Chapter 402. Is it… a proclamation ceremony? (1)
The night of the day when Tolenis held a conversation with Palmarian IV composed of 10% truth and 90% lies regarding Alon…
At the guard post located outside Caliban Castle, built so guards could rush out to protect the royal fortress in case of intrusion…
A man was leaving the place without saying a word.
His name was Gusan.
He was a guard of the Kingdom of Caliban, who until a few moments ago had been on duty inside the castle and had only just returned to the post to rest.
But not much time had passed since the end of his shift when, taking care that no one saw him, he stealthily left the post.
And he headed toward the west corner of the castle, an area that was still within the Caliban fortress but was no longer used: a cluster of forgotten warehouses.
Gusan slipped inside one of the many warehouses and…
—Huu…
As if accustomed to the absolute darkness, he sighed in relief and began to feel the floor.
Click~!
With a small sound, a secret door in the floor opened.
Without hesitating, he put his body in and descended. Then he infused mana into a magic orb in the basement.
Wuuuuung—!
The orb lit up, connecting.
And after a few seconds…
—[Under the moon of the open sky.]
—“The end of the night will come.”
After exchanging the password that only they knew, the verification ended and the conversation began.
—[We hadn't used this orb in a long time.]
—Yes. We normally don't use it except in emergencies.
—[Did a problem occur? Or was your identity revealed?]
At the question of the man inside the orb, Gusan denied firmly.
—No, nothing like that. My disguise is perfect.
Guard Gusan…
In reality, his identity was that of a member of the Information Guild “The End of Night” (밤의 끝).
The Information Guild.
Obviously, by using such a flashy name like “Information Guild”, they ran certain risks. But even so, they were quite a famous organization.
Unlike other guilds that were very careful about choosing their clients, The End of Night was known for fulfilling requests from figures of the underworld.
Precisely because they handled a different type of information and had an atypical clientele… they had managed to survive in this ruthless world.
—[Then why did you use the orb? I told you to only use it when it was really important.]
The reproach came from the other side.
Gusan replied calmly.
—I have obtained important information.
—[Important information?]
—Yes.
—[Good. Let's hear it.]
Even being in an empty warehouse, Gusan looked around cautiously, as if fearing someone might hear him.
And he said with utmost prudence:
—…I have discovered that Marquis Palatio is a Divine Blood.
There was silence.
—[…What…?]
The leader of The End of Night, on the other side of the orb, was left with his mouth open.
—[…What the hell did you just say?]
As if he couldn't believe it, he asked again. Gusan explained serenely:
—Just as I said. Marquis Palatio is a Divine Blood.
—[…Is it reliable information?]
—Reliable. While I was on duty, I heard the King of Caliban conversing with the First Prince.
He commented that it was difficult to hear because the palace's soundproofing was very strong… although he added a brief comment boasting that only he could have heard it.
—[Good heavens… so it's true?]
—That is correct.
The leader was horrified.
Gusan shared the feeling. He had also felt the same upon hearing it for the first time.
—[And according to what you say… the new Divine Blood who protected Caliban would be beneath Marquis Palatio?]
—Correct. And I also heard that another Divine Blood fell in the Allied United Kingdoms to serve that marquis.
—[More Divine Bloods…?]
—Yes.
—[…Ah.]
The leader meditated for a few seconds and then said:
—[As you say… this did merit using the orb.]
—I told you.
—[If this information is true… we could use it to expand… even to the surface, not just the underworld.]
With a voice charged with faint jubilation, he murmured:
—[Good job.]
—It is nothing. In exchange—
—[I know. I will make sure to give you your place. I will go immediately.]
And the connection was cut after the farewell.
The orb, slowly losing its shine, remained off and Gusan sighed.
“Marquis Palatio is a Divine Blood…”
He recalled the distant image of Marquis Palatio.
That man with a strange aura, an expression impossible to decipher, who had passed him without even looking at him.
And he also remembered the gigantic colossus that had protected Caliban not long ago.
DUGUN DUGUN DUGUN—!!
Just remembering it made his heart beat violently.
It was inevitable.
The terror he felt facing a monster that no human could defeat had been engraved very deep in his mind.
But the reason Gusan was able to remember everything without collapsing… was what happened immediately after.
A giant even more powerful had appeared. One capable of destroying that impossible creature without the slightest effort.
And Gusan had been a direct witness to that overwhelming scene.
That is why he was even more surprised to hear the following:
That that giant, so incredibly powerful… knelt before Marquis Palatio.
Which was equivalent to demonstrating that Palatio was stronger than him.
“What the hell is Marquis Palatio hiding…?”
