one physician!¡± Jayel retorted, her voice rising. This reaction was anticipated. Jayel was royalty; Fran, a mere commoner. ¡°If I have offended you, I apologize. It was impolite.¡± Ruel pretended to be sorry and looked at Jayel with an apologetic expression. ¡°It seems you¡¯re really ill, considering the nonsense you¡¯re spouting.¡± With visible effort, Jayel regained her composure, dismissing his behavior with magnanimity. The timing was impeccable, akin to a balloon on the brink of bursting. ¡°Cassion.¡± As Ruel called for Cassion, he entered immediately. ¡°Did you call for me?¡± ¡°Find Fran and bring her here.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion bowed and exited the room. An incredulous chuckle escaped Jayel. ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± As Cassion departed to locate Fran, Jayel¡¯s gaze sharpened, reflecting her growing anger at Ruel¡¯s demeanor. ¡°What is it, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Must I overlook such rudeness?¡± Despite Jayel¡¯s sarcastic tone, Ruel looked at her indifferently. He had expected her to react this way. The most powerful person in the room was Jayel. But in her emotional state, she had overlooked one crucial fact. ¡°Your Highness, your words are too harsh. I merely asked my butler to find my physician.¡± ¡°Did you not call for your attendant without seeking my permission first?¡± It seemed Jayel didn¡¯t even want to use the word ¡°butler,¡± belittling Cassion. ¡°Your Highness, I apologize, but this is my assigned room. Shouldn¡¯t you have sought my permission before barging in without any notice?¡± ¡°Rudeness? Overlooking it...?¡± Jayel appeared to have discarded her mask entirely, her face revealing an unmistakable scowl. ¡°This is His Majesty¡¯s castle.¡± Ruel pointed out a clear fact. No matter how royal one might be, ultimately, before the king, they were not much different from mere nobles. He suppressed a groan as fresh pain surged through him and opened his mouth to speak again. ¡°And I am the representative of the delegation called for by His Majesty Kran. This room was given to me by His Majesty. Shouldn¡¯t Your Highness have sought my permission to enter?¡± From the beginning, Ruel was not on the same level as the nobles loitering in Kran¡¯s court; he held the position of a representative of the delegation. Even the king traditionally asked for permission before visiting, and the fact that Jayel, a mere princess, disregarded this basic etiquette and clashed with Cassion was rude in itself. More than that, it was a disrespect to Leponia as well. ¡°Do you know why I woke up?¡± At that moment, Jayel suddenly looked startled and fell silent. ¡°It was because of Your Highness¡¯s rudeness.¡± Ruel smiled. ¡°Now, do you understand, Your Highness? There is more than just one or two things that I have overlooked.¡± Jayel¡¯s face flushed increasingly red. How angry must she be to react like this? ¡°If you are done, please leave now. I am not feeling well, and it is becoming difficult for me to continue this conversation.¡± A grinding sound of Jayel gritting her teeth was clearly audible. She was openly displaying her murderous intent, as if she wanted to kill him right away. However, Jayel managed to suppress her emotions with great difficulty and forced a smile. ¡°I... was tired yesterday, which made me a bit irritable.¡± ¡°No, Your Highness, it is I who was rude as I was not feeling well. Please forgive me.¡± Ruel graciously accepted Jayel¡¯s apology, acting magnanimous. ¡°I was worried that your physician had neglected you while you were in this state, but who could be more trustworthy than the physician you brought? I was just overstepping.¡± It was a twisted remark, as sharp as a knife. But Ruel wasn¡¯t finished yet. He intended to provoke Jayel to the point of losing her composure. ¡°Well then, I hope to see you at the banquet tonight.¡± Right at the banquet she had mentioned. Click. The sound of the door opening caused a frown to appear between Jayel¡¯s eyebrows. Fran entered alongside Cassion. ¡®Ah, perfect timing!¡¯ Ruel realized that Cassion had deliberately timed his entrance to this moment. Fran noticed Jayel and quickly bowed her head. ¡°Your Highness...¡± Jayel scoffed at Fran. Click-clack. Before Jayel¡¯s high heels faded from the room, Ruel raised his voice deliberately loud enough for her to hear. ¡°Fran, where have you been?¡± Jayel stopped in her tracks and glared fiercely at Fran. Fran bowed her head again at Jayel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Your Highness, is there something you want to say to my physician?¡± From Fran¡¯s reaction, Ruel realized that his guess was correct. Jayel had indeed sent Fran away. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m familiar with her face. That¡¯s all. Well then.¡± Even though she knew Ruel had said it on purpose, there was nothing Jayel could do at that moment. As she left and the door closed, Ruel forced a smile. As soon as the door closed, Ruel stopped smiling. His throat was sore from forcing his voice. ¡®That should do it.¡¯ Despite the pain, Ruel smiled again. He had managed to provoke Jayel. She would definitely be furious with him now. ¡°I apologize, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion bowed to Ruel. ¡°No. Even if it wasn¡¯t now, Jayel would have come to find me eventually.¡± After speaking, Ruel inhaled Breath, redirecting his gaze to Fran. Fran, like Cassion, lowered her head. ¡°I apologize for not being by your side; I feel ashamed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand that it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± Ruel felt the tension within him start to ease, but fatigue weighed heavily on his eyelids. ¡°Cassion.¡± At Ruel¡¯s call, Cassion approached him. Ruel¡¯s voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°Have Billo dig up the graves. Report back on what¡¯s empty.¡± Instead of responding, Cassion glanced at Fran. Mentioning graves suddenly, he sought confirmation that he heard correctly. Ruel, battling against overwhelming drowsiness, reiterated, ¡°You heard me right.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I will be present at the banquet, so wake me when it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t!¡± Fran exclaimed, immediately realizing her raised voice and covering her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But at this moment, Lord Ruel needs rest. Your condition isn¡¯t good.¡± Ruel had anticipated that his actions at the second line of defense would worsen his condition. However, the mark had ceased. He would recover faster, so there was no need to worry. ¡°No. I must attend.¡± Ruel could no longer keep his eyes open and let them close. ¡°Fran.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Ruel.¡± ¡°I am relying on you.¡± With that final request, Ruel peacefully drifted off to sleep. Fran stared at him blankly, her mind seemingly blank as well. Then, she let out a bewildered laugh at the audacious request. What had Ruel asked of her? To somehow prepare his body for the welcome banquet. Was he thinking clearly to make such a demand? ¡°W-What are we going to do, Cassion-nim?¡± Fran was so stunned that she called out to Cassion. He looked surprisingly calm as he pulled out a communication device. ¡°It¡¯s about time you get used to this, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cassion pointed to a chair beside Ruel. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ruel-nim is like this. Just accept it.¡± Fran felt embarrassed for getting upset at Cassion¡¯s seemingly nonchalant attitude. ¡°You have been through a lot...¡± Chapter 178: Shake them one by one (2) *** Ruel felt his eyelids flutter at Leo¡¯s gentle, cautious touch. ¡°Stop it, Leo. Ruel still needs more sleep.¡± Ganien held onto Leo. ¡ªWhen will Ruel wake up? This body has something to say to Ruel... Leo pouted and perked up his ears, slipping out of Ganien¡¯s grasp and moving towards Ruel¡¯s face. ¡ªHe¡¯s awake! Ruel is awake! Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s. ¡°See, Ruel needs more sleep. Just thinking about all that blood he lost... Ugh, I can¡¯t even imagine,¡± Ganien shuddered. What kind of power was that? It was so cruel that it couldn¡¯t even be compared to the time in Cyronian. It was as if he were using his life force for power. ¡°Leo.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips moved. ¡ªSee? He¡¯s awake! Ganien grabbed Leo again, who was kicking and wriggling. ¡ªThis body has something to say to Ruel. ¡°Yeah, yeah. You can talk later.¡± Suddenly, the door burst open. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Aris peeked in. Although he knew Ruel had woken up a little while ago, he couldn¡¯t come in because of Jayel¡¯s presence. ¡°Why are you like this too, Aris? Ruel needs to... Ugh. Where did Cassion go?¡± ¡°Cassion-nim went somewhere with Mr. Hikars for a moment.¡± Aris cautiously glanced around before stepping inside. ¡°Did he only tell you? Ha. I knew something was up.¡± Ruel chuckled at the commotion. He finally felt like he was back home. ¡°I... I really want a meat pie.¡± He realized he was hungry. ¡ªThis body wants a meat pie too! Leo licked his lips. ¡°Seeing you hungry means you¡¯re feeling a bit better,¡± Ganien said and handed Ruel a glass of water. Ruel was about to take a sip but paused to look at Leo. The moment he saw Leo, his mouth went dry. He had no idea where to start. He thought about his own past, about how hard it was to lose his father. The dark, heavy emotions from that time seemed to be coming back. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. But contrary to Ruel¡¯s nervousness, Leo called out to him in the same cheerful tone as always. ¡ªThis body is no longer sad! ¡°...¡± Ruel looked at Leo with puzzled eyes. ¡ªThis body has Ruel. That¡¯s why it¡¯s okay. Leo smiled brightly. Ruel couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask if he was truly not sad at all. He merely looked at Leo with trembling eyes. ¡ªThis body has cried enough. This body doesn¡¯t know why Ruel is sorry for this body. ¡°I... I couldn¡¯t say it.¡± Ruel muttered, fiddling with the cup. ¡ªThis body also kept a secret from Ruel. This body knows it was a secret made because Ruel thought of this body. That¡¯s why it¡¯s okay. Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled, showing no trace of sadness. ¡ªThis body was not abandoned. This body is so, so happy about this fact that tears no longer shed! ¡°...I see.¡± Ruel finally smiled. He had only seen Leo as something he needed to protect. Little did he know how strong Leo actually was. He was far stronger than the Ruel who had lost his father. ¡°I¡¯m... really glad.¡± Ruel managed a beaming smile. ¡°Ruel, don¡¯t you think you should drink a little while you talk? Look at your trembling hand. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll drop the cup.¡± As Ganien had said, the cup was only half full, but Ruel¡¯s hands were trembling as he held it. Ganien was equally anxious watching the scene unfold. ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Ruel take a sip of water. As the cold liquid flowed down his throat, he began to regain his senses. ¡°How are you feeling? Should I call Fran?¡± Aris asked as soon as Ruel¡¯s condition stabilized a bit. ¡°Just let me rest since I¡¯m feeling better than before.¡± Aris¡¯s gaze shifted to the IV dripping from Ruel¡¯s arm. It was a sight that hardly matched the idea of him being fine. Ruel, noticing his worried expression, tried to inhale Breath but ended up chuckling. ¡°Aris, I¡¯m really okay. You don¡¯t need to look at me like that.¡± It wasn¡¯t a joke; after taking a nap, the pain had eased. His body felt a bit lighter too. ¡°I understand. I apologize for intruding.¡± Despite his words, Aris¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the IV. ¡°Did Cassion leave any message?¡± ¡°He said he would be back soon.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath, then gently patted Leo, who was lying down with his stomach exposed. Leo¡¯s wagging tail was a welcome sight today. ¡°What happened after I fainted, Ganien?¡± ¡°Do you remember the whole forest being purified?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Ruel nodded. Even as his consciousness faded, he vividly recalled the unbelievable sight. The forest, once filled with a purple glow like the silver dust that had spread after Rupina¡¯s death, was now lush and green. Perhaps that was its original state. ¡®The Beast Forest in Leponia must be the same, right?¡¯ The rampage of monsters had been artificially provoked by the Great Man controlling the dead Setiria. Using the power that the king had given to Setiria, the power to control the monsters. ¡°After that, Aris quickly restored the barrier and went to the spirit¡¯s home...¡± Ganien paused mid-sentence. ¡ªJan was furious that someone had done this to Ruel, and this body resolved it! Leo opened his eyes dramatically, speaking proudly. ¡°The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor said it was a secret...¡± Aris was taken aback by Leo¡¯s sudden comment. Regardless, with a look that urged for praise, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡®Keeping a secret in front of Leo? That¡¯s hardly possible.¡¯ As Ruel gently scratched Leo¡¯s belly, Leo smiled widely. ¡ªHehe, this body likes it best when Ruel pets me like this. ¡°Anyway, Ms. Fran was startled when she saw you, chaos was everywhere.¡± Ganien waved his hands in the air, indicating the chaos. ¡°But that method of purification you used with your shadow ¨C is that an appropriate power? It¡¯s like it¡¯s consuming your life.¡± ¡°Want me to tell you?¡± Ruel intentionally smiled suspiciously. Ganien immediately felt an inexplicable sense of unease and shook his head. In fact, this was something he couldn¡¯t tell Ganien. If he did, Ganien would definitely stop him. ¡°Aris, you restored the barrier?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Aris quickly responded, ¡°Yes. I thought it couldn¡¯t be left as it was. Oh, and I¡¯ve removed all traces of my magic as well as the signs of the battle. The shadows helped me with that too.¡± (Cassion¡¯s subordinates) Anyway, since the First Setiria had disappeared, the connection with the Great Man must have been severed. That¡¯s why Jayel seemed to have come to check personally, but who knew if they would panic when they checked the secondary defense line later. There would be no traces left and since he had been sick since yesterday, it would be confusing for them as well. ¡°Good job,¡± Ruel exclaimed, smiling broadly. Creating confusion in their plans was a significant achievement. ¡°No, I believe you would have ordered me to do so if you hadn¡¯t fainted,¡± Aris humbly replied. ¡®So humble. Too humble for your own good.¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth to respond but hurriedly covered it instead. Black blood dripped between his fingers. ¡ªRuel, blood... is coming out! Leo¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, spit it out,¡± Cassion¡¯s voice came with a handkerchief. Ruel spat out the blood. Confirming that it was black blood, Cassion asked, ¡°Ruel-nim, how is your body?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have eyes? Ruel just vomited blood! How can you remain so calm?¡± Ganien shouted in panic. It was obvious that Ruel wasn¡¯t okay but Cassion simply scoffed at Ganien. ¡°What were the findings?¡± Ruel asked, wiping the blood from his hands. ¡°I confirmed with Hikars where the death spreading in the castle was coming from.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°There was a secret place in the underground of the palace. We confirmed that it was coming from there.¡± An underground location was an obviously suspicious development. ¡°Issue is there was a barrier. The symbol on the barrier was that of the Kran Kingdom. It seemed that only the royal family of Kran could pass through. I think I¡¯ll take Aris to check it out again.¡± ¡°What about Hikars?¡± ¡°He is waiting there.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Nehils Praha.¡± In that instant, Ruel¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°I¡¯ve found out information about him.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°It was confirmed that he matched the note Medeas showed.¡± Cassion deliberately opened and closed his hand, indicating he had obtained this information by force. ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± Ganien looked between the two with a confused expression. ¡°And I also found out where he¡¯s hiding.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being busy, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Ruel smiled at Cassion¡¯s words. He was eager to see the person who had marked him. ¡°Tell me... or is it something I shouldn¡¯t know?¡± Ganien was very curious but also felt a sense of unease about what was to come. Ganien¡¯s eyes fluttered, wondering if he was being forced to confront a truth as heavy as the Turbulent Day and Cassion¡¯s secret. ¡°Are you ready to cause some chaos after a long time?¡± Ruel mentioned ¡®chaos,¡¯ making Ganien finally let out a sigh. ¡°Ha... Of course, I¡¯m ready for that, but do you know how genuinely scary it is now that you bring up any topic?¡± It wasn¡¯t just fear. After hearing so many surprising and unbelievable stories, his hands would start sweating just by looking at Ruel. How many times had he experienced such shocking and unbelievable events in his life? Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at Cassion intently. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to report.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at them. Ganien and Aris tensed up. Even Leo, who had been smiling at Ruel¡¯s touch, sensed the strange atmosphere and opened his eyes, glancing around. ¡°The one Leo purified at the second defensive line was the First Setiria.¡± Ruel then looked at Cassion. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to have Billo dig up the grave.¡± Cassion snorted in disbelief. It seemed like it was time to seriously ask Ruel about the possibility of changing his name to something onion-related. ¡°Wait, wait. Don¡¯t just drop that bomb on me like that. Give me a moment to process,¡± Ganien was greatly surprised by the sudden revelation. ¡°No, more importantly, why is a Setiria here?¡± ¡°You know I can control monsters, right?¡± ¡°Of course I do. That means...¡± Ganien chuckled lightly at Cassion¡¯s slightly sharpened gaze. ¡°Even though I am His Majesty¡¯s knight, I am careful about what I say. I swear my oath as a knight and would never disclose this to His Majesty. This is not something I should discuss.¡± Only then did Cassion lower his gaze and look at Ruel. ¡°So why is Setiria involved?¡± When Ganien asked again, Ruel finally responded. ¡°It¡¯s a trait that Setiria has.¡± ¡°...So, are you saying the Great Man knew about this and controlled Setiria¡¯s corpse?¡± ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t know how he found out, though.¡± Ruel nodded. ¡°That means the Beast Forest in Leponia is probably connected to this event, right?¡± Aris asked with a hardened expression. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°That crazy guy...¡± Ganien clenched his teeth. ¡°Ganien.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Ganien responded more seriously than ever. From the King of Kran to the First Setiria. The acts committed by the Great Man had long strayed from the right path. ¡°When I return from the banquet, I want Nehils Praha to spill everything. Can you do it?¡± ¡°Is that what you mean by causing chaos?¡± ¡°Since he¡¯s an executive, he must have a decent amount of quality information.¡± Ruel glanced subtly at Cassion. The lack of a report from the corrupted warlock suggested that it was still ongoing. ¡°Or do you want to volunteer to go where the corrupted warlock is, your choice.¡± ¡°The way you¡¯re talking about him, he must be no ordinary guy. What did Nehils Praha do?¡± ¡°He put this cursed mark on me...¡± ¡°Tell me the location. I¡¯ll go there.¡± Ganien interrupted Ruel, speaking firmly. Anger was evident in Ganien¡¯s eyes. Ruel smiled faintly and said, ¡°Tell him the location, Cassion.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Cassion rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Ganien. ¡°I may not be good at interrogating, but I¡¯ll try to get him to talk until you arrive.¡± ¡°Alright. Do as you wish.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Ganien shook the note and stood up. Knock, knock. ¡°It¡¯s Noah,¡± Cassion announced. ¡°That¡¯s fast,¡± Ruel said with a smirk. Just when he needed Noah. ¡°Let him in.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll open it as I go out.¡± As Ganien opened the door, Noah¡¯s loud voice burst in. ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡¯m here! I¡¯ve returned...¡± Noah stopped mid-sentence, surprised by Ruel¡¯s appearance. ¡°Oh, are you sick again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but let¡¯s hear what you¡¯ve brought first.¡± Even with Ruel¡¯s reassurance, Noah¡¯s face turned pale. The fact that he had an IV drip attached meant he wasn¡¯t in good shape. Before departing for the Kingdom of Kran, Noah had learned from Cassion about the meaning behind the mana oath he had pledged. It felt like the ground was crumbling beneath him. Wasn¡¯t it like trading his life for gold, as someone had said? Only after seeing the 1,133 gold coins he had set aside was he able to regain his composure with no regrets. Having money was better than being broke, and life in the mansion had been quite enjoyable. The issue was Ruel. Hadn¡¯t his heart stopped beating just a short time ago? He was worried. He cursed his own mouth for mentioning death to Ruel so many times. ¡°Ruel-nim! Please, don¡¯t die! I, I¡¯ll do better! I¡¯ll buy you medicinal herbs and prepare them with care! So please, you must stay healthy!¡± Noah approached Ruel as if he were about to burst into tears. Cassion sighed and rubbed his face. He had meant it to imply he would serve Ruel better. ¡ªYikes! Upon hearing Noah¡¯s outburst, Leo sprang up, looking at Ruel anxiously. Soon, tears welled up in Leo¡¯s eyes. ¡ªRuel, you mustn¡¯t die! If, if Ruel dies, this body, this body might keep crying. Ruel gently soothed Leo and said in an annoyed tone, ¡°Stop saying useless things and tell me what you found.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± Anger was indeed the root of all ailments. Noah quickly bowed his head, wiping away tears that were about to spill over at Ruel¡¯s stern expression. ¡°From the investigation, it turns out there are three locations where bodies were taken.¡± ¡°Three locations?