Chapter 34: Gathering

A thousand years ago, there had been a big fight. No matter how good the fight was, the result didn’t necessarily benefit them.

‘No, as a matter of fact, it was our defeat.’

The Great Enkidu remembered that day. It was an unforgettable day.

Enkidu had taken down Famine. He had smashed that lowly rat, but Famine wasn’t destroyed. Enkidu succeeded in hitting his essence, but that was all. The rat had lost his power and ran away.

Guardian Queian had fought against Death, but he hadn’t won either. Both Death and Queian had suffered critical damage.

The Cruel Talia had struggled as well. If only her opponent hadn’t been the hateful War… She would have won if it had been against Famine or Death. However, her opponent had been War. The most brutal one among the four riders had overwhelmed Talias. If the ‘event’ had occurred a little later, Talia would have died.

The Recorder Torres had caused the incident. So, Enkidu didn’t know what Ainkel’s soul and Torres did. The result was what had been witnessed.

Conquest and Torres destroyed each other. However, Enkidu, who dealt with the power of destruction, was able to see it. Conquest’s and Torres’ forms of destruction were different in nature. The destruction of Conquest was destruction for renewal. Torres had attempted to break Conquest and let her be reborn again, away from the other riders.

The idea was absurd, but the plan was partially successful. He didn’t know if Conquest was truly liberated, but it seemed like it.

‘Silly bastard. Stupid bastard.’

The price was too big. Ainkel’s soul, which remained beside Torres, disappeared. Her soul was lost forever.

Torres’ case was even worse. He had been destroyed. His essence itself was broken and scattered across the world. Queian couldn’t accept Torres’ ruin, but that was just desperation. Torres had died. No, it was more than death.

After that, it was chaos. He fought against the raging War. Death and Queian destroyed each other’s essences. Enkidu couldn’t remember the end of the fight clearly. He had been exhausted at the end of a long battle, and when he recovered his spirit, everything was over.

Then Enkidu realized… The Four Riders of the Apocalypse and the elder dragons had been destroyed. Since that day 1,000 years ago, both could no longer exist in the world like they done in the past.

However, the fight wasn’t finished. It was just delayed.

Talia had escaped in a weakened state and fallen asleep. Enkidu himself had gone into a deep sleep. Queian had said before he fell asleep that after waking up, the fight wouldn’t be a direct confrontation between the Four Riders of the Apocalypse and the elder dragons.

The ones who would decide the fate of the world would be the four knights selected by the riders and the dragon warriors with the power of the elder dragons.

Dragon Warrior… One who received strength from the elder dragons…

‘I will reproduce the first dragon warrior… Drakon Kechatulla.’

These were the last words Queian left behind.

Drakon Kechatulla had been the strongest dragon warrior who preceded the elder dragons, and he had played a decisive role in defeating the Red Dragon of the Apocalypse. 10,000 years ago, when the red dragon and the older elder dragons had been annihilated, he had died as well. However, his blood was still being transmitted through one species.

‘Warrior.’

A miracle had been born among the humans—an incarnation of the first dragon warrior.

Enkidu lifted his head to the sky. Everything in the world seemed so far away.

‘Dragon Warrior.’

There wasn’t just one warrior. The Conquest Knight was one as well. Thanks to Torres’ sacrifice, Conquest had been reborn in the world and chosen her knight.

Enkidu recalled the story that the War Knight had said when he appeared before him. He remembered the rude provocation of War, who had just woken from a deep sleep.

What would be the result of the fight?

The Great Enkidu gazed far away. He looked at the land in the north, beyond the limit line.

&

In-gong opened his eyes and saw the white woman alone in the darkness. She was inside In-gong’s head. She was a woman with white hair, and her red and blue eyes were gentle.

In-gong now knew that….

She had been destroyed on that day 1,000 years ago and born again. As a result, she escaped from the fate of ending the world. However, it wasn’t a complete liberation. She was resisting that will even now.

Conquest wasn’t complete. The evidence was that she couldn’t converse with In-gong, despite being in the depths of his soul. Why was she resisting the end of the world? What made her reject the reason for her existence?

In-gong looked at the white woman. She smiled and stroked In-gong’s head gently. Then In-gong closed his eyes. The white woman’s touch was warm, and he wanted to sleep comfortably under her gaze.

However, he opened his eyes again. This time, it was in reality, not his consciousness.

“Oh, Prince. You’re awake?”

As soon as In-gong opened his eyes, he saw Carack’s face. He had just been looking at the white woman, so In-gong had a gloomy expression on his face.

“Why isn’t it Felicia or Green Wind? Maybe even Delia or Karma.”

He would rather see a beauty than Carack as soon as he woke up.

“Haha, you sound disappointed.”

