Chapter 67: As Long as He's Alive

Compared to previous years, a far greater number of Monster Waves struck Drasen in succession, but the territory's situation was not as bad as one might think.

“The Grand Prince……”

“As expected of the Black Knight……”

“What a relief. Especially since the Lord is unwell.”

Because the Grand Prince, Muno Drasen, was displaying an overwhelmingly superior martial prowess and slaughtering monsters.

In fact, the number of soldier casualties was much lower than in previous years.

On top of that, the monsters that had swarmed in were all being turned into hides and neatly piled up in the inner castle.

“Gnoll hides to the second warehouse! Handle the Snow Trolls with care. Hey, you, the giant monster hides go separately!”

The territory's administrator, Palmer, was directing the classification of the hides that were piling up daily with a pleased face.

And next to him, as he was busily moving, a slightly youthful voice interjected.

“How is it, Butler Palmer?”

“Ah, Young Master Lian.”

“The situation is difficult, but you seem happy, Butler.”

“Ahaha. Am I the only one?

Thanks to Young Master Muno, most of the people in the inner castle are feeling at ease.

Aren't you smiling too, Young Master?”

Pfft.

“Well, my brother's martial power is so far beyond imagination that my heart feels light.”

In fact, Muno’s name was now surpassing the lord's popularity in Drasen Castle.

It might be a temporary phenomenon, but at least his martial power was being firmly recognized.

A monstrous battle record of breaking through a wave of goblins, slicing Gnolls in two, and then single-handedly facing twelve grade 3 Snow Trolls.

It was so incredible that even his family, who knew Muno was a 3-Star knight, couldn't believe it.

And that battle record was still in progress in real-time.

- It's nice to be home. It's good exercise too.

The image of his brother, forcing a grin even with a bloodied face, so as not to worry him.

That face had relieved a considerable portion of the great ambition and burden that Lian had been secretly harboring.

And Palmer also knew that fact.

“Because you don’t have to hand over Drasen and can have it all?”

At those words, Lian answered with a grin.

There were only three people in the territory to whom he had shown his true self, and one of them was this Palmer.

‘All matters in human society cost money.’

And to make money in Drasen, he had to cooperate with this old administrator.

There was no need to drag on a story they both already knew.

Lian turned his gaze toward the giant bones and hides that were occupying the largest space in the warehouse.

The corpse, no, the remains of the giant monster, which still had residual demonic energy and was spreading a cool discomfort and fear even though it had been dead for a long time.

“Is that the remains of that Behemoth?”

“Yes. The only things that are intact are the teeth and claws, but we've gathered all the bones and hides we could.

The Lord tore it up so much that there are hardly any undamaged parts……”

“……It will be worth a lot of money.

More than the territory’s income for the past few years combined.”

Palmer smiled as he looked at the young prince who was openly showing his greed.

“If you covet it, you should tell the Lord.

Even if you show him your true self, he would be pleased, not look at you strangely.”

At that moment, Lian couldn't help but recall an incident he had experienced when he was still young.

‘Father and my brother will understand. But…….’

His mother’s reaction to something he had done out of simple curiosity.

Her pale complexion and her gesture, which for a moment seemed to shun her son, were what had made the current Lian.

“……I don't want to do that. Not yet.”

Palmer, who had observed Lian's bitter smile, did not persuade him any further.

Instead.

“The items classified in the second warehouse are all merchandise.

We’ll entrust all of them to the Reid Merchant Guild.”

“I would be grateful if you would do that.”

Reid Merchant Guild.

The only ones who knew that the merchant guild, which had started trading hides in Drasen a few years ago and had taken a large share of the market, was actually owned by ‘Li’an ‘D’rasen were Palmer, Larry, and the guild master.

Also.

“The information organization that spans the kingdom is almost complete.

I would like you to take control of it, Butler Palmer.”

“The fruit of three years of labor.

You are truly amazing, Young Master.

But there is a limit to how much this old man can help you. How about getting the cooperation of the Lord or the Grand Prince?”

Palmer's words were not wrong.

No matter how much of a genius with a great capacity Lian Drasen was, he was still just a young boy.

Having few followers was a very big weakness compared to his grand plan.

However.

“I can still control it. Please help me just a little longer. Since the times are starting to get chaotic anyway, I’ll have to gradually speed things up.”

“Have you obtained any other information?”

“It’s not so much information, but that I just know the outcome of a similar incident that happened three hundred years ago.

I’ve also reported it to my father, so the news will soon reach my maternal grandfather.”

“Hmm.

I wish everyone would find out sooner that you are working so hard behind the scenes, Young Master.”

“I wonder. I think the later, the better.”

“Pardon?”

“It's nothing. Then I’ll be on my way……”

Palmer had a worried expression as he watched the boy's back heading for the second warehouse.

But he couldn’t know that the genius, who was unbefitting of his age, also had boyish worries.

And.

“Butler, the goblin poison darts……”

“Ah, there……!”

The once again busy daily life made him easily forget even that small worry.

* * *

[I believe I told you to postpone the matter of dealing with that bastard? Isn’t that all because of your incompetence?]

At the low words that flowed from the communication sphere, Karin, who was prostrated on the floor, flinched.