¡± It was surprising that the list had been narrowed down to just three places. ¡°Yes. One is a shop that deals in monsters¡¯ materials. The second is a temple where they say they took the bodies to honor the deceased. And well, the last one was taken by soldiers cracking down on those selling corpses without permission.¡± Noah quickly reduced the three fingers he had been spreading. ¡°There was one place that all three led to.¡± He pointed down to the floor with his finger. ¡°Right here. The Kingdom of Kran.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Ruel asked calmly, without showing surprise. ¡°Yes. Just in case, I sprinkled some of the scent I use when hunting animals on the bodies. Surprisingly, it leads to this place...¡± ¡°It comes from underground, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Noah was about to boast proudly but looked shocked instead. ¡®Ha....¡¯ Ruel let out a long sigh in disbelief. It had to be connected to the findings of Cassion and Hikars. ¡®Death, barriers, and corpses. And Adea.¡¯ Ruel clenched his fist. ¡®There¡¯s no other explanation.¡¯ Black water. Everything was related to the method of making the black water. The materials were slowly coming together. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Go with Cassion and check that barrier.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± While Aris replied immediately, Cassion took out a watch from his pocket to check the time. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were attending the banquet? We don¡¯t have much time...¡± Cassion stopped speaking and looked at Noah. Ruel also turned his gaze toward Noah. As Aris and Leo turned to look at Noah as well, he broke out in a cold sweat, his expression filled with anxiety. ¡°Why do you all look at me like that?¡± ¡°I only trust you.¡± Ruel offered a slight smirk. ¡°Huh?¡± Flustered, Noah glanced at Cassion. Ting. Noah caught multiple coins that Cassion flicked, and without hesitation, he spoke up, ¡°Leave it to me. I will fulfill my mission!¡± Chapter 179: Shake them one by one (3) *** Ruel dozed off for a moment and opened his eyes hastily, out of breath he inhaled Breath, he heard Noah¡¯s voice. ¡°I was just about to wake you up, Ruel-nim. Ta-da, what do you think?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ruel rubbed his eyes and glanced down, hearing soft snoring. Leo lay asleep, belly exposed, one paw raised, looking peaceful. ¡°Just a moment, please wait!¡± Noah suddenly exclaimed, grabbing a mirror of his height and positioning it in front of Ruel. In the reflection was a familiar face: a still youthful boy sitting there. ¡°I tied your hair in the way that Cassion-nim usually does.¡± ¡°And the clothes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve prepared several outfits from what I brought along.¡± Ruel felt content with Noah¡¯s thorough preparations, appreciating the effort put in. Billo has really made someone helpful. ¡°What about Fran?¡± Ruel inquired, remembering Fran, who had been beside him before Noah started tending to his hair. ¡°She¡¯s over there. She fell asleep on the sofa after I suggested she lie down since she was dozing off.¡± Noah pointed proudly at Fran, who was now peacefully sleeping on the sofa. ¡®She must be exhausted. She mentioned staying up all night looking after me.¡¯ Ruel briefly shut his eyes to assess his condition. The pain medication was still working, and the pain had subsided. He felt a bit sluggish but manageable. -You¡¯ve come this far. Setiria, no, Kim Han. Suddenly, the king¡¯s words echoed in his mind, stirring something within him. Could this truly be a world from a web novel? Ruel tried not to dwell on the answer he had already concluded; he was already overwhelmed with the present situation. ¡°...Um.¡± Noah seemed to be pondering something deeply. Ruel snapped back to reality and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°Ah, are you feeling any pain? Fran asked me to check on your condition.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s see, what time is it?¡± Noah pulled out a watch from his pocket. Soon after, his eyes widened, and he hurriedly started gathering the clothes he had set aside. ¡°Which outfit do you prefer?¡± ¡°Did you choose these?¡± Ruel glared at Noah upon seeing the dark, somber clothing. ¡°Y-Yes? I picked them, but Cassion-nim hinted at what to select subtly.¡± ¡®Cassion.¡¯ All the clothes were dark and gloomy. He had specifically stated that he didn¡¯t like wearing black. ¡°He mentioned you prefer dark colors, Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel clenched the chair¡¯s armrests tightly, feeling a surge of anger. ¡®Cassion! You damn bastard!¡¯ *** ¡°They wanted revenge.¡± Ruel recalled the words of Hilim Tonisk. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But they aimed to eradicate all of humanity except themselves in this land. We were arrogant. We shouldn¡¯t have started that war.¡± ¡®The Great Man¡¯s purpose is revenge and the destruction of humanity, except for the Red Ash.¡¯ ¡°Yes. Everything is for him. For his stolen past.¡± He remembered what Glen Syria had said. ¡®For the past that was stolen.¡¯ ¡°Yes, all the executives are descendants of forgotten heroes.¡± The words of Medeas came to mind. ¡®The Great Man is particularly obsessed with the forgotten heroes.¡¯ Ttak. The sound of Ruel¡¯s cane reverberated down the hallway. Following him were Noah, substituting for Cassion, and Sir Torto, stepping in for Aris. ¡°So, um, the forgotten hero. That¡¯s all I can tell you.¡± He recalled what Mayre had said. ¡®The Guardian is also a forgotten hero. But it feels different from the meaning tied to the executives of the Red Ash.¡¯ Ruel then thought back to another statement Mayre had made. ¡°There¡¯s no grand reason. I couldn¡¯t watch Setiria bear the burden alone. Since Setiria took on the heaviest and most difficult role, the rest of us had to take on the other roles.¡± ¡®The heavy and difficult role of Setiria is the medium of the barrier.¡¯ Ruel frowned, remembering the events of yesterday with the First Setiria. ¡®The Great Man knew Setiria¡¯s secret.¡¯ Soon after, Ruel stared absently at his own hands. ¡®And the power left behind by the hero.¡¯ Everything was connected. According to the information gathered so far, the Great Man was a hero who fell for some reason. As a result, the Guardians, including the First Setiria, had ended up fighting against the Great Man. Ultimately, the Great Man was defeated, and the First Setiria took something of him and put it into the royal treasury of Leponia, taking on the role of a barrier medium. What was troubling was the significantly close relationship between the First Setiria and the Great Man. Ruel paused, furrowing his brow again, contemplating an uncomfortable truth. ¡®What if, just what if the Great Man was a Setiria?¡¯ If the Great Man had indeed been a Setiria, it would explain his deep knowledge of Setiria¡¯s power. However, that seemed implausible. Ruel immediately halted his thoughts. He realized he had gone too long, not knowing when the king had given Setiria that power. ¡°Are you feeling uneasy?¡± Torto inquired as Ruel frowned suddenly. Ruel shook his head. Another thing that troubled him was the reason the king had made him Ruel Setiria. To have such power was almost godlike. Yet, why hadn¡¯t the king used that power to confront the Great Man? ¡®It seems that unless I figure out when the king granted Setiria the ability to control monsters and why I was brought here, the puzzle won¡¯t fit together.¡¯ Ultimately, he needed to meet the king. Ruel took a deep breath, pausing briefly as he reached the door leading to the hall, glancing at Noah and Torto. Cassion couldn¡¯t act until Aris understood and resolved the barrier. Someone had to be with Aris, and for himself, he had Hina. ¡°I¡¯ll be relying on you, Sir Torto.¡± ¡°Yes. I will serve with utmost sincerity.¡± Ruel offered a slight smile to Noah and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten my instructions, have you?¡± ¡°I could hardly forget such memorable instructions; they are etched clearly in my mind,¡± Noah replied somewhat awkwardly. The last day of the diplomatic reception felt like a stage for Ruel. The one who will be performing on stage this time is Jayel Kran and the Great Man. Ruel aimed to create the situation that the Great Man wanted to avoid most. Steeling himself, he glanced over at Leo, who was walking steadily beside him. ¡ªThis body is ready too! Leo smiled brightly. That was all Ruel needed. Ruel inhaled Breath and set his feet in motion once more. This time, he intended to take a direct approach. For that, he required Noah, not Aris. ¡®It may be quite obvious, yet it works well.¡¯ As Ruel stood before the door leading to the hall, the servant shouted boisterously. ¡°Entering are the head of the royal knights from the Kingdom of Leponia, Sir Torto, and the representative of the delegation, the Noble of Darkness, Lord Ruel Setiria!¡± Noah was omitted, as he was a servant. Dressed in black attire, Ruel felt a surge of heat upon hearing the title ¡°Noble of Darkness,¡± thanks to Cassion. However, he managed to suppress his emotions with great effort. ¡®Damn you, Cassion.¡¯ As the door swung open, a cacophony of noise spilled out from the hall where the reception was already in full swing. Ruel had carefully timed his entrance for this exact moment, aiming to capture everyone¡¯s attention. As expected, all eyes turned towards Ruel as he entered the hall, supported by Noah and leaning on his cane. Despite his frail appearance, the confidence in his gaze dispelled any notions of weakness. The music that filled the hall seemed to fade into the background as the tap of Ruel¡¯s cane on the floor echoed through the space. Ignoring those who tried to approach him, Ruel focused solely on Jayel Kran, his target for the evening. ¡ªGulp! Leo swallowed hard. Before him lay a feast of delicious cakes he had tasted earlier. Leo was mesmerized by the sight of so many sweet things. ¡ªThis, this body shall go grab a quick bite! This body won¡¯t be caught this time like last! Ruel nodded at Leo, who was staring at him wide-eyed. ¡ªHehehe! This body will be back soon! Only then did Leo break into a big grin, racing off toward the food. As the surrounding noises calmed, Ruel sensed someone approaching him. Glancing at Noah for confirmation, he realized it wasn¡¯t Jayel but Treitol who had come up to him. ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± It was Treitol. As Ruel turned to him, Treitol greeted him with a bright smile, though he seemed slightly downcast. After receiving greetings from Torto and Noah, Treitol spoke again, ¡°I heard you¡¯ve not been well. Why did you push yourself to come?¡± ¡°This gathering was personally organized by the king, was it not? I thought it only appropriate to attend on the last day, even if it meant overexerting myself.¡± Ruel smiled. ¡°Lord Setiria, is it possible for us to speak privately at this moment?¡± Surprised by the sudden request, Ruel paused before replying, ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes, this is...¡± Treitol began before being interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. ¡°Lord Setiria,¡± Jayel¡¯s voice cut through the conversation, causing Treitol to fall silent instantly. With a sharp smile, Jayel addressed Treitol, ¡°I see you¡¯re here too, brother.¡± ¡°Are you being rude, Jayel?¡± Treitol suddenly became tense. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ In Ruel¡¯s eyes, Treitol and Jayel seemed the same, like children playing a game. ¡°Have I committed some kind of offense?¡± Jayel laughed as if it were absurd. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just interrupt my conversation with Lord Setiria?¡± ¡®If this is all an act, then it¡¯s brilliant. The award is basically won at this point.¡¯ Swallowing a chuckle, Ruel maintained a calm expression while waiting for their exchange to conclude. ¡°Brother. This is a banquet hall. A place for eating, drinking, and conversing. Why so stiff?¡± Treitol¡¯s face contorted as if he could barely hold back his frustration at Jayel¡¯s words. He then forced a smile in Ruel¡¯s direction. ¡°Lord Setiria, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± It seemed he had something more to say, but he left to avoid further confrontation with Jayel. Ruel inhaled Breath and cast a steady gaze at Jayel, who appeared relieved as if she had driven away someone she found truly distasteful. ¡°Your Highness, I am Sir Torto. Please forgive my late introduction,¡± Torto spoke up, introducing himself to Jayel. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Sir Torto.¡± Unlike during their encounter at Aris, Jayel greeted Sir Torto with a smile. ¡°Your Highness, I... ¡± ¡°How is your body?¡± But before Noah could continue, Jayel immediately turned to Ruel, seemingly disregarding Noah who was trying to greet her. ¡°Hah.¡± Noah let out an unexpected laugh, unable to contain his excitement, which caught Jayel off guard. Ruel had instructed Noah to ¡°act as usual.¡± Although Noah had improved significantly, he often blurted out his words without filtering them through his brain. Jayel is royalty. Noah was a mere servant, not even a butler. This difference could provoke her. ¡°Are you daring to laugh at me now?¡± The smile vanished from Jayel¡¯s face for a moment. Noah, feeling her direct gaze, looked around before pointing to himself. ¡°Are you speaking to me?¡± Jayel¡¯s lips trembled slightly. How dare he calmly ask her back like that when he should be apologizing profusely? She was so furious. ¡®Good, this is it.¡¯ It was worth bringing Noah along. Ruel put on a slightly troubled expression and waited. Noah hadn¡¯t finished speaking yet. ¡°... Oh, you¡¯re talking to me,¡± Noah finally noticed Jayel¡¯s gaze fixed on him but who was it who ignored his greeting first? He was angry, but he remembered being taught that when someone of higher status is angry, you should apologize first. Reluctantly, he bowed his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry if I offended you. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh when you openly ignored me.¡± Since Ruel didn¡¯t stop him, Noah spoke his mind in an unpleasant tone. ¡°...ha?¡± Jayel¡¯s face turned bright red. In a situation she had never experienced before, her composure shattered in an instant. ¡°Are you mocking me right now?¡± With sharp words, Jayel raised her arm high and swung it forcefully towards Noah. Chapter 180: What the Great Man Seeks Chapter 180: What the Great Man Seeks Noah remembered Ruel¡¯s instructions. ¡°If Jayel tries to slap you, do whatever it takes to let me take the hit.¡± Although it seemed like a peculiar instruction, since he had already received payment, Noah decided to proceed with the plan as instructed. Whack! Jayel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. However, it was not Noah who stumbled and fell to the ground but Ruel. Noah shut his eyes tightly, almost hearing Billo¡¯s voice in the background. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Torto shouted loudly as he rushed to assist Ruel. It didn¡¯t make sense that a knight couldn¡¯t block a slap from someone who hadn¡¯t learned swordsmanship, but this was Ruel¡¯s order. ¡°No matter what happens, do not intervene, Sir Torto.¡± Whispers spread among the crowd. All eyes turned to the sharp sound of the slap. It was clear that Jayel had hit Ruel. ¡®Good, the stage is set.¡¯ Ruel thought, holding his stinging cheek and flashing a mischievous smile. Witnessing this, Torto felt a shiver down his spine, sensing that everything was under Ruel¡¯s control. ¡°L... Lord Setiria...¡± Jayel, shocked by her own actions, struggled to lower her hand after slapping Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Your Highness. I will repay the rudeness my servant just committed,¡± Ruel stated calmly, mindful of the audience around them. But ignoring Ruel¡¯s words, Jayel looked around frantically. ¡®Who is she looking for?¡¯ Ruel followed her gaze but couldn¡¯t see who she was looking at. ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry. I... I made a huge mistake,¡± Jayel confessed in a panic, hastily taking off her glove and wiping the blood from the corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth with a trembling hand. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Surprised by Jayel¡¯s unusual behavior, Ruel remained puzzled but continued his act. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Your Highness. It¡¯s not that painful.¡± ¡°No, it is. Here, drink this.¡± Jayel swiftly handed Ruel a nearby beverage. Soon, she stared at the drink in her hand and asked, ¡°Can you drink this?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t drink that. I can have the water next to it.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll just...¡± Jayel paused mid-action of picking up the water cup, belatedly noticing the commotion around her. It was as if everyone was mocking her. ¡°What are you all doing? It was just a minor misunderstanding, so mind your own business!¡± Under Jayel¡¯s sharp gaze, the gathered nobles hurriedly began to disperse, fearing they might get caught up in her wrath. Her hand holding the cup trembled again. It was because of the anger that was slowly building up inside her. She was furious that she was scared over such a trivial matter as slapping Ruel¡¯s cheek. It infuriated her to the point of wanting to kill Ruel. It annoyed her. She wanted to get rid of him immediately if she could. But Jayel had to forcefully suppress her surging emotions. Her shadow stretched long under the light, looking pitiful. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Ruel replied with a smile, accepting the water from Jayel and exchanging glances with Noah, who signaled his readiness. Ruel then turned to Leo, who had approached him. ¡ªDoes it hurt a lot? This body will teach her a lesson later! Leo growled at Jayel, glaring with intensity. ¡®You should wipe that cream off your mouth first.¡¯ Ruel suppressed a chuckle that was about to escape. The recent commotion was the start of the performance, and a signal to call Leo back to his side. After drinking the water, Ruel glanced at Leo, who smiled brightly. ¡ªThis body was going to save it for later, but this body can¡¯t refuse Ruel¡¯s request. Leo tapped Ruel¡¯s leg, and a black thing emerged from his body. ¡ªYum yum. Unlike the brightly smiling Leo, Ruel stumbled, feeling pain. Clang! A sound like shattering glass made Jayel¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Cough!¡± As Ruel vomited blood, the party fell into an eerie silence. It was an obvious ploy. Since Jayel valued her status, he thought she would definitely retaliate against Noah¡¯s words. But it was he who had been slapped. The wall that had concealed death was now gone, and the Great Man¡¯s plan was crumbling. In that state, she had dared to lay a hand on Ruel, who was meant to be the vessel of the Great Man. It must feel like her mind was not just shaken, but shattered. But it was still far from over. She was borrowing the power of the Red Ash and was closely connected to him. Just like a dog desperately seeking its owner, when her reason completely collapses, she¡¯ll cling to the Great Man. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Noah and Torto were greatly surprised. Although Ruel had mentioned he would vomit blood beforehand, they hadn¡¯t expected it. But it had become reality. Noah, with a pale face, sprinkled a little poison powder on the blood Ruel had vomited. It was another order Ruel had given him. ¡°T¡ª this is why you should take a break from the party...¡± ¡°That¡¯s poison.¡± Torto cut off Noah¡¯s words as he checked the broken cup. ¡°W-what are you talking about?!¡± Jayel was the most startled by Torto¡¯s statement. Poison? As much as she wanted to kill Ruel, she knew better than anyone that this wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°It¡¯s poison!¡± Noah shouted in panic. ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± At Adea¡¯s voice, the nobles parted ways. Adea briefly surveyed the situation, then paused. Ruel collapsed, having vomited blood, the broken cup sprawled beside him, and Jayel, looking terrified. [Your Highness, no matter what happens at the welcome party, just get me back to my room safely.] A note from Ruel¡¯s butler. He didn¡¯t know what it meant, but now he understood. Ruel had intended to corner Jayel. Cornered and desperate, she would eventually reach her destination, the Great Man. Adea shuddered again at Ruel¡¯s actions. He was too terrifying to be an enemy. But if it was all for the sake of Kran, he couldn¡¯t say he wouldn¡¯t do it. ¡°What are you doing! Take Lord Setiria to his room immediately!¡± Adea shouted at Torto and Noah. He couldn¡¯t trust anyone now. Not even his own subordinates. Having Ruel taken to his room by his own people was the safest option. It was a bitter truth. ¡°Lo... Lord Setiria!¡± When Treitol approached in surprise, Adea thought it was a good opportunity. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll take Lord Setiria with me, so please handle the situation.¡± ¡°Brother, what on earth is going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s poison.¡± Torto glared at Jayel while cradling Ruel in his arms. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m innocent! Please, please believe me!¡± Jayel clung desperately to Treitol¡¯s arm. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± Treitol shook off her arm and glared at her in displeasure. ¡°Brother, please go without worry. I¡¯ll take care of the aftermath.¡± ¡°Alright, I trust you.¡± Adea lightly patted Treitol¡¯s shoulder and hurried out of the hall with Torto and Noah. ¡°Guards!¡± At Treitol¡¯s shout, guards rushed in immediately. ¡°Seize Jayel and confine her to a room!¡± As the guards grabbed Jayel, she struggled to break free. ¡°I¡¯m innocent! Please believe me! Please, please!¡± Hearing Jayel¡¯s desperate cries, Ruel opened his eyes slightly. He clenched his fist tightly. Finally, he got it right. Finally! ¡®As expected, Treitol is the Great Man!¡¯ There was no longer any need to hesitate. The person Jayel was desperately clinging to was Treitol. Overwhelmed by anxiety, the place Jayel was expected to head towards was right there¡ªthe underground secret passage in the royal palace. It must be related. ¡®I need more evidence to support this.¡¯ To bring down the enemy, a princess, and provide a reason for execution, Ruel contemplated handing over that justification to Adea. *** ¡°...!¡± As soon as they entered the room, Adea was taken aback by the sight of Ruel calmly moving around as if nothing had happened. ¡°Are you alright? Did you vomit blood?