052. The Gap Between Generations (1)
"This makes the third incident."
"Ahem."
"What in the world is Artia doing?"
"The number of nobles falling victim to attacks by unidentified assailants is steadily increasing."
"You still haven't found even a single clue?"
"That's correct."
"We can't allow any more victims. This is a matter of our kingdom's prestige as well."
At the noble's words, every aristocrat in the conference chamber fell silent, letting out only stifled groans.
The reason so many nobles had gathered in the chamber deep within the royal palace at the heart of the capital, Fernin, was the recent string of assaults targeting nobles exclusively.
"What are Artia and the soldiers responsible for the capital's security doing that they can't even outline the perpetrator?"
Riod Olivion, captain of Artia and in charge of the investigation into the assaults, endured the noble's rebuke in silence.
For a noble of lower rank, this lack of progress in the investigation was a perfect excuse to tarnish Riod's reputation.
The nobles envious of Riod—who, backed by Artia's prestige, held an image of incorruptible integrity untouchable by anyone in the kingdom—began to criticize him like fish in water.
"Enough."
The raucous atmosphere in the chamber, filled with rebukes toward Riod, fell silent as if crushed under a heavy pressure at the voice of one woman.
"Artia Captain. Report the information gathered from the investigation so far."
The woman seated on the jade throne at the end of the long table in the center of the chamber—Dianne Pernias—commanded Riod with a chilling gaze.
With Dianne's permission to speak, Riod nodded calmly under her icy stare, rose from his seat, and opened his mouth.
"Artia Knight Captain Riod Olivion reporting on the investigation to date. According to the physicians who examined the victims of the assaults over the past two weeks, all showed identical symptoms: gaunt, emaciated bodies as if their very life force had been drained, reduced to skin and bones. This consistency points to either a single perpetrator or a group employing the same method, and we've oriented the investigation accordingly."
"Any leads on the culprit?"
"The targeted nobles—three in total—share no connections in age, faction, title, or occupation beyond the commonality of being male. All three were walking the streets alone at night without escorts. We can't confirm companions, and there are no witnesses whatsoever. We're continuing inquiries, but no useful information has emerged yet."
"You haven't just been sitting idle waiting for new leads, I hope?"
"Examination of the victims' bodies revealed no external injuries or signs of robbery. The only trace left by the perpetrator was the emaciation noted by the physicians."
"And?"
"We're currently investigating the victims' associates and potential grudges, while pursuing various possibilities."
"Various possibilities?"
"The possibility that the perpetrator isn't human."
"Wh-what do you mean by that?!"
"Exactly as I said. The culprit could belong to another race. Those of you who, like me, fought in the Arkena Great War twenty years ago will recall certain beings upon hearing of the victims' symptoms."
"No... surely not...."
A horrific possibility faintly surfacing from memories they'd rather forget.
Oliver Baotman, current principal of Aiter Royal School and a former mage of the Meygers during the Great War, scowled at Riod.
The first to voice the possibility Riod had raised was Abros Armitas, the current Minister of Military Affairs, arms crossed with a hardened expression.
"You're talking about the demon race—succubi?"
"Yes."
Riod nodded calmly.
Succubi, also known as dream demons, were devils who seduced men to drain their essence, converting it into their own life force and power to enhance their abilities.
They excelled at hypnosis, inducing hallucinations and dreams in humans as a means of extraction. Men drained by succubi suffered rapid physical decline, their remaining mana siphoned away, often leaving them unable to function in daily life until recovery.
During the Arkena Great War, the Mirvabilla Empire and its emperor had worshiped the demon race and attempted to summon them to the continent.
But it was the lesser demons hiding on the continent at the time who had incited the emperor, provided the summoning knowledge, and manipulated the empire from the shadows.
"Succubi.... If they're truly behind these incidents, this just got a lot more troublesome."
Recalling how a single dream demon had infiltrated their camp during the war, manipulating soldiers' dreams to drain their essence and render them combat-ineffective, Abros muttered through gritted teeth.
If Riod had been a 'hero' who excelled on the battlefield with a small, elusive special forces team sowing chaos among the enemy—like the one including Eunhyeon,
Then Abros was a 'great general' who led tens of thousands under the kingdom's banner in direct confrontation.
Thus, a succubus's ability to disable troops through non-combat means was an infuriatingly troublesome power from a commander's perspective.
"Th-that's impossible! Weren't all the demons eradicated in that Great War?!"
"Demons don't disappear. Even if killed, they reincarnate. Or they might have survived the war."
Demons could be killed, but not truly exterminated.
—Demons aren't the type to go extinct even if you kill them all. New ones just reincarnate.
Riod recalled the knowledge about demons that Eunhyeon had shared in the past and explained the fact to the young nobles who hadn't experienced the war twenty years ago.
