Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: The Truth Doesn't Get Buried # 2
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I gave Stella Belhawk a suitable rundown of what I knew.
That the heads of the great houses were members of a group called the "Adventure Club."
And that among them was a man named Isaiah Gospel, who might be a descendant of King Angmar.
After hearing my story, Stella Belhawk slumped back in her chair. The backrest let out a creepy creak.
She propped her slipper-clad feet up on the cluttered table, crossed them, and pulled out a long-stemmed pipe from somewhere, sticking it in her mouth and snapping her fingers to light it.
"Hoo."
As she worked her mouth, the cramped, messy office quickly filled with the acrid stench of tobacco smoke.
It made my throat and eyes sting, forcing me to cough and hack, but Professor Stella seemed utterly indifferent, just staring blankly at the ceiling.
We stayed silent like that for a few seconds.
"That era was called the Golden Generation. All sorts of heroes and their descendants flocked here. Most of the Demon King's remnants that threatened the continent were subjugated too."
"The Golden Generation?"
"Yeah. From Reinhardt to Alistair, the prince of Tarantara, sultans from distant neighboring countries. It wasn't common for knights from the Church and saintess candidates to gather in one place."
"So, what kind of person was Isaiah Gospel?"
"He was our focal point. A man with dreams. The Adventure Club started with his story in the first place. The absurd tale that Demon King Solomon's treasure was buried somewhere in this ark."
"So that's why it was the Adventure Club. Gathered to embark on an adventure to find the Demon King's treasure."
"Yeah."
I organized the information from Professor Stella's words. But the biggest question remained.
"So, about that Isaiah Gospel. You were there with him back then, so you must know, right?"
"Know?"
Her amber eyes slid toward me. It was like she was daring me to say more, so I decided to spill more of what I knew, just as she wanted.
"That he was a descendant of King Angmar. Given the timeline, probably a son or nephew."
"Most records would have been erased. You did well to deduce that far. You're right, Theo Gospel. If this were a lecture, I'd give you an A. He was the son."
So Isaiah Gospel really was the son of Demon King Solomon.
Then what am I?
Am I the son of that son?
I kept speculating about my own existence as I continued.
"So where is that Isaiah Gospel—no, Isaiah Angmar—now?"
"What will you do if you find out?"
Tap, tap.
Her slipper dangling from her toe swayed back and forth, distracting. The smoking, the foot shaking—it all gave off vibes of someone mentally cornered.
I could feel I held the reins of this conversation.
So I put on a grave voice, like a scary man.
"If a descendant of Angmar still lives, we have only one job, don't we? For the kingdom's stability, we find them, root them out, and eliminate them."
"Hmm. Textbook answer."
"But Sir Alistair and Sir Reinhardt didn't do that. They saw Isaiah, who carried Demon King Angmar's bloodline, and didn't report or kill him. Why?"
"There was no need. Isaiah was the reason your houses united to defeat the Demon King in the first place. Think about that reason yourself."
Think about the reason.
That sparked a hypothesis I'd been piecing together for a while.
What Mirna of House Draco had once said: "House Draco did not betray House Angmar."
And the existence of this man named Isaiah.
There were several possible answers, but the most plausible one was this.
"You were trying to make Isaiah Angmar king."
". . ."
"So House Draco agreed to subjugate Demon King Angmar. Putting a new Angmar king on the throne wouldn't break the oath."
"Keep going."
"But considering the era, Isaiah Angmar would have been a newborn baby when the Demon King was subjugated."
The subjugation of Demon King Angmar was said to be about a century ago.
To be precise, Demon King Solomon died only about fifty years ago.
Just fifty years ago. I don't know why every history book and record unanimously distorts it to a century.
Fifty years ago, when the Demon King fell, his son Isaiah must have been very young.
So perhaps the wise House Tarantara held the throne as regents until he grew into a proper king?
That was the extent of my guesswork.
I laid it all out, and now it was Professor Stella's turn to grade my answer.
"Am I wrong?"
". . ."
"Come on, answer me."
"Well. Whether it's right or wrong is for you to—"
Bang.
I slammed my palm on the professor's desk.
Ouch, ouch.
Hitting a desk with my frail hand naturally hurt only me, but I acted unfazed, glaring fiercely.
"I'm not joking. I'm here as the Queen's inspector."
To be exact, I was here as the last prince with legitimate claim to the old throne, but I couldn't reveal that, so I picked the most intimidating card I had to threaten Stella.
"If you don't comply with my authority, Professor Stella, even as heir to House Belhawk, I can make your life quite miserable."
"Make my life miserable? How?"
"Figure it out yourself."
The scariest thing is one's own imagination. So I left it vague on purpose.
