Chapter 28: Rumors

At the moment when I was about to feel slightly nervous at the meaningful smile of Niss, the master said with a firm expression, “Nis, let’s talk for a moment.”

“Oh, please.”

Eh. The master pointed to the passage leading to the deepest level.

Niss’s jet-black dress hem elegantly fluttered as she followed him.

When the two disappeared, a strange silence came over me.

Uh… did I make a mistake…?

Bugles looked at me curiously.

The girl Nabi hovered around me worriedly.

Is it because of the story of Seraphina and Beatrice…?

For some reason, a corner of my heart felt uneasy.

Could the saint and warrior, the guardians of humanity, be enemies to the master who seemed to hate humans?

And Niss’s last smile kept coming to mind.

That smile that was sweet like poisoned honey, yet dangerous.

Cecilia flew to sit next to me.

Warm warmth enveloped me.

Is it okay…?

I tried to console myself, but I kept worrying.

The bugles were also unusually quiet.

“Guys, did I talk too much?”

The girl butterfly shook her head.

However, her movements were slower than usual.

At that moment—thump!!!

A vibration was felt deep inside, as if someone had hit the wall.

“Huh…?”

All the bugles turned their heads toward the deepest layer.

Cecilia’s wings fluttered tensely.

The small city of the Afron Kingdom, ‘Rain Inn’, was more bustling than ever.

It was thanks to the adventurers who had gathered to escape the midwinter cold.

“This is real! I saw it with my own eyes!”

The drunk adventurer sitting by the window raised his voice.

His face was flushed with alcohol.

“The saintess’s divine power has completely changed? It used to be just a healing light… Now…”

He paused for a moment and took a breath.

The adventurers around him looked at him with curious eyes.

“Tell me, what’s changed?”

The young adventurer holding the sword asked impatiently.

“Destructive power… and it’s incredible! The light of peace has now become the light of judgment. There’s even a rumor that it split a mountain in half with its divine power!”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“If that’s ridiculous, what about the Silver Warrior? Don’t you know that she’s gotten stronger since she came back from Sia Kalt?”

The inn became quiet for a moment.

Everyone knew.

The Silver Warrior Beatrice had gotten even stronger recently.

“That’s right… I heard she uses techniques that I couldn’t even imagine before.”

A veteran adventurer with a white beard spoke up from a corner.

His armor bore the marks of countless battles.

“I saw it a while ago when you fought the Fallen Knights. The light coming from the holy sword changed.”

“And that power was so strong… The armor of the Fallen Knights tore like paper.”

The only sound that could be heard in the inn was the occasional clinking of glasses.

“Is that all because of Sia Kalt?”

“Yes, you got something from there. Some mysterious flower…”

“Ha! A flower? You want us, who can’t even get past Seolhanryeong, to go find flowers in Sia Kalt?”

Laughter filled the inn.

However, there was a corner that the laughter couldn’t reach.

“That’s an interesting story.”

Rain slurred as he took the last sip of his drink.

A small electric current flowed between his fingers.

Adrian, the alchemist sitting next to him, smiled meaningfully.

The pouch of potions hanging from his waist glittered in the moonlight.

“How about we try…”

“Are you crazy? You know how dangerous Seolhanryeong and Sia Kalt are.”

Archer Harwin shook his head.

In his hand was a black bow that had already slain hundreds of monsters.

However, Rain had already made up his mind.

“Let’s go.”

“What?!”

Both shouted at the same time.

“You’re not being cocky just because you just became an A-class, are you?” Adrian asked with a worried look.

His white alchemist robes glowed softly in the candlelight.

Outside the window, a blizzard was swirling.

The distant Shia Kalt Mountains glowed coldly under the moonlight.

“It’s not cocky. This is our opportunity.”

A small current flowed from Lane’s sword.

It had been like this all along; the lightning would react whenever he got excited.

“Lane…” Harwin sighed.

“Listen. How long have we been preparing?”

Lane’s voice gained strength.

An old memory came to his mind.

It was when he was ten.

When he first realized the power of lightning in the mountains behind the village.

Adrian had caught Lane in surprise, and Harwin had comforted him.

Fifteen, when they had first sworn to become real adventurers.

Adrian had learned alchemy, and Harwin had learned archery.

When he was twenty, when he went on his first expedition.

He was clumsy, but they trusted each other and he was safe.

And now, he had finally become an A-class.

“This is what the three of us have dreamed of since we were young. To become the best adventurers,” Lane continued.

“Open the way with your lightning, and survive with my alchemy…” Adrian spoke.

“Eliminate the enemy with my arrows,” Harwin also added.

The three looked at each other for a moment and burst out laughing.

“Ha… There’s nothing we can do if you act like that,” Adrian grinned.

The potions in his pocket gleamed with a splendid light.