"H-how could that be...."
The young noble paled, gripped by an inexplicable fear of the unknown 'demons'.
"Assuming it truly is a succubus, the symptoms and circumstances do align."
All male victims, gaunt and debilitated to the point of immobility.
"If the culprit is a demon, the problem escalates. You're speaking with full awareness of that, correct?"
"Of course."
Riod nodded to Abros's question, laced with a warning glare.
Merely suggesting this possibility was risky.
If word spread that demons had infiltrated the kingdom's heart—the capital—it would plunge the residents into panic, even if just a rumor. Foreign powers learning of it might use it as pretext for interference.
"It's merely a possibility. The circumstances fit, after all. Others here likely suspect the same, so I raised it first. Better to prepare if it's true, rather than regret later."
"And who are you, Olivion Marquis, to make that call? Deciding such matters falls to Her Majesty the Queen Regent!"
Riod frowned at the young noble rebutting his opinion.
The situation escalated as other nobles chimed in agreement with the initial young dissenter.
"If even the word 'demon' leaks, it mustn't spread. Rumors could incite chaos in the capital."
"Ha...."
Abros sighed so softly no one heard, watching the scene.
They were essentially advocating to ignore a greater threat to prevent potential unrest.
The people's anxiety from rumors of a demon infiltrator was of no concern.
Only the uncertainty of fallout on themselves mattered.
The younger nobles, unscarred by war, underestimated demons' danger with naive thoughts.
Were these the kingdom's future leaders?
Conversely, war veterans like Abros and Riod, aware of demons, remained silent with grim expressions.
The mere possibility demanded preparation, yet handling the information was tricky.
Abros glanced at Queen Dianne on the central jade throne.
What was she thinking now?
She held regency delegated by the ailing king unfit to rule.
If she made a wrong choice, Abros—of an opposing faction—must strongly advise retraction.
If she flatly denied the demon possibility and chose folly....
"So, the current information isn't conclusive enough?"
"Yes."
"We can't prepare for demons on possibility alone. Find more solid evidence."
In other words: deny it outright, and bring irrefutable proof to silence the nobles pushing to conceal it.
"Understood."
"We'll reconvene in three days. Better if you catch the culprit by then. If you can't manage alone, why not ask that famous friend's help? The haughty witch might heed her marquis friend's plea. This concerns public safety, after all."
A sneer: incompetent, so borrow your friend's power to get it done.
Despite her words insulting his dignity and mocking his comrade, Riod bowed quietly.
"...I'll do my utmost."
"Court adjourned."
With Queen Dianne's declaration, the lengthy meeting ended.
"Ughhh... Thought I was gonna suffocate. For real."
Exiting the palace after the meeting, Riod heard Cain Sezar, Artia's vice-captain following him, stretch exaggeratedly with a relieved face.
"Her Majesty's glare at you, Captain... no joke."
Still shuddering at the memory, Cain rubbed his arms and trailed Riod.
His casual tone hardly befitted a key knight order officer.
But Riod ignored it; he'd appointed Cain vice-captain not despite that attitude.
"Can't be helped. We haven't caught the culprit."
"Still, no need to pick a fight first like that. And dragging your witch friend into the insults? Skillful jab."
"......"
"Captain, did you wrong Her Majesty somehow? She doesn't target other nobles like that."
"Wrong her? She's the shameless one."
"Huh? Whoa!"
Reacting to a male voice from behind—not Riod's—Cain turned, gasped upon recognizing the owner, and inhaled sharply.
"D-Duke."
Bowing hastily in greeting, Cain received a nod from Abros, who then shifted his gaze to Riod.
"It's been a while."
"Since Lady Elenoa's coming-of-age ceremony—two years, Your Grace."
"Already that long."
Muttering softly, Abros continued.
"Rare court session after so long. Care for a drink?"
Riod glanced at Cain, who caught the hint and nodded promptly.
"No pending duties. Tomorrow morning, once the knights' inquiries wrap, I'll submit the report to you, Captain."
"Appreciated."
"Yes, sir."
Saluting as a knight and bowing to Abros, Cain departed swiftly.
"Sezar Viscount's eldest son, eh? Despite noble backlash, you placed him as vice-captain admirably."
Only twenty-seven, quite young.
Had Riod skipped war for marriage and children, he'd have a son that age.
Considering how other nobles schemed for even a foot in Artia's door via their fame, appointing a young knight to such a pivotal role must've been tough.
"I selected and trained him myself. Confident in his skills and character. His light attitude is a flaw, but the order universally acknowledges him."
Indeed, that levity problematic among nobles made Cain a mood-maker and popular figure within the knights.
"More to the point, your business seems less with me than through me to another."
"Spot on."
Abros nodded frankly to Riod's precise guess.