Even Beasts Recognize Their Masters (2)
It was always like this. Memories that had been hazy only sharpened when the situation demanded it. The settings for the four families came flooding back.
Maxima's wealth stemmed from Midas's gem. Those who served Maxima were guaranteed immense riches, and those who fought for him were armed in golden armor. This overflowing fortune drew the continent's powerhouses to Maxima's domain, and he welcomed them without hesitation—that was the origin of Maxima's golden elite guard.
The Golden Maxima. In summary, his ability was an absurd amount of wealth. Indeed, the saying that money solves everything in the world wasn't for nothing. No wonder there was even talk that if you'd failed, it was because you didn't have enough funds.
Yugric's boundless mercy was more than enough to comfort the wounded—even if they were the heartbroken twins of the sun and moon, abandoned by the heavens themselves. The twins, saved by Yugric, devoted themselves to repaying the favor, passing judgment on any who opposed him.
The Forest's Yugric. Simply put, he had incredible luck with people. Especially the sun and moon twins—they were like reliable mercenaries you couldn't buy for all the gold in the world.
Kansel, brimming with courage, set forth to his vast northern homeland. It was the law of nature to follow a strong leader. The majority of the northern barbarians hailed him as their chieftain and marched at his side.
The Valiant Kansel. He was half-beast, half-man. Not just any animal, but half legendary creature. That detail even held up with the barbarians worshipping him like a god.
Prosperity followed in Akmond's footsteps. A gold mine was discovered in a humble village, soon transforming it into a thriving city. Even the mercenaries Akmond hired gained strength rivaling knights in mere months.
The Thrilling Akmond. The Akmond family's power was just as cheat-like as the others. If you compared it to players, it was like constantly buffing everyone around you with area-wide enhancements.
As you can see, all four families were extraordinary. So it made sense that even an empire couldn't guarantee victory against them. But what was this? The emperor's throne hadn't been seized—it had simply been handed to him by the four families?
'How the hell did that even become canon?'
My rampaging dark history was utterly unpredictable.
And in a way, it was inevitable. The aftermath of Claudy's realization alone was overwhelming enough. To trace back through the four families' legacies and speculate further?
'If I knew that, I'd be a shaman.'
But one thing was certain.
"It seems demons have possessed you all."
That was definitely not Claudy's will.
Someone might ask: If the four families' powers are real, couldn't they just withdraw their loyalty to Claudy? Wasn't it implausible for such beings to serve Claudy in the first place?
To that, I would reply: Do you think dark history is called that for nothing?!
Exactly. To earn the name "history," you had to flesh out the absurd settings with historical accuracy and plausibility. Only then could it be called a history deep and dark beyond measure.
Why did the four families come to possess such immense powers? There was a perfectly Claudy-like reason for that...!
The emperor suddenly asked me.
"Even beasts recognize their masters... Of course, Your Excellency speaks truly. But why do you say such a thing? And what do you mean by 'demons have possessed them'? May I humbly inquire?"
I replied without a change in expression.
"Because they are abusing it."
"...Abusing what, Your Excellency?"
"The blessings I bestowed."
Indeed. In my dark history, the four families weren't originally noble houses. They started as mere servants 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the Claudy family, earned their freedom through their abilities, and upon leaving Claudy territory, received their names and blessings as gifts.
'Anyone perceptive would have noticed.'
The powers of the four families. Maxima's wealth. Yugric's mercy. Kansel's valor. Akmond's influence.
All of it was overflowing from the Claudy family. In other words, Claudy had simply given away what was spilling over...!
'What insane self-importance, Hoyeol.'
He'd merely shared from his vast vessel, yet the four families had become the de facto rulers of an empire that unified the Arcana continent, maintained their forces even as demons emerged, and now marched as monsters toward the empire itself?
"You bestowed blessings upon them...? Do you mean the four families, Your Excellency? You knew of them? I can't believe it. I didn't even suspect—I never even considered it."
I observed the emperor's profoundly shocked reaction. It seemed he didn't know the connection between Claudy and the four families. No, he barely knew anything about Claudy at all.
That was understandable.
'Only a tiny few on the current continent know about Claudy.'
Dragons, elves, ancient evils, Mary, and so on. Only those who had lived through eons or witnessed Claudy's end truly grasped Claudy's essence and reputation.
Of course, the important thing wasn't Claudy's greatness.
