Chapter 57: The Secret Revealed (2)

The sudden mention of two major figures—especially the most powerful figures in the kingdom—cast a heavy silence over the room.

The Grand Lord of the West, Dorgon Wolfair.

He was an equal counterpart to Grace, the Grand Duke of the North. In fact, the western forces and territories under his command were even larger than those of the North. In Brave Road, he was explicitly described as Grace’s rival.

Not only was his faction massive, but he himself was a former warrior of the Hero’s Party, making him an incredibly powerful fighter.

If Low was the fastest among the Seven Heroes, Dorgon was the one with the greatest raw strength.

He was one of the few who could fight on equal footing with Grace, who was regarded as the strongest knight of humankind.

On top of that, his personal army, the Iron Earth, was composed of battle-hardened veterans who had fought in the Great War against the demons.

He hadn’t been made the main villain of the Northern Arc for nothing.

But the real problem was the next person who had been mentioned.

The leader of the Hero’s Party—the protagonist of Brave Road—was indeed Aran.

However, the leader of the Seven Heroes, the one credited with saving the world, was not Aran.

The public believed that Aran had died during the final stages of the Great War. Although he was still counted among the Seven Heroes, he was the only one officially recorded as deceased.

Thus, the man who became the leader of the Seven Heroes was the one who had stood just below Aran in the Hero’s Party.

And that man was—

The prince of the Artia Kingdom.

He had it all—good looks, charisma, talent, and a noble character.

As a member of the Hero’s Party, he had personally fought against the demons and defended the kingdom, making him a beloved figure among both nobles and commoners alike.

Well… I knew the horrifying truth hidden beneath all that.

More importantly, he—

With no other sons born to the current king, he was the undisputed heir to the throne—the very man destined to become Grace’s future monarch.

‘She must be in turmoil.’

I observed Grace’s expression with a heavy heart.

Even though the North had far more autonomy than other regions and was often treated as a separate entity from the kingdom, it was still officially part of the Artia Kingdom. The Grand Duke of the North was still a vassal of the royal family.

For Grace, hearing that the prince was behind all of this meant that her future sovereign was planning to purge her.

And if she resisted, she would be branded a traitor to the kingdom.

“Damn, what a mess. So that bastard’s name finally came out. Even if I get released from here, I’m as good as dead now.”

Low sneered, completely unconcerned about Grace’s growing distress.

He had been the one to lead the conversation in this direction, yet he now acted as if he had no stake in it.

“Hey, Grace. How about this? I’ll join your side. If you’re going to fight that bastard, you’ll need all the strong allies you can get, right?”

Crack.

Without a word, Grace moved the skewer embedded in Low’s stomach using her sword technique.

Low groaned in pain and finally shut his mouth.

“Just answer what I ask.”

“Ugh… F*cking hell…”

“If the prince and Dorgon are involved… and you as well… Then does that mean the other Seven Heroes are part of this too?”

“No.”

“No?”

Grace furrowed her brows, prompting Low to take a slow breath before smirking.

“Even if you let me go, I’d be dead the moment I return. So I need to find a way to survive. I don’t normally bet on the weaker side, but business is about selling yourself to the highest bidder, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Well, fine. I’ll give you a little preview. Out of the Seven Heroes, four—including me—are involved in this. The remaining three are not.”

“One of the three must be Aran, who is already dead. Who are the other two? And who is the fourth that joined?”

At Grace’s question, Low, though blindfolded, seemed to show a blank expression for a moment before chuckling.

“Aha, the North really is slow with information. Or maybe that bastard deliberately kept it under control?”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm… Let’s save that surprise for later. I’ll start with the others. First, Luna and Shira are dead.”

“What?!”

At Low’s shocking revelation, not only Grace but even Elaine and the others gasped.

I wasn’t surprised, but I still hardened my expression.

‘If Luna and Shira are dead, then that means the novel has already reached the end of the second episode. Since Low, the boss of the third episode, is here, that means we’re either just before or in the middle of the third episode.’

One mystery was now solved.

“To be precise, Luna is confirmed dead. As for Shira… I don’t know, but she’s probably dead too. That idiot wasn’t exactly the brightest.”

“…Explain in detail.”

“I’ll do that when we get to the big reveal.”

Hearing the sound of Grace picking up another skewer, Low quickly spoke up.

“Whoa, hold on. Grace, I may not be weak, but if you keep using violence, I might just start resisting. Are you okay with that?”

“…That was my last warning.”

“Tsk, fine. I’ll be careful. Back to the topic—the last one involved is Mercia. Mercia de Imperio.”

“The Tower Lord of the Golden Tower…”

“Yeah, that damn witch.”

Mercia de Imperio.

The first recorded mage in history to have mastered all schools of magic.

The master of the Golden Tower, the largest magic tower in the kingdom.

A former mage of the Hero’s Party.

And the main villain of Brave Road Episode 5, The Sky Where Stars Fall.

Now, the identities of all the villains had finally been revealed before us.

