Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Organization Meeting (2)
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Merian spoke up with an unprecedented seriousness etched on her face.
"Everyone should already know the overall outline of this incident. After the first outpost was attacked, our knight order immediately gave chase to the culprits.
However, Drok Grivis vanished in an instant along with his gang, leaving only the stragglers who couldn't keep up scattered throughout the forest.
The ones left in the forest dispersed our knights to pick them off, and we've ordered pursuits for the remnants who fled outward."
"No further traces of Grivis?"
"Despite his severe injuries, he left not a single clue behind. Truly elusive, as expected... Even the Black Guard Knights couldn't catch him after half a year of pursuit."
At those words, the Black Guard Knight scratched his head. Merian gave a small smile.
"But this time, revealing his true form carries great significance. For so long, he'd hidden among us in human guise, but in this battle, he showed his real self. It was a demon species form we'd never seen before, but..."
"It was a Kylek."
Claus, who had been sitting silently and just listening, murmured softly.
The knights, including Merian, turned to him with surprised expressions.
"A Kylek? The name rings a bell."
"One of the demons that formed the Demon Emperor's personal guard, right?"
As the White Guard Knight spoke, Claus nodded lightly.
"Kyleks are among the highest ranks of demons. They received blood and mana directly from Berkis himself, making them far stronger and more intelligent than ordinary demons.
Before Berkis was sealed, a single Kylek could effortlessly annihilate dozens of elite knights.
But after the sealing, they lost their mana source and weakened rapidly, becoming easy to dispose of."
"Then how did Grivis survive? How has he lasted until now?"
"That's the question for me too."
Claus pulled his chair closer and sat down firmly.
"The personal guard should have all gathered at the detached palace when Berkis was sealed. Surviving that battle wouldn't have been easy."
"There's a chance it mutated to stay alive."
Claus shrugged at the White Guard Knight's speculation, lacking conviction.
"If that's the case, he's more of a headache than we thought."
"In any case, we'll have no choice but to keep pursuing Grivis.
Continuing the report. Some of our knight order pursued the demons all the way to the Thorn Garden Manor. Yes, the manor under surveillance by the Black Guard Knight and Lord Claus.
As expected, it was filled with evidence that demons had been staying there for a long time."
That manor where I was imprisoned...
I held my breath, listening intently to Merian's voice.
"We discovered people presumed to be Count Aleyman, the manor's owner, his family, and servants. The count's retainers in Prion testified that contact had been cut off a few days before the memorial ceremony."
"Hm. The fact that no one noticed them staying so close to Prion is problematic. They must have passed through the defensive city for sure."
"The defensive city's barrier isn't as strong as Prion's. Grivis could have slipped through with his group without issue."
"...I see."
A sigh mingled in the White Guard Knight's tone. Claus didn't stop there.
"Moreover, they neutralized Prion's barrier this time. Even though it was temporarily weakened for Ashe's transport, it shouldn't have been that easy to breach.
Or rather, that's it. The problem is the noticeable drop in mages capable of maintaining a strong barrier."
"That's a tough issue to resolve right away, Master."
"And it probably won't get easier anytime soon."
Luwen fell silent as Claus grumbled.
"We'll need other countermeasures for the barriers. In any case, Merian? Please continue."
Merian snapped to attention under Claus's gaze.
"Ah, yes. Our knight order eliminated all remaining demons in the manor and is now recovering the bodies.
Also, a mage dispatched from the tower detected a strong mana reaction in the manor's basement and is investigating. They suspect some kind of ritual took place."
A ritual in the manor basement.
I felt my heart pounding and shrank back.
The memories from then were still etched in terror. Just thinking about it made breathing hard.
Whether it showed on my face, no one pressed me further on it.
If I had to tell the truth...
Could I say that I'd been thrown into the sealing sphere's mana with my chest pierced by a nail, and revived thanks to that vile, dark power?
"...We've also handed over outpost battle cleanup and reconstruction to the White Guard. That concludes the report."
"Good work, Merian."
As Merian nodded and sat down, the White Guard Knight's gaze turned to Claus.
"Now then... Lord Claus. Are you prepared?"
"Yes."
Claus stood, then hopped up onto the table without a second thought.
Luwen frowned.
"Master, that posture is..."
"Old age makes standing for long a chore. Bear with me."
"It's fine. Make yourselves comfortable."
Claus shot Luwen a mischievous grin at the White Guard Knight's courtesy.
Luwen shook his head with a sigh.
It was a moment that perfectly revealed the sage's eccentric personality—and how much hardship his disciple had endured over the years.
Claus looked around at everyone and spoke.
"Right, Merian mentioned earlier that there was some kind of ritual in the manor's basement. I think I can provide answers on that.
Though asking the person involved there directly would be faster... but someone's glaring daggers at me, so that's out."