Carack clicked his tongue, but he was smiling. In-gong smiled as well and raised his upper body, then he saw that he was in a large room with a stone bed.

“This is the Dragon Temple. Prince was asleep all day. High Priest said not to worry since it isn’t a big deal, but… are you really okay?”

Carack looked In-gong up and down. Although his face was still ugly, it was good to see his concern for In-gong.

“I’m fine. I feel very refreshed.”

“Then here is some cold water to wake you up.”

Carack laughed and handed him a glass of cold water. The inside of the Dragon Temple was very cool, unlike the outside which caused one to perspire just from walking a little bit. In-gong drank the cold water and looked around slowly. The ring of the Recorder Torres was glowing on his index finger.

The fourth equipment of an elder dragon… The ring was called El Ragra. Unlike the other three equipment In-gong had obtained so far, this wasn’t used in direct combat. It was instead a secondary support equipment. In-gong stroked the gem on the ring. It felt warm like Conquest’s touch.

It was at that moment that he heard a voice outside the door.

“Drakon Kechatulla, the great dragon warrior.”

It was the voice of the high priest. In-gong nodded and Carack opened the door.

“High Priest.”

The high priest had appeared exactly when In-gong had awoken. Moreover, there was someone else standing behind him.

“Shutra!”

Felicia smiled excitedly as she ran over and shook In-gong’s arm.

“Hey, hey. This place is really great! It is full of extremely old records! Ah, why have I only come here now? It would have been nice if I’d known of this place earlier.”

‘Indeed, Felicia.’

Although it was an ancient ruin, the Dragon Temple itself was a valuable archive. The high priest looked at Felicia like she was a young child and explained with a warm smile,

“Princess has been looking around the Dragon Temple. It seems like she really likes the records room.”

“Yes, yes, it’s the best. I’ve been there all day, but I want to stay longer.”

Her voice was dripping with a lingering attachment. In-gong’s mood improved when he saw Felicia’s pleased appearance and then playfulness rose inside him.

“Huk, what the? So, you left me unattended here all day to go somewhere else? Even though I was unconscious?”

He gazed at Felicia with disappointment, and she blinked, looking confused and embarrassed.

“Huh? Ah… no, that…”

The high priest had said it was okay. In-gong had looked like he’d just be sleeping, and Carack had said he would stay. Delia hadn’t been worried either and thought that seeing the records room would be a good diversion.

However, Felicia couldn’t babble anything out. As she gazed around and couldn’t figure out what to do, a new voice interrupted.

“Master. I kept staying beside Master. Isn’t that good?”

It was Green Wind who had become solid. In-gong stroked Green Wind’s head and said,

“Yes, you are nice, Greenie.”

“That’s right. I am nice. Princess is bad.”

Felicia became more perplexed by Green Wind’s words. She looked so cute that In-gong found it hard to hold back his laughter. Carack clicked his tongue.

“Prince, stop acting like this. And Princess, don’t worry. Prince is just playing.”

At Carack’s words, Felicia’s eyes widened, and she started hitting In-gong with her fan. In-gong just laughed along with Carack. It was a common sight, so In-gong’s party was used to it. Delia, who had accompanied Felicia, coughed and they stopped their game. After releasing Green Wind’s solid state, In-gong faced the high priest.

The high priest said,

“Dragon Warrior, I’ve prepared a meal. It will recover your strength.”

It had been a good story. However, instead of accepting the meal, In-gong asked something else.

“High Priest, there is one thing I want to ask you before that. Do you know about the Dragon Words magic?”

It was something In-gong had acquired after seeing Torres’ memory. He had a new secondary occupation of Dragon Warrior…

And Dragon Words was a skill of that occupation.

The high priest smiled pleasantly at In-gong’s question and explained,

“Drakon Kechatulla. Finally, the dragon warrior has returned. I will happily lay the foundations.”

&

“Dragon Words is a powerful magic that dragon warriors can use.”

After the meal, the high priest guided In-gong to a large room with nothing in it and explained in a calm tone. Felicia, Delia and Karma, who could be called the magicians of the party, sat in a corner of the room and gazed at him with excited expressions.

Carack was also curious about the dragon warrior.

The high priest continued,

“Dragon Words is the mysteries created by words. It uses the power of language to create power in the world. There is a famous story that the magic in the Demon World originates from Dragon Words. The power that only dragons could use was re-assembled so that other species could use it.”

It was a story In-gong had heard in Knight Saga.

“But magic relies on the strength of the magic power. It is a precise formula that can create miracles. According to the records, the great dragons of the past enjoyed using the newly created magic.”

In-gong nodded. The few dragons he encountered in Knight Saga had used magic in addition to Dragon Words.

“Dragon Words can be called raw magic. Compared to the magic that has been refined over many years, it is rugged and simple. But there is one thing that distinguishes it from ordinary magic.”