¡± Adea inquired, his concern evident. ¡°It¡¯s just a recurring symptom, nothing to worry about,¡± Ruel reassured him. A recurring symptom of vomiting blood? Adea stared at Ruel with a stern face. ¡°Your Highness, we don¡¯t have much time. Please lend me the proof of your royal lineage from the Kran Kingdom for a moment.¡± Ruel requested, recalling the Kran Kingdom¡¯s emblem inscribed on the underground barrier. After a moment of hesitation, Adea took off his necklace and handed it to Ruel. ¡°Your Highness, please ensure that nobody approaches my room from now on.¡± ¡°Are you... leaving?¡± Adea questioned. ¡°This is a personal matter.¡± Though Adea disapproved of Ruel¡¯s boldness in drawing a line, he chose not to press the issue further. ¡°Lord Setiria, your actions were rash. Jayel is powerful and not to be underestimated.¡± ¡°The situation was urgent, leaving me no other option. Now, I trust that Your Highness will handle the aftermath well.¡± ¡°...?¡± Adea was taken aback. The princess of the Kran Kingdom attempting to poison the head of the delegation? Not only had he mentioned this casually as a mere ¡°cleanup,¡± but he was also entrusting him with it. ¡°Are you asking me to deal with the aftermath?¡± ¡°Yes. I initiated this, but you must see it through,¡± Ruel clarified, accepting the medicine Noah offered him, the pain evident in his expression. ¡°You planned to use me from the beginning, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course. Your Highness has the power.¡± Adea was speechless at Ruel¡¯s audacity in not only admitting it but also boldly stating his intentions. ¡°I¡¯m investigating a matter within this kingdom and have discovered a secret location relevant to it.¡± ¡°A secret location?¡± Adea rubbed his temples in frustration. ¡°Fear not; cornering Princess Jayel was not done recklessly. Moreover, I¡¯ve provided her with a ¡®gift¡¯ that you can utilize.¡± ¡°A gift? You mean... you¡¯ve created false evidence!¡± ¡°Utilize it as needed, Your Highness.¡± Ruel smirked. ¡°Now, we¡¯re in this together.¡± Adea felt a headache coming on at the implication that if he failed, they would both be doomed. ¡®He¡¯s playing weak when he¡¯s more than capable,¡¯ Ruel scoffed lightly. With Adea¡¯s power, he could easily resolve this matter. After all, why was he a prince? Even Banios, a mere guest in Setiria, could do it. This was the perfect opportunity to use Adea¡¯s abilities. Knock, knock. A hurried knock interrupted their conversation, and Fran and Tierra rushed in. ¡°Lord Ru...¡± Fran and Tierra began to address him but quickly covered their mouths in surprise, glaring at Ruel as they entered. ¡°Again, with the lies...¡± Fran began, rolling up her sleeves before pausing as she noticed the blood still on Ruel¡¯s hands. ¡°Sister, His Highness is present,¡± Tierra intervened, trying to prevent Fran from approaching Ruel abruptly. Noticing Adea standing at a distance, Fran quickly bowed. ¡°Greetings to the littled sun of the Kran Kingdom. Please forgive my sister and my impoliteness!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Adea, preoccupied with the task Ruel had given him, didn¡¯t dwell on Fran¡¯s rudeness. ¡°Excuse me then.¡± Assisting Ruel to sit on the bed, Fran started examining him. ¡°Your face...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It was just a minor dispute.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem minor.¡± When Fran looked at Tierra, she handed her an ointment. ¡°Regardless, at least you weren¡¯t dishonest about being injured.¡± Fran¡¯s demeanor softened as she applied the ointment to Ruel¡¯s cheek. Ruel was puzzled; the painkiller he had taken had already begun to take effect. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore?¡± ¡°Look here.¡± Fran pointed to a small rash on Ruel¡¯s wrist. ¡°You seem to have an allergic reaction.¡± ¡°I only drank some water.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t regular water. It had a faint fruity scent,¡± Noah corrected Ruel. ¡°Good thing you checked. Lord Ruel is sensitive to such things, so minor symptoms can quickly escalate. Tierra.¡± ¡°Yes, sister.¡± Tierra set down her bag and handed Noah a vial of medicine. ¡°Lord Ruel,¡± Fran addressed him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t strain yourself.¡± Though she seemed to have more to say, Fran kept her words brief, likely mindful of Adea¡¯s presence. Ruel simply smiled and accepted the medicine from Noah. Rest was a luxury he couldn¡¯t afford; he had to keep moving. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go ahead and reassign the soldiers,¡± Adea said, looking at Ruel with a frown. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Ruel responded with genuine gratitude for once, acknowledging Adea¡¯s power and authority. ¡°I have never witnessed a noble treating a prince in this manner in all my years. Are all the nobles of Leponia like this?¡± ¡°No, they are not.¡± ¡°Then you are exceptional. I can empathize with how Prince Banios of Leponia must feel.¡± Adea¡¯s expression was sympathetic, as if Banios were present. Though annoyed, Ruel restrained himself from speaking out. ¡®This is absurd. I¡¯m the one doing all the hard work here.¡¯ Ruel hadn¡¯t burdened Banios much. It mostly involved financial support: funding the search for the hidden Red Ash in Leponia based on Treitol¡¯s data, supporting research on countering the black water and portals, and financing gate defenses, knight and soldier training, and weapon procurement. Banios¡¯ role primarily revolved around finances. Given his current requirements, it was natural for Banios to provide generous financial backing. Knock, knock. A knock at the door made Ruel smile. It was likely Cassion and Aris. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ruel called out to Adea as he headed towards the door. Chapter 181: What the Great Man Seeks (2) Chapter 181: What the Great Man Seeks (2) ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what request I might make, so please be ready to move at any time.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Adea responded with a troubled expression. Noah hurriedly opened the door for Adea to depart. ¡°We greet the Little Sun of the Kran Kingdom.¡± Cassion and Aris bowed to Adea. Prince Adea smiled at them both and went outside. Soon, the door closed, and Aris spoke up with a serious expression, ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡¯ve just returned from inspecting the barrier sealing the entrance.¡± Aris paused abruptly, his gaze fixed on Ruel, surprised by his swollen face. Slowly, anger began to surface on Aris¡¯s face. ¡°Who did this to Ruel-nim? I will confront them.¡± ¡°No need to concern yourself,¡± Ruel chuckled softly. The person who did this to his face was Jayel. Aris, not one to rush into conflict, shot a reproachful look at Noah for failing to protect Ruel. ¡°I told you not to worry about it,¡± Ruel reiterated. Despite Ruel¡¯s reassurances, Aris struggled to contain his anger. ¡°But...¡± ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Must I repeat myself?¡± ¡°No, I misspoke.¡± Only then did Aris relax his shoulders. After the exchange between Ruel and Aris ended, Fran cautiously asked, ¡°Lord Ruel, is it alright if I listen to the conversation you two are having?¡± ¡°No.¡± At Ruel¡¯s firm answer, Fran observed the atmosphere and cautiously placed a hand near her ear. ¡°Then should I at least cover my ears? No matter how I look at it, it seems like I can¡¯t go out.¡± ¡°Fret not. Aris will manage,¡± Ruel assured, glancing at Aris. As Aris cast a spell, a ripple enveloped Cassion, Aris, and Ruel. ¡°Was the barrier what Cassion expected?¡± Ruel asked, and Aris nodded. ¡°Yes, it was a barrier allowing only those with proof of belonging to the Kran royal family to pass.¡± Ruel presented the necklace gifted by Adea. ¡°Will this suffice?¡± Aris inspected the necklace and nodded promptly. ¡°Yes, that will suffice.¡± ¡°Can you alter the barrier¡¯s structure?¡± It was crucial to leave no trace behind. ¡°If the formation is altered to eliminate any traces, it can be done.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Ruel turned to Cassion and asked, ¡°It¡¯s a short distance, but can you transport three people, or even one more?¡± Ruel smiled at Leo¡¯s eager expression, indicating he would take him with him. ¡°I will transport a person at a time for safety,¡± Cassion suggested. Aris sighed in frustration at the limitation, wishing he could use teleportation magic like Tyson. ¡°Aris,¡± Ruel called out, stroking Leo. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Aris was startled when Ruel called him at such a delicate moment. ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy.¡± ¡°Yes...?¡± Aris was flustered by Ruel¡¯s gaze, which seemed to see through everything. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be anxious. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m not increasing the escort any further?¡± Increasing the number of escorts wouldn¡¯t make a difference if they weren¡¯t coordinated. No matter how skilled anyone was, without mutual trust and character, it was just a tall sandcastle¡ªeasily blown away. The reason Ruel didn¡¯t feel the need to increase the guards was that he didn¡¯t have to. Cassion, Aris, and the shadows were enough. Only then did Aris relax his tense expression. ¡°I understand. Thank you for your words...¡± ¡°Good.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath, waving his hand. Aris with an awkward expression dispelled the magic. ¡°Fran.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Ruel.¡± ¡°I need you to remain here in my absence.¡± ¡°Can I take a nap then?¡± Hearing a touch of bashfulness in Fran¡¯s tone, Ruel smiled. ¡°Certainly, make yourself at home in this room.¡± Ruel glanced at Aris while inhaling Breath again. Aris slightly nodded, understanding the unspoken request to make it appear as though they were using magic for the movement. As Cassion stood next to Ruel, Aris pretended to chant a spell, creating a sparkling effect. When Ruel vanished along with Cassion, Fran and Tierra¡¯s faces lit up with wonder. ¡°Wow! Is this magic?¡± Fran looked at Aris. ¡°Wizards are truly amazing!¡± Tierra said, clasping her hands together, gazing at Aris. With both women¡¯s attention on him, Aris bowed his head and rubbed the back of his neck, his face turning red. *** ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Hikars greeted Ruel as he appeared. ¡°How are you? My apologies for not visiting.¡± ¡°No need to apologize.¡± ¡ªWuo... Hick! Ruel immediately bent his knees and grabbed Leo¡¯s tail. Sounds echoed in the underground. Leo¡¯s voice was quite loud, and if he wasn¡¯t careful, they might catch the attention of the soldiers guarding the underground. At that moment, Hikars¡¯s voice calling Ruel was heard. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Seeing Cassion disappear once again, Hikars clenched his fists tightly and said, ¡°Since becoming a servant of Death, this is the first time I have felt such great darkness.¡± Ruel, who had been examining the barrier, flinched at Hikars¡¯s gaze. His eyes, which appeared to regard him as a god, had grown intense. He felt uncomfortable, to the point where sweat broke out on his palms. ¡°Not just me, but all the servants of Death have felt the power you possess, Ruel-nim. Just as I feel now, until the day my life ends, I will serve you.¡± ¡ªRuel isn¡¯t too fond of... Hick! As Leo tried to say something, Ruel grabbed his tail again, cutting him off mid-sentence. Even if the words were cut off mid-sentence, he could guess what Leo was trying to say. Hikars awaited Ruel¡¯s command like a soldier. Under his unwavering gaze, Ruel finally spoke. ¡°How progresses the search for the Devotees of Darkness?¡± ¡°Progress is underway. All rescued Devotees have been escorted to Leponia.¡± ¡°Good. Ensure their protection.¡± It had only been a few days, but hearing there was already progress pleased Ruel. Shortly after, Aris and Cassion arrived. Ruel handed Aris Adea¡¯s necklace. ¡°Please wait for a moment.¡± Aris took the necklace, bowing his head. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± As Aris deactivated the barrier, Cassion spoke up. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll assign one of my subordinates to monitor Prince Adea¡¯s situation.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. If he can¡¯t even handle that, he should give up his position as prince.¡± ¡°By the way, that outfit looks really good on you.¡± Cassion smiled contentedly, looking at Ruel¡¯s black attire. Right, he had briefly forgotten. He never expected Cassion to be the first to mention it. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel exhaled in disbelief and asked, ¡°What are you dissatisfied with?¡± ¡°Nothing in particular. I just chose a color that wouldn¡¯t get dirty because I thought you might do something reckless.¡± Cassion¡¯s lips curled up slightly as he pointed to his own cheek. ¡°In the end, you went ahead and did something, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s being taken care of by Noah and Sir Torto. Let¡¯s pretend you didn¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Cassion replied with a light laugh. ¡°You¡¯re quite unpredictable, Ruel-nim. I thought you hated pain, but it seems that¡¯s not the case,¡± Cassion remarked. Ruel ignored Cassion¡¯s rants as he turned to face Aris. The undulating wall had disappeared, revealing a space. The barrier had been successfully opened. Returning the necklace to Ruel, Aris confirmed, ¡°The barrier is now opened. It has been concealed as per your instructions, appearing undisturbed.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Ruel replied before shifting his gaze towards Hikars, drawn by approaching footsteps. Driven as if by a force, he boldly stepped inside. ¡°This is it! This is the place!¡± The moment Ruel entered, he hastily pinched his nose. A wave of foul odor hit him, making him feel like he might vomit at any moment. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Cassion asked nonchalantly. Ruel shook his head in response. ¡°I can use magic to help you.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯ll be a hassle if there are traces left.¡± ¡ªThis body will stay in Ruel¡¯s arms. Leo tried to cover his nose but unfortunately, his short legs couldn¡¯t reach. Leo smiled contentedly once he was in Ruel¡¯s arms. As they progressed, squelching sounds beneath their feet hinted at a gruesome reality. Ruel looked down to see dark red blood staining the stairs, a trail that continued downward. ¡°Judging by how the blood has clotted, it seems like it¡¯s been about two days.¡± Cassion spoke, meeting Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Noah mentioned the bodies were being transported to the palace, so they must have been disposed of periodically.¡± Ruel added, following Hikars down briefly before a troubling realization struck. He quickly pressed down on Leo¡¯s head. ¡°The bodies...¡± Aris couldn¡¯t continue. The scene that unfolded below was a pit filled with corpses. He didn¡¯t want to go down there. Clenching his fist, he looked to Ruel, his clear green eyes did not waver. ¡°There¡¯s a distinct smell of preservatives in the air. It appears they¡¯ve managed to preserve the bodies to some extent. Given the winter season, it¡¯s a convenient time for dealing with corpses, making it an opportune moment for such actions,¡± Cassion remarked, his gaze sweeping over the grim scene before turning to Ruel. ¡°Please remain here, Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion urged. ¡°No, I¡¯m just a little nauseous.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s to prevent your clothes from getting soiled.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes widened at Cassion¡¯s words, checking back to ensure he had heard correctly. ¡°It takes at least three weeks to take measurements, select fabric, and tailor it. Why would you want to ruin your clothes?¡± This visit to the Kran Kingdom was official, with Ruel serving as the delegation¡¯s representative. Naturally, he had brought his finest attire. However, no matter how dark the color, once tainted with blood, it would be irreparable. The mere thought was horrifying. ¡°Do you realize how absurd what you¡¯re saying is?¡± Ruel pointed out, but Cassion remained steadfast in his response. ¡°Ruel-nim, you¡¯ve already ruined one outfit.¡± It seemed it was from the blood spilled during their time at the second line of defense. ¡°Anyone who hears you will think I¡¯m so poor I can¡¯t afford a new outfit.¡± ¡°As you know, Ruel-nim, you lose weight very easily if you overexert yourself. And because of your sensitive body, you get rashes or itching if you don¡¯t wear specific fabrics, right?¡± Ruel¡¯s expression began to harden, and Cassion¡¯s once impassive face displayed hints of frustration. ¡°Moreover, recently you¡¯ve been insisting only on white, and it¡¯s taken a long time just to match the colors and designs. To you, it may feel like just one outfit, but for that one outfit...¡± Ruel was on the verge of bursting into laughter but quickly stifled it with his hand. It was too amusing to hear such words from Cassion. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion frowned and tried to stop him again. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll stay here.¡± Even from the top of the stairs, he could spot the peculiar magic circle etched on the wall. He wanted to inspect it closer, but Cassion¡¯s insistence made it impossible. ¡°Apologies for the interruption, but I have something to share, Ruel-nim.¡± Hikars, who had gone ahead to examine the magic circle, called out to Ruel from a safe distance, concerned about blood splattering onto Ruel¡¯s attire. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve encountered something similar to that magic circle before. I¡¯m not a mage, so I can¡¯t provide details, but that magic circle certainly absorbs death.¡± Ruel wasn¡¯t surprised, as he had already anticipated that black water would be created here. However, the fact that Hikars had seen something similar weighed on his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a closer look.¡± Aris bowed to Ruel and proceeded towards the magic circle. Ruel observed Aris, whose expression twisted with each step, and then turned to Hikars. ¡°Where did you see it?¡± ¡°I saw it in the Tonisk Empire.¡± ¡°...?¡± Ruel raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°So, the barrier set up in front of the Tonisk Empire¡¯s main gate looks similar to that magic circle.¡± Ruel had never seen the barrier in the Empire. He had too much going on in his own life to pay attention to that. ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel called for Cassion immediately. ¡°Yes, I have a record of the Tonisk Empire¡¯s barrier.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± Cassion put his hand in his magic pocket and rummaged briefly before pulling out a bundle of papers. After checking the classification marked on the corner of the papers, he handed a sheet to Ruel. As soon as Ruel received it, he showed it to Hikars. ¡°Is this it?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the barrier.¡± After receiving Hikars¡¯ confirmation, Ruel examined the paper. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t know about this. Leo also glanced at it, but soon flattened his ears. The intricate patterns were so complex that they made his head spin. ¡®It definitely looks similar.¡¯ The designs drawn on the magic circle were alike, but the size, direction, and position differed. However, Ruel had not studied barriers or magic circles in detail, so he couldn¡¯t discern much more. ¡°Aris.¡± Aris, who had been examining the magic circle, hurried over at Ruel¡¯s call. ¡°How does it look?¡± Ruel presented him the paper. ¡°The inscriptions on the magic circle are complex. However, it¡¯s clear that it absorbs something.¡± ¡°Does it resemble the magic circle carved on that wall?¡± ¡°...Hmm. Currently, they serve different purposes. The one on the paper is a defensive barrier designed to prevent something, whereas the one on the wall is a magic circle that either generates something or triggers a specific phenomenon.¡± ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can you gather more information about the function of that magic circle?¡± Aris hesitated, biting his lip. ¡°It might take some time.¡± Understanding the delay, Ruel accepted the situation. ¡°Aris, please contact my uncle.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± This time, Aris responded promptly, perhaps viewing it as a learning experience. ¡°Tyson-nim.¡± Aris activated the communication device. -Aris, you look even thinner. Are you eating properly? Just because you¡¯re taller than Ruel doesn¡¯t mean you should eat less... Tyson began chatting cheerfully as soon as the communication started, but he quickly shut his mouth. He had belatedly realized the situation around him. -Aris, is the situation dangerous? Tyson grimaced at the sight of corpses and rotten blood everywhere. ¡°No, I need your advice.¡± -In a situation like this? ¡°Yes, Tyson-nim.¡± -Is... Ruel there with you? Tyson¡¯s worry was evident in his question as Aris glanced nervously at Ruel. How should he respond? ¡°That is...¡± ¡°Uncle.¡± Ruel cut in and called out to Tyson. -Ruel, you¡¯re not getting into trouble again, are you? Tyson sighed heavily. ¡°No.¡± As he hesitated whether to believe this or not, Ruel smiled brightly. Tyson¡¯s heart wavered. ¡°Uncle, I have a request.¡± Tyson¡¯s heart softened at the word ¡®favor.¡¯ Having given up on scolding Ruel, Tyson saw him as a beloved child regardless of the circumstances. -Tell me what you need. Tyson looked at Ruel with a slight expectation. ¡°I would like you to check these two magic circle formations. Aris will explain in detail.¡± -Formations? ¡°Yes, Tyson-nim.¡± Aris showed him the magic circle in the paper he had received from Cassion. -Hmm. As Tyson nodded, Aris turned back to the magic circle in the wall. ¡°From what I can see, this magic circle seems to be used to absorb something and create something. And the warlock, Mr. Hikars said that death is being absorbed here.¡± -Aris, can you show me the paper with the magic circle again? ¡°Yes.¡± Aris answered, then adjusted the position of the paper so that the magic circle and the barrier drawn on it were clearly visible. Chapter 182: What the Great Man Seeks (3) Aris frowned momentarily as he felt something squishy and crumbling beneath his feet. However, this initial reaction soon shifted to one of intellectual curiosity as he observed Tyson¡¯s cautious examination of the formation. After a while, Aris broke the silence, ¡°Tyson-nim, do you understand the formation?