Without knowing why…
An involuntary tremor ran through Gusan's body.
Meanwhile, at that same moment…
—…Why does my ear itch so much?
Alon, who had left his sweet potato halfway to scratch his ear, received Evan's comment:
—Couldn't it be that someone is talking about you, my lord?
—And what could they have to say about me?
—Don't you think anything? It's not like there's a lack of events related to you.
—Mm, that's true.
Penia, listening to the side, nodded immediately.
Alon scratched his head.
—By the way, my lord…
—Yes?
—Don't you want to leave the sweet potato now and eat a stew?
—No.
—Because it doesn't have sweet potato inside?
—If it did, I would eat it.
—…You know that you yourself acknowledge your obsession with sweet potatoes, right?
Alon defended himself:
—Adding sweet potato doesn't ruin the flavor.
—But it provokes nervous breakdowns in certain people. You saw it yesterday.
Alon looked at Basiliora and Blackie.
The day before, just by adding sweet potato to the stew…
—[KRAAAAA—!!]
—[Kyuoooo—!]
They had reacted as if they were allergic to sweet potatoes.
But today they devoured the stew as if it were delicious.
Alon cast a strange look at the sweet potato.
“The sweet potato… is delicious…”
It was autumn.
Two weeks had passed since Alon departed for the Marquis's house and they still had road to cover.
—My lord, I already sent the notices to all necessary places.
—Yes?
—Yes. We calculate that a week after arriving at the fief, the proclamation ceremony can be celebrated.
—Hmm…
—Is something wrong, my lord?
—I was just thinking that… perhaps, upon becoming king, it will become more difficult to move freely.
Evan reflected before answering.
—Well… does it matter?
—No?
—Kings don't go out because it is dangerous. But you… don't have that problem.
—And the kingdom's affairs?
—That's what Alexion is for.
—…Is it sensible to leave everything to him even after unifying the territory?
—My lord… technically our “kingdom” is not that big.
—…That is true.
—It won't be exactly the same as before, of course. And besides, you will have to keep watching Shinto's side.
Evan let out a small “ah” and added:
—Ah, right. Silly also sent a message.
—What did she say?
—Do you remember what we talked about regarding the believers?
—Yes.
—She says she already left everything prepared, not to worry.
—…Really?
—Very much so. She sounded very confident.
Alon thought about wondering if she had done something strange, but desisted.
Silly wouldn't go that far… probably.
—Any other news?
—Well… regarding the Divine Bloods, there is still nothing big.
—Thank goodness.
—Yes. At first I thought everything was going to explode… Although they say that in the Empire they are still in an uproar.
While Evan shrugged his shoulders…
—My lord.
—What is it, Penia?
—We received… a message.
—A message?
—Yes. From King Palmarian.
Alon, instead of being surprised, sighed.
—Again…?
—Yes.
In the last two weeks, Palmarian had sent three messages.
And none had been important.
—What does he intend?
—I have no idea…
While Penia and Alon tried to understand it, Evan contributed a theory:
—Wouldn't he be trying to offer financial support for the proclamation of the new kingdom?
At another time, Penia would have insulted him for spouting nonsense.
But not this time.
In fact, she added:
—…He might be.
And it was reasonable.
In those three previous messages, Alon had received an absurd amount of indirect support from Palmarian.
Not openly, but evident.
“What the hell…?”
Although the doubt grew, Alon went in to attend the communication.
While Alon received signs of inexplicable (?) goodwill from Palmarian…
In the maritime kingdom of Laksas, also called the nation of entertainment…
—So… repeat it to me.
Queen Torimavia was listening to an incredible report from Duke Golban, her right hand.
—Marquis Palatio… is actually a Divine Blood?
—…Yes.
—Does that make sense?
—As I said, the giant who saved Caliban called him Divine Being, and the marquis accepted it. Palmarian IV saw it.
—Is it reliable information?
Torimavia hesitated.
The duke, with his head bowed, replied:
—We confirmed with our own agents that Palmarian IV has been periodically contacting the marquis since his departure.
—That means the information is probably not false.
—Yes. Knowing Palmarian IV's personality…
Torimavia nodded. It was logical.
—…Marquis Palatio is a Divine Blood…
While she meditated…
—Majesty, there is something else.
—More important than this?
—Related. But perhaps even more relevant to us.
—What is it?
The duke continued:
—It seems that Marquis Palatio… can handle the Divine Bloods.
—…He can what? He can control them?
And the queen heard:
—Yes. So… if we achieve a friendly relationship with him…
The information entered her mind.
Information that, although based on the initial truth… had begun to deform slightly as it spread.