Felicia’s eyes shone with curiosity. The high priest spoke slowly, giving Delia time to write it down.

“Drakon Kechatulla, the dragon warrior, Dragon Words contains your feelings and will. Even if it is the same word, depending on how strong your feelings and willpower are, you can emit a totally different force. Depending on the caster’s thoughts, the form of that power can change as well.”

In-gong was reminded of Locke’s techniques. In Knight Saga, some of the unique spells Locke could use were influenced by his emotions and will.

The high priest took a big breath and pointed to himself.

“It is weak but dragon blood also flows through me. Thanks to the knowledge inherited from my ancestors, I can speak a few words.”

Dragons learnt to use their words naturally, just like birds knew how to use their wings. However, those with a dragon’s blood were different. They couldn’t speak the dragon words until they realized they could do it.

“Dragon Words is close to innate power. Dragon Warrior, you are much closer to a dragon than I am, so you will soon learn the trick.”

It made a lot of sense. Moreover, In-gong was also the Conquest Knight. So, he was confident that he could learn it.

“Drakon Kechatulla, I will now teach you Fire Breath, which is the basics of Dragon Words.”

“Fire Breath?”

“That’s right. As the name suggested, you will pour out a breath of fire. But Dragon Warrior, the name isn’t important because Dragon Words is the expression of power and will. It is important to secure the best image of fire and put your will in it. I will demonstrate once.”

The high priest grunted, turned in a direction where no one was present and exhaled. At the next moment, he exclaimed in a loud voice,

“Fire Breath!”

Shortly after the high priest shouted, a strong breath of fire poured from the high priest’s mouth.

“Fire Breath is one of the most basic Dragon Words. Fire itself is easy to imagine as it is the power of primitive destruction. It is common to learn Ice Breath or Wind Breath after becoming accustomed to Fire Breath.”

In-gong nodded silently. He thought he could do it, even though he had only seen it once.

“Drakon Kechatulla, would you like to try it once? You don’t have to shout Fire Breath. Just form a solid image of fire with a strong will behind it.”

‘Fire Breath.’

There was only one thing left to do. Shutra took a deep breath and opened his mouth slowly, speaking his first Dragon Words.

&

“Prince, what is that fire?”

“Well, it is like it seems.”

“Prince, what is that fire?”

“Well, it is like it seems.”

In-gong  responded lightly to Carack’s puzzled question.  He used Dragon Words directly like the high priest had said. It was possible to use it without speaking words, since it was transformed and reinforced through the will and emotions of the user.

‘In short, it does what I want.’

He realized why the dragons continued using magic despite the Dragon Words. Dragon Words was a tough and crude power. It was more convenient to use magic for various purposes.

‘But…’

It was definitely strong. Moreover, it was easy to use during close combat because it moved through his will.

‘It goes along with Dragon Style. No, I feel like I’ve come to know the true use of Dragon Style.’

If Dragon Words was putting will and emotion into magic, Dragon Style was putting will and emotion into aura. That’s why he became aware. His understanding of aura had become stronger.

In-gong looked at his status window for a while before investing most of his remaining skill points into Dragon Words. Dragon Words Lv4…

Although it was lower than the level of aura, which was close to 10, In-gong’s main strength was aura, not magic. Furthermore, Dragon Words was a higher concept of magic. So, Lv4 wasn’t that low.

“Okay.”

In-gong nodded lightly and used Ice Breath and Wind Breath. It was almost the same as Fire Breath, and it wasn’t difficult because the level of Dragon Words was now higher. The high priest’s eyes widened as In-gong used two more types of Dragon Words after succeeding in Fire Breath. He forgot the majesty of his position as high priest as he smiled with admiration and confusion.

“Indeed, Drakon Kechatulla… you acquired Dragon Words so quickly. You are truly blessed.”

The situation was similar to how it had been with Fire Breath, but Ice Breath and Wind Breath were different. The high priest had told In-gong of their existence but never taught them.

“A scam.”

Felicia spoke like had she witnessed something absurd, but she was smiling. It was a very proud expression. She laughed while covering her face with her fan and then spoke in a coy voice,

“High Priest, Dragon Words isn’t the only thing that Shutra can do. Do you know he can shoot Dragon Breath?”

“D-Dragon Breath?!”

The high priest was dumbfounded. Despite his majestic atmosphere, he was impressed like a child would be.

“Yes, he can also use Dragon Fear.”

Felicia added and the eyes of the high priest shook. He breathed deeply before looking back at In-gong. Then the high priest gulped and asked,

“D-Don’t tell me… Drakon Kechatulla, are you actually a dragon?”

That would explain why he had learnt Dragon Words so easily. Felicia laughed.