¡± -I can¡¯t confidently say I can solve it now, but I do have some understanding of it. As Tyson¡¯s expression tensed, a wave of tension washed over Aris. -You¡¯ve interpreted the formation quite well, Aris. Surprised by the sudden praise, Aris¡¯s eyes widened. -This magic circle is designed to absorb ¡®death,¡¯ the power the warlock mentioned. ¡°So, as Ruel-nim predicted, the black water is being created here?¡± Aris glanced at Ruel, who calmly awaited the outcome while inhaling Breath. -I believe that¡¯s likely. However, the issue lies in the fact that this formation is growing stronger. If left unchecked, it could become potent enough to absorb death throughout the entire Kran Kingdom. ¡°What?¡± Aris¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. -Moreover, considering that the magic circle absorbs death, the barrier here is set to block everything except death. ¡°No way. We must destroy this formation quickly and maintain the barrier.¡± Aris expressed his anxiety. For him, understanding the purpose of the magic circle was the extent of his abilities. ¡°Tyson-nim, I lack the knowledge to dismantle this magic circle. I need your expertise here...¡± -Aris. Tyson affectionately interrupted Aris, preventing him from succumbing to self-doubt. -Take another look at the magic circle. Following Tyson¡¯s advice, Aris refocused on the magic circle. -Remember what I emphasized about the importance of circles in formations and barriers? ¡°I do.¡± -The circle provides equilibrium. That¡¯s why all magic circles and barriers are circular. If either loses balance, an explosion proportional to its size will occur. ¡°I remember that. To prevent such an explosion, we must know how to draw another formation.¡± -Yes, you have a good memory. Despite Tyson¡¯s praise, Aris maintained a serious expression as he studied the magic circle. -Aris, you¡¯ve correctly observed and understood the formation¡¯s purpose. These formations weren¡¯t crafted to be solved alone. Feeling reassured by Tyson¡¯s words, Aris gradually relaxed, realizing his unnecessary tension. -Let¡¯s work together to solve this, Aris. ¡°Yes, absolutely!¡± Aris smiled, then turned to Ruel, saying, ¡°Ruel-nim, breaking this formation might take some time.¡± ¡°Alright, and I anticipated as much, Uncle.¡± -Ruel. ¡°Can you join us here immediately?¡± -I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t leave my post right now. I¡¯m the only one capable of stabilizing your mana at the moment. Ruel had been steadily transferring his mana to Tyson to find a way to counter the black water. Like darkness, his mana required control, needing to be subdued by strong mana¡ªcurrently only Tyson in Leponia had sufficient mana. ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry about my request...¡± Ruel paused for a moment and continued to inhale Breath. The stuffy air made it difficult to breathe. ¡°It¡¯s best if we head back to the room now,¡± Cassion suggested, unable to ignore Ruel¡¯s irregular breathing any longer. Ruel glanced at Aris. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already captured the magical formation on video,¡± Aris reassured. ¡°And you, Hikars?¡± ¡°I will remain here and guide death onto the correct path.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Ruel nodded, then turned his attention to Cassion. *** Upon their return to the room, Ruel raised an eyebrow at the profound silence. ¡°...?¡± While it was one thing for Fran and Tierra to be asleep, he was surprised to see Noah fall asleep too. They seemed unusually at ease. Cassion sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with him later.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ruel murmured, reclining on the bed as fatigue washed over him. Leo nestled close, grumbling, ¡ªThis body never wants to return to that place! Couldn¡¯t see a thing and the smell was off! ¡°I feel the same,¡± Ruel agreed. Ruel had no reason to go back down into the underground again. Destroying that magic circle wasn¡¯t his responsibility. After hearing from Tyson that the magic circle was growing stronger and could affect the entire Kran Kingdom, a thought came to him. The ray of darkness that led to the empire¡¯s downfall¡ªcould it be linked to that magic circle? Unease gnawed at Ruel as he pondered. ¡®If such a circle exists in Kran, could similar ones be in Leponia and Cyronian?¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow at the implications. He considered whether Jayel¡¯s rebellion might be a ploy to activate the magic circle. What other event could draw both nations¡¯ attention so effectively? ¡®But it won¡¯t go as you plan, Great Man.¡¯ A slow smile graced Ruel¡¯s lips. ¡ªWhy are you smiling? Leo tilted his head curiously. ¡°Just lost in thought,¡± Ruel replied, scratching behind Leo¡¯s ears, contemplating their next moves. Their time in Kran was nearing its end. Now wasn¡¯t the moment to apprehend the Great Man, nor could he do so just yet. First, he had to disrupt the game set by that guy, as he had informed Huswen, Brans, and Banios. There was no more room for interference in the Kran Kingdom. The Great Man, the underground magic circle, and Jayel would have to be addressed later. ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion, who was about to go back underground, stopped. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have Hikars and the warlocks investigate each royal palace to see if they have a magic circle like the one we saw earlier.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Cassion disappeared after replying. Ruel waited until Aris returned to the room and immediately spoke, ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re to stay here and assist my uncle in examining the magic circle.¡± ¡°This time, I... No, I understand,¡± Aris responded, acknowledging the critical task at hand. Ruel noticed Aris struggling to express his thoughts, almost calling for Jan before redirecting his attention to Aris. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to bear this burden alone, as my uncle mentioned. I¡¯m here, Drianna is here, and we have the Magic Knights too,¡± Ruel reassured Aris. Despite Ruel¡¯s comforting words, Aris¡¯s expression remained tense. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Ruel reluctantly called for Jan and entered the Spirit House. Aris grasped the hem of his clothing tightly. Telling him not to carry everything alone¡ªwho was that really meant for? The one shouldering all the burdens right now was Ruel himself. Frustration welled up within Aris, prompting him to pause, take deep breaths, and regain composure before activating the communication device with mana. ¡°Tyson-nim, can we begin immediately?¡± Aris inquired, determined to support Ruel to ensure that Ruel wouldn¡¯t collapse under the weight of everything he was doing. After all, he was Ruel¡¯s knight. *** Upon seeing Jan, Ruel¡¯s expression turned apologetic. ¡°Jan, I apologize for the frequent interruptions,¡± Ruel expressed remorse, aware of the burdens Jan also carried. Although doors could be opened almost anywhere except corruption areas, there were limitations, evident from their first door-opening experience. Jan appeared somewhat strained, likely from the continuous door activations. Despite this, Ruel had to mention their next destination, Ganien. ¡°Jan, I¡¯m sorry, but I need to use the door once more. Our next stop is...¡± ¡°Child,¡± Jan interjected solemnly, halting Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°Please proceed.¡± Approaching Ruel, Jan unexpectedly nudged him, causing him to stumble. Thud! ¡°...?¡± Perplexed, Ruel felt a soft surface beneath him as petals danced around him. Leo, initially startled, soon began to chuckle and clambered onto Ruel¡¯s stomach. Ruel gazed at Jan, bewildered by the sudden turn of events. ¡°Take a breather.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You seem overly anxious,¡± Jan remarked, a smile softening his previously serious demeanor. The spirits, who had observed silently, erupted into laughter and surrounded Ruel. ¡°I¡¯ve been preparing something delightful since I wasn¡¯t sure when you¡¯d arrive.¡± With a wave from Jan, a wooden table materialized instantly. Ruel, still taken aback, was speechless. ¡ªWow! Something delicious! Leo wagged his tail excitedly, perching on the table eagerly. ¡°Jan is right. We haven¡¯t heard from Ganien yet. Take this moment to relax,¡± Cassion advised, stifling a smile and extending a hand to assist Ruel up. He knew Jan would nudge Ruel, but he refrained from intervening, trusting in Jan¡¯s intentions. ¡°Recently, I learned how to make the meat pie you enjoy from a human named Astell,¡± Jan revealed. ¡°With Astell... the meat pie?¡± Ruel asked as he sat up, slowly coming to his senses, slightly surprised. He remembered how Jan used to dislike humans, except for himself. ¡°I cherished the simple snack time I shared with you, Aris, and Cassion,¡± Jan reminisced, offering a hand to Ruel. ¡°Come, child. It¡¯s always warm here. Rest for a while.¡± Ruel finally smiled, realizing the concern Aris had shown him. Though he believed he needed to persevere, he had inadvertently caused worry among Fran, Aris, and even Jan. Reclining back, Ruel surrendered to the moment. Jan gasped, reaching out. ¡°Child...!¡± Thud. Feeling the familiar soft support beneath him, Ruel closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll rest until my friend contacts me. I¡¯ll remain here until then.¡± ¡°Of course, take all the time you need,¡± Jan reassured Ruel, settling beside him and tenderly brushing Ruel¡¯s forehead as he drifted off to sleep. ¡°It¡¯s so difficult for him, yet he still tries to push himself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just foolishness...¡± Cassion said and frowned, feeling a painful ache in his heart. It was something he wanted to say, even though he knew it would hurt. ¡°Ruel is the most pitiful Setiria I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± When Jan looked at Cassion sharply, he felt he had to respond. ¡°What do you mean by pitiful?¡± ¡°Throughout the ages, Setiria has avoided facing the Great Man. If Ruel dies, that barrier will be broken.¡± Jan redirected his gaze to Ruel. ¡°Yet this child dares to confront it, fully aware of the immense challenge. It¡¯s a mix of pity, poignancy, bravery, and admiration. I believe he stands as the greatest among all Setirias. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± In response to Jan¡¯s question, Cassion sighed before answering, ¡°Certainly, he is someone worthy of serving.¡± Jan smiled contentedly at Cassion¡¯s words. ¡ªJan, when does this body get to eat those delicious things? Leo looked forlornly at the empty table. *** (The Great Man¡¯s younger brother) Rip! The sound of tearing fabric pierced the air as a man¡¯s arm was violently severed, blood spurting forth. ¡°Ugh. Huh!¡± The man, wielding his sword, emitted a noise that could be mistaken for either a cry of pain or a retch. ¡®That sword... Have I seen it before?¡¯ (Ruel) But the man¡¯s face and the blade, marked with something that looked like ink from a pen, made it impossible to see clearly. Rain began to pour down. The raindrops mixed with the blood, creating a gruesome scene. Swish! Even amidst the downpour, the man¡¯s screams persisted. Clang! In his torment, he eventually dropped the sword, trembling hands reaching for his face. ¡°Uaaaaah...!¡± With a voice that felt like his head was bursting, he continued to wail and cry out. Finally, he sank to his knees beside what appeared to be a lifeless body. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His hands, marred with wounds, touched the corpse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother... Ugh. It had to be done, the only way.¡± Gritting his teeth, he glared at the severed arm beside the corpse. ¡°Why? Why? Why...?¡± Contrary to his prior remorse, a surge of resentment overcame him as he stared at the lifeless body. Abruptly, the man fell silent, watching in astonishment as the severed arm began reattaching itself to the body. ¡®The arm is reattaching...?¡¯ Ruel recalled the unique healing power from the web novel SSS-Class Knight, devoid of divine influence¡ªthe power of regeneration, the sole ability capable of such a miraculous feat. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ (Ruel) ¡°Again.¡± The man rose from his seat, as if accustomed to it, and grasped his sword once more. ¡°I loathe you, brother. You were once a revered hero, yet look at how you ended this war. Why did you make that choice?¡± His voice quivered. ¡°I refuse to understand you. I refuse to resent you. But... I despise you. Look at what you¡¯ve done. This, this...¡± The man raised his sword slowly, his voice breaking. ¡°However, I shall bear the weight of all the sins you have committed.¡± Rumble! As the man swung his sword down, a bolt of lightning struck. ¡°Never... never come into this world again!¡± The severed head of the corpse rolled across the ground. *** ¡°Huff!¡± Ruel drew in a deep breath, locking eyes with the severed head he recognized from his dream. He was familiar with that face. ¡®The first Setiria...?¡¯ But that couldn¡¯t be true. The first Setiria had already disappeared. ¡®So, is this dream a glimpse of a past memory...?¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes widened in shock. A corpse with the power of regeneration. A being that looked just like the first Setiria. ¡°Did you have a bad dream?¡± Startled by Jan¡¯s sudden voice, Ruel urgently asked, ¡°Jan. Do you know about the first Setiria?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jan closed his mouth, looking troubled. ¡°Could it be... was the first Setiria a twin?¡± Although Jan didn¡¯t answer, the tremor in his eyes betrayed him. In that moment, Ruel felt as if the ground dropped away beneath him. Before he fainted at the second defense line, the first Setiria had touched his forehead. Whether this dream was influenced by that touch, he didn¡¯t know, but that wasn¡¯t what mattered now. The Great Man was a Setiria. ¡®No, more importantly...¡¯ What the Great Man was looking for was his real body. Chapter 183: Lay the groundwork ¡°Never again... to come to this world again!¡± The Great Man¡¯s body, which was presumed to be the first Setiria, had been purified by Leo. The scene of the Great Man¡¯s body being severed was still vivid. Currently, the Great Man could not come to this world due to some restrictions. Was he implying that to break those restrictions, he needed his original body? ¡®No. Does this even make sense?¡¯ If this were true, what would happen? ¡°Child.¡± As Ruel began to sweat profusely, Jan cautiously shook him. ¡°The Great Man knew us better than anyone.¡± The words Jan had slowly brought up began to resonate now. Ruel finally understood what that meant. Intense flames flickered in his eyes as he stared blankly at Jan. ¡°Jan, you know the identity of the Great Man! You knew, yet... How long have you deceived me?¡± Ruel glared fiercely at Jan, his anger boiling within. ¡°Is the one imposing this restriction a king? Or a being akin to a god? Whoever it is, why... Why create such a damn restriction?¡± At Ruel¡¯s sudden outburst, Cassion, who was honing his sword, and Leo, who was playing with spirits, both approached him simultaneously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This restriction is intended to suppress the power he possesses.¡± Jan¡¯s expression revealed regret and discomfort, aware yet unable to disclose the connection to the Great Man¡¯s power. ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t you speak about it?¡± Ruel was extremely frustrated. Was it even possible that he couldn¡¯t mention the fact that the Great Man was aiming for his original body, which is in Leponia? The first thing he did was to disrupt the balance of the world. Jan said that maintaining that balance was the duty of a ¡®king.¡¯ ¡®The Great Man must have focused on weakening the ¡®king¡¯s¡¯ power. After all, he would have been the most bothersome existence.¡¯ Since no humans with the ability to commune with spirits had been born anymore, it seemed that the task progressed very smoothly. Next, he expanded the influence of the ¡®Red Ash,¡¯ waiting for the devotee of darkness who would someday be born in Setiria. He dreamed of proudly entering Leponia possessing the body of a descendant of Setiria to find his own body and take revenge. ¡®Insisting on this constraint even in such circumstances?¡¯ There must be a reason for it. Ruel gradually calmed his anger and slowly moved his gaze. ¡°No way. Is it related to the power of the hero he possessed?¡± Jan smiled silently. That meant it was true, but Ruel was filled with doubt. Didn¡¯t he possess that power himself? Undeniably, it was a precious gift that bestowed him with life and magic, but it didn¡¯t seem grand enough to be termed the power of a hero. ¡°I have that power.¡± ¡°You...?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jan appeared relieved and took a deep breath, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to call this fortunate or not.¡± Jan added with a solemn attitude, ¡°He still has that power. A unique power cannot be taken by anyone.¡± ¡°Unique power?¡± Ruel sank deep into thought, not even feeling Leo¡¯s paw tapping against his thigh. ¡®He can¡¯t mention the identity of the Great Man, even though he knows the true name. No, it¡¯s because of the unique power.¡¯ Why can¡¯t he speak about it? Why shouldn¡¯t it be mentioned? ¡®And what the hell is that unique power?¡¯ Thinking in terms of what it means to be a hero, many things came to mind. Even in defeat, could he not revive with his comrades¡¯ support? Doesn¡¯t a hero draw strength from his allies¡¯ cheers and calls? ¡®Surely... not everyone possesses such a power, do they? That would be unfair.¡¯ Tap, tap. ¡ªRuel, Ruel, Ruel! When Leo whined like that, Ruel finally snapped out of his reverie. ¡ªWhy did you shout? Did Jan do something wrong? This body will scold him on your behalf. ¡°No. I just had a bad dream.¡± As Ruel glanced at Jan, who still wore an apologetic expression, he realized that Jan probably wasn¡¯t intentionally keeping silent. He acknowledged that he had been overly sensitive. ¡°Did you discover something else? Or did you meet him in your dream?¡± Cassion approached Ruel and asked. ¡°I can¡¯t say for certain yet. I¡¯m not even sure if it¡¯s accurate.¡± Even if this dream was shown to him by the first Setiria, he didn¡¯t have confidence that it was real. No, he desperately wanted to hope it wasn¡¯t. That horrible bastard was a Setiria. The thought of sharing the same blood as him disgusted him. Damn it. Ruel inhaled Breath to compose himself before offering an apology to Jan. ¡°I apologize for raising my voice, Jan.¡± Jan shook his head in response, ¡°No, the one who should be apologizing is me. I...¡± Jan paused and then moved his fingers. A freshly baked meat pie appeared, looking as if it had just been made from flower petals sprouting from the ground. Carefully, Jan offered, ¡°Would you like one?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ruel accepted the meat pie without hesitation, feeling guilty. ¡ªAh! This body wants to eat some too... Ruel quickly handed the meat pie to Leo, who was eager to pounce on it. Munch, munch. In an instant, the meat pie vanished, and Leo¡¯s cheeks puffed up. ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious! Leo¡¯s tail wagged excitedly. Crunch. Ruel took a bite, experiencing a delightful taste that made him regret his earlier outburst. Gulp. Jan swallowed dryly, silently asking with his eyes how it tasted. Ruel chuckled and confirmed, ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡ªThis meat pie is tasty, but Cassion¡¯s is definitely the best! As if he knew Ruel was going to grab his tail, Leo was already beside Cassion. ¡®So, he¡¯s gotten a little smarter, huh?¡¯ Amused by Leo¡¯s evolving behavior, Ruel chuckled and then burst into laughter at Cassion¡¯s expression, slightly smug as he observed Leo. Perhaps starting to cook with the intent of killing him, Cassion now seemed to take pride in his culinary skills. Munch. While munching on another meat pie, Leo perked his ears up. ¡ªShiny! Leo eagerly gazed at the gleaming light coming from Ruel¡¯s ring. It was Ganien. Ruel infused mana into the ring to establish a connection. ¡°Seems like everything is settled now?¡± -Well... it concluded somewhat anticlimactically. He wishes to seek your forgiveness. ¡°Who?¡± At Ruel¡¯s question, Ganien let out a wry laugh. -You can¡¯t believe that he said such a thing, right? I can¡¯t either, but this is the truth. ¡°Ganien, if you¡¯re bored, you can just cut down a building.¡± -I¡¯m not joking; I really mean it. Thud. -When I tried to intimidate him by splitting a building in half, he was so frightened that he immediately wanted to beg for mercy upon seeing me, lying flat on the ground. Thud. -Do you hear that noise? He¡¯s banging his head waiting for your arrival. ¡°...Hah. I really don¡¯t know what kind of trick this is.¡± -Yeah, I¡¯m baffled too. I put a knife to his throat to scare him, and he says he¡¯ll tell you everything before dying or something like that. What can I do? I have to contact you. It¡¯s your business, so you decide. Ruel smirked slightly, intrigued by this novel approach. ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll go see how badly he¡¯s banged up his forehead.¡± -Sure. I¡¯ll relay that exactly. *** Thud. Ruel looked down at Nehils Praha with a flat expression. When Ruel arrived, Ganien had already turned the ceiling into a skylight with the building-cutting technique he had honed while in Setiria. In a snowy mountain area blanketed with snow, not within a city or the countryside, Ruel stumbled upon the dilapidated little house where Nehils was hiding. Who would recognize him as a member of the Red Ash? Who would even suspect that he held an executive position? ¡°Cassion, isn¡¯t this all made up on purpose?¡± Ruel opened his heavy mouth. ¡°No. He¡¯s been here for four years.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Ruel kicked him. Despite Nehils being elderly, Ruel felt no sympathy. He was simply exasperated by the absurdity of the situation. Nehils raised his head. ¡°Haha...¡± Ruel chuckled. All he saw was a pitiful, ragged old man. ¡°You marked me? You?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Despite some hesitation, Nehils responded with a guilty expression. Ruel felt a wave of nausea rise in him. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Ruel¡¯s hand, clutching the cane, trembled fiercely. His words were far from gentle. Wasn¡¯t this man responsible for the deaths of Ruel¡¯s father and guardian? ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know. After that, you can end me.¡± Nehils seemed as insignificant as a dried-up anchovy, barely registering in Ruel¡¯s presence. Ruel scoffed. ¡°Fine. You¡¯ll spill everything? What is the Great Man after?¡± With each word Ruel spoke, white breath rose in the air along with the blowing wind. ¡°I believe it was something said to have been received from a god when he was a hero.¡± It seemed he didn¡¯t know the specifics. The Great Man didn¡¯t trust anyone, so this was clearly the best answer Nehils could give. However, it was unclear if Nehils intentionally referred to the Great Man as ¡®that bastard.¡¯ ¡°Why bring up a god all of a sudden?¡± Ruel frowned. A god in a world without divine power? ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but it is said that a great war broke out in this world because of beings that came from another world several hundred years ago. He was the hero who ended that war.¡± ¡°How do you know this?¡± ¡°Only through my grandfather. He met him in person and relayed the tale to me.¡± Nehils lowered his voice suddenly, casting anxious glances around as if fearing eavesdroppers. ¡°No matter how much you press me, I don¡¯t know his true name or face, but I do know that his name must never be spoken.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s his power. The more people who are aware of him, the stronger that power becomes.¡± Ruel frowned. There was no evidence to prove that what he said was true. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°From your guardian...¡± Nehils cautiously glanced at Ruel. Ruel¡¯s expression soon hardened. ¡°Go on.¡± Ruel¡¯s tone was sharp. He had only encountered two guardians. He was unaware of their total number, whereabouts, or activities. Ruel purposely avoided dwelling on it, as the outcome seemed too bleak. ¡°Speak!¡± Impatiently, Ruel shouted, prompting Nehils to finally speak. ¡°I heard it through your guardian...¡± ¡°Did you kill them?¡± ¡°Yes. All the guardians I captured... I killed them all.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice cut through the air, chilling Nehils to the core. It felt like a spear had pierced him; Ruel¡¯s stare was so intense that the biting wind seemed secondary. ¡°The guardians wiped out all traces of his existence. That¡¯s why he commanded their deaths.¡± In the silence that followed, Nehils tentatively met Ruel¡¯s gaze. The weight of Ruel¡¯s stare left Nehils speechless. ¡°If he was such a great hero, why doesn¡¯t anyone remember him? The guardians deliberately erased all connections to him to weaken his influence.¡± Nehils retrieved something from his pocket and extended it to Ruel. ¡°Here, this is a record I kept about the names of the guardians and what they did.¡± Ruel laughed suddenly. It was a cold laugh, as if a part of his heart ached. As he briefly glanced at Cassion, he swiftly seized the documents from Nehils. Ruel inhaled Breath. The guardians were the heroes who had defeated the Great Man. If the unique power that the Great Man possessed was truly tied to a hero and their companions, then there would have been no reason to kill the guardians. But he had given the order to kill them, and perhaps even at this moment, his own guardian was dying. Ruel laughed again. ¡®If he¡¯s only looking for his original body, then the guardians would be an obstacle.¡¯ It also showed that the soldiers of the present were qualitatively different from those of the past. It was a time of peace now. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s assume it¡¯s all true. But why disclose this to me?¡± Nehils bit his lip and replied, ¡°I understand that to you, anything I say might sound like an excuse. But what more can this old body, which has nothing left but death, hope for?¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I told you to present your excuses.¡± Ruel stared down at Nehils, curious to hear the old man¡¯s defense. ¡°I... I have lived my life in subservience to him. I did that to preserve the pride of being a descendant of the heroes my family has protected.¡± Suddenly, Nehils let out a hollow laugh. ¡°I killed Trino Setiria, I killed your guardians, and I marked you to become his next vessel. And eventually, that brought me to this point. But...¡± Snow began to fall. ¡°But my circumstances remain unchanged. Instead, as time passed, your younger self occupied more and more of my thoughts. You haunted me even in my dreams. Again and again.¡± ¡°...Hah.¡± Ruel let out a hollow laugh. How disgusting were those words? But Nehils continued to speak. ¡°At that moment, I realized. That I was the evil one. My eyes, blinded by his indoctrination, couldn¡¯t distinguish between good and evil, and my ears were devoured by his temptations!¡± Nehils began to sob slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know that whatever I say will only horrify you. But I want to somehow repay you for what I have done to you...¡± ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°I will do anything! If you tell me to become a dog, I will become a dog! I would meet my end willingly if you chose to take it now.¡± The shabby old man cried out as he looked at Ruel. Chapter 184: Lay the groundwork (2) The shabby old man seemed like he would pass out with just a light hit from himself. How pathetic. Suddenly, everything seemed hollow to Ruel. Must he truly endure such agony because of this insignificant person? Ruel sniffed for no apparent reason. It was so miserable to feel that his own suffering was nothing. All because of that guy. With wavering eyes, Ruel briefly glanced back. Ganien shared his anger, and even Cassion was frowning. Next to Ganien, Leo¡¯s ears drooped, and his eyes were slowly wavering. ¡ªRuel. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel spoke up. ¡°Take him away.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Cassion bit his lip. Ruel was being sacrificed due to the desires of that pathetic old man. No, he had lost much more than that. Yet Ruel instructed him to be taken away. Logically, it made sense to remove the one who was knowledgeable about the Red Ash, but this felt wrong. Such a command was not one a human should issue. Ganien hesitated, then finally voiced, ¡°Ruel, are you truly going to let him go like this?¡± Ruel coldly smiled as he pondered Ganien¡¯s words, ¡°Just let him go? Me? No chance.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For whose benefit?¡± Ruel turned back to Nehils. ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t sworn the oath of mana. Correct?¡± ¡°Y-yes. I have not sworn the oath of mana since my father¡¯s time as he acknowledged the family I have served all this while.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d be my dog?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then be a loyal dog. Don¡¯t you want to watch as the Red Ash, which you served, crumbles piece by piece?¡± Ruel raised the corner of his lip. His smile was incredibly cold. *** Stomp. Ruel walked on, feeling the snowflakes against his skin. He had made Nehils sign a magical contract with the condition of obedience. After that, he confirmed once more the facts he had mentioned earlier, and the result was that it was all true. Stomp. ¡®My guardian is likely...¡¯ Ruel halted his thoughts. He refused to dwell on it further. Sigh. Ruel gazed up at the sky and let out a deep breath. Slowly, his face contorted in anguish. ¡°Ruel...?¡± At Ganien¡¯s cautious voice, Ruel turned around. All eyes were on him. ¡®I told them to go in first.¡¯ The door he had asked Jan to open was already ajar. Jan was crouched in front of the door, looking at Ruel with concern. ¡°Please enter first, Ruel-nim. I¡¯ll follow right behind.¡± Cassion suggested as he watched Ruel hesitantly pacing in circles. It was Ruel who should step through the door first now. Did he feel colder than usual, trembling slightly? Something felt awry. ¡ªCassion is right. Ruel looks very cold. Leo ran over and rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s legs. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Just need a moment to clear my mind.¡± Ruel forced a smile. His chest felt like it might burst. Anger filled him to the point where his head throbbed. ¡°You don¡¯t seem well at all. Why not step inside for now?¡± ¡°Yes. You appear uneasy. It seems you might collapse any moment... Oh!¡± Ganien instinctively lunged forward. Although it seemed a bit late, fortunately, Cassion was close enough to catch Ruel just in time as he began to collapse. ¡°C, child!¡± Jan exclaimed in surprise as he called out to Ruel. Ruel was shaking all over. ¡ªCassion, why is Ruel acting like this all of a sudden? Leo gazed at Cassion, his eyes trembling. Ganien quickly checked on Ruel. It wasn¡¯t a seizure caused by illness; it seemed the problem lay with his heart. Ganien shook his head at Cassion¡¯s questioning gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jan. Ruel is fine. There¡¯s no need to fret. And Leo, you don¡¯t have to be alarmed either. It¡¯s just a bit chilly, that¡¯s all. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Ganien glanced at Cassion, awkwardly smiling to reassure Jan and Leo. Cassion already had a syringe in hand. Even though Ruel¡¯s trembling wasn¡¯t due to a seizure, it hadn¡¯t subsided. This symptom was concerning. ¡°No.¡± Cassion¡¯s response differed from Ganien¡¯s, causing tears to well up slowly in Leo¡¯s eyes. ¡ªThen why did Ruel collapse again? This body doesn¡¯t like it when Ruel is unwell. ¡°No, Ruel didn¡¯t collapse due to illness.¡± Upon Ganien¡¯s explanation, Leo regarded him with a gaze that seemed to question the truth. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Cassion?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ignoring Ganien¡¯s pleading gaze, Cassion calmly injected the syringe into Ruel¡¯s arm. Jan and Leo, who had been quiet for a moment, started to fuss again. ¡°Hey! Why can¡¯t you just agree with me?¡± Ganien frowned. *** Blink, blink. When Ruel opened his eyes, he was startled to see Jan so close. ¡°A-are you okay? Is there anywhere else that hurts?¡± Jan asked in a worried voice. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ruel felt embarrassed; he hadn¡¯t expected to faint. Still, he hadn¡¯t been that weak lately. He was probably on edge because of the dreams and Nehils. Kuroo kuru. Beep. Bell bell. The sounds of various spirits filled the air, accompanied by the scent of flowers. ¡ªRuel... sniff. Leo¡¯s sniffling voice reached his ears. ¡ªThis¡ªthis body was so startled. Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s hand. His palm quickly grew wet. Ruel lifted Leo up. Leo¡¯s tears fell one by one onto his face. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t cry anymore.¡± ¡ªSniff... this¡ªthis body did not cry. Leo moved his front paw to wipe away his tears, but it didn¡¯t reach. ¡°Sure, you didn¡¯t cry.¡± Ruel placed Leo on his stomach and petted him until he stopped weeping. Once Leo¡¯s sniffles subsided, Ruel called out to Jan. ¡°Jan.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± At that moment, as Ruel raised himself, a sudden wave of dizziness hit him. The world spun before his eyes, but he managed to steady himself with his hand. ¡°Sorry, could you please open the door to my room?¡± Ruel was unsure how much time had elapsed, but he had delayed too long. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°Child.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy I can help you. Everything I do is because I want to help you, so please don¡¯t apologize anymore.¡± ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t.¡± When Ruel beamed, Jan smiled in return. As a gust of wind swept in, Ruel turned his head in that direction to find Cassion and Ganien engaged in a bare-handed spar. The spirits gathered around them, their pure eyes sparkling, creating a very unusual sight. Both Cassion and Ganien seemed to be enjoying themselves, but Ganien seemed to be having the most fun. No wonder he couldn¡¯t find Cassion. Pointing towards them, Ruel asked, ¡°Is it alright to fight here?¡± ¡°If the spirits enjoy it, then I¡¯m fine with it too,¡± Jan replied, beaming brightly. They say early education is crucial. Ruel felt a tinge of concern that the spirits might be uncovering something new. *** Ruel opened his eyes to a soft feeling against his face. Turning his gaze, he saw Leo¡¯s paw. ¡®Ah, right. I¡¯m back in the room.¡¯ After Cassion and Ganien¡¯s duel, he had requested Jan to open the door, and they had returned to the room. He must have looked quite ill when he collapsed, as Fran had scolded him. ¡®I remember being told to take care of my health, but after that, I just fell asleep... I can¡¯t recall what happened next.¡¯ ¡°Are you awake?¡± Cassion asked, as he usually did. Suddenly, a sweet fragrance wafted through the room. Leo, who had been softly snoring, twitched his nose and blinked his eyes open. He scanned the room cautiously. With so many people in Ruel¡¯s current living space, he had to be vigilant. ¡°Fran left at dawn, and Noah is outside, so feel free to make noise.¡± Upon hearing Cassion¡¯s words, Leo finally grinned widely and exclaimed, ¡ªCocoa! This body is always ready for food! Instead of speaking, Cassion gestured towards Leo¡¯s food bowl. With his tail wagging, Leo trotted eagerly to his bowl. ¡°What¡¯s the current situation?¡± Ruel asked, and Cassion replied. ¡°Fortunately, it is said that you are recovering quickly after obtaining an antidote to the poison.¡± ¡°What about Princess Jayel?¡± ¡°Due to her status as a princess, she¡¯s not imprisoned but confined to a room. However, the situation appears to be escalating, and there are discussions that she might end up in prison.¡± ¡°Right. The poison must have come from Jayel¡¯s room.¡± Ruel smirked. He had almost been poisoned by the Red Ash as well, so this was just payback. Cassion handed him a cup of cocoa, ¡°Please have this for now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s morning... but you want me to drink it right after waking up?¡± ¡°I think you need it.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I can¡¯t refuse.¡± Ruel drank the cocoa before asking Cassion about the other situations. Feeling the warmth in his stomach, Ruel found his heart at peace. ¡°It seems Prince Adea handled things well.¡± ¡°Yes. We gathered evidence from Princess Jayel¡¯s room and the witnesses from the reception to pressure her while sending an apology letter to Leponia as well.¡± ¡°Now my presence in the Kran Kingdom will become awkward. After all, the leader of the delegation nearly got poisoned, how troublesome that must be.¡± It seemed that if Huswen dispatched someone for him, he could depart without objections. ¡°By any chance, do you plan to leave for Cyronian now, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s about time to depart.¡± Ruel raised the cup to his lips once more. ¡°Before that, I need to lay some groundwork.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°Kran is especially strong in religious beliefs. That so-called Hela or whatever always talks about mercy and having faith.¡± ¡°Are you planning to shake the foundations of the religion that is the pillar of the Kran Kingdom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Here, a warlock might have to play a villainous role unintentionally, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± The warlocks and religion have always had a close yet distant relationship, haven¡¯t they? At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion made a complicated expression and spoke up, ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°May I ask you something?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not trying to use a warlock to manipulate the Kingdom of Kran into declaring war, are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly it.¡± Ruel chuckled as if he found it amusing. ¡°This is just a diversion, after all, even the Great Man can¡¯t help but be affected. We have to prevent the board from shaking.¡± Cassion felt a shiver run down his spine at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°While you were sleeping, we received communication from Billo.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°They say two corpses, including that of Trino Setiria, have gone missing.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Ruel¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he held the cup. ¡°Contact Jan. Tell him to inform Mayre that the rampage of monsters in Leponia is the doing of the Great Man... No, never mind.¡± Ruel paused mid-sentence. Thinking it over, he realized there was no one capable of purification. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Ruel didn¡¯t yet know how many among the devotees of darkness heading toward Leponia could truly wield the darkness. He had to go. ¡®But not right at this moment.¡¯ Jan had forced open the door to bring not only himself but also other spirits to the spirit¡¯s home, because of that, Jan¡¯s wings had lost their light. Jan needed to rest now. He had told Jan to stop working for a while before coming to his room, so he must be resting now. ¡®Should I open the door? No, that would be unstable. Besides, I can¡¯t leave my current position.¡¯ As a sudden headache intensified, Ruel exhaled and drank some cocoa. ¡®Let¡¯s think calmly. I need to consider my priorities.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°I understand the urgency of the situation. However, acting hastily doesn¡¯t always lead to good decisions. How about taking a moment to rest and gather your thoughts?¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel called Cassion¡¯s attention and glanced at Leo. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± Cassion refilled Leo¡¯s empty bowl with cocoa and settled down to listen. ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± ¡°Just keep in mind, this isn¡¯t set in stone. Consider that as you listen.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel told Cassion about the dream he had had. Cassion¡¯s expression grew darker as he listened. Even after Ruel finished, Cassion struggled to speak before finally saying with difficulty, ¡°Isn¡¯t that why they sealed the body because they couldn¡¯t destroy it?¡± ¡°That seems likely.¡± ¡°Is there any way you can find a method to destroy the body?¡± ¡°Well, I wonder if I can find a way that even the people before me couldn¡¯t find.¡± ¡°By the way, Ruel-nim, you seem to be a descendant of heroes. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been caught up in so many matters...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate that title at all, so drop it,¡± Ruel replied in a slightly gruff tone before taking another sip of cocoa. ¡°Will you be able to endure?¡± Cassion asked Ruel with a serious gaze. For a moment, a weighty silence hung between them, but since the question was expected, Ruel chuckled lightly and responded. ¡°What will you do if I can¡¯t endure? Just let him take my body? Just imagining it gives me the chills.¡± No matter what the Great Man was looking for, nothing would change. He needed Ruel, and Ruel had to stop him. ¡°I feel the same way. I don¡¯t want to serve him as a master.¡± Cassion frowned and shook his head. ¡°So, Ruel-nim, when you mention buying time, are you referring to the period needed to find a means to destroy his body?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the time to destroy everything he¡¯s designed and for Leponia to establish a systematic defense. That¡¯s why.¡± Ruel was looking further ahead. The battlefield would inevitably be Leponia. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Quietly summon Prince Adea.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion rose from his seat. Just as he moved to conceal himself, he paused momentarily to receive a note handed to him by one of his subordinates in midair. [Task completed.] Though concise and lacking specifics like ¡°who¡± and ¡°what,¡± Cassion grasped the message well enough. There was only one assassination mission he had assigned. Cassion smiled and said, ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The assassination task has been carried out.¡± With that, Cassion vanished. Ruel¡¯s lips also curved upwards. The mission to eliminate the mad warlock was accomplished. The groundwork was set. ¡®Now I can start my plan.¡¯ Ruel contacted Huswen. He was the first person he needed to contact to shake things up. Chapter 185: Lay the groundwork (3) *** ¡°Your Majesty, have you been well all this time?¡± -Lord Setiria, have you been healthy? I¡¯ve heard about the events in Kran. It was quite concerning, such a dreadful thing happening. Despite the worrying words, Huswen smiled pleasantly. He knew that it was all a part of Ruel¡¯s deliberate plan, and it felt quite amusing to him. Regardless, it¡¯s like getting back at those Kran bastards. ¡°Your Majesty, may I have a moment to speak?¡± Ruel¡¯s serious tone wiped the smile from Huswen¡¯s face. -Are you about to stir things up? ¡°Yes, exactly. Your Majesty will play a pivotal role at the beginning of this plan. Will you be okay with that?¡± -I am ready. But before that, I must express my gratitude. Thanks to you, I have been able to rid the kingdom of lingering pests. I finally feel a sense of relief. Ruel realized Huswen was referring to the information Treitol had provided, which Ruel had passed on to Ganien a few days earlier. ¡°No, it¡¯s merely a gesture of trust in Your Majesty. Now, shouldn¡¯t we aim for something bigger than dealing with pests?¡± -I do enjoy hunting bears. ¡°I¡¯m pleased to hear that. This time, our target will be larger than a bear.¡± It certainly would be. The whole plan was to capture the Great Man. -I¡¯m looking forward to it. So, what should I do? ¡°In just a few days, it will be Your Majesty¡¯s birthday, correct? Therefore, I would like Your Majesty to send someone.¡± Ruel was suggesting to Huswen to provoke the Kran Kingdom. Currently, a scandal involving his attempted poisoning took place in Kran. It was an incident that would damage the nation¡¯s reputation, and if they sent someone from Cyronian to bring Ruel back under these circumstances, it would be nothing more than provocation. However, Ruel had already been scheduled to attend Huswen¡¯s birthday party, and from the perspective of the Kran nobility, it might be a good opportunity to create a stir. -Ah... Huswen laughed loudly upon understanding what Ruel wanted. -I understand your plan. I will ensure your safe arrival in Cyronian. Well then, I look forward to the gift. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I will see you then.¡± Knock, knock. Ruel smiled brightly at the precise sound of the knock. It seemed Adea was nearby by chance. Despite Adea¡¯s royal status, he was merely a pawn in Ruel¡¯s eyes. As expected, Adea entered when the door opened. Ruel leaned on his cane and stood to bow to Adea promptly. ¡°Your Highness, were you coming to see me?¡± ¡°No, I was just checking on the guards. I didn¡¯t anticipate you calling for me.¡± Adea appeared tense upon entering, as if uncertain of Ruel¡¯s intentions. ¡°You must have heard about the tense atmosphere in the Kran Kingdom, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I have. Please, take a seat here.¡± Ruel gestured for Adea to sit. ¡°Is it such a lengthy story that I need to sit down to hear it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a discussion best had while seated.¡± Even after sitting, Adea¡¯s expression remained stern. Ruel asked softly, ¡°Your Highness, do you feel uneasy around me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not discomfort; I¡¯m just a bit anxious about what you might say. Perhaps no one else around you reacted the way I did?¡± Ruel quickly thought of Ganien but shook his head, smiling softly. ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite good at lying. So, what do you wish to discuss with me?¡± ¡°After informing Your Highness about the fall of the Tonisk Empire, I can only imagine the distress it must have caused you.¡± ¡°Indeed. The power dynamics have shifted completely. The empire, once seen as a common enemy, has been vanished, with the Great Man orchestrating it all.¡± Adea clicked his tongue lightly. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to disrupt the game he has set. I trust Your Highness will stand by my side in this endeavor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a bold request.¡± After all, Adea was compelled to follow Ruel¡¯s orders due to the magical contract. He was already so troubled trying to solve the poisoning case. He knew it was a conspiracy, but seeing the words written in the letter from Leponia, he felt a chill as if a war was about to break out. It showed just how significant Ruel¡¯s position and power in Leponia truly were. ¡°Your Highness, do you remember when I previously mentioned that there was a secret space within the royal palace?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± Adea looked at Ruel with a significantly tense expression. ¡°Right now, in that space, black water is being created...¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we destroy it immediately? Did you call me here to inform me of that?¡± ¡°No, Your Highness. Now is not the time to destroy it.¡± ¡°Not yet?¡± ¡°Yes. We are doing our best to destroy the magic circle right now, so please wait a little longer.¡± Adea¡¯s eyes widened momentarily. He must have felt horrible knowing he couldn¡¯t help. Obviously, there were magicians in the Kingdom of Kran. If they worked together to study and analyze the magic circle, they might be able to find a solution sooner. But in the Kran Kingdom, they hadn¡¯t even managed to rid themselves of the Red Ash and those who had joined them. It was a bitter situation to realize, even though he understood the circumstances were unavoidable. ¡°I feel ashamed.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I intend to help you ascend to the throne completely.¡± ¡°What do you suddenly mean by that?¡± Out of the blue, the talk shifted to the throne. ¡°Presently, the obstacles to Your Highness¡¯s ascension are Princess Jayel and the Red Ash. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Adea couldn¡¯t answer ¡®yes¡¯ to that. It was something he had thought about at some point, but when it actually came to it, it was not a matter he could take lightly. Adea¡¯s body suddenly felt heavy, as if it was being oppressed by something. More than anything, the idea that he had to kill his blood-related sibling with his own hands made his heart throb like it was going to burst. ¡°Your Highness has already weakened Princess Jayel¡¯s position to some extent. Yet, she remains a formidable rival.¡± Jayel¡¯s power was strong enough to match Adea¡¯s, so it couldn¡¯t be severed all at once. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I misspoke. I apologize.¡± Seeing the confused expression on Adea¡¯s face, Ruel corrected himself. He should have asked if Adea was prepared for this. Unlike in Leponia, this time it would truly be a bloody struggle for the throne. ¡°Are you prepared to seize the throne, Your Highness?¡± ¡°That throne was never meant for me.¡± Adea spoke calmly. ¡°...?¡± ¡°Perhaps Jayel is the true rightful ruler.¡± Jayel had a higher and greater desire for the throne, and a more forward-looking vision than he did. What had obscured that vision was none other than the Kran Kingdom itself. ¡°This has long been the tradition in the Kran Kingdom. The firstborn... the firstborn...! Isn¡¯t it excessively unjust?¡± Adea chuckled bitterly. ¡°I realize how hypocritical this may sound. But as the eldest, I keenly perceive how my younger siblings regarded me.¡± ¡°Your Highness, all that injustice can only be changed if you take the throne. No, perhaps it will still be a difficult task even after ascending.¡± ¡°That was quite a verbose statement.¡± Just as Ruel had extended a helping hand to Adea initially, Adea reciprocated with a wry smile, reaching out to Ruel. ¡°Assist me. I, the unremarkable prince, require your aid.¡± ¡°I too require your assistance, Your Highness.¡± Ruel grasped Adea¡¯s hand. ¡°What must I do then?¡± ¡°You must first claim the title of king.¡± Adea needed to drive out the Great Man who was ruling over Kran so that he could become king. ¡°Though not immediately.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Adea let out a long sigh along with his words. He had been anxious, thinking perhaps he would have to take action today. He was relieved to have a grace period, at least. ¡°Your Highness, do you still have the powder I gave you before?¡± Adea swiftly retrieved a pouch from his attire, displaying its contents. ¡°I always carry it with me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, I may provide you with more later, as the quantity could be insufficient.¡± ¡°So, you intend to sever the link with the one controlling His Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The king of Kran was different from the first Setiria. The king was not a devotee of darkness, and since he was an ordinary person with a physical body, it was sufficient to sever the connection with just the powder. ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you.¡± Adea gripped the pouch tightly at Ruel¡¯s next statement. He felt anxious about what might come next. ¡°I plan to stage a grand performance from here on.¡± Adea licked his lips at the ambiguous words. ¡°A performance?¡± ¡°Yes, precisely. It¡¯s a show intended solely for the Great Man and the Red Ash as the spectators.¡± Adea shuddered at Ruel¡¯s suspicious smile. He could not guess what kind of plan might come out of that mouth, and his mouth grew increasingly dry. *** Two days later. Crunch. Ruel sat in silence, nibbling on a meat pie, a fishing rod in hand, gazing blankly at the frozen lake. The chilly water seemed capable of sending shivers down one¡¯s spine with just a glance. In the midst of it all, Leo frolicked, showcasing his belly and fluttering his short legs. ¡ªHehehe. This body has become an otter! ¡°Ha.¡± Seeing Leo so cheerful made Ruel exhale deeply. It felt like he could finally breathe again. Two days prior, Ruel had cleverly shifted the burden of Jayel¡¯s punishment to Adea under the pretense of feeling unwell. It was a natural choice since Adea was the prince who would succeed to the throne. Thanks to that, he was no longer entangled in bothersome matters. And now, two days later, Ruel had come to the royal villa, pretending to take a break and accompany Adea. However, Adea was not here at the moment. He had taken the opportunity to leave the palace to meet with nobles who were not connected to the Red Ash. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! Leo called out, waving his paw. Setting down the meat pie momentarily, Ruel returned the gesture. Crunch. Seeing the frozen lake, the fever that had been lingering for two days and the annoyance that had stuck to him like gum suddenly disappeared, making him realize how stuffy the palace really was. Kuroo kuru. He didn¡¯t know where they had gone, but the spirits had stuck to him again, chattering excitedly. It was peaceful. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been since he felt this peace, and it was truly nice. ¡°Ruel,¡± Ganien, sitting beside him, chuckled and called out. ¡°What?¡± Ruel responded sharply. ¡°I hate to say it, but you¡¯re really not good at fishing,¡± Ganien remarked proudly, nudging his brimming fish basket closer. Annoyed, Ruel kicked the basket away, causing it to roll on the frozen lake, catching Leo¡¯s attention. ¡®Nice!¡¯ Ruel silently cheered. If Leo saw that basket and didn¡¯t do anything, he wouldn¡¯t be Leo. With a curious look, Leo used the wind to grab the basket. ¡°Hey, Leo, wait!¡± Ganien shot Ruel a glare before rushing towards the basket. Leo looked at the basket with curious eyes and was startled. ¡ªOops! The fish are dying! This body will help! Before Ganien could reach the basket, Leo knocked it over. Splash! The soft sound of the water echoed, concluding the situation perfectly, much to Ruel¡¯s satisfaction. ¡°You see, Ganien, as a knight, there¡¯s much to learn about respecting life from Leo,¡± Ruel remarked. ¡°You, you cheating bastard!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who was showing off against an ordinary person?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an ordinary person; you¡¯re a magician!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s the magician over there.¡± Ruel pointed at Aris. With his incessant mumbling as he eagerly dug into a magic circle, he looked just like a high school senior preparing for college entrance exams. ¡°See?¡± At Ruel¡¯s confident remark, Ganien frowned and suddenly held up all ten fingers. The look in his eyes suggested he was letting Ruel off because he was still a kid, but Ruel didn¡¯t want to deal with him any longer. He knew they¡¯d just end up bickering like children. Ruel grabbed his fishing rod again and focused. However, no matter how long he waited, there was no sign of a bite. ¡°Ruel, perhaps it¡¯s time to head back?¡± Cassion suggested with a hint of mockery in his smile. That smile felt like it was mocking Ruel for having spent the entire day holding a fishing rod without catching a single fish, causing Ruel¡¯s tone to turn sharp again. ¡°I¡¯ll catch at least one before leaving.¡± ¡°You might end up staying out all night,¡± Cassion teased. Ruel tightened his grip on the fishing rod. ¡ªThis body will help you! Leo said with a big smile, approaching Ruel. But Ruel immediately stopped him. ¡°No, I must catch it with my own power.¡± Kuroo kuru. The spirits tilted their heads at each other. Soon, one of the spirits detached from Ruel and hopped eagerly toward the lake. It approached another spirit that was watching Ruel from where the ice had cracked and pointed back at Ruel. Kuroo kuru. They exchanged words, and soon the spirit nodded as if it understood. ¡°...!¡± As Ganien¡¯s yawn echoed nearby, Ruel felt a tug on his line. ¡°I, I got one!¡± Ruel stood up, carefully reeling in the line. ¡°You¡¯re reeling it in too slowly. You have to reel it in faster... huh?¡± Suddenly, a fish leaped out of the water and landed on the ice. Ganien looked at Leo with a bewildered expression, but Leo was just happily splashing in the water. ¡°Cassion, is that even possible?¡± Ganien questioned in disbelief. Although the fish had taken the bait, it seemed to have leaped out before Ruel could even reel it in, as if deciding to be caught. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible.¡± Cassion shook his head immediately. ¡°See? I told you I could do it.¡± Despite the confusion, Ruel was overjoyed after successfully catching one. The fish was being dragged across the ice, but a catch was still a catch. ¡°I finally got one! This is what they call the thrill of fishing!¡± When Ruel smiled so widely that he showed his teeth, the spirits smiled too. Chapter 186: Lets start (1) Two days later, back in the capital of the Kran Kingdom with Adea, Ruel smiled as he looked at the scene unfolding at the entrance of the castle. Leo, peering out from a window, puzzled at Ganien¡¯s presence outside. ¡ªIs that Ganien? How strange. Why is he being kept out? Wasn¡¯t he with us earlier? Unbeknownst to Leo, Huswen had sent Ganien away for a second reason. Ganien had removed his disguise and now stood confidently as the captain of the Cyronian Blue Knights. ¡°I wonder where he disappeared to this morning. I didn¡¯t expect to see him here. Quite a spectacle,¡± remarked Cassion with a grin. ¡°Well, let¡¯s have some fun with Ganien later. Before rumors spread that the Blue Knights¡¯ captain was turned away at the gate, Cassion, go and handle the situation,¡± Ruel suggested. ¡°That rumor could be quite entertaining,¡± Cassion replied, hesitating to leave but eventually complying at Ruel¡¯s prompting. As a soldier approached their carriage, Cassion glanced towards Adea¡¯s carriage, noting a soldier stationed there as well. It seemed they were explaining the situation there. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cassion asked the soldier as if he didn¡¯t know. ¡°I apologize for the confusion. There was a minor incident causing a delay. We¡¯ll resolve it swiftly,¡± the soldier explained. ¡°My Lord would like to be informed. May I have a look?¡± Cassion requested. ¡°Of course.¡± The soldier, thinking it best for Cassion to see for himself, led him towards the commotion. * ¡°I¡¯ve said this multiple times, but I am Ganien Croft, captain of the Blue Knights from Cyronian.¡± ¡°No, how many times do I have to tell you that there is no official document of your arrival at the castle yet?¡± The soldier arguing with Ganien pounded his chest in frustration. ¡°How many times must I say that the document has been sent and we came because we never received any word! Stop talking about documents and can¡¯t you see the insignia of the Blue Knights right here?¡± Ganien¡¯s voice raised in frustration as he argued with a soldier. Cassion couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the genuine display of emotion. The tensions between Cyronian and Kran were deeply rooted and not easily forgotten. Besides, who would have thought that the soldier guarding the gates of the Kran Kingdom would ignore him after he had presented the insignia of the Blue Knights? Moreover, his subordinates were watching from behind him. It was only natural that his anger felt genuine. ¡°Sir Croft, is that you?¡± Cassion interjected innocently, noticing the tension. Ganien greeted Cassion warmly, seeming genuinely pleased. ¡°Oh, Cassion, is that you?¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± When Ruel Setiria¡¯s butler stepped forward, the soldier¡¯s rude tone changed. Ganien then fixed a bold stare on the soldier. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell him who I am?¡± For a moment, Cassion¡¯s brow twitched. Could it be that he would have to defend Ganien on this day? An unpleasant sense of annoyance crept into his thoughts. ¡°This is Sir Ganien Croft, the captain of the Blue Knights from Cyronian,¡± Cassion managed to say firmly, despite his feelings. In the background, Ruel¡¯s laughter could be faintly heard from the carriage. ¡°I apologize for not recognizing the captain of the Blue Knights!¡± The soldier panicked and promptly bowed to Ganien. ¡°I won¡¯t forget today¡¯s events.¡± Ganien shot the soldier a sharp glare, still perturbed by being overlooked. ¡°I think it would be wise to inform His Highness, Prince Adea Kran, about this. I will relay the situation to my Lord.¡± After speaking to the soldier who had brought him there, Cassion returned to Ruel. As soon as Cassion got back into the carriage, Ruel burst into laughter again. ¡°Your acting skills have truly improved. It¡¯s a pity we can¡¯t hear it!¡± ¡°You seem to be enjoying this a lot,¡± Cassion remarked with a sharp tone. Ruel, smiling as he stroked Leo, replied, ¡°Ah, today has been quite enjoyable. Perhaps it¡¯s because we¡¯ll soon depart from Kran?¡± Ruel continued in a playful manner, gesturing towards the carriage door. ¡°Now, go outside and call Ganien back.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion struggled to contain his rising frustration. Just as he was about to open the carriage door and step out, Ruel waved his hand, creating an absurd sight. Leo even extended his paw in mimicry, causing Cassion to narrow his eyes. ¡°You two really look alike.¡± Cassion remarked before handing a meat pie to Ruel and stepping outside. ¡®Should I take this as an insult?¡¯ Unsure how to interpret it, Ruel took a bite of the meat pie instead. Crunch. Crunch, crunch. Only the sound of meat pie being eaten filled the carriage. *** ¡°It is a great honor to meet the esteemed Majesty of the Kran Kingdom. I am Ganien Croft, captain of the Blue Knights from Cyronian,¡± Ganien stated, bowing as his blue cloak fluttered lightly behind him. Ruel and Adea also greeted the King of Kran. The King had been conspicuously absent from recent events, including the welcoming ceremony and the incident involving Jayel. Ruel felt a surge of disgust, questioning whether the King was once again under the influence of the Great Man, now that the issue of the wall containing death had been resolved, or if he was being manipulated to forge an alliance with Cyronian to maintain balance. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯ve heard much about the accomplishments of your Blue Knights. It¡¯s truly an honor to make your acquaintance,¡± the King dryly acknowledged Ganien. ¡°The honor is mine as well,¡± Ganien replied respectfully. The king then spoke, his voice tinged with remorse, ¡°Will you forgive the rudeness that occurred at the castle gates? I will certainly hold that soldier accountable for his actions.¡± ¡°I, too, ask for forgiveness for any impoliteness toward Your Majesty,¡± Ganien humbly responded, bowing once more. ¡°I had confirmed before our departure that His Majesty Huswen had sent a letter to the Kran Kingdom. However, for reasons unknown, I received no response, nor was I made aware of the unfortunate incident involving the Duke of Setiria, which hastened our journey here. I beg Your Majesty¡¯s pardon,¡± Ganien explained smoothly, impressing Ruel with his adeptness at deception. In reality, Huswen likely hadn¡¯t dispatched any letter to the King of Kran, as there would have been no purpose if rejection was anticipated. Just as the Kran Kingdom had used peace as leverage for an alliance, Huswen had manipulated the situation in a similar fashion. ¡°It appears that a letter has gone missing. I will thoroughly investigate this matter, so I hope you will not take offense,¡± the King assured. ¡°I am grateful for Your Majesty¡¯s understanding,¡± Ganien responded, concluding his statement. Suddenly, the King shifted his gaze to Ruel, his eyes piercing. When their eyes met, Ruel involuntarily flinched. The King¡¯s gaze was devoid of life, resembling that of a doll. ¡°Did Sir Croft come to escort Lord Setiria upon the orders of the King of Cyronian?¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct. The Duke of Setiria had a prior agreement with His Majesty Huswen. It was unavoidable for me to journey to the Kran Kingdom to accompany the Duke, and for that, I apologize,¡± Ganien clarified. ¡°No, no. How could I have been unaware of such an agreement, Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°Indeed, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I have no comment on my daughter¡¯s actions. I should have apologized earlier, but I take this chance to do so now,¡± the King stated. Ruel bowed his head, anticipating that he would instinctively frown if he met the King¡¯s gaze. ¡°I am relieved, Your Majesty. Prince Adea is handling the situation adeptly,¡± Ruel assured. ¡°Thank you, Adea.¡± The king looked at Adea. The indifferent gaze he was accustomed to seeing now clearly resembled the eyes of a lifeless corpse. ¡°No, Your Majesty. I am simply fulfilling my duty, regardless of my status,¡± Adea replied, bowing slightly, his stomach uneasy. Ruel observed the king, unable to discern his thoughts from his expression. ¡°I am curious to hear Lord Setiria¡¯s perspective on this issue,¡± the king interjected, breaking the silence. ¡®Is he trying to see what I have to say? Fine.¡¯ Ruel deliberately hesitated, feigning difficulty as he began to act, ¡°Your Majesty, while I am unsure of Princess Jayel¡¯s motives in offering me the poisoned cup, I am here as a delegate to convey news of an alliance from Leponia.¡± He proceeded with a carefully constructed narrative, beginning with a prolonged preamble. ¡°I am aware that my presence has stirred division within the royal family,¡± he stated, weaving in factual details like subtle seasoning. ¡°It appears that much of the recent turmoil can be attributed to my actions, a responsibility I deeply regret,¡± he added, infusing his words with a calculated emotional appeal, stopping short of overt displays of sentiment. ¡°As Your Majesty is aware, my original intent was to meet with King Huswen of Cyronian. However, circumstances led me to assume the role of the delegation¡¯s messenger, prioritizing the delivery of King Brans¡¯s message to you,¡± he explained, noting the King of Kran¡¯s prior knowledge of this arrangement. ¡°Therefore, Your Majesty, I believe it is imperative for me to travel to Cyronian to assure them of my safety, aiming to quell the internal discord brewing within the Kran Kingdom,¡± he concluded, speaking at length to obscure his true intentions. Finally, Ruel feigned seriousness, biting his lip and clenching his fist for added effect. The king then turned to Adea, seeking his opinion on the matter, ¡°What does the prince think?¡± It seemed the king suspected that some information had passed between Adea and Ruel. However, Ruel had previously provided Adea with a guideline on how to slip away like an eel. ¡°With all due respect, Your Majesty, I view this move by the Cyronian Kingdom as a sign of disrespect,¡± Adea declared, casting a pointed glare in Ganien¡¯s direction. ¡°Yet, as a prince and more significantly as Jayel¡¯s elder brother, I believe it is not a bad choice for Lord Setiria to go to the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± Adea¡¯s tone softened as he continued, taking a moment to compose himself. ¡°If pressed to choose a stance, Your Majesty, I would align myself with the latter option,¡± he confessed. Blood is blood, even if they were only half blood related. Adea looked at the king as an older brother who thought of his younger sibling. After a moment, the king agreed, ¡°I understand the prince¡¯s thoughts well,¡± and went on. ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You may leave whenever you wish.¡± The king¡¯s voice gained strength, as if he had made a great resolution. ¡®Is that your choice, Great Man?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t tell whether the king had decided that it was dangerous for Ruel to remain in the Kran Kingdom due to Jayel¡¯s actions, or if he was aware of the scheme but was letting it slide. Regardless, the king had made his decision. ¡°I extend my sincerest apologies for this occurrence. Please convey my regards to the King of Leponia,¡± the king added. ¡°Understood, Your Majesty,¡± Ruel responded with a respectful bow, a subtle smile playing on his lips. Whether it was the Great Man or himself, it was impossible to see into each other¡¯s minds. He planned to use this time to cut out all the roots that the Great Man had planted. ¡®Just wait, Great Man.¡¯ *** ¡°When do you plan to depart? Today? Tomorrow?¡± Ganien, now not merely a servant but the captain of the Blue Knights, sat confidently at the table, sipping tea provided by Cassion. Despite Cassion¡¯s pointed stares, Ganien¡¯s demeanor remained cheerful. Crunch. Ruel, contemplating his departure while enjoying a meat pie, wiped the crumbs from his mouth before inquiring, ¡°Did His Majesty Huswen say anything?¡± ¡°Not particularly. He just said he would be ready at any time, so just let him know the date and time you want to leave.¡± ¡°Has His Majesty Huswen told you what I¡¯m going to do?¡± ¡°Of course. I agreed to it, which is why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Sounds like it would tarnish your honor, yet here you are, fully supporting me.¡± Ganien fiddled with his teacup. ¡°Reputation can be restored later. If the Blue Knights fall now, the situation will become more serious. Don¡¯t you think so, Ruel?¡± It was true, but it wasn¡¯t that simple. While Ruel, as a modern person, could think that reputation was something that could come and go, Ganien couldn¡¯t. He was a noble as well as a knight, and in particular, he couldn¡¯t just disregard the importance of honor. ¡°Ruel.¡± Seeing Ruel¡¯s slightly stiffened expression, Ganien called out to him. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I am a knight before I am a noble. What¡¯s important for a knight is not me, but us.¡± ¡°Okay, fine.¡± Ruel chuckled at Ganien¡¯s earnest gaze. Indeed, a knight was a knight after all. ¡°By the way, Ruel,¡± Ganien lowered his voice, gesturing towards Aris. Chapter 187: Lets start (2) Ruel followed Ganien¡¯s gaze to a distant table where Aris was gesturing and speaking animatedly. Ganien revealed, ¡°Aris has been awake for three consecutive nights. Given his skills, it¡¯s not surprising...¡± ¡°Three nights?¡± Ruel was taken aback. Although Aris¡¯s face was getting worse, he was originally good at handling things on his own, so he left it alone as Tyson and the magic knights were digging into the magic circle together. ¡°Tonight will mark the fourth night,¡± Cassion remarked, placing snacks on the table. ¡®Four nights...¡¯ Ruel¡¯s expression darkened. He blamed himself for forgetting how wizards often became consumed by their research. ¡°Aris.¡± Ruel stood up and approached him. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Aris greeted him eagerly, showing a piece of paper. ¡°Ruel-nim, I might have...¡± ¡°Aris.¡± Regardless of Aris¡¯s progress with the magic circle, Ruel was concerned about his well-being. ¡°Take a break. We can talk once you¡¯ve rested.¡± Ruel pointed firmly at the bed. Aris looked disappointed. ¡°N-Now?¡± ¡°Ganien, we¡¯ll depart once Aris has rested. Please make the necessary arrangements,¡± Ruel instructed and continued to point at the bed. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll inform His Majesty at the appropriate time,¡± Ganien acknowledged as Aris reluctantly settled into bed and nibbled on a meat pie. Crunch. Ganien¡¯s eyes widened. The moment he took a bite, the juices exploded along with the crispiness, setting it apart from any other pie. With Cassion¡¯s cooking skills improved from before, Ganien glanced at Cassion and chuckled. ¡°Cassion. You could be a chef. No, you were already a chef, weren¡¯t you?¡± *** Ruel reclined on the sofa, reviewing documents. Crunch. As he took a bite of the meat pie, he pondered the location of those lunatics and how to piece this information together. Zzzz. Hearing soft breathing, Ruel briefly set down the documents and looked over at Leo. Leo seemed to have eaten enough snacks and the powder from the Black Wayfinder, now lying sprawled on his back, sounded asleep. He playfully popped a bubble on Leo¡¯s nose and teasingly brought the pie closer to him, causing Leo to stir in his sleep. Leo quickly began to lick his lips and moved his front paws. ¡°I¡¯ll take Aris to his room,¡± Cassion offered, seeing Aris occupying Ruel¡¯s intended resting place. Since Ruel had to leave for Cyronian again, he needed to conserve his energy as much as possible. Thanks to the necklace Medeas gave them, the mark had stopped, and Leo had been slowly eating away at the black stuff remaining in Ruel¡¯s body, but it couldn¡¯t be said that Ruel¡¯s body was back to normal. Moreover, he had lost weight. Ruel glanced at Aris, asleep on the bed, and decided, ¡°Let him rest.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, until we depart for Cyronian...¡± ¡°I understand. Just for today. He deserves the rest after his hard work,¡± Ruel reassured Cassion, who seemed surprised by his leniency. It didn¡¯t seem like something Ruel, who was the same age as Aris, should be saying. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have the shadows had enough rest by now?¡± In the past few days, while Ruel focused on recuperating, it was also an opportunity for the shadows, who had been tirelessly active since arriving in the Kran Kingdom, to take a well-deserved break. ¡°Ruel-nim, when will I...¡± ¡°By tomorrow, you will have plenty of swords at your disposal.¡± Ruel interjected, a smile playing on his lips. A slight twitch appeared on Cassion¡¯s lips. The King of Kran had decided to offer several treasures from the royal treasury as a gesture of apology for recent events. Ruel almost declined, but he reconsidered. While it didn¡¯t equate to his suffering, it was better than leaving the Kran Kingdom empty-handed. ¡°The shadows are always prepared,¡± Cassion affirmed, bowing. ¡°I¡¯m uncertain about how things will unfold, but I hope the shadows can assist during this staged raid as well.¡± ¡°Certainly. Inform me when the time comes.¡± The Shadows were residents of the Ice Castle, able to face the Blue Knights in secret, without loyalty, and untraceable. ¡®Ah. I forgot to inform Cassion about the king¡¯s whereabouts.¡¯ Ruel recalled the fact he had forgotten. But for now, he wanted a cup of apple tea. It wouldn¡¯t be too late to mention it afterward. ¡°Just bring me a cup of apple tea.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll return shortly.¡± Cassion displayed heightened respect, though Ruel knew it wouldn¡¯t last. As Cassion left, Ruel perused some documents until he was interrupted by Hikars¡¯s voice. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± Ruel could sense what Hikars was about to say from his stern expression. ¡°I have bad news.¡± ¡°So, both Leponia and Cyronian are suspected to have magic circles.¡± ¡°Yes. There were places within each royal palace where death was gathered.¡± Hikars slightly bowed his head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t do our job properly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You couldn¡¯t have confirmed it properly since there must have been barriers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but...¡± Hikars seemed hesitant to continue, appearing uneasy. Ruel inhaled Breath. It was now evident that Jayel¡¯s rebellion had been a diversion. The Great Man¡¯s strategy against Leponia was becoming clearer. ¡®Once all nations ally with Leponia, he might utilize that magic circle.¡¯ When a nation¡¯s capital is paralyzed, and ominous black water spreads, hope lies in an ally. However, that hope could swiftly turn to despair. The same thing would happen across all nations. What will the Great Man do with people¡¯s despair? He would give them false hope, surely driving them out from the barriers while hiding in Leponia. To make them despair by betraying those they trusted. To make them tremble as they were forsaken by everyone. Perhaps that would be his revenge. ¡®But that won¡¯t come to pass.¡¯ Ruel smirked. The Great Man¡¯s scheme would crumble in his hands. To thwart him, Ruel needed to devise a plan. ¡°Hikars.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim. Please proceed.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°...!¡± Taken aback by Ruel¡¯s unexpected apology, Hikars swiftly knelt down. ¡°If I have done anything wrong, please scold me.¡± Ruel was equally surprised. He hadn¡¯t anticipated Hikars to kneel like that. ¡°Rise quickly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are apologizing to us.¡± ¡°You were given a difficult role.¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Hikars shouted in a panic, devoid of any resentment towards Ruel. ¡°We follow Ruel-nim, and you treat us more kindly than any devotee of darkness. So please, I hope you won¡¯t apologize to us.¡± Hikars appeared genuinely distressed, as if he had been scolded. In any case, it was a relief that he was okay. ¡°Alright. I understand. You can go now,¡± Ruel said with a slight smile. Busy with his responsibilities as a warlock, which extended beyond the tasks assigned by Ruel, guiding people to a proper death, Hikars bid farewell. ¡°Then, Ruel-nim, please don¡¯t hesitate to call me whenever you need,¡± Hikars said with a bright smile before stepping into his shadow. Crunch. Ruel finished the last of his meat pie, licking his lips, as a knock sounded at the door. Cassion entered the room, filling the air with the fragrance of apple tea. Leo, perked up at the scent and eagerly approached Cassion, circling around him. ¡ªApple tea! Leo¡¯s tail wagged excitedly as Cassion poured apple tea into his bowl before offering a cup to Ruel. Ruel called for Leo, ¡°Leo.¡± Leo smiled at the cup Ruel was shaking. ¡ªI got it! This body will cool it down for you. Ruel lowered the cup as much as possible so that Leo could touch it, and Leo, who had run over in a hurry, touched the cup. When the steam began to subside, Ruel finally brought the apple tea to his lips. It had cooled just enough to drink. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel said, seeing Leo¡¯s gaze seeking praise, set the apple tea down on the nearby table and patted Leo¡¯s head. ¡ªHee hee hee. Leo laughed contentedly and then dashed back to his bowl. ¡°Ruel-nim, are you comfortable?¡± Cassion asked as he sat on the opposite sofa, polishing his sword. ¡°It¡¯s bearable.¡± That was a roundabout way of saying it wasn¡¯t comfortable. Cassion glanced at Aris. Earlier, he had tried to let a bit of killing intent slip, but Aris hadn¡¯t even reacted. How could Cassion handle the situation when Ruel insisted on ignoring it? Ruel inhaled Breath, following Cassion¡¯s gaze. The sight of Aris occupying the bed seemed to bother him, but thankfully, he was feeling relatively well today. Perhaps tomorrow will be even better. ¡°Cassion, if I¡¯m not comfortable, I¡¯ll let you know. Please don¡¯t worry about it anymore.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion replied dispassionately before starting to clean his sword. Scrape, scrape. Ruel continued to review a few more documents and infused mana into his ring. He remembered that there was someone he needed to contact. It seemed like it had been a while since their last communication. ¡°Your Hi...¡± -Oh, Lord Setiria. I was starting to think you had fallen victim to poison, given how long it¡¯s been since we last spoke. Before Ruel could greet Banios, he spoke first. -And the news of you recruiting a warlock and a magic circle creating black water under the Kran Kingdom... It¡¯s odd that I heard about it from Sir Tyson before you told me. Banios¡¯s tone conveyed his hurt feelings for not being informed first. Although it wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved immediately, it needed to be addressed. Who delivered the message was less important than ensuring it was communicated. ¡®Is he upset because I¡¯ve spent too much money on research? No, he wouldn¡¯t be that petty. He is a prince, after all.¡¯ Ruel could only think of money as the reason for Banios¡¯s displeasure. -So, why did you suddenly reach out today? Are your research funds running low? As Banios continued in an irritated tone, Ruel reluctantly asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you upset?¡± -Yes, I am annoyed. What do you take me for? It seemed Banios was upset that Ruel hadn¡¯t informed him first, displaying childish behavior. Despite feeling amused, Ruel maintained a gentle tone. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Cassion, who had paused while polishing his sword, glanced at Ruel. -Tell me. ¡°I needed to discuss something with Sir Tyson, which naturally brought it to my attention earlier. I didn¡¯t mean to overlook you, Your Highness.¡± -Haha! Your way with words is truly something. ¡°Your Highness, what I¡¯m about to share is something even Sir Tyson is unaware of. I needed time to organize it before informing you. I hope you understand.¡± -Enough. Carry on as usual. I can¡¯t get used to this. Banios seemed exasperated. ¡®Who asked for this?¡¯ Ruel managed to suppress a chuckle. -Alright, what information do you have for me first? ¡°Your Highness, this information is not yet confirmed.¡± -Uncertain information, you say... If you¡¯re conveying it, it must be significant. I¡¯ll listen attentively. ¡°Firstly, what I need to tell you is... the Great Man is targeting my body.¡± ¨CYour body? Banios sounded surprised, his voice strained. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. As you already know, the Great Man can possess others...¡± -Unbelievable! A curse slipped out of Banios¡¯ mouth before he composed himself. -I-I¡¯m sorry. So, the Great Man is after your body... Why would he target you? Not to offend, but why would he want such a frail body? Actually, if given the body for free, Ruel would have refused it outright. But each word, no matter how true, felt harsh to him, and he shot a stern look at Cassion, who was chuckling. ¡°He seeks something in the Leponia Royal Treasury.¡± -W-what? Banios was so shocked that he struggled to speak. ¡°Moreover, what he¡¯s searching for is...¡± -Wait, Ruel. Just a moment. Please speak slowly. These are extraordinary stories... I hope you¡¯re not saying this because of my earlier rudeness. ¡°How could I? Your Highness must hear this.¡± The sound of Banios breathing heavily indicated he was taking a deep breath. -Alright. Go on. ¡°He is searching for his own body.¡± Banios fell silent for a moment before letting out a chuckle. ¡°Your Highness.¡± -Is that really true? Banios abruptly stopped laughing. His voice turned solemn. ¡°While I can¡¯t say for certain, shouldn¡¯t we prepare?¡± Ruel patiently waited for the room to fill with silence. Banios must have been deep in thought, grasping the implications of Ruel¡¯s words. Preparation. Preparing to defend against the enemy¡¯s invasion. -Ruel. Banios called his name seriously. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± -Please don¡¯t worry about Leponia. Just as you protect Setiria, it¡¯s our duty, the King¡¯s and mine, to safeguard the country. Focus on your own plans. The royal family will stand by you, regardless of the circumstances. It was expected, considering there were princes who shamelessly sought aid from the kingdom, that Banios displayed a noble attitude. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. I will place my trust in you.¡± Knowing that protecting the country was not his responsibility, Ruel felt somewhat relieved. He finally brought the apple tea to his lips. The refreshing taste spread throughout his mouth, causing him to smile involuntarily. After ending the conversation with Banios, Ruel fixed his gaze on Cassion. ¡°Do you have something to discuss with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve discovered the whereabouts of the ¡®King.''¡± Cassion¡¯s hands, previously occupied with polishing his sword, came to a halt. Ruel lightly tapped his forehead. ¡°The first Setiria touched my forehead before he vanished. Because of that, I witnessed various things in my dream, including a childhood memory.¡± Cassion¡¯s demeanor remained composed, indicating that such revelations no longer surprised him. ¡°Where is this ¡®King¡¯ located?¡± ¡°At the Ice Castle.¡± Cassion was taken aback, almost dropping his sword before regaining his composure. ¡°What... what did you say?¡± ¡°I said the Ice Castle.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. As the owner of the Ice Castle, I should be aware of such things.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t see the spirits. You didn¡¯t even see the fragments left by the ¡®King¡¯ at that time.¡± ¡°...¡± Cassion was left speechless. The solution to everything lay in a place that was practically in his own backyard. ¡°Could you pour me another cup of tea?¡± Despite being the most shocked and annoyed, the one calmly requesting tea was quite amusing. Cassion maintained his usual demeanor, much like Ruel. ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion rose and filled the cup Ruel had offered with apple tea. ¡ªGive this body some more as well! Leo approached with a bowl in his mouth, placed it in front of Cassion, and wagged his tail with a smile. Chapter 188: Lets start (3) *** ¡°Sigh.¡± Ruel let out a sigh, his face displaying annoyance. Why couldn¡¯t they simply see him off quietly? What¡¯s with this whole parade? And why the need for him to dress up when all he¡¯d be doing is sitting in a carriage and waving? Ruel was displeased with everything. ¡°Ruel, please sit up straight,¡± Cassion interjected upon noticing Ruel resting his chin on his hand. Noah also paused, letting out a big yawn. What a ludicrous situation to be in at dawn. He was still half-asleep. ¡°I fail to grasp the necessity for such extravagance when all Ruel-nim will be doing is sitting in a carriage, waving his hand.¡± Ruel adjusted his posture. Could it be that Noah was thinking the same thing? ¡°Noah, instead of speaking, focused on adjusting the attire,¡± Cassion reprimanded, prompting Noah to quickly add embellishments to his clothing. ¡°Ruel-nim, may I ask about something?¡± Noah asked, continuing to work on his attire, mindful of Cassion¡¯s presence. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°No matter how efficiently Cassion-nim handles everything, shouldn¡¯t there be other attendants present? Considering the number of attendants in the mansion, why is it just us accompanying you outside...¡± Noah¡¯s fingers gestured widely. Three of them weren¡¯t even attendants but Cassion¡¯s original subordinates. What kind of household head was this? ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Ruel chuckled, and Noah joined in. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°If you find someone as capable as you, who¡¯s good at escaping and as tight-lipped as Aris, and loyal, then bring them along.¡± What an unreasonable demand! Noah pondered, finding it somewhat fair upon reflection. Cassion¡¯s subordinates posing as attendants, and even Billo, were indeed competent. ¡°So, Ruel¡¯s personal attendant... would essentially have to be someone akin to Cassion-nim?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± ¡°Wow. Ruel-nin¡¯s personal attendant will always be Cassion-nim...¡± ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion interjected, interrupting Noah and addressing Ruel. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Prince Treitol is on his way.¡± Ruel chuckled at that. It was almost comical how the puppet and the puppeteer took turns visiting. Knock. Knock. A moment later, there was a knocking sound at the door. At Cassion¡¯s glance, Noah hurriedly ran to open it. ¡°His Highness Treitol requests an audience, Ruel-nim.¡± Upon Aris¡¯s announcement, Ruel quickly rose from his seat as if caught off guard. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Noah¡¯s jaw dropped at Ruel¡¯s nonchalant demeanor. Ruel must truly be a genius at acting, Noah mused, having felt the same way before. ¡°How could Your Highness arrive unannounced?¡± Ruel exclaimed with a shocked expression, bowing to Treitol. Then, after lifting his head, Ruel glanced beyond the door. ¡°Why has Your Highness come alone without your attendants?¡± ¡°D-Duke Setiria.¡± There were dark circles under Treitol¡¯s eyes, as if he hadn¡¯t slept in days. He fidgeted anxiously, looking as if someone were chasing him. ¡°Just a moment, that¡¯s all I ask. Can we talk?¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± Whatever the scheme might be, Ruel exchanged glances with Cassion and Noah, signaling them to leave. After they went outside, Ruel guided Treitol to the table. Even as they sat down, Treitol¡¯s restless fingers betrayed his unease. ¡®Is this a pretense?¡¯ Ruel observed him closely, unsure. It seemed too genuine to be an act, prompting Ruel to play along. ¡°Your Highness, are you feeling well? You appear troubled.¡± ¡°D-Duke Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°While others may not comprehend, I believed you would.¡± Taken aback by the sudden statement, Ruel felt slightly bewildered. What on earth was he trying to say? ¡°There¡¯s been a dream I¡¯ve been having for some time. It was filled with blood, and it felt like my whole body was being torn apart in excruciating pain.¡± Ruel realized that the content of the dream was similar to what he had seen in his own dreams. ¡®Is he testing me?¡¯ ¡°At first, I dismissed it as a mere dream. But it grew more vivid, and recently, I made eye contact with the figure in my dream for the first time.¡± Treitol¡¯s voice quivered slightly. ¡°Duke Setiria. That figure singled me out.¡± Treitol clenched his clothes tightly. ¡°It¡¯s a terrifying thought. That figure...¡± Suddenly, Treitol gasped, covering his mouth in fear. ¡°N-nothing. Disregard my words.