While gritting her teeth at the feeling of a phantom pain rising again from her severed left ankle, she tried to continue what she was saying.

“But……”

However.

[We lost Emma, and because of that incident, the Dragon Sword Duke’s eyes are now on the north. Do I have to explain it again?]

“I-I’m sorry. But, I must confirm that bastard’s artifact. I just can’t understand it……”

[Why?]

“As I said, that bastard……”

[He survived even after being covered in the flames of Gehenna? Yes, I understand your pride in the essence of your magic. But that alone cannot overturn the work in progress in the north. You know how important that work is, don’t you? It was a plan you proposed yourself.]

At the repeated rebukes, Karin bit her lip again.

[Kidnap the cub of a Monster Lord and drive the northern part of the kingdom into chaos. And when the beast of the demonic realm finally comes out to the real world, the Dragon Sword Duke will have no choice but to move, and at that moment, a big loophole will be created in the capital’s defense. It’s a good plan even thinking about it now.]

“In consideration of that merit……”

[That is why I have kept you alive despite your repeated failures, Karin. Do you think the only reason is that your ability is a waste?]

“……”

[But in that situation, you want to leave our trail in the north again? Do you want to experience for yourself how far that monster will climb up our trail? You, who couldn’t even properly eliminate that one brat?]

Since it had come to this, Karin had no choice but to say the words she herself desperately wanted not to believe.

It was a hypothesis that could shake the beliefs of their organization, no, perhaps all magicians.

But no matter how she thought about it, it bothered her.

“That bastard might have the ability to absorb the power of the great Outer Gods! I’m saying it might not be an artifact!”

[……What?]

The reply from the person in the crystal sphere came a beat late.

The moment she felt this might be her last chance, Karin couldn’t help but strain her throat.

“I saw a sight where that bastard absorbed Elder Emma's power and healed the wounds he received from the flames of Gehenna.

The armor, which was presumed to be an artifact, was almost melted, but it seems he restored his body and armor again with that ability.

No, I'm sure of it!”

How loud had she shouted?

Her own voice echoed as if it were an echo in the secret room.

Her throat hurt and her ears were ringing, but she felt a sense of relief.

An absurd imagination that rejected the great truth.

It was a fact she had wanted to deny so much, but now that she had confessed it, she felt anew that it was accurate.

And soon.

[……Can you bet your life on it?]

A thick anger was in the voice of the person in the crystal sphere.

If that anger had been directed at a subordinate, her head would have burst on the spot.

So the target of that anger now was.

‘That brat.’

It must be the power of the brat itself, the power that could shake the beliefs and ideas of magicians.

However.

[Even if it’s that bloodline, how could that be?

It doesn’t make sense?

That blood that has been diluted so much, don’t tell me…….]

The context seemed a little different from her expectations.

A feeling as if he wasn’t completely ruling out the possibility that someone who wasn’t a magician could use the power of the great Outer Gods.

‘No way.’

If she had known that such a thing was possible even with a one in a million, no, a one in ten million chance, there was no way it would have taken her this long to bring this up.

Only a few chosen humans, magicians like herself, could accept the power of the Outer Gods and twist the principles of this world.

That was the premise of the great truth called magic.

‘That can’t be. It shouldn’t be.’

Karin shook her head at the feeling of the truth she had believed in her whole life shattering.

And she ‘dared’ to ask.

“May I know what you mean by that experiment’s bloodline?”

[……You don’t need to know. It’s meaningless.]

“But……”

[But it needs to be checked.]

“Pardon?”

[I'm saying I'll accept your opinion. I’ll send the bastard with the ‘egg’ back up to the north. Near Drasen.]

“Then……!?”

[I will make the Monster Lord head for Drasen instead of Trian. Well, it will be the same that the Dragon Sword Duke moves to the north. In that gap, you can check for yourself. It would be good if you could do it before that, if possible.]

“Thank you, thank you……”

[Whether that bastard really has the ability to absorb the power of the Outer Gods. If that is confirmed to be true, you must bring him to me alive. It doesn’t matter as long as he’s alive.]

“……Pardon?”

Bring that bastard alive?

The enemy who had dared to cut off her ankle and had even caused her to be stripped of her elder position?

Her insides were boiling.

[If you succeed, I will restore your elder position and bestow upon you one of the named magical tools I have collected. No, since there is a high possibility that the Dragon Sword Duke will interfere, I will give it to you now. ‘Cerberus’.]

The words that followed from that person melted away even that anger.

The criteria for judging an artifact or a magical tool could differ from person to person, but one thing was certain.

An item whose name was left in old records or historical books boasted a performance that was superior to other items of the same kind.

Of course, ‘Cerberus’ was not a famous transcendence-grade named item like ‘Dragon Sword’, but it was an original magical tool that was more useful to a magician, at least.

“R-Really!?”

[Of course. However, if you fail to capture the bastard or meet the Dragon Sword Duke, you will die with all the blame. Like Kraymal.]

A chilling condition was attached, but that was no reason to refuse this great reward.

And above all.

“You said he just has to be alive, right?”

Karin knew dozens, no, hundreds of ways to make a human worse than dead.

[That's right. As long as he's alive.]

“I will obey your command!”

Anger, joy, anticipation.

A voice laden with complex emotions resounded loudly in the secret room.