“High Priest, that isn’t possible. Shutra is a gandharva. Well, it is true that he is amazing.”

If Chris were there, he would be asking, ‘Why is Noonim acting so proud?’ Unfortunately, he wasn’t in the Dragon Temple but in the far north of the Demon World.

Carack laughed instead of saying something, while Delia, Felicia’s aide, was happy and had no intention of stopping it. In the end, In-gong coughed with embarrassment and told the high priest,

“High Priest, I am a gandharva. Also… can I learn the rest?”

“I understand. I will do so.”

The high priest replied and enthusiastically demonstrated more dragon words.

&

It had been one month since In-gong’s group arrived at the Dragon Temple.

In the heart of the temple, surrounded by a large collection of books, In-gong closed his eyes and concentrated. He had learnt six Dragon Words in the past month. Although he had learnt them instantly, he needed time to master them.

This was his first long vacation since opening his eyes in this world. He had never stayed more than one month in one place because he had always been wandering around here and there. Of course, it wasn’t really a vacation. For this month, In-gong didn’t just train in Dragon Words but all his techniques:

Aura; magic power; divine power; and psychic power. Compared to the previous two, psychic and divine powers were lacking, but everything still had room for a lot of improvement.

In-gong took a long breath to calm his impatience and thought about something else.

‘Warrior Locke.’

He was obviously a dragon warrior, the Drakon Kechatulla raised by Guardian Queian.

‘I wonder if he is an ally.’

In Knight Saga, Locke had been an enemy of the Demon World. Most of Zephyr’s subordinates had died at Locke’s hands. It had also been Locke who had taken Vandal’s life. However, he had never attacked first. It had just been a fight against the Demon World’s invasion.

‘It would be best if he became an ally.’

Locke was strong. He was the owner of a unique SS rank weapon and SS technique. So, it would be reassuring if he was on the same side. However, the future of having him as ally wasn’t certain. After all, In-gong himself was a prince of the Demon World. It was unknown if Locke, a patriotic warrior of the Human World, would cooperate with him.

‘I have to take advantage of my training in this temple.’

Locke’s adventure in Knight Saga had started in the Summer of Year 514. There was more than a year left until Locke would leave for his adventure.

In-gong focused his consciousness on his dragon heart. Ainkel’s magic power was warm.

‘Locke is the Dragon Warrior. Then what is Zephyr?’

Zephyr was a dragon humanoid, but that was because he was a draconian. He wasn’t a dragon warrior. Zephyr Ragnaros…

He was already special. He was recognized as the strongest royal child of the Demon King’s Palace and led one of the three major factions. However, it was the same in Knight Saga. In Knight Saga, he was the worst prince in the Demon World.

Warrior Locke wouldn’t be exactly the same as he was in Knight Saga, but he was still a dragon warrior and the enemy of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse. If so, wouldn’t there be something about Zephyr? Did he have any connection with the Four Knights and the Four Riders of the Apocalypse who were longing for the end of the world?

In fact, it was an unfolded speculation. This world wasn’t exactly the same as Knight Saga. The surface history and personal history of the characters were almost the same, but it was up to there. Many things had changed since In-gong first opened his eyes in this world. The Four Knights of the Apocalypse, who hadn’t appeared in Knight Saga, were causing incidents in various places.

Although Zephyr was the main character of the Demon World in Knight Saga, that didn’t mean he had a connection with the Four Knights of the Apocalypse.

However, why? Something told In-gong that there was a connection, and his intuition was good.

‘It is unfounded.’

Zephyr was already an enemy. So, it was an honest speculation to add something else. In-gong shook his head slightly. Then at that moment, he heard a voice from behind him.

“Shutra! Really, is concentrating on training all you need to do today?”

It was Felicia. Her temple outfit was a little more comfortable today. Not only were there coloured jewels shining from the gold ornaments, but she was also wearing a headdress made of large bird feathers.

In-gong instantly checked the clock at the corner of the mini-map.

“There is still a lot of time left. It isn’t a good thing to become older.”

Today was the last day of Year 512. In a few hours, it would be Year 513.

In the Demon King’s Palace, he would become older every time his birthday passed. However, the Demon World had various species, and not everyone counted their age the same way. There were a few species who increased their age by one year at the beginning of each year, and the dark elves were one of these species.

Felicia narrowed her eyes as she stared at In-gong.

“Uh, what? A 14-year-old is complaining about getting older?”

Felicia wanted to grow up quickly. In-gong nodded at Felicia’s words.

“Isn’t Noona the same?”

“I’m not.”

“Then what?”

Felicia responded with a coy smile.

“Shutra, Noona is only 18 years old. I still have a long time to go before I am afraid of getting older. So, stop training and get ready quickly. The high priest is conducting a ceremony to celebrate the new year. This is the duty of the royal family.”