'...It's better if he knows nothing about Claudy.'
God, I hoped he wouldn't get curious about my dark history. To prevent that, I couldn't just sit idle. I couldn't give him time to think.
I spoke immediately.
"Entrust it to me."
"...!"
bewilderment crossed the agonized emperor's face.
"How can you say such a thing? I cannot know what ties the Black Dark Dragon has with the four families. I cannot do that. As emperor, I..."
"Do you truly have faith in yourself, Emperor?"
"...!"
He surely knew he had to lead as emperor to protect the empire and its people. But what emanated from him wasn't courage—it was fear.
"I..."
Huangga Sericrose. Passed down secretly from predecessors to successors. The empire's cruel truth.
"...I apologize."
Its weight was enough to make even an emperor stagger before his family's reality, reducing him to a mere man.
Of course, I had no intention of rebuking him.
"You need not apologize."
"No, I..."
"Sericrose, your house is no different."
"...?"
"I understand your heart."
Being shocked by a family's secrets? Even if the whole world didn't understand, I had no choice but to be magnanimous. I, who had somehow acknowledged myself as the head of the Claudy family.
Because the true face of the Claudy family I would face ahead... would be anything but easy...!
Besides.
"And this is solely my responsibility."
"Your responsibility? What do you...?"
"The burden a master must bear."
How could a meddler who loved shouldering everything stay silent? In the end, since Claudy had granted the four families their names and blessings, he would take responsibility according to procedure.
The emperor pressed his forehead.
"I apologize once more."
I understood that too. The situation had tangled up in Grandfell-style rhetoric. It wouldn't be easy to grasp.
But there was no need to worry.
'It's about time.'
Calculating the speed of the parchment's flight. And factoring in the four families' advance on Antonium.
A bite was coming soon.
*
Ignite Maxima. The massive man was adorned in resplendent armor. Most striking was the enormous gem embedded in the center of his helmet. How many carats? No, better to measure in handfuls. It was larger than an adult man's fist.
'...At that size, isn't it worth more than calling it priceless?'
Jang An-rim rolled his eyes while bowing his head. Everything dazzled, blinding him. It sparkled relentlessly.
'I expected grandeur since they declared war on the empire, but... what the hell is this insane level of forces? Where did these NPCs even come from? A bug?'
But the doubt was fleeting. Jang An-rim smirked inwardly.
It seemed his split decision had been right.
—"I'll choose Akmond."
The four factions listed in the quest. Yong Seong-rak chose Akmond.
The reason was simple. Yong Seong-rak's class was [Sealer], a rare class that could only job-change in the small eastern village of Ericton.
—"Even Arcana has connections based on school ties and regional bonds, right?"
Akmond, advancing from the eastern territories toward the empire. He hoped someone on Akmond's side might recognize the value of a Sealer like him.
In contrast, Jang An-rim himself.
'I've got nothing special to boast about.'
His class, [Lance Knight], wasn't even rare. He had no regional, school, or blood ties to lean on like Yong Seong-rak. So Jang An-rim had planned to follow Yong Seong-rak and join Akmond.
But.
—"No. I think we should split here. One of us has to pick right to lead the one who picked wrong, don't you think?"
Yong Seong-rak's words were logically sound. So Jang An-rim had tearfully chosen Maxima.
And damn, it looked like a brilliant choice.
"Adventurer, I've long been intrigued by you all!"
Ignite Maxima. The head of Maxima was boisterously welcoming.
Jang An-rim bowed deeply.
"If you'll accept me, I'll turn that intrigue into results."
"Good, full of spirit. I like it."
"Thank you!"
Worlds apart from rootless scum like Ryu Ojuncheon. He recognized talent like mine and acknowledged its worth.
Jang An-rim swallowed hard. Estimates filled his mind.
'Maxima wins this war for sure.'
Even a thriving empire in its prime would struggle for a complete victory against this golden legion. And the current empire had been driven to ruin?
'If we win, I'll claim massive rewards.'
With Ignite's generous personality and wealth, standing out even a little would probably net him chests of gold.
Jang An-rim apologized inwardly.
'Sorry, Yong Seong-rak.'
Regrettably, he couldn't drag him along. Jang An-rim instinctively knew Yong Seong-rak outclassed him. Bringing him to Maxima might mean all his merits going to Yong Seong-rak.
But without Yong Seong-rak.