My father's back straightened rigidly. He was clearly in a staring contest with Claus.
"Apologies, but I can't allow that."
"Fine, fine. I've already gotten an earful from someone else, so no need for more. Guess I'll have to explain my deductions then."
"Please do, Lord Claus."
The White Guard Knight smiled, successfully lightening the mood a bit.
Claus took a sip of tea before beginning.
"Last winter, the seal repository in the wastelands came under demon attack. A full-scale, meticulously planned one.
Grivis nearly wiped out the Silver Moon Knight Order without revealing his true form. My absence then was my oversight."
Claus clicked his tongue.
The air in the meeting room grew unbearably heavy with his tale.
I listened with bated breath.
"By the time I rushed back to the seal repository, it was too late—the barrier was shattered, and the fragment of the red sealing sphere inside had been stolen.
After that, I started tracking them with the knights, and after chasing twists and turns, we found them camped right under Prion's nose.
If Luwen here hadn't popped up yapping about danger and requesting backup, I could've crushed them ages ago."
"Master..."
Luwen let out a deep sigh.
"It was a risky situation to charge into recklessly, though."
The Black Guard Knight, who had been quiet, chimed in.
"There were more of them than expected, and we were too few. It would've been quite dangerous without Luwen's help."
Claus shook his head in dissatisfaction at the Black Guard Knight's support. Luwen looked relieved.
"I see."
The White Guard Knight smiled to brighten the mood.
"We're always grateful for you taking the lead on critical missions, Lord Claus. But please consider your safety sometimes. Your absence would be a true disaster."
"Got it, got it. Don't you start nagging too. Anyway, back to the point.
After finding that kid Liberic and bringing him to the outpost, I had a holy mage treat him right away.
The holy mage wouldn't have known, and you, Luwen, didn't either—but I noticed the red sealing sphere fragment inside the kid's body.
After all, I'd been tracking that accursed, evil mana relentlessly since last year."
Silence blanketed the meeting room. No one dared speak rashly.
I took a small breath.
My borrowed heart's pounding seemed loud enough to hear outside.
Erner, watching the meeting beside me, quietly took my hand.
My hand had been trembling without me realizing.
"To be precise, it's his heart. A fragment of the red sealing sphere is attached to Liberic's heart. Or rather, fused with it. Even permanent holy mage Grain confirmed it, so it's certain."
"Could you explain how that's possible?"
The White Guard Knight broke the silence, asking calmly.
Claus paused briefly, glancing at me before looking away.
"...No idea. The red sealing sphere is the pinnacle of Troyan Empire magic. We southern kingdom mages can't comprehend its structure at all.
Besides, Troyan mages were nearly wiped out early in the Demon Emperor's rise, so none are left now."
"No books or relics remain?"
"Troyan magic is passed down within mage families. They inherit mana, spells, and knowledge through family-specific training methods. It's secret from outsiders, so no books were left."
Claus understood the empire's mages well.
They'd built powerful mana and magic systems over ages that way, wielding immense power as imperial nobles.
"So I have no way of knowing how the red sealing sphere was made or how it works. Can't even guess."
As he spoke, Claus stared steadily at me.
As if asking, you know, don't you?
"Then is there a way to separate the fragment from Liberic...?"
Father asked. Desperation laced his voice.
Claus shook his head.
"Best to give up on that. The fragment is fully fused with his heart. Even attempting separation is too dangerous."
You could die trying, I heard unspoken.
Father murmured "I see" in a sunken voice after a long pause.
The White Guard Knight, lost in serious thought, spoke up.
"Lord Claus. Grivis's intent in doing that to Liberic must be...?"
"Obvious. To revive Berkis. Stealing red sealing sphere fragments from seal sites everywhere to reassemble them through Liberic."
"Haa, one mountain after another."
Merian sighed.
"If that's true, they'll come after Liberic again. Of course, we won't sit idle."
"Yes. We won't let anything like this happen again."
Father followed Merian with a resolute voice.
The knights around the table exchanged grave looks, steeling their resolve.
"Then we've got a lot of work ahead."
The White Guard Knight addressed everyone.
"Now that they've started moving in earnest, we must prepare thoroughly.
Red Guard Knight, Black Guard Knight—continue operating knight orders outside Prion as before, but pay even closer attention to demon movements.
Althur Tower, please devise ways to strengthen the barriers. We need to make Prion's defenses impregnable.
Blue Guard Knight, find ways to improve the knight academy's efficiency. We'll need more exceptional knights.
And Lord Claus..."
The White Guard Knight's gaze reached Claus. He shrugged brazenly.
"I'll handle my own affairs, don't worry. There's work only I can do."
"Understood. We trust you."
"On that note, I have something in mind."
Claus's eyes turned straight to me.
"I will take Liberic Eldrian as my disciple."