For dark elves who lived for hundreds of years, 18 years old was a young age.

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

In-gong replied playfully, no longer discussing a woman’s age.

The new year celebrations were held outdoors. The lizardmen priests had built an altar in front of the entrance of the Dragon Temple and lit a large fire. The flames seemed so bright that it was like another moon had emerged.

The priests moved around the altar. The high priest stood before the great fire and poured Dragon Words toward the sky—a blessing. The priests sang along to the words of the blessing. It was a sacred hymn filled with divine power. Magic power and divine power tangled together and danced into the night sky, becoming a light shining among the stars. The light grew, and in accordance with the great cry of the high priest, it divided into hundreds and embellished the night sky. It was like a spectacular fireworks display.

Felicia blushed as she stared delightedly at the colourful feast of light. In-gong, who was equally impressed, turned his head and looked at Felicia.

It had been barely six months since they had first met. However, they had been together quite a lot. He had been together with her since their first meeting during the Red Lightning tribe mission. In-gong remembered that first moment he encountered Felicia. He had used his body to defend her from a fire arrow cast by an orc magician.

‘I hadn’t been thinking at the time.’

Thanks to this, his relationship with Felicia had deepened. In-gong closed his eyes for a moment, then something popped into his head. It was the Felicia’s death which he had seen in Knight Saga. He felt horrible just imagining it, and his breathing became rough.

“Shutra?”

Felicia’s gaze turned to In-gong. Her eyes were asking why he was acting like this, but she was still smiling. In-gong just laughed. The horrible sight in his head cleared as he said,

“Noona, I’ll protect you.”

‘No matter what happens, and by all means.’

Felicia blinked at In-gong’s words, then she opened her fan.

“What are you saying all of a sudden?”

However, her voice was very pleased. She fanned herself a few times before shrugging.

“Although… good. You are reliable. Why am I feeling so relieved?”

Felicia smiled widely behind the fan before quickly correcting her expression. Instead of saying anything more, In-gong laughed and looked up at the night sky.

&

The Year 513 began…

And the Demon World side of Knight Saga had begun. After spending 10 more days at the Dragon Temple, In-gong headed to the 12th base because Anastasia had called him.

While In-gong spent more than a month at the Dragon Temple, Anastasia and Victor had recaptured most of the western and northern parts of Curtis.

The morale of the rebels was very low. The rebellion had turned over the moment the Paran clan rejoined the Demon King’s Palace. As expected, the western barbarian king, Actius, had chosen to escape, instead of fighting. He returned to beyond the limit line as fast as the wind. Actius’ rapid departure destroyed the morale of the rebels completely, and they were on the verge of collapse.

In the case of the central fortress battle, Actius could be called the secret to suppressing the rebels.

Of course, among the rebels, there were still those crying for war. It was difficult for them to survive even if they surrendered. Post-battle work included disposal of the ones who surrendered and suppressing the remaining rebels. All of these were mixed up, and there wasn’t enough time in a month. It would need a few more months to completely clear up the situation in Curtis.

In the midst of this, Anastasia had called In-gong and Felicia, but it wasn’t for a task.

“There is a command to return to the Demon King’s Palace. We can’t postpone a direct report about this uprising any longer.”

As soon as the cleaning up of the Red Lightning tribe was over, he had returned to the Demon King’s Palace. So, this situation wasn’t much different.

Anastasia, who he hadn’t seen in a while, was still graceful, but there was fatigue in her voice which she couldn’t hide. Felicia gazed at Anastasia with anxious eyes and asked,

“By the way Unni, are the transportation formations restored yet?”

“Not yet. So, Silvan is coming in his flying ship. He will arrive in two days.”

If Silvan was coming with a flying ship, that meant it could only be the Black Flame Dragon. He had filled it up with crew members at the territory of the dark elves. Anastasia smiled while Felicia’s face turned red. There seemed to be an envious edge to her smile.

“Victor orabeoni will stay in Curtis to stabilize the situation. This time, only the three of us will return to the Demon King’s Palace.”

There were a few reasons for Victor to stay behind, but In-gong didn’t ask. He could guess the reasons to a certain extent.

Two days later, the Black Flame Dragon with Silvan on board arrived at the 12th base.

&

“Felicia! Your dear Oppa is here! Won’t you kiss me on the cheek? Two or three times will be good!”

“Ah, come on!”

“Fe-li-ci-a!”

As soon as they boarded the Black Flame Dragon which had settled at the 12th base, they encountered Silvan’s excited face. Silvan showed a remarkable speed, even by In-gong’s standards, as he hugged Felicia and turned her round and round.

“Felicia! Your dear Oppa is here! Won’t you kiss me on the cheek? Two or three times will be good!”

“Ah, come on!”