Professor Stella slid her legs off the desk and straightened up.
". . . Why are you getting mad?"
Her attitude softened considerably, and she even put out her cigarette. My threat had worked. Should've done this sooner. Turns out authority works surprisingly well on Stella.
". . . No need to get that mad."
Her passive tone made me feel a bit sorry for snapping. So I toned down my anger and spoke calmly.
"Then tell me the truth. I'm a busy man. I don't have time for games."
"Fine, I'll be straight. Your reasoning is spot on. Close enough to call it correct. Eerily accurate, like you were there."
Oh. Nice.
It felt like a tangled knot in my head unraveled in an instant. Guess I have a knack for deduction. Must be my calm thinking.
But one question lingered.
"Then why didn't it happen? Where is Isaiah Angmar?"
I actually knew where he was.
Dead, probably.
Why he died.
That's what I wanted to ask.
But Stella Belhawk shook her head.
"I don't know. Senior Isaiah dropped out. One day, he just vanished. After he left, we turned on each other and split. Blaming, suspecting—"
"I see."
"Questions over?"
At the professor's question, I said, "Hold on—" to buy time to gather my thoughts.
She looked up at the ceiling and murmured, "I miss those days," lost in nostalgia.
"It feels like yesterday to me. Going into dungeons with the seniors. Scouring everywhere for the Demon King's treasure..."
Then her expression darkened.
"Isaiah, we don't know where he is or what he's doing. We searched the whole continent but found nothing. Maybe he went beyond the barrier..."
And with that, Stella Belhawk's story ended.
She'd acted like she knew everything, but it turned out to be nothing much. Still, confirming my guesses were mostly right was a solid gain.
"But deducing facts we hid so well. What are you, anyway?"
Then Stella Belhawk's curiosity turned to me.
I was tangled up with various houses, giving me an edge in knowledge. I'd started knowing a survivor of Angmar existed.
But to an outsider, it might look like deducing something from nothing.
As I pondered how to respond, Stella eyed me up and down and added her admiration.
"Theo Gospel. Angmar's monk. Heard you didn't live up to the rumors, but you're an intriguing guy. Want to be my assistant? Grad school?"
"No."
"Hmm. Anyway, that's all I know about the Adventure Club. The building's closed now."
"Ah."
The mention of the building closing reminded me of something. I pulled a book from the bag at my waist and showed it to Stella.
"Do you know anything about these names? Priga Nightfall and Theo Gospel. Seems around the time the dormitory closed."
"Priga—. The saintess's name. And Theo Gospel—."
Stella narrowed her eyes, like she knew something.
"There was an incident back then, I think. I was abroad looking for Senior Isaiah at the time. But yeah, the saintess did join the Adventure Club as a junior. With some weird guy."
"The weird guy was Theo Gospel?"
"Yeah."
Was that me?
I wanted to ask. But as I mulled how, Stella spoke first.
"Come to think of it, that guy had the same name as you. Though he looked nothing like you."
"He looked different?"
"A total pretty boy. Everyone stared as he passed. Tall too."
That's when it happened.
Bang bang bang bang bang.
Someone pounded on Professor Stella's office door like they were trying to demolish it.
—Professor Stella! I know you're in there! Come out! I have words about the people you brought!
"Eek!"
Stella Belhawk bolted out the window.
* * *
I left Stella's office and headed to my dorm, sorting through our conversation point by point.
First.
Isaiah, son of the Demon King. The current house heads wanted to make him king, but he vanished one day.
The question: Why did he suddenly disappear? Was there some potential threat to Angmar?
Did he die, leaving only me, his son, alive?
If I couldn't uncover why Isaiah vanished, I might be in danger too.
Next, second.
The Theo Gospel with the saintess probably wasn't me. He was tall and a handsome boy.
I'm half-fairy, decent-looking, but not towering.
If it were me, Stella would've recognized me anyway.
All in all, a decent haul?
Feeling like I'd made the most of the day, I turned toward Aira. I figured I'd go to her room and report everything.
But telling her the house heads tried to crown Isaiah Angmar—how would current queen Aira react?
Better keep that hidden?
If she found out I hid it, I'd be in big trouble.
Lost in thought, I arrived at Aira's door. Room of Ark rank 2. I knocked on the ornate door.
Knock knock knock.
"Lady Aira, it's Theo Gospel."
The door clicked open.
Inside, sunlight streamed through the open window, illuminating the young ladies at the table sipping tea.
Elga and Mirna.
Seeing them together made my back crawl like ants marching over me. Where've they been lately? Why here?
Then Aira spoke.
"Theo, we were just talking about you. Heard something interesting about you. You'll have to explain."
Something interesting?
Too many possibilities.