"If I may be bold, Antonium is practically my backyard. I know how many gates it has, what buildings are where, and its current forces inside out."
Jang An-rim packaged it convincingly.
"Especially the Lion Heart Knights, the emperor's right arm. They no longer exist in Antonium or on the Arcana continent at present. They got swept into a rift and fully settled in our adventurers' world."
"Oh ho. Is that true? That's welcome news. Lion-hearted knights who swing their swords with life on the line would be thorny even for the golden elite."
Ignite clapped enthusiastically.
Jang An-rim chuckled slyly inside.
Look at that—realized or not, at root, they were just NPCs.
'His intentions are crystal clear.'
If a goddess of fortune existed, Jang An-rim was willing to offer her one gold coin from his future spoils.
'...Nah, even so, gold's too much. Silver it is.'
Of course, his shallow faith didn't last.
Suddenly.
Ignite stopped clapping and continued.
"Ah, but you know."
"Yes. Ask anything."
"I've had a question about adventurers for a while."
"A question? I'll resolve it if I can."
"Oh ho, will you? Thanks."
Snap—
Ignite flicked his fingers. A soldier clad head to toe in gold stepped forward.
For a moment, Jang An-rim flinched.
'Suddenly?'
Was this a test of strength? If so, he wouldn't back down. With a dozen cheat buffs stacked, he was confident in one-on-one, even if outnumbered.
But that, too, was Jang An-rim's delusion.
A delusion that overlooked a mere NPC peering into a human heart like his own.
"I've wondered about the rumors since I was holed up in the west. So, adventurer, I want to verify if the blessing you all have is real. Can't just take it at face value, right?"
"Blessing? What blessing do you mean?"
"Playing dumb?"
Ignite's pupils gleamed sharply.
"Do you think Ignite has multiple curiosities about lowly outsiders? I have only one question for you. The blessing of resurrection. Is it real or false?"
"R-Resurrection? What do you—?!"
"Good, you agree readily. Let's check quickly!"
"W-Wai...!"
Before Jang An-rim could speak.
Shing—!
The golden elite's sword flashed.
Thud—!
Blood spurted from Jang An-rim's neck. Splashes flew everywhere, even dotting Ignite's face, but he didn't frown.
He just watched.
"What is this."
The adventurer Jang An-rim, now mere flesh.
"Resurrection power or whatever—pure lies."
A momentary diversion on the road to the empire. Jang An-rim's life was discarded so trivially.
Boredom settled back into Ignite's eyes.
"It never made sense, my lord. How could mere outsiders possess something absurd like resurrection?"
Ignite nodded half-heartedly at his loyal retainer.
Yes, eternal beings existed, but immortals did not on Arcana. Not even Claudy.
Resurrection for mere adventurers? Absurd.
"Just baseless rumors after all."
As Ignite muttered.
Flutter—
Suddenly, parchment fluttered from thin air. Soldiers drew swords warily, but Ignite waved them off.
Magic-infused letter, it seemed.
Then...
"Letel Akmond. No one else."
Cleans Yugric the idler or Smite Kansel the furry brute were far from magic. So cute, scheming behind the scenes unlike her haughty looks. Letel.
Ignite's lips curved up as he took the parchment.
"Of course, you're always welcome."
With the four families moving, the empire's fall was a foregone conclusion. The real issue was which family would claim the emperor's vacant throne.
In that sense, Letel Akmond made a fine partner. Maxima and Akmond allied would crush the other two.
But.
Swish—
"...?"
The smile vanished from Ignite's face as he unrolled the parchment. Fine yet unostentatious.
There, clearly written:
As of this moment, all status and blessings of the Maxima family are revoked.
It wasn't just for Maxima.
As of this moment, all status and blessings of the Yugric family are revoked.
As of this moment, all status and blessings of the Kansel family are revoked.
As of this moment, all status and blessings of the Akmond family are revoked.
"...?!!"
Gazes snapped to the final line.
Family Head, Grandfell Claudi Arpeus Romeo.
And so, retribution arrived.
"M-My lord?!"
Ignite looked up at the urgent cry to see the golden elite's horrified face. It didn't take long to realize why.
Crack—
The heirloom of the Maxima family, Midas's Gem, embedded in the helmet. Cracks began spiderwebbing across the massive jewel.
"?!"
And as if foretelling the doom ahead.
Crack-crack-CRACK—!
"!!!"