Felicia tried to push Silvan away, but it didn’t work. Felicia, who was blushing from embarrassment, suddenly made a complicated expression before turning and kissing Silvan’s cheek.

It was a brief one. That was it, but the effect was amazing.

“Heok? F-Felicia really kissed me!”

Silvan was embarrassed, despite asking for the kiss, and didn’t know what to do. Felicia grinned at his overwhelmed appearance and kissed Silvan’s cheek again.

“Okay, are you satisfied now?”

Silvan blinked in shock at Felicia’s question. It wasn’t the normal flow which occurred around Silvan and Felicia.

“A-are you sick? Is this a gift for the new year?”

Silvan asked with sincere worry, and Felicia just laughed.

“It’s not like that. It’s just that sometimes, I think it’s good to do this.”

Despite everything, she only had one brother. Moreover, it must never be said again, but she had been worried. Felicia never forgot about Silvan. When she thought about what had happened on that day, she could kiss his cheeks a few more times.

“Please stay healthy in the future. That is the best gift for me.”

“F-Felicia.”

Silvan was moved to tears, and Felicia smiled as she touched his cheeks. Then Anastasia, who had been staring at the two of them, let out a long sigh.

“This is embarrassing to watch. You two, there are other people on the ship…”

Anastasia’s cheeks were red from embarrassment. As Felicia became aware that she and Silvan were not alone, she hurriedly pushed him aside. This time, Silvan released Felicia instead of holding onto her tightly.

“Anastasia noonim.”

“Silvan.”

As Silvan and Anastasia exchanged greetings, Felicia spread her fan and covered her face.

“Well, the ‘two people’ have changed now, with Silvan still being one of them.”

She muttered in a small voice, but there was no one listening. In-gong laughed at the festive atmosphere and approached Silvan.

“It is good to see you, Hyung. Is your body okay?”

“Thanks to you, it was very good.”

Silvan was still wearing an eyepatch over his right eye. It wasn’t for sealing the fairy like before, but for camouflage. If he stopped wearing it suddenly, people would be suspicious. The existence of the fairy itself had been a secret. As he shook hands with In-gong, Silvan wriggled his eyebrows up and down.

“Hmm, the atmosphere with Anastasia noonim isn’t bad.”

“Yes.”

It was definitely a much better atmosphere than at Baikal’s tea party. Anastasia had been angry at the transfer of Felicia and Silvan, making her quite hostile toward Shutra.

“Shutra is truly amazing.”

Silvan mumbled before dragging In-gong into a hug. It seemed like Silvan quite liked showing affection.

“Silvan, I’m sorry to say this as soon as you arrived, but can we head back straight away?”

Anastasia asked Sepira, who was standing behind Silvan and shaking her head with embarrassment.

“Noonim, it is difficult no matter how I look at it. My crew needs some time to rest. We can depart in a few hours. This is better for safe piloting.”

Originally, Silvan would’ve entered Anastasia’s faction with Felicia. Therefore, his relationship with Anastasia was quite good.

“Then it can’t be helped.”

Anastasia backed down without any stubborness. Waiting a couple of hours wouldn’t make a huge difference. It was at this moment that there was a voice in In-gong’s head.

‘Shutra, can I share information with Anastasia noonim? It is news about our other brothers and sisters.’

In-gong coughed with a surprised expression. He heard a voice in his head, indicating it was message magic.

‘Silvan hyung, have you learnt message magic?’

Due to fear of the fairy running wild, Silvan had lived by building a wall around magic, not using it at all. So, he was someone who couldn’t even use basic magic. Yet he had just used message magic. It had only been two months, so it was indeed amazing.

‘Huhu… Shutra, it is natural. Now, I am a magic swordsman… a magic swordsman from the heavens.’

His face was so handsome that he gave off a charming atmosphere despite his words. In-gong coughed again and barely managed to control his expression, focusing his mind on answering the first question.

Sharing simple information with Anastasia…

That wasn’t a bad thing to do. At first glance, Silvan seemed like the kind to not think about anything, but ultimately, he was still a prince of the Demon King’s Palace. If he hadn’t intended to share information with Anastasia, he wouldn’t have said anything in the first place.

‘I think it should be fine. I believe that Hyung will filter any important information.’

‘Thank you for believing in me.’

Silvan thanked In-gong with his eyes before looking at Felicia and Anastasia. He had been looking at In-gong silently for a long time, so both Felicia and Anastasia wondered what Silvan would say. Silvan shrugged and said in a pleasant tone,

“This time, I came to pick up the three of you because I got a return order.”

“Silvan as well?”

Anastasia asked with a frown. It was the first time she had heard of this. Anastasia, In-gong, and Felicia were to return to the Demon King’s Palace to report on the rebellion in Curtis. In other words, there was a reason to receive a return command.