‘Who would’ve thought capturing Low would create such a massive butterfly effect?’

I felt relieved to finally have all this information confirmed, but Grace and the others seemed overwhelmed by the flood of revelations.

Even Loron, the usually stoic captain of Escort Unit Squad 2, who had accompanied us today for security, showed a slight crack in his composed expression.

“Shall we take a break?”

“No. Keep talking.”

“That’s right. Originally, this was the scheme of that damned prince and Dorgon. Then, on his orders, I was brought in. By now, they’ve probably learned that I failed, so they’ll likely send Mercia in my place. That makes four… Ah, but since I’ve stepped away, it’s down to three now.”

“Why would His Highness target the North alongside the Grand Lord of the West? I have never committed any act of treason against him.”

“Well… he’s been plotting something for a while, but I honestly don’t know what it is. That bastard is too secretive to share anything. But there is something I do know.”

“What is it?”

“He wants to get rid of you before you can turn against him. You and your subordinates would be a major threat if you became his enemies.”

“Why would I become His Highness’s enemy?”

Low took a breath, as if exhausted, before speaking again.

“It’s finally time to unveil the surprise gift.”

“You’ve been mentioning this ‘surprise gift’ for a while now. What is it?”

“Before that, let’s make a deal. Will you take my side?”

“I will let you live.”

“Ha! That’s the same trick I use when messing with kids. Do you really think I’d fall for that? You won’t kill me, sure—but you’ll make me suffer just as much.”

Gadi, who was being held at the Snowflake Tower, was already proof of that.

Low was skilled at negotiation, but with Grace’s mind already burdened by everything she had just learned, she simply let out a deep sigh.

“I can’t trust someone who has already harmed the North. However, I will ease your restraints. If you prove yourself trustworthy, I may consider removing them completely under certain conditions.”

“It’s not ideal, but if I push my luck any further, I’ll just get punished. I’ll take what I can get.”

Low clicked his tongue before revealing something truly shocking in a nonchalant voice.

“Hero Aran is alive.”

Elaine and Loron’s eyes widened in shock, and Grace immediately sprang to her feet, stepping closer to Low.

“What did you just say?”

“Heh, looks like you’re happy to hear that. I can hear your heart pounding from here.”

“Explain properly. If you don’t want to be torn apart.”

Grace radiated such a terrifying aura that even Low flinched slightly before opening his mouth again.

“This is going to be a long story…”

Low then revealed everything in front of Grace.

How the other six heroes had conspired to betray Aran after the final battle.

How they fabricated the truth behind the formation of the Seven Heroes and manipulated the records of Aran’s fate.

How Aran, whom they thought to be dead, had returned—leading to Luna’s death.

How Aran was now heading to the Moonlit Forest to eliminate Shira, his next target for revenge.

And how there had even been discussions among them about preemptively eliminating the North, as Aran was seen as a potential ally to Grace.

Of course, there were still things Low left out—such as the Seven Sins they had secretly divided among themselves or the existence of Black Crow.

He was sly enough to avoid revealing anything that could put himself at a disadvantage.

But—

“What was that werewolf form you transformed into?”

“Hah? What the hell? That weird bastard’s here too?”

Since he was blindfolded, Low hadn’t realized I was present. He immediately clenched his teeth upon hearing my voice.

But Elaine, who had fought him alongside me, pressed him further.

Under pressure, Low finally revealed the truth about the Seven Sins as well.

As if that weren’t enough—

“There was an assassin in Camriver Village who claimed to be under orders from the King of Crime. That wouldn’t happen to be you, would it?”

“Wait, what…? Oh, f*ck…”

Upon hearing Grace’s question, Low groaned, realizing he had no way out.

And so, he was forced to spill everything he had been trying to keep hidden—including details about Black Crow.

Gone was his usual cocky grin.

After hearing everything Low had to say, Grace finally spoke.

“Give me one reason why I should keep you alive.”

“You already promised, didn’t you?”

“That’s true.”

Without hesitation, Grace yanked the skewer from Low’s body.

The force of it made Low bite his lip in pain, but Grace didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

“I’ll keep my word. Jailor, remove his blindfold and loosen his restraints, except for the bindings on his arms and legs.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Then are you going to remove this damn icicle too? It’s already freezing down here, and I haven’t been able to sleep because of it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“???”

Grace gave him a cold smile as she responded.

“That is a punishment tool belonging to the Snowflake Tower, not me. If I were to remove it myself, I’d have to rip out your heart along with it. Would you be fine with that?”

“The Snowflake Tower is under your command. Just tell them to take it out.”

“You misunderstand. The Snowflake Tower and I are merely in a cooperative relationship. If they refuse, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Realizing her true intent, Low clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Tsk, so that’s why you agreed to spare me.”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t betray you when you already betrayed Aran and even His Highness?”

“…Fine. Let’s take our time building trust. Think about it carefully. I’m sure you’ll find me useful.”

Grace, as if tired of dealing with him, turned away and exited the prison. Outside, she spoke to Elaine.

