Chapter 421
Chapter 421
Chapter 421
'Why is this here?'
The sword of Jiemens Apollion was definitely stuck in the ground along with other ancestral swords in Draker's secret space. Yet now it appeared before Zeke's eyes.
'Could it be that sword? Maybe this is a replica. Or is that one the replica?'
Setting aside his complex thoughts, Zeke approached the sword and slowly reached out his hand.
WHOOOONG!
The sword vibrated as if responding to Zeke's touch.
He grasped the sword.
[Acquired Legendary Item '????']
[Item is currently in inactive state.]
'If it's inactive, I can't check its information.'
Zeke slightly frowned, realizing he couldn't identify the sword's true nature.
He couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed that despite obtaining a legendary item, he couldn't use it.
Then a message appeared before his eyes.
[Achievement quest updated due to inactive item.]
―Achievement Quest (Linked)―
[Find the Temple of Theia, Goddess of the Moon, and obtain the authentication code. (No time limit)]
[Activate the inactive item using the obtained authentication code. (No time limit)]
[Quest Mission Reward: Title 'Theia's Blessing']
[Linked Quest Mission Reward: ???]
Zeke looked at the still-inactive sword after reading the message.
'A quest linked to finding Goddess Theia's temple and a linked quest opening up. Is this sword also related to Goddess Theia?'
Jiemens Apollion received Goddess Theia's armor from the Hero King and wore it.
Then it seemed entirely possible that he also carried a sword related to Goddess Theia.
'Was it a set item with the armor and sword together?'
Though many theories came to mind, he couldn't confirm anything since the sword was inactive.
Zeke placed the sword in his inventory.
Yet questions continued to swirl in his mind.
‘What exactly was that sword I couldn't pull out?’
It definitely looked identical to the sword he saw in the Draker family's secret space when he went with Arthur Draker.
The Draker family seemed to mistake it for their founder Sethon Draker's sword, but Zeke felt he knew the truth.
The Sword Saint Sethon brought Jiemens Apollion's descendant as his adopted son to create the God Slayer.
The Draker family was formed in that process, and it seemed Sethon had also collected Jiemens Apollion's sword then.
That story became distorted, and Jiemens Apollion's sword was passed down in the family as Sethon Draker's sword.
However, when Zeke tried to grasp and pull out that sword, it showed no reaction and wouldn't budge for some reason.
Since none of the previous family heads could pull out the sword, he had thought some special spell or magic was placed on it.
But now that the same sword appeared from a random box, Zeke's thoughts multiplied.
In fact, he still didn't fully understand how he was able to acquire items and artifacts used by past heroes through random boxes in the first place.
During the Constellation Era, it was said that constellations provided these boxes as sponsorship for their avatars and subordinates in the material world.
But Zeke was receiving these random boxes as rewards through the system.
He had been acquiring treasure-grade items and artifacts worthy of myths and legends through these random boxes.
'The random boxes, the shop, the crafting system - how are all these things possible?’
Once the question arose, various thoughts continued to chain together.
As his mind became complicated, Zeke shook his head and stopped thinking.
'There's no point thinking about it now. I should ask the Hermit of Stories or Lord Hades when I meet them.'
From his past life experience, Zeke knew it was faster to ask someone knowledgeable rather than agonizing alone over difficult matters.
Though many questions remained, after unsealing the Earth God and receiving his reward, Zeke returned to the surface.
Salmak was already cleaned up by Shadia.
Using his purification power, Zeke removed all poison from those Shadia had selected.
Afterward, together with Shadia, they found Salmak's vault and obtained the treasures and various documents hidden inside.
In the process of checking Salmak's confidential documents, Zeke discovered one surprising fact.
‘Dealings with Draker?’
Salmak had maintained trade relations with the Draker family for quite some time.
Zeke couldn't help but be more shocked as he looked through the details of dealings between Salmak and Draker.
Draker was influencing the power dynamics of the Central Kingdom using Salmak's assassins.
Zeke recalled what Kali had told him before.
'Sister asked me to stop Draker's rampage.'
Zeke realized that Arthur Draker, the family head, was at the center of this monstrous Draker power.
'The dealings with Salmak increased even more after Arthur Draker became the de facto family head.'
Even before, there were dealings, but they were merely assassination requests.
However, after Arthur Draker became family head, they began actively using assassins through full-scale dealings.
Through these documents, Zeke glimpsed Arthur Draker's dark side.
He told Shadia.
"It would be better if you take the lead publicly, hiding that I destroyed Salmak."
"Are you asking me to act as the Salmak leader?"
Zeke nodded.
"There's evidence of long-term dealings between Salmak and the Draker family. If Arthur Draker learns I was involved in the leader's death, he might restrict my movements."
Arthur Draker was still showing him great favor.
But knowing the Arthur Draker from his past life, Zeke couldn't trust him.
Arthur Draker would show favor if someone was useful, but could coldly abandon even family if they weren't.
Shadia bowed to Zeke's order.