However, why had Silvan received a separate return command? Felicia thought it was strange as well. The separate commands weren’t just for moving the party to the Demon King’s Palace. Silvan’s eyes shone with satisfaction from their reactions.

“It isn’t just me. Chris and Caitlin received the command to return.”

“The two of them as well?”

“Yes, the two of them.”

Silvan responded lightly to Felicia’s question before looking at Anastasia, who narrowed her eyes. Then she opened her mouth after some slight hesitation,

“Silvan, was Baikal orabeoni also asked to return to the Demon King’s Palace?”

Six of the nine royal children had been ordered to return. With the exception of Victor, who had a definite reason to remain in Curtis, it was natural to ask if Baikal and Zephyr would return as well. However, Anastasia couldn’t hide the expectations in her voice. Silvan shrugged and replied,

“Noonim, I’m sorry, but I know that Baikal hyung-nim doesn’t have a return order. There is a rumour that Baikal hyung-nim and Zephyr hyung-nim will soon receive a relocation order.”

“Relocation?”

“It seems like they don’t have to go that far. If they had to move to a distant place, then it would be better to go through the Demon King’s Palace.”

The Demon King’s Palace was connected to all the major parts of the Demon World through the transportation formations. If they were moving to a place other than the north, it would be much faster and more efficient to pass through the Demon King’s Palace.

“Uhh… doesn’t the flow seem similar to the last time?”

Felicia frowned and asked. It was similar to the court gathering where all the children of the demon king had gathered together. In-gong had a similar idea. Anastasia nodded as well.

“Maybe… they are trying to position all the children of the demon in the north. That would explain why a return order hasn’t been issued to Baikal orabeoni.”

It would be faster to move from the north to somewhere else within the north, rather than going through the Demon King’s Palace. Felicia bit her lip and turned toward Anastasia.

“Unni, are you talking about the Aegis Gate?”

“If all the children of the demon king were being sent to one place, it would be there.”

Anastasia’s voice and expression became overcast. At that moment…

“Master, what is the Aegis Gate?”

Green Wind appeared in reality and asked In-gong. Felicia had already become accustomed to Green Wind’s intrusions, but Silvan and Anastasia weren’t. Silvan stared at Green Wind with curiosity, while Anastasia replied in an elegant voice,

“It is the absolute line of defense in the north of the Demon World.”

“Absolute line of defense?”

Green Wind looked back at In-gong. Instead of answering, In-gong turned Green Wind back in Anastasia’s direction. He was going to leave the explanation to Anastasia. Anastasia smiled like she liked Green Wind and added,

“The Demon World is incredibly huge. Due to that, the area that we call the north is quite vast.”

Baikal and Zephyr were active in the north, and Enger Plains, which could be called Green Wind’s hometown, also belonged to the north.

“Silvan, can you show me a map?”

“Of course.”

The crew members immediately responded to Silvan’s command to bring a large map. It was a map of the Demon World.

“The Aegis Gate is the northernmost area of the north. It is the region with the most battles.”

Anastasia pointed to the very top of the map. Felicia subsequently said,

“Green Wind, the limit line near the area where Unni is pointing is special. The strength of the barbarians and creatures there is superior, and their numbers are enormous. Aegis Gate is the name of the fortress which was built to stop the enemies in the north.”

Aegis Gate was an absolute line of defense. Anastasia opened her mouth again and said briefly,

“500,000.”

“500,000?”

Green Wind’s eyes widened. Then Anastasia responded,

“That is the number of barbarians who passed away during the Great Invasion 12 years ago. Abamama… at that time, the demon king headed to the north himself.”

The scale was completely different from the west and the east. Green Wind had spent almost all her life at Enger Plains, so she was shocked at the number.

Felicia added,

“The attacks of the creatures couldn’t be ignored. Apart from the barbarians, the creatures also caused a considerable headache. There are some incredibly strong or huge monsters which can be considered an army on their own.”

It was the same in Knight Saga. If other regions were in normal mode, the vicinity of the Aegis Gate was hell mode.

“Master, do we have to go to such a place?”

Green Wind asked in a voice which was filled with concern. She disliked the thought of In-gong being in danger. In-gong stroked Green Wind’s head and said,

“The Demon King’s Palace pays careful attention to the Aegis Gate. Isn’t it called the absolute line of defense? It is as the name suggests. It is a place where the captains are often present.”

One of the reasons why the Demon King’s Palace couldn’t dispatch the five army captains everywhere was the presence of the Aegis Gate. The four commanders, except for Reinhardt who served as the demon king’s guard, usually served at the Aegis Gate for a quarter of the year.

“Ohh, I wonder if there are signs of an invasion?”

“I don’t know.”