“Sir Elaine.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Summon all the key figures of the North. There is much to discuss.”

“Understood.”

A state of emergency had been declared by the Grand Duke of the North.

Within what felt like less than an hour, all the core figures of the North had gathered at the Winter Palace.

Naturally, the escort unit was deployed in full, regardless of their assigned shifts.

‘There are some familiar faces, but also many I don’t recognize.’

Looking at the attendees of the grand assembly—

Grace Northrein, the Grand Duke of the North.

Elaine, the commander of the escort unit.

Dariel Zenon, the master of the Snowflake Tower.

Günther Eisenderk, the commander of the elite troops.

These were the familiar faces.

Then there was Arthur Gravaine, the commander of the Northern Knights.

He had been mentioned in the novel, and I had seen him from afar a few times. When I received my knighthood, I had exchanged greetings with him.

A dignified and gentlemanly middle-aged man, he was a loyal subject who had served the Northrein family for generations.

One might assume that Elaine, as the commander of the escort unit, also served as the head of all Northern knights, but that wasn’t the case. She was solely the leader of the escort unit. The official representative of the knights of the North was Arthur Gravaine.

That said, Elaine was undoubtedly Grace’s closest confidant, so their positions were more or less equal in influence.

Beyond them, there were the commanders of the wall defenses and various military officers.

Apart from the military personnel, the key administrative officials responsible for governing the North were also present.

Bureaucrats, treasurers, legal advisors, diplomats—

Some were familiar from past escort missions, while others I had seen before but couldn’t quite place.

Even the Northern high nobles were in attendance.

Among them, the most noticeable were the members of House Deepsnow.

A noble house so influential that it rivaled the Northrein family, they had played a significant role in the novel.

Even more so than Elaine, who had originally been just an extra.

Seeing all these figures seated at the same table was nothing short of a spectacle.

Meanwhile, the escort unit maintained strict security, stationed along the walls of the chamber and guarding the entrances.

‘The adjutant’s position really is special.’

Unlike the other escort knights, I was positioned at the table.

I wasn’t seated, of course—I stood behind the commander of the escort unit.

And Elaine’s seat was directly to Grace’s right.

Meaning, I was standing closer to Grace than any of the other vassals in attendance.

Each of the attendees had brought a single attendant.

Elaine, however, was here as the commander of the escort unit, rather than as Grace’s personal bodyguard. That role had temporarily fallen to me as her adjutant.

Incidentally, the person standing in Grace’s usual attendant’s position—

‘Someone I haven’t seen before.’

A woman with neatly cut black hair, dressed in a traditional maid’s uniform.

According to Elaine, she was a servant of the Northrein family.

For a mere maid to be present at such an important meeting, she must have been more than just a housekeeper.

“Now that everyone is here, let’s begin without delay.”

The moment Grace spoke, the room fell silent, and all eyes focused on her.

She proceeded to reveal everything she had learned from Low.

That the attack on the Snowflake Tower had been a scheme orchestrated by the Seven Heroes and that Low had been the culprit.

That the Seven Heroes were planning to invade the North, and that more attacks would follow.

That they had betrayed Hero Aran, and he had returned to seek revenge on them.

That because of Grace’s close ties with Aran, the North had been targeted.

And that, although there was another reason they were after the North, it remained unknown.

As Grace continued speaking, the expressions in the chamber fluctuated even more than when we first heard the truth from Low.

Some were shocked, others troubled, some deep in thought, some swallowing their breaths, and others outright dizzy from the revelations.

It was only natural.

To be told that the story of Hero Aran and the Seven Heroes was a lie, and that those very heroes were now after the North—how could they not be shaken?

Once Grace finished her explanation, she let out a deep sigh, as if the weight of it all had settled in once more.

“The North is now being targeted by both the Central and Western regions. If things continue as they are, a direct confrontation may be inevitable. If anyone has any suggestions for the future of the North, speak freely.”

Upon her invitation, the key figures of the North fell into thought, some quietly contemplating while others exchanged words with those beside them.

Since this was such a shocking development, Grace and Elaine, who had already been briefed beforehand, patiently allowed them time to process.

And—

‘It has to be that bastard.’

Though I was merely an attendant and had no place to speak,

My eyes were fixed on someone.

In Brave Road, Episode 4’s main villain, Dorgon, had devised three schemes to deal with the formidable North.

The first of those schemes—the Snowflake Tower terror attack—had been prevented with minimal casualties.

One of the remaining two was happening in the Western region, beyond our reach, meaning our only option was to prepare a countermeasure.

But the last scheme—

That one, we could stop.

When trying to breach an impregnable fortress, attacking from the outside isn’t the best option—it’s far easier to take it down from within.

Historically, this strategy had been used time and time again, and it had always been highly effective.

That’s right.

The second of Dorgon’s three schemes was—

A traitor from within.

And the one who had betrayed Grace in the novel, choosing to side with the villains—

Was here, sitting in this very chamber.