"Understood, my lord. I will handle this as internal strife within Salmak and erase all traces of your involvement."
Zeke trusted Shadia's meticulous work.
'Now that this is done, I should return to Mekein.'
Zeke left the desert region and headed to the Southern Islands where Arina was.
Though he had originally instructed Shadia, since she was handling Salmak's affairs, he personally escorted Masa, a former Six member, to the academy before returning straight to Mekein using an expensive portal.
However, as Zeke planned to rest while training the Black Sword Knights, he received orders from the Four Seasons Castle.
It was deployment orders to Rom.
* * *
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
A group of knights charged forward through the heavy rain.
Their flag bearer carried a banner with a black sword.
They were the Black Sword Knights and Barbarian units that had been staying at Agamemnon Castle.
Zeke was leading them somewhere quickly.
As he looked around, someone approached his side.
"Won't you tell me why we're in such a hurry?"
Zeke remained silent to Reina's question, focused on riding forward.
Reina ground her teeth at his silence.
'Would it kill him to answer?'
Reina had participated in harsh training with the Black Sword Knights at Agamemnon Castle.
She planned to talk with Zeke after his return, but he immediately left Mekein with the Black Sword Knights due to urgent deployment orders from Four Seasons Castle.
Reina followed Zeke along with other Black Sword Knights members.
Officially, she joined under the pretext of participating in a field mission as training, but in reality, she forced her way into the Black Sword Knights wanting to wield her sword by Zeke's side.
Knowing her talent and potential as a former Five Star Knight known as the Flash Knight in his past life, Zeke had no reason to refuse.
Thus, Reina was naturally becoming part of the Black Sword Knights.
Zeke diligently led his troops to Heli, a city in southern Midland bordering the Rom Empire.
Upon entering Heli, Zeke headed straight to city hall with his troops.
Looking around the city center, Zeke realized Heli's atmosphere had changed drastically since his last visit.
'It's like a ghost town.'
Originally, Heli was a city under Jiemens' influence, famous as a financial center alongside Panstas with many renowned companies and guilds.
But when Jiemens occupied Rom using Abel and brutally murdered imperial nobles and royalty, related companies' credibility plummeted.
As guilds dealing with Jiemens failed to receive payments, they went bankrupt one after another, and banks operating on Jiemens' capital also collapsed, causing widespread effects.
Heli's economy collapsed, prices soared endlessly, and people lost their jobs.
Naturally, public safety deteriorated.
Only after Zeke deployed the Black Sword Knights to restore order did the city finally regain some stability.
However, Heli was still becoming a ghost town with no trace of its former glory.
Inside city hall, Duke greeted him.
"Welcome."
Zeke dismounted and bowed to his master Duke.
"Have you been well?"
"Getting goosebumps from your unusual politeness."
"Just because there are many eyes watching."
Duke grinned at Zeke's words.
"Sure, if you say so. Let's go inside without useless talk. The city's mood is bad enough without this rain."
Duke led Zeke to the city hall commissioner's office.
After the previous mayor and council members hastily fled with their wealth before Heli's collapse, the city's administration was paralyzed.
As a result, Decker, the Black Sword Knights commander, had to temporarily serve as acting mayor.
Despite being a knight, Decker handled the role surprisingly well due to his administrative experience as Draker's butler.
He spent all day buried in paperwork trying to stabilize the crumbling Heli.
Duke leaned back on the sofa, taking a drink.
"Might as well make Decker the mayor. Being commander at his age is hard enough."
Having set aside his sword for long, Decker sometimes seemed overwhelmed by his role as commander.
Zeke nodded at Duke's words.
"We could ask Decker's opinion and do that if he wants."
Decker was trustworthy enough to manage the city.
"How is Carus doing?"
Duke nodded.
"He's busy working with Prince Leo and Julius to reclaim Rom. The Crab and Scorpion Palace have joined, and Julius and Calito are actively persuading imperial nobles. The underground struggle is intensifying."
Zeke nodded at Duke's words.
'The plan to shake the empire from within seems to be progressing well.'
Duke set down his glass and asked Zeke.
"So, why did you rush to Heli so suddenly? What did Arthur order?"
Duke was sharp as ever.
He nodded and showed Duke the orders from Four Seasons Castle.
Though it was top secret, Duke, a former Draker Black Knight, had high enough security clearance to view it.
He frowned while scanning the orders.
"Enter Rom, negotiate with Azmund Varios, and retrieve the forbidden book containing Terakan Draker's secrets?"
Duke glared fiercely at the orders.
"What nonsense is this? Damn it. Has Arthur lost his mind?"
Only Duke, as an old friend, could speak of family head Arthur Draker like that.
He asked Zeke.
"So you'll go to Rom as ordered?"
"It's a family order, what choice do I have? As a knight, I must follow."
Duke shook his head at Zeke's words.
"Walking straight into such an obvious trap. Does that make any sense?"
Then Zeke sent Duke a telepathic message.
―Master, this is indeed their trap. However...
He continued.
―It's also a perfect opportunity to catch Abel.