Darkteria (2)
At the same time, Zick was strolling through a garden on one side of the castle with his son Vael.
The place was serene, with hardly anyone around.
Or more precisely, the few people who had been there had hurriedly paid their respects and fled at the sight of the Demon King.
Thanks to that, the garden grew even quieter.
After walking in silence for a while, Zick suddenly turned to his son.
"Vael, what did you think of Haven's new regiment leader you just saw?"
"...Honestly, I have no idea. I couldn't sense anything from him. It's probably because I'm still lacking."
"Hahaha!"
Vael frowned at the sudden burst of laughter and looked at his father.
"Are you teasing me?"
"It's not that you're lacking. I couldn't sense anything from him either."
"Pardon?"
"I couldn't sense a thing from him—not even I could."
"I... Is that true?"
Vael's face filled with shock.
Demon King Zick.
Unlike the kings of other nations, he wasn't authoritarian. He was always smiling and carefree—some even called him frivolous—but no one doubted his power.
The titles attached to him spoke volumes about Demon King Zick's strength.
The pinnacle of black magic. A being even demons feared. The absolute powerhouse evaluated as the only one equal to Haven's lord.
For such a father to be unable to gauge his opponent's power...
"Father, if that's the case..."
"Yeah."
Zick stopped and looked up at the sky.
"Balderic's brought in a real monster."
A cold wind blew, tousling Zick's red hair.
"...Demon King... no, Father."
Vael cautiously opened his mouth.
"Isn't this dangerous? Didn't you say Haven's lord seems to be plotting something?"
"Hahaha! My son, you're finally calling me Father."
Zick made an exaggeratedly moved expression.
"And you're even trusting my instincts. Last time, you cut me off with 'Don't say strange things'—do you know how sad that made your old man?"
"I'm not joking."
"If that regiment leader is on your level... no, even if he's just comparable, the continental balance could shatter in an instant."
Vael's concerns were valid.
Lunaria Empire, Haven, Darkteria.
These three great powers of the continent coexisted in a delicate balance.
Lunaria with wealth and diplomacy. Haven with raw military might. Darkteria with magic and knowledge.
Of course, these were just surface distinctions.
Lunaria's Five Kings possessed formidable martial power as well, and Darkteria's seven demonkin known as the Seven Deadly Sins were terrifying in their own right.
"Ah, don't worry about that."
Zick waved his hand dismissively.
"Balderic won't attack us or Lunaria."
"Didn't you say she's definitely plotting something?"
"Yeah, I still think she's up to something. But it won't be war."
"Another hunch?"
"Yep, a hunch."
Zick grinned.
"Besides, from what I saw, Astra doesn't seem like the type who wants war either. Hunch again, though."
Vael sighed.
His father's instincts were eerily accurate, but they couldn't stake the continent's fate on hunches alone.
"Sigh... Still, we should prepare. You never know."
"Hahaha! Handle that yourself. You're the heir, aren't you? You should be able to manage that much."
Vael's expression turned icy.
"Demon King, the moment you return to the castle, you're thinking only of play instead of work."
Zick flinched for a moment.
"Ahem, that's not it. Your old man has tons of work too."
He paused, then added,
"And why not call me Father again?"
"It's my choice."
Vael continued coldly.
"And it's not that you have a lot of work—it's that you avoid it and play around, so it piles up."
"Ahem..."
Zick averted his gaze.
Pretending to admire the conference garden's flowers to avoid his son's piercing stare.
"The flowers are pretty."
"..."
Vael's silence weighed heavy. Zick fiddled with a petal and muttered,
"Flowers blooming in this season—it's really amazing, isn't it?"
"Demon King."
"Yeah?"
"I'll tell Mother."
Zick's face paled instantly.
"...Son, that's cheating, isn't it?"
"You started the cheating first, Demon King. You've dodged work more than once or twice."
Zick hurriedly grabbed Vael's shoulder.
"Son, let's talk this out. Yeah?"
Vael grinned.
That smile somehow resembled Zick's.
"Then process the backlog when we get back to the castle."
"...Fine."
The Demon King who terrified the continent was, in the end, just a husband who shrank before his wife at home.
* * *
"Need any help?"