Silvan stroked Felicia’s head with an expression of regret. Once again, Felicia showed no signs of pushing him off. Anastasia folded her arms and said,

“Even if there isn’t a big invasion, it is a place where big and small battles never end. The group attacking all over the Demon World may be aiming for the Aegis Gate this time.”

The Death Knight and the War Knight… In-gong agreed that the possibility was high. However, at that very moment, Green Wind blocked In-gong’s mouth with her hand.

“Master, don’t say it. Master’s words have a strong effect, so you definitely shouldn’t mention it.”

In-gong couldn’t help laughing at her desperate voice. Felicia shrugged and responded,

“Yes. Isn’t that quite plausible?”

The heavy atmosphere lightened to a certain extent. Then Anastasia let out a large sigh and said,

“I have received one piece of information.”

“Unni?”

Anastasia leaned back against a wall before replying lightly,

“There is a rumour that Altesia, the saintess of the Erebos Church, will soon be in the north.”

“The saintess of the Erebos Church?”

Erebos, god of the night and darkness, was the god of the most powerful religion in the Demon World. Silvan patted Felicia’s head again.

“Felicia, don’t worry. Oppa thinks that Felicia is much more beautiful than the saintess.”

“Oh, come on! That isn’t the point!”

Felicia pushed Silvan’s hand away and said to Anastasia,

“If the Dark Saintess is moving, then the Knights of Erebos are also moving. Is something really happening in the north?”

It really seemed to be true. Anastasia replied with a frown,

“For now, it seems to be a sick visit. They are moving around with making any noise and are visiting several places.”

There were believers of the Erebos religion everywhere in the Demon World. They couldn’t ignore the possibility that the visit to the north was simply to console those who were ill.

“Orc, what do you think?”

After hearing Felicia and Anastasia’s conversation, Green Wind suddenly directed a question to Carack. Carack’s eyes widened at the sudden question while Anastasia cocked her head. Felicia saw Anastasia’s reaction and quickly opened her mouth,

“It is worth listening to Carack’s opinion.”

Anastasia made a strange sound. Felicia was familiar with Carack, since she had been together with him for a long time. However, Anastasia felt uncomfortable at the fact that he was an aide as well as an orc. Despite this, Felicia’s intervention sparked curiosity, rather than displeasure, in Anastasia.

As Felicia sighed in relief, Carack pondered for a moment before saying,

“Hrmm, I can only think about Prince’s position. So, for now, I don’t think Prince should be worried about the situation in the north.”

“Then?”

It was a fairly fresh opinion, so all eyes focused on him. Carack shrugged and replied,

“We are returning to the Demon King’s Palace. There will also be a court gathering. I am more worried about what will happen there.”

There had never been a court gathering which passed quietly. The previous court gathering, which had been the quietest one, was an unexpected event with the visit of the 3rd and 4th queens.

“Yes. Indeed, Carack, your words are correct.”

Felicia smiled and nodded, and for some reason, Anastasia agreed.

“Indeed, Disturbance Shutra is famous. It is the new specialty of the Demon King’s Palace. Hrm, I am full of expectations now.”

Until now, she had been watching from a distance. There was a slight difference between then and now.

“Well, we will all know once we return to the Demon King’s Palace.”

In-gong ended the conversation easily, and everyone nodded. In particular, Silvan clapped and exclaimed in a loud voice as he looked up at the sails of the Black Flame Dragon.

“Now, lift up the anchor and spread the sails! It is time to move to the Demon King’s Palace!”

He shouted nicely, but the Black Flame Dragon didn’t move. In the silence, Sepira muttered in a small and embarrassed voice,

“Your Highness, the departure time is in two hours.”

Silvan had set it himself. After a moment of silence, Anastasia smiled, while everyone else burst out laughing.

&

The sunshine was dazzling. After escaping from the caves which were a buffer zone between the Human World and Demon World, the youth smiled as he saw sunlight for the first time in a week.

The young man wasn’t handsome. Rather, he was more on the plain side. However, there was something about him which caught one’s eye. It was a type of charisma he had been born with.

He had blackish brown hair and sky-blue eyes. His face was one which showed his youth. Maybe it was more appropriate to call him a boy, instead of a young man. He wore armour made of dragon scales and held a sword filled with divine power. Accompanying him, there was also a beautiful young girl and a middle-aged man with complicated expressions on their faces. Fatigue, relief, fear, and curiosity about the unknown were displayed openly on their faces.

The Saintess Beatrice and Mercenary King Carlov…

They were heroes of the Human World and experts in their respective fields. The young man looked back to the front, then he took a deep breath and smiled.

“Now, is it the Demon World from here on out?”

Warrior Locke—

The Drakon Kechatulla who had been raised by Guardian Queian…

He had reached the Demon World.