“I’ve also made a new elixir. This time, it won’t fail.”

“Yeah, let’s go. There’s nothing the three of us can’t do anyway, right?” Harwin said, fiddling with his bowstring.

His quiver was full of specially made silver arrows.

“Alright! Then let’s leave tomorrow morning. Let’s go to Sia Kalt…”

Lane paused for a moment and continued with a grin.

“Let’s get the strength of the warrior.”

The night deepened.

The distant snow-capped mountains seen through the inn window shone white in the moonlight.

The royal palace of the Kingdom of Genes, a circular conference room.

The morning sunlight was shining through the pillars decorated with blue jasper.

“Ha, I have something important to tell you.”

Duke Crosby stood up. His experienced eyes shone solemnly.

“Go ahead, Duke.”

King Adelheid III nodded.

“There have been some strange rumors about Sia Kalt recently. After the Silver Warrior and the Saint visited there…”

Crosby paused for a moment and continued. “They say it has grown surprisingly strong. In particular, the Saint’s divine powers have shown a completely different aspect than before…”

“Interesting story.”

King Adelheid III stroked his beard.

“That’s right, ha.”

Count Walter stood up. “My knight personally witnessed it. The Saint fighting the monsters… It was like the light of judgment.”

“Wait a minute.”

Duke Reinhardt stood up. Deep wrinkles formed on his face. “Seolhanryeong was the graveyard of countless knights. Have you forgotten the knights we’ve lost over the past 20 years?”

The conference room stirred.

“That’s right.”

Another noble interjected. “Didn’t we lose a whole knight order last year?”

Duke Crosby cut him off with a cold voice. “So are we supposed to continue like this? Before the Heshet Empire makes the first move…”

“The Empire?”

Several nobles were surprised.

“That’s right.”

Crosby nodded. “The Empire’s actions are unusual. They must have heard this rumor.”

The king stood up from his throne. The conference room instantly became quiet.

“I agree.”

His voice grew stronger. “I will dispatch the knight order myself.”

The nobles stirred at the king’s declaration.

“As Duke Crosby said, this is an important matter. If Sia Kalt has such power…”

The king’s eyes sharpened. “Shouldn’t our kingdom be the first to obtain it?”

Knights Training Grounds of the Kingdom of Genes.

The cold winter wind blew the flag of the training ground.

“Second Knight Commander.”

Chancellor Valerius walked slowly. The hem of his black robe fluttered in the wind.

“Your Majesty…”

Rowen bowed his head with a humble expression. But his eyes were sharp.

‘Finally… the opportunity has finally come.’

“It is an order given by His Majesty himself.”

Valerius looked around and lowered his voice. “It is an order to investigate Sia Kalt.”

“Sia Kalt…”

Rowen’s lips showed a faint smile.

He had risen to this position not through his own ability, but through dealings with the nobles.

But if this one thing were to succeed…

“Don’t worry. The Second Knights will be more than enough.”

The Chancellor took a step closer. “There is something in particular that you should pay attention to. According to rumors, there is a mysterious flower there. The reason the warrior and the saintess became stronger…”

“Bring that flower… That’s what you mean.”

Rowen’s eyes flashed with greed.

“Yes. If you find that flower…”

“Of course.”

Rowan cut the vizier off. “If only I had that power…”

“There would be no need to please the high-ranking nobles any longer.”

“But there is one caveat.”

“Please tell me.”

“This mission is top secret. Even if I meet anyone else…”

“I understand. You have to keep it a secret from them too.”

As the chancellor left, Rowan stood up.

“Klaus.”

“Yes, Commander!”

“Choose sixty of the best knights.”

Then, a knight quickly stepped forward.

“Commander.”

A cold voice echoed through the training grounds.

It was Edgar, the youngest knight praised as a genius by the Hind Baron family.

“If you allow me, I would like to stand at the forefront.”

Rowan looked at Edgar.

“A genius? He’s just an arrogant guy.”

However, such a proud knight was needed.

He was a good tool to lead the dangerous mission.

“We need an outstanding knight like you.”

A confident smile spread across Edgar’s lips.

However, his cold gaze wavered for a moment.

Sia Kalt… Seven years ago, it was the place where his brother, whom he despised the most, had left.

“The shame of the family…”

His brother, who was born into a noble family, had left the family, saying he would become an adventurer.

He probably died before he could cross the Seolhan Pass.

From then on, Edgar trained himself even more ruthlessly.

Unlike his incompetent brother, he had to succeed.

“Don’t worry.”

Edgar’s voice was cold. “I… will never fail.”

“Unlike my brother.” That was the added comment in his mind.

Rowan smiled with satisfaction as he saw the coldness in Edgar’s eyes.

“Good, I’ll let you take the lead.”

Ambitious smiles spread across the corners of their mouths.

Rowan saw power, and Edgar saw honor.