Balderic, mounted on a massive dragon's back right in front of me, asked.
"It wasn't my way, but it was entertaining, so I could lend a hand?"
Balderic's lips curved slightly upward.
Seemed the commotion in the conference hall suited her tastes.
"No help needed."
My response was firm. Balderic shrugged.
"I see. Until the next continental summit, then."
The dragon spread its enormous wings.
Boom—
One flap stirred a powerful gust.
My clothes whipped wildly, and the surrounding trees shook like they were screaming.
The dragon's massive body lifted into the air.
Whoosh—
The sound of wings slicing air boomed like thunder. The black shadow blanketed the ground before shrinking smaller and smaller.
'Time to find him.'
Even while talking with Jin, I'd been scanning the surroundings, but Zick was nowhere.
He wasn't in the conference hall, so probably outside.
I started walking slowly.
But as I looked around without spotting him, unease began to creep in.
'He didn't leave already, did he?'
I needed to meet him right away and talk. The thought of my plans derailing quickened my steps.
Crossing the garden and searching here and there, I finally spotted them beyond it.
'Phew, good.'
I let out a sigh of relief.
As I drew closer, they noticed me and turned.
But for some reason, Zick looked utterly deflated.
'What's with that? Why's he like that?'
The arrogant, relaxed demeanor from the conference hall was gone.
He looked like a scolded child, shoulders slumped.
"Zick."
"Yeah, what is it..."
His voice was listless.
You're the issue here.
"I have a favor to ask."
"A favor?"
Only then did interest spark on Zick's dejected face.
"Could you permit entry into Darkteria?"
"What business does Haven's regiment leader have in Darkteria?"
"I need something, and it only grows in Darkteria."
"What is it?"
Zick's lips curved up.
"If I can get it, I will. Of course, I'd expect something in return."
I pondered briefly. No reason to hide it, so I said outright,
"The Soul Orchid from Black Rock Canyon."
In that instant, Zick's expression shifted subtly. Vael's eyes widened too.
"Soul Orchid..."
Zick murmured slowly.
Black Rock Canyon, Soul Orchid.
The canyon in the northeast of the Darkteria continent was famous for black water cascading like a waterfall.
At its deepest point grew the legendary flower that bloomed only once every hundred years, absorbing both moonlight and black water.
But the name "legendary flower" rang hollow—it only healed internal injuries.
No miracles like regrowing limbs or reviving the dead, just mending inner wounds.
And there were plenty of other ways to heal internal injuries.
It was rare, but few sought it out.
That was the Soul Orchid's place in Darkteria.
"Are you injured somewhere?"
"Not that."
"Hmm."
Zick tilted his head.
"If not, I can't fathom why you'd need that flower..."
"I need it."
I stated firmly.
"If you have it, I'll grant one request in exchange."
"What if I want to borrow your power once?"
"That works too."
Zick's eyes widened. Surprise flickered in his red pupils.
"Hoo..."
He spoke slowly.
"To think one flower could move Haven's regiment leader. Quite the unexpected gain."
Zick stroked his chin, deep in thought.
"Hmm, if I had it, I'd hand it over and borrow your power right now, but..."
He sighed dramatically.
"Unfortunately, I don't."
With a genuinely regretful look, he turned to his son.
"Right, son?"
Vael replied calmly.
"...Yes. A flower that merely heals internal injuries. Despite the 'legendary' name, borrowing Haven's regiment leader's power is far more valuable."
Vael's voice carried a subtle calculation.
As if questioning why I'd offer such terms for something so trivial.
"But, Regiment Leader."
Vael continued.
"As you know, Darkteria traditionally allows only those with black magic to enter."
"Yeah, my son's right."
Zick crossed his arms.
"Our nation isn't one Cassius or Balderic can just visit on a whim. It's a founding principle we've held since the beginning."
His red eyes sharpened.
"The moment someone without black magic steps foot here, Darkteria's barrier will reject them. Even if you're Haven's regiment leader."
I listened quietly.
Then slowly opened my mouth.
"Don't worry about that."
With a calm voice, I raised my right hand.
Rumble—!!!
Black smoke rose from my fingertips.
"I'm a black mage too."