¡± Treitol abruptly rose. ¡®What is he up to?¡¯ His frantic behavior reminded Ruel of something he had overlooked. ¡°Duke Setiria, please look after Kran and my brother. And...¡± Treitol turned to Ruel with a sorrowful expression before turning away. After Treitol departed, Ruel remained staring at the now-empty spot. ¡®Was it real?¡¯ Treitol¡¯s desperate gaze. ¡®Is it true?¡¯ The moment Treitol almost disclosed but then recoiled. ¡®That the Great Man can¡¯t fully control their body?¡¯ If his hesitance was due to the Great Man¡¯s influence, everything made sense. ¡®Should I trust this?¡¯ If that was the case, Treitol had come to him purposefully. To offer even a hint. Ruel clenched his fist silently. His resolve began to falter. *** Ruel waved at the people while feeling the breeze blowing in from outside. Wearing gloves didn¡¯t keep his hands from feeling cold. His hair tickled his face and nose, and the wind constantly stung his face. Ruel forced a smile, despite the constant barrage of titles like ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ and the fact that he had to do this crazy thing in the middle of winter. ¡ªHehehe. Leo waved his front paw at the excited crowd. ¡ªSmile brighter! ¡®Are you enjoying this too?¡¯ Cassion¡¯s chuckle made Ruel¡¯s lips quiver. When the numbness in his face and arms subsided, the farewell ceremony concluded. Closing the carriage window, Ruel sighed as he fixed his disheveled hair. ¡°Damn it, this is probably his way of retaliating.¡± ¡°Not at all. Your good deeds have earned you this recognition far and wide.¡± Cassion handed Ruel a blanket and a warm beverage. ¡°Good deeds, my foot...¡± Ruel blew on his tea, his eyes widening. ¡°Is news of this incident already spreading?¡± Upon reflection, it did seem like rumors were circulating beyond the moniker of the ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯ Cassion¡¯s smile in response to Ruel¡¯s question was telling. ¡°The aftermath of the poisoning incident has spread farther than you imagined, Ruel-nim. It appears we couldn¡¯t contain the rumors, and they¡¯ve reached the common folk.¡± ¡°Prince Adea played his part well, didn¡¯t he?¡± Ruel took a sip of tea, wrapping himself in the blanket. Placing Leo on his lap, who had been by the window, he finally felt warm. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say where it originated.¡± Cassion chuckled, a knowing look in his eyes hinting at the source of the rumors. ¡°It seems people are calling me something other than that wretched title.¡± ¡°Would you like to know?¡± ¡°Yeah. If I hear the title, I might have an idea of who it is.¡± ¡°They¡¯re calling you the ¡®Darkness of Mercy,¡¯ Ruel-nim...¡± ¡°Damn Ganien!¡± Ruel¡¯s voice rose instantly. It was Ganien behind the rumors, or more accurately, Huswen¡¯s plan. Huswen had orchestrated things to ensure Kran, the king, couldn¡¯t reject the Blue Knights¡¯ proposal. Gritting his teeth, Ruel thought it typical of Huswen, relentless as ever. Despite any claims, it was evident that Ganien had coined the title. Huswen wouldn¡¯t have come up with such a lame moniker. Cassion struggled to stifle his laughter but couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Shut up, Cassion.¡± ¡ªThis body likes it. There¡¯s no one as merciful as Ruel! As Cassion laughed heartily, Leo repeated ¡®Darkness of Mercy¡¯ with a goofy smile, Ruel massaged his temples. A headache was coming. *** Upon departing the Kingdom of Kran, Ruel joined the Blue Knights. With no bridge between Cyronian and Kran, they had to take a carriage detour to reach the neutral zone. To expedite their journey, they opted to sail across the sea on a ship provided by the Blue Knights. Ruel¡¯s carriage was to be taken separately to Cyronian by a few royal knights from Leponia. ¡°Ganien!¡± As soon as they boarded the ship, which was as big as a cruise ship, Ruel didn¡¯t bother to admire the interior and immediately went looking for Ganien. Upon finding him, Ruel glared at Ganien and strode towards him. ¡°What¡¯s, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ganien stuttered unintentionally under Ruel¡¯s fierce gaze. Had he done something wrong? Ganien quickly racked his brain. He had just sent his subordinates to check the condition of the ship and to look for traces of magic through Aris. Having just taken a breather, he was at a loss because Ruel had arrived at that moment, which meant there was nothing to pin on him. Ruel chuckled hollowly. It was audacious for someone to so blatantly tarnish the few titles he possessed in his life. As Ruel advanced, Ganien stepped back nervously. ¡°L-Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡± Ganien pointed towards the staircase leading down, mindful of those around them. There were many eyes on the deck. ¡°Fine.¡± Ruel agreed and went down the stairs first. ¡°Set sail!¡± Before following Ruel, Ganien issued the command to set sail and then descended the stairs one by one after him. As he walked down the steps, Ganien pondered why Ruel had called for him. There was one possibility that came to mind. ¡®Surely he couldn¡¯t know about that, could he?¡¯ ¡°Ganien.¡± Ruel¡¯s deep voice interrupted Ganien¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Are you prepared?¡± ¡°Uh? Ah, we¡¯re currently installing magic bombs all over the ship. It¡¯s a bit of a waste to the ship, but what can we do?¡± Ganien remarked, casting a disappointed look around the ship. The plan was to commence the action at sea, a visible location from both Cyronian and Kran. Since they were not wizards, the shadows would not be noticeable even if they wreaked havoc at sea. Ruel, capable of manipulating darkness and easily mistaken for a warlock, would play the villain. Darkness should be the image that comes to mind when thinking of the warlock. ¡°Darkness of Mercy,¡± Ruel remarked unexpectedly. Taken aback, Ganien stuttered, ¡°H-How did you find out about that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else who would invent such a childish title.¡± ¡°Childish? That¡¯s harsh. I put a lot of thought into it...¡± Ruel pointed a finger threateningly. ¡°It¡¯s better if this title doesn¡¯t spread.¡± ¡°...¡± Instead of responding, Ganien chuckled, avoiding Ruel¡¯s gaze. Ruel¡¯s expression crumpled at once. He could even hear Cassion stifling a laugh from the side, which made Ruel¡¯s hand around his cane turn red. ¡°T-this...¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m starting to feel hungry. I should prepare some food,¡± Ganien abruptly excused himself before swiftly retreating up the stairs. *** ¡°A-Are you feeling alright?¡± Aris asked, pausing with a spoon in hand, observing Ruel¡¯s pale face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me; just eat. I¡¯ll be fine after a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get Fran,¡± Cassion offered as he noticed Ruel¡¯s untouched food. Their plan was set to begin during the meal, the ideal time when vulnerabilities were at their peak. However, Ruel, who should have been eating, was battling seasickness and couldn¡¯t manage a bite. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll feel better with a short break,¡± Ruel assured them, Leo patting his head in support. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t know what sea sickness feels like, but this body hopes you recover soon. ¡°Are we ready?¡± Ruel asked, holding his cane tightly, looking towards Cassion. ¡°If you¡¯re ready, Ruel-nim, we can proceed immediately.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel stood up promptly. Aris followed suit. ¡°Apologies for interrupting your meal, but I¡¯m prepared.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Cassion eyed Ruel skeptically, concerned by his unsteady demeanor. ¡°Send the signal.¡± But what could he do when his master ordered it? As Cassion raised a finger, a loud ¡®thud¡¯ echoed from above. It seemed the mast had broken. That was just the signal they needed. ¡°Let¡¯s move, Aris,¡± Ruel commanded, gripping his cane in his hand. As this stage unfolded, both allies and enemies would be watching this ship closely. Attacking during mealtime needed to appear natural. ¡°Understood!¡± Aris responded eagerly. ¡ªThis body is also ready. Leo chimed in, unaware but sticking close to Ruel with a bright smile. Chapter 190: Fraud (2) *** -So, this has been inside the royal palace the whole time? Banios frowned. Through the screen, a corpse could be faintly seen. Ruel shielded Leo¡¯s view with a blanket. ¡°These bodies appear older than those in the Kran Kingdom. It¡¯s been at least 3 months to 2 years since their deaths,¡± Cassion, observing from the screen, remarked. While Aris went to check the magic circle located in Cyronian, Ruel contacted Banios to verify the magic circle. Instead of his usual communication device, Banios used a visual communicator to display the magic circle to Ruel. Grit. There was a sound of gritting teeth from Banios. -Are you implying Red Ash orchestrated this? ¡°Your Highness, are you feeling alright?¡± -I feel like I want to puke right now. Insisting on taking direct action as a prince, Banios led a few knights towards the secret location in the royal palace that Ruel had disclosed. Breaking the barrier required royal proof, just like in the Kran Kingdom. Ruel felt relieved that there were no new corpses visible, suggesting they had successfully eradicated Red Ash. Perhaps this was the handiwork of Huan, who was currently imprisoned. -Are you talking about that magic circle? Banios adjusted the screen for Ruel to see clearly. Once the image stabilized, Ruel clenched his fist. It was the same magic circle he had encountered in the Kran Kingdom. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s indeed the magic circle. Thank you, Your Highness.¡± -I¡¯m glad to have assisted. You seem occupied now, so contact me later. ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± The communication was cut off. Ruel let out a long sigh. The magic circle was also in Leponia. ¡®Cyronian must be the same if that is the case.¡¯ Ruel awaited Aris. If there was a magic circle in Cyronian, Aris would soon arrive. Knock. Knock. At the knocking, Ruel glanced at Cassion. ¡°It¡¯s Aris.¡± As soon as the door opened, Aris approached Ruel with a serious expression. Just by looking at his face, Ruel could guess, but he asked for confirmation. ¡°How did it go?¡± After taking a breath, Aris replied, ¡°It¡¯s the same magic circle.¡± Ruel breathed out softly. Ultimately, the magic circle existed in all three kingdoms. Without encountering Hikars in the Kran Kingdom, they would have had no idea about the ticking time bomb and might have all died together. ¡°What about Leponia?¡± Aris inquired with a tense look. ¡°It was identical.¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly dreadful.¡± Aris¡¯s forehead creased deeply. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel nodded, inhaling Breath at Aris¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve discovered a way to dispel the magic circle.¡± Even with the announcement of having found a method, Ruel didn¡¯t act hastily. If it were truly certain, Aris wouldn¡¯t be looking at him with such anxiety. Though he had found a method, it was definitely still unstable. ¡°However, it¡¯s uncertain whether it can be successfully dispelled. I apologize.¡± As expected. Even with Aris¡¯s apology, Ruel maintained a composed expression. The idea that such a powerful magic circle, capable of destroying a kingdom, could be unraveled overnight was absurd. Finding a method was already something to be thankful for. ¡°As Ruel-nim heard in the secret location of the Kran Kingdom, whether it¡¯s a barrier or a magic circle, if we fail, an explosion of corresponding magnitude will occur.¡± Regardless of the success of dispelling the magic circle, the outcome would be similar. Understanding this, Aris paused before speaking. ¡°That¡¯s why I ask for a bit more time to proceed with caution.¡± ¡°We have only one opportunity.¡± Ruel pondered, looking troubled. The successful dispelling of the magic circle was crucial. Even with Nehils keeping a close watch on the Great Man¡¯s movements, failure would trigger the magic circle. Thus, as Aris said, they had only one chance. Amidst a prolonged silence, Leo, appearing puzzled, interjected. ¡ªIf you¡¯re in trouble, just ask. ¡°...?¡± Surprised by Leo¡¯s unexpected remark, Ruel looked down. ¡ªThis body will ask Aris if it¡¯s in trouble! Aris will ask your uncle if he¡¯s in trouble! And Ruel... um. Leo beamed, looking at his front paw. His eyes widened as he counted the people Ruel usually asked. Ten people had already passed. ¡ªOh no, this is bad! This body can¡¯t count anymore. Leo quickly hugged his tail. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already asked my uncle...¡± Ruel halted abruptly, a realization dawning on him, and he began affectionately rubbing Leo¡¯s belly. ¡°Well done, Leo!¡± ¡ªThis body? Leo was taken aback, but he smiled warmly under Ruel¡¯s touch. ¡®There¡¯s Mayre.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s lips curled upwards. Why had he overlooked Mayre? Although her background before becoming a guardian was unknown, she had lived during the era of the Great Man, hadn¡¯t she? ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Connect me to Drianna.¡± Currently, Drianna was at the Spirit House. ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion replied and took out the communication device and infused it with his aura. -Ruel-nim! You look like you¡¯ve lost weight! I hope you¡¯re eating well. As soon as the communication was established, Drianna expressed her concern for Ruel. ¡°Drianna.¡± When Ruel called her in a serious voice, she too wiped the smile off her face. Behind the screen, Jan discreetly waved his hand. -Yes, Ruel-nim! Ah, if you¡¯re talking about information related to the magic circle, Aris would know more in detail than I do. I¡¯m currently researching the Spirit House and helping Miss Mayre investigate the rampage of the monsters. ¡°Mayre is there?¡± -Yes. She¡¯s here right now. I¡¯ll switch to her immediately. As Drianna hurriedly ran, the screen shook violently. She gently roused the soundly sleeping Mayre, who appeared more blurred than before. -What¡¯s happening? Did you conduct some strange experiment again? -W-What do you mean by a strange experiment! What are you saying in front of Ruel-nim! Drianna blushed in embarrassment. -Ruel? Mayre rubbed her eyes awake and gazed at Ruel on the screen. -Hello. Mayre waved at Ruel. ¡°Mayre, I apologize for waking you, but could you examine the magic circle Drianna is showing?¡± -Magic circle...? Mayre¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but she soon smiled as if recalling something. -Since becoming a guardian, I no longer rely on magic, but I¡¯ll take a look anyway. Drianna rummaged through her belongings and retrieved a piece of paper with the magic circle drawn on it, showing it to Mayre. Initially appearing somewhat drowsy, Mayre¡¯s eyes widened in alarm upon seeing the magic circle, and she clutched the paper tightly. -R-Ruel. Where did you find this? ¡°Do you know about it?¡± -Of course! I sealed this when I was still human, so it could never be used again! But it has resurfaced! A strong fear was evident in Mayre¡¯s eyes. ¡°It was the work of that guy.¡± At Ruel¡¯s calm words, Mayre¡¯s gaze shook. -This was the work of the Great Man? ¡°Yeah.¡± -Has he stooped so low as to meddle with this? Mayre stared at the paper with disbelief. ¡°Stooped low?¡± -This... this is one of the magic circles used by our former enemies. Mayre was referring to the enemies they fought when the Great Man was still a hero, striving to protect the peace of the world. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you must know how to dispel it.¡± -It¡¯s not as simple as it sounds. That magic circle is incredibly intricate... ¡°Wait a moment, Mayre.¡± Before delving into the discussion, Ruel wanted to address Mayre first. ¡°Mayre.¡± -Yeah, I¡¯m listening. ¡°The rampage of the monsters was caused by the Great Man manipulating the body of the dead Setiria.¡± Mayre looked at Ruel with a blank expression. It seemed Drianna was the one eager to speak out or unable to hold back, rather than Mayre. ¡°I will handle it upon my return to Leponia, so you can rest assured.¡± -Okay. Mayre nodded, her face reflecting a blend of joy and sorrow. Was she joyful yet saddened? Or was she saddened by the fact that a once-comrade, the Great Man, had fallen so far? Ruel couldn¡¯t tell how she felt right now. ¡°Aris.¡± Ruel passed the communication device to Aris, who accepted it with a bewildered look. While Ruel was not entirely unfamiliar with the subject, he preferred the expert beside him to receive the information directly. ¡°Share what you know and focus on finding a solution.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Aris finally nodded, determination gleaming in his eyes. While Aris conversed with Mayre, Ruel signaled to Cassion. Noting Ruel¡¯s slightly furrowed brow, Cassion pulled out painkillers instead of snacks. It seemed like the pain was resurfacing after a period of calm. ¡°Please lie down for a moment,¡± Cassion advised as he prepared the painkillers and water. ¡°I intend to.¡± Ruel promptly settled onto the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll call Fran.¡± Cassion said before handing over the painkillers. ¡°No need. I can manage.¡± It wasn¡¯t just him who was suffering; Fran and Tierra were in the same boat. They were ordinary people without any strength. It was only natural that they couldn¡¯t withstand the cold sea like him. After taking the painkillers from Cassion, Ruel turned to Aris. Aris¡¯s face was radiant, seemingly brimming with joy as he filled in the gaps of the magic circle he hadn¡¯t fully understood yet. ¡®Alright, this side is done.¡¯ Ruel shut his eyes momentarily as a surge of pain hit. ¡ªDoes it hurt? Leo patted Ruel¡¯s head. ¡°I can bear it,¡± Ruel replied, inhaling Breath before turning to Cassion. ¡°They¡¯re monitoring Prince Adea and Prince Treitol, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, they are. And if you give the signal, the shadows will act immediately,¡± Cassion confirmed. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for now,¡± Ruel decided, despite his unease about Adea and Treitol being in the Kran Kingdom. ¡®Now, let¡¯s think carefully about what I might have missed.¡¯ Ruel closed his eyes again and pondered cautiously. Banios, Huswen, Adea, Ganien¡ªall the pieces that he could move were playing their roles as they should. What about the Great Man? Did he really not know about the situation? Numerous questions piled up in his mind. ¡®Let¡¯s think in reverse. Imagine the worst-case scenario in my mind.¡¯ The worst scenario would be what the Great Man desired. The first worst-case thought was the activation of the magic circles implanted in the capitals of each country. ¡®If that were to be prevented, what would the next worst thing be?¡¯ Ruel felt Leo¡¯s soft fur as he considered each possibility. ¡®War.¡¯ It was the obvious course of action. Fighting against the Great Man was inevitable. ¡®My death.¡¯ It was a truly dire possibility, yet it was also a situation the cornered Great Man might initiate, making it quite likely. ¡®And a situation where my body is taken by him.¡¯ Since Ruel did not know the specific method the Great Man used to seize a body, it was possible that he might find himself caught off guard. There were various other scenarios to consider, but Ruel opened his eyes. He had no idea where to start preparing or how to proceed. ¡®What if I can¡¯t resolve this question even after meeting the king?¡¯ Ruel took a deep breath and set those thoughts aside. First, he needed to ensure this farce played out properly. He was already looking forward to tomorrow. *** ¡°Damn it. I thought I was really going to freeze to death.¡± Ganien, shivering uncontrollably in the frigid dawn, felt as if he might succumb to the biting cold. The falling snow and biting wind only added to his misery, the weight of his armor pressing on him like frozen iron balls. Despite the need for realism, the situation seemed utterly absurd to him, tempting him to grab Ruel and shake some sense into him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ganien muttered, casting a sympathetic glance at his subordinates, who were also drenched and trembling. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing! Ah, I can still bear it!¡± He felt sorry for his subordinates, who were shaking even more from the cold and forced themselves to persevere. It was about time they were discovered, but everything was unusually calm. ¡®Whoever¡¯s ordering the search near the sea, we¡¯ll be dead if they find us. How can they search like this?¡¯ Ganien gritted his teeth. They weren¡¯t even looking for someone¡¯s pet. If it weren¡¯t for them, someone would likely have already died. Reluctantly, Ganien decided to increase his presence to help them be found quickly. As soon as he showed his presence, it was as if someone had been waiting and quickly approached. ¡®Ha. So they knew and just chose not to look for us.¡¯ Ganien frowned in annoyance. But that feeling didn¡¯t last long. Hick. Ganien was taken so off guard by the identity of the person who revealed themselves that he hiccuped. ¡°M-Master.¡± It was Sien. Sien looked at him with a distinctly disappointed expression, which only heightened Ganien¡¯s unease. ¡°Sir Croft.¡± At Sien¡¯s cold voice, Ganien felt as if the icy wind that had been hitting his body moments before was nothing at all. Something was off. No matter how much he had messed up, Sien shouldn¡¯t be this angry. ¡°Are you saying you abandoned your friend and survived alone?¡± With a voice sharp as a whip, Sien¡¯s words made Ganien realize that he was serious. ¡°Wha...?¡± In an instant, Ganien was so taken aback that he forgot he was supposed to be acting and widened his eyes in shock. ¡°I did not teach you to leave your friend down in the sea while you crawled up here alone!¡± In a tone mixed with genuine resentment and disappointment, Ganien inwardly sought Huswen. ¡®Your Majesty, this is not right!¡¯ Ganien felt terrified at the situation, whether Huswen had forgotten to speak to Sien or simply hadn¡¯t done so. ¡°M-Master, it seems His Majesty has been¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet! How dare you try to make excuses with that filthy mouth of yours!¡± Sien pushed Ganien back with a menacing expression and said, ¡°Go back into the sea and find the culprit or Lord Setiria!¡± ¡°Master, please listen to me!¡± Despite Ganien¡¯s continued pleading, Sien dragged him and threw him back into